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Abstract As Li-ion batteries are increasingly being deployed in electric vehicles and grid-level energy storage, the demand for Li is growing rapidly. Extracting lithium from alternative aqueous sources such as geothermal brines plays an important role in meeting this demand. Electrochemical intercalation emerges as a promising Li extraction technology due to its ability to offer high selectivity for Li and its avoidance of harsh chemical regenerants. In this work, we design an economically feasible electrochemical process that achieves selective lithium extraction from Salton Sea geothermal brine and purification of lithium chloride using intercalation materials, and conversion to battery grade (>99.5% purity) lithium hydroxide by bipolar membrane electrodialysis. We conduct techno-economic assessments using a parametric model and estimated the levelized cost of LiOH•H2O as 4.6 USD/kg at an electrode lifespan of 0.5 years. The results demonstrate the potential of our technology for electro-driven, chemical-free lithium extraction from alternative sources.

Background: Combining pool-based and resistance workouts, both in the pool and on dry land, is a valuable approach to enhancing swimming performance. However, few investigations have been conducted on this topic. Through a randomized controlled trial study, we investigated the effects of a 10-week concurrent resistance training program, which integrated resistance workouts both in the pool and on dry land on tethered force, lower limbs strength, anaerobic critical velocity, and swimming performance, in regional age-group breaststroke swimmers. Methods: Regional age-group swimmers (N = 24, males) were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group (EG: 15.1 ± 0.5 years old) performed combined pool-based + resistance workouts, both in the pool and on dry land. The control group (CG: 15.1 ± 0.7 years old) performed their usual training regime, i.e., pool-based + resistance workouts on dry land only. The tethered swimming force, muscular strength, anaerobic critical velocity, and swimming performance and technique of the swimmers were evaluated before the training program began and after 10 weeks. Results: Improvements were observed in the EG vs. the CG in terms of the mean force (30.04%, p = 0.02; d = 0.75), one-repetition maximum back squat (20.57%, p = 0.01; d = 2.05), maximal force (19.23%, p = 0.03; d = 0.69), and anaerobic critical velocity (4.2%, p = 0.04; d = 0.61). The 50 and 200 m breaststroke performance times improved (4.3 and 5.4%, p = 0.01, d = 0.88–0.92, respectively) after 10 weeks. Conclusions: With the increasing demands of contemporary swimming competitions, which often include heats, semifinals, and finals, achieving optimal physical fitness to compete at an elite level, in every round, is vital for swimmers. The combination of resistance training workouts both in the pool and on dry land seems to enhance swimming performance in age-group swimmers, particularly in sprint to middle-distance breaststroke swimmers.

Introduction Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of reproductive failure, especially preterm birth. As preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) is increasingly used worldwide, however, it is still unclear whether body mass index (BMI) has an effect on the preterm birth rate in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with PGT-A when transferring a single euploid blastocyst.Materials and methods This retrospective, single-center cohort study included 851 women who underwent the first cycle of frozen-thawed single euploid blastocyst transfer with PGT-A between 2015 and 2020. The primary outcome was the preterm birth rate. Secondary outcomes were clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and live birth.Results Patients were grouped by World Health Organization (WHO) BMI class: underweight (

