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Chronic intrauterine hypoxia (ICH) may lead to permanent alterations in the offspring's body structure, function, and metabolism through the "developmental programming" pathway, resulting in lasting changes in physiology and metabolism, as well as the onset of adult-onset diseases. The aim was to investigate intrauterine growth restriction caused by ICH and its effect on ovarian reserve function in female offspring at different developmental stages after birth. Healthy female Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 20) were pregnant by normal mating, and the rats in the ICH group were treated with chronic intrauterine hypoxia twice a day for 04 h00 each time from day 4 to 21 of gestation. After the first hypoxic treatment, four pregnant rats were randomly selected from the ICH and natural control groups for arterial blood gas analysis. In the ICH group, birth weight and body weight on the 5th day after birth were less than in the control group, the total number of follicles and the number of primordial follicles in the offspring of the ICH group were significantly reduced on postnatal days 5, 20, and 40 (p < 0.05). ICH decreases ovarian reserve function in female offspring rats and programmatically regulates the differential expression of ovarian miRNAs in female offspring rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastography in detecting placental stiffness in the diagnosis of preeclampsia (PE). A systematic search was conducted in the EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus database, and PubMed databases to identify studies published before June 2023 using ultrasonic elastography to diagnose PE. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of ultrasonic elastography for diagnosing PE were calculated, and a summary receiver operating characteristic curve model was constructed. The degree of heterogeneity was estimated using the I2 statistic, and a meta-regression analysis was performed to explore its sources. A protocol was determined previously (PROSPERO: CRD42023443646). We included 1188 participants from 11 studies, including 190 patients with PE and 998 patients without PE as controls. Overall sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonic elastography in detecting placental stiffness for the diagnosis of PE were 89% (95% CI: 85–93) and 74% (95% CI: 51–89), respectively. The I2 values for sensitivity and specificity were 59% (95% CI: 29–89) and 96% (95% CI: 95–98), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87–0.92). The meta-regression analysis showed no significant heterogeneity. Ultrasonic elastography exhibits good diagnostic accuracy for detecting placental stiffness and can serve as a non-invasive tool for differentially diagnosing PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with the main clinical characteristics of multisystem and multiorgan involvement of the whole body. It is commonly seen in skin mucosa, skeletal muscle, and the respiratory system while rarely involving the spleen. In this case, we present a young female patient with SLE with the symptom of progressing splenic calcification. Methods: A 21–year–old female patient was admitted to our hospital in 2012 with complaints of "fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and knee pain", and then was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus combined with lupus nephritis. The first ultrasound examination was normal in 2012. However, when she returned to the hospital in 2016, she was found to have multiple calcifications in her spleen. After discharge, the patient was treated with commonly used immunosuppressive drugs and was followed up regularly for symptoms of multiple calcifications in the spleen. Results: Subsequent follow–up over a long period revealed a progressive development of multiple calcifications in the spleen, with a progressive increase in the size and number of calcified foci over time. Conclusion: When a patient is found to have diffuse splenic calcification on ultrasound, care should be taken to differentiate SLE with multiple splenic calcifications from sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, brucellosis, and rheumatoid arthritis in conjunction with a medical history and relevant laboratory tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with panic disorder (PD) have an abnormal function in brain regions related to fear network is well recognised. However, the traditional fear network model (FNM) which was based on animals' horrible behaviours has been found that it's not enough to explain the pathological mechanism of PD. This study aims to explore brain regions' abnormalities in the new advanced FNM, and estimate whether it can better explain PD. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging resting-state scans were acquired in 40 patients with PD (35 drug-naïve and 5 drug-free) and 40 healthy controls (HCs). Twelve brain regions in the advanced FNM were chosen as regions of interest (ROIs) to examine the group difference in the ROIs and whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Results: We found significantly increased thalamic rsFC with the insula, compared with HCs. And it was significantly correlated with HAMA-somatic score. We also found increased thalamic rsFC with occipital gyrus, temporal gyrus, and frontal gyrus when compared with HCs. Conclusions: Taken together, PD patients exhibit abnormal rsFC alterations within the advanced FNM, especially the increased rsFC within thalamus-insula loop, suggesting that excessive sensitivity to external information plays an important role in PD. The advanced FNM may provide a fuller explanation about PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate mapping of urban impervious surfaces from remote sensing images is crucial for understanding urban land-cover change and addressing impervious-surface-change-related environment issues. To date, the authors of most studies have built indices to map impervious surfaces based on shortwave infrared (SWIR) or thermal infrared (TIR) bands from middle–low-spatial-resolution remote sensing images. However, this limits the use of high-spatial-resolution remote sensing data (e.g., GaoFen-2, Quickbird, and IKONOS). In addition, the separation of bare soil and impervious surfaces has not been effectively solved. In this article, on the basis of the spectra analysis of impervious surface and non-impervious surface (vegetation, water, soil and non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV)) data acquired from world-recognized spectral libraries and Sentinel-2 MSI images in different regions and seasons, a novel spectral index named the Normalized Impervious Surface Index (NISI) was proposed for extracting impervious area information by using blue, green, red and near-infrared (NIR) bands. We performed comprehensive assessments for the NISI, and the results demonstrated that the NISI provided the best studied performance in separating the soil and impervious surfaces from Sentinel-2 MSI images. Furthermore, regarding impervious surfaces mapping accuracy, the NISI had an overall accuracy (OA) of 89.28% (±0.258), a producer's accuracy (PA) of 89.76% (±1.754), and a user's accuracy (UA) of 90.68% (±1.309), which were higher than those of machine learning algorithms, thus supporting the NISI as an effective measurement for urban impervious surfaces mapping and analysis. The results indicate the NISI has a high robustness and a good applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cirrhosis is a common chronic disease in China. The effect of modified Xianglian Pingwei powder plus Western medicine in the treatment of liver cirrhosis and positive small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is promising. Totally, 100 patients with liver cirrhosis and positive intestinal bacterial overgrowth in Cangzhou Central Hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were enrolled and randomized via the random number table method at a ratio of 1 : 1 into the study group and control group. The control group received glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride, and the study group received Xianglian Pingwei powder plus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels of the two groups were decreased after treatment with lower results in the study group. Xianglian Pingwei powder plus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride was associated with a significantly lower positive rate of small intestine bacterial growth, serum endotoxin level, and peripheral blood toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TRL4 levels versus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride. The combined medication achieved a higher efficacy (90.00%) versus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride (66.00%). The two groups experienced similar safety. Xianglian Pingwei powder plus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride achieved significant benefits of clinical efficacy with a high safety profile in patients with liver cirrhosis versus glutathione and levofloxacin hydrochloride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsantan Sumtang (TS), originated from the Four Tantras , is an empirical Tibetan medicine prescription, which has been widely used for treating cardiovascular diseases in the clinic in Qinghai Province of China. Our previous studies found that TS alleviated hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) in rats. However, the effect and bioactive fractions of TS on hypoxia-injured pulmonary vascular endothelium are unknown. To investigate the effect, bioactive fractions and pharmacological mechanism of TS on hypoxia-injured pulmonary vascular endothelium in vivo and in vitro. In vivo studies, HPH animal model was established, and TS was administrated for four weeks. Then, hemodynamic indexes, ex vivo pulmonary artery perfusion experiment, morphological characteristics, nitric oxide (NO) production, and the protein expression of protein kinase B (AKT)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/eNOS signaling were determined. In vitro studies, 1% O 2 -induced pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) injury model was applied for screening bioactive fractions of TS by cell proliferation assay and NO production measurement. The associated proteins of AKT/eNOS signaling were further measured to elucidate underlying mechanism of bioactive fraction of TS via using phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) was used to reveal the chemical profile of bioactive fraction of TS. TS showed protective effect on the integrity of distal pulmonary arterial endothelium in HPH rats. Tsantan Sumtang dilated pulmonary arterial rings in HPH rats. TS enhanced NO bioavailability in lung tissue via regulating AKT/eNOS signaling. Furthermore, in the cellular level, cell viability as well as NO content of hypoxia-injured PAECs were elevated by fraction 17 of water extract of TS (WTS), through activating the AKT/eNOS signaling. Ellagic acid could be one of compositions in fraction 17 of WTS to produce NO in hypoxia-injured PAECs. TS restored pulmonary arterial endothelial function in HPH rats. The bioactive fraction 17 was screened, which protected hypoxia-injured PAECs via upregulating AKT/eNOS signaling. [Display omitted] • TS attenuated