Low concentration of peroxymonosulfate coupled with visible light triggers oxygen reactive species generation over constructed Bi25FeO40/BiOCl Z-scheme heterojunction for various tetracycline antibiotics removal

Photocatalytic peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidation systems demonstrate significant potential and promising prospects through the interconnection of photocatalytic and PMS oxidation for simultaneously achieving efficient pollutant removal and reduction of PMS dosage, which prevents resource wastage and secondary pollution. In this study, a Z-scheme Bi25FeO40/BiOCl (BOFC) heterojunction was constructed to carry out the photocatalytic PMS oxidation process for tetracyclines (TCs) pollutants at low PMS concentrations (0.08 mM). The photocatalytic PMS oxidation rate of Bi25FeO40/BiOCl composites for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH), chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and doxycycline (DXC) reaches 86.6%, 83.6%, 86.7%, and 88.0% within 120 min. Simultaneously, the BOFC/PMS system under visible light (Vis) equally displayed the practical application prospects for the solo and mixed simulated TCs antibiotics wastewater. Based on the electron spin resonance (ESR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) valence band spectrum, a Z-scheme electron migration pathway was proposed to elucidate the mechanism underlying the performance enhancement of BOFC composites. Bi25FeO40 in BOFC composites can serve as active site for activating PMS by the formation of Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle. Toxicity estimation software tool (T.E.S.T.) and mung beans planting experiment demonstrates that BOFC/PMS/Vis system can reduce toxicity of TCs wastewater. Therefore, BOFC/PMS/Vis system achieves efficient examination in different water environments and efficient utilization of PMS, which displays a scientific reference for achieving environmentally-friendly and resource-saving handling processes.

[Bilateral visual pathway invasion of occipital astrocytoma: a case report]

A 33-year-old female presented to the ophthalmology clinic with right periorbital redness and pain for 12 hours. CT revealed right optic nerve thickening and enlargement. Cranial MRI demonstrated abnormalities in the corpus callosum, bilateral hippocampi, thalamus, basal ganglia, temporal-parietal lobes, and the left frontal lobe. Ocular B-scan ultrasound showed elevated optic disc and high echogenic signals in the right vitreous cavity. The patient had a history of surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for a left occipital glioma two years prior, with pathology indicating astrocytoma (World Health Organization Grade Ⅱ). Combining the patient's history and diagnostic findings, the confirmed diagnosis is bilateral occipital astrocytoma with invasion into the right transverse sinus, bilateral optic pathways involvement related to the left occipital astrocytoma, and seeding of astrocytoma in the right vitreous cavity.

Occupational stress, respect, and the need for psychological counselling in Chinese nurses: a nationwide cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore occupational stress, perceived respect, and the need for psychological counselling among nurses in China.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a nationwide cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Chinese nurses from 311 cities were randomly selected through a simple random sampling method. Occupational stress, perceived respect, and psychological counselling need were assessed using an online questionnaire validated by experts. The underlying associated factors were analysed using multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

We collected and analysed 51,406 valid online questionnaires. Family factors and low income were the most commonly cited sources of occupational stress, and 91.9% and 80.0% of nurses, respectively, perceived that individuals in society and patients did not give adequate respect. Furthermore, 75.5% and 79.7%, respectively, believed they were not respected by clinical managers and doctors. As a result, 64.7% nurses believed they had a moderate or high need for psychological counselling. However, 80.7% indicated that receiving adequate respect could decrease the need for stress-related psychological counselling. Indeed, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that lower respect perceived by nurses was associated with higher need for psychological counselling, particularly regarding criticism that nurses perceived from nursing managers (a little: odds ratio [OR], 1.597; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.176-2.170; P = 0.003; moderately: OR, 1.433; 95% CI, 1.180-1.741; P < 0.001) and the difficulty of receiving respect from patients and their families (a little: OR, 1.389; 95% CI, 1.044-1.850; P = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses in China perceive high levels of occupational stress and low levels of respect and often seek psychological counselling.

Corrigendum: Getting pregnant with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: assisted reproduction and pregnancy complications. A systematic review and meta-analysis

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.982953.].

Effect of tamoxifen in patients with thin endometrium who underwent frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles: a retrospective study

Introduction

Thin endometrium leads to an impaired implantation rate. The aim of the study is to compare the clinical outcomes of tamoxifen (TAM) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used in patients with thin endometrium (<7mm) in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET)cycles.

Methods

A total of 176 FET cycles with thin endometrium were retrospectively analyzed in our center from Jan 2020 to May 2022. According to patients' own will, 112 patients were allocated to the HRT group and 64 patients chose the TAM protocol. Clinical outcomes were compared between two groups.

Result

The duration of treatment was shorter in the TAM group(12.03±2.34d) than the HRT group (16.07±2.52 d), which was statistically different (p<0.05). The endometrial thickness on the transfer day of the TAM group (7.32±1.28 mm) was significantly thicker than that of the HRT group (6.85±0.89mm, p<0.05). The clinical pregnancy rate of the TAM group (50.0%) was higher than that of the HRT group (36.6%), but there was no significant difference (p >0.05). The early miscarriage rate was significantly lower in the TAM group compared with the HRT group (5.9% Vs 26.8%, adjusted OR 0.10, p<0.05), while the live birth rate was higher in the TAM group (46.9% Vs 26.8%, adjusted OR 2.24, p<0.05) compared with the HRT group.

Conclusion

For patients with thin endometrium, TAM effectively improved the endometrial thickness and increased the live birth rate. TAM can be used as an alternative protocol for patients with thin endometrium.

