Effect of glucocorticoids combined with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs on the improvement of symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To explore the effect of glucocorticoids combined with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in the treatment of symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Medical records of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated in the Rheumatology and Immunology Department of Yiwu Central Hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were selected. A total of 38 patients were treated with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs Group-I and 44 patients were treated with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and glucocorticoids Group-II. The symptom improvement of the two groups were compared and analyzed Serological indexes and adverse reactions. Results: Swollen joint counts (SJC), tender joint counts (TJC), rheumatoid arthritis disease activity evaluation form (DAS28) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, levels of ESR, C-reaction protein (CRP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) of Group-II patients were lower than those in Group-I (P<0.05). The adverse reaction rate in Group-II patients was 12.20%, which was similar to that of Group-I patients. There was no significant difference in 9.76% of the patients (P>0.05). Conclusion: The combination of glucocorticoids and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is safe can further improve their symptoms and serological indexes, and will not lead to increased adverse reactions.

Effects of Structure and Constituent of Prussian Blue Analogs on Their Application in Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The importance of advanced energy-conversion devices such as water electrolysis has manifested dramatically over the past few decades because it is the current mainstay for the generation of green energy. Anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water splitting is one of the biggest obstacles because of its extremely high kinetic barrier. Conventional OER catalysts are mainly noble-metal oxides represented by IrO2 and RuO2, but these compounds tend to have poor sustainability. The attention on Prussian blue (PB) and its analogs (PBA) in the field of energy conversion systems was concentrated on their open-framework structure, as well as its varied composition comprised of Earth-abundant elements. The unique electronic structure of PBA enables its promising catalytic potential, and it can also be converted into many other talented compounds or structures as a precursor. This undoubtedly provides a new approach for the design of green OER catalysts. This article reviews the recent progress of the application of PBA and its derivatives in OER based on in-depth studies of characterization techniques. The structural design, synthetic strategy, and enhanced electrochemical properties are summarized to provide an outlook for its application in the field of OER. Moreover, due to the similarity of the reaction process of photo-driven electrolysis of water and the former one, the application of PBA in photoelectrolysis is also discussed.

Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Promising Materials Platform for Photocatalytic CO2 Reductions.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a kind of porous crystalline polymeric material. They are constructed by organic module units connected with strong covalent bonds extending in two or three dimensions. COFs possess the advantages of low-density, large specific surface area, high thermal stability, developed pore-structure, long-range order, good crystallinity, and the excellent tunability of the monomer units and the linking reticular chemistry. These features endowed COFs with the ability to be applied in a plethora of applications, ranging from adsorption and separation, sensing, catalysis, optoelectronics, energy storage, mass transport, etc. In this paper, we will review the recent progress of COFs materials applied in photocatalytic CO2 reduction. The state-of-the-art paragon examples and the current challenges will be discussed in detail. The future direction in this research field will be finally outlooked.

Autologous menstrual blood-derived stromal cells transplantation for severe Asherman's syndrome.

STUDY QUESTION: Does autologous transplantation of menstrual blood-derived stromal cells (menSCs) regenerate endometrium to support pregnancy in patients with severe Asherman's syndrome (AS)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Autologous menSCs transplantation significantly increases endometrial thickness (ET) for women with severe AS. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: AS is a major cause of secondary infertility in women. Cell transplantation has been tried in a few clinical cases with encouraging results. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: In this experimental, non-controlled and prospective 3-year clinical study involving seven patients with AS, autologous menSCs were isolated and cultured from menstrual blood of each patient within ~2 weeks and then transplanted back into their uterus. Endometrial growth and pregnancy were assessed after cell therapy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD: Infertile women, aged 20-40 years, diagnosed with severe AS (Grade III-V) by hysteroscopy and with menstrual fluid were recruited at the Shengjing Hospital affiliated to China Medical University. Autologous menSCs transplantation was conducted followed by HRT. Endometrial thickness was monitored with frozen embryo transfer (FET) as needed. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: We successfully cultured menSCs from seven patients and transferred the autologous cells back to their uterus. Our results showed that the ET was significantly (P = 0.0002) increased to 7 mm in five women, which ensured embryo implantation. Four patients underwent FET and two of them conceived successfully. One patient had spontaneous pregnancy after second menSCs transplantation. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Limited sample size, lack of rigorous controls or knowledge of underlying mechanism. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Autologous menSCs transplantation is a potential option for treating women with severe AS. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: This study was supported by Liaoning Provincial Science and Technology Program. The sponsor and authors declare no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-ONB-15007464).

