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Phthalates (PAEs), a group of environmental endocrine disruptors, are associated with oxidative stress and have adverse effects on female ovarian reserves. However, this association has been poorly investigated, particularly with respect to clinical evidence. In this study, we provided clinical evidence of a relationship between exposure levels of PAEs, oxidative stress and decreased ovarian reserve (DOR). Firstly, the urinary concentrations of metabolites of PAEs were measured by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), and the biomarkers of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), were determined. Finally, statistical analyses were conducted to describe the relationship between the PAEs exposure, oxidative stress and DOR. We found that the levels of monomethyl phthalate (MMP), monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), and mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) in the DOR group were significantly higher than those in the control group. There was a significant negative association between AMH and MMP, MiBP levels. and a significant positive association between FSH and MMP levels. PAEs exposure was also associated with a significant increase in MDA levels and decrease in SOD levels. In conclusion, the exposure of PAEs was closely associated with DOR, potentially mediated by oxidative stress pathways; however, small sample size was a limitation in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are typical persistent organic pollutants that have been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in cohort studies. This review aims to comprehensively assess the molecular mechanisms of PCBs‐induced T2DM. Recent progress has been made in the research of PCBs in liver tissue, adipose tissue, and other tissues. By influencing the function of nuclear receptors, such as the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), pregnancy X receptor (PXR), and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ), as well as the inflammatory response, PCBs disrupt the balance of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. This is associated with insulin resistance (IR) in the target organ of insulin. Through androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor α/β (ERα/β), and pancreato‐duodenal‐homeobox gene‐1 (PDX‐1), PCBs affect the secretion of insulin and increase blood glucose. Thus, this review is a discussion on the relationship between PCBs exposure and the pathogenesis of T2DM. It is hoped to provide basic concepts for diabetes research and disease treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting women in their reproductive years. Emerging evidence suggests that the maternal-fetal immune system is crucial for proper pregnancy. However, whether immune function is altered at the end of pregnancy in PCOS women and the underlying molecular mechanisms is currently unexplored. Herein, the basic maternal immune system was investigated (n = 136 in the control group; n = 103 in the PCOS group), and whole-transcriptome sequencing was carried out to quantify the mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs expression levels in fetal side placental tissue of women with PCOS. GO, KEGG, and GSEA analysis were employed for functional enrichment analysis. The process of identifying hub genes was conducted utilizing the protein-protein interaction network. CIBERSORT and Connectivity Map were deployed to determine immune cell infiltration and predict potential drugs, respectively. A network of mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA was constructed and then validated by qRT-PCR. First, red blood cell count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin were significantly elevated, while placental growth factor was hindered in PCOS women. We identified 308 DEmRNAs, 77 DEmiRNAs, and 332 DElncRNAs in PCOS samples. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that there were significant changes observed in terms of the immune system, especially the chemokine pathway. Eight genes, including FOS, JUN, EGR1, CXCL10, CXCR1, CXCR2, CXCL11, and CXCL8, were considered as hub genes. Furthermore, the degree of infiltration of neutrophils was dramatically decreased in PCOS tissues. In total, 57 ceRNA events were finally obtained, and immune-related ceRNA networks were validated. Some potential drug candidates, such as enalapril and RS-100329, could have a function in PCOS therapy. This study represents the inaugural attempt to evaluate the immune system at the end of pregnancy and placental ceRNA networks in PCOS, indicating alterations in the chemokine pathway, which may impact fetal and placental growth, and provides new therapy targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly one-fifth of patients with non-small cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) will develop liver metastases (LMs), and the overall treatment strategy of LMs will directly affect the survival of patients. However, some retrospective studies have found that patients receiving chemotherapy or targeted therapy have a poorer prognosis once LMs develop. In recent years, multiple randomised controlled trials (RCTS) have shown significant improvements in outcomes for patients with advanced lung cancer following the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) compared to conventional chemotherapy. ICIs