Abnormal platelet parameters in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Platelet dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite clinical observations indicating abnormalities in platelet parameters among IBD patients, inconsistencies persist, and these parameters lack standardization for diagnosis or clinical assessment. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant articles published up to December 16th, 2023. A random-effects model was employed to pool the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) between IBD patients and healthy controls, and subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 79 articles with 8,350 IBD patients and 13,181 healthy individuals. The results revealed significantly increased PLT and PCT levels (WMD: 69.910, 95% CI: 62.177, 77.643 109/L; WMD: 0.046%, 95% CI: 0.031%, 0.061%), and decreased MPV levels (WMD: -0.912, 95% CI: -1.086, -0.739 fL) in IBD patients compared to healthy individuals. No significant difference was found in PDW between the IBD and control groups (WMD: -0.207%, 95% CI: -0.655%, 0.241%). Subgroup analysis by disease type and disease activity showed no change in the differences for PLT, PCT, and MPV in the ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease groups, as well as the active and inactive groups. Notably, the active group exhibited significantly lower PDW levels than the control group (WMD: -1.138%, 95% CI: -1.535%, -0.741%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with healthy individuals, IBD patients display significantly higher PLT and PCT and significantly lower MPV. Monitoring the clinical manifestations of platelet abnormalities serves as a valuable means to obtain diagnostic and prognostic information. Conversely, proactive measures should be taken to prevent the consequences of platelet abnormalities in individuals with IBD. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023493848.

Characteristics of China's coal mine methane emission sources at national and provincial levels.

Methane (CH4) is the second most abundant greenhouse gas. China is the largest CH4 emitter in the world, with coal mine methane (CMM) being one of the main anthropogenic contributions. Thus, there is an urgent need for comprehensive estimates and strategies for reducing CMM emissions in China. However, the development of effective strategies is currently challenged by a lack of information on temporal variations in the contributions of different CMM sources and the absence of provincial spatial analysis. Here, considering five sources and utilization, we build a comprehensive inventory of China's CMM emissions from 1980 to 2022 and quantify the contributions of individual sources to the overall CMM emissions at the national and provincial levels. Our results highlight a significant shift in the source contributions of CMM emissions, with the largest contributor, underground mining, decreasing from 89% in 1980 to 69% in 2022. Underground abandoned coal mines, which were ignored or underestimated in past inventories, have become the second source of CMM emissions since 1999. From 2011 to 2022, we identified Shanxi, Guizhou, and Shaanxi as the three largest CMM-emitting provinces, while the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) v8 overestimated emissions from Inner Mongolia, ranking it third. Notably, we observed a substantial decrease (exceeding 1 Mt) in CMM emissions in Sichuan, Henan, Liaoning, and Hunan between 2011 and 2022, which was not captured by EDGAR v8. To develop targeted CMM emission reduction strategies at the provincial level, we classified 31 provinces into four groups based on their CMM emission structures. In 2022, the number of provinces with CMM emissions mainly from abandoned coal mines has exceeded that of provinces with mainly underground mines, which requires attention. This study reveals the characteristics of the source of CMM emissions in China and provides emission reduction directions for four groups of provinces.

Progranulin Protects against Aspergillus fumigatus Keratitis by Attenuating the Inflammatory Response through Enhancing Autophagy.

Fungal keratitis (FK) is a severe corneal condition caused by pathogenic fungi and is associated with the virulence of fungi and an excessive tissue inflammatory response. Progranulin (PGRN), functioning as a multifunctional growth factor, exerts a pivotal influence on the regulation of inflammation and autophagy. The aim of our research was to analyze the role of PGRN in Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis. We found that PGRN expression was increased in the mouse cornea with A. fumigatus keratitis. In our experiments, corneas of mice with FK were treated with 100 ng/mL of PGRN. In vitro, RAW 264.7 cells were treated with 10 ng/mL of PGRN before A. fumigatus stimulation. The findings suggested that PGRN effectively alleviated corneal edema and decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice. In stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, PGRN treatment suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α but promoted the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10. PGRN treatment significantly upregulated the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3, Beclin-1, and Atg-7. 3-Methyladenine (3-MA, autophagy inhibitor) reversed the regulation of inflammatory cytokines by PGRN. In addition, our study demonstrated that PGRN also enhanced phagocytosis in RAW 264.7 cells. In summary, PGRN attenuated the inflammatory response of A. fumigatus keratitis by increasing autophagy and enhanced the phagocytic activity of RAW 264.7 cells. This showed that PGRN had a protective effect on A. fumigatus keratitis.

