Revealing Lithium Nitrate-Mediated Solid-Electrolyte Interphase of Lithium Metal Anode via Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy.

The cycle stability of lithium metal anode (LMA) largely depends on solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Electrolyte engineering is a common strategy to adjust SEI properties, yet understanding its impact is challenging due to limited knowledge on ultrafine SEI structures. Herein, using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, we reveal the atomic-level SEI structure of LMA in ether-based electrolytes, focusing on the role of LiNO3 additives in SEI modulation at different temperature (25 and 50 °C). Poor cycle stability of LMA in the baseline electrolyte without LiNO3 additives stems from the Li2CO3-rich mosaic-type SEI. Increased LiNO3 content and elevated operating temperature enhance cyclic performance by forming bilayer or multilayer SEI structures via preferential LiNO3 decomposition, but may thicken the SEI, leading to reduced initial Coulombic efficiency and increased overpotential. The optimal SEI features a multilayer structure with Li2O-rich inner layer and closely packed grains in the outer layer, minimizing electrolyte decomposition or corrosion.

Fast Interfacial Defluorination Kinetics Enables Stable Cycling of Low-Temperature Lithium Metal Batteries.

The development of low-temperature lithium metal batteries (LMBs) encounters significant challenges because of severe dendritic lithium growth during the charging/discharging processes. To date, the precise origin of lithium dendrite formation still remains elusive due to the intricate interplay between the highly reactive lithium metal anode and organic electrolytes. Herein, we unveil the critical role of interfacial defluorination kinetics of localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) in regulating lithium dendrite formation, thereby determining the performance of low-temperature LMBs. We investigate the impact of solvation structures of LHCEs on low-temperature LMBs by employing tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) as comparative solvents. The combination of comprehensive characterizations and theoretical simulations reveals that the THF-based LHCE featured with a strong solvation strength exhibits fast interfacial defluorination reaction kinetics, thus leading to the formation of an amorphous and inorganic-rich solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) that can effectively suppress the growth of lithium dendrites. As a result, the highly reversible Li metal anode achieves an exceptional Coulombic efficiency (CE) of up to ∼99.63% at a low temperature of -30 °C, thereby enabling stable cycling of low-temperature LMB full cells. These findings underscore the crucial role of electrolyte interfacial reaction kinetics in shaping SEI formation and provide valuable insights into the fundamental understanding of electrolyte chemistry in LMBs.

Amorphous Oxyhalide Matters for Achieving Lithium Superionic Conduction.

The recently surged halide-based solid electrolytes (SEs) are great candidates for high-performance all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), due to their decent ionic conductivity, wide electrochemical stability window, and good compatibility with high-voltage oxide cathodes. In contrast to the crystalline phases in halide SEs, amorphous components are rarely understood but play an important role in Li-ion conduction. Here, we reveal that the presence of amorphous component is common in halide-based SEs that are prepared via mechanochemical method. The fast Li-ion migration is found to be associated with the local chemistry of the amorphous proportion. Taking Zr-based halide SEs as an example, the amorphization process can be regulated by incorporating O, resulting in the formation of corner-sharing Zr-O/Cl polyhedrons. This structural configuration has been confirmed through X-ray absorption spectroscopy, pair distribution function analyses, and Reverse Monte Carlo modeling. The unique structure significantly reduces the energy barriers for Li-ion transport. As a result, an enhanced ionic conductivity of (1.35 ± 0.07) × 10-3 S cm-1 at 25 °C can be achieved for amorphous Li3ZrCl4O1.5. In addition to the improved ionic conductivity, amorphization of Zr-based halide SEs via incorporation of O leads to good mechanical deformability and promising electrochemical performance. These findings provide deep insights into the rational design of desirable halide SEs for high-performance ASSBs.

[Characteristics and diagnostic value of serum bile acids profile in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy].

