The psychology of pandemic policy support: unraveling the complex interplay of personal values and value congruence across 20 European countries.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the roles of personal values and value congruence-the alignment between individual and national values-in predicting public support for pandemic restrictions across 20 European countries. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We analyzed multinational European survey data (N = 34,356) using Schwartz's values theory and person-environment fit theory. Multilevel polynomial regression was employed to assess the linear and curvilinear effects of personal values on policy support. Multilevel Euclidean similarity analysis and response surface analysis were conducted to evaluate the impact of value congruence and delineate nuanced congruence patterns. RESULTS: Findings revealed that extreme levels of security, conformity, stimulation, hedonism, and achievement values were associated with decreased policy support. Value congruence with security, conformity, and benevolence increased support, while congruence with stimulation, hedonism, and achievement reduced it. High congruence between personal and national social focus values significantly boosted policy support. Extreme mismatches in self-direction values amplified support. Societal power exceeding personal power also increased support. Matched levels of hedonism motivated greater support, while stimulation and achievement value (in)congruence showed little impact. CONCLUSIONS: We highlight the differential effects of personal values and value congruence on public attitudes toward pandemic restrictions. The findings underscore the importance of considering the interplay between individual and societal values when designing and implementing effective pandemic response strategies.

[Y-box-binding protein 1 mediates sorafenib resistance via the extracellular signal regulated-protein kinase pathway in hepatoma cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of Y-box-binding protein 1 (YB-1) on sorafenib resistance in hepatoma cells. Methods: Lentiviral vectors with YB-1 overexpression and knockdown were constructed, respectively, to stimulate human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and Huh7) alone or in combination with sorafenib.The overexpression part of the experiment was divided into four groups: overexpression control group (Lv-NC), YB-1 overexpression group (Lv-YB-1), overexpression control combined with sorafenib resistance group (Lv-NC+sorafenib), YB-1 overexpression combined with sorafenib resistance group (Lv-YB-1 + sorafenib). The knockdown part of the experiment was also divided into four groups: knockdown control group (Lv-shNC), YB-1 knockdown group (Lv-shYB-1), knockdown control combined with sorafenib resistance group (Lv-shNC + sorafenib), YB-1 knockdown combined with sorafenib resistance group (Lv-shYB-1 + sorafenib). The occurrence of cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL. The protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-ERK and ERK, key proteins in the extracellular regulatory protein kinase (ERK) signaling pathway, were detected by Western blot and quantified by ImageJ software. Subcutaneous tumorigenesis experiments were performed in nude mice. The effect of YB-1 on the efficacy of sorafenib was verified in vivo. The comparison between the two sets of data was carried out by an independent sample t-test. One-way ANOVA was used for comparisons between the three groups of data above. Results: Sorafenib had accelerated the occurrence of apoptosis in hepatoma cells, while YB-1 overexpression had inhibited cell apoptosis, and at the same time also inhibited the apoptosis-accelerating impact of sorafenib. On the contrary, YB-1 knockdown accelerated cell apoptosis and amplified the induction effect of sorafenib on apoptosis. Furthermore, sorafenib resistance had down-regulated p-ERK levels (HepG2: Lv-NC 0.685 ± 0.143, Lv-NC + sorafenib 0.315 ± 0.168, P < 0.05; Huh7: Lv-NC 0.576 ± 0.078, Lv-NC + sorafenib 0.150 ± 0.131, P < 0.01), whereas YB-1 overexpression had inhibited sorafenib resistance p-ERK reduction (HepG2: Lv-NC + sorafenib 0.315 ± 0.168, Lv-YB-1 + sorafenib 0.688 ± 0.042, P < 0.05; Huh7: Lv-NC + sorafenib 0.150 ± 0.131, Lv-YB-1 + sorafenib 0.553 ± 0.041, P < 0.05). YB-1 knockdown further increased sorafenib-induced p-ERK downregulation (HepG2: Lv-shNC + sorafenib 0.911 ± 0.252, Lv-shYB-1 + sorafenib 0.500 ± 0.201, P < 0.05; Huh7: Lv-shNC + sorafenib 0.577 ± 0.082, Lv-shYB-1 + sorafenib 0.350 ± 0.143, P < 0.05), which was further verified in naked mice (Lv-shNC + sorafenib 0.812 ± 0.279, Lv-shYB-1 + sorafenib 0.352 ± 0.109, P < 0.05). Conclusion: YB-1 mediates the occurrence of sorafenib resistance via the ERK signaling pathway in hepatoma cells.

