ATP6V1B1 regulates ovarian cancer progression and cisplatin sensitivity through the mTOR/autophagy pathway.

Early detection and effective chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, a serious gynecological malignancy, require further progress. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of ATPase H+-Transporting V1 Subunit B1 (ATP6V1B1) in ovarian cancer development and chemoresistance. Our data show that ATP6V1B1 is upregulated in ovarian cancer and correlated with decreased progression-free survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that ATP6V1B1 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells in vitro, while ATP6V1B1 knockout inhibits tumor growth in vivo. In addition, knocking down ATP6V1B1 increases the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin. Mechanistic studies showed that ATP6V1B1 regulates the activation of the mTOR/autophagy pathway. Overall, our study confirmed the oncogenic role of ATP6V1B1 in ovarian cancer and revealed that ATP6V1B1 promotes ovarian cancer progression via the mTOR/autophagy axis.

Brincidofovir Effectively Inhibits Proliferation of Pseudorabies Virus by Disrupting Viral Replication.

Pseudorabies is an acute and febrile infectious disease caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV), a member of the family Herpesviridae. Currently, PRV is predominantly endemoepidemic and has caused significant economic losses among domestic pigs. Other animals have been proven to be susceptible to PRV, with a mortality rate of 100%. In addition, 30 human cases of PRV infection have been reported in China since 2017, and all patients have shown severe neurological symptoms and eventually died or developed various neurological sequelae. In these cases, broad-spectrum anti-herpesvirus drugs and integrated treatments were mostly applied. However, the inhibitory effect of the commonly used anti-herpesvirus drugs (e.g., acyclovir, etc.) against PRV were evaluated and found to be limited in this study. It is therefore urgent and important to develop drugs that are clinically effective against PRV infection. Here, we constructed a high-throughput method for screening antiviral drugs based on fluorescence-tagged PRV strains and multi-modal microplate readers that detect fluorescence intensity to account for virus proliferation. A total of 2104 small molecule drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were studied and validated by applying this screening model, and 104 drugs providing more than 75% inhibition of fluorescence intensity were selected. Furthermore, 10 drugs that could significantly inhibit PRV proliferation in vitro were strictly identified based on their cytopathic effects, virus titer, and viral gene expression, etc. Based on the determined 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50), the selectivity index (SI) was calculated to be 26.3-3937.2 for these 10 drugs, indicating excellent drugability. The antiviral effects of the 10 drugs were then assessed in a mouse model. It was found that 10 mg/kg brincidofovir administered continuously for 5 days provided 100% protection in mice challenged with lethal doses of the human-origin PRV strain hSD-1/2019. Brincidofovir significantly attenuated symptoms and pathological changes in infected mice. Additionally, time-of-addition experiments confirmed that brincidofovir inhibited the proliferation of PRV mainly by interfering with the viral replication stage. Therefore, this study confirms that brincidofovir can significantly inhibit PRV both in vitro and in vivo and is expected to be an effective drug candidate for the clinical treatment of PRV infections.

Conhecimento, atitude e prática de emergência pré-hospitalar e seus fatores de influência entre cuidadores de idosos: pesquisa transversal / Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de emergencias prehospitalarias y sus factores de influencia en cuidadores de personas mayores: estudio transversal / Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pre-hospital emergency and their influencing factors among caregivers for older adults: a cross-sectional survey