Objective: To analyze serum bile acid profiles in pregnant women with normal pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) and asymptomatic hypercholanemia of pregnancy (AHP), and to evaluate the application value of serum bile acid profiles in the diagnosis of ICP and AHP. Methods: The clinical data of 122 pregnant women who underwent prenatal examination in Xuzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital from June 2022 to May 2023 were collected, including 54 cases of normal pregnancy group, 28 cases of ICP group and 40 cases of AHP group. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure the levels of 15 serum bile acids in each group, including cholic acid (CA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), glycolcholic acid (GCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA), glycolithocholic acid (GLCA), glycoursodeoxycholic acid (GUDCA), taurocholic acid (TCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA), taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA). Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to screen differential bile acids. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of differential bile acids and combined indicators between groups. Results: (1) Compared with normal pregnancy group, the serum levels of LCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, UDCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in ICP group were significantly different (all P<0.05), while the levels of LCA, DCA, GCA, GCDCA, GDCA, GLCA, TCA, TCDCA, TDCA, TLCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). Compared with ICP group, the serum levels of CDCA, DCA, UDCA, TDCA, GUDCA and TUDCA in AHP group were significantly different (all P<0.05). (2) In the OPLS-DA model, the differential bile acids between ICP group and AHP group were TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA, and their variable importance in projection (VIP) were 1.489, 1.345, 1.344, 1.184 and 1.111, respectively. TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA were the differentially expressed bile acids between AHP group and normal pregnancy group, and their VIP values were 1.236, 1.229, 1.197, 1.145, 1.139 and 1.138, respectively. (3) ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of TUDCA, TCA, UDCA, GUDCA and GCA in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP was 0.860, and the sensitivity and specificity were 67.9% and 95.0%, respectively. The AUC of TCA, GCDCA, GCA, TDCA, GDCA and TCDCA in the diagnosis of AHP was 0.964, and the sensitivity and specificity were 95.0% and 93.1%, respectively. Conclusions: There are differences in serum bile acid profiles among normal pregnant women, ICP and AHP. The serum bile acid profiles of pregnant women have potential application value in the differential diagnosis of ICP and AHP and the diagnosis of AHP.

[The application of full-length urethral preservation without anastomosis in single-port laparoscopic radical prostate cancer].

Objective: To preliminarily examine the feasibility and outcome of single-port laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with full-length urethral preservation (FLUP-SPRP). Method: This study was a prospective case series study. A total of 25 patients with prostate cancer who met the enrollment criteria and agreed to this surgical procedure from March 2022 to December 2022 were collected at the Department of Urology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. The age of the patients was (67.2±7.6) years (range: 61 to 76 years). This novel procedure was performed by an experienced surgeon who performed single hole radical prostatectomy skillfully. Patient urinary control, tumor control, and related surgical complications after surgery were regularly monitored. Postoperative urinary control was evaluated using the daily amount of urine pad, 0 to 1 piece of urine pad was to restore urinary control, and 0 to 1 piece of pad within 24 hours after catheter removal was immediate urinary control. Result: All prodecures were successfully completed without transit to open surgery. The surgical time was (128.4±22.4) minutes (range: 100 to 145 minutes), the intraoperative blood loss was (68.2±13.7) ml (range: 50 to 120 ml). The urethral injury occurred in 4 cases during surgery and was repaired by sutures. The urinary control recovery rates within 24 hours, 1 week, 4 weeks, and 7 weeks after surgery were 80.0%, 84.0%, 92.0% and 100%, respectively. Postoperative large section pathology revealed 1 case with a positive basal margin of the prostate and negative margins of all prostate glands around the urethra. Postoperative complications included urinary tract infection in 3 cases, urodynia in 2 cases, and acute urinary retention in 1 case. MRI follow-up 3 months after surgery showed normal anatomy of the bladder and urethra. The follow-up values of prostate specific antigen at 3 and 6 months after surgery were less than 0.1 µg/L. Conclusions: The preliminary results of this study indicate that the FLUP-SPRP procedure is safe and feasible. The early results of postoperative urinary control and oncology are as expected.

