Risk of teratogenicity in continued pregnancy after gestational exposure to mifepristone and/or misoprostol: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively assess the teratogenic risk to offspring associated with continuing pregnancy after administering mifepristone and/or misoprostol during gestation. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of multiple databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane, CNKI, and CBM, from their inception to February 2024, with no language restrictions. We included cohort and case-control studies that analyzed the teratogenic effects of mifepristone and/or misoprostol on fetuses and newborns. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The odds ratios (OR) from individual studies were combined using meta-analysis. Sensitivity testing and heterogeneity analysis were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were eligible for inclusion, comprising 5193 cases of congenital malformations and 12,232 controls. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that the use of misoprostol during early pregnancy increased the risk of congenital abnormalities in offspring (OR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.57-4.62). However, the potential teratogenic effect of mifepristone during pregnancy cannot be ruled out. Additionally, the use of mifepristone and/or misoprostol has been linked to a higher risk of certain congenital anomalies, such as hydrocephalus (OR = 3.41; 95% CI: 1.17-9.97), Möbius syndrome (OR = 26.48; 95% CI: 11.30-62.01), and terminal transverse limb defects (OR = 10.75; 95% CI: 3.93-29.41). (PROSPERO, CRD42024522093, 03182024).

Optimal scheduling strategy of electric vehicle based on improved NSGA-III algorithm.

Aiming at the problem of load increase in distribution network and low satisfaction of vehicle owners caused by disorderly charging of electric vehicles, an optimal scheduling model of electric vehicles considering the comprehensive satisfaction of vehicle owners is proposed. In this model, the dynamic electricity price and charging and discharging state of electric vehicles are taken as decision variables, and the income of electric vehicle charging stations, the comprehensive satisfaction of vehicle owners considering economic benefits and the load fluctuation of electric vehicles are taken as optimization objectives. The improved NSGA-III algorithm (DJM-NSGA-III) based on dynamic opposition-based learning strategy, Jaya algorithm and Manhattan distance is used to solve the problems of low initial population quality, easy to fall into local optimal solution and ignoring potential optimal solution when NSGA-III algorithm is used to solve the multi-objective and high-dimensional scheduling model. The experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the owner's satisfaction while improving the income of the charging station, effectively alleviate the conflict of interest between the two, and maintain the safe and stable operation of the distribution network.

Exploration of biomarkers for efficacy evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on metabolomics.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective for the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD); however, there is no objective index for the evaluation of TCM syndrome efficacy. This study aimed to screen biomarkers related to the efficacy of TCM syndrome using metabolomics. Methods: We recruited AECOPD patients with phlegm-heat congesting lung (PH)/phlegm-damp amassing lung (PD) syndrome and treated them with Chinese herbal medicine (Qingre Huatan or Zaoshi Huatan granules) in addition to conventional medicine for 7 days. Data on clinical symptoms and sign scores, modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC), COPD assessment test (CAT), and inflammation indicators, including white blood cell (WBC) count, percentage of neutrophil count (NEU%), and C-reactive protein (CRP), were collected before and after treatment to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Serum samples were collected before and after treatment for metabolomic analysis to screen differential metabolites. Results: A total of 69 patients with AECOPD were enrolled, including 41 and 28 patients in the PH and PD groups, respectively. The clinical symptoms and sign scores, CAT, mMRC, NEU%, and CRP levels after treatment were lower than those before treatment in both groups (p < 0.05). Serum metabolomics analysis showed that there were 13 differential metabolites in the PH group and 16 differential metabolites in the PD group before and after treatment (p < 0.05, variable importance projection (VIP) ≥ 1.00). In the PH group, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (16:0), LPC (17:1), LPC (18:3), LPC (18:2), and LPC (17:0) negatively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign scores (p < 0.05); LPC (16:0), LPC (17:1), LPC (16:1), and LPC (17:0) negatively correlated with WBC (p < 0.05) and NEU% (p < 0.05); and LPC (16:0) negatively correlated with CRP levels. In the PD group, L-phenylalanine positively correlated with CRP levels (p < 0.05), and 2-methylbutyroylcarnitine positively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign (p < 0.05) and CAT scores (p < 0.05). DL-carnitine positively correlated with clinical symptoms and sign scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum metabolites may be potential indicators to objectively evaluate the efficacy of TCM syndromes; however, further large controlled trials are required to verify these findings.

