Evaluative effectiveness of follicular output rate, ovarian sensitivity index, and ovarian response prediction index for the ovarian reserve and response of low-prognosis patients according to the POSEIDON criteria: a retrospective study.

The aim was to explore the implications of follicular output rate (FORT), ovarian sensitivity index (OSI), ovarian response prediction index (ORPI), and follicle-to-oocyte index (FOI) in low-prognosis patients defined by POSEIDON criteria. In total, 4030 fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles from January 2013 to October 2021 were included in this retrospective cohort analysis and were categorized into four groups based on the POSEIDON criteria. The FORT between Groups 1 and 2 (0.61 ± 0.34 vs. 0.65 ± 0.35, P = 0.081) and Groups 3 and 4 (1.08 ± 0.82 vs. 1.09 ± 0.94, P = 0.899) were similar. The OSI in the order from the highest to the lowest were 3.01 ± 1.46 in Group 1, 2.28 ± 1.09 in Group 2, 1.54 ± 1.04 in Group 3, and 1.34 ± 0.96 in Group 4 (P < 0.001). The trend in the ORPI values was consistent with that in the OSI. FORT, OSI, ORPI, and FOI complemented each other and offered excellent effectiveness in reflecting ovarian reserve and response, but they were not good predictors of clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) from IVF.

Glucose Concentration Measurement by All-Grating-Based System.

An accurate, easy setup, low-cost, and time-saving method for measuring glucose concentration was proposed. An all-grating-based glucose concentration measurement system contained moving-grating-based heterodyne interferometry and a grating-based self-align sensor. By combining the first-order diffraction lights from two separated moving gratings by a polarization beam splitter and creating S- and P-polarized light interference by an analyzer, the interference signal could be a heterodyne light source with a heterodyne frequency depending on the relative velocities of the two moving gratings. Next, a grating-based self-align sensor was used to make the optical configuration setup easy and accurate. Moreover, the sensor was deposited on GOx film to improve the measurement sensitivity and specificity for glucose. Finally, the phase change induced by the reaction of the sensor and glucose solutions was detected. The validity of this method was proved, and the measurement resolution can reach 2 mg/dL.

The trends of maternal mortality ratios and cause pattern in 34 Chinese provinces, 1990-2017.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the trends and causes to the burden of maternal deaths is a key requirement to further reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), and devise targeted intervention policy. We aimed to evaluate the spatiotemporal trends of MMRs and cause patterns across the 34 provinces of China during 1990-2017. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, we calculated the levels and trends of total maternal deaths and MMR due to ten different causes through Bayesian multivariable regression model for pregnancies aged 10-54 years, and assessed the age and regional distribution over time. RESULTS: China has experienced fast decline in MMR, dropped from 95.2 (87.8-102.3) in 1990 to 13.6 (12.5-15.0) in 2017, with an annualised rate of decline of 7.0%. In 1990, the range of MMRs in mainland China was 31.1 in Shanghai, to 323.4 in Tibet. Almost all provinces showed remarkable decline in the last two decades. However, spatial heterogeneity in levels and trends still existed. The annualised rate of decline across provinces from 1990 to 2017 ranged from 0.54% to 10.14%. Decline accelerated between 2005 and 2017 compared with between 1990 and 2005. In 2017, the lowest MMR was 4.2 in Zhejiang; the highest was still in Tibet, but had fallen to 82.7, dropped by 74.4%. MMR was highest in the 40-49 years age group in both 1990 and 2017. In 2017, haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders were the leading two specific causes for maternal deaths. CONCLUSIONS: MMRs have declined rapidly and universally across the provinces of China. Setting of associated interventions in the future will need careful consideration of provinces that still have MMR significantly higher than the national mean level.

Design and fabrication of a downlight luminaire with a dual frusto-conical reflector.

