[The role of methylation of placental glucocorticoid response gene in the association between pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester and birth outcomes].

Objective: To investigate the role of methylation of placental glucocorticoid response gene in the association between pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester and birth outcomes. Methods: Based on a prospective cohort study, singleton live births and their mothers from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study (MABC) were included as participants in this study. The maternal pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy were evaluated by using the Pregnancy-related Anxiety Questionnaire. The neonatal birth outcomes were collected from medical records. The placental tissues from 300 pregnant women with pregnancy-related anxiety and 300 without pregnancy-related anxiety were collected to detect the methylation of FKBP5, NR3C1 and HSD11B2 genes using the Methyl Target approach. The methylation factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis. Linear regression or logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester, methylation factor scores, and birth outcomes. The mediating role of methylation factors in the association between pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester and birth outcomes was analyzed by using the Process procedure. Results: The mean age of 2 833 pregnant women was (26.60±3.60) years old. After adjusting for confounding factors, pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester increased the risk of small-for-gestational-age (OR=1.32, 95%CI:1.00-1.74). A total of 5 methylation factors were extracted, and the factor 5 was loaded with FKBP5 CpGs 18-21. Pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester was negatively correlated with the factor 5 (ß=-0.24,95%CI:-0.44--0.05). The factor 5 was positively correlated with the gestational age (ß=0.17, 95%CI:0.06-0.27). In addition, the factor 2 (ß=0.02,95%CI:0.00-0.04) and factor 3 (ß=0.03,95%CI:0.01-0.05) were positively correlated with 5-min Apgar score after delivery. However, this study did not found the mediating role of the scores of the factor characterized by FKBP5 in the relationship between pregnancy-related anxiety and birth outcomes. Conclusion: Pregnancy-related anxiety in the third trimester may reduce the methylation level of FKBP5 CpGs 18-21 in placental tissues and is associated with the risk of small-for-gestational-age.

[Selection and application of implementation strategies in implementation research].

Implementation research is a discipline that attempts to promote the application of evidence-based interventions in different settings and populations by using various methods and measures. Implementation strategies are the central part of implementation research, and as the field of implementation science evolves, more and more implementation strategies have been developed to facilitate the application of evidence-based interventions in the real world. To help researchers better understand and apply implementation strategies, this study will introduce implementation strategies in three aspects: classification, selection and application, and report.

MiR-193a-5p suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis by regulating HOXA7 in human ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women in the world. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were identified as a group of regulators that played important roles in the progression of cancer development. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the functional mechanism of microRNA-193a-5p (miR-193a-5p) in human ovarian cancer. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the RNA levels of miR-193a-5p and homeobox genes A7 (HOXA7). Western blot assay was performed to determine the protein level of HOXA7. The interaction between miR-193a-5p and HOXA7 was predicted by online software starBase v3.0, and then verified by the dual luciferase reporter assay. The cell proliferation and apoptosis rate were examined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and colony formation assay as well as flow cytometry analysis. We found out that the expression level of miR-193a-5p was decreased in human ovarian cancer tissues and cells. The overexpression of miR-193a-5p inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in human ovarian cancer. Interestingly, miR-193a-5p reduced the expression of HOXA7 by binding to 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of HOXA7 mRNA. As expected, the knockdown of HOXA7 also suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in human ovarian cancer. Besides, the upregulation of HOXA7 reversed the effect of miR-193a-5p on human ovarian cell proliferation and apoptosis. Our findings confirmed that miR-193a-5p inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis through the downregulation of HOXA7 in human ovarian cancer, providing a theoretical value for the therapy of human ovarian cancer.

