Size Expansion Research Articles

Investigation on nozzle zone agglomeration during spray drying using response surface methodology

During spray drying, dry powder is circulated into the nozzle zone to force collisions, inducing agglomeration. This study systematically determined the effect of fine powder mass flowrate (varying from 7.1–15.9 kg·h−1), drying air temperature (160–200 °C), and drying air mass flowrate (472.8–590.8 kg·h−1) on agglomerate size and morphology using a central-composite trial design. Agglomeration was quantified using an agglomeration index based on laser diffraction and by quantifying particle morphology using static image analysis. Response surface models were used to quantify factor effects. Increasing the fines mass flowrate had the largest positive effect on particle size enlargement and development of grape-like agglomerates. Increasing drying air temperature had a small negative effect on particle size enlargement and no significant effect on morphology. Increasing drying air mass flowrate had a small negative effect on particle size enlargement, but a positive effect on morphology. Finally, image analysis was found to be the preferred method to quantify the onset of agglomeration.

A Domain-Oriented Entity Alignment Approach Based on Filtering Multi-Type Graph Neural Networks

Owing to the heterogeneity and incomplete information present in various domain knowledge graphs, the alignment of distinct source entities that represent an identical real-world entity becomes imperative. Existing methods focus on cross-lingual knowledge graph alignment, and assume that the entities of knowledge graphs in the same language are unique. However, due to the ambiguity of language, heterogeneous knowledge graphs in the same language are often duplicated, and relationship triples are far less than those of cross-lingual knowledge graphs. Moreover, existing methods rarely exclude noisy entities in the process of alignment. These make it impossible for existing methods to deal effectively with the entity alignment of domain knowledge graphs. In order to address these issues, we propose a novel entity alignment approach based on domain-oriented embedded representation (DomainEA). Firstly, a filtering mechanism employs the language model to extract the semantic features of entities and to exclude noisy entities for each entity. Secondly, a Structural Aggregator (SA) incorporates multiple hidden layers to generate high-order neighborhood-aware embeddings of entities that have few relationship connections. An Attribute Aggregator (AA) introduces self-attention to dynamically calculate weights that represent the importance of the attribute values of the entities. Finally, the approach calculates a transformation matrix to map the embeddings of distinct domain knowledge graphs onto a unified space, and matches entities via the joint embeddings of the SA and AA. Compared to six state-of-the-art methods, our experimental results on multiple food datasets show the following: (i) Our approach achieves an average improvement of 6.9% on MRR. (ii) The size of the dataset has a subtle influence on our approach; there is a positive correlation between the expansion of the dataset size and an improvement in most of the metrics. (iii) We can achieve a significant improvement in the level of recall by employing a filtering mechanism that is limited to the top-100 nearest entities as the candidate pairs.

Optimization of Ni-amine coordination for improving NH3 permeation through nickel-doped bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] amine membranes

Nickel-coordinated bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] amine (BTPA) xerogels and membranes reportedly showed excellent NH3 adsorption, permeance, and permselectivity. To study the H2, N2, and NH3 permeation properties of Ni-BTPA membranes in detail, the nickel doping amount in BTPA should be optimized. In this work, Ni-BTPA sols/gels with nickel/propylamine (Ni/N–H) mole ratios of 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 were prepared and characterized via DLS, FT-IR, UV–vis, TG-MS, and XRD, indicating that the sol size and the interactions between nickel and N–H/N=O were increased with an increase in the Ni/N–H mole ratio. The large NH3 adsorption and desorption amounts were obtained with 0.50 and 1.00 Ni-BTPA xerogels via NH3-TPD measurement, additionally, the competitive interactions between nickel and NH3/other functional groups, such as N–H and N=O, were found in 1.00 Ni-BTPA, which could negatively affect the NH3 affinity. The pore sizes of membranes were gradually enlarged in Ni-BTPA with increases in the nickel content, which improved gas permeation. Due to the enlargement of the pore size and the sufficient NH3 affinity, the 0.50 Ni-BTPA membrane recorded the optimal performance with a NH3 permeance of ∼ 2.8 × 10-6 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1, an ideal NH3/H2 selectivity of 11, and NH3/N2 selectivity of 102 at 200 °C.

