Optimizing rice yield, quality and nutrient use efficiency through combined application of nitrogen and potassium.

Reasonable nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) application rates can effectively improve fertilizer use efficiency, rice yield and quality. A two-year field experiment was conducted with combined application of three N rates (135, 180, and 225 kg ha-1, denoted as N1-N3) and four K rates (0, 90, 135, and 180 kg ha-1, denoted as K0-K3) using super indica hybrid rice cultivar Yixiangyou (YXY) 2115 to explore the effects of co-application of N and K on rice growth and development. The results indicated that the combined application of N and K had significantly interactive effects on dry matter (DM) accumulation, nutrients absorption, N harvest index (NHI), K harvest index (KHI), spikelets per panicle and most rice quality indexes. The highest total DM accumulation (17998.17-19432.47 kg ha-1) at maturity stage was obtained under N3K2. The effect of co-application of N and K on nutrients absorption and utilization varied between the two years and within each year. The highest total N and K accumulations at maturity stage were observed under N3K1 and N3K2, respectively, while the highest N recovery efficiency (NRE) and K recovery efficiency (KRE) were observed under N1K3. High expression levels of N and K metabolism-related genes in rice grains were observed under N3K2 or N3K3, consistent with N and K uptake. Co-application of N and K increased rice yield significantly and the highest yield (6745.02-7010.27 kg ha-1) was obtained under N2K2. As more N was gradually applied, rice appearance quality improved but milling, cooking and eating quality decreased. Although appropriate application of K could improve rice milling, cooking and eating quality, it reduced appearance quality. The optimal milling, cooking and eating quality were obtained under N1K2, while the best appearance quality was obtained under N3K0. Overall, a combination of 135-210 kg ha-1 N and 115-137 kg ha-1 K application rates was recommended for achieving relatively higher yield and better quality in rice production.

First molecular detection and genetic characterization of porcine circovirus 4 in the Gansu Province of China.

Since its initial discovery in the Hunan province of China, genomic DNA of porcine circovirus 4 (PCV4) has been detected in pigs across multiple provinces in China, as well as in South Korea. However, the prevalence of porcine circovirus type 4 in Gansu Province, China, remains unknown. To address this gap, we undertook an extensive study where we gathered 121 clinical samples displaying diverse clinical manifestations from pig farms in Gansu Province between 2022 and 2023. Employing a real-time fluorescence quantification method, we identified the presence of PCV4 genome. Out of the 121 clinical samples analyzed, 13 samples tested positive for PCV4, resulting in a positive rate of 10.74% (13/121). This finding confirms the presence of PCV4 in pig farms within Gansu Province, China. Furthermore, we successfully sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of two distinct PCV4 strains, comparing them with 60 reference sequences archived in the GenBank database. The results revealed a high nucleotide homology (98.2-98.8%) between the strains obtained in this study and the PCV4 reference strains, indicating a relatively low evolutionary rate of the PCV4 genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two strains in this study belong to PCV4a and PCV4c. As far as we know, this study marks the inaugural report on the molecular identification and genomic attributes of PCV4 in Gansu Province, China, offering valuable insights for devising preventive and control strategies against this emerging virus.

An integrated network analysis, RNA-seq and in vivo validation approaches to explore the protective mechanism of Mongolian medicine formulae Ruda-6 against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

