Mechanism exploration of Zoledronic acid combined with PD-1 in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

How to increase the response of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a challenge. In clinical, we found that Zoledronic acid (ZA) may increase the anti-tumor effect of immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To explore the underlying mechanism, we established a mouse model of HCC by subcutaneously injecting Hepa1-6 cell line. The result showed that the tumor volume in the ZA plus anti-PD-1 monocloning antibody (anti-PD-1 mAb) treatment groups was significantly smaller than that of control group, and the onset time of tumor inhibition was even shorter than that of the anti-PD-1 mAb group. Using flow cytometry (FC) to detect the proportion of major immune cell subsets in tumor tissues of each group of mice, we found that the synergistic anti-tumor effect of ZA and anti-PD-1 mAb may be related to ZA-induced polarization of macrophages toward the M1 phenotype. Next, we performed bulk RNA sequencing on tumor samples from different groups to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were then input DEGs into pathway enrichment analysis. Data indicated that ZA participated in the M1-type polarization via ferroptosis-related pathways. Our results revealed how ZA involves in the anti-tumor effect of PD-1 monoclonal antibody and provided a potential therapeutic candidate for patients with HCC.

Antidepressant potential of total flavonoids from Astragalus in a chronic stress mouse model: Implications for myelination and Wnt/ß-catenin/Olig2/Sox10 signaling axis modulation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Radix Astragali, a versatile traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has a rich history dating back to "Sheng Nong's herbal classic". It has been employed in clinical practice to address various ailments, including depression. One of its primary active components, total flavonoids from Astragalus (TFA), remains unexplored in terms of its potential antidepressant properties. This study delves into the antidepressant effects of TFA using a mouse model subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). AIMS OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to scrutinize how TFA influenced depressive behaviors, corticosterone and glutamate levels in the hippocampus, as well as myelin-related protein expression in CUMS mice. Additionally, it sought to explore the involvement of the Wnt/ß-catenin/Olig2/Sox10 signaling axis as a potential antidepressant mechanism of TFA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to CUMS to induce depressive behaviors. TFA were orally administered at two different doses (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg). A battery of behavioral tests, biochemical analyses, immunohistochemistry, UPLC-MS/MS, real-time PCR, and Western blotting were employed to evaluate the antidepressant potential of TFA. The role of the Wnt/ß-catenin/Olig2/Sox10 signaling axis in the antidepressant mechanism of TFA was validated through MO3.13 cells. RESULTS: TFA administration significantly alleviated depressive behaviors in CUMS mice, as evidenced by improved sucrose preference, reduced immobility in tail suspension and forced swimming tests, and increased locomotor activity in the open field test. Moreover, TFA effectively reduced hippocampal corticosterone and glutamate levels and promoted myelin formation in the hippocampus of CUMS mice. Then, TFA increased Olig2 and Sox10 expression while inhibiting the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in the hippocampus of CUMS mice. Finally, we further confirmed the role of TFA in promoting myelin regeneration through the Wnt/ß-catenin/Olig2/Sox10 signaling axis in MO3.13 cells. CONCLUSIONS: TFA exhibited promising antidepressant effects in the CUMS mouse model, facilitated by the restoration of myelin sheaths and regulation of corticosterone, glutamate, Olig2, Sox10, and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. This research provides valuable insights into the potential therapeutic application of TFA in treating depression, although further investigations are required to fully elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and clinical relevance.

