Search Results (13)

Background/Objectives: Post-cesarean section scar niche pregnancy is one of the rarest forms. It is characterized by implantation of the gestation sac within the scar niche and is often associated with chorionic villi adhesion into the thinned cesarean section scar. The increasing incidence of this condition is associated with the increasing frequency of cesarean sections and the widespread use of ultrasound in early pregnancy. The most significant clinical findings are the detection of chorionic villus invasion and uterine wall insufficiency, which may be detected using magnetic resonance imaging, including contrast, and are crucial for determining patient management. This pathology may be considered life-threatening due to complications such as early uterine rupture with bleeding, which, if not diagnosed promptly, can lead to hysterectomy and loss of the woman’s reproductive health. Early diagnosis allows for the use of conservative treatment methods, preserving the uterus. The aim of the study is to clarify the clinical practices to follow in cases where an MRI examination with contrast agent is indicated to be performed on a pregnant patient. Methods: Ultrasound and MRI examination with counter-rotation, as well as histological and immunohistochemical examination of the remnants of the gestational sac were performed. Results: A 36-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized in her eighth week of pregnancy with complaints of vaginal bleeding and persistent abdominal pain. An ultrasound scan revealed a pregnancy of 8 weeks and 5 days, and a low-lying chorion in the isthmus of the uterus, along with thinning of the cesarean scar and the formation of a scar niche resembling a hernia. Early signs of chorionic invasion were not treated. An MRI revealed signs of superficial chorionic adhesion to the cesarean scar, both to the isthmus and the internal os. Given that the woman did not wish to continue the pregnancy, uterine artery embolization was performed to reduce potential blood loss. Subsequently, laparoscopy, adhesiolysis, vacuum aspiration of the gestational sac, uterine curettage, hysteroresectoscopy, and coagulation of the fetal bed were performed. Histological and immunohistochemical examination revealed signs of inflammation in the area of the suspected lesion. Conclusions: This case report shows the potential value of MRI in complex cases of ultrasound detection of a gestational sac within scar tissue. MRI was used to assess the location of the gestational sac and evaluate the thickness of the cesarean scar to detect its dysfunction. Furthermore, contrast enhancement of the MRI may be useful in the most complex cases but requires an informed consent discussion with the patient. However, the latter issue requires discussion and proof of its safety for the fetus. Full article

(1) Background: Hudson first described the procedure that includes en-block removal of an ovarian tumor fixed in the pelvis with the whole pelvic peritoneum and invaded surrounding structures. However, sometimes pelvic peritonectomy (PP) with or without shaving of the bowel serosa is not enough to achieve complete cytoreduction, and en-block rectosigmoid resection (RR) is necessary. This study aims to investigate the impact of bowel surgery on survival rates and morbidity of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. (2) Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with advanced ovarian cancer with cul-de-sac involvement that underwent debulking surgery at the 1st Department of Obstetrics—Gynecology of “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, from 2017–2022. The primary outcomes were the survival rates and morbidity between PP and RR. (3) Results: A total of 93 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients were categorized into two groups: Group A (34 patients) with RR and Group B (59 patients) with PP. There was no statistically significant difference in the majority of patients’ characteristics and oncological outcomes. On the other hand, patients with RR had a significantly higher surgical complexity score (SCS), peritoneal cancer index (PCI), ICU admission, rate of postoperative complications, longer surgery duration and hospital stay. When comparing the duration of surgery, the RR group has significantly higher operation time during primary compared to interval debulking surgery. Concerning survival rates, there was no significant difference in progression-free (PFS) (p = 0.22) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.85) between the two groups, while residual disease and postoperative complications were identified as independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS; (4) Conclusions: The modified Hudson procedure with RR is a safe and reproductible technique, but when complete gross resection can be achieved with PP, this technique is preferred in order to avoid increased patient’s morbidity. Full article

Background: The intestinal microbiota (IM) modulates host physiology, and its alteration (dysbiosis) is associated with numerous diseases, including obesity. This condition influences the pharmacokinetics of drugs prescribed for related comorbidities, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Mrp2, an essential ABC transporter of the intestinal biochemical barrier, regulates the absorption of dietary toxins and orally administered drugs, modulating their bioavailability. However, its regulation in the obesity context is poorly characterized, and the role of IM alteration in this process remains unknown. Objective: To evaluate the role of the IM as a key factor, along with downstream candidate mediators, in the regulation of Mrp2 under obesity conditions. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a control diet or High-Fat Diet (HFD) for 8 weeks, followed by 2 weeks with or without 5% inulin, a well-known prebiotic, supplementation. Metabolic and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Intestinal barrier integrity, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress (OS) markers, and plasma endotoxin levels were assessed. Mrp2 expression was analyzed at mRNA and protein levels, and transporter activity was determined using the everted intestinal sac model. Fecal microbiota composition was characterized by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: HFD feeding induced obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, intestinal dysbiosis, elevated endotoxemia, barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and OS. These alterations were associated with a marked downregulation of Mrp2 expression and activity. Inulin supplementation restored IM composition, improved metabolic and intestinal parameters, and reduced inflammation and OS. These positive changes correlated with normalization of Mrp2. Conclusions: Our findings provide the first evidence that intestinal dysbiosis, inflammation, and OS act as a central regulatory axis of intestinal Mrp2 in obesity, with the IM functioning as a key modulator. Full article

