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BACKGROUND: Environmental temperature is critical in regulating biological functions in fish. S. prenanti is a kind of cold-water fish, but of which we have little knowledge about the metabolic adaptation and physiological responses to long-term cold acclimation. RESULTS: In this study, we determined the physiological responses of S. prenanti serum after 30 days of exposure to 6â. Compared with the control group, the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C in the serum were significantly (P < 0.05) increased, and the level of glucose was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased under cold acclimation. Cold acclimation had no effect on the gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors and anti-inflammatory factors of S. prenanti. Metabolomics analysis by LC-MS showed that a total of 60 differential expressed metabolites were identified after cold acclimation, which involved in biosynthesis of amino acids, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, steroid degradation, purine metabolism, and citrate cycle pathways. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that cold acclimation can alter serum metabolites and metabolic pathways to alter energy metabolism and provide insights for the physiological regulation of cold-water fish in response to cold acclimation.
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Aclimatación , Frío , Cyprinidae , Metaboloma , Metabolómica , Animales , Cyprinidae/metabolismo , Cyprinidae/fisiología , Cyprinidae/sangre , Cyprinidae/genéticaRESUMEN
Hu sheep (HS), a breed of sheep carrying the FecB mutation gene, is known for its "year-round estrus and multiple births" and is an ideal model for studying the high fecundity mechanisms of livestock. Through analyzing and comparing the genomic selection features of Hu sheep and other sheep breeds, we identified a series of candidate genes that may play a role in Hu sheep's high fecundity mechanisms. In this study, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on six breeds and screened key mutations significantly correlated with high reproductive traits in sheep. Notably, the CC2D1B gene was selected by the fixation index (FST) and the cross-population composite likelihood ratio (XP-CLR) methods in HS and other five breeds. It was worth noting that the CC2D1B gene in HS was different from that in other sheep breeds, and seven missense mutations have been identified. Furthermore, the linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed a strong linkage disequilibrium in this specific gene region. Subsequently, by performing different grouping based on FecB genotypes in Hu sheep, genome-wide selective signal analysis screened several genes related to reproduction, such as BMPR1B and PPM1K. Besides, FST analysis identified functional genes related to reproductive traits, including RHEB, HSPA2, PPP1CC, HVCN1, and CCDC63. Additionally, a missense mutation was found in the CCDC63 gene and the haplotype was different between the high reproduction (HR) group and low reproduction (LR) group in HS. In summary, we discovered genetic differentiation among six distinct breeding sheep breeds at the whole genome level. Additionally, we identified a set of genes which were associated with reproductive performance in Hu sheep and visualized how these genes differed in different breeds. These findings laid a theoretical foundation for understanding genetic mechanisms behind high prolific traits in sheep.
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Tamaño de la Camada , Secuenciación Completa del Genoma , Animales , Tamaño de la Camada/genética , Ovinos/genética , Selección Genética , Desequilibrio de Ligamiento , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Cruzamiento , Femenino , Fertilidad/genética , Reproducción/genéticaRESUMEN
Biothiols play essential roles in maintaining normal physiological functions, resisting oxidative stress, and protecting cell health. Establishing an effective and reliable sensor array for the accurate quantification and discrimination of diverse biothiols is extremely meaningful. In this work, Ag/Mn3O4, Ag3PO4, and Ag3Cit with excellent oxidase-mimetic activity and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-enhanced features have been prepared and loaded onto Whatman filter paper (WFP) to build SERS paper chips as three sensing channels, which can induce 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation to SERS-active reporters (TMBox) and concurrently generate prominent SERS signals. Nevertheless, the addition of biothiols can suppress conversion from TMB to TMBox, which can cause the reduction of the SERS signal from TMBox. Interestingly, each SERS sensing channel can generate different TMBox signals' variations due to differences in the oxidative inhibition abilities of diverse biothiols and exclusive properties of each paper chip, which can be plotted as specific fingerprint patterns of each biothiol and further translated into intuitive two-dimensional (2D) clustering profiles through linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) techniques for precise identification of these six biothiols with the minimum concentration of 1 µM. More importantly, this SERS sensor array is exploited for the precise quantification of intracellular glutathione (GSH), and can differentiate between normal and cancer cells based on different intracellular GSH contents and even identify different types of tumor cells, demonstrating its powerful application prospects in disease diagnosis.
