Restoration of bladder neck activity and levator hiatus dimensions in Asian primipara: a prospective study

Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) reduces the symptoms in women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD); however, the optimal initial timing for secondary prevention of PFD by PFMT is not clear. To identify the optimal timing in Asian primiparas with vaginal delivery, bladder neck descent (BND), levator hiatus areas, and levator hiatus distensibility and contractility were assessed in 26 nulliparous women at 36 weeks of gestation and at 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks postpartum. We found that BND increased significantly from 2 weeks onwards until 6 weeks postpartum (p = 0.004); the levator hiatus area at rest and contraction both showed the largest value at 2 weeks postpartum (p = 0.005 and p  0.005 respectively), followed by a continuous decrease; the hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre, and the levator hiatus distensibility and contractility showed the lowest value at 2 weeks postpartum, followed by a continuous increase; the changes in BND showed no correlation with the changes in distensibility or hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre (p = 0.073 and 0.590 respectively). In Asian primiparas with vaginal delivery, the recovery of levator hiatus and bladder neck mobility begins at 2 and 6 weeks, respectively. This information could be useful in defining the best time to begin PFMT for secondary prevention of postpartum PFD in Asian primiparous women.IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) helps to reduce symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), however, there are no clear time strategies for the secondary prevention of PFD by PFMT in Asian primiparas with vaginal delivery.What do the results of this study add? This study was the first longitudinal study in Asian primipara to investigate the natural regeneration of pelvic floor functions in the early postpartum period by intensively monitoring the bladder neck mobility and levator hiatus dimensions at multiple time points. We found that bladder neck descent (BND) increased significantly from 2 weeks onwards until 6 weeks postpartum; the levator hiatus area at rest and contraction both showed the largest value at 2 weeks postpartum, followed by a continuous decrease; the hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre, and the levator hiatus distensibility and contractility showed the lowest value at 2 weeks postpartum, followed by a continuous increase; the changes in BND showed no correlation with the changes in distensibility or hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our study suggested that in Asian primipara, the recovery of bladder neck mobility after vaginal delivery begins at 6 weeks postpartum, while the levator hiatus muscle begins to recover within the first 2 weeks postpartum. Therefore, it could be useful in deciding the best time to start PFMT for secondary prevention of postpartum PFD in Asian primiparous women. What is already known on this subject? Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) helps to reduce symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), however, there are no clear time strategies for the secondary prevention of PFD by PFMT in Asian primiparas with vaginal delivery. What do the results of this study add? This study was the first longitudinal study in Asian primipara to investigate the natural regeneration of pelvic floor functions in the early postpartum period by intensively monitoring the bladder neck mobility and levator hiatus dimensions at multiple time points. We found that bladder neck descent (BND) increased significantly from 2 weeks onwards until 6 weeks postpartum; the levator hiatus area at rest and contraction both showed the largest value at 2 weeks postpartum, followed by a continuous decrease; the hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre, and the levator hiatus distensibility and contractility showed the lowest value at 2 weeks postpartum, followed by a continuous increase; the changes in BND showed no correlation with the changes in distensibility or hiatus area during Valsalva manoeuvre. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Our study suggested that in Asian primipara, the recovery of bladder neck mobility after vaginal delivery begins at 6 weeks postpartum, while the levator hiatus muscle begins to recover within the first 2 weeks postpartum. Therefore, it could be useful in deciding the best time to start PFMT for secondary prevention of postpartum PFD in Asian primiparous women.</p

Rational Design of an Interfacial Bilayer for Aqueous Dendrite-Free Zinc Anodes

Aqueous zinc (Zn) metal batteries have been widely studied on account of their evident advantages including low cost, good safety, and high energy density. However, problems associted with the Zn anode, such as dendrite formation and corrosion reaction, severely impact the safety and electrochemical performance of a battery. In this work, a bilayer design is constructed on the Zn anode surface to overcome these stubborn issues. A copper nanosheet layer together with a graphene oxide coating constitutes this artificial composite layer, enabling chemical modulation of uniform deposition of the ion flux and simultaneously eliminating the parasitic reaction by a physical barrier. Electrochemical characterization reveals the evident reduced ion nucleation barrier during plating, and the clean Zn anode surface after cycling indicates the inhibition of the corrosion reaction with the reliable shield. As a result, with this dendrite-free modified Zn electrode, both the symmetric cell and the full cell demonstrate remarkable rate and lifespan properties. A long-term cycling life of 2000 h can be realized in the symmetric cell. A high-rate property of 15 A g–1 and better capacity retention are also achieved in the full cell after being coupled with a NaxV2O5 nH2O cathode

