Profile of miRNAs induced during sheep fat tail development and roles of four key miRNAs in proliferation and differentiation of sheep preadipocytes.

Background: The fat tail of sheep is an adaptive trait that facilitates their adaptation to harsh natural environments. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play crucial roles in the regulation of tail fat deposition.

Methods: In this study, miRNA-Seq was employed to investigate the expression profiles of miRNAs during different developmental stages of sheep fat tails and elucidate the functions of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs).

A functional unit combination strategy for enhancing red room-temperature phosphorescence.

Red room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials based on non-metallic organic compounds are less reported compared to the commonly found green RTP materials. Here, we propose a novel approach to obtain red RTP materials by integrating and combining two functional units, resembling a jigsaw puzzle. In this approach, benzo[][2,1,3]thiadiazole (BZT) serves as the red RTP unit, while a folding unit containing sulphur/oxygen is responsible for enhancing spin-orbit coupling (SOC) to accelerate the intersystem crossing (ISC) process.

A Heavy-atom-free Molecular Motif Based on Symmetric Bird-like Structured Tetraphenylenes with Room-Temperature Phosphorescence (RTP) Afterglow over 8 s.

In recent years, pure organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with highly efficient and long-persistent afterglow has drawn substantial awareness. Commonly, spin-orbit coupling can be improved by introducing heavy atoms into pure-organic molecules. However, this strategy will simultaneously increase the radiative and non-radiative transition rate, further resulting in dramatic decreases in the excited state lifetime and afterglow duration.

Does Sensation Seeking Lead to Adolescents' Cyberbullying Perpetration? The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement and The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support.

Based on the general aggression model, the current study examined the mediating role of moral disengagement in the association between sensation seeking and cyberbullying perpetration and the moderating role of perceived social support. A total of 2,286 Chinese adolescents aged 11-16 years completed the questionnaires regarding sensation seeking, cyberbullying perpetration, moral disengagement, and perceived social support. After gender and age were controlled, sensation seeking was significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration and this relationship was partially mediated by moral disengagement.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Background: With the gradual adoption of new metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) definitions in clinical practice, the relationship between MAFLD and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk remains unclear. Similarly, clinical differences between MAFLD and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the relationship between MAFLD and CVD risk are unclear.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using the 1988-1994 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES III) database, including 11,673 individuals.

Parental phubbing, problematic smartphone use, and adolescents' learning burnout: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

Background: Parental phubbing is defined as the phenomenon that parents ignore their children when they are paying more attention to smartphones. The present study aimed to test bidirectional relationships among parental phubbing, problematic smartphone use, and learning burnout. We also extended previous studies to examine the mediating role of problematic smartphone use in the relationship between parental phubbing and learning burnout.

Unprotonatable and ROS-Sensitive Nanocarrier for NIR Spatially Activated siRNA Therapy with Synergistic Drug Effect.

Although small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy has achieved great progress, unwanted gene inhibition in normal tissues severely limits its extensive clinical applications due to uncontrolled siRNA biodistribution. Herein, a spatially controlled siRNA activation strategy is developed to achieve tumor-specific siRNA therapy without gene inhibition in the normal tissues. The quaternary ammonium moieties are conjugated to amphiphilic copolymers via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive thioketal (TK) linkers for co-delivery of siRNA and photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6), showing excellent siRNA complexation capacity and near infrared (NIR)-controlled siRNA release.

Glutathione-depleting polymer delivering chlorin e6 for enhancing photodynamic therapy.

The therapeutic effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is highly dependent on the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the ROS generated by photosensitizers can be consumed by the highly concentrated glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells, severely impairing the therapeutic effect of PDT. Herein, we synthesized a GSH-scavenging copolymer to deliver photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6).

Robust formation of discrete non-covalent pyrene dimers in an amorphous film by strong π-π interaction.

A pyrene-based non-covalent dimer in a crystal showed a strengthened π-π interaction, which was robust enough against external disturbances. Such a strong π-π interaction made the pyrene-based dimer easily form in the amorphous film, indicating that the dimer could potentially work as the monomer.

Construction of disease-specific cytokine profiles by associating disease genes with immune responses.

The pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases is a coordinated process involving metabolic dysfunctions and immune response-usually modulated by the production of cytokines and associated inflammatory molecules. In this work, we seek to understand how genes involved in pathogenesis which are often not associated with the immune system in an obvious way communicate with the immune system. We have embedded a network of human protein-protein interactions (PPI) from the STRING database with 14,707 human genes using feature learning that captures high confidence edges.

Amlodipine removal via peroxymonosulfate activated by carbon nanotubes/cobalt oxide (CNTs/CoO) in water.

Amlodipine (AML) is an effective drug that has been widely used for hypertension and angina. However, AML is frequently detected in aqueous environments, posing potential risks to human and ecological health. In this study, the degradation of AML via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activated by CNTs/CoO was investigated.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Key Genes and Pathways Activated in Response to Fat Deposition in Two Sheep Breeds With Distinct Tail Phenotype.

Fat tail in sheep presents a valuable energy reserve that has historically facilitated adaptation to harsh environments. However, in modern intensive and semi-intensive sheep industry systems, breeds with leaner tails are more desirable. In the present study, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was applied to determine the transcriptome profiles of tail fat tissues in two Chinese sheep breeds, fat-rumped Altay sheep and thin-tailed Xinjiang fine wool (XFW) sheep, with extreme fat tail phenotype difference.

MRI-visible and pH-sensitive micelles loaded with doxorubicin for hepatoma treatment.

Emerging pH-sensitive polymeric nanocarriers carrying therapeutic drugs are bringing about new opportunities for the effective treatment of cancer. A big challenge remains though to develop pH-sensitive polymers, which is hard to achieve via introducing only one kind of pH-sensitive chemical structure with a specific pKa. Consequently, in this study, an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(β-benzyl l-aspartate) (mPEG-PBLA), was synthesized, and its PBLA block was aminolyzed by N,N-diisopropylamino ethylamine (DIP) and N,N-dibutalamino ethylamine (DBA) at different molar ratios.

MiR-27b promotes sheep skeletal muscle satellite cell proliferation by targeting .

To investigate the role of miR-27b in sheep skeletal muscle development, here we first cloned the sequence of sheep pre-miR-27b, then further investigated its expression pattern in sheep skeletal muscle , the relationship of miR-27b expression and sheep skeletal muscle satellite cell proliferation and differentiation , and then finally confirmed its target gene during this development process. MiR-27b sequence, especially its mature sequence, was conservative among different species. MiR-27b highly expressed in sheep skeletal muscle than other tissues.

Short-term effects of overnight orthokeratology on corneal epithelial permeability and biomechanical properties.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of 30 nights of overnight orthokeratology (OOK) on corneal epithelial permeability (Pdc) and corneal biomechanical properties.

Methods: BE Retainer and Paragon CRT lenses were used. Visits were scheduled approximately 4 hours after awakening at baseline and after 1, 5, 10, 14, and 30 days of treatment.

Does ethnicity influence the short-term adaptation to first reading correction?

Purpose: Ethnic variations in accommodative amplitude (AA) are not uncommon. Accommodation can become reduced in response to short-term wear of first near spectacles. Whether ethnicity has an influence on the magnitude of this adaptation is not well understood.