Exercise promotes brain health: a systematic review of fNIRS studies.

Exercise can induce brain plasticity. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a functional neuroimaging technique that exploits cerebral hemodynamics and has been widely used in the field of sports psychology to reveal the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of exercise. However, most existing fNIRS studies are cross-sectional and do not include exercise interventions. In addition, attributed to differences in experimental designs, the causal relationship between exercise and brain functions remains elusive. Hence, this systematic review aimed to determine the effects of exercise interventions on alterations in brain functional activity in healthy individuals using fNIRS and to determine the applicability of fNIRS in the research design of the effects of various exercise interventions on brain function. Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu databases were searched for studies published up to June 15, 2021. This study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Two investigators independently selected articles and extracted relevant information. Disagreements were resolved by discussion with another author. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias method. Data were pooled using random-effects models. A total of 29 studies were included in the analysis. Our results indicated that exercise interventions alter oxygenated hemoglobin levels in the prefrontal cortex and motor cortex, which are associated with improvements in higher cognitive functions (e.g., inhibitory control and working memory). The frontal cortex and motor cortex may be key regions for exercise-induced promotion of brain health. Future research is warranted on fluctuations in cerebral blood flow during exercise to elucidate the neural mechanism underlying the effects of exercise. Moreover, given that fNIRS is insensitive to motion, this technique is ideally suited for research during exercise interventions. Important factors include the study design, fNIRS device parameters, and exercise protocol. The examination of cerebral blood flow during exercise intervention is a future research direction that has the potential to identify cortical hemodynamic changes and elucidate the relationship between exercise and cognition. Future studies can combine multiple study designs to measure blood flow prior to and after exercise and during exercise in a more in-depth and comprehensive manner.

Current state of research on exercise for the treatment of myasthenia gravis: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive overview of existing evidence, research gaps, and future research priorities concerning the treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG) using exercise therapies. METHOD: Clinical studies on exercise treatment for MG were searched in nine databases to conduct a scoping review. Two independent researchers screened the literature and comprehensively analyzed the characteristics and limitations of the included articles. RESULTS: A total of 5725 studies were retrieved, of which 24 were included. The included studies were conducted in 16 different countries/regions and 456 patients were enrolled. Study designs included both interventional and observational studies. Exercise interventions included aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, balance training, and stretch training, and are typically administered in conjunction with medication, usual care, or some other interventions. The intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise interventions varied hugely among studies. Six-minute walk test, adverse events, muscle strength, MG quality of life-15 scale, forced vital capacity, quantitative MG scale, and MG activities of daily living scale were the most frequently used outcomes. All studies reported results in favor of the efficacy and safety of exercise in MG, and exercise-related adverse events were reported in two studies. CONCLUSION: This scoping review provides an overview of the evidence concerning exercise treatment for MG. Key gaps in evidence include a limited number of participants, complex interventions, variability in outcome selection, and insufficient reporting in publications. The promotion of exercise treatment for MG still encounters several obstacles. A larger population, rigorous study design and conduction, standardized interventions and outcomes, and standardized reporting are essential.

Multiomics implicate gut microbiota in low cypermethrin (CP) exposure induced multiorgan toxicological effects in pubertal male rats.

Cypermethrin (CP), widely used as a broad-spectrum pesticide, has raised concerns over its frequent presence in the environment and potential health risks. The present study focused on incorporating the gut-organ axis theory to reinterpret the toxicological effects and mechanisms following CP exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1 mg/kg/d and 0.5 mg/kg/d) in pubertal male rats. The results showed alterations in histopathological and organosomatic indices in the liver, brain, and epididymis. Through multiomics network analysis, it was found that Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae may contribute to the alteration in serum L-carnitine and trigonelline, leading to hepatic lipid accumulation following CP exposure. Additionally, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Porphyromonadaceae were associated with CP-induced glutamatergic hypofunction and overproduction of TNF-α, potentially contributing to the brain neurotoxicity. Overall, the study provides important insights into the potential mechanisms underlying CP-induced toxicity and highlights the need for continued research to fully understand the implications for CP-induced health risks. The incorporation of the gut-organ axis theory in the study provides a promising avenue for future research into the potential interactions between gut microbiota and organ toxicity, and the potential for targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental toxins.

Baicalein self-microemulsion based on drug-phospholipid complex for the alleviation of cytokine storm.

