Characterization and comparative transcriptomic analysis of skeletal muscle in female Pekin duck and Hanzhong Ma duck during different growth stages using RNA-seq.

Duck is an economically important poultry, and there is currently a major focus on improving its meat quality through breeding. There are wide variations in the growth regulation mechanisms of different duck breeds, that fundamental research on skeletal muscle growth is essential for understanding the regulation of unknown genes. The study aimed to broaden the understanding the duck skeletal muscle development and thereby to improve the performance of domestic ducks. In this study, RNA-seq data from skeletal muscles (breast muscle and leg muscle) of Pekin duck and Hanzhong Ma duck sampled at d 17, 21, and 27 of embryo (E17d, E21d, and E27d), as well as at 6-mo-old following birth (M6), to investigate and compare the mRNA temporal expression profiles and associated pathways that regulate skeletal myogenesis of different duck breeds. There were 331 to 1,440 annotated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in breast muscle and 380 to 1,790 annotated DEGs in leg muscle from different databases between 2 duck breeds. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment in skeletal muscles indicated that these DEGs were mainly involved in biosynthetic process, developmental process, regulation of protein metabolic process and regulation of gene expression. KEGG analysis in skeletal muscles showed that a total of 41 DEGs were mapped to 7 KEGG pathways, including ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, carbon metabolism, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, calcium signaling pathway, biosynthesis of amino acids and PPAR signaling pathway. The differential expression of 8 selected DEGs was verified by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with RNA-seq data. The identified DEGs, such as SDC, SPP1, PAK1, MYL9, PGK1, NOS1, PHGDH, TNNT2, FN1, and AQP4, were specially highlighted, indicating their associations with muscle development in the Pekin duck and Hanzhong Ma duck. This study provides a basis for revealing the differences in skeletal muscle development between Pekin duck and Hanzhong Ma duck.

Vanillic acid alleviates liver fibrosis through inhibiting autophagy in hepatic stellate cells via the MIF/CD74 signaling pathway.

MIF/CD74 signaling pathway and autophagy may be closely related to liver fibrosis. Vanillic acid (VA) is likely to have an anti-liver fibrosis effect, although related studies have not been reported. The aim of this study was to verify the role of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) autophagy and the MIF/CD74 signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, and to investigate the effect of VA on liver fibrosis through in vivo and in vitro experiments. Our results showed that VA significantly attenuated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. The alleviation of liver fibrosis with VA treatment was associated with a reduction of MIF, CD74, α-SMA, LC3B and Collagen 1. In addition, VA, MIF inhibitor (ISO-1) and autophagy inhibitor (3-MA) markedly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HSCs. This study indicates that VA could protect against HSCs activation, proliferation and migration by inhibiting the autophagy in HSCs via the MIF/CD74 signaling pathway so that alleviates liver fibrosis.

Revealing the Chemical Nature of Functional Groups on Graphene Oxide by Integrating Potentiometric Titration and Ab Initio Calculations.

A new graphene oxide (GO) model with reasonable functional group types and distribution modes was proposed by integrating potentiometric titrations and ab initio calculations. Due to the complex synthesis mechanism, the atomic structure of GO has been controversial for a long time. Here, we use density functional theory calculations to mimic the oxidation process, and a series of GO fragments (GOFs) were deduced. A new pKa calculation method (RCDPKA) developed specifically in this work was further used to predict pKa values of the fragments. Then, we performed potentiometric titrations on four different GO samples to confirm the existence of these GOFs and determine the content of functional groups. Interestingly, different GO samples present the same pKa values in titration, and the results are consistent with the predicted ones. Based on the evidence from titration and calculation, prominent correlations between functional groups could be found. Groups at the edges are mainly double-interactive carboxyls (pKa1 ≈ 3.4, pKa2 ≈ 5.7) and double-adjacent phenolic hydroxyls (pKa1 ≈ 8.8, pKa2 ≈ 12.1), while groups on the plane are mainly collocated epoxies and hydroxyls (pKa1 ≈ 11.1, pKa2 ≈ 13.8) on both sides of the plane with a meta-positional hydrogen bond interaction. These findings were further validated by multiple characterizations and GO modifications. These results not only stimulate a fundamental understanding of the GO structure but also provide a quantitative analysis method for functional groups on GO.

