The regulatory effect of electroacupuncture on endometrial M1-type macrophages in rats with intrauterine adhesions. / ç”µé’ˆå¯¹å®«è ”ç²˜è¿žå¤§é¼ å­å®«å† è†œM1型巨噬细胞的调控作用.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) on endometrial fibrosis and M1-type macrophages in rats with intrauterine adhesions(IUA), so as to explore the possible mechanism of EA in the treatment of IUA. METHODS: Fifteen female SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group and EA group, with 5 rats in each group. The IUA rat model was established by double damage method using mechanical scraping combined with lipopolysaccharide infection. Rats in the EA group were treated with acupuncture at "Guanyuan"(CV4), and EA at bilateral "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6)for 20 minutes each time, once a day, for 3 consecutive cycles of estrus. Five rats in each group were sampled during the estrous period, and the endometrial morphology, endometrial thickness and the number of blood vessels and glands were observed after HE staining. The fibrotic area of the uterus was observed after Masson staining. The positive expressions of Runt-related transcription factor(RUNX1), transforming growth factor-ß1(TGF-ß1), connective tissue growth factor(CTGF), α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), collagen type I(Col-Ⅰ), cluster of differentiation 86(CD86), interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in endometrial tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was used to detect relative protein expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86, and TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2), and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect mRNA expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86, and TNF-α in the endometrium. RESULTS: During the estrous phase, the endometrial layer in the model group was damaged, with reduced folds, disordered arrangement of epithelial cells, loose fibrous connective tissue, significant narrowing and adhesions in the uterine cavity, interstitial congestion, edema, and a significant infiltration of inflammatory cells with sparse glands. While uterine tissue structure of the EA group was basically intact, resembling a normal uterus, with more newly formed glands and a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. In comparison with the blank group, the endometrial thickness, the number of blood vessels, and the number of glands were significantly decreased(P<0.001) in the model group, while the ratio of uterine fibrosis area, the positive expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, CTGF, α-SMA, Col-Ⅰ, CD86, IL-1ß, and TNF-α, the protein relative expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86 and TNFR2, and the mRNA relative expression levels of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86 and TNF-α in the endometrium were significantly increased (P<0.001, P<0.01). Compared to the model group, the endometrial thickness, the number of blood vessels, and the number of glands were significantly increased(P<0.01, P<0.05) in the EA group, while the ratio of uterine fibrosis area, the positive expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, CTGF, α-SMA, Col-Ⅰ, CD86, IL-1ß and TNF-α in the endometrial tissue, the protein expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86 and TNFR2, and the mRNA relative expressions of RUNX1, TGF-ß1, α-SMA, CD86 and TNF-α in the endometrium were significantly decreased (P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EA can improve endometrial fibrosis in IUA rats, which may be related to its function in decreasing the level of endometrial M1-type macrophages and the secretion of related inflammatory factors.

Color construction of multi-colored carbon fibers using glucose.

Carbon fibers (CFs) have attracted attention in the automotive, aviation, and aerospace industries. However, the coloration of CFs is challenging due to their brittleness, inertness, complexity, and time/energy-intensive processes. Herein, inspired by the naturally grown protrusive nanostructures on the green central surface of peacock back feathers, we report an in-situ self-growing strategy for developing carbon spheres (CSs) on the CFs surface to achieve color tuning. This is achieved via the dynamic growth of CSs using glucose as the feeding material. Combined with the coloration process, the interaction between CSs and CFs promotes stable interfacial forces in integrated molding. This strategy allows the coloring system to continuously vary its color in a designated manner, thereby, endowing it with satisfactory mechanical robustness, acid durability, and light fastness. We anticipate this developed approach can be potentially competitive in the color construction of CFs with multi-colors due to its low-cost manufacturing.

Combination Therapy of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation and Electroacupuncture for the Repair of Intrauterine Adhesions in Rats: Mechanisms and Functional Recovery.

Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) has demonstrated promising clinical utility in the treatment of endometrial injury and the restoration of fertility. However, since the efficacy of BMSCs after transplantation is not stable, it is very important to find effective ways to enhance the utilisation of BMSCs. Electroacupuncture (EA) has some positive effects on the chemotaxis of stem cells and diseases related to uterine injury. In this study, we established the intrauterine adhesion (IUA) model of the Sprague-Dawley rat using lipopolysaccharide infection and mechanical scratching. Phosphate-buffered saline, BMSCs alone, and BMSCs combined with EA were randomly administered to the rats. Fluorescent cell labelling showed the migration of transplanted BMSCs. H&E staining, Masson staining, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and qRT-PCR were utilised to detect changes in endometrial morphology and expressions of endometrial receptivity-related factors, endometrial pro-inflammatory factors, and fibrosis factors. Finally, we conducted a fertility test to measure the recovery of uterine function. The results showed that EA promoted transplanted BMSCs to migrate into the injured uterus by activating the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. Endometrial morphology showed the most significant improvement in the BMSC + EA group. The expressions of endometrial pro-inflammatory factors and fibrosis indexes in the BMSC + EA group were lower than those in the model and BMSC groups. Further studies revealed that the expression of endometrial receptivity-related factors and the number of embryos implanted on day 8 of gestation increased in the BMSC + EA group compared with the model group and the BMSC group.

Synergistic effects of electroacupuncture and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on rat intrauterine adhesion： an observation. / 电针联合骨髓间å è´¨å¹²ç»†èƒžç§»æ¤æ²»ç–—å¤§é¼ å®«è ”ç²˜è¿žçš„ååŒæ•ˆåº”è§‚å¯Ÿ.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) combined with bone marrow mesen-chymal stem cells(BMSCs) transplantation on the endometrium of rats with intrauterine adhesions(IUA), so as to explore the possible mechanisms underlying their combined therapeutic effects. METHODS: Forty adult female SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, cell, and combined groups. The IUA rat model was established using a dual injury method of mechanical scratching and lipopolysaccharide infection. After successful modeling, on days 1, 3, and 7, rats in the model group received tail vein injection of phosphate buffered solution, while rats in the cell group received tail vein injection of BMSCs suspension for BMSCs transplantation；and rats in the combined group received BMSCs transplantation combined with EA treatment (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA), targeting the "Guanyuan"(CV4), bilateral "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6) for 20 min daily for 3 consecutive estrous cycles. After intervention, uterine tissue was collected from 5 rats in each group. Histological analysis was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining to evaluate endometrial thickness and glandular number. Masson staining was used to assess endometrial fibrosis area. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the positive expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), and estrogen receptor(ER). Western blot analysis was conducted to determine the protein expressions of homeobox A10(HoxA10) and leukemia inhibitory factor(LIF), both key regulators of endometrial receptivity. The remaining 5 rats in each group were co-housed with male rats, and the uterine function recovery was evaluated by assessing the number of embryo implantations. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the model group showed thinning endometrium(P<0.001), decreased glandular number(P<0.001), increased endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.001), reduced positive expressions of VEGF, PCNA, ER, expressions of HoxA10 and LIF, and decreased embryo implantation number (P<0.001) on the injured side of the uterus. Compared with the model group, the combined group showed a reversal of the aforementioned indicators(P<0.001, P<0.01)；the cell group exhibited thicker endometrium(P<0.001) and reduced endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.001). Compared with the cell group, the combined group showed increased endometrial thickness(P<0.01), elevated glandular number(P<0.05), significantly decreased endometrial fibrosis area(P<0.05), enhanced positive expressions of VEGF, PCNA and ER, expressions of HoxA10 and LIF in the endometrium, and a significant increase in embryo implantation number (P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.01) on the injured side of the uterus, indicating better results than the cell group. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of EA and BMSCs synergistically promotes the repair of damaged endometrium, improves endometrial morphology, reduces fibrosis levels, enhances vascular regeneration and matrix cell proliferation, improves endometrial receptivity, which ultimately facilitates embryo implantation.

Electroacupuncture alleviates intrauterine adhesion through regulating autophagy in rats.

Autophagy is a well-conserved metabolic system that maintains homeostasis by relying on lysosomal breakdown. The endometrium of patients with intrauterine adhesion (IUA) and an animal model exhibits impaired autophagy. Autophagy is negatively correlated with inflammation. Activation of autophagy can inhibit the inflammatory response, while defects in autophagy will activate the inflammatory response. Here, we studied whether electroacupuncture (EA) inhibits inflammation and promotes endometrial injury repair by activating endometrial autophagy. The IUA animal model was established by mechanical injury plus lipopolysaccharide infection. EA stimulation was applied to the acupoints Guanyuan (CV4), bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Zusanli (ST36). The results indicated that EA could improve endometrial morphology, attenuate endometrial fibers, and enhance endometrial receptivity in the rat. EA could increase the autophagosomes of endometrial epithelial cells, increase the levels of LC3 and Beclin1, and decrease the level of p62. Additionally, EA may also suppress the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and reduce the release of inflammatory factors. Additionally, the effect of EA was comparable to that of the autophagy agonist rapamycin, and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine reversed the therapeutic effect of EA. Therefore, we assume that EA may facilitate endometrial healing by activating autophagy and reducing NF-κB signal pathway-mediated inflammation.

