Search

Background: Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) technique could not only quantify blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown leading to macular edema associated with diabetes, but also provide a two-dimensional imaging method that is not interfered by refracting media. Objective: The current study was aimed to evaluate the macular change in the patients with diabetic retinopathy using DCE-MRI technique. Methods: Twenty patients with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and 20 Normal Controls (NC) were included. The fast spoiled gradient echo sequence was used to perform dynamic contrast T1WI enhancement on 3.0T MR system. The macular region, optic papila and nasal retina were performed with quantitative DCE-MRI evaluation using Omni-Kinetics software. Results: The maximal concentration, the area under the concentration-time curve (AUCconcentration-time) and maximal slope of macular region were significantly higher in DR [0.270(0.03,1.20)mmol/ 100ml, 2.71(0.04,9.91) mmol*min and 0.38(0.06,3.18) mmol/min, respectively] than that [0.169(0.03,0.72) mmol/1.25(0.13,10.41) mmol*min and 0.245(0.06,1.34) mmol/min] in NC (U value = 515.00 and P value = 0.080, U value = 433.00 and P value = 0.000, and U value = 563.00 and P value = 0.023, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the area under AUCconcentration-time was 0.729±0.058 with the cut-off value 1.479 mmol*min (sensitivity 80.00% and specificity 62.50%) for macular region. Conclusion: The quantitative DCE-MRI technique could be used to evaluate the maculopathy associated with diabetic retinopathy.

Objective Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy marked by an excessive inflammatory response. The anti-inflammatory effect of pyridostigmine (PYR) was previously reported; however, its role in hypertensive pregnancies remains unclear. We hypothesized that PYR could attenuate increased blood pressure and other pathological features in preeclampsia models. Methods The expression of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α was evaluated in normal and preeclampsia pregnant women. PYR (20 mg/kg) was administered daily to reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) and TNF-α (150 ng/day) infused rats from gestation day 14 to GD19. In a cell culture experiment, the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on TNF-α-stimulated primary human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) was assessed. Results Preeclampsia women had higher placental TNF-α expression than normal pregnant women. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the RUPP group was higher than in the Sham group. PYR inhibited serum and placental acetylcholinesterase activity in rats, and reduced MAP, placental oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation in the RUPP group but not in the Sham group. In addition, PYR significantly attenuated the TNF-α-induced increase in MAP, placental oxidative stress and apoptosis. Moreover, TNF-α decreased cell viability and increased the number of TUNEL-positive nuclei of HUVEC, which could largely be abolished by ACh treatment. Conclusion Collectively, PYR ameliorated hypertension and other preeclampsia-like symptoms in rat models of preeclampsia not only by inhibiting the synthesis of TNF-α but also by acting against TNF-α-induced detrimental effects directly, which is worthy of further investigation and may be used as a potential agent for preeclampsia management.

To investigate the biomarker(s) that could affect the decision for immediate or delayed delivery in severe preeclampsia.Data on serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA) and platelet counts from 134 cases were collected and analysed.Higher UA levels were seen in case with immediate delivery. Higher stillbirth was seen in cases with delayed delivery.UA levels could be a potential management biomarker for immediate or delayed delivery in severe preeclampsia. However, the higher risk of stillbirth must be considered in delayed delivery.

Shale contains distributed directional bedding planes, which make the shale transverse isotropic. To model shale with consideration of the bedding planes, a cohesive finite element method (CFEM) is developed based on the randomized triangular mesh. The interface orientation generated from such mesh tends to be uniformly distributed with the element number increasing. To represent the bedding plane, the interfaces aligned with the bedding plane are assigned the cohesive law that characterizes the bedding plane while the other interfaces are assigned the cohesive law that characterizes the matrix. By this means, the anisotropy characteristics of the stiffness and the strength of shale are well represented. The simulation examples demonstrate that the bedding plane has a significant influence on the fracture trajectory, which is consistent with the observation in the experiment. It is suggested that this modeling method of shale is feasible. It provides an alternative approach to fracture simulation in shale. Keywords: Shale, Bedding plane, Cohesive finite element, Transverse isotropy, Fracture simulation

