A Gallbladder-Specific Hydrophobic Bile Acid-FXR-MUC1 Signaling Axis Mediates Cholesterol Gallstone Formation.

Differences in the distribution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bile acids (BA) are observed in mouse models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat-cholesterol "Western-style" diet (WD), and cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD) induced by a lithogenic diet. Despite sharing common pathological processes, these models exhibit distinct characteristics in their BA pools. The study investigates the impact of hydrophobic BA (BA) and hydrophilic BA (BA) on CGD development using cytochrome-P450-2c70 knockout (C70-KO) mice (mice), genetically modified to resemble humans with a hydrophobic BA pool.

Delivering Integrated Community Care for the Elderly: A Qualitative Case Study in Southern China.

The rapid aging and increasing care demands among the elderly population present challenges to China's health and social care system. The concept of aging in place has prompted the implementation of integrated community care (ICC) in the country. This study aims to provide empirical insights into the practices of integrated care policies and approaches at the community level.

Regulation of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition by histone deacetylase 3 posttranslational modifications in neointimal hyperplasia.

Background: Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is the process by which endothelial cells lose their specific markers and acquire mesenchymal or myofibroblastic phenotypes. Studies have demonstrated the importance of endothelial-derived vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through EndMT in neointimal hyperplasia. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are epigenetic modification enzymes involved in the epigenetic control of important cellular functions.

Adeno-associated virus-based caveolin-1 delivery via different routes for the prevention of cholesterol gallstone formation.

Background: Hepatic caveolin-1 (CAV1) is reduced in cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD). Mice with CAV1 deficiency were prone to develop CGD. However, it remains unknown whether restored hepatic CAV1 expression prevents the development of CGD.

FGF15 promotes hepatic NPC1L1 degradation in lithogenic diet-fed mice.

Background: Cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD) is accompanied by biliary cholesterol supersaturation. Hepatic Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), which is present in humans but not in wild-type (WT) mice, promotes hepatocyte cholesterol uptake and decreases biliary cholesterol supersaturation. In contrast, intestinal NPC1L1 promotes intestinal cholesterol absorption, increasing biliary cholesterol supersaturation.

Turbulence Model Comparative Study for Complex Phenomena in Supersonic Steam Ejectors with Double Choking Mode.

Scholars usually ignore the non-equilibrium condensing effects in turbulence-model comparative studies on supersonic steam ejectors. In this study, a non-equilibrium condensation model considering real physical properties was coupled respectively with seven turbulence models. They are the Standard, RNG, Realizable, Standard, SST, Transition SST, and Linear Reynolds Stress Model.

Endogenous Viral Elements in Shrew Genomes Provide Insights into Pestivirus Ancient History.

As viral genomic imprints in host genomes, endogenous viral elements (EVEs) shed light on the deep evolutionary history of viruses, ancestral host ranges, and ancient viral-host interactions. In addition, they may provide crucial information for calibrating viral evolutionary timescales. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive in silico screening of a large data set of available mammalian genomes for EVEs deriving from members of the viral family Flaviviridae, an important group of viruses including well-known human pathogens, such as Zika, dengue, or hepatitis C viruses.

Aquatic Flaviviruses.

Flaviviruses are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, including some well-known human pathogens such as Zika, dengue, and yellow fever viruses, which are primarily associated with mosquito and tick vectors. The vast majority of flavivirus research has focused on terrestrial environments; however, recent findings indicate that a range of flaviviruses are also present in aquatic environments, both marine and freshwater. These flaviviruses are found in various hosts, including fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and echinoderms.

(Rodentia, Muridae) is a distinct species based on molecular, karyotyping, and morphological evidence.

Thomas, 1908, which has been regarded as a subspecies of , was found to be a distinct species from based on molecular, karyotyping, and morphological characteristics in this study. was found to belong to a distinct phylogenetic clade in phylogenetic tree constructed using the mitochondrial gene , it clustered with (Bonhote, 1903) from Vietnam and (Milne-Edwards, 1871) from Yunnan, but showed a distant relationship with from adjacent areas. The genetic distance between and was more than 5.

Tripterygium glycoside protects against puromycin amino nucleoside‑induced podocyte injury by upregulating autophagy.

Tripterygium glycoside (TG), an active ingredient of the widely used Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, has immunosuppressive and anti‑inflammatory effects. Previous studies have indicated that TG is a potentially effective therapeutic option to treat nephrotic syndrome. The mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of TG, including its effect on autophagy and apoptosis in podocyte injury, remains to be fully elucidated.

High glucose-induced fibronectin upregulation in cultured mesangial cells involves caveolin-1-dependent RhoA-GTP activation via Src kinase.

Increasing evidence indicates that diabetes-mediated renal interstitial fibrosis through extracellular matrix (ECM) protein accumulation is an important event in the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the current study, it was observed that high levels of glucose (HG) time‑ and dose-dependently increased the production of the ECM protein, fibronectin (FN), in primary rat mesangial cells. Inhibition of the Rho pathway blocked HG‑induced FN upregulation.

Analysis of complete mitochondrial genome and its application to phylogeny of (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Arvicolinae).

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Inez's red-backed vole was sequenced and analyzed as the first species in genus . The complete mitochondrial genome of is 16,354 bp in length and shows a typical vertebrate pattern with 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs and 2 non-coding regions. To gain a clear phylogenetic position of , a ML phylogenetic tree was constructed based on 12 PCGs on H-strand from 23 rodent species except for gene which is on L-strand.

CAV1 Prevents Gallbladder Cholesterol Crystallization by Regulating Biosynthesis and Transport of Bile Salts.

Cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD) is a hepatobiliary disorder which results from a biochemical imbalance in the gallbladder bile. Here we show that loss of CAV1 sensitized mice to lithogenic diet-induced gallbladder cholesterol crystallization, which was associated with dysregulation of several hepatic transporters that efflux cholesterol, phospholipids, and bile salts. The combined effect of increased biliary cholesterol concentration and decreased biliary bile salt secretion in CAV1(-/-) mice led to an increased cholesterol saturation index and the formation of cholesterol crystals.

Physiological analyses indicate superoxide dismutase, catalase, and phytochelatins play important roles in Pb tolerance in Eremochloa ophiuroides.

Phytoremediation is considered to be a promising approach to restore or stabilize soil contaminated by lead (Pb). Turfgrasses, due to their high biomass yields, are considered to be suitable for use in phytoextraction of soil contaminated with heavy metal. It has been demonstrated that centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.

Adenovirus-mediated osteoprotegerin ameliorates cartilage destruction by inhibiting proteoglycan loss and chondrocyte apoptosis in rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

Our aim is to elucidate the effects of osteoproteogerin (OPG) on cartilage destruction in rats as a model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). To establish the CIA model, Sprague Dawley rats were injected with bovine type II collagen solution subcutaneously via the tails. Adenovirus-mediated OPG (Ad-OPG) was then injected intra-articularly either at the beginning of CIA (early OPG treatment) or one week after CIA establishment (late OPG treatment); vehicle or Ad-green fluorescent protein were injected as controls.

N-acetylcysteine treatment following spinal cord trauma reduces neural tissue damage and improves locomotor function in mice.

Following spinal cord trauma, mitochondrial dysfunction associated with increased oxidative stress is a critical event leading to leukocyte inflammatory responses, neuronal cell death and demyelination, contributing to permanent locomotor and neurological disability. The present study demonstrated that the mitochondrial enhancer N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may restore redox balance via enhancement of mitochondrial respiratory activity following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). In addition, NAC ameliorates oxidative stress-induced neuronal loss, demyelination, leukocyte infiltration and inflammatory mediator expression and improves long-term locomotor function.

Critical role of SHP2 (PTPN11) signaling in germinal center-derived lymphoma.

Germinal center lymphoma is a heterogeneous human lymphoma entity. Here we report that constitutive activity of SHP2 (PTPN11) and its downstream kinase ERK is essential for the viability of germinal center lymphoma cells and disease progression. Mechanistically, SHP2/ERK inhibition impedes c-Myc transcriptional activity, which results in the repression of proliferative phenotype signatures of germinal center lymphoma.

Comparative analyses of physiological responses of Cynodon dactylon accessions from Southwest China to sulfur dioxide toxicity.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2), a major air pollutant in developing countries, is highly toxic to plants. To achieve better air quality and landscape, planting appropriate grass species in severe SO2 polluted areas is very critical. Cynodon dactylon, a widely used warm season turfgrass species, has good SO2-tolerant ability.

Targeting endothelin receptors A and B attenuates the inflammatory response and improves locomotor function following spinal cord injury in mice.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), the disruption of blood-spinal cord barrier by activation of the endothelin (ET) system is a critical event leading to leukocyte infiltration, inflammatory response and oxidative stress, contributing to neurological disability. In the present study, we showed that blockade of ET receptor A (ETAR) and/or ET receptor B (ETBR) prevented early inflammatory responses directly via the inhibition of neutrophil and monocyte diapedesis and inflammatory mediator production following traumatic SCI in mice. Long-term neurological improvement, based on a series of tests of locomotor performance, occurred only in the spinal cord‑injured mice following blockade of ETAR and ETBR.

[Effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus].

From March to May, 2010, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus. Four treatments with different application rate of the leaf litter, i.e.

TRO19622 promotes myelin repair in a rat model of demyelination.

Background/aims: Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative autoimmune disease characterized by diffuse oligodendrocyte injury, axonal loss and multifocal demyelination of myelin sheaths in the central nervous system. TRO19622 is a small cholesterol-like compound, which displays remarkable neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties in neural cell culture and rodent models of nerve trauma. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the pharmacological action of TRO19622 on the demyelination/remyelination processes by using a rat model of cuprizone-induced demyelination.

Clinical and pathological analysis of malignancies arising from alimentary tract duplications.

Background: Malignant change is a rare complication of alimentary tract duplications.

Methods: Articles concerning malignancies arising from alimentary tract duplications published from 1955 to 2012 on PubMed were extensively reviewed. These cases were reclassified and analyzed according to sites of clinical manifestations, diagnostic examinations, methods of management, pathological findings, clinical staging and prognosis.

The fabrication of an olfactory receptor neuron chip based on planar multi-electrode array and its odor-response analysis.

A novel olfactory neurochip based on olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) cultivated on the surface of the 60-channel planar multi-electrode array (MEA) devices was developed in this study. In order to investigate the odor-response characteristics of ORNs, two types of odorants at different concentrations were quantitatively pumped into the neurochip by a customized gas intake system, and the extracellular electrical activities of multiple ORNs were simultaneously recorded in vitro. Accordingly, the odor-response features of ORNs such as firing amplitude, firing threshold, firing rate as well as firing channels were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of ORN spike trains.

[Formaldehyde inhalation may damage olfactory bulb and hippocampus in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of formaldehyde inhalation on the morphological damage, and Glu, GABA and NOS contents in olfactory bulb and hippocampus of rats.

Methods: Twenty SD rats were equally divided into two groups: rats in the control group inhaled fresh air, while the animals in experimental group were exposed to the air containing formaldehyde (12.5 mg/m(3), 4 h/d) for 7 days.