Effects of Serotonin on Cell Viability, Permeability of Bovine Mammary Gland Epithelial Cells and Their Transcriptome Analysis.

Serotonin (5-HT) has been reported to play an important role in mammary gland involution that is defined as the process through which the gland returns to a nonlactating state. However, the overall picture of the regulatory mechanisms of 5-HT and the effects of serotonylation on mammary gland involution still need to be further investigated. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of 5-HT on global gene expression profiles of bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T) and to preliminarily examine whether the serotonylation involved in the mammary gland involution by using Monodansylcadaverine (MDC), a competitive inhibitor of transglutaminase 2. Results showed that a high concentration of 5-HT decreased viability and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) in MAC-T cells. Transcriptome analysis indicated that 2477 genes were differentially expressed in MAC-T cells treated with 200 µg/mL of 5-HT compared with the control group, and the Notch, p53, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways were enriched. MDC influenced 5-HT-induced MAC-T cell death, fatty acid synthesis, and the formation and disruption of tight junctions. Overall, a high concentration of 5-HT is able to accelerate mammary gland involution, which may be regulated through the Notch, p53, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Serotonylation is involved in bovine mammary gland involution.

Maternal high fat intake affects the development and transcriptional profile of fetal intestine in late gestation using pig model.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal high fat intake on intestinal development and transcriptional profile. METHODS: Eight gilts with similar age and body weight were randomly allocated into 2 groups receiving the control and high fat diets (HF diet) from d 30 to 90 of gestation, with 4 gilts each group and one gilt each pen. At d 90 of gestation, two fetuses each gilt were removed by cesarean section. Intestinal samples were collected for analysis of morphology, enzyme activities and transcriptional profile. RESULTS: The results showed that feeding HF diet markedly increased the fetal weight and lactase activity, also tended to increase intestinal morphology. Porcine Oligo Microarray analysis indicated that feeding HF diet inhibited 64% of genes (39 genes down-regulated while 22 genes up-regulated),which were related to immune response, cancer and metabolism, also markedly modified 33 signal pathways such as antigen processing and presentation, intestinal immune network for IgA production, Jak-STAT and TGF-ß signaling transductions, pathways in colorectal cancer and glycerolipid metabolism. CONCLUSION: Collectively, it could be concluded that maternal high fat intake was able to increase fetal weight and lactase activity, however, it altered the intestinal immune response, signal transduction and metabolism.

Dietary N-acetylcysteine supplementation alleviates liver injury in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets.

The present study was carried out to determine whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could modulate liver injury in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglet model. For this purpose, eighteen piglets were randomly assigned to the control, LPS or NAC group. Piglets in the control and LPS groups were fed a basal diet, whereas those in the NAC group were fed the basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg NAC. On days 10, 13 and 20 of the trial, the LPS- and NAC-treated piglets were intraperitoneally administered LPS (100 µg/kg body weight), while the control group was administered the same volume of saline. On day 20 of the trial, blood samples were obtained 3 h after LPS or saline injection. On day 21, the piglets were killed to collect liver samples. Dietary NAC supplementation attenuated LPS-induced liver histomorphological abnormalities. Compared with the control group, in the LPS-challenged piglets, the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and the concentrations of H2O2, TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE2 were dramatically increased in the plasma and the activity of superoxide dismutase in the plasma and that of glutathione peroxidase in the liver were significantly decreased. The LPS challenge also increased the concentration of AMP and the ratio of AMP:ATP, but decreased adenylate energy charges and the levels of ATP and ADP. These adverse effects of the LPS challenge were ameliorated by NAC supplementation. Moreover, NAC inhibited the LPS-induced increases in the abundance of liver heat shock protein 70 and NF-κB proteins. In conclusion, these results suggest that dietary NAC supplementation alleviates LPS-induced liver injury by reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increasing the antioxidative capacity and improving energy metabolism.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) versus laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) plus preoperative endoscopic varices ligation (EVL) in the treatment of recurrent variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare elective transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) plus preoperative endoscopic varices ligation (EVL) in their efficacy in preventing recurrent bleeding and improving the long-term liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. METHODS: Between January 2009 and March 2012, we enrolled 83 patients (55 with TIPS, defined as the TIPS group, and 28 with LS plus preoperative EVL, defined as the LS group) with portal hypertension and a history of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding resulting from liver cirrhosis. The clinical characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and follow-up were recorded. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the two treatment groups with respect to the patients' characteristics and preoperative variables. Within 30 days after surgery, one patient in the TIPS group died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, whereas no patient in the LS group died. Complications occurred in 14 patients in the TIPS group, which included rebleeding, encephalopathy, ascites, bleeding from a pseudoaneurysm of the thoracoabdominal aorta, and pulmonary infection, compared with 5 patients in the LS group, which included pulmonary effusion, pancreatic leakage, and portal vein thrombosis. During a mean follow-up of 13.6 months in the TIPS group and 12.3 months in the LS group, the actuarial survival was 85.5 % in the TIPS group versus 100 % in the LS group. The long-term complications included rebleeding and encephalopathy in the TIPS group. CONCLUSIONS: LS plus EVL was superior to TIPS in the prevention of gastroesophageal variceal rebleeding in cirrhotic patients. This treatment was associated with a low rate of portosystemic encephalopathy and improvements in the long-term liver function.

Sodium ion insertion in hollow carbon nanowires for battery applications.

