Search

Objectives Vitamin D deficiency was associated with obesity. However, the causal relationship remains controversial. We hypothesized that there would be family-based associations in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families for the SNPs associated with vitamin D deficiency, if vitamin D deficiency was a causal factor of obesity. We aimed to investigate the family-based association of SNPs in CYP27B1 with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity. Methods Four hundred and nineteen pedigrees containing 1505 rural individuals aged from 18 to 79 years in Henan Province of China were included in this study. Family-based associations of rs10877012 and rs4646536 in CYP27B1 with vitamin D deficiency and obesity were investigated. Serum 25(OH)D3 concentration Results It was shown that vitamin D deficiency was a risk factor of obesity (adjusted OR: 1.332, 95% CI: 1.042-1.703, P = 0.022). Furthermore, there were family-based associations for allele T of rs10877012 and allele T of rs4646536 in both vitamin D deficient families and obese families (P < 0.05). Both rs10877012 and rs4646536 were associated with serum 25(OH)D3 levels between siblings (P < 0.05), but not BMI (P > 0.05). In addition, there is linkage disequilibrium between rs10877012 and rs4646536 (D' = 1.0, r.sup.2 = 0.992). Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency may be a causal factor of obesity. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D is beneficial to obesity prevention. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with obesity. But their causal relationship is still controversial. CYP27B1 plays a direct role in circulating the concentration of 25(OH)D, which can be used to investigate causal relationships. In this study, allele T of rs10877012 and allele T of rs4646536 in CYP27B1 were family-based linked with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity. In addition, both rs10877012 and rs4646536 were associated with serum 25(OH)D.sub.3 levels between siblings but not BMI. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency may be a causal factor of obesity. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D is beneficial to obesity prevention., Author(s): Songcheng Yu [sup.1], Yinhua Feng [sup.1], Chenling Qu [sup.2], Wenqian Huo [sup.1], Zhenxing Mao [sup.1], Chongjian Wang [sup.1], Wenjie Li [sup.1], Xing Li [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) College of [...]

AbstractMicroRNA (miRNA) has emerged as a promising biomarker for disease diagnosis and a potential therapeutic targets for drug development. The detection of miRNA can serve as a noninvasive tool in diseases diagnosis and predicting diseases prognosis. CRISPR/Cas12a system has great potential in nucleic acid detection due to its high sensitivity and specificity, which has been developed to be a versatile tool for nucleic acid-based detection of targets in various fields. However, conversion from RNA to DNA with or without amplification operation is necessary for miRNA detection based on CRISPR/Cas12a system, because dsDNA containing PAM sequence or ssDNA is traditionally considered as the activator of Cas12a. Until recently, direct detection of miRNA by CRISPR/Cas12a system has been reported. In this review, we provide an overview of the evolution of biosensors based on CRISPR/Cas12a for miRNA detection from indirect to direct, which would be beneficial to the development of CRISPR/Cas12a-based sensors with better performance for direct detection of miRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, benzo-fused cyclic carbonates were designed and synthesized as a new type of precursor of π-allylpalladium zwitterionic intermediates, and were applied in Pd-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective (4+3) cycloaddition with C,N-cyclic azomethine imines, leading to various biologically important 1,3,4-benzoxadiazepine derivatives in 43–99% yields with 6 : 1 to >20 : 1 dr and up to 95% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phosphine‐catalyzed (3+2) annulation of Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman carbonates with pyrazolinone‐derived ketimines has been achieved to give various spirodihydropyrrole‐dihydropyrazolones in moderate to high yields with good diastereoselectivities. The reaction tolerated diverse MBH carbonates and ketimines. Both scale‐up reaction and further transformation of the product were successfully performed. In addition, up to 98 % ee of chiral product was obtained with the use of chiral bifunctional phosphine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The copper‐catalyzed (3+2) annulation of 5‐ethynyloxazolidine‐2,4‐diones with acylacetonitriles worked well under mild reaction conditions to afford biologically important 2,3‐dihydrofuran derivatives having an amide moiety in moderate to high yields. A wide scope of easily accessible 5‐ethynyloxazolidine‐2,4‐diones and acylacetonitriles were tolerated. The successful scale‐up reaction demonstrated that the reaction is a useful method for the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydrofuran derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being capable of dealing with both electrical signals and light, artificial optoelectronic synapses are considered to be an important cornerstone of neuromorphic computing. Here, an artificial optoelectronic synapse is reported through a simple solution process using organic poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and a remarkable analog switching