Dysbiosis of Intestinal Microbiota Associated With Inflammation Involved in the Progression of Acute Pancreatitis.

Objectives: To evaluate alterations of the intestinal bacteria and its associations with the inflammation in acute pancreatitis (AP).

Methods: A multihospital prospective clinical study was conducted, and a total of 108 participants were enrolled in our study, including 44 with severe AP (SAP), 32 with mild AP (MAP), and 32 healthy volunteers. The structure of intestinal microbiota, 10 predominant bacteria, plasma endotoxin, and serum cytokines were investigated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Limulus amebocyte lysate tests, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively.

Pathophysiologic changes in IA-2/IA-2β null mice are secondary to alterations in the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters.

IA-2 and IA-2β are transmembrane proteins of dense-core vesicles (DCV). The deletion of these proteins results in a reduction in the number of DCV and the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters. As a result, this leads to a variety of pathophysiologic changes.

Genes with de novo mutations are shared by four neuropsychiatric disorders discovered from NPdenovo database.

Currently, many studies on neuropsychiatric disorders have utilized massive trio-based whole-exome sequencing (WES) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify numerous de novo mutations (DNMs). Here, we retrieved 17,104 DNMs from 3555 trios across four neuropsychiatric disorders: autism spectrum disorder, epileptic encephalopathy, intellectual disability and schizophrenia, in addition to unaffected siblings (control), from 36 studies by WES/WGS. After eliminating non-exonic variants, we focused on 3334 exonic DNMs for evaluation of their association with these diseases.

Lysosomal storage disease in the brain: mutations of the β-mannosidase gene identified in autosomal dominant nystagmus.

Purpose: Genetic etiology of congenital/infantile nystagmus remains largely unknown. This study aimed to identify genomic mutations in patients with infantile nystagmus and an associated disease network.

Methods: Patients with inherited and sporadic infantile nystagmus were recruited for whole-exome and Sanger sequencing.

The Splicing Factor PRP31 Is Involved in Transcriptional Gene Silencing and Stress Response in Arabidopsis.

Although DNA methylation is known to play an important role in the silencing of transposable elements (TEs) and introduced transgenes, the mechanisms that generate DNA methylation-independent transcriptional silencing are poorly understood. Previous studies suggest that RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is required for the silencing of the RD29A-LUC transgene in the Arabidopsis ros1 mutant background with defective DNA demethylase. Loss of function of ARGONAUTE 4 (AGO4) gene, which encodes a core RdDM component, partially released the silencing of RD29A-LUC in the ros1/ago4 double mutant plants.

Recognition of H3K9 methylation by GLP is required for efficient establishment of H3K9 methylation, rapid target gene repression, and mouse viability.

GLP and G9a are major H3K9 dimethylases and are essential for mouse early embryonic development. GLP and G9a both harbor ankyrin repeat domains that are capable of binding H3K9 methylation. However, the functional significance of their recognition of H3K9 methylation is unknown.

Two novel NAC transcription factors regulate gene expression and flowering time by associating with the histone demethylase JMJ14.

The histone demethylase JMJ14 catalyzes histone demethylation at lysine 4 of histone 3 and is involved in transcriptional repression and flowering time control in Arabidopsis. Here, we report that JMJ14 is physically associated with two previously uncharacterized NAC transcription factors, NAC050 and NAC052. The NAC050/052-RNAi plants and the CRISPR-CAS9-mediated nac050/052 double mutant plants show an early flowering phenotype, which is similar to the phenotype of jmj14, suggesting a functional association between JMJ14 and NAC050/052.

miR-155 Regulates Glioma Cells Invasion and Chemosensitivity by p38 Isforms In Vitro.

The critical role of microRNAs in cancer development has been extensively described. miRNAs are both specific markers and putative therapy targets. miR-155 has been identified to be an oncomiRNA and is highly expressed in several solid cancers, including glioblastoma.

