203 research outputs found

    Study on species diversity of Akanthomyces (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) in the Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing, China

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    Akanthomyces species have only been reported from Guizhou and Qinghai Province, with few reports from other regions in China. In this research, the species diversity of Akanthomyces in the Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing was investigated. Fourteen infected spider specimens were collected and two new species (A. bashanensis and A. beibeiensis) and a known species (A. tiankengensis) were established and described according to a multi-locus phylogenetic analysis and the morphological characteristics. Our results reveal abundant Akanthomyces specimens and three species were found at Jinyun Mountain. Due to its being an important kind of entomopathogenic fungi, further attention needs to be paid to the diversity of other entomopathogenic fungi in Chongqing, China

    Effects of Yifukang Oral Liquid on Chemotherapy- and Radiotherapy-Induced Toxic and Side Effects of Myelosuppression, Leucopenia and Gastrointestinal Tract Disturbances

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    Purpose: To investigate the effects of Yifukang oral liquid (YFKOL) on chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced myelosuppression, leucopenia and gastrointestinal tract disturbances.Methods: The effects of YFKOL on myelosuppression, leucopenia and gastrointestinal tract disturbances were assessed by cyclophosphamide- and Co60-induced leucopenia in mice, copper sulfate-induced emesis in pigeons, ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats, gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion in mice.Results: In cyclophosphamide- and Co60-induced leucopenia assays, the mean white blood cell count (82.6 and 90.1 × 109/L; 7.3 and 8.2 × 109/L, respectively) and thighbone marrow granulocytes (66.1 % and 67.4 %; 60.8 and 66.5 %, respectively) were significantly (p < 0.05) increased after treatment with YFKOL (15 and 30 mL/kg), compared with the respective control (68.2 and 4.7 × 109/L; 58.2 and 53.1 %). In emesis, gastric mucosal lesions, gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion assays, the mean frequency of emesis (30.8 and 22.3 times, respectively) and ulcer index (39.6 and 26.5, respectively) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, and the mean gastric emptying (25.0 and 24.0 %) and intestinal propulsion (81.9 and 82.8 %) were significantly (p < 0.05) promoted after treatment with YFKOL (10 and 20 mL/kg), compared with the respective control (54.7 times, 62.8, 42.0 and 68.9 %).Conclusion: YFKOL may suppress chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced myelosuppression, leucopenia and gastrointestinal tract disturbances.Keywords: Yifukang oral liquid, Gastrointestinal tract disturbances, Leucopenia, Myelosuppression, Tumor, Chemotherapy, Radiotherap

    Deep Sequencing of Plasma Exosomal microRNA Level in Psoriasis Vulgaris Patients

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    Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting 1% to 3% of the world population. Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) is the most common form of psoriasis. PV patients suffer from inflamed, pruritic and painful lesions for years (even a lifetime). However, conventional drugs for PV are costly. Considering the need for long-term treatment of PV, it is urgent to discover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Plasma exosomal miRNAs have been identified as the reliable biomarkers and therapy targets of human diseases. Here, we described the levels of plasma exosomal miRNAs in PV patients and analyzed the functional features of differently expressed miRNAs and their potential target genes for the first time. We identified 1,182 miRNAs including 336 novel miRNAs and 246 differently expressed miRNAs in plasma exosomes of healthy people and PV patients. Furthermore, the functional analysis found differently expressed miRNA-regulated target genes enriched for specific GO terms including primary metabolic process, cellular metabolic process, metabolic process, organic substance metabolic process, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway containing cellular processes, human diseases, metabolic pathways, metabolism and organismal systems. In addition, we found that some predicted target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs, such as CREB1, RUNX2, EGFR, are both involved in inflammatory response and metabolism. In summary, our study identifies many candidate miRNAs involved in PV, which could provide potential biomarkers for diagnosis of PV and targets for clinical therapies against PV

    Cancer-induced bone pain sequentially activates the ERK/MAPK pathway in different cell types in the rat spinal cord

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies have demonstrates that, after nerve injury, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activation in the spinal cord-initially in neurons, then microglia, and finally astrocytes. In addition, phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK) contributes to nociceptive responses following inflammation and/or nerve injury. However, the role of spinal cells and the ERK/MAPK pathway in cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) remains poorly understood. The present study analyzed activation of spinal cells and the ERK/MAPK pathway in a rat model of bone cancer pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A Sprague Dawley rat model of bone cancer pain was established and the model was evaluated by a series of tests. Moreover, fluorocitrate (reversible glial metabolic inhibitor) and U0126 (a MEK inhibitor) was administered intrathecally. Western blots and double immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression and location of phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK). Our studies on pain behavior show that the time between day 6 and day 18 is a reasonable period ("time window" as the remaining stages) to investigate bone cancer pain mechanisms and to research analgesic drugs. Double-labeling immunofluorescence revealed that p-ERK was sequentially expressed in neurons, microglia, and astrocytes in the L4-5 superficial spinal cord following inoculation of Walker 256 cells. Phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK) and the transcription factor cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) increased in the spinal cord of CIBP rats, which was attenuated by intrathecal injection of fluorocitrate or U0126.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The ERK inhibitors could have a useful role in CIBP management, because the same target is expressed in various cells at different times.</p

    Gut microbiota from sigma-1 receptor knockout mice induces depression-like behaviors and modulates the cAMP/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway

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    IntroductionDepression is a common mental disorder that affects approximately 350 million people worldwide. Much remains unknown about the molecular mechanisms underlying this complex disorder. Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is expressed at high levels in the central nervous system. Increasing evidence has demonstrated a close association between the Sig-1R and depression. Recently, research has suggested that the gut microbiota may play a crucial role in the development of depression.MethodsMale Sig-1R knockout (Sig-1R KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were used for this study. All transgenic mice were of a pure C57BL/6J background. Mice received a daily gavage of vancomycin (100 mg/kg), neomycin sulfate (200 mg/kg), metronidazole (200 mg/kg), and ampicillin (200 mg/kg) for one week to deplete gut microbiota. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted to assess the effects of gut microbiota. Depression-like behaviors was evaluated by tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and sucrose preference test (SPT). Gut microbiota was analyzed by 16s rRNA and hippocampal transcriptome changes were assessed by RNA-seq.ResultsWe found that Sig-1R knockout induced depression-like behaviors in mice, including a significant reduction in immobility time and an increase in latency to immobility in the FST and TST, which was reversed upon clearance of gut microbiota with antibiotic treatment. Sig-1R knockout significantly altered the composition of the gut microbiota. At the genus level, the abundance of Alistipes, Alloprevotella, and Lleibacterium decreased significantly. Gut microbiota dysfunction and depression-like phenotypes in Sig-1R knockout mice could be reproduced through FMT experiments. Additionally, hippocampal RNA sequencing identified multiple KEGG pathways that are associated with depression. We also discovered that the cAMP/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway is inhibited in the Sig-1R KO group along with lower expression of neurotrophic factors including CTNF, TGF-α and NGF. Fecal bacteria transplantation from Sig-1R KO mice also inhibited cAMP/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.DiscussionIn our study, we found that the gut-brain axis may be a potential mechanism through which Sig-1R regulates depression-like behaviors. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms by which Sig-1R regulates depression and further supports the concept of the gut-brain axis

    Preparation and Characterization of Baicalein-Loaded Nanoliposomes for Antitumor Therapy

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    Baicalein (BAI) is a major constituent of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Previous studies showed that BAI had obvious effects on U14 cervical tumor-bearing mice model and HeLa cells. However, the use of BAI is inconvenient and troublesome, due to its low oral bioavailability. The aim of this study was to develop baicalein-loaded nanoliposomes (BAI-LP) to improve its bioavailability. In this study, BAI-LP was prepared by thin film hydration method. The average size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the BAI-LP were 194.6±2.08 nm, 0.17±0.025, -30.73±0.41 mV, and 44.3±2.98%, respectively. Drug storage stability study showed no significant changes in these values after 4 weeks of storing at 4°C. Additionally, Sulforhodamine B (SRB) experimental results indicated that the BAI-LP could achieve better anti-tumor effects than free BAI. The results of the experiment demonstrated that BAI-LP had a better antitumor effect with a higher inhibition rate of 66.34±15.33% than free BAI with a inhibition rate of 41.89±10.50% by using U14 cervical tumor-bearing mice model. In conclusion, the study suggested that BAI-LP would serve as a potent delivery vehicle for BAI in future cancer therapy

    Atomically-precise lanthanide-iron-oxo clusters featuring the ε-Keggin ion.

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    Atomically precise molecular metal-oxo clusters provide ideal models to understand metal oxide surfaces, self-assembly, and form-function relationships. Devising strategies for synthesis and isolation of these molecular forms remains a challenge. Here, we report the synthesis of four Ln-Fe oxo clusters that feature the ε -{Fe 13 } Keggin cluster in its core. The {Fe 13 } metal-oxo cluster motif is the building block of two important iron oxyhydroxyide phases in nature and technology, ferrihydrite (as the δ -isomer) and magnetite (the ε -isomer). The reported ε -{Fe 13 } Keggin isomer as an isolated molecule provides opportunity to study the formation of ferrihydrite and magnetite from this building unit. The next metal layer surrounding the ε -{Fe 13 } core within these clusters exhibit a similar arrangement as the magnetite lattice, and Fe and Ln can occupy the same positions. This provides opportunity to construct a family of compounds and optimize magnetic exchange in these molecules via composition tuning. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESI-MS) show these clusters are stable upon dissolution in both water and organic solvents, as a first step to perform further chemistry towards building magnetic arrays or invetigating ferrihydrite and magnetite assembly from pre-nucleation clusters

    Microbial community succession in the intestine of mice with deep partial-thickness burns

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    IntroductionBurn injury has been shown to lead to changes in the composition of the gut microbiome and cause other damage in patients. However, little is known about how the gut microbial community evolves in individuals who have recovered from burn injury.MethodsIn this study, we established a model of deep partial-thickness burn in mice and collected fecal samples at eight time points (pre-burn, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post-burn) for 16S rRNA amplification and high-throughput sequencing.ResultsThe results of the sequencing were analyzed using measures of alpha diversity, and beta diversity and taxonomy. We observed that the richness of the gut microbiome declined from day 7 post-burn and that the principal component and microbial community structure varied over time. On day 28 after the burn, the microbiome composition largely returned to the pre-burn level, although day 5 was a turning point for change. Some probiotics, such as the Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, decreased in composition after the burn but were restored in the later recovery period. In contrast, Proteobacteria showed an opposite trend, which is known to include potential pathogenic bacteria.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate gut microbial dysbiosis after burn injury and provide new insights into the burn-related dysbiosis of the gut microbiome and strategies for improving the treatment of burn injury from the perspective of the microbiota
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