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We present in this paper a fully discrete two-grid finite element method to solve the diffusive Peterlin viscoelastic model on the basis of studying the fully discrete standard finite element method. The fully discrete two-grid method involves solving small nonlinear coarse spatial grid systems and linear fine spatial grid systems with the same time step. Under the reasonable assumptions, it is proven theoretically that the accuracy of fully discrete two-grid method is the same as the fully discrete finite element method on the fine spatial grid. Numerical examples are given to validate the accuracy and convergence order of the standard finite element method and two-grid method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clostridium difficile‐associated diarrhea (CDAD) accounts for up to 25% of patients with antibiotic‐associated diarrhea (AAD). We aimed to determine which probiotic is most effective in preventing CDAD using a network meta‐analysis. Methods: Studies were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy of probiotic interventions for CDAD. Primary outcomes were the incidence rates of AAD and CDAD, and secondary outcomes were the duration of diarrhea and the time until onset of diarrhea. The PROSPERO registered number of this study is CRD42018106115. Results: Ten RCTs including 11 analyses and including 4 692 patients were identified. Compared with the control group, probiotic intervention reduced the incidence rates of CDAD (odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.17‐0.61) and AAD (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.23‐0.66). Similar results were observed regarding the duration of diarrhea and the time until onset of diarrhea. Meta‐regression analysis showed a correlation between the type of probiotic used and the incidence of CDAD and AAD. All nine kinds of probiotic interventions were statistically more effective than the placebo, with Lactobacillus casei ranking as the best intervention (OR 0.19, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.06‐0.63) for decreasing the incidence rate of CDAD. L. casei also ranked the highest in reducing the incidence rate of AAD (OR 0.32, 95% CrI 0.14‐0.74). Conclusion: Lactobacilli strains, especially L. casei, have a good effect on the prevention of CDAD and AAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreground and background cues can assist humans in quickly understanding visual scenes. In computer vision, however, it is difficult to detect salient objects when they touch the image boundary. Hence, detecting salient objects robustly under such circumstances without sacrificing precision and recall can be challenging. In this paper, we propose a novel model for salient region detection, namely, the foreground-center-background (FCB) saliency model. Its main highlights as follows. First, we use regional color volume as the foreground, together with perceptually uniform color differences within regions to detect salient regions. This can highlight salient objects robustly, even when they touched the image boundary, without greatly sacrificing precision and recall. Second, we employ center saliency to detect salient regions together with foreground and background cues, which improves saliency detection performance. Finally, we propose a novel and simple yet efficient method that combines foreground, center, and background saliency. Experimental validation with three well-known benchmark data sets indicates that the FCB model outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in terms of precision, recall, F-measure, and particularly, the mean absolute error. Salient regions are brighter than those of some existing state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the preparation and physiochemical characterization of tungsten, nitrogen and sulfur codoping TiO 2 photocatalysts (W, N, S-TiO 2 ) was undertaken. W, N, S-TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized via the precipitation-impregnation method. To investigate the structural, optical, and electronic properties, the as-prepared W, N, S-TiO 2 photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectrum (DRS). W, N, S-TiO 2 samples showed photo-absorption in the visible light region and higher visible light photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 . 0.011W, 0.030(N, S)-TiO 2 exhibited the highest visible light photocatalytic activity, and the photocatalyic degradation activity of 0.011W,0.030(N,S)-TiO 2 is nearly 10 times higher than that of TiO 2 . Compared with the undoped TiO 2 , the improved photocatalytic activity of W, N, S-TiO 2 samples under visible light irradiation is attributed to the increase of the visible light absorption and the reduction in photogenerated electron-hole recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a very challenging problem to well simulate visual attention mechanisms for content-based image retrieval. In this paper, we propose a novel computational visual attention model, namely saliency structure model, for content-based image retrieval. First, a novel visual cue, namely color volume, with edge information together is introduced to detect saliency regions instead of using the primary visual features (e.g., color, intensity and orientation). Second, the energy feature of the gray-level co-occurrence matrices is used for globally suppressing maps, instead of the local maxima normalization operator in Itti׳s model. Third, a novel image representation method, namely saliency structure histogram, is proposed to stimulate orientation-selective mechanism for image representation within CBIR framework. We have evaluated the performances of the proposed algorithm on two datasets. