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OBJECTIVE: To screen the differentially expressed miRNAs and their target genes in adipogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to better understand the mechanism for regulating the balance between osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation. METHODS: Cultured hMSCs were induced for adipogenic differentiation, and at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of induction, the cells were examined for miRNA and mRNA expression profiles using miRNA chip and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) techniques. Correlation analysis was carried out for the miRNAs and mRNAs of potential interest. The databases including TargetScan, PicTar and miRanda were used to predict the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNA. RESULTS: The expression of miR-140-5p was down-regulated and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) expression increased progressively during adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs, showing a negative correlation between them. Target gene prediction using the 3 databases identified LIFR as the target gene of miR-140-5p. CONCLUSION: miRNA-140-5p may play an important role by regulating its target gene LIFR during adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs.

A series of thin, low-cost and environment-friendly organic hybrid composites consisting of reclaimed rubber (R-Rubber) which is a waste product of roller processing of textile mill filled with organic hindered phenol compound 2, 2-methylenebis (6-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenol) (AO2246) were fabricated. In this study the damping property of the R-Rubber composites were tested in the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The study concluded that R-Rubber/AO2246 composites exhibited an exceptional damping performance with a broad temperature range. Meanwhile, by addition of AO2246, the tan δ peak maximum (tan δmax) of R-Rubber/AO2246 composite was remarkably increased up to 1.5. Furthermore, with increasing the AO2246 content, storage modulus (E') and loss modulus (E") increases up to R-Rubber/AO2246 (100/80) and then becomes smaller. There is critical value on E and E" increasing which is caused by the excessive crystallization. The Interaction of AO2246 crystallizing, hybridized state and Molecular hydrogen bond led not only to control Tan δmaxof R-Rubber, but also to regulate glass transition temperature and improve the storage modulus, which make R-Rubber have potential applications in fields of engineering.

WNK1 and WNK4 encode two members of the WNK serine-threonine kinase subfamily. Greater WNK1 expression associates with higher BP. A combination of promoters, enhancers, repressors, and insulators regulate WNK1 expression, but whether microRNAs also modulate WNK1 expression is unknown. Here, computational analysis revealed the presence of a target sequence for miR-192 and miR-215 at the same site in the 3' untranslated region of the ubiquitous L- and the kidney-specific KS-WNK1. We functionally validated this target sequence by transient transfection and reporter assays. Although we observed expression of both miRs along the distal nephron, only miR-192 regulated endogenous WNK1 ex vivo. Furthermore, a potassium load, sodium depletion, and aldosterone infusion each significantly reduced miR-192 expression in the kidney. Taken together, these results suggest a miR-driven mechanism of gene regulation by aldosterone and a role for miR-192 in the regulation of sodium and potassium balance in the kidney.

To investigate the relationship of insulin resistance and the polymorphisms of insulin receptor-related genes in essential hypertension patients of two different kinds of TCM constitution. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin release test (InRT) were conducted in 217 essential hypertensive patients of either sluggish meticulous (SM) constitution (139 cases) or prosperous impetuous (PI) constitution (78 cases), and the polymorphism of three genes, including insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and 2 (IRS-2) genes were detected. (1) OGTT, InRT and insulin resistance index (Homa-IR) were higher and insulin sensitive index (ISI) was lower in the patients of SM constitution than those in patients of PI constitution. (2) Significant difference of ISI and Homa-IR was shown in patients of both constitutions with genotype G of the 3 genes. Decrease of insulin sensitivity and increase of insulin resistance are more obvious in hypertensive patients with genotype G of the 3 genes of SM constitution than in those of PI constitution. Therefore, the difference in constitution might be one of the genetic characteristics for insulin resistance in hypertensive patients.

To study the published papers and its citation of Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control, so as to provide evidence for the improvement of its quality.The published papers in Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control from 2008 to 2010 were searched, biblimetrics analysis was employed, and the number of published papers, the proportion of fund articles, the cooperation rate of scientific research, the distribution of authors, the citations and their types, the half-life periods and the Price's index were analysed.From 2008 to 2010, the number of papers published were 217, 203, 210, respectively, and the proportions of fund articles were 32.72%, 38.92% and 49.52%, respectively. The cooperation rates of scientific research were 87.56%, 95.07%, 94.76%, respectively. The average amounts of citation were 5.49, 10.14, 13.33 per paper, respectively, and the citations were mainly from books and journals. The Price's indexes were 47.23%, 50.12% and 51.48%, respectively.The quality and academic level of papers published in Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control is improving year by year, the journal can satisfy its authors and readers with the latest information of scientific research in schistosomiasis and parasitic diseases study and control. But it requires to enlarge the author group and to increase the amount of citation to its further development.

Mutations in WNK1 and WNK4 lead to familial hyperkalemic hypertension (FHHt). Because FHHt associates net positive Na + balance together with K + and H + renal retention, the identification of WNK1 and WNK4 led to a new paradigm to explain how aldosterone can promote either Na + reabsorption or K + secretion in a hypovolemic or hyperkalemic state, respectively. WNK1 gives rise to L-WNK1, an ubiquitous kinase, and KS-WNK1, a kinase-defective isoform expressed in the distal convoluted tubule. By inactivating KS-WNK1 in mice, we show here that this isoform is an important regulator of sodium transport. KS-WNK1 −/− mice display an increased activity of the Na-Cl cotransporter NCC, expressed specifically in the distal convoluted tubule, where it participates in the fine tuning of sodium reabsorption. Moreover, the expression of the ROMK and BKCa potassium channels was modified in KS-WNK1 −/− mice, indicating that KS-WNK1 is also a regulator of potassium transport in the distal nephron. Finally, we provide an alternative model for FHHt. Previous studies suggested that the activation of NCC plays a central role in the development of hypertension and hyperkalemia. Even though the increase in NCC activity in KS-WNK1 −/− mice was less pronounced than in mice overexpressing a mutant form of WNK4, our study suggests that the activation of Na–Cl cotransporter is not sufficient by itself to induce a hyperkalemic hypertension and that the deregulation of other channels, such as the Epithelial Na + channel (ENaC), is probably required.

