Effect of electroacupuncture combined with sulforaphane in the treatment of sarcopenia in SAMP8 mice.

Objectives: Skeletal muscles mitochondrial dysfunction is the main cause of sarcopenia. Both electroacupuncture (EA) and sulforaphane (SFN) have been shown to improve oxidative stress and inflammation levels to maintain mitochondrial function, but the effects and mechanisms of their combination on sarcopenia are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of EA combined with SFN on sarcopenia. Materials and Methods: SAMP8 mice were used and intervened with EA or SFN, respectively, and Masson and HE staining were used to observe pathological changes in skeletal muscle tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect tissue mitochondrial changes. TUNEL staining was used to assess apoptosis. The biochemical and molecular content was tested by ELISA, western blot, and qRT-PCR. Results: The results showed that oxidative stress, apoptosis, and IL-6, TNF-α, Atrogin-1, and MuRF1 levels in skeletal muscles cells were suppressed and mitochondrial damage was repaired after EA or SFN intervention. In addition, we found that the above changes were associated with the activation of the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway in skeletal muscle tissues, and the promotion effect of combined EA and SFN intervention was more significant. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study found that EA combined with SFN mediated the repair of mitochondrial damage through activation of the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway, thereby alleviating skeletal muscles morphology and function in sarcopenia. This study combines EA with SFN, which not only broadens the use of electroacupuncture and SFN but also provides a scientific experimental basis for the treatment of sarcopenia.

CircFN1 promotes acute myeloid leukemia cell proliferation and invasion but refrains apoptosis via miR-1294/ARHGEF10L axis.

Previous studies have proved circFN1 is highly expressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and AML cell lines. This study aims to investigate the impact of circFN1 on AML and its mechanism. Via real-time quantitative PCR to detect circFN1, miR-1294, ARHGEF10L expressions in clinical plasma samples and AML cell lines, AML cells were cultured in vitro and transfected with si-circFN1, pcDNA3.1-circFN1, and si-ARHGEF10L, respectively, or co-transfected pcDNA3.1-circFN1 + miR-1294 mimic and pcDNA3.1-circFN1 + si-ARHGEF10L. Using dual luciferase reporter experiment to detect the relationship between circFN1 and miR-1294, as well as miR-1294 and ARHGEF10L. CCK-8 was used to detect cell proliferation, Transwell to cell invasion, TUNEL staining and flow cytometry to detect cell apoptosis, RT-qPCR to circFN1 RNA, miR-1294, and ARHGEF10L expression levels in HL-60 cells, and western blot to ARHGEF10L protein expression level in HL-60 cells. We found highly expressed circFN1 and ARHGEF10L, as well as low-expressed miR-1294 in AML patients and AML cell lines. In contrast to si-NC group, si-circFN1 group could signally inhibit HL-60 cell proliferation and migration, but promote cell apoptosis; compared with mimic NC group, miR-1294 mimic group could visually inhibit HL-60 cell proliferation and migration, but promote cell apoptosis. miR-1294 was the target of circFN1, and ARHGEF10L was the target of miR-1294. Over-expressing miR-1294 or silencing ARHGEF10L could signally inhibit circFN1 promoting HL-60 cell proliferation and migration and repressing cell apoptosis. circFN1 promotes proliferation and invasion of AML cell and represses cell apoptosis via regulating miR-1294/ARHGEF10L axis, which provides new insight for molecular targeted-treatment for AML.