characteristic similar to synaptic behavior is observed. The endurance and data retention capability of the P3HT‐based optoelectronic synapse exhibit stable characteristics up to 5000 consecutive cycles and 104 s. Through in‐depth physical mechanism analysis, it is confirmed that the analog switching characteristics of the device are mainly caused by a tunneling mechanism and space charge limited conduction. Furthermore, characterizations such as X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic layer deposition prove that the memristive properties of device can be attributed to ion migration. More importantly, the device can co‐modulate the optoelectronic signal and successfully implement a photo‐triggered multi‐signal mode response. Based on this, a 3 × 3 synapse array is developed to demonstrate the potential application of the proposed P3HT‐based optoelectronic synapse in constructing an artificial visual system. Finally, operant conditioning is successfully simulated in the synaptic device. This work provides a reference for the construction of optoelectronic synapses in the neuromorphic visual system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite studies on offspring obesity and delayed parenthood, little attention has been paid to the central obesity of offspring. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that maternal age at childbirth (MAC) was associated with central obesity in offspring among the adult population, and fasting insulin may play a role in this association as a mediating factor. Methods: A total of 423 adults (mean age 37.9 years, 37.1% female) were included. Information about maternal variables and other confounders was collected by face‐to‐face interview. Waist circumference and insulin were determined through physical measurements and biochemical examinations. Logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline model were used to analyze the relationship between MAC and central obesity of offspring. The mediating effect of fasting insulin levels on association between MAC and offspring waist circumference was also analyzed. Results: There was a nonlinear relationship between MAC and central obesity in offspring. Compared with subjects with MAC 27–32 years, those with MAC 21–26 years (OR = 1.814, 95% CI: 1.129–2.915) and MAC ≥33 years (OR = 3.337, 95% CI: 1.638–6.798) had higher odds to develop central obesity. Offspring fasting insulin was also higher in MAC 21–26 years and MAC ≥33 years compared with those with MAC 27–32 years. Taking the group MAC 27–32 years as reference, the mediating effect of fasting insulin levels on the waist circumference was 20.6% and 12.4% for MAC 21–26 years and ≥ 33 years, respectively. Conclusion: MAC 27–32 years has the lowest odds of central obesity in offspring. Fasting insulin levels may have a partial mediating effect on the association between MAC and central obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet frequency may potentially influence metabolic health. However, general population-based evidence on the association between meal frequency and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains limited and inconclusive. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between meal frequency and T2DM in resource limited area. A total of 29,405 qualified participants were enrolled from the Henan rural cohort study. Data on meal frequency were collected through a validated face-to-face questionnaire survey. Logistic regression models were utilized to explore the association between meal frequency and T2DM. Compared with 21 times per week meal frequency group, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were 0.75 (0.58, 0.95) and 0.70 (0.54, 0.90) for 16–20 times/week group and 14–15 times/week group, respectively. For the analysis of the three meals, significant associations were only found between dinner frequency and T2DM. Compared with seven times per week dinner group, the ORs (95%CIs) were 0.66 (0.42, 0.99) and 0.51 (0.29, 0.82) for the group with three to six times/week and zero to two times/week. Reduced meal frequency, especially dinner frequency, was associated with lower prevalence of T2DM, which suggests that an appropriate reduction in meal frequency per week may have a role in decreasing the risk of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation is one of the epigenetic characteristics that result in heritable and revisable phenotype changes but without sequence changes in DNA. Aberrant methylation occurring at a specific locus was reported to be associated with cancers, insulin resistance, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, etc. Therefore, locus‐specific DNA methylation can serve as a valuable biomarker for disease diagnosis and therapy. Recently, Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)‐Cas systems are applied to develop biosensors for DNA, ribonucleic acid, proteins, and small molecules detection. Because of their highly specific binding ability and signal amplification capacity, CRISPR‐Cas assisted biosensor also serve as a potential tool for locus‐specific detection of DNA methylation. In this perspective, based on the detection principle, a detailed classification and comprehensive discussion of recent works about the latest advances in locus‐specific detection of DNA methylation using CRISPR‐Cas systems are provided. Furthermore, current challenges and future perspectives of CRISPR‐based locus‐specific detection of DNA methylation are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]