[Analysis the influence factors of treatment free remission outcome with chronic myeloid leukemia patients who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors].

Objective: To explore the related factors affecting the outcome of treatment free remission (TFR) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Methods: Clinical data of CML patients with automatic discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) from the CML cooperative organization of Henan province between June 2, 2013 to March 27, 2021 and the follow-up time was ≥ 6 months were retrospectively analyzed. Log-rank test was used for univariate analysis and Cox proportional risk regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 135 patients were enrolled, and 69 patients (51.1%) were femal and 66 patients (48.9%)were male. Median age was[M(Q1,Q3)] 49 years (38, 58)at discontinuation.Before discontinuation, 72 patients (53.3%) were on treatment with second-generation TKI, 63 patients (46.7%) were on treatment with IM, 17patients (12.6%) had a history of TKI reduction/withdrawal;median duration of treatment was months 84 (68, 108) for all patients;median time of TKI treatment to DMR was months 12(8, 26);median duration of DMR was months 65 (54, 84), and 9 patients (6.7%) had unsustained DMR.The median follow-up time was months 16(6-96), 35 patients (25.9%) lost MMR at a median months 3(1-22), overall estimated TFR was 74.1%.The univariate analysis results showed that:second-generation TKI was used, the time of TKI treatment to DMR was ≤12 months, DMR duration time ≥48 months, had sustained DMR, without TKI reduction/withdrawal history were favorable factors affecting of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation (all P<0.05).The TFR rate of the second-generation TKI therapy group was significantly higher than the IM therapy group (81.9% vs 65.1%, P=0.019).The multivariate analysis results showed that second-generation TKI treatment[RR=0.451, 95%CI (0.227-0.896), P=0.023] and had sustained DMR [RR=0.120, 95%CI (0.053-0.271), P<0.001] were the protective factors of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation. Conclusions: Treated with second-generation TKI and had sustained DMR are the protective factors of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation.The CML patients who had sustained DMR more≥48 months before TKI discontinuation showed a better TFR.

[Application of pancreaticojejunostomy with pancreatic duct binding external drainage in laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy].

Objective: To examine the effect of pancreaticojejunostomy with pancreatic duct binding external drainage in laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy. Methods: The data of 21 patients who underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy in the same treatment group from January 2017 to October 2019 in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University were analyzed retrospectively.All patients underwent pancreaticojejunostomy with external drainage of pancreatic ducts.There were 12 males and 9 females, aged (63.1±8.1)years old (range: 46 to 77 years old), body mass index (24.8±3.2)kg/m(2)(range: 18.8 to 29.1 kg/m(2)).There were 3 cases of hypertension, 5 cases of diabetes, 3 cases of hypertension and diabetes, 3 cases of liver cirrhosis. Results: Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy was successfully performed in all 21 patients.The operation time was (359.3±71.0)minutes, the pancreaticojejunostomy time was (23.8±7.4)minutes, the diameter of pancreatic duct was(3.3±0.6)mm, the intraoperative blood loss was (247.6±90.1)ml, the postoperative hospital stay was(13.7±4.9)days, the leakage of B-level fistula occurred in 1 case(4.8%), and there was no C-level pancreatic fistula.There were 3 cases of bile leakage, 1 case of incision infection, 2 cases of gastroparesis, 1 case of hydrops abdominis, no death and secondary operation. Conclusion: It is a simple and easy method of pancreatoenterostomy with pancreatic duct binding external drainage, which can reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula and related complications after laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy for patients with high risk pancreatic fistula.

