Identifying heavy metal sources and health risks in soil-vegetable systems of fragmented vegetable fields based on machine learning, positive matrix factorization model and Monte Carlo simulation.

Urban fragmented vegetable fields offer fresh produce but pose a potential risk of heavy metal (HM) exposure. Thus, this study investigated HM sources and health risks in the soil-vegetable systems of Chongqing's central urban area. Results indicated that Cd was the primary pollutant, with 28.33 % of soil samples exceeding the screening value. Amaranth was particularly problematic, exceeding thresholds for Cd, Hg, and Cr, and both amaranth and celery showed significantly higher HM accumulation (p < 0.05). The HM pollution level in the soil-vegetable system was moderate or above. The sources of HMs identified via Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model included agricultural activities (18.19 %), natural soil parent material (25.88 %), mixed metal smelting and transportation (30.72 %), and coal combustion (25.21 %). Furthermore, evaluations using the Random Forest (RF) model revealed an intricate interaction of factors influencing the presence of HMs, where enterprise density, population density, and road density played significant roles in HMs accumulation. Monte Carlo assessments revealed higher non-carcinogenic risks for children (Pb, As) and greater carcinogenic risks for adults (Cd). Therefore, the issue of HM pollution in soils and vegetables from fragmented fields in industrial urban areas need attention, given the potential for elevated health risks with long-term vegetable consumption.

360 Layout Estimation via Orthogonal Planes Disentanglement and Multi-view Geometric Consistency Perception.

Existing panoramic layout estimation solutions tend to recover room boundaries from a vertically compressed sequence, yielding imprecise results as the compression process often muddles the semantics between various planes. Besides, these data-driven approaches impose an urgent demand for massive data annotations, which are laborious and time-consuming. For the first problem, we propose an orthogonal plane disentanglement network (termed DOPNet) to distinguish ambiguous semantics. DOPNet consists of three modules that are integrated to deliver distortion-free, semantics-clean, and detail-sharp disentangled representations, which benefit the subsequent layout recovery. For the second problem, we present an unsupervised adaptation technique tailored for horizon-depth and ratio representations. Concretely, we introduce an optimization strategy for decision-level layout analysis and a 1D cost volume construction method for feature-level multi-view aggregation, both of which are designed to fully exploit the geometric consistency across multiple perspectives. The optimizer provides a reliable set of pseudo-labels for network training, while the 1D cost volume enriches each view with comprehensive scene information derived from other perspectives. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our solution outperforms other SoTA models on both monocular layout estimation and multi-view layout estimation tasks.

Renal denervation improves mitochondrial oxidative stress and cardiac hypertrophy through inactivating SP1/BACH1-PACS2 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Renal denervation (RDN) has been proved to relieve cardiac hypertrophy; however, its detailed mechanisms remain obscure. This study investigated the detailed protective mechanisms of RDN against cardiac hypertrophy during hypertensive heart failure (HF). METHODS: Male 5-month-old spontaneously hypertension (SHR) rats were used in a HF rat model, and male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats of the same age were used as the baseline control. Myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining. The expression of target molecule was analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence, respectively. Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was induced by norepinephrine (NE) in H9c2 cells in vitro and evaluated by brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), ß-myosin heavy chain (ß-MHC), and α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC) levels. Oxidative stress was determined by malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities. Mitochondrial function was measured by mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) number, and mitochondrial complex I-IV activities. Molecular mechanism was assessed by dual luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. RESULTS: RDN decreased sympathetic nerve activity, attenuated myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, and improved cardiac function in the rat model of HF. In addition, RDN ameliorated mitochondrial oxidative stress in myocardial tissues as evidenced by reducing MDA and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and enhancing SOD and GSH-Px activities. Moreover, phosphofurin acid cluster sorting protein 2 (PACS-2) and broad-complex, tramtrak and bric à brac (BTB) domain and cap'n'collar (CNC) homolog 1 (BACH1) were down-regulated by RDN. In NE-stimulated H9c2 cells, PACS-2 and BACH1 levels were markedly elevated, and knockdown of them could suppress NE-induced oxidative stress, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, fibrosis, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. Transforming growth factor beta1(TGFß1)/SMADs signaling pathway was inactivated by RDN in the HF rats, which sequentially inhibited specificity protein 1 (SP1)-mediated transcription of PACS2 and BACH1. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data demonstrated that RDN improved cardiac hypertrophy and sympathetic nerve activity of HF rats via repressing BACH1 and PACS-2-mediated mitochondrial oxidative stress by inactivating TGF-ß1/SMADs/SP1 pathway, which shed lights on the cardioprotective mechanism of RDN in HF.

