Is interleukin-18 associated with polycystic ovary syndrome?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent research show that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have an association with low-grade chronic inflammation, IL-18 is considered as a strong risk marker of inflammation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To investigate serum IL-18 concentrations in PCOS patients and focus on its relationship between obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Sixty consecutive women with PCOS and thirty controls were recruited. Serum level of IL-18 and fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum levels of IL-18 was significantly higher in the PCOS group than in the control group. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in the PCOS group with IR than in the PCOS group without IR. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in obese PCOS patients than in lean PCOS patients. Serum level of IL-18 was higher in lean PCOS patients than in the lean control group. Serum level of IL-18 in the PCOS group was positively related to BMI, IR index and T.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>IL-18 level was increased in PCOS patients, and correlated with insulin resistance, obesity and hyperandrogenism.</p

Towards classifying the interior dynamics of charged black holes with scalar hair

The study of the interior of hairy black holes has received significant attention recently. This paper builds upon our recent analytical approach to investigate the internal dynamics of charged black holes with scalar hair in general spacetime dimensions. The geometries of these hairy balck holes end at a spacelike singularity. We investigate the alternation of Kasner epoch at later interior times and obtain the analytic expression for two kinds of transformation, namely Kasner inversion and Kasner transition. Moreover, we classify three different types of Kasner alternations for a large class of Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory. Our analytical results are corroborated by numerical solutions to the full equations of motion, including a top-down model from supergravity. For general interactions, more complicated behaviors beyond our analytical description are also found and discussed, including the presence of non-Kasner epochs and the random change of the amplitude of the Kasner exponent at late interior times.Comment: Published versio

Structure and high-resolution thermogravimetry of liquid-crystalline copoly(p-oxybenzoate- ethylene terephthalate-p-benzamide)

Abstract: Thermotropic liquid-crystalline copoly(ester-amide)s consisting of three units of poxybenzoate (B), ethylene terephthalate (E) and p-benzamide (A) were studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance at 200 and 400 MHz, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution thermogravimetry to ascertain their molecular and supermolecular structures, thermostability and kinetics parameters of thermal decomposition in both nitrogen and air. The assignments of all resonance peaks of [ 1 H]NMR spectra for the copoly(ester-amide)s are given and the characteristics of X-ray equatorial and meridional scans are discussed. Overall activation energy data of the ®rst major decomposition have been evaluated through three calculating techniques. The thermal degradation occurs in three steps in nitrogen and air. The degradation temperatures are higher than 447°C in nitrogen and 440°C in air and increase with increasing B-unit content at a ®xed A-unit content of 5 mol%. The temperatures at the ®rst maximum weight-loss rate are higher than 455°C in nitrogen and 445°C in air and also increase with an increase in B-unit content. The ®rst maximum weight-loss rates range between 11.1 and 14.5%min À1 in nitrogen and between 11.9 and 13.5%min À1 in air. The char yields at 500°C in both nitrogen and air range from 45.8 to 54.3 wt% and increase with increasing B-unit content. But the char yields at 800°C in nitrogen and air are quite irregular with the variation of copolymer composition and testing atmosphere. The activation energy and Ln (pre-exponential factor) for the ®rst major decomposition are usually higher in nitrogen than in air and increase slightly with an increase in B-unit content at a given A-unit content of 5 mol%. The activation energy, decomposition order, and Ln (pre-exponential factor) of the thermal degradation for the copoly(esteramide)s in two testing atmospheres, are situated in the ranges of 210±292 kJmol À1 , 2.0±2.8, 33±46 min À1 , respectively. The three kinetic parameters of the thermal degradation for the aromatic copoly(esteramide)s obtained by high-resolution thermogravimetry at a variable heating rate are almost the same as those by traditional thermogravimetry at constant heating rate, suggesting good applicability of kinetic methods developed for constant heating rate to the variable heating-rate method. These results indicate that the copoly(ester-amide)s exhibit high thermostability. The isothermal decomposition kinetics of the copoly(ester-amide)s at 450 and 420°C are also discussed and compared with the results obtained based on non-isothermal high-resolution thermogravimetry

Poly[hexa­aqua­tri-μ-malonato-didysprosium(III)]

