Electroencephalography microstate alterations reflect potential double-edged cognitive adaptation in Ménière's disease.

Purpose: To explore the microstate characteristics and underlying brain network activity of Ménière's disease (MD) patients based on high-density electroencephalography (EEG), elucidate the association between microstate dynamics and clinical manifestation, and explore the potential of EEG microstate features as future neurobiomarkers for MD.

Methods: Thirty-two patients diagnosed with MD and 29 healthy controls (HC) matched for demographic characteristics were included in the study. Dysfunction and subjective symptom severity were assessed by neuropsychological questionnaires, pure tone audiometry, and vestibular function tests.

Cyclic stretch-induced exosomes from periodontal ligament cells promote osteoblasts osteogenic differentiation via the miR-181d-5p/TNF signaling pathway.

Objective: To investigate the effects of cyclic stretch-induced periodontal ligament cell (PDLC) exosomes on osteoblast differentiation, and to explore their regulatory role in mechanical force-related periodontal tissue remodeling.

Design: After applying 20 % cyclic stretch loading to PDLCs, exosomes were extracted from the supernatant and co-cultured with osteoblasts to detect their effects on osteogenic differentiation. Meanwhile, the exosomes were sequenced by high-throughput microRNA sequencing for bioinformatic analysis and validation to explore exosome signaling pathways through miRNAs.

LncRNA SNHG5 promotes the glycolysis and proliferation of breast cancer cell through regulating BACH1 via targeting miR-299.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. Accumulating studies have been reported that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) SNHG5 is highly expressed in BC. However, the specific molecular mechanism of SNHG5 in BC is unclear.

Large Scale Synthesis of Three-dimensional Hierarchical Porous Framework with High Conductivity and its Application in Lithium Sulfur Battery.

Quick capacity loss due to the polysulfide shuttle effects and poor rate performance caused by low conductivity of sulfur have always been obstacles to the commercial application of lithium sulfur batteries. Herein, an in-situ doped hierarchical porous biochar materials with high electron-ion conductivity and adjustable three-dimensional (3D) macro-meso-micropore is prepared successfully. Due to its unique physical structure, the resulting material has a specific surface area of 2124.

[Impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on the outcome of frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

Objective: To study the impact of sperm DNA fragmentation (DF) on the outcome of frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 308 cases of routine IVF-ET performed at our Center of Reproductive Medicine from January 2016 to January 2018. According to the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), we divided the patients into a normal DFI (DFI ≤ 15%, n = 114), a moderate DFI (15% < DFI ≤ 30%, n = 103), and a high DFI group (DFI > 30 %, n = 91), and compared the development of embryos and clinical outcomes among the three groups.

Removal of biofilm is essential for long-term ventilation tube retention.

Background: Although long-term retention of a ventilation tube is required in many ear diseases, spontaneous removal of conventional ventilation tube is observed in patients within 3 to 12 mo. To address this issue, we aimed to determine a new method for long-term retention of the ventilation tube.

Aim: To explore the value of removing the biofilm for long-term retention of tympanostomy ventilation tubes.

Changes in tinnitus after vestibular schwannoma surgery.

We designed a prospective study to evaluate changes in tinnitus after vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. Subjects included 41 patients who were diagnosed with a VS and underwent translabyrinthine microsurgery (TLM) between January 2015 and May 2016. All patients underwent related examinations and were asked to answer the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) of tinnitus severity both pre- and postoperatively.

Enhancing Production of Pinene in by Using a Combination of Tolerance, Evolution, and Modular Co-culture Engineering.

α-Pinene is a natural and active monoterpene, which is widely used as a flavoring agent and in fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Although it has been successfully produced by genetically engineered microorganisms, the production level of pinene is much lower than that of hemiterpene (isoprene) and sesquiterpenes (farnesene) to date. We first improved pinene tolerance to 2.

Inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3/SOSC1 Signaling Pathway Improves Secretion Function of Vascular Endothelial Cells in a Rat Model of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension.

Background/aims: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the JAK2/STAT3/SOSC1 signaling pathway on the secretion function of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in a rat model of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

Methods: A PIH rat model was established. Forty-eight pregnant Sprague-Dawley female rats were selected and assigned into four groups: the normal group (normal non-pregnant rats), the non-PIH group (pregnant rats without PIH), the PIH group (pregnant rats with PIH) and the AG490 group (pregnant rats with PIH treated with AG490).

