Streptozotocin‐Induced Maternal Hyperglycemia Increases the Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes and Mast Cell Number in Offspring Rat Ventral Prostate

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased in recent years. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in GDM‐increased risk factors to offspring remained poorly understood, some studies suggested an association between an increase in oxidative stress induced by maternal hyperglycemia and complications for both mothers and newborns. Here, we investigated the impact of maternal hyperglycemia followed by maternal insulin replacement during lactation on the expression of antioxidant enzymes and mast cell number in offspring ventral prostate (VP) at puberty. Pregnant rats were divided into three groups: control (CT); streptozotocin‐induced maternal hyperglycemia (MH); and MH plus maternal insulin replacement during lactation (MHI). Male offspring were euthanized at postnatal day (PND) 60 and the VP was removed and processed for histology and Western blotting analyses. Maternal hyperglycemia delayed prostate maturation, and increased mast cell number catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutatione‐s‐transferase (GST‐pi), and cyclooxygenase‐2 (Cox‐2) expression in the offspring of hyperglycemic dams. Maternal insulin replacement restored VP structure, mast cell number and antioxidant protein expression, except for Cox‐2, which remained higher in the MHI group. Thus, an increase in oxidative stress induced by intrauterine hyperglycemia impacts prostate development and maturation, which persists until puberty. The overall improvement of maternal metabolism after insulin administration contributes to the restoration of prostate antioxidant enzymes and secretory function. Taken together, our results highlighted that imbalanced physiological maternal‐fetal interaction contributes to the impairment of reproductive performance of the offspring from diabetic mothers. Anat Rec, 300:291–299, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Maternal Serum sEndoglin and Cell-Free Fetal DNA as Probable Markers of Preeclampsia: A Study in Single Center,Egypt

Background: This study was conducted to compare the levels of maternal serum soluble endoglin (sEng) and cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in pregnant females with PE to normotensive pregnant ones, together with relating these levels to preeclampsia (PE) severity and onset.

Method of the study: It was a comparative study in Mansoura University Hospital, Egypt, to detect the levels of serum sEng by ELISA besides the levels of cffDNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 80 pregnant females suffering from PE in addition to 80 normotensive pregnant ones that were included as control.

Results: Levels of serum sEng and cffDNA were higher in PE cases than control (p < 0.0001? both) and were significantly related to the severity of the disease. Levels were also higher in early than late onset PE (p < 0.003? and <0.002?, respectively). Sensitivities, specificities, positive, and negative predictive values in addition to accuracy of serum sEng and cffDNA were 97.5%, 98.8%, 98.7%, 97.5%, and 98.1% and 97.5%, 93.8%, 94.0%, 97.4%, and 95.6%, respectively.

Conclusion: Maternal serum sEng and cffDNA can be good markers for diagnosis of PE in Egyptian patients. They are positively related to the disease severity.

Abbreviations: cffDNA; Cell-Free Fetal DNA, sEng; soluble Endoglin, PE; preeclampsia, qRT PCR; Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.     

Maternal country of origin, breast milk characteristics and potential influences on immunity in offspring

Breast milk contains pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines with potential to influence immunological maturation in the child. We have shown previously that country of birth is associated with the cytokine/chemokine profile of breast milk. In this study we have investigated how these differences in breast milk affect the cellular response of cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs, cell line HT-29) to microbial challenge. Ninety-five women were included: 30 from Mali in West Africa, 32 Swedish immigrants and 33 native Swedish women. CBMCs or IECs were stimulated in vitro with breast milk, alone or in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or peptidoglycan (PGN). Breast milk in general abrogated the LPS-induced down-regulation of surface CD14 and Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 expression on CB monocytes, while inhibiting the PGN-induced TLR-2 up-regulation. However, breast milk from immigrant women together with LPS induced a lower CBMC release of interleukin (IL)-6 (P = 0·034) and CXCL-8/IL-8 (P = 0·037) compared with breast milk from Swedish women, while breast milk from Swedish women and Mali women tended to increase the response. The same pattern of CXCL-8/IL-8 release could be seen after stimulation of IECs (HT-29). The lower CBMC and IEC (HT-29) responses to microbial compounds by breast milk from immigrant women could be explained by the fact that breast milk from the immigrant group showed a divergent pro- and anti-inflammatory content for CXCL-8/IL-8, transforming growth factor-β1 and soluble CD14, compared to the other two groups of women. This may have implications for maturation of their children's immune responses.     

新型冠状病毒肺炎流行期间基于列线图预测隔离留观患者的焦虑抑郁情绪

<正>新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)因其传播速度快、传染性强及人群易感等特点,已被我国列入乙类传染病并按甲类传染病管理[1]。发热门诊隔离留观的患者具有发热等类新冠症状且面对环境的改变对心理可能带来负面影响。故本研究探讨COVID-19流行期间发热门诊隔离留观患者焦虑抑郁情绪及相关因素,以期尽早识别高危患者并进行心理干预治疗。     

A Review of the Methods of Studies on Infant Ultrasound Production and Maternal Retrieval in Small Rodents

Ultrasonic vocalizations or calls produced by young rodents have been associated with aspects of maternal behavior, in particular retrieving. We reviewed the methods of study used by investigators on each topic, focusing on intrinsic or subject variables and extrinsic or experimental variables. Intrinsic variables included the species studied, genotypes employed, number and sex composition of the litters, and the ages of mothers and pups. Extrinsic variables for studies on ultrasonic calling included: eliciting stimuli, test surroundings, and the length of observation. Extrinsic variables in studies of maternal retrieval included the testing procedure and the length of observation. The methods used in studies within each topic vary greatly. In an effort to facilitate progress in the areas, especially with respect to isolating individual genes with a contribution to ultrasonic call production or studying the effects of pharmaceutical agents on either behavior, we propose some standardization of nomenclature and/or procedure in four areas: (1) the stimuli or situations used to elicit ultrasonic calls, (2) the length of observation in ultrasonic call studies, (3) the number of pups per litter and the sex composition of litters in both ultrasonic call and maternal retrieval studies and finally, (4) the apparatus or testing situation used in studies of pup retrieval.     