HPH by protecting pulmonary vascular endothelial function. • Fraction 17 of WTS elevated hypoxia-injured PAECs viability as well as NO content. • TS activated AKT/eNOS pathway in lung tissue of HPH rats and 1% O 2 -injured PAECs. • Ellagic acid identified in fraction 17 produced NO in 1% O 2 -injured PAECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) ST76 isolates collected during an outbreak in a hospital's intensive care unit and neurosurgery unit. Methods: Seventeen separate clinical isolates of CRKP were collected from patients from March 2016 to February 2017. Bacterial isolates were identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the VITEK-2 compact system. Isolates containing antibiotic resistance genes were characterized by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. Clonal relatedness was assessed by multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Conjugation experiments were performed to determine the transferability of plasmids with antibiotic resistance. The genomic features and mobile genetic elements of ST76 CRKP were detected by whole genome sequencing. Results: ST76 KPC-2–producing CRKP prevailed in our hospital, causing an outbreak. The strains also carried blaSHV-1, blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM-1, qnrB, and acc(6′)Ib-cr resistance genes. Plasmids from 17.7% of the isolated strains bearing these resistance genes could be transferred into the recipient Escherichia coli J53 through conjugation. Sequencing results showed that the KP4 genome mainly consisted of a circular chromosome and three antibiotic resistance plasmids. The plasmid carrying the blaKPC-2 gene was located on a 437 kb IncFIB (pQil) plasmid with Tn1721-blaKPC-2-ΔT3 gene structure. Genes conferring resistance against aminoglycosides, quinolones, fluoroquinolones, beta-lactamase, phenicols, sulfonamides, and trimethoprims and the presence of virulence-associated genes related to iron acquisition or adhesins were determined. Conclusion: This is the first report of the whole genome sequence of a KPC-2–producing K. pneumoniae ST76 isolate. This work provides a basis for understanding antibiotic resistance and resistant plasmid transmission. Relevant departments should implement infection control and prevention measures to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains have recently come into existence worldwide; however, researchers in northeast China are not aware of their clinical features and molecular characteristics.Methods: Here, the molecular and virulent characteristics of 44 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) isolates collected from January 2015 to December 2017 were studied. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were carried out to define the clonal relatedness among the isolates. PCR and capsular serotyping of the virulence-associated genes, as well as biofilm formation and serum complement-mediated killing assays, were employed to determine the virulent potential. The genomic features and associated mobile genetic elements of JmsCRE57 were detected by whole genome sequencing.Results: The only positive isolate was JmsCRE57, which belonged to the ST375 serotype K2 that expressed uge, mrkD, fimH, kpn, aerobactin and rmpA virulence-associated genes and showed strong biofilm formation and serum sensitivity. Sequencing results showed that the JmsCRE57 genome mainly consisted of a circular chromosome, three antimicrobial resistant plasmids and a virulent plasmid. The antimicrobial resistant plasmid expressing blaKPC-2, blaCTX-M-15, aph(3″)-Ib, aph(6)-Id, qnrB1, aac(3)-IIa, aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaOXA-1, blaTEM-1B, catB4, sul2, dfrA14 and blaSHV-99. The virulent plasmid belonged to the IncHI1B group, which is mainly composed of mucoid phenotype genes and siderophore-associated genes. The remaining CRKP strains that expressed uge, fimH, mrkD and kpn virulence-associated genes were not successfully typed.Conclusion: Our results provide new insights on the epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant K2 hypervirulent K. pneumoniae ST375 and CRKP ST76 strains in northeast China, which may help control their future outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persulfate activation has been applied as one of the efficient advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to remediate polluted environments. In this study, a novel α-FeOOH anchored by graphene oxide (GO)-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aerogel (α-FeOOH@GCA) nanocomposite activated persulfate system (α-FeOOH@GCA + K 2 S 2 O 8) was applied for decolorization of Orange II (OII). The decolorization of OII was remarkably enhanced to a level of ~ 99% in this system compared with that of pristine α-FeOOH (~ 44%) or GO-CNTs (~ 18%). The enhanced catalytic activity of α-FeOOH@GCA was due to the formation of a heterojunction by α-FeOOH and GO-CNTs as confirmed by the presence of Fe–O–C chemical bonds. The degradation intermediates of OII were comprehensively identified. The proposed degradation pathway of OII begins with the destruction of the conjugated structures of OII by the dominant reactive oxygen species, surface-bound SO 4 •−. The decolorization efficiency of OII by the α-FeOOH@GCA activated persulfate system decreased from the first to third cycle of recycling. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation or introduction of a small amount of Fe2+ could restore the activation of this system. The results show that the α-FeOOH@GCA persulfate activation system promises to be a highly efficient environmental remediation method for organic pollutants. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sustainable strategy for ROX degradation and in-situ adsorbing As(V) formed in α-FeOOH@GCA/PS/UV system and recover stripped As(V) as photocatalyst were explored. • α-FeOOH@GCA was synthesized and used as a new persulfate activator under UV irradiation. • Efficient degradation of roxarsone with in-situ adsorption of formed As(V) was achieved in this system. • The roxarsone degradation intermediates formed on α-FeOOH@GCA were firstly explored through TOF-SIMS technique. • A possible roxarsone degradation mechanism in α-FeOOH@GCA/PS/UV system was proposed. • The As(V) stripped from the surface of α-FeOOH@GCA was used to fabricate efficient catalyst. Roxarsone (ROX) is extensively used as a feed additive which tends to leave toxic inorganic arsenic (As) in the natural environment. A composite of reduced graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes was impregnated with goethite designated as α-FeOOH@GCA and tested as an integrated catalyst and adsorbent for ROX decontamination. Nearly 100% of the ROX was transformed in α-FeOOH@GCA activating persulfate (PS) under UV 365 irradiation system at relatively low dosage of the α-FeOOH@GCA catalyst (250 mg L−1) in 120 min. The As(V) released in the ROX oxidation was simultaneously adsorbed onto the surface of the α-FeOOH@GCA. A possible ROX transformation pathway is proposed. The As(V) adsorbed on catalyst was recovered and used to form an efficient Ag 3 AsO 4 photocatalyst. This work further extends the oxidation-adsorption technology in solving organoarsenical contamination without producing secondary pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Srolo Bzhtang (SBT), a traditional Tibetan medicine formula, was composed of three herbs, Solms-Laubachia eurycarpa , Bergenia purpurascens , Glycyrrhiza uralensis , and one lac, and was first documented in the ancient Tibetan medical work Four Medical Tantras (rGyud-bzhi) in the eighth century AD. It has been widely used to treat lung "phlegm-heat" syndromes such as chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential influences of aqueous extract of SBT on airway inflammation and mucus secretion and to reveal the underlying mechanism in a rat model of cigarette smoke (CS)-induced chronic bronchitis (CB). Materials and methods Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided to six groups: control (room air exposure), model (CS exposure), DEX (CS exposure and 0.2 mg/kg/day dexamethasone), and three SBT (CS exposure and 1.67, 2.50, and 3.34 g/kg/day SBT) groups. DEX and the three doses of SBT were administered by oral gavage every day for eight weeks. Pathological changes and mucus expression in the lung tissue were determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) and immunohistochemical staining. The levels of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were assessed by ELISA. Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR were performed to explore the effects of SBT on the expression of IL-13, STAT6 and MUC5AC. Results Pretreatment with SBT attenuated the TNF-α, IL-8, IL-13 expression levels in BALF and the inflammatory cell infiltration in bronchial walls and peribronchial lung tissue. SBT exhibited a dose-dependent downregulation of MUC5AC expression as assessed by AB-PAS and immunohistochemical staining. The protein and mRNA levels of IL-13, STAT6/p-STAT6 and MUC5AC were also downregulated by SBT preconditioning. Conclusion These results for the first time demonstrated that SBT exhibited protective effects on CS-induced airway inflammation and MUC5AC hypersecretion, which might be related to the downregulation of the IL-13/STAT6 signaling pathway. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To enhance the catalytic and separation properties of akaganéite nanoparticles, rice spike-like akaganéite impregnated graphene oxide (β-FeOOH@GO) nanocomposite was fabricated through facile hydrolysis. The apparent first-order decolorization rate of methylene blue (MB) in β-FeOOH@GO catalyzed photo Fenton-like system was 0.6322 min−1 about 3 folds that of prinstine β-FeOOH nanoparticles. The degradation intermediates of MB adsorbed on the solid surface of β-FeOOH@GO were comprehensively identified with time of flight-secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) for the first time. Newly identified sulfoxide intermediates, sulphone intermediates and desulfurization intermediates and N-demethylaton or dedimethamine intermediates were reported for the first time. The proposed degradation pathway of MB predominantly proceeded with the rupture of phenothiazine rings oxided with OH, Image 1 and singlet oxygen (1O 2) radicals, which fully extending the reaction pathways proposed in previous work in literature. The enhanced catalytic activity of β-FeOOH@GO was ascribed to the formation of heterojunctions confirmed by the presence of Fe O C chemical bonds through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The complete elimination of MB and its acute toxicity to Luminous bacteria showed that β-FeOOH@GO would be served as a highly efficient Fenton-like catalyst for treatment of high concentration refractory organic contaminant. Highlights • β-FeOOH@GO greatly enhanced Fenton oxidation efficiency. • OH, HO 2 − and 1O 2 radicals were involved this system. • Degradation intermediates on catalyst surface was identified with TOF-SIMS. • A series of newly identified intermediates were reported first time. • Synergistic catalytic mechanism of β-FeOOH@GO was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening metabolites in vivo can be challenging due to the complexity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the ambiguous intracorporal