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Objective: To analyze the associations between pregnancy-related anxiety and the prevalence of subthreshold autism trait (SAT) in preschool children., Methods: Baseline data came from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study, a part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS). All the participants were enrolled among pregnant women who received prenatal health care in 4 municipal medical centers during Oct. 2008 to Oct. 2010. A total of 5 084 pregnant women were recruited at the beginning and 4 669 singleton live births were included until childbirth. The situation about pregnancy-specific anxiety during trimester and third trimester of women were evaluated by Pregnancy-specific Anxiety Questionnaire (PAQ). Between April 2014 and April 2015, the cohort was followed up again, and the Clancy Autism Behavior Scale (CABRS) filled out by parents was used for telling the SAT children from the healthy children among 3 663 preschool children. Univariate and binary regression model was used to estimate associations between the pregnancy-related anxiety during trimester and third trimester and the subthreshold autism trait in children., Results: During the pregnancy, the detected rates of women with pregnancy-specific anxiety in trimester and the third trimester were 25.5%(935/3 663), 13.9%(501/3 592) respectively, and the detected rate of maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety in both periods was 7.7%(278/3 592). There were 290 positive children with SAT and the detection rate was 7.9%. After controlling possible confounding factors including children's genders, place of residence, supplement folic acid during pregnancy, preterm birth, exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy, the father (mother) cultural levels, the father (mother) nature of work and family income, the results of multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety in trimester was the risk factor for SAT in preschool children (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.11-2.04), and there was no association between maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety in the third trimester and SAT in preschool children (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 0.82-2.22). Compared with the single function of maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety in trimester or the third trimester for SAT in preschool children, maternal pregnancy-specific anxiety in both periods presented a joint action that increasing the risk for SAT (OR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.36-2.98)., Conclusion: Maternal pregnancy-related anxiety was a risk factor for subthreshold autism trait in preschooler children. Pregnant women should try to keep a good mental state to create a good environment for fetal growth.

Objective: To examine the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with childhood overweight and adiposity, and to explore possible early life risk factors for obesity in preschool children., Methods: Basic information of pregnant women and gestation period came from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study, a part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS). Pregnant women in routine health care from four municipal medical and health institutions were enrolled voluntarily during October 2008 and October 2010 in Ma'anshan City. A total of 5 084 pregnant women and 4 669 singleton live births were included in this study. Between April 2014 and April 2015, 3 797 children were followed up. Children whose BMI were >85th percentiles for age and genders of World Health Organization (WHO) reference were considered as overweight, and >95th percentiles for age and genders cut-off values were considered as obesity (pathological and secondary causes of obesity were excluded). Gestational weight gain was defined according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Univariate and binary regression model analysis was used to examine the effect of pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with childhood overweight and adiposity., Results: Of the 3 797 pregnant women, the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity were respectively 22.6% (n=858), 70.3% (n=2 671), 6.2% (n=234) and 0.9% (n=34). There were 3 563 pregnant women who were obtained gestational weight gain data, the prevalence of inadequate GWG, appropriate GWG, excessive GWG were respectively 12.4% (n=443), 25.9% (n=922) and 61.7% (n=2 198). The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 11.5% (n=437) and 10.8% (n= 411) in preschool children, respectively. After adjusting confounding factors including age at delivery, genders of children, children age, birth weight, breastfeeding and household economic status, binary logistic regression analysis showed that pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity(OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.53-2.65), excessive GWG(OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.35-2.03) were risk factors for overweight and obesity, and pre-pregnancy underweight was protective factor for childhood overweight and obesity (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.39-0.62). Joint associations of pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG were also noticed in the study: compared to only pre-pregnancy higher BMI or excessive GWG or indequate GWG, combination of high pre-pregnancy BMI and excessive GWG or high pre-pregnancy BMI and inadequate GWG, adverse effects on childhood overweight and obesity were much higher,OR (95%CI) values were 2.90(1.97-4.28), 3.17(1.44-6.97) respectively., Conclusion: Both high pre-pregnancy BMI and inappropriate GWG are associated with greater offspring BMI. Pregnant women should achieve appropriate weight gain and help prevent obesity in their children.

