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Background: Breast phyllodes tumours (PTs) are a unique type of fibroepithelial neoplasms with metastatic potential and recurrence tendency. However, the precise nature of heterogeneity in breast PTs remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the cell subpopulations composition and spatial structure and investigate diagnostic markers in the pathogenesis of PTs. Methods: We applied single‐cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomes on tumours and adjacent normal tissues for integration analysis. Immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to verify the tissue distribution of cells. Tumour cells from patients with PTs were cultured to validate the function of genes. To validate the heterogeneity, the epithelial and stromal components of tumour tissues were separated using laser capture microdissection, and microproteomics data were obtained using data‐independent acquisition mass spectrometry. The diagnostic value of genes was assessed using immunohistochemistry staining. Results: Tumour stromal cells harboured seven subpopulations. Among them, a population of widely distributed cancer‐associated fibroblast‐like stroma cells exhibited strong communications with epithelial progenitors which underwent a mesenchymal transition. We identified two stromal subpopulations sharing epithelial progenitors and mesenchymal markers. They were inferred to further differentiate into transcriptionally active stromal subpopulations continuously expressing COL4A1/2. The binding of COL4A1/2 with ITGA1/B1 facilitated a growth pattern from the stroma towards the surrounding glands. Furthermore, we found consistent transcriptional changes between intratumoural heterogeneity and inter‐patient heterogeneity by performing microproteomics studies on 30 samples from 11 PTs. The immunohistochemical assessment of 97 independent cohorts identified that COL4A1/2 and CSRP1 could aid in accurate diagnosis and grading. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that COL4A1/2 shapes the spatial structure of stromal cell differentiation and has important clinical implications for accurate diagnosis of breast PTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,4-Reduction of , -Unsaturated Ketones through Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation 1,4-reduction, unsaturated ketone, transfer hydrogenation, isopropanol, rhodium(III) catalysis Keywords: 1,4-reduction; unsaturated ketone; rhodium(III) catalysis; transfer hydrogenation; isopropanol EN 1,4-reduction unsaturated ketone rhodium(III) catalysis transfer hydrogenation isopropanol 1399 1402 4 07/11/23 20230725 NES 230725 Graph Selective hydrogenation of , -unsaturated ketones, giving rise to allylic alcohols or saturated ketones, respectively, attracted a long-lasting research interest mainly because of their wide applications in the synthesis of perfumes, drugs, and other fine chemicals. [Extracted from the article]

As a rare congenital disease, microspherophakia (MSP) is characterized by small and spherically shaped crystalline lenses. The common complications of MSP include secondary glaucoma and crystalline lens dislocation or subluxation. Patients with MSP often show high lenticular myopia. The special morphological characteristics and complex complications bring challenges to the treatment of patients with MSP. Although there are some studies on MSP, most are case reports. In this article, the morphological characteristics, complications, genetic diagnosis, and treatment of MSP were systematically reviewed, providing valuable insight into the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes new bootstrap procedures for detecting multiple persistence shifts in a time series driven by non‐stationary volatility. The assumed volatility process can accommodate discrete breaks, smooth transition variation as well as trending volatility. We develop wild bootstrap sup‐Wald tests of the null hypothesis that the process is either stationary [I(0)] or has a unit root [I(1)] throughout the sample. We also propose a sequential procedure to estimate the number of persistence breaks based on ordering the regime‐specific bootstrap p‐values. The asymptotic validity of the advocated procedures is established both under the null of stability and a variety of persistence change alternatives. A comparison with existing tests that assume homoskedasticity illustrates the finite sample improvements offered by our methods. An application to OECD inflation rates highlights the empirical relevance of the proposed approach and weakens the case for persistence change relative to existing procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C42H46Br2N2O8, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 7.5393(9) Å, b = 10.7586(12) Å, c = 24.073(3) Å, β = 91.275(3)°, V = 1952.1(4) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0446, wRref(F2) = 0.1037, T = 293(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of wireless intelligent sensing and edge computing, a suitable way of modal parameter identification (MPI) for vibration monitoring of engineering structures is to use a distributed scheme where the majority of computing tasks are deployed to the sensor ends. This paper presents a time-domain algorithm called free-vibration-response based mode decomposition (FVRMD) for distributed MPI, which directly estimates frequency, damping ratio, initial amplitude, and initial phase from the vibration signals. Since FVRMD only relies on a single-channel input, it can be independently and synchronously deployed on each intelligent sensor in the distributed MPI scenario. Additionally, we provide a remote integration scheme to extract structure modal shape and the final representative frequency and damping ratio from the identified parameters at the edge. The proposed method is verified by analyzing vibrations in a simulated and experimental beam structure, as well as a real suspension bridge. Results demonstrate that the method is accurate and stable in estimating frequency and damping ratio, and its ability to identify modal shape is close to that of the centralized method. • A distributed modal parameters identification method based on FVRMD is provided. • It is good at damped signal decomposition and MPI with sound noise robustness. • The obtained modal shape is close to that obtained by the centralized method. • It is flexible to be deployed on distributed structural monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adriamycin is a widely used and effective antitumor drug; however, its application is limited by various side effects, including irreversible cardiotoxicity. The central role of cardiac atrophy in Adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity has been revealed; however, the underlying mechanism of this process remains unclear. Artemether is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine, and its pharmacological action is related to the regulation of mitochondrial function and redox status. The present study determined the effects of artemether on Adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity and investigated the underlying mechanisms. After mouse model establishment and artemether intervention, experimental methods including pathological staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, ELISA