[Pollution Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Cultivated Soil Around a Red Mud Yard Based on APCS-MLR and PMF Models].

In order to explore the characteristics and sources of heavy metal pollution in cultivated soil around a red mud yard in Chongqing， the content and spatial distribution characteristics of eight heavy metal elements （Cd， Cr， Hg， Ni， Pb， As， Cu， and Zn） in the soil were analyzed， and the single factor pollution index method and Nemerow comprehensive pollution index method were used to evaluate the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in soil. On the basis of correlation analysis， the APCS-MLR and PMF models were used to quantitatively analyze the sources of heavy metals. The results showed that the average contents of the other seven heavy metal elements were higher than the background values of Chongqing soil， except for that of Cr. The heavy metals Cd， Hg， and As were moderately polluted， and Pb， Cu， Ni， and Zn were mildly polluted. The spatial distribution pattern of Cr， Ni， Pb， Cu， and Zn in the soil was similar， and there was a very significant positive correlation between them （P < 0.01）. The spatial distribution characteristics of Cd， Hg， and As were significantly different， and there was no significant correlation between them （P > 0.05）. The source apportionment showed that the sources of heavy metals in the soil in the study area were relatively complex， and the APCS-MLR and PMF models could identify the same four pollution sources， namely red mud yard percolation emission and natural sources， thermal power generation emission sources， agricultural activities and natural sources， and non-ferrous metal smelting emission sources. There was little difference in the results of source apportionment between the two models. The contribution rates of the four pollution sources in the APCS-MLR model were 51.8%， 18.0%， 15.9%， and 14.3%， respectively， whereas those in the PMF model were 45.9%， 12.8%， 21.5%， and 19.8%， respectively.

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils from surrounding industries with low emissions: Assessing contamination levels and sources.

The potential for heavy metal (HM) pollution in agricultural soils adjacent to industries with elevated HM emissions has long been recognized. However, industries with relatively lower levels of HM emissions, such as alumina smelting and glass production, may still contribute to the pollution of surrounding agricultural soils through continuous, albeit low-level, emissions. Despite this, this issue has not garnered adequate attention thus far. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the extent of HM pollution in agricultural soils adjacent to an alumina smelting and a glass production factory, identifying contamination levels and potential sources through the analysis of input fluxes, isotope fingerprints, and receptor models. Results showed moderate cadmium (Cd) contamination in surface soil, exceeding standards at a rate of 86.36 %. Further analysis revealed that atmospheric deposition was the primary route for Cd input in both paddy fields (89.20 %) and dryland soils (91.61 %). Additionally, the δ114/110Cd values in surface soils indicated that dust played a role in influencing Cd levels in distant surface soils, while raw materials and slags were identified as primary sources near the factory. Industrial sources were considered the primary contributors of Cd in soil accounting for approximately 73.38 % and 82.67 %, respectively, according to the positive matrix factorization model (PMF) and absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR). Overall, this study underscores the importance of monitoring HMs from industries with relatively low emissions and provides a scientific basis for effectively managing HMs pollution in agricultural soils, ensuring the preservation of agricultural soil quality.

[Pollution Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Farmland Soils Around the Gangue Heap of Coal Mine Based on APCS-MLR and PMF Receptor Model].

