Analysis of microbial diversity in the root of Astragalus mongholicus

Abstract The dry root of Astragalus mongholicus has therapeutic effects such as tonifing the middle - jiao, replenishing qi, solidifing the surface, promoting diuresis, dispelling sepsis outwards and nourishing muscle. There are some slices having black spots after slicing the root of astragalus. The diversity of endophytic fungi between slices with black spots and normal slices was analysed in this paper. The endophytic fungal sequences obtained by high-throughput sequencing were 298,044 and 297,396, and the 116 OTU subsets obtained after clustering belonged to 3 phyla, 9 classes, 22 orders, 38 families and 46 genera. The dominant classes were Eurotiomycetes and Leotiomycetes. The dominant order is Eurotiales and Helotiales. The dominant families are Helotiales_fam_Incertae_sedis and Aspergillaceae. The dominant genera are Cadophora and Aspergillus. There are some peculiar fungal flora in both normal slices and spotted slices. The study on endophytic fungi diversity of astragalus slices will provide some help for drug development of this plant.

[Transcriptomics study of coronary slow flow disease and verification of differentially expressed genes]

Objective: To determine the differentially expressed genes between patients with coronary slow flow (SCF) and healthy controls, as well as to define the signal pathways and protein interactions related to the pathogenesis of the disease. Methods: A total of 43 hospitalized SCF patients in the year of 2018 and 43 healthy subjects, who underwent health checkup in the same year, were enrolled in this study. General data were obtained, blood samples were collected to determine the related indicators of glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and kidney metabolism. RNA was extracted from blood monocytes, and the differential gene expression profiles were investigated by RNA-Seq. GO function annotation, KEGG pathway enrichment, protein interaction network analysis (PPI) and phenotype analysis were performed. The levels of related cytokines were detected by ELISA, and qPCR was used to verify differentially expressed genes of the two groups. Results: In the SCF group, there were 27 (62.79%) males and 16 females (37.21%), the average age was (54.3±8.8) years. In the control group, there were 29 males (67.44%) and 14 females (31.56%), the average age was (57.2±8.3) years. The percent of smoking history, abnormal fasting blood glucose, abnormal blood lipid levels and body mass index were significantly higher in the SCF group than in the control group (all P<0.01). There were 117 differentially expressed genes between SCF patients and healthy controls, of which 73 were up-regulated and 44 were down-regulated. Biological function analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed that these genes were mainly related to antigen processing and presentation, cell phagocytosis, immunoglobulin, intestinal immune network, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation and Th17 cell differentiation pathways. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ were significantly higher in SCF patients than in healthy controls (all P<0.05). Among the top 12 genes with the most significant differences between the two groups, qPCR analysis indicated consistent results with the transcriptome results in 11 out of 12 genes. PPI analysis showed that FPR2 and THBS3 proteins were at the core of the entire protein interaction network. Conclusion: Genes such as FPR2 and THBS3 may play important roles in the pathogenesis of SCF through immune-related pathways such as antigen processing and presentation and Th17 cell differentiation.

Socioeconomic disparities in growth trajectories of Chinese children and adolescents during 1991-2015

Backgrounds

Socioeconomic (SEP) disparities in growth of children from low-/middle-income countries are not well understood, especially in countries experiencing rapid economic growth. We investigated how SEP disparities in child growth in China have changed over time.

Methods

Using the longitudinal data of 5,118 children and adolescents (7-18y) from China Health and Nutrition Survey (10 sweeps, 1991-2015), we derived four cohorts born in 1981-95, 1986-90, 1991-95, 1996-2000. We applied random-effects fractional polynomial models to estimate mean height and BMI trajectories for each gender separately, by socioeconomic position (SEP) for each cohort. SEP disparities were estimated as differences between high and low SEP groups (by community-level urbanization index, household income/capita, parental education, and occupational class). We also examined whether SEP disparities in nutritional status (stunting, thinness, overweight/obesity) have changed over time.