BackgroundGiven the prevalent utilization of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine (ITCWM) in the management of acute pancreatitis, the majority of studies have concentrated on severe cases, lacking robust evidence-based medical research. Real-world investigations can provide an objective assessment of the clinical effectiveness of combining traditional Chinese medicine with western medicine. Consequently, relying on real-world research, we intend to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the combined approach in treating mild to moderate acute pancreatitis.MethodsA total of 563 AP patients from Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were collected from January 2019 to October 2023. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating mild to moderate acute pancreatitis. Patients were divided into a control group (61 cases) and an integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine (ITCWM) group (120 cases). To further assess the clinical efficacy of TCM enema in the treatment of mild to moderate acute pancreatitis, PSM analysis was conducted across three groups. The patients were categorized into a control group (n = 49), an oral TCM treatment group (OCM group, n = 274), and an oral TCM plus enema treatment group (OCM+E group, n = 131). Logistic regression was used to analyze factors after treatment in each group, and the Kaplan-Meier method compared symptom duration in each group.ResultsCompared with the control group, the ITCWM group significantly decreased C-reactive protein (CRP, mg/L) (17.8 [1.2–59.5] vs. 8.0 [3.3–33.5], P = 0.022), shortened the duration of abdominal distension, abdominal pain, nausea and bitter taste symptoms (P < 0.05), and shortened the length of hospital stay (median 19.0 and 11.5 days, respectively, P = 0.001); Compared with the other two groups, the neutrophil percentage (NEUT%) was lower (74.1 vs. 61.9 vs. 59.5, P < 0.05) and serum prealbumin (PA, mg/L) was higher (116.0 vs. 184.4 vs. 220.0, P < 0.05), the length of hospitalization (days) was shortened (19.0 vs.12.0 vs.10.0, P < 0.05) in the OCM+E group.ConclusionThe combination of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine has been shown to effectively decrease inflammatory indicators in patients with mild to moderate acute pancreatitis, leading to a reduction in symptom duration and hospitalization period, as well as promoting disease recovery. Notably, the use of traditional Chinese medicine in conjunction with enema therapy yields more pronounced benefits.

Abstract Background Growth hormone (GH) has been proposed as an adjunct in in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles, especially in women with poor ovarian response. However, it is unclear whether GH supplementation is effective in women with poor embryonic development in the previous IVF cycle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of GH supplementation in IVF/ICSI cycles in women with poor embryonic development in the previous cycle. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study from a public fertility center in China, in which we performed propensity score-matching (PSM) for female age and AFC in a ratio of 1:1. We compared the cumulative live birth rate per started cycle, as well as a series of secondary outcomes. We included 3,043 women with poor embryonic development in the previous IVF/ICSI cycle, of which 1,326 had GH as adjuvant therapy and 1,717 had not. After PSM, there were 694 women in each group. Results After PSM, multivariate analyses showed the cumulative live birth rate to be significantly higher in the GH group than the control group [N = 694, 34.7% vs. N = 694, 27.5%, risk ratio (RR): 1.4 (95%CI: 1.1–1.8)]. Endometrial thickness, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryos available, and number of good-quality embryos were significantly higher in the GH group compared to controls. Pregnancy outcomes in terms of birth weight, gestational age, fetal sex, preterm birth rate, and type of delivery were comparable. When we evaluated the impact of GH on different categories of female age, the observed benefit in the GH group did not appear to be significant. When we assessed the effect of GH in different AFC categories, the effect of GH was strongest in women with an AFC5-6 (32.2% versus 19.5%; RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2–3.3). Conclusions Women with poor embryonic quality in the previous IVF/ICSI cycles have higher rates of cumulative live birth with GH supplementation.

Objective To investigate whether different endometrial preparation methods lead to different results.Design Retrospective cohort study.Patients Women with recurrent pregnancy loss undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET).Interventions Natural cycle (NC) protocol (n = 111) with no drug or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) used for endometrial preparation, vs. the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) protocol (n = 797) with estrogen or gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) plus estrogen used for endometrial preparation.Main outcome measures Miscarriage rate and live birth rate (LBR).Results Compared to women in the HRT protocol, women undergoing NCs had fewer previous FET cycles, lower antral follicle counts (AFCs), fewer oocytes retrieved and a thicker endometrium on the day of progesterone administration. Women in the HRT group had a higher miscarriage rate (29.4% vs. 17.2%) and a lower LBR (37% vs. 46.9%) than the rates of women in the NC group. Univariate analysis showed that female age also had a negative association with the miscarriage rate. Logistic regression indicated that endometrial preparation using the NC protocol was linked to a decreased likelihood of miscarriage.Conclusions The NC protocol decreased the miscarriage rate and increased the LBR for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss compared with the HRT protocol.

In this paper, we construct and prove the existence of theoretical solutions to non-isentropic Euler equations with a time-dependent linear damping and Coriolis force in Cartesian form. New exact solutions can be acquired based on this form with examples presented in this paper. By constructing appropriate matrices $ A(t) $, and vectors $ {\mathbf{b} }(t) $, special cases of exact solutions, where entropy $ s = \ln\rho $, are obtained. This is the first matrix form solution of non-isentropic Euler equations to the best of the authors' knowledge.