A design method and corresponding fabrication procedures are proposed for a dual frusto-conical reflector of a downlight luminaire. The profile of the dual frusto-conical reflector consists of two flat-slant reflective surfaces with slightly different slopes. The optimum dual frusto-conical reflector can be obtained with the proposed design method. The finished product of the dual frusto-conical reflector is fabricated by a 3D printer and followed by surface polishing and reflection paint spraying. The measurement results show that luminaires exhibited 70% optimum illuminance confined within an illumination area of 1.8m2, and the optimum illumination intensity is at 252 lux. The optimum efficiency of the proposed luminaire can reach 158 lm/W for normal-white light-emitting diode (LED) and 119 lm/W for warm-white LED, respectively.

A Vortex-Assisted Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Followed by UPLC-MS/MS for Simultaneous Determination of Pesticides and Aflatoxins in Herbal Tea.

A method for detecting the organophosphorus pesticides residue and aflatoxins in China herbal tea has been developed by UPLC-MS/MS coupled with vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). The extraction conditions for vortex-assisted DLLME extraction were optimized using single-factor experiments and response surface design. The optimum conditions for the experiment were the pH 5.1, 347 µL of chloroform (extraction solvent) and 1614 µL of acetonitrile (dispersive solvent). Under the optimum conditions, the targets were good linearity in the range of 0.1 µg/L⁻25 µg/L and the correlation coefficient above 0.9998. The mean recoveries of all analytes were in the ranged from 70.06%⁻115.65% with RSDs below 8.54%. The detection limits were in the range of 0.001 µg/L⁻0.01µg/L. The proposed method is a fast and effective sample preparation with good enrichment and extraction efficiency, which can simultaneously detect pesticides and aflatoxins in China herbal tea.

Bifunctional Separator Coated with Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene/Reduced Graphene Oxide for Enhanced Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although extensive research has been performed in the field of Li-S rechargeable batteries, commercial applications are still hindered by the dissolution of the reaction intermediates of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Through the combination of experimental and theoretical results, a bifunctional separator has been designed by coating hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP)-decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO), which provides effective anchor sites for immobilizing the LiPSs. LiPSs can be adsorbed on the HCCP/rGO surface with moderate binding strength, and their structures and the electrical conductivity of HCCP/rGO are well maintained. The synergetic effect of the effective barrier and good electrical conductivity within the HCCP/rGO sheets efficiently anchors LiPSs and achieves enhanced electrochemical performance. More importantly, different substituents can be used to tune the immobilization of LiPSs by HCCP derivatives. Therefore, it is expected that HCCP and its derivatives can be utilized as a promising anchoring material for high-performance Li-S batteries.

Diverse Structures Based on a Heptanuclear Cobalt Cluster with 0D to 3D Metal-Organic Frameworks: Magnetism and Application in Batteries.

Polymetallic complexes with interesting multifunctions have attracted extensive investigation. Synthesized through the use of different cobalt salt anions and solvents, five complexes, namely [CoII4 CoIII3 (H2 L)3 Cl5 (MeOH)] (1), [CoII4 CoIII3 (H2 L)3 (CH3 COO)4 (HCOO)⋅H2 O]n (2), [CoII4 CoIII3 (H2 L)3 (HCOO)4 (NO3 )⋅2H2 O]n (3), [CoII4 CoIII3 (H2 L)3 (bda)(CH3 COO)4 ⋅2H2 O]n (4), and [CoII4 CoIII3 (H2 L)3 (ipa)(HCOO)3 (dmf)⋅H2 O]n (5) (H6 L=bis-tris propane; BDA=biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid; IPA=isophthalic acid; DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide), based on the heptanuclear {CoII4 CoIII3 } cluster with structures from 0D to 3D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been solvothermally synthesized. Compound 1 is the first 0D heptanuclear cluster based on H6 L. Compound 2 crystallizes in the chiral space group P21 21 21 and consists of a 1D chiral helical chain. Complex 3 exhibits a 3D network structure. Compound 4 possesses a 1D zigzag-like chain structure. Finally, compound 5 was obtained as a 3D microporous structure. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 display dominant ferrimagnetic interactions whereas compounds 2 and 5 exhibit antiferromagnetic interactions. Moreover, the Co3 O4 prepared by calcining compound 2 presents a reversible capacity of 1122.9 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 after 100 cycles and an excellent rate capability, which suggests that coordination compounds with a 1D chain structure are outstanding precursors for preparing anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

3D Hierarchical Microballs Constructed by Intertwined MnO@N-doped Carbon Nanofibers towards Superior Lithium-Storage Properties.

