Associations between lipid-lowering drugs and pregnancy and perinatal outcomes: a Mendelian randomization study.

INTRODUCTION: Mounting evidence has indicated that maternal dyslipidemia is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes, and the actions of lipid-lowering drugs in pregnant women remain controversial. Hence, this study aimed to appraise the causal relationship of lipid-lowering drugs [hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme reductase (HMGCR) inhibitors, PCSK9 inhibitors, and NPC1L1 inhibitors] with pregnancy and perinatal outcomes using drug-targeting Mendelian randomization analysis. METHODS: As a proxy for lipid-lowering drug exposure, two genetic instruments were used: genetic variants within or near the gene linked to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the expression of quantitative trait loci of the drug target gene. Effect estimates were calculated using the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method and summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) method. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy were assessed by Mendelian randomization-Egger regression, the Cochran Q test, and MR-PRESSO analysis. RESULTS: HMGCR inhibitors were ascribed to a reduced risk of preeclampsia in both the IVW-MR method [odds ratio (OR) 0.583; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.418-0.812; P  = 0.001] and SMR analysis (OR 0.816; 95% CI 0.675-0.986; P  = 0.036). The causal link between HMGCR inhibitors and offspring birthweight was statistically significant only in the analysis using the IVW method (OR, 0.879; 95% CI, 0.788-0.980; P  = 0.020), and the combined results of the OR values supported the potential inhibitory effect of HMGCR inhibitors on offspring birthweight. Causal associations between lipid-lowering drugs and gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and congenital anomalies were not detected in either analysis. CONCLUSION: No causal associations were observed between lipid-lowering drugs and gestational diabetes, preterm birth or congenital anomalies, whereas genetically predicted HMGCR inhibition dramatically reduced the risk of preeclampsia but attenuated offspring birthweight.

Causal association between lipid-lowering drugs and female reproductive endocrine diseases: a drug-targeted Mendelian randomization study.

Purpose: The relationship between dyslipidemia and female reproductive endocrine diseases has been increasingly studied. The use of lipid-lowering drugs in treating various related diseases, including coronary heart disease, may affect female reproductive endocrine diseases. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on female reproductive endocrine diseases and provide a basis for the appropriate selection of drugs. Methods: In this study, we focused on three drug targets of statins, namely HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR) inhibitors, proprotein convertase kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, and Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) inhibitors. To identify potential inhibitors for these targets, we collected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with HMGCR, PCSK9, and NPC1L1 from published genome-wide association study statistics. Subsequently, we conducted a drug target Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the effects of these inhibitors on reproductive endocrine diseases mediated by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Alongside coronary heart disease as a positive control, our main outcomes of interest included the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), abnormal uterine bleeding (including menorrhagia and oligomenorrhea), and infertility. Results: PCSK9 inhibitors significantly increased the risk of infertility in patients (OR [95%CI] = 1.14 [1.06, 1.23], p<0.05). In contrast, HMGCR inhibitors significantly reduced the risk of menorrhagia in female patients (OR [95%CI] = 0.85 [0.75, 0.97], p<0.05), but had no statistical impact on patients with oligomenorrhea. Conclusion: The findings suggest that PCSK9 inhibitors may significantly increase the risk of infertility in patients. On the other hand, HMGCR inhibitors could potentially offer protection against menorrhagia in women. However, no effects of lipid-lowering drugs have been observed on other reproductive endocrine disorders, such as PCOS, POF, PMS and oligomenorrhea.

Identification of N1 methyladenosine-related biomarker predicting overall survival outcomes and experimental verification in ovarian cancer.

AIM: This study aimed to construct a N1-methyladenosine (m1A)-related biomarker model for predicting the prognosis of ovarian cancer (OVCA). METHODS: OVCA samples were clustered into two subtypes using the Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) algorithm, including TCGA (n = 374) as the training set and GSE26712 (n = 185) as the external validation set. Hub genes, which were screened to construct a risk model, and nomogram to predict the overall survival of OVCA were explored and validated through various bioinformatic analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: Following bootstrap correction, the C-index of nomogram was 0.62515, showing reliable performance. The functions of DEGs in the high- and low-risk groups were mainly enriched in immune response, immune regulation, and immune-related diseases. The immune cells relevant to the expression of hub genes were explored, for example, Natural Killer (NK) cells, T cells, activated dendritic cells (aDC). CONCLUSIONS: AADAC, CD38, CACNA1C, and ATP1A3 might be used as m1A-related biomarkers for OVCA, and the nomogram labeled with m1A for the first time had excellent performance for predicting overall survival in OVCA.