Fibronectin binds integrin α5ß1 to regulate macular neovascularization through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, degenerative disease of the macula. The formation of macular neovascularization (MNV) and subretinal fibrosis of AMD is the most classic cause of the loss of vision in older adults worldwide. While the underlying causes of MNV and subretinal fibrosis remain elusive, the common feature of many common retinal diseases is changes the proportions of protein deposition in extracellular matrix (ECM) when compared to normal tissue. In ECM, fibronectin (FN) is a crucial component and plays a pivotal part not only in fibrotic diseases but also in the process of angiogenesis. The study aims to understand the role of ligand FN and its common integrin receptor α5ß1 on MNV, and to understand the molecular mechanism involved. To study this, the laser-induced MNV mouse model and the rhesus macaque choroid-retinal endothelial cell line (RF/6A) chemical hypoxia mode were established, and the FN-α5ß1 expression levels were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR). Fibronectin expression was silenced using small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting FN. The tube formation and vitro scratch assays were used to assess the ability to form blood vessels and cell migration. To measure the formation of MNV, immunofluorescence, and Western blot assays were used. These results revealed that the expressions of FN and integrin α5ß1 were distinctly increased in the laser-induced MNV mouse model and in the RF/6A cytochemically induced hypoxia model, and the expression tendency was identical. After the use of FN siRNA, the tube formation and migration abilities of the RF/6A cells were lower, the ability of endothelial cells to proliferate was confined and the scope of damage caused by the laser in animal models was significantly cut down. In addition, FN gene knockdown dramatically inhibited the expression of Wnt/ß-catenin signal. The interaction of FN with the integrin receptor α5ß1 in the constructed model, which may act through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, was confirmed in this study. In conclusion, FN may be a potential new molecular target for the prevention and treatment of subretinal fibrosis and MNV.

Structural characteristics and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions at county-level and long-time scales: A case study of the Anji County, China.

To achieve carbon neutrality, the Chinese government needs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sources and drivers of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly at the county level. Anji County in eastern China is a typical example of an industrial transformation from quarrying to a low-carbon economy. This study analyzed the decoupling types and structural characteristics of GHG emissions and the driving factors of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Anji from 2006 to 2019, and explored the differences between county-level and provincial-level or city-level results. It was observed that energy-related activities are the main source of GHG emissions in Anji and that economic development is the driving factor behind the increasing CO2 emissions. However, industrial transformation and upgradation coupled with the alternative use of clean energy limit the growth of GHG emissions. This study details the GHG emissions of county during the industrial transformation stage and provides corresponding policy recommendations for county governments.

CCl4 emissions in eastern China during 2021-2022 and exploration of potential new sources.

According to the Montreal Protocol, the production and consumption of ozone-layer-depleting CCl4 for dispersive applications was globally phased out by 2010, including China. However, continued CCl4 emissions were disclosed, with the latest CCl4 emissions unknown in eastern China. In the current study, based on the atmospheric measurements of ~12,000 air samples taken at two sites in eastern China, the 2021-2022 CCl4 emissions are quantified as 7.6 ± 1.7 gigagrams per year. This finding indicates that CCl4 emissions continued after being phased out for dispersive uses in 2010. Subsequently, our study identifies potential industrial sources (manufacture of general purpose machinery and manufacture of raw chemical materials, and chemical products) of CCl4 emissions.

Role of Inhibiting Inflammation of LC3-Associated Phagocytosis in Dry Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To confirm the expression and investigate the role of LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) in dry eye disease (DED). METHODS: The DED model of mice was established by scopolamine subcutaneous injection in a low-humidity environment chamber. Tear secretion test and corneal fluorescein sodium staining were used to evaluate the severity of DED. Expression levels of Rubicon, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II (LC3-II), Beclin-1 and autophagy-related gene-7 (Atg-7) in corneas of mice with DED were tested by western blot. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the effects of different concentrations of hypertonic solutions on the proliferation activity of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). The expression levels of Dectin-1, IL-6 and IL-1ß in HCECs after stimulation with different concentrations of hypertonic solutions were tested. The expressions of Rubicon, LC3-II, Beclin-1 and ATG-7 in HCECs were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After being pretreated with 10 µM si-Rubicon, the severity of the disease was documented by corneal fluorescein sodium staining. And the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-1ß were also tested by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the corneal fluorescein sodium staining scores and tear secretion were significantly reduced. Rubicon, LC3-II, Beclin-1 and ATG-7 were significantly elevated. CCK-8 showed that the 400 and 450 mOsM hypertonic solutions did not affect the proliferation activity of HCECs. The expression of Dectin-1, IL-1ß and IL-6 were elevated after stimulation with 450 mOsM solution. LC3-II, Rubicon, ATG-7 and Beclin-1 increased after stimulation with 450 mOsM hyperosmolar solution in HCECs. Corneal fluorescein staining showed that si-Rubicon increased the severity of DED in mice. Moreover, the mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors IL-1ß and IL-6 in the cornea of mice were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: DED increased the expression of proteins associated with LAP. LAP could play an anti-inflammatory effect in DED.