[Risk factors of postoperative acute kidney injury and the impact on outcome in non-senile patients undergoing cardiac valvular surgery].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients aged between 40 and 50 years old undergoing cardiac valvular surgery and the impact on outcome. Methods: The clinical data of 286 patients aged between 40 and 50 years old undergoing cardiac valve surgery in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Preoperative coronary angiography was performed in all patients. All patients enrolled were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group according to the existence or not of postoperative AKI. Patients with AKI were further divided into AKI stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 groups according to KDIGO guideline. Demographic characteristics, preoperative clinical data including serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin, uric acid, urinary protein, presence or absence of chronic kidney disease, left ventricular ejection fraction, pulmonary artery pressure, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, preoperative co-morbidity (hypertension, diabetes, anemia, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease), preoperative medication(vasoactive drugs, diuretic, renin-angiotensin system inhibitor (RASI), surgical data (contrast dosage in coronary angiography, type of cardiac valve surgery) were recorded and analyzed in this retrospective study. The risk factors for postoperative AKI and its impact on clinical outcomes (mortality, hospitalization expenses and Intensive Care Unit stay duration) were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for postoperative AKI and the adjusted variables with P<0.2 were selected for the multivariate logistic regression analysis to define the independent determinants for AKI. Results: AKI was defined in 106 out of 286 enrolled patients, including 96 patients with AKI stage 1, 10 patients with AKI stage 2 and no patients with AKI stage 3. The proportion of coexisting cerebrovascular diseases was higher in AKI group than in non-AKI group (9(8.49%) and 5(2.78%), χ(2)=4.677, P=0.031), while there was no difference among other baseline data between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative complications of cerebral vascular disease was an independent risk factor of postoperative AKI (OR=3.578, 95%CI 1.139-11.242, P=0.029). Five out of 106 AKI patients died during hospitalization while there was only 1 patient died among 180 patients without AKI. Patients with AKI after cardiac valve operation experienced higher mortality than patients without AKI (χ(2)=5.625, P=0.028). Further analysis showed that there was no difference in hospitalization mortality between patients with AKI stage 2 and stage (χ(2)=0.686, P=0.408) while the hospitalization mortality in patients with AKI stage 2 was higher than those without AKI (χ(2)=8.113, P=0.004). The hospitalization expenses in patients with AKI were 10.38(8.59,12.54) ×10(4) RMB, significantly higher than that in patients without AKI (9.72(8.03,11.93) ×10(4) RMB)(P=0.043). There was no difference in hospitalization expenses between patients with AKI stage 1 and without AKI (P=0.635). The hospitalization expenses in patients with AKI stage 2 was higher than those without AKI (P=0.023). Intensive Care Unit stay duration in patients with AKI was 3(1,4) days, significantly higher than those without AKI (P=0.044). There was no difference in Intensive Care Unit stay duration in patients with AKI stage 1 and without AKI (P=0.978), while Intensive Care Unit stay duration in patients with AKI stage 2 was significantly longer than those without AKI (P=0.006). Conclusions: Preoperative complications of cerebral vascular disease is an independent risk factor of postoperative AKI. Non-senile patients with AKI after cardiac valvular surgery is associated with a higher proportion of mortality, hospitalization expenses and Intensive Care Unit stay duration as compared patients without postoperative AKI.

NGF promotes mitochondrial function by activating PGC-1α in TM4 Sertoli cells.

Nerve growth factor (NGF), which is required for the survival and differentiation of the nervous system, has been proved to play important roles in male reproductive physiology. Several studies have focused on the roles of NGF in the testes. However, no study has reported on the mechanism of paracrine and autocrine actions of NGF in Sertoli cells. This study showed that NGF stimulated mitochondrial activity and biogenesis in TM4 Sertoli cells. Moreover, our results demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α is a possible downstream key target of the NGF signalling pathway. In a 3-nitropropionic acid cell model, NGF treatment attenuated mitochondrial activity defect and depolarisation. This NGF-triggered signalling may help in discovering new therapeutic targets for certain male infertility disorders.

[Establishment of a canine slow transit constipation model and evalution of defecation, gastrointestinal transit and pathological sections].

