Placental ischemia-upregulated angiotensin II type 1 receptor in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus contributes to hypertension in rat.

Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with increased angiotensin II sensitivity and poor neurological outcomes marked by temporal loss of neural control of blood pressure. Yet the role of centrally expressed angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in the PE model is not understood. In a PE rat model with reduced placental perfusion pressure (RUPP) induced on gestational day 14 (GD14), the PVN expression and cellular localization of AT1R were assessed using immunofluorescence and western blotting. The sensitivity of RUPP to acute angiotensin II infusion was assessed. AT1R was antagonized by losartan (100 µg/kg/day) for 5 days intracerebroventricularly (ICV). Hemodynamic data and samples were collected on GD19 for further analysis. RUPP upregulated (p < 0.05) mRNA and protein of AT1R within the PVN and lowered (p < 0.05) circulating angiotensin II in rats. RUPP increased neural and microglial activation. Cellular localization assessment revealed that AT1R was primarily expressed in neurons and slightly in microglia and astrocytes. Infusion of 100 ng/kg as bolus increased the mean arterial pressure (MAP in mmHg) in both RUPP and Sham. ICV losartan infusion attenuated RUPP-increased MAP (113.6 ± 6.22 in RUPP vs. 92.16 ± 5.30 in RUPP + Los, p = 0.021) and the expression of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the PVN. Our data suggest that centrally expressed AT1R, within the PVN, contributes to placental ischemia-induced hypertension in RUPP rats highlighting its therapeutic potential in PE.

Association of severity of menstrual dysfunction with cardiometabolic risk markers among women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with a wide range of unfavorable cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, impaired glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Compared with women with regular menstrual cycles, women with a history of irregular menstrual periods have an increased unfavorable cardiometabolic risk. Recently, the association between the severity of oligomenorrhea and hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance has been demonstrated. However, evidence linking the severity of menstrual cyclicity with cardiometabolic risk in PCOS women is scarce. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This work was a prospective cross-sectional study. A total of 154 women diagnosed with PCOS by the Rotterdam criteria were recruited from July 2021 to September 2022. PCOS women with eumenorrheic (eumeno group), oligomenorrhea (oligo group), and amenorrhea (ameno group) underwent history and physical examination, gonadal steroid hormone measurement, lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. RESULTS: A trend toward an increase in unfavorable cardiometabolic risk markers including obesity, hypertension, prevalence of insulin resistance, prediabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome was observed in the ameno group (n = 57) as compared with the eumeno (n = 24) or oligo group (n = 73). A higher prevalence of insulin resistance (odds ratio [OR]: 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-8.81) and prediabetes (OR: 3.94; 95% CI: 1.01-15.40) was observed in the ameno group than in the eumeno group, and a higher proportion of dyslipidemia (OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.16-5.15) was observed in the ameno group than in the oligo group in the binary logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS women with amenorrhea show a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, prediabetes, and dyslipidemia compared with those with oligomenorrhea or eumenorrhea. The severity of menstrual dysfunction could be used as a readily obtainable marker for the identification of PCOS women at greatest risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

Synovial Oxygenation at Photoacoustic Imaging to Assess Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity.

