OsAlR3 regulates aluminum tolerance through promoting the secretion of organic acids and the expression of antioxidant genes in rice.

In acidic soils, aluminum (Al) toxicity inhibits the growth and development of plant roots and affects nutrient and water absorption, leading to reduced yield and quality. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate and identify candidate genes for Al tolerance and elucidate their physiological and molecular mechanisms under Al stress. In this study, we identified a new gene OsAlR3 regulating Al tolerance, and analyzed its mechanism from physiological, transcriptional and metabolic levels. Compared with the WT, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content were significantly increased, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and citric acid (CA) content were significantly decreased in the osalr3 mutant lines when exposed to Al stress. Under Al stress, the osalr3 exhibited decreased expression of antioxidant-related genes and lower organic acid content compared with WT. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis showed the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway plays an important role in OsAlR3-mediated Al tolerance. Exogenous CA and oxalic acid (OA) could increase total root length and enhance the antioxidant capacity in the mutant lines under Al stress. Conclusively, we found a new gene OsAlR3 that positively regulates Al tolerance by promoting the chelation of Al ions through the secretion of organic acids, and increasing the expression of antioxidant genes.

GRSF1 deficiency attenuates mitochondrial function in aging granulosa cells.

In brief: Ovarian aging results in reactive oxygen species accumulation and mitochondrial deterioration. During the aging process, GRSF1 deficiency attenuates mitochondrial function in aging granulosa cells. Abstract: Ovarian aging critically influences reproductive potential, with a marked decrease in oocyte quality and quantity and an increase in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study elucidates the role of guanine-rich RNA sequence binding factor 1 (GRSF1) in the aging of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). We observed a significant reduction in GRSF1 within GCs correlating with patient age, utilizing clinical samples from IVF patients. Using an siRNA-mediated knockdown technique, we established that diminished GRSF1 expression exacerbates mitochondrial dysfunction, elevates reactive oxygen species, and impairs ATP production. Furthermore, RNA immunoprecipitation revealed GRSF1's interaction with superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) mRNA, a key antioxidant enzyme, suggesting a mechanism whereby GRSF1 modulates oxidative stress. Downregulation of SOD2 reversed the protective effects of GRSF1 overexpression on mitochondrial function. These insights into the role of GRSF1 in ovarian aging may guide the development of interventions to improve fertility outcomes in advanced age.

Porous Mg-Zn-Ca scaffolds for bone repair: a study on microstructure, mechanical properties and in vitro degradation behavior.

Biodegradable porous Mg scaffolds are a promising approach to bone repair. In this work, 3D-spherical porous Mg-1.5Zn-0.2Ca (wt.%) scaffolds were prepared by vacuum infiltration casting technology, and MgF2 and fluorapatite coatings were designed to control the degradation behavior of Mg-based scaffolds. The results showed that the pores in Mg-based scaffolds were composed of the main spherical pores (450-600 µm) and interconnected pores (150-200 µm), and the porosity was up to 74.97%. Mg-based porous scaffolds exhibited sufficient mechanical properties with a compressive yield strength of about 4.04 MPa and elastic modulus of appropriately 0.23 GPa. Besides, both MgF2 coating and fluorapatite coating could effectively improve the corrosion resistance of porous Mg-based scaffolds. In conclusion, this research would provide data support and theoretical guidance for the application of biodegradable porous Mg-based scaffolds in bone tissue engineering.

ATF4 knockdown in macrophage impairs glycolysis and mediates immune tolerance by targeting HK2 and HIF-1α ubiquitination in sepsis.

