A Fetus with Maternal Uniparental Disomy on Chromosome 20: Case Report with Genetic Analysis and Prenatal Diagnosis.

Background: A fetus with increased copy number of chromosome 20 was identified by NIPT. Here we utilize several genetic tests and analyses to illuminate the etiology of such aneuploidy.

Methods: Amniotic fluid cells were extracted from pregnant woman and sent for karyotype and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA).

Global, Regional, and National Burden of Cancer in Children Younger Than 5 Years, 1990-2019: Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Objectives: To quantify the burden and variation trends of cancers in children under 5 years at the global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: Epidemiological data for children under 5 years who were diagnosed with any one childhood cancer were obtained from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) from 1990 to 2019. The outcomes were the absolute numbers and rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for different types of cancer.

Dietary inflammatory index, inflammation biomarkers and preeclampsia risk: a hospital-based case-control study.

This study evaluated the association between inflammatory diets as measured by the Dietary Inflammatory index (DII), inflammation biomarkers and the development of preeclampsia among the Chinese population. We followed the reporting guidelines of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement for observational studies. A total of 466 preeclampsia cases aged over 18 years were recruited between March 2016 and June 2019, and 466 healthy controls were 1:1 ratio matched by age (±3 years), week of gestation (±1 week) and gestational diabetes mellitus.

Association between Periodontitis and Aortic Calcification: A Cohort Study.

The present study investigated the association between the presence of periodontitis and aortic calcification (AC) risk among Chinese adults. A total of 6059 individuals who underwent regular health check-ups and received a diagnosis of periodontitis between 2009 and 2016 were included. The outcome was AC, assessed by a chest low-dose spiral CT scan.

Association between blood urea nitrogen and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Chinese population: a cohort study.

To examine the association between blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among Chinese adults, we performed an ongoing cohort study of 38578 Chinese adults (56.3% males; average age, 41.6 y) who underwent repeated health check-up examinations between 2009 and 2016 and without T2DM at baseline.

Physical activity, screen exposure and sleep among students during the pandemic of COVID-19.

This study aimed to determine the levels of health-related behaviours (physical activity, screen exposure and sleep status) among Chinese students from primary, secondary and high schools during the pandemic of COVID-19, as well as their changes compared with their status before the pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey of 10,933 students was conducted among 10 schools in Guangzhou, China, between 8th and 15th March, 2020. After getting the informed consent from student's caregivers, an online questionnaire was designed and used to obtain time spending on health-related behaviours during the pandemic of COVID-19, as well as the changes compared with 3 months before the pandemic, which was completed by students themselves or their caregivers.

The association between dietary fatty acid intake and the risk of developing preeclampsia: a matched case-control study.

The association between dietary fat intake during pregnancy and the risk of developing preeclampsia has been examined in many epidemiological studies, but the results remain inconsistent. The aim of this study was to clarify this association in pregnant Chinese women. After conducting 1:1 matching, 440 pairs consisting of pregnant women with preeclampsia and hospital-based, healthy pregnant women matched by gestational week (± 1 week) and age (± 3 years) were recruited.

Chemerin isoform analysis in human biofluids using an LC/MRM-MS-based targeted proteomics approach with stable isotope-labeled standard.

Targeted proteomics has advantages over earlier conventional technologies for protein detection. We developed and validated an LC/MRM-MS-based targeted proteomic method combined with immunoaffinity precipitation for the enrichment and detection of low abundance chemerin isoforms in human biofluids. After tryptic digestion, each chemerin isoform was characterized by isoform-specific peptides, and the absolute quantification was achieved by using stable isotope-labeled peptides as internal standards.

Effects of dairy products, calcium and vitamin D on ovarian cancer risk: a meta-analysis of twenty-nine epidemiological studies.

Findings for the roles of dairy products, Ca and vitamin D on ovarian cancer risk remain controversial. We aimed to assess these associations by using an updated meta-analysis. Five electronic databases (e.

Evidence of the involvement of spinal αB-crystallin in the maintenance of bone cancer pain in rats.

Background: αB-crystallin (CRYAB) is a small heat shock protein that is able to inhibit neuroinflammatory responses under various pathological conditions. Some studies have proven that neuroinflammatory mechanisms play important roles in bone cancer pain (BCP). However, whether CRYAB participates in the maintenance of BCP has not yet been examined.

Involvement of Spinal CCR5/PKCγ Signaling Pathway in the Maintenance of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain.

Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is a challenging medical problem that considerably influences cancer patients' quality of life. Currently, few treatments have been developed to conquer CIBP because of a poor understanding of the potential mechanisms. Our previous work has proved that spinal RANTES (a major ligand for CCR5) was involved in the maintenance of CIBP.

Connexin 43 Mediates CXCL12 Production from Spinal Dorsal Horn to Maintain Bone Cancer Pain in Rats.

Tumor metastasis to bone can subsequently lead to bone cancer pain (BCP). Currently, BCP is difficult to conquer due to a poor understanding of the potential mechanisms. Several studies have indicated that astrocyte-specific connexin 43 (Cx43) was involved in the neuropathic pain, and Cx43 induced the release of chemokine CXCL12 in bone marrow stromal cells.

[Degradation of lignocellulose in the corn straw by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MN-8].

