Gestational diabetes mellitus enhances cobalt placental transfer efficiency between mother and infant.

Background: The fetal stage is pivotal for growth and development, making it susceptible to the adverse effects of prenatal metal(loid)s exposure. This study evaluated the influence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on the placental transfer efficiency (PTE) of metal(loid)s and thus assessed the associated risks of prenatal metal(loid)s exposure.Materials and method: Designed as a case-control study, it incorporated 114 pregnant participants: 65 without complications and 49 diagnosed with GDM. We utilized inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to quantify seven metal(loid)s - manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), gallium (Ga), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) - in both maternal venous blood and umbilical cord blood.Result: We compared metal(loid)s concentrations and their PTE in the maternal and cord blood between the two groups. Notably, Cu, Ga, As, and Co levels in the umbilical cord blood of the GDM group (657.9 ± 167.2 µg/L, 1.23 ± 0.34 µg/L, 5.19 ± 2.58 µg/L, 1.09 ± 2.03 µg/L) surpassed those of the control group, with PTE of Co showing a marked increase in GDM group (568.8 ± 150.4 µg/L, 1.05 ± 0.31 µg/L, 4.09 ± 2.54 µg/L, 0.47 ± 0.91 µg/L), with PTE of Co showing a marked increase in GDM group (p < 0.05). The PTE of Ni exhibited a reduction in the GDM group relative to the control group, yet this decrease did not reach statistical significance.Conclusion: This study indicates that GDM can influence the placental transfer efficiency of certain metal(loid)s, leading to higher concentrations of Co, Cu, Ga, and As in the umbilical cord blood of the GDM group. The marked increase in the PTE of Co suggests a potential link to placental abnormal angiogenesis due to GDM.

Effects of Litsea cubeba Essential Oil-Chitosan/Corn Starch Composite Films on the Quality and Shelf-Life of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa).

In this work, we have developed a composite chitosan film incorporating the Litsea cubeba essential oil (LCEO) and starch with good physical properties, and investigated the effect of coating strawberries with this composite film. The best formula of the LCEO/chitosan/corn starch/glycerol (LCEO/CH/CS/gly) composite films is 0.25% LCEO, 2.75% CH, 0.40% corn starch, and 0.75% glycerol. Coating strawberries with CH/CS/gly film or LCEO/CH/CS/gly films resulted in significantly lower respiration intensity and a slower decay rate, much slower decreases in the firmness, and reductions in the sugar and ascorbic acid content of the fruit during storage (p < 0.05). The coatings also led to a much slower accumulation of malondialdehyde and anthocyanins (p < 0.05). The LCEO/CH/CS/gly film was generally more effective than the CH/CS/gly film; however, the effect was more obvious in the later stages of storage. Thus, coating strawberries with CH/CS/gly film or LCEO/CH/CS/gly film can be a viable method for extending the shelf-life of the fruit.

Receipt of COVID-19 vaccine in preterm-born children aged 3-7 in China.

Objectives: To determine the COVID-19 vaccination rate in preterm-born children aged 3-7 in China and influential factors, identify vaccination-related adverse reactions, and clarify reasons behind parental refusal of vaccination to their children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in parents of preterm-born children aged 3-7 in different regions of China through WeChat. Results: Of 1,924 Chinese preterm-born children aged 3-7 included in this study, 1,552 (80.7%) had been vaccinated against COVID-19, with a higher vaccination rate in eastern China. Children older than 4 years, kids in kindergartens and primary schools, children living in eastern or western China, and children whose fathers had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine tended to be vaccinated against COVID-19 after adjusting for other covariates. Conversely, children living in urban areas, children whose annual family income was < 50,000 CNY or more than 300,000 CNY, premature children who underwent hospital transfers, and children with underlying diseases were less likely to get vaccinated. Adverse reactions occurred in 59/1,552 (3.8%) vaccinated children. Parents of 118/372 (31.7%) children expressed their concerns over adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccination. Other reasons like the absence of information about the place where they could get vaccination were mentioned as well. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccination-related adverse reactions rarely occurred and most of them were mild among preterm-born children aged 3-7. Higher vaccination coverage can be achieved as parents are provided with more scientific data about benefits of vaccination, vaccination contraindications and precautions, and more information about vaccination sites.

