Pluronic F127-Lipoic Acid Adhesive Nanohydrogel Combining with Ce3+/Tannic Acid/Ulinastatin Nanoparticles for Promoting Wound Healing.

Developing strong anti-inflammatory wound dressings is of great significance for protecting inflammatory cutaneous wounds and promoting wound healing. The present study develops a nanocomposite Pluronic F127 (F127)-based hydrogel dressing with injectable, tissue adhesive, and anti-inflammatory performance. Briefly, Ce3+/tannic acid/ulinastatin nanoparticles (Ce3+/TA/UTI NPs) are fabricated. Meanwhile, α-lipoic acid is bonded to the ends of F127 to prepare F127-lipoic acid (F127LA) and its nanomicelles. Due to the gradual viscosity change instead of mutation during phase transition, the mixed Ce3+/TA/UTI NPs and F127LA nanomicelles show well-performed injectability at 37 °C and can form a semisolid composite nanohydrogel that can tightly attach to the skin at 37 °C. Furthermore, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation without a photoinitiator transforms the semisolid hydrogel into a solid hydrogel with well-performed elasticity and toughness. The UV-cured composite nanohydrogel acts as a bioadhesive that can firmly adhere to tissues. Due to the limited swelling property, the hydrogel can firmly adhere to tissues in a wet environment, which can seal wounds and provide a reliable physical barrier for the wounds. Ce3+/TA/UTI NPs in the hydrogel exhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-scavenging ability and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging ability and significantly reduce the expression of inflammatory factors in wounds at the early stage, accelerating LPS-induced wound healing.

Impact of dietary inflammatory index on gestational diabetes mellitus in normal and overweight women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To systematically investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with a focus on the role of BMI in this relationship. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Chinese Periodical Full-text Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China Wanfang Database for rele-vant observational studies published up to August 2023. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The pooled effect size was calculated using a random-effects model. Sub-group and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: The study included 54,058 participants from 10 studies. Pregnant women with a higher DII, indicating a pro-inflammatory diet, had a significantly increased risk of GDM compared to those with a lower DII, indicating an anti-inflammatory diet (pooled OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01-1.36; I²=70%, p <0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed a stronger association in normal weight stratification (OR: 1.25, 95%CI: 1.04-1.51), case-control studies (OR: 1.45, 95%CI: 1.03-2.05), Asia (OR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.10-1.43), Europe (OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.09-1.48), 3-day dietary record as a dietary assessment tool (OR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.16-1.46), physical activity adjustment (OR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.13-1.46), and energy intake adjustment (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.19-1.48). Meta-regression analysis confirmed that geographical region significantly influenced heterogeneity between studies (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated DII is independently linked to a higher risk of GDM, especially in women of normal weight.

Lipopolysaccharide and Glycolipoprotein Coordinately Triggered Necroptosis Contributes to the Pathogenesis of Leptospira Infection in Mice.

Leptospirosis is a recurring but neglected zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira. The explicit underlying mechanism of necroptosis and its role in Leptospira infection have not yet been elucidated. Here we reported that leptospiral pathogen-associated molecular patterns, lipopolysaccharide, and glycolipoprotein activate the necroptotic RIPK1-RIPK3-MLKL cascade through the TLR4 signaling pathway in mouse macrophages. Using the murine acute leptospirosis model, we reveal that abolition of necroptosis exhibited significantly improved outcomes in acute phases, with enhanced eradication of Leptospira from liver, mild clinical symptoms, and decreased cytokine production. RIPK3 was also found to exert a necroptosis-independent function in CXCL1 production and neutrophil recruitment, with the consequence of improved Leptospira control. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of Leptospira-macrophage interactions, indicating potential therapeutic values by targeting necroptosis signaling pathways.

A Case Report of IPEX Syndrome with Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus and Congenital Hypothyroidism as the Initial Presentation, and a Systematic Review of neonatal IPEX.

Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome (IPEX) is a serious disorder, which may comprise diabetes, thyroid disease, enteropathy, cytopenias, eczema, and other multi-system autoimmune dysfunction features. IPEX syndrome is caused by mutations in the forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) gene. Here, we report the clinical manifestations of a patient with IPEX syndrome onset in the neonatal period. A de novo mutation at exon 11 of the FOXP3 gene (c.1190G > A, p.R397Q) was found, and its main clinical manifestations included hyperglycemia and hypothyroidism. Subsequently, we comprehensively reviewed the clinical characteristics and FOXP3 mutations of 55 reported neonatal IPEX cases. The most frequent clinical presentation included symptoms of gastrointestinal involvement (n = 51, 92.7%), followed by skin-related symptoms (n = 37, 67.3%), diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 33, 60.0%), elevated IgE (n = 28, 50.9%), hematological abnormality (n = 23, 41.8%), thyroid dysfunction (n = 18, 32.7%), and kidney-related symptoms (n = 13, 23.6%). In total, 38 variants were observed in the 55 neonatal patients. The most frequent mutation was c.1150G > A (n = 6; 10.9%), followed by c.1189C > T (n = 4; 7.3%), c.816 + 5G > A (n = 3; 5.5%), and C.1015C > G (n = 3; 5.5%), which were reported more than twice. The genotype-phenotype relationship showed that the repressor domain mutations were associated with DM (P = 0.020), and the leucine zipper mutations were associated with nephrotic syndrome (P = 0.020). The survival analysis suggested that treatment with glucocorticoids increased the survival of the neonatal patients. This literature review provides an informative reference for the diagnosis and treatment of IPEX syndrome in the neonatal period.

Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis : List of all authors.

BACKGROUND: Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice intake is associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the conclusion is limited and conflicted. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the association between fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and the risk of GDM. METHODS: To find relevant studies, we searched PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ovid, EBSCO, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP for the report on prospective cohort studies published from inception to April 8, 2022. Summary relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (Cis) were estimated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies with 32,794 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Total fruit consumption was associated with a lower risk of GDM (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.99). Whereas an increasing the consumption of vegetable, including all vegetable (RR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.87-1.03), starchy vegetable (RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.82-1.26), and fruit juice (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.91-1.04) was not associated with a reduction in the risk of GDM. In a dose‒response analysis of eight studies, a 3% reduction in risk of GDM for a 100 g/d increase in fruit consumption (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that higher fruit consumption may reduce the risk of GDM, with a 3% reduction in the risk of GDM for every 100 g/d increase in fruit intake. Higher-quality prospective studies or randomized clinical trials are required to validate the effect of different variations of fruits, vegetables, and fruit juice consumption on the risk of GDM.

High-speed counter-current chromatography assisted preparative isolation of phenolic compounds from the flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju.

Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju is rich in phenolic compounds with various benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardiovascular protection. In this study, 12 phenolic compounds, including five flavonoid glycosides and seven quinic acid derivatives, were successfully separated from the flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju by high-speed counter-current chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. Ethyl acetate-n-butanol-acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (5:0.5:2.5:5:0.25, v/v/v/v/v) was selected as solvent system to separate six fractions from the flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju, and 20% aqueous acetonitrile (containing 0.1% formic acid) was chosen to be the elution solvent in preparative high-performance liquid chromatography for purifying the fractions above. Luteolin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside (1), luteolin-7-O-ß-D-glucuronide (2), apigenin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside (3), luteolin-7-O-ß-D-rutinoside (4), diosmetin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside (5), chlorogenic acid (6), 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (7), 1,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (8), 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (9), 3,4-dicaffeoyl-epi-quinic acid (10), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (11), and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (12) were isolated with purities all above 95%, respectively. In addition, all isolates were evaluated for their protective effects on H2 O2 -induced oxidative damage in adult retinal pigment epithelial cells.

