Phentolamine and B vitamins for feeding intolerance in late preterm infants: a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Feeding intolerance (FI) is a common problem in late preterm infants (34 weeks ≤ gestational age < 37 weeks). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of phentolamine combined with B vitamins in treating FI in late preterm infants and to explore its effects on gastrointestinal symptoms, inflammation and complications. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We randomly assigned 118 late preterm infants with FI to a treatment group (n = 56) or a control group (n = 62). The treatment group received intravenous phentolamine and intramuscular B vitamins, whereas the control group received basic treatment only. We measured the time of disappearance of gastrointestinal symptoms, the time of basal at-tainment, the time of hospitalisation, the incidence of complications, the concentrations of inflammatory markers and the overall effective rate of treatment. RESULTS: The treatment group had a shorter duration of gastrointestinal symptoms than did the control group (p < 0.01). The treatment group also had lower concentrations of inflammatory markers and a higher overall effective rate than did the control group (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the two groups in the time of hospitalisation, basal attainment, weight re-covery and the incidence of complications (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Phentolamine and B vitamins can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms and inflammation in late preterm infants with FI but do not affect the occurrence of complications.

Effect of varying auxiliaries on maxillary incisor torque control with clear aligners: A finite element analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of varying auxiliaries on tooth movement and stress distribution when maxillary central incisors were torqued 1° with a clear aligner through finite element analysis. METHODS: Three-dimensional finite element models, including maxillary alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, dentition, and clear aligner, were constructed. According to the auxiliaries designed on the maxillary central incisor, 5 models were created: (1) without auxiliaries (control model), (2) with the power ridge, (3) with the semi-ellipsoid attachment, (4) with the horizontal rectangular attachment, and (5) with the horizontal cylinder attachment. The tooth movement and periodontal ligament stress distribution after a palatal root torque of 1° were analyzed for each of the 5 models. RESULTS: With 1° torque predicted, the maxillary central incisor without auxiliaries showed a tendency of labial tipping, mesial tipping, and intrusion. The rotation center moved occlusally in the power ridge model. The labiolingual inclination variation increased in the semi-ellipsoid attachment model but decreased in the power ridge model. The maxillary central incisor is twisted in the distal direction in the power ridge model. The maxillary central incisor of the horizontal rectangular attachment and the horizontal cylinder attachment model behaved similarly to the control model. Periodontal stresses were concentrated in the cervical and apical areas. The maximum von Mises stresses were 11.6, 12.4, 3.81, 1.14, and 11.0 kPa in the 5 models. The semi-ellipsoid attachment model exhibited a more uniform stress distribution than the other models. CONCLUSIONS: Semi-ellipsoid attachment performed better efficacy on labiolingual inclination, and power ridge performed better efficacy on root control. However, a distal twist of maxillary incisors could be generated by the power ridge.

Early autoimmunity and outcome in virus encephalitis: a retrospective study based on tissue-based assay.

To explore the autoimmune response and outcome in the central nervous system (CNS) at the onset of viral infection and correlation between autoantibodies and viruses. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted in 121 patients (2016-2021) with a CNS viral infection confirmed via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) next-generation sequencing (cohort A). Their clinical information was analysed and CSF samples were screened for autoantibodies against monkey cerebellum by tissue-based assay. In situ hybridisation was used to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in brain tissue of 8 patients with glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP)-IgG and nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue of 2 patients with GFAP-IgG as control (cohort B). RESULTS: Among cohort A (male:female=79:42; median age: 42 (14-78) years old), 61 (50.4%) participants had detectable autoantibodies in CSF. Compared with other viruses, EBV increased the odds of having GFAP-IgG (OR 18.22, 95% CI 6.54 to 50.77, p<0.001). In cohort B, EBV was found in the brain tissue from two of eight (25.0%) patients with GFAP-IgG. Autoantibody-positive patients had a higher CSF protein level (median: 1126.00 (281.00-5352.00) vs 700.00 (76.70-2899.00), p<0.001), lower CSF chloride level (mean: 119.80±6.24 vs 122.84±5.26, p=0.005), lower ratios of CSF-glucose/serum-glucose (median: 0.50[0.13-0.94] vs 0.60[0.26-1.23], p=0.003), more meningitis (26/61 (42.6%) vs 12/60 (20.0%), p=0.007) and higher follow-up modified Rankin Scale scores (1 (0-6) vs 0 (0-3), p=0.037) compared with antibody-negative patients. A Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that autoantibody-positive patients experienced significantly worse outcomes (p=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune responses are found at the onset of viral encephalitis. EBV in the CNS increases the risk for autoimmunity to GFAP.

