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Abstract Background Surgeries for treating pelvic organ prolapse involving the utilization of synthetic mesh have been associated with complications such as mesh erosion, postoperative pain, and dyspareunia. This work aimed to reduce the surgical implantation-associated complications by nanofibrous membranes on the surface of the polypropylene mesh. The nanofiber of the nanofibrous membrane, which was fabricated by co-axial electrospinning, was composed of polyurethane as fiber core and gelatin as the fiber out layer. The biocompatibility of the modified mesh was evaluated in vitro by cell proliferation assay, immunofluorescence stain, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and mRNA sequencing. Polypropylene mesh and modified mesh were implanted in a rat pelvic organ prolapse model. Mesh-associated complications were documented. HE and Picro-Sirius red staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were conducted to assess the interactions between the modified mesh and vaginal tissues. Results The modified mesh significantly enhanced the proliferation of fibroblasts and exerted a positive regulatory effect on the extracellular matrix anabolism in vitro. When evaluated in vivo, no instances of mesh exposure were observed in the modified mesh group. The modified mesh maintained a relatively stable histological position without penetrating the muscle layer or breaching the epidermis. The collagen content in the vaginal wall of rats with modified mesh was significantly higher, and the collagen I/III ratio was lower, indicating better tissue elasticity. The expression of metalloproteinase was decreased while the expression levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase were increased in the modified mesh group, suggesting an inhibition of collagen catabolism. The expression of TGF-β1 and the phosphorylation levels of Smad3, p38 and ERK1/2 were significantly increased in the modified mesh group. NM significantly improved the biocompatibility of PP mesh, as evidenced by a reduction in macrophage count, decreased expression levels of TNF-α, and an increase in microvascular density. Conclusions The nanofibrous membrane-coated PP mesh effectively reduced the surgical implantation complications by inhibiting the catabolism of collagen in tissues and improving the biocampibility of PP mesh. The incorporation of co-axial fibers composed of polyurethane and gelatin with polypropylene mesh holds promise for the development of enhanced surgical materials for pelvic organ prolapse in clinical applications.

BackgroundThe intricate relationship among gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and immunophenotypes may significantly impact myocarditis. However, direct causal links between these domains and myocarditis are not well understood.MethodsThe study performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genetic data from public sources. Exposure data included 211 gut microbiota, 486 serum metabolites, and 731 immunophenotypes from Mibiogen, the Metabolomics GWAS server, and GWAS catalog databases. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables based on established criteria. Myocarditis data from GWAS (427,911 participants, 24, 180, 570 SNPs) were used as the outcome variable. MR analysis was conducted using Inverse Variance Weighting (IVW), with Cochran’s Q test for heterogeneity and Egger’s intercept to assess horizontal pleiotropy.Results9 gut microbiota, 10 serum metabolites, and 2 immunophenotypes were negatively associated with myocarditis risk. In contrast, 5 gut microbiota, 12 serum metabolites, and 7 immunophenotypes were positively associated with myocarditis risk (all, P < 0.05). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the stability of these results.ConclusionThis MR study suggests that gut microbiota, serum metabolites, and immunophenotypes may causally influence myocarditis risk. These findings provide genetic evidence for myocarditis etiology and could inform future precision prevention and treatment strategies.

Low-temperature bonding of nanotwinned (NT-) metals holds great potential for enhancing the performance and reliability of electronic interconnections. In this study, we performed low-temperature bonding of (111)-oriented nanotwinned silver (NT-Ag) films and thoroughly investigated the influence of (111) texture on the interfacial microstructure and bonding strength of the joints. The results demonstrated that high-quality bonding of highly (111)-oriented NT-Ag films was achieved even at 200 °C in air. The defect-free, coherent Ag(111)Ag(111) bonding interface was formed via face-to-face bonding of the highly (111)-oriented columnar grains. The shear strength of the joints significantly increased with the rise in (111) texture intensity. Moreover, we developed the void closure model to quantitatively elucidate the contribution of (111) texture to void closure and bonding ratio. Modeling results revealed that the (111) texture, with the highest surface diffusion coefficient, greatly increased the interfacial bonding ratio by accelerating surface source diffusion, thereby enabling high-strength bonding at low temperatures. The experimental validation and modeling results presented here contribute a novel perspective for optimizing interfacial microstructure and bonding strength by regulating the surface texture in the solid-state bonding of metals.

