Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory disorder that occurs as a consequence of immune dysregulation. HLH can be primary (familial or non-familial) or secondary to infection, autoimmune disease or malignancy. Malignancy-associated HLH is often accompanied by hematologic and lymphoid neoplasms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe technology for obtaining the high-efficiency expression of target proteins through site-specific recombination has made progress. However, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system for site-specific integration of long fragments and the expression of active proteins remains a challenge. This study optimized the linear DNA circularization system, eliminated the prokaryotic plasmid backbone on the traditional foreign gene vector, and generated a homologous arm-free circular donor template with a single guide RNA target site (sgRNA TS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the well-known Myostatin () produce a 'double-muscle' phenotype, which makes it commercially invaluable for improving livestock meat production and providing high-quality protein for humans. However, mutations at different loci of the often produce a variety of different phenotypes. In the current study, we increased the delivery ratio of Cas9 mRNA to sgRNA from the traditional 1:2 to 1:10, which improves the efficiency of the homozygous mutation of biallelic gene.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFibroblast growth factor 5 () plays key roles in promoting the transition from the anagen to catagen during the hair follicle cycle. The sheep serves as an excellent model for studying hair growth and is frequently utilized in various research processes related to human skin diseases. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate four -edited Dorper sheep and only low levels of FGF5 were detected in the edited sheep.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used for genome editing in livestock production, although off-target effects can occur. It is the main method to produce genome-edited goats by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome-edited primary goat fetal fibroblast cells (GFFs). Improving the double-strand break (DSB) efficiency of Cas9 in primary cells would improve the homologous repair (HR) efficiency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Myostatin (MSTN) negatively regulates skeletal muscle development. However, its function in reproductive performance and visceral organs has not been thoroughly investigated. Previously, we prepared a MSTN and fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) double-knockout sheep, which was a MSTN and FGF5 dual-gene biallelic homozygous (MF) mutant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImproving livestock and poultry growth rates and increasing meat production are urgently needed worldwide. Previously, we produced a myostatin (MSTN) and fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) double-knockout (MF) sheep by CRISPR Cas9 system to improve meat production, and also wool production. Both MF sheep and the F1 generation (MF) sheep showed an obvious "double-muscle" phenotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) identifies Gram-negative bacteria or their products and plays a crucial role in host defense against invading pathogens. In the intestine, TLR4 recognizes bacterial ligands and interacts with the immune system. Although TLR4 signaling is a vital component of the innate immune system, the influence of TLR4 overexpression on innate immune response and its impact on the composition of the intestinal microbiota is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-performance, fast-growing natural materials with sustainable and functional features currently arouse significant attention. Here, facile processing, involving delignification, in situ hydrothermal synthesis of TiO and pressure densification, is employed to transform natural bamboo into a high-performance structural material. The resulting TiO-decorated densified bamboo exhibits high flexural strength and elastic stiffness, with both properties more than double that of natural bamboo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn situ tissue regeneration using cell-free biofunctional scaffolds has been extensively studied as a promising alternative strategy to promote cartilage repair. In this study, a cartilage-biomimetic silk fibroin (SF)-based scaffold with controlled sequential release of two bioactive molecules is developed. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is initially loaded onto the SF scaffolds by physical absorption, which are then successively functionalized with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-specific-affinity peptide (E7) via gradient degradation coating of Silk fibroin Methacryloyl (SilMA)/Hyaluronic acid Methacryloyl (HAMA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are three main types of cancer in the female reproductive system, specifically ovarian cancer (OVCA), endometrial cancer (EC), and cervical cancer (CC). They are common malignant tumors in women worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality. In recent years, androgen receptors (ARs) have been found to be closely related to the occurrence, progression, prognosis, and drug resistance of these three types of tumors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFand gene knockout sheep generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system exhibit the 'double-muscle' phenotype, and increased density and length of hairs, providing valuable new breeding material. In a previous study, we obtained and double-knockout sheep of significant breeding value. In this study, we carried out a 90-day feeding study in Wistar rats to assess the safety of genome-edited mutton.