Search

Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine syndrome with poorly understood mechanisms. To provide patients with PCOS with individualized therapy, it is critical to precisely diagnose the phenotypes of the disease. However, the criteria for diagnosing the different phenotypes are mostly based on symptoms, physical examination and laboratory results. This study aims to compare the accuracy and efficacy of diagnosing PCOS by integrating metabolomic markers with common clinical characteristics. Methods This is a prospective, multicenter, analyst-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Participants will be grouped into (1) people without PCOS (healthy control group), (2) patients diagnosed with PCOS based on clinical indices (experimental group 1), and (3) patients diagnosed with PCOS based on metabolomic indices (experimental group 2). A total of 276 participants, including 60 healthy people and 216 patients with PCOS, will be recruited. The 216 patients with PCOS will be randomly assigned to the two experimental groups in a 1:1 ratio, and each group will receive a different 6-month treatment. The primary outcome for the experimental groups will be the effect of PCOS treatment. Discussion The results of this trial should help to determine whether using metabolomic indices is more accurate and effective than using clinical characteristics in diagnosing the phenotypes of PCOS. The results could provide a solid foundation for the accurate diagnosis of different PCOS subgroups and for future research on individualized PCOS therapy. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ID: ChiCTR-INR-1800016346. Registered 26 May 2018.

Zishen Yutai Pills (ZYP) is a safe and well quality-controlled TCM preparation with promising effects in many fields of reproduction, including prevention of miscarriage, increase of pregnancy rate during in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The plasma of patients was collected from a clinical trial, namely, “Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine vs placebo on live births among women undergoing in vitro fertilization, a multi-center randomized controlled trial.” Plasma samples were analyzed with metabonomics method. UPLC-MS technology was used to establish the plasma metabolic fingerprint. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied for comparing the differences of plasma metabolites between ZYP group and placebo group, 44 potential metabolites were screen out and identified. Pathway analysis was conducted with database mining. Compared with placebo, chemicals were found to be significantly down-regulated on HCG trigger day and 14 days after embryo transplantation, including trihexosylceramide (d18:1/26:1), glucosylceramide(d18:1/26:0), TG(22:6/15:0/22:6), TG(22:4/20:4/18:4). Compared with placebo, some chemicals were found to be significantly up-regulated on HCG trigger day and 14 days after embryo transplantation, i.e., PIP3(16:0/16:1), PIP2(18:1/18:1), tauroursodeoxycholic acid, L-asparagine, L-glutamic acid, kynurenic acid, 11-deoxycorticosterone, melatonin glucuronide, hydroxytyrosol. These metabolites were highly enriched in pathways including sphingolipid metabolism, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid metabolism, aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. This study revealed metabolic differences between subjects administered with ZYP and placebo. Relating metabolites were identified and pathways were enriched, providing basis on the exploration on the underlying mechanisms of ZYP combined with IVF-ET in the treatment of infertility.

[Objective] Data factor has introduced new impetus for China’s high-quality development. Investigating the impact of data factor on the low-carbon development of resource-based cities and its mechanisms can offer fresh insights for the sustainable growth of these cities. [Methods] From the perspective of new quality productive forces (NQPF), this study examined how data factor influenced the low-carbon development of resource-based cities. Using the quasi-natural experiment created by the launch of provincial public data access platforms across various provinces in China, and drawing on a panel dataset of 1014 county-level resource-based cities from 2011 to 2019, a difference-in-differences model was employed to empirically test the relationship between data factor and the low-carbon development of these cities. [Results] (1) The data factor released through provincial public data access platforms significantly reduced carbon emissions of resource-based cities. Compared with other resource-based cities, the carbon emission intensity of resource-based cities affected by this policy was about 18.1% lower. (2) In terms of mechanisms, the data factor released by public data access platforms reduced carbon emission intensity of resource-based cities through two important mechanisms: enhancing green NQPF and digital NQPF of resource-based cities. (3) From a heterogeneity perspective, the data factor released by public data access platforms were broadly inclusive, benefiting different types of resource-based cities. However, the magnitude of the impact varied depending on factors such as the city’s development stage, primary resource type, and geographical location. [Conclusion] The public data access platforms release a wealth of data factor, which aids resource-based cities in developing NQPF and consequently reducing carbon emissions. Resource-based cities should seize the opportunities presented by the continuous integration of data factor into traditional production functions to foster NQPF and achieve low-carbon development.