process. To resolve this problem, we established the mass spectrum-based orthogonal projection (MSOP) method to differentiate prototype compounds from metabolites in vivo and applied it to the study of metabolites of Pulsatilla chinensis (PC). Initially, the validity and feasibility of the MSOP method were verified by using the ultra- high-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) data of reference solution. Then, the MSOP method was applied to screen the metabolites of PC. A total of 63 metabolites were identified in vivo (urine, feces, bile, and plasma samples) and in vitro (intestinal bacteria biological sample). The results indicated that the main metabolic pathways of pentacyclic triterpenoids were demethylation, oxidation, dehydration, sulfation, and glucuronidation reactions. This study contributes to developing an integrated strategy based on chemometrics to characterize and classify the metabolism feature of pentacyclic triterpenoids of PC. This will support the scientific and rational application of PC in the clinic. The MSOP method based on the orthogonality of MS signals was used to differentiate the prototype compounds from metabolites in vivo. The method provides scientific and reliable support for fully understanding the metabolic fate of TCM. [Display omitted] • The orthogonal projection was used to screen the metabolites rapidly. • Analyzing the metabolic feature by using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS and orthogonal projection. • A total of 20 prototype components and 63 metabolites were identified. • The study affords support for understanding the metabolic fate of Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this paper is to establish the property of zero product determinacy for the algebra Alg L , where L is either a completely distributive commutative subspace lattice or a subspace lattice with two atoms. This objective is achieved by employing a technical approach that involves demonstrating the isomorphism between the multiplier algebra of the algebra consisting of compact operators belonging to Alg L and Alg L . Furthermore, we investigate the properties of derivations and homomorphisms on these algebras as an application of our main result. Additionally, we prove that in the finite-dimensional case, a unital algebra generated by a single operator is zero product determined if and only if every local derivation from the algebra to any of its Banach bimodules is a derivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Rhodiola algida var. tangutica (Maxim.) S.H. Fu is a perennial plant of the Crassulaceae family that grows in the mountainous regions of Asia. The rhizome and roots of this plant have been long used as Tibetan folk medicine for preventing high latitude sickness. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine the effect of bioactive fraction from R. algida (ACRT) on chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH) and to understand the possible mechanism of its pharmacodynamic actions. Materials and methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into five groups: control group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia+ACRT groups (62.5, 125, and 250 mg/kg/day of ACRT). The chronic hypoxic environment was created in a hypobaric chamber by adjusting the inner pressure and oxygen content for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, major physiological parameters of pulmonary arterial hypertension such as mPAP, right ventricle index (RV/LV+S, RVHI), hematocrit (Hct) levels and the medial vessel thickness (wt%) were measured. Protein and mRNA expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1, p27Kip1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4)) were detected by western blotting and real time PCR respectively. Chemical profile of ACRT was revealed by ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Results The results showed that a successful HPAH rat model was established in a hypobaric chamber for 4 weeks, as indicated by the significant increase in mPAP, RV/LV+S, RV/BW and wt%. Compared with the normal group, administration of ACRT reduced mPAP, right ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary small artery wall thickness, and damage in ultrastructure induced by hypoxia in rats. PCNA, cyclin D1, and CDK4 expression was reduced ( p <0.05), and p27Kip1 expression increased ( p <0.05) in hypoxia+ACRT groups compared to hypoxia. 38 constituents in bioactive fraction were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Conclusion Our results suggest that ACRT could alleviate chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension. And its anti-proliferation mechanism in rats based on decreasing PCNA, cyclin D1, CDK4 expression level and inhibiting p27Kip1 degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is a critical parameter for the dynamic simulation of land surface processes and for analyzing variations on regional or global scales. Obtaining LST with high spatiotemporal resolution is a subject of intensive and ongoing research. This study proposes a pixel-wise temporal alignment iterative linear regression model for downscaling based on MODIS LST products. This approach allows us to address the problem of high temporal resolution but low spatial resolution of the ERA5 reanalysis LST product while remaining immune to the pixel loss caused by clouds. The hourly ERA5 LST of the study area for 2012–2021 was downscaled to a 1000 m resolution, and its accuracy was verified by comparison with measured data from meteorological stations. The downscaled LST offers intricate details and is faithful to the LST characteristics of distinct land-cover categories. In comparison with other downscaling techniques, the proposed technique is more stable and preserves the spatial distribution of the ERA5 LST with minimal missing pixels. The pixel-wise average R2 and mean absolute error for the MODIS view times are 0.87 and 2.7 K, respectively, for cloud-free conditions on a 1000 m scale. The accuracy verification using data from meteorological stations indicates that the overall error is lower during cloudless periods rather than during overcast periods, during the night rather than during the day, and at MODIS view times rather than at non-view times. The maximum and minimum mean errors are 0.13 K for cloud-free periods and −0.98 K for cloudy periods, indicating a slight underestimation and overestimation, respectively. Conversely, the maximum and minimum mean absolute errors are 2.01 K for the daytime and 0.85 K for the nighttime. Therefore, the model ensures higher accuracy during cloudy periods with only the clear-sky LST used as input data, making it suitable for long-term, all-weather ERA5 LST downscaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Srolo Bzhtang (SBT), which consists of Solms-laubachia eurycarpa , Bergenia purpurascens , Glycyrrhiza uralensis , and lac secreted by Laccifer lacca Kerr (Lacciferidae Cockerell), is a well-known traditional Tibetan medicinal formula and was documented to cure "lung-heat" syndrome by eliminating "chiba" in the ancient Tibetan medical work Four Medical Tantras (Rgyud bzhi). Clinically, it is a therapy for pulmonary inflammatory disorders, such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, whether and how SBT participates in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is still unclear. We aimed to determine the role of SBT in attenuating pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular remodeling caused by monocrotaline (MCT) and hypoxia. To elucidate the potential mechanism underlying SBT-mediated PAH, we investigated the changes in inflammatory cytokines and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH rat models were used. After administering SBT for four weeks, the rats were tested for hemodynamic indicators, hematological changes, pulmonary arterial morphological changes, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum and lung tissues. Protein expression of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway was determined using western blotting. SBT reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines induced by MCT and hypoxia in rats. Furthermore, SBT significantly suppressed the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that SBT alleviates MCT- and hypoxia-induced PAH in rats, which is related to its anti-inflammatory actions involving inhibition of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Widely targeted metabolomic technology was applied for differences in ZR, ZRP and CG. • Chemical derivatization was used to extract the different submetabolomes. • Most metabolites contributed to a downward trend after processing of ZR. • The maximum content of flavanones, phenylpropanes and polyphenols appeared in ZRP. • Alcohols represented the maximum content in CG comparing with ZR and ZRP. Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) has nutritional value and application potentiality, while Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum (ZRP) and Carbonised Ginger (CG) are two main processed products of ZR based on different methods. Here, we performed a widely targeted metabolomics method with Sequential Windowed Acquisition of all Theoretical fragment ions (SWATH) mode to analyze differential metabolites in ZR, ZRP and CG. Additionally, the chemical derivatization was applied to characterize different submetabolomes and improve the separation effect and MS response of metabolites. In total, 369 metabolites were identified and divided into 14 categories, 104 of which were differential metabolites. Our results suggest that carbohydrates, nucleotides, organic acids, vitamins, lipids, indoles, alkaloids, and terpenes contributed to a downward trend after processing, but the maximum content of flavanones, phenylpropanes and polyphenols appeared in ZRP, and that of alcohols appeared in CG. These findings serve as promising perspectives for developing functional food in ZR, ZRP and CG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(E)-β-farnesene is a sesquiterpene semiochemical that is used extensively by both plants and animals for communication. This acyclic olefin is found in the essential oil of chamomile ( Matricaria recutita ) and was demonstrated that it could attract natural enemies to reduce cabbage aphids in the Chinese cabbage fields. However, little is known regarding the sequence and function of (E)-β-farnesene synthase in M. recutita . In this study, we reported a new full-length cDNA encoding (E)-β-farnesene synthase from M. recutita ( Mr - βFS ). The cDNA of Mr - βFS consisted of 2010 bp including 1725 bp of coding sequence encoding a protein of 574 amino acids with a molecular weight of 67 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibits a considerably higher homology to βFS from Artemisia annua (about 92% identity) than to βFSs from other plants (about 20–40% identity). The recombinant enzyme, produced in Escherichia coli , catalyzed the formation of a single product, (E)-β-farnesene, from farnesyl diphosphate. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that Mr - βFS expression was highest in leaves and lowest in disk florets. The treatment of M. recutita with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) significantly enhanced the transcriptional level of βFS gene and the content of (E)-β-farnesene in M. recutita . The transcriptional level of βFS gene was approximately 11.5-fold higher than the control sample and the (E)-β-farnesene emission level ranged from approximately from 0.082 to 0.695 μg/g after 24 h induction. Our results laid a solid foundation for later improving crop aphid resistance by transgenic technology and provided an important basic data for the regulation of valuable products from M. recutita . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have been done to investigate the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study we aimed to test the relationship between plasma BDNF levels and PTSD. We solicited 65 subjects having recently experienced road traffic accidents (RTA) conforming to screening criteria. They were given follow-up examinations after one month, three months, and six months. PTSD was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-R-TR, American Psychiatric Association, 2000) using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). All participants were divided into two groups: a group with PTSD and a group without PTSD. There were no significant differences in plasma BDNF levels between the two groups at either the 48 h or six-month examination. Within the PTSD group, no significant differences were found in plasma BDNF levels between the two examinations. BDNF levels in those without PTSD showed a higher trend over time after trauma. Higher BDNF levels may be an important protective factor for the prevention of traumatized subjects from developing PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel non-targeted metabonomics method was applyed in discrimination of ZR, ZRP and CG. • A comprehensive SIBDV method was firstly proposed to characterize and screening gingerols in ZR, ZRP and CG. • A total of 59 gingerols were identified, which was the first comprehensive and systematic presentation of gingerols. • PCA and OPLS-DA showed differences, and 33 differential components were characterized as potentially chemical markers. • These findings provides promising perspectives in the quality control of ZR, ZRP and CG. Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR) is a homologous plant with pungent tastes and aromas, which has unique nutritional value and tremendous application potentiality. Zingiberis Rhizoma Praeparatum (ZRP) and Carbonised Ginger (CG) are processed products of ZR through different processing methods, and they are commonly used ingredients in food supplements. This study used ZR, ZRP and CG from different batches to further understand composition differences after processing. Additionally, we performed non-targeted metabolomics-based profiling of gingerols by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) in combination with multivariate analysis and compounds identification. In which, we developed a comprehensive SWATH-IDA bi-directionally verified (SIBDV) method integrating the advantages of Sequential Windowed Acquisition of all Theoretical fragment ions (SWATHTM) and traditional information-dependent acquisition (IDA) mode for characterization of gingerols. Potential chemical markers were selected by principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) of chemometrics methods. After that, the threshold variable importance in projection (VIP) value and P value were employed to screen the valuable MS features for discriminating ZR, ZRP and CG. In total, 59 gingerols in the different samples were structurally identified. Results allowed the selection of 33 gingerols, which are nominated as novel markers for materials authentication in ZR, ZRP and CG. The analysis of the study showed that the content of gingerols showed a downward trend after processing, but shogaols and gingerone compounds had an upward trend, resulting in differences in application and pharmacodynamic efficacy. These findings provide promising perspectives in the quality control of ZR, ZRP and CG, as well as for laying the foundation in food design and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a large catalog of 419 Ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), carefully selected from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-infrared data and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey eighth data release, and classify them into three subsamples, based on their emission line properties: H II-like ULIRGs, Seyfert 2 ULIRGs, and composite ULIRGs. We apply our new efficient spectral synthesis technique, which is based on mean field approach to Bayesian independent component analysis (MF-ICA) method, to the galaxy integrated spectra. We also analyze the stellar population properties, including percentage contribution, stellar age, and stellar mass, for these three types of ULIRGs, and explore the evolution among them. We find no significant difference between the properties of stellar populations in ULIRGs with or without active galactic nucleus components. Our results suggest that there is no evolutionary link among these three type ULIRGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Volatile oil is an important bioactive ingredient of Rhodiola tangutica (Maxim.) S.H. Fu, namely, R. tangutica in short. Previous studies have focused on its chemical composition. In our previous research, we found that the bioactive fraction of Rhodiola tangutica could significantly alleviate hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) in rats. However, it remains unknown whether the volatile oil of Rhodiola tangutica (VORA) could alleviate HPH in rats. Aim of the Study. The main purpose of this study is to explore the effect as well as the corresponding mechanism of VORA among HPH rats, so as to provide evidences for the further exploration of aromatic substances of VORA. Materials and Methods. Seventy-five male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were separated into control (Ctr), hypoxia (Hyp), and Hyp+VORA treatment (100 mg/kg/d, 80 mg/kg/d, and 40 mg/kg/d) groups in random. To achieve the chronic hypoxia condition, rats were kept inside the hypobaric chamber with automatically adjusted inner pressure as well as oxygen content equal to those of 4500 m in altitude for 4 continuous weeks. After 4 weeks, the rats' physiological parameters were determined (mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP); right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI)). Based on hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM), morphological features of their lung tissues were also analyzed. Proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) was detected by MTS Cell Proliferation Colorimetric assay. The levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PASMCs were detected through corresponding kits, respectively. The protein levels in PASMCs and HPH rats were evaluated by Western blot (WB). Chemical components of VORA were detected through gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Results. After induced by hypoxia for 4 weeks, the mPAP and RVHI levels were increased significantly in hypoxia group in contrast to the Ctr group, indicating the establishment of HPH rat model. The subsequent administration of VORA decreased the mPAP and RVHI level. The vascular wall thickness and lumen size were also decreased after treated by VORA compared with Hyp group. Meanwhile, VORA suppressed the proliferation and oxidant stress in PASMCs. Therefore, the effect of VORA on decreasing vascular wall thickening and lumen size could be related to its antiproliferation effect on PASMCs. In addition, compared to the Hyp group, VORA downregulated the ACE, AngII, and AT1R protein expressions but increased ACE2 and MAS protein expressions (P < 0.05). A total of 48 constituents in VORA were identified by GC-MS in comparison with reference standards as well as the reference pieces of literatures. Conclusions. HPH rat model as established based on the significant increased mPAP and RVHI. VORA presented a significant antihypoxia function plus an inhibiting effect on PASMC proliferation induced by hypoxia. Moreover, VORA treatment inhibited oxidative stress among PASMCs. With regard to the mechanism, VORA reduced ACE, AngII, and AT1R protein expressions but increased ACE2 and MAS protein expressions. There were 48 constituents in VORA identified by GC-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in immunocompromised patients for the diagnosis of suspected pneumonia in comparison with that of conventional microbiological tests (CMTs).Methods: Sixty-nine immunocompromised patients with suspected pneumonia received both CMTs and mNGS of BALF were analyzed retrospectively. The diagnostic value was compared between CMTs and mNGS, using the clinical composite diagnosis as the reference standard.Results: Sixty patients were diagnosed of pneumonia including fifty-two patients with identified pathogens and eight patients with probable pathogens. Taking the composite reference standard as a gold standard, 42 pathogens were identified by CMTs including nine bacteria, 17 fungi, 8 virus, 6 Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, and two Legionella and 19(45%) of which were detected by BALF culture. As for mNGS, it identified 76 pathogens including 20 bacteria, 31 fungi, 14 virus, 5 Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, four Legionella and two Chlamydia psittaci. The overall detection rate of mNGS for pathogens were higher than that of CMTs. However, a comparable diagnostic accuracy of mNGS and CMTs were found for bacterial and viral infections. mNGS exhibited a higher diagnostic accuracy for fungal detection than CMTs (78% vs. 57%, P < 0.05), which mainly because of the high sensitivity of mNGS in patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) (100% vs. 28%, P < 0.05). Nineteen patients were identified as pulmonary co-infection, mNGS test showed a higher detection rate and broader spectrum for pathogen detection than that of CMTs in co-infection. Moreover, Pneumocystis jirovecii was the most common pathogen in co-infection and mNGS have identified much more co-pathogens of PJP than CMTs.Conclusions: mNGS of BALF improved the microbial detection rate of pathogens and exhibited remarkable advantages in detecting PJP and identifying co-infection in immunocompromised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron transport properties at n-type LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces have been investigated numerically. Carrier distributions, band structures, and sheet density have been calculated by solving Schrödinger equations with Poisson equation in a self-consistent manner for various LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces with and without atomic interdiffusions. It was found that the interface with A-site atom interdiffusion has the critical thickness of 4 unit cells below which it remains insulating. Most electrons are localized within 10 nm from the interface forming two-dimensional electron gas and multi-subbands are occupied indicating the multi-channel conduction. Electron mobility along the A-site atom interdiffused interface has been calculated using the linearized Boltzmann transport equation including scattering mechanisms of acoustic phonon, polar optical phonon, interface roughness, and net charged layers. At low temperature, the mobility is limited by the interface roughness and net charged layers. At room temperature, the polar optical phonon is the dominant electron scattering mechanism and the mobility is almost independent from the thickness of LaAlO3 film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsantan Sumtang, which consists of Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt et Hill, Myristica fragrans Houtt and Santalum album L, is a traditional and common prescription of Tibetan medicine. Tsantan Sumtang originates from Four Tantra with properties of nourishing heart and has been used as a folk medicine for cardiovascular diseases and heart failure in Qinghai, Tibet and Inner Mongolia. Our previous studies found that Tsantan Sumtang showed beneficial effects on right ventricular structure in hypoxia rats, while the underling mechanism remains unclear. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Tsantan Sumtang attenuated right ventricular (RV) remodeling and fibrosis of chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH) rats. Fifty male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (170 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into control group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia + Tsantan Sumtang groups (1.0 g· kg−1·day−1, 1.25 g· kg−1·day−1, 1.5 g ·kg−1·day−1). Rats in the hypoxia group and hypoxia + Tsantan Sumtang groups were maintained in a hypobaric chamber by adjusting the inner pressure and oxygen content to simulate an altitude of 4500 m for 28 days. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI), the ratio of RV weight to tibia length (TL) (RV/TL), heart rate (HR) and RV systolic pressure (RVSP) was determined. Histomorphological assay of RV structure was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. RV tissue fibrosis was assessed by collagen proportion area (CPA), collagen I, collagen III and hydroxyproline content. CPA was obtained by picro-sirius red staining (PSR). The expression of collagen I and collagen III were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The hydroxyproline content was detected by alkaline hydrolysis. In addition, the level of angiotensin II (AngII) and angiotensin 1-7 (Ang1-7) in RV tissue was tested by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Protein expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), AngII, AngII type 1 receptor (AT1R), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), Mas receptor (Mas) were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. mRNA level of ACE, AT1R, ACE2, Mas were tested by qPCR. The chemical profile of Tsantan Sumtang was revealed by UHPLC-Q-Exactive hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass analysis. Our results showed that RVHI, RV/TL and RVSP were significantly increased in HPAH rat. Furthermore, levels of collagen I, collagen III and hydroxyproline were up-regulated in RV tissue under hypoxia. We found that RV hypertrophy and fibrosis were associated with increased expression of ACE, AngII, AT1R as well as decreased expression of ACE2, Ang1-7 and Mas. RV remodeling and fibrosis were attenuated after Tsantan Sumtang administration by up-regulating ACE2 and Mas level as well as down-regulating ACE, AngII and AT1R levels in RV tissue. 35 constituents in Tsantan Sumtang were identified. Tsantan Sumtang attenuated RV remodeling and fibrosis in rat exposed to chronic hypoxia. The pharmacological effect of Tsantan Sumtang was based on equilibrating ACE-AngII-AT1R and ACE2-Ang1-7-Mas axis of RV tissue in HPAH rat. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, PC12 cells were applied to detect the impact of progesterone under oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) stimulation. The cell proliferation of PC12 cells was evaluated by cell counting kit-8 assay, and the concentrations of MDA, ROS and SOD were examined by their corresponding Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay kits. The invasion and migration properties of PC12 cells were evaluated by transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. The expression patterns of related genes were evaluated by western blot and qPCR. Under OGD/R stimulation, progesterone treatment could elevate the viability of PC12 cells, reduce the levels of MDA and ROS, and elevate the concentration of SOD. Moreover, progesterone treatment could strengthen the invasion and migration abilities of PC12 cells under OGD/R condition, as well as decrease the apoptosis and inflammation. FABP5 expression was significantly increased in PC12 cells under OGD/R stimulation, which was reversed after progesterone stimulation. Under OGD/R stimulation, the protective effects of progesterone on PC12 cells were strengthened after si-FABP5 treatment. The protein levels of TLR4, p-P65 NF-κB, and P65 NF-κB in OGD/R-induced PC12 cells were increased, which were inhibited after progesterone treatment. Progesterone exerted protective effects on PC12 cells by targeting FABP5 under OGD/R stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pulmonary vascular disease caused by a variety of causes and has a poor prognosis. Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is one of the types of PH. Cordyceps sinensis could treat a variety of lung diseases; its pharmacological active ingredients mainly include cordycepin, nucleosides, cordyceps polysaccharides, sterols, and amino acids. Fermented cordyceps powder (FCP) is an alternative to C. sinensis. In order to investigate the effect of FCP on HPH in rats, we established the HPH rat model. Materials and Methods: Forty-two male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group, hypoxia group, hypoxia + FCP (0.1 g.kg−1.d−1), hypoxia + FCP (0.2 g.kg−1.d−1), hypoxia + FCP (0.4 g.kg−1.d−1), and hypoxia + sildenafil (30 mg.kg−1.d−1) group. Except for the control group, the other five groups of rats were fed in the hypobaric chamber. The corresponding dose was given by intragastric administration, once a day, for 28 days. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured; hematological parameters white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils (Neu), Lymphocytes (Lym), monocytes (Mon), red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and platelets (PLT) levels were detected; serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the morphological changes of pulmonary arterioles were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the vascular remodeling indexes, vessel wall thickness as a percentage of vascular outer diameter (WT%), vascular wall area as a percentage of total vessel area (WA%), and lumen area as a percentage of the total vascular area (LA%) were calculated; the protein expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, p-p38, p38, p-IκBα, IκBα, p-p65, and p65 were determined by western blotting. Results: FCP could significantly downregulate mPAP, improve pulmonary arteriole remodeling, and reduce the serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in HPH rats. In addition, FCP downregulated the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, p-p38, p-IκBα, and p-p65. Conclusion: FCP could alleviate mPAP and vascular remodeling in HPH rats. Its mechanism could be through inhibiting the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and by downregulating the expression of inflammatory factors. Our study might provide a research basis for the therapeutic potential of FCP in HPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to develop a nomogram that can be combined with point-of-care gastric ultrasound and utilised to predict postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in adult patients after emergency surgery. Methods: Imaging and clinical data of 236 adult patients undergoing emergency surgery in a university hospital between April 2022 and February 2023 were prospectively collected. Patients were divided into a training cohort (n = 177) and a verification cohort (n = 59) in a ratio of 3:1, according to a random number table. After univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis of the training cohort, independent risk factors for PONV were screened to develop the nomogram model. The receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC) were used to evaluate the prediction efficiency, accuracy, and clinical practicability of the model. Results: Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female sex, history of PONV, history of migraine and gastric cross-sectional area were independent risk factors for PONV. These four independent risk factors were utilised to construct the nomogram model, which achieved significant concordance indices of 0.832 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.771–0.893) and 0.827 (95% CI, 0.722–0.932) for predicting PONV in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The nomogram also had well-fitted calibration curves. DCA and CIC indicated that the nomogram had great clinical practicability. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the prediction efficacy, differentiation, and clinical practicability of a nomogram for predicting PONV. This nomogram may serve as an intuitive and visual guide for rapid risk assessment in patients with PONV before emergency surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) is a brief, structured psychodynamic psychotherapy with demonstrated efficacy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of the study was to determine whether DIT is an acceptable and efficacious treatment for MDD patients in China. Method: Patients were randomized to 16-week treatments with either DIT plus antidepressant medication (DIT + ADM; n = 66), general supportive therapy plus antidepressant medication (GST + ADM; n = 75) or antidepressant medication alone (ADM; n = 70). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) administered by blind raters was the primary efficacy measure. Assessments were completed during the acute 16-week treatment and up to 12-month posttreatment. Results: The group × time interaction was significant for the primary outcome HAMD (F = 2.900, df1 = 10, df2 = 774.72, p = 0.001) in the acute treatment phase. Pairwise comparisons showed a benefit of DIT + ADM over ADM at weeks 12 [least-squares (LS) mean difference = −3.161, p = 0.007] and 16 (LS mean difference = −3.237, p = 0.004). Because of the unexpected high attrition during the posttreatment follow-up phase, analyses of follow-up data were considered exploratory. Differences between DIT + ADM and ADM remained significant at the 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up (p s range from 0.001 to 0.027). DIT + ADM had no advantage over GST + ADM during the acute treatment phase. However, at the 12-month follow-up, patients who received DIT remained less depressed. Conclusions: Acute treatment with DIT or GST in combination with ADM was similarly efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms and yielded a better outcome than ADM alone. DIT may provide MDD patients with long-term benefits in symptom improvement but results must be viewed with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hyperproliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) plays a pivotal role in pulmonary arterial remodeling (PAR) of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH). 