Wuzi Yanzong Pill Plays A Neuroprotective Role in Parkinson's Disease Mice via Regulating Unfolded Protein Response Mediated by Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects and its possible mechanism of Wuzi Yanzong Pill (WYP) on Parkinson's disease (PD) model mice. METHODS: Thirty-six C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups including normal, PD, and PD+WYP groups, 12 mice in each group. One week of intraperitoneal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) was used to establish the classical PD model in mice. Meanwhile, mice in the PD+WYP group were administrated with 16 g/kg WYP, twice daily by gavage. After 14 days of administration, gait test, open field test and pole test were measured to evaluate the movement function. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) neurons in substantia nigra of midbrain and binding immunoglobulin heavy chain protein (GRP78) in striatum and cortex were observed by immunohistochemistry. The levels of TH, GRP78, p-PERK, p-eIF2α, ATF4, p-IRE1α, XBP1, ATF6, CHOP, ASK1, p-JNK, Caspase-12, -9 and -3 in brain were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the PD group, WYP treatment ameliorated gait balance ability in PD mice (P<0.05). Similarly, WYP increased the total distance and average speed (P<0.05 or P<0.01), reduced rest time and pole time (P<0.05). Moreover, WYP significantly increased TH positive cells (P<0.01). Immunofluorescence showed WYP attenuated the levels of GRP78 in striatum and cortex. Meanwhile, WYP treatment significantly decreased the protein expressions of GRP78, p-PERK, p-eIF2α, ATF4, p-IRE1 α, XBP1, CHOP, Caspase-12 and Caspase-9 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: WYP ameliorated motor symptoms and pathological lesion of PD mice, which may be related to the regulation of unfolded protein response-mediated signaling pathway and inhibiting the endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated neuronal apoptosis pathway.

Encapsulating atomic molybdenum into hierarchical nitrogen-doped carbon nanoboxes for efficient oxygen reduction.

Construction of single-atom catalysts (SACs) with maximally exposed active sites remains a challenging task mainly because of the lack of suitable host matrices. In this study, hierarchical N-doped carbon nanoboxes composed of ultrathin nanosheets with dispersed atomic Mo (denoted as hierarchical SA-Mo-C nanoboxes) were fabricated via a template-engaged multistep synthesis process. Comprehensive characterizations, including X-ray absorption fine structure analysis, reveal the formation of Mo-N4 atomic sites uniformly anchored on the hierarchical carbon nanoboxes. The prepared catalysts offer structural and morphological advantages, including ultrathin nanosheet units, unique hollow structures and abundant active Mo-N4 species, that result in excellent activity with a half-wave potential of 0.86 V vs. RHE and superb stability for the oxygen reduction reaction in 0.1 M KOH; thus, the catalysts are promising air-cathode catalysts for Zn-air batteries with a high peak power density of 157.6 mW cm-2.

Microbes as a production host to produce natural activecompounds from mushrooms: biosynthetic pathway elucidationand metabolic engineering.

Mushrooms are abundant in bioactive natural compounds. Due to strict growth conditions and long fermentation-time, microbe as a production host is an alternative and sustainable approach for the production of natural compounds. This review focuses on the biosynthetic pathways of mushroom originated natural compounds and microbes as the production host for the production of the above natural compounds.

Infection and molecular identification of ascaridoid nematodes from the important marine food fish Japanese threadfin bream Nemipterus japonicus (Bloch) (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) in China.

The Japanese threadfin bream N. japonicus (Bloch) (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) is an important marine food fish in Asia. However, our present knowledge of the occurrence of its nematode parasites is still limited. In the present study, the species composition and infection rate of ascaridoid nematodes in N. japonicus from the South China Sea, were studied for the first time. Five ascaridoid species, namely Anisakis typica (L3), Hysterothylacium amoyense (L3), Hysterothylacium sp. IV-A (L3), adult of H. thalassini and Raphidascaris lophii (L3), were identified using integrative taxonomy. Hysterothylacium amoyense was the most prevalent species (prevalence 47.2%, mean intensity 14.9 ± 17.1). Hysterothylacium thalassini and R. lophii were reported in the Japanese threadfin bream for the first time. Two different genotypes of A. typica (overall prevalence of 3.4%; mean intensity 1.7 ± 0.9) were found in the South China Sea for the first time. The unique restriction polymorphism patterns of three species of Hysterothylacium are provided for rapid diagnosis. Our present results indicate that RFLP analysis of ITS region, using the restriction enzymes HhaI and RsaI, represents a simple and practical method for large-scale surveys of Hysterothylacium for seafood industry.

[Spatial Distribution and Degradation of CDOM in the Minjiang River in Summer].

The composition, distribution, and degradation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the lower reach and estuary of the Minjiang River were analyzed using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEMs-PARAFAC) and microbial and photochemical degradation experiments. The results show that there are three types of fluorescence components in the study area:humic-like, tyrosine-like, and tryptophan-like. The humic-like components are the main components in the river zone, while the protein-like components become dominant with increasing salinity in the estuary. The change of the CDOM abundance shows a notable spatial distribution pattern. The absorption coefficient a(280) of CDOM is lower in the river, increases after entering the urban area, shows a decreasing trend in the suburbs, and rapidly declines in the estuary. A conservative estimate of the contribution of the Fuzhou urban area to the CDOM of the Minjiang River is 8%. The a(280) in the river is susceptible to microbial and photochemical degradation and the degradation percentages are (28±8)% and (44±7)%, respectively. The bioavailability and photochemical reactivity of a(280) are much higher in the river than in the estuary. The humic-like, tyrosine-like, and tryptophan-like components show a higher photochemical reactivity in the river, with degradation percentages of (75±0.5)%, (58±21)%, and (73±3)%, respectively. The fluorescent components are not labile with respect to microbial degradation and humic-like components are accumulated after 28 days of microbial culture.

[Parallel factor analysis for excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy of dissolved organic matter from a reservoir-type river].

The fluorescent components and their distribution and variation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were examined using excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy-parallel factor analysis technique (EEMs-PARAFAC) for samples collected during June, 2008 from Minjiang River, a typical subtropical reservoir-type river ecosystem. Three separate fluorescent components were identified by PARAFAC, including two dominant humic-like components (C1: < 250, 325/424 nm; C2: 270, 395/482 nm) and one protein-like component (C3: < 250, 280/358 nm), of which humic-like components were dominant. Fluorescence analysis provided a 'fingerprint' technique to trace the mixing of DOM between three tributaries in the upstream of Minjiang River. The nearly constant concentration and composition in the main stream of Minjiang River reflected the effect of dam construction Correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that humic-like components were principally derived from flushing of watershed soils, while protein-like component was formed from in-situ production which could be used as a proxy of the concentration of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). Multi-linear regression of fluorescent components C2 and C3 can be used to trace the variation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. This study demonstrates that Minjiang is a typical subtropical reservoir-type river which still keeps relatively 'unpolluted' aquatic environment.