SIRT6 modulates lesion microenvironment in LPC induced demyelination by targeting astrocytic CHI3L1.

Demyelination occurs widely in the central nervous system (CNS) neurodegenerative diseases, especially the multiple sclerosis (MS), which with a complex and inflammatory lesion microenvironment inhibiting remyelination. Sirtuin6 (SIRT6), a histone/protein deacetylase is of interest for its promising effect in transcriptional regulation, cell cycling, inflammation, metabolism and longevity. Here we show that SIRT6 participates in the remyelination process in mice subjected to LPC-induced demyelination. Using pharmacological SIRT6 inhibitor or activator, we found that SIRT6 modulated LPC-induced damage in motor or cognitive function. Inhibition of SIRT6 impaired myelin regeneration, exacerbated neurological deficits, and decreased oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) proliferation and differentiation, whereas activation of SIRT6 reversed behavioral performance in mice, demonstrating a beneficial effect of SIRT6. Importantly, based on RNA sequencing analysis of the corpus callosum tissues, it was further revealed that SIRT6 took charge in regulation of glial activation during remyelination, and significant alterations in CHI3L1 were obtained, a glycoprotein specifically secreted by astrocytes. Impaired proliferation and differentiation of OPCs could be induced in vitro using supernatants from reactive astrocyte, especially when SIRT6 was inhibited. Mechanistically, SIRT6 regulates the secretion of CHI3L1 from reactive astrocytes by histone-H3-lysine-9 acetylation (H3K9Ac). Adeno-associated virus-overexpression of SIRT6 (AAV-SIRT6-OE) in astrocytes improved remyelination and functional recovery after LPC-induced demyelination, whereas together with AAV-CHI3L1-OE inhibits this therapeutic effect. Collectively, our data elucidate the role of SIRT6 in remyelination and further reveal astrocytic SIRT6/CHI3L1 as the key regulator for improving the remyelination environment, which may be a potential target for MS therapy.

Unveiling the pathogenic and multidrug-resistant profiles of Vibrio alfacsensis: A potential identified threat in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) aquaculture.

Vibrio alfacsensis is traditionally seen as an environmental symbiont within its genus, with no detailedly documented pathogenicity in marine aquaculture to date. This study delves into the largely unexplored pathogenic potential and emerging antibiotic resistance of V. alfacsensis. The VA-1 strain, isolated from recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) effluent of cultured turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), underwent comprehensive analysis including biochemical identification, antibiotic susceptibility testing and reinfection trials. The results confirmed VA-1's pathogenicity and significant multiple antibiotic resistance. VA-1 could induce systemic infection in turbot, with symptoms like kidney enlargement, exhibiting virulence comparable to known Vibrio pathogens, with an LD50 around 2.36 × 106 CFU/fish. VA-1's remarkable resistance phenotype (14/22) suggested potential for genetic exchange and resistance factor acquisition in aquaculture environments. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences and whole-genome sequencing has firmly placed VA-1 within the V. alfacsensis clade, while genome-wide analysis highlights its similarity and diversity in relation to strains from across the globe. VA-1 contained numerous replicons, indicating the possibility for the spread of resistance and virulence genes. This study suggests V. alfacsensis may acquire and transfer pathogenic and resistant traits through horizontal gene transfer, a likelihood intensified by changing environmental and aquaculture conditions, highlighting the need for vigilant pathogen monitoring and new non-antibiotic treatments.

Characteristics of intestinal flora in nonobese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients and the impact of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment on these features.