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of parity and days in milk on milk yield and milk production traits and their correlation with β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations in milk of Chinese tropic Holstein dairy cows which are adapted to a humid subtropical climate in central China. About 3055 milking records of Holstein cows were obtained from three farms in the hot region in the center of China. The records were classified according to parity to 4 categories: first parity, second parity, third parity, and greater than third parity. According to days in milk, there were 4 groups, first group from (1-100 days), second group from (101-200 days), third group from (201-305 days), and fourth group (>305 days). Milk samples collected between April and November 2019 from the three farms were routinely checked for milk components including BHB using mid-infrared spectroscopy a MilkoScan FT+ (Foss, Hillerod, Denmark). Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (generalized linear model, GLM). Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to measure the correlation between SCC and BHB with milk yield and milk production traits. Results showed the significant effect of parity and days in milk on milk yield and milk production traits. There was a negative effect of parity and days in milk on milk quality, with increasing parity and days in milk being associated with higher somatic cell count (SCC) (P

Introduction Placental abruption is a serious pregnancy complication that causes maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Whether maternal and neonatal outcomes differ between patients who concurrently presented with preeclampsia and those who did not, have not been fully investigated. Methods A total number of 158 patients with placental abruption were included. Of them, 66 concurrently had preeclampsia. Maternal and neonatal characteristics including delivery weeks, time of onset and birthweight as well as the grade of placental abruption were collected and analysed. Results The time at diagnosis of placental abruption in patients who concurrently presented preeclampsia was significantly earlier than that in patients who did not. The number of patients with grade III placental abruption was significantly higher in patients who concurrently presented with preeclampsia, compared to patients who did not. The odds ratio of an increase in grade III placental abruption in patients who concurrently presented preeclampsia was 5.27 (95%CL: 2.346, 12.41), compared to patients who did not. The numbers of infants who were born pre-term and the numbers of stillbirth/neonatal deaths as well as the number of fetal distress were significantly higher in patients who concurrently presented with preeclampsia, compared to patients who did not. The fetal birthweight was significantly lower in patients who concurrently presented with preeclampsia compared to patients who did not. Discussion Our study demonstrates that women with preeclampsia experiencing placental abruption had worse maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes, compared to women experiencing placental abruption alone.

Today the only effective “treatment” for preeclampsia is to deliver at the optimal time for both maternal and foetal well-being. Studies reported that severe preeclampsia can benefit from the expectant management including mild preeclampsia between 34 and 37 weeks. However it is unclear whether mild preeclampsia before 34 weeks also benefits from the expectant management. Data on 274 women with mild preeclampsia before 37 weeks of gestation were retrospectively collected and analysed. Blood pressure and proteinuria at time of onset were not clinically associated with delivery time. For women who developed preeclampsia before 34 weeks, the median latency from onset to delivery or from onset to admission to hospital or from admission to hospital to delivery was 27 or 21 or 3 days, respectively. There were four women (2%) who delivered within 48 h after onset, 28 (14%) FGR and 14 (7%) stillbirths. The median birth-weight was 2240 g. For women who developed preeclampsia between 34 and 37 weeks, the median latency from onset to delivery or from onset to admission to hospital or from admission to hospital to delivery was 11 or 7 or 2 days, respectively. There were seven women (10%) who delivered within 48 h after onset and eight (12%) FGR. The median birth-weight was 2880 g. Our study demonstrates that mild preeclampsia before 37 weeks has benefits from expectant or outpatient management with a median prolongation of over 11 days dependent on the time of onset, but it increases the risk for stillbirths before 34 weeks.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the optimal strategy for myomectomy for removing giant uterine fibroids when necessary in women undergoing cesarean section. Methods This study was retrospective in design, and assessed outcomes in 26 patients who underwent myomectomy using a “base purse-string suture” during cesarean section. The operative duration, blood loss, uterine involution, and duration of postpartum lochia were analyzed. Results This suture was associated with a mean operative duration of 11.17 ± 5.36 minutes and the mean estimated blood loss was 11.15 ± 6.05 mL. The mean postpartum duration of lochia was 34.92 ± 7.55 days and there were no cases of postpartum hemorrhage. Uterine size returned to normal within 6 weeks of delivery, without any apparent defects or abnormalities in the uterine wall as shown by an ultrasonic examination. Conclusion This novel implementation of a base purse-string suture during cesarean myomectomy for removal of giant fibroids is a simple, safe, and effective intervention that should be considered for implementation in appropriate patients.