Strengthened glycolysis is crucial for the macrophage pro-inflammatory response during sepsis. Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) plays an important role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolic homeostasis in hepatocytes and adipocytes. However, its immunometabolic role in macrophage during sepsis remains largely unknown. In the present study, we found that the expression of ATF4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was increased and associated with glucose metabolism in septic patients. Atf4 knockdown specifically decreased LPS-induced spleen macrophages and serum pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in mice. Moreover, Atf4 knockdown partially blocked LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, lactate accumulation and glycolytic capacity in RAW264.7. Mechanically, ATF4 binds to the promoter region of hexokinase II (HK2), and interacts with hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and stabilizes HIF-1α through ubiquitination modification in response to LPS. Furthermore, ATF4-HIF-1α-HK2-glycolysis axis launches pro-inflammatory response in macrophage depending on the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Importantly, Atf4 overexpression improves the decreased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lactate secretion and HK2 expression in LPS-induced tolerant macrophages. In conclusion, we propose a novel function of ATF4 as a crucial glycolytic activator contributing to pro-inflammatory response and improving immune tolerant in macrophage involved in sepsis. So, ATF4 could be a potential new target for immunotherapy of sepsis.

Otus scops adenovirus: the complete genome sequence of a novel aviadenovirus discovered in a wild owl.

We present the complete genome sequence of an aviadenovirus obtained by metagenomics from cloacal swabs taken from a free-living Eurasian scops owl (Otus scops, a small raptor distributed in Europe and several parts of Asia) in China. Thirty protein coding genes were predicted in this 40,239-bp-long genome, which encodes the largest fiber protein among all reported aviadenoviruses. The viral genome sequence is highly divergent, and the encoded proteins have an average of only 55% amino acid sequence identity to those of other adenoviruses. In phylogenetic analysis, the new owl virus grouped with members of the genus Aviadenovirus and formed a common clade with another owl adenovirus reported previously in Japan. This is the second complete genome sequence of an aviadenovirus discovered in owls, and its proteins have an average of 62% amino acid sequence identity to those of the previously reported owl adenovirus. Combining this result with comparative genomic analysis of all aviadenoviruses, we propose that this owl virus and the previously described Japanese owl adenovirus can be assigned to two new species in the genus Aviadenovirus. This study provides new data on the diversity of aviadenoviruses in wild birds.

Simultaneous Bilateral Cochlear Implantation in Very Young Children Improves Adaptability and Social Skills: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the value of using the Gesell Development Diagnosis Scale (GDDS) to predict developmental outcomes in very young children who undergo simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation. DESIGN: In this prospective cohort study, a repeated-measures investigation was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital. A total of 62 children receiving simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantations were enrolled from April 2017 to August 2018. They were divided into 2 groups depending on the operative age: "Infants" group (6 to 12 months, N = 38) or "Children" group (12 to 36 months, N = 24). Data on the surgical outcomes, auditory development, speech production, and developmental indicators were collected until 2 years after the initial fitting. The primary outcome measure was the GDDS, a neuropsychological development examination. Secondary outcomes included the following: complication rate, aided pure-tone average, Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Categories of Auditory Performance-II, Meaningful Use of Speech Scale, Speech Intelligibility Rating, and the LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean ages at implantation in infants and children groups were 9.2 ± 1.17 and 16.6 ± 3.60 months, respectively. Significant differences were found in the social skills ( p = 0.001) and adaptability ( p = 0.031) domains of GDDS. The younger the age of bilateral cochlear implants surgery, the higher developmental quotient of language, social skills, and adaptability the child could achieve after 2 years. The complication rates in the infants and children groups were 0% versus 2.1% ( p = 0.57). There was no surgical complication in the infants group. In the children group, 1 case with enlarged vestibular aqueduct and Mondini malformation had a receiver-implant misplacement on the right side (2%, 1/48). In the two groups, auditory performance and speech production had improved similarly. In the infants group, social skills developmental quotient at baseline had a significant positive relationship with Meaningful Use of Speech Scale after 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation in younger children improves adaptability and social skills. GDDS is a sensitive tool of evaluating short-term effect of bilateral cochlear implants in neuropsychological development and constitutes a reliable predictor of speech production for the very younger pediatric cochlear implant users.

