Circular RNA ath-circ032768, a competing endogenous RNA, response the drought stress by targeting miR472-RPS5 module

CircRNAs (circular RNAs) reduce the abundance of miRNAs through ceRNA (competing endogenous RNA), to regulate many physiological processes and stress responses in plants. However, the role of circRNA in drought stress is poorly understood. Through ring identification and sequencing verification of ath-circ032768, bioinformatics analysis predicted the interaction of ath-circ032768-miR472-RPS5, and further obtained transgenic plants overexpressing ath-circ032768 and silencing STTM-miR472. The change in drought stress was analysed using biochemical and molecular biological methods. Sequencing and biological analysis confirmed that ath-circ032768, miR472 and RPS5 were responsive to drought stress, and changes in gene expression were consistent with the prediction of ceRNA. The silencing vectors ath-circ032768 and STTM-miR472 were constructed using molecular biology techniques, and stable transgenic plants with drought tolerance obtained. Further physiological and biochemical studies showed that ath-circ032768 could bind to miR472, and that miR472 could bind to the RPS5 gene, resulting in decreased expression of RPS5. Hence, ath-circ032768 can competitively inhibit degradation of RPS5 by miR472 through ceRNA. This process is accompanied by increased expression of DREB2A, RD29A and RD29B genes. Through the ath-circ032768-miR472-RPS5 pathway, the RPS5 stress resistance protein interacts with DREB2A protein to enhance expression of downstream drought resistance genes, RD29A and RD29B, and participate in the regulation mechanism of plant drought resistance, thereby improving drought tolerance of plants.

China Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegenerative Disorder Research (CANDOR) -A Prospective Cohort Study for Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Cognitive Impairment

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) are the two main causes of dementia. AD and VCI share similar symptoms of cognitive decline and may be attributable to similar risk factors. Establishing a prospective cohort to compare VCI and AD would help to understand vascular risk factors related to dementia.

OBJECTIVES

China Alzheimer's disease and Neurodegenerative Disorder Research (CANDOR) study is a prospective multicenter cohort study. It aims to study the similarities and differences between AD and post stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) in neuroimaging changes, disease progression, and multiple omics studies.

DESIGN

This is an ongoing study. From July 31, 2019, to August 1, 2022, we recruited 1449 participants with ages between 40 and 100 years. The cohort included three groups: AD group, PSCI group, and normal cognitive (NC) group. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews at baseline, and will be followed up every year for 4 years. The PSCI group had additional follow-ups at 3-month and 6-month after enrollment. Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) included high-resolution sequences for intracranial arteries. Cognitive assessments and follow-up information will be prospectively collected. Biological specimens including blood and urine at baseline were collected and tested.

PARTICIPANTS

The targeted sample size of PSCI group was 500, AD group with 600 and NC group with 2000. There were 1449 participants enrolled. Include 508 participants were in NC group, 387 in AD group and 554 in PSCI group.

MEASUREMENTS

Demographics, clinical parameters, and medical examinations were collected and performed. Cognitive assessment was performed to assess all cognitive domains including memory, language, executive function, and orientation function.

CONCLUSIONS

The CANDOR study is a prospective cohort study. Data from this cohort provide us an opportunity to investigate the contribution of vascular factors to dementia pathogenesis.

Controlled SPION-Exosomes Loaded with Quercetin Preserves Pancreatic Beta Cell Survival and Function in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction

Quercetin has an ideal therapeutic effect on islet function improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the therapeutic benefit of quercetin is hindered by its poor bioavailability and limited concentration in pancreatic islets. In this study, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)-modified exosomes were prepared to load quercetin, hoping to endow quercetin with enhanced water solubility and active targeting capacity with the help of magnetic force (MF).

Methods

Transferrin-modified SPIONs (Tf-SPIONs) were synthesized by exploiting N-hydroxysuccinimidyl (NHS) conjugation chemistry, and quercetin-loaded exosomes (Qu-exosomes) were acquired by electroporation. Tf-SPION-modified quercetin-loaded exosomes (Qu-exosome-SPIONs) were generated by the self-assembly of transferrin (Tf) and the transferrin receptor (TfR). The solubility of quercetin was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The pancreatic islet targeting capacity and insulin secretagogue and antiapoptotic activities of Qu-exosome-SPIONs/MF were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

Results

The Qu-exosome-SPIONs were well constructed and harvested by magnetic separation with a uniform size and shape in a diameter of approximately 86.2 nm. The water solubility of quercetin increased 1.97-fold when loaded into the SPION-modified exosomes. The application of SPIONs/MF endowed the Qu-exosomes with favorable targeting capacity. In vitro studies showed that Qu-exosome-SPIONs/MF more effectively inhibited or attenuated β cell apoptosis and promoted insulin secretion in response to elevated glucose (GLC) compared with quercetin or Qu-exosome-SPIONs. In vivo studies demonstrated that Qu-exosome-SPIONs/MF displayed an ideal pancreatic islet targeting capacity, thereby leading to the restoration of islet function.

Conclusion

The Qu-exosome-SPIONs/MF nano-delivery system significantly enhanced the quercetin concentration in pancreatic islets and thereby improved pancreatic islet protection.

