The accumulation of cadmium and lead in wheat grains is primarily determined by the soil-reducible cadmium level during wheat tillering.

The significant increase in cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) pollution in agricultural soil has greatly heightened environmental contamination issues and the risk of human diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying the transformation of Cd and Pb in soil as well as the influencing factors during their accumulation in crop grains remain unclear. Based on the analysis of the distribution trend of Cd and Pb in soil during the growth and development stages of wheat (tillering, filling, and maturity) in alkaline heavy metal-polluted farmland in northern China, this study investigated the response mechanism of soil heavy metal form transformation to soil physicochemical properties, and elucidated the main determining periods and influencing factors for Cd and Pb enrichment in wheat grains. The results showed that an increase in CEC and SOM levels, along with a decrease in pH level, contributed to enhancing the bioavailability of Cd in the soil. This effect was particularly evident during the tillering stage and grain filling stage of wheat. Nevertheless, the effects of soil physicochemical properties on bioavailable Pb was opposite to that on bioavailable Cd. The enrichment of Cd and Pb in grain was significantly influenced by soil pH (r = -0.786, p < 0.01), SOM (r = 0.807, p < 0.01), K (r = -0.730, p < 0.01), AK (r = 0.474, p = 0.019), and AP (r = -0.487, p = 0.016). The reducible form of Cd in soil during the wheat tillering stage was identified as the primary factor contributing to the accumulation of Cd and Pb in wheat grains, with a significant contribution rate of 84.5%. This study provides a greater scientific evidence for the management and risk control of heavy metal pollution in alkaline farmland.

Large and non-spherical seeds are less likely to form a persistent soil seed bank.

There is some evidence that seed traits can affect the long-term persistence of seeds in the soil. However, findings on this topic have differed between systems. Here, we brought together a worldwide database of seed persistence data for 1474 species to test the generality of seed mass-shape-persistence relationships. We found a significant trend for low seed persistence to be associated with larger and less spherical seeds. However, the relationship varied across different clades, growth forms and species ecological preferences. Specifically, relationships of seed mass-shape-persistence were more pronounced in Poales than in other order clades. Herbaceous species that tend to be found in sites with low soil sand content and precipitation have stronger relationships between seed shape and persistence than in sites with higher soil sand content and precipitation. For the woody plants, the relationship between persistence and seed morphology was stronger in sites with high soil sand content and low precipitation than in sites with low soil sand content and higher precipitation. Improving the ability to predict the soil seed bank formation process, including burial and persistence, could benefit the utilization of seed morphology-persistence relationships in management strategies for vegetation restoration and controlling species invasion across diverse vegetation types and environments.

Paeoniflorin Alleviates Anxiety and Visceral Hypersensitivity via HPA Axis and BDNF/TrkB/PLCγ1 Pathway in Maternal Separation-induced IBS-like Rats.

BACKGROUND: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder that significantly diminishes the quality of life for affected individuals. The pathophysiology of IBS remains poorly understood, and available therapeutic options for IBS are limited. The crucial roles of brain-gut interaction, which is mediated by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system in IBS, have attracted increasing attention. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of paeoniflorin (PF) on anxiety and visceral hypersensitivity in maternal separation-induced IBS-like rats. METHODS: The IBS-like rat model was established through the implementation of Maternal Separation (MS) and subsequently subjected to various doses of PF administered via oral gavage for 14 days. Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using the Open Field Test (OFT) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) test. The assessment of visceral sensitivity involved the utilization of the Abdominal Withdrawal Reflex (AWR) score and electromyographic (EMG) responses of the external oblique muscle in response to colorectal distention. The levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone (CORT), and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) were examined by ELISA. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunofluorescence were employed to detect the expressions of CRH receptors 1 (CRHR1) and 2 (CRHR2). Glucocorticoid receptors (GR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB), and phospholipase C γ1 (PLCγ1) were examined by Western blot. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results showed that MS induced anxiety-like behavior and visceral hypersensitivity, while PF treatment attenuated these changes. Furthermore, the HPA axis hyperactivity in MS rats was attenuated by PF treatment, indicated by reduced serum ACTH, CORT, and CRH levels and recovered hippocampal CRHR1 and GR expressions. In addition, PF inhibited BDNF/TrkB signaling by downregulating the protein levels of BDNF, TrkB, and phospho-PLCγ1 in the colon. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PF alleviated anxiety and visceral hypersensitivity in MS-induced IBS-like rats, which may be the modulation of HPA axis activity and BDNF/TrkB/PLCγ1 signaling pathway.

