Objective. To evaluate the effects of different delivery modes on pelvic floor function in parturients 6–8 weeks after delivery using transperineal four-dimensional ultrasound. Methods. Pelvic floor ...function 6–8 weeks after delivery in 40 vaginal delivery parturients between November 2018 and December 2020 was assessed by four-dimensional ultrasound, with 40 selective cesarean section delivery parturients as a control group. The imaging results of the two groups were compared. Results. The levels of clinical indexes such as UVJ-M, Ar, Av, θ, Dr, Dv, and ARJ-VDv in the selective cesarean section group were significantly lower than those in the vaginal delivery group 6–8 weeks after delivery (P<0.05). However, no significant difference in CV-VD was observed under Valsalva action and at rest between the two groups (P>0.05). No significant difference in ARJ-VD was found at rest between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of pelvic organ prolapse in the selective cesarean section group (40.0%) was significantly lower than that in the vaginal delivery group (62.5%) (P<0.05). No significant difference in the parameters of pelvic diaphragm hiatus at rest was observed between the two groups (P>0.05). The parameters of pelvic diaphragm hiatus under maximum Valsalva action in the vaginal delivery group were significantly higher than those in the selective cesarean section group (P<0.05). Whether the patient was complicated with diabetes had no significant effect on the functional injury of pelvic floor muscle (P>0.05). Conclusion. The pelvic floor function 6–8 weeks after delivery was significantly more affected in vaginal delivery than in selective cesarean section. Selective cesarean section had certain but limited protective effect on maternal pelvic floor tissue.
The emerging epitranscriptomics offers insights into the physiopathological roles of various RNA modifications. The RNA methylase NOP2/Sun domain family member 2 (NSUN2) catalyzes 5-methylcytosine ...(m5C) modification of mRNAs. However, the role of NSUN2 in corneal epithelial wound healing (CEWH) remains unknown. Here we describe the functional mechanisms of NSUN2 in mediating CEWH.
RT-qPCR, Western blot, dot blot, and ELISA were used to determine the NSUN2 expression and overall RNA m5C level during CEWH. NSUN2 silencing or overexpression was performed to explore its involvement in CEWH both in vivo and in vitro. Multi-omics was integrated to reveal the downstream target of NSUN2. MeRIP-qPCR, RIP-qPCR, and luciferase assay, as well as in vivo and in vitro functional assays, clarified the molecular mechanism of NSUN2 in CEWH.
The NSUN2 expression and RNA m5C level increased significantly during CEWH. NSUN2 knockdown significantly delayed CEWH in vivo and inhibited human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) proliferation and migration in vitro, whereas NSUN2 overexpression prominently enhanced HCEC proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, we found that NSUN2 increased ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) translation through the binding of RNA m5C reader Aly/REF export factor. Accordingly, UHRF1 knockdown significantly delayed CEWH in vivo and inhibited HCEC proliferation and migration in vitro. Furthermore, UHRF1 overexpression effectively rescued the inhibitory effect of NSUN2 silencing on HCEC proliferation and migration.
NSUN2-mediated m5C modification of UHRF1 mRNA modulates CEWH. This finding highlights the critical importance of this novel epitranscriptomic mechanism in control of CEWH.
The core binding factor subunit beta (CBFβ) is a transcription factor that forms a complex with virial proteins to promote viral infection. In this study, we identified a CBFβ homolog from zebrafish ...(zfCBFβ) and characterized the biological activity. The deduced zfCBFβ protein was highly similar to orthologs from other species. The zfcbfβ gene was constitutively expressed in tissues and was induced in immune tissues after infection with spring viremia carp virus (SVCV) and stimulation with poly(I:C). Interestingly, zfcbfβ is not induced by type I interferons. Overexpression of zfcbfβ induced tnfα expression but inhibited isg15 expression. Also, overexpression of zfcbfβ significantly increased SVCV titer in the EPC cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed that zfCBFβ interacts with SVCV phosphoprotein (SVCVP) and host p53, resulting in the increased stability of zfCBFβ. Our results provide evidence that CBFβ is targeted by virus to suppress host antiviral response.
•Zebrafish cbfβ is upregulated by spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) and poly(I:C).•Overexpression of host cbfβ promotes SVCV replication.•CBFβ directly interacts with host p53 and phosphoprotein of SVCV.
