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A crosstalk among components of the endoderm, mesoderm and neuroectoderm via the growth factor FGF2 and Survivin-containing exosomes is essential for successful neurulation and is deregulated in diabetic pregnancy.

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) as the primary sensitizer in plant-food allergic patients used to be seen primarily in the Mediterranean area. However, more recently, increasing numbers of clinically relevant sensitizations are being observed in Northern Europe. We herein report an unusual case of a woman who developed an anaphylactic reaction during a meal including a variety of different foods ranging from fruits and nuts to oats, wheat, and salmon. Allergy diagnostics showed no Bet v 1 sensitization but an nsLTP-mediated food allergy. Despite the much more prominent birch food syndrome in Central and Northern Europe, LTPs should be considered disease-causing agents, especially for patients developing severe reactions after consuming LTP-containing foods.

Unpolluted, polluted and remediated mudflat samples were collected in Bodo Creek, Rivers State, Nigeria to evaluate the ecological status of the area using impact analysis of sediment remediation by flushing technique on chemical properties and levels of some metals. Results showed that total organic carbon ranged from 21.5 – 23.0 % from the unpolluted to the remediated station, available nitrogen was 2.4 % and 2.5 % for the unpolluted and the polluted/remediated stations, total organic matter was 35 % and 40 % for unpolluted and polluted/remediated stations while available phosphorus ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 mg/kg for remediated to polluted/unpolluted stations. Sodium content ranged from 134 to 137 for unpolluted to polluted/remediated stations, potassium was 1779 mg/kg for unpolluted and 1370 mg/kg for the remediated station, calcium was 224 mg/kg for unpolluted and 296 mg/kg for the remediated station while Pb Cu were below detectable limits. It can be concluded that remediated station is safe ecosystem re-establishment.

Neural tube defects can arise from high glucose levels caused by maternal diabetes, and MARCKS is required for neural tube closure. Here, Yang et al. show that acetylation and phosphorylation of MARCKS in hyperglycemic conditions causes mitochondrial and ER stress, leading to neural tube defects.

This paper presents a geological map and cross-section of the Falcón Basin based both on published and unpublished work and on new data collected in the northern and southern basin margins. The geological map covers an area of 4600 km2 at 1:100,000 scale. The cross-section is oriented NNW-SSE, traversing perpendicular to the main structures. In general, the structure of the study area results from the inversion of a graben (Oligocene-early Miocene back-arc basin), that started in the middle Miocene due to the convergence between the Caribbean and South American plates. The map, the cross-section and the observations made in the field have been used to generate a tectonostratigraphic reconstruction of the Falcón Basin. The Oligocene-early Miocene sedimentary succession mapped and described is relevant to the hydrocarbon exploration in the Caribbean and in the Gulf of Venezuela, where new hydrocarbon resources have recently been discovered (i.e. Perla gas field).

Maternal diabetes can induce neural tube defects (NTD). Here, the authors show that in mice, deletion ofPrkca(encoding protein kinase C-alpha) restores autophagy, via suppression of miR-129-2 and reversal of reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor c coactivator 1alpha, so reducing NTDs.

Objective Pregnant women are at increased risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This could be explained through the prism of physiologic and immunologic changes in pregnancy. In addition, certain immunological reactions originate in the placenta in response to viral infections. This study aimed to investigate whether severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect the human placenta and discuss its implications in the pathogenesis of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study in which we collected placental specimens from pregnant women who had a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. We performed RNA in situ hybridization assay on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues to establish the in vivo evidence for placental infectivity by this corona virus. In addition, we infected trophoblast isolated from uninfected term human placenta with SARS-CoV-2 variants to further provide in vitro evidence for such an infectivity. Results There was a total of 21 cases enrolled, which included 5 cases of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) and 2 intrauterine fetal demises (IUFDs). Positive staining of positive-sense strand of SARS-CoV-2 virions was detected in 15 placentas including 4 SPTB and both IUFDs. In vitro infection assay demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 virions were highly capable of infecting both cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast. Conclusion This study implies that placental SARS-CoV-2 infection may be associated with an increased risk of adverse obstetrical outcomes. Key Points SARS-CoV-2 can effectively infect human placenta. Such infectivity is confirmed by in vitro experiments. Placental SARS-CoV-2 corelates with adverse obstetrical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for a reimagined U.S. biomedical research enterprise to address evolving health challenges and ensure national health progress. Topics discussed include the development of a national strategic vision, the importance of coordinated funding, and the prioritization of health equity and social determinants of health in research.