The study aimed to investigate the alterations in gut microbiota among nonobese individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and their response to treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). A total of 90 patients diagnosed with NAFLD and 36 healthy subjects were recruited to participate in this study. Among them, a subgroup of 14 nonobese nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were treated with UDCA. Demographic and serologic data were collected for all participants, while stool samples were obtained for fecal microbiome analysis using 16S sequencing. In nonobese NAFLD patients, the alpha diversity of intestinal flora decreased (Shannon index, p < 0.05), and the composition of intestinal flora changed (beta diversity, p < 0.05). The abundance of 20 genera, including Fusobacterium, Lachnoclostridium, Klebsiella, etc., exhibited significant changes (p < 0.05). Among them, nine species including Fusobacterium, Lachnoclostridium, Klebsiella, etc. were found to be associated with abnormal liver enzymes and glucolipid metabolic disorders. Among the 14 NASH patients treated with UDCA, improvements were observed in terms of liver enzymes, CAP values, and E values (p < 0.05), however, no improve the glucolipid metabolism. While the alpha diversity of intestinal flora did not show significant changes after UDCA treatment, there was a notable alteration in the composition of intestinal flora (beta diversity, p < 0.05). Furthermore, UCDA treatment led to an improvement in the relative abundance of Alistipes, Holdemanella, Gilisia, etc. among nonobese NASH patients (p < 0.05). Nonobese NAFLD patients exhibit dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota. UDCA can ameliorate hepatic enzyme abnormalities and reduce liver fat content in nonobese NASH patients, potentially through its ability to restore intestinal microbiota balance.

Exploring the moderated mediation of stress and media use: Social support's impact on anxiety among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic - Insights from a large-scale cross-sectional study in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the older adults, explore whether stress mediated the association between social support and anxiety symptoms, and investigate whether media use moderated the direct or indirect effects within the mediation model. METHODS: Questionnaires and scales were employed to collect data from 1143 individuals aged 60 years and older across 120 cities in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collected information encompassed sociodemographic characteristics, social support, anxiety, stress, and media use. Bivariate correlations were then used to analyze the relationships among the study variables. Finally, the mediation and moderated mediation models were examined using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 40.1 % of Chinese elderly experienced anxiety. Social support exhibited a negative correlation with anxiety. And, media use positively influenced both stress and anxiety. Stress partially mediated the relationship between social support and anxiety, with a mediation effect of 50.95 %. Notably, media use moderated the association between social support and anxiety, serving as both an indirect mediator (path a: Social support - Stress: B = 0.071, 95 % CI: 0.022, 0.120) and a direct mediator (path c': Social support - Anxiety: B = -0.066, 95 % CI: -0.111, -0.022). LIMITATIONS: This study used a cross-sectional design, which restricts the ability to infer causal relationships. CONCLUSION: Social support is proven to be a potent alleviator of anxiety among the elderly. Stress partially mediated this relationship, while the indirect and direct impact of this mediation was influenced by media use. BRIEF SUMMARY: This study underscores the heightened anxiety prevalence among Chinese elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the critical role of social support in mitigating these effects. It discovers that while stress acts as a mediator, media use serves as a significant moderator in this dynamic. These findings advocate for the necessity of bolstering social support networks and encouraging prudent media use to effectively manage anxiety and stress among the elderly, particularly in challenging times like a pandemic.

Arterial stiffness is associated with new-onset chronic kidney disease.

Background: A potential independent association between arterial stiffness (AS) and the development of new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been thoroughly examined. Patients and methods: A total of 6929 participants were collected from the Kailuan study. All participants were free of CKD at the baseline. The participants were divided into four groups based on their brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) values. Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between baPWV values and the risk of new-onset CKD. Results: Over the course of a 10.06-year follow-up period, a total of 962 cases of new-onset CKD were documented. Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that a higher baPWV quartile was linked to an increased risk of new-onset CKD. Conclusions: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity has a strong correlation with the development of new-onset CKD. Therefore, baPWV can be considered an innovative indicator for predicting the occurrence of new-onset CKD.

