Antibiotics improve reproductive outcomes after frozen-thaw embryo transfer for chronic endometritis treatment, especially in those with repeated implantation failure.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of antibiotic treatment for chronic endometritis (CE) on the pregnancy outcome of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles and the relevant clinical risk factors associated with CE. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 1352 patients who underwent hysteroscopy and diagnostic curettage at Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital from July 2020 to December 2021. All patients underwent CD138 immunohistochemical (IHC) testing to diagnose CE, and a subset of them underwent FET after hysteroscopy. Patient histories were collected, and reproductive prognosis was followed up. RESULTS: Out of 1088 patients, 443 (40.7%) were diagnosed with CE. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses revealed that parity ≥ 2, a history of ectopic pregnancy, moderate-to-severe dysmenorrhea, hydrosalpinx, endometrial polyps, a history of ≥ 2 uterine operations, and RIF were significantly associated with an elevated risk of CE (P < 0.05). Analysis of the effect of CE on pregnancy outcomes in FET cycles after antibiotic treatment indicated that treated CE patients exhibited a significantly lower miscarriage rate (8.7%) and early miscarriage rate (2.9%) than untreated non-CE patients (20.2%, 16.8%). Moreover, the singleton live birth rate (45.5%) was significantly higher in treated CE patients than in untreated non-CE patients (32.7%). Survival analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in the first clinical pregnancy time between treated CE and untreated non-CE patients after hysteroscopy (P = 0.0019). Stratified analysis based on the presence of recurrent implantation failure (RIF) demonstrated that in the RIF group, treated CE patients were more likely to achieve clinical pregnancy than untreated non-CE patients (P = 0.0021). Among hysteroscopy-positive patients, no significant difference was noted in pregnancy outcomes between the treatment and control groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Infertile patients with a history of parity ≥ 2, hydrosalpinx, a history of ectopic pregnancy, moderate-to-severe dysmenorrhea, endometrial polyps, a history of ≥ 2 uterine operations, and RIF are at an increased risk of CE; these patients should be recommended to undergo hysteroscopy combined with CD138 examination before embryo transfer. Antibiotic treatment can improve the reproductive outcomes of FET in patients with CE, especially those with RIF.

Petite Integration Factor 1 knockdown enhances gemcitabine sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells via increasing DNA damage.

Chemoresistance is still a vital obstacle in various tumors chemotherapy. This study aimed to explore the role of Petite Integration Factor 1 (PIF1) in the sensitivity of gemcitabine response to pancreatic cancer cells. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database was employed for evaluating the level of PIF1 in pancreatic cancer tissues and normal tissues. The mRNA level of PIF1 was detected via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. The relative protein expression of PIF1, cleaved caspase-3, and phosphorylated histone H2Ax (γH2Ax) was assessed through western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Moreover, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and caspase-3 activity were determined via the corresponding LDH Cytotoxicity Assay Kit and caspase-3 colorimetric assay kit. PIF1 expression was upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of PIF1 exhibited the repressive impact on the viability of AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells. PIF1 knockdown enhanced LDH release and apoptosis in both AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells. PIF1 downregulation could augment the sensitivity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells, as evidenced by lower cell viability and higher LDH release and apoptosis rate after knocking down PIF1 in gemcitabine-treated pancreatic cancer cells relative to pancreatic cancer cells treated with gemcitabine alone. Moreover, PIF1 knockdown increased γH2Ax protein expression and DNA damage, and gemcitabine treatment-induced DNA damage in AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells was exacerbated by PIF1 silencing. Furthermore, gemcitabine treatment-caused increase of DNA damage was alleviated by PIF1 overexpression; whereas, this effect of PIF1 upregulation was reversed by thymidine, a DNA synthesis inhibitor. In addition, the decreased gemcitabine sensitivity response to pancreatic cancer cells caused by PIF1 upregulation was also hindered by thymidine treatment. In conclusion, PIF1 silencing enhanced gemcitabine sensitivity response to pancreatic cancer cells through aggrandizing DNA damage.

Involvement of elevated ASF1B in the poor prognosis and tumorigenesis in pancreatic cancer.

