Vividness of visual imagery is associated with the effect of relaxation response meditation training in elderly people with nonorganic insomnia: A randomized, double-blind, multi-center clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the efficacy of Relaxation Response Meditation Training (RRMT) on elderly individuals with different levels of vividness of visual imagery. METHODS: In this randomized controlled, double-blind, multi-center clinical trial, we recruited a total of 136 elderly individuals who were over 60 years with nonorganic sleep disorders to participate in a 4-week RRMT intervention from October 2020 to October 2022. The intervention occurred twice a week, totaling eight times. These individuals were divided into high and low groups based on the vividness of visual imagery, and then randomly assigned to either the control or intervention groups, as follows: low-visualizers intervention group (LI group); low-visualizers control group (LC group); high-visualizers intervention group (HI group); high-visualizers control group (HC group). Their social and psychological parameters were assessed before and after the intervention by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Revised Piper's fatigue scale (RPFS), General well-being scale (GWB), and Satisfaction rating. The alpha waves of patients were also collected through electroencephalogram to assess their level of relaxation. RESULTS: Compared to the LI group, the HI group had a greater reduction rate in the PSQI score [25.2 % (18.8 % to 31.7 %), P < 0∙001], shorter sleep latency (P = 0.001), lower frequency of sleep medication (P < 0.001), lower PSQI scores (P < 0.001), and higher GWB scores (P < 0.001). There were significant differences in all indicators in the HI group vs. HC group and in the LI group vs. LC group. In the first five relaxation training sessions, there was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of α waves between the LI group and the LC group; however, from the sixth session onward, we observed a statistically significant difference (t = 2.86, P = 0.019)，while The HI group and HC group showing significant differences in the first relaxation training session (t = 4.464, P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in subjective satisfaction between the intervention group and the control group (x2 = 49.605, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that most elderly people benefitted from RRMT regardless of their vividness of visual imagery. However, low-visualizers experienced slower and less effective results, so these patients may benefit more from alternative approaches.

The roles of autophagy, ferroptosis and pyroptosis in the anti-ovarian cancer mechanism of harmine and their crosstalk.

This study aimed to investigate the role of autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis in the antitumour mechanism of harmine (Har) and its crosstalk in ovarian cancer. By transmission electron microscopy, we found that compared with those in the control group, the cytoplasm of human ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3) treated with Har showed increased numbers of autophagic vesicles, decreased intracellular mitochondrial volume, increased bilayer membrane density, and decreased cristae. Western blot, immunofluorescence, and monodasylcadaverine (MDC) staining all suggested that Har promoted autophagy in SKOV3 cells. LY294002 and siFOXO3 rescued the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/FOXO3 signalling pathway and the promotion of autophagy by Har. Additionally, the levels of ferroptosis- and pyroptosis-related proteins and the levels of Fe2+ , glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) suggested that Har promoted ferroptosis and pyroptosis in SKOV3 cells. Interestingly, pretreatment with chloroquine (CQ), erastin, rapamycin (Rap), or ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) increased or reversed the ferroptosis and pyroptosis promoted by Har, respectively. In vivo, the volume of tumours in the Har group was decreased, and immunohistochemistry revealed decreased levels of Ki-67 and GPX4 and increased levels of ATG5 and NARL3. In conclusion, Har exerts its anti-ovarian cancer effect not only by promoting autophagy by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/FOXO3 signalling pathway but also by promoting ferroptosis and pyroptosis. Additionally, there is complex crosstalk between autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis in ovarian cancer.