YKL-40 promotes proliferation and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells by activating akt/MMP9 signalling in placenta accreta spectrum disorders.

YKL-40 is a secreted glycoprotein that can promote invasion, angiogenesis and inhibit apoptosis, and was highly expressed in a variety of tumours. In this paper, we investigated the impacts of YKL-40 on proliferation and invasion in HTR-8/SVneo cells during placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS) development. The levels of YKL-40 protein in late-pregnant placental tissue were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, and gene expression using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis abilities of HTR-8/SVneo cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), Transwell, scratch assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. Our current results showed that YKL-40 was significantly increased in the PAS group compared to the normal control group (P < 0.01). Biological function experiments showed that YKL-40 significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Knockdown of YKL-40 inhibited the activation of Akt/MMP9 signalling in trophoblast cells. These data suggested that YKL-40 might be involved in the progression of PAS, which may be attributed to the regulation of Akt/MMP9 signalling pathway.

What is already known on this subject? YKL-40 is a secretory glycoprotein that can promote invasion, angiogenesis, and inhibit apoptosis and was highly expressed in a variety of tumours. Trophoblast cells resemble tumour cells in their migration and invasion.What the results of this study add? YKL-40 expression was significantly up-regulated in PAS. CCK-8 assays showed that YKL-40 remarkably enhanced the viability of HTR-8/SVneo cells. Scratch and Transwell assays demonstrated that YKL-40 significantly promoted the migration and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells. Additionally, YKL-40 attenuated apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo cells.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Akt/MMP9 was involved in the regulation of YKL-40 on trophoblast invasion, which may provide theoretical basis and new ideas for the drug blocking intervention of placenta accreta.

Decreased AGGF1 facilitates the progression of placenta accreta spectrum via mediating the P53 signaling pathway under the regulation of miR-1296-5p.

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), an emerging health issue worldwide, is the major causative factor of maternal morbidity and mortality in modern obstetrics, but limited studies have contributed to our understanding of the molecular biology of PAS. This study addressed the expression of AGGF1 and its specific role in the etiology of PAS. The expression of AGGF1 in the placentas of PAS was determined by quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, Transwell invasion assay and flow cytometry assay were performed to monitor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis. The interaction between miR-1296-5p and AGGF1 was detected by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of AGGF1 was decremented in placental tissues of PAS patients, compared with samples from women with placenta previa and normal pregnant women. Downregulation of AGGF1 promoted cell proliferation, invasion and migration, inhibited apoptosis in vitro, decreased P53 and Bax expression, and simultaneously increased Bcl-2 expression, whereas overexpression of AGGF1 had the opposite results. Additionally, the dual-luciferase assay confirmed AGGF1 as a target gene of miR-1296-5p in placental tissues of PAS. Particularly, miR-1296-5p fostered HTR8/SVneo cell proliferation, invasion, repression of apoptosis and regulation of P53 signaling axis by downregulating AGGF1 expression. Collectively, our study accentuated that downregulation of placental AGGF1 promoted trophoblast over-invasion by mediating the P53 signaling pathway under the regulation of miR-1296-5p.

Overexpressed LAMC2 promotes trophoblast over-invasion through the PI3K/Akt/MMP2/9 pathway in placenta accreta spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is an ongoing major iatrogenic public health challenge with devastating obstetric complications, but its underlying molecular pathogenesis remains poorly illuminated. LAMC2 is reported to regulate tumor cells proliferation and invasion, yet has not been explored in placenta trophoblast cells. This study investigated LAMC2 expression and its contribution in the etiology of PAS. METHODS: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect the expression of LAMC2 in placentas. Cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis were monitored by CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell invasion assay, and flow cytometry assay. Western blot was conducted to confirm the pertinent proteins level of PI3K/Akt/MMP2/9 pathway in HTR8/SVneo cells. RESULTS: LAMC2 was predominantly expressed in placental villous syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts. LAMC2 mRNA and protein expression were substantially upregulated in placental tissues with PAS compared to those with pernicious placenta previa without PAS. LAMC2 overexpression eminently boosted HTR8/SVneo cells proliferation, invasion, and migration, but inhibited apoptosis, accompanied by elevated protein expression of MMP2, MMP9, and phosphorylated Akt (pAkt). Knockdown of LAMC2 yielded the converse results. Additionally, when treated with LY294002, the effects of LAMC2 overexpression on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of HTR8/SVneo cells were abolished and concomitantly the elevated pAkt, MMP2, and MMP9 proteins induced by LAMC2 overexpression were eliminated. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted the involvement of LAMC2 in the pathogenesis of PAS by activating the PI3K/Akt/MMP2/9 signaling pathway to stimulate trophoblast over-invasion. These findings provide a new target for the diagnosis and disease stratification of PAS.

