[Multi-index evaluation of different parts of Amomum villosum].

To investigate the quality differences between the seeds and husks of Amomum villosum and explore the rationality of using the seeds without husks, this study determined the content of protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, epicatechin, quercitrin, volatile oil, water extract, and ethanol extract. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS), and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities were determined to evaluate the antioxidant activities of seeds and husks. The quality differences between the seeds and husks were assessed through orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) and analytic hierarchy process(AHP) combined with the entropy weight method(EWM). Significant differences(P<0.05) were observed in all 10 indicators between the seeds and husks. The levels of epicatechin, quercetin, and volatile oil were higher in the seeds, whereas those of protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, water extract, and ethanol extract were higher in the husks. The seeds showed stronger scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals, while the husks showed a stronger scavenging effect on hydroxyl radicals. OPLS-DA significantly discriminated between the seeds and husks. Furthermore, volatile oil, water extract, DPPH radical scavenging rate, quercitrin, ABTS radical scavenging rate, hydroxyl radical scavenging rate, and vanillic acid were selected as the main differential indicators by variable importance in projection(VIP). Comprehensive scores calculated by AHP combined with EWM indicated that the seeds were superior to husks in terms of overall quality. However, there are still some dominant components and a certain antioxidant effect in the husks. Therefore, it is suggested to using Amomi Fructus with a certain amount of husks or utilizing the husks for other purposes.

Osteosarcoma-targeted Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform for NIR II fluorescence/magnetic resonance dual-mode imaging and ros cascade amplification along with immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: As the lethal bone tumor, osteosarcoma often frequently occurs in children and adolescents with locally destructive and high metastasis. Distinctive kinds of nanoplatform with high therapeutical effect and precise diagnosis for osteosarcoma are urgently required. Multimodal optical imaging and programmed treatment, including synergistic photothermal-chemodynamic therapy (PTT-CDT) elicits immunogenetic cell death (ICD) is a promising strategy that possesses high bio-imaging sensitivity for accurate osteosarcoma delineating as well as appreciable therapeutic efficacy with ignorable side-effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, mesoporous Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) anchoring is designed and successfully constructed. After loading with indocyanine green, this nanoplatform can be utilized for precisely targeting and efficaciously ablating against osteosarcoma via PTT boosted CDT and the closely following ICD stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, it provides off-peak fluorescence bio-imaging in the second window of near-infrared region (NIR II, 1000-1700 nm) and Magnetic resonance signal, serves as the dual-mode contrast agents for osteosarcoma tissue discrimination. CONCLUSION: Tumor targeted Cu&Ce based mesoporous nanoplatform permits efficient osteosarcoma suppression and dual-mode bio-imaging that opens new possibility for effectively diagnosing and inhibiting the clinical malignant osteosarcoma.

Assessing ammonium pollution and mitigation measures through a modified watershed non-point source model.

Watershed water quality modeling is a valuable tool for managing ammonium (NH4+) pollution. However, simulating NH4+ pollution presents unique challenges due to the inherent instability of NH4+ in natural environment. This study modified the widely-used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to simulate non-point source (NPS) NH4+ processes, specifically incorporating the simulation of land-to-water NH4+ delivery. The Jiulong River Watershed (JRW) is the study area, a coastal watershed in Southeast China with substantial sewage discharge, livestock farming, and fertilizer application. The results demonstrate that the modified model can effectively simulate the NPS NH4+ processes. It is recommended to use multiple sets of observations to calibrate NH4+ simulation to enhance model reliability. Despite constituting a minor proportion (5.6 %), point source inputs significantly contribute to NH4+ load at watershed outlet (32.4∼51.9 %), while NPS inputs contribute 15.3∼17.3 % of NH4+ loads. NH4+ primarily enters water through surface runoff and lateral flow, with negligible leaching. Average NH4+ land-to-water delivery rate is about 2.35 to 2.90 kg N/ha/a. High delivery rates mainly occur at agricultural areas. Notably, proposed NH4+ mitigation measures, including urban sewage treatment enhancement, livestock manure management improvement, and fertilizer application reduction, demonstrate potential to collectively reduce the NH4+ load at watershed outlet by 1/4 to 1/3 and significantly enhance water quality standard compliance frequency. Insights gained from modeling experience in the JRW offer valuable implications for NH4+ modeling and management in regions with similar climates and significant anthropogenic nitrogen inputs.

