Regulatory effects of yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) glycoproteins on energy metabolism in C2C12 and 3T3-L1 cells and on crosstalk between these two cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Controlling energy and regulating metabolism have been key strategies in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as obesity. Yam glycoprotein (Y-Gly) is a polysaccharide-protein complex extracted from Chinese yam that has beneficial effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the role of Y-Gly in regulating energy metabolism in C2C12 and 3T3-L1 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Y-Gly was subjected to extraction and chemo-profiling. Staining methods, assay kits, Western Blot and transcriptomics were mainly used to determine the role of Y-Gly. Additionally, the study sought to examine the impact of Y-Gly on white adipose browning in 3T3-L1 cells, employing a cell co-culture technique. RESULTS: Y-Gly promoted myotube differentiation in C2C12 myoblasts, increased cellular glucose consumption, promoted ATP synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis, and played an active role in energy expenditure and glycolipid metabolism related pathways such as AMPK and MAPK. The introduction of Y-Gly inhibited lipid accumulation after lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, facilitated induction of white adipose browning related proteins such as PPARγ and UCP1 expression, and the effect was more significant after cell co-culture. CONCLUSIONS: Y-Gly regulates glucose and lipid metabolism by activating the key proteins in the aforementioned pathways, and plays a role in energy metabolism regulation through crosstalk between muscle and adipose tissues. This suggests a possible role of Y-Gly in metabolism-related diseases.

Role of hsa_circ_0007482 in pterygium development: insights into proliferation, apoptosis, and clinical correlations.

AIM: To investigate the impact of hsa_circ_0007482 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs) and its correlation with the severity grades of pterygium. METHODS: Pterygium and normal conjunctival tissues were collected from the superior area of the same patient's eye (n=33). The correlation between pterygium severity and hsa_circ_0007482 expression using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were analyzed. Three distinct siRNA sequences targeting hsa_circ_0007482, along with a negative control sequence, were transfected into HPFs. Cell proliferation was assessed using the cell counting kit-8. Expression levels of Ki67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin D1, Bax, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and Caspase-3 were measured via RT-qPCR. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to detect Ki67 and vimentin expressions. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Hsa_circ_0007482 expression was significantly higher in pterygium tissues compared to normal conjunctival tissues (P<0.001). Positive correlations were observed between hsa_circ_0007482 expression and pterygium severity, thickness, and vascular density. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0007482 inhibited cell proliferation, reducing the mRNA expression of Ki67, PCNA, and Cyclin D1 in HPFs. Hsa_circ_0007482 knockdown induced apoptosis, increasing mRNA expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3, while decreasing Bcl-2 expression in HPFs. Additionally, hsa_circ_0007482 knockdown attenuated vimentin expression in HPFs. CONCLUSION: The downregulation of hsa_circ_0007482 effectively hampers cell proliferation and triggers apoptosis in HPFs. There are discernible positive correlations detected between the expression of hsa_circ_0007482 and the severity of pterygium.

[Analysis of the Synergistic Effects of Energy Consumption Permit Trading Scheme on Pollution Reduction and Carbon Abatement].

Under the "dual-carbon" strategic goals, it is urgent to examine whether the energy consumption permit trading scheme （ECPTS）, as an innovative system in China's market-oriented reform of the energy sector, can promote the synergistic enhancement of pollution reduction and carbon abatement. Based on provincial panel data of China from 2008 to 2019, this study adopted a difference-in-differences model to examine the impacts of the ECPTS on the synergistic enhancement of pollution reduction and carbon abatement. The results demonstrated that the ECPTS improved the level of pollution reduction and carbon abatement in pilot areas. Specifically, the ECPTS led to a reduction of 13.3% in CO2 emissions and 3.1% in PM2.5 concentration in the pilot areas and resulted in an overall improvement of pollution reduction and carbon abatement by 0.237 units. Mechanism analysis revealed that energy efficiency served as a pathway through which the ECPTS empowered the synergistic enhancement of pollution reduction and carbon abatement. Moreover, the strengthening of local government environmental protection goals enhanced the pollution reduction and carbon abatement effects of the ECPTS. Surprisingly, the effectiveness of the ECPTS was not undermined by the goal of economic growth. This study provides new empirical evidence for understanding the relationship between market-based environmental regulation and collaborative governance and provides strong support for China to achieve its "dual-carbon" strategic goals.

The mechanism of static postural control in the impact of lower limb muscle strength asymmetry on gait performance in the elderly.