Protective effect of arctiin against Toxoplasma gondii HSP70-induced allergic acute liver injury by disrupting the TLR4-mediated activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 and platelet-activating factor.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii)-derived heat shock protein 70 (T.g.HSP70) is a toxic protein that downregulates host defense responses against T. gondii infection. T.g.HSP70 was proven to induce fatal anaphylaxis in T. gondii infected mice through cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activated-platelet-activating factor (PAF) production via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated signaling. In this study, we investigated the effect of arctiin (ARC; a major lignan compound of Fructus arctii) on allergic liver injury using T.g.HSP70-stimulated murine liver cell line (NCTC 1469) and a mouse model of T. gondii infection. Localized surface plasmon resonance, ELISA, western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of action of ARC on T. gondii-induced allergic acute liver injury. The results showed that ARC suppressed the T.g.HSP70-induced allergic liver injury in a dose-dependent manner. ARC could directly bind to T.g.HSP70 or TLR4, interfering with the interaction between these two factors, and inhibiting activation of the TLR4/mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling, thereby inhibiting the overproduction of cPLA2, PAF, and interferon-γ. This result suggested that ARC ameliorates T.g.HSP70-induced allergic acute liver injury by disrupting the TLR4-mediated activation of inflammatory mediators, providing a theoretical basis for ARC therapy to improve T.g.HSP70-induced allergic liver injury.

Phosphorylation Modification, Structural Characterization, Antioxidant and DNA Protection Capacities of Polysaccharides from Asarum Sieboldii Miq.

Polysaccharide from Asarum sieboldii Miq (ASP) was extracted and five phosphorylation polysaccharides with different degree of substitution were obtained, namely ASPP1, ASPP2, ASPP3, ASPP4, and ASPP5 (ASPPs). The physical and chemical structure and biological activities were studied. The results suggested that the carbohydrate and protein content were reduced while uronic acid was increased after phosphorylation modification. The molecular weight of ASPPs was significantly lower than that of ASP. ASPPs were acidic heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of galacturonic acid, galactose, glucose, fructose, and arabinose. The UV-vis spectrum indicated that the polysaccharides did not contain nucleic acid or protein after modification. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum demonstrated that ASPPs contained characteristic absorption peaks of P=O and P-O-C near 1270 and 980 cm-1 . ASPPs presented a triple helix conformation, but it was not presented in ASP. The scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the surface topography and particle structure of ASP were different after modification. Compared with ASP, ASPPs enhanced the activity to scavenge DPPH and ABTS free radicals and possessed more protective ability to DNA oxidation caused by OH⋅, GS⋅, and AAPH free radicals. These results suggest that chemical modification is beneficial for the exploitation and utilization of natural polysaccharides.

Intestinal acetic acid regulates the synthesis of sex pheromones in captive giant pandas.

As a typical solitary animal, adult giant pandas rely on chemical signals (sex pheromones) to transmit reproductive information during oestrous. Although researchers have confirmed that the gut microbiota is related to the emission and reception of sex pheromones, there is no clear correlation between the gut microbes and the synthesis of sex pheromone of giant pandas, that is, which gut microbes and microbial metabolites are participate in the synthesis of giant panda's sex pheromone. As a mirror of gut microbiota, fecal microbiota can reflect the composition of gut microbiota and its interaction with host to some extent. The purpose of this study is to explore how the gut microbes affect the synthesis of sex pheromones in captive giant pandas by combining analysis of the fecal microbiome and metabolomics. The results of correlation and microbial function analysis show that intestinal microorganisms such as Veillonellaceae and Lactobacillilaceae are associated with the synthesis of short chain fatty acid (acetic acid) and volatile ester metabolites, such as 1-butanol, 3-methyl, acetate, acetic acid, hexyl ester and 3-hexen-1-ol, acetate, (Z). In summary, based on this study, we believe that volatile metabolites such as fecal acetate participate in the process of mate preference of captive giant pandas and affect their expression of natural mating behavior. The possible mechanism is that the gut microbes can promote the synthesis of key chemical signaling substances in perianal glands through mediated intermediate fecal metabolites, thus affecting the normal information exchange between giant pandas individuals. The results of this study have greatly enriched our understanding of gut microbes regulating the synthesis of sex pheromones in giant pandas.

Characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes derived from giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) endometrium.

