A model to predict delivery time following induction of labor at term with a dinoprostone vaginal insert: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Dinoprostone vaginal insert is the most common pharmacological method for induction of labor (IOL); however, studies on assessing the time to vaginal delivery (DT) following dinoprostone administration are limited. AIMS: We sought to identify the primary factors influencing DT in women from central China, at or beyond term, who underwent IOL with dinoprostone vaginal inserts. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed the data of 1562 women at 37 weeks 0 days to 41 weeks 6 days of gestation who underwent dinoprostone-induced labor between January 1st, 2019, and December 31st, 2021. The outcomes of interest were vaginal or cesarean delivery and factors influencing DT, including maternal complications and neonatal characteristics. RESULTS: Among the enrolled women, 71% (1109/1562) delivered vaginally, with median DT of 740.50 min (interquartile range 443.25 to 1264.50 min). Of the remaining 29% (453/1562), who delivered by cesarean section, 11.9% (54/453) were multiparous. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that multiparity, advanced maternal age, fetal macrosomia, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and daytime insertion of dinoprostone were the factors that significantly influenced DT. Time to vaginal delivery increased with advanced maternal age and fetal macrosomia and decreased with multiparity, PROM, and daytime insertion of dinoprostone. A mathematical model was developed to integrate these factors for predicting DT: Y = 804.478 - 125.284 × multiparity + 765.637 × advanced maternal age + 411.511 × fetal macrosomia-593.358 × daytime insertion of dinoprostone - 125.284 × PROM. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may help obstetricians estimate the DT before placing a dinoprostone insert, which may improve patient management in busy maternity wards and minimize potential risks.

Novel biomolecule lycopene-reduced graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle enhances apoptotic potential of trichostatin A in human ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3).

BACKGROUND: Recently, there has been much interest in the field of nanomedicine to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Combination therapy seems to be most effective when two different molecules that work by different mechanisms are combined at low dose, thereby decreasing the possibility of drug resistance and occurrence of unbearable side effects. Based on this consideration, the study was designed to investigate the combination effect of reduced graphene oxide-silver nanoparticles (rGO-AgNPs) and trichostatin A (TSA) in human ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3). METHODS: The rGO-AgNPs were synthesized using a biomolecule called lycopene, and the resultant product was characterized by various analytical techniques. The combination effect of rGO-Ag and TSA was investigated in SKOV3 cells using various cellular assays such as cell viability, cytotoxicity, and immunofluorescence analysis. RESULTS: AgNPs were uniformly distributed on the surface of graphene sheet with an average size between 10 and 50 nm. rGO-Ag and TSA were found to inhibit cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of rGO-Ag and TSA at low concentration showed a significant effect on cell viability, and increased cytotoxicity by increasing the level of malondialdehyde and decreasing the level of glutathione, and also causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, the combination of rGO-Ag and TSA had a more pronounced effect on DNA fragmentation and double-strand breaks, and eventually induced apoptosis. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to report that the combination of rGO-Ag and TSA can cause potential cytotoxicity and also induce significantly greater cell death compared to either rGO-Ag alone or TSA alone in SKOV3 cells by various mechanisms including reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and DNA damage. Therefore, this combination chemotherapy could be possibly used in advanced cancers that are not suitable for radiation therapy or surgical treatment and facilitate overcoming tumor resistance and disease progression.

Timosaponin B-III exhibits antidepressive activity in a mouse model of postpartum depression by the regulation of inflammatory cytokines, BNDF signaling and synaptic plasticity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antidepressive effects of timosaponin B-III (TB-III) and the underlying mechanism. A postpartum depression (PPD) mouse model was established by the administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate during pregnancy. Mice with PPD were assigned to the following groups: Model, fluoxetine and high, medium and low doses of TB-III. Post-parturient mice without PPD served as a normal control group. To examine the effect of TB-III, mice were treated with TB-III, then forced swimming tests (FSTs) and tail suspension tests (TSTs) were performed to evaluate depression. Serum and hippocampal cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and IL-10, were quantified using ELISAs and protein levels of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glucagon synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß, glutamate receptor subunit 1 (GluR1), postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and synapsin I were quantified using western blot analysis. Compared with those in the control group, immobility time in the FST and TST, serum and hippocampal TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 levels and hippocampal IL-10 levels were increased significantly in the model group (P<0.01). Serum IL-10 levels and hippocampal levels of BDNF, GSK-3ß, GluR1, PSD95 and synapsin I decreased significantly in the model group compared with the control group (P<0.01). Fluoxetine or TB-III (10, 20 or 40 mg/kg) treatment significantly decreased immobility times in the FST and TST (P<0.01) and significantly reversed the aforementioned alterations in cytokine and protein levels (P<0.01). Thus, TB-III exhibited a protective effect against depression in PPD and such effects may have been mediated via the regulation of inflammatory cytokines, the BNDF signaling pathway and synaptic plasticity-related proteins.