Background Synovial hypoxia is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Photoacoustic (PA) imaging, based on the use of laser-generated US, can detect the oxygenation status of tissue in individuals with RA. However, large studies are lacking, with few investigating the correlation between oxygenation status and disease activity. Purpose To measure synovial oxygenation status in participants with RA by using a multimodal PA US imaging system and to determine the correlation between PA imaging-measured oxygen saturation (SO2) and disease activity. Materials and Methods In this prospective observational cohort study, multimodal PA US imaging examinations were performed on small joints of consecutive participants with RA, who were treated at two outpatient rheumatology clinics from 2019 to 2021, and healthy controls. The SO2 values of the synovium were measured with dual-wavelength PA imaging and classified into three categories-hyperoxia, intermediate oxygenation status, or hypoxia-based on the signal coloration and clustering analysis of the SO2 values. The correlations of oxygenation status with power Doppler US (PDUS) scoring and clinical disease activity index were evaluated with one-way analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction. Results A total of 118 participants with RA (median age, 55 years [IQR, 41-62 years]; 92 women) and 15 healthy control participants (median age, 37 years [IQR, 33-41 years]; 11 women) were included. The wrist synovium was categorized as hyperoxic in 36 participants with RA, of intermediate oxygenation status in 48 participants, and hypoxic in 34 participants. All control participants had hyperoxic synovial tissues. For participants with RA, hyperoxic synovium had more affluent Doppler US-depicted vasculature than those with hypoxia and intermediate oxygenation status (mean PDUS grade: hyperoxia, 2.7 ± 0.6 [SD]; intermediate, 1.3 ± 0.7; hypoxia, 1.1 ± 0.8; P < .001). Participants with intermediate status synovium had a lower clinical disease activity index than those with hypoxia (intermediate, 11.0 [IQR, 5.0-21.5] vs hypoxia, 26.0 [IQR, 18.0-39.0]; P = .001). Conclusion Photoacoustic imaging-detected hypoxia in thickened synovium correlated with less vascularization and higher disease activity in participants with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical trial registration no. NCT04297475 © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Contribution and Effects of PM2.5-Bound Lead to the Cardiovascular Risk of Workers in a Non-Ferrous Metal Smelting Area Considering Chemical Speciation and Bioavailability.

Lead is known to have toxic effects on the cardiovascular system. Owing to its high concentration, transmission range, and absorption efficiency in organisms, inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-bound lead (PM2.5-Pb) may cause significant cardiovascular damage. However, the contribution and adverse effects of PM2.5-Pb on workers and residents in non-ferrous metal smelting areas are not fully understood. In this work, the concentration and chemical speciation of PM2.5-Pb were analyzed to determine its pollution characteristics at a typical non-ferrous metal smelting site. A panel study conducted among factory workers revealed that PM2.5-Pb exposure makes an important contribution to the human absorption of Pb. Although the chemical speciation of PM2.5-Pb suggested poor water solubility, a high bioavailability was observed in mice (tissue average value: 50.1%, range: 31.1-71.1%) subjected to inhalation exposure for 8 weeks. Based on the bioavailability data, the relationship between PM2.5-Pb exposure and cardiovascular damage was evaluated in animal simulation experiments. Finally, a damage threshold and cardiovascular-specific risk assessment model were established for the non-ferrous metal smelting area. Our project not only accurately estimates the risk of PM2.5-bound heavy metals on the cardiovascular system but also offers a scientific basis for future prevention and therapy of PM2.5-Pb-related diseases.

A 14-bp deletion in bovine EPAS1 gene is associated with carcass traits.

EPAS1 (Endothelial PAS Domain Protein 1) gene is well-known for its function in plateau hypoxia adaptability. It encodes HIF-2α, which involved in the induction of genes regulated by oxygen and then affects multiple physiological processes such as angiogenesis and energy metabolism. All of these indicate it may affect the development of animals. In this study, a 14-bp deletion in EPAS1 gene was uncovered in Shandong black cattle population (n = 502). Two genotypes (II and ID) were found and the frequency of the homozygous II genotype is higher than the heterozygous ID genotype. This population is consisted with HWE (p > 0.05). And more importantly, the 14-bp deletion was associated with outside flat (p = 0.003), brisket (p = 0.001), and knuckle (p = 0.032). These findings suggested that the 14-bp deletion is significantly associated with carcass traits, which could be served as a molecular marker applied to cow breeding.

Lithium treatment promotes the activation of primordial follicles through PI3K/Akt signaling†.