Cloning and expression of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit II gene in Sitophilus zeamais and interaction mechanism with allyl isothiocyanate.

In the United States, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) has been registered as an insecticide, bactericide, and nematicide. And it has been confirmed that AITC has significant insecticidal activities against four stored product pests including Sitophilus zeamais Mostchulky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). This study aimed to verify the mechanism of action of AITC on cytochrome c oxidase core subunits II in S. zeamais. Enzyme - catalyzed reactions and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) analysis revealed that the expressed COX II proteins could competitively bind and inhibit the activity of COX II. Furthermore, molecular docking results showed that a sulfur atom of AITC could form a 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Ile-30, having a binding energy of -2.46 kcal/mol.

Effects of Three Essential Oil Fumigation Treatments on the Postharvest Control of Botrytis cinerea and Their Efficacy as Preservatives of Cherry Tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are becoming increasingly popular due to their nutrition and delicious flavor. However, cherry tomatoes are highly perishable and susceptible to various pathogenic microorganisms after harvest, such as Botrytis cinerea. In the pretest experiment, we screened out three kinds of plant essential oils (EOs) (Torreya grandis oil, Eriobotrya japonica oil, and Citrus medica oil) that have strong fungicidal activity on B. cinerea from cherry tomatoes. To further evaluate the postharvest preservation application prospect of these three oils for cherry tomatoes, the oils were extracted from different parts of three plants by hydrodistillation, and their chemical constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main representative components of T. grandis oil, E. japonica oil, and C. medica oil were δ-cadinene (11.76%), transnerolidol (9.70%), and 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin (23.22%), respectively. These three EOs effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of B. cinerea in vitro, with EC50 values of 81.672, 144.046, and 221.500 µl/liter, respectively. Compared with the blank control and other oil treatments, the T. grandis oil (at a concentration of 200 µl/liter) fumigation treatment was more effective at inhibiting the growth rate of the pathogen. In addition, the phenolic content and phenylalanine ammonia lyase, ß-1,3-glucanase, chitinase, and peroxidase activities of tomatoes significantly increased on the seventh day due to the T. grandis oil treatment. The present study shows that these three oils with high extraction rates have preservation potential for cherry tomatoes. Among these three EOs, T. grandis oil can be used to further develop preservative products as a fumigant.

Tractable Method for Rapid Quality Assessment of Therapeutic Antibodies in Harvested Cell Culture Fluid based on FcγRIIIa-Immobilized Magnetic Microspheres.

FcγRIIIa-binding affinity is one of the key factors to ensure the efficacy of many antitumor therapeutic antibodies, which should be monitored along with the titer, protein aggregation, and other critical quality attributes. The conventional workflow for the quality assessment of therapeutic antibodies in harvested cell culture fluid (HCCF) is time-consuming and costly nevertheless. In this study, a tractable method was established for rapid quality assessment of a HCCF sample through differentially extracting IgG with different FcγRIIIa affinity levels using FcγRIIIa-immobilized magnetic microspheres, followed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to determine the amount and monomer percentage of IgGs in the preceding eluate. FcγRIIIa-immobilized magnetic microspheres with polydopamine (PDA) and hydrophilic dendrimer (PAMAM) coating (denoted as Fe3O4@PDA@PAMAM-FcγRIIIa) were synthesized for the first time as magnetic adsorbents. The PDA cladding endowed the composites with good chemical stability in acidic elution buffer, and the PAMAM dendrimer empowered the composites of high ligand immobilization capacity and hydrophilic surface. The labile FcγRIIIa was immobilized under mild conditions. By directly applying a simple magnetic solid phase extraction procedure to treat HCCF, favored IgG species with high FcγRIIIa affinity would be selectively captured by Fe3O4@PDA@PAMAM-FcγRIIIa composites for subsequent SEC analysis. The monomer peak area value in SEC, which was set as the read-out of the proposed method, correlated directly with the theoretical overall quality of standard-spiked HCCF samples.