4-Terpineol is a constituent of Myristic fragrant volatile oil in Santan Sumtang. Our previous study found that Myristic fragrant volatile oil alleviated PAR in HPH rats. However, the effect and pharmacological mechanism of 4-terpineol in HPH rats remain unexplored. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia chamber (simulated altitudes of 4500 m) for 4 weeks to establish an HPH model in this study. During this period, rats were intragastrically administrated with 4-terpineol or sildenafil. After that, hemodynamic indexes and histopathological changes were assessed. Moreover, a hypoxia-induced cellular proliferative model was established by exposing PASMCs to 3% O 2. PASMCs were pretreated with 4-terpineol or LY294002 to explore whether 4-terpineol targeted PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The PI3K/Akt-related proteins expression was also accessed in lung tissues of HPH rats. We found that 4-terpineol attenuated mPAP and PAR in HPH rats. Then, cellular experiments showed 4-terpineol inhibited hypoxia-induced PASMCs proliferation via down-regulating PI3K/Akt expression. Furthermore, 4-terpineol decreased the p-Akt, p-p38, and p-GSK-3β protein expression, as well as reduced the PCNA, CDK4, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 protein levels, while increasing levels of cleaved caspase 3, Bax, and p27kip1in lung tissues of HPH rats. Our results suggested that 4-terpineol mitigated PAR in HPH rats by inhibiting the proliferation and inducing apoptosis of PASMCs through suppression of the PI3K/Akt-related signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • 4-Terpineol alleviated pulmonary artery remodeling in HPH rats. • 4-Terpineol repressed hypoxia-induced proliferation in PASMCs. • 4-Terpineol exerted protective effects through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nitride stress capping layer is an industry proven technique for increasing electron mobility and drive currents in n-channel silicon MOSFETs. Herein, the strain induced by silicon nitride is firstly characterized through the changes in photoluminescence and Raman spectra of a bare bilayer MoS2 (Molybdenum disulfide). To make an analogy of the strain-gated silicon MOSFET, strain is exerted to a bilayer MoS2 field effect transistor (FET) through deposition of a silicon nitride stress liner that warps both the gate and the source-drain area. Helium plasma etched MoS2 layers for edge contacts. Current on/off ratio and other performance metrics are measured and compared as the FETs evolve from back-gated, to top-gated and finally, to strain-gated configurations. While the indirect band gap of bilayer MoS2 at 0% strain is 1.25 eV, the band gap decreases as the tensile strain increases on an average of ~100 meV per 1% tensile strain, and the decrease in band gap is mainly due to lowering the conduction band at K point. Comparing top- and strain-gated structures, we find a 58% increase in electron mobility and 46% increase in on-current magnitude, signalling a benign effect of tensile strain on the carrier transport properties of MoS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: To investigate differences in blood routine indexes and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) and their relationship with clinical prognosis. Methods: We investigated changes in blood routine indexes between the MPeM patients and healthy subjects and detected the expression of COX-2 and NF-κB in peritoneal tissues by a streptavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry method. Potential prognostic factors were analyzed including age, gender, white blood cell count (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), absolute platelet count (APC), absolute monocyte count (AMC), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), COX-2, and NF-κB. Cox regression model analysis established independent factors for the survival prognosis of the patients. Results: Compared with the control group, AMC, MXD%, ANC, neutrophilic granulocyte percentage (NEUT%), APC, NLR, MLR, and PLR were markedly increased (p < 0.05) in the MPeM group. The positivity rates for COX-2 and NF-κB expression were 59.4 and 44.9%, respectively. Single factor analyses indicated that PLR, NLR, MLR, COX-2, and NF-κB were factors that affected the overall survival of MPeM patients, but multivariate analyses identified MLR and COX-2 as independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: High blood levels of MLR and COX-2 are adverse prognostic factors for patients with MPeM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Victims of motor vehicle accidents often develop post-traumatic stress disorder, which causes significant social function loss. For the difficulty in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, identification of subjects at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder is essential for providing possible intervention. This paper aims to examine the cortical structural traits related to susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder. Methods: To address this issue, we performed structural magnetic resonance imaging study in motor vehicle accident victims within 48 hours from the accidents. A total of 70 victims, available for both clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data, enrolled in our study. Upon completion of 6-month follow-up, 29 of them developed post-traumatic stress disorder, while 41 of them didn’t. At baseline, voxelwise comparisons of cortical thickness, cortical area and cortical volume were conducted between post-traumatic stress disorder group and trauma control group. Results: As expected, several reduced cortical volume within frontal-temporal loop were observed in post-traumatic stress disorder. For cortical thickness, no between-group differences were observed. There were three clusters in left hemisphere and one cluster in right hemisphere showing decreased cortical area in post-traumatic stress disorder patients, compared with trauma controls. Peak voxels of the three clusters in left hemisphere were separately located in superior parietal cortex, insula and rostral anterior cingulate cortex. Conclusion: The finding of reduced surface area of left insula and left rostral anterior cingulate cortex suggests that shrinked surface area in motor vehicle accident victims could act as potential biomarker of subjects at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is considered a major contributor to elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and a key mechanism of vascular remodeling in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH). Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid compound and can be derived from numerous common medicinal herbs and vegetables, which exhibit antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties, however, the effects of kaempferol on vascular remodeling in HPH remain unexplored. In this study, SD rats were placed in a hypobaric hypoxia chamber for four weeks to establish a pulmonary hypertension model and given either kaempferol or sildenafil (an inhibitor of PDE-5) during days 1–28, after which the hemodynamic parameter and pulmonary vascular morphometry were assessed. Furthermore, primary rat PASMCs were exposed to hypoxic conditions to generate a cell proliferation model, then incubated with either kaempferol or LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3K). Immunoblotting and real-time quantitative PCR assessed the protein and mRNA expression levels in HPH rat lungs and PASMCs. We found that kaempferol reduced pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling, and alleviated right ventricular hypertrophy in HPH rats. The mechanistic analysis demonstrated that kaempferol reduced the protein levels of phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β, leading to decreased expression of pro-proliferation (CDK2, CDK4, Cyclin D1, and PCNA) and anti-apoptotic related proteins (Bcl-2) and increased expression of pro-apoptosis proteins (Bax and cleaved caspase 3). These results collectively demonstrate that kaempferol ameliorates HPH in rats by inhibiting PASMC proliferation and pro-apoptosis via modulation of the Akt/GSK3β/CyclinD axis. [Display omitted] • Kaempferol alleviated pulmonary artery remodeling in HPH rats. • Kaempferol inhibited hypoxia-induced proliferation and apoptosis resistance in PASMCs. • Kaempferol exerts protective effects through the Akt/GSK3β/Cyclin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence is a comprehensive process performed by integrating various internal and external signals, followed by nutrient reallocation, especially via organic nitrogen (e.g., amino acids) mobilization. Amino acid (AA) transporters play an important role in crop growth and development by participating in the process of organic nitrogen remobilization. However, the biological functions and downstream effectors of amino acid transporters involved in leaf senescence are still poorly understood. In the present study, we cloned and characterized a cationic amino acid transporter gene, NtCAT1, from tobacco (K326). We found that NtCAT1 transcript levels were induced by age and abscisic acid (ABA). The NtCAT1 protein was highly localized in the plasma membrane. The overexpressing NtCAT1 line (OECAT1) showed early leaf senescence, accompanied with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ABA content. By contrast, the NtCAT1 mutant (ntcat1-36) generated by the CRSPR/Cas9 system, showed a delayed-senescence phenotype with a decreased accumulation of ROS and ABA. Moreover, we discovered that the overexpression of NtCAT1 could downregulate the expression of the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase gene and upregulate the transcript levels of ABA-related genes during leaf senescence compared with wild type (WT), while the expression of these genes in ntcat1-36 plants exhibited inverse trends. Furthermore, an analysis of the amino acid concentration demonstrated that NtCAT1 transgenic plants displayed dramatic changes in the amino acid profile during leaf senescence. In summary, our results suggest that NtCAT1 could promote leaf senescence via the increased biosynthesis of ABA, and our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of leaf senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People who have suffered childhood trauma may be more susceptible to panic disorder (PD). Existing evidence indicates that childhood trauma can significantly impact brain function. Meanwhile, the brain regions involved in the fear network model (FNM) of PD highly overlap with the brain regions affected by childhood trauma. However, it remains unclear whether functional connections between brain regions associated with the FNM in patients with PD are affected by childhood trauma. This study aimed to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on the functional connectivity (FC) of brain regions associated with the FNM in patients with PD. This study recruited 62 patients with PD, including 21 with a high level of childhood trauma (PD_HCT), 41 with a low level of childhood trauma (PD_LCT), and 40 healthy controls (HCs). The patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging resting-state scanning. The amygdala, anterior cingulate, thalamus, and hippocampus were chosen as regions of interest (ROIs) to examine group differences in ROIs and whole-brain resting-state FC (rsFC). Compared with PD_HCT patients, PD_LCT patients exhibited