Hybrid cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl starch/polyacrylamide flexible sensing hydrogels with adhesion, antimicrobial properties and multiple responses

Ionic hydrogels used as ideal and flexible strain sensor materials should have excellent mechanical, adhesive and antimicrobial properties. However, it is challenging to achieve these multifunctional requirements simultaneously. Herein, we designed and prepared a multifunctional ionic hydrogel with a multi-length tentacle bentonite backbone to initiate the free radical polymerization of acrylic acid bentonite (AABT) and acrylamide (AAm). The interactions of covalent cross-linking, hydrogen bonding cross-linking, charge interactions and physical entanglement between hybrid polyacrylamide-AABT (PAAm-AABT), sodium carboxymethyl starch (SCMS) and PAAm form an multi-in-one hybrid supramolecular network hydrogel (CABZ). This CABZ ion-conductive hydrogel is capable of detecting weak deformation with a detection limit of 1 % strain, high tensile properties of 995 %, excellent strength of 254.5 kPa, fast response (≈0.21 s), high sensitivity of 0.86 and high conductivity of 0.37 S/m. In addition, this CABZ ion-conductive hydrogel has impressive adhesion properties with shear adhesion strength up to 50.78 kPa and broad-spectrum antibacterial properties achieved by AABT-loaded ZnO nanoparticles. Through special AABT hybrid cross-linking, the CABZ ion-conductive hydrogel achieves stable mechanical properties, highly sensitive signal response and antimicrobial properties, which will make it a good choice for flexible wearable sensor materials.

Erratum: Cytochalasin H isolated from mangrove-derived endophytic fungus inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stemness via YAP/TAZ signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer cells: Erratum

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/jca.50512.].

Direction Selectivity of TmY Neurites in Drosophila

The perception of motion is an important function of vision. Neural wiring diagrams for extracting directional information have been obtained by connectome reconstruction. Direction selectivity in Drosophila is thought to originate in T4/T5 neurons through integrating inputs with different temporal filtering properties. Through genetic screening based on synaptic distribution, we isolated a new type of TmY neuron, termed TmY-ds, that form reciprocal synaptic connections with T4/T5 neurons. Its neurites responded to grating motion along the four cardinal directions and showed a variety of direction selectivity. Intriguingly, its direction selectivity originated from temporal filtering neurons rather than T4/T5. Genetic silencing and activation experiments showed that TmY-ds neurons are functionally upstream of T4/T5. Our results suggest that direction selectivity is generated in a tripartite circuit formed among these three neurons-temporal filtering, TmY-ds, and T4/T5 neurons, in which TmY-ds plays a role in the enhancement of direction selectivity in T4/T5 neurons.

Short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic low anterior resection with "dog ear" invagination anastomosis for mid and distal rectal cancer a propensity score matched analysis

Background

The lateral intersecting margin (dog-ear) was a weak spot of the double stapled technique (DST), We designed "dog-ear" invagination anastomosis (DAIA), which could eliminate the "dog-ear" in laparoscopic anterior resection.

Patients and methods

A total of 202 patients underwent elective curative LLAR + DST (n = 143) or LLAR + DAIA (n = 59) were enrolled in the study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the adverse effects. The clinical data between LLAR + DST and LLAR + DAIA was compared, and the effect of factors on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was analyzed.

Results

After PSM, 53 pairs of the LLRA + DST and LLRA + DAIA patients were enrolled in the study. The LLRA + DAIA group has a higher level (3.50 ± 1.03 vs. 2.87 ± 1.10, P = 0.01) of the anastomosis than that of the LLRA + DST group. Patients in LLAR + DAIA group have a lower incidence of protecting loop ileostomy compared to LLAR + DST group (20.75% vs. 5.66%, P < 0.05). The LLRA + DAIA patients presented better rates of LARS compare to LLRA + DST patients at 6 months (major LARS 37.74% (n = 20) vs. 67.93% (n = 36); P = 0.007) and 12 months (major LARS 13.21% (n = 7) vs. 20.37% (n = 11); P = 0.03) after surgery. The OS and DFS rates were similar (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic low anterior resection with "dog-ear" invagination anastomosis technique are well-established procedures for patients with low rectal cancer. "Dog-ear" invagination anastomosis technique may reduce the incidence of protecting loop ileostomy and significantly affect LARS score, and demonstrate a positive impact on the quality of life after surgery.

Multiparameter mobile blood analysis for complete blood count utilizing contrast-enhanced defocusing imaging and machine vision

Blood analysis, through the complete blood count, is the most basic medical test for disease diagnosis. Conventional blood analysis requires bulky and expensive laboratory facilities and skilled technicians, limiting the...

Symptom burden, psychological distress, and symptom management status in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer: a multicenter study in China

BACKGROUND

The management of physical symptoms and psychological distress of cancer patients is an important component of cancer care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the symptom burden, psychological distress, and management status of hospitalized patients with advanced cancer in China and explore the potential influencing factors of undertreatment and non-treatment of symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 2930 hospitalized patients with advanced cancer (top six types of cancer in China) were recruited from 10 centers all over China. Patient-reported MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales and symptom management-related information were collected and linked with the patient's clinical data. The proportion of patients reporting moderate-to-severe (MS) symptoms and whether they were currently well managed were examined. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to explore the factors correlated to undertreatment and non-treatment of symptoms.