Elevated adipose differentiation-related protein level in ovariectomized mice correlates with tissue-specific regulation of estrogen

OBJECTIVE

Redistribution of adipose tissue in the abdomen during the menopausal transition is attributable mostly to estrogen drop with aging. Adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP), a major component of lipid droplets, is closely related to the onset of lipid accumulation. We hypothesized that estrogen exerted its tissue-specific effect in reducing abdominal fat accumulation by regulation of ADRP.

METHODS

Twenty-four female C57/BL6 mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham operation (Sham), bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), and OVX plus 17β-estradiol (OVX + E2). After being fed 8 weeks of a high-fat diet, plasma lipid profiles including total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, body weight gain, visceral, and subcutaneous adipose tissue, adipocyte size, and ADRP expression were measured.

RESULTS

In comparison to sham-operated mice, OVX mice presented a weight gain with higher plasma TC, TG, LDL-C levels, and lower HDL-C levels. E2 supplement ameliorated the increase in weight and lipid profiles. Elevated ADRP expression was observed in visceral adipose tissue of OVX mice, whereas treatment of estrogen suppressed the ADPR expression and reversed the fat accumulation in the abdomen. However, no significant difference of ADRP expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue was detected between sham, OVX, and OVX + E2 mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggested that enhanced ADRP expression in ovariectomized mice correlates with the tissue-specific regulation of estrogen, which may provide useful clues for further exploring the regulatory mechanism and corresponding anti-abdominal obesity treatment in postmenopausal women.

[Intraocular invasion of bilateral primary ocular adnexal mantle cell lymphoma: a case report]

A male patient presented to department of ophthalmology for progressive left eye blurred vision with visual deformation for 1 month. Imaging findings were typical intraocular lymphoma infiltration, and head MRI and positron emission tomography-CT showed no mass in other parts of the body. After review of the medical history, the patient first presented with extrocular signs such as lacrimal gland enlargement, eyeball protrusion and extraocular myoedema, without any abnormal changes in the fundus. Combined with the history, the patient was diagnosed as a binocular primary accessory mantle cell lymphoma with intraocular infiltration. After 9 months of systemic treatment with rituximab combined with zbrutinib, the patient's binocular visual acuity was significantly improved and the intraocular and intraocular manifestations disappeared.

The role and mechanisms of long non-coding RNA LINC00662 in promoting the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells and the subsequent effect on the progression of gastric cancer

A large body of evidence indicates that long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) is widely involved in various cellular processes and tumor progression. LINC00662, an lncRNA, has been reported to play a role in lung cancer. However, the biological function of LINC00662 in gastric cancer (GC) has not yet been explored. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of LINC00662 in promoting the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells and the subsequent effect on the progression of GC. The expression level of LINC00662 in GC tissues and cells was detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Small interfering RNA was used to silence LINC00662 in BGC-823 and HGC-27 GC cells in vitro for an MTT assay, a colony formation assay, and a transwell assay to determine cell proliferation and invasion ability. LINC00662-silenced BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells were also injected into zebrafish to detect the proliferation and invasion ability of the cells. Co-cultures in vitro of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with silenced LINC00662 and in vivo experiments were also performed. The upregulation of LINC00662 was observed in GC tissues and cell lines. Functional studies in vitro showed that knocking down LINC00662 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of GC cells. In vivo experiments in zebrafish also confirmed that knocked-down LINC00662 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of GC cells, and in vitro angiogenesis experiments showed that the supernatant of GC with knocked-down LINC00662 inhibited the angiogenesis of HUVECs. LINC00662 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration of GC cells and promoted angiogenesis. These findings suggest that LINC00662 may be a potential therapeutic target for GC.

[Application of the "virtual-real combination" experimental teaching model in Human Parasitology teaching: a case study of comprehensive schistosome experiments]

Information technology has become an important driver to facilitate higher education developments in the context of new medical sciences. A new "virtual-real combination" experimental teaching model was designed and created through integrating information technology with experimental teaching by Experimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Sciences and Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University and was applied in Human Parasitology teaching, which achieved satisfactory teaching effectiveness. This new model showed effective to deepen the understanding of the basic human parasitology knowledge, improve the operative skills, and cultivate the moral literacy and comprehensive capability among medical students. This report presents the teaching protocols and implementation, teaching effectiveness and evaluation, and experiences of comprehensive schistosome experiments.

[A case of dislocation of the empty capsular bag into the anterior chamber]

A highly myopic patient complained of 2 months of visual acuity loss and 4 months of ocular pain in the right eye after 16 years after bilateral cataract extraction. The slit lamp microscopy examination showed a residual lens capsule dislocation in the right anterior chamber of the eye, which was diagnosed as a residual lens capsule dislocation in the right eye. After diagnosis and timely treatment, the patient's postoperative vision and visual field recovered well.

[Safety and efficacy of a new domestic distal perforated stent graft in the treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new domestic distal perforated stent graft (Talos stent) in the treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Methods: Twenty-five patients with TBAD treated with Talos stent in Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University from February 2018 to December 2019 were selected as the research subjects. Intraoperative angiography was performed to determine the number of branch arteries that remained after stent release. On postoperative day 5 (POD5), the pain intensity of the patients was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS). The computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the patients before operation, 6 months and 12 months after operation were compared including aortic diameter, true lumen diameter, and false lumen diameter at the level of tracheal bifurcation. Follow-up was performed 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after surgery, and the occurrence of stent-related adverse events, reoperation and survival rate were recorded. Results: The enrolled patients included 19 males and 6 females, aged (52.6±11.1) years. Intraoperative angiography showed that 4 (1, 7) branch arteries were preserved, and the VAS score was 1 (0, 1) on POD5. The aortic diameters at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (34.9±1.1) mm, (34.6±0.9) mm and (34.8±1.0) mm before surgery, 6 months and 12 months after surgery, and there was no significant difference (P=0.926); the diameters of the main true lumen at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (13.3±1.6) mm, (21.8±1.0) mm and (22.3±1.1) mm before surgery, 6 months and 12 months postoperatively, while the diameters of the main false lumen at the level of the tracheal bifurcation were (20.8±2.2) mm, (4.5±1.5) mm, and (4.6±1.7) mm, respectively. Compared with before surgery, the diameter of true lumen increased significantly 6 months and 12 months after surgery (both P<0.001), while the diameter of false lumen decreased (both P<0.001). No stent-related adverse events occurred within 30 days after surgery, no secondary operations occurred within 12 months after surgery, no type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ endoleaks, no deaths or cases of paraplegia were reported, and the stent structure and position remained good. There were no deaths or paraplegia cases 24 months postoperatively, and no stent-related adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Using Talos stent in the treatment of TBAD can effectively help remodel the aorta, while preserve the intercostal artery and spinal artery, with good clinical effect and safety.

