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Pro-inflammatory cytokine-mediated expression of cell surface adhesion molecules plays a key role in endothelial cell injury, leading to vascular inflammation and the development of many cerebrovascular diseases. Thus, antiinflammatory agents targeting these adhesion molecules may represent potential drugs for the prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. The present study explored the effects of tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), an active ingredient present in the Salvia miltiorrhiza root, on the expression of cellular adhesion molecules in TNF-[alpha]-stimulated brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs). Treatment with Tan IIA was found to suppress the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), resulting in inhibition of TNF-[alpha]-induced adhesion of neutrophils to BMVECs in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, Tan IIA significantly inhibited TNF-[alpha]-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was accompanied by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Treatment with Tan IIA also inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-[kappa]B) activation. Together, these results suggest that Tan IIA regulates TNF-[alpha]-induced expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 through inhibition of NF-[kappa]B activation and ROS generation in BMVECs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research suggests that lowering maternal morbidities associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can be achieved with earlier risk group identification., Aims: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine potential markers for identifying first-trimester pregnant women who are at high risk for developing GDM., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The pertinent maternal clinical data were retrieved prior to 13+6 weeks of gestation, and a binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify potential GDM predictors. The predictive accuracy was evaluated using the area below the receiver operating characteristics curves., Results: In comparison to the control group, the GDM group had significantly higher mean values for age, body mass index (BMI), mean fasting blood glucose (FBG), and hemoglobin (p < 0.05). The Pearson's correlation coefficients indicated that the first-trimester FBG was significantly positively correlated with the second-trimester FBG. Higher FBG and BMI values were associated with an increased risk of developing GDM (odds ratio (OR) = 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.03-4.55 and OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.12-1.25). In terms of predicting GDM, the FBG parameter demonstrated the greatest area under the curve values (0.66), followed by the BMI parameter (0.69). For GDM prediction, the cut-off value for FBG was 4.32 mM, whereas that for BMI was 23.7 kg/m 2 ., Conclusion: The first-trimester FBG and BMI could be utilized to predict gestational diabetes., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of dydrogesterone combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) in the treatment of patients with mild endometriosis., Methods: This was a clinical comparative study. Eighty patients with mild endometriosis were recruited at Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, randomly divided experimental group (n=40) and control group (n=40) from March 2022 to March 2023. Both groups started treatment with dydrogesterone on the 5th day of menstruation. Patients in the control group were treated with dydrogesterone monotherapy, while those in the experimental group were treated with mefenamic acid the basis of the therapy of the control group. The clinical efficacy, differences in the levels of humoral immune indexes, the levels of inflammatory factor and the incidence of adverse drug reactions of the two groups was compared and analyzed., Results: The efficacy of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group, with a statistically significant difference(P=0.02). The levels of C3 and C4 in the experimental group after treatment were significantly lower than those in the control group, with a statistically significant difference(P=0.00). After treatment, TNF-a, CRP, IL-6 and other indexes in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences(P=0.00). The incidence of adverse reactions after treatment had no statistically significant difference(P=0.45)., Conclusion: Dydrogesterone combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is a safe and effective treatment for patients with endometriosis. It can improve various obvious curative effects, such as marked relief of pain symptoms, reduction of complement and inflammatory factor levels without a significant increase in adverse reactions., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: None., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

The photoperiod regulates the seasonal reproduction of mammals by affecting the follicle development, for which the granulosa cells provide nutrition. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, Djungarian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus ) were raised under different photoperiods to study the ovarian status and explore the potential mechanism of the follicle development mediated by the FSH-Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway. Compared with the moderate daylight (MD) group, the short daylight (SD) group exhibited a significant decrease in the ovarian weight and increase in the atretic follicle number and granulosa cell apoptosis, whereas the long daylight (LD) group showed an increase in the ovarian weight, the growing follicle number, and the antral follicle number, but a decrease in the granulosa cell apoptosis. Based on these findings, the key genes of the Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway controlling the granulosa cell apoptosis were studied using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. In the SD group, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration significantly decreased and the Nodal/ALK7/Smad signaling pathways were activated, while the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIK3)/Akt signaling pathway was inhibited. The BAX expression was significantly increased, while the Bcl-xL expression was significantly decreased, leading to an increase in the caspase-3 activity, the granulosa cell apoptosis, and ovarian degeneration. However, in the LD group, the FSH concentration significantly increased, the Nodal/ALK7/Smad signaling pathway was inhibited, and the PIK3/Akt signaling pathway was activated. Taken together, our results indicate that the photoperiod can regulate the apoptosis of the granulosa cells by regulating the concentration of FSH, activating or inhibiting the Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway, thereby affecting the ovarian function. Our research provides an important theoretical basis for understanding the photoperiod-regulated mechanisms of the mammalian seasonal reproduction.

In order to explore the characteristics of soil heavy metal pollution and ecological risk status in southern hilly areas, a hilly area of a southern province was selected as the research area, using soil samples collected at 60 points in 2017. The single factor pollution index ( P i ), Nemero comprehensive pollution index, and potential ecological risk index (RI) were used to evaluate the content characteristics and potential ecological risks of eight heavy metal elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn), and positive definite matrix factor analysis models (PMF) were used to analyze their sources of pollution. The results were as follows:① the content of eight heavy metal elements in the study area exceeded the standard, and the Nemeiro comprehensive pollution index showed that the proportions of light, moderate, and heavy pollution in the study area were 63%, 8%, and 2%, respectively. Unpolluted and lightly polluted samples accounted for 27% and were thus basically lightly polluted. ②The comprehensive potential ecological risk index showed that the RI of soil heavy metals was 39.58-224.15, the proportions of samples with low and medium ecological risks were 73.33% and 25%, respectively, and the proportion of sites with severe ecological risks was 1.67%. Although this site had the highest ecological risk, the content of heavy metals was lower than the background value of soil elements in the province. ③Six pollution sources were obtained through the PMF model:natural sources, agricultural activity sources, mixed sources composed of copper mining and transportation, industrial activity sources, transportation sources, and domestic waste emission sources. The contribution rates of each source were 24.8%, 17.7%, 17.7%, 17.6%, 12.0%, and 10.2%, respectively.