and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect. The results demonstrated that artemether prevented Adriamycin-induced cardiac atrophy and recovered the intercombination of connexin 43 and N-cadherin at the intercalated discs. Artemether also regulated the autophagy pathway and restored the unbalanced ratio of Bax and Bcl-2 in myocardial cells. In addition, the increased serum H2O2 levels after Adriamycin exposure were significantly decreased by artemether, and the mitochondrial alterations and redox imbalance in myocardial cells were also improved to varying degrees. In summary, the findings of the present study provide reliable evidence that artemether could ameliorate cardiac atrophy induced by Adriamycin. This therapeutic approach may be translated to the clinic for preventing drug-induced heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cables are critical force-bearing components of cable-supported structures that greatly influence structure security. The changes in cable forces can reflect the cable service state and provide an important basis for structural health assessment. This paper proposes a method for real-time cable force identification (CFI) to tracking its varying rules. First, a recursive Capon method based on block updating is derived to estimate the amplitude spectrum at each observation moment. Second, determine the natural frequency (and corresponding mode order) in the transformed frequency domain and calculate the cable tension according to related formulas. Proper algorithm optimization and parameter selection are studied to ensure that the calculation cost meets the real-time requirement of CFI. The proposed method is applied to an experimental cable and the cables of a half-through arch bridge for validation. • A block recursive Capon method (BRC) is proposed for real-time spectrum analysis. • An automatic frequency extraction and tracking method based on BRC is developed. • A real-time online cable force identification method is proposed. • The proposed method is verified by experimental and realistic cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a 2D spectral analysis method based on damped Capon (dCAPON) and damped APES (dAPES) for structural modal parameter identification. The frequency and damping are estimated from the 2D dCAPON energy spectrum first, and then the amplitude (to construct the modal shape) corresponding to the frequency-damping point is calculated by the dAPES. The raw evenly-spaced computing grid is optimized into a banded hierarchically-refined one, greatly improving the computational efficiency. The performance of the proposed method is studied and it is investigated through the numerical and experimental data of a benchmark structure. The proposed method provides a simple and direct approach to estimating structural modal parameters, particularly for frequency and damping ratio. • A novel method for modal parameter identification is proposed. • It provides a direct inspection of modal parameters by domain transformation. • Efficient implementation based on banded hierarchically-refined computing grid. • The method is validated through a benchmark structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrolyte of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) for ultra-low temperature applications based on spiro-(1,1')-bipyrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBP-BF 4 ) dissolved in acetonitrile (AN) and AN + dibutyl carbonate (DBC) mixtures has been developed. The physic-chemical properties and electrochemical characterizations at low temperature have been demonstrated on pure AN and AN/DBC mixed electrolytes. From 20 to −50 °C, AN electrolyte shows a slight superiority of the capacitance, but the novel DBC-mixed electrolytes exhibit much higher ion conductivity and better electrochemical performance at −60 °C, while AN electrolyte does not cycle at all due to the crystallization of AN and precipitation of SBP-BF 4 . The specific discharge capacitance of DBC mixtures maintain 92 F g −1 even at a high current density of 5 A g −1 . At −60 °C, from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement, the whole resistance for AN electrolyte rapidly increased about 60 times higher than that of 20 °C, while those for DBC mixtures remain relatively low within the whole temperature range. The cycle performance test indicates the DBC mixtures exhibit extremely stable capacitance, especially at ultra-low temperature. The capacitance for DBC-20% electrolyte is 95 F g −1 even after 10000 cycles, which maintained 83% of the capacity of 20 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is addressed on studying the electrolytes for electrical double layer capacitors with relatively high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability for high energy density application. A systematic analysis of the electrochemical characteristics has been presented using spiro-(1,1′)-bipyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBP-BF 4 ) with 1.5 mol L −1 (M) in variety of solvent compositions including propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC), while the solvent mixtures are PC + DMC (1:1 in volume) and PC + DMC + EC (1:1:1 in volume). The physical properties and electrochemical performance of SBP-BF 4 -based electrolytes are improved by tuning solvent mixtures compositions for high working voltage application. The binary solvent system of PC + DMC electrolyte exhibits lowest viscosity of about 3.14 mPa s, while the ternary solvent system of PC + DMC + EC electrolyte exhibits highest conductivity of about 18.08 mS cm −1 . The SBP-BF 4 /PC-based electrolytes display excellent upper voltage hold capability about 3.5 V. The binary solvent system exhibits superior rate performance, when the charge cut-off voltage is lower than 3.2 V. The ternary solvent system exhibits superior rate performance than that of other two solvent systems electrolytes, when the charge cut-off voltage is higher than 3.2 V. The maximum energy density and power density of EDLCs using the ternary solvent system electrolyte are 41.5 Wh kg −1 and 17.0 kW kg −1 , respectively. The spiral cylindrical capacitors based on ternary solvent system electrolyte exhibits better cycle performance than that of other two solvent system electrolytes at the high working voltages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was addressed on studying the electrolyte for electrochemical double layer capacitors with relatively high ionic conductivity and high electrochemical stability for low temperature application. The data of systematical analysis of the electrochemical characteristics of EDLC have been presented using spiro-(1,1′)-bipyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBP-BF 4 ) with 1.5 mol L −1 (M) in a variety of solvent compositions including propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), while the mixture solvents are PC+DMC (1:1 in volume) and PC+DMC+EC (1:1:1 in volume). The physical properties and electrochemical performance of SBP-BF 4 in all solvent compositions are investigated. It is found that the binary solvent electrolyte systems exhibited better characteristics in electrochemical performance than single and ternary solvent system in low temperature. The capacitance of the binary solvent electrolyte systems could reach about 117.3 