Decomposition of exotic versus native aquatic plant litter in a lake littoral zone: Stoichiometry and life form analyses.

The decomposition rates and stoichiometric characteristics of many aquatic plants remain unclear, and our understanding of material flow and nutrient cycles within freshwater ecosystems is limited. In this study, an in-situ experiment involving 23 aquatic plants (16 native and 7 exotic species) was carried out via the litter bag method for 63 days, during which time the mass loss and nutrient content (carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)) of plants were measured. Floating-leaved plants exhibited the highest decomposition rate (0.038 ± 0.002 day-1), followed by submerged plants and free-floating plants (0.029 ± 0.002 day-1), and emergent plants had the lowest decomposition rate (0.019 ± 0.001 day-1). Mass loss by aquatic plants correlated with stoichiometric characteristics; the decomposition rate increased with an increasing P content and with a decreasing C content, C:N ratio, and C:P ratio. Notably, the decomposition rate of submerged exotic plants (0.044 ± 0.002 day-1) significantly exceeded that of native plants (0.026 ± 0.004 day-1), while the decomposition rate of emergent exotic plants was 55 ± 4 % higher than that of native plants. The decomposition rates of floating-leaved and free-floating plants did not significantly differ between the native and exotic species. During decomposition, emergent plants displayed an increase in C content and a decrease in N content, contrary to patterns observed in other life forms. The P content decreased for submerged (128 ± 7 %), emergent (90 ± 5 %), floating-leaved (104 ± 6 %), and free-floating plants (32 ± 6 %). Exotic plants released more C and P but accumulated more N than did native plants. In conclusion, the decomposition of aquatic plants is closely linked to litter quality and influences nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems. Given these findings, the invasion of the littoral zone by submerged and emergent exotic plants deserves further attention.

A novel method for quality consistency evaluation of Glycyrrhiza formula granules based on a spectrum-effect study.

Quality consistency of Glycyrrhiza formula granules is essential for guaranteeing clinical efficacy. However, a suitable method to accurately and conveniently evaluate the consistency of the clinical efficacy of Glycyrrhiza formula granules is currently not available. This study established a method for the simultaneous determination of 12 active components in Glycyrrhiza formula granules using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. The rate of inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by different batches of Glycyrrhiza formula granules was determined. Near-infrared spectra were collected for different batches of Glycyrrhiza formula granules to detect their biological activity in the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2. The quality consistency of the 11 batches of Glycyrrhiza formula granules was evaluated using principal component and correlation analyses. The results showed significant differences in the formula granules of Glycyrrhiza uralensis produced by the different manufacturers. Some differences were also observed among batches of formula granules produced by the same manufacturer. Correlation analysis of the chemical components and cyclooxygenase-2 activity showed that glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and isoliquiritin were the main active components of Glycyrrhiza. Correlation analysis of the near-infrared spectra and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition activity showed a high correlation between the active components and three characteristic bands: 3383-3995, 4227-4651, and 5315-5878 cm-1 . In this study, the main active anti-inflammatory components of Glycyrrhiza granules were screened. Thus, the near-infrared spectrum and characteristic active band of multi-index active components can be used to quickly detect the quality consistency of Glycyrrhiza formula granules, thereby improving the ability to control the quality and consistency of these granules.

Low-Concentration Oxygen/Ozone Treatment Attenuated Radiculitis and Mechanical Allodynia via PDE2A-cAMP/cGMP-NF-κB/p65 Signaling in Chronic Radiculitis Rats.

Background: Oxygen/ozone therapy is a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of radiculitis from lumbar disc herniation. This study aimed at investigating whether intrathecal administration of low-concentration oxygen/ozone could attenuate chronic radiculitis and mechanical allodynia after noncompressive lumbar disc herniation and at elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Methods: First, we transplanted autologous nucleus pulposus into dorsal root ganglions to establish chronic radiculitis in rats. Then, filtered oxygen or oxygen/ozone (10, 20, or 30 µg/mL) was intrathecally injected on day 1 after surgery. The ipsilateral paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) to mechanical stimuli were tested daily with von Frey filaments. The expression of the tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, interleukin- (IL-) 1ß, IL-6, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A), and nuclear factor- (NF-) κB/p65 in spinal dorsal horns was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and western blot on day 7 after surgery. Results: Chronic radiculitis was established in rats. Intrathecal administration of 10 µg/mL, 20 µg/mL, or 30 µg/mL oxygen/ozone significantly attenuated the decreased mechanical PWTs, downregulated the overexpression of spinal TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, and increased the expression of cGMP and cAMP in chronic radiculitis rats. In addition, the effects of treatment with 20 µg/mL oxygen/ozone were greater than the effects of the 10 µg/mL or 30 µg/mL doses. Moreover, intrathecal administration of 20 µg/mL oxygen/ozone reversed the increased levels of spinal PDE2A and NF-κB/p65 mRNA and protein expressions in rats with chronic radiculitis. Conclusion: Intrathecal administration of low-concentration oxygen/ozone alleviated mechanical allodynia and attenuated radiculitis, likely by a PDE2A-cGMP/cAMP-NF-κB/p65 signaling pathway in chronic radiculitis rats.

Selective phosphodiesterase-2A inhibitor alleviates radicular inflammation and mechanical allodynia in non-compressive lumbar disc herniation rats.

PURPOSE: Phosphodiesterase inhibitors possess anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, some studies report that phosphodiesterase 2A (PDE2A) are highly expressed in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The present study aimed to investigate whether intrathecal administration of Bay 60-7550, a specific PDE2A inhibitor, could alleviate mechanical allodynia in non-compressive lumbar disc herniation (NCLDH) rats. METHODS: Rat NCLDH models by autologous nucleus pulposus implantation to dorsal root ganglion were established. Vehicle or Bay 60-7550 (0.1, 1.0 mg/kg) was injected by intrathecal catheter at day 1 post-operation. The ipsilateral mechanical withdrawal thresholds were analyzed from the day before surgery to day 7 after surgery. At day 7 post-operation, the ipsilateral lumbar (L4-L6) segments of the spinal dorsal horns were removed, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) expressions were measured by ELISA. Furthermore, PDE2A mRNA and protein expressions in spinal cord were measured by Real-Time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Intrathecal administration of the PDE2A inhibitor Bay 60-7550, significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia, down-regulated spinal TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 over-expressions, increased the expression of spinal cAMP, as well as cGMP in a more remarkable manner, and decreased the spinal PDE2A expression in NCLDH rats in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: Bay 60-7550 alleviated mechanical allodynia and inflammation in NCLDH rats, which might be associated with increased cAMP and especially cGMP increase. Thus, spinal PDE2A inhibition might represent a potential analgesic strategy for radiculopathy treatment in non-compressive lumbar disc herniation.

[Method and current situations on acupuncture clinical trial registration in the world].

Acupuncture clinical trial registration can help improving the quality, internationalization and influence of acupuncture clinical trials. Results retrieved from the related databases show that the number of acupuncture clinical trials registration is increasing year by year, especially that from mainland China. The registered clinical trials mainly involve researches on pain management, functional disorders of an organ or system, etc. But most of the acupuncture clinical trials conducted in mainland China have not been registered and the trials quality needs being improved. The registration method is introduced in this paper.