As the most typical deposited fat, tail fat is an important energy reservoir for sheep adapted to harsh environments and plays an important role as a raw material in daily life. However, the regulatory mechanisms of microRNA (miRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) in tail fat development remain unclear. In this study, we characterized the miRNA and circRNA expression profiles in the tail fat of sheep at the ages of 6, 18, and 30 months. We identified 219 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs (including 12 novel miRNAs), which exhibited a major tendency to be downregulated, and 198 DE circRNAs, which exhibited a tendency to be upregulated. Target gene prediction analysis was performed for the DE miRNAs. Functional analysis revealed that their target genes were mainly involved in cellular interactions, while the host genes of DE circRNAs were implicated in lipid and fatty acid metabolism. Subsequently, we established a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network based on the negative regulatory relationship between miRNAs and target genes. The network revealed that upregulated miRNAs play a leading role in the development of tail fat. Finally, the ceRNA relationship network with oar-miR-27a_R-1 and oar-miR-29a as the core was validated, suggesting possible involvement of these interactions in tail fat development. In summary, DE miRNAs were negatively correlated with DE circRNAs during sheep tail fat development. The multiple ceRNA regulatory network dominated by upregulated DE miRNAs may play a key role in this developmental process.
Objective
To investigate changes in nutritional status in senile dementia patients with malnutrition treated with enteral nutrition combined with rehabilitation therapy evaluated by using the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form(MNA-SF).
Methods
Fifty hospitalized patients with senile dementia and malnutrition at the internal medicine department of our hospital from July 2014 to July 2017 were enrolled and further divided into an enteral nutrition group(a control group, n=25)and an enteral nutrition combined with rehabilitation therapy group(an observation group, n=25). Anthropometric parameters including body mass index, biceps circumference, calf circumference, triceps skin-fold thickness, and blood biochemical parameters including hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, albumin, lymphocyte count before and after treatment were compared between the groups.
Results
Anthropometric parameters such as body mass index, biceps circumference, calf circumference and triceps skin-fold thickness had no significant difference between the two groups before treatment(P>0.05), while after 30 days of treatment, anthropometric parameters saw improvement in both groups compared with those before treatment, and the improvement was greater in the observation group than in the control group(P 0.05). After 30 days of treatment, levels of total cholesterol and triacylglycerol had no significant difference compared with those before treatment or between the two groups(P>0.05), while levels of hemoglobin, albumin and lymphocyte count improved compared with those before treatment(t=2.645, 2.843, 2.967, respectively, P<0.01), and had significant differences between the groups(t=2.548, 2.864, 2.976, respectively, P<0.01).
Conclusions
Enteral nutrition combined with rehabilitation therapy has a measurable, positive influence on nutritional status in senile dementia patients with malnutrition.
Key words:
Enteral nutrition; Rehabilitation; Dementia; Malnutrition
Eight new species presented are Calostoma areolatum collected in Wuyishan National Park (China), Crinipellis bidens from Hubei Province (China), Lactifluus sainii from Himalayan India, Inocybe elata from Yunnan (China), Inocybe himalayensis from Pakistan. Specimens previously identified as Massalongia carnosa represent a new species, namely M. patagonica restricted to southern South America. Saprolegnia maragheica is a new oomycete species of fresh water in Maraghe (Iran). Uncispora wuzhishanensis is a new aquatic hyphomycete species. A type specimen of Raddetes turkestanicus was studied and based on this the new combination Conocybe turkestanica, is proposed. Argyranthemum frutescens is a new host for Alternaria alternata and Syzygium cumini for Phyllosticta capitalensis in India. Crepidotus ehrendorferi is confirmed for Hungary and Pluteus leucoborealis for Central Europe, and for the phytogeographical region of Carpaticum. Pseudopithomyces palmicola is shown to occur on grapevine and it is validated by adding a unique identifier. Terfezia fanfani is reported first from Algeria.
Abstract Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a specific form of autophagy that selectively targets proteins containing a KFERQ-like motif and relies on the chaperone protein HSC70 for substrate recognition. In α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a disease characterized by the hepatic build-up of α1-Antitrypsin Z mutant (ATZ), CMA’s role had been unclear. This work demonstrates the critical role that CMA plays in preventing ATZ accumulation; suppressing CMA worsens ATZ accumulation, whilst activating it through chemical stimulation or LAMP2A overexpression promotes ATZ breakdown. Specifically, ATZ’s 121QELLR125 motif is critical for HSC70 recognition and LAMP2A’s charged C-terminal cytoplasmic tail is vital for substrate binding, facilitating CMA-mediated degradation of ATZ. This selective activation of CMA operates independently from other autophagy pathways and alleviate ATZ aggregates caused cellular stress. These findings highlight CMA’s critical function in cellular protein quality control of ATZ and place it as a novel target for AATD treatment approaches.