Conservation of genetic resources is an important way to protect endangered species. At present, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been isolated from the bone marrow and umbilical cords of giant pandas. However, the types and quantities of preserved cell resources were rare and limited, and none of MSCs was derived from female reproductive organs. Here, we first isolated MSCs from the endometrium of giant panda. These cells showed fibroblast morphology and expressed Sox2, Klf4, Thy1, CD73, CD105, CD44, CD49f, and CD105. Endometrium mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) of giant panda could induce differentiation into three germ layers in vitro. RNA-seq analysis showed that 833 genes were upregulated and 716 genes were downregulated in eMSCs compared with skin fibroblast cells. The results of GO and the KEGG analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly focused on transporter activity, signal transducer activity, pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells, MAPK signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The genes PLCG2, FRK, JAK3, LYN, PIK3CB, JAK2, CBLB, and MET were identified as hub genes by PPI network analysis. In addition, the exosomes of eMSCs were also isolated and identified. The average diameter of exosomes was 74.26 ± 13.75 nm and highly expressed TSG101 and CD9 but did not express CALNEXIN. A total of 277 miRNAs were detected in the exosomes; the highest expression of miRNA was the has-miR-21-5p. A total of 14461 target genes of the whole miRNAs were predicted and proceeded with functional analysis. In conclusion, we successfully isolated and characterized the giant panda eMSCs and their exosomes, and analyzed their functions through bioinformatics techniques. It not only enriched the conservation types of giant panda cell resources and promoted the protection of genetic diversity, but also laid a foundation for the application of eMSCs and exosomes in the disease treatment of giant pandas.

Self S-RNase inhibits ABF-LRX signaling to arrest pollen tube growth to achieve self-incompatibility in pear.

Gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) has been widely studied in flowering plants, but studies of the mechanisms underlying pollen tube growth arrest by self S-RNase in GSI species are limited. In the present study, two leucine-rich repeat extensin genes in pear (Pyrus bretschneideri), PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.2, were identified based on transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR analyses. The expression levels of these two LRX genes were significantly higher in the pollen grains and pollen tubes of the self-compatible cultivar 'Jinzhui' (harboring a spontaneous bud mutation) than in those of the self-incompatible cultivar 'Yali'. Both PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.2 stimulated pollen tube growth and attenuated the inhibitory effects of self S-RNase on pollen tube growth by stabilizing the actin cytoskeleton and enhancing cell wall integrity. These results indicate that abnormal expression of PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.2 is involved in the loss of self-incompatibility in 'Jinzhui'. The PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.2 promoters were directly bound by the ABRE-binding factor PbABF.D.2. Knockdown of PbABF.D.2 decreased PbLRXA2.1 and PbLRXA2.2 expression and inhibited pollen tube growth. Notably, the expression of PbLRXA2.1, PbLRXA2.2, and PbABF.D.2 was repressed by self S-RNase, suggesting that self S-RNase can arrest pollen tube growth by restricting the PbABF.D.2-PbLRXA2.1/PbLRXA2.2 signal cascade. These results provide novel insight into pollen tube growth arrest by self S-RNase.

Construction of a high-density bin-map and identification of fruit quality-related quantitative trait loci and functional genes in pear.

Pear (Pyrus spp.) is one of the most common fruit crops grown in temperate regions worldwide. Genetic enhancement of fruit quality is a fundamental goal of pear breeding programs. The genetic control of pear fruit quality traits is highly quantitative, and development of high-density genetic maps can facilitate fine-mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and gene identification. Bin-mapping is a powerful method of constructing high-resolution genetic maps from large-scale genotyping datasets. We performed whole-genome sequencing of pear cultivars 'Niitaka' and 'Hongxiangsu' and their 176 F 1 progeny to identify genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for constructing a high-density bin-map of pear. This analysis yielded a total of 1.93 million SNPs and a genetic bin-map of 3190 markers spanning 1358.5 cM, with an average adjacent interval of 0.43 cM. This bin-map, along with other high-density genetic maps in pear, improved the reference genome assembly from 75.5 to 83.7% by re-anchoring the scaffolds. A quantitative genetic analysis identified 148 QTLs for 18 fruit-related traits; among them, QTLs for stone cell content, several key monosaccharides, and fruit pulp acids were identified for the first time in pear. A gene expression analysis of six pear cultivars identified 399 candidates in the identified QTL regions, which showed expression specific to fruit developmental stages in pear. Finally, we confirmed the function of PbrtMT1, a tonoplast monosaccharide transporter-related gene responsible for the enhancement of fructose accumulation in pear fruit on linkage group 16, in a transient transformation experiment. This study provides genomic and genetic resources as well as potential candidate genes for fruit quality improvement in pear.

