Osa-miR535 targets SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like 4 to regulate blast disease resistance in rice.

Many rice microRNAs have been identified as fine-tuning factors in the regulation of agronomic traits and immunity. Among them, Osa-miR535 targets SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like 14 (OsSPL14) to positively regulate tillers but negatively regulate yield and immunity. Here, we uncovered that Osa-miR535 targets another SPL gene, OsSPL4, to suppress rice immunity against Magnaporthe oryzae. Overexpression of Osa-miR535 significantly decreased the accumulation of the fusion protein SPL4TBS -YFP that contains the target site of Osa-miR535 in OsSPL4. Consistently, Osa-miR535 mediated the cleavage of OsSPL4 mRNA between the 10th and 11th base pair of the predicted binding site at the 3' untranslated region. Transgenic rice lines overexpressing OsSPL4 (OXSPL4) displayed enhanced blast disease resistance accompanied by enhanced immune responses, including increased expression of defense-relative genes and up-accumulated H2 O2 . By contrast, the knockout mutant osspl4 exhibited susceptibility. Moreover, OsSPL4 binds to the promoter of GH3.2, an indole-3-acetic acid-amido synthetase, and promotes its expression. Together, these data indicate that Os-miR535 targets OsSPL4 and OsSPL4-GH3.2, which may parallel the OsSPL14-WRKY45 module in rice blast disease resistance.

Activity and participation in haemophiliacs: Item response modelling based on international classification of functioning, disability and health.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is scant research investigating the user-friendly functional assessment tool conceptualized by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) among persons with haemophilia (PWH). This study aims to accomplish two goals: (1) quantifying comprehensive functioning measures of haemophilia through Item Response Theory (IRT); (2) discussing patient-centred care based on the Wright map of personal ability and item difficulty. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 70 PWH (mean age, 33.09 ± 11.04) via convenience sampling. All patients completed the 45 ICF categories of haemophilic-specific activity and participation. Psychometric properties of the categories were examined using Mokken scale analysis and parametric item response modelling. RESULTS: We extracted a unidimensional scale with 31 categories, and constructed a Rasch model with good fitness. The Cronbach's α of the scale was .9713, with the Guttman's λ2  = .9730, Molenaar Sijtsma ρ = .9802, and latent class reliability coefficient = .9769, indicating great internal reliability. The estimated individual social competence by the Rasch model was highly related to the index score of the three-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) (p < .001, r = .62), and had a moderate correlation (p < .001, r = .54) with the score of Haemophilia Activities List (HAL). CONCLUSIONS: The ICF scale of haemophilic activity and participation with 31 categories (HAPPY-ICF) has good construct validity and internal consistency. The person-item threshold distribution map might be helpful in research and clinical practices for patient-oriented care.

Pseudotyped Viruses for Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus.

Marburg virus (MARV) and Ebola virus (EBOV) of the Filoviridae family are the most lethal viruses in terms of mortality rate. However, the development of antiviral treatment is hampered by the requirement for biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) containment. The establishment of BSL-2 pseudotyped viruses can provide important tools for the study of filoviruses. This chapter summarizes general information on the filoviruses and then focuses on the construction of replication-deficient pseudotyped MARV and EBOV (e.g., lentivirus system and vesicular stomatitis virus system). It also details the potential applications of the pseudotyped viruses, including neutralization antibody detection, the study of infection mechanisms, the evaluation of antibody-dependent enhancement, virus entry inhibitor screening, and glycoprotein mutation analysis.

Tuberculous peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis: a 35-year experience from a large medical center in Northern Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) is a rare but fatal complication in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). In this study, we aimed to determine the demographic features, clinical features, laboratory parameters, and clinical outcomes of PD patients with TBP and to clarify possible risk factors for mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 2084 PD patients from January 1985 to December 2019. The diagnosis of TBP was established by positive peritoneal fluid culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. RESULTS: 18 patients were diagnosed with TBP. The incidence was 2.029 episodes per 1000 patient-years. The most common symptom was fever (94.4%), followed by cloudy effluent (83.3%) and abdominal pain (83.3%). The average peritoneal dialysis effluent (PDE) white blood cell (WBC) count was 172.7 cells/µL. Nine patients (50%) had WBC counts lower than 100 cells/µL and 13 patients (72.2%) had neutrophilic predominant WBC counts. Acid fast stain (AFS) was positive in 7 patients (38.9%). Only 2 patients (11.1%) continued with PD after TB infection, while 10 patients (55.6%) changed to hemodialysis. Seven patients (38.9%) died within 1 year. Significant differences were observed in sex (p = 0.040), the presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.024), and PD catheter removal (p < 0.001) between TBP patients with and without mortality. However, none of them was a significant factor for 1-year mortality in multivariate Cox regression model. CONCLUSION: Physicians should pay attention to the unusual presentations of peritonitis, especially if symptoms include fever or an initial low PDE WBC count. Catheter removal is not mandatory if early diagnosis and appropriate therapy are available.

