Creative Commons Attribution Research Articles

ToTE: A global database on trees of the treeline ecotone.

Globally, treelines form a transition zone between tree-dominated forest downslope and treeless alpine vegetation upslope. Treelines represent the highest boundary of "tree" life form in high-elevation mountains and at high latitudes. Recently, treelines have been shifting upslope in response to climate warming, so it has become important to understand global tree diversity and treeline distributions. However, to the best of our knowledge, no global database on tree flora of treelines exists, which limits our capacity to undertake macroecological analyses. Here, for the first time, we present a global data set on the trees of the treeline ecotone, supported by an online ToTE database. We synthesized the database from 1202 studies published over the last 60 years (1962 to 2022) following the Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol. We classified the tree species in the database into three categories: treeline tree (TL) species, near to treeline (NTL) tree species, and tree species with an upper montane range limit (TUMR). The ToTE Version-1 presents a total of 208 tree taxa, including 189 species, five subspecies, and 14 varieties, belonging to 54 genera and 26 families distributed across 34 mountain regions worldwide that either grow exactly at the treeline or have a range limit below the treeline. Of the total taxa, 155, 14, and 39 belong to TL, NTL, and TUMR, respectively. Genera such as Abies, Picea, Pinus, Larix, and Juniperus are more represented in the treeline tree category. On the other hand, Acer, Prunus, Populus, and Quercus have more representatives in the near to treeline category, whereas Erica, Nothofagus, and Polylepis contribute more tree species with an upper montane range limit. Furthermore, families such as Rosaceae and Pinaceae include trees that occur both at the treeline and with an upper montane range limit, whereas Sapindaceae includes trees that occur exclusively near to treeline. Our database also includes information on the global distribution patterns of treeline tree species richness across mountains and biomes. The mountains with the highest number of tree species are the Andes (39) followed by the Himalaya (37). Close to 67% of tree species show restricted distributions in different mountains, with the highest endemism in the Andes and the Himalaya. In terms of tree species distribution, Pinus sylvestris was widespread, with a distribution across nine mountain regions, followed by Picea glauca and Fagus sylvatica, both distributed across five mountain regions. In terms of species' distribution across biomes, the temperate biome harbors the highest treeline tree species richness (152 species), which may reflect the fact that the majority of studies are available from the temperate regions of the world. The remaining 56 species are distributed within five other biomes, with the least in dry tropical and subarctic (four species each). Furthermore, currently 40 treeline tree species fall under different International Union for Conservation of Nature threat categories. We anticipate that our database will help advance research on macroecological, biogeographic, evolutionary, climate-change, and conservation aspects of the treeline on a global scale. The data are released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international license. Please cite this data paper when the data are reused.

Exploring Definitions and Predictors of Severe Asthma Clinical Remission Post-Biologic in Adults.

There is no consensus on criteria to include in an asthma remission definition in real-life. Factors associated with achieving remission post-biologic-initiation remain poorly understood. To quantify the proportion of adults with severe asthma achieving multi-domain-defined remission post-biologic-initiation and identify pre-biologic characteristics associated with achieving remission which may be used to predict it. This was a longitudinal cohort study using data from 23 countries from the International Severe Asthma Registry. Four asthma outcome domains were assessed in the 1-year pre- and post-biologic-initiation. A priori-defined remission cut-offs were: 0 exacerbations/year, no long-term oral corticosteroid (LTOCS), partly/well-controlled asthma, and percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second ≥80%. Remission was defined using 2 (exacerbations + LTOCS), 3 (+control or +lung function) and 4 of these domains. The association between pre-biologic characteristics and post-biologic remission was assessed by multivariable analysis. 50.2%, 33.5%, 25.8% and 20.3% of patients met criteria for 2, 3 (+control), 3 (+lung function) and 4-domain-remission, respectively. The odds of achieving 4-domain remission decreased by 15% for every additional 10-years asthma duration (odds ratio: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.73, 1.00). The odds of remission increased in those with fewer exacerbations/year, lower LTOCS daily dose, better control and better lung function pre-biologic-initiation. One in 5 patients achieved 4-domain remission within 1-year of biologic-initiation. Patients with less severe impairment and shorter asthma duration at initiation had a greater chance of achieving remission post-biologic, indicating that biologic treatment should not be delayed if remission is the goal. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Monocyte Production of C1q Potentiates CD8+ T Cell Function Following Respiratory Viral Infection.