To analyze the pollution characteristics and source apportionment of heavy metal pollution in soil of farmland surrounding the Gangue Heap of Coal Mine in Nanchuan, Chongqing, the Nemerow pollution index and Muller index were used. Meanwhile, to investigate the sources and contribution rate of heavy metals in the soil, absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression receptor modeling (APCS-MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were employed. The results showed higher amounts of Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in the downstream area than those in the upstream area, and only Cu, Ni, and Zn showed significantly higher amounts in the downstream area than those in upstream area (P<0.05). The comprehensive Nemerow pollution index was as follows:downstream area (1.22)>upstream area (0.95), and the degree of heavy metal pollution was:Cd>Cu>Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Zn. The Muller pollution index showed:Cd>As>Cu=Hg>Ni>Zn=Cr>Pb. The pollution source analysis showed that Cu, Ni, and Zn were mainly affected by mining activities such as long-term accumulation of the gangue heap of coal mine, with the contribution rates of APCS-MLR being 49.8%, 94.5%, and 73.2%, respectively. Additionally, PMF contribution rates were 62.8%, 62.2%, and 63.1%, respectively. Cd, Hg, and As were mainly affected by agricultural activities and transportation activities, with APCS-MLR contribution rates of 49.8%, 94.5%, and 73.2% and PMF contribution rates of 62.8%, 62.2%, and 63.1%, respectively. Further, Pb and Cr were mainly affected by natural factors, with APCS-MLR contribution rates of 66.4% and 94.7% and PMF contribution rates of 42.7% and 47.7%, respectively. The results of source analysis were basically consistent between the APCS-MLR and PMF receptor models.

Removal of Fermentation Inhibitors from Sugarcane Bagasse Hydrolysate via Post-cross-linked Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Interpenetrating Polymer Networks.

The efficient and economical removal of fermentation inhibitors from the complex system of biomass hydrolysate was one of the basics and keys in bio-chemical transformation. In this work, post-cross-linked hydrophilic-hydrophobic interpenetrating polymer networks (PMA/PS_pc IPNs and PAM/PS_pc IPNs) were proposed to remove fermentation inhibitors from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate for the first time. PMA/PS_pc and PAM/PS_pc IPNs can obviously enhance the adsorption performance towards fermentation inhibitors due to their higher surface area and hydrophilic-hydrophobic synergetic surface properties, especially PMA/PS_pc IPNs has higher selectivity coefficients of 4.57, 4.63, 4.85, 16.0, 49.43, and 22.69, and higher adsorption capacity of 24.7 mg/g, 39.2 mg/g, 52.4 mg/g, 9.1 mg/g, 13.2 mg/g, and 144.9 mg/g towards formic acid, acetic acid, levulinic acid (LA), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, and acid-soluble lignin (ASL), respectively, in a lower total sugar loss of 2.03%. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm of PMA/PS_pc IPNs were studied to elucidate its adsorption behavior towards fermentation inhibitors. In addition, the cyclic utilization property of PMA/PS_pc IPNs was stable. Synthesizing PMA/PS_pc IPNs is a new strategy to provide an efficient adsorbent for the removal of fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

Synthesis of Hyper-cross-linked Nonpolar Polystyrene Divinylbenzene Resins by Pendent Vinyl Groups and Application to the Decolorization of Cane Molasses.

Cane molasses is a by-product of sugar industry. It is widely used in fermentation field, but pigment compounds affect its further application. In this study, nonpolar hyper-cross-linked adsorption resins (HCARs) were synthesized by pendent vinyl groups cross-linking reaction, and were applied to decolorization of molasses. The correlation between the structure and the decolorization performance of HCARs was studied, and the results showed that the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and the pore volume of the resin significantly increased to 574.4 m2·g-1 and 1.40 cm3·g-1 after the Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction with a catalyst dosage of 2.25% at 343 K for 7 h. Furthermore, the decolorization rate of molasses by the HCAR was 74%, and recycle decolorization performance of the resin was stable. The adsorption kinetics results showed that the pseudo-second-order dynamic model could more realistically reflect the decolorization mechanism of molasses on HCARs, and liquid film diffusion is the main rate-limiting step. The results of fixed-bed experiments show that D-ST-DVB resin has a good decolorization effect and recycling ability. Therefore, it is a feasible strategy for the decolorization of molasses with nonpolar HCAR.

