Circular RNA expression profiles in the porcine liver of two distinct phenotype pig breeds

Objective An experiment was conducted to identify and characterize the circular RNA expression and metabolic characteristics in the liver of Jinhua pigs and Landrace pigs. Methods Three Jinhua pigs and three Landrace pigs respectively at 70-day were slaughtered to collect the liver tissue samples. Immediately after slaughter, blood samples were taken to detect serum biochemical indicators. Total RNA extracted from liver tissue samples were used to prepare the library and then sequence on HiSeq 2500. Bioinformatic methods were employed to analyze sequence data to identify the circRNAs and predict the potential roles of differentially expressed circRNAs between the two breeds. Results Significant differences in physiological and biochemical traits were observed between growing Jinhua and Landrace pigs. We identified 84,864 circRNA candidates in two breeds and 366 circRNAs were detected as significantly differentially expressed. Their host genes are involved in lipid biosynthetic and metabolic processes according to the gene ontology analysis and associated with metabolic pathways. Conclusion Our research represents the first description of circRNA profiles in the porcine liver from two divergent phenotype pigs. The predicted miRNA-circRNA interaction provides important basis for miRNA-circRNA relationships in the porcine liver. These data expand the repertories of porcine circRNA and are conducive to understanding the possible molecular mechanisms involved in miRNA and circRNA. Our study provides basic data for further research of the biological functions of circRNAs in the porcine liver

Sensitivity analysis of ozone formation and transport for a Central California air pollution episode

CMAQ-HDDM is used to determine spatial and temporal variations in ozone limiting reagents and local vs upwind source contributions for an air pollution episode in Central California. We developed a first- and second- order sensitivity analysis approach with the Decoupled Direct Method to examine spatial and temporal variations of ozone-limiting reagents and the importance of local vs upwind emission sources in the San Joaquin Valley of central California for a five-day ozone episode (29th July-3rd Aug, 2000). Despite considerable spatial variations, nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) emission reductions are overall more effective than volatile organic compound (VOC) control for attaining the 8-hr ozone standard in this region for this episode, in contrast to the VOC control that works better for attaining the prior 1-hr ozone standard. Inter-basin source contributions of NO{sub x} emissions are limited to the northern part of the SJV, while anthropogenic VOC (AVOC) emissions, especially those emitted at night, influence ozone formation in the SJV further downwind. Among model input parameters studied here, uncertainties in emissions of NO{sub x} and AVOC, and the rate coefficient of the OH + NO{sub 2} termination reaction, have the greatest effect on first-order ozone responses to changes in NO{sub x} emissions. Uncertainties in biogenic VOC emissions only have a modest effect because they are generally not collocated with anthropogenic sources in this region

Comparative analysis of prevention and control measures toward COVID-19 epidemic between Shanghai and Beijing

PurposeBy serving and providing a guide for other regional places, this study aims to advance and guide the epidemic prevention and control methods, and practices and strengthen people’s ability to respond to COVID-19 and other future potential public health risks.Design/methodology/approachA comparative analysis was conducted that the COVID-19 epidemic development trend and prevention and control effects both in Beijing and Shanghai. In fact, regarding the COVID-19 policy and strategic areas, the differences between governmental, social, and professional management were discussed and explored. To prevent and be ready for potential pandemics, experience and knowledge were used and summarized.FindingsThe strong attack of the Omicron variant in early 2022 has posed challenges to epidemic prevention and control practices in many Chinese cities. Shanghai, which had achieved relatively good performance in the fight against the epidemic, has exposed limitations in its epidemic prevention and control system in the face of Omicron. In fact, the city of Beijing has undertaken prompt and severe lockdown measures and achieved rather good results in epidemic prevention and control because of learning from Shanghai’s experience and lessons; adhering to the overall concept of “dynamic clearing,” implementing precise prevention and monitoring, enhancing community control, and making emergency plans and preparations. All these actions and measures are still essential in the shift from pandemic response to pandemic control.Research limitations/implicationsDifferent places have introduced different urgent policies to control the spread of the pandemic. Strategies to control COVID-19 have often been based on preliminary and limited data and have tended to be slow to evolve as new evidence emerges. Hence, the effects of these anti-epidemic policies need to be further tested