Gastric ulcer (GU) is one of the most prevalent digestive diseases that seriously affects people's health. Previous studies have demonstrated the anti-GU effect of Ruda-6 (RD-6), a classic formulae of traditional Mongolian medicine. However, the underlying mechanism of RD-6 against GU remains elusive. Thus, we conducted an integrative approach of network analysis, RNA-seq, and in vivo validation experiment to elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms of RD-6 in preventing GU. A network analysis was performed to predict the potential targets of RD-6. Rats were pretreated with RD-6 at different doses for 21 days, followed by GU induction with indomethacin injection. The ulcer index and inhibition rates were calculated, and the levels of inflammatory related factors were determined by ELISA. The gastroprotective mechanism of RD-6 against ulceration was verified by RNA-seq and the key pathway was detected by in vivo validation. As the network analysis predicted, RD-6 exerts anti-GU effects by regulating 75 targets and 160 signaling pathways. Animal experiment results suggested that pretreatment with RD-6 significantly ameliorated the gastric mucosal injury and inflammatory response, as evidenced by a reduced ulcer index, decreased interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 levels, and increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in the GU model rats induced by indomethacin. RNA-seq data identified four potential hub genes that were primarily involved in the IL-17 signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vivo validation experiment showed that RD-6 inhibited the IL-17 signaling pathway by down-regulating the expression of IL17RA, proto-oncogene C-Fos (FOS), IL1B and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2). Taken together, the present study provides evidence that RD-6 could effectively protect against indomethacin-induced GU, which might be attributed to suppressed inflammation. The IL-17 signaling pathway may be one of the crucial mechanisms that mediates the effect of RD-6.

Safety and protective effects of an avirulent Salmonella Gallinarum isolate as a vaccine candidate against Salmonella Gallinarum infections in young chickens.

Fowl typhoid is an important disease of chickens and turkeys, which is caused by Salmonella Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum). Vaccines with high levels of protective effects against fowl typhoid need to be developed for the poultry industry. In this study, a S. Gallinarum strain, named SG01, was isolated from a poultry farm in Mashan region of Wuxi City, China, and identified through biochemical tests and specific PCR amplifications. Then, safety evaluations of the SG01 strain were performed in young chickens. No clinical symptom including depression and diarrhea and gross lesion involved in the cardiac nodule, hepatic necrotic lesion and splenic necrotic lesion, was determined on fifteen-day-old chickens after immunization with 1 × 1010 CFU of the SG01 strain through the oral route. However, diarrhea symptoms and hepatic lesions were identified from chickens immunized with the commercial vaccine strain SG9R by the same dose and route. At 14 days post inoculation, SG01 strain was eliminated in the liver and spleen from SG01-immunized chickens, while the SG9R strain still could be identified from SG9R-immunized chickens. After challenge with the virulent S. Gallinarum strain, significant reduction of the morbidity rate was found in the SG01 immunized group (20 %) compared to the challenge group (100 %) according to signs scoring systems for clinical symptoms and gross lesions. Additionally, immunization with the SG01 strain could provide more than 8 weeks of protection periods against fowl typhoid. These results demonstrate the SG01 strain is avirulent to young chickens and might be safer compared to the SG9R strain. In addition, SG01 strain is a potential vaccine candidate against fowl typhoid in young chickens.

Combined Federated and Split Learning in Edge Computing for Ubiquitous Intelligence in Internet of Things: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions.

Federated learning (FL) and split learning (SL) are two emerging collaborative learning methods that may greatly facilitate ubiquitous intelligence in the Internet of Things (IoT). Federated learning enables machine learning (ML) models locally trained using private data to be aggregated into a global model. Split learning allows different portions of an ML model to be collaboratively trained on different workers in a learning framework. Federated learning and split learning, each have unique advantages and respective limitations, may complement each other toward ubiquitous intelligence in IoT. Therefore, the combination of federated learning and split learning recently became an active research area attracting extensive interest. In this article, we review the latest developments in federated learning and split learning and present a survey on the state-of-the-art technologies for combining these two learning methods in an edge computing-based IoT environment. We also identify some open problems and discuss possible directions for future research in this area with the hope of arousing the research community's interest in this emerging field.

Genome-Wide Identification, Evolution and Expression Analysis of the Glutathione S-Transferase Supergene Family in Euphorbiaceae.

