Astragaloside IV alleviates stroke-triggered early brain injury by modulating neuroinflammation and ferroptosis via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Purpose: Stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is an active ingredient extracted from Astragalus membranaceus with an established therapeutic effect on central nervous system diseases. This study examined the neuroprotective properties and possible mechanisms of AS-IV in stroke-triggered early brain injury (EBI) in a rat transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. Methods: The neurological scores and brain water content were analyzed. 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was utilized to determine the infarct volume, neuroinflammatory cytokine levels, and ferroptosis-related genes and proteins, and neuronal damage and molecular mechanisms were evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dutp nickend labeling (TUNEL) staining, western blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: AS-IV administration decreased the infarct volume, brain edema, neurological deficits, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, and NF-κB, increased the levels of SLC7A11 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), decreased lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and prevented neuronal ferroptosis. Meanwhile, AS-IV triggered the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and alleviated ferroptosis due to the induction of stroke. Conclusion: Hence, the findings of this research illustrate that AS-IV administration can improve delayed ischemic neurological deficits and decrease neuronal death by modulating nuroinflammation and ferroptosis via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Systemic granulomatous disease in dairy cattle from Argentina

An outbreak of systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology was diagnosed in a dairy herd from Argentina. Eleven out of 211 cows manifested hyperthermia, depression, alopecia, pruritus, decreased milk production and death in most cases. During necropsy, multifocal petechial hemorrhages in glottis and vulva, white multifocal nodules in the liver and splenomegaly with subcapsular petechial hemorrhages were observed. Both kidneys were diffuse pale and enlarged. Systemic granulomatous hepatitis, myocarditis, pancreatitis and nephritis were observed. Water and food samples tested negative for Arsenic and T2 toxin, respectively. Fusarium equiseti was isolated from alfalfa hay samples. Vicia spp. was not consumed by the affected herd and no other cause of vetch-like disease was registered. Other causes of granulomatous lesions (Mycobacterium spp. and fungal infections) were discarded. The systemic granulomatous disease was suggestive of a type IV hypersensitivity reaction. Although the sensitizing agent was not determined, two components of the ration were suspected: cotton seed and bone ash. Both of them were introduced one month prior to the detection of the first affected cow and the disease resolved since they were removed from the diet.

Systemic granulomatous disease in dairy cattle from Argentina

An outbreak of systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology was diagnosed in a dairy herd from Argentina. Eleven out of 211 cows manifested hyperthermia, depression, alopecia, pruritus, decreased milk production and death in most cases. During necropsy, multifocal petechial hemorrhages in glottis and vulva, white multifocal nodules in the liver and splenomegaly with subcapsular petechial hemorrhages were observed. Both kidneys were diffuse pale and enlarged. Systemic granulomatous hepatitis, myocarditis, pancreatitis and nephritis were observed. Water and food samples tested negative for Arsenic and T2 toxin, respectively. Fusarium equiseti was isolated from alfalfa hay samples. Vicia spp. was not consumed by the affected herd and no other cause of vetch-like disease was registered. Other causes of granulomatous lesions (Mycobacterium spp. and fungal infections) were discarded. The systemic granulomatous disease was suggestive of a type IV hypersensitivity reaction. Although the sensitizing agent was not determined, two components of the ration were suspected: cotton seed and bone ash. Both of them were introduced one month prior to the detection of the first affected cow and the disease resolved since they were removed from the diet.(AU)

Suppresses of Astragalus Polysaccharide on E. coli-Induced Injured Intestinal Microvascular through TLR4-NF-B Signal Pathways in Chickens

To investigate the hypothesis that APS can attenuate E. coli-induced microvascular dysfunction in chicken intestine, 60 0-day old male chickens were divided into three groups with 5 replications of 4 chicks. Chicken in the APS group were treated with 15 mg APS daily while the others were given 0 mg APS for 6 days. Then all 7-day old chicken were injected intraperitoneally by E. coli, except for the chicken in the control group. After 4 h, all chickens intestinal samples were collected to detect gene expressions involved in inflammatory factors and adhesion molecules. Results showed that APS attenuated the signs of edema and hemorrhage in 7-day old chicken intestinal mucosa which were induced by E. coli injection. Consistently, APS significantly reduced the increasing mRNA levels of inflammatory factors such as Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin (IL) -1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (p 0.05), the same results were observed in vascular adhesion molecules such as E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Moreover, we observed that APS supplementation in water suppressed significantly (p 0.05) the decline of reparative factors such as epithelial growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in E. coli injected group. Furthermore, supplementation with APS substantially blocked (p 0.05) the increase in Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and Nuclear factor (NF)-B mRNA abundance (p=0.087) induced by E. coli infection. This study indicated that microvascular injured chicken intestine induced by E. coli would be attenuated with feeding APS, and the mechanism of repairing were probably mediated through TLR4-NF-B signal pathways.(AU)

Suppresses of Astragalus Polysaccharide on E. coli-Induced Injured Intestinal Microvascular through TLR4-NF-B Signal Pathways in Chickens

