Effectiveness of home-based cardiac telerehabilitation based on wearable ECG or heart rate monitoring devices in patients with heart disease: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of home-based cardiac telerehabilitation based on wearable electrocardiogram or heart rate monitoring devices in patients with heart disease. METHODS: We searched eight electronic databases under the guidance of Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA recommendations. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included data from 14 articles (15 RCTs) representing 1314 participants. A significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction [MD = 2.12, 95 % CI (1.21, 3.04), P < 0.001], 6-minute walk distance [MD = 40.00, 95 % CI (21.72, 58.29), P < 0.001] and peak oxygen intake [MD = 2.24, 95 % CI (1.38, 3.10), P < 0.001] were observed in the home-based cardiac telerehabilitation group. But it had no difference in anxiety [SMD = -0.83, 95 % CI (-1.65, -0.02), P = 0.05] and depression [SMD = -0.59, 95 % CI (-1.26, 0.09), P = 0.09]. Subgroup analyses revealed that interventions of no less than 3 months improved anxiety [SMD = -1.11, 95 % CI (-2.05, -0.18), P = 0.02] and depression [SMD = -1.01, 95 % CI (-1.93, -0.08), P = 0.03]. CONCLUSION: Home-based cardiac telerehabilitation based on wearable electrocardiogram or heart rate monitoring devices has a positive effect on cardiac function. Long-term (≥ 3 months) cardiac rehabilitation might benefit individuals suffering from anxiety or depression.

Crizotinib inhibits the metabolism of tramadol by non-competitive suppressing the activities of CYP2D1 and CYP3A2.

Objectives: To investigate the interaction between tramadol and representative tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and to study the inhibition mode of drug-interaction. Methods: Liver microsomal catalyzing assay was developed. Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated tramadol with or without selected tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Samples were prepared and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used for analysis. Besides, liver, kidney, and small intestine were collected and morphology was examined by hematoxyline-eosin (H&E) staining. Meanwhile, liver microsomes were prepared and carbon monoxide differential ultraviolet radiation (UV) spectrophotometric quantification was performed. Results: Among the screened inhibitors, crizotinib takes the highest potency in suppressing the metabolism of tramadol in rat/human liver microsome, following non-competitive inhibitory mechanism. In vivo, when crizotinib was co-administered, the AUC value of tramadol increased compared with the control group. Besides, no obvious pathological changes were observed, including cell morphology, size, arrangement, nuclear morphology with the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) increased after multiple administration of crizotinib. Meanwhile, the activities of CYP2D1 and CYP3A2 as well as the total cytochrome P450 abundance were found to be decreased in rat liver of combinational group. Conclusions: Crizotinib can inhibit the metabolism of tramadol. Therefore, this recipe should be vigilant to prevent adverse reactions.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for postpartum hypogalactia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hypogalactia (PH) is prominent during lactation and may negatively impact the mother's or infant's health. Acupuncture is widely used to increase maternal breast milk production. However, the effects of acupuncture on PH remain unclear. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in individuals with PH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Articles on potentially eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture for PH published from database inception to October 2023 were retrieved from the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, WanFang, and VIP databases. Two reviewers independently screened the records, extracted essential information, and evaluated the methodological quality of the RCTs using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. The primary outcome was a change in serum prolactin (PRL) levels before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes included milk secretion volume (MSV), total effective rate (TER), mammary fullness degree (MFD), and exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBR). Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan v5.4. Finally, the quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. RESULTS: This study included 19 RCTs involving 2,400 participants. The included studies were classified as having an unclear to high RoB. Our findings indicated that, overall, acupuncture showed a significant effect in increasing serum PRL levels (standardized mean differences [SMDs] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50, 1.68), MSV (SMD = 1.69, 95% CI: 0.53, 2.86), TER (relative risk [RR] = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.42), and EBR (RR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.78) compared to that in the control group; however, no difference in MFD (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI: -0.09, 2.42) was observed. In the subgroup analysis, acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs or conventional treatment was significantly more effective in increasing serum PRL levels, MSV, and TER than did Chinese herbs or conventional treatment alone. Moreover, acupuncture alone resulted in significantly higher serum PRL levels compared to Chinese herbs; however, this benefit was not observed for TER and MFD. The quality of evidence was critically low. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture may effectively increase milk secretion in women with PH. However, owing to the low quality of evidence, further rigorously designed studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Catalytic activity and mechanism of F- and Cl-doped graphene for peroxymonosulfate activation to remove tetracycline hydrochloride.