Resumo Objetivo Investigar a situação atual e analisar os fatores influenciadores do conhecimento, atitude e prática de emergência pré-hospitalar entre cuidadores de idosos. Métodos Estudo transversal com amostragem por conveniência, conduzido entre dezembro de 2021 e junho de 2022, e seleção de 133 cuidadores de idosos em instituições de longa permanência na província de Guangdong, China, como participantes. Todos receberam um questionário de informações gerais e um questionário de conhecimento, atitude e prática de emergência pré-hospitalar. Na análise dos dados foi utilizada estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados As pontuações nas dimensões conhecimento, atitude e prática foram 24,65 ± 4,49, 24,52 ± 4,34 e 24,05 ± 4,67, respectivamente. A análise de regressão mostrou que a idade, o nível de habilidade profissional e a experiência em educação em saúde dos cuidadores foram os principais fatores que influenciaram seu conhecimento de emergência pré-hospitalar. A presença/ausência dos cuidadores na participação direta na emergência pré-hospitalar foi o principal fator de influência na atitude, enquanto o nível educacional e a situação profissional foram os fatores que influenciaram principalmente a prática na emergência pré-hospitalar. Conclusão O atual nível de conhecimento, atitude e prática em emergência pré-hospitalar dos cuidadores de idosos é de baixo a médio. Para os cuidadores chineses, os principais fatores que afetam a implementação da emergência pré-hospitalar são a idade avançada, os baixos níveis de escolaridade, o emprego temporário e as deficiências do sistema de segurança ocupacional.

Resumen Objetivo Investigar la situación actual y analizar factores influyentes de los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de emergencias prehospitalarias en cuidadores de personas mayores. Métodos Estudio transversal con muestreo por conveniencia, llevado a cabo entre diciembre de 2021 y junio de 2022. Se seleccionaron 133 participantes cuidadores de personas mayores de instituciones de larga estadía en la provincia de Guangdong, China. Todos recibieron un cuestionario de información general y un cuestionario de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de emergencias prehospitalarias. En el análisis de los datos se utilizó estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Resultados El puntaje en la dimensión conocimientos fue 24,65 ± 4,49, en actitudes fue 24,52 ± 4,34 y en prácticas 24,05 ± 4,67. El análisis de regresión demostró que los principales factores que influyeron en los conocimientos de los cuidadores sobre emergencias prehospitalarias fueron la edad, el nivel de habilidad profesional y la experiencia en educación para la salud. La presencia/ausencia de los cuidadores en la participación directa en emergencias prehospitalarias fue el factor principal de influencia en la actitud, mientras que el nivel educativo y la situación profesional fueron los que más influyeron en la práctica de emergencias prehospitalarias. Conclusión El nivel actual de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en emergencias prehospitalarias de los cuidadores de personas mayores es de bajo a mediano. En los cuidadores chinos, los principales factores que afectan la implementación de emergencias prehospitalarias son la edad avanzada, los bajos niveles de escolaridad, el empleo temporario y las deficiencias del sistema de seguridad laboral.

Abstract Objective To investigate the status quo and analyze the influencing factors of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pre-hospital emergency among caregivers for older adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 133 caregivers for older adults in Guangdong province, China, nursing homes were selected as survey participants from December 2021 to June 2022 via convenience sampling. All participants were administered a general information questionnaire and a Pre-Hospital Emergency Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Questionnaire. For data analysis, we used descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The scores on the knowledge, attitude, and practice dimensions were 24.65 ± 4.49, 24.52 ± 4.34, and 24.05 ± 4.67, respectively. Regression analysis showed that the age, professional skill level, and healthcare education experience of the caregivers were the main influencing factors of their pre-hospital emergency knowledge. Additionally, the presence/absence of direct participation in the pre-hospital emergency of the caregivers was the primary influencing factor of attitude, while education level and employment status were the factors mainly influencing pre-hospital emergency practice. Conclusion Caregivers for older adults currently have a low-to-medium level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of pre-hospital emergency. The main factors affecting the implementation of pre-hospital emergency for caregivers in China are their older age, low education levels, temporary employment and imperfect occupational security system.

rRNA intermediates coordinate the formation of nucleolar vacuoles in C. elegans.

The nucleolus is the most prominent membraneless organelle within the nucleus. How the nucleolar structure is regulated is poorly understood. Here, we identified two types of nucleoli in C. elegans. Type I nucleoli are spherical and do not have visible nucleolar vacuoles (NoVs), and rRNA transcription and processing factors are evenly distributed throughout the nucleolus. Type II nucleoli contain vacuoles, and rRNA transcription and processing factors exclusively accumulate in the periphery rim. The NoV contains nucleoplasmic proteins and is capable of exchanging contents with the nucleoplasm. The high-order structure of the nucleolus is dynamically regulated in C. elegans. Faithful rRNA processing is important to prohibit NoVs. The depletion of 27SA2 rRNA processing factors resulted in NoV formation. The inhibition of RNA polymerase I (RNAPI) transcription and depletion of two conserved nucleolar factors, nucleolin and fibrillarin, prohibits the formation of NoVs. This finding provides a mechanism to coordinate structure maintenance and gene expression.

Primulinapingnanensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China.

A new species of Primulina, P.pingnanensis, from the Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China, is described and illustrated here. It is morphologically similar to P.orthandra but has significant differences in the bracts, corolla tube and lobes shape, as well as in the indumentum of the outer surface of the corolla, the filaments, the staminodes and the anthers. Colorful photographs and essential information of this new taxon are also provided, including detailed taxonomic description, distribution, habitat, the comparison table, and the IUCN conservation status. We also discuss a validation of new combination P.crassifolia and Chiritacrassifolia.

Good adaptability of freshmen in medical universities under the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic: a questionnaire-based single center study in China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the adaptability of freshmen in medical universities to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to understand the relevant factors affecting their adaptation in medical university. METHODS: Freshmen in a medical university in Guangdong Province were selected and surveyed using a self-administered general questionnaire and a college student adjustment scale prepared by Fang Xiaoyi et al. The results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 741 questionnaires were collected and 736 valid questionnaires were recovered. The adaptation level of freshmen in the medical university was moderately high. There were no differences in gender, age, family geographical location, or higher education level, but there were significant differences in major, type of household, only children (yes/no), and voluntary enrollment in medicine (yes/no). The survey showed that 30.3% of the students had discomfort at the beginning of the semester, 92.5% chose medical university voluntarily, and 83.4% expressed their enhanced motivation to study medicine after the COVID-19 outbreak, but 65.1% exhibited influence in study and life caused by COVID-19, which were statistically significant factors affecting the adaptation score. CONCLUSIONS: Freshmen in the medical university are generally well-adjusted with many influencing factors. Medical schools should strengthen adaptability management in order to timely identify the adaptation challenges of the students.

The overexpression of actin related protein 2/3 complex subunit 1B(ARPC1B) promotes the ovarian cancer progression via activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is one of the most fatal malignancies of the female reproductive system. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 1B(ARPC1B) in the progression of ovarian cancer. Methods: The expressions and prognostic value of ARPC1B in ovarian cancer were identified using the GEPIA database and the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database. The expression of ARPC1B was manipulated to evaluate its impact on the malignant phenotypes of ovarian cancer. The cell proliferation ability was analyzed through CCK-8 assay and clone formation assay. The cell migration and invasion capacity was evaluated through wound healing assay and trans well assay. Mice xenografts were conducted to measure the effects of ARPC1B on tumor development in vivo. Results: Our data suggested that ARPC1B was overexpressed in ovarian cancer, which was correlated with a poorer survival compared to low mRNA expression of ARPC1B in ovarian cancer patients. The overexpression of ARPC1B promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Conversely, the knockdown of ARPC1B resulted in the opposite effect. Additionally, ARPC1B expression could activate Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. The administration of the ß-catenin inhibitor XAV-939 abolished the promotion of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion activities induced by ARPC1B overexpression in vitro. Conclusions: ARPC1B was overexpressed in ovarian cancer and was correlated with poor prognosis. ARPC1B promoted ovarian cancer progression through activation of Wnt/ß-catenin Signaling Pathway.

Ontogeny of the pollinium in Hoya carnosa provides new insights into microsporogenesis.

