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The exchange biasing of Co0.9Fe0.1 film by the antiferromagnet Ir–Mn via a thin intermediate Co0.6Fe0.4 layer was investigated. It has been found that the exchange bias is drastically enhanced with the insertion of an ultra-thin Co0.6Fe0.4 layer at the interface between Co0.9Fe0.1 and Ir–Mn layers. For the Ir0.25Mn0.75(100 Å)/Co0.9Fe0.1(150 Å) bilayer, the pinning field at room temperature is raised from 92 to 206 Oe when a 4 Å Co0.6Fe0.4 layer is introduced at the interface, and further enhanced to 262 Oe with a 10 Å Co0.6Fe0.4 insertion layer. The corresponding unidirectional anisotropy increases from 0.18 to 0.4 erg cm−2 and reaches a value of 0.54 erg cm−2. The extra large unidirectional anisotropy is maintained as the Co0.6Fe0.4 thickness exceeds 10 Å. The high blocking temperature of the Ir–Mn/Co0.9Fe0.1 bilayer is unaffected by the insertion of the Co0.6Fe0.4 layer. The present results indicate that exchange bias is essentially determined by interfacial spins and, most importantly, the performance of the exchange bias system Ir–Mn/Co0.9Fe0.1, which is commonly used in spin valve giant magnetoresistance devices, can be greatly promoted by the insertion of an ultra-thin interfacial Co0.6Fe0.4 layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goats with diverse economic phenotypic traits play an important role in animal husbandry. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying complex phenotypic traits are unclear in goats. Genomic studies of variations provided a lens to identify functional genes. In this study, we focused on the worldwide goat breeds with outstanding traits and used whole-genome resequencing data in 361 samples from 68 breeds to detect genomic selection sweep regions. We identified 210-531 genomic regions with six phenotypic traits, respectively. Further gene annotation analysis revealed 332, 203, 164, 300, 205, and 145 candidate genes corresponding with dairy, wool, high prolificacy, poll, big ear, and white coat color traits. Some of these genes have been reported previously (e.g., KIT , KITLG , NBEA , RELL1 , AHCY, and EDNRA ), while we also discovered novel genes, such as STIM1 , NRXN1 , LEP , that may be associated with agronomic traits like poll and big ear morphology. Our study found a set of new genetic markers for genetic improvement in goats and provided novel insights into the genetic mechanisms of complex traits., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wan, Jing, Wang and Lv.)

The fat tail of sheep is an important organ that has evolved to adapt to extreme environments. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying the fat tail phenotype remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize transcriptome and lipidome profiles and morphological changes in 250 adipose tissues from two thin-tailed and three fat-tailed sheep populations in summer and winter. We implement whole-genome selective sweep tests to identify genetic variants related to fat-tails. We identify a set of functional genes that show differential expression in the tail fat of fat-tailed and thin-tailed sheep in summer and winter. These genes are significantly enriched in pathways, such as lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, molecular transport, and inflammatory response. In contrast to thin-tailed sheep, tail fat from fat-tailed sheep show slighter changes in adipocyte size, ECM remodeling, and lipid metabolism, and had less inflammation in response to seasonal changes, indicating improved homeostasis. Whole-genome selective sweep tests identify genes involved in preadipocyte commitment (e.g., BMP2, PDGFD) and terminal adipogenic differentiation (e.g., VEGFA), which could contribute to enhanced adipocyte hyperplasia. Altogether, we establish a model of regulatory networks regulating adipose homeostasis in sheep tails. These findings improve our understanding of how adipose homeostasis is maintained, in response to extreme environments in animals., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

It has been documented that constant light exposure exerts complicated cardiovascular effects. However, a mounting collection of conflicting results did not make it any easier for researchers and physicians to consider the role of light on cardiovascular function. This study was designed to investigate how constant light exposure (24 h light/day) influences the cardiac function in normal and heart-failure (HF) rats. In normal rats, two groups of SD rats were accustomed in 12 h light/12 h dark (LD) or 24 h light (constant light, CL) for 4 weeks. In HF rats which was induced by myocardial infarction (MI) was let recover in LD for 4 weeks. Interestingly, compared with rats in LD environment (ejection fraction, EF%: 93.64 ± 2.02 in LD, 14.62 ± 1.53 in HF-LD), constant light (2 weeks) weakened the cardiac function in normal and HF rats (EF%: 79.42 ± 2.91 in CL, 11.50 ± 1.08 in HF-CL). The levels of renal sympathetic nerve activity and c-fos expression in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), a key region controlling sympathetic outflow, were significantly increased in normal and HF rats after constant light (RSNA, Max%: 8.64 ± 0.48 in LD, 20.02 ± 1.24 in CL, 20.10 ± 1.16 in HF-LD, 26.82 ± 1.69 in HF-CL). In conclusion, it is suggested that constant light exposure exerts detrimental cardiovascular effects, which may be associated with the RVLM-related sympathetic hyperactivity., (Copyright © 2020 Jing, Wu, Li, Wang, Tan and Wang.)

