The gut microbiota plays an integral role in the metabolism and immunity of animal hosts, and provides insights into the health and habitat assessment of threatened animals. The skywalker hoolock ...gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) is a newly described gibbon species, and is considered an endangered species. Here, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to describe the fecal bacterial community of skywalker hoolock gibbons from different habitats and in captivity. Fecal samples (n = 5) from two captive gibbons were compared with wild populations (N = 6 gibbons, n = 33 samples). At the phylum level, Spirochetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes dominated in captive gibbons, while Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Tenericutes dominated in wild gibbons. At the genus level, captive gibbons were dominated by Treponema-2, followed by Succinivibrio and Cerasicoccus, while wild gibbons were dominated by Anaeroplasma, Prevotellaceae UCG-001, and Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-004. Captive rearing was significantly associated with lower taxonomic alpha-diversity, and different relative abundance of some dominant bacteria compared to wild gibbons. Predicted Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses showed that captive gibbons have significantly lower total pathway diversity and higher relative abundance of bacterial functions involved in "drug resistance: antimicrobial" and "carbohydrate metabolism" than wild gibbons. This study reveals the potential influence of captivity and habitat on the gut bacterial community of gibbons and provides a basis for guiding the conservation management of captive populations.
Gut microbiota influences nutrient metabolism and immunity of animal hosts. Better understanding of the composition and diversity of gut microbiota contributes to conservation and management of ...threatened animals both in situ and ex situ. In this study, we applied 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to evaluate the composition and diversity of the fecal bacterial community of four gibbon genera (Family Hylobatidae) at four Chinese zoos. The results showed that the dominant bacterial phyla were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria and dominant families were Prevotellaceae (Bacteroidetes), Spirochaetaceae (Spirochaetes) and Ruminococcaceae (Firmicutes) in the gut of all gibbons. Both captive site and host genus had significant effects on the relative abundance of dominant bacteria and structure of gut bacterial community. We found that captive site and host genus did not solely impact gut bacterial diversity, but the interaction between them did. This study provides basic knowledge for gut microbiota of all four gibbon genera and contributes to management and conservation of captive gibbons.
Wilms tumor gene on the X chromosome (WTX) is a putative tumor suppressor gene in Wilms tumor, but its expression and functions in other tumors are unclear. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third ...leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women and the second leading cause in men in the United States. We demonstrated that WTX frequently lost in CRC which was highly correlated with cell proliferation, tumor invasion and metastasis. Mechanistically, WTX loss disrupts the interaction between RhoGDIα and CDC42 by losing of the binding with RhoGDIα and triggers the activation of CDC42 and its downstream cascades, which promotes CRC development and liver metastasis. The aberrant upregulation of miR-20a/miR-106a were identified as the reason of WTX loss in CRC both in vivo and in vitro. These study defined the mechanism how miR-20a/miR-106a-mediated WTX loss regulates CRC progression and metastasis, and provided a potential therapeutic target for preventing CRC progression.
Objectives
To compare the clinical and MRI features of primary hepatic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) categorized as LR-M or LR-4/5 using the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System ...(LI-RADS) version 2018 and to determine the prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS).
Methods
In this retrospective study, 37 patients with surgically confirmed LELC were included. Two independent observers evaluated preoperative MRI features according to the LI-RADS version 2018. Clinical and imaging features were compared between two groups. RFS and the associated factors were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and log-rank test.
Results
In total, 37 patients (mean age, 58.5 ± 10.3 years) were evaluated. Sixteen (43.2%) LELCs were categorized as LR-M and twenty-one (56.8%) LELCs were categorized as LR-4/5. In the multivariate analysis, the LR-M category was an independent factor for RFS (HR 7.908, 95% CI 1.170–53.437;
p
= 0.033). RFS rates were significantly lower in patients with LR-M LELCs than in patients with LR-4/5 LELCs (5-year RFS rate, 43.8% vs.85.7%;
p
= 0.002).