The impact of accelerated rehabilitation surgical nursing combined with rosenthal effect nursing intervention on the rehabilitation and quality of life of athletes with spinal fractures

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of accelerated rehabilitation surgical nursing combined with Rosenthal effect nursing intervention on the rehabilitation process and quality of life in athletes undergoing spinal fracture surgery. Given the unique physical demands and recovery goals of athletes, this study provides insights into tailored postoperative care strategies for this specific population. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 129 postoperative athlete patients with spinal fractures treated in our hospital from March 2020 to March 2021. Due to various reasons, 9 patients were excluded, leaving 60 patients in both the control and observation groups. The control group received accelerated rehabilitation surgical care, while the observation group additionally received Rosenthal effect nursing intervention. The study compared the rehabilitation progress, quality of life, and self-efficacy post-surgery between these two groups. Results: Initially, there was no significant difference in quality-of-life scores between the groups (P>0.05). Post-intervention, the observation group, which included athletes, showed significantly higher improvements in social function, psychological function, and material life status than the control group (P<0.05), the observation group exhibited better motor function scores, neurological recovery, and self-efficacy post-nursing (P<0.05). Additionally, the observation group had lower Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, and shorter times for intestinal function recovery, first exhaust, and first defecation compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combination of accelerated rehabilitation surgical nursing and Rosenthal effect nursing intervention is particularly effective for athletes recovering from spinal fractures (AU)

Thymoquinone attenuates inflammation in C. Albicans keratitis by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and reducing fungal load.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties of thymoquinone (TQ) and elucidate its mechanism of action in the context of C. albicans keratitis. METHODS: Various methods were employed to identify a safe and effective concentration of TQ with antifungal properties, including the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) test, and the Draize experiment. The severity of fungal keratitis (FK) was assessed through clinical ratings and slit-lamp imaging. Fungus burden was determined using plate counting and periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Neutrophil infiltration and activity were investigated through immunofluorescence staining (IFS), myeloperoxidase (MPO) analysis, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. To explore the anti-inflammatory effects of TQ and its mechanism of action, we employed RT-PCR, ELISA, and western blot techniques. RESULTS: TQ effectively controlled fungal growth at a concentration of 50 µg/mL while preserving the integrity of mouse corneas. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) remained unaffected by TQ at concentrations ≤ 3.75 µg/mL. Treatment with TQ led to significant improvements in clinical scores, fungal burden, neutrophil infiltration, and the expression of inflammatory factors compared to the DMSO group. Moreover, TQ demonstrated the ability to reduce the levels of inflammatory factors in HCECs stimulated by C. albicans. Additionally, TQ enhanced the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 in mouse corneas. The downregulation of cytokines induced by TQ was reversed upon pretreatment with inhibitors of Nrf2 or HO-1. CONCLUSION: TQ exhibits a protective effect in the context of C. albicans keratitis through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of C. albicans growth, reduction of neutrophil recruitment, activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, and limitation of the expression of pro-inflammatory factors.

Inhibition of AIF-1 alleviates laser-induced macular neovascularization by inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation via restrained p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading blinding disease worldwide, and macular neovascularization (MNV) is a common complication encountered in the advanced stages of AMD. While the underlying causes of MNV remain elusive, aberrant multiplication of choroidal endothelial cells (CECs) and increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are thought to play significant roles in the occurrence and development of MNV. Allograft inflammatory factor-1(AIF-1) is a crucial regulatory factor of vascular tubular structure formation and growth, involving the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells and various tumor cells. This study aimed to understand how AIF-1 effects the proliferation of CECs and the subsequent progression of MNV. To study this, a mouse MNV model was established through laser injury, and the AIF-1 expression levels were then measured using western blot and immunohistochemistry. AIF-1 siRNA was intravitreally injected to silence AIF-1 gene expression. Western blot and choroidal flat mount were performed to measure the progression of MNV and proliferation of the CECs. These results showed that the protein expression of AIF-1 was significantly elevated in the laser-induced mouse MNV model, and the expression trend was consistent with VEGF. The protein level of AIF-1 was significantly decreased after the intravitreal injection of AIF-1 siRNA, the damage range of laser lesions was significantly reduced, and the proliferation of endothelial cells was inhibited. Knockdown of the AIF-1 gene significantly inhibited the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase p44/42 in MNV lesions. In summary, this research demonstrates that AIF-1 promoted MNV progression by promoting the proliferation of CECs and that silencing AIF-1 significantly ameliorates MNV progression in mouse models, which may act through the p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway. AIF-1 could be a new potential molecular target for MNV.

