Effect of Epidural Volume Extension Using Low-Dose Sufentanil Combined with Low-Concentration Ropivacaine on Visceral Pain During Cesarean Sections: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Visceral pain is common in cesarean sections conducted under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSE). Epidural volume extension (EVE) is a technique for enhancing the effect of intrathecal blocks by inducing epidural fluid boluses in the CSE. Whether EVE that uses different drugs can reduce visceral pain during cesarean sections is rarely studied.

Targeting Lactate: An Emerging Strategy for Macrophage Regulation in Chronic Inflammation and Cancer.

Lactate accumulation and macrophage infiltration are pivotal features of both chronic inflammation and cancer. Lactate, once regarded merely as an aftereffect of glucose metabolism, is now gaining recognition for its burgeoning spectrum of biological roles and immunomodulatory significance. Recent studies have evidenced that macrophages display divergent immunophenotypes in different diseases, which play a pivotal role in disease management by modulating macrophage polarization within the disease microenvironment.

Hierarchical Branched TiO Photo/Photoelectrocatalyst with Directed Charge Transfer for Efficient Hydrogen Production from Seawater.

The directed electron transport channel design in semiconductors, which could promote charge utilization, is attractive but rarely reported. Hierarchical branched titanium dioxide (HB-TiO), possessing a charge cascade transfer channel, was constructed by assembling titanium-defected TiO nanobranches on oxygen-defected TiO nanobelts. The interfacial Ti/O vacancies have been detected by X-ray photoelectron and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies, and the vacancies act as the "bridge" of photogenerated carrier transport.

Correlation between cancer-related cognitive impairment and resting cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with ovarian cancer.

Background: An increasing number of research have applied neuroimaging techniques to explore the potential neurobiological mechanism of Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).

Purpose: To explore the correlation between resting brain glucose metabolism and CRCI using F-FDG PET/CT in ovarian cancer (OC) patients.

Methods: From December 2021 to March 2022, 38 patients with OC were selected as the study group, and 38 healthy women of the same age (±1 year) who underwent routine physical examination using PET/CT were selected as the control group.

Interactions between myoblasts and macrophages under high glucose milieus result in inflammatory response and impaired insulin sensitivity.

Background: Skeletal muscle handles about 80% of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and become the major organ occurring insulin resistance (IR). Many studies have confirmed the interactions between macrophages and skeletal muscle regulated the inflammation and regeneration of skeletal muscle. However, despite of the decades of research, whether macrophages infiltration and polarization in skeletal muscle under high glucose (HG) milieus results in the development of IR is yet to be elucidated.

Endometrial Elasticity is an Ultrasound Marker for Predicting Clinical Pregnancy Outcomes after Embryo Transfer.

Endometrial elasticity is a potential new marker for assessing endometrial receptivity and pregnancy outcomes based on endometrial thickness and type. Currently, little research has been conducted on the elasticity of the endometrium using shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI). This study aimed to explore whether endometrial elasticity is an ultrasound marker for predicting clinical pregnancy outcomes after embryo transfer.

Dual Pd-Acid Sites Confined in a Hierarchical Core-Shell Structure for Hydrogenation of Nitrobenzene.

A core-shell structured Pd@TS-1@meso-SiO catalyst with confined Pd nanometals has been fabricated by one-pot synthesis, impregnation method and sol-gel method. With the promotion of acid sites and protection of mesoporous silica shell, Pd@TS-1@meso-SiO shows higher activity than commercial comparison and higher stability than sample without mesoporous silica shell in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene. The schematic illustration of the synergy effect is also proposed.

Confined Heterojunction in Hollow-Structured TiO and Its Directed Effect in Photodriven Seawater Splitting.

The high salinity of seawater often strongly affects the activity and stability of photocatalysts utilized for photodriven seawater splitting. The current investigation is focused on the photocatalyst H-TiO/CuO, comprised of hydroxyl-enriched hollow mesoporous TiO microspheres containing incorporated CuO nanoparticles. The design of H-TiO/CuO is based on the hypothesis that the respective hollow and mesoporous structure and hydrophilic surfaces of TiO microspheres would stabilize CuO nanoparticles in seawater and provide efficient and selective proton adsorption.

Detrimental impact of the type VI secretion system on direct interspecies electron transfer.

Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) is important in anaerobic communities of environmental and practical significance. Other than the need for close physical contact for electrical connections, the interactions of DIET partners are poorly understood. Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) typically kill competitive microbes.

The optimal oxytocin infusion rate for preventing uterine atony during cesarean delivery in elderly parturients with prior history of cesarean delivery.

An estimate of 90% effective dose (ED90) of oxytocin infusion has already been proved effective in non-laboring parturients. However, the requirements of oxytocin for elderly parturients with prior history of cesarean delivery (CD) may be higher. The aim of this study was to find the optimum oxytocin infusion rate for preventing uterine atony during CD in elderly parturients with prior history of CD.