Background: Abnormal gait is prevalent among the elderly population, leading to reduced physical activity, increased risk of falls, and the potential development of dementia and disabilities, thus degrading the quality of life in later years. Numerous studies have highlighted the crucial roles of lower limb muscle strength asymmetry and static postural control in gait, and the reciprocal influence of lower limb muscle strength asymmetry on static postural control. However, research exploring the interrelationship between lower limb muscle strength asymmetry, static postural control, and gait performance has been limited. Methods: A total of 55 elderly participants aged 60 to 75 years were recruited. Isokinetic muscle strength testing was used to assess bilateral knee extension strength, and asymmetry values were calculated. Participants with asymmetry greater than 15% were categorized as the Asymmetry Group (AG), while those with asymmetry less than 15% were classified in the Symmetry Group (SG). Gait parameters were measured using a plantar pressure gait analysis system to evaluate gait performance, and static postural control was assessed through comfortable and narrow stance tests. Results: First, participants in the AG demonstrated inferior gait performance, characterized by slower gait speed, longer stance time and percentage of stance time in gait, and smaller swing time and percentage of swing time in gait. Spatial-temporal gait parameters of the weaker limb tended to be abnormal. Second, static postural control indices were higher in AG compared to SG in all aspects except for the area of ellipse during the comfortable stance with eyes open test. Third, abnormal gait parameters were associated with static postural control. Conclusion: Firstly, elderly individuals with lower limb muscle strength asymmetry are prone to abnormal gait, with the weaker limb exhibiting poorer gait performance. Secondly, lower limb muscle strength asymmetry contributes to diminished static postural control in the elderly. Thirdly, the mechanism underlying abnormal gait in the elderly due to lower limb muscle strength asymmetry may be linked to a decline in static postural control.

New Perspectives and Prospects of microRNA Delivery in Diabetic Wound Healing.

The remarkable potential of microRNAs (miRNAs) as a class of biotherapeutic agents in the treatment of diverse pathological conditions has garnered significant interest in recent years. To heal both acute and chronic wounds, miRNAs work by post-transcriptionally controlling various proteins and the pathways that are linked to them. Diabetes mellitus predisposes to several macro- and microvascular defects of end organs such as atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease, retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and impaired wound healing. Here, miRNAs emerge as a beacon of hope, with the capacity to heal diabetic wounds by precisely modulating the expression of genes involved in the healing process. Despite the therapeutic promise, the journey to realizing the full potential of miRNAs is fraught with challenges. Their intrinsic instability and the inefficient delivery into target cells pose significant barriers to their clinical application. Consequently, a major focus of current research is the discovery of novel miRNAs and the development of innovative delivery systems that can effectively transport these nucleic acids into the cells where they are needed most. This review delves into the intricate roles that miRNAs play at various stages of diabetic wound healing, providing a comprehensive overview of the latest research findings. The review also addresses the obstacles and opportunities that come with translating miRNA-based strategies into clinical practice, offering a critical assessment of the field's advancements and the hurdles that remain to be overcome. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The potential of microRNA delivery using new biological or nonbiological carriers may create a revolutionary treatment method for chronic wounds of diabetes.

Lycium ruthenicum water extract preserves retinal ganglion cells in chronic ocular hypertension mouse models.

Lycium ruthenicum Murray (LR), known as "black goji berry" or "black wolfberry", is widely utilized in chinese herbal medicine. LR fruit showed its antioxidant and/or anti-inflammation activity in treating cardiac injury, experimental colitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, fatigue, and aging. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Besides elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), oxidative stress and neuroinflammation were recognized to contribute to the pathogenesis of glaucoma. This study investigated the treatment effects of LR water extract (LRE) on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) threatened by sustained IOP elevation in a laser-induced chronic ocular hypertension (COH) mouse model and the DBA/2J mouse strain. The antioxidation and anti-inflammation effects of LRE were further tested in the H2O2-challenged immortalized microglial (IMG) cell line in vitro. LRE oral feeding (2 g/kg) preserved the function of RGCs and promoted their survival in both models mimicking glaucoma. LRE decreased 8-hydroxyguanosine (oxidative stress marker) expression in the retina. LRE reduced the number of Iba-1+ microglia in the retina of COH mice, but not in the DBA/2J mice. At the mRNA level, LRE reversed the COH induced HO-1 and SOD-2 overexpressions in the retina of COH mice. Further in vitro study demonstrated that LRE pretreatment to IMG cells could significantly reduce H2O2 induced oxidative stress through upregulation of GPX-4, Prdx-5, HO-1, and SOD-2. Our work demonstrated that daily oral intake of LRE can be used as a preventative/treatment agent to protect RGCs under high IOP stress probably through reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting microglial activation in the retina.

