While breast milk has unique health advantages for infants, the mechanisms by which it regulates the physiology of newborns are incompletely understood. miRNAs have been described as functioning ...transcellularly, and have been previously isolated in cell-free and exosomal form from bodily liquids (serum, saliva, urine) and tissues, including mammary tissue. We hypothesized that breast milk in general, and milk fat globules in particular, contain significant numbers of known and limited novel miRNA species detectable with massively parallel sequencing. Extracted RNA from lactating mothers before and following short-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) was smRNA-enriched. smRNA-Seq was performed to generate 124,110,646 36-nt reads. Of these, 31,102,927 (25%) exactly matched known human miRNAs; with relaxing of stringency, 74,716,151 (60%) matched known miRNAs including 308 of the 1018 (29%) mature miRNAs (miRBase 16.0). These miRNAs are predicted to target 9074 genes; the 10 most abundant of these predicted to target 2691 genes with enrichment for transcriptional regulation of metabolic and immune responses. We identified 21 putative novel miRNAs, of which 12 were confirmed in a large validation set that included cohorts of lactating women consuming enriched diets. Of particular interest, we observed that expression of several novel miRNAs were altered by the perturbed maternal diet, notably following a high-fat intake (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that known and novel miRNAs are enriched in breast milk fat globules, and expression of several novel miRNA species is regulated by maternal diet. Based on robust pathway mapping, our data supports the notion that these maternally secreted miRNAs (stable in the milk fat globules) play a regulatory role in the infant and account in part for the health benefits of breast milk. We further speculate that regulation of these miRNA by a high fat maternal diet enables modulation of fetal metabolism to accommodate significant dietary challenges.
Studies reveal that electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and hookah use are increasing among adolescents and young adults. However, the long-term health effects are unknown, especially with regards to ...pregnancy. Because of the increased use in women of reproductive age, and the unknown long-term health risks, our primary objectives were to determine the perceived risks of e-cigarette and hookah use in pregnancy, and learn common colloquial terms associated with e-cigarettes. Furthermore, we sought to determine if there is a stigma associated with e-cigarette use in pregnancy.
Eleven focus groups including 87 participants were conducted immediately following regularly scheduled CenteringPregnancy® prenatal care with women at three different clinics in the greater Houston area. A minimum of two facilitators led the groups, using ten lead-in prompts, with Spanish translation as necessary. Facilitators took notes which were compared immediately following each group discussion and each group was audio recorded and transcribed. Three facilitators utilized NVivo 9.0 software to organize the transcribed data into nodes to identify major themes. To increase rigor, transcripts were further analyzed by two obstetricians who were instructed to find the major themes.
Analyses revealed contradicting themes concerning e-cigarette use. In general, e-cigarettes were perceived as safer alternatives to regular tobacco cigarettes, especially if used as smoking cessation devices. A major theme is that use in pregnancy is harmful to the fetus. However, it was perceived that use for smoking cessation in pregnancy may have fewer side effects. We found that a common term for e-cigarettes is "Blu." In our discussion of hookah use, participants perceived use as popular among teenagers and that use in pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus.
Although a strong theme emerged against hookah use, we found contradicting themes in our discussions on e-cigarette use in pregnancy. It is possible that e-cigarette use will not carry the same stigma as regular cigarette smoking in pregnancy. In addition, the impression of e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative to smoking may influence use in pregnancy. Clinicians need to be prepared for questions of e-cigarette safety and efficacy as smoking cessation devices from their pregnant patients who smoke, and women who smoke and are planning to become pregnant.
Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of most common complications of pregnancy, with incidence rates varying by maternal age, race/ethnicity, obesity, parity, and family history. ...Given its increasing prevalence in recent decades, covariant environmental and sociodemographic factors may be additional determinants of GDM occurrence. Objective We hypothesized that environmental risk factors, in particular measures of the food environment, may be a diabetes contributor. We employed geospatial modeling in a populous US county to characterize the association of the relative availability of fast food restaurants and supermarkets to GDM. Study Design Utilizing a perinatal database with >4900 encoded antenatal and outcome variables inclusive of ZIP code data, 8912 consecutive pregnancies were analyzed for correlations between GDM and food environment based on countywide food permit registration data. Linkage between pregnancies and food environment was achieved on the basis of validated 5-digit ZIP code data. The prevalence of supermarkets and fast food restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants for each ZIP code were gathered from publicly available food permit sources. To independently authenticate our findings with objective data, we measured hemoglobin A1c levels as a function of geospatial distribution of food environment in a matched subset (n = 80). Results Residence in neighborhoods with a high prevalence of fast food restaurants (fourth quartile) was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing GDM (relative to first quartile: adjusted odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.19). In multivariate analysis, this association held true after controlling for potential confounders ( P = .002). Measurement of hemoglobin A1c levels in a matched subset were significantly increased in association with residence in a ZIP code with a higher fast food/supermarket ratio (n = 80, r = 0.251 P < .05). Conclusion As demonstrated by geospatial analysis, a relationship of food environment and risk for gestational diabetes was identified.