The impact of isolated maternal hypothyroxinaemia on the incidence of large-for-gestational-age infants: the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether isolated maternal hypothyroxinaemia (IMH) is associated with risks of small/large-for-gestational-age (SGA/LGA) infants. DESIGN: Population-based prospective cohort study. SETTING: Ma'anshan Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clinics, China. POPULATION: Pregnant women with singleton births (n = 3178). METHODS: Descriptive statistics were calculated for the demographic characteristics of the mothers and their newborns. Linear regression was applied to estimate the association between thyroid hormone levels and birthweight. Logistic regression was performed to calculate the association between IMH and SGA/LGA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes included SGA/LGA. RESULTS: The prevalence of IMH, defined as a free thyroxine value (FT4) lower than the 2.5th percentile with normal thyroid stimulating hormone, was 2.5% (78/3080) and 2.5% (74/2999) in the first and second trimesters, respectively. Additionally, 306 (9.6%) and 524 (16.5%) infants were defined as SGA and LGA, respectively. No evidence supported the notion that IMH is associated with an increased risk for SGA in either the first [odds ratio (OR): 1.762, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.759-4.089] or the second (OR: 0.763, 95% CI: 0.231-2.516) trimester. However, an increased risk of LGA was observed among IMH women in the second trimester (OR: 2.088, 95% CI: 1.193-3.654). Maternal TPO-Ab positivity in the second trimester increased the risk of SGA (OR: 2.094, 95% CI: 1.333-3.290). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that IMH is associated with LGA. FUNDING: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81330068). TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Isolated maternal hypothyroxinaemia may increase the risk of large-for-gestational-age infants.

[Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid with traditional Chinese medicine on biochemical response in patients with primary biliary cholangitis: a real-world cohort study].

Objective: To examine the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine on biochemical response in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. Methods: According to the method of receiving treatment, 197 patients with primary biliary cholangitis were divided into Traditional Chinese Medicine plus Western medicine group (93 cases, 47.2%) and Western medicine group (104 cases, 52.8%). From the baseline date, the combined group was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid plus traditional Chinese medicine decoction or Chinese patent medicine for at least one month and the Western medicine group simply took ursodeoxycholic acid . Additionally, Traditional Chinese medicine decoction prescriptions were mainly Xiaoyaosan and Yinchenhao. Chinese patent medicine were restricted to Biejia Ruangan tablets, Fuzheng Huayu capsules, Jiuweigantai capsules and Yinzhihuang capsules, which were used to treat liver fibrosis and cholestasis. The primary efficacy endpoint was defined as ALP level < 1.67 × ULN and ≥ 15% decrease in ALP with baseline level and TBIL≤ULN after 12 months of treatment. Results: The overall biochemical response rate of patients was 35.0% (69/197). The response rate of TCM+ Western medicine group was 43.0% (40/93), and that of Western medicine group was 27.9% (29/104). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ(2) = 4.936, P < 0.05). Further analysis showed that the Chinese and Western medicine group was superior to the Western medicine group alone in reducing γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and TBiL [the median decline were GGT: 160.1 U/L and 111.3 U/L (Z = -2.474, P < 0.05), TBiL: 5.2 umol/l and 3.1 umol/l (Z = -2.125, P < 0.05)]. Conclusion: UDCA combined with TCM therapy can remarkably improve the biochemical response rate in patients with PBC and distinctly decrease the TBIL and GGT levels than UDCA monotherapy.

[Research progress in the relationship between sleep during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus].

Sleep regulates many body processes, including neuroendocrine immunity. There is increasing evidence that sleep can affect glucose metabolism. Pregnant women are more prone to sleep problems than the general population, and therefore the relationship between sleep during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus is gradually under attention. This paper reviews the associations between sleep during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus in terms of sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep rhythm, and possible biological mechanisms to provide references for preventing and controlling gestational diabetes mellitus.

[Association of antenatal anxiety with preterm birth and low birth weight: evidence from a birth cohort study].

Objective: To investigate the impacts of antenatal anxiety on preterm birth and low birth weight. Methods: Women in early pregnancy were recruited for follow-up, antenatal anxiety in three trimesters was screened using Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and the score ≥50 was regarded as anxiety. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations of the anxiety in three trimesters, new onset anxiety in the second and third trimesters with infant birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. Results: The rates of anxiety in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy were 12.5%, 3.7%, and 7.4% respectively. We found that there was no statistical association between anxiety in the first and second trimester and preterm birth. The anxiety in the third trimester was associated with increased odds for preterm birth (OR=3.55, 95%CI: 1.62-7.82). Associations between anxiety in all three trimesters and low birth weight were not significant. New onset anxiety in the third trimester was associated with significant increased risk of premature delivery (OR=5.20, 95%CI: 1.84-14.70) and low birth weight (OR=6.93, 95%CI: 2.42-19.88). Conclusions: Our study showed that anxiety in the third trimester is an important risk factor for premature delivery, new onset anxiety symptoms in the third trimester can significantly increase the incidence of premature birth and low birth weight of infant.