Highly active catalysts with salt and acid/alkali resistance are desired in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation processes and marine environment applications. F- and Cl-doped graphene (F-GN and Cl-GN) were prepared via electronegative and atom radius adjustment for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) pollution removal to satisfy these requirements. The introduction of special F and Cl functionalities into graphene exhibits superior electron transfer properties for PMS activation, considering the experimental and density functional theory (DFT) calculation results. The TCH degradation efficiency reached up to 80% under various pH and salt disturbance conditions with F-GN and Cl-GN. Cl-GN exhibited an activity superior to F-GN due to the higher electron polarization effect of C atoms adjacent to Cl atoms. The presence of more positive charged C sites in Cl-GN (around Cl doping) is more favorable for PMS attachment and sequence radical generation than F-GN. In addition, the main active species functionalized during reaction included ·OH and SO4-·, and the stability of F-GN and Cl-GN was confirmed to be over 60% by recycle test. Final research results provide an effective strategy for designing and preparing PMS activators resistant to salt, acid, and alkali, thereby expanding their application potential.

Impairment in acquisition of conditioned fear in people with depressive symptoms.

Background: Depression is one of the primary global public health issues, and there has been a dramatic increase in depression levels among young people over the past decade. The neuroplasticity theory of depression postulates that a malfunction in neural plasticity, which is responsible for learning, memory, and adaptive behavior, is the primary source of the disorder's clinical manifestations. Nevertheless, the impact of depression symptoms on associative learning remains underexplored. Methods: We used the differential fear conditioning paradigm to investigate the effects of depressive symptoms on fear acquisition and extinction learning. Skin conductance response (SCR) is an objective evaluation indicator, and ratings of nervousness, likeability, and unconditioned stimuli (US) expectancy are subjective evaluation indicators. In addition, we used associability generated by a computational reinforcement learning model to characterize the skin conductance response. Results: The findings indicate that individuals with depressive symptoms exhibited significant impairment in fear acquisition learning compared to those without depressive symptoms based on the results of the skin conductance response. Moreover, in the discrimination fear learning task, the skin conductance response was positively correlated with associability, as estimated by the hybrid model in the group without depressive symptoms. Additionally, the likeability rating scores improved post-extinction learning in the group without depressive symptoms, and no such increase was observed in the group with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The study highlights that individuals with pronounced depressive symptoms exhibit impaired fear acquisition and extinction learning, suggesting a possible deficit in associative learning. Employing the hybrid model to analyze the learning process offers a deeper insight into the associative learning processes of humans, thus allowing for improved comprehension and treatment of these mental health problems.

Mussel-inspired polydopamine modified mica with enhanced mechanical strength and thermal performance of poly(lactic acid) coating.

Polylactic acid (PLA), as a green functional polymer, has been useful in various coating applications. However, due to the low mechanical strength and thermal stability of PLA, it needs to be improved in order to expand its application areas. In this work, a series of polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposite films were prepared through introducing polydopamine-modified mica (PDA@MICA) as a self-assemble nanofiller to enhance its mechanical and thermal properties. The results demonstrated that PLA/PDA@MICA shows excellent mechanical properties. Tensile tests showed that PLA/PDA@MICA exhibits a 58.3 % increase in tensile strength and a 16.8 % increase in Young's modulus compared to pure PLA. Meanwhile, thermal performance testing shown the introduction of PDA@MICA led to an increase in crystallinities (Xc = 24.78 %). And the thermal decomposition temperature of PLA/PDA@MICA film (374 °C) was slightly higher than that of PLA film (367 °C). The simultaneous improvement of the mechanical and thermal properties was attributed to the formation of hydrogen bonds between PLA and PDA@MICA. In addition, the parallel arrangement of PDA@MICA and PLA macromolecular chains forms a unique "brick and mortar" structure in the coating, which enhances the mechanical properties of PLA/PDA@MICA composite coatings. This study reports a successful approach to simultaneously address the drawbacks of PLA, specifically its low thermal stability and mechanical strength, thereby promoting its widespread application in the coatings industry.

[Response of Relationship Between Microplastic Abundance and Nitrogen Metabolism Function Microorganisms and Genes in Water].

