A growing number of reports have revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in spermatogenesis. Our previous study showed that miR-762 is differentially expressed in immature and mature testes of Large White boars. Our present data shows that miR-762 directly binds the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of ring finger protein 4 (RNF4) and down-regulates RNF4 expression. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the RNF4 3′UTR that is significantly associated with porcine sperm quality traits leads to a change in the miR-762 binding ability. Moreover, miR-762 promotes the proliferation of and inhibits apoptosis in porcine immature Sertoli cells, partly by accelerating DNA damage repair and by reducing androgen receptor (AR) expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-762 may play a role in pig spermatogenesis by regulating immature Sertoli cell growth.

Some documented evidences proved small RNAs (sRNA) and targeted genes are involved in mammalian testicular development and spermatogenesis. However, the detailed molecular regulation mechanisms of them remain largely unknown so far. In this study, we obtained a total of 10,716 mRNAs, 67 miRNAs and 16,953 piRNAs which were differentially expressed between LC and LW pig breeds or between the two sexual maturity stages. Of which, we identified 16 miRNAs and 28 targeted genes possibly related to spermatogenesis; 14 miRNA and 18 targeted genes probably associated with cell adhesion related testis development. We also annotated 579 piRNAs which could potentially regulate cell death, nucleosome organization and other basic biology process, which implied that those piRNAs might be involved in sexual maturation difference. The integrated network analysis results suggested that some differentially expressed genes were involved in spermatogenesis through the ECM–receptor interaction, focal adhesion, Wnt and PI3K–Akt signaling pathways, some particular miRNAs have the negative regulation roles and some special piRNAs have the positive and negative regulation roles in testicular development. Our data provide novel insights into the molecular expression and regulation similarities and diversities of spermatogenesis and testicular development in different pig breeds at different stages of sexual maturity.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in cell growth, apoptosis and spermatogenesis. Our previous study showed that miR-638 was differentially expressed in sexually immature and mature testes of Large White boars. Here we reported that sperm-associated antigen 1 (SPAG1) was a direct target gene of miR-638. Moreover, miR-638 inhibited cell proliferation and cell cycle, and promoted apoptosis of porcine immature Sertoli cells. Key genes including phosphorylated phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (p-PI3K) and phosphorylated serine/ threonine kinase (p-AKT) in PI3K/AKT pathway as well as cell cycle factors including c-MYC, cyclin-D1 (CCND1), cyclin-E1 (CCNE1) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) were all significantly down-regulated after overexpression of miR-638 or RNAi of SPAG1. Notably, mRNA levels of SRY-related HMG-box 2 (SOX2) and POU domain, class 5, transcription factor 1 (POU5F1) essential for spermatogonia proliferation were significantly suppressed in SPAG1 siRNA- transfected ST cells. This study suggests that miR-638 regulates immature Sertoli cell growth and apoptosis by targeting SPAG1 gene which can indirectly inactivate PI3K/AKT pathway, and plays roles in pig spermatogenesis.

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To evaluate the rationality of drug use to treat community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children of a Chinese hospital using a set of developed indicators.We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study in West China Second University Hospital. Hospitalized children (0–18 years old) diagnosed with CAP from October 2015 to January 2016 were included. A set of developed indicators for assessing rational drug use (RDU) to treat CAP in children were used to evaluate the rationality of drug use. The data of the indicators were compared with the recommendations of the available guidelines, analyzing the situation of drug use in the children diagnosed with CAP.Eight hundred ninety-four children were included, 99.4% of them received antibiotics and 87.4% received more than 1 antibiotic. Antibiotics were administered intravenously in 880 (99.0%) children. About 20 (2.2%) children received antiviral agents and 19 (2.1%) children received antiviral drugs combined with antibiotics. About 208 (23.3%) children received traditional Chinese medicines and the injection of traditional Chinese medicines was given in 20 (2.2%) children.This study illustrated that drug use was partly not consistent with the recommendations of current guidelines, especially antibiotics. The drug use of CAP in children needs to pay more attention to.

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Background: The four most commonly used chelation regimens for β-thalassemia major patients in China are a combination therapy of deferoxamine and deferiprone (DFO+DFP), deferoxamine(DFO) monotherapy, deferiprone(DFP) monotherapy and deferasirox(DFX) monotherapy. Such patients use iron chelators their whole lives, resulting in enormous treatment costs. This study analyses the cost-utility of these four regimens from the Chinese healthcare system perspective. Methods: A Markov decision model was used over a 70-year time horizon and was populated using clinical data from a systematic literature review. We obtained utility data from local and previous research. Costs were estimated using Chinese national sources. Results: From the base-case analysis results, DFP was the most cost-effective chelation regimen, followed by DFO+DFP, DFO and DFX. DFP had a 99.60%, 78.10% and 64.40% likelihood of being cost-effective versus DFX, DFO and DFO+DFP, respectively, at a payment threshold of 193,932.00 CNY/QALY. Conclusions: DFP was the most cost-effective chelation regimen for β-thalassemia major patients, followed by DFO+DFP, DFO and DFX. Using DFP as the primary treatment regimen may potentially result in cost-savings and QALY gains for the Chinese healthcare system. To increase these benefits, the Chinese government and clinicians should lower drug costs, increase drug utility and reduce mortality and morbidity. Changes in influential parameters easily affect the results of DFO+DFP versus DFP and of DFP versus DFO; clinicians should focus on such parameters and adjust the regimens accordingly.