Effects of different physical exercise types on health outcomes of individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a prospective randomized controlled clinical study.

Objective: To explore the impacts of different types of physical exercise on health outcomes of individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs).

Methods: Forty individuals with HDPs admitted to a tertiary hospital providing maternal and pediatric care between July 2023 and March 2024 were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled clinical study and completed a ≥4-week intervention. Data were collected before the intervention and before delivery.

Metabolomic profiling of serum and tongue coating of pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is associated with an increased risk of cesarean section and adverse fetal outcomes. Currently, ICP diagnosis depends largely on serum levels of bile acids and lacks sensitivity and specificity for accurate diagnosis. Tongue diagnosis is an important diagnostic tool in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is used in our clinic as complementary treatment and personalized medicine for ICP.

Maternal BMI changes from the prepregnancy to postpartum period are associated with postpartum cardiometabolic risk factors: a longitudinal study.

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the associations between the total body mass index (BMI) change at 3 or 4 years postpartum compared to the prepregnancy and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods: This longitudinal study included 1305 participants. Based on the total postpartum BMI changes, they were divided into < 0 units, 0-1.

Mediation effect of maternal triglyceride and fasting glucose level on the relationship between maternal overweight/ obesity and fetal growth: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that maternal overweight/obesity is asscociated with macrosomia. The present study aimed to investigate the mediation effects of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and maternal triglyceride (mTG) in the relationship between maternal overweight/obesity and large for gestational age (LGA) among non-diabetes pregnant women.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in Shenzhen from 2017 to 2021.

A meta-analysis of pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index and placental DNA methylation identifies 27 CpG sites with implications for mother-child health.

Higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (ppBMI) is associated with increased neonatal morbidity, as well as with pregnancy complications and metabolic outcomes in offspring later in life. The placenta is a key organ in fetal development and has been proposed to act as a mediator between the mother and different health outcomes in children. The overall aim of the present work is to investigate the association of ppBMI with epigenome-wide placental DNA methylation (DNAm) in 10 studies from the PACE consortium, amounting to 2631 mother-child pairs.

An engineered (CAGA)-EGFP cell-based biosensor for high-content and accurate detection of active TGF-β.

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) regulates multiple fundamental physiological processes and is closely related to severe diseases such as cancer, fibrosis, immune disorders and cardiovascular diseases. TGF-β is thus an important biomarker for clinical diagnosis and prognosis, and a crucial target for therapeutics development. Here we describe a high-content, serum-free, easy-to-use, and cost-effective (CAGA)-EGFP cell-based biosensor for accurate measurements of active TGF-β.

Excessive gestational weight gain in early pregnancy and insufficient gestational weight gain in middle pregnancy increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background: Gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the effect of weight gain in different trimesters on the risk of GDM is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of GWG on GDM during different trimesters.

Placental weight mediates association between prenatal exposure to cooking oil fumes and preterm birth.

There are some reports on association between maternal prenatal cooking oil fume (COF) exposure and preterm birth (PTB), but its mechanism remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether placental weight mediates their associations. We enrolled 619 pregnant women delivering PTB newborns as cases and 1701 delivering full-term appropriate for gestational age newborns as controls.

Abnormal placental DNA methylation variation in spontaneous preterm birth.

Objective: Preterm birth (PTB) has become a major public health concern as the leading cause of neonatal death, but little is understood about its etiology. Children born preterm are also at increased risk of long-term consequences such as neurodevelopmental disorders, adulthood hypertension and diabetes. Recent studies have indicated that DNA methylation may be involved in the occurrence of PTB as well as related adverse outcomes.

Selenium-associated DNA methylation modifications in placenta and neurobehavioral development of newborns: An epigenome-wide study of two U.S. birth cohorts.

Background/aim: Selenium (Se) levels in pregnancy have been linked to neurobehavioral development of the offspring. DNA methylation is a potential mechanism underlying the impacts of environmental exposures on fetal development; however, very few studies have been done elucidating the role of DNA methylation linking prenatal Se and child neurobehavior. We aimed to investigate the associations between placental Se concentration and epigenome-wide DNA methylation in two U.

In vitro antioxidation effect of Quercetin on sperm function from the infertile patients with leukocytospermia.

Problem: Quercetin has been shown to display intensive antioxidant activity against ROS-mediated damage in chilled semen, and the effects and molecular mechanisms of Quercetin on sperm function in the infertile patients with leukocytospermia remain largely unknown.