The MBS microbial rapid detection system for rapid detection of major pathogenic bacteria in feed: comparison with plate counting method.

The current methods for detecting pathogenic bacteria in feed require high technique and take a long time. The Micro Biological Survey (MBS) rapid detection system is a simple, economical and rapid microbial detection method. The purpose of this experiment was to compare the detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Listeria monocytogenes (LM), coliform (COLI) and total viable count (TVC) in feed by the MBS rapid microbial detection system and plate counting method (PCM). The results showed that the limit of quantitation, recovery rate and coefficient of variation of the MBS microbial rapid detection system are better than the plate counting method. When detecting the pathogenic bacteria content in artificially contaminated feed, the MBS rapid microbial detection system was positively correlated with the PCM. When the MBS microbial rapid detection system and PCM were used to detect the collected real feed samples, there was no significant difference in the detection results of the two methods in most of the feed samples. In summary, the MBS microbial rapid detection system is the most convenient and rapid detection method and is suitable for promotion and application in production lines.

Placensin is a glucogenic hormone secreted by human placenta.

FBN1 encodes asprosin, a glucogenic hormone, following furin cleavage of the C-terminus of profibrillin 1. Based on evolutionary conservation between FBN1 and FBN2, together with conserved furin cleavage sites, we identified a peptide hormone placensin encoded by FBN2 based on its high expression in trophoblasts of human placenta. In primary and immortalized murine hepatocytes, placensin stimulates cAMP production, protein kinase A (PKA) activity, and glucose secretion, accompanied by increased expression of gluconeogenesis enzymes. In situ perfusion of liver and in vivo injection with placensin also stimulate glucose secretion. Placensin is secreted by immortalized human trophoblastic HTR-8/SVneo cells, whereas placensin treatment stimulates cAMP-PKA signaling in these cells, accompanied by increases in MMP9 transcripts and activities, thereby promoting cell invasion. In pregnant women, levels of serum placensin increase in a stage-dependent manner. During third trimester, serum placensin levels of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus are increased to a bigger extent compared to healthy pregnant women. Thus, placensin represents a placenta-derived hormone, capable of stimulating glucose secretion and trophoblast invasion.

Seminal Plasma Proteome as an Indicator of Sperm Dysfunction and Low Sperm Motility in Chickens.

Molecular mechanisms underlying sperm motility have not been fully explained, particularly in chickens. The objective was to identify seminal plasma proteins associated with chicken sperm motility by comparing the seminal plasma proteomic profile of roosters with low sperm motility (LSM, n = 4) and high sperm motility (HSM, n = 4). Using a label-free MS-based method, a total of 522 seminal plasma proteins were identified, including 386 (∼74%) previously reported and 136 novel ones. A total of 70 differentially abundant proteins were defined, including 48 more-abundant, 15 less-abundant, and seven proteins unique to the LSM group (specific proteins). Key secretory proteins like less-abundant adhesion G-protein coupled receptor G2 (ADGRG2) and more-abundant serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal-type 2 (SPINK2) in the LSM suggested that the corresponding secretory tissues played a crucial role in maintaining sperm motility. Majority (80%) of the more-abundant and five specific proteins were annotated to the cytoplasmic domain which might be a result of higher plasma membrane damage and acrosome dysfunction in LSM. Additionally, more-abundant mitochondrial proteins were detected in LSM seminal plasma associated with lower spermatozoa mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and ATP concentrations. Further studies showed that the spermatozoa might be suffering from oxidative stress, as the amount of spermatozoa reactive oxygen species (ROS) were largely enhanced, seminal malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were increased, and the seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were decreased. Our study provides an additional catalogue of chicken seminal plasma proteome and supports the idea that seminal plasma could be as an indicator of spermatozoa physiology. More-abundant of acrosome, mitochondria and sperm cytoskeleton proteins in the seminal plasma could be a marker of sperm dysfunction and loss of motility. The degeneration of spermatozoa caused by the reduced seminal T-AOC and enhanced oxidative stress might be potential determinants of low sperm motility. These results could extend our understanding of sperm motility and sperm physiology regulation.

