Objective
To compare endometrial receptivity in patients with and without unexplained recurrent implantation failure (URIF) and the benefits of low‐dose aspirin treatment in women with URIF.
Methods
...A retrospective study was conducted at Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai, from January 2014 to January 2017. Endometrial thickness, pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI), and systolic‐to‐diastolic ratio (S/D) values of endometrial and uterine perfusion were recorded and compared between women with and without URIF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the risk of URIF. Ultrasonography examination was repeated after 2 months of treatment with low‐dose aspirin.
Results
PI, RI, and S/D values for endometrial blood flow were significantly higher in URIF patients than the control group (P < 0.001). The predictive indexes were 0.833, 0.857, and 0.839, respectively. Differences between the groups for endometrial thickness and impedance of uterine perfusion were not significant (P > 0.05). After low‐dose aspirin treatment, endometrial and uterine arterial blood flow resistance in URIF patients was significantly lower than before treatment (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
URIF patients had inappropriate endometrial blood flow. Doppler parameters are promising for predicting women at high risk of URIF. Low‐dose aspirin treatment can improve endometrial receptivity.
Doppler parameters are promising for predicting women at high risk of unexplained recurrent implantation failure. Low‐dose aspirin treatment can improve endometrial receptivity.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) are promising environmentally friendly technologies that are increasingly supported by governments around the world. In the integrated energy system (IES) of this ...paper, by adding the method of electrolysis to hydrogen production, the electrical energy is converted into chemical energy, which cannot only absorb the new energy with fluctuating output but also meet the use of more and more HFCVs. Aiming at the newly introduced hydrogen energy conversion and consumption pathways, this paper uses a statistical analogy to model HFVCs, taking into account the energy conversion efficiency and the needs of vehicle owners. Using the GUROBI solver in the YALMIP toolbox, the IES optimization problem is formed into a MILP problem and solved, and the corresponding co‐optimization scheduling method is given. Based on meeting the needs of HFCVs and electric vehicle (EV) owners, the system can schedule the number and timing of charging and discharging of EVs and the power of hydrogen production from electrolyzers on the time scale, and finally smooth the total power curve. Simulation results show that the proposed collaborative optimal energy scheduling method can meet the current demand for new energy in the system and improve the economy of the IES.
For the dispatchable loads in the integrated energy system, including electric vehicles, the electrolyzer has been dispatched in the time dimension to optimize the system operation economy.
This study assessed an innovative temporary edge protection system (TEPS) designed and developed to improve the ergonomics, health and safety at trench works in the construction industry, which ranks ...as one of the most hazardous worldwide. A wooden prototype of this innovative TEPS was built, and its mechanical resistance was compared to a conventional one. Thereafter, field tests were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of this pioneering TEPS. Both in analytical studies and field tests, the mechanical resistance to static loads of the TEPS complied with EU standards, and outperformed the conventional TEPS. The novel TEPS is effective as fall protection for different trench shoring systems and in buildings without edge protection systems. Moreover, this novel lightweight TEPS is easy to transport, with simple and safe on-site installation.
This study assessed an innovative temporary edge protection system (TEPS) designed and developed to improve the ergonomics, health and safety at trench works in the construction industry, which ranks ...as one of the most hazardous worldwide. A wooden prototype of this innovative TEPS was built, and its mechanical resistance was compared to a conventional one. Thereafter, field tests were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of this pioneering TEPS. Both in analytical studies and field tests, the mechanical resistance to static loads of the TEPS complied with EU standards, and outperformed the conventional TEPS. The novel TEPS is effective as fall protection for different trench shoring systems and in buildings without edge protection systems. Moreover, this novel lightweight TEPS is easy to transport, with simple and safe on-site installation.
•The thermal cracks of tungsten in different orientation were investigated.•The rolled tungsten bulk exhibited anisotropic bending strength.•Type B sample showed higher cracking threshold than that ...of type A sample.•Primary cracks appeared with linear profile for type A while circular for type B.•For both type samples, dominant intergranular cracks were observed by EBSD.