Influence of silver introduction into (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)S2 thin films on their physical properties

Silver was introduced into pure-sulfide Cu(In,Ga)S2 (CIGS) to form (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)S2 (ACIGS) compound. The impact of the Ag addition on physical properties and photovoltaic performances was therefore examined to determine suitable Ag amount in ACIGS solar cells. The ACIGS thin films with different Ag/(Ag + Cu) (AAC) compositional ratios were formed through the sulfurization of the In/Cu/Ga/Ag stacked precursors. It is disclosed that the AAC is obviously increased from 0 to 0.18 under the increase in the Ag precursor thickness from 0 to 80 nm. Moreover, under the suitable Ag introduction (ACC of 0.04), the quality of ACIGS absorbers is improved with low Urbach energy (EU) and the enlargement of crystal grain size. The decreased conduction band offset between the absorber and CdS buffer layers under Ag addition is realized with lower valence band maximum value of the ACIGS absorbers, thus feasibly increasing the hole barrier. Additionally, the band alignment between absorber and CdS buffer layers was disclosed with the varied ACC based on photoemission yield spectroscopy. Ultimately, the short-circuit current density of the ACIGS solar cell is clearly increased by 2 mA/cm2 under suitable ACC of 0.04.

The impact of a droplet's light refraction on the size enlargement of its internal objects

Liquid droplets are objects of study in many industries due to their wide range of applications, including in agriculture and energy. When studying a droplet with a deformed object inside it, the length or radius of the object inside it will not be directly measured by photographing of the side view due to the refraction effect. In order to solve this problem, this paper analyzes the magnification of the object inside the droplet by geometric optics theory, derives the formula of magnification, and verifies it using practical experiments and simulations to illustrate the validity of the formula. It is also found that the amplification effect decreases as the internal object increases. The conclusions of this paper can correct the size amplification effect of the object inside the droplet due to refraction, which is a guideline for experimental and computational analysis in the field of droplet-related research.

Osteolysis Following the Use of Polyetheretherketone Suture Anchors in Hand and Wrist Surgery: A Preliminary Study

The objective of this study was to investigate and describe the presence of osteolysis after implantation of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) suture anchors in the hand and wrist. Patients who underwent hand or wrist surgery using PEEK suture anchor(s) at a large academic institution from January 2019 to January 2021 were identified. Patients without accessible intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging were excluded. Patient demographics, type of procedure, and suture anchor material were recorded. The suture anchor tunnel size was measured on sequential radiographs and recorded as percentage change. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize findings. A total of 26 PEEK suture anchors in 14 patients were included, with an average follow-up of 12.0 months (range, 1.5-24.1 months). Twenty-seven percent of the anchors (7/26) demonstrated osteolysis at final follow-up, as defined by enlargement of tunnel size by >30%. In all anchors, the tunnel size increased by 19.1% on average (range,-7.7% to 56.1%) by final follow-up. Polyetheretherketone suture anchors may be associated with the development of osteolysis in hand and wrist surgery. The clinical implications of osteolysis in the smaller bones of the hand and wrist remain unclear. Prognostic IV.

Phylogeography and demographic dynamics of Rhipicephalus microplus from North India.