The Effect of Moringa Isothiocyanate-1 on Renal Damage in Diabetic Nephropathy.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common clinical complication of diabetes mellitus. Moringa isothiocyanate-1 (MIC-1) is effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, but its mechanism of action in DN remains obscure. This research specifically probed the role of MIC-1 in modulating renal injury in DN. METHODS: Six db/m mice were assigned to control group and twelve db/db mice were randomly allocated to the db/db and db/db + MIC-1 groups. The body and kidney weights of the mice were monitored. Renal function indicators and oxidative stress-related markers were assessed by automatic biochemical analyzer and ELISA method. The pathological changes, apoptosis of renal tissues, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2/ Nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-related markers, and the positive expressions of podocalyxin (Pod) and synaptopodin (Syn) were measured by H&E, PAS, and TUNEL staining, Western blot, and IHC assay. RESULTS: MIC-1 reduced the body and kidney weights, and increased the kidney organ index (calculated as 100*kidney weight/ body weight) in db/db mice. In addition, MIC-1 improved renal function, kidney tissue injury, and apoptosis of db/db mice. MIC1 noticeably repressed the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and enhanced the contents of (glutathione) GSH, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in db/db mice. At molecular level, db/db mice showed a decrease in p-ERK/ERK, Nrf2, SOD-1, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and CAT and an increase in p- inhibitor kappa B alpha (IKBα) and p-Nuclear factor-kappa B (P65/P65), which were reversed when MIC-1 was administered. Furthermore, MIC-1 facilitated the positive expressions of Pod and Syn of the kidney tissues in db/db mice. CONCLUSION: MIC-1 reduces oxidative stress and renal injury by activating the ERK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and repressing the NFκB signaling in db/db mice.  DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7515.

PLA2G12B Mediates Arachidonic Acid Metabolism through Activation of the NF-κB Pathway to Promote Membrane Nephropathy.

INTRODUCTION: The disruption of podocyte structure and function are the main pathological mechanism of membranous nephropathy (MN). Phospholipases A2, Group XII B (PLA2G12B) was reported involved in the regulation of MN by interfering with arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism, but there is a lack of sufficient evidence. In this study, we investigated the role and molecular mechanism of PLA2G12B in MN. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were used to establish MN model to extract primary podocytes, then divided into control, model, si-phospholipases A2 receptor (PLA2R), PLA2G12B, PLA2G12B + si-PLA2R, PLA2G12B + nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) inhibitor, PLA2G12B + NF-κB inhibitor + si-PLA2R groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence were used to detect kidney histological arrangement, serum levels of cholesterol-related indices, and AA. Genes and proteins associated with metabolism and inflammatory factors were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The results revealed that AA metabolites were activated in the MN model mice, and the expression of PLA2G12B and NF-κB pathway levels were elevated. Besides, cellular experiments demonstrated that prostaglandin I2 (PGI2), thromboxane A2 (TXA2), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and NF-κB pathway were significantly increased in the PLA2G12B group. Also, PLA2G12B promotes apoptosis and suppresses cell activity in podocytes, and these effects could be antagonized by NF-κB inhibitors. Furthermore, with the inference of si-PLA2R, the NF-κB inhibitors' effects were reversed. CONCLUSION: Promotional effects of PLA2G12B in primary MN are associated with the regulation of AA metabolism and NF-κB pathway.

A comparison of the effects of remote coaching HIIT training and combined exercise training on the physical and mental health of university students.

Aim: To compare the differences in the effects of based on remote coached high intensity interval training and combined exercise training on the physical and mental health of university students. Method: Sixty university students were recruited from Shandong Normal University and randomly divided into HIIT group (n = 30) and AR group (n = 30), with the HIIT group using high-intensity interval training intervention and the AR group using combined exercise (aerobic combined with resistance) training intervention for 8 weeks. Mental health indicators, fitness indicators and body composition indicators were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention. Results: After 8 weeks, among the mental health indicators, the results of the Symptom Self-Rating Scale (SCL-90) test showed a significant improvement in the HIIT group in terms of total score, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, hostility, and psychoticism (p < 0.05); the AR group showed significant improvements in psychoticism (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups. The results of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI) showed a significant difference in sleep efficiency in the HIIT group with an inverse improvement in scores; the AR group showed no significant improvement in each test item. The results of the between-group covariance showed significant differences in sleep efficiency and hypnotic drugs in the HIIT group (p < 0.05). Among the fitness indicators, the HIIT group showed significant improvements in maximum oxygen uptake, grip strength and flexibility (P < 0.05); the AR group showed significant improvements in back muscle strength and flexibility (P < 0.05). The results of the between-group covariance showed significant improvements in maximum oxygen uptake in the HIIT group (P < 0.01). Regarding body composition indicators, there was a significant improvement in Body weight, BMI, Body fat percentage and Waist-to-hip ratio in both the HIIT and AR groups (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: HIIT and combined exercise training based on remote coaching had some improvement on fitness level and body composition of university students, HIIT was more advantageous in improving aerobic endurance, and HIIT based on remote coaching may have better effect than combined exercise in mental health. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiECRCT20220149. Registered on 16 May 2022.

