Increased interbrain synchronization and neural efficiency of the frontal cortex to enhance human coordinative behavior: A combined hyper-tES and fNIRS study.

Coordination is crucial for individuals to achieve common goals; however, the causal relationship between coordination behavior and neural activity has not yet been explored. Interbrain synchronization (IBS) and neural efficiency in cortical areas associated with the mirror neuron system (MNS) are considered two potential brain mechanisms. In the present study, we attempted to clarify how the two mechanisms facilitate coordination using hypertranscranial electrical stimulation (hyper-tES). A total of 124 healthy young adults were randomly divided into three groups (the hyper-tACS, hyper-tDCS and sham groups) and underwent modulation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Increased IBS of the PFC or neural efficiency of the right IFG (related to the MNS) was accompanied by greater coordination behavior; IBS had longer-lasting effects on behavior. Our findings highlight the importance of IBS and neural efficiency of the frontal cortex for coordination and suggest potential interventions to improve coordination in different temporal windows.

[Evaluation of eutrophication level changes in Baiyangdian Lake based on multiple biological groups]. / 应用多种生物类群评价白洋淀水环境质量变化.

Baiyangdian Lake is the largest shallow lake in the North China Plain. Due to the increases in upstream water consumption in recent decades, the amount of natural water entering the lake has decreased, resulting in a significant drop in the water level of Baiyangdian Lake. Severe eutrophication has occurred in Baiyangdian Lake owing to the discharge of domestic sewage around the sub-lakes. With the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area in 2017, the importance of environmental governance and protection of Baiyangdian Lake has been unprecedentedly increased. The implementation of ecological water supplement from upstream reservoirs and other basins has significantly increased water level of Baiyangdian Lake. Moreover, domestic sewage from surrounding rural areas was collected. In order to understand the current state of water quality in Baiyangdian Lake, and to evaluate the effects of the previous water replenishment and pollution control projects, we investigated water physicochemical variables and aquatic organisms of Baiyangdian Lake in August 2019. We evaluated water quality status of Baiyangdian Lake based on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton and macrozoobenthos, by comparing with the evaluation based on the survey data in 2010. In addition, submerged macrophytes were used to evaluate the water ecological status. The results showed that the water quality state of Baiyangdian Lake in 2019 was greatly improved compared with 2010. Among them, total phosphorus concentration decreased by 88.6%, total nitrogen concentration decreased by 83.9%, chlorophyll a concentration decreased by 47.8%, and the Seechi depth increased by 43.4%. The diversity of zooplankton and macrozoobenthos were significantly increased, the density of phytoplankton was significantly reduced, the dominant species of phytoplankton changed from a general highly eutrophic type to a eutrophic type, and the distribution of the clean-type submerged macrophytes was narrowed. The evaluation methods based on submerged macrophytes species and based on zooplankton diversity were not suitable for water quality evaluation in Baiyangdian Lake. In the early stage, the pollution source of Baiyangdian Lake was concentrated in the west, which led to lower water quality. Nowadays, due to the water replenishment from the west, north and south, the hydrodynamic conditions changed significantly. In the west, pollution control projects were carried out, and the spatial distribution of water quality in Baiyangdian Lake are showing a characteristics of homogenization.

Effects of foliar selenium application on growth and rhizospheric soil micro-ecological environment of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz.