The impact of microplastics (MPs) as a new type of pollutant on water pollution has become a research hotspot. To explore the response relationship between the abundance of MPs and nitrogen metabolism function in a freshwater environment, Lake Ulansuhai was used as the research object; the abundance of MPs in the water was detected using a Zeiss microscope, and the distribution characteristics of nitrogen metabolism functional bacteria and functional genes in the water were analyzed using metagenomics sequencing. The correlation analysis method was used to explore the relationship between the abundance of MPs and nitrogen metabolism functional microorganisms and nitrogen metabolism functional genes. The results showed that the presence of MPs in freshwater environments had a higher impact on Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes as the dominant phyla, and the presence of MPs promoted their enrichment and growth. Among the dominant bacterial genera, MPs promoted the growth of Mycobacterium and inhibited Candidatus_Planktopila more significantly, further indicating that in freshwater environments, MPs affected normal nitrogen metabolism by affecting microbial communities, and pathways such as carbon and nitrogen fixation and denitrification were important pathways for MPs to affect nitrogen metabolism. From the perspective of nitrogen metabolism functional genes, it was found that the abundance of MPs significantly affected some functional genes during nitrification (pmoA-amoA, pmoB-amoB, and pmoC-amoC), denitrification (nirK and napA), and dissimilatory nitrate reduction (nrfA) processes (P < 0.05). Moreover, the influence of MPs abundance on different functional genes in the same pathway of nitrogen metabolism varied, making the impact of MPs on aquatic environments very complex; thus, its harm to the water environment cannot be underestimated.

Capsaicin pretreatment attenuates salt-sensitive hypertension by alleviating AMPK/Akt/Nrf2 pathway in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.

Background: Long term hypertension seriously promotes target organ damage in the brain and heart, and has increasingly become serious public health problem worldwide. The anti-hypertensive effects of capsaicin has been reported, however, the role and mechanism of capsaicin within the brain on salt-induced hypertension have yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to verify the hypothesis that capsaicin attenuates salt-induced hypertension via the AMPK/Akt/Nrf2 pathway in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Methods: Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl S) rats were used as animal model for the present study. Rats were randomly divided into four groups based on their dietary regimen (0.3% normal salt diet and 8% high salt diet) and treatment methods (infusion of vehicle or capsaicin in the PVN). Capsaicin was chronically administered in the PVN throughout the animal experiment phase of the study that lasted 6 weeks. Results: Our results demonstrated that PVN pretreatment with capsaicin can slow down raise of the blood pressure elevation and heart rate (HR) of Dahl S hypertensive rats given high salt diet. Interestingly, the cardiac hypertrophy was significantly improved. Furthermore, PVN pretreatment with capsaicin induced decrease in the expression of mRNA expression of NADPH oxidase-2 (NOX2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), NOX4, p-IKKß and proinflammatory cytokines and increase in number of positive cell level for Nrf2 and HO-1 in the PVN of Dahl S hypertensive rats. Additionally, the protein expressions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K) and phosphorylated protein kinase-B (p-AKT) were decreased, phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) were increased after the PVN pretreatment with capsaicin. Conclusion: Capsaicin pretreatment attenuates salt-sensitive hypertension by alleviating AMPK/Akt/iNOS pathway in the PVN.

In situ reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes in mouse heart with chemicals.

Cardiomyocytes are terminal differentiated cells and have limited ability to proliferate or regenerate. Condition like myocardial infarction causes massive death of cardiomyocytes and is the leading cause of death. Previous studies have demonstrated that cardiac fibroblasts can be induced to transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo by forced expression of cardiac transcription factors and microRNAs. Our previous study have demonstrated that full chemical cocktails could also induce fibroblast to cardiomyocyte transdifferentiation both in vitro and in vivo. With the development of tissue clearing techniques, it is possible to visualize the reprogramming at the whole-organ level. In this study, we investigated the effect of the chemical cocktail CRFVPTM in inducing in situ fibroblast to cardiomyocyte transdifferentiation with two strains of genetic tracing mice, and the reprogramming was observed at whole-heart level with CUBIC tissue clearing technique and 3D imaging. In addition, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) confirmed the generation of cardiomyocytes from cardiac fibroblasts which carries the tracing marker. Our study confirms the use of small molecule cocktails in inducing in situ fibroblast to cardiomyocyte reprogramming at the whole-heart level and proof-of-conceptly providing a new source of naturally incorporated cardiomyocytes to help heart regeneration.

Susceptibility gene identification and risk evaluation model construction by transcriptome-wide association analysis for salt sensitivity of blood pressure.