The Nutritional Intervention Improves the Metabolic Profile of Overweight and Obese PCOS Along with the Differences in Gut Microbiota.

Previous studies had shown that the gut microbiota of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients had significant differences from those of healthy individuals, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Lifestyle intervention, such as nutritional intervention, could improve the metabolic profiles and PCOS-like phenotypes of PCOS patients. Meanwhile, nutritional intervention could rapidly alter and reshape the distribution of gut microbiota in individuals. Therefore, we sought to investigate the differences in gut microbiota in overweight and obese PCOS patients with or without nutritional intervention. Thirty-six overweight and obese PCOS patients were finally enrolled in the study. Eighteen individuals who refused nutritional intervention (RNI) were collected as the RNI group. Eighteen individuals who received the nutritional intervention were collected as the pre-NI group before the nutritional intervention. And they were also collected as the NI group after the nutritional intervention for 4-12 weeks. Significant decreases in BMI, FBG, TC, TG, APO A1, and APO B were observed when comparing the NI group with the pre-NI and RNI groups after the nutritional intervention for 4-12 weeks. Meanwhile, the differences in the phylum Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and the species Eubacterium rectale, Flavonifractor plautii, and Bacteroides vulgatus between the NI and the RNI groups were observed, which may be potentially linked to the improved inflammatory state and PCOS-like phenotypes of overweight and obese PCOS individuals.

Do cooperatives exclude small-scale farming households? Evidence from Fuchuan County, Guangxi Province.

The exclusion, or otherwise, of small-scale farmers by cooperatives determines whether they can be well engaged in the grand strategy of agricultural modernization. By identifying the exclusion pattern of cooperatives and using the field research data on farmers in Fuchuan, Guangxi, this study finds that cooperatives tend to screen their members via both explicit and implicit exclusion and that small-scale farmers are more likely to be excluded. The theoretical analysis conducted in this study reveals that excluding small-scale farmers is a rational choice made by cooperatives to pursue efficiency in the context of organizational form variation. Furthermore, cooperatives' organizational form variation and their decisions to exclude small-scale farmers are endogenous, thereby suggesting that cooperatives in China may become unions of rural elites. During the exploration of using cooperatives as a carrier to involve small-scale farmers in agricultural modernization, the phenomenon of cooperatives' exclusion of small-scale farmers needs to be highly emphasized.

What influences Bangladeshi Boro rice farmers' adoption decisions of recommended fertilizer doses: A case study on Dinajpur district.

Due to the combined effect of biotic and abiotic constraints, rising population pressure, and inelastic demand in the crop and horticulture sector, Bangladesh has had to adopt heavily subsidized and intensified fertilizer policies to enhance crop productivity, achieve and sustain self-sufficiency in food production, and food security provision. Although the initiative has played a vital role in boosting production, it has also invigorated the unbalanced amount of fertilizer application practices raising questions about maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services while feeding the nation's population. Further research in this area must thus be applied to monitor and improve this sector. This study attempts to understand the issue by investigating the factors influencing Boro rice farmers' adoption decisions of recommended fertilizer doses. The study employs an ordered probit model with a sample selection approach. The investigation is based on collected data from 405 randomly selected farmers using a face-to-face interview method. The farmers were classified into low, middle, high and non-adopter groups. The study revealed that farmers' age, land typology, soil water retention, knowledge, and availability of cow dung significantly influenced farmers' decision to apply fertilizers. However, farmers' carry an aversion to following recommendations for fertilizer application due to their ambiguity about the whole system, their current fertilizer application-seeking behavior, and the lack of understanding of the environmental benefits of adoption. These issues urge policy interventions to initiate village-based demonstration programs that synthesize better synergies between recommended dose adoption, yield amelioration, sustainable soil care, and economics.

Transcriptomic Profiles of Splenic CD19+ B Cells in Mice Chronically Infected With the Larval Echinococcus granulosus.

