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Objective: This study aimed to screen and identify the target genes of miR-375 in pig Sertoli (ST) cells and to elucidate the effect of miR-375 on the proliferation of ST cells. Methods: In this study, bioinformatics software was used to predict and verify miR-375 target genes. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the relationship between miR-375 and its target genes in ST cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of rearranged L-myc fusion (RLF) and hypoxia-induced gene domain protein 1A (HIGD1A) was performed on porcine ST cells, which were transfected with a miR-375 mimics and inhibitor to verify the results. Dual luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to assess the interactions among miR-375, RLF, and HIGD1A. The effect of miR-375 on the proliferation of ST cells was analyzed by CellTiter 96 AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (MTS). Results: Five possible target genes of miR-375, including RLF, HIGD1A, colorectal cancer associated 2, POU class 3 homeobox 1, and WW domain binding protein 1 like, were found. The results of quantitative PCR suggested that mRNA expression of RLF and HIGD1A had a negative correlation with miR-375, indicating that RLF and HIGD1A are likely the target genes of miR-375. The ELISA results revealed that RLF and HIGD1A were negatively correlated with the miR-375 protein level. The luminescence results for the miR-375 group cotransfected with wild-type RLF and HIGD1A vector were significantly lower than those of the miR-375 group co-transfected with the blank vector or mutant RLF and HIGD1A vectors. The present findings suggest that RLF and HIGD1A are target genes of miR-375 and that miR-375 inhibits ST cell proliferation according to MTS analysis. Conclusion: It was speculated that miR-375 affects cell proliferation through its target genes, which play an important role in the development of testicular tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the fermentation characteristics of ginkgo leaf compared with traditional feeds, rice straw, alfalfa and soybean meal, by using in vitro gas production technique. Three ruminal cannulated Chinese Holstein dairy cows were fed a total mixed ration. Rumen fluid was collected via from a ruminal cannula before feeding and then filtered through four layers of cheesecloth. Samples (220 mg air-dried) of rice straw, alfalfa, soybean meal and ginkgo leaf were placed in each glass bottle (150 mL), and 30 mL mixed solution with rumen fluid and a buffer solution (1:2 v/v). Three replicates of each sample were incubated in shaking bath at 39 °C for 48 h. The gas production was measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 and 48 h, respectively. The gas production data were fitted to the non-linear model Y = A + B (1 - e-CT). The results demonstrated that the ginkgo leaf had significantly greater in vitro gas production compared with the other feeds at each observation time. The amount of gas production from the immediately soluble fraction (A) of the four test feeds were all positive. The gas production from the insoluble fraction (B) of alfalfa was least at 43.82 mL and ginkgo leaf showed significantly greater B values than alfalfa. The gas production rate (C) was significantly greater for ginkgo leaf than those C values for rice straw and soybean meal. The in vitro dry matter and crude protein digestibility (%) of ginkgo leaf were 99.6 and 98.7, respectively, which were significantly greater than those of soybean meal. The total volatile fatty acid production of ginkgo leaf was significantly greater than that of rice straw, and the ammonia concentration of ginkgo leaf decreased significantly. It indicated that ginkgo leaf could be used as a protein source feed for ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Islet cell transplantation is an emerging therapy in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Differentiation of islet cells from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a potential solution to the challenge of insufficient donor sources. This study investigated whether human umbilical cord‐derived MSCs could effectively differentiate into insulin‐producing cells (IPCs) and evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of IPCs in treating diabetes. Methods: IPCs were induced from MSCs by a two‐step protocol. IPC expression products were evaluated by western blot and real‐time PCR. IPC insulin secretion was evaluated by ELISA. The viability of IPCs was measured by FDA/PI and dithizone staining. The non‐human primate tree shrew was used as a diabetes model. After a single STZ induction into a diabetes model, a single intraportal transplantation of IPCs, MSCs, or normal saline was performed (n = 6 per group). Blood glucose was monitored for 3 weeks, then the animals were euthanized and the distribution of IPCs in the liver was examined pathologically. Results: After about 3 weeks of in vitro induction, IPCs formed microspheres of 100–200 μm, with >95% viable cells that were dithizone stain positive. IPCs expressed islet‐related genes and proteins and secreted high levels of insulin whether stimulated by low or high levels of glucose. After transplantation of IPCs into diabetic tree shrews, blood glucose levels decreased rapidly to near normal and were significantly lower than the MSC or saline groups for 3 weeks thereafter. Conclusion: We present the novel discovery that IPCs derived from human umbilical cord MSCs exert a therapeutic effect in a non‐human primate model of diabetes. This study provides a preliminary experimental basis for the use of autologous MSC‐derived IPCs in the treatment of human diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies have verified the protective role of fish lipids in cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects of fish lipids on health boost remain undefined. Large amounts of by-products, such as fish brain which contains high level of lipids, are produced with silver carp processing. Fish brain is rich in bioactive lipids which are overwhelmingly effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to