MATERNAL BODY COMPOSITION LATE IN PREGNANCY AND INFANT BODY COMPOSITION AT BIRTH

Background: Fat mass (FM) is significantly higher in neonates born to overweight and obese women, while no difference is found in fat free mass (FFM). Higher gestational weight gain (GWG) is also related to a greater neonatal birth weight and FM gain. However, no study has reported the relationship between maternal body composition during gestation and neonatal body composition at birth. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maternal body composition late in pregnancy and neonatal body composition at birth. The secondary aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal trimester-specific GWG and neonatal body composition at birth. Methods: Healthy pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 to 39.99 kg/m2 were recruited. Maternal body composition (percentage body fat (% fat), FM, FFM, and total body water (TBW)) was measured using the four-compartment model during 34 to 39 weeks gestation and infant body composition (% fat, FM, and FFM) was measured using air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) within 72h after birth. Maternal GWG during the 1st (0 to 13 weeks), 2nd (14 to 28 weeks) and 3rd (29 weeks to delivery) trimesters were calculated using extracted body weight from medical records minus their self-reported pre-pregnancy weight. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the relationship between maternal factors and neonatal body composition. Neonatal % fat, FM, and FFM were used as dependent variables. Maternal % fat, FM, FFM and TBW were used as independent variables for the primary aim and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester gestational weight gains were used as independent variables for the secondary aim. Maternal age, neonatal age at test, gender and gestational age were controlled in the models for the primary aim and maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, neonatal age at test, gender and gestational age were controlled in the models for the secondary aim. Results: Forty women completed visits for the primary aim and forty-five women completed visits for the secondary aim. Maternal body FFM and TBW were related to neonatal birth weight (r2 = 0.280, p = 0.011; r2 = 0.330, p = 0.007, respectively) and FFM (r2 = 0.521, p = 0.011; r2 = 0.519, p = 0.011, respectively). A trend of significance was found between maternal FM and neonatal birth weight (r2 = 0.224; p = 0.053) and FM (r2 = 0.052; p = 0.085). The relationship between trimester-specific GWG and neonatal body composition varied by maternal pre-pregnancy BMI category. Conclusions: Maternal body composition was related to neonatal birth weight, while maternal FFM and TBW were related to neonatal FFM but not FM at birth. The relationship between maternal GWG and neonatal body fat at birth was dependent on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI

PHOSPHOLIPID AND TRIACYLGLYCEROL FATTY ACIDS IN BLOOD AND BREAST TISSUE OBTAINED FROM WOMEN AT INCREASED RISK OF BREAST CANCER

The purpose of this study was to determine the fatty acids composition in breast tissue of women with increased risk of breast cancer, and if the fatty acid composition in both PL and TAG in blood, both plasma and RBC, correlated to the fatty acid composition in breast tissue in the same population. Fifty subjects from clinical patients in a study to develop an assessment of breast cancer risk based on epidemiologic and biologic risk variables enrolled in current study. Blood and tissue samples were taken and dietary history questionnaire, which including usual supplement intake were distributed when the subject were enrolled. The blood and breast tissue samples were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography and calculated by the weighed percentage of total areas compared with Supelco 37 mixture as a standard. The means of total n-3 PUFA of PL in plasma and RBCs for the subjects were 4.00 ± 1.09% and 5.47 ± 1.50%, respectively, and in plasma TAG the mean was 2.21 ± 1.34%. The means of total n-3 PUFA of PL and TAG in breast tissue were 0.36 ± 0.27% and 1.28 ± 0.44%, respectively. The means of total n-6 PUFA of PL in plasma and RBCs for the subjects were 34.04 ± 3.22% and 28.10 ± 3.45%, respectively, and in plasma TAG was 28.35 ± 3.97%. The means of total n-6 PUFA of PL and TAG in breast tissue were 2.75 ± 0.99% and 17.53 ± 2.78%. A statistically significant correlation was found in the ratio of total and long chain n-3 (n-3 LCPUFA) to total n-6 PUFA in PL in blood and breast tissue, r=0.801 and 0.653 for total n-3 PUFA in RBC and plasma (p<0.01), and r=0.631 and 0.524 for n-3 LCPUFA in RBC and plasma (p<0.01), but no relationship between breast and blood fatty acids in TAG in individual or combined n-3 and n-6 PUFA was found between breast tissue and blood. The ratio of long chain n-3 PUFA to total n-6 PUFA in phospholipid in blood represents the same ratio in breast tissue and could be used as a marker of breast phospholipid n-3 to n-6 ratio though relative amount of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids are very different between red blood cells and breast phospholipids. The only link found previously between fatty acids in breast tissue and breast cancer is related to the n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio in TAG. We need to continue to study their relationships in women who take a supplement of n-3 LCPUFA

