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Purpose This meta-analysis was conducted to systematically retrieve relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and evaluate the effects of intrauterine infusion of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in women with thin endometrium, implantation or pregnancy failure undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART). Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the retrieved RCTs. Studies on the intrauterine infusion of PRP in women undergoing treatment with ART that were published in PubMed, the Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Embase from inception until June 2022 were included. The data were extracted and analyzed independently using the fixed-effects or random-effects model according to heterogeneity. Results Seven RCTs involving 861 patients (435 in the intervention group and 426 in the control group) were included. The rates of clinical pregnancy (risk ratio [RR]: 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0–3.13; P Conclusion In summary, intrauterine infusion of PRP may be an effective therapy for women with thin endometrium and recurrent implantation failure (RIF) undergoing treatment with ART. More population-based RCTs are warranted to verify the efficacy of our evidence.

Lignosulfonate-based colloidal spheres were prepared from sodium lignosulfonate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (NaLS/CTAB) complex through electrostatic and hydrophobic self-assembly. Due to the stronger hydrophobicity and UV-blocking performance, NaLS/CTAB colloids were easier to be blended with HDPE than lignosulfonate, and therefore applied to UV-absorbing thermoplastics. Results showed NaLS/CTAB colloidal spheres had a particle size of 160 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.081. NaLS/CTAB molecules started to form spheres at critical water content of 64 vol% when the initial concentration of NaLS/CTAB in EtOH was 0.5 mg/cm

C14H19ClN2O, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 12.8823(9) Å, b = 9.1617(6) Å, c = 11.7421(9) Å, β = 98.377(7)°, V = 1371.06(17) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0678, wR ref (F2) = 0.1912, T = 293 K.

Background & Aims: This study aimed to establish multivariate prediction models according to a response-guided therapy (RGT) based strategy at baseline and week 12 and 24 of follow-up to predict the functional cure for HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with pegylated interferonα (PEG-IFNα). Methods: A total of 242 HBeAg-negative patients with CHB were treated with PEG-IFNα for 52 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. Responses at the end of follow-up (EOF) were defined as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss, and patients were defined as either responders or non-responders. Results: The three most meaningful predictors were an age ≤40 years,alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels ≤40 U/L, and HBsAg levels ≤100 IU/mL at baseline; ALT levels ≥80 U/L, anti-HBc levels ≤8.42 S/CO, and HBsAg levels ≤50 IU/mLat week 12; and ALT levels ≥40 U/L, anti-HBc levels ≤8.46 S/CO, and HBsAg levels ≤0.2 IU/mL at week 24. The response rates of patients with a score of 0–1 and 4–5 at baseline, week 12, and 24 were 13.5%, 7.8%, and 11.7%; and 63.6%, 68.1%, and 98.1%, respectively. At week 12, the cumulative scores were 0–2, 3–4, 5–7, and 8–10 (response rates 5.0%, 18.9%, 41.3%, and 71.4%, respectively). At week 24, the cumulative scores were 0–3, 4–6, 7–10, and 11–15 (response rates: 1.3%, 12.3%, 37.0%, and 92.5%, respectively). Conclusion: We established a multi-parameter prediction model for the functional cure of HBeAg-negative patients with CHB treated with PEG-IFNα.

Temperature is one of the major environmental signals controlling plant development, geographical distribution, and seasonal behavior. Plants perceive adverse temperatures, such as high, low, and freezing temperatures, as stressful signals that can cause physiological defects and even death. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to adapt to recurring stressful environments through changing gene expression or transcriptional reprogramming. Transcriptional memory refers to the ability of primed plants to remember previously experienced stress and acquire enhanced tolerance to similar or different stresses. Epigenetic modifications mediate transcriptional memory and play a key role in adapting to adverse temperatures. Understanding the mechanisms of the formation, maintenance, and resetting of stress-induced transcriptional memory will not only enable us to understand why there is a trade-off between plant defense and growth, but also provide a theoretical basis for generating stress-tolerant crops optimized for future climate change. In this review, we summarize recent advances in dissecting the mechanisms of plant transcriptional memory in response to adverse temperatures, based mainly on studies of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We also discuss remaining questions that are important for further understanding the mechanisms of transcriptional memory during the adverse temperature response.

