Posterior open wound healing in immediate implant placement using reactive soft tissue versus absorbable collagen sponge: a retrospective cohort study

The soft and hard tissue healing of open wounds in immediate implant placement are yet to be explored. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of open wound healing using reactive soft tissue (RST) and absorbable collagen sponge (ACS). Forty implants placed immediately in posterior sockets were included; autologous RST was used in 20 and ACS substitute was used in 20. Soft tissue healing was primarily assessed through a novel scoring system and the evaluation of gingival recession. The horizontal bone width (HBW) and interproximal marginal bone level (MBL) were measured on radiographs to observe the hard tissue healing. No significant difference in total soft tissue healing score was observed at 2 weeks postoperatively. Notably, the ACS group showed better tissue colour (P = 0.016) but worse fibrous repair (P = 0.043) scores than the RST group. Gingival recession levels were comparable in the two groups, both before tooth extraction and after placement of the restoration. Regarding hard tissue, HBW and MBL changes showed no intergroup differences. Within the limitations of this study, both RST and ACS seemed effective for open wound closure, achieving ideal soft and hard tissue healing in immediate implant placement.

Bipolar Polymeric Protective Layer for Dendrite-Free and Corrosion-Resistant Lithium Metal Anode in Ethylene Carbonate Electrolyte

The unstable interface between Li metal and ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes triggers continuous side reactions and uncontrolled dendrite growth, significantly impacting the lifespan of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, a bipolar polymeric protective layer (BPPL) is developed using cyanoethyl (-CH2CH2C≡N) and hydroxyl (-OH) polar groups, aiming to prevent EC-induced corrosion and facilitating rapid, uniform Li+ ion transport. Hydrogen-bonding interactions between -OH and EC facilitates the Li+ desolvation process and effectively traps free EC molecules, thereby eliminating parasitic reactions. Meanwhile, the -CH2CH2C≡N group anchors TFSI- anions through ion-dipole interactions, enhancing Li+ transport and eliminating concentration polarization, ultimately suppressing the growth of Li dendrite. This BPPL enabling Li|Li cell stable cycling over 750 cycles at 10 mA cm-2 for 2 mAh cm-2. The Li|LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 and Li|LiFePO4 full cells display superior electrochemical performance. The BPPL provides a practical strategy to enhanced stability and performance in LMBs application.

Simplified integration of optimal self-management behaviors is associated with improved HbA1c in patients with type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE

Living with type 1 diabetes requires burdensome and complex daily diabetes self-management behaviors. This study aimed to determine the association between integrated behavior performance and HbA1c, while identifying the behavior with the most significant impact on HbA1c.

METHODS

A simple and feasible questionnaire was used to collect diabetes self-management behavior in patients with type 1 diabetes (n = 904). We assessed six dimensions of behavior performance: continuous glucose monitor (CGM) usage, frequent glucose testing, insulin pump usage, carbohydrate counting application, adjustment of insulin doses, and usage of apps for diabetes management. We evaluated the association between these behaviors and HbA1c.

RESULTS

In total, 21.3% of patients performed none of the allotted behavior, while 28.5% of patients had a total behavior score of 3 or more. 63.6% of patients with a behavior score ≥ 3 achieved HbA1c goal, contrasting with only 30.4% of patients with a behavior score of 0-1. There was a mean 0.54% ± 0.05% decrease in HbA1c for each 1-unit increase in total behavior score after adjustment for age, family education and diabetes duration. Each behavior was independently correlated with a lower HbA1c level, with CGM having the most significant effect on HbA1c levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Six optimal self-management behaviors, especially CGM usage, were associated with improved glycemic control, emphasizing the feasibility of implementing a simplified version of DSMES in the routine clinical care.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03610984.

Super-Ionic Conductor Soft Filler Promotes Li+ Transport in Integrated Cathode-Electrolyte for Solid-State Battery at Room Temperature

Composite polymer solid electrolytes (CPEs), possessing good rigid flexible, are expected to be used in solid-state lithium-metal batteries. The integration of fillers into polymer matrices emerges as a dominant strategy to improve Li+ transport and form a Li+-conducting electrode-electrolyte interface. However, challenges arise as traditional fillers: 1) inorganic fillers, characterized by high interfacial energy, induce agglomeration; 2) organic fillers, with elevated crystallinity, impede intrinsic ionic conductivity, both severely hindering Li+ migration. Here, a concept of super-ionic conductor soft filler, utilizing a Li+ conductivity nanocellulose (Li-NC) as a model, is introduced which exhibits super-ionic conductivity. Li-NC anchors anions, and enhances Li+ transport speed, and assists in the integration of cathode-electrolyte electrodes for room temperature solid-state batteries. The tough dual-channel Li+ transport electrolyte (TDCT) with Li-NC and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) demonstrates a high Li+ transfer number (0.79) due to the synergistic coordination mechanism in Li+ transport. Integrated electrodes' design enables stable performance in LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2|Li cells, with 720 cycles at 0.5 C, and 88.8% capacity retention. Furthermore, the lifespan of Li|TDCT|Li cells over 4000 h and Li-rich Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2|Li cells exhibits excellent performance, proving the practical application potential of soft filler for high energy density solid-state lithium-metal batteries at room temperature.