A stronger push-pull effect between the conjugated electron-poor/electron-rich biaryl system endow two fluorescent nucleosides enhanced bathochromic shifts with remarkable sensitivity to polarity, pH ...or viscosity changes.
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•One-pot desilylation/Sonogashira coupling with trimethylsilyl alkynes was developed.•Two new nucleosides are highly fluorescent and potential antivirals.•A reasonable quantum yield for Nucleoside 5.•Enhanced bathochromic shifts.•Remarkable sensitivity to polarity, pH or viscosity changes.
Two fluorescent nucleosides were synthesized via incorporating benzothiophene and benzofuran into position 5 of 6-aza-uridines. With more intensive push-pull interactions between electron-deficient uridine core and electron-rich extended aromatic moieties, both extended 6-aza-uridines show enhanced bathochromic shifts with remarkable sensitivity to polarity, pH or viscosity changes, suitable as a useful nucleobase probe to be sensitive to changes of microenvironment. The extended nucleoside modified by benzofuran display much high emission quantum yields and emission intensity in apolar solvents.
Coal-based H2 generation has abruptly increased in recent years. The PSA-VPSA-SC process is the matured and standard framework for H2 purification and CO2 capture in many existing plants, including ...normal and vacuum pressure swing adsorption units in series (PSA-VPSA), and shallow condensation unit (SC). However, this standard process is frequently subjected to low H2 recovery ratio and high purification cost. In this work, H2-selective and CO2-selective membrane units, i.e., HM and CO2M, are attempted to support the standard process and ameliorate constraints. In the beginning, HM unit is arranged after VPSA to enhance H2 recovery from the decarbonized stream, i.e., the PSA-VPSA-SC/HM process. As a result, H2 recovery ratio can be enhanced significantly from 83% to 98%. In the following, VPSA is replaced with CO2M unit to reduce investment and operation cost, i.e., the PSA-CO2M-SC/HM process. Accordingly, the specific purification cost is diminished from 33.46 to 32.02 USD·(103 m3 H2)−1, saved by 4.3%, meanwhile the construction cost is falling back and just a little higher than that for the standard process. In the end, another CO2M unit is launched before PSA, i.e., the CO2M-PSA-CO2M-SC/HM process, which could unbundle CO2 enrichment partially from H2 purification, and then save more investment and operation cost. In comparison with the standard process, this ultimate retrofitted process can be superior in all the three crucial indices, i.e., recovery ratio, investment, and specific purification cost. On the whole, coal-based H2 generation can be ameliorated significantly through high efficient H2-selective and CO2-selective membrane units.
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This paper looks into the influences of solution treatment on the cavitation erosion and corrosion resistances of a CrMnNi austenitic stainless steel. Cavitation erosion pit formation is mainly ...associated with twin boundaries, slip lines and martensite traces (ε and α′). These pits subsequently grow both across slip lines and martensite traces and along twin boundaries, eventually coalescing to form bigger ones. Conducting solution treatment at an excessively high temperature will result in significant grain growth that compromises strength, reduces corrosion resistance and facilitates martensite formation, thereby causing a deterioration in both cavitation erosion and corrosion resistances.
•An excessively high ST temperature will cause significant grain growth.•Grain growth compromises static and fatigue strength, and corrosion resistance.•Cavitation erosion (CE) pits initiate at twin boundaries and slip/martensite traces.•Grain growth enhances martensite formation and degrades CE/corrosion resistances.
The small time-step due to the small size of microcapsules using the discrete element method (DEM) requires a significant number of computations when analyzing the force condition of microcapsules ...for mixing self-healing concrete. In this study, a speed-up method with a reduced Young's modulus is proposed to correct the particle contact force after establishing the relationship between the maximum contact force and the Young's modulus of particles in the collision process by using theoretical derivations and data fitting. The proposed method was verified using a stirred box model with the DEM and a stirred tank model with computational fluid dynamics–DEM. The effects of different particle numbers, impeller speeds, and time-step sizes on the accuracy of the proposed method were investigated. The results demonstrated the feasibility of analyzing the maximum contact force between particles using the speed-up method with a reduced Young's modulus.
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•The relationship between maximum contact force and Young's modulus was obtained.•A speed-up method for CFD-DEM simulation of contact force was proposed.•The applicability and accuracy of the speed-up method was verified.•The computational efficiency was significantly improved due to the speed-up method.