Respiratory viral infections remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Using a murine model of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), we identified recruitment of a C1q-expressing inflammatory monocyte population concomitant with viral clearance by adaptive immune cells. Genetic ablation of C1q led to reduced CD8+ T cell function. Production of C1q by a myeloid lineage was necessary to enhance CD8+ T cell function. Activated and dividing CD8+ T cells expressed a C1q receptor, gC1qR. Perturbation of gC1qR signaling led to altered CD8+ T cell IFN-γ production, metabolic capacity, and cell proliferation. Autopsy specimens from fatal respiratory viral infections in children demonstrated diffuse production of C1q by an interstitial population. Humans with severe COVID-19 infection also demonstrated upregulation of gC1qR on activated and rapidly dividing CD8+ T cells. Collectively, these studies implicate C1q production from monocytes as a critical regulator of CD8+ T cell function following respiratory viral infection. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

The FAM13A Long Isoform Regulates Cilia Movement and Co-ordination in Airway Mucociliary Transport.

SNPs in the FAM13A locus are amongst the most commonly reported risk alleles associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory diseases, however the physiological role of FAM13A is unclear. In humans, two major protein isoforms are expressed at the FAM13A locus: 'long' and 'short', but their functions remain unknown, partly due to a lack of isoform conservation in mice. We performed in-depth characterisation of organotypic primary human airway epithelial cell subsets and show that multiciliated cells predominantly express the FAM13A long isoform containing a putative N-terminal Rho GTPase activating protein (RhoGAP) domain. Using purified proteins, we directly demonstrate RhoGAP activity of this domain. In Xenopus laevis, which conserve the long isoform, Fam13a-deficiency impaired cilia-dependent embryo motility. In human primary epithelial cells, long isoform deficiency did not affect multiciliogenesis but reduced cilia co-ordination in mucociliary transport assays. This is the first demonstration that FAM13A isoforms are differentially expressed within the airway epithelium, with implications for the assessment and interpretation of SNP effects on FAM13A expression levels. We also show that the long FAM13A isoform co-ordinates cilia-driven movement, suggesting that FAM13A risk alleles may affect susceptibility to respiratory diseases through deficiencies in mucociliary clearance. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

From ICU Syndromes to ICU Subphenotypes: Consensus Report and Recommendations For Developing Precision Medicine in ICU.

Critical care uses syndromic definitions to describe patient groups for clinical practice and research. There is growing recognition that a "precision medicine" approach is required and that integrated biologic and physiologic data identify reproducible subpopulations that may respond differently to treatment. This article reviews the current state of the field and considers how to successfully transition to a precision medicine approach. In order to impact clinical care, identified subpopulations must do more than differentiate prognosis. They must differentiate response to treatment, ideally by defining subgroups with distinct functional or pathobiological mechanisms (endotypes). There are now multiple examples of reproducible subpopulations of sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and acute kidney or brain injury described using clinical, physiological, and/or biological data. Many of these subpopulations have demonstrated the potential to define differential treatment response, largely in retrospective studies, and that the same treatment-responsive subpopulations may cross multiple clinical syndromes (treatable traits). To bring about a change in clinical practice, a precision medicine approach must be evaluated in prospective clinical studies requiring novel adaptive trial designs. Several such studies are underway but there are multiple challenges to be tackled. Such subpopulations must be readily identifiable and be applicable to all critically ill populations around the world. Subdividing clinical syndromes into subpopulations will require large patient numbers. Global collaboration of investigators, clinicians, industry and patients over many years will therefore be required to transition to a precision medicine approach and ultimately realize treatment advances seen in other medical fields. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

A New Methodology for the Oxygen Measurement in Lung Tissue of an Aged Ferret Model Proves Hypoxia During COVID-19.