Muscle regeneration, representing an essential homeostatic process, relies mainly on the myogenic progress of resident satellite cells, and it is modulated by multiple physical and nutritional factors. Here, we investigated how myogenic differentiation-related factors and pathways respond to the first limiting amino acid lysine (Lys) in the fast and slow muscles, and their satellite cells (SCs), of swine. Thirty 28-day-old weaned piglets with similar body weights were subjected to three diet regimens: control group (d 0–28: 1.31% Lys, n = 12), Lys-deficient group (d 0–28: 0.83% Lys, n = 12), and Lys rescue group (d 0–14: 0.83% Lys; d 15–28: 1.31% Lys, n = 6). Pigs on d 15 and 29 were selectively slaughtered for muscular parameters evaluation. Satellite cells isolated from fast (semimembranosus) and slow (semitendinosus) muscles were also selected to investigate differentiation ability variations. We found Lys deficiency significantly hindered muscle development in both fast and slow muscles via the distinct manipulation of myogenic regulatory factors and the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway. In the SC model, Lys deficiency suppressed the Wnt/Ca2+ pathways and myosin heavy chain, myogenin, and myogenic regulatory factor 4 in slow muscle SCs but stimulated them in fast muscle SCs. When sufficient Lys was attained, the fast muscle-derived SCs Wnt/Ca2+ pathway (protein kinase C, calcineurin, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1) was repressed, while the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway of its counterpart was stimulated to further the myogenic differentiation. Lys potentially manipulates the differentiation of porcine slow and fast muscle myofibers via the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway in opposite trends.

Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr, a coniferous species indigenous to Northern China, possesses significant ecological and economic value. Somatic embryogenesis offers a pathway with significant potential for large-scale propagation, long-term germplasm conservation, and genetic transformation in L. principis-rupprechtii Mayr. However, it remains unclear whether significant variations occur in embryogenic tissues during long-term successive subculturing, which could impact the productivity of somatic embryos. This is a pivotal concern that lacks comprehensive understanding. In this study, three embryogenic cell lines were used to explore the dynamics and relationships among proliferation rate, pre-treatment proliferation rate, and embryogenic capabilities across a series of 32 subculturing cycles. Proliferation rate, pre-treatment proliferation rate, and somatic embryo maturation rate showed no significant correlation with subculturing cycles. However, there was a positive correlation between subculturing cycles and pre-treatment proliferation rate and a negative correlation with somatic embryo maturation rate in the BFU1 cell line. In addition, we utilized ten SSR molecular markers to investigate the genetic stability in embryogenic tissues during long-term subculturing. No genomic variations were detected in any of the three embryogenic cell lines, which suggests that the observed phenotypic dynamics during subculturing may not be primarily driven by genomic alterations. This study provides novel insights into the dynamics of the long-term culture of embryogenic tissues, laying a foundation for the optimization and application of somatic embryogenesis techniques in L. principis-rupprechtii Mayr and potentially other coniferous species.