Cytokine storm is a phenomenon whereby the overreaction of the human immune system leads to the release of inflammatory cytokines, which can lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. At present, the existing drugs for the treatment of cytokine storm have limited efficacy and severe adverse effects. Here, we report a lymphatic targeting self-microemulsifying drug delivery system containing baicalein to effectively inhibit cytokine storm. Baicalein self-microemulsion with phospholipid complex as an intermediate carrier (BAPC-SME) prepared in this study could be spontaneously emulsified to form 12-nm oil-in-water nanoemulsion after administration. And then BAPC-SME underwent uptake by enterocyte through endocytosis mediated by lipid valve and clathrin, and had obvious characteristics of mesenteric lymph node targeting distribution. Oral administration of BAPC-SME could significantly inhibit the increase in plasma levels of 14 cytokines: TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, MCP-1, IL-17A, IL-27, IL-1α, GM-CSF, MIG, IFN-ß, IL-12, MIP-3α, IL-23, and RANTES in mice experiencing systemic cytokine storm. BAPC-SME could also significantly improve the pathological injury and inflammatory cell infiltration of lung tissue in mice experiencing local cytokine storm. This study does not only provide a new lymphatic targeted drug delivery strategy for the treatment of cytokine storm but also has great practical significance for the clinical development of baicalein self-microemulsion therapies for cytokine storm.

Simultaneous Recovery of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Sewage by Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate Method with Magnesium-Loaded Bentonite.

Excessive nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) result in serious eutrophication of water. In this study, magnesium modified acid bentonite was prepared by the impregnation method, and nitrogen and phosphorus were simultaneously removed by the magnesium ammonium phosphate method (MAP), which solved the problem of the poor adsorption capacity of bentonite. The morphology and structure of MgO-SBt were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, EDS, XPS, BET, etc. The results show that the acidified bentonite can increase the distance between bentonite layers, the layer spacing is expanded to 1.560 nm, and the specific surface area is expanded to 95.433 m2/g. After Mg modification, the characteristic peaks of MgO appear at 2θ of 42.95°, 62.31°, and 78.72°, indicating that MgO has been successfully loaded and that MgO bonded to the surface and interior pores of the acidified bentonite, boosting adsorption performance. When the dosage of MgO-SBt is 0.25 g/L, pH = 9, and N/P ratio is 5:1, the maximum adsorption capacity of MgO-SBt for N and P can reach 193.448 mg/g and 322.581 mg/g. In addition, the mechanism of the simultaneous adsorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by MgO-SBt was deeply characterized by the kinetic model, isothermal adsorption model, and thermodynamic model. The results showed that the simultaneous adsorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by MgO-SBt was chemisorption and a spontaneous exothermic process.

Mapping current trends and hotspots in myasthenia gravis from 2003 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis.

Introduction: Research on myasthenia gravis (MG) has undergone rapid development in recent years. This article aimed to elucidate the characteristics of MG publications over the past 20 years and analyze emerging trends using bibliometric methods. Methods: Information on MG articles was obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection and stored in Excel for quantitative analyses. Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to visualize publications according to countries/regions, institutions, journals, and authors. Results: A total of 3,610 publications were included in the analysis. The USA had the highest number of publications (NP) and H-index. Among the institutions, the University of Oxford had the highest NP, followed by the University of Toronto and Duke University. Close cooperation was observed among countries and institutions. The most productive author was Renato Mantegazza, followed by Jan J. Verschuuren, and Amelia Evoli. Muscle & Nerve published the most articles on MG, followed by the Journal of Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Disorders. The keyword with the highest strength is "neuromuscular transmission," followed by "safety" and "rituximab." Co-citation analysis includes 103 publications cited at least 65 times, categorized into four clusters. Additionally, 123 keywords cited more than 40 times were analyzed and divided into five clusters. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis shows the framework of research over the past 20 years by mapping the scholarly contributions of various countries or regions, institutions, journals, and authors in MG. The analysis also explores future trends and prospective directions, emphasizing individualized treatment based on subtypes, novel immunotherapeutic approaches, and thymectomy.

