An increasing number of studies have shown that obesity is the key etiological agent of cardiovascular diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and several kinds of cancer and that gut microbiota change was one of the reasons suffering from obesity. At present, the gut microbiota has gained increased attention as a potential energy metabolism organ. Our recent study reported that cordycepin, a major bioactive component separated from Cordyceps militaris, prevented body weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet directly acting to adipocytes, however, the effect of cordycepin regulating gut microbiota keeps unknown. In this research, we synthesized cordycepin (3-deoxyadenosine) by chemical methods and verified that cordycepin reduces body weight gain and fat accumulation around the epididymis and the kidneys of rats fed a high-fat diet. Furthermore, we used high-throughput sequencing on a MiSeq Illumina platform to test the species of intestinal bacteria in high-fat-diet-induced obese rats. We found that cordycepin modifies the relative abundance of intestinal bacteria in high-fat-diet-induced obese rats. However, cordycepin did not alter the variety of bacteria in the intestine. Cordycepin treatment dramatically reversed the relative abundance of two dominant bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes) in the high-fat-diet-induced obese rats, resulting in abundance similar to that of the chow diet group. Our study suggests that cordycepin can reduce body weight and microbiome done by cordycepin seems be a result among its mechanisms of obesity reduction.
Abstract Background Mental illness was identified associated with high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, few studies focused on the effect of personality traits, the causal relationships remain unknown. Here, we use mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to evaluate the causal association between mood instability (mood swings) and 5 common CVDs. Methods Large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of mood swings (n= 373733) and 5 CVDs from two independent cohorts respectively including coronary artery disease (CAD) (n= 766053), myocardial infarction (MI) (n= 596436), heart failure (HF) (n= 1185501), atrial fibrillation (AF) (n= 2169833) and stroke (n = 627558). We performed a range of bidirectional two-sample MR and related sensitive analysis including MR-Egger regression, MR-PRESSO global test and “Leave-one-out” method. A Bonferroni-corrected significance level of p < 0.01 (0.05/5) was identified to be statistically significant, while p < 0.05 was considered to indicate suggestive evidence. Moreover, multivariable MR (MVMR) and mediation analyses were also conducted to adjust confounding factors as well as found potential mediators. Results This MR analyses revealed the significant causal effects of mood swings on CAD (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.24–1.71; P = 5.52e-6), MI (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.32–1.95; P = 1.77e-6), HF (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.12–1.71; P = 2.32e-6) and stroke (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.19–1.83; P = 3.46e-4). However, no causal effects of mood swings on AF (P=0.16) were found. In the reverse MR, no causal relationships were observed. Additionally, hypertension may mediate the causal pathway from mood swings to CAD (proportion of mediation effect in total effect: 39.60%, 95% CI: 19.31%–59.89%), MI (35.37%, 95% CI: 17.10%–53.65%), HF (43.19%, 95% CI: 20.68%–65.69%) and stroke (55.47%, 95% CI: 27.00%–83.95%). Conclusion Mood instability (mood swings) causally resulted in CAD, MI, HF and stroke, and these causal effects may be partly mediated by hypertension.
Tuberculosis (TB), affecting one-third of the global population, kills an estimated two to three million people every year. The development of drug resistance is becoming a serious threat to any attempt to control this disease, which underscores the need for new agents targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Osthole (7-methoxy-8-isopentenoxycoumarin) is a coumarin derivative present in many medicinal plants. Previous studies have shown that osthole possesses antimycobacterial effects, however, the action mechanism of osthole is unclear. In the study, we used a commercial oligonucleotide microarray to determine the overall transcriptional response of M. tuberculosis H37Rv triggered by exposure to osthole. Analysis of the microarray data revealed that a total of 478 genes were differentially regulated by osthole. Of these, 241 genes were upregulated, and 237 genes were downregulated. Some of the important genes that were significantly regulated are related to different pathways such as fumarate reductase, class I peroxidase, cell wall, nitrate respiration, and protein synthesis. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was performed for chosen genes to validate the microarray results. To our knowledge, this genome-wide transcriptomics approach has produced the first insights into the response of M. tuberculosis when exposed to osthole.
The therapeutic potential of genistein (GEN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly with regard to its role in exosome secretion and the inflammatory microenvironment through the Rab27/Mfge8/nSMase2 pathway.