The Role of Phase Mixing Degree in Promoting C-C Coupling in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Reaction on Cu-based Catalysts.

Cu-based catalysts have been identified as the most promising candidates for generation of C2+ products in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. Defect engineering in catalysts is a widely employed strategy for promoting C-C coupling on Cu. However, comprehensive understanding of defect structure-to-activity relationship has not been obtained. In this study, controllable defects generation is achieved, which leads to a series of Cu-based catalysts with various phase mixing degrees. It is observed that the Faradaic efficiency toward C2+ products increases with the phase mixing degree, reaching 81 % at maximum. In situ infrared absorption spectroscopy reveals that the catalysts with higher phase mixing degree tend to form *CO more easily and possess higher retention of *CO under high overpotential window, thereby promoting C-C coupling. This work sheds new light on the relationship between defects and C-C coupling, and the rational developed of more advanced Cu-base catalysts.

Sub-3 nm Pt@Ru toward Outstanding Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction Performance in Alkaline Media.

Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are promising alternative hydrogen conversion devices. However, the sluggish kinetics of the hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline media hinders further development of AEMFCs. As a synthesis method commonly used to prepare disordered PtRu alloys, the impregnation process is ingeniously designed herein to synthesize sub-3 nm Pt@Ru core-shell nanoparticles by sequentially reducing Pt and Ru at different annealing temperatures. This method avoids complex procedures and synthesis conditions for organic synthesis systems, and the atomic structure evolution of the synthesized core-shell nanoparticles can be tracked. The synthesized Pt@Ru electrocatalyst shows an ultrasmall average size of ∼2.5 nm and thereby a large electrochemical surface area (ECSA) of 166.66 m2 gPt+Ru-1. Exchange current densities (j0) normalized to the mass (Pt + Ru) and ECSA of this electrocatalyst are 8.0 and 5.8 times as high as those of commercial Pt/C, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the achieved mass-normalized j0 measured by rotating disk electrodes is the highest reported so far. The membrane electrode assembly test of the Pt@Ru electrocatalyst shows a peak power density of 1.78 W cm-2 (0.152 mgPt+Ru cmanode-2), which is higher than that of commercial PtRu/C (1.62 W cm-2, 0.211 mgPt+Ru cmanode-2). The improvement of the intrinsic activity can be attributed to the electron transfer from the Ru shell to the Pt core, and the ultrafine particles further enhance the mass activity. This work reveals the feasibility of using simple impregnation to synthesize fine core-shell nanocatalysts and the importance of investigating the atomic structure of PtRu nanoparticles and other disordered alloys.

PGRMC1 promotes triple-negative breast cancer cell growth via suppressing ferroptosis.

OBJECTIVE: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant form of breast cancer with increasing incidence and mortality worldwide. The progesterone receptor membrane component-1 (PGRMC1) is a well-identified hormone receptor with unknown functions in TNBC. The current study aims to explore the involvement of PGRMC1 in regulation of glutathione metabolism and ferroptosis during development of TNBC, providing new therapy options for TNBC patients. METHODS: Bioinformatic analysis, cell proliferation assay, western blot assay and other biochemistry methods were performed in TNBC cells. RESULTS: Our results revealed that the expression of PGRMC1 is higher in TNBC than the other subtypes of breast cancer. Interestingly, as an iron binding protein, increased PGRMC1 expression in TNBC cells leads to resistance to ferroptosis inducer. On the contrary, silenced PGRMC1 expression enhanced sensitivity of MDA-MB231 cells to Erastin. Mechanistically, overexpression of PGRMC1 decreased the intracellular free iron concentration, which was reduced by AG205 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PGRMC1 increases the possibility of TNBC development through binding to intracellular iron and suppressing ferroptosis, providing the molecular basis of combined treatment for TNBC.