The Structure and Function of Microbial Community in Rhizospheric Soil of American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) Changed with Planting Years.

The changes of microbial communities of rhizospheric soil in different ages are speculated to cause soil-borne diseases and replanting problem in American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) cultivation. This study analyzed the physicochemical properties and microbial communities of rhizospheric soil during the planting of American ginseng in the Wendeng area of Weihai, China. The water content and organic matter content of American ginseng rhizospheric soil decreased year by year. A decline in the diversity of bacteria and fungi was observed in the rhizospheric soils planting American ginseng compared with the traditional crop wheat in the control group. During the later planting stage, the abundances of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Basidiomycota were lower, whereas that of Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Mucoromycota were higher. Through the correlation analysis between environmental factors and microbial community, it was found that the content of soil phosphorus was significantly positively correlated with the root rot pathogen Fusarium. The results of functional prediction showed that the decrease of secondary metabolite synthesis of rhizospheric soil bacteria and the increase of plant pathogenic fungi may be the important reasons for the increase of diseases in the later stage of American ginseng planting. This study revealed the evolution of rhizosphere microbial community and function in the process of American ginseng planting, which is valuable for planting management.

Effect of early rescue ICSI and split IVF-ICSI in preventing low fertilization rate during the first ART cycle: A real-world retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To determine the utility of short gamete coincubation in in vitro fertilization (IVF-S) combined with early rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection (R-ICSI) and split IVF-ICSI in preventing low fertilization based on a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Couples with a high risk of low IVF fertilization during the first ART cycle underwent IVF-S with R-ICSI or split IVF-ICSI. Fertilization rate, embryo quality, and clinical outcomes were measured. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, we included 188 couples in the IVF-S with R-ICSI group as Group 1 and 720 in the split IVF-ICSI group as Group 2. Normal fertilization rates were similar; however, Group 1 had a higher multiple pronuclei rate (10.42% vs. 4.50%, p < 0.001) but a higher embryo utilization rate (59.84% vs. 53.60%, p < 0.001). The groups were similar in the rates of high-quality embryos, embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. Low IVF fertilization rate was 4.79% and 9.03% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, with similar fertilization rate and embryo development. CONCLUSION: IVF-S with early R-ICSI and split IVF-ICSI were effective strategies in preventing low fertilization rate. IVF-S with early R-ICSI could become the preferred approach because of its advantages-higher embryo utilization rate, fewer ICSI procedures, similar clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate.

Novel polysaccharide extracted from Sipunculus nudus inhibits HepG2 tumour growth in vivo by enhancing immune function and inducing tumour cell apoptosis.

A novel polysaccharide was extracted from Sipunculus nudus (SNP). The molecular weight (MW) of SNP was determined to be 9223 Da by high-performance gel permeation chromatography analyses, and the structure of the SNP repeat units was determined to be →3,4-ß-D-GlcpNAC (1→ and →4) -α-D-Glcp (1→ in the ratio of 15:1; →2) -α -D-Galp - (1→ as a side chain; and ß-D-Galp-(1→ and α- D-Glcp - (1→ as end groups by GC-MS analysis and NMR assays. The effect of SNP on hepatoma HepG2-bearing mice was analysed to verify its potential in the clinical treatment of liver cancer. A total of 90 male athymic nu/nu mice were divided into therapeutic and preventive groups and fed with different amounts of SNP. The antitumour effect of SNP on HepG2-bearing mice and mechanism of such were studied by analysing the tumour size, spleen index, thymus index, immune factors in the blood, tumour apoptosis factors, etc. The results suggest that SNP not only increased the index of immune organs in the body, but also enhanced the secretion of immune factors, including interleukin-2, interferon gamma and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in the serum. SNP induced the apoptosis of tumour cells via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which upregulated caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 and BCL2-associated X, but downregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression. In conclusion, SNP inhibited tumour growth by enhancing immune function and inducing tumour cell apoptosis in HepG2-bearing mice. Therefore, SNP may be further investigated as a promising candidate for future antitumour drugs.

