AdipoRon Ameliorates Synaptic Dysfunction and Inhibits tau Hyperphosphorylation through the AdipoR/AMPK/mTOR Pathway in T2DM Mice.

There is growing evidence showing that adiponectin (APN) can improve Alzheimer's disease(AD)-like pathological changes by improving insulin resistance. However, the role of AdipoRon (an Adiponectin receptor agonist) on synaptic plasticity and cognitive dysfunction in the early stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect and the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of AdipoRon in T2DM mice. We found that AdipoRon significantly restored the cognitive deficits in T2DM mice, including shorter escape latency, more crossing times, increased distances, and percentage of time in the target quadrant. In addition, AdipoRon treatment up-regulated synaptic proteins (PSD95, SYN, GAP43, and SYP), increased the number of hippocampal synapses and attenuated synaptic damage, including the length, the number and the density of dendritic spines in CA1 and DG regions. Furthermore, AdipoRon attenuated Tau phosphorylation at multiple AD-related sites (p-tau 205, p-tau 396, p-tau 404) by promoting AdipoR expression and activating the AMPK/mTOR pathway. Our data suggests that AdipoRon exerts neuroprotective effects on the T2DM mice, which may be mediated by the activation of the AdipoR/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Predictors of mortality and poor outcome for patients with severe infectious encephalitis in the intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: There are few thorough studies assessing predictors of severe encephalitis, despite the poor prognosis and high mortality associated with severe encephalitis. The study aims to evaluate the clinical predictors of mortality and poor outcomes at hospital discharge in patients with severe infectious encephalitis in intensive care units. METHOD: In two Chinese hospitals, a retrospective cohort study comprising 209 patients in intensive care units suffering from severe infectious encephalitis was carried out. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors predicting mortality in all patients and poor outcomes in all survivors with severe infectious encephalitis. RESULTS: In our cohort of 209 patients with severe encephalitis, 22 patients died, yielding a mortality rate of 10.5%. Cerebrospinal fluid pressure ≥ 400mmH2O (OR = 7.43), abnormal imaging (OR = 3.51), abnormal electroencephalogram (OR = 7.14), and number of rescues (OR = 1.12) were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality in severe infectious encephalitis patients. Among the 187 survivors, 122 (65.2%) had favorable outcomes, defined as the modified Rankine Scale (mRS) score (0 ~ 3), and 65(34.8%) had poor outcomes (mRS scores 4 ~ 5). Age (OR = 1.02), number of rescues (OR = 1.43), and tubercular infection (OR = 10.77) were independent factors associated with poor outcomes at discharge in all survivors with severe infectious encephalitis. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple clinical, radiologic, and electrophysiological variables are independent predictive indicators for mortality and poor outcomes in patients with severe encephalitis in intensive care units. Identifying these outcome predictors early in patients with severe encephalitis may enable the implementation of appropriate medical treatment and help reduce mortality rates.

Advances in Adjoint Functions of Connection Number in Water Resources Complex Systems: A Systematic Review.

The adjoint function of connection number has unique advantages in solving uncertainty problems of water resource complex systems, and has become an important frontier and research hotspot in the uncertainty research of water resource complex problems. However, in the rapid evolution of the adjoint function, some problems greatly limit the application of the adjoint function in the research of water resources. Therefore, based on bibliometric analysis, development, practical application issues, and prospects of the hot directions are analyzed. It is found that the development of the connection number of water resource set pair analysis can be divided into three stages: (1) relatively sluggish development before 2005, (2) a period of rapid advancement in adjoint function research spanning from 2005 to 2017, and (3) a subsequent surge post-2018. The introduction of the adjoint function of connection number promotes the continuous development of set pair analysis of water resources. Set pair potential and partial connection number are the crucial research directions of the adjoint function. Subtractive set pair potential has rapidly developed into a relatively independent and important trajectory. The research on connection entropy is comparatively less, which needs to be further strengthened, while that on adjacent connection number is even less. The adjoint function of set pair potential can be divided into three major categories: division set pair potential, exponential set pair potential, and subtraction set pair potential. The subtraction set pair potential, which retains the original dimension and quantity variation range of the connection number, is widely used in water resources and other fields. Coupled with the partial connection number, a series of new connection number adjoint functions have been developed. The partial connection number can be mainly divided into two categories: total partial connection number, and semi-partial connection number. Among these, the calculation expression and connotation of total partial connection numbers have not yet reached a consensus, accompanied by the slow development of high-order partial connection numbers. Semi-partial connection number can describe the mutual migration movement between different components of the connection number, which develops rapidly. With the limitations and current situation described above, promoting the exploration and application of the adjoint function of connection number in the field of water resources and other fields of complex systems has become the focus of future research.

