Enhancement of vertical phase separation in sequentially deposited organic photovoltaics through the independent processing of additives

Herein,the impact of the independent control of processing additives on vertical phase separation in sequentially deposited (SD) organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and its subsequent effects on charge carrier kinetics at the electron donor-acceptor interface are investigated.The film morphology exhibits notable variations,significantly depending on the layer to which 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) was applied.Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis reveals distinctly separated donor/acceptor phases and vertical crystallinity details in SD films.Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis is employed to obtain component distributions in diverse vertical phase structures of SD films depending on additive control.In addition,nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy shows that DIO control significantly affects the dynamics of separated charges in SD films.In SD OPVs,DIO appears to act through distinct mechanisms with minimal restriction,depending on the applied layer.This study emphasizes the significance of morphological optimization in improving device performance and underscores the importance of independent additive control in the advancement of OPV technology.

Antibacterial activity of sequentially extracted organic solvent extracts of fruits,flowers and leaves of Lawsonia inermis L.from Jaffna

Objective:To reveal the antibacterial activity of sequentially extracted different cold organic solvent extracts of fruits,flowers and leaves of Lawsonia inermis(L against)some pathogenic bacteria.Methods:Powders of fruits,flowers and leaves of L inermis were continuously extracted with dichloromethane(DCM),ethyl acetate and ethanol at ambient temperature.The dried extracts were prepared into different concentrations and tested for antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion method,and also the extracts were tested to detennine the available phytochemicals.Results:Except DCM extract of flower all other test extracts revealed inhibitory effect on all tested bacteria and their inhibitory effect differed significantly(P<0.05).The highest inhibitory effect was showed by ethyl acetate extract of flower against Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus)and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa),and ethyl acetate extract of fruit on Escherichia coli(E.coli)and Bacillus subtilis(6.subtilis).The ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of flower,fruit and leaf expressed inhibition even at 1 mg/100μl against all test bacteria.Among the tested phytochemicals flavonoids were detected in all test extracts except DCM extract of flower.Conclusions:The study demonstrated that the ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of fruit and flower of L inermis are potentially better source of antibacterial agents compared to leaf extracts of respective solvents.

Competitive Complexation of Copper and Zinc by Sequentially Extracted Humic Substances from Manure Compost

Chicken manure with similar content of copper and zinc was changes of organic carbon and humus substance complexed chosen to conduct a composting experiment to investigate the copper （HS-Cu） and zinc （HS-Zn）, which were extracted by water （H2O）, sodium hydroxide （NaOH）, and sodium pyrophate-NaOH mixture （Na4P2O7-NaOH）, sequentially. Distributions of copper and zinc in fulvic acids （FA） and humic acids （HA） in the three extracts were studied. During manure composting, the concentrations of copper and zinc increased from about 500 mg kg^-1 in the raw material to 1 100 mg kg^-1 in the final products. HS-Cu in H2O, NaOH, and Na4P2O7-NaOH extracts occupied 6.7, 26.7, and 19% averagely of total copper and HS-Zn represented 2.7, 13.7, and 17% averagely of total zinc in compost, respectively. In water extracts, both HA and FA mainly complexed with Cu and the mole ratio of Cu to Zn was 2.8 in HA fractions and was 2.6 in FA fractions, respectively. HA mainly complexed with copper, so that the ratios of HA-Cu to HA-Zn averaged 3.4 in NaOH extracts. FA had a similar potential to complex with copper and zinc, so that the ratio of FA-Cu to FA-Zn was close to 1. In Na4P2O7-NaOH extracts, HA or FA had a similar potential to complex with copper and zinc. The ratio of HS-Cu to HS-Zn was close to 1. With manure composting, Na4P2O7-NaOH extractable HS-Zn increased to a level as high as HS-Cu. This indicated that more and more stable complexes of HS-Zn were formed in the late decomposition period. The competition between copper and zinc to be complexed with humic substance became weaker and weaker with the decomposition process.

