Photosynthesis and stress response of coal fly ash on stem elongation in wheat.

Coal is one of the primary energy sources in China and is widely used for electricity generation. Crops growing in overlapped areas of farmland and coal resources (OAFCR) suffer from coal fly ash stress, especially during stem elongation, which is a key stage that impacts wheat yield and is sensitive to environmental stress. As a primary food crop of China, wheat is essential for food security. However, the characteristics of wheat under the combined stress of fly ash and various heavy metals have not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, we explored the response of stem elongation in wheat to different levels of coal fly ash stress and determined the content of heavy metals (HMs) in wheat leaves. We found that with an increase in fly ash content, the Cu content in the shoots increased, while that in the roots decreased. Coal fly ash exposure reduced the proportions of Pb and Zn in the cytoderm, and the proportion of Cu in the soluble constituents decreased from 58.3% to 45.7%. Total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b levels decreased significantly, whereas peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities generally increased with increasing fly ash dose. Meanwhile, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and their internal structures were damaged, and the cell structures of leaves, such as the internal membrane structure, were damaged.

Corrosion Behavior of 10 ppi TAD3D/5A05Al Composite in a Chloride Environment.

This study utilizes desalted and denitrated treated aluminum dross (TAD) as a raw material, along with kaolin and 10 ppi (pores per inch) polyurethane foam as a template. The slurry is converted into an aluminum dross green body with a three-dimensional network structure using the impregnation method. A three-dimensional network aluminum dross ceramic framework (TAD3D) is created at a sintering temperature of 1350 °C. The liquid 5A05 aluminum alloy at a temperature of 950 °C infiltrates into the voids of TAD3D through pressureless infiltration, resulting in TAD3D/5A05Al composite material with an interpenetrating phase composite (IPC) structure. The corrosion behavior of TAD3D/5A05 composite material in sodium chloride solution was examined using the salt spray test (NSS) method. The study shows that the pores of the TAD3D framework, produced by sintering aluminum dross as raw material, are approximately 10 ppi. The bonding between TAD3D and 5A05Al interfaces is dense, with strong interfacial adhesion. The NSS corrosion time ranged from 24 h to 360 h, during which the composite material underwent pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion and self-healing processes. Results from Potentiodynamic Polarization (PDP) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) indicate that, as corrosion progresses, the Ecorr of TAD3D/5A05Al decreases from -0.718 V to -0.786 V, and Icorr decreases from 0.398 µA·cm-2 to 0.141 µA·cm-2. A dense oxide film forms on the surface of the composite material, increasing the anodic Tafel slope and decreasing the cathodic Tafel slope, thus slowing down the rates of cathodic and anodic reactions. Factors such as lower interface corrosion resistance or a relatively weak passivation film at the interface do not significantly diminish the corrosion resistance of TAD3D and 5A05Al. The corrosion resistance of the composite material initially decreases and then increases.

Circ_0001861 facilitates trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the miR-296-5p/forkhead box protein 1 pathway in preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and placental trophoblastic disorders. Recent studies reported that circular RNAs (circRNAs) were involved in PE pathogenesis. However, the role of circ_0001861 in PE progression is largely unknown. METHODS: The RNA expression of circ_0001861, forkhead box protein 1 (FOXP1) and microRNA-296-5p (miR-296-5p) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. Western blot assay was performed to examine the protein levels of FOXP1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. Cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion were detected by cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and transwell assays. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were conducted to explore the interaction between miR-296-5p and circ_0001861 or FOXP1. RESULTS: Circ_0001861 and FOXP1 were downregulated but miR-296-5p was upregulated in PE placenta. Upregulation of circ_0001861 facilitated trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT. Mechanistically, circ_0001861 sponged miR-296-5p to elevate FOXP1 expression, thus promoting trophoblast cell progression. CONCLUSION: The circ_0001861/miR-296-5p/FOXP1 axis plays a critical role in trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT, which may provide a novel insight into developing potential therapeutic targets for PE.