In mammals, dormant primordial follicles represent the ovarian reserve throughout reproductive life. In vitro activation of dormant primordial follicles has been used to treat patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). However, there remains a lack of effective strategies to stimulate follicle activation in vivo. In this study, we used an in vitro ovarian culture system and intraperitoneal injection to study the effect of lithium treatment on primordial follicle activation. Lithium increased the number of growing follicles in cultured mouse ovaries and promoted pre-granulosa cell proliferation. Furthermore, lithium significantly increased the levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) and the number of oocytes with forkhead Box O3a (FOXO3a) nuclear export. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway by LY294002 reversed lithium-promoted mouse primordial follicle activation. These results suggest that lithium promotes mouse primordial follicle activation by the PI3K/Akt signaling. Lithium also promoted primordial follicle activation and increased the levels of p-Akt in mouse ovaries in vivo and in human ovarian tissue cultured in vitro. Taken together, lithium promotes primordial follicle activation in mice and humans by the PI3K/Akt signaling. Lithium might be a potential oral drug for treating infertility in POI patients with residual dormant primordial follicles.

Evaluation of Appendicular Muscle Mass in Sarcopenia in Older Adults Using Ultrasonography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of appendicular muscle mass is essential for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Ultrasonography is an accurate and convenient method used to evaluate muscle mass. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonography for appendicular muscle mass in sarcopenia in older adults and find out proper ultrasound parameters. METHODS: Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant articles. Published studies on the validity and/or reliability of ultrasonography for quantifying muscle mass of the limbs in sarcopenia in the older population were included. A systematic review was conducted based on specific muscles and reference methods. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the ultrasonography. RESULTS: Forty articles were included in this review. There were nine, nine, nine, and four studies included in the qualitative synthesis for a diagnostic test, correlation coefficient, intra-class reliability, and inter-class reliability, respectively. The diagnostic value of rectus femoris (RF) or gastrocnemius (GM) thickness on ultrasonography for sarcopenia or low muscle mass was moderate (the area under summary receiver operating characteristic curve [SROC] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72-0.79, SROC = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.76-0.83, respectively). The pooled correlation between muscle mass on dual-energy X-ray (DXA) or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and muscle thickness (MT) on ultrasound was moderate (r = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.49-0.62). There was a low-to-moderate correlation between muscle mass on DXA or BIA and cross-sectional area (CSA) on ultrasound (r = 0.267-0.584). The correlation was high to very high between muscle mass from DXA and the ultrasound-predicted formula (r = 0.85-0.963). The CSA from ultrasound had a high or very high correlation with that from computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (r = 0.826, intra (inter)-correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.998-0.999). The respective meta-analyses showed good inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities (ICC > 0.9). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is a reliable and valid diagnostic method for the quantitative assessment of appendicular muscle mass in sarcopenia in older people. The thickness and CSA of the RF or GM seem to be proper ultrasound parameters to predict muscle mass in sarcopenia. Multicenter studies with large samples and the application of new ultrasonic techniques will be the future research directions.

Detection of genetic variation in bovine CRY1 gene and its associations with carcass traits.

The biological clock (also known as circadian clock) is closely related to growth and development, metabolism, and diseases in animals. As a part of the circadian clock, the cryptochrome circadian regulator 1 (CRY1) gene is involved in the regulation of biological processes such as osteogenesis, energy metabolism and cell proliferation, however, few studies have been reported on the relationship between this gene and animal carcass traits. Herein, a total of four insertion/deletion (InDel) loci within the CRY1 gene were detected in Shandong Black Cattle Genetic Resource (SDBCGR) population (n = 433). Among them, the P1-6-bp-del locus was polymorphic in population of interest. Moreover, the P1-6-bp-del locus showed two genotypes, with a higher insertion/insertion (II) genotype frequency (0.751) than insertion/deletion (ID) genotype frequency (0.249). Correlation analysis showed that the P1-6-bp-del locus polymorphisms were significantly associated with twenty carcass traits (e.g., slaughter weight, limb weight, and belly meat weight). Individuals with II genotype were significantly better than those with ID genotype for eighteen carcass traits. Therefore, the P1-6-bp-del locus of the CRY1 gene can be used as a molecular marker for beef cattle breeding.

