Chromosomal abnormalities detected by chromosomal microarray analysis and pregnancy outcomes of 4211 fetuses with high-risk prenatal indications.

With the gradual liberalization of the three-child policy and the development of assisted reproductive technology in China, the number of women with high-risk pregnancies is gradually increasing. In this study, 4211 fetuses who underwent chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) with high-risk prenatal indications were analysed. The results showed that the overall prenatal detection rate of CMA was 11.4% (480/4211), with detection rates of 5.82% (245/4211) for abnormal chromosome numbers and 5.58% (235/4211) for copy number variants. Additionally, the detection rates of clinically significant copy number variants were 3.78% (159/4211) and 1.8% (76/4211) for variants of uncertain significance. The detection rates of fetal chromosomal abnormalities were 6.42% (30/467) for pregnant women with advanced maternal age (AMA), 6.01% (50/832) for high-risk maternal serum screening (MSS) results, 39.09% (224/573) with abnormal non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) results, 9.21% (127/1379) with abnormal ultrasound results, and 5.1% (49/960) for other indications. Follow-up results were available for 4211 patients, including 3677 (3677/4211, 87.32%) whose infants were normal after birth, 462 (462/4211, 10.97%) who terminated their pregnancy, 51 (51/4211, 1.21%) whose infants were abnormal after birth, and 21 (21/4211, 0.50%) who refused follow-up. The results of this study demonstrate significant variation in the diagnostic rate of chromosomal microarray analysis across different indications, providing valuable guidance for clinicians to assess the applicability of CMA technology in prenatal diagnosis.

Deciphering the molecular nexus between Omicron infection and acute kidney injury: a bioinformatics approach.

Background: The ongoing global health crisis of COVID-19, and particularly the challenges posed by recurrent infections of the Omicron variant, have significantly strained healthcare systems worldwide. There is a growing body of evidence indicating an increased susceptibility to Omicron infection in patients suffering from Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). However, the intricate molecular interplay between AKI and Omicron variant of COVID-19 remains largely enigmatic. Methods: This study employed a comprehensive analysis of human RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and microarray datasets to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with Omicron infection in the context of AKI. We engaged in functional enrichment assessments, an examination of Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks, and advanced network analysis to elucidate the cellular signaling pathways involved, identify critical hub genes, and determine the relevant controlling transcription factors and microRNAs. Additionally, we explored protein-drug interactions to highlight potential pharmacological interventions. Results: Our investigation revealed significant DEGs and cellular signaling pathways implicated in both Omicron infection and AKI. We identified pivotal hub genes, including EIF2AK2, PLSCR1, GBP1, TNFSF10, C1QB, and BST2, and their associated regulatory transcription factors and microRNAs. Notably, in the murine AKI model, there was a marked reduction in EIF2AK2 expression, in contrast to significant elevations in PLSCR1, C1QB, and BST2. EIF2AK2 exhibited an inverse relationship with the primary AKI mediator, Kim-1, whereas PLSCR1 and C1QB demonstrated strong positive correlations with it. Moreover, we identified potential therapeutic agents such as Suloctidil, Apocarotenal, 3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine, among others. Our findings also highlighted a correlation between the identified hub genes and diseases like myocardial ischemia, schizophrenia, and liver cirrhosis. To further validate the credibility of our data, we employed an independent validation dataset to verify the hub genes. Notably, the expression patterns of PLSCR1, GBP1, BST2, and C1QB were consistent with our research findings, reaffirming the reliability of our results. Conclusion: Our bioinformatics analysis has provided initial insights into the shared genetic landscape between Omicron COVID-19 infections and AKI, identifying potential therapeutic targets and drugs. This preliminary investigation lays the foundation for further research, with the hope of contributing to the development of innovative treatment strategies for these complex medical conditions.

Effect of alprostadil plus cilostazol on the treatment outcomes and inflammatory factors in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans receiving evidence-based care.