Bibliometric and visual analysis of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of osteoporosis based on CiteSpace software.

BACKGROUND: The focus of research in the treatment of osteoporosis (OP) has evolved from promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption to current stem cell therapy. Due to their multipotent differentiation properties, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can repair degenerated bones through transplantation, and have become a new method for the treatment of OP. METHODS: Relevant literatures included in the Web of Science database core collection database from 2012 to 2021 were retrieved. CiteSpace software was used to analyze the cooperative relationship among authors, journals, institutions, and countries, and to analyze the co-citation situation of the literature. And performed co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis and burst analysis of keywords, draw visual maps and analyzed the results. RESULTS: A total of 2100 papers were included, and the number of papers published from 2012 to 2021 was on the rise. A total of 484 authors were included, and 176 authors published more than 3 papers. The high-yield authors were mainly represented by YAN JIN and BO GAO. A total of 99 journals were included, and the journal with the most publications was J BONE MINER RES. A total of 787 institutions were included, and the institution with the largest number of publications was Shanghai Jiao Tong University. A total of 65 countries were included. The country with the largest number of publications was China, and the United States had the highest centrality. The co-citation analysis of the literature found 2 articles with high citation frequency and high centrality. The main research direction was the mechanism of MSCs in the treatment of osteoporosis. A total of 133 keywords were included, and the hot keywords were osteogenic differentiation, expression, proliferation, bone marrow, etc. CONCLUSIONS: The research hotspots in this field mainly focused on the mechanism of bone regeneration, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow MSCs, and the expression of osteogenic-related genes. The future research trends in this field are predicted to be the mechanism of action of microRNA and long non-coding RNA on MSCs and their relationship with OP, the mechanism of MSCs adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation, and tissue engineering scaffolds applications.

Effect of task-oriented training on gross motor function, balance and activities of daily living in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To systematically evaluate task-oriented training (TOT) on the improvement of gross motor function, balance and activities of daily living in children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: A number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TOT in children with CP were searched from Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EmBase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biology Medicine, Chinese Scientific Journals Database and Wanfang data from the establishment of database to March 2022. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated, and meta-analysis was performed by RevMan5.4 software. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were included in the systematic review (n = 893). Meta-analysis showed that the gross motor function measure (GMFM) (MD = 11.05, 95%CI [8.26, 13.83], P < .00001), dimension D (MD = 3.05, 95%CI [1.58, 4.53], P < .0001) of the GMFM, dimension E (MD = 7.36, 95%CI [5.88, 8.84], P < .00001) of the GMFM, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) (MD = 6.23, 95%CI [3.31, 9.15], P < .0001), the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI) mobile function (MD = 6.44, 95%CI [3.85, 9.02], P < .00001) score improved significantly in the TOT group compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence shows that TOT could effectively improve gross motor function, balance and activities of daily living in children with CP. Due to the limitations of the number and quality of the included studies, the above conclusions need to be verified by more high-quality studies.

Impact of ultra-low emission retrofitting on partitioning and emission behavior of chromium in a Chinese coal-fired power plant.

