Effects of different dietary vitamin D combinations during the grower phase and the feed restriction phase on growth performance and sternal morphology, mineralization, and related genes expression of bone metabolism in Pekin ducks

Our study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary vitamin D (VD) combinations during the grower (1-32 d of age) and feed restriction (33-52 d of age) phases on growth performance. We also evaluated sternal morphology, mineralization, and related genes expression of bone metabolism as well as absorption of calcium and phosphorous in duodenal mucosa and kidney in Pekin ducks. During the grower phase, we used 2 VD regimes (Group A: 3,160 IU/kg VD3; Group B: 400 IU/kg VD3 + 69 μg/kg 25-OH-D3). Each dietary treatment had 50 replicate pens of 10 ducks per pen. During the feed restriction phase, 30 replicate pens selected from Group A and Group B, repetitively, were redivided into 5 different dietary VD regimes to form a 2 × 5 experimental design. Each group consisted of 6 replicates, each with 10 ducks. During the feed restriction phase, we evaluated 5 different dietary VD combinations were as follows: T1: 2,000 IU/kg VD3 ; T2: 5,000 IU/kg VD3; T3: 3,620 IU/kg VD3 + 34.5 μg/kg 25-OH-D3; T4: 2,240 IU/kg VD3 + 69 μg/kg 25-OH-D3; T5: 1,800 IU/kg VD3 + 80 μg/kg 25-OH-D3). Results showed that Group B combinations with T5 had a better growth performance and breast meat deposition (P < 0.1). Regardless of 5 dietary VD regimes during the feed restriction phase, Group B significantly increased (P < 0.05) 52 d sternal depth and tended to increase (P < 0.1) 52 d sternal defatted weight, ash content, and phosphate (P) content of ducks. A significant interactive effect (P < 0.05) was observed on the mRNA abundance of DMP1 and Sost1 as well as RANKL/OPG in sternum and of VDR in duodenal mucosa of ducks at 52 d of age between dietary VD combinations during 2 phases. These results indicated that dietary VD regimes during the grower phase could affect the effectiveness of dietary VD regimes during the feed restriction phases; Dietary VD combinations of both phases could affect the genes expression of bone formation and the absorption as well as reabsorption of calcium and phosphorus in duodenum and kidney.

A new risk factor for coronary artery disease can be detected by an ApoA1 mAb-based assay

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to find coronary artery disease (CAD) related apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) and to evaluate the diagnostic value of the assay based on it.

METHODS

Patients with CAD diagnosed by coronary angiography (disease group, n = 180) and healthy subjects (control group, n = 199) were recruited. The correlation between methods and CAD were evaluated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the auxiliary diagnostic value of methods for CAD. Odds ratios (ORs) of the test results in CAD were estimated using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Measurements from an ApoA1 mAb were found significantly positively correlated with CAD (r = 0.243, P < 0.01), unlike the measurements from the ApoA1 pAb were negatively correlated with CAD (r = -0.341, P < 0.001). The areas under the ROC curve of the ApoA1 mAb and pAb measurements were 0.704 and 0.563, respectively, in patients with normal HDL-C levels. ApoA1 values from the mAb assay had a significant positive impact on CAD risk.

CONCLUSION

An ApoA1 mAb-based assay can distinguish a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclass positively related to CAD, which can be used to improve and reappraise CAD risk assessment.

Combined analysis of metabolome and transcriptome of wheat kernels reveals constitutive defense mechanism against maize weevils

Sitophilus zeamais (maize weevil) is one of the most destructive pests that seriously affects the quantity and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, little is known about the constitutive defense mechanism of wheat kernels against maize weevils. In this study, we obtained a highly resistant variety RIL-116 and a highly susceptible variety after two years of screening. The morphological observations and germination rates of wheat kernels after feeding ad libitum showed that the degree of infection in RIL-116 was far less than that in RIL-72. The combined analysis of metabolome and transcriptome of RIL-116 and RIL-72 wheat kernels revealed differentially accumulated metabolites were mainly enriched in flavonoids biosynthesis-related pathway, followed by glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and benzoxazinoid biosynthesis. Several flavonoids metabolites were significantly up-accumulated in resistant variety RIL-116. In addition, the expression of structural genes and transcription factors (TFs) related to flavonoids biosynthesis were up-regulated to varying degrees in RIL-116 than RIL-72. Taken together, these results indicated that the biosynthesis and accumulation of flavonoids contributes the most to wheat kernels defense against maize weevils. This study not only provides insights into the constitutive defense mechanism of wheat kernels against maize weevils, but may also play an important role in the breeding of resistant varieties.

Association between nutritional indices and mortality after hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed evidence on the association between prognostic nutritional index (PNI), controlling nutritional status (CONUT), geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), and mini-nutritional assessment-short form (MNA-SF) and mortality after hip fracture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The online databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were accessed for literature reporting the association between PNI/CONUT/GNRI/MNA-SF and mortality after hip fracture. Data were pooled in a random-effects model.

RESULTS

13 studies were eligible. Meta-analysis of six studies showed that individuals with low GNRI had a significantly higher risk of mortality as compared to those with high GNRI (OR: 3.12 95% CI: 1.47, 6.61 I2=87% p=0.003). Meta-analysis of three studies found that low PNI was not a significant predictor of mortality amongst hip fracture patients (OR: 1.42 95% CI: 0.86, 2.32 I2=71% p=0.17). On pooling data from five studies, it was noted that patients with low MNA-SF scores had a significantly higher risk of mortality in comparison to those with higher scores (OR: 3.61 95% CI: 1.70, 7.70 I2=85% p=0.0009). Only one study was available on CONUT. Heterogeneity of cut-offs and variable follow-up were important limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that MNA-SF and GNRI can predict mortality in elderly patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures. Data is scarce on PNI and CONUT to draw strong conclusions. Variation in cut-offs and follow-up period are important limitations which need to be addressed by future studies.

Current management of subarachnoid hemorrhage in a northern urban Chinese population: a multi-center surveillance study

OBJECTIVE

The current management of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the urban Chinese population remains unclear and the relevant literature is still lacking. Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the recent clinical practice in the management of spontaneous SAH in an urban population-based setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2009 to 2011, the China Epidemiology Research In Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (CHERISH) project, which was a two-year prospective, multi-center, population-based, case-control study, was performed in the northern urban Chinese population. SAH cases were described in terms of their features, clinical management, and in-hospital outcomes.

RESULTS

Totally of 226 cases were enrolled with a final diagnosis of primary spontaneous SAH (65% of females; mean age, 58.5±13.2 years; range, 20-87 years). Among them, 92% of these patients received nimodipine, while 93% took mannitol. Meanwhile, 40% of them received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), while 43% took neuroprotective agents. Endovascular coiling was applied in 26% of 98 angiography-confirmed intracranial aneurysms (IA) cases, while neurosurgical clipping was in 5% of them.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings on the management of SAH in the northern metropolitan Chinese population reveal that nimodipine is an effective medical therapy with a high rate of use. There is also a high utilization rate of alternative medical interventions. Endovascular coiling occlusion is more common than neurosurgical clipping. Therefore, regionally traditional therapy may be a key factor for the difference in the treatment of SAH between northern and southern China.