Conclusion
The LI-RADS category was significantly associated with postsurgical prognosis of LELC, with tumor categorized as LR-M having a worse RFS than those categorized as LR-4/5.
Key Points
•
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma patients categorized as LR-M have worse recurrence-free survival than those categorized as LR-4/5
.
•
MRI-based LI-RADS categorization was an independent factor for postoperative prognosis of primary hepatic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma
.
Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can have abnormal TDP-43 aggregates in the nucleus and cytosol of their surviving neurons and glia. Although accumulating evidence indicates that ...astroglial dysfunction contributes to motor neuron degeneration in ALS, the normal function of TDP-43 in astrocytes are largely unknown, and the role of astroglial TDP-43 loss to ALS pathobiology remains to be clarified. Herein, we show that TDP- 43–deleted astrocytes exhibit a cell-autonomous increase in GFAP immunoreactivity without affecting astrocyte or microglia proliferation. At the transcriptomic level, TDP-43–deleted astrocytes resemble A1-reactive astrocytes and induce microglia to increase C1q expression. These astrocytic changes do not cause loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord or denervation at the neuromuscular junction. In contrast, there is a selective reduction of mature oligodendrocytes, but not oligodendrocyte precursor cells, suggesting triglial dysfunction mediated by TDP-43 loss in astrocytes. Moreover, mice with astroglial TDP-43 deletion develop motor, but not sensory, deficits. Taken together, our results demonstrate that TDP-43 is required to maintain the protective functions of astrocytes relevant to the development of motor deficits in mice.
With the purpose of searching novel, green and energetic oxidants, polynitro-acetone, polynitro-dimethyl ether, and polynitro-dimethylamine are designed as potential powerful oxidants and energetic ...materials in this work. Their optimized molecular geometries and electronic structures are calculated using density functional theory at m062x/6-311G++(d,p) level. Based on these results, heat of formation (HOF), detonation energy (Q), detonation velocity (D), and detonation pressure (P) are further evaluated. It is found that the oxygen-rich and chlorine-free compounds with 5 to 6 NO
2
groups in molecule can be used as the potential energetic oxidants with high oxygen balance, while those with 3 to 4 NO
2
groups are suitable for high-density energetic materials. Furthermore, stability correlations of all the compounds are established according to calculated bond order, natural bond orbital (NBO), bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE), and energy gaps (ΔE
LUMO–HOMO
). Finally, burning rate is also calculated to show their potential application as oxidants in propellants.
Graphical abstract
Excessive inflammation results in severe tissue damage as well as serious acute or chronic disorders, and extensive research has focused on finding new anti-inflammatory hit compounds with safety and ...efficacy profiles from natural products. As promising therapeutic entities for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases, fusaproliferin and its analogs have attracted great interest. However, the underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism is still poorly understood and deserves to be further investigated.
For the estimation of the anti-inflammatory activity of fusaproliferin (
) and its analogs (
-
and
, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages and zebrafish embryos were employed. Then, transcriptome analysis was applied to guide subsequent western blot analysis of critical proteins in related signaling pathways. Surface plasmon resonance assays (SPR) combined with molecular docking analyses were finally applied to evaluate the affinity interactions between
-
and TLR4 and provide a possible interpretation of the downregulation of related signaling pathways.
-
significantly attenuated the production of inflammatory messengers, including nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), as well as nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Transcriptome analyses based on RNA-seq indicated the ability of compound
to reverse LPS stimulation and the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) signaling pathways contribute to the anti-inflammatory process. Experimental verification at the protein level revealed that
can inhibit the activation of inhibitor of NF-κB kinase (IKK), degradation of inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB), and phosphorylation of NF-κB and reduce nuclear translocation of NF-κB.
also decreased the phosphorylation of MAPKs, including p38, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). SPR assays and molecular docking results indicated that
-
exhibited affinity for the TLR4 protein with KD values of 23.5-29.3 μM.