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Papel , Plata , Espectrometría Raman , Compuestos de Sulfhidrilo , Espectrometría Raman/métodos , Humanos , Compuestos de Sulfhidrilo/análisis , Compuestos de Sulfhidrilo/química , Plata/química , Nanopartículas del Metal/química , Propiedades de Superficie , Nanoestructuras/química , Oxidación-Reducción , Bencidinas/química , Línea Celular TumoralRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Somatic variants in the ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8) gene are the most common genetic cause of Cushing disease. We aimed to explore the relationship between clinical outcomes and USP8 status in a single centre. DESIGN, PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: We investigated the USP8 status in 48 patients with pituitary corticotroph tumours. A median of 62 months of follow-up was conducted after surgery from November 2013 to January 2015. The clinical, biochemical and imaging features were collected and analysed. RESULTS: Seven USP8 variants (p.Ser718Pro, p.Ser719del, p.Pro720Arg, p.Pro720Gln, p.Ser718del, p.Ser718Phe, p.Lys713Arg) were identified in 24 patients (50%). USP8 variants showed a female predominance (100% vs. 75% in wild type [WT], p = .022). Patients with p.Ser719del showed an older age at surgery compared to patients with the p.Pro720Arg variant (47- vs. 24-year-olds, p = .033). Patients with p.Pro720Arg showed a higher rate of macroadenoma compared to patients harbouring the p.Ser718Pro variant (60% vs. 0%, p = .037). No significant differences were observed in serum and urinary cortisol and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) levels. Immediate surgical remission (79% vs. 75%) and long-term hormone remission (79% vs. 67%) were not significantly different between the two groups. The recurrence rate was 21% (4/19) in patients harbouring USP8 variants and 13% (2/16) in WT patients. Recurrence-free survival presented a tendency to be shorter in USP8-mutated individuals (76.7 vs. 109.2 months, p = .068). CONCLUSIONS: Somatic USP8 variants accounted for 50% of the genetic causes in this cohort with a significant female frequency. A long-term follow-up revealed a tendency toward shorter recurrence-free survival in USP8-mutant patients.
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Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de ACTH , Endopeptidasas , Complejos de Clasificación Endosomal Requeridos para el Transporte , Tumores Neuroendocrinos , Ubiquitina Tiolesterasa , Humanos , Ubiquitina Tiolesterasa/genética , Femenino , Masculino , Complejos de Clasificación Endosomal Requeridos para el Transporte/genética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto , Pronóstico , Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de ACTH/genética , Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de ACTH/patología , Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de ACTH/cirugía , Endopeptidasas/genética , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/genética , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/patología , Mutación , Adulto Joven , Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica/sangre , Anciano , AdolescenteRESUMEN
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production owing to the utilization of sustainable solar energy and its promising performance. Silicon-based composites are generally considered ideal materials for PEC hydrogen production. However, slow reaction kinetics and poor stability are still key factors hindering the development of silicon-based photoelectrocatalysts. Herein, we present an n+-p Si pyramidal photocathode assembly method to load reduced graphene oxide (rGO) onto the surface of the n+-p Si pyramid by covalently linking (Si/rGO). rGO is utilized as a conductive layer to reduce the interfacial charge-transfer resistance. Then, MoS2 can be successfully electrodeposited on the surface of Si/rGO to form the Si/rGO/MoS2 composite, which possesses excellent PEC hydrogen evolution performance with a high and stable photocurrent of -41.6 mA cm-2 and a hydrogen evolution rate of about 18.1 µmol min-1 cm-2 under 0 V (vs RHE). The covalently linking rGO layer effectively enhances the transfer of photogenerated carriers between the Si substrate and MoS2. MoS2 provides abundant hydrogen evolution active sites, which accelerate the surface reaction kinetics, as well as a protective layer for the Si pyramidal array structure. This work provides a low-cost, convenient, and efficient way of preparing silicon-based photocathodes.