RESULTS

About 27% of patients reported over three MS symptoms, 16% reported over five, and 9% reported over seven. Regarding psychological distress, the prevalence of HADS-anxiety was 29% and that of PHQ-9 depression was 11%. Sixty-one percent of patients have at least one MS symptom without any treatment. Sex [odds ratio (OR) = 2.238, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.502-3.336], Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG; OR = 0.404, 95% CI 0.241-0.676), and whether currently undergoing anticancer treatment (OR = 0.667, 95% CI 0.503-0.886) are the main factors correlated with the undertreatment of symptoms. Age (OR = 1.972, 95% CI 1.263-3.336), sex (OR = 0.626, 95% CI 0.414-0.948), ECOG (OR = 0.266, 95% CI 0.175-0.403), whether currently undergoing anticancer treatment (OR = 0.356, 95% CI 0.249-0.509), and comorbidity (OR = 0.713, 95% CI 0.526-0.966) are the main factors correlated with the non-treatment of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that hospitalized patients with advanced cancer had a variety of physical and psychological symptoms but lacked adequate management and suggests that a complete symptom screening and management system is needed to deal with this complex problem.

Label-free hematology analysis method based on defocusing phase-contrast imaging under illumination of 415 nm light

Label-free imaging technology is a trending way to simplify and improve conventional hematology analysis by bypassing lengthy and laborious staining procedures. However, the existing methods do not well balance system complexity, data acquisition efficiency, and data analysis accuracy, which severely impedes their clinical translation. Here, we propose defocusing phase-contrast imaging under the illumination of 415 nm light to realize label-free hematology analysis. We have verified that the subcellular morphology of blood components can be visualized without complex staining due to the factor that defocusing can convert the second-order derivative distribution of samples' optical phase into intensity and the illumination of 415 nm light can significantly enhance the contrast. It is demonstrated that the defocusing phase-contrast images for the five leucocyte subtypes can be automatically discriminated by a trained deep-learning program with high accuracy (the mean F1 score: 0.986 and mean average precision: 0.980). Since this technique is based on a regular microscope, it simultaneously realizes low system complexity and high data acquisition efficiency with remarkable quantitative analysis ability. It supplies a label-free, reliable, easy-to-use, fast approach to simplifying and reforming the conventional way of hematology analysis.

Integrated analysis of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing reveals a frameshift mutation associated with recessive embryonic lethality in Holstein cattle

Embryo loss is an important factor affecting fertility in dairy production. HH2 was identified as a haplotype on chromosome 1 associated with embryonic lethality in Holstein cattle. In the current study, both short- and long-read WGS was performed on four carriers and four non-carriers of HH2 to screen for variants in concordance with HH2 haplotype status. Sequence variation analysis revealed five putative functional variants of protein-coding genes, including a frameshift mutation (g.107172616delT) in intraflagellar transport protein 80 (IFT80) gene. Transcriptome analysis of whole blood indicated that no gene exhibited significantly differential expression or allele-specific expression between carriers and non-carriers in the candidate region. This evidence points to g.107172616delT as the highest priority causative mutation for HH2. Protein prediction reveals that the frameshift mutation results in a premature stop codon to reduce the peptide chain from 760 to 383 amino acids and greatly alters the structure and function of IFT80 protein. Our results demonstrate that the use of a combination of multiple high-throughput sequencing technologies is an efficient strategy to screen for the candidate causative mutations responsible for Mendelian traits, including genetic disorders.

Glucocorticoid-induced dose-related and site-specific bone remodelling, microstructure, and mechanical changes in cancellous and cortical bones

The study investigated the effects of long-term glucocorticoid (GC) administration on bone remodelling, microstructure, and biomechanical strength in cortical and cancellous (trabecular) bones. Thirty-one female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three dexamethasone (Dex) dosage groups, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/kg twice a week for 8 weeks, and one control group treated with saline. At the end of the experiment, the tibia of one side and the fourth lumbar vertebrae were processed into sections for a histomorphometric analysis, while the femur of the same side and the fifth vertebrae were isolated for a biomechanical test. A dose-dependent decline in bone formation was observed in both trabecular and cortical (periosteal and endosteal) bones. In contrast, bone resorption was inhibited only in cancellous bone in the two higher dose groups and not dose-related. The ratio of Node/Termini increased, while marrow star volume (MSV) decreased in all Dex groups in metaphyseal trabecular bones, both of which were dose-dependent. Subendosteal cortex porosity increased in parallel with non-uniform trabecular distribution, but cortical thickness remained unchanged. Interestingly, there were no significant changes in microstructure or mechanical strength in lumbar trabecular bone. The cortical elastic load was dose-independently reduced in all three Dex groups when compared with the control group. In summary, bone remodelling was dose-dependently inhibited in cancellous bones but enhanced in intracortical bones. The non-uniform distribution of trabecular bone and increased porosity in the inner edge of cortical bone were both in parallel with GC dosage, and the porosity increase was more likely to occur, leading to reduced cortical mechanical strength.

GTree: an Open-source Tool for Dense Reconstruction of Brain-wide Neuronal Population

Recent technological advancements have facilitated the imaging of specific neuronal populations at the single-axon level across the mouse brain. However, the digital reconstruction of neurons from a large dataset requires months of manual effort using the currently available software. In this study, we develop an open-source software called GTree (global tree reconstruction system) to overcome the above-mentioned problem. GTree offers an error-screening system for the fast localization of submicron errors in densely packed neurites and along with long projections across the whole brain, thus achieving reconstruction close to the ground truth. Moreover, GTree integrates a series of our previous algorithms to significantly reduce manual interference and achieve high-level automation. When applied to an entire mouse brain dataset, GTree is shown to be five times faster than widely used commercial software. Finally, using GTree, we demonstrate the reconstruction of 35 long-projection neurons around one injection site of a mouse brain. GTree is also applicable to large datasets (10 TB or higher) from various light microscopes.