is safe and effective in patients with LMs, although patients with LMs are mostly underrepresented in randomised clinical trials. However, NSCLC patients with LMs have a significantly worse prognosis than those without LMs when treated with ICIs, and the mechanism by which LMs induce systemic anti-tumour immunity reduction is unknown, so the management of LMs in patients with NSCLC is a clinical challenge that requires more optimised therapies to achieve effective disease control. In this review, we summarised the mechanism of ICIs in the treatment of LMs, the clinical research and treatment progress of ICIs and their combination with other therapies in patients with LMs from NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the difficulties in measuring the effective wind speed of wind turbine during the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) process and the unknown nature of the system, this paper proposes a neural network super-twisted sliding mode control (NNST-SMC) method with echo state network (ESN) wind speed estimation. The rotor speed and electromagnetic power are taken as ESN inputs, and the effective wind speed is estimated through the inverse model of wind turbine dynamics. The super-twisted algorithm (STA) can effectively improve the chattering problem of the traditional sliding mode control (SMC) system. The RBF neural network is introduced to compensate for disturbance and uncertainty characteristics of the wind turbine. Results show that compared with the neural network first-order sliding mode control (NNSMC) and super-twisted sliding mode control (ST-SMC), the proposed method can improve the efficiency of wind energy utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

di-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has potential reproductive toxicity. Bu-Shen-Tian-Jing formulations (BSTJFs) are beneficial for female reproductive capacity. However, BSTJF2 has much lower cytotoxicity than BSTJF1. To investigate the effects of BSTJFs on ovarian granulosa cells exposed to DEHP and determine the potential molecular mechanisms. Human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN) cells were divided into control, DEHP, BSTJF1 and BSTJF2 groups. The DEHP group were given 1 μM DEHP for 24 h. They were then given BSTJF1 at 200 μg/mL or BSTJF2 at 100 μg/mL for 24 h. The control group was treated with the same concentration of DMSO (0.1%). Oxidative stress and mitochondrial function were measured. The mRNA and protein expression levels of HDAC3 and HSP90AA were determined. Integrative network pharmacology analysis of BSTJF2 was also performed. DEHP (1 μM) significantly suppressed the proliferation of KGN cells by 17%, significantly increased ROS levels by 28% and MDA levels by 47%, significantly decreased MMP levels by 22% and mtDNA copy by 30%. DEHP significantly increased protein expression of HDAC3 by 21%and HSP90AA by 64%. All these changes were significantly reversed by BSTJFs. Integrative network pharmacology analysis revealed HSP90AA was a key target (degree = 8). Both RGFP966 and BSTJF2 significantly reversed the increased expression of HDAC3 and HSP90AA, attenuated oxidative stress, and mitochondrial damage which were induced by DEHP. BSTJFs might have therapeutic potential on oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage through the HDAC3/HSP90AA pathway which encourages further clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) is a rare and highly invasive malignant tumor with a lack of specificity in clinical manifestations, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Due to the difficulty of early diagnosis, most patients are already in the advanced stage when diagnosed, and the prognosis is poor. At present, there is no standard treatment strategy, and the existing treatment methods are not effective, the duration of remission is short, which cannot meet the clinical needs. Here we describe a patient with advanced MPeM, initially misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer, who responded to treatment with bevacizumab in combination with albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin. In preparation for cytoreductive surgery (CRS), MPeM was confirmed by laparoscopic peritoneal nodule biopsy combined with histological and immunohistochemical results. Subsequently, due to intolerable neurotoxicity after chemotherapy, she received oral anlotinib therapy on April 25, 2022, and remained stable disease (SD) with the medication, having achieved more than 14 months of progression-free survival (PFS) as of the date of our manuscript submission. The patient's total treatment time was over 19 months. These treatments delayed tumor progression, reduced drug side effects, maintained a good quality of life, and further extended overall survival (OS). Our experience is that on the one hand, it is necessary to increase the clinician's understanding of the disease, and make full use of tissue samples and immunohistochemical staining to reduce the occurrence of misdiagnosis. On the other hand, based on preliminary evidence, we found that oral anlotinib offers a viable maintenance treatment strategy for patients with advanced mesothelioma, which needs to be further explored in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) promotes photosynthesis and mitigates heat stress‐induced deleterious effects on plants, but the regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we