Anti-silencing function 1B (ASF1B) has been reported to be associated with the occurrence of many kinds of tumors. However, the biological effect and action mechanism of ASF1B in pancreatic cancer (PC) tumorigenesis remain unclear. The expression and prognosis value of ASF1B in PC were analyzed using GEPIA, GEO, and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases. The diagnostic value of ASF1B in PC was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve. The relationship between ASF1B expression and the clinical feathers in PC was investigated based on TCGA. qRT-PCR and western blot analyses were used to measure ASF1B expression in PC cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT and EdU assays, and apoptosis was examined by TUNEL and caspase-3 activity assays. Western blot analysis was utilized to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, Bax, Bcl-2, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling proteins. ASF1B was overexpressed in several digestive cancers, including PC. Upregulated ASF1B was correlated with the poor prognosis and clinical features in PC patients. The area under the curve (AUC) value of ASF1B was 0.990. ASF1B was also overexpressed in PC cells. ASF1B silencing inhibited PC cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and increased caspase-3 activity, which were accompanied by the reduction of PCNA and cyclin D1 expression and increase of the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 expression. Additionally, ASF1B silencing suppressed the PI3K/Akt pathway and 740Y-P treatment partially abolished the effects of ASF1B knockdown on PC cells. In conclusion, ASF1B silencing retarded proliferation and promoted apoptosis in PC cells by inactivation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.

RP5-1148A21.3 (lncRP5) exerts oncogenic function in human ovarian carcinoma.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a fatal gynecological malignancy that is difficult to diagnose at early stages. Various long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in OC and exert regulatory effects on OC; however, the underlying mechanism requires in-depth investigation. This work is designed to explore the molecular regulatory axis of a newly identified lncRNA in OC, that is, lncRNA RP5-1148A21.3 (lncRP5). RT-qPCR shows lncRP5 is significantly upregulated in OC patients and cell lines, and it is mainly located in the cytoplasm of OC cells. The results of CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell assays demonstrate that overexpression of lncRP5 greatly contributes to malignant behaviors of OC cells, while inhibition of lncRP5 shows the opposite effects. Moreover, the binding relationship between lncRP5 and miR-545-5p is predicted by bioinformatics and is further verified by luciferase assay. Functionally, the regulatory effects of lncRP5 and miR-545-3p are negatively related; miR-545-5p serves as a tumor suppressor in OC. Further studies demonstrate that PTP4A1 is the target gene of miR-545-5p. Overexpression of PTP4A1 abrogates the inhibitory function of miR-545-5p on OC cell growth and metastasis. The lncRP5/miR-545-5p/PTP4A1 axis is subsequently demonstrated in vivo, and knockdown of lncRP5 notably inhibits tumor growth. This study provides a novel regulatory mechanism of OC, which may contribute to the diagnosis and therapy of OC.

LINC00261 inhibits progression of pancreatic cancer by down-regulating miR-23a-3p.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are usually dysregulated in the progression of pancreatic cancer. This research aims to explore the function and mechanism of LINC00261 in pancreatic cancer cell viability, invasion and apoptosis. Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was applied to analyze the association between survival probability of patients and level of LINC00261 or miR-23a-3p in pancreatic cancer. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was conducted to analyze the levels of LINC00261 and miR-23a-3p. Cell viability, invasion and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells were determined via MTT, transwell invasion assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The target relationship between LINC00261 and miR-23a-3p was determined via dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Low level of LINC00261 indicated low survival probability of pancreatic cancer patients. LINC00261 level was decreased in pancreatic cancer cells than that in normal pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. Addition of LINC00261 restrained cell viability and invasion and facilitated apoptosis. miR-23a-3p was negatively correlated with LINC00261 level and high expression of miR-23a-3p indicated low survival probability. miR-23a-3p was targeted by LINC00261 and attenuated the influence of LINC00261 on pancreatic cancer cell viability, invasion and apoptosis. In conclusion, LINC00261 overexpression repressed cell viability and invasion and enhanced apoptosis by decreasing miR-23a-3p expression in pancreatic cancer cells, indicating a new target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Overexpression of LncRNA AC067945.2 Down-Regulates Collagen Expression in Skin Fibroblasts and Possibly Correlates with the VEGF and Wnt Signalling Pathways.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are thought to play crucial roles in human diseases. However, the function of lncRNAs in hypertrophic scar formation remains poorly understood. METHODS: Utilizing qRT-PCR, we explored the expression changes of AC067945.2. Overexpression of AC067945.2 in normal skin fibroblasts was performed by transient plasmid transfection. Western blot was used to check the proteins' expression changes. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and Annexin V/7-AAD staining were used to examine cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. mRNA-seq was applied to dissect the differentially expressed mRNAs in AC067945.2 overexpressed cells. We also performed ELISA to detect the VEGF secretion. RESULTS: AC067945.2 was down-regulated in hypertrophic scar tissues. Overexpression of AC067945.2 did not affect cell proliferation, but it mildly promoted early apoptosis in normal skin fibroblasts. Furthermore, AC067945.2 overexpression inhibited the expression of COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1 and α-SMA proteins. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) could inhibit the expression of AC067945.2. Based on mRNA-seq data, compared with mRNAs in the control group, 138 mRNAs were differentially expressed, including 14 up-regulated and 124 down-regulated transcripts, in the AC067945.2 overexpression group. Gene ontology and pathway analyses revealed that AC067945.2 overexpression was correlated with developmental processes, binding, extracellular region, and the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and Wnt signalling pathways. ELISA confirmed that AC067945.2 overexpression could repress VEGF secretion. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data uncovered the functions of a novel lncRNA AC067945.2, which might help us understand the mechanisms regulated by AC067945.2 in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic scar formation.

