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Simple Summary: The fate and development of birds largely depend on their reproductive strategies, which vary, either diverging or converging among different species and populations. We studied the reproductive strategies of White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabarica) and Oriental Magpie Robin (C. saularis), which may be convergent because of their kin relationships or divergent because of niche differentiation under sympatric competition. We observed that they differed in certain reproductive strategies, such as nest-site selection and egg incubation patterns, but were similar in others, including nestling heating, sexual synchronization in nestling feeding, and coordination of nestling feeding and nest cleaning. Reproduction plays a crucial role in determining the development, fate, and dynamics of bird populations. However, reproductive strategies vary among species and populations. In this study, we investigated the reproductive strategies of the Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis) and White-rumped Shama (C. malabarica), which are closely related passerines that reproduce in sympatric areas. We found that although these two species were both cavity nesting, their nest-site selection differed; the Shama preferred nesting close to trees and forests, whereas the Magpie Robin nested close to human residential areas. Furthermore, their egg incubation patterns differed; the Shama increased daily incubation frequency with incubation time, but the Magpie Robin maintained its daily incubation time regardless of changes in incubation frequency. However, the nestling heating patterns of these two species were similar, indicating a critical demand for regulating hatchling body temperature during this crucial stage. The feeding frequencies of male parents were strongly correlated with those of females in both species, suggesting equal contribution and good synchronization between the sexes. Nestling feeding frequency was also correlated with nest cleaning frequency, implying coordination between feeding and defecation by parents and offspring, respectively. This research explored the divergence and convergence of reproductive strategies between these two sympatric species, providing valuable insights into the niche differentiation theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution characteristics of Polygonatum sibiricum (P. sibiricum) polysaccharide administered orally and intravenously in rats, the latest quantitative analysis method was established where P. sibiricum polysaccharide was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) in plasma and tissues. Quantitative analysis method of P. sibiricum polysaccharide in rat plasma and tissues was established by fluorescence spectrophotometry with FITC as a highly sensitive fluorescent molecular probe. The results showed that P. sibiricum polysaccharide was successfully labeled with FITC, and the degree of substitution was 0.55 %. Pharmacokinetic characteristics showed that oral administration (ig) and intravenous injection (iv) were consistent with the characteristics of two-compartment model. PRP-TYR-FITC administered orally was poorly absorbed in rats with low bioavailability. After a single ig and iv administration in rats for 8 h, P. sibiricum polysaccharide can be distributed in most tissues. The analysis results showed that P. sibiricum polysaccharide was distributed mostly in lung, kidney and liver for both routes of administration. When taking orally, the distribution pattern was: lung > liver > kidney > small intestine > stomach > heart > spleen > brain. When taking intravenously, the distribution pattern was: liver > lung > kidney > small intestine > heart > stomach > spleen > brain. Fluorescence labeling of P. sibiricum polysaccharide by FITC was successfully realized. This method was proved to be suitable for the study of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of P. sibiricum polysaccharide in rats. The above research lays foundation for further elucidating the clinical pharmacological mechanism of polysaccharide in P. sibiricum. • PRP was successfully labeled with new highly sensitive FITC firstly. • Pharmacokinetics of PRP in rats was studied for the first time. • The tissue distribution of PRP-TYR-FITC was studied by CLSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg rejection in birds is a specific adaptation toward avian brood parasitism, whereas nest sanitation is a general behavior for cleaning the nest and avoiding predation. However, both behaviors refer to the action of ejecting objects out of the nest, and nest sanitation has been proposed as a pre-adaptation for egg rejection. Here, we tested the eliciting effect of nest sanitation on egg rejection in the red-whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus , a potential host species that are sympatric with parasitic cuckoos. We conducted meta-analyses of previous studies on both nest sanitation and egg rejection, in order to evaluate the consistency of our conclusions. Our results showed that nest sanitation did not elicit egg rejection in P. jocosus. The