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Scientific Data Jul 2024Teratoma, due to its remarkable ability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages, is a valuable model for studying human embryonic development. The similarity of the...
Teratoma, due to its remarkable ability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages, is a valuable model for studying human embryonic development. The similarity of the gene expression and chromatin accessibility patterns in these cells to those observed in vivo further underscores its potential as a research tool. Notably, teratomas derived from human naïve (pre-implantation epiblast-like) pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have larger embryonic cell diversity and contain extraembryonic lineages, making them more suitable to study developmental processes. However, the cell type-specific epigenetic profiles of naïve PSC teratomas have not been yet characterized. Using single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing (scATAC-seq), we analyzed 66,384 cell profiles from five teratomas derived from human naïve PSCs and their post-implantation epiblast-like (primed) counterparts. We observed 17 distinct cell types from both embryonic and extraembryonic lineages, resembling the corresponding cell types in human fetal tissues. Additionally, we identified key transcription factors specific to different cell types. Our dataset provides a resource for investigating gene regulatory programs in a relevant model of human embryonic development.
Topics: Humans; Teratoma; Pluripotent Stem Cells; Chromatin; Single-Cell Analysis; Cell Lineage; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 38956385
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03558-9 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2024The prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart disease potentially influences parental decision-making regarding pregnancy termination. Existing literature indicates that the...
The prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart disease potentially influences parental decision-making regarding pregnancy termination. Existing literature indicates that the severity, whether in complexity or lethality, significantly influences parental decisions concerning abortion. However, questions remain as to how fetal heart disease severity impacts parental decisions, given recent advancements in postsurgical outcomes. Therefore, we investigated risk factors associated with parents' decision-making regarding abortion following a prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart disease. Our analysis included 73 (terminated: n = 37; continued: n = 36) pregnancies with a fetal heart disease diagnosed before 22 weeks of gestation. Increased gestational age at diagnosis reduced the likelihood of parents' decision on termination (Model 1: adjusted odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval 0.89-0.99; Model 2: 0.95 0.90-0.997). Critical disease (5.25; 1.09-25.19) and concurrent extracardiac or genetic abnormalities (Model 1: 4.19, 1.21-14.53; Model 2: 5.47, 1.50-19.96) increased the likelihood of choosing abortion. Notably, complex disease did not significantly influence parental decisions (0.56; 0.14-2.20). These results suggest that parental decision-making regarding abortion may be influenced by earlier gestational age at diagnosis, the lethality of heart disease, and extracardiac or genetic abnormalities, but not its complexity if prenatal diagnosis and parental counseling are provided at a cardiovascular-specialized facility.
Topics: Humans; Female; Pregnancy; Abortion, Induced; Decision Making; Adult; Parents; Prenatal Diagnosis; Gestational Age; Heart Defects, Congenital; Heart Diseases; Risk Factors; Fetal Diseases; Male; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 38956291
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66027-8 -
Scientific Data Jul 2024Calcification and biomass production by planktonic marine organisms influences the global carbon cycle and fuels marine ecosystems. The major calcifying plankton group...
Calcification and biomass production by planktonic marine organisms influences the global carbon cycle and fuels marine ecosystems. The major calcifying plankton group coccolithophores are highly diverse, comprising ca. 250-300 extant species. However, coccolithophore size (a key functional trait) and degree of calcification are poorly quantified, as most of our understanding of this group comes from a small number of species. We generated a novel reference dataset of coccolithophore morphological traits, including cell-specific data for coccosphere and cell size, coccolith size, number of coccoliths per cell, and cellular calcite content. This dataset includes observations from 1074 individual cells and represents 61 species from 25 genera spanning equatorial to temperate coccolithophore populations that were sampled during the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) 14 cruise in 2004. This unique dataset can be used to explore relationships between morphological traits (cell size and cell calcite) and environmental conditions, investigate species-specific and community contributions to pelagic carbonate production, export and plankton biomass, and inform and validate coccolithophore representation in marine ecosystem and biogeochemical models.