FIELD EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON EXTERNAL PRESTRESSING REINFORCEMENT OF A 420M PC CONTINUOUS BEAM BRIDGE

In this paper, the practical engineering of a 420 m PC continuous beam bridge is taken as the research object, and an external prestressing reinforcement method is proposed to reinforce the damaged and cracked girder. The paper is to study the structural performance of PC continuous beam bridge before and after reinforcement. The heavy vehicle loading test of reinforced PC continuous beam bridge was carried out. A total of three test spans were selected, and each test span selected seven deflection test section and a strain test section. The corresponding finite element model was established and verified by the test results. Finally, it was concluded in this study that the external prestressing reinforcement method has a good effect on improving the loading capacity and overall performance of damaged bridges

Characterization the regulation of herpesvirus miRNAs from the view of human protein interaction network

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>miRNAs are a class of non-coding RNA molecules that play crucial roles in the regulation of virus-host interactions. The ever-increasing data of known viral miRNAs and human protein interaction network (PIN) has made it possible to study the targeting characteristics of viral miRNAs in the context of these networks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We performed topological analysis to explore the targeting propensities of herpesvirus miRNAs from the view of human PIN and found that (1) herpesvirus miRNAs significantly target more hubs, moreover, compared with non-hubs (non-bottlenecks), hubs (bottlenecks) are targeted by much more virus miRNAs and virus types. (2) There are significant differences in the degree and betweenness centrality between common and specific targets, specifically we observed a significant positive correlation between virus types targeting these nodes and the proportion of hubs, and (3) K-core and ER analysis determined that common targets are closer to the global PIN center. Compared with random conditions, the giant connected component (GCC) and the density of the sub-network formed by common targets have significantly higher values, indicating the module characteristic of these targets.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Herpesvirus miRNAs preferentially target hubs and bottlenecks. There are significant differences between common and specific targets. Moreover, common targets are more intensely connected and occupy the central part of the network. These results will help unravel the complex mechanism of herpesvirus-host interactions and may provide insight into the development of novel anti-herpesvirus drugs.</p

Osthole induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis in lung cancer A549 cells by modulating PI3K/Akt pathway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To explore the effects of Osthole on the proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of human lung cancer A549 cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human lung cancer A549 cells were treated with Osthole at different concentrations. Cell proliferation was measured using the MTT assay. Cell cycle was evaluated using DNA flow cytometry analysis. Induction of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy. The expressions of Cyclin B1, p-Cdc2, Bcl-2, Bax, t-Akt and p-Akt were evaluated by Western blotting.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Osthole inhibited the growth of human lung cancer A549 cells by inducing G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Western blotting demonstrated that Osthole down-regulated the expressions of Cyclin B1, p-Cdc2 and Bcl-2 and up-regulated the expressions of Bax in A549 cells. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was also observed after treating A549 cells with Osthole.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that Osthole may have a therapeutic application in the treatment of human lung cancer.</p