In this study, we investigated the mitochondrial energy supply capacity and molecular mechanisms of apoptosis, mitochondrial fission, and mitophagy in regulating mitochondrial degeneration in testis of striped dwarf hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) under mild low temperature (15°C) and short daylight (10 h:14 h) conditions. Results showed that under moderate daylight and mild low temperature (ML), short daylight and moderate temperature (SM), short daylight and mild low temperature (SL) conditions, the mitochondria were swollen and cristae were disrupted. Compared with the moderate daylight & moderate temperature group (MM; 12 h:12 h, 22°C), the number of mitochondria was significantly decreased in the SM and SL groups. Both short daylight and mild low temperature reduced the protein expression of citrate synthase, thus the energy supply capacity of mitochondria may be weakened. Compared with the MM group, bax/bcl2 protein expression was higher in three treatment groups, and caspase3 activity increased in SM and SL groups, suggesting that short daylight can induce apoptosis. DRP1 protein expression showed no difference in four groups, while the FIS1 protein expression was significantly decreased in three treatment groups, this indicates that short daylight and mild low temperature can increase mitochondrial fission level. PINK1 protein expression was significantly increased in ML and SL groups, indicates that mild low temperature will lead to increased mitophagy level. Generally, short daylight induced degeneration of mitochondria in the testis of hamsters mainly by increasing apoptosis, while under mild low temperature, balanced regulation of mitophagy and mitochondrial fission appear to contribute to the protection of mitochondria., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The aim of this study was to analyse the risk factors of pregnancy loss of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and develop a scoring system to predict RSA. Clinical data of 242 cases, with RSA who were treated at Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, were selected. The factors of pregnancy loss for RSA patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. There were 242 RSA patients, of whom 34 (14.0%) developed pregnancy loss. A multivariate analysis showed the following adverse risk factors for RSA: antinuclear antibody spectrum, protein s deficiency and antiphospholipid antibodies. The pregnancy loss rates of antinuclear antibody spectrum group, protein S deficiency group and antiphospholipid antibodies group were 25.0%, 22.5% and 19.4%, respectively. Each of these factors contributed 1 point to the risk score. The pregnancy loss rates were 6.3%, 24.6%, 50% for the low-, intermediate- and high-risk categories, respectively ( p  < .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the score of RSA was .733. Our findings suggest that this validated and simple scoring system could accurately predict the risk of pregnancy loss of RSA patients. The score might be helpful in the selection of risk-adapted interventions to decrease the incidence. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? The live birth rate increases to 80%-90% after anticoagulant and/or immunosuppressive treatment in patients with RSA. However, there is still a high rate of re-abortion even after active treatment. What do the results of this study add? Antinuclear antibody spectrum, protein s deficiency and antiphospholipid antibodies were independent risk factors for pregnancy loss. A novel predictive model based on these factors was then established and validated. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The newly developed score might be helpful in the selection of risk-adapted interventions to decrease the incidence. For patients in the intermediate-risk and high-risk groups, we should conduct more targeted studies and formulate corresponding therapies to improve the success rate of treatment.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a very important mycotoxin. However, there are few studies on the removal of OTA in wine because of the great influence on product quality and difficulty in practical application. A nano-MgO-modified diatomite ceramic membrane (MCM) with a high positive charge was prepared and applied to remove OTA in wine. The isotherm adsorption between the positively charged membrane and OTA was in accordance with the Langmuir model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 806 ng/g at 25 °C. All of the changes in adsorption enthalpy (ΔH), adsorption free energy (ΔG) and adsorption entropy (ΔS) were negative, which indicated that the combination of nano-MgO MCM and OTA was a spontaneous exothermic and nonspecific physical adsorption process. The concentrations of OTA in adsorption-treated wines were lower than 2 μg/kg, and the removal rates exceeded 92%. After OTA removal, the composition of wines was preserved to some extent., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a contrast-free multimodal magnetic resonance (MR) protocol (including M2DIPEAR, THRIVE, BTFE-SPAIR, and FLAIR sequences) in the detection of iliac vein obstruction with or without thrombosis., Materials and Methods: From May 1st, 2015, to May 1st, 2016, a total of 73 patients (aged 51.33 ± 4.21 years) who received both digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and the multimodal MR imaging were included. The protocol of the multimodal MR included M2DIPEAR and BTFE-SPAIR for presenting iliac vein obstruction, and THRIVE and FLAIR for revealing the co-existed thrombosis. Three observers who were blinded to clinical and DSA results independently analyzed all multimodal MR datasets. Per-patient evaluations on presence or absence of iliac vein obstruction were performed to calculate the diagnostic performance of MR imaging (DSA regarded as gold reference) in terms of overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Capability to display the co-existing venous thrombus was also evaluated per-MR sequence using a 3-point scale system., Results: Iliac vein obstruction was depicted with DSA in 64 patients. In per-patient evaluation, the multimodal MR imaging yielded accuracy of 95.9% (70/73), sensitivity of 96.9% (62/64), specificity of 88.9% (8/9), positive predictive value of 98.4% (62/63), and negative predictive value of 80% (8/10), respectively. In the multimodal MR sequences, balanced turbo field echo-spectral attenuated inversion recovery (BTFE-SPAIR) sequence was superior to other sequences in depicting the iliac vein configuration, but fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1 high-resolution isovolumetric examination (THRIVE) seemed superior in detecting co-existing venous thrombosis., Conclusions: M2DIPEAR and BTFE-SPAIR sequence can reveal iliac vein obstruction while THRIVE and FLAIR can detect the co-existed thrombosis. The proposed multimodal MR protocol can accurately depict the iliac vein obstruction and accurately detect the co-existing venous thrombosis comparable with that of DSA., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Ergosterol, a terpenoid compound produced by fungi, is an economically important metabolite serving as the direct precursor of steroid drugs. Herein, ergsosterol biosynthetic pathway modification combined with storage capacity enhancement was proposed to synergistically improve the production of ergosterol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . S. cerevisiae strain S1 accumulated the highest amount of ergosterol [7.8 mg/g dry cell weight (DCW)] among the wild-type yeast strains tested and was first selected as the host for subsequent metabolic engineering studies. Then, the push and pull of ergosterol biosynthesis were engineered to increase the metabolic flux, overexpression of the sterol acyltransferase gene ARE2 increased ergosterol content to 10 mg/g DCW and additional overexpression of a global regulatory factor allele ( UPC2-1 ) increased the ergosterol content to 16.7 mg/g DCW. Furthermore, considering the hydrophobicity sterol esters and accumulation in lipid droplets, the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway was enhanced to expand the storage pool for ergosterol. Overexpression of ACC1 coding for the acetyl-CoA carboxylase increased ergosterol content from 16.7 to 20.7 mg/g DCW. To address growth inhibition resulted from premature accumulation of ergosterol, auto-inducible promoters were employed to dynamically control the expression of ARE2 , UPC2-1 , and ACC1 . Consequently, better cell growth led to an increase of ergosterol content to 40.6 mg/g DCW, which is 4.2-fold higher than that of the starting strain. Finally, a two-stage feeding strategy was employed for high-density cell fermentation, with an ergosterol yield of 2986.7 mg/L and content of 29.5 mg/g DCW. This study provided an effective approach for the production of ergosterol and other related terpenoid molecules., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sun, Lian, Zhu, Jiang, Li, Xue, Wu, Yang and Lin.)