Rhipicephalus microplus, a hematophagous vector prevalent in the tropics and subtropics, is responsible for huge economic losses throughout the globe. However, the taxonomy of the tick species, especially prevalent in north India and south China has been challenged in the recent past. The present study attempted to assess the cryptic status of R. microplus ticks of north India based on two mitochondrial markers; the 16S rRNA and cox1 gene sequences. The phylogenetic tree corresponding to both markers demonstrated the presence of three distinct genetic assemblages/ clades of R. microplus. The present study isolates (n=five and seven for the cox1 and 16S rRNA gene sequences, respectively) from north India along with other isolates from India assorted in the R. microplus clade C sensu. Based on the median joining network analysis corresponding to the 16S rRNA gene sequence, 18 haplotypes were recorded, exhibiting a stellate shape, which was indicative of rapid population expansion. For the cox1 gene, the haplotypes corresponding to clades A, B and C were distantly placed with two exceptions. While performing the population structure analysis, low nucleotide (0.04745±0.00416 and 0.01021±0.00146) and high haplotype diversities (0.913±0.032 and 0.794±0.058) were recorded for the different clades of R. microplus based on the cox1 and 16S rRNA mitochondrial markers, respectively. Eventually, high genetic differentiation and low gene flow were recorded among the different clades. A negative value for the neutrality indices (Tajima's D=-1.44125, Fu's Fs=-4.879, Fu and Li's D=-2.78031 and Fu and Li's F=-2.75229) corresponding to the 16S rRNA gene for the overall dataset evinced an expansion of population size. Based on the detailed studies, it was inferred that the R. microplus tick species circulating in north India belonged to clade C sensu, similar to that of the species prevalent in the other parts of the country as well as in the Indian subcontinent.

Fluids transmission and thermal durability analysis of Miura-ori auxetic relief knits; the next generation wearable materials

Knitted materials with superior thermal comfort attributes and cheap production costs are primarily utilized in leisurewear. Auxetic materials having biaxial stretch capabilities increase the propensity of knitted auxetic fabrics for size-changing clothing applications, such as maternity wear and growing kids' apparel, consequently supporting the sustainable development goal of responsible material consumption. Knitted auxetic fabrics based on Miura-ori fold geometries have been engineered with typically targeted clothing fibrous assemblies/yarns (polyester, cotton, and acrylic) and assorting different knitting parameters. Diagonal relief and hybrid square relief patterns with variable structural knitted cell (SKC) size proved to be a solution towards size and shape-changing clothing materials. Fluid transmission, heat retention, and durability evaluations were undertaken to determine the efficacy towards wearability of such auxetic materials. Varying structural porosities and the number of folds per unit area created properties discrepancy, governing different Poisson’s ratios and thermal attributes. Engineered foldable geometries exhibited about 10% to 40% increase in fluids transmissions than control plain rib fabrics. Quadratic thermal resistance enhancements of above 100% were noticed for auxetic fabrics and increasing SKC size enhanced thermal insulation. Influence of studied input variables was found statistically significant; fluid transmission had a p-value<0.05 for all material, SKC, and structure factors; heat retention was also significantly affected by material and SKC variation. The SKC size expansion promoted auxeticity up to optimum size of 9×9. Corresponding associations estimation using bubble plot analysis revealed positive correlations between fluid transmissions and durability attributes; however, an increase in fluid transmission compromised the heat retention of materials.

Effects of digital economy and city size on green total factor productivity

Utilizing the digital economy’s contribution to green total factor productivity is a key strategy for accelerating China’s green growth, although more research is still needed to understand the mechanism of this influence. This study uses panel data from 282 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2019 to empirically assess the impact of the digital economy and city size on GTFP. First, GTFP overall exhibits an upward trend with excellent spatial correlation and minimal regional variation. Second, the findings demonstrate that, while surrounding locations’ GTFP is not affected by the digital economy, local productivity can be improved. Third, the heterogeneity study demonstrates that the digital economy contributes more to local GTFP in the eastern region compared to the central and western regions, with the central region making the largest contribution to GTFP in the surrounding regions; the first, second, and third tier cities have more contributions from the digital economy to local and neighboring GTFP than the fourth and fifth tier cities. Fourth, city size positively modifies the relationship between the green total factor productivity and the digital economy. The western region is where the positive moderating effect of city size expansion is greatest. Moreover, compared to first-, second-, and third-tier cities, the fourth- and fifth-tier cities have a stronger beneficial moderating effect of city size increase. In light of this, we should focus on the growth of the digital economy, optimize city scale, and fully exploit the scale effect produced by the concentration of the digital industries and the spillover effect produced by the spread of the digital technology.