Light is one of the most adverse factors for bamboo deterioration and causes surface degradation and discoloration. The study was carried out to initiate efficient and effective photodiscoloration to ...modify and enrich bamboo colors that may be applied to bamboo dyeing. Different types of bamboo samples commonly used in the industry were studied experimentally under two types of ultraviolet (UV) light. Effects of light sources, radiation time, and distances on discoloration and discoloration mechanism were systematically studied. For both UV 313 and high-pressure mercury light, the bamboo surface turned red-yellow, and color parameters including ΔE, Δa, Δb, and C rapidly increased first and then stabilized for long time, while ΔL showed a similar trend, except for the final decrease. Compared with UV 313, high-pressure mercury lamp light was highly efficient and took less time to induce discoloration. Heat treatments darkened the bamboo color and slowed down photodiscoloration, and the higher temperature led to more photostability. The color change of bamboo scrimber under UV radiation was less and slower than that of untreated bamboo due to high density and heat treatment, and the dark carbonized scrimber changed less than that of the light carbonized scrimber. Relatively high contents of isovanillin, syringaldehyde, β-hydroxypropiovanillone, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and syringic acid were identified by GC-MS, and syringaldehyde, 2,6-dimethylbenzoquinone, and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid were identified by HPLC-MS from a bamboo discoloration layer after high-pressure mercury lamp radiation. These products all contained a conjugated double bond and were conjectured to be degraded from lignin or aromatic extracts. Particularly, 2,6-dimethylbenzoquinone which contained a cyclohexenedione structure without benzene rings, was more chemically stable than other conjugated double bonds with benzene rings, and was supposed to be the final product (chromogenic group) during bamboo photodegradation. Untreated or light-colored bamboo under high-energy UV light initiated highly efficient and effective photodiscoloration, and UV light is recommended for being applied to industrial bamboo dyeing. Compared with traditional chemical dyeing, the photoinduced dyeing method has no chemical addition and is easy to operate and environmental-friendly.
Pelargonidin, a well-known natural anthocyanidin found in berries strawberries, blueberries, red radishes and other natural foods, has been found to possess health beneficial effects including ...anti-cancer effect. Herein, we investigated the effect of pelargonidin on cellular transformation in mouse skin epidermal JB6 (JB6 P+) cells induced by tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Pelargonidin treatment significantly decreased colony formation and suppressed cell viability of JB6 P+ cells. Pelargonidin also induced the anti-oxidant response element (ARE)-luciferase activation in HepG2-C8 cells overexpressing the ARE-luciferase reporter. Knockdown of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in shNrf2 JB6 P+ cells enhanced TPA-induced colony formation and attenuated pelargonidin's blocking effect. Pelargonidin reduced the protein levels of genes encoding methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Importantly, pelargonidin decreased the DNA methylation in the Nrf2 promoter region of JB6 P+ cells and increased Nrf2 downstream target genes expression, such as NAD(P)H/quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), involved in cellular protection. In summary, our results showed that pelargonidin blocks TPA-induced cell transformation. The possible molecular mechanisms of its potential anti-cancer effects against neoplastic transformation may be attributed to its activation of Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway and its cytoprotective effect.
•Anthocyanin pelargonidin attenuates colony formation of JB6 mouse epidermal cells.•Pelargonidin transcriptionally activates the antioxidant response element (ARE).•Pelargonidin enhances Nrf2-mediated antioxidant gene expression.•Knockdown of Nrf2 attenuates blocking effect of pelargonidin on colony formation.•Pelargonidin epigenetically decreases the DNA CpG methylation of Nrf2 promoter.
A cell line, termed ZFIN, was established from the caudal fin of zebrafish and was shown to be susceptible to spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). The ZFIN cells are epithelial like cells and have a ...moderate plasmid transfection efficiency of 13.9%. Using an RNA-seq approach, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulated by SVCV were identified. Infection of SVCV gave rise to 3931 DEGs and up-regulated DEGs were mostly enriched into the biological regulation and cellular processes, among which pathways for the type I interferon signaling and the response to exogenous dsRNA were the top two GO terms. Several KEGG signaling pathways including TLR signaling pathway, RLR receptor signaling pathway, cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway, NLR signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and ferroptosis were significantly enriched. Antiviral genes including ifnφ1, isg15 and mx were significantly up-regulated. In addition, key DEGs involved in autophagy were identified. The results indicate that the ZFIN cell line provides a useful in vitro tool for study on the gene functions and cellular responses to viral infection in fish.
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