The presence of a pollinium is a distinct character in Apocynaceae which is important for phylogenetic analysis. The pollinium of Hoya has an outer sporopollenin wall and a pellucid margin which are adaptive features. However, their ontogeny and related evolutionary implications are not entirely understood. Therefore, a representative species Hoya carnosa was selected to investigate the pollinium development using light and electron microscopy and cytochemical tests. In contrast to the microsporogenesis in most angiosperms, which is associated with callose, the non-callosic intersporal walls in Hoya carnosa, together with the successive cytokinesis and linear form of the tetrad, represent an alternative pattern of microsporogenesis. This pattern has specific implication for the early stages of pollen morphogenesis. The absence of exine and apertures in the pollen grains in the pollinium could result from a combination of factors including the absence of callose in the early stages and the modifications in later developmental pathways, e.g., the sporopollenin accumulation pathway. The pollinium wall is an exine without stratification, its surface lacks sculptures, and it provides structural support and protection. The pollen tubes germinate through the pellucid margin and germinating ridge which are specialized features. The pellucid margin originates from aborted microspores. The germinating ridge that lies on the outer side of the pellucid margin develops in the same way as a classic pollen exine. The pollen grains are aggregated by intine fusion which is favorable for tube germination and growth. Comparing Asclepiadoideae with the other two subfamilies of Apocynaceae that develop a pollinium, the pollinium of Asclepiadoideae has reduced deposition of sporopollenin in the inner walls but an increase in the outer pollinium wall, thus making the inner walls more reduced and simplified, and the outer walls more solid. The adaptive characters of the pollen wall structure and the cohesion mechanism suggest that the pollinium of Hoya carnosa is a derived form of pollen aggregation.

Discovery and molecular elucidation of the anti-influenza material basis of Banlangen granules based on biological activities and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a wide range of applications, including human healthcare-associated treatments and bioactive compound discovery. However, complex chemical systems present a significant challenge for chemical-material-based research and quality control. For instance, Banlangen (BLG) granules is a well-acknowledged TCM preparation widely used in clinical treatment of virus infection. However, its chemical basis of anti-influenza efficacy remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: In the present study, a systematic discovery strategy for identifying anti-influenza molecules based on biological activities and chemical analysis was established to contribute to the molecular elucidation of the anti-influenza material basis of Banlangen granules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hemagglutinase inhibition (HAI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NAI) assays were used to compare the anti-influenza activities of different fractions of BLG granules against H1N1, H5N1 and H7N9 viruses. A comparative qualitative analysis of the chemical constituents in BLG granules and their fractions was performed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS), in which a multiple mass spectrometry database platform and three compound identification strategies were used. The association between anti-influenza activities and chemical constituent characteristics was analyzed using multiple stoichiometries and data comparison strategies. RESULTS: The results showed that the chromatography fractions F3 and F4 of the BLG granules had the highest anti-influenza activity. A total of 88 compounds were identified in the BLG granules, including 31 alkaloids, 16 organic acids, 10 nucleosides, 8 phenylpropanoids, 6 sulfur-containing compounds, 5 amino acids, 4 aromatic compounds, 3 aldehydes and ketones, 2 flavonoids, 1 alcohol, 1 carbohydrate, and 1 aliphatic compound. Out of these, 31 characteristic compounds were identified in fractions F3-F4 as candidate compounds with anti-influenza activity. Additionally, 6-methoxyquinoline and 4-guanidinobutanal were identified in BLG granules and its raw material (Isatidis Radix) for the first time. CONCLUSION: In this study, we proposed a systematic discovery strategy to thoroughly investigate the anti-influenza activity, chemical identification, and constituents-activity relationship of BLG granules. These data not only provided a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of the activity of BLG granules, but also presented a basis for the discovery of potential novel drug candidates and quality evaluation and control of BLG granules.

