The influence of maternal prepregnancy weight and gestational weight gain on the umbilical cord blood metabolome: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal overweight/obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are frequently reported to be risk factors for obesity and other metabolic disorders in offspring. Cord blood metabolites provide information on fetal nutritional and metabolic health and could provide an early window of detection of potential health issues among newborns. The aim of the study was to explore the impact of maternal prepregnancy overweight/obesity and excessive GWG on cord blood metabolic profiles. METHODS: A case control study including 33 pairs of mothers with prepregnancy overweight/obesity and their neonates, 30 pairs of mothers with excessive GWG and their neonates, and 32 control mother-neonate pairs. Untargeted metabolomic profiling of umbilical cord blood samples were performed using UHPLC‒MS/MS. RESULTS: Forty-six metabolites exhibited a significant increase and 60 metabolites exhibited a significant reduction in umbilical cord blood from overweight and obese mothers compared with mothers with normal body weight. Steroid hormone biosynthesis and neuroactive ligand‒receptor interactions were the two top-ranking pathways enriched with these metabolites (P = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). Compared with mothers with normal GWG, in mothers with excessive GWG, the levels of 63 metabolites were increased and those of 46 metabolites were decreased in umbilical cord blood. Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids was the most altered pathway enriched with these metabolites (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Prepregnancy overweight and obesity affected the fetal steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway, while excessive GWG affected fetal fatty acid metabolism. This emphasizes the importance of preconception weight loss and maintaining an appropriate GWG, which are beneficial for the long-term metabolic health of offspring.

Protective effect of chlorogenic acid on liver injury in heat-stressed meat rabbits.

This study investigated the protective effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) on production performance and liver function of rabbits under heat stress (HS) condition. A total of 120 healthy New Zealand weaned rabbits with similar initial body weight, were randomly divided into 3 treatments with 20 replicates per treatment and 2 weaned rabbits per replicate: control (CON) group (rabbits were housed at 25 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet), HS group (rabbits were housed at 35 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet), and HS + CGA group (rabbits were housed at 35 ± 1°C and fed a basal diet supplemented with 800 mg/kg CGA). The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that HS challenge decreased (p < 0.05) growth performance, induced oxidative stress and hepatic apoptosis, and caused liver damage in rabbits. However, dietary CGA supplementation increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain and feed efficiency, and enhanced (p < 0.05) antioxidative capacity in serum and liver in HS-challenged rabbits; attenuated HS-induced increases in urea nitrogen (p = 0.03), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.03), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.01), caspase-8 (p = 0.02), and caspase-3 (p = 0.04) as well as decrease albumin (p = 0.04). Moreover, supplementation with CGA upregulated Nrf2/HO-1 pathway-related genes expressions, including Nrf2 (p = 0.009), HO-1 (p = 0.03) and SOD1 (p = 0.04) in HS-challenged rabbits. Our findings demonstrated that dietary CGA supplementation could alleviate HS-induced decline in growth performance, and protect against HS-induced liver damage partially through enhancing antioxidant capacity via acting Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and inhibiting hepatic apoptosis in rabbits.

The significance of elective neck dissection for patients with T2N0M0 OSCC at different ages.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the significance of elective neck dissection (END) for patients of different ages with T2N0M0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and sought to analyze the reasons behind it and its value for clinical guidance. METHODS: This study enrolled 391 patients with T2N0M0 OSCC who were surgically treated in our hospital and were divided into young-, moderate-, and advanced-age groups according to our previous study. The Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared with moderate- and advanced-age patients, young patients with T2N0M0 OSCC had higher lymph node metastasis rates and lymph node ratios. Therefore, END significantly improved the recurrence (p = 0.001) and survival (p = 0.001) for young patients, but not for moderate-age patients. Advanced-age patients even benefit from watchful waiting. END significantly improved recurrence and survival in young patients with smoking or alcohol consumption habits. CONCLUSIONS: END improved the prognosis of young patients, and it was related to their higher metastasis rate. However, advanced-age patients benefited from the wait-and-see policy. END is essential for the young patients with smoking or drinking habit, it is also highly recommended for nonsmokers and nondrinkers.