The minimal promoter region of the dense-core vesicle protein IA-2: transcriptional regulation by CREB.

Aims: IA-2 is a transmembrane protein found in the dense-core vesicles (DCV) of neuroendocrine cells and one of the major autoantigens in type 1 diabetes. DCV are involved in the secretion of hormones (e.g.

The combination of Tet1 with Oct4 generates high-quality mouse-induced pluripotent stem cells.

The DNA dioxygenase Tet1 has recently been proposed to play an important role in the reprogramming of somatic cells to pluripotency. Its oxidization product 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, formerly considered an intermediate in the demethylation of 5-methylcytosine, has recently been implicated as being important in epigenetic reprogramming. Here, we provide evidence that Tet1 (T) can replace multiple transcription factors during somatic cell reprogramming and can generate high-quality mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with Oct4 (O).

Production of salidroside in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

Salidroside (1) is the most important bioactive component of Rhodiola (also called as "Tibetan Ginseng"), which is a valuable medicinal herb exhibiting several adaptogenic properties. Due to the inefficiency of plant extraction and chemical synthesis, the supply of salidroside (1) is currently limited. Herein, we achieved unprecedented biosynthesis of salidroside (1) from glucose in a microorganism.

MiR-136 modulates glioma cell sensitivity to temozolomide by targeting astrocyte elevated gene-1.

Background: Recent studies have linked chemotherapy resistance to the altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). Thus, miRNA-based approaches to modulating sensitivity to temozolomide (TMZ) may overcome chemoresistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether miR-136 could modulates glioma cell sensitivity to TMZ.

Upregulation of miR-132 expression in glioma and its clinical significance.

miR-132 was found to be overexpressed in glioma; however, its clinical significance has not been investigated. In the present study, we evaluated the association between miR-132 and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to analyze the expression of miR-132 in 113 cases of glioma and 36 cases of normal brain tissues.

Glucagonoma syndrome: a case report with focus on skin disorders.

Glucagonoma syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic phenomenon. Necrolytic migratory erythema is often one of the first presenting symptoms. We report a case of a 55-year-old man with a 2-year history of recalcitrant eruption.

Treadmill exercise promotes angiogenesis in the ischemic penumbra of rat brains through caveolin-1/VEGF signaling pathways.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of caveolin-1 in treadmill-exercise-induced angiogenesis in the ischemic penumbra of rat brains, and whether caveolin-1 changes correlated with reduced brain injury induced by treadmill exercise, in rats after cerebral ischemia. Rats were randomized into five groups: sham-operated (S, n=7), model (M, n=36), exercise and model (EM, n=36), inhibitor and model (IM, n=36), and inhibitor, exercise, and model (IEM, n=36). Rats in the model groups underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

[Simultaneous determination of ten active ginsenosides in steamed notoginseng by UPLC].

A quantitative method using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography was established to simultaneously determine ten ginsenoside active ingredients including ginsenoside Rg6, F4, Rk3, Rh4, 20(S) -Rg3, 20(R) -Rg3, Rk1, Rg5, 20(S)-Rh2 and 20(R)-Rh2 in steamed notoginseng. The ten ginsenosides of steamed notoginseng with different head numbers, parts, and steaming time were determined by this method. An Acquity BEH C18 chromatographic column (2.

Anti-fouling behavior of hyperbranched polyglycerol-grafted poly(ether sulfone) hollow fiber membranes for osmotic power generation.

To sustain high performance of osmotic power generation by pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) processes, fouling on PRO membranes must be mitigated. This is especially true for the porous support of PRO membranes because its porous structure is very prone to fouling by feeding river water. For the first time, we have successfully designed antifouling PRO thin-film composite (TFC) membranes by synthesizing a dendritic hydrophilic polymer with well-controlled grafting sites, hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG), and then grafting it on poly(ether sulfone) (PES) hollow fiber membrane supports.

