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This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Chinese yam polysaccharides (CYP) on myogenic differentiation 1 (MYOD1), myogenin (MYOG), and myostatin (MSTN) mRNA expression of breast and thigh muscle tissues in broilers. A total of 360 (1-day-old, gender-balanced) crossbred broilers chicks with similar body weight (BW) were randomly distributed into four groups, with three replicates in each group and each replicate included 30 broilers. The feeding trial lasted for 48 days. Experimental broilers were fed 0.00 mg/kg basal diet (control group), 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg CYP, respectively. The results showed that CYP250 and CYP500 groups had higher thigh muscle percentage (TMP) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of MYOD1, MYOG mRNA in breast muscle tissues of CYP500 and CYP1000 groups was higher (p < 0.05), and the expression of MSTN mRNA in thigh muscle of CYP250, CYP500, and CYP1000 groups was lower than that of the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in the expression of MYOD1 mRNA in the thigh muscle tissue of each group (p > 0.05). Bivariate correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of MYOD1, MYOG, and MSTN mRNA in the thigh muscle tissue of broiler chickens in the CYP500 group were positively correlated with TMP. However, the expression of MYOG mRNA in thigh muscle tissue of the CYP1000 group was negatively correlated with TMP. In general, this study indicated that appropriate dietary CYP supplementation influenced the growth and development of thigh muscle tissue in broilers by altering TMP and muscle tissue development-related genes expression. Therefore, CYP could be used as a potential feed additive to promote the development of muscle tissues in broilers.

The present study aimed to use the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to forecast foodborne disease incidence in Shenzhen city and help guide efforts to prevent foodborne disease. The data of foodborne diseases in Shenzhen comes from the infectious diarrhea surveillance network, community foodborne disease surveillance network, and student foodborne disease surveillance network. The incidence data from January 2012 to December 2017 was used for the model-constructing, while the data from January 2018 to December 2018 was used for the model-validating. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was used to assess the performance of the model. The monthly foodborne disease incidence from January 2012 to December 2017 in Shenzhen was between 954 and 32,863 with an incidence rate between 4.77 and 164.32/100,000 inhabitants. The ARIMA (1,1,0) was an adequate model for the change in monthly foodborne disease incidence series, yielding a MAPE of 5.34%. The mathematical formula of the ARIMA (1,1,0) model was (1 − B) × log(incidencet) = 0.04338 + εt/(1 + 0.51106B). The predicted foodborne disease incidences in the next three years were 635,751, 1,069,993, 1,800,838, respectively. Monthly foodborne disease incidence in Shenzhen were shown to follow the ARIMA (1,1,0) model. This model can be considered adequate for predicting future foodborne disease incidence in Shenzhen and can aid in the decision-making processes.

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) produced by certain marine dinoflagellates accumulate in filter-feeding marine bivalves. We used LC-MS/MS to detect and quantify 13 PSTs in 188 shellfish samples of 14 species collected from Shenzhen city’s Buji seafood wholesale market from March 2019 to February 2020. Twenty-six of 188 shellfish samples (13.8%) were PSTs detectable. Within 14 species, 10 out of 34 noble clam Chlamys nobilis samples contain detectable PSTs with the highest detection rate 29.4%. Seven out of 17 samples from Nan’ao island contained detectable PSTs with the highest detection rate 41.2% among 11 origins. Samples containing PSTs were concentrated in spring and winter, with the highest levels in March>December>January. Among PSTs detected, C1 was dominant. Acute dietary exposure assessment for Shenzhen residents were based on mean adult body weight, 99th percentile daily shellfish consumption of Shenzhen food consumption survey 2008 and maximum PSTs concentration for each shellfish species. The outcome for Chlamys nobilis was 2.4~3.7-fold higher than recommended ARfDs. Mean PSTs concentration, P99, and mean shellfish consumption were used to assess chronic dietary exposure. The results were lower than recommended ARfDs. In conclusion, residents in Shenzhen are at risk for acute PSTs poisoning, while relatively safe from chronic PSTs exposure.

