Candida albicans (C. albicans) is an opportunistic fungus that quickly adapts to various microniches. It causes candidiasis, a common fungal infection for which the pathogenic mechanism has not been elucidated yet. To explore the pathogenic mechanism of candidiasis we used several methods, including microscopic observation of morphological changes of HeLa cells and fungus, analysis of differentially expressed genes using gene chips, and a series of biological and bioinformatic analyses to explore genes that are possibly involved in the pathogenesis of C. albicans. During the C. albicans infection, significant morphological changes of the fungus were observed, and the HeLa cells were gradually destroyed. The gene chip experiments showed upregulated expression of 120 genes and downregulated expression of 178 genes. Further analysis showed that some genes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of C. albicans. Overall, morphological variation and adaptive gene expression within a particular microniche may exert important effects during C. albicans infections.

Purpose This study aimed to identify the risk factors and sonographic variables that could be integrated into a predictive model for endometrial cancer (EC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) in women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 1837 patients who presented with AUB and underwent endometrial sampling. Multivariable logistic regression was developed based on clinical and sonographic covariates [endometrial thickness (ET), resistance index (RI) of the endometrial vasculature] assessed for their association with EC/AEH in the development group (n=1369), and a predictive nomogram was proposed. The model was validated in 468 patients. Results Histological examination revealed 167 patients (12.2%) with EC or AEH in the development group. Using multivariable logistic regression, the following variables were incorporated in the prediction of endometrial malignancy: metabolic diseases [odds ratio (OR)=7.764, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 5.042–11.955], family history (OR=3.555, 95% CI 1.055–11.971), age ≥40 years (OR=3.195, 95% CI 1.878–5.435), RI ≤0.5 (OR=8.733, 95% CI 4.311–17.692), and ET ≥10 mm (OR=8.479, 95% CI 5.440–13.216). A nomogram was created using these five variables with an area under the curve of 0.837 (95% CI 0.800–0.874). The calibration curve showed good agreement between the observed and predicted occurrences. For the validation group, the model provided acceptable discrimination and calibration. Conclusion The proposed nomogram model showed moderate prediction accuracy in the differentiation between benign and malignant endometrial lesions among women with AUB.

Background: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign neoplasm of the uterus and a major source of morbidity for women. We report an overview of trends in uterine fibroids of incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs) in 204 countries and territories over the past 30 years and associations with age, period, and birth cohort. Methods: The incidence, prevalence, and YLDs were derived from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 (GBD 2019) study. We utilized an age-period-cohort (APC) model to estimate annual percentage changes in age-standardized rate (ASR) for incidence, ASR for prevalence, ASR for YLDs (net drifts), annual percentage changes from 10 - 14 years to 65 - 69 years (local drifts), period and cohort relative risks (period/cohort effects) between 1990 to 2019. Results: Globally, the incident cases, prevalent cases, and the number of YLDs of uterine fibroids increased from 1990 to 2019 with the growth of 67.07%, 78.82% and 77.34%, respectively. High Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and high-middle SDI quintiles with decreasing trends (net drift < 0.0%), and increasing trends (net drift > 0.0%) were observed in middle SDI, low-middle SDI, and low SDI quintiles in annual percentage change of ASR for incidence, ASR for prevalence and ASR for YLDs over the past 30 years. There were 186 countries and territories that showed an increasing trend in ASR for incidence, 183 showed an increasing trend in ASR for prevalence and 174 showed an increasing trend in ASR for YLDs. Moreover, the effects of age on uterine fibroids increased with age and peaked at 35 - 44 years and then declined with advancing age. Both the period and cohort effects on uterine fibroids showed increasing trend in middle SDI, low-middle SDI and low SDI quintiles in recent 15 years and birth cohort later than 1965. Conclusions: The global burden of uterine fibroids is becoming more serious in middle SDI, low-middle SDI and low SDI quintiles. Raising awareness of uterine fibroids, increasing medical investment and improving levels of medical care are necessary to reduce future burden.

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Background: Previous studies have indicated that women with longer time since menopause are at higher risk of CVD. Moreover, Menopause-associated CVD risk is largely attributed to the change towards an atherogenic lipid profile. Few studies concerning association between years since menopause with lipid profile and there has been no consistent conclusion yet. This study was to explore the association of years since menopause with lipid profile in postmenopausal Chinese women.Methods: 633 postmenopausal women were recruited from Zhejiang, China in 2015-2021. Questionnaire-based interview on sociodemographic and reproductive information were obtained from each participant. Anthropometric measures, lipid profile and reproductive hormones were assessed. Based on the time since menopause, subjects were classified into three groups (group 1, 346 women with time since menopause < 2 years; group 2, 215 women with time since menopause 2-5.9 years; group 3, 72 women with time since menopause ≥ 6 years). The differences of lipid profile and reproductive hormones among groups were compared across three groups. Logistic and liner regression were performed to investigated the association of years since menopause with lipid profile.Results: The age (mean ± SD) of 633 subjects was 50.3 ± 6.0 years. HDL-C, LH levels were significantly lower in postmenopausal women with time since menopause ≥ 6 years compared to those with < 2 years, whereas LDL-C levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05 for all). Further adjustment for age, BMI and other confounders, longer time since menopause was independently associated with lower levels of HDL-C (β, -0.059, SE, 0.023, P < 0.01). Compared to women who had been menopause for less than 2 years, those with more than 6 years had lower HDL-C levels after adjustment for age, BMI, and other confounders (β, -0.123, 95% CI, [-0.221, -0.014], P < 0.05).Conclusions: Longer time since menopause was associated with lower levels of HDL-C in postmenopausal Chinese women.