The associations between social support change and physical activity trajectory from late adolescence to young adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Previous research examined the associations between social support and physical activity. However, little is known about the associations between social support change and trajectories of physical activity during the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood. METHODS: The current study sought to examine these issues among 434 Chinese college students (Mage = 19.15, SDage = 0.61; 46.1% male), who completed questionnaires regarding demographics, physical activity, family support change, and peer support change across three waves (the data from one of the waves was retrospective). RESULTS: After controlling for covariates, the findings revealed that: (a) there was an increase in overall physical activity and duration, but a decrease in frequency during the transition from late adolescence (the second year of high school) to young adulthood (the third year of college); (b) family support change did not contribute to trajectories of physical activity, while peer support change significantly predicted the trajectory of overall physical activity, duration, and frequency. CONCLUSIONS: The findings extend the literature on physical activity from a developmental perspective by revealing different trends among physical activity duration and frequency, and unpacking different effects of family and peer support change on trajectories of physical activity.

Mediating effect of resilience between social support and compassion fatigue among intern nursing and midwifery students during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To examine the mediating effect of resilience between social support and compassion fatigue among intern nursing and midwifery students during COVID-19. BACKGROUND: Compassion fatigue has become exceedingly common among intern nursing and midwifery students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social support and resilience can help intern nursing and midwifery students control their negative emotions, reduce compassion fatigue, and increase their well-being. However, the mediating effect of resilience between social support and compassion fatigue remains unclear. DESIGN: A multicentre cross-sectional survey. METHODS: A total of 307 intern nursing and midwifery students were recruited from November 2020 to February 2021 in tertiary grade A hospitals in China. Structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the mediating effects of resilience between social support and compassion fatigue. The Social Support Rating Scale, the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Chinese version of the Compassion Fatigue Short Scale were used to collect data. The hypothetical path model was tested by using IBM SPSS version 26.0 and AMOS version 26.0 software. RESULTS: Intern nursing and midwifery students had moderate compassion fatigue. Social support positively affected resilience (ß = 0.514, p < 0.01). Social support negatively affected compassion fatigue (ß = - 0.310, p < 0.01), while resilience negatively affected compassion fatigue (ß = - 0.283, p < 0.01). Resilience played a mediating role between social support and compassion fatigue. CONCLUSION: Social support can directly affect the compassion fatigue of intern nursing and midwifery students during COVID-19 and indirectly through resilience. Stronger resilience can reduce compassion fatigue. Accordingly, resilience-based interventions should be developed to reduce compassion fatigue.

Construction and validation of a three-microRNA signature as prognostic biomarker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common type of primary liver cancer, is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors worldwide. Although overall survival (OS) rates for HCC has significantly improved in recent years, however, the exact predictive value of microRNA (miRNA) for the prognosis of HCC has not yet been recognized. Here, we aimed to identify potential prognostic miRNAs involved in HCC by bioinformatics analysis and validated expression levels through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and GEO database. The RNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of HCC were available from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. Differentially expression and standardization analysis of miRNAs, Kaplan-Meier curve and time dependent ROC curve were performed by using R tools. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) and clinical parameters involved in the OS of HCC were confirmed by Cox regression models. And functional enrichment analysis was used to establish functions of the targeted genes of DEmiRNAs. A total of 300 DEmiRNAs were significantly related with HCC, of which 40 were down-regulated and 260 were up-regulated. A total of 344 patients with DEmiRNAs, status, overall survival (OS) time were randomized into training group (172) and test group (172). Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that 3 miRNA (hsa-miR-139-3p, hsa-miR-760, hsa-miR-7-5p) had independent prognostic significance for the OS of HCC in both training and test group. Moreover, according to Kaplan Meier analysis, the OS of HCC patients with high-risk score was shorter in validation and entire series. The time dependent ROC curve demonstrated high accuracy of the signature for OS. Besides, target genes of three miRNAs were analyzed by functional enrichment analysis and 20 genes associated with OS were verified by using Kaplan-Meier method. Compared with normal and benign group, the relative expression level of hsa-miR-139-3p was significantly decreased, while hsa-miR-7-5p and hsa-miR-760 were distinctly increased in the plasma of HCC patients. The same results were observed in the independent cohort. Collectively, our research suggested that three-miRNA signature could serve as an independent prognostic indicator for HCC patients.

