A common variant in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR), rs53576, has been broadly linked to socially related personality traits and behaviors. However, the pattern of published results is inconsistent. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the association. The literature was searched for relevant studies and effect sizes between individuals homozygous for the G allele (GG) and individuals with A allele carriers (AA/AG). Specifically, two indices of sociality were evaluated independently: i) general sociality (24 samples, n = 4955), i.e., how an individual responds to other people in general; and ii) close relationships (15 samples, n = 5262), i.e., how an individual responds to individuals with closed connections (parent-child or romantic relationship). We found positive association between the rs53576 polymorphism and general sociality (Cohen’s d = 0.11, p = .02); G allele homozygotes had higher general sociality than the A allele carriers. However, the meta-analyses did not detect significant genetic association between rs53576 and close relationships (Cohen’s d = 0.01, p = .64). In conclusion, genetic variation in the rs53576 influences general sociality, which further implies that it is worthy to systematically examine whether the rs53576 is a valid genetic marker for socially related psychiatric disorders.

BackgroundThe giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a vulnerable mammal herbivore living wild in central China. Viral infections have become a potential threat to the health of these endangered animals, but limited information related to these infections is available.MethodsUsing a viral metagenomic approach, we surveyed viruses in the feces, nasopharyngeal secretions, blood, and different tissues from a wild giant panda that died from an unknown disease, a healthy wild giant panda, and 46 healthy captive animals.ResultsThe previously uncharacterized complete or near complete genomes of four viruses from three genera in Papillomaviridae family, six viruses in a proposed new Picornaviridae genus (Aimelvirus), two unclassified viruses related to posaviruses in Picornavirales order, 19 anelloviruses in four different clades of Anelloviridae family, four putative circoviruses, and 15 viruses belonging to the recently described Genomoviridae family were sequenced. Reflecting the diet of giant pandas, numerous insect virus sequences related to the families Iflaviridae, Dicistroviridae, Iridoviridae, Baculoviridae, Polydnaviridae, and subfamily Densovirinae and plant viruses sequences related to the families Tombusviridae, Partitiviridae, Secoviridae, Geminiviridae, Luteoviridae, Virgaviridae, and Rhabdoviridae; genus Umbravirus, Alphaflexiviridae, and Phycodnaviridae were also detected in fecal samples. A small number of insect virus sequences were also detected in the nasopharyngeal secretions of healthy giant pandas and lung tissues from the dead wild giant panda. Although the viral families present in the sick giant panda were also detected in the healthy ones, a higher proportion of papillomaviruses, picornaviruses, and anelloviruses reads were detected in the diseased panda.ConclusionThis viral survey increases our understanding of eukaryotic viruses in giant pandas and provides a baseline for comparison to viruses detected in future infectious disease outbreaks. The similar viral families detected in sick and healthy giant pandas indicate that these viruses result in commensal infections in most immuno-competent animals.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-017-0308-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a non-histone nuclear protein, has been implicated in cardiovascular diseases. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), one of the leading causes of heart failure, is often caused by coxsackievirus B3-triggered myocarditis and promoted by the post-infectious autoimmune process. Th17 cells, a novel CD4 1 T subset, may be important in the pathogenesis of autoimmune myocarditis. In the present study, we attempted to block HMGB1 function with a monoclonal antibody specific for HMGB1 B box and investigated the effects of the blockade on Th17 cells and experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). After induction of EAM, HMGB1 protein levels were significantly elevated both in the heart and blood. Administration of an anti-HMGB1 B box mAb attenuated cardiac pathological changes and reduced the number of infiltrating inflammatory cells in the heart during EAM. These protective effects of HMGB1 blockade correlated with a reduced number of Th17 cells in local tissues and lower levels of IL-17 in the serum. Furthermore, in vitro, studies demonstrated that HMGB1 promoted Th17-cell expansion. Therefore, we speculate that HMGB1 blockade ameliorates cardiac pathological changes in EAM by suppressing Th17 cells.Key words: Dilated cardiomyopathy . Experimental myocarditis . HMGB1 . Th17 cells IntroductionHigh-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a non-histone nuclear protein, has been functionally characterized as an alarmin or damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) [1,2]. It is constitutively expressed in quiescent cells and stored in the nucleus [3]. HMGB1 is one of the most evolutionarily conserved proteins in eukaryotes, with 100% identity between mice and rats, and 99% identity between rodents and humans [3].HMGB1 has been shown to be involved in both infectious and non-infectious inflammatory disease [2,4]. HMGB1 is released into the extracellular milieu during cell apoptosis/death [5], and by macrophages and monocytes in response to cellular stress or injury [6]. HMGB1 binds to the endogenous receptor for advanced glycation endproducts [7], exogenous toll-like receptor 2/4/9 (TLR2/4/9) [8,9], and CD24/Siglec-10 [10], and induces the expression of proinammatory cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules [3,6]. Although, HMGB1 was initially 3586thought to be a late mediator of sepsis, recent data also indicated that HMGB1 is associated with many other pathological conditions, such as autoimmune disease [11], cancer [12][13][14], trauma, ischemia-reperfusion injury [15,16], tissue repair and regeneration [17,18], and cardiovascular diseases [19]. Furthermore, HMGB1 has restorative effects on CD4 1 T-helper cell modulation [20].Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the leading causes of severe heart failure and the most common indication for heart transplantation. DCM is often caused by coxsackievirus B3-triggered myocarditis [21]. Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) is a mouse model of postinfectious myocarditis, characterized by inflammatory infiltration of the myocardium and cardiac myocyte ne...

The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest crane species, and its population is decreasing due to loss of habitat, poisoning, and infections. Using a viral metagenomics approach, we analyzed the virome of feces from wild and captive red-crowned cranes, which were pooled separately. Vertebrate viruses belonging to the families Picornaviridae, Parvoviridae, Circoviridae, and Caliciviridae were detected. Among the members of the family Picornaviridae, we found three that appear to represent new genera. Six nearly complete genomes from members of the family Parvoviridae were also obtained, including four new members of the proposed genus "Chapparvovirus", and two members of the genus Aveparvovirus. Six small circular DNA genomes were also characterized. One nearly complete genome showing a low level of sequence identity to caliciviruses was also characterized. Numerous viruses believed to infect insects, plants, and crustaceans were also identified, which were probably derived from the diet of red-crowned cranes. This study increases our understanding of the enteric virome of red-crowned cranes and provides a baseline for comparison to those of other birds or following disease outbreaks.

With the progress of nanotechnology and molecular biology, nanoparticles have been widely studied and applied in biomedicine. Particularly, characterized by unique magnetic property, targeting, and biocompatibility, magnetic nanoparticles have become one of the research hotspots in the nanomedical field. Herein, we summarized the recent advances of magnetic nanoparticles in medicine, including the property, carrier function, MRI, and tumor magnetic inductive hyperthermia of magnetic nanoparticles.