To evaluate the value of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) value in the first prenatal visit to diagnose gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Medical records of 17,186 pregnant women attending prenatal ...clinics in 13 hospitals in China, including the Peking University First Hospital (PUFH), were examined. Patients with pre-GDM were excluded; data for FPG at the first prenatal visit and one-step GDM screening with 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation were collected and analyzed.
The median ± SD FPG value was 4.58 ± 0.437. FPG decreased with increasing gestational age. FPG level at the first prenatal visit was strongly correlated with GDM diagnosed at 24-28 gestational weeks (χ(2) = 959.3, P < 0.001). The incidences of GDM were 37.0, 52.7, and 66.2%, respectively, for women with FPG at the first prenatal visit between 5.10 and 5.59, 5.60 and 6.09, and 6.10-6.99 mmol/L. The data of PUFH were not statistically different from other hospitals.
Pregnant women (6.10 ≤ FPG < 7.00 mmol/L) should be considered and treated as GDM to improve outcomes; for women with FPG between 5.10 and 6.09 mmol/L, nutrition and exercise advice should be provided. An OGTT should be performed at 24-28 weeks to confirm or rule out GDM. Based on our data, we cannot support an FPG value ≥5.10 mmol/L at the first prenatal visit as the criterion for diagnosis of GDM.
Quantified risks of congenital Toxoplasma gondii infection and abnormal pregnancy outcomes following primary maternal infection were evaluated with meta- analysis based on published studies.
The ...related literatures were searched in multiple literature databases regardless of languages. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the risks of vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii and abnormal pregnancy outcomes following primary maternal infection with meta-analysis.
53 of the 2632 searched literatures were included in our analysis. The incidence of abnormal pregnancy outcomes in T. gondii infected pregnant women (infected group) was significantly higher than that in the uninfected pregnant women (control group) (OR = 5.10; 95% CI, 3.85-6.75). Toxoplasma gondii infection rate in the abnormal-pregnancy-outcome group was significantly higher than in the normal-pregnancy group (OR = 3.71; 95% CI, 3.31-4.15). The pooled rate of vertical transmission was 20% (95% CI, 15%-26%) in maternal infection of T. gondii. The incidences of vertical transmission in women who were infected in the first, second or third trimester of pregnancy were 5% (95%CI, 2%-16%), 13% (95%CI, 7%-23%), and 32% (95%CI, 24%-41%), respectively. The rates of vertical transmission in women who were treated with spiramycin-only, PSF (pyrimethamine + sulfadiazine + folinic acid) or PS (pyrimethamine + sulfadiazine) combined with spiramycin, or other untypical treatments were 13% (95%CI, 7%-22%), 13%(95%CI, 7%-25%), and 24%(95%CI, 18%-32%), respectively.
Toxoplasma gondii infection can result in adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women. The pooled rate of vertical transmission was 20% in maternal infection and the incidences of vertical transmission increased in the first, second or third trimester of pregnancy. The pooled rates of transmission in groups treated with spiramycin-only, PSF or PS combined with spiramycin, or other untypical treatments were not significantly different.
Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen and has a high propensity to develop biofilms that are resistant to traditional antifungal agents. In this study, we investigated the effect ...of tetrandrine (TET) on growth, biofilm formation and yeast-to-hypha transition of C. albicans. We characterized the inhibitory effect of TET on hyphal growth and addressed its possible mechanism of action. Treatment of TET at a low concentration without affecting fungal growth inhibited hyphal growth in both liquid and solid Spider media. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that TET down-regulated the expression of hypha-specific genes ECE1, ALS3 and HWP1, and abrogated the induction of EFG1 and RAS1, regulators of hyphal growth. Addition of cAMP restored the normal phenotype of the SC5314 strain. These results indicate that TET may inhibit hyphal growth through the Ras1p-cAMP-PKA pathway. In vivo, at a range of concentrations from 4 mg/L to 32 mg/L, TET prolonged the survival of C. albicans-infected Caenorhabditis elegans significantly. This study provides useful information for the development of new strategies to reduce the incidence of C. albicans biofilm-associated infections.
Tea trees originated in southwest China 60 million or 70 million years ago. Written records show that Chinese ancestors had begun drinking tea over 3000 years ago. Nowadays, with the aging of ...populations worldwide and more people suffering from non-communicable diseases or poor health, tea beverages have become an inexpensive and fine complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy. At present, there are 3 billion people who like to drink tea in the world, but few of them actually understand tea, especially on its development process and the spiritual and cultural connotations.
We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, CNKI, and other relevant platforms with the key word "tea", and reviewed and analyzed tea-related literatures and pictures in the past 40 years about tea's history, culture, customs, experimental studies, and markets.