elucidate the pharmacological activities of silver carp brain lipids against diseases by inhibiting platelet-activating factor (PAF), suppressing bacterial growth and scavenging free radicals. Methods: Total lipids (TL) were extracted from silver carp brain and separated into polar lipids (PL) and neutral lipids (NL). The capabilities of the lipid fractions in aggregating washed rabbit platelet or in inhibiting PAF-induced platelet aggregation were tested. Their antibacterial and antiradical activities were studied as well. Results: The lipid fractions exhibited strong inhibitory activities, and the activity of TL was mainly attributed to NL. TL exhibited antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus, while NL managed to fight against S. aureus and Escherichia coli. PL excelled TL and NL in simultaneously suppressing the growths of Shigella dysenteriae and Salmonella typhi besides those of S. aureus and E. coli. The scavenging effect of PL on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical was considerably higher than those of TL and NL. Conclusion: The present study may help to explain the protective role of fish lipids against diseases and may be responsible for the effectiveness of fish brain in benefiting health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While designing the inverter, the total harmonic distortion (THD) in the output is a major concern to decide its performance. In order to calculate the total harmonic distortion (THD) of a symmetric modular multilevel inverter (MMI) with switched capacitors, a Harris hawk optimization (HHO) was used in this study. Utilizing symmetric and identical DC sources, the suggested modular multilevel inverter is designed. The suggested topology may be expanded up to many levels and utilizes fewer switches to provide 9 levels of output than conventi1al cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverters. Using a low-frequency switching control approach known as selective harmonic elimination pulse width modulation, the switches are less stressed and the inverter output's THD profile is improved. Additionally, the switching angles of the MMI have been optimized by solving the non-linear equations of the SHEPWM using the Harris Hawk Optimizer. Ant colony optimization (ACO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO), two alternative optimizers, were compared in terms of the THD of the output. This comparison shows that the HHO delivers a lower THD than other optimization techniques approximately near to 5%, as per the IEEE-519 standard, and is thus more highly advised. Finally, a hardware configuration for the suggested inverter is implemented to confirm the simulation findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Compared to Mimas pigeons, Shiqi pigeons exhibit greater tolerance to coarse feeding because of their abundant gut microbiota. Here, to investigate the potential of utilizing intestinal flora derived from Shiqi pigeons, the intestinal flora and body indices of Mimas squabs were evaluated after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from donors. Methods: A total of 90 one-day-old squabs were randomly divided into the control group (CON), the low-concentration group (LC) and the high-concentration group (HC): gavaged with 200 μL of bacterial solution at concentrations of 0, 0.1, and 0.2 g/15 mL, respectively. Results: The results suggested that FMT improved the body weight of Mimas squabs in the HC and LC groups (p<0.01), and 0.1 g/15 mL was the optimal dose during FMT. After 16S rRNA sequencing was performed, compared to those in the CON group, the abundance levels of microflora, especially Lactobacillus, Muribaculaceae, and Megasphaera (p<0.05), in the FMT-treated groups were markedly greater. Random forest analysis indicated that the main functions of key microbes involve pathways associated with metabolism, further illustrating their important role in the host body. Conclusion: FMT has been determined to be a viable method for augmenting the weight and intestinal microbiota of squabs, representing a unique avenue for enhancing the economic feasibility of squab breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the promising technologies in the field of clean and renewable energy is the microbial fuel cells, which in addition to generating electrical energy from the metabolism of microorganisms, can also be used to improve the environment in wastewater treatment. In fact, this paper designs an integrated control model that in the presence of uncertainty and unknown parameters can consider the effect of input variables for two-population in a chamber. In addition to maintaining closed loop stability, it has acceptable behavior in terms of time to reach steady state and reduce system error and provide satisfactory performance in terms of output energy. Lyapunov analysis ensures system stability and system control functions are demonstrated by MATLAB / Simulink simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical selective oxidative transformation of lignin feedstocks into valuable oxygenated aromatics is essential to establish a sustainable biorefinery. In this study, we used a rhombohedral ZnIn2S4 (R-ZIS) electrocatalyst to realise the efficient anodic cleavage of C-O bonds in benzyl phenyl ether (BPE), an a-O-4 lignin model compound, to a series of industrially relevant oxygenated mono-aromatics. The reaction occurred at +2 VAg/AgCl, 65 °C, and atmospheric pressure. In optimised conditions, the reaction achieved over 99% conversion rate with a Faraday efficiency of 51.6% at 91.3% conversion of BPE, that is greater than most known electrocatalytic oxidative cleavage examples. The ZnIn2S4 electrocatalyst was deposited on a carbon cloth support, and its structural properties and surface morphology were extensively investigated. Systematic potential controlled electrolysis coupled with 18O isotopic labelling confirmed that C-O scission occurred exclusively between the benzylic carbon and phenolic oxygen. Furthermore, substrate competition studies were conducted to compare the electrocatalytic performance of the R-ZIS catalyst with that of its