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Recent biomechanical studies have highlighted the importance of foveal reinsertion when repairing triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injury with foveal tears. However, clinical studies comparing different repair techniques are scarce. We compared the clinical outcomes of suture anchor repair and rein-type capsular suture in patients with TFCC palmer 1B foveal tears with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. This was a single-surgeon, single-center, retrospective, comparative study. We included patients who underwent TFCC repair surgery due to a foveal tear from December 2013 to October 2018 with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Postoperative Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick DASH) score, Modified Mayo Wrist Score, visual analogue scale for pain, wrist range of motion, and grip strength were compared. We also measured the maximal ulnar head displacement with dynamic ultrasound to quantify distal radioulnar joint stability. In total, 103 patients were in the suture anchor group (group A) and 84 patients in the rein-type capsular suture group (group B). The mean follow-up time exceeded three years for both groups. There was a minimal difference regarding QuickDASH score, visual analogue scale for pain, and grip strength ratio between the two groups. The rein-type group had significantly better Modified Mayo Wrist Score. The suture anchor group showed better distal radioulnar joint stability with dynamic ultrasound, but was more limited in ulnar deviation. However, these differences are most likely clinically insignificant. Both suture anchor repair and rein-type capsular suture yielded satisfactory results for TFCC 1B foveal tear in a minimum of 2-year follow-up. The functional scores were similar, and no major complications or recurrent instability were noted in either group. Retrospective Therapeutic Comparative Investigation IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic (As) is a notorious environmental toxicant widely present in various natural environments. As exposure has been correlated with the decline in sperm motility. Yet, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Adult male C57 mice were given 0, 1, or 15 mg/L NaAsO 2 for 10 weeks. The mature seminiferous tubules and sperm count were decreased in As-exposed mice. Sperm motility and several sperm motility parameters, including average path velocity (VAP), straight-line velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), beat-cross frequency (BCF), linearity (LIN), straightness (STR), and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), were declined in As-exposed mice. RNA sequencing and transcriptomics analyses revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways. Untargeted metabolomics analyses indicated that energy metabolism was disrupted in As-exposed mouse testes. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation were disturbed in As-exposed mouse testes. As-induced disruption of testicular glucose metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation was further validated by RT-PCR and Western blotting. In conclusion, As exposure causes decline in sperm motility accompanied by energy metabolism disorders in mouse testes. [Display omitted] • As (arsenic) exposure reduced sperm motility and several sperm motility parameters. • Transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that As disturbs energy metabolism. • Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that As inhibits oxidative phosphorylation. • As-induced energy metabolism disorders were verified by RT-PCR and Western blotting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse male reproduction caused by phthalate ester (PAE) exposure has been well documented in vivo. However, existing evidence from population studies remains inadequate to demonstrate the impact of PAE exposure on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Our present study aimed to explore the potential link between PAE exposure and sperm quality and the possible mediation by sperm mitochondrial and telomere in healthy male adults recruited from the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, China. Nine PAEs were determined in one pooled urine sample prepared from multiple collections during the spermatogenesis period from the same participant. Sperm telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined in sperm samples. The sperm concentration and count per quartile increment in mixture concentrations were −4.10 million/mL (−7.12, −1.08) and −13.52% (−21.62%, −4.59%), respectively. We found one quartile increase in PAE mixture concentrations to be marginally associated with sperm mtDNAcn (β = 0.09, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.19). Mediation analysis showed that sperm mtDNAcn significantly explained 24.6% and 32.5% of the relationships of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) with sperm concentration and sperm count (β = −0.44 million/mL, 95% CI: −0.82, −0.08; β = −1.35, 95% CI: −2.54, −0.26, respectively). Our study provided a novel insight into the mixed effect of PAEs on adverse semen quality and the potential mediation role of sperm mtDNAcn. [Display omitted] • Nine phthalate esters (PAEs) were determined in repeated urine samples over 90 days. • Sperm TL and mtDNAcn were determined in sperm samples among healthy men. • PAE mixtures were negatively associated with semen quality. • MEHP was mainly associated with semen quality and sperm cellular function. • Sperm mtDNAcn may play a mediating role between PAE