An easy, quick, and sensitive approach adopting ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) equipped with diode array detector was used to analyze and systematically evaluate the quality of Pudilan tablets manufactured by 12 distinct pharmaceutical companies. In this research, 15 peaks were chosen as the common peaks to assess the similarities for different batches (S1–S43) of Pudilan tablet samples. In comparison with the control fingerprint, similarity values for 43 batches of samples exceeded 0.922. In addition, by analyzing the reference substances of epigoitrin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, acetylcorynoline, baicalin and baicanshialein, the chromatogram of the 6 reference substances was established. The recoveries for the reference substances which demonstrated good regression in the linear range (r 2 > 0.999) were in the range of 98.3–101.1%. The results demonstrated that the established method was highly accurate, efficient and reliable. This study provides a valid, dependable and pragmatic method to evaluate the quality of Pudilan tablet.

Above 50% of deaths can be attributed to chronic inflammatory diseases; thus, the construction of drug delivery systems based on effective interaction of inflammatory factors with chemotactic nanoparticles is meaningful. Herein, a zwitterion-based artificial chemotactic nanomotor is proposed for universal precise targeting strategy in vivo, where the high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in inflammatory sites are used as a chemoattractant. Multidimensional static models, dynamic models, and in vivo models are established to evaluate chemotactic performance. The results show that the upregulated ROS and iNOS can induce the chemotaxis of nanomotors to diseased tissues in inflammation-related disease models. Further, mesoscale hydrodynamics simulations are performed to explain the chemotactic behavior of the nanomotors. Such a chemotactic delivery strategy is expected to improve delivery efficiency and may be applicable to a variety of inflammatory diseases.

The long-term stability of nano disperse dye slurry is a problem in industry. In this work, high molecular-weight polyether amine-bridged lignosulfonates (PEABLs) were prepared to improve the adsorption strength of dispersants on dye surfaces, and thus the stability of nano disperse dyes. Specifically, the molecular simulation software was firstly used to analyze the adsorption of PEABL on dye surfaces. Then, PEABLs with different molecular weights were synthesized and characterized by adjusting the addition of polyether amine. Next, nano disperse dyes were prepared using PEABLs and the optimum grinding conditions were explored and obtained. Finally, PEABL3 was determined to the optimum dispersant, having a smallest particle size (168 nm) and highest stability, comparable to the commercial Reax 85A dispersant and basically satisfying the demand of nano disperse dyes required in digital transfer printing technology. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and zeta potential results showed as the molecular weight of PEABL increased, the adsorption amount, adsorbed layer rigidity, adsorption force and absolute zeta potential value all firstly increased due to the enhanced hydrophobic interaction, and then decreased due to the formation of complicated three-dimensional network structures caused by the crosslink of lignosulfonate molecules. A maximum was observed for PEABL3.

Purpose: To explore the death experiences of nursing students in their personal lives. Methods: This study employed a qualitative descriptive design using the semi-structured interview approach. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit 24 nursing students from September 2020 to July 2022. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s analysis method. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria was used to evaluate the trustworthiness of the data. Results: Four main themes emerged from the interviews: (a) reactions to encounters with death; (b) adjustment strategies; (c) personal growth induced by the death experiences; and (d) professional reflections for preparing nurse role. Conclusions: Although the death of a loved one makes nursing students suffer from grief and emotional distress, we show that the experience promotes the personal growth and professional competencies of nursing students and thereby, developing their overall aptitude towards the profession. Death experiences of nursing students have shown to allow them to reflect on both life and death, to consider the demands of the nursing profession, and to provide foundation for nursing students to be more empathetic and compassionate when facing death in the future. Exploring death experiences of nursing students is vital in better providing better quality education and personal support for nursing students.