Current status and etiology of valvular heart disease in China: a population-based survey.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of valvular heart disease (VHD) has changed markedly over the last 50 years worldwide, and the prevalence and features of VHD in China are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the current status and etiology of VHD in China. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional national survey with stratified multistage random sampling from the general Chinese population to estimate the VHD burden. Data on demographic characteristics, medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and potential etiology were collected. Echocardiography was used to detect VHD. RESULTS: The national survey enrolled 34,994 people aged 35 years or older across China. Overall, 31,499 people were included in the final analysis, and 1309 participants were diagnosed with VHD. The weighted prevalence was 3.8%, with an estimated 25 million patients in China. The prevalence of VHD increased with age and was higher in participants with hypertension or chronic kidney disease than in their counterparts. Among participants with VHD, 55.1% were rheumatic and 21.3% were degenerative. The proportion of rheumatic decreased with age, and the proportion of degenerative rose with age. However, the prevalence of rheumatic disease was still higher in the elderly population than in the younger population. Logistic regression revealed that age and hypertension were correlated with VHD. CONCLUSIONS: In China, rheumatic heart disease was still the major cause of the VHD, with a significant increase in degenerative heart disease. Age and hypertension are important and easily identifiable markers of VHD.

Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Significantly Change the Microbial Community in Chicken Manure.

Using black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae in treatment of livestock manure is a promising technology. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the microbial community in chicken manure before and after treatment with H. illucens larvae. In fresh chicken manure, the most abundant bacterial phylum was Firmicutes (55.58%) followed by Bacteroidetes (24.52%) and then Proteobacteria (12.29%). After treatment of the manure with H. illucens larvae for 15 days, the abundance of Firmicutes increased to 97.72% while that of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria decreased. Concomitantly, the most abundant genera of fungi in chicken manure changed from Kernia (46.19%) and Microascus (17.22%) to Penicillium (46.82%) and Aspergillus (45.22%). Correlation-network analysis showed the existence of strong and complex correlations between the dominant operational taxonomic units (OUT) of bacteria and fungi. While most of these correlations were positive, three specific genera, namely g_norank_f_Bacillaceae, Penicillium, and Aspergillus exhibited negative correlations with the remaining genera. These three genera were highly abundant in the intestines of H. illucens and in chicken manure treated with H. illucens larvae. Based on 16S rDNA microbiome-function predictions, the metabolic pathways associated with sugars, amino acids, and organic pollutants inside the intestinal tract of H. illucens were enriched versus those of the other three groups. In summary, the treatment of chicken manure with H. illucens larvae significantly reduced the microbial diversity, while strongly increasing organic metabolism in the intestinal bacteria. This technology shows the potential for applications in livestock manure treatment.

[A preliminary pharmacophylogenetic study of Solanaceae medicinal plants containing tropane alkaloids].

