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- 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (1)
- Biparietal diameter (1)
- Brain development (1)
- Cortisol Maternal cortisol (1)
- Cortisol vertical bar metabolism (1)
- Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) (1)
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- HSD11B2[CA]n polymorphism (1)
GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board.
Background/Aims: Cortisol plays an important role during pregnancy. It controls maternal glucose metabolism and fetal development. Cortisol metabolism is partially controlled by the 11b-HSD2. This enzyme is expressed in the kidney and human placenta. The activity of the enzyme is partially controlled by functional polymorphisms: the HSD11B2[CA]n microsatellite polymorphism. The impact of this functional gene polymorphism on cortisol metabolism and potential effects on the newborn's is unknown so far. Methods: In the current prospective birth cohort study in southern Asia, we analyzed the association of the HSD11B2[CA]n microsatellite polymorphisms in 187 mothers and their newborn's on maternal and newborn's serum cortisol concentrations. Results: Using multivariable regression analyses considering known confounding ( gestational age, newborn's gender, the labor uterine contraction states and the timing during the day of blood taking), we showed that the fetal HSD11B2[CA]n microsatellite polymorphisms in the first intron was related to maternal cortisol concentration ( R2=0.26, B=96.27, p=0.007), whereas as the newborn's cortisol concentrations were independent of fetal and maternal HSD11B2[CA] n microsatellite polymorphism. Conclusions: Our study showed for the first time that the fetal HSD11B2[CA]n microsatellite polymorphism of the HSD11B2 gene in healthy uncomplicated human pregnancy is associated with maternal cortisol concentration. This indicates that fetal genes controlling cortisol metabolism may affect maternal cortisol concentration and hence physiology in healthy pregnant women.
To analyze the association between fetal brain growth and late gestational blood serum cortisol in normal pregnancy.Blood total cortisol was quantified at delivery in 432 Chinese mother/child pairs. Key inclusion criteria of the cohort were: no structural anomalies of the newborn, singleton pregnancy, no alcohol abuse, no drug abuse or history of smoking no hypertensive disorders and no impairment of glucose tolerance and no use of steroid medication during pregnancy. Differential ultrasound examination of the fetal body was done in early (gestational day 89.95 +/- 7.31), middle (gestational day 160.17 16.12) and late pregnancy (gestational day 268.89 +/- 12.42). Newborn's cortisol was not correlated with any of the ultrasound measurements during pregnancy nor with birth weight. Multivariable regression analysis, considering timing of the ultrasound examination, the child's sex, maternal BMI, maternal age, maternal body weight at delivery, the timing of cortisol measurement and maternal uterine contraction states, revealed that maternal serum total cortisol was significantly negative correlated with ultrasound parameters describing the fetal brain: late biparietal diameter (R-2 =0.512, p =0.009), late head circumference (R-2 = 0.498, p= 0.001), middle biparietal diameter (R-2= 0.819, p = 0.013), middle cerebellum transverse diameter R-2 = 0.76, p= 0.014) and early biparietal diameter(R-2 = 0.819, p = 0.013). The same analysis revealed that birth weight as well as ultrasound parameters such as abdominal circumference and femur length were not correlated to maternal cortisol levels.
In conclusion, our study demonstrates that maternal cortisol secretion within physiological ranges may be inversely correlated to fetal brain growth but not to birth weight. It remains to be demonstrated whether maternal cortisol secretion negatively influencing fetal brain growth translates to adverse neurological outcomes in later life.
Background: The multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (PGP) is expressed in the human placenta. In particular the C3435T ABCB1 polymorphism was associated with altered tissue expression of PGP in the human placenta. However, the potential functional impact of this polymorphism on the offspring is unknown so far.
Methods: We analyzed the impact of the ABCB1/C3435T polymorphism on fetal growth in 262 mother/child pairs. Fetal growth was assessed by differential ultrasound examination of the fetal body prior to birth and by measuring birth weight.
Results: The maternal ABCB1/C3435T polymorphism showed no trend for an association with birth weight or any ultrasound parameter describing late gestational fetal body shape. Genotyping the newborns, however, demonstrated that newborns carrying two copies of the T allele had a birth weight of 3176.39 g, whereas CT and CC newborns had a birth weight of 3345.04 g (p = 0.022). Adjusting for gestational age at delivery, child's gender, maternal BM1, maternal age and body weight at delivery confirmed this finding (p = 0.009). Considering gestational day of late ultrasound examination, gestational age at delivery, child's gender, maternal BMI, maternal age and maternal body weight at delivery, the fetal ABCB1/C3435T genotype revealed likewise a significant negative correlation with abdominal diameter and abdominal circumference (R-2 = 0.538, p = 0.010 and R-2 = 0.534, p = 0.005, respectively).
Conclusions: Low birth weight may be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in later life. The fetal ABCB1/C3435T gene polymorphism may contribute to this risk. Since PGP controls transport of various biological agents, we suggest that PGP is involved in the transport of biological agents to the fetus that are important for normal fetal growth.
Proxy-based reconstructions and modeling of Holocene spatiotemporal precipitation patterns for China and Mongolia have hitherto yielded contradictory results indicating that the basic mechanisms behind the East Asian Summer Monsoon and its interaction with the westerly jet stream remain poorly understood. We present quantitative reconstructions of Holocene precipitation derived from 101 fossil pollen records and analyse them with the help of a minimal empirical model. We show that the westerly jet-stream axis shifted gradually southward and became less tilted since the middle Holocene. This was tracked by the summer monsoon rain band resulting in an early-Holocene precipitation maximum over most of western China, a mid-Holocene maximum in north-central and northeastern China, and a late-Holocene maximum in southeastern China. Our results suggest that a correct simulation of the orientation and position of the westerly jet stream is crucial to the reliable prediction of precipitation patterns in China and Mongolia.