Plant secondary metabolism drives the generation of metabolites used for host plant resistance, as biopesticides and botanicals, even for the discovery of new therapeutics for human diseases. Flavonoids are one of the largest and most studied classes of specialized plant metabolites. To quickly identify the potential bioactive flavonoids in herbs, a metabolites software-assisted flavonoid hunting approach was developed, which mainly included three steps: firstly, utilizing commercial metabolite software, a flavonoids database was established based on the biosynthetic pathways; secondly, mass spectral data of components in herbs were acquired by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS); and finally, the acquired LC-MS data were imported into the database and the compounds in the herbs were automatically identified by comparison of their mass spectra with the theoretical values. As a case study, the flavonoids in Smilax glabra were profiled using this approach. As a result, 104 flavonoids including 27 potential new compounds were identified. To our knowledge, this is the first report on profiling the components in the plants utilizing the plant metabolic principles with the assistance of metabolites software. This approach can be extended to the analysis of flavonoids in other plants.

Abstract Mitochondria, the most crucial energy-generating organelles in eukaryotic cells, play a pivotal role in regulating energy metabolism. However, their significance extends beyond this, as they are also indispensable in vital life processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, immune responses, and redox balance. In response to various physiological signals or external stimuli, a sophisticated mitochondrial quality control (MQC) mechanism has evolved, encompassing key processes like mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial dynamics, and mitophagy, which have garnered increasing attention from researchers to unveil their specific molecular mechanisms. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the primary mechanisms and functions of key regulators involved in major components of MQC. Furthermore, the critical physiological functions regulated by MQC and its diverse roles in the progression of various systemic diseases have been described in detail. We also discuss agonists or antagonists targeting MQC, aiming to explore potential therapeutic and research prospects by enhancing MQC to stabilize mitochondrial function.

Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (FLJ) is an important cash crop in eastern Asia, and it is an anti-inflammatory Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are large variations in the quality of the marketed FLJ products. To find marker ingredients useful for quality control, a tandem technology integrating ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF), principal component analysis (PCA), heat map analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis coupled with a NF-κB luciferase reporter gene assay were used to identify the different ingredients from the green bud, white bud, flowering stage and leaf stages, as well as to screen the anti-inflammatory activity of FLJ compositions. As flowering progressed, the anti-inflammatory effects of FLJ gradually decreased; however, chlorogenic acid, swertiamarin and sweroside should be used to evaluate the quality of FLJ products.

Plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) derived from natural green products have emerged as an attractive nanoplatform in biomedical application. They are usually characterized by unique structural and biological functions, such as the bioactive lipids/proteins/nucleic acids as therapeutics and targeting groups, immune-modulation, and long-term circulation. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, materials, and synthetic chemistry, PDNVs can be engineered with multiple functions for efficient drug delivery and specific killing of diseased cells, which represent an innovative biomaterial with high biocompatibility for fighting against cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art studies concerning the development of PDNVs for cancer therapy. The original sources, methods for obtaining PDNVs, composition and structure are introduced systematically. With an emphasis on the featured application, the inherent anticancer properties of PDNVs as well as the strategies in constructing multifunctional PDNVs-based nanomaterials will be discussed in detail. Finally, some scientific issues and technical challenges of PDNVs as promising options in improving anticancer therapy will be discussed, which are expected to promote the further development of PDNVs in clinical translation.

In this study, the lycopene β-cyclase (LCYb) and lycopene ε-cyclase (LCYe) genes were cloned from maize, and the encoded products were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. After expression in Escherichia coli, the catalytic properties of LCYb and LCYe from maize were explored by color complementation and product analysis experiments. The results of sequence analysis showed that the full-length cDNA of maize LCYb and LCYe were 1 470 and 1 611 bp, respectively, which were more than 90% homologous to those of sorghum and millet. LCYe and LCYb proteins were successfully purified by fusion expression with glutathione thiotransferase tags. The results of color complementation test and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that maize LCYb had catalytic activity on β-ring, could cyclize both ends of lycopene to form β-carotene, and had very weak ε-ring catalytic activity, which could form α-carotene through the intermediate γ-carotene. Maize LCYe was also found to able to catalyze both ends of lycopene to form ε-carotene. This study can lay a foundation for exploring the molecular mechanism of the regulation of maize carotenoid.

Gene therapy is the ultimate therapeutic technology for diseases related to gene abnormality. However, the use of DNA alone has serious problems, such as poor stability and difficulty in entering target cells. The development of a safe and efficient gene delivery system is the cornerstone of gene therapy. Of particular interest, multifunctional peptides are rationally designed as non-viral vectors for efficient gene delivery. As components of gene delivery vectors, these peptides play critically important roles in skeleton construction, the implementation of targeting strategies, cell membrane penetration, endosome rupture, and nuclear transport. In recent years, the research of functional peptide-based gene delivery vectors has made important progress in improving transfection efficiency. The latest research progress and future development direction of peptide-based gene delivery vectors are reviewed in this paper.