Hyperglycemia-induced STING signaling activation leads to aortic endothelial injury in diabetes.

Hyperglycaemia-induced endothelial dysfunction is a key factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy and macroangiopathy. STING, which is a newly discovered regulator of innate immunity, has also been reported to play an important role in various metabolic diseases. However, the role of STING in diabetes-induced endothelial cell dysfunction is unknown. In this study, we established a diabetic macroangiopathy mouse model by streptozotocin (STZ) injection combined with high-fat diet (HFD) feeding and a glucotoxicity cell model in high glucose (HG)-treated rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs). We found that STING expression was specifically increased in the endothelial cells of diabetic arteries, as well as in HG-treated RAECs. Moreover, genetic deletion of STING significantly ameliorated diabetes-induced endothelial cell dysfunction and apoptosis in vivo. Likewise, STING inhibition by C-176 reversed HG-induced migration dysfunction and apoptosis in RAECs, whereas STING activation by DMXAA resulted in migration dysfunction and apoptosis. Mechanistically, hyperglycaemia-induced oxidative stress promoted endothelial mitochondrial dysfunction and mtDNA release, which subsequently activated the cGAS-STING system and the cGAS-STING-dependent IRF3/NF-kB pathway, ultimately resulting in inflammation and apoptosis. In conclusion, our study identified a novel role of STING in diabetes-induced aortic endothelial cell injury and suggested that STING inhibition was a potential new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diabetic macroangiopathy. Video Abstract.

Efficacy of upper-incisor torque control with clear aligners: a retrospective study using cone-beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this retrospective clinical study were to evaluate the efficacy of clear aligners on upper-incisor torque control, with the expectation of providing guidance for clinics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pretreatment (T0) and posttreatment (T1) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 47 patients with a nonextraction treatment using clear aligners were obtained and 120 upper-incisors with torque ≥5° were selected. Voxel-based superimpositions were performed using Dolphin imaging software and achieved movements were then measured. Difference between achieved and predicted movement (DAPM) and the efficiency for upper-incisor torque were used to evaluate the torque control efficacy. RESULTS: The achieved torque movement with clear aligners was lower than predicted significantly, as the mean efficiency was 46.81±33.95%. Additionally, the achieved incisor movement of the crown and root differed significantly from the predicted movement, especially root movement. CONCLUSIONS: Clear aligners struggle to control upper-incisor torque, particularly root movement. In that case, overcorrection is necessary to prevent torque loss. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clear aligners remain a limitation on torque control and overcorrection should be considered.

One-Pot Synthesis of α-Amino Bisphosphonates from Nitriles via Tf2O/HC(OR)3-Mediated Interrupted Ritter-Type Reaction.

A versatile synthesis of α-amino bisphosphonates has been achieved through one-pot interrupted Ritter-type reaction under mild conditions. The reactive Ritter intermediate nitrilium is in situ generated by treatment of nitrile with readily accessible Tf2O/HC(OR1)3, which is trapped by phosphite ester to deliver the desired product. This protocol is efficient, scalable, and well compatible with a broad scope of substrates. In addition, plentiful characteristic JP-C couplings including unusual five-bond long-range 5JP-C and 3JP-C across quaternary carbon and hetero (N) atoms were observed in 13C NMR spectra.

Tf2O-Mediated Cyclization of 7-Enamides: Bioinspired Construction of Fused Eight-Membered Carbocyclic Enimines and Enones.

