The First Sinomastodon (Gomphotheriidae, Proboscidea) Skull From the Quaternary in China

The first Sinomastodon (Gomphotheriidae, Proboscidea) skull of the Early Pleistocene, collected from the Renzidong Cave deposits in Anhui Province, Eastern China, is described here as S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. As the only brevirostrine trilophodont gomphotheriid known from the Old World, Sinomastodon was mainly indigenous to China from the Early Pliocene to the Pleistocene. Compared with a few single Pleistocene teeth previously found in China, S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. is represented by a relatively complete skull, mandible and dentition, which is the first discovery of a Quaternary Sinomastodon skull from China. With a brevirostrine, elephant-like skull, no lower tusks, and simple bunodont and trilophodont intermediate molars, the new species is morphologically distinct from other gomphotheres and should belong to the genus Sinomastodon. The new species is more progressive than S. hanjiangensis and the Pliocene type species S. intermedius in its skull and mandible morphology, but is evidently more primitive than the Pleistocene S. yangziensis in its molar morphology. The faunal analysis suggests that the emergence of S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. in Jiangnan area and its southward migration may have been related to a cooling event at the beginning of the Quaternary in Eastern China

The First Sinomastodon (Gomphotheriidae, Proboscidea) Skull From the Quaternary in China

The first Sinomastodon (Gomphotheriidae, Proboscidea) skull of the Early Pleistocene, collected from the Renzidong Cave deposits in Anhui Province, Eastern China, is described here as S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. As the only brevirostrine trilophodont gomphotheriid known from the Old World, Sinomastodon was mainly indigenous to China from the Early Pliocene to the Pleistocene. Compared with a few single Pleistocene teeth previously found in China, S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. is represented by a relatively complete skull, mandible and dentition, which is the first discovery of a Quaternary Sinomastodon skull from China. With a brevirostrine, elephant-like skull, no lower tusks, and simple bunodont and trilophodont intermediate molars, the new species is morphologically distinct from other gomphotheres and should belong to the genus Sinomastodon. The new species is more progressive than S. hanjiangensis and the Pliocene type species S. intermedius in its skull and mandible morphology, but is evidently more primitive than the Pleistocene S. yangziensis in its molar morphology. The faunal analysis suggests that the emergence of S. jiangnanensis sp. nov. in Jiangnan area and its southward migration may have been related to a cooling event at the beginning of the Quaternary in Eastern China

3,3′-Dibromo-1,1′-[ethyl­enedioxy­bis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]dibenzene

In the centrosymmetric title compound, C16H14Br2N2O2, the intra­molecular interplanar distance between the parallel benzene rings is 1.305 (3) Å, while the inter­molecular interplanar distance (between neighbouring mol­ecules) is 3.463 (3) Å, exhibiting obvious strong inter­molecular π–π stacking inter­actions

Two variants on T2DM susceptible gene HHEX are associated with CRC risk in a Chinese population

Increasing amounts of evidence has demonstrated that T2DM (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) patients have increased susceptibility to CRC (colorectal cancer). As HHEX is a recognized susceptibility gene in T2DM, this work was focused on two SNPs in HHEX, rs1111875 and rs7923837, to study their association with CRC. T2DM patients without CRC (T2DM-only, n=300), T2DM with CRC (T2DM/CRC, n=135), cancer-free controls (Control, n=570), and CRC without T2DM (CRC-only, n=642) cases were enrolled. DNA samples were extracted from the peripheral blood leukocytes of the patients and sequenced by direct sequencing. The χ(2) test was used to compare categorical data. We found that in T2DM patients, rs1111875 but not the rs7923837 in HHEX gene was associated with the occurrence of CRC (p= 0.006). for rs1111875, TC/CC patients had an increased risk of CRC (p=0.019, OR=1.592, 95%CI=1.046-2.423). Moreover, our results also indicated that the two variants of HEEX gene could be risk factors for CRC in general population, independent on T2DM (p< 0.001 for rs1111875, p=0.001 for rs7923837). For rs1111875, increased risk of CRC was observed in TC or TC/CC than CC individuals (p<0.001, OR= 1.780, 95%CI= 1.385-2.287; p<0.001, OR= 1.695, 95%CI= 1.335-2.152). For rs7923837, increased CRC risk was observed in AG, GG, and AG/GG than AA individuals (p< 0.001, OR= 1.520, 95%CI= 1.200-1.924; p=0.036, OR= 1.739, 95%CI= 0.989-3.058; p< 0.001, OR= 1.540, 95%CI= 1.225-1.936). This finding highlights the potentially functional alteration with HHEX rs1111875 and rs7923837 polymorphisms may increase CRC susceptibility. Risk effects and the functional impact of these polymorphisms need further validation

Observations on Copy Number Variations in a Kidney-yang Deficiency Syndrome Family

