Uterine cytokine profiles after low-molecular-weight heparin administration are associated with pregnancy outcomes of patients with repeated implantation failure

IntroductionLow molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) plays a role in repeated implantation failure (RIF), but outcomes are controversial. LMWH can potentially modulate local immune responses associated with the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. The study aimed to explore the effects of LWMH in uterine inflammatory cytokine profiles and pregnancy outcomes of patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) but without thrombophilia.MethodsWe compared clinical characteristics and reproductive outcomes among 326 patients with RIF, but not thrombophilia, undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle with or without LMWH treatment. Endometrium secretions were aspirated from both groups after 3 days of progesterone administration before and after LMWH treatment. Cytokine mRNA expression was analyzed in primary endometrial cells in vitro.ResultsThe clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates did not significantly differ between the groups (31.5% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.15; 29.6% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.06). Concentrations of IL-6 and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in uterine secretions were significantly increased in the LWMH group, regardless of pregnancy outcomes (P < 0.05). And, in all patients treated with LWMH, those of secreted IL-6, IL-15 and G-CSF were significantly increased in pregnant group (P < 0.05). The expression of mRNA for G-CSF and IL-6 was significantly increased in human endometrial stromal cells in vitro (P < 0.05) after stimulation with LWMH (10 IU/mL).ConclusionsUterine cytokine profiles after LMWH administration are associated with pregnancy outcomes and LMWH may be beneficial for patients with three implantation failures who do not have coagulation disorders

Detection of copy number variations and their effects in Chinese bulls

BACKGROUND: Copy number variations (CNVs) are a main source of genomic structural variations underlying animal evolution and production traits. Here, with one pure-blooded Angus bull as reference, we describe a genome-wide analysis of CNVs based on comparative genomic hybridization arrays in 29 Chinese domesticated bulls and examined their effects on gene expression and cattle growth traits. RESULTS: We identified 486 copy number variable regions (CNVRs), covering 2.45% of the bovine genome, in 24 taurine (Bos taurus), together with 161 ones in 2 yaks (Bos grunniens) and 163 ones in 3 buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Totally, we discovered 605 integrated CNVRs, with more “loss” events than both “gain” and “both” ones, and clearly clustered them into three cattle groups. Interestingly, we confirmed their uneven distributions across chromosomes, and the differences of mitochondrion DNA copy number (gain: taurine, loss: yak & buffalo). Furthermore, we confirmed approximately 41.8% (253/605) and 70.6% (427/605) CNVRs span cattle genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs), respectively. Finally, we confirmed 6 CNVRs in 9 chosen ones by using quantitative PCR, and further demonstrated that CNVR22 had significantly negative effects on expression of PLA2G2D gene, and both CNVR22 and CNVR310 were associated with body measurements in Chinese cattle, suggesting their key effects on gene expression and cattle traits. CONCLUSIONS: The results advanced our understanding of CNV as an important genomic structural variation in taurine, yak and buffalo. This study provides a highly valuable resource for Chinese cattle’s evolution and breeding researches. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-480) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Optimization of Ganoderma leucocontextum Fermented Tea Medium Formula Based on High-yield Extracellular Crude

To investigate the optimal nutritional conditions and their contributing factors for the secretion of extracellular crude polysaccharides with Ganoderma leucocontextum on a liquid tea substrate, this study optimized the nutritional conditions of its extracellular crude polysaccharides formation by orthogonal experiment and analysis of variance on the basis of the single-factor test, and explored the relevance between its liquid culture characteristics and the secretion of extracellular crude polysaccharides using correlation and path analyses. The results of study revealed that the greatest output of extracellular crude polysaccharide (1.49±0.33 g/L) was achieved on a tea culture medium of 50 g/L potato, 40 g/L glucose, 3 g/L laterite, 20 g/L Pu'er tea and 0.075 mm tea powder particle size, and was affected by each nutritional condition in the descending order of glucose>tea variety>laterite>potato>tea powder particle size. Moreover, the secretion of extracellular crude polysaccharides in G. leucocontextum was significantly impacted by the soluble solids of the fermentation broth and the number of mycelium balls, with the former having the greatest indirect effect while the latter, the greatest direct and combined effect on it. In conclusion, the nutritional conditions (variety, concentration, particle size, etc.) of the tea culture medium and the liquid culture characteristics of G. leucocontextum exerted a significant and interactive effect on the secretion of extracellular crude polysaccharides, and the aforesaid results may provide a theoretical reference for extraction of polysaccharides from this mushroom and development of it as functional foods