ObjectiveThe benefits of a low-salt diet for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of a low-salt diet on major clinical outcomes.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesMEDLINE by Ovid, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesWe included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that assessed the effect of a low-salt diet on the renal composite outcomes (more than 50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during follow-up, doubling of serum creatinine or end-stage renal disease), rate of eGFR decline, change in proteinuria, all-cause mortality events, cardiovascular (CV) events, and changes in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent researchers extracted data and evaluated their quality. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs were used for dichotomous data. Differences in means (MDs) or standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were used to pool continuous data. We used the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool to evaluate the quality of RCTs, and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale to evaluate the quality of cohort studies.ResultsWe found 9948 potential research records. After removing duplicates, we reviewed the titles and abstracts, and screened the full text of 230 publications. Thirty-three studies with 101 077 participants were included. A low-salt diet produced a 28% reduction in renal composite outcome events (RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.89). No significant effects were found in terms of changes in proteinuria (SMD: −0.71; 95% CI: −1.66 to 0.24), rate of eGFR (decline MD: 1.16; 95% CI: −2.02 to 4.33), risk of all-cause mortality (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.46) and CV events (RR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.46 to 2.22).ConclusionA low-salt diet seems to reduce the risk for renal composite outcome events in patients with CKD. However, no compelling evidence indicated that such a diet would reduce the eGFR decline rate, proteinuria, incidence of all-cause mortality and CV events. Further, more definitive studies are needed.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017072395.

To date, data on postpartum management of preeclampsia including the optimal time for discharge are limited. The aims of this study were to investigate the appropriate time for discharge after delivery, and factors that could affect the time for discharge. Data on 210 preeclamptic women including the severity or time of onset and days in the ward after delivery were collected and analysed. In total, 167 (73%) patients were followed up for at least 16 months and none of them developed any complications after delivery. The mean days in the ward after delivery in preeclamptic women with vaginal delivery or with caesarean section was 3.4 or 5.8 days, respectively. After adjusting for delivery modes and parity, women with severe or early onset preeclampsia or preeclamptic women complicated with IUGR were in the ward longer than women with mild or late onset of preeclampsia or preeclamptic women without IUGR. In addition, women with severe preeclampsia or with IUGR delayed the time for blood pressure to return to normal range. Our descriptive data reported that preeclamptic women stayed in the ward for 4-6 days after delivery, dependent on the delivery modes. Preeclamptic women with severe or early onset form or complicated with IUGR delayed the improvement of clinical symptoms after delivery. We further found that women with severe preeclampsia, and preeclampsia complicated with IUGR delayed blood pressure returning to normal range. These pre-discharge checklists may help obstetricians and midwives decide when to discharge.