Biomarkers of Arginine Methylation in Diabetic Nephropathy: Novel Insights from Bioinformatics Analysis.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes influenced by arginine methylation. This study aimed to elucidate the role of protein arginine methylation-related genes (PRMT-RGs) in DN and identify potential biomarkers. Methods: Differentially expressed genes in two GEO datasets (GSE30122 and GSE104954) were integrated with 9 PRMT-RGs. Candidate genes were identified using WGCNA and differential expression analysis, then screened using support vector machine-recursive feature elimination and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Biomarkers were defined as genes with consistent differential expression across both datasets. Regulatory networks were constructed using the miRNet and Network Analyst databases. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to identify the signaling pathways in which the biomarkers were enriched in DN. Different immune cells in DN were identified using immune infiltration analysis. Meanwhile, drug prediction and molecular docking identified potential DN therapies. Finally, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry validated two biomarkers in STZ-induced DN mice and DN patients. Results: Two biomarkers (FAM98A and FAM13B) of DN were identified in this study. The molecular regulatory network revealed that FAM98A and FAM13B were co-regulated by 6 microRNAs and 1 transcription factor and were enriched in signaling pathways. Immune infiltration and correlation analyses revealed that FAM98A and FAM13B were involved in developing DN along with PRMT-RGs and immune cells. The expression levels of Fam98a and Fam13b were significantly upregulated in the kidneys of DN mice revealed by qRT-PCR analysis. The expression levels of FAM98A were significantly upregulated in the kidneys of DN patients revealed by immunohistochemistry staining. Molecular docking showed that estradiol and rotenone exerted potential therapeutic effects on DN by targeting FAM98A. Conclusion: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis revealed that FAM98A and FAM13B were potential DN biomarkers correlated with PRMT-RGs and immune cells. This study provided useful insights for elucidating the molecular mechanisms and developing targeted therapy for DN.

A longitudinal study on moral emotions and psychosocial functioning among preschool children with and without hearing loss.

Moral emotions such as shame, guilt and pride are crucial to young children's social-emotional development. Due to the restrictions caused by hearing loss in accessing the social world, deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children may encounter extra difficulties in their development of moral emotions. However, little research so far has investigated the development trajectory of moral emotions during preschool years in DHH children. The present study used a longitudinal design to explore the development trajectories of shame, guilt, and pride, in a sample of 259 Chinese DHH and typically hearing (TH) preschoolers aged 2 to 6 years old. The results indicated that according to parent reports, DHH children manifested lower levels of guilt and pride compared to their TH peers, yet the manifested levels of shame, guilt, and pride increased throughout the preschool time at a similar pace in all children. Moreover, whilst guilt and pride contributed to increasing levels of psychosocial functioning over the preschool years, shame contributed to lower social competence and more externalizing behaviors in DHH and TH preschoolers. The outcomes imply that early interventions and adjustment to hearing loss could be useful to safeguard the social development of children with severe hearing loss, and cultural variances shall be taken into consideration when studying moral emotions in a Chinese cultural background.

Current Status and Influencing Factors of Readiness for Hospital Discharge of Lung Cancer Patients Receiving ERAS-Guided Postoperative Management.

OBJECTIVE: This study ascertained current status and influencing factors of readiness for hospital discharge (RHD) of lung cancer (LC) patients with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) concept-guided postoperative management. METHODS: This study prospectively and consecutively included 217 LC patients who underwent whole-course ERAS concept-guided postoperative management at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Guangzhou Institute of Cancer Research, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University from November 2023 to April 2024. RHD, quality of discharge teaching (QDT), and social support (SS) were evaluated using RHDS, QDTS, and SSRS, followed by correlation analyses of RHD with the other 2 factors. The clinical baseline and pathological data were compared between the high and low RHD groups, and the characteristics showing statistical significance were assigned as independent variables for regression analysis with RHD as the dependent variable. RESULTS: RHD, QDT, and SS were above average among LC patients with ERAS concept-guided postoperative management, and RHD was positively correlated with both QDT and SS. Age, education level, self-care ability, number of admissions, and presence of drainage tubes were independent influence factors for RHD of LC patients with ERAS concept-guided postoperative management. CONCLUSION: In LC patients with ERAS concept-guided postoperative management, RHD may be improved by increasing QDT and SS and intervened by factors such as age, education level, self-care ability, number of admissions, and presence of drainage tubes.