Getting pregnant with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: Assisted reproduction and pregnancy complications. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Many patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) refrain from seeking pregnancy, suffer from infertility or worry about pregnancy complications, mainly due to genitalia abnormalities, anovulation, unreceptive endometrium and metabolic disturbances. Despite those challenges, many live births have been reported. In this systematic review, we focused on the key to successful assisted reproduction strategies and the potential pregnancy complications. We did a systematic literature search of Pubmed, Medline and Scopus for articles reporting successful pregnancies in CAH other than 21-hydroxylase deficiency, and found 25 studies reporting 39 pregnancies covering deficiency in steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase, 11β-hydroxylase, P450 oxidoreductase, cytochrome b5 and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. We summarized various clinical manifestations and tailored reproduction strategy for each subtype. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the pregnancy complications of CAH patients. A total of 19 cross-sectional or cohort studies involving 1311 pregnancies of classic and non-classic CAH patients were included. Surprisingly, as high as 5.5% (95% CI 2.3%-9.7%) of pregnancies were electively aborted, and the risk was significantly higher in those studies with a larger proportion of classic CAH than those with only non-classical patients (8.43% (4.1%-13.81%) VS 3.75%(1.2%-7.49%)), which called for better family planning. Pooled incidence of miscarriage was 18.2% (13.4%-23.4%) with a relative risk (RR) of 1.86 (1.27-2.72) compared to control. Glucocorticoid treatment in non-classical CAH patients significantly lowered the miscarriage rate when compared to the untreated group (RR 0.25 (0.13-0.47)). CAH patients were also more susceptible to gestational diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence of 7.3% (2.4%-14.1%) and a RR 2.57 (1.29-5.12). However, risks of preeclampsia, preterm birth and small for gestational age were not significantly different. 67.8% (50.8%-86.9%) CAH patients underwent Cesarean delivery, 3.86 (1.66-8.97) times the risk of the control group. These results showed that fertility is possible for CAH patients but special care was necessary when planning, seeking and during pregnancy.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=342642, CRD42022342642.

The outcomes of sequential embryo transfer in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization with frozen-thawed embryos: A retrospective study

AIM

To explore whether sequential embryo transfer benefits patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

METHODS

We included 311 patients with a history of RIF in this retrospective study. We did sequential transfers with a cleavage embryo on day 3 and a blastocyst on day 5 in 77 patients; blastocyst transfers with two blastocysts on day 5 in 80 patients; and cleavage embryo transfers with two cleavage embryos on day 3 in 154 patients. We compared clinical outcomes between the three groups.

RESULTS

The clinical pregnancy rate was comparable between the blastocyst transfer group (48.8%), the sequential transfer group(48.1%) and the cleavage embryo transfer group (48.1%). There was no statistically significant difference found (p > 0.05). The ongoing pregnancy and multipregnancy rates were also comparable between the three groups (p > 0.05). The early miscarriage rate was significantly higher in the sequential transfer group (32.4%) compared with the blastocyst group (12.8%) and the cleavage embryo group (12.2%) (p < 0.05). However, after adjusting for confounders, there was no significant difference in early miscarriage rates in the sequential transfer group compared with the blastocyst group (odds ratio [OR], 2.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-9.24; p = 0.07) and the cleavage embryo group (OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 0.94-8.06; p = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Sequential embryo transfer failed to improve clinical outcomes for patients with RIF.

[Effect of phacoemulsification on the Berger space]

Objective: To investigate the effect of phacoemulsification on the Berger space (BS). Methods: A prospective cohort study. Patients with cataract who underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation in the Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from May 2021 to October 2021 were enrolled. The BS was observed by slit-lamp microscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and 1 month after operation. Intraoperative optical coherence tomography with a 25G optical fiber was performed to observe the BS. The number of eyes with the BS and materials in the BS (MIB) detected perioperatively was counted, and the width of the BS was measured. Statistical analysis was carried out by the Chi-square test, generalized estimating equations, Mann-Whitney U test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 119 patients (119 eyes) were included [44 males, 75 females; mean age, (65±12) years]. Preoperatively, the BS was identified in only 4 eyes (3.4%), and no MIB was found. Intraoperatively, the BS was identified in 47 eyes (39.5%), and the MIB was observed in 20 eyes (16.8%). At one month postoperatively, the BS was identified in 33 eyes (27.7%), of which 16 eyes (13.4%) still had MIB. There were significant differences in the detection rates of the BS and MIB between intraoperative and preoperative groups (both P<0.001). The difference in the detection rate of the BS postoperatively compared to intraoperatively was statistically significant (P=0.001), while the difference in the detection rate of MIB was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The intraoperative and postoperative width of the BS [M (Q₁, Q₃)] was 160.3 (61.6, 273.1) μm and 106.8 (0, 259.4) μm, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.28, P=0.023). In addition, the detection rate of the BS and MIB in patients with a high risk of zonular fiber weakness [60.7% (17/28) and 42.9% (12/28)] was significantly higher than that in patients without this risk factor [33.0% (30/91) and 8.8% (8/91)] (χ²=6.90, P=0.009; P<0.001). In the multivariable model, weakness of zonular fibers (OR=0.214, 95%CI: 0.081 to 0.561) and higher cumulative dissipated energy (OR=1.255, 95%CI: 1.047 to 1.504) were the main risk factors for structural changes of the BS intraoperatively. Conclusion: Phacoemulsification can damage the normal anatomical structure of the BS, resulting in intraoperative entrance of fluid and particulates to the BS.