Microbial degradation of lignocellulose is one of the key problems that need to be solved urgently in the process of utilizing biomass resource. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MN-8 is our previously isolated bacterium capable of degrading lignin. To determine the capability of strain MN-8 to degrade lignocellulose of corn straw, B.

Involvement of Spinal Bv8/Prokineticin 2 in a Rat Model of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain.

Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) is seriously disruptive to the quality of life in cancer patients, and present therapies are limited. The Bv8/prokineticin 2, a new family of chemokines, has been demonstrated to be involved in inflammatory and neuropathic pain. However, whether it is involved in CIBP remains unclear.

Stiff substrates enhance cultured neuronal network activity.

The mechanical property of extracellular matrix and cell-supporting substrates is known to modulate neuronal growth, differentiation, extension and branching. Here we show that substrate stiffness is an important microenvironmental cue, to which mouse hippocampal neurons respond and integrate into synapse formation and transmission in cultured neuronal network. Hippocampal neurons were cultured on polydimethylsiloxane substrates fabricated to have similar surface properties but a 10-fold difference in Young's modulus.

Evidence for involvement of spinal RANTES in the antinociceptive effects of triptolide, a diterpene triepoxide, in a rat model of bone cancer pain.

It has been shown that triptolide has beneficial effects in the treatment of neuropathic pain, but its effects on bone cancer pain (BCP) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential role of spinal regulated activation of normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in the antinociceptive effects of triptolide on BCP. A BCP model was induced by injecting Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells into the intramedullary space of rat tibia.

Left ventricular torsional mechanics and myocardial iron load in beta-thalassaemia major: a potential role of titin degradation.

Background: Iron may damage sarcomeric proteins through oxidative stress. We explored the left ventricular (LV) torsional mechanics in patients with beta-thalassaemia major and its relationship to myocardial iron load. Using HL-1 cell and B6D2F1 mouse models, we further determined the impact of iron load on proteolysis of the giant sarcomeric protein titin.

Left ventricular mechanics in repaired tetralogy of Fallot with and without pulmonary valve replacement: analysis by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Background: Altered septal curvature and left ventricular (LV) geometry secondary to right ventricular (RV) dilation render two-dimensional assessment of LV mechanics difficult in repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) patients. The novel three-dimensional (3D) speckle tracking echocardiography enables comprehensive evaluation of true 3D LV mechanics.

Methods And Results: Seventy-six patients aged 23.

Dynamic dyssynchrony and impaired contractile reserve of the left ventricle in beta-thalassaemia major: an exercise echocardiographic study.

Background: Performance of the left ventricle during exercise stress in thalassaemia patients is uncertain. We aimed to explore the phenomenon of dynamic dyssynchrony and assess contractile reserve in patients with beta-thalassaemia major and determine their relationships with myocardial iron load.

Methods And Results: Thirty-two thalassaemia patients (16 males), aged 26.

Transmural strain and rotation gradient in survivors of childhood cancers.

Aims: Subendocardial layer of the ventricle has been shown to be sensitive to anthracycline damage. This study tested the hypothesis that anthracycline therapy for childhood malignancies has differential impact on deformation and rotation of left ventricular (LV) subendocardial and subepicardial layers and hence transmural myocardial strain and rotation gradients.

Methods And Results: Thirty-two anthracycline-treated survivors of childhood malignancies aged 19.

Left ventricular twisting and untwisting motion in childhood cancer survivors.

Background: Anthracycline has been shown to degrade titin that plays a role in myocardial twisting and untwisting. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that left ventricular (LV) twisting and untwisting motion may be altered in children after anthracycline therapy.

Methods: Thirty-six childhood leukemia survivors aged 15.

Novel area strain based on three-dimensional wall motion analysis for assessment of global left ventricular performance after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the usefulness of novel parameters of left ventricular (LV) endocardial area strain (AS) in assessing global LV performance in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).

Methods: Thirty patients, aged 21.7 ± 5.

A pattern of otoferlin expression interrupted by gentamicin exposure in ribbon synapse of inner hair cell in C57BL/6J mice.

Despite ototoxic effect of aminoglycosides on auditory sensory system has been well documented, the mechanism of ototoxic damage on synaptic connection (ribbon synapse) between inner hair cells (IHCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) is still largely unknown. Otoferlin is essential for a late step in exocytosis of neurotransmitter at ribbon synapses. In this study, C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with gentamicin (100 mg/kg) once a day, the apical coils of organ of Corti were obtained at the 4th day, the 7th day and the 10th day respectively (n = 10/per group), the normal mice without a Gentamicin exposure were set for control (n = 10/per group).

Quantitative analysis of the ribbon synapse number of cochlear inner hair cells in C57BL/6J mice using the three-dimensional modeling method.

In mammals, the ribbon synapses of cochlear inner hair cells are a synaptic structure of the first sensory nerve in the pathway of acoustical signal transmission to the acoustic center, and it is directly involved in voice coding and neurotransmitter release. It is difficult to quantitatively analyze the ribbon synaptic number only using an electron microscope, because the ribbon synaptic number is relatively limited and their location is deep. In this study, the specific presynaptic structure-RIBEYE, and non-specific postsynaptic structure-GluR 2 & 3 in C57BL/6J mouse basilar membrane samples were treated by immunofluorescent labeling.