Comparative study of titrated oral misoprostol solution and vaginal dinoprostone for labor induction at term pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effectiveness and safety of titrated oral misoprostol solution (OMS) in comparison with vaginal dinoprostone for cervix ripening and labor induction in term pregnant women. METHODS: A multicenter randomized controlled trial of women with term singleton pregnancy with indications for labor induction; 481 participants were allocated to receive titrated OMS with different doses by hourly administration according to the procedure or insert vaginal dinoprostone for cervix ripening and labor induction to compare maternal outcomes including indication of labor induction, mode of outcome of delivery, maternal morbidity, and neonatal outcomes between two groups for evaluating the efficacy and safety of titrated oral misoprostol induction. RESULT: Proportion of delivery within 12 h of titrated oral misoprostol is significantly less than vaginal dinoprostone (p = 0.03), but no difference of total vaginal delivery rate (p = 0.93); the mean time of first treatment to vaginal delivery was longer in OMS group (21.3 ± 14.5 h) compared with the vaginal dinoprostone group (15.7 ± 9.6 h). Although the proportion of cesarean section between the two groups showed no statistically significant difference, OMS group showed significantly lower frequency of uterine hyperstimulation, hypertonus, partus precipitatus and non-reassuring fetal heart rate than dinoprostone group. Neonatal outcomes were similar evaluating from Apgar score and NICU admission. Our study also showed that labor induction of women with cervix Bishop score ≤3 needed increased dosage of misoprostol solution. CONCLUSION: Titrated OMS is as effective as vaginal dinoprostone in labor induction for term pregnant women, with safer effect for its lower rate of adverse effect for women.

[Acute toxicity study of Aspidopterys obcordata aqueous extract in Sprague-Dawley rats].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the acute toxicity of an aqueous extract of Aspidopterys obcordata (A. obcordata) in Sprague Dawley rats. METHODS: The rats were orally administered a dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight and observed continuously for 6 h and then daily for 14 days. Control rats were administered distilled water. The effect of the extract on general behavior, body weight, and food and water intake were measured. After 14 days, the rats were sacrificed and their organs (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidney, adrenal glands, ovaries, and testes) were removed for macroscopic examination. The body and organ weights in addition to hematology (e.g., hemoglobin and white blood cell counts) and clinical blood biochemistry (e.g., albumin and bilirubin) were also examined. RESULTS: There were no deaths recorded, and the rats treated with A. obcordata showed no signs of toxicity. All measured parameters in rats treated with A. obcordata were unaffected when compared with those in control rats. The acute toxicity (LD50) was estimated to be > 5000 mg/kg body weight. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the safety of an acute oral administration of an aqueous extract of A. obcordata in rats and indicate that future subacute and long-term toxicity testing of A. obcordata is warranted.

[Quality of commercial Amomum villosum].

In recent years, with the price rise of Amomum villosum, the quality of A. villosum in the market has been in disorder. To understand the quality status of A. villosum in the market and provide reference for the commercial size fifty-seven samples were collected from different producing areas or markets from August 2013. The samples were detected with evaluation on appearance quality, determination of the contents of bornyl acetate, determination of pesticide residues and heavy metals residues based on Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015. The results showed that the pesticide residues and heavy metals residues met the requirments, all the samples from different producing areas were qualified except one sample from Fujian province. The qualified rate of native products and imports products samples from market were 43.75% and 14.29%, respectively, the qualified rate of the samples of Yunnan province from producing areas was higher than that from the market. There are two ports at the national level in Yunnan province, where the southern herbs from. A. villosumis one of import medicines from Southeast Asia, and lots of A. villosum samples import to China from Yunnan ports. Most of pharmacists believed that all of the samples from Yunnan province produced in Yunnan. The great majority of commercial species was A. villosum, but A. longiliglare was scarce. Through the survey, it isfound that the main factors affecting the quality of Amomi Fructus was source, lots of A. villosum samples have been replaced by the Amomi Fructus, so the source of imports Amomi Fructus was not clear, which was also more difficult to identify. The quality of A. villosum needs to protect, optimize germplasm, strict control of medicinal sources, specification for medicinal harvesting and processing technology.