Synergistically Coupling Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots with MnO2 Nanosheets for Efficient Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction Under Ambient Conditions.

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a promising strategy of nitrogen fixation into ammonia under ambient conditions. However, the development of electrochemical NRR is highly bottlenecked by the expensive noble metal catalysts. As a representative 2D nonmetallic material, black phosphorus (BP) has the valence electron structure similar to nitrogen, which can effectively adsorb the inactive nitrogen molecule and activate its triple bond. In addition, the relatively weak hydrogen adsorption can restrict the competitive and vigorous hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, ultrafine BP quantum dots (QDs) are prepared via liquid-phase exfoliation and then assembled on catalytically active MnO2 nanosheets through van der Waals interactions. The obtained BP QDs/MnO2 catalyst demonstrates admirable synergetic effects in electrochemical NRR. The monodisperse BP QDs providing major activity manifest excellent ammonia production steadily with high selectivity, which benefits from the robust confinement of the BP QDs on the wrinkled MnO2 nanosheets with decent activity. A high ammonia yield rate of 25.3 µg h-1 mgcat. -1 and faradic efficiency of 6.7% can be achieved at -0.5 V (vs RHE) in 0.1 m Na2 SO4 electrolyte, which are dramatically superior to either component. The isotopic labelling and other control tests further exclude the external contamination possibility and attest the genuine activity.

The Roles of Integrin α5ß1 in Human Cancer.

Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix has important roles in tissue integrity and human health. Integrins are heterodimeric cell surface receptors that are composed by two non-covalently linked alpha and beta subunits that mainly participate in the interaction of cell-cell adhesion and cell-extracellular matrix and regulate cell motility, adhesion, differentiation, migration, proliferation, etc. In mammals, there have been eighteen α subunits and 8 ß subunits and so far 24 distinct types of αß integrin heterodimers have been identified in humans. Integrin α5ß1, also known as the fibronectin receptor, is a heterodimer with α5 and ß1 subunits and has emerged as an essential mediator in many human carcinomas. Integrin α5ß1 alteration is closely linked to the progression of several types of human cancers, including cell proliferation, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis, and cancerogenesis. In this review, we will introduce the functions of integrin α5ß1 in cancer progression and also explore its regulatory mechanisms. Additionally, the potential clinical applications as a target for cancer imaging and therapy are discussed. Collectively, the information reviewed here may increase the understanding of integrin α5ß1 as a potential therapeutic target for cancer.

Smartly Designed Hierarchical MnO2 @Fe3 O4 /CNT Hybrid Films as Binder-free Anodes for Superior Lithium Storage.

Nowadays, the development of advanced anode materials is highly desirable for the increasing demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nanostructured MnO2 has received utmost attention due to high theoretical capacity (1230 mA h g-1 ), abundant resources, environmental benignity, and shortened electron and ion diffusion paths. Unfortunately, poor electronic conductivity and strong aggregation inclination of MnO2 nanostructures result in disappointing electrochemical performances, which restrict their practical application as sole institute. Here, we propose smartly designed MnO2 @Fe3 O4 /CNT hybrid films, in which MnO2 nanosheets, Fe3 O4 nanoparticles and CNTs are hierarchically assembled in a unique stage of nanosheets-nanoparticles-nanotubes. The resulting MnO2 @Fe3 O4 /CNT hybrid films can be directly used as anodes without any polymer binders, and exhibit significant synergistic interactions among three components, achieving excellent reversible capacity and rate performance.

Molecular mechanism of Notch signaling with special emphasis on microRNAs: Implications for glioma.

Glioma is the most aggressive primary brain tumor and is notorious for resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Although its associated mechanisms are still not completely understood, Notch signaling, an evolutionarily conserved pathway, appears to be the key processes involved. Nevertheless, its mechanisms are sophisticated, due to a variety of targets and signal pathways, especially microRNA. MicroRNAs, which are small noncoding regulatory RNA molecules, have been proposed as one of the key mechanisms in glioma pathogenesis. Among the known glioma associated microRNA, microRNA-129, microRNA-34 family, and microRNA-326 have been shown to influence the progress of glioma through Notch signaling. Evidence also indicates that recurrence is due to development or persistence of the glioma stem-like cells and active angiogenesis, which are tightly regulated by a variety of factors, including Notch signaling. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding the functional roles of Notch signaling in glioma, including Notch ligand, microRNA, intracellular crosstalk, glioma stem-like cells and active angiogenesis and explore their clinical implications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets for glioma.

