Cognitive impairment in children with 5q-associated spinal muscular atrophy type 1: two case reports and the review of the literature.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene on chromosome 5, leading to the degeneration of lower motor neurons. There are few studies on cognitive impairment comorbid with SMA. Here, we report two cases of severe cognitive impairment in Chinese children with SMA type 1, marking the first such reports in this demographic.

Gestational giant panda plasma metabolomics: amino acid metabolism characteristics may predict panda pregnancy outcomes.

In Brief: The metabolic processes of the gestation period in pandas remain poorly understood. Our study comprehensively characterizes the metabolism of giant pandas during gestation and proposes arginine and histidine as potential novel biomarkers for detecting the pregnancy state of giant pandas.

Abstract: There has been remarkable progress in the conservation and reproduction of giant pandas.

Maternal Exposure to PM and the Risk of Congenital Heart Defects in 1.4 Million Births: A Nationwide Surveillance-Based Study.

Background: Evidence remains limited about the association of maternal exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (airborne particles with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm [PM]) with fetal congenital heart defects (CHDs) in highly polluted regions, and few studies have focused on preconception exposure.

Methods: Using a nationwide surveillance-based case-control design in China, we examined the association between maternal exposure to PM during periconception (defined as 3 months before conception until 3 months into pregnancy) and risk of CHD in offspring.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of infection in captive giant panda ().

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii, a globally zoonotic protozoan parasite, infects most warm-blooded animals including the giant panda, and poses a serious threat to the giant panda conservation. However, the seroprevalence and the risk factors for toxoplasmosis in giant pandas are unknown. Here we aimed to determine the seroprevalence of in the captive population of giant pandas and analyze the factors associated with the increased risk of infection.

Water Soluble Star-block Copolypeptides: Towards Biodegradable Nanocarriers for Versatile and Simultaneous Encapsulation.

The synthesis of water soluble star-block copolypeptides and their encapsulation properties are described. The star-block copolypeptides, obtained by ring-opening polymerization of amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides, consist of a PEI core, a hydrophobic polyphenylalanine or polyleucine inner shell, and a negatively charged polyglutamate outer shell. The encapsulation study showed that these water soluble, amphiphilic star-block copolypeptides could simultaneously encapsulate versatile compounds ranging from hydrophobic to anionic and cationic hydrophilic guest molecules.