Completing the loop of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous true polar wander event

The reorientation of Earth through rotation of its solid shell relative to its spin axis is known as True polar wander (TPW). It is well-documented at present, but the occurrence of TPW in the geologic past remains controversial. This is especially so for Late Jurassic TPW, where the veracity and dynamics of a particularly large shift remain debated. Here, we report three palaeomagnetic poles at 153, 147, and 141 million years (Myr) ago from the North China craton that document an ~ 12° southward shift in palaeolatitude from 155-147 Myr ago (~1.5° Myr-1), immediately followed by an ~ 10° northward displacement between 147-141 Myr ago (~1.6° Myr-1). Our data support a large round-trip TPW oscillation in the past 200 Myr and we suggest that the shifting back-and-forth of the continents may contribute to the biota evolution in East Asia and the global Jurassic-Cretaceous extinction and endemism.

Application scenario-oriented molecule generation platform developed for drug discovery

Design of molecules for candidate compound selection is one of the central challenges in drug discovery due to the complexity of chemical space and requirement of multi-parameter optimization. Here we present an application scenario-oriented platform (ID4Idea) for molecule generation in different scenarios of drug discovery. This platform utilizes both library or rule based and generative based algorithms (VAE, RNN, GAN, etc.), in combination with various AI learning types (pre-training, transfer learning, reinforcement learning, active learning, etc.) and input representations (1D SMILES, 2D graph, 3D shape, binding site, pharmacophore, etc.), to enable customized solutions for a given molecular design scenario. Besides the usual generation followed screening protocol, goal-directed molecule generation can also be conducted towards predefined goals, enhancing the efficiency of hit identification, lead finding, and lead optimization. We demonstrate the effectiveness of ID4Idea platform through case studies, showcasing customized solutions for different design tasks using various input information, such as binding pockets, pharmacophores, and compound representations. In addition, remaining challenges are discussed to unlock the full potential of AI models in drug discovery and pave the way for the development of novel therapeutics.

LiPF6 Induces Phosphorization of Garnet-Type Solid-State Electrolyte for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

Garnet solid electrolyte Li6.4 La3 Zr1.4 Ta0.6 O12 (LLZTO) is an excellent inorganic ceramic-type solid electrolyte; however, the presence of Li2 CO3 impurities on its surface hinders Li-ion transport and increases the interface impedance. In contrast to traditional methods of mechanical polishing, acid corrosion, and high-temperature reduction for removing Li2 CO3 , herein, a straightforward "waste-to-treasure" strategy is proposed to transform Li2 CO3 into Li3 PO4 and LiF in LiPF6 solution under 60 °C. It is found that the formation of Li3 PO4 during LLZTO pretreatment facilitates rapid Li-ion transport and enhances ionic conductivity, and the LLZTO/PAN composite polymer electrolyte shows the highest Li-ion transference number of 0.63. Additionally, the dense LiF layer serves to safeguard the internal garnet solid electrolyte against solvent decomposition-induced chemical adsorption. Symmetric Li/Li cells assembled with treated LLZTO/PAN composite electrolyte exhibit a critical current density of 1.1 mA cm-2 and a long lifespan of up to 700 h at a current density of 0.2 mA cm-2 . The Li/LiFePO4 solid-state cells demonstrate stable cycling performances for 141 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C, with capacity retention of 93.6% after 190 cycles. This work presents a novel approach to converting waste into valuable resources, offering the advantages of simple processes, and minimal side reactions.

[The life and works of Li Shouxian, a medical doctor in the Qing Dynasty]

Li Shouxian, styled as Shanshu, was a medical doctor in the Qing Dynasty. His work Zhenjiu Yixue (Easy Study of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) has numerous versions, with the most refined one being the self-engraved edition from the third year of Jiaqing's reign, housed in the Jilin Province Library. While most content of the book was drawn from Zhenjiu Dacheng (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion), Li's condensation and arrangement of the material achieved the purpose of making it simple and easy to learn. The book has been widely spread and holds certain academic and historical value. This paper makes a textual research on Li's life, family, and his works, clarifies the content, structure and origin of the version of Zhenjiu Yixue and corrects errors in the version records of this book in the General Catalogue of Chinese Ancient Medical Books.