[Electroacupuncture combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation promotes repair of thin endometrium by regulating SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling].

OBJECTIVE: It is to explore, based on stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) signal axis, whether the electroacupuncture (EA) combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation can promote thin endometrium regeneration and improve endometrial receptivity, so as to further study its mechanisms underlying improvement of promoting BMSCs homing to repair thin endometrium. METHODS: Thirty matured female SD rats were randomly divided into normal control , model , BMSCs transplantation (BMSCs), BMSCs+AMD3100 (a specific antagonist of CXCR4, BMSCs+AMD3100), BMSCs+EA, and BMSCs+EA+AMD3100 groups, with 5 rats in each group. The thin endometrial model was established by intrauterine injection of 95% ethanol during the period of estrus. Rats of the model group received intravenous injection of PBS solution (tail vein) on day 1, 3 and 7 of modeling and intraperitoneal injection of normal saline once daily for 3 estrous cycles. Rats of the BMSCs group received intravenous injection of BMSCs suspension on day 1,3 and 7 of modeling, and those of the BMSCs+EA group received BMSCs transplantation and EA stimulation. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to "Guanyuan" (CV4) and bilateral "Sanyinjiao"(SP9), "Zigong" (EX-CA1) for 15 min, once daily for 3 estrous cycles. Rats of the BMSCs+AMD3100 group received intravenous injection of BMSCs suspension (1×106/mL) and intraperitoneal injection of AMD3100 (5 mg/kg), and those of the BMSCs+EA+AMD3100 group received administration of BMSCs, AMD3100 and EA, with both groups being once daily for 3 estrous cycles. H.E. staining was used to observe histopathological changes of endometrium tissues, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of cytokeratin (CK19) and vimentin in endometrium (for evaluating the damage and repair of endometrium). The expression levels of homeobox A10 (HOXA10), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), SDF-1 and CXCR4 proteins were detected by Western blot, and those of SDF-1 and CXCR4 mRNAs in the endometrium detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal control group, the number of endometrial glands, the immunoactivity of CK19 and vimentin, the expression leve-ls of HOXA10, LIF and CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA were significantly down-regulated (P<0.01), and the expression levels of SDF-1 protein and mRNA significantly up-regulated (P<0.05) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the number of endometrial glands, the immunoactivity of CK19 and vimentin, and the expression levels of HOXA10, LIF, CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA in the BMSCs group, and the number of endometrial glands, the immunoactivity of CK19 and vimentin, the expression levels of HOXA10, LIF, CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA, and SDF-1 protein and mRNA in the BMSCs+EA group were significantly up-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared to the BMSCs group, the number of endometrial glands, and the expression levels of LIF, CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA in the BMSCs+EA group were up-regulated (P<0.01, P<0.05)； the number of endometrial glands, the immunoactivity of CK19 and vimentin, the expression levels of HOXA10, LIF, CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA in the BMSCs+AMD3100 group were down-regulated (P<0.01). Compared to the BMSCs+EA group, the number of endometrial glands, the immunoactivity of CK19 and vimentin, the expression levels of HOXA10, LIF, CXCR4 proteins and CXCR4 mRNA in the BMSCs+EA+AMD3100 group were down-regulated (P<0.01). Results of H.E. staining showed thin endometrium with absence of epithelial cells, and sparse glands and blood vessels, with smaller glandular cavity in the model group, which was relative milder in BMSCs and BMSCs+EA groups. CONCLUSION: EA can promote the transfer of transplanted BMSCs to the damaged site through SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling related stem cell homing, thereby promoting thin endometrial regeneration, repairing endometrial injury, and improving endometrial tolerance in rats with thin endometrium.

Boron Nitride/Polyurethane Composites with Good Thermal Conductivity and Flexibility.

