Causal relationships between rheumatoid arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases: a two-sample univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Observational research has highlighted a potential relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). However, the confirmation of a causal connection is impeded by the inherent limitations of such studies, including vulnerability to confounding factors and the possibility of reverse causality. This study employs a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to assess the causal impact of RA on three NDs, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Rapidly progressive adult-onset neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease beginning with autonomic symptoms: a case report.

Background: Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a rare neurodegenerative disease that can affect the nervous and other systems of the body. Its clinical manifestations are complex and easily misdiagnosed. Adult-onset NIID beginning with autonomic symptoms such as recurrent hypotension, profuse sweating, and syncope has not been reported.

Evolutionary Analysis of Plastid Genomes of Seven L. Species: Implications for Sequence Divergence and Phylogenetic Relationships.

Plant plastomes play crucial roles in species evolution and phylogenetic reconstruction studies due to being maternally inherited and due to the moderate evolutionary rate of genomes. However, patterns of sequence divergence and molecular evolution of the plastid genomes in the horticulturally- and economically-important L. species are poorly understood.

Effects of Geological and Environmental Events on the Diversity and Genetic Divergence of Four Closely Related Pines: , , , and .

The effects of mountain uplift and environmental oscillations on nucleotide variability and species divergence remain largely unknown in East Asia. In this study, based on multiple nuclear DNA markers, we investigated the levels and patterns of nucleotide diversity and interspecific divergence in four closely related pines in China, i.e.

The complete nucleotide sequence of chloroplast genome of (Euphorbiaceae), an endemic herb in China.

T.N. Liou ex S.

Comparative Chloroplast Genomics of Dipsacales Species: Insights Into Sequence Variation, Adaptive Evolution, and Phylogenetic Relationships.

In general, the chloroplast genomes of angiosperms are considered to be highly conserved and affected little by adaptive evolution. In this study, we tested this hypothesis based on sequence differentiation and adaptive variation in the plastid genomes in the order Dipsacales. We sequenced the plastid genomes of one Adoxaceae species and six Caprifoliaceae species, and together with seven previously released Dipsacales chloroplasts, we determined the sequence variations, evolutionary divergence of the plastid genomes, and phylogeny of Dipsacales species.

Molecular Evolution of Chloroplast Genomes of Orchid Species: Insights into Phylogenetic Relationship and Adaptive Evolution.

Orchidaceae is the 3rd largest family of angiosperms, an evolved young branch of monocotyledons. This family contains a number of economically-important horticulture and flowering plants. However, the limited availability of genomic information largely hindered the study of molecular evolution and phylogeny of Orchidaceae.

Elevated expression of HSP10 protein inhibits apoptosis and associates with poor prognosis of astrocytoma.

Astrocytoma is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor, with pretty lowly 5-year survival rate in patients. Although extended surgical removal of the tumor and postoperative chemotherapy/radiotherapy executed, still there is large recurrence rate, mainly because diffuse glioma tumor cells ubiquitously infiltrate into normal parenchyma. So it becomes a priority to hunt novel molecular and signaling pathway targets to suppress astrocyma progression.

Elevated levels of p-Mnk1, p-eIF4E and p-p70S6K proteins are associated with tumor recurrence and poor prognosis in astrocytomas.

Malignant astrocytomas are able to invade neighboring and distant areas of the normal brain. Signaling pathway alterations play important role in the development of astrocytomas. Deregulation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) by MAP kinase-interacting kinases (Mnk) on Ser-209 directly or PI3K/mTOR/S6K pathway indirectly has a critical effect on promoting cellular proliferation, malignant transformation and metastasis.

Neuroprotection by triptolide against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury through the inhibition of NF-κB/PUMA signal in rats.

Triptolide, an active compound extracted from the Chinese herb thunder god vine (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F.), has potent antitumor activity. Recently, triptolide was found to have protective effects against acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury through inhibition of cell apoptosis.

The dynamic distribution of porcine microbiota across different ages and gastrointestinal tract segments.

Metagenome of gut microbes has been implicated in metabolism, immunity, and health maintenance of its host. However, in most of previous studies, the microbiota was sampled from feces instead of gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, we compared the microbial populations from feces at four different developmental stages and contents of four intestinal segments at maturity to examine the dynamic shift of microbiota in pigs and investigated whether adult porcine fecal samples could be used to represent samples of the GI tract.