Background We have recently shown in both non-human primates and in rodents that fetal and neonatal hepatic expression of the circadian transcription factor, Npas2 , is modulated by a high fat ...maternal diet and plays a critical role in establishing life-long metabolic homeostasis. Similarly, we and others have also established the importance of the maternal and early postnatal diet on establishment of the early gut microbiome. Objective We hypothesized that altered circadian gene expression solely in the neonatal liver would result in gut microbiome dysbiosis, especially with diet-induced metabolic stress (ie, restricted feeding). Using a murine model in which we conditionally knock out Npas2 in the neonatal liver, we aimed to determine the role of the circadian machinery in gut dysbiosis with restricted feeding. Study Design We collected fecal samples from liver Npas2 conditional knockout (n = 11) and wild-type (n = 13) reproductive-aged mice before (study day 0) and after the restricted feeding study (study day 17). Extracted DNA was sequenced using the MiSeq Illumina platform using primers specific for the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal DNA gene. The resulting sequences were quality filtered, aligned, and assigned taxonomy. Principal coordinate analysis was performed on unweighted and weighted UniFrac distances between samples with a permutation analysis of variance to assess clustering significance between groups. Microbial taxa that significantly differ between groups of interest was determined using linear discriminate analysis effect size and randomForrest. Results Principal coordinate analysis performed on weighted UniFrac distances between male conditional knockout and wild-type cohorts revealed that the gut microbiome of the mice did not differ by genotype at the start of the restricted feeding study but did differ by virtue of genotype at the end of the study ( P = .001). Moreover, these differences could be at least partially attributed to restricted feeding–associated alterations in relative abundance of the Bacteroides genus, which has been implicated as crucial to establishing a healthy gut microbiome early in development. Conclusion Here we have provided an initial key insight into the interplay between neonatal establishment of the peripheral circadian clock in the liver and the ability of the gut microbiome to respond to dietary and metabolic stress. Because Npas2 expression in the liver is a target of maternal high-fat diet–induced metabolic perturbations during fetal development, we speculate that these findings have potential implications in the long-term metabolic health of their offspring.
These proceedings present the method and performance of primary vertex reconstruction at the ATLAS experiment during Runs 1 and 2 at the LHC. The studies presented focus on data taken during 2012 at ...a centre-of-mass energy of s=8TeV, and during 2015-2016 at s=13TeV. Some predictions toward future runs are also presented. The measurement of the position and size of the luminous region and its use as a constraint to improve the primary vertex resolution are discussed.
Functional placental niches are presumed to spatially separate maternal-fetal antigens and restrict the vertical transmission of pathogens. We hypothesized a high-resolution map of placental ...transcription could provide direct evidence for niche microenvironments with unique functions and transcription profiles.
We utilized Visium Spatial Transcriptomics paired with H&E staining to generate 17,927 spatial transcriptomes. By integrating these spatial transcriptomes with 273,944 placental single-cell and single-nuclei transcriptomes, we generated an atlas composed of at least 22 subpopulations in the maternal decidua, fetal chorionic villi, and chorioamniotic membranes.
Comparisons of placentae from uninfected healthy controls (n = 4) with COVID-19 asymptomatic (n = 4) and symptomatic (n = 5) infected participants demonstrated that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection in syncytiotrophoblasts occurred in both the presence and the absence of maternal clinical disease. With spatial transcriptomics, we found that the limit of detection for SARS-CoV-2 was 1/7,000 cells, and placental niches without detectable viral transcripts were unperturbed. In contrast, niches with high SARS-CoV-2 transcript levels were associated with significant upregulation in pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferon-stimulated genes, altered metallopeptidase signaling (TIMP1), with coordinated shifts in macrophage polarization, histiocytic intervillositis, and perivillous fibrin deposition. Fetal sex differences in gene expression responses to SARS-CoV-2 were limited, with confirmed mapping limited to the maternal decidua in males.
High-resolution placental transcriptomics with spatial resolution revealed dynamic responses to SARS-CoV-2 in coordinate microenvironments in the absence and presence of clinically evident disease.
This work was supported by the NIH (R01HD091731 and T32-HD098069), NSF (2208903), the Burroughs Welcome Fund and the March of Dimes Preterm Birth Research Initiatives, and a Career Development Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.
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•Term placenta transcriptomics atlas with spatial and single-cell resolution•Transcriptomic niches of sparse or high SARS-CoV-2 levels in placentae•SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to a range of dynamic placental immune microenvironments
With placentae collected during the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant surge, when the burden of COVID-19 on maternal-fetal health was at its peak, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine utilized state-of-the-art approaches to characterize distinct functional roles in the maternal and fetal spaces of the placenta and showed differences ranging from healthy uninfected to highly SARS-CoV-2-infected areas with clinically evident disease. These data suggest that multiple mechanisms lead to the clearance of sparse SARS-CoV-2 placental infections and identify potential SARS-CoV-2-susceptible areas or “niches” that persist up to 10 days after the onset and resolution of symptoms.
Barrozo et al. map gene expression in term placental microenvironments with orthogonal bulk and spatial approaches to parse how functional placental niches restrict vertical transmission of pathogens. Applying this atlas to cases of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections revealed divergent placental immune microenvironments associated with asymptomatic infection and clinically evident disease.
A non-contact ammeter using phosphor thermometry Shope, D.A.; Mahajan, S.M.
Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth Southeastern Symposium on System Theory (Cat. No.02EX540),
2002
Conference Proceeding
An experiment was conducted to study the feasibility of a remote (noncontact) ammeter based on phosphor thermometry. Elevated surface temperature (due to current) of a small transformer was measured ...by employing phosphor thermometry. A nearly linear relationship between surface temperature and current indicates potential use for this technique. Some modifications to the technique with the aim of reducing relatively long thermal stabilization time, observed in this experiment, are suggested.
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