Freestanding, Hierarchical, and Porous Bilayered Na_<i>x</i>V₂O₅·<i>n</i>H₂O/rGO/CNT Composites as High-Performance Cathode Materials for Nonaqueous K‑Ion Batteries and Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Rational design and convenient preparation of freestanding, hierarchical, and porous composites consisting of three-dimensional (3D) conductive carbon and low-dimension nanostructures with well-defined morphology and direct application as electrodes in rechargeable batteries are challenging. Herein, a freestanding, hierarchical, and porous composite composed of bilayered NaxV2O5·nH2O­(NVO) nanobelts, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with a 3D cross-linked structure is prepared by simple one-pot hydrothermal self-assembly and vacuum filtration. The unique hierarchical nanoarchitecture of the hybrid one-dimensional (1D) (NVO nanobelts) and 3D (rGO/CNT) scaffold provides efficient pathways for ion/electron transportation as well as an elastic medium to buffer large volume change of the bilayered NVO nanobelts during cycling. The materials have excellent electrochemical properties as cathodes in the nonaqueous K-ion batteries (KIBs) and aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). In the nonaqueous KIBs, the freestanding composite exhibits a high capacity of 119.9 mA h g–1 at 0.1 A g–1, a rate capability of 53.2 mA h g–1 at 3 A g–1, and a superior cycling stability of 59.7 mA h g–1 at 0.5 mA g–1 after 600 cycles. In the AZIBs, a capacity of 459.1 mA h g–1 at 0.5 A g–1, a rate capability of 352.5 mA h g–1 at 10 A g–1, and 83.1% retention after 1800 cycles at 10 A g–1 are observed. Our results reveal the advantages of the 3D rGO/CNT platform for 1D vanadium-based oxide nanostructures and provide insights into the design and preparation of efficient cathode materials in high-performance AZIBs and nonaqueous KIBs

TiO₂@Chlorella-Based Biomass Carbon Modified Separator for High-Rate Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

The lithium–sulfur battery (Li–S battery) has attracted extensive attention because of its high energy density, but a series of disadvantages caused by sulfur insulation and the shuttle effect hinder the large-scale application of the Li–S battery. The conductive skeleton with strong adsorption on lithium polysulfide can effectively build the electron transmission path and inhibit the shuttle effect. In this study, a new type of chlorella-based biomass carbon skeleton carrying TiO2 metal sites (TiO2@CBBC) is designed and synthesized, and it was used as a functional separator modification material for the lithium sulfur battery. The biomass carbon skeleton has a unique three-dimensional skeleton and a unique specific surface, which can carry uniform titanium active sites and rich oxygen negative ions, so as to build a functional network of electron conduction, adsorbing polysulfide intermediates and promoting the dynamics of the sulfur conversion reaction. The Li–S battery equipped with a functional TiO2@CBBC separator shows excellent rate performance and cycle performance. The initial capacity of the lithium sulfur battery is up to 1011 mAh g–1 at 2C and can maintain 92% of the specific capacity after 100 cycles. At a stricter rate of 3C, the battery can still operate stably, and the coulomb efficiency remains above 95% throughout the entire process. This work represents a promising approach for developing the stability of lithium–sulfur batteries at a high rate

Self-Assembled Three-Dimensional Graphene-Based Aerogel with Embedded Multifarious Functional Nanoparticles and Its Excellent Photoelectrochemical Activities

Here, a graphene-based aerogel embedded with two types of functional nanoparticles shaped in a three-dimensional (3D) cylindrical architecture was prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal process. During the hydrothermal reaction, the uniformly dispersed TiO₂ (P25) and CdS nanoparticles were loaded on the graphene sheets, and the resulting composites were self-assembled into a 3D interconnected network. It is shown that the graphene-based hydrogel and aerogel are appropriate and robust hosts for anchoring different functional nanostructured particles. The outstanding synergistic effect of this ternary graphene-based nanocomposite aerogel is also proved by the excellent photoelectrochemical activity of the as-prepared novel nanocomposite (CdS/P25/graphene) aerogel. As a new photocatalyst, the CdS/P25/graphene aerogel exhibits enhanced light absorption, improved photocurrent, extremely efficient charge separation properties, and superior durability. These excellent properties indicate that the as-prepared CdS/P25/graphene aerogel may have a great potential application in photoelectrochemical hydrogen production from water reduction under sunlight. More importantly, in this study, a significant and pragmatic consideration of integrating multifarious functional nanoobjects into the 3D graphene-based aerogel has been clearly proposed. This could provide new insights into the preparation of functional nanocomposites and facilitate their applications in related areas

Tuning the Delithiation State of LiNi_0.5Co_0.2Mn_0.3O₂ Enabling the Electronic Structure Modification to Enhance the Conversion of Polysulfides in a Lithium–Sulfur Battery