Thirty years of research on traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: a bibliometric study.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health concern with far-reaching consequences on individuals' lives. Despite the abundance of works published on TBI rehabilitation, few studies have bibliometrically analyzed the published TBI rehabilitation research. This study aims to characterize current international trends and global productivity by analyzing articles on TBI rehabilitation using bibliometric approaches and visualization methods. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis of data retrieved and extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection database to examine the evolution and thematic trends in TBI rehabilitation research up until December 31, 2022. The specific characteristics of the research articles on TBI rehabilitation were evaluated, such as publication year, countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, research fields, references, and keywords. Results: Our analysis identified 5,541 research articles on TBI rehabilitation and observed a progressive increase in publications and citations over the years. The United States (US, 2,833, 51.13%), Australia (727, 13.12%), and Canada (525, 9.47%) were the most prolific countries/regions. The University of Washington (226, 4.08%) and Hammond FM (114, 2.06%) were the most productive institution and author, respectively. The top three productive journals were Brain Injury (862; 15.56%), Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (630; 11.37%), and Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (405, 7.31%). The most frequent research fields were Rehabilitation, Neurosciences, and Clinical Neurology. Co-citation references primarily addressed "outcome assessment," "community integration" and "TBI management," and "injury chronicity" and "sequelae" have gained more attention in recent years. "Mild TBI," "outcome," "stroke" and "children" were the commonly used keywords. Additionally, the analysis unveiled emerging research frontiers, including "return to work," "disorder of consciousness," "veterans," "mild TBI," "pediatric," "executive function" and "acquired brain injury." Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the current state of TBI rehabilitation research, which has experienced a rapid increase in attention and exponential growth in publications and citations in the last three decades. TBI rehabilitation research is characterized by its multi-disciplinary approach, involving fields such as Rehabilitation, Neurosciences, and Clinical Neurology. The analysis revealed emerging research subjects that could inform future research directions.

New Process Combining Fe-Based Chemical Looping and Biomass Pyrolysis for Cogeneration of Hydrogen, Biochar, Bio-Oil and Electricity with In-Suit CO2 Separation.

Fe-based chemical looping gasification is a clean biomass technology, which has the advantage of reducing CO2 emissions and the potential of self-sustaining operation without supplemental heating. A novel process combining Fe-based chemical looping and biomass pyrolysis was proposed and simulated using Aspen Plus. The biomass was first subjected to pyrolysis to coproduce biochar, bio-oil and pyrolysis gas; the pyrolysis gas was subjected to an Fe looping process to obtain high-purity hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The influences of the pyrolysis reactor operating temperature and fuel reactor operation temperature, and the steam reactor and air reactor on the process performance are researched. The results showed that, under the operating condition of the established process, 23.07 kg/h of bio-oil, 24.18 kg/h of biochar, 3.35 kg/h of hydrogen and a net electricity of 3 kW can be generated from 100 kg/h of rice straw, and the outlet CO2 concentration of the fuel reactor was as high as 80%. Moreover, the whole exergy efficiency and total exergy loss of the proposed process was 58.98% and 221 kW, respectively. Additionally, compared to biomass direct chemical looping hydrogen generation technology, the new process in this paper, using biomass pyrolysis gas as a reactant in the chemical looping hydrogen generation process, can enhance the efficiency of hydrogen generation.

The role of spectrin breakdown products in patients with traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spectrin Breakdown Products (SBDPs) accumulate in the brain after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and are expected to become a potentially promising biomarker of TBI. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to evaluate the role of SBDPs in the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI. METHODS: We systematically searched the following databases up to 31 October 2022: Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science Database, and studies were only included if they had sufficient data on SBDP concentrations in TBI patients. We calculated the standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for continuous outcomes and assessed the potential publication bias by using Egger's test and funnel plots. The statistical analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17. RESULTS: Of 1429 identified studies, 10 studies involving 417 participants were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) SBDP concentrations were significantly increased in TBI compared to controls (SBDP120: SMD = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.71 ~ 2.12, P < 0.00001; SBDP145: SMD = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.78 ~ 1.86, P < 0.00001; SBDP150: SMD = 1.39, 95% CI = 0.97 ~ 1.80, P < 0.00001), and CSF SBDPs were significantly associated with poor functional outcomes (PFO) (SBDP145: SMD = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.37 ~ 2.13, P < 0.00001; SBDP150: SMD = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.75 ~ 1.52, P < 0.00001). In addition, CSF and serum SBDP145 are valuable in diagnosing TBI (AUC = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80 ~ 0.99, P < 0.00001), and CSF SBDP145 also has diagnostic value for PFO (AUC = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.76 ~ 0.84, P < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: The limited evidence supports that the SBDPs can be employed as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of TBI.