Precycling Strategy in Suitable Voltage to Improve the Stability of Interfacial Film and Suppress the Decline of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 Cathode at Elevated Temperatures.

Layered ternary oxide LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2 is a promising cathode candidate for high-energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the capacity of LIBs is significantly restricted by several factors, including the repeated dissolution-regeneration of the interfacial film at high temperatures, the dissolution of transition metals, and the increase of impedance. Herein, a new precycling strategy in suitable voltage scope at room temperature is proposed to construct a uniform, thermally stable, and insoluble cathode-electrolyte interface (CEI), which helps to maintain stable cycling performances at high temperatures. Specifically, after 5 precycles in the range of 3.85-4.3 V at room temperature, a CEI layer containing numerous inorganic components and oligomers is formed on the surface of LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2. Subsequently, the harmful side reactions are effectively suppressed, endowing the cell with an excellent capacity retention of 84.67% after 50 cycles at 0.5C and 55 °C, much higher than that of 65.61% under the conventional film-forming process conditions. This work emphasizes the crucial role of the precycling strategy in regulating the characteristics of CEI layer on the surface of cathode electrode, opening up a new avenue for the high-temperature application of positive electrodes of LIBs.

Insights into the effects of coating and single crystallization on the rate performance and cycle life of LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2 cathode.

Coating and single crystal are two common strategies for cobalt-free nickel-rich layered oxides to solve its poor rate performance and cycle stability. However, the action mechanism of different modification protocols to suppress the attenuation are unclear yet. Herein, the Li2MoO4 layer-coated polycrystalline LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2 (1.0 %-Mo + NM91) and single crystal LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2 (SC-NM91) are prepared to investigate this difference, respectively. By focusing on the interior of particles, the relationship between structure evolution and electrochemical behavior is systematically studied, and the intrinsic mechanism of coating/single-crystallization modifications on suppressing the attenuation is clarified. The results show that microcracks in LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2 (NM91) are the main culprit leading to the rate capability decay, and the coating can effectively prevent the radial diffusion of microcracks from the center to surface, inhibiting the generation of surface side reactions. Therefore, the coating has a more advantage in improving the rate performance at 5.0C, the discharge capacity of 1.0 %-Mo + NM91 (130.6 mAh/g) is 7.9 % higher than that of SC-NM91 (121.0 mAh/g). In contrast, the single-crystallization can effectively prevent the formation of intergranular cracks arising from the anisotropic stress in NM91, which causes the severe cycle degradation. Correspondingly, the grain boundary-free SC-NM91 shows superior cyclability. The capacity retention rate of SC-NM91 (80.8 %) at 0.2C after 100cycles is 6.3 % higher than that of 1.0 %-Mo + NM91 (74.5 %). This work concludes the effect difference of different modification methods on enhancing the electrochemical performance, which provides theoretical and technical guidance for the optimized and targeted modification design in the cobalt-free high nickel cathode materials.

Inhibition of transition-metal dissolution with an inert soluble product interface constructed by high-concentration electrolyte.

The formation of a compact and stable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) film is a promising way to improve the high voltage resistance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, challenges arise due to the corrosion of hydrogen fluoride (HF) and the dissolution of transition metal ions (TMs) in harsh conditions. To address this issue, researchers have constructed an anion-derived CEI film enriched with LiF and LiPO2F2 soluble product on the surface of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) cathode in highly concentrated electrolytes (HCEs). The strong binding of LiF and LiPO2F2 generated an inert LiPO2F2 soluble product interface, which inhibited HF corrosion and maintained the spinel structure of LNMO, contributing to a capacity retention of 92% after 200 cycles at 55°C in the resulting cell with a soluble LiPO2F2-containing CEI film. This new approach sheds light on improving the electrode/electrolyte interface for high-energy LIBs.

Building a Flexible and Highly Ionic Conductive Solid Electrolyte Interphase on the Surface of Si@C Anodes by Binary Electrolyte Additives.