Oxygen as a key element has a high impact on cellular processes. Infection with a pathogen such as SARS-CoV-2 and following inflammation may lead to hypoxic conditions in tissue that impact cellular responses. To develop optimized translational in vitro models for a better understanding of physiologic and pathophysiologic oxygen conditions, it is a prerequisite to determine oxygen levels generated in vivo. Our study objective was the establishment of an invasive method for oxygen measurements using a luminescence-based microsensor to determine the dissolved oxygen in the lung tissue of ferrets as animal models for SARS-CoV-2 research. In analogy to humans, aged ferrets are more likely to show clinical signs after SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to young animals. To investigate oxygen levels during a respiratory viral infection, we intratracheally infected nine aged (3-year-old) ferrets with SARS-CoV-2. The aged SARS-CoV-2 infected ferrets showed mild to moderate clinical signs associated with prolonged viral RNA shedding until 14 days post infection (dpi). SARS-CoV-2 infected ferrets showed histopathologic lung lesion scores that significantly negatively correlated with oxygen levels in lung tissue. At 4 dpi, oxygen levels in lung tissue were significantly lower (mean %O2 of 3.89 ≙ ≈ 27.78 mmHg) compared to the negative control group (mean %O2 of 8.65 ≙ ≈ 61.4 mmHg). In summary, we succeeded in determining the pathophysiologic oxygen conditions in the lung tissue of aged SARS-CoV-2-infected ferrets. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). .

Analysis of the strong decays of SU(3) partners of the $\Omega(2012)$ baryon

Abstract We estimate the coupling constants and decay widths of the $SU(3)$ partners of the $\Omega(2012)$ hyperon, as discovered by the BELLE Collaboration, using the distribution amplitudes of the octet baryons within light cone sum rules method. Our study includes a comparison of the obtained results for the relevant decay widths with those derived within the framework of the flavor $SU(3)$ analysis. We observe a good agreement between the predictions of both approaches. Moreover, our results on the decay width of the $\Omega \to \Xi K$ is compatible with the existing experimental result within the uncertainties of the model predictions. These results can provide helpful insights for determining the nature of the $SU(3)$ partners of the $\Omega(2012)$ baryon. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

Calibration of the Cryogenic Measurement System of a Resonant Haloscope Cavity

Abstract Possible light bosonic dark matter interactions with the Standard Model photon have been searched by microwave resonant cavities. In this paper, we demonstrate the cryogenic readout system calibration of a 7.138 GHz copper cavity with a loaded quality factor $Q_l=10^4$, operated at 22 mK temperature based on a dilution refrigerator. Our readout system consists of High Electron Mobility Transistors as cryogenic amplifiers at 4 K, plus room-temperature amplifiers and a spectrum analyzer for signal power detection. We test the system with a superconducting two-level system as a single-photon source in the microwave frequency regime and report an overall 95.6 dB system gain and -71.4 dB attenuation in the cavity's input channel. The effective noise temperature of the measurement system is 7.5 K. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

A 95 GeV light Higgs in the top-pair-associated diphoton channel at the LHC in the Minimal Dilaton Model

Abstract Motivated by experimental hints and theoretical frameworks indicating the existence of an extended Higgs sector, we undertake a study to explore the feasibility of detecting a 95 GeV light Higgs boson decaying into diphoton within the Minimal Dilaton Model (MDM) at the 14 TeV LHC. Initially, we identify the correlations between the production cross section, decay branching ratios, and model parameters, e.g., the scalar mixing angle $\sin\theta_S$. Subsequently, we utilize Monte Carlo simulations to generate the signal of the light Higgs boson via the process $pp \to t\bar{t}(s\to \gamma\gamma)$, along with the corresponding backgrounds. To effectively separate the signal from the dominant backgrounds $tt\gamma\gamma$, we employ a meticulous cut-based selection process. Ultimately, we find that with an integrated luminosity of $L = 3000 \fbm$, the regions of $|\sin\theta_S|>0.2$ can be covered at over a $3\sigma$ level. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

The severity of meiotic aneuploidy is associated with altered morphokinetic variables of mouse oocyte maturation