Methods: Semen samples were collected from the infertile men with leukocytospermia (n = 56) and fertile men (n = 44). Computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) was used to determine sperm motility before and after Quercetin incubation (10 μmol/L).

Environmentally Induced Epigenetic Plasticity in Development: Epigenetic Toxicity and Epigenetic Adaptation.

Purpose Of Review: Epigenetic processes represent important mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity in response to environmental exposures. The current review discusses three classes of environmentally-induced epigenetic changes reflecting two aspects of that plasticity, toxicity effects as well as adaptation in the process of development.

Recent Findings: Due to innate resilience, epigenetic changes caused by environmental exposures may not always lead impairments but may allow the organisms to achieve positive developmental outcomes through appropriate adaptation and a buffering response.

Comparison of DNA methylation profiles associated with spontaneous preterm birth in placenta and cord blood.

Background: The etiology and mechanism of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) are still unclear. Accumulating evidence has documented that various environmental exposure scenarios may cause maternal and fetal epigenetic changes, which initiates the focus on whether epigenetics can contribute to the occurrence of sPTB. Therefore, we conducted the current study to examine and compare the DNA methylation changes associated with sPTB in placenta and cord blood.

Maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone is associated with LEP DNA methylation at birth and in childhood: an epigenome-wide study in Project Viva.

Background: Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a central role in regulating the secretion of cortisol which controls a wide range of biological processes. Fetuses overexposed to cortisol have increased risks of disease in later life. DNA methylation may be the underlying association between prenatal cortisol exposure and health effects.

Appetite during the second and third trimesters mediates the impact of prenatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure on symmetric full-term low birth weight.

To examine the relationship of prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and full-term low birth weight (FT-LBW) when taking anthropometric proportionality into consideration, and explore whether appetite mediates their association. We conducted a case-control study among pregnant women at two Women and Children's Hospitals in Guangdong, China. Information was collected through interview and medical records review.

Association between prenatal exposure to cooking oil fumes and full-term low birth weight is mediated by placental weight.

Objective: Evidence regarding the association between prenatal exposure to cooking oil fumes (COF) and full-term low birth weight (FTLBW) is still controversial, and the mechanism remains unclear. This study thus aims to explore the association of prenatal COF exposure with off-spring FT-LBW as well as the mediating role of placenta in their association.

Methods: A case-control study enrolling 266 pregnant women delivering FTLBW newborns (cases) and 1420 delivering normal birth weight (NBW) newborns (controls) was conducted.

Placental surface area mediates the association between methylation in placenta and full-term low birth weight in girls.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 () gene encodes a protein of the fibroblast growth factor receptor family. gene expression is associated with the regulation of implantation process of placenta which plays a vital role in fetal growth. DNA methylation is widely known as a mechanism of fetal growth.

Rapid characterization of the absorbed chemical constituents of Tangzhiqing formula following oral administration using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS.

Tangzhiqing formula, a Chinese herbal formula, is used for the treatment of type II diabetes and prediabetes. Although its effectiveness has been certified by clinical use, its absorbed chemical constituents are not comprehensively represented. Thence, in order to reveal potential bioactive components and metabolism of Tangzhiqing formula, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was developed.

CCL19/CCR7 contributes to the pathogenesis of endometriosis via PI3K/Akt pathway by regulating the proliferation and invasion of ESCs.

Problem: The level of CCL19 increased in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis, but the precise mechanism of CCL19/CCR7 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unknown.

Methods: ELISA and immunohistochemistry were performed to analyze CCL19/CCR7 expressions in peritoneal fluid and endometrium from women with endometriosis (n = 38) and controls (n = 32). Cell proliferation and transwell invasion assays were applied to detect proliferation and invasion of human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs).

Maternal exercise during pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth through the mediating role of placenta.

Objective: The extent of research on maternal exercise during pregnancy and the risk of preterm birth (PTB) have grown substantially, but conclusions still remained controversial. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationship of maternal exercise during pregnancy and PTB and explore whether placenta mediates their relationship.

Study Design: We investigated 849 pregnant women delivering PTB newborns (cases) and 1306 delivering full-term appropriate for gestational age newborns (controls) in this case-control study.

Detection of dendritic cells and related cytokines in follicular fluid of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Problem: The presence of dendritic cells (DCs) and associated cytokines in follicular fluid (FF) from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains unknown.

Methods Of Study: FF was collected from PCOS patients and patients with severe male factor infertility (control) at the day of transvaginal oocyte retrieval. Phenotypes of DC were detected by flow cytometry, and TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-23 were assessed by ELISA.