[The role of preventive pancreatic duct stent placement in preventing acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography]

The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effect of pancreatic duct stent on acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A retrospective analysis of the case data of patients who first underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis in the Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 for 5 years. According to whether the pancreatic duct stent was indwelled during the operation, they were divided into pancreatic duct stent group (147 cases) and non-indwelling pancreatic duct stent group (192 cases). The incidence of acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was compared between the two groups according to COTTON criteria. Independent sample t test, Pearson Chi-square test (χ²) and Fisher's exact test were used to compare groups' differences. There were 2 cases of acute pancreatitis in the pancreatic duct stent group, all of which improved after 48 hours. There were 22 cases of acute pancreatitis in the non-indwelling pancreatic duct stent group, of which 20 cases improved within 48 hours, and the other 2 cases had severe pancreatitis, which improved and discharged after 30 days of treatment. There was significant difference in the incidence of acute pancreatitis between the pancreatic duct stenting group (1.4%) and the group without placement of pancreatic duct stents (11.5%) (χ²=12.905,P<0.001). In conclusion, Pancreatic duct stent may be an effective method to prevent PEP.

Heterostructured Bi-Cu2S nanocrystals for efficient CO2 electroreduction to formate

The electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (ECO₂RR) driven by renewable electricity holds promise to store intermittent energy in chemical bonds, while producing value-added chemicals and fuels sustainably. Unfortunately, it remains a grand challenge to simultaneously achieve a high faradaic efficiency (FE), a low overpotential, and a high current density of the ECO₂RR. Herein, we report the synthesis of heterostructured Bi-Cu₂S nanocrystals via a one-pot solution-phase method. The epitaxial growth of Cu₂S on Bi leads to abundant interfacial sites and the resultant heterostructured Bi-Cu₂S nanocrystals enable highly efficient ECO₂RR with a largely reduced overpotential (240 mV lower than that of Bi), a near-unity FE (>98%) for formate production, and a high partial current density (2.4- and 5.2-fold higher J_HCOO^- than Cu₂S and Bi at -1.0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the electron transfer from Bi to Cu₂S at the interface leads to the preferential stabilization of the formate-evolution intermediate (*OCHO).

It is not worth postponing frozen embryo transfers after oocyte pickup: A retrospective cohort study based on propensity score matching

This study was to explore whether postponing frozen embryo transfers (FET) after oocyte pickup (OPU) improves clinical and neonatal outcomes. From May 2018 to Dec 2020, a total of 1109 patients underwent their first OPU cycles adopting a non-selective freeze-all policy were included in this retrospective cohort study. In the immediate group (n=219), patients underwent FET in the first menstrual cycle after OPU, and patients in the postponed group (n=890) waited for more than 1 menstrual cycle after OPU to perform FET. A propensity score matching (PSM) model was used to evaluate the clinical outcomes and neonatal outcomes between the two groups. There were 209 patients in the immediate group and 499 patients in the postponed one after PSM. Patients waited for a significantly shorter period for FET in the immediate group (30.74 ± 3.85 days) compared with the postponed group (80.39 ± 26.25 days, P<0.01). The clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) in the immediate group were 58.4% and 48.3%, respectively, which were comparable to those of the postponed one (58.1%, 49.7%, P > 0.05). No statistical significance was found in the average birth weight (3088.82 ± 565.35 g vs 3038.64 ± 625.78 g, P > 0.05) and height (49.08 ± 1.87 cm vs 49.30 ± 2.52 cm) of neonates between the two groups. The gender ratio, the incidence of macrosomia and low birth weight did not differ significantly between the two groups. In conclusion, postponing FET does not improve clinical and neonatal outcomes. If patients have no contraindications, FETs should be carried out immediately after OPU.

Dual modulation steering electron reducibility and transfer of bismuth molybdate nanoparticle to boost carbon dioxide photoreduction to carbon monoxide

Owing to the exorbitant CO₂ activation energy and unsatisfactory photogenerated charge separation efficiency, CO₂ photoconversion still faces enormous challenges. In this study, a directional electron transfer channel has been established by decorating N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) on the surface of Bi₄MoO₉ nanoparticles to ensure that more active electrons can participate in the CO₂ reduction. The conduction band of Bi₄MoO₉ nanoparticles is calculated to be -1.55 eV versus the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE), pH = 7, which is negative enough to attain the photocatalytic CO₂ reduction potential of -0.53 eV versus NHE, pH = 7. CO₂ adsorption curves and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectra reveal that N-CQDs facilitate surface CO₂ adsorption and activation, as well as CO desorption. In addition, steady-state photoluminescence and photoelectrochemical tests prove that the charge separation efficiency can be greatly enhanced by constructing N-CQDs/Bi₄MoO₉ composites. In the presence of pure water, N-CQDs/Bi₄MoO₉-2 composite achieved a CO yield of 16.22 μmol g^-1 after 5 h Xe light illumination, which was 3.24 times higher than that of pure Bi₄MoO₉ (4.98 μmol g^-1). This study offers a distinctive approach to the optimization of Bi₄MoO₉ photocatalysts and their application in energy conversion.

