Halbergburton8223

Coralligenous assemblages are among the most species-rich and vulnerable habitats of the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, data on connectivity patterns on species inhabiting these habitats, crucial to define management and protection priorities, are largely lacking. Moreover, unreliable species-level taxonomy can confound ecological studies and mislead management strategies. In the northwestern Mediterranean two Parazoanthus axinellae morphotypes differing in size, color and preferred substrate are found in sympatry. In this study, we used COI and ITS sequence polymorphism to assess (1) the genetic divergence between the two morphotypes, (2) their connectivity patterns and (3) their phylogenetic position within the Parazoanthidae. Specimens of P. axinellae were sampled in 11 locations along the northwestern Mediterranean; in 6 locations, samples of the two morphotypes were collected in sympatry. Small genetic diversity and structure were found within morphotypes, while marked and consistent differentiation was detected between them. Moreover, the less widespread morphotype appeared to be closer to Pacific species as P. juanfernandezii and P. elongatus. Our findings confirmed the limited knowledge on Parazoanthus species complex, and how this gap can have important implication for the conservation strategies of this widespread and valuable genus in the Mediterranean Sea.The expression of hair features is an evolutionary adaptation resulting from interactions between many organisms and their environment. Elucidation of the mechanisms that underlie the expression of such traits is a topic in evolutionary biology research. Therefore, we assessed the de novo transcriptome of Atelerix albiventris at three developmental stages and compared gene expression profiles between abdomen hair and dorsal spine tissues. We identified 328,576 unigenes in our transcriptome, among which 4,435 were differentially expressed between hair- and spine-type tissues. Dorsal and abdomen skin tissues 5 days after birth were compared and the resulting DEGs were mainly enriched in keratin filament, epithelium cell differentiation, and epidermis development based on GO enrichment analysis, and tight junction, p53, and cell cycle signaling pathways based on KEGG enrichment analysis. MBP8, SFN, Wnt1 and KRT1 gene may involve in the development of hedgehog skin and its appendages. Strikingly, DEGs in hair-type tissues were also significantly enriched in immune-related terms and pathways with hair-type tissues exhibiting more upregulated immune genes than spine-type tissues. Our study provided a list of potential genes involved in skin appendage development and differentiation in A. albiventris, and the candidate genes provided valuable information for further studies of skin appendages.Hemodynamic alteration with postural change from supine to sitting has been unclear in the young. In the cross-sectional study, 686 participants (371 boys and 315 girls, aged 6-18 years) were recruited from 4 schools in Kaifeng city, the central area of China. The active sitting test was performed to obtain heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) changes from supine to sitting in children and adolescents. Hemodynamic change-associated sitting intolerance was analyzed. In the study participants, the 95th percentile (P95) values of changes in HR and BP within 3 min from supine to sitting were 25 beats/min and 18/19 mm Hg, respectively. Sixty-six participants had sitting intolerance symptoms. Compared with participants without sitting intolerance symptoms, those with symptoms more frequently had HR increase ≥ P95 or BP increase ≥ P95 within 3 min from supine to sitting (P  less then  0.001). Risk factors for sitting intolerance were age (odds ratio 1.218, 95% confidence interval 1.072-1.384, P = 0.002) and changes in HR or BP ≥ P95 within 3 min after sitting (odds ratio 2.902, 95% confidence interval 1.572-5.357, P = 0.001). We firstly showed hemodynamic changing profiles from supine to sitting and their association with sitting intolerance in children and adolescents. Sitting tachycardia is likely suggested with a change in HR ≥ 25 beats/min and sitting hypertension with a change in BP ≥ 20/20 mm Hg when changing from supine to sitting within 3 min. The age and changes in HR or BP were independent risk factors for sitting intolerance.Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are microcirculation defects following diabetes mellitus (DM). Unrecognized HFpEF is more prevalent in women with diabetes compared to men with diabetes and therefore sex-specific diagnostic strategies are needed. Previously, we demonstrated altered plasma miRs in DM patients with microvascular injury [defined by elevated plasma Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) levels]. This study hypothesized the presence of sex-differences in plasma miRs and Ang-2 in diabetic (female) patients with LVDD or HFpEF. After a pilot study, we assessed 16 plasma miRs in patients with LVDD (n = 122), controls (n = 244) and female diabetic patients (n = 10). Subsequently, among these miRs we selected and measured plasma miR-34a, -224 and -452 in diabetic HFpEF patients (n = 53) and controls (n = 52). In LVDD patients, miR-34a associated with Ang-2 levels (R2 0.04, R = 0.21, p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.103-0.312), with plasma levels being diminished in patients with DM, while women with an eGFR  less then  60 ml/min and LVDD had lower levels of miR-34a, -224 and -452 compared to women without an eGFR  less then  60 ml/min without LVDD. In diabetic HFpEF women (n = 28), plasma Ang-2 levels and the X-chromosome located miR-224/452 cluster increased compared to men. We conclude that plasma miR-34a, -224 and -452 display an association with the microvascular injury marker Ang-2 and are particularly targeted to women with LVDD or HFpEF.Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of quiescent cells with the potential to differentiate into tumor cells. CSCs are involved in tumor initiation and progression and contribute to treatment failure through their intrinsic resistance to chemo- or radiotherapy, thus representing a substantial concern for cancer treatment. Prostate CSCs' activity has been shown to be regulated by the transcription factor Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3). Here we investigated the effect of galiellalactone (GL), a direct STAT3 inhibitor, on CSCs derived from prostate cancer patients, on docetaxel-resistant spheres with stem cell characteristics, on CSCs obtained from the DU145 cell line in vitro and on DU145 tumors in vivo. We found that GL significantly reduced the viability of docetaxel-resistant and patient-derived spheres. Moreover, CSCs isolated from DU145 cells were sensitive to low concentrations of GL, and the treatment with GL suppressed their viability and their ability to form colonies and spheres. STAT3 inhibition down regulated transcriptional targets of STAT3 in these cells, indicating STAT3 activity in CSCs. Our results indicate that GL can target the prostate stem cell niche in patient-derived cells, in docetaxel-resistant spheres and in an in vitro model. We conclude that GL represents a promising therapeutic approach for prostate cancer patients, as it reduces the viability of prostate cancer-therapy-resistant cells in both CSCs and non-CSC populations.Cardiac tissue remodeling caused by hemodynamic overload is a major clinical outcome of heart failure. Uridine-responsive purinergic P2Y6 receptor (P2Y6R) contributes to the progression of cardiovascular remodeling in rodents, but it is not known whether inhibition of P2Y6R prevents or promotes heart failure. We demonstrate that inhibition of P2Y6R promotes pressure overload-induced sudden death and heart failure in mice. In neonatal cardiomyocytes, knockdown of P2Y6R significantly attenuated hypertrophic growth and cell death caused by hypotonic stimulation, indicating the involvement of P2Y6R in mechanical stress-induced myocardial dysfunction. Unexpectedly, compared with wild-type mice, deletion of P2Y6R promoted pressure overload-induced sudden death, as well as cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of P2Y6R also exhibited cardiac dysfunction and severe fibrosis. In contrast, P2Y6R deletion had little impact on oxidative stress-mediated cardiac dysfunction induced by doxorubicin treatment. These findings provide overwhelming evidence that systemic inhibition of P2Y6R exacerbates pressure overload-induced heart failure in mice, although P2Y6R in cardiomyocytes contributes to the progression of cardiac fibrosis.The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is often challenging due to paucibacillary nature of the disease. Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) has been developed to improve detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) in paucibacillary specimens. The objective of the study was to assess the performance of Ultra for the diagnosis of EPTB in a high-income low TB prevalence country. Extrapulmonary samples received for TB diagnostics at two hospitals in Norway between January 2015 and January 2016 were prospectively and consecutively included. Defrosted samples were subjected to Ultra. Culture and routine PCR tests were used as reference standard. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/MK-1775.html A total of 82 samples, 10 culture and/or routine PCR positive (confirmed TB) samples and 72 culture and routine PCR negative samples were included in analysis. The overall sensitivity and specificity of Ultra were 90% (9/10, 95% CI 56-100) and 99% (71/72, 95% CI 93-100), respectively. Ultra was positive in 6/7 smear negative confirmed TB samples. To conclude, Ultra showed a high sensitivity and specificity in extrapulmonary specimens and may contribute to a rapid diagnosis of EPTB in a low TB prevalence setting.Meat quality has an important genetic component and can be modified by the fatty acid (FA) composition and the amount of fat contained in adipose tissue and muscle. The present study aimed to find genomic regions associated with the FA composition in backfat and muscle (longissimus dorsi) in 439 pigs with three different genetic backgrounds but having the Iberian breed in common. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed between 38,424 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering the pig genome and 60 phenotypic traits related to backfat and muscle FA composition. Nine significant associated regions were found in backfat on the Sus scrofa chromosomes (SSC) SSC1, SSC2, SSC4, SSC6, SSC8, SSC10, SSC12, and SSC16. For the intramuscular fat, six significant associated regions were identified on SSC4, SSC13, SSC14, and SSC17. A total of 52 candidate genes were proposed to explain the variation in backfat and muscle FA composition traits. GWAS were also reanalysed including SNPs on five candidate genes (ELOVL6, ELOVL7, FADS2, FASN, and SCD). Regions and molecular markers described in our study may be useful for meat quality selection of commercial pig breeds, although several polymorphisms were breed-specific, and further analysis would be needed to evaluate possible causal mutations.Esophageal cancer (ECa) remains a major cause of mortality across the globe. The expression of EIF3J-AS1 is altered in a plethora of tumors, but its role in ECa development and progression are undefined. Here, we show that EIF3J-AS1 is up-regulated in ECa and that its expression correlates with advanced TNM stage (P = 0.014), invasion depth (P = 0.001), positive lymph node metastasis (P  less then  0.001) and poor survival (OS P = 0.0059; DFS P = 0.0037) in ECa. Functional experiments showed that knockdown EIF3J-AS1 inhibited ECa growth and metastasis through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Regarding the mechanism, EIF3J-AS1/miR-373-3p/AKT1 established the ceRNA network involved in the modulation of cell progression of ECa cells. Overall, EIF3J-AS1 may exhibit an oncogenic function in ECa via acting as a sponge for miR-373-3p to up-regulate AKT1 mRNA level, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target and a prognostic biomarker for ECa patients.