This study aims to elucidate the effect of alprostadil (ALP) plus cilostazol (CIL) on the treatment outcomes and inflammatory factors in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans (LEASO) receiving evidence-based care. Firstly, 130 patients with LEASO were selected from February 2020 to February 2023 and then randomly divided into two groups with 65 patients each. Excluding the dropouts, 59 patients in the control group (6 cases of dropout) received ALP and 62 patients in the research group (3 cases of dropout) received ALP plus CIL. Both groups were cared for in accordance with the evidence-based care model. Treatment outcomes, arteriosclerosis indexes (blood flow of dorsalis pedis artery [DPA], ankle-brachial index [ABI] and toe-brachial index [TBI]), hemorheological parameters (erythrocyte aggregation index [EAI], erythrocyte deformation index [EDI], high blood viscosity [HBV] and haematocrit [HCT]), inflammatory factors (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and complications (nausea, diarrhoea, headache and transaminase elevation) were compared between the control and research groups. Results show that the overall response rate was markedly higher in the research group (90.32%) than in the control group (74.58%). Additionally, the blood flow of DPA, ABI and TBI in the research group significantly increased after the treatment and were higher than those in the control group. Meanwhile, the EAI, EDI, HBV, HCT, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly lower. The two groups did not differ markedly in the complication rate. The above findings suggest that ALP plus CIL is effective for patients with LEASO receiving evidence-based care. It can significantly improve arteriosclerosis indexes and hemorheological parameters while inhibiting serum inflammatory responses, with some certain safety.

3D/3D Bamboo Charcoal/Bi2WO6 Bifunctional Photocatalyst for Degradation of Organic Pollutants and Efficient H2 Evolution Coupling with Furfuryl Alcohols Oxidation.

Photocatalysis is one of the most promising pathways to relieve the environmental contamination caused by the rapid development of modern technology. In this work, we demonstrate a green manufacturing process for the 3D/3D rod-shaped bamboo charcoal/Bi2WO6 photocatalyst (210BC-BWO) by controlled carbonization temperature. A series of morphology characterization and properties investigations (XRD, SEM, UV-vis DRS, transient photocurrent response, N2 absorption-desorption isotherms) indicate a 210BC-BWO photocatalyst with higher charge separation efficiency, larger surface area, and better adsorption capacity. The excellent photocatalytic performance was evaluated by degrading rhodamine B (RhB) (98.5%), tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) (77.1%), and H2 evolution (2833 µmol·g-1·h-1) coupled with furfuryl alcohol oxidation (3097 µmol·g-1·h-1) under visible light irradiation. In addition, the possible mechanisms for degradation of organic pollutants, H2 evolution, and furfuryl alcohol oxidation were schematically investigated, which make it possible to exert photocatalysis by increasing the active radical. This study shows that the combination of bamboo charcoal and bismuth tungstate can be a powerful photocatalyst that rationally combines H2 evolution coupled with furfuryl alcohol oxidation and degradation of pollutants.

Genetic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of coxsackievirus A6 isolated in Linyi, China, 2022-2023.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) was one of the most common infectious disease in the past few decades. After 2013, coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has replaced enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16), becoming the predominant pathogen responsible for HFMD in many areas in China. The objective of this study is to investigate the genetic characteristics and molecular epidemiology of CVA6 in Linyi from 2022 to 2023. A total of 965 HFMD cases were enrolled in this study and analyses based on VP1 nucleotide sequences were performed to determine the evolutionary trajectory of CVA6. In 2022, 281 (281/386, 72.8%) were positive for enterovirus (EVs), and 217 (217/281, 77.2%) were CVA6 positive. In 2023, 398 (398/579, 68.7%) samples were positive for EVs, and 243 (243/398, 61.1%) were CVA6 positive. Six sequences were selected from each year for the homology analysis. The results showed that 12 strains isolated in Linyi were far from the prototype strain (AY421764) and the first CVA6 strain reported in China (JQ364886). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CVA6 strains isolated in Linyi all belonged to D3 subgenotype. CVA6 is emerging as a common pathogen causing HFMD in Linyi, and continuous surveillance of HFMD etiological agents is necessary.

Interactive attack-defense for generalized person re-identification.