Acquisition and Retention Effects of Fundamental Movement Skills on Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study adopted a quasi-experimental design to explore the effects of fundamental movement skill intervention on the acquisition and retention of physical activity levels and health-related fitness in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the experiments, 11 children received fundamental motor skill training (12 weeks, 60 min/session, 4 times/week), and 10 children maintained traditional physical activity. Assessments were performed using an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer, health-related fitness pre-post intervention, and 1-month follow-up tests. The sedentary time during physical activity was significantly decreased (p = 0.01), and there were large changes in health-related physical fitness indicators, including significantly improved body composition (body mass index, F(1,19) = 8.631, p = 0.03, partial η2 = 0.312), muscle strength and endurance (sit-ups, F(1,19) = 3.376, p = 0.02, partial η2 = 0.151 and vertical jumps, F(1,19) = 5.309, p = 0.04, partial η2 = 0.218), and flexibility (sit and reach, F(1,19) = 36.228, p = 0.02, partial η2 = 0.656). Moreover, the follow-up tests showed that the children's sedentary time continued to reduce, and the muscle strength and endurance (sit-ups, F(1,19) = 4.215, p = 0.01, partial η2 = 0.426) improved continuously after the intervention. Based on this study, actionable and regular fundamental movement skill programs can be provided in the future as an effective way to achieve the healthy development goals of children with ASD.

Effects of rope skipping exercise on working memory and cardiorespiratory fitness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Introduction: Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit deficits in working memory (WM) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), both of which are closely associated with the core symptoms of ADHD. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rope skipping exercise (RSE) on the WM and CRF of children with ADHD, to provide a theoretical foundation for the optimization of exercise intervention programs tailored to children with ADHD. Methods: This study recruited 55 children (age range 6-12 years) and randomly assigned them into three groups: the ADHD with RSE (AWRSE, n=22, mean age: 10.18 ± 1.10 years), the ADHD with sports game (SG) (AWSG, n=16, mean age: 9.38 ± 0.96 years), and the typically developing (TD) control group (CG, n=17, mean age: 8.94 ± 0.56 years). The AWRSE underwent a RSE intervention, while the other two groups participated in SG. The exercise intervention lasted for 8 weeks, with sessions held twice a week for 60 minutes each, at a moderate-to-vigorous-intensity (64-95% HRmax). All children in each group underwent pre-test and post-test, including height, weight, BMI, n-back, and 20mSRT. One-way analysis of variance (Ony-way ANOVA) and paired sample t-test were used to analyze inter- and intra-group differences respectively. Results: Before the intervention, children with ADHD exhibited a significantly lower VO2max compared to the TD children (p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the other indicators between the groups (p>0.05). After the intervention, no significant inter-group differences were found across all indices for the three groups of children (p > 0.05). The AWRSE had significant improvements in the accuracy of 1-back task, Pacer (laps), and VO2max (p<0.05), with the level of CRF approaching that of TD children. A significant decrease in response time for the 1-back task was observed in the CG. Conclusion: An 8-week RSE intervention is an effective therapeutic approach for children with ADHD, significantly enhancing their WM and CRF.

Potential Moderators of the Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy: A Meta-analysis Based on a Comparison with High-Load Resistance Training.

BACKGROUND: While it has been examined whether there are similar magnitudes of muscle strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low-load resistance training combined with blood-flow restriction training (BFR-RT) and high-load resistance training (HL-RT), some important potential moderators (e.g., age, sex, upper and lower limbs, frequency and duration etc.) have yet to be analyzed further. Furthermore, training status, specificity of muscle strength tests (dynamic versus isometric or isokinetic) and specificity of muscle mass assessments (locations of muscle hypertrophy assessments) seem to exhibit different effects on the results of the analysis. The role of these influencing factors, therefore, remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the effects of BFR- versus HL-RT on muscle adaptations, when considering the influence of population characteristics (training status, sex and age), protocol characteristics (upper or lower limbs, duration and frequency) and test specificity. METHODS: Studies were identified through database searches based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) pre- and post-training assessment of muscular strength; (2) pre- and post-training assessment of muscular hypertrophy; (3) comparison of BFR-RT vs. HL-RT; (4) score ≥ 4 on PEDro scale; (5) means and standard deviations (or standard errors) are reported or allow estimation from graphs. In cases where the fifth criterion was not met, the data were requested directly from the authors. RESULTS: The main finding of the present study was that training status was an important influencing factor in the effects of BFR-RT. The trained individuals may gain greater muscle strength and hypertrophy with BFR-RT as compared to HL-RT. However, the results showed that the untrained individuals experienced similar muscle mass gains and superior muscle strength gains in with HL-RT compared to BFR-RT. CONCLUSION: Compared to HL-RT, training status is an important factor influencing the effects of the BFR-RT, in which trained can obtain greater muscle strength and hypertrophy gains in BFR-RT, while untrained individuals can obtain greater strength gains and similar hypertrophy in HL-RT.

