Previous studies have demonstrated that type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) could be triggered by an early childhood infection. Whether maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with T1DM in offspring is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to study the association using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eighteen studies including 4304 cases and 25 846 participants were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were synthesised using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of associations. Overall, the pooled analysis yielded a statistically significant association between maternal infection during pregnancy and childhood T1DM (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07-1.62). Furthermore, six studies that tested maternal enterovirus infection showed a pooled OR of 1.54 (95% CI 1.05-2.27). Heterogeneity from different studies was evident (I2 = 70.1%, P < 0.001) and was mainly attributable to the different study designs, ascertaining methods and sample size among different studies. This study provides evidence for an association between maternal infection during pregnancy and childhood T1DM.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has become a powerful tool for selectively silencing gene expression in cultured mammalian cells. In this study, a 67-bp oligonucleotide encoding human telomerase RNA (hTR) was introduced into pSIREN, a shuttle vector for construction of recombinant adenovirus. Then the U6-RNA promoter and siRNA-encoding insert were cut out from the pSIREN and subcloned into pAdeno-X to construct the plasmid pAd-hTR. After the pAd-hTR was transfected into a mammalian cell line HEK-293, adenovirus carrying the hTR-targeting siRNA (Ad-hTR-siRNA) was obtained. We performed a series of experiments to demonstrate silencing of the telomerase mediated by Ad-hTR-siRNA in HeLa cells. Compared with control virus (Ad-NT-siRNA), Ad-hTR-siRNA significantly reduced both hTR mRNA level (by 70.21%) and telomerase activity (by 58.87%) in HeLa cells. Moreover, it induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. Treatment of subcutaneous tumor xenografted with Ad-hTR-siRNA could slow down tumor growth, at least partially due to the induction of apoptosis (Po0.05) in vivo. Taken together, our results demonstrated efficient and specific knockdown of telomerase in HeLa cell line by the hTR siRNA, and indicated the prospect of applying this siRNA expressing recombinant adenovirus system in cancer gene therapy.

According to the evolution of functional solving models, this paper first compares the characteristics and the consistency of the thinking process of three different functional solving models, including the extended function-environment-behaviour-structure (FEBS/e) model, the extended behaviour-driven function-environment-structure (B-FES/e) model, and the extended function-behaviour-implementation-environment (FBIE/e) model. Then, a new functional solving model with multiple elements and evolutions (FSMEE) is proposed. In this model, the reasoning process of product functional design is classified into 12 basic mapping relations by virtue of the regulation analysis of the design process. The evolutionary logic of basic mapping relations is then developed according to the optimal degree. In addition, the computer representation of the hierarchy design process is established by means of the topology relation matrices and adjacency relation matrices. Finally, an example of an emergency cut-off valve is presented to demonstrate the model's feasibility.

To compare the circadian variation of blood pressure (BP) between patients with intra-cerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and with cerebral infarction (CI), around-the-clock BP measurements were obtained from 89 hypertensive patients with ICH, from 63 patients with CI and from 16 normotensive volunteers. The single and populationmean cosinor yielded individual and group estimates of the MESOR (Midline Estimating Statistic Of Rhythm, a rhythm-adjusted mean value), circadian double amplitude and acrophase (measures of extent and timing of predictable daily change). Comparison shows that without any difference in BP MESOR, the circadian amplitude of systolic (S) BP was larger in ICH than CI patients (Po0.001), and both groups differed from the healthy volunteers in BP MESOR and pulse pressure (Po0.001) and in the circadian amplitude of SBP (Po0.005). The smaller population circadian amplitude of diastolic (D) BP of the ICH group (P ¼ 0.042) is likely related to a larger scatter of individual circadian acrophases in this group as compared with that in the other two groups, an inference supported by a smaller day-night ratio of DBP for ICH vs CI patients (P ¼ 0.007). Heart rate (HR) variability, gauged by the standard deviation (SD), was decreased in both patient groups as compared with that in healthy controls, more so among ICH than CI patients (P ¼ 0.025). Thus, patients with ICH had a higher incidence of abnormal circadian characteristics of BP than patients with CI, the major differences relating to a larger circadian amplitude of SBP, a smaller HR-SD, and a larger incidence of odd circadian acrophases of DBP.