Maternal pre-pregnancy infection with hepatitis B virus and the risk of preterm birth: a population-based cohort study

Background Preterm birth is the leading cause of child death in children younger than 5 years. Large cohort studies in developed countries have shown that maternal hepatitis B virus infection is associated with preterm birth, but there is little reliable evidence from China and other developing countries, where hepatitis B virus prevalence is intermediate or high. Hence, we designed this study to investigate the association between pre-pregnancy hepatitis B virus infection and risk of preterm and early preterm birth. Methods Between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2012, we did a population-based cohort study using data from 489 965 rural women aged 21–49 years who had singleton livebirths from 220 counties of China who participated in the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project. Participants were divided into three groups according to their prepregnancy status of hepatitis B virus infection: women uninfected with hepatitis B virus (control group), women who were HBsAg positive and HBeAg negative (exposure group 1), and women who were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive (exposure group 2). The primary outcome was preterm birth (gestation at less than 37 weeks). We used log-binomial regression to estimate adjusted risk ratios (aRR) of preterm birth for women with pre-pregnancy hepatitis B virus infection, and risk of early preterm birth (gestation less than 34 weeks). Findings 489 965 women met inclusion criteria and were included in this study; of these, 20 827 (4·3%) were infected with hepatitis B virus. Compared with women who were not infected with hepatitis B virus, women who were HBsAg positive and HBeAg negative had a 26% higher risk of preterm birth (aRR 1·26, 95% CI 1·18–1·34) and women who were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive had a 20% higher risk of preterm birth (aRR 1·20, 1·08–1·32). Compared with women who were not infected with hepatitis B virus, women who were HBsAg positive and HBeAg negative manifested an 18% higher risk of early preterm birth (gestation less than 34 weeks; aRR 1·18, 1·04–1·34) and women who were both HBsAg and HBeAg positive had a 34% higher risk of early preterm birth (aRR 1·34, 1·10–1·61). Maternal pre-pregnancy hepatitis B virus infection was independently associated with higher risk of preterm birth and early preterm birth. These associations were similar in subgroups of participants as defined by baseline characteristics. Interpretation Besides mother-to-child transmission, the risk of preterm birth in women infected with hepatitis B virus should not be neglected. Comprehensive programmes that focus on early detection of hepatitis B virus infection before pregnancy and provide appropriate medical intervention for women infected with hepatitis B virus before and during pregnancy would be helpful in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes and reducing child mortality

The involvement of jasmonates and ethylene in Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici toxin-induced tomato cell death

Previous studies have shown that an ethylene (ET)-dependent pathway is involved in the cell death signalling triggered by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici (AAL) toxin in detached tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves. In this study, the role of jasmonic acid (JA) signalling in programmed cell death (PCD) induced by AAL toxin was analysed using a 35S::prosystemin transgenic line (35S::prosys), a JA-deficient mutant spr2, and a JA-insensitive mutant jai1. The results indicated that JA biosynthesis and signalling play a positive role in the AAL toxin-induced PCD process. In addition, treatment with the exogenous ET action inhibitor silver thiosulphate (STS) greatly suppressed necrotic lesions in 35S::prosys leaves, although 35S::prosys leaflets co-treated with AAL toxin and STS still have a significant high relative conductivity. Application of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) markedly enhanced the sensitivity of spr2 and jai1 mutants to the toxin. However, compared with AAL toxin treatment alone, exogenous application of JA to the ET-insensitive mutant Never ripe (Nr) did not alter AAL toxin-induced cell death. In addition, the reduced ET-mediated gene expression in jai1 leaves was restored by co-treatment with ACC and AAL toxin. Furthermore, JA treatment restored the decreased expression of ET biosynthetic genes but not ET-responsive genes in the Nr mutant compared with the toxin treatment alone. Based on these results, it is proposed that both JA and ET promote the AAL toxin-induced cell death alone, and the JAI1 receptor-dependent JA pathway also acts upstream of ET biosynthesis in AAL toxin-triggered PCD

Viruses mobilize plant immunity to deter nonvector insect herbivores.