Paraganglioma of the vagina: a case report and review of the literature.

Vaginal paraganglioma is a rare and unusual tumor occurring in the vaginal wall. It is a solitary primary paraganglioma, especially in atypical sites. Herein, we report an unusual case of a 17-year-old woman who had not experienced vomiting, or hypertension.

Transcriptomic characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma with CTNNB1 mutation.

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. HCC is a particularly serious threat to the Chinese population. Although many molecular alterations are known to be involved in the tumorigenesis of hepatocytes, no systemic survey has examined the somatic mutations in HCC samples from Chinese patients.

Treatment of lipoid proteinosis due to the p.C220G mutation in ECM1, a major allele in Chinese patients.

Background: Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is known to be resulted from mutations of the extracellular matrix protein 1 gene (ECM1). However, no effective or sustained therapeutic methods to alleviate LP symptoms have been reported.

Methods: Here, we report a 12-year-old boy with LP and recurrent anaphylaxis.

Hyperbranched polycaprolactone-click-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) amphiphilic copolymers and their applications as temperature-responsive membranes.

Hyperbranched poly(ε-caprolactone) with peripheral terminal alkyne groups (HPCL) was synthesized via thiol-yne click reaction among the AB-type α-thiol-ω-alkyne-poly(ε-caprolactone) (CH[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-PCL-SH) linear precursors. Azide-terminated poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL-N), prepared a priori via xanthate-mediated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam (VCL), was then linked to HPCL chains through Cu(i)-catalyzed alkyne-azide click reaction. The resultant hyperbranched-linear HPCL-click-PVCL copolymers were cast, by phase inversion in an aqueous medium, into microporous membranes of well-defined and uniform pores.

Preparation and unique electrical behaviors of monodispersed hybrid nanorattles of metal nanocores with hairy electroactive polymer shells.

A versatile template-assisted strategy for the preparation of monodispersed rattle-type hybrid nanospheres, encapsulating a movable Au nanocore in the hollow cavity of a hairy electroactive polymer shell (Au@air@PTEMA-g-P3HT hybrid nanorattles; PTEMA: poly(2-(thiophen-3-yl)ethyl methacrylate; P3HT: poly(3-hexylthiophene), was reported. The Au@silica core-shell nanoparticles, prepared by the modified Stöber sol-gel process on Au nanoparticle seeds, were used as templates for the synthesis of Au@silica@PTEMA core-double shell nanospheres. Subsequent oxidative graft polymerization of 3-hexylthiophene from the exterior surface of the Au@silica@PTEMA core-double shell nanospheres allowed the tailoring of surface functionality with electroactive P3HT brushes (Au@silica@PTEMA-g-P3HT nanospheres).

The SET domain proteins SUVH2 and SUVH9 are required for Pol V occupancy at RNA-directed DNA methylation loci.

RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is required for transcriptional silencing of transposons and other DNA repeats in Arabidopsis thaliana. Although previous research has demonstrated that the SET domain-containing SU(VAR)3-9 homologs SUVH2 and SUVH9 are involved in the RdDM pathway, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Our results indicated that SUVH2 and/or SUVH9 not only interact with the chromatin-remodeling complex termed DDR (DMS3, DRD1, and RDM1) but also with the newly characterized complex composed of two conserved Microrchidia (MORC) family proteins, MORC1 and MORC6.

Increased Notch pathway activation in Behçet's disease.

Objective: Behçet's disease (BD) is a refractory inflammatory disorder with unknown causes. Since the Notch pathway is critically involved in the immune response, the present study was undertaken to investigate the role of this pathway in BD.

Methods: Hes-1, Notch 1-4, Jagged-1, DLL-1 and DLL-4 expression, frequency of IFN-γ and IL-17 expressing Th cells, Notch intracellular domain (NICD), phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and the production of IFN-γ and IL-17 were examined by real-time PCR, flow cytometry and ELISA.