Comparison of interventions for Barrett's esophagus: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a precancerous condition that has the potential to develop into esophageal cancer (EC). Currently, there is a wide range of management options available for individuals at different pathological stages in Barrett's esophagus (BE). However, there is currently a lack of knowledge regarding their comparative efficacy. To address this gap, we conducted a network meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials to examine the comparative effectiveness of all regimens. METHODS: Data extracted from eligible randomized controlled trials were utilized in a Bayesian network meta-analysis to examine the relative effectiveness of BE's treatment regimens and determine their ranking in terms of efficacy. The ranking probability for each regimen was assessed using the surfaces under cumulative ranking values. The outcomes under investigation were complete ablation of BE, neoplastic progression of BE, and complete eradication of dysplasia. RESULTS: We identified twenty-three RCT studies with a total of 1675 participants, and ten different interventions. Regarding complete ablation of non-dysplastic BE, the comparative effectiveness ranking indicated that argon plasma coagulation (APC) was the most effective regimen, with the highest SUCRA value, while surveillance and PPI/H2RA were found to be the least efficacious regimens. For complete ablation of BE with low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia, or esophageal cancer, photodynamic therapy (PDT) had the highest SUCRA value of 94.1%, indicating it as the best regimen. Additionally, for complete eradication of dysplasia, SUCRA plots showed a trend in ranking PDT as the highest with a SUCRA value of 91.2%. Finally, for neoplastic progression, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgery were found to perform significantly better than surveillance. The risk of bias assessment revealed that 6 studies had an overall high risk of bias. However, meta-regression with risk of bias as a covariate did not indicate any influence on the model. In terms of the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis evaluation, a high level of confidence was found for all treatment comparisons. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic surveillance alone or PPI/H2RA alone may not be sufficient for managing BE, even in cases of non-dysplastic BE. However, APC has shown excellent efficacy in treating non-dysplastic BE. For cases of BE with low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia, or esophageal cancer, PDT may be the optimal intervention as it can induce regression of BE metaplasia and prevent future progression of BE to dysplasia and EC.

Silibinin attenuates TGF-ß2-induced fibrogenic changes in human trabecular meshwork cells by targeting JAK2/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.

Transforming growth factor-ß2 (TGF-ß2) induced fibrogenic changes in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells have been implicated in trabecular meshwork (TM) damage and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. Silibinin (SIL) exhibited anti-fibrotic properties in various organs and tissues. This study aimed to assess the effects of SIL on the TGF-ß2-treated HTM cells and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Our study found that SIL effectively inhibited HTM cell proliferation, attenuated TGF-ß2-induced cell migration, and mitigated TGF-ß2-induced reorganization of both actin and vimentin filaments. Moreover, SIL suppressed the expressions of fibronectin (FN), collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the TGF-ß2-treated HTM cells. RNA sequencing indicated that SIL interfered with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also known as AKT) signaling pathway, extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, and focal adhesion in the TGF-ß2-treated HTM cells. Western blotting demonstrated SIL inhibited the activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) and the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathways induced by TGF-ß2, potentially contributing to its inhibitory effects on ECM protein production in the TGF-ß2-treated HTM cells. Our study demonstrated the ability of SIL to inhibit TGF-ß2-induced fibrogenic changes in HTM cells. SIL could be a potential IOP-lowering agent by reducing the fibrotic changes in the TM tissue of POAG patients, which warrants further investigation through additional animal and clinical studies.

Modulation of Heart Rate Variability and Brain Excitability through Acute Whole-Body Vibration: The Role of Frequency.