Si@C as a high specific capacity anode material for lithium batteries (LIBs) has attracted a lot of attention. However, the severe volume change during lithium de-embedding causes repeated rupture/reconstruction of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), resulting in poor cycling stability of the Si-based battery system and thus hindering its application in commercial batteries. Using electrolyte additives to form an excellent SEI is considered to be a cost-effective method to meet this challenge. Here, the classical film-forming additive vinyl carbonate (VC), and the newly emerging lithium salt additive lithium difluorophosphate (LiDFP), are chosen as synergistic additives to improve the electrode-electrolyte interface properties. Final results show that the VC additive generates flexible polycarbonate components at the electrode/electrolyte interface, preventing the fragmentation of Si particles. However, the organic components show high impedance, inhibiting the fast transport of Li+. This defect can be supplemented from the decomposition substances of the LiDFP additive. The derived inorganic products, such as LiF and Li3PO4, can strengthen the reaction kinetics of the electrode, reduce the interfacial impedance, and promote the Li+ transport. Thus, the synergistic effect of VC and LiDFP additives builds an effective SEI with good flexibility and high ionic conductivity and then significantly improves the cycling and rate stability of Si@C anodes. The experimental results show that the utilization of LiDFP and VC additives to modify the Si@C anode interface enhances the capacity retention of the Si@C/Li half-cell after 100 cycles from 68.2% to 85.1%. Besides, the possible mechanism of action between VC and LiDFP is proposed by using the spectral characterization technique and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This research opens up a new possibility for improvement of SEI, and provides a simple way to achieve high-performance Si-based LIBs.

Synergistic effect of p-type and n-type dopants in semiconductors for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting.

The main challenge for acidic water electrolysis is the lack of active and stable oxygen evolution catalysts based on abundant materials, which are globally scalable. Iridium oxide is the only material which is active and stable. However, Ir is extremely rare. While both active materials and stable materials exist, those that are active are usually not stable and vice versa. In this work, we present a new design strategy for activating stable materials originally deemed unsuitable due to a semiconducting nature and wide band gap energy. These stable semiconductors cannot change oxidation state under the relevant reaction conditions. Based on DFT calculations, we find that adding an n-type dopant facilitates oxygen binding on semiconductor surfaces. The binding is, however, strong and prevents further binding or desorption of oxygen. By combining both n-type and p-type dopants, the reactivity can be tuned so that oxygen can be adsorbed and desorbed under reaction conditions. The tuning results from the electrostatic interactions between the dopants as well as between the dopants and the binding site. This concept is experimentally verified on TiO2 by co-substituting with different pairs of n- and p-type dopants. Our findings suggest that the co-substitution approach can be used to activate stable materials, with no intrinsic oxygen evolution activity, to design new catalysts for acid water electrolysis.

Association of time in range, as assessed by continuous glucose monitoring, with painful diabetic polyneuropathy.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the association between time in range (TIR) obtained from continuous glucose monitoring and the prevalence and degree of painful diabetic neuropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 364 individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy were enrolled in this study. Sensor-based flash glucose monitoring systems were used to monitor the participants' glucose levels, and the glycemic variability metrics were calculated, including the TIR, glucose coefficient of variation, standard deviation and the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions. The participants were asked to record any form of pain during the 2 weeks of monitoring, and score the pain every day on a numerical rating scale. Based on the numerical rating scale, the patients were divided into the pain-free group, mild pain group and moderate/severe pain group. RESULTS: Overall, 51.92% (189/364) of the participants were diagnosed with painful diabetic neuropathy. Compared with the pain-free group, the level of TIR decreased significantly in the mild pain and moderate/severe pain groups (P < 0.05). The prevalence of mild pain and moderate/severe pain decreased with increasing TIR quartiles (all P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that TIR was significantly negatively correlated with the numerical rating scale score after adjustment for glycated hemoglobin, glycemic variability indicators and other risk factors (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that a decreasing level of TIR was significantly associated with an increasing risk of any pain and moderate/severe pain (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TIR is correlated with painful diabetic neuropathy and is underscored as a valuable clinical evaluation measure.

Analyzing the Mechanism of Functional Groups in Phosphate Additives on the Interface of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 Cathode Materials.

