Warmingamstrup2405

We had developed a new pretreatment system using cow rumen fluid to improve the methane production from lignocellulosic substrates. However, the pretreatment conditions differ from the in-situ rumen environment, therefore different microbes may be involved in plant cell wall decomposition. In the current study, shotgun metagenomic analysis using MiSeq platform was performed to elucidate the bacteria which produce cellulase and hemicellulase in this pretreatment system. The rumen fluid which contained waste paper pieces (0.1% w/v) were incubated at 37°C during 120 h. The fluid samples were collected from the reactor at each time-point and analyzed for chemical properties. Rumen microbial DNA was extracted from 0-h and 60-h samples and subjected to shotgun-metagenomic analysis. After pretreatment, approximately half of cellulose and hemicellulose contents of the waste paper were decomposed and some volatile fatty acids were accumulated. Clostridia (e.g., Ruminococcus and Clostridium) were the predominant bacteria before and after 60-h pretreatment, and their relative abundance was increased during pretreatment. However, Prevotella and Fibrobacter, one of the most dominant bacteria in-situ rumen fluid, were observed less than 3% before incubation and they were decreased after pretreatment. Genes encoding cellulase and hemicellulase were mainly found in Ruminococcus, Clostridium, and Caldicellulosiruptor. Calicellulosiruptor, which had not been previously identified as the predominant genus in lignocellulose decomposition in in-situ rumen conditions, might be considered as the main fibrolytic bacterium in this system. Thus, this study demonstrated that the composition of fibrolytic bacteria in this system was greatly different from those in the in-situ rumen. The natural coat color is an important trait of vertebrate animals. For example, the coat color can help avoid harm to human beings caused by chemical dyeing, and it has economic significance for domestic animals. The bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and its antagonist Noggin can regulate pigmentation and the generation of coat color in mice; thus, they may also regulate the coat color of Kazakh sheep. To gain mechanistic insight into this possibility, we determined the relative expression levels of BMP4 and Noggin in the skin of white and brown Kazakh sheep by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting analysis. The localization of BMP4 and Noggin were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results of qPCR and western blot analysis demonstrated that the relative expression levels of BMP4 and Noggin in the skin of brown Kazakh sheep were significantly higher than those in white Kazakh sheep. Our IHC results showed that the BMP4 protein was expressed in the epidermis and root sheath of the Kazakh sheep skin. The Noggin protein was expressed in the epidermis, root sheath, hair shaft, and dermal papilla of the Kazakh sheep skin. These results provide a theoretical basis for additional studies regarding the association and mechanism of BMP4 and Noggin in coat-color formation in Kazakh sheep. These results may provide new methods for developing treatment strategies for pigmentation disorders and diseases. Calcification plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and begins early on in the disease process. The presence of calcium has long been seen as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and is a well-established predictor of cardiac risk. Evidence suggests that different calcification patterns are associated with different histopathological and clinical features. At the patient level, the presence of macrocalcification, as assessed by the coronary calcium score, confers worst outcomes. At the plaque level, microcalcification rather than macrocalcification denotes plaque vulnerability. Improved non-invasive imaging modalities may allow for a more comprehensive assessment of atherosclerotic calcification and help identify patients at increased risk of clinical sequelae. BACKGROUND Depression and inflammation are intertwined, which is particularly relevant for patients with lung cancer who have an abundance of inflammation and experience depression. Acute phase reactants (APRs), albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP), are easily interpretable indirect markers of inflammation that have never been concomitantly compared with depression. Inflammation increases CRP (positive APR) and decreases albumin (negative APR). Selleck NVP-BGT226 We hypothesize that albumin will be similarly associated with depression, thereby helping to inform the diagnosis of inflammatory depression. OBJECTIVE Compares the relationship between depression and representative positive and negative acute phase reactants in patients with metastatic lung cancer. METHODS Patients (n = 109) with metastatic lung cancer were evaluated for depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Inflammation as measured by positive (CRP) and negative (albumin) APRs along with demographic and treatment variables were analyzed for associations with depression. RESULTS Depression was associated with lower albumin (r = -0.35, P less then 0.001), higher CRP (r = 0.47, P less then 0.001), and the CRP/albumin ratio (r = 0.45, P less then 0.001). Hierarchical linear regression modeling found that albumin was associated with depression when controlling for demographics, disease, and treatment types (β = -0.28, P = 0.01). When both APRs were in the model, only CRP predicted depression (β = 0.31, P = 0.01), and albumin did not moderate CRP and depression. CRP/albumin ratio did not add to understanding depression variability, but patients with both low albumin and high CRP had particularly severe depression. CONCLUSION Albumin is associated with depression but not to a greater extent than CRP. The coupling of lower albumin and higher CRP describes more severe depression. Positive and negative APRs may form a distinct biologic signature to help identify patients with inflammatory depression in the lung cancer setting. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine whether frailty could explain variability in healthcare expenditure beyond multimorbidity and disability among Chinese older adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Participants were 5300 community-dwelling adults age at least 60 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. METHODS Frailty was identified by the physical frailty phenotype approach that has been created and validated among Chinese older adults. Five criteria were used slowness, weakness, exhaustion, inactivity, and shrinking. Persons were classified as "nonfrail" (0 criteria), "prefrail" (1‒2 criteria), or "frail" (3‒5 criteria). Healthcare expenditure was measured based on participants' self-report and was classified into 3 types outpatient expenditure, inpatient expenditure, and self-treatment expenditure. The association of frailty and healthcare expenditure was analyzed using a 2-part regression model to account for excessive zero expenditures. RESULTS Frailty was associated with higher odds of incurring outpatient, inpatient, and self-treatment expenditure.