Vitamin D has been discovered centuries ago, and current studies have focused on the biological effects of vitamin D on adipogenesis. Besides its role in calcium homeostasis and energy metabolism, vitamin D is also involved in the regulation of development and process of metabolic disorders. Adipose tissue is a major storage depot of vitamin D. This review summarized studies on the relationship between vitamin D and adipogenesis and furthermore focuses on adipose metabolic disorders. We reviewed the biological roles and functionalities of vitamin D, the correlation between vitamin D and adipose tissue, the effect of vitamin D on adipogenesis, and adipose metabolic diseases. Vitamin D is associated with adipogenesis, and vitamin D supplements can reduce the burden caused by metabolic diseases. The review provides new insights and basis for medical therapy on adipose metabolic diseases.

This present experiment was performed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of chitosan (CS) on immune function in growing Huoyan geese. A total of 320 28-day-old healthy growing Huoyan geese (sex balance) with similar body weight were randomly allotted into control, CS100, CS200, and CS400 groups. Each group includes 4 replicates with 20 geese per replicate, and the feeding trial lasted for 4 wk. The 4 diets contained 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg CS per kg feed, respectively. The results showed that compared with the control group, the relative weight of thymus, serum concentrations of IGF-I, INS, GH, T3, T4, IgM, IgG, IgA, complement C3, and IL-2 in CS200 group were significantly higher at both 42 and 56 D of age, respectively (P < 0.05). In addition, relative weight of bursa of fabricius (BF), spleen, serum complement C4, and TNF-a concentrations in CS200 group were higher at 56 D of age (P < 0.05), no differences were observed at 42 D of age (P > 0.05). These results indicated that addition of 200 mg/kg CS enhanced immune organs weight, serum concentrations of immunoglobulins, complements, hormone, as well as cytokines, and improved immune function of growing Huoyan geese.

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) produced by certain marine dinoflagellates accumulate in filter-feeding marine bivalves. We used LC-MS/MS to detect and quantify 13 PSTs in 188 shellfish samples of 14 species collected from Shenzhen city’s Buji seafood wholesale market from March 2019 to February 2020. Twenty-six of 188 shellfish samples (13.8%) were PST- positive, with highest values in samples of the Noble clam Chlamys nobilis (10/34, 29.4%). Samples originating from Nan’ao island among 11 source sites in China recorded the highest detected rate (7/17, 41.2%). Samples containing PSTs were concentrated in Spring and Winter, with the highest levels in March > December > January. Among PSTs detected, C1 was dominant. Acute dietary exposure assessments for Shenzhen residents were based on P99 consumption data (139.2g/day) and maximum PST concentration for each shellfish species. The outcome for Chlamys nobilis was 2.4 ~ 3.7-fold higher than recommended ARfDs (0.5 ~ 0.7 µg STX eq./kg bw/day). Mean PST concentration (10.9 ~ 134.1 µg STX Eq. /kg), mean shellfish consumption (4.8 g/day) and P99 consumption data were used to assess chronic dietary exposure. The results were lower than the recommended ARfDs. In conclusion, residents in Shenzhen are at risk for acute PST poisoning, while relatively safe from chronic PST exposure.

Epidemic prevention robots(EPRs) play an extremely important role in the period of an influenza outbreak. Most of the used scenes of EPR are indoor scenes such as ward and consulting room. The cost of the existing indoor positioning system based on vision is too high, but the positioning accuracy based on wireless technology is not enough, which restricts the development of EPR. In this paper, a positioning system based on UWB is proposed to provide a positioning service for EPR. A particle filter with adaptive particle redistribution is used to fuse the odometer and UWB. The incremental data of the odometer is used to predict the motion of EPR, and UWB data is used as the observation value to realize the pose estimation of EPR. The experimental results in the ward scene show that the method has good tracking performance and the positioning error is 3-7cm, providing robust and precise localization estimation for EPR applications.

The regulatory role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in various biological functions has been demonstrated. However, their role in fat deposition and lipid metabolism in pigs remains less understood. To explore the expression profile of lncRNAs in Jinhua and Landrace pigs, we investigated the expression levels of lncRNAs in intramuscular adipose tissues obtained from these pigs. Results showed that the expression levels of lncRNAs in these pig breeds significantly (Fold Change ≥ 2.0, FDR

Background: Fat deposition affected meat quality and the suitable amount of intramuscular fat (IMF) can significantly improve the taste of meat, palatability, juicy, tenderness and flavor, thereby enhancing the meat quality in animals. Although, calpastatin (CAST) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-ã (PPARã) could regulate meat quality by altering meat tenderness or IMF content in animals, reports concerning the relationship between CAST, PPARã expression and pork quality is unclear.Methods: A total of twenty 28-day-old purebred weaned Jinhua and Landrace piglets (10 piglets per breed) were divided into two groups according to breed for the feeding trials lasting for 120 days. At the 148 days of age, 3 pigs of each breed were selected to slaughter. Total RNA was extracted from longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscle to investigate the differential expression of PPARã and CAST in muscle tissues of different breed pigs by RT-PCR methods, as well as their relationship with IMF and carcass lean content.Result: These results suggested that PPARã is an important effector for regulating fat deposition in pigs, which was correlated with IMF and carcass lean content of pigs. This data would provide a scientific basis for the regulation of pork quality.

