CeRNA regulates network and expression and SNP effect on NFKBIA of cashmere fineness.

In this study, a total of 1140 Liaoning Cashmere Goats (LCG) were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of NFKBIA gene. There are 15 SNPs and 7 genotypes have been found, and G1547A (GG) genotype has been associated with cashmere fineness and cashmere yield. An integrated ceRNA regulatory network of NFKBIA gene was made. To prove NFKBIA and these non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) may be related to cashmere fineness, we performed qPCR on these ncRNA in LCG coarse type skin (CT-LCG) and LCG fine type skin (FT-LCG). The result of qPCR showed lncRNA XLOC_011060 and ciRNA452 are at high expression level in CT-LCG, all miRNAs appear high expressed in FT-LCG, and mir-93 was the most significant difference between CT-LCG and FT-LCG. In addition, five miRNAs were selected for qPCR in different genotypes. The qPCR results showed that mir-93 might negatively regulate cashmere fineness and mir-17-5p may play a positive role in regulating cashmere fineness of individuals with G1355A (AG) genotype. These results demonstrated that NFKBIA gene is associated with cashmere fineness of LCG and G1547A (GG) genotype is the preferred marker genotype for cashmere fineness.

High-throughput analysis of lncRNA in cows with naturally infected Staphylococcus aureus mammary gland.

LncRNA (long non-coding RNA) is an RNA molecule with a length between 200 and 100,000 nt. It does not encode proteins and is involved in a variety of intracellular processes, becoming a research hotspot of genetics. To identify key lncRNAs associated with dairy mastitis, we collected mammary epithelial tissue samples of Normal disease-free Holstein cows (HCN) and unhealthy Holstein cows with Staphylococcus aureus (HCU) and performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on the samples. A total of 270 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 500 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Furthermore, Hydrolase activity is the most enriched in GO, and ErbB signaling pathway is significantly enriched in KEGG. In addition, through qPCR validation of 5 candidate lncRNAs in HCN and HCU, four differentially expressed lncRNAs MSTRG.498, MSTRG57.1, MSTRG.41.1 and MSTRG 124.1 were confirmed to have significant differentially expressed in cow mastitis. Also, lncRNA MSTRG.498 and its target gene, SMC4, might directly or indirectly play a role in cow mastitis. The regulatory network of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA has been inferred from a bioinformatics perspective, which may assist understand the underlying molecular mechanism of lncRNAs involved in regulating mastitis in cows. Our findings will provide meaningful resources for further research on the regulatory function of lncRNAs in cow mastitis.

Analysis of m6A methylation in skin tissues of different sex Liaoning cashmere goats.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent internal modification of mRNA and lncRNA in eukaryotes. We used two high-throughput sequencing method, m6A-seq and RNA-seq to identify pivotal m6A-modified genes in cashmere fineness and fiber growth. 8062 m6A peaks were detected by m6A-seq, including 2157 upregulated and 6445 downregulated. Furthermore, by comparing m6A-modified genes of the male Liaoning Cashmere Goat (M-LCG) and female Liaoning Cashmere Goat (F-LCG) skin tissues, we get 862 differentially expressed m6A-modified genes. To identify differently expressed m6A genes associated with cashmere fineness, 11 genes were selected for validation using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR in M-LCG and F-LCG. This study provides an acadamic basis on the molecular regulation mechanism of m6A modification in cashmere growth process.

High-throughput analysis of CircRNA in cows with naturally infected Staphylococcus aureus mammary gland.

Circular RNAs (CircRNA) are a special type of non-coding RNA molecule with a closed ring structure and are not affected by RNA exonucases. It has stable expression, is not easy to degrade, and exists in most eukaryotes. However, circRNA regulation of cow mastitis has not been widely recognized. Mammary epithelial tissues were collected from healthy Holstein cows (HCN) and mastitis Holstein cows (HCU). RNA sequencing (RNA SEQ) was performed for the differentially expressed circRNAs, and analysis results showed that 19 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified in HCN and HCU, among which 6 circRNAs were up-regulated and 13 circRNAs were down-regulated. We randomly selected nine circRNAs for Q-PCR verification, and the results showed consistent expression. Three circRNAs: circRNA2860, circRNA5323 and circRNA4027 were confirmed to be significantly differentially expressed circRNAs in cow mastitis. Also, their host genes TRPS1, SLC12A2 and MYH11 might be directly or indirectly play a role in cow mastitis. Furthermore, RNA polymerase transcription factor binding and tight junction are most enriched in GO and KEGG pathways, respectively. In addition, the regulatory network of circRNA-miRNA has been inferred from a bioinformatics perspective, which may help to understand the underlying molecular mechanism of circRNAs involved in regulating mastitis in cows.