Fabrication of PVDF ultrafiltration membrane using modified thermally induced phase separation: The role of amphiphilic and hydrophilic non-solvents

The use of amphiphilic pore formers and hydrophilic non-solvents has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving the surface porosity and permeability of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration (UF) membranes through the nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process in literatures. However, in the thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process, few reports illustrated how the amphiphilic pore-former and water-soluble non-solvent interact with water-insoluble diluents. In this study, water-insoluble dimethyl phthalate (DMP) was used as the main diluent to rule out the effect of diluent outflow. The amphiphilic pore former polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) failed to open pores on the outer surface of the membranes because of its amphiphilic nature. On the contrary, UF membranes with a mean pore size of 55 nm could be obtained by adding hydrophilic triethylene glycol (TEG) to the dope with a satisfactory pure water permeability (PWP) of 262.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. Moreover, PEG400 can serve as a stabilizer for the TEG droplets during the phase separation if both were added to the polymer dope solution. The addition of both PEG400 and TEG could significantly increase the membrane's PWP to 645.4 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 with moderate enlargement of the mean pore size of the membrane to 84 nm. Additionally, the well-connected membrane structure resulted in the tensile strength of the membranes ranging from 3.07 to 6.65 MPa. This study expands the range of additives used in the TIPS process and demonstrates the different roles of amphiphilic and hydrophilic non-solvents in the TIPS process.

Effect of Freezing on Soybean Protein Solution.

To investigate the impact of frozen storage conditions on the physicochemical properties of soybean protein and explore the underlying mechanisms, this study focused on soybean isolate (SPI), ß-soybean companion globulin (7S), and soybean globulin (11S). The protein solutions were prepared at a concentration of 2% and subjected to freezing for 1 and 5 days. Subsequently, the protein content, physicochemical properties, secondary structure, sulfhydryl content, and chemical interaction forces were assessed and analyzed using UV spectrophotometry, Zeta potential measurements, SDS-PAGE, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and endogenous fluorescence photoemission spectroscopy. The obtained results revealed that the solubility and total sulfhydryl content of SPI, 7S, and 11S exhibited a decreasing trend with prolonged freezing time. Among them, 11S demonstrated the largest decrease in solubility and total sulfhydryl content, followed by SPI, and 7S the least. During freezing, the aromatic amino acids of SPI, 7S, and 11S molecules were exposed, leading to increased hydrophobicity, protein aggregation, and particle size enlargement, and the structure of the protein changed from disordered structure to ordered structure. After freezing, the polarity of the microenvironment of SPI, 7S, and 11S increased, and their maximum fluorescence emission wavelengths were red-shifted. Notably, the largest red shift of SPI was from 332 nm to 335 nm. As freezing time increased, the contribution of hydrogen bonding increased, while the contribution of hydrophobic interactions decreased. This indicates that freezing affects the hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and other chemical forces of the protein. The growth of ice crystals leads to the unfolding of protein molecular chains, exposure of internal hydrophobic groups, enhancement of hydrophobicity, and alters the secondary structure of the protein.

Monitoring crystallite fusion of nanocellulose during colloid condensation

The crystallinity of cellulose decreases when bundled microfibrils are dispersed in water as cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) or physically separated into finer nanoscale fibrils or single microfibrils. The crystallinity of these CNFs is recovered when they become densely assembled through the dehydration of the dispersion. In this process, multiple CNFs are assumed to partially fuse, leading to the enlargement of crystallite widths. The mechanism of this CNF fusion is, however, not well understood. In this study, the recovery process of the crystallinity of CNFs was monitored by sampling wet CNF gels during condensation from a dilute dispersion to a dense aggregate, followed by wide-angle X-ray diffractometry (WAXD) and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses after supercritical drying. In the WAXD analysis, a two-step enlargement in the (2 0 0) crystal size was observed: the first step was a rapid increase in the range of solid content up to 1%, followed by a gradual increase in the range of 1–85%. The crystallinity index estimated by NMR hardly changed in the range of 0.5–30% but gradually increased in the range of 30–85%. A portion of the CNF samples, without drying, were also subjected to small-angle X-ray scattering and viscoelasticity analyses, indicating that the inter-CNF contact points in water significantly increased until reaching a solid content of 1%, and then at solid contents higher than 1%, the contact areas of each point gradually expanded. Finally, a mechanism of CNF fusion was proposed based on these results.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of the organogenesis and development, and function of the mammalian parathyroid gland.

