KCNQ1 gene polymorphisms are associated with lipid parameters in a Chinese Han population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs2237892, rs2237895, rs2237897, and rs2283228) in <it>KCNQ1 </it>are reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), possibly caused by a reduction in insulin secretion and higher fasting glucose, but the results are inconsistent. We investigated whether these 4 genetic markers are associated with serum lipid metabolism in a middle-aged Chinese Han population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We enrolled 398 consecutive patients, including 180 with premature coronary artery disease (CAD) (male < 55 years, female < 65 years) and 218 controls without documented CAD. All subjects were genotyped for 4 SNPs by using the ligase detection reaction method. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1(apo A1), and apolipoprotein B (apo B) were determined by standard biochemical methods. Main anthropometric and metabolic characteristics are analyzed among 3 genotypes at rs2283228, rs2237895, rs2237897, or rs2237892 in <it>KCNQ1</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 3 genotypes AA, AC, and CC were present in rs2283228 and rs2237895, and the 3 genotypes CC, CT, and TT were present in rs2237897 and rs2237892. The minor genotypes CC at rs2283228 and TT at rs2237892 were associated with higher levels of TG (<it>P </it>= 0.007 and 0.026, respectively). Furthermore, subjects with the CC genotype at rs2283228 had lower levels of HDL-C and apo A1 than in the other 2 genotype groups (<it>P </it>= 0.052 and 0.055, respectively). No other associations were detected between these 4 SNPs and FBS or other lipid parameters.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggest that rs2283228 and rs2237892 in <it>KCNQ1 </it>are associated with lipid metabolism in a middle-aged Chinese Han population.</p

Myeloperoxidase gene-463G > A polymorphism and premature coronary artery disease

We investigated the association between myeloperoxidase gene -463G > A polymorphism and premature coronary artery disease (CAD) in two Chinese population samples: 229 patients and 230 controls. Genotypes were determined by ligase detection reaction-polymerase chain reaction sequencing and the grouping technique. We found lower frequencies of both the A/A genotype and the A allele in patients (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the risk of premature CAD in subjects carrying the AA genotype was reduced by 83% in relation to individuals carrying the G/G genotype (OR = 0.172, 95% CI: 0.057-0.526, p = 0.002). Our results indicate that -463G > A polymorphism of the myeloperoxidase gene is associated with premature CAD in Chinese individuals, suggesting that the AA genotype is a protective factor against premature CAD

Broadcasting Winter Wheat Can Increase Grain Yield without Reducing the Kernels per Spike and the Kernel Weight

In North China, row spacing is the most common planting pattern used for winter wheat. Currently, there are three sowing and tillage methods for row spacing: rotary tillage sowing with straw return (RTS), subsoil tillage sowing with straw return (DTS), and no-tillage sowing with straw return (NTS). Recently, Hao proposed a new sowing pattern called uniform broadcast sowing with straw return (BSS) which could increase winter wheat yield. In this research, a field experiment was conducted during the growing seasons in 2011&#8315;2012 and 2012&#8315;2013. The winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety Jimai 22 was sowed with the four seeding and tillage methods&#8212;RTS, DTS, NTS, and BSS&#8212;at the China Agriculture University Wuqiao experimental station in the North China Plain. After tillage sowing and determining the sowing efficiency, the effective cover ratio of the seeds was measured, and the emergence ratio was calculated after emergence. In the two growing seasons, the growth and development stages were recorded. The dry matter accumulation (DMA), the yield, and the yield components (spikes per hectare, kernels per spike, and kernel weight) were also determined. We also measured the canopy structure leaf area index (LAI) and the stand uniformity. The results showed that BSS had the lowest emergence rate and lowest plant stands when compared with the other treatments. However, BSS had the highest grain yield at 7599.0 kg&#183;ha&#8722;1 and 9763.3 kg&#183;ha&#8722;1, which was 11.55, 16.17, 20.16% and 13.01, 15.68, 21.88% higher than DTS, RTS, and NTS in the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 growing seasons, respectively. The improved grain yield of BSS was due to the increased productive tillers per hectometer-squared, which was attributed to the higher stand uniformity. More importantly, the increased tillers per hectare and grain yield were not accompanied by a reduction in grain number per spike or grain weight. The stand uniformity could facilitate canopy construction and population architecture and result in more even sunlight distribution, increased leaf area index (LAI) and sunlight interception, and enhanced photosynthetic activity. The stand uniformity also could increase both the pre-anthesis and post-anthesis DMA and promote the harvest index (HI). This study indicates that BSS is the most suitable sowing method for winter wheat production in North China