Surface Engineering on Zinc Anode for Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) are considered as a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to their low cost, high safety, and environmental friendliness. However, the Zn anodes in AZMBs face severe challenges, such as dendrite growth, metal corrosion, and hydrogen evolution, all of which are closely related to the Zn/electrolyte interface. This article offers a short review on surface passivation to alleviate the issues on the Zn anodes. The composition and structure of the surface layers significantly influence their functions and then the performance of the Zn anodes. The recent progresses are introduced, according to the chemical components of the passivation layers on the Zn anodes. Moreover, the challenges and prospects of surface passivation in stabilizing Zn anodes are discussed, providing valuable guidance for the development of AZMBs.

Right-sided infective endocarditis or thrombus? Report of two cases diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Right-sided infective endocarditis (RSIE) is a relatively uncommon condition which is difficult to distinguish from thrombus, particularly when the site of infection or the patient's symptoms are atypical. There have been few reports exploring the differential diagnostic and analytical features between RSIE and thrombus. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we presented two cases of RSIE-one involving the tricuspid valve and the other affecting the pulmonary artery. Notably, the second case was initially misdiagnosed as thrombus based on the findings of by computed tomography angiography(CTA). CONCLUSIONS: Vegetation and thrombus can be distinguished according to the nature of the mass, its attachment location, and the clinical manifestation. Echocardiography can observe both the location and size of the mass, and the dynamic changes in cardiac hemodynamics and cardiac morphology, thereby facilitating an effective distinction between vegetation and thrombus.

The association between METS-IR, an indirect index for insulin resistance, and lung cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance has been reported to increase the risk of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. However, the role of insulin resistance and its interaction with genetic risk in the development of lung cancer remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between a novel metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and lung cancer risk. METHODS: A total of 395 304 participants without previous cancer at baseline were included. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed to investigate the association between METS-IR and lung cancer risk. In addition, a Mendelian randomization analysis was also performed to explore the causal relationship. The joint effects and additive interactions between METS-IR and polygenetic risk score (PRS) of lung cancer were also investigated. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 11.03 years (Inter-quartile range (IQR): 10.30-11.73), a total of 3161 incident lung cancer cases were diagnosed in 395 304 participants. There was a significant association between METS-IR and lung cancer risk, with an HR of 1.28 (95% CI: 1.17-1.41). Based on the Mendelian randomization analysis, however, no causal associations were observed. We observed a joint effect but no interaction between METS-IR and genetic risk. The lung cancer incidence was estimated to be 100.42 (95% CI: 91.45-109.38) per 100 000 person-year for participants with a high METS-IR and PRS, while only 42.76 (95% CI: 36.94-48.59) with low METS-IR and PRS. CONCLUSIONS: High METS-IR was significantly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Keeping a low level of METS-IR might help reduce the long-term incident risk of lung cancer.

Zn(002)-preferred and pH-buffering triethanolamine as electrolyte additive for dendrite-free Zn anodes.

Zn anodes of aqueous batteries face severe challenges from side reactions and dendrite growth. Here, triethanolamine (TEOA) is developed as an electrolyte additive to address these challenges. It enhances the exposure of Zn(002) and diminishes the change in pH. Therefore, the electrolyte containing TEOA shows improved electrochemical performance.

