Molecular Modification Enhances Xylose Uptake by the Sugar Transporter KM_SUT5 of Kluyveromyces marxianus.

This research cloned and expressed the sugar transporter gene KM_SUT5 from Kluyveromyces marxianus GX-UN120, which displayed remarkable sugar transportation capabilities, including pentose sugars. To investigate the impact of point mutations on xylose transport capacity, we selected four sites, predicted the suitable amino acid sites by molecular docking, and altered their codons to construct the corresponding mutants, Q74D, Y195K, S460H, and Q464F, respectively. Furthermore, we conducted site-directed truncation on six sites of KM_SUT5p. The molecular modification resulted in significant changes in mutant growth and the D-xylose transport rate. Specifically, the S460H mutant exhibited a higher growth rate and demonstrated excellent performance across 20 g L-1 xylose, achieving the highest xylose accumulation under xylose conditions (49.94 µmol h-1 gDCW-1, DCW mean dry cell weight). Notably, mutant delA554-, in which the transporter protein SUT5 is truncated at position delA554-, significantly increased growth rates in both D-xylose and D-glucose substrates. These findings offer valuable insights into potential modifications of other sugar transporters and contribute to a deeper understanding of the C-terminal function of sugar transporters.

Suggested Electroacupuncture for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in preventing and treating postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after general anesthesia. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched for papers on randomized controlled trials on electroacupuncture for PONV prevention after general anesthesia published in PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) since October 1, 2016. Primary outcome was incidence of PONV; secondary outcomes were incidence of postoperative nausea (PON) at 6 h, postoperative vomiting (POV) at 6 h, and postoperative antiemetic requirement. Data were combined and analyzed using RevMan 5.4.1 software. RESULTS Eight randomized controlled trials, with 899 total participants, were included. Findings showed (1) there was no significant difference in occurrence rate of PONV between electroacupuncture and control groups (OR=0.31, 95% CI [0.06, 1.49], P=0.14, I²=82%); (2) electroacupuncture reduced incidence of PON at 6 h postoperatively, compared with controls (OR=0.43, 95% CI [0.27, 0.67], P=0.0002, I²=0%); (3) compared with control group, electroacupuncture reduced POV incidence 0-6 h postoperatively (OR=0.38, 95% CI [0.23, 0.63], P=0.0001, I²=0%); (4) electroacupuncture group demonstrated a significant reduction in postoperative requirement for antiemetic medications (OR=0.44, 95% CI [0.25, 0.78], P=0.005, I²=61%); (5) one study reported adverse reactions during observation, with 3 patients experiencing pain and itching at acupuncture site and 2 patients refusing a second acupuncture treatment; all symptoms lasted less than 2 h. CONCLUSIONS Based on current evidence, electroacupuncture significantly reduces the occurrence rate of PON and POV at 6 h after surgery and the use of antiemetic medication postoperatively. However, more high-quality, large-sample randomized controlled trials are needed to further validate its efficacy.

CPEB3 overexpression caused by miR-106b-5p inhibition inhibits esophageal carcinoma in-vitro progression and metastasis.

This study investigates the role of CPEB3 in esophageal cancer (EC) progression. The prognosis of EC patients was shown by survival analysis. CPEB3-targeting microRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics tools and further validated by dual-luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. CPEB3 expression in EC cell lines and EC tissues was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The viabilities of KYSE150 and EC9706 cells were measured by MTT and Cell Counting Kit-8 assays. The migration, invasion and tube formation of KYSE150 and EC9706 cells were examined by wound healing, Transwell and tube formation assay, respectively. E-cadherin, N-cadherin, fibronectin, vimentin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) [and phosphorylation (p)] and STAT3 levels (and phosphorylation) in KYSE150 and EC9706 cells were determined by western blot analysis or quantitative reverse transcription PCR. In addition, a xenograft tumor model was established through subcutaneously implanting KYSE150 and EC9706 cells transfected with Lv-CPEB3 or Lv-control viruses. CPEB3 expression was downregulated in EC cells and tissues, and its overexpression inhibited viability, migration, invasion and the expressions of N-cadherin, fibronectin, vimentin and VEGF, EGFR, p-EGFR and p-STAT3 levels in KYSE150 cells, but promoted E-cadherin expression. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-CPEB3 inversely affected these phenotypes and gene expressions in EC9706 cells. miR-106b-5p targeted CPEB3 and negatively regulated CPEB3 expression. miR-106b-5p mimics reversed the effect of CPEB3 overexpression on KYSE150 cells, and miR-106b-5p inhibitor reversed the effect of siRNA-CPEB3 on EC9706 cells. In mice, tumor volumes, weights and Ki-67 expression were lower in mice treated with Lv-CPEB3 than that with Lv-control. CPEB3 overexpressed by miR-106b-5p inhibition suppressed EC progression involved in EGFR and STAT3 signaling.