MnO is a promising high-capacity anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but pristine material suffers short cycle life and poor rate capability, thus hindering the practical application. In this work, a new type of porous MnO microballs stringed with N-doped porous carbon (3DHB-MnO@NC) with a well-connected hierarchical three-dimensional network structure was prepared by the facile self-template method. The 3DHB-MnO@NC electrode can effectively promote the ion/electron transfer and buffer the large volume change of electrode during the electrochemical reaction. As the anode for LIBs, the 3DHB-MnO@NC possesses outstanding cycling performance (1247.7 mA h g-1 after 90 cycles at 200 mA g-1 ) and good rate capabilities (949.6 mA h g-1 after 450 cycles at 1000 mA g-1 ). The facile self-template method of the prepared 3DHB-MnO@NC composite paves a new way for practical applications of MnO in high performance LIBs.

Reprogramming of stromal fibroblasts by SNAI2 contributes to tumor desmoplasia and ovarian cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: Molecular profiling in ovarian cancer (OC) revealed that the desmoplasia subtype presented the poorest prognosis, highlighting the contribution of stromal fibroblasts in tumor progression. This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of SNAI2 driving the transcriptional reprogramming of fibroblasts within tumors. METHODS: SNAI2 expression was evaluated in microdissected profiles of various cancers and in various molecular subtypes of OC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and single sample GSEA (ssGSEA) were performed to explore the correlation between SNAI2 and stromal fibroblast activation. The SNAI2 defined signature in the mesenchymal OC subtype was identified through an integrative analysis of the TCGA and the Tothill datasets. The predictive value of this signature was validated in independent datasets. SNAI2 expression alteration influence of tumor growth in primary CAFs was evaluated in 3D organotypic and murine xenograft models. RESULTS: We demonstrated that SNAI2 was frequently activated in the tumor stroma, correlated with fibroblast activation and worse patient outcome in OC. SNAI2 transformed normal fibroblasts to a CAF-like state and boosted their tumor-supporting role in 3D organotypic culture and in OC xenograft model. SNAI2 drove a transcriptional signature in the mesenchymal subtype of OC that contributed to tumor desmoplasia, which fed back to increase SNAI2 expression and sustain fibroblast activation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results address the role of SNAI2 in reprogramming stromal fibroblasts. The identified SNAI2 mesenchymal signature has both a predictive value and biological relevance and might be a therapeutic target for stroma-oriented therapy against the desmoplasia OC subtype.

Association between vascular endothelial growth factor expression and lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer: A meta-analysis.

AIM: The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by cancer cells has been identified as a factor that is associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) in some cancers, but an accurate description of the relation between VEGF and LNM in cervical cancer is lacking. We conducted a concurrent meta-analysis to investigate this issue. METHODS: We searched PubMed and EMBASE for articles addressing the association between VEGF and cervical cancer. We used stata 12.0 and calculated the crude odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity between the studies included was assessed by Cochran's Q-test. RESULTS: Overall, 16 relevant studies with 426 cases and 751 controls were included in our study. The results demonstrated that cervical cancer patients with VEGF-positive expression had a 2.87-fold higher risk of LNM than patients without VEGF-positive expression (95%CI = 1.85-4.44, P < 0.001). Furthermore, subgroup analysis by ethnicity revealed that VEGF-positive expression could increase the risk of LNM in cervical cancer among Asian populations (OR = 2.55, 95%CI = 1.61-4.03, P < 0.001) and Caucasian populations (OR = 8.81, 95%CI = 2.78-27.88, P < 0.001). Moreover, subgroup analysis by country revealed that VEGF-positive expression could increase the risk of LNM in cervical cancer among Chinese populations (OR = 3.38, 95%CI = 2.18-5.25, P < 0.001) but not among Korean populations (P = 0.84) or Japanese populations (P = 0.06). Subgroup analysis based on sample size proved that VEGF-positive expression was statistically associated with LNM in a large sample group. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that VEGF-positive expression is related with higher risk of LNM in cervical cancer.