This cross-over study aimed to explore effects of acute whole-body vibration (WBV) at frequencies of 5-35 Hz on heart rate variability and brain excitability. Thirteen healthy physically active college students randomly completed eight interventions under the following conditions: static upright standing without vibration (CON), static squat exercise (knee flexion 150°) on the vibration platform (SSE), and static squat exercise (knee flexion 150°) combined with WBV at vibration frequency of 5, 9, 13, 20, 25, and 35 Hz. Five bouts × 30 s with a 30-s rest interval were performed for all interventions. The brain's direct current potentials (DCPs), frequency domain variables (FDV) including normalized low frequency power (nLF), normalized high frequency power (nHF) and the ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF), along with the mean heart rate (MHR) were collected and calculated before and after the WBV intervention. Results suggested that WBV frequency at 5 Hz had a substantial effect on decreasing DCPs [-2.13 µV, t(84) = -3.82, p < 0.05, g = -1.03, large] and nLF [-13%, t(84) = -2.31, p = 0.04, g = -0.62, medium]. By contrast, 20-35 Hz of acute WBV intervention considerably improved DCPs [7.58 µV, t(84) = 4.31, p < 0.05, g = 1.16, large], nLF [17%, t(84) = 2.92, p < 0.05, g = 0.79, large] and the LF/HF [0.51, t(84) = 2.86, p < 0.05, g = 0.77, large]. A strong (r = 0.7, p < 0.01) correlation between DCPs and nLF was found at 5 Hz. In summary, acute WBV at 20-35 Hz principally activated the sympathetic nervous system and increased brain excitability, while 5-Hz WBV activated the parasympathetic nervous system and reduced brain excitability. The frequency spectrum of WBV might be manipulated according to the intervention target on heart rate variability and brain excitability.

Peptide PDRPS6 attenuates myocardial ischemia injury by improving mitochondrial function.

Mitochondrial dynamics play a crucial role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, where an imbalance between fusion and fission processes occurs. However, effective measures to regulate mitochondrial dynamics in this context are currently lacking. Peptide derived from the 40 S ribosomal protein S6 (PDRPS6), a peptide identified via peptidomics, is associated with hypoxic stress. This study aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of action of PDRPS6 in I/R injury. In vivo, PDRPS6 ameliorated myocardial tissue injury and cardiomyocyte apoptosis and decreased cardiac function induced by I/R injury in rats. PDRPS6 supplementation significantly reduced apoptosis in vitro. Mechanistically, PDRPS6 improved mitochondrial function by decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and inhibiting mitochondrial fission. Pull-down assay analyses revealed that phosphoglycerate mutase 5 (PGAM5) may be the target of PDRPS6, which can lead to the dephosphorylation of dynamin-related protein1 (Drp1) at ser616 site. Overexpression of PGAM5 partially eliminated the effect of PDRPS6 on improving mitochondrial function. These findings suggest that PDRPS6 supplementation is a novel method for treating myocardial injuries caused by I/R.

First report of Diaporthe eres causing leaf spot on Rhododendron latoucheae Franch. in China.

Rhododendron latoucheae Franch. is an evergreen shrub with charming fragrance and large and abundant flowers that make it highly attractive as an ornamental species. The species is distribution in southwest China covers several different habitats and environments (Zhang, et al. 2022). From May to July in 2023, symptoms of leaf spot were observed on R. latoucheae over a wide portion of the Baili Azalea Forest Area (27°10' to 27°20'N, 105°04' to 106°04'E), Guizhou Province, China. About 500 plants were surveyed, and the incidence of leaf spot on R. latoucheae leaves was 12%, significantly reducing their ornamental and economic value. The affected leaves had irregular, grey white lesions with a clear blackish brown boundary and faint black conidiomata in a brown center. To isolate the pathogen, 15 symptomatic leaves were collected from 10 plants. A few black dots were picked from the lesions with a sterilized needle, plated on water agar, and incubated at 25°C for 24 h to observe spore germination (Choi et al. 1999). Then the germinated spores were transferred onto PDA for further purification and morphological observation. Three single-spore isolates (GULJ1-L7, GULJ1-L8, and GULJ1-L9) identical in morphology were obtained. The isolate GULJ 1-L7 was used for further study. Colonies on PDA irregular grew white felty aerial mycelium, becoming white felted aerial mycelium in the centre and grey-brown mycelium at the marginal area on the upper surface, while the lower surface presents alternating white, tan and taupe. Colony with conidiomata irregularly distributed over agar surface. In the representative isolate, darkly pigmented pycnidia (flask-shaped) were produced over the colony surface on PDA after about 30 days, and oozed milky or yellowish mucilaginous drops. The fungus produced two types of conidia, α and ß. Regular α conidia were 5.15-10.29 × 1.54-3.33 µm (n = 50), hyaline, elongated, biguttulate and non-septate. Beta conidia were 20.34-31.91 × 1.01-1.90 µm (n = 50), aseptate, hyaline, smooth, spindle shaped, slightly curved to bent. The morphological features were consistent with the description of Diaporthe eres (Pereira, et al. 2022). The pathogen was confirmed to be D. eres by amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the partial ß-tubulin (TUB), the partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) genes and the calmodulin (CAL) using primers ITS1/ITS4, Bt-2a/Bt-2b, EF1-728F/EF1-986R, and CAL-228F/CAL-737R, respectively (Tao et al. 2020). Sequences from PCR amplification were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers OR740563 (ITS), OR754301 (TUB), OR754298 (TEF), and OR754295 (CAL) respectively. BLAST searches of the sequences revealed 99.07% (533/538 nt), 100% (490/490 nt), 99.69% (317/318 nt) and 98.95% (376/380 nt) homology with those of D. eres AR5193T from GenBank (KJ210529.1, KJ420799.1, KJ210550.1 and KJ434999.1), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis (MEGA 7.0) using the maximum-likelihood method placed the isolate GULJ1-L7 in a well-supported cluster with D. eres CBS 138694T. The pathogen was thus identified as D. eres based on the morphological characterization and molecular analyses (Feng, et al. 2013; Tao, et al. 2020). The pathogenicity of GULJ1-L7 was tested through a pot assay. Due to the difficulty of artificial planting wild R. latoucheae, we conducted a pot essay to detect the pathogenicity of GULJ1-L7 using a closely related Rhododendron delavayi Franch. Ten healthy R. delavayi plants were scratched with a sterilized needle (0.45 mm in diameter) on three leaves per plant. Plants were inoculated by spraying α and ß spore mixture suspension (106 spores ml-1) of GULJ1-L7 onto leaves until runoff, and the control leaves were sprayed with sterile water. The plants were maintained at 25°C and 75% relative humidity in a growth chamber. The pathogenicity test was repeated three times. After 14 days, the treated leaves developed brown lesions similar to those in the field, whereas the control had no symptoms. The same fungus was reisolated from the infected leaves and identified based on a morphological characterization and molecular analyses. These results fulfilled Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot on R. latoucheae caused by D. eres in China. The fungal pathogen identification will provide valuable information for prevention and management of leaf spot disease associated with R. latoucheae.