The changes of neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of SAMP8 mice and the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion.

BACKGROUND: Influenced by the global aging population, the incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has increased sharply. In addition to increasing ß-amyloid plaque deposition and tau tangle formation, neurogenesis dysfunction has recently been observed in AD. Therefore, promoting regeneration to improve neurogenesis and cognitive dysfunction can play an effective role in AD treatment. Acupuncture and moxibustion have been widely used in the clinical treatment of neurodegenerative diseases because of their outstanding advantages such as early, functional, and benign two-way adjustment. It is urgent to clarify the effectiveness, greenness, and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in promoting neurogenesis in AD treatment. METHODS: Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice at various ages were used as experimental models to simulate the pathology and behaviors of AD mice. Behavioral experiments, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and immunofluorescence experiments were used for comparison between different groups. RESULTS: Acupuncture and moxibustion could increase the number of PCNA+ DCX+ cells, Nissl bodies, and mature neurons in the hippocampal Dentate gyrus (DG) of SAMP8 mice, restore the hippocampal neurogenesis, delay the AD-related pathological presentation, and improve the learning and memory abilities of SAMP8 mice. CONCLUSION: The pathological process underlying AD and cognitive impairment were changed positively by improving the dysfunction of neurogenesis. This indicates the promising role of acupuncture and moxibustion in the prevention and treatment of AD.

Revealing the Antiperspirant Components of Floating Wheat and Their Mechanisms of Action through Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology.

Floating wheat is a classical herbal with potential efficacy in the treatment of hyperhidrosis. Aiming at revealing the main components and potential mechanisms of floating wheat, a comprehensive and unique phytopharmacology profile study was carried out. First, common wheat was used as a control to look for chemical markers of floating wheat. In the screening analysis, a total of 180 shared compounds were characterized in common wheat and floating wheat, respectively. The results showed that floating wheat and common wheat contain similar types of compounds. In addition, in non-targeted metabolomic analysis, when taking the contents of the constituents into account, it was found that there indeed existed quite a difference between floating wheat and common wheat and 17 potential biomarkers for floating wheat. Meanwhile, a total of seven components targeted for hyperhidrosis were screened out based on network pharmacology. Seven key differential components were screened, among which kaempferol, asiatic acid, sclareol, enoxolone, and secoisolariciresinol had higher degree values than the others. The analysis of interacting genes revealed three key genes, namely, MAP2K1, ESR1, and ESR2. The Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that various signaling pathways were involved. Prolactin signaling, thyroid cancer, endocrine resistance, gonadotropin secretion, and estrogen signaling pathways were the main pathways of the intervention of floating wheat in excessive sweating, which was associated with the estrogenic response, hormone receptor binding, androgen metabolism, apoptosis, cancer, and many other biological processes. Molecular docking showed that the screened key components could form good bindings with the target proteins through intermolecular forces. This study reveals the active ingredients and potential molecular mechanism of floating wheat in the treatment of hyperhidrosis and provides a reference for subsequent basic research.

Cold-resistant performance and the promoted development of functional community with flexible metabolic patterns in a Biofilm Bio-Nutrient Removal (BBNR) system amended with supplementary carbon source for phosphorus recovery.

