Analyses of the genetic relationships between lactose, somatic cell score, and growth traits in Simmental cattle.

Lactose and somatic cell score (SCS) are major economic traits of milk. However, for many countries, they are typically not directly considered in the national genetic evaluation of Simmental cattle. This study aimed to estimate the genetic relationships between lactose, SCS, and growth traits of Simmental cattle to provide information for the national genetic evaluation of the selection of traits of this cattle population. The data of 1781 animals with 6519 records obtained over a period of 41 years (1975-2016) were collected from Xinjiang Hutubi Farm, China. The analyzed traits included 305 days of milk yield (305MY), milk fat percentage (MFP), milk protein percentage (MPP), milk lactose percentage (MLP), total solids (TS), SCS, body height (BH), body length (BL), chest girth (CG), abdominal circumference (AC), rump width (RW), rump length (RL), leg circumference (LC), and cannon circumference (CC). The multiple-trait repeatability model was adopted to estimate (co)variance components using the average information-restricted maximum likelihood method implemented using the DMU statistical package. The heritability estimates for milk components and growth traits ranged from 0.09 (SCS) to 0.51 (BH). Genetic correlations for milk components ranged from 0.03 ±â€¯0.14 (MFP and MLP) to 0.81 ±â€¯0.08 (MFP and MPP). Genetic correlation between MLP and SCS was moderate and negative (-0.50 ±â€¯0.15) compared with that among other traits. Genetic correlations between the milk components and growth traits ranged from 0.00 ±â€¯0.07 (305MY and RW) to -0.64 ±â€¯0.15 (MLP and BL). Genetic correlations of BL, LC, RW, and RL with MLP were moderate to high and negative ranging from -0.39 to -0.64. Somatic cell score showed the highest correlation with BL (0.41) followed by LC (0.21). An increase in MLP would result in an increase in 305MY or TS and a decrease in BL, LC, RW, and RL. Additionally, a decrease in SCS would occur with the selection of increased MLP and reduced BL. We conclude that selection based on easily and inexpensively measured growth traits could improve the milk quality from Simmental cattle.

LncRNA TTN-AS1 contributes to gastric cancer progression by acting as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-376b-3p.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported to participate in the progression of gastric cancer (GC). However, litter is known about the biological functions of TTN antisense RNA 1 (TTN-AS1) in GC. Using qRT-PCR examination, we found that TTN-AS1 was expressed at a higher level in GC tissues and cell lines compared to the normal controls. Kaplan-Meier analysis of GC patients revealed the negative correlation between TTN-AS1 expression and the overall survival. To detect the biological function of TTN-AS1 in GC, we silenced TTN-AS1 to perform loss-of-function assays. The experimental results revealed that knockdown of TTN-AS1 obviously inhibited GC cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis and impaired cell migration and invasion. In mechanism, TTN-AS1 was located in the cytoplasm of GC cells, indicating the post-transcriptional regulation of TTN-AS1 on gene expression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the potential binding relation between TTN-AS1 and miR-376b-3p as well as between miR-376b-3p and KLF12. Mechanism experiments such as luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay demonstrated the interaction between TTN-AS1 and miR-376b-3p as well as between miR-376b-3p and KLF12 in GC cells. At last, rescue assays certified that miR-376b-3p and KLF12 involved in TTN-AS1-mediated GC progression. Similarly, the role of TTN-AS1-miR-376b-3p-KLF12 axis in GC progression was analyzed and validated. Taken together, we concluded that TTN-AS1 might function as a novel potential therapeutic target in the treatment of gastric cancer.

[Safety assessment of hepatectomy for huge hepatocellular carcinoma by three dimensional reconstruction technique].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of three-dimentional(3D)reconstruction technique in safety assessment of hepatectomy for large hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). METHODS: The clinical records of 28 patients who underwent resection of HCC greater than 10 cm in diameter from January 2013 to December 2015 at Department of Hepatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology were studied retrospectively. All patients underwent enhanced computer tomography (CT), then 3D images of liver and tumor were reconstructed by uploading the CT imaging data to IQQA-Liver system. The individual surgery plan was simulated and liver volume (LV), standard liver volume(LV), tumor volume(TV), functional liver volume(FLV), excised liver volume(ELV), excised functional liver volume (EFLV), residual functional liver volume (RELV) were calculated. Simulated surgery plans were compared with actual procedures. ELV was compared with actual excised liver volume (AELV) by paired Student's t test. Postoperative complications and motility were analyzed. The correlation between TV and EFLV, RFLV, RFLV/FLV, RFLV/SLV were calculated by Spearman test. RESULTS: TV ranged from 202 cm(3) to 2 125 cm(3,) RELV ranged from 401 cm(3) to 1 633 cm(3).There were 13 patients whose RFLV/LV<30% and 28 patients whose RFLV/FLV>30%(34.8%-94.0%). RFLV/SLV ranged from 35.9% to 139.0%.All simulated surgery plans matched with the actual operation procedure. ELV was equal to AELV, which confirmed by the high precision of IQQA-Liver system(t=0.636, P>0.05). No severe complications (hepatic encephalopathy or liver failure) and perioperative death occurred after operation. Positive correlation was observed between TV and RFLV, TV and RFLV/FLV, TV and RFLV/SLV(r=0.641, 0.629 and 0.732, all P<0.01). Negative correlation was observed between TV and EFLV (r=-0.539, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: 3D reconstruction technique could accurately simulate surgery procedure, calculate liver volume and evaluate the safety of hepatectomy for huge hepatocellular carcinoma. When the anatomical liver resection was performed, the larger tumor volume means the smaller excision functional liver volume and larger residual liver volume.

Embolus-carried vascular endothelial cell growth factor 165 improves angiogenesis in thromboangiitis obliterans.

We investigated neovasculization effects of embolus-carried human vascular endothelial cell growth factor 165 (VEGF165)-encoded adenovirus (Ad) vector in the hindlimbs of rats with thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO). Rats were equally divided into blank control (I), TAO model (II), embolus (III), Ad-VEGF165 intravascular treatment (IV), Ad-VEGF165 intramuscular treatment (V), and embolus-carried Ad-VEGF165 (VI) groups. After interventional treatment, the neovasculization effect of the test gene was observed using immunohistochemistry. At 1 week after administration, compared with group II, groups V and VI had significantly increased microvessel densities, but no significant difference was observed between groups V and VI. At 2 weeks, groups V and VI exhibited significantly increased microvessel densities. At 1 week after administration, compared with group II, both groups V and VI showed a significant difference in the ratio between the α-smooth muscle actin count and the muscle fiber count, whereas no significant difference was observed between them. At 2 weeks, groups V and VI also exhibited significant differences in these ratios compared with the other groups. We conclude that Ad-VEGF165 promotes neovasculization in ischemic limbs. Embolus-carried Ad- VEGF165 had the most pronounced effect.