Effects of supplemented mode of emulsifier on growth performance, serum biochemical index, quality of meat and skin fat, and nutrient utilization in Pekin ducks

In our previous experiment, we found that fats with pre-emulsification (PreE), a new supplemented mode of emulsifier, had an improved bioavailability for Pekin ducks than fats without PreE based on dietary EE utilization. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of the supplemented mode of emulsifier (PreE vs. emulsifier direct supplementation) on the growth performance, serum biochemical index, quality of meat and skin fat, and nutrient utilization in Pekin ducks. A total of 640 healthy 10-day-old Pekin male ducks (408.65 ± 12.00 g) were randomly allocated into 4 treatments with 16 replicates of 10 birds each. The 4 dietary treatments were as follows: the positive control group (PC; the oil supplemented amount of 6%), the negative control group (NC; the oil supplemented amount of 5.4%), the emulsifier group (E; NC diet with an emulsifier added directly), and the oil pre-emulsification group (PreE; NC diet with oil PreE). The results showed reducing the amount of fat in the diet (NC vs. PC) significantly decreased growth performance and quality of skin fat, and affected serum lipid metabolism (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and the shear force of skin fat were increased, but the feed to gain ratio (F/G) was markedly decreased in the PreE group (P < 0.05) compared to those in the NC group, and these levels were similar to those in the PC group (P > 0.05). Additionally, the utilization of dietary dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), and total phosphorous (TP) were increased, but the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum was decreased in the PreE group compared to those in the NC group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared to the E group, the F/G was decreased (P < 0.05), and the utilization of dietary EE, the shear force of skin fat and content of collagen in skin fat were markedly increased (P < 0.05) in the PreE group. However, no differences were observed (P > 0.05) in growth performance between the group administered a direct supplementation of emulsifier and the control groups (PC and NC). These results indicate that the negative effect of reducing the oil supplementation amount (-0.6%) in the diet can be restored by supplementation with emulsifier, especially by oil with PreE.

Nonfood Probiotic, Prebiotic, and Synbiotic Use Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Older Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Pro-, pre-, and synbiotic supplements improve cardiovascular risk factors. However, the association between nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics (NPPS) and long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality has not been studied. Thus, our objective was to determine the impact of nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a retrospective, cohort study of 4837 nationally representative American participants aged 65 years or older with a median follow-up duration of 77 months.

MEASUREMENTS

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality were measured.

RESULTS

A total of 1556 participants died during the median 77-month follow-up, and 517 died from cardiovascular disease. Compared with participants without NPPS use, participants who used NPPS experienced a reduced risk of all-cause mortality by nearly 41% (hazard ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.79) and cardiovascular mortality by 52% (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.76). Such an effect persisted in most subgroup analyses and complete-case analyses.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

In this study, we found a protective effect of NPPS against all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Americans aged 65 years or older. Nonfood pro-, pre-, and synbiotics can be a novel, inexpensive, low-risk treatment addition for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality for older individuals.

Effects of a high-fat diet on the growth performance, lipid metabolism, and the fatty acids composition of liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks aged from 10 to 40 days

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a high-fat diet on the growth performance, serum, liver, and skin lipid metabolism as well as the fatty acids composition of liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks from 10 to 40 d of age based on a pair-fed group. Two hundred forty healthy male ducks (10 d old, 470.53 ± 0.57 g) were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 replicates per cage of 10 ducks): a normal diet (ND, 3% fat), a high-fat diet (HFD, 9% fat), and a pair-fed diet (PFD, given the ND in an amount equal to that consumed of the HFD to eliminate the effects of feed intake). The results were as follows: compared to ND feeding, HFD feeding significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the feed intake and feed:gain ratio (F:G), along with serum triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid contents. When compared with the ND and PFD, the HFD significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the liver weight and inhibited hepatic de novo lipogenesis (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities), β-oxidation (carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 content), and decreased saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids deposition. Moreover, the HFD significantly increased (P < 0.05) the total fat content, lipid droplet area, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) content in the liver, as well as the abdominal fat weight, subcutaneous fat weight, the total fat and PUFAs content in skin fat. These results suggested that the HFD improved feed efficiency, which was related to HFD feeding inhibiting hepatic de novo lipogenesis and β-oxidation and promoting the deposition of fat in skin as well as altering the fatty acids composition of the liver and skin fat in Pekin ducks.

Different adaptive patterns of wheat with different drought tolerance under drought stresses and rehydration revealed by integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis

Wheat as a staple food crop is enduring ever-frequent intermittent and changing drought with the climate change. It is of great significance to highlight the adaptive approaches under such variable conditions at multiple levels to provide a comprehensive understanding of drought tolerance and facilitate the genetic breeding of wheat. Therefore, three wheat lines with different drought tolerance (drought-tolerant mutant Mu > common wheat CK > drought susceptible mutant mu) were analyzed under moderate and severe drought stresses as well as rehydration. Samples were subjected to transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling in combination with physiological and biochemical determination. The moderate drought stress rendered 198 and 115 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in CK and Mu, respectively. The severe drought stress rendered 166, 151 and 137 DEMs in CK, Mu and mu, respectively. The rehydration rendered 150 and 127 DEMs in CK and Mu. 12,557 and 10,402 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified for CK and Mu under moderate drought stress, respectively. 9,893, 7,924, and 9,387 DEGs were identified for CK, Mu, and mu under severe drought stress, respectively. 13,874 and 14,839 were identified in CK and Mu under rehydration, respectively. Metabolomics results showed that amino acid was the most differentially expressed metabolites, followed by phenolic acids. Flavonoids played an important role in drought tolerance. Most enriched pathways under drought included biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, metabolic pathways and photosynthesis. Metabolites and genes involved in osmotic regulation, antioxidase activities, and ABA signaling were more enriched in Mu than in CK and mu. Various drought-responsive genes and metabolites in Mu showed different trends with those in CK and mu. Increased amino acids biosynthetic capability and ROS scavenging ability resulted from higher antioxidase activities and increased flavonoids may be the mechanisms underlying the drought tolerance characteristic of Mu. Recovery from reversible ROS damage and rapid amino acid biosynthesis may contribute to the rapid recovery of Mu. The present study provides new insights for mechanisms of wheat under complex drought conditions.