The need for recovery of phosphorus (P) from wastewater has accelerated the retrofitting of existing bio-nutrient removal (BNR) processes into bio-nutrient removal-phosphorus recovery processes (BNR-PR). A periodical carbon source supplement is needed to facilitate the P-recovery. But the impact of this amendment on the cold resistances of the reactor and the functional microorganisms (for nitrogen and phosphorus (P) removal/recovery) are still unknown. This study presents the performances of a biofilm BNR process with a carbon source regulated the P recovery (BBNR-CPR) process operating at different temperatures. When the temperature was decreased from 25 ± 1 °C to 6 ± 1 °C, the system total nitrogen and total phosphorus removals and the corresponding kinetic coefficients decreased moderately. The indicative genes of the phosphorus-accumulating organisms (e.g., Thauera spp. and Candidatus Accumulibacter spp.) increased significantly. An increase of Nitrosomonas spp. genes aligned to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), glycine, and extracellular polymeric substance synthesis were observed, which was probably related to cold resistance. The results provide a new vision for understanding the advantages of P recovery-targeted carbon source supplementation for constructing a new type of cold-resistant BBNR-CPR processes.

Sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number mediates the association between seminal plasma selenium concentrations and semen quality among healthy men.

Selenium (Se) is essential for successful male reproduction. However, the association of Se status with human semen quality remains controversial and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We measured seminal plasma Se concentrations, sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn), and sperm quality parameters among healthy Chinese men screened as potential sperm donors. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate the associations of within-subject pooled seminal plasma Se concentrations (n = 1159) with repeated sperm quality parameters (n = 5617); mediation analyses were applied to evaluate the mediating role of sperm mtDNAcn (n = 989). Seminal plasma Se concentrations were positively associated with sperm concentration and total count (both P for trend < 0.001). In adjusted models, men in the top vs. bottom quartiles of seminal plasma Se concentrations had 70.1 % (95 % CI: 53.3 %, 88.9 %) and 59.1 % (95 % CI: 40.5 %, 80.2 %) higher sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Meanwhile, we observed inverse associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm mtDNAcn, and between sperm mtDNAcn and sperm motility, concentration, and total count (all P for trend < 0.05). Mediation analyses suggested that sperm mtDNAcn mediated 19.7 % (95 % CI: 15.9 %, 25.3 %) and 23.1 % (95 % CI: 17.4 %, 33.4 %) of the associations between seminal plasma Se concentrations and sperm concentration and total count, respectively. Our findings suggest that Se is essential for male spermatogenesis, potentially by affecting sperm mtDNAcn.

Targets and mechanisms of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel fruits in treating neurodegenerative dementia.

The dried and ripe fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla and ripe fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miquel (AO) have the effects of tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence and thus have been widely used in treating dementia. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a typical form of neurodegenerative dementia with kidney-essence deficiency in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). So far, there is a lack of systematic studies on the biological basis of tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence and the corresponding phytochemicals. In this study, we investigated the targets of AO in tonifying kidney-essence and nourishing intelligence based on the key pathophysiological processes of neurodegenerative dementia. According to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry data and Lipinski's rule of five, 49 bioactive phytochemicals from AO were identified, and 26 of them were found to target 168 key molecules in the treatment of neurodegenerative dementia. Nine phytochemicals of AO were shown to target acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), and 19 phytochemicals were shown to target butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE). A database of neurodegenerative dementia with kidney-essence deficiency involving 731 genes was constructed. Furthermore, yakuchinone B, 5-hydroxy-1,7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) heptan-3-one (5-HYD), oxyhylladiketone, oxyphyllacinol, butyl-ß-D-fructopyranoside, dibutyl phthalate, chrysin, yakuchinone A, rhamnetin, and rhamnocitrin were identified as the key phytochemicals from AO that regulate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative dementia in a multitargeted manner. The approach of studying the pharmacological mechanism underlying the effects of medicinal plants and the biological basis of TCM syndrome may be helpful in studying the translation of TCM.

Analysis and estimation of nonpoint source pollution under different land use in Anjiagou watershed, Gansu, China.