microRNA-377 acts as a suppressor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through CBX3-dependent P53/P21 pathway.

Stem cells play pivotal roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) recurrence and metastasis. The self-renewal ability of stem cells was associated with specific microRNAs (miRs). Herein, we identified the effects of miR-377 on ESCC stem cell activities. First, the expression of miR-377 in ESCC and adjacent normal tissues was determined. The relationship between miR-377 and chromobox protein homolog 3 (CBX3) was assessed by a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. miR-377 was overexpressed or inhibited in ESCC stem cells to explore its role in ESCC. To further investigate the mechanism of miR-377 in ESCC, cells were introduced with short hairpin RNA against CBX3 or pifithrin-α (inhibitor of P53 pathway). Besides, the expression of P21, P53, CD133, CD13, Nanog, sex determining region Y-Box 2 (Sox2), and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4), cell sphere formation, colony formation, and proliferation were evaluated respectively. Finally, limiting dilution assay in vivo and tumor xenograft in nude mice were conducted to confirm the roles of miR-377 in vivo. miR-377 was poorly expressed in ESCC. Overexpression of miR-377 could suppress the stem-like trait of ESCC as well as the tumor growth in vivo. miR-377 targeted CBX3 to activate the P53/P21 pathway. Besides, the expression of stem-like markers including CD133, CD13, Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog was decreased, and the abilities of cell sphere formation, colony formation, proliferation, and tumorigenicity were significantly reduced by overexpressing miR-377 or silencing CBX3. The results were reversed after inactivating the P53/P21 pathway. In summary, upregulation of miR-377 inhibits the self-renewal of ESCC stem cells by inhibiting CBX3 expression and promoting activation of the P53/P21 pathway.

Electroacupuncture ameliorates neuronal injury by Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy clearance in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

The accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria induced by the impairment of the autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP), especially mitophagy is an important cause of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Electroacupuncture (EA) exerts remarkable effects in treating ischemic stroke; however, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. In this study, rats were treated with mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening inhibitor, peroxynitrite (ONOO-) scavenger, or selective inhibitor of mitophagy activation during 2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by 24 h of reperfusion in combination with EA treatment. RNA-Seq analysis showed that EA treatment in cerebral I/R was linked to the autophagosome, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and metabolic pathways. We found that I/R resulted in significantly mitochondrial function impairments including decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP levels, aggregation of damaged mitochondria, excessive nitro/oxidative stress, PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated ALP dysfunction and deficiency of Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy clearance. The treatment with EA, cyclosporine-A (CsA, a potent inhibitor of mPTP opening) or FeTMPyP (a type of ONOO- scavenger) could significantly increase MMP and/or ATP levels, improve mitochondrial function and decrease neuronal injury. At the same time, EA also improved ALP dysfunction and the deficiency of mitophagy clearance; however, mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 (Mdivi-1, a selective inhibitor of mitophagy activation) blocked mitophagy clearance and aggravated neuronal injury. Taken together, EA ameliorates nitro/oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial functional damage and decreases the accumulation of damaged mitochondria via Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy clearance to protect cells against neuronal injury in cerebral I/R.