The role of the globular heads of the C1q receptor in paclitaxel-induced human ovarian cancer cells apoptosis by a mitochondria-dependent pathway.

As a mitochondrial membrane protein, globular C1q receptor (gC1qR) can mediate a variety of biological responses. Our study aims to investigate the role of gC1qR in paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells and to elucidate its potential molecular mechanism. The level of gC1qR was examined using real-time PCR and western blot analyses. Human ovarian cancer cells viability, migration, and proliferation were detected using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay, the transwell assay, and H-thymidine incorporation into DNA (H-TdR) assay, respectively. Apoptosis in cells was assessed using flow cytometric analysis. The intracellular reactive oxygen species was estimated by the fluorescence of H2DCFDA and the mitochondrial membrane potential was tested using a JC-1 probe. The expression of the gC1qR gene decreased significantly in human ovarian cancer tissues relative to the surrounding non-neoplastic ovarian tissues. Cells treated with paclitaxel showed increased gC1qR gene expression, cell apoptosis, and mitochondria dysfunction, and the effects on these cells could be abrogated by the addition of gC1qR small-interfering RNA or α-lipoic acid that was used to protect the mitochondria function. In summary, these data support a mechanism that gC1qR-induced mitochondria dysfunction was involved in the paclitaxel-mediated apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells.

Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of ARID1A in Endometrium-Related Gynecological Cancers: A Meta-Analysis.

The tumor suppressor gene, AT Rich Interactive Domain 1A (ARID1A) mutation has been reported in a variety of cancers, especially the endometrium-related gynecological cancers, including the ovarian clear cell carcinoma, ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, and uterine endometrioid carcinoma. However, the prognostic value of ARID1A in endometrium-related gynecological cancers is still inconclusive. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical significance of ARID1A in endometrium-related gynecological cancers. By systematically searching all the relevant studies from Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to September 2016, 11 studies with 1,432 patients were included. All the study characteristics and the prognostic data were extracted. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using the fixed-effect or random-effect model. Our results indicated that negative ARID1A expression predicted shorter Progression free survival (PFS, HR, 1.84; 95%CI, 1.32-2.57, P = 0.000) of patients with endometrium related gynecological cancers, especially the patiently with OCCC and the patients in Japan. Besides, a marginal trend towards the same direction was found in the Overall analysis (OS, HR, 1.34; 95%CI, 0.93-1.93, P = 0.112). Furthermore, the significant correlation was achieved between the negative ARID1A expression and the FIGO stage of endometrium-related gynecological cancers, but not the other characteristics. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 4517-4525, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Simultaneous determination and pharmacokinetic study of gambogic acid and gambogenic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of Garcinia hanburyi extracts by LC-MS/MS.

Gambogic acid and gambogenic acid are two major bioactive components of Garcinia hanburyi, and play a pivotal role in biologic activity. In this study, a specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of gambogic acid and gambogenic acid in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column using an isocratic elution with methanol-10 m m ammonium acetate buffer-acetic acid (90:10:0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray positive ionization using multiple reaction monitoring modes. The transitions monitored were m/z 629.3 [M + H](+) → 573.2 for gambogic acid, m/z 631.2 [M + H](+) → 507.2 for gambogenic acid and m/z 444.2 [M + NH4 ](+) → 83.1 for IS. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the concentration range of 2.00-1000 ng/mL for gambogic acid and 0.500-250 ng/mL for gambogenic acid. The lower limits of quantification of gambogic acid and gambogenic acid in rat plasma were 2.00 and 0.500 ng/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precision (RSD) values were <11.7% and accuracy (RE) was -10.6-12.4% at three QC levels for both analytes. The assay was successfully applied to evaluate pharmacokinetics behavior in rats after oral administration of Garcinia hanburyi extracts.