exposure and semen quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The total fat content of expressed breast milk and its fatty acid composition is unlikely to be affected by any storage or handling processes. • The lipid classes of breast milk are affected by storage, pasteurization, and various thawing and warming methods perhaps due to the presence of lipases. • There are needs for developing modern technologies for more precise measurements of the changes to breast milk fat composition. This review evaluated the effect of various storage and handling conditions on the fat composition of expressed breast milk (EBM). Three databases PubMed, Embase and Scopus were searched in April 2019 with words from the three key components: human milk, handling process (i.e. storage and/or pasteurization), and fatty acid composition. The comparisons were EBM subjected to handling processes versus fresh EBM or versus EBM subjected to another handling processes. Both intervention and observational studies were included, and the outcomes measured included total fat and lipid classes of the EBM. We included 42 studies (43 reports), 41 of which were assessed to be of good quality. Relative changes to the fat composition of EBM subjected to handling processes were calculated based on the data provided in the included studies, and the results were synthesized narratively. The total fat content and total fatty acid composition of EBM was not generally influenced by storage and handling process, with most changes less than 10%, which is likely a result of methodological variation. A reduction in EBM triglyceride concentration and concomitant increase in free fatty acid concentration were seen after exposing to various conditions, probably due to endogenous lipase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fluorogenic substrate Ub-ACC (ubiquitin C-terminal 7-amino-4-carbamoylmethyl-coumarin) was developed for DUB (deubiquitinating enzyme) activity assays. This substrate can be synthesized with higher efficiency than the classical DUB substrate, Ub-AMC (ubiquitin C-terminal 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin). DUB assays using UCH-L3, OTUD2 and USP30 demonstrated that Ub-ACC shows nearly 2-fold higher sensitivity than Ub-AMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The NY-ESO-1 (A39-A68) peptide hydrazide was prepared through 9-fluorenyl-methoxycarbonyl solid-phase peptide synthesis (Fmoc SPPS) from a new 9-fluorenyl-methoxycarbonyl hydrazine 2-chlorotrityl chloride (Fmoc-hydrazine 2CTC) resin. The new resin was ideal for long-term storage and usage in Fmoc SPPS. Besides, the title peptide hydrazide could be transformed nearly quantitatively into the corresponding peptide thioester, which was both isolable and usable directly in native chemical ligation (NCL). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a novel solution, data cutting and sorting method (DCSM), to improve the efficiency of Apriorialgorithm. By means of excising and sorting processes, DCSM has reduced the redundant data and simplified the search procedure. The calculation time of DCSM is less 40 times than Apriori algorithm. In addition, the empirical hospital utilizes DCSM to analyze the data of health examination and the records of out-patient department (OPD). According to the relationships between the condition of health examination and the diagnosis department of OPD, the empirical hospital constructs the disease forecast system to provide the health information of the patients to physician for fellow-up diagnosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CAD comparison is a technique to analyze the errors between a group of digitized points and its corresponding CAD model. It is increasingly more important in manufacturing as the optical digitizing devices have been widely accepted. We proposed a triangulation-based approach to deal with the CAD comparison problem; it can improve the computational efficiency tremendously for huge amount of measured points. The triangular facets were only an approximation of the original surface model, thus, several algorithms were proposed to enhance the accuracy of the error evaluation algorithm. Extensive experiments with industrial parts have been implemented to illustrate the characteristics of the proposed method. It has also been compared with commercial software to demonstrate its advantage over the available method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A comprehensive utilization project of bone-coal in a vanadium mine was proposing in recent years in central China. Based on the analysis of 31 representative bone-coal samples from 9 boreholes at various depth drilled in planning initial minery, the average activity concentrations of 238 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were determined in the range of 196.4–653.3 Bq/kg, 200.2–564.4 Bq/kg, 9.4–64.6 Bq/kg and 71.5–345.4 Bq/kg, respectively. The major natural radionuclides were identified as U-series nuclides with the activity concentrations obviously higher than common coal. The estimated absorbed dose rates in the air varied between 107.1 and 310.5 nGy/h. The averaged external annual effective dose due to the radioactivity in the bone-coal was predicted as 0.37 mSv/a, and the main contribution is 87.5% for U-series. The radium equivalent activity, the external and internal indices of most of the samples were shown with high values of an unacceptable level, which indicated the bone-coal would carry a considerable radiation hazard to the workers and the local individuals. The hazard of radon inhalation should be focused during mining and