Gonad transcriptome analysis reveals the differences in gene expression related to sex-biased and reproduction of clam Cyclina sinensis

Sexual differentiation and gonad development are important biological processes for bivalve species. The clam Cyclina sinensis is an important cultured marine bivalve widely distributed along with the coastal areas of China. However, the information related to sexual determination/differentiation and gonadal development of C. sinensis almost has no reported. To study the molecular mechanisms of its sexual determination/differentiation and gonadal development, transcriptome analysis was performed in the gonad of C. sinensis, and the potential biological functions of reproduction-related gene were also investigated in this study. The results showed that 1 013 and 427 genes were differentially expressed in the ovary and testis, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs in the gonad were significantly clustered in progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, cell cycle and oocyte meiosis. Further analysis showed that 23 genes were mainly involved in sex determination/differentiation, including Dmrt1, Sox2/4/9, Foxl2, β-catenin and GATA-type zinc finger protein 1-like. Twenty key genes were mainly involved in the process of spermatogenesis, and five genes encode steroid biosynthesis and metabolism. Fifteen genes related to ovarian development were also identified in this study, such as Vitellogenin, MAM and LDL-receptor class A domain-containing protein 1 and Cell division cycle protein 20 homolog. Moreover, 50µg/L estradiol treatment significantly up-regulated the expression levels of CsVg in the ovary and hepatopancreas. These results highlight the genes involved in sexual determination/differentiation and gonadal development, which enhance our understanding for further studies of reproduction and breeding of C. sinensis and other marine bivalves

Association between estimation of pulse wave velocity and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage: an analysis based on the MIMIC-IV database

BackgroundEstimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV), which measures vascular aging, is an independent predictor of cardiovascular death. Nevertheless, the relationship between ePWV and all-cause mortality among patients suffering from non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages (NSAH) remains obscure. Consequently, the objective of this study is to ascertain whether ePWV exerts influence on the prognosis of individuals afflicted with NSAH.MethodsThrough the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database, 644 eligible participants were included. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve method was employed to assess the disparity in survival status between the low and high ePWV cohorts. The Cox proportional hazard model was employed to investigate the association between ePWV and inpatient mortality among critically ill patients diagnosed with NSAH. The Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) model was employed to examine the dose–response correlation. Subsequently, multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Lastly, the impact of ePWV on inpatient mortality across various subgroups was evaluated through stratified analysis.ResultsParticipants were categorized into two groups, delineated by their ePWV levels: a low ePWV level group and a high ePWV level group. Survival analysis unveiled that individuals with high ePWV exhibited a diminished survival rate compared to their counterparts with low ePWV. Following adjustment, low ePWV was significantly linked with a reduced risk of inpatient mortality among patients with NSAH (HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32–0.89, p = 0.016). Simultaneously, analysis employing the RCS model further substantiated a linear escalation in the risk of inpatient mortality with increasing ePWV values.ConclusionElevated ePWV levels have been identified as an independent risk factor for the rise in inpatient mortality among NSAH patients and as a significant predictor of the clinical outcome of NSAH

Telehepatology Use and Satisfaction Among Vulnerable Cirrhosis Patients Across Three Healthcare Systems in the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic Era.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Telehealth has emerged as an important mode of cirrhosis care delivery, but its use and satisfaction among vulnerable populations (eg, racial/ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged, substance use disorders) are unknown. We evaluated digital capacity, telehealth use, satisfaction and associated factors among patients receiving hepatology care via telehealth (telehepatology) across 2 Veterans Affairs and 1 safety-net Healthcare systems. METHODS: English- and Spanish-speaking adults with cirrhosis (N = 256) completed surveys on telehealth use and satisfaction, quality of life, pandemic stress, alcohol use and depression. Logistic regression analyses assessed telehealth use and general linear models evaluated telehealth satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean age was 64.5 years, 80.9% were male and 35.9% Latino; 44.5% had alcohol-associated cirrhosis; 20.8% had decompensated cirrhosis; 100% had digital (phone/computer) capacity; and 75.0% used telehepatology in the prior 6 months. On multivariable analysis, participants with alcohol-associated (vs not) cirrhosis were less likely and those with greater pandemic stress were more likely to use telehepatology (odds ratio = 0.46 and 1.41, respectively; P < .05). Better quality of life was associated with higher telehepatology satisfaction and older age was associated with lower satisfaction (β = 0.01 and -0.01, respectively; P < .05). Latinos had higher satisfaction, but alcohol use disorder was associated with less satisfaction with telehepatology visits (β = 0.22 and -0.02, respectively; P < .05). CONCLUSION: Participants had high telehepatology capacity, yet demographics and alcohol-related problems influenced telehepatology use and satisfaction. Findings underscore the need for interventions to enhance patient experience with telehepatology for certain vulnerable groups including those with alcohol-associated cirrhosis in order to optimize care delivery

Novel fabrication of marizomib-loaded chitosan-coated hydroxyapatite nanocarriers as a promising system for effective treatment of ovarian cancer

Cancer therapy might benefit significantly from nanotechnology. These nano-drug delivery systems (NDDS) have been established to improve the therapeutic benefits of anticancer medications by enhancing their bioavailability, degradation, and biocompatibility. One of the most promising NDDS for cancer therapy is high-performance hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles, which have many advantages. The metabolite marizomib inhibits tumor cell growth and progression, functioning as a biochemical inhibitor in many malignancies. However, this substance’s low bioavailability is the most significant problem with its use. In this work, a pH-sensitive biopolymer was employed to encapsulate HA nanoparticles with chitosan to increase marizomib’s (MARI) efficacy and bioavailability. The sol-gel process was used to fabricate HA nanoparticles for this purpose. It was then coated with chitosan before encasing the marizomib drug in the nanocarrier, which was done under controlled circumstances. The newly fabricated nanoparticles effectively kill ovarian A2780 cancer cells and induce apoptosis. The morphological examination of the cancer cells was examined by AO/EB and DAPI staining methods. Further, the cell uptake was measured by the flow cytometry methods, and the result shows the nanoparticles were effectively uptake the cancer cells under different incubation times. In principle, nanoparticles have great potential for future pre-clinical applications in treating ovarian cancer cells and suppressing other types of tumors

Solution precursor plasma spray process as an alternative rapid one-step route for the development of hierarchical ZnO films for improved photocatalytic degradation

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Heterostructured metal oxides-ZnO nanorods films prepared by SPPS route for photodegradation applications

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Development of photocatalytically active heterostructured MnO/ZnO and CuO/ZnO films via solution precursor plasma spray process

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