Due to its low vapor pressure, chromium (Cr) mostly emitted as fly ash particles (especially PM2.5) into environment in coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). The ultra-low emission (ULE) control technologies used in current CFPPs may be beneficial to reducing both the regular pollutants and hazardous trace elements (e.g., Cr), but the insight into the removal efficiency of Cr by different upgrading air pollution cleaning devices (APCDs) and the environmental stability of the Cr-bearing wastes produced from those APCDs in the ULE CFPPs has rarely reported. This study investigated and compared the distribution and emission characteristics of Cr in a Chinese CFPP before and after ULE, and the leaching behavior of Cr after ULE retrofitting in combustion byproducts was also revealed. The results showed that Cr was primarily captured in bottom and fly ashes (80.85%), followed by gypsum (0.02%) and sludge from wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) (4.52 × 10-4%), with only 3.02 × 10-8% emitted into the atmosphere. Additional WESP had a large removal efficiency of Cr with the value of 92.04%, and the overall Cr removal efficiency of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) equipment, electrostatic precipitator (ESP), wet flue gas desulphurization (WFGD) system, and WESP equipped after ULE retrofitting was 99.99%. Notably, although the mass percentage of Cr in WESP sludge was negligible, the concentration of Cr in WESP sludge was 324.04 mg/kg. The leaching concentrations of Cr in combustion byproducts were in the descending order: fly ash > WESP sludge > bottom ash > gypsum. The atmospheric emission factor of Cr in the studied power plant was 1.08 mg/t coal, which was significantly lower than those of the CFPPs before ULE retrofitting. Therefore, the ULE retrofitting for CFPP was beneficial to reduce Cr emissions. More attention should be paid to the subsequent processing problem of solid combustion byproducts, especially the WESP sludge.

Airborne microbial community structure and potential pathogen identification across the PM size fractions and seasons in the urban atmosphere.

As a vital component of airborne bioaerosols, bacteria and fungi seriously endanger human health as pathogens and allergens. However, comprehensive effects of environmental variables on airborne microbial community structures remain poorly understood across the PM sizes and seasons. We collected atmospheric PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 samples in Hefei, a typical rapidly-developing city in East China, across three seasons, and performed a comprehensive analysis of airborne microbial community structures using qPCR and high-throughput sequencing. Overall the bacterial and fungal abundances in PM1.0 were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those in PM2.5 and PM10 across seasons, but their α-diversity tended to increase from PM1.0 to PM10. The bacterial gene abundances showed a strong positive correlation (P < 0.05) with atmospheric SO2 and NO2 concentrations and air quality index. The bacterial gene abundances were significantly higher (P = 0.001) than fungi, and the bacterial diversity showed stronger seasonality. The PM sizes influenced distribution patterns for airborne microbial communities within the same season. Source-tracking analysis indicated that soils, plants, human and animal feces represented important sources of airborne bacteria with a total relative abundance of more than 60% in summer, but total abundance from the unidentified sources surpassed in fall and winter. Total 10 potential bacterial and 12 potential fungal pathogens were identified at the species level with the highest relative abundances in summer, and their abundances increased with the PM sizes. Together, our results indicated that a complex set of environmental factors, including water-soluble ions in PM, changes in air pollutant levels and meteorological conditions, and shifts in the relative importance of available microbial sources, acted to control the seasonal compositions of microbial communities in the urban atmosphere.

Shell water-soluble matrix protein from oyster shells promoted proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts in vitro and vivo.

Matrix protein is secreted by the membrane of bivalve shellfish to and used to regulate shell biomineralization. In this study, we extracted water-soluble matrix protein (WSMP) from oyster shells to investigate its effects on osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells and osteoporosis rats. Our results suggested that WSMP was an acidic glycoprotein by amino acid analysis and secondary structure analysis. In vitro, WSMP could promote osteoblastic proliferation. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN) were increased, mineralized nodules were increased, and BMP-2 expression was up-regulated. Additionally, in vivo, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and Bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) expressions in the medium-dose and high-dose groups were significantly decreased compared with the model group, while OCN expression was significantly increased. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of bone recovered significantly. In summary, WSMP can promote the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts in vitro and in vivo.

Hot spots and frontiers of postpartum depression research in the past 5 years: A bibliometric analysis.