Agriculture-related nonpoint source pollution has been a worldwide issue in the past few decades. Estimating pollutant sources at the basin scale remains a challenge due to the complexity of pollutant transport mechanisms affected by land use, variable climatic condition, geological formation, and lack of long-term observation data. This study was based on the long-term plot observational data of surface runoff and water quality and used principal component analysis and other statistical analyses to analyze the variation of water quality affected by different land uses (cropland, tree forest, shrub, grassland, and wildland). The mean concentration method with the local calibrated/verified SWAT (soil and water assessment tool) model was used to quantify the load of nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants on slope areas under different land uses in the Anjiagou Watershed. Our research results determined permanganate index (CODMn), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), fluoride (F-), nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N), total phosphorus (TP), and hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) as the significant pollutants while 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) was identified to be below the water quality standards of Grade V (water for agricultural and general landscape use) in the studied watershed. Pollutants were discharged through either hillslope at a total rate of 2.4 kg ha-1, accounting for 67.6% of the total, or through waterway channels (32.4%). The pollutant concentrations were from 23.5 mg L-1 to 37.4 mg L-1, varying with pollutants and land uses. All examined water quality indicators exceeded the minimum safety standards defined by the regulations of the Gansu provincial government by averaging 3.5 times higher than the safety threshold. The pollutants from hillslopes exceeded water quality standards by a factor of 3.4-4.4 times compared with from the waterway channel by 1.9. Implementing soil and water conservation measures can mitigate pollutants to some extent, particularly during the process of highland runoff converging into waterways. At the watershed level, between 33 and 38% of the runoff and pollutants were discharged from croplands, between 59 and 66% from forest land, < 2% from grassland, and 1% from wildland. This study also demonstrates a simple but novel method to estimate NPS pollutants using long-term plot observations in conjunction with SWAT models, which can be used in other watersheds with similar conditions.

[Discrimination of quality markers of Shujin Huoxue Capsules based on five principles coupled with cobweb model].

The quality markers(Q-markers) of Shujin Huoxue Capsules were comprehensively discriminated based on the five principles of transfer and traceability, specificity, compatibility, effectiveness and measurability. The compounds that could be transferred from the original medicinal materials to the preparation were selected with the principle of transfer and traceability. The specific components in the prescription were screened by reviewing literature with the principle of specificity. According to the principle of compatibility, the attributes of compounds were evaluated by the sovereign, minister, assistant and guide combination rules of the original medicinal materials in the prescription. According to the principle of measurability, the measurable components were summarized by reference to the pharmacopoeia and literature combined with the content. The mechanism of Shujin Huoxue Capsules in the treatment of osteoporosis was studied through network pharmacology based on the principle of effectiveness, which was the evaluation index of effectiveness. The chemical components screened out above were regarded as candidate Q-markers, and the cobweb model was plotted to obtain the comprehensive score of Q-markers. Hydroxysafflor yellow A, trachelosid, eleutheroside B, α-cyperone, protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde and 4-methoxy salicylaldehyde were discriminated as the Q-markers of Shujin Huoxue Capsules based on the five principles combined with cobweb model.

COVID-19 pandemic: study on simple, easy, and practical relaxation techniques while wearing medical protective equipment.

BACKGROUND: No studies have reported on how to relieve distress or relax in medical health workers while wearing medical protective equipment in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to establish which relaxation technique, among six, is the most feasible in first-line medical health workers wearing medical protective equipment. METHODS: This was a two-step study collecting data with online surveys. Step 1: 15 first-line medical health workers were trained to use six different relaxation techniques and reported the two most feasible techniques while wearing medical protective equipment. Step 2: the most two feasible relaxation techniques revealed by step 1 were quantitatively tested in a sample of 65 medical health workers in terms of efficacy, no space limitation, no time limitation, no body position requirement, no environment limitation to be done, easiness to learn, simplicity, convenience, practicality, and acceptance. RESULTS: Kegel exercise and autogenic relaxation were the most feasible techniques according to step 1. In step 2, Kegel exercise outperformed autogenic relaxation on all the 10 dimensions among the 65 participants while wearing medical protective equipment (efficacy: 24 v. 15, no space limitation: 30 v. 4, no time limitation: 31 v. 4, no body position requirement: 26 v. 4, no environment limitation: 30 v. 11, easiness to learn: 28 v. 5, simplicity: 29 v. 7, convenience: 29 v. 4, practicality: 30 v. 14, acceptance: 32 v. 6). CONCLUSION: Kegel exercise seems a promising self-relaxation technique for first-line medical health workers while wearing medical protective equipment among COVID-19 pandemic.

