Objective:To explore the influencing factors of the secondary sex ratio (SSR) of singleton babies born following assisted reproductive technology.Methods:A total of 7020 single babies delivered by assisted reproductive technology at the Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Anhui Provincial Hospital) from January 2000 to December 2018 were collected in a retrospective cohort study. The effect of influencing factors, such as maternal age, fertilization method, embryo transfer type and embryo transfer period on the sex of singleton babies were analyzed.Results:Among 7020 babies, 3730 were boys and 3290 were girls. The total SSR was 113∶100. The SSR of in vitro fertilization (IVF) was significantly higher than that of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization (121∶100 vs. 95∶100, P<0.001), while other factors had no significant effect on the SSR of infants born. In the stratified analysis, there was no difference in SSR between IVF and ICSI in the blastocyst embryo transfer group with mother's age 35 years or older ( P<0.05), while the SSR of IVF in the other groups was higher than that of ICSI (<35 years old group: P<0.001; fresh embryo group: P=0.001; frozen-thawed embryo group: P=0.003; cleavage embryo transfer group: P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the fertilization method in singleton pregnancy had a statistically significant effect on baby SSR ( OR=0.792, 95% CI=0.712-0.881, P<0.001). After removing confounding factors, logistic regression analysis showed that the fertilization method in singleton pregnancy had a statistically significant effect on neonatal SSR (a OR=0.793, 95% CI=0.713-0.883, P<0.001). Conclusion:The fertilization method of assisted reproductive technology can affect the SSR of singleton newborns. The SSR of IVF is significantly higher than that of ICSI and the difference was significant.

Objective:To explore the influencing factors of the secondary sex ratio (SSR) of singleton babies born following assisted reproductive technology.Methods:A total of 7020 single babies delivered by assisted reproductive technology at the Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Anhui Provincial Hospital) from January 2000 to December 2018 were collected in a retrospective cohort study. The effect of influencing factors, such as maternal age, fertilization method, embryo transfer type and embryo transfer period on the sex of singleton babies were analyzed.Results:Among 7020 babies, 3730 were boys and 3290 were girls. The total SSR was 113∶100. The SSR of in vitro fertilization (IVF) was significantly higher than that of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization (121∶100 vs. 95∶100, P<0.001), while other factors had no significant effect on the SSR of infants born. In the stratified analysis, there was no difference in SSR between IVF and ICSI in the blastocyst embryo transfer group with mother's age 35 years or older ( P<0.05), while the SSR of IVF in the other groups was higher than that of ICSI (<35 years old group: P<0.001; fresh embryo group: P=0.001; frozen-thawed embryo group: P=0.003; cleavage embryo transfer group: P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the fertilization method in singleton pregnancy had a statistically significant effect on baby SSR ( OR=0.792, 95% CI=0.712-0.881, P<0.001). After removing confounding factors, logistic regression analysis showed that the fertilization method in singleton pregnancy had a statistically significant effect on neonatal SSR (a OR=0.793, 95% CI=0.713-0.883, P<0.001). Conclusion:The fertilization method of assisted reproductive technology can affect the SSR of singleton newborns. The SSR of IVF is significantly higher than that of ICSI and the difference was significant.