Overexpression of miR-181a regulates the Warburg effect in triple-negative breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive and leads to a poor prognosis. microRNA-181a (miR-181a) exhibits strong antineoplastic effects in many types of cancer. In this study, we examine the responses of human miR-181a-transfected TNBC cells and explore the mechanisms underlying the observed effects. METHODS: A series of cellular assays were conducted using cells from the MDA-MB-231 TNBC line to assess the impact of miR-181a overexpression. The extracellular acidification rate, lactate production and glucose uptake were evaluated as a measure of aerobic glycolysis (i.e. the Warburg effect). The expressions of glycolysis-related gene were analyzed. RESULTS: Viability, migration and survival of miR-181a-transfected MDA-MB-231 cells were all significantly reduced. miR-181a inhibited glycolysis in TNBC cells by reducing the rates of glucose uptake and lactate production and a substantial downregulation of factors known to contribute to the Warburg effect, including the serine/threonine kinase, AKT3, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that miR-181a may regulate glycolysis in MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells, potentially via interference with components of the AKT3-HIF-1α and PGRMC1 pathways. These results suggest that miR-181a might be developed as a therapeutic agent for use in antineoplastic regimens directed at TNBC and PGRMC1-overexpressing breast cancers.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Among Children and Adolescents with Cleft lip and Palate: A Survey Study in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) risk and related risk factors among children and adolescents of Hong Kong with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). DESIGN: Retrospective survey study adopting three questionnaires, obstructive sleep apnea-18 (OSA-18), pediatric sleep questionnaire-22 (PSQ-22), and modified Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). SETTINGS: Multicenter study in two public hospitals. PATIENTS: A total of 351 Chinese children and adolescents with non-syndromic CL/P (6-18-year-old, 57% males) visited between September 2017 and November 2019, with primary palatal repair surgery done before 3-year-old. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Positive OSAS risk was determined based on cut-off ≥60 for OSA-18, ≥8 for PSQ-22, and >8 for ESS. Age, sex, overweight presence, cleft type, embryonic secondary palate involvement, palatal repair surgery, palatal revision surgery, and orthodontic treatment were analyzed as possible risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 9.5% of patients had positive OSAS risk based on OSA-18, 13.6% based on PSQ-22, and 13.2% according to ESS. A higher prevalence of patients with positive OSAS risk was of younger age (OSA-18, p = .034), had cleft involving embryonic secondary palate (PSQ-22, p = .009), and history of fixed orthodontic treatment (ESS, p = .002). The regression model identified only involvement of embryonic secondary palate as a risk factor (PSQ-22, odds ratio = 3.7, p = .015). CONCLUSIONS: OSAS risk among children and adolescents of Hong Kong with CL/P was 9.5% to 13.6%. Patients at higher risk were those with cleft involving embryonic secondary palate. OSAS risk assessment may be influenced by different aspects of the disease spectrum, and a multimodal approach should be considered for such assessment.

[Association between lesion location and depressive symptoms in acute ischemic stroke patients using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping].

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the association between lesion location and post-stroke depression (PSD) in acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods: In this case-control study, acute ischemic stroke patients were recruited from the Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), between September 2020 and June 2021. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria, the patients were divided into the PSD and non-PSD groups. The 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale (HAMD) was used to evaluate the severity of depression. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-square test were used to compare the clinical baseline characteristics of PSD and non-PSD groups. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) was applied to investigate the association between lesion location and depression occurrence and severity. Results: A total of 70 and 173 patients were admitted to the PSD and non-PSD groups, respectively. The mean age of patients was 59 years (23-86). There were 153 males and 90 females. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference only in Hamilton Anxiety (P=0.025) and Depression (P<0.001) scores between the PSD and non-PSD groups. VLSM analysis identified clusters within the anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=-3.05, P<0.001), left hippocampus (Z=-3.15, P<0.001), and left lingual lobe (Z=-3.08, P<0.001) where lesions were significantly associated with PSD. Additionally, the severity of PSD was associated with damage in the anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=-3.64, P<0.001), left hippocampus (Z=-3.51, P<0.001), left lingual lobe (Z=-4.18, P<0.001), and pericalcarine cortex (Z=-3.65, P<0.001). Conclusion: VLSM demonstrated that lesion location could be used to predict the occurrence of PSD in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