Introduction Supervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) of at least 3 months duration has been strongly recommended as a first-line treatment for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or SUI-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI), including elderly and postnatal women. However, for the treatment of SUI and MUI in postpartum women, it is currently uncertain whether supervised PFMT combined with a biofeedback device is superior to PFMT alone. Despite some supportive results, more reliable evidence is lacking.Methods and analysis The study is designed as a multicentre assessor-blinded parallel-group randomised controlled trial comparing the efficacy of PFMT with a home-based pressure-mediated biofeedback device (intervention group) and that of at-home PFMT alone (control group) for women with new-onset SUI or SUI-predominant MUI after delivery. Five hundred eligible women from the obstetric outpatient clinics of five tertiary hospitals will be randomly allocated (1:1) and evaluated with repeated questionnaires, physical examinations and pelvic floor assessments at baseline (pretest), 3 months, 6 months and 12 months (postintervention) during the study period. Both groups will be instructed to follow the same training protocol under 3-month supervision after randomisation. The use of a biofeedback device with a self-assessment function will be added to the PFMT regime for patients in the intervention group. The primary outcome is the self-reported severity of urinary incontinence assessed through the short form of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Urinary Incontinence. Secondary outcomes include pelvic muscle support and strength, symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, quality of life, sexual function, self-efficacy and adherence.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been received from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital ethics committee (JS-3192D). All results from the study will be submitted to international journals and international conferences.Trial registration number NCT05115864.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with fermented soybean meal (FSM) or fermented miscellaneous meal (FMM, cottonseed meal: coconut meal = at a 1:1 ratio) on the intestinal health, laying performance, egg quality, and follicle development of laying hens. A total of 1,008 54-wk-old laying hens were randomly divided into 7 treatment groups and fed a corn-soybean base diet in addition to 2%, 4%, and 8% FSM or FMM. The results showed that fermentation increased the contents of crude protein, amino acids (Ser, Gly, Cys, Leu, Lys, His, and Arg), and organic acids (butyric acid, citric acid, succinic acid) and decreased the contents of neutral and acid detergent fiber in the soybean and miscellaneous meals (P < 0.05). Compared with the results found for the control group, feeding with 4% FSM increased the egg production, egg mass and average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feeding with 4% FMM increased the ADFI of laying hens (P < 0.05). Furthermore, feeding with 8% FMM reduced the productive performance and laying performance, supplementation with 4% FSM increased the eggshell strength and weight, and 2 to 4% FSM increased the egg albumen height and Haugh unit (P < 0.05). Moreover, 2 to 8% FSM or 2 to 4% FMM enhanced the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and NDF for laying hens (P < 0.05). The relative weight, villus height, crypt depth, and villus:crypt ratio of the jejunum were higher in the 4% FSM- and FMM-fed groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), and the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occluding, and Claudin1), the intestinal stem cell marker Lgr5, and the proliferation cell marker proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was upregulated in the jejunum of laying hens fed 4% FSM and FMM (P < 0.05). The relative weight of the ovaries, and the number of small yellow follicles and large white follicles were elevated after 4% FSM or FMM supplementation. Furthermore, the levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were increased in the 4% FSM and FMM groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of laying hen feed with FSM and FMM improved the laying performance, egg quality, intestinal barrier function, and follicle development of aged laying hens, and 4% FSM supplementation was optimal.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) and l-carnosine (LC) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant status, and meat shelf life of yellow-feathered broiler chickens. Five hundred broiler chickens were randomly assigned into 4 experimental diets using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 2 PGZ supplemental levels (0 and 15 mg/kg) and 2 LC supplemental levels (0 and 400 mg/kg) in basal diets for 28 d. The feed-to-gain ratio decreased whereas the average daily gain increased with PGZ supplementation. Greater dressing percentages, contents of intramuscular fat (IMF) in breast and thigh muscles, C18:3n-6, C18:1n-9 and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) percentages of thigh muscle were observed with PGZ addition. Additionally, significant synergistic effects between PGZ and LC on the C18:1n-9 and MUFA contents were found. Supplementation with LC decreased drip loss, cooking loss and total volatile basic nitrogen, and increased the redness (a∗) value, the superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in thigh muscles. Moreover, the malondialdehyde content decreased when diets were supplemented with LC, and there was a synergistic effect between PGZ and LC. Additionally, the mRNA abundance of lipogenesis-related genes, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), PPARγ co-activator 1α and fatty acid-binding protein 3, increased with PGZ supplementation, and relevant antioxidation genes, such as nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 and superoxide dismutase 1, were enhanced with LC supplementation. In conclusion, the results indicated that the supplementation of PGZ and LC could improve the growth performance, antioxidant ability, IMF content, and meat shelf life of yellow-feathered broiler chickens.