Correlation between sequence conservation and structural thermodynamics of microRNA precursors from human, mouse, and chicken genomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have shown that microRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs) have considerably more stable secondary structures than other native RNAs (tRNA, rRNA, and mRNA) and artificial RNA sequences. However, pre-miRNAs with ultra stable secondary structures have not been investigated. It is not known if there is a tendency in pre-miRNA sequences towards or against ultra stable structures? Furthermore, the relationship between the structural thermodynamic stability of pre-miRNA and their evolution remains unclear.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We investigated the correlation between pre-miRNA sequence conservation and structural stability as measured by adjusted minimum folding free energies in pre-miRNAs isolated from human, mouse, and chicken. The analysis revealed that conserved and non-conserved pre-miRNA sequences had structures with similar average stabilities. However, the relatively ultra stable and unstable pre-miRNAs were more likely to be non-conserved than pre-miRNAs with moderate stability. Non-conserved pre-miRNAs had more G+C than A+U nucleotides, while conserved pre-miRNAs contained more A+U nucleotides. Notably, the U content of conserved pre-miRNAs was especially higher than that of non-conserved pre-miRNAs. Further investigations showed that conserved and non-conserved pre-miRNAs exhibited different structural element features, even though they had comparable levels of stability.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We proposed that there is a correlation between structural thermodynamic stability and sequence conservation for pre-miRNAs from human, mouse, and chicken genomes. Our analyses suggested that pre-miRNAs with relatively ultra stable or unstable structures were less favoured by natural selection than those with moderately stable structures. Comparison of nucleotide compositions between non-conserved and conserved pre-miRNAs indicated the importance of U nucleotides in the pre-miRNA evolutionary process. Several characteristic structural elements were also detected in conserved pre-miRNAs.</p

Efficient simulations of ionized ISM emission lines: A detailed comparison between the FIRE high-redshift suite and observations

The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the sub-millimeter and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the infrared have achieved robust spectroscopic detections of emission lines from the interstellar medium (ISM) in some of the first galaxies. These unprecedented measurements provide valuable information regarding the ISM properties, stellar populations, galaxy morphologies, and kinematics in these high-redshift galaxies and, in principle, offer powerful tests of state-of-the-art galaxy formation models, as implemented in hydrodynamical simulations. To facilitate direct comparisons between simulations and observations, we develop a fast post-processing pipeline for predicting the line emission from the HII regions around simulated star particles, accounting for spatial variations in the surrounding gas density, metallicity, temperature, and incident radiation spectrum. Our ISM line emission model currently captures H$\alpha$, H$\beta$, and all of the [OIII] and [OII] lines targeted by ALMA and the JWST at $z>6$. We illustrate the power of this approach by applying our line emission model to the publicly available FIRE high-$z$ simulation suite and perform a detailed comparison with current observations. We show that the FIRE mass--metallicity relation is in $1\sigma$ agreement with ALMA/JWST measurements after accounting for the inhomogeneities in ISM properties. We also quantitatively validate the one-zone model description, which is widely used for interpreting [OIII] and H$\beta$ line luminosity measurements. This model is publicly available and can be implemented on top of a broad range of galaxy formation simulations for comparison with JWST and ALMA measurements.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

MIMO-Based Forward-Looking SAR Imaging Algorithm and Simulation

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar imaging can provide higher resolution and better sensitivity and thus can be applied to targets detection, recognition, and tracking. Missile-borne forward-looking SAR (MFL-SAR) is a new and special MIMO radar mode. It has advantage of two-dimensional (2D) imaging capability in forward direction over monostatic missile-borne SAR and airborne SAR. However, it is difficult to obtain accurate 2D frequency spectrum of the target echo signal due to the high velocity and descending height of this platform, which brings a lot of obstacles to imaging algorithm design. Therefore, a new imaging algorithm for MFL-SAR configuration based on the method of series reversion is proposed in this paper. This imaging method can implement range compression, secondary range compression (SRC), and range cell migration correction (RCMC) effectively. Finally, some simulations of point targets and comparison results confirm the efficiency of our proposed algorithm