[Medium-term efficacy and safety analysis of Ex-PRESS shunt implantation for the treatment of secondary glaucoma in Sturge-Weber syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the medium-term efficacy and safety of Ex-PRESS shunt implantation in the treatment of secondary glaucoma associated with Sturge-Weber Syndrome (SWS). Methods: This was a retrospective case series study. Medical records of patients diagnosed with secondary glaucoma due to SWS who underwent Ex-PRESS shunt implantation at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, between January 2013 and February 2020 were collected. Only the right eye were included in the analysis when both eyes were affected. Follow-up visits were scheduled at postoperative week 1, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years. Clinical data including intraocular pressure (IOP), vertical cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio, corneal horizontal diameter, visual field, anterior chamber condition, anti-glaucoma medication usage, and additional surgeries were evaluated and analyzed before and after the procedure. Surgical success rates and procedure-related complications at each follow-up time point were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed using t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test. Results: A total of 21 patients (21 eyes) were included in the study, comprising 10 females and 11 males. Among them, 15 eyes were on the right side, and 6 eyes were on the left side. The patients' ages ranged from 3 to 51 years, with a median age of 8.1 (6.3, 11.9) years. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 53 months, with a median of 11 (6, 24) months. Preoperatively, the IOP in the 21 operated eyes was (32.9±9.1) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), significantly higher than the IOP in the 19 healthy eyes, which was (17.1±4.3) mmHg (t=5.80, P<0.001). The C/D ratio in the operated eyes was (0.75±0.13), also significantly higher than that in the healthy eyes, which was (0.32±0.10) (t=11.22, P<0.001). At the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year follow-up, 8 eyes out of 16 operated eyes, 6 eyes out of 9 operated eyes, and 7 eyes out of 10 operated eyes achieved overall surgical success (complete success+conditional success), respectively. The number of eyes with complete success at the three follow-up time points was 3, 2, and 4, respectively. The IOP in the operated eyes was significantly reduced at all follow-up time points compared to preoperative values (all P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in C/D ratio before and after surgery (all P>0.05). Two operated eyes experienced retinal detachment or choroidal leakage postoperatively, both of which recovered after conservative treatment. One eye developed postoperative degree Ⅰ shallow anterior chamber, and it resolved spontaneously on the third day after surgery. No serious surgical complications, such as bleb-related complications, malignant glaucoma, expulsive choroidal hemorrhage, or endophthalmitis, were observed postoperatively. Conclusions: Ex-PRESS shunt implantation for the treatment of secondary glaucoma in SWS demonstrated a relatively high level of safety. The medium-term IOP in the operated eyes significantly decreased compared to preoperative values. However, the majority of operated eyes did not achieve complete surgical success.

Biopsy-tract haemocoagulase injection reduces major complications after CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy.

AIM: To determine whether the injection of haemocoagulase into the biopsy tract can reduce pneumothorax and pulmonary haemorrhage after computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy (PTLB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed involving patients with undiagnosed pulmonary lesions scheduled for PTLB between January 2020 and March 2021. Patients were assigned to the haemocoagulase group or the non-haemocoagulase group. After CT-guided biopsies were performed with a 17 G coaxial system, patients in the haemocoagulase group received a haemocoagulase injection (0.2-0.5 units) in the biopsy tract as the sheath was withdrawn. Postoperative image studies were performed to evaluate complications, including pneumothorax and pulmonary haemorrhage. Factors, including the patient's position, lesion location, and pathological results, were evaluated to determine their associations with the complications. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included, with 44 men and a mean age of 53 years old. The overall incidences of pneumothorax and pulmonary haemorrhage were 15% and 13%, respectively. The incidences of pneumothorax and pulmonary haemorrhage were statistically significantly lower in the haemocoagulase group (8% and 6%, respectively) than in the non-haemocoagulase group (22% and 20%, respectively; p=0.04 and 0.03, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in haemoptysis between the haemocoagulase (6%) and non-haemocoagulase (2%) groups (p=0.23). There were also no statistically significant associations of pneumothorax or pulmonary haemorrhage with the patients' positions, lesion location, or pathological results. CONCLUSION: Biopsy tract haemocoagulase injection reduced the incidences of postoperative pneumothorax and pulmonary haemorrhage after PTLB.