Ferrihydrite nanoparticles as the photosensitizer augment microbial infected wound healing with blue light.

Visible blue light exerts microbicidal effects with reduced deleterious effects compared with UV light. However, the lack of specific photosensitizers restricts the use of blue light on wound tissues. Here, we report the use of biomimetic ferrihydrite nanoparticles (Fhn) as the sensitizer to augment not only the antimicrobial but also the healing effects of blue light on S. aureus-infected wound tissue. Based on the excellent photo-Fenton active Fhn under blue light illumination (450 nm, 35 630 lux), the Fhn-sensitized blue-light therapy completely cured acute wound within 7 days in sessions of one hour per day and diminished bacterial and fungal colony-forming units more than 5 log (99.999%) and 2 log (99%) in vitro. Mechanistic studies revealed that hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) generated by the combined therapy could effectively damage the microbe genome and membranes without significant damage to wound tissues. Interestingly, these two naturally occurring nonantibiotic modalities (Fhn with blue light) significantly stimulate the angiogenesis and decrease the inflammatory response on the wound site, which accelerates the wound healing synergically. The results demonstrated the use of biomimetic Fhn as the general photosensitizer for enhanced antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing effects of blue light-based therapy.

Molecular Mediators of Estrogen Reduction-induced Otolith Shedding.

OBJECTIVE: Previous study suggested that estradiol (E2) plays an important role in otolith shedding by regulating the expression of otoconin 90 (OC90). The purpose of this article is to provide further data on the effect and mechanism of E2 on the morphology of otolith. METHODS: The rats receiving bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) were used as animal models. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to observe the relationship between estrogen receptor (ER) and estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα). The morphology of otolith was observed under the scanning electron microscopy. Western blotting and qPCR were used for quantitative analysis of the roles of ER and ERRα in regulating OC90 expression. RESULTS: The looser otoliths were observed in rats receiving bilateral OVX, which could be reversed by supplementation with E2. The level of ERRα was decreased in bilateral OVX rats. ER and ERRα interacted with each other on the regulation of the expression of OC90. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest ER and ERRα are both important downstream receptors involved in regulating OC90 expression in utricles of rats, and ERRα probably functions by interacting with ER. This provides evidence for the mechanism of otolith shedding. And it may be significant for future studies of targeted prevention and therapies for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Classification of First-Episode Schizophrenia, Chronic Schizophrenia and Healthy Control Based on Brain Network of Mismatch Negativity by Graph Neural Network.

Mismatch negativity (MMN) has been consistently found deficit in schizophrenia, which was considered as a promising biomarker for assessing the impairments in pre-attentive auditory processing. However, the functional connectivity between brain regions based on MMN is not clear. This study provides an in-depth investigation in brain functional connectivity during MMN process among patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ), chronic schizophrenia (CSZ) and healthy control (HC). Electroencephalography (EEG) data of 128 channels is recorded during frequency and duration MMN in 40 FESZ, 40 CSZ patients and 40 matched HC subjects. We reconstruct the cortical endogenous electrical activity from EEG recordings using exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography and build functional brain networks based on source-level EEG data. Then, graph-theoretic features are extracted from the brain networks with the support vector machine (SVM) to classify FESZ, CSZ and HC groups, since the SVM has good generalization ability and robustness as a universally applicable nonlinear classifier. Furthermore, we introduce the graph neural network (GNN) model to directly learn for the network topology of brain network. Compared to HC, the damaged brain areas of CSZ are more extensive than FESZ, and the damaged area involved the auditory cortex. These results demonstrate the heterogeneity of the impacts of schizophrenia for different disease courses and the association between MMN and the auditory cortex. More importantly, the GNN classification results are significantly better than those of SVM, and hence the EEG-based GNN model of brain networks provides an effective method for discriminating among FESZ, CSZ and HC groups.