Relationship between emotional intelligence and job stressors of psychiatric nurses: A multi-centre cross-sectional study.

AIM: To investigate the impact of socio-demographic factors and job stressors on the emotional intelligence of psychiatric nurses. BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in enabling nurses to effectively manage their own emotions, comprehend the emotions of others and assist individuals in dealing with diverse stressors. Nevertheless, a comprehensive conceptualization of the relationship between job stressors and emotional intelligence remains lacking. DESIGN: This study employs a multi-centre cross-sectional design. METHODS: A multi-centre cross-sectional survey involving 1083 registered nurses from 11 psychiatric hospitals across four provinces in China was conducted. Non-probability sampling was utilised. The survey encompassed assessments of nurse job stressors, emotional intelligence using a scale and socio-demographic characteristics using a questionnaire. A multiple linear regression model was applied to identify significant variables associated with emotional intelligence based on demographic attributes and various nurse job stressors. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. RESULTS: The findings revealed a noteworthy negative correlation between nurse job stressors and emotional intelligence. Socio-demographic factors and job stressors of certain nurses were able to predict emotional intelligence and its dimensions among psychiatric nurses, with percentages of 44.50%, 40.10%, 36.40%, 36.60% and 34.60%. CONCLUSION: Providing emotional intelligence training for psychiatric nurses could enhance their capacity to cope effectively with workplace stress, particularly among younger nurses who engage in limited physical activities. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The analysis of the relationship between emotional intelligence and nurse job stressors could facilitate early detection and intervention by managers based on pertinent factors. This, in turn, could elevate the emotional intelligence level of psychiatric nurses. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study did not recruit participants, so details of participants were not be involved.

Clinical Benefits of Laparoscopic Adhesiolysis during Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Insertion: A Single-Center Experience.

Background and Objectives: In peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy, intra-abdominal adhesions (IAAs) can cause catheter insertion failure, poor dialysis function, and decreased PD adequacy. Unfortunately, IAAs are not readily visible to currently available imaging methods. The laparoscopic approach for inserting PD catheters enables direct visualization of IAAs and simultaneously performs adhesiolysis. However, a limited number of studies have investigated the benefit/risk profile of laparoscopic adhesiolysis in patients receiving PD catheter placement. This retrospective study aimed to address this issue. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 440 patients who received laparoscopic PD catheter insertion at our hospital between January 2013 and May 2020. Adhesiolysis was performed in all cases with IAA identified via laparoscopy. We retrospectively reviewed data, including clinical characteristics, operative details, and PD-related clinical outcomes. Results: These patients were classified into the adhesiolysis group (n = 47) and the non-IAA group (n = 393). The clinical characteristics and operative details had no remarkable between-group differences, except the percentage of prior abdominal operation history was higher and the median operative time was longer in the adhesiolysis group. PD-related clinical outcomes, including incidence rate of mechanical obstruction, PD adequacy (Kt/V urea and weekly creatinine clearance), and overall catheter survival, were all comparable between the adhesiolysis and non-IAA groups. None of the patients in the adhesiolysis group suffered adhesiolysis-related complications. Conclusions: Laparoscopic adhesiolysis in patients with IAA confers clinical benefits in achieving PD-related outcomes comparable to those without IAA. It is a safe and reasonable approach. Our findings provide new evidence to support the benefits of this laparoscopic approach, especially in patients with a risk of IAAs.

[Comparison on anti-inflammatory activity of Gynostemma pentaphyllum processed with different methods].