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KEY MESSAGE: AcEXPA1, an aluminum (Al)-inducible expansin gene, is demonstrated to be involved in carpetgrass (Axonopus compressus) root elongation under Al toxicity through analyzing composite carpetgrass plants overexpressing AcEXPA1. Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major mineral toxicity that limits plant productivity in acidic soils by inhibiting root growth. Carpetgrass (Axonopus compressus), a dominant warm-season turfgrass widely grown in acidic tropical soils, exhibits superior adaptability to Al toxicity. However, the mechanisms underlying its Al tolerance are largely unclear, and knowledge of the functional genes involved in Al detoxification in this turfgrass is limited. In this study, phenotypic variation in Al tolerance, as indicated by relative root elongation, was observed among seventeen carpetgrass genotypes. Al-responsive genes related to cell wall modification were identified in the roots of the Al-tolerant genotype 'A58' via transcriptome analysis. Among them, a gene encoding α-expansin was cloned and designated AcEXPA1 for functional characterization. Observed Al dose effects and temporal responses revealed that Al induced AcEXPA1 expression in carpetgrass roots. Subsequently, an efficient and convenient Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation method was established to generate composite carpetgrass plants with transgenic hairy roots for investigating AcEXPA1 involvement in carpetgrass root growth under Al toxicity. AcEXPA1 was successfully overexpressed in the transgenic hairy roots, and AcEXPA1 overexpression enhanced Al tolerance in composite carpetgrass plants through a decrease in Al-induced root growth inhibition. Taken together, these findings suggest that AcEXPA1 contributes to Al tolerance in carpetgrass via root growth regulation.
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Aluminio , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , Proteínas de Plantas , Raíces de Plantas , Plantas Modificadas Genéticamente , Aluminio/toxicidad , Raíces de Plantas/genética , Raíces de Plantas/crecimiento & desarrollo , Raíces de Plantas/efectos de los fármacos , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas/efectos de los fármacos , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Adaptación Fisiológica/genética , Adaptación Fisiológica/efectos de los fármacos , Poaceae/genética , Poaceae/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at evaluating the effects of online and offline hybrid weight management approach based on the Fogg behavior model on total gestational weight gain and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Pregnant women in Hainan, the southernmost province of China, were recruited into a randomized controlled trial, which was designed to develop a WeChat platform for pregnancy weight management, and implement individualized and continuous pregnancy weight management services for pregnant women under the guidance of the Fogg behavior model. All pregnant women participating in the study were included in the full analysis set (FAS) for analysis. The pregnant women who completed the intervention and provided all outcome indicators were included in the per protocol set (PPS) for outcome evaluation. RESULTS: Fifty-eight pregnant women were included in FAS analysis, and 52 pregnant women were finally included in PPS analysis. There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between the two groups at baseline. The gestational weight gain of the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). In the control group, the rate of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy was 48.26%, the rate of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy was 93.30% in the intervention group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). In the delivery outcomes, the cesarean section rate in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus and gestational hypertension in the intervention group was lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The neonatal weight and incidence of macrosomia of the intervention group were lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study combined the individualized and continuous pregnancy weight management of the online WeChat platform and offline consultation based on the Fogg behavior model, showing great potential in improving maternal and infant outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx , Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200066707, 2022-12-14, retrospectively registered).
