Follicular fluid cytokine composition and oocyte quality of polycystic ovary syndrome patients with metabolic syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Purpose: To provide insights into the correlation among lipid metabolism, cytokine profiles in the follicular fluid (FF) and embryo quality of women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods: Ninety women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment were recruited, including 60 PCOS patients (PCOS non MS and PCOS MS) and 30 age-matched controls. Individual FF samples were analyzed using the cytometric multiplex immunoassay.

Exploration of CaTi(PO)@carbon Nanocomposite as the High-Rate Negative Electrode for Na-Ion Batteries.

Exploring suitable electrode materials with high specific capacity and high-rate capability is a challenging goal for the development of Na-ion batteries. Here, we report a NASICON-structured compound, CaTi(PO), with respect to its synthesis and electrochemical properties. The electrode is found to enable fast Na ion diffusion owing to the rich crystallographic vacancies, affording a reversible capacity of 264 mA h g between 3.

Association between dioxin and cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis.

The objective of the present study was to systematically assess the association between dioxin/2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and cancer incidence and mortality. Systematic literature searches were conducted until July 2015 in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane library to identify relevant studies. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR), risk ratio (RR), standard incidence ratio (SIR) or standard mortality ratio (SMR) for cancer incidence or mortality.

The effect of the TLR9 ligand CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide on the protective immune response to radiation-induced lung fibrosis in mice.

CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) is not only reported to protect against airway hyper responsiveness but is also known as a potent vaccine adjuvant for anti-tumor therapy. Little is known about the effect of CpG-ODN in mice with radiation-induced lung fibrosis (RILF), a common late stage form of tissue damage that occurs after thorax radiotherapy (RT). Here, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of CpG-ODN on the development of RILF.

Antioxidant balance and accumulation of advanced glycation end products after the consumption of standard diets including Maillard reaction products from silver carp peptides.

The aim of this research was to investigate the accumulation and excretion of AGEs including fluorescent compounds and N-ε-carboxymethyllysine (CML) in streptozotocin-induced diabetes C57BL/6J mice fed on a diet containing Maillard reaction products (MRPs) from a silver carp peptide-glucose model system at different heating temperatures for the first time, and analyze the relationship between their in vitro antioxidant activity based on DPPH and ORAC assays and in vivo oxidative stress. The in vitro antioxidant activity of MRPs positively correlated with their AGEs level and molecular weight distribution. However, the opposite results were found by malondialdehyde (MDA) and super oxide dismutase (SOD) assays that MRPs from a higher heating temperature could aggravate the oxidative stress of diabetic mice.

The interaction effects of risk factors for hypertension in adults: a cross-sectional survey in Guilin, China.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension in adults is increasing each year and has become a main public health issue worldwide. We must consider the impact of both individual factors and interactions among these factors on hypertension in adults. This study was designed to elucidate the clinical and metabolic characteristics of the prevalence of hypertension in adults and to explore the risk factors and interactions among these factors in adults with hypertension.

Neural, electrophysiological and anatomical basis of brain-network variability and its characteristic changes in mental disorders.

SEE MATTAR ET AL DOI101093/AWW151 FOR A SCIENTIFIC COMMENTARY ON THIS ARTICLE: Functional brain networks demonstrate significant temporal variability and dynamic reconfiguration even in the resting state. Currently, most studies investigate temporal variability of brain networks at the scale of single (micro) or whole-brain (macro) connectivity. However, the mechanism underlying time-varying properties remains unclear, as the coupling between brain network variability and neural activity is not readily apparent when analysed at either micro or macroscales.

Sodium butyrate exerts neuroprotective effects by restoring the blood-brain barrier in traumatic brain injury mice.

Sodium butyrate (SB) has been widely used to treat cerebral diseases. The aim of the present study is to examine the neuroprotective effects of SB on early TBI in mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms of these effects. TBI was induced using a modified weight-drop method.

Antidepressant-like effects of sodium butyrate and its possible mechanisms of action in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress.

Sodium butyrate (NaB) has exhibited neuroprotective activity. This study aimed to explore that NaB exerts beneficial effects on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression-like behaviors and its possible mechanisms. The behavioral tests including sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT), tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were to evaluate the antidepressant effects of NaB.

Association between dietary carbohydrate intake, glycemic index and glycemic load, and risk of gastric cancer.

Purpose: The association between dietary carbohydrate intake, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), and risk of gastric cancer (GC) has been investigated by many studies. However, the results of these studies were controversial. The aim of our study was to systematically assess this issue.

[The effect of Ixabepilone on NSCLC cells radio-sensitivity under quiescent or hypoxic condition].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ixabepilone on quiescent or hypoxic cells response to ionizing radiation.

Methods: NCI-H460 and A549, two human NSCLC cell lines, were employed in this experiment. Quiescent cells (QC) or hypoxic cells (HC) were induced as mentioned previously and untreated cells as control.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Serum Interleukin-6 in Colorectal Cancer.

The application of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been evaluated in many studies, whereas the results were contradictive.The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate this issue.An original study was conducted to explore the diagnostic value of serum IL-6 in CRC.

Cognitive training can reduce the rate of cognitive aging: a neuroimaging cohort study.

Background: The neural mechanisms underlying the restorative effects of cognitive training on aging brains remain unclear. To address this issue, we examined the relationship between changes in spontaneous brain activity and cognitive performance that occur after cognitive training.

Methods: Participants were older adults who were part of a randomized control trial within a larger longitudinal cognitive training study.

Variability of structurally constrained and unconstrained functional connectivity in schizophrenia.

Spatial variation in connectivity is an integral aspect of the brain's architecture. In the absence of this variability, the brain may act as a single homogenous entity without regional specialization. In this study, we investigate the variability in functional links categorized on the basis of the presence of direct structural paths (primary) or indirect paths mediated by one (secondary) or more (tertiary) brain regions ascertained by diffusion tensor imaging.

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Transcriptomes of Marssonina brunnea and Infected Poplar Leaves to Capture Vital Events in Host-Pathogen Interactions.

Background: Understanding host-pathogen interaction mechanisms helps to elucidate the entire infection process and focus on important events, and it is a promising approach for improvement of disease control and selection of treatment strategy. Time-course host-pathogen transcriptome analyses and network inference have been applied to unravel the direct or indirect relationships of gene expression alterations. However, time series analyses can suffer from absent time points due to technical problems such as RNA degradation, which limits the application of algorithms that require strict sequential sampling.

The Feasibility and Efficiency of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy-Based Breath Control Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Liver Tumors.

There are strong evidences showing the promising oncologic results of stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver tumors. This study aims to investigate the feasibility, plan quality, and delivery efficiency of image-guided volumetric modulated arc therapy-based voluntary deep exhale breath-holding technique in the stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver tumors. Treatment was planned using volumetric modulated arc therapy with 2 modified partial arc and replanned using intensity modulated radiation therapy technique for comparison.

Association of polymorphisms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products gene and susceptibility to sporadic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Accumulating evidence has suggested that receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is involved in the development and progression of human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). However, the association between RAGE gene polymorphisms and AAA has not yet been determined. The present study was aimed at analyzing the potential association between the RAGE gene polymorphisms and AAAs.

Proteomic analysis of exosomes derived from human lymphoma cells.

Background: Exosomes secreted by tumor cells contain specific antigens that may have immunotherapeutic purposes. The aim of this study was to characterize the proteomic content of lymphoma cell-derived exosomes (LCEXs).

Methods: In this study, exosomes derived from Raji cells (EXO(Raji)) were purified and proteins of EXO(Raji) were separated by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.