In this paper, we document the construction of functionalized and fused eight-membered carbocycles by the triflic anhydride-mediated cyclization of 7-enamides. Taking advantage of the high electrophilicity of the nitrilium ion intermediates, generated in situ from secondary N-(2,6-dimethyl)anilides, the nonactivated, trisubstituted alkene-nitrilium cyclization reactions proceeded smoothly to afford nonconjugated ß,γ-enimines (for fused 6/6/8 ring systems), conjugated α,ß-enimines (for 6/5/8), or fused 5/8 ring systems in good yields. When the cyclization reactions were followed by one-pot acidic hydrolysis, the reaction led directly to the corresponding α,ß-enones. For some substrates, the reaction afford an efficient access to pendent cyclic ß,γ-enimines/enones.

Chemical Constituents and Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of Essential Oils of Alpinia officinarum (Zingiberaceae), Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae), and Their Herbal Pair.

The essential oil (EO) of the herbal pair (HP), Alpinia officinarum-Cyperus rotundus (HP G-X) has been conventionally used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for 'warming the stomach' and relieving pain. However, its pharmacologically active compounds, as well as the mechanism of its anti-gastric ulcer properties remain unclear. In this study, the EOs obtained from HP G-X and its corresponding single herbs were analyzed using GC/MS. A total of 74, 56, and 85 compounds were detected in A. officinarum (GLJ), C. rotundus (XF), and HP G-X, accounting for 93.2 %, 89.5 %, and 92.0 % of the total content, respectively. GLJ mainly contains 1,8-cineol (22.0 %) and α-terpineol (11.8 %), whereas cyperenone (22.4 %) and cyperene (12.3 %) were the major constituents in XF. These four compounds were also detected in the HP G-X with relatively high composition as 11.8 %, 5.5 %, 11.8 %, and 10.6 %, respectively. Although no new compounds were detected in HP G-X, the relative concentration of some compounds increased, while others decreased or even disappeared. HP G-X showed the lowest toxicity (TC50 >800 µg/mL) against human gastric mucosal epithelial cells (GES-1) and had the best protective effect against ethanol-induced GES-1 cell damage compared to the individual herbs. In vitro studies demonstrated that HP G-X and the corresponding single herbs significantly reduced IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. In addition, in vivo investigations indicated that HP G-X can protect the gastric mucosa of mice from ethanol-induced damage by inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and providing analgesia. It can also inhibit the expression of NF-κBp65, COX-2, and TRPV1 protein, reduce the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α, and relieve heat-induced pain. This study further substantiated the traditional application of HP G-X against gastric ulcers through both in vivo and in vitro investigations.

The mechanism of enriched environment repairing the learning and memory impairment in offspring of prenatal stress by regulating the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated and insulin-like growth factor-2 in hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal stress can cause neurobiological and behavioral defects in offspring; environmental factors play a crucial role in regulating the development of brain and behavioral; this study was designed to test and verify whether an enriched environment can repair learning and memory impairment in offspring rats induced by prenatal stress and to explore its mechanism involving the expression of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) and activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) in the hippocampus of the offspring. METHODS: Rats were selected to establish a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model during pregnancy. Offspring were weaned on 21st day and housed under either standard or an enriched environment. The learning and memory ability were tested using Morris water maze and Y-maze. The expression of IGF-2 and Arc mRNA and protein were respectively measured by using RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: There was an elevation in the plasma corticosterone level of rat model of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy. Maternal stress's offspring exposed to an enriched environment could decrease their plasma corticosterone level and improve their weight. The offspring of maternal stress during pregnancy exhibited abnormalities in Morris water maze and Y-maze, which were improved in an enriched environment. The expression of IGF-2, Arc mRNA, and protein in offspring of maternal stress during pregnancy was boosted and some relationships existed between these parameters after being exposed enriched environment. CONCLUSIONS: The learning and memory impairment in offspring of prenatal stress can be rectified by the enriched environment, the mechanism of which is related to the decreasing plasma corticosterone and increasing hippocampal IGF-2 and Arc of offspring rats following maternal chronic stress during pregnancy.

[Evaluation of Astragali Radix quality grade based on appearance characteristics and internal ingredients].