Oxidative stress and apoptosis of trophoblasts are involved in preeclampsia (PE). Numerous studies have shown that acetylcholine (ACh), the principal vagal neurotransmitter, plays a crucial role in attenuating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in a variety of human diseases. However, the role of ACh in PE management remains unclear. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of ACh on TNF-α-treated human primary trophoblast cells. Western blotting, CCK-8, DHE, TUNEL immunofluorescence staining, transwell assays, and wound-healing assays were performed to evaluate the role of ACh in vitro. We found that both TNF-α expression and the apoptotic index were higher in placentas from preeclamptic women than in normal placentas. TNF-α enhanced oxidative stress and increased the number of TUNEL-positive nuclei, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and the cleaved caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio while decreasing cell viability in primary human trophoblast cells. TNF-α promoted cell migration and invasion. PDTC, a selective NF-κB inhibitor, significantly blunted TNF-α-induced effects. ACh treatment attenuated oxidative stress and apoptosis while further promoting migration and invasion of TNF-α-treated primary trophoblast cells. The effects of ACh could be reversed by the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine. Overall, our findings indicate that ACh significantly ameliorates TNF-α-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis of human primary trophoblast cells via muscarinic receptors. This is the first time that the improvement of vagal activity served as a therapeutic strategy for PE-like trophoblasts, suggesting its potential value in clinical practice.

Objectives Pre-eclampsia is a specific disease during gestation without a clear etiology. The lack of effective forecasting and prevention methods threatens the safety of maternal and infant lives. Study design We prospectively evaluated 356 pregnancies in their first trimester at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University and followed up the whole gestation. Main outcome measures Pre-eclampsia correlation parameters were subjected to dimensionality reduction analysis using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method. Results Of the 356 pregnancies, 25 developed pre-eclampsia during late gestation. Sonographic parameters of the placenta, uterine artery, and umbilical artery were calculated using LASSO regression analysis. Five factors (vascularization and blood flow index of the placenta, peak systolic velocity and peak systolic to end-diastolic artery ratio of the left uterine artery, and pulse index of the umbilical artery) were applied in a final nomogram model. The fitting curve was closely correlated with the actual situation, with a C-index of 0.877. Conclusions The nomogram described here could be used to predict the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women and provide strong support for early intervention.

Halomonas sp. Y2 is a halotolerant alkaliphilic strain from Na+-rich pulp mill wastewater with high alkalinity (pH >11.0). Transcriptome analysis of this isolate revealed this strain may use various transport systems for pH homeostasis. In particular, the genes encoding four putative Na+/H+ antiporters were differentially expressed upon acidic or alkaline conditions. Further evidence, from heterologous expression and mutant studies, suggested that Halomonas sp. Y2 employs its Na+/H+ antiporters in a labor division way to deal with saline and alkaline environments. Ha-NhaD2 displayed robust Na+(Li+) resistance and high transport activities in Escherichia coli; a ΔHa-nhaD2 mutant exhibited growth inhibition at high Na+(Li+) concentrations at pH values of 6.2, 8.0, and 10.0, suggesting its physiological role in osmotic homeostasis. In contrast, Ha-NhaD1 showed much weaker activities in ion exporting and pH homeostasis. Ha-Mrp displayed a combination of properties similar to those of Mrp transporters from some Bacillus alkaliphiles and neutrophiles. This conferred obvious Na+(Li+, K+) resistance in E. coli-deficient strains, as those ion transport spectra of some neutrophil Mrp antiporters. Conversely, similar to the Bacillus alkaliphiles, Ha-Mrp showed central roles in the pH homeostasis of Halomonas sp. Y2. An Ha-mrp-disrupted mutant was seriously inhibited by high concentrations of Na+(Li+, K+) but only under alkaline conditions. Ha-NhaP was determined to be a K+/H+ antiporter and shown to confer strong K+ resistance both at acidic and alkaline stresses.