A Mendelian randomization study on causal relationship between metabolic factors and abnormal spermatozoa.

Background: Male infertility is a global health problem. There is an increasing attention on the association of metabolic status with spermatogenesis. However, the impacts of metabolic factors on semen parameters are still unclear. To provide evidence for developing appropriate interventions on disease screening and prevention, we performed a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess causality between various metabolic factors and abnormal spermatozoa. Methods: We conducted a two-sample MR study to appraise the causal effects of 16 metabolic factors (including indexes of metabolic traits, glucose metabolism, lipid profile, adipokines, uric acid and metabolic diseases) on abnormal spermatozoa from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Filtering with strict criteria, eligible genetic instruments closely associated with each of the factors were extracted. We employed inverse variance weighted for major analysis, with supplement MR methods including MR-Egger and weighted median. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy tests were further used to detect the reliability of analysis. Results: After rigorous quality control in this MR framework, we identified that body fat percentage [odds ratio (OR) =1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-2.20, P=0.046] and resistin (OR =1.55, 95% CI: 1.11-2.19, P=0.01) were causally associated with a higher risk of abnormal spermatozoa. In terms of other indexes of metabolic traits, glucose metabolism, serum lipid profile and uric acid and metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), no causal effects were observed (P>0.05). Conclusions: Our MR analysis provides robust evidence that body fat percentage and resistin are risk factors for abnormal spermatozoa, suggesting implications of identifying them for potential interventions and clinical therapies in male infertility. Further investigation in larger-scale GWASs on subgroups of abnormal spermatozoa will verify impacts of metabolic factors on spermatogenesis.

Evaluating social governance innovation policy in China: A study based on fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis.

Social governance is an important aspect of national governance. Strengthening and innovating social governance is an important task to promote social construction, and the necessary policy support is an important means to achieve governance innovation. Based on the policy texts of 31 urban districts (including 22 provincial capitals, 4 municipalities directly under the Central Government and 5 capitals of autonomous regions), the innovation policy of social governance is divided into five dimensions: organizational mobilization policy, public service policy, social regulatory policy, community constructive policy and data informative policy. Using the fs-QCA method, the path of social governance innovation policy on governance performance is discussed. The study finds that the supply mode of two innovative policy combinations have a significant effect on the improvement of social governance performance: One is organizational mobilization policy, public service policy and community constructive policy, and the other is organizational mobilization policy, social regulatory policy and data informative policy.

Management of pulmonary arterial hypertension：before, during and after pregnancy.

Pregnancy complicated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe and dangerous condition for both the mother and the fetus. Pregnancy-specific alterations in the maternal cardiovascular system suggest that PAH in pregnancy may manifest more severe symptoms compared with those in non-pregnant patients. Although most societal guidelines recommend early termination in the case of PAH, some recent data suggests that maternal mortality among patients with PAH is lower than previously observed and suggests if a woman decides to proceed with the pregnancy, she should be counseled about the potential risks of continuing with the pregnancy. This review paper starts with a real clinical case of PAH complicating with pregnancy, then summarizes the clinical features, diagnosis, and risk stratification. Effective treatments were also clarified, including pre-conception counseling and monitoring, general and supportive care, medication and immune therapy, delivery and postpartum care, counseling on contraception and breastfeeding, maternal and fetal outcomes, and cardiac surgery. The article summarizes points of uncertainty in both laboratory and clinical practices, as well as current guidelines and clinical recommendations.