[Computed tomographic diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the computed tomographic (CT) manifestations and their values in the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHC) and improve the understanding of IHC. METHODS: A total of 58 IHC patients confirmed pathologically from January 2006 to December 2012 were reviewed. RESULTS: On plain CT scans, all lesions were of low density with lower density region (n = 37), retraction of liver capsule (n = 11), dilation of intrahepatic biliary duct (n = 22), bile duct calculus (n = 13) and atrophy of liver lobe (n = 14).On enhanced scans, most tumor showed obvious circular enhancement on arterial phase, stripe and network enhancement of internal region on portal phase and obvious enhancement on delayed phase. CONCLUSION: CT manifestations of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are specific for its diagnosis.

[Clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of Castleman's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinicopathological characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of Castleman's disease. METHODS: Seven teen cases of castleman's disease confirmed by surgery and pathology were presented, with the helping of relevant literatures, to discuss its clinical presentation, CT findings, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, especially the cases with PNP. RESULTS: There were 10 males and 7 females with an age range of 28-56 years. They were all of local hyaline-vascular types according to histopathology. All cases were cured by surgical resection. CONCLUSIONS: Castleman's disease is a rare lyphoproliferative disorder with giant lymph node hyperplasia. Its diagnosis depends on its histopathological characteristics and clinical manifestations should also be taken into account. Surgical resection is the first choice and other treatments may be effective.

Self-assembly behavior and adhesive performance of imidazolium cation grafted cellulose nanocrystals in confined space.

Confined evaporation-induced self-assembly (C-EISA) is a powerful technique to guide disordered nanoparticles into long-range organized structures. Herein, we investigate the C-EISA behavior of 1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium cation ([VBIm]+) grafted cellulose nanocrystals (CNC-C) in a parallel-plates confined geometry. Interestingly, CNC-C can spontaneously assemble into maze-like patterns with branch dimensions on the micrometer scale and uniformly distributed throughout the confined space, which is completely different from the lamellar self-assembly patterns of unmodified CNCs. Combining in situ observations and microscopic characterization, we speculate that the formation of maze-like patterns originates from the reduction of colloidal stability induced by the grafted imidazolium cations. The electrostatic attraction between CNC-C aggregated bundles and glass substrates acts as anchor points, thereby leading to the unstable motion of the liquid-air menisci during the inward intrusion of air. Due to the physicochemical properties and unique C-EISA behavior, the CNC-C based adhesive can maintain adhesion at temperatures of ca. 200 °C, while rapidly debonding when immersed in water, demonstrating the potential to be used as stimuli-responsive temporary or removable adhesives. Furthermore, the strategy proposed in this work for achieving CNCs patterning is also promising to be extended to other anisotropic rod-shaped nanoparticles.

A Novel Intelligent System for Dynamic Observation of Cotton Verticillium Wilt.

Verticillium wilt is one of the most critical cotton diseases, which is widely distributed in cotton-producing countries. However, the conventional method of verticillium wilt investigation is still manual, which has the disadvantages of subjectivity and low efficiency. In this research, an intelligent vision-based system was proposed to dynamically observe cotton verticillium wilt with high accuracy and high throughput. Firstly, a 3-coordinate motion platform was designed with the movement range 6,100 mm × 950 mm × 500 mm, and a specific control unit was adopted to achieve accurate movement and automatic imaging. Secondly, the verticillium wilt recognition was established based on 6 deep learning models, in which the VarifocalNet (VFNet) model had the best performance with a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.932. Meanwhile, deformable convolution, deformable region of interest pooling, and soft non-maximum suppression optimization methods were adopted to improve VFNet, and the mAP of the VFNet-Improved model improved by 1.8%. The precision-recall curves showed that VFNet-Improved was superior to VFNet for each category and had a better improvement effect on the ill leaf category than fine leaf. The regression results showed that the system measurement based on VFNet-Improved achieved high consistency with manual measurements. Finally, the user software was designed based on VFNet-Improved, and the dynamic observation results proved that this system was able to accurately investigate cotton verticillium wilt and quantify the prevalence rate of different resistant varieties. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated a novel intelligent system for the dynamic observation of cotton verticillium wilt on the seedbed, which provides a feasible and effective tool for cotton breeding and disease resistance research.