Research Progress of Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Vascular recanalization is the essential procedure in which severe coronary artery stenosis is diagnosed. However, the blood flow recovery associated with this procedure may cause myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), which aggravates heart failure. Unfortunately, the mechanism of MIRI has historically been poorly understood. As we now know, calcium overloading, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory responses, and ferroptosis take part in the process of MIRI. Modern medicine has shown through clinical studies its own limited effects in the case of MIRI, whereas Chinese traditional medicine demonstrates a strong vitality. Multiple-target effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and cardio-protection effects, are central to this vitality. In our clinic center, Yixin formula is commonly used in patients with MIRI. This formula contains Astragalus, Ligusticum Wallichii, Salvia, Rhodiola Rosea, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Cyperus Rotundus, and Cassia Twig. Its effects include warming yang energy, activating blood circulation, and eliminating blood stasis. In our previous laboratory studies, we have proved that it can reduce MIRI and oxidative stress injury in rats suffering from ischemia myocardiopathy. It can also inhibit apoptosis and protect myocardium. In this paper, we review the research of Yixin formula and other related herbal medicines in MIRI therapy.

Tracing and quantifying the source of heavy metals in agricultural soils in a coal gangue stacking area: Insights from isotope fingerprints and receptor models.

Historic coal gangue stacking probably brings heavy metals (HMs) into the surrounding agricultural soil, posing potential harm to human and environmental health. For better controlling and preventing agricultural soil HMs pollution, the screening of priority pollutants and identification of their pollution pathways are urgent in coal gangue stacking areas. Thus, this study selected a coal gangue stacking area in Chongqing, China as the research object and conducted the pollution evaluation, spatial distribution and source apportionment of the HMs (Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb and Hg) in surrounding agricultural soil. Results showed that the soil was moderately to heavily contaminated by Cd with average concentrations of 1.23 mg/kg, which were 4.1 times higher than the Environmental Quality Standards for Soils of China. Cd was considered as the soil precedent-controlled pollutant in this study area and subsequent soil δ114/110Cd values indicated that Cd in surface soils primarily originated from the leachate of coal gangue stacking, which contributed about 89.9 % and 85.47 % to the total soil Cd according to the absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression model (APCS-MLR) and positive matrix factorization model (PMF), respectively. In addition, other HMs mainly resulted from the leachate of coal gangue, natural and agricultural mixed pollution as well as traffic pollution. Therefore, this study provided basic information for pollution control of the HMs in agricultural soil in the coal gangue stacking area.

Pheromone antagonism in Plu tella xylostella (Linnaeus) by sex pheromones of two sympatric noctuid moths.

BACKGROUND: Responses to sex pheromones are commonly antagonized by pheromone components of closely related species. Pheromone antagonism has not been widely explored for phylogenetically distant species that have completely different pheromone components. Yet, pheromone components of sympatrically occurring species may also interfere with each other even if these species are distantly related. Here, the effects of heterospecific pheromones on electrophysiology (electroantennogram, EAG) and behavioral responses were tested on the diamondback moth Plutella xyloslella (Plutellidae) and two sympatric noctuid moth species, Spodoptera litura and Spodoptera exigua, whose larvae also feed on Brassica crops. RESULTS: The sex pheromone blend of P. xyloslella, and its components, did not elicit EAG responses in males of the two noctuid species, while sex pheromone components of the noctuid moths elicited significant EAG responses in P. xyloslella males. In wind tunnel bioassays, both (Z, E)-9, 12-tetradecadienyl acetate (ZE-9,12-14:OAc) and (Z, E)-9, 11-tetradecadienyl acetate (ZE-9,11-14:OAc), sex pheromone components from the noctuid moths, inhibited the upwind flight behavior of P. xyloslella males toward an intraspecific pheromone odor source. In Brassica fields, sex pheromone lures of P. xyloslella did not influence trap catches of the noctuid moths, while P. xyloslella pheromone lures baited with either ZE-9,11-14:OAc or ZE-9,12-14:OAc decreased trap catches of P. xyloslella males in a dose-dependent manner. Trap catches of P. xylostella males were also affected by the proximity of ZE-9,11-14:OAc or ZE-9,12-14:OAc to P. xylostella lures. CONCLUSION: The uni-directional pheromone antagonism by ZE-9,11-14:OAc and ZE-9,12-14:OAc suggests innovative semiochemical-based strategies for the management of P. xyloslella and other economically important pests in Brassica fields. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