Objective: To establish a canine model of slow transit constipation (STC), and to test the changes in defecation, gastrointestinal transit time and pathology sections. Methods: Baseline information was measured in 8 beagle dogs, and these dogs were randomly divided into the control group and the model group. The dogs in model group were given a diet of canned meat, as well as a combination of compound diphenoxylate and alosetron hydrochloride for 5 weeks. Dogs in control group were given normal diet with no special intervention. Stool frequency and consistency were observed and recorded daily, and the gastrointestinal transit time (GITT) were measured every week. All animals underwent the midline laparotomy and the colonic tissues were taken from the rectosigmoid colon, then investigated by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry to evaluate changes of protein gene product 9.5(PGP9.5), synaptophysin and c-kit between two groups. Results: 8 beagle dogs underwent all experiment items successfully.Both of the stool frequency and scores of stool consistency decreased in model group(F=6.568, P=0.043; F=25.954, P=0.002). GITT delayed in model group(F=42.573, P=0.001). After 5 weeks of intervention, in the model group, the myenteric neurons and interstitial cells of Cajal showed damage such as swelling of mitochondria under electron microscopy, and both of the PGP9.5 and synaptophysin integrated option density of rectosigmoid colon were decreased (t=3.471, P=0.013; t=2.506, P=0.046)under immunohistochemistry. The c-kit integrated option density showed no statistically significant differences between two groups(t=1.709, P=0.138). Conclusions: The canine model of STC which was consistent with clinical symptoms and pathological changes was successfully established, and it can be used to observe and evaluate the therapeutic effect of electrical stimulation, surgery and so on.

4-Methylcatechol inhibits cell growth and testosterone production in TM3 Leydig cells by reducing mitochondrial activity.

4-Methylcatechol (4-MC) is a potential neuroprotective drug because it stimulates the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in neurons. The present study explored the effect of 4-MC on cell growth and testosterone synthesis in the TM3 Leydig cells of mice. 4-MC did not enhance expression of both BDNF and NGF in these cells. However, this compound significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased the number of apoptotic cells in a dose-dependent manner. The expression profile of Bax/Bcl-2 gene was altered considerably, and mitochondrial activity was significantly decreased in cells. 4-Methylcatechol also inhibited testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells. The inhibitory roles of this compound in relation to growth and testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells maybe associated with increased Bax gene expression and decreased mitochondrial activity. As a result, caspase cascade is activated.

Screening and identification of cucumber germplasm and rootstock resistance against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita).

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp) are destructive agricultural pests that reduce the productivity of cultivated vegetables worldwide, especially when vegetables are cropped continuously in greenhouses. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.), in particular, suffer extensive damage due to root-knot nematodes, and only a few wild species are known to be resistant. Grafting of cultivated plants to rootstocks of known resistant germplasms could be an effective method to resolve this problem. In this study, 21 cucumber germplasms and seven rootstocks were evaluated for resistance based on the growth of cucumber seedlings and resistance indexes to Meloidogyne incognita, which were surveyed 25 days after inoculation with M. incognita. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the resistance of 21 cucumber germplasms and seven rootstocks based on their growth and resistance indexes after inoculation with M. incognita. These analyses showed that the 21 germplasms and seven rootstocks could be divided into three groups based upon their resistance levels: moderately resistant, susceptible, and highly susceptible to M. incognita. All 21 cucumber germplasms exhibited susceptibility or high susceptibility to M. incognita and most rootstocks exhibited moderate resistance. The PCA results were consistent with those of the clustering analysis. The Jinyou No.1 cultivar had the highest resistance to M. incognita among the 21 cucumber germplasms, and Huangzhen No.1 cultivar had the highest resistance among the seven rootstock cultivars.

[Analysis of 9 cases of nodular type of pulmonary cryptococcosis with coexisting lung cancer confirmed by pathological examinations].

Objective: To describe the characteristics of the nodular type of pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) with coexisting lung cancer. Methods: A total of 9 cases of PC with coexisting lung cancer, admitted to Fuzhou Pulmonary Hospital of Fujian from 1st January 2009 to 31th December 2016, and confirmed by pathological examinations, were studied and the related literature were reviewed. Results: The patients consisted of 1 male and 8 females, with a mean age of (53±10) years (range, 38 to 68 years). Four patients (44.4%) had underlying diseases, 3 with diabetes mellitus and 1 with gastric cancer surgery. The main clinical manifestations of most cases were cough and phlegm. The lesions of PC on chest CT were mostly solitary or multiple nodules with a diameter < 1 cm, and the lesions of carcinoma were shown as solitary nodules with a variety of signs suggestive of malignancy. All the patients were confirmed to have concomitant PC and lung adenocarcinoma by pathological examinations. Lung cancer stage was early (Tis and Ⅰ-Ⅱ) in 88.9 % (8 cases) of the cases. All the patients received surgery and postoperative medical therapy. The prognosis was relatively good in most of them except 1 case with death due to lung cancer metastasis and 1 case with lung cancer recurrence. Conclusions: Coexistence of PC and lung cancer is rare and the clinical symptoms are not specific. When PC coexists with carcinoma and manifests as pulmonary nodule, it mimics malignant lesions and is extremely easy to be misdiagnosed. Therefore PC must be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.