Physical activity intervention promotes working memory and motor competence in preschool children.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of specifically designed physical activity intervention on working memory and motor competence in preschool children and explored the correlation between working memory changes and motor competence changes by the intervention. Methods: Four classes of preschool children were grouped into an intervention group and a control group. Children in the intervention group received a 12-week physical activity intervention, while children in the control group followed their daily routine as usual. Before and after the intervention period, children were assessed with the 1-back task and Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition (MABC-2) to measure their working memory and motor competence, respectively. Results: Regarding working memory, the accuracy on the 1-back task increased significantly in the intervention group relative to the control group. The intervention group demonstrated a greater decrease in response time from pre- to posttest than the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Regarding motor competence, children's manual dexterity, aiming and catching and total score increased significantly in the intervention group relative to the control group, while no significant difference in static and dynamic balance was observed between the two groups. Furthermore, the correlation results showed that changes in the efficacy and efficiency of working memory were positively related to changes in static and dynamic balance and the total score on the MABC-2. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that 12 weeks of specifically designed physical activity intervention could improve preschool children's efficacy of working memory as well as manual dexterity, aiming and catching and global motor competence. The improvement in the efficacy and efficiency of working memory was positively related to the improvement in static and dynamic balance and global motor competence.

Effect of Cognitive Reappraisal on Archery Performance of Elite Athletes: The Mediating Effects of Sport-Confidence and Attention.

Through empirical studies or laboratory tests, previous studies have shown that sport-confidence, attention, and emotion regulation are key factors in archery performance. The present study aims to further identify the effects and pathways of sport-confidence, attention, and cognitive reappraisal (a specific emotion regulation strategy) on real-world archery performance by constructing a hypothesized model to provide a basis for scientific training of athletes to improve sport performance. A survey design was utilized on a sample of 61 athletes (12 international-level athletes, 30 national-level athletes, and 19 first-class athletes) from the Chinese National Archery Team to test the model. The measurement and hypothesized models were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that the model fit well and explained 33.6% of the variance in archery performance. Sport-confidence (total effects = 0.574, p < 0.001) and attention (total effects = 0.344, p = 0.009) were important predictive indicators of archery performance, while the relationship between cognitive reappraisal and archery performance showed considerable complexity (direct effects = -0.268, p = 0.020; total effects = -0.007, p = 0.964). We conclude that the development of sport-confidence and attention of archery athletes should be strengthened, but athletes who use cognitive reappraisal in archery competition should be mindful of its potential appropriation of cognitive resources and should be directed to improve sport-confidence or develop a positive orientation to arouse excitement.

A molecular beam-surface apparatus for quantum state-resolved adsorption studies.

Understanding the microscopic mechanism of molecule-surface interaction is of great importance in the study of chemical dynamics. Yet, it remains challenging to experimentally acquire quantum state resolved results, particularly the results related to different degrees of freedom of the reactants. Here, we report the design and performance of a new apparatus for molecule-surface dynamics studies, which enable the measurement of quantum state-resolved adsorption. A continuous narrow-linewidth infrared laser source and molecular beam unit were developed and employed in this new apparatus to achieve independent control on different degrees of freedom (translation, vibration, and rotation) of the molecule. Preliminary results on hydrogen and hydrogen chloride adsorption on the Cu (111) surface were also presented.

Phytoremediation for Co-contaminated Soils of Cadmium and Polychlorinated Biphenyls Using the Ornamental Plant Tagetes patula L.

In this study, pot-culture experiments were conducted to investigate the single effect of Cd, PCBs, and the combined effect of Cd-PCBs with Tagetes patula L. The study highlights that the minimum concentration of PCBs (100 µg kg-1) could enable the growth of the plant with an increase in biomass by 27.76% when compared with the control. In all the experiments performed, the Cd concentrations over the surface parts were found to be above 100 mg kg-1. Significant positive correlations were observed between the Cd and PCBs concentrations accumulated in tissues of the soil and plants (p < 0.05). T. patula exhibited high tolerance to Cd and PCBs, and the plant promoted the removal rate of PCBs. The removal rates of PCB18 and PCB28 were up to 42.72 and 42.29%, respectively. The study highlights the potential and suitability of T. patula for phytoremediation of Cd and PCBs in contaminated soils.

The safety of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with myasthenia gravis: A scoping review.