BACKGROUND: Salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP) is an intermediate phenotype of hypertension and is a predictor of long-term cardiovascular events and death. However, the genetic structures of SSBP are uncertain, and it is difficult to precisely diagnose SSBP in population. So, we aimed to identify genes related to susceptibility to the SSBP, construct a risk evaluation model, and explore the potential functions of these genes. METHODS AND RESULTS: A genome-wide association study of the systemic epidemiology of salt sensitivity (EpiSS) cohort was performed to obtain summary statistics for SSBP. Then, we conducted a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) of 12 tissues using FUSION software to predict the genes associated with SSBP and verified the genes with an mRNA microarray. The potential roles of the genes were explored. Risk evaluation models of SSBP were constructed based on the serial P value thresholds of polygenetic risk scores (PRSs), polygenic transcriptome risk scores (PTRSs) and their combinations of the identified genes and genetic variants from the TWAS. The TWAS revealed that 2605 genes were significantly associated with SSBP. Among these genes, 69 were differentially expressed according to the microarray analysis. The functional analysis showed that the genes identified in the TWAS were enriched in metabolic process pathways. The PRSs were correlated with PTRSs in the heart atrial appendage, adrenal gland, EBV-transformed lymphocytes, pituitary, artery coronary, artery tibial and whole blood. Multiple logistic regression models revealed that a PRS of P < 0.05 had the best predictive ability compared with other PRSs and PTRSs. The combinations of PRSs and PTRSs did not significantly increase the prediction accuracy of SSBP in the training and validation datasets. CONCLUSIONS: Several known and novel susceptibility genes for SSBP were identified via multitissue TWAS analysis. The risk evaluation model constructed with the PRS of susceptibility genes showed better diagnostic performance than the transcript levels, which could be applied to screen for SSBP high-risk individuals.

Plant beta-turnover rather than nestedness shapes overall taxonomic and phylogenetic beta-diversity triggered by favorable spatial-environmental conditions in large-scale Chinese grasslands.

Introduction: Although it is widely acknowledged that biodiversity maintains plant community assembly processes, exploring the patterns and drivers of beta-diversity (ß-diversity; species variation among local plant communities) has received much less attention compared to alpha-diversity (α-diversity; species variation within a local plant community). Here, we aim to examine the patterns and spatial-environmental drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic ß-diversity, and their components such as species turnover and nestedness, in large-scale Leymus chinensis grassland communities. Methods: We collected plant community data from 166 sites across widely distributed L. chinensis communities in northern China, and then calculated the taxonomic and phylogenetic ß-diversity indices (overall, turnover and nestedness) using a pairwise dissimilarity approach. To assess the effects and to explain the variation in the patterns of ß-diversity, we collected data on geospatial, climate and soil conditions. We applied descriptive statistics, Mental correlations, and multiple linear regression models to assess the patterns and spatial-environmental drivers of ß-diversity. Results: The ß-turnover, as compared to ß-nestedness, exhibited a predominant influence, constituting 92.6% of the taxonomic ß-diversity and 80.4% of the phylogenetic ß-diversity. Most of the spatial-environmental variables were significantly positively correlated with the overall taxonomic and phylogenetic ß-diversity and ß-turnover, but not with ß-nestedness. Climatic factors such as MAP and MAT were the strongest predictors of both taxonomic and phylogenetic ß-diversity and ß-turnover. The variance partitioning analysis showed that the combined effects of spatial and environmental factors accounted for 19% and 16% of the variation in the taxonomic and phylogenetic ß-diversity (overall), 17% and 12% of the variation in the ß-turnover, and 7% and 1% of the variation in the ß-nestedness, respectively, which were higher than independent effects of either spatial or environmental factors. Discussion: At larger spatial scales, the turnover component of ß-diversity may be associated with the species complementarity effect, but dominant or functionally important species can vary among communities due to the species selection effect. By incorporating ß-diversity into grassland management strategies, we can enhance the provision of vital ecosystem services that bolster human welfare, serving as a resilient barrier against the adverse effects of climate change at regional and global scales.

Characteristics of corn starch/polyvinyl alcohol composite film with improved flexibility and UV shielding ability by novel approach combining chemical cross-linking and physical blending.

With the aim of effectively improving the performance of bio-friendly food packaging and circumventing the hazards associated with petroleum-based plastic food packaging, composite films of corn starch and polyvinyl alcohol were prepared using a new method that involved chemical cross-linking of glutaraldehyde and blending with cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsion (CNE). Glutaraldehyde and CNE enhance the film's network structure by chemical bonding and hydrogen bonding, respectively. This results in improved surface smoothness, mechanical properties, and UV shielding ability of the film. However, the films' surface hydrophilicity increased as a result of CNE, which is harmful for food preservation in high humidity. Overall, glutaraldehyde and CNE have a synergistic effect on some of the properties of the film which is mainly attributed to the films' structure improvement. The films have great potential for preparing flexible and UV-shielding films and offer new ideas for developing biodegradable films.