Thermal insulating composites are indispensable in electronic applications; however, their poor thermal conductivity and flexibility have become bottlenecks for improving device operations. Hexagonal boron nitride (BN) has excellent thermal conductivity and insulating properties and is an ideal filler for preparing thermally insulating polymer composites. In this study, we report a method to fabricate BN/polyurethane (PU) composites using an improved nonsolvent-induced phase separation method with binary solvents to improve the thermal performance and flexibility of PU. The stress and strain of BN60/PU are 7.52 ± 0.87 MPa and 707.34 ± 38.34%, respectively. As prepared, BN60/PU composites with unordered BN exhibited high thermal conductivity and a volume resistivity of 0.653 W/(m·K) and 23.9 × 1012 Ω·cm, which are 218.71 and 39.77% higher than that of pure PU, respectively. Moreover, these composite films demonstrated a thermal diffusion ability and maintained good integrity after 1000 bending cycles, demonstrating good mechanical and thermal reliability for practical use. Our findings provide a practical route for the production of flexible materials for efficient thermal management.

Fabrication of Silane-Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystals and Their Effects on the Structural, Thermal, Mechanical, and Hysteretic Behavior of Thermoplastic Polyurethane.

Reinforcement of polymer nanocomposites can be achieved by the selection of the appropriate fabrication method, surface modification, and orientation of the filler. Herein, we present a nonsolvent-induced phase separation method with ternary solvents to prepare thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite films with excellent mechanical properties using 3-Glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane-modified cellulose nanocrystals (GLCNCs). ATR-IR and SEM analyses of the GLCNCs confirmed that GL was successfully coated on the surface of the nanocrystals. The incorporation of GLCNCs in TPU resulted in the enhancement of the tensile strain and toughness of pure TPU owing to the enhanced interfacial interactions between them. The GLCNC-TPU composite film had tensile strain and toughness values of 1740.42% and 90.01 MJ/m3, respectively. Additionally, GLCNC-TPU exhibited a good elastic recovery rate. CNCs were readily aligned along the fiber axis after the spinning and drawing of the composites into fibers, which further improved the mechanical properties of the composites. The stress, strain, and toughness of the GLCNC-TPU composite fiber increased by 72.60%, 10.25%, and 103.61%, respectively, compared to those of the pure TPU film. This study demonstrates a facile and effective strategy for fabricating mechanically enhanced TPU composites.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Meet Metallic Oxide on Carbon Fiber: Synergistic Effect for Enhanced Photodegradation of Antibiotic Pollutant.

Photodegradation shows a potential strategy for alleviating the excessive antibiotics crisis. The synergistic effect of various metal compounds immobilized on conductive substrates has been considered for wastewater treatment. However, developing a facile and universal approach for rational design and enhancing photocatalytic properties has endured extreme challenges. Herein, we develop a strategy to facilitate the photocatalytic reactions by designing a composite architecture of ZIF-8 ligand binding to the in-situ synthesis ZnO seed layer on carbon fiber. In this architecture, the dissolution and release of the seed layer in the excessive 2-Methylimidazole methanol solution were used as the binder to enhance the interplay between organic ligand and substrate. As an evaluated system for antibiotic contaminants, the photodegradation of tetracycline hydrochloride was performed with a removal efficiency of 88.47% (TC = 50 mg/L, pH = 4, 0.08 g of photocatalyst, illumination within 100 min). Moreover, the photocatalyst exhibited a steady photocatalytic activity (75.0%) after five cycles. The present work demonstrated a strategy for enhancing the photocatalytic performances of carbon fiber and accordingly provided useful perception into the design of the synergistic structure.

A Flexible and Weavable Lignocellulose-Based Photocatalyst Supported by Natural Three-Dimensional Porous Juncus effusus for Highly Efficient Degradation of Environmental Contaminants.