Abstract Background Plenty of studies explored the most optimal treatment protocol for infertile women with adenomyosis in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) /intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), however, there is still no consensus on which treatment protocol is ideal for these women at present. So, we conducted this study comparing the pregnancy outcomes in infertile women with ultrasound-diagnosed adenomyosis who underwent GnRH antagonist protocol with freeze-all strategy or long-acting GnRH agonist protocol. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study and a propensity-score matching (PSM) analysis including 282 women diagnosed with adenomyosis undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle from January 2016 to July 2021 at the Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital, China. The patients were divided into two groups: the GnRH antagonist protocol with freeze-all strategy (n = 168) and the long-acting GnRH agonist protocol with fresh embryo transfer (n = 114) according their treatment protocols. The primary outcome was live birth rate. Cumulative live birth rate was also calculated. Results After adjusting for confounders, clinical pregnancy rate (49.40% vs 64.04%; odds ratio (OR) 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70 to 2.37; P = 0.358), live birth rate (36.90% vs 45.61%; OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.61 to 2.00, P = 0.753) and cumulative live birth rate (51.79% vs 64.04%; OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.49 to 1.74, P = 0.796) were not significantly different between the GnRH antagonist protocol with freeze-all strategy and long-acting GnRH agonist protocol. Similar results were conducted in PSM analysis with clinical pregnancy rate (46.48% vs 60.56%; OR 1.33; 95% CI 0.76 to 2.34; P = 0.321), live birth rate (32.39% vs 45.07%; OR 1.31; 95% CI 0.63 to 2.72, P = 0.463) and cumulative live birth rate (54.90% vs 60.60%; OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.59 to 1.74, P = 0.958). Conclusions For infertile women with adenomyosis, these two treatment protocols resulted in similar pregnancy outcomes. Larger, prospective studies are needed in the future.

Abstract Background The evaluation of embryo morphology may be inaccurate. A euploid prediction model is needed to provide the best and individualized counseling about embryo selection based on patients and embryo characteristics. Methods Our objective was to develop a euploid-prediction model for evaluating blastocyst embryos, based on data from a large cohort of patients undergoing pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). This retrospective, single-center cohort study included data from 1610 blastocysts which were performed PGT-A with known genetic outcomes. The study population was divided into the training and validation cohorts in a 3:1 ratio. The performance of the euploid-prediction model was quantified using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). In addition, a nomogram was drawn to provide quantitative and convenient tools in predicting euploid. Results We developed a reliable euploid-prediction model and can directly assess the probability of euploid with the AUC (95%CI) of 0.859 (0.834,0.872) in the training cohort, and 0.852 (0.831,0.879) in the validation cohort, respectively. The euploid-prediction model showed sensitivities of 0.903 and specificities of 0.578. Conclusions The euploid-prediction model is a reliable prediction model and can directly assess the probability of euploid.

Abstract Background The ideal protocols of endometrial preparation for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients are lacking and need further declaration. Our objective was to compare the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) with and without pretreatment gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in PCOS patients. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we used propensity score matching (PSM) to compare the live birth rate between patients who underwent FET with hormone replacement treatment (HRT) and patients with GnRHa pretreatment (GnRHa + HRT). Patients using GnRHa + HRT (n = 514) were matched with 514 patients using HRT. Results The live birth rate was higher in the GnRHa + HRT group compared with the HRT group with no significant difference (60.12% vs 56.03%, p = 0.073). The clinical pregnancy rate (75.29% vs 70.62%), miscarriage rate (14.20% vs 13.81%) and ectopic pregnancy rate (0.39% vs 0.19%) were similar between the two groups. The preterm birth rate in GnRHa + HRT was higher than HRT (20.23% vs 13.04%). No difference was found in live birth between GnRHa +HRT and HRT before adjusting for covariates (crude OR 1.22, 95%CI, 0.99–1.51, p = 0.062) and after PSM (OR 1.47, 95%CI, 0.99–2.83, p = 0.068). In addition, there is a marginally difference after adjusting for covariates (aOR 1.56, 95%CI, 1.001–2.41, p = 0.048), this finding with p-value close to 0.05 represent insufficient empirical evidence. Similar results were obtained after propensity score matching in the entire cohort. Conclusions GnRHa pretreatment could not improve the live birth rate in women with PCOS.