This study is to provide the basis of establishing a quality evaluation system, based on the differences in appearance and internal components of Astragali Radix from different sources. The diameter of 18 batches of Astragali Radix, the content of alcohol(water) extract and 7 kinds of flavonoids were determined. The peak area ratio of flavonoid aglycon to aglycone was calculated. PCA and CA were carried out by synthesizing various indexes. The results of PCA and CA showed that Astragali Radix was obviously clustered into three types. Alcohol extract, formononetin/formosan glycosides,(pilose isoflavones+astragalus flavonoid A)/pilose isoflavone glucoside are the most significant differences in the variable importance projection index(VIP) of Astragali Radix. Combining the diameter, alcohol(water) extract, flavonoid aglycon to aglycone peak area ratio can provide an analysis method for the establishment of the grade evaluation system of Astragali Radix.

Rice Big Grain 1 promotes cell division to enhance organ development, stress tolerance and grain yield.

Grain/seed yield and plant stress tolerance are two major traits that determine the yield potential of many crops. In cereals, grain size is one of the key factors affecting grain yield. Here, we identify and characterize a newly discovered gene Rice Big Grain 1 (RBG1) that regulates grain and organ development, as well as abiotic stress tolerance. Ectopic expression of RBG1 leads to significant increases in the size of not only grains but also other major organs such as roots, shoots and panicles. Increased grain size is primarily due to elevated cell numbers rather than cell enlargement. RBG1 is preferentially expressed in meristematic and proliferating tissues. Ectopic expression of RBG1 promotes cell division, and RBG1 co-localizes with microtubules known to be involved in cell division, which may account for the increase in organ size. Ectopic expression of RBG1 also increases auxin accumulation and sensitivity, which facilitates root development, particularly crown roots. Moreover, overexpression of RBG1 up-regulated a large number of heat-shock proteins, leading to enhanced tolerance to heat, osmotic and salt stresses, as well as rapid recovery from water-deficit stress. Ectopic expression of RBG1 regulated by a specific constitutive promoter, GOS2, enhanced harvest index and grain yield in rice. Taken together, we have discovered that RBG1 regulates two distinct and important traits in rice, namely grain yield and stress tolerance, via its effects on cell division, auxin and stress protein induction.

Tumour necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like 2 is a novel regulator of proliferation, migration, and invasion in human rectal adenocarcinoma cells.

Tumour necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) is a tumour suppressor in many types of cancer. However, the mechanism of action of TIPE2 on the growth of rectal adenocarcinoma is unknown. Our results showed that the expression levels of TIPE2 in human rectal adenocarcinoma tissues were higher than those in adjacent non-tumour tissues. Overexpression of TIPE2 reduced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human rectal adenocarcinoma cells and down-regulation of TIPE2 showed reverse effects. TIPE2 overexpression increased apoptosis through down-regulating the expression levels of Wnt3a, phospho (p)-ß-Catenin, and p-glycogen synthase kinase-3ß in rectal adenocarcinoma cells, however, TIPE2 knockdown exhibited reverse trends. TIPE2 overexpression decreased autophagy by reducing the expression levels of p-Smad2, p-Smad3, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) in rectal adenocarcinoma cells, however, TIPE2 knockdown showed opposite effects. Furthermore, TIPE2 overexpression reduced the growth of xenografted human rectal adenocarcinoma, whereas TIPE2 knockdown promoted the growth of rectal adenocarcinoma tumours by modulating angiogenesis. In conclusion, TIPE2 could regulate the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human rectal adenocarcinoma cells through Wnt/ß-Catenin and TGF-ß/Smad2/3 signalling pathways. TIPE2 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma.

The impact of obesity in cognitive and memory dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder, results in decreased daytime alertness and neurocognitive dysfunction. Obesity is considered a major risk factor for the development and progression of OSA and the resulting cognitive dysfunction. However, the effect of obesity on neurocognitive dysfunction in OSA has been rarely investigated. METHODS: Eighty-three patients with moderate to severe OSA syndrome were recruited in our study. After matching for education, age, and body mass index (BMI), 40 patients were enrolled into our study with matched obese (BMI ≧ 30) and non-obese (BMI < 30) groups. All enrolled patients completed a polysomnographic study, sleepiness questionnaires, and attention, cognitive, and memory function tests. RESULTS: Compared to obese OSA patients, non-obese OSA patients had shorter reaction times in the psychomotor vigilance task but not the Flanker or Stroop cognitive tasks. Additionally, obese OSA patients had a reduced capacity for working memory relative to non-obese OSA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity had a significant effect on OSA patients in our study, including delayed reaction times in the psychomotor vigilance task and a decrease in working memory.