High throughput slanted scanning whole slide imaging system for digital pathology

In whole slide imaging (WSI), normally only a one layer imaging of the slide is performed. Autofocus at multiple positions is usually required. But defocus blur still exists due to tissue folding or specimen thickness. Repeated Z-stack scan be applied here, which, however, is too time consuming. Here, a high throughput slanted scanning WSI system is reported. In this system, the slide surface was slanted 1° relative to the focal plane. Thus, the focal plane spanned multiple layers of the sample. By moving the slide, multi-layer image data of the sample can be acquired simultaneously at a time frame comparable to conventional 1-layer imaging. With image fusion, defocus blur can be avoided. High quality and fast imaging of both cytological and histological slide specimens was demonstrated without applying aberration correction. The system can be a highly efficient way for the application of WSI in digital pathology.

Divergent Projection Patterns Revealed by Reconstruction of Individual Neurons in Orbitofrontal Cortex

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is involved in diverse brain functions via its extensive projections to multiple target regions. There is a growing understanding of the overall outputs of the OFC at the population level, but reports of the projection patterns of individual OFC neurons across different cortical layers remain rare. Here, by combining neuronal sparse and bright labeling with a whole-brain florescence imaging system (fMOST), we obtained an uninterrupted three-dimensional whole-brain dataset and achieved the full morphological reconstruction of 25 OFC pyramidal neurons. We compared the whole-brain projection targets of these individual OFC neurons in different cortical layers as well as in the same cortical layer. We found cortical layer-dependent projections characterized by divergent patterns for information delivery. Our study not only provides a structural basis for understanding the principles of laminar organizations in the OFC, but also provides clues for future functional and behavioral studies on OFC pyramidal neurons.

Use of facial vein graft with vascularized composite auricular helical rim flap for alar rim defects

Nasal alar defects lead to facial disfigurement, and nasal ala reconstruction is an important treatment option. The vascularized composite auricular flap based on the superficial temporal artery is an ideal option for a full-thickness nasal alar defect. However, the pedicle length and the discrepancy in artery diameter between the recipient vessel and flap pedicle continue to be major problems for free auricular composite tissue transfer. Considering that the angular artery is occasionally absent and the course of the infraorbital segment of the facial vein is constant, there are often no suitable vessels around the recipient site for anastomoses to the short pedicle of the flap. In the absence of a suitable recipient artery, an infraorbital segment of the facial vein measuring 2.5cm in length was taken as a graft for the anastomosis of the superficial temporal artery and superior labial artery. End-to-end anastomosis was performed easily. The flap was inset to reconstruct the contralateral ala. The facial vein graft for anastomosis of the superficial temporal artery and branch of the facial artery is a reliable and easy method to resolve the problem of a short pedicle and large artery discrepancy for nasal ala reconstruction with a vascularized composite helical rim flap.

Genomic scan revealed KIT gene underlying white/gray plumage color in Chinese domestic geese

Goose is an important type of domesticated poultry. The wild geese that are regarded as the ancestors of modern domestic geese present gray plumage. Domesticated, geese have both white and gray feathers. To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying the formation of white and gray plumage in geese, we resequenced the whole genome of 18 geese from six populations including white and gray goose breeds. The average sequencing depth per individual was 9.81× and the average genome coverage was 96.8%. A total of 346 genes were detected in the top 1% of F_ST scores of gray- and white-feathered geese, and a significant F_ST site was located in the intron region within the KIT gene, the 18 bp deletion in KIT having the strongest potential association with white feathers. It has been reported that a number of genes are associated with plumage colors in birds. However, no studies have identified the relationship between KIT and plumage color in birds at present, although the white coat can be attributed to mutations in KIT in some mammals. Our study showed that that KIT is a plausible candidate gene for white/gray plumage color in Chinese domestic geese.

Chemical sectioning fluorescence tomography: high-throughput, high-contrast, multicolor, whole-brain imaging at subcellular resolution

A thorough neuroanatomical study of the brain architecture is crucial for understanding its cellular compositions, connections, and working mechanisms. However, the fine- and multiscale features of neuron structures make it challenging for microscopic imaging, as it requires high contrast and high throughput simultaneously. Here, we propose chemical sectioning fluorescence tomography (CSFT) to solve this problem. By chemically switching OFF/ON the fluorescent state of the labeled proteins (FPs), we light only the top layer as thin as submicron for imaging without background interference. Combined with the wide-field fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography (fMOST) system, we have shown multicolor CSFT imaging. We also demonstrate mouse whole-brain imaging at the subcellular resolution, as well as the power for quantitative acquisition of synaptic-connection-related pyramidal dendritic spines and axon boutons on the brain-wide scale at the complete single-neuron level. We believe that the CSFT method would greatly facilitate our understanding of the brain-wide neuron networks.