The Epidemiology and Variation in Pseudorabies Virus: A Continuing Challenge to Pigs and Humans.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) can infect most mammals and is well known for causing substantial economic losses in the pig industry. In addition to pigs, PRV infection usually leads to severe itching, central nervous system dysfunction, and 100% mortality in its non-natural hosts. It should be noted that increasing human cases of PRV infection have been reported in China since 2017, and these patients have generally suffered from nervous system damage and even death. Here, we reviewed the current prevalence and variation in PRV worldwide as well as the PRV-caused infections in animals and humans, and briefly summarized the vaccines and diagnostic methods used for pseudorabies control. Most countries, including China, have control programs in place for pseudorabies in domestic pigs, and thus, the disease is on the decline; however, PRV is still globally epizootic and an important pathogen for pigs. In countries where pseudorabies in domestic pigs have already been eliminated, the risk of PRV transmission by infected wild animals should be estimated and prevented. As a member of the alphaherpesviruses, PRV showed protein-coding variation that was relatively higher than that of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and its evolution was mainly contributed to by the frequent recombination observed between different genotypes or within the clade. Recombination events have promoted the generation of new variants, such as the variant strains resulting in the outbreak of pseudorabies in pigs in China, 2011. There have been 25 cases of PRV infections in humans reported in China since 2017, and they were considered to be infected by PRV variant strains. Although PRV infections have been sporadically reported in humans, their causal association remains to be determined. This review provided the latest epidemiological information on PRV for the better understanding, prevention, and treatment of pseudorabies.

Identification of 9H-purin-6-amine derivatives as novel aldose reductase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetic complications.

A series of 9H-purin-6-amine derivatives as aldose reductase (ALR) inhibitors were designed and synthesized. Most of these derivatives, having a C6-substituted benzylamine side chain and N9 carboxylic acid on the core structure, were found to be potent and selective ALR inhibitors, with submicromolar IC50 values against ALR2. Particularly, compound 4e was the most active with an IC50 value of 0.038 µM, and it was also proved to be endowed with excellent inhibitory selectivity. The structure-activity relationship and molecular docking studies highlighted the importance of the carboxylic acid head group along with different halogen substituents on the C6 benzylamine side chain of the 9H-purin-6-amine scaffold for the construction of strong and selective ALR inhibitors.

Impact of Maternal Age on Singleton Birthweight in Frozen Embryo Transfer Cycles.

Background: Previous studies have investigated the effect of maternal age on assisted reproductive technology success rates. However, little is known about the relationship between maternal age and neonatal birthweight in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Whether maternal age influences singleton birthweight in FET cycles remains to be elucidated. Methods: This study was conducted at a tertiary care center, involving singleton live births born to women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer during the period from January 2010 to December 2017. A total of 12,565 women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled and grouped into four groups according to the maternal age: <30, 30-34, 35-39, and ≥40 years old. A multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between maternal age and neonatal birthweight with controlling for a number of potential confounders. Results: The highest proportions of low birthweight (LBW, 4.1%), high birthweight (1.2%), preterm birth (PTB, 5.9%), and very PTB (0.9%) were found in the group over 40 years old, but no significant difference was observed among the four groups. Additionally, the 35-39-year-old group had the highest rate of very LBW (0.6%), whereas the 30-34-year-old group had the lowest rate of small for gestational age (SGA, 2.7%). However, multivariate analyses revealed that neonatal outcomes including PTB, LBW, and SGA were similar between the different maternal age groups. Conclusion: Grouping with different maternal age was not associated with mean birthweight and Z-scores of singletons resulting from FET.

Lymphatic tuberculosis after lymphadenectomy for ovarian cancer: a case report.

Background: We present the case of one patient with early ovarian cancer complicated with lymphatic tuberculosis (TB) and discuss the significance of lymph node resection for ovarian cancer. We also reflect on the limitations of the preoperative imaging evaluation of lymph node metastasis and suggest possible solutions. The clinical data of a patient with early ovarian cancer complicated with lymphatic TB were analyzed retrospectively. Case Description: A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with a left ovarian malignant tumor and multiple pelvic and abdominal lymph node metastases using full abdominal computed tomography (CT) and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) before surgery. Intraoperative frozen pathology findings suggested an adult-type granulosa cell tumor (AGCT). Transabdominal debulking surgery and lymph node dissection were performed. Routine pathological results suggested that the tumor was confined to the left ovary and the lesion in the pelvis and abdomen was lymph node TB. The Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) pathological stage was IA1, so lymph node dissection was unnecessary. After discharge, the patient received anti-TB drugs. She recovered without bleeding, lymphatic cyst, lymphedema, or other surgery-related complications. Conclusions: Clinicians should, therefore, avoid relying exclusively on imaging results. Instead, it is necessary to make comprehensive decisions based on a combination of the patients' medical history, intraoperative condition, and histopathological type. If necessary, clinicians should sample suspicious and/or increased lymph nodes and send them for intraoperative frozen pathological examination. Excessive surgical treatment and early misdiagnosis in ovarian cancer should be avoided.