Sitagliptin Protects Cardiac Function by Reducing Nitroxidative Stress and Promoting Autophagy in Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) Rats.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to identify potential mechanisms involved in the cardiac protective effects of sitagliptin in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male non-diabetic lean Zucker rats (Lean) and ZDF rats treated with saline (ZDF) or sitagliptin (ZDF + sita) were used in this study. The blood pressure and lipid profiles were increased significantly in ZDF rats compared with Lean rats. ZDF + sitagliptin rats had decreased systolic blood pressure compared with ZDF rats. Sitagliptin treatment decreased total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were decreased in ZDF rats, which improved with sitagliptin from 59.8% ± 3.0 and 34.5% ± 3.1 to 66.9% ± 3.4 and 40.9% ± 4.2, respectively. Moreover, the nitroxidative stress level was increased while autophagy levels were decreased in ZDF rats, which was reversed by the administration of sitagliptin. Treatment with sitagliptin or FeTMPyP improved the autophagy level in high-glucose cultured H9c2 cells by increasing autolysosome numbers from 15 ± 4 to 21 ± 3 and 22 ± 3, respectively. We detected a positive correlation between DPP-4 activity and 3-nitrotyrosine levels (r = 0.3903; P < 0.01), a negative correlation between Beclin-1 levels and DPP-4 activity (r = - 0.3335; P < 0.01), and a negative correlation between 3-nitrotyrosine and Beclin-1 levels (r = - 0.3794; P < 0.01) in coronary heart disease patients. CONCLUSIONS: Sitagliptin alleviates diabetes-induced cardiac injury by reducing nitroxidative stress and promoting autophagy. This study indicates a novel target pathway for the treatment of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Analysis of water and nitrogen use efficiency for maize (Zea mays L.) grown on soft rock and sand compound soil.

BACKGROUND: Maize was grown on compound soils constituted from mixtures of soft rock and sand at different ratios, and water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency (FNUE) were quantified. The data were used to assist in designing strategies for optimizing water and nitrogen management practices for maize on the substrates used. Maize was sown in composite soil prepared at three ratios of soft rock and sand (1:1, 1:2 and 1:5 v/v) in Mu Us Sandy Land, Yuyang district, Yulin city, China. Yields, amount of drainage, nitrogen (N) leaching, WUE and NUE were calculated. Then a water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) was calibrated and validated. RESULTS: No significant difference in evapotranspiration of maize was found among compound soils with soft rock/sand ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:5, while water drainage increased significantly with increasing soft rock/sand ratio. WUE increased to 1.30 kg m-3 in compound soil with 1:2 soft rock/sand ratio. Nitrogen leaching and ammonia volatilization were the main reason for nitrogen loss, and N reduction mainly relied on crop uptake. NUE and FNUE could reach 33.1 and 24.9 kg kg-1 N respectively. Water drainage and nitrogen leaching occurred mostly during heavy rainfall or irrigation. Through a scenario analysis of different rainfall types, water and fertilizer management systems were formulated each year. CONCLUSION: This study shows that soft rock plays a key role in improving the WUE, NUE and FNUE of maize. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antiperoxynitrite Treatment Ameliorates Vasorelaxation of Resistance Arteries in Aging Rats: Involvement With Protection of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells.

Numerous studies have found that the age-associated structural and functional alterations in arteries were characterized by increased endothelial dysfunction. In this study, young (3 months), adult (9 months), and aging (20 months) male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, including control groups and FeTMPyP (peroxynitrite scavenger) groups receiving saline and FeTMPyP, respectively, for 5 administrations once every 3 days through intraperitoneal injection. The aged-related proteins beta-galactosidase, p53, and p16 as well as the nitrotyrosine and endothelial marker endothelial nitric oxide synthase and von Willebrand factor (vWF) in vascular tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and endothelium-independent vasorelaxation of rat thoracic aortas and mesenteric arteries were measured by acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, respectively. The amount of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was determined by flow cytometry. The endothelium-dependent/independent relaxation in mesenteric arteries and the amount of circulating EPCs (CD31/CD34) in peripheral blood of aging rats were reduced significantly compared with young and adult rats. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the nitrotyrosine levels and morphological damage in mesenteric arteries were increased significantly in aging rats. Adoption of peroxynitrite scavenger FeTMPyP intervention may not only improve the endothelium-dependent relaxation and the amount of circulating EPCs in aging rats but also reverse endothelial injury. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that enhanced nitrative stress may aggravate the endothelial injury and vascular dysfunction of resistance arteries in aging rats. Antiperoxynitrite treatment can ameliorate the vasorelaxation and may be involved with the protection of circulating EPCs.

Electroacupuncture Ameliorates Neuronal Injury by NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 Mediated Pyroptosis in Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion.

NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 mediated pyroptosis is one of the important causes of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used in clinical treatment of ischemic stroke. However, mechanism of EA on ischemic stroke remains unclear. Therefore, on basis of a previous work, this study used middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) 2 h and then reperfusion 7 days in rats to simulate brain I/R process. EA with Bahui (GV20) and Zusanli (ST36) and VX-765 (a specific inhibitor of Caspase-1) was performed. In this study, we found that EA improved cerebral infarct size and neuronal damage, including ultrastructural injury, and ameliorated nitro/oxidative stress in cerebral I/R. Additionally, EA treatment significantly decreased ASC, Caspase-1, GSDMD, and IL-1ß expression and VX-765 treatment significantly decreased NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1ß expression. This proved that EA can regulate NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 mediated pyroptosis, improve neuronal injury during cerebral I/R, and provide basic experimental data for clinical treatment.

Xylitol fermentation characteristics with a newly isolated yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus WA.

Xylitol is an increasingly popular functional food additive, and the newly isolated yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus WA has shown extensive substrate utilization capability, with the ability to grow on hexose (d-galactose, d-glucose, d-mannose, l-fructose, and d-sorbose) and pentose (d-xylose and l-arabinose) substrates, as well as high tolerance to xylose at concentrations of up to 300 g/L. Optimal xylitol fermentation conditions were achieved at 32 °C, 140 rpm, pH 5.0, and initial cell concentration OD600 of 2.0, with YP (yeast extract 10 g/L, peptone 20 g/L) as the optimal nitrogen source. Xylitol yield increased from 0.61 g/g to 0.91 g/g with an increase in initial substrate concentration from 20 g/L to 180 g/L. Additionally, 20 g/L glycerol was found to be the optimal co-substrate for xylitol fermentation, resulting in an increase in xylitol yield from 0.82 g/g to 0.94 g/g at 140 rpm, enabling complete conversion of xylose to xylitol.

Spatio-temporal characteristics and driving mechanism of land degradation sensitivity in Northwest China.

Northwest China has been experiencing severe land degradation for a long time due to various natural and social elements. Evaluating and analyzing the process of occurrence and driving mechanism of land degradation sensitivity in this area is crucial for enhancing the local ecological environment. In this study, 18 social and environmental elements were used to construct a land degradation sensitivity index (LDSI) evaluation system in the area from vegetation, climate, management, soil, and geomorphology five factors. The spatio-temporal characteristics of LDSI in Northwest China from 2000 to 2020 were evaluated on the basis of analyzing the developmental changes of each factor. Correlation analysis and multiscale geographical weighting regression (MGWR) were used to reveal the driving mechanism of land degradation sensitivity. The results indicated a high level of land degradation sensitivity in Northwest China, with >66 % of the area (190.96 × 104 km2) in the critical sensitive class from 2000 to 2020. But the land degradation sensitivity decreased in 18.52 % of the area (53.58 × 104 km2) from 2000 to 2020, the overall trend was weakening. The spatial distribution mainly showed stronger sensitivity in the northwest and weaker sensitivity in the southeast. By exploring the driving mechanism of land degradation sensitivity, it was found that vegetation and climate showed a strong correlation, with a correlation coefficient >0.8. Drought resistance played a strong role in the dynamic process of land degradation. The basic dynamic elements showed some spatial variability in land degradation in different regions. This study is of significance for land degradation prevention and sustainable development in Northwest China.

Mineralization mechanism of organic carbon in maize rhizosphere soil of soft rock and sand mixed soil under different fertilization modes.