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Gynostemma pentaphyllum dried with two different methods(air drying and heating) on inflammation in acute lung injury(ALI) mice in vivo and in vitro. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was sprayed into the airway of wild type C57BL/6J male mice to establish the model, and the drug was injected into the tail vein 24 h after modeling. Lung function, lung tissue wet/dry weight(W/D) ratio, the total protein concentration, interleukin 6(IL-6), IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF), and pathological changes of the lung tissue were used to evaluate the effects of different gypenosides on ALI mice. The results showed that total gypenosides(YGGPs) and the gypenosides substituted with one or two glycosyl(GPs_(1-2)) in the air-dried sample improved the lung function, significantly lowered the levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α in BALF, and alleviated the lung inflammation of ALI mice. Moreover, GPs_(1-2) had a more significant effect on inhibiting NO release in RAW264.7 cells. This study showed that different drying methods affected the anti-inflammatory activity of G. pentaphyllum, and the rare saponins in the air-dried sample without heating had better anti-inflammatory activity.

Innovative approach to identify multigenomic and environmental interactions associated with birth defects in family-based hybrid designs.

Genes, including those with transgenerational effects, work in concert with behavioral, environmental, and social factors via complex biological networks to determine human health. Understanding complex relationships between causal factors underlying human health is an essential step towards deciphering biological mechanisms. We propose a new analytical framework to investigate the interactions between maternal and offspring genetic variants or their surrogate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and environmental factors using family-based hybrid study design. The proposed approach can analyze diverse genetic and environmental factors and accommodate samples from a variety of family units, including case/control-parental triads, and case/control-parental dyads, while minimizing potential bias introduced by population admixture. Comprehensive simulations demonstrated that our innovative approach outperformed the log-linear approach, the best available method for case-control family data. The proposed approach had greater statistical power and was capable to unbiasedly estimate the maternal and child genetic effects and the effects of environmental factors, while controlling the Type I error rate against population stratification. Using our newly developed approach, we analyzed the associations between maternal and fetal SNPs and obstructive and conotruncal heart defects, with adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors and dietary supplements. Fourteen and 11 fetal SNPs were associated with obstructive and conotruncal heart defects, respectively. Twenty-seven and 17 maternal SNPs were associated with obstructive and conotruncal heart defects, respectively. In addition, maternal body mass index was a significant risk factor for obstructive defects. The proposed approach is a powerful tool for interrogating the etiological mechanism underlying complex traits.

Neonatal Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: A Proposed Pathogenic Sequence in the Context of Maternal/Fetal Vascular Malperfusion and Paradoxical Embolism.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal myocardial infarction (MI) in a structurally normal heart is frequently an obscure event that remains undiagnosed until autopsy. Causal attributions usually cite underlying maternal or fetal conditions. Refinement in understanding of pathogenic mechanisms underlying neonatal MI is key to advancements in diagnosis, prevention, treatments and prognosis. OBJECTIVE: This study presents a 36-week gestational age female with perinatal asphyxia, congenital hemolytic anemia and umbilical vein thrombosis who sustained catastrophic MI with reperfusion injury; and it reviews pertinent literature. RESULTS: We propose a pathogenic sequence that links maternal vascular malperfusion, fetal vascular malperfusion, hemolytic anemia, umbilical venous thrombosis, and paradoxical thromboemboli. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the importance of placental examination in connecting complex neonatal events with adverse maternal/placental conditions. A high index of suspicion is essential for early diagnosis of neonatal MI.

Ultrafiltration in patients on automated peritoneal dialysis with Homechoice Claria connected to Sharesource: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Fluid overload is an unavoidable problem in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and is associated with poor outcomes. The aim of our study was to estimate ultrafiltration (UF) under different dextrose concentrations (DCs) and four peritoneal transport levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 70 patients, with a total of 1,848 daily treatment records and 8,266 single dwells on automated PD (APD) through Homechoice Claria with Sharesource were followed in October 2020 and categorized into two groups according to the DC (D1.5% and D2.5% groups). Baseline characteristics, peritoneal membrane characteristics, and daily PD treatment records from Sharesource were obtained. We compared UF under the different conditions. RESULTS: The mean night UF per cycle, the mean night UF corrected by fill volume (FV) per cycle, and the mean night UF corrected by FV and dwelling time (DT) per cycle were all significantly higher in the D2.5% group than in the D1.5% group (95.8 vs. 220.3 mL, 5.5 vs. 12.0%, and 5.0 vs. 11.6 0/000/minutes, all p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference among the four transport categories in any group. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study presents precise UF measurements with two solutions at different DCs and four peritoneal transport levels. With a 2-L indwell (DT ranging from ~ 1 to 3 hours), the mean net UF rate was 1.0 mL/min in the D1.5% group and 2.3 mL/min in the D2.5% group.