IntroductionIn frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles, hormone replacement treatment (HRT) was associated with a higher risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) compared with natural cycles (NC). Multiple pregnancy was a risk factor for HDP and several studies did not conduct subgroup analysis of singleton pregnancy and multiple pregnancy.ObjectiveTo investigate whether HRT regimen could be a risk factor for HDP in women undergoing FET cycles in singleton and twin pregnancies.MethodsA retrospective cohort study at a tertiary hospital, including a total of 9120 women who underwent FET and achieved ongoing pregnancy; 7590 patients underwent HRT-FET and 1530 NC-FET. The main outcome was HDP. HDP were analyzed for singleton and twin pregnancies, respectively.ResultsIn the singleton pregnancy, the risk of HDP in the HRT-FET group was significantly higher than that in the NC-FET group (6.21% vs. 4.09%; P=0.003). After adjusting for female age oocyte pick up, female age at FET and body mass index (BMI), HRT was found as a risk factor for HDP (adjusted odds ration [aOR]: 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07 to 1.91; P=0.017). In the multiple pregnancy, the risk of HDP in the HRT-FET and NC-FET groups was similar.ConclusionHRT was associated with a higher risk of HDP in women who underwent FET and achieved singleton pregnancy.

Research Question: How to prevent the transfer of a mutation causing osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) to offspring in a couple with recurrent adverse pregnancy outcomes, when the male partner is a gonosomal mosaic carrier.Design: High-throughput sequencing and first-generation DNA sequencing were performed using the tissues from an aborted fetus and its parents. Regions 2 Mb upstream and downstream of the COL1A1 gene were subjected to multiplex PCR to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and family haplotypes associated with the disease-causing mutation. Single-cell whole-genome amplification and sequencing were performed on trophoblasts cultured in vitro for 5–6 days to construct embryonic SNP haplotypes, and first-generation sequencing was used for pathogenic locus verification and aneuploidy screening. Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) was also performed.Results: The aborted fetus was heterozygous for the COL1A1 mutation c.1454G>A (chr17-48272089, p.Gly485Asp) suspected to cause OI. The variant was also detected in the peripheral blood cells and sperm of the male partner, who appeared to be a gonosomal mosaic carrier of the mutation. Three morphologically usable blastocysts were obtained in vitro and successfully expanded after a trophectoderm biopsy. Two blastocysts were unusable owing to aneuploidy; however, one was euploid and did not carry the paternal mutation. Post-transfer gestation was confirmed by systematic B-scan ultrasound, and amniocentesis findings were consistent with the PGT-M results.Conclusion: Parental gonadal mosaicism was the cause of recurrent terminated pregnancies due to fetal skeletal dysplasia. Using PGT-M to select embryos without the paternal pathogenic mutation prevented the vertical transmission of OI in this family, and a successful pregnancy was achieved.

Introduction Natural cycle (NC) and hormone replacement treatment (HT) are frequently used endometrial preparation protocols prior to frozen-thawed embryo transfer in ovulatory women. It is not clear which protocol results in a higher live birth rate. It has been suggested that there is an increased risk in maternal and perinatal morbidity following HT protocol due to the lack of corpus luteum. The objective of this trial is to compare the clinical outcomes of NC and HT protocols in frozen embryo transfer.Methods and analysis COMPETE is an open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled trial targeting to recruit 888 women, with 444 women each in two arms (1:1 treatment ratio). Women undergoing in vitro fertilisation scheduled for a frozen embryo transfer and have a regular menstrual cycle are eligible. Exclusion criteria include ovulation disorders and intrauterine adhesions. The primary outcome is live birth resulting from the first frozen embryo transfer after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, miscarriage, endometrial thickness, cycle cancellation, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, antepartum haemorrhage, preterm birth, birth weight, large for gestational age, congenital anomaly and perinatal mortality. The data analysis will be following the intention-to-treat principle.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Northwest women’s and children’s hospital (2020008). Written informed consent will be obtained from each participant before randomisation. The results of the trial will be presented via publications.Trial registration number ChiCTR2000040640.