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms the standard BOW baseline and micro-structure descriptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol abuse can result in significant alterations to the structure of the brain and ultimately to behavioral dysfunctions. Epidemiological studies have shown that alcoholism is closely associated with impaired memory and judgment. However, the degree of deficit (brain injury) depends on factors such as the age of onset, duration of heavy drinking, continuous versus periodic (binge) drinking and the typical amount consumed per session. In recent years, neuroinflammation has been proposed as one of the alcoholism-induced neuropathological mechanisms, since increased levels of microglial markers are observed in the brains of both post-mortem human alcoholics and various alcohol-treated animals, from newborn or adolescent rodents to adult rodents. Many studies have investigated how microglia modulate alcohol-induced behavioral changes such as cognitive deficits, abnormal locomotor activity, motor impairment and mood disturbance. Importantly, we try to characterize and compare the distinct features in different ethanol (EtOH)-induced neurodegenerative disease (NDD) models. Moreover, mounting evidence indicates that in response to certain environmental toxins, microglia can become over-activated under oxidative stress, releasing pro-inflammatory mediators that cause central nervous system (CNS) disease. The molecular mechanisms involve free radical formation and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that are detrimental to neighboring neurons and interfere with the molecules regulating cell–cell interactions. The identification and understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of microglial activation are described, as well as multiple downstream targets, in different alcohol-treated animal models. This review might contribute to the development of treatments and/or therapeutic agents that can reduce or eliminate the deleterious effects of alcohol-induced NDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related chronic inflammatory process is often referred to as "inflammaging", which had been described in several human disorders, including sarcopenia. Recently, mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) has moved into the spotlight as a "damage-associated molecular pattern" (DAMP) agent that can potentially elicit inflammation. Yet, the roles of this mitochondrial DAMP have never been investigated in sarcopenia. Cross-sectional study. From January 2021 to June 2021, elderly outpatients ≥65 years and able to finish a comprehensive geriatric assessment were recruited in our study. Participants were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group according to the DXA scans and grip strength. Genomic DNA was extracted from plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and changes in MtDNA copies were quantified using qPCR. Plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured using ELISA kits. Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in PBMCs was analyzed using the fluorescent probe JC-1. Participants with sarcopenia were significantly older, more likely to be physically inactive, and had higher levels of circulating cell-free MtDNA (ccf-MtDNA) (all p < 0.05). After adjusting for potential confounders, ccf-MtDNA was independently associated with increased odds of sarcopenia (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.576; p = 0.009). Furthermore, ROC curve analysis showed that ccf-MtDNA had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.726 (95% CI: 0.607–0.844; p < 0.05) for distinguishing elderly subjects from sarcopenia. Compared with non-sarcopenia subjects, plasma interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher in sarcopenia subjects (both p < 0.05). By performing a correlation test, it was found that the level of IL-6 was positively correlated with ccf-MtDNA (r = 0.301; p < 0.05). Then, PBMCs were used as surrogates for mitochondria-rich cells, and the results showed that the relative amplification of MtDNA in PBMCs was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), whereas the depolarization of Δψm was significantly increased in sarcopenia subjects (p < 0.05). Taken together, our data suggested that circulating MtDNA might be a novel and important source of inflammatory stimuli potentially relevant for sarcopenia in elderly people, and this would provide an attractive therapeutic target to improve this disease. • Higher circulating MtDNA is associated with sarcopenia • The "out of place" MtDNA seems to be pro-inflammatory in elderly [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Xiaochaihutang ( XCHT) has been used in China for thousands of years to treat ' Shaoyang syndrome', which involves depressive-like