While GDP and the money supply (M2), the two key demand fundamentals of China’s housing prices, shifted gears and decelerated after 2012, China’s housing prices maintained high growth rates, specifically during 2015-2018. To explain the puzzling phenomenon, we use the TVP-VAR model to compare the time-varying features of the factors driving up the housing prices. Our results depict the interesting finding that before 2012, macro-fundamental factors such as M2 and per capita GDP were the key drivers of housing prices. But after 2012, shadow banking had gained explanatory power alongside M2 and per capita GDP.

At present, the clinical strategies for treating chronic wounds are limited, especially when it comes to pain relief and rapid wound healing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop alternative treatment methods. This paper provides a systematic review on recent researches on how electrospun nanofiber scaffolds promote wound healing and how the electrospinning technology has been used for fabricating multi-dimensional, multi-pore and multi-functional nanofiber scaffolds that have greatly promoted the development of wound healing dressings. First, we provide a review on the four stages of wound healing, which is followed by a discussion on the evolvement of the electrospinning technology, what is involved in electrospinning devices, and factors affecting the electrospinning process. Finally, we present the possible mechanisms of electrospun nanofibers to promote wound healing, the classification of electrospun polymers, cell infiltration favoring fiber scaffolds, antibacterial fiber scaffolds, and future multi-functional scaffolds. Although nanofiber scaffolds have made great progress as a type of multi-functional biomaterial, major challenges still remain for commercializing them in a way that fully meets the needs of patients.

The effects of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on the aggregation behavior of sodium lignosulfonate (NaLS) in concentrated solutions were investigated by rheology, conductivity, ζ-potential, surface tension, contact angle, and elemental analysis measurements. Results showed that the presence of CTAB led to increased aggregate effects and enhanced association networks due to intermolecular bridging caused by the formation of mixed aggregates containing NaLS hydrophobes and CTAB molecules at CTAB/NaLS mixing ratios (w/w) below stoichiometric mass ratio (SMR). However, further addition of CTAB resulted in the progressive disruption of network structures due to electrostatic repulsions between aggregates. There were electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between NaLS and CTAB. The NaLS/CTAB mixing system could form regular colloidal spheres via electrostatic and hydrophobic self-assembly in an EtOH/water mixture. As the addition of CTAB increased, the ζ-potential of NaLS/CTAB colloidal spheres was decreased, and the particle size was increased. This work provides a novel approach to the value-added utilization of lignosulfonate biomass resources.

IR808, an IR780 derivative, is capable of fluorescently imaging and photodynamic therapy in vitro and in vivo. However, its application is greatly hampered by hydrophobicity, toxicity and nonspecific delivery to the targeting tissue and that causes accumulation in the liver and kidney. In order to overcome these limitations, we prepared IR808-PEG-FA from IR808, amino-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (NH2 -PEG-NH2 , denoted as PEG) and folate (FA). PEG, an accepted hydrophilic medicinal agent, was introduced to improve hydrophobicity, and FA was used to increase targeting ability of the conjugate. The obtained product provides a good water solubility and stronger light intensity in near infrared (NIR)-imaging, and CCK-8 test demonstrated which had no appreciable toxicity. In addition, the cell uptake results indicated that IR808-PEG-FA was specifically targeted to positive tumors cells with folate receptor (FR) compared with IR808, and thus it may be used as a novel diagnostic agent or imaging-guided agent for cancer treatment. So this article provides a way to improve hydrophobicity, optical stability and targeting ability in the field of nano-probe for fluorochromes.