Abstract Background Preoperative anxiety is a common psychological reaction in perioperative patients. The absence of a valid measurement tool hinders the evaluation of interventions to treat preoperative anxiety in China. This study aims to develop the Perioperative Anxiety Scale-7 (PAS-7) and test its reliability, validity, and cut-off value. Methods A total of 280 patients over 16 years old (M = 55.1, SD = 14.3) who were undergoing elective surgery were recruited to complete the PAS-7 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) one day before surgery. Results The PAS-7 included seven items divided into two dimensions: mental anxiety and somatic anxiety. These two dimensions could explain 74.294% of the population variance. The internal consistency of each dimension ranged from 0.761–0.933. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model fit of the scale was good (χ 2 = 34.798, df = 13, χ 2 /df = 2.677, CFI = 0.949, TLI = 0.918, SRMR = 0.057, RMSEA = 0.115). The correlations between the GAD-7 and each dimension and the scale’s total score were significant (0.711–0.789). A cut-off score of 8, maximizing the Youden Index, yielded a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 84.6% (95% CI: 0.88 ~ 0.97). Conclusions The PAS-7 had good reliability and validity and could be used as an effective tool to evaluate preoperative anxiety.

Abstract Background Panic disorder (PD) is often undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or untreated in non-psychiatric clinical settings. Therefore, a cost-effective, accurate and easy-to-administer instrument for PD assessment is still needed. For that reason, the self-report version of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS-SR) has been developed and suggested to be a reliable and useful tool in clinical and research settings. The current study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PDSS-SR and determine the cut-off score of the PDSS-SR. Methods A total of 133 patients with PD in Shanghai were assessed by the PDSS-SR, PDSS and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA). Moreover, 117 patients with non-PD anxiety and 51 healthy subjects also completed the PDSS-SR to construct a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with the scores of PD patients. Results The internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) of the PDSS-SR was 0.72–0.80, and the interrater correlation coefficient was 0.78. The results of principal component analysis and varimax rotation indicated that the PDSS-SR had a two-factor structure, with all seven items having salient loadings. The cut-off score was 4, which was associated with high sensitivity (96.03%) and specificity (61.31%). Conclusions The findings demonstrate that these items and the total score of the PDSS-SR have acceptable reliability and validity in patients with PD and that the PDSS-SR can be used by general doctors for clinical screening in China.

BackgroundEvidence increasingly suggested that impaired respiratory function remained in about 40% of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after discharge, jeopardizing their activities of daily living and quality of life (QoL) in a long term. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) can improve exercise capacity and QoL in individuals with chronic lung disease; however, evidence on the effect of PR for patients with post-COIVD-19 was scarce. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of PR on lung impairment for patients with post-COVID-19.MethodsFive databases were searched for all the published trials of PR for patients with post-COVID-19 from 2019 to October 2021. Data were extracted using a standardized form. The risks of bias of included studies were assessed using the Cochrane risk of the bias assessment tool. Data were synthesized where possible; otherwise, qualitative analysis was done.ResultsAmong 6,000 retrieved studies, 3 studies with 233 patients after COVID-19 were included. The pooled estimate of PR effect on 6-min walk test (6-MWT) (50.41, 95% CI 34.34 to 66.48; p < 0.0001) was in favor of the experiment group with clinical importance. It is found that PR could improve the symptom of dyspnea and QoL; however, its effect on pulmonary function test was inconsistent across studies. The risk of bias of included studies varied, with major concerns on the risk of blinding of participants and interventions performers.ConclusionThe review showed that PR could improve exercise capacity measured by 6-MWT among patients with mild-to-moderate lung impairment after COVID-19. The interpretation of effects on lung function, dyspnea, and QoL should be cautious due to inadequate and conflicting data reported across studies.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021289562, identifier: CRD42021289562.