Hollow carbon nanowires (HCNWs) were prepared through pyrolyzation of a hollow polyaniline nanowire precursor. The HCNWs used as anode material for Na-ion batteries deliver a high reversible capacity of 251 mAh g(-1) and 82.2% capacity retention over 400 charge-discharge cycles between 1.2 and 0.01 V (vs Na(+)/Na) at a constant current of 50 mA g(-1) (0.2 C). Excellent cycling stability is also observed at an even higher charge-discharge rate. A high reversible capacity of 149 mAh g(-1) also can be obtained at a current rate of 500 mA g(-1) (2C). The good Na-ion insertion property is attributed to the short diffusion distance in the HCNWs and the large interlayer distance (0.37 nm) between the graphitic sheets, which agrees with the interlayered distance predicted by theoretical calculations to enable Na-ion insertion in carbon materials.

[Delayed gastric emptying after laparoscopic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy: a comparative study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect on postoperative delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after laparoscopic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS: Data from 67 consecutive PD procedures performed between October 2010 and October 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 20 patients underwent laparoscopic PD (LPD group), and 47 patients underwent open PD (OPD group; 22 patients underwent pylorus-preserving PD, 25 patients underwent standard PD). RESULTS: The LPD group had significantly longer operative times ((494 ± 46) minutes vs. (391 ± 70) minutes, t = -4.40, P = 0.000), reduced blood loss ((294 ± 158) ml. vs. (399 ± 68) ml, t = 2.73, P = 0.008) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (13.0 days vs. 16.3 days, t = 3.01, P = 0.009) compared to the OPD group. However, there was no difference in terms of DGE occurrence and postoperative complication rates. There was one postoperative death in the OPD group and none in the LPD group. Multivariate analysis by Logistic regression showed that DGE was significantly more frequent among patients with longer operative times (OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.000 - 1.024, P = 0.048), increased intraoperative blood loss (OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.000 - 1.022, P = 0.040) and postoperative intraabdominal complications (OR = 6.22, 95%CI: 1.400 - 27.700, P = 0.017). Mean postoperative hospital stay was longer among patients who developed DGE (19.7 days vs. 13.6 days, t = -6.50, P = 0.000) than those without DGE. CONCLUSIONS: Longer operative time, increased intraoperative blood loss and postoperative intraabdominal complications appear to be risk factors for DGE development. Meanwhile, the laparoscopic approach PD is safe and feasible, and outcomes appears comparable with those undergoing an open approach.

Smoking Is a Risk Factor of Coronary Heart Disease through HDL-C in Chinese T2DM Patients: A Mediation Analysis.

Objective: To investigate associations between smoking and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Of 971 T2DM patients aged 14-93 years old in this study, 182 had ever smoked and 789 never smoked. Propensity score matching (PSM) reduced the confounding bias between groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed on matched data to evaluate coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke risk. In addition, the mediation analysis was conducted among smoking exposure, HDL-C, and CHD. Results: A total of 139 pairs of patients who had never and ever smoked were matched. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with patients who never smoked, those who smoked > 20 cigarettes per day (CPD) had a higher risk of CHD (odds ratio [OR]: 3.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-7.89). Additionally, after adjusting for age, sex, origin, occupation, smoking status, body mass index, waist circumference, and diabetes duration, the OR for CHD with >20 years of cumulative smoking (pack-years) was 2.21 (95% CI: 1.05-4.65). Furthermore, we observed a significant dose-response relationship between CPD and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect mediated by HDL-C accounted for 86% (effect = 0.0187, 95% CI: 0.0100-0.0316). Conclusions: Smoking may be a risk factor for CHD in T2DM patients. T2DM patients should stop smoking or reduce the CPD to prevent the onset of CHD. Moreover, to prevent CHD complications, monitoring HDL-C levels in T2DM patients who smoke may be necessary.

Alcohol Consumption Is a Risk Factor for Lower Extremity Arterial Disease in Chinese Patients with T2DM.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and diabetic lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: We evaluated 138 hospitalized patients with T2DM who consumed alcohol and 833 who did not. We used propensity score matching to reduce the confounding bias between groups. Additionally, a logistic regression analysis was performed with the matched data to evaluate the LEAD risk. RESULTS: In total, 119 pairs of patients who did and did not consume alcohol were matched. According to the logistic regression analysis, patients who consumed >8 U of alcohol/day had a higher risk of LEAD (odds ratio (OR): 6.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78-22.65) than patients who did not consume alcohol. Additionally, after adjusting for age, gender, region, occupation, smoking status, body mass index, weight change, and duration of diabetes, the OR of peripheral artery disease after >20 years of alcohol consumption was 3.48 (95% CI: 1.09-11.15). Furthermore, we observed a significant dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and LEAD. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption may be a risk factor of LEAD in patients with T2DM. Patients with T2DM should be advised to stop drinking, to prevent the onset of LEAD.

Weight loss before a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for diabetes complications.

Our goal was to investigate the relationship between weight loss before a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic complications among hospitalized patients with T2DM.We conducted a cross-sectional study and evaluated 347 and 642 hospitalized patients with T2DM who experienced and did not experienced weight loss before T2DM diagnosis, respectively. We used propensity score matching to reduce the confounding bias between the groups. In addition, a logistic regression analysis of the matched data was performed to evaluate the risk of diabetic complications.A total of 339 patients who experienced weight loss were matched to 339 patients who did not experience weight loss. After adjusting for age, gender, origin, occupation, smoking history, alcohol use, and duration of diabetes, the logistic regression analysis showed that compared with patients who did not experience weight loss, patients who lost ≤5 kg had a higher risk of diabetic nephropathy (DN) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-3.10) and diabetic retinopathy (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.11-2.87). However, we did not observe a dose-response relationship in terms of weight loss.We found that weight loss before a diagnosis of T2DM might serve as a risk factor for DN and diabetic retinopathy. Our findings demonstrate that we should strengthen the management and prevention of complications in patients who experience weight loss of ≤5 kg prior to a T2DM diagnosis, particularly those who are centrally obese.