Sequentially immune-induced antibodies could cross-neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants

Background:The Omicron(B.1.1.529)SARS-COV-2 variant has raised serious concerns because of its unprecedented rapid rate of spreading and the fact that there are 36 mutations in the spike protein.Since the vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody targets are the spike protein,this may lead to the possibility of vaccine-induced hu-moral immunity escape.Methods:We measured the neutralizing activity in vitro for Omicron and compared this with wild type(WH-09)and Delta variants in human and monkey sera from different types of immunity.The monkey sera samples were collected at 1 and 3 months post three-dose inactivated(PiCoVacc)and recombinant protein(ZF2001)vaccination.Human sera were collected from 1 month post three-dose inactivated vaccination.Results:In inactivated vaccine sera,at 1/3 months post three-dose,geometric mean titers(GMTs)of neutralization antibody(NAb)against the Omicron variant were 4.9/5.2-fold lower than those of the wild type.In recombinant protein vaccine sera,GMTs of NAb against Omicron were 15.7/8.9-fold lower than those of the wild type.In human sera,at 1 month post three-dose inactivated vaccination,GMTs of NAb against Omicron were 3.1-fold lower than those of the wild type.Conclusion:This study demonstrated that despite a reduction in neutralization titers,cross-neutralizing activity against Omicron and Delta variants was still observed after three doses of inactivated and recombinant protein vaccination.

LINEAR FILTERING FOR VASICEK TERM STRUCTURE MODEL WITH SEQUENTIALLY CORRELATED NOISE

When Kalman filter is used in the estimation of Vasicek term structure of interest rates,it is usual to assume that the measurement noise is uncorrelated.Study results are more favorable to the assumption of correlated measurement noise.An augmented state Kalman filter form for Vasicek model is proposed to optimally estimate the unobservable state variable with the assumption of correlated measurement noise.Empirical results indicate that the model with sequentially correlated measurement noise can more accurately describe the dynamics of the term structure of interest rates.

About Compact and Sequentially Compact Coincide in Topological Groups with the Axiom (A_1)

This paper is concerned with the relation between the compactness and sequential compactness in a topological space or a topological group, and show that the compactness and sequential compactness coincide in a topolpgical group with the axiom (A1).

Sequentially releasing self-healing hydrogel fabricated with TGFβ3-microspheres and bFGF to facilitate rat alveolar bone defect repair

Resorption and loss of alveolar bone leads to oral dysfunction and loss of natural or implant teeth. Biomimetic delivery of growth factors based on stem cell recruitment and osteogenic differentiation, as the key steps in natural alveolar bone regenerative process, has been an area of intense research in recent years. A mesoporous self-healing hydrogel(DFH) with basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) entrapment and transforming growth factor β3(TGFβ3)-loaded chitosan microspheres(CMs) was developed. The formulation was optimized by multiple tests of self-healing, in-bottle inversion, SEM, rheological, swelling rate and in vitro degradation. In vitro tubule formation assays, cell migration assays, and osteogenic differentiation assays confirmed the ability of DFH to promote blood vessels, recruit stem cells, and promote osteogenic differentiation. The optimum DFH formula is 0.05 ml 4ArmPEG-DF(20%) added to 1 ml CsGlu(2%) containing bFGF(80 ng) and TGFβ3-microspheres(5 mg). The results of in vitro release studied by Elisa kit, indicated an 95% release of b FGF in7 d and long-term sustained release of TGFβ3. For alveolar defects rat models, the expression levels of CD29 and CD45, the bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness of new bone monitored by Micro-CT in DFH treatment groups were significantly higher than others(*P < 0.05, vs Model). HE and Masson staining show the same results.In conclusion, DFH is a design of bionic alveolar remodelling microenvironment, that is in early time microvessels formed by b FGF provide nutritious to recruited endogenous stem cells, then TGFβ3 slowly released speed up the process of new bones formation to common facilitate rat alveolar defect repair. The DFH with higher regenerative efficiency dovetails nicely with great demand due to the requirement of complicated biological processes.

