Comparison of the incidence of apoptosis in placenta from pregnant women with ICP compared to that in placenta from healthy pregnant women (×400).

<p>TUNEL assay demonstrated the incidence of apoptosis in placenta from pregnant women with ICP was higher than that in placenta from healthy pregnant women (A and B). Semi-quantitative analysis indicated there was significantly higher incidence of apoptosis in placenta from pregnant women with ICP (<i>P</i> = 0.007) (C).</p

Differentially expressed proteins in the placenta tissue from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women identified by iTRAQ labeling-based proteomics.

<p>The table contains quantitative information for proteins which were at least > 1.5-fold upregulated or at least <0.67-fold downregulated in pregnant women with ICP (P) compared with healthy pregnant women (C), as defined in the experimental procedures. The key proteins verified by Western blot and immunohistochemisty analysis were highlighted in bold. The corresponding average ratios between the two groups (P:C) were given.</p

Immunohistochemical staining for PRDX6, ERp29 and MPO in the placental tissue from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women (×400).

<p>Immunohistochemstry images demonstrated higher expression of PRDX6 (B) and ERp29 (D), and lower expression of MPO (F) in cytoplasm and/or nucleus of trophoblasts in the placenta from pregnant women with ICP than those in placenta from healthy pregnant women (A, C, E).</p

Bioinformatic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in the placental tissue from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women predicted by PathwayStudio™.

<p>Analysis of the cellular pathways affected by the differentially expressed proteins was performed using the PathwayStudio software. Proteins are shown as red ovals, regulated processes are represented by yellow squares. Regulation events are displayed with arrows and documented by literature citations.</p

Cluster analysis of differentially expressed proteins in the placental tissue from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women.

<p>Hierarchical cluster analysis for the 38 differentially expressed proteins displaying significantly altered expression levels in the placental tissue from pregnant women with ICP and healthy pregnant women. “N” represents healthy pregnant women and “P” represents pregnant women with ICP. The protein expression levels are shown as colored boxes; red indicates a high expression level and green indicates a low expression level.</p

Proportion of different categories of the serum 25(OH)D level in the study population.

<p>Serum 25(OH)D levels were sectioned into four categories indicated by different color (<30 nmol/L, 30–49.9 nmol/L, 50–74.9 nmol/L and ≥75 nmol/L). n indicated children number in each category.</p

Comparison of the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in young children by age and season.

<p>Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a serum 25(OH)D level of <50 nmol/L. All the children were stratified by age into three subgroups (aged 1, 2 and 3). In each subgroup, the subjects were further stratified by season of serum collection. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in each season was calculated separately within each age group.</p

Comparison of serum 25(OH)D levels in 5,571 young children stratified by age, season or gender.

<p>Values of serum 25(OH)D levels were compared using Mann–Whitney U test.</p><p>^a significant difference between children aged 1y and aged 2y (P<0.001).</p><p>^b Significant difference between children aged 1y and aged 3y (P<0.001).</p><p>^c Significant difference between children aged 2y and aged 3y (P<0.001).</p><p>^d No significant difference between spring and summer (P = 0.076).</p><p>^e Significant difference between spring and autumn (P<0.001).</p><p>^f No significant difference between spring and winter (P = 0.098).</p><p>^g Significant difference between summer and autumn (P<0.001).</p><p>^h Significant difference between summer and winter (P = 0.001).</p><p>ⁱ Significant difference between autumn and winter (P = 0.003).</p><p>^j No significant difference between boys and girls (P = 0.121).</p><p>Comparison of serum 25(OH)D levels in 5,571 young children stratified by age, season or gender.</p

Categories of vitamin D status by age, season or gender (n = 5,571).

<p>^a N, the total number of children in each group.</p><p>^b Within each group, Vitamin D status was presented as the number (percent) of young children in different categories.</p><p>^c Values were compared using the Chi Square (χ²) test. P<0.001 indicated that the difference in the prevalence of diverse vitamin D status among different age or season groups was significant.</p><p>Categories of vitamin D status by age, season or gender (n = 5,571).</p

Comparison of the serum 25(OH)D concentration among young children at different ages.

<p>As the children grew older, the median serum 25(OH)D level was decreased.</p