Multiomic meta-analysis suggests a correlation between steroid hormone-related genes and litter size in goats.

Litter size is a key indicator of production performance in livestock. However, its genetic basis in goats remains poorly understood. In this work, a genome-wide selection sweep analysis (GWSA) on 100 published goat genomes with different litter rates was performed for the first time to identify candidate genes related to kidding rate.

P450-Modified Multicyclic Cyclophane-Containing Ribosomally Synthesized and Post-Translationally Modified Peptides.

Cyclic peptides with cyclophane linkers are an attractive compound type owing to the fine-tuned rigid three-dimensional structures and unusual biophysical features. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are capable of catalyzing not only the C-C and C-O oxidative coupling reactions found in vancomycin and other nonribosomal peptides (NRPs), but they also exhibit novel catalytic activities to generate cyclic ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) through cyclophane linkage. To discover more P450-modified multicyclic RiPPs, we set out to find cryptic and unknown P450-modified RiPP biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) through genome mining.

A Pilot Fuzzy System with Virtual Reality for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Assessment.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is when brain function declines. MCI is the gray area transitioning from normal aging to the AD stage. Currently, the majority of early MCI diagnoses are processed through comprehensive neuropsychological tests.

A 1.1 Mb duplication CNV on chromosome 17 contributes to skeletal muscle development in Boer goats.

The Boer goat is one of the top meat breeds in modern animal husbandry and has attracted widespread attention for its unique growth performance. However, the genetic basis of muscle development in the Boer goat remains obscure. In this study, we identified specific structural variants in the Boer goat based on genome-wide selection signals and analyzed the basis of the molecular heredity of related candidate genes in muscle development.

Clinical evaluation of percutaneous endovascular radiofrequency ablation for portal vein tumor thrombus: experience in 120 patients.

Background: Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) secondary to primary liver carcinoma (PLC) is commonly associated with poor prognosis and poses great challenge. This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous endovascular radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treatment of PVTT.

Methods: Consecutive patients who were performed endovascular RFA because of PVTT in single-institution in recent 8 years were retrospectively reviewed, compared with patients who underwent only sequential transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) during the contemporary period.

The mechanism and relevant mediators associated with neuronal apoptosis and potential therapeutic targets in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a dominant cause of death and disability worldwide. A sharp increase in intracranial pressure after SAH leads to a reduction in cerebral perfusion and insufficient blood supply for neurons, which subsequently promotes a series of pathophysiological responses leading to neuronal death. Many previous experimental studies have reported that excitotoxicity, mitochondrial death pathways, the release of free radicals, protein misfolding, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and inflammation are involved solely or in combination in this disorder.

Reconstitution of Cinnamoyl Moiety Reveals Two Distinct Cyclases for Benzene Ring Formation.

Cinnamoyl-containing natural products (CCNPs) are a small class of bacterial metabolites with notable bioactivities. The biosynthesis of cinnamoyl moiety has been proposed to be assembled by an unusual highly reducing (HR) type II polyketide synthases (PKS). However, the biosynthetic route, especially the cyclization step for the benzene ring formation, remains unclear.

Identification of differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs and messenger RNAs involved with muscle development in Dazu black goats through RNA sequencing.

This study aimed to explore the genetic basis of muscle development in goats. The transcriptome dataset for differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of goat muscle at different developmental stages were obtained using RNA-Seq. A total of 447,806,481 and 587,559,465 clean reads in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Dazu black goats between 75d embryonic stage and 1d after birth were generated through Illumina paired-end sequencing, and their mapping rates were 89.

A Pilot Tool of the Virtual Scenario Initial Dementia Cognitive Screening (VSIDCS) with a Cultural Exhibition for Improving the Standard Traditional Test.

Dementia has become a serious global health problem for older people. In the past, primary screening for dementia was carried out by a paper test. These standard traditional tests (e.

Modified Procedures for ALPPS Based on a Risk-Reduced Strategy: Paralleled Clinical Evaluation at Multiple Institutions.

Purpose: We compared the clinical outcomes of modified procedures for associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) based on a risk-reduced strategy with those of classic ALPPS procedures in treating large liver carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Short-term outcomes, increases in future liver remnant (FLR) and functional FLR (FFLR), and overall survival (OS) were compared between 45 consecutive patients treated with modified ALPPS procedures and 34 patients treated with classic ALPPS procedures.

Results: Clinical outcomes after the 1st-stage operation markedly improved with the modified procedures.

