Electroacupuncture alleviates ulcerative colitis by targeting CXCL1: evidence from the transcriptome and validation.

Background: We aimed to use transcriptomics, bioinformatics analysis, and core gene validation to identify the core gene and potential mechanisms for electroacupuncture (EA) treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Materials and methods: EA was performed in mice after induction of UC via dextran sodium sulfate. Body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, and hematoxylin-eosin of the colon tissue were used to evaluate the effects of EA. Mice transcriptome samples were analyzed to identify the core genes, and further verified with human transcriptome database; the ImmuCellAI database was used to analyze the relationship between the core gene and immune infiltrating cells (IICs); and immunofluorescence was used to verify the results. Results: EA could reduce DAI and histological colitis scores, increase bodyweight and colon length, and improve the expression of local and systemic proinflammatory factors in the serum and colon of UC mice. Eighteen co-differentially expressed genes were identified by joint bioinformatics analyses of mouse and human transcriptional data; Cxcl1 was the core gene. EA affected IICs by inhibiting Cxcl1 expression and regulated the polarization of macrophages by affecting the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ, inhibiting the expression of CXCL1. Conclusions: CXCL1 is the target of EA, which is associated with the underlying immune mechanism related to Th1 cytokine IFN-γ.

Low mindfulness is related to poor sleep quality from middle adolescents to emerging adults: a process model involving resilience and emotional dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: Transitions from middle adolescence into merging adulthood, a life stage between age 15-25, has a high prevalence of sleep problems. Mindfulness is a trait defined as being attentive to the present moment which positively relates to sleep quality. In this study, we aimed to investigate how resilience and emotional dysfunction may influence the relationship between trait mindfulness and sleep quality. METHODS: The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were used to measure the key variables through an online survey of 497 participants between middle adolescence and emerging adults (317 females, mean age 18.27 ± 0.76 years). A process model was built to investigate the mediating roles of resilience and emotional dysfunction in the impact of trait mindfulness on sleep quality, together with the relationships between their specific components. RESULTS: We found a positive association between mindfulness and sleep quality through resilience and through emotional dysfunction, and through the sequential pathway from resilience to emotional dysfunction. Of note, acting with awareness (mindfulness facet) showed significant indirect effects on sleep quality, mediated by resilience and emotional dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may unveil the underlying mechanisms of how low mindfulness induces poor sleep quality. The findings indicate that conceiving mindfulness as a multifaceted construct facilitates comprehension of its components, relationships with other variables, and underscores its potential clinical significance given its critical implications for mental health.

Matrix metalloproteinases are key targets of acupuncture in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the key targets of acupuncture in the colon of ulcerative colitis (UC) mice model using full-length transcriptome sequencing. 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice were treated with or without acupuncture. Intestinal pathology was observed, and full transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were performed. The results demonstrated that acupuncture treatment reduced the UC symptoms, disease activity index score, and histological colitis score and increased body weight, colon length, and the number of intestinal goblet cells. In addition, acupuncture can also decrease the expression of necrotic biomarker phosphorylates mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudo kinase (p-MLKL). Full-length transcriptome analysis indicated that acupuncture reversed the expression of 987 of the 1918 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 632 of the 1351 downregulated DEGs induced by DSS. DEGs regulated by acupuncture were mainly involved in inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier pathways. The protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important genes regulated by acupuncture. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction was an important target of acupuncture. In addition, alternative splicing analysis suggested that acupuncture improved signaling pathways related to intestinal permeability, the biological processes of xenobiotics, sulfur compounds, and that monocarboxylic acids are closely associated with MMPs. Overall, our transcriptome analysis results indicate that acupuncture improves intestinal barrier function in UC through negative regulation of MMPs expression.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on Notch/NF-κB signaling pathway in colonic mucosa of mice with ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the intestinal mucosal barrier and its relationship with the Notch/NF-κB signaling pathway in mice with ulcerative colitis (UC), so as to explore its mechanism of treating UC. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control, model and EA groups, with 6 mice in each group. The UC model was established by giving the mice with 2% Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS) for 7 days. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 0.2 mA) was applied at bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) for 30 min, once a day for 7 days. The disease activity indexes ï¼»DAI=(body weight index score+stool score+bleeding score)/3; 0-4 pointsï¼½ of mice were calculated. The morphological changes of colonic tissues of mice in each group were observed by HE staining, and serum contents of TNF-α and IL-6 were detected by ELISA. Claudin-1 protein expression in colon tissue was detected by immunofluorescence, while the protein expression levels of Muc-2, Notch-1, MMP-9 in colon tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. The real-time PCR method was used to detect the expression levels of Notch-1, Hes-1, NF-κB, TLR-4 and AKT mRNA in colon tissues. RESULTS: After modeling, the DAI, serum TNF-α and IL-6 contents, Notch-1 and MMP-9 protein expression, the relative expression levels of Notch-1, Hes-1, NF-κB, TLR-4 and AKT mRNA in the colonic tissue were significantly increased (P<0.001, P<0.01) in the model group relevant to the control group. At the same time, Claudin-1 and Muc-2 protein expression were significantly reduced (P<0.01). After the EA intervention, the increased DAI score, TNF-α and IL-6 contents, Notch-1 and MMP-9 protein expression, the relative expressions of Notch-1, Hes-1, NF-κB, TLR-4 and AKT mRNA, and the decreased Claudin-1 and Muc-2 protein expression were all reversed compared with the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). H.E. staining of the colonic tissue showed damage and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the model group, and those were significantly improved in the EA group. CONCLUSION: EA can promote the recovery of intestinal mucosal barrier function and reduce inflammatory reaction in UC mice, which may be associated with its effects in inhibiting the excessive activation of the Notch/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Rumination network dysfunction in major depression: A brain connectome study.