Emodin Prevented Depression in Chronic Unpredicted Mild Stress-Exposed Rats by Targeting miR-139-5p/5-Lipoxygenase.

BACKGROUND: The use of medicinal plant ingredients is one of the goals of developing potential drugs for treating depression. Compelling evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory medicines may block the occurrence of depression. We studied the effect of a natural compound, emodin, on the development of psychosocial stress-induced depression and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) for 7 weeks was performed to replicate psychosocial stress in rats. The sucrose preference test, force swimming test, and open field test were used to evaluate their behaviors. The differentially expressed proteins in the hippocampus were analyzed using proteomics. Nissl staining and Golgi staining were used to detect the loss of neurons and synapses, immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the activation of microglia, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were also performed. RESULTS: Hippocampal inflammation with up-regulated 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) was observed in the depressed rats after CUMS exposure. The upregulation of 5-LO was caused by decreased miR-139-5p. To observe the effect of emodin, we screened out depression-susceptible (DeS) rats during CUMS and treated them with emodin (80 mg/kg/day). Two weeks later, emodin prevented the depression behaviors in DeS rats along with a series of pathological changes in their hippocampi, such as loss of neurons and spines, microglial activation, increased interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α, and the activation of 5-LO. Furthermore, we demonstrated that emodin inhibited its excess inflammatory response, possibly by targeting miR-139-5p/5-LO and modulating glycogen synthase kinase 3ß and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. CONCLUSION: These results provide important evidence that emodin may be a candidate agent for the treatment of depression and established a key role of miR-139-5p/5-LO in the inflammation of depression.

Protective effects of Da-cheng-qi decoction in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), the most fatal subtype of stroke, has no disease-modifying treatment. Da-cheng-qi decoction (DCQ), composed of rhubarb, is one of the most commonly used Chinese traditional decoctions in ICH treatment. But the mechanism is not clear. Emodin is an active compound found in rhubarb. PURPOSE: To study the protective effects of DCQ on ICH and its possible mechanisms of action. METHODS: The ICH model was reproduced by injecting collagenase-VII into the left caudate putamen (CPu) of rats. DCQ and emodin were used to treat the ICH rats for 7 days. Behavior tests, proteomic analysis, morphological studies, and western blotting were performed. RESULTS: The neurological deficits in the ICH rats recovered with DCQ and emodin on the 14th day after ICH. The proteomics data revealed that DCQ significantly corrected the pathological signals in the CPu and hippocampus after ICH. The numbers of amoebic microglia in the CPu and M2 microglia in both CPu and hippocampus were significantly increased after DCQ and emodin treatment. The increase in GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor (NR2B) and postsynaptic density protein-95, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signals in the CPu, and secondary neurodegeneration (SND) in the hippocampus were significantly recovered in DCQ-treated rats. Inhibition of MAPK p38 (p38) in the hippocampus was observed after DCQ and emodin treatment. CONCLUSION: The protective effects of DCQ on ICH were confirmed in this study, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of MAPK and activation of M2 microglia. These results are beneficial to the development of ICH therapeutic targets.

Taenia saginata Infection Misdiagnosed as Acute Cholecystitis in a Tibetan Patient, in China.

