Publications by authors named "Xiao-na Zhang"

Article Synopsis
  • Leydig cells are crucial for testosterone production and male fertility, and their dysfunction can lead to serious reproductive issues.
  • The transcription factor PBX1 has been identified as a key regulator of Leydig cell differentiation and testosterone synthesis in mouse models.
  • Deleting Pbx1 in Leydig cells results in infertility, structural damage to testicular tissue, and altered hormone levels, particularly causing a drop in testosterone while increasing other hormones.
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Background: Fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus (FT1DM) that occurs during pregnancy or the perinatal period is known as pregnancy-related FT1DM (PF), always without history of abnormal glucose metabolism. Here, we present four patients who developed FT1DM during treatment but were first diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Case Summary: The clinical data of four patients with GDM combined with FT1DM admitted to our hospital between July 2018 and April 2021 were collected, and the patients and their infants were followed up.

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  • Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for the continuous production of sperm and maintaining the germline in mammals, but their molecular identities and development have not been clearly defined.
  • Researchers analyzed single-cell transcriptomes from undifferentiated spermatogonia in mice to uncover specific candidate transcription factors and the developmental pathways affecting SSCs and their progenitors.
  • Their findings revealed a particular subtype called Eomes, which shows a quiescent state, plays a significant role in SSC regeneration, has multiple cellular subsets, and is linked to key metabolic pathways essential for regeneration.
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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Excessive secretion of airway mucus may be an important pathological factor of air pollution-induced acute asthma attacks. Treatment of airway mucus hypersecretion improves asthma aggravated by air pollutants. Qufeng Xuanbi Formula (QFXBF) has been used to treat asthma for more than 30 years.

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Spermatogenesis is a complicated process of germ cell differentiation that occurs within the seminiferous tubule in the testis. Peritubular myoid cells (PTMCs) produce major components of the basement membrane that separates and ensures the structural integrity of seminiferous tubules. These cells secrete niche factors to promote spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) maintenance and mediate androgen signals to direct spermatid development.

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  • In arthropods, the Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam) gene can produce a vast number of splice variants, with significant variation noted in the Chinese mitten crab, where specific exons can create numerous alternatives.
  • Recent research using Illumina sequencing identified even more splice variants, potentially leading to over 50,000 unique Dscam protein variants in this species.
  • The study found that one of these proteins, EsDscam-Ig1-Ig7, can bind to certain bacteria and enhance immune responses, while lacking direct antibacterial properties, suggesting a crucial role in immunity through phagocytosis and bacterial clearance.
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Spermatogenesis is a continual process that relies on the activities of undifferentiated spermatogonia, which contain spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that serve as the basis of spermatogenesis. The gene expression pattern and molecular control of fate decisions of undifferentiated spermatogonia are not well understood. Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 15 (ARHGEF15, also known as EPHEXIN5) is a guanine nucleotide-exchange factor (GEF) that activates the Rho protein.

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Sertoli cells play indispensable roles in spermatogenesis by providing the advanced germ cells with structural, nutritional, and regulatory support. Lactate is regarded as an essential Sertoli-cell-derived energy metabolite that nurses various types of spermatogenic cells; however, this assumption has not been tested using genetic approaches. Here, we have reported that the depletion of lactate production in Sertoli cells by conditionally deleting lactate dehydrogenase A () greatly affected spermatogenesis.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study examined self-perceived burden among patients with urostomy and its relationship to their quality of life, resilience, and social support.
  • It found that a high percentage (89.8%) of these patients felt a significant burden and reported low quality of life.
  • The research concluded that enhancing resilience and social support could help alleviate this burden and improve overall quality of life, suggesting strategies for nursing interventions.
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Objective: To investigate the circumstances that lead to acute exacerbation readmission of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) within 30 days and to explore the influencing factors of readmission using a structural equation model to provide evidence for medical staff so that effective intervention measures can be taken.

Methods: The convenience sampling method was used to select 1120 elderly patients with COPD from the respiratory departments of thirteen general hospitals in the Ningxia region, China, from April 2019 to August 2020, who then completed a survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire contained a general data questionnaire and the modified Medical Research Council, activities of daily living, geriatric depression scale and COPD assessment test scales.

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Microglia activation-stimulated neuroinflammation exerts functionally in neurodegenerative diseases like brain injury. Acute methanol poisoning (AMP) is a crucial cause of death and morbidity that possibly leads to neuroinflammation. Studies have manifested that miRNAs can modulate microglia activation to mediate neuroinflammation.