Serum calcium homeostasis is mainly regulated by parathormone (PTH) secreted by the parathyroid gland. Besides PTH and Gcm2, a master gene for parathyroid differentiation, many genes are expressed in the gland. Especially, calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), vitamin D receptor (VDR), and Klotho function to prevent increased secretion of PTH and hyperplasia of the parathyroid gland under chronic hypocalcemia. Parathyroid-specific dual deletion of Klotho and CaSR induces a marked enlargement of the glandular size. The parathyroid develops from the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches except murine species in which the gland is derived from the third pouch only. The development of the murine parathyroid gland is categorized as follows: (1) formation and differentiation of the pharyngeal pouches, (2) appearance of parathyroid domain in the third pharyngeal pouch together with thymus domain, (3) migration of parathyroid primordium attached to the top of thymus, and (4) contact with the thyroid lobe and separation from the thymus. The transcription factors and signaling molecules involved in each of these developmental stages are elaborated. In addition, mesenchymal neural crest cells surrounding the pharyngeal pouches and parathyroid primordium and invading the parathyroid parenchyma participate in the development of the gland.

Raloxifene's in vitro anticancer effects against MCF-7 cells were facilitated by cholesterol-PEG functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles

This work offered a unique approach to delivering Raloxifene by coating Mesoporous nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol in addition to cholesterol. The cytotoxic properties of produced nanoparticles were tested against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. MCF-7 cells enable the development of differentiating, estrogen-responsive structures that are important for the assessment of estrogenic substances. FTIR, DLS, and PI were employed to examine surface characteristics. Encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, and cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells, in addition to PC3 and A549 cells were evaluated. DLS confirms the size enlargement while FTIR confirms the surface decoration for the newly developed RX/Chol-PEG-MSNP system. Stability was improved and confirmed by PI change. High entrapment efficiency achieved. The cytotoxicity study on the MCF-7 cell line yielded an IC50 of 10.85 folds higher in favor of the optimized formulation. Moreover, prolonged RX release. RX/Chol-PEG-MSNP induced the greatest cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells. Docking studies confirmed Cholesterol mER interaction. This study was the first to evaluate the effectiveness of RX's Chol-PEG-MSNP against breast cancer cells and showed its specific cytotoxic potential.

Poster 288: The Effect of Time Delay From Biopsy to Second-Stage Implantation on Return to Sport and Clinical Outcomes following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation

Objectives: Expansion of chondral defect size and clinical outcomes in patients with cartilage lesions are thought to be modulated by several risk factors. Previous studies suggest that time delay until implantation may be a risk factor for an increase in the number and size of chondral lesions at the time of implantation. Reports on the effect of time delay on clinical outcomes, however, remain limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of time delay from cartilage biopsy to implantation on patient satisfaction, return to sport (RTS), and clinical outcomes following autologous chondrocyte implantation. Methods: A retrospective review was performed among patient who underwent autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) at a single institution between the years 2012 to 2020 with minimum 2-year clinical follow-up. Clinical outcomes were measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS; subscores: symptoms, pain, sport, and quality of life (QOL)). Time delay was calculated as the elapsed time between cartilage biopsy and implantation. Cartilage lesions were categorized based on the Outerbridge classification of chondral lesions. The number of high-grade lesions (Outerbridge grade 3 or 4) and size of lesions were analyzed at time of biopsy and implantation. T-tests or non-parametric tests and Chi-squared tests were used to analyze continuous variables and categorical variables, respectively. A one-way ANOVA was used to compare outcomes based on RTS status, using a post-hoc Tukey’s HSD test for multiple comparisons. Bivariate linear regression was used to determine the impact of the time interval from biopsy to implantation on the change in size of the largest high-grade lesion and RTS. Results: A total of 36 patients, mainly female (55.6%) aged 29.25 (± 9.49) with a mean follow-up of 6.51 ± 2.5 years were included in our analysis. Thirteen patients (36.1%) did not RTS. Of the 23 patients (63.9%) who returned to sport, 11 (30.6%) returned at their preoperative level or higher, and 12 (33.3%) returned at a lower level. VAS pain scores were significantly higher in patients who did not RTS vs those who did (42.85 vs. 9.35, p &lt;0.001). All KOOS subscores (Symptom: 56.54 vs. 81.96, Pain: 72.22 vs. 91.74, Sports: 40.38 vs. 79.3, QOL: 35.58 vs. 70.38, p &lt;0.001) were significantly lower in patients who did not RTS compared to those who returned. Increase in time delay from biopsy to implantation was associated with an increase in VAS pain score (OR [95% CI]; 1.42 [0.16 to 2.69], p=0.02) and inversely related to KOOS pain scores (OR [95% CI]; -1.01 [-1.83 to -0.01], p= 0.01. Furthermore, when comparing time from biopsy to implantation and expansion of the largest highgrade lesion, it was found that for every month increase in time, lesion surface area increased by 0.588 cm2; however, this correlation did not reach significance (p=0.09). The number of high-grade lesions at time of implantation were significantly higher in those that returned to sport at a lower level than those who did not return (1.67 vs. 1.23, p=0.02). The average surface area of the defect at biopsy and implantation were 3.13 cm2 and 4.38 cm2 respectively. The number of patients who had an increase in the number of high-grade lesions from biopsy to implantation was significantly higher in those who returned to sport at a lower level compared to those who did not return (4 vs. 1, p=0.05). Logistic regression demonstrated no significant relationship between time interval and rate of return to sport (p=3.59). No other associations were observed between time from biopsy to implantation and clinical outcomes. Conclusions: An increase in time delay from biopsy to graft implantation is associated with worse pain after surgery. Both the number of high-grade lesions at the time of implantation and an increase in time delay were not associated with lower rates of return to sport. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of time delay until implantation and its potential role as a risk factor for worse clinical outcomes in patients undergoing autologous chondrocyte implantation procedures. [Table: see text]

Selection for Reduced Fear of Humans Changes Brain and Cerebellum Size in Red Junglefowl in Line with Effects of Chicken Domestication.

A central part of the domestication syndrome is a reduction in relative brain size. In chickens, it has previously been shown that domesticated birds have smaller relative brain mass, but larger relative mass of cerebellum, compared to their ancestors, the Red Junglefowl. It has been suggested that tameness may drive the domestication syndrome, so we examined the relationship between brain characteristics and tameness in 31 Red Junglefowl from lines divergently selected during ten generations for tameness. Our focus was on the whole brain, cerebellum, and the remainder of the brain. We used the isotropic fractionator technique to estimate the total number of cells in the cerebellum and differentiate between neurons and non-neuronal cells. We stained the cell nuclei with DAPI and performed cell counting using a fluorescence microscope. NeuN immunostaining was used to identify neurons. The absolute and relative masses of the brains and their regions were determined through weighing. Our analysis revealed that birds selected for low fear of humans (LF) had larger absolute brain mass, but smaller relative brain mass, compared to those selected for high fear of humans (HF). Sex had a significant impact only on the absolute size of the cerebellum, not its relative size. These findings support the notion that selection for increased tameness leads to an enlargement of the relative size of cerebellum in chickens consistent with comparisons of domesticated and ancestral chickens. Surprisingly, the HF birds had a higher density of neurons in the cerebellum compared to the LF line, despite having a smaller cerebellum overall. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between brain structure and behavior in the context of domestication.