[Therapeutic effects of sorafenib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and microwave ablation on postsurgical recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib in combination with microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) and trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with recurrent liver cancer. METHODS: From January 2006 to January 2010, 90 patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were treated with MCT and TACE in our hospital. The treatment group received sorafenib + MCT + TACE, and the control group received MCT + TACE. RESULTS: RR of the treatment group was 66.7%, which of the control group was 52.0% (P > 0.05). DCR was 83.3% in the treatment group and 64.5% in the control group (P < 0.05). Through a comparison of survival curves along with the extension of time, the survival rates of the two groups were decreased, but the treatment group (group 1) had a significantly higher one than the control group (group 2), with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sorafenib combined with MCT and TACE can improve the disease control rate and prolong the survival in patients with recurrent HCC.

[Diagnosis and treatment of focal nodular hyperplasia of liver].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of liver. METHODS: The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for 26 cases with confirmed FNH of liver from January 2006 to July 2011. Enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. RESULTS: Among them, 22 cases underwent surgical resection, including left hemihepatectomy (n = 4), left lateral lobe hepatectomy (n = 5) and partial hepatectomy (n = 13). The pathological diagnosis was FNH. Most tumors were of soft texture. The gross surface was brown or yellow-brown in color. Central scar and radiating fibrous septas were spotted in some cases. There was no recurrence during a follow-up period of 4 months to 5 years. Serial observations were conducted for 4 cases with a follow-up period of 2 - 4 years. No growth was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced CT and MRI are important diagnostic tools. The confirmed cases may be followed up. Surgical resection is effective with an excellent prognosis.

Preoperative tumor abnormal protein is a promising biomarker for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma oncological outcome following curative resection.

Introduction and Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the potential relationship between tumor abnormal protein (TAP) and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after a radical hepatectomy. Patients or Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 168 HCC patients (tumor recurrence in 78 patients) who underwent a curative resection from January 2018 to June 2020. The whole population was categorized into a TAP high (≥224.6 µm2) or a TAP low group (<224.6 µm2). Results: There was no correlation between maximum tumor size and TAP. In the whole population or subgroups stratified by maximum tumor size, the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate of the TAP low group was significantly higher than TAP high group (P < 0.05 for all). The multivariate analysis revealed that TAP (hazard ratio [HR], 3.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.18-5.51; P < 0.001), large tumor size (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.36-3.49; P < 0.001), poor tumor differentiation (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.33-0.84; P = 0.007), and presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) (HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.28-3.22; P = 0.003) were independently associated with RFS. The prognostic implication of the nomogram incorporating TAP, maximum tumor diameter, tumor differentiation, and MVI was stronger than the model without TAP. Conclusion: The present study suggests that higher preoperative TAP is correlated with undesirable prognosis in HCC patients who underwent a radical hepatectomy. Our study provides a robust nomogram for RFS of postoperative HCC patients.

An Intelligent Analysis Method for 3D Wheat Grain and Ventral Sulcus Traits Based on Structured Light Imaging.

The wheat grain three-dimensional (3D) phenotypic characters are of great significance for final yield and variety breeding, and the ventral sulcus traits are the important factors to the wheat flour yield. The wheat grain trait measurements are necessary; however, the traditional measurement method is still manual, which is inefficient, subjective, and labor intensive; moreover, the ventral sulcus traits can only be obtained by destructive measurement. In this paper, an intelligent analysis method based on the structured light imaging has been proposed to extract the 3D wheat grain phenotypes and ventral sulcus traits. First, the 3D point cloud data of wheat grain were obtained by the structured light scanner, and then, the specified point cloud processing algorithms including single grain segmentation and ventral sulcus location have been designed; finally, 28 wheat grain 3D phenotypic characters and 4 ventral sulcus traits have been extracted. To evaluate the best experimental conditions, three-level orthogonal experiments, which include rotation angle, scanning angle, and stage color factors, were carried out on 125 grains of 5 wheat varieties, and the results demonstrated that optimum conditions of rotation angle, scanning angle, and stage color were 30°, 37°, black color individually. Additionally, the results also proved that the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) of wheat grain length, width, thickness, and ventral sulcus depth were 1.83, 1.86, 2.19, and 4.81%. Moreover, the 500 wheat grains of five varieties were used to construct and validate the wheat grain weight model by 32 phenotypic traits, and the cross-validation results showed that the R 2 of the models ranged from 0.77 to 0.83. Finally, the wheat grain phenotype extraction and grain weight prediction were integrated into the specialized software. Therefore, this method was demonstrated to be an efficient and effective way for wheat breeding research.