Hernandezine acts as a CDK4 suppressor inhibiting tumor growth by the CDK4/PKM2/NRF2 axis in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) interacts with its canonical and non-canonical substrates modulating the cell cycle in tumor cells. However, the potential substrates and the beyond-cell-cycle-regulated functions of CDK4 in colon cancer (CC) are still unknown. Hernandezine (HER) is previously verified to induce G0/G1 phase arrest and autophagic cell death in human cancer cells, which implies that HER might target G0/G1 phase-related proteins, including CDK4. PURPOSE: The present study tried to investigate the glycolytic metabolism and oxidative stress functions of CDK4 in colon cancer. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects and potential binding sites of HER on CDK4, as well as its anti-tumor activity were investigated in CC cells. METHODS: The mass spectrometry assay was performed to identify potential endogenous substrates of CDK4 and the correlation between glycolytic metabolic rate and CDK4 level in COAD patient tissues. Meanwhile, after inhibiting the activity or the expression of CDK4, the binding capacity of CDK4 to PKM2 and NRF2 and the latter two protein distributions in cytoplasm and nucleus were detected in CC cells. In vitro, the regulatory effects of the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 axis on glycolysis and oxidative stress were performed by ECAR, OCR, and ROS assay. The inhibitory effect of HER on CDK4 activity was explored in CC cells and the potential binding sites were predicted and testified in vitro. Furthermore, tumor growth inhibition of HER by suppressing the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 axis was also investigated in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: PKM2 and NRF2 were identified as endogenous substrates of CDK4 and, high-expressed CDK4 was associated with low-level glycolysis in COAD. In vitro, inactivated CDK4 facilitated CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 complex formation which resulted in 1) inhibited PKM2 activity and retarded the glycolytic rate; 2) cytoplasm-detained NRF2 failed to transcript anti-oxidative gene expressions and induced oxidant stress. Additionally, as a CDK4 inhibitor, HER developed triple anti-tumor effects including induced G0/G1 phase arrest, suppressed glycolysis, and disrupted the anti-oxidative capacity of CC cells. CONCLUSION: The results first time revealed that CDK4 modulated glycolytic and anti-oxidative capacity of CC cells via bound to its endogenous substrates, PKM2 and NRF2. Additionally, 140Asp145Asn amino acid sites of CDK4 were potential targets of HER. HER exerts anti-tumor activity by inhibited the activity of CDK4, promoted the CDK4-PKM2-NRF2 complex formation in the CC cells.

T1-Weighted Imaging-Based Hippocampal Radiomics in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential of T1-weighted imaging (T1WI)-based hippocampal radiomics as imaging markers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their efficacy in discriminating between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in AD. METHODS: A total of 126 AD patients underwent T1WI-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations, along with 108 age-sex-matched healthy controls (HC). This was a retrospective, single-center study conducted from November 2021 to February 2023. AD patients were categorized into two groups based on disease progression and cognitive function: AD-MCI and dementia (AD-D). T1WI-based radiomics features of the bilateral hippocampi were extracted. To diagnose AD and differentiate between AD-MCI and AD-D, predictive models were developed using random forest (RF), logistic regression (LR), and support vector machine (SVM). We compared radiomics features between the AD and HC groups, as well as within the subgroups of AD-MCI and AD-D. Area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were all used to assess model performance. Furthermore, correlations between radiomics features and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau-181), and amyloid ß peptide1-42 (Aß1-42) were analyzed. RESULTS: The RF model demonstrated superior performance in distinguishing AD from HC (AUC=0.961, accuracy=90.8%, sensitivity=90.7%, specificity=90.9%) and in identifying AD-MCI and AD-D (AUC=0.875, accuracy=80.7%, sensitivity=87.2%, specificity=73.2%) compared to the other models. Additionally, radiomics features were correlated with MMSE scores, P-tau-181, and Aß1-42 levels in AD. CONCLUSION: T1WI-based hippocampal radiomics features are valuable for diagnosing AD and identifying AD-MCI and AD-D.

New sesquiterpenoids from the flowers of pentanema britannicum (L.) D.Gut.Larr.