Combined urine metabolomics and 16S rDNA sequencing analyses reveals physiological mechanism underlying decline in natural mating behavior of captive giant pandas.

The decline in natural mating behavior is the primary reason underlying in the poor population growth of captive giant pandas. However, the influencing factors and underlying mechanisms remain unclear to data. It is speculated that the decline in natural mating behavior could be related to the psychological stress caused by captivity, which restricts their free choice of mates. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed urinary metabolomics analysis using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC/-MS) combined with 16S rDNA sequencing for exploring the physiological mechanism underlying the decline in the natural mating behavior of captive giant panda. The results demonstrated that the decline in mating ability could be related to abnormalities in arginine biosynthesis and neurotransmitter synthesis. Additionally, the relative abundance of bacteria from the Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria phyla and the Acinetobacter, Weissella, and Pseudomonas genus was significantly reduced in the group with low natural mating behavior. These findings imply that the inhibition of arginine synthesis induced by environmental changes could be related to the poor libido and failure of mate selection in captive giant pandas during the breeding period. The results also demonstrate the relationship between the altered urinary microbes and metabolites related to arginine and neurotransmitter synthesis. These findings may aid in understanding the mechanism underlying environment-induced mate selection in captive giant pandas and propose a novel strategy for determining the sexual desire of giant pandas based on urinary microbes. The method would be of great significance in improving the natural reproductive success rate of captive giant pandas.

Solid-Liquid Interfacial Coordination Chemistry Enables High-Capacity Ammonium Storage in Amorphous Manganese Phosphate.

Ammonium (NH4 + ) ion as charge carrier is attracting attention in aqueous batteries. Yet, most NH4 + host materials are still limited by the relatively low capacities. Here, we fabricated a manganese phosphate (MP-20) for NH4 + ion storage. MP-20 displays a high capacity of 299.6 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 in ammonium acetate (NH4 Ac) electrolyte, outperforming other reported NH4 + host materials. Spectroscopy studies suggest a new NH4 + /H+ co-insertion mechanism. We surprisingly discover that the NH4 Ac electrolyte plays an important role in improving the charge storage capability of the materials. Experimental and computational results indicate acetate ions can form coordination bonds with the Mn atoms, tailoring the electronic structure of the Mn atoms and the surrounding O atoms, and therefore facilitating the NH4 + storage process. Our findings provide a new NH4 + host material and propose the important role of the electrolyte-electrode coordination effect in aqueous ammonium batteries.

A dual-function Cd-MOF with high proton conduction and excellent fluorescence detection of pyridine.

Metal-organic frameworks have great potential in the field of proton conducting materials and fluorescent probes due to their structural tunability and designability. A novel water-stable metal organic framework material [Cd2(Hdpb)(H2O)3] (Cd-MOF) was synthesized based on H5dpb (H5dpb = 3,5-diphosphonobenzoic acid) and Cd2+ ions. Cd2+ ions are connected with phosphonates and carboxyl groups of H5dpb to form an infinitely extended 1D chain, which is further connected by the Hdpb4- ligand and coordinated water to form a three-dimensional network structure. There are hydrogen bond networks in the 3D structure of the Cd-MOF, which are favorable for proton transfer, achieving its maximum proton conductivity of 2.97 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 338 K and 98% relative humidity (RH). To realize its application in fuel cells, the Cd-MOF was introduced into the chitosan (CS) matrix, and a series of composite membranes (Cd-MOF@CS-X) with high proton conductivity were obtained. The results of AC impedance show that the proton conductivity of Cd-MOF@CS-5 reaches 3.55 × 10-1 S cm-1 at 358 K and 98% RH, which is comparable to the highest values reported for MOF-polymer complexes. Moreover, the Cd-MOF can be used as a selective fluorescent probe for pyridine detection, and its detection limit can reach 1.0 × 10-6 M. A bifunctional MOF with proton conduction and pyridine recognition is reported for the first time, and has important reference value for the practical application of functional MOFs in both electrochemical and luminescence sensing.