LncRNA TINCR improves cardiac hypertrophy by regulating the miR-211-3p-VEGFB-SDF-1α-CXCR4 pathway.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a common cardiovascular disease that is found worldwide and is characterized by heart enlargement, eventually resulting in heart failure. Exploring the regulatory mechanism of cardiac hypertrophy is beneficial for understanding its pathogenesis and treatment. In our study, we have showed TINCR was downregulated and miR-211-3p was upregulated in TAC- or Ang II-induced models of cardiac hypertrophy. Dual luciferase and RIP assays revealed that TINCR served as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-211-3p. Then, we observed that knockdown of miR-211-3p alleviated TAC- or Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that miR-211-3p directly targeted VEGFB and thus regulated the expression of SDF-1α and CXCR4. Rescue assays further confirmed that TINCR suppressed the progression of cardiac hypertrophy by competitively binding to miR-211-3p, thereby enhancing the expression of VEGFB and activating the VEGFB-SDF-1α- CXCR4 signal. Furthermore, overexpression of TINCR suppressed TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo by targeting miR-211-3p-VEGFB-SDF-1α- CXCR4 signalling. In conclusion, our research suggests that LncRNA TINCR improves cardiac hypertrophy by targeting miR-211-3p, thus relieving its suppressive effects on the VEGFB-SDF-1α-CXCR4 signalling axis. TINCR and miR-211-3p might act as therapeutic targets for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.

Catheter-Based Radiofrequency Renal Sympathetic Denervation Decreases Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Dogs.

This study explored the effects of renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) on hyperlipidity-induced cardiac hypertrophy in beagle dogs. Sixty beagles were randomly assigned to the control group, RDN group, or sham-operated group. The control group was fed with a basal diet, while the other two groups were given a high-fat diet to induce model hypertension. The RDN group underwent an RDN procedure, and the sham-operated group underwent only renal arteriography. At 1, 3, and 6 months after the RDN procedure, the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels were markedly decreased in the RDN group relative to the sham group (P < 0.05). After 6 months, serum norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (AngII), as well as left ventricular levels, in the RDN group were statistically lower than those in the sham group (P < 0.05). Also, the left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were significantly decreased, while the E/A peak ratio was drastically elevated (P < 0.05). Pathological examination showed that the degree of left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis in the RDN group was statistically decreased relative to those of the sham group and that the collagen volume fraction (CVF) and perivascular circumferential collagen area (PVCA) were also significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Renal sympathetic denervation not only effectively reduced blood pressure levels in hypertensive dogs but also reduced left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis and improved left ventricular diastolic function. The underlying mechanisms may involve a reduction of NE and AngII levels in the circulation and myocardial tissues, which would lead to the delayed occurrence of left ventricular remodeling.

Translatome and Transcriptome Profiling of Hypoxic-Induced Rat Cardiomyocytes.

Adult cardiac hypoxia as a crucial pathogenesis factor can induce detrimental effects on cardiac injury and dysfunction. The global transcriptome and translatome reflecting the cellular response to hypoxia have not yet been extensively studied in myocardium. In this study, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and ribosome profiling technique (polyribo-seq) in rat heart tissues and H9C2 cells exposed to different periods of hypoxia stress in vivo and in vitro. The temporal gene-expression profiling displayed the distinction of transcriptome and translatome, which were mainly concentrated in cell apoptosis, autophagy, DNA repair, angiogenesis, vascular process, and cardiac cell proliferation and differentiation. A large number of genes such as GNAI3, SEPT4, FANCL, BNIP3, TBX3, ESR2, PTGS2, KLF4, and ADRB2, whose transcript and translation levels are closely correlated, were identified to own a common RNA motif "5'-GAAGCUGCC-3'" in 5' UTR. NCBP3 was further determined to recognize this RNA motif and facilitate translational process in myocardium under hypoxia stress. Taken together, our data show the close connection between alterations of transcriptome and translatome after hypoxia exposure, emphasizing the significance of translational regulation in related studies. The profiled molecular responses in current study may be valuable resources for advanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying hypoxia-induced effect on heart diseases.