Fusaproliferin and its analogs can be hit compounds for the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases.
1. Flowering plants exhibit striking interspecific and intraspecific variation in flower number, which strongly influences the reproductive success of animal-pollinated plants. However, the ...reproductive consequences of producing a single flower are poorly understood. 2. Here, we test if plants producing a single flower have a reproductive disadvantage compared with plants producing multiple flowers by combining field investigation of five deceptive orchids and a survey of published literature. Pollen limitation was estimated by comparing fruit production between hand pollination and open pollination. Flowering frequency was monitored over years to assess the potential advantage of producing a single flower. 3. Both single- and multiple-flowered species suffered strong pollen limitation. However, single-flowered species had significantly lower fruit set and produced fewer seeds per individual, although they had a significantly higher pollen removal than species with multiple flowers. A phylogenetically independent contrast of 28 species representing four of the five subfamilies of Orchidaceae revealed that fruit set was significantly positively associated with flower number. Both pollen removal and fruit set had a positive relationship with flower number within the multipleflowered species. 4. Synthesis. Current data and phylogenetically independent contrast support the hypothesis that producing a single flower has reproductive disadvantages. Single-flowered species may compensate for low female success through high flowering frequency over years. This study provides insight into costs and benefits of producing a single flower in deceptive orchids.
Splenic artery embolization (SAE) has been an effective adjunct to the Non-operative management (NOM) for blunt splenic injury (BSI). However, the optimal embolization techniques are still ...inconclusive. To further understand the roles of different embolization locations and embolic materials in SAE, we conducted this system review and meta-analyses.
Clinical studies related to SAE for adult patients were researched in electronic databases, included PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar Search (between October 1991 and March 2013), and relevant information was extracted. To eliminate the heterogeneity, a sensitivity analysis was conducted on two reduced study sets. Then, the pooled outcomes were compared and the quality assessments were performed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The SAE success rate, incidences of life-threatening complications of different embolization techniques were compared by
test in 1st study set. Associations between different embolization techniques and clinical outcomes were evaluated by fixed-effects model in 2nd study set.
Twenty-three studies were included in 1st study set. And then, 13 of them were excluded, because lack of the necessary details of SAE. The remaining 10 studies comprised 2nd study set, and quality assessments were performed using NOS. In 1st set, the primary success rate is 90.1% and the incidence of life-threatening complications is 20.4%, though the cases which required surgical intervention are very few (6.4%). For different embolization locations, there was no obvious association between primary success rate and embolization location in both 1st and 2nd study sets (
> 0.05). But in 2nd study set, it indicated that proximal embolization reduced severe complications and complications needed surgical management. As for the embolic materials, the success rate between coil and gelfoam is not significant. However, coil is associated with a lower risk of life-threatening complications, as well as less complications requiring surgical management.
Different embolization techniques affect the clinical outcomes of SAE. The proximal embolization is the best option due to the less life-threatening complications. For commonly embolic material, coil is superior to gelfoam for fewer severe complications and less further surgery management.
Excessive inflammation causes chronic diseases and tissue damage. Although there has been drug treatment, its side effects are relatively large. Searching for effective anti-inflammatory drugs from ...natural products has become the focus of attention. First isolated from
Trichoderma longibraciatum
, trichodimerol is a natural product with TNF inhibition. In this study, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages were used as a model to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of trichodimerol. The results of nitric oxide (NO) detection, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) showed that trichodimerol could reduce the production of NO, ROS, and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Western blotting results showed that trichodimerol could inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the protein expression of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB (NF-κB), p-IKK, p-IκB, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (Caspase)-1, and ASC, which indicated that trichodimerol may inhibit inflammation through the NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways. At the same time, molecular docking showed that trichodimerol can directly combine with the TLR4-MD2 complex. Hence, trichodimerol inhibits inflammation by obstructing the interaction between LPS and the TLR4-MD2 heterodimer and suppressing the downstream NF-κB and NLRP3 pathways.
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