Heterozygosities and genetic relationship of tea cultivars revealed by simple sequence repeat markers and implications for breeding and genetic mapping programs.

Genetic maps are essential tools for quantitative trait locus analysis and marker-assisted selection breeding. In order to select parents that are highly heterozygous for genetic mapping, the heterozygosity (HS) of 24 tea cultivars (Camellia sinensis) was analyzed with 72 simple sequence repeat markers. In total, 359 alleles were obtained with an average of 4.99 per marker. The HS varied greatly from 37.5 to 71.0% with an average of 51.3%. On average, tea cultivars from Fujian Province showed a higher level of heterozygosity (59.8%) than those from Zhejiang (48.5%) and Yunnan (44.5%), and the 12 national tea cultivars were generally more heterozygous than the 12 provincial cultivars. Unweighted pair-group analysis using the arithmetic average grouping divided the 24 cultivars into 2 groups that are consistent with the morphological classification. All dual combinations of the 24 cultivars were studied to calculate the percentage of mappable markers when using pseudo-testcross mapping strategy, and results showed that this value also varied greatly from 51.4 to 90.3%. The genetic relationships and HS differences among different cultivars were discussed, and tea cultivars with high HS were recommended as cross parents for genetic mapping programs.

Assessment of genetic diversity of cucumber cultivars in China based on simple sequence repeats and fruit traits.

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important crop grown worldwide. In this study, the genetic diversity of 42 cucumber cultivars in China was analyzed using 51 pairs of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. These primers identified 129 polymorphic loci, 95.6% of which were polymorphic. The mean effective number of alleles, mean Nei's gene diversity, and mean Shannon's information index were 0.36, 0.16, and 0.21, respectively. A cluster analysis demonstrated that the 42 cultivars could be divided into three groups, a result that was largely consistent with those of a principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA indicated that the three groups displayed significant variation in fruit traits. The cultivars of group 1 tended to have longer fruits (>30 cm), longer fruit ends (>4 cm), larger fruit diameters (>5 cm), a sharp strigose fruit spine, and the same fruit end shape. The basal color of the fruit in group 2 was dark green. Group 3 cultivars have no wax or mottling on the fruit surface. Our study demonstrates the value of our SSR primers for assessing genetic diversity in cucumber.

[Laparoscopy and endoscopy cooperative surgery in the treatment of stomach neoplasms].

With the rapid development of medical technology and the improvement of people's health awareness, the detection rate of benign gastric tumors and early gastric cancer has increased significantly. Under the premise of ensuring the safety of oncology, challenges for surgeons present is how to adopt precise and reasonable treatment plans according to the characteristics of gastric tumors to minimize surgical trauma and complications, improve postoperative quality of life, and achieve individualized and precise treatment. Laparoscopic surgery and digestive endoscopy are currently the two main methods for treating gastric tumors. However, they both have advantages and shortcomings. The combination of laparoscopy and digestive endoscopy for the treatment of gastric tumors has become a new way to treat gastric tumors. This operation not only fully exploits the advantages of laparoscopy and digestive endoscopy, but also complements the shortcomings of each. This article reviews the surgical technique categories, indications, technical improvements, and perspectives of laparoscopy combined with digestive endoscopy in the treatment of gastric tumors.

Identification of markers tightly linked to tomato yellow leaf curl disease and root-knot nematode resistance by multiplex PCR.