Topics: Atlantic Ocean; Haptophyta; Plankton; Biomass; Calcification, Physiologic; Calcium Carbonate; Ecosystem
PubMed: 38956105
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03544-1 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2024To describe the fetal death rate of birth defects (including a broad range of specific defects) and to explore the relationship between fetal deaths from birth defects...
To describe the fetal death rate of birth defects (including a broad range of specific defects) and to explore the relationship between fetal deaths from birth defects and a broad range of demographic characteristics. Data was derived from the birth defects surveillance system in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Fetal death refers to the intrauterine death of a fetus at any time during the pregnancy, including medical termination of pregnancy. Fetal death rate is the number of fetal deaths per 100 births (including live births and fetal deaths) in a specified group (unit: %). The fetal death rate of birth defects with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was calculated by the log-binomial method. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the relationship between each demographic characteristic and fetal deaths from birth defects. This study included 847,755 births, and 23,420 birth defects were identified. A total of 11,955 fetal deaths from birth defects were identified, with a fetal death rate of 51.05% (95% CI 50.13-51.96). 15.78% (1887 cases) of fetal deaths from birth defects were at a gestational age of < 20 weeks, 59.05% (7059 cases) were at a gestational age of 20-27 weeks, and 25.17% (3009 cases) were at a gestational age of ≥ 28 weeks. Fetal death rate of birth defects was higher in females than in males (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.18-1.32), in rural than in urban areas (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.36-1.50), in maternal age 20-24 years (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.25-1.47), and ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.11-1.29) compared to maternal age of 25-29 years, in diagnosed by chromosomal analysis than ultrasound (OR = 6.24, 95% CI 5.15-7.55), and lower in multiple births than in singletons (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.36-0.47). The fetal death rate of birth defects increased with the number of previous pregnancies (χ = 49.28, P < 0.01), and decreased with the number of previous deliveries (χ = 4318.91, P < 0.01). Many fetal deaths were associated with birth defects. We found several demographic characteristics associated with fetal deaths from birth defects, which may be related to the severity of the birth defects, economic and medical conditions, and parental attitudes toward birth defects.
Topics: Humans; China; Female; Congenital Abnormalities; Pregnancy; Adult; Fetal Death; Male; Gestational Age; Infant, Newborn; Young Adult; Maternal Age; Odds Ratio
PubMed: 38956101
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65985-3 -
Nature Communications Jul 2024The meninges are critical for the brain functions, but the diversity of meningeal cell types and intercellular interactions have yet to be thoroughly examined. Here we...
The meninges are critical for the brain functions, but the diversity of meningeal cell types and intercellular interactions have yet to be thoroughly examined. Here we identify a population of meningeal lymphatic supporting cells (mLSCs) in the zebrafish leptomeninges, which are specifically labeled by ependymin. Morphologically, mLSCs form membranous structures that enwrap the majority of leptomeningeal blood vessels and all the mural lymphatic endothelial cells (muLECs). Based on its unique cellular morphologies and transcriptional profile, mLSC is characterized as a unique cell type different from all the currently known meningeal cell types. Because of the formation of supportive structures and production of pro-lymphangiogenic factors, mLSCs not only promote muLEC development and maintain the dispersed distributions of muLECs in the leptomeninges, but also are required for muLEC regeneration after ablation. This study characterizes a newly identified cell type in leptomeninges, mLSC, which is required for muLEC development, maintenance, and regeneration.
Topics: Animals; Zebrafish; Meninges; Endothelial Cells; Zebrafish Proteins; Lymphatic Vessels; Animals, Genetically Modified; Lymphangiogenesis; Regeneration
PubMed: 38956047
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49818-5 -
International Journal of Oral Science Jul 2024Apical periodontitis (AP) is a dental-driven condition caused by pathogens and their toxins infecting the inner portion of the tooth (i.e., dental pulp tissue),...