Lignocellulosic biomass is a potential biotemplate for disposing the burden of the uncontrollable accumulation of environmental contaminants disrupting the hydrophytic ecosystems. Herein, an efficient solar-driven catalyst was prepared using a natural three-dimensional (3D) porous lignocellulose-based Juncus effusus (JE) fiber for wastewater treatment. Owing to the exquisite 3D microstructure and abundant hydroxyl groups, the two-dimensional lamellar graphitic carbon nitride/graphene oxide (g-C3N4/GO) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized and decorated on the carboxymethylated JE fiber via the electrostatic self-assembly method. The as-prepared g-C3N4/GO-JE (CNG-JE) photocatalyst exhibits excellent light absorption efficiency and a superior ability to accelerate photogenerated electron migration. The outstanding adsorption performance toward pollutants also contributes to the photodegradation property of CNG-JE, showing highly efficient degradation of C.I. Reactive Red 120 (99.8%), C.I. Acid Yellow 11 (99.8%), methylene blue (99.4%), Cr(VI) (98.8%), and tetracycline (87.2%). Most importantly, the lignocellulose-based CNG-JE fibers could be fabricated into a photocatalyst textile due to their flexible and weavable properties. In actual application, the CNG-JE textile can be reused for at least five cycles under the sun, demonstrating that the flexible CNG-JE textile is practical and recyclable. This study may provide a platform for constructing efficient, flexible, and weavable biomass-based porous materials for cost-effective and sustainable catalytic applications.

AdMSC-derived exosomes alleviate acute lung injury via transferring mitochondrial component to improve homeostasis of alveolar macrophages.

Rationale: Aberrant activation of macrophages with mitochondria dismiss was proved to be associated with pathogenesis of ALI (acute lung injury). Exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSC-Exos) have been distinguished by their low immunogenicity, lack of tumorigenicity, and high clinical safety, but their role in treating ALI and the mechanism involved need to be defined. In this study, we sought to investigate whether the mitochondrial donation from AdMSC-Exos provides profound protection against LPS-induced ALI in mice, accompanied by improvement of macrophage mitochondrial function. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were orotracheally instilled with LPS (1 mg/kg). AdMSC-Exos were administered via the tail vein 4 h after LPS inhalation. Flow cytometry, H&E, Quantitative Real-Time PCR, immunofluorescence (IF), confocal microscopy imaging was conducted to investigate lung tissue inflammation and macrophage mitochondrial function. And further observe the transfer of exosomes and the effect on mitochondrial function of MH-S cells through in vitro experiments. Results: AdMSC-Exos can transfer the stem cell-derived mitochondria components to alveolar macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Likely through complementing the damaged mitochondria, AdMSC-Exos exhibited the ability to elevate the level of mtDNA, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), OXPHOS activity and ATP generation, while reliving mROS stress in LPS-challenged macrophages. Restoring mitochondrial integrity via AdMSC-Exos treatment enabled macrophages shifting to anti-inflammatory phenotype, as featured with the down-regulation of IL-1ß, TNF-α and iNOS secretion and increase in production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and Arg-1. As we depleted alveolar macrophages using clodronate liposomes, the protective role for AdMSC-Exos was largely abrogated. Conclusions: AdMSC-Exos can effectively donate mitochondria component improved macrophages mitochondrial integrity and oxidative phosphorylation level, leading to the resumption of metabolic and immune homeostasis of airway macrophages and mitigating lung inflammatory pathology.

[Effect of combined administration of electroacupuncture and mesenchymal stem cells on expression of endometrium estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor in thin endometrium rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of joint administration of electroacupuncture (EA) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC) on the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in thin endometrium rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of conception rate. METHODS: Forty female SD rats were divided into control, model, BMMSC and EA+BMMSC groups. The thin endometrium model was established by intrauterine infusion of 95% ethanol and saline. EA (1 mA, 2 Hz/15 Hz) was applied to "Guanyuan"(CV4), unilateral "Zigong" (EX-CA1) and unila-teral "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) for 15 min, once daily for 10 d. Rats of the BMMSC and EA+BMMSC groups received injection of BMMSC suspension through caudal vein on the day of modeling, the 3rd day after surgery, and the 2nd and the 3rd estrus phases, respectively. Changes of body weight and estrus phase were continuously recorded. After three estrus cycles, uterine specimens were taken and the uterine coefficient was calculated. The immunoactivity of KI67(an antigen for cell proliferation) was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of ER and PR was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the uterine coefficient, and expression of endometrium ER and PR proteins were significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.001, P<0.01). In Comparison with the model group, the uterine coefficient, immunoactivity of KI67, and expression of ER and PR proteins were significantly increased in both BMMSC and EA+BMMSC groups (P<0.000 1,P<0.001, P<0.01). The expression level of PR in the EA+BMMSC group was notably higher than that in the BMMSC group (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between the BMMSC and EA+BMMSC groups in the levels of uterine coefficient and ER expression (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: EA combined with BMMSC injection has a positive effect in promoting the proliferation of endometrium cells in rats with thin endometrium, which may be related to its effect in up-regulating the expression of ER and PR proteins.