Correlation analysis of candidate gene SNP for high-yield in Liaoning cashmere goats with litter size and cashmere performance.

This study was designed to identify the relationship of four genes (GDF9, BMPR-IB, FecB and ESR) polymorphisms in the 3'UTR region with litter size and cashmere performance of Liaoning cashmere goats (LCG, n = 1140). The ESR C463T and T575G loci of LCG were genotyped. The results of correlation analysis showed that five effective single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci (C47T, C94T, C299T, C463T and T575G) were found in the four genes. The lambing number of CC and CT genotypic individuals at FecB C94T locus was significantly higher than that of TT genotypic individuals (45.7 and 46.8%, respectively); the lambing number of CC genotypic individuals at ESR C463T locus was significantly higher than that of CT, TT genotypic individuals (9 and 15%, respectively); There was a positive correlation between CC genotype at C463T locus and cashmere fineness. In this study, the relationship between FecB C94T and ESR C463T loci C alleles and lambing number in LCG was preliminarily revealed. These results further confirmed that FecB and ESR genes may be significantly correlated with high fecundity of LCG.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Regioselective Functionalization of Monophosphino-o-Carboranes.

A facile approach to the synthesis of diaryl- and dialkyl-substituted monophosphino-o-carboranes by rhodium(I)-catalyzed phosphine-directed B3,6 -H activation has been developed for the first time. Upon switching rhodium(I) to palladium(II), C-arylated and B6 -halogenated products were obtained by using tBuOLi and Li2 CO3 as base, respectively. These discoveries provide some simple and efficient approaches to the modification of monophosphino-o-carboranes.

The conserved AU dinucleotide at the 5' end of nascent U1 snRNA is optimized for the interaction with nuclear cap-binding-complex.

Splicing is initiated by a productive interaction between the pre-mRNA and the U1 snRNP, in which a short RNA duplex is established between the 5' splice site of a pre-mRNA and the 5' end of the U1 snRNA. A long-standing puzzle has been why the AU dincucleotide at the 5'-end of the U1 snRNA is highly conserved, despite the absence of an apparent role in the formation of the duplex. To explore this conundrum, we varied this AU dinucleotide into all possible permutations and analyzed the resulting molecular consequences. This led to the unexpected findings that the AU dinucleotide dictates the optimal binding of cap-binding complex (CBC) to the 5' end of the nascent U1 snRNA, which ultimately influences the utilization of U1 snRNP in splicing. Our data also provide a structural interpretation as to why the AU dinucleotide is conserved during evolution.

An observational clinical and video-polysomnographic study of the effects of rotigotine in sleep disorder in Parkinson's disease.

PURPOSE: Sleep disturbance is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) and negatively impacts quality of life. There is little data on how dopamine agonists influence nocturnal sleep in PD, particularly in sleep laboratory data to measure sleep parameters and their changes objectively. The goal of this open-label study was to objectively evaluate the effect of rotigotine on sleep in PD patients by video-polysomnographic methods. METHODS: A total of 25 PD patients with complaints of nocturnal sleep impairment were enrolled. The sleep quality before and after stable rotigotine therapy was evaluated subjectively through questionnaire assessments and objectively measured by video-polysomnographic methods. The Parkinsonism, depression, anxiety, and quality of life of PD patients were also evaluated through questionnaire assessments. RESULTS: At the end of rotigotine treatment, the PD daytime functioning, motor performance, depression, subjective quality of sleep, and the quality of life improved. Video-polysomnographic analysis showed that the sleep efficiency and stage N1% were increased, while the sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and the periodic leg movements in sleep index were decreased after rotigotine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Video-polysomnographic analysis confirmed the subjective improvement of sleep after rotigotine treatment. This observation suggests that in PD rotigotine is a treatment option for patients complaining from sleep disturbances.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for penetrating thoracic trauma.

PURPOSE: For penetrating thoracic trauma, there is no consensus on whether operative exploration or conservative treatment is better. In this study, we compared the clinical effect of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy on the patients with penetrating thoracic trauma. METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2010, 123 patients with penetrating thoracic trauma were treated in Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University. Based on the inclusion criteria, 80 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned into VATS and thoracotomy group. RESULTS: The operation time, amount of bleeding and drainage in VATS group were all lower than traditional operation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that VATS has the merits of shorter operation time, non-blind area, exact surgical path and less bleeding comparing with traditional operation.