Whole-Genome Metalloproteases in the Wheat Sharp Eyespot Pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis and a Role in Fungal Virulence

Rhizoctonia cerealis is the causal agent of sharp eyespot, a devastating disease of cereal crops including wheat. Several metalloproteases have been implicated in pathogenic virulence, but little is known about whole-genome metalloproteases in R. cerealis. In this study, a total of 116 metalloproteases-encoding genes were identified and characterized from the R. cerealis Rc207 genome. The gene expression profiles and phylogenetic relationship of 11 MEP36/fungalysin metalloproteases were examined during the fungal infection to wheat, and function of an upregulated secretory MEP36 named RcFL1 was validated. Of 11 MEP36 family metalloproteases, ten, except RcFL5, were predicted to be secreted proteins and nine encoding genes, but not RcFL5 and RcFL2, were expressed during the R. cerealis infection process. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that MEP36 metalloproteases in R. cerealis were closely related to those of Rhizoctonia solani but were remote to those of Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium graminearum, F. pseudograminearum, and Pyricularia oryzae. Expression of RcFL1 was significantly upregulated during the infection process and induced plant cell death in wheat to promote the virulence of the pathogen. The MEP36 domain was necessary for the activities of RcFL1. Furthermore, RcFL1 could repress the expression of wheat genes coding for the chitin elicitor receptor kinase TaCERK1 and chitinases. These results suggest that this MEP36 metalloprotease RcFL1 may function as a virulence factor of R. cerealis through inhibiting host chitin-triggered immunity and chitinases. This study provides insights on pathogenic mechanisms of R. cerealis. RcFL1 likely is an important gene resource for improving resistance of wheat to R. cerealis through host-induced gene silencing strategy.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the TaRRA gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Cytokinin is an important endogenous hormone in plants performing a wide spectrum of biological roles. The type-A response regulators (RRAs) are primary cytokinin response genes, which are important components of the cytokinin signaling pathway and are involved in the regulation of plant growth and development. By analysis of the whole genome sequence of wheat, we identified 20 genes encoding RRAs which were clustered into eight homologous groups. The gene structure, conserved motifs, chromosomal location, and cis-acting regulatory elements of the TaRRAs were analyzed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) results showed that the expression levels of most of the TaRRAs increased rapidly on exogenous cytokinin application. Moreover, the TaRRA family members displayed different expression profiles under the stress treatments of drought, salt, cold, and heat. This study provides valuable insights into the RRA gene family in wheat and promotes the potential application of these genes in wheat genetic improvement.

Corn distiller's dried grains with solubles as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal in Pekin duck diets based on its predicted AME and the evaluated standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids

The study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) levels on growth performance, carcass characteristic, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids (SIDAA) in Pekin ducks aged 11 to 42 d based on the evaluation of its SIDAA. A total of 560 eleven-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly allotted to 5 treatments with 7 replicate pens per treatment and 16 ducks per pen based on the average body weight. Six isonitrogenous and isocaloric experimental diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis to produce diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% DDGS, respectively. With increasing of dietary DDGS levels, a linear and quadratic reduction (P < 0.05) was observed in the body weight (BW) at d 42, average day gain (ADG) and average day feed intake (ADFI) from d 11 to 42, breast meat yield, the moisture and protein content in the breast meat, and dietary DM and EE utilization. Moreover, a linear and quadratic increase (P < 0.05) was observed in the b* value of the breast meat and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Compared with the control group, the group with 10% inclusion of DDGS exhibited no adverse effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical indexes, meat physical and chemical quality, nutrient utilization, and the SIDAA of the diets (P > 0.05). These results suggested that 10% of corn DDGS can function as an alternative ingredient to corn and soybean meal, and the optimal levels of DDGS in the diets of ducks aged from 11 to 42 d depends more on its quality.

Transcription-associated metabolomic profiling reveals the critical role of frost tolerance in wheat

BACKGROUND

Low temperature is a crucial stress factor of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and adversely impacts on plant growth and grain yield. Multi-million tons of grain production are lost annually because crops lack the resistance to survive in winter. Particularlly, winter wheat yields was severely damaged under extreme cold conditions. However, studies about the transcriptional and metabolic mechanisms underlying cold stresses in wheat are limited so far.

RESULTS

In this study, 14,466 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained between wild-type and cold-sensitive mutants, of which 5278 DEGs were acquired after cold treatment. 88 differential accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were detected, including P-coumaroyl putrescine of alkaloids, D-proline betaine of mino acids and derivativ, Chlorogenic acid of the Phenolic acids. The comprehensive analysis of metabolomics and transcriptome showed that the cold resistance of wheat was closely related to 13 metabolites and 14 key enzymes in the flavonol biosynthesis pathway. The 7 enhanced energy metabolites and 8 up-regulation key enzymes were also compactly involved in the sucrose and amino acid biosynthesis pathway. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that twelve key genes were differentially expressed under cold, indicating that candidate genes POD, Tacr7, UGTs, and GSTU6 which were related to cold resistance of wheat.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we obtained the differentially expressed genes and differential accumulated metabolites in wheat under cold stress. Using the DEGs and DAMs, we plotted regulatory pathway maps of the flavonol biosynthesis pathway, sucrose and amino acid biosynthesis pathway related to cold resistance of wheat. It was found that candidate genes POD, Tacr7, UGTs and GSTU6 are related to cold resistance of wheat. This study provided valuable molecular information and new genetic engineering clues for the further study on plant resistance to cold stress.

Production and purification of 2-phenylethanol by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using tobacco waste extract as a substrate

2-phenylethanol (2-PE), which is extracted naturally from plant or biotechnology processing, is widely used in the food and cosmetics industries. Due to the high cost of 2-PE production, the valorization of waste carbon to produce 2-PE has gained increasing attention. Here, 2-PE was produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using tobacco waste extract (TWE) as the substrate. Considering the toxicity of nicotine and its inhibition of 2-PE, the tolerance of S. cerevisiae was first evaluated. The results suggested that the production of 2-PE by S. cerevisiae in TWEs could be carried out at 2·0 mg ml-1 nicotine concentrations and may be inhibited by 1·0 mg ml-1 2-PE. Thus, the compounds in the TWEs prepared at different temperatures were detected, and the results revealed that the TWEs prepared at 140°C contained 2·18 mg ml-1 of nicotine, had total sugar concentrations of 26·8 mg ml-1 and were suitable for 2-PE production. Due to feedback regulation, the 2-PE production was only 1·11 mg ml-1 , and the remaining glucose concentration remained at 13·78 mg ml-1 , which indicated insufficient glucose utilization. Then, in situ product recovery was further implemented to remove this inhibition; the glucose utilization (the remaining concentration decreased to 3·64 mg ml-1 ) increased, and the 2-PE production increased to 1·65 mg ml-1 . The 2-PE produced in the fermentation broth was first isolated by elution from the resin with 75% ethanol and then by removing the impurities with 2·5% activated charcoal, and pure 2-PE was identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results of this study suggest that TWE could be an alternative carbon source for 2-PE production. This could provide an outlet tobacco waste as well as reducing the price of natural 2-PE, although more strategies need to be explored to improve the production yield of 2-PE by using TWE.

Cell-free DNA from bile outperformed plasma as a potential alternative to tissue biopsy in biliary tract cancer

BACKGROUND

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are rare and highly heterogenous malignant neoplasms. Because obtaining BTC tissues is challenging, the purpose of this study was to explore the potential roles of bile as a liquid biopsy medium in patients with BTC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-nine consecutive patients with suspected BTC were prospectively enrolled in this study. Capture-based targeted sequencing was performed on tumor tissues, whole blood cells, plasma, and bile samples using a large panel consisting of 520 cancer-related genes.