[Study on the diagnostic value of different posterior cruciate ligament index measurement methods for anterior cruciate ligament injury].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) index with six different measurement methods, and analyze and verify its clinical diagnostic value in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. METHODS: The Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 225 knee joints in our hospital from May 2018 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, aged from 18 to 60 years old, with a median of 32 years old. On the sagittal MRI images of 114 patients with ACL injury and 111 patients with intact ACL, Measure the straight-line distance (A) between the femoral attachment point and the tibial attachment point of the PCL on the MRI sagittal image and the maximum vertical distance (B) between the straight line and the arcuate mark point of the PCL on the sagittal image, calculate the PCL index and evaluate the diagnostic value of the PCL index for ACL injury. RESULTS: The PCL index of the ACL normal group and the ACL injury group were statistically described. There was no significant difference in PCL index 1, 2, 3 and 6 between the two groups(P>0.05). The difference of PCL index 4 and 5 between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). This study only found that the PCL index 2, 6 in the ACL normal group had a negative correlation with the patient's age (correlation coefficient=-0.213, -0.819;P<0.05), and the PCL index 5 in the ACL injury group was significantly correlated with the patient's body mass index(BMI)had a negative correlation (correlation coefficient=-0.277, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The change of PCL index is helpful for the diagnosis of ACL injury, PCL index 4 and 5 can be used as effective reference indexes for diagnosing ACL injury in clinic.

Niclosamide inhibits TGF-ß1-induced fibrosis of human Tenon's fibroblasts by regulating the MAPK-ERK1/2 pathway.

Preventing postoperative bleb scar formation is an effective way of improving glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) outcome. Use of more effective antifibrotic drugs with fewer adverse effects may be a good way to address the problem. In the present study, we use a primary cell model, consisting of Tenon's fibroblasts obtained from patients with glaucoma, which were stimulated with TGF-ß1 to induce the fibrotic phenotype. We explored the effects of niclosamide on TGF-ß1-induced fibrosis in these cells and examined its underlying mechanism of action. A transcriptome sequencing assay was used to explore possible signaling pathways involved. Niclosamide inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and decreased the levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin, type I and type III collagen in human Tenon's fibroblasts induced by TGF-ß1. Niclosamide also induced apoptosis and counteracted TGF-ß1-induced cytoskeletal changes and extracellular matrix accumulation. Moreover, niclosamide decreased TGF-ß1-induced phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) protein expression in human Tenon's fibroblasts. The results indicate that niclosamide inhibits TGF-ß1-induced fibrosis in human Tenon's fibroblasts by blocking the MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Thus, niclosamide is a potentially promising antifibrotic drug that could improve glaucoma filtration surgery success rate.