In patients with disabling symptoms caused by hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), echocardiography-guided percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PIMSRA) could be a less invasive treatment option.This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the PIMSRA for left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient reduction in HOCM.The study enrolled 15 patients with HOCM. These patients underwent electrocardiography, imaging, and blood biochemistry examination over 6 months of follow-up.At 6 months of follow-up, patients showed significant reductions in peak LVOT gradients (resting gradient: from 88.00 [66.00] mm Hg to 11.00 [6.00] mm Hg; p = 0.001; stress-induced gradient: from 117.00 [81.00] mm Hg to 25.00 [20.00] mm Hg; p = 0.005) and interventricular septum (IVS) thickness (anterior IVS: from 25.00 [21.00] mm to 14.00 [12.00] mm; p = 0.001; posterior IVS: from 24.00 [21.00] mm to 14.00 [11.50] mm; p = 0.001). The reductions in IVS thickness and LVOT gradients were associated with improvement in New York Heart Association functional classification (from 3.00 [2.00] to 1.00 [1.00]; p 0.001), total exercise time (from 6.00 [5.50] min to 9.00 [8.00] min; p = 0.007), and pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels (from 924.00 [370.45] pg/ml to 137.45 [75.73] pg/ml; p = 0.028). No patient had bundle branch block or complete heart block.PIMSRA is a safe and effective treatment approach for severe, symptomatic HOCM and results in sustained improvement in exercise capacity, persistent reduction in LVOT gradient, and sustained improvement in cardiac function.

Residential carbon dioxide emissions can be divided into a direct component caused by consumers via direct energy usage and an indirect component caused by consumers buying and using products to meet their needs, with a higher proportion caused by the latter. Based on Beijing panel data for 1993&ndash, 2012, an economic boom period in China, indirect carbon dioxide emissions were separately calculated for urban and rural households using the consumer lifestyle approach (CLA) model. Then, an extended stochastic impact by regression on population, affluence, and technology (STIRPAT) model was used to analyze the influence from two aspects, social economy, and land use, with high precision. Results indicate that indirect CO2 emissions in Beijing households display a rising trend in urban areas but a slight decrease in rural areas. Technology influences and forest land are, respectively, the most important aspects of the social economy and land use. Higher population and urbanization resulted in enhanced emissions in both urban and rural areas. The Engel coefficient presented a negative correlation with indirect CO2 emissions for both rural and urban areas. Compared with urban areas, the per capita net income of rural areas restrained consumption. The consumption structure of urban residents was more biased toward the tertiary industry than that of rural residents. Although technical progress has proceeded, it cannot offset urban residents&rsquo, indirect CO2 emissions caused by the large amount and rapid growth of consumption. Regarding land use, urban construction land net primary productivity (NPP) was high and not an important factor contributing to indirect CO2 emissions. Forest and lawn primarily served a recreational function and exhibited a positive impact. Water and cultivated land offered insufficient production and thus had a negative influence. For rural residents, lawn and cultivated land production is self-sufficient. Forests offer a carbon sequence effect, and construction land expansion increased the proportion of developed area, offering a scale effect that resulted in reduced carbon emissions. Based on the results, alternative carbon emission reduction policies have been proposed for each tested influence aspect to reduce emissions, including policies for optimizing industrialization quality, constructing a medium-density city, increasing space efficiency, encouraging sustainable consumption behavior, and increasing the efficiency of energy utilization.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination has become a public health concern in recent decades. The aim of the present study was to assess the contribution of dietary Cd exposure and its health risk among Shenzhen adult residents using the Total Diet Study (TDS) approach. Cd was determined in 13 food groups using 276 individual samples by ICP-MS. The major food contributors to Cd exposure of Shenzhen adult residents were ‘Vegetables’ (32.6% of the total exposure), ‘Rice and its products’ (19.2% of the total exposure) and ‘Fish, seafood and shellfish’ (18.5% of the total exposure). The mean and the 95th percentile dietary exposure to Cd of Shenzhen adults were 9.9 and 13 μg kg−1 bw month−1, respectively. The dietary exposures of all individual age-gender population subgroups were below the provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI = 25 μg kg−1 bw month−1), so the health risk of Cd dietary exposure of Shenzhen adults is considered to be low, but still, cadmium pollution should be strictly controlled and monitored...