Serum adiponectin level is negatively related to insulin resistance in women with PCOS.

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to assess the relationship between serum adipokines and insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as well as explore the predictive value of adipokines on IR in PCOS. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. 154 women with PCOS were included from July 2021 to September 2022 who underwent gonadal steroid hormone measurement, lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-IR. Adiponectin (APN), leptin and secreted frizzled-related protein (Sfrp5) were measured by immunoturbidimetry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Women with PCOS were categorised based on the presence of IR. RESULTS: Women with PCOS with IR (n=99) had significantly lower APN level and APN to leptin ratio (A/L ratio) than those without IR (n=55), whereas serum levels of leptin and Sfrp5 were similar between the two groups. In multivariable linear regression analysis, serum log (APN) and log (A/L ratio) were associated with log(HOMA-IR), the association was statistically significant after adjusting for body mass index (BMI) and free androgen index. The area under the ROC curve (95% CI) for APN and A/L ratio were 0.726 (0.644-0.807; P<0.001) and 0.660(0.569-0.751; P<0.01), with cutoff values of 5.225 mg/L (Youden index » 0.364) and 1.438 (Youden index » 0.265) respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that serum APN was negatively related to IR. Serum APN may be useful as a clinical marker for IR in women with PCOS. Our findings warrant further investigations into the function of APN in the pathogenesis of IR in women with PCOS.

Hierarchical Piezoelectric Composites for Noninvasive Continuous Cardiovascular Monitoring.

Continuous monitoring of blood pressure (BP) and multiparametric analysis of cardiac functions are crucial for the early diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases. However, existing monitoring approaches often suffer from bulky and intrusive apparatus, cumbersome testing procedures, and challenging data processing, hampering their applications in continuous monitoring. Here, a heterogeneously hierarchical piezoelectric composite is introduced for wearable continuous BP and cardiac function monitoring, overcoming the rigidity of ceramic and the insensitivity of polymer. By optimizing the hierarchical structure and components of the composite, the developed piezoelectric sensor delivers impressive performances, ensuring continuous and accurate monitoring of BP at Grade A level. Furthermore, the hemodynamic parameters are extracted from the detected signals, such as local pulse wave velocity, cardiac output, and stroke volume, all of which are in alignment with clinical results. Finally, the all-day tracking of cardiac function parameters validates the reliability and stability of the developed sensor, highlighting its potential for personalized healthcare systems, particularly in early diagnosis and timely intervention of cardiovascular disease.

Mass-Produced Skin-Inspired Piezoresistive Sensing Array with Interlocking Interface for Object Recognition.

E-skins, capable of responding to mechanical stimuli, hold significant potential in the field of robot haptics. However, it is a challenge to obtain e-skins with both high sensitivity and mechanical stability. Here, we present a bioinspired piezoresistive sensor with hierarchical structures based on polyaniline/polystyrene core-shell nanoparticles polymerized on air-laid paper. The combination of laser-etched reusable templates and sensitive materials that can be rapidly synthesized enables large-scale production. Benefiting from the substantially enlarged deformation of the hierarchical structure, the developed piezoresistive electronics exhibit a decent sensitivity of 21.67 kPa-1 and a subtle detection limit of 3.4 Pa. Moreover, an isolation layer is introduced to enhance the interface stability of the e-skin, with a fracture limit of 66.34 N/m. Furthermore, the e-skin can be seamlessly integrated onto gloves without any detachment issues. With the assistance of deep learning, it achieves a 98% accuracy rate in object recognition. We anticipate that this strategy will render e-skin with more robust interfaces and heightened sensing capabilities, offering a favorable pathway for large-scale production.