Evaluation of the promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) in the serotonin transporter gene in females with postpartum depression.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in the promoter region of the 5-HTT gene and the pathogenesis of postpartum depression (PPD). Blood samples were collected from 120 female patients with PPD and 140 age-matched normal controls. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to detect the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in these subjects, and the genotype and allele frequencies were compared between the two groups. The disease severity was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score. The results showed that the frequency of the homozygous long/long (L/L) genotype was significantly lower in the PPD group than that in the control group; by contrast, the frequencies of the heterozygous long/short (L/S) and homozygous S/S genotypes were similar for the two groups, without significant differences. No significant differences were observed in the L and S allele frequencies between the two groups. Furthermore, compared with the L/S heterozygous and S/S homozygous genotypes, patients with PPD with the L/L homozygous genotype had a significantly lower HAMD score. The present results suggest that female patients with PPD carrying the homozygous L/L genotype may be less susceptible to depressive symptoms and that the L/L genotype may be associated with the reduced occurrence of PPD. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PPD.

Combined kernel-based BDT-SMO classification of hyperspectral fused images.

To solve the poor generalization and flexibility problems that single kernel SVM classifiers have while classifying combined spectral and spatial features, this paper proposed a solution to improve the classification accuracy and efficiency of hyperspectral fused images: (1) different radial basis kernel functions (RBFs) are employed for spectral and textural features, and a new combined radial basis kernel function (CRBF) is proposed by combining them in a weighted manner; (2) the binary decision tree-based multiclass SMO (BDT-SMO) is used in the classification of hyperspectral fused images; (3) experiments are carried out, where the single radial basis function- (SRBF-) based BDT-SMO classifier and the CRBF-based BDT-SMO classifier are used, respectively, to classify the land usages of hyperspectral fused images, and genetic algorithms (GA) are used to optimize the kernel parameters of the classifiers. The results show that, compared with SRBF, CRBF-based BDT-SMO classifiers display greater classification accuracy and efficiency.

Gene-environment interaction in postpartum depression: a Chinese clinical study.

Mounting evidence has showed that both nature and nurture exert significant influences on the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases or psychopathologies. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental disorder that is by far under diagnosed and under treated, which can have a negative impact on both the maternal and the neonatal health. Several risk factors for PPD have been defined, including genetic, environmental, and hormonal. Genetically, postpartum women can be explained by the absence or presence of certain genetic variants that confer increased risk. Environmentally, postpartum women might have been exposed to various psychosocial risk factors. The aim of this study is to examine whether genetic variations of the Serotonin Transporter Promoter Variant (5-HTTLPR), together with environmental stressors, assessed by multiple psychological scales, contribute to the development of PPD symptoms. Results show that 5-HTTLPR is strongly associated with the major depressive disorder in postpartum women. Han Chinese Women who carry the long (L) allele (LL) when experiencing maternal pregnancy complications, prenatal maternal infection, prenatal maternal folate deficiency, or stressful life events during pregnancy, or had senior maternal age upon pregnancy (over 32.8 years old) showed higher prevalence ratios (PR) for symptoms of postpartum depression.

[Study of blood flow improvement of topical application of estrogen on low genitourinary tract and its safety].