Objective: This study applied the bibliometric method to analyze the hotspots and frontiers in the field of postpartum depression research from 2017 to 2021. Methods: A computer-based search for studies related to postpartum depression (PPD) was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2017 to 2021. Using CiteSpace 5.8. R3 visualization software, this paper analyzed the hot spots and frontiers of postpartum depression research from countries, institutions, authors, cited references and keywords, and drew corresponding knowledge maps. Results: A total of 3,789 articles were retrieved, and the annual publication volume showed a steady increase. The countries and institutions with the most publications were the United States and the University of Toronto, respectively. Cindylee Dennis was the most productive author. The most frequently cited and centrally cited articles were meta-analyses on risk factors associated with antenatal depression or anxiety and meta-analyses on the prevalence of antenatal or postnatal anxiety, respectively. The research hotspots in the field of postpartum depression in the past 5 years mainly focused on the risk factors for PPD, and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on PPD. Providing various aspects of social and family support to women with PPD may be a research trend in this field. Conclusion: This study provides a trend and frontier in the field of postpartum depression, and valuable information for researchers to find potential partners and partner countries, and a reference for future research topics and development directions.

Association of interleukin-12B gene polymorphisms and mRNA expression with preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of functional genetic polymorphisms of the interleukin-12B (IL-12B) gene on the susceptibility to preeclampsia in northern Chinese women. STUDY DESIGN: Maternal peripheral blood from 306 preeclamptic women and 310 control women and the placentas from 52 preeclamptic and 55 control women were collected. Two polymorphisms (rs17860508 and rs3212227) of the IL-12B gene were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a direct sequencing method. The mRNA expression of IL-12B in the placentas was measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between preeclamptic women and the control group in the genotype frequencies of rs17860508 (P = 0.017). Compared with the TTAGAG/TTAGAG genotype of rs17860508, the GC/GC genotype were associated with a higher risk of preeclampsia (adjusted OR: 1.95; 95% CI = 1.18-3.22; P = 0.009), especially the early-onset preeclampsia (adjusted OR: 2.40; 95% CI = 1.23-4.68; P = 0.010). The qRT-PCR results showed that the mRNA levels of IL-12B were significantly higher in the placentas of preeclampsia patients than that in the placentas of controls (P = 0.001). Moreover, the expression of IL-12B mRNA was significantly higher in the placentas of patients carrying the GC/GC genotype than in those carrying the TTAGAG/GC (P = 0.007) and TTAGAG/TTAGAG (P = 0.005) genotypes. CONCLUSION: The GC/GC genotype of rs17860508 polymorphism may be a risk factor for the early-onset preeclampsia by upregulating the expression of IL-12B in northern Chinese women.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis of effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Objective: To systematically assess the effects of Noninvasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) on post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and to compare the efficacy of two different NIBS. Methods: Computer searches of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical literature Service System (SinoMed), and Wanfang Database were conducted using a combination of free words and subject terms. The search was conducted from the database creation date to 27 November 2022. The risk of bias in the included literature was assessed using the Cochrane Risk Assessment Scale. The quality of the included literature was assessed using the physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale. A standard meta-analysis of study data for each outcome indicator was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Network meta-analysis was performed using State 14.0 according to the Bayesian framework. Results: A total of 18 studies involving 809 patients were included. Meta-analysis shows NIBS significantly improved montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scores (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-1.02, P < 0.05), mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI 0.25-1.20, P < 0.05), and modified barthel index (MBI) and functional independence measurement (FIM) scores (SMD = 0.33, 95% CI 0.11-0.54, P < 0.05) in patients with PSCI. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of different NIBS in improving MoCA scores were in the order of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (SUCRA = 92.4%) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) (SUCRA = 57.6%). The SUCRA of different NIBS in improving MMSE scores were in the order of tDCS (SUCRA = 81.6%) and TMS (SUCRA = 67.3%). The SUCRA of different NIBS in improving MBI and FIM scores were in the order of tDCS (SUCRA = 78.6%) and TMS (SUCRA = 65.3%). Conclusion: The available evidence suggests that NIBS improves cognitive impairment. tDCS appeared more effective than TMS for cognitive function and activities of daily living in PSCI patients. Limited by the number of included studies, more large-sample, multicentre, double-blind, high-quality randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to further confirm this study's results. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42022372354.