Candidalysin amplifies the immune inflammatory response in Candida albicans keratitis through the TREM-1/DAP12 pathway.

Candidalysin is a fungal peptide toxin secreted by Candida albicans hyphae during invasion into epithelial cells. In Candida albicans-infected mucosa, candidalysin causes epithelial cell damage and activates downstream inflammatory responses, especially the release of inflammatory cytokines. However, the role of candidalysin in Candida albicans corneal keratitis remains unexplored. Moreover, it remains unclear whether candidalysin regulates the inflammatory response through the TREM-1/DAP12 pathway in Candida albicans corneal keratitis. In this study, we determined the expression pattern of TREM-1 in a mouse model of Candida albicans corneal keratitis and investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the inflammatory response regulation by candidalysin. The corneal keratitis model was established in C57BL/6 mice. In the GF9 group, mice were pretreated and then treated with the TREM-1 inhibitor GF9; in the candidalysin group, mice were treated with peptide candidalysin; and in the PD98059 group, mice were pretreated with the ERK inhibitor PD98059. Slit-lamp photography, clinical scoring, PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence assay were performed to observe disease response and GF9 therapeutic efficacy. Pretreatment with candidalysin or PD98059 was performed before Candida albicans infection. GF9 treatment reduced the expression of TREM-1 and cytokines in the infected mouse cornea, whereas candidalysin treatment increased the expression of TREM-1, p-ERK, and cytokines, and this increase was inhibited by GF9. The candidalysin-induced increment of TREM-1, p-ERK, and cytokines was inhibited by PD98059 pretreatment. These data suggest that candidalysin can initiate inflammatory response in Candida albicans corneal keratitis through the TREM-1/DAP12 pathway and can regulate cytokine expression by enhancing ERK phosphorylation.

Biomimetic, Injectable, and Self-Healing Hydrogels with Sustained Release of Ranibizumab to Treat Retinal Neovascularization.

Retinal neovascularization (RNV) is a typical feature of ischemic retinal diseases that can lead to traction retinal detachment and even blindness in patients, in which the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role. However, most anti-VEGF drugs currently used for treating RNV, such as ranibizumab, need frequent and repeated intravitreal injections due to their short intravitreal half-life, which increases the incidence of complications. Herein, a hydrogel intravitreal drug delivery system (DDS) is prepared by a dynamic Schiff base reaction between aminated hyaluronic acid and aldehyde-functionalized Pluronic 127 for sustained release of ranibizumab. The prepared hydrogel system named HP@Ran exhibits excellent injectability, self-healing ability, structural stability, cytocompatibility, and blood compatibility. According to an in vitro drug release study, the hydrogel system continuously releases the model drug bovine serum albumin for more than 56 days. Importantly, in an in vivo rabbit persistent RNV model, the HP@Ran hydrogel system continuously releases pharmacologically active ranibizumab for more than 7 weeks and also exhibits superior anti-angiogenic efficacy over ranibizumab treatment by decreasing vascular leakage and neovascularization at 12 weeks. Thus, the developed HP@Ran hydrogel system possesses great potential for intravitreal DDS for the treatment of RNV.

Global methyl halide emissions from biomass burning during 2003-2021.