The component of the Chamaecyparis obtusa essential oil and insecticidal activity against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst).

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) is a worldwide grain storage pest controlled by chemical control methods of phosphine fumigation, which results in many hazards, damages human health, makes pests resistant to pesticides, and pollutes the environment. In recent years, the popularity of botanical insecticides has continued to rise, and plant essential oils (EO) are considered potential alternatives for developing insecticides. In the current study, we selected the Chamaecyparis obtusa EO to determine its insecticidal effects and component analysis on T. castaneum. Through gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) technology, cedrol was the most obvious compound in the signal peak of the volatile components detected in the C. obtusa EO. The results of the bioassay showed that the C. obtusa EO had certain contact activity against T. castaneum, and the LD50 was 52.54 µg/adult. At three concentrations (0.41,1.62, 2.83 uL/cm2), the repellent rates of C. obtusa EO against T. castaneum were all above 80% at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min, respectively, indicating that the repellent effect was strong. Meanwhile, the C. obtusa EO exhibited fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum with LC50 values of 7.09 µg/L air. In addition, C. obtusa EO significantly increased the activity of AChE, CarE, POD, CAT, T-SOD, and chitinase in T. castaneum. Finally, the mechanism of C. obtusa EO on T. castaneum adults was explored based on transcriptome sequencing. We found that the DEGs focused on the chitin metabolic process and some aging genes in T. castaneum. Therefore, C. obtusa EO could be used as potential eco-friendly candidates for stored grain pest management.

Differing risk factors for new onset and recurrent gestational diabetes mellitus in multipara women: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether recurrent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and newly diagnosed GDM share similar risk factors. METHODS: The study recruited a cohort of 10,151 multipara women with singleton pregnancy who delivered between 2016 and 2019 in Beijing, China. The prevalence of recurrent GDM and associated risk factors were analyzed between women with and without prior GDM history. RESULTS: Eight hundred and seventy-five (8.6%) multipara women had a diagnosis of GDM during previous pregnancies. The prevalence of GDM and pre-gestational diabetes mellitus were 48.34% (423/875) and 7.89% (69/875) if the women were diagnosed with GDM during previous pregnancies, as compared to 16.00% (1484/9276) and 0.50% (46/9276) if the women were never diagnosed with GDM before. In women without a history of GDM, a variety of factors including older maternal age, higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (PPBMI), prolonged interval between the two pregnancies, higher early pregnancy weight gain, family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), maternal low birth weight, and higher early pregnancy glycemic and lipid indexes were generally associated with an increased risk of GDM at subsequent pregnancy. In women with a history of GDM, higher PPBMI, higher fasting glucose level and maternal birthweight ≥4000 g were independent risk factors for recurrent GDM. CONCLUSIONS: GDM reoccurred in nearly half of women with a history of GDM. Risk factors for recurrent GDM and newly diagnosed GDM were different. Identifying additional factors for GDM recurrence can help guide clinical management for future pregnancies to prevent GDM recurrence.

The negative feedback between miR-143 and DNMT3A regulates cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.

Emerging evidence suggests that miR-143 plays an important role in the regulation of tumor sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. The study explores the underlying mechanism of miR-143 in reversing cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer. The cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell line A2780/CDDP was induced and established via treating A2780 cells by gradually increasing cisplatin concentrations. The IC50 values of A2780/CDDP and A2780 to cisplatin were 218.10 ± 1.12 and 21.99 ± 1.12 µM, respectively. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) results showed that miR-143 was significantly decreased in A2780/CDDP cells compared with A2780 cells. miR-143 overexpression decreased cisplatin resistance in A2780/CDDP, and miR-143 inhibition decreased A2780 sensitivity to cisplatin. Results of qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and luciferase reporter assay indicated that the direct target of miR-143 was DNMT3A, which, in turn, was upregulated in A2780/CDDP. DNMT3A overexpression antagonized the sensitizing effect of miR-143 on A2780/CDDP to cisplatin. Knocking down of DNMT3A reduced cisplatin resistance in A2780/CDDP, while overexpression of DNMT3A increased cisplatin resistance in A2780. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction results showed that the methylation level in the promoter region of the miR-143 precursor gene was higher in A2780/CDDP cells than in A2780 cells. DNMT3A mediated the hypermethylation of the miR-143 precursor gene, resulting in miR-143 downregulation in A2780/CDDP. miR-143 inhibited cell growth of A2780/CDDP cell in nude mice. Our findings indicated the negative feedback between miR-143 and DNMT3A as a crucial epigenetic modifier of cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.