The structural evolution and late Carboniferous magmatism of the Zhongguai arc in the western Junggar Basin offer some new constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Junggar Ocean. In this study, we conducted structural analysis of seismic profiles and report new geochronological and geochemical data for the late Carboniferous borehole volcanics (basalts, andesites, dacites, and rhyolites) in the Zhongguai arc. Seismic data suggest that the upper Carboniferous lies between the lower Carboniferous and middle Permian compressional tectonostratigraphic strata. Zircon secondary ion mass spectrometry U–Pb and whole-rock Ar–Ar dating results indicate that they erupted at 309–305 Ma. The andesites are low-Fe calc-alkaline, and characterized by relatively high Mg# (3.24–6.00%), Cr (41.2–70.4 ppm), and Ni (23.3–35.6 ppm) contents, and low TiO2 contents (0.69–0.83%) and TFe2O3/MgO ratios (1.48–2.08), similar to those typical of magnesian andesites. They were likely produced by reaction between slab-derived melts and mantle wedge. The basalts show tholeiitic to calc-alkaline affinity, high εNd(t) values (7.7–8.0) and Nb and Zr contents, variable enrichment in Th, U, and light rare earth elements (LREEs), and significant depletion in Nb and Ta. The felsic rocks display arc-like geochemical features with alkaline grantite, and positive εNd(t) values (5.6–7.1). The basalts are interpreted as resulting from partial melting of a metasomatized mantle by slab-derived melt and fluids with involvement of asthenospheric mantle in an extensional setting, whereas the felsic rocks were derived from juvenile lower crust. The formation of these late Carboniferous rocks is probably related to ridge subduction. Given the widespread presence of such rock association in the area from southern West Junggar terrane to Zhongguai arc and initial southeastward-vergent thrust structures in the Zhongguai arc, we suggest that the southern West Junggar terrane and Zhongguai arc might have been amalgamated as a unified overriding plate above a northwestward ridge subduction zone of the Junggar Ocean at 309–302 Ma. The occurrences of middle Permian terrestrial sediments and thrusting reactivation in the Zhongguai arc are possibly indicative of the final welding of the Zhongguai arc and other units of the Junggar basement.
The widespread Early Cretaceous plutons intruding along the southern Great Xing’an Range (SGXR) provide evidence for tectonic evolution of the region. Petrological, geochemical, zircon U–Pb geochronology, and zircon Hf isotopic studies are conducted on intrusions from Bianjiadayuan and Hongling areas. These suites classify as A2-type granites and monzodiorites, respectively. The 138–133 Ma A2-type granites originated from partial melting of continental crustal materials at high temperatures and shallow depths with significant addition of juvenile mafic lower crust sourced from a metasomatized mantle. The 136–134 Ma monzodiorites originated from the partial melting of an enriched mantle that was modified by melts of a previously subducted slab coupled with crustal contamination. The Early Cretaceous magmatism in the SGXR occurred in two periods: ∼145–136 Ma (peak at ∼139 Ma; ε Hf (t) = 5 to 10) and ∼136–130 Ma (peak at ∼131 Ma; ε Hf (t) = –10 to 15). The Early Cretaceous granite–monzodiorite suite in the SGXR suggests a bimodal magmatism in an extensional setting. The ∼145–130 Ma magmatism may have been triggered by asthenospheric upwelling induced by the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic slab breakoff and large-scale lithospheric delamination resulting from post-orogenic extension. The variation of subduction direction of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean likely triggered a change in stress regime at ca. 136 Ma and likely promoted the lithospheric delamination beneath the SGXR resulting in intense magmatism originating from various sources. As such, the Paleo-Pacific Oceanic subduction likely played an important role in the Early Cretaceous magmatism in the SGXR.
Aims: To determine the transcriptional responses of Trichophyton rubrum to the artificial substance, PH11B. Methods and Results: The broth microdilution assay for antifungal susceptibility testing of dermatophytes was used to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PH11B. cDNA microarray technology and real‐time RT–PCR were used to study the transcriptional responses of T. rubrum to PH11B. The MIC determined was 16 μg ml−1. The analysis of microarray data revealed that 787 genes were affected. Transcript levels from 476 genes increased at least two times, while 311 gene transcript levels decreased at least two times. Conclusions: PH11B has strong antifungal activity and the transcriptional response of T. rubrum to PH11B was determined. Significance and Impact of the Study: This microarray data set provides an analysis of gene expression of T. rubrum under PH11B treatment. The data provide an insight into the various metabolic processes altered or activated by PH11B. This study provided an insight into the action mode of the PH11B on T. rubrum.
Plasmonic tweezers are an emerging research topic because of their low input power and wide operating range from homogeneous particles to complex biological objects. But it is still challenging for plasmonic tweezers to trap or manipulate objects of tens of microns, especially in biological science. This study introduces a new 3D biocompatible plasmonic tweezer for single living cell manipulation in solution. The key design is a tapered tip whose three-layer surface structure consists of nanoprobe, gold nanofilm, and thermosensitive hydrogel, thiolated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). Incident light excites the surface plasmon polaritons on gold film and generates heat to induce thermally driven phase transition of the thermosensitive hydrogel, which enables reversible binding between functionalized surface and cell membrane and avoids both thermal and mechanical stresses in the meanwhile. The 3D biocompatible plasmonic tweezer realizes selective capture, 3D pathway free transport, and position-controlled release of target cells, and it displays excellent biocompatibility, low energy consumption, and high operational flexibility.
A nanostructured lateral flow immunoassay strip with Au@SiO 2 SERS nanotags was constructed. This is the first time nanostructured T line and SERS-LFA has been combined, which has great potential for early non-invasive detection of AD biomarkers in blood.
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