Objective: A large prostate size (>80 ​mL) of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is technically challenging to treat surgically. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of super-selective prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for the treatment of urinary retention caused by large BPH. Methods: A total of 21 patients with urinary retention, indwelling urinary catheter, or suprapubic cystostomy as a consequence of giant BPH (prostate volume [PV] ​> ​80 ​mL) who sought treatment between January 2013 and December 2017 were enrolled. A microcatheter (1.9–2.7 Fr) and a “two-step embolization” combining 50-μm and 100-μm polyvinyl alcohol embolization particles were used in all patients. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), PV, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months post-PAE. Clinical success was defined as removal of urinary catheter or suprapubic cystostomy and ability to void spontaneously. Results: The clinical success rate was 95.2% (20/21). Compared with pre-procedural values, IPSS, QoL, PV, and PSA showed statistically significant differences at 3, 6, and 12 months post-PAE (P ​

The high degree of thermal evolution is a main factor restricting the development of the Lower Paleozoic shale gas in the Yangtze region. The latest field study shows that there is a region with relatively lower thermal evolution in the Jiangshan-Tonglu area in western Zhejiang province. Centering on the lower thermal evolution area, this paper analyzes the geological and geochemical characteristics of the Lower Cambrian Hetang Formation, based on the regional geological survey of the western Zhejiang province and the latest borehole data analysis. The study area is located in a good sedimentary facies belt (basin-shelf facies), with a large deposition thickness, and a high organic matter abundance. While the thermal evolution degree is relatively low, with high brittle mineral content and moderate clay mineral content. And micro-pores and micro-fractures are well developed. The study area has a good material basis for accumulation. The Changshan-Kaihua area has been identified as the most favorable area for shale gas exploration on the basis of considering a thick shale deposit with high organic matter abundance, relatively low thermal evolution, stable tectonic background and deeply buried area, while avoiding the areas with relatively strong igneous activity.

This paper proposes a data anomaly detection and correction algorithm for the tea plantation IoT system based on deep learning, aiming at the multi-cause and multi-feature characteristics of abnormal data. The algorithm is based on the Z-score standardization of the original data and the determination of sliding window size according to the sampling frequency. First, we construct a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to extract abnormal data. Second, based on the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, the Gaussian radial basis function (RBF) and one-to-one (OVO) multiclassification method are used to classify the abnormal data. Then, after extracting the time points of abnormal data, a long short-term memory network is established for prediction with multifactor historical data. The predicted values are used to replace and correct the abnormal data. When multiple consecutive abnormal values are detected, a faulty sensor judgment is given, and the specific faulty sensor location is output. The results show that the accuracy rate and micro-specificity of abnormal data detection for the CNN-SVM model are 3–4% and 20–30% higher than those of the traditional CNN model, respectively. The anomaly detection and correction algorithm for tea plantation data established in this paper provides accurate performance.

Prostate artery embolization is a well-known and promising treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, with the quantum leaps of research in medicine. We aim to provide an up-to-date review of the novel technique, including large retrospective studies and randomized control trials, ends with discussions of advantages and disadvantages of this minimally invasive technique.

The engineered STb-Rosetta Escherichia coli (STb-R) was designed to investigate the effects of Iturin A on the skeletal muscle growth of weaned piglets. A total of 28 piglets were randomly divided into 4 groups (7 piglets per group): the control group (100 mL PBS), the Iturin A group (100 mL 320 mg/kg body weight (BW) Iturin A), the STb-R group (100 mL 1 × 1010 CFU/mL STb-R), and the Iturin A + STb-R group (100 mL 320 mg/kg BW Iturin A + 1 × 1010 CFU/mL STb-R). Compared with the control, STb-R-reduced body weight gain were rescued by Iturin A. The semimembranosus muscle weight recovered to normal level in the Iturin A + STb-R group. The level of relevant genes of the growth axis were elevated by Iturin A, including GHRH in the hypothalamus, GHRHR and GH in the pituitary, and GHR, IGF-1 and IGF-1R in the semimembranosus muscle. Moreover, Iturin A increased the mean fiber area and the number of proliferating cells in the semimembranosus muscle, which were decreased by STb-R. Additionally, the mTORC1 pathway was reactivated by Iturin A to relieve the suppression of STb-R. Collectively, the hypothalamic-pituitary growth axis-mediated Iturin A reactivated the mTORC1 pathway to rescue STb-R-restricted pork skeletal muscle growth.