To investigate the direct effect of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) on androgen production in human theca cells. Experimental study. Tertiary hospital-based research laboratory. Women who underwent in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injections at our clinic were included in this study. Primary cultured human theca cells from women undergoing in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment were treated with GDF9, an activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5) inhibitor, and a SMAD4 agonist. The expression of androgen synthesis-related genes StAR, CYP17A1, and LHCGR, levels of androstenedione and testosterone, phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, and the interaction between bone morphogenic protein-activated type II receptor and ALK5 were evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and coimmunoprecipitation assays, respectively. Growth differentiation factor 9 decreased StAR, CYP17A1, and LHCGR expression levels in human theca cells, which was prevented by treatment with the ALK5 inhibitor, and suppressed production of androgen in human theca cells. Growth differentiation factor 9 increased SMAD2/3 phosphorylation, and the ALK5 inhibitor also suppressed this effect. Bone morphogenic protein-activated type II receptor and ALK5 bound to each other after GDF9 stimulation. The SMAD4 agonist kartogenin also decreased messenger RNA levels of StAR and CYP17A1 and protein levels of StAR in human theca cells. Growth differentiation factor 9 can activate the bone morphogenic protein-activated type II receptor-ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway, suppress CYP17A1 expression, and decrease androgen production in human theca cells.
Late follicular phase progesterone elevation during in vitro fertilization impedes embryo implantation. It is unclear whether late follicular phase progesterone elevation still has a negative effect on cumulative live births and embryo quality when a freeze-all strategy is adopted. Data from a total of 4072 patients were reviewed. All patients used the freeze-all strategy. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the association of progesterone levels with both cumulative live birth and embryo quality. There was no significant difference in the cumulative live birth rate between the groups with progesterone level <1.5 ng/mL and ≥1.5 ng/mL. The progesterone level was not associated with cumulative live birth and embryo quality.
Intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) collagen is an important factor in meat quality. This study analyzed the characteristics of type I and III collagen in the IMCT of the semitendinosus (SD) and longissimus dorsi (LD) of Wuzhumuqin sheep at different growth stages (6, 9, 12, and 18 months). Utilizing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), collagen types I and III were successfully isolated and shown to contain an intact triple helix structure. Immunofluorescence revealed that these collagens were located in the endomysium and perimysium. Collagen-related genes were significantly expressed in sheep aged 9 and 12 months. The amino acid content increased with age in type I collagen whereas it decreased in type III collagen. Furthermore, type III collagen contained more hydroxyproline (Hyd) than type I collagen. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the thermal stability of collagen increased with age, accompanied by a decrease in solubility. Semitendinosus muscle had more collagen cross-linkages than LD muscle due to the high pyridinoline (Pyr) content in the endomysium. Finally, a correlation analysis highlighted the multiple correlations between characteristics in different types of collagen during sheep growth. In summary, the collagen characteristics in the IMCT of sheep were impacted by collagen type, muscle type, and age. Furthermore, the various correlations between these characteristics may play an important role in the development of IMCT.
Abstract Background: GDF9 expression is decreased in the oocytes of PCOS ovaries when compared with that of normal controls at all developmental stages. The role of this change in excessive production of androgen in PCOS ovaries is unknown because the direct effect of GDF9 on androgen production in human theca cells remain unclear due to limited resources of human theca cells. Methods: We established a new method to extract human theca cells from ovarian follicular fluid obtained during oocyte retrieval in IVF/ICSI. Primary cultured human theca cells were treated with GDF9, an ALK5 inhibitor, and SMAD4 agonist. Then expression of androgen synthesis-related gene StAR , CYP17A1 , and LHCGR, levels of androstenedione and testosterone, phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 and the interaction between bone morphogenetic protein receptor II (BMPRII) and ALK5were evaluated by RT-qPCR, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and co-immunoprecipitation assays respectively. Results : We found that GDF9 decreased StAR , CYP17A1 , and LHCGR expression levels in human theca cells, which was prevented by treatment with the ALK5 inhibitor. GDF9 increased SMAD2/3 phosphorylation, and the ALK5 inhibitor also suppressed this effect. BMPRII and ALK5 bound to each other following GDF9 stimulation. The SMAD4 agonist kartogenin also decreased mRNA levels of StAR and CYP17A1, and protein levels of StAR in human theca cells. GDF9 slightly decreased the protein levels of CYP17A1 and StAR in both normal and PCOS theca cells. Conclusions: GDF9 can activate the BMPRII-ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway and suppress StAR , CYP17A1 , and LHCGR expression levels in human theca cells.
Essential hypertension is a psychosomatic disease associated with emotions and behaviors. Although Mongolian mind-body interactive therapy can help patients with essential hypertension reduce their systolic blood pressure (SBP), the mechanism is unclear. We assigned patients who underwent Mongolian mind-body interactive therapy to groups that were treated with (DT) or without (NDT) antihypertensive drugs (Clinical registration no: ChiCTR2000034918). We screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using targeted metabolic and transcriptomic analyses of blood samples before and after intervention. Sequenced data were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and validated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Small interfering (Si)-RNA interference on key DEGs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was experimentally verified. Omics analysis identified 187 DEGS, including human 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor 2B (5-
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