Renal Fibrosis: SIRT1 Still of Value.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health concern. Renal fibrosis, a prevalent outcome regardless of the initial cause, ultimately leads to end-stage renal disease. Glomerulosclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis are the primary pathological features. Preventing and slowing renal fibrosis are considered effective strategies for delaying CKD progression. However, effective treatments are lacking. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase belonging to class III histone deacetylases, is implicated in the physiological regulation and protection of the kidney and is susceptible to a diverse array of pathological influences, as demonstrated in previous studies. Interestingly, controversial conclusions have emerged as research has progressed. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding and advancements in the field; specifically, the biological roles and mechanisms of SIRT1 in regulating renal fibrosis progression. These include aspects such as lipid metabolism, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, oxidative stress, aging, inflammation, and autophagy. This manuscript explores the potential of SIRT1 as a therapeutic target for renal fibrosis and offers new perspectives on treatment approaches and prognostic assessments.

Selective Copolymerization from Mixed Monomers of Phthalic Anhydride, Propylene Oxide and Lactide Using Nano-Sized Zinc Glutarate.

Selective polymerization with heterogeneous catalysts from mixed monomers remains a challenge in polymer synthesis. Herein, we describe that nano-sized zinc glutarate (ZnGA) can serve as a catalyst for the selective copolymerization of phthalic anhydride (PA), propylene oxide (PO) and lactide (LA). It was found that the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of PA with PO occurs firstly in the multicomponent polymerization. After the complete consumption of PA, the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of LA turns into the formation of block polyester. In the process, the formation of zinc-alkoxide bonds on the surface of ZnGA accounts for the selective copolymerization from ROCOP to ROP. These results facilitate the understanding of the heterogeneous catalytic process and offer a new platform for selective polymerization from monomer mixtures.

Loading polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticles to mesoporous hydroxyapatite (HAp) spheres for near infrared (NIR) induced doxorubicin (DOX) drug delivery and colon cancer treatment.

In response to the pressing need for more efficient and targeted cancer therapies, this study presents the development of biodegradable hydroxyapatite/polyaniline (HAp/PANI) nanocomposite drug carriers for near-infrared (NIR)-induced drug delivery. The synthesis involved loading polyaniline onto mesoporous hydroxyapatite spheres, resulting in high drug loading capacity and tunable NIR responsiveness. The HAp/PANI spheres exhibited superior photothermal properties compared to pristine HAp under NIR irradiation, along with excellent biocompatibility. Importantly, the drug release behavior could be precisely controlled by adjusting NIR power and irradiation time, leading to enhanced anticancer efficacy against HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. These findings highlight the potential of HAp/PANI mesoporous spheres as promising drug carriers for NIR-responsive cancer therapy.

Negative association of atmospheric pollutants with semen quality: A cross-sectional study in Taiyuan, China.

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, the quality of male semen has decreased worldwide. Air pollution has been linked to lower semen quality in several studies. However, the effects of atmospheric pollutants on different semen characteristics have not always been consistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the Air Quality Index (AQI) and six atmospheric pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3), semen quality, and their key exposure window periods. METHODS: This study included 1711 semen samples collected at the reproductive clinics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi Medical University in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, from October 10, 2021, to September 30, 2022. We evaluated the association of AQI and six atmospheric pollutants with semen quality parameters throughout sperm development and three key exposure windows in men using single-pollutant models, double-pollutant models, and subgroup analyses of semen quality-eligible groups. RESULTS: Both the single-pollutant model and subgroup analyses showed that PM, CO, and O3 levels were negatively correlated with total and progressive motility. At 70-90 d before semen collection, CO exposure and semen volume (ß =-1.341, 95 % CI: -1.805, -0.877, P <0.001), total motility (ß =-2.593, 95 % CI: -3.425, -1.761, P <0.001), and progressive motility (ß =-4.658, 95 % CI: -5.556, -3.760, P <0.001) were negatively correlated. At 0-9 days before semen collection, CO was negatively correlated with normal morphology (ß =-3.403, 95 % CI: -5.099, -1.708, P <0.001). Additionally, the AQI was adversely associated with total and progressive motility in subgroup analyses of the semen quality-eligible groups. CONCLUSIONS: During the entire sperm development process, multiple air pollutants were determined to have an adverse correlation with semen quality parameters. AQI was significant marker for the combined effects of various atmospheric pollutants on male reproductive health.

