Cascading impacts of global metal mining on climate change and human health caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly disrupted global metal mining and associated supply chains. Here we analyse the cascading effects of the metal mining disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, climate change, and human health. We find that the pandemic reduced global metal mining by 10-20% in 2020.

Systematic module approach identifies altered genes and pathways in four types of ovarian cancer.

The present study aimed to identify altered genes and pathways associated with four histotypes of ovarian cancer, according to the systematic tracking of dysregulated modules of reweighted protein‑protein interaction (PPI) networks. Firstly, the PPI network and gene expression data were initially integrated to infer and reweight normal ovarian and four types of ovarian cancer (endometrioid, serous, mucinous and clear cell carcinoma) PPI networks based on Spearman's correlation coefficient. Secondly, modules in the PPI network were mined using a clique‑merging algorithm and the differential modules were identified through maximum weight bipartite matching.

Effects of error on dose of target region and organs at risk in treating nasopharynx cancer with intensity modulated radiation therapy.

Objective: To measure setup error of head and neck neoplasm in radiotherapy and discuss over effects of error on physical dose acting on target region and organs at risk of nasopharynx cancer (NPC) patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Methods: A total of 152 patients who developed head and neck neoplasm and received IMRT were randomly selected. Through comparing digital portal image and digital reconstruction image, we measured setup error, calculated expanding margin from clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) and analyzed whether there was rules between setup error and treatment time.

Effects of Chinese medicines for tonifying the kidney on DNMT1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women during implantation period.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Erzhi Tiangui Granule (ETG) on DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women with Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome.

Methods: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Sixty-six (66) infertile patients who had Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome and who were to undergo in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group according to a random table.

[Shengjing prescription improves semen parameters of oligoasthenozoospermia patients: efficacy and mechanism].

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Shengjing prescription for oligoasthenozoospermia and its action mechanism.

Methods: We equally assigned 120 patients with oligoasthenozoospermia to receive Shengjing prescription (treatment group) and vitamin E (control group), respectively, for 12 weeks. Before and after the treatment, were obtained sperm concentration, sperm motility, the percentage of morphologically normal sperm, the levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH), sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), the percentage of hypotonic swelling sperm, and the levels of seminal plasma elastase, x-glucosidase, fructose, zinc and acrosin.

Effect of Quyu Jiedu granule on microenvironment of ova in patients with endometriosis.

Objective: To observe the effect of Quyu Jiedu Granules (, QJG) on the micro- microenvironment of ova in patients with endometriosis (EM). environment

Methods: Twenty EM patients who received in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomized equally into a treated group and a control group. Further, 20 patients who received IVF-ET due to oviduct factors were enrolled into a non-endometriosis group.

Expressions of VEGF and Ki-67 in eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis and effect of Quyu Jiedu Recipe on VEGF expression.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Quyu Jiedu Recipe (, QJR) in treating endometriosis (EM), and to explore the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cell proliferative nucleoprotein antigen (Ki-67), their changes before and after treatment and the clinical significance in the trial.

Methods: Fifty patients of EM were randomly assigned to two groups. The 26 patients in the QJR group were treated with QJR, and the 24 patients in the gestrinone (GT) group with gestrinone.

[Changes of Th1, Th2 cells and correlative cytokines in allergic rhinitis].

Objective: To evaluate the role of Th1, Th2 cells and correlative cytokines in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.

Method: Albumin from chicken egg white was used to induce allergic rhinitis in SD rats. Flow cytometry was used to count the Th1 and Th2 cells in peripheral blood.