The title compound, [Dy2(C3H2O4)3(H2O)6]n, forms a coordination polymeric structure comprising hydrated dysprosium ions and malonate ligands. In the asymmetric unit, there are one dysprosium ion, one and a half malonate ligands, and three water mol­ecules. Each DyIII atom is coordinated by six O atoms from four malonate ligands and by three water mol­ecules, and displays a tricapped trigonal–prismatic coordination geometry. The malonate ligands adopt two types of coordination mode, linking dysprosium centres to form a three-dimensional coordination polymer. The extensive network of hydrogen bonds in this polymer enhances the structural stability

Preliminary study on the immunology pathogenesis of ocular myasthenia gravis in children

AIM: To discuss the role of humoral immunity and cellular immunity in the development of ocular myasthenia gravis in children by analyzing the clinical value of the indices including immunoglobulin, complement and T cell subgroup in peripheral blood. <p>METHODS: The concentrations of serum IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4 in the myasthenia gravis group and the control group were detected by immune compare turbid. The contents of CD3⁺T cell, CD4⁺T cell and CD8⁺T cell were detected by flow cytometry. Data was analyzed by Independent-Sample Test.<p>RESULTS: There were no significant differences in contents of IgA, IgM, CD3⁺T cell, CD8⁺T cell between ocular myasthenia gravis group in children and the control group(<i>P</i>>0.05). The concentrations of serum IgG, C3 and C4 for myasthenia gravis group were lower than those of the control group(<i>P</i><0.05). The content of CD4⁺T cell were higher than those of the control group(<i>P</i><0.05).<p>CONCLUSION: Complement C3, C4 and CD4⁺T cell played an important role in immunology pathogenesis mechanism for ocular myasthenia gravis in children

Network pharmacology-based elucidation of the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-migraine effect of Asari Radix et Rhizoma

Purpose: To determine the molecular mechanism involved in the anti-migraine effect of Asari Radix et Rhizoma (ARR) using network pharmacology. Methods: The compounds present in ARR were identified through information retrieval from literature and public databases, and were screened based on absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity. Target genes related to the selected compounds and migraine were identified or predicted from public databases. Hub genes in ARR against migraine were identified through analysis of interactions in overlapping genes between compounds and migraine target genes, based on STRING database. Gene enrichment analysis of overlapping genes was performed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Results: A total of 138 compounds were selected as potential bioactive compounds in ARR. Target genes related to the selected compounds (611 genes) and migraine (278 genes) were obtained, including 71 overlapping genes. The hub genes in the anti-migraine effect of ARR were BDNF, IL6, COMT, APP and TNF. Gene enrichment analysis showed the top 10 biological processes or pathways involved in the mechanism of anti-migraine action of ARR. The tissue source of the overlapping genes was not limited to the brain. The results from gene enrichment analysis revealed that the effect of ARR on migraine was holistic, which is characteristic of traditional Chinese medicines. Conclusion: Network pharmacology has been used to decipher the molecular mechanism involved in the action of ARR against migraine. The results provide a scientific basis for the clinical effect of ARR on migraine

An Update on the Evolution of Glucosyltransferase (Gtf) Genes in Streptococcus

In many caries-promoting Streptococcus species, glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) are recognized as key enzymes contributing to the modification of biofilm structures, disruption of homeostasis of healthy microbiota community and induction of caries development. It is therefore of great interest to investigate how Gtf genes have evolved in Streptococcus. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive survey of Gtf genes among 872 streptococci genomes of 37 species and identified Gtf genes from 364 genomes of 18 species. To clarify the relationships of these Gtf genes, 45 representative sequences were used for phylogenic analysis, which revealed two clear clades. Clade I included 12 Gtf genes from nine caries-promoting species of the Mutans and Downei groups, which produce enzymes known to synthesize sticky, water-insoluble glucans (WIG) that are critical for modifying biofilm structures. Clade II primarily contained Gtf genes responsible for synthesizing water-soluble glucans (WSG) from all 18 species, and this clade further diverged into three subclades (IIA, IIB, and IIC). An analysis of 16 pairs of duplicated Gtf genes revealed high divergence levels at the C-terminal repeat regions, with ratios of the non-synonymous substitution rate (dN) to synonymous substitution rate (dS) ranging from 0.60 to 1.03, indicating an overall relaxed constraint in this region. However, among the clade I Gtf genes, some individual repeat units possessed strong functional constraints by the same criterion. Structural variations in the repeat regions were also observed, with detection of deletions or recent duplications of individual repeat units. Overall, by establishing an updated phylogeny and further elucidating their evolutionary patterns, this work enabled us to gain a greater understanding of the origination and divergence of Gtf genes in Streptococcus