The design of a functional electrolyte system that is compatible with the LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (LNCA) cathode is of great importance for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, chelated lithium salts of lithium difluoro(bisoxalato) phosphate (LiDFBOP) and lithium tetrafluoro(oxalate) phosphate (LTFOP) are synthesized by a facile and general method. Then, the complexes of LiDFBOP, LTFOP, and lithium difluorophosphate (LiDFP), all of which have a central phosphorus atom, were selected as the salt-type additives for the LiPF6-based electrolyte to improve the electrochemical performances of LNCA/Li half-batteries, respectively. The results of electrochemical tests, quantum chemistry calculations, potential-resolved in situ electrochemical impedance (PRIs-EIS) measurements, and surface analyses show that the interface property and the battery performance are closely associated with molecular structures of phosphorus-centered complex additives. It indicates that LiDFP with the P═O bond can significantly reduce the interfacial impedance of LNCA/Li half-batteries due to the increase of Li3PO4 and the decrease of Li2CO3 in the cathode electrolyte interface (CEI). While in LiDFBOP, according to the calculated vertical ionization potential (VIP), the two oxalate-chelated ligands bring about a bidirectional cross-linking reaction, which makes it preferential to be oxidized. This process is self-healing and can form a dense and stretched CEI, which is favorable to the cycle performance at the late stage. In contrast, the polymerization reaction will occur in one direction for LTFOP due to its lone oxalate ligand. Additionally, an unfavorable side reaction between LTFOP and EC has been proposed by the aid of Gibbs free energy calculation. This is a good explanation for the formation of the uneven and unstable CEI, as well as the continuous decomposition of the electrolyte in PRIs-EIS measurement. This work has an extensive applicability and practical significance not only for molecular designing of novel lithium salts, but also for the construction of a functional electrolyte system that is compatible with different electrode materials.

Association of serum CTRP9 levels with cardiac autonomic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a serious complication of diabetes and is associated with adipokines. The C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 9 (CTRP9) is a newly discovered adipokine. This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum CTRP9 levels with the prevalence and severity of CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 262 patients (aged ≥18 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus into this study. Standard cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs) were used to assess CAN and patients were divided into three groups accordingly: a non-CAN group, an early CAN group, and a definite CAN group. Serum CTRP9 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the tertiles were calculated. RESULTS: Serum CTRP9 levels decreased significantly in the early CAN and definite CAN groups (P < 0.05). The percentage of definite CAN was the highest at the minimum tertile of serum CTRP9 level (T1; P < 0.05). Additionally, serum CTRP9 levels were negatively correlated with age, DM duration, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) while positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL; P < 0.05). The level of CTRP9 was also significantly associated with the four indexes of CARTs (P < 0.05). Furthermore, CTRP9 was a protective factor for definite CAN (P < 0.05). Compared with the maximum tertile (T3) of the serum CTRP9 levels, a decreased level of serum CTRP9 in T1 significantly increased the prevalence ratio of definite CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum CTRP9 levels were independently associated with definite CAN. CTRP9 represents a reliable biomarker for exploring CAN in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Antioxidation Mechanism of Highly Concentrated Electrolytes at High Voltage.

It has been researched that highly concentrated electrolytes (HCEs) can solve the problem of the excessive decomposition of dilute electrolytes at a high voltage, but the mechanism is not clear. In this work, the antioxidation mechanism of HCE at a high voltage was investigated by in situ electrochemical tests and theoretical calculations from the perspective of the solvation structure and physicochemical property. The results indicate that compared with the dilute electrolyte, the change of solvation structures in HCE makes more PF6- anions easier to be oxidized prior to the dimethyl carbonate solvents, resulting in a more stable cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) film. First, the lower oxidation potential of the solvation structure with more PF6- anions inhibits the side effects of the electrolyte effectively. Second, the CEI film, consisted of LiF and LixPOyFz generated from the oxidation of PF6- and Li3PO4 generated from the hydrolysis of LiPF6 via the soluble PO2F2- intermediate, can reduce the interface impedance and improve the conductivity. Intriguingly, the high viscosity of HCEs and the hydrolysis of LiPF6 are proven to play a positive role in enhancing the interfacial stability of the electrolyte/electrode at a high voltage. This study builds a deep understanding of the bulk and interface properties of HCEs and provides theoretical support for their large-scale application in high-voltage battery materials.

Enhancing the interfacial stability of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode materials by a surface-concentration gradient strategy.

Ni-rich LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 materials have been successfully applied in electric vehicles due to the merits of high energy density which can meet the requirements for driving range. Nevertheless, the electrochemical performances of Ni-rich materials are limited by their structural instability. Herein, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 materials with the concentration-gradient structure of a Ni-rich core and a Co-rich surface were synthesized. The electrochemical results indicate that surface-concentration gradient LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 provides improved electrochemical performance. It not only displays an initial Coulomb efficiency of 82.4%, and a capacity retention of 80.37% after 200 cycles at 25 °C, but also shows a capacity retention of 77.76% after 150 cycles at a high temperature of 55 °C. These excellent performances can be attributed to adjusting the distribution of Ni on the surface of the LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 material, which inhibits the interfacial reaction between the material surface and electrolyte, lowers the consumption of active Li+ and decreases the interfacial film impedance. Moreover, less Ni content on the material surface is beneficial for reducing the formation of a NiO rock salt phase during the charging process and inhibits the surface structural evolution. The proposed method and detected mechanism will provide guidance for the design of cathode materials and their practical industrial applications.