Comprehensive analysis of the transcriptional expressions and prognostic value of S100A family in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a treatment-refractory malignancy with poor prognosis. It is urgent to identify novel and valid biomarkers to predict the progress and prognosis of PDAC. The S100A family have been identified as being involved in cell proliferation, migration and differentiation progression of various cancer types. However, the expression patterns and prognostic values of S100As in PDAC remain to be analyzed. METHODS: We investigated the transcriptional expressions, methylation level and prognostic value of S100As in PDAC patients from the Oncomine, GEPIA2, Linkedomics and cBioPortal databases. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expressions of S100A2/4/6/10/14/16 in four pancreatic cancer cell lines and pancreatic cancer tissues from PDAC patients undergoing surgery. To verify the results further, immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of S100A2/4/6/10/14/16 in 43 PDAC patients' tissue samples. The drug relations of S100As were analyzed by using the Drugbank database. RESULTS: The results suggested that, the expression levels of S100A2/4/6/10/14/16 were elevated to PDAC tissues than in normal pancreatic tissues, and the promoter methylation levels of S100A S100A2/4/6/10/14/16 in PDAC (n = 10) were lower compared with normal tissue (n = 184) (P < 0.05). In addition, their expressions were negatively correlated with PDAC patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that S100A2/4/6/10/14/16 might be served as prognostic biomarkers for survivals of PDAC patients.

Inhibition of microRNA let-7b expression by KDM2B promotes cancer progression by targeting EZH2 in ovarian cancer.

MicroRNA let-7b is a potent tumor suppressor and targets crucial oncogenes. Previous studies have shown that let-7b expression is suppressed in ovarian cancer; however, the regulatory mechanisms of let-7b in ovarian cancer are still not well defined. The cellular role and targets of let-7b in ovarian cancer remain elusive. In the present study, we showed that histone demethylase, KDM2B, directly suppressed let-7b expression by H3K36me2 demethylation. Moreover, let-7b inhibited EZH2 expression in ovarian cancer cells. Based on these results we know that let-7b antagonizes the enhancement of EZH2 expression caused by KDM2B overexpression, and its expression is negatively correlated with KDM2B and EZH2 expression. More importantly, proliferation, migration, and wound healing assays showed that let-7b inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Additionally, let-7b overexpression neutralized KDM2B-promoted cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, downregulation of let-7b increased the xenografted tumor volumes in nude mice that were transplanted with KDM2B-silenced cells. EZH2 silencing reversed the tumor growth enhancement mediated by inhibition of let-7b. Last, we show that let-7b expression is suppressed in ovarian carcinomas and its expression is negatively associated with the clinicopathological features of ovarian cancer, including histological type, histological grade, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and lymph node metastatic status. In conclusion, in ovarian cancer, let-7b expression is epigenetically suppressed by high expression of KDM2B. The loss of let-7b upregulates the expression of EZH2, which promotes ovarian cancer growth in vitro and in vivo.

Relationship between periodontal disease and male infertility: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of chronic periodontitis between men who had semen abnormalities and those who had normozoospermia through a case-control study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male patients who visited the assisted reproduction clinic of a large general hospital and were diagnosed with semen abnormalities were included in the case group. The control group was composed of patients of the same clinic with normozoospermia. The semen analysis included sperm concentration, count and progressive and total motility, which were measured in the laboratory. A questionnaire and clinical periodontal examination were conducted for all participants. Logistic regression was performed to explore the relationship between chronic periodontitis and male infertility. RESULTS: A total of 192 participants were included: 63 participants (32.8%) had some type of semen abnormality (case group), while 129 participants (67.2%) had normozoospermia (control group). The case group had a significantly higher prevalence of moderate/severe periodontitis than the control group (33.3% vs. 17.8%, p = .012). The logistic regression showed that participants who had moderate/severe periodontitis had a greater chance of having semen abnormalities after adjusting for other confounding factors (OR = 3.377, p = .005). CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis is associated with semen abnormalities and sperm motility in men.