Abstract Whole genome duplication (WGD) is a powerful evolutionary mechanism in plants. Autopolyploids have been comparatively less studied than allopolyploids, with sexual autopolyploidization receiving even less attention. In this work, we studied the transcriptomes of neotetraploids (2n = 4x = 32) obtained by crossing two diploid (2n = 2x = 16) plants of Medicago sativa that produce a significant percentage of either 2n eggs or pollen. Diploid progeny from the same cross allowed us to separate the transcriptional outcomes of hybridization from those of WGD. This material can help to elucidate events at the base of the domestication of cultivated 4x alfalfa, the world’s most important leguminous forage. Three 2x and three 4x progeny plants and 2x parental plants were used for this study. The RNA-seq data revealed that WGD did not dramatically affect the transcription of leaf protein-coding genes. The two parental genotypes did not contribute equally to the progeny transcriptomes, and genome-wide expression level dominance of the male parent was observed. A large majority of the genes whose expression level changed due to WGD presented increased expression, indicating that the 4x state requires the upregulation of approximately 2.66% of the protein-coding genes. Overall, we estimated that 3.63% of the protein-coding genes were transcriptionally affected by WGD and may contribute to the phenotypic novelty of the neotetraploid plants. Pathway analysis suggested that WGD could affect secondary metabolite biosynthesis, which in turn may influence forage quality. We found four times as many transcription factor genes among the polyploidization-affected genes than among those affected only by hybridization. Several of these belong to classes involved in stress response. Small RNA-seq revealed that very few miRNAs were significantly associated with WGD, but they target several hundred genes, and their role in the WGD response may be relevant. Integrated network analysis led to the identification of putative miRNA: mRNA interactions potentially involved in transcriptome reprogramming. Allele-specific expression analysis indicated that parent-of-origin bias was not a significant outcome of WGD, but we found that parentally biased RNA editing may be a significant source of variation in neopolyploids.

Author(s): Aimee S. Parnell [sup.1] [sup.2] , Adolfo Correa [sup.1] [sup.3] , E. Albert Reece [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.251313.7Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi School of Medicine, 2500 North [...], Objective Inconsistent findings of associations between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and birth defects suggest unaccounted confounders may underlie the actual basis for such associations. We conducted a systematic review to assess observed associations between GDM and birth defects and the extent to which these could be explained by pre-pregnancy obesity. Methods Using a combination of search terms for GDM and birth defects, we searched PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and ClinicalTrials.gov for human-based studies published through September 2013. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included information on maternal diabetes status, method of diagnosis of GDM, and assessment of birth defects. Twenty-four of 768 potential articles were included. We collected information on study design, location and period, method of determination of diabetes status, types of birth defects, and measures of association reported. Results There was no evidence for consistent association of GDM with birth defects, with the exception of a weak association between GDM and congenital heart defects. When stratified by maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, an association between GDM and congenital heart defects and between GDM and neural tube defects was evident only in women with both GDM and pre-pregnancy obesity. Conclusions for Practice Our findings suggest reported associations between GDM and birth defects may be due, in part, to undiagnosed metabolic disorders associated with obesity, such as pregestational diabetes mellitus, rather than GDM. These findings highlight the need for increased efforts for pre-pregnancy screening for undiagnosed diabetes and awareness of the importance of weight management among women of childbearing age with obesity.