Results

Mean height and BMI increased across cohorts, with differences being greatest in adolescence. The increasing trend for height was similar in high and low SEP groups, thus positive SEP differences in mean height persisted across cohorts (e.g. for boys at 10y, were 3.8cm in the earliest and 2.9cm latest cohorts at by urbanization index, and were 3.6cm and 3.1cm by HH income). For BMI, the increasing trend was much faster in high (vs low) SEP groups, thus SEP differences in mean BMI increased across cohorts (e.g. for boys at 10y, increased from 0.5 to 0.8kg/m2 by urbanization index, and 0.4 to 1.1kg/m2 by HH income). Findings for stunting and overweight/obesity were consistent with those for height and BMI. No significant association was found between SEP and thinness.

Conclusions

Short stature is associated with lower SEP, whereas high BMI is associated with higher SEP among Chinese youths. Between 1991-2015 in China, inequalities in childhood BMI increased while those for height remained fairly constant.

Key messages

Short stature is associated with lower SEP, whereas high BMI is associated with higher SEP among Chinese youths. Between 1991-2015 in China, inequalities in childhood BMI increased while those for height remained fairly constant.

Mussel-inspired triple bionic adsorbent: Facile preparation of layered double hydroxide@polydopamine@metal-polyphenol networks and their selective adsorption of dyes in single and binary systems

To effectively address the serious human health challenges and ecological damage caused by organic dyes in wastewater, we developed a novel bionic adsorbent (LDH@PDA@MPNs) for the selective adsorption and removal of malachite green (MG) and crystalline violet (CV). The adsorbent was prepared using a facile two-step method based on mussel-inspired chemistry and metal complexation. The physicochemical structure, surface morphology, and composition of the LDH@PDA@MPNs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Adsorption of MG and CV with the LDH@PDA@MPNs was evaluated. Under optimal conditions, the maximum adsorption of MG and CV by the adsorbent was 89.608 and 40.481 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption kinetics showed that the experimental data were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the equilibrium adsorption isotherm data fitted well with the Freundlich model. The thermodynamic results indicated that the adsorption of the dyes on LDH@PDA@MPNs was a spontaneous endothermic process. Importantly, the bionic adsorbent not only shows high removal efficiency by easy regeneration with low-cost reagents but also exhibits high selectivity for dyes in both single and binary systems. Therefore, LDH@PDA@MPNs have the potential to adsorb and remove dyes from complex wastewater solutions.

Manganese promoted wheat straw decomposition by regulating microbial communities and enzyme activities

AIMS

This study investigated the dose-effect of manganese (Mn) addition on wheat straw (WS) decomposition, and explored the potential mechanisms of Mn involved in the acceleration of WS decomposition in regards to the soil microbial communities and enzyme activities.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 180-day incubation experiment was performed to examine the decomposition of WS under four Mn levels, that is, 0, 0.25, 1 and 2 mg g^-1 . The effects of microbial communities and enzyme activities were evaluated using control (0 mg g^-1 ) and Mn (0.25 mg g^-1 ) treatments. Our results revealed that Mn (0.25 mg g^-1 ) addition significantly increased WS decomposition, and enhanced the release of carbon and nitrogen. Optimal Mn addition (0.25 mg g^-1 ) also caused significant increases in the activity of neutral xylanase (NEX), laccase (Lac), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) within the incubation period. Mn (0.25 mg g^-1 ) addition also enriched some operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that, in turn, had the potential ability to decompose crop straw, such as secreting lignocellulolytic enzymes.

CONCLUSIONS

Mn (0.25 mg g^-1 ) could promote WS decomposition through enrichment of the microbial species involved in biomass decomposition, which enhanced the lignocellulose-degrading enzyme activity.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides evidence for Mn to promote WS biodegradation after Mn application, opening new windows to improve the utilization efficiency of crop residues.