Fine needle biopsy versus fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of immunohistochemistry-required lesions: A multicenter study with prospective evaluation.

Objectives: The superiority of EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) over fine-needle aspiration (FNA) remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of FNB and FNA in immunohistochemistry (IHC)-required lesions, including, type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), neuroendocrine tumor (NET), mesenchymal tumor, and lymphoma. Methods: In this multicenter study, specimens from all eligible patients who underwent EUS-FNB/FNA with these specific lesions were prospectively evaluated. Demographics, adequacy of specimens for IHC, diagnostic accuracy, and integrity of tissue were analyzed. Subgroup analysis and multivariate logistic regression were also performed to control confounders. Results: A total of 439 patients were included for analysis. Most lesion types were type 1 AIP (41.69%), followed by NET, mesenchymal tumor, and lymphoma. FNB yielded specimens with better adequacy for IHC (82.41% vs. 66.67%, P < 0.001) and higher diagnostic accuracy (74.37% vs. 55.42%, P < 0.001). The superiority of FNB over FNA in adequacy for IHC (odds ratio, 2.786 [1.515-5.291]) and diagnostic accuracy (odds ratio, 2.793 [1.645-4.808]) remained significant after control of confounders including needle size, lesion site, lesion size, and endoscopists. In subgroup analysis, FNB showed higher diagnostic accuracy in AIP and mesenchymal tumor, whereas no statistically significant difference was observed in NET and lymphoma. Conclusions: FNB was superior to FNA needles in obtaining tissues with better adequacy and integrity. These results suggest that FNB should be considered a first-line modality in the diagnosis of IHC-required lesions, especially AIP and mesenchymal tumor. However, a randomized controlled trial with larger sample size is needed to further confirm our findings.

Effects of Different Rearing Systems on Lueyang Black-Bone Chickens: Meat Quality, Amino Acid Composition, and Breast Muscle Transcriptome.

The quality of poultry products depends on genotype, rearing system, and environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different rearing systems on meat quality, amino acid composition, and breast muscle transcriptome from Lueyang black-bone chickens. Lueyang black-bone chickens (n = 900) were randomly divided into three groups (cage, flat-net, and free-range groups), with three replicates per group (100 chickens per replicate). At 16 weeks, a total of 36 healthy chickens (six males and six females per group) were collected, and their breast muscles were sampled to detect meat quality parameters, amino acid composition, and fatty acid contents. Furthermore, breast muscles from six random hens in each group were used for RNA-seq analysis. The results revealed that the values of pH, shear force, inosine monophosphate (IMP), palmitic acid, and linoleic acid in the free-range group were significantly higher than those in the caged group (p < 0.05). Fat content in the free-range group was significantly lower than in the caged and flat-net groups (p < 0.05). Glutamate (Glu) levels, the amino acid crucial for the umami taste, was significantly higher in the free-range group than in the caged group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no significant difference between the free-range and flat-net groups (p > 0.05). The breast muscle transcriptome results showed that there were 291, 131, and 387 differently expressed genes (DEGs) among the three comparison groups (caged vs. free-range, flat-net vs. caged, and flat-net vs. free-range, respectively) that were mainly related to muscle development and amino acid metabolism pathways. To validate the accuracy of the transcriptome data, eight genes (GOS2, ASNS, NMRK2, GADL1, SMTNL2, SLC7A5, AMPD1, and GLUL) which relate to fat deposition, skeletal muscle function, and flavor formation were selected for Real-time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) verification. In conclusion, these results suggested that rearing systems significantly influenced the meat quality and gene expression of Lueyang black-bone chickens. All the data proved that free-range and flat-net systems may provide better flavor to consumers by affecting the deposition of flavor substances and the expression of related genes. These findings will provide a valuable theoretical basis for the rearing system selection in the poultry industry.