Clubroot is a serious soil-borne disease of crucifers caused by the obligate parasite Plasmodiophora brassicae. The genetic basis and histopathology of clubroot resistance in two Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) inbred lines Bap055 and Bap246, challenged with pathotype 4 of P. brassicae, was evaluated. The Chinese cabbage cultivar “Juxin” served as a susceptible check. The resistance in Bap055 was found to be controlled by the CRa gene, while resistance in Bap246 fit a model of control by unknown recessive gene. Infection of the roots by P. brassicae was examined by inverted microscopy. Despite their resistance, primary and secondary infection were observed to occur in Bap055 and Bap246. Primary infection was detected at 2 days post-inoculation (DPI) in “Juxin,” at 4 DPI in Bap055, and at 6 DPI in Bap246. Infection occurred most quickly on “Juxin,” with 60% of the root hairs infected at 10 DPI, followed by Bap055 (31% of the root hairs infected at 12 DPI) and Bap246 (20% of the root hairs infected at 14 DPI). Secondary infection of “Juxin” was first observed at 8 DPI, while in Bap055 and Bap246, secondary infection was first observed at 10 DPI. At 14 DPI, the percentage of cortical infection in “Juxin,” Bap055 and Bap246 was 93.3, 20.0, and 11.1%, respectively. Although cortical infection was more widespread in Bap055 than in Bap246, secondary infection in both of these hosts was restricted relative to the susceptible check, and the vascular system remained intact. A large number of binucleate secondary plasmodia were observed in “Juxin” and the vascular system was disrupted at 16 DPI; in Bap055 and Bap246, only a few secondary plasmodia were visible, with no binucleate secondary plasmodia. The defense mechanisms and expression of resistance appears to differ between Chinese cabbage cultivars carrying different sources of resistance.

Background: Poor responders usually lead to detrimental effects on IVF outcomes due to low oocyte number and quality which further result in low pregnancy outcomes and increased chance of cycle cancellation. Clinicians often individualise the FSH dose using ovarian reserve tests (ORT), including antral follicle count (AFC). However, it is unclear whether individualised FSH dosing improves clinical outcomes. Aim: To understand if there is a difference in live birth rates between individualised or standard FSH dosing in poor responders? Method: Between March 2019 and April 2020, we performed a single center, parallel, open-label randomised controlled trial. Women referred for their first IVF/ICSI cycle, [Formula: see text]43 years of age, AFC[Formula: see text]10 were approached. Eligible women were randomised either to individualised or standard FSH dosing. In the individualised group, women with AFC 1-6 were assigned to 300IU/day, while women with AFC 7-9 were assigned to 225IU/day. In the standard group, women were assigned 150IU/day. The primary outcome was live birth attributable to the first ART cycle within 18 months of randomization. Results: A total of 661 women were randomised, 328 to the individualised group and 333 to the standard group. The live birth rate (follow up still ongoing) was not significantly different between the two groups [49.1% (161/328) vs 42.3% (141/333), RR: 1.16 (95%CI, 0.98-1.37), P=0.082]. The cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate for individualised versus standard dosing was 53.0% (174/328) versus 47.4% (158/333), respectively [RR: 1.12 (95%CI, 0.96-1.30), p=0.150]. The multiple pregnancy rate also did not differ between individualised and standard dosing [5.49% vs 5.71%, RR: 0.96 (95%CI, 0.51-1.80), p=0.903]. Individualised dosing reduced the occurrence of poor response compared to standard dosing [31.1% vs 48.6%, RR: 0.64 (95%CI, 0.53-0.78), p[Formula: see text]0.001]. Conclusion: The individualised dosing strategy led to lower rates of poor response, but it did not result in significantly higher ongoing pregnancy rates.

Abstract The compressive and tensile behaviors in a Ti nanopillar with a biphasic hexagonal close-packed (HCP) /face-centered cubic (FCC) phase boundary are theoretically researched using classic molecular dynamic simulation. The results indicate that the HCP/FCC interface and free surface of the nanopillar are the sources of dislocation nucleation. The plastic deformation is mainly concentrated in the metastable FCC phase of the biphasic nanopillar. Under compressive loading, a reverse phase transformation of FCC to the HCP phase is induced by the dislocation glide of multiple Shockley partial dislocations 1 2 < 1 ¯ 21 >under compressive loading. However, for tensile loading a large number of Lomer-Cottrell sessile dislocations and stacking fault nets are formed when the partial dislocations react, which leads to an increase in stress. The formation mechanism of a Lomer-Cottrell sessile dislocation is also studied in detail. Shockley partial dislocations are the dominant mode of plastic deformation behaviors in the metastable FCC phase of the biphasic nanopillar.