Introduction Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder and currently the only effective treatment is delivery of placenta. To control maternal and fetal complications, immediate delivery is well recommended, although studies have suggested that expectant management is possible for both severe and mild preeclampsia. A recent study also suggested that the most trigger for delivery in preeclampsia was difficult to control blood pressure. The indications for delivery within or after 48hours were largely dependent on obstetricians’ experiences. Objectives In this study we investigated whether there is any biomarker(s) or clinical parameter(s) that may affect the decision for either immediate delivery or expectant management. Methods Data from157 women with preeclampsia were collected from a referral university teaching hospital and data included clinical parameters and laboratory biomarkers. A retrospective analysis was performed. Results There were 122 cases (77%) who delivered within 48 hours because of either maternal or fetal conditions. Of 157 cases, 110 cases (70%) were early onset preeclampsia. In early onset preeclampsia, 79 cases (72%) delivered within 48 hours. There was no difference in clinical parameters between cases who delivered within 48 hours and who did not. There were no differences in ALT or ASL or ALP or Uric acid or Blood urea nitogen or creatinine or cystatin C or platelet counts between cases who delivered within 48 hours and who did not. In late onset preeclampsia (n = 47), 43 cases (91%) delivered within 48 hours. There were also no differences in both clinical parameters and liver or renal biomarkers between cases who delivered within 48 hours and who did not. Similar findings were also observed in severe and mild preeclampsia. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that there is currently no biomarker(s) for predicting immediate delivery or expectant management. These results were regardless of the severity or the time of onset of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality globally and proteinuria can be one of the cardinal features of this disease. However, studies about the association of the amount of proteinuria and the severity of preeclampsia, and perinatal outcomes are limited. Data on 239 women with preeclampsia were retrospectively collected from a university teaching hospital from September 2011 to June 2013 and analysed. Data included all clinical parameters and proteinuria in a 24h urine collection. In cases of severe preeclampsia, significantly fewer patients had proteinuria levels0.3g/L in comparison to any of the other groups with proteinuria0.3g/L, but there was no difference in cases of severe preeclampsia when proteinuria levels were0.3g/L. Furthermore, when proteinuria levels were0.3g/L, the frequency of severe preeclampsia in each group was significantly higher than the frequency of mild pre-eclampsia cases. Time of onset was significantly earlier in patients with proteinuria3g/L in a 24h urine collection, but time between the onset of preeclampsia and delivery was not correlated with the amount of proteinuria. The birth weight was significantly lower in patients with proteinuria3g/L. The incidence of fetal growth restriction or stillbirth was significantly higher in patients with proteinuria5g/L. Our data demonstrate that the amount of proteinuria is not associated with the severe of preeclampsia, once proteinuria is detected, but is related to the severity of preeclampsia. The adverse fetal outcomes appear to be the function of prematurity rather than proteinuria itself.

Using native signal peptide, an alkaliphilic actinomycete xylanase XynK was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and secreted into the culture medium completely. At its optimum catalytic temperature of 55 °C, the cellulose-free xylanase exhibits high activity and stability at pH 7.0-11.0. In comparison with the well-studied actinomycete xylanase from Streptomyces lividans, as an alkaliphilic xylanase, XynK exhibited different biochemical and catalytic characteristics. With the aid of site-directed mutagenesis, some residues were demonstrated to be important to the activity, stability, or substrate binding of the enzyme. The pH stability of mutants H131S and W135A both decreased obviously under high pH values. Combined with their K(m) parameters and homology model analysis, His131 was proposed to be important to both substrate binding and enzyme catalyzing, whereas Trp135 significantly influenced enzyme stability. Good stability under alkaline condition, as well as high secretory expression implies good potentials of the alkaline xylanase in various industrial applications. In addition, results from site-directed mutagenesis provide useful information for further pH stability mechanisms investigation.

The score in art exam, part of College entrance examination, is very useful and helpful. Thanks to the exam management system we got the data easily, and there are huge amount of data accumulated. We analyzed the data and visualize the data through Cluster Analysis and Correlation Analysis. And get the relationship between number of students and age, subject, position. Finally we visualize the analyzed data.

