Correlation Between Hemoglobin Levels and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Metabolic Disorder.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between hemoglobin levels and metabolic disorders in patients with PCOS. Methods: A total of 573 patients were selected, based on the hemoglobin level; 342 patients with PCOS were divided into two groups as follows: Group A (normal Hb group, n = 269) and Group B (high Hb group, n = 73); 231 non-PCOS patients were divided into two groups as follows: Group C (normal Hb group, n = 199), and Group D (high Hb group, n = 32). The general information, glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, and uric acid levels of all patients were compiled for data analysis. Results: (1) Hb, HGB concentration in mean red blood cells and RDW in PCOS patients were higher than those in non-PCOS patients, and MCV was lower than that in non-PCOS patients (P < 0.05); (2) Compared with Group A, patients in Group B had higher BMI, Hb, 2-hPG, FINS, 2-hINS, HOMA-IR, LDL-C, and uric acid levels while the QUICKI was lower; in Group C, the age, FSH, HDL-C, and LDL-C were higher, and AMH, BMI, T, TG, and uric acid level were lower (P<0.05); compared with Group D, AMH, BMI, FINS, HOMA-IR, TG, uric acid level increased, while age, FSH, and QUICKI decreased in Group B; and Hb and T decreased in Group C (P<0.05); (3) Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that Hb in PCOS patients was positively correlated with BMI, FPG, 2-hPG, FINS, 2-hINS, and HOMA-IR, and negatively correlated with the QUICKI (P<0.05); (4) Multi-factor logistic regression analysis suggested that the high Hb level in PCOS patients was an independent risk factor of IR (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hb level in patients with PCOS was associated with BMI and glucose metabolism indicators; a high Hb level may be an independent risk factor for IR.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Level in the Uterine Fluid of Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Correlation with Clinical Parameters.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) level in the uterine fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its correlation with the clinical parameters of PCOS. Methods: A total of 162 patients treated in the Reproductive Medicine Center of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University between December 2019 and November 2021 were enrolled as research subjects, including 80 patients with PCOS and 82 patients with other gynecological disease, who were used as the controls. The patients' general data, along with blood glucose, blood lipid, insulin, and sex hormone levels and other data, were collected. The TNF-α levels in the patients' serum and uterine fluid were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Compared with the patients in the control group, the body mass index (BMI), anti-Müllerian hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone (T), fasting insulin (FINS), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) of patients with PCOS were higher, and high-density lipoprotein was lower (P < 0.05). The TNF-α levels in the serum and uterine fluid of patients with PCOS were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01), and the TNF-α levels in the uterine fluid of these patients was significantly correlated with BMI, T, FINS, HOMA-IR, serum TNF-α, TG, and LDL (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There is local inflammation in the uterine cavity of patients with PCOS, and the detection of cytokines in uterine secretions may be a simple and feasible method of understanding the uterine microenvironment of patients with PCOS.

Nucleotide polymorphism in ARDS outcome: a whole exome sequencing association study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic locus were identified associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Our goal was to explore the associations between genetic variants and ARDS outcome, as well as subphenotypes. METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective observational trial enrolling adult ARDS patients. After baseline data were collected, blood samples were drawn to perform whole exome sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)/insertion-deletion to explore the quantitative and functional associations between genetic variants and ICU outcome, clinical subphenotypes. Then the lung injury burden (LIB), which was defined as the ratio of nonsynonymous SNP number per megabase of DNA, was used to evaluate its value in predicting ARDS outcome. RESULTS: A total of 105 ARDS patients were enrolled in the study, including 70 survivors and 35 nonsurvivors. Based on the analysis of a total of 65,542 nonsynonymous SNP, LIB in survivors was significantly higher than nonsurvivors [1,892 (1,848-1,942)/MB versus 1,864 (1,829-1,910)/MB, P=0.018], while GO analysis showed that 60 functions were correlated with ARDS outcome, KEGG enrichment analysis showed that SNP/InDels were enriched in 13 pathways. Several new SNPs were found potentially associated with ARDS outcome. Analysis of LIB was used to determine its outcome predicting ability, the area under the ROC curve of which was only 0.6103, and increase to 0.712 when combined with APACHE II score. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variants are associated with ARDS outcome and subphenotypes; however, their prognostic value still need to be verified by larger trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02644798. Registered 20 April 2015.

[Mechanism of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction in treating eczema by network pharmacology and molecular docking technology].

To study the molecular mechanism of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction in the treatment of eczema by means of network pharmacology and molecular docking. First, the TCMSP database was used to excavate the active ingredient of each drug in Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction and predict its target, and the Uniprot database was used to standardize the names of target proteins, in order to obtain the disease targets of eczema through GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb, DrugBank and other databases. And next, the potential targets on which drug targets and disease targets work together were selected to make a Venn diagram, the Cytoscape 3.6.1 software was used to screen out and construct the "active ingredient-core targets" network. STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, and the R language was used to perform GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Finally, the molecular docking verification of main active ingredients and core targets of the drug was performed by AutoDock software. The study showed that 74 active ingredients and 103 targets of Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction for the treatment of eczema were screened. The main active ingredients included quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol, and the main targets included PTGS1, ESR1, PPARG, and MAPK3. In addition, eight key targets, including MAPK8, MAPK3, JUN, MAPK14, TP53, MAPK1, ESR1 and RELA, were calculated by PPI network. GO enrichment analysis involved 2 024 biological processes, 81 cell components, and 140 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to screen out 158 eczema-related pathways, which mainly acted on AGE-RAGE signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, virus-related pathways, and the results of molecular docking showed that the main active compounds could respectively bind to representative targets and exhibit a good affinity. The study proved that the treatment of eczema with Mahuang Lianqiao Chixiaodou Decoction involved multiple signaling pathways and biological processes, and the combination of main active ingredients(such as quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol) and key targets(such as MAPK8, MAPK3, JUN, MAPK14, TP53, MAPK1, ESR1, RELA) may be one of the important mechanisms of action.

[Blood perfusion in different facial acupoint areas and its changes after acupuncture stimulation of Hegu (LI 4) displayed by laser Doppler imager in healthy volunteers].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the blood perfusion levels in different facial acupoint regions and changes after acupuncture stimulation of Hegu (LI 4). METHODS: Thirty healthy volunteer subjects were equally divided into control group and acupuncture group. Blood perfusion levels of different facial acupoint areas were detected using a Laser Doppler Imager. Acupuncture stimulation was applied to bilateral Hegu (LI 4) by using two filiform needles which were manipulated for a while till "Deqi", followed by keeping them in position for 30 min. The needles were then manipulated once again every 10 min. RESULTS: The blood perfusion levels of facial acupoint regions were from 0.73 to 1.17 PU in healthy volunteers, with relatively higher levels being in Juliao (ST 3), Kouheliao (LI 19), Sibai (ST 2) and Chengqi (ST 1) regions and relatively lower levels in Xiaguan (ST 7), Qianzheng (Ex-HN) and Sizhukong (TE 23) regions, but without significant difference between the isonym acupoint areas of the bilateral face in the control group. Following acupuncture stimulation of bilateral Hegu (LI 4), the blood perfusion volumes were remarkably increased in the acupoint regions on bilateral sides of the face (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture of Hegu (LI 4) can effectively increase blood perfusion volume of the acupoint areas of the bilateral face in healthy volunteers.