Seven different commercial F1 hybrids and two F2 populations were evaluated by multiplex PCR to identify plants that are homozygous or heterozygous for Ty-1 and Mi, which confer resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl disease and root-knot nematode, respectively. The Ty-1 and Mi markers were amplified by PCR and identified by digestion of the amplicons with the TaqI enzyme. The hybrids E13 and 288 were found to be Ty/ty heterozygous plants with 398-, 303-, and 95-bp bands, and B08, 314, 198, and A10 were found to be ty/ty homozygous plants with a 398-bp band; whereas 098 did not give any PCR products. The hybrids E13 and 198 were found to be Mi/Mi homozygous plants with 570- and 180-bp bands, and 288 and A10 were found to be Mi/mi heterozygous plants, with 750-, 570- and 180-bp bands, and B08, 109 and 314 were found to be mi/mi homozygous plants with only a 750-bp band. We additionally developed a multiplex PCR technique for JB-1 and Mi, which confer resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl disease and root-knot nematode. The JB-1 marker identified the genotype of the Ty gene, and the plants that produced the 400-bp band were ty/ty homozygous plants, whereas the plants that produced 400- and 500-bp bands were resistant to tomato yellow leaf curl disease. We conclude that multiplex PCRs can be used to reproducibly and efficiently detect these resistance genes.

Evaluating the efficacy of recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 in the treatment of alveolar clefts with autologous bone grafting using computer-aided engineering techniques.

Recent studies have indicated the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) to be a viable adjunctive to alveolar cleft reconstruction owing to its osteoinductive capacity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of rhBMP-2 in the treatment of alveolar cleft with autologous bone grafts by precise volumetric analysis. Twenty-six patients (aged 8-14) with unilateral alveolar clefts were enrolled in this comparative study. Patients were divided into two groups: the iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) was placed at the side of the cleft in the control group (ICBG group), and rhBMP-2 was mixed with the ICBG in the rhBMP-2 group (BMP group). Helical computed tomographic images were obtained preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. The datasets were reconstructed as three-dimensional (3D) images using Mimics software and processed using Geomagic Wrap. The newly formed bone of the alveolar cleft was segmented by identifying the differences between preoperative and postoperative 3D images. In the ICBG group, the volume of newly formed bone ranged from 0.25 to 0.88 cm3, and the mean (SD) bone formation percentage was 42.01% (15.57%). In the BMP group, the volume of newly formed bone ranged from 0.34 to 1.09 cm3, and the bone formation mean (SD) percentage was 55.79% (11.84%). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the postoperative percentage of bone formation (p = 0.022). Thus, rhBMP-2 combined with an autologous bone graft is a promising technique to improve the results of secondary alveolar bone grafting.

Effect of somatic cell count in goat milk on yield, sensory quality, and fatty acid profile of semisoft cheese.

This study investigated the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) in goat milk on yield, free fatty acid (FFA) profile, and sensory quality of semisoft cheese. Sixty Alpine goats without evidence of clinical mastitis were assigned to 3 groups with milk SCC level of <500,000 (low), 500,000 to 1,000,000 (medium), and 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 (high) cells/mL. Thirty kilograms of goat milk with mean SCC levels of 410,000 (low), 770,000 (medium), and 1,250,000 (high) cells/mL was obtained for the manufacture of semisoft cheese for 2 consecutive weeks in 3 lactation stages. The composition of milk was analyzed and cheese yield was recorded on d 1. Cheese samples on d 1, 60, and 120 were analyzed for total sensory scores, flavor, and body and texture by a panel of 3 expert judges and were also analyzed for FFA. Results indicated that milk composition did not change when milk SCC varied from 214,000 to 1,450,000 cells/mL. Milk with higher SCC had a lower standard plate count, whereas coliform count and psychrotrophic bacteria count were not affected. However, milk components (fat, protein, lactose, casein, and total solids) among the 3 groups were similar. As a result, no significant differences in the yield of semisoft goat cheeses were detected. However, total sensory scores and body and texture scores for cheeses made from the high SCC milk were lower than those for cheeses made from the low and medium SCC milks. The difference in milk SCC levels also resulted in diverse changes in cheese texture (hardness, springiness, and so on) and FFA profiles. Individual and total FFA increased significantly during ripening, regardless the SCC levels. It is concluded that SCC in goat milk did not affect the yield of semisoft cheese but did result in inferior sensory quality of aged cheeses.

Germ line MLH1 and MSH2 mutations in Taiwanese Lynch syndrome families: characterization of a founder genomic mutation in the MLH1 gene.