Predicting and Exploring the Mechanisms of Erzhi Pill in Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis Based on Network Pharmacology and Zebrafish Experiments

Background

Erzhi Pill (EZP), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has been widely applied to improve bone metabolism and treat osteoporosis (OP) in China. However, its effective constituents and mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods

By combining network pharmacology and zebrafish experiments, an integrative method was employed to address this problem. Firstly, the disease targets of OP were collected from two public gene databases. Secondly, the active compounds and drug targets of EZP were obtained from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). Thirdly, a drug-target-disease interaction network was constructed, and the key active components were identified by analyzing the topological characteristics of the network. Finally, these predicted results were tested by zebrafish experiments and compared with those from the literature. Specifically, quercetin as an important representative active component of EZP was applied to wild type and transgenic zebrafish larvae to assess its effects on skull mineralization and osteoplastic differentiation.

Results

Our study identified 72 active compounds, 220 targets and 166 signaling pathways probably involved in the prevention and treatment of OP by EZP, wherein quercetin, apigenin, daidzein, luteolin, ursolic acid and kaempferol could be the key compounds, while PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and IL-17 signaling pathway could be the key signaling pathways. The experiments indicated that quercetin attenuated both the decrease of skull mineralization and the inhibition of skull osteoplastic differentiation in zebrafish larvae trigged by dexamethasone.

Conclusion

Our study not only investigated potentially effective constituents and mechanisms of EZP in the prevention and treatment of OP, but also provided a reference for the in-depth research, development and application of TCM.

Relevance of Physical Activities, Sedentary Behaviors, and Genetic Predisposition in Body Fatness: Population-Based Study on Chinese Adults

INTRODUCTION

Little attention has been paid to the interacting effect of specific intensities of physical activities (PAs) and sedentary lifestyle, like television watching, and genetic predisposition on body composition indices among Chinese adults. Herein, we aimed to examine whether specific types of PAs and sedentary behaviors (SBs) were associated with body composition indices among Chinese adults and to further explore whether these associations interacted with the genetic predisposition to high BMI.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data regarding PAs and time spent on SBs and dietary intake of 3,976 Chinese adults (54.9% women) aged 25-65 years in Southwest China were obtained via questionnaires in 2013-2015. Weight, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured, and BMI, percentage of body fat (%BF), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) of the participants were calculated. Genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated on 9 established BMI-associated SNPs among Chinese adults.

RESULTS

When the participants were stratified by GRS for BMI, significant associations were only found for adults with high GRS for BMI: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was negatively associated with WC and %BF and positively related to FFMI. The adjusted positive relationship of time spent watching television with BMI, WC, %BF, and FMI were also just found between adults with high weighted GRS for high BMI: for every 1 h increment in television watching, the BMI, WC, %BF, and FMI of the participants increased by 0.2 kg/m2, 0.9 cm, 0.3%, and 0.1 kg/m2, respectively (p < 0.02).

CONCLUSION

MVPA may be a protective factor against obesity, and prolonged television watching may accentuate adiposity. These putative effects may be more pronounced among individuals with a high genetic risk of a high BMI.

Cytochalasin H isolated from mangrove-derived endophytic fungus inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stemness via YAP/TAZ signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Our previous studies have isolated cytochalasin H (CyH) from endophytic fungus derived from mangrove and found that CyH induced apoptosis and inhibited migration and angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. In this study, we further investigated the effect of CyH on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness of A549 and NCI-H460 NSCLC cells and the underlying mechanisms, especially the role of YAP/ TAZ signaling pathway in the process. Our results showed that CyH significantly inhibited invasive ability and the sphere formation of NSCLC cells. The expression of E-cadherin, an EMT epithelial marker, was obviously up-regulated, while the expression of Vimentin and N-cadherin, the EMT mesenchymal markers, was dramatically down-regulated by CyH treatment in NSCLC cells. Moreover, the expression of EMT-associated transcription factors including Slug, Twist1, and Snail1 and stemness markers including Nanog, Sox-2, and Oct-4 was significantly down-regulated by CyH treatment in NSCLC cells. Additionally, CyH significantly down-regulated YAP and TAZ expression and up-regulated LAST1/2 and MST1/2 expression, and CyH inhibited the interaction between YAP and TEAD. Furthermore, YAP knockdown abolished the effect of CyH on the expression of EMT- and stemness-related markers in NSCLC cells. Taken together, these results suggest that CyH inhibits EMT and cancer stemness of NSCLC cells via the regulation of YAP/TAZ signaling pathway.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Cognitive Frailty

As life expectancy increases, frailty and cognitive impairment have become major factors influencing healthy aging in elderly individuals. Frailty is a complicated clinical condition characterized by decreased physiological reserve and multisystem abnormalities. Cognitive frailty is a subtype of frailty that has aroused widespread concern among the scientific community and public health organizations. We herein review the pathogenesis of cognitive frailty, such as chronic inflammatory response, immunological hypofunction, imbalanced oxidative stress, reduced regenerative function, endocrine dysfunction, and energy metabolism disorder. Although existing interventions show some therapeutic effects, they do not meet the current clinical needs. To date, studies using stem cell technology for treating age-related diseases have achieved remarkable success. This suggests the possibility of applying stem cell treatment to cognitive frailty. We analyzed stem cell-based strategies for targeting anti-inflammation, antioxidation, regeneration, and immunoregulation using mesenchymal stem cells, as well as potential therapeutic targets for cognitive frailty. Based on this investigation, we propose a highly effective and low-cost stem cell-based replacement strategy. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the prospect of stem cell transplantation for improving cognitive frailty. In this review, we aim to provide the scientific background and a theoretical basis for testing cell therapy in future research.