[Application of the Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification in clinical practice]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic for classification of newly diagnosed diabetes patients and assess the application of the screening tests recommended by the 2022 Chinese Expert Consensus on Diabetes Classification. Methods: Retrospective case series study. The data from the electronic medical record system of patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus (within 1 year of disease onset) who attending the Diabetes Specialist Outpatient Clinic at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2021 were collected for the analysis. Based on the consensus, patients were categorized according their age of onset, body mass index (BMI), and suspicion of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The chi-square statistic was used to compare key classifier indicators, including C-peptide, islet autoantibodies, and genetic markers, in the subgroups. The diagnosis in suspected T1DM patients was also evaluated. The screening strategy recommended in the consensus was further assessed using a logistic regression model and the area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC). Results: A total of 3 384 patients with new-onset diabetes were included. The average age of disease onset was (46.3±13.9) years, and 61.0% (2 065/3 384) of the patients were male. The proportions of patients who completed C-peptide and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA) tests were 36.6% (1 238/3 384) and 37.5% (1 269/3 384), respectively. There were no significant differences in C-peptide test results among the subgroups (all P>0.05). In contrast, the GADA detection rate was higher in patients with young age of onset (<30 years old), in those who were non-obese (BMI<24 kg/m2), and in those clinically suspected of T1DM (all P<0.05). According to the diagnostic pathway proposed by the consensus, only 57.4% (1 941/3 384) of patients could be subtyped. For a definitive diagnosis, the remaining patients needed completion of C-peptide, islet autoantibody, genetic testing, or follow-up. Furthermore, among patients with clinical features of suspected T1DM, the antibody positivity rate was higher than in non-suspected T1DM patients [24.5% (154/628) vs. 7.1% (46/646), P<0.001]. When the clinical features of suspected T1DM defined in the consensus were taken as independent variables and antibody positivity was considered the outcome variable in the logistic regression model, young onset, non-obese onset, and ketosis onset could enter the model. Based on AUC analysis, the accuracy of the diagnostic model was 0.77 (95%CI 0.73-0.81), suggesting that the clinical features of suspected T1DM in the consensus have good clinical diagnostic value for this patient subgroup. Conclusions: There was a significant discrepancy between the clinical practice of diabetes classification and the process recommended by the consensus, which was specifically reflected in the low proportions of both subtyping indicator testing and definitively subtyped diabetes patients. Attention should be pay to the classification diagnosis process proposed in the consensus and the clinical detection rate of key diabetes subtyping indicators such as C-peptide and islet autoantibodies for diabetes classification should be improved. Noteworthy, the screening strategy for T1DM proposed by the consensus showed good clinical application value.

Dynamic link between Neo-Tethyan subduction and atmospheric CO2 changes: insights from seismic tomography reconstruction

Volcanic arc degassing contributes significantly to atmospheric CO₂ levels and therefore has a pivotal impact on paleoclimate changes. The Neo-Tethyan decarbonation subduction is thought to have played a major role in Cenozoic climate changes, although there are still no quantifiable restrictions. Here we build past subduction scenarios using an improved seismic tomography reconstruction method and calculate the subducted slab flux in the India-Eurasia collision region. We find remarkable synchronicity between calculated slab flux and paleoclimate parameters in the Cenozoic, indicating a causal link between these processes. The closure of the Neo-Tethyan intra-oceanic subduction resulted in more carbon-rich sediments subducting along the Eurasia margin, as well as continental arc volcanoes, which further triggered global warming up to the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum. The abrupt termination of the Neo-Tethyan subduction due to the India-Eurasia collision could be the primary tectonic cause of the ∼50-40 Ma CO₂ drop. The gradual decrease in atmospheric CO₂ concentration after 40 Ma may be attributed to enhance continental weathering due to the growth of the Tibetan Plateau. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the dynamic implications of Neo-Tethyan Ocean evolution and may provide new constraints for future carbon cycle models.

Plio-Pleistocene deep-sea ventilation in the eastern Pacific and potential linkages with Northern Hemisphere glaciation

Antarctic bottom water (AABW) production is a key factor governing global ocean circulation, and the present disintegration of the Antarctic Ice Sheet slows it. However, its long-term variability has not been well documented. On the basis of high-resolution chemical scanning of a well-dated marine ferromanganese nodule from the eastern Pacific, we derive a record of abyssal ventilation spanning the past 4.7 million years and evaluate its linkage to AABW formation over this period. We find that abyssal ventilation was relatively weak in the early Pliocene and persistently intensified from 3.4 million years ago onward. Seven episodes of markedly reduced ocean ventilation indicative of AABW formation collapse are identified since the late Pliocene, which were accompanied by key stages of Northern Hemisphere glaciation. We suggest that the interpolar climate synchronization within these inferred seven collapse events may have intensified global glaciation by inducing poleward moisture transport in the Northern Hemisphere.

Development and initial results of 320 GHz interferometer system in Heliotron J

A new 320 GHz solid-state source interferometer is installed in the Heliotron J helical device to explore the physics of high-density plasmas (ne > 2-3 × 10¹⁹ m^-3, typically) realized with advanced fueling techniques. This interferometry system is of the Michelson type and is based on the heterodyne principle, with two independent solid-state sources that can deliver an output power of up to 50 mW. A high time resolution measurement of <1 µs can be derived by tuning the frequency of one source in the frequency range of 312-324 GHz on the new system, which can realize the fluctuation measurement. We successfully measured the line-averaged electron density in high-density plasma experiments. The measured density agreed well with a microwave interferometer measurement using a different viewing chord, demonstrating that the new system can be used for routine diagnostics of electron density in Heliotron J.