P-514 Uterine Contractility during Follicle Aspiration and Embryo Transfer and IVF/ICSI Outcomes: the WAVES study

Abstract Study question What is the influence of uterine contractility of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) patients at follicle aspiration (FA) and embryo transfer (ET) on clinical pregnancy outcomes? Summary answer At time of embryo transfer, a lower contraction frequency, and increased contraction coordination is associated with more favourable chances of ongoing pregnancy after IVF/ICSI treatment. What is known already Uterine peristalsis is the rhythmic, wave-like motion of the subendometrial layer of the uterus. Various subjective methods using visual interpretation suggest that uterine peristalsis features are different in the various stages of the menstrual cycle, and they are thought to be important for fertility and early embryo implantation. Recently, a new automated quantitative method to measure uterine contractility was validated in a small number of IVF patients to analyse uterine peristalsis on transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) recordings with speckle-tracking. With this method a new contraction feature – coordination – can be assessed alongside frequency, direction, amplitude. Study design, size, duration This study is part of an ongoing multi-centre prospective observational cohort study investigating uterine contractility on TVUS. Our study included patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment with good quality TVUS recordings from 2017 to 2023. Patients received fresh ET on Day 3 or Day 5. Participants/materials, setting, methods 128 IVF/ICSI patients undergoing fresh ET were included from participating centres. Patients underwent TVUS within 1 hour prior to FA(n = 61/128), and/or within one hour before ET (n = 67/128). Uterine contraction frequency (CF), amplitude, velocity and coordination were measured by applying dedicated speckle tracking and strain analysis. The primary outcome was ongoing pregnancy (OP, viable pregnancy &amp;gt;10 weeks gestational age). The independent T-test and Mann-Whitney U test were applied to compare features between groups. Main results and the role of chance 39.1% of the IVF/ICSI patients (50/128) achieved ongoing pregnancy. Most patients underwent IVF/ICSI treatment due to a male factor (29.0%) or idiopathic subfertility (31.9%). Age, BMI and embryo quality were comparable for the pregnant vs. non-pregnant groups (p &amp;gt; 0.05 for all). CF was significantly higher during FA vs. ET (1.70±0.26 vs. 1.54±0.23,[RC(1] p &amp;lt; 0.001), as well as contraction velocity (0.79±0.22 vs 0.63±0.16, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Contraction amplitude was also lower during ET vs. FA (0.06 IQR 0.03 vs. 0.08 IQR 0.04, p &amp;lt; 0.001[RC(2] ). During FA, no significant differences were seen in contraction features for pregnant vs. non-pregnant groups (all p &amp;gt; 0.05). At ET, a lower mean CF was significantly associated with OP(1.46 ±0.18 vs. 1.57±0.19 [RC(3] contraction/min, p = 0.016), as well as presence of more coordinated uterine contractions (0.22 ±0.09 vs. 0.33±0.14, p &amp;lt; 0.001[RC(4] ). No significant differences were found for the features of amplitude and velocity. Limitations, reasons for caution Further validation of these results is ongoing, including expansion of the sample size. No sub-analysis has yet been done to assess the effect of additional IVF/ICSI treatment characteristics (i.e. stimulation protocol, type of subfertility) on uterine contractility and chance of pregnancy. Wider implications of the findings Uterine contractility changes its character depending on the timing of IVF treatment, with different characteristics seen at FA vs. ET. The most favourable contraction profile for ongoing pregnancy after ET seems to be uterine contractions with relatively low frequency and good coordination. These findings may support decision-making at ET. Trial registration number not applicable

Integrated global analysis in spider flowers illuminates features underlying the evolution and maintenance of C4 photosynthesis.