MicroRNA-203a-3p affects the biological characteristics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor-C

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has a high incidence in Southeast Asia and China. This study aims to investigate the effect of miR-203a-3p and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we investigate the transfection of miR-203a-3p mimics and the ability of miR-203a-3p to inhibit in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line 5-8F and C666-1, the expression levels of protein AKT, p-AKT in VEGF-C and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signal pathway by plate clone formation experiment, flow cytometer PI staining method, transwell cell experiment, vasculogenic mimicry experiment, and Western blot. The results showed that miR-203a-3p in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line significantly decreased, while VEGF-C in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cell lines significantly increased. Furthermore, miR-203a-3p inhibited the proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and blocked the cell cycle of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the G⁰/G¹ phase, reduced the vasculogenic phenomena and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, and effectively inhibited the growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in vivo. The low expression of VEGF-C can inhibit the proliferation, vasculogenic mimicry, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. We found that miR-203a-3p was expressed to a low degree in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Furthermore, miR-203a-3p regulated the PI3K/AKT signal pathway by downregulating the expression of VEGF-C, thereby inhibiting the proliferation, migration, invasion, vasculogenic mimicry, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and other malignant biological characteristics of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

Changes in mRNA and protein levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone and receptor in ovine thymus, lymph node, spleen, and liver during early pregnancy

There exists maternal immunological modification in maternal immune organs during early pregnancy in mammals. Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is widely distributed in vertebrate tissues, including immune organs. However, it is unclear that early pregnancy induces expression of GnRH and GnRH receptor (GnRHR) in ovine immune organs. The objective of this study was to explore the expression of GnRH and GnRHR in main immune organs (thymus, lymph node, spleen, and liver) during early pregnancy in sheep. Ovine thymus, lymph node, spleen and liver were sampled at day 16 of estrous cycle, and days 13, 16, and 25 of pregnancy. The expression of GnRH and GnRHR was detected through real-time quantitative PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. The results indicated that early pregnancy induced upregulation of mRNA and protein levels of GnRH and GnRHR in the maternal lymph node, spleen and liver, and mRNA and protein of GnRH in the maternal thymus, but mRNA and protein of GnRHR decreased in the maternal thymus during early pregnancy. In summary, the mRNA and protein levels of GnRH and GnRHR were changed in maternal thymus, lymph node, spleen and liver in a tissue specific manner during early pregnancy in sheep.

Dioscin ameliorates methotrexate-induced liver and kidney damages via adjusting miRNA-145-5p-mediated oxidative stress

Dioscin, one natural product, has various pharmacological actions. However, its effects on methotrexate (MTX)-induced hepatorenal damages still remain unknown. In the present study, the data manifested that dioscin restored the viabilities of L-02 and NRK-52E cells, reduced ALT, AST, Cr, BUN levels, and ameliorated histopathological changes of liver and kidney. Besides, dioscin decreased ROS levels in cells, and adjusted SOD, MDA, GSH and GSH-Px levels in rats. Dioscin reduced the expression levels of miR-145-5p which directly targeted Sirt5, and then regulated the expression levels of SOD1, Nrf2, Gst, Keap1, HO-1, GCLC and NQO1. MiR-145-5p mimic in cells deteriorated ROS levels and decreased Sirt5 expression to accentuate oxidative stress by regulating the expression levels of SOD1, Nrf2, Keap1, which were all reversed by dioscin. Moreover, MTX-induced hepatorenal damage were worsened in mice by Sirt5 siRNA or miR-145-5p agomir, which were also alleviated by dioscin. Dioscin relieved MTX-induced hepatorenal damages through regulating miR-145-5p-medicated oxidative stress, which should be considered as one effective drug to treat the disorder in future.

Measurement of the Cosmic Ray Helium Energy Spectrum from 70 GeV to 80 TeV with the DAMPE Space Mission

The measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic ray helium nuclei from 70 GeV to 80 TeV using 4.5 years of data recorded by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) is reported in this work. A hardening of the spectrum is observed at an energy of about 1.3 TeV, similar to previous observations. In addition, a spectral softening at about 34 TeV is revealed for the first time with large statistics and well controlled systematic uncertainties, with an overall significance of 4.3σ. The DAMPE spectral measurements of both cosmic protons and helium nuclei suggest a particle charge dependent softening energy, although with current uncertainties a dependence on the number of nucleons cannot be ruled out.