Objective:To summarize the characteristics of clinical features, blood biochemistry and immune indicators in elderly patients with hepatitis E.Methods:A total of 223 patients with hepatitis E were divided into elderly(n=101)versus non-elderly(n=122)groups and the mean age was(68.9±6.6)years and(46.2±8.8)years, respectively.The differences in clinical characteristics, blood biochemistry and immune indicators were compared between the two groups.Results:No significant differences in the gender, length of hospital stay and the combinations with jaundice, ascites, abdominal pain, hospital death and other co-morbidities were found between the two groups( P>0.05). But the elderly group versus non-elderly group showed significantly higher levels of total bilirubin [140.4(263.8)μmol/L vs.56.7(134.8)μmol/L, Z=3.289, P=0.001], direct bilirubin [105.9(199.0)μmol/L vs.37.7(110.4)μmol/L, Z=3.111, P=0.002]and indirect bilirubin [24.7(488.0)μmol/L vs.15.2(25.0)μmol/L, Z=2.505, P=0.012], and showed significantly lower levels of glutamyl transferase [98.0(113.0)U/L vs.127.5(176.2)U/L, Z=2.117, P=0.034]and albumin [32.2(8.2)g/L vs.36.9(6.2)g/L, Z=5.484, P<0.000], while the other blood biochemical indicators showed no significant difference(all P>0.05). The elderly group versus non-elderly group had significantly higher level of serum anti-hepatitis E virus IgM [17.3(53.0) vs.7.9(24.4), Z=2.351, P=0.019), while the positive rate of serum anti-hepatitis E virus IgG had no significant difference( χ2=1.284, P=0.526). Conclusions:Some blood biochemical and immunological indicators in elderly patients with hepatitis E are significantly different from those of non-elderly patients, but clinical features have no difference between the two groups.Changes in relevant indicators should be considered during the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the adhesive interface and micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) of infiltrating resin directly bonded to normal dentin.

METHODSTwenty extracted human molars were collected and ground to expose fresh dentin surface. An infiltrating resin (ICON, DMG, Germany) was served as experimental group and Clearfil SE Bond adhesive (Kuraray, Japan) as control group. Following the application of primer (Kuraray, Japan), the specimens were applied infiltrating resin or adhesive respectively and blocks of composite resin were built up. The adhesive interfaces were observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the μTBS was measured by micro-tensile test before and after thermal cycling.

RESULTSThe infiltrating resin could penetrate into micro-structure of dentin created by SE Bond primer. A layer of about 180 μm-long and dense resin tags was observed under SEM in infiltrating resin group. The μTBSs were (35 ± 10) MPa before and (35 ± 9) MPa after thermal cycling respectively in infiltrating resin group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The μTBSs were (38±8) MPa before and (24±7) MPa after thermal cycling respectively in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After thermal cycling, the μTBS of infiltrating resin group was significant higher than that of control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe infiltrating resin could penetrate into the micro-structure of dentin created by SE Bond primer. The bond strength and the bonding durability of infiltrating resin were similar to that of SE Bond adhesive.

Adhesives ; chemistry ; Composite Resins ; chemistry ; Dental Bonding ; Dentin ; Dentin-Bonding Agents ; chemistry ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Japan ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Molar ; Resin Cements ; chemistry ; Surface Properties ; Tensile Strength

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway has been reported to play an important role in liver fibrosis. This study was designed to investigate whether mesoderm-specific transcript homologue (Mest), a strong negative regulator of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, could inhibit liver fibrosis. METHODS: pcDNA-Mest was transfected into hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group (normal saline), treatment group (pcDNA-Mest+CCl4), control group (pcDNA-neo+CCl4), and model group (normal saline+CCl4). Changes in liver pathology were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactic dehygrogenase, hyaluronic acid, and laminin in the serum and hydroxyproline in the liver were detected by biochemical examination and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The expression and distribution of beta-catenin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), Smad3, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase type I were determined, and the viability of the HSCs was tested. RESULTS: Our data demonstrate that Mest alleviated CCl4-induced collagen deposition in liver tissue and improved the condition of the liver in rats. Mest also significantly reduced the expression and distribution of beta-catenin, alpha-SMA and Smad3 both in vivo and in vitro, in addition to the viability of HSCs in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: We found that Mest attenuates liver fibrosis by repressing beta-catenin expression, which provides a new therapeutic approach for treating liver fibrosis.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride/toxicity ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatic Stellate Cells/physiology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental/*physiopathology ; Male ; Proteins/*physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats, Wistar ; Transfection ; Wnt Signaling Pathway/*physiology ; beta Catenin/metabolism

Metaproteomics is an emerging proteomics technology to analyze large scale protein expression in environmental microbial ecosystem. It is termed as the large-scale characterization of the entire protein complement of environmental microbial community at a given point in time. This review focuses on the research strategies and the recent applications in this field based on the published reports and in combination with our own research experiences.
Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ; Ecology ; methods ; Environmental Microbiology ; Proteomics ; methods