F g −1 at 20 °C and 92.3 F g −1 at −50 °C, which were higher than that of single and ternary solvent system. The energy density and power density of EDLCs based on binary solvents systems are can reach 29.6 Wh kg −1 and 12.5 kW kg −1 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel quaternary ammonium salt based on spiro-(1,1′)-bipyrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBP-BF4) has been synthesized and dissolved in propylene carbonate (PC) with 1.5 mol L−1 (M) concentration for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). The physic-chemical properties and electrochemical performance of SBP-BF4/PC electrolyte are investigated. Compared with the standard electrolyte 1.5 M TEMA-BF4 in PC, the novel SBP-BF4/PC electrolyte exhibited much better electrochemical performance due to its smaller cation size, lower viscosity and higher conductivity. The specific discharge capacitance of activated carbon electrode based EDLCs using SBP-BF4/PC electrolyte is 120 F g−1, the energy density and power density can reach 31 kW kg−1 and 6938 W kg−1, respectively, when the working voltage is 2.7 V and current density is 50 mA g−1. The withstand voltage of activated carbon based EDLCs with SBP-BF4/PC electrolyte can reach to 3.2 V, where the stable discharge capacitance and energy density are 121 F g−1 and 43 Wh kg−1, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Identifying time-varying frequency and amplitude online in real-life structural vibrations is an essential topic of data processing in structural health monitoring. This paper proposes a novel method for this task. We assume that structural vibration signals are stationary in a short time, thus a spectral analysis method, called amplitude and phase estimation, is conducted to obtain the amplitude spectrum at corresponding time window, and a postprocessing technique is proposed to extract modal frequency and amplitude from the spectrum automatically. The extracted frequency and amplitude could be regarded as the average value of instantaneous frequency and the average value of instantaneous amplitude during the window, respectively. Due to the instability of measured structural vibrations and the uncertainty of spectral shapes under ambient excitation, Kalman filtering is introduced by taking the signal that reconstructed from the identified frequencies and amplitudes as the prediction to enhance the reliability and quality (signal-to-noise ratio) of the next measured signals. Numerical study is performed to inspect the performance of the proposed method. It is also employed to analyze the vibration signals of actual structures, i.e., a cable of a cable-stayed bridge, a hanger of an arch bridge and the main girder of a suspension bridge. The results show its potential to track frequency and amplitude in structural vibrations under environmental measurements. The method is supposed to provide fundamental support for further information obtaining and high-level decision making for structural health monitoring systems. • A novel method for automatic frequency and amplitude extraction in real-time is proposed. • Kalman filtering is introduced for better tracking of frequency and amplitude under ambient excitation. • The method proposed exhibits better tracking performance in the case of low SNR. • Three long-time continuous vibration signals generated by actual structures are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare the relationship of morphologically defined non-bulging/herniated, bulging and herniated intervertebral lumbar discs with quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Thirty-two healthy volunteers and 28 patients with back pain or sciatica were examined by MRI. All intervertebral lumbar discs from L1 to S1 were classified according to morphological abnormality and degenerated grades. The ADC values of nucleus pulposus (NP) were measured and recorded. The significant differences about mean ADC values of NP were found between non-bulging/herniated discs and bulging discs as well as herniated discs (P < 0.05), whereas there were no significant differences in ADC values between bulging and herniated discs (P > 0.05). Moreover, statistically significant relationship was found in the mean ADC values of NP between “non-bulging/herniated and non-degenerated discs” and “non-bulging/herniated degenerated discs” as well as herniated discs (P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis between ADC value and disc level revealed an inverse correlation (r = −0.18). The ADC map of the NP is a potentially useful tool for the quantitative assessment of componential and molecular alterations accompanied with lumbar disc abnormalities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A block-wise recursive APES is proposed for online analysis of nonstationary signal. • A postprocessing method to compact time frequency representation is developed. • Higher frequency resolution and smaller analytical time-lag are achieved. • Positive results are obtained with numerical and realistic data. The amplitude and phase estimation of a sinusoid (APES) method, receiving superior results to conventional Fourier transform (FT) featured as narrower spectral peaks and lower side-lobe levels, has been widely applied in the fields of medical imaging, remote sensing, synthetic aperture radar, etc. Both FT and APES suppose the signal collected is stationary. When handing with non-stationary signals, we have to resort to the adaptive extension of FT, i.e., the short time Fourier transform (STFT). Likewise, we also need to extend APES to adapt to changing signal spectrum while maintaining the advantage of high-resolution. To this end, this paper proposes a block-wise recursive APES (BRAPES) method for online spectral estimation of time-varying signals, in which the size of the updating block is adjustable to accommodate the real-time requirement of online computing. Additionally, inspired by recent developments in reassignment method (RM) and synchrosqueezing transform (SST) against the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, we construct a frequency-squeezing postprocessing (FSP) technique aiming at improving the concentration of time–frequency (TF) representation by BRAPES, which essence is to move the spectral lines towards the nearest natural frequency rather than changing the amplitude. The numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed approach, BRAPES aided with FSP (BRAPES-FSP), not only has high accuracy in processing nonstationary signals, but also can adopt a much shorter data sequence for analysis than Fourier class methods, which greatly guarantee the real-time performance of computation in online environment. Furthermore, we employ BRAPES-FSP to process the acceleration responses of cables of a real cable-stayed bridge and a experimental cable in workshop, proving its capability and potential of dealing with vibration monitoring signals in such fields as structural health monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Increasing tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) expression is found to be positively associated with spontaneous abortion. TNFα acts through the binding of two types of transmembrane receptors called TNFR1 and TNFR2. Here we compare membrane TNFR1 (mTNFR1) protein expression on chorionic villi in women with