Association of 42 SNPs with genetic risk for cervical cancer: an extensive meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with cervical cancer have been identified through candidate gene association studies and genome-wide association studies (GWAs). However, some studies have yielded different results for the same SNP. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding, we performed a meta-analysis on previously published case-control studies involving the SNPs associated with cervical cancer. METHODS: Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted for all publications about the association between gene polymorphisms and cervical cancer. One-hundred and sixty-seven association studies were included in our research. For each SNP, three models (the allele, dominant and recessive effect models) were adopted in the meta-analysis. For each model, the effect summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI were calculated. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated by Cochran's Q test. If the p value of Q test was less than 0.01, a random effect model was used; otherwise, a fixed effect model was used. RESULTS: The results of our meta-analysis showed that: (1) There were 8, 2 and 8 SNPs that were significantly associated with cervical cancer (P < 0.01) in the allele, dominant and recessive effect models, respectively. (2) rs1048943 (CYP1A1 A4889G) showed the strongest association with cervical cancer in the allele effect model (1.83[1.57, 2.13]); in addition, rs1048943 (CYP1A1 A4889G) had a very strong association in the dominant and recessive effect model. (3) 15, 11 and 10 SNPs had high heterogeneity (P < 0.01) in the three models, respectively. (4) There was no published bias for most of the SNPs according to Egger's test (P < 0.01) and Funnel plot analysis. For some SNPs, their association with cervical cancer was only tested in a few studies and, therefore, might have been subjected to published bias. More studies on these loci are required. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis provides a comprehensive evaluation of cervical cancer association studies.

Outcome of international Federation of gynecology and obstetrics stage IIb cervical cancer from 2003 to 2012: an evaluation of treatments and prognosis: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIB cervical carcinoma receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy (RH) with those of patients receiving chemoradiation therapy (CRT) alone. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with FIGO stage IIB cervical carcinoma. A total of 621 patients were eligible for the study according to the surgery-based or radiotherapy-based treatment; 285 patients received cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by RH, and 336 patients underwent sequential or concurrent chemoradiation. The disease-free survival, overall survival, recurrence rates, and late complications were compared. Cox regression analysis was used to identify potential prognostic factors. RESULTS: Complete or partial response was seen in 77.6% (221/285) of the NACT-treated patients. Disease-free survival and overall survival rates of the patients who had NACT-sensitive responses were significantly higher than those who did not response (P = 0.021 and P = 0.008). Overall survival rates in the NACT + RH group were comparable with the concurrent chemoradiotherapy or chemoradiation groups (P > 0.05). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by RH significantly decreased the recurrence rate (22.6% vs 35.5%), resulted in fewer treatment-related complications, and ultimately improved survival when compared with concurrent CRT. A survival benefit was observed for 63.9% of the patients in the NACT + RH group without adjuvant radiotherapy or CRT. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, NACT followed by RH achieved comparable survival outcomes for patients with FIGO stage IIB cervical cancer. This treatment method was significantly effective at reducing radiotherapy rates and complications, and it is worthy of recommending for younger patients.

Establishment of a cervical cancer bio-bank for the Chinese population: from project-based sample collection to routine management.