Enhanced adsorption of dye wastewater by low-temperature combined NaOH/urea pretreated hydrochar: Fabrication, performance, and mechanism.

The highly stable biomass structure formed by cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin results in incomplete conversion and carbonization under hydrothermal conditions. In this study, pretreated corn straw hydrochar (PCS-HC) was prepared using a low-temperature alkali/urea combination pretreatment method. The Mass loss rate of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin from pretreated biomass, as well as the effects of the pretreatment method on the physicochemical properties of PCS-HC and the adsorption performance of PCS-HC for alkaline dyes (rhodamine B and methylene blue), were investigated. The results showed that the low-temperature NaOH/urea pretreatment effectively disrupted the stable structure formed by cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. NaOH played a dominant role in solubilizing cellulose and the combination of low temperature and urea enhanced the ability of NaOH to remove cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Compared to the untreated hydrochar, PCS-HC exhibited a rougher surface, a more abundant pore structure, and a larger specific surface area. The unpretreated hydrochar exhibited an adsorption capacity of 64.8% for rhodamine B and 66.32% for methylene blue. However, the removal of rhodamine B and methylene blue by PCS-BC increased to 89.12% and 90.71%, respectively, under the optimal pretreatment conditions. The PCS-HC exhibited a favorable adsorption capacity within the pH range of 6-9. However, the presence of co-existing anions such as Cl-, SO42-, CO32-, and NO3- hindered the adsorption capacity of PCS-HC. Among these anions, CO32- exhibited the highest level of inhibition. Chemisorption, including complexation, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding, were the primary mechanism for dye adsorption by PCS-HC. This study provides an efficient method for utilizing agricultural waste and treating dye wastewater.

Treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and prevention of non-alcoholic Wernicke's disease: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Wernicke encephalopathy is a neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, commonly seen in alcoholic populations but also involving other circumstances that may lead to thiamine deficiency. The recognition of Wernicke encephalopathy often depends on clinicians' keen ability to detect its typical triad of features; however, most cases do not present with the full constellation of signs, which complicates the timely identification of Wernicke encephalopathy. CASE SUMMARY: This case report describes a patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who developed abnormal ocular function and ataxia following concurrent chemoradiotherapy, without a history of alcohol abuse. With the aid of radiological examinations, he received a timely diagnosis and treatment; however, his symptoms did not fully resolve during follow-up. CONCLUSION: For patients with malignant tumors exhibiting neurological symptoms, clinicians should consider the possibility of Wernicke encephalopathy and provide prophylactic thiamine therapy.

Water decoction of Pericarpium citri reticulatae and Amomi fructus ameliorates alcohol-induced liver disease involved in the modulation of gut microbiota and TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

Introduction: Alcohol consumption alters the diversity and metabolic activities of gut microbiota, leading to intestinal barrier dysfunction and contributing to the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which is the most prevalent cause of advanced liver diseases. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and action mechanism of an aqueous extraction of Pericarpium citri reticulatae and Amomi fructus (PFE) on alcoholic liver injury. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were used to establish the mouse model of alcoholic liver injury and orally administered 500 and 1,000 mg/kg/d of PFE for 2 weeks. Histopathology, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing were used to analyze the mechanism of action of PFE in the treatment of alcohol-induced liver injury. Results: Treatment with PFE significantly improved alcohol-induced liver injury, as illustrated by the normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total triglyceride, and cholesterol levels in ALD mice in a dose-dependent manner. Administration of PFE not only maintained the intestinal barrier integrity prominently by upregulating mucous production and tight junction protein expressions but also sensibly reversed the dysregulation of intestinal microecology in alcohol-treated mice. Furthermore, PFE treatment significantly reduced hepatic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and attenuated oxidative stress as well as inflammation related to the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. The PFE supplementation also significantly promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the ALD mice. Conclusion: Administration of PFE effectively prevents alcohol-induced liver injury and may also regulate the LPS-involved gut-liver axis; this could provide valuable insights for the development of drugs to prevent and treat ALD.

Tex264 Binding to SNX27 Regulates Itgα5 Receptor Membrane Recycling and Affects Cell Migration.