Introduction: This article endeavors to investigate the influence of various fertilization methods on the characteristics of rhizosphere soil and organic carbon mineralization in the mixed soil of Mu Us Sandy land under maize cultivation, with the objective of laying the groundwork for low-carbon agriculture and the development of high-quality farmland. Methods: The research focuses on soft rock and sand composite soil with a 1:2 ratio, and it comprises four treatments: no fertilization (CK), only chemical fertilization (CF), only cattle manure application (MF), and only oil residue application (DF). Results: The findings revealed that the use of organic fertilizer substantially elevated nutrient content and enzyme activity in the maize rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, it had a notable influence on both soil aggregate diameter and stability. Specifically, the DF treatment led to a significant increase in both soil aggregate diameter and stability. The mineralization rate of organic carbon in the maize rhizosphere soil could be categorized into two distinct phases: a rapid initial decline followed by a slower release. By the end of the incubation period, the cumulative mineralization of organic carbon in the MF, DF, and CF treatments showed a significant increase of 119.87%, 57.57%, and 24.15%, respectively, in comparison to the CK treatment. Additionally, the mineralization rate constants of the DF and MF treatments experienced a substantial rise, with increments of 23.52% and 45.97%, respectively, when contrasted with the CK treatment. The bacterial phyla Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteriota, and Firmicutes were dominant in the rhizosphere soil bacterial community. Specific genera such as Nocardioides and Sphingomonas showed significant correlations with organic carbon mineralization. The application of different organic fertilizer can improve soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and promote the mineralization process of organic carbon in maize rhizosphere soil. Discussion: Notably, the DF treatment exhibited the most favorable outcome, improving the overall quality of maize rhizosphere soil while incurring a minimal loss of unit organic carbon. These findings hold significant implications for optimizing field management practices and augmenting soil quality.

Distribution of soil microorganisms in different complex soil layers in Mu Us sandy land.

The soft rock in Mu Us Sandy Land has rich resources and high content of clay minerals. The combination of soft rock with sand can play a certain role in sand fixation and promote the green development of ecological environment. In this paper, the aeolian sandy soil in Mu Us Sandy was taken as the research object, and it was mixed with soft rock to form composite soil. The four volume ratios of soft rock to sand were respectively 0:1, 1:5, 1:2 and 1:1. And CK, P1, P2 and P3 were used to represent the above four volume ratios in turn. By means of quantitative fluorescent PCR and high throughput sequencing, 16S rRNA gene abundance and community structure were investigated. The results showed that the soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in 0-30cm soil layer were higher. Compared with CK, the SOC of P2 was improved by 112.77% and that of P1 was 88.67%. The content of available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK) was higher in 30-60cm soil layer, and P3 was more effective. The abundance of 16S rRNA gene in the mixed soil bacteria ranged from 0.03×109 to 0.21×109 copies g-1 dry soil, which was consistent with the changes of nutrients. Under different soil layers, the three dominant bacteria in the mixed soil were the same, namely Phylum Actinobacteriota, Phylum Proteobacteria and Phylum Chloroflexi, and there were more unique genera in each soil layer. Both bacteria ɑ and ß diversity showed that the community structure of P1 and P3 in 0-30cm soil layers was similar, and that of P1 and P2 in 30-60cm soil layers was similar. AK, SOC, AN (ammonium nitrogen), TN and NN (nitrate nitrogen) were the main factors contributing to the differentiation of microbial community structure under different compound ratios and soil layers, and Phylum Actinobacteria has the largest correlation with nutrients. The results showed that the soft rock could improve the quality of sandy soil, and that the growth of microbial growth was dependent on the soil physicochemical characteristics. The results of this study will be helpful to the study of the microscopical theory for the control of the wind-blown sand and the ecology of the desert.

The soft rock can promote the improvement of aeolian sandy soil in Mu Us Sandy Land, China.

This study focuses on the significance of improving the land degradation of Mu Us Sandy Land to increase cultivated land area and promote ecological green development. The research objects were four kinds of mixed soils, and rhizosphere soils were collected during the crop harvesting period. The volume ratio of soft rock to sand was 0:1 (control check, CK), 1:5 (composite soil one, PS1), 1:2 (composite soil two, PS2), and 1:1 (composite soil three, PS3). The results showed that the large aggregates were primarily mechanically stable aggregates, while the small aggregates were mainly water-stable aggregates. The soft rock promoted the increase of clay and silt content in sandy soil, and the soil texture changed from sand to loam. The contents of organic matter, available phosphorus, and available potassium increased significantly under PS2 and PS3 treatments, but there was no significant difference between them. Total nitrogen had no significant difference among treatments. Actinobaciota, Proteobateria, and Chloroflexi were the dominant bacteria in rhizosphere soil, accounting for about 75% of all microorganisms. At the Genus level, the soft rock contributes to richer species composition. The diversity index, evenness index, and richness index was higher in PS1, and the available phosphorus and available potassium content promoted the increase of diversity. Therefore, when the proportion of soft rock and sand compound soil is between 1: 5 and 1: 2, it can be used as an important basis and technical parameter for Mu Us Sandy Land improvement.