Euphorbiaceae, a family of plants mainly grown in the tropics and subtropics, is also widely distributed all over the world and is well known for being rich in rubber, oil, medicinal materials, starch, wood and other economically important plant products. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a family of proteins encoded by a large supergene family and are widely expressed in animals, bacteria, fungi and plants, but with few reports of them in Euphorbiaceae plants. These proteins participate in and regulate the detoxification and oxidative stress response of heterogeneous organisms, resistance to stress, growth and development, signal transduction and other related processes. In this study, we identified and analyzed the whole genomes of four species of Euphorbiaceae, namely Ricinus communis, Jatropha curcas, Hevea brasiliensis, and Manihot esculenta, which have high economic and practical value. A total of 244 GST genes were identified. Based on their sequence characteristics and conserved domain types, the GST supergene family in Euphorbiaceae was classified into 10 subfamilies. The GST supergene families of Euphorbiaceae and Arabidopsis have been found to be highly conserved in evolution, and tandem repeats and translocations in these genes have made the greatest contributions to gene amplification here and have experienced strong purification selection. An evolutionary analysis showed that Euphorbiaceae GST genes have also evolved into new subtribes (GSTO, EF1BG, MAPEG), which may play a specific role in Euphorbiaceae. An analysis of expression patterns of the GST supergene family in Euphorbiaceae revealed the functions of these GSTs in different tissues, including resistance to stress and participation in herbicide detoxification. In addition, an interaction analysis was performed to determine the GST gene regulatory mechanism. The results of this study have laid a foundation for further analysis of the functions of the GST supergene family in Euphorbiaceae, especially in stress and herbicide detoxification. The results have also provided new ideas for the study of the regulatory mechanism of the GST supergene family, and have provided a reference for follow-up genetics and breeding work.

Effects of a Brain-Computer Interface-Operated Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot on Motor Function Recovery in Patients with Stroke.

Purpose: To observe the effect of a brain-computer interface-operated lower limb rehabilitation robot (BCI-LLRR) on functional recovery from stroke and to explore mechanisms. Methods: Subacute-phase stroke patients were randomly divided into two groups. In addition to the routine intervention, patients in the treatment group trained on the BCI-LLRR and underwent the lower limb pedal training in the control group, both for the same time (30 min/day). All patients underwent assessment by instruments such as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Fugl-Meyer upper and lower limb motor function and balance tests, at 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and at 3 months after the end of treatment. Patients were also tested before treatment and after 4 weeks by leg motor evoked potential (MEP) and diffusion tensor imaging/tractography (DTI/DTT) of the head. Results: After 4 weeks, the Fugl-Meyer leg function and NIHSS scores were significantly improved in the treatment group vs. controls (P < 0.01). At 3 months, further significant improvement was observed. The MEP amplitude and latency of the treatment group were significantly improved vs. controls. The effect of treatment on fractional anisotropy values was not significant. Conclusions: The BCI-LLRR promoted leg functional recovery after stroke and improved activities of daily living, possibly by improving cerebral-cortex excitability and white matter connectivity.

Relationship between non-headache symptoms and right to left shunt in episodic migraine. A single-center cross-sectional study.

The relationship between right to left shunt (RLS) and non-headache symptoms (NHS) in episodic migraine is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and classification of RLS in episodic migraineurs, calculate the occurrence rate of NHS, and analyze the associations between RLS and NHS. We consecutively recruited 204 episodic migraine patients. Contrast-enhanced transcranial doppler was adopted to screen RLS. Structured questionnaire via face-to-face survey was conducted to collect clinical data. A total of 172 episodic migraineurs were included in the final analysis, of which 20 cases were migraine with aura. The positive rate of RLS was 47.1%, of which 50 cases (29.0%) had small shunt (Grade 1) and 31 cases (18.1%) had mid-large shunt (Grade 2-4). The most common NHS was nausea (115 (66.9%)), followed by headache aggravation with physical activity (96 (55.8%)), dizziness (93 (54.1%)), vomiting (77 (44.8%)) and phonophobia (74 (43.0%)). Yawning was more common in Grade 2-4 group than Grade 0 group (p = 0.012), while no statistical differences among other groups. Grade 2-4 group had a higher rate of headache aggravation with physical activity than grade 0 group (p = 0.008). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that yawning at premonitory phase, headache aggravation with physical activity and cranial autonomic symptoms during attack are independent predictors of RLS. In conclusion, yawning and headache aggravation with physical activity are more common in migraine patients with RLS. Besides aura, particular NHS may also serve as indicators for screening RLS in episodic migraineurs.