Internal Grasper and Magnetic Anchoring Guidance System in Gynecologic Laparoendoscopic Single-site Surgery: A Case Series.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and report preliminary data after the use of an internal grasper and magnetic anchoring guidance system (MAGS) to allow free movement and optimal triangulation in the abdominal cavity during gynecologic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). DESIGN: A prospective, single-center case series. SETTING: The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. PATIENTS: Eighteen female patients underwent MAGS-assisted LESS with an internal grasper. INTERVENTIONS: A single surgeon performed MAGS-assisted LESS on patients with benign gynecologic diseases while documenting operative time, device insertion time, surgeon assessment of technical adaptation, patient-evaluated pain and cosmetic outcomes, adverse events, and blood loss. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eighteen patients underwent transumbilical MAGS-assisted LESS using an internal grasper from November 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. The mean operative time and insertion time were 98.7 minutes and 1 minute, respectively. The use of MAGS was easily mastered by the surgeon and considered consistently useful in overcoming the limitations of LESS. The patients reported average pain scores of 4.8, 2.3, and 0.5 immediately, 24 hours, and 1 week after surgery, respectively. All patients expressed satisfaction with the postoperative cosmetic results. No serious complications were observed. The mean blood loss was 43.6 mL. CONCLUSION: MAGS-assisted LESS is easy to deploy and use for benign gynecologic disease and seems to result in positive outcomes. Larger randomized controlled trials are warranted.

Climatic adaptation and ecological divergence between two closely related pine species in Southeast China.

Climate is one of the most important drivers for adaptive evolution in forest trees. Climatic selection contributes greatly to local adaptation and intraspecific differentiation, but this kind of selection could also have promoted interspecific divergence through ecological speciation. To test this hypothesis, we examined intra- and interspecific genetic variation at 25 climate-related candidate genes and 12 reference loci in two closely related pine species, Pinus massoniana Lamb. and Pinus hwangshanensis Hisa, using population genetic and landscape genetic approaches. These two species occur in Southeast China but have contrasting ecological preferences in terms of several environmental variables, notably altitude, although hybrids form where their distributions overlap. One or more robust tests detected signals of recent and/or ancient selection at two-thirds (17) of the 25 candidate genes, at varying evolutionary timescales, but only three of the 12 reference loci. The signals of recent selection were species specific, but signals of ancient selection were mostly shared by the two species likely because of the shared evolutionary history. FST outlier analysis identified six SNPs in five climate-related candidate genes under divergent selection between the two species. In addition, a total of 24 candidate SNPs representing nine candidate genes showed significant correlation with altitudinal divergence in the two species based on the covariance matrix of population history derived from reference SNPs. Genetic differentiation between these two species was higher at the candidate genes than at the reference loci. Moreover, analysis using the isolation-with-migration model indicated that gene flow between the species has been more restricted for climate-related candidate genes than the reference loci, in both directions. Taken together, our results suggest that species-specific and divergent climatic selection at the candidate genes might have counteracted interspecific gene flow and played a key role in the ecological divergence of these two closely related pine species.

On Chinese learning strategies of learners from Central Asian countries: an analysis of gender, age, and learning duration effects.

This research focuses on the Chinese learning strategies employed by learners from Central Asian countries, specifically examining the effects of gender, age, and learning duration. The study aims to identify and analyze the demographic factors that influence the learning approaches of these learners, providing insights for more effective teaching and learning of Chinese as a foreign language. Data are collected through questionnaires and interviews, and statistical analysis is conducted to explore the correlations between gender, age, learning duration, and learning strategies. The learning strategy model adopted in this study provides a comprehensive classification of language learning strategies. The results underscore the significance of incorporating these factors into language education programs, providing valuable insights into the unique needs and challenges encountered by learners from Central Asian countries. The findings indicate that students from Central Asian countries predominantly utilize social strategies, metacognitive strategies, and affective strategies in their Chinese language learning. These are followed by compensatory strategies, cognitive strategies, and memory strategies. While gender does not exert a significant impact on the utilization of Chinese learning strategies, there are discernible variations in memory and affective strategies between males and females. Age does not significantly affect overall learning strategies, but there are notable disparities in compensatory strategies among different age groups. Learning duration has a significant effect on compensation and metacognitive strategies. The correlation between learning duration and overall strategies is significant indicating that learners with different learning durations exhibit notable differences in compensation and metacognitive strategies.