Generalized Person Re-Identification (GReID) aims to develop a model capable of robust generalization across unseen target domains, even with training on a limited set of observed domains. Recently, methods based on the Attack-Defense mechanism are emerging as a prevailing technology to this issue, which treats domain transformation as a type of attack and enhances the model's generalization performance on the target domain by equipping it with a defense module. However, a significant limitation of most existing approaches is their inability to effectively model complex domain transformations, largely due to the separation of attack and defense components. To overcome this limitation, we introduce an innovative Interactive Attack-Defense (IAD) mechanism for GReID. The core of IAD is the interactive learning of two models: an attack model and a defense model. The attack model dynamically generates directional attack information responsive to the current state of the defense model, while the defense model is designed to derive generalizable representations by utilizing a variety of attack samples. The training approach involves a dual process: for the attack model, the aim is to increase the challenge for the defense model in countering the attack; conversely, for the defense model, the focus is on minimizing the effects instigated by the attack model. This interactive framework allows for mutual learning between attack and defense, creating a synergistic learning environment. Our diverse experiments across datasets confirm IAD's effectiveness, consistently surpassing current state-of-the-art methods, and using MSMT17 as the target domain in different protocols resulted in a notable 13.4% improvement in GReID task average Rank-1 accuracy. Code is available at: https://github.com/lhf12278/IAD.

A High Nucleus Cu-Incorporated Giant Phosphotungstate with Photocatalytic Oxidation C-H of Toluene.

Exploring a novel photocatalyst for catalytic oxidation of toluene is a sustainable strategy for energy conversion in times of an energy crisis. However, designing an effective photocatalyst for the conversion of toluene remains challenging. Herein, a novel organic monophosphonate-modified high nucleus Cu-incorporated polyoxotungstate, K8H33[{Cu0.5(H2O)4}{Cu2(O3PCH2COO)(1,4,9-α-P2W15O56)}]4·Cl·60H2O (1), has been intentionally synthesized by a self-assembly process utilizing conventional aqueous method. It reveals that 1 contains a polyanion of [{Cu0.5(H2O)}4{Cu2(O3PCH2COO)(1,4,9-α-P2W15O56)}]440- composed of four Dawson-type {1,4,9-α-P2W15} subunits, forming an oval-shaped structure and further connecting into a three-dimensional (3D) framework by lateral {Cu(H2O)4}2+. Interestingly, the trivacant {1,4,9-α-P2W15} subunits were observed in the organophosphonate acid-functionalized polyoxometalates for the first time. Notably, 1 exhibits a wonderful performance in catalytic oxidation of the recalcitrant C(sp3)-H bond of toluene to benzoic acid with a conversion as high as 97% under visible light utilizing O2 as an oxidant.

Enhanced Fe(OH)2-driven reductive Dechlorination via shortened Fe-O bonds and colloidal medium.

Fe2+ is usually adsorbed to the surface of iron-bearing clay, and iron (hydr)oxide in groundwater. However, the reductive activity of Fe(OH)2, a prevalent intermediate during the transformation of Fe2+, remains unclear. In this study, high-purity Fe(OH)2 was synthesized and tested for its activity in the degradation of carbon tetrachloride (CT). XRD data confirm that the synthesized material is a pure Fe(OH)2 crystal, exhibiting sharp peaks of (001) and (100) facets. Zeta potential analysis confirms that the off-white Fe(OH)2 is a colloidal suspension with a positive charge of ∼+35-50 mV. FTIR spectra reveal the formation of a coordination compound Fe2+ with OH-/OD-, derived from NaOH/OD. SEM and HRTEM results demonstrate that the Fe(OH)2 crystal has a regular octahedral structure with a size of ∼30-70 nm and average lattice spacings of 2.58 Å. Mössbauer spectrum verifies that the Fe2+ in Fe(OH)2/Fe(OD)2 is hexacoordinated with six Fe-O bonds. XAFS data demonstrate that the Fe-O bonds become shorter as the OH-:Fe(II) ratios increase. DFT results indicate that the (100) crystal face of Fe(OH)2 more readily transfers electrons to CT. In addition to being adsorbed to iron compounds, structural Fe2+ compounds such as Fe(OH)2 could also accelerate the electron transfer from Fe2+ to CT through shortened Fe-O bonds. The rate constant of CT reduction by Fe(OH)2 is as high as 0.794 min-1 when the OH-:Fe(II) ratio is 2.5 in water. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the structure-reactivity relationship of Fe2+ compounds in groundwater, particularly in relation to electron transfer mechanisms.

