Characterization of Substrate Preference for Slc1p and Cst26p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Using Lipidomic Approaches and an LPAAT Activity Assay

10.1371/journal.pone.0011956PLoS ONE58

No bidirectional relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and diverticular disease: a genetic correlation and Mendelian randomization study

Background: Although previous studies found that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and diverticular disease (DD) usually co-exist clinically, studies examining the relationship are spare.Aim: Our study aspires to investigate the causal correlation between the IBD [including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD)] and DD using the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.Methods: We conducted a two-sample bidirectional MR analysis using publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data associated with DD and IBD were obtained from the Finnish Biobank and UK Biobank, respectively. Through secondary data analysis of all GWAS summary data, we systematically screened genetic instrumental variables. To address the impact of horizontal pleiotropy, several methods were employed, including the inverse variance-weighted method (IVW), maximum likelihood method, Egger regression method, weighted median method, and simple median method. These approaches aimed to detect and correct for the potential bias caused by horizontal pleiotropy.Results: Genetically predicted DD did not have a causal effect on IBD (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.98–1.17, p = 0.15), and had no causal effect on UC (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.94–1.20, p = 0.36) and CD (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.92–1.16, p = 0.62) either. Furthermore, in the reverse MR analysis, we did not observe any significant causal effect of IBD on DD. Results of complementary methods showed consistent results with those of the IVW method.Conclusion: This study’s findings do not provide evidence for a causal relationship between IBD and DD, which contradicts the majority of observational studies

Microbiota Depletion Impairs Thermogenesis of Brown Adipose Tissue and Browning of White Adipose Tissue

This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB13030000) and Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC; 91649108), the Chinese Academy of Sciences-Novo Nordisk Foundation, as well as grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences “1000 Talents” recruitment program and a “Great-Wall Professorship” from the Chinese Academy of Sciences-Novo Nordisk Foundation. J.R.S. was also supported by a Wolfson merit professorship from The UK Royal Society. We are grateful to all of the members of the Molecular Energetics Group for their support and discussion of the results. We would like to thank Dr. Jia and Dr. Sun from the Core Facility for Protein Research from the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences for flow cytometry, and Peter Thomson and Marina Samatiou for technical assistance with the DLW measurements.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Maternal High Fat Diet in Lactation Impacts Hypothalamic Neurogenesis and Neurotrophic Development, Leading to Later Life Susceptibility to Obesity in Male but Not Female Mice

Research Funding National Key Research and Development Program of China. Grant Number: 2018YFA0801000 National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Number: 92057206 A Wolfson merit professorship from UK Royal Society Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 2013M540157, 2014T70135 The KC Wong Education Foundation Grants from the "1000 talents" recruitment program A PIFI professional fellowship from CASPeer reviewedPublisher PD

The development and evaluation of individualized templates to assist transoral C2 articular mass or transpedicular screw placement in TARP-IV procedures: adult cadaver specimen study

OBJECTIVES: The transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate system treats irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation from transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-I to transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-III. However, this system has demonstrated problems associated with screw loosening, atlantoaxial fixation and concealed or manifest neurovascular injuries. This study sought to design a set of individualized templates to improve the accuracy of anterior C2 screw placement in the transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV procedure. METHODS: A set of individualized templates was designed according to thin-slice computed tomography data obtained from 10 human cadavers. The templates contained cubic modules and drill guides to facilitate transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate positioning and anterior C2 screw placement. We performed 2 stages of cadaveric experiments with 2 cadavers in stage one and 8 in stage two. Finally, guided C2 screw placement was evaluated by reading postoperative computed tomography images and comparing the planned and inserted screw trajectories. RESULTS: There were two cortical breaching screws in stage one and three in stage two, but only the cortical breaching screws in stage one were ranked critical. In stage two, the planned entry points and the transverse angles of the anterior C2 screws could be simulated, whereas the declination angles could not be simulated due to intraoperative blockage of the drill bit and screwdriver by the upper teeth. CONCLUSIONS: It was feasible to use individualized templates to guide transoral C2 screw placement. Thus, these drill templates combined with transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV, may improve the accuracy of transoral C2 screw placement and reduce related neurovascular complications