structural analogue, hexagonal ZnIn2S4, in terms of BPE and monoaromatics conversion. The experimental results were supported by density functional theory calculations. The substrate scoping study revealed the suitability of the R-ZIS induced electrocatalytic system for a variety of substituted a-O-4/ß-O-4 model dimers. Overall, this work demonstrates an efficient anodic process that can enable the atom-efficient valorisation of lignin to produce oxygenated aromatics. The proposed approach can complement the numerous existing reductive lignin cleavage methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neurotransmitter:sodium symporter (NSS) homolog LeuT from Aquifex aeolicus has proven to be a valuable model for studying the transport mechanism of the NSS family. Crystal structures have captured LeuT in key conformations visited during the transport cycle, allowing for the construction of a nearly complete model of transport, with much of the conformational dynamics studied by computational simulations. Here, we report crystal structures of LeuT representing new intermediate conformations between the outward-facing open and occluded states. These structures, combined with binding and accessibility studies, reveal details of conformational dynamics that can follow substrate binding at the central substrate binding site (S1) of LeuT in outward-facing states, suggesting a potential competition for direction between the outward-open and outward-occluded states at this stage during substrate transport. Our structures further support an intimate interplay between the protonation state of Glu290 and binding of Na1 that may ultimately regulate the outward-open-to-occluded transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islet transplantation may be the most efficient therapeutic technique for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, the clinical application of this method is faced with numerous limitations, including isolated islet apoptosis, recipient rejection, and graft vascular reconstruction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess anti-apoptotic, immunomodulatory, and angiogenic properties. Here, we review recent studies on co-culture and co-transplantation of islets with MSCs. We have summarized the methods of preparation of co-transplantation, especially the merits of co-culture, and the effects of co-transplantation. Accumulating experimental evidence shows that co-culture of islets with MSCs promotes islet survival, enhances islet secretory function, and prevascularizes islets through various pretransplant preparations. This review is expected to provide a reference for exploring the use of MSCs for clinical islet co-transplantation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Exosomal-microRNAs (Exo-miRNAs) are key regulators of islet cell function, including insulin expression, processing, and secretion. Exo-miRNAs have a significant impact on the outcomes of islet transplantation as biomarkers for evaluating islet cell function and survival. Furthermore, they have been linked to vascular remodeling and immune regulation following islet transplantation. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes have been shown in preliminary studies to improve islet cell viability and function when injected or transplanted into mice. Overall, Exo-miRNAs have emerged as novel agents for improving islet transplantation success rates. The role of islet-derived Exo-miRNAs and mesenchymal stem cells-derived Exo-miRNAs as biomarkers and immunomodulators in islet regeneration, as well as their role in improving islet cell viability and function in islet transplantation, are discussed in this review., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Based on engineered cell/exosome technology and various skin-related animal models, exosomal microRNA (miRNA)-based therapies derived from natural exosomes have shown good therapeutic effects on nine skin diseases, including full-thickness skin defects, diabetic ulcers, skin burns, hypertrophic scars, psoriasis, systemic sclerosis, atopic dermatitis, skin aging, and hair loss. Comparative experimental research showed that the therapeutic effect of miRNA-overexpressing exosomes was better than that of their natural exosomes. Using a dual-luciferase reporter assay, the targets of all therapeutic miRNAs in skin cells have been screened and confirmed. For these nine types of skin diseases, a total of 11 animal models and 21 exosomal miRNA-based therapies have been developed. This review provides a detailed description of the animal models, miRNA therapies, disease evaluation indicators, and treatment results of exosomal miRNA therapies, with the aim of providing a reference and guidance for future clinical trials. There is currently no literature on the merits or drawbacks of miRNA therapies compared with standard treatments., Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest regarding any of the authors of this manuscript., (© 2023 The Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Originating from slow irreversible and progressive loss and dysfunction of neurons and synapses in the nervous system, neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) affect millions of people worldwide. Common NDDs include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Currently, no sensitive biomarkers are available to monitor the progression and treatment response of NDDs or to predict their prognosis. Exosomes (EXOs) are small bilipid layer-enclosed extracellular vesicles containing numerous biomolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Recent evidence indicates that EXOs are pathogenic participants in the spread of neurodegenerative diseases, contributing to disease progression and spread. EXOs are also important tools for diagnosis and treatment. Recently, studies have proposed exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) as the targets for therapies or biomarkers of NDDs. In this review, we outline the latest research on the roles of exosomal miRNAs in NDDs and their applications as potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers, targets, and drugs for NDDs.