Regulating the conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) is one of the key factors to promote the practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs). Encouraging progress has been made from the perspective of electrocatalysis with various metal oxides (sulfides) or organic compounds as catalysts. Also, the identification of the active site as well as the continuous regulation of electronic structure is quite urgent for a rational design of a catalyst. Here, the LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523) ternary cathode material is used to obtain transition-metal ions of different chemical states by different delithiation states for the discussion on catalyst design strategy. On this basis, NCM523 with a special electronic structure of the delithiation state at 3.8 V can effectively inhibit the shuttle effect through physical restriction and chemical affinity. Moreover, Ni3+ shows high activity to accelerate the redox reaction of the captured LiPSs. In this light, LSBs with an NCM-3.8 V layer coating on a commercial polypropylene separator can deliver excellent electrochemical performance. A minute capacity decay rate of 0.089% per cycle can be obtained at 1C after 300 cycles. This study proposed a creative method to design the electronic structure, and simultaneously a strategy, to build active sites. The strategy not only provides a new idea for the realization of high-performance LSBs but also gives a blueprint to design a catalyst with high catalytic activity in the future

Highly Oriented {010} Crystal Plane Induced by Boron in Cobalt-Free Li- and Mn-Rich Layered Oxide

Li- and Mn-rich layered oxide (LMR) materials are a promising candidates for next-generation Li-ion battery (LIB) anode materials because of their high specific capacity. However, their low initial Coulombic efficiency, voltage decay, and irreversible phase transition during cycling are the fatal drawbacks of LMR materials. This work reports on a cobalt-free LMR material composed of primary particles with a boron-induced exposed long- strip-like {010} plane. Because of this unique structure, the long strip-like cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with a discharge capacity of 202 mAh g–1 at 1 C and a retention rate of 95.2% after 200 cycles. In addition, it is found that this long strip-like structure can modulate the redox of oxygen and enhance the reversibility. The irreversible phase transition process from the layered to a spinel and then to a rock-salt phase during cycling is also significantly suppressed. This work provides a feasible method for regulating the exposed {010} plane and a new idea for the structural design of LMR materials

The effects of CTX damage or inhibition of bone marrow hematopoiesis and GM-CSF stimulation of bone marrow hematopoiesis on the peripheral blood TCRβ CDR3 repertoire of BALB/c mice

Objective: This paper aims to investigate the dynamic changes of the T-cell receptor (TCR) β complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) repertoire during cyclophosphamide or Cytoxan (CTX) damage or inhibition of bone marrow hematopoiesis caused by a reduction of peripheral blood white blood cells (WBCs) in BALB/c mice. Methods: We analyze TCR CDR3 repertoire of BALB/c mice including (1) NS control group (2) CTX damage group (3) CTX damage + GM-CSF recovery group (4) CTX damage + auto-recovery group. Results: The number of WBCs in the CTX group is significantly lower than that in the NS group and after GM-CSF injection, the GM-CSF group is higher than that in the NS group. The diversity of the CTX damage group is the highest and there is a significant difference in high-frequency clonal proliferation between the CTX damage group and CTX damage + GM-CSF recovery group compared with the NS control group. In addition, the numbers of unique productive CDR3 overlapping numbers in the four experimental groups are similar. Conclusions: These data reveal that CTX significantly reduced the number of WBCs and ratio of high-frequency TCR CDR3 sequences, and indirectly increased the diversity of the TCR CDR3 repertoire. GM-CSF quickly restored the number of WBCs, and partially restored changes in the TCR CDR3 repertoire induced by CTX. Results from monitoring the dynamic changes of the TCR CDR3 repertoire can be used to assess the effects of CTX and GM-CSF on the function of peripheral blood T cells and to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.</p

Additional file 2 of Chromatin accessibility illuminates single-cell regulatory dynamics of rice root tips

Additional file 2: Table S2: Marker genes of each cluster. Table S3: ACRs of each cluster for Normal and HS. Table S4: List of genes with open chromatin accessibility but low/no expression. Table S5: List of genes with close chromatin accessibility but high expression. Table S6: List of overlapped marker genes between scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq. Table S7: List of GO terms for genes associated with cluster specific ACRs. Table S8: ACRs and corresponding genes detected in the bulk ATAC-seq experiment for Normal. Table S9: ACRs and corresponding genes detected in the bulk ATAC-seq experiment for HS

Additional file 3 of Chromatin accessibility illuminates single-cell regulatory dynamics of rice root tips

Additional file 3: Table S10: Enriched TF motifs in differential ACRs upon heat stress for each cluster. (XLS 403 kb