BACKGROUND: Rumination is a central feature of major depressive disorder (MDD). Knowledge of the neural structures that underpin rumination offers significant insight into depressive pathophysiology and may help to develop potential intervention strategies for MDD, a mental illness that has become the leading cause of disability worldwide. METHODS: Using resting-state fMRI and graph theory, this study adopted a connectome approach to examine the functional topological organization of the neural network associated with rumination in MDD. Data from 96 participants were analyzed, including 51 patients with MDD and 45 healthy controls. RESULTS: We found altered functional integration and segregation of neural networks associated with depressive rumination as indicated by reduced global and local efficiency in MDD patients compared with controls. Interestingly, these metrics correlated positively with depression severity, as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Moreover, mediation analysis indicated that the association between network metrics and depression severity was mediated by the ruminative tendency of patients. Disrupted nodal centralities were located in regions associated with emotional processing, visual mental imagery, and attentional control. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight rumination as a two-edged sword that reflects a disease-specific neuropathology but also points to a functionality of depressive symptoms with evolutionary meaning.

Taurine Supplementation Reverses Diabetes-Induced Podocytes Injury via Modulation of the CSE/TRPC6 Axis and Improvement of Mitochondrial Function.

BACKGROUND: The protective effects of taurine supplementation on diabetic kidney disease (DKD) have been defined, but the mechanisms are not quite clear yet. TRPC6 has been shown to function in the homeostasis of podocytes, but whether TRPC6-modulated mitochondrial dysfunctions participating in taurine-induced renal protection during diabetes are unclear. METHODS: A DKD model was constructed using streptozocin (STZ), and an immortalized mouse podocytes cell line MPC-5 was used. Renal histology and western blot were used to analyze the expression levels of certain proteins. Cell proliferation assays, apoptosis assays, calcium influx, and mitochondrial functions were evaluated. RESULTS: In this study, taurine intervention improved STZ-induced DKD injuries, while it decreased both 24-h urinary protein and podocytes apoptosis. In detail, this study showed that taurine treatment decreased mitochondrial ROS productions by suppressing calcium overload and improving mitochondrial respiratory functions. Furthermore, the upregulation of TRPC6 is partially responsible for the calcium overload during high glucose treatment, whereas taurine treatment inhibited TRPC6 expression and partially attenuated high glucose-induced podocytes injuries. In addition, we demonstrated that taurine could upregulate CSE expression and inhibits TRPC6 expression via promoting the synthesis of H2S. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that taurine intervention could partially attenuate the lesions of DKD by modulating the CSE/TRPC6 axis.

Abnormal structural connectivity between the basal ganglia, thalamus, and frontal cortex in patients with disorders of consciousness.

Consciousness loss in patients with severe brain injuries is associated with reduced functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), fronto-parietal network, and thalamo-cortical network. However, it is still unclear if the brain white matter connectivity between the above mentioned networks is changed in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). In this study, we collected diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 13 patients and 17 healthy controls, constructed whole-brain white matter (WM) structural networks with probabilistic tractography. Afterward, we estimated and compared topological properties, and revealed an altered structural organization in the patients. We found a disturbance in the normal balance between segregation and integration in brain structural networks and detected significantly decreased nodal centralities primarily in the basal ganglia and thalamus in the patients. A network-based statistical analysis detected a subnetwork with uniformly significantly decreased structural connections between the basal ganglia, thalamus, and frontal cortex in the patients. Further analysis indicated that along the WM fiber tracts linking the basal ganglia, thalamus, and frontal cortex, the fractional anisotropy was decreased and the radial diffusivity was increased in the patients compared to the controls. Finally, using the receiver operating characteristic method, we found that the structural connections within the NBS-derived component that showed differences between the groups demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity (>90%). Our results suggested that major consciousness deficits in DOC patients may be related to the altered WM connections between the basal ganglia, thalamus, and frontal cortex.