Meat is a rich source of protein, fatty acids and carbohydrates for human needs. In addition to necessary nutrients, high fat contents in pork increase the tenderness and juiciness of the meat, featuring diverse application in various dishes. This study investigated the transcriptomic profiles of intramuscular adipose tissues in Jinhua and Landrace pigs by employing advanced RNA sequencing. Results showed significant interesting to note that there were significant differences in the expression of genes. 1,632 genes showed significant differential expression, 837 genes were up-regulated and 195 genes were down-regulated. Variations in genes responsible for cell aggregation, extracellular matrix formation, cellular lipid catabolic process, and fatty acid binding strongly supported that both pig breeds feature variable fat and muscle metabolism. Certain differentially expressed genes are included in the pathway of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway and insulin pathway. Results from real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction also validated the differential expression of 17 mRNAs between meats of the two pig breeds. Overall, these findings reveal significant differences in fat and protein metabolism of intramuscular adipose tissues of two pig breeds at the transcriptomic level and suggest diversification at the genetic level between breeds of the same species.

The endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary endothelial barrier disruption is a key pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying LPS-impaired permeability of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) are not fully understood. Gap junctions, particularly Connexin40 (Cx40), are necessary for the maintenance of normal vascular function. In this study, we for the first time investigated the role of Cx40 in LPS-impaired permeability of PMVECs and provided potential therapeutic approaches based on mechanistic findings of Cx40 regulation by LPS stimuli. Rat PMVECs were isolated, cultured and identified with cell morphology, specific markers, ultrastructural characteristics and functional tests. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Cx40 is the major connexin highly expressed in PMVECs. Furthermore, by inhibiting Cx40 in a time-dependent manner, LPS impaired gap junction function and induced permeability injury of PMVECs. The key role of Cx40 decline in mediating detrimental effects of LPS was further confirmed in rescue experiments through Cx40 overexpression. Mechanistically, LPS stress on PMVECs inhibited the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway, which may synergize with the inflammatory nuclear factor kappaB (NFκB) signaling activation in suppressing Cx40 expression level and phosphorylation. Moreover, through pharmacological PKC activation or NFκB inhibition, Cx40 activity in PMVECs could be restored, leading to maintained barrier function under LPS stress. Our findings uncover a previously unrecognized role of Cx40 and its regulatory mechanisms in impaired endothelial integrity under endotoxin and inflammation, shedding light on intervention approaches to improve pulmonary endothelial barrier function in ALI and ARDS.

In order to improve the durability of stainless steel bipolar plates at high potential during the start-up/shut-down process of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), TiN and TiCN coatings with different C element contents are deposited on the 316L stainless steel substrates by using Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputter Ion Plating. The electrochemical test results show that the TiCN-2sccm sample possesses excellent corrosion resistance compared to other samples. The results of interfacial contact resistance (ICR) measurements show that the minimum ICR value of the TiCN-2sccm sample is 10 mΩ cm2, which meets the Department of Energy targets.

Circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important regulatory role in development and differentiation. Intermuscular fat in pork affects the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. In this study, we investigated the performances of Landrace (lean) and Jinhua (obese) pigs at the fattening period and explored the expression profile of circRNAs in intermuscular fat from the two breeds by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. we identified 5 548 circRNAs, specifically 2 651 (47.78%) in the Jinhua pigs, and 2 897 (52.22%) in the Landrace pigs. A totale of 809 differentially expressed circRNAs were observed between the the Jinhua and Landrace pigs, but only 29 of these circRNAs showed significant difference (19 upregulated and 10 downregulated). All 1 306 unigenes and 27 differentially expressed unigenesinvolved in lipid transport and metabolism; replication, recombination and repair; and signaling pathway were annotated. A total of 550 target miRNAs were perfect seed matches and 20 522 target genes were foundBy RNAhybrid and miRanda software prediction. Results from real-time quantitative PCR also confirmed the differential expression of 13 mRNAs between the two pig breeds. This study provides comprehensive expression profiles of circRNAs in Sus scrofa adipose metabolism and development, which can be used to clarify their functions.Summary statementThe paper explored the expression profile of circRNAs in intermuscular fat from Landrace and Jinhua pigs at the fattening period, to provide insights into circRNAregulation in animal adipose metabolism.