Expert consensus on the management process of gynecological emergency under the regular epidemic prevention and control of COVID-19.

At present, China is in the stage of the COVID-19 epidemic where regular prevention and control measures are required to contain the spread of disease. Reports of new sporadic cases are still widespread across China and medical personnel remain at high risk of exposure to infection. This is especially the case for medical staff working within emergency departments. Most gynecological emergency cases are complex and a high proportion require emergency surgical treatment. By referring to national regulations and requirements on COVID-19 prevention and control, and by summarizing our experiences in the battle against COVID-19 within Wuhan, this consensus report provides recommendations on the triage, reception, consultation, admission and surgical management of gynecological emergency patients. We also make suggestions for the environmental layout and disinfection and the medical waste management. This consensus aims to optimize the diagnosis and treatment process of gynecological emergency patients and reduce the exposure risk of medical staff within the current context of routine COVID-19 prevention and control.

Effect of initial pH on the sludge fermentation performance enhanced by aged refuse at low temperature of 10 °C.

The efficiency of anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) under low-temperature condition is usually low. This work reported a new strategy to enhance the low-temperature fermentation of WAS by using aged refuse (AR), and explored the effect of initial pH 4 till pH 12 on the production of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) from AR-enhanced sludge fermentation. The results showed that AR improved WAS fermentation under low-temperature condition (10 °C), and the maximum accumulation of SCFA was 75.6 ± 3.5 mg/g, which was significantly higher than that of the blank (without AR). In addition, when the initial pH was 7, the maximum yield of methane was 102.2 ± 4.8 mL/g, whereas when the initial pH was 11, the maximum yield of SCFA was 85.6 ± 2.8 mg/g. Weak acid or alkali pH benefited hydrolysis and acidification of WAS, but inhibited methanogenesis. The release of NH4+-N and phosphate in a strong alkaline environment (pH 11 and 12) was lower than that in other alkaline environments (pH 10).

Enhanced hydrogen production from food waste dark fermentation by potassium ferrate pretreatment.

Hydrogen generation from food waste anaerobic dark fermentation is identified as a promising strategy for resource recovery. In this work, an innovative strategy of using potassium ferrate (PF), a strong oxidant, to promote anaerobic dark fermentation of food waste to produce hydrogen has been reported. The experimental results revealed that PF enhanced the hydrogen production from food waste, the maximal hydrogen yield was 173.5 mL/g, and the optimal PF dosage was 0.4 g/g total suspended solids. PF shortened the lag phase for hydrogen generation from 120 to 96 h. Mechanisms investigation revealed that PF accelerated the disintegration of organic compounds and increased the soluble organic matter in the liquid phase. The strong oxidation of PF inhibited the processes of hydrolysis, acidification, acetogenesis, homoacetogenesis, and methanogenesis by using synthetic wastewater in the fermentation process. The inhibition of PF on these processes was further verified by the enzyme activity analysis. Economic analysis indicated that 0.1 g/g PF was the optimal dosage. PF treatment is a promising strategy to enhance the production of hydrogen from food waste dark fermentation.

[Study on quality standard of gypenosides extract and Gypenosides Tablets].

In response to no national standard for Gynostemma pentaphyllum, a market survey was carried out, and 17 batches of gypenosides extract and 29 batches of Gypenosides Tablets on the market were collected. With gypenoside A as an index, the TLC qualitative identification and HPLC quantitative evaluation method of gypenosides extract and tablets was established. Based on the determination results of 17 batches of gypenosides extract and 29 batches of Gypenosides Tablets, the quality standards of gypenosides extract and tablets were formulated respectively, so as to give suggestions for improving the quality standards of gypenosides extract and tablets. Compared with the existing ministerial standards, the qualitative identification and quantitative detection of specific components were added, in order to provide scientific basis and suggestions for the revision of the quality standard of gypenosides extract and tablet preparation.