This study was conducted in order to explore the effect of distilled spirit (with 52% alcohol content, V/V) made from grapes on the intestinal flora of hyperuricemic mice. Six-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) male mice were randomly divided into low-dose, medium-dose, high-dose distilled spirit, control, hyperuricemic model and ethanol groups. After continuous gavage administration for seven days, the content of short chain fatty acids in mouse feces was determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). and gut microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rDNA gene high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Results indicated that the distilled spirit at low and medium doses could improve the diversity of gut microorganisms, significantly increase the relative abundance of Bacteroidota (P < 0.05), reduce the relative abundance of Firmicutes (P < 0.05), improve intestinal dysbacteriosis, increase Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio, and enhance the relative abundance of intestinal beneficial bacteria such as Butyricicoccus, Ruminococcaceae NK4A214_group, Roseburia, Anaerotruncus, and Clostridiaceae in hyperuricemic mice. Meanwhile, the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid and n-butyric acid in the medium-dose distilled spirit group were significantly higher than those in the model and ethanol groups (P < 0.05). Therefore, daily intake of the distilled spirit at 1 or 2 mL/kg mb can improve the imbalance of gut flora in hyperuricemic mice and have a positive regulatory effect on the intestinal microecology.

The β detector of 4πβ-γ coincidence measurement is usually a proportional counter with a single wire of which the electric field distribution is divergent and the detection area is limited, so it can only measure the activity of the point source. A 4π multi-wire proportional chamber used as the β detector of 4πβ-γ coincidence measurement has been designed and fabricated because of the uniform electric field distribution and large detection area. The β plateau curves and the background have been tested. The results show that the plateau length of the β plateau curve is about 270 V, and the plateau slope of the upper and lower anode wires are 8.3‰ and 9.6‰ (60Co), 8.3‰ and 8.9‰ (90Sr-90Y), respectively. The background counting rate is within 10 s-1. The 4π multiwire proportional chamber can be used as the β detector of 4πβ-γ coincidence measurement for further research.

Objective To investigate the effect of sugammadex for reversal of neuromuscular blockade postoperatively in the patients with CT guided radiofrequency ablation of hepatic carcinoma under general anesthesia. Methods The clinical data of 220 patients with radiofrequency ablation of hepatic carcinoma under general anesthesia from November 2019 to February 2022 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into sugammadex group (group S) with 108 patients and neostigmine group (group N) with 112 patients based on choice of neuromuscular blockade reversal. All was by intravenous anesthesia in two groups with same anesthesia induction and maintenance. Group S received intravenous sugammadex 2 mg/kg at the end of the surgery and group N neostigmine 2 mg combined with atropine 0.5-1.0 mg. Time to spontaneous breathing, time of tracheal extubation, period of postanesthesia care unit(PACU) stay and postoperative hospital stay between 2 groups were compared combined with rate of atelectasis examined by CT scan within 10 min after extubation, liver function 24 h postoperatively and pulmonary complication. Results The time to spontaneous breathing, time of extubation, and period of PACU stay in group S decreased significantly compared with those in group N (P0.05). Conclusions Sugammadex could reverse neuromuscular blockade more quickly and lowering the rates of early postoperative atelectasis and pulmonary complication of the patients with hepatic radiofrequency ablation.

Abstract The mechanism of reduction and dephosphorization of phosphorus-containing magnetite was studied using SiC as reducing agent. The thermodynamic conditions for the reduction of Ca3(PO4)2 and Fe3O4 by SiC were simulated by FactSage7.1 thermodynamics software, respectively, indicating that the reduction of Ca3(PO4)2 by SiC is thermodynamically feasible, but the kinetic conditions of the system are not good when no liquid phase is formed. The Fe2SiO4 liquid phase can be formed by reducing Fe3O4 by SiC at 1200 ℃. When the SiC ratio is 10 wt.%, the liquid phase content is the largest, which can reach more than 60 wt.%. Therefore, in this paper, the Fe2SiO4 liquid phase generated by the reduction of Fe3O4 by SiC is used to improve the kinetic conditions of the reduction of Ca3(PO4)2 by SiC at high temperature, and relevant experiments were carried out. The research results show that the system generates a suitable amount of liquid phase at 1250 °C, and the gasification dephosphorization rate is the highest, which is 39.89 wt.%, at 1200 °C, the reduction reaction was not fully carried out, and the dephosphorization rate by gasification was only 23.79 wt.%. At 1300 °C, Fe3O4 was completely reduced to metallic Fe, which combined with the reduced P4 gas to form Fe2P. Gasification dephosphorization rate is only 28.25 wt.%.