Effect of MT2A on apoptosis and proliferation in HL60 cells.

Although accumulating evidence has revealed that metallothioneins (MTs) and its family member MT2A are strongly linked to the risk of various solid tumors, researches on the occurrence and development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have rarely been investigated. Here, we constructed a lentiviral vector with MT2A over-expression and the interfering plasmids with MT2A expression inhibition to study the influence of MT2A on the bioactivities of HL60 cells. After cells were infected with a lentiviral vector containing the MT2A gene, both transcription and translation levels of MT2A were significantly increased in the over-expressed group in comparison with control groups. In vitro experiments, all results demonstrated that cell reproductive capacity was inhibited, but cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased. Together, the expression of apoptosis-related protein Bcl2 was remarkably reduced, while a high expression level of Bax protein was detected. Further experiments revealed that up-regulation of MT2A induced cell apoptosis and promoted G2/M phase arrest. The mechanism may be associated with down-regulated p-IκB-α and cyclinD1 expression and up-regulated IκB-α expression in the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway. On the contrary, MT2A expression was down-regulated by interfering plasmids. We found that cell proliferative potential was notably increased in the interfering group compared with the negative and untreated group. What's more, MT2A may be closely related to AML cell proliferation and function via the NF-κB signal pathway.

Factors associated with workplace fatigue among midwives in southern China: A multi-centre cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To identify the level of workplace fatigue among midwives and factors influencing their fatigue. BACKGROUND: Midwives who play an important role in medical care are prone to experience workplace fatigue, which negatively affects their well-being and work quality. METHODS: A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted among 666 Chinese midwives from 38 hospitals in March 2019. Data were collected by four questionnaires of self-designed demographic questions, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Social Support Self-Rating Scale and the 14-item Fatigue Scale. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Midwives had moderate levels of fatigue with the mean scores of physical fatigue, mental fatigue and total fatigue being 9.53, 6.25 and 15.79, respectively. Multiple linear regression results showed that sleep quality, social support, job satisfaction, occupational injuries, adverse life events, frequency of irregular meals and employment type were statistically significant factors influencing fatigue among the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Physical and mental fatigue were generally common among midwives and were affected by personal-related and work-related factors, sleep quality and social support. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse administrators have the opportunity to advocate for improved health policy under the two children rule to prevent workplace fatigue amongst midwives.

Hyperoxia-induced lung injury increases CDKN1A levels in a newborn rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common, chronic lung disease of infants. Presently, high oxygen exposure and mechanical ventilation considerably influence the development of BPD. To clarify the pathological mechanisms of this disease, we developed a hyperoxia-induced BPD rat model and investigated the role of CDKN1A in the pathogenesis of BPD. Newborn rats were randomly assigned to the hyperoxia (85% O2) and control (normoxia, 21% O2) groups. Lung tissues were collected on days 1, 3, 7, 14, or 21 after the start of hyperoxia or normoxia exposure. The expression of CDKN1A was detected by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time PCR. Starting from day 3, CDKN1A mRNA expression was higher in the hyperoxia group. From day 7, the radial alveolar count was significantly different between the two groups, and on day 14, the hyperoxia group had high CDKN1A protein expression compared to the control group. These results suggest that increased CDKN1A expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of BPD through alveolarization and lung retardation.

Hyperoxia stimulates the transdifferentiation of type II alveolar epithelial cells in newborn rats.

