A 16S rDNA sequencing-based analysis of airway microecology in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A cross-sectional study in Inner Mongolia, China.

Aim: To study the microecological characteristics of the airway and similarities and differences between healthy people and patients with the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in Inner Mongolia, and analyze the correlation between the characteristics of the airway microecological structure and clinical indicators of AECOPD patients. Methods: Sputum samples from 36 healthy volunteers and 34 patients with AECOPD were detected by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing, and the airway microecological characteristics of healthy people and AECOPD patients were revealed by an alpha diversity analysis, beta diversity analysis, and LefSe difference analysis. Results: There were differences in the airway microecological structure between healthy people and AECOPD patients in Inner Mongolia. The airway microbiota composition of AECOPD patients showed an increase in the abundance of common pathogens and a decrease in the abundance of commensal bacteria, and the airway microbial diversity in AECOPD patients was lower than that in healthy people. Long-term use of inhaled glucocorticoid + long-acting ß2 agonist mixture (ICS + LABA), procalcitonin (PCT), blood monocyte count (MONO), hemoglobin (HGB), D-dimer (D-D), and body temperature were negatively correlated with the alpha diversity of the airway micro-ecosystem. Conclusion: The airway microecological composition of the AECOPD population in Inner Mongolia was different from that of the healthy population, and the airway microecological diversity was lower than that of the healthy population. The long-term use of ICS + LABA preparation by patients with AECOPD leads to lower alpha diversity. Alpha diversity was negatively correlated with inflammatory markers (PCT, MONO, D-dimer, body temperature) and HGB in AECOPD patients.

Effects of astaxanthin on plasma membrane function and fertility of boar sperm during cryopreservation.

Mammalian sperm is highly susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the cryopreservation process. Astaxanthin (AST), a red pigment of the carotenoid family, is recognized as having a variety of beneficial biological activities and effects, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory. The present study aimed to investigate whether the presence of AST protected boar sperm from ROS stress during cryopreservation. Boar sperm was diluted with a freezing medium supplemented with different concentrations of AST (0, 0.5, 1, 2, or 5 µM). The addition of AST, especially at a concentration of 2 µM, exerted positive effects on post-thaw sperm motility parameters. Meanwhile, sperm plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity of post-thaw sperm were significantly increased, while lipid peroxidation was inhibited in response to 2 µM AST treatment. Interestingly, compared to the control, supplementation with 2 µM AST increased unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) levels and decreased saturated fatty acids (SFAs) content in post-thaw sperm, leading to a decreased ratio of SFAs/UFAs in the AST group. In conclusion, the addition of AST to freezing extenders inhibited lipid peroxidation and regulated fatty acid composition of the sperm membrane, improved post-thaw sperm quality, and had no adverse effect on boar sperm in vitro fertilization (IVF) capacity and potential for embryonic development. Our data provide a novel insight into understanding the mechanisms of AST concerning protecting boar sperm quality against ROS damage during cryopreservation.

Effect of L-carnitine on sperm quality during liquid storage of boar semen.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of L-carnitine on the pig semen characteristics during storage. METHODS: Spermatozoa samples were examined for spermatozoa quality and then randomly divided into 5 groups: 0 (control), 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mM L-carnitine. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and antioxidant parameters (total reactive oxygen species, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde) were evaluated after 0, 3, 5, and 10 day cooledstorage at 17°C. Moreover, ATP content, mitochondria activity as well as sperm-binding and in vitro fertilizing ability of preserved boar sperm were also investigated. RESULTS: Supplementation with 50 mM L-carnitine could effectively maintain boar sperm quality parameters such as sperm motility and membrane integrity. Besides, we found that L-carnitine had positive effects on boar sperm quality mainly through improving antioxidant capacities and enhancing ATP content and mitochondria activity. Interestingly, by assessing the effect of L-carnitine on sperm fertility and developmental potential, we discovered that the extender containing L-carnitine could improve sperm quality and increase the number of sperms bounding to zona pellucida, without improving in vitro fertility and development potential. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that the proper addition of L-carnitine to the semen extender improved boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17°C.

Protective influence of rosiglitazone against time-dependent deterioration of boar spermatozoa preserved at 17°C.