spontaneous abortion (SA) and viable pregnancy. Methods: In a prospective study, 31 women with SA and 30 with a viable pregnancy were studied. Chorionic villous membrane TNFR1 was detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Results: The mTNFR1 protein is expressed in villous stromal, vessel endothelial, syncytiotrophoblast, and cytotrophoblast cells in early pregnancy. The intensity of mTNFR1 fluorescence (mean±S.D.) in villous stromal cells was higher in the abortion groups than in the control group (35.99±6.35 versus 32.64±5.01; p <0.05). In the abortion groups, villous cytotrophoblast cells were intensely positive for mTNFR1, whereas mTNFR1 staining of vessel endothelial and syncytiotrophoblast cells was significantly lower (p <0.001). Conclusion: Abundant mTNFR1 expression in the cytotrophoblast cells in women with SA may mediate TNFα to induce programmed cell death in the mTNFR1-expressing cytotrophoblasts to limit their growth. The over-expressing mTNFR1 in villous stromal cells, mediating TNFα effects, may cause pathological changes or tissue damage in chorionic villi locally in nonviable pregnancies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Graph-based causal inference has recently been successfully applied to explore system reliability and to predict failures in order to improve systems. One popular causal analysis following Pearl and Spirtes et al. to study causal relationships embedded in a system is to use a Bayesian network (BN). However, certain causal constructions that are particularly pertinent to the study of reliability are difficult to express fully through a BN. Our recent work demonstrated the flexibility of using a Chain Event Graph (CEG) instead to capture causal reasoning embedded within engineers' reports. We demonstrated that an event tree rather than a BN could provide an alternative framework that could capture most of the causal concepts needed within this domain. In particular, a causal calculus for a specific type of intervention, called a remedial intervention, was devised on this tree-like graph. In this paper, we extend the use of this framework to show that not only remedial maintenance interventions but also interventions associated with routine maintenance can be well-defined using this alternative class of graphical model. We also show that the complexity in making inference about the potential relationships between causes and failures in a missing data situation in the domain of system reliability can be elegantly addressed using this new methodology. Causal modelling using a CEG is illustrated through examples drawn from the study of reliability of an energy distribution network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the evolution of land uses in Beijing, China, by economic sector and type of use since 1949, based on the findings of four aerial surveys of the metropolitan territory in 1951, 1959, 1983 and 1991. Changes in urban land use; Prospects for future urban land use; Development trends.

[Display omitted] • The Chinese fir sawdust-derived porous carbon (NPC) was successfully synthesized. • Low-temperature NaOH/urea and melamine phosphate are conducive to NPC performance. • The NPC has a hierarchical pore structure and reasonable N, P heteroatom groups. • The symmetric supercapacitor exhibits a high energy density of 15.9 Wh/kg. The development of heteroatom-doped porous carbon derived from biomass waste with high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors has been drawn extensive research. Herein, N, P co-doped porous carbon (NPC) was successfully synthesized using Chinese fir sawdust as a carbon source, NaOH as an activator, urea as a nitrogen source, and melamine phosphate as the phosphorus and nitrogen source by pretreatment with low-temperature NaOH/urea system. The low-temperature pretreatment and melamine phosphate greatly promoted the porous structure and uniform distributions of heteroatom about the NPC. The optimized NPC exhibits high specific surface area (1849 m2/g), hierarchical porous structure with high mesoporosity (87.3 %), appropriate heteroatom content (3.32 at% N, 0.36 at% P), and excellent wettability. This unique facilitates improved electrolyte diffusion efficiency and ion transfer rate. In the three-electrode system, the specific capacitance of the NPC electrode is as high as 260 F/g at 0.5 A/g and remains at 235 F/g at 10 A/g, and the charge transfer resistance is very low (0.08 Ω). In addition, the assembled symmetric supercapacitors deliver an energy density of 15.9 Wh/kg at a power density of 246 W/kg, a long cycling life with 90 % capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. The environment-friendly NPC has a broad development prospect for carbon-based high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the problem of testing partial parameter stability in cointegrated regression models. The existing literature considers a variety of models depending on whether all regression coefficients are allowed to change (pure structural change) or a subset of the coefficients is held fixed (partial structural change). We first show that the limit distributions of the test statistics in the latter case are not invariant to changes in the coefficients not being tested; in fact, they diverge as the sample size increases. To address this issue, we propose a simple two‐step procedure to test for partial parameter stability. The first entails the application of a joint test of stability for all coefficients. Upon a rejection, the second conducts a stability test on the subset of coefficients of interest while allowing the other coefficients to change at the estimated breakpoints. Its limit distribution is standard chi‐square. The relevant asymptotic theory is provided along with simulations that illustrate the usefulness of the procedure in finite samples. In an application to US money demand, we show how the proposed approach can be fruitfully employed to estimate the welfare cost of inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: A total of 60 PCOS women with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to vitamin D group (2000 IU/day) or control group. The observational parameters were measured at baseline and after treatment, including body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin release test, and lipid metabolism parameters. Results: The serum 25(OH)D concentrations at different time points after vitamin D supplementation were significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.05). The BMI, WHR, insulin concentrations, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in women of Vitamin D group after 12 weeks of treatment were significantly lower than that in women of control group (P < 0.05). The serum insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR at different time points of OGTT, serum TG, TC and LDL-C concentrations in women of vitamin D group (obesity) were significantly lower compared with control group (obesity) (P < 0.05). The BMI, WHR, TG, TC and LDL-C concentration in women of vitamin D group (IR) were significantly lower compared with control group (IR) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in metabolic parameters between vitamin D group (non-obesity) and control group (non-obesity) (P > 0.05), and these differences of metabolic parameters were also not observed between vitamin D group (non-IR) and control group (non-IR) (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation had beneficial effects on metabolic parameters in PCOS women, especially in women with obesity or insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with signet ring cell components is extremely rare. Here, we present a case of DLBCL with signet ring cell components involving the breast, which can be easily confused with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast or metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of gastrointestinal origin. Case presentation: A 66-year-old woman presented with a painless mass in her left breast. Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast revealed a 42 × 29 × 28 mm mass in the left breast. Histological examination revealed a diffuse or scattered arrangement of round cells mixed with signet ring-like cells. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for PAX-5, CD79a, CD20, Bcl-6, and MUM-1 but and negative for cytokeratin, ER, PR, E-cadherin, and P120. The Ki-67 proliferation index was approximately 70%. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) demonstrated non-rearrangement of Bcl-2, Bcl-6, and c-MYC genes. Immunohistochemistry and FISH examination confirmed the diagnosis of DLBCL. Subsequently, immunofluorescence showed both IgM and IgG deposits in the signet ring-like lymphocytes. After confirming the diagnosis, the patient received four courses of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) chemotherapy in a specialist hospital and achieved partial remission; however, she unfortunately died of secondary pneumocystis pneumonia infection 3 months later. Conclusion: Malignant lymphoma with signet ring cell morphology is quite uncommon, and this variant can be a diagnostic pitfall. We emphasise that pathologists should consider lymphoma in the differential diagnosis of malignant breast tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposes a real-time intelligent vibration-based perception method of the time-varying cable force. • Propose an efficient recursive APES method, the time-varying frequencies is abstracted from the monitoring vibration signal. • Propose a real-time and accurate identification method for the time-varying cable force. • Propose the selection methods of order, range and accuracy of time-varying frequency and cable force. • Temperature has an obvious influence on the time-varying cable force, and its influence trend should be removed. During the service period of cables, the corrosion fatigue is the principal damage form under the combined action of traffic loading and external environment. The real-time and accurate perception of the time-varying cable force in service is the foundation for exactly evaluating the safety status of cable. However, most of the existing methods identifying cable force can only obtain the average cable force over a period of time, besides, although a few methods can detect the time-varying cable force, they cannot meet the requirements of time-frequency resolution. This paper proposes a real-time intelligent vibration-based perception method of the time-varying cable force based on the block recursive APES method and cable dynamic stiffness analysis theory. Through the efficient recursive APES method, the real-time intelligent perception of time-varying frequencies is abstracted from the real-time monitoring vibration signal of the cable. Based on the accurate dynamic analysis model of the cable, the cable forces and modal frequencies calculated by the theoretical formula are fitted to obtain an accurate identification method for the time-varying cable force, which can meet the real-time and accuracy requirements at the same time. Combining the above two methods, a real-time intelligent perception method for perceiving the time-varying cable force is proposed. In order to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method, cases on real bridge cables were analyzed, and the selection methods of order, range and accuracy of time-varying frequency and cable force were proposed. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can realize the real-time accurate perception of time-varying cable force, and the temperature effect has an obvious influence on the time-varying cable force. In the statistical analysis of cable stress amplitude, the influence of temperature trend should be removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Waste cellulose separator was chosen as the precursor to prepare hard carbon. • Pre-oxidation can effectively improve the Na+ storage performance. • S1500 delivered a high reversible capacity of 361.29 mAh/g with an ICE of 84.85%. • S1500//NVP exhibited a high energy density of 258.23 Wh/kg. Hard carbon (HC) shows significant promise as a material for sodium-ion batteries (SIB). Cellulose-derived carbon is considered one of the most promising high-performance anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. In this study, waste cellulose separator-derived HC anode materials were rationally developed using the pre-oxidation-carbonization pyrolysis method. The as-prepared HC possessed advantageous characteristics for Na+ storage, including a unique fibrous structure, a reasonable space layer, and a small specific surface area (SSA). The optimal sample demonstrated a substantial reversible capacity of 361.29 mAh/g at 0.1C, an impressive high-rate performance with a reversible capacity of 272.93 mAh/g at 10C, and an initial coulombic efficiency of 84.85 %. Following 500 cycles at 1C, the capacity retained 96.38 % of its initial value. The sodium storage process was identified as the "adsorption-insertion-pore filling mechanism" through ex-situ XRD and in-situ Raman experiments. Moreover, the as-prepared HCs demonstrated better rate and cycle capability when evaluated as anodes in full-cell sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). This research provides valuable insights into the rational design of high-performance HC anodes for SIBs and other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is a worldwide metabolic disease with rapid growing incidence, characterized by hyperglycemia. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), has a high morbidity according to the constantly increasing diabetic patients and always develops irreversible deterioration of renal function. Though different in pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and therapies, both type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can evolve into DKD. Since amino acids are both biomarkers and causal agents, rarely report has been made about its metabolism which lies in T1DM- and T2DM-related kidney disease. This study was designed to investigate artemether in adjusting renal amino acid metabolism in T1DM and T2DM mice. Artemether was applied as treatment in streptozotocin (STZ) induced T1DM mice and db/db T2DM mice, respectively. Artemether-treated mice showed lower FBG and HbA1c and reduced urinary albumin excretion, as well as urinary NAG. Both types of diabetic mice showed enlarged kidneys, as confirmed by increased kidney weight and the ratio of kidney weight to body weight. Artemether normalized kidney size and thus attenuated renal hypertrophy. Kidney tissue UPLC-MS analysis showed that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and