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Is there an association between morphokinetic variables of meiotic maturation and the severity of aneuploidy following in vitro maturation (IVM) in the mouse? SUMMARY ANSWER The severity of meiotic aneuploidy correlates with an extended time to first polar body extrusion (tPB1) and duration of meiosis I (dMI). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Morphokinetic variables measured using time-lapse technology allow for the non-invasive evaluation of preimplantation embryo development within clinical assisted reproductive technology (ART). We recently applied this technology to monitor meiotic progression during IVM of mouse gametes. Whether there is a relationship between morphokinetic variables of meiotic progression and aneuploidy in the resulting egg has not been systematically examined at the resolution of specific chromosomes. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a robust clinical tool for determining aneuploidy status and has been reverse-translated in mouse blastocysts and oocytes. Therefore, we harnessed the technologies of time-lapse imaging and NGS to determine the relationship between the morphokinetics of meiotic progression and egg aneuploidy. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from large antral follicles from hyperstimulated CD-1 mice. Cumulus cells were removed, and spontaneous IVM was performed in the absence or presence of two doses of Nocodazole (25 nM or 50 nM) to induce a spectrum of spindle abnormalities and chromosome segregation errors during oocyte meiosis. Comprehensive chromosome screening was then performed in the resulting eggs, and morphokinetic variables and ploidy status were compared across experimental groups (control, n = 11; 25 nM Nocodazole, n = 13; 50 nM Nocodazole, n = 23). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We monitored IVM in mouse oocytes using time-lapse microscopy for 16 hours, and time to germinal vesicle breakdown (tGVBD), time to first polar body extrusion (tPB1), and duration of meiosis I (dMI) were analyzed. Following IVM, comprehensive chromosome screening was performed on the eggs and their matched first polar bodies via adaptation of an NGS-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) assay. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to align reads to the mouse genome and determine copy number-based predictions of aneuploidy. The concordance of each polar body–egg pair (reciprocal errors) was used to validate the results. Ploidy status was categorized as euploid, 1–3 chromosomal segregation errors, or ≥ 4 chromosomal segregation errors. Additionally, aneuploidy due to premature separation of sister chromatids versus non-disjunction was distinguished. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We applied and validated state-of-the-art NGS technology to screen aneuploidy in individual mouse eggs and matched polar bodies at the chromosome-specific level. By performing IVM in the presence of different doses of Nocodazole, we induced a range of aneuploidy. No aneuploidy was observed in the absence of Nocodazole (0/11), whereas IVM in the presence of 25 nM and 50 nM Nocodazole resulted in an aneuploidy incidence of 7.69% (1/13) and 82.60% (19/23), respectively. Of the aneuploid eggs, 5% (1/20) was due to premature separation of sister chromatids (PSSC), 65% (13/20) to non-disjunction (NDJ), and the remainder to a combination of both. There was no relationship between ploidy status and tGVBD, but tPB1 and the dMI were both significantly prolonged in eggs with reciprocal aneuploidy events compared to the euploid eggs, and this scaled with the severity of aneuploidy. Eggs with ≥4 aneuploid chromosomes had the longest tPB1 and dMI (p < 0.0001), whereas eggs with 1–3 aneuploid chromosomes exhibited intermediate lengths of time (p < 0.0001). LARGE SCALE DATA N/A LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We used Nocodazole in this study to disrupt the meiotic spindle and induce aneuploidy in mouse oocytes. Whether the association between morphokinetic variables of meiotic progression and the severity of aneuploidy occurs with other compounds that induce chromosome segregation errors remain to be investigated. In addition, unlike mouse oocytes, human IVM requires the presence of cumulus cells, which precludes visualization of morphokinetic variables of meiotic progression. Thus, our study may have limited direct clinical translatability. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS We validated NGS in mouse eggs to detect aneuploidy at a chromosome-specific resolution which greatly improves the utility of the mouse model. With a tractable and validated model system for characterizing meiotic aneuploidy, investigations into the molecular mechanisms and factors which may influence aneuploidy can be further elaborated. Time-lapse analyses of morphokinetic variables of meiotic progression may be a useful non-invasive predictor of aneuploidy severity. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [INV-003385]. Under the grant conditions of the Foundation, a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Generic License has already been assigned to the Author Accepted Manuscript version that might arise from this submission. The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Multifactorial analysis of willingness to undergo subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy in pediatric patients