Analysis of Serum Biochemical Indexes, Egg Quality, and Liver Transcriptome in Laying Hens Fed Diets Supplemented with Gynostemma pentaphyllum Powder.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP), known as "southern ginseng", can reduce the blood pressure and blood lipid levels. In this study, 300 layer chicks of one day old were divided randomly into three groups (control group (base diet), high addition group (base diet with 1% GP), and low addition group (base diet with 0.5% GP)). After 29 weeks, the growth performance, egg quality, and serum index were determined. Additionally, liver mRNA was identified using RNA-seq to investigate the molecular mechanisms. The results indicated that the serum total cholesterol and triglycerides decreased significantly in the GP addition group. The addition of GP increased the egg weight, Haugh unit and redness (a*) of the egg yolk color, and reduced the yolk cholesterol concentration. Moreover, 95 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between the control and GP addition group. GO and the KEGG analysis showed that the PPAR pathway was significantly enriched. Five fatty acid metabolism-related genes (FABP3, CYP7A1, ANKRD22, SCD1, and PCK1) were validated by qRT-PCR analysis, which confirmed the tendency of the expression. These DEGs in the PPAR pathway may be the key factors of GP affecting fatty acid metabolism. These results may provide a theoretical basis for further research and new insights into GP as a feed additive.

Comparisons of Differential Filtering and Homography Transformation in Modal Parameter Identification from UAV Measurement.

This paper proposes a differential filtering method for the identification of modal parameters of bridges from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) measurement. The determination of the modal parameters of bridges is a key issue in bridge damage detection. Accelerometers and fixed cameras have disadvantages of deployment difficulty. Hence, the actual displacement of a bridge may be obtained by using the digital image correlation (DIC) technology from the images collected by a UAV. As drone movement introduces false displacement into the collected images, the homography transformation is commonly used to achieve geometric correction of the images and obtain the true displacement of the bridge. The homography transformation is not always applicable as it is based on at least four static reference points on the plane of target points. The proposed differential filtering method does not request any reference points and will greatly accelerate the identification of the modal parameters. The displacement of the points of interest is tracked by the DIC technology, and the obtained time history curves are processed by differential filtering. The filtered signals are input into the modal analysis system, and the basic modal parameters of the bridge model are obtained by the operational modal analysis (OMA) method. In this paper, the power spectral density (PSD) is used to identify the natural frequencies; the mode shapes are determined by the ratio of the PSD transmissibility (PSDT). The identification results of three types of signals are compared: UAV measurement with differential filtering, UAV measurement with homography transformation, and accelerometer-based measurement. It is found that the natural frequencies recognized by these three methods are almost the same. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of UAV-differential filtering method in obtaining the bridge modal parameters; the problems and challenges in UAV measurement are also discussed.

MIF promoter polymorphism increases peripheral blood expression levels, contributing to increased susceptibility and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. The etiology and pathogenesis of HCC remain unclear. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The association between MIF polymorphisms and its expression level in HCC has rarely been demonstrated. In the present study, the peripheral blood of 202 patients with HCC (HCC group), 242 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB group), 215 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC group) and 227 healthy volunteers (normal group) were collected, DNA was extracted and the target fragment of MIF gene was amplified using PCR. The products were then sequenced, and the expression levels of MIF protein were tested using ELISA. The results showed that the MIF rs755622 polymorphism was associated with an increased susceptibility and metastasis of HCC, and that the genotypes GC and CC were associated with poor prognosis of HCC. Compared with the normal, CHB and LC groups, the expression of MIF in the peripheral blood of the HCC group was significantly increased, and the high expression was associated with to poor prognosis. In the HCC group, MIF protein levels for genotypes GC and CC were increased compared with those of genotype GG. The current study indicated that the MIF rs755622 polymorphism is associated with susceptibility and metastasis of HCC, and that the GC and CC genotypes may be indicators of poor prognosis, which may be ascribed to the MIF rs755622 polymorphism leading to elevated MIF protein expression in peripheral blood.

Successful en bloc resection of large esophageal hemangioma by endoscopic submucosal dissection: A case report.