Confrontment and solution to gonadotropin resistance and low oocyte retrieval in in vitro fertilization for type I BPES: a case series with review of literature

Background

FOXL2 mutations in human cause Blepharophimosis, ptosis, and epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES). While type II BPES solely features eyelid abnormality, type I BPES involves not only eyelid but also ovary, leading to primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and female infertility. Current mainstream reproductive option for type I BPES is embryo or oocyte donation. Attempts on assisted reproductive technology (ART) aiming biological parenthood in this population were sparse and mostly unsuccessful.

Case presentation

Two Chinese type I BPES patients with low anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) presented with primary infertility in their early 30s. Genetic studies confirmed two heterozygous duplication mutations that were never reported previously in East Asian populations. They received in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and both exhibited resistance to gonadotropin and difficulty in retrieving oocytes in repeated cycles. Doubled to quadrupled total gonadotropin doses were required to awaken follicular response. Patient 1 delivered a baby girl with the same eyelid phenotype and patient 2 had ongoing live intrauterine pregnancy at the time of manuscript submission.

Conclusions

This is the second reported live birth of biological offspring in type I BPES patients, and first success using IVF techniques. It confirmed that ART is difficult but feasible in type I BPES. It further alerts clinicians and genetic counsellors to type female BPES patients with caution in view of the precious and potentially narrowed reproductive window.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-021-00900-2.

[Diagnostic value of the combinations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen detection and cryptococcal antigen test in pulmonary cryptococcosis]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid pathogen detection combined with cryptococcal antigen test(CrAg) for pulmonary cryptococcosis(PC). Methods: A retrospective case analysis was performed on non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients admitted to Ninghai First Hospital for suspected PC from January 2018 to December 2019. Fifty-nine patients were included. Sixteen cases (8 males and 8 females) were diagnosed with PC, aged from 18 to 76 years[an average age of (52±14) years], while 43 cases were diagnosed as having Non-PC. All patients had undergone both serum CrAg test and BALF pathogen detection(cultures and direct examination) combined with BALF-CrAg test. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined method of BALF was evaluated, and a parallel comparison of the diagnostic efficiencies of the two methods were made. Results: Of the 16 confirmed PC cases, serum CrAg tests were positive in 11 and negative in 5 cases, while the combined method showed that 14 were positive and 2 were negative. Compared with the clinical final diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value showed that the serum CrAg tests were 68.8% (11/16), 97.7% (42/43), 91.7% (11/12), 89.3% (42/47) respectively, versus 87.5% (14/16), 100.0% (43/43), 100% (14/14), 95.6% (43/45) by the combined method of BALF. The results displayed no statistical difference between the two diagnostic methods (P =1.000). Among the 5 initially serum CrAg-negative cases, 4 were later confirmed as proven PC via the combined method of BALF and the other one by percutaneous lung biopsy. Conclusion: The combined method of BALF pathogen detection with BALF-CrAg showed a similar statistical efficiency rate for diagnosing pulmonary cryptococcosis compared with serum CrAg tests. It may serve as an efficient diagnosis method for PC cases with negative serum CrAg tests.

Physicochemical properties of red palm oil extruded potato and sweet potato snacks

Extruded potato (P) and sweet potato (SP) products with red palm oil (RPO) were prepared under different conditions. Superior product characteristics such as sensory score, expansion ratio, and water solubility index, among others, were obtained at high extrusion temperature (150-155 °C) and low water feed rate to the extruder (50.4-50.8 mL/min). The optimal products, P1 and SP1, had high micronutrients as their total contents of β-carotene, squalene, tocopherols, and tocotrienols were 883.2, 304.4, 262.4, and 397.0 mg/kg of oil, respectively. The average peroxide value was 4.3 meq O2/kg oil, p-anisidine value 3.3, and induction period (100 °C) 11.4 h. Moreover, RPO extruded with P showed a better extrusion behavior but lower micronutrient retention and oxidative stability than that extruded with SP. Thus, the finding herein is important for investigating extrusion conditions, increasing variety, improving nutritional quality, assessing applicability and predicting the shelf-life of RPO-P/SP-extruded food.

[Analysis of perioperative complications and influencing factors of complications in 1 000 cases of robotic gynecological surgery]

Objective: To investigate the occurrence and influencing factors of perioperative complications after robotic gynecologic surgery. Methods: The clinical data and occurrence of perioperative complications in 1 000 cases robotic surgery completed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were retrospectively analyzed. Results: (1) Clinical data: the average age of the patients was (50.2±10.4) years old, and the average body mass index (BMI) was (24.4±3.6) kg/m². Among 1 000 cases, 811 cases of them were malignant tumors, including 405 cases of cervical cancer, 279 cases of endometrial carcinoma, 112 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), 15 cases of vulvar cancer; 189 cases of them were benign diseases, including 43 cases of uterine prolapse, 57 cases hysterectomy of uterine leiomyoma and adenomyosis of the uterus ≥12 weeks, 84 cases myomectomy of uterine leiomyoma, and 5 cases of fallopian tubal ligation requiring anastomosis. Surgical methods: in patients with malignant tumors, cervical cancer, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy for stage Ⅰa1, and radical hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphatic dissection plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy for stage Ⅰa2-Ⅱb. Endometrial carcinoma, performed by staging surgery. Staging surgery for EOC with early stage and cytoreductive surgery with advanced EOC. Vulvar cancer, extensive vulvar resection plus inguinal lymphadenectomy. In patients with benign diseases, uterine prolapse, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy plus sacrocolpopexy. Uterine leiomyoma or adenomyosis with uterus ≥ 12 weeks, hysterectomy plus salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. Myomectomy for patients requiring uterine preservation with uterine leiomyoma. Tubal anastomosis for patients with fallopian tubal ligation. (2) Surgical complications: intraoperative complications occurred in 25 patients (2.5%, 25/1 000), including 11 patients with vascular laceration, 11 patients with ureteral injury, 2 patients with bladder injury, and 1 patient with intestinal injury. Postoperative complications occurred in 130 patients (13.0%, 130/1 000), including 66 cases of lower limb venous thrombosis, 20 cases of lymphatic cyst, 8 cases of hydronephrosis, 9 cases of ileus, 16 cases with infection, 6 cases with genital fistula, 4 cases with trocar site herniation and 1 case with subcutaneous emphysema. The incidence of intraoperative complications was 3.1% (25/811) in malignant tumors and no case in benign diseases, the incidence rate in malignant tumors was significantly higher than that in benign diseases (χ²=4.778, P=0.029). The incidence rate in cervical cancer (4.2%, 17/405) and EOC (3.6%, 4/112) were significantly higher than those in endometrial carcinoma (1.4%, 4/279) and vulvar cancer (0/15; P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.2% (123/811) in malignant tumors and 3.7% (7/189) in benign diseases. The incidence rate in malignant tumors was significantly higher than that in benign diseases (χ²=17.807, P<0.01), but there were no significant difference among different malignant tumors (χ²=4.318, P=0.229). (3) The correlative factors affecting the occurrence of surgical complications: patient's age, BMI, previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, the nature of disease (malignant or benign), operation time, and comorbidities had a significant impact on the incidence of postoperative complications (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the patient's age ≥40 years old, BMI ≥25 kg/m², previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, malignant tumors and comorbidities were independent influential factors of the postoperative complications (P<0.05). Conclusions: Perioperative complications vary according to the type of the surgery. The age, BMI, previous pelvic or abdominal surgery history, malignant tumors, and comorbidities are influential factors of postoperative complications.