Objective: This paper aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of B-ultrasound-guided puncture in the treatment of incision infection after total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and to provide references for the clinical treatment., Patients and Methods: 116 patients with uterine incision infection after TAH were selected and randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, with 58 cases in each group. The patients in the control group received an intravenous drip of ceftazidime and tinidazole to prevent infection, and the patients in the observation group received B-ultrasound-guided puncture treatment on the basis of the treatment plan of the control group. The clinical therapeutic effects between the two groups were compared., Results: The cure rate of excellence in the observation group was 84.48%, and the cure rate in the control group was 53.45%, while the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 98.28%, and that in the control group was 87.93%, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The hospital stay was (9.5±1.6) days in the observation group and (12.3±2.1) days in the control group, and the mean hospital stay in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05)., Conclusions: TAH should be performed on patients when they are in the best physical condition, and strictly according to the operation steps to reduce the duration of surgery. The application of B-ultrasound-guided puncture can effectively improve the excellent recovery rate of the incision infection after TAH and shorten the hospitalization time. It is worth popularizing in clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate the effects of β3-adrenoceptors(β3-AR) inhibitor SR 59230A on MicroRNAs expression in rat myocardium with chronic heart failure and the related mechanisms., Methods: One hundred male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operated group(40)and chronic heart failure(CHF)group(60). Coronary artery ligation was used to induce CHF. Then the rats in CHF group were further randomly divided into CHF control group and CHF+SR 59230A group (CHF+SR). Rats in the sham group were divided into sham control group and sham+SR 59230A group (Sham+SR). The rats in Sham+SR group and CHF+SR group were treated with 1 ml SR 59230A(85 mmoL/L in 0.9% saline)twice a day for seven weeks by intraperitoneal injection, while the rats in control groups were injected with the same amount of saline for seven weeks separately. miScript miRNA PCR Arrays were used to determine the expression profile of MicroRNAs. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the distribution of the related proteins in the heart tissue sections. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-κB),p53 and p53-Phospho-Serine 15 in the heart., Results: ①After in vivo blockade of β3-AR by SR 59230A, there were 18MicroRNAs down-regulated in sham control group and CHF control group. Within them, 6 MicroRNAs were related to NF-κB signaling pathway, they were miR-125b-5p,miR-143-3p,miR-145-5p,miR-26a-5p,miR-30a-5p and miR-320-5p. ②Slides from the heart tissue showed that NF-κB was distributed both in nucleus and cytoplasm, while p53 in cytoplasm was more than that in nucleus in heart tissue sections. The expressions of NF-κB and p53 were higher in the CHF control group than those in the sham control group( P <0.05), but were lower in CHF+SR group than those in CHF control group( P <0.05),while they were elevated in Sham+SR group compared to the sham control group( P <0.05). ③ Compared with the sham control group, the protein expression of NF-κB p65 was increased significantly in the CHF control group ( P <0.05). After treated with SR59230A in vivo ,the protein expressions of NF-κB and p53-Phospho-Serine 15 were decreased significantly in CHF rats( P <0.05),while the protein expressions of NF-κB, p53 and p53-Phospho-Serine 15 proteins were increased in the sham rats ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: Blocking of β3-AR improved the damaged heart in CHF rats; β3-AR caused the change of MicroRNAs expression, and it related to NF-κB signal pathway.

Objective: To explore whether targeting phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) can enhance the sensitivity of BRAF V600E mutation melanoma cells to vemurafenib., Methods: The methods of cell biology, molecular biology and pharmacology(MTT assay, Western blot, FCM, Colongenic assay) were used in this study., Results: ① Silencing of PGK1 expression increased the efficacy of vemurafenib in melanoma cells, as evidenced by greater killing in the tumor cells subjected to combined treatment of vemurafenib with siPGK1; ②The mechanism of enhanced sensitivity of melanoma cells to vemurafenib was associated with activation of apoptotic signaling pathway., Conclusions: Targeting of PGK1 may represent a novel strategy of sensitizing melanoma cells to vemurafinib.