A parasite-infected host may promote performance of associated insect vectors; but possible parasite effects on nonvector insects have been largely unexplored. Here, we show that Begomovirus, the largest genus of plant viruses and transmitted exclusively by whitefly, reprogram plant immunity to promote the fitness of the vector and suppress performance of nonvector insects (i.e., cotton bollworm and aphid). Infected plants accumulated begomoviral βC1 proteins in the phloem where they were bound to the plant transcription factor WRKY20. This viral hijacking of WRKY20 spatiotemporally redeployed plant chemical immunity within the leaf and had the asymmetrical benefiting effects on the begomoviruses and its whitefly vectors while negatively affecting two nonvector competitors. This type of interaction between a parasite and two types of herbivores, i.e., vectors and nonvectors, occurs widely in various natural and agricultural ecosystems; thus, our results have broad implications for the ecological significance of parasite-vector-host tripartite interactions

Characteristics of spontaneous nystagmus and its correlation to video head impulse test findings in vestibular neuritis

ObjectiveTo explore the direction and SPV (slow phase velocity) of the components of spontaneous nystagmus (SN) in patients with vestibular neuritis (VN) and the correlation between SN components and affected semicircular canals (SCCs). Additionally, we aimed to elucidate the role of directional features of peripheral SN in diagnosing acute vestibular syndrome.Materials and methodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 38 patients diagnosed with VN in our hospital between 2022 and 2023. The direction and SPV of SN components recorded with three-dimensional videonystagmography (3D-VNG) and the video head impulse test (vHIT) gain of each SCC were analyzed as observational indicators. We examined the correlation between superior and inferior vestibular nerve damage and the direction and SPV of SN components, and vHIT gain values in VN patients.ResultsThe median illness duration of between symptom onset and moment of testing was 6 days among the 38 VN patients (17 right VN and 21 left VN). In total, 31 patients had superior vestibular neuritis (SVN), and 7 had total vestibular neuritis (TVN). Among the 38 VN patients, all had horizontal component with an SPV of (7.66 ± 5.37) °/s, 25 (65.8%) had vertical upward component with a SPV of (2.64 ± 1.63) °/s, and 26 (68.4%) had torsional component with a SPV of (4.40 ± 3.12) °/s. The vHIT results in the 38 VN patients showed that the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (aVOR) gain of the anterior (A), lateral (L), and posterior (P) SCCs on the ipsilesional side were 0.60 ± 0.23, 0.44 ± 0.15 and 0.89 ± 0.19, respectively, while the gains on the opposite side were 0.95 ± 0.14, 0.91 ± 0.08, and 0.96 ± 0.11, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the aVOR gain between the A-, L-SCC on the ipsilesional side and the other SCCs (p < 0.001). The aVOR gains of A-, L-, and P-SCC on the ipsilesional sides in 31 SVN patients were 0.62 ± 0.24, 0.45 ± 0.16, and 0.96 ± 0.10, while the aVOR gains on the opposite side were 0.96 ± 0.13, 0.91 ± 0.06, and 0.98 ± 0.11, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the aVOR gain between the A-, L-SCC on the ipsilesional side and the other SCCs (p < 0.001). In 7 TVN patients, the aVOR gains of A-, L-, and P-SCC on the ipsilesional side were 0.50 ± 0.14, 0.38 ± 0.06, and 0.53 ± 0.07, while the aVOR gains on the opposite side were 0.93 ± 0.17, 0.90 ± 0.16, and 0.89 ± 0.09, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the aVOR gain between the A-, L-, and P-SCC on the ipsilesional side and the other SCCs (p < 0.001). The aVOR gain asymmetry of L-SCCs in 38 VN was 36.3%. The aVOR gain asymmetry between bilateral A-SCCs and bilateral P-SCCs for VN patients with and without a vertical upward component was 12.8% and 8.3%, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). For VN patients with and without a torsional component, the aVOR gain asymmetry of bilateral vertical SCCs was 17.0% and 6.6%, which was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Further analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the aVOR gain asymmetry of L-SCCs and the SPV of the horizontal component of SN in all VN patients (r = 0.484, p < 0.01), as well as between the asymmetry of bilateral vertical SCCs and the SPV of torsional component in 26 VN patients (r = 0.445, p < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between the aVOR gains asymmetry of bilateral A-SCCs and P-SCCs and the SPV of the vertical component in 25 VN patients.ConclusionThere is a correlation between the three-dimensional direction and SPV characteristics of SN and the aVOR gain of vHIT in VN patients. These direction characteristics can help assess different SCCs impairments in patients with unilateral vestibular diseases

