Most of the mammalian follicles undergo a degenerative process called “follicle atresia”. Apoptosis of granulosa cells is the main characteristic of follicle atresia. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily have important regulatory functions in this process. FSH activates protein kinase A and cooperating with insulin receptor substrates, it promotes the PI3K/Akt pathway which weakens apoptosis. Both Smad or non-Smad signaling of the transforming growth factor β superfamily seem to be related to follicle atresia, and the effect of several important family members on follicle atresia is concluded in this article. FSH and TGF-β are likely to mutually influence each other and what we have already known about the possible underlying molecular mechanism is also discussed below.

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ObjectiveOverlap of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) complicates diagnosis of depressive disorder and renders antidepressant treatment challenging. Previous studies have reported that the incidence of OSA is higher in patients with depression than in the general population. The purpose of this article was to investigate clinical risk factors to predict OSA in depression disorders.MethodsA total of 115 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (in a major depressive episode), who underwent overnight polysomnography, were studied retrospectively. They were divided into two groups: non-OSA and OSA. The patients who had apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) <5 were defined as the non-OSA group, whereas the OSA group was defined as those with an AHI ≥5. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association among AHI and clinical factors, including sex, age, body mass index (BMI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and diagnosis (MDD or bipolar disorder [in a major depressive episode]).ResultsIn 115 patients, 51.3% had OSA. Logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between AHI and diagnosis (MDD or bipolar disorder [in a major depressive episode]), BMI, HAMD, and PSQI (P<0.05).ConclusionThe findings of our study suggested that the rate of depression being comorbid with OSA is remarkably high and revealed that there is a high rate of undetected OSA among depressive disorder patients and untreated OSA among mood disorder patients. The clinical risk factors (diagnosis [MDD or bipolar disorder {in a major depressive episode}], BMI, HAMD, and PSQI) could predict AHI or OSA diagnosis and contribute to OSA screening in depressive disorder patients.

Traditional silicon-based micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) safety and arming devices, such as electro-thermal and electrostatically driven MEMS safety and arming devices, experience problems of high insecurity and require high voltage drive. For the current electromagnetic drive mode, the electromagnetic drive device is too large to be integrated. In order to address this problem, we present a new micro electromagnetically driven MEMS safety and arming device, in which the electromagnetic coil is small in size, with a large electromagnetic force. We firstly designed and calculated the geometric structure of the electromagnetic coil, and analyzed the model using COMSOL multiphysics field simulation software. The resulting error between the theoretical calculation and the simulation of the mechanical and electrical properties of the electromagnetic coil was less than 2% under the same size. We then carried out a parametric simulation of the electromagnetic coil, and combined it with the actual processing capacity to obtain the optimized structure of the electromagnetic coil. Finally, the electromagnetic coil was processed by deep silicon etching and the MEMS casting process. The actual electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil was measured on a micro-mechanical test system, compared with the simulation, and the comparison results were analyzed.