With the development of intelligent and connected cars, cyber security of automotive ethernet becomes the focus of automotive industry.Authentication is one of the key technologies for automotive ethernet security.The existing authentication methods have shortcomings to meet the requirements of both safety and electronic controllers’ performance.Besides, national cryptographic algorithms are becoming a trend for automotive network security, while the related research in automotive ethernet area is still in starting phase.In order to balance the limited computing performance of electronic controllers and high security requirements of automotive ethernet, a two-stage trust chain authentication method based on national cryptographic algorithms was proposed.The method can be used in different automotive ethernet topologies.A trust chain was built up based on authentication credentials, which linked the two authentication stages, namely the initial stage and the vehicle using stage.The initial stage was triggered by diagnosis instrument at end of line or controller replacement.It deployed complete authentication based on SM2 algorithm and certificates in the initial stage.The vehicle using stage was triggered by ethernet gateway at vehicle power-on or network wakeup.In this stage, the method deployed fast authentication based on SM4 algorithm and authentication credential trust chain.The authentication credentials for trust chain were generated by credential functions.In order to ensure security, each credential was generated based on last successful authentication parameters dynamically.The test results on automotive ethernet controllers show that the method has lower computing cost and higher security level, and it can guarantee both performance and security.

Plasmonic skyrmions are a subject of significant interest due to their potential applications in optics, photonics, and electromagnetic wave technology. These skyrmions are created by the interference of surface plasmon polaritons or spoof localized surface plasmons (SLSP), offering new possibilities for controlling light–matter interactions and structuring light. In this study, we have demonstrated the generation of both electric and magnetic skyrmions simultaneously using a rotational symmetric SLSP spiral meta-structure lattice, operating across a broad range from microwave to terahertz frequencies. By implementing them into a resonance configuration of the quasi-bound state in the continuum through symmetry breaking, we enhance the Q factor and fields, resulting in highly sensitive sensing performance. The SLSP metasurface enables tunable plasmonic skyrmions controlled by the incident polarization. Our findings have potential applications in highly sensitive sensing, filtering, modulation, and communication.

To investigate the effect of slag composition on desulfurization and alkali removal ability of blast furnace slag for smelting Bayan Obo ore, based on the actual composition of blast furnace slag, the effect of free basicity (Ro), w(MgO), and w(Al2O3) on the desulfurization and alkali removal ability of blast furnace slag was investigated by performing orthogonal experiments and on the basis of five-element pseudoternary phase diagrams of various components of a blast furnace slag system calculated and drawn using Factsage 7.1 thermodynamic simulation software, and the appropriate control range of Ro, w(MgO) and w(Al2O3) in the slag were given in combination with the production practice. The results show that: Ro is the most significant factor affecting slag desulfurization and alkali removal ability. With the increase in Ro, the O2− concentration in slag increases, resulting in Si−O disintegration, and slag viscosity decreases. In addition, the mass transfer between slag and metal liquid is accelerated, which makes S2− easier to migrate into slag, the thermodynamic and kinetic conditions of slag desulfurization are improved, thus improving the desulfurization ability. The appropriate Ro should be controlled within the range of 1.05–1.15. w(MgO) is a secondary factor affecting the slag desulfurization ability. With the increase in w(MgO), the fluidity and stability of the slag are improved, which are beneficial for improving the kinetic conditions of slag desulfurization and reducing the activity of (K2O+Na2O) in the slag, thus improving the alkali removal ability. Appropriate w(MgO) should be controlled at approximately 15%. w(Al2O3) is a secondary factor affecting the alkali removal ability of blast furnace slag. With the increase in w(Al2O3), high melting point materials such as MgAl2O4 are easily formed, thereby increasing the consumption of free oxygen ions in the slag. This increase is not conducive to the improvement of desulfurization reaction kinetic conditions. Although increasing w(Al2O3) is beneficial for removing alkali, high w(Al2O3) is not conducive to desulfurization and leads to an increase in slag viscosity. Appropriate w(Al2O3) should be controlled at approximately 12%.