found that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants treated with high atmospheric CO2 concentrations (600, 800, and 1000 µmol mol−1) accumulated increased levels of melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxy tryptamine) in their leaves and this response is conserved across many plant species, including Arabidopsis, rice, wheat, mustard, cucumber, watermelon, melon, and hot pepper. Elevated CO2 (eCO2; 800 µmol mol−1) caused a 6.8‐fold increase in leaf melatonin content, and eCO2‐induced melatonin biosynthesis preferentially occurred through chloroplast biosynthetic pathways in tomato plants. Crucially, manipulation of endogenous melatonin levels by genetic means affected the eCO2‐induced accumulation of sugar and starch in tomato leaves. Furthermore, net photosynthetic rate, maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, and transcript levels of chloroplast‐ and nuclear‐encoded photosynthetic genes, such as rbcL, rbcS, rbcA, psaD, petB, and atpA, significantly increased in COMT1 overexpressing (COMT1‐OE) tomato plants, but not in melatonin‐deficient comt1 mutants at eCO2 conditions. While eCO2 enhanced plant tolerance to heat stress (42°C) in wild‐type and COMT1‐OE, melatonin deficiency compromised eCO2‐induced thermotolerance in comt1 plants. The expression of heat shock proteins genes increased in COMT1‐OE but not in comt1 plants in response to eCO2 under heat stress. Further analysis revealed that eCO2‐induced thermotolerance was closely linked to the melatonin‐dependent regulation of reactive oxygen species, redox homeostasis, cellular protein protection, and phytohormone metabolism. This study unveiled a crucial mechanism of elevated CO2‐induced thermotolerance in which melatonin acts as an essential endogenous signaling molecule in tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: During pregnancy many women may experience negative emotions and sleep disturbances. This systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I) or sleep disturbance in pregnant women. From the earliest available publications to 15 April 2022, seven electronic literature databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and VIP Database for Chinese Science and Technology Journal. Randomised controlled trials of CBT‐I in pregnant women with insomnia or sleep disorders were included. The methodological bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The meta‐analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Stata Statistical Software: Release 15 was used for sensitivity analysis and publication bias. We included eight randomised controlled trials involving 743 pregnant women. Meta‐analysis showed that, compared with the control group, CBT‐I significantly improved the Insomnia Severity Index (mean difference [MD] = −4.25, 95% confidence interval [CI, −6.32, −2.19], p < 0.001), The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (MD = −3.30, 95% CI [−4.81, −1.79], p < 0.001), sleep onset latency (standardised mean difference [SMD] = −1.25, 95% CI [−2.01, −0.50], p = 0.001), anxiety (SMD = −0.99, 95% CI [−1.32, −0.67], p < 0.001), and depression (SMD = −0.40, 95% CI [−0.72, −0.07], p = 0.02). No significant differences were found in total sleep time (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI [−0.54, 1.17], p = 0.47) and sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI [−0.53, 2.13], p = 0.24). CBT‐I significantly improved pregnant women's sleep quality, insomnia severity, depression, and anxiety. This meta‐analysis provides evidence that CBT‐I is valid for insomnia or sleep disturbances during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is highly heterogeneous with varied clinical features and diverse gestational complications among individuals. The patients with PCOS have 2-fold higher risk of preterm labor which is associated with substantial infant morbidity and mortality and great socioeconomic cost. The study was designated to identify molecular subtypes and the related hub genes to facilitate the susceptibility assessment of preterm labor in women with PCOS. Methods: Four mRNA datasets (GSE84958, GSE5090, GSE43264 and GSE98421) were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Twenty-eight candidate genes related to preterm labor or labor were yielded from the researches and our unpublished data. Then, we utilized unsupervised clustering to identify molecular subtypes in PCOS based on the expression of above candidate genes. Key modules were generated with weighted gene co-expression network analysis R package, and their hub genes were generated with CytoHubba. The probable biological function and mechanism were explored through Gene Ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis. In addition, STRING and Cytoscape software were used to identify the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and the molecular complex detection (MCODE) was used to identify the hub genes. Then the overlapping hub genes were predicted. Results: Two molecular subtypes were found in women with PCOS based on the expression similarity of preterm labor or labor-related genes, in which two modules were highlighted. The key modules and PPI network have five overlapping five hub genes, two of which, GTF2F2 and MYO6 gene, were further confirmed by the comparison between clustering subgroups according to the expression of hub genes. Conclusions: Distinct PCOS molecular