Electrocatalysis in confined spaces: interplay between well-defined materials and the microenvironment

Catalysis in a confined space has attracted much attention due to the simultaneously designable nature of active sites and their microenvironment, leading to a broad spectrum of highly efficient chemical conversion schemes. Recent work has extended the scope of confined catalysis to electrochemical reactions. Mechanistic studies suggest that the confined environment in electrocatalysis can modulate mechanical, electronic, and geometric effects, stabilizing important charge-transfer intermediates and promoting reaction kinetics. In this minireview, we first discuss the fundamental concepts of confined catalysis by summarizing density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental investigations. We then present the rational design and applications of space-confined electrocatalysts with emphasis on the confined environment provided by carbon-based materials. We specifically focus on metal-based materials confined in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their applications in emerging electrochemical reactions including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), water-splitting reactions, carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), and nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Finally, the existing challenges, opportunities, and future directions of electrocatalysis in confined spaces are highlighted.

Deterministic risk assessment of firefighting water additives to aquatic organisms

Past firefighting water additives were found to contain perfluorinated compounds that could persist in the environment resulting in potential adverse effects to biota. Since this revelation, manufacturers have introduced alternative firefighting water additives that are fluorine free, but few studies have investigated the fate and effects in the environment of these new additives. Firefighting water additives could enter aquatic ecosystems through run-off, leaching or direct application. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the potential effect that firefighting water additives could have on aquatic biota. This study investigated the toxicity of six firefighting water additives: Eco-Gel™, Thermo-Gel™, FireAde™, Fire-Brake™, Novacool Foam™, and F-500™ to aquatic biota. The toxicities of firefighting water additives to Lemna minor (duckweed), Daphnia magna (water flea), Hexagenia spp. larvae (mayfly), Lampsilis fasciola (wavy-rayed lampmussel) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) were investigated through acute and chronic static and semi-static tests to estimate LC50 values for survival and EC50 values for immobility and/or reproduction endpoints. A large variation in toxicities among the firefighting water additives and among the test species was observed. Based on a worst-case exposure scenario of direct application, several firefighting water additives were found to pose a hazard to aquatic organisms. An exposure rate representative of a direct overhead application by a water bomber during a forest fire was used in the hazard assessment. For example, the hazard quotients determined for the D. magna acute toxicity tests ranged from 0.20 for Eco-Gel to 317 for F-500 in the forest pool (15 cm) scenario. This study presents the first deterministic risk assessment of firefighting water additives in aquatic ecosystems.

[Long-term oncological outcomes of laparoscopic versus abdominal surgery in stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI+）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer patients with different tumor size: a big database in China]

Objective: To compare the long-term oncological outcomes between laparoscopic and abdominal surgery in stage Ⅰa1 （lymph-vascular space invasion-positive, LVSI⁺）- Ⅰb1 cervical cancer patients with different tumor sizes. Methods: Based on the Big Database of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Cancer in China (1538 project database), patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer who treated by laparoscopic or abdominal surgery were included. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) between the two surgical approaches were compared under 1∶1 propensity score matching (PSM) in different tumor diameter stratification. Results: (1) A total of 4 891 patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2016 were included in the 1538 project database. Among them, 1 926 cases in the laparoscopic group and 2 965 cases in the abdominal group. There were no difference in 5-year OS and 5-year DFS between the two groups before matching. Cox multivariate analysis suggested that laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.367, 95%CI: 1.105-1.690, P=0.004). After 1∶1 PSM matching, 1 864 patients were included in each group, and there was no difference in 5-year OS between the two groups （94.1% vs 95.4%, P=0.151）. While, the inferior 5-year DFS was observed in the laparoscopic group (89.0% vs 92.3%, P=0.004). And the laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.420, 95%CI: 1.109-1.818, P=0.006). (2) In stratification analysis of different tumor sizes, and there were no difference in 5-year OS and 5-year DFS between the laparoscopic group and abdominal group in tumor size ≤1 cm, >1-2 cm and >2-3 cm stratification (all P>0.05). Cox multivariate analysis showed that laparoscopic surgery were not related to 5-year OS and 5-year DFS (P>0.05). In the stratification of tumor size >3-4 cm, there was no difference in 5-year OS between the two groups (P>0.05). The 5-year DFS in the laparoscopic group was worse than that in the abdominal group (75.7% vs 85.8%, P=0.025). Cox multivariate analysis suggested that laparoscopic surgery was associated with lower 5-year DFS (HR=1.705, 95%CI: 1.088-2.674, P=0.020). Conclusions: For patients with stage Ⅰa1 （LVSI⁺）-Ⅰb1 cervical cancer, laparoscopic surgery is associated with lower 5-year DFS, and the adverse effect of laparoscopic surgery on oncology prognosis is mainly reflected in patients with tumor size >3-4 cm. For patients with tumor sizes ≤1 cm, >1-2 cm and >2-3 cm, there are no difference in oncological prognosis between the two surgical approaches.