Tex264 is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein that was recently demonstrated to act as an ER-phagy receptor under starvation conditions to mediate endoplasmic reticulum autophagy. However, how Tex264 functions in the central nervous system (CNS) and tumors is unclear. Here, we identified 89 proteins from the rat brain that may specifically interact with Tex264 and confirmed the interaction between sorting nexin 27 (SNX27) and Tex264 by coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. Our results indicated that Tex264 may promote recycling of membrane proteins from endosomes to the cell plasma membrane by recruiting SNX27 retromer vesicles. siRNA-mediated knockdown of TEX264 in HeLa cells did not affect cell proliferation but did significantly inhibit cell migration through a mechanism that may involve a reduction in SNX27-mediated Itgα5 receptor membrane recycling. Results of this study helped identify potential binding Tex264 partners and provide insights into Tex264 functions in the CNS and in tumors.

[Analysis of component and source of fine particulate matter in sarcoidosis granulomatous cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the source of the fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) in the sarcoidosis granulomatous cell and the relationship between the sarcoidosis and the PM(2.5) in the atmosphere. METHODS: Paraffin-embedded tissues of 50 cases of human sarcoidosis biopsy samples, 10 cases of non-sarcoidosis autopsy lung samples, 18 cases of lung tissues (with granulomatous lesions) of rats exposed to PM(2.5) by bronchial infusion, and the free PM(2.5) sample in the atmosphere were collected. The characteristics of tissues above mentioned were observed under the light microscopy, which stained by HE staining and Warthin-Starry silver staining. The characteristics of the PM(2.5) in the four groups were analyzed using confocal Raman microscopy. The component of the PM(2.5) in the sarcoidosis granuloma was analyzed using transmission electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray detector (TEM-EDX), and the component of the PM(2.5) in the atmosphere was analyzed with X-ray fluorescence separately. RESULTS: The PM(2.5) in the four groups have the similar Raman spectrum, they share the feature of carbonaceous composition, the element component of PM(2.5) in the human sarcoidosis was the same as PM(2.5) in the atmosphere. CONCLUSION: The study provided the further evidence that the PM(2.5) in the sarcoidosis lesion was from PM(2.5) in the atmosphere, and it should be not excepted that sarcoidosis may be a sensitive individual reaction to the PM(2.5) inhaled from the atmosphere.

Screening of cashmere fineness-related genes and their ceRNA network construction in cashmere goats.

Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) is a transcript that can be mutually regulated at the post-transcriptional level by competing shared miRNAs. The ceRNA network connects the function of protein-encoded mRNA with the function of non-coding RNA, such as microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA). However, compared with the ceRNA, the identification and combined analysis of lncRNAs, mRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs in the cashmere fineness have not been completed. Using RNA-seq technology, we first identified the miRNAs presented in Liaoning Cashmere Goat (LCG) skin, and then analyzed the mRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs expressed in LCG and Inner Mongolia cashmere goat (MCG) skin. As a result, 464 known and 45 new miRNAs were identified in LCG skin. In LCG and MCG skin, 1222 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified, 170 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 32 differentially expressed circRNAs were obtained. Then, qRT-PCR was used to confirm further the representative lncRNAs, mRNAs, circRNAs and miRNAs. In addition, miRanda predicted the relationships of ceRNA regulatory network among lncRNAs, circRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs, the potential regulatory effects were investigated by Go and KEGG analysis. Through the screening and analysis of the results, the ceRNA network regulating cashmere fineness was constructed. LncRNA MSTRG14109.1 and circRNA452 were competed with miRNA-2330 to regulated the expression of TCHH, KRT35 and JUNB, which may provide a potential basis for further research on the process of regulating the cashmere fineness.

Single-Cell Sequencing Reveals Differential Cell Types in Skin Tissues of Liaoning Cashmere Goats and Key Genes Related Potentially to the Fineness of Cashmere Fiber.

Cashmere fineness is one of the important factors determining cashmere quality; however, our understanding of the regulation of cashmere fineness at the cellular level is limited. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing and computational models to identify 13 skin cell types in Liaoning cashmere goats. We also analyzed the molecular changes in the development process by cell trajectory analysis and revealed the maturation process in the gene expression profile in Liaoning cashmere goats. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis explored hub genes in cell clusters related to cashmere formation. Secondary hair follicle dermal papilla cells (SDPCs) play an important role in the growth and density of cashmere. ACTA2, a marker gene of SDPCs, was selected for immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blot (WB) verification. Our results indicate that ACTA2 is mainly expressed in SDPCs, and WB results show different expression levels. COL1A1 is a highly expressed gene in SDPCs, which was verified by IF and WB. We then selected CXCL8 of SDPCs to verify and prove the differential expression in the coarse and fine types of Liaoning cashmere goats. Therefore, the CXCL8 gene may regulate cashmere fineness. These genes may be involved in regulating the fineness of cashmere in goat SDPCs; our research provides new insights into the mechanism of cashmere growth and fineness regulation by cells.