subtypes were identified with preterm labor or labor-related genes, which might uncover the potential mechanism underlying heterogeneity of clinical pregnancy complications in women with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated small‐molecule (CSM) phototheranostic agents that operate in the second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) region have garnered significant attention in the field of biomedicine. However, a lack of fluorescence‐emitting ability hinders their use in precise fluorescence imaging (FI)‐guided photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein, a two‐pronged fluorescence intensification strategy—molecular engineering for rational bandgap modulation and lipid‐intercalation to combat fluorescence quenching—is used to develop NIR‐II‐excited ultrabright donor–acceptor–donor‐based (D–A–D)‐based zwitterionic CSM nanoagent for tumor phototheranostics. The molecular engineering strategy produces the NIR‐II‐excited D–A–D‐based zwitterionic fluorophore (BTFQ) that exhibits a high NIR‐II fluorescence quantum yield (QY = 0.65%) in dichloromethane. More importantly, BTFQ complexed with liposome (DMPC) to form the zwitterion–liposome nanoagent (BTFQ/DMPC) shows a negligible loss of QY (0.63%) in aqueous media. Moreover, because BTFQ/DMPC possesses excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE = 30.8%) performance, it can be used to realize efficient in vivo 1064 nm single‐photon high‐resolution NIR‐II FI guided NIR‐II PTT. This study introduces a new avenue for the development of NIR‐II‐excited NIR‐II FI/PTT agents for precise and effective tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated polymers hold great promise for NIR-II fluorescence imaging (FI)-guided NIR-II photothermal therapy (PTT) due to the advantages of easy modification of chemical structures and adjustable NIR absorption. However, to make use of these advantages, it is of paramount importance to formulate conjugated polymers with excellent solubility in organic solution, great NIR-II photothermal conversion efficiency, and high NIR-II fluorescence quantum yield. Herein, a new class of conjugated/nonconjugated alternating copolymers (CNACPs) is reported by introducing nonconjugated linkers into a conjugated backbone to modulate the extinction coefficient at 1064 nm and NIR-II fluorescence quantum yield. The NIR-II absorption, NIR-II emission, and NIR-II photothermal properties of the new CNACPs were studied. Interestingly, it is observed that longer nonconjugated linkers in CNACPs result in higher NIR-II fluorescence intensity with sufficient NIR-II absorption and NIR-II photothermal ability. With these newly developed CNACPs (BBT-C6), phototheranostic nanoparticles (BBTD6/Fe@PMA) are prepared through facile nanoprecipitation using PMA-AD-PEG as an iron ion chelator for NIR-II FI-guided NIR-II PTT/ferrotherapy synergistic therapy. In vitro and in vivo, BBTD6/Fe@PMA effectively inhibited 4T1 cells and tumor progression under 1064 nm laser irradiation. Consequently, this work provides new CNACPs by incorporating nonconjugated linkers into a conjugated backbone to design more effective NIR-II fluorescence imaging and NIR-II photothermal therapy agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve bone metastases treatment efficacy, current strategies are focused on the integration of chemotherapy with phototheranostic. However, the success of phototheranostic approaches is hampered by the limited tissue penetration depth of near‐infrared‐I (NIR‐I) light (700–900 nm). In this study, a NIR‐II (1000–1700 nm) excitation phototheranostic (BTZ/Fe2+@BTF/ALD) is presented for NIR‐II fluorescence imaging and NIR‐II photoacoustic imaging‐guided NIR‐II photothermal therapy (PTT), chemotherapy, and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) of breast cancer bone metastases. This phototheranostic is developed by integrating a dopamine‐modified NIR‐II absorbing donor–acceptor–donor small molecule (BBT‐FT‐DA), the boronate anticancer drug bortezomib (BTZ), and Fe2+ ions, as CDT catalysts, into an amphiphilic PEGylated phospholipid modified with the bone‐targeting ligand alendronate. In acidic and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) over expression tumor microenvironment, the boronate–catechol linkage is cleaved and BTZ and Fe2+ ions are released to initiate the Fenton reaction, that is, chemotherapy and CDT, respectively, are initialized. It is confirmed using the murine 4T1 bone metastasis model that BTZ/Fe2+@BTF/ALD significantly suppresses the progression of tumor cells in the bone tissue via a synergistic NIR‐II PTT/chemotherapy/CDT effect. Overall, this work provides fresh insights to guide the development of NIR‐II phototheranostics for breast cancer bone metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread application of lithium-ion battery packs, it calls for efficient balancing methods to improve the performance of these battery systems. The relevant research has focused on the design of equalization circuits and control strategies while neglecting quantitative analysis and comparison of battery active equalization structures from the systematic level. In this paper, we propose an improved system-theoretic modeling approach for active equalization structures that takes into account the battery's constraints, including equalization current rate and SOC operation range. Accordingly, the