High Hydrostatic Pressure Treatment of Oysters (Crassostrea gigas)-Impact on Physicochemical Properties, Texture Parameters, and Volatile Flavor Compounds.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treatment is a non-thermal processing technology, which is widely used in the food processing field at present. In this study, the effects of HHP treatment (100~500 MPa for 5 min) on the physicochemical properties, texture parameters, and volatile flavor compounds of oysters were investigated. The results showed that HHP treatment increased the water content while reducing the crude protein and ash content of the oyster. Texture parameters showed that HHP treatment improved the hardness, springiness, chewiness, and cohesiveness of oysters, compared with the control group. In addition, the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content was slightly increased after HHP treatment, while the difference in monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content was not significant. Furthermore, HHP increased hexenoic aldehyde, 2,4-heptadienal, 1-octene-3-ol, and 2-octen-1-ol and decreased the contents of 3. 6-nadien-1-ol, 3-octanone, and 2-undecanone, suggesting that HHP might inhibit the fishiness of oyster and showed a positive effect on its flavor. Based on the above results, HHP improved the edible qualities such as texture properties and volatile flavor of oysters. This meets the requirements of consumers on the edible quality of seafood and provides new ideas for the development of seafood.

Extraction and characterization of matrix protein from pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigs) shell and its anti-osteoporosis properties in vitro and in vivo.

Matrix protein is a kind of secretory protein that regulates the biomineralization of the bivalve shell. In this study, a water-soluble matrix protein (WSMP) from Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigs) shell was isolated, and its structure was analyzed in detail, in addition to its anti-osteoporosis activity in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that WSMP was an acidic protein with an apparent molecular mass of 47 and 79 kDa and contained a glycoprotein structure. In vitro, the reduction of Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) indicated that osteoclast activity was inhibited compared with the model group. Moreover, the increased osteocalcin (OCN) and BMD levels suggested that the high osteoblast activity and bone mineralization was improved. SEM analysis of the femur showed that there were fewer bone pits in experimental groups, which was consistent with the above results. In vivo, WSMP promoted the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteogenic differentiation factor BMP-2 in osteoblasts. In addition, the activity of osteoclasts was inhibited by regulating the process of osteoclast differentiation induced by RANKL. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that WSMP could promote osteogenesis and inhibit osteoclast absorption, thus demonstrating their potential applications in osteoporosis.

[High-Throughput Sequencing Analysis of Microbial Communities in Summertime Atmospheric Particulate Matter in Hefei City].

The composition, physical and chemical properties, sources, and temporal and spatial changes in airborne particulate matter have been extensively investigated in previous studies. However, less is known about bioaerosols, which are mainly composed of bacteria and fungi and constitute up to 25% of the total airborne particulate matter. In this study, we used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and ion chromatography to determine the concentrations of trace elements and water-soluble ions in atmospheric particulates, respectively. These analyses were combined with high-throughput sequencing methods and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to analyze the microbial compositions in PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 samples, which were collected from July to September in Hefei City. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the bacterial community diversity across the three size fractions (analysis of variance (ANOVA), P>0.05). The bacterial and fungal community diversities on sunny days were lower than those on rainy days, and the bacterial community diversity in all samples was significantly higher than the fungal community diversity (ANOVA, P<0.01). The predominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria (46.19%), Firmicutes (33.42%), Bacteroidetes (10.99%), Cyanobacteria (3.33%), and Actinobacteria (2.11%). Ascomycota (73.23%), Basidiomycota (5.78%), Mortierellomycota (3.41%), and Mucoromycota (0.10%) were the dominant fungal phyla. Our results indicated that soils, plant leaves, and animal feces were the dominant sources of airborne bacterial communities in Hefei City, and the main sources of the fungal communities were plant leaves and soils. The bacterial community was mainly affected by K, Pb, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na+, NO2-, and wind speed, and the main influencing factors of the fungal community were V, Mn, Sr, NO2-, NO3-, Na+, Cl-, the air quality index, and PM10. In addition, nine specific bacteria and fungi that are linked to human health risks were identified, including Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Delftia, Serratia, Trichoderma, Alternaria, and Aspergillus, which can lead to a wide range of diseases in humans and other organisms. The research results are helpful for revealing the various characteristics of airborne microbial communities, their influencing factors, and their impacts on human health, and are an important reference for subsequent research and the formulation of government policies.

