Effect of vitamin supplementation on polycystic ovary syndrome and key pathways implicated in its development: A Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Many epidemiologic investigations have explored the relationship between viatmins and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the effectiveness of vitamin, vitamin-like nutrient, or mineral supplementation in reducing the risk of PCOS remains a subject of debate. AIM: To investigate the impact of plasma levels of vitamins A, B12, D, E, and K on PCOS and key pathways implicated in its development, namely, insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and obesity, through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with vitamin levels were selected from genome-wide association studies. The primary analysis was performed using the random-effects inverse-variance-weighted approach. Complementary analyses were conducted using the weighted median, MR-Egger, MR-robust adjusted profile score, and MR-PRESSO approaches. RESULTS: The results provided suggestive evidence of a decreased risk of PCOS with genetically predicted higher levels of vitamin E (odds ratio [OR] = 0.118; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.071-0.226; P < 0.001) and vitamin B12 (OR = 0.753, 95%CI: 0.568-0.998, P = 0.048). An association was observed between vitamin E levels and insulin resistance (OR = 0.977, 95%CI: 0.976-0.978, P < 0.001). Additionally, genetically predicted higher concentrations of vitamins E, D, and A were suggested to be associated with a decreased risk of hyperlipidemia. Increased vitamins K and B12 levels were linked to a lower obesity risk (OR = 0.917, 95%CI: 0.848-0.992, P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The findings of this MR study suggest a causal relationship between increased vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12 levels and a reduced risk of PCOS or primary pathways implicated in its development.

Study on Multifunctional Composite Nanomaterials for Controlled Drug Release in Biomedicine.

Nanoscience is a highly comprehensive, interdisciplinary discipline based on many advanced science and technology, and has developed very rapidly in the past few decades. Nanoscience and technology has been widely used in many fields such as biomedicine, materials science, chemistry, physics, and electronic information engineering. Nanomaterials are widely used due to their many excellent properties such as quantum size effects, small size effects, surface effects, and tunneling effects, and have become hot research areas. It is very suitable as a carrier for antitumor drug molecules, which is conducive to improving drug efficacy and reducing drugs side effects. After selective functionalization, it is highly possible to achieve the loading and release of multiple drug molecules. Based on the magnetic mesoporous Fe3O4-MSNs composite nanoparticles, we have modified a series of organosilane coupling agents on its surface. The most commonly used antitumor drug (adriamycin) in clinical was selected as a model to evaluate the loading and release behavior of modified composite nanoparticles Fe3O4-MSNs on this drug. The results indicate that Fe3O4 is selectively modified after appropriate modification of the silane coupling agent. MSNs carrier can effectively regulate the adsorption and release rate of hydrophilic DOX and hydrophobic PTX, and shows a good drug control ability.

Early Detection of Silent Myocardial Impairment in Drug-Naive Patients With New-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Three-Center Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has enabled the assessment of myocardial features, from tissue characteristics to functional changes, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Echocardiography, however, detects cardiac decompensation. This study was undertaken to investigate the use of cardiac MRI to explore early warning signs of silent cardiac involvement and determine treatment timing in SLE. METHODS: Clinical assessment and cardiac MRI studies were performed in 50 drug-naive patients with new-onset SLE, 60 patients with longstanding SLE, and 50 healthy subjects in a 3-center prospective study. RESULTS: Analysis of cardiac enzymes, the presence and size of regional myocardial fibrosis as indicated by late gadolinium enhancement, strain changes, and biventricular ejection fraction did not indicate cardiac impairment in the patients with new-onset SLE. Native myocardial T1 and extracellular volume (ECV), which are extracellular matrix indices, were elevated in the patients with new-onset SLE (mean ± SD 1,369 ± 79 msec versus 1,092 ± 57 msec in the control group for native T1; 32 ± 5% versus 24 ± 3% in the control group for ECV; P < 0.001 for both). The elevation was independent of SLE disease activity. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to indicate that drug-naive patients with new-onset SLE, even those with inactive disease, are likely to have silent cardiac impairment. Structural and functional changes in the myocardium are related to SLE disease stage; this finding indicates the value of early detection of myocardial involvement. Native myocardial T1 values and ECV, rather than currently used clinical rheumatic and cardiac indices, could serve as early detection markers of myocardial injury before the presence of visual fibrosis and functional decompensation.