Optimized sequential therapy vs 10- and 14-d concomitant therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pylori: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND A cure for Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)remains a problem of global concern.The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance is widely rising and becoming a challenging issue worldwide.Optimizing sequential therapy seems to be one of the most attractive strategies in terms of efficacy,tolerability and cost.The most common sequential therapy consists of a dual therapy[proton-pump inhibitors(PPIs)and amoxicillin]for the first period(5 to 7 d),followed by a triple therapy for the second period(PPI,clarithromycin and metronidazole).PPIs play a key role in maintaining a gastric pH at a level that allows an optimal efficacy of antibiotics,hence the idea of using new generation molecules.This open-label prospective study randomized 328 patients with confirmed H.pylori infection into three groups(1:1:1):The first group received quadruple therapy consisting of twice-daily(bid)omeprazole 20 mg,amoxicillin 1 g,clarith-romycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg for 10 d(QT-10),the second group received a 14 d quadruple therapy following the same regimen(QT-14),and the third group received an optimized sequential therapy consisting of bid rabe-prazole 20 mg plus amoxicillin 1 g for 7 d,followed by bid rabeprazole 20 mg,clarithromycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg for the next 7 d(OST-14).AEs were recorded throughout the study,and the H.pylori eradication rate was determined 4 to 6 wk after the end of treatment,using the 13C urea breath test.RESULTS In the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis,the eradication rate was higher in the OST-14 group compared to the QT-10 group:(93.5%,85.5%P=0.04)and(96.2%,89.5%P=0.03)respectively.However,there was no statist-ically significant difference in eradication rates between the OST-14 and QT-14 groups:(93.5%,91.8%P=0.34)and(96.2%,94.4%P=0.35),respectively.The overall incidence of AEs was significantly lower in the OST-14 group(P=0.01).Furthermore,OST-14 was the most cost-effective among the three groups.CONCLUSION The optimized 14-d sequential therapy is a safe and effective alternative.Its eradication rate is comparable to that of the 14-d concomitant therapy while causing fewer AEs and allowing a gain in terms of cost.

Toluene Processed All-Polymer Solar Cells with 18%Efficiency and Enhanced Stability Enabled by Solid Additive:Comparison Between Sequential-Processing and Blend-Casting

The emergence of polymerized small molecule acceptors(PSMAs)has significantly improved the performance of all-polymer solar cells(all-PSCs).However,the pace of device engineering lacks behind that of materials development,so that a majority of the PSMAs have not fulfilled their potentials.Furthermore,most high-performance all-PSCs rely on the use of chloroform as the processing solvent.For instance,the recent highperformance PSMA,named PJ1-γ,with high LUMO,and HOMO levels,could only achieve a PCE of 16.1%with a high-energy-level donor(JD40)using chloroform.Herein,we present a methodology combining sequential processing(SqP)with the addition of 0.5%wt PC_(71)BM as a solid additive(SA)to achieve an impressive efficiency of 18.0%for all-PSCs processed from toluene,an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent.Compared to the conventional blend-casting(BC)method whose best efficiency(16.7%)could only be achieved using chloroform,the SqP method significantly boosted the device efficiency using toluene as the processing solvent.In addition,the donor we employ is the classic PM6 that has deeper energy levels than JD40,which provides low energy loss for the device.We compare the results with another PSMA(PYF-T-o)with the same method.Finally,an improved photostability of the SqP devices with the incorporation of SA is demonstrated.

Effect of sequential nursing care combined with communication intervention on visual recovery and pain after cataract ultrasound emulsification

BACKGROUND Cataracts are a common ophthalmic disease and postoperative vision recovery is crucial to patient quality of life.Rational and efficient care models play an impor-tant role in promoting vision recovery.AIM To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of procedural nursing care combined with communication intervention in vision recovery after cataract ultrasound emulsi-fication.METHODS A randomized controlled study was conducted on 100 patients with cataracts who underwent ultrasound emulsification surgery.They were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group.The experimental group received procedural nursing combined with Connect,Introduce,Communicate,Ask,Respond,Exit(CICARE)communication intervention,whereas the control group received conventional nursing.The effectiveness of the nursing model was assessed by comparing differences in vision recovery,pain scores,and mental health status between the two groups.RESULTS It was found that over time the visual acuity of patients in both groups gradually recovered and patients in the experimental group had lower pain scores and superior mental health status than the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Procedural nursing combined with CICARE communication intervention has positive effects on vision recovery in patients after cataract ultrasound emulsification.

