Association Between Maternal Hyperglycemia and Composite Maternal-Birth Outcomes.

The overall impact of maternal hyperglycemia on maternal and birth outcomes is largely underestimated, therefore quantifying the true burden of hyperglycemia in a whole population it is a challenging task. This study aims at examining the association between blood glucose concentration during pregnancy and a composite score of adverse maternal-birth outcomes in a large-scale prospective cohort study in China. Pregnant women within "the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study" China who underwent a standard 75-g oral-glucose-tolerance-test (OGTT) between 22 and 28 gestational weeks were included.

Predictions of Preterm Birth from Early Pregnancy Characteristics: Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study.

Preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks) is the leading cause of death in children <5 years of age. Early risk prediction for PTB would enable early monitoring and intervention. However, such prediction models have been rarely reported, especially in low- and middle-income areas.

Early life vitamin D status and asthma and wheeze: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of asthma. This study aimed to quantify the effect of early life vitamin D status on asthma and wheeze later in life.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and CNKI databases, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar were searched up to July 2017.

[Induction and analysis for NIR features of frequently-used mineral traditional Chinese medicines].

In order to provide theoretical basis for the rapid identification of mineral traditional Chinese medicines(TCM) with near infrared (NIR)diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Characteristic NIR spectra of 51 kinds of mineral TCMs were generalized and compared on the basis of the previous research, and the characteristic spectral bands were determined and analyzed by referring to mineralogical and geological literatures. It turned out that the NIR features of mineral TCMs were mainly at 8 000-4 000 cm ⁻¹ wavebands, which can be assigned as the absorption of water, -OH and[CO3 ²⁻] and so on. Absorption peaks of water has regularity as follows, the structure water and -OH had a combined peak which was strong and keen-edged around 7 000 cm ⁻¹, the crystal water had two strong peak around 7 000 cm ⁻¹ and 5 100 cm ⁻¹, and water only has a broad peak around 5 100 cm ⁻¹.

Connections between the human gut microbiome and gestational diabetes mellitus.

The human gut microbiome can modulate metabolic health and affect insulin resistance, and it may play an important role in the etiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Here, we compared the gut microbial composition of 43 GDM patients and 81 healthy pregnant women via whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing of their fecal samples, collected at 21-29 weeks, to explore associations between GDM and the composition of microbial taxonomic units and functional genes. A metagenome-wide association study identified 154 837 genes, which clustered into 129 metagenome linkage groups (MLGs) for species description, with significant relative abundance differences between the 2 cohorts.

Associations between maternal exposure to incense burning and blood pressure during pregnancy.

Incense burning is a popular practice in Asian and Arabic countries. Previous studies show that incense burning was associated with increased risks of adverse outcomes among non-pregnant population. However, very few studies explored its health effects among pregnant women, who are more susceptible to environmental stressor.

Does tea consumption during early pregnancy have an adverse effect on birth outcomes?

Background: Tea, a common beverage, has been suggested to exhibit a number of health benefits. However, one of its active ingredients, caffeine, has been associated with preterm birth and low birthweight. We investigated whether tea consumption during early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and abnormal fetal growth.

The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS).

The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS) is a large-scale prospective observational study investigating the role of social, biological and environmental influences on pregnancy and child health and development in an urban setting in southern China. Pregnant women who reside in Guangzhou and who attend Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center (GWCMC) for antenatal care in early pregnancy (<20 weeks' gestation) are eligible for inclusion. Study recruitment commenced in February 2012, with an overall participation rate of 76.

Validity and Reproducibility of a Dietary Questionnaire for Consumption Frequencies of Foods during Pregnancy in the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS).

This study aimed to examine the reproducibility and validity of a new food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used in a birth cohort study to estimate the usual consumption frequencies of foods during pregnancy. The reference measure was the average of three inconsecutive 24 h diet recalls (24 HR) administrated between two FFQs, and the reproducibility was measured by repeating the first FFQ (FFQ1) approximately eight weeks later (FFQ2). A total of 210 pregnant women from the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS) with full data were included in the analysis.

[Quantitative models of Raman spectroscopy for five kinds of traditional Chinese medicine containing CaCO3 based on an improved siPLS].

The aim of this paper is to apply Raman spectroscopy technique to develop rapid quantitative models for five kinds of Traditional Chinese Medicine containing CaCO3. In the experiment, Raman spectras of 67 batch of sample including Otolithum Sciaenae, Galaxeae Os, Ophicalcitum, Calcite, Stalactite and their mixture which had different content of CaCO3 were collected, and the quantitative models were established by using an improved siPLS to optimize the characteristic spectral bands and using the CaCO3 contents which were measured by EDTA titration method as references. Compared with the results by EDTA titration, the established quantitative model for CaCO, content showed a prediction result that the average relative deviation of the prediction results is 2.

[Study on identification of traditional Chinese medicine Yangqishi and Yinqishi by X-ray diffraction].

The aim of this paper is to clarify the mineral origin of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Yangqishi and Yinqishi and guide identification of the both, by X-ray diffraction (XRD) Fourier patterns. Morphological identification and conventional physical and chemical analysis wee used to identify 22 batches of Yangqishi and Yinqishi. It used XRD Fourier patterns which has been collected from sample powders to analyze phase composition.

C1q and tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3 is present in human cord blood and is associated with fetal growth.

Background: To determine the presence of C1q and tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3 (CTRP3) in cord blood and its relationship with fetal growth among Chinese newborns.

Methods: This pilot study recruited 126 infants (small for gestational age [SGA], n=34; appropriate for gestational age [AGA], n=60; large for gestational age [LGA], n=32); cord blood CTRP3 levels were measured, and fetal growth parameters were collected.

Results: Median (25-75th percentile) CTRP3 levels in the SGA, AGA, and LGA groups were 297.

Maternal dietary patterns and gestational diabetes mellitus: a large prospective cohort study in China.

Few studies have explored the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Evidence from non-Western areas is particularly lacking. In the present study, we aimed to examine the associations between dietary patterns and the risk of GDM in a Chinese population.

[A NIR qualitative and quantitative model of 8 kinds of carbonate-containing mineral Chinese medicines].

The aim of this paper is to apply near infrared spectroscopy techniques to construct a rapid identification method for 8 kinds of mineral Chinese Medicines containing carbonates. The qualitative model using clustering analysis method in OPUS software can identify accurately 8 kinds of carbonate-containing mineral Chinese medicines. The near-infrared quantitative model was established by using partial least squares method (PLS) for 7 mineral Chinese Medicines in which main component is calcium carbonate.