To explore the difference of serum adiponectin (APN) level in hypertensive patients of phlegm-dampness constitution (PDC) and in those of non-PDC, as well as its association with APN gene polymorphisms.Serum APN levels in 250 hypertensive patients (137 of PDC and 113 of non-PDC) were determined, and a correlation study was performed on 8 selected single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of APN gene.Significant differences of serum APN levels were observed between PDC and non-PDC patients (5.07 +/- 0.35 microg/mL vs 6.41 +/- 0.39 microg/mL, P = 0.045). No significant difference in polymorphism distribution of the 8 SNP sites of APN genes was found between patients of different constitutions (P0.05). Serum APN level was significantly lower in PDC patients than in non-PDC patients in sites of APN gene rs1063537 (3224C/T) polymorphism TT genotype (2.580 +/- 1.029 microg/mL vs 6.011 +/- 0.945 microg/mL, P = 0.017) and CT genotype (5.113 +/- 0.968 microg/mL vs 7.812 +/- 0.161 microg/mL, P = 0.021), while that of CC genotype was insignificant between the two constitutions (5.426 +/- 0.591 microg/mL vs 6.130 +/- 0.668 microg/mL).Serum APN level was significantly lower in hypertensive patients of PDC than in those of non-PDC. Moreover, the APN gene SNP3224 T allele carrier might be a hereditary feature of APN abnormity.

Background Essential hypertension (EH) is a common disorder, which can increase the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Calpain-10 ( CAPN10 ) gene was the first candidate gene of T2D identified through genome-wide linkage and positional cloning, but few works have focused on the relationship of CAPN10 with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in EH patients. Methods To identify the effect of UCSNP-43 and UCSNP-44 in CAPN10 gene on susceptibility to IFG/IGT, we conducted a case–control study in 961 EH patients with and without IFG/IGT among Han Chinese population. We also evaluated the impact of two SNPs on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance estimated through oral glucose tolerance test and renal functions by blood chemical assays. Results The major findings of this study were that UCSNP-43 displayed higher G120 and AUCg. In addition, UCSNP-44 was found associated with IFG/IGT in EH patients, and associated with increased G30, G60, AUCg, Cederholm index, Scr and eGFR. The haplotype UCSNP-43–44 was detected associated with IFG/IGT susceptibility, G60, G120, I0, AUCg, Scr and eGFR by the linear regression with the adjustment for sex, age, BMI, mean blood pressures and ACEI/ARB treatment. Conclusions These findings provided some evidence that CAPN 10 gene may play an important role in the pathogenesis of IFG/IGT in EH patients.

To observe the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the ultrastructure of Trichomonas vaginalis cultured in vitro.The trophozoites of T. vaginalis were cultivated with liver extract solution medium containing 1 mg/ml dihydroartemisinin, and were then observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopes after the treatment for 2.5-4.0 h.The cell membranes of the trophozoites treated with DHA were damaged considerably. The surface of T. vaginalis showed deepening folds, hollow, and cracks. The nuclear membrane appeared fractures. There were a few of crevices in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Disordered and dilated endoplasmic reticulum, injured and deformed hydrogenosomes were found. Cytoplasm of the damaged parasites spilled over from torn place. After the cell membrane was peeled off, the nuclei, hydrogenosomes and pelta were exposed, which finally resulted in the death of the denatured parasites.Dihydroartemisinin can destroy membrane structure and organelles of Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites, which leads to decomposition and necrosis of the parasites.

Objectives The aim of this experiment was to study the significance of UII and its receptor UT, and endothelial- to- mesenchymal transition (EndMT) during development of myocardial fibrosis in a rat model of diabetic mellitus fed with fructose. Methods Male SD rats (200 g), were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6-11): Control group; Metformin group [(treated with metformin (300 mg/kg·d) by gavage (8th-15th week)]; Fructose group (treated with 10% fructose in drinking water for 15 weeks); Fructose + Metformin group [treated with both fructose and metformin]. The changes of fasting blood-glucose and serum insulin, HDL, Masson staining, were observed. UII and TGF-β1 content were measured by radioimmunoassay. UT, α-SMA, fibroblast specific protein-1 (FSP-1) and collagen-I immunoreactivity in heart were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Fasting blood-glucose and insulin level in the fructose group were higher than that of control group and /or the metformin groups (both p Conclusions The results showed that both myocardial UII and UT expression are elevated, with the emergence of EndMT, during the development of cardiac fibrosis induced by diabetes mellitus in rats fed with fructose, indicating that UII may play an important role in diabetic myocardial fibrosis through EndMT.

A combined approach to the calibration of vacuum gauges is described. It is based on the principle of expansion and pumpdown methods. Two chambers V1 and V2 are connected by conductance Ck. Gas is first expanded into V1 (expansion method), admitted into V2 via Ck, and then pumped away through an orifice of conductance C2. The pressure P2 in V2 decreases exponentially (pumpdown method). A formula for computing P2 is given. Calibration of a Bayard–Alpert type ionization gauge has been carried out in the range 10−4–5×10−7 Torr (1.3×10−2–6.7×10−5 Pa). Possible experimental errors are discussed. A total uncertainty of about 5.2% has been estimated.