Understanding how conservation tillage promotes soil carbon accumulation: Insights into extracellular enzyme activities and carbon flows between aggregate fractions.

Conservation tillage has been shown to mitigate climate change by promoting the sequestration of soil carbon (C) in agroecosystems. However, knowledge on how conservation tillage accumulates soil organic C (SOC), especially at the aggregate scale, remains limited. This study aimed to clarify the effects of conservation tillage on SOC accumulation by measuring hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme activities and C mineralization in aggregates and developing an extended scheme of C flows between aggregate fractions using the 13C natural abundance (δ13C) method. Topsoils (0-10 cm) were sampled from a 21-year tillage experiment located in the Loess Plateau of China. Compared with conventional (CT) and reduced tillage with straw removal (RT), no-till (NT) and subsoiling with straw mulching (SS) enhanced the proportions of macro-aggregates (> 0.25 mm) (by 12-26%) and SOC contents in bulk soils and all aggregate fractions (by 12-53%). In bulk soils and all aggregate fractions, SOC mineralization and the activities of hydrolases (ß-1,4-glucosidase, ß-acetylglucosaminidase, ß-xylosidase, and cellobiohydrolase) and oxidases (peroxidase and phenol oxidase) were 9-35% and 8-56% lower, respectively, under NT and SS than under CT and RT. Partial least squares path model revealed that reductions in the activities of hydrolases and oxidases and increases in macro-aggregation decreased SOC mineralization in bulk soils and macro-aggregates. Furthermore, Δ13C values (aggregate-associated δ13C - bulk-soil δ13C) increased with decreasing size of soil aggregates, suggesting that C is younger in larger aggregates than in smaller aggregates. The probability of C flows from large to small soil aggregates was lower under NT and SS than under CT and RT, indicating that young SOC with low rates of decomposition in macro-aggregates was better protected under NT and SS. Overall, NT and SS enhanced SOC accumulation in macro-aggregates by decreasing the activities of hydrolases and oxidases and C flows from macro- to micro-aggregates, which promoted C sequestration in soils. The present study provides improved insights into the mechanism and prediction of soil C accumulation under conservation tillage.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identify three structural dimensions for measuring physical function in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Physical function is a strong indicator of biological age and quality of life among older adults. However, the results from studies exploring the structural dimensions of physical function are inconsistent, and the measures assessed vary greatly, leading to a lack of comparability among them. This study aimed to construct a model to identify structural dimensions that are suitable and best assess physical function among community-dwelling adults 60-74 years of age in China. Method: This study was conducted in 11 communities in Shanghai, China, from May to July 2021. A total of 381 adults 60-74 years of age were included in the study. Measured physical function data were used in factor analyses. Data collected from individuals were randomly assigned to either exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n = 190) or confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n = 191). The statistical software used in the study was SPSS for EFA and AMOS for CFA. To test the properties of the structural dimension model of physical function, various fit indices, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were calculated. Results: The EFA results derived seven indicators in three factors, with 58.548% of the total variance explained. The three factors were mobility function (three indicators), which explained 26.380% of the variance, handgrip strength and pulmonary function (two indicators), which explained 19.117% of the variance, and muscle strength (two indicators) which explained 13.050% of the variance. The CFA indicated that this model had an acceptable fit (χ2/df ratio, 2.102; GFI, 0.967; IFI, 0.960; CFI, 0.959; and RMSEA, 0.076), and the criteria for convergent validity and discriminability were also met by the model. Conclusion: The constructed structural dimension model of physical function appeared to be a suitable and reliable tool to measure physical function in community-dwelling adults aged 60-74 years in China. The structural dimension indicators identified by this model may help sports medicine experts and healthcare providers offer more targeted interventions for older adults to reverse or slow the decline of physical function and to offer actionable targets for healthy aging in this population.

