Analysis of pregnancy outcomes in patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage assisted by IVF/ICSI with or without PGT-A.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) in reducing the incidence of early miscarriage among patients diagnosed with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA).

Methods: This investigation was designed as a retrospective cohort study, examining patients who underwent freeze-thaw embryo transfer (FET) of single blastocysts from January 2018 to August 2023. A total of 675 FET cycles involving patients with URSA were included in the study.

Non-Hermitian Dirac cones with valley-dependent lifetimes.

Relativistic quasiparticles emerging from band degeneracies in crystals play crucial roles in the transport and topological properties of materials and metamaterials. Quasiparticles are commonly described by Hermitian Hamiltonians, with non-Hermiticity usually considered detrimental. In this work, we show that such an assumption of Hermiticity can be lifted to bring quasiparticles into non-Hermitian regime.

[The application of porous polyethylene biological scaffolds combined with temporoparietal fascial flaps in auricular reconstruction].

To analyze the application efficacy of employing high-density porous polyethylene （Su-por） in combination with temporoparietal fascial flaps via a minimally invasive scalp incision in auricular reconstruction. This study carried out a retrospective analysis of 50 patients （50 ears in total） who underwentprimary auricular reconstruction with a Su-por scaffold in our hospital from June 2022 to January 2024. All patients underwent primary auricular reconstruction using a minimally invasive scalp incision with high-density porous polyethylene （Su-por） and temporoparietal fascial flaps.

Reducing Measurement Deviation by Metastable DNA Probes for Aptamer Thermodynamic Characterization.

DNA reaction equilibrium-based calculations have great potential in thermodynamic characterization, but their widespread applications are hindered by significant measurement deviation of equilibrium concentration. Here, we report the advantages of metastable DNA hybridization in reducing quantification deviation of equilibrium concentration and propose a universal and standardized strategy for measuring aptamer binding energy, termed metastable DNA reference calorimetry (MDRC). We built different MDRC-based algorithms tailored to different aptamer binding models, enabling the calculation of thermodynamic parameters for aptamers with one or more binding sites.

Explore on the Mechanism of miRNA-146a/TAB1 in the Regulation of Cellular Apoptosis and Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis Based on NF-κB Pathway.

Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory disease of the rectum and colon with unknown etiology. A growing number of evidence suggest that the pathogenesis of UC is related to excessive apoptosis and production of inflammatory cytokines. However, the functions and molecular mechanisms associated with UC remain unclear.

Experimental Study of the Shear Performance of Combined Concrete-ECC Beams without Web Reinforcement.

Background: Shear damage of beams is typically brittle damage that is significantly more detrimental than flexural damage.

Purpose: Based on the super-high toughness and good crack control ability of engineered cementitious composites (ECC), the shear performance of concrete-ECC beams was investigated by replacing a portion of the concrete in the tensile zone of reinforced concrete beams with ECC and employing high-strength reinforcing bars to design concrete-ECC beams. The purpose of this investigation is to elucidate and clarify the shear performance of concrete-ECC beams.

A Dynamic Control Center Based on a DNA Reaction Network for Programmable Building of DNA Nanostructures.

DNA-based nanostructures allow for complex self-assembly with nanometer precision through the specificity of Watson-Crick base pairing, but network behavior-directed control of the kinetic process is less studied. Here we show how the DNA reaction network (DRN), which has emerged as a reliable and programmable way to implement artificial network dynamics, can be built as the control center of programmable nanostructures, allowing spatiotemporal control over the dynamic behavior of DNA nanotubes. We chose a common network motif in biological control systems, the feed-forward loop, as the model network and demonstrated that dynamic behaviors, such as self-tuning control and multilayer hierarchical assembly, could be programmed by constructing an inhibition network and an excitation network, separately, in buffer solution and inside protocells.

GAR-transferase contributes to purine synthesis and mitochondrion function to maintain fungal development and full virulence of Penicillium digitatum.

Penicillium digitatum is one of the most critical phytopathogens during the citrus postharvest period. However, the molecular mechanism of pathogenesis remains to be further explored. Purine is a multiple functional substance in organisms.

Membrane-anchored DNA nanojunctions enable closer antigen-presenting cell-T-cell contact in elevated T-cell receptor triggering.

How the engagement of a T-cell receptor to antigenic peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) initiates intracellular signalling cascades in T cells is not well understood. In particular, the dimension of the cellular contact zone is regarded as a determinant, but its influence remains controversial. This is due to the need for appropriate strategies for manipulating intermembrane spacing between the APC-T-cell interfaces without involving protein modification.

Is it necessary for young patients with recurrent implantation failure to undergo preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy?

Objective: To determine whether preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) can improve the pregnancy outcomes of patients aged under 38 years who have a history of recurrent implantation failure(RIF).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: We retrospectively studied the pregnancy outcomes of RIF patients aged under 38 years from January 2017 to December 2021.

Soybean transporter AAT Rhg1 abundance increases along the nematode migration path and impacts vesiculation and ROS.

Rhg1 (Resistance to Heterodera glycines 1) mediates soybean (Glycine max) resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN; H. glycines). Rhg1 is a 4-gene, ∼30-kb block that exhibits copy number variation, and the common PI 88788-type rhg1-b haplotype carries 9 to 10 tandem Rhg1 repeats.