Comprehensive clinical, genome and transcriptomic analysis of primary ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: There is currently no comprehensive genome-wide description of the primary ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma (GCOC), hindering our understanding of pathogenesis. We herein present a case with comprehensive clinical, genome and transcriptomic analysis. These will serve as the first comprehensive molecular atlas for primary GCOC. A 58-year-old male underwent subtotal resection with prosthetic restoration. Genome sequencing (WGS) detected previously identified CTNNB1 mutation with novel alterations of MAP3K, EP300, and 22q11.21 region. Transcriptome results showed significant involvement of cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. These results need to be compared with more GCOCs for more accurate clinical guidance.

The impact of comorbidity on the diagnosis delay, treatment options and prognosis for advanced oral cancer: A retrospective result of the POROMS database.

This study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanisms linking advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with its comorbidities. Data extracted from the POROMS database included 448 advanced OSCC patients in stage III or IV (AJCC 8th) with primary tumors between August 2015 and August 2021. Time to diagnosis delay increased from 4.5, 5.3-6.5 months when the Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 (ACE-27) worsened from none, mild (RR: 1.155, 1.043-1.279; P = 0.006) to moderate-severe (RR: 1.431, 1.251-1.636; P < 0.001). With the number of comorbidities increased from 0, 1-2 (RR: 1.188, 1.078-1.310; P = 0.001) to 3 (RR: 1.563, 1.296-1.885; P < 0.001), the time to diagnosis delay increased from 4.5, 5.4-7.1 months. As the level and number of comorbidities increased, the likelihood of treatment completion gradually declined, especially in those older than 65 years (P = 0.003). The presence of comorbidity was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (HR: 1.431, 1.022-2.005; P = 0.037). Comorbidities may lead to poorer prognosis by directly causing delays in diagnosis, limiting treatment options, and increasing the risk of death in advanced OSCC patients.

The enhanced energy metabolism in the tumor margin mediated by RRAD promotes the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The tumor margin as the invasive front has been proven to be closely related to the progression and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, how tumor cells in the marginal region obtain the extra energy needed for tumor progression is still unknown. Here, we used spatial metabolomics and the spatial transcriptome to identify enhanced energy metabolism in the tumor margin of OSCC and identified that the downregulation of Ras-related glycolysis inhibitor and calcium channel regulator (RRAD) in tumor cells mediated this process. The absence of RRAD enhanced the ingestion of glucose and malignant behaviors of tumor cells both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, the downregulation of RRAD promoted the internal flow of Ca2+ and elevated its concentration in the nucleus, which resulted in the activation of the CAMKIV-CREB1 axis to induce the transcription of the glucose transporter GLUT3. GLUT inhibitor-1, as an inhibitor of GLUT3, could suppress this vigorous energy metabolism and malignant behaviors caused by the downregulation of RRAD. Taken together, our study revealed that enhanced energy metabolism in the tumor margin mediated by RRAD promotes the progression of OSCC and proved that GLUT3 is a potential target for future treatment of OSCC.

Gestational weight gain and pregnancy outcomes in Chinese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: evidence from a tertiary hospital in Beijing.