Background: We previously reported that the larval Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) infection can expand the population of regulatory B cells in mice, thereby inhibiting the anti-infective immunity. However, the underlying mechanism is still largely unknown. This study further investigated the holistic transcriptomic profiles of total splenic B cells following the chronic infection of the parasite. Methods: The infection model of larval E. granulosus was established by intraperitoneal inoculation with 2000 protoscolexes. Magnetic-Activated Cell Separation (MACS) was used to isolate the total splenic B cells. RNA sequencing was performed to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after infection. The expression of selected DEGs was verified using qRT-PCR. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and Co-expression network analysis were applied to predict these DEGs' underlying biological processes, pathways, and interactions respectively. Results: A total of 413 DEGs were identified in larval E. granulosus infected B cells, including 303 up- and 110 down-regulated genes. Notably, most DEGs related to inflammation and chemotaxis were significantly upregulated after infection. In line with these changes, significant expression upregulation of DEGs associated with fatty acid oxidation, lipid synthesis, lipolysis, lipid transport, and cholesterol biosynthesis, were observed in infected B cells. Co-expression network analysis showed an intimate interaction between these DEGs associated with immune and metabolism. Conclusions: The present study revealed that the larval E. granulosus infection induces metabolic reprogramming of B cells, which provides a novel clue to clarify the immunoregulatory mechanism of B cells in parasitic infection.

Acute diquat poisoning causes rhabdomyolysis.

We studied the case of a 36-year-old female patient who self-administered about 30 ml of diquat solution (200 g/L) during a suicide attempt. She developed nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and weakness in her limbs and was admitted to the emergency department of our hospital 4 h later. The patient developed progressive swelling and pain in both calves 12 h after admission. Based on symptoms, lower limb color Doppler ultrasound, and elevated levels of myoglobin and creatine kinase, the patient was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis caused by diquat poisoning. The patient recovered and was discharged after treatment with hemoperfusion, continuous venovenous hemodialysis, acid suppression, liver protection, low-dose glucocorticoids, etc. Rhabdomyolysis caused by diquat poisoning has not been previously reported. We attempted to analyze the mechanism of this symptom through a literature review. We recommend the routine monitoring of creatine phosphokinase (CK) and myoglobin (MYO) in patients with diquat poisoning to avoid missed diagnosis. Further, the mechanism of this poisoning symptom was discussed through the literature review.

Temporary Increased LDL-C in Offspring with Extreme Elevation of Maternal Preconception Estradiol: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To investigate the effect of maternal estradiol (E2) elevation on long-term metabolic manifestations in the offspring. Study Design and Setting: This was a retrospective cohort study. Overall, 3690 children conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) between July 2014 and December 2017 were recruited and divided into four groups categorized by maternal E2 quartiles (Q1, <2420; Q2, 2420-3839; Q3, 3839-5599; and Q4, ≥5599 pg/mL). The metabolic profiles were measured during childhood. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the association between maternal E2 elevation and metabolic phenotypes of the offspring. Results: Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly higher in the highest quartile group than in the lowest quartile group during infancy (adjusted mean difference [95% confidence interval, CI]): 0.11 [0.02, 0.20], P = 0.005), but the difference disappeared in the later childhood phase. In children born after fresh embryo transfer, LDL-C showed an increasing trend with the increase in maternal E2 level (adjusted mean difference [95% CI]: Q2 vs Q1, -0.01 [-0.11, 0.08], Q3 vs Q1, 0.06 [-0.04, 0.15], Q4 vs Q1, 0.10 [0, 0.20]). Other metabolic variables were comparable across increasing quartiles of maternal E2 levels. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a temporary increase in LDL-C levels in infants with higher levels of maternal preconception E2 levels. However, the long-term safety of hyperestrogens after ovarian stimulation in the next generation is favorable. The mechanism underlying the transiently increased metabolic dysfunction risk in infants conceived by IVF/ICSI requires investigation in future studies.

Increased Expression of CD95 in CD4+ Effector Memory T Cells Promotes Th17 Response in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis.