RESULTS

Of the 28 patients enrolled in this cohort, tumor tissues were available in eight patients, and plasma and bile were available in 28 patients. Somatic mutations were detected in 100% (8/8), 71.4% (20/28), and 53.6% (15/28) of samples comprising tumor tissue DNA, bile cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and plasma cfDNA, respectively. Bile cfDNA showed a significantly higher maximum allele frequency than plasma cfDNA (P = 0.0032). There were 56.2% of somatic single-nucleotide variant (SNVs)/insertions and deletions (indels) shared between bile and plasma cfDNA. When considering the genetic profiles of tumor tissues as the gold standard, the by-variant sensitivity and positive predictive value for SNVs/indels in bile cfDNA positive for somatic mutations were both 95.5%. The overall concordance for SNVs/indels in bile was significantly higher than that in plasma (99.1% versus 78.3%, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the sensitivity of CA 19-9 combined with bile cfDNA achieved 96.4% in BTC diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that bile cfDNA was superior to plasma cfDNA in the detection of tumor-related genomic alterations. Bile cfDNA as a minimally invasive liquid biopsy medium might be a supplemental approach to confirm BTC diagnosis.

The Wall-Associated Receptor-Like Kinase TaWAK7D Is Required for Defense Responses to Rhizoctonia cerealis in Wheat

Sharp eyespot, caused by necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis, is a serious fungal disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Certain wall-associated receptor kinases (WAK) mediate resistance to diseases caused by biotrophic/hemibiotrophic pathogens in several plant species. Yet, none of wheat WAK genes with positive effect on the innate immune responses to R. cerealis has been reported. In this study, we identified a WAK gene TaWAK7D, located on chromosome 7D, and showed its positive regulatory role in the defense response to R. cerealis infection in wheat. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analyses showed that TaWAK7D transcript abundance was elevated in wheat after R. cerealis inoculation and the induction in the stem was the highest among the tested organs. Additionally, TaWAK7D transcript levels were significantly elevated by pectin and chitin treatments. The knock-down of TaWAK7D transcript impaired resistance to R. cerealis and repressed the expression of five pathogenesis-related genes in wheat. The green fluorescent protein signal distribution assays indicated that TaWAK7D localized on the plasma membrane in wheat protoplasts. Thus, TaWAK7D, which is induced by R. cerealis, pectin and chitin stimuli, positively participates in defense responses to R. cerealis through modulating the expression of several pathogenesis-related genes in wheat.

The Wheat Wall-Associated Receptor-Like Kinase TaWAK-6D Mediates Broad Resistance to Two Fungal Pathogens Fusarium pseudograminearum and Rhizoctonia cerealis

The soil-borne fungi Fusarium pseudograminearum and Rhizoctonia cerealis are the major pathogens for the economically important diseases Fusarium crown rot (FCR) and sharp eyespot of common wheat (Triticum aestivum), respectively. However, there has been no report on the broad resistance of wheat genes against both F. pseudograminearum and R. cerealis. In the current study, we identified TaWAK-6D, a wall-associated kinase (WAK) which is an encoding gene located on chromosome 6D, and demonstrated its broad resistance role in the wheat responses to both F. pseudograminearum and R. cerealis infection. TaWAK-6D transcript induction by F. pseudograminearum and R. cerealis was related to the resistance degree of wheat and the gene expression was significantly induced by exogenous pectin treatment. Silencing of TaWAK-6D compromised wheat resistance to F. pseudograminearum and R. cerealis, and repressed the expression of a serial of wheat defense-related genes. Ectopic expression of TaWAK-6D in Nicotiana benthamiana positively modulated the expression of several defense-related genes. TaWAK-6D protein was determined to localize to the plasma membrane in wheat and N. benthamiana. Collectively, the TaWAK-6D at the plasma membrane mediated the broad resistance responses to both F. pseudograminearum and R. cerealis in wheat at the seedling stage. This study, therefore, concludes that TaWAK-6D is a promising gene for improving wheat broad resistance to FCR and sharp eyespot.

Negative Association of Serum URIC Acid with Peripheral Blood Cellular Aging Markers

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to explore the association between serum UA and cellular aging markers.

DESIGN

The current cross-sectional analysis was based on data collected within a type 2 diabetes project.

SETTINGS

Serum uric acid (UA), which has both antioxidant and pro-oxidant properties, is thought to be involved in cellular aging processes.

PARTICIPANTS

There are 536 participants included in total, 65.3% of which are women. The average serum UA in women was 267.8 umol/l, lower than in men of 337.7 umol/l (P<0.001).

MEASUREMENTS

Serum UA, blood lipid profile, HbA1c, plasma glucose and insulin were determined. The peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were assessed using a real-time PCR assay. Logistic regressions were used to analyze the associations between serum UA and cellular aging markers.

RESULTS

In Spearman's correlation analysis, there were significantly negative correlations between serum UA and LTL in both women and men (r=-0.162, P=0.006; and r=-0.232, P=0.004, respectively). The logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI, WC, daily energy intake, HbA1c, TG, and LDL-C revealed that the ORs of shorter LTL comparing the extreme serum UA quintiles was 5.52 (95% CI 1.69-18.02; P for trend =0.025) in women and 6.49 (95% CI 1.38-30.45; P for trend =0.108) in men. Furthermore, the OR (95% CI) for shorter LTL per 1 SD increment in serum UA was 1.51(1.10-2.07) in women and 1.64(1.01-2.65) in men. In regard to mtDNAcn, the association between elevated serum UA and lower mtDNAcn only reached significance in men when comparing the second and fifth quintiles with reference quintile (OR=3.73(1.07-13.04) and 3.76(1.01-14.09) , separately, and P for trend=0.066).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a significant negative association between serum UA and peripheral blood cellular aging markers. Serum UA might play a role in promoting cellular aging.

Deletion of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits in wheat significantly reduced dough strength and bread-baking quality

BACKGROUND

High-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) play important roles in the elasticity of dough made from wheat. The HMW-GS null line is useful for studying the contribution of HMW-GS to the end-use quality of wheat.

METHODS

In a previous work, we cloned the Glu-1Ebx gene from Thinopyrum bessarabicum and introduced it into the wheat cultivar, Bobwhite. In addition to lines expressing the Glu-1Ebx gene, we also obtained a transgenic line (LH-11) with all the HMW-GS genes silenced. The HMW-GS deletion was stably inherited as a dominant and conformed to Mendel's laws. Expression levels of HMW-GS were determined by RT-PCR and epigenetic changes in methylation patterns and small RNAs were analyzed. Glutenins and gliadins were separated and quantitated by reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Measurement of glutenin macropolymer, and analysis of agronomic traits and end-use quality were also performed.