Functional Interactions Between the Parafascicular Thalamic Nucleus and Motor Cortex Are Altered in Hemiparkinsonian Rat.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by aberrant discharge patterns and exaggerated oscillatory activity within basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits. We have previously observed substantial alterations in spike and local field potential (LFP) activities recorded in the thalamic parafascicular nucleus (PF) and motor cortex (M1), respectively, of hemiparkinsonian rats during rest or catching movements. This study explored whether the mutual effects of the PF and M1 depended on the amplitude and phase relationship in their identified neuron spikes or group rhythmic activities. Microwire electrode arrays were paired and implanted in the PF and M1 of rats with unilateral dopaminergic cell lesions. The results showed that the identified PF neurons exhibited aberrant cell type-selective firing rates and preferential and excessive phase-locked firing to cortical LFP oscillations mainly at 12-35 Hz (beta frequencies), consistent with the observation of identified M1 neurons with ongoing PF LFP oscillations. Experimental evidence also showed a decrease in phase-locking at 0.7-12 Hz and 35-70 Hz in the PF and M1 circuits in the hemiparkinsonian rats. Furthermore, anatomical evidence was provided for the existence of afferent and efferent bidirectional reciprocal connectivity pathways between the PF and M1 using an anterograde and retrograde neuroanatomical tracing virus. Collectively, our results suggested that multiple alterations may be present in regional anatomical and functional modes with which the PF and M1 interact, and that parkinsonism-associated changes in PF integrate M1 activity in a manner that varies with frequency, behavioral state, and integrity of the dopaminergic system.

Roles of Motor Cortex Neuron Classes in Reach-Related Modulation for Hemiparkinsonian Rats.

Disruption of the function of the primary motor cortex (M1) is thought to play a critical role in motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD). Detailed information regarding the specific aspects of M1 circuits that become abnormal is lacking. We recorded single units and local field potentials (LFPs) of M1 neurons in unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion rats and control rats to assess the impact of dopamine (DA) cell loss during rest and a forelimb reaching task. Our results indicated that M1 neurons can be classified into two groups (putative pyramidal neurons and putative interneurons) and that 6-OHDA could modify the activity of different M1 subpopulations to a large extent. Reduced activation of putative pyramidal neurons during inattentive rest and reaching was observed. In addition, 6-OHDA intoxication was associated with an increase in certain LFP frequencies, especially those in the beta range (broadly defined here as any frequency between 12 and 35 Hz), which become pathologically exaggerated throughout cortico-basal ganglia circuits after dopamine depletion. Furthermore, assessment of different spike-LFP coupling parameters revealed that the putative pyramidal neurons were particularly prone to being phase-locked to ongoing cortical oscillations at 12-35 Hz during reaching. Conversely, putative interneurons were neither hypoactive nor synchronized to ongoing cortical oscillations. These data collectively demonstrate a neuron type-selective alteration in the M1 in hemiparkinsonian rats. These alterations hamper the ability of the M1 to contribute to motor conduction and are likely some of the main contributors to motor impairments in PD.

Effects of intrastriatal injection of the dopamine receptor agonist SKF38393 and quinpirole on locomotor behavior in hemiparkinsonism rats.

Dopamine (DA) in the striatum is essential to influence motor behavior and may lead to movement impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study examined the different functions of the DA D1 receptor (D1R) and DA D2 receptor (D2R) by intrastriatal injection of the D1R agonist SKF38393 and the D2R agonist quinpirole in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned and control rats. All rats separately underwent dose-response behavior testing for SKF38393 (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 µg/site) or quinpirole (0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 µg/site) to determine the effects of the optimal modulating threshold dose. Two behavior assessment indices, the time of latency to fall and the number of steps on a rotating treadmill, were used as reliable readouts of motor stimulation variables for quantifying the motor effects of the drugs. The findings indicate that at threshold doses, SKF38393 (1.0 µg/site) and quinpirole (1.0 µg/site) produce a dose-dependent increase in locomotor activity compared to vehicle injection. The ameliorated behavioral responses to either SKF38393 or quinpirole in lesioned rats were greater than those in unlesioned control rats. Moreover, the dose-dependent increase in locomotor capacity for quinpirole was greater than that for SKF38393 in lesioned rats. These results can clarify several key issues related to DA receptors directly and may provide a basis for exploring the potential of future selective dopamine therapies for PD in humans.