Objective: To explore the effects of SR59230A on the tension and microRNA (miRNA) expression of rat thoracic aorta., Methods: Forty-four SD rats were used in the experiment. Twenty-four rats were used to observe the effect of SR on the tension of thoracic aortic rings. Another 20 rats were randomly divided into control ( n =10) and SR group( n =10). Rats in SR group were injected SR intraperitoneally,and in control group were given 0.9% of saline. After 5 weeks, the blood pressure of all rats were measured. Then the tension to NA and the expression of miRNA of thoracic aorta rings were measured., Results: (1) The tension of thoracic aortic rings responding to 30 mmol/LKCl were increased by pretreatment of SR ( P <0.05); (2) After 5 weeks injection of SR, systolic pressure was increased ( P <0.05); (3) The tension in SR group was increased in presence of 1 μ mol/L and 10 μ mol/L of NA ( P <0.05, P <0.01). (4) After 5 weeks of SR in vivo application,18 miRNA were down-regulated, 7 of them had statistical significance, they were rno-miR-143-3p, rno-miR-29b-3p, rno-miR-31a-5p, rno-let-7b-5p, rno-miR-214-3p, rno-miR-222-3p and rno-miR-352; 11 miRNA were up-regulated, 4 of them had statistical significance, they were rno-miR-206-3p、rno-miR-223-3p、rno-miR-342-3p and rno-miR-499-5p respectively., Conclusions: SR59230A increased the tension of rat thoracic aorta. In vivo administration of SR led to increase of systolic pressure of rat,down-regulation of rno-miR-143-3p、rno-miR-29b-3p、rno-miR-31a-5p、rno-let-7b-5p、rno-miR-214-3p、rno-miR-222-3p、rno-miR-352 and up-regulation of rno-miR-206-3p、rno-miR-223-3p、rno-miR-342-3p and rno-miR-499-5p.

A batch sorption study was carried out to investigate the sorption behaviors of DDT onto JiaoZhou Bay sediment in the presence of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with low concentrations. The results indicated that the sorption process followed the pseudo-second-order model and the sorption systems could be well described by the Freundlich type. Within the investigated concentrations of CTAB and SDBS, both SDBS and CTAB increased the sorption of DDT to sediment. The sorption rate and capacity increased with increasing SDBS and CTAB concentrations, and CTAB showed a significant impact. Take p ,p'-DDT as an example, the sorption rate constant increased from 1.232 x 10(-2) g x (microg x min)(-1) to 4.193 x 10(-2) g x (microg x min)(-1) and the Freundlich coefficient increased from 2.866 (microg x g(-1)) (L x microg(-1))(1/n) to 7.932 (microg x g(-1)) (L x microg(-1))(1/n) when the SDBS concentration was 10 mg x L(-1). The influence of temperature on sorption of DDT in the presence of SDBS was also studied. Within the temperature range of 283-308 K, lower temperature had a positive effect on the sorption. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the sorption was spontaneous and exothermic, and the randomness was increased during the process. Furthermore, the presence of SDBS caused lower deltaG0, deltaH0 and deltaS0 values. This study provided theoretical foundation for migration, transformation and fate of DDT in Jiaozhou Bay sediment.

We combined the specificity of tumor-specific antibody with the chemokine function of interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 (IP-10) to recruit immune effector cells in the vicinity of tumor cells. A novel fusion protein of IP10-scFv was constructed by fusing mouse IP-10 to V(H) region of single-chain Fv fragment (scFv) against acidic isoferritin (AIF), and expressed in NS0 murine myeloma cells. The IP10-scFv fusion protein was shown to maintain the specificity of the antiAIF scFv with similar affinity constant, and bind to the human hepatocarcinoma SMMC 7721 cells secreting AIF as well as the activated mouse T lymphocytes expressing CXCR3 receptor. Furthermore, the IP10-scFv protein either in solution or bound on the surface of SMMC 7721 cells induced significant chemotaxis of mouse T cells in vitro. The results indicate that the IP10-scFv fusion protein possesses both bioactivities of the tumor-specific antibody and IP-10 chemokine, suggesting its possibility to induce an enhanced immune response against the residual tumor cells in vivo.