Optimizing the composition of LiFSI-based electrolytes by a method combining simplex with normalization.

The optimizing method of electrolyte formulation is always vital for the development of high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Traditional optimization methods are mainly aimed at the optimization of the electrolyte composition type, and less attention is paid to the optimization of the composition proportion in a certain electrolyte formulation. In this paper, in order to balance the relationship between aluminum (Al) foil corrosion inhibition and battery electrochemical performance, the electrolyte system LiFSI0.6-LiBOB0.4-EC/DEC/EMC (1 : 1 : 1, by volume) was optimized by combining the simplex method, normalization and electrochemical testing. A lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cathode with the optimized electrolyte of LiFSI0.53-LiBOB0.35-EC/DEC/EMC (1.3 : 1.5 : 1.5) delivers a high capacity (143.1 mA h g-1 at 0.5C) and remarkable cycle life (94.9% retention after 100 cycles) at 45 °C. The outstanding performance is attributed to the composition of the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) containing the solid and dense LiF, AlF3, B2O3 and Li2CO3. This provides a new method and idea for future electrolyte formulation optimization.

[Effect of obesity on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of obesity on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: The patient data were acquired from 306 women with PCOS by Rotterdam consensus criteria and 286 women selected as controls. Basal endocrine, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin release test, lipid profile, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were tested. The essays of liver chemistries, B-hepatitis and c-hepatitis were performed and alcoholic liver diseases excluded. Fatty liver was diagnosed by ultrasound. RESULTS: Patients with PCOS showed a higher prevalence of NAFLD than control group (30.7% vs 17.5%), including 56 mild cases (59.6%), 34 moderate cases (36.2%) and 4 severe cases (4.2%). The prevalence of NAFLD in PCOS increased with BMI, waist hip ratio, triglyceride and HOMA-IR. The prevalence of NAFLD in abdominal obese PCOS patients was significantly higher than those with normal waist. In addition to the prevalence of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome in PCOS women significantly increased with BMI. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that Chinese women with PCOS have a high prevalence of NAFLD, especially in abdominal and II obese PCOS patients. The prevalence and severity of NAFLD are positively correlated with BMI. It seems that insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities are closely associated with NAFLD in PCOS. It is essential to give a high priority to the screening and treatment of NAFLD in obese PCOS patients.

[Characteristics of glucose metabolism in non-obese and obese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate characteristics of glucose metabolism of non-obese and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: From May 2006 to April 2009, 1928 PCOS patients treated in Reproductive Medicine Center of Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University were enrolled in this study, which were divided into 901 cases [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m²] in obese group and 1027 cases in non-obese (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)) group. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), oral glucose tolerance test, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: (1) Blood glucose levels: at the time of fasting, 30, 60, 120 and 180 minutes, the levels of glucose were (5.3 ± 1.1), (9.0 ± 2.4), (9.3 ± 4.4), (7.5 ± 2.8), (5.3 ± 1.8) mmol/L in obese group and (5.0 ± 0.8), (8.4 ± 3.5), (8.0 ± 4.2), (6.5 ± 3.2), (4.9 ± 1.6) mmol/L in non-obese group, which all showed statistical difference at every time point (P < 0.01). (2)The level of insulin: at the time of fasting, 30, 60, 120 min, the level of insulin were (13 ± 7), (81 ± 51), (102 ± 65), (83 ± 63) mU/L in obese group and (8 ± 5), (57 ± 35), (62 ± 44), (46 ± 39) mU/L in non-obese group, which all showed statistical difference at every time point (P < 0.01). However, at time point of 180 minutes, the level of insulin did not exhibit significantly difference between obese and non-obese group (P > 0.05). (3) The prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism: the rate of IFG was 4.98% (96/1928). The rate of abnormal glucose tolerance was 23.08% (445/1928). The rate of IGT were 13.05% (134/1027) in non-obese group and 24.20% (218/901) in obese group, which also showed remarkable difference (P < 0.01). The rate of T2DM were 2.53% (26/1027) in non-obese group and 7.44% (67/901) in obese group, which reached significant difference (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Abnormal glucose metabolism was observed more frequently in overweight or obese PCOS women.