Open-Framework Oxysulfide Based on the Supertetrahedral [In4Sn16O10S34](12-) Cluster and Efficient Sequestration of Heavy Metals.

The new ion-exchange oxy-sulfide material has a three-dimensional open framework comprising the pseudo-T4 supertetrahedral [In4Sn16O10S34](12-) cluster. This material has large pores and is a fast ion exchanger. It exhibits high selectivity in sequestering heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions including solutions containing heavy concentrations of sodium, calcium, ammonium, magnesium, zinc, carbonate, phosphate, and acetate ions.

Lack of association between hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 polymorphism and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 12 studies.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in various cellular processes such as cell growth, differentiation, cell death and play an important role in a variety of diseases, especially in cancer. Recently, a number of studies have investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 and susceptibility to cancer; however, the results remain inconclusive.

Methodology/principal Findings: We carried out a meta-analysis of 12 studies including 5937 cases and 6081 controls from PubMed to assess the association between the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 and cancer risk by pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

The role of cyclin D1 expression and patient's survival in non-small-cell lung cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: The role of cell-cycle protein cyclin D1 in lung cancer remains controversial. To clarify its impact on survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we performed a meta-analysis on the currently available medial literature to quantitatively assess its role on survival of NSCLC according to cyclin D1 status.

Method: Published studies that investigated the association between cyclin D1 expression and NSCLC survival were identified.

Study of DNA methylation patterns of imprinted genes in children born after assisted reproductive technologies reveals no imprinting errors: A pilot study.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) have been shown to be associated with abnormal genomic imprinting, thus increasing the incidence of imprinting disorders such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) and Angelman syndrome (AS) in ART-conceived children. Furthermore, a recent study described abnormal DNA methylation in clinically normal children conceived by ART. However, data from different studies are conflicting or inconclusive.

[Impact of elevated basal follicle-stimulating hormone on the quantity and quality of oocytes and embryos and pregnancy outcomes in young women].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of elevated basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on both the quantity and quality of oocytes and embryos and the clinical outcomes of pregnancy in women under 35 years of age.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted for inspecting 294 in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles in women under 35 years of age. According to the basal FSH levels, the women were divided into groups A, B, and C with basal FSH of 10-14.

Assisted reproductive technologies do not increase risk of abnormal methylation of PEG1/MEST in human early pregnancy loss.

Objective: To evaluate the epigenetic risk linked to assisted reproductive technology (ART) by analyzing the methylation patterns of imprinted PEG1 gene in aborted human chorionic villus.

Design: Experimental research study.

Setting: Research laboratory.

[Prediction of ovarian reserve, poor response and pregnancy outcome based on basal antral follicle count and age in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer].

Objective: To study the value of basal antral follicle count (AFC) and age in predicting ovarian response and clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: A total of 1319 oocyte retrieval cycles in women with an AFC≤10 and complete IVF/ICSI cycles were analyzed retrospectively. According to the AFC, the patients were divided into groups A, B, and C with AFC≤4, of 5-7, and of 8-10, respectively, and each was further divided into <38 years old group and ≥38 years old group.

[Cochlear implantation with suprameatal approach in Chinese children].

Objective: To investigate the technique of the suprameatal approach for cochlear implantation in Chinese profound sensory hearing loss children.

Methods: Suprameatal approach for cochlear implantation were used in 50 cases (total 53 ears) with profound sensory hearing loss from May 2005 to January 2007. The electrode was passed through the suprameatal tunnel and went between the incus and chorda tympani into the scala tympani.

[Study on properties and resonance rayleigh scattering spectra of nanometer selenium(0) particles in liquid phase].

In the HCl solution, selenium (IV) and excessive ascorbic acid (Vc) formed selenium(0), which homogeneously and steadily existed in liquid phase system. The Se(0) particles were aggregating spheres and their sizes were 26-243 nm from transmission electron microscope (TEM) and laser light scattering image. The nanometer Se(0) solution produced strongest resonance rayleigh scattering (RRS) at 470 nm.

[O3/H2O2 oxidation processes of cyclops of zooplankton inactivation in water].

The inactivation effects of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, O3/H2O2 processes on Cyclops of zooplankton were discussed. It was found that O3/H2O2 possessed more favorable inactivation effect on Cyclops compared with the others, in distilled water with 1.0 mg/L of O3 and 4 mg/L of H2O2 the inactivation effect was 100% after 30 min contacting; ozone also had favorable inactivation effect, the inactivation effect is 80% by 1.