citrulline were upregulated in diabetic mice without treatment and downregulated after being treated with artemether. Expressions of glutamine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, ornithine, glycine, histidine, phenylalanine and threonine were decreased in both types of diabetic mice whereas they increased after artemether treatment. The study demonstrates the initial evidence that artemether exerted renal protection in DKD by modulating amino acid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First study to perform next-generation sequencing in fresh mastitis samples • Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii verified as a cause of granulomatous lobular mastitis • Other unreported pathogens in granulomatous lobular mastitis identified • Increased prolactin observed as another noteworthy factor • Lipophilic antibiotics and prolactin inhibitor may have therapeutic prospects Objectives: We aimed to comprehensively explore the etiology of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) to optimize treatment programs. Methods: We collected 30 fresh mastitis samples for metagenomic next-generation sequencing, morphological observation, and analysis of the clinical information. Results: Of the 30 samples, 25 were GLM; pathogens were detected in 17, these were: Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii (10 of 25, 40%); C. kroppenstedtii and Pseudomonas oleovorans (3 of 25, 12%); C. kroppenstedtii and human gammaherpesvirus 4 (1 of 25, 4%); Acinetobacter baumannii and C. kroppenstedtii (1 of 25, 4%); P. oleovorans (1 of 25, 4%); and Tepidiphilus thermophilus (1 of 25, 4%). Abnormal sex hormone levels (mainly prolactin) and/or autoimmune function were found in 12 of the 25 samples. Lipophilic antibiotics (rifampicin) were found to work effectively in patients with slow-healing wounds after surgery. Conclusions: The main pathogenic factor of GLM is C. kroppenstedtii infection, but other unusual pathogens (P. oleovorans , human gammaherpesvirus 4, A. baumannii, T. thermophilus) are likely to be closely related to GLM, particularly human gammaherpesvirus 4 (Epstein-Barr virus)-associated mastitis, which may be a new entity of mastitis. Abnormal levels of sex hormones and autoimmune function are also common causes. Therefore, lipophilic antibiotics (rifampicin) and prolactin inhibitors may be an effective treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes-related muscle wasting is one of the devastating complications of diabetes, which is associated with muscle autophagy due to insulin-mediated glucose starvation. However, treatment for diabetes-related muscle wasting is limited. Our previous study already found that niclosamide ethanolamine salt has the therapeutic effects on insulin deficiency of type 1 diabetes mice and muscle wasting induced by doxorubicin. Therefore, we aim to investigate the therapeutic effects of niclosamide ethanolamine salt on diabetes-induced muscle wasting and to explore whether the mechanism is associated with muscle autophagy. Methods: Type 1 diabetes mice were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, then were fed with regular diet supplemented with 10 g/kg niclosamide ethanolamine salt. The whole experiment lasted for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, grip strength, weights of tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, soleus, and extensor digitorum longus muscle were measured. Tibialis anterior muscles stained with PAS were used for evaluating the fiber cross sectional area. Immunofluorescence analysis of myosin heavy chain expression in extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscle was used for determining the composition of the muscle fiber type. Electronic microscopy was applied to observe the autophagy in the atrophied muscle. Serum insulin levels and fasting blood glucose were also measured. Tissues of gastrocnemius muscle were used for detecting the expression of the proteins related to autophagy. Results: In this study, we found that niclosamide ethanolamine salt could ameliorate muscle atrophy in the type 1 diabetes mice as well, such as enhancing the declined grip strength, improving limb weight and increasing the numbers of glycolytic muscle fiber. Electron microscopy also confirmed that there did exist abundant autophagic vacuoles in the atrophied muscle of the type 1 diabetes mice. Specifically, niclosamide ethanolamine salt could reduce the over expression of autophagy-related proteins, including p-AMPK (Thr172), FoxO3a, p-ULK1 (Ser555), LC3B II, and p-p38 in gastrocnemius muscle of the type 1 diabetes mice. Conclusion: Niclosamide ethanolamine salt could ameliorate muscle wasting. The mechanisms underlying might be associated with inhibition of muscle autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kidney is a high-energy demand organ rich in mitochondria especially renal tubular cells. Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction, redox imbalance and kidney injury are interconnected. Artemether has biological effects by targeting mitochondria and exhibits potential therapeutic value for kidney disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study was performed to determine the effects of artemether on Adriamycin-induced nephropathy and the potential mechanisms were also investigated. In vivo, an Adriamycin nephropathy mouse model was established, and mice were treated with or without artemether for 2 weeks. In vitro, NRK-52E cells were stimulated with TGF-β1 and treated with or without artemether for 24 h. Then renal damage and cell changes were evaluated. The results demonstrated that artemether reduced urinary protein excretion, recovered podocyte alterations, attenuated pathological changes and alleviated renal tubular injury. Artemether also downregulated TGF-β1 mRNA expression levels, inhibited tubular proliferation, restored tubular cell phenotypes and suppressed proliferation-related signalling pathways. In addition, artemether restored renal redox imbalance, increased mtDNA copy number and improved mitochondrial function. In summary, we provided initial evidence that artemether ameliorates kidney injury by restoring redox imbalance and improving mitochondrial function in Adriamycin nephropathy in mice. Artemether may be a promising agent for the treatment kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe fever and thrombocytopenia bunyavirus (SFTSV) infection causes severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome with high mortality. It is extremely rare that a transmitting tick can be directly captured in bite wounds, and that SFTSV can be isolated from both the captured tick and patient's serum to establish a solid pathogen diagnosis. Case presentation: We report a case infected with severe fever and thrombocytopenia bunyavirus. The 69-year-old male patient presented with fever and tenderness on two lymph nodes in the right groin. A visible tick bite mark appeared on right upper quadrant of the patient's abdomen, and a live tick was captured in the bite wound upon physical examination. The virus was detected in both the blood of the patient and in the tick that stayed in the bite wound for 7 days. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the SFTSV isolated from the tick and the patient's serum sample belonged to type B, in which the L/S segment of these two isolates shared 100% homology, while the M segment had 99.9% homology. The bitten patient was given various supportive care, but eventually died of multiple organ failure. Conclusion: The present case provides strong evidence of SFTSV transmission from H. longicornis to humans, and suggests that direct cross-species transmission can occur without additional intermediate hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent study found that vitamin D before conception was considered as a potential additional determinant for achieving pregnancy and live births. The study aimed to evaluate the serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and its affecting factors among preconception fertile women.Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 410 women aged 22-44 years who attended a preconception genetic counseling clinic from January 2018 to May 2019. Sociodemographic characteristics and reproductive history of women were collected, and height and weight were measured. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was assayed with chemiluminescence immunoassay. Descriptive statistics were used to examine serum 25(OH)D concentration, and socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive history among preconception women. Determinants of vitamin D deficiency and its affecting factors were assessed using χ2 test and logistic regression.Results: Findings showed 84.4% of women had serum 25(OH)D concentration below 20 ng/mL. Women working indoors as well as without a history of childbirth had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels compared with those non-working individuals and having delivered a previous child (both P < 0.05). The 25(OH)D levels were the lowest in winter among that in spring, summer, and autumn (all P < 0.001). Women in winter have significantly elevated OR of 5.00 (95%CI 1.75-14.25) to develop vitamin D deficiency. Seasonal variation in serum 25(OH)D levels was not present in non-working individuals and women aged 31-44 years.Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common among preconception women especially nulliparous women and working women, which propose to screen serum 25(OH)D on preconception evaluation and emphasize need vitamin D supplements and get sunshine exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Up to 95% of granulomatous lobular mastitis specimens had pathogens. • Pathogens in GLM included bacteria, fungi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex groups. • Most GLM patients (about 76.9%) had multiple pathogens as detected by next-generation sequencing(NGS)technology. • The sensitivity and specificity of NGS method were significantly higher than those of traditional histochemical staining. Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare inflammatory disease of the breast that clinically mimics breast cancer. However, its etiology is not completely defined. The purpose of this study was to systematically study the bacteriology of GLM using advanced detection technology. Paraffin-embedded tissue from patients with GLM was collected. DNA was extracted from the samples and analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, and the data were processed using bioinformatics analyses. A total of 40 patients were recruited into the study. A bioinformatics analysis revealed that a total of 17 genera or 19 species of pathogens were present in 39 of the GLM patients (97.5%). These included bacteria, fungi, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex group. Bacteria were found in 39 of the patient cases, while fungi were present in five. Only one case tested positive for M. tuberculosis complex. In addition, a single genus of pathogen was found in nine patients (23.1%), whereas 30 patients (76.9%) tested positive for multiple pathogens. This study profiled the microbiota of patients with GLM using NGS technology, which provides more useful information for establishing patient treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Early diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is characterized by renal hypertrophy and albuminuria. The mTOR signal pathway is closely related to DKD. This study was performed to determine the renal protection of niclosamide ethanolamine salt (NEN) which was identified as mTOR inhibitor.Methods: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) db/db mice were used and divided into db/db and db/db + NEN groups. Lean wild type mice served as T2D-control. NEN treatment lasted for 12 weeks. The kidney morphological changes, urine indices, blood glucose and metabolic symptoms were evaluated. In addition, the effects of NEN on kidney mitochondria and mTOR/4E-BP pathway were also measured.Results: NEN could prevent diabetic kidney hypertrophy and alleviate glomerular mesangial expansion, attenuate GBM and TBM thickening in db/db mice. It also restored podocyte dysfunction, reduced urinary albumin, NAG, NGAL, and TGF-β1 excretion. Specifically, it could uncouple kidney mitochondria and significantly inhibit renal cortical activation of mTOR/4E-BP1 pathway.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that NEN could improve kidney injury in db/db mice and has the potential to translate to future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, efficient and cost-effective recycling of waste capacitors is a pressing issue. In this study, the recovery of electrode powder from waste supercapacitors and enabling the reuse of the prepared samples are reported. The recovered powder is directly activated by mixing it with KOH using chemical activation to regenerate the waste-activated carbon. The regenerated activated carbon's specific surface area could be restored to a level similar to that of the original commercial powder, reaching 1803.15 m2/g. The regenerated activated carbon has a high proportion of microporous, which played a crucial role in its electrochemical performance. The samples' capacity in the organic system reached 125.96 F/g at 0.2 A/g and 111.77 F/g at 20 A/g, with a retention rate of 88.74%. Furthermore, the capacitance was maintained at 91.18% after 10,000 cycles, showing good cycling performance. Additionally, the supercapacitor assembled from the regenerated activated carbon delivered a high energy density of 31.83 Wh/kg and a power density of 269.76 W/kg, indicating great application potential. Overall, this study offers a useful and low-cost approach for recycling activated carbon from waste electrodes, which would be possible for supercapacitors recycling. [Display omitted] • The waste electrode carbon powder is regenerated into activated carbon. • The electrochemical properties of 21RAC-3 are superior than 21KSN. • 21RAC-3 organic supercapacitor exhibits an energy density of 31.83 Wh/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Micro-Nano Sphere Structure was prepared for the first time. • Fulvic acid was innovatively used as carbon source. • Significantly improved long-term cycling and rate performance. Here, a new micro-nano sphere structure of silicon–carbon composite anode materials is fabricated using spray drying and surface modification. Fulvic acid (FA) is used as the carbon source, which forms voids between nanoscale silicon–carbon particles. The results demonstrate by rate performance that particle voids can significantly enhance the