PCBP1/2 and TDP43 Function as NAT10 Adaptors to Mediate mRNA acC Formation in Mammalian Cells.

Massive numbers of modified bases in mRNAs sculpt the epitranscriptome and play vital roles in RNA metabolism. The only known acetylated RNA modification, N-4-acetylcytidine (acC), is highly conserved across cell types and among species. Although the GCN5-related acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) functions as an acC writer, the mechanism underlying the acetylation process is largely unknown.

Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Prognostic Role of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 Low Expression in Chinese Patients with Early Breast Cancer: A Single-Institution Study.

Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze and compare the clinicopathological features and prognosis of Chinese patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low early breast cancer (BC) and HER2-IHC0 BC.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with HER2-negative BC ( = 999) at our institution between January 2011 and December 2015 formed our study population. Clinicopathological characteristics, association between estrogen receptor (ER) expression and HER2-low, and evolution of HER2 immunohistochemical (IHC) score were assessed.

Zygotic Splicing Activation of the Transcriptome is a Crucial Aspect of Maternal-to-Zygotic Transition and Required for the Conversion from Totipotency to Pluripotency.

During maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) in the embryo, mRNA undergoes complex post-transcriptional regulatory processes. However, it is unclear whether and how alternative splicing plays a functional role in MZT. By analyzing transcriptome changes in mouse and human early embryos, dynamic changes in alternative splicing during MZT are observed and a previously unnoticed process of zygotic splicing activation (ZSA) following embryonic transcriptional activation is described.

High expression of CFTR in cumulus cells from mature oocytes is associated with high-quality of oocyte and subsequent embryonic development.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the association of expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in cumulus cells (CCs) from mature oocytes with oocyte quality and embryonic development.

Methods: A total of 338 infertile women who underwent ovarian stimulation cycle of oocyte retrieval in Zhejiang University School of Medicine were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The relative mRNA expression levels of CFTR, bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) in CCs were detected by qPCR technology.

Embryo morphologic quality in relation to the metabolic and cognitive development of singletons conceived by in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a matched cohort study.

Background: Embryos with higher morphologic quality grading may have a greater potential to achieve clinical pregnancy that leads to a live birth regardless of the type of cleavage-stage embryos or blastocysts. Few studies have investigated the impacts of embryo grading on the long-term health of the offspring.

Objective: This pilot study aimed to examine the associations between embryo morphologic quality and the physical, metabolic, and cognitive development of singletons conceived by in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection at preschool age.

Connective tissue growth factor mediates bone morphogenetic protein 2-induced increase in hyaluronan production in luteinized human granulosa cells.

Background: Hyaluronan is the main component of the cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) matrix, and it maintains the basic structure of the COC during ovulation. As a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) has been identified as a critical regulator of mammalian folliculogenesis and ovulation. However, whether BMP2 can regulate the production of hyaluronan in human granulosa cells has never been elucidated.

Elevated Expression of lncRNA Induces Endothelial Dysfunction on HUVECs of IVF Born Offspring via Epigenetic Regulation.

Cardiovascular dysfunction in children born after fertilization (IVF) has been of great concern, the potential molecular mechanisms for such long-term outcomes are still unknown. Here, we found that systolic blood pressure was a little higher in IVF born offspring at 2 years old compared to those born after being naturally conceived. Besides, the expression level of maternally expressed gene 3 () was higher in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from IVF offspring than that in spontaneously born offspring.

High Maternal Serum Estradiol in First Trimester of Multiple Pregnancy Contributes to Small for Gestational Age via DNMT1-Mediated CDKN1C Upregulation.

High maternal serum estradiol (E) levels in the first trimester of pregnancy are associated with a high incidence of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA). This study aimed to investigate the effect of first-trimester high maternal serum E levels on fetal growth and the underlying mechanisms in multiple pregnancies. Maternal serum E levels of women at 8 weeks of gestation were measured.

Anxiety disturbs the blood plasma metabolome in acute coronary syndrome patients.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the result of a complex metabolic disorder caused by various environmental and genetic factors, and often has anxiety as a comorbidity. Rupture of atherosclerotic plaque in CHD patients can lead to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Anxiety is a known independent risk factor for the adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in ACS, but it remains unclear how stress-induced anxiety behavior impacts their blood plasma metabolome and contributes to worsening of CHD.

Ablation of Mto1 in zebrafish exhibited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy manifested by mitochondrion RNA maturation deficiency.

Deficient maturations of mitochondrial transcripts are linked to clinical abnormalities but their pathophysiology remains elusive. Previous investigations showed that pathogenic variants in MTO1 for the biosynthesis of τm5U of tRNAGlu, tRNAGln, tRNALys, tRNATrp and tRNALeu(UUR) were associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Using mto1 knock-out(KO) zebrafish generated by CRISPR/Cas9 system, we demonstrated the pleiotropic effects of Mto1 deficiency on mitochondrial RNA maturations.

5-methoxytryptophan alleviates liver fibrosis by modulating FOXO3a/miR-21/ATG5 signaling pathway mediated autophagy.