Deploying deep reinforcement learning (DRL) in safety-critical nuclear control is limited less by raw performance than by the absence of licensable, audit-ready evidence. We introduce a Deterministic Assurance Framework (DTAF) that converts controller behavior into licensing-grade proof by combining the following: (i) deterministic licensing gates tied to formal safety and performance limits (e.g., Total Time Unsafe (TTU) = 0; bounded Transient Severity Score (TSS); and minimum Grid Load-Following Index (GLFI)); (ii) a portfolio of adversarial stress tests representative of off-nominal operation; and (iii) a traceability and explainability package that renders every evaluated action auditable. The DTAF is demonstrated on a high-fidelity pressurized-water-reactor (PWR) simulation model used as a software-in-the-loop testbed. Three governor architectures are evaluated under identical, fixed scenarios: a curriculum-trained Soft Actor–Critic (SAC) agent, and Differential-Evolution-optimized Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID-DE) and Fuzzy-Logic (FLC-DE) Controllers. Performance is assessed deterministically via gate-aligned metrics—TTU, TSS, GLFI, cumulative control effort (CE_sum), valve-reversal count (V_rev), and speed overshoot (OS_ω). Across the adversarial portfolio, the SAC controller meets the predeclared licensing gates in single-run evaluations, whereas the strong conventional baselines violate gates in specific high-severity cases; where all methods remain within the safe envelope, the SAC delivers a higher GLFI and lower CE_sum, with fewer reversals and reduced overshoot. All licensing conclusions derive from deterministic single-run tests; a small, fixed-seed check (three seeds with descriptive intervals) is reported separately as non-licensing supplementary analysis. By producing transparent, reproducible artifacts, the DTAF offers a regulator-oriented pathway for qualifying DRL controllers in grid-interactive nuclear operations. Full article

The single-atom catalysts (SACs) for the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) have garnered significant attention in recent years. The NRR is regarded as a milder and greener approach to ammonia synthesis. The pursuit of highly efficient and selective electrocatalysts for the NRR continues to garner substantial interest, yet it poses a significant challenge. In this study, we employed density functional theory calculations to investigate the stability and catalytic activity of 29 transition metal atoms loaded on the two-dimensional (2D) AlN monolayer with Al monovacancy (TM@AlN) for the conversion of N₂ to NH₃. After screening the activity and selectivity of NRR, it was found that Os@AlN exhibited the highest activity for NRR with a very low limiting potential of −0.46 V along the distal pathway. The analysis of the related electronic structure, Bader charge, electron localization function, and PDOS revealed the origin of NRR activity from the perspective of energy and electronic properties. The high activity and selectivity towards the NRR of SACs are closely associated with the Os-3N coordination. Our findings have expanded the scope of designing innovative high-efficiency SACs for NRR. Full article

Exploring the genes regulating rice fertility is of great value for studying the molecular mechanisms of rice reproductive development and production practices. In this study, we identified a sterile mutant from the mutant library induced by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), designated as meiosis abnormal bisexual sterility 1 (mabs1). The mabs1 mutant exhibits no phenotypic differences from the wild-type during the vegetative growth phase but shows complete sterility during the reproductive growth phase. Phenotypic observations revealed that both pollen and embryo sac fertility are lost in mabs1. Notably, in mabs1, the development of the anther inner and outer walls, tapetum degeneration, and callose synthesis and degradation all proceed normally, yet meiosis fails to form normal tetrads. Genetic analysis indicated that this mutant trait is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. By constructing a genetic segregation population, we successfully mapped the MABS1 gene to a 49 kb region between primer markers Y7 and Y9 on chromosome 1. Resequencing revealed a single-nucleotide substitution in the exon of the LOC_Os01g66170 gene, which resulted in a change from Valine to Isoleucine. Subsequent sequencing of this locus in both wild-type and mabs1 mutants confirmed this mutation. Therefore, we have identified the gene at LOC_Os01g66170 as a candidate for MABS1, a previously unreported novel gene involved in rice meiosis. Through RT-qPCR, we found that the expression levels of multiple meiosis-related genes were significantly changed in the mabs1 mutant. Therefore, we believe that MABS1 is also involved in the process of rice meiosis. This study lays the groundwork for a functional study of MABS1. Full article