Naringin ameliorates obesity via stimulating adipose thermogenesis and browning, and modulating gut microbiota in diet-induced obese mice.

Naringin, a natural flavanone primarily found in citrus fruits, has garnered increased attention due to its recognized antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective attributes. However, the functions of naringin in regulating energy expenditure are poorly understood. In the present study, we observed that twelve weeks of naringin supplementation substantially reshaped the metabolic profile of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice, by inhibiting body weight gain, reducing liver weight, and altering body compositions. Notably, naringin exhibited a remarkable capacity to augment whole-body energy expenditure of the tested mice by enhancing the thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and stimulating browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT). Furthermore, our results showed naringin supplementation modified gut microbiota composition, specifically increasing the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_28-4, while reducing the abundance of Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_DW59 and Dubosiella_newyorkensis. Subsequently, we also found naringin supplementation altered fecal metabolite profile, by significantly promoting the production of taurine, tyrosol, and thymol, which act as potent activators of thermoregulation. Interestingly, the metabolic effects of naringin were abolished upon gut microbiota depletion through antibiotic intervention, concurrently leading the disappearance of naringin-induced thermogenesis and protective actions on diet-induced obesity. This discovery revealed a novel food-driven cross-sectional communication between gut bacteria and adipose tissues. Collectively, our data indicate that naringin supplementation stimulates BAT thermogenesis, alters fat distribution, promotes the browning process, and consequently inhibits body weight gain; importantly these metabolic effects require the participation of gut bacteria.

Diagnostic performance of type I hypersensitivity-specific markers combined with CRP and IL-6 in complicated acute appendicitis in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL)-6, and specific markers for type I hypersensitivity were evaluated in pediatric patients with severe acute appendicitis. METHODS: A total of 140 pediatric patients with "acute appendicitis" who underwent surgery at the Department of General Surgery of the Anhui Provincial Pediatric Patients' Hospital between December 2022 and April 2023 were studied retrospectively. The data collected included the gender, age, onset time, white blood cell count (WBC), CRP, procalcitonin (PCT), serum IgE, serum IL-4, serum IL-5, serum IL-6, serum IL-9, and serum IL-13 levels. The pediatric patients were divided into two groups based on the intraoperative situation and postoperative pathology: the non-complicated acute appendicitis group (NCAA) and the complicated acute appendicitis group (CAA). We analyzed the data from both groups using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models and constructed an ROC curve. RESULTS: The CAA group outperformed the NCAA group in terms of onset time, WBC, CRP, PCT, IgE, IL-6, IL-9, and IL-13 levels (P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, IL-4, or IL-5 levels (P > 0.05). Then, significant independent variables were incorporated into multivariate logistic regression. According to the results, CRP, IgE, IL-6, and IL-13 are all independent risk factors for CAA. The OR and 95% CI for each factor are as follows: CRP (OR = 1.073, 95%CI: 1.010-1.140, P = 0.022), IgE (OR = 0.975, 95%CI: 0.952-0.999, P = 0.038), IL-6 (OR = 1.494, 95%CI: 1.052-2.121, P = 0.025), and IL-13 (OR = 1.310, 95%CI: 1.036-1.657, P = 0.024). The receiving operator characteristics analysis yielded area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.8187, 0.9083, 0.8947, and 0.8394, respectively, for CRP, IgE, IL-6, and IL-13, confirming their significance in the diagnosis of CAA (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Risk factors for CAA include CRP, IgE, IL-6, and IL-13. The combination of these serological markers can be used to diagnose CAA.

Mental health during the omicron pandemic: A comparison between medical staff and non-medical staff.