[Effect of butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng Decoction on vaginal mucosal neutrophil chemotaxis in vulvovaginal candidiasis mice].

To investigate the effects of butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng Decoction(BAEB) on neutrophil chemotaxis in vaginal mucosa of mice with vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC). Seventy-two SPF female Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, fluconazole group, BAEB low-dose group, middle-dose group and high-dose group. Subcutaneous injection of estradiol benzoate was conducted to induce pseudo-estrus, and then 2×10~6 CFU·mL~(-1)of Candida albicans was inoculated into vaginal lumen, followed by drug treatment for 7 days. Gram staining was used to observe the morphological changes of C. albicans in vagina; vaginal fungal load was detected on agar plate. Histological changes of vaginal tissues in mice were observed by HE staining. Lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α) levels in mouse lavage fluid were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Neutrophils in vaginal lavage fluid was observed and counted by using Pap smear. The levels of IL-8 and MIP-2 in vaginal mucosa were detected by ELISA. IL-8 and MIP-2 mRNA levels in vaginal mucosa of mice were detected by qRT-PCR. The results showed that as compared with the normal group, VVC model group had a large number of hyphae and a high level of fungal loadinvagina. The vaginal mucosa was completely destroyed, the number of neutrophils increased, and the protein and mRNA levels of IL-8 and MIP-2 were up-regulated. After BAEB treatment, the hyphae of the treatment group was decreased, the fungal load was decreased, the impaired mucosa showed different degrees of improvement, the inflammatory factors were decreased to varying degrees, and the protein and mRNA levels of chemokine IL-8 and MIP-2 were down-regulated. In conclusion, BAEB may be used to treat VVC by inhibiting vulvovaginal candidiasis via blocking neutrophils recruitment into vagina.

Experimental study of the effect of typical halides on pyrolysis of ammonium nitrate using model reconstruction.

The energetic material ammonium nitrate (AN) is used as an industrial raw material; however, it presents a pyrolysis and explosion hazard during transportation and storage, especially when mixed with impurities. To study the effects of typical halides on the thermal decomposition kinetics of AN, a series of precision thermogravimetric analysis experiments at four heating rates were carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere. Based on derivative thermogravimetric analysis, the addition of sodium halides was found to change the kinetic reaction mechanism of AN pyrolysis. The activation energies were obtained using the isoconversional method, and the pre-exponential factor was derived from the kinetic compensation effect. Models of the kinetic reaction mechanism were reliably reconstructed by combining composite kinetic data processing methods, namely, model-free method, model-fitting method, and parameter simulation. A comprehensive analysis showed that the addition of sodium halides shifts the kinetic mechanism of the pyrolysis of AN toward different dominant reaction models (such as reaction order models, power law models, or phase boundary control models) than those of the original reaction model. The results are helpful as a reference and provide guidance for the determination of AN pyrolysis behavior and the simulation of parameters.

Analgesia-enhancing effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury:An fNIRS study.

BACKGROUND: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising treatment for chronic intractable neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the analgesia-enhancing effects of rTMS on conventional interventions (e.g., medications), and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the enhancement of analgesia and change of cortex activation by rTMS treatment on neuropathic pain following SCI. METHODS: A double-blind, sham-controlled, clinical trial was performed. Twenty-one patients with neuropathic pain after SCI were randomized (2:1) to receive a session of rTMS (10 Hz, a total of 1200 pulses at an intensity of 80% resting motor threshold) or sham treatment over the left primary motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the hand area daily for six weeks with a one-day interval per week. At T0 (before rTMS treatment), T1 (after the first session rTMS), T2 (after one week), T3 (after two weeks), T4 (after four weeks) and T5 (after six weeks), activations in the bilateral M1, primary somatosensory cortex (S1), premotor cortex (PMC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) during the handgrip task were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). In addition, the numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess pain. RESULTS: The pain intensity or activation in PFC, PMC, M1 or S1 was not remarkably changed at T1. Along with the time, the pain intensity gradually decreased in both the rTMS and sham groups. The real rTMS, compared with the sham, showed more pain relief from two weeks (T3) to six weeks (T5), and the activations of the motor-related areas M1 and PMC were remarkably suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this preliminary study with a small patient sample suggest that the analgesia-enhancing effects of high-frequency rTMS might be related with the amelioration of M1 and PMC hypersensitivity, shedding light upon the clinical treatment of SCI-related neuropathic pain.