following processes. Further radiological assessment should be carried out as the natural radioactivity in the bone-coal would be technically enriched during the combustion process of the bone-coal and utilization of the byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of a PDL, which acts as an energy absorber, is a contributor to implants' early failure; however, these discrepancies are not well understood because of limited in vivo research. This study investigated the discrepancy in biomechanical behaviors between natural teeth and dental implants by detecting micro-movements in vivo. We designed a device that could measure precisely mechanical behaviors such as creep, stress relaxation, and hysteresis by using load–control displacement on teeth and implants. We also compared energy dissipation between natural teeth and dental implants by subtracting the area of the hysteresis loop of natural teeth from that of dental implants. Biphasic curves with an initial phase of rapid response and a subsequent phase of slow response were confirmed in creep and stress relaxation curves for the load–time relationship in natural teeth. By contrast, the behavior of creep or stress relaxation was less prominent when the dental implants were tested. We observed that the periodontal ligament under an axial intrusive load of 300 g in a loading rate 3 g/s could dissipate the energy of 7.35 ± 1.18 × 10−2 mJ, approximately 50 times that of the dental implants (1.47 ± 1.22 × 10−3) with statistically significant (p < 0.05). We confirmed natural teeth could achieve greater energy dissipation compared to dental implants, which owe to that natural teeth exhibited fluid and viscoelastic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-life exposure to environmental cadmium (Cd) is known to cause developmental disorders, yet the effect and mechanism of gestational exposure to Cd on the offspring's cognitive function remains unclear. Placenta as a well-established target organ for Cd-impaired fetal development, its role in estrogen regulation and offspring cognitive function is unknown. Our in vivo experiments found that gestational Cd exposure impaired cognitive function in adult male offspring, accompanied with lowered 17β-estradiol (E2) level in the male fetal brain upon Cd exposure. Correspondingly, the expression of synapse-associated proteins including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and synapsin-1 were downregulated, which were reversed when supplemented with E2 hormone during gestation. Further observation showed placental estrogen synthesis inhibition and general control non-derepressible 2 (GCN2) signaling activation upon Cd exposure, whereas placental estrogen synthesis could be restored through inhibiting GCN2 activity. Based on ovariectomy (OVX) of pregnant mice, we confirmed that Cd exposure reduced E2 level in fetal brain via inhibiting placenta-derived estrogen synthesis. The aforementioned Cd-induced fetal brain injury and cognitive impairment in adult offspring were significantly alleviated when pregnant dams were supplemented with anti-stress agent N -Acetyl- l -cysteine. In summary, Cd disrupted placenta-derived estrogen synthesis via activating GCN2 signaling, and thereby caused cognitive impairment in adult offspring mice. Our findings suggest that placenta-derived estrogen may be an effect marker of environmental toxicants-evoked cognitive dysfunction in adult offspring and suggest that environmental toxicants may affect the fetal brain development via placenta-fetal-brain axis. [Display omitted] • Gestational cadmium impairs fetal brain and cognitive ability in adult offspring. • Placenta-derived E2 contributes to cadmium-evoked fetal brain injury. • Cadmium disrupts placental-derived E2 synthesis via activating GCN2 signaling. • N -Acetyl- l -cysteine reverses cadmium-reduced E2 via blocking GCN2 signaling. • N -Acetyl- l -cysteine reverses cadmium-evoked cognitive disorder in adult offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 50 years, testosterone (T) level in men has declined gradually. In this research, we discovered that acute exposure to 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), an environmental stressor from polluted atmosphere, reduced T contents by downregulating steroidogenic proteins in mouse testes and Leydig cells. Acute 1-NP exposure caused GCN2 activation and eIF2α phosphorylation, a marker of integrated stress, in mouse testes and Leydig cells. GCN2iB, a selective GCN2 kinase inhibitor, and siGCN2, the GCN2-targeted short interfering RNA, attenuated 1-NP-induced reduction of steroidogenic proteins in Leydig cells. Mechanistically, mitochondrial membrane potential was reduced and ATP5A, UQCRC2, SDHB and NDUFB8, four OXPHOS subunits, were reduced in 1-NP-exposed Leydig cells. Cellular mitochondrial respiration was inhibited and ATP production was reduced. Moreover, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were elevated in 1-NP-exposed Leydig cells. The interaction between GCN2 and uL10, a marker of ribosome stalling, was observed in 1-NP-exposed Leydig cells. MitoQ, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, attenuated1-NP-evoked ATP depletion and ribosome stalling in Leydig cells. Moreover, MitoQ suppressed 1-NP-caused GCN2 activation and eIF2α phosphorylation in Leydig cells. In addition, MitoQ alleviated 1-NP-induced steroidogenic inhibition in mouse testes. In conclusion, mitochondrial ROS-mediated ribosome stalling and GCN2 activation are partially involved in environmental stress-induced steroidogenic inhibition in testes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]