Astrochemical relevance of VUV ionization of large PAH cations. Astron Astrophys 2020;641:A98. [PMID: 33154599 PMCID: PMC7116310 DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202038139]

CONTEXT

As a part of interstellar dust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are processed by the interaction with vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) photons that are emitted by hot young stars. This interaction leads to the emission of the well-known aromatic infrared bands but also of electrons, which can significantly contribute to the heating of the interstellar gas.

AIMS

Our aim is to investigate the impact of molecular size on the photoionization properties of cationic PAHs.

METHODS

Trapped PAH cations of sizes between 30 and 48 carbon atoms were submitted to VUV photons in the range of 9 to 20 eV from the DESIRS beamline at the synchrotron SOLEIL. All resulting photoproducts including dications and fragment cations were mass-analyzed and recorded as a function of photon energy.

RESULTS

Photoionization is found to be predominant over dissociation at all energies, which differs from an earlier study on smaller PAHs. The photoionization branching ratio reaches 0.98 at 20 eV for the largest studied PAH. The photoionization threshold is observed to be between 9.1 and 10.2 eV, in agreement with the evolution of the ionization potential with size. Ionization cross sections were indirectly obtained and photoionization yields extracted from their ratio with theoretical photoabsorption cross sections, which were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. An analytical function was derived to calculate this yield for a given molecular size.

CONCLUSIONS

Large PAH cations could be efficiently ionized in H i regions and provide a contribution to the heating of the gas by photoelectric effect. Also, at the border of or in H ii regions, PAHs could be exposed to photons of energy higher than 13.6 eV. Our work provides recipes to be used in astronomical models to quantify these points.

Antibiotic-induced role interchange between rare and predominant bacteria retained the function of a bacterial community for denitrifying quinoline degradation

AIM

Quinoline is a recalcitrant pollutant in coking wastewater which has been broadly investigated with many isolates possessing aerobic quinoline-degrading ability. However, studies on anaerobic degradation and the corresponding bacteria are very scarce. This study attempted to investigate the role of diverse functional members and the redundancy of quinoline degradation in a lab-scale quinoline denitrifying bioreactor.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Antibiotics were added to the batch culture under denitrifying conditions to disturb the microbial community of the quinoline-degrading bioreactor. According to the results, the nitrate removal rate remained stable, and the quinoline removal rate increased by 9·7% after treatment with streptomycin. However, PCoA analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data of these samples indicated a significant shift in microbial community structures. Specifically, 12 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including OTU1 (Pseudomonas) and OTU2 (Achromobacter), were significantly enriched. OTU1 replaced OTU8 (Thauera) as the most predominant denitrifying quinoline-degrading member. However, OTU8 and other predominant OTUs (Comamonas and Pseudoxanthomonas), which were hypothesized to contribute essentially to quinoline degradation in the origin bioreactor, became almost undetectable.

CONCLUSION

Functional redundancy due to high biological diversity allowed the role reversal of predominant quinoline-degrading bacteria and other rare bacteria when disturbed by antibiotic stress. Although the abundance of OTU1 was much lower initially, it replaced the essential role of the predominant member OTU8 in the bioreactor community for quinoline degradation once the environmental condition changed.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study indicated that the high biological diversity in a wastewater treatment bacterial community is crucial for maintaining the degrading function of organic pollutants, especially in a changing environment due to external disturbance or stress.

Expression levels of SCCA and CYFRA 21-1 in serum of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with tumorigenesis and progression

PURPOSE

To explore the concentration of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and its correlation with tumorigenesis and progression.

METHODS

A total of 78 patients with LSCC admitted to our hospital from February 2010 to January 2016 were enrolled as the research group (RG), and another 41 healthy volunteers from the same period were selected as the control group (CG). The serum concentrations of SCCA and CYFRA21-1 in patients with LSCC were detected by ELISA, whose diagnostic value in LSCC were further analyzed by ROC curve. The prognosis and survival curves of patients with LSCC were observed according to the median value of serum SCCA and CYFRA21-1 concentrations.

RESULTS

The concentration of CYFRA21-1 and SCCA in the RG was significantly higher than that in the CG (p < 0.050). The SCCA and CYFRA21-1 identified a significant difference in smoking, lymphatic metastasis, TNM staging, and differentiation degree (p < 0.050). The survival rate of the SCCA low-concentration group was significantly better than that of the high-concentration group, p < 0.050. The survival rate of the CYFRA21-1 low-concentration group was markedly better than that of the high-concentration group, p < 0.050.

CONCLUSIONS

SCCA and CYFRA21-1 are highly concentrated in LSCC patients, which have good diagnostic efficacy for LSCC. In addition, they play some certain role in the occurrence and development of LSCC, and are expected to be markers for early diagnosis and prognosis of this disease.

Perinatal outcomes in dichorionic diamniotic twins with multifetal pregnancy reduction versus expectant management: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Published findings on perinatal outcomes of multifetal pregnancy reduction (MPR) of dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancy to singleton are controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to appraise the effects of MPR of DCDA twin pregnancy versus expectant management on perinatal outcomes.