Does digital economy development matter? Role of supply chain management and CO2 emissions in BRICS.

Large risks and opportunities arise for production operations as a result of international governmental initiatives to limit carbon emissions. In instance, high-emitting manufacturing processes may be a reflection of productive inefficiencies and the uncertainty of the prices of carbon dioxide emissions. Recently, there has been a lot of attention paid to the topic of ecologically responsible supply chain management. Therefore, participants in the supply chain have worked together to create effective contracts, often known as green supply chain management contracts. In order to demonstrate the key role of financial efficiency, environmental sustainability, and supply chain management in sustainable growth and digital technology development, this study considers the data for BRICS economies over the period of 2008-2022. However, under the supply chain management, this study considers the innovation efficiency, input, and output to evaluate the external determinants. However, this study employs the OLS, 2SLS, and AMG estimator to demonstrate the robust and reliable outcomes for selected economies. In compile words, this study divides empirical scheme into two different explained variables such as sustainable growth and development of digital technologies. However, to show empirical scheme very catchy, the present study uses the simultaneous equation models. Therefore, all selected indicators of sustainable growth contribute to economic growth efficiently except the foreign direct investment. Besides for the digital technology development, all factors significantly contribute to digital technologies except the carbon emissions and foreign direct investment. Additional robust tests confirm the consistency and stability of the findings reached in this research. Thus, to improve economic performance, digital economy development, and sustainability, authorities in BRICS areas should develop strategies that enhance digital economy development under the green supply chain management.

[Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of four alkaloids in Ermiao Pills and Sanmiao Pills in normal and arthritic model rats].

This work aimed to investigate the differences of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of four alkaloids in Ermiao Pills and Sanmiao Pills in normal and arthritic model rats. The rat model of arthritis was established by injecting Freund's complete adjuvant, and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) in the positive ion multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) mode was used for the determination of four alkaloids in plasma and tissues of normal and arthritic rats after administration of Ermiao Pills and Sanmiao Pills, respectively. The differences in pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the four active components were compared, and the effect of Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix on the major components of Sanmiao Pills was explored. This study established an UPLC-MS/MS for simultaneous determination of four alkaloids, and the specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and stability of this method all met the requirements. Pharmacokinetics study found that as compared with normal rats, the AUC and C_(max) of phellodendrine, magnoflorine, berberine and palmatine in model rats were significantly decreased after administration of Ermiao Pills, the clearance rate CL/F was significantly increased, and the distribution and tissue/plasma concentration ratio of the four alkaloids in the liver, kidney, and joint were significantly reduced. Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix increased the AUC of phellodendrine, berberine, and palmatine, reduced the clearance rate, and significantly increased the distribution of the four alkaloids in the liver, kidney, and joints in arthritic rats. However, it had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the four alkaloids in normal rats. These results suggest that Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix may play a guiding role in meridian through increasing the tissue distribution of effective components in Sanmiao Pills under arthritis states.

Association between the prognostic nutritional index and severe headache or migraine: a population-based study.

PURPOSE: Migraine is a highly prevalent headache disorder, and intake of various nutrients and special diets may improve migraine symptoms. We aimed to clarify the association between nutritional status and migraine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected the data of 1838/8953 (migraineurs/all participants) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 cycle. We used weighted multivariable linear or logistic regression analyses to study the association between the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and the occurrence of severe headache or migraine. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding variables, we found that mild (PNI 45-50) or moderate to severe (PNI <45) malnutrition were associated with higher prevalence of severe headache or migraine (odds ratio [OR] 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.12, P = 0.004; OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.12, P < 0.001). In addition, we found that those with severe headache or migraine consumed less alcohol, dietary fiber, cholesterol, total folate, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin K, selenium, potassium, magnesium, and copper, and consumed more caffeine and theobromine than did those without severe headache or migraine. CONCLUSION: The PNI is associated with migraine prevalence, and may thus serve as a predictor of migraine risk and highlights the potential of nutrition-based strategies for migraine prevention and treatment.