Background: COVID-19 vaccines are required for individuals with myasthenia gravis (MG), as these patients are more likely to experience severe pneumonia, myasthenia crises, and higher mortality rate. However, direct data on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with MG are lacking, which results in hesitation in vaccination. This scoping was conducted to collect and summarize the existing evidence on this issue. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for studies using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Article titles, authors, study designs, demographics of patients, vaccination information, adverse events (AEs), significant findings, and conclusions of included studies were recorded and summarized. Results: Twenty-nine studies conducted in 16 different countries in 2021 and 2022 were included. Study designs included case report, case series, cohort study, cross-sectional study, survey-based study, chart review, and systemic review. A total of 1347 patients were included. The vaccines used included BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, inactivated vaccines, and recombinant subunit vaccines. Fifteen case studies included 48 patients reported that 23 experienced new-onset, and five patients experienced flare of symptoms. Eleven other types of studies included 1299 patients reported that nine patients experienced new-onset, and 60 participants experienced flare of symptoms. Common AEs included local pain, fatigue, asthenia, cephalalgia, fever, and myalgia. Most patients responded well to treatment without severe sequelae. Evidence gaps include limited strength of study designs, type and dose of vaccines varied, inconsistent window of risk and exacerbation criteria, limited number of participants, and lack of efficacy evaluation. Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccines may cause new-onset or worsening of MG in a small proportion of population. Large-scale, multicenter, prospective, and rigorous studies are required to verify their safety.

Midinfrared Tunable Laser with Noncritical Frequency Matching in Box Resonator Geometry.

Monolithic optical parametric oscillators extend laser frequencies in compact architectures, but normally guide and circulate all pump, signal, and idler beams. Critical frequency matching is raised among these resonances, limiting operation stability and continuous tuning. Here, we develop a box resonator geometry that guides all beams but only resonates for signal. Such noncritical frequency matching enables 227 GHz continuous tuning, with sub-10 kHz linewidth and 0.43 W power at 3310 nm. Our results confirm that monolithic resonator can be effectively used as a tunable laser including midinfrared wavelength, as further harnessed with methane fine spectral measurement at MHz accuracy.

The Potential Advantages of Tai Chi Chuan in Promoting Inhibitory Control and Spontaneous Neural Activity in Young Adults.

Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is assumed to exert beneficial effects on functional brain activity and cognitive function in elders. Until now, empirical evidence of TCC induced intra-regional spontaneous neural activity and inhibitory control remains inconclusive. Whether the effect of TCC is better than that of other aerobic exercises is still unknown, and the role of TCC in younger adults is not yet fully understood. Here we used resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) to investigate the effects of 8-week TCC (n = 12) and brisk walking (BW, n = 12) on inhibitory control and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF). The results found that TCC had significant effects on inhibitory control performance and spontaneous neural activity that were associated with significantly increased fALFF in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (Cohen's d = 1.533) and the right fusiform gyrus (Cohen's d = 1.436) and decreased fALFF in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (Cohen's d = 1.405) and the right paracentral lobule (Cohen's d = 1.132).TCC exhibited stronger effects on spontaneous neural activity than the BW condition, as reflected in significantly increased fALFF in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (Cohen's d = 0.862). There was a significant positive correlation between the increase in fALFF in the left medial superior frontal gyrus and the enhancement in inhibitory control performance. The change in fALFF in the left medial superior frontal gyrus was able to explain the change in inhibitory control performance induced by TCC. In conclusion, our results indicated that 8 weeks of TCC intervention could improve processing efficiency related to inhibitory control and alter spontaneous neural activity in young adults, and TCC had potential advantages over BW intervention for optimizing spontaneous neural activity.

Tai Chi Chuan Alters Brain Functional Network Plasticity and Promotes Cognitive Flexibility.

Objective: This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of Tai Chi Chuan and general aerobic exercise on the topological parameters of brain functional networks, explored the advantages of Tai Chi Chuan for improving functional network plasticity and cognitive flexibility, and examined how changes in topological attributes of brain functional networks relate to cognitive flexibility. Methods: Thirty-six healthy adults were grouped into Tai Chi Chuan (Bafa Wubu of Tai Chi), general aerobic exercise (brisk walking), and control groups. All of the subjects underwent fMRI and behavioral assessment before and after the exercise intervention. Results: Tai Chi Chuan exercise significantly enhanced the clustering coefficient and local efficiency compared with general aerobic exercise. Regarding the nodal properties, Tai Chi Chuan significantly enhanced the nodal clustering coefficient of the bilateral olfactory cortex and left thalamus, significantly reduced the nodal clustering coefficient of the left inferior temporal gyrus, significantly improved the nodal efficiency of the right precuneus and bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus, and significantly improved the nodal local efficiency of the left thalamus and right olfactory cortex. Furthermore, the behavioral performance results demonstrated that cognitive flexibility was enhanced by Tai Chi Chuan. The change in the nodal clustering coefficient in the left thalamus induced by Tai Chi Chuan was a significant predictor of cognitive flexibility. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that Tai Chi Chuan could promote brain functional specialization. Brain functional specialization enhanced by Tai Chi Chuan exercise was a predictor of greater cognitive flexibility.