Construction of a liquid crystal biosensor based on Fe3O4 nano-signal amplification and its application in HCG detection.

In this research, to improve the ability of nanomaterials to interfere with liquid crystal orientation, we constructed a novel liquid crystal biosensor using Fe3O4 nanospheres as signal amplifiers, which was used for the highly selective and sensitive detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The Fe3O4 nanospheres in liquid crystal biosensors are still rare, in particular for the detection of the HCG antigen, a marker of pregnancy in women. This strategy takes advantage of the large spatial structure of Fe3O4 nanospheres to pre-immobilise ß-hCG antibodies on the glass substrate, and, in the presence of HCG antigens, the antigen-antibody formed a specific immune response to disrupt the orientation of the liquid crystal. This allows an amplified optical signal to be generated for the ultimate successful detection of HCG antigen, and can greatly reduce the detectability of the target antigen concentration, ultimately greatly increasing the sensitivity of detection to a large degree. Thus, under optimal detection conditions, the minimum detection limit can be as low as 0.438 mIU mL-1. The prepared LC biosensor demonstrates excellent specificity and sensitivity compared to conventional nanomaterials used in liquid crystal biosensors, and will be of great benefit for future applications requiring trace detection of proteins, antibiotics, bacteria and so on, which is expected to provide a sensitive detection platform for HCG and other molecular monitors.

A pilot controlled trial of a combination of electroacupuncture and psychological intervention for post-stroke depression.

OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate effects of a combination of electroacupuncture (EA) and psychological intervention (PI) for post-stroke depression (PSD) and provide treatment suggestions METHODS: In a single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 49 patients with PSD were randomly divided into two groups, PI group (n = 23) and PI+EA group (n = 26). PI group received PI 2 times a week by a professional psychologist. In addition to PI treatment, PI+EA group was treated with EA at GB13 and HT7, 30 min, 5 times a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, a total of 12 weeks. The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) and Lo Knapp Ron J's sleep score table were measured before treatment, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of PI or PI+EA therapy, 42 of 49 patients were effective and 7 were ineffective, with an effective rate of 85.7 %. Among them, the effective rate of PI group alone was 78.3 %, and the effective rate of PI+EA group was 92.3 %. Compared with values of PI, HAMD-17 values at 8 weeks of PI+EA treatment were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). At the same time, Sleep Score table was significantly decreased after PI+EA treatment (P < 0.05). Incidence of adverse events was not different in the two groups CONCLUSION: A combination of EA and PI maybe an effective and safe treatment option for PSD, which is statistically more significant than PI treatment alone. Due to small samples involved in this pilot study, further research is needed to see whether a combination of EA and PI will match the results of this pilot study.

The influence of cognitive level on the guaranteed behavioral response of landless farmers in the context of rural revitalization-An empirical study based on partial least squares structural equation modeling.

With the continuous acceleration of urbanization and agricultural modernization in China, the trend of concentration of rural land transfer is irreversible. For landless farmers, the absence of land guaranteed function inevitably gives rise to the substitution effect of other guaranteed methods. And the subjective preferences exhibited by farmers in making guaranteed behavior decisions can be quantitatively described as guaranteed behavioral responses (GBRs). Based on the analytical framework of distributed cognitive theory, this paper adopts the validated factor analysis method of structural equation modeling to quantitatively study the cognitive basis and behavioral responses of landless farmers' guaranteed behavior by combining the survey data of rural households in typical rural areas of Wuhan urban area. The study shows that the GBRs of landless farmers are significantly influenced by the cognitive level. "Locality power," "cultural power," and "personal power" are the main, important, and effective cognitive levels that influence farmers' GBRs, respectively. Policy-based protection occupies a dominant position in the rural social guaranteed system, savings-based protection still plays an important function in rural areas, and market-based protection has greater development potential.

Effects of vegetation spatial pattern on erosion and sediment particle sorting in the loess convex hillslope.