Resilient Public Transport Construction in Mega Cities from the Perspective of Ecological Environment Governance.

With the rapid development of the social economy, environmental and resource constraints of economic growth are becoming more and more serious. Therefore, for cities, we should take the road of green development and sustainable development. On the one hand, we should fully implement the basic policies issued by the central government. On the other hand, we should fully integrate the actual situation of the city to make it better implemented, which will help to improve the ability of ecological environment governance and consolidate the ecological advantages of the city. With the development of the urban economy and the continuous increase of population, the development pressure faced by cities is also increasing. Innovating urban construction mode has increasingly become the focus of the development of the new era. The main reason is that the continuous growth of the urban population, environmental pollution, traffic congestion, and ecological damage has caused great trouble to urban residents. The traditional public service governance model has been unable to meet the current public service needs of urban residents. Based on this background, major cities around the world have begun to study urban resilience in order to prevent and resist the interference and impact brought by the outside world and maintain the sound development of the urban system. Based on the demand for ecological environment governance, this study analyzes the current situation and causes of urban ecological environment governance in China and the problems existing in urban resilient transportation construction in China, and puts forward corresponding countermeasures for ecological environment governance and the current situation of urban resilient public transportation construction. This study has great theoretical and practical significance to promote the sustainable development of the Chinese ecological environment and the resilience construction of urban transportation.

Evodiamine decreased the systemic exposure of pravastatin in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis rats due to the up-regulation of hepatic OATPs.

CONTEXT: Patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may have a simultaneous intake of pravastatin and evodiamine-containing herbs. OBJECTIVE: The effect of evodiamine on the pharmacokinetics of pravastatin and its potential mechanisms were investigated in NASH rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The NASH model was conducted with feeding a methionine choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised equally (n = 6) into NASH group, evodiamine group (10 mg/kg), pravastatin group (10 mg/kg), and evodiamine (10 mg/kg) + pravastatin (10 mg/kg) group. Normal control rats were fed a standard diet. Effects of evodiamine on the pharmacokinetics, distribution, and uptake of pravastatin were investigated. RESULTS: Evodiamine decreased Cmax (159.43 ± 26.63 vs. 125.61 ± 22.17 µg/L), AUC0-t (18.17 ± 2.52 vs. 14.91 ± 2.03 mg/min/L) and AUC0-∞ (22.99 ± 2.62 vs. 19.50 ± 2.31 mg/min/L) of orally administered pravastatin in NASH rats, but had no significant effect in normal rats. Evodiamine enhanced the uptake (from 154.85 ± 23.17 to 198.48 ± 26.31 pmol/mg protein) and distribution (from 736.61 ± 108.07 to 911.89 ± 124.64 ng/g tissue) of pravastatin in NASH rat liver. The expression of Oatp1a1, Oatp1a4, and Oatp1b2 was up-regulated 1.48-, 1.38-, and 1.51-fold by evodiamine. Evodiamine decreased the levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α by 27.82%, 24.76%, and 29.72% in NASH rats, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Evodiamine decreased the systemic exposure of pravastatin by up-regulating the expression of OATPs. These results provide a reference for further validation of this interaction in humans.

Gestational exposure to acrylamide suppresses luteal endocrine function through dysregulation of ovarian angiogenesis, oxidative stress and apoptosis in mice.

