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Aim: This study aims to identify and synthesize available research reporting parental mental health outcomes related to contact with a stillborn baby. Background: Stillbirth is devastating events for parents. The effects of contact with the stillborn baby on parental mental health are uncertain. Methods: This was a systematic review and meta‐analysis carried out by searching six international electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CNKI databases from inception to 15 January 2023. Review Manager software was used for data analysis. Results: Ten studies were included (n = 3974). Contact with a stillborn baby increased the risks of anxiety, depression and post‐traumatic stress disorder in the short term and increased the risks of anxiety and post‐traumatic stress disorder in the long term. Parents who had contact with a stillborn baby were more satisfied with their decision. Subgroup analysis showed that seeing a stillborn baby had no significant effect on anxiety or depression, but holding a stillborn baby increased the risks of anxiety. Conclusions: Caregivers should respect the parents' decision on whether to have contact with the stillborn baby and provide parents with continuous information, emotional and behavioural support after they have contact with stillborn babies. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Stillbirth is a tragic event for parents and the extended families and can trigger intense grief and devastating psychosocial symptoms.Although some studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of contact with the stillborn baby on parental mental health, there is no consensus on the effectiveness of contact with the stillborn baby. What this paper adds? Contact with stillborn baby, particularly holding a stillborn baby, may increase the risk of harm to parental mental health.Parents were more satisfied with their decision to have contact with a stillborn baby rather than no contact with their stillborn baby. The implications of this paper: This study may provide evidence for managers and caregivers about the development of guidelines for contact with a stillborn baby and promote parental mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key effector of the Hippo pathway, yes‐associated protein (YAP) is a major regulator of cell proliferation and apoptosis. In this study, 23 hYAP isoforms were identified in HEK293 cells, with 14 isoforms being reported for the first time. These isoforms were classified into hYAP‐a and hYAP‐b isoforms based on the variation in exon 1. The two groups of isoforms showed distinctly different subcellular localizations. hYAP‐a isoforms could activate TEAD‐ or P73‐mediated transcription, affect the proliferation rate, and enhance the cellular chemosensitivity of HEK293 cells. Moreover, different activation abilities and pro‐cytotoxic effects were observed among hYAP‐a isoforms. However, hYAP‐b isoforms were not found to exert any significant biological effects. Our findings add to the knowledge of YAP gene structure and protein‐coding capacity and will help in the elucidation of the function and related molecular mechanisms of the Hippo‐YAP signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the validation of a novel control selection design by comparing the consistency between the new design and a routine design in a large case-control study that was incorporated into a nationwide mortality survey in China. Methods: A nationwide mortality study was conducted during 1989-1991. Surviving spouses or other relatives of all adults who died during 1986-1988 provided detailed information about their own as well as the deceased person's smoking history. In this study, 130,079 males who died of various smoking-related cancers at age 35 or over were taken as cases, while 103,248 male surviving spouses (same age range with cases) of women who died during the same period and 49,331 males who died from causes other than those related to smoking were used as control group 1 and control group 2, respectively. Consistency in the results when comparing cases with each of the control groups was assessed. Results: Consistency in the results was observed in the analyses using different control groups although cancer deaths varied with region and age. Equivalence could be ascertained using a 15% criterion in most cancer deaths which had high death rates in urban areas, but they were uncertain for most cancers in rural areas irrespective of whether the hypothesis testing showed significant differences or not. Conclusions: Sex-matched living spouse control design as an alternative control selection for a case-control study is valid and feasible, and the basic principles of the equivalence study are also supported by epidemiological survey data.

Hippo signaling pathway is involved in many biological processes including the fate decision of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Yes‐associated protein (Yap) function as a key effector of Hippo pathway, but its role in ESCs is still controversial. So far, only two isoforms of Yap have been identified and they have both overlapping and distinct functions. Here, we identify six novel isoforms of mouse Yap, bringing the total number of isoforms to eight. According to the differences in the first exon, they are divided into two subtypes (a and b). Isoform‐a and isoform‐b exhibit different subcellular localizations. Moreover, isoform‐a can fully reverse the impaired self‐renewal phenotype induced by Yap knockout (KO). Upon overexpression, isoform‐a moderately promotes mESCs self‐renewal and markedly delays differentiation. On the contrary, no significant pro‐self‐renewal phenotype is observed when isoform‐b overexpressed in wildtype (WT) mESCs or re‐expressed in Yap KO cell lines. These finding not only help to clarify the role of Yap in mESCs, but also lay the foundation for advancing functional researches of Yap in other processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yap is the key effector of Hippo signaling; however, its role in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) remains controversial. Here, we identify two Yap splicing isoforms (Yap472 and Yap488), which show equal expression levels but heterogeneous distribution in ESCs. Knockout (KO) of both isoforms reduces ESC self‐renewal, accelerates pluripotency exit, but arrests terminal differentiation, while overexpression of each isoform leads to the reverse phenotype. The effect of both Yap isoforms on self‐renewal is Teads‐dependent and mediated by c‐Myc. Nonetheless, different isoforms are found to affect overlapping yet distinct genes, and confer different developmental potential to Yap‐KO cells, with Yap472 exerting a more pronounced biological effect and being more essential for neuroectoderm differentiation. Constitutive activation of Yaps, particularly Yap472, dramatically upregulates p53 and Cdx2, inducing trophectoderm trans‐differentiation even under self‐renewal conditions. These findings reveal the combined roles of different Yap splicing isoforms and mechanisms in regulating self‐renewal efficiency and differentiation potential of ESCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]