Harderian gland (HG) plays an important role in the physiological adaptation to terrestrial life, however, the mechanisms underlying the changes in the structure and function of the HG during aging remain unclear. This study investigated autophagy and apoptosis in the HG of striped dwarf hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) of different ages (sub-adult, adult and aged groups) in both males and females. The results showed that LC3II/LC3I and puncta of LC3 were significantly higher in adult and aged individuals than sub-adults, whereas P62 decreased with age. Bax/bcl2was the highest in sub-adults of male and female individuals. Caspase3 activity was the highest in sub-adults of male and female individuals, and the citrate synthase activity was highest in sub-adults of females. ATP synthase, citrate synthase, dynamin-related protein 1 and mitochondrial fission factor (Mff) were the highest in sub-adults of females. Peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase were the highest in the aged group, and those of gonadotropin-releasing hormone was the highest in the adult group. LC3II/LC3I, P62, Drp1, Fis, and bax/bcl2 were higher in males than that in females. These results suggest that apoptosis mainly affects growth and development in the HG, whereas autophagy affects aging. The difference of the HG weight and mitochondrial function between sexes is mainly related to the apoptosis., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The social behavior mechanisms have not been thoroughly reported in the solitary female striped dwarf hamster ( Cricetulus barabensis ). In this study, the handling bag test and neutral arena measurements were used to detect the changes of aggression in the face of rivals of different genders of wild striped dwarf hamsters. We found that female hamsters had the highest aggressive performance in proestrus, followed by estrus, and the lowest in metestrus and the dioestrus, and the increased aggression during the proestrus or estrus period was low-intensity aggression such as intimidation, shock, boxing and counterattack, or even ritualized non-harmful behaviors to drive away opponents. When confronted with male individuals, aggression in females decreased significantly during estrus. The concentration of plasma estradiol was the highest in estrus and the lowest in metestrus and dioestrus. In contrast, estrogen receptor 2 relative expression in the hypothalamus is the lowest in proestrus and highest in metestrus and dioestrus. Besides, both estradiol levels in plasma and estrogen receptor 2 mRNA in the hypothalamus were associated with aggression. These results will broaden our understanding of the molecular mechanism of how breeding phenotype is an essential driver in changing the social behavior of female Cricetulus barabensis ., Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by IMR Press.)

Small mammals exhibit limited glucose use and glycogen accumulation during hypothermia. Huddling is a highly evolved cooperative behavioral strategy in social mammals, allowing adaptation to environmental cooling. However, it is not clear whether this behavior affects the utilization of glycogen in cold environments. Here, we studied the effects of huddling on myocardial glycogen content in Brandt's voles ( Lasiopodomys brandtii ) under a mild cold environment (15°C). Results showed that (1) Compared to the control (22°C) group (CON), the number of glycogenosomes more than tripled in the cool separated group (CS) in both males and females; whereas the number of glycogenosomes increased in females but was maintained in males in the cool huddling group (CH). (2) Glycogen synthase (GS) activity in the CS group remained unchanged, whereas glycogen phosphorylase (GYPL) activity decreased, which mediated the accumulation of glycogen content of the CS group. (3) Both GS and GYPL activity increased which may contribute to the stability of glycogen content in CH group. (4) The expression levels of glucose transporters GLUT1 and GLUT4 increased in the CS group, accompanied by an increase in glucose metabolism. These results indicate that the reduced glycogen degradation enzyme level and enhanced glucose transport may lead to an increase in myocardial glycogen content of the separated voles under cool environment; while the up-regulation of glycogen synthesis and degradation enzyme level maintained myocardial glycogen content in the huddling vole., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Xu, Wang, Mou, Wang, Huang, Xue, Wu, Chen and Xu.)

Amino and thiolated aptamers are the main aptamers used to construct label-free electrochemical impedimetric aptasensors. In this study, the modification performance and electrochemical properties of amino aptamers and thiolated aptamers were studied in the construction of label-free impedimetric sensors. The results showed that the initial modification density of amino aptamers was higher than that of thiol aptamers. Aptamers can recognize and bind OTA to generate electrical signals. The higher the density of aptamer modification was, the better the electric signals were. If only considering the initial modification density, amino aptamers were more suitable for the preparation of aptasensors than thiolated aptamers. However, the modification density of the amino aptamer decreased with the prolonged immersion time in 1 mM HCl solution, which suggests that the stability of this sensor was poor. However, the thiolated aptamer maintained relatively constant density and could be reused. Thus, the thiolated aptasensor had a wide range and good reproducibility and stability for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA). In addition, this study proved that gold nanoparticles play an important role in signal amplification by increasing the effective gold surface to fix more aptamers in the process of sensor preparation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Constructions of process or mechanistic models are limited by physiological parameters, due to difficulty in direct and precise measurement. Global sensitivity analysis could evaluate the response of model outputs to changes in physiological parameters, and provide information for improving model structure, data collection, and parameter calibration. Based on a process model CROBAS, 10 parameters related to tree structure of Pinus armandii were selected to compare three widely used global sensitivity analysis methods (the Morris screening method, the variance-based Sobol indices, and the Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (EFAST)), with the objective function formulated by the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of tree height and biomass. The results showed that the sensitivity order of parameters slightly varied across different methods, which considerably changed with different objective functions. Both the Morris method and the EFAST method outperformed the Sobol method in terms of time consuming and convergence efficiency. All outputs were sensitive to the maximum rate of canopy photosynthesis per unit area, the specific leaf area, and the extinction coefficient. The light interception of tree canopy played a key role in the simulation of tree growth with CROBAS, suggesting that the module of photosynthetic carbon fixation took priority over any other modules for data collection and model validation during module calibration and tree growth simulation for CROBAS. The calculation and validation of foliage biomass module were crucial when applying carbon balance theory to biomass simulations. In conclusion, for the sensitivity analysis of a complex process-based model, the Morris method was suitable for qualitative studies, while the EFAST method was recommended for quantitative studies.

Photoperiod is an important factor of mammalian seasonal rhythm. Here, we studied morphological differences in the Harderian gland (HG), a vital photosensitive organ, in male striped dwarf hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) under different photoperiods (short photoperiod, SP; moderate photoperiod, MP; long photoperiod, LP), and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms related to these morphological differences. Results showed that carcass weight and HG weight were lower under SP and LP conditions. There was an inverse correlation between blood melatonin levels and photoperiod in the order SP > MP > LP. Protein expression of hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT), a MT synthesis-related enzyme, was highest in the SP group. Protein expression of bax/bcl2 showed no significant differences, indicating that the level of apoptosis remained stable. Protein expression of LC3II/LC3I was higher in the SP group than that in the MP group. Furthermore, comparison of changes in the HG ultrastructure demonstrated autolysosome formation in the LP, suggesting the lowest autophagy level in under MP. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of ATP synthase and mitochondrial fission factor were highest in the MP group, whereas citrate synthase, dynamin-related protein1, and fission1 remained unchanged in the three groups. The change trends of ATP synthase and citrate synthase activity were similar to that of protein expression among the three groups. In summary, the up-regulation of autophagy under SP and LP may be a primary factor leading to loss of HG weight and reduced mitochondrial energy supply capacity., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Reduced ambient temperature has a damaging effect on mammalian myocardium. Huddling as a cooperative behavior has evolved in social mammals as a strategy to maximize adaptation to environmental cooling. Here, we studied the effects of huddling behavior on mitochondrial morphology, number, and function in the myocardia of Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) under cool environmental temperatures (15 °C). Results showed (1) mitochondrial swelling and cristae disruption in the cool huddling group (CH) and cool separated group (CS). Compared to the control group (CON, 22 °C), damaged mitochondria in the cool huddling and separated groups reached >90%; however, total number of mitochondria in the CH group was similar to that in the CON group. (2) ATP synthase activity was lowest in the CS group, whereas citrate synthetase activity was maintained among the three treatment groups. (3) Bax/bcl2 protein expression in the CH and CS groups was higher than that in the CON group, whereas DNA fragmentation, nuclear number, and caspase3 activity showed no significant differences among the three groups. (4) The protein expression levels of dynamin-related protein1 and mitochondrial fission factor were highest in the CH group. (5) Both protein expression of PINK1 and phosphorylation ratio of Parkin showed the pattern CS > CH > CON. (6) Total number of mitochondria was higher in males than in females. In general, the increased mitochondrial fission level observed in huddling voles partially counteracted the decrease in myocardial mitochondria caused by the increase in autophagy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Photoperiod is an important factor of mammalian seasonal rhythm. The Harderian gland (HG) appears to act as a "standby" structure of the retinal-pineal axis, mediating light signals in vitro and neuroendocrine regulation in vivo ; however, the effect of photoperiod on the HG is not clear. Here, we studied morphological differences in the HG of female striped dwarf hamsters ( Cricetulus barabensis ), a small mammal that experiences an annual rhythm, under different photoperiods (i.e., SP, short photoperiod; MP, moderate photoperiod; LP, long photoperiod), and further investigated the molecular mechanisms related to these morphological differences. Results showed that body weight, carcass weight, and HG weight were higher in the SP and LP groups than that in the MP group. Protein expression of hydroxyindole-o-methyltransferase, a key enzyme in melatonin synthesis, was higher in the SP group than in the other two groups. Somatostatin showed highest expression in the LP group. Furthermore, comparison of changes in the HG ultrastructure demonstrated autolysosome formation in the SP group. Protein aggregation and mRNA expression of LC3 and protein expression of LC3II/LC3I were higher in the SP group than in the MP group, indicating elevated autophagy under SP. Chromatin agglutination and mitochondrial damage were observed and bax/bcl2 and cytochrome C expression increased at the protein and mRNA levels in the SP and LP groups, suggesting increased apoptosis. Protein expression of dynamin-related protein 1 and mitochondrial fission factor (Mff) were highest in the SP group, suggesting elevated mitochondrial fission. Protein expression levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase and citrate synthase were lower in the LP group than in the SP and MP groups. These results indicated that autophagy and apoptosis imbalance under SP and LP conditions may have led to HG weight loss and up-regulation of mitochondrial apoptosis may have weakened mitochondrial function under LP conditions. Finally, melatonin synthesis appeared to be positively correlated with the time hamsters entered darkness., (Copyright © 2020 Wang, Xu, Mou, Kong, Wu, Xue and Xu.)