Spermatozoa are highly specialized cells, and energy metabolism plays an important role in modulating sperm viability and function. Rosiglitazone is an antidiabetic drug in the thiazolidinedione class that regulates metabolic flexibility and glucose uptake in various cell types, but its effects on boar sperm metabolism are unknown. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of rosiglitazone against time-dependent deterioration of boar spermatozoa during liquid preservation at 17°C. Freshly ejaculated semen was diluted with Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) containing different concentrations of rosiglitazone, and the motility, membrane and acrosome integrity of sperm were detected. Besides, we measured glucose uptake capacity, l-lactate production level, mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) production of sperm after boar semen had been incubated with or without rosiglitazone, iodoacetate (glycolysis inhibitor) and rotenone (electron transport chain inhibitor) for 5 days. The addition of rosiglitazone significantly enhanced sperm quality and had a strong protective effect on the sperm membrane and acrosome integrity during storage. BTS containing 50 µM rosiglitazone maintained the total motility of liquid-preserved sperm above 60% for 7 days. Rosiglitazone improved sperm quality by regulating energy metabolism manner of preserved sperm, protected the sperm mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced sperm ATP production and in the meanwhile reduced mROS through enhancing glycolysis but not oxidative phosphorylation. The data suggested the practical feasibility of using rosiglitazone for improving boar spermatozoa quality during semen preservation.

Assessing Cardiovascular Health Using Life's Simple 7 in a Chinese Population Undergoing Stroke Prevention.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association proposed a metric called Life's Simple 7 (LS7) to define cardiovascular health (CVH). The presence of a large number of ideal components of CVH is associated with lower cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. We aimed to assess CVH using LS7 in a Chinese population undergoing primary and secondary stroke prevention. METHODS: Patients with either ischemic stroke or cardiovascular risk factors were enrolled in the study from October 2010 to July 2013. LS7 components were scored as poor (0 points), intermediate (1 point), or ideal (2 points). The overall LS7 score was categorized as inadequate (0-4), average (5-9), or optimal (10-14) CVH. The Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used. RESULTS: In total, 706 patients were enrolled. (1) The distribution of the overall LS7 score (n = 255) indicated that 9.4%, 82.4%, and 8.2% of the patients had inadequate, average, and optimal CVH, respectively. The proportion of patients with optimal CVH undergoing secondary stroke prevention was lower than that for patients undergoing primary stroke prevention (3.8% vs. 12.8%, P = 0.005). The vast majority of participants (76.1%) presented with ≤2 ideal health components. (2) The proportions of patients with poor, intermediate, and ideal status, respectively, for the following LS7 components were assessed : t0 otal cholesterol (n = 275; 5.1%, 73.8%, and 21.1%), blood pressure (n = 351; 32.5%, 59.0%, and 8.5%), blood glucose (n = 280; 9.3%, 39.6%, and 51.1%), physical activity (n = 540; 90.7%, 8.7%, and 0.6%), diet (n = 524; 0.2%, 92.4%, and 7.4%), smoking (n = 619; 20.7%, 2.9%, and 76.4%), and body mass index (n = 259; 6.6%, 35.5%, and 57.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Few Chinese patients undergoing stroke prevention had optimal CVH (determined using LS7). Additionally, fewer patients undergoing secondary prevention had optimal CVH than those undergoing primary prevention. In particular, physical activity and diet status in this population require improvement.

Sandmeier model based topographic correction to lunar spectral profiler (SP) data from KAGUYA satellite.

The Moon may be considered as the frontier base for the deep space exploration. The spectral analysis is one of the key techniques to determine the lunar surface rock and mineral compositions. But the lunar topographic relief is more remarkable than that of the Earth. It is necessary to conduct the topographic correction for lunar spectral data before they are used to retrieve the compositions. In the present paper, a lunar Sandmeier model was proposed by considering the radiance effect from the macro and ambient topographic relief. And the reflectance correction model was also reduced based on the Sandmeier model. The Spectral Profile (SP) data from KAGUYA satellite in the Sinus Iridum quadrangle was taken as an example. And the digital elevation data from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter are used to calculate the slope, aspect, incidence and emergence angles, and terrain-viewing factor for the topographic correction Thus, the lunar surface reflectance from the SP data was corrected by the proposed model after the direct component of irradiance on a horizontal surface was derived. As a result, the high spectral reflectance facing the sun is decreased and low spectral reflectance back to the sun is compensated. The statistical histogram of reflectance-corrected pixel numbers presents Gaussian distribution Therefore, the model is robust to correct lunar topographic effect and estimate lunar surface reflectance.