Electroacupuncture Improves Pregnancy Outcomes in Rats with Thin Endometrium by Promoting the Expression of Pinopode-Related Molecules.

A thin endometrium affects the success of assisted reproduction due to low endometrial receptivity. Acupuncture improves endometrial receptivity and promotes the formation of pinopodes, the ultrastructure marker implantation window. However, the specific underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the efficacy of acupuncture treatment and its underlying mechanism were investigated by analyzing pregnancy rate, pinopode formation, and related molecular markers in thin endometrium model rats. Absolute ethanol (95%) was injected into the uteruses of female Sprague-Dawley rats to construct a thin endometrium model. In this model, acupuncture stimulation at EX-CA1, SP6, and CV4 ameliorated the pregnancy rate. Significantly increased embryo implantation, endometrial thickness, numbers of glands, and blood vessels were observed in the electroacupuncture (EA) group compared to the model group. The number of pinopodes in the EA group was abundant, with a shape similar to that of the control group. Additionally, significantly higher expression levels of pinopode-related markers, including integrin αvß3, homeobox A10 (HOXA10), heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HBEGF), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and progesterone receptor (PR), were observed in the EA group than those in the model group. In conclusion, EA had a positive effect on the endometrial receptivity of thin endometrium model rats by improving pinopode formation through multiple molecular targets.

Purification of dye-contaminated ethanol-water mixture using magnetic cellulose powders derived from agricultural waste biomass.

Eco-friendly ethanol (EtOH)-water (H2O) mixture has demonstrated huge potential in the textile industry. However, the uncontrolled discharge of dye-contaminated EtOH-H2O mixture to the ecosystem has numerous adverse effects. Herein, a sustainable approach utilizing the agricultural waste biomass-Juncus effusus (JE) to synthesize magnetic cellulose JE powders (M-JEPs) has been proposed for purification of dye-contaminated EtOH-H2O mixture. Batch experiments and physical-chemical analyses were performed to explore the adsorption performance and mechanism. The as-prepared cellulose M-JEPs exhibited ultrafast adsorption performance, which can reach the adsorption equilibrium within 10 min. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics demonstrated that the adsorption fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, exhibiting the maximum adsorption capacity towards C.I. Reactive Red 195 and C.I. Reactive Blue 222 of 58.21 mg/g and 86.06 mg/g at the temperature of 303K. These findings indicate the feasibility of using cellulose M-JEPs for rapid purification of the dye-contaminated EtOH-H2O mixture.

Juncus effusus fiber-based cellulose cigarette filter with 3D hierarchically porous structure for removal of PAHs from mainstream smoke.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from cigarettes are one of the main pollutants affecting public health. Herein, a cellulose cigarette filter with three-dimensional (3D) hierarchically porous structure was fabricated using a natural cellulose Juncus effusus (JE) fiber, whose pore size was well controlled by biocompatible polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) using a simple dip-dry method. The adsorption capacity and mechanism of the PVP-JE filter tips (PJF) against PAHs were investigated in detail. Compared with conventional cellulose acetate filter tips (CAF), the cellulose PJF were superior at filtering and adsorbing of PAHs from mainstream smoke with the removal efficiency of 61.79 %, which was 22.57 % higher than that of CAF (39.22 %). The ternary structures including polymer filter membrane, 3D network, and interconnected channels were demonstrated as the main roles for highly effective removal of PAHs. The JE-based cellulose cigarette filter can be a promising candidature to broaden the application range of polysaccharide in pollutant elimination.

Fabrication of a High-Toughness Polyurethane/Fibroin Composite without Interfacial Treatment and Its Toughening Mechanism.

Controlling the assembly modes of polymer chains and the interfacial interactions between the filler and polymer matrix is vital for improving the mechanical properties of the composites. Herein, we report an approach for significantly enhancing the toughness of unmodified silk fibroin (SF) powder from silk waste-incorporated polyurethane (PU) composite films via nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) using binary solvents. The incorporation of 50 wt % SF into the PU3 film (NIPS, binary solvents) resulted in a toughness value of 54.9 ± 0.4 MJ·m-3, exhibiting 1670.9 and 6000.0% increments compared to those of PU1-50% SF (NIPS, one solvent) and PU2-50% SF (solvent evaporation, one solvent), respectively. The toughness enhancement in the PU3-50% SF composite film benefits from the good interfacial interaction between SF and PU and the unique structure of the compacted "fishing net" with reinforced connections, which can transfer stress under loading effectively. Furthermore, the PU-SF composites with good mechanical properties may have potential applications in silklike fibers and biomimetic materials.