Phylogenetic and Genetic Variation Analysis of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus in East Central China during 2020-2023.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a major causative pathogen of a highly contagious, acute enteric viral disease. This study evaluated the emergence of nine variants in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces of China from 2020 to 2023. S gene-based phylogenetic analysis indicated that three variants belong to the G1c subgroup, while the other six strains are clustered within the G2c subgroup. Recombination analyses supported that three variants of the G1c subgroup were likely derived from recombination of parental variants FR0012014 and a donor variant AJ1102. In addition, there are novel mutations on amino acid 141-148 and these likely resulted in changes in antigenicity in the three variants. These results illustrated that the study provides novel insights into the epidemiology, evolution, and transmission of PEDV in China.

Faster, more accurate, more confident? An exploratory experiment on soccer referees' yellow card decision-making.

This study aimed to examine how soccer referees make decisions about issuing yellow cards for fouls. The research involved 60 male participants, divided into expert (n=30) and novice (n=30) groups based on their experience and qualifications as referees. They took part in a 2×2×2 mixed-design experiment. The study looked at Decision-Making Style (DMS: Analytical Decision-Making [ADM] vs. Intuitive Decision-Making [IDM]), Video Type (yellow card foul vs. non-yellow card foul), and Referee Level (expert vs. novice) as independent variables. The dependent variables were accuracy rate (ACC), discrimination index (D), self-confidence index (C), and overconfidence index (OC). The findings showed that Analytical Decision-Making (ADM) led to higher accuracy compared to Intuitive Decision-Making (IDM). Expert referees demonstrated better accuracy than novice referees. There was also an interaction between Decision-Making Style and Referee Level, showing differences in the effectiveness of ADM and IDM between expert and novice referees. Additionally, the study revealed that both expert and novice referees showed overconfidence, with experts demonstrating significantly higher overconfidence, particularly during IDM. In conclusion, the research highlighted the complexity of referees' decision-making in high-pressure situations and emphasized the potential benefits of employing Analytical Decision-Making strategies. The study contributed to understanding cognitive biases in sports officiating and suggested the need for targeted training programs to help referees improve their performance and reduce overconfidence in challenging situations.

Research on the damage and wound repair of cornea by GO and ZnO.

OBJECTIVE: The widespread use of nanoparticles in recent years has increased the risk of ocular exposure. zinc oxide (ZnO) is widely used in the field of cosmetics because of its unique chemical properties. The application of graphene oxide (GO) as an emerging nanomaterial in the field of eye drops is also gradually emerging. Currently, research on ZnO and GO eye exposure mainly focuses on application or toxicity to optic nerve cells. There's less study on corneal wound healing effects. and the previous research hasn't compared ZnO and GO corneal toxicity. METHODS: We systematically established a complete chain study of in vitro and in vivo experiments and mouse corneal injury model, and comprehensively evaluated the ocular safety and toxicity of ZnO and GO. RESULTS: We found that 50 ug/mL GO and 0.5 ug/mL ZnO can reduce human corneal epithelial cells (HCEpiC) viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Short-term repeated exposure to ZnO can cause sterile inflammation of the cornea with concentration-dependence, while GO have not been significantly altered. 50 ug/mL ZnO could significantly delay the healing of corneal wounds, while GO did not change wound healing. CONCLUSION: The toxic effect of ZnO is higher than that of GO. Inflammatory signal transduction, oxidative stress and apopnano zitosis are involved in the ocular toxicity injury process of nanoparticles. Research can provide a judgement basis for people's eye health and eye protection risk control.

Biomimetic design and impact simulation of Al2O3/Al composite armor based on armadillo shell.