New 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromone derivatives from agarwood originating from Aquilaria sinensis.

Two new dimeric 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, aquilasinenones L and M (1 and 2), and one new monomer analogue, 5S, 6 R, 7S, 8 R-tetrahydroxy-[2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]- 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrochromone (3), together with two known compounds, were isolated from the artificial agarwood originating from Aquilaria sinensis. Compound 1 was the first structure found with C8-O-C4"' linkage among 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone dimers. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated based on 1 D and 2 D NMR spectroscopy, as well as by comparison with the literature. The absolute configuration was determined by ECD calculation. None of the compounds exhibited acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity.

Anthraquinones from the Aerial Parts of Rubia cordifolia with Their NO Inhibitory and Antibacterial Activities.

The present study aimed to identify the composition of the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia L. A chemical investigation on the EtOAc extracts from the aerial parts of Rubia cordifolia resulted in the isolation of four new anthraquinones, namely Cordifoquinone A-D (1-4), along with 16 known anthraquinones. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR and HR-ESIMS data. All isolates were assessed for their inhibitory effects on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Compounds 1, 3 and 10 exhibited significant inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 14.05, 23.48 and 29.23 µmol·L-1, respectively. Their antibacterial activities of four bacteria, Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus (ATCC 29213), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (ATCC 14028) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), were also evaluated. Our results indicated that the antibacterial activity of these compounds is inactive.

[Comparison of chemical components between aerial and underground parts of Coptis chinensis based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E technology].

The ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS~E) technology was employed to compare the chemical components between the aerial and underground parts of Coptis chinensis samples from different batches. According to the retention time, molecular ion peak, and LC-MS~E fragment information of the reference substances and available literature, we identified a total of 40 components. Thirty-three and 31 compounds were respectively identified in the underground part(taproots) and the aerial part(stems and leaves) of C. chinensis. Among them, 24 compounds, including alkaloids(e.g., berberine and jatrorrhizine) and phenolic acids(e.g., chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and tanshinol), were common in the two parts. In addition, differential components were also identified, such as magnoline glucoside in the underground part and(±) lariciresionol-4-ß-D-glucopyranoside in the aerial part. The analysis of fragmentation pathways based on spectra of reference substances indicated the differences among samples of different batches. Furthermore, we performed the principal component analysis(PCA) for the peak areas of C. chinensis in different batches. The results showed that the underground part and the aerial part were clearly clustered into two groups, indicating that the chemical components contained in the two parts were different. Furthermore, the results of partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) identified 31 differential compounds(VIP value>1) between the underground part and the aerial part, mainly including alkaloids, phenolic acids, lignans, and flavonoids. This study proves that C. chinensis possesses great development potential with multiple available compounds in stems and leaves. Moreover, it sheds light on for the development and utilization of non-medicinal organs of C. chinensis and other Chinese medicinal herbs.

[Clinical features of 19 children infected with the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in Hangzhou, China]. / 杭州市19ä¾‹æ–°åž‹å† çŠ¶ç— æ¯’Omicronå˜å¼‚æ ªæ„ŸæŸ“å„¿ç«¥çš„ä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical features of children infected with the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS: The medical data of 19 children who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection from January 28 to March 3, 2022 in Hangzhou were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Among the 19 children, there were 7 boys (37%) and 12 girls (63%), and their age ranged from 6 months to 16 years, with a median age of 2 years and 1 month. Most of these children were infants and young children (aged ≤3 years, accounting for 53%). Among these children, 11 (58%) were unvaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and 8 (42%) were vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and 3 children (16%) had a history of underlying diseases. All 19 children had a clear history of close contact with persons infected with SARS-CoV-2, and 10 children (53%) were involved in the cluster outbreak in a maternal and infant care center. In terms of clinical classification, 13 children (68%) had mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 6 (32%) had common COVID-19, with no severe cases of COVID-19. The most common clinical symptoms were cough (100%) and fever (63%). The children with a normal peripheral white blood cell count accounted for 84%, and those with a normal lymphocyte count accounted for 68%. There were no significant abnormalities in platelet count, procalcitonin, liver function parameters (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), and renal function parameters (creatinine and urea). Six children (32%) had obvious signs of pneumonia on chest CT. All 19 children were given symptomatic treatment, and 12 children (63%) were given aerosol inhalation of interferon α. All children were cured and discharged. CONCLUSIONS: Children infected with Omicron variant strains are more common in infants and young children, with mild symptoms and good prognosis. Most of the children have a history of close contact with persons infected with SARS-CoV-2, and epidemic prevention and control should be strengthened in places with many infants and children, such as maternal and infant care centers.