China is the hometown of tea, tea trees, tea drinking, and tea culture. China has the oldest wild and planted tea trees in the world, fossil of a tea leaf from 35,400,000 years ago, and abundant tea-related literatures and art works. Moreover, tea may be the first Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used by Chinese people in ancient times. Tea drinking has many benefits to our physical health via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immuno-regulatory, anticancer, cardiovascular-protective, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity activities. At the moment, COVID-19 is wreaking havoc across the globe and causing severe damages to people's health and lives. Tea has anti-COVID-19 functions via the enhancement of the innate immune response and inhibition of viral growth. Besides, drinking tea can allow people to acquire a peaceful, relaxed, refreshed and cheerful enjoyment, and even longevity. According to the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine, different kinds of tea can activate different meridian systems in the human body. At present, black tea (fermented tea) and green tea (non-fermented tea) are the most popular in the world. Black tea accounts for over 90% of all teas sold in western countries. The world's top-grade black teas include Qi Men black in China, Darjeeling and Assam black tea in India, and Uva black tea in Sri Lanka. However, all top ten famous green teas in the world are produced in China, and Xi Hu Long Jing tea is the most famous among all green teas. More than 700 different kinds of components and 27 mineral elements can be found in tea. Tea polyphenols and theaflavin/thearubigins are considered to be the major bioactive components of black tea and green tea, respectively. Overly strong or overheated tea liquid should be avoided when drinking tea.
Today, CAM provides an array of treatment modalities for the health promotion in both developed and developing countries all over the world. Tea drinking, a simple herb-based CAM therapy, has become a popular man-made non-alcoholic beverage widely consumed worldwide, and it can improve the growth of economy as well. Tea can improve our physical and mental health and promote the harmonious development of society through its chemical and cultural elements.
Abstract To analyse the genetic aetiology of a child with oculocutaneous albinism and to explore the effects of two mutation sites on the function of the OCA2 protein at the mRNA and protein levels ...via the use of recombinant carriers in vitro. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were used to analyse the pathogenic genes of the child and validate the mutations in the parents. pEGFP and phage vectors carrying wild-type and mutant OCA2 were constructed using the coding DNA sequence (CDS) of the whole gene-synthesized OCA2 as a template and transfected into HEK293T cells, after which expression analysis was performed. The child in this study was born with white skin, hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows and exhibited nystagmus. Genetic analysis indicated that the child carried two heterozygous mutations: c.1079C > T (p.Ser360Phe) of maternal origin and c.1095_1103delAGCACTGGC (p.Ala366_Ala368del) of paternal origin, conforming to an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. In vitro analysis showed that the expression of the c.1079C > T (p.Ser360Phe) mutant did not significantly change at the mRNA level but did increase at the protein level, suggesting that the mutation may lead to enhanced protein stability, and the c.1095_1103delAGCACTGGC (p.Ala366_Ala368del) mutation resulted in the loss of three amino acids in exon 10, producing a truncated protein. In vitro expression analysis also revealed that the expression of the mutant gene was significantly downregulated at both the mRNA and protein levels, suggesting that the mutation can simultaneously produce truncated proteins and lead to protein degradation. This case study enriches the phenotypic spectrum of OCA2 gene disease. In vitro expression analysis confirmed that both mutations affect protein expression, providing a theoretical basis for analysing the pathogenicity of these two mutations.
Abstract
Provisioning can significantly affect the ranging patterns, foraging strategies, and time budget of wild primates. In this study, we document for the first time, the effects of provisioning ...on the activity budget and foraging effort in an Asian colobine. Over 3‐years, we used an instantaneous scanning method at 10‐min intervals to collect data on the activity budget of a semiprovisioned breeding band (SPB) of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (
Rhinopithecus bieti
) (42–70 individuals) at Xiangguqing (Tacheng), Yunnan, China. We then compared the effects of provisioning in our study band with published data on a sympatric wild nonprovisioned breeding band (NPB) of
R. bieti
(ca. 360 monkeys) at the same field site. The SPB spent 25.6% of their daytime feeding, 17.1% traveling, 46.9% resting, and 10.3% socializing. In comparison, the NPB devoted more time to feeding (34.9%) and socializing (14.1%), less time to resting (31.3%), and was characterized by a greater foraging effort (1.74 versus 0.96, foraging effort = (feeding + traveling)/resting; see Methods). There was no difference between bands in the proportion of their activity budget devoted to traveling (15.7% vs. 17.1%). In addition, the SPB exhibited a more consistent activity budget and foraging effort across all seasons of the year compared to the NPB. These findings suggest that the distribution, availability, and productivity of naturally occurring feeding sites is a major determinant of the behavioral strategies and activity budget of
R. bieti
. Finally, a comparison of our results with data on six nonprovisioned
R. bieti
bands indicates that caution must be raised in meta‐analyses or intraspecific comparisons of primate behavioral ecology that contain data generated from both provisioned and nonprovisioned groups.