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Ganancia de Peso Gestacional , Complicaciones del Embarazo , Humanos , Femenino , Embarazo , China , Adulto , Proyectos Piloto , Complicaciones del Embarazo/terapia , Resultado del Embarazo/epidemiología , Atención Prenatal/métodosRESUMEN
A fluorescent multichannel sensor array has been established based on three carbon dots derived from Tibetan medicine waste for rapid quantification and discrimination of six heavy metal ions. Due to the chelation between metal ions and carbon dots (CDs), this fluorescence "turn off" mode sensing array can quantify six metal ions as low as "µM" level. Moreover, the six heavy metal ions display varying quenching effects on these three CDs owing to diverse chelating abilities between each other, producing differential fluorescent signals for three sensing channels, which can be plotted as specific fingerprints and converted into intuitive identification profiles via principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) technologies to accurately distinguish Cu2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Ag+, Ce4+, and Ni2+ with the minimum differentiated concentration of 5 µM. Valuably, this sensing array unveils good sensitivity, exceptional selectivity, ideal stability, and excellent anti-interference ability for both mixed standards and actual samples. Our contribution provides a novel approach for simultaneous determination of multiple heavy metal ions in environmental samples, and it will inspire the development of other advanced optical sensing array for simultaneous quantification and discrimination of multiple targets.
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Domestic animals have multiple phenotypes of skin and coat color, which arise from different genes and their products, such as proteins and metabolites responsible with melanin deposition. However, the complex regulatory network of melanin synthesis remains to be fully unraveled. Here, the skin and tongue tissues of Liangshan black sheep (black group) and Liangshan semi-fine-wool sheep (pink group) were collected, stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson-Fontana, and the transcriptomic and metabolomic data were further analyzed. We found a large deposit of melanin granules in the epidermis of the black skin and tongue. Transcriptome and metabolome analysis identified 744 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 443 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) between the pink and black groups. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed the DEGs and DEMs were mainly enriched in the pathways of secondary metabolic processes, melanin biosynthesis processes, melanin metabolism processes, melanosome membranes, pigment granule membranes, melanosome, tyrosine metabolism, and melanogenesis. Notably, we revealed the gene ENSARG00020006042 may be a family member of YWHAs and involved in regulating melanin deposition. Furthermore, several essential genes (TYR, TYRP1, DCT, PMEL, MLANA, SLC45A2) were significantly associated with metabolite prostaglandins and compounds involved in sheep pigmentation. These findings provide new evidence of the strong correlation between prostaglandins and related compounds and key genes that regulate sheep melanin synthesis, furthering our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms and molecular breeding of pigmentation in sheep.
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Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Melaninas , Pigmentación , Transcriptoma , Animales , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Melaninas/metabolismo , Melaninas/biosíntesis , Metaboloma , Metabolómica/métodos , Pigmentación/genética , Ovinos/genética , Ovinos/metabolismoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Hypothalamic dysfunction is characterized by complex aetiologies, multiple forms of onset and various clinical symptoms. This study aims to explore the clinical and metabolic characteristics of hypothalamic dysfunction in Chinese children and adolescents. DESIGN: This study is a single-centre, retrospective study that covers patients from 1989 to 2019. PATIENTS: We included 40 children and adolescents with hypothalamic dysfunction from our medical centre in Beijing, China. RESULTS: Intracranial tumour (37.5%) was the most common aetiology of children and adolescents with hypothalamic dysfunction, especially germ cell tumours, hypopituitarism (82.5%), weight gain (72.5%) and central diabetes insipidus (70.0%) were the most common symptoms in these patients. Furthermore, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, uric acid, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly higher in hypothalamic dysfunction patients than sex- and age-matched controls and sex, age and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls (all p < 0.05). However, albumin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower (p< 0.05). Moreover, 95% (38/40) of the patients had metabolic diseases. In addition, the incidence of dyslipidaemia and hyperuricemia in children and adolescents with hypothalamic dysfunction was significantly higher than both sex- and age-matched controls and sex-, age- and BMI-matched controls (both p < 0.05) as well. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial tumour was the most common aetiology in children and adolescents with hypothalamic dysfunction. In addition, these patients presented a worse metabolic profile on average than healthy patients.