Objective: To explore factors influencing the acceptance of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the treatment of allergic respiratory diseases by pediatric patients and their families.
 Methods: A total of 406 children (210 males and 196 females) attending the pediatric outpatient clinics and wards of the Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2020 to April 2022. Those who met the criteria for the AIT treatment, were included in the survey. An online 20-item questionnaire was developed. Data on patient’s general characteristics, allergic disease status, family history of allergies, general family information, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and whether the AIT treatment was recommended by a physician, were collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to their willingness to receive AIT: a reluctant or neutral group (n = 182), and a willing group (n = 224). A univariate analysis of the willingness to undergo AIT was done to detect parameters that significantly differed between the groups, and the identified factors were used as independent variables in the multifactorial logistic regression analysis.
 Results: The severity of allergic disease, presence of drug allergy, occurrence of severe allergic reactions, mother’s education, distance from home to the hospital, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and whether the doctor recommended AIT were all statistically different between the groups (p < 0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that the degree of allergic rhinitis (AR), or asthma (AS), parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and doctor’s recommendation of AIT were the factors that influenced the willingness of pediatric patients to receive AIT.
 Conclusions: The severity of AR and AS, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and doctor’s recommendation influenced the willingness of pediatric patients to receive AIT.
 doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8581
 How to cite this: Ding B, Zhong J, Jiang C, Ma T, Shen Q, Lu Y. Measurement of Service Quality Gaps in Dental Services using SERVQUAL in Public Hospitals of Rawalpindi. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):820-828. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8581
 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Detecting Neutrinos from Supernova Bursts in PandaX-4T

Abstract Neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae are essential for the understanding of neutrino physics and stellar evolution. The dual-phase xenon dark matter detectors can provide a way to track explosions of galactic supernovae by detecting neutrinos through coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scatterings. In this study, a variation of progenitor masses as well as explosion models are assumed to predict the neutrino fluxes and spectra, which result in the number of expected neutrino events ranging from 6.6 to 13.7 at a distance of 10 kpc over a 10-second duration with negligible backgrounds at PandaX-4T. Two specialized triggering alarms for monitoring supernova burst neutrinos are built. The efficiency of detecting supernova explosions at various distances in the Milky Way is estimated. These alarms will be implemented in the real-time supernova monitoring system at PandaX-4T in the near future, providing the astronomical communities with supernova early warnings. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

Enoxaparin sodium combined with magnesium sulfate in the treatment of severe preeclampsia

Objective: To observe the treatment of severe preeclampsia in newborns with enoxaparin sodium combined with magnesium sulfate.
 Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 80 patients with severe preeclampsia admitted to Hefei Second People’s Hospital, China from January 2019 to December 2020. Treatment records showed that 40 cases received magnesium sulfate treatment (single group), and 40 cases received enoxaparin sodium combined with magnesium sulfate treatment (combination group). Levels of D-dimer, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PLGF), Apgar scores of newborns delivered before and after treatment were compared. Gestation weeks and incidence of adverse reactions were analyzed.
 Results: After treatment, levels of D-dimer, sfit-1 and adverse reactions in the combination group were significantly lower than those in the single group (P<0.05), and the level of PLGF, newborn Apgar score and length of gestation were significantly higher than those in the single group (P<0.05).
 Conclusion: Compared to magnesium sulfate alone, the combination of enoxaparin sodium and magnesium sulfate in the treatment of pregnant women with severe preeclampsia can more effectively regulate the cytokine level of patients, improve pregnancy outcome, and improve neonatal Apgar score. The incidence of adverse reactions is low, making it a safe and efficient treatment modality.
 doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.9001
 How to cite this: Lu D, Yu J, Sang L. Enoxaparin sodium combined with magnesium sulfate in the treatment of severe preeclampsia. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):870-874. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.9001
 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Recessively Inherited Deficiency of Secreted WFDC2 (HE4) Causes Nasal Polyposis and Bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis is a pathological dilatation of the bronchi in the respiratory airways associated with environmental or genetic causes (e.g., cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia and primary immunodeficiency disorders), but most cases remain idiopathic. To identify novel genetic defects in unsolved cases of bronchiectasis presenting with severe rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. DNA was analyzed by next-generation or targeted Sanger sequencing. RNA was analyzed by quantitative PCR and single-cell RNA sequencing. Patient-derived, cells, cell cultures and secretions (mucus, saliva, seminal fluid) were analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy, and mucociliary activity was measured. Blood serum was analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Protein structure and proteomic analyses were used to assess the impact of a disease-causing founder variant. We identified bi-allelic pathogenic variants in WFDC2 in 11 individuals from 10 unrelated families originating from the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Expression of WFDC2 was detected predominantly in secretory cells of control airway epithelium and also in submucosal glands. We demonstrate that WFDC2 is below the limit of detection in blood serum and hardly detectable in samples of saliva, seminal fluid, and airway surface liquid from WFDC2-deficient individuals. Computer simulations and deglycosylation assays indicate that the disease-causing founder variant p.Cys49Arg structurally hampers glycosylation and thus secretion of mature WFDC2. WFDC2 dysfunction defines a novel molecular etiology of bronchiectasis characterized by the deficiency of a secreted component of the airways. A commercially available blood test combined with genetic testing allows its diagnosis. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Prospects to study hyperon-nucleon interactions at BESIII