Supplemental oxygen treatment in preterm infants may cause bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is characterized by alveolar simplification and vascular disorganization. Despite type II alveolar epithelial cell (AEC II) damage being reported previously, we found no decrease in the AEC II-specific marker, surfactant protein C (SP-C), in the BPD model in our previous study. We thus speculated that AEC II injury is not a unique mechanism of BPD-related pulmonary epithelial repair dysfunction and that abnormal transdifferentiation can exist. Newborn rats were randomly assigned to model (85% oxygen inhalation) and control groups (room air inhalation). Expressions of AEC I (aquaporin 5, T1α) and AEC II markers (SP-C, SP-B) were detected at three levels: 1) in intact lung tissue, 2) in AEC II isolated from rats in the two groups, and 3) in AEC II isolated from newborn rats, which were further cultured under either hyperoxic or normoxic conditions. In the model group, increased AEC I was observed at both the tissue and cell level, and markedly increased transdifferentiation was observed by immunofluorescent double staining. Transmission electron microscopy revealed morphological changes in alveolar epithelium such as damaged AECs, a fused air-blood barrier structure, and opened tight junctions in the model group. These findings indicate that transdifferentiation of AECs is not suppressed but rather is increased under hyperoxic treatment by compensation; however, such repair during injury cannot offset pulmonary epithelial air exchange and barrier dysfunction caused by structural damage to AECs.

Hyperoxia-induced methylation decreases RUNX3 in a newborn rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants is a predominantly secondary occurrence to intrauterine inflammation/infection and postpartum mechanical ventilation; in recent years, an association with epigenetics has also been found. DNA methylation, catalyzed by DNA methyl transferases (DNMTs), and tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3), mediated by the methyltransferase, Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), are some of the most commonly found modifications in epigenetics. Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is associated with pulmonary epithelial and vascular development and regulates expression at the post-transcriptional level by DNA methylation through DNMT1 or DNMT3b. However, the involvements of these epigenetic factors in the occurrence of BPD are, as yet, unclear. METHODS: Newborn rats were randomly assigned to a model, hyperoxia (85 % O2) or control, normoxia group (21 % O2). Lung tissues and alveolar type 2 (AT2) epithelial cells were collected between 1-14 days. The expression of DNMTs, and EZH2 was detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time PCR. The percentage of DNA methylation and H3K27me3 levels in the RUNX3 promoter region was measured by bisulfite sequencing PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. RUNX3 protein and mRNA expression in AT2 cells was also measured after inhibition using the DNA methylation inhibitor, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, the H3K27me3 inhibitor, JMJD3, and the EZH2 inhibitor, DZNep. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, RUNX3 protein was downregulated and DNMT3b and EZH2 were highly expressed in lung tissues and AT2 cells of the model group (P < 0.05), while high DNA methylation and H3K27me3 modifications were present in the RUNX3 promoter region, in lung tissues of the model group (P < 0.05). Following hyperoxia in the model group, JMJD3 and DZNep significantly reversed the hyperoxia-induced down-regulation of RUNX3 expression in AT2 cells (P < 0.05), more so than 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 1) DNA methylation and H3K27 trimethylation are present in the BPD model; 2) RUNX3 down-regulation is attributed to both DNMT3b-catalyzed DNA methylation and EZH2-catalyzed histone methylation.

Association between DRD2 (rs1799732 and rs1801028) and ANKK1 (rs1800497) polymorphisms and schizophrenia: a meta-analysis.

The role of dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) polymorphisms in schizophrenia remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether DRD2 polymorphisms influence the risk of schizophrenia and examined the relationship between rs1799732, rs1801028, and rs1800rs028 an23381d rs1800497 genetic variants and the etiology of schizophrenia. Relevant case-control studies were retrieved by database searches and selected according to established inclusion criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the associations. Meta-regression, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and cumulative meta-analysis were performed. A total of 76 studies with 16096 cases and 18965 controls were included. Specifically, 24 studies with 6075 cases and 6643 controls involved rs1799732, 36 studies with 8043 cases and 10194 controls involved rs1801028 and 16 studies with 1978 cases and 2128 controls involved rs1800497. No significant associations were observed between rs1799732 and rs1800rs732 and rs1800497 and schizophrenia. The rs1801028 locus was associated with schizophrenia, with a pooled OR of 1.221 (95% CI = 1.037-1.438, P = 0.016). This meta-analysis indicates that the rs1801028 locus may be associated with schizophrenia. These data provide possible references for future case-control studies related to schizophrenia.