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Colesterol , Niño , Humanos , Adolescente , Estudios Retrospectivos , China/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
In this Letter, a broadband and wide-angle linear polarization (LP) converter based on a 3D resonator for cross-polarization conversion (CPC) is presented. The designed structure performs a CPC with a polarization conversion ratio (PCR) of more than 90% in the frequency range 16.32 to 34.12â GHz, corresponding to a relative frequency bandwidth of 70.6%. Moreover, the presented structure possesses broad angle stability and miniaturized configuration. The efficiency of CPC remains over 90% in the operational frequency band with the incident angles up to 40°, and the cell size is 0.18λ for the lowest frequency of the CPC operational band. The proposed 3D structure is fabricated using the multi-material hybrid microdroplet jetting modeling (MHMJM) technique, and the experiments agree closely with the simulated results. Compared with traditional polarization converters based on a planar resonant structure, the proposed design shows excellent bandwidth, wide-angle performance, and miniaturization advantages.
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Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important component of energy expenditure and necessary to maintain body temperature for newborn mammals. In the previous study, we found that L-carnitine was enriched in BAT and promoted BAT adipogenesis and thermogenesis in goat brown adipocytes. However, whether dietary L-carnitine regulates BAT heat production and energy expenditure in lambs remains unclear. In this study, maternal L-carnitine supplementation elevated the rectal temperature, as well as the expression of UCP1 and mitochondrial DNA content to promote BAT thermogenesis in newborn goats. Moreover, maternal L-carnitine supplementation increased the levels of triglycerides (TG), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and lactate in plasma, as well as the content of lipid droplet and glycogen in BAT of newborn goats. Lipidomic analysis showed that maternal L-carnitine supplementation remodeled the lipid composition of BAT in newborn goats. L-carnitine significantly increased the levels of TG and diglyceride (DG) and decreased the levels of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids in BAT. Further studies showed that L-carnitine promoted TG and glycogen deposition in brown adipocytes through AMPKα. Our results indicate that maternal L-carnitine supplementation promotes BAT development and thermogenesis in newborn goats and provides new evidence for newborn goats to maintain body temperature in response to cold exposure.
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Tejido Adiposo Pardo , Carnitina , Tejido Adiposo Pardo/metabolismo , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos , Carnitina/metabolismo , Carnitina/farmacología , Frío , Suplementos Dietéticos , Metabolismo Energético , Glucógeno/metabolismo , Cabras/metabolismo , Ovinos , Termogénesis/fisiología , Triglicéridos/metabolismo , Proteína Desacopladora 1/genética , Proteína Desacopladora 1/metabolismoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Somatotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) are characterized by complex and variable biological behaviours with unpredictable patterns of growth and invasiveness. The molecular mechanisms and reliable predictors of biological markers of invasiveness remain unknown. METHODS: Seventy-two acromegaly patients were consecutively enrolled. Data-independent acquisition-based proteomics and ingenuity pathway analysis were conducted between invasive and noninvasive somatotroph PitNETs. The expression of selected biomarkers was verified in PitNET tissue, and its correlation with various clinical indicators and outcomes of these tumours was assessed. The invasive phenotypes of GH3 cells were validated in vitro. RESULTS: Patients with invasive somatotroph PitNETs were significantly younger at onset and diagnosis, with significantly higher secretion and faster growth and a lower long-term biochemical response rate than patients with noninvasive somatotroph PitNETs. Proteomic data were evaluated in a consecutively collected sample of 19 (10 invasive and 9 noninvasive somatotroph PitNETs) tumours and indicated a distinct proteomic pattern. The enriched and important pathways included IL-4, PDGF, PTEN, VEGF, PI3K/AKT, FAK, and other pathways that were significantly associated with tumour proliferation, migration, and invasion. High cathepsin Z (CTSZ) expression was found in invasive somatotroph PitNETs and significantly positively correlated with parameters of tumour invasion and growth. In Ctsz-overexpressing GH3 cells, cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were consequently increased. CONCLUSION: It is more difficult for patients with invasive somatotroph PitNETs to achieve remission than those with noninvasive somatotroph PitNETs, and proteomic data analysis has revealed the high expression of CTSZ as a contributing factor to invasive transformation and poor prognosis in somatotroph PitNETs for the first time.