BACKGROUND: A considerable number of people suffered from mental disorders due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the virus mutated, the effect of COVID-19 changed. This study intends to compare the mental health between the medical staff and non-medical staff during the Omicron pandemic, and to analyze the relevant risk factors. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted by a set of online questionnaires, 1246 medical staff and 1246 non-medical staff were selected after a 1:1 propensity score matching. The questionnaires included the demographic characteristics, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Insomnia Severity Index Scale (ISI), and the Psychological Resilience Scale(CD-RISC). RESULTS: Compared with medical staff, non-medical staff scored higher on CAS and CES-D (both P < 0.001). Non-medical staff had higher prevalence of anxiety (55.0 % versus 47.3 %; adjusted OR = 1.45, 95 % CI = 1.23-1.70), depression (62.4 % versus 53.4 %; adjusted OR = 1.46, 95 % CI = 1.23-1.73) and insomnia (46.5 % versus 43.4 %; adjusted OR = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.43). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being female, being younger than 40 years, having an annual income of <50,000 yuan, paying attention to omicron, in the course of an infection and below bachelor degree influenced anxiety, depression and insomnia of the medical staff and non-medical staff to different degree. LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: This study only collected data through the network. Therefore, the validity was reduced to some extent. The outbreak of the Omicron epidemic posed a significant challenge to public mental health, with non-medical staff at the highest risk for mental health problems.

A Case of Ulcerative Colitis Induced by Paraneoplastic Syndrome?

Background: Paraneoplastic syndromes often cause endocrine, neurological, cutaneous, and hematologic pathologies, and cases with digestive symptoms as prominent cases are rare. Case Description: A 1-year-old child admitted to the emergency department with severe abdominal distension was later diagnosed with sacrococcygeal yolk cystoma with ulcerative colitis. After symptomatic management, surgical removal of the tumor, and JEB chemotherapy, the symptoms of ulcerative colitis disappeared completely. After 7 years of follow-up, the child grew and developed well, and there was no recurrence of tumor and ulcerative colitis. Conclusion: Yolk sac tumor with ulcerative colitis is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome with complex clinical manifestations.

Connection number based model for coordination development evaluation of regional water resources, social economy and ecological environment complex system.

The development of social economy often requires a large consumption of water resources, and will also discharge a large amount of pollutants to the environment. Currently, the rapid development of regional water resources, social economy and ecological environment (WSE) complex system encounters significant challenges, and the coordination development of WSE complex system becomes important and necessary condition of regional sustainable development. Therefore, to scientifically evaluate the coordination development state of WSE system, based on the establishment of evaluation index system, the connection number and distance coordination model coupling approach for the coordination development evaluation of WSE complex system was proposed in this manuscript. The application results of the proposed method in Anhui Province, China indicate that, during 2011-2020, the coordination level of Anhui province is relatively high, and the coordination grade of most cities are in grade I or II. The coordination development degree of Anhui province presented a distinct improving trend with time, from most cities in grade IV or V in 2011 to most cities in grade II in 2020, from the worst 0.0580 in 2011 to the best 0.9200 in 2020. In terms of space, the coordinated development level of southern Anhui is higher than that of northern Anhui. Meanwhile, the coordination development status of the 16 cities in Anhui province can be divided into three patterns according to its historical variation characteristics, i.e., coordination development mode, ecological environment backward mode, and social and economic backward mode. Compared with the commonly used coordination evaluation method, the method of this paper can solve the problem of homogenization, and its calculation results are more reasonable and practical.

Structure Simulation and Equilibrium Evaluation Analysis of Regional Water Resources, Society, Economy and Ecological Environment Complex System.

Currently, the implementation of water resource spatial equilibrium strategy is a fundamental policy of water resource integrated management in China; it is also a considerable challenge to explore the relationship structure features of water resources, society, economy and ecological environment (WSEE) complex system. For this purpose, firstly, we applied information entropy, ordered degree and connection number coupling method to reveal the membership characteristics between different evaluation indicators and grade criterion. Secondly, the system dynamics approach was introduced to describe the relationship features among different equilibrium subsystems. Finally, the ordered degree, connection number, information entropy and system dynamics integrated model was established to conduct relationship structure simulation and evolution trend evaluation of the WSEE system. The application results in Hefei city, Anhui Province, China, demonstrated that: (1) the variation of overall equilibrium conditions of WSEE system in Hefei city, 2020-2029 was higher compared to that of 2010-2019, though the increasing rate of ordered degree and connection number entropy (ODCNE) became slower after 2019; and (2) the annual ODCNE value from 2020 to 2029 of WSEE system under dry year scenarios increased about 0.0812, which indicated that the construction of Yangtze-Huaihe Diversion (YHD) project could play significant positive role in mitigating the equilibrium situation of WSEE system in Hefei city in the future. On the whole, this study is capable of providing the guidance basis for constructing a theoretical framework of structure simulation and equilibrium evaluation analysis of WSEE complex system.