The association between prepregnancy dietary fatty acids and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Epidemiologic studies have examined the association between dietary fatty acids and type 2 diabetes risk in general populations. Evidence regarding their associations with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate prepregnancy fatty acids intake in relation to GDM risk. METHODS: 3,725 pregnant women from the Xi'an Birth Cohort Study who were free of previous GDM or pre-existing chronic diseases were included. Dietary intake of total fat and individual fatty acids (including saturated fatty acids [SFA], monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFA], polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFA], and trans fatty acids) during the year preceding pregnancy was assessed by a validated food-frequency questionnaire before 16 weeks of gestation. GDM was confirmed based on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Log-binomial or modified Poisson regression models were applied to estimate the relative risks (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95%CIs) of GDM for fatty acids intake. Generalized linear regression was adopted for blood glucose levels with fatty acids intake. RESULTS: 644 (17.3 %) incident GDM cases were confirmed in our study. Participants in the highest intake of total fat substituting for carbohydrates had a 33 % reduced risk of GDM than those in the lowest intake (RR:0.67; 95%CI:0.55,0.81). For individual fatty acids, only PUFA intake was associated with a lower risk of GDM, with RR comparing extreme tertiles of 0.61 (95%CI:0.49,0.76). Each 2 % increase in energy from total fat and PUFA replacing carbohydrates decreased the risk of GDM by 6 % (95%CI:3 %,9 %) and 15 % (95%CI:9 %,21 %), respectively. Similar inverse associations with intake of total fat and PUFA were observed for blood glucose levels. Further analyses of SFA substitution showed that replacement of 2 % energy from SFA with PUFA and MUFA was associated with 26 % (RR:0.74; 95%CI:0.62,0.88) and 30 % (RR:0.70; 95%CI:0.50, 0.98) decreased risk of GDM, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Greater intake of total fat and PUFA before pregnancy was associated with lower risk of GDM when replacing carbohydrates. Substitution SFA with PUFA and MUFA was also inversely associated with GDM risk. These findings support the important role of optimal dietary fatty acids composition in the prevention of GDM.

[Optimization of extraction of Clerodendranthus spicatus using response surface methodology].

OBJECTIVE: To obtain the optimal conditions of extraction of Clerodendranthus spicatus and provide the theoretical foundation for its further processing and utilization. METHODS: On the basis of the single factor test, response surface methodology was applied to optimize the extraction conditions. RESULTS: The results showed that extraction time, water-feed ratio, ethanol concentration and extraction temperature all had significant effects on the extraction rate of polysaccharides. The optimal extraction time was 3h, solid-liquid ratio was 50:1, ethanol concentration was 30% and extraction temperature was 80 degrees C. Under these optimized conditions, the extraction rate was 27.71%. CONCLUSION: The extraction technology is simple, reliable and highly predictive.

How Does Agricultural Mechanization Service Affect Agricultural Green Transformation in China?

Agricultural mechanization service (AMS) is a critical path to achieving agricultural green transformation with smallholders as the mainstay of agricultural production. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020, this paper measures the AGTFP using the Super-SBM model and examines the effects of different AMS supply agents on AGTFP and spatial spillover effects through the spatial Durbin model. The main conclusions are as follows: First, China's AGTFP showed a stable growth trend, with the mean value increasing from 0.1990 in 2011 to 0.5590 in 2020. Second, the specialization (SPO) and large-scale (LSO) of AMS supply organizations have significantly positive effect on the AGTFP of the local province. However, SPO has a significantly positive effect on the AGTFP of the neighboring provinces, while LSO has the opposite effect. Third, the specialization of AMS supply individuals (SPI) has significantly negative effect on the AGTFP of the local province. In contrast, the large-scale AMS supply individuals (LSI) has the opposite effect. Furthermore, the spatial spillover effects of both are insignificant. Fourth, the spatial spillover effect of AGTFP shows asymmetry among different regions and indicates that AMS resources flow from non-main grain production and economically developed regions to main grain production and less developed regions. These findings provide helpful policy references for constructing and improving the agricultural mechanization service system and realizing the agricultural green transformation in economies as the mainstay of agricultural production.