European fodder turnips (Brassica rapa ssp. rapifera) were identified as sources of clubroot resistance (CR) and have been widely used in Brassica resistance breeding. An F2 population derived from a cross between a resistant turnip and a susceptible Chinese cabbage was used to determine the inheritance and locating the resistance Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs). The parents showed to be very resistant/susceptible to the field isolates (pathotype 4) of clubroot from Henan in China. After inoculation, 27 very resistant or susceptible individuals were selected to construct bulks, respectively. Next-generation-sequencing-based Bulk Segregant Analysis Sequencing (BSA-Seq) was used and located resistance QTL on chromosome A03 (3.3–7.5 Mb) and A08 (0.01–6.5 Mb), named Bcr1 and Bcr2, respectively. Furthermore, an F3 population including 180 families derived from F2 individuals was phenotyped and used to verify and narrow candidate regions. Ten and seven Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) markers narrowed the target regions to 4.3–4.78 Mb (A03) and 0.02–0.79 Mb (A08), respectively. The phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of the two QTLs were 33.3% and 13.3% respectively. The two candidate regions contained 99 and 109 genes. In the A03 candidate region, there were three candidate R genes, namely Bra006630, Bra006631 and Bra006632. In the A08 candidate region, there were two candidate R genes, namely Bra030815 and Bra030846.

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Heteroaggregation of graphene oxide (GO) with nanometer- and micrometer-sized hematite colloids, which are naturally present in aquatic systems, is investigated in this study. The heteroaggregation rates between GO and hematite nanoparticles (HemNPs) were quantified by dynamic light scattering, while the heteroaggregation between GO and micrometer-sized hematite particles (HemMPs) was examined through batch adsorption and sedimentation experiments. The heteroaggregation rates of GO with HemNPs first increased and then decreased with increasing GO/HemNP mass concentration ratios. The conformation of GO-HemNP heteroaggregates at different GO/HemNP mass concentration ratios was observed through transmission electron microscopy imaging. Initially, GO underwent heteroaggregation with HemNPs through electrostatic attraction to form primary heteroaggregates, which were further bridged by GO to form bigger clusters. At high GO/HemNP mass concentration ratios where GO outnumbered HemNPs, heteroaggregation resulted in the formation of stable GO-HemNP nanohybrids that have a critical coagulation concentration of 308 mM NaCl at pH 5.2. In the case of HemMPs, GO adsorbed readily on the microparticles and, at an optimal GO/HemMP ratio of ~0.002, the sedimentation of HemMPs was the fastest, most likely because of the formation of "electrostatic patches" leading to favorable aggregation of the microparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Withthe rapid growth in the application of graphene oxide (GO)in diverse fields, the toxicity of GO toward bacterial and mammaliancells has recently attracted extensive research attention. While severalmechanisms have been proposed for the cytotoxicity of GO, the attachmentof GO to cell membranes is expected to be the key initial processthat precedes these mechanisms. In this study, we investigate thepropensity for GO to attach to and disrupt model cell membranes usingsupported lipid bilayers (SLBs) and supported vesicular layers (SVLs)that are composed of zwitterionic 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC). The deposition kinetics of GO onSLBs were determined using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipationmonitoring and were observed to increase with increasing electrolyte(NaCl and CaCl2) concentrations, indicating that GO attachmentto SLBs was controlled by electrostatic interactions. The GO depositionkinetics measured at elevated electrolyte concentrations were lowerthan mass-transfer-limited kinetics, likely due to the presence ofhydration forces between GO and SLBs. Upon the attachment of GO tosupported vesicles that were encapsulated with a fluorescent dye,dye leakage was detected, thus indicating that the lipid vesicleswere disrupted. When the exposure of the SVL to the GO suspensionwas terminated, the leakage of dye decreased significantly, demonstratingthat the pores on the lipid bilayers have a self-healing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]