Injection of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Leads to Ventricular Remodeling.

Objective: Previous studies have found that some ventricular remodeling is accompanied by increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in vivo, and MMP-9 inhibitors can reduce ventricular remodeling. However, there is still no direct evidence that MMP-9 causes ventricular remodeling. In this study, MMP-9 was injected into rats to observe whether MMP-9 caused ventricular remodeling, thereby providing direct evidence of MMP-9-induced ventricular remodeling. Methods: Forty-eight eight-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided, by weight, into control, low-, medium-, and high-dose MMP-9 groups and were administered normal saline or recombinant rat MMP-9 0.7, 1.4, or 2.1 ng/g, respectively, via intraperitoneal injection, twice per week. On the 28th day, six rats were randomly selected from each group (Stage I). The remaining rats continued receiving injections until the 56th day (Stage II). Echocardiography was performed to observe cardiac structure and function, and the left ventricular mass index (LVWI) was calculated. Myocardial pathological changes and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) were observed by HE and VG staining in myocardial tissue. MMP-9 levels in serum were tested using ELISA. Myocardial MMP-9 levels were measured using Western blots, and the myocardial expression levels of MMP-9 mRNA were assessed using RT-PCR. Results: During Stage I, serum MMP-9 and myocardial MMP-9 mRNA levels are increased; hypertrophic cardiomyocytes, disorderly arrangement of fibers, and endochylema dissolution are observed in the medium- and high-dose groups. The left ventricular weight index (LVWI) and myocardial MMP-9 increased, and the collagen volume fraction (CVF) reduced in the high-dose group. In Stage II, the left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and diameter (LVIDd) are higher, and CVF decreased in the medium- and high-dose groups. Myocardial pathological lesions intensified. Serum MMP-9 in the model groups and myocardial MMP-9 in the medium- and high-dose groups are increased. Conclusions: Injection of MMP-9 can lead to ventricular remodeling.

Analysis of the efficacy of biofeedback for faecal incontinence after surgery for anorectal malformation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic effects of biofeedback in the treatment of faecal incontinence (FI) after surgery for anorectal malformation (ARM). METHODS: Clinical data were collected from paediatric patients for postoperative biofeedback due to FI caused by ARM between May 2017 and November 2021. The data included the duration of symptoms, the integrity of the anal sphincter, anorectal manometry parameters, and FI scores. These patients were divided into the low ARM group (group A) and the high ARM group (group B). RESULTS: A total of 45 paediatric patients were enrolled in the study. There were 28 cases in group A and 17 cases in group B. The differences in age, gender, and body weight were not statistically significant between the two groups (p > 0.05). The differences in the clinical indicators were also not statistically significant between the two groups at the time of the initial evaluation. The duration of symptoms was 2.21 ± 0.71 years and 4.14 ± 1.89 years in groups A and B. There were 16 cases with an intact anal sphincter in group A and only two cases with an intact anal sphincter in group B. This difference was statistically significant between the two groups (p < .05). The anal resting pressure, initial sensitivity threshold, defaecation sensitivity threshold, defaecation urge threshold, and FI scores were significantly improved in both groups post-treatment compared to pre-treatment (p < .001). Strong impulses improved significantly in group A, while strong impulses did not improve significantly in group B. The multivariate logistic regression analysis with these variables further showed that symptom duration and anal sphincter integrity were the main factors influencing the therapeutic effects of biofeedback. CONCLUSION: Biofeedback plays a positive role in the treatment of FI in paediatric patients following surgery for ARM. Symptom duration and anal sphincter integrity were found to be the main factors influencing the therapeutic effect of biofeedback.