Focus Affinity Perception and Super-Resolution Embedding for Multifocus Image Fusion.

Despite the fact that there is a remarkable achievement on multifocus image fusion, most of the existing methods only generate a low-resolution image if the given source images suffer from low resolution. Obviously, a naive strategy is to independently conduct image fusion and image super-resolution. However, this two-step approach would inevitably introduce and enlarge artifacts in the final result if the result from the first step meets artifacts. To address this problem, in this article, we propose a novel method to simultaneously achieve image fusion and super-resolution in one framework, avoiding step-by-step processing of fusion and super-resolution. Since a small receptive field can discriminate the focusing characteristics of pixels in detailed regions, while a large receptive field is more robust to pixels in smooth regions, a subnetwork is first proposed to compute the affinity of features under different types of receptive fields, efficiently increasing the discriminability of focused pixels. Simultaneously, in order to prevent from distortion, a gradient embedding-based super-resolution subnetwork is also proposed, in which the features from the shallow layer, the deep layer, and the gradient map are jointly taken into account, allowing us to get an upsampled image with high resolution. Compared with the existing methods, which implemented fusion and super-resolution independently, our proposed method directly achieves these two tasks in a parallel way, avoiding artifacts caused by the inferior output of image fusion or super-resolution. Experiments conducted on the real-world dataset substantiate the superiority of our proposed method compared with state of the arts.

Achieving focal invariance in different background refractive indices through a dual-environment metalens.

A conventional metalens is designed with a fixed working environment, and its focal length depends on the background refractive index. In this study, we propose a dual-environment metalens that can maintain the same focal length in both media of air and water. The metalens consists of 16 types of meta-atoms with different geometries, which can cover the 0-2π phase range in both air and water. We perform finite-difference time-domain simulations to investigate the metalens and demonstrate that its focal length remains unchanged, regardless of whether the background medium is air or water. Furthermore, we investigated the optical forces within the focal field of the metalens in both air and water, indicating its potential trapping capability in these media. Our method provides a new insight into dual-environment metasurfaces and advances the methodology of electromagnetic structures in extensive applications.

Short-term steaming during processing impacts the quality of Citri Reticulatae 'Chachi' peel.

Citrus peel is a commonly used food-medicine material in the production of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs). For instance, Ganpu tea is manufactured by combining the peel of Citri Reticulatae 'Chachi' (PCRC) with Pu-erh tea. The alleviated irritation of PCRC through years of aging makes Citri reticulatae Pericarpium a traditional Chinese medicine. Herein, we introduced short-term steaming into the processing of PCRC to favor the quick removal of its irritation while retaining its food-medicine properties. Sensory evaluation and volatile component analysis showed that 60-s steaming reduced irritation of freshly prepared PCRC. Biological evaluations indicated no effects of steaming on the neuroprotective activity of PCRC. The process increased the contents of several bioactive ingredients, including hesperidin, nobiletin, tangeretin, and synephrine. In addition, physical indications of accelerating PCRC aging were observed. Taken together, our findings suggest that short-term steaming may offer a promising new possibility for enhancing the quality of citrus peel.

Realizing multi-function absorptions through arbitrary octagonal meta-atoms.