Leakage performance predictions of a brush seal based on fluid-solid coupling method.

The sealing performance of a brush seal is studied in this article. At present, the mostly used model to analyze the performance of a brush seal is porous medium model in which the effect of bristle deformation is not considered. Here, a combined numerical method is proposed. First, the deformation of bristle is calculated in a fluid-solid coupling model with a simplified bristle model, and then the results of the bristle deformation is imported to a porous media model as the boundary conditions. More accurate media flow and leakage variation law of the brush seal are obtained with this calculation model.

The Interplay Between Language Form and Concept During Language Switching: A Behavioral Investigation.

Language switching involves multiple processing stages. Previous studies have not dissociated the cognitive process underlying language form switches and concept switches. Here, we examined the two factors using a novel language-switching paradigm. Chinese-English bilinguals named individually presented pictures in either Chinese or English according to a language cue. Pictures in two consecutive trials represented either identical, semantically related, or unrelated concepts. Results showed both language (form) switch costs and concept switch costs. The interaction between these two factors suggested that the effects were additive, with the longest naming response times observed when two pictures were semantically unrelated and involved a switch between languages. These findings suggest that the functional loci of the language control mechanism occur at multiple processing stages. Implications of the findings are discussed within current models of language processing in bilinguals.

A milbemycin compound isolated from Streptomyces Sp. FJS31-2 with cytotoxicity and reversal of cisplatin resistance activity in A549/DDP cells.

Streptomyces Sp FJS31-2 is a strain isolated from special habitat soils in the early stage of our laboratory for producing a new type of halogenated type II polyketide antibiotic with good anti-MRSA activity. In this experiment, a variety of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods was used to isolate and identify a milbemycin compound VM48130 from the ethyl acetate extract of the fermentation products. To investigate its bioactivity, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to test the cytotoxic activity of the compound against a variety of cancer cells (human liver cancer cell line MHCC97H and SK-Hep1, human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE1, mouse melanoma cell line B16, human colon cancer cell line LOVO, human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549) and normal cells (human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE, human normal liver cell line L02, human nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line NP69). The results showed that the compound had significant cytotoxic activity against the above cancer cells, and the IC50 values were 21.96 ± 1.45, 22.18 ± 0.55, 19.42 ± 0.71, 18.61 ± 1.68, 18.62 ± 0.67, 18.52 ± 0.64 µM, respectively. Furthermore, the CCK-8 method was used to evaluate the compound's reversal of cisplatin resistance in multidrug resistant cisplatin-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma (A549/DDP) cells. The results indicated that when the compound concentration was 0.5 µM, the reversal fold (RF) reached 6.25 and showed a dose-dependent effect. At 5 µM, the RF reached 8.35, which was approximately equivalent to the reversal effect of the positive drug verapamil at the same concentration. The expression of MDR1, MRP1, LRP, MAST1 resistance genes and the corresponding proteins were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot assay, and found that the compound could significantly down-regulate the expression of these genes and proteins. These results indicated that VM48130 had the potential of being a lead compound for the treatment or adjuvant treatment of cancer.

Comprehensive analysis of circRNAs from cashmere goat skin by next generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq).

Circular RNA (circRNA) is endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with a covalently closed circular structure. It is mainly generated through RNA alternative splicing or back-splicing. CircRNA is known in the majority of eukaryotes and very stable. However, knowledge of the circRNA involved in regulating cashmere fineness is limited. Skin samples were collected from Liaoning cashmere goats (LCG) and Inner Mongolia cashmere goats (MCG) during the anagen period. For differentially expressed circRNAs, RNA sequencing was performed, and the analysis led to an identification of 17 up-regulated circRNAs and 15 down-regulated circRNAs in LCG compared with MCG skin samples. In order to find the differentially expressed circRNAs in LCG, we carried out qPCRs on 10 candidate circRNAs in coarse type skin of LCG (CT-LCG) and fine type skin of LCG (FT-LCG). Four circRNAs: ciRNA128, circRNA6854, circRNA4154 and circRNA3620 were confirmed to be significantly differential expression in LCG. Also, a regulatory network of circRNAs-miRNAs was bioinformatically deduced and may help to understand molecular mechanisms of potential circRNA involvement in regulating cashmere fineness.