Multi-channel GCN ensembled machine learning model for molecular aqueous solubility prediction on a clean dataset

This study constructed a new aqueous solubility dataset and a solubility regression model which was ensembled by GCN and machine learning models. Aqueous solubility is a key physiochemical property of small molecules in drug discovery. In the past few decades, there have been many studies about solubility prediction. However, many of these studies have high root mean squared error (RMSE). Meanwhile, their dataset always contains salt compounds and solubility data obtained from different experimental conditions. In this paper, we constructed a clean dataset with 2609 compounds, which was small but contains only solubility records without salts at the same temperatures (25 °C). Here, we applied graph convolutional neural network (GCN) to construct an aqueous solubility prediction model. To enhance the performance of the model, the molecular MACCS key fingerprints and physiochemical descriptors were also combined with the GCN model to build a multi-channel model. Additionally, the authors also built two machine learning models (support vector regression and gradient boost decision tree) and assembled them to the GCN model to improve the root mean squared error (RMSE = 0.665). Finally, comparative experiments have shown that our framework achieved the best performance on ESOL dataset (RMSE_val = 0.56, RMSE_test = 0.44) and surpassed four established software on aqueous solubility prediction of new compounds.

Accurate calculation of absolute free energy of binding for SHP2 allosteric inhibitors using free energy perturbation

Accurate prediction of binding affinity is a primary objective in structure-based drug discovery. A free energy perturbation (FEP) method based on molecular dynamics simulation shows great promise for protein-ligand binding affinity predictions. However, accurate calculation of binding affinity for allosteric inhibitors remains unknown and elusive, which hampers the discovery of allosteric inhibitors. Allosteric inhibitors exhibit several significant advantages over orthosteric inhibitors including higher specificity and lower side effects. Allosteric inhibitors against SHP2 are thought to be beneficial not only for diseases related to metabolism, but also for cancer, which make SHP2 a potential drug target. However, high structural sensitivity makes structural optimization of SHP2 allosteric inhibitors face challenges. Herein, we calculated the absolute binding free energy of SHP2 allosteric inhibitors using the FEP method by employing different λ-windows/simulation time sampling strategies. A simulation run with 32 λ-windows/64 ps sampling strategy delivered an excellent correlation (r = 0.96) and an unprecedented low mean absolute error of 0.5 kcal mol^-1 between predicted binding free energies and experimental ones, outperforming the MM/PBSA method. Our study demonstrates the possibility to accurately calculate the absolute binding free energy of allosteric inhibitors using FEP, which offers exciting prospects for the discovery of more effective allosteric inhibitors.

Effective Reaction-Based De Novo Strategy for Kinase Targets: A Case Study on MERTK Inhibitors

Reaction-based de novo design is the computational generation of novel molecular structures by linking building blocks using reaction vectors derived from chemistry knowledge. In this work, we first adopted a recurrent neural network (RNN) model to generate three groups of building blocks with different functional groups and then constructed an in silico target-focused combinatorial library based on chemical reaction rules. Mer tyrosine kinase (MERTK) was used as a study case. Combined with a scaffold enrichment analysis, 15 novel MERTK inhibitors covering four scaffolds were achieved. Among them, compound 5a obtained an IC₅₀ value of 53.4 nM against MERTK without any further optimization. The efficiency of hit identification could be significantly improved by shrinking the compound library with the fragment iterative optimization strategy and enriching the dominant scaffold in the hinge region. We hope that this strategy can provide new insights for accelerating the drug discovery process.

Observed coupling between air mass history, secondary growth of nucleation mode particles and aerosol pollution levels in Beijing

Atmospheric aerosols have significant effects on the climate and on human health. New particle formation (NPF) is globally an important source of aerosols but its relevance especially towards aerosol mass loadings in highly polluted regions is still controversial. In addition, uncertainties remain regarding the processes leading to severe pollution episodes, concerning e.g. the role of atmospheric transport. In this study, we utilize air mass history analysis in combination with different fields related to the intensity of anthropogenic emissions in order to calculate air mass exposure to anthropogenic emissions (AME) prior to their arrival at Beijing, China. The AME is used as a semi-quantitative metric for describing the effect of air mass history on the potential for aerosol formation. We show that NPF events occur in clean air masses, described by low AME. However, increasing AME seems to be required for substantial growth of nucleation mode (diameter < 30 nm) particles, originating either from NPF or direct emissions, into larger mass-relevant sizes. This finding assists in establishing and understanding the connection between small nucleation mode particles, secondary aerosol formation and the development of pollution episodes. We further use the AME, in combination with basic meteorological variables, for developing a simple and easy-to-apply regression model to predict aerosol volume and mass concentrations. Since the model directly only accounts for changes in meteorological conditions, it can also be used to estimate the influence of emission changes on pollution levels. We apply the developed model to briefly investigate the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on PM_2.5 concentrations in Beijing. While no clear influence directly attributable to the lockdown measures is found, the results are in line with other studies utilizing more widely applied approaches.