RESULTS

DNA methylation and the presence of small double-stranded RNA may be the causes of post-transcriptional gene silencing in LH-11. The accumulation rate and final content of glutenin macropolymer (GMP) in LH-11 were significantly lower than in wild-type (WT) Bobwhite. The total protein content was not significantly affected as the total gliadin content increased in LH-11 compared to WT. Deletion of HMW-GS also changed the content of different gliadin fractions. The ratio of ω-gliadin increased, whereas α/β- and γ-gliadins declined in LH-11. The wet gluten content, sedimentation value, development time and stability time of LH-11 were remarkably lower than that of Bobwhite. Bread cannot be made using the flour of LH-11.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-transcriptional gene silencing through epigenetic changes and RNA inhibition appear to be the causes for the gene expression deficiency in the transgenic line LH-11. The silencing of HMW-GW in LH-11 significantly reduced the dough properties, GMP content, wet gluten content, sedimentation value, development time and stability time of flour made from this wheat cultivar. The HMW-GS null line may provide a potential material for biscuit-making because of its low dough strength.

Botulinum toxin A treatment of epiphora secondary to autologous submandibular gland transplantation

The aim of this study was to explore whether botulinum toxin A (BTXA) injection treats epiphora secondary to submandibular gland (SMG) transplantation for severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Fifteen patients with epiphora after SMG transplantation were separated to three groups, and received 15U, 20U and 25U BTXA injection in the transplanted SMG, respectively. Secretion of transplanted SMG was assessed subjectively by visual analogue scale (VAS) regarding epiphora, and objectively by Schirmer test. There were no significant differences in the 15-U BTXA group regarding the values of the VAS on epihora before and 1 month after BTXA injection. While in 20-U group and 25-U group, the values of VAS on epihora decreased significantly after BTXA injection, and lasted for 6months. Under resting conditions, the secretion of transplanted SMG decreased 64.4%, 73.0% and 78.0% in 15-U, 20-U and 25-U groups, respectively (P<0.01), in 1month after BTXA injection; significant secretion decreasing lasted 3months only in the 25-U BTXA group. BTXA injection can decrease the secretion of transplanted SMG significantly, relieving the symptoms of epiphora; 25U BTXA is a suitable dose to treat 'opportunistic epiphora' after SMG transplantation.

[A 20-year study on microvascular autologous transplantation of submandibular gland for treatment of severe dry eye]

Severe dry eye is a refractory ophthalmologic disease. Our multidisciplinary research group treated severe dry eye by microvascular autologous transplantation of submandibular gland (SMG) during the past 20 years. The SMG, with its blood vessels and Wharton's duct, was harvested from the submandibular triangle and transferred to the temporal area. The blood vessels in the SMG were anastomosed with the temporal blood vessels using a microsurgical technique. Then, the distal end of Wharton's duct was sutured to form an opening in the upper lateral conjunctival fold. The tear was replaced by the secretion of the transplanted SMG to lubricate the ocular surface. In our study, the surgical techniques of blood vessel management were continuously modified to increase the survival rate of the transplanted SMG. A novel surgical modality of partial transplantation of SMG was established to prevent postoperative epiphora. A clinical study with the largest case number in the world was conducted and the effectiveness of transplantation of SMG for severe dry eye was fully confirmed. In order to resolve two main clinical problems including ductal obstruction resulted from low secretion rate during the latent period, and epiphora due to over secretion of the transplanted SMG in the later term of transplantation, the regulation of the secretion mechanism of the normal and transplanted SMG were investigated. New opinions on mechanisms of saliva secretion were provided. Based on the priniciple of translational medicine, the results of related basic research were applied in the clinic. The clinical guidelines for secretion regulation of transplanted SMG were established. A concept of chronic obstructive sialadenitis of transplanted SMG was provided and its diagnostic criteria, diagnostic technique of sialography, and therapeutic regimen were established. As a result, the surgical success rate was obviously elevated, the surgical complications were decreased, and life quality of the patients was greatly improved.

Auditory verbal hallucinations are related to cortical thinning in the left middle temporal gyrus of patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are one of the most common and severe symptoms of schizophrenia, but the neuroanatomical abnormalities underlying AVHs are not well understood. The present study aims to investigate whether AVHs are associated with cortical thinning.

METHODS

Participants were schizophrenia patients from four centers across China, 115 with AVHs and 93 without AVHs, as well as 261 healthy controls. All received 3 T T1-weighted brain scans, and whole brain vertex-wise cortical thickness was compared across groups. Correlations between AVH severity and cortical thickness were also determined.

RESULTS

The left middle part of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) was significantly thinner in schizophrenia patients with AVHs than in patients without AVHs and healthy controls. Inferences were made using a false discovery rate approach with a threshold at p < 0.05. Left MTG thickness did not differ between patients without AVHs and controls. These results were replicated by a meta-analysis showing them to be consistent across the four centers. Cortical thickness of the left MTG was also found to be inversely correlated with hallucination severity across all schizophrenia patients.

CONCLUSION

The results of this multi-center study suggest that an abnormally thin left MTG could be involved in the pathogenesis of AVHs in schizophrenia.

Silencing of the Wheat Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit TaPP2Ac Enhances Host Resistance to the Necrotrophic Pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis

Eukaryotic type 2A protein phosphatases (protein phosphatase 2A, PP2A) consist of a scaffold subunit A, a regulatory subunit B, and a catalytic subunit C. Little is known about the roles of PP2Ac proteins that are involved in plant responses to necrotrophic fungal pathogens. Sharp eyespot, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis, is a destructive disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum), an important staple food crop. Here, we isolated TaPP2Ac-4D from wheat, which encodes a catalytic subunit of the heterotrimeric PP2A, and characterized its properties and role in plant defense response to R. cerealis. Based on the sequence alignment of TaPP2Ac-4D with the draft sequences of wheat chromosomes from the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC), it was found that TaPP2Ac-4D gene is located on the long arm of the wheat chromosome 4D and has two homologs assigned on wheat chromosomes 4A and 4B. Sequence and phylogenetic tree analyses revealed that the TaPP2Ac protein is a typical member of the PP2Ac family and belongs to the subfamily II. TaPP2Ac-4B and TaPP2Ac-4D displayed higher transcriptional levels in the R. cerealis-susceptible wheat cultivar Wenmai 6 than those seen in the resistant wheat line CI12633. The transcriptional levels of TaPP2Ac-4B and TaPP2Ac-4D were significantly elevated in wheat R. cerealis after infection and upon H₂O₂ treatment. Virus-induced gene silencing results revealed that the transcriptional knockdown of TaPP2Ac-4D and TaPP2Ac-4B significantly increased wheat resistance to R. cerealis infection. Meanwhile, the transcriptional levels of certain pathogenesis-related (PR) and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging enzyme encoding genes were increased in TaPP2Ac-silenced wheat plants. These results suggest that TaPP2Ac-4B and TaPP2Ac-4D negatively regulate defense response to R. cerealis infection possibly through modulation of the expression of certain PR and ROS-scavenging enzyme genes in wheat. This study reveals a novel function of the plant PP2Ac genes in plant immune responses.