conclusions concerning such an eliciting effect from previous studies were mixed, whereas the methodologies were inconsistent, making the studies unsuitable for comparisons. However, the ejection frequency of nest sanitation was consistently higher than the frequency of egg rejection across different host species or populations. These results suggest that nest sanitation, which is an ancient behavior, is more fundamental than egg rejection, but the effect of the former on the latter is complex and needs further study. Standardized methodologies and the integration of behavior, physiology, and modeling may provide better opportunities to explore the relationship between nest sanitation and egg rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells-1(TREM) and Presepsin(PSP) have been shown to differentiate sepsis from inflammation in non-MCS patients. B Introduction: b Infection occurs in up to 32% of children receiving mechanical circulatory support(MCS) with associated increased mortality and is challenging to identify as MCS masks signs of infection and induces an inflammatory response. B Methods: b Prospectively collected plasma samples obtained prior to, and daily for the initial 7 days of MCS from 18 patients with new CX+ infection following initiation of MCS were analyzed to determine levels of TREM, PSP and C-Reactive Protein(CRP). [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are key enzymes of the renin–angiotensin system. We investigated developmental changes in renal ACE and ACE2 gene expression and activity in both male and female sheep. Methods: Three groups of sheep (fetus, newborn, and adult) were used. Renal ACE and ACE2 activities, messenger RNA (mRNA), and protein expression were studied. Results: Renal ACE and ACE2 activities increased at 1 year in males, while there were no changes throughout development in females. Renal ACE and ACE2 mRNA and protein showed no sex differences but increased by 1 year of age. Conclusion: There are sex-related differences in the development of renal-converting enzyme activities that may have functional implications in terms of the regulation of blood pressure and renal function in men and women. The difference in the patterns of gene expression and enzyme activity indicates that changes in gene expression may not accurately reflect changes in activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel nanocomposite material of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) N-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate (BPPF6) was explored and used to construct a novel microperoxidase-11 (MP-11) biosensor for the determination of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to characterize the performance of the biosensor. Under the optimized experimental conditions, H2O2 could be detected in a linear calibration range of 0.5 to 7.0×10−7 molL−1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9949 (n =9) and a detection limit of 3.8×10−9 molL−1 at 3σ. The modified electrodes displayed excellent electrochemical response, high sensitivity, long-term stability, and good bioactivity and selectivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Extracorporeal life support provides perfusion for patients with heart failure to allow time for recovery, function as a bridge for patients to heart transplantation, or serve as destination therapy for long term mechanical device support. Several biomarkers have been employed in attempt to predict these outcomes, but it remains to be determined which are suitable to guide clinical practice relevant to extracorporeal life support. Galectin-3 and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2) are two of the more promising candidates with the greatest supporting evidence. In this review, we address the similarities and differences between galectin-3 and sST2 for prognostic prediction in adults and children with heart failure requiring extracorporeal life support and highlight the significant lack of progress in pediatric biomarker discovery and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The life history of birds dictates their activities and is crucial to population success. However, the life history traits of only one-third of the world's bird species have been described; the rest are poorly understood. We studied the breeding ecology of the Yellow-bellied Warbler (Abroscopus superciliaris) and documented reproductive information throughout the egg and nestling periods. The data included natural nest sites, nest components, nest size, egg laying dates and time, egg morph, egg size, clutch size, egg incubation, nestling brooding and feeding, nestling morph and growth, and reproductive outcome. This study provided particular information of breeding ecology that has not been reported before in the Yellow-bellied Warbler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on breeding biology enable us to broaden our understanding of the evolution of life history strategies. We studied the breeding biology of the Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus) to provide comprehensive data on nest and egg characteristics, parental behavior throughout