Sleep Duration and Frailty Risk among Older Adults: Evidence from a Retrospective, Population-Based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Frailty and sleep duration complaints are both prevalent and often coexist among older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the prospective association between sleep duration and frailty risk in a nationally representative cohort study.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study, ten-year follow-up.

SETTING

Community-based setting in 23 provinces of China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 7623 older adults age 65 and over without frailty at baseline were included in the analysis.

MEASUREMENTS

The participants were divided into three groups according to self-reported sleep duration: short (≤6 hours per day), middle (>6 but <10 hours per day) and long (≥10 hours per day). Frailty was measured according to the accumulation of health deficits by the construction of a frailty index of 38 items with 0.25 as the cutoff. A Cox proportional hazard model, a competing risk model and a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model with multiple adjustments were performed to evaluate the association between sleep duration and frailty risk.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 4.4 years (IQR 2.9-9.0), 2531 (33.2%) individuals developed frailty. Compared with participants with middle sleep duration, the risk of frailty was increased among participants with long sleep duration (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.14-1.38) in the fully adjusted Cox proportional hazard model. However, short sleep duration was insignificantly associated with frailty risk. The competing risk model and the GEE model yielded similar results.

CONCLUSION

Long sleep duration is significantly associated with frailty incidence among older adults even after adjustment for confounding factors. This study provides reinforcing longitudinal evidence for the need to design sleep quality improvement interventions in health care programs to prevent frailty among older adults.

The Efficacy of Pyrotinib as a Third- or Higher-Line Treatment in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Exposed to Lapatinib Compared to Lapatinib-Naive Patients: A Real-World Study

Background: Pyrotinib is a novel irreversible pan-ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Evidence of the efficacy of pyrotinib-based treatments for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in patients exposed to lapatinib is limited.

Methods: Ninety-four patients who received pyrotinib as a third- or higher-line treatment for HER2-positive MBC were included in this retrospective study. The primary and secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis were implemented to balance important patient characteristics between groups.

Results: Thirty (31.9%) patients were pretreated with lapatinib and subsequently received pyrotinib as an anti-HER2 treatment, and 64 (68.1%) patients did not receive this treatment. The OS and PFS indicated a beneficial trend in lapatinib-naive group compared to lapatinib-treated group in either the original cohort (PFS: 9.02 vs 6.36 months, p = 0.05; OS: 20.73 vs 14.35 months, p = 0.08) or the PSM (PFS: 9.02 vs 6.08 months, p = 0.07; OS: 19.07 vs 18.00 months, p = 0.61) or IPTW (PFS: 9.90 vs 6.17 months, p = 0.05; OS: 19.53 vs 15.10 months, p = 0.08) cohorts. Subgroup analyses demonstrated lapatinib treatment-related differences in PFS in the premenopausal subgroup and the no prior trastuzumab treatment subgroup, but no significant differences were observed in OS.

Conclusion: Pyrotinib-based therapy demonstrated promising effects in HER2-positive MBC patients in a real-world study, especially in lapatinib-naive patients, and also some activity in lapatinib-treated patients.

O-044 Chinese Society of Reproductive Medicine 2018 annual report on ART

Objective

To analysis the Chinese ART data in 2018 to provide evidence for utilization of various ART.

Methods

The data of ART of 263 Reproductive Centers in the mainland of China in 2018 were collected by CSRM ART Data Reporting System. A cross-sectional survey of the use of ART technology was performed.

Results

In 2018, the CSRM data reporting system reported 105 610 AID/AIH cycles, 323 938 oocyte retrieval cycles, 147 129 fresh embryo transfer cycles, 254 012 frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, and 204 688 newborn . The patient's age was mainly concentrated in the group &lt;35 years old, accounting for 63.75%. The pregnancy rate and live birth rate of retrieval cycles were 52.49% and 42.23% respectively. The pregnancy rate and live birth rate of FET cycles were 48.71% and 37.68% respectively. Among ART complications, the incidence of moderate to severe OHSS was 1.42%, 0.03% postoperative bleeding, 0.01% postoperative pelvic infection, and 0.04% the other complications. The incidence of birth defects of IVF was 0.87%.

Conclusions

This study uses "CSRM data reporting system" data to describe and analyze the current status of ART, basically consistent with the comparison in 2016 and 2017 that most cycles with good outcomes. However, no clear conclusions have been drawn on the changes of PGD/PGS cycle, all-freeze cycle and comprehensive analysis should be conducted by combining with laboratory data.