Objective: To examine the effects of gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes and determine the optimal range of weight gain during pregnancy for Chinese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 691 Chinese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus from 2012 to 2020. The study utilized a statistical-based approach to determine the optimal range of gestational weight gain. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the impact of gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes. Results: (1) In the obese subgroup, gestational weight gain below the recommendations was associated with decreased risks of large for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06-0.60) and macrosomia (aOR 0.18; 95% CI 0.05-0.69). In the normal weight subgroup, gestational weight gain below the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine was associated with decreased risks of preeclampsia (aOR 0.18; 95% CI 0.04-0.82) and neonatal hypoglycemia (aOR 0.38; 95% CI 0.15-0.97). (2) In the normal weight subgroup, gestational weight gain above the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine was associated with an increased risk of large for gestational age (aOR 4.56; 95% CI 1.54-13.46). In the obese subgroup, gestational weight gain above the recommendations was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia (aOR 2.74; 95% CI 1.02, 7.38). (3) The optimal ranges of gestational weight gain, based on our study, were 9-16 kg for underweight women, 9.5-14 kg for normal weight women, 6.5-12 kg for overweight women, and 3-10 kg for obese women. (4) Using the optimal range of gestational weight gain identified in our study seemed to provide better prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: For Chinese women with type 2 diabetes, inappropriate gestational weight gain is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the optimal range of gestational weight gain may differ from the Institute of Medicine recommendations.

Butyrate and iso-butyrate: a new perspective on nutrition prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Dietary imbalance, such as a lower proportion of complex carbohydrates and a higher protein diet, may contribute to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risks through their metabolisms. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the association between butyrate, iso-butyrate, and GDM, which are metabolisms of the two primary nutrients above. This study aimed to clarify the association of butyrate and iso-butyrate with GDM. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted based on the Beijing Birth Cohort Study (BBCS) from 2017 to 2018. Totally, 99 singleton women were involved (GDM: n = 49, control: n = 50). All participants provided blood samples twice (in their first and second trimesters). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for butyrate and iso-butyrate detection. Unconditional logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that butyrate in the first trimester was negatively correlated with GDM (odds ratio (OR): 0.00, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.00-0.21, P = 0.008), and iso-butyrate in the second trimester was positively related to GDM (OR: 627.68, 95% CI: 40.51-9724.56, P < 0.001). The ratio (butyrate/iso-butyrate) was negatively associated with GDM, both in the first trimester (OR: 0.00, 95%CI: 0.00-0.05, P < 0.001) and in the second trimester (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.34-0.80, P = 0.003). The area under the curve (AUC) using the ratio in the first trimester combined with clinical risk factors achieved 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95). Iso-butyrate in the second trimester combined with clinical risk factors achieved an AUC of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.92-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: High iso-butyrate and low butyrate levels may be associated with an increased risk of GDM. As they are produced through dietary nutrient formation by gut microbiota, further studies on the association of dietary intake and butyrate or iso-butyrate concentration in plasma may help find a novel approach to nutritional intervention for GDM.

Neonatal Amino Acids and Acylcarnitines Associated With Maternal Blood Glucose Levels Throughout Pregnancy: Insights From the Beijing Birth Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between maternal blood glucose patterns throughout pregnancy and neonatal amino acids and acylcarnitines. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 11,457 singleton pregnant women without preexisting diabetes from the Beijing Birth Cohort Study, along with their neonates born between July 2021 and October 2022 in Beijing, China. Distinct maternal glucose trajectories were identified using a latent class model based on blood glucose levels across the three trimesters, and their association with neonatal circulating metabolites, including 11 amino acids and 33 acylcarnitines, was examined, adjusting for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Three distinct groups of maternal glucose trajectories were identified: consistent normoglycemia (n = 8,648), mid-to-late gestational hyperglycemia (n = 2,540), and early-onset hyperglycemia (n = 269). Mid-to-late gestational hyperglycemia was associated with decreased levels of amino acids (alanine, arginine, ornithine, and proline) involved in the arginine and proline metabolism and urea cycle pathway, as well as increased levels of C4DC+C5-OH and decreased level of C6DC and C10:1. Early-onset hyperglycemia was associated with elevated levels of free acylcarnitine and C4DC+C5-OH and a decreased level of C10:1, involved in the fatty acid oxidation pathway. However, these associations were primarily observed in male neonates rather than in female neonates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed a significant link between maternal glucose trajectories throughout pregnancy and neonatal arginine and proline metabolism, urea cycle pathway, and fatty acid oxidation pathway. These results highlight the importance of maintaining optimal blood glucose levels throughout pregnancy to promote healthy neonatal metabolic outcomes.