E2 + norethisterone promotes the PI3K-AKT pathway via PGRMC1 to induce breast cancer cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to find evidence that progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) promotes estradiol (E2) + norethisterone (NET)-induced breast cancer proliferation through activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathway. METHODS: PGRMC1-mediated breast cancer cellular proliferation and phosphorylation of PGRMC1 were studied using wild-type (hemagglutinin [HA]-tagged) MCF-7 cells, which were stably transfected with expression vector containing HA (MCF-7-HA cells), PGRMC1 (MCF-7-PGRMC1 cells) and Ser181 point mutated PGRMC1 (MCF-7-PGRMC1-S181A cells). Bioinformatics, cell proliferation, western blot, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based RNA sequencing, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and cell cycle in vitro assays were performed to indicate the function of PGRMC1 and its possible mechanisms in breast cancer. RESULTS: NET + E2 elicited a significant proliferation in MCF-7-Vec at 10-6 M and 10-10 M, respectively. MCF-7-PGRMC1 did increase the phosphorylation of AKT or ERK, which can be blocked by treatment with casein kinase 2 (CK2) inhibitor quinalizarin or in MCF-7-PGRMC1-S181A cells. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that the PI3K-AKT pathway is upregulated in MCF-7-PGRMC1 cells. Importantly, upregulation of the PI3K-AKT pathway mainly through promotion of cell cycle regulation strongly promoted cell proliferation in MCF-7-PGRMC1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: CK2 is involved in phosphorylation of PGRMC1 at S181. The mechanism for the action of PGRMC1 for mediating proliferative progestogen effects obviously starts with promotion cell cycle regulation, and then activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway.

First live birth in China after cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation to prevent premature ovarian insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: This article reports the first live birth after cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation to prevent premature ovarian insufficiency in China. METHODS: A patient with myelodysplastic syndrome received ovarian tissue cryopreservation before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and six ovarian cortex strips were thawed and transplanted into her peritoneal pocket 2 years later. RESULTS: Pregnancy occurred spontaneously 27 months after grafting, and a healthy girl was born at 38 weeks gestation. Until now, the child has developed normally without any major diseases. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first live birth resulting from ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation in China.

[Timing of starting veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation].

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is mainly used for reversible acute respiratory failure that is difficult to correct with mechanical ventilation and other conventional measures or preparation of lung transplantation. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a typical clinical syndrome of acute respiratory failure. The timing of starting VV-ECMO in severe ARDS still face many controversies and challenges. This paper we discuss the current feasible assessment methods of when to start VV-ECMO in ARDS, such as, optimization of mechanical ventilation parameters, monitoring of respiratory dynamics and hemodynamics, assessment of lung recruitability and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) real-time monitoring, etc.

Multi-messenger nanoprobes of hidden magnetism in a strained manganite.

The ground-state properties of correlated electron systems can be extraordinarily sensitive to external stimuli, offering abundant platforms for functional materials. Using the multi-messenger combination of atomic force microscopy, cryogenic scanning near-field optical microscopy, magnetic force microscopy and ultrafast laser excitation, we demonstrate both 'writing' and 'erasing' of a metastable ferromagnetic metal phase in strained films of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO) with nanometre-resolved finesse. By tracking both optical conductivity and magnetism at the nanoscale, we reveal how strain-coupling underlies the dynamic growth, spontaneous nanotexture and first-order melting transition of this hidden photoinduced metal. Our first-principles calculations reveal that epitaxially engineered Jahn-Teller distortion can stabilize nearly degenerate antiferromagnetic insulator and ferromagnetic metal phases. We propose a Ginzburg-Landau description to rationalize the co-active interplay of strain, lattice distortions and magnetism nano-resolved here in strained LCMO, thus guiding future functional engineering of epitaxial oxides into the regime of phase-programmable materials.