MicroRNA-25 aggravates Aß1-42-induced hippocampal neuron injury in Alzheimer's disease by downregulating KLF2 via the Nrf2 signaling pathway in a mouse model.

Recently, numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have been considered as key players in the regulation of neuronal processes. The purpose of the present study is to explore the effect of miR-25 on hippocampal neuron injury in Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by amyloid ß (Aß) peptide fragment 1 to 42 (Aß1-42) via Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) through the nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. A mouse model of AD was established through Aß1-42 induction. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of miR-25 were analyzed through treatment of miR-25 mimics, miR-25 inhibitors, or small interfering RNA (siRNA) against KLF2 in hippocampal tissues and cells isolated from AD mice. The targeting relationship between miR-25 and KLF2 was predicted using a target prediction program and verified by luciferase activity determination. MTT assay was used to evaluate the proliferative ability and flow cytometry to detect cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. KLF2 was confirmed as a target gene of miR-25. When the mice were induced by Aß1-42, proliferation was suppressed while apoptosis was promoted in hippocampal neurons as evidenced by lower levels of KLF2, Nrf2, haem oxygenase, glutathione S transferase α1, glutathione, thioredoxin, and B-cell lymphoma-2 along with higher bax level. However, such alternations could be reversed by treatment of miR-25 inhibitors. These findings indicate that miR-25 may inhibit hippocampal neuron proliferation while promoting apoptosis, thereby aggravating hippocampal neuron injury through downregulation of KLF2 via the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

[Inhibitory effect of extract of Coptidis Rhizoma on invasion of Candida albicans hyphae in vitro].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the inhibitory effect of extract of Coptidis Rhizoma(ECR) on invasion of Candida albicans hyphae in vitro.XTT reduction method was used to evaluate the metabolic activity of C.albicans.The colony edge growth of C.albicans was observed by solid medium.The growth of C.albicans hyphae was determined on semi-solid medium.The morphology and viability changes of C.albicans hyphae were assessed by scanning electron microscope and fluorescence microscope.qRT-PCR method was used to detect the ALS3 and SSA1 expression of C.albicans invasin genes.The results showed that the metabolic viability by XTT method detected that the activity of C.albicans was gradually decreased under the intervention of 64,128 and 256 mg·L-1 of ECR respectively.128,256 mg·L-1 of ECR significantly inhibited colony folds and wrinkles on solid medium and the hyphal invasion in semi-solid medium.Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy showed that 128,256 mg·L-1 of ECR could inhibit the formation of C.albicans hyphae.qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of invasin gene ALS3 and SSA1 was down-regulated,and especially 256 mg·L-1 of ECR could down-regulate the two genes expression by 4.8,1.68 times respectively.This study showed that ECR can affect the invasiveness of C.albicans by inhibiting the growth of hyphae and the expression of invasin.

An experimental and theoretical study of optimized selection and model reconstruction for ammonium nitrate pyrolysis.

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is a commonly-used industrial raw material in industrial explosives and fertilizers areas. However, as an energetic material, its danger exists during the production, transportation, and storage, resulting in a large number of accidents involving personal injury and property loss. To obtain the accurate kinetic triplet parameters of AN thermal decomposition, a series of thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) experiments was conducted with four different heating rates. Activation energies were calculated by different isoconversional methods Then the kinetic triplet of AN pyrolysis was optimized using a combination of experimental and simulant methods. Combined with the traditional model-free and model-fitting approaches, the experimental kinetic model for AN pyrolysis was optimized and then reconstructed. Through the pyrolysis reaction of AN, a reliable methodology for processing TGA data of hazardous material is proposed in the paper, and the kinetic parameters can be accurately obtained by using such a kinetics method.