Accelerated Sequential Deposition Reaction via Crystal Orientation Engineering for Low-Temperature,High-Efficiency Carbon-Electrode CsPbBr_(3) Solar Cells

Low-temperature,ambient processing of high-quality CsPbBr_(3)films is demanded for scalable production of efficient,low-cost carbon-electrode perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Herein,we demonstrate a crystal orientation engineering strategy of PbBr_(2)precursor film to accelerate its reaction with CsBr precursor during two-step sequential deposition of CsPbBr_(3)films.Such a novel strategy is proceeded by adding CsBr species into PbBr_(2)precursor,which can tailor the preferred crystal orientation of PbBr_(2)film from[020]into[031],with CsBr additive staying in the film as CsPb_(2)Br_(5)phase.Theoretical calculations show that the reaction energy barrier of(031)planes of PbBr_(2)with CsBr is lower about 2.28 eV than that of(O2O)planes.Therefore,CsPbBr_(3)films with full coverage,high purity,high crystallinity,micro-sized grains can be obtained at a low temperature of 150℃.Carbon-electrode PSCs with these desired CsPbBr_(3)films yield the record-high efficiency of 10.27%coupled with excellent operation stability.Meanwhile,the 1 cm^(2)area one with the superior efficiency of 8.00%as well as the flexible one with the champion efficiency of 8.27%and excellent mechanical bending characteristics are also achieved.

Compact Interlaced Dual Circularly Polarized Sequentially Rotated Dielectric-Resonator Antenna Array

In this study,a compact 2×2 interlaced sequentially rotated dual-polarized dielectric-resonator antenna array is proposed for 5.8 GHz applications.The array is composed of a novel unit elements that are made of rectangular dielectric resonator(RDR)coupled to an eye slot for generating the orthogonal modes,TEδx 21 and TE1yδ1 to acquire circular polarization(CP)radiation.For the purpose of miniaturization and achieving dual polarized resonance,the array is fed by two interlaced ports and each port excites two radiating elements.The first port feeds horizontal elements to obtain left hand circular polarization(LHCP).The second port feeds vertical elements to obtain right hand circular polarization(RHCP).A quarter-wave length transformer is employed to reduce the attenuation and consequently increase the array gain performance.The 35×35 mm2(0.676λ0×0.676λ0)gains were 8.4 and 8.2 dBi for port 1 and port 2,respectively,with port isolations of−33.51 dB.The design achieves a voltage standing-wave ratio(VSWR)<−10 dB and an axial ratio(AR)<−3 dB bandwidth of 2.48%(5.766 to 5.911 GHz)for LHCP at port 1 and a VSWR<−10 dB and AR<−3 dB bandwidth of 2.28%(5.788 to 5.922 GHz)for RHCP at port 2.The findings of the proposed design validate its use for ISM band applications.

An Overview of Sequential Approximation in Topology Optimization of Continuum Structure

This paper offers an extensive overview of the utilization of sequential approximate optimization approaches in the context of numerically simulated large-scale continuum structures.These structures,commonly encountered in engineering applications,often involve complex objective and constraint functions that cannot be readily expressed as explicit functions of the design variables.As a result,sequential approximation techniques have emerged as the preferred strategy for addressing a wide array of topology optimization challenges.Over the past several decades,topology optimization methods have been advanced remarkably and successfully applied to solve engineering problems incorporating diverse physical backgrounds.In comparison to the large-scale equation solution,sensitivity analysis,graphics post-processing,etc.,the progress of the sequential approximation functions and their corresponding optimizersmake sluggish progress.Researchers,particularly novices,pay special attention to their difficulties with a particular problem.Thus,this paper provides an overview of sequential approximation functions,related literature on topology optimization methods,and their applications.Starting from optimality criteria and sequential linear programming,the other sequential approximate optimizations are introduced by employing Taylor expansion and intervening variables.In addition,recent advancements have led to the emergence of approaches such as Augmented Lagrange,sequential approximate integer,and non-gradient approximation are also introduced.By highlighting real-world applications and case studies,the paper not only demonstrates the practical relevance of these methods but also underscores the need for continued exploration in this area.Furthermore,to provide a comprehensive overview,this paper offers several novel developments that aim to illuminate potential directions for future research.