The discovery of acrylamide in various carbohydrate-rich foods cooked at high temperatures has attracted public health concerns. This study aimed to elucidate the effects and mechanisms additional with acrylamide exposure on the luteal function in vivo during early- and mid-pregnancy. Mice were fed with different dosages of acrylamide (0, 10 and 50 mg/kg/day) by gavage from gestational days (GD) 3 to GD 8 or GD 13. The results indicated that acrylamide exposure significantly decreased levels of serum progesterone and estradiol, and the numbers and relative areas of ovarian corpora lutea. The expression levels of Hsd3b1, Cyp11a1 and Star mRNA markedly reduced in acrylamide-treated ovaries. Furthermore, acrylamide exposure obviously suppressed the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, but increased the levels of H2O2 and malondialdehyde. Additionally, acrylamide treatment significantly inhibited luteal angiogenesis and induced the apoptosis of ovarian cells by up-regulation of P53 and Bax protein and down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein. Thus, our results showed that gestational exposure to acrylamide significantly inhibited luteal endocrine function via dysregulation of ovarian angiogenesis, oxidative stress and apoptosis in vivo.

Development and external validation of a nomogram for neurosyphilis diagnosis among non-HIV patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of neurosyphilis is challenging due to the requirement of a lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) laboratory tests. Therefore, a convenient diagnostic nomogram for neurosyphilis is warranted. This study aimed to construct diagnostic models for diagnosing neurosyphilis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included data of two patient cohorts from Western China Hospital of Sichuan University between September 2015 and April 2021 and Shangjin Hospital between September 2019 and April 2021 as the development cohort and the external validation cohort, respectively. A diagnostic model using logistic regression analysis was constructed to readily provide the probability of diagnosis at point of care and presented as a nomogram. The clinical usefulness of the diagnostic models was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Harrell concordance (Harrell C) index for discrimination and calibration plots for accuracy, which adopted bootstrap resampling 500 times. RESULTS: One hundred forty-eight and 67 patients were included in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. Of those, 131 were diagnosed as having reactive neurosyphilis under the criteria of positive results in both CSF treponemal and non-treponemal tests. In the development cohort, male, psychiatric behaviour disorders, and serum toluidine red unheated serum test were selected as diagnostic indicators applying a stepwise procedure in multivariable logistic model. The model reached 80% specificity, 79% sensitivity, and 0·85 area under the curves (AUC) (95% confidence interval, 0·76-0·91). In the validation cohorts, the Harrell C index for the diagnostic possibility of reactive neurosyphilis was 0·71. CONCLUSIONS: A convenient model using gender, presence of psychiatric behaviour disorders, and serum TRUST titre was developed and validated to indicate diagnostic results in patients suspected of neurosyphilis. Checking the model value of factors on nomogram is a feasible way to assist clinicians and primary health servers in updating patients' medical charts and making a quantitatively informed decision on neurosyphilis diagnosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research was retrospectively registered in the Ethics committee on biomedical research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The research registration and committee's reference number was 1163 in 2020 approval.

