We report a study of the processes of e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and K^{+}D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} based on e^{+}e^{-} annihilation samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at BEPCII at five ...center-of-mass energies ranging from 4.628 to 4.698 GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 3.7 fb^{-1}. An excess of events over the known contributions of the conventional charmed mesons is observed near the D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} mass thresholds in the K^{+} recoil-mass spectrum for events collected at sqrts=4.681 GeV. The structure matches a mass-dependent-width Breit-Wigner line shape, whose pole mass and width are determined as (3982.5_{-2.6}^{+1.8}±2.1) MeV/c^{2} and (12.8_{-4.4}^{+5.3}±3.0) MeV, respectively. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The significance of the resonance hypothesis is estimated to be 5.3 σ over the contributions only from the conventional charmed mesons. This is the first candidate for a charged hidden-charm tetraquark with strangeness, decaying into D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0}. However, the properties of the excess need further exploration with more statistics.
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Abstract Our aim was to differentiate IgG4-related sialadenitis, primary Sjögren syndrome, and chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis by analysing clinical, radiographic, and pathological ...features. Fifty-five patients, 50, and 50 were enrolled, respectively and their baseline characteristics and serological, sialographic, and pathological findings compared. The male:female ratio for IgG4-related sialadenitis was 1:1.2 for primary Sjögren syndrome 1:15.7, and for chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis1:0.92. Numbers with enlarged salivary glands were 55, 16, and 50; with xerostomia 26, 48, and 0; with a history of allergy 26, 4, and 6, and with coexisting systemic disease 12, 19, and 0 (p = 0.14). Mean (SD) serum IgG4 concentrations were 109.1 (97.9), 4.9. (1.9) g/L, and 5.3 (1.6) g/L, p < 0.001 in all cases. Sialography showed enlargement of the gland, dilatation of the duct, and slightly decreased secretory function in IgG4-related disease; obvious sialectasia and decreased secretory function in Sjögren syndrome; and dilatation of Wharton’s duct and filling defects in obstructive sialadenitis. Histopathological examination showed lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with storiform fibrosis, lymphoplasmacytic inflammation and lymphoepithelial lesions, and dilatation of the duct with epithelial metaplasia in the three groups, respectively. The number of IgG4-positive plasma cells was 123 (45)/HPF, 8 (3)/HPF, and 5 (4)/HPF, while the IgG4-/IgG-positive cell ratio was 71.7 (13.9)%, 4.6 (2.5)%, 18.9 (19.7)%, respectively (p < 0.001). The three conditions have different clinical, radiographic, and pathological features that provide important clues to the differential diagnosis. Serological and histological tests are important, and comprehensive consideration is necessary.
A DNA vaccine against the hepatitis B virus (HBV), enhanced by IL‐2/IFN‐γ fusion protein expression from a plasmid construct and mediated by in vivo electroporation, was evaluated in a total of 39 ...HBeAg‐positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The six of 39 patients with a serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value of 1–2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) were assigned to the open‐label arm (Group01) receiving vaccine monotherapy; the remaining 33 patients with an ALT of more than two times ULN were enroled to the randomized and controlled arm (Group02) receiving lamivudine (LAM) monotherapy (LAM+placebo) or combined therapy (LAM+DNA vaccine) in 1:2 ratio. In Group01, a significant elevation of HBV‐specific IFN‐γ‐secreting T‐cell counts in comparison with baseline was observed. In Group02, the proportion of patients with HBV DNA suppression was higher with LAM+DNA vaccine than with LAM monotherapy at each visit time point after the final injection of DNA vaccine at week 36, revealing a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.03) at week 60. The incidence of dual‐site mutations of rtM204/I/S+rtL180M was significantly lower (P = 0.03) with an identified lower virological breakthrough (VBT) rate (P = 0.03) in patients receiving LAM+DNA vaccine than LAM monotherapy, accompanied with a significant higher positive T‐cell response rate in patients receiving LAM+DNA vaccine (P = 0.03). In conclusion, this study provides evidence that HBV DNA vaccination is safe and immunologically effective, and that the HBV‐specific T‐cell responses induced by DNA vaccination under LAM chemotherapy showed a correlation with the suppression of viral replication in patients with CHB.