Medicinal plants are globally valuable sources of herbal products, and they are disappearing at a high speed. This article reviews global trends, developments and prospects for the strategies and methodologies concerning the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plant resources to provide a reliable reference for the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants. We emphasized that both conservation strategies (e.g. in situ and ex situ conservation and cultivation practices) and resource management (e.g. good agricultural practices and sustainable use solutions) should be adequately taken into account for the sustainable use of medicinal plant resources. We recommend that biotechnical approaches (e.g. tissue culture, micropropagation, synthetic seed technology, and molecular marker-based approaches) should be applied to improve yield and modify the potency of medicinal plants.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of selected plant essential oil (EO) combinations against four food-related microorganisms. Ten EOs were initially screened against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae using agar disk diffusion and broth dilution methods. The highest efficacy against all the tested strains was shown when testing the oregano EO. EOs of basil and bergamot were active against the Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and B. subtilis), while perilla EO strongly inhibited the growth of yeast (S. cerevisiae). The chemical components of selected EOs were also analyzed by GC/MS. Phenols and terpenes were the major antimicrobial compounds in oregano and basil EOs. The dominant active components of bergamot EO were alcohols, esters and terpenes. For perilla EO, the major active constituents were mainly ketones. The checkerboard method was then used to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of EO combinations by means of the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Based on an overall consideration of antimicrobial activity, organoleptic impact and cost, four EO combinations were selected and their MIC values were listed as follows: oregano–basil (0.313–0.313 μl/ml) for E. coli, basil–bergamot (0.313–0.156 μl/ml) for S. aureus, oregano–bergamot (0.313–0.313 μl/ml) for B. subtilis and oregano–perilla (0.313–0.156 μl/ml) for S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, the mechanisms of the antimicrobial action of EO combinations to the tested organisms were studied by the electronic microscopy observations of the cells and the measurement of the release of cell constituents. The electron micrographs of damaged cells and the significant increase of the cell constituents' release demonstrated that all EO combinations affected the cell membrane integrity.

In this first prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study, 28 infertile patients with severe oligoasthenozoospermia received acupuncture according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and 29 infertile patients received placebo acupuncture. A significantly higher percentage of motile sperm (World Health Organization categories A-C), but no effect on sperm concentration, was found after acupuncture compared with placebo acupuncture.

Objective To study effects of behavior training on learning, memory and the expression of NR2B, GluR1 in hippocampus of rat' s offspring with fetal growth restriction(FGR). Methods The rat model of FGR was established by passive smoking method. The rats offspring were divided into the FGR group and the control group, then randomly divided into the trained and untrained group, respectively. Morris water maze test was proceeded on postnatal month(PM2/4) as a behavior training method, then the learning-memory of rats was detected through dark-avoidance and step-down tests. The expressions of NR2B and GluR1 subunits in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas were detected by immunohistochemical method. Results In the dark-avoidance and step-down tests, the performance record of rats with FGR was worse than that of control rats, and the behavior-trained rats was better than the untrained rats, when the FGR model and training factors were analyzed singly. The model factor and training factor had significant interaction(P Conclusion These findings suggested that the effect of behavior training on the expressions of NR2B and GluR1 subunits in CA1 area should be the mechanistic basis for the training-induced improvement in learning-memory abilities.

Objective: To study the significance of Leptin and the activity of erythrocyte membrane Ca(superscript 2+)-ATPase(EMCA) in the development of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy. Methods: Radioimmunoassay was used to test the level of serum Leptin, and the activity of EMCA was determined chemically in 38 pregnant women with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy and 36 normotensive pregnant women. Results: The level of serum Leptin in hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (gestational hypertension: 13.76±3.46 ng/ml; preeclampsia: 15.76±5.47 ng/ml; eclampsia: 18.32±6.38 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in normotensive pregnant women (11.33±2.93 ng/ml), respectively. The average EMCA activity of patients with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (gestational hypertension: 1.65±0.24 μmol•pi/mg•h; preeclampsia: 1.37±0.19 μmol•pi/mg•h; eclampsia: 1.12±0.14 μmol•pi/mg•h) was significantly lower than that of normotensive pregnant women (1.83±0.38 μmol•pi/mg•h), respectively. There was a negative correlation between the level of serum Leptin and the activity of RMCA in hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy (r=-0.63). Conclusion: Inhibition of EMCA activity of erythrocyte in hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy may increase cytoplasmic free calcium, which contributes to the development of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy. The negative correlation between the level of serum Leptin and the activity of EMCA, also suggested that serum Leptin and the activity of EMCA may play a role in the development of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy.