Objective: To examine the effect of parents' occupational and life exposure during six months before pregnancy on executive function of preschool children., Methods: Pregnant women involved in the study came from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study,a part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study. Between October 2008 and October 2010, pregnant women who accepted pregnancy care in four municipal medical and health institutions in Ma'anshan city were recruited as study objects. A total of 5,084 pregnant women and 4,669 singleton live births entered in this cohort. Between April 2014 and April 2015, a total of 3,803 pre-school children were followed up. Finally, except 32 preschool children did not have EF evaluation result, there were 3,771 children included in this study. By using self-designed " Maternal health handbook", we researched parents' general demographic characteristics, and life and occupational exposure during six months before pregnancy. To research preschool children's executive function, we used the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). Univariate and multivariate statistical method was used to analyze the association of parents' life and occupational exposure during six months before pregnancy and preschool children's EF., Results: 3,771 preschool children's detected rate of inhibitory self-control index (ISCI), flexibility index (FI), emergent metacognition index (EMI) and global executive composite (GEC) dysplasia were 4.8% (182), 2.3% (88), 16.5% (623) and 8.6% (324) respectively. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.36-2.54), whose maternal were exposed to pesticides were the risk of ISCI dysplasia(OR=3.60, 95% CI: 1.45-8.95). During six months before pregnancy, children whose maternal were exposed to pesticides (OR=6.72, 95% CI: 2.50-18.07) and whose father were exposed to occupational lead (OR=2.10, 95% CI: 1.25-3.54) were the risk of FI dysplasia. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.42, 95%CI: 1.18-1.71) and whose father were exposed to occupational lead (OR=1.30, 95%CI: 1.02-1.65) were the risk of EMI dysplasia. During six months before pregnancy, children whose parents were lived in a noise environment (OR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.24-2.01) and whose maternal were exposed to pesticides (OR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.02-5.58) were the risk of GEC dysplasia., Conclusion: The development of executive function is worse among preschool children whose parents live in noise environment, mother exposed to pesticides, and father exposed to occupational lead during six months before pregnancy.

Objective: To explore the effects of estrogen (E2) on angiotensin converting enzyme-angiotensin II-angiotensin type 1 receptor (ACE-Ang II-AT1) axis in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension rats., Methods: A total of 60 healthy female Sprague-Dawdley (SD) rats were divided randomly into 6 groups (n = 10 each) of sham operation, pure ovariectomy (OVX), pure hypoxia,OVX+hypoxia,OVX+E2 and OVX+hypoxia+E2. Abdominal cavity was opened for sham operation group and bilateral ovaries were left intact without any other procedure. The pure OVX group underwent oophorectomy. The pure hypoxia group were placed into a low-oxygen environment (24 hour, 8 weeks). The OVX+hypoxia group were placed into a low-oxygen environment after bilateral oophorectomy. The OVX+E2 group received a subcutaneous injection of E2 (20 µg×kg(-1)×d(-1)) after bilateral oophorectomy. The OVX+hypoxia+E2 group had an injection of E2 and was placed into a low-oxygen environment after bilateral oophorectomy. The rats were feed continuously for 8 weeks to establish hypoxic pulmonary hypertension model. The mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was measured after bloodletting. Then right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) and hematoxylin-eosin pulmonary artery remodeling (HPSR) were observed. And electron microscope was employed to observe pulmonary arteriolar ultrastructure. The methods of radio-immunity assay, ultraviolet spectroscopy, Western blot and reverse transcription PCR were used to measure the levels of CE,Ang II and AT1 in sera, lung and pulmonary artery., Results: The vascular walls of pure hypoxia and OVX+hypoxia groups became thickened and lumen narrowed.mPAP and RVHI were (32.4 ± 2.2) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa),0.331 ± 0.032 and (37.9 ± 1.6) mmHg,0.433 ± 0.033. Both were significantly higher than those of Sham operation group ((12.6 ± 1.8) mmHg,0.233 ± 0.029) (both P < 0.05); the above parameters of OVX+Hypoxia+E2 group changed little. And mPAP ((26.1 ± 1.4) mmHg) was significantly higher than that in sham operation group (P < 0.05) while the difference in RVHI between OVX+ Hypoxia+ E2 (0.267 ± 0.040) and sham operation groups had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Compared with Sham operation group, the expression levels of ACE,Ang II and AT1 in pure OVX, pure hypoxia and OVX+ hypoxia groups rose markedly (all P < 0.05).However, the OVX+E2 and OVX+ hypoxia+E2 groups had no obvious change (all P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The intervention effect of E2 for hypoxic pulmonary hypertension may be partly mediated by the down-regulated expressions of ACE and AT1 in lung tissue resulting in the reduced activity of ACE-AngII-AT1 axis.