Attribute Reduction Method Based on Sequential Three-Branch Decision Model

Attribute reduction is a research hotspot in rough set theory. Traditional heuristic attribute reduction methods add the most important attribute to the decision attribute set each time, resulting in multiple redundant attribute calculations, high time consumption, and low reduction efficiency. In this paper, based on the idea of sequential three-branch decision classification domain, attributes are treated as objects of three-branch division, and attributes are divided into core attributes, relatively necessary attributes, and unnecessary attributes using attribute importance and thresholds. Core attributes are added to the decision attribute set, unnecessary attributes are rejected from being added, and relatively necessary attributes are repeatedly divided until the reduction result is obtained. Experiments were conducted on 8 groups of UCI datasets, and the results show that, compared to traditional reduction methods, the method proposed in this paper can effectively reduce time consumption while ensuring classification performance.

Proposal for sequential Stern-Gerlach experiment with programmable quantum processors

The historical significance of the Stern–Gerlach(SG)experiment lies in its provision of the initial evidence for space quantization.Over time,its sequential form has evolved into an elegant paradigm that effectively illustrates the fundamental principles of quantum theory.To date,the practical implementation of the sequential SG experiment has not been fully achieved.In this study,we demonstrate the capability of programmable quantum processors to simulate the sequential SG experiment.The specific parametric shallow quantum circuits,which are suitable for the limitations of current noisy quantum hardware,are given to replicate the functionality of SG devices with the ability to perform measurements in different directions.Surprisingly,it has been demonstrated that Wigner’s SG interferometer can be readily implemented in our sequential quantum circuit.With the utilization of the identical circuits,it is also feasible to implement Wheeler’s delayed-choice experiment.We propose the utilization of cross-shaped programmable quantum processors to showcase sequential experiments,and the simulation results demonstrate a strong alignment with theoretical predictions.With the rapid advancement of cloud-based quantum computing,such as BAQIS Quafu,it is our belief that the proposed solution is well-suited for deployment on the cloud,allowing for public accessibility.Our findings not only expand the potential applications of quantum computers,but also contribute to a deeper comprehension of the fundamental principles underlying quantum theory.

Sequential Inverse Optimal Control of Discrete-Time Systems

This paper presents a novel sequential inverse optimal control(SIOC)method for discrete-time systems,which calculates the unknown weight vectors of the cost function in real time using the input and output of an optimally controlled discrete-time system.The proposed method overcomes the limitations of previous approaches by eliminating the need for the invertible Jacobian assumption.It calculates the possible-solution spaces and their intersections sequentially until the dimension of the intersection space decreases to one.The remaining one-dimensional vector of the possible-solution space’s intersection represents the SIOC solution.The paper presents clear conditions for convergence and addresses the issue of noisy data by clarifying the conditions for the singular values of the matrices that relate to the possible-solution space.The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation results.

Efficacy and safety of Xileisan combined with mesalazine for ulcerative colitis:A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