LncRNA CASC2 inhibits cell proliferation, metastasis and EMT through miR-18a/SOCS5 axis in cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the tumors with high malignancy of the liver and bile system, whose development and prognosis mechanisms are still not clear. Here, a preliminary illustration was made on the expression and function of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CASC2 and the relevant mechanism of its function.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expression of CASC2 in CCA tissues and cells were examined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation ability was detected using colony formation and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays while cell invasion and migration abilities were measured using transwell and Matrigel assays. Using bioinformatic analysis, underlying downstream molecules of CASC2 were predicted and by Dual-Luciferase assay and Western blot.

RESULTS

It was found that CASC2 was expressed at a significantly lower level in CCA tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of CASC2 inhibited QBC939 cell proliferation, invasion and migration when the knockdown of CASC2 accelerated HUCCT1 cell growth and metastasis. Besides, miR-18a was identified as a direct target for CASC2, and SOCS5 as target for miR-18a. Moreover, CASC2 functioned as a sponge of miR-18a to promote the SOCS5 expression, then, slowed down the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression.

CONCLUSIONS

CASC2 was downregulated in CCA tissues and cells. It could inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT via sponging miR-18a/SOCS5 axis. This might provide a novel target for CCA diagnosis and treatment.

CORRELATION BETWEEN SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM AND DYSLIPIDEMIA IN WOMEN IN NORTHEAST CHINA

CONTEXT

It is well known that thyroid hormones are important, being involved in affects the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein, lipids. The relationship between thyroid hormones and lipid metabolism is the focus of recent research.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and lipid metabolism in women.

DESIGN

We conducted an epidemiological survey of thyroid diseases among women in Northeast China from September 2014 to December 2014.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 1397 women underwent physical examinations and laboratory tests for thyroid function and lipid metabolism.

RESULTS

We found that the detection rate of subclinical hypothyroidism was 13.03%. Patients with subclinical hypothyroidism showed significantly higher levels of triglyceride (1.69±1.9 vs. 1.45±1.4) and the risk of hyper triglyceridemia in women with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels ≥10mIU/L was 4.96-fold higher compared with that in the normal population (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Disorders of lipid metabolism in women with subclinical hypothyroidism show a direct correlation with the level of TSH, and the risk of hyper triglyceridemia is significantly increased when the level of TSH ≥10mIU/L.

Facile synthesis of covalent organic frameworks functionalized with graphene hydrogel for effectively extracting organophosphorus pesticides from vegetables

A novel covalent organic framework material (3DGA@COFs), for use as a solid-phase dispersion sorbent, has been synthesized for extracting organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) from vegetables. The prepared 3DGA@COFs material exhibited many advantageous features, including a large specific surface area (127.95 m²/g) and high pore volume (0.0344 cm³/g), which made it an ideal sorbent for sample pretreatment. The experimental conditions affecting extraction performance (adsorbent type, adsorbent amount, reaction time, pH, ionic concentration, and eluent) were optimized systematically. The extracted analytes were detected by HPLC-MS/MS. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method exhibited a wide linear range (0.5-100 μg/L) and low limits of detection (0.01-0.14 μg/L). The recoveries (75.40%-102.13%) satisfied the requirements for a precise detection method. The proposed method was successfully used for determining malathion, triazophos, quinalphos in lettuce, tomato and cucumber samples, thus indicating the potential of using 3DGA@COFs materials for pretreating vegetable samples.

The effect of hyaluronic acid on nucleus pulposus extracellular matrix production through hypoxia-inducible factor-1α transcriptional activation of CD44 under hypoxia

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is the leading cause of low-back pain. Implantation of hyaluronic acid (HA) is potentially a therapeutic strategy for IDD, but its pharmacological effects and mechanism under hypoxic conditions remain unclear. In this study, the expression of extracellular matrix genes and proteins were enhanced in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) in the presence of HA under hypoxic condition, as shown by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, and dimethylmethylene blue assays. Moreover, the expression of CD44 was increased in the presence of both HA and hypoxia compared to either alone. Using a bioinformatic database, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a key transcription factor in the hypoxic condition, was found to have 4 predicted binding sites on the CD44 promoter. CD44 expression was significantly increased by treatment with cobalt chloride or dimethyloxalylglycine. Over-expression of HIF-1α in NPCs significantly up-regulated the expression of CD44. The binding site of HIF-1α in the CD44 promoter region, was identified by promoter truncation experiments and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Taken together, these results indicated that hypoxic conditions positively potentiated the ability of NPCs matrix synthesis in the presence of HA, which correlated with the increasing CD44 expression by HIF-1α transcriptional activation.