Methyl halides (CH3Cl, CH3Br, and CH3I) are ozone-depleting substances. Biomass burning (BB) is an important source of methyl halides. The temporal variations and global spatial distribution of BB methyl halide emissions are unclear. Thus, global methyl halide emissions from BB during 2003-2021 were estimated based on satellite data. A significant decreasing trend (p < 0.01) in global methyl halide emissions from BB was found between 2003 and 2021, with CH3Cl emissions decreasing from 302 to 220 Gg yr-1, CH3Br emissions decreasing from 16.5 to 11.7 Gg yr-1, and CH3I emissions decreasing from 8.9 to 6.1 Gg yr-1. From a latitudinal perspective, the northern high-latitude region (60-90° N) was the only latitude zone with significant increases in BB methyl halide emissions (p < 0.01). Based on an analysis of the drivers of BB methyl halide emissions, emissions from cropland, grassland, and shrubland fires were more correlated with the burned area, while BB emissions from forest fires were more correlated with the emissions per unit burned area. The non-BB emissions of CH3Cl increased from 4749 Gg yr-1 in 2003 to 4882 Gg yr-1 in 2020, while those of CH3Br decreased from 136 Gg yr-1 in 2003 to 118 Gg yr-1 in 2020 (global total CH3I emissions are not available). The finding indicates that global CH3Cl and CH3Br emissions from sources besides BB increased and decreased during 2003-2020. Based on our findings, not only searching for unknown sources is important, but also re-evaluating known sources is necessary for addressing methyl halide emissions.

Characteristics and source apportionment of some halocarbons in Hangzhou, eastern China during 2021.

In recent years, eastern China has been identified as an important contributor to national and global emissions of halocarbons, some of which are ozone depletion substances (ODSs) that delay the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer. However, the most recent characteristics and sources of halocarbons in eastern China remain unclear. Thus, hourly atmospheric observations of halocarbons were conducted in Hangzhou throughout 2021. The results showed that methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) was the most abundant halocarbon (2207 (25 %-75 % quantile: 1116-2848) ppt; parts per trillion) followed by chloromethane (CH3Cl) (912 (683-1043) ppt), and 1,2-dichloroethane (CH2ClCH2Cl) (596 (292-763) ppt). Then, backward trajectory and potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis show that the emission hot spots of halocarbons were concentrated in adjacent cities in Zhejiang and neighboring provinces in eastern China. Moreover, based on positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis, industrial emission (38.7 %), solvent usage (32.6 %), and the refrigeration sector and biomass burning (23.7 %) were the main sources of halocarbons (observed in this study). This study reveals high concentrations and potential sources of halocarbons in eastern China, which are important for studying the recovery of the ozone layer.

NADPH oxidase 2 plays a protective role in experimental Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis in mice through killing fungi and limiting the degree of inflammation.

AIM: To explore whether nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 2 (NOX2) is expressed in fungal keratitis in mice and investigate its role in this disease. METHODS: NOX2 expression was detected in C57BL/6 mice. After testing the inhibitory effect of diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) on NOX2, its impact on clinical performance, myeloperoxidase levels, the number of colonies forming units, the level of H3, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the release of cytokines [NF-κB, interleukin-17A (IL-17A), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Nrf2, IL-10, and TGF-ß] were compared. A one-way ANOVA and an unpaired, two-tailed Student's t-test was used to determine the statistical significance. RESULTS: NOX2 expression was significantly increased after Aspergillus fumigatus injection in corneas and that this increase could be reduced by treatment with DPI. DPI treatment produced more severe inflammation and resulted in higher clinical scores, more neutrophils infiltration, a weakened ability to clear fungi, the release of fewer ROS and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. Treatment with DPI increased the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines NF-κB, IL-17A, IL-6, and TNF-α and decreased the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokines Nrf2, IL-10 and TGF-ß compared to their expression levels without DPI treatment. CONCLUSION: NOX2 plays an important role against Aspergillus fumigatus in the mouse cornea through killing fungi and limiting the degree of inflammation.

Eugenol protects against Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis by inhibiting inflammatory response and reducing fungal load.

Fungal keratitis is a corneal infection, which severely impairs vision. The fungal pathogen provokes host immune response, but the excessive inflammatory response causes significant collateral damage to the cornea. Eugenol, the main component of clove oil, has been found to have a broad range of pharmacological activities including anti-microbial, antioxidation and anti-inflammation. However, the role of eugenol in Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that eugenol reduced mice keratitis severity, inflammatory cells infiltration, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and the fungal load. Eugenol also decreased the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). We confirmed that the anti-inflammatory effects of eugenol were related to activating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/Heme Oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) signaling pathway. Moreover, we demonstrated that eugenol could inhibit the A. fumigatus growth and adhesion to host cells, as well as damage the fungal biofilm. The antifungal mechanism seemed to be disrupting the integrity of the fungal membrane and reducing the biosynthesis of ergosterol. Taken together, our research suggested that eugenol exerted protective effects on mouse A. fumigatus keratitis, due to its anti-inflammatory and antifungal activity.