Application of Noncontact Laparoscopic High Ligation of the Hernia Sac of the Vas Deferens in Children with Indirect Inguinal Hernia.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of vas deferens noncontact laparoscopic high ligation of the hernia sac in children with indirect inguinal hernia (IIH). Materials and Methods: The clinical data of 146 male children with IIH treated in the Anhui Children's Hospital from January 2018 to June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 82 patients in the observation group in which the inner ring opening was sutured and closed using the vas deferens noncontact suture and 64 patients in the control group in which the peritoneum at the inner ring opening was closed using the intradermal suture. The operation time, surgical complications, postoperative complications, and recurrence rate were compared between the two groups (followed up for 2 years). Results: The operation was successful in all the patients in both groups. In the observation group, there was one case of intraoperative spermatic cord vascular injury and one case of infra-abdominal wall vascular injury, and no intraoperative complications occurred in the control group. The operation time was 12.8 ± 1.4 minutes in the control group and 10.4 ± 2.6 minutes in the observation group (P < .01). The two groups of patients were followed up for 2 years, and no complications and no recurrence occurred. Conclusion: The vas deferens noncontact laparoscopic high ligation of the hernia sac to close the inner ring opening has several advantages: The operation is simple; the operation time is shorter than the traditional method, avoiding the possibility of vas deferens injury; and it is a safe, reliable, and effective surgical method. However, due to the small number of clinical cases in this study, its long-term effect requires further observation.

Drought identification based on Palmer drought severity index and return period analysis of drought characteristics in Huaibei Plain China.

The threshold level method for drought identification is challenging due to the problems of selection of drought index reflecting the drought process associated with water supply and demand as well as the underlying physical meaning of drought thresholds. The frequently used hydrological drought indices (e.g., runoff) are susceptible to being affected by human activities, and drought characteristics are incapable of revealing spatial and temporal comparability. Furthermore, the drought process with the same severity but a longer duration is more likely to be evaluated as a more severe event, which contradicts the actual drought situation. In this study, the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) method, in which the meteorological factors less influenced by human activities were taken as the input, was adopted to determine the dry/wet states and the PDSI value at each period firstly. The dry/wet states were defined with dry period, wet period, transition period, transition period in dry spell, and transition period in a wet spell. Following that, drought identification criteria were established through the dry/wet states and PDSI value according to the consistency of the identified results and the actual drought situations. Particularly, drought severity and peak intensity were taken as drought characteristics in this paper, and the joint return periods of the characteristics were estimated based on the Gumbel-Hougaard copula function. And eventually, a case study was conducted in Huaibei Plain, China. The results showed that the most severe droughts identified by PDSI had a good consistency with the actual drought situations, drought severity and peak intensity were applicable to reflect the drought impacts. It is worth noting that the implications of the joint return period and the relationships among different types of them. The occurrence probability of a multi-characteristic drought event should be calculated by the integration of joint probability density function over the region corresponding to the event of interest, and the joint frequency of drought characteristics should not be used as the occurrence probability of the drought disaster losses greater (or less) than that caused by the drought with the same characteristics. In addition, drought processes identified by PDSI and standardized precipitation indices (SPI) from monthly and seasonal scales were compared, indicating the drought identified results through PDSI are almost consistent with the actual situations.

Coordination evaluation and obstacle factors recognition analysis of water resource spatial equilibrium system.

The comprehensive evaluation analysis of water resource spatial equilibrium (WRSE) system is a fundamental and crucial facet to construct national water resource network system and implement socio-economy equilibrium development strategy in China. To clearly understanding of the structural relationship of WRSE system, we firstly proposed the definition of WRSE system from the perspective of coordination variation between water resource carrying pressure and support force subsystems in this study, then, the multi-dimensional connection cloud and coupling coordination degree approaches were applied to construct integrated evaluation model (MCCD) of WRSE system, and finally, the obstacle degree model was utilized as well to recognize the primary influence factors which resulted in the variation of WRSE system. Eventually, it can be revealed from the application results of MCCD model that, the overall situation of WRSE system in Anhui Province, China was improved obviously during the past 10 years, with the average coupling coordination degree (CCD) increased from 0.58 in 2011 to 0.68 in 2018. In addition, water resources availability per capita (S1) and agricultural irrigation quota (P8) were the two primary indicators causing the variation of water resource carrying support and pressure force subsystems. The above application analysis results were reliable and consistent with the evolution trend of actual historical observed statistics, and could also provide scientific decision-making basis for the implementation of prediction and regulation schemes of WRSE system.

Contribution of multiple overexpressed carboxylesterase genes to indoxacarb resistance in Spodoptera litura.