egg laying and nestling periods, and reproductive outcome. Our study reveals adaptive behavioral patterns and reproductive strategies for P. monticolus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Polygonatum sibiricum Liliaceae perennial herb, as a commonly used medicine and food homologous plant, has been widely used in clinical practice of Chinese medicine since ancient times, with a history of 2000 years. As the main active ingredient, P. sibiricum polysaccharides have important pharmacological effects in blood sugar reduction and antitumor, antioxidant and liver protection. RESULTS: Mouse models of P. sibiricum polysaccharides were used in combination with 1H NMR to investigate the metabolic regulation mechanism in mouse tissue and blood. The metabolite maps of the control group and the drug group in the liver had significant changes. The main differential metabolites were glucose 6‐phosphate, inositol, lactose, glutamylglycine, galactose, rhamnose, cis‐aconitic acid and histidine, indicating that there was definite correlation between the metabolic detection based on 1H NMR and the metabolic characteristics of P. sibiricum. The common differential metabolites obtained by overall metabolism analysis were 3‐hydroxybutyric acid, d‐ribose, adenosine phosphate, inositol, fructose 6‐phosphate, histidine, aspartic acid and cis‐aconitic acid. CONCLUSIONS: This work forms the basis for identification of metabolic states combined with metabolic pathways, which could be used as diagnostic and prognostic indicators, providing therapeutic targets for new diseases. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS), the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is between 37 and 63%. In this study, we performed an exploratory analysis evaluating the relationship of multiple urine biomarkers with AKI development in pediatric MCS patients. Methods: This is a single center retrospective study in a pediatric cohort receiving MCS from August 2014 to November 2020. We measured 14 urine biomarkers of kidney injury on day 1 following MCS initiation and analyzed their association with development of AKI in the first 7 days of MCS initiation. Results: Sixty patients met inclusion criteria. Patients with AKI were more likely to be supported by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (65% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001), compared to the no AKI group and less likely to have ventricular assist devices (10% vs. 50%, p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in the median urine albumin and urine osteoactivin in the AKI group, compared to the no AKI group (p = 0.020 and p = 0.018, respectively). When normalized to urine creatinine (UCr), an increased log osteoactivin/UCr was associated with higher odds of AKI development (OR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.44; p = 0.028), and higher log epidermal growth factor (EGF)/UCr (OR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.96) was associated with decreased odds of AKI. Conclusions: Early increase in urine osteoactivin is associated with AKI development within 7 days of MCS initiation in pediatric patients. Contrary, an increased urine EGF is associated with kidney protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (Anth-bC) may experience early cardiac fibrosis, which could be an important contributing mechanism to the development of impaired left ventricular (LV) function. Substance P, a neuropeptide that predominantly acts via the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK-1R), contributes to adverse myocardial remodelling and fibrosis in other cardiomyopathies. We sought to determine if NK-1R blockade is effective against doxorubicin (Dox – a frequently used Anth-bC)-induced cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In addition, we explored the direct effects of Dox on cardiac fibroblasts. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised to receive saline, six cycles of Dox (1.5 mg Dox/kg/cycle) or Dox with an NK-1R antagonist (L732138, 5 mg/kg/daily through Dox treatment). At 8 weeks after the initial dose of Dox, LV function and histopathological myocardial fibrosis and cell apoptosis were assessed. Collagen secretion was measured in vitro to test direct Dox activation of cardiac fibroblasts. Rats undergoing Dox treatment (9 mg/kg cumulative dose) developed cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. NK-1R blockade partially mitigated cardiac fibrosis while completely preventing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. This resulted in improved diastolic function. Furthermore, we found that Dox had direct effects on cardiac fibroblasts to cause increased collagen production and enhanced cell survival. This study demonstrates that cardiac fibrosis induced by Anth-bC can be reduced by NK-1R blockade. The residual fibrotic response is likely due to direct Dox effects on cardiac fibroblasts to produce collagen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal exposure to clinically relevant doses of Betamethasone cause a reduction in nephron number in adult sheep, but its effects on renal function are not known. Therefore, we evaluated if prenatal B exposure alters renal function and blood pressure (MAP) during intrarenal infusions of Ang 1-7 (IR A 1-7) with or without its antagonist in adult male sheep. 