mathematical models of various active equalization structures are derived that can describe their equalization dynamic behavior. Then, the analytical algorithms are developed to estimate the balancing time of active equalization structures online. Finally, extensive numerical simulations are conducted to evaluate and compare the average performance of these equalization systems in term of equalization time. It then comes up with a comprehensive comparison among them. Consequently, the Multicell-to-Multicell (MC2MC) balancing structure benefits the fast balancing speed and the lowest sensitive to initial batteries’ SOCs. The global structure has the lowest implementation cost and the series structure benefits the simplest control. Moreover, the module-based structures have faster balancing speed when each module contains about 4–6 batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic pathogenesis of selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR) remains elusive, with evidence suggesting an important role of epigenetic factors such as microRNAs. In this study, we explored the relevance of miR-373-3p to the occurrence of sIUGR. Hypoxia enhanced the levels of miR-373-3p and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, while HIF-1α knockdown not only boosted the migration and proliferation of HTR8 cells but also suppressed the hypoxia-induced upregulation of miR-373-3p and SLC38A1. By contrast, HIF-1α overexpression induced miR-373-3p downregulation and SLC38A1 upregulation, reducing cell growth and migration, which could be reversed by a miR-373-3p inhibitor. Importantly, the miR-373-3p inhibitor and mimic reproduced phenomena similar to those induced by HIF-1α downregulation and overexpression, respectively (including altered SLC38A1 expression, mTOR activation, cell growth, and migration). Mechanistically, the miRNA regulated cell behaviors and related mTOR signaling by targeting SLC38A1 expression through an interaction with the 3 ′ -untranslated region of SLC38A1. The placental tissues of smaller sIUGR fetuses exhibited miR-373-3p and HIF-1α upregulation, SLC38A1 downregulation, and activated mTOR. Overall, miR-373-3p appears to restrict the growth and migration of HTR8 trophoblast cells by targeting SLC38A1, as observed in the placental tissues associated with smaller sIUGR fetuses, and it could have utility in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Endometriosis is a common benign disease in women of reproductive age. Qu's formula (QUF) is a patented Chinese herbal medicine for treating endometriosis that has been proven to be effective in treating and preventing the recurrence of endometriosis. This study is aimed to discover its molecular mechanism and to explore the potential drug targets. Methods: A QUF target and endometriosis-related gene set was identified by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) and Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM) databases and five disease-gene databases. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was established to discover the potential mechanism. MalaCards was searched for targets and signaling pathways related to endometriosis, and the search results were also used to identify the key factors in QUF. Molecular docking was performed to visualize the interactions between the effective molecules and proteins encoded by critical genes. Cell experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to further validate the therapeutic effects of the active compounds in QUF on endometriosis. Results: A compound-target network with 117 nodes (94 genes and 23 active compounds) and 224 edges was generated. The results of GO and KEGG analyses indicated that QUF could act by regulating the immune response, apoptosis and proliferation, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis. VEGFA, CXCL8, CCL2, IL1B and PTGS2 were selected for molecular docking analysis from two critical subnetworks with high correlation scores in MalaCards, and the active compounds of QUF had binding potential and high affinity for them. The mRNA expression levels of CCL2, IL1B and PTGS2 significantly decreased after treatment with quercetin. MD simulations showed that the combinations of quercetin and these proteins were relatively stable. Conclusion: The network pharmacological strategy integrates molecular docking to unravel the molecular mechanism by which QUF protects against endometriosis. Our findings not only confirm the clinical effectiveness of QUF but also provide a foundation for further experimental study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: 1) To explore the associations between autistic traits and sex hormone changes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); 2) To explore the influence of PCOS parental autistic traits and related sex hormone changes on autistic traits in their offspring. Method: This is a case–control study that recruited two groups: polycystic ovarian syndrome-induced infertile subjects as the observation group and fallopian tube factor-induced infertility subjects as the control group. Both cohorts were patients undergoing infertility treatment in the Productive Medicine Center, Peking University People's Hospital. Two types of questionnaires were completed by patients between May 1st, 2015, and May 1st, 2016: 1. The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) 2. Repetitive behavior scale-revised (RBS-r). Levels