Apical periodontitis (AP) is a dental-driven condition caused by pathogens and their toxins infecting the inner portion of the tooth (i.e., dental pulp tissue), resulting in inflammation and apical bone resorption affecting 50% of the worldwide population, with more than 15 million root canals performed annually in the United States. Current treatment involves cleaning and decontaminating the infected tissue with chemo-mechanical approaches and materials introduced years ago, such as calcium hydroxide, zinc oxide-eugenol, or even formalin products. Here, we present, for the first time, a nanotherapeutics based on using synthetic high-density lipoprotein (sHDL) as an innovative and safe strategy to manage dental bone inflammation. sHDL application in concentrations ranging from 25 µg to 100 µg/mL decreases nuclear factor Kappa B (NF-κB) activation promoted by an inflammatory stimulus (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). Moreover, sHDL at 500 µg/mL concentration markedly decreases in vitro osteoclastogenesis (P < 0.001), and inhibits IL-1α (P = 0.027), TNF-α (P = 0.004), and IL-6 (P < 0.001) production in an inflammatory state. Notably, sHDL strongly dampens the Toll-Like Receptor signaling pathway facing LPS stimulation, mainly by downregulating at least 3-fold the pro-inflammatory genes, such as Il1b, Il1a, Il6, Ptgs2, and Tnf. In vivo, the lipoprotein nanoparticle applied after NaOCl reduced bone resorption volume to (1.3 ± 0.05) mm and attenuated the inflammatory reaction after treatment to (1 090 ± 184) cells compared to non-treated animals that had (2.9 ± 0.6) mm (P = 0.012 3) and (2 443 ± 931) cells (P = 0.004), thus highlighting its promising clinical potential as an alternative therapeutic for managing dental bone inflammation.
Topics: Animals; Lipoproteins, HDL; Periapical Periodontitis; NF-kappa B; Mice; Lipopolysaccharides; Osteogenesis; Humans; Osteoclasts; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 38956025
DOI: 10.1038/s41368-024-00316-w -
Zhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi = Chinese... Jul 2024To investigate the clinicopathological and genetic features of confined placental mosaicism (CPM) and its effect on fetal intrauterine growth. Fourteen CPM cases of...
To investigate the clinicopathological and genetic features of confined placental mosaicism (CPM) and its effect on fetal intrauterine growth. Fourteen CPM cases of Haidian Maternal and Children Health Hospital were collected from May 2018 to March 2022. Clinicopathological examination on placental specimens and molecular genetic analysis were performed. The age of the parturient women ranged from 27 to 34 years, with an average age of (30.0±3.54) years. The gestational weeks ranged from 35 to 41 weeks. There were 4 premature births and 10 term births, among which 6 were female and 8 were male fetuses. Nine cases (9/14) had adverse pregnancy outcomes, including 7 cases of fetal growth restriction. The weight of CPM placenta decreased, with 6 cases below the 10th percentile of weight standards and 5 cases between the 10th and 25th percentile. All 14 CPM placental specimens showed morphological changes of perfusion dysfunction to varying degrees, with mainly placental-maternal vascular malperfusion followed by placental-fetal vascular malperfusion. The mosaic chromosomes in different CPM cases varied, with 16-trisomy/monosomy mosaicism being the most common followed by 7-trisomy and 21-trisomy/monosomy mosaicism. The mosaic proportion was unequal in different parts of the same CPM placenta, with the mosaic proportion of umbilical cord, fetal membranes, fetal surface, maternal surface, and edge ranging from 1% to 70%. The mosaic chromosomes in different CPM cases vary, and the mosaic proportion is unequal in different parts of the same CPM placenta. The pathological morphology is mainly manifested as perfusion dysfunction, which can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as fetal growth restriction and preterm birth.
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Mosaicism; Female; Adult; Placenta; Fetal Growth Retardation; Pregnancy Outcome; Male; Placenta Diseases; Trisomy; Infant, Newborn; Gestational Age
PubMed: 38955701
DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112151-20240318-00169 -
Saudi Medical Journal Jul 2024To understand the prevalence and survival rates of preterm birth (PTB) is of utmost importance in informing healthcare planning, improving neonatal care, enhancing...
