Atmospheric Pollution and Microecology of Respiratory Tract

This chapter elaborates the source and ingredients of atmospheric pollutants, the microecology of respiratory tract in animals and humans and the effect of atmospheric pollution on it and thus clarifies the relationship between air pollution and microecology of the respiratory tract based on the experiments

Computational prediction of MicroRNAs targeting GABA receptors and experimental verification of miR-181, miR-216 and miR-203 targets in GABA-A receptor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>GABA receptors are well known as the inhibitory receptors in the central nervous system and are also found in peripheral tissues. We have previously shown that GABA receptors are involved in lung development and fluid homeostasis. However, the microRNAs that regulate GABA receptors have not yet been identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we used the online software, TargetScan and miRanda, to query the microRNAs that directly target GABA receptors and then selected some of them to verify experimentally using 3'-UTR reporter assays. Computational approaches predict many microRNA binding sites on the 3'-UTR of GABA_Areceptors, but not on GABA_Creceptors. 3'-UTR reporter assays only verified miR-181, miR-216, and miR-203 as the microRNAs that target GABA receptor α1-subunit among 10 microRNAs tested.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our studies reinforce that microRNA target prediction needs to be verified experimentally. The identification of microRNAs that target GABA receptors provides a basis for further studies of post-transcriptional regulation of GABA receptors.</p

Effect of metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 genotype on N-acetylaspartate levels and neurocognition in non-smoking, active alcoholics

BACKGROUND: We studied the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) gene on brain N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentrations and executive function (EF) skills in non-smoking, active alcoholics, and evaluated associations between these variables. METHODS: SNPs (rs6465084, rs1468412, and rs2299225) in GRM3 were genotyped in 49 male, non-smoking, alcohol-dependent patients and 45 healthy control subjects using ligase detection reactions. NAA/creatine (Cr) ratios in left prefrontal gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), left parietal GM, left parietal WM, and cerebellar vermis regions were measured by Proton (1) H Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). EF was measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). RESULTS: Compared to controls, alcoholics had lower NAA/Cr ratios in prefrontal GM and WM regions and performed more poorly on all EF tests (P < 0.001). Alcoholics with the A/A genotype for SNP rs6465084 had lower NAA/Cr ratios in prefrontal GM and WM regions and had poorer EF skills than alcoholics who were G-carriers for this SNP (P < 0.01). Non-alcoholics with the A/A genotype for rs6465084 also had lower NAA/Cr levels in prefrontal GM and made more random errors in the WCST than G-carriers (P < 0.01). The A/A genotype group for SNP rs6465084 was significantly different from the G carriers for the variables of NAA/Cr ratios and WCST scores in both alcoholics and controls (P < 0.05). Alcoholics who were T-carriers for rs1468412 had lower NAA/Cr ratios in prefrontal GM and showed poorer EF skills (P < 0.05). No effects of rs2299225 genotype on NAA/Cr or executive skills were observed. NAA/Cr in left prefrontal regions correlated with certain parameters of EF testing in both alcoholics and controls (P < 0.05), but the significance of this correlation among alcoholics disappeared after adjustment for the effects of genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that glutamate system dysfunction may play a role in the prefrontal functional abnormalities seen in alcohol dependence. It is possible that certain GRM3 SNP genotypes (the A/A genotype of rs6465084 and the T allele of rs1468412) may further lower NAA/Cr levels and EF skills in addition to the effect of alcohol

Ameliorative Effect and Underlying Mechanisms of Total Triterpenoids from Psidium guajava Linn (Myrtaceae) Leaf on High-Fat Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Rats

Purpose: To investigate whether the total triterpenoids extracted from Psidium Guajava leaves (TTPGL) attenuate the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in rats by regulating the NF-κB pathway of the inflammatory process and its signaling mediators.Methods: All the Sprague Dawley rats used were maintained in a clean environment on a 12 h light/12h dark cycle. High-fat feeding and intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) were used to induce diabetes in the rats. The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: diabetic mellitus (DM) group; TTPGL - 30 group, TTPGL - 60 group and TTPGL - 120 group treated by intragastric administration (i.g) with 30, 100 and 120 mg/kg/day TTPGL, respectively. The well-established drug, rosiglitazone (RSG, 3 mg/k/d, i.g.), was used as positive control. Normal rats served as control group. Nerve conduction velocity and sensitive tests were measured on weeks 1, 4 and 8. After 8 weeks administration, expression of pro-inflammatory molecules (TNF - α, IL - 6 and iNOS) and tissue proteins (Akt, IKKα, and NF – κB - p65) were evaluated to assess biochemical changes.Results: Compared to DM group, TTPGL (especially 120 mg / kg dose) treatment improved (p &lt; 0.05) physical functions and provided neuronal protection in high - fat/streptozotocin - induced peripheral neuropathy rats. We found that the expressions of several pro - inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor - α (TNF - α), IL - 6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were highly suppressed (p &lt; 0.05 or p &lt; 0.01) by TTPGL in sciatic nerve. Mechanism analysis indicated that the ameliorative effect of TTPGL, in part, is through suppression of the expression of pro - inflammatory cytokines by NF - κB pathway mediation.Conclusion: TTPGL offers a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Keywords: Triterpenoids, Psidium Guajava, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, Pro inflammatory cytokines, NF-κB pathwa