PURPOSE: There is an increasing need for the establishment of a cervical cancer bio-bank that will facilitate both clinical and basic research. METHODS: The cervical cancer bio-bank was first established in January 1999 and included two stages. First, a GWAS-based sample collection was conducted with special emphasis on the diagnosis and the retrieval of the corresponding bio-specimens, especially blood samples. Second, clinical data and their corresponding bio-specimens were routinely collected and handled. Notably, these bio-specimens also included samples from Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, which has the highest incidence of cervical cancer in China. The specimens were collected from patients with cervical cancer and those with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, while the control samples were collected from normal individuals. RESULTS: With special emphasis on clinical data and blood samples for the GWAS analysis, the collection of other bio-specimens was slow, and the pairing of specimens and clinical data was poor during the first stage. However, in the second stage, the pairing of the clinical data and its corresponding bio-specimens improved. At present, the samples procured and preserved in the bio-bank cover most regions of China and different ethnic groups for both the normal controls and cervical cancer patients of different pathological categories. CONCLUSIONS: This bio-bank of cervical cancer specimens from the Chinese population will greatly promote the studies of cervical cancer in China.

Changes in prevalence and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer in the People's Republic of China: a study of 10,012 cases from a nationwide working group.

PURPOSE: About one-third of the world's total annual new cervical cancer cases are found in the People's Republic of China. We investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer cases in the People's Republic of China over the past decade. METHOD: A total of 10,012 hospitalized patients with cervical cancer from regions nationwide were enrolled from 2000 to 2009. Demographic and clinical characteristics, therapeutic strategies, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis of all cervical cancer patients was 44.7 ± 9.5 years, which is 5-10 years younger than mean ages reported before 2000 in the People's Republic of China. The age distribution showed 16.0% of patients were ≤35 years old, 41.7% were 35-45 years old, and 41.7% were >45 years old. Early stage diagnoses were most prevalent: 57.3% were stage I, 33.9% were stage II, and 4.3% were stage III or IV. Most patients (83.9%) were treated with surgery, and only 9.5% had radiotherapy alone. Among 8,405 patients treated with surgery, 68.6% received adjuvant treatments, including chemotherapy (20.9%), radiotherapy (26.0%), and chemoradiotherapy (21.9%). Among stage IA patients, 16.0% were treated with corpus uteri preservation. The proportion of ovarian preservation was 42.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer cases in the People's Republic of China show increasing prevalence in young patients and at early stages. In the past 10 years, surgery has become the dominant treatment and is increasingly combined with adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stages I and II. Conservative surgical approaches are reasonable options for genital organ preservation in selected patients.

Development of criteria for ovarian preservation in cervical cancer patients treated with radical surgery with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a multicenter retrospective study and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus on the selection criteria for ovarian preservation in cervical cancer, and the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on ovarian metastasis (OM) is also unknown. METHODS: A total of 1,889 cervical cancer patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IB to IIB who underwent radical hysterectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without NACT were enrolled. Clinicopathologic variables were studied by univariate and multivariate analyses. Meta-analyses of published data for risk factors of OM were also performed. RESULTS: Twenty-two (1.2%) of 1,889 patients were diagnosed as OM: 12 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC, 0.7%), five adenocarcinomas (2.7%), four adenosquamous carcinomas (5.6%), and one small cell carcinoma (7.7%). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis (LNM; odds ratio 5.75, 95% confidence interval 2.16-15.28), corpus uteri invasion (CUI; 5.53, 2.11-14.53), parametrial invasion (PMI; 8.24, 3.01-22.56), and histology and NACT (0.40, 0.13-1.22) were associated with OM. Furthermore, OM in patients with SCC was associated with PMI (5.67, 1.63-19.72), CUI (3.25, 0.88-12.01), and LNM (9.44, 2.43-36.65). FIGO stage (IIB vs. IB; 31.78, 1.41-716.33), bulky tumor size (12.71, 1.31-123.68), PMI (51.21, 4.10-639.19), NACT (0.003, 0.00-0.27), and CUI (44.49, 2.77-714.70) were independent clinicopathologic factors for OM in adenocarcinomas. In the meta-analysis, we identified six risk factors for OM: LNM, CUI, PMI, adenocarcinoma, large tumor size, and lymphovascular space involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian preservation surgery may be safe in SCC patients without suspicious LNM, PMI, and CUI, and in adenocarcinomas in patients who received NACT without FIGO stage IIB disease, bulky tumor size (>4 cm), suspicious PMI, and CUI.