Human bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common urogenital system malignancy. Patients with BCa have limited treatment efficacy in clinical practice. Novel biomarkers could provide more crucial information conferring to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Here, we aimed to explore and identify novel biomarkers associated with cancer-specific survival of patients with BCa to build a prognostic signature. Based on univariate Cox regression, Lasso regression, and multivariate Cox regression analysis, we conducted an integrated analysis in the training set (GSE32894) and established a six-gene signature to predict the cancer-specific survival for human BCa. The six genes were Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4 (CDK4), E2F Transcription Factor 7 (E2F7), Collagen Type XI Alpha 1 Chain (COL11A1), Bradykinin Receptor B2 (BDKRB2), Yip1 Interacting Factor Homolog B (YIF1B), and Zinc Finger Protein 415 (ZNF415). Then, we validated the prognostic value of the model by using two other datasets (GSE13507 and TCGA). Also, we conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and results indicated that the six-gene signature was an independent prognostic factor of cancer-specific survival of patients with BCa. Functional analysis was performed based on the differentially expressed genes of low- and high-risk patients, and we found that they were enriched in lipid metabolic and cell division-related biological processes. Meanwhile, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that high-risk samples were enriched in cell cycle and cancer-related pathways [G2/M checkpoint, E2F targets, mitotic spindle, mTOR signaling, spermatogenesis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), DNA repair, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, unfolded protein response (UPR), and MYC targets V2]. Lastly, we detected the relative expression of each signature in BCa cell lines by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). As far as we know, currently, the present study is the first research that developed and validated a cancer-specific survival prognostic index based on three independent cohorts. The results revealed that this six-gene signature has a predictive ability for cancer-specific prognosis. Moreover, we also verified the relative expression of these six signatures between the bladder cell line and four BCa cell lines by qRT-PCR. Nevertheless, experiments to further explore the function of six genes are lacking.

The human intestinal flora is a highly diverse ecosystem composed of trillions of bacteria. The imbalance of the flora is related to a variety of diseases. The intestinal flora interacts with the nervous system bidirectionally in many ways through the gut-brain axis. It causes neuroimmune inflammatory response, dysfunction of gut mucosa and blood-brain barrier, direct stimulation of the vagus nerve, spinal nerve of the enteric nervous system, and the neuroendocrine hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, causing neurological disorders. The metabolites of the intestinal microbial community also play a role. This article summarizes the characteristics of the altered intestinal flora and intervention measures in autism spectrum disorder, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, neuromyelitis optica, hepatic encephalopathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, schizophrenia, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, Huntington's disease and stroke. The current research on intestinal flora is still in its infancy, and very few studies were carried out on causality and the underlying mechanisms, which prevents the development of precise flora-based clinical intervention measures. It is expected the research on intestinal flora would lead to novel approaches for treatment of some neurological disorders.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory disease caused by the highly infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, mutations of SARS-CoV-2 accumulate. These mutations may not only make the virus spread faster, but also render current vaccines less effective. In this study, we established a reference sequence for each clade defined using the GISAID typing method. Homology analysis of each reference sequence confirmed a low mutation rate for SARS-CoV-2, with the latest clade GRY having the lowest homology with other clades (99.89%-99.93%), and the homology between other clade being greater than or equal to 99.95%. Variation analyses showed that the earliest genotypes S, V, and G had 2, 3, and 3 characterizing mutations in the genome respectively. The G-derived clades GR, GH, and GV had 5, 6, and 13 characterizing mutations in the genome respectively. A total of 28 characterizing mutations existed in the genome of the latest clades GRY. In addition, we found differences in the geographic distribution of different clades. G, GH, and GR are popular in the USA, while GV and GRY are common in the UK. Our work may facilitate the custom design of antiviral strategies depending on the molecular characteristics of SARS-CoV-2.

Environmental estrogens can promote the growth, migration, and invasion of breast cancer. However, few studies evaluate adverse health impacts of environmental estrogens on other organs of breast cancer patients. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of environmental estrogen bisphenol AF (BPAF) on the main organs of female Balb/cA nude mice with SK-BR-3 xenograft tumor by detecting the organ development and gene expression of targets associated with G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1)-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in hypothalamus, ovary, uterus, liver, and kidney. The results showed that BPAF at 20 mg/kg bw/day markedly increased the uterine weight and the uterine coefficient of nude mice compared to SK-BR-3 bearing tumor control, indicating that BPAF promoted the growth of uterus due to its estrogenic activity. Additionally, BPAF significantly up-regulated the mRNA relative expression of most targets related to nuclear estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and GPER1-mediated signaling pathways in the hypothalamus, followed by the ovary and uterus, and the least in the liver and kidney, indicating that BPAF activated different estrogen activity related targets in different tissues. In addition, BPAF markedly up-regulated the mRNA expression of GPER1 in all tested tissues, and the molecular docking showed that BPAF could dock into GPER1. Because gene change is an early event of toxicity response, these findings suggested that BPAF might aggravate the condition of breast cancer patients through exerting its estrogenic activity via the GPER1 pathway in various organs.