BACKGROUND The benefits and risks of Xileisan(XLS)in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC)remain unclear.AIM The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of XLS and mesalazine when treating UC.METHODS We searched eight databases for clinical trials evaluating the combination of XLS and mesalazine in the treatment of UC,up to January 2024.Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis(TSA)were performed using Revman 5.3 and TSA 0.9.5.10 beta,respectively.RESULTS The present study included 13 clinical studies involving 990 patients,of which 501 patients received XLS combined with mesalazine while 489 patients received mesalazine alone.The meta-analysis showed that,in terms of efficacy,the combination of XLS and mesalazine significantly improved the clinical efficacy rate by 22%[risk ratio(RR)=1.22;95%CI:1.15–1.28;P<0.00001]and mucosal improvement rate by 25%(RR=1.25;95%CI:1.12–1.39;P=0.0001),while significantly reducing the duration of abdominal pain by 2.25 days[mean difference(MD)=-2.25;95%CI:-3.35 to-1.14;P<0.0001],diarrhea by 2.06 days(MD=-2.06;95%CI:-3.92 to-0.20;P=0.03),hematochezia by 2.32 days(MD=-2.32;95%CI:-4.02 to-0.62;P=0.008),tumor necrosis factor alpha by 16.25 ng/mL(MD=-16.25;95%CI:-20.48 to-12.01;P<0.00001),and interleukin-6 by 14.14 ng/mL(MD=-14.14;95%CI:-24.89 to-3.39;P=0.01).The TSA indicated conclusiveness in the meta-analysis of the efficacy endpoints.In terms of safety,the meta-analysis revealed that the combination of XLS and mesalazine did not increase the occurrence of total and gastrointestinal adverse events,abdominal distension,and erythema(P>0.05).The TSA showed non conclusive findings in the meta-analysis of the safety endpoints.Harbord’s test showed no publication bias(P=0.734).CONCLUSION Treatment with XLS alleviated the clinical symptoms,intestinal mucosal injury,and inflammatory response in patients with UC,while demonstrating good safety.

Exploring Sequential Feature Selection in Deep Bi-LSTM Models for Speech Emotion Recognition

Machine Learning(ML)algorithms play a pivotal role in Speech Emotion Recognition(SER),although they encounter a formidable obstacle in accurately discerning a speaker’s emotional state.The examination of the emotional states of speakers holds significant importance in a range of real-time applications,including but not limited to virtual reality,human-robot interaction,emergency centers,and human behavior assessment.Accurately identifying emotions in the SER process relies on extracting relevant information from audio inputs.Previous studies on SER have predominantly utilized short-time characteristics such as Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients(MFCCs)due to their ability to capture the periodic nature of audio signals effectively.Although these traits may improve their ability to perceive and interpret emotional depictions appropriately,MFCCS has some limitations.So this study aims to tackle the aforementioned issue by systematically picking multiple audio cues,enhancing the classifier model’s efficacy in accurately discerning human emotions.The utilized dataset is taken from the EMO-DB database,preprocessing input speech is done using a 2D Convolution Neural Network(CNN)involves applying convolutional operations to spectrograms as they afford a visual representation of the way the audio signal frequency content changes over time.The next step is the spectrogram data normalization which is crucial for Neural Network(NN)training as it aids in faster convergence.Then the five auditory features MFCCs,Chroma,Mel-Spectrogram,Contrast,and Tonnetz are extracted from the spectrogram sequentially.The attitude of feature selection is to retain only dominant features by excluding the irrelevant ones.In this paper,the Sequential Forward Selection(SFS)and Sequential Backward Selection(SBS)techniques were employed for multiple audio cues features selection.Finally,the feature sets composed from the hybrid feature extraction methods are fed into the deep Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory(Bi-LSTM)network to discern emotions.Since the deep Bi-LSTM can hierarchically learn complex features and increases model capacity by achieving more robust temporal modeling,it is more effective than a shallow Bi-LSTM in capturing the intricate tones of emotional content existent in speech signals.The effectiveness and resilience of the proposed SER model were evaluated by experiments,comparing it to state-of-the-art SER techniques.The results indicated that the model achieved accuracy rates of 90.92%,93%,and 92%over the Ryerson Audio-Visual Database of Emotional Speech and Song(RAVDESS),Berlin Database of Emotional Speech(EMO-DB),and The Interactive Emotional Dyadic Motion Capture(IEMOCAP)datasets,respectively.These findings signify a prominent enhancement in the ability to emotional depictions identification in speech,showcasing the potential of the proposed model in advancing the SER field.