Emerging data have revealed that CD95 can evoke non-apoptotic signals, thereby promoting pro-inflammatory functions that link to the severity of autoimmune disorders. Here, we reported that the expression of CD95 in CD4+ effector memory T (CD4+ TEM) cells was increased in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. We also found increased expression of CD95 in CD4+ TEM cells from MG patients correlated positively with clinical severity scores (QMGs), serum IL-17 levels and plasma cells (PCs) frequencies. Conventional treatment, such as glucocorticoid, could down-regulate the expression of CD95 in CD4+ TEM cells, QMGs, serum IL-17 levels and PCs frequencies from MG patients. In vitro, low-dose of agonistic anti-CD95 mAb could promote Th17 cell development. This effect was reversed by CD95 siRNA. Moverover, CD95 stimulation induced the phosphorylation of p38 and Erk1/2 and Th17 cell differentiation, and p38 specific inhibitor SB203580 or Erk1/2 specific inhibitor PD98059 could induce opposite changes. However, SB203580 or PD98059 do not abrogate the increase of CCR6+IL-17A+ cells, ROR-γt and IL-17 expression induced by CD95 triggering relatively to each corresponding control. This suggests that p38 and Erk1/2 MAPK pathway plays a role in expression of CCR6+IL-17A+ cells, ROR-γt and IL-17, but not in their increase induced by CD95 triggering. Taken together, this study revealed that increased expression of CD95 in CD4+ TEM cells promotes Th17 response under the microenvironment of MG.

The non-oral infection of larval Echinococcus granulosus induces immune and metabolic reprogramming in the colon of mice.

Background: The intestinal tract serves as a critical regulator for nutrient absorption and overall health. However, its involvement in anti-parasitic infection and immunity has been largely neglected, especially when a parasite is not transmitted orally. The present study investigated the colonic histopathology and functional reprogramming in mice with intraperitoneal infection of the larval Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus). Results: Compared with the control group, the E. granulosus-infected mice exhibited deteriorated secreted mucus, shortened length, decreased expression of tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and occludin in the colon. Moreover, RNA sequencing was employed to characterize colonic gene expression after infection. In total, 3,019 differentially expressed genes (1,346 upregulated and 1,673 downregulated genes) were identified in the colon of infected mice. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes involved in intestinal immune responses, infectious disease-associated pathways, metabolism, or focal adhesion were significantly enriched. Among these, 18 tight junction-relative genes, 44 immune response-associated genes, and 23 metabolic genes were annotated. Furthermore, mebendazole treatment could reverse the colonic histopathology induced by E. granulosus infection. Conclusions: Intraperitoneal infection with E. granulosus induced the pathological changes and functional reprogramming in the colon of mice, and mebendazole administration alleviated above alternations, highlighting the significance of the colon as a protective barrier against parasitic infection. The findings provide a novel perspective on host-parasite interplay and propose intestine as a possible target for treating parasitic diseases that are not transmitted orally.

High-Throughput Sequencing Profiles About lncRNAs and mRNAs of Ovarian Granulosa Cells in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, which is characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, clinical and/or biochemical androgen excess, polycystic ovaries on ultrasound and genetic heterogeneity. It was well-accepted that many lncRNAs and mRNAs were associated with PCOS, however, remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine different expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in PCOS and Controls, and identify the correlation between lncRNAs, mRNAs and clinical parameters. Sixty five PCOS patients and 65 Controls were enrolled in this study and adopted standard long agonist protocols or GnRH antagonist protocols. Then 6 GCs samples in each group were subjected to high-thoughput sequencing and the remaining samples were used for the further verification by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Gene Oncology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed. We predicted the relationship between lncRNAs and mRNAs by Cytoscape software. According to the expression level of lncRNAs, mRNAs and the clinical parameters, we also explored their relationship and evaluate their predictive values for embryos quality and PCOS. We identified 1,049 differential expressed lncRNAs and 3,246 mRNAs (fold-change ≥2, p-value < 0.05). Seven lncRNAs (NONHSAT101926.2, NONHSAT136825.2, NONHSAT227177.1, NONHSAT010538.2, NONHSAT191377.1, NONHSAT230904.1, ENST00000607307) and 3 mRNAs (EREG, ENTPD6, YAP1) were validated consistent with sequence profile. Seven lncRNAs were related to hormone level and follicle counts, 3 mRNAs had connections with lipid metabolism. The area under curve (AUC) of 7 lncRNAs were valuable in distinguishing patients with PCOS from Controls. The AUC of NONHSAT230904.1 and NONHSAT227177.1 were 0.6807 and 0.6410, respectively, for distinguishing whether the rate of high-quality embryos exceeds 50%. Our study showed that the GCs lncRNAs and mRNAs were involved in the occurrence and development of PCOS, which contribute to clarify the pathogenesis mechanism of PCOS.

