Altered levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein proteases in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) are leading causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Many studies have found association between low levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) proteases in the first trimester maternal circulation and the risk of subsequent development of PE and/or IUGR. These results are generally interpreted to reflect decreased production of the proteases by the placenta, leading to reduced proteolysis of IGFBPs and lower free levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), resulting in diminished feto-placental development. However, the association between low circulating levels of placental proteins early in pregnancy and the subsequent development of IUGR and/or PE could be due to low exchange in the placenta and not due to reduced production. In contrast, late in pregnancy, the circulating levels of these proteins and their expression in the placenta are often elevated in PE, which may reflect upregulation to compensate for abnormal placental development, that is an adaptive mechanism to increase IGFBP proteolysis, increase local IGF levels and promote feto-placental growth. Further research into the biological mechanisms underlying these associations will aid the identification of high-risk pregnancies and the development of therapeutic targets for diseases for which there are presently no preventative measures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenatal analysis of the insulin receptor gene in a family with leprechaunism

Leprechaunism is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by intrauterine and postnatal growth restriction, loss of glucose homeostasis, and severe insulin resistance. This disease is caused by a failure of function of the insulin receptor and is lethal early in life. Here we report the prenatal diagnosis of leprechaunism in one consanguineous family, Atl-1, in which two homozygous-affected siblings died with leprechaunism. The mutation in their insulin receptor impaired insulin binding and altered receptor signalling. Prenatal diagnosis could not be accomplished using insulin binding to cultured amniocytes, but was possible using mutational analysis of the insulin receptor gene in DNA from amniotic cells.     

Driving restrictions post-stroke: Physicians' compliance with regulations

Objective: Suffering a stroke might lead to permanent cognitive and/or physical impairment. It has been shown that these impairments could have an impact on an individual's fitness to drive. In Sweden, as in many other countries, there are regulations on driving cessation post-stroke. Information on driving cessation should be given to all patients and noted in the journal. The present study sought to determine physician's compliance to driving regulations post-stroke as well as follow-up and gender aspects.

Method: A retrospective study of medical records on stroke patients was carried out. The study covered all of the medical records on stroke incidents (n = 342) during a year at a typical medium to large-sized hospital in Sweden.

Results: A journal entry on driving cessation post-stroke was missing in 81% of the medical records. Only 2% of the patients were scheduled for a follow-up meeting specifically concerning fitness to drive. Significantly more men than women had an entry on driving in the journal.

Conclusions: We conclude that the Swedish regulations on driving cessation post-stroke were not followed at the participating hospital. It is crucial that all stroke patients receive information on driving cessation because their condition might affect fitness to drive. Analysis of follow-up records showed that there was no consistent method for assessment of a patient's fitness to drive. There was also a gender difference in the material, which warrants further investigation.     

1997-2007年中国生态地租变化分析

生态地租是衡量生态资源利用带来的社会经济效果的重要指标.以投入产出表和生态足迹为基础,分析中国1997 - 2007年生态地租变化情况.结果表明,1997-2007年中国各产业单位经济产出的生态地租量呈减少趋势,农林牧渔业,电、热及水生产和供应业单位经济产出的生态地租量明显高于其他产业；生态地租总量呈不断增加趋势,构成上以工矿业和农林牧渔业生态地租为主,生态地租在行业间转移越来越多；以2007年为对照组,总产出量、生态足迹和生物承载力以及农地面积等参数的变化引起生态地租显著变化,其中以农林牧渔业生态地租变化最为敏感.如果考虑生态地租的影响,人类消费产品价格将大幅增加,这相当于人类因过度攫取自然资源而应当支付的用于环境治理的高昂代价.     

Studies on the distribution op β‐ and γ‐isombrs op hexachlorocyclohexane in rat tissues

Abstract

A study of the comparitlve distribution pattern of β‐ and γ‐isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in albino rat tissues as a function of duration of treatment at two dose levels revealed different accumulation patterns for the two isomers in tissues. In general, the accumulation pattern was found to be in the order: fat > kidney > lungs > liver > muscle > heart > spleen > brain > blood for β‐HCH and fat > brain > kidney > muscle > lungs > heart > spleen > liver > blood for γ‐HCH. The tissue accumulation of β‐isomer was always greater than that of γ‐isomer in any tissue except in brain. Brain β‐HCH residue levels were relatively lower than in many other tissues except blood, whereas brain γ‐HCH concentration was only next to fat. A higher dose or a longer period of treatment generally produced a more marked elevation of tissue residue levels in β‐HCH fed rats, but not in γ‐HCH treated animals.

