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Objective: To investigate the roles of fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: The levels of SCFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) in 83 patients with PCOS and 63 controls were measured, and their relationships with various metabolic parameters were analyzed. Intestinal microbiome analysis was conducted to identify relevant bacteria. The study took place at the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang, from 5 February to 23 May 2023. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between SCFAs, PCOS, and PCOS-related insulin resistance (IR). Differences in bacterial populations between women with PCOS-IR and those with PCOS-non-insulin resistance (NIR) were identified using linear discriminant analysis effect Size (LEfSe). The relationships between bacteria and fecal propionate levels were explored through linear regression analyses. The potential of fecal propionate and microbial profiles as biomarkers for insulin resistance in PCOS patients was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Higher fecal propionate levels were observed in patients with PCOS compared to controls (p = 0.042) and in PCOS-IR compared to PCOS-NIR (p = 0.009). There was no significant difference in fecal propionate levels between the IR and NIR subgroups of women in the control group (p > 0.05). Additionally, higher fecal propionate levels were associated with IR in PCOS (p = 0.039; OR, 1.115; 95% CI, 1.006–1.237). The abundance of Prevotella copri and Megamonas funiformis was higher in PCOS-IR women compared to PCOS-NIR women (LDA score > 3) and correlated with fecal propionate levels (adjusted R ² = 0.145, p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for propionate and the combined presence of P. copri and M. funiformis in predicting PCOS was 78.0%, with a sensitivity of 78.5% and a specificity of 72.4%. Pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism were significantly enriched in the microbiota of the PCOS-IR population but not in the control IR group. Conclusions: Higher fecal propionate levels correlate with PCOS-related insulin resistance. P. copri and M. funiformis might be key functional bacteria. Therefore, the combination of propionate levels and the abundance of these two bacteria may serve as a potential biomarker for insulin resistance in PCOS patients. Regulation of the intestinal microbiome might be beneficial for the metabolic health of women with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patulin, a fungal secondary metabolite with multiple toxicities, is widely existed in a variety of fruits and their products. This not only causes significant economic losses to the agricultural and food industries but also poses a serious threat to human health. Conventional techniques mainly involved physical and chemical methods present several challenges include incomplete patulin degradation, high technical cost, and fruit quality decline. In comparison, removal of mycotoxin through biodegradation is regarded as a greener and safer strategy which has become popular research. Among them, yeast has a unique advantage in detoxification effect and application, which has attracted our attention. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive account of the yeast species that can degrade patulin, degradation mechanism, current application status, and future challenges. Yeasts can efficiently convert patulin into nontoxic or low‐toxic substances through biodegradation. Alternatively, it can use physical adsorption, which has the advantages of safety, high efficiency, and environmental friendliness. Nevertheless, due to the inherent complexity of the production environment, the sole utilization of yeast as a control agent remains inherently unstable and challenging to implement on a large scale in a practical manner. Integration control, enhancement of yeast resilience, improvement of yeast cell wall adsorption capacity, and research on additional patulin‐degrading enzymes will facilitate the practical application of this approach. Furthermore, we analyzed the feasibility of the yeast commercial application in patulin reduction and provided suggestions on how to enhance its commercial value, which is of great significance for the control of mycotoxins in food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]