Thermal shock resistance of rolled tungsten with elongated grains aligned parallel and perpendicular to the loading direction was examined. Parallel (type A) or perpendicular (type B) grain orientations influences crack characteristics including threshold, profile, pattern and parameter. Type B samples show a cracking threshold of 0.44–0.66GW/m2, which is much higher than type A samples (<0.22GW/m2). For type A samples, primary cracks appear with linear profiles and dense secondary cracks along grain boundaries. Type B samples exhibit circular primary crack profiles as the homogeneous bending strength on the loaded surface and no secondary cracks are observed. Type A samples exhibit deeper cracking (550–850μm) than type B samples (350–550μm). The maximum crack widths were 2–8μm for type A, again larger than those of type B (0–8μm). Thermal fatigue tests were performed on type B samples, and cracks were detected after 1000cycles.
Regardless of application scenarios, proper mechanical characteristics and degradation properties are prerequisites for horizontal platelet rich fibrin (H-PRF) to manifest its ability. Among the ...methods used to modify PRF, thermal manipulation is promising as it is easy to handle without adding extra additives. Yet there is no consensus on optimal temperature treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of heating on the biological and mechanical characteristics of H-PRF and explore the optimum heating temperature for H-PRF thermal treatment.
We employed a series of temperature gradients, room temperature, 50℃, 75℃, 90℃, 105℃. The microstructure and the mechanical properties were recorded by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and tensile strength tests respectively. The degradation rate of H-PRF membranes was examined by digestion assay with plasmin and trypsin. The viability of cells within H-PRF membranes and the proliferation of osteoblasts cultured with extracts from different H-PRF groups was evaluated using CCK-8 assays.
Compared with the nonheated group, overheated manipulation beyond 90℃ can significantly prolong the degradation properties for up to 3 to 4 weeks and enhance the mass stress of H-PRF membranes. A high-temperature treatment of 105℃ accompanied by the cell activity beneath H-PRF reduced more than half, and thus, the biological effect on human osteoblasts (hFOBs) also reduced dramatically.
High thermal manipulation can prolong the degradation properties and enhance the mechanical properties of PRF membranes accompanied by the loss of biological effect.
•Image-processing technique to analyze the fracture patterns in SFRC.•Crack patterns of monotonically and cyclically-tested samples are undistinguishable.•Algorithm to statistically resolve 3D ...cracking patterns of tested specimens.•A study on the fiber distribution and orientation is also included.
Most fatigue models for concrete under compression assume, as an axiom, that compressive tests are a limit case for a cyclic test where failure is achieved in the first cycle. This is supported by the fact that the crack patterns obtained in both cases are similar to the naked eye. This paper focuses on verifying whether this observation is correct or not. For that, we used a Computed Tomography Scan together with digital image processing to obtain 3D damage maps of tested 40 mm edge-length cubes made of steel fiber-reinforced concrete. The cubes were classified in series according to the type of loading: intact, monotonic and cyclic. They were scanned to acquire their 3D damage maps. Additionally, a specific post-processing algorithm was developed by the authors to compare the different crack patterns. The results show that average damage maps for monotonically and cyclically-tested cubes are statistically similar, thereby confirming the initial hypothesis for steel fiber-reinforced concrete. Furthermore, damage distribution near the platens apparently depends on whether it is a fixed platen or it is adjustable to the specimen surface due to a spherical seat.
Regulatory T (Treg) cells are necessary for the maintenance of allogenic pregnancy. However, the repertoire of effector Treg cells at the feto-maternal interface in human pregnancy remains unknown. ...Our objective was to study T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires of Treg cells during pregnancy compared to normal and complicated pregnancies.
Paired samples of peripheral blood and decidua in induced abortion and miscarriage cases were obtained from consenting patients. CD4
CD25
CD127
CD45RA
effector Treg cells were single-cell sorted from mononuclear cells. cDNAs of complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) in TCRβ were amplified from the single cells by RT-PCR and the sequences were analyzed. The TCRβ repertoires were determined by amino acid and nucleotide sequences. Treg cells were classified into clonally expanded and non-expanded populations by CDR3 sequences.