Placenta expression of vitamin D and related genes in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: A total of 41 GDM and 40 normal glucose tolerance subjects were recruited. Through detecting the level of Serum vitamin D with electrochemical luminescence and vitamin D receptor (VDR) with Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in maternal and cord blood, the expression leves of CYP24A1, CYP27B1, VDR protein and mRNA in placenta and umbilical cord with western blotting and RT-PCR, and the DNA methylation levels of CYP24A1 and CYP27B1 gene in placenta with methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and direct bisulfite sequencing (BSP) analysis to explore the potential role of the vitamin D and its related genes in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). RESULTS: Serum vitamin D concentrations were significantly higher in normal pregnant than women with GDM in maternal blood (P < 0.01) and cord blood (P = 0.014). Compared to the control group, the expression levels of CYP24A1 protein (P < 0.01) and mRNA (P = 0.021) and VDR protein (P = 0.026) and mRNA (P = 0.023) in the GDM group were significantly higher in placenta and umbilical cord tissues (P = 0.015, P < 0.01, P = 0.028, P < 0.01, respectively), while that of CYP27B1 protein (P < 0.01) and mRNA (P = 0.042) was significantly lower (P = 0.022, P = 0.032, respectively). Moreover, partial DNA methylation of CYP24A1 and CYP27B1 genes was observed in both GDM and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency participates in the pathogenesis of GDM, and changes in the expression of genes related to the vitamin D metabolic pathway are closely related to vitamin D levels in the pregnancy and fetus. However, DNA methylation of CYP24A1 and CYP27B1 might not be involved in the pathogenesis of GDM.

Serum Levels and Placental Expression of NGAL in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels in the serum and term placentas and its potential role in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: A total of 49 GDM subjects and 39 age-matched women with normal pregnancies were recruited. We examined serum concentrations of NGAL and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in maternal blood and cord blood and their expression levels in the term placentas and umbilical cord. RESULTS: Serum NGAL levels were significantly higher in GDM patients than in normal pregnant controls both in the maternal blood (4.80 ± 1.99 vs. 3.66 ± 1.13, P=0.001) and the cord blood (4.70 ± 2.08 vs. 3.85 ± 1.44, P=0.027). Moreover, serum NGAL levels exhibited a positive correlation with various parameters of insulin resistance. Maternal serum NGAL levels positively correlated with the NGAL levels found in the cord blood of the control (r = 0.399, P=0.012) and the GDM subjects (r = 0.349, P=0.014). Finally, the expression of NGAL protein levels in the placenta (1.22 ± 0.39 vs. 0.65 ± 0.23, P < 0.001) and umbilical cord (0.65 ± 0.23 vs. 0.25 ± 0.10, P < 0.001) were higher in GDM women than those noted in the control subjects. In the GDM group, maternal serum NGAL levels exhibited a positive correlation with placental NGAL mRNA and protein levels (r = 0.848, P=0.008; r = 0.636, P=0.011, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: NGAL may be an important adipokine involved in GDM and fetal development. The oversecretion of NGAL from the placenta may contribute to the elevated levels of serum NGAL in gestational diabetes mellitus.

[Fine Particulate Emission Characteristics of an Ultra-Low Emission Coal-Fired Power Plant].

Since the introduction of ultra-low emissions, the characteristics of particulate matter (PM) emissions from coal-fired power plants have changed. We quantitatively evaluate the emission characteristics of each component in PM and the impact of purification equipment by analyzing three ultra-low emission units of coal-fired power plants (FP1, FP2, and FP3). A DGI was used to sample particles from the wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) unit and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) inlet and outlet, which were then analyzed by various methods. The results showed that the mass concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 discharged from the outlets of the three units were 0.25-0.38, 0.31-0.42, and 0.42-0.57 mg·m-3, respectively, and that the mass concentration of PM10 discharged under the two kinds of units was equivalent. However, there were differences in the particle size distribution and composition of the particles. In comparison to the FP1 and FP2 units, the PM2.5/PM10 ratio of the FP3 unit was the highest. A possible reason for this is that the unit was equipped with a WESP, which can better remove particle sizes of 2.5 µm or more. The total concentrations of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 discharged from the FP2 and FP3 units were 0.20 and 0.06 mg·m-3, respectively. The water-soluble ions emitted from the FP2 unit were mainly Ca2+ and SO42-, whereas those mainly emitted from the FP3 unit were NH4+ and SO42-. Analysis of the PM from the WFGD import and export of the FP2 unit showed that the WFGD process increased the water-soluble ion discharge by entraining the desulfurization slurry containing limestone and gypsum. Addition of a WESP after WFGD can effectively remove PM2.5 and PM10 particles and reduce the influence of water-soluble ions on the atmospheric environment.