Effects of subacute ruminal acidosis on colon epithelial morphological structure, permeability, and expression of key tight junction proteins in dairy goats

The hindgut epithelial barrier plays an important role in maintaining absorption and immune homeostasis in ruminants. However, little information is available on changes in colon epithelial barrier structure and function following grain-induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of grain-induced SARA on colon epithelial morphological structure, permeability, and gene expression involved in epithelial barrier function. Twelve mid-lactating (136 ± 2 d in milk; milk yield = 1.68 ± 0.15 kg/d) Saanen dairy goats with 62.13 ± 4.76 kg of body weight were randomly divided into either the control (CON) treatment (n = 6) or SARA treatment (n = 6). The CON goats were fed a basal diet with a nonfiber carbohydrates to neutral detergent fiber ratio of 1.15 for 60 d. The SARA goats were fed 4 diets with increasing nonfiber carbohydrates to neutral detergent fiber ratio at 1.15, 1.49, 2.12, and 2.66 to induce SARA, with each diet (referred to as period) being fed for 15 d, including 12 d for adaptation and 3 d for sampling. Continuous ruminal pH recordings were used to diagnose the severity of SARA. Additionally, colonic tissues were collected to evaluate the epithelial morphological structure, permeability, and expression of tight junction proteins using transmission electron microscopy, Ussing chamber, quantitative real-time PCR, and Western blotting. Profound disruption in the colonic epithelium was mainly manifested as the electron density of tight junctions decreased, intercellular space widened, and mitochondria swelled in SARA goats. Colon epithelial short-circuit current, tissue conductance, and the mucosal-to-serosal flux of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran 4 kDa were increased and potential difference was decreased in SARA goats compared with CON goats. Subacute ruminal acidosis increased mRNA and protein expression levels of CLDN1 and OCLN in the colonic epithelium. Overall, the data of the present study demonstrate that SARA can impair the barrier function of the colonic epithelium at both structural and functional levels, which is associated with severe epithelial structural damage and increased permeability and changes in the expression of tight junction proteins.

Over-expression of miR-187 inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis of glioma via down-regulating SMAD1

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified to participate in the tumorigenesis and progression of glioma. However, the expression and function of miR-187 have not been fully elucidated in glioma so far. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-187 in glioma and to explore the possible underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression levels of miR-187 in 67 glioma tissues and 21 normal brain tissues, as well as 4 glioma-derived cell lines were measured using quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). MiR-187 was overexpressed or inhibited in U251 or U87MG cells using miR-187 mimics or inhibitor transfection, respectively. Colony formation assay and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay were employed to detect the proliferation ability of cells. Meanwhile, transwell assay and wound-healing assay were applied to evaluate the invasion and migration capacities of cells. Furthermore, Dual-Luciferase assay and Western blot analysis were used to verify the downstream target gene of miR-187 in glioma.

RESULTS

MiR-187 expression was significantly lower in glioma tissues and cells when compared with normal brain tissues and cell lines. Up-regulation of miR-187 markedly reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of U251 cells compared with the negative control group. However, down-regulation of miR-187 remarkably accelerated U87MG cell growth and metastasis compared with inhibitor negative control group. Furthermore, SMAD1 was identified as a direct target for miR-187 in glioma, which could be repressed by miR-187. In addition, over-expression of SMAD1 restored the influence of miR-187 mimics in glioma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-187 was lowly expressed in glioma tissues and cell lines. Acting as a tumor suppressor, miR-187 inhibited cell growth, invasion, and migration in glioma via repressing SMAD1 expression. Our findings might provide a novel insight into the biological diagnosis and treatment in glioma.