OBJECTIVE: The study of blood flow improvement of local estrogen on the low genitourinary tract and its safety. METHODS: The color Doppler flow imaging technique was employed to observe the flow spectrum of genitourinary tract. During the period of February 2007 to December 2010, there were 78 cases of postmenopausal females on local estrogen. The Doppler parameters included vaginal wall, urethra resistance index (RI) and systolic/diastolic ratio and others. And the lower genital urinary tract symptoms, such as sexual satisfaction, vulvovaginitis, urinary frequency, nocturia and other improvements, as well as adverse drug reactions before treatment and after 1 month, 3 months were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The results before treatment and after 1 month, 3 months, vaginal wall artery RI were 0.9 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2 and 0.7 ± 0.3; S/D 8.6 ± 3.7, 6.0 ± 2.9 and 6.4 ± 2.1; urethral artery RI 0.7 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2 and 0.6 ± 0.2, S/D 6.6 ± 1.9, 3.5 ± 0.7 and 3.4 ± 0.5 respectively. When the pre- and post-treatment indices were compared, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). After using local estrogen in postmenopausal women, the resistance of lower genital urinary tract vasodilation decreased. Sexual satisfaction increased while the morbidities of vulvovaginitis, urinary frequency and nocturia decreased. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal females on topical estrogen may promote the blood circulation of lower genitourinary tract, red.

[Synthesis and spectral properties of cuboid-shaped CdS particles].

Cuboid-shaped CdS particles were synthesized with sol-gel method by using thiourea as surface modifier and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectrum and fluorescence spectrum. The results show that the sulfur atoms in thiourea molecules coordinate with Cd2+ ions on the surface of the nanocrystals. The thiourea-modified CdS particles have a zinc blende crystal structure and good fluorescent characteristics. The cuboid-shaped CdS particles are probably assembled by hydrogen bonding between primary CdS nanocrystals surface-capped with thiourea. The result will promote the researches into molecular self-assembly of nanocrystals and help develop novel luminescence material.

Preparation and application of L-cysteine-modified CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals as a novel fluorescence probe for detection of nucleic acid.

The water-soluble L-cysteine-modified CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals (expressed as CdSe/CdS/Cys nanocrystals) have been synthesized in aqueous by using L-cysteine as stabilizer. The size, shape, component and spectral property of CdSe/CdS/Cys nanocrystals were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDX), infrared spectrum (IR) and photoluminescence (PL). The results showed that the spherical CdSe/CdS/Cys nanocrystals with an average diameter of 2.3 nm have favorable fluorescent property, theirs photostability and fluorescence intensity are enhanced greatly after overcoating with CdS. The cysteine modified on the surface of core/shell CdSe/CdS nanocrystals renders the nanocrystals water-soluble and biocompatible. Based on the fluorescence quenching of the nanocrystals in the presence of calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ct-DNA), a fluorescence quenching method has been developed for the determination of ct-DNA by using the nanocrystals as a novel fluorescence probe. The pH value of the system was selected at pH 7.4, with excitation and emission wavelength at 380 and 522 nm, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the fluorescence quenching intensity of the system is linear with the concentration of ct-DNA in the range of 0.1-3.5 microg/mL (r=0.9987). The detection limit is 0.06 microg/mL. And two synthetic samples were analyzed satisfactorily.

[Study on surface-capped CdS nanoparticles as fluorescence probes].

In the present paper, CdS nanoparticles of different size surface-capped with thiourea [expressed as CdS/SC(NH2)2] were prepared by sol-gel method, and characterized by XRD, TEM, IR and PL. The results show that the molar ratio of thiourea to cadmium ion has influence on the size and luminescence properties of the nanoparticles. With increasing the mdar ratio of thiourea to cadmium ion in the reactant, the size of the nanoparticles decreases, and the maximum emission wavelength of the nanoparticles shows an obvious blue shift due to quantum confinement effect. The effect of calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ct-DNA) on the fluorescence spectrum of the CdS/SC(NH2)2 nanoparticles was also studied. The result shows that the intensity of fluorescence spectrum of the nanoparticles is quenched by ct-DNA, which is probably caused by the electrostatic interaction between CdS/SC(NH2)2 nanoparticles and ct-DNA. The CdS/SC(NH2)2 nanoparticles are hopeful of being used as fluorescence probes in DNA determination.