Bis{tris­[3-(2-pyrid­yl)-1H-pyrazole]manganese(II)} dodeca­molybdo(V,VI)phosphate hexa­hydrate

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Mn(C8H7N3)3]2[PMo12O40]·6H2O, consists of a complex [Mn(C8H7N3)3]2+ cation, half of a mixed-valent MoV,VI α-Keggin-type [PMo12O40]4− heteropolyanion, and three uncoordinated water mol­ecules. The Mn2+ cation is surrounded by six N atoms from three chelating 3-(2-pyrid­yl)-1H-pyrazole ligands in a distorted octa­hedral coordination. In the heteropolyanion, two O atoms of the central PO4 group ( symmetry) are equally disordered about an inversion centre. N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding between the cations, anions and the uncoordinated water mol­ecules leads to a consolidation of the structure

Photochemical reaction enabling the engineering of photonic spin-orbit coupling in organic-crystal optical microcavities

The control and active manipulation of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in photonic systems is fundamental in the development of modern spin optics and topological photonic devices. Here, we demonstrate the control of an artificial Rashba-Dresselhaus (RD) SOC mediated by photochemical reactions in a microcavity filled with an organic single-crystal of photochromic phase-change character. Splitting of the circular polarization components of the optical modes induced by photonic RD SOC is observed experimentally in momentum space. By applying an ultraviolet light beam, we control the spatial molecular orientation through a photochemical reaction and with that we control the energies of the photonic modes. This way we realize a reversible conversion of spin-splitting of the optical modes with different energies, leading to an optically controlled switching between circularly and linearly polarized emission from our device. Our strategy of in situ and reversible engineering of SOC induced by a light field provides a promising approach to actively design and manipulate synthetic gauge fields towards future on-chip integration in photonics and topological photonic devices

CD4+ and CD8+ T cells have opposing roles in breast cancer progression and outcome

The Cancer Immunoediting concept has provided critical insights suggesting dual functions of immune system during the cancer initiation and development. However, the dynamics and roles of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the pathogenesis of breast cancer remain unclear. Here we utilized two murine breast cancer models (4T1 and E0771) and demonstrated that both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were increased and involved in immune responses, but with distinct dynamic trends in breast cancer development. In addition to cell number increases, CD4(+) T cells changed their dominant subsets from Th1 in the early stages to Treg and Th17 cells in the late stages of the cancer progression. We also analyzed CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell infiltration in primary breast cancer tissues from cancer patients. We observed that CD8(+) T cells are the key effector cell population mediating effective anti-tumor immunity resulting in better clinical outcomes. In contrast, intra-tumoral CD4(+) T cells have negative prognostic effects on breast cancer patient outcomes. These studies indicate that CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells have opposing roles in breast cancer progression and outcomes, which provides new insights relevant for the development of effective cancer immunotherapeutic approaches

Influenza vaccination rates among healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating influencing factors

IntroductionHealthcare workers risk of exposure to the influenza virus in their work, is a high-risk group for flu infections. Thus WHO recommends prioritizing flu vaccination for them–an approach adopted by &gt;40 countries and/or regions worldwide.MethodsCross-sectional studies on influenza vaccination rates among healthcare workers were collected from PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, and CBM databases from inception to February 26, 2023. Influenza vaccination rates and relevant data for multiple logistic regression analysis, such as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), were extracted.ResultsA total of 92 studies comprising 125 vaccination data points from 26 countries were included in the analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that the overall vaccination rate among healthcare workers was 41.7%. Further analysis indicated that the vaccination rate was 46.9% or 35.6% in low income or high income countries. Vaccination rates in the Americas, the Middle East, Oceania, Europe, Asia, and Africa were 67.1, 51.3, 48.7, 42.5, 28.5, and 6.5%, respectively. Influencing factors were age, length of service, education, department, occupation, awareness of the risk of influenza, and/or vaccines.ConclusionThe global influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers is low, and comprehensive measures are needed to promote influenza vaccination among this population.Systematic review registrationwww.inplysy.com, identifier: 202350051