Mammography breast density: an effective supplemental modality for the precise grading of ultrasound BI-RADS 4 categories.

BACKGROUND: High breast density is significantly associated with an increased risk of breast diseases. Presently, suspected breast masses assessed as Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) grade 4 provide a wide range of positive predictive values. Moreover, subcategories (4a, 4b, and 4c) are still under consideration as the diagnostic criteria are neither comprehensive nor objective. However, whether mammography breast density (MBD) has any impact on the accurate grading of BI-RADS 4 assessed by ultrasound (US) remains unknown. METHODS: A total of 1,086 women with 1,293 breast masses were included and assessed as BI-RADS 3-5 by US. The subcategories of MBD (from the ACR-a to the ACR-d group) were assessed by mammography according to the criteria of the American College of Radiology (ACR). The clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. The malignancy rates of breast masses among different subgroups assessed by BI-RADS were re-estimated with MBD. RESULTS: Almost all BI-RADS 3 masses were classified as benign and nearly all BI-RADS 5 masses were identified as malignant. Significant inverse associations between MBD and malignancy rates were detected between the BI-RADS 4a and BI-RADS 4b groups. Moreover, malignancy rates decreased significantly from ACR-a to ACR-d for BI-RADS 4a and 4b breast lesions (P<0.001). However, this trend was not observed in BI-RADS 4c breast lesions. CONCLUSIONS: MBD could serve as a crucial factor for the accurate grading of BI-RADS 4 lesions assessed by US. We strongly recommend the adoption of the MBD as a possible supplemental screening modality for US. Furthermore, it is equally beneficial for accurate risk assessment and screening recommendations based on MBD.

Comparative colloidal stability, antitumor efficacy, and immunosuppressive effect of commercial paclitaxel nanoformulations.

BACKGROUND: Standard chemotherapy with taxanes, such as paclitaxel (PTX), remains the mainstay of systemic treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Nanotechnology-based formulations have gradually replaced PTX injection and are widely used in China. However, no studies have compared the colloidal stability, antitumor efficacy, and safety of commercial PTX nanoformulations. Additionally, the desire to evaluate preclinical antitumor efficacy in human-derived tumor cells led to the widespread application of immunodeficient mouse models that likely contributed to the neglect of nanomedicines-immune system interactions. The present study investigated the colloidal stability, antitumor efficacy and safety, and nanomedicines-host immune system interactions of PTX nanoformulations. A further comparative analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical potential. RESULTS: Compared with liposome, PTX emulsion and PTX nanoparticle exhibited favorable colloidal stability. PTX emulsion was superior in inducing apoptosis and had a more pronounced inhibitory effect on 4T1-tumor spheroids compared with PTX liposome and PTX nanoparticle. Although PTX emulsion exhibited superior in vitro antitumor effect, no significant differences in the in vivo antitumor efficacy were found among the three types of PTX nanoformulations in an immunocompetent orthotopic 4T1 murine triple-negative breast cancer model. All PTX nanoformulations at maximum tolerated dose (MTD) induced lymphopenia and immunosuppression, as evidenced by the reduction of T cell subpopulations and inhibition of the dendritic cells maturation. CONCLUSIONS: The MTD PTX nanomedicines-induced lymphopenia and immunosuppression may weaken the lymphocyte-mediated antitumor cellular immune response and partly account for the lack of differences in the in vivo antitumor outcomes of PTX nanoformulations. Understanding of what impacts PTX nanomedicines has on the immune system may be critical to improve the design and conduct of translational research of PTX nanomedicines in monotherapy or combination therapy with immunotherapy.

Proof-of-principle demonstration of measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution based on intrinsically stable polarization-modulated units.