Five new sesquiterpenoids, (4S, 5S, 6S, 7S, 8 R)-5,6-dihydroxy-1-acetoxy-10(14)-en-britannilactone (1), (4S, 5 R, 6S, 7S, 8 R)-5,6-dihydroxy-1-acetoxy-10(14)-en-britannilactone (2), 6-O-propionyl-britannilactone (3), 1ß-hydroxy-3α-acetoxyeudesma-11(13)-en-12,8ß-olide (4) and 1ß,5ß-dihydroxyeudesma-11(13)-en-12,8ß-olide (5), along with twelve known ones were isolated from the flowers of Pentanema britannicum (L.) D.Gut.Larr. Among them, compounds 1 and 2 were stereoisomers which belong to 1,10-seco-eudesmane sesquiterpenoid with rare double bond between C-10 and C-14. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by various spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments.

The alleviatory effects of koumine on MSU-induced gouty arthritis via the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

The aim of this study was to validate the preventive effects of koumine (KM), a monoterpene indole alkaloid, on gouty arthritis (GA) and to explore its possible mechanisms. C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally administered KM (0.8, 2.4 or 7.2 mg/kg), colchicine (3.0 mg/kg) or sterile saline. One hour later, a monosodium urate (MSU) suspension was injected into the right hind paws of the mice to establish an acute gout model. Inflammation symptoms were evaluated at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h, and the mechanical withdrawal threshold was evaluated at 0, 6 and 24 h. After 24 h, the mice were euthanized, and the joint tissue, kidney and blood were collected for subsequent experiments. Histological examination and antioxidant enzyme, kidney index and serum uric acid (UA) measurements were taken. The expression levels of the signalling pathway components were determined. KM effectively alleviated the symptoms of redness, swelling and pain; counteracted inflammatory cell infiltration; and increased antioxidant enzyme levels, reduced kidney index and seru UA levels through regulating UA excretion in MSU-induced mice. The expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) signalling pathway proteins and mRNA were reduced in the KM group. These results suggest that KM may be effective in alleviating GA through the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.

Near-infrared fluorescent probe to track Cys in plant roots under heavy metal hazards and its application in cells and zebrafish.

Heavy metals, including Hg2+, Cr6+ and Cd2+, have always been a major issue in environmental pollution, leading to abnormal changes in the levels of biologically active molecules including Cys in plants, seriously affecting all aspects of the growth and development of plants. This makes it essential to develop a simple and practical method to study the potential impact of heavy metals on plants. In this paper, our research group has developed near-infrared fluorescent probe WRM-S, which has the advantages of fast response, sensitivity to Cys, and successfully applying it to cells and zebrafish. Moreover, it combined the close relationship between heavy metal stress on plants and Cys, using Cys as the detection target, monitoring the internal environment changes of two plants under Hg2+, Cr6+, and Cd2+ stress in the environment, and then conducting 3D imaging. The results indicated that the probe has strong penetration ability in plant tissues, and revealed abnormal changes in plant Cys levels caused by heavy metal stress-induced cellular oxidative stress or cytotoxicity. Thus, the in-situ imaging detection of this probe provides a direction for the physiological dynamics research of plant environmental stress.

Forest-to-Cropland Conversion Reshapes Microbial Hierarchical Interactions and Degrades Ecosystem Multifunctionality at a National Scale.

Conversion from natural lands to cropland, primarily driven by agricultural expansion, could significantly alter soil microbiome worldwide; however, influences of forest-to-cropland conversion on microbial hierarchical interactions and ecosystem multifunctionality have not been fully understood. Here, we examined the effects of forest-to-cropland conversion on intratrophic and cross-trophic microbial interactions and soil ecosystem multifunctionality and further disclosed their underlying drivers at a national scale, using Illumina sequencing combined with high-throughput quantitative PCR techniques. The forest-to-cropland conversion significantly changed the structure of soil microbiome (including prokaryotic, fungal, and protistan communities) while it did not affect its alpha diversity. Both intrakingdom and interkingdom microbial networks revealed that the intratrophic and cross-trophic microbial interaction patterns generally tended to be more modular to resist environmental disturbance introduced from forest-to-cropland conversion, but this was insufficient for the cross-trophic interactions to maintain stability; hence, the protistan predation behaviors were still disturbed under such conversion. Moreover, key soil microbial clusters were declined during the forest-to-cropland conversion mainly because of the increased soil total phosphorus level, and this drove a great degradation of the ecosystem multifunctionality (by 207%) in cropland soils. Overall, these findings comprehensively implied the negative effects of forest-to-cropland conversion on the agroecosystem, from microbial hierarchical interactions to ecosystem multifunctionality.