Titanium dioxide decorated natural cellulosic Juncus effusus fiber for highly efficient photodegradation towards dyes.

The removal of dyes via photocatalytic degradation has been identified as an eco-friendly method for producing clean and purified water. Natural cellulosic fibers are significant renewable resource and important in a wide range of applications. Herein, we report a natural cellulosic Juncus effusus (JE) fiber with 3D network structure as a framework to provide controllable space for the growth of TiO2 particles. The TiO2-JE showed remarkable activity in the removal of C.I. Reactive Red 120 (RR120), C.I. Direct Yellow 12 (DY12), and methylene blue (MB) with a photodegradation efficiency of 99.9 % under simulated sunlight irradiation. Additionally, an orientate fabric was fabricated using the prepared TiO2-JE fibers for the photocatalytic degradation of dye-contaminated water in the sun, further confirming its practical application. The TiO2 decorated natural cellulosic JE fiber can be a promising material for photocatalysis and sustainable chemistry.

Integrated miRNA-seq analysis reveals the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture on endometrial receptivity in patients undergoing fertilization: embryo transplantation.

Endometrial receptivity (ER) is the main factor affecting in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transplantation. Previous studies have shown that acupuncture might be useful for increasing ER. However, the underlying microRNA (miRNA) molecular mechanisms deserve to be further elucidated. In this study, we performed small RNA sequencing of endometrial samples from infertile women who either underwent acupuncture therapy or did not. Differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified and used to predict target genes. Then, the functional and pathway were analyzed for the target genes. Moreover, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to validate the RNA-seq results. Finally, the miRNA-gene network was conducted by Cytoscape. A total of 39 DEmiRNAs were identified between the acupuncture group and the control group. The functional enrichment analysis suggested that the target genes of the DEmiRNAs were significantly enriched in GO biological process (BP) terms associated with transcription, such as regulation of DNA-templated transcription and positive regulation of DNA-templated transcription. The pathway analysis showed that DEmiRNAs might be involved in acupuncture therapy via Endocytosis, Axon guidance, Oxytocin signaling, the Hippo pathway, and Estrogen signaling pathways. Significant downregulation of hsa-miR-449a and hsa-miR-449b-3p, and significant upregulation of hsa-miR-3135b and hsa-miR-345-3p in the RNA-seq results were validated by qRT-PCR. Besides, these four DEmiRNAs and their 34 target genes conducted a miRNA-gene network. Our results predict that hsa-miR-449a, hsa-miR-3135b and hsa-miR-345-3p may underly mechanisms by which acupuncture therapy help increase ER and promote endometrium receptivity in preparation for in vitro fertilization and embryo transplantation.

Utilization of Waste Leather Powders for Highly Effective Removal of Dyes from Water.

As a natural polymer, leather and its associated industries are known to be the leading economic sector in many countries. However, the huge amounts of leather waste generated from the leather industry causes severe environmental pollution. Herein, cow leather (CL) powders were prepared using a homemade machine and used as a low-cost adsorbent for the effective removal of reactive dyes from wastewater. The as-prepared CL powders exhibited dot-like, rod-like, and fiber-like morphologies. A Fourier transform infrared analysis and an x-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that the CL powders retained the main structure of the protein contained in it. In addition, an improvement in thermal stability was also observed for the CL powders. Dye adsorption experiments indicate that the CL powders showed the highly effective removal of C.I. Reactive Red 120 (RR120), C.I. Reactive Yellow 127 (RY127), and C.I. Reactive Blue 222 (RB222) with the adsorption capacity of 167.0, 178.9, and 129.6 mg·g-1, respectively. The Langmuir, pseudo-second order, and intraparticle diffusion models could well depict the adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of CL powders toward the investigated reactive dyes. The as-prepared CL powders can be used as a potential adsorbent in the treatment of dye contaminated wastewater. Future studies will mainly focus on the application of the adsorbed CL powders for the pigment printing of textile materials.