Wogonin alleviates liver injury in sepsis through Nrf2-mediated NF-κB signalling suppression.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction syndrome, and liver is a susceptible target organ in sepsis, because the activation of inflammatory pathways contributes to septic liver injury. Oxidative stress has been documented to participate in septic liver injury, because it not only directly induces oxidative genotoxicity, but also exacerbates inflammatory pathways to potentiate damage of liver. Therefore, to ameliorate oxidative stress is promising for protecting liver in sepsis.

Improving biliary stent patency for malignant obstructive jaundice using endobiliary radiofrequency ablation: experience in 150 patients.

Background: Although self-expandable mental stents (SEMS) placement is the standard care for relieving obstructive jaundice caused by unresectable malignant biliary stricture, how to maintain stent potency remains an intractable problem. This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) through percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) pathway in treating such patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients who were performed endobiliary RFA as well as SEMS placement because of unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice in single institution in recent 8 years were retrospectively reviewed.

Investigating genetic diversity and population phylogeny of five Chongqing local chicken populations autosomal using microsatellites.

The genetic diversity and population structures of five Chongqing local chicken populations were investigated using by 24 microsatellite markers. Results revealed that the mean number of alleles () ranged from 7.08 (Daninghe chicken, DN) to 8.

SNP of gene in three cattle breeds using snapshot technology.

Droughtmaster is a tropical breed of beef cattle that can survive in hot climates and easily adapt to torrid environments. These traits are important in livestock breeding. In this study, we genotyped five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene from 190 cattle belonging to three different breeds (Droughtmaster, Angus and Simmental) by using snapshot technology.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) HpLRR genes in response to Neoscytalidium dimidiatum infection.

Background: Canker disease caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is a devastating disease resulting in a major loss to the pitaya industry. However, resistance proteins in plants play crucial roles to against pathogen infection. Among resistance proteins, the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein is a major family that plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses, especially in disease defense.

Bialternacins A-F, Aromatic Polyketide Dimers from an Endophytic Alternaria sp.

Six novel aromatic polyketide dimers, bialternacins A-F (1-6), were isolated from a plant endophytic Alternaria sp. The structures of compounds 1-6 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism analysis. Compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6 were characterized as four pairs of racemic mixtures.

Transcriptomic de novo analysis of pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) canker disease caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum.

Background: Canker disease caused by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is the most serious disease that attacks the pitaya industry. One pathogenic fungus, referred to as ND8, was isolated from the wild-type red-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) of Hainan Province. In the early stages of this disease, stems show little spots and a loss of green color.

Molecular Basis for the Final Oxidative Rearrangement Steps in Chartreusin Biosynthesis.

Oxidative rearrangements play key roles in introducing structural complexity and biological activities of natural products biosynthesized by type II polyketide synthases (PKSs). Chartreusin (1) is a potent antitumor polyketide that contains a unique rearranged pentacyclic aromatic bilactone aglycone derived from a type II PKS. Herein, we report an unprecedented dioxygenase, ChaP, that catalyzes the final α-pyrone ring formation in 1 biosynthesis using flavin-activated oxygen as an oxidant.

Strepchazolins A and B: Two New Alkaloids from a Marine Streptomyces chartreusis NA02069.

Two new alkaloids, strepchazolins A () and B (), together with a previously reported compound, streptazolin (), were isolated from a marine actinomycete, NA02069, collected in the Coast of Hainan Island, China. The structures of new compounds were determined by extensive NMR, mass spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analysis, as well as modified Mosher's method. Compound showed weak anti- activity with the MIC value of 64.

Yes-Associated Protein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma is Associated with Tumor Differentiation and Patient Age at Diagnosis, but not Markers of HBV Infection.

Background: It was necessary to assess the relationship between Yes-associated protein (YAP) and some clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially hepatitis B virus (HBV) correlation factors as they relate to tumorigenesis.

Methods: A tissue microarray including 84 HCC samples was retrospectively analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Results: This study showed that YAP expression was associated with HCC differentiation and the patient age at diagnosis of HCC.

Correlation between social factors and anxiety-depression in function dyspepsia: do relationships exist?

Introduction: Function dyspepsia (FD) may cause patients to suffer from anxiety and depression, and psychosocial disorders would have a significant effect on FD symptoms.

Aim: To examine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among function dyspepsia (FD) patients and to identify social factors of anxiety-depression among FD patients.

Material And Methods: Patients with FD, who fulfilled the Rome III criteria, were enrolled.

Knockdown of yes-associated protein inhibits proliferation and downregulates large tumor suppressor 1 expression in MHCC97H human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is thought to involve the interaction of numerous genes. Identification of these genes and proteins which regulate liver carcinogenesis is critical for the exploration of novel targeted therapies. Yes‑associated protein (YAP) and large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) are associated with HCC cells.