Autoregulatory loops often provide precise control of the level of expression of specific genes that encode key regulatory proteins. Here we have defined a pathway by which Yra1p, a yeast mRNA export factor, controls its own expression. We show that YRA1 exon 1 sequences in cis and Yra1p in trans inhibit YRA1 pre-mRNA splicing and commit the pre-mRNA to nuclear export. Mex67p and Crm1p jointly promote YRA1 pre-mRNA export, and once in the cytoplasm, the pre-mRNA is degraded by a 5' to 3' decay mechanism that is dependent on the decapping activator Edc3p and on specific sequences in the YRA1 intron. These results illustrate how common steps in the nuclear processing, export, and degradation of a transcript can be uniquely combined to control the expression of a specific gene and suggest that Edc3p-mediated decay may have additional regulatory functions in eukaryotic cells.

Introduction Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder and placental factor(s) contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Turnover of villous trophoblast is affected by impaired placental perfusion in preeclampsia. Expression and localisation of cadherins and cytokeratins are involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. However, studies describing the associations between cadherins and cytokeratins in preeclampsia are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, cytokeratin 18 and cytokeratin 19 in placentae from women with preeclampsia in order to determine whether their expression differs with disease severity. Methods 29 preeclamptic placentae and 25 normotensive placentae were included in this study. The expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 18, cytokeratin 19 andN-cadherin was quantified by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results E-cadherin, cytokeratin 18 and cytokeratin 19 were expressed predominantly in the syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta and the expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 18 and cytokeratin 19 was significantly increased in preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnancies. However, there was no significant difference in expression between severe preeclampsia and mild preeclampsia. In addition, there was no difference in the expression of N-cadherin between preeclampsic and normotensive pregnancies. Discussion Our data demonstrated increased expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 18 and cytokeratin 19 in the syncytiotrophoblast of preeclamptic placentae, but this increase was not correlated with disease severity. Conclusion Our data suggests that E-cadherin and cytokeratins are involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

The aim of the present study was to characterize the role of microRNA (miR)-155 in the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia (PE). A total of 19 severe preeclampsic and 22 normal placentas were collected to measure miR-155 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression using quantitative (q)PCR and western blot analysis. The results demonstrated a significant increase in the levels of miR-155 and decreased eNOS expression in the severe preeclampsic placentas, as compared with the normal controls. In order to examine the function of miR-155 in the human placenta, the HTR8/Svneo cell line was transiently transfected with an miR-155 mimic or its inhibitor, anti-miR-155. It was confirmed that miR-155 may suppress the expression of eNOS in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Furthermore, a transwell insert invasion assay demonstrated that miR-155 inhibited cell invasion in trophoblast cells, and the effect was rescued by over expression of eNOS. The present study revealed that miR-155 has a negative regulatory role in the migratory behavior of HTR-8/SVneo cells via modulating eNOS.