The Value of Ultrasonography in Assessing Fetal Lung Maturity.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the normal parameters of fetal lung development at different gestational ages and to study their correlation with gestational age, thereby providing clinicians with a noninvasive method for assessing fetal lung maturity. METHODS: Two hundred eight cases with pregnancy of 22 to 39 weeks plus 6 days were divided into 18 groups according to gestational age. Ultrasound Doppler was used to measure the relevant parameters of fetal pulmonary development, including right pulmonary left and right diameter, right pulmonary upper and lower diameter, right pulmonary anterior and posterior diameter, right pulmonary area, thoracic area, inner diameter of fetal main pulmonary artery, and Doppler velocity curve parameters of main pulmonary artery: systolic acceleration time (AT), ejection time (ET), AT/ET. RESULTS: This study establishes normal parameters of lung development at different gestational weeks, draws scatter plots, correlation, and regression analysis of fetal main pulmonary artery AT, ET, AT/ET, and gestational weeks; selects the optimal equation; and analyzes the correlation among right pulmonary left and right diameter, right pulmonary upper and lower diameter, right pulmonary anterior and posterior diameter, right lung diameter, right lung area, thoracic area, and gestational weeks; and draw growth curve. The diameter of main pulmonary artery, AT, and AT/ET increased with the increase of gestational age and were positively correlated with gestational age (r = 0.948, 0.875, 0.810; P = 0.012). Ejection time had no correlation with gestational weeks. There were significant differences in the diameter of main pulmonary artery, AT, AT/ET between different gestational weeks (F = 240.67, 41.137, 23.067; P = 0.024); left and right diameter of right lung, anterior and posterior diameter of right lung, upper and lower diameter of right lung, chest area and right lung area were positively correlated with gestational weeks, and there were significant differences between different gestational weeks (F = 190.85, 105.74, 34.97, 172.33, 35.33, P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound Doppler can be used as a noninvasive detecting equipment to evaluate the growth of fetal lung, thus providing a basis for the evaluation of fetal lung maturity.

Investigation on mercury migration discipline in different paper-plastic food packaging containers.

The understanding of the migration of mercury from packaging materials to food stuffs is the prerequisite for the development of food safety regulations. In this article, the migration of mercury from food paper-plastic packaging containers to four food stimulants under different migrated temperatures is studied. The results show that the mobility and the maximum migration volume of mercury increase at certain temperatures when the migration time is extended. It is also noted that the time to reach equilibrium is reduced as the temperature increases. Meanwhile, different solvents appear various different while the rates of migration are 3% acetic acid >10% ethanol >20% ethanol >50% ethanol. But they show the same trend at the different temperatures. Our data suggest that different solvents, temperatures, and food stimulants affect the migration rates, and ameliorate those conditions will reduce migration and promote food quality.

Recent advances in the development of electrochemical aptasensors for detection of heavy metals in food.

Heavy metal contamination in environment and food has attracted intensive attention from the public since it poses serious threats to ecological system and human health. Traditional detection methods for heavy metals such as atomic absorption spectrometry have a fairly low detection limit, but the methods have many limitations and disadvantages. Therefore, it is of significance to develop a rapid technology for real-time and online detection of heavy metals. The electrochemical aptasensor-based technology is promising in the detection of heavy metals with advantages of high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Although its development is rapid, more researches should be carried out before this technology can be used for on-site detection. In this review, the origin, basic principles and development of electrochemical aptasensors are introduced. The applications of nanomaterials and electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of heavy metals (mainly mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic) are summarized. The research and application tendency of electrochemical aptasensors for detection of heavy metals are prospected.