We performed the broadband (1-100 keV) spectral analysis of the first Galactic Be ultraluminous X-ray pulsar (BeULX) Swift J0243.6+6124 observed by Insight-HXMT during the 2017−2018 outburst. The ...results show spectral transitions at two typical luminosities, roughly consistently with those reported previously via pure timing analysis. We find that the spectrum evolves and becomes softer and has higher cutoff energies until the luminosity reaches L1 (∼1.5 × 1038 erg s−1). Afterwards the spectrum becomes harder with lower cutoff energies until the luminosity increases to L2 (∼4.4 × 1038 erg s−1), around which the second spectral transition occurs. Beyond L2, the spectrum softens again and has larger cutoff energies. Similar behaviors were observed previously in other high-mass X-ray binary systems (HMXBs), especially for the second transition at higher luminosities, which is believed to have a correlation with the magnetic field of the harbored neutron star. Accordingly, we speculate that Swift J0243.6+6124 owns a neutron star with magnetic field strength >1013 G. The spectral transition at around L1 of Swift J0243.6+6124 is first observed thoroughly for any HMXB outburst characterized by strong evolution of the thermal component: the temperature of the blackbody drops sharply accompanied by a sudden increase of the blackbody radius. These spectral transitions can in principle be understood in a general scenario of balancing the emission patterns between the pencil and the fan beams at the magnetic pole, for which the extreme brightness of Swift J0243.6+6124 may provide an almost unique lab to probe the details.
We report on the observation of the accreting pulsar GRO J1008-57 performed by Insight-Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) at the peak of the source's 2017 outburst. Pulsations are detected with a ...spin period of 93.283(1) s. The pulse profile shows double peaks at soft X-rays, and only one peak above 20 keV. The spectrum is well described by the phenomenological models of X-ray pulsars. A cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF) is detected with very high statistical significance at a centroid energy of keV, for the reference continuum and line models, HIGHECUT and GABS, respectively. Detection is very robust with respect to different continuum models. The line energy is significantly higher than what is suggested from previous observations, which provided very marginal evidence for the line. This establishes a new record for the centroid energy of a fundamental CRSF observed in accreting pulsars. We also discuss the accretion regime of the source during the Insight-HXMT observation.
Summary
Background
Patients with leprosy have a very low risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) and β‐amyloid (Aβ) deposition is significantly lower in the brain tissue of elderly patients with leprosy ...compared with age‐matched controls. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) plays a critical role in lipid metabolic pathways and in the brain, facilitating the proteolytic clearance of Aβ. We hypothesized that APOE confers risk of leprosy as lipid metabolism is involved in Mycobacterium leprae infection.
Objectives
To investigate the potential genetic associations between APOE and leprosy in two independent Chinese case–control cohorts from the Yuxi and Wenshan prefectures, Yunnan Province of Southwest China.
Methods
Five APOE single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analysed in 1110 individuals (527 patients and 583 controls) from the Yuxi prefecture using a SNaPshot assay. Genetic variations in the entire APOE exons were screened in 1788 individuals (798 patients and 990 controls) from the Wenshan prefecture using next‐generation sequencing technology.
Results
The AD‐associated SNPs rs405509 and rs439401 increased the risk of leprosy per se and multibacillary leprosy (P < 0·005), but the APOE‐ε4 allele did not. The SNPs rs405509 and rs439401 were cis expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) for APOE expression in human skin. Differential APOE mRNA expression was observed in skin lesions of patients with type I reaction leprosy and those with multibacillary leprosy. APOE and related lipid genes are involved in an interaction network with leprosy susceptibility genes.