Association Between Serum Lipid Levels and Severe Headache or Migraine in Representative American Population: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between serum lipids and migraine remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the association between serum lipids and severe headache or migraine in the general population. METHODS: Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004. Interviewers recorded self-reported severe headaches or migraines and whether pain lasted for more than 24 h in three months. A weighted general linear model was used to estimate the association between serum lipids and severe headache or migraine. Regression analyses were performed after adjusting for age, sex, race, energy intake, sodium intake, etc. Subgroup analyses were performed using the same regression model. RESULTS: We included 5,937 individuals in the study, with a weighted mean age of 45.8 years. Males accounted for 47.6% of the participants. After adjusting for covariates, a non-significant association was found between migraine and total cholesterol (odds ratio=0.96, 95% confidence interval= 0.85, 1.05; P=0.32), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio=0.96; 95% confidence interval= 0.75, 1.17, P=0.55), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio=0.99; 95% confidence interval=0.49, 1.59, P=0.58) in the continuous form. In subgroup analyses, no significant association was found between total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and self-reported severe headache or migraine. CONCLUSION: Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were not significantly associated with severe headache or migraine in the general American population after adjusting for covariates. The supporting information for measuring common serum lipids in general headaches and migraines is insufficient.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on headache symptoms and drug withdrawal among patients with medication overuse headache: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) bring about a range of psychological distress and symptom deterioration to headache patients especially to some migraineurs. Compared to migraineurs or normal control, medication overuse headache (MOH) patients are more likely to experience a worse psychological distress and poorer outcome in non-COVID-19 time. However, in COVID-19 pandemic, whether MOH patients would have greater physical and mental symptom deterioration or worse relief of headache symptoms and medications overuse remained unclear. We aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on MOH patients to guide for a better management in this study. METHODS: We enrolled MOH patients who were diagnosed and treated at headache clinic of West China Hospital. Information of the pre-pandemic 3 months period and COVID-19 pandemic period was collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify independent factors associated with changes in headache symptoms and drug withdrawal. RESULTS: Seventy-eight MOH patients were enrolled into the study ultimately. In comparison to pre-pandemic period, fewer MOH patients reported decreased headache days, intensity and days with acute medications per month during the pandemic. Available access to regular prophylactic medications was significantly associated with a reduction of at least 50% in headache days and decrease in headache intensity per month with respective odds ratios of 39.19 (95% CI 3.75-409.15, P = 0.002) and 10.13 (95% CI 2.33-44.12, P = 0.002). Following abrupt withdrawal and high educational level were both significant factors in decreasing headache intensity. Male sex was significantly associated with decrease in days with acute medication per month during the pandemic (odds ratios 4.78, 95%CI 1.44-15.87, P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reflect that MOH patients experienced a worse relief of headache symptoms and drug withdrawal during the pandemic. Available access to regular prophylactic medications was the significant independent factor for improvement of headache symptoms. Male sex was significantly associated with decreased days with acute medications per month.

Rutaecarpine enhances the anti-diabetic activity and hepatic distribution of metformin via up-regulation of Oct1 in diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder with multiple complications, patients who receive metformin may have a simultaneous intake of herbal medicine containing rutaecarpine due to cardiovascular protection and hypolipidemic effects of rutaecarpine. There might be drug interactions between metformin and rutaecarpine. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rutaecarpine on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of metformin in diabetic rats.The diabetic rat model was induced with high-fat diet and low dose streptozotocin. Metformin with or without rutaecarpine was administered by oral gavage for 42 days. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics parameters were evaluated.The pharmacodynamics results revealed that co-administration of rutaecarpine with metformin resulted in a remarkable reduction of serum glucose and lipid profiles in diabetic rats compared to metformin treated alone. The pharmacokinetics results showed that co-treatments of rutaecarpine with metformin did not affect the systemic exposure and renal distribution of metformin, but increased metformin concentration in liver. Furthermore, rutaecarpine increased Oct1-mediated metformin uptake into hepatocytes by upregulation of Oct1 expression in the liver.The above data indicate that rutaecarpine enhanced the anti-diabetic effect of metformin, which may be associated with the increased hepatic distribution of metformin through up-regulation of Oct1 in response to rutaecarpine.

Impact of Headache Frequency and Sleep on Migraine Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and poses a great threat to global health. COVID-19 has also an unneglected effect on migraine patients. Migraine attack frequency is one of the migraine characteristics, and its impact during COVID-19 needs further research. We aimed to evaluate whether migraine attack frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic differed from pre-COVID-19 attack frequency and explore possible influencing factors during the pandemic. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled 187 migraine patients from the Department of Neurology of West China Hospital from October 2019 to December 2019. After the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 157 patients were included. We collected demographic data, clinical characteristics, and epidemiological contact information and followed up on March 2020. Then, paired-samples T-tests, logistic regression and interaction tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: We found that the migraine attack frequency was 2.47 ± 1.12 before and 3.54 ± 1.79 during COVID-19 (P<0.0001). Then, we divided patients into two groups based on the difference in migraine attack frequency between the COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods and employed logistic regression analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, divorced status (OR = 6.53, P = 0.0453), good sleep pre-COVID-19 and poor sleep during COVID-19 (OR = 3.11, P = 0.0432) had independent effects on migraine attack frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found no interaction in poor sleep during COVID-19 between various subgroups. CONCLUSION: We found that migraineurs' headache attacks were more frequent during COVID-19 than pre-COVID-19 and that increased migraine attack frequency was independently related to divorced status and poor sleep during COVID-19.