[Distribution characteristics of exogenous carbon in different carbon fractions in biocrusts-covered soil]. / å¤–æºè¾“å ¥ç¢³åœ¨ç”Ÿç‰©ç»“çš®åœŸå£¤å„ç¢³ç»„åˆ†ä¸­çš„åˆ†é ç‰¹å¾.

The distribution characteristics of exogenous carbon (C) in the C fractions of biocrusts-covered soil are critical for understanding the geochemical cycling of C with biocrusts in drylands. A 13C pulse labeling experiment was conducted for moss-dominated biocrusts-covered soil and bare soil on the Loess Plateau of China with semiarid climate, with the content of 13C in different C fractions being continuously measured to determine the biocrust effects on the distribution of exogenous C in each C fraction. Our results showed that, 1) the 13C abundance of each C fraction in the biocrusts-covered soil was steadily changed with time, due to the relatively low rate of nutrient cycling in the biocrusts-covered soil and also to the relatively low biomass of moss in the biocrusts-covered soil as compared with vascular plants. 2) The 13C content of each C fraction in the biocrusts-covered soil was significantly higher than that in the bare soil. Specifically, the 13C content of total organic C (TOC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and dissolved organic C (DOC) in the biocrusts-covered soil was 0.258, 0.078, and 0.004 mg·kg-1, respectively, which was 3.1, 18.5, and 2.6 times higher than that in the bare soil. Moreover, the 13C content in the moss of the biocrusts-covered soil was 1.45 mg·kg-1. 3) The presence of biocrusts changed the distribution characteristics of each C fraction, with the newly assimilated C being mainly distributed in active organic C and biological components of the biocrusts-covered soil. In the biocrusts-covered soil, the 13C distribution in MBC (30.6%) was higher than that in DOC (1.7%), and the 13C distribution in the C of moss was 20.3%. 4) The transferred amount and storage capacity of MB13C in the biocrusts-covered soil were 15.7 and 19.5 times of that in the bare soil, respectively. The turnover rate of MB13C in the biocrusts-covered soil and bare soil was 2.94 and 3.30 times per month, respectively, implying that the turnover time of MB13C in the biocrusts-covered soil was 1.1 times longer than that in the bare soil. In conclusion, biocrusts could greatly change the distribution characteristics of each C fraction and increase C turnover rate, highlighting its important roles in C cycling in dryland ecosystems.

MicroRNA-628-5p inhibits invasion and migration of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via suppression of the AKT/NF-kappa B pathway.

The biological function and underlying mechanism of microRNA-628-5p (miR-628-5p) remains to be clarified in the growth and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, the expression levels of miR-628-5p in PDAC tissues and cells were detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. The relationship between miR-628-5p expression and clinicopathologic characteristics was examined in human PDAC tissue samples. Gain- and loss-of-function and the putative targets of miR-628-5p were evaluated in PDAC cell lines. The upstream and downstream signals of miR-628-5p in PDAC were also examined. MiR-628-5p was lowly expressed in PDAC tissues and cell lines, and low miR-628-5p expression in PDAC tissues was associated with poor clinicopathological characteristics and shorter overall survival. Functionally, restoration of miR-628-5p expression decreased PDAC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted cell apoptosis, whereas miR-628-5p silencing abolished these biological behaviors. MiR-628-5p was found to target and negatively regulate phospholipid scramblase 1 and insulin receptor substrate 1 expression, which resulted in the inhibition of the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway. MYC knockdown led to miR-628-5p upregulation, whereas MYC overexpression repressed miR-628-5p expression. These findings indicate that miR-628-5p functions as a tumor-suppressive microRNA in PDAC and implicate miR-628-5p as a potential therapeutic target for PDAC patients.