Comprehensive transcriptome and proteome analyses reveal a novel sodium chloride responsive gene network in maize seed tissues during germination.

Germination is a plant developmental process by which radicle of mature seeds start to penetrate surrounding barriers for seedling establishment and multiple environmental factors have been shown to affect it. Little is known how high salinity affects seed germination of C4 plant, Zea mays. Preliminary germination assay suggested that isolated embryo alone was able to germinate under 200 mM NaCl treatment, whereas the intact seeds were highly repressed. We hypothesized that maize endosperm may function in perception and transduction of salt signal to surrounding tissues such as embryo, showing a completely different response to that in Arabidopsis. Since salt response involves ABA, we analysed in vivo ABA distribution and quantity and the result demonstrated that ABA level in isolated embryo under NaCl treatment failed to increase in comparison with the water control, suggesting that the elevation of ABA level is an endosperm dependent process. Subsequently, by using advanced profiling techniques such as RNA sequencing and SWATH-MS-based quantitative proteomics, we found substantial differences in post-transcriptional and translational changes between salt-treated embryo and endosperm. In summary, our results indicate that these regulatory mechanisms, such as alternative splicing, are likely to mediate early responses to salt stress during maize seed germination.

Effects of a Novel Rotator Cuff Rehabilitation Device on Shoulder Strength and Function.

ABSTRACT: Savitzky, JA, Abrams, LR, Galluzzo, NA, Ostrow, SP, Protosow, TJ, Liu, SA, Handrakis, JP, and Friel, K. Effects of a novel rotator cuff rehabilitation device on shoulder strength and function. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3355-3363, 2021-The glenohumeral joint, a multiaxial ball and socket joint, has inherent instability counterbalanced by the muscular stability of the rotator cuff (RC) and connective tissue. Exercise has been shown to alleviate pain and disability arising from degenerative changes of the RC due to overuse, trauma, or poor posture. This study compared the training effects of ShoulderSphere (SS), an innovative device that uses resistance to centrifugal force, to TheraBand (TB), a traditional device that uses resistance to elasticity. Thirty-five healthy male and female adults (24.2 ± 2.4 years) were randomized into 3 groups: SS, TB, and control. Five outcomes were assessed before and after the twice-weekly, 6-week intervention phase: strength (shoulder flexion [Fx], extension [Ext], external rotation [ER], and internal rotation [IR]), proprioception (6 positions), posterior shoulder endurance (ShEnd), stability (Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test [YBal] (superolateral [YBalSup], medial [YBalMed], and inferolateral [YBalInf]), and power (seated shot put [ShtPt]). Data were analyzed using a 3 (group: SS, TB, and control) × 2 (time: pre and post) generalized estimating equation. Analyses demonstrated a main effect of time for all strength motions (p < 0.01): YBalInf (p < 0.0001), ShtPt (p < 0.05), and ShEnd (p < 0.0001) but no interaction effects of group × time. There were no main or interaction effects for proprioception. Both SS and TB groups had significant within-group increases in Ext, IR, YBalInf, and ShEnd. Only the SS group had significant increases in ER, Fx, and ShtPt. ShoulderSphere demonstrated comparable conditioning effects with TB and may afford additional strength gains in Fx and ER, and power. ShoulderSphere should be considered a viable alternative in RC conditioning.

Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of 1-Substituted 1,2,3-Triazole-Mollugin Derivatives.

A new series of mollugin-1,2,3-triazole derivatives were synthesized using a copper(I)-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of corresponding O-propargylated mollugin with aryl azides. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, A549, SMMC-7721, SW480, and MCF-7) using MTS assays. Among the synthesized series, most of them showed cytotoxicity and most of all, compounds 14 and 17 exhibited significant cytotoxicity of all five cancer cell lines.