1.5 year old rams exposed to either Betamethasone (B) or vehicle (C) at 80-81 days gestation received a IR A 1-7 (1ng/kg/min) with or without [D-Ala7]-ANG-(1-7) (D-Ala, 10ng/kg/min) into the renal artery for 24 hours. MAP, GFR, fractional excretion lithium (FE Li) and sodium excretion (UNa) were measured. MAP in B was higher than in C (82.62±3.68 versus 74.99±1.40 mmHg, p<0.01). The infusion did not change MAP and GFR. UNa was lower in B than in C (0.58±0.14 versus 0.33±0.06 meq/h/kg, p<0.05). The IR A 1-7 decreased UNa from 0.58±0.14 meq/h/kg to 0.28±0.04meq/h/kg (p<0.05) in C and from 0.33±0.06 to 0.13±0.03meq/h/kg (p<0.05) in B. FE Li was lower in B than in C (0.21±0.06 vs 0.42±0.08, p<0.05). The data indicate prenatal B exposure increases MAP and impairs renal function including proximal tubular Na reabsorption in adult rams. The IRA 1-7 induced decrease in UNa tended to be greater in C and was not markedly attenuated by D-Ala. The effect of low doses Ang 1-7 may be mediated by a receptor other than the MAS receptor and may be smaller in B. Supported by NIH grants HD 04784 and HD17644 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypertensive patients often experience left ventricular (LV) dysfunction associated with cardiac fibrosis. Pre-treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) prevent these deleterious effects in animal models of acute pressure overload. We sought to determine whether purified EPA consumption mitigates myocardial fibrosis and LV dysfunction in rats with established hypertension, a situation similar to a clinical scenario. Methods: Thirty 12 week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were randomized to receive purified EPA or corn oil supplemented diet (Control group [CTL]) for 20 weeks. We assessed tail-cuff systolic blood pressures (SBP) at baseline and pre-necropsy; at 20 weeks, in blinded analysis, we measured LV structure and function by transthoracic echocardiography, EPA levels in erythrocytes (% of fatty acids) and LV collagen volume fraction (CVF) using picrosirius red stain. Results: Animals had elevated SBP at baseline (EPA: 151.5 ± 5.3 mm Hg vs. CTL 157.2 ± 5.8 mm Hg, p=0.45) and EPA diet did not have an effect on pre-necropsy SBP (EPA-BP: 199.2 ± 7.3 mm Hg vs. CTL-SBP: 206.4 ± 9.5 mm Hg, p=0.56). Rats on EPA diet had higher erythrocyte EPA levels (EPA: 0.84 ± 0.07 % vs. CTL: 0.08 ± 0.10 %, p=0.001), lower LV diastolic filling pressures [E/e'] (EPA: 16.2 ± 1.2 vs. CTL: 21.0 ± 1.2, p=0.01) [Figure A] and lower CVF (EPA: 1.62 ± 0.07 % vs. CTL: 2.43 ± 0.01 %, p<0.0001) [Figure B]. Additional echocardiographic parameters of LV remodeling and systolic function were not statistically different between groups. Conclusions: Animals with established hypertension on an EPA enriched diet developed less LV myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction compared to those on a control diet. These results add to an accumulating body of evidence that EPA supplementation may be an effective treatment strategy to mitigate LV dysfunction and myocardial fibrosis in hypertension. Future studies in humans are urgently needed to confirm the potential benefits of EPA supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy (Anth-bC) may experience early cardiac fibrosis, which could be an important contributing mechanism to the development of impaired left ventricular (LV) function. Substance P, a neuropeptide that predominantly acts via the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK-1R), contributes to adverse myocardial remodelling and fibrosis in other cardiomyopathies. We sought to determine if NK-1R blockade is effective against doxorubicin (Dox - a frequently used Anth-bC)-induced cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In addition, we explored the direct effects of Dox on cardiac fibroblasts.Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised to receive saline, six cycles of Dox (1.5mg Dox/kg/cycle) or Dox with an NK-1R antagonist (L732138, 5mg/kg/daily through Dox treatment). At 8 weeks after the initial dose of Dox, LV function and histopathological myocardial fibrosis and cell apoptosis were assessed. Collagen secretion was measured in vitro to test direct Dox activation of cardiac fibroblasts.Results: Rats undergoing Dox treatment (9mg/kg cumulative dose) developed cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. NK-1R blockade partially mitigated cardiac fibrosis while completely preventing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. This resulted in improved diastolic function. Furthermore, we found that Dox had direct effects on cardiac fibroblasts to cause increased collagen production and enhanced cell survival.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that cardiac fibrosis induced by Anth-bC can be reduced by NK-1R blockade. The residual fibrotic response is likely due to direct Dox effects on cardiac fibroblasts to produce collagen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]