Serelaxin Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-induced Inflammatory Response in Cardiac Fibroblasts by Activating Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-γ and Suppressing the Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Signaling Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Serelaxin (sRLX) has an inhibitory effect on fibrosis. However, whether the antifibrotic effects of sRLX are achieved by inhibiting the inflammatory response has not been clarified. This study aimed to investigate the role of sRLX in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in cardiac fibroblasts and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from adult rat hearts. The effect of sRLX on the inhibition of the inflammatory response after LPS induction was examined. Cell viability was measured by MMT assay. Cell proliferation was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8. The levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I/III, MMP-2, MMP-9, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10, IκBα, p-IκBα, p65 subunit of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR. The protein levels of α-SMA, collagen I/III, MMP-2, MMP-9, IκBα, p-IκBα, p65, p-p65, and PPAR-γ were examined by western blotting. sRLX inhibited LPS-induced IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, α-SMA, and collagen I/III, and elevated the expression of IL-10, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Moreover, LPS-induced activation of NF-κB pathway was suppressed by sRLX treatment. Further studies showed that sRLX did not significantly increase the expression of PPAR-γ mRNA and protein, but activated PPAR-γ activity, and the PPAR-γ inhibitor GW9662 reversed the inhibitory effect of sRLX on IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α production. These results suggest that sRLX alleviates cardiac fibrosis by stimulating PPAR-γ through a ligand-independent mechanism that subsequently abolish the expression of NF-κB signaling pathway.

First report of Pseudopithomyces chartarum causing leaf spot on Tetrapanax papyrifer in Guizhou, China.

Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K. Koch, widely utilized in clinical practices in traditional Chinese medicine, is a medicinal plant whose dried stem pich exhibits activities such as lactation induction, diuresis, and anti-inflammatory effects. The species is native to the southwest of China, such as Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. It thrives in sunlight and warmth and is planted in fertile valleys in the region (Zhang et al. 2023). In July 2021, a leaf spot-like disease was observed on approximately 15% of T. papyrifer (Big T. papyrifer) in a field in Shibing County (127.2°E, 25.2°N), Guizhou Province, China. The symptomatic leaves displayed irregular, watery dark brown lesions with black conidiomata in gray centers and surrounded by yellow halos. To identify the causal agent leading to the disease, 15 symptomatic leaves from five trees in one field were collected. These leaves underwent surface sterilization, which included 30s in 75% ethanol, 2 min in 3% NaOCl, and three times of washing with sterilized distilled water. Thereafter, small pieces of the symptomatic leaf tissues (0.2 × 0.2 cm) were plated on PDA and incubated at 25°C for seven days (Fang 2007). Three isolates were obtained based on the improved single spore isolation method proposed by Gong et al. (2010), and named as GUTC 321, GUTC 523 and GUTC 873. The fungal colonies on PDA were villiform, creamy-white, whorled, and sparse aerial mycelium on the surface with black, gregarious conidiomata. The conidia were ellipsoid, mid brown to dark brown, mainly with 3-4 transverse septa, usually divided by longitudinal septum, often constricted at the septa, 21.8 (12.6-34.5) × 13.9 (8.8-19.8) µm (n=50). The morphological features were consistent with the descriptions of Pseudopithomyces chartarum (Ariyawansa et al. 2015). All three isolates exhibited identical morphological properties. The potential pathogen was confirmed as P. chartarum by amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), large subunit ribosomal (LSU) and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1) genes with primers ITS4/ITS5, LROR/LR7 and EF-983F/EF-2218R, respectively (Ariyawansa et al. 2015; Jayasiriet al. 2019). BLASTn analyses of the sequences showed 100% identity among the three isolates and a high homology (ITS, 99.8%: 598/599; LSU, 100%: 853/853; and TEF1, 100%: 871/871) with those of P. chartarum sequences in GenBank (MT123059, OK655822, and MK360080, respectively). The sequences of the genes from isolate GUTC321 were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers OP269599 (ITS), OP237015 (LSU), and OR069689 (TEF1). Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated ITS-LSU-TEF1 sequence (2,685 bp) of GUTC 321 using PhyloSuite 1.2.2 with PartitionFinder model revealed that the isolate clustered closely with P. chartarum isolate CBS 329.86T (Cecilia 1986). The pathogenicity of GUTC 321 was tested thereafter on ten healthy T. papyrifer plants grown in pots in growth chamber. The plants were inoculated by spraying with spore suspension (106 spores mL-1) of GUTC 321 or sterile water (control) onto leaves that had been slightly injured with sterilized SiO2 (0.1-0.25 mm) until runoff. The plants were maintained at 25°C in the growth chamber, and monitored for symptom development. Local lesions began to appear on all GUTC 321-inoculated leaves, but not on those of the control plants, 48 hours after inoculation. Seven days after the inoculation, lesions similar to those observed on field plants occurred on GUTC321-inoculated plants but not on the control plants, the lesions observed only in inoculated leaves. The same fungus was reisolated and identified based on the morphological characterization and molecular analyses (ITS, LSU and TEF1) from the infected leaves thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot on T. papyrifer caused by P. chartarum in China. Considering the significance of T. papyrifer in Chinese medicine, approximate management measures need to be developed and applied to control the disease in the crop.