Regulator of cullins-1 (ROC1) negatively regulates the Gli2 regulator SUFU to activate the hedgehog pathway in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: The regulator of cullins-1 (ROC1) is an essential subunit in the cullin-RING ligase (CRL) protein complex and has been shown to be critical in bladder cancer cell survival and progression. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of ROC1 action in the malignant progression of bladder cancer. METHODS: This study utilized ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo nude mouse experiments to assess the underlying mechanisms of ROC1 in bladder cancer cells. The expression of the components of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway was determined by western blot analysis. ROC1 expression in human tumors was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: ROC1 overexpression promoted the growth of bladder cancer cells, whereas knockdown of ROC1 expression had the opposite effect in bladder cancer cells. Mechanistically, ROC1 was able to target suppressor of fused homolog (SUFU) for ubiquitin-dependent degradation, allowing Gli2 release from the SUFU complex to activate the SHH pathway. Furthermore, knockdown of SUFU expression partially rescued the ROC1 knockdown-suppressed SHH activity as well as cancer cell growth inhibition. In ex vivo experiments, tissue microarray analysis of human bladder cancer specimens revealed a positive association of ROC1 expression with the SHH pathway activity. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that dysregulation of the ROC1-SUFU-GLI2 axis plays an important role in bladder cancer progression and that targeting ROC1 expression is warranted in further investigations as a novel strategy for the future control of bladder cancer.

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause in Chinese perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in a large cohort, analyzing the dependency on age and menopausal status and possible differences between non-hysterectomized and hysterectomized women. METHODS: Data were assessed by validated questionnaires, collected over 2 years for all eligible women attending our 'Menopause Clinic' from 31 Chinese provinces. Simple and unconditional logistic regression analysis was used with adjustments by all analyzed factors. RESULTS: A total of 4063 women (mean age 50.53 ± 6.57 years), 2107 perimenopausal and 1956 postmenopausal, were included. Almost all GSM symptoms were more frequent and severe in postmenopausal women. GSM was more frequent in hysterectomized women compared to non-hysterectomized women. Independent of menopausal status, low sexual interest (92.78%), urinary incontinence (91.65%) and vaginal dryness (91.60%) were the top three GSM symptoms. Most severe were low sexual interest (21.01%), vaginal pain (20.10%) and decreased sexual pleasure (17.13%). Prevalence and severity of GSM were not related to age, but were related to menopausal status and increased with time since menopause. CONCLUSIONS: Within 2 years, more than 4000 women with GSM traveled from all over China to our specialized clinic, indicating the great importance of GSM. Hysterectomy can increase the risk of GSM, and GSM symptoms increase from perimenopause to postmenopause and with an increase of time since menopause, pointing to the dependency on the loss of ovarian function.

First pregnancy in China after ovarian tissue transplantation to prevent premature ovarian insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: This article reports the first case of pregnancy after frozen-thawed ovarian tissue transplantation to prevent iatrogenic premature ovarian insufficiency in China. METHODS: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation was performed in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) before multi-agent chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Two years later, she showed complete remission from MDS, and six frozen-thawed ovarian tissue strips were transplanted into the peritoneal pocket. RESULTS: The patient's ovarian activity was restored 3 months after transplantation, and pregnancy occurred spontaneously 27 months after grafting. Until now, the pregnancy has progressed for 30 weeks, and the repeated ultrasound showed normal fetal development. CONCLUSION: This is the first pregnancy resulting from ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation in China.