Maternal epigenetic clocks measured during pregnancy do not predict gestational age at delivery or offspring birth outcomes: a replication study in metropolitan Cebu, Philippines.

Adverse birth outcomes, such as early gestational age and low birth weight, can have lasting effects on morbidity and mortality, with impacts that persist into adulthood. Identifying the maternal factors that contribute to adverse birth outcomes in the next generation is thus a priority. Epigenetic clocks, which have emerged as powerful tools for quantifying biological aging and various dimensions of physiological dysregulation, hold promise for clarifying relationships between maternal biology and infant health, including the maternal factors or states that predict birth outcomes.

High-sensitivity detection of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 using a gold/zinc oxide thin film surface plasmon resonance-based biosensor.

We report that gold/zinc oxide (Au/ZnO) nanocomposite films were effectively employed to enhance the performance of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for the detection of tumor markers. Carbohydrate antigen 15.3 (CA15-3), a tumor marker for breast cancer, was chosen as a model analyte.

Intracellular calcium and calmodulin link brain-derived neurotrophic factor to p70S6 kinase phosphorylation and dendritic protein synthesis.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/p70S6 kinase (S6K) pathway plays an important role in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mediated protein synthesis and neuroplasticity. Although many aspects of neuronal function are regulated by intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) and calmodulin (CaM), their functions in BDNF-induced phosphorylation of p70S6K and protein synthesis are largely unknown. Here, we report that BDNF, via TrkB-dependent activation of mTOR, induces sustained phosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr389 and Thr421/Ser424.

A first Taiwanese Chinese family of type 2B von Willebrand disease with R1306W mutation.

Clinical, laboratory and genetic defect of a Taiwanese family with type 2B von Willebrand disease (VWD) were studied. The proband was a 55-year-old woman who gave birth to two daughters and one son aged 30, 29 and 27, respectively. All had abnormal mucocutaneous bleedings since their childhood.