Unlocking the Potential of Metal-Doping Fe2O3/Rice Husk Ash Catalysts for Low-Temperature CO-SCR Enhancement.

Transition metal oxides are efficient bifunctional catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides (NOx) using CO. Nonetheless, their poor activity at lower temperatures constrains broader industrial application. Herein, we propose an optimized Fe2O3-based catalyst through strategic metal doping with Cu, Co, or Ce, which engenders a harmonious balance for the synergistic removal of CO and NOx. Among the developed catalysts, Co-doped Fe2O3, supported by rice husk ash, demonstrates superior low-temperature CO-SCR activity, achieving CO and NOx conversion ratios and N2 selectivity above 98.5% at 100-500 °C. The enhanced catalytic performance is attributed to the catalyst's improved redox properties and acidity, engendered by strong Fe-Ox-Co interactions. Furthermore, the CO-SCR reaction adheres to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood and Eley-Rideal mechanisms. Our findings shed light on the future industrial application of low-temperature CO and NOx near-zero emission technology and provide a strategy for the design of low-cost SCR catalysts.

Association between prepregnancy body mass index or gestational weight gain and adverse pregnancy outcomes among Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) or gestational weight gain (GWG) and adverse pregnancy outcomes among Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is unknown. This study aims to evaluate such association by synthesising the evidence. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, China Biology Medicine disc, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang, and China Science and Technology Journal Database searched from inception to 11 August 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Prospective cohort studies, retrospective cohort studies and case-control studies estimating the relationship of abnormal prepregnancy BMI (including underweight, overweight or obesity) or inappropriate GWG (including excess GWG or insufficient GWG) with adverse pregnancy outcomes of interest were included. Outcomes included macrosomia, caesarean section, preterm birth, gestational hypertension, large for gestational age (LGA) and small for gestational age (SGA). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias. OR estimate and its 95% CI were pooled using Stata software fixed-effect model. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression and sensitivity analysis were performed to ensure credibility of the results. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies (eighteen retrospective cohort studies, three prospective cohort studies and two case control studies) involving 57 013 Chinese women with GDM were identified. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with GDM women with normal weight, GDM women with underweight were at a higher risk of SGA (OR=1.79 (1.54 to 2.07), five studies involving 31 967 women); women with overweight had higher risks of macrosomia (OR=1.65 (1.49 to 1.82), eleven studies involving 41 683 women), caesarean section (OR=1.48 (1.38 to 1.59), ten studies involving 34 935 women), preterm birth (OR=1.27 (1.13 to 1.43), eight studies involving 38 295 women) and LGA (OR=1.73 (1.54 to 1.95), seven studies involving 31 342 women) and women with obesity had higher risks of macrosomia (OR=2.37 (2.04 to 2.76), eleven studies involving 41 683 women), caesarean section (OR=2.07 (1.84 to 2.32), nine studies involving 34 829 women), preterm birth (OR=1.31 (1.09 to 1.57), eight studies involving 38 295 women) and LGA (OR=2.63 (2.15 to 3.21), six studies involving 31 236 women). Regard to GWG, compared with Chinese GDM women with sufficient GWG, GDM women with excessive GWG had higher risks of macrosomia (OR=1.74 (1.58 to 1.92), twelve studies involving 40 966 women), caesarean section (OR=1.44 (1.36 to 1.53), nine studies involving 36 205 women) and LGA (OR=2.12 (1.96 to 2.29), twelve studies involving 42 342 women); women with insufficient GWG conversely had higher risks of preterm birth (OR=1.59 (1.45 to 1.74), nine studies involving 37 461 women) and SGA (OR=1.38 (1.27 to 1.51), ten studies involving 41 080 women). CONCLUSIONS: For Chinese women with GDM, abnormal prepregnancy BMI or inappropriate GWG were related to higher risks of many adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, medical staff should pay more attention to the weight management of GDM women during pregnancy.