We enrolled nine induced abortion cases in the 1st trimester, 12 cases delivered without complications in the 3rd trimester, 11 miscarriages with abnormal chromosomal karyotyped embryo, seven miscarriages with normal chromosomal karyotyped embryo, and seven cases of preeclampsia median gestational week (interquartile range): 7 (7-9), 39 (38-40), 9 (8-10), 8 (8-10), and 34 (32-37), respectively. The frequency of clonally expanded populations of effector Treg cells increased in decidua of 3rd trimester cases compared to 1st trimester cases 4.5% (1.4-10.8%) vs. 20.9% (15.4-28.1%),
< 0.001. Clonally expanded Treg cells were rarely seen in peripheral blood. The ratio of clonally expanded populations of decidual effector Treg cells in miscarriages with abnormal and normal embryos was not significantly different compared with that in 1st trimester normal pregnancy. Interestingly, clonally expanded populations of effector Treg cells decreased in preeclampsia compared with that in 3rd trimester normal pregnancy 9.3% (4.4-14.5%) vs. 20.9% (15.4-28.1%),
= 0.003. When repertoires in previous pregnancy and subsequent pregnancy were compared, some portions of the repertoire were shared.
TCR repertoires of decidual effector Treg cells are skewed in the 3rd trimester of normal pregnancy. Failure of clonal expansion of populations of decidual effector Treg cells might be related to the development of preeclampsia.
Exosomes released from decidual stromal cells (DSC-exos) play a crucial role in facilitating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of trophoblasts and insufficient trophoblasts EMT are ...associated with URSA (unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion). However, the mechanisms underlying DSC-exos inducing EMT is not completely understood.
DSC-exos of normal pregnant women (N-DSC-exos) and URSA patients (URSA-DSC-exos) were extracted and characterized. Characterization of the isolated DSC-exos was performed using with TEM (transmission electron microscopy), NTA (nanoparticle tracking analysis), and WB (western blot) techniques. Subsequently, these DSC-exos were co-cultured with trophoblasts cell lines (HTR-8/SVneo). The influence of both N-DSC-exos and URSA-DSC-exos on trophoblasts proliferation, invasion and migration, as well as on the expression of EMT-related proteins, was evaluated through a series of assays including CCK8 assays, wound healing assays, transwell assays, and western blot, respectively. Then rescue experiments were performed by β-TrCP knockdown or β-TrCP overexpressing trophoblasts with snail-siRNA transfection or β-TrCP overexpressing Lentivirus infection, respectively. Finally, animal experiments were employed to explore the effect of N-DSC-exos on embryo absorption in mice.
We found increased β-TrCP expression in the villus of URSA patients when compared to the normal pregnant women, alongside reduction in the levels of both snail and N-cadherin within URSA patients. N-DSC-exos can promote the EMT of the trophoblast by inhibiting β-TrCP-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of transcription factor snail. Moreover the capacity to promote EMT was found to be more potent in N-DSC-exos than URSA-DSC-exos. Down-regulation of snail or overexpression of β-TrCP can reverse the effects of N-DSC-exos on trophoblast. Finally, in vivo experiment suggested that N-DSC-exos significantly reduced the embryo resorption rate of spontaneous abortion mouse model.
Our findings indicate that URSA-DSC-exos caused insufficient migration and invasion of trophoblast because of disturbing of β-TrCP-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of EMT transcription factor snail. Elucidating the underlying mechanism of this dysregulation may shed light on the novel pathways through which DSC-exos influence trophoblast function, thereby contributing to our understanding of their role in URSA.
Ti3AlC2 bulk ceramics were prepared via aqueous gelcasting followed by C-rich and Al-rich pressureless sintering. The optimized pH value, zeta potential, dispersant content, and solid loading content ...were determined to be 10, 72.6 mV, 1.6 wt%, and 52 vol%, respectively. Impurities at ppm level containing in the flowing argon could cause severe decomposition of gelcasted bulk Ti3AlC2, forming whiskers of Al2OC and Al4O4C and floccule of AlN. C-rich pressureless sintering resulted in the delamination of a duplex layer of Ti(CO) and Ti3(AlO)Cx-Ti(O,C). The channels formed after debinding facilitated the outward diffusion of Al and the inward diffusion of O and C, and thereby promoting the decomposition of C-rich sintered Ti3AlC2. The combined effect of the unclosed channels and the porous reaction Ti3(AlO)Cx-Ti(O,C) layer brought a catastrophic reduction in the density and mechanical properties of the C-rich sintered Ti3AlC2 ceramic. While the Al-rich pressureless sintering system isolated C, CO and N2 and supplied a closed Al-rich atmosphere, thereby suppressing the decomposition reactions and promoting the sintering densification and ultimately leading to the superior in mechanical properties. The density, hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness of the Al-rich sintered ceramic reaches 4.13 g/cm3, 4.36 GPa, 345 MPa, 4.79 MPa m1/2, respectively.
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