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Tumores Neuroendocrinos , Neoplasias Hipofisarias , Somatotrofos , Humanos , Somatotrofos/metabolismo , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinasas/metabolismo , Proteómica , Neoplasias Hipofisarias/patología , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/patologíaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic hypothalamic dysfunction (IHD) is a rare syndrome with heterogeneous clinical symptoms. This study aimed to systematically review the clinical features and potential treatment of IHD based on our case series and literature. METHODS: We analysed six recently diagnosed cases of IHD in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and conducted a systematic review of IHD case studies published before August 25, 2021, using the PubMed/Medline database. All 12 articles that met the definition of IHD and provided individual clinical data were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 19 cases reviewed (13 from the literature and 6 from our centre), the median age at onset was 6 years. Obesity/weight gain (n = 14, 73.7%) and electrolyte abnormalities (n = 14, 73.7%) were the most common hypothalamic physiological dysfunction, followed by autonomic dysregulation (n = 13, 68.4%) and adipsia (n = 13, 68.4%). The most common initial symptom of young patients was obesity/weight gain, whereas the initial symptoms of the three adult patients were hypothalamic amenorrhoea, delayed sexual development, and polydipsia. 11 (57.9%) patients had obesity, and three of our patients were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome in late adolescence or early adulthood. Three of our cases diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency received growth hormone therapy, which exerted positive effects on growth promotion and weight stabilization. CONCLUSION: Although obesity/weight gain was the most common symptom of IHD, uncommon initial symptoms such as electrolyte abnormalities and sexual disorders also require attention, especially in patients with late childhood- or adult-onset IHD. Consistent monitoring of metabolic profiles is recommended. Positive effects of growth hormone replacement therapy on growth and weight were observed, but more extensive cohort studies are required to confirm its efficacy and safety.
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Enfermedades Hipotalámicas , Obesidad , Adulto , Adolescente , Humanos , Niño , Aumento de Peso , Enfermedades Hipotalámicas/diagnóstico , Hormona del Crecimiento , ElectrólitosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in acromegaly is uncommon and still in debate for fear of tumor progression or potential threat to both mother and fetus's health. Besides, the data for pregnancy complications in uncontrolled acromegaly is limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to summarize pregnancy safety and disease courses after pregnancy in acromegalic patients and review their clinical characteristics based on disease activity in the literature. METHODS: An evaluation of eight acromegalic women from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) with 11 pregnancies was conducted. We also summarized a literature review of 82 disease-active pregnancies and 63 disease-controlled pregnancies with acromegaly. A second analysis was conducted to compare pregnancy courses and outcomes in different disease activities. RESULTS: Before pregnancy, all patients had macroadenomas and underwent pituitary surgery. Pregnancy occurred at a median of 6 years (4-10) after the diagnosis of acromegaly. Assisted reproductive therapy was needed in 42.9% of participants. No cases had a premature birth or congenital malformations. Biochemical control was achieved in 50% of females before pregnancy and 75% at the last follow-up after delivery. Data analysis showed no differences in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) between acromegaly-active or acromegaly-controlled groups. The GDM prevalence in patients diagnosed during pregnancy (33.3%) was higher than that in patients diagnosed before pregnancy (4.8%) (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy without biochemical control in acromegaly and receiving medical treatment during pregnancy are not rare and generally safe for the fetus. There could be a higher prevalence of PIH in acromegalic pregnancies. The treatment of acromegaly and related complications can be managed with regular follow-up after pregnancy.