Trial registration number:

Study funding:

Funding source:

Enhancing Interfacial Contact in Solid-State Batteries with a Gradient Composite Solid Electrolyte

Solid-state batteries promise to meet the challenges of high energy density and high safety for future energy storage. However, poor interfacial contact and complex manufacturing processes limit their practical applications. Herein, a simple strategy is proposed to enhance interfacial contact by introducing a gradient composite polymer solid electrolyte (GCPE), which is prepared by a facile UV-curing polymerization technique. The high-Li_6.4 La₃ Zr_1.4 Ta_0.6 O₁₂ (LLZTO)-content side of the electrolyte exhibits high oxidation resistance (5.4 V versus Li⁺ /Li), making it compatible with a high-voltage cathode material, whereas the LLZTO-deficient side achieves excellent interfacial contact with the Li metal anode, facilitating uniform Li deposition. Benefiting from the elaborate composition and structure of GCPE films, the symmetric Li//Li cell exhibits a low-voltage hysteresis potential of 42 mV and a long cycle life of >1900 h without short-circuiting. The Li//LiFePO₄ solid-state batteries deliver a capacity of 161.0 mA h g^-1 at 60 °C and 0.1 C (82.4% capacity is retained after 200 cycles). Even at 80 °C, the cell still shows an outstanding capacity of 132.9 mAh g^-1 at 0.2 C after 100 cycles. The design principle of gradient electrolytes provides a new path for achieving enhanced interfacial contact in high-performance solid-state batteries.

Development of a multi-channel 320 GHz interferometer for high density plasma measurement in Heliotron J

We report the development of a new interferometer with two stable, high-power, 320 GHz solid-state sources in Heliotron J. A heterodyne Michelson interferometer optical scheme is employed. Two solid-state oscillators are utilized as sources with a fixed frequency at 320 GHz and frequency tunable of 312-324 GHz. Quasi-optical techniques are used for beam transmission. The beam is elongated in the vertical direction with two off-axis parabolic mirrors and injected into the plasma as a sheet beam for the multi-channel measurement (>5 ch.). Passing through the plasma, the beam is reflected at a retroreflector-array installed at the vacuum chamber wall. The retroreflector-array is a bunch of retroreflector structures, which can suppress the beam refraction caused by plasma without much space inside a vacuum chamber unlike a single retroreflector and can facilitate the system design. The source, detectors, and the retroreflector-array are tested to evaluate their basic performance on a tabletop experiment.

Early Pleistocene hominin teeth from Meipu, southern China

The rarity and poor preservation of hominin fossils from the East Asian Early Pleistocene hamper our understanding of their taxonomy and possible phylogenetic relationship with other members of the genus Homo. In the 1970s, four isolated hominin teeth were recovered from the Meipu site, southern China, which biostratigraphic analysis placed in the late Early Pleistocene. Early reports assigned the teeth to late Homo erectus. Since then, the teeth have not been re-evaluated, nor has reliable dating been performed at the Meipu site. Here, biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic dating allow for a more precise chronological constraint of the Meipu hominins in the late Early Pleistocene, between 780 ka and 990 ka, making them one of the few known hominins for this time in mainland Asia. The comparison of the morphology of the Meipu teeth with other members of the genus Homo reveals that the Meipu teeth preserve traits such as moderate shoveling of the I¹, the square crown contour of M¹, and a buccolingually wider lingual cusp in P⁴ that make them closer to early Homo specimens from Africa and Homo ergaster from Dmanisi (Georgia). In addition, the Meipu teeth exhibit features that are more typical for late mainland East Asian H. erectus, such as the moderately convex I¹ labial surface and a pronouncedly convex I₂ labial surface. In these features, the Meipu hominins are morphologically intermediate between African/Dmanisi early Homo and East Asian Middle Pleistocene hominins. This study contributes to a better understanding of the morphologies and the taxonomic status of East Asian Early Pleistocene hominins, a time period for which the hominin evidence with secure stratigraphic context is scarce.

Activity Prediction of Small Molecule Inhibitors for Antirheumatoid Arthritis Targets Based on Artificial Intelligence

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, which is compared to "immortal cancer" in industry. Currently, SYK, BTK, and JAK are the three major targets of protein tyrosine kinase for this disease. According to existing research, marketed and research drugs for RA are mostly based on single target, which limits their efficacy. Therefore, designing multitarget or dual-target inhibitors provide new insights for the treatment of RA regarding of the specific association between SYK, BTK, and JAK from two signal transduction pathways. In this study, machine learning (XGBoost, SVM) and deep learning (DNN) models were combined for the first time to build a powerful integrated model for SYK, BTK, and JAK. The predictive power of the integrated model was proved to be superior to that of a single classifier. In order to accurately assess the generalization ability of the integrated model, comprehensive similarity analysis was performed on the training and the test set, and the prediction accuracy of the integrated model was specifically analyzed under different similarity thresholds. External validation was conducted using single-target and dual-target inhibitors, respectively. Results showed that our model not only obtained a high recall rate (97%) in single-target prediction, but also achieved a favorable yield (54.4%) in dual-target prediction. Furthermore, by clustering dual-target inhibitors, the prediction performance of model in various classes were proved, evaluating the applicability domain of the model in the dual-target drug screening. In summary, the integrated model proposed is promising to screen dual-target inhibitors of SYK/JAK or BTK/JAK as RA drugs, which is beneficial for the clinical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography for the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