The role of structure and function changes of sensory nervous system in intervertebral disc-related low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal symptom, which can be developed in multiple clinical diseases. It is widely recognized that intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) is one of the leading causes of LBP. However, the pathogenesis of IVD-related LBP is still controversial, and the treatment means are also insufficient to date. In recent decades, the role of structure and function changes of sensory nervous system in the induction and the maintenance of LBP is drawing more and more attention. With the progress of IVDD, IVD cell exhaustion and extracellular matrix degradation result in IVD structural damage, while neovascularization, innervation and inflammatory activation further deteriorate the microenvironment of IVD. New nerve ingrowth into degenerated IVD amplifies the impacts of IVD-derived nociceptive molecules on sensory endings. Moreover, IVDD is usually accompanied with disc herniation, which could injure and inflame affected nerves. Under mechanical and pro-inflammatory stimulation, the pain-transmitting pathway exhibits a sensitized function state and ultimately leads to LBP. Hence, relevant pathogenic factors, such as neurotrophins, ion channels, inflammatory factors, etc., are supposed to serve as promising therapeutic targets for LBP. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively summarize the current evidence on 1) the pathological changes of sensory nervous system during IVDD and their association with LBP, and 2) potential therapeutic strategies for LBP targeting relevant pathogenic factors.

Extending the 3D scanning range of DMD-based scanners for femtosecond lasers

Digital micromirror devices (DMDs) have shown their potential in 2-photon imaging and microfabrication as diffractive scanners for femtosecond lasers. However, the scanning range of a DMD-based scanner is decreased by the spatial filter (SF) used to block undesired diffraction orders. Instead of an SF, we present a method of introducing and correcting aberration (ICA) to reduce the effects of these undesired diffraction orders. In ICA, aberrations are introduced by optical elements, and only the aberration of the desired diffraction order is corrected by adding a compensatory phase to the scanning phase. The scanning ranges in the y and z directions can be nearly doubled when the SF is removed. We demonstrate that ICA can be conveniently applied to a previously constructed DMD-based 2-photon microscope, and the field of view can be extended at different axial positions.

A joint analysis strategy reveals genetic changes associated with artificial selection between egg-type and meat-type ducks

Egg-type ducks and meat-type ducks are predominantly commercial or indigenous and have been subjected to artificial directional selection. These two duck types differ substantially in body shape, production performance and reproductivity. However, the genetic changes associated with phenotypic differences remain unclear. Here, we compared the two duck types at the genomic and transcriptomic levels. We identified a large number of SNPs and genes in genomic divergent regions in terms of F_ST and θπ values. The corresponding genes were mainly enriched in embryonic development function and metabolic pathway. RNA-seq analysis also revealed differential gene expression in the liver and gonads. The differentially expressed genes were functionally associated with signal transmission and substance metabolism respectively. Furthermore, we found that seven genes were related to differentiation between the two types by both g genome and transcriptome analysis and were plausible candidate genes. These genes were annotated to GO categories of cell development and disease immunity. These findings will enable a better understanding of the artificial selection history of meat and egg ducks and provide a valuable resource for future research on the breeding of these two lineages.

Aberration-corrected three-dimensional non-inertial scanning for femtosecond lasers

Large aberrations are induced by non-collimated light when the convergence or divergence of the incident beam on the back-pupil plane of the objective lens is adjusted for 3D non-inertial scanning. These aberrations significantly degrade the focus quality and decrease the peak intensity of the femtosecond laser focal spot. Here, we describe an aberration-corrected 3D non-inertial scanning method for femtosecond lasers based on a digital micromirror device (DMD) that is used for both beam scanning and aberration correction. An imaging setup is used to detect the focal spot in the 3D space, and an iterative optimization algorithm is used to optimize the focal spot. We demonstrate the application of our proposed approach in two-photon imaging. With correction for the 200-µm out-of-focal plane, the optical axial resolution improves from 7.67 to 3.25 µm, and the intensity of the fluorescence signal exhibits an almost fivefold improvement when a 40× objective lens is used. This aberration-corrected 3D non-inertial scanning method for femtosecond lasers offers a new approach for a variety of potential applications, including nonlinear optical imaging, microfabrication, and optical storage.

The Nutrition and Health in Southwest China (NHSC) study: design, implementation, and major findings

BACKGROUND

There are few studies of nutritional and genetic factors and their interactions on the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim for the Nutrition and Health in Southwest China (NHSC) study is to investigate the impact of diet, lifestyle, genetic background, and their interactions on NCDs among adults in Southwest China.

METHODS

The NSHC is a prospective cohort study initiated in winter 2013. The baseline data collection was completed in December 2018, and follow-ups are conducted every 2 years. Information on genomics, anthropometry, nutrition, eating behaviors, physical activity, depression and mental disorders, clinical and biochemical examinations, and lifestyles was collected.