Deep Grouping Analysis of the Altered Cervical Canal Microbiota in Intrauterine Adhesion Patients.

To deeply analyze the alterations of cervical canal microbiota in intrauterine adhesion (IUA) patients and microbiota's relation to intrauterine adhesion (IUA) severity, we prospectively enrolled 23 consecutive patients diagnosed with mild-to-severe IUA and 8 women with infertility, 3 women with submucous myomas, or 8 women with endometrial polyps, but without IUA, as non_IUA subjects. For deep grouping analysis, these enrolled women were divided into six groups, two groups, and four groups respectively. Cervical mucus was drawn from the cervical canal of each participant. The bacterial composition was identified by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. For analysis of six groups, mild IUA patients had similar cervical canal microbiota diversity and composition with submucous myomas patients. Compared with mild IUA participants, patients with moderate or severe IUA had a significantly lower diversity of bacteria and higher load of Firmicutes. For analysis of two groups, IUA patients had a significantly lower diversity of bacteria and higher load of Firmicutes than non_IUA subjects. KEGG pathway function analysis showed that metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and microbial metabolism in diverse environments were mostly enriched for these cervical canal microbiota in all enrolled patients. The severity of IUA was associated with the altered abundance of phylum Firmicutes/Acinetobacteria or genus Lactobacillus/Gardnerella in the cervical canal. Higher bacterial load but less diversity in the cervical canal may be related with the severity of IUA. The function of these cervical canal microbiota were mostly involved in metabolic pathways.

Cereal grain 3D point cloud analysis method for shape extraction and filled/unfilled grain identification based on structured light imaging.

Cereals are the main food for mankind. The grain shape extraction and filled/unfilled grain recognition are meaningful for crop breeding and genetic analysis. The conventional measuring method is mainly manual, which is inefficient, labor-intensive and subjective. Therefore, a novel method was proposed to extract the phenotypic traits of cereal grains based on point clouds. First, a structured light scanner was used to obtain the grains point cloud data. Then, the single grain segmentation was accomplished by image preprocessing, plane fitting, region growth clustering. The length, width, thickness, surface area and volume was calculated by the specified analysis algorithms for grain point cloud. To demonstrate this method, experimental materials included rice, wheat and corn were tested. Compared with manual measurement results, the average measurement error of grain length, width and thickness was 2.07%, 0.97%, 1.13%, and the average measurement efficiency was about 9.6 s per grain. In addition, the grain identification model was conducted with 25 grain phenotypic traits, using 6 machine learning methods. The results showed that the best accuracy for filled/unfilled grain classification was 90.184%.The best accuracy for indica and japonica identification was 99.950%, while for different varieties identification was only 47.252%. Therefore, this method was proved to be an efficient and effective way for crop research.

An Intelligent Rice Yield Trait Evaluation System Based on Threshed Panicle Compensation.

High-throughput phenotyping of yield-related traits is meaningful and necessary for rice breeding and genetic study. The conventional method for rice yield-related trait evaluation faces the problems of rice threshing difficulties, measurement process complexity, and low efficiency. To solve these problems, a novel intelligent system, which includes an integrated threshing unit, grain conveyor-imaging units, threshed panicle conveyor-imaging unit, and specialized image analysis software has been proposed to achieve rice yield trait evaluation with high throughput and high accuracy. To improve the threshed panicle detection accuracy, the Region of Interest Align, Convolution Batch normalization activation with Leaky Relu module, Squeeze-and-Excitation unit, and optimal anchor size have been adopted to optimize the Faster-RCNN architecture, termed 'TPanicle-RCNN,' and the new model achieved F1 score 0.929 with an increase of 0.044, which was robust to indica and japonica varieties. Additionally, AI cloud computing was adopted, which dramatically reduced the system cost and improved flexibility. To evaluate the system accuracy and efficiency, 504 panicle samples were tested, and the total spikelet measurement error decreased from 11.44 to 2.99% with threshed panicle compensation. The average measuring efficiency was approximately 40 s per sample, which was approximately twenty times more efficient than manual measurement. In this study, an automatic and intelligent system for rice yield-related trait evaluation was developed, which would provide an efficient and reliable tool for rice breeding and genetic research.