[Simultaneous rapid detection of eight neurotransmitters in rat tissues,blood and urine samples by UPLC-MS/MS].

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry( UPLC-MS/MS) was used to establish the simultaneous determination method of eight neurotransmitters in brain,liver,kidney,adrenal gland,serum and urine,including serotonin,5-hydroxyindole acetic acid,epinephrine,norepinephrine,dopamine,glutamic acid,γ-aminobutyric acid,and acetylcholine,and then investigate the distribution characteristics of neurotransmitters in rat tissues,blood and urine. Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C_(18) column( 2. 1 mm×100 mm,1. 7 µm) was used,with 0. 3% formic acid solution-acetonitrile as the mobile phase for gradient elution.Multiple reaction monitoring( MRM) scanning method under positive mode by atmospheric pressure electrospray ion source( ESI) was also performed to establish the detection method of neurotransmitters for methodological research. The plasma,urine and tissues of normal rats were pre-treated including homogenization,centrifuging,and protein removal,then the 2 µL supernatant was injected for analysis. The results showed that eight kinds of neurotransmitters could be accurately determined within 7 min,with linear correlation coefficients all greater than 0. 99. This method showed high accuracy and good precision,with specificity,stability,extraction recovery and matrix effects all complying with the biological sample analysis requirements. The most abundant transmitters in the brain,liver,kidney,kidney gland,blood and urine were γ-aminobutyric acid,glutamic acid,glutamic acid,adrenaline,glutamic acid and dopamine.The method is sensitive,rapid,precise,accurate and specific,and can be used for simultaneous quantitative analysis of eight neurotransmitters in biological samples. The investigation of the distribution ratio of transmitters in rats is of important significance to disease prevention and treatment.

Chaos in Dirac Electron Optics: Emergence of a Relativistic Quantum Chimera.

We uncover a remarkable quantum scattering phenomenon in two-dimensional Dirac material systems where the manifestations of both classically integrable and chaotic dynamics emerge simultaneously and are electrically controllable. The distinct relativistic quantum fingerprints associated with different electron spin states are due to a physical mechanism analogous to a chiroptical effect in the presence of degeneracy breaking. The phenomenon mimics a chimera state in classical complex dynamical systems but here in a relativistic quantum setting-henceforth the term "Dirac quantum chimera," associated with which are physical phenomena with potentially significant applications such as enhancement of spin polarization, unusual coexisting quasibound states for distinct spin configurations, and spin selective caustics. Experimental observations of these phenomena are possible through, e.g., optical realizations of ballistic Dirac fermion systems.

PEST-containing nuclear protein mediates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human neuroblastoma cells through MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: PEST-containing nuclear protein (PCNP), a novel nuclear protein, is involved in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. However, the precise mechanism of action of PCNP in the process of tumor growth has not yet been fully elucidated. METHODS: ShRNA knockdown and overexpression of PCNP were performed in human neuroblastoma cells. Tumorigenic and metastatic effects of PCNP were examined by tumor growth, migration, and invasion assays in vitro, as well as xenograft tumor assay in vivo. RESULTS: PCNP over-expression decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human neuroblastoma cells and down-regulation of PCNP showed reverse effects. PCNP over-expression increased protein expressions of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase, as well as ratios of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein/Bcl-2 and Bcl-2-associated death promoter/B-cell lymphoma-extra large in human neuroblastoma cells, however PCNP knockdown exhibited reverse trends. PCNP over-expression increased phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, as well as decreased phosphorylations of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), nevertheless PCNP knockdown exhibited opposite effects. Furthermore, PCNP over-expression significantly reduced the growth of human neuroblastoma xenograft tumors by down-regulating angiogenesis, whereas PCNP knockdown markedly promoted the growth of human neuroblastoma xenograft tumors through up-regulation of angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: PCNP mediates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human neuroblastoma cells through mitogen-activated protein kinase and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, implying that PCNP is a therapeutic target for patients with neuroblastoma.