A Temporal Adaptive Access Mechanism for Data Fusion in an IoT Environment.

Data fusion in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment demands collecting and processing a wide variety of data with mixed time characteristics, both real-time and non-real-time data. Most of the previous research on data fusion was about the data processing aspect; however, successful data transmission is a prerequisite for high-performance data fusion in IoT. On the other hand, research on data transmissions in IoT mainly focuses on networking without sufficiently considering the special requirements of the upper-layer applications, such as the data fusion process, that are consuming the transmitted data. In this paper, we tackle the problem of data transmission for data fusion in an IoT environment by proposing a distributed scheduling mechanism VD-CSMA in wireless sensor networks, which considers the values for data fusion, as well as the delay constraints of packets when determining their priority levels for transmission. Simulation results have shown that VD-CSMA may enhance both throughput and delay performance of data transmission as compared to the typical scheduling schemes used for data fusion in IoT.

[Therapeutic potential of n-butanol extract of Pulsatilla decoction in a murine model of ulcerative colitis induced by DSS combined with Candida albicans colonization].

To investigate the mechanism of n-butanol extract of Pulsatilla decoction (BAEB) against murine ulcerative colitis (UC) model induced by DSS combined with Candida albicans (CA) colonization, mice were randomly divided into normal control group, DSS group, DSS+CA group, BAEB high, medium and low dose group, and positive drug Mesalazine group. The general condition of mice was observed, fungal loads of murine intestinal contents were detected by plate method, colonic pathological change of mice was examined by HE staining. ASCA in serum and IL-6, IL-8, IL-1ß, HBD-2, HBD-3 in colonic mucosa were detected by ELISA. The results showed that, compared with DSS group, the general condition and ASCA in serum had no obvious change for DSS+CA group, but the fungal loads in intestinal contents, the colonic pathological damage, and the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1ß, HBD-2, HBD-3 in colonic mucosa were greater than that of DSS group. High dose of BAEB group and Mesalazine group could improve the colonic pathology, decrease IL-6, IL-8, IL-1ß, HBD-2, HBD-3 expression level. In conclusion, BAEB could effectively improve the UC symptoms in mice induced by DSS combined with CA colonization, and inhibit the inflammatory factors such as IL-6, imply that BAEB is of important value for the treatment of intestinal fungal-related colitis.

Acute compartment syndrome of the leg due to infection following an insect bite: A case report.

RATIONALE: Acute compartment syndrome is a highly aggressive condition, which needs rapid diagnosis and surgical emergency. Most cases are caused by trauma, fractures, surgeries, or vascular injury, while other causes are easily misdiagnosed. PATIENTS CONCERNS: A 29-year-old female, with a medical history of an insect bite on the left calf but not recent trauma, was admitted to the hospital due to the swelling and pain around the bite area. DIAGNOSES: Acute compartment syndrome of the lower leg. INTERVENTIONS: After admission, she developed septic shock symptoms, given intravenous antibiotics treatments. However, the condition worsened with increasing pain, loss of sensation, tense swelling, and severe pain to any stretch of the tissues. Thus the patient received fasciotomy followed by repeat and thorough debridement. After the wounds healed completely, systematic rehabilitation was performed for three weeks. OUTCOMES: After three months of follow-up, the patient is able to walk, and moves up and down the stairs, independently. LESSONS: Our case highlights the possibility of acute compartment syndrome caused by insect bites when the patient presents with the signs of the condition, and the importance of earlier rehabilitation interventions to improve the functional outcome post operation.