A longitudinal study of the effect of short-term meditation training on functional network organization of the aging brain.

The beneficial effects of meditation on preserving age-related changes in cognitive functioning are well established. Yet, the neural underpinnings of these positive effects have not been fully unveiled. This study employed a prospective longitudinal design, and graph-based analysis, to study how an eight-week meditation training vs. relaxation training shaped network configuration at global, intermediate, and local levels using graph theory in the elderly. At the intermediate level, meditation training lead to decreased intra-connectivity in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SAN) and somatomotor network (SMN) modules post training. Also, there was decreased connectivity strength between the DMN and other modules. At a local level, meditation training lowered nodal strength in the left posterior cingulate gryus, bilateral paracentral lobule, and middle cingulate gyrus. According to previous literature, the direction of these changes is consistent with a movement towards a more self-detached viewpoint, as well as more efficient processing. Furthermore, our findings highlight the importance of considering brain network changes across organizational levels, as well as the pace at which these changes may occur. Overall, this study provides further support for short-term meditation as a potentially beneficial method of mental training for the elderly that warrants further investigation.

Application of the QUAL2K model to design an ecological purification scheme for treated effluent of a wastewater treatment plant.

Treated effluent from wastewater treatment plants has become an important source of excess nutrients causing eutrophication in water. In this study, an ecological purification method was used to further treat eutrophic water. A three-season ecological purification scheme which comprised an emergent plant (Eme.), a submerged plant (Sub.) and a novel biological rope (Bio.), was designed for the treated effluent canal of a wastewater treatment plant. The removal parameters determined from the experiment were input into a QUAL2K model to simulate downstream water quality of the treated effluent canal. Respective removal rates of total nitrogen and total phosphorus of the Eme., Sub. and Bio. were 32.48-37.33% and 31.63-39.86% in summer, 14.12-33.61% and 17.74-23.80% in autumn, and 14.13-18.03% and 10.05-12.75% in winter, with 1-day reaction time. Optimal combinations for summer, autumn/spring, and winter are Eme. + Bio., Eme. + Bio. + Sub., and Sub. + Bio., respectively. Simulated load reduction rates of total nitrogen and total phosphorus for the treated effluent canal were 42.64-78.40% and 30.98-78.29%, respectively, year round with 2.5-day reaction time. This study provides an efficient evaluation and design method for ecological purification engineering.

Calculation of permissible load capacity and establishment of total amount control in the Wujin River Catchment--a tributary of Taihu Lake, China.

The deterioration of water quality in Taihu Lake, China, has caused widespread concern in recent years. The primary pollution sources of Taihu Lake are its inflow rivers. Effective environmental water management strategies need to be implemented in these rivers to improve the water quality of Taihu Lake and to promote sustainable development in the region. In this study, the QUAL2K model is used in conjunction with the trial and error approach to assess permissible load capacities for the Wujin River (a major tributary of Taihu Lake) in terms of COD, NH3-N, TN, and TP. Results show that permissible annual loads for these pollutants are 5216.31, 491.71, 948.53, and 104.38 t, respectively. This suggests that COD, NH3-N, TN, and TP loads in the Wujin River catchment need to be reduced by 13.35, 27.26, 47.75, and 37.08 %, respectively, to satisfy national water quality objectives. Total amount control measures are proposed to control and reduce pollution loads of the Wujin River catchment. The method applied in this study should provide a sound basis for water environmental management decision-making.

[The system of health assistants in Shaanxi during the Republican period].

To tackle plague, in the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), the government of Shaanxi province, established the "Shaanxi Department of Epidemic Prevention" and set up health assistant system at the grassroots level. As the main promoter and executor of rural epidemic prevention, the health assistants played a significant role in the formation of public health knowledge propaganda, the formation of public health idea, public environmental hygiene investigation and popularization of health and epidemic prevention work. Health assistant system, as the initiation of modern Shaanxi health, marking the gradual moving forward to its modernization, exerting a positive role and, at the same time, demonstrating that the development of modern public health needs the improvement of comprehensive national strength and the simultaneous construction of political civilization.

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns in environmental factors, chlorophyll-a and microcystins in a large shallow lake, Lake Taihu, China.