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Acromegalia , Diabetes Gestacional , Embarazo , Humanos , Femenino , Lactante , Acromegalia/complicaciones , Acromegalia/epidemiología , China/epidemiología , Familia , Análisis de Datos , Diabetes Gestacional/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are a persistent threat facing civilians and military personnel across the modern geopolitical landscape. The development of the next generation of protective and sensing materials stands to benefit from an improved fundamental understanding of the interaction of CWA molecules with the active components of such candidate materials. The use of model systems in well-controlled environments offers a route to glean such information and has been applied here to investigate the fundamental interaction of a nerve agent simulant molecule, dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), with a small cluster model of a single atom catalyst (SAC) active site. The cluster models, Pt1Zr2O7, were prepared by depositing mass-selected cluster anions synthesized in the gas phase onto a 100 K highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate surface prepared in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) at sub-monolayer coverage. Upon deposition, the cluster anions lost their charge to the electrically conductive surface to yield free-standing neutral clusters. The HOPG-supported clusters were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the oxidation states and chemical environment of the metal atoms present within the clusters. The reactivity of the clusters with DMMP was investigated via temperature-programmed desorption/reaction (TPD/R) and XPS experiments in which the clusters were exposed to DMMP and incrementally heated to higher temperatures. In contrast to two other HOPG-supported clusters, (ZrO2)3 and Pt1Ti2O7, recently investigated in our laboratory, Pt1Zr2O7 decomposed DMMP to primarily evolve a methane species, which was completely absent for the other clusters.
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PURPOSE: Acromegalic patients with giant growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas (GHPAs) (≥ 40 mm) are relatively rare, and their clinical characteristics and treatment outcome data are limited. This study aims to analyze the clinical practice experience of giant GHPAs. METHODS: Sixty-seven acromegalic patients with giant GHPAs and 67 patients with macro GHPAs (10-39 mm), matched for age and gender from the same hospital during the same period, were retrospectively recruited. The clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Enlargement of the extremities and facial features were the most common symptoms in most patients (92.5%). Compared with the macroadenoma group, more frequent visual impairment (86.6% vs. 25.4%, P < 0.001) and gonadal axis dysfunction (49.3% vs. 34.3%, P = 0.008), higher preoperative fasting GH, nadir GH after OGTT and IGF-1 levels, and a higher proportion of extrasellar tumor invasion were seen in the giant adenoma group. As the adenoma size increases, the total resection rate decreases, and postoperative complications and multimodal treatment strategies increase significantly. Fasting and nadir GH levels remained higher at 1 week postoperatively, and there were more surgical complications and cases of anterior hypopituitarism in the giant group. After a median follow-up of 36 months, 12 patients (36.4%) in the giant GHPA group and 17 (36.2%) in the macro GHPA group achieved biochemical remission. Other factors such as age of onset, age of diagnosis, delayed diagnosis time, metabolic complications, p53 positive rate, and Ki-67 index showed no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: With aggressive multimodal therapy, the biochemical remission rate of acromegalic patients with giant GHPAs is comparable to that of patients with macro adenoma. However, postoperative complications and hypopituitarism need to be closely monitored.
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Acromegalia , Adenoma , Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de Hormona del Crecimiento , Hipopituitarismo , Neoplasias Hipofisarias , Humanos , Adenoma Hipofisario Secretor de Hormona del Crecimiento/patología , Acromegalia/tratamiento farmacológico , Estudios Retrospectivos , Adenoma/complicaciones , Adenoma/cirugía , Adenoma/metabolismo , Resultado del Tratamiento , Complicaciones Posoperatorias , Neoplasias Hipofisarias/metabolismo , Factor I del Crecimiento Similar a la InsulinaRESUMEN
KEY MESSAGE: A highly efficient transformation procedure to generate transgenic Stylosanthes roots was established. SgEXPB1 is involved in Stylosanthes root growth under phosphorus deficiency. Stylo (Stylosanthes spp.) is an important forage legume widely applied in agricultural systems in the tropics. Due to the recalcitrance of stylo genetic transformation, functional characterization of candidate genes involved in stylo root growth is limited. This study established an efficient procedure for Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation for generating transgenic composite plants of S. guianensis cultivar 'Reyan No. 5'. Results showed that composite stylo plants with transgenic hairy roots were efficiently generated by A. rhizogenes strains K599 and Arqual, infecting the residual hypocotyl at 1.0 cm of length below the cotyledon leaves of 9-d-old seedlings, leading to a high transformation efficiency of > 95% based on histochemical ß-glucuronidase (GUS) staining. Notably, 100% of GUS staining-positive hairy roots can be achieved per composite stylo plant. Subsequently, SgEXPB1, a ß-expansin gene up-regulated by phosphorus (P) deficiency in stylo roots, was successfully overexpressed in hairy roots. Analysis of hairy roots showed that root growth and P concentration in the transgenic composite plants were increased by SgEXPB1 overexpression under low-P treatment. Taken together, a highly efficient A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation procedure for generating composite stylo plants was established to study the function of SgEXPB1, revealing that this gene is involved in stylo root growth during P deficiency.