[Surveying on menstruation status of reproductive age women of Han nationality in Liaoning province in 2008].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the menstruation status of reproductive age women of Han Nationality in Liaoning province. METHODS: From Apr. 2008 to Dec. 2008, 1611 women at age of 19-45 years from Shenyang, Yingkou, Benxi, Zhangwu were enrolled in this study according to epidemiologic cluster sampling method. The study was performed by questionnaire consisting of age of menarche, regularity of menstruation, menstrual cycle and dysmenorrhea, et al. RESULTS: In the survey of 1611 women, the average menarche age is 14.4 years old, there were significant difference on menarche between (14.2 +/- 1.5) years in women from city and (14.6 +/- 1.5) years in women from country (t = 6.58, P < 0.01). The linear regression statistic method was used to analyze the relationship between age and menarche age, the linear regression equation was gotten as Y = 0.074X + 11.855, which means 1 year increase was associated with decrease by 0.074 years in menarche age approximately. About 86.34% (1391/1611) of women have normal and regular menstrual cycle at range of 21 to 35 days, while 11.05% (178/1611) of women have longer menstrual cycle (> 35 days) and 2.61% (42/1611) of women have shorter menstrual cycle (< 21 days). Of which 65.67% (1058/1611) women have regular menstrual cycle just after menarche, 94.97% (1530/1611) of women would have regular menstruation in 2 years after menarche. The rate of dysmenorrhea was 42.09% (678/1611), of which 13.6% (92/678) women have high severe pelvic pain. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that the trend went toward younger ages of menarche, which was younger menarche age in women from city than country. About 95% women would have regular menstrual cycle within 2 years after menarche.

Regulating the Performance of Lithium-Ion Battery Focus on the Electrode-Electrolyte Interface.

The development of lithium-ion battery (LIB) has gone through nearly 40 year of research. The solid electrolyte interface film in LIBs is one of most vital research topics, its behavior affects the cycle life and safety of LIBs significantly. Progress in understanding the interfacial layer on the negative and positive electrodes in LIBs has been the focus of considerable research in the past few decades, but there remains a number of problem to be understood at the fundamental level, and there is still a great deal of controversy regarding the composition and formation mechanism of the interfacial film. In this article, we summarize recent research conducted on the interfacial film in LIBs, including the film formation mechanism, the composition, and stability of the interfacial film on the positive electrodes (in both diluted and high-concentration electrolytes). And the methodologies and advanced techniques implemented for the characterization of the interfacial film. Finally, we put forward some of the future development direction for the interfacial film and urgent problems that need to be solved.

[Bacterial composition and resistance from urinary tract infections in females].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the bacterial composition and antibacterial resistance in female urinary tract infections (UTI) in China. METHODS: The disc diffusion test, minimum inhibition concentration (MIC), test or E-test was used to detect the antimicrobial susceptibility in 86 tertiary hospitals in China from June 1, 2006 to May 31, 2007. WHONET 5.4 was applied for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 6071 pathogenic germs were collected from urine cultures of UTI female patients in the surveillance period, which included 5958 bacterial isolates. Escherichia coli 3529 strains (59.23%), Enterococcus spp 938 strains (15.74%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae 394 strains (6. 61%) were the most common pathogens. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae had 35.7% and 34.0% extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) positive rates, and their resistant rates to quinolones were about 70% and 40%, respectively. Enterococcus faecium was much more resistant to almost all the antibiotics than Enterococcus faecalis. 0.9% Escherichia faecalis and 3. 8% Escherichia faecium were resistant to vancomycin, whereas 2.7% and 4.8% were resistant to teicoplanin. Staphylococcus epdermidis was more common in UTI than Staphylococcus aureus, 79.1% and 75.0% of the isolates being methicillin-ressitant Staphylococcus epdermidis (MRSE) or methicillin-ressitant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respectively. No vancomycin intermediate or resistant staphylococcus was detected, but 4.9% teicoplanin intermediate rate was found in Staphylococcus epdermidis. The resistant rates to quinolones increased with the patient age. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial resistance in UTI in Chinese females is a severe problem, which could be resulted from antimicrobial irrational use. In the selection of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of UTI, doctors should refer to the results of bacterial resistant surveillance.