The Solanaceae plants distributed in China belong to 105 species and 35 varietas of 24 genera. Some medicinal plants of Solanaceae are rich in tropane alkaloids(TAs), which have significant pharmacological activities. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, pharmacological activities, and biosynthetic pathways of TAs in Solanaceous plants were summarized. Besides, the phylogeny of medicinal plants belonging to Solanaceae was visualized by network diagram. Fourteen genera of Solanaceae plants in China contain TAs and have medical records. TAs mainly exist in Datura, Anisodus, Atropa, Physochlaina, and Hyoscyamus. The TAs-containing species were mainly concentrated in Southwest China, and the content of TAs was closely related to plant distribution area and altitude. The Solanaceae plants containing TAs mainly have antispasmodic, analgesic, antiasthmatic, and antitussive effects. Modern pharmacological studies have proved the central sedative, pupil dilating, glandular secretion-inhibiting, and anti-asthma activities of TAs. These pharmacological activities provide a reasonable explanation for the traditional therapeutic efficacy of tropane drugs. In this paper, the geographical distribution, chemical components, traditional therapeutic effect, and modern pharmacological activities of TAs-containing species in Solanaceae were analyzed for the first time. Based on these data, the genetic relationship of TAs-containing Solanaceae species was preliminarily discussed, which provided a scientific basis for the basic research on TAs-containing solanaceous species and was of great significance for the development of natural medicinal plant resources containing TAs.

miR-130b regulates gap junctional intercellular communication through connexin 43 in granulosa cells from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. We explored whether connexin 43 (Cx43) was differently expressed in luteinized granulosa cells from women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared with luteinized granulosa cells from women with a normal menstrual cycle, and whether certain miRNAs regulate the Cx43 level and gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). The miRNA profile was investigated in ovarian cortex tissues from five women with PCOS and five women without PCOS using a miRNA microarray. The levels of miR-130b and Cx43 mRNA were measured using real-time PCR in human luteinized granulosa cells from 20 women with PCOS and 25 women without PCOS. Protein and mRNA expression analysis and luciferase assays were conducted to confirm the substrate of miR-130b. PCOS ovarian cortex showed differential expression of miRNAs compared with non-PCOS ovarian cortex. Furthermore, miR-130b levels were increased in PCOS ovarian cortex and in luteinized granulosa cells compared with those in women with normal menstrual cycles, whereas the level of Cx43 mRNA, the identified target of miR-130b, was decreased in granulosa cells from patients with PCOS. Overexpression of miR-130b in a granulosa cell line resulted in reduced Cx43 protein levels and inhibited GJIC using scrape loading and dye transfer assay. Meanwhile, inhibition of miR-130b increased the Cx43 level. In conclusion, miR-130b was increased in PCOS granulosa cells, where it targets Cx43 to affect GJIC. The results of the present study suggested that miR-130b, via post-transcriptional regulation of Cx43, is involved in the pathophysiology of PCOS, which provides new insight into the pathological mechanism of PCOS.

Pyruvate Protects Against Intestinal Injury by Inhibiting the JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway in Rats With Hemorrhagic Shock.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the role of Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway in protection by peritoneal resuscitation (PR) using pyruvate-peritoneal dialysis solution (PY-PDS) against intestinal injury from hemorrhagic shock (HS) in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four rats were assigned to eight groups: group SHAM; group intravenous resuscitation (VR); groups NS, LA, and PY in which the rats were subjected to HS and PR with normal saline (NS), lactate-peritoneal dialysis solution (LA-PDS), and PY-PDS, respectively, combined with VR; and groups DMSO, RPM, and AG490 in which the rats were subjected to HS and VR with pretreatment of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), rapamycin (RPM), and tyrphostin B42 (AG490). RESULTS: At 2 h after HS and resuscitation, the levels of diamine oxidase, 15-F2t-isoprostane, thromboxane B2, and endothelin-1, in the blood and the intestinal mucosal apoptotic index and caspase-3 were lower in groups PY, RPM, and AG490 than in groups VR, NS, LA, and DMSO. Group PY showed lower levels of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase and a higher level of superoxide dismutase than groups VR, NS, and LA. Phosphorylated JAK2 and phosphorylated STAT3 levels were lower in groups PY, RPM, AG490, and LA than in groups VR, NS, and DMSO. CONCLUSIONS: The protection mechanism of PR with PY-PDS combined with VR was related to the inhibition of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway during HS and resuscitation. The process might include suppression of oxidative stress, reduction of neutrophil infiltration, regulation of microcirculation, and inhibition of apoptosis.