BACKGROUND: As an important family of detoxification enzymes, carboxylesterases (CarEs) have important roles in the development of insecticide resistance in almost all agricultural pests. Previous studies have suggested that enhancement of CarE activity is an important mechanism mediating indoxacarb resistance in Spodoptera litura, and several CarE genes have been found to be overexpressed in indoxacarb-resistant strains. However, the functions of these CarE genes in indoxacarb resistance needs to be further investigated. RESULTS: The synergist triphenyl phosphate effectively reduced the resistance of S. litura to indoxacarb, suggesting an involvement of CarEs in indoxacarb resistance. Among seven identified S. litura CarE genes (hereafter SlituCOE), six were overexpressed in two indoxacarb-resistant strains, but there were no significant differences in gene copy number. Knockdown of SlituCOE009 and SlituCOE050 enhanced indoxacarb sensitivity in both susceptible and resistant strains, whereas knockdown of SlituCOE090, SlituCOE093 and SlituCOE074 enhanced indoxacarb sensitivity in only the resistant strain. Knockdown of the sixth gene, SlituCOE073, did not have any effect. Furthermore, simultaneous knockdown of the five SlituCOE genes had a greater effect on increasing indoxacarb sensitivity than silencing them individually. By contrast, overexpression of the five SlituCOE genes individually in Drosophila melanogaster significantly decreased the toxicity of indoxacarb to transgenic fruit flies. Furthermore, modeling and docking analysis indicated that the catalytic pockets of SlituCOE009 and SlituCOE074 were ideally shaped for indoxacarb and N-decarbomethoxylated metabolite (DCJW), but the binding affinity for DCJW was stronger than for indoxacarb. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that multiple overexpressed CarE genes are involved in indoxacarb resistance in S. litura.

[Xianfang Huoming Decoction improves sperm quality in asthenospermia mice: An investigation based on the detoxification and sperm-nourishing method].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of Xianfang Huoming Decoction (XHD) improving sperm motility in mice with asthenospermia (AS). METHODS: Thirty normal BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups, blank control, AS model control, low-dose XHD, medium-dose XHD, high-dose XHD and levocarnitine + vitamin E (LC+VE). The AS model was established in the latter five groups by injection of methotrexate at 0.5 mg/kg once a week, and the mice in the blank control group were injected with the same volume of normal saline, all for 8 weeks. From the ninth week, the animals in the blank control and AS model control groups were treated with PBS at 0.1 ml/d, those in the low-, medium- and high-dose XHD groups with XHD at 7.13, 14,2 and 28.52 g/kg/ d respectively, and those in the LC+VE group with LC+VE (30:1) at 0.55 g/kg/d, all for 4 weeks. Then, the bilateral epididymides were harvested from all the mice for preparation of a sperm suspension and observation of the total numbers of sperm and motile sperm. The testis tissues were obtained for to determination of the expressions of Nrf-2- and HO-1-related mRNA and proteins by fluorescence staining, RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the AS model controls, the mice treated with low-, medium- and high-dose XHD showed dramatically increased sperm concentration (ï¼»22.36 ± 16.02ï¼½ vs ï¼»39.04 ± 4.50ï¼½, ï¼»40.76 ± 6.57ï¼½ and ï¼»41.04 ± 8.39ï¼½ ×106/ml, P < 0.01) and motility (ï¼»22.89 ± 14.96ï¼½% vs ï¼»47.98 ± 4.74ï¼½%, ï¼»48.53 ± 6.03ï¼½% and ï¼»49.31 ± 6.24ï¼½%, P< 0.01), decreased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (ï¼»16.82 ± 14.96ï¼½% vs ï¼»12.08 ± 3.26ï¼½%, ï¼»10.77 ± 2.21ï¼½% and ï¼»9.56 ± 2.08ï¼½%, P< 0.01), and up-regulated expressions of Nrf-2- and HO-1-related mRNA and proteins in the testis tissue (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Xianfang Huoming Decoction inhibits the development of oxidative stress by up-regulating the expressions of Nrf-2- and HO-1-related mRNA and proteins in the testis tissue, which has provided theoretical evidence for its clinical application in the treatment of asthenospermia.

Integrative QTL Identification, Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of a Major Locus qLTG3a for Seed Low-Temperature Germinability in Rice.