Abstract The prospects to study hyperon-nuclei/nucleon interactions at BESIII and similar $e^+ e^-$ colliders are proposed in this work. Utilizing the large quantity of hyperons produced by the decay of 10 billion $J/\psi$ and 2.7 billion $\psi(3686)$ collected at BESIII, the cross sections of several specific elastic or inelastic hyperon-nuclei reactions can be measured via the scattering between the hyperons and the nucleus in the dense objects of BESIII detector. Subsequently, the cross sections of corresponding hyperon-nucleon interactions are able to be extracted with further phenomenological calculation. Furthermore, the interactions between antihyperon and nuclei/nucleon, including scattering and annihilation, can also be studied via the method proposed in this paper. The results will definitely benefit a lot the precise probe of the hyperon-nuclei/nucleon interactions and provide constraints for the studies of the potential of strong interaction, the origin of color confinement, the unified model for baryon-baryon interactions, and the internal structure of neutron stars. In addition, the desirable prospects of corresponding studies in the future Super Tau-Charm Factory (STCF) are discussed and estimated in this work. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

Masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon at different temperatures

Abstract We present a lattice QCD determination of masses of the conjectured H-dibaryon $m_H$ at nine different temperatures
 $T/T_c =0.24, 0.63, 0.76, 0.84, 0.95, 1.09, 1.27, 1.52, 1.90$. In the meantime, the masses of baryon $N$, $\Sigma$, $\Xi$ and $\Lambda$ at different temperatures
 are also computed.
 The simulation is performed on anisotropic lattice with $N_f=2+1$ flavours of clover fermion at quark mass
 which corresponds to $m_\pi=384(4) {\rm MeV} $. The thermal ensembles were provided by the FASTSUM
 collaboration and the zero temperature ensembles by the Hadspec collaboration. We also calculate the spectral density of the correlation function of those particles.
 The spectral density distributions show rich peak structure at the lowest temperature, while at intermediate temperatures, the mass values of those particles obtained by extrapolation method reflect a two-peak structure.
 While the spectral density for octet baryon becomes smooth at $T/T_c = 1.27, 1.52, 1.90$, the spectral density for H-dibaryon becoms smooth at $T/T_c = 1.90$.
 At $T/T_c =0.24 $, the mass difference of H-dibaryon
 and
 $\Lambda$ pair $\Delta m = m_H - 2\,m_{\Lambda} $ is estimated to be $\Delta m = -14.6(6.2) {\rm MeV}$ which suggests there exists a bound H-dibaryon state. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

Amplitude Analysis of the Decays D0→π+π-π+π- and π+π-π0π0

Abstract Using e+e- annihilation data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb-1 taken at the center-of-mass energy √s=3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, a joint amplitude analysis is performed on the decays D0→π+π-π+π- and D0→π+π-π0π0(non-η). The fit fractions of individual components are obtained, and large interferences among the dominant components of the decays D0→a1(1260)π, D0→π(1300)π, D0→ρ(770)ρ(770) and D0→2(ππ)S are found in both channels. With the obtained amplitude model, the CP-even fractions of D0→π+π-π+π- and D0→π+π-π0π0(non-η) are determined to be (75.2 ± 1.1stat. ± 1.5syst.)% and (68.9 ± 1.5stat. ± 2.4syst.)%, respectively. The branching fractions of D0→π+π-π+π- and D0→π+π-π0π0(non-η) are measured to be (0.688 ± 0.010stat. ± 0.010syst.)% and (0.951 ± 0.025stat. ± 0.021syst.)%, respectively. The amplitude analysis provides an important model for binning strategy in the measurements of the strong phase parameters of D0→4π when used to determine the CKM angle γ(Φ3) via the B-→DK- decay. Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

Severity of Airflow Obstruction Based on FEV1/FVC vs FEV1% of Predicted in the General US Population.