Objective: To study the clinical effect of the SCMC APL-2010 regimen in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in children., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 44 children with APL who received treatment with the SCMC APL-2010 regimen between April 2010 and July 2016. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate event-free survival (EFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate., Results: Of the 44 children with APL, 42 (95%) achieved a complete remission (CR) after one course of treatment and 1 achieved CR after two courses of treatment, with an overall CR rate of 98%. The 9-year EFS and OS rates were 96%±3% and 97.7%±2.2% respectively. As for adverse events, 41 (93%) had infection, 29 (66%) had granulocyte reduction, 12 (27%, 1 died) had differentiation syndrome, 16 (36%) had liver dysfunction, 12 (27%) had adverse gastrointestinal reactions, and 7 (16%) had QT prolongation, 1 (2%) had orchitis, and no secondary neoplasm was observed., Conclusions: Children with APL receiving the SCMC APL-2010 regimen have a good prognosis and can achieve a long-term survival, while treatment-related infection is commonly seen.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by t(15;17)(q22;q21), resulting in a PML-RARA fusion that is the master driver of APL. A few cases that cannot be identified with PML-RARA by using conventional methods (karyotype analysis, FISH, and RT-PCR) involve abnormal promyelocytes that are fully in accordance with APL in morphology, cytochemistry, and immunophenotype. To explore the mechanisms involved in pathogenesis and recurrence of morphologically diagnosed APL, we performed comprehensive variant analysis by next-generation sequencing in 111 pediatric patients morphologically diagnosed as APL. Structural variant (SV) analysis in 120 DNA samples from both diagnosis and relapse stage identified 95 samples with RARA rearrangement (including 94 with PML-RARA and one with NPM-RARA) and two samples with KMT2A rearrangement. In the eligible 13 RNA samples without any RARA rearrangement at diagnosis, one case each with CPSF6-RARG, NPM1-CCDC28A, and TBC1D15-RAB21 and two cases with a TBL1XR1-RARB fusion were discovered. These uncovered fusion genes strongly suggested their contributions to leukemogenesis as driver alternations and APL phenotype may arise by abnormalities of other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily involved in retinoid signaling (RARB or RARG) or even by mechanisms distinct from the formation of aberrant retinoid receptors. Single-nucleotide variant (SNV) analysis in 77 children (80 samples) with RARA rearrangement showed recurrent alternations of primary APL in FLT3, WT1, USP9X, NRAS, and ARID1A, with a strong potential for involvement in pathogenesis, and WT1 as the only recurrently mutated gene in relapsed APL. WT1, NPM1, NRAS, FLT3, and NSD1 were identified as recurrently mutated in 17 primary samples without RARA rearrangement and WT1, NPM1, TP53, and RARA as recurrently mutated in 9 relapsed samples. The survival of APL with RARA rearrangement is much better than without RARA rearrangement. Thus, patients morphologically diagnosed as APL that cannot be identified as having a RARA rearrangement are more reasonably classified as a subclass of AML other than APL, and individualized treatment should be considered according to the genetic abnormalities.

Background: Few studies have investigated the effect of smoking on type 2 diabetes in women compared with men, even though several epidemiological studies provided a clear picture of the risk among the entire population., Methods: We systematically searched PubMed and Embase up to August 2017 for prospective studies that were stratified by sex with measures of the relative risk (RR) for type 2 diabetes and current smoking compared with non-smoking. The sex-specific RRs and their ratios (RRRs), comparing women with man, were pooled using random-effects models., Results: Seventeen articles were identified including 20 prospective cohorts with 5 077 289 participants and 223 084 incident cases of type 2 diabetes. The pooled RRR suggested a similar risk of type 2 diabetes associated with smoking in women compared with men (RRR: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-1.01). Furthermore, no significant sex difference in the RR was found between former smokers and those who had never smoked (RRR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.92-1.04)., Conclusions: The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that female smokers had similar risk of type 2 diabetes with male smokers., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Animal growth and development are regulated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the functions of lncRNAs in regulating cashmere fineness are poorly understood. To identify the key lncRNAs that are related to cashmere fineness in skin, we have collected skin samples of Liaoning cashmere goats (LCG) and Inner Mongolia cashmere goats (MCG) in the anagen phase, and have performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) approach on these samples. The high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analyses identified 437 novel lncRNAs, including 93 differentially expressed lncRNAs. We also identified 3,084 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs) out of 27,947 mRNAs. Gene ontology (GO) analyses of lncRNAs and target genes in cis show a predominant enrichment of targets that are related to intermediate filament and intermediate filament cytoskeleton. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, sphingolipid metabolism is a significant pathway for lncRNA targets. In addition, this is the first report to reveal the possible lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network for cashmere fineness in cashmere goats. We also found that lncRNA XLOC&#95;008679 and its target gene, KRT35, may be related to cashmere fineness in the anagen phase. The characterization and expression analyses of lncRNAs will facilitate future studies on the potential value of fiber development in LCG., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Objective: To strengthen NADH regeneration in the biosynthesis of L-2-aminobutyric acid (L-ABA)., Results: L-Threonine deaminase (L-TD) from Escherichia coli K12 was modified by directed evolution and rational design to improve its endurance to heat treatment. The half-life of mutant G323D/F510L/T344A at 42 °C increased from 10 to 210 min, a 20-fold increase compared to the wild-type L-TD, and the temperature at which the activity of the enzyme decreased by 50% in 15 min increased from 39 to 53 °C. The mutant together with thermostable L-leucine dehydrogenase from Bacillus sphaericus DSM730 and formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii constituted a one-pot system for L-ABA biosynthesis. Employing preheat treatment in the one-pot system, the biosynthesis of L-ABA and total turnover number of NAD + /NADH were 0.993 M and 16,469, in contrast to 0.635 M and 10,531 with wild-type L-TD, respectively., Conclusions: By using the engineered L-TD during endured preheat treatment, the one-pot system has achieved a higher productivity of L-ABA and total turnover number of coenzyme.