Effect of Maternal Protein Restriction During Pregnancy and Lactation on the Number of Cardiomyocytes in the Postproliferative Weanling Rat Heart

Maternal protein restriction leads to a reduction in the number of cardiomyocytes in the rat heart at birth. However, in rats, cardiomyocytes continue to proliferate until about 2 weeks after birth. Hence, this study aimed to examine the effect of maternal protein restriction, on the number of cardiomyocytes in the young rat heart at a time point when the cardiomyocytes have ceased proliferating and are terminally differentiated. Female Wistar Kyoto rats were fed either a normal protein diet (NPD; 20% casein) or a low protein diet (LPD; 8.7% casein) during pregnancy and lactation. Offspring (seven males and seven females per group) were perfusion fixed at 4 weeks of age. Heart volume and total cardiomyocyte number were determined using stereological techniques. At 4 weeks of age, body weights in both male and female LPD offspring were significantly reduced compared with NPD controls whereas relative heart volumes were significantly increased in LPD offspring. Total number of cardiomyocytes was not significantly different between groups. In both groups, there was a significant linear correlation between cardiomyocyte number and heart volume. In conclusion, total cardiomyocyte number in the postproliferative rat heart does not appear to be affected by maternal protein restriction per se but is directly related to heart size. Anat Rec, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

1026例孕中期妇女唐氏综合征和神经管缺陷的血清筛查及细胞染色体分析

目的：探讨孕中期妇女（14～20）周外周血甲胎蛋白（AFP）和游离绒毛膜促性腺激素（f-βHCG）在胎儿唐氏综合征（Down’s syndrome,DS）产前筛查中的作用。方法：应用免疫化学发光法分别检测1026例孕中期孕妇血清AFP和f-βHCG浓度,结合母龄、孕周和体重等因素,用筛查软件计算风险系数,对DS高危孕妇进行羊水细胞染色体核型分析,神经管缺陷（NTD）高危孕妇行B超检查。结果：筛查的1026例孕妇中,DS高危孕妇64例,阳性率6.2%,NTD高危孕妇9例,阳性率0.88%。在高危孕妇中发现4例胎儿染色体异常,1例经B超检查确诊为神经管畸形。两组异常胎儿染色体检出率有显著性差异（P〈0.01）,35岁或35岁以上孕妇组胎儿异常发生率高于35岁以下孕妇组（P〈0.01）。结论：利用DS筛查结合B超产前诊断,能够提高胎儿先天性缺陷的早期发现和诊断。     

葱白提取物预处理对心肌缺血再灌注损伤及相关生化因素的影响

目的:观察葱白提取物(FOB)预处理对大鼠离体心脏缺血再灌注损伤(MIRI)及相关生化指标的影响,探讨FOB抗MIRI的机制。方法:利用Langendorff建立大鼠离体心脏缺血再灌注(I/R)模型,观察左心室发展压(LVDP)恢复和再灌注痉挛度。用生化技术检测冠脉流出液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、磷酸肌酸激酶(CK)活性和心肌细胞线粒体超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)、ATP酶活性以及丙二醛(MDA)含量。结果:(1)FOB(25g/L、50g/L、100g/L)预处理对心肌I/R损伤后的LVDP恢复和再灌注痉挛度有明显改善作用,并随浓度增加,对心脏保护作用逐渐增强而加强,100g/LFOB预处理后的LVDP恢复和痉挛度的改善均接近正常组值(分别与I/R组和25g/LFOB组相比,均P<0.01;与50g/LFOB相比,均P<0.05),心脏恢复跳动更迅速,收缩和舒张规则有力;(2)FOB(25g/L、50g/L、100g/L)预处理明显降低LDH、CK活性和MDA含量,显著增加SOD、GSHPx、ATP酶活性,且随FOB浓度增高,上述作用更加明显,100g/LFOB预处理组各项生化指标与Control组无明显差异。结论:FOB预处理能有效保护MIRI,其机制与FOB减少心脏I/R时心肌细胞内Ca2+超载和抗脂质过氧化有密切关系。     

基于细胞的指数富集配体系统进化技术的肺癌细胞核酸适配体的筛选及其在肿瘤诊治中的应用

核酸适配体是经过指数富集配体系统进化技术(SELEX)筛选得到的寡核苷酸序列。已有研究表明,核酸适配体在肿瘤诊断及治疗方面具有良好的应用前景。因此,本文主要针对肺癌细胞核酸适配体的筛选、表征等方面展开论述,初步探讨核酸适配体作为靶向载体和靶向药物在肿瘤诊断治疗中的作用,为肿瘤的早期诊断及早期治疗提供新思路。