Attenuation of epigenetic regulator SMARCA4 and ERK-ETS signaling suppresses aging-related dopaminergic degeneration

How complex interactions of genetic, environmental factors and aging jointly contribute to dopaminergic degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) is largely unclear. Here, we applied frequent gene co‐expression analysis on human patient substantia nigra‐specific microarray datasets to identify potential novel disease‐related genes. In vivo Drosophila studies validated two of 32 candidate genes, a chromatin‐remodeling factor SMARCA4 and a biliverdin reductase BLVRA. Inhibition of SMARCA4 was able to prevent aging‐dependent dopaminergic degeneration not only caused by overexpression of BLVRA but also in four most common Drosophila PD models. Furthermore, down‐regulation of SMARCA4 specifically in the dopaminergic neurons prevented shortening of life span caused by α‐synuclein and LRRK2. Mechanistically, aberrant SMARCA4 and BLVRA converged on elevated ERK‐ETS activity, attenuation of which by either genetic or pharmacological manipulation effectively suppressed dopaminergic degeneration in Drosophila in vivo. Down‐regulation of SMARCA4 or drug inhibition of MEK/ERK also mitigated mitochondrial defects in PINK1 (a PD‐associated gene)‐deficient human cells. Our findings underscore the important role of epigenetic regulators and implicate a common signaling axis for therapeutic intervention in normal aging and a broad range of age‐related disorders including PD

EFFECT OF CRYSTALLISATION TEMPERATURE ON LAS TRANSPARENT GLASS-CERAMICS CONTAINING A HIGH Al₂O₃ CONTENT

The influence of the crystallisation temperature on the structure and properties of Li₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ (LAS) glass-ceramics with a high aluminium content was investigated. Glass-ceramics with ultra-low CTE and high transmittance were successfully prepared by the melt-quenching method and a two-step heat treatment. The crystallisation behaviour of the glass was studied via DSC and XRD. Besides, FTIR, Raman and FE-SEM were used to explore the structure of the samples under different crystallisation temperatures. The results showed that a β-quartz solid solution with nano-size precipitated from the glass after the heat treatment and when the crystallisation temperature was 820 °C, the bending strength and microhardness reached 156 MPa and 1082.09 HV, respectively

Thiopental sodium loaded solid lipid nano-particles attenuates obesity-induced cardiac dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy via inactivation of inflammatory pathway

This work evaluates solid lipid nanoparticles of thiopental sodium against obesity-induced cardiac dysfunction and hypertrophy and explores the possible mechanism of action. TS loaded SLNs were formulated by hot-homogenization and solvent diffusion method. TS-SLNs were scrutinized for entrapment efficiency, drug loading capacity, gastric stability, particle size, in vitro drug release. Mice were feed with the normal chow or high-fat diet for 08 weeks to induce obesity and primary cardiomyocytes. The therapeutic effects of thiopental sodium in the high fat diet (HFD) induced cardiac hypertrophy. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was estimated at a regular time interval. At the end of the experimental study, systolic pressure left ventricular, LV end-diastolic pressure and rate of increase of LV pressure and antioxidant, apoptosis, cytokines and inflammatory scrutinized. HFD induced group mice exhibited a reduction in the body weight and enhancement of cardiac hypertrophy marker and dose-dependent treatment of thiopental sodium up-regulation the body weight and down-regulated the cardiac hypertrophy. Thiopental sodium significantly (p < .001) dose-dependently altered the antioxidant, biochemical, cardiac parameters and remodeling. Thiopental sodium significantly (p < .001) dose-dependently reduced the SBP. Thiopental sodium altered the apoptosis marker, pro-inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory parameters along with reduced the p38-MAPK level. The cardiac protective effect of thiopental sodium shed light on future therapeutic interventions in obesity and related cardiovascular complications via inflammatory pathway