Mid-trimester cervical length and prediction of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery in Chinese parturients: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: A successful trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) is linked with the best maternal/neonatal outcomes and is more cost-effective than elective repeat cesarean section (ERCS). Predictive models of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) have been established worldwide to improve the success rate of TOLAC. OBJECTIVE: To validate a VBAC prediction model (the updated Grobman's predictive model without ethnicity) and identify whether mid-trimester cervical lengths (MCL) improve the prediction of VBAC among Chinese women undergoing a TOLAC. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the inclusion criteria were a previous history of cesarean delivery (CD) as well as a singleton gestation in the vertex position with routine CL measurements between 20 and 24 weeks and the experience of a TOLAC. MCL as well as identifiable characteristics in early prenatal care that have been used in updated Grobman's predictive model (maternal age, height, pre-pregnancy weight, vaginal delivery history, VBAC history, arrest disorder in previous CD, and treated chronic hypertension) were obtained from the medical records. Associations of maternal characteristics and MCL with VBAC were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. Two multivariable regression models with and without MCL as one of the risk factors were established and their predictive accuracy for VBAC was critically compared based on receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: This study involved 409 women, among which, 347 (84.8%) achieved a VBAC. The mean MCL was significantly shorter in women who had a successful VBAC than in those who required an intrapartum CD (4.16±0.49 cm vs. 4.35±0.46 cm, P=0.007). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that a longer MCL (cm) was significantly related to a lower success rate of TOLAC [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.26-0.88]. The areas under the ROCs of Grobman's model with and without MCL as one of the risk factors were 0.785 (95% CI, 0.725-0.844) and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.710-0.837), respectively, but not significantly different (Z = -0.968, P = 0.333). CONCLUSIONS: We first evaluated the efficiency of the updated Grobman's model (without race and ethnicity) in the Chinese population. The area under the curve is relatively high, indicating that the model can be used efficiently in China. The shorter MCL was associated with a greater chance of VBAC and MCL was the independent factor from the factors of Grobman's model. However, the predictive capacity of the modified model by adding MCL as one of the risk factors did not improve significantly.

Value of PAPP-A combined with BMI in predicting the prognosis of gestational diabetes mellitus: an observational study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and clinical data in predicting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Clinical data of 318 pregnant women with GDM and 200 healthy pregnant women were retrospectively analysed. The age, BMI and caesarean section in GDM were significantly higher than in normal group. Serum and placental levels of PAPP-A were significantly lower in GDM than in normal group. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that serum levels of PAPP-A were negatively correlated with BMI and blood glucose level. Binary logistic regression analysis displayed that PAPP-A were the potential factors influencing GDM. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for PAPP-A combined with BMI in predicting GDM was 0.941, significantly higher than that of the single one. The potential of PAPP-A in the first trimester is limited in predicting GDM. PAPP-A combined with BMI is highly conductive for predicting GDM.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? GDM not only increases the risk of perinatal morbidity, but also results in an increased risk of long-term sequelae for both mother and child including diabetes, cardiovascular disease obesity. Previous data indicate that besides glycemic control in the second trimester, interventions initiated early in pregnancy can reduce the rate of GDM in pregnant women. The expression of PAPP-A in serum of GDM pregnant women was decreased in the first trimester. Whereas, whether PAPP-A can be as an early predictor of GDM is not clear.What do the results of this study add? The present study shows that PAPP-A MoM was less than 0.6757 in the first trimester of pregnancy is more prone to GDM. The potential of PAPP-A in the first trimester is limited in predicting GDM. PAPP-A combined with BMI is highly conductive for predicting GDM.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Early GDM prediction is crucial for prevention and management of GDM, to cope with the rising prevalence of GDM and reduce later life chronic disease of both mother and child. Based on the level of PAPP-A MoM and BMI, interventions such as lifestyle changes initiated early in pregnancy shouldbeenabledin pregnant women.

Pregnancy combined with severe pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci infection - a case report.

OBJECTIVE: Chlamydia psittaci (Cps) feeds on gram-negative aerobic cells. Respiratory inhalation of Cps or close contact with infected animals can cause psittacosis in humans. Given its challengeable early diagnosis and rapid progression, misdiagnosis or improper antibacterial drugs may lead to multi-organ dysfunction with a high mortality. CASE REPORT: A pregnant woman at 29+1 weeks of gestational age had a fever. CT images of the chest showed lamellar consolidations in the inferior lobe of the right lung, light inflammation in the middle lobe of the right lung. Negative results were obtained from multiple times of blood and sputum culture. Next generation sequencing (NGS) results identified that Cps caused severe pneumonia, which was alleviated by specific antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Cps can cause severe pneumonia in the pregnant woman and be cured through precise antibiotic treatment. NGS is efficient in the rapid identification of pathogens and accurate diagnosis when bacteriological culture fails.

Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs identified by NGS analysis in colorectal cancer patients.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in gene regulation, but their impact on the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and the biological function of cancer cells is unclear. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to study the differences in the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in colorectal cancer tissues. We analyzed the differentially expressed genes by Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (GO/KEGG) enrichment and predicted new lncRNA functions. Our results revealed that compared with lncRNAs and mRNAs in nontumor colorectal tissues, 1019 lncRNAs (512 upregulated, 507 downregulated) and 3221 mRNAs (1606 upregulated, 1615 downregulated) were differentially expressed in tumor colorectal tissues (fold change >2 and P < 0.05). We validated some of these genes by qPCR. Furthermore, we identified some new lncRNAs differently expressed in colorectal cancer samples from patients in northern China. We confirmed the function of lncRNA-FIRRE-201 and SLCO4A1-AS1-202 in colorectal cancer cells to provide an experimental basis for studies on their roles in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer and in the regulation of networks.