Atractylodes macrocephala (A. macrocephala), a famous medicinal herb in China, is widely cultivated and consumed in China with various beneficial effects. Numerous studies have shown that selenium (Se) plays an important role in promoting plant growth, although Se has not been considered an essential element for higher plants. The objectives of this research were to determine the effects of foliar Se application (0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg m-2 Se in sodium selenite, sprayed monthly from May to August) on the growth and rhizospheric soil micro-ecological environment of A. macrocephala, and explore the possible mechanisms underlying plant response to foliar Se application through a field experiment. The results were: The foliar application of 5.0 mg m-2 Se significantly increased the survival rate of A. macrocephala compared to the control. The yield of A. macrocephala was increased when the Se level maintained belowed 10.0 mg m-2 but decreased when Se level reached 20.0 mg m-2. The Se content in the rhizome of A. macrocephala showed a significant positive correlation with the Se level, while the insect attack rate was significantly negatively correlated with the Se level. However, foliar Se application hardly affected the concentration of bioactive compound atractylenolide in the rhizome of A. macrocephala. Notably, the application of foliar Se changed the content of partial soil nutrients, microbial diversity and composition in the rhizosphere soil of A. macrocephala. Bacterial diversity was positively correlated with A. macrocephala growth whereas fungal diversity was negatively correlated, suggesting that microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soils is closely related to plant growth. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that available potassium, Burkholderia and Cupriavidus in rhizospheric soil might be critical factors for promoting the growth of A. macrocephala. Overall, the foliar application of Se at moderate concentration was beneficial for the growth of A. macrocephala, and 5.0-10.0 mg m-2 Se level was the optimum. Our findings revealed novel insights into the response of A. macrocephala to foliar Se application from plant growth, rhizospheric soil nutrient and microbial community composition .

Impact of transcranial Doppler sonography for detecting ischemic stroke: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the impact of transcranial Doppler sonography (TDS) for detecting ischemic stroke (IS). METHODS: PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, WANGFANG, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge In-frastructure will be utilized to examine case-controlled studies that used TDS for detecting IS. All electronic databases will be searched from inception to March 20, 2020. All study selection, data extraction, and study quality assessment will be carried out by 2 independent reviewers. All study quality will be assessed by Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool, and statistical analysis will be performed by RevMan V.5.3 software and Stata V.12.0 software. RESULTS: This study will explore the impact of TDS for detecting IS through sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio. CONCLUSION: This study expects to find out whether TDS can be utilized for IS detection.Systematic review registration: INPLASY202040155.

Impact of maltogenic α-amylase on the structure of potato starch and its retrogradation properties.

Structural modification of starch using efficient α-amylases to improve its properties is an established method in the starch industry. In our previous research, the novel maltogenic α-amylase CoMA that catalyzes multi-molecular reactions has been identified. In this study, the impact of CoMA on the structure and retrogradation properties of potato starch was evaluated. CoMA cleaves internal starch chains to change the proportion of amylose and amylopectin in starch. Following treatment, visible pores and microporous on the surface of starch granules were observed from SEM analysis. CoMA modification led to increased insoluble blue complex formation and hydrolysis to shorten the outer chains, which was found to reduce the development rate of starch according to network interactions from the dynamic rheological analysis. Furthermore, maltose accumulation with water competition was also deduced to be involved in the inhibition of retrogradation. Its activities in the cleavage of internal starch granules, shortening of outer chains of starch, and maltose formation make CoMA a powerful agent for the inhibition of starch retrogradation with a very low effective dose of 0.5 mg/kg, which may find potential applications in the starch processing industry.

Effects of coal blending in electrostatic precipitation efficiency-Inner Mongolia, China.

Based on this study, the Al2O3 content of Jungar coal ash is over 45%, and the resistivity of high-Al2O3 ash in Jungar reaches up to 1012 Ω​·cm. These results seriously influenced the electric characteristics of fly ash, and the collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) evidently decreased. To facilitate the effective collection of fine particle in the flue gas generated before and after coal blending via ESP, the fly ash obtained from a power plant electrostatic precipitation was analyzed in terms of resistivity, size distribution, and cohesive force through a portable dust electrical resistivity test instrument, Bahco centrifuge, and a cohesive force test apparatus invented by the researchers. The mixed ratio of else coal is higher than 50%, the resistivity of the fly ash in the flue gas was lowered to approximately two orders of magnitude, and the size distribution showed an evident decrease in the PM2.5 and PM10 content in fly ash. In addition, the adhesive force and efficiency increase from 95.9 to 99.5% in the electrostatic precipitation. Therefore, the combustion of blending coal is an effective approach to improve the efficiency of ESP used to collect high-Al2O3 fly ash.

