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We report the experimental results of the commissioning phase in the 10 PW laser beamline of the Shanghai Superintense Ultrafast Laser Facility (SULF). The peak power reaches 2.4 PW on target without the last amplifying during the experiment. The laser energy of 72 ± 9 J is directed to a focal spot of approximately 6 μm diameter (full width at half maximum) in 30 fs pulse duration, yielding a focused peak intensity around 2.0 × 1021 W/cm2. The first laser-proton acceleration experiment is performed using plain copper and plastic targets. High-energy proton beams with maximum cut-off energy up to 62.5 MeV are achieved using copper foils at the optimum target thickness of 4 μm via target normal sheath acceleration. For plastic targets of tens of nanometers thick, the proton cut-off energy is approximately 20 MeV, showing ring-like or filamented density distributions. These experimental results reflect the capabilities of the SULF-10 PW beamline, for example, both ultrahigh intensity and relatively good beam contrast. Further optimization for these key parameters is underway, where peak laser intensities of 1022–1023 W/cm2 are anticipated to support various experiments on extreme field physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Because of the limited treatment options available, oral lopinavir/ritonavir (LPR) was used for treating coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pediatric patients. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of LPR in COVID-19 pediatric patients with mild symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective multicenter analysis included hospitalized children with mild COVID-19 who received LPR at one of 13 hospitals in China from January 1, 2020, to June 1, 2020. Patients treated with LPR were matched with patients not treated with LPR (1:4) according to age, sex, and length of symptom onset and hospitalization. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were applied to compare differences between groups. Kaplan-Meier probability curves and Cox regression models were used to analyze nasal swab turning negative time (recovery time) and hospital discharge days. RESULTS: In total, 23 patients treated with LPR were matched with 92 untreated controls. The median age of patients was 6 years, and 56.52% of them were male. All patients were discharged from the hospital after being cured. The treatment group had a longer nasal swab turning negative time (hazard ratio [HR] 5.33; 95% CI: 1.94-14.67; p = 0.001) than the control group. LPR treatment was also associated with a longer hospitalization time (HR 2.01; 95% CI: 1.24-3.29; p = 0.005). After adjusting for the influence of LPR treatment, adverse drug reaction events were associated with a longer nasopharyngeal swab negative time (HR 4.67; 95% CI 1.35-16.11; p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: For children with mild COVID-19, LPR is inferior to conventional treatment in reducing virus shedding time and hospitalization duration and is associated with increased adverse reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience of three Chinese cities (Wuhan, Shanghai and Haikou) and provide a reference for global efforts to combat COVID-19 spread among children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Through collecting the measures and outcomes of preventing and controlling COVID-19 in China’s three hospitals, we compared the effect of different strategies. RESULTS: From January to March 2020, the number of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wuhan increased exponentially, and Wuhan Children’s Hospital as a whole was transformed into a designated quarantine and treatment facility, which is the “Wuhan Model”. Shanghai has more children’s hospitals with better capabilities to tackle public health emergency. Besides, it is far away from Wuhan and had a small caseload. Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, a facility in Shanghai to treat pediatric infectious diseases, is famous for its well-equipped building for infectious disease treatment and professional medical team, and therefore no major transformation was required. That is the “Shanghai Model”. Haikou is located on an island. Amid the outbreak, large numbers of tourists and travelers from Hubei had already arrived in Haikou. Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, as the only pediatric care hospital in Hainan Province, did not have a separate building for infectious disease treatment. After a citywide survey of the medical resources and facilities available, a temporarily idle hospital 3 kilometers away from Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center was requisitioned as the quarantine and treatment facility for pediatric cases. That is the “Hainan Model”. The three models enabled the treatment of all suspected and confirmed cases and no fatality was reported. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 coping strategies for children should be designed according to the existing conditions of the local children’s hospitals and the risk levels of the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Insulin-like growth factors-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and estrogen receptor (ER) are reported to co-express and engage in crosstalk involving in the synergistic effect of various aspects. It is unknown whether this crosstalk exists in the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. We aimed to investigate the interaction between IGF-1R and ER-α in regulating NP cell proliferation and inflammation response under IGF-1 stimulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed the IGF-1, IGF-1R, and ER-α in different degenerated degree human NP tissues. NP cells were cultured with IGF-1 protein with or without the inhibitor of IGF-1R or ER-α to investigate their effects on the proliferation and inflammation response. In addition, we also upregulated the IFG-1R and ER-α expression by plasmid transfection to investigate the impact on each other. The content of IGF-1, IFG-1R, and ER-α was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proliferative cell