Early detection of cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity remains challenging. This prospective study was performed to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to detect CLNM from oral cavity SCC. Additionally, its diagnostic value was compared with that of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Forty-eight consecutive patients with SCC of the oral cavity were enrolled. All subjects were examined preoperatively with both CEUS and CECT. Subsequently, neck dissections were performed for these patients, and cervical lymph nodes separated from the surgical specimens were assessed histologically. The diagnostic performance of these two examinations was compared based on the results of histopathology. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Youden index for CEUS and CECT were 69.39% vs. 44.90%, 94.71% vs. 97.12%, 89.88%% vs. 87.16%, 75.56% vs. 78.57%, 92.92% vs. 88.21%, and 64.10% vs. 42.02%, respectively. A significant difference was observed in terms of sensitivity (P=0.024) and Youden index (rate difference 22.08%, 95% confidence interval 2.72-41.44%). Therefore, CEUS appears to be a promising diagnostic tool that is superior to CECT for detecting CLNM from SCC of the oral cavity, with a higher sensitivity.

Rapid drift of the Tethyan Himalaya terrane before two-stage India-Asia collision

The India-Asia collision is an outstanding smoking gun in the study of continental collision dynamics. How and when the continental collision occurred remains a long-standing controversy. Here we present two new paleomagnetic data sets from rocks deposited on the distal part of the Indian passive margin, which indicate that the Tethyan Himalaya terrane was situated at a paleolatitude of ∼19.4°S at ∼75 Ma and moved rapidly northward to reach a paleolatitude of ∼13.7°N at ∼61 Ma. This implies that the Tethyan Himalaya terrane rifted from India after ∼75 Ma, generating the North India Sea. We document a new two-stage continental collision, first at ∼61 Ma between the Lhasa and Tethyan Himalaya terranes, and subsequently at ∼53−48 Ma between the Tethyan Himalaya terrane and India, diachronously closing the North India Sea from west to east. Our scenario matches the history of India-Asia convergence rates and reconciles multiple lines of geologic evidence for the collision.

CRISPR-dCas9-mediated knockdown of prtR, an essential gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a widely distributed non-fermentative Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is often responsible for nosocomial infections. Gene interference is a potentially valuable tool for investigating essential genes in P. aeruginosa. To establish a gene interference platform in P. aeruginosa, CRISPR system was used with an inactive Cas9 protein. The CRISPR-dCas9 system was cloned into pHERD20T, a shuttle vector with arabinose inducible promoter, and was further modified to target a regulatory gene prtR that is essential for the viability of P. aeruginosa. Cells expressing the prtR-targeting CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) showed growth defect in an arabinose dose-dependent manner. A high-throughput RNA sequencing analysis of bacterial cells with or without the CRISPRi-mediated prtR inhibition indicated that prtRis a global regulator affecting multiple biological processes. In conclusion, the CRISPR-dCas9-based gene knockdown system has been successfully implemented in P. aeruginosa and demonstrated to be an effective tool in the investigation of essential or difficult-to-inactivate genes in this species.

Evolution of vegetation and climate variability on the Tibetan Plateau over the past 1.74 million years

The Tibetan Plateau exerts a major influence on Asian climate, but its long-term environmental history remains largely unknown. We present a detailed record of vegetation and climate changes over the past 1.74 million years in a lake sediment core from the Zoige Basin, eastern Tibetan Plateau. Results show three intervals with different orbital- and millennial-scale features superimposed on a stepwise long-term cooling trend. The interval of 1.74-1.54 million years ago is characterized by an insolation-dominated mode with strong ~20,000-year cyclicity and quasi-absent millennial-scale signal. The interval of 1.54-0.62 million years ago represents a transitional insolation-ice mode marked by ~20,000- and ~40,000-year cycles, with superimposed millennial-scale oscillations. The past 620,000 years are characterized by an ice-driven mode with 100,000-year cyclicity and less frequent millennial-scale variability. A pronounced transition occurred 620,000 years ago, as glacial cycles intensified. These new findings reveal how the interaction of low-latitude insolation and high-latitude ice-volume forcing shaped the evolution of the Tibetan Plateau climate.

In Silico Design and Analysis of a Kinase-Focused Combinatorial Library Considering Diversity and Quality

A structurally diverse, high-quality, and kinase-focused database plays a critical role in finding hits or leads in kinase drug discovery. Here, we propose a workflow for designing a virtual kinase-focused combinatorial library using existing structures. Based on the analysis of known protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), detailed fragment optimization, fragment selection, fragment linking, and a molecular filtering scheme were defined. Quick recognition of core fragments that can possibly form dual hydrogen bonds with the hinge region of the ATP-pocket was proposed. Furthermore, three diversity and four quality metrics were chosen for compound library analysis, which can be applied to databases with over 30 million structures. Compared with 13 commercial libraries, our protocol demonstrates a special advantage in terms of good skeleton diversity, acceptable fingerprint diversity, balanced scaffold distribution, and high quality, which can work well not only on existing PKIs, but also on four chosen commercial libraries. Overall, the strategy can greatly facilitate the expansion of a desirable chemical space for kinase drug discovery.