Comparison of Sleep Disturbances Between Older Nursing Home Residents in High- and Low-Altitude Areas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study compared sleep disturbances between older adults living in nursing home located in high- and low-altitude areas and explored the association between sleep disturbances and quality of life (QoL). METHOD: In total, 207 participants living in a high-altitude area and 437 participants in a low-altitude area were included. Sleep disturbances (ie, difficulty in initiating sleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, and early morning awakening) were measured using standardized questions. The independent demographic and clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in high-altitude area were examined using multiple logistic regression analyses. Each type of sleep disturbance was entered as the dependent variable separately, while those with significant group differences in the univariate analyses (ie, male gender, married status, age and depressive symptoms) were entered as independent variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of any type of sleep disturbances in the whole sample was 26.09%, with 41.54% in the high-altitude area and 18.76% in the low-altitude area. Physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL domains were negatively associated with sleep disturbances in high-altitude area. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that male gender and married status were less likely to have sleep disturbances, while those with more severe depressive symptoms were more likely to have sleep disturbances in high-altitude area. CONCLUSION: Sleep disturbance is common among older nursing home residents in high-altitude areas. Considering the negative impact of sleep disturbance on QoL, regular screening and treatment strategies need to be developed directly for this population.

Independent and joint correlation of PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants with the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: CHD is reported to be the primary cause of death in patients with NAFLD. Genetic susceptibility genes contribute to the developmental risk of NAFLD or CHD. Whether the genetic factors could affect the risk of CHD in NAFLD patients is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants with the risk of CHD in NAFLD patients in Chinese Han population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants were genotyped in a cohort of 189 patients with NAFLD and CHD, as well as 242 patients with NAFLD and 242 healthy controls by gene sequencing. Additionally, serum lipids profiles were determined by standard clinical laboratory methods. RESULTS: The minor allele frequency of PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K were 0.39 and 0.06 in this cohort, respectively. The distributions of PNPLA3 I148M genotypes and alleles were significant different in NAFLD group vs controls and in NAFLD+CHD group vs NAFLD group (all P <  0.05). NAFLD patients who carry the CG + GG genotype suffered the relative lower risk of CHD than CC genotype carriers (OR = 0.6, 95%CI: 0.40-0.90, P = 0.01). In addition, PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K possess the joint correlation with the decreased risk of CHD in NAFLD patients with the increased number of risk alleles. Besides, PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants associated with the decreased serum lipid levels in overall series. CONCLUSIONS: There was a joint protective correlation of PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants with the developmental risk of CHD in NAFLD patients. PNPLA3 I148M and TM6SF2 E167K variants might correlated with the decreased risk of CHD in NAFLD patients by associated with the reduced serum lipid levels.

MiR-30b-5p regulates the lipid metabolism by targeting PPARGC1A in Huh-7 cell line.

BACKGROUND: MiRNAs are a group of multifunctional non-coding RNAs which play an important role in the various physiological processes including the development of NAFLD. Recent studies have shown that miR-30b-5p tightly associated with the abnormal lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD, but the detailed mechanism of miR-30b-5p in the lipid metabolism was remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-30b-5p on the lipid metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma Huh-7 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The correlation of intracellular fat content with the expression of miR-30b-5p in Huh-7 cells and HepG2 cells was investigated by treated cells with different concentrations of FFAs. The effect of miR-30b-5p on the lipid deposition in Huh-7 cells was tested by oil red O staining and TG concentrations measurement. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to investigate the lipid metabolism-related genes PPAR-α, SREBP-1, and GULT1 in miR-30b-5p overexpressed or inhibited Huh-7 cells. Target genes of miR-30b-5p were predicted using starBase, miRDB, and TargetScan databases and verified by qRT-PCR and western blot. RESULTS: The expression of miR-30b-5p was significant decreased in the FFAs treated Huh-7 cells and HepG2 cells. Overexpressing miR-30b-5p in Huh-7 cells decreased the number and size of lipid droplets and intracellular TG concentrations in Huh-7 cells. Expression of fatty acid oxidation related gene PPAR-α was increased and expression of lipid synthesis related gene SREBP-1 was decreased in the miR-30b-5p overexpressed Huh-7 cells. In addition, miR-30b-5p regulates the intracellular lipid metabolism by targeting PPARGC1A. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of miR-30b-5p could reduce the intracellular fat deposition in Huh-7 cells, and miR-30b-5p might regulate the intracellular lipid metabolism by targeting the PPARGC1A in Huh-7 cells.