METHODS

Four electronic databases were searched from their inception to June 15, 2019, to identify publications that appraised MPR before 15 weeks of gestation. Studies reporting perinatal outcomes of both MPR of DCDA twin pregnancy to singleton and expectant management were considered. The relative risks (RRs) and mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Six studies involving 7398 participants showed that MPR of DCDA twin pregnancy to singleton was associated with a lower risk of preterm birth (5 studies with 7297 participants; RR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.22-0.40; P < .001) and higher birth weight (4 studies with 5763 participants; mean differences: 548.10 g, 95% CI: 424.04-672.15; P < .001) than expectant management; there was no difference in the occurrence of miscarriages (5 studies with 7355 participants; RR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.90-2.75; P = .11). Sensitivity analysis showed that all the results were stable and reliable, with the omission of 2 studies with serious risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

Compared to expectant management, MPR of DCDA twin pregnancy to singleton prevents preterm birth and low birth weight, without increasing the risk of miscarriages. Regarding perinatal morbidity related to preterm birth, MPR can be reserved as a remediation measure to improve the perinatal outcomes of DCDA twin pregnancies.

1039 Sleep And Daytime Activity Among Mechanically Ventilated Adults During Early Critical Illness

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to report 5 consecutive days’ descriptive data for sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), and daytime activity ratio (DAR) among critically ill mechanically ventilated adults from 9 intensive care units (ICU) across two hospitals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe sleep and activity patterns among mechanically ventilated adults during the early critical illness period.

Methods

We enrolled 31 critically ill mechanically ventilated subjects within 48 hours of ICU admission. Daytime periods were defined as 06:00-21:59; nighttime periods were defined as 22:00-05:59. Actigraphy estimated nighttime SE, TST, and the DAR. We calculated mean DARs [DAR = (daytime activity count per minute / 24-hour activity count per minute) x 100], which may be an indicator of altered rest/activity cycles. In our study, a DAR of &gt;80% was used to define normal rest/activity patterns. Descriptive analyses were used for this sub-analysis of our parent randomized controlled trial.

Results

Among the 31 subjects included, the mean age was 59.6 ± 17.3 years, 41.9% were male, 80.6% were White, and 67.7% were Hispanic/Latino. The mean nighttime SE and TST over the 5-day ICU period were 83.1% ± 16.1 and 6.6 ± 1.3 hours, respectively. The mean DAR over the 5-day ICU period was 66.5% ± 19.2. Only 17.5% of subject days (14 days out of a total of 80 recorded days) met the definition of normal rest/activity patterns (DAR &gt;80%).

Conclusion

Throughout the early ICU period, among mechanically ventilated patients, both the sleep/wake as well as the rest/activity cycle were disturbed. Intervention studies targeting the optimization of nighttime sleep consolidation and daytime activity should be investigated.

Support

This project was supported by a federal grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR016702). This clinical trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03128671).

Bismuth Vacancy-Tuned Bismuth Oxybromide Ultrathin Nanosheets toward Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Surface defects in semiconductors have a significant role to tune the photocatalytic reactions. However, the dominant studied defect type is oxygen vacancy, and metal cation vacancies are seldom explored. Herein, bismuth vacancies are engineered into BiOBr through ultrathin structure control and employed to tune photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. V_Bi-BiOBr ultrathin nanosheets deliver a high selective CO generation rate of 20.1 μmol g^-1 h^-1 in pure water, without any cocatalyst, photosensitizer, and sacrificing reagent, roughly 3.8 times higher than that of BiOBr nanosheets. The increased CO₂ reduction activity is ascribed to the tuned electronic structure, optimized CO₂ adsorption, activation, and CO desorption process over V_Bi-BiOBr ultrathin nanosheets. This work offers new opportunities for designing surface metal vacancies to optimize the CO₂ photoreduction performances.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) silencing and Hep-2 sensitizing dendritic cell vaccine in laryngocarcinoma immunotherapy

OBJECTIVE

Many studies have recently suggested that dendritic cell (DC) vaccine contributes to the immunotherapy of various types of human tumors. It has been proved that the tumor antigen sensitizing and the gene silencing are effective methods for the preparation of the DC vaccines. The aim of this study is to investigate the specific anti-laryngocarcinoma immune response for the suppression of cytokine signaling1 (SOCS1) silencing and Hep-2 sensitizing DC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The dendritic cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were induced by cytokines GM-CSF, IL-4, and TNF-α in vitro, and the morphological characteristics of dendritic cells were observed under a microscope, indicating that they successfully differentiated into dendritic cells. The RNA interference vector was used to transfect dendritic cells. The expression of SOCS1 was detected by Western blot and the effective target sequence for inhibiting the expression of SOCS1 was screened. The expressions of CD83, CD86, and HLA-DR on dendritic cells were detected by flow cytometry. The content of IFN-γ in the supernatant was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) was used to evaluate the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate T cell proliferation and induce the killing activity of cytotoxic T cells.

RESULTS

The result of PCR and Western blot analysis shows that the expression of SOCS1 significantly decreased under the influence of the 5th interference sequence. The flow cytometric analysis results show that SOCS1 silencing and Hep-2 sensitizing dendritic cells had high expressions of CD83 (85.61±0.96)%, CD86 (96.86±1.20)%, and HLA-DR (98.02±0.94)%. The DC vaccine could increase the production of IFN-γ according to the ELISA assay results. The MTT assay results show that the DC vaccine could also stimulate the proliferation of the T cells and effectively and eventually enhance the specific killing effect of CTL.

CONCLUSIONS

SOCS1 silencing and Hep-2 sensitizing DC vaccine could induce an effective and specific anti-laryngocarcinoma immune response.