Aim of Study: Several studies have evaluated the correlation between glutathione S-transferase mu-1 (GSTM1), GST theta-1 (GSTT1) polymorphisms and oral cancer in Chinese people. However, the results are inconsistent. To assess the effects of GSTM1, GSTT1 null genotypes on the risk for development of oral cancer in the Chinese population, a meta-analysis was performed., Materials and Methods: Studies were identified using PubMed and Chinese databases through February 2016. The associations were assessed with pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: This meta-analysis included six studies with 1306 oral cancer cases and 1484 controls. In the overall analysis, no significant association between GSTM1, GSTT1 polymorphisms and oral cancer was found in the Chinese population. In the subgroup analyses by geographic areas and source of controls, significant risk was found between GSTM1 null genotype and oral cancer in Mainland China (OR = 2.715, 95% CI = 2.17-3.38), but not in Taiwan China., Conclusion: Our meta-analysis suggested that GSTM1 null genotype might be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer in individuals from Mainland China., Competing Interests: None

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel class of eukaryotic transcripts. They are thought to act as a critical regulator of protein-coding gene expression. Herein, we identified and characterized 13 putative lncRNAs from the expressed sequence tags from secondary hair follicle of Cashmere goat. Furthermore, we investigated their transcriptional pattern in secondary hair follicle of Liaoning Cashmere goat during telogen and anagen phases. Also, we generated intracellular regulatory networks of upregulated lncRNAs at anagen in Wnt signaling pathway based on bioinformatics analysis. The relative expression of six putative lncRNAs (lncRNA-599618, -599556, -599554, -599547, -599531, and -599509) at the anagen phase is significantly higher than that at telogen. Compared with anagen, the relative expression of four putative lncRNAs (lncRNA-599528, -599518, -599511, and -599497) was found to be significantly upregulated at telogen phase. The network generated showed that a rich and complex regulatory relationship of the putative lncRNAs and related miRNAs with their target genes in Wnt signaling pathway. Our results from the present study provided a foundation for further elucidating the functional and regulatory mechanisms of these putative lncRNAs in the development of secondary hair follicle and cashmere fiber growth of Cashmere goat.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and prognostic factors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) enrolled in Shanghai Children's Medical Center-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-2005(SCMC-ALL-2005) multicenter study. Methods: Between May 2005 and December 2014, 1 497 newly diagnosed ALL patients were enrolled and treated in 5 hospitals of SCMC-ALL-2005 study group, using risk-stratified SCMC-ALL-2005 protocol. Risk group classification and treatment intensity were based on clinical features, genetic abnormalities, early response to treatment and levels of minimal residual disease (MRD). Kaplan-Meier method was used to generate overall survival (OS) and event-free survival(EFS) curves. Cox proportional hazards models were used for multivariate analyses. Results: The patients were followed up to December 31, 2016, the median follow-up time was 69 months (24-141 months). The 5-year and 10-year OS rates were (80.0±1.0)% and (76.0±2.0)%. The 5-year and 10-year EFS rates were (69.0±1.0)% and (66.0±2.0)%. The 5-year and 10-year relapse rates were (23.0±1.0)% and (25.0±2.0)%. The 5-year OS and EFS for low risk (LR), intermediate risk (IR) and high risk (HR) were (91.1±1.4)% and (83.3±1.8)%, (79.2±1.5)% and (68.9±1.7)%, (52.9±4.4)% and (30.0±3.8)%, respectively. MRD negative status (<0.01%) on day 55 was seen in 792 patients (82.8%) and positive MRD on day 55 was associated with poor prognosis ( OR= 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.7, P= 0.001). Twenty-four HR patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and 17(70.8%) of them were alive and in remission. A total of 164 severe adverse events occurred, 46 of them died, treatment-related mortality was 3.1%. Conclusions: In this large sample research, the overall outcome for multi-center SCMC-ALL-2005 study was favorable. This helps to promote the standardized treatment of childhood ALL to the whole country. MRD results on day 55 of induction therapy have important prognostic and therapeutic implications.

The H19 transcript (imprinted maternally expressed transcript) is well-known as long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and it is thought to be associated with the inductive capacity of dermal papilla cells for hair-follicle reconstruction. In this study, we isolated and characterized a lncRNA-H19 transcript from the secondary hair follicle of Liaoning cashmere goat. Also, we investigated its transcriptional pattern and methylation status of H19 gene in secondary hair follicle of this breed during different stages of hair follicle cycle. Nucleotide composition analysis indicated that guanine (G) and cytosine (C) are the dominant nucleotides in the lncRNA-H19 transcript of Liaoning cashmere goat with the highest frequency distribution (11.25%) of GG nucleotide pair. The regulatory network showed that lncRNA-H19 transcript appears to have remarkably diverse regulatory relationships with its related miRNAs and the potential target genes. In secondary hair follicle, the relative expression of lncRNA-H19 transcript at the anagen phase is significantly higher than that at both telogen and catagen phases suggesting that lncRNA-H19 transcript might play essential roles in the formation and growth of cashmere fiber of goat. Methylation analysis indicated that the methylation of the promoter region of H19 gene most likely participates in its transcriptional suppression in secondary hair follicle of Liaoning cashmere goat., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is an extremely rare form of extranodal malignant lymphoma. The most common histological subtype of PPL is diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In rare cases, PPL can also present as follicular lymphoma, small lymphocytic lymphoma, and T cell lymphoma either of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or of Hodgkin's lymphoma. T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (T/HRBCL) is an uncommon morphologic variant of DLBCL with aggressive clinical course, it is predominantly a nodal disease, but extranodal sites such as bone marrow, liver, and spleen can be involved. Pancreatic involvement of T/HRBCL was not presented before. Herein, we report a 48-year-old male who was hospitalized with complaints of jaundice, dark brown urine, pale stools, and nausea. The radiological evaluation revealed a pancreatic head mass and, following operative biopsy, the tumor was diagnosed as T/HRBCL. The patient achieved remission after six cycles of CHOP chemotherapy. Therefore, T/HRBCL can be treated similarly to the stage-matched DLBCL and both of them get equivalent outcomes after chemotherapy., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) among adults in rural areas of Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 639 adults enrolled with a multistage method from Jingyuan County. The MS was identified according to Chinese type 2 diabetes prevention guide (2013). Results: Among all the subjects, 17.4% of them met the MS definition with the standardized prevalence of 14.7% after adjustment of sex and age. The prevalence and standardized rate of MS in men were 19.9% and 17.3%, and in women were 15.3% and 13.5%.The prevalence of MS in men was higher than that in women( P <0.001) and increased with aging in both genders. The prevalence and standardized rate of abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, high triglycerides, and low HDL-C were 19.5% and 16.7%, 15.0% and 12.9%, 42.0% and 37.1%, 25.8% and 23.1%, 28.5% and 27.7%, respectively. The rate of abdominal obesity was higher in women than in men (20.5% vs 18.2%, P =0.004), whereas the rate of hypertension, high triglycerides, and low HDL-C were higher in men than in women (all P <0.01). The prevalence of having one parameter of the MS was 68.4%. Conclusion: The prevalence of MS is higher in rural areas of Ningxia Hui autonomous region, suggesting that a series of comprehensive prevention measures should be carried out to prevent and control the MS so as to improve the public health conditions in rural areas.