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.

BackgroundPrevious studies had suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) can promote white adipose tissue (WAT) browning to counter obesity. But the mechanism was still not very clear.AimIn this study, we aim to study the effect of EA on promoting inguinal WAT (iWAT) browning and its possible mechanism.MethodThree-week-old rats were randomly divided into a normal diet (ND) group and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. After 10 weeks, the HFD rats were grouped into HFD + EA group and HFD control group. Rats in the EA group were electro-acupunctured for 4 weeks on Tianshu (ST25) acupoint under gas anesthesia with isoflurane, while the rats in HFD group were under gas anesthesia only. Body weight and cumulative food intake were monitored, and H&E staining was performed to assess adipocyte area. The effect of EA on WAT was assessed by qPCR, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and Co-immunoprecipitation. Mitochondria were isolated from IWAT to observe the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM).ResultsThe body weight, WAT/body weight ratio and cumulative food consumption obviously decreased (P < 0.05) in the EA group. The expressions of brown adipose tissue (BAT) markers were increased in the iWAT of EA rats. Nevertheless, the mRNA expressions of WAT genes were suppressed by 4-week EA treatment. Moreover, EA increased the protein expressions of SIRT-1, PPARγ, PGC-1α, UCP1 and PRDM16 which trigger the molecular conversion of iWAT browning. The decrease of PPARγ acetylation was also found in EA group, indicating EA could advance WAT-browning through SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation pathway. Besides, we found that EA could activate AMPK to further regulate PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis.ConclusionIn conclusion, EA can remodel WAT to BAT through inducing SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation, and regulating PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis. This may be one of the mechanisms by which EA affects weight loss.

Bisphenol AF (BPAF) is a known estrogen disruptor of the ERα pathway. The aim of the present study was to characterize the proliferation effects of BPAF on ERα-negative SKBR-3 breast cancer cells with mechanistic insights. BPAF at low concentrations (0.001–0.1 μM) significantly induced the proliferation of SKBR-3 cells. In a SKBR-3 tumor model in BALB/c nude mice, BPAF at 100 mg/kg body weight/day also significantly promoted the growth of SKBR-3 tumors. Low concentrations of BPAF markedly increased the expression of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER1), c-Myc, CyclinD1 and c-Fos proteins, and enhanced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and protein kinase B (Akt) in SKBR-3 cells. Further, BPAF significantly upregulated mRNA levels of related target genes in SKBR-3 cells and SKBR-3 tumor tissues in nude mice. The GPER1 inhibitor G15 and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin (WM) inhibited phosphorylation of Erk and Akt. The specific signal inhibitors also markedly decreased the expression of target genes and weakened the cell proliferation induced by low-concentration BPAF. The findings showed that GPER1 could independently regulate BPAF-induced proliferation of SKBR-3 cells without requiring ERα. These results provide mechanistic insights into the effects of BPAF regarding ERα-negative human breast cancer development.

Lignin is the most abundant by-product from the pulp and paper industry as well as the second most abundant natural renewable biopolymer after cellulose on earth. In recent years, transforming unordered and complicated lignin into ordered and uniform nanoparticles has attracted wide attention due to their excellent properties such as controlled structures and sizes, better miscibility with polymers, and improved antioxidant activity. In this review, we first introduce five important technical lignin from different sources and then provide a comprehensive overview of the recent progress of preparation techniques which are involved in the fabrication of various lignin-based nanoparticles and their industrial applications in different fields such as drug delivery carriers, UV absorbents, hybrid nanocomposites, antioxidant agents, antibacterial agents, adsorbents for heavy metal ions and dyes, and anticorrosion nanofillers.