Colon cancer is still one of the most common causes of cancer in human and is characterized by lymphocyte infiltrates and originates from the epithelial cells found in the lining of colon or rectum of the gastrointestinal tract. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are composed of the multipotent stem cell group of stroma and can be differentiated as various cell lineages, such as fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes. MSCs provide mechanical and structural support and have potential functions during tumor growth and metastasis. The efficacy of MSC-based therapies is partly dependent on the migration and homing of MSCs to tumors and metastatic sites. However, their migratory and engraftment potential is poorly understood. In this review, the characteristics and mechanisms of MSC’s dynamic interaction with colon cancer were summarized, particularly the potential functions of MSCs on colon cancer, including its role in improving tumor growth and as a potential candidate for tumor therapy. Understanding MSC homing provides new insights into the manipulation of MSC and the improvement of their efficacy for colon cancer therapy.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is critically involved in lipogenesis occurring in various body parts of humans and animals. In this study, to further investigate the role and distribution of miRNA in porcine intramuscular adipose tissue, small RNAs were extracted from Jinhua and Landrace pigs to identify the expression profiles of miRNAs. miRNA expression profiles revealed that 558 miRNAs including 287 known and 271 novel miRNAs were identified, and 220 of them showed differential expression in the pigs. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in fatty metabolism. In conclusion, the current study reveals the active participation of miRNAs in the regulation of adipogenesis in the intramuscular adipose tissue of Jinhua and Landrace pigs.

Transmethylation reactions utilize S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl donor and are central to the regulation of many biological processes: more than fifty SAM-dependent methyltransferases methylate a broad spectrum of cellular compounds including DNA, histones, phospholipids and other small molecules. Common to all SAM-dependent transmethylation reactions is the release of the potent inhibitor S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) as a by-product. SAH is reversibly hydrolyzed to adenosine and homocysteine by SAH hydrolase. Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, a major unanswered question is if homocysteine is causally involved in disease pathogenesis or simply a passive and indirect indicator of a more complex mechanism. A chronic elevation in homocysteine levels results in a parallel increase in intracellular or plasma SAH, which is a more sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular disease than homocysteine and suggests that SAH is a critical pathological factor in homocysteine-associated disorders. Previous reports indicate that supplementation with folate and B vitamins efficiently lowers homocysteine levels but not plasma SAH levels, which possibly explains the failure of homocysteine-lowering vitamins to reduce vascular events in several recent clinical intervention studies. Furthermore, more studies are focusing on the role and mechanisms of SAH in different chronic diseases related to hyperhomocysteinemia, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. This review summarizes the current role of SAH in cardiovascular disease and its effect on several related risk factors. It also explores possible the mechanisms, such as epigenetics and oxidative stress, of SAH. This article is part of a Directed Issue entitled: Epigenetic dynamics in development and disease.

Over the past decade, adult stem cells have attracted great attention because of their ability to potentially regenerate desired tissues or entire organs. With the emergence of nanomaterial-based gene therapy, adult stem cells have been considered as a proper tool for the biomedical field. In this study, we utilized organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) against pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and induce the differentiation of human cardiac stem cells (CSCs). We found that the down-regulation of PEDF can inhibit the proliferation of human CSCs and induce cell differentiation. To further study the mechanism, we have tested the Notch signalling pathway genes, Hes1 and Hes5, and found that their expressions were inhibited by the PEDF down-regulation. Furthermore, with the restoration of PEDF, both the proliferation of human CSCs and expressions of Hes1 and Hes5 were recovered. Our results suggest for the first time the use of ORMOSIL as nanocarriers for the delivery of PEDF siRNA in human CSCs, and demonstrated the cooperation between PEDF and the Notch signalling pathway in maintaining the self-renewal and pluripotency of stem cells. PEDF as the essential controller in differentiation may be a promising target for the regulation of cardiac homeostasis and damage repair, which opens new treatment strategies using nanomaterials for heart disease therapy.