Suppression of store-operated Ca2+ entry regulated by silencing Orai1 inhibits C6 glioma cell motility via decreasing Pyk2 activity and promoting focal adhesion.

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) plays an important role in regulating Ca2+ influx, which participates in tumor cell survival and motility. We aim to elucidate the role of SOCE in the behavior of C6 glioma cells. Lentiviral vector inserted with the Orai1-targeting shRNA was used to inhibit SOCE in C6 glioma cells. The down-regulation of Orai1 was confirmed by western blot. The ability of shOrai1 or SOCE inhibitor (SKF96365) in regulating SOCE inhibition was evaluated by measuring Ca2+ concentration. Additionally, its effect on cell behavior was assessed using methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and adhesion assay. Focal adhesions were visualized by immunofluorescence assay. Further, the expression of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) and phosphorylated Pyk2 (p-Pyk2) was analyzed using western blot. Both, SKF96365 treatment and the Orai1 down-regulation inhibited SOCE by perturbing Ca2+ influx. The inhibitory effects of shOrai1 on C6 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were similar to that of SKF96365. Moreover, Orai1 inhibition enhanced C6 cell adhesion by increasing the size of focal adhesion plaques. The down-regulation of Pyk2 was observed in both SKF96365-treated and Orai1-silenced C6 cells. Additionally, Orai1 inhibition blocked AKT/mTOR, NFAT, and NF-κB pathways. The silencing of Orai1 inhibited the C6 glioma cell migration, invasion and contributed to focal adhesion.

A novel Adiponectin receptor (AdipoR) involved in regulating cytokines production and apoptosis of haemocytes in oyster Crassostrea gigas.

Adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs) comprise a seven-transmembrane domain-containing protein family, which specifically recognize adiponectin (APN) and play critical roles in the immunological and physiological processes in vertebrates. In the present study, a novel AdipoR is identified from oyster Crassostrea gigas (designated as CgAdipoR). The full-length cDNA of CgAdipoR is of 1209 bp encoding a polypeptide of 343 amino acids. There is an N-terminal domain, a Hly III domain, and a C-terminal domain in CgAdipoR. After the transfection of CgAdipoR, the level of intracellular Ca2+ into HEK293T cells increases significantly (1.36-fold, p < 0.05) after APN incubation. The mRNA transcripts of CgAdipoR are widely distributed in all the tested tissues, with the highest expression level in haemocytes (3.20-fold of that in hepatopancreas, p < 0.05). After lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Vibrio splendidus and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)) stimulations, the mRNA expression of CgAdipoR in haemocytes is significantly up-regulated and reached the highest level at 24 h (15.07-fold, p < 0.01), 6 h (4.39-fold, p < 0.01) and 24 h (5.62-fold, p < 0.01) compared to control group, respectively. After CgAdipoR is interfered by specific CgAdipoR-dsRNA, the expression level of interleukins (CgIL17-1, CgIL17-2, CgIL17-3 and CgIL17-5) in haemocytes decreases significantly (p < 0.01) at 24 h post LPS stimulation, while the expression level of CgTNF-1 increases significantly (1.68-fold, p < 0.01), compared to that in the dsEGFP group. In CgAdipoR dsRNA-injected oysters, the mRNA expressions of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) in haemocytes significantly decreases at 24 h after LPS challenge, which is (0.58-fold, p < 0.05) of that in dsEGFP-injected oysters, while the apoptotic rate of haemocytes is significantly up-regulated (1.93-fold of that in dsEGFP group, p < 0.05). These results collectively suggest that CgAdipoR plays an important role in the immune response of oysters by regulating the expressions of inflammatory cytokines and haemocyte apoptosis.