Beneficial effects of aloperine on inflammation and oxidative stress by suppressing necroptosis in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury mouse model.

RATIONALE: Alveolar epithelial cell death, inflammation, and oxidative stress are typical features of acute lung injury (ALI). Aloperine (Alo), an alkaloid isolated from Sophora alopecuroides, has been reported to display various biological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and anti-oxidant properties. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of Alo in treating a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in a murine model. METHODS: The effects of Alo in LPS-induced ALI were investigated in C57BL/6 mice. The RIPK1 inhibitor (Nec-1) and the RIPK3 inhibitor (GSK'872) were used to evaluate the relationship of necroptosis, NF-κB activation, and PDC subunits in LPS-treated mouse alveolar epithelial cells (MLE-12). Then the effects of Alo on necroptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress of LPS-stimulated MLE-12 cells were evaluated. RESULTS: Alo significantly attenuated histopathological lung injuries and reduced lung wet/dry ratio in LPS-induced ALI mice. Alo also remarkedly reduced total protein and neutrophils recruitment in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of ALI mice. Meanwhile, Alo ameliorated the LPS-induced necroptosis in the lungs of ALI mice. The RIPK3 inhibitor GSK'872, but not the RIPK1 inhibitor Nec-1, reversed LPS-induced p65 phosphorylation and translocation to the nucleus in MLE-12 cells. GSK'872 also reversed the LPS-induced increase in ROS and binding of RIPK3 and PDC subunits in MLE-12 cells. Moreover, Alo down-regulated the levels of p-RIPK1, p-RIPK3, p-MLKL, p-p65, the translocation of p65 to the nucleus, and reduced the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in LPS-stimulated MLE-12 cells. Alo also inhibited the binding of RIPK3 and PDC-E1α, PDC-E1ß, PDC-E2, and PDC-E3 and the ROS production in LPS-treated MLE-12 cells. CONCLUSION: The present study validated the beneficial effects of Alo on LPS-induced ALI , suggesting Alo may be a new drug candidate against ALI.

Decavanadate Doped Polyaniline for Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

Polyaniline (PANI) is a promising cathode material for aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries (ARZBs), mainly benefitting from its good electrical conductivity. The high conductivity of PANI requires high doping level, yet the introduced nonactive dopants (e.g., SO4 2- ) limit the gravimetric capacity of PANI (usually < 180 mAh g-1 ). Herein, an electro-active dopant (decavanadate anion, V10 O28 6- ) is employed to fabricate the PANI cathode (PANI-V10 O28 ) for ARZBs. The doped decavanadate anion with the sub-nanometer structure can fully expose the V-based active sites, exhibiting good electrochemical activity. Due to the steric hindrance effect as well as the strong interaction between decavanadate anions and PANI chains, the active dopants are trapped in the polymer chains, demonstrating good structural and electrochemical stability. PANI-V10 O28 achieves a record-high gravimetric capacity of 355 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , which is significantly higher than other reported PANI cathodes. Experimental results suggest that the charge storage mechanism of PANI-V10 O28 includes reversible injection/extraction of Zn(H2 O)2 Cl4 2- ions in PANI, as well as the protonation/deprotonation of V10 O28 6- . This work enriches the doping chemistry of conducting polymer and pushes the development of organic cathodes for ARZBs to a new stage.

Isolation and characterization mesenchymal stem cells from red panda (Ailurus fulgens styani) endometrium.

Endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs) are undifferentiated endometrial cells with self-renewal, multidirectional differentiation and high proliferation potential. Nowadays, eMSCs have been found in a few species, but it has never been reported in endangered wild animals, especially the red panda. In this study, we successfully isolated and characterized the eMSCs derived from red panda. Red panda eMSCs were fibroblast-like, had a strong proliferative potential and a stable chromosome number. Pluripotency genes including Klf4, Sox2 and Thy1 were highly expressed in eMSCs. Besides, cultured eMSCs were positive for MSC markers CD44, CD49f and CD105 and negative for endothelial cell marker CD31 and haematopoietic cell marker CD34. Moreover, no reference RNA-seq was used to analyse the eMSCs transcriptional expression profile and key pathways. Compared with skin fibroblast cell group, 9104 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, among which are 5034 genes upregulated, 4070 genes downregulated and the top 20 enrichment pathways of DEGs in Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) mainly associated with G-protein coupled receptor signalling pathway, carbohydrate derivative binding, nucleoside binding, ribosome biogenesis, cell cycle, DNA replication, Ras signalling pathway and purine metabolism. Among the DEGs, some representative genes about promoting MSCs differentiation and proliferation were upregulated and promoting fibroblasts proliferation were downregulated in eMSCs group. Red panda eMSCs also had multiple differentiation ability and could differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes and hepatocytes. In conclusion, we, for the first time, isolated and characterized the red panda eMSCs with ability of multiplication and multilineage differentiation in vitro. The new multipotential stem cell could be beneficial not only for the germ plasm resources conservation of red panda, but also for basic or pre-clinical studies in the future.

Enabling Reversible MnO2/Mn2+ Transformation by Al3+ Addition for Aqueous Zn-MnO2 Hybrid Batteries.

Aqueous rechargeable Zn-manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2) hybrid batteries based on dissolution-deposition mechanisms exhibit ultrahigh capacities and energy densities due to the two-electron transformation between MnO2/Mn2+. However, the reported Zn-MnO2 hybrid batteries usually use strongly acidic and/or alkaline electrolytes, which may lead to environmental hazards and corrosion issues of the Zn anodes. Herein, we propose a new Zn-MnO2 hybrid battery by adding Al3+ into the sulfate-based electrolyte. The hybrid battery undergoes reversible MnO2/Mn2+ transformation and exhibits good electrochemical performances, such as a high discharge capacity of 564.7 mAh g-1 with a discharge plateau of 1.65 V, an energy density of 520.8 Wh kg-1, and good cycle life without capacity decay upon 2000 cycles. Experimental results and theoretical calculation suggest that the aquo Al3+ with Brønsted weak acid nature can act as the proton-donor reservoir to maintain the electrolyte acidity near the electrode surface and prevent the formation of Zn4(OH)6(SO4)·0.5H2O during discharging. In addition, Al3+ doping during charging introduces oxygen vacancies in the oxide structure and weakens the Mn-O bond, which facilitates the dissolution reaction during discharge. The mechanistic investigation discloses the important role of Al3+ in the electrolyte, providing a new fundamental understanding of the promising aqueous Zn-MnO2 batteries.

Urine metabolomics reveals the effects of confined environment on mating choice in adult male giant pandas.

Mate choice was an important factor affecting the success rate of natural mating of captive giant pandas. The influencing factors and mechanisms of the mate preference of captive giant pandas were still unclear, and it was speculated that they might be related to the psychological stress caused by the long-term confined environment restricting their free choice of physiological needs. In order to test this hypothesis, this work explored the urinary metabolites of 6 adult captive male giant pandas during breeding period. Differences in metabolite levels in giant panda urine samples were analyzed via Ultra High Performance LC-MS (UHPLC/-MS) comparing preservation to loss of natural reproductive capacity and success to failure of mating choice, trying to understand the psychological feelings of captive giant pandas in the process of mate choice from the perspective of all metabolites and related biochemical pathways, and fully revealed the mechanism of decline of their natural reproductive ability. The analysis results indicated that the loss of natural mating behavior of adult captive male giant pandas might be related to the disorder of tryptophan metabolism pathway and inhibition of arginine synthesis; the reason for the failure of mating choice caused by decreased libido might be related to the temporary decrease of androgen contents caused by the down-regulated of TCA cycle function and galactose metabolic pathway. These findings not only provide that adult male giant pandas in captivity do have psychological frustration caused by the inability to freely choose their favorite mate or failure of mating preference, but also showed that the changes in stress-related metabolic pathways caused by psychological frustration were an important reason for the decline of natural mating behavior of adult captive male giant pandas.