Optical studies of structural phase transition in the vanadium-based kagome metal ScV6Sn6

In condensed matter physics, materials with kagome lattice exhibit exotic emergent quantum states, including charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity and magnetism. Very recently, hexagonal kagome metal ScV6Sn6 was found to undergo fascinating first-order structural phase transition at around 92 K and a 3x3x3 CDW modulation. The bulk electronic band properties are enlightened for comprehending the origin of the structural phase transition. Here, we perform a optical spectroscopy study on the monocrystalline compound across the transition temperature. The structural transition gives rise to the abrupt changes of optical spectra without observing gap development behavior. The optical measurements revealed a sudden reconstruction of the band structure after transition. We emphasize that the phase transition is of the first order and distinctly different from the conventional density-wave type condensation. Our results provide insight into the origin of the structural phase transition in the new kagome metal compound.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Pump-induced terahertz conductivity response and peculiar bound state in Mn3Si2Te6

We report the significant enhancement on ultrafast terahertz optical conductivity and the unexpected formation of a polaronic-like state in semiconductor Mn3Si2Te6 at room temperature. With the absorption of pump photons, the low-frequency terahertz photoconductivity spectrum exhibits a significant rise, quickly forming a broad peak and subsequently shifting to higher energy. The short-lived nature of the broad peak, as well as the distribution of optical constants, strongly points towards a transient polaron mechanism. Our study not only provides profound insights into the remarkable photoelectric response of Mn3Si2Te6 but also highlights its significant potential for future photoelectric applications

Strong nonlinear optical response and transient symmetry switching in Type-II Weyl semimetal β\beta-WP2

The topological Weyl semimetals with peculiar band structure exhibit novel nonlinear optical enhancement phenomena even for light at optical wavelengths. While many intriguing nonlinear optical effects were constantly uncovered in type-I semimetals, few experimental works focused on basic nonlinear optical properties in type-II Weyl semimetals. Here we perform a fundamental static and time-resolved second harmonic generation (SHG) on the three dimensional Type-II Weyl semimetal candidate $\beta$-WP$_2$. Although $\beta$-WP$_2$ exhibits extremely high conductivity and an extraordinarily large mean free path, the second harmonic generation is unscreened by conduction electrons, we observed rather strong SHG response compared to non-topological polar metals and archetypal ferroelectric insulators. Additionally, our time-resolved SHG experiment traces ultrafast symmetry switching and reveals that polar metal $\beta$-WP$_2$ tends to form inversion symmetric metastable state after photo-excitation. Intense femtosecond laser pulse could optically drive symmetry switching and tune nonlinear optical response on ultrafast timescales although the interlayer coupling of $\beta$-WP$_2$ is very strong. Our work is illuminating for the polar metal nonlinear optics and potential ultrafast topological optoelectronic applications.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Preclinical Evaluation of Radioiodinated Hoechst 33258 for Early Prediction of Tumor Response to Treatment of Vascular-Disrupting Agents

This study aimed to explore the use of 131I-Hoechst 33258 (131I-H33258) for early prediction of tumor response to vascular-disrupting agents (VDAs) with combretastatin-A4 phosphate (CA4P) as a representative. Necrosis avidity of 131I-H33258 was evaluated in mouse models with muscle necrosis and blocking was used to confirm the tracer specificity. Therapy response was evaluated by 131I-H33258 SPECT/CT imaging 24 h after CA4P therapy in W256 tumor-bearing rats. Radiotracer uptake in tumors was validated ex vivo using γ-counting, autoradiography, and histopathological staining. Results showed that 131I-H33258 had predominant necrosis avidity and could specifically bind to necrotic tissue. SPECT/CT imaging demonstrated that an obvious “hot spot” could be observed in the CA4P-treated tumor. Ex vivo γ-counting revealed 131I-H33258 uptake in tumors was increased 2.8-fold in rats treated with CA4P relative to rats treated with vehicle. Autoradiography and corresponding H&E staining suggested that 131I-H33258 was mainly localized in necrotic tumor area and the higher overall uptake in the treated tumors was attributed to the increased necrosis. These results suggest that 131I-H33258 can be used to image induction of cell necrosis 24 h after CA4P therapy, which support further molecular design of probes based on scaffold H33258 for monitoring of tumor response to VDAs treatment