RATIONALE: With the development of endoscopic techniques, endoscopic therapy began to play an important role in the management of esophageal hemangiomas. PATIENTS CONCERNS: A large esophageal submucosal tumor (2.5 cm), which was suspected to be an esophageal hemangioma, was diagnosed in a 50-year-old woman. DIAGNOSIS: Esophageal hemangioma INTERVENTIONS:: Endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed for tumor removal. OUTCOMES: Histopathological results revealed hemangioma. No complication or recurrence was observed in the 17-month follow-up period. LESSONS: Our successful experience showed that endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective and a safe approach to treat large esophageal hemangiomas (2.5 cm).

CXCL12 and CXCR4 polymorphisms and expressions in peripheral blood from patients of hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: To determine if CXCL12 (rs1801157) and CXCR4 (rs2228014) polymorphisms are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) susceptibility, and detect their expressions in peripheral blood. METHODS: 206 HCC patients, 252 chronic hepatitis B patients, 221 liver cirrhosis patients and 275 healthy volunteers were recruited. Genes CXCL12 and CXCR4 were amplified and genotyped. Their expression in peripheral blood were detected. RESULTS: CXCL12 rs1801157 and CXCR4 rs2228014 polymorphisms were associated with increased susceptibility of HCC, and genotypes GA/AA and CT/TT may be risk factors of HCC (all p < 0.05). Expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in peripheral blood from HCC patients increased significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CXCL12 and CXCR4 polymorphisms may be risk factors for HCC, and they may be potential HCC markers.

Clinical application of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroscopy / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical application and security of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy in dysphagia patients. Methods Clinical data of 22 cases dysphagia patients implemented with PEG with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy or conventional gastroseopy were retrospectively analyzed, the clinical effect and the complication were observed. Results 22 patients underwent PEG with the Introducer method using conventional gastroscopy (6 cases) or ultrathin gastroscopy (16 cases). Among the 16 patients underwent PEG using ultrathin gastroseopy by transnasal or peroral approach, 2 cases with trimus by received radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer and 14 cases with pharyngeal or esophagus narrowing, could not completed PEG by conventional gastroscopy. The average procedure time of PEG was (12.2 ± 2.9) min in conventional gastroscopy group and (11.8 ± 3.2) min in control group. No complications were observed in these patients, but the patients in ultrathin gastroseopy group reported less discomfort associated with the procedure. 17 patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and esophagus cancer who received PEG could completely finished 6 cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Paired-sample t test of nutrition indicators (hemoglobin, albumin and RBC) before and after the treatment showed significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion PEG with the introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy is a safe and effective method of enteral nutrition, Ultrathin gastroscopy reduces the discomfort of the procedure, especially in patients with serious trimus and pharyngeal or esophagus narrowing. For patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, preventative PEG improved the tolerance of chemoradiotherapy,reduce the incidence of adverse events.

Clinical application of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroscopy / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical application and security of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy in dysphagia patients. Methods Clinical data of 22 cases dysphagia patients implemented with PEG with the Introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy or conventional gastroseopy were retrospectively analyzed, the clinical effect and the complication were observed. Results 22 patients underwent PEG with the Introducer method using conventional gastroscopy (6 cases) or ultrathin gastroscopy (16 cases). Among the 16 patients underwent PEG using ultrathin gastroseopy by transnasal or peroral approach, 2 cases with trimus by received radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer and 14 cases with pharyngeal or esophagus narrowing, could not completed PEG by conventional gastroscopy. The average procedure time of PEG was (12.2 ± 2.9) min in conventional gastroscopy group and (11.8 ± 3.2) min in control group. No complications were observed in these patients, but the patients in ultrathin gastroseopy group reported less discomfort associated with the procedure. 17 patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and esophagus cancer who received PEG could completely finished 6 cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Paired-sample t test of nutrition indicators (hemoglobin, albumin and RBC) before and after the treatment showed significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusion PEG with the introducer method using ultrathin gastroseopy is a safe and effective method of enteral nutrition, Ultrathin gastroscopy reduces the discomfort of the procedure, especially in patients with serious trimus and pharyngeal or esophagus narrowing. For patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, preventative PEG improved the tolerance of chemoradiotherapy,reduce the incidence of adverse events.