The mammalian brain is composed of millions to billions of cells that are organized into numerous cell types with specific spatial distribution patterns and structural and functional properties. An essential step towards understanding brain function is to obtain a parts list, i.e., a catalog of cell types, of the brain. Here, we report a comprehensive and high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial cell type atlas for the whole adult mouse brain. The cell type atlas was created based on the combination of two single-cell-level, whole-brain-scale datasets: a single- cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset of ∼7 million cells profiled, and a spatially resolved transcriptomic dataset of ∼4.3 million cells using MERFISH. The atlas is hierarchically organized into five nested levels of classification: 7 divisions, 32 classes, 306 subclasses, 1,045 supertypes and 5,200 clusters. We systematically analyzed the neuronal, non-neuronal, and immature neuronal cell types across the brain and identified a high degree of correspondence between transcriptomic identity and spatial specificity for each cell type. The results reveal unique features of cell type organization in different brain regions, in particular, a dichotomy between the dorsal and ventral parts of the brain: the dorsal part contains relatively fewer yet highly divergent neuronal types, whereas the ventral part contains more numerous neuronal types that are more closely related to each other. We also systematically characterized cell-type specific expression of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and transcription factors. The study uncovered extraordinary diversity and heterogeneity in neurotransmitter and neuropeptide expression and co-expression patterns in different cell types across the brain, suggesting they mediate a myriad of modes of intercellular communications. Finally, we found that transcription factors are major determinants of cell type classification in the adult mouse brain and identified a combinatorial transcription factor code that defines cell types across all parts of the brain. The whole-mouse-brain transcriptomic and spatial cell type atlas establishes a benchmark reference atlas and a foundational resource for deep and integrative investigations of cell type and circuit function, development, and evolution of the mammalian brain.

The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), mainly characterized by clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, ovarian dysfunction and/or polycystic morphology as well as associated metabolic disorders, is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. The familial clustering of PCOS cases and the accumulating evidence that the interaction between multiple genetic and environmental factors is necessary for the development of the syndrome, has triggered the conduct of genetic studies on PCOS. These studies have focused on many genetic polymorphisms, investigating their possible positive or negative correlation with the syndrome. The related genes can be grouped in four categories: those related with insulin resistance, those that interfere with the biosynthesis and the action of androgens, those that encode inflammatory cytokines and other candidate genes. Despite the progress that has been made in the elucidation of the genetic mechanisms of the PCOS, the genetic studies on the syndrome still face many obstacles and challenges. Further studies are needed, in order to shed new light in the pathogenesis of the syndrome, which will allow for new approaches in the diagnostics and therapeutics of PCOS.

Timely recognition and appropriate management of high-risk pregnancies, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), are of paramount importance for every obstetrician. After the initial screening of IUGR fetuses through sonographic fetometry and Doppler, the focus is shifted to the appropriate monitoring and timing of delivery. This can, especially in cases of early IUGR, become a very difficult task. At this point, cardiotocography (CTG) is introduced as a major tool in the day-to-day monitoring of the antenatal well-being of the IUGR fetus. Since the first introduction of CTG up to the nowadays widely spreading implementation of computerised CTG in the clinical practice, there has been great progress in the recording of the fetal heart rate, as well as its interpretation. Focus of this review is to offer an understanding of the evolution of CTG from its early development to modern computerised methods and to provide an insight as to where the future of CTG is leading, especially in the monitoring of IUGR.

Every clinician using the new algorithm must be aware that the normal values for the STV240 lie beneath the, up until now, established cut-off values for the STV16.