Chemically Synthetic Membrane Receptors Establish Cells with Artificial Sense-and-Respond Signaling Pathways.

Chemically synthetic receptors that establish cells a new sense-and-respond capability to interact with outer worlds are highly desired, but rarely reported. In this work, we develop a membrane-anchored synthetic receptor (Ts-pHLIP-Pr) using DNA and peptide as the building block to equip cells with artificial signaling pathways. Upon sensing external pH stimuli, the Pr module can be translocated across the cell membrane via the conformation switch of pHLIP, enabling membrane-proximal recruitment of specific proteins to trigger downstream signaling cascades.

Clinical outcome analysis of frozen-thawed embryo transfer on Day 7.

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcomes of Day 7 (D7) frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) and to provide a reference value for clinical work.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients undergoing FET cycles in the Reproductive Medicine Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between December 2015 and January 2021 were included.

Ligand Dilution Analysis Facilitates Aptamer Binding Characterization at the Single-Molecule Level.

Cell-specific aptamers offer a powerful tool to study membrane receptors at the single-molecule level. Most target receptors of aptamers are highly expressed on the cell surface, but difficult to analyze in situ because of dense distribution and fast velocity. Therefore, we herein propose a random sampling-based analysis strategy termed ligand dilution analysis (LDA) for easily implemented aptamer-based receptor study.

Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic Evaluation of UBR5 in Liver Cancer Patients.

Typically, liver cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis. N-recognin 5 (UBR5), a component of the ubiquitin protein ligase E3, is involved in the genesis and progression of several types of cancer. As of yet, it is unknown what the exact biological function of UBR5 is in liver cancer.

A separable convolutional neural network-based fast recognition method for AR-P300.

Augmented reality-based brain-computer interface (AR-BCI) has a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and high real-time requirements. Classical machine learning algorithms that improve the recognition accuracy through multiple averaging significantly affect the information transfer rate (ITR) of the AR-SSVEP system. In this study, a fast recognition method based on a separable convolutional neural network (SepCNN) was developed for an AR-based P300 component (AR-P300).

Effect of Blastocyst Morphology and Developmental Rate on Euploidy and Live Birth Rates in Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy Cycles With Single-Embryo Transfer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether blastocyst morphology and developmental rate are associated with euploidy and live birth rates (LBRs) in single euploid frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: This study included 431 preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) cycles followed by 393 FET cycles performed at our center from June 2017 to March 2021.

History of Recurrent Implantation Failure is Associated With the Incidence of Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Singleton Live Births Following Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles.

Objective: To investigate whether patients with a history of recurrent implantation failure (RIF) are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in singleton live births following frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: This study analyzed the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of patients with and without a history of RIF who underwent FET cycles in a single reproductive center between January 2017 and October 2020.

A CNN-based multi-target fast classification method for AR-SSVEP.

Because an augmented-reality-based brain-computer interface (AR-BCI) is easily disturbed by external factors, the traditional electroencephalograph (EEG) classification algorithms fail to meet the real-time processing requirements with a large number of stimulus targets or in a real environment. We propose a multi-target fast classification method for augmented-reality-based steady-state visual evoked potential (AR-SSVEP), using a convolutional neural network (CNN). To explore the availability and accuracy of high-efficiency multi-target classification methods in AR-SSVEP with a short stimulation duration, a similar stimulus layout was used for a computer screen (PC) and an optical see-through head-mounted display (OST-HMD) device (HoloLens).

Functional Nucleic Acid-Based Live-Cell Fluorescence Imaging.

Cell is the structural and functional unit of organism. It serves as a key research object in various biological processes, such as growth, ontogeny, metabolism and stress. Studying the spatiotemporal distribution and functional activity of specific biological molecules in living cells is crucial for exploring the mechanism governing life.

Aptamer-based optical manipulation of protein subcellular localization in cells.

Protein-dominant cellular processes cannot be fully decoded without precise manipulation of their activity and localization in living cells. Advances in optogenetics have allowed spatiotemporal control over cellular proteins with molecular specificity; however, these methods require recombinant expression of fusion proteins, possibly leading to conflicting results. Instead of modifying proteins of interest, in this work, we focus on design of a tunable recognition unit and develop an aptamer-based near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanoplatform for manipulating the subcellular localization of specific proteins in their native states.

Cell-Membrane-Anchored DNA Nanoplatform for Programming Cellular Interactions.

Cell-cell interactions are mediated through compositions expressed on the membrane. Engineering the cell surface to display functional modules with high biocompatibility, high controllability, and high stability would offer great opportunities for studying and manipulating these intercellular reactions. However, it remains a technical challenge because of the complex and dynamic nature of the cell membrane.

Wastewater-based epidemiology in Beijing, China: Prevalence of antibiotic use in flu season and association of pharmaceuticals and personal care products with socioeconomic characteristics.

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an emerging field that has mostly been applied to investigate consumption of illicit drugs. In this study, the wastewater-based epidemiology approach was employed to study consumption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and measure their prevalence of use in eight densely populated, urban areas of Beijing, China. Ammonium loads were used to estimate the population equivalents of each sewershed.