IFN-α induced systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: a case report and literature review.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe and life-threatening hyperinflammatory condition characterized by excessive activation of macrophages and T cells and resulted in multi-organ dysfunction. HLH can be a primary disease or secondary to infections, malignancy, and some autoimmune diseases, including adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, it is rare for HLH to occur as a secondary condition to drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE). In this report, we present a case of HLH as an unusual complication during SLE treatment in a 31-year-old male patient. The patient initially suffered from active chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and was treated with pegylated INFα-2b (Peg-INFα-2b), tenofovir disoproxil and lamivudine. After 19 months, CHB obtained biochemical and virological response with HBsAg positive to HBsAb. The patient developed fever, headache, and cytopenia after Peg-INFα-2b treatment for 33 months, and laboratory studies revealed that ANA and anti dsDNA were positive. He displayed 5 features meeting the HLH-2004 criteria for diagnosis including fever, pancytopenia, hyperferritinemia, high levels of soluble CD25, and hemophagocytosis on bone marrow biopsy. The patient was initiated with a combination treatment of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy, oral cyclosporine, and etoposide (VP-16), which was followed by a course of oral prednisolone, intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy, and entecavir with complete response. To our knowledge, this is the first report of IFN-α induced SLE complicating with HLH. Physicians should consider the potential autoimmune side effects of IFN-α therapy and be alert to insidious HLH in patients diagnosed with SLE.

Extracellular matrix-derived scaffolds in constructing artificial ovaries for ovarian failure: a systematic methodological review.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the current state-of-the-art methodology assessing decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based artificial ovaries for treating ovarian failure? SUMMARY ANSWER: Preclinical studies have demonstrated that decellularized scaffolds support the growth of ovarian somatic cells and follicles both in vitro and in vivo. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Artificial ovaries are a promising approach for rescuing ovarian function. Decellularization has been applied in bioengineering female reproductive tract tissues. However, decellularization targeting the ovary lacks a comprehensive and in-depth understanding. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from inception until 20 October 2022 to systematically review all studies in which artificial ovaries were constructed using decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds. The review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: Two authors selected studies independently based on the eligibility criteria. Studies were included if decellularized scaffolds, regardless of their species origin, were seeded with ovarian cells or follicles. Review articles and meeting papers were removed from the search results, as were articles without decellularized scaffolds or recellularization or decellularization protocols, or control groups or ovarian cells. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The search returned a total of 754 publications, and 12 papers were eligible for final analysis. The papers were published between 2015 and 2022 and were most frequently reported as coming from Iran. Detailed information on the decellularization procedure, evaluation method, and preclinical study design was extracted. In particular, we concentrated on the type and duration of detergent reagent, DNA and extracellular matrix detection methods, and the main findings on ovarian function. Decellularized tissues derived from humans and experimental animals were reported. Scaffolds loaded with ovarian cells have produced estrogen and progesterone, though with high variability, and have supported the growth of various follicles. Serious complications have not been reported. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: A meta-analysis could not be performed. Therefore, only data pooling was conducted. Additionally, the quality of some studies was limited mainly due to incomplete description of methods, which impeded specific data extraction and quality analysis. Several studies that used dECM scaffolds were performed or authored by the same research group with a few modifications, which might have biased our evaluation. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Overall, the decellularization-based artificial ovary is a promising but experimental choice for substituting insufficient ovaries. A generic and comparable standard should be established for the decellularization protocols, quality implementation, and cytotoxicity controls. Currently, decellularized materials are far from being clinically applicable to artificial ovaries. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82001498 and 81701438). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: This systematic review is registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, ID CRD42022338449).

Primary screening for breast diseases among 17618 women in Wufeng area, a region with high incidence of cervical cancer in China.