Prevalence of honeybee viruses in different regions of China and Argentina

Honeybees are threatened by various pathogens and parasites. More than 18 viruses have been described in honeybees and many of them have been detected in China and Argentina. In China, both Apis cerana and Apis mellifera are raised. In Argentina, beekeepers raise different ecotypes of A. mellifera: European honeybees (in both temperate and subtropical regions) and Africanised honeybees (in subtropical areas only). A thorough study was carried out in both China and Argentina to analyse the current virus presence and distribution in different climatic zones and gather information on different bee species/subspecies. Adult honeybees were collected from apiaries in temperate and subtropical regions of China (including areas with exclusive populations of A. mellifera, areas where A. mellifera and A. cerana co-exist, and areas with exclusive populations of A. cerana) and Argentina. Six viruses, namely, deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), sacbrood virus (SBV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) were detected in China, both in A. cerana and in A. mellifera, while four viruses (DWV, BQCV, CBPV and ABPV) were present in Argentina. Interestingly, multiple infections were commonly found in China, with up to five different viruses co-circulating in some colonies without apparent abnormalities. In this study, no Chinese samples were positive for slow bee paralysis virus. The most prevalent viruses were BQCV (China) and DWV (Argentina). Kashmir bee virus was absent from samples analysed for both countries.

CDKN2B deletion is essential for pancreatic cancer development instead of unmeaningful co-deletion due to juxtaposition to CDKN2A

Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest malignancies; however, the genetic events that lead to pancreatic carcinogenesis in adults remain unclear. In vivo models in which these genetic alterations occur in adult animals may more accurately reflect the features of human cancer. In this study, we demonstrate that inactivation of Cdkn2b (p15ink4b) is necessary for induction of pancreatic cancer by oncogenic KRAS^G12D expression and inactivation of Tp53 and Cdkn2a in adult mouse pancreatic ductal cells (P60 or older). KRAS^G12D overexpression in these cells activated transforming growth factor-β signaling and expression of CDKN2B, which, along with CDKN2A, led to cellular senescence and protected cells from KRAS-mediated transformation via inhibition of retinoblastoma phosphorylation. These results show a critical role of CDKN2B inactivation in pancreatic carcinogenesis, and provide a useful adult animal model by genetic engineering via lentiviral delivery.

Common variants on 2p16.1, 6p22.1 and 10q24.32 are associated with schizophrenia in Han Chinese population

Many schizophrenia susceptibility loci have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in European populations. However, until recently, schizophrenia GWASs in non-European populations were limited to small sample sizes and have yielded few loci associated with schizophrenia. To identify genetic risk variations for schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population, we performed a two-stage GWAS of schizophrenia comprising 4384 cases and 5770 controls, followed by independent replications of 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in an additional 4339 schizophrenia cases and 7043 controls of Han Chinese ancestry. Furthermore, we conducted additional analyses based on the results in the discovery stage. The combined analysis confirmed evidence of genome-wide significant associations in the Han Chinese population for three loci, at 2p16.1 (rs1051061, in an exon of VRK2, P=1.14 × 10-12, odds ratio (OR)=1.17), 6p22.1 (rs115070292 in an intron of GABBR1, P=4.96 × 10-10, OR=0.77) and 10q24.32 (rs10883795 in an intron of AS3MT, P=7.94 × 10-10, OR=0.87; rs10883765 at an intron of ARL3, P=3.06 × 10-9, OR=0.87). The polygenic risk score based on Psychiatric Genomics Consortium schizophrenia GWAS data modestly predicted case-control status in the Chinese population (Nagelkerke R2: 1.7% ~5.7%). Our pathway analysis suggested that neurological biological pathways such as GABAergic signaling, dopaminergic signaling, cell adhesion molecules and myelination pathways are involved in schizophrenia. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population. Further studies are needed to establish the biological context and potential clinical utility of these findings.

Nonlinear modulation of interacting between COMT and depression on brain function

BACKGROUND

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is related to dopamine degradation and has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, how this gene affects brain function properties in MDD is still unclear.

METHODS

Fifty patients with MDD and 35 cognitively normal participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. A voxelwise and data-drive global functional connectivity density (gFCD) analysis was used to investigate the main effects and the interactions of disease states and COMT rs4680 gene polymorphism on brain function.

RESULTS

We found significant group differences of the gFCD in bilateral fusiform area (FFA), post-central and pre-central cortex, left superior temporal gyrus (STG), rectal and superior temporal gyrus and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC); abnormal gFCDs in left STG were positively correlated with severity of depression in MDD group. Significant disease×COMT interaction effects were found in the bilateral calcarine gyrus, right vlPFC, hippocampus and thalamus, and left SFG and FFA. Further post-hoc tests showed a nonlinear modulation effect of COMT on gFCD in the development of MDD. Interestingly, an inverted U-shaped modulation was found in the prefrontal cortex (control system) but U-shaped modulations were found in the hippocampus, thalamus and occipital cortex (processing system).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated nonlinear modulation of the interaction between COMT and depression on brain function. These findings expand our understanding of the COMT effect underlying the pathophysiology of MDD.

Risperidone-induced topological alterations of anatomical brain network in first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia patients: a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear whether the topological deficits of the white matter network documented in cross-sectional studies of chronic schizophrenia patients are due to chronic illness or to other factors such as antipsychotic treatment effects. To answer this question, we evaluated the white matter network in medication-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) before and after a course of treatment.

METHOD

We performed a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study in 42 drug-naive FESP at baseline and then after 8 weeks of risperidone monotherapy, and compared them with 38 healthy volunteers. Graph theory was utilized to calculate the topological characteristics of brain anatomical network. Patients' clinical state was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) before and after treatment.

RESULTS

Pretreatment, patients had relatively intact overall topological organizations, and deficient nodal topological properties primarily in prefrontal gyrus and limbic system components such as the bilateral anterior and posterior cingulate. Treatment with risperidone normalized topological parameters in the limbic system, and the enhancement positively correlated with the reduction in PANSS-positive symptoms. Prefrontal topological impairments persisted following treatment and negative symptoms did not improve.

CONCLUSIONS

During the early phase of antipsychotic medication treatment there are region-specific alterations in white matter topological measures. Limbic white matter topological dysfunction improves with positive symptom reduction. Prefrontal deficits and negative symptoms are unresponsive to medication intervention, and prefrontal deficits are potential trait biomarkers and targets for negative symptom treatment development.

Intratumoral heterogeneity of CD44v6 in rectal cancer

PURPOSE

CD44v6 plays a controversial role in tumor progression and patient outcome in colorectal cancer by plenty of conflicting reports. The purpose of this study was to profile the intratumoral heterogeneity of CD44v6 in rectal cancer and investigate its role in lymph node metastasis.

METHODS

Sixty patients were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry for CD44v6 was performed in normal mucosa, primary tumor, and lymph node metastasis with whole tissue sections. The staining intensity in tumor center and invasive front was separately measured. Sampling bias was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR with 15 pairs of frozen tissues from different sites of the primary tumor.

RESULTS

CD44v6 expression increased from normal mucosa to primary tumor to lymph node metastasis. Multiple intratumoral staining patterns was observed in primary tumor, and CD44v6 expression in invasive front was significantly higher than that in tumor center. In addition, mRNA expression levels differed across different geographical regions of the tumor. No association between CD44v6 expression and lymph node metastasis was revealed.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial intratumoral heterogeneity of CD44v6 exists in rectal cancer that impacts the outcome of individual studies. CD44v6 expression should be assessed in a more precise way with a specified staining pattern and in a designated location.