lithium-ion transport rate. The Si@FA-2 material offered a high capacity of 917.28 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. Thus, fabricating a micro-nano sphere structure using FA as the carbon source offers a helpful exploration of silicon-based anode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiple functions of vitamin D 3 have stimulated interest in the role that this vitamin may play during pregnancy. The present study investigated the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in women during the first trimester of pregnancy in order to determine whether VDR is associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Forty women at 7–10 weeks gestation with RPL and 40 women of similar gestational age with a healthy pregnancy were recruited. VDR mRNA and protein in chorionic villi and decidua were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The serum levels of VDR were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Women with RPL had a significantly weaker expression of VDR mRNA in villi and decidual tissues compared with the control women (both p < 0.0001). Western blot analysis showed an approximately 46% decrease in VDR expression in villi and a 52% decrease in decidua in the RPL vs. the controls. Serum VDR levels were also significantly lower in the RPL group than in the control group ( p = 0.003). Compared with the controls, immunohistochemical and CLSM analysis revealed significantly lower VDR expression in villous cytotrophoblasts and stromal cells, as well as in decidual glandular epithelial and stromal cells (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, these observations show that women with RPL have lower levels of VDR expression in chorionic villi, decidua and serum compared with normal pregnant women, suggesting that decreased VDR expression in the first trimester pregnancy may be associated with RPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) exerts effects on the neuronal function of hippocampal neurons and increases hippocampal mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) expression, which causes depressive behaviors in rat or mouse. Here we focus on the change of serum MKP-1, BDNF, testosterone (T), and estradiol (E2) levels, in order to test the hypothesis that dysregulation of MKP-1, BDNF, T, and E2 are associated with depression in perimenopausal women. Methods: Women with depression, after meeting criteria in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, for mental and behaviural disorders and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), were included in the study. Psychosocial data and blood samples were obtained from the subjects in the study, including 38 perimenopausal and 32 young women with depression, 26 healthy control perimenopausal women, and 34 young women. Results: Serum MKP-1 levels were higher and T was lower in the women with depression compared to controls ( p<0.05), and depressed perimenopausal women exhibited the highest serum MKP-1 levels and lowest T levels. Logistic regression analyses showed that MKP-1 levels were positively correlated with HDRS scores in the women, and T levels were inversely correlated with HDRS scores in the perimenopausal women ( p<0.05). Conclusions: This study suggests that high serum MKP-1 levels are associated with depression in women, and this association did not appear to be confounded by age. Further, the results provide evidence of association between depressive symptom severity and increasing serum MKP-1 levels in women, and decreasing T levels in perimenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new kind of soft carbon and hard carbon composite nanofibers were fabricated from isotropic pitch and polyacrylonitrile via simple electrospinning followed by stabilization and carbonization. The obtained fibrous mat was directly used as anodes of lithium-ion batteries without binder added and current collector. The composite nanofibers electrodes display a large reversible capacity of 452 mA h g −1 at a current density of 20 mA g − 1 and a capacity of 255 mA h g −1 at 200 mA g − 1 after 200 cycles. The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the unique fibrous structure which will facilitate electrons and ions transfer and the porous structure which will accommodate quantities of lithium ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by dysregulated blood glucose and liver metabolism. In previous studies, niclosamide ethanolamine salt (NEN) and artemether (Art) displayed significant hypoglycemic effects. However, their combined therapeutic effects on the liver in T1D have remained elusive. In the present study, T1D mice were established and randomly allocated into groups. Following treatment, the physiological and metabolic parameters, including liver function, glycogen content, glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) protein expression levels, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial metabolism were analyzed. Compared with the NEN or Art treatments alone, their combination improved glycometabolism and the symptoms of diabetes. Combined treatment with NEN and Art also significantly ameliorated liver injury and increased liver glycogen storage. Furthermore, combinatorial treatment significantly downregulated hepatic G6Pase protein expression levels and regulated mitochondrial biogenesis. NEN and Art increased the respiratory exchange rate and reduced mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex protein expression levels, whereby the effects were obviously enhanced by their application as a combined treatment. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that combined treatment with NEN and Art improved glycometabolism and liver function in T1D mice and the therapeutic effects may be partially associated with the regulation of liver mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This study investigated factors associated with hot flashes in Chinese perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited Chinese women aged 40–60 years who were perimenopausal or postmenopausal and examined factors associated with hot flashes. Participants completed a questionnaire detailing demographic information, characteristics of menstruation, reproductive history, use of hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, personal lifestyle factors (exercise, multivitamin use, soy products use, diet), and symptoms of hot flashes. Height, weight, blood pressure, and waist and hip circumference were also measured. Results: A total of 1399 participants (817 perimenopausal women and 582 postmenopausal women) completed the study. In perimenopausal women, college or higher education decreased the prevalence of hot flashes (odds ratio (OR) 0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.86). In postmenopausal women, an omnivorous diet decreased the prevalence of hot flashes (OR 0.38; 95% CI 0.17–0.85). Strenuous exercise (≥3 times a week) increased the prevalence of hot flashes (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.08–1.83) in perimenopausal women. Conclusions: It is possible that modifiable risk factors for hot flashes exist in Chinese perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Future studies with larger populations are needed to confirm these findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]