of sex hormones in serum were measured in patients. The correlations between the levels of these biochemical factors and scores of the autistic traits were analysed. From July 1st, 2020 to September 1st, 2021, these patients were followed up by telephone and asked to fill out a questionnaire online. The questionnaire included date of delivery, complications, medicine used and negative events during pregnancy (e.g., death of relatives, divorce, etc.), delivery condition, breastfeeding, AQ scale and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) of their children. Results: The patients in the PCOS group had significantly higher AQ scores than those in the control group. Levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone were also higher in the PCOS group. No significant differences were found between the two groups in RBS-r levels, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol or progesterone. In the two combined groups, there were significantly positive correlations between the AQ scores and the luteinizing hormone concentration, as well as between scores of RBS-r and testosterone concentration. Moreover, there was a significantly negative correlation between the level of progesterone and the RBS-r score. According to the follow-up data, the AQ scores of offspring were positively correlated with the RBS-r scores of their mothers. The ABC scores of offspring were positively correlated with the RBS-r scores and the childbearing age of their mothers. No significant difference was found between the two groups in age of delivery, complications, special medication used, negative events during pregnancy, delivery situation, postpartum breastfeeding, age of children, or AQ scores or ABC scores of children. There were no significant correlations between the scale scores of children and the related sex hormone levels of mothers. This could indicate that the higher levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone and the lower level of progesterone accompanied more pronounced autistic traits in PCOS. Furthermore, the higher delivery age and RBS-r score in mothers accompanied the higher AQ and ABC scores in children. Conclusion: Compared with the control group, PCOS patients had more autistic traits (especially social dysfunction). The autistic traits in PCOS patients might be related to the elevation in testosterone concentration and luteinizing hormone levels and the decline in progesterone level. Moreover, the autistic traits in the offspring of PCOS patients might be related to the parental high delivery age and high tendency to autism traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, an event triggering adaptive control method based on neural network (NN) is proposed for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with external disturbances. In order to reduce the network resource utilization, a novel event-triggered condition by the Lyapunov approach is proposed. In addition, the NN controller and adaptive parameters determined by the Lyapunov stability method are updated only at triggered instants to reduce the amount of calculation. Only one NN is used as the controller in the entire system. The stability analysis results of the closed-loop system are obtained by the Lyapunov approach, which shows that all the signals in the systems with bounded disturbance are semi-globally bounded. Zeno behavior is avoided. Finally, the analytical design is confirmed by the simulation results on a two-link robotic manipulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Paeonol presents antiproliferative activity against endometrial hyperplasia in mice. • Ferroptosis is associated with endometrial hyperplasia. • Paeonol would promote ferroptosis by restraining PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. • Paeonol is a potential therapeutic agent against endometrial hyperplasia. Paeonol (Pae) is one of the active ingredients from components of Guizhi Fuling Capsule, a traditional Chinese medicine widely used for the treatment of women's diseases, which exhibits various biological and pharmacological activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the role of Pae in protecting against endometrial hyperplasia (EH). CCK-8 assay was performed to detect the effect of Pae on cell proliferation. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed to evaluate uterine tissue structure. A network pharmacology study was performed to search the disease targets. Single-cell transcriptome analysis was performed with uterine tissues from 3 healthy donors and 3 EH patients on 10X Genomics platform. Changes in lipid peroxidation were detected by the MDA reaction. IHC assay, Western blot, immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR were used to study the effects of estradiol and Pae on the expression levels of GPX4, PI3K, AKT, p-PI3K, p-AKT in mice. Pae treatment resulted in a decrease in cell viability of endometrial epithelial cells. Loss of uterus weight and morphology changes were observed in mice. In addition, Fe iron concentration and MDA levels increased, while the expression of GPX4, p-PI3K and p-AKT diminished. Pae exhibited obvious alleviative activity in estradiol-induced mice via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway-regulated ferroptosis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bu-Shen-Tian-Jing Formula (BSTJF), a formula of Chinese herbal medicine, has beneficial effects in treating PCOS. • BSTJF improves oxidative stress and glucose metabolism of PCOS. • BSTJF regulates mitochondrial SIRT3 and the following p38 MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women, and the curative effects of its current management are not satisfactory. A formula of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), called Bu-Shen-Tian-Jing Formula (BSTJF), has clinically shown beneficial effects in treating PCOS. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying BSTJF for treatment of PCOS. Whole blood samples were collected from women with PCOS treated and not treated with BSTJF (n = 5 per group). Whole transcriptome sequencing of leukocytes and untargeted metabonomic analysis of the plasma were performed. Three groups of 18 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected: control, PCOS, and BSTJF. A PCOS rat model was established using testosterone propionate. The estrous cycle; glucose tolerance; ovarian morphology; serum markers of oxidative stress; and expression of Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and phospho-protein kinase B in the ovary were measured. Palmitate was initially applied to KGN cells, followed by freeze-dried BSTJF powder. The glucose uptake, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and protein levels of SIRT3, PI3K, and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) were detected in KGN cells. The transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles showed alterations in 572 genes and 73 metabolites in women with PCOS treated with BSTJF. The enriched pathways in women with PCOS treated with BSTJF were mainly involved in inflammation, insulin resistance, glucose and lipid metabolism, and neuro and associated signaling pathways. In PCOS rat models, BSTJF improved the estrous cycle, glucose tolerance, and ovarian morphology; relieved oxidative stress; increased ovarian SIRT3 expression; inhibited p38 MAPK activation; and promoted the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling in the ovary. In the in-vitro study with KGN cells, BSTJF rescued the palmitate-induced impaired glucose uptake and SIRT3 expression, reduced mitochondrial ROS production mediated by SIRT3, and restored the impaired insulin-induced PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. BSTJF effectively alleviated the pathogenesis of PCOS by improving oxidative stress and glucose metabolism via mitochondrial SIRT3 and the following insulin signaling pathway. This study innovatively revealed the action mechanism of CHM in treating PCOS. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid amine adsorption is considered to be the most promising technology for post-combustion CO 2 capture, but it still has drawbacks due to the high cost of supports and the easy occurrence of CO 2 -induced chemical deactivation. Herein, we propose a novel eco-friendly method for realizing efficient and stable solid amine adsorbents. A calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) support with a pore volume of 3.0 cm3 g−1 is synthesized from coal fly ash (CFA) with the pore-expanded assistance of azeotropic distillation, and then the PEI@CSH adsorbents are prepared by impregnation. The adsorption capacity of the prepared 60%PEI@CSH-0.1 adsorbent reaches 198 mg g−1 and exhibits an excellent cyclic stability, with an attenuation of only 1.9% after 10 cycles under ideal regeneration conditions. Even under realistic regeneration conditions, the CO 2 uptake remains at 103 mg g−1 after 10 cycles, which shows obvious advantages over that of commercial SiO 2 supports. By using FT-IR, solid-state NMR and DFT calculations, we found that the CSH support promotes the conversion of primary amines to secondary amines in PEI molecules, and thus effectively inhibits the inactivation induced by the formation of urea compounds. Therefore, the PEI@CSH adsorbents provide a low-cost and high-efficiency approach for both in-situ CFA utilization and CO 2 mitigation inside coal-fired power plants. [Display omitted] • PEI@CSH adsorbents showed excellent adsorption capacity and cyclic stability. • The surface chemical property of CSH led to the anti-urea PEI@CSH adsorbents. • Solid-phase NMR and DFT calculation were applied for clarifying anti-urea mechanism. • PEI@CSH adsorbents realized both in-situ CFA utilization and CO 2 mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When using Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) to treat endometriosis, the effects of CHM on the ovarian function have received little attention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects and safety of CHM on the ovarian function in patients with endometriosis. Eight electronic databases were searched from their inception to March 2, 2021. We compared those receiving CHM with controls, all studies included were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Statistical analysis was performed using standard mean difference of hormonal levels: Estradiol(E 2), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH). Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted. A total of 844 patients from 11 RCTs were included. In E 2 levels, the analysis revealed a significant effect in favor of CHM group compared with the control group (SMD = 3.05, 95%CI = 0.29 to 1.32, P = 0.002). After subgroup analyses, there were still significant effects in both non-operative subgroup (SMD = 2.04, 95%CI = 0.04 to 1.88, P = 0.04) and post-operative subgroup (SMD = 2.19, 95%CI = 0.08 to 1.42, P = 0.03). There were no significant differences between the two subgroups in both FSH levels (P > 0.05) and LH levels (P > 0.05), and the subgroup analyses showed similar results. No adverse events were reported. CHM may improve ovarian function in patients with endometriosis through increasing E 2 levels whether there is surgery or not, which may indicate a referable and safe treatment for endometriosis. Due to the weak evidence, high-quality clinical trials are needed to support this conclusion. (PROSPERO ID is CRD42021240162) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism play important roles in bidirectional signaling between granulosa cells (GCs) and oocytes. However, the factors associated with mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism of GCs in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are poorly understood, and their potential downstream effects on oocyte quality are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are alterations in mitochondrial-related functions and glucose metabolism in ovarian GCs of women with PCOS and the role of Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) in this process. Here, we demonstrated that women with PCOS undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer had significantly lower rates of metaphase II oocytes, two-pronuclear fertilization, cleavage, and day 3 good-quality embryos. Germinal vesicle- and metaphase I-stage oocytes from women with PCOS exhibited increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and downregulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. GCs from women with PCOS presented significant alterations in mitochondrial morphology, amount, and localization, decreased membrane potential, reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, increased mitochondrial ROS and oxidative stress, and insufficient oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) together with decreased glycolysis. SIRT3 expression was significantly decreased in GCs of PCOS patients, and knockdown of SIRT3 in KGN cells could mimic the alterations in mitochondrial functions and glucose metabolism in PCOS GCs. SIRT3 knockdown changed the acetylation status of NDUFS1, which might induce altered mitochondrial OXPHOS, the generation of mitochondrial ROS, and eventually defects in the cellular insulin signaling pathway. These findings suggest that SIRT3 deficiency in GCs of PCOS patients may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, elevated oxidative stress, and defects in glucose metabolism, which potentially induce impaired oocytes in PCOS. [Display omitted] • Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have impaired oocyte quality. • Granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome show altered mitochondrial functions. • Granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome show defects in glycolysis. • Sirtuin 3 deficiency exists in granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome. • Sirtuin 3 regulates acetylation status of NDUFS1 and insulin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel monolithic tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides nanoarrays have been fabricated, exhibiting excellent periodate activation efficiency for the degradation of organic pollutants by synergistic effect between reduced copper and mixed-valence manganese species. [Display omitted] • A novel monolithic tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides nanoarrays (CMM) was fabricated. • The Fenton-like microreactor CMM exhibits excellent catalytic activity for degradation of organic pollutants. • O 2 −, 1O 2 and OH were the major reactive radicals for 4-CP degradation in the CMM/NaIO 4 system. • The positive synergistic effect between reduced copper and mixed-valence manganese species for IO 4 - activation. Recently, considerable attention has been paid to develop novel Fenton-like oxidation systems for environmental remediation. The activation of periodate (NaIO 4) is a desirable oxidation process that drive redox reactions to produce abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) by a suitable activator. This study reports a simple hydrothermal-calcination route for forming novel tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides (CuMnO x @MnO x , CMM) nanoarrays, and the production of radical species from NaIO 4 induced by CMM for the removal of rhodamine B and 4-chlorophenol from wastewater. The synergistic effects of Cu oxides and Mn oxides composite significantly elevated the activation of periodate, exhibited excellent degradation performance in the CMM/NaIO 4. Furthermore, reduced copper species and mixed-valence manganese species play a major role in reaction via XPS analysis. Additionally, the underlying degradation mechanism of this work was systematically researched by radical quenching tests and EPR analysis. Superoxide anion radical (O 2 −) was the major free radicals in this system, simultaneously the production of non-radical singlet oxygen (1O 2) via the electron transfer, which are contributed to remove organic pollutants. This work provides a facile way for fabricating monolithic multi-component metal oxides, and new insights into understand activation mechanism of manganese-based periodate activator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]