The advancement of lightweight protective armors holds critical importance for enhancing the maneuverability and combat capabilities of helicopters. Leveraging insights from bionics, it provides a new idea for high-performance armor design. In this study, a new type of composite armor was designed by referring to the structural characteristics of hard phase-protection, soft phase-buffering of unitization armadillo shell. Through the numerical study, the anti-ballistic performance of armor with varying thickness ratios of the dense ceramic layer to the interpenetrating layer is obtained, and the influence of different structures of armor on the anti-ballistic performance is analyzed. The results show that compared with the traditional laminated composite armor, the Al2O3/Al biomimetic composite armor not only improves the separation phenomenon caused by wave impedance mismatch, but also greatly improves the speed drop in resisting high-speed and penetrating bullets. When the thickness ratio is 2:1, the armor has higher ballistic protection performance.

Potential mechanism prediction of indole-3-propionic acid against diminished ovarian reserve via network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental verification.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the major causes of ovarian aging and dysfunction. Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) is an indole compound derived from tryptophan with free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties, and thus may have potential applications in protecting ovarian function, although the exact mechanisms are unknown. This study aims to preliminarily elucidate the potential mechanisms of IPA that benefit ovarian reserve function through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification. METHODS: The related protein targets of IPA were searched on SwissTargetPrediction, TargetNet, BATMAN-TCM, and PharmMapper databases. The potential targets of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) were identified from OMIM, GeneCards, DrugBank, and DisGeNET databases. The common targets were uploaded directly to the STRING database to construct PPI networks. We then performed GO and KEGG enrichment analysis on the targets. Subsequently, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to validate the binding conformation of IPA to candidate targets. Furthermore, we carried out in vitro experiments to validate the prediction results of network pharmacology. RESULTS: We identified a total of 61 potential targets for the interaction of IPA with DOR. The PPI network topological parameter analysis yielded 13 hub genes for DOR treatment. The GO biological process enrichment analysis identified 293 entries, mainly enriched in aging, signal transduction, response to hypoxia, negative regulation of apoptotic process, and positive regulation of cell proliferation. The KEGG enrichment analysis mainly included lipid and atherosclerosis, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, AGE-RAGE, relaxin, estrogen, and other signaling pathways. The molecular docking further revealed the direct binding of IPA with six hub proteins including NOS3, AKT1, EGFR, PPARA, SRC, and TNF. In vitro experiments showed that IPA pretreatment attenuated H2O2-induced cellular oxidative stress damage, while IPA exerted cytoprotective and antioxidant damage effects by regulating the six hub genes and antioxidant proteins. CONCLUSION: We systematically illustrated the potential protective effects of IPA against DOR through multiple targets and pathways using network pharmacology, and further verified the cytoprotective effect and antioxidant properties of IPA through in vitro experiments. These findings provide new insights into the targets and molecular mechanisms whereby IPA improves DOR.

Analysis of Fertility Prognosis and Risk Factors in Patients Post-Gestational Trophoblastic Disease.

To retrospectively analyze the fertility outcomes and prognosis of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) patients, providing a basis for targeted fertility guidance and counseling. 82 GTD patients of childbearing age who received treatment at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Lanzhou University First Hospital from January 2016 to January 2023 were stratified into re-pregnancy (n = 20) and non-re-pregnancy (n = 33) cohorts based on their pregnancy outcomes. The impacts of various factors on pregnancy outcomes were subsequently evaluated, encompassing the rates of subsequent pregnancies, live births, miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and ongoing pregnancies. Finally, logistics regression model was employed to analyze the risk factors affecting re-pregnancy in GTD patients. The study delineated those patients with different GTD pathologies had varying re-pregnancy rates (mole, erosive mole and choriocarcinoma accounted for 66.04%, 30.19% and 3.77%, respectively). Treatment predominantly involved uterine curettage, with fewer cases receiving chemotherapy alone or in conjunction with curettage accounted for 67.92%, 5.66%, and 26.42%, respectively. The average chemotherapy frequency was 4.59 ± 2.43 sessions, and a majority sought reproductive counseling. Re-pregnancy occurred in 37.74% of patients. The live birth rate was 65.00%, with miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy rates at 25.00% and 5.00% respectively. Logistic regression analysis pinpointed the absence of pre-pregnancy counseling as a significant independent risk factor for re-pregnancy in GTD patients (p < 0.05). While chemotherapy may influence ovarian function, with the majority of patients desiring children post-recovery, pregnancy rates remain high. Fertility counseling significantly enhances re-pregnancy success rates in GTD survivors, emphasizing its recommendation for those aiming to conceive post-recovery.