Metasurface absorbers (MA) typically exhibit a single type of absorption function due to their regular structures. In this study, we propose an irregular MA structure with octagonal meta-atoms. The presence of eight vertices in each meta-atom allows for tunable coordinates and offers a multitude of degrees of freedom in terms of geometry. As a result, the proposed MA exhibits diverse functionalities, including perfect absorption, multi-peaks absorption, and high absorption with a filtering window. To predict the geometric parameters of the MA structure based on a given target absorption spectrum, as well as the inverse design of the structure using the absorption spectrum as input, we employ a deep neural network combined with the particle swarm optimization algorithm. Remarkably, the mean-square error for spectrum prediction and inverse design of the MA structure is found to be as low as 0.0008 and 0.0031, respectively. This study opens up new possibilities for designing irregular electromagnetic structures and holds great potential for applications in multifunctional metasurfaces and metamaterials.

Effect of lite touch on the anxiety of low-risk pregnant women in the latent phase of childbirth: a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Women with perinatal anxiety have reduced coping capacity during labor, which affects labor progress and increases the likelihood of a cesarean section. Several non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety during childbirth are available. This study used the "lite touch" method, a non-pharmacological intervention based on physiological responses and obstetric clinical experience in women. We aimed to evaluate whether lite touch could relieve perinatal anxiety and investigate the effect of light skin stroking on the maternal hormones, catecholamine, and cortisol. Methods: This randomized clinical trial involved women with low-risk singleton pregnancies at full term or near term. Eligible pregnant women who were latent and did not undergo epidural anesthesia were randomized into two groups. Participants in the intervention group underwent routine prenatal care, including lite touch, whereas the control group underwent routine prenatal care alone. Demographic data were collected through a questionnaire. Labor anxiety was assessed using the State Anxiety Inventory, and saliva was collected before and after the intervention. Changes in saliva cortisol and catecholamine levels were analyzed using a double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In total, 83 participants were included, with 43 and 40 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. In the intervention group, pre-intervention anxiety scores were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than post-intervention anxiety scores, whereas the control group showed no difference in anxiety scores before and after intervention (p > 0.05). Cortisol and catecholamine levels in saliva were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group after the intervention (p < 0.01). Discussion: Lite touch can reduce the latent anxiety state of low-risk pregnant women, thereby maintaining in vivo stability and facilitating labor. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/aboutEN.html, ChiCTR2300070905, Retrospectively Registered Date: April 26, 2023.

Controlled Assembly of a Dawson-like Antimoniotungstate-Supported Trefoil-type Trimer with Good Proton Conductivity Performance.

With the excellent properties of POM in the field of proton conductivity, the preparation of POM-based proton-conductive materials has burst into life. Herein, an unprecedented Sb-templated all-inorganic trimer Na8H18.64[(SbW14O52)3(Sb2W6.12Ru5.88O18)]·85H2O (1), which is based on tetravacant Dawson-like [SbW14O52]17- blocks and exhibits a trefoil type with D3 symmetry, has been successfully designed and synthesized by the assembly of simple materials with a one-pot hydrothermal method under acidic conditions. Also, compound 1 is systematically characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, ESI-MS, IR spectroscopy, UV-vis, elemental analysis, and TGA. Crystal structure data analysis demonstrates that compound 1 is constructed by a hexagonal prismatic heterometallic {Sb2W6.12Ru5.88O18} core and three equivalent {SbW14} units bridged through µ2-O atoms in periphery. Subsequently, further property experiments show that compound 1 exhibits high proton conductivity with a conductivity value (σ) of 3.07 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 75 °C and 80% relative humidity (RH). The activation energy of compound 1 evaluated by the Arrhenius plots is 0.22 eV, which indicates that the Grotthuss mechanism is dominant during the process of proton transfer.

Advances in the Application of Photothermal Composite Scaffolds for Osteosarcoma Ablation and Bone Regeneration.

Photothermal therapy is a promising approach to cancer treatment. The energy generated by the photothermal effect can effectively inhibit the growth of cancer cells without harming normal tissues, while the right amount of heat can also promote cell proliferation and accelerate tissue regeneration. Various nanomaterials have recently been used as photothermal agents (PTAs). The photothermal composite scaffolds can be obtained by introducing PTAs into bone tissue engineering (BTE) scaffolds, which produces a photothermal effect that can be used to ablate bone cancer with subsequent further use of the scaffold as a support to repair the bone defects created by ablation of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is the most common among primary bone malignancies. However, a review of the efficacy of different types of photothermal composite scaffolds in osteosarcoma is lacking. This article first introduces the common PTAs, BTE materials, and preparation methods and then systematically summarizes the development of photothermal composite scaffolds. It would provide a useful reference for the combination of tumor therapy and tissue engineering in bone tumor-related diseases and complex diseases. It will also be valuable for advancing the clinical applications of photothermal composite scaffolds.