Melatonin protects hepatocytes against bile acid-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress via the AMPK-SIRT3-SOD2 pathway

Mitochondrial oxidative damage is hypothesized to contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic cholestatic liver diseases. Melatonin, an indolamine synthesized in the pineal gland, shows a wide range of physiological functions, and is under clinical investigation for expanded applications. Melatonin has demonstrated efficient protective effects against various types of oxidative damage in the liver system. This study investigates the protective effects of melatonin pretreatment on glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA)-induced hepatotoxicity and elucidates the potential mechanism of melatonin-mediated protection. Melatonin markedly decreased mitochondrial ROS (mROS) production in L02 cells treated with 100 μM GCDCA, and inhibited GCDCA-stimulated cytotoxicity. Notably, melatonin exerted its hepatoprotective effects by upregulating sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) activity and its expression level, thus regulating superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) acetylation and inhibiting the production of mROS induced by GCDCA. Moreover, siRNA targeting SIRT3 blocked the melatonin-mediated elevation in mitochondrial function by inhibiting SIRT3/SOD2 signaling. Importantly, melatonin-activated SIRT3 activity was completely abolished by AMP-activated, alpha 1 catalytic subunit (AMPK) siRNA transfection. Similar results were obtained in rat with bile duct ligation or BDL. In summary, our findings indicate that melatonin is a novel hepatoprotective small molecule that functions by elevating SIRT3, stimulating SOD2 activity, and suppressing mitochondrial oxidative stress at least through AMPK, and that SIRT3 may be of therapeutic value in liver cell protection for GCDCA-induced hepatotoxicity.

Effect of weaning age on cortisol release in piglets

The effect of weaning age on the adrenal cortex, which plays a vital role in the stress response, is currently unknown. Therefore, plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels, weights and relative weights of adrenal glands, and steroidogenesis-related protein and enzyme expression levels in piglets weaned on different days were determined. Piglets weaned at 35 days had significantly lower ACTH levels than those weaned at 14 or 21 days, and cortisol levels of piglets weaned at 21, 28, and 35 days were significantly lower than those of piglets weaned on day 14. Adrenal gland weights of piglets weaned at 28 and 35 days and relative adrenal gland weights of piglets weaned at 35 days were significantly lower than those of piglets weaned at 14 days. However, no significant difference was detected in the expression of melanocortin-type 2 receptor mRNA, which is associated with weaning age. Steroidogenic acute-regulatory (StAR) mRNA and cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P450 mRNA expression levels in piglets weaned at 28 and 35 days were significantly lower than in those weaned at 14 or 21 days, and P450 11β mRNA expression levels in piglets weaned at 28 and 35 days were significantly lower than in those weaned at 14 days. Therefore, early-weaned piglets exhibited increased adrenal gland weights and StAR and steroidogenic enzyme expression, all of which contributed to high cortisol levels. The high plasma ACTH and cortisol levels in early-weaned piglets indicate that these animals would be greatly affected by stress.

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging study of schizophrenia in the context of abnormal neurodevelopment using multiple site data in a Chinese Han population

Schizophrenia has increasingly been considered a neurodevelopmental disorder, and the advancement of neuroimaging techniques and associated computational methods has enabled quantitative re-examination of this important theory on the pathogenesis of the disease. Inspired by previous findings from neonatal brains, we proposed that an increase in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) mean diffusivity (MD) should be observed in the cerebral cortex of schizophrenia patients compared with healthy controls, corresponding to lower tissue complexity and potentially a failure to reach cortical maturation. We tested this hypothesis using dMRI data from a Chinese Han population comprising patients from four different hospital sites. Utilizing data-driven methods based on the state-of-the-art tensor-based registration algorithm, significantly increased MD measurements were consistently observed in the cortex of schizophrenia patients across all four sites, despite differences in psychopathology, exposure to antipsychotic medication and scanners used for image acquisition. Specifically, we found increased MD in the limbic system of the schizophrenic brain, mainly involving the bilateral insular and prefrontal cortices. In light of the existing literature, we speculate that this may represent a neuroanatomical signature of the disorder, reflecting microstructural deficits due to developmental abnormalities. Our findings not only provide strong support to the abnormal neurodevelopment theory of schizophrenia, but also highlight an important neuroimaging endophenotype for monitoring the developmental trajectory of high-risk subjects of the disease, thereby facilitating early detection and prevention.

Effect of Bacillus subtilis CGMCC 1.1086 on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota of broilers

AIMS

Probiotics have been proved to be the most preferred and effective alternative to antibiotics as growth promoter and pathogens inhibitor in poultry industry. In this study Bacillus subtilis CGMCC 1.1086 as a probiotic bacterium was administered in diet and its effects on both the growth performance and the caecal microbiota of broilers were evaluated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 240 male Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly allocated into two treatment groups of basal diet without any addition of probiotics and basal diet containing B. subtilis CGMCC 1.1086. The body weight of broilers was measured individually at 32, 39 and 46 days of bird age. Furthermore, MiSeq high-throughput sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA was used to investigate the bacterial community structure in the caeca of broilers. The results indicated that broilers receiving diet supplemented with B. subtilis CGMCC 1.1086 showed 27·7% higher daily weight gain than those of control during 2 weeks. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of B. subtilis CGMCC 1.1086 group was also improved by 10·3%. In the caeca of broilers fed with B. subtilis CGMCC 1.1086, the relative abundance of Alistipes, Odoribacter, Ruminococcus, Blautia and Desulfovibrio were higher, while the potential pathogens such as Staphylococcus and Escherichia-Shigella were lower than those of control.

CONCLUSIONS

The probiotic B. subtilis CGMCC 1.1086 can effectively improve the growth performance and FCR of broilers via the beneficial modulation of caecal microbiota.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The effect of B. subtilis on growth performance of broilers was evaluated and the relationship between growth and caecal microbiota was revealed. The results of this study help to promote application of probiotics in poultry industry.

Tandem overexpression of five human factors renders murine hepatocytes susceptible to hepatitis C virus

Development of mouse model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has great significance in drug screening and vaccine research. The barriers of interspecies transmission of HCV are increasingly better understood. Human factors, namely low-density lipoprotein receptor (hLDLR), CD81 (hCD81), scavenger receptor class B type I (hSCARB1), occludin (hOCLN) and claudin 1 (hCLDN1) are all required for rendering mouse hepatocytes permissive to HCV. With the aim to humanize mouse hepatocytes we constructed two recombinant vectors tandemly expressing the first three and the last two HCV entry factors mentioned above, respectively. Cotransfection of mouse hepatocytes with these vectors made them permissive to HCV binding and entry. Tandem overexpression of hLDLR, hSCARB1, hCD81, hCLDN1 and hOCLN is a novel approach to tailoring mouse hepatocytes to HCV binding and entry which can be further used to establish a mouse model of HCV infection as a basis for developing antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Combining Ability of Different Agronomic Traits and Yield Components in Hybrid Barley

Selection of parents based on their combining ability is an effective approach in hybrid breeding. In this study, eight maintainer lines and nine restorer lines were used to obtain 72 crosses for analyzing the general combining ability (GCA) and special combining ability (SCA) for seven agronomic and yield characters including plant height (PH), spike length excluding awns (SL), inter-node length (IL), spikes per plant (SP), thousand kernel weight (TKW), kernel weight per plant (KWP) and dry matter weight per plant (DWP). The results showed that GCA was significantly different among parents and SCA was also significantly different among crosses. The performance of hybrid was significantly correlated with the sum of female and male GCA (TGCA), SCA and heterosis. Hu1154 A, Mian684 A, 86F098 A, 8036 R and 8041 R were excellent parents with greater general combining ability. Five crosses, Hu1154 A×8032 R, Humai10 A×8040 R, Mian684 A×8037 R, Mian684 A×8041 R and 86F098 A×8037 R, showed superior heterosis for most characters.