Profile of Bile Acid Metabolomics in the Follicular Fluid of PCOS Patients.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex heterogeneous endocrine disease affected by genetic and environmental factors. In this manuscript, we aimed to describe the composition of bile acid metabolomics in the follicular fluid (FF) of PCOS. The FF was collected from 31 control patients and 35 PCOS patients diagnosed according to the Rotterdam diagnostic criteria. The Bile Acid Assay Kit and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) were used in this study to detect the total bile acid and 24 bile acid metabolites. Glycocholic acid (GC3A), taurocholic acid (TCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), and chenodeoxycholic acid-3-ß-d-glucuronide (CDCA-3Gln) were elevated in the PCOS group. GCDCA was positively correlated with the serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (r = 0.3787, p = 0.0017) and luteinizing hormone (LH) (r = 0.2670, p = 0.0302). The level of CDCA-3Gln also rose with the increase in antral follicle counts (AFC) (r = 0.3247, p = 0.0078). Compared with the control group, the primary bile acids (p = 0.0207) and conjugated bile acids (p = 0.0283) were elevated in PCOS. For the first time, our study described the changes in bile acid metabolomics in the FF of PCOS patients, suggesting that bile acids may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Effect of Microstructure on the Dimensional Stability of Extruded Pure Aluminum.

High-performance extruded aluminum alloys with complex textures suffer significant dimension variation under environmental temperature fluctuations, dramatically decreasing the precision of navigation systems. This research mainly focuses on the effect of the texture of extruded pure aluminum on its dimensional stability after various annealing processes. The result reveals that a significant increment in the area fraction of recrystallized grains with <100> orientation and a decrement in the area fraction of grains with <111> orientation were found with increasing annealing temperature. Moreover, with the annealing temperature increasing from 150 °C to 400 °C, the residual plastic strain after twelve thermal cycles with a temperature range of 120 °C was changed from -1.6 × 10-5 to -4.5 × 10-5. The large amount of equiaxed grains with <100> orientation was formed in the microstructure of the extruded pure aluminum and the average grain size was decreased during thermal cycling. The area fraction of grain with <100> crystallographic orientation of the sample annealed at 400 °C after thermal cycling was 30.9% higher than annealed at 350 °C (23.7%) or at 150 °C (18.7%). It is attributed to the increase in the proportion of recrystallization grains with <100> direction as the annealing temperature increases, provided more nucleation sites for the formation of fine equiaxed grains with <100> orientation. The main orientation of the texture was rotated from parallel to <111> to parallel to <100> after thermal cycling. The change in the orientation of grains contributed to a change in interplanar spacing, which explains the change in the dimension along the extrusion direction during thermal cycling.

Increased serum interleukin-34 levels as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Recent data reveal that interleukin-34 (IL-34) can drive inflammatory response, thereby participating in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. However, the potential effect of IL-34 in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the levels of serum IL-34 were correlated with clinical severity or prognosis in AIS patients. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, serum IL-34 levels were detected in 150 healthy controls and 155 AIS patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to investigate the effect of IL-34 on the diagnosis and prognosis of AIS. ROC curve was utilized to evaluate predictive values for IL-34. RESULTS: Serum IL-34 levels at admission were significantly higher in AIS patients than those in the healthy controls. Univariate and multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that IL-34 was an independent predictor of occurrence and functional outcome of AIS. The ROC curve demonstrated that IL-34 had a good predictive effect on the diagnosis and prognosis of AIS. CONCLUSIONS: IL-34 can be used as a novel and independent diagnostic and predicting prognostic biomarker in AIS.

IL-21 enhances STAT3/Blimp-1 signaling pathway in B cells and contributes to plasma cell differentiation in newly diagnosed patients with myasthenia gravis.