Zuogui Wan improves trabecular bone microarchitecture in ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis rats by regulating orexin-A and orexin receptor.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of Zuogui Wan (ZGW) on bone loss induced by ovariectomy (OVX) and its mechanism via orexin-A and orexin receptors in the osteoporosis rat model. METHODS: Fifty Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into sham-operated (sham) group and four OVX subgroups. Rats subjected to sham and OVX were treated with the vehicle (OVX, 1 mL/100 g weight, n = 10), 17ß-estradiol (E2, 50 µg*kg-1*d-1), and ZGW at the doses of 2.3 (ZGW-L) and 4.6 (ZGW-H) g/kg/day lyophilized powder daily for 3 months, respectively. The serum biochemical parameters of 17ß-estrogen (17ß-E2), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP-5b) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to detect the changes in the morphological structure in bones. Microcomputed tomography was used to evaluate the bone mineral density and microarchitecture of the distal femur. The gene or protein expression of orexin-A, orexin receptor 1 (OX1R), orexin receptor 2 (OX2R), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) were assayed by either quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the OVX group, ZGW could reduce the serum level of TRACP-5b and increased the serum levels of BALP and17ß-E2 (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, ZGW could prevent bone loss and improved bone trabecular microarchitecture by increasing the trabeculae structure thickness and trabecular number, and arranging the trabeculae structure properly. Compared with the OVX group, it was upregulated for the orexin-A and OX2R mRNA or protein expression from the hypothalamus and tibiae, and OPG in the tibiae of ZGW groups (P < 0.01, < 0.05), while downregulated for the OX1R mRNA and protein expression in the tibiae and hypothalamus and RANKL from the tibiae (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: ZGW exhibited a protective effect for PMOP that may be mediated via orexin-A and orexin receptors regulation.

Predicting intraventricular hemorrhage growth with a machine learning-based, radiomics-clinical model.

We constructed a radiomics-clinical model to predict intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) growth after spontaneous intracerebral hematoma. The model was developed using a training cohort (N=626) and validated with an independent testing cohort (N=270). Radiomics features and clinical predictors were selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method and multivariate analysis. The radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated through linear combination of selected features multiplied by their respective LASSO coefficients. The support vector machine (SVM) method was used to construct the model. IVH growth was experienced by 13.4% and 13.7% of patients in the training and testing cohorts, respectively. The Rad-score was associated with severe IVH and poor outcome. Independent predictors of IVH growth included hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio [OR], 0.12 [95%CI, 0.02-0.90]; p=0.039), baseline Graeb score (OR, 1.26 [95%CI, 1.16-1.36]; p<0.001), time to initial CT (OR, 0.70 [95%CI, 0.58-0.86]; p<0.001), international normalized ratio (OR, 4.27 [95%CI, 1.40, 13.0]; p=0.011), and Rad-score (OR, 2.3 [95%CI, 1.6-3.3]; p<0.001). In the training cohort, the model achieved an AUC of 0.78, sensitivity of 0.83, and specificity of 0.66. In the testing cohort, AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.71, 0.81, and 0.64, respectively. This radiomics-clinical model thus has the potential to predict IVH growth.

Effects of Different Nursing Methods on the Behavioral Response of Adult Captive Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

Throughout the life history of giant pandas, we have found that captive and wild giant pandas have significantly different parenting experiences. To summarize the breeding history of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding over the past 30 years, we found that the parenting experience is related to the natural mating ability of captive male giant pandas. However, there are few studies on the effects of different nursing methods on the behavioral expression of captive giant pandas, mainly focusing on the behavioral development of captive giant panda cubs, but the effects on the behavioral adaptive expression and stress of adult females have not been reported. From the perspective of adult female giant pandas in the nursery period, this experiment attempts to clarify whether different nursing methods in the cub-rearing period will affect the behavioral adaptive expression of the dams. We aim to understand whether confinement mode may cause stress problems in adult captive giant pandas, and provide a scientific basis for improving the design parameters of nursery pens and improving the welfare level of captive giant pandas. Based on the current results, we find that, in the current captive environment, singleton and parent rearing are kinds of nursing methods that are in accordance with the characteristics of the natural nursing of giant pandas and have little effect on the mother-cub relationship and welfare of captive adult female giant pandas.