RESULTS

7926 adults completed the baseline questionnaire. The average age of participants was 42.6 (9.8) years at study enrollment. More than half were female, 37.2% had achieved more than 12 years of education, and 49.3% of them came from family income >35,000 Yuan. Our analyses of the baseline data suggested that adults with greater dietary energy density appeared to have greater body mass index, fat mass index, fat-free mass index and percentage body fat, and that participants with a higher level of dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, or serum 25(OH)D had a less favorable glucose homeostasis. In addition, spending less time watching television and having a healthy eating pattern may play significant roles in later cellular aging.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the NHSC cohort provides valuable data for investigations of the relevance of gene, nutrition, lifestyles, and their interactions on NCDs among southwestern Chinese adults.

Imaging Chemical Kinetics of Radical Polymerization with an Ultrafast Coherent Raman Microscope

Numerous mechanisms have been proposed for polymerization to provide qualitative and quantitative prediction of how monomers spatially and temporally arrange into the polymeric chains. However, less is known about this process at the molecular level because the ultrafast chemical reaction is inaccessible for any form of microscope so far. Here, to address this unmet challenge, a stimulated Raman scattering microscope based on collinear multiple beams (COMB-SRS) is demonstrated, which allows label-free molecular imaging of polymer synthesis in action at speed of 2000 frames per second. The field of view of the developed 2 kHz SRS microscope is 30 × 28 µm2 with 50 × 46 pixels and 7 µs dwell time. By catching up the speed of chemical reaction, COMB-SRS is able to quantitatively visualize the ultrafast dynamics of molecular vibrations with submicron spatial resolution and sub-millisecond temporal resolution. The propagating polymer waves driven by reaction rate and persistent UV initiation are observed in situ. This methodology is expected to permit the development of novel functional polymers, controllable photoresists, 3D printing, and other new polymerization technologies.

Identification of genetic effects and potential causal polymorphisms of CPM gene impacting milk fatty acid traits in Chinese Holstein

Our previous GWAS revealed 83 significant SNPs and 20 promising candidate genes associated with milk fatty acid traits in dairy cattle. Out of them, the carboxypeptidase M (CPM) gene contains a genome-wide significant SNP, Hapmap49848-BTA-106779, which is strongly associated with myristic acid (C14:0; P = 0.0064). Herein, we aimed to confirm the genetic effects of CPM on milk fatty acids in Chinese Holstein. Seven SNPs were detected by re-sequencing the sequences of entire exons and 3000 bp of up-/downstream flanking regions of the CPM gene, of which three were in 5' flanking region, one in the 3' UTR and three were in the 3' flanking region. Using the Haploview 4.1, we estimated the LD among the identified SNPs and found two haplotype blocks. With the animal model, we performed the SNP- and haplotype-based association analyses, and observed that these SNPs and haplotype blocks mainly had strong genetic associations with medium-chain saturated fatty acids (caproic acid, C6:0; caprylic acid, C8:0; capric acid, C10:0; and lauric acid, C12:0) (P < 0.0001-0.0257). In addition, using the Genomatix software, we predicted that three SNPs in the 5' flanking region of CPM (g.45079507A>G, g.45080228C>A and g.45080335C>G) changed the transcription factor binding sites for PREF (progesterone receptor biding site), ZBRK1 (transcription factor with eight central zinc fingers and an N-terminal KRAB domain), SOX9 (sex-determining region Y-box 9, dimeric binding sites), SOX6 (sex-determining region Y-box 6) and FOXP1-ES (alternative splicing variant of FOXP1, activated in ESCs). Further, the dual-luciferase reporter assay showed these three SNPs altered the transcriptional activity of CPM gene (P ≤ 0.0006). In summary, using the post-GWAS strategy, we first confirmed the significant genetic effects of CPM with milk fatty acids in dairy cattle, and identified three potential causal mutations.

Calycosin enhances the bactericidal efficacy of polymyxin B by inhibiting MCR-1 in vitro

AIM

To examine the synergistic effect of calycosin combined with polymyxin B against various mcr-1-positive bacterial strains.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this study, we found a potential inhibitor of MCR-1, calycosin, that could significantly restore the antibacterial activity of polymyxin B. The synergistic effect of calycosin combined with polymyxin B against various mcr-1-positive bacterial strains was confirmed by checkerboard minimum inhibitory concentration assays, time-kill curve assays and disk diffusion assays. The fractional inhibitory concentration indexes ranged from 0·15 ± 0·03 to 0·28 ± 0·05, and the zones of inhibition increased from 13·33 ± 0·47 to 17·67 ± 0·47 mm with the combined therapy of calycosin and polymyxin B. In addition, the combined therapy significantly reduced the number of bacteria in the medium. However, at the concentrations required for the synergistic effect with polymyxin B, calycosin alone showed no effect on bacterial growth or MCR-1 production. Calycosin treatment exhibited no cytotoxicity to HeLa cells or A549 cells at calycosin concentrations below 32 µg ml^-1 .

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, our results suggested that calycosin could be used as a potential MCR-1 inhibitor to restore the bactericidal effect of polymyxin B without affecting bacterial viability or existing cytotoxicity.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The synergistic effect of calycosin combined with polymyxin B against various mcr-1-positive bacterial strains paves the way for future pharmaceutical applications of calycosin in fighting mcr-1-positive bacterial infections.