Liver fibrosis is a critical health issue in the world due to its rapidly increasing prevalence. It is of great demand to develop effective drugs for the treatment of liver fibrosis. 5-methoxytryptophan (5-MTP) has been reported to play an important role in anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, myocardial-protective effects.

The BMP2 Signaling Axis Promotes Invasive Differentiation of Human Trophoblasts.

Embryo implantation and trophoblast invasion are principal limiting factors of pregnancy establishment. Aberrant embryo development or improper trophoblast differentiation and invasion may lead to various unfavorable pregnancy-related outcomes, including early pregnancy loss (EPL). Our clinical data show that the serum BMP2 levels were significantly increased during the first trimester of pregnancy and that the serum and BMP2 expression levels were lower in women with EPL than in women with normal early pregnancies.

Improving Pulmonary Infection Diagnosis with Metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing.

Pulmonary infections are among the most common and important infectious diseases due to their high morbidity and mortality, especially in older and immunocompromised individuals. However, due to the limitations in sensitivity and the long turn-around time (TAT) of conventional diagnostic methods, pathogen detection and identification methods for pulmonary infection with greater diagnostic efficiency are urgently needed. In recent years, unbiased metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) has been widely used to detect different types of infectious pathogens, and is especially useful for the detection of rare and newly emergent pathogens, showing better diagnostic performance than traditional methods.

BMP2 increases the production of BDNF through the upregulation of proBDNF and furin expression in human granulosa-lutein cells.

Locally produced in human granulosa cells of the developing follicle, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) plays a crucial role in the regulation of ovarian folliculogenesis and luteal formation. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an intraovarian neurotrophic factor that has been shown to promote oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization competency. At present, little is known regarding the intracellular regulation, assembly and secretion of endogenous BDNF in human granulosa cells.

Blood Pressure Variability during Angiography in Patients with Ischemic Stroke and Intracranial Artery Stenosis.

Our aim was to investigate factors predicting blood pressure (BP) variability during diagnostic cerebral angiography and associations between BP variability and clinical outcomes in patients with acute and subacute ischemic stroke and intracranial artery stenosis. 114 patients with ischemic stroke and intracranial artery stenosis (stenosis rate >50%) were recruited. Patients who underwent cerebral angiography within 3 days and 3-14 days of disease onset are referred to be Group A and Group S, respectively.

Infection within 2 weeks before liver transplantation closely related to prognosis of posttransplant infection: A single-center retrospective observational study in China.

Background: Infections still represent the main factors influencing morbidity and mortality following liver transplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for infection and survival after liver transplantation.

Methods: We retrospectively examined medical records in 210 liver recipients who underwent liver transplantation between April 2015 and October 2017 in our hospital.

Immunogenicity of Hepatitis B Vaccine in Preterm or Low Birth Weight Infants: A Meta-Analysis.

Context: The study aims to quantitatively assess the immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants born preterm or with low birth weight.

Evidence Acquisition: In December 2018, a literature search was conducted in 4 databases without date restrictions. The pooled ORs, mean differences, and their corresponding 95% CIs were calculated with random-effects models using the DerSimonian-Laird estimator.

Clinical application and evaluation of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in suspected adult central nervous system infection.

Background: Accurate etiology diagnosis is crucial for central nervous system infections (CNS infections). The diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), an emerging powerful platform, remains to be studied in CNS infections.

Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study to compare mNGS with conventional methods including culture, smear and etc.

Additive Preparation of Conductive Circuit Based on Template Transfer Process Using a Reusable Photoresist.

To solve the problems of a conventional subtractive process for preparing conductive circuits, numerous alternative additive processes have been investigated, such as screen or inkjet printing, selective electroless plating, laser-induced forward transfer, etc. They all lead to a simpler procedure, less pollution, and finer line width but are still faced with difficulties like low conductivity and thickness, poor adhesion, and high cost. PDMS is a kind of material with low surface energy, leading to low adhesion with adhesive.

Ozone alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis pathway in SH-SY5Y cells.

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries are common and often cause severe complications. Ozone has been applied for protecting I/R injury in animal models of several organs including cerebra, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and lactate dehydrogenase measurement were used to determine the influence of ozone on cell activity and damage of SH-SY5Y cells.

Clinical Evaluation of Diagnosis Efficacy of Active Complex Infection via Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing of Direct Clinical Samples.

Tuberculosis (TB) is now the leading cause of death from infectious disease. Rapid screening and diagnostic methods for TB are urgently required. Rapid development of metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in recent years showed promising and satisfying application of mNGS in several kinds of infectious diseases.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) versus conventional in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in couples with non-severe male infertility (NSMI-ICSI): protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), originally introduced as add-on to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for couples with severe male infertility, is in current clinical practice also used in couples with mild male or even unexplained infertility. However, ICSI has involved unresolved concerns regarding the selection and damage to gametes and the health conditions of the offspring, and it is also labour intensive and therefore more expensive than conventional IVF. High-quality well-powered randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing ICSI and IVF are lacking.

Incremental value of metagenomic next generation sequencing for the diagnosis of suspected focal infection in adults.

Objectives: Microbiological diagnosis is essential during clinical management of focal infections. Metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) has been reported as a promising diagnostic tool in infectious diseases. However, little is known about the clinical utility of mNGS in focal infections.