[Distribution of exogenous nitrogen fractions and their fate in moss-dominated biological soil crusts]. / å¤–æºè¾“å ¥æ°®ç´ åœ¨è—“ç±»ç”Ÿç‰©åœŸå£¤ç»“çš®ä¸­å„æ°®ç»„åˆ†çš„åˆ†é ç‰¹å¾ä¸Žå½’è¶‹é€”å¾„.

Nitrogen (N) labeled with 15N was evenly added into plots of moss-dominated biological soil crusts (BSCs) and bare soil on the Chinese Loess Plateau. After that, the surface BSCs and bare soil samples were continuously collected within 1-30 days. The 15N content of each N fraction in soil, microorganisms, and mosses was measured for each sample. The effects of BSCs on soil N fate and cycling was determined through analyzing the differences in the distribution of 15N fractions between the BSCs and bare soil. Our results showed that: 1) The 15N content of total N (TN), microbial biomass N (MBN), and dissolved organic N (DON) in the BSCs was 2.9, 17.5, and 9.0 times higher than that in the bare soil, respectively. The 15N content of moss plants in the BSCs was 4.73 mg kg-1. 2) The residual rate of 15N in the BSCs and bare soil was 13.0% and 3.3%, respectively, indicating that the N fixing and holding ability of BSCs was four times higher than that of bare soil. The percentage of each 15N fraction in T15N in the BSCs was in the order of MBN (54.3%)>moss plant N (22.5%)>DON (6.2%), while that in the bare soil was in the order of MBN (11.5%)>DON (2.6%). Over all, microorganisms and mosses in the BSCs had 65.3% higher capacity of N fixation as compared with the bare soil. 3) The transferred amount and storage capacity of MB15N in the BSCs were 17.2 and 20.5 times higher than that in the bare soil, respectively. Accordingly, the turnover rate of MB15N in the BSCs and bare soil was 5.8 and 7.2 times per month, respectively, with the turnover time of MB15N in the BSCs being 1.2 times longer than that in bare soil. In conclusion, BSCs fix and hold more N than bare soil and change the distribution of each N fraction, implying that BSCs play a critical role in N cycling in dryland ecosystems.

Electrophysiological and Neurochemical Considerations of Distinct Neuronal Populations in the Rat Pedunculopontine Nucleus and Their Responsiveness Following 6-Hydroxydopamine Lesions.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is composed of a morphologically and neurochemically heterogeneous population of neurons, which is severely affected by Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the role of each subtype of neurons within the PPN in the pathophysiology of PD has not been completely elucidated. In this study, we present the discharge profiles of three classified subtypes of PPN neurons and their alterations after 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion. Following 6-OHDA lesion, the spike timing of the Type II (GABAergic) and Type III (glutamatergic) neurons had phase-lock with the oscillations in the delta and beta band frequency range in the PPN, respectively. Morphological evidence has shown distinct alteration in three kinds of neurons after 6-OHDA lesion. These findings revealed that the changes in the firing characteristics of neurons in PPN in hemi-parkinsonism rats are closely associated with damaged neuronal morphology, which would make contributions to the divergence of dysfunctions in Parkinsonism.

Spike and Local Field Synchronization Between the Pedunculopontine Nucleus and Primary Motor Cortex in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) shows altered electrophysiological and anatomic characteristics in Parkinson's disease (PD), but little is known about the effect of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion and levodopa (L-DOPA) therapy on the relationship between spike and local field potential (LFP) activities in the PPN and motor cortex. Aiming to investigate this, synchronous spike and LFP signals in the PPN and primary motor cortex (M1) were recorded. The spike-LFP relationship was evaluated using coherence analysis, phase-lock and spike-field coherence (SFC). The results suggested that 6-OHDA lesion had a significant effect on the spike-LFP relationship between the PPN and M1 in rats under a rest or locomotion state. The significantly altered frequency bands varied across different neuron types and animal activity states. In addition, the altered coherence values between PPN spike and M1 LFP were refractory to long-term L-DOPA therapy although all other changes could be reversed by this drug treatment. All results provided evidence of the spike-LFP relationship between the PPN and M1 in PD, revealing some network mechanisms of the cortico-basal ganglia circuitry and PPN, which might be an underlying candidate for PD pathophysiology and therapy.