The efficacy and safety of Bazi Bushen Capsule in treating premature aging: A randomized, double blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether traditional Chinese patent medicines can resist premature aging. This prospective study investigated the effects of Bazi Bushen Capsule (BZBS) which is a traditional Chinese patent medicine for tonifying the kidney essence on premature senility symptoms and quality of life, telomerase activity and telomere length. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: It was a parallel, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial. Subjects (n = 530) aged 30-78 years were randomized to receive BZBS or placebo capsules 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the clinical feature of change in kidney deficiency for aging evaluation scale (CFCKD-AES) and tilburg frailty indicator (TFI). The secondary outcomes were SF-36, serum sex hormone level, five times sit-to-stand time (FTSST), 6MWT, motor function test-grip strength, balance test, walking speed, muscle mass measurement, telomerase and telomere length. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of treatment, the CFCKD-AES and TFI scores in the BZBS group decreased by 13.79 and 1.50 respectively (6.42 and 0.58 in the placebo group, respectively); The SF-36 in the BZBS group increased by 98.38 (23.79 in the placebo group). The FTSST, motor function test grip strength, balance test, walking speed, and muscle mass in the elderly subgroup were all improved in the BZBS group. The telomerase content in the BZBS group increased by 150.04 ng/ml compared to the placebo group. The fever led one patient in the placebo group to discontinue the trial. One patient in the placebo group withdrew from the trial due to pregnancy. None of the serious AEs led to treatment discontinuation, and 3 AEs (1.14%) were assessed as related to BZBS by the primary investigator. CONCLUSIONS: BZBS can improve premature aging symptoms, frailty scores, and quality of life, as well as improve FTSST, motor function: grip strength, balance test, walking speed, and muscle mass in elderly subgroups of patients, and enhance telomerase activity, but it is not significantly associated with increasing telomere length which is important for healthy aging. TRIAL REGISTRY: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=166181.

Facile synthesis of flower-like sandwich-structured molecularly imprinted polymers for efficient recognition of target protein from egg white.

In this work, a facile method for synthesis of flower-like sandwich-structured molecularly imprinted polymers (NiO@PDA/MIPs) was proposed for protein recognition. Polydopamine modified flower-like NiO was used as substrate to immobilize the target protein (ovalbumin, OVA), and dopamine was utilized as functional monomer to form the imprinted layer. The whole preparation process was conducted in aqueous solution at room temperature. The key preparation conditions were studied systematically. Owing to the large surface-to-volume of the flower-like structure and the multifunctional groups on the polydopamine layer, the NiO@PDA/MIPs showed large binding capacity (143.2 mg/g), efficient adsorption kinetics (60 min) and excellent selectivity toward OVA. Meanwhile, the NiO@PDA/MIPs possessed satisfactory stability and reusability. Finally, successful capture of OVA from egg white suggested its potential value in practical applications.

[Accumulation Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Heavy Metals in Cultivated Land Surface Soil in Lanzhou].

In this study, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb in the surface soil of cropland in Lanzhou were studied, and the combination of descriptive statistics, single-factor accumulation index, comprehensive accumulation index, geostatistical method, and a geographically weighted regression model (GWR) was used to investigate their accumulation status, spatial distribution, and influencing factors, in order to provide scientific basis for the precise control of heavy metal accumulation risk in the study area. The results showed that:①the single-factor accumulation index showed that the accumulation of Hg and Cd in the study area was the largest, followed by that of Pb and As, and that of Cr was the smallest; the comprehensive accumulation index showed that the accumulation rate of heavy metals was as high as 98.11%, of which 54.81% was mild accumulation and 43.30% was moderate and above accumulation. However, there was no heavy metal pollution in the surface soil of cultivated land in Lanzhou. ② Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that there was no heavy metal pollution in the surface soil of Lanzhou, but there was accumulation in a few areas. The spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that the spatial autocorrelation of the Cr, Hg, and Pb single-factor accumulation indices was moderate, indicating that they were influenced by both random and structural factors; the spatial autocorrelation of the other two heavy metals was weak, indicating that they were mainly influenced by random factors, among which human factors were more influential. The Hg single-factor accumulation index was high in the middle and low in the fourth; the integrated accumulation index increased from northwest to southeast and decreased from the middle to both sides. ③ Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis showed that altitude, slope length, distance from rivers, soil organic matter (SOM) content, precipitation, air temperature, and surface temperature all showed positive driving effects, whereas the rest of the factors showed negative driving effects and significant spatial heterogeneity and instability (P<0.05). The magnitudes of the factor effects were in the order of soil characteristics>topographic characteristics>climate characteristics>location characteristics>socioeconomic characteristics>vegetation characteristics, with the largest contribution of SOM content, followed by that of altitude and air temperature, and the smallest of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values. Compared with the other feature factors, the location feature factors had stronger spatial heterogeneity.