Food restriction subsequent to a period of exposure to dietary β‐ or γ‐HCH caused a mobilization of depot fat without drastic redistribution of the HCH residues stored in it. During food restriction, the residue levels in fat and muscle increased much. The residue levels in brain and other organs were not adversely affected during partial starvation.     

Late-onset growth restriction in Galloway–Mowat syndrome: a case report

Galloway–Mowat syndrome (GMS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder and is characterized by marked intrauterine growth retardation, central nervous system anomalies, and early onset nephrotic syndrome. Of the reported cases in the literature, all were diagnosed postnatally. We describe a case of GMS in which only late-onset intrauterine growth restriction was detected by prenatal ultrasound. In her fourth pregnancy, the mother had delivered a male baby with clinical features of GMS who died at seven months of age due to early onset of nephrotic syndrome. In her fifth pregnancy, serial ultrasound examinations were normal during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. Growth restriction and microcephaly were not detectable until 28 to 32 weeks' gestation. At 40 weeks' gestation, a female baby was born with dysmorphic features of GMS. Nephrotic syndrome developed after birth and renal biopsy revealed minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The prenatal course of this case suggests GMS may not be diagnosed in early pregnancy and the only abnormality detected before birth was intrauterine growth restriction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

防护服对消防员工效性能影响的定量研究*

为开发高性能防护服以提升救援效率,基于人体试验,测量受试者穿戴灭火防护服、半封闭防化服、全封闭防化服以及基础服装（对照组）时静态条件下左右手握力值、疲劳度（RPE）和活动受限程度,通过方差分析、接受者操作特征（ROC）曲线图、相关性分析进行定量研究。研究结果表明:灭火防护服对消防员工效性能影响大于防化服,灭火防护服较对照组握力减小32%、RPE增大54%、活动受限程度增大35倍,且RPE和活动受限程度均与握力呈显著负相关（p<0.001）。研究结果可为消防员个体防护服装设计、测试、性能提升等提供理论支撑,也可为消防员生命安全保障研究提供基础数据。     

Effects of soil warming and nitrogen deposition on leaf and soil stoichiometric characteristics of Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings北大核心CSCD

Warming and nitrogen deposition directly or indirectly affect the plant-soil element cycle under global change. To examine the effects of warming and nitrogen deposition on leaf and soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) contents, and their stoichiometric ratios in Cunninghamia lanceolata saplings, four types of treatments were assigned: control (CT), warming (W, + 4 ºC), nitrogen deposition (N, 40 kg ha-1 a-1), and warming + nitrogen deposition (WN) treatments. The results showed that: (1) compared with CT, W treatment significantly decreased leaf P content by 54.54% and increased leaf C/P and N/P by 85.26% and 83.39%, respectively; WN treatment significantly decreased leaf C content and P content by 1.99% and 51.03%, respectively, but increased the leaf C/P by 68.01% with no significant differences in leaf N content among treatments. The leaf N/P ratio of each treatment was less than 10, but that of the W and WN treatments were closer to 10 than that of the CT treatment. Meanwhile, W and WN treatments significantly increased tree height. (2) No significant differences were observed in soil total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) contents among treatments. Compared with CT, W treatment significantly decreased soil C/N by 4.09%, while neither W nor WN treatment affected soil C/P and N/P. W treatment increased the available soil content compared to CT treatment. (3) The correlation analysis showed that leaf N content was significantly negatively correlated with soil C/N in the CT treatment; in the W treatment leaf N content and N/P were significantly positively correlated with soil TN and TP content, respectively. Leaf N content was significantly negatively correlated with soil TC and TN in the N treatment, and leaf contents had no significant correlation with soil C, N, and P contents or their stoichiometric characteristics in the WN treatment. This study showed that N limitation still exists in C. lanceolata saplings. Warming and the interaction between warming and nitrogen deposition could alleviate N limitation and promote the growth of C. lanceolata. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.