OBJECTIVES
To understand the prevalence and survival rates of preterm birth (PTB) is of utmost importance in informing healthcare planning, improving neonatal care, enhancing maternal and infant health, monitoring long-term outcomes, and guiding policy and advocacy efforts.
METHODS
The medical records of preterm infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of prematurity at the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed between January 2018 and December 2022. Data were collected on birth weight (BW), gender, number of live births, gestational age, mortality, nationality, APGAR score, length of stay in the NICU, and maternal details.
RESULTS
A total of 9809 live births were identified between 2018 and 2022, of which 139 (3.9%) were born preterm. The overall mortality rate of the included sample was 7.19%, whereas the mortality rate according to BW was 38.4% of those born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW). The most common intrapartum complications were malpresentation (15.1%), placental complications (4.3%), and cord complications (3.6%).
CONCLUSION
This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence of PTB in the country, particularly focusing on the vulnerability of extremely preterm babies.
Topics: Humans; Saudi Arabia; Female; Premature Birth; Infant, Newborn; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Incidence; Pregnancy; Gestational Age; Infant, Premature; Infant Mortality; Survival Rate; Birth Weight; Infant; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; Apgar Score
PubMed: 38955439
DOI: 10.15537/smj.2024.45.7.20240194 -
Biology Letters Jun 2024Feather moulting is a crucial process in the avian life cycle, which evolved to maintain plumage functionality. However, moulting involves both energetic and functional...
Feather moulting is a crucial process in the avian life cycle, which evolved to maintain plumage functionality. However, moulting involves both energetic and functional costs. During moulting, plumage function temporarily decreases between the shedding of old feathers and the full growth of new ones. In flying taxa, a gradual and sequential replacement of flight feathers evolved to maintain aerodynamic capabilities during the moulting period. Little is known about the moult strategies of non-avian pennaraptoran dinosaurs and stem birds, before the emergence of crown lineage. Here, we report on two Early Cretaceous pygostylian birds from the Yixian Formation (125 mya), probably referable to Confuciusornithiformes, exhibiting morphological characteristics that suggest a gradual and sequential moult of wing flight feathers. Short primary feathers interpreted as immature are symmetrically present on both wings, as is typical among extant flying birds. Our survey of the enormous collection of the Tianyu Museum confirms previous findings that evidence of active moult in non-neornithine pennaraptorans is rare and likely indicates a moult cycle greater than one year. Documenting moult in Mesozoic feathered dinosaurs is critical for understanding their ecology, locomotor ability and the evolution of this important life-history process in birds.
Topics: Animals; Feathers; Fossils; Birds; Molting; Biological Evolution; Dinosaurs; Flight, Animal; China; Wings, Animal
PubMed: 38955226
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0106 -
Open Biology Jul 2024The vertebrate organizer plays a crucial role in building the main (antero-posterior) axis of the embryo: it neuralizes the surrounding ectoderm, and is the site of...
The vertebrate organizer plays a crucial role in building the main (antero-posterior) axis of the embryo: it neuralizes the surrounding ectoderm, and is the site of emigration for cells making axial and paraxial mesendoderm during elongation. The chick organizer becomes a stem zone at the onset of elongation; it stops recruiting cells from the neighbouring ectoderm and generates all its derivatives from the small number of resident cells it contains at the end of gastrulation stages. Nothing is known about the molecular identity of this stem zone. Here, we specifically labelled long-term resident cells of the organizer and compared their RNA-seq profile to that of the neighbouring cell populations. Screening by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and hybridization identified four genes (, , and ) that are upregulated only in the organizer region when it becomes a stem zone and remain expressed there during axial elongation. In experiments specifically labelling the resident cells of the mature organizer, we show that only these cells express these genes. These findings molecularly define the organizer as a stem zone and offer a key to understanding how this zone is set up, the molecular control of its cells' behaviour and the evolution of axial growth zones.
Topics: Animals; Chick Embryo; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Organizers, Embryonic; Body Patterning; Gastrulation; Transcriptome; Gene Expression Profiling
PubMed: 38955223
DOI: 10.1098/rsob.240139