Review: Methanogens and methane production in the digestive systems of nonruminant farm animals

The greenhouse gases (GHGs) derived from agriculture include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane (CH₄). Of these GHGs, CH₄, in particular, constitutes a major component of the GHG emitted by the agricultural sector. Along with environmental concerns, CH₄ emission also leads to losses in gross energy intake with economic implications. While ruminants are considered the main source of CH₄ from agriculture, nonruminant animals also contribute substantially, and the CH₄ emission intensity of nonruminants remains comparable to that of ruminants. Means of mitigating CH₄ emissions from enteric fermentation have therefore been sought. Methane is produced by methanogens-archaeal microorganisms that inhabit the digestive tracts of animals and participate in fermentation processes. As the diversity of methanogen communities is thought to be responsible for the differences in CH₄ production among nonruminant animals, it is necessary to investigate the archaeal composition of specific animal species. Methanogens play an important role in energy metabolism and adipose tissue deposition in animals. Higher abundances of methanogens, along with their higher diversity, have been reported to contribute to lean phenotype in pigs. In particular, a greater abundance of Methanosphaera spp. and early dominance of Methanobrevibacter smithii have been reported to correlate with lower body fat formation in pigs. Besides the contribution of methanogens to the metabolic phenotype of their hosts, CH₄ release reduces the productivity that could be achieved through other hydrogen (H₂) disposal pathways. Enhanced participation of acetogenesis in H₂ disposal, leading to acetate formation, could be a more favorable direction for animal production and the environment. Better knowledge and understanding of the archaeal communities of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including their metabolism and interactions with other microorganisms, would thus allow the development of new strategies for inhibiting methanogens and shifting toward acetogenesis. There are a variety of approaches to inhibiting methanogens and mitigating methanogenesis in ruminants, which can find an application for nonruminants, such as nutritional changes through supplementation with biologically active compounds and management changes. We summarize the available reports and provide a comprehensive review of methanogens living in the GIT of various nonruminants, such as swine, horses, donkeys, rabbits, and poultry. This review will help in a better understanding of the populations and diversity of methanogens and the implications of their presence in nonruminant animals.

Recent Advances and Future Trends in the Detection of Contaminants by Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in Food Samples

Drug residues, organic dyes, heavy metals, and other chemical pollutants not only cause environmental pollution, but also have a serious impact on food safety. Timely and systematic summary of the latest scientific advances is of great importance for the development of new detection technologies. In particular, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can mimic antibodies, enzymes and other biological molecules to recognize, enrich, and separate contaminants, with specific recognition, selective adsorption, high affinity, and strong resistance characteristics. Therefore, MIPs have been widely used in chemical analysis, sensing, and material adsorption. In this review, we first describe the basic principles and production processes of molecularly imprinted polymers. Secondly, an overview of recent applications of molecularly imprinted polymers in sample pre-treatment, sensors, chromatographic separation, and mimetic enzymes is highlighted. Finally, a brief assessment of current technical issues and future trends in molecularly imprinted polymers is also presented.

Effects of the FABP4 gene on steroid hormone secretion in goose ovarian granulosa cells

1. To investigate the physiological role of FABP4 in the goose ovary, this study determined the effects of overexpressing and siRNA interfering FABP4 on progesterone (P₄) and oestradiol (E₂) production in granulosa cells. Measurements were made by ELISA, real-time qRT-PCR and western blotting. 2. The concentrations of P₄ and E₂ in the FABP4 overexpression granulosa cells were increased compared to the control group (P > 0.05 for P₄; P < 0.05 for E₂). Likewise, the mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP11A1 and CYP19A1 were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001). Conversely, the concentrations of P₄ and E₂ in the FABP4 silencing granulosa cells were significantly decreased compared with the control group (P < 0.001). Likewise, the mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP11A1 and CYP19A1 were significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.001, or P < 0.01). 3. The study indicated that the FABP4 gene may regulate steroid hormone secretion and the expression of the steroidogenic genes in geese ovarian granulosa cells. These results support the possibility that the FABP4 gene mediates ovarian steroid hormone biosynthesis function and reproduction in geese.