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Previous studies have shown that the ATP-P2X4 receptor signaling pathway mediates the activation of the Nod-like receptor family protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. The NLRP3 inflammasome may promote renal interstitial inflammation in diabetic nephropathy. As inflammation also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, we hypothesized that the ATP-P2X4 receptor signaling pathway may activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in Parkinson's disease.

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Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 1.5-T non-contrast free-breathing whole-heart magnetic resonance coronary angiography(MRCA)for≥50% and≥70% coronary artery stenosis in coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods Forty-one patients clinically scheduled for invasive coronary angiography(ICA)underwent 1.

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Environmental hypoxia exposure causes fertility problems in human and animals. Compelling evidence suggests that chronic hypoxia impairs spermatogenesis and reduces sperm motility. However, it is unclear whether paternal hypoxic exposure affects fertilization and early embryo development.

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Aim: To identify the factors affecting nurses' turnover intention.

Background: The shortage of nurses has been a great challenge worldwide, and nurses' turnover may exacerbate the situation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses in six secondary hospitals in China.

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Dysfunctional autophagy often occurs during the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. The purinergic P2X4 receptor is an ATP-gated ion channel that is widely expressed in the microglia, astrocytes, and neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems. P2X4R is involved in the regulation of cellular excitability, synaptic transmission, and neuroinflammation.

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Two mixed-ligand complexes on the basis of L ligand [L = 3,6-bis(imidazol-1-yl)pyridazine] have been prepared under the solvothermal reaction conditions via the Zn(II) salts reacting with the ligands of L in the existence of two positional isomerous carboxylic acid ligands and their chemical formula respectively are [Zn(L)(1,2-BDC)(μ-OH)] (1, 1,2-HBDC = 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid ) and {[Zn(L)(1,3-HBDC) (1,3-BDC)(μ-OH)]·ClO·3HO} (2, 1,3-HBDC = 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid). The inhibitory influence of the two compounds against the inflammatory response in periodontium was evaluated by measuring the inflammatory cytokines releasing with ELISA detection kit. The results of ELISA assay indicated that compound 1 showed much stronger inhibitory influences than compound 2 against the inflammatory cytokines releasing.

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Background: Mutations in the XPR1 gene are associated with primary familial brain calcifications (PFBC). All reported mutations are missense and inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. PFBC patients exhibited movement disorders, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and other associated symptoms with diverse severity, even within the same family.

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Sertoli cells are the major component of the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) niche; however, regulatory mechanisms in Sertoli cells that dictate SSC fate decisions remain largely unknown. Here we revealed features of the N-methyladenosine (mA) mRNA modification in Sertoli cells and demonstrated the functions of WTAP, the key subunit of the mA methyltransferase complex in spermatogenesis. mA-sequencing analysis identified 21,909 mA sites from 15,365 putative mA-enriched transcripts within 6,122 genes, including many Sertoli cell-specific genes.

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Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 1.5-T non-contrast MR coronary angiography (MRCA) for detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) using whole-heart imaging combined with volume-targeted imaging.

Methods: Forty-five patients scheduled for conventional coronary angiography (CAG) underwent 1.

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Gliomas are aggressive brain tumors with high mortality rate. Over the past several years, non-coding RNAs, specifically the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), have emerged as biomarkers of considerable interest. Emerging data reveals distinct patterns of expressions of several lncRNAs in the glioma tissues, relative to their expression in normal brains.

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Objective: To compare the circular pathological changes of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients according to the tongue diagnosis.

Methods: Totally 41 CHB patients with typical white tongue coating (WTC) or yellow tongue coating (YTC) were enrolled and 14 healthy volunteers with normal tongue manifestation served as controls. The mRNA expression of peripheral leukocytes was detected by GeneChips, and 9 genes were randomly selected for expression validation.

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The impact of resveratrol (RSV) on radiation (RAD)-induced brain injury in rats' brains was investigated. A total of 40 male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups (control, RAD, RAD + RSV, and RSV groups, with 10 rats in each group). The results revealed a significant decrease in catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities, as well as glutathione (GSH) content.

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Interspecies hybridization exists widely in nature and plays an important role in animal evolution and adaptation. It is commonly recognized that male offspring of interspecies hybrid are often sterile, which presents a crucial way of reproductive isolation. Currently, the mechanisms underlying interspecies hybrid male sterility are not well understood.

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Spermatogenesis is a complex cellular-differentiation process that relies on the precise regulation of gene expression in spermatogonia, meiotic, and postmeiotic germ cells. The Ring 1 and YY1 binding protein (Rybp) is a member of the mammalian polycomb-group (PcG) protein family that plays multifunctional roles in development. Previous findings indicate that Rybp may function as an important regulator of meiosis.

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