Enhanced Enzymatic Performance of Immobilized Pseudomonas fluorescens Lipase on ZIF-8@ZIF-67 and Its Application to the Synthesis of Neryl Acetate with Transesterification Reaction.

In this study, hybrid skeleton material ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was synthesized by the epitaxial growth method and then was utilized as a carrier for encapsulating Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase (PFL) through the co-precipitation method, resulting in the preparation of immobilized lipase (PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67). Subsequently, it was further treated with glutaraldehyde to improve protein immobilization yield. Under optimal immobilization conditions, the specific hydrolytic activity of PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was 20.4 times higher than that of the free PFL. The prepared biocatalyst was characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). Additionally, the thermal stability of PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 at 50 °C was significantly improved compared to the free PFL. After 7 weeks at room temperature, PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 retained 78% of the transesterification activity, while the free enzyme was only 29%. Finally, PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 was applied to the neryl acetate preparation in a solvent-free system, and the yield of neryl acetate reached 99% after 3 h of reaction. After 10 repetitions, the yields of neryl acetate catalyzed by PFL@ZIF-8@ZIF-67 and the free PFL were 80% and 43%, respectively.

Kisspeptin expression during menstruation in PCOS patients undergoing ovulation induction and the correlation with early pregnancy.

PURPOSE: To examine the pattern of kisspeptin expression throughout the menstrual cycle in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients under the ovulation induction and identify any possible associations with early pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort of 80 PCOS women who expressed the desire for fertility was enrolled in this study. All of them received the ovulation induction by using letrozole. Levels of kisspeptin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) were measured at three different time points during menstruation. The early pregnancy rate was recorded for the study participants after three ovulation cycles. RESULTS: Kisspeptin levels varied regularly during the menstrual cycle, reaching a peak on the day of hCG injection and decreasing after ovulation. There was no significant correlation between kisspeptin and LH levels. Basal kisspeptin levels decreased after letrozole treatment without a significant difference while LH and E2 levels decreased significantly. PCOS participants who became pregnant early had higher basal kisspeptin levels compared to non-pregnant PCOS patients, which had a significant difference (P = 0.006). And the average basal kisspeptin level in pregnant patients was 2293.0 ± 398.7 pg/ml, with a 95% confidence interval of 1511.5-3074.5 pg/ml. CONCLUSION: Kisspeptin levels in PCOS women undergoing ovulation induction showed a regular variation, which was similar with the healthy women reported in previous studies. The use of LE may result in PCOS endocrine improvement and fertility achievement. In a certain range, kisspeptin might be a potential predictor for early pregnancy in PCOS patients as people with slightly higher basal kisspeptin levels seemed more likely to be pregnant.

Alterations of Gut Microbiota and Blood Lipidome in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus With Hyperlipidemia.

Clinical gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is frequently associated with hyperlipidemia comorbidity. Altered human gut microbiome has been linked to GDM and hyperlipidemia, respectively but not the comorbid condition. We hypothesize that the occurrence of hyperlipidemia with GDM may be characterized by distinguishable gut microbiome and blood metabolomic patterns. We presented comprehensive microbiomic coupled with lipidomics analyses to characterize gut microbiota and lipometabolism of plasma samples in women with GDM only, hyperlipidemia only and those with diabetes plus hyperlipidemia, and to explore association of the gut microbiota composition with blood lipid profiles and clinical parameters of gestational diabetes with or without commodity. We found that the relative abundance of bacterial taxa Streptococcus, Faecalibacterium, Veillonella, Prevotella, Haemophilus and Actinomyces was significantly higher in diabetes plus hyperlipidemia cohorts. Moreover, several bacteria were correlated with fasting plasma glucose and blood lipid levels of the participants with GDM and hyperlipidemia. The altered plasma lipidome in subjects with diabetes plus hyperlipidemia suggested that characteristic blood lipid profiles were associated with the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes plus hyperlipidemia. Collectively, this study provides insights on changes in fecal microbiota and plasma lipidome to predict and characterize the development of gestational diabetes with lipid metabolic abnormality.