Conclusions
The APOE gene is associated with leprosy, most likely by regulating lipid‐metabolism‐related genes.
What's already known about this topic?
Host genetic factors could influence susceptibility to leprosy, which is a chronic infectious and neurological disease.
Previous studies have reported a significantly lower level of β‐amyloid (Aβ) deposition in the brain tissues of elderly people with leprosy compared with age‐matched controls.
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) facilitates proteolytic clearance and homeostasis of Aβ peptides in the brain.
What does this study add?
Common variants of APOE were associated with multibacillary leprosy in Han Chinese.
The risk single‐nucleotide polymorphisms rs405509 and rs439401 were cis expression quantitative trait loci for APOE expression in human skin.
ApoE may interact with proteins that are coded as leprosy‐risk genes.
What is the translational message?
Our findings suggested that APOE is associated with leprosy, and this might be mediated by the altered expression of APOE and its potential role in lipid metabolic pathways during Mycobacterium leprae infection.
Future studies that explore the potential function of APOE during leprosy onset may offer a novel therapeutic target in leprosy.
Linked Article: Morgado de Abreu et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:833–834
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We investigate the current-induced switching of the Néel order in NiO(001)/Pt heterostructures, which is manifested electrically via the spin Hall magnetoresistance. Significant reversible changes in ...the longitudinal and transverse resistances are found at room temperature for a current threshold lying in the range of 10^{7} A/cm^{2}. The order-parameter switching is ascribed to the antiferromagnetic dynamics triggered by the (current-induced) antidamping torque, which orients the Néel order towards the direction of the writing current. This is in stark contrast to the case of antiferromagnets such as Mn_{2}Au and CuMnAs, where fieldlike torques induced by the Edelstein effect drive the Néel switching, therefore resulting in an orthogonal alignment between the Néel order and the writing current. Our findings can be readily generalized to other biaxial antiferromagnets, providing broad opportunities for all-electrical writing and readout in antiferromagnetic spintronics.
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The complicated structure of the neutron cannot be calculated using first-principles calculations due to the large colour charge of quarks and the self-interaction of gluons. Its simplest structure ...observables are the electromagnetic form factors1, which probe our understanding of the strong interaction. Until now, a small amount of data has been available for the determination of the neutron structure from the time-like kinematical range. Here we present measurements of the Born cross section of electron–positron annihilation reactions into a neutron and anti-neutron pair, and determine the neutron’s effective form factor. The data were recorded with the BESIII experiment at centre-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08 GeV using an integrated luminosity of 647.9 pb−1. Our results improve the statistics on the neutron form factor by more than a factor of 60 over previous measurements, demonstrating that the neutron form factor data from annihilation in the time-like regime is on par with that from electron scattering experiments. The effective form factor of the neutron shows a periodic behaviour, similar to earlier observations of the proton form factor. Future works—both theoretical and experimental—will help illuminate the origin of this oscillation of the electromagnetic structure observables of the nucleon.Form factors encode the structure of nucleons. Measurements from electron–positron annihilation at BESIII reveal an oscillating behaviour of the neutron electromagnetic form factor, and clarify a long-standing photon–nucleon interaction puzzle.
The processes X(3872) ... , and γD+D− are searched for in a 9.0 fb−1 data sample collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.278 GeV with the BESIII detector. We observe X(3872) ... . ...and find evidence for X (3872)→γJ/ψ with statistical significances of 7.4 σ and 3.5σ, respectively. No evident signals for X(3872)→γψ(2S) and γD+D− are found, and the upper limit on the relative branching ratio Rγψ ≡ {BX(3872)→γψ(2S)}/{BX(3872)→γJ/ψ} <0.59 is set at 90% confidence level. Measurements of branching ratios relative to decay X(3872)→π+π−J/ψ are also reported for decays ... .,γψ(2S), γJ/ψ, and γD+D−, as well as the non-... three-body decays ... .(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)
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