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule involved in regulating plant processes to cope with abiotic stress. S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) is known to induce NO synthesis in animals. However, it is unknown whether SAC can trigger NO biosynthesis, regulate Cd transport, or alleviate Cd stress in plants. After being sprayed with 0.2 mM SAC, rice seedlings had a NO content that was 1.8 times higher than that of the control (ctrl) group at the ninth hour, which then gradually decreased. The expressions of Cd uptake and transport genes in the roots (including OsNRAMP5, OsNRAMP1, and OsHMA2) were markedly downregulated by 27.2%, 24.8%, and 49.1%, respectively, 72 h after SAC spraying treatment. The Cd content in seedling roots’ cell wall (CW) components significantly increased by 43.5% compared to that of the ctrl group. The Cd content in the shoots and roots decreased by 49.0% and 29.8%, respectively. Cd stress in the seedlings was also substantially alleviated. In conclusion, spraying rice seedlings with SAC triggered an increase in NO synthesis, regulated the expression of genes related to Cd transport, increased Cd fixation in the root CW components, and reduced Cd accumulation in the roots and shoots. Full article

Small RNAs are a class of non-coding RNAs that typically range from 20 to 24 nucleotides in length. Among them, microRNAs (miRNAs) are particularly important regulators for plant development. The biological function of the conserved miRNAs has been studied extensively in plants, while that of the species-specific miRNAs has been studied in-depth. In this study, the regulatory role of a rice-specific OsmiRNA5488 (OsmiR5488) was characterized with the miR5488-overexpressed line (miR5488-OE) and miR5488-silenced line (STTM-5488). The seed-setting rate was notably reduced in miR5488-OE lines, but not in STTM-5488 lines. Cytological observation demonstrated the different types of abnormal mature embryo sacs, including the degeneration of embryo sacs and other variant types, in miR5488-OE lines. The percentage of the abnormal mature embryo sacs accounted for the reduced value of the seed-setting rate. Furthermore, OsARF25 was identified as a target of OsmiR5488 via RNA ligase-mediated 3′-amplifification of cDNA ends, dual luciferase assays, and transient expression assays. The primary root length was decreased with the increases in auxin concentrations in miR5488-OE lines compared to wild-type rice. Summarily, our results suggested that OsmiR5488 regulates the seed-setting rate and down-regulates the targeted gene OsARF25. Full article

In both animals and higher plants, xanthine dehydrogenase is a highly conserved housekeeping enzyme in purine degradation where it oxidizes hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid. Previous reports demonstrated that xanthine dehydrogenase played a vital role in N metabolism and stress response. Is xanthine dehydrogenase involved in regulating leaf senescence? A recessive early senescence mutant with excess sugar accumulation, ossac3, was isolated previously by screening the EMS-induced mutant library. Here, we show that xanthine dehydrogenase not only plays a role in N metabolism but also involved in regulating carbon metabolism in rice. Based on map-based cloning, OsSAC3 was identified, which encodes the xanthine dehydrogenase. OsSAC3 was constitutively expressed in all examined tissues and the OsSAC3 protein located in the cytoplasm. Transcriptional analysis revealed purine metabolism, chlorophyll metabolism, photosynthesis, sugar metabolism and redox balance were affected in the ossac3 mutant. Moreover, carbohydrate distribution was changed, leading to the accumulation of sucrose and starch in the leaves containing ossac3 on account of decreased expression of OsSWEET3a, OsSWEET6a and OsSWEET14 and oxidized inactivation of starch degradation enzymes in ossac3. These results indicated that OsSAC3 played a vital role in leaf senescence by regulating carbon metabolism in rice. Full article

The developmental process of inflorescence and gametophytes is vital for sexual reproduction in rice. Multiple genes and conserved miRNAs have been characterized to regulate the process. The changes of miRNAs expression during the early development of rice inflorescence remain unknown. In this study, the analysis of miRNAs profiles in the early stage of rice inflorescence development identified 671 miRNAs, including 67 known and 44 novel differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Six distinct clusters of miRNAs expression patterns were detected, and Cluster 5 comprised 110 DEMs, including unconserved, rice-specific osa-miR5506. Overexpression of osa-miR5506 caused pleiotropic abnormalities, including over- or under-developed palea, various numbers of floral organs and spikelet indeterminacy. In addition, the defects of ovaries development were frequently characterized by multiple megasporocytes, ovule-free ovary, megasporocyte degenerated and embryo sac degenerated in the transgenic lines. osa-miR5506 targeted REM transcription factor LOC_Os03g11370. Summarily, these results demonstrated that rice-specific osa-miR5506 plays an essential role in the regulation of floral organ number, spikelet determinacy and female gametophyte development in rice. Full article