Dexamethasone Long-Term Controlled Release from Injectable Dual-Network Hydrogels with Porous Microspheres Immunomodulation Promotes Bone Regeneration.

Long-lasting, controlled-release, and minimally invasive injectable platforms that provide a stable blood concentration to promote bone regeneration are less well developed. Using hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) loaded with dexamethasone (DEX) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), we prepared porous DEX/HMS/PLGA microspheres (PDHP). In contrast to HMS/PLGA microspheres (HP), porous HMS/PLGA microspheres (PHP), DEX/PLGA microspheres (DP), and DEX/HMS/PLGA microspheres (DHP), PDHP showed notable immuno-coordinated osteogenic capabilities and were best at promoting bone mesenchymal stem cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. PDHP were combined with methacrylated silk (SilMA) and sodium alginate (SA) to form an injectable photocurable dual-network hydrogel platform that could continuously release the drug for more than 4 months. By adjusting the content of the microspheres in the hydrogel, a zero-order release hydrogel platform was obtained in vitro for 48 days. When the microsphere content was 1%, the hydrogel platform exhibited the best biocompatibility and osteogenic effects. The expression levels of the osteogenic gene alkaline phosphatases, BMP-2 and OPN were 10 to 15 times higher in the 1% group than in the 0% group, respectively. In addition, the 1% microsphere hydrogel strongly stimulated macrophage polarization to the M2 phenotype, establishing an immunological milieu that supports bone regrowth. The aforementioned outcomes were also observed in vivo. The most successful method for correcting cranial bone abnormalities in SD rats was to use a hydrogel called SilMA/SA containing 1% drug-loaded porous microspheres (PDHP/SS). The angiogenic and osteogenic effects of this treatment were also noticeably greater in the PDHP/SS group than in the control and blank groups. In addition, PDHP/SS polarized M2 macrophages and suppressed M1 macrophages in vivo, which reduced the local immune-inflammatory response, promoted angiogenesis, and cooperatively aided in situ bone healing. This work highlights the potential application of an advanced hydrogel platform for long-term, on-demand, controlled release for bone tissue engineering.

Hot water mobilizes the metabolism of energy, soluble sugar, cell wall, and phenolics to cope with chilling injury in postharvest snap beans.

BACKGROUND: Snap beans (Phaseoulus vulgaris L.) are very sensitive to low temperature during postharvest storage. Pitting, rusting, and water-soaked patches are typical chilling injury (CI) symptoms of snap beans. The appearance of these symptoms reduces the storage quality of snap beans. The energy, soluble carbohydrates, cell wall, and phenolic metabolisms of refrigerated snap beans and their relationship to CI treated with 35 °C hot water (HW) were investigated. RESULTS: HW treatment reduced CI index and electrolyte leakage and increased the contents of soluble solids, titratable acidity, and chlorophyll. HW treatment maintained higher activities of proton ATPase, calcium ATPase, and cytochrome c oxidase, which resulted in the accumulation of more adenosine triphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, and energy charge. The accumulation of soluble sugar induced by HW treatment was correlated with the stimulation of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase. The prevention effect of HW treatment on the degradation of cell wall components was related to the inhibition of pectin methylesterase and cellulase. HW-induced phenol accumulation is associated with an increase in shikimate dehydrogenase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarine-coenzyme A ligase, as well as a decrease in polyphenol oxidase. CONCLUSION: The alleviating effect of HW on CI is due to its regulation of energy, soluble sugar, cell wall, and phenolic metabolism. Therefore, HW treatment may be an effective means to reduce CI of snap beans. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.