The present study reports a rare case of Taenia saginata infection, which was initially diagnosed as acute cholecystitis in a Tibetan patient at the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau pastoral area, China. A 45-year-old female was initially diagnosed with acute cholecystitis at a hospital in China. She had a slight fever, weight loss and constipation and complained of pain in the upper abdomen and left back areas. Increase of monocyte, eosinophil and basophil levels were shown. Taenia sp. eggs were detected in a fecal examination. An adult tapeworm approximately 146 cm in length, whitish-yellow color, was collected from the patient after treatment with traditional Chinese medicine. The adult tapeworm had a scolex and proglottids with genital pores. The scolex was rectangular shape with 4 suckers and rostellum without hooklet. The cox1 gene sequence shared 99.5-99.8% homology with that of T. saginata from other regions in China. The patient was diagnosed finally infected with T. saginata by morphological and molecular charateristics.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of heat shock protein 70 in mice with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the body weight, disease progression and the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in lumbar spinal cord of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice, so as to explore the mechanism of EA on treating ALS. METHODS: Eighteen ALS transgenic SOD1G93A mice were randomly divided into model, EA and medication groups, with 6 mice in each group, and six C57BL/6J mice were used as the normal group. Mice in the EA group received EA at "Quchi"(LI11)-"Hegu"(LI4), "Zusanli"(ST36)- "Sanyinjiao"(SP6), 30 min/time, 5 times/week, for 8 weeks.Mice in the medication group were given riluzole solution (7.6 mg·kg-1·d-1) by gavage for 8 weeks. The body weight of the mice was recorded and the motor function of the hind limbs was evaluated by the neurological function scoring stan-dard of the ALS Therapeutic Development Institute. The expression of HSP70 in lumbar spinal cord was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the body weight and the expression of HSP70 in the model group decreased significantly (P<0.05), while no significant difference in the body weight was found among other groups(P>0.05). After intervention and in comparison with the model group, the disease onset time and paralysis time of the EA group and the medication group were significantly delayed (P<0.05, P<0.01), the expression of HSP70 in the EA group and the medicine group was significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01).But there was no significant difference in the survival time among all groups(P＞0.05). The disease onset time of the EA group was shorter than that in the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EA can increase the expression of HSP70 in lumbar spinal cord, thereby delaying the progression of ALS.

Mechanism of Action of Acupuncture in Obesity: A Perspective From the Hypothalamus.

Obesity is a prevalent metabolic disease caused by an imbalance in food intake and energy expenditure. Although acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of obesity in a clinical setting, its mechanism has not been adequately elucidated. As the key pivot of appetite signals, the hypothalamus receives afferent and efferent signals from the brainstem and peripheral tissue, leading to the formation of a complex appetite regulation circuit, thereby effectively regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. This review mainly discusses the relationship between the hypothalamic nuclei, related neuropeptides, brainstem, peripheral signals, and obesity, as well as mechanisms of acupuncture on obesity from the perspective of the hypothalamus, exploring the current evidence and therapeutic targets for mechanism of action of acupuncture in obesity.

Identifying windows of susceptibility to essential elements for semen quality among 1428 healthy men screened as potential sperm donors.

BACKGROUND: Essential elements such as iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo) are necessary for reproductive health. However, their associations with human semen quality remain inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the associations of urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo concentrations with semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and identify critical windows of susceptibility. METHODS: 1428 healthy men provided 3766 urine and 6527 semen samples, which were measured for urinary essential element concentrations and sperm quality parameters, respectively. Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves were used to evaluate associations between urinary essential elements and semen quality. Multiple informant models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility. RESULTS: Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves showed positive dose-response relationships between urinary Zn and sperm concentration and total count and between urinary Mo and total sperm count [all False Discovery Rate (FDR) adjusted p-value for trend < 0.05]. In the multiple-element linear mixed models, the men in the highest versus lowest quartiles of urinary Zn and Mo had a higher sperm concentration of 17.5% (95% CI: 2.8%, 34.2%; p-value for trend = 0.006) and total sperm count of 18.3% (95% CI: 1.4%, 38.0%; p-value for trend = 0.027), respectively. Urinary Zn was also positively associated with total sperm count in a dose-dependent manner (p-value for trend = 0.036), though the percentile difference in total sperm count between men in the highest and lowest quartile was not statistically significant (16.4%, 95% CI: -1.7%, 37.9%). These associations appeared to be stronger when urinary Zn and Mo were measured at 0-9 days before the date of semen examination (i.e., corresponding to epididymal storage). CONCLUSIONS: Higher urinary Zn and Mo, particularly during the period of epididymal storage, were associated with greater sperm production.