In vivo and in vitro study of osteogenic potency of endothelin-1 on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a major source of osteoblasts and are crucial for bone remolding and repair and thus they are widely used for tissue engineering applications. Tissue engineering in combination with gene therapy is considered as a promising approach in new bone regeneration. Endothelin-1（EDN-1）is produced by vascular endothelial cells which plays an important role during bone development. However, its role in BMSCs remains largely unknown. We established EDN-1 overexpressed BMSCs, proliferation ability and osteogenesis differentiation were detected respectively. Transduced BMSCs were then combined with CPC-scaffold to repair calvarial defects in rats to evaluate the in-vivo osteogenic potential of EDN-1. EDN-1 overexpressed BMSCs showed increased proliferation and significantly increased osteogenesis potential ability than vector transfected control. The in-vivo data also revealed more new bone formation with higher bone mineral density and number of trabeculae in EDN-1 overexpressed BMSCs. These findings have demonstrated the influence of EDN-1 on differentiation potential of BMSCs, which suggest that EDN-1 may be a new promising agent for bone tissue engineering.

Relativistic quantum chaos-An emergent interdisciplinary field.

Quantum chaos is referred to as the study of quantum manifestations or fingerprints of classical chaos. A vast majority of the studies were for nonrelativistic quantum systems described by the Schrödinger equation. Recent years have witnessed a rapid development of Dirac materials such as graphene and topological insulators, which are described by the Dirac equation in relativistic quantum mechanics. A new field has thus emerged: relativistic quantum chaos. This Tutorial aims to introduce this field to the scientific community. Topics covered include scarring, chaotic scattering and transport, chaos regularized resonant tunneling, superpersistent currents, and energy level statistics-all in the relativistic quantum regime. As Dirac materials have the potential to revolutionize solid-state electronic and spintronic devices, a good understanding of the interplay between chaos and relativistic quantum mechanics may lead to novel design principles and methodologies to enhance device performance.

[MicroRNA regulates Sertoli cell proliferation and adhesion].

Spermatogenesis requires both germ cells and testicular somatic cells, which are also involved in testicular development and male fertility. Sertoli cells are the only somatic cells in the seminiferous tubules and play very important roles in normal spermatogenesis. Abnormality of Sertoli cells in proliferation and adhesion may induce aberrant spermatogenesis and eventually cause infertility. Recently, various studies have demonstrated that miRNA are involved in the regulation of Sertoli cell proliferation and adhesion. Additionally, miRNA expression could be affected by hormone, endocrine interferon, and nutrition. In this review, we summarize miRNAs related to Sertoli cell proliferation and adhesion, which will be helpful for finding and identifying more miRNAs from Sertoli cells. The review will also provide theoretical basis for the pathogenesis of infertility associated with Sertoli cells.

Ectopic Expression of WINDING 1 Leads to Asymmetrical Distribution of Auxin and a Spiral Phenotype in Rice.

Ectopic expression of the rice WINDING 1 (WIN1) gene leads to a spiral phenotype only in shoots but not in roots. Rice WIN1 belongs to a specific class of proteins in cereal plants containing a Bric-a-Brac/Tramtrack/Broad (BTB) complex, a non-phototropic hypocotyl 3 (NPH3) domain and a coiled-coil motif. The WIN1 protein is predominantly localized to the plasma membrane, but is also co-localized to plasmodesmata, where it exhibits a punctate pattern. It is observed that WIN1 is normally expressed in roots and the shoot-root junction, but not in the rest of shoots. In roots, WIN1 is largely localized to the apical and basal sides of cells. However, upon ectopic expression, WIN1 appears on the longitudinal sides of leaf sheath cells, correlated with the appearance of a spiral phenotype in shoots. Despite the spiral phenotype, WIN1-overexpressing plants exhibit a normal phototropic response. Although treatments with exogenous auxins or a polar auxin transport inhibitor do not alter the spiral phenotype, the excurvature side has a higher auxin concentration than the incurvature side. Furthermore, actin filaments are more prominent in the excurvature side than in the incurvature side, which correlates with cell size differences between these two sides. Interestingly, ectopic expression of WIN1 does not cause either unequal auxin distribution or actin filament differences in roots, so a spiral phenotype is not observed in roots. The action of WIN1 appears to be different from that of other proteins causing a spiral phenotype, and it is likely that WIN1 is involved in 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid-insensitive plasmodesmata-mediated auxin transport.