Altered Local Field Potential Relationship Between the Parafascicular Thalamic Nucleus and Dorsal Striatum in Hemiparkinsonian Rats.

The thalamostriatal pathway is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD); however, PD-related changes in the relationship between oscillatory activity in the centromedian-parafascicular complex (CM/Pf, or the Pf in rodents) and the dorsal striatum (DS) remain unclear. Therefore, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFPs) in both the Pf and DS of hemiparkinsonian and control rats during epochs of rest or treadmill walking. The dopamine-lesioned rats showed increased LFP power in the beta band (12 Hz-35 Hz) in the Pf and DS during both epochs, but decreased LFP power in the delta (0.5 Hz-3 Hz) band in the Pf during rest epochs and in the DS during both epochs, compared to control rats. In addition, exaggerated low gamma (35 Hz-70 Hz) oscillations after dopamine loss were restricted to the Pf regardless of the behavioral state. Furthermore, enhanced synchronization of LFP oscillations was found between the Pf and DS after the dopamine lesion. Significant increases occurred in the mean coherence in both theta (3 Hz-7 Hz) and beta bands, and a significant increase was also noted in the phase coherence in the beta band between the Pf and DS during rest epochs. During the treadmill walking epochs, significant increases were found in both the alpha (7 Hz-12 Hz) and beta bands for two coherence measures. Collectively, dramatic changes in the relative LFP power and coherence in the thalamostriatal pathway may underlie the dysfunction of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical network circuits in PD, contributing to some of the motor and non-motor symptoms of the disease.

[Effects of moss-dominated biological soil crusts on soil enzyme activities in water-wind erosion crisscross region on the Loess Plateau of China]. / é»„åœŸé«˜åŽŸæ°´èš€é£Žèš€äº¤é”™åŒºè—“ç»“çš®å¯¹åœŸå£¤é ¶æ´»æ€§çš„å½±å“.

The 30-year-old biological soil crusts dominated by mosses (hereafter moss crusts) and corresponding uncrusted soil (hereafter no crust) were sampled on loess soil and aeolian soil at 0-12 cm depth on the Loess Plateau of China. Afterwards, the hydrolase activities of the samples were measured, and their correlations with soil physicochemical properties were analyzed. Compared with no crust, the activities of urease, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, and protease of the moss crusts were 2.4, 7.6, 20.7, 2.4 times higher on loess soil, respectively; while they were 3.5, 22.2, 22.3, 2.0 times higher on aeolian soil, respectively. Compared with no crust, the soil water content of the moss crusts was decreased by 6.5% and 0.8% on loess soil and aeolian soil, and the soil temperature of the moss crusts was decreased by 0.8 and 2.5 ℃, respectively; the contents of soil organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available phosphorus of the moss crusts were 2.5, 2.9 and 3.6 times higher on the loess soil, and they were 3.6, 3.0 and 6.6 times higher on the aeolian soil, respectively. The soil hydrolase activities were positively correlated with the soil nutrient content and negatively correlated with the soil water content. Soil temperature was positively correlated with the urease activity and negatively correlated with the protease activity. The moss crusts significantly improved soil nutrients and fertility through increasing soil enzyme activities on the Loess Plateau of China, and these effects were reasonably attributed to the moderate soil water content and temperature regulated by the moss crusts.