Lineage-specific amplification and epigenetic regulation of LTR-retrotransposons contribute to the structure, evolution, and function of Fabaceae species.

Background: Long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are ubiquitous and make up the majority of nearly all sequenced plant genomes, whereas their pivotal roles in genome evolution, gene expression regulation as well as their epigenetic regulation are still not well understood, especially in a large number of closely related species.

Results: Here, we analyzed the abundance and dynamic evolution of LTR-RTs in 54 species from an economically and agronomically important family, Fabaceae, and also selected two representative species for further analysis in expression of associated genes, transcriptional activity and DNA methylation patterns of LTR-RTs. Annotation results revealed highly varied proportions of LTR-RTs in these genomes (5.

Hierarchically Porous Few-Layer Carbon Nitride and Its High H Selectivity for Efficient Photocatalytic Seawater Splitting.

Photocatalysts for seawater splitting are severely restricted because of the presence of multiple types of ions in seawater that cause corrosion and deactivation. As a result, new materials that promote adsorption of H and hinder competing adsorption of metal cations should enhance utilization of photogenerated electrons on the catalyst surface for efficient H production. One strategy to design advanced photocatalysts involves introduction of hierarchical porous structures that enable fast mass transfer and creation of defect sites that promote selective hydrogen ion adsorption.

Local Liver Irradiation Concurrently Versus Sequentially with Cabozantinib on the Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution in Rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiotherapy (RT)-pharmacokinetics (PK) effect of cabozantinib in concurrent or sequential regimens with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Concurrent and sequential regimens involving RT and cabozantinib were designed. The RT-drug interactions of cabozantinib under RT were confirmed in a free-moving rat model.

Boletaceae in China: Taxonomy and phylogeny reveal a new genus, two new species, and a new record.

Boletaceae, the largest family in Boletales, has been attracted by mycologists in the world due to its diverse morphology and complex history of evolution. Although considerable work has been done in the past decades, novel taxa are continually described. The current study aimed to introduce three new taxa and one new record of Boletaceae from China.

Cognitive behavioral therapy achieves better benefits in relieving postoperative pain and improving joint function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, short-term psychotherapy approach that may have positive effects in terms of relieving postoperative pain. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of CBT on pain and joint function in patients after total joint arthroplasty.

Methods: We searched 3 electronic databases including randomized controlled studies (RCTs) using CBT as an intervention.

Influences of Aerobic Exercise on Motor Sequence Learning and Corticomotor Excitability in People With Parkinson's Disease.

Background: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) are known to have motor learning difficulties. Although numerous studies have demonstrated that a single bout of aerobic exercise (AEX) can facilitate motor learning in non-disabled adults, the same beneficial effect in PD is unknown. Furthermore, associated neuroplastic changes have not been investigated.

The feasibility of a multimodal exercise program for sedentary postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The aim was to investigate the feasibility and effects of an eight-week multimodal exercise program in sedentary postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence (UI) compared with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) only.

Study Design: This was a pilot randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (IG), who received a multimodal exercise program that incorporated aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and PFMT, or the control group (CG), who received PFMT only.

Societal drivers of human echinococcosis in China.

Background: Echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease that threatens human health and economic development. In China, 370 counties are endemic for echinococcosis. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has the most patients and people at risk.

Aluminum adsorption and antimonite oxidation dominantly regulate antimony solubility in soils.

Soil antimony (Sb) contamination occurs globally due to natural processes and human activities. Total Sb concentration in soils fails to assess its ecological risk, while determined by the concentration of available Sb, which is readily for biological uptake. Available Sb in different soils varied significantly according to soil properties.

Impact of LTR-Retrotransposons on Genome Structure, Evolution, and Function in Curcurbitaceae Species.

Long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) comprise a major portion of many plant genomes and may exert a profound impact on genome structure, function, and evolution. Although many studies have focused on these elements in an individual species, their dynamics on a family level remains elusive. Here, we investigated the abundance, evolutionary dynamics, and impact on associated genes of LTR-RTs in 16 species in an economically important plant family, Cucurbitaceae.

A spatial homojunction of titanium vacancies decorated with oxygen vacancies in TiO and its directed charge transfer.

The n-p homojunction design in semiconductors could enable directed charge transfer, which is promising but rarely reported. Herein, TiO with a spatial n-p homojunction has been designed by decorating TiO nanosheets with Ti vacancies around nanostructured TiO with O vacancies. 2D H TQ-SQ MAS NMR, EPR and XPS show the junction of titanium vacancies and oxygen vacancies at the interface.

A sustainable mouse karyotype created by programmed chromosome fusion.

Chromosome engineering has been attempted successfully in yeast but remains challenging in higher eukaryotes, including mammals. Here, we report programmed chromosome ligation in mice that resulted in the creation of new karyotypes in the lab. Using haploid embryonic stem cells and gene editing, we fused the two largest mouse chromosomes, chromosomes 1 and 2, and two medium-size chromosomes, chromosomes 4 and 5.