According to GOLD, the ratio of FEV1/FVC is used to confirm airflow obstruction in COPD diagnosis, whereas FEV1% of predicted (FEV1%pred) is used for severity grading. STaging of Airflow obstruction by the FEV1/FVC Ratio (STAR) and its prediction of adverse outcomes has not been evaluated in general populations. To compare the STAR (FEV1/FVC) versus GOLD (FEV1%pred) classification for the severity of airflow limitation in terms of exertional breathlessness and mortality in the general US population. Severity stages according to STAR and GOLD were applied to the multi-ethnic National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2012 survey including ages 18-80 years, using post-bronchodilatory FEV1/FVC<0.70 to define airflow obstruction in both staging systems. Prevalence of severity stages STAR 1-4 and GOLD 1-4 was calculated and associations with breathlessness and mortality were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression and Cox regression, respectively. STAR versus GOLD severity staging of airflow obstruction showed similar associations with breathlessness and all-cause mortality, regardless of ethnicity/race. In those with airflow obstruction, the correlation between the two classification systems was 0.461 (p<0.001). STAR reclassified 59% of GOLD stage 2 as having mild airflow obstruction (STAR 1). STAR 1 was more clearly differentiated from the non-obstructive compared to GOLD stage 1 in terms of both breathlessness and mortality. FEV1/FVC and FEV1%pred as measures of severity of airflow limitation show similar prediction of breathlessness and mortality in the adult US population across ethnicity groups. However, stage 1 differed more clearly from non-obstructive based on FEV1/FVC than FEV1%pred. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Moving doubly heavy baryon in a strongly coupled plasma from holography

Abstract Gauge/gravity duality is used to study properties of the doubly heavy baryon $(\mathrm{QQq})$ at finite rapidity and temperature in the heavy-ion collision. We investigate the impact of rapidity on string breaking and screening of $\mathrm{QQq}$, and compare these effects with the results for $\rm Q\bar{Q}$ in detail. Computations reveal that the string-breaking distances of $\mathrm{QQq}$ and $\rm Q\bar{Q}$ are close in the confined state and the effects of rapidity and temperature on the string breaking are not significant. An interesting result shows that $\mathrm{QQq}$ cannot be found at high enough temperatures and rapidities; however, $\rm Q\bar{Q}$ can exist under any conditions as long as the separation distance is small enough. Besides, the screening distances of $\mathrm{QQq}$ and $\rm Q\bar{Q}$ are also compared at finite rapidity and temperature. Based on the above analysis, we infer that $\rm Q\bar{Q}$ is more stable than $\mathrm{QQq}$ at finite rapidity and temperature.Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Article funded by SCOAP3 and published under licence by Chinese Physical Society and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Science and the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and IOP Publishing Ltd.

A comparison of the clinical features of molar pregnancy in adolescents and adults

Objective: To compare the age-specific clinical features of molar pregnancy and to describe the risk factors associated with this situation.&#x0D; Method: This retrospective case-control study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Tepecik Education and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. The participants included both adolescents (≤ 19 years) and adults with histologically confirmed hydatidiform moles in our institution between January 2015 and January 2022. The interventions and main outcome measures of this study involved evaluating the clinical and ultrasonographic features, as well as the risk factors, associated with molar pregnancies in adolescents.&#x0D; Results: This study of 137 patients with molar pregnancy found that adults had a higher incidence of partial molar pregnancy (20 patients versus seven patients) and lower beta-hCG levels than adolescents (176.890.71 mIU/ml versus 253.734.47 mIU/ml). Adolescents had a higher likelihood of hyperthyroidism (25.4% versus 9.2%). bleeding on admission (4.2% versus 1.51%),. longer hospital stays (5.44 ± 2.73 days versus 3.59 ± 3.08 days). Higher rates of uterine enlargement and postoperative bleeding (15.5% versus 1.5%). Adolescents also required more analgesia (97% versus 89.4%).&#x0D; Conclusions: Adolescents with Gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD) may present with more severe symptoms compared to adults, which can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and risk factors for GTDs in this population. Increased awareness and education can help improve recognition and management of GTDs in adolescents and improve their overall health outcomes.&#x0D; doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8383&#x0D; How to cite this: Ozer M, Ozer PT, Karaca I, Karaca S, Ileri A, Budak A. A comparison of the clinical features of molar pregnancy in adolescents and adults. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8383&#x0D; This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.