Effects on Suxiao Jiuxin Pills in the Treatment of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Early Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Multicenter Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objectives: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an acute disease with high mortality. Although early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is proved to be the practical approach in treating ACS, the incidence of cardiovascular events is still far from satisfactory. The combination of Suxiao Jiuxin Pill (SJP) and Western medicine is one conventional approach in the treatment of ACS. Many elementary and clinical trials have proved the efficacy and safety in the improvement of cardiocerebral vascular conditions. The aim of this project is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SJP on ACS with early PCI patients. Trial Design: This is a multicenter randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Trial registration: ChiCTR-TRC-13003053. Settings: Hospitals. Subjects: A total of 200 ACS with early PCI patients were randomly divided into SJP group (n = 100) and placebo group (n = 100). Interventions: The SJP group was treated with routine treatment and SJP (taking eight SJP pills orally each time, three times per day). The placebo group was treated with routine treatment along with equal amounts of SJP placebo. The course of treatment was 6 months and a follow-up visit at 12 months. Outcome Measures: Assessments of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), safety assessments, adverse events, left ventricular systolic function (LVEF), Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ), troponin C (cTNI), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fib), and cystatin C (cysC). Results: The SJP group had a relatively low incidence of MACE than the placebo (p < 0.05, odds ratio: 1.916, 95% confidence interval [0.999-3.674]). LVEF was significantly higher in the SJP group than the placebo group on the 360-day follow-up (p < 0.01). SJP had a significant increase score in the SAQ subscale of physical limitation, angina frequency, and treatment satisfaction (p < 0.05). There is no significant difference in the cTNI and CRP level between the two groups. The serum concentration of Fib and cysC in the SJP was significantly decreased compared with the placebo (p < 0.05). The numbers of adverse events between the two groups were not statistically different (p > 0.05). Conclusions: SJP is associated with a reduction in MACE, and an improvement of heart function and quality of life in ACS patients with early PCI, and is probably safe to use.

Two Sympatric Spodoptera Species Could Mutually Recognize Sex Pheromone Components for Behavioral Isolation.

Spodoptera exigua and S. litura are two sympatric species in China and many other countries. Both moths employ a multiple component sex pheromone blend, including a common component Z9,E12-14:OAc, and two specific components Z9-14:OH and Z11-16:OAc for S. exigua, and one specific component Z9,E11-14:OAc for S. litura. For the two species, it has been well documented that males are able to recognize and behaviorally attracted by their species-specific sex pheromone, which functions as a means of reproductive isolation, but whether males could mutually recognize pheromone components of its sympatric species is unknown. In the present study, the electroantennogram (EAG) and field evaluation were conducted to address this topic. The EAG recordings revealed that males of each species could significantly respond to specific components of its sympatric species, although the response values were lower than that to its own major component. In field tests, the specific components Z9-14:OH and Z11-16:OAc of S. exigua strongly inhibited the male catches of S. litura to its conspecific sex pheromone, while specific component Z9,E11-14:OAc of S. litura significantly reduced the male catches of S. exigua to its sex pheromone. Furthermore, the combined lure of the two species completely inhibited male catches of S. litura, and significantly decreased the male catches of S. exigua, compared to the species-specific lure alone. The results demonstrated that males of the two sibling species could perceive the specific components of its counterpart, suggesting that mutual recognition of pheromone components may function to strengthen the behavioral isolation between the two species. Our study has added new knowledge to the reproductive isolation via sex pheromone communication system in sympatric moth species, and provided a base for designing of mating disruption tactics targeting multispecies by using insect sex pheromones.

Renal sympathetic denervation lowers arterial pressure in canines with obesity-induced hypertension by regulating GAD65 and AT1R expression in rostral ventrolateral medulla.