Association between serum lipid profile during the first and second trimester of pregnancy as well as their dynamic changes and gestational diabetes mellitus in twin pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal lipid metabolism is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in singleton pregnancies. Data were lacking on twin pregnancies with GDM. We explored the association between serum lipid profiles in the first and second trimesters as well as their dynamic changes and GDM in twin pregnancies. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 2739 twin pregnancies that underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and were selected from the Beijing Birth Cohort Study from June 2013 to May 2021. Cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were measured at mean 9 and 25 weeks of gestation. We described maternal lipid levels in different tertiles that were associated with the risk of GDM stratified for age, pre-BMI, and fertilization type. GDM patients were divided into two groups according to OGTT: elevated fasting plasma glucose only (FPG group) and the rest of the GDM (non-FPG group). We estimated the relative risk of GDM with multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: In this study, we found that 599 (21.9%, 599/2739) twin pregnancies developed GDM. They had increased CHO, TG, LDL, and LDL/HDL, decreased HDL levels in the first trimester, and increased TG as well as decreased HDL in the second trimester in univariate analyses, each P < 0.05. In multivariate analysis, when TG > 1.67 mmol/l (upper tertile) in elderly individuals, nonoverweight and ART groups increased the risk of GDM by 2.7-fold, 2.3-fold and 2.2-fold, respectively, compared with TG < 0.96 mmol/l (lower tertile). This effect remained in the abovementioned groups in the second trimester. Moreover, high TGs increased the risk of GDM in the FPG group (OR = 2.076, 95% CI 1.130-3.815) and non-FPG group (OR = 2.526, 95% CI 1.739-3.67) in the first trimester when TG > 1.67 mmol/l, and the rising risk in the non-FPG group as the TG tertile increased remained in the second trimester. HDL predominantly showed a negative association with elevated FPG in the second trimester (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Twin pregnancies with GDM have higher lipid levels. Increased TGs in the first and second trimesters are strongly associated with GDM, especially in elderly individuals, nonoverweight and ART groups. Lipid profiles varied among different GDM subtypes.

Associations of gestational weight gain with birth weight outcomes in early pregnancy weight loss women: Findings from the Beijing Birth Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between gestational weight gain (GWG) and birth weight outcomes and establish suggested GWG patterns in early pregnancy weight loss women. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted based on the Beijing Birth Cohort Study from 2014 to 2021 and included 20 688 women. Weight change in early pregnancy was calculated using weight measurements within 16 weeks of gestation. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relationships of different GWG categories, based on the Chinese standard, and birth weight outcomes. The statistical-based approach was used to determine the optimal GWG ranges and weekly weight gain. RESULTS: Compared to 3313 women who gained appropriate weight in early pregnancy, 2614 women who lost weight in the same period increased the risk of small for gestational age (SGA) (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.14-1.80, P = 0.002). However, the relationship disappeared after adjusting for total GWG. Among the early pregnancy weight loss women, both excessive GWG and inadequate GWG were associated with adverse birth weight outcomes after adjusting for confounders. The suggested GWG range and rate were 11.0 ~ 16.0 kg and 0.46 to 0.67 kg/week from 16 weeks to delivery for women with normal body mass index (BMI) and weight loss in early pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Weight loss in early pregnancy was not the independent risk factor of birth weight outcomes. GWG may offset the expected effects. To achieve optimal outcomes, women with normal BMI and weight loss in early pregnancy need to have a higher weight gain rate in mid-late pregnancy but similar total GWG ranges with the Chinese standard for general women.