Background Previous studies had suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) can promote white adipose tissue (WAT) browning to counter obesity. But the mechanism was still not very clear. Aim In this study, we aim to study the effect of EA on promoting inguinal WAT (iWAT) browning and its possible mechanism. Method Three-week-old rats were randomly divided into a normal diet (ND) group and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. After 10 weeks, the HFD rats were grouped into HFD + EA group and HFD control group. Rats in the EA group were electro-acupunctured for 4 weeks on Tianshu (ST25) acupoint under gas anesthesia with isoflurane, while the rats in HFD group were under gas anesthesia only. Body weight and cumulative food intake were monitored, and H&E staining was performed to assess adipocyte area. The effect of EA on WAT was assessed by qPCR, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and Co-immunoprecipitation. Mitochondria were isolated from IWAT to observe the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Results The body weight, WAT/body weight ratio and cumulative food consumption obviously decreased (P < 0.05) in the EA group. The expressions of brown adipose tissue (BAT) markers were increased in the iWAT of EA rats. Nevertheless, the mRNA expressions of WAT genes were suppressed by 4-week EA treatment. Moreover, EA increased the protein expressions of SIRT-1, PPARγ, PGC-1α, UCP1 and PRDM16 which trigger the molecular conversion of iWAT browning. The decrease of PPARγ acetylation was also found in EA group, indicating EA could advance WAT-browning through SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation pathway. Besides, we found that EA could activate AMPK to further regulate PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis. Conclusion In conclusion, EA can remodel WAT to BAT through inducing SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation, and regulating PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis. This may be one of the mechanisms by which EA affects weight loss.

Some studies have suggested possible estrogen actions for antidepressants such as fluoxetine. However, the specific molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the molecular mechanism of fluoxetine-induced the proliferation of breast cancer SKBR3 and MCF-7 cells was evaluated by detecting ERα and GPR30-mediated ERK and PI3K/AKT signals. We found that low concentrations of fluoxetine upregulated the expression of GPR30, ERα, CyclinD1, and C-MYC proteins, as well as elevated the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT. The phosphorylation of ERK and AKT decreased when the cells were pretreated with ERα inhibitor ICI, GPR30 inhibitor G15, and PI3K inhibitor WM prior to fluoxetine exposure. The addition of these inhibitors also attenuated the fluoxetine-induced cell proliferation. These findings indicated that fluoxetine activated the PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling cascades via GPR30 to derive the cell proliferation. It suggests that fluoxetine has the potential to exert estrogen actions via GPR30.

Background: Most of the pregnant women with 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia are terminated by cesarean section because the risk of mother-to-child transmission is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal and perinatal outcomes of vaginal delivery of pregnant women with COVID-19 infection. Design: 8 pregnant women who were suspected or confirmed with COVID-19 infection between 31 January and 20 April,2020, gave birth vaginally in Wuhan Union hospital were included. Clinical manifestations, laboratory test results, chest CT scans and maternal and perinatal outcomes were recorded. Evidence of perinatal infection of virus was assessed by using SARS-COV-2 associated coronavirus reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in neonatal throat and anal swab samples. Results: None of the 8 pregnant women experienced dystocia and severe postpartum complications, 8 livebirths were recorded, no fetal distress or asphyxia was observed. No newborn infant had clinical COVID-19 and all investigations were negative for SARS-COV-2. Conclusions: Our study showed that vaginal delivery does not increase the probability of mother-to-child transmission of SARS-COV-2，maternal and neonatal outcomes were not affected. We suggest that pregnant women with COVID-19 pneumonia without severe systemic complications and respiratory failure can be considered for vaginal delivery.

Tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA), a chlorinated derivative of bisphenol A, is an endocrine disruptor based on interaction with nuclear estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). However, there is only limited data on the mechanisms through which TCBPA-associated estrogenic activity is related to the membrane G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) pathway. In this study, three human breast cancer cell lines-MCF-7, SKBR3, and MDA-MB-231 cells were used to evaluate whether, as well as how, TCBPA at concentration range of 0.001–50 μM affect cell proliferation. The role of GPER signaling in TCBPA-induced cell proliferation was studied by analyzing the protein expression and mRNA levels of relevant signal targets. The results showed that low concentrations of TCBPA significantly induced the proliferation of MCF-7, SKBR3, and MDA-MB-231 cells, with MCF-7 cells being the most sensitive to TCBPA exposure. Low-concentration TCBPA also upregulated the expression of GPER, CyclinD1, c-Myc, and c-Fos proteins, as well as increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated-kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) and protein kinase B (Akt). Additionally, the mRNA levels of genes associated with estrogen signaling pathways also increased upon exposure to TCBPA. However, the phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and Akt decreased when the cells were treated with GPER inhibitor G15 and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin (WM) prior to TCBPA exposure. Besides, the increased proliferation of breast cancer cells induced by TCBPA were also inhibited. In ERα-positive MCF-7 cells, TCBPA also upregulated ERα expression, and ERα was found to interact with GPER-mediated signaling. The results indicate that GPER activates the PI3K/Akt and Erk1/2 signal cascades to drive the cell proliferation observed for low concentrations of TCBPA. The presented results suggest a new mechanism by which TCBPA exerts estrogenic action in breast cancer cells, namely, GPER signaling in an ERα-independent manner, and also highlights the potential risks to human health of the usage of TCBPA.

To increase information content per screen, a dual-wavelength, homologous and high-throughput fluorescence polarization immunoassay (DWFPIA) for simultaneous detection of total aflatoxins (AFs) and family zearalenones (ZENs) was developed. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalanone (ZAN) were labeled with different fluoresceins, and then combined with corresponding broad-specific antibodies to develop the DWFPIA. Under optimal conditions, the half maximal inhibitory concentrations of the FPIA in buffer were 2.68 μg/L and 4.08 μg/L for total four AFs (the weight ratio of AFB1: Aflatoxin B2: Aflatoxin G1: Aflatoxin G2 was 1: 1: 1: 1) and six ZEN analogs (the weight ratio of ZEN: ZAN: α-zearalenone: β-zearalenone: α-zearalanone: β-zearalanone was 1: 1: 1: 1: 1: 1) by mixing equal volumes (1: 1, v/v), respectively. The corresponding limit of detection values in maize flour samples were 4.98 μg/kg and 11.03 μg/kg, and the mean recoveries ranged from 78.6 to 103.6% with the coefficients of variation below 19.2%. The whole detection procedure, including sample preparation, took less than 30 min. Finally, the DWFPIA was applied to screen naturally contaminated maize flour samples, and the detection data were similar to those with HPLC-MS/MS.

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is considered a promising cathode material for advanced lithium-ion batteries owing to its high specific capacity and low cost. However, the application of V2O5-based electrodes has been hindered because of their inferior conductivity, cycling stability, and power performance. Herein, hierarchical sisal-like V2O5 microstructures consisting of primary one-dimensional (1D) nanobelts with [001] facets orientation growth and rich oxygen vacancies are synthesized through a facile hydrothermal process using polyoxyethylene-20-cetyl-ether as the surface control agent, followed by calcination. The primary 1D nanobelt shortens the transfer path of electrons and ions, and the stable {001} facets could reduce the side reaction at the interface of electrode/electrolyte, simultaneously. Moreover, the formation of low valence state vanadium would generate the oxygen vacancies to facilitate lithium-ion diffusion. As a result, the sisal-like V2O5 manifests excellent electrochemical performances, including high specific capacity (297 mA h g-1 at a current of 0.1 C) and robust cycling performance (capacity fading 0.06% per cycle). This work develops a controllable method to craft the hierarchical sisal-like V2O5 microstructures with excellent high rate and long-term cyclic stability.