The transcription factor Blimp-1 is necessary for the B cell differentiation toward immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells. However, the immunopathological mechanisms of Blimp-1 that regulates B cell differentiation remain unclear in MG. The purpose of this study was to perform a quantitative and functional analysis of Blimp-1 in MG. A total of 34 patients with MG (18 ocular MG (OMG) and 16 generalized MG (GMG) and 20 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in this study. CD19+ B cells were isolated by positive selection using CD19 beads. The expression of Blimp-1 and p-STAT3 protein in isolated B cells was assessed by Western blot. Plasma cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serum IL-21 levels were detected by ELISA. Our data demonstrated that Blimp-1 in peripheral blood B cell of MG patients was significantly increased compared with HC. The increased expression of Blimp-1 was positively associated with clinical severity score (QMGs), plasma cell frequency, and serum IL-21 levels. Furthermore, glucocorticoid (GC) treatment reduced the expression of Blimp-1 and p-STAT3 in B cells, and this change was accompanied with relieved clinical severity, reduced plasma cell frequency, and decreased serum IL-21 levels. In vitro assay demonstrated that IL-21 stimulation upregulated STAT3 phosphorylation, increased Blimp-1 expression in B cells, and promoted plasma cell differentiation, and these processes could be inhibited by dexamethasone or STAT3 inhibitor stattic. This work indicates for the first time that aberrant expression of Blimp-1 exists on B cells and contributes to the plasma cell differentiation in MG patients. Modulation of IL-21/STAT3/Blimp-1 signaling pathway in B cells may be one of the mechanisms of glucocorticoid in the treatment of MG.

Evaluation of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women using dot-immunogold-silver staining with recombinant Toxoplasma gondii peroxiredoxin protein.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii infection endangers human health and affects animal husbandry. Serological detection is the main method used for epidemiological investigations and diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The key to effective diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is the use of a standardized antigen and a specific and sensitive detection method. Peroxiredoxin is an antigenic protein and vaccine candidate antigen of T. gondii that has not yet been exploited for diagnostic application. METHODS: In this study, recombinant T. gondii peroxiredoxin protein (rTgPrx) was prepared and used in dot-immunogold-silver staining (Dot-IGSS) to detect IgG antibodies in serum from mice and pregnant women. The rTgPrx-Dot-IGSS method was established and optimized using mouse serum. Furthermore, serum samples from pregnant women were analyzed by rTgPrx-Dot-IGSS. RESULTS: Forty serum samples from mice infected with T. gondii and twenty negative serum samples were analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of rTgPrx-Dot-IGSS were 97.5 and 100%, respectively, equivalent to those of a commercial ELISA kit for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody. Furthermore, 540 serum samples from pregnant women were screened with a commercial ELISA kit. Eighty-three positive and 60 negative serum samples were analyzed by rTgPrx-Dot-IGSS. The positive rate was 95.18%, comparable to that obtained with the commercial ELISA kit. CONCLUSIONS: The Dot-IGSS method with rTgPrx as an antigen might be useful for diagnosing T. gondii infection in individuals.

Risk factors for potential pulmonary embolism in the patients with deep venous thrombosis: a retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: The risk factors for the detachment of big thrombi from the vessel wall in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) are still not clear, which are potential risks for pulmonary embolism (PE). This study was aimed to identify the risk factors for big thrombi detaching from the vessel wall in the patients with lower extremity DVT and to identify the role of the lower limb immobilization. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the patients whose inferior vena cava (IVC) filter were removed in our hospital. Baseline data and clinical characteristics of all patients were reviewed, including hypertension, diabetes, D-dimer, the onset site of the thrombus, major surgery and lower limb immobilization. The size of the thrombus in the removed IVC filter was assessed by digital subtraction angiography. The thrombus above 1 cm in diameter was defined as potential thrombus of PE and the thrombus below 1 cm as non-potential thrombus of PE. The characteristics and potential risk factors of the patients with potential thrombus of PE were compared with those with non-potential thrombus of PE. Independent risk factors were further analyzed using multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-nine patients were included in the study. There is no significant difference in age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, D-dimer, or the thrombus site between the two groups. Major surgery and mobile lower limb were independent risk factors for potential thrombus of PE. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that major surgery and mobile lower limb were independent risk factors for potential thrombus of PE in patients with DVT. Immobilization of lower limb might play a protective role in preventing big thrombi from detaching from the vessel wall in patients with DVT.