To investigate the hypothesis that APS can attenuate E. coli-induced microvascular dysfunction in chicken intestine, 60 0-day old male chickens were divided into three groups with 5 replications of 4 chicks. Chicken in the APS group were treated with 15 mg APS daily while the others were given 0 mg APS for 6 days. Then all 7-day old chicken were injected intraperitoneally by E. coli, except for the chicken in the control group. After 4 h, all chickens intestinal samples were collected to detect gene expressions involved in inflammatory factors and adhesion molecules. Results showed that APS attenuated the signs of edema and hemorrhage in 7-day old chicken intestinal mucosa which were induced by E. coli injection. Consistently, APS significantly reduced the increasing mRNA levels of inflammatory factors such as Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin (IL) -1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (p 0.05), the same results were observed in vascular adhesion molecules such as E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). Moreover, we observed that APS supplementation in water suppressed significantly (p 0.05) the decline of reparative factors such as epithelial growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in E. coli injected group. Furthermore, supplementation with APS substantially blocked (p 0.05) the increase in Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and Nuclear factor (NF)-B mRNA abundance (p=0.087) induced by E. coli infection. This study indicated that microvascular injured chicken intestine induced by E. coli would be attenuated with feeding APS, and the mechanism of repairing were probably mediated through TLR4-NF-B signal pathways.

Economic evaluation of cereal cropping systems under semiarid conditions: minimum input, organic and conventional

Cropping systems like organic farming, selling products at a higher price and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing fertilizer and pesticides, can be more profitable than conventional systems. An economic evaluation of three cropping systems in a seven year period experiment was performed, using a common rotation (fallow-barley-vetch-durum wheat) in a semi-arid rainfed field of Spain. The minimum input system included mouldboard ploughing, cultivator preparation, sowing and harvest. The conventional system involved mineral fertilizer and herbicide treatments, while the organic system involved composted manure and mechanical weed control. The resulting economic margins were highest with the minimum input system, followed by the organic and conventional systems. If the cereal grain from the minimum input system was sold at a higher price on the organic market, this system was the most profitable. Without the price difference, the organic system was as profitable as the conventional one.

Sistemas de cultivo como agricultura orgânica, cujos produtos têm custo mais alto, mas que promova sustentabilidade ambiental pela redução do uso de fertilizantes e pesticidas, pode ser mais lucrativo do que sistemas convencionais de cultivo. Efetuou-se uma avaliação econômica de três sistemas de cultivo num período experimental de sete anos, utilizando um sistema comum de rotação (pousio-cevada-ervilhaca-trigo duro), sem irrigação, em um local semi-árido da Espanha. O sistema de cultivo mínimo incluía aração com aiveca, preparo com cultivador, semeadura e colheita. O sistema convencional envolvia tratamentos com herbicidas e fertilizantes minerais, enquanto o sistema orgânico envolvia adubação com composto e controle mecânico de ervas invasoras. O sistema com maior retorno econômico foi o de cultivo mínimo, seguido do orgânico e do convencional. O sistema de cultivo mínimo foi o mais lucrativo quando o cereal foi vendido num preço mais alto no mercado orgânico. Sem essa diferença de preços os sistemas apresentaram lucratividades semelhantes.

Economic evaluation of cereal cropping systems under semiarid conditions: minimum input, organic and conventional

Cropping systems like organic farming, selling products at a higher price and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing fertilizer and pesticides, can be more profitable than conventional systems. An economic evaluation of three cropping systems in a seven year period experiment was performed, using a common rotation (fallow-barley-vetch-durum wheat) in a semi-arid rainfed field of Spain. The minimum input system included mouldboard ploughing, cultivator preparation, sowing and harvest. The conventional system involved mineral fertilizer and herbicide treatments, while the organic system involved composted manure and mechanical weed control. The resulting economic margins were highest with the minimum input system, followed by the organic and conventional systems. If the cereal grain from the minimum input system was sold at a higher price on the organic market, this system was the most profitable. Without the price difference, the organic system was as profitable as the conventional one.

Sistemas de cultivo como agricultura orgânica, cujos produtos têm custo mais alto, mas que promova sustentabilidade ambiental pela redução do uso de fertilizantes e pesticidas, pode ser mais lucrativo do que sistemas convencionais de cultivo. Efetuou-se uma avaliação econômica de três sistemas de cultivo num período experimental de sete anos, utilizando um sistema comum de rotação (pousio-cevada-ervilhaca-trigo duro), sem irrigação, em um local semi-árido da Espanha. O sistema de cultivo mínimo incluía aração com aiveca, preparo com cultivador, semeadura e colheita. O sistema convencional envolvia tratamentos com herbicidas e fertilizantes minerais, enquanto o sistema orgânico envolvia adubação com composto e controle mecânico de ervas invasoras. O sistema com maior retorno econômico foi o de cultivo mínimo, seguido do orgânico e do convencional. O sistema de cultivo mínimo foi o mais lucrativo quando o cereal foi vendido num preço mais alto no mercado orgânico. Sem essa diferença de preços os sistemas apresentaram lucratividades semelhantes.