As an intangible cultural heritage, the folk song Huar is a precious name card of Chinese national culture. Its protection and inheritance are of great significance for promoting multi-ethnic cultural identity and enhancing cultural confidence. Genre research is an important topic in the study of Huar. However, current Huar genre researches are mainly based on qualitative methods. Digital Humanities is an emerging discipline that applies computing and digital technology to the study of the humanities. Comparing to traditional methods, Digital Humanities is a more accurate and efficient method of style analysis on literary texts. Through the methods of Digital Humanities, we can objectively show and verify the similarities and differences between Huar genres, and make up for the lack of objectivity in the traditional Huar genre research. Therefore, in this paper we combined qualitative and quantitative methods to make a comparative style analysis on Hehuang Huar and Taomin Huar from two aspects, namely rhythm and sentence pattern. Furthermore, we explored the reasons in depth behind these surface rules from the perspectives of music, literature, nationality and history. We simultaneously use hierarchical clustering to verify the discrimination of genres on specific style features. The result of this research shows that the research perspective and methods of digital humanities can provide objective conclusions for Huar researches, which can provide data support and scientific basis for researchers or enthusiasts to distinguish, appreciate and study Huar.

Effects of mass ratios on the sodium lignosulfoante (NaLS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) mixing system were first investigated by zeta potential and surface tension measurements. Uniform colloidal spheres from the NaLS/CTAB complex were then fabricated via electrostatic and hydrophobic self-assembly and characterized by DLS, TEM, contact angle, elemental analysis, XPS, and FTIR measurements. Results showed the stoichiometric mass ratio (SMR) of the NaLS/CTAB system was 1:2.82, where the hydrophobicity was strongest and preparing colloidal spheres was feasible. Colloidal spheres were formed through gradual aggregation of NaLS/CTAB molecules at SMR, which was induced by continuously adding water into NaLS/CTAB/EtOH solutions. NaLS/CTAB molecules started to form spheres at a critical water content of 58 vol %, and the formation process was completed at a water content of 84 vol % when the initial concentration of NaLS/CTAB in EtOH was 1.0 mg mL–1. The sizes of NaLS/CTAB colloidal spheres could be...

The diagnosis and treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma is challenged by difficulties in the determination of tumor invasion. GATA binding protein 6 antisense (GATA6-AS) is a recently identified long non-coding RNA that exhibits critical functions in the growth of endothelial cells; however, to the best of our knowledge, its involvement in other physiological and pathological processes is unknown. By reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, the present study examined the expression of GATA6-AS in tumor tissues and adjacent healthy tissues, and the serum from patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma and healthy controls. The diagnostic and prognostic potentials of GATA6-AS for cervical squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and survival curve analysis, respectively. Associations between the serum levels of GATA6-AS and clinical characteristics of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed by a χ(2) test. A GATA6-AS overexpression vector was transfected into cervical squamous cell carcinoma cells, and the effects on cell migration and invasion were investigated by Transwell migration and invasion assays, respectively. The expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MTK-1) following transfection with the GATA6-AS overexpression vector was detected by western blot analysis. It was identified that the expression levels of GATA6-AS were lower in tumor tissues compared with healthy tissues. In addition, serum levels of GATA6-AS were higher in patients compared with healthy controls. The serum levels of GATA6-AS were associated with tumor metastasis, and may serve as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, GATA6-AS overexpression inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion. The expression levels of MTK-1 were also reduced following GATA6-AS overexpression. Therefore, the present study proposed that downregulated GATA6-AS expression was associated with tumor metastasis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and that GATA6-AS expression may inhibit cancer cell migration and invasion by downregulating MTK-1.

Aiming at the problem of memory test power caused by the increasing proportion of embedded memory in multi-core SoC, this paper analyzes the existing issue and proposes a configurable MBIST controller to reduce test power consumption. This paper adopts MBIST configuration scan-chain to organize test groups and adopts a configurable PLL scan-chain to drive memories to its working frequency. Clock optimization method is also adopted to reduce test power. The method proposed has the advantages of low test power, flexible test configuration and less hardware added. The method can also diagnose the site of failing memories. The actual testing of the multi-core SoC on ATE V93000 shows that the proposed method effectively reduces power consumption, and meets the requirement of memory test.