Research Highlights
We studied the activity budget of a semiprovisioned band of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys and compared the results with six wild nonprovisioned bands.
The semiprovisioned band spent less time feeding, more time resting, and had a lower foraging effort than the nonprovisioned bands.
Caution must be exercised in conducting meta‐analyses when using data from both provisioned and nonprovisioned primate bands.
The proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is an important cause of pulmonary vascular remodelling in hypoxia‐induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH). However, its underlying ...mechanism has not been well elucidated. Connexin 43 (Cx43) plays crucial roles in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in various cardiovascular diseases. Here, the male Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to hypoxia (10% O2) for 21 days to induce rat HPH model. PASMCs were treated with CoCl2 (200 µM) for 24 h to establish the HPH cell model. It was found that hypoxia up‐regulated the expression of Cx43 and phosphorylation of Cx43 at Ser 368 in rat pulmonary arteries and PASMCs, and stimulated the proliferation and migration of PASMCs. HIF‐1α inhibitor echinomycin attenuated the CoCl2‐induced Cx43 expression and phosphorylation of Cx43 at Ser 368 in PASMCs. The interaction between HIF‐1α and Cx43 promotor was also identified using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, Cx43 specific blocker (37,43Gap27) or knockdown of Cx43 efficiently alleviated the proliferation and migration of PASMCs under chemically induced hypoxia. Therefore, the results above suggest that HIF‐1α, as an upstream regulator, promotes the expression of Cx43, and the HIF‐1α/Cx43 axis regulates the proliferation and migration of PASMCs in HPH.
Low-fired fluoride microwave dielectric ceramics (LiF, CaF2, SrF2 and BaF2) were prepared through a simple one-step sintering process. Fluoride ceramics, especially LiF, which had the lowest ...sintering temperature of 800 °C, could be well sintered below 1050 °C. Rietveld refinement results showed that LiF, CaF2, SrF2 and BaF2 ceramics crystallized into a cubic structure with space group Fm-3m. The relative permittivity (εr), quality factor (Q × f) and temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency (τf) of the fluoride ceramics were closely related to relative density, the ionic polarizability of the primitive unit cell, the packing fraction and the bond valence. In this series of low-permittivity fluoride ceramics, LiF, CaF2 and BaF2 could be co-fired with Ag powders, and LiF ceramic exhibited the highest Q×f value of 73880 GHz, which is comparable to those of traditional oxide microwave dielectric ceramics.
Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen. Galleria mellonella is widely used as an infection model host. Nevertheless, the G. mellonella–C. albicans infection model had not been optimized ...for drug evaluation before this study. In this work, we revealed that 5×105 colony forming unit (CFU)/larva was a suitable inoculum to optimize the G. mellonella–C. albicans infection model in order to evaluate antifungal agents. Using our optimized model, the antifungal effect of fluconazole, amphotericin B and flucytosine, and the synergy between amphotericin B and flucytosine were successfully verified. Thus, this study provides a rapid, inexpensive and reliable way to evaluate antifungals in vivo.
Estimating distribution of water uptake with depth of winter wheat by hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes under different irrigation depths GUO Fei, MA Juan-juan, ZHENG Li-jian, SUN Xi-huan, GUO Xiang-hong, ZHANG Xue-lan (1 Fujian Key Lab of Plant Virology, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, P.R.China 2 Key Lab for Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education/Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, P.R.China)
Journal of Integrative Agriculture,
04/2016, Letnik:
15, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Crop root system plays an important role in the water cycle of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. In this study, com- bined isotope techniques, root length density and root cell activity analysis ...were used to investigate the root water uptake mechanisms of winter wheat （Triticum aesfivum L.） under different irrigation depths in the North China Plain. Both direct inference approach and multisource linear mixing model were applied to estimate the distribution of water uptake with depth in six growing stages. Results showed that winter wheat under land surface irrigation treatment （Ts） mainly absorbed water from 10-20 cm soil layers in the wintering and green stages （66.9 and 72.0%, respectively）; 0-20 cm （57.0%） in the jointing stage; 0-40 （15.3%） and 80-180 cm （58.1%） in the heading stage; 60-80 （13.2%） and 180-220 cm （35.5%） in the filling stage; and 0-40 （46.8%） and 80-100 cm （31.0%） in the ripening stage. Winter wheat under whole soil layers irrigation treatment （Tw） absorbed more water from deep soil layer than Ts in heading, filling and ripening stages. Moreover, root cell activity and root length density of winter wheat under TW were significantly greater than that of Ts in the three stages. We concluded that distribution of water uptake with depth was affected by the availability of water sources, the root length density and root cell activity. Implementation of the whole soil layers irrigation method can affect root system distribution and thereby increase water use from deeper soil and enhance water use efficiency.
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