Responses of the cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to two Bt corn hybrids expressing Cry1Ab.

To examine the responses of the secondary lepidopteran pest Spodoptera litura to two Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn hybrids [5422Bt1 (Event Bt11), 5422CBCL (MON810)] expressing Cry1Ab, larval bioassays with Cry1Ab toxin, corn leaves or kernels and bagging on corn plants were conducted. The results showed that larvae displayed a similar performance when fed kernels, but not leaves of 5422Bt1, 5422CBCL and their near-isogenic non-Bt corn (5422). Significantly higher Cry1Ab amounts were detected in larvae fed leaves than kernels of both Bt hybrids, with different molecular weights of protein band in plants (72 and 90 kDa for 5422Bt1 and 5422CBCL, respectively), gut contents (65 kDa), feces (50 kDa), which indicated that larvae had lower ingestion, higher degradation and excretion of Cry1Ab when fed kernels not leaves of both Bt hybrids. Significantly higher levels of cadherin-like receptors and alkaline phosphatase transcripts were detected in larvae fed leaves than kernels of two Bt hybrids. Catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in larvae fed 5422Bt1 leaves were significantly higher than that of 5422 treatments. Therefore, S. litura had low susceptibility to 5422Bt1 and 5422CBCL when larvae fed kernels not leaves of Bt corn. Additionally, S. litura presented a much stronger tolerance to 5422CBCL than 5422Bt1.

Creating a synergistic interplay between tubular MoS2 and particulate Fe3O4 for improved lithium storage.

A novel three-dimensional MoS2@Fe3O4 nanohybrid, composed of tubular MoS2 uniformly and densely decorated with particulate Fe3O4, is constructed, which exhibits significantly improved lithium storage performances through an impressive synergistic interplay between the two active materials.

Roles of microRNA in plant defense and virus offense interaction.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) that are around 22 nucleotides long non-protein-coding RNAs, play key regulatory roles in plants. Recent research findings show that miRNAs are involved in plant defense and viral offense systems. Advances in understanding the mechanism of miRNA biogenesis and evolution are useful for elucidating the complicated roles they play in viral infection networks. In this paper a brief summary of evolution of plant anti-virus defense is given and the function of miRNAs involved in plant-virus competition is highlighted. It is believed that miRNAs have several advantages over homology-dependent and siRNA-mediated gene silencing when they are applied biotechnologically to promote plant anti-virus defense. miRNA-mediated anti-virus pathway is an ancient mechanism with a promising future. However, using miRNAs as a powerful anti-virus tool will be better realized only if miRNA genomics and functions in plant viral infection are fully understood.

[Effects of social background of the song dynasty on the science of acupuncture and moxibustion ].

The government of the Song Dynasty paid high attention to develop the science of acupuncture and moxibustion, improved the position of acupuncture and moxibustion, specially made collation and systematization on ancient books of acupuncture and moxibustion, compiled monograph of acupuncture and moxibustion, set up acupuncture and moxibustion program and founded acupuncture bronze statue, launched experiment teaching and so on, which made acupuncture and moxibustion spread and be populated, accelerating the development and advancement of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences.

Amplification of plasmid DNA bound on soil colloidal particles and clay minerals by the polymerase chain reaction.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 600-base pair (bp) sequence of plasmid pGEX-2T DNA bound on soil colloidal particles from Brown soil (Alfisol) and Red soil (Ultisol), and three different minerals (goethite, kaolinite, montmorillonite). DNA bound on soil colloids, kaolinite, and montmorillonite was not amplified when the complexes were used directly but amplification occurred when the soil colloid or kaolinite-DNA complex was diluted, 10- and 20-fold. The montmorillonite-DNA complex required at least 100-fold dilution before amplification could be detected. DNA bound on goethite was amplified irrespective of whether the complex was used directly, or diluted 10- and 20-fold. The amplification of mineral-bound plasmid DNA by PCR is, therefore, markedly influenced by the type and concentration of minerals used. This information is of fundamental importance to soil molecular microbial ecology with particular reference to monitoring the fate of genetically engineered microorganisms and their recombinant DNA in soil environments.