MiR-1203 is involved in hepatocellular carcinoma metastases and indicates a poor prognosis

Non-coding RNAs, especially miRNAs, have been shown to be important regulators in multiple human diseases, including malignant tumors, congenital disease, and autoimmune disease. In this study, we screened the metastasis-associated miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Based on the miRNA microarray screening, miR-1203 was confirmed to be the most significant miRNA and was also highly associated with HCC metastases. Bioinformatics prediction indicated direct binding of miR-1203 in SOCS3, which was also confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay, resulting in suppression of SOCS3. Increased miR-1203 also promoted invasion of HCC cells through suppressing SOCS3, while no effect on cell proliferation or apoptosis was detected. Circulating expression of miR-1203 and SOCS3 might serve as a predictor of metastases and poor prognosis in HCC patients. In conclusion, miR-1203 might promote HCC metastasis by decreasing SOCS3. MiR-1203 predicts a poor outcome in HCC patients and thus might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of HCC.

MicroRNA-520a-3p suppresses non-small-cell lung carcinoma by inhibition of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1)

OBJECTIVE

Currently, pathogenesis of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is still unknown and the treatment is far from ideal. Therefore, we investigated the effect of inhibiting microRNA-520a-3p in NSCLC cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

NCI-H157 cells were treated with microRNA-520a-3p analogs for 48 h, or microRNA-520a-3p analogs and its inhibitor, for a total of 48 h. Many tests were performed, including MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and transwell assay. The tumor model was established, and HMGB1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Protein levels of HMGB1, MMP-2, MMP-9, Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 were assessed by Western Blot.

RESULTS

microRNA-520a-3p could significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of NCI-H157 cells, inducing their apoptosis. microRNA-520a-3p inhibited tumor growth and decreased the mRNA and protein levels of HMGB1. Additionally, it decreased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression, and increased caspase-3 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

microRNA-520a-3p exhibited an effective inhibition on NCI-H157 tumor growth likely by inhibiting HMGB1 expression.

Hyperpolarized relaxometry based nuclear T1 noise spectroscopy in diamond

The origins of spin lifetimes in quantum systems is a matter of importance in several areas of quantum information. Spectrally mapping spin relaxation processes provides insight into their origin and motivates methods to mitigate them. In this paper, we map nuclear relaxation in a prototypical system of [Formula: see text] nuclei in diamond coupled to Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) centers over a wide field range (1 mT-7 T). Nuclear hyperpolarization through optically pumped NV electrons allows signal measurement savings exceeding million-fold over conventional methods. Through a systematic study with varying substitutional electron (P1 center) and [Formula: see text] concentrations, we identify the operational relaxation channels for the nuclei at different fields as well as the dominant role played by [Formula: see text] coupling to the interacting P1 electronic spin bath. These results motivate quantum control techniques for dissipation engineering to boost spin lifetimes in diamond, with applications including engineered quantum memories and hyperpolarized [Formula: see text] imaging.

MicroRNA-520a-3p inhibits cell growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that be involved in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of miR-520a-3p in cell growth and metastasis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The mimics and inhibitor of miR-520a-3p were used to identify the effects of miR-520a-3p on cell proliferation and apoptosis using methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow-cytometric method, respectively. Transwell assay was used to evaluate the cell migration and invasion. The protein expression levels related PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways were measured by Western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that miR-520a-3p overexpression could significantly inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, suppress cell migration and invasion. MiR-520a-3p overexpression could markedly reduce the ratio of p-AKT/AKT, p-PI3K/PI3K and Bcl-2/Bax, the levels of mTOR, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) compared with control. However, miR-520a-3p overexpression could increase caspase-3 expression compared with control group. After inhibited the expression of miR-520a-3p, the capacity of cell proliferation, migration and invasion were increased, cell apoptosis was inhibited compared with control group. The ratio of p-AKT/AKT, p-PI3K/PI3K and Bcl-2/Bax, the levels of mTOR, MMP-2 and MMP-9 were increased compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that miR-520a-3p could suppress the NSCLC proliferation, migration and invasion through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Identification of genetic associations of ECHS1 gene with milk fatty acid traits in dairy cattle

Our previous genome-wide association study identified 83 genome-wide significant SNPs and 20 novel promising candidate genes for milk fatty acids in Chinese Holstein. Among them, the enoyl-CoA hydratase, short chain 1 (ECHS1) and enoyl-CoA hydratase and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (EHHADH) genes were located near two SNPs and one SNP respectively, and they play important roles in fatty acid metabolism pathways. We herein validated whether the two genes have genetic effects on milk fatty acid traits in dairy cattle. By re-sequencing the full-length coding region, partially adjacent introns and 3000 bp up/downstream flanking sequences, we identified 12 SNPs in ECHS1: two in exons, four in the 3' flanking region and six in introns. The g.25858322C>T SNP results in an amino acid replacement from leucine to phenylalanine and changes the secondary structure of the ECHS1 protein, and single-locus association analysis showed that it was significantly associated with three milk fatty acids (P = 0.0002-0.0013). The remaining 11 SNPs were found to be significantly associated with at least one milk fatty acid (P = <0.0001-0.0040). Also, we found that two haplotype blocks, consisting of nine and two SNPs respectively, were significantly associated with eight milk fatty acids (P = <0.0001-0.0125). However, none of polymorphisms was observed in the EHHADH gene. In conclusion, our findings are the first to indicate that the ECHS1 gene has a significant genetic impact on long-chain unsaturated and medium-chain saturated fatty acid traits in dairy cattle, although the biological mechanism is still undetermined and requires further in-depth validation.