The construction of an ecological civilization is a strategic idea proposed based on the conditions of different countries and the laws governing social development. It is a new way to promote harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Therefore, exploring the evolution characteristics and influence of ecological civilization in China is helpful for the country’s future development. This study uses the pentagon model, panel threshold regression model, and spatial analysis tool to explore the law of space-time differentiation and analyze regional coordination and ecological civilization construction in 31 provinces, cities, and autonomous regions in China from 2000 to 2018. During the study period, the construction of ecological civilization in China generally fluctuated; the spatial differentiation pattern of the eastern region was more developed than that of the central region, which was more developed than that of the western region. The regional coordination degree decreased in the order of east >central >northeast >west, and the degree of coordination in provinces and cities gradually shifted and finally accumulated to be reflected in the economy and environment in 2018. The most important factor affecting the development of ecological civilization was determined to be scientific research, followed by air quality and government information disclosure.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) and resveratrol (RES) on yellow-feathered broiler chickens. A total of 500 broiler chickens were randomly divided into four groups and fed a basic diet (control group) or a basic diet supplemented with 15 mg/kg PGZ, 400 mg/kg RES, or 15 mg/kg PGZ plus 400 mg/kg RES for 28 days. Compared with the control group, the PGZ and PGZ plus RES groups presented a significantly higher average daily gain and a decreased feed-to-gain ratio. Increases in the dressing percentage, semi-eviscerated yield, muscle intramuscular fat content, and C18:1n-9c, C18:3n-6, C20:3n-3, and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) percentages were found in the PGZ plus RES group. Moreover, the diet supplemented with RES or PGZ plus RES increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species of thigh muscle. Additionally, the mRNA abundance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α, fatty acid-binding protein 3, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2, and superoxide dismutase 1 was increased in the PGZ plus RES group. In conclusion, this study suggested that dietary supplementation of PGZ combined with RES improved the growth performance, the muscle intramuscular fat content, and antioxidant ability of yellow-feathered broiler chickens.

The goal of this study was to determine the effects of phytase transgenic corn (PTC) in low phosphorus (P) corn-soybean meal diets on growth performance, and P and calcium (Ca) utilization by broilers. Six hundred and forty 1-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups, with eight replicates of 20 birds in each group, and fed for 42 days. Four treatments consisted of a positive control (PC), a negative control (NC), a PTC group and an exogenous phytase (EP) group. The PC group was fed with basal diet containing adequate amount of P. The NC group had 50% of the dicalcium phosphate supplement in the basal diet. The PTC group had the same inorganic P as the NC diet, but was substituted PTC for normal corn, so that the diet contained 500 phytase units (FTU) per kg of diet. The EP group was fed a diet identical to the NC diet but supplemented with 500 FTU of EP/kg of diet. The experiment showed that: there were no significant differences between the PTC and the PC groups, although a more favorable feed/gain occurred from the PTC group. The average daily feed intake and the average daily gain in the PC, PTC and EP groups were higher than those in the NC group (P

It is well known that endurance training is effective to attenuate skeletal muscle atrophy. Succinate is a typical TCA metabolite, of which exercise could dramatically increase the content. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of succinate on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, and try to delineate the underlying mechanism. The in vitro study revealed that succinate dose‑dependently increased protein synthesis in C2C12 myotube along with the enhancement of phosphorylation levels of AKT Serine/Threonine Kinase 1(Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin, S6, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E, 4E binding protein 1 and forkhead box O (FoxO) 3a. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that 20 mM succinate markedly increased [Ca2+]i. Then, the phospho‑extracellular regulated kinase (Erk), ‑Akt level and the crosstalk between Erk and Akt were elevated in response to succinate. Notably, the Erk antagonist (U0126) or mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin) abolished the effect of succinate on protein synthesis. The in vivo study verified that succinate dose‑dependently increased the protein synthesis, in addition to phosphorylation levels of Erk, Akt and FoxO3a in gastrocnemius muscle. In summary, these findings demonstrated that succinate promoted skeletal muscle protein deposition via Erk/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]