The Effect of Carry-over Coarticulation of Disyllabic words in Chinese

<p>- In this study, the V-to-V coarticulatory effect in the VCV sequences is investigated. The stimuli are in the form of C1V1.C2V2, which is designed for V1 to affect V2. The subjects are twelve native speakers of standard Chinese, and the F2 onset value, as well as the F2 delta value, is analyzed. Results show that, due to long temporal separation between vowels for the aspirated stops relative to the unaspirated ones, the effect of aspiration is obvious, and in the contexts of aspirated stops, the effect of place of articulation is restrained.</p

Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1(VDAC1) Participates the Apoptosis of the Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Desminopathy

<div><p>Desminopathies caused by the mutation in the gene coding for desmin are genetically protein aggregation myopathies. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of pathological changes in the desminopathies at the earliest stage. The molecular mechanisms of mitochondria dysfunction in desminopathies remain exclusive. VDAC1 regulates mitochondrial uptake across the outer membrane and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Relationships between desminopathies and Voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) remain unclear. Here we successfully constructed the desminopathy rat model, evaluated with conventional stains, containing hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Gomori Trichrome (MGT), (PAS), red oil (ORO), NADH-TR, SDH staining and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence results showed that VDAC1 was accumulated in the desmin highly stained area of muscle fibers of desminopathy patients or desminopathy rat model compared to the normal ones. Meanwhile apoptosis related proteins bax and ATF2 were involved in desminopathy patients and desminopathy rat model, but not bcl-2, bcl-xl or HK2.VDAC1 and desmin are closely relevant in the tissue splices of deminopathies patients and rats with desminopathy at protein lever. Moreover, apoptotic proteins are also involved in the desminopathies, like bax, ATF2, but not bcl-2, bcl-xl or HK2. This pathological analysis presents the correlation between VDAC1 and desmin, and apoptosis related proteins are correlated in the desminopathy. Furthermore, we provide a rat model of desminopathy for the investigation of desmin related myopathy.</p></div

VDAC1 is involved in the desminopathy rat model.

<p>In the desminopathy rat model, normal (control) or mutant desmin(rAd5-DES) transferred muscle fibers were analyzed by immunohistochemistry <b>(A)</b>; desminopathy muscle fibers were detected by HE, MGT, NSE, immunohistochemical, PAS, ORO, NADH or SDH stain <b>(B);</b> VDAC1 and desmin in the normal or desminopathy muscle fibers were detected by immunofluorescence as shown in <b>(C)</b>. Scale bars, 50μm.</p

Apoptosis related proteins are involved in the deminopathy rat model.

<p>Apoptosis related proteins bax <b>(A)</b>, bcl-2 <b>(B)</b>, bcl-xl <b>(C)</b>, ATF2 <b>(D)</b> or HK2 <b>(E)</b> was analyzed by immunofluorescence in the normal <b>(control)</b> or desminopathy muscle fibers. Scale bars, 50μm.</p

VDAC1 is involved in the desminopathy patients.

<p>The skeletal muscle fibers of desminopathy patients were treated with HE, MGT, immunohistochemical, NADH, SDH or PAS stain <b>(A)</b>; individual atypical RRF and individual lipid droplets by MGT and ORO stains were shown in <b>(B)</b>; desmin in the muscle fibers of patients were detected by immunohistochemistry as shown in <b>(C)</b>, the muscle fiber of normal person was set as a control <b>(C)</b>; VDAC1 and desmin in the muscle fibers of desminopathy patients were analyzed by immunofluorescence as shown in <b>(D)</b>. Scale bars, 50μm.</p

Regulation of BTB (POZ) Structural Domain 6b by MicroRNA-222b in Zebrafish Embryos after Exposure to Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate at Low Concentrations

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a sort of endocrine disruptor that induces abnormal physiological and biochemical activities such as epigenetic alterations, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short noncoding RNAs that may regulate the expression of many protein-coding genes when organisms are exposed to environmental chemicals. miR-222b is a differentially expressed miRNA after DEHP exposure. miRNA-mRNA prediction suggested that BTB (POZ) structural domain 6b (BTBD6B) might be a target mRNA of miR-222b, and DEHP exposure altered its expression. However, the correlation between miR-222b and BTBD6B has not been experimentally confirmed. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of BTBD6B by miR-222b in zebrafish embryos under the effect of low concentration of DEHP. Dual fluorescent protein assays and dual luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed the interaction between miR-222b and the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of BTBD6B. Ectopic expression assays showed that miR-222b could negatively regulate BTBD6B in ZF4 cells. However, the relative expression of miR-222b and BTBD6B was significantly higher at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in zebrafish embryos exposed to low concentrations of DEHP. The results of this study improved our understanding of the molecular mechanism of DEHP exposure toxicity. It identified that the aberrant expression of miR-222b/BTBD6B may be one of the mechanisms of DEHP toxicity, which can provide a theoretical reference and scientific basis for environmental management and biological health risk assessment

MicroRNA-375 Mediated Regulation on Pre-mRNA Processing Factor 3 in Zebrafish Embryos Exposed to Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate at Low Concentrations

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that induces epigenetic alterations, apoptosis, and oxidative stress after biological exposure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNAs with many regulatory functions and play a role in organisms exposed to environmental chemicals. miRNA-mRNA prediction indicated that pre-mRNA processing factor 3 (PRPF3) is a likely target mRNA for miR-375 whose expression is altered by DEHP exposure. However, the interrelation between miR-375 and PRPF3 has not yet been confirmed experimentally. This study aimed to investigate the effects of DEHP on miR-375 and PRPF3 in zebrafish. The expression of miR-375 was downregulated, whereas PRPF3 was upregulated at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels upon stimulation with DEHP. The interaction between miR-375 and the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of PRPF3 was confirmed by a dual fluorescent protein assay and a dual luciferase reporter gene assay. The expression of PRPF3 at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels was reduced in ZF4 cells when transfected with a miR-375 mimic but increased when transfected with a miR-375 inhibitor. The results improved our understanding of molecular mechanisms of toxicity upon DEHP exposure and presented miR-375 as a potential novel toxicological biomarker for chemical exposure

Densely Functionalized Macrocyclic Sesquiterpene Pyridine Alkaloids from <i>Maytenus austroyunnanensis</i>

Eleven densely functionalized new dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenoid derivatives, named maytenoids A–K (1–11), as well as one known analog, were isolated and characterized from Maytenus austroyunnanensis. Their structures were assigned based on analysis of spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1–9 are macrocyclic sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids generated by the respective acylation of the hydroxy groups at C-3 and C-13 of dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenoids via diverse pyridine dicarboxylic acids. Compounds 1, 2, 5–10, and 12 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on NO production at 10 μM in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 cells

The change tendency of serum phosphate and creatinine according to the level of eGFR in 240 Chinese subjects.

<p>Bars represent SDs.</p

Densely Functionalized Macrocyclic Sesquiterpene Pyridine Alkaloids from <i>Maytenus austroyunnanensis</i>

Eleven densely functionalized new dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenoid derivatives, named maytenoids A–K (1–11), as well as one known analog, were isolated and characterized from Maytenus austroyunnanensis. Their structures were assigned based on analysis of spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1–9 are macrocyclic sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids generated by the respective acylation of the hydroxy groups at C-3 and C-13 of dihydro-β-agarofuran sesquiterpenoids via diverse pyridine dicarboxylic acids. Compounds 1, 2, 5–10, and 12 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on NO production at 10 μM in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 cells