Effects of Configuration Mode on the Light-Response Characteristics and Dry Matter Accumulation of Cotton under Jujube–Cotton Intercropping

The current study evaluated the canopy cover competition for light and heat in a jujube–cotton intercropping system to measure the growth and yield performance of cotton, and the optimal cotton planting configuration. In this study, a two-year field experiment (2020 and 2021) was studied with different spacing configuration modes designed as follows: two rows of cotton (CM1) planted 1.4 m apart, four rows of cotton (CM2) planted 1.0 m apart, and six rows of cotton (CM3) planted 0.5 m apart, spacing intercropped jujube trees, respectively. The control treatment consisted of monocultured cotton (CK). The light-response curve was plotted using an LI-6400 XT photosynthesis instrument. Based on the modified rectangular hyperbola model, the photosynthetic characteristics were fitted, and the dry matter distribution characteristics and yield were compared. The results showed that with the increase in photosynthetically active radiation, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of each growth phase decreased first and then increased rapidly in the range of 0–200 μmol·m−2·s−1 and then decreased slightly after the inflection point (light saturation point). The light-response curves of stomatal conductance and transpiration rate showed a linear relationship. The trend in the intercellular CO2 concentration response curve was opposite to that of Pn. The maximum Pn (Pmax) of intercropped cotton was significantly impacted by configuration modes, of which CM2 treatment generated 1.8% and 22.8% higher Pmax than the CM1 and CM3 treatments. The cotton yield in the two years ranked as CK > CM3 > CM2 > CM1, and the average land equivalent ratio of CM2 was significantly higher than that of CM3 (22.4%) and CM1 (95.9%). The six-row configuration resulted in greater competition with the trees, which affected the accumulation of below-ground dry matter, while the four-row configuration formed a reasonable canopy structure, which ensured that more photosynthetic substances were distributed to the generative organs. The reasonable four-rows configuration mode may improve the photosynthetic efficiency of intercropped cotton economic yield

Berberine suppresses the ectopic expression of miR-133a in endothelial cells to improve vascular dementia in diabetic rats

Objective: Vascular dementia is the second leading cause of dementia, which is strongly associated with diabetes. Ectopic expression of miR-133a in endothelial cells is involved in endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. Whether berberine, as a natural product in Coptis chinensis, improves vascular dementia induced by diabetes remains unknown. Methods: Diabetes and subsequent vascular dementia were induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin (50 mg/kg/day) for five consecutive days. The expression of miR-133a was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The learning and memory were evaluated by step-down, step-through, and morris water maze (MWM) tests. Results: In streptozotocin-injected rats, hyperglycemia dramatically induced miR-133a ectopic expressions in vascular endothelium, reduced GTPCH1 gene expressions and BH4 levels, which were reversed by berberine administration (1.0 g/kg/day, 8 weeks). Hyperglycemia also inhibited acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation in middle cerebral artery and reduced blood supply to the brain, which were bypassed by berberine. Ex vivo studies indicated that miR-133a agomirs abolished these beneficial effects of berberine on acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation, while supplement of L-sepiapterin prevented endothelial dysfunction in middle cerebral artery isolated from rats. By performing step-down, step-through, and MWM tests, we observed that hyperglycemia significantly caused the impairments of learning and memory in streptozotocin-injected rats. Importantly, these aberrant phenotypes in diabetic rats were normalized by berberine therapy. Finally, berberine reduced miR-133a expression, and increased both BH4 levels and NO production in cultured endothelial cells treated with high glucose. Conclusion: Berberine improves vascular dementia in diabetes, which is possibly related to the suppression of miR-133a ectopic expression in endothelial cells