To investigate the expression and changes of high-temperature requirement A1 (HtrA1) during pregnancy and the use of this value in predicting preeclampsia.Serum samples were collected from pregnant mothers at different gestational weeks, and double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to describe the changes in HtrA1 in serum during pregnancy.(i) In Xi'an area of China, the incidence of preeclampsia was 4.95%, including 0.85% of early-onset type and 4.10% of late-onset type; (ii) the HtrA1 showed a lognormal distribution during pregnancy in the maternal serum, with the peak at 17-20 weeks of pregnancy; (iii) the HtrA1 levels in preeclampsia mothers peaked at 13-16 weeks of pregnancy, followed by acute decline until 21-24 weeks, then remained stable; (iv) the HtrA1 levels in preeclampsia mothers were higher than the control group in 13-16 weeks and lower than that in 21-24 weeks (p0.05); (v) the criteria using lgHtrA1 level at 1.684 during 13-16 weeks of pregnancy could predict hypertension disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) with sensitivity of 62.1% and specificity of 53.7%. This could be improved to 85 and 83%, respectively, when combined with body mass index as well as education background of the mother.(i) HtrA1 showed lognormal distribution during pregnancy for all populations; (ii) HtrA1 level peaked at 17-20 weeks in normal group of pregnant mothers, and the increase of HtrA1 level in 13-16 weeks could predict the risk of preeclampsia; (iii) the risk calculation formula for preeclampsia: p (%) = eY/(1 + eY) (Y = -15.87 + 3.706 × lgHtrA1 + 0.134 × mean arterial pressure (MAP) - 1.4 × education level code); e = 2.718.

Introduction Preeclampsia is a major complication of pregnancy affecting maternal and fetal health. Although the pathogenesis of preeclampsia is unclear, it is believed that trophoblast apoptosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia during pregnancy. Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family that uniquely promotes trophoblast proliferation. In this study we investigated the alteration of survivin levels during pregnancy and compared the survivin protein and mRNA between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy. Methods The mRNA level of survivin in first, second and third trimester placentae was measured by Real-time PCR. The expression of survivin in preeclamptic placentae (including severe and mild preeclampsia) and in age-matched normal placentae was measured by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA levels of survivin in preeclamptic or normal placentae were measured by Real-time PCR. Results The mRNA level of survivin was significantly reduced throughout gestation. The mRNA level of survivin in preeclamptic placentae was significantly reduced compared to that in normal placenta. The mRNA level of survivin in severe preeclamptic placentae was further significantly reduced compared to that in mild preeclamptic placentae. In addition, survivin was expressed on syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts and the expression of survivin was significantly decreased in preeclamptic placenta compared to that in normal placenta ( p = 0.01). Furthermore the expression of survivin in severe preeclamptic placentae was significantly lower than that in mild preeclamptic placentae. Conclusion Our current data suggests lower placental expression of survivin may be associated with the severity of preeclampsia.

Background Although sperm is transcriptionally and translationally quiescent, complex populations of RNAs, including mRNAs and non-coding RNAs, exist in sperm. Previous microarray analysis of germ cell mutants identified hundreds of sperm genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. To take a more comprehensive view on C. elegans sperm genes, here, we isolate highly pure sperm cells and employ high-throughput technologies to obtain sperm transcriptome and proteome. Results First, sperm transcriptome consists of considerable amounts of non-coding RNAs, many of which have not been annotated and may play functional roles during spermatogenesis. Second, apart from kinases/phosphatases as previously reported, ion binding proteins are also enriched in sperm, underlying the crucial roles of intracellular ions in post-translational regulation in sperm. Third, while the majority of sperm genes/proteins have low abundance, a small number of sperm genes/proteins are hugely enriched in sperm, implying that sperm only rely on a small set of proteins for post-translational regulation. Lastly, by extensive RNAi screening of sperm enriched genes, we identified a few genes that control fertility. Our further analysis reveals a tight correlation between sperm transcriptome and sperm small RNAome, suggesting that the endogenous siRNAs strongly repress sperm genes. This leads to an idea that the inefficient RNAi screening of sperm genes, a phenomenon currently with unknown causes, might result from the competition between the endogenous RNAi pathway and the exogenous RNAi pathway. Conclusions Together, the obtained sperm transcriptome and proteome serve as valuable resources to systematically study spermatogenesis in C. elegans.

In this first prospective, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study, 28 infertile patients with severe oligoasthenozoospermia received acupuncture according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and 29 infertile patients received placebo acupuncture. A significantly higher percentage of motile sperm (World Health Organization categories A–C), but no effect on sperm concentration, was found after acupuncture compared with placebo acupuncture.