Electroacupuncture pretreatment attenuates cerebral ischemic injury through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated inhibition of high-mobility group box 1 release in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have previously reported that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment induced tolerance against cerebral ischemic injury, but the mechanisms underlying this effect of EA are unknown. In this study, we assessed the effect of EA pretreatment on the expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR), using the ischemia-reperfusion model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Further, we investigated the role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in neuroprotection mediated by the α7nAChR and EA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were treated with EA at the acupoint "Baihui (GV 20)" 24 h before focal cerebral ischemia which was induced for 120 min by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurobehavioral scores, infarction volumes, neuronal apoptosis, and HMGB1 levels were evaluated after reperfusion. The α7nAChR agonist PHA-543613 and the antagonist α-bungarotoxin (α-BGT) were used to investigate the role of the α7nAChR in mediating neuroprotective effects. The roles of the α7nAChR and HMGB1 release in neuroprotection were further tested in neuronal cultures exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results showed that the expression of α7nAChR was significantly decreased after reperfusion. EA pretreatment prevented the reduction in neuronal expression of α7nAChR after reperfusion in the ischemic penumbra. Pretreatment with PHA-543613 afforded neuroprotective effects against ischemic damage. Moreover, EA pretreatment reduced infarct volume, improved neurological outcome, inhibited neuronal apoptosis and HMGB1 release following reperfusion, and the beneficial effects were attenuated by α-BGT. The HMGB1 levels in plasma and the penumbral brain tissue were correlated with the number of apoptotic neurons in the ischemic penumbra. Furthermore, OGD in cultured neurons triggered HMGB1 release into the culture medium, and this effect was efficiently suppressed by PHA-543,613. Pretreatment with α-BGT reversed the inhibitory effect of PHA-543,613 on HMGB1 release.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data demonstrate that EA pretreatment strongly protects the brain against transient cerebral ischemic injury, and inhibits HMGB1 release through α7nAChR activation in rats. These findings suggest the novel potential for stroke interventions harnessing the anti-inflammatory effects of α7nAChR activation, through acupuncture or pharmacological strategies.</p

SpermatogenesisOnline 1.0:a resource for spermatogenesis based on manual literature curation and genome-wide data mining

Human infertility affects 10–15% of couples, half of which is attributed to the male partner. Abnormal spermatogenesis is a major cause of male infertility. Characterizing the genes involved in spermatogenesis is fundamental to understand the mechanisms underlying this biological process and in developing treatments for male infertility. Although many genes have been implicated in spermatogenesis, no dedicated bioinformatic resource for spermatogenesis is available. We have developed such a database, SpermatogenesisOnline 1.0 (http://mcg.ustc.edu.cn/sdap1/spermgenes/), using manual curation from 30 233 articles published before 1 May 2012. It provides detailed information for 1666 genes reported to participate in spermatogenesis in 37 organisms. Based on the analysis of these genes, we developed an algorithm, Greed AUC Stepwise (GAS) model, which predicted 762 genes to participate in spermatogenesis (GAS probability >0.5) based on genome-wide transcriptional data in Mus musculus testis from the ArrayExpress database. These predicted and experimentally verified genes were annotated, with several identical spermatogenesis-related GO terms being enriched for both classes. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction analysis indicates direct interactions of predicted genes with the experimentally verified ones, which supports the reliability of GAS. The strategy (manual curation and data mining) used to develop SpermatogenesisOnline 1.0 can be easily extended to other biological processes