The carbon concentrating mechanism-C4 photosynthesis-represents a classic example of convergent evolution, but how this important trait originated and evolved remains largely enigmatic. The spider flower Gynandropsis gynandra is a valuable leafy vegetable crop and medicinal plant that has also been recognized as a C4 model species. Here we present a high-quality chromosome-scale annotated genome assembly of G. gynandra through a combination of Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT), HiFi and Hi-C technology. The 17 super-scaffolds cover 98.66% of the estimated genome (997.61Mb), with a contig N50 of 11.43Mb and a scaffold N50 of 51.02Mb. Repetitive elements occupy up to 71.91% of its genome, and over half are long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) derived from recent bursts, contributing to genome size expansion. Strikingly, LTR-RT explosion also played a critical role in C4 evolution by altering expression features of photosynthesis-associated genes via preferential insertion in promoters. Integrated multiomics analyses of G. gynandra and the ornamental horticulture C3 relative Tarenaya hassleriana reveal that species-specific whole-genome duplication, gene family expansion, recent LTR-RT amplification, and more recent tandem duplication events have all facilitated the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, revealing uniqueness of C4 evolution in the Cleome genus. Moreover, high leaf vein density and heat stress resilience are associated with shifted gene expression patterns. The mode of C3-to-C4 transition found here yields new insights into evolutionary convergence of a complex plant trait. The availability of this reference-grade genomic resource makes G. gynandra an ideal model system facilitating efforts toward C4-aimed crop engineering.

Evolutionarily diverse origins of deformed wing viruses in western honey bees

Novel transmission routes can allow infectious diseases to spread, often with devastating consequences. Ectoparasitic varroa mites vector a diversity of RNA viruses, having switched hosts from the eastern to western honey bees (Apis cerana to Apis mellifera). They provide an opportunity to explore how novel transmission routes shape disease epidemiology. As the principal driver of the spread of deformed wing viruses (mainly DWV-A and DWV-B), varroa infestation has also driven global honey bee health declines. The more virulent DWV-B strain has been replacing the original DWV-A strain in many regions over the past two decades. Yet, how these viruses originated and spread remains poorly understood. Here, we use a phylogeographic analysis based on whole-genome data to reconstruct the origins and demography of DWV spread. We found that, rather than reemerging in western honey bees after varroa switched hosts, as suggested by previous work, DWV-A most likely originated in East Asia and spread in the mid-20th century. It also showed a massive population size expansion following the varroa host switch. By contrast, DWV-B was most likely acquired more recently from a source outside East Asia and appears absent from the original varroa host. These results highlight the dynamic nature of viral adaptation, whereby a vector's host switch can give rise to competing and increasingly virulent disease pandemics. The evolutionary novelty and rapid global spread of these host-virus interactions, together with observed spillover into other species, illustrate how increasing globalization poses urgent threats to biodiversity and food security.

Silica Nanoparticles Promote the Megakaryocyte Maturation and Differentiation: Potential Implications for Hematological Homeostasis.

Silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) have been widely applied in diverse areas, thus causing the extensive release through multiple routes. Their toxicological effects, especially for the disturbance in hematological homeostasis, have raised public concern. Considering the detrimental role of excessive platelets in many cardiovascular diseases, the regulation of platelet formation offers a unique aspect for studying the blood compatibility of nanomaterials. In this study, the effects of SiO2 NPs with four sizes (80, 120, 200, and 400 nm) were investigated on the maturation and differentiation of the megakaryocytes into platelets. The results showed that SiO2 NPs promoted megakaryocyte development as manifested by the occurrence of irregular cell morphology, enlargement of cell size, increases in DNA content and DNA ploidy, and formation of spore-like protrusions. The expression of megakaryocyte-specific antigen (CD41a) was up-regulated, due to SiO2 NP treatments. The correlation analysis of SiO2 NP size with the above test bioindicators showed that the smaller the SiO2 NPs were, the stronger effects they induced. Moreover, exposure to SiO2 NPs induced the up-regulation of both GATA-1 and FLI-1, while the transcriptional expressions of aNF-E2 and fNF-E2 remained unchanged. The significant positive correlation of GATA-1 and FLI-1 with megakaryocytic maturation and differentiation suggested their crucial roles in the SiO2 NP-promoted effect. The finding herein provided new insight into the potential health risk of SiO2 NPs by perturbing the platelet-involved hematological homeostasis.