MicroRNA-135b-5p prevents oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced neuronal injury through regulation of the GSK-3ß/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

INTRODUCTION: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in the pathological process of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. miRNAs play an important role in regulating neuronal survival. miR-135b-5p has been reported as an important miRNA in regulating cell apoptosis. However, the role of miR-135b-5p in regulating neuronal survival remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-135b-5p in cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion using an in vitro model of oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-(OGD/R) induced neuron injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: miRNA, mRNA and protein expression was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit-8 and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Cell apoptosis was detected by caspase-3 activity assay. Oxidative stress was determined using commercial kits. The target of miR-135b-5p was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: We found that miR-135b-5p expression was significantly decreased in hippocampal neurons receiving OGD/R treatment. Overexpression of miR-135b-5p markedly alleviated OGD/R-induced cell injury and oxidative stress, whereas suppression of miR-135b-5p showed the opposite effects. We observed that miR-135b-5p directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß). We found that miR-135b-5p negatively regulates the expression of GSK-3ß in hippocampal neurons. Moreover, miR-135b-5p overexpression promotes activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling. However, the restoration of GSK-3ß expression significantly reversed the protective effects of miR-135b-5p overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results suggest that miR-135b-5p protects neurons against OGD/R-induced injury through downregulation of GSK-3ß and promotion of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway-mediated antioxidant responses.

Effects of combining high- and low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper limb hemiparesis in the early phase of stroke.

BACKGROUND: Both high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) and low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS) are reported to benefit upper limb motor function rehabilitation in patients with stroke. However, the efficacy of combining LF- and HF-rTMS (LF-HF rTMS) has not been adequately explored, especially in the early phase of stroke. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of LF- and LF-HF rTMS on the upper limb motor function in the early phase post stroke. METHODS: Sixty-two patients were randomly assigned to three groups: LF-rTMS group (1 Hz rTMS to the contralesional hemisphere), LF-HF rTMS group (1 Hz rTMS to the contralesional hemisphere followed by 10 Hz rTMS to the lesional hemisphere) and sham group. The patients received the same conventional rehabilitation accompanied with sessions of rTMS for 15 consecutive days. The upper limb motor function was evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) before the first session, after the last session, and at 3 months after the last session. RESULTS: All patients finished the study without any adverse reaction. Three groups exhibited improvement in terms of the FMA score and the log WMFT time at the end of the treatment and 3 months later. Better improvement was found in the LF-HF rTMS group than in the LF-rTMS and sham groups. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that both LF- and LF-HF rTMS were effective in promoting upper limb motor recovery in patients with acute stroke. Combining HF- and LF-rTMS protocol in the present study is tolerable and more beneficial for motor improvement than the unilateral use of LF-rTMS alone.

[Butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng decoction inhibits Candida albicans cell membrane].

To study the inhibitory effect of butyl alcohol extract of Baitouweng decoction(BAEB) on Candida albicans cell membrane. The effects of BAEB on the activity of C. albicans were observed by Spot assay. The changes of intracellular osmotic pressure of C. albicans after BAEB intervention were detected by microtiter plate reader. The effect of BAEB on cell membrane permeability of C. albicans were observed by fluorescence microscopy. The content of ergosterol in C. albicans cell membrane was detected by high performance liquid chromatography, and the expression of ergosterol biosynthesis related genes in cell membrane was detected by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the activity of C. albicans was significantly decreased in 256, 512 and 1 024 mg•L⁻¹ BAEB group. The intracellular glycerol content of C. albicans was significantly increased in 512 and 1 024 mg•L⁻¹ BAEB group(P<0.05). The gene HOG1 associated with intracellular osmotic pressure of C. albicans was down-regulated by 9.1, 9.3 and 5.5 times, respectively. C. albicans with red fluorescent were increased significantly in 512 and 1 024 mg•L⁻¹ BAEB group. The peak area of ergosterol in the 1 024 mg•L⁻¹ BAEB group was 35.884 95, with a significant difference(P<0.05); ERG1, ERG2, ERG3, ERG4, ERG5, ERG6, ERG10, ERG11, ERG13, ERG24, ERG25, ERG251, ERG26 and UPC2 were down-regulated by 6.58, 4.89, 4.15, 9.24,3.41, 9.84, 3.08, 7.50, 5.53, 5.90, 2.45, 3.25,1.98 and 10.07 times respectively in 1 024 mg•L⁻¹ BAEB group. The study indicated that BAEB could inhibit ergosterol and its biosynthesis related genes expression in the cell membrane and inhibit the activity of C. albicans.