Objective: The aim of this study is to retrospective analysis the clinic features of 118 cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo after trauma. Method: Analyzes clinic features of injury in 118 cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo after trauma, and classified and localized the craniocerebral trauma. The 118 cases were tested with different positioning tests in the sequence of Dix hallpike test and rolling test. Then, proper otolith manual reduction was given. Result: In 118 cases of BPPV after trauma including 35 cases of skull fracture, 6 cases of concussion, 17 cases of scalp hematoma, 28 cases of scalp laceration, 14 cases of mild brain contusion and 18 cases of head combined injury. The distributions of head injury were 57 at front temporal, 24 at top, 22 at occipital and 15 at maxillofacial region. The latency of BPPV after head injury varies from 1day to 1month. The incidence of 3-7 day after head injury was the highest, followed by 7-14 days, 0-3 days, and the lowest incidence rate of 14 day to 1 month. Canal type 118 BPPV patients after head injury accounting for up to 57.6% of the horizontal semicircular canal accounted for 33.1%, mixed 9.3%. Conclusion: The patients with front temporal trauma and skull fracture were prone to have BPPV. The peak incidence of BPPV was 3-14 days after head injury. The most common type of BPPV was PC BPPV, and the HC BPPV was the second type. A good curative effect can be manipulative reduction after trauma BPPV.., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy of the saw palmetto fruit extract (SPFE) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with type ⅢA prostatitis., Methods: This retrospective study included 54 cases of type ⅢA prostatitis treated in the Outpatient Department of our hospital from January to December 2015. The patients were aged 35.06 ± 5.85 years, with a mean disease course of 3.8 ± 2.1 years, and all received oral medication of SPFE Capsules at the dose of 320 mg qd for 12 weeks. We assessed the therapeutic effects by comparing the NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom indexes (NIH-CPSI), voiding diary, International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), and results of urodynamic examination before and after treatment., Results: Compared with the baseline, both NIH-CPSI and IPSS were significantly decreased after medication (27.61 ± 3.76 vs 18.6 ± 5.34, P <0.01; 20.44 ± 4.51 vs 10.96±4.62, P <0.01), and urodynamic examination and voiding diary showed dramatic post-medication improvement in the average urinary flow rate (［8.05±1.42］ vs ［12.05±2.60］ ml/s, P <0.01 ), maximum urinary flow rate (［14.22±1.74］ vs ［21.32±4.51］ ml/s, P <0.01), residual urine volume (［46.15±16.57］ vs ［14.55±10.21］ ml, P <0.01), maximum urethral closure pressure (［76.52±3.53］ vs ［65.32±4.75］ cm H2O, P <0.01), mean urinary volume (［124.63±40.55］ vs ［285.93±58.68］ ml, P <0.01), urination frequency (16.96±4.17 vs 8.96±2.50, P <0.01), and nocturia frequency (8.94±3.23 vs 3.15±1.90, P <0.01). No apparent adverse reactions were observed in any of the patients., Conclusions: SPFE Capsules can safely and effectively improve LUTS and thus the quality of life of patients with type ⅢA prostatitis.

Homeobox protein Hox-C8 (HOXC8) is a member of Hox family. It is expressed in the dermal papilla of the skin and is thought to be associated with the hair inductive capacity of dermal papilla cells. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a full-length open reading frame of HOXC8 cDNA from the skin tissue of Liaoning cashmere goat, as well as, established a phylogenetic relationship of goat HOXC8 with that of other species. Also, we investigated the effect of methylation status of HOXC8 exon 1 at anagen secondary hair follicle on the cashmere fiber traits in Liaoning cashmere goat. The sequence analysis indicated that the obtained cDNA was 1134-bp in length containing a complete ORF of 729-bp. It encoded a peptide of 242 amino acid residues in length. The structural analysis indicated that goat HOXC8 contained a typical homeobox domain. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Capra hircus HOXC8 had a closer genetic relationship with that of Ovis aries, followed by Bos Taurus and Bubalus bubalis. The methylation analysis suggested that the methylation degree of HOXC8 exon 1 in anagen secondary hair follicle might be involved in regulating the growth of cashmere fiber in Liaoning cashmere goat. Our results provide new evidence for understanding the molecular structural and evolutionary characteristics of HOXC8 in Liaoning cashmere goat, as well as, for further insight into the role of methylation degree of HOXC8 exon 1 regulates the growth of cashmere fiber in goat.

At present, the most effective therapeutic method for end-stage liver fibrosis is liver transplantation. However, the application of liver transplantation is limited by a shortage of liver donors, a high incidence rate of surgical complications, graft-versus-host disease, and high medical costs. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) transplantation may become a promising method for the treatment of liver diseases. UC-MSCs are adult stem cells which exhibit multipotential differentiation and can differentiate into hepatic parenchymal cells. Due to their functions including immune regulation and secretion of trophic factors, UC-MSCs can inhibit immune response, promote hepatocyte regeneration, alleviate the progression of liver fibrosis, and improve liver function. In addition, compared with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, UC-MSCs have abundant sources, noninvasive collection, and high safety and thus they are attracting more and more attention. This article reviews the characteristics of UC-MSCs and their mechanism of action in the treatment of liver fibrosis, as well as risks of UC-MSCs therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects of mifepristone combined with gestrinone on patients with endometriosis., Methods: A total of 150 endometriotic patients treated in our hospital between January 2014 and December 2015 were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group (n=75). The control group began to orally take gestrinone capsules on the second day after menstruation started (2.5 mg/time, twice/week). The treatment group orally took mifepristone tablets (12.5 mg/time, once/day), and the dosage and administration of gestrinone capsules were the same as those of the control group. After 24 weeks of consecutive treatment, the clinical therapeutic effects of the two groups were assessed, and the pelvic symptom score, clinical sign score, serum sex hormone levels and pregnancy outcomes were compared., Results: The total effective rates of control and treatment groups were 77.3% and 90.7% respectively, between which the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of pelvic symptoms (dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain) and clinical signs (pelvic tenderness, induration) significantly reduced (P<0.05). Each score of the treatment group decreased more significantly than that of the control group did (P<0.05). The serum follicle hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen and progesterone levels were significantly lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). Each level of the treatment group dropped more significantly than that of the control group did (P<0.05). The pregnancy rates in the 6th and 12th months of follow-up were 28.0% and 13.3% in the control group respectively, and 42.7% and 29.3% in the treatment group respectively. Such rates of the two groups were significantly different at each follow-up time point (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Mifepristone combined with gestrinone had satisfactory clinical therapeutic effects on endometriosis by reducing hormone levels and improving pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, this regimen is worthy of promotion and application in clinical practice., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest: None.