Impact of Climate Variability and Landscape Patterns on Water Budget and Nutrient Loads in a Peri-urban Watershed: A Coupled Analysis Using Process-based Hydrological Model and Landscape Indices.

Nutrient discharge into peri-urban streams and reservoirs constitutes a significant pressure on environmental management, but quantitative assessment of non-point source pollution under climate variability in fast changing peri-urban watersheds is challenging. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate water budget and nutrient loads for landscape patterns representing a 30-year progression of urbanization in a peri-urban watershed near Tianjin metropolis, China. A suite of landscape pattern indices was related to nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) loads under dry and wet climate using CANOCO redundancy analysis. The calibrated SWAT model was adequate to simulate runoff and nutrient loads for this peri-urban watershed, with Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (NSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.70 and percentage bias (PBIAS) between -7 and +18 for calibration and validation periods. With the progression of urbanization, forest remained the main "sink" landscape while cultivated and urban lands remained the main "source" landscapes with the role of orchard and grassland being uncertain and changing with time. Compared to 1984, the landscape use pattern in 2013 increased nutrient discharge by 10%. Nutrient loads modelled under wet climate were 3-4 times higher than that under dry climate for the same landscape pattern. Results indicate that climate change could impose a far greater impact on runoff and nutrient discharge in a peri-urban watershed than landscape pattern change.

The use of berberine for women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing IVF treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have indicated that berberine is an effective insulin sensitizer with comparable activity to metformin (Diabetes 2006, 55, 2256). Reduced insulin sensitivity is reportedly a factor adversely affecting the outcome of IVF in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Human Reproduction 2006, 21, 1416). Our objective was to evaluate the clinical, metabolic and endocrine effects of berberine vs metformin in PCOS women scheduled for IVF treatment and to explore the potential benefits to the IVF process. DESIGN: We performed a prospective study in 150 infertile women with PCOS undergoing IVF treatment. Patients were randomized to receive berberine, metformin or placebo tablets for 3 months before ovarian stimulation. MEASUREMENTS: The clinical, endocrine, metabolic parameters and the outcome of IVF. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, greater reductions in total testosterone, free androgen index, fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, and increases in SHBG, were observed in the berberine and metformin groups. Three months of treatment with berberine or metformin before the IVF cycle increased the pregnancy rate and reduced the incidence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Furthermore, treatment with berberine, in comparison with metformin, was associated with decreases in BMI, lipid parameters and total FSH requirement, and an increase in live birth rate with fewer gastrointestinal adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Berberine and metformin treatments prior to IVF improved the pregnancy outcome by normalizing the clinical, endocrine and metabolic parameters in PCOS women. Berberine has a more pronounced therapeutic effect and achieved more live births with fewer side effects than metformin.

A clinical study on the short-term effect of berberine in comparison to metformin on the metabolic characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent reproductive and metabolic disorder associated with insulin resistance (IR). Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline derivative alkaloid extracted from Chinese medicinal herbs that has been used as an insulin sensitizer. BBR may have a potential therapeutic value for PCOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BBR in comparison to metformin (MET) on the metabolic features of women with PCOS. DESIGN AND METHODS: Eighty-nine subjects with PCOS and IR subjects were randomized into one of three treatment groups: BBR+compound cyproterone acetate (CPA; n=31), MET+CPA (n=30), and placebo+CPA (n=28) for 3 months. Clinical characteristics of the women and metabolic and hormonal parameters were assessed before and after the period of treatment. RESULTS: Treatment with BBR in comparison to MET showed decrease in waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; P<0.01), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC; P<0.05) as well as increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG; P<0.05). Similarly, treatment with BBR in comparison to placebo showed decrease in WHR, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for IR, area under the curve of insulin, TC, LDLC, and TG (P<0.05) as well as increase in HDLC and SHBG (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Intake of BBR improved some of the metabolic and hormonal derangements in a group of treated Chinese women with PCOS. Main effects could be related to the changes in body composition in obesity and dyslipidemia. Further controlled studies are needed for the assessment of the potential favorable metabolic effects of BBR in women with PCOS.