This multicenter study evaluated the mutation spectrum and frequencies of the MLH1 and MSH2 genes and determined the occurrence of large genomic deletions in 93 unrelated Taiwanese families that fulfilled the Amsterdam criteria II by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, DNA sequencing for aberrant chromatograms, and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis. In total, 38 pathogenic mutations (10 large deletions and 28 point mutations or small deletion/insertions) in the MSH2 or MLH1 gene were identified in 61 of the 93 families (66%). Three of the 10 large deletions and 14 of the 28 point mutations or small insertions/deletions have not been reported elsewhere. Three mutations in the MLH1 gene, the MLH1c.1846_1848delAAG (5 families), deletion exons 11-15 (4 unrelated families), and MLH1c.793C>T (13 unrelated families), accounted for 35% of all cases with pathogenic mutations. Haplotype analysis indicated that mutant c.793C>T alleles were derived from two distinct common founders that might be inherited from a single ancestor of presumably Chinese origin. As a mutation detection strategy for Taiwanese Lynch syndrome patients, we recommend that diagnosis starts with screening for large genomic deletions and continues by screening for common mutations in exons 10 and 16 of the MLH1 gene prior to searching for small mutations in the remaining exons.

Short communication: Effects of milk fat depression induced by a dietary supplement containing trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on properties of semi-hard goat cheese.

Dietary supplements of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) containing trans-10, cis-12 CLA reduce milk fat synthesis in lactating goats. This study investigated effects of milk fat depression induced by dietary CLA supplements on the properties of semi-hard goat cheese. Thirty Alpine does were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups and fed diets with lipid-encapsulated CLA that provided trans-10, cis-12 CLA at 0 (control), 3 (CLA-1), and 6 g/d (CLA-2). The experiment was a 3 x 3 Latin square design. Periods were 2 wk in length, each separated by 2-wk periods without CLA supplements. Bulk milk was collected on d 3 and 13 of each of 3 periods for cheese manufacture. The largest decrease (23.2%) in milk fat content, induced by the high dosage (6 g/d per doe) of trans-10, cis-12 CLA supplementation at d 13 of treatment, resulted in decreases of cheese yield and moisture of 10.2 and 10.0%, respectively. Although CLA supplementation increased the hardness, springiness, and chewiness, and decreased the cohesiveness and adhesiveness of cheeses, no obvious defects were detected and no significant differences were found in sensory scores among cheeses. In conclusion, milk fat depression induced by a dietary CLA supplement containing trans-10, cis-12 CLA resulted in changes of fat-to-protein ratio in cheese milk and consequently affected properties of semi-hard goat cheese.

MicroRNA-424-5p inhibits the development of non-small cell LCa by binding to ITGB1.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of microRNA-424-5p on the proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, and to investigate its influence on the expression of ITGB1 and potential regulatory mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the level of microRNA-424-5p in 44 paired NSCLC tissues and adjacent tissues. The relation between microRNA-424-5p expression and NSCLC clinical indicators was analyzed. Subsequently, microRNA-424-5p mimics and inhibitors were transfected into NSCLC cells to construct microRNA-424-5p overexpression or knockdown models, respectively. QRT-PCR was used to further verify the transfection efficiency. A series of experiments, including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effect of microRNA-424-5p on the biological function of NSCLC A549 and H358 cells. Finally, the potential association between microRNA-424-5p and its downstream gene ITGB1 was explored through luciferase reporter gene assay and cell recovery experiment. RESULTS: QRT-PCR results showed that microRNA-424-5p level was significantly lower in NSCLC tissues than that of adjacent normal tissues. Compared with patients with high expression of microRNA-424-5p, the pathological stage of those with low expression of microRNA-424-5p was significantly higher. In vitro experiments showed that microRNA-424-5p overexpression remarkably decreased cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis, which were further validated in microRNA-424-5p inhibitor group. Subsequently, ITGB1 expression was found significantly up-regulated in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. Meanwhile, ITGB1 expression was negatively correlated with microRNA-424-5p level. In addition, a recovery experiment indicated that overexpression of ITGB1 could counteract the effect of microRNA-424-5p mimics on the proliferation and apoptosis of NSCLC cells. All these findings revealed that microRNA-424-5p and ITGB1 affected the malignant progression of NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-424-5p was closely correlated with the pathological stage and poor prognosis of NSCLC, thereby inhibiting the occurrence and development of NSCLC.