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFlight feather shafts are outstanding bioinspiration templates due to their unique light weight and their stiff and strong characteristics. As a thin wall of a natural composite beam, the keratinous cortex has evolved anisotropic features to support flight. Here, the anisotropic keratin composition, tensile response, dynamic properties of the cortex, and fracture behaviors of the shafts are clarified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiologically active scaffolds with tunable mechano- and bio-performance remain desirable for soft tissue engineering. Previously, highly elastic and robust silk fibroin (SF) scaffolds were prepared via cryogelation. In order to get more insight into the role of ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) on the structure and properties of SF scaffolds, we investigated the fate of SF scaffolds with different usages of the crosslinking agent in vitro and in vivo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSilk biomaterials with tunable mechanical properties and biological properties are of special importance for tissue engineering. Here, we fabricated silk fibroin (SF, from silk) scaffolds from cryogelation under controlled temperature and catalytic cross-linking conditions. Structurally, the cryogelled scaffolds demonstrated a greater β-sheet content but significantly smaller β-sheet domains compared to that without chemical cross-linking and catalyst.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe influence of microstructure evolution on the dynamic mechanical properties, including storage modulus and internal friction, of the 2.5D SiC/SiC composites after high-temperature treatment (800 °C and 1400 °C) in the air was investigated by three-point bending vibration test. The effects of test frequency and amplitude on storage modulus and internal friction were also evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Tumor progression and distant metastasis are the main causes of deaths in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and the molecular mechanisms in CRC metastasis have not been completely discovered.
Methods: We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DELs) of CRC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then we conducted the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to investigate co-expression modules related with CRC metastasis.
High stiffness and strength carbon fibres are commonly used to reinforce epoxy-resin composites. While wild Antheraea pernyi silk fibres exhibit high toughness originating from their α-helix/random coil conformation structures and their micro-fibre morphology, their insufficient strength and stiffness hinders them from being used in similar structural composites. In this work, we use interply hybridization of silk and carbon fibres to reinforce epoxy-matrix composites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of high pressure (135 MPa) and the following heat treatment on the microstructure and micro-hardness of the squeezing cast AlSi9CuMg alloy is investigated, using optical microscopy (OM), Vickers tester, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the application of high pressure can increase under-cooling and the cooling rate during solidification and cause the refinement of the microstructure. The enhanced melt flow resulting from high pressure can also break the dendrite to form the spherical and elliptical primary α (Al) grains during the early stage of solidification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA novel self-assembly method was developed to prepare a γ-FeO/graphene oxide (GO) heterogeneous catalyst that showed excellent synergy between photocatalysis and Fenton-like reactions. The γ-FeO/GO catalyst prepared on the iron plates demonstrated efficient and reproducible catalytic activities for water treatment. It takes only 80 min to degrade 50 mg L methylene (MB) completely, which is the main non-biodegradable dye in wastewater from the textile industry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStrong and tough epoxy composites are developed using a less-studied fibre reinforcement, that of natural silk. Two common but structurally distinct silks from the domestic B. mori/Bm and the wild A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe used pulsed laser beam welding method to join PdCuNiP (at.%) bulk metallic glass and characterized the properties of the joint. Fusion zone and heat-affected zone in the weld joint can be maintained completely amorphous as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochem Biophys Res Commun
August 2017
Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is an important determinant factor of meat quality in cattle. There is significant difference in IMF content between Jinnan and Simmental cattle. Here, to identify candidate genes and networks associated with IMF deposition, we deeply explored the transcriptome architecture of liver in these two cattle breeds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTheriogenology
October 2012
Linker histone variants are involved in regulation of chromosome organization and gene transcription; several subtypes are expressed in the maturing oocyte and developing embryo. In Xenopus and mice, the transition between linker histone variants occurred following nuclear transfer, and apparently contributed to donor nuclear reprogramming. To determine whether such linker histone replacement occurred after bovine nuclear transfer, red fluorescent protein (RFP) tagged H1e (somatic linker histone H1e) donor cells and Venus tagged H1foo eggs were created, enucleated eggs were injected with donor cells, and embryos were created by fusion.
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