rate was determined by flow cytometry. Additionally, intracellular collagen-II, p16, PCNA, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and MMP-13 expression were also detected. RESULTS: We found IGF-1, IFG-1R, and ER-α content were decreased in higher degenerated NP tissues. IGF-1 protein treatment upregulated the IFG-1R and ER-α expression and promoted NP cell proliferation, collagen-II, and PCNA expression. However, the suppression of IGF-1R (or ER-α) weakened the IGF-1 induced collagen-II expression, proliferation, and anti-inflammation effects on NP cells, decreased ER-α (or IGF-1R) expression, and partly reversed the protective effect of NP cells caused by IGF-1 Similarly, the upregulation of one of IGF-1R and ER-α may increase the other as well. CONCLUSIONS: There is an interaction between IGF-1R and ER-α acts synergistically to promote the proliferation and suppress inflammation in NP cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The warm ischemia- reperfusion injury confines the prevalence of allografts. To improve the success rate of allotransplantation, we designed experiments to study the mechanism of calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type 2 (CaMK II) in ischemia- reperfusion (I/R) injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We established the I/R model in SD rats and performed the liver transplantation (LT). As a result, the expression of CaMK II in tissues was detected. CaMK II was interfered with and overexpressed by the transference of the lentivirus vector, and the hepatocyte apoptosis and viability were inspected. At the same time, the content of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were determined. The measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential and detection of intercellular calcium levels were performed. RESULTS: The expression of CaMK II significantly increased and is highly corresponded with the duration of warm ischemia. In BRL-3A cells and liver tissues, increased cellular apoptosis and less viability had been observed in the CaMK II overexpression group. Cytochrome c and AIF were also largely increased compared to the interfered group. Moreover, apparent mitochondrial membrane potential loss has also been detected in the CaMK II overexpression group. CONCLUSIONS: It suggested that C aMK I I induces cell apoptosis. Our findings may give a novel indication that inhibition of CaMK II could be a new way for the therapy of warm ischemia-reperfusion injury after LT in future clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Atherosclerosis (AS), with high risk of stroke or cerebrovascular disease, is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) is related to atherothrombotic stroke susceptibility and contributes to AS progression. However, the underlying mechanism was not explained yet. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Human aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (HA-VSMCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and considered as AS cell models. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were employed to investigate the mRNA and protein expression level, respectively. Microscopic examination through fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to determine the location of ANRIL. Cell proliferation and migration assays were demonstrated to evaluate the functional role of ANRIL in AS. Potential target of ANRIL was determined using Luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). RESULTS: ANRIL was upregulated and miR- 399-5p was down-regulated in both human atherosclerotic plaques and ox-LDL-induced cells. ANRIL was located in cytoplasm and promoted cell proliferation and migration by sponging miR-399-5p. Further analysis identified fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2 (FRS2) as a direct target of miR-399-5p. Finally, RAS/RAF/ERK signal pathway was proved to be involved in the regulation of ANRIL on the progression of AS. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed the underlying mechanism that ANRIL promoted AS progression by sponging miR-399-5p and regulating RAS/RAF/ERK signal pathway, suggesting that ANRIL might be a potential target for the therapeutic strategy of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the electrical properties and spatial distribution of the ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering at low deposition temperature was presented, with emphasis on the origin of the resistivity inhomogeneity across the substrate. Various growth conditions were obtained by manipulating the growth temperature TS, total pressure PT, and ion-to-neutral ratio Ji/Jn. The plasma characteristics such as radial ion density and floating/plasma potential distribution over the substrate were measured by Langmuir probe, while the flux and energy distribution of energetic species were estimated through Monte Carlo simulations. The crystalline, stress and electrical properties of the films were found to be strongly dependent on TS and Ji/Jn. Under the low Ji/Jn (<0.3) conditions, the TS exerted a remarkable influence on film quality. The films prepared at 90 °C were highly compressed, exhibiting poor electrical properties and significant spatial distribution. High quality films with low stress and resistivity were produced at higher TS (200 °C). Similarly, at lower TS (90 °C), higher Ji/Jn (∼2) dramatically improved the film resistivity as well as its lateral distribution. Moreover, it indicated that the role of ion bombardment is dependent on the mechanism of dissipation of incident species. Ion bombardment is beneficial to the film growth if the energy of incident species Ei is below the penetration threshold Epet (∼33 eV for ZnO); on the other hand, the energy subimplant mechanism would work, and the bombardment degrades the film quality when Ei is over the Epet. The energetic bombardment of negative oxygen ions rather than the positives dominated the resistivity distribution of AZO films, while the nonuniform distribution of active oxygen played a secondary role which was otherwise more notable under conditions of lower TS and Ji/Jn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]