Improvements in ore blending could be realized by an optimal match of iron ores, sinters, and fuel conditions. To further increase iron grade and reduce the cost of ore blending, in view of the actual raw material and fuel conditions of the 500 m2 large-scale sintering machine of S Steel company, the conventional physical and chemical properties of the iron ore powders used and their basic characteristics under high-temperature sintering were studied using sintering cup experiments in this study. The content of the adhesion powder, the theoretical liquid phase formation, and performance with different limonite ratios were simulated and calculated using the FactSage 7.1 software. The microstructures of sinters were also analyzed using a mineral phase microscope. The results show that Australian limonite exhibits coarse particle size, weak mineralization ability, low assimilation temperature, poor bonding phase strength, but strong liquid phase absorption. When the mass fraction of limonite is increased from 45% to 55%, the OD ore mass fraction of the magnetite concentrate is increased to 15% and the mass fraction of the OC ore is reduced to 10%, improving the sinter drum strength and RDI+3.15 mm. When the OD ore ratio of the magnetite concentrate is increased, not only the proportion of adhesion powder is increased, improving the amount and performance of liquid phase formation, but the liquid phase distribution also becomes uniform and overmelting is eliminated. On the other hand, increasing the ratio of the OC ore can improve the particle size composition of the sinter mixture and reduce the amount of liquid phase absorbed by the limonite, thus increasing the strength of the sinter. Therefore, a higher ratio of magnetite concentrate under a high amount of limonite is conducive to stabilizing the sinter quality and improving the overall sinter performance.

Biological clock is a physiological controlling system with self-regulating functions. There is a close relationship between biological clock disorders and the occurrence of tumors, but underlying mechanism has not yet been elucidated. The biological clocks affect the tumorigenesis through cell cycle, proliferation and gene mutations. Exploring the possible mechanism between biological clock and tumorigenesis can provide some potential strategies for tumor treatment and intervention.

Background Cerebral vasospasm (CVS) is one of the common severe complications in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) , as well as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis. As previous studies showed, CVS is closely related to the changes in the expression of vasoconstrictors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the presentstudy, we measured the levels of endothelin⁃1 (ET⁃1), angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) in SAH patients' CSF to demonstrate the relationship with CVS. Methods A total of 18 patients with SAH were enrolled from September 2018 to January 2019. CSF samples were collected within 3d, 3 5d, >5-7d, >7-dand ≥10 d after SAH. The levels of ET⁃1, Ang Ⅱ andTXB2 were detected by enzyme⁃linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Results The levels of Ang Ⅱ (P=0.041)and TXB2 (P=0.050) in CSF at different time points were significantly different. Thelevelof AngⅡ at ≥10d after SAH was significantly lower than that at5-7d (P=0.000) after SAH. The level of TXB2 reached the peak at>5-7 d after SAH (P=0.036,0.008), and then gradually decreased without significance. The level of ET⁃1 in CSF at different time points were not different (P> 0.05, for all). Conclusions The levels of AngⅡ and TXB2 in SAH patients' CSF present dynamic variation with the progression of the disease. This may be involved in the occurrence of CVS. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.06.013

This study develops a differential‐fed filtering patch antenna, which features superior frequency selectivity, compact size, low cross‐polarisation, and symmetrical radiation patterns. The proposed antenna consists of a rectangular patch on the top layer, which is differentially fed by a balun bandpass filter on the bottom layer. A pair of rectangular coupling slots were etched on the middle layer for energy coupling. The patch antenna performs not only as the radiator but also as the last resonator of the whole filter circuit for compactness. A prototype of the proposed filtering antenna operating at 2.45 GHz was fabricated and tested. The measured in‐band peak gain is 5.9 dBi with steep roll‐off at band edges, and the out‐of‐band gain is less than − 25 dBi. Moreover, symmetrical radiation patterns and low cross‐polarisation levels of − 22 dB are also realised for the proposed filtering antenna.

Background: Currently, there is no optimal digestive tract reconstruction technique well recognized by scholars after total gastrectomy. In this study, a new reconstruction method, which is modified from the classic Roux-en-Y procedure, an uncut jejunal esophageal anastomosis with double jejunal pouch (UJEA-DJP) was established, and its advantages for improving the quality of life of patients who undergo total gastrectomy were analyzed. Methods: Altogether 160 patients with gastric cancer enrolled in our center from September 2009 to March 2012 received radical D2 total gastrectomy. According to the reconstruction methods used, these patients were divided into three groups: UJEA-DJP (n = 63), Roux-en-Y (n = 45), and P-loop with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy (P-RY; n = 52). The operation time for reconstruction, complications, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and the Visick classification among the three groups were analyzed. Results: We found that UJEA-DJP has advantages over Roux-en-Y and P-RY regarding the time of digestive tract reconstruction, incidence rates for long-term complications, postoperative nutritional index, body weight recovery, and the Visick classification for subjective feelings (p < .05). Conclusions: The UJEA-DJP surgical procedure has the advantages of intestinal continuity and double-pouch construction, which can significantly reduce long-term complications and improve the long-term quality of life of patients after surgical procedure.