In this study, the current status for breast diseases in a region with high-incidence of cervical cancer were epidemiologically investigated. From March to August, 2009, 17618 women, from Wufeng area of Hubei province, China, were recruited to screen breast diseases by using breast infrared diagnostic apparatus. Other diagnostic methods, such as B-mode ultrasound, X-ray mammography, needle biopsy and pathological examination were, if necessary, used to further confirm the diagnosis. The screening showed that 5990 of 17618 cases (34.00%) had breast diseases, 5843 (33.16%) had mammary gland hyperplasia, 48 (0.27%) had breast fibroadenoma, 11 (0.06%) had breast carcinoma, and 88 (0.50%) had other breast diseases. The peak morbidity of breast cancer was found in the women aged 50-60 ages. The morbidity of breast cancer was significantly increased in women elder than or equal to 50 years old (n=8, 0.157%) in comparison with that in the subjects younger than 50 years old (n=3, 0.024%) (u=2.327, P<0.05). It was shown that the occurrence of breast diseases was concentrated in women aged 20-40 years, while the total morbidity reached its peak at the age of 30 years and then decreased sharply after age of 40. Compared with the patients elder than or equal to 40 years old (n=3289, 27.46%), the morbidity rate of breast diseases was significantly increased in women less than 40 years old (2648 cases, 47.18%; P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the morbidity of breast diseases between the age group of 20-29 years and that of 30-39 years (P=0.453), and both of them were high. There was no significant association between the morbidity of breast diseases and cervical cancer. Since the morbidity of breast diseases was higher among young women, more attention should be paid to the screening of breast diseases among young women for early diagnosis.

A Novel Defined Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature for the Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed necrotic cell death, but its potential prognostic value in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unclear. On the basis of available AML data from TCGA and TARGET databases, a 10-gene signature model was constructed to effectively predict AML prognosis by performing LASSO Cox regression analysis, which showed that patients with a low-risk score had a significantly better prognosis than that of the high-risk group, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis achieved superior performance in the prognostic model. The model was further well-verified in an external GEO cohort. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that, in addition to age, the risk score was an independent poor survival factor for AML patients, and a nomogram model was constructed with high accuracy. Moreover, the high-risk group generally had higher cytolytic activity and increased levels of infiltrating immune cells, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which could be related to the expression of immune checkpoint genes. Additionally, low-risk AML patients may have a better response from traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. In conclusion, a pyroptosis-related gene signature can independently predict the prognosis of AML patients with sufficient predictive power, and pyroptosis plays an important role in the immune microenvironment of AML, which may be used to develop a new effective therapeutic method for AML in the future.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals impact on ovarian aging: Evidence from epidemiological and experimental evidence.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous in daily life, but their harmful effects on the human body have not been fully explored. Recent studies have shown that EDCs exposure could lead to infertility, menstrual disorder and menopause, resulting in subsequent effects on female health. Therefore, it is of great significance to clarify and summarize the impacts of EDCs on ovarian aging for explaining the etiology of ovarian aging and maintaining female reproductive health. Here in this review, we focused on the impacts of ten typical environmental contaminants on the progression of ovarian aging during adult exposure, including epidemiological data in humans and experimental models in rodents, with their clinical phenotypes and underlying mechanisms. We found that both persistent (polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and non-persistent (phthalates) EDCs exposure could increase an overall risk of ovarian aging, leading to the diminish of ovarian reserve, decline of fertility or fecundity, irregularity of the menstrual cycle and an earlier age at menopause, and/or premature ovarian insufficiency/failure in epidemiological studies. Among these, the loss of follicles can also be validated in experimental studies of some EDCs, such as BPA, phthalates, parabens and PCBs. The underlying mechanisms may involve the impaired ovarian follicular development by altering receptor-mediated pro-apoptotic pathways, inducing signal transduction and cell cycle arrest and epigenetic modification. However, there were inconsistent results in the impacts on fertility/fecundity, menstrual/estrous cycle and hormone changes response to different EDCs, and differences between human and animal studies. Our review summarizes the current state of knowledge on ovarian disrupters, highlights their risks to ovarian aging and identifies knowledge gaps in humans and animals. We therefore propose that females adopt healthy lifestyle changes to minimize their exposure to both persistent and non-persistent chemicals, that have the potential damage to their reproductive function.