An efficient performance evaluation method of the traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor's flexible rotor.

For a traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor, matching the stator with a proper flexible rotor can be challenging because of the actual contact mechanism's complexity. Due to the lack of effective evaluation and prediction means in the rotor design process, the prototype test is usually needed to truly measure how well it performs, leading to high cost and long design cycle. In order to solve this problem, an efficient performance evaluation method of the flexible rotor based on equivalent contact pressure is proposed. By the key parameters of the flexible rotor's contact surface (area and pressure), an equivalent pressure model of the contact surface is established, which reveals the influence law of the flexible rotor's structural parameters on the motor's output performance. It is doubly verified by dynamics simulation and experiments. The advantage of this method is that without dynamics computation and prototype test, only statics analysis can evaluate the matching score of flexible rotor and target stator quickly and accurately. This study is expected to provide support for the structure design and performance prediction of the traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor's rotor, in which significant time and cost savings can be achieved.

Construction of Hexameric Ru-Substitution POMs to Improve Photocatalytic H2 Evolution.

Converting solar energy into storable hydrogen energy by employing green photocatalytic technology offers a reliable alternative for meeting the energy crisis. The polyoxometalates are a promising candidate for hydrogen production photocatalysts because of their unique electronic and structural properties and controllable design at the molecular level. Introducing noble metals was proven to be an effective method to greatly enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of polyoxometalates. Herein, two unprecedented compounds of hexameric Ru-POMs, Na4H10[As2RuIV2W11O18(OH)4(H2O)6{AsW8RuIVO31(OH)Cl}2(B-ß-AsW9O33)4]·93H2O (1) and Na2H19[AsRuIII2W11O20(OH)2(H2O)6(RuIIICl3)(B-ß-AsW9O33)6]·90H2O (2), were successfully self-assembled. The H2 evolution rates of 1 and 2 under optimal conditions were 3578.75 and 3027.69 µmol h-1 g-1 with TONs of 255 and 205, respectively. The stability of 1 was demonstrated by a series of characterizations. Besides, a possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed.

A heteropolytungstate based 2D layered porous framework with high proton conductivity.

A heteropolytungstate cluster [{Ru2O(bpy)2}2{Bi2W32O110}]10- (bpy = C10H8N2) was incorporated into a 2 : 1 type layered porous framework by interweaving the Na+ bridged cluster chains through the hydrogen bonding ability of the bpy ligands. It features multiple pore channels rich in hydrogen-bond network, contributing high conductivities > 10-2 S cm-1 at 298-358 K and 85% RH.

A High-Precision Quartz Resonant Ultra-High Pressure Sensor with Integrated Pressure Conversion Structure.

A quartz resonant pressure sensor is proposed for high-precision measurement of ultra-high pressure. The resonant unit realizes a push-pull differential layout, which restrains the common-mode interference factor, and the resonator is only subject to axial force. The pressure conversion unit is made in an integrated manner, avoiding output drift problems caused by residual stress and small gaps during assembly, welding, and other processes in sensor preparation. Theoretical and simulation analysis was conducted on the overall design scheme of the sensor in this paper, verifying the feasibility. Sensor prototypes were created and performance experiments were conducted. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the ultra-high pressure sensor is 46.32 Hz/MPa at room temperature within the pressure range of 120 MPa, and the comprehensive accuracy is 0.0266%. The comprehensive accuracy of the sensor is better than 0.0288% FS in the full temperature range environment. This proves that the sensor scheme is suitable for high-precision and high-stability detection of ultra-high pressure, providing new solutions in special pressure measurement fields such as deep-sea and oil exploration.