significantly increased rsFC in the right thalamus, right temporo-occipital middle temporal gyrus, left thalamus, and right temporo-occipital middle temporal gyrus. Compared with HCs, PD_LCT patients had increased rsFC between the right thalamus and the right temporo-occipital middle temporal gyrus. Patients with PD who had suffered high and low levels of childhood trauma were found to exhibit different pathological rsFC alterations in the FNM, suggesting that childhood trauma may be an important risk factor for the development of PD symptoms. • PD patients with different levels of childhood trauma exhibit different rsFC alterations in the Fear Network Model • rsFC alertation in thalamus-middle temporal gyrus may be a more specific neural correlate in PD patients with childhood trauma • Increased thalamo-postcentral gyrus rsFC may be a more general neural correlate in PD patients. • Childhood trauma may affect the function of information sensing in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic pollution has caused worldwide attention due to its mandatory toxicity. Chemical structures of the adsorbent and arsenic species greatly influence the arsenic adsorption efficiency. The goethite impregnated graphene oxide (GO)-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aerogel (α-FeOOH@GCA) was prepared via a facile self-assembly method of GO-CNTs induced by in-situ Fe 2+ reduction. α-FeOOH@GCA showed excellent adsorption capacities of 56.43, 24.43 and 102.11 mg g −1 for As(V), DMA and p -ASA comparing with that of 25.71, 8.03 and 14.52 mg g −1 of pristine α-FeOOH, respectively. The incorporation of GO-CNTs not only hinders the aggregation of GO-CNTs but also inhibits the growth of α-FeOOH nanoparticles greatly facilitating the diffusion and adsorption capacity of arsenic species. α-FeOOH@GCA shows wide favorable application pH for arsenic species adsorption, high adsorption kinetics and excellent reusability. The phosphate and silicate anions compete with the arsenic species for active adsorption sites due to the similar anionic structure. Based on FTIR spectra, arsenic species were proven to form inner sphere complex on the surface of α-FeOOH@GCA through different ligand exchanging mechanism greatly dependent on the molecular structures of arsenic species. The results show that α-FeOOH@GCA could be used as promising adsorbent for arsenic purification in water system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising biomarker for noninvasive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations detection in lung cancer patients, but the existing methods have limitations in sensitivity or in availability. In this study, we evaluated the performance of a novel assay called ADx-SuperARMS in detecting EGFR mutations in plasma cell-free DNA from patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: A total of 109 patients with metastatic advanced adenocarcinoma were recruited who provided both blood samples and matched tumor tissue samples. EGFR mutation status in plasma samples were tested with ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay and tumor tissue samples were tested with ADx-ARMS EGFR assay. The clinical sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value (PPV), and negative prediction value (NPV) of ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay were calculated by using EGFR mutation status in tumor tissue as standard reference. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was implemented and an area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of exon 19 deletion (E19Del) and L858R mutation detection. The objective response rate (ORR) were calculated according to the EGFR mutation status determined by ADx-superARMS as well. Results: 0.2% analytical sensitivity and 100% specificity of the ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assays for EGFR E19Del, L858R, and T790M mutants were confirmed by using a series of diluted cell line DNA. In the clinical study, EGFR mutations were detected in 45.9% (50/109) of the plasma samples and in 56.9% (62/109) of the matched tumor tissue samples. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay for plasma EGFR mutation detection were 82.0% (50/61), 100% (48/48), 100% (50/50), and 81.4% (48/59), respectively. In ROC analysis, ADx-SuperARMS achieved sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 99% in E19Dels as well as sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 100% in L858R, respectively. Among the 35 patients who were plasma EGFR mutation positive and treated with first generation of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), 23 (65.7%) achieved partial response, 11 (31.4%) sustained disease, and 1 (2.9%) progressive disease. The ORR and disease control rate (DCR) were 65.7% and 97.1%, respectively. Conclusions: ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay is likely to be a highly sensitive and specific method to noninvasively detect plasma EGFR mutations of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. The EGFR mutations detected by ADx-SuperARMS EGFR assay could predict the efficacy of the treatment with first generation of EGFR-TKIs. Hence, EGFR blood testing with ADx-SuperARMS could address the unmet clinical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imidazole alkaloids, a common class of five-membered aromatic heterocyclic compounds, exist widely in plants, animals and marine organisms. Because of imidazole's extensive and excellent biological and pharmacological activities, it has always been a topic of major interest for researchers and has been widely used as an active moiety in search of bioactive molecules. To find more efficient antibacterial compounds, a series of novel imidazole-fragment-decorated 2-(pyrazol-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles were designed and synthesized based on our previous works via the active substructure splicing principle, and their bioactivities were systematically evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The bioassays showed that some of the target compounds displayed excellent in vitro antibacterial activity toward three virulent phytopathogenic bacteria, including Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) and Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), affording the lowest EC50 values of 7.40 (7c), 5.44 (9a) and 12.85 (9a) μg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, compound 7c possessed good in vivo protective and curative activities to manage rice bacterial leaf blight at 200 μg/mL, with control efficacies of 47.34% and 41.18%, respectively. Furthermore, compound 9a showed commendable in vivo protective and curative activities to manage kiwifruit bacterial canker at 200 μg/mL, with control efficacies of 46.05% and 32.89%, respectively, which were much better than those of the commercial bactericide TC (31.58% and 17.11%, respectively). In addition, the antibacterial mechanism suggested that these new types of title compounds could negatively impact the cell membranes of phytopathogenic bacteria cells and cause the leakage of the intracellular component, thereby leading to the killing of bacteria. All these findings confirm that novel 2-(pyrazol-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles containing an imidazole fragment are promising lead compounds for discovering new bactericidal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) decisively contributed in revolutionizing the therapeutic approach to cancer, offering non-invasive, tolerable therapies for a better quality of life. Nonetheless, degree and duration of the response to TKI therapy vary depending on cancer molecular features, the ability of developing resistance to the drug, on pharmacokinetic alterations caused by germline variants and unwanted drug–drug interactions at the level of membrane transporters and metabolizing enzymes. A great deal of approved TKIs are inhibitors of the organic cation transporters (OCTs). A handful are also substrates of them. These transporters are polyspecific and highly expressed in normal epithelia, particularly the intestine, liver and kidney, and are, hence, arguably relevant sites of TKI interactions with other OCT substrates. Moreover, OCTs are often repressed in cancer cells and might contribute to the resistance of cancer cells to TKIs. This article reviews the OCT interactions with approved and in-development TKIs reported in vitro and in vivo and critically discusses the potential clinical ramifications thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 'passivation first, metallization second' technique is developed for fabricating edge contacts to a multi-layer MoS2 sample encapsulated under an Al2O3 thin film. The in-time sealing of the newly exfoliated MoS2 under a dielectric ensures a complete isolation from the environment. CF4 plasma is used to open trenches in the passivation layer and to expose the atoms at the edges of MoS2. Edge contacts are next made to h-BN/MoS2/h-BN 3-level heterostructures, earlier assembled through a solvent-free 2D material transfer procedure. Both types of MoS2-based heterostructures are further fabricated into back-gated FETs and show n-type doping behavior. In particular, trends of field-effect mobility with respect to a varying drain voltage are analyzed based on the ID- VDS data measured from each device. The result verifies the effect of Schottky barrier on channel conduction, which is, only at the presence of a highly transparent contact interface, the field-effect mobility can manifest the intrinsic material property by staying constant against the changes in drain voltage. The wide applicability of the processing sequence makes edge contacts an appealing option to future nanoelectronics on 2D heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acupuncture of PC6 points has the effects of calming, tranquilizing, regulating qi, and relieving pain and has been clinically found to alleviate anxiety disorders. To explore the mechanism of improvement at the Neiguan point acupuncture in anxiety patients, we used fMRI to observe the changes in brain function in patients with immediate anxiety before and after acupuncture at the Neiguan point. Subjects and Methods: The experiment followed the principle of randomized, single-blind design. Twenty-four anxiety volunteers (14 males and 10 females, 20– 35 years old) were divided randomly into two groups: a group of acupuncture at Neiguan and a group of acupuncture at non-acupoint. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was applied to measure brain activity pre- and post-acupuncture. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) was used to analyze the activity and network of brain regions. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 21.0 and REST 1.8 software. Results: ALFF results revealed that post-acupuncture at Neiguan increased the activity of the left parahippocampal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and right superior temporal gyrus and decreased the activity of the right middle frontal gyrus, right precuneus, and cuneus. Post-acupuncture at non-acupoint led to a significant ALFF increase in the thalamus and middle frontal gyrus. The ALFF in the left middle frontal gyrus was decreased. Functional connectivity in several anterior default mode network (DMN) regions and vermis cerebelli at left parahippocampal/fusiform gyri was increased, and connectivity in bilateral superior temporal gyri was decreased. FC with posterior DMN regions decreased at the right middle frontal gyrus, right precuneus, and cuneus. Conclusion: Our study elucidates that acupuncture at Neiguan modulates anxiety by activating or deactivating these brain anxiety-related regions and provides potential explanations for the application of PC6 acupuncture in mental diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The objective is to explore the clinical effect of compound lactic acid bacteria capsules on the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in patients with depression and diabetes. Methods. From January 2020 to January 2021, 60 SIBO patients with depression and diabetes in our hospital were selected and randomized into observation group (compound lactic acid bacteria capsules combined with escitalopram) and control group (Escitalopram) according to the odd and even numbers, 30 cases in each group. The two groups were compared in terms of SAS, SDS, levels of inflammatory factors, immune function, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), treatment effect, and the incidence of adverse reactions. Results. Both self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores in both groups showed a decline after treatment (P < 0.05), and the reduction was more significant in the observation group (t = 10.047 , 17.862, all P ≤ 0.001). Both IL-2 and TNF-α in both groups showed a decline after treatment (P < 0.05), and the reduction was more greater in the observation group in relative to the control group (P < 0.05). CD3+ and CD+4 in both groups showed an increase after treatment (P < 0.05), and the increase was more greater in the observation group as compared to the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the FPG levels of patients in both groups showed a decline (P < 0.05), and the reduction of FPG levels was more significant in the observation group than that in the control group (t = 3.948 , P ≤ 0.001). The control group experienced a remarkably higher incidence of adverse reactions. Conclusion. The compound lactic acid bacteria capsule is a boon for SIBO patients with depression and diabetes. It can mitigate depression symptoms, improve immune function, reduce the level of inflammatory factors, and lower the FPG levels, along with fewer adverse reactions and robust effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual hemifacial spasm (HFS) after microvascular decompression (MVD) is common, and the factors associated with residual HFS are still controversial. In the present study, we analyzed the outcome of 212 patients with hemifacial spasm after a single microvascular decompression and evaluated the prognostic factors involved in residual hemifacial spasm. Based on our study, possible prognostic factors included indentation of the root exit zone (REZ), preoperative illness duration, and preoperative psychological state. We suggest that MVD should be performed as early as possible for it may decrease the rate of residual HFS. Preoperative assessment of psychological state in HFS patients is a timely intervention that should be implemented to minimize the residual HFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study was aimed at investigating the potential mechanism of Grubthobrildkr (GTB) on systemic hypoxia-induced gastric ulcers in rats and at detecting the chemical profile of GTB. Methods. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into control, hypoxia, hypoxia+omeprazole, and hypoxia+GTBs (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 g·kg-1·d-1) groups. Systemic hypoxia was created in a hypobaric chamber to simulate 5000 m high altitude by adjusting the inner pressure and oxygen content for 6 days. After that, the ulcer index, pH, and volume of gastric juice were assessed. The levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were detected by ELISA. The expression level of hydrogen potassium ATPase (H+-K+-ATPase), cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was tested by western blotting. Chemical profile of GTB was revealed by UHPLC-Q-exactive hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS). Results. GTB decreased the ulcer index in rats under hypoxia for six days, which was related to increased pH and volume of gastric juice, enhanced MTL and PGE2 levels, and decreased ET-1 and PLA2 levels of gastric mucosa. Furthermore, GTB decreased the level of H+-K+-ATPase and COX-2 while increased COX-1 levels in gastric mucosal tissue. 44 constituents were identified by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS in GTB. Conclusion. GTB exerted a gastroprotective effect to alleviate gastric ulceration induced by acute systemic hypoxia in rats. The effect of GTB increasing the volume and pH of gastric juice in rats under acute systemic hypoxia could be regulated by gastrointestinal hormones, including MTL and ET-1. Mechanically, gastrointestinal protection of GTB was based on inhibition of the protons pumping H+-K+-ATPase and regulation of prostaglandin family in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We developed the ZDX1 high-throughput functional soybean array for high accuracy evaluation and selection of both parents and progeny, which can greatly accelerate soybean breeding. Microarray technology facilitates rapid, accurate, and economical genotyping. Here, using resequencing data from 2214 representative soybean accessions, we developed the high-throughput functional array ZDX1, containing 158,959 SNPs, covering 90.92% of soybean genes and sites related to important traits. By application of the array, a total of 817 accessions were genotyped, including three subpopulations of candidate parental lines, parental lines and their progeny from practical breeding. The fixed SNPs were identified in progeny, indicating artificial selection during the breeding process. By identifying functional sites of target traits, novel soybean cyst nematode-resistant progeny and maturity-related novel sources were identified by allele combinations, demonstrating that functional sites provide an efficient method for the rapid screening of desirable traits or gene sources. Notably, we found that the breeding index (BI) was a good indicator for progeny selection. Superior progeny were derived from the combination of distantly related parents, with at least one parent having a higher BI. Furthermore, new combinations based on good performance were proposed for further breeding after excluding redundant and closely related parents. Genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) analysis was the best analysis method and achieved the highest accuracy in predicting four traits when comparing SNPs in genic regions rather than whole genomic or intergenic SNPs. The prediction accuracy was improved by 32.1% by using progeny to expand the training population. Collectively, a versatile assay demonstrated that the functional ZDX1 array provided efficient information for the design and optimization of a breeding pipeline for accelerated soybean breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) is pivotal in the renal elimination of several positively charged molecules. OCT2 mode of transport is profoundly influenced by the level of membrane cholesterol. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oxidized cholesterol on OCT2 transport activity in human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably transfected with OCT2 (OCT2-HEK293) and in primary renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTEC). Cholesterol was exchanged with 7-ketocholesterol, the main product of cholesterol auto-oxidation, by exposing cells to sterol-saturated methyl-β-cyclodextrin (mβcd). After a 30 min-exposure, approximately 50% of the endogenous cholesterol was replaced by 7-ketocholesterol without significant changes in total sterol level. In the presence of 7-ketocholesterol, [3H]1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) uptake was significantly reduced in both cell lines. 7-ketocholesterol incorporation did not affect lipid raft integrity, nor OCT2 surface expression and spatial organization. The inhibitory effect of 7-ketocholesterol on MPP+ uptake was abolished by the presence of MPP+ in the trans -compartment. In the presence of 7-ketocholesterol, both K t and V max of MPP+ influx decreased. Molecular docking using OCT2 structure in outward occluded conformation showed overlapping poses and similar binding energies between cholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol. The thermal stability of OCT2 was not changed when cholesterol was replaced with 7-ketocholesterol. We conclude that 7-ketocholesterol confers a higher rigidity to the carrier by reducing its conformational entropy, arguably as a result of changes in plasma membrane physical properties, thereby facilitating the achievement of a higher affinity state at the expense of the mobility and overall cycling rate of the transporter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate oxygen availability at high altitude leads to oxidative stress, resulting in hippocampal neurodegeneration and memory impairment. In our previous study, we found that the cognitive dysfunction occurred when male SD rat was rapidly exposed to 4200 m of high altitude for 3 days. And we also found that crocin showed a cognitive protective effect under hypoxia by regulating SIRT1/PGC-1α pathways in rat's hippocampus. In this article, focused on factors related to SIRT1/PGC-1α pathways, we proposed to further elucidate crocin's pharmacological mechanism. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, hypoxia group (rats were rapidly transported to high altitude of 4200 m for 72 h), and crocins+hypoxia groups (pretreatment with crocin of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/d for 3 days). The learning and memory ability was tested by Morris water maze analysis. Hippocampal histopathological changes were observed by HE staining and Nissl staining. The expression of NRF1, TFAM, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, and western blotting test. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) were detected by the TBA, WST, and colorimetry method. Neuronal apoptosis was observed by TUNEL staining. After crocin pretreatment, the traveled distance was significantly reduced and the percentage of time in the target quadrant was significantly increased tested by Morris water maze. And neuronal damage in the hippocampus was also significantly ameliorated based on HE staining and Nissl staining. Furthermore, in hippocampus tissue, mitochondrial biosynthesis-related factors of NRF1, TFAM expression was increased; oxidative stress factors of SOD, GSH, and GSHPx expression level were increased, and MDA and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) level were decreased; antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression was increased, and proapoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 expression were decreased, with a manner of crocin dose dependent. Therefore, the cognitive protective mechanism of crocin in rat under acute hypoxia was related to promoting mitochondrial biosynthesis, ameliorating oxidative stress injury, and decreasing neuronal apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]