ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of Chinese herbal medicine Fructus broussonetiae (FB) in both mouse and cell models of Alzheimer's disease (AD).@*METHODS@#APP/PS1 mice treated with FB for 2 months and vehicle-treated controls were run through the Morris water maze and object recognition test to evaluate learning and memory capacity. RNA-Seq, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were also conducted to evaluate the effects of FB treatment on various signaling pathways altered in APP/PS1 mice. To further explore the mechanisms underlying FB's protective effect, PC-12 cells were treated with Aβ@*RESULTS@#FB-treated mice showed improved learning and memory capacity on both the Morris water maze and object recognition tests. RNA-seq of hippocampal tissue from APP/PS1 mice showed that FB had effects on multiple signaling pathways, specifically decreasing cell apoptotic signaling and increasing AKT and β-catenin signaling. Similarly, FB up-regulated both AKT and β-catenin signaling in PC-12 cells pre-treated with Aβ@*CONCLUSIONS@#FB exerted neuroprotective effects on hippocampal cells of APP/PS1 mice, as well as improved cell viability in an in vitro model of AD. The protective actions of FB occurred via the upregulation of AKT/β-catenin signaling.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To exam the effect and safety of conventional acupuncture (CA) on cardiac arrhythmia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Nine medical databases were searched until February 2016 for randomized controlled trials. Heterogeneity was measured by Cochran Q test. Meta-analysis was conducted if I was less than 85% and the characteristics of included trials were similar.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nine qualified studies involving 638 patients were included. Only 1 study had definitely low risk of bias, while 7 trials were rated as unclear and 1 as high. Meta-analysis of CA alone did not have a significant benefit on response rate compared to amiodarone in patients with atrial fibrillation (Af) and atrial flutter (AF) [relative risk (RR): 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-1.49; P=0.61; I=61%, P=0.11]. However, 1 study with higher methodological quality detected a lower recurrence rate of Af in CA alone as compared with sham acupuncture plus no treatment, and benefits on ventricular rate and time of conversion to normal sinus rhythm were found in CA alone group by 1 study, as well as the response rate in CA plus deslanoside group by another study. Meta-analysis of CA plus anti-arrhythmia drug (AAD) was associated with a significant benefit on the response rate when compared with AAD alone in ventricular premature beat (VPB) patients (RR, 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.34; P=0.005; I=13%, P=0.32), and an improvement in quality-of-life score (QOLS) of VPB also showed in 1 individual study. Besides, a lower heart rate was detected in the CA alone group by 1 individual study when compared with no treatment in sinus tachycardia patients (MD-21.84 [-27.21,-16.47]) and lower adverse events of CA alone were reported than amiodarone.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CA may be a useful and safe alternative or additive approach to AADs for cardiac arrhythmia, especially in VPB and Af patients, which mainly based on a pooled estimate and result from 1 study with higher methodological quality. However, we could not reach a robust conclusion due to low quality of overall evidence.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Acupuncture Therapy , Arrhythmias, Cardiac , Therapeutics , Atrial Fibrillation , Therapeutics , Atrial Flutter , Therapeutics , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Treatment Outcome , Ventricular Premature Complexes , TherapeuticsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore detection method on polysomnogram of post-stroke depression and changes in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control group, stroke group, and post-stroke depression (PSD) group. The establishment of PSD model generally adopted the combination of deligation bilateral common carotid artery permanently raising alone and stress exertion. And suturing electrode under the rat scalp for polysomnogram.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The polysomnogram could record the rats movement, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, and eye movement. The rapid eye movement (REM) latency of PSD group, and control group, stroke group were (108.2 +/- 16.1)s, (152.5 +/- 20.5)s, (145.1 +/- 18.7)s respectively. Compared with control, and stroke group, REM latency in PSD group were shortened (P < 0.01). The percentage of REM in PSD group, control group and stroke group were 5.2% +/- 1.2%, 8.3% +/- 1.4%, 7.9% +/- 1.6% respectively. Compared with control, and stroke group, REM latency in PSD group was decreased (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method of suturing electrode under the rat scalp is suitable for polysomnogram. The polysomnogram could be a successful sign for PSD model.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Depressive Disorder , Disease Models, Animal , Polysomnography , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , StrokeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>During present investigation the data of a laboratory-scale anoxic sulfide oxidizing (ASO) reactor were used in a neural network system to predict its performance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Five uncorrelated components of the influent wastewater were used as the artificial neural network model input to predict the output of the effluent using back-propagation and general regression algorithms. The best prediction performance is achieved when the data are preprocessed using principal components analysis (PCA) before they are fed to a back propagated neural network.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Within the range of experimental conditions tested, it was concluded that the ANN model gave predictable results for nitrite removal from wastewater through ASO process. The model did not predict the formation of sulfate to an acceptable manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Apart from experimentation, ANN model can help to simulate the results of such experiments in finding the best optimal choice for ASObased denitrification. Together with wastewater collection and the use of improved treatment systems and new technologies, better control of wastewater treatment plant (WTP) can lead to more effective maneuvers by its operators and, as a consequence, better effluent quality.</p>
Subject(s)
Bioreactors , Neural Networks, Computer , Oxidation-Reduction , Sulfates , Chemistry , Sulfides , Chemistry , Time Factors , Waste Disposal, Fluid , MethodsABSTRACT
Genetic improvement for drought stress tolerance in rice involves the quantitative nature of the trait, which reflects the additive effects of several genetic loci throughout the genome. Yield components and related traits under stressed and well-water conditions were assayed in mapping populations derived from crosses of AzucenaxIR64 and AzucenaxBala. To find the candidate rice genes underlying Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) in these populations, we conducted in silico analysis of a candidate region flanked by the genetic markers RM212 and RM319 on chromosome 1, proximal to the semi-dwarf (sd1) locus. A total of 175 annotated genes were identified from this region. These included 48 genes annotated by functional homology to known genes, 23 pseudogenes, 24 ab initio predicted genes supported by an alignment match to an EST (Expressed sequence tag) of unknown function, and 80 hypothetical genes predicted solely by ab initio means. Among these, 16 candidate genes could potentially be involved in drought stress response.