Antifungal and Anti-inflammatory Effect of Punicalagin on Murine Aspergillus fumigatus Keratitis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and antifungal effect of punicalagin in murine fungal keratitis. METHODS: We used in vitro and in vivo protocols to assess the anti-inflammatory effect and antifungal effect of punicalagin. In vitro, time kill and mycelial stain were done. In vivo, murine fungal keratitis was established and treated with PBS or PUN. Clinical scores were taken on days 1, 3, and 5 post infection. The mRNA and protein levels of inflammatory factors were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, and the number and location of macrophages were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Also, fungal plate counting was used to assess the antifungal effect. The DCFH-DA fluorescence probe detected the ROS level. RESULTS: In vitro, PUN showed activity against A.fumigatus. (A.F.), with MIC90 values of 250 µg/ml, and significantly reduced A.F. biofilm formation (p < .001). In vivo, the mouse fungal keratitis model after punicalagin treatment exhibited less disease, lower clinical scores (p < .05), lower reduced macrophage infiltrate (p < .001), and fungal load (p < .001) than those treated with PBS. Treatment with punicalagin also reduced the mRNA expression and protein level of pro-inflammatory factors. At the cellular level, PUN significantly reduced the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and ROS production caused by the stimulation of mycelia in RAW264.7 (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The results show that punicalagin is beneficial in the treatment of murine fungal keratitis. The mechanism of its anti-inflammatory effect was synthetical, including antifungal activity, an inhibitory effect of proinflammatory factor and macrophages, and anti-oxidation.

Cotton photosynthetic productivity enhancement through uniform row-spacing with optimal plant density in Xinjiang, China.

Xinjiang is currently the most dominant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-growing region in China and possesses abundant radiation resource. The cultivation techniques such as wide and narrow row-spacing and high density are widely adopted to obtain high cotton yield in the region. However, the region is facing some problems including poor light transmittance in the field and low exploitation for light resources under the current planting pattern which impedes further growth in cotton yields. Therefore, it is essential to develop some cultivation practices to increase radiation use efficiency (RUE) and cotton yields in Xinjiang. Here we conducted a field experiment to quantify the effects of row spacing pattern and plant density on RUE, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation from May to August (IRAR5-8), and lint yield during 2017 and 2018. In this study, we designed two row-spacing configurations (R1, wide and narrow configuration, 66 cm + 10 cm; R2, uniform row-spacing configuration, 76 cm) and six plant densities (4.5, 9.0, 13.5, 18.0, 22.5, and 27.0 plants m-2). The RUE, lint yield, and number of bolls were higher in R2 than R1 by 4.1-5.9, 2.5-4.8, and 9.1-14.2%, respectively. The RUE significantly increased with plant density, but lint yield stabilized at 18.0 plants m-2. Moreover, RUE had more significant positive effects on boll number and lint yield. Overall, we found that R2 combined with optimal plant densities (13.5-18.0 plants m-2) would be an effective strategy to achieve higher RUE and yields in the Xinjiang cotton system.

A comprehensive review on anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission estimates in China: Comparison and outlook.

Accurate measurement and estimation on the trends and spatial distributions of VOCs emissions in China are critical to establishing efficient local or regional pollution control measures, while less is known about the discrepancies on VOCs emissions estimated by previous studies. In this study, two of the estimation approaches including the bottom-up and top-down methods have been reviewed with the data collected from many studies. The approaches demonstrated that the total anthropogenic VOCs emissions in China have been increasing since 1949. The contributions of industrial and solvent use to total VOCs emissions have been increasing since 2000, whereas the contributions of transportation sector have shown a decreasing trend since 2000. The contributions of fuel combustion have also been decreasing since 1950. The gaps of emission estimates for the industry and solvent use were 99.3 ± 22.7% and 81.5 ± 41.8%, respectively, which distributed in much wider ranges than other sources (e.g. 28.9 ± 16.7% for fuel combustion). In comparison to the top-down method, larger variations on the annual VOCs emission estimates were seen using the bottom-up method that comprised different data sources. For the view of spatial pattern, most hot emission estimate spots were concentrated in the eastern China, consistent to their relatively stronger strengths in the industrialization and urbanization. Although the total VOCs emission in China has been continuously increasing during 2008-2016, the VOCs emissions per gross domestic production (GDP) showed a decreasing trend. As for individual compounds, large discrepancy was seen on formaldehyde, with the coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 37% to 128% over the years. In overall of view, the importance of industrial process and solvent use is increasing. More focuses must be made to these two sources. Emissions of individual compound, particularly those of oxygenated VOCs, were not completely determined and should be better quantified.