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Fabaceae , Fósforo , Plantas Modificadas Genéticamente/genética , Fósforo/farmacología , Fabaceae/genética , Genes de Plantas , Hojas de la Planta/genética , Raíces de Plantas , Transformación GenéticaRESUMEN
Gene trap locus 2 (GTL2), a long non-coding paternal imprinting gene, participates in various biological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, by regulating the transcription of target mRNA, which is tightly related to the growth of the organic and maintenance of function. In this study, DNA methylation patterns of CpG islands (CGI) of GTL2 were explored, and its expression level was quantified in six tissues, rumen epithelium cells, and skeletal muscle cells in goats. GTL2 expression levels were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and the methylation model was confirmed by bisulfite-sequencing PCR (BSP). CGI methylation of GTL2 indicated a moderate methylation (ranging from 81.42 to 86.83%) in the brain, heart, liver, kidney, lung, and longissimus dorsi. GTL2 is most highly expressed in brain tissues, but there is no significant difference in the other five tissues. In addition, in the rumen epithelium cell proliferation, GTL2 expression was highest at 60 h, followed by 72 h, and almost unchanged at 12-48 h. In the skeletal muscle cell differentiation, GTL2 expression was highest at 0 and 24 h, significantly decreasing at 72 and 128 h. Pearson correlation analysis did not indicate a clear relationship between methylation and GTL2 expression levels, suggesting that other regulatory factors may modulate GTL2 expression. This study will provide a better understanding of the expression regulation mechanism of genes in the delta-like homolog 1 gene (DLK1)-GTL2 domain.
Asunto(s)
Metilación de ADN , ARN Largo no Codificante , Animales , Metilación de ADN/genética , Impresión Genómica , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intercelular , Cabras/genéticaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To explore and analyze the clinical efficacy of a stepwise decompression technique in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) caused by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD). METHODS: A total of 918 patients with TN admitted to our hospital from June 2015 to May 2020 were divided into the VBD group (n = 61) and the conventional group (n = 857). The VBD group underwent stepwise decompression, while the conventional group received traditional microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery. Patients associated with the VBD were divided into direct compression (n = 14) and indirect compression group (n = 47) who had compression by other vessels in the presence of the VBD. Thereafter, the clinical data, intraoperative findings, efficacy, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: The curative ratio, efficacy, and recurrence rate for the VBD and conventional group were 83.6% and 89.6%, 93.4% and 95.3%, and 8.2% and 5.3%, respectively. The curative ratio, efficacy, and recurrence rate for the direct compression and indirect compression group were 85.7% and 83.0%, 92.9% and 93.6%, and 7.1% and 8.5%, separately. There were no significant differences in the curative ratio, efficacy, recurrence rate, and the incidence of complications between the two series (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: For TN caused by VBD, stepwise decompression not only reduces the direct compression of the trigeminal nerve by VBA but also allows identification and decompression of the actual vessels responsible for the compression. It has a good curative ratio, efficacy, and long-term pain relief rate, and it does not significantly increase the incidences of complications after surgery.