Effect of l-DOPA on local field potential relationship between the pedunculopontine nucleus and primary motor cortex in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Levodopa (l-DOPA) has been proved to reverse the pathologic neuron activities in many brain regions related to Parkinson's disease (PD). But little is known about the effect of l-DOPA on the altered electrophysiological coherent activities between pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) and motor cortex. To investigate this, local field potentials (LFPs) of PPN and primary motor cortex (M1) were recorded simultaneously in control, 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned and lesioned rats with l-DOPA chronic treatment. The results revealed that in resting state, chronic l-DOPA treatment could correct the suppressed power of LFPs in PPN and M1 in low-frequency band (1-7Hz) and the enhanced power in high-frequency band (7-70Hz in PPN and 12-70Hz in M1) of lesioned rats. In locomotor state, l-DOPA treatment could correct the alterations in most of frequency bands except the δ band in PPN and α band in M1. Moreover, l-DOPA could also reverse the altered coherent relationships caused by dopamine depletion in resting state between PPN and M1 in ß band. And in locomotor state, l-DOPA had therapeutic effect on the alterations in δ and ß bands but not in the α band. These findings provide evidence that l-DOPA can reverse the altered LFP activities in PPN and M1 and their relationships in a rat model of PD, which contributes to better understanding the electrophysiological mechanisms of the pathophysiology and therapy of PD.

Altered neuronal activity in the pedunculopontine nucleus: An electrophysiological study in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a new deep brain stimulation target for treating Parkinson's disease (PD). But the alterations of the PPN electrophysiological activities in PD are still debated. To investigate these potential alterations, extracellular single unit and local field potential (LFP) activities in the PPN were recorded in unilateral hemispheric 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats and in control rats, respectively. The spike activity results revealed two types of neurons (Type I and Type II) with distinct electrophysiological characteristics in the PPN. Both types of neurons had increased firing rate and changed firing pattern in lesioned rats when compared to control rats. Specifically, Type II neurons showed an increased firing rate when the rat state was switched from rest to locomotion. The LFP results demonstrated that lesioned rats had lower LFP power at 0.7-12Hz and higher power at 12-30Hz than did control animals in either resting or locomotor state. These findings provide a better understanding of the effects of 6-OHDA lesion on neuronal activities in the PPN and also provide a proof of the link between this structure and locomotion, which contributes to better understanding the mechanisms of the PPN functioning in the pathophysiology of PD.

The role of Exo70 in vascular smooth muscle cell migration.

BACKGROUND: As a key subunit of the exocyst complex, Exo70 has highly conserved sequence and is widely found in yeast, mammals, and plants. In yeast, Exo70 mediates the process of exocytosis and promotes anchoring and integration of vesicles with the plasma membrane. In mammalian cells, Exo70 is involved in maintaining cell morphology, cell migration, cell connection, mRNA splicing, and other physiological processes, as well as participating in exocytosis. However, Exo70's function in mammalian cells has yet to be fully recognized. In this paper, the expression of Exo70 and its role in cell migration were studied in a rat vascular smooth muscle cell line A7r5. METHODS: Immunofluorescent analysis the expression of Exo70, α-actin, and tubulin in A7r5 cells showed a co-localization of Exo70 and α-actin, we treated the cells with cytochalasin B to depolymerize α-actin, in order to further confirm the co-localization of Exo70 and α-actin. We analyzed Exo70 co-localization with actin at the edge of migrating cells by wound-healing assay to establish whether Exo70 might play a role in cell migration. Next, we analyzed the migration and invasion ability of A7r5 cells before and after RNAi silencing through the wound healing assay and transwell assay. RESULTS: The mechanism of interaction between Exo70 and cytoskeleton can be clarified by the immunoprecipitation techniques and wound-healing assay. The results showed that Exo70 and α-actin were co-localized at the leading edge of migrating cells. The ability of A7r5 to undergo cell migration was decreased when Exo70 expression was silenced by RNAi. Reducing Exo70 expression in RNAi treated A7r5 cells significantly lowered the invasion and migration ability of these cells compared to the normal cells. These results indicate that Exo70 participates in the process of A7r5 cell migration. CONCLUSIONS: This research is importance for the study on the pathological process of vascular intimal hyperplasia, since it provides a new research direction for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after balloon angioplasty.