The spatio-temporal distribution of environmental factors, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and microcystins (MCs) in a shallow lake, Lake Taihu (China), were investigated from 2009 to 2011 on a monthly basis at nine sampling stations. The annual mean concentration ranges of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), Chl-a, MC-LR and MC-RR were 0.17-10.53 mg/L, 0.027-0.581 mg/L, 0.10-129.75 µg/L, 0.013-2.019 µg/L and 0.002-0.794 µg/L, respectively. The average TN, ammonium (NH4(+)) and TP concentrations in Meiliang Bay decreased from 3.54 to 2.26 mg/L, 0.63 to 0.31 mg/L and 0.150 to 0.124 mg/L, respectively, when compared with values from 2006-2008, indicating that water quality has improved in severe cyanobacterial bloom areas in recent years. Additionally, the distribution of MCs was northern lake areas > western lake areas > central lake areas > macrophyte-dominated areas. Correlation analysis revealed that nutrients were the most important variable accounting for the variation of extracellular MC-LR concentration in heavy cyanobacterial bloom areas of Lake Taihu. During the study period, the maximum MCs concentration reached 2.75 ± 0.27 µg/L in the bloom period in the northern lake areas, which is more than two times the safety limit of 1 µg/L MCs required for drinking water. However, microcystins decreased gradually as the water quality improved from 2009 to 2011, indicating that the risk of MCs exposure was slightly decreased in Lake Taihu.

Selection of optimal river water quality improvement programs using QUAL2K: a case study of Taihu Lake Basin, China.

In recent years, water quality degradation associated with rapid socio-economic development in the Taihu Lake Basin, China, has attracted increasing attention from both the public and the Chinese government. The primary sources of pollution in Taihu Lake are its inflow rivers and their tributaries. Effective water quality improvement programs need to be implemented in these rivers to improve the water quality of Taihu Lake, and to ensure sustainable development in the region. To ensure effectiveness and efficiency, it is important that the optimal water quality improvement program for a specific situation be selected. The aim of this study was to facilitate the selection of this optimal program. The QUAL2K model for river and stream water quality was used to simulate the effects of a range of water quality improvement scenarios in the Hongqi River, which is a polluted tributary in the Taihu Lake Basin. These scenarios consisted of a series of three water treatment technologies in different configurations, from upstream to downstream. The results showed that the optimal scenario comprised a bio-contact oxidation system upstream, followed by an ecological floating bed, and a vertical moveable eco-bed downstream. The reduction rates achieved by this scenario for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), ammonia nitrogen (NH(3)-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were 49.50%, 32.81%, 35.94%, and 45.27%, respectively. The QUAL2K model proved to be an effective tool in the comparative evaluation of potential water quality improvement programs. The method applied in this study can prevent the implementation of water quality improvement programs that would not achieve the desired goals.

Performance and microbial community analysis of a novel bio-cord carrier during treatment of a polluted river.

The performance and microbial community structure of a novel bio-cord carrier during treatment of a polluted river at the laboratory scale was investigated. The bio-cord exhibited good filtration performance, with 87.2% SS removal and an 84.9% reduction in turbidity in 120 min, as well as 19.4-34.4%, 55.2-74.0%, 46.2-55.9% and 13.1-18.5% reductions in the COD, NH3-N, TN and TP, respectively, under three different hydraulic retention times. The bio-cord fibers also provided suitable conditions and support media for microbial growth. Additionally, 114 cloned 16S rDNA sequences were composed of Proteobacteria (57.9%), Bacteroidetes (17.5%) and other phyla (24.6%). There were great differences in bacterial quantity and composition between the surface and inside of the bio-cord. Furthermore, nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria were detected, suggesting that simultaneous nitrification and denitrification processes were occurring. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that the carrier could attach microorganisms for polluted river treatment.

[Preparation and evaluation in vivo of Scutellaria thermosensitive gel].

OBJECTIVE: To study scutellaria thermosensitive gel in situ. METHOD: The phase transition temperature of gel with various concentration polymer solutions was studied by using stirring method and the viscosity of gel was monitored under different temperatures. Eye irritation experiments were performed with rabbit. The duration of residence time in rabbit eyes of scutellaria thermosensitive gel was observed with 2% fluorescein. RESULT: 20% poloxmar407 and 10% poloxmar 188 were suitable to scutellaria thermosen-sitive gel in situ. The results suggested that the scutellaria thermosensitive gel in situ based on poloxmar were nonirritant and retention time on the surface of eye was (150 +/- 8) min. CONCLUSION: The scutellaria thermosensitive gel in situ forms gel in eye and has longer release time than that of eye drops.