To explore the roles of glutamate acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) in the action of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) on obesity-induced hypertension in canines. Thirty-two beagles were randomly divided into a hypertensive model (n = 22) and control (n = 10) groups. A hypertensive canine model was established by feeding a high-fat diet. Twenty hypertensive beagles were randomized equally to a sham-surgery and RSD-treated group receiving catheter-based radiofrequency RSD. Compared with the control group, the sham-surgery group exhibited significant increases in blood pressure, serum angiotensin II level, rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) glutamate level, and AT1R mRNA and protein expression and decreases in γ-amino acid butyric acid (γ-GABA) level and GAD65 mRNA and protein expression in the RVLM (all P < 0.05). Treatment with RSD significantly attenuated the above abnormal alterations (all P < 0.05). Linear correlation analysis revealed that angiotensin II level was positively correlated with glutamate level (r = 0.804) and inversely correlated with γ-GABA level (r = -0.765). GAD65 protein expression was positively correlated with γ-GABA level (r = 0.782). Catheter-based radiofrequency RSD can decrease blood pressure in obesity-induced hypertensive canines. The antihypertensive mechanism might be linked to upregulation of GAD65 and downregulation of AT1R in the RVLM.

VEGFB-VEGFR1 ameliorates Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through Ca2+ -mediated PKG I pathway.

In response to assorted stimuli, the heart will develop into cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, but sustained cardiomyocyte hypertrophy will finally lead to heart failure. This research is aimed to examine the effect of VEGFB on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by using the cardiomyocyte-derived cell line H9C2 of cultured rates. It turns out that VEGFB can positively prevent the Ang II-induced rising in the size of cardiomyocyte as well as reduce Ang II-induced mRNA and protein levels of ß-MHC (ß-myosin heavy chain), BNP (brain natriuretic peptide), and ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide). Moreover, VEGFB can regulate the decline of the Ang II-induced rising in Ca2+ . After VEGFR1 knockdown, these effects of VEGFB were partially reversed. Moreover, VEGFB attenuated the suppression of PKG I, p-VASP, and RGS2 caused by Ang II; whereas VEGFR1 knockdown partially abolished the indicated effect of VEGFB. In a word, the effect of VEGFB on relevant downstream targets and the pathways of PKG I by VEGFR1 may explain its efficacy on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Thus, it can be suggested that it is feasible to apply VEGFB-VEGFR1 for reducing the symptoms of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Effects of chemerin/CMKLR1 in obesity-induced hypertension and potential mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Obesity-induced hypertension (OIH) has a high morbidity and mortality, and its prevention and treatment has been a major challenge in clinical practice. Chemerin is a newly discovered adipokine closely related to OIH. METHODS: Male Wistar rats (8W) were divided into either a high-fat diet or a regular diet group. Body weight and blood pressure were measured every two weeks. After 20 weeks, serum, adipose tissue and aortic arteries were collected. Arterial tensions were detected; Immunohistochemistry, ELISA and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of chemerin, CMKLR1, Rock2 and P-MYPT1 in the aorta and perivascular adipose tissues. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, the body weight, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were all significantly higher in the high-fat diet group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in serum chemerin concentration between the OIH group and the control group. However, chemerin and CMKLR1 protein expression was higher in aortic arteries and perivascular adipose tissues of the OIH group (P<0.05). The arterial tension induced by chemerin 9 (1 µM) and the expression of Rock2 and P-MYPT1 were higher in the OIH group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: OIH positively correlated with chemerin in tissues but not serum. Arterial tension was increased by chemerin 9. Rock2/P-MYPT1 might be involved in the pathogenesis of increased vascular tone in OIH rats.

Traditional Chinese medicine for lipid metabolism disorders.

Dyslipidemia significantly contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in China. Statins are the first-line therapy for reducing LDL-C serum levels. However, they have adverse effects, which restrict their clinical application. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations have been increasingly described for their beneficial effects in hyperlipidemic patients. Existing data show that the lipid-regulating effects of TCM may be related to: (1) inhibiting intestinal absorption of lipids; (2) reducing endogenous cholesterol synthesis; (3) regulating cholesterol transport; (4) promoting the excretion of cholesterol in the liver; (5) regulating transcription factors related to lipid metabolism. This study provides an overview of recent studies and elaborates the underlying mechanisms of lipid-regulation by TCM.