Low-temperature germinability (LTG) is an important agronomic trait that can affect the planting time, planting area, and grain yield of staple crops, such as rice. However, the genetic mechanism of LTG is still unclear. In this study, a multi-parental permanent population with 208 single segment substitution lines (SSSLs) was used to conduct a genetic dissection for LTG across four cropping seasons. LTG was a typical quantitative trait with a high combined broad-sense heritability of 0.71. By comparison with the recipient parent, Huajingxian74, 24 SSSLs were identified as carrying LTG QTLs, which were further merged into integrated QTLs with shorter genetic distances by substitution mapping. Finally, 14 LTG QTLs were mapped on ten chromosomes, including seven positive-effect and seven negative-effect QTLs, with additive effect contributions ranging from 19.2 to 39.9%. qLTG3a, a main-effect and novel QTL, was confirmed by bulk segregant analysis using an F2 segregating population, and five key recombinants were selected to develop F3 populations for progeny testing. Marker-trait association analysis fine mapped qLTG3a to a 332.7-kb physical region between markers M6026 and M6341. Within this interval, 40 annotated genes were revealed, and three genes (Os03g0213300, Os03g0214400, and Os03g0214600) were considered as pivotal candidate genes for qLTG3a based on their sequence variations and expression patterns. Besides low temperature, qLTG3a can also enhance seed germination under standard temperature and osmotic stress. In summary, this study identified some genetic factors regulating LTG and opened a new window for breeding elite direct-seeded rice varieties. It will help reduce the climate risk in the production process of rice, which is of great significance to ensuring food security.

The efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) can negatively affect men's mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being. ED has affected >150 million men worldwide, and this number will reach approximately 322 million by 2025. Although PDE5-Is is a landmark in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, it may have side effects such as penile pain, cardiovascular dysfunction, and deafness. Some studies have shown that acupuncture may have a positive effect on the pathophysiology of ED. Therefore, we will select all randomized controlled trials related to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment of ED. METHODS: This study will systematically search 7 digital databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, China Biology Medicine, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase for randomized controlled trials without language restrictions. Two researchers will independently read the title, abstract, and full text to screen for studies that can be included in the meta-analysis. If there is any dispute, the third party will be required to reach a consensus. RESULTS: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of ED and the difference in the impact of different types of acupuncture on ED. CONCLUSION: Judge whether acupuncture and moxibustion can help improve the symptoms of ED by evaluating relevant literatures, and make up for the lack of relevant research. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY 202140040.

Construction and application of comprehensive drought index based on uncertainty cloud reasoning algorithm.

The establishment of comprehensive drought index is a fundamental task for the analysis of drought hazard system evolution. To fully explore the characteristics of drought variation process, the cloud uncertainty reasoning method was applied to construct comprehensive drought index integrating precipitation with soil moisture indicators. The application results of the proposed drought index in Anhui Province, China revealed that, (1) The overall drought evolution presented significant intensifying trend with the drought occurrence frequency increasing from 32% to 41% from south to north in Anhui Province, and the primary drought type in the northern area was moderate-level drought events and above, while the drought type in the central and southern region was dominated by light-level drought events. (2) Autumn drought was the dominant type from 1960 to 2007 in Anhui Province, with the average drought occurrence frequency of 40%. In addition, the evolution of spring and autumn drought all presented intensifying trends from 1960 to 2007, while the summer and winter drought evolution trends were opposite. (3) The Mann-Kendall trend test results revealed that the drought evolution presented evidently intensifying trend from August 1967 to February 1969, but slight declining trend from May 1974 to August 1978, July 1989 to August 2001 and February 2003 to December 2007, and the mutation of drought evolution occurred in November 1972, February 1978 and August 1998, etc. The above results were basically consistent with the historical statistics, indicating that the proposed comprehensive drought index and its construction framework were reliable, which can be further applied in the related research field of regional drought risk management.

Effectiveness of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of infertility is about 15%, and more than 50% of infertility cases are caused by male infertility. Asthenozoospermia is caused by male fertility decline and male infertility. Due to work pressure, environmental pollution, sexual diseases, and other factors, the number of patients with asthenozoospermia has increased in recent years. It has been confirmed that acupuncture has a certain effect on patients with asthenozoospermia. Acupuncture and moxibustion can be an adjuvant treatment plan for the treatment of asthenozoospermia in addition to drug treatment. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia will be searched in the relevant database, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database). The studies of electronic searches will be exported to EndNote V.9.1 software. We will run meta-analyses using the Review Manager (RevMan) V.5.3 software. Any disagreements will be solved in consultation with a third reviewer. RESULTS: Our study aims to explore the efficacy of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia and to provide up-to-date evidence for clinical of asthenozoospermia. CONCLUSION: This study will perform a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of acupuncture for asthenozoospermia, making up for the lack of relevant evidence of the clinical use of acupuncture. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY 202140032.