The experimental demonstration of measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) has been widely demonstrated. Thus far, several experimental groups have implemented polarization encoding MDI-QKD but with manual polarization controllers, or polarization modulators that make circular polarization states unstable. Here, we apply an intrinsically stable polarization-modulated unit (PMU) to MDI-QKD so that Alice and Bob can modulate four BB84 polarization states, all of which can be kept stable from even the harsh environment. Moreover, our PMU can provide two operational polarization encoding modes suitable to different application scenarios. A proof-of-principle demonstration of MDI-QKD based on our PMU is implemented with an interference visibility of 46.6%, an average quantum bit error rate of 1.49% for the Z basis and the secure key rate of 4.25 × 10-6 bits per pulse. The proposed study is helpful for building polarization encoding MDI-QKD systems with better stability.

Assessment of endocrine-disrupting effects of emerging polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs): In vitro, in silico, and in vivo evidence.

Polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) are an emerging class of persistent, bioaccumulative compounds that are structurally and chemically related to dioxins. They have been detected widely in sediment, river, and soil samples, but their environmental risks are largely unknown. Therefore, seven common PHCZs were tested for their endocrine disrupting potential in silico, in vitro, and in vivo. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect receptor-mediated (agonist or antagonistic) activity (concentration range: 10-9-10-5 M) against the estrogen receptor α (ERα), glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). The alterations in the steroidogenesis pathway were investigated in H295R cells. Antagonistic effects against GRα were observed with five PHCZs, along with an increase in the cortisol levels of H295R cells. The most common effect observed was that of the agonistic activity of ERα, with the molecular docking analysis further indicating that hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions may stabilize the interaction between PHCZs and the estrogen receptor binding pocket. In addition, a seven-day exposure of young female rats to three PHCZs (27-BCZ, 3-BCZ, and 36-BCZ) resulted in changes in serum E2 levels, uterine epithelium cell heights, and relative uterus weights. In conclusion, endocrine-disrupting effects, especially the estrogenic effects, were observed for the tested PHCZs. Such adverse effects of PHCZs on humans and wildlife warrant further thorough investigation.

Tai Chi Chuan vs General Aerobic Exercise in Brain Plasticity: A Multimodal MRI Study.

This study contrasted the impact of Tai Chi Chuan and general aerobic exercise on brain plasticity in terms of an increased grey matter volume and functional connectivity during structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), explored the advantages of Tai Chi Chuan in improving brain structure and function. Thirty-six college students were grouped into Tai Chi Chuan (Bafa Wubu of Tai Chi), general aerobic exercise (brisk walking) and control groups. Individuals were assessed with a sMRI and rs-fMRI scan before and after an 8-week training period. The VBM toolbox was used to conduct grey matter volume analyses. The CONN toolbox was used to conduct several seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analyses. We can conclude that compared with general aerobic exercise, eight weeks of Tai Chi Chuan exercise has a stronger effect on brain plasticity, which is embodied in the increase of grey matter volume in left middle occipital gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus and the enhancement of functional connectivity between the left middle frontal gyrus and left superior parietal lobule. These findings demonstrate the potential and advantages of Tai Chi Chuan exercises in eliciting brain plasticity.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Attenuates Angiotensin II-Induced Renal Injury by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autophagy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A recent study has shown that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3), the active form of vitamin D, can ameliorate renal dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of 1,25-D3 in angiotensin (Ang II)-induced renal injury and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were treated with Ang II and/or 1,25-D3 (or saline as the control) for 2 weeks. Renal injury was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy and periodic acid-Schiff reagent and Masson's trichrome staining. The pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory factors were assessed using real-time PCR. The renal apoptotic pathway was evaluated with TUNEL staining and western blot. Mitochondrial dysfunction (MtD) was determined using real-time PCR and electron microscopy. The activation of autophagy was detected using western blot. RESULTS: In the Ang II-infused mice, expanded mesangial regions, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and foot process fusion were observed; the levels of the pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines and MtD were also increased when compared with the control group. However, we found that administration of 1,25-D3 significantly improved renal function and MtD and reduced the pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Furthermore, 1,25-D3 significantly inhibited Ang II-induced autophagy dysfunction (determined by inhibition of Beclin-1 activation and reduction of the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that 1,25-D3 may attenuate Ang II-induced renal injury by improving MtD and modulating autophagy. 1,25-D3 may be a new therapeutic for the treatment of CKD.