Current diagnosis of Major depressive disorder (MDD) depends on its clinical symptoms, not on the results of any laboratory examinations. Establishing biological markers for diagnosis of MDD is one of the most important problems to be solved in psychiatry practice. MDD patients (n=8) and a healthy control group (n=8) were recruited in this study. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) assessments were completed and saliva samples were collected for assessments of salivary cortisol and salivary α-amylase (sAA). PET examination was performed. Salivary cortisol and sAA in the MDD patients group were significantly higher than the healthy control group (P<0.001). MDD patients showed lower glucose metabolism of 18F-FDG in Cingulate Gyrus (BA24), Superior Frontal Gyrus (BA6), Rectal Gyrus (BA11) and Orbital Gyrus (BA11/47) compared with the healthy control group. The severity of depression, salivary cortisol and sAA correlated negatively with regional glucose metabolism in Cingulate Gyrus (BA 24), Superior Frontal Gyrus (BA 6), Rectal Gyrus (BA 11) and Orbital Gyrus (BA 11/47). The combination of salivary cortisol, sAA, superior frontal gyrus and rectal gyrus was the potential predictor of depression for MDD patients (ΔR(2)=0.981, p<0.001). The present study showed that, MDD patients group showed higher salivary cortisol, sAA levels and lower glucose metabolism of (18)F-FDG in several brain areas compared with the healthy control group. The combination of salivary cortisol, sAA, glucose metabolism of (18)F-FDG of superior frontal gyrus and rectal gyrus may serve as a simple clinical tool for the early diagnosis of MDD., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein family (BMPs). It is involved in the development and cycle of hair follicle, as well as, is thought to be a potential candidate gene for cashmere traits in goats. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a full-length open reading frame (ORF) of BMP4 cDNA from the skin tissue of Liaoning cashmere goat, and investigated the transcriptional pattern and methylation status of BMP4 gene in skin tissue of this breed during different stages of hair follicle cycle. The sequence analysis indicated that the isolated cDNA was 1264-bp in length containing a complete ORF of 1230-bp. It encoded a precursor peptide of 409 amino acids with a signal peptide of 19 amino acids. The structural analysis indicated that goat BMP4 contains typical TGF-β propeptide and TGF-β domains. In skin tissue, BMP4 is generally transcribed in an ascendant pattern from anagen to telogen. The methylation level of 5' flanking regulatory region of BMP4 gene might be involved in its mRNA expression in skin tissue: a higher BMP4 methylation level in skin coincides with a lower expression of BMP4 mRNA. These results from the present work provided a foundation for further insight into the functional and regulatory characteristics of BMP4 in the development and cycle of hair follicle in Liaoning Cashmere goat.

Objective: To explore the incidence, clinical characteristics and prognosis of childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) enrolled in protocol ALL-2005., Method: Retrospective reviews of patients diagnosed as having T-ALL were studied in the period between May 2005 and August 2013 in Shanghai Children's Medical Center. Predictive values of early treatment responses, including prednisone response, bone marrow morphology on day 35 during induction chemotherapy, and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitored by flow cytometry on day 35 and 55, were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the survival rates., Result: Ninety-nine evaluable patients aged 1-18 years with newly diagnosed T-ALL were enrolled in protocol ALL-2005. The median follow-up period for patients remaining alive in continuous remission was 60 months (24-109 months). The 5-year event free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates for these patients were 65% and 69%, respectively. Forty-three (43%) patients were older than 10 years at diagnosis. A total of 61 patients presented with initial white blood cell count (WBC)≥50×10(9)/L. Thirty-seven patients with mediastinal mass were found in this study. Seventy-one patients were defined as prednisone good responders (PGR) on day 8 of prednisone therapy. Ninty-four patients achieved complete remission (CR) on day 35 of induction therapy. MRD negative status (<0.01%) on day 35 were seen in 55% of the 42 assessed patients. MRD negative status on day 55 was seen in 78% of the 52 assessed patients. Patients with high MRD (>1%) on day 55 5-year EFS was 40% were associated with poor prognosis (P=0.03). Early T-cell precursor (ETP) subtype was not associated with treatment outcome in this study. Six patients abandoned therapy, 10 lost to follow-up, 22 had relapsed disease, 1 was diagnosed as having a second tumor and 20 patients died., Conclusion: Overall outcome for T-ALL on protocol ALL-2005 is favorable. MRD results on day 55 of induction therapy have important prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Objective: To investigate the effects of family cohesion and adaptability on behavioral problems in preschool children., Methods: The stratified cluster multistage sampling method was used to perform a questionnaire survey in the parents of 1 284 children aged 3-6 years in the urban area of Lanzhou, China. The general status questionnaire, Conners Child Behavior Checklist (Parent Symptom Question), and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale, Second edition, Chinese version (FACESII-CV) were used to investigate behavioral problems and family cohesion and adaptability., Results: The overall detection rate of behavioral problems in preschool children was 17.13%. The children with different types of family cohesion had different detection rates of behavioral problems, and those with free-type family cohesion showed the highest detection rate of behavioral problems (40.2%). The children with different types of family adaptability also had different detection rates of behavioral problems, and those with stiffness type showed the highest detection rate of behavioral problems (25.1%). The behavioral problems in preschool children were negatively correlated with family cohesion and adaptability., Conclusions: During the growth of preschool children, family cohesion and adaptability have certain effects on the mental development of preschool children.

Trichothecium roseum is one of the most important postharvest pathogens in arid and semiarid regions. Sodium silicate (NaSi) and environmental pH have significant inhibitory effects on fungal growth. However, no study has addressed the relationship of NaSi and pH in combination and the effects on T. roseum. In this work, we showed that spore germination, germ tube elongation, and mycelial growth of T. roseum were significantly inhibited by various NaSi concentrations, which had corresponding increasing pHs. Furthermore, these NaSi solutions showed a much greater impact than did pH treatments alone. The pathogenicity of NaSi-treated conidia on a model assay (conidia-inoculated apple fruit) was dramatically reduced, whereas no changes of pathogenicity were evident for the corresponding pH (various sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions) treatments. Fluorescent microscopy, using propidium iodide staining, showed damage of the plasma membranes of T. roseum conidia treated with both NaSi and NaOH, although the damage was more severe with NaSi. Leakage of proteins and sugars was significantly higher in NaSi-treated and NaOH-treated conidia than in untreated controls. In addition, serious damage was observed in the conidia exposed to NaSi for longer periods of time. Ultrastructural observations showed that treatment with either NaSi or NaOH caused a plasmolysis state and disorganized organelles. Taken together the results show that NaSi has inhibitory effects on T. roseum and that the inherent higher pH of NaSi solutions of higher concentrations simply acts as an enhancer of the inhibitory effects of NaSi.

In order to investigate how photoperiod affects the expression of KiSS-1/G-protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54), the hypothalamus, the ovaries and testicles of the striped hamster were studied following photoperiod treatment and melatonin injection. We found that the melatonin concentration in the blood of the striped hamster was consistent with the treated photoperiods and that the photoperiod had significant effects on KiSS-1 expression, but the effect of photoperiod on GPR54 expression differed among tissues and sexes. The relative expression of KiSS-1 in the gonads of the male and female striped hamster was significantly higher than that in the hypothalamus, while the difference in GPR54 between the gonads and hypothalamus was inconsistent between the male and female striped hamster. In the striped hamster injected with melatonin, the expression level of KiSS-1 in the gonads and hypothalamus of the male and female striped hamster was significantly decreased; the expression level of GnRH in the gonads was also significantly decreased; the expression of GPR54 in the hypothalamus was increased. In the hypothalamus, a significant positive correlation existed between KiSS-1 and GnRH expression, while a negative correlation was observed between GPR54 and GnRH expression. These results suggest that the photoperiod-melatonin-KiSS-1-GnRH pathway plays an important role in the seasonal reproduction mechanism of the striped hamster. Additionally, photoperiod or melatonin may not be a direct regulatory factor of GPR54 expression.