An airflow-controlled solvent evaporation route to hollow microspheres and colloidosomes

National Natural Science Foundation of China [51173153, U1205113, 51103122]; Scientific and Technical Project of Fujian Province of China [2009J1009]A facile and large-scale method combining airflow-controlled solvent evaporation and amphiphilic copolymer self-assembly has been developed for the generation of hollow polymer microspheres, colloidosomes or even organic-inorganic hybrid colloidosomes. By replacing traditional agitation with the controllable airflow, this surfactant free route showed promising prospect in the fabrication of microcapsules with closed pore morphology. While the hollow polymer microspheres had an adjustable pore structure, the polymer colloidosomes and the hybrid colloidosomes possessed seamless surfaces, making them suitable for the stable encapsulation of small molecules. The hybrid colloidosomes constructed from polymer and Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and the ternary hybrid colloidosomes derived from polymer, polymer nanospheres and Fe3O4 nanoparticles displayed superparamagnetic properties and were excellent contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. More importantly, both hybrid colloidosomes and ternary hybrid colloidosomes exhibited a significant evolution of pore morphology from a closed pore structure to an open pore structure in response to the temperature variation, which induced a controllable release of guest molecules

Systemic α-synuclein injection triggers selective neuronal pathology as seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an α-synucleinopathy characterized by the progressive loss of specific neuronal populations. Here, we develop a novel approach to transvascularly deliver proteins of complex quaternary structures, including α-synuclein preformed fibrils (pff). We show that a single systemic administration of α-synuclein pff triggers pathological transformation of endogenous α-synuclein in non-transgenic rats, which leads to neurodegeneration in discrete brain regions. Specifically, pff-exposed animals displayed a progressive deterioration in gastrointestinal and olfactory functions, which corresponded with the presence of cellular pathology in the central and enteric nervous systems. The α-synuclein pathology generated was both time dependent and region specific. Interestingly, the most significant neuropathological changes were observed in those brain regions affected in the early stages of PD. Our data therefore demonstrate for the first time that a single, transvascular administration of α-synuclein pff can lead to selective regional neuropathology resembling the premotor stage of idiopathic PD. Furthermore, this novel delivery approach could also be used to deliver a range of other pathogenic, as well as therapeutic, protein cargos transvascularly to the brain

Comparative analysis of composition and content of flavonoid metabolites in different tissues of Chinese jujube and sour jujube based on UPLC-ESI MS/MS metabolomics

ABSTRACTThere is much variation in the distributions of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, among plant tissues. The flavonoids in Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) and sour jujube (Ziziphus spinosa Hu.) provide various health benefits. Variation in the distributions of flavonoids among the tissues of jujube and sour jujube has not yet been characterized. A total of 101 flavonoid metabolites, including 30 flavones, 21 flavonols, 11 flavanones, 11 isoflavanones, 8 flavanonols, 7 chalcones, 4 flavanols, 3 flavone glycosides, 2 phenolic acids, 2 ×anthones and 2 unclassified flavonoids, were identified in the fruits, leaves, flowers and seeds of Z. jujuba cv. Dongzao (DZ) and Z. spinosa cv. Liyuanzhenzhu8 (LYZZ8) using UPLC-ESI MS/MS. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that flavonoids from the same tissues of DZ and LYZZ8 were clustered, with the exception of those from the leaves. Tissue-specific flavonoid metabolites in different tissues of DZ and LYZZ8 were identified. The main flavonoids varied among tissues, the total flavonoid content and the content of most individual flavonoids in all tissues of DZ and LYZZ8 varied (p < .05). Furthermore, 40, 50, 49 and 47 differential flavonoid metabolites were detected in the fruits, leaves, flowers and seeds of DZ and LYZZ8, respectively. Potential chemical markers for differentiating among tissues in DZ and LYZZ8 as well as among the same tissues of DZ and LYZZ8 were identified. Overall, our findings provided new insights into the flavonoid of jujube and will aid the utilization of jujube and sour jujube