Neo-tetraploid rice with high fertility is a useful germplasm for polyploid rice breeding, which was developed from the crossing of different autotetraploid rice lines. However, little information is available on the molecular mechanism underlying the fertility of neo-tetraploid rice. Here, two contrasting populations of tetraploid rice, including one with high fertility (hereafter referred to as JG) and another with low fertility (hereafter referred to as JD), were generated by crossing Huaduo 3 (H3), a high fertility neo-tetraploid rice that was developed by crossing Jackson-4x with 96025-4x, and Huajingxian74-4x (T452), a low fertility autotetraploid rice parent. Cytological, global genome sequencing-based bulked-segregant (BSA-seq) and CRISPR/Cas9 technology were employed to study the genes associated with pollen fertility in neo-tetraploid rice. The embryo sacs of JG and JD lines were normal; however, pollen fertility was low in JD, which led to scarce fertilization and low seed setting. Cytological observations displayed low pollen fertility (25.1%) and approximately 31.3 and 27.2% chromosome lagging at metaphase I and II, and 28.8 and 24.8% chromosome straggling at anaphase I and II in JD, respectively. BSA-seq of F_2–3 generations and RNA-seq of F₄ generation detected a common fragment, i.e., 18,915,234–19,500,000, at chromosome 7, which was comprised of 78 genes associated with fertility. Among 78 genes, 9 genes had been known to be involved in meiosis and pollen development. Two mutants ny1 (LOC_Os07g32406) and ny2 (LOC_Os07g32040) were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 knockout in neo-tetraploid rice, and which exhibited low pollen fertility and abnormal chromosome behavior. Our study revealed that two unknown genes, LOC_Os07g32406 (NY1) and LOC_Os07g32040 (NY2) play an important role in pollen development of neo-tetraploid rice and provides a new perspective about the genetic mechanisms of fertility in polyploid rice. Full article

Numerous studies have reported health benefits associated with the consumption of fresh and black garlic, which are characterized by the presence of polyphenols and organosulfur compounds (OS). This study aims to analyze the bioaccessibility of the bioactive compounds in fresh and black garlic after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion by monitoring the individual profile of these compounds by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Polyphenols decreased from the beginning of the digestive process, is mainly affected during intestinal digestion. Regarding the OS, the S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine (SACs) derivatives were more influenced by the acidic conditions of the gastric digestion, while the γ-glutamyl-S-alk(en)yl-L-cysteine (GSAk) derivatives were more susceptible to intestinal digestion conditions in both the fresh and black garlic samples. In conclusion, after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, the compounds with the highest bioaccessibility were vanillic acid (69%), caffeic acid (52%), γ−glutamyl-S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (GSMCS) (77%), and S-allylmercapto-L-cysteine (SAMC) (329%) in fresh garlic. Meanwhile, in black garlic, the main bioaccessible compounds were caffeic acid (65%), GSMCS (89%), methionine sulfoxide (262%), trans-S-(1-propenyl)-L-cysteine (151%), and SAMC (106%). The treatment (heating + humidity) to obtain black garlic exerted a positive effect on the bioaccessibility of OS compounds, 55.3% of them remaining available in black garlic, but only 15% in fresh garlic. Polyphenols showed different behavior regarding bioaccessibility. Full article

An increasing number of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms are treated using endovascular rather than open surgical techniques. The Vascular Surgery Center, P. Stradins Clinical University Hospital, has the largest worldwide experience using a new type of endoprosthesis, which fills and anchors the device in the aneurysm sac. Within the framework of a clinical trial, the quality-of-life evaluation of patients treated using this type of device was carried out.
Materials and Method. A cohort study was conducted from 2008 to 2011 comparing the quality of life (QOL) of patients after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with either the new endovascular treatment method (EVAR) or open surgery (OS). Each group comprised 20 patients, and the quality-of life-evaluation was performed using the SF-36 questionnaire before operation, 1 month after operation, and 1 year after operation.
Results. One month after operation, an improved QOL was documented in the EVAR group (47 [SD, 3] in the EVAR group vs. 38 [SD, 3] in the OS group, P<0.001). One year after operation, a significant improvement in QOL persisted although the difference between the groups diminished (48 [SD, 4] in the EVAR group vs. 42 [SD, 3] in the OS group, P<0.001).
Conclusions. The patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms who underwent EVAR using the new sac-anchoring endoprosthesis have improved health-related quality of life compared to the patients undergoing open surgical repair. The improvement in quality of life remained slightly better in the EVAR group 1 year after operation. Full article