Background: China's rapid population growth and urban migration has developed healthcare inequity across the urban-rural divide. Past studies comparing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor prevalence amongst urban-rural Chinese children are sparse and conflicting. We examined the association between urban-rural residence and risk of offspring CVD in Chinese children., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wuhan, China, during May and June 2010. CVD risk factors include; waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and metabolic risk score (MRS). Analysis of covariance and multivariable logistic regression were used to estimate associations between urban-rural residence and offspring CVD risks., Findings: A total of 579 Chinese children (338 boys and 241 girls) aged 9.6 (0.7) years participated in this study. Rural boys had significantly lower CRF and higher FBG, TG, and MRS, while urban boys had significantly higher LDL and DBP. Rural girls had significantly higher BMI, FBG, and TG, as well as lower CRF. Rural children were at increased risks for decreased CRF, elevated MRS, and TG, (OR:2.04, 95%CI:1.29-3.25), (OR:2.33, 95%CI:1.50-3.62), and (OR:2.40, 95%CI:1.62-3.57), respectively. Rural girls and mothers were at increased risks for overweight(OR:7.19, 95%CI:1.64-31.6)/obesity (OR:1.683, 95%CI:1.01-2.82). However, rural boys and fathers were less likely to have overweight(OR:0.62, 95%CI:0.34-1.12)/obesity (OR:0.68, 95%CI:0.48-0.97)., Conclusions: Rural residence was significantly associated with increased CVD risks amongst Chinese children. It is important to provide interventions aiming at China's urban-rural healthcare inequity and community-based approaches that reduce familial CVD risk.

We aimed to evaluate clinical therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UCMSC) transplantation in the treatment of end-stage liver diseases. The human UCMSCs were cultured and prepared, and then transplanted into the hepatic tissues of 50 patients with decompensated cirrhosis. The liver function, thrombin function, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and hemodynamic index value were detected during a 24-week follow-up period, with the addition of hepatoprotective, antiviral, and other conventional treatments. No complications or serious side effects were observed. In the first 2-3 weeks after surgery, symptoms including abdominal distension, oliguria, edema, and others decreased significantly, with increased appetite compared with before surgery. In the 24-week follow-up period, the levels of serum albumin and prealbumin increased significantly compared with the preoperative levels; the decrease of coagulation indicators was not significant. The MELD scores were also markedly increased. Alpha-fetoprotein levels increased without significance after treatment. There was no significant difference in the hemodynamic changes in the portal and splenic veins according to ultrasound. Moreover, no significant differences in the liver and thrombin functions between the hepatitis B virus group and the other-etiology group were observed., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The study was conducted to investigate the serum hormone concentrations and follicular dynamics present after synchronous treatment (CIDR) in female Jilin sika deer (n = 15) of estrous cycles. Blood samples were collected to analyze the FSH, LH, estradiol and progesterone during the estrous cycles. Manual transrectal ultrasonography examination was conducted at least thrice weekly to monitor the follicular wave. Ultrasonography showed that follicle development occurred in waves, and most estrous cycles in Jilin sika deer consist of one, two, or three waves. The largest follicles of the interwaves of two- and three-wave cycles were different (P < 0.05). The mean interovulatory interval was 15.0 ± 4.6 d. There was a surge in circulating FSH in two- and three-wave cycles. The emergence of the largest follicle was related to the peak of serum concentration of estradiol. Serum progesterone concentrations were not different between one- and three-wave cycles (P < 0.05). We concluded that FSH and estradiol concentration may have an important role in controlling follicular development, that the estrous cycle in Jilin sika deer is characterized by one, two, or three waves of follicular development after synchronization., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

RFamide-related peptides (RFRPs) are orthologous to gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) inhibiting gonadotropin release. There are only two RFRP sequences (RFRP-1 and RFRP-3) encoded in rodents. RFRP-3, which was considered as a hypothetical inhibitor on GnRH, shows a stimulatory effect on the male Syrian and male Siberian hamster in short days. As a dominant rodent pest in northern China farmland, the striped hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) has higher reproductive activities and could act as a model to study the mechanism of reproduction. However, the effect of RFRP-3 on the reproductive activity for the striped hamster is less understood. In the study, we cloned 643 bp RFRP cDNA from the striped hamster hypothalamus, which contained an ORF of 570 bp encoding two RFamide-related peptide (RFRP) sequences: SPAPANKVPHSAANLPLRF-NH2 (C. barabensis RFRP-1) and TLSRVPSLPQRF-NH2 (C. barabensis RFRP-3). We also investigated the expression variation of RFRP mRNA and GnRH mRNA in the hypothalamus from hamsters with different developmental statuses (7-week-, 13-week- and 1.5-year-olds) using FQ-PCR, in which the 13-week-old female individuals were in estrous. The striped hamsters that are 7 weeks and 1.5 years old are non-breeding individuals, and those that are 13-week hamsters have breeding phenomena. The highest hypothalamus RFRP mRNA level was found in breeding males as compared to non-breeding males. Conversely, the lowest RFRP mRNA level in the hypothalamus was observed in breeding females, with no significant level when the breeding females were compared to the 7-week-old individuals. Additionally, the investigation of GnRH expression level showed a declining expression trend across the developmental stages (7-week-, 13-week- and 1.5-year-olds) in both sexes. Significant negative and positive relationships were detected in the 13-week estrous female (r=-0.997, P=0.035) and the 13-week male (r=0.998, P=0.029) striped hamsters respectively, which suggest that RFRP-3 has inhibitory and stimulatory effects on female and male adults respectively. Our results suggest that the effects of RFRP-3 on reproduction are sex- and developmental status-dependent in the striped hamster., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

For the first time, we conducted a 2-center retrospective study to show the efficacy of antithymocyte globulin (ATG)-Fresenius S plus cyclosporine treatment of children with severe aplastic anemia. From March 1997 to May 2011, a total of 124 patients (median age, 7.5 y; range, 1.5 to 16 y) from 2 centers with acquired AA treated with an immunosuppressive therapy (IST) regimen, consisting of ATG-Fresenius S (5 mg/kg per day for 5 d) and cyclosporine, were enrolled. The response rate was 55.6%. The median time between IST and response was 6 (0.5 to 18) months. After a median follow-up time of 29 (6 to 153) months, the rates of relapse and clonal evolution were 3.2% and 0.8%, respectively. Overall, 17 patients (13.7%) died in this study: 14 resulted from sepsis, 1 resulted from intracranial hemorrhage, 1 occurred after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 1 resulted from clonal disease progression. The 5-year overall survival rate for the entire cohort was 74.7%. IST responders had a better survival rate (100%) than nonresponders (70.7%). The use of ATG-Fresenius S plus cyclosporine as a first-line immunosuppressive treatment appeared to be effective for children with severe aplastic anemia in our study. ATG-Fresenius S could be another option in the treatment arsenal, especially in countries where the other ATG products are harder to acquire.