Embryo Transfer Strategies for Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure During the Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles:Sequential Embryo Transfer or Double-blastocyst Transfer?

Objective Both sequential embryo transfer(SeET)and double-blastocyst transfer(DBT)can serve as embryo transfer strategies for women with recurrent implantation failure(RIF).This study aims to compare the effects of SeET and DBT on pregnancy outcomes.Methods Totally,261 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles of 243 RIF women were included in this multicenter retrospective analysis.According to different embryo quality and transfer strategies,they were divided into four groups:group A,good-quality SeET(GQ-SeET,n=38 cycles);group B,poor-quality or mixed-quality SeET(PQ/MQ-SeET,n=31 cycles);group C,good-quality DBT(GQ-DBT,n=121 cycles);and group D,poor-quality or mixed-quality DBT(PQ/MQ-DBT,n=71 cycles).The main outcome,clinical pregnancy rate,was compared,and the generalized estimating equation(GEE)model was used to correct potential confounders that might impact pregnancy outcomes.Results GQ-DBT achieved a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(aOR 2.588,95%CI 1.267–5.284,P=0.009)and live birth rate(aOR 3.082,95%CI 1.482–6.412,P=0.003)than PQ/MQ-DBT.Similarly,the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in GQ-SeET than in PQ/MQ-SeET(aOR 4.047,95%CI 1.218–13.450,P=0.023).The pregnancy outcomes of GQ-SeET were not significantly different from those of GQ-DBT,and the same results were found between PQ/MQ-SeET and PQ/MQ-DBT.Conclusion SeET relative to DBT did not seem to improve pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients if the embryo quality was comparable between the two groups.Better clinical pregnancy outcomes could be obtained by transferring good-quality embryos,no matter whether in SeET or DBT.Embryo quality plays a more important role in pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients.

Sequential neoadjuvant chemotherapy using pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by taxanes with complete trastuzumab and pertuzumab treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer: A phase Ⅱ single-arm study

Objective: Despite cardiotoxicity overlap, the trastuzumab/pertuzumab and anthracycline combination remains crucial due to significant benefits. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin(PLD), a less cardiotoxic anthracycline, was evaluated for efficacy and cardiac safety when combined with cyclophosphamide and followed by taxanes with trastuzumab/pertuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER2)-positive early breast cancer(BC).Methods: In this multicenter, phase II study, patients with confirmed HER2-positive early BC received four cycles of PLD(30-35 mg/m^(2)) and cyclophosphamide(600 mg/m^(2)), followed by four cycles of taxanes(docetaxel,90-100 mg/m^(2) or nab-paclitaxel, 260 mg/m^(2)), concomitant with eight cycles of trastuzumab(8 mg/kg loading dose,then 6 mg/kg) and pertuzumab(840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was total pathological complete response(tp CR, yp T0/is yp N0). Secondary endpoints included breast p CR(bp CR),objective response rate(ORR), disease control rate, rate of breast-conserving surgery(BCS), and safety(with a focus on cardiotoxicity).Results: Between May 27, 2020 and May 11, 2022, 78 patients were treated with surgery, 42(53.8%) of whom had BCS. After neoadjuvant therapy, 47 [60.3%, 95% confidence interval(95% CI), 48.5%-71.2%] patients achieved tp CR, and 49(62.8%) achieved bp CR. ORRs were 76.9%(95% CI, 66.0%-85.7%) and 93.6%(95% CI,85.7%-97.9%) after 4-cycle and 8-cycle neoadjuvant therapy, respectively. Nine(11.5%) patients experienced asymptomatic left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) reductions of ≥10% from baseline, all with a minimum value of >55%. No treatment-related abnormal cardiac function changes were observed in mean N-terminal pro-BNP(NT-pro BNP), troponin I, or high-sensitivity troponin.Conclusions: This dual HER2-blockade with sequential polychemotherapy showed promising activity with rapid tumor regression in HER2-positive BC. Importantly, this regimen showed an acceptable safety profile,especially a low risk of cardiac events, suggesting it as an attractive treatment approach with a favorable risk-benefit balance.