To address the problem of serious soil erosion on the Loess Plateau, under the conditions of limited vegetation measures, the runoff erosion characteristics and erosion sediment sorting characteristics of vegetation at different positions on the upper slope of convex hillslopes are investigated, and the optimal vegetation spatial pattern is proposed according to the benefits of water storage and sediment reduction at different vegetation positions. The fluctuation degree of flow discharge per unit area of different vegetation spatial patterns is small, and the variation process of sediment discharge per unit area of each vegetation spatial pattern fluctuated sharply with the increase of runoff time. After planting vegetation on the slope, the total runoff yield and sediment yield were reduced. The runoff yield reduction benefit was 19.65% when the grass belt was 6 m away from the slope top; and the sediment yield reduction benefit was more than 70% when the grass belt was 2 m away from the slope top. Under the condition of hydraulic erosion on the slope covered with vegetation, the erosion particles are mainly fine particles, with high silt content and relatively small sand content. The farther the vegetation is arranged from the slope top, the more easily silt of size 0.002-0.05 mm is eroded. The higher effectiveness in terms of reductions of both runoff and sediment yields were obtained when the vegetation is planted in the proximity of the end of the length of the slope.

Components of respiration and their temperature sensitivity in four reconstructed soils.

Seasonal changes characteristics in the respiration of four reconstructed soil masses in a barren gravel land were monitored. The results showed that (1) Respiration and heterotrophic respiration of the four reconstructed soils with added meteorite, shale, sand increased gradually with increasing soil temperatures, reaching its maximum in summer and decreasing to its minimum in winter. the average annual respiration of reconstructed soil with sand was 4.87 µmol·m-2·s-1, which was significantly higher than the other reconstructed soils (p < 0.05). (2) The maximum and minimum values of autotrophic respiration for the four reconstructed soils appeared in August 2018 and January 2018, respectively. the proportion of autotrophic respiration to total respiration was 12.5-38.0%, 9.5-42.0%, 7.7-41.2%, and 5.0-39.3% for the soils with reconstituted meteorite, shale, sand, and soft rock, respectively. (3) The relationship between respiration and the temperature of reconstructed soils can be represented by an exponential function. The 90% to 93% changes in reconstructed soils respiration were caused by soil temperature. The temperature sensitivity (Q10) of reconstituted soil with added sand was significantly higher than that of the other three reconstituted soils.

The Impact of Catalpol on Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration, and Oxidative Stress of Lung Cancer Cells Based on Nrf2/ARE Signaling.

The effects of catalpol on lung cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and oxidative stress via the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway are investigated in this work. Catalpol-12 g/mL group, catalpol-24 g/mL group, catalpol-48 g/mL group, catalpol - 48 g/mL + vector group, catalpol - 48 g/mL + Nrf2 group, si-NC group, and si-Nrf2 group were used to split lung cancer cells A549 into control groups. Proliferation was detected using the CCK-8 assay; apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry; migration was detected using the transwell chamber; ROS was distinguished using the DCFHDA method; MDA, SOD, and GSH were detected using the microvolume method; and Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-9, Nrf2, HO-1, MMP-9, and MMP-2 were detected using the Western blot method. Catalpol 12 g/mL and 24 g/mL-48 g/mL treatment decreased the proliferation activity, migration number, and Nrf2, HO-1, MMP-9, and MMP-2 protein levels of lung cancer cells when compared to the control group. SOD and GSH levels of lung cancer cells were decreased, and MDA and ROS levels were increased. Cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 protein expression levels, and apoptosis were boosted (P < 0.05). The proliferation activity, migration number, and protein levels of Nrf2, HO-1, MMP-9, and MMP-2 in the catalpol - 48 g/mL + Nrf2 group were raised compared to the catalpol - 48 g/mL + vector group, whereas there was an apparent drop in the Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-9, and apoptosis rate. Similarly, SOD and GSH contents increased, whereas MDA and ROS decreased (P < 0.05). The proliferation activity, migration number, and Nrf2, HO-1, MMP-9, and MMP-2 protein levels of lung cancer cells in the si-Nrf2 group were all decreased when compared to the si-NC and control groups. Cleaved Caspase-3 and Cleaved Caspase-9 protein expression, on the other hand, increased as MDA and ROS levels were raised while SOD and GSH levels dropped (P < 0.05). It reveals that catalpol inhibits the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, which causes antiproliferation, migration, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in cancer cells of lungs. The rate of apoptosis was also lowered.