Local renin-angiotensin system is associated with bone mineral density of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis patients

The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is closely related to bone metabolism. However, it is unknown whether the local RAS is related to bone mineral density (BMD) in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). Here, we revealed that the two main characteristics of GIOP might inhibit bone formation and enhance bone resorption.

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to assess the expression of the main RAS components in the trabecular bone of lumbar vertebrae in GIOP and analyze the relationship between the major RAS components and BMD.

METHODS

We collected 96 inpatient cases of lumbar disc herniation from patients who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry examinations followed by surgical treatment in our hospital. Patients were divided into the GIOP group (n = 48) and control group (n = 48). The circulating and local expression levels of the main RAS components were examined. The correlation between the main RAS components and BMD was then analyzed.

RESULTS

The mRNA expression of local bone angiotensin type 1 and 2 receptors (AT1R and AT2R, respectively) and RANKL was higher in the GIOP group compared with the control group (p < 0.001), but there was no difference in the circulating protein levels between groups (p > 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that AT1R and AT2R expression and the RANKL/OPG ratio in local bone were negatively associated with BMD (p < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) 1.236, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.207-1.333; p < 0.001, OR 1.971, 95% CI 1.809-2.233; and p < 0.001, OR 1.676, 95% CI 1.546-1.845, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence that the role of local RAS is related to BMD in GIOP patients, and suggests that local RAS might influence RANKL/OPG signaling to modulate bone metabolism.

Folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake, and risk of preeclampsia

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Folic acid supplementation has been suggested to reduce the risk of preeclampsia. However, results from few epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive. We investigated the hypothesis that folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake before conception and during pregnancy reduce the risk of preeclampsia.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

A birth cohort study was conducted in 2010-2012 at the Gansu Provincial Maternity & Child Care Hospital in Lanzhou, China. A total of 10,041 pregnant women without chronic hypertension or gestational hypertension were enrolled.

RESULTS

Compared with nonusers, folic acid supplement users had a reduced risk of preeclampsia (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.87). A significant dose-response of duration of use was observed among women who used folic acid supplemention during pregnancy only (P-trend=0.007). The reduced risk associated with folic acid supplement was similar for mild or severe preeclampsia and for early- or late-onset preeclampsia, although the statistical significant associations were only observed for mild (OR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.30-0.81) and late-onset (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.42-0.86) preeclampsia. The reduced risk associated with dietary folate intake during pregnancy was only seen for severe preeclampsia (OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.31-0.87, for the highest quartile of dietary folate intake compared with the lowest).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study results suggest that folic acid supplementation and higher dietary folate intake during pregnancy reduce the risk of preeclampsia. Future studies are needed to confirm the associations.

Association of the LRRK2 genetic polymorphisms with leprosy in Han Chinese from Southwest China

Leprosy is a chronic infectious and neurological disease that is caused by infection of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). A recent genome-wide association study indicated a suggestive association of LRRK2 genetic variant rs1873613 with leprosy in Chinese population. To validate this association and further identify potential causal variants of LRRK2 with leprosy, we genotyped 13 LRRK2 variants in 548 leprosy patients and 1078 healthy individuals from Yunnan Province and (re-)analyzed 3225 Han Chinese across China. Variants rs1427267, rs3761863, rs1873613, rs732374 and rs7298930 were significantly associated with leprosy per se and/or paucibacillary leprosy (PB). Haplotype A-G-A-C-A was significantly associated with leprosy per se (P=0.018) and PB (P=0.020). Overexpression of the protective allele (Thr2397) of rs3761863 in HEK293 cells led to a significantly increased nuclear factor of activated T-cells' activity compared with allele Met2397 after lipopolysaccharides stimulation. Allele Thr2397 could attenuate 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine-induced autophagic activity in U251 cells. These data suggest that the protective effect of LRRK2 variant p.M2397T on leprosy might be mediated by increasing immune response and decreasing neurotoxicity after M. leprae loading. Our findings confirm that LRRK2 is a susceptible gene to leprosy in Han Chinese population.

The DNA methylation-regulated miR-193a-3p dictates the multi-chemoresistance of bladder cancer via repression of SRSF2/PLAU/HIC2 expression

Chemoresistance hinders the curative cancer chemotherapy. To define the role of the DNA methylation-regulated microRNA (miR) genes in the chemoresistance of bladder cancer, we performed both DNA methylomic and miRomic analyses of a multi-chemosensitive (5637) versus a multi-chemoresistant (H-bc) cell line and found that miR-193a-3p is hypermethylated/silenced in 5637 and hypomethylated/expressed in H-bc cells. A forced reversal of its level turned around the chemoresistance in the cultured cells and the tumor xenografts in nude mice. Three of its targets: SRSF2, PLAU and HIC2, work in concert to relay the miR-193a-3p's impact on the bladder cancer chemoresistance by modulating the activities of the following five signaling pathways: DNA damage, Notch, NF-κB, Myc/Max, and Oxidative Stress. In addition to the mechanistic insights in how the newly identified miR-193a-3p/SRSF2,PLAU,HIC2/five signaling pathway axis regulates the chemoresistance of bladder cancer cells, our study provides a new set of diagnostic targets for the guided personalized chemotherapy of bladder cancer.

Knockdown of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A may sensitize NSCLC cells to cisplatin

Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is a recently identified human oncoprotein that can stabilize some proteins by inhibiting degradation mediated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and it increases the proliferation of several cancer cells. Recent studies have highlighted a potential role for CIP2A in promoting tumor progression and metastasis. However, whether CIP2A could increase chemoresistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin remains unclear. To determine whether CIP2A serves as a potential therapeutic target of human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we utilized small interference RNA (siRNA) to knock down CIP2A expression in human NSCLC cells and analyzed their phenotypic changes. The data demonstrated that CIP2A silencing led to decreased proliferation, impaired clonogenicity and enhanced chemosensitivity and apoptosis to cisplatin in human NSCLC cells, as well as reduced Akt phosphorylation. In addition, overexpression of CIP2A diminished NSCLC cell chemosensitivity to cisplatin by inducing activation of Akt pathway, suggesting critical roles of CIP2A in NSCLC cell chemoresistance to cisplatin and rasing the possibility of CIP2A inhibition as a promising approach for lung cancer therapy.