We have performed an analysis of a family with kidney-yang deficiency syndrome (KDS) in order to determine the structural genomic variations through a novel approach designated as “copy number variants” (CNVs). Twelve KDS subjects and three healthy spouses from this family were included in this study. Genomic DNA samples were genotyped utilizing an Affymetrix 100 K single nucleotide polymorphism array, and CNVs were identified by Copy Number Algorithm (CNAT4.0, Affymetrix). Our results demonstrate that 447 deleted and 476 duplicated CNVs are shared among KDS subjects within the family. The homologus ratio of deleted CNVs was as high as 99.78%. One-copy-duplicated CNVs display mid-range homology. For two copies of duplicated CNVs (CNV4), a markedly heterologous ratio was observed. Therefore, with the important exception of CNV4, our data shows that CNVs shared among KDS subjects display typical Mendelian inheritance. A total of 113 genes with established functions were identified from the CNV flanks; significantly enriched genes surrounding CNVs may contribute to certain adaptive benefit. These genes could be classified into categories including: binding and transporter, cell cycle, signal transduction, biogenesis, nerve development, metabolism regulation and immune response. They can also be included into three pathways, that is, signal transduction, metabolic processes and immunological networks. Particularly, the results reported here are consistent with the extensive impairments observed in KDS patients, involving the mass-energy-information-carrying network. In conclusion, this article provides the first set of CNVs from KDS patients that will facilitate our further understanding of the genetic basis of KDS and will allow novel strategies for a rational therapy of this disease

Proteasome Inhibition Augments Cigarette Smoke-Induced GM-CSF Expression in Trophoblast Cells via the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

Maternal cigarette smoking has adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. The granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is an essential cytokine for a normal pregnancy. We investigated the impact of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on GM-CSF expression in human cytotrophoblast cells and suggested a cellular mechanism underlying the CSE-induced GM-CSF expression. An immortalized normal human trophoblast cell line (B6Tert-1) was treated with CSE. The viability and proliferation of the CSE-treated B6Tert-1 cells were evaluated, and the expression of GM-CSF in these cells was quantified at the mRNA and the protein levels by means of reverse-transcription and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Human trophoblast cells treated with CSE had an increased expression of GM-CSF at both the mRNA and the protein levels. The CSE-induced GM-CSF expression was synergistically enhanced by the addition of the proteasome inhibitor MG-132, but inhibited by AG-1478, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase. Furthermore, CSE treatment increased the phosphorylation of the extracellular-signal regulated kinases (ERK1/2) in the trophoblast cells. The expression of other growth factors such as heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was also evaluated. Our data suggested that cigarette smoking and proteasome inhibition synergistically up-regulate GM-CSF cytokine expression by activating the EGFR signaling pathway

Effects of Triptergium Glycosides on Expressions of MCP- 1 and CTGF in Rats with Early Diabetic Nephropathy

Purpose: To investigate the effects of triptergium glycosides (TG) on expressions of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in early diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats, and explore its mechanism of renal protection.Methods: Thirty-two rats were divided into 4 groups: normal control (NC), DN, and DN-treated with TG (5 and 10 mg/kg/d) groups. After 8 weeks, body weight, blood glucose (BG), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (SCr) and 24 h urinary total protein (UTP) of rats were determined. Additionally, expressions of CTGF, MCP-1 and ED-1 were detected by immunohistochemistry assay, while mRNA and protein expressions of CTGF and MCP-1 in kidney tissues were evaluated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot technique.Results: BG, ALB, SCr, BUN and UTP in DN group were significantly increased (p &lt; 0.01), compared with NC group. Compared with DN group, ALB (28.90 and 31.49 vs 23.13 g/L) and UTP (21.87 and 18.91 vs 37.19 mg/24 h) were significantly changed in TG groups (p &lt; 0.05). ED-1 positive cells were significantly increased in DN group (p &lt; 0.01), compared with NC group, whereas treatment with TG significantly reversed the increase (1.67 and 1.41 vs 2.73 in glomeruli, 9.86 and 9.49 VS 13.18 in glomerular interstitial, p &lt; 0.01). Proteins and mRNA expressions of CTGF and MCP-1 significantly increased (p &lt; 0.01) in DN group, compared with NC group, while their expressions in TG groups were reversed.Conclusion: TG ameliorates renal injury in diabetic rats via decreasing MCP-1 and CTGF expressions and reducing macrophage activation.Keywords: Diabetic nephropathy, Triptergium glycosides, Connective tissue growth factor, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-

Insights into the Ecological Roles and Evolution of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase-Containing Hot Spring Archaea

Several recent studies have shown the presence of genes for the key enzyme associated with archaeal methane/alkane metabolism, methyl-coenzyme M reductase (Mcr), in metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) divergent to existing archaeal lineages. Here, we study the mcr-containing archaeal MAGs from several hot springs, which reveal further expansion in the diversity of archaeal organisms performing methane/alkane metabolism. Significantly, an MAG basal to organisms from the phylum Thaumarchaeota that contains mcr genes, but not those for ammonia oxidation or aerobic metabolism, is identified. Together, our phylogenetic analyses and ancestral state reconstructions suggest a mostly vertical evolution of mcrABG genes among methanogens and methanotrophs, along with frequent horizontal gene transfer of mcr genes between alkanotrophs. Analysis of all mcr-containing archaeal MAGs/genomes suggests a hydrothermal origin for these microorganisms based on optimal growth temperature predictions. These results also suggest methane/alkane oxidation or methanogenesis at high temperature likely existed in a common archaeal ancestor