Enzymatic synthesis and sensory evaluation of the novel kokumi compound N-butyryl phenylalanine.

In this study, food-grade glutamine transaminase (TGase) was utilized for the green-catalyzed preparation of N-butyryl amino acids. For improving the reusability of the enzyme preparation, immobilized TG enzyme (94.23% immobilization rate) was prepared. Furthermore, the yield of N-butyryl phenylalanine (BP) synthesized by TGase was obtained as 20.73% by one-factor experiment. The BP synthesis yield of immobilized TGase was 95.03% of that of TGase and remained above 60% of the initial enzyme activity after five runs. The sensory evaluation and E-tongue results showed that the addition of BP significantly increased the umami, saltiness, and richness intensities of the samples, and decreased the intensities of sourness, bitterness, and aftertaste-B. The molecular docking results indicated that hydrogen bonding dominated the binding of BP to taste receptors in the taste presentation mechanism of BP. These results confirmed the potential of BP as a flavor enhancer with promising applications in the food industry.

Risk factors and glycaemic control in small-for-gestational-age infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study using propensity score matching based on a large population.

BACKGROUND: Small for gestational age (SGA) poses a significant concern for newborns, being linked to neonatal complications and potential metabolic disorders in adulthood, especially when born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), elevating their risk of complications and mortality. However, the pregnancy risk factors and glycaemic control associated with SGA infants born to mothers with GDM remain unclear. AIM: To identify the pregnancy risk factors and glycaemic control associated with SGA infants born to mothers with GDM. METHOD: This case-control study was conducted among 1910 women with GDM in China. Data were collected by the integrated electronic medical record system. Using 1:4 propensity score matching analysis, we adjusted for gestational age as confounder. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors. RESULTS: Risk factors for SGA born to mothers with GDM included a history of low birth weight, gestational hypertension, oligohydramnios, short maternal height, underweight pre-pregnancy body mass index and inadequate weight growth. While SGA was protected by weakly positive ketonuria levels in the first trimester, multiparous, anaemia and previous uterine scar were protective factors for SGA. Moreover, 2-hour postprandial glucose and haemoglobin A1c in the second trimester, as well as the 0-hour and 2-hour 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were linked to risk of SGA. CONCLUSIONS: SGA infants are the result of multifactorial interactions among GDM pregnant women. Notably, glycaemic control levels were associated with SGA. There is a need for enhanced perinatal monitoring and antenatal care to reduce SGA.

Next-Generation Vitrimers Design through Theoretical Understanding and Computational Simulations.

Vitrimers are an innovative class of polymers that boast a remarkable fusion of mechanical and dynamic features, complemented by the added benefit of end-of-life recyclability. This extraordinary blend of properties makes them highly attractive for a variety of applications, such as the automotive sector, soft robotics, and the aerospace industry. At their core, vitrimer materials consist of crosslinked covalent networks that have the ability to dynamically reorganize in response to external factors, including temperature changes, pressure variations, or shifts in pH levels. In this review, the aim is to delve into the latest advancements in the theoretical understanding and computational design of vitrimers. The review begins by offering an overview of the fundamental principles that underlie the behavior of these materials, encompassing their structures, dynamic behavior, and reaction mechanisms. Subsequently, recent progress in the computational design of vitrimers is explored, with a focus on the employment of molecular dynamics (MD)/Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Last, the existing challenges and prospective directions for this field are critically analyzed, emphasizing the necessity for additional theoretical and computational advancements, coupled with experimental validation.