[Characteristics and clinical significance of body composition in gout patients]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of body composition (BC) in gout patients and its clinical significance. Methods: Consecutive gout patients were recruited between August 2017 and December 2018. Demographic information, clinical characteristics and comorbidities were collected. BC was assessed by bioelectric impedance analysis including body fat percentage (BF%), trunk and limb BF%, appendicular skeletal muscle index. Overfat was defined by BF% ≥25% for male and ≥35% for female. The association between BC and serum uric acid (sUA) was evaluated by multiple linear regression. Results: A total of 362 gout patients were recruited with median age 38 (30, 52) years, 96.1% (348/362) were male. Mean sUA was (551±133) μmol/L. The mean BF% was (25.8±6.4)% with 53.6%(194/362) patients overfat. Male gout patients with overfat showed more affected joints [4(2, 6) vs. 2(2, 5)], higher sUA [(576±126)μmol/L vs. (523±134) μmol/L], higher prevalence of dyslipidemia [70.1%(131/187) vs. 54.0%(87/161)], metabolic syndrome [60.8%(118/187) vs. 28.0%(47/161)], fatty liver [58.2%(113/187) vs. 35.1%(59/161)] and hypertension [44.4%(83/187) vs. 25.5%(41/161)] than male patients with normal fat (all P<0.05). Their BF%, trunk BF% and limb BF% were positively correlated with the numbers of affected joints, sUA, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, and hypertension, respectively (r=0.154-0.435, all P<0.05). Multivariable linear regression suggested that BF% (β=4.29, P=0.020) and trunk BF% (β=9.11, P=0.007), but not limb BF%, were positively correlated with sUA. Conclusion: Overfat is very common in gout patients. The proportion of trunk fat in male patients is positively correlated with sUA. When assessing obesity in gout patients clinically, body composition analysis should be performed simultaneously.

How does the embodied metaphor affect creative thinking?

This study aimed to explore the neural correlates of the embodied metaphor "breaking the rules" and how it affects creativity by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). To embody the metaphor "breaking the rules," we created a circumstance in which participants can experience "breaking the walls" through virtual reality (VR) technology. Participants were randomly assigned to three conditions: the "break-wall" condition, where they broke the walls to move forward; the "auto-wall" condition, where the barrier wall opened automatically; and the "no-wall" condition, where no barrier walls appeared. While walking in the virtual scenes, participants were asked to solve a creativity-demanding problem and to wear the fNIRS device to record their neural activities. It was found that participants showed better creative performance in the "break-wall" condition than in the other conditions. Weaker activations were found in the frontopolar cortex, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the somatosensory association cortex under the "break-wall" condition, which may be associated with rule-breaking behaviors, creative performance, and sense of embodiment. These findings may indicate that physical actions of "breaking the wall" activate the conceptual metaphor of "breaking the rules," which triggers brain activities related to rule-breaking, thus affecting creative performance.

Probiotics maintain intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A levels in healthy formula-fed infants: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Formula-fed infants are more susceptible to infectious diseases because they lack the maternal immune factors transferred from breast milk, while their own immune system is still immature. As timely probiotic administration was suggested to promote immune system development in formula-fed infants, this study aimed at assessing the safety and the effects of a probiotic supplement (Bifidobacterium infantis R0033, Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071, and Lactobacillus helveticus R0052) on mucosal immune competence and digestive function in formula-fed infants. Healthy infants (3.5-6 months old) were randomised to receive either probiotic- (n=66) or placebo-supplemented (n=66) formula once a day for four weeks. In the probiotics group, faecal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels remained similar between visit 2 (baseline; V2) and visit 3 (end-of-treatment; V3), but decreased in the placebo group. Changes in SIgA levels following treatment (log₁₀ΔV3-V2 [95%CI]) between the probiotic and placebo groups were statistically significant (23 ng/dl [-57;102] and -137 ng/dl [-212;-62], respectively (P=0.0044; ANCOVA)). While log₁₀ΔV3-V2 [95%CI] for salivary SIgA levels increased in both groups, this trend was more pronounced in the probiotics than in the placebo group with an increase of 123 ng/dl [9;236] and 37 ng/dL [-72;147], respectively (P=0.2829; ANCOVA). The weekly average number of stools/day was significantly higher in the probiotics group compared to placebo during the last week of treatment for the per protocol population. There was no difference in microbiota composition or anthropometric parameters between groups. No serious adverse event was reported, and all adverse events were mild and unrelated to the product or study. Our results show that formula-fed infants receiving probiotics maintained higher faecal SIgA levels at the end of the four-week treatment period, suggesting a positive effect of probiotics on SIgA production. This study demonstrates the safety of this probiotic formulation in infants. Formula-fed infants may benefit from probiotics supplementation to sustain the development of mucosal immunity.