Birth growth curves of neonates in high-altitude areas: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Since the current commonly used birth growth curves are unsuitable for neonates in high-altitude areas; this study aimed to establish birth growth curves for full-term neonates residing at 2,000-3,000 m. Methods: This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed the physical measurement data of 1,546 full-term neonates delivered at the Red Cross Hospital of Qinghai province, China, from July 2021 to April 2022. The percentile curves of birth weight, length, and head circumference of neonates of different gestational ages and genders were developed using curve fitting. The newly developed birth-weight percentile reference was compared with the INTERGROWTH-21st Neonatal Growth Curve (International Standard) and the Chinese Neonate Growth Curve (Chinese Standard). Results: The median birth weight, length, and head circumference of the study population were 3,200 g, 52.0 cm, and 32.8 cm, respectively, except for the group with a gestational age of 37 weeks. The growth indicators of male infants in all groups were higher than those of the female infants (P < 0.05). We found differences between the newly developed birth-weight percentile curves in the high-altitude areas and the International and Chinese Standards. Conclusion: Establishing birth growth curves corresponding to altitude may be more suitable than the existing standards for local medical staff to conduct health assessments of neonates.

SSR-based Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Quality Trait-related Markers of 69 Picria felterrae Germplasm Samples / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::Sixty-nine germplasm samples of Picria felterrae collected from the main producing areas in Guangxi were subject to genetic diversity and genetic relationship analyses using the simple seguence repeat(SSR) molecular marker technology and good germplasm genes associated with the content of picfeltarraenins were screened so as to provide references for germplasm resource evaluation, phylogenetic analysis, and molecular mark assisted breeding of that species. Method::20 pairs of randomly selected primers were amplified based on the transcriptome sequencing technology. The genetic diversity of and genetic relationship between the 69 samples were analyzed using the genetic polymorphic information for each marker locus, and one-variable linear regression and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed to screen molecular markers associated with the content of picfeltarraenins. Result::The amplification using the 20 pairs of SSR primers produced 76 alleles, 3.8 alleles for each locus on average, higher than effective alleles (1.969 2), and the rare allele rate was 38.2%, suggesting that the alleles distributed unequally. The polymorphism rates of alleles varied between 0-59%, with an average of 38.24%, showing a great difference among loci. The polymorphic information content (PIC) varied between 0-0.621 1, with an average of 0.378 0.Shannon polymorphic information index varied between 0-1.240 1, with an average of 0.759.Nei's gene diversity index (Nei) varied between 0-0.682 3, with an average of 0.440 9.P21 had the highest level accompanied with the lowest P7 for the above three indexes, and significant genetic diversity differences were identified among the loci. For all loci, the mean observed heterozygosity was 0.382 4, lower than the average expected heterozygosity of 0.442 5, suggesting the loss of heterozygosity, the average genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) was 0.365 9 and the average gene flow Nm was 0.433 2, suggesting a high genetic divergence and a low gene flow. The results of one-variable linear regression and multiple stepwise regression showed that there were 5 loci related to each of the picfeltarraenin IA and IB, and only 1 loci was associated with the content of both. Conclusion::There were significant differences in the genetic diversity of 20 SSR marker sites, and the 69 germplasm samples were greatly genetically differentiated and had low gene flow. From the selected 20 SSR markers 9 marker loci associated with the content of picfeltarraenin IA and IB were selected. The results can be used as a reference for phylogenetic analysis and selective breeding of Picria felterrae.

Expression patterns, activities and carbohydrate-metabolizing regulation of sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase and neutral invertase in pineapple fruit during development and ripening.

Differences in carbohydrate contents and metabolizing-enzyme activities were monitored in apical, medial, basal and core sections of pineapple (Ananas comosus cv. Comte de paris) during fruit development and ripening. Fructose and glucose of various sections in nearly equal amounts were the predominant sugars in the fruitlets, and had obvious differences until the fruit matured. The large rise of sucrose/hexose was accompanied by dramatic changes in sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SuSy) activities. By contrast, neutral invertase (NI) activity may provide a mechanism to increase fruit sink strength by increasing hexose concentrations. Furthermore, two cDNAs of Ac-sps (accession no. GQ996582) and Ac-ni (accession no. GQ996581) were first isolated from pineapple fruits utilizing conserved amino-acid sequences. Homology alignment reveals that the amino acid sequences contain some conserved function domains. Transcription expression analysis of Ac-sps, Ac-susy and Ac-ni also indicated distinct patterns related to sugar accumulation and composition of pineapple fruits. It suggests that differential expressions of multiple gene families are necessary for sugar metabolism in various parts and developmental stages of pineapple fruit. A cycle of sucrose breakdown in the cytosol of sink tissues could be mediated through both Ac-SuSy and Ac-NI, and Ac-NI could be involved in regulating crucial steps by generating sugar signals to the cells in a temporally and spatially restricted fashion.

Multilayer assembly of Prussian blue nanoclusters and enzyme-immobilized poly(toluidine blue) films and its application in glucose biosensor construction.

A multilayered glucose biosensor via sequential deposition of Prussian blue (PB) nanoclusters and enzyme-immobilized poly(toluidine blue) films was constructed on a bare Au electrode using electrochemical methods. The whole configuration of the present biosensor can be considered as an integration of several independent hydrogen peroxide sensing elements. In each sensing element, the poly(toluidine blue) film functioned as both the supporting matrix for the glucose oxidase immobilization and the inhibitor for the diffusion of interferences, such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. Meanwhile, the deposited Prussian blue nanocluster layers acts as a catalyst for the electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide formed from enzymatic reaction. Performance of the whole multilayer configuration can be tailored by artificially arranging the sensing elements assembled on the electrode. Under optimal conditions, the biosensors exhibit a linear relationship in the range of 1 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(-2) mol/L with the detection limit down to 10(-5) mol/L. A rapid response for glucose could be achieved in less than 3 s. For 1 mM glucose, 0.5 mM acetaminophen, 0.2 mM uric acid, and 0.1 mM ascorbic acid have no obvious interferences (<5%) for glucose detection at an optimized detection potential. The present multilayered glucose biosensor with a high selectivity and sensitivity is promising for practical applications.

[The correlation between tooth pain and bioactivators changes in gingival crevicular fluid after applying orthodontic stress].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of tooth pain in patients with orthodontic tooth movement, to study the changes of bioactivators in GCF in patients with orthodontic tooth movement, and explore the correlation between pain and bioactivators in orthodontic patients. METHODS: 50 patients were included, each having one treatment tooth and one contralateral control tooth. The levels of PGE(2), P substances, IL-6 and GM-CSF in GCF of upper lateral incisor were investigated before activation and at 12th hour, 24th hour, 48th hour and 72th hour after the applying labial orthodontic force, by using highly sensitive radioimmunassay. To record the changes of pain in orthodontic patients at 12th hour, 24th hour,48th hour and 72th hour after applying stress. RESULTS: At experimental sides, total amount of GCF PGE(2), P substances(SP), IL-6 and GM-CSF levels was significantly elevated compared with that before activation. The concentration of PGE(2) and SP in GCF increased significantly and reached peak point at 24th hour in patients, while the levels of IL-6 and GM-CSF in GCF remained at higher baseline through the experiment. There was an rhythm change of periodontal pain during orthodontic tooth movement. CONCLUSION: There was an rhythm changes of pain after stress in patients with orthodontic tooth movement, and the rhythm pain was correlated to the changes of some activator such as P substances and PGE(2) in periodontal ligament.