symptoms. However, no studies were conducted to demonstrate its antidepressant effect and mechanism. This study was designed to confirm the antidepressant effect of XCHT and explore its mechanism using the pharmacological methods. Methods Ultra- HPLC and mass spectrometry was used to identify the chemical constituents of XCHT. Forced swimming test ( FST) and tail suspension test ( TST) were used to determine the antidepressant-like activity of XCHT in mice and rats. The possible mechanism of XCHT was elucidated by the reserpine-induced hypothermia and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5- HTP)-induced head-twitch in mice. The levels of serotonin (5- HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5- HIAA) were measured in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus tissue of both mice and rats. Moreover, the extracellular 5- HT in rat hippocampus was assessed by using microdialysis coupled to HPLC with electrochemical detection. Key findings Forty-four components were detected in XCHT. XCHT significantly reduced immobility time in the TST and the FST, antagonized reserpine-induced depressive-like behaviours, increased 5- HTP-induced head-twitches, elevated 5- HT and 5- HIAA levels, and increased 5- HT turnover at doses that did not affect general activity. Conclusions These data demonstrate that XCHT has therapeutic effects in animal models of depression by enhancing the serotoninergic system in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Xiaochaihutang (XCHT) has been used in China for thousands of years to treat “Shaoyang syndrome”, which involves depressive-like symptoms. However, few studies have investigated its antidepressant effects and pharmacological mechanism of action. The present study was designed to confirm the antidepressant effect of XCHT using a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model and explore its potential mechanism of action by investigating the monoamine neurotransmitters (dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine) and neurotrophins (BDNF and NGF). Materials and methods: The CUMS model was established in rats, and the antidepressant effect of XCHT (0.6, 1.7 and 5mg/kg/day, given by gastric gavage for 4 weeks) was investigated using the open field test (OFT), food consumption test and sucrose preference test. The concentrations of 5-HT and DA in the hippocampus were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and their receptors tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) and tyrosine receptor kinase A (TrkA) in the hippocampus were measured by immunohistochemical staining analysis. Results: CUMS caused a significant decrease in OFT, food consumption and sucrose preference in rats, and these depression-like behaviors were significantly improved by XCHT (1.7 and 5g/kg/day). Moreover, XCHT significantly increased the concentrations of 5-HT (0.6 and 5g/kg/day) and DA (5g/kg/day), and improved the BDNF, NGF, TrkB and TrkA expressions in the hippocampus (1.7 and 5g/kg/day), which was reduced in CUMS rats. Conclusion: The results obtained suggested that XCHT may have therapeutic actions on depression-like behavior induced by CUMS in rats possibly mediated by increasing the monoamine neurotransmitter concentration and neurotrophin expression in the hippocampus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a novel image feature representation method, namely color difference histograms (CDH), for image retrieval. This method is entirely different from the existing histograms; most of the existing histogram techniques merely count the number or frequency of pixels. However, the unique characteristic of CDHs is that they count the perceptually uniform color difference between two points under different backgrounds with regard to colors and edge orientations in L*a*b* color space. This method pays more attention to color, edge orientation and perceptually uniform color differences, and encodes color, orientation and perceptually uniform color difference via feature representation in a similar manner to the human visual system. The method can be considered as a novel visual attribute descriptor combining edge orientation, color and perceptually uniform color difference, as well as taking the spatial layout into account without any image segmentation, learning processes or clustering implementation. Experimental results demonstrate that it is much more efficient than the existing image feature descriptors that were originally developed for content-based image retrieval, such as MPEG-7 edge histogram descriptors, color autocorrelograms and multi-texton histograms. It has a strong discriminative power using the color, texture and shape features while accounting for spatial layout. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The involvement of microglial activation in metal neurotoxicity is becoming increasingly recognized. Some metal ions, such as zinc (II) and manganese (II), have been recently reported as microglial activators to induce the release of inflammatory mediators including cytokines, chemokines and nitric oxide (NO) which are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases. Cobalt is essential for human life. However, excessive cobalt is cytotoxic and neurotoxic. In the present study, we determined cobalt-induced production of NO and cytokines/chemokines in N9 cells, a murine microglial cell line. High levels of cobalt significantly up-regulated iNOS mRNA and protein expression, which resulted in the release of NO. Cobalt induced the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in both N9 cells and primary mouse microglia and increased lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced cytokine production. Further study showed that cobalt induced cytokine production by a mechanism involving both nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in microglial activation was also confirmed. These findings suggested that cobalt neurotoxicity should be attributed not only directly to neuronal damage but also indirectly to microglial activation which might potentiate neuronal injury via elevation of proinflammatory mediator levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous studies have shown that ethanol induces oxidative DNA damage in human peripheral lymphocytes. In the present study, protective effect of resveratrol and ascorbic acid on ethanol-induced oxidative DNA damage in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro were comparatively investigated. Pretreatments with resveratrol at 5, 25, and 50μM, which were in the concentration range of in vitro research, significantly inhibited ethanol-induced oxidative DNA damage in 24h, whereas ascorbic acid showed such DNA protective activity only in 1h. Further study showed that both compounds could directly scavenge hydroxyl radical produced during ethanol metabolism. Resveratrol significantly inhibited ethanol metabolism by regulating alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) mRNA expressions. Moreover, resveratrol also activated the base excision repair (BER) system in mRNA and protein levels in DNA auto-repair process. However, ascorbic acid showed no effect on ethanol metabolic pathway and BER system. Thus, the present study provided the first evidence that even though both resveratrol and ascorbic acid are anti-oxidants, they possessed differential mechanisms of action in protection against ethanol-induced oxidative DNA damage in human peripheral lymphocytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Local perfusion of morphine produces increased levels of extracellular ascorbic acid (AA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of freely moving rats. However, the pathways that regulate morphine-induced AA release in the NAc are unclear. In the present study, we used high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC–ECD) to examine the effects of intra-ventral tegmental area (VTA) administration of a GABAA agonist and antagonist on morphine-induced increases in AA of the NAc. Also, using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescent detection (HPLC–FD) and HPLC–ECD, the releases of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine (DA) in the NAc induced by intra-VTA administration of a GABAA agonist and antagonist were also investigated. The results obtained showed that morphine (1mM), locally perfused into the NAc, significantly increased AA release in the NAc and also GABA release. Intra-VTA infusion of bicuculline (150ng/rat), a GABA receptor antagonist, not only abolished the enhanced extracellular AA and GABA levels produced by local perfusion of morphine but also decreased the basal release of extracellular GABA and increased the basal release of extracellular DA in the NAc. Muscimol (100ng/rat), a GABA receptor agonist, affected the basal release of GABA and DA, but not the basal AA levels, or the morphine-induced changes in AA and GABA levels. These findings suggest that the GABAA receptors in the VTA play an important role in the modulation of morphine-induced AA release in the NAc, and the effect of morphine on AA release in the NAc is partially regulated by the GABAA receptor-mediated action of DA afferents from the VTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol abuse, especially binge drinking, can be toxic to human organs. However, there have been few studies on the genotoxicity induced by ethanol in human peripheral lymphocytes under binge drinking conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the oxidative DNA damage induced by ethanol in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro and the possible mechanism associated with ethanol metabolism. The concentrations of ethanol investigated in this study were 50 and 100 mM, which are equal to the ethanol concentrations in blood after binge drinking. The maximum concentration we used was 150 mM although it is not the typical blood ethanol concentration seen during binge drinking, and most people may die at such a high concentration. The purpose of using this maximum concentration was to obtain more detailed evidence about the genotoxicity induced by ethanol. The DNA repair process was also studied. Peripheral lymphocytes were isolated from donors who were nonsmokers and not ethanol drinkers. Oxidative DNA damage, possible metabolic pathways of ethanol in human peripheral lymphocytes, and the repair system involved in the DNA auto-repair process were examined by comet assay, flow cytometry, time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and western blotting. The results showed that ethanol at the concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 mM significantly induced the oxidative DNA damage in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro, which was accompanied by a parallel increase in the generation of 8-OHdG, intracellular hydroxyl radical, and reactive oxygen species (iROS). The DNA damage induced by ethanol could be attenuated by alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B) or acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 ALDH2) inhibitor, and the mRNA expression levels of ADH1B and ALDH2 were increased markedly by ethanol. The inhibitor of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) had no effect on ethanol-induced DNA damage, and CYP2E1 mRNA expression was not affected by ethanol. Furthermore, ethanol-induced DNA damage could be auto-repaired by lymphocytes. The expression of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) and the X-ray repair cross-complementation group 1 (XRCC1), 2 core enzymes in the base excision repair (BER) system, were increased in both of transcriptional and protein levels after ethanol treatment. his study provides direct evidence that ethanol can induce oxidative DNA damage in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro, and its mechanism may be associated with the metabolism of ethanol by the ADH1B/ALDH2 pathway Moreover, ethanol-induced DNA damage can be auto-repaired by human peripheral lymphocytes possibly mediated by the BER system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: We recently reported that F2, an oligomer procyanidin fraction isolated from grape seeds, triggered an original form of cell death in U-87 human glioblastoma cells with a phenotype resembling morphological characteristics of paraptosis. However, the specific death mode induced by F2 and the mechanism of its action have not been assessed so far. Objective: In the present work, we therefore further investigated the death mode of human glioblastma cells induced by F2 and gained insight into the nature of the signaling pathways activated by F2 in glioblastoma cells. Materials and methods: Cell viability assay using MTT, (AO/EB) double staining, Western blot analysis, and Ca2+ assay using fura-2. Results: Morphology studies revealed extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization in dying cells and no apoptotic body formation, membrane bleb formation, or nuclear fragmentation, though some was accompanied by MAPK activation and new protein synthesis, and was independent of caspase activation. Moreover, we demonstrated the involvement of calcium mobilization in F2-induced U-87 cell signaling. Discussion and conclusion: Altogether we showed that F2 induced a kind of cell death resembling paraptosis in U-87 cells. The current report complements previous studies on the characterization of F2-induced U-87 cell death, enhances our understanding of the action mechanism of F2 on glioma, and helps in the development of novel antitumor therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gliomas are the most common and lethal tumor type in the brain. The present study investigated the effect of oligomer procyanidins (F2) (F2, degree of polymerization 2–15), a natural fraction isolated from grape seeds on the biological behavior of glioblastoma cells. We found that F2 significantly inhibited the glioblastoma growth, with little cytotoxicity on normal cells, induced G2/M arrest and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in U-87 cells. It also induced a non-apoptotic cell death phenotype resembling paraptosis in U-87 cells. In addition, it was found for the first time that F2 in non-cytotoxic concentrations selectively inhibited U-87 cell chemotaxis mediated by a G-protein coupled receptor formyl peptide receptor FPR, which is implicated in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Further experiments indicated that F2 inhibited fMLF-induced U-87 cell calcium mobilization and MAP kinases ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Moreover, F2 attenuated the glioblastoma FPR expression, a new molecular target for glioma therapeutics, which has been shown to play important roles in glioma cells chemotaxis, proliferation and angiogenesis in addition to its promotion to tumor progression, but did not affect FPR mRNA expression in U-87 cells. Taken together, our results suggest that F2 may be a promising candidate for the development of novel anti-tumor therapeutics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Accumulating evidence has shown the neuroactive properties of oxytocin (OT), a neurohypophyseal neuropeptide, and its ability to reduce the abuse potential of drugs. The present study investigated the effects of OT on the conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by methamphetamine (MAP, 2.0mg/kg, i.p.) in mice and the possible role of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the reinstatement of CPP. The results showed that OT (0.1, 0.5, 2.5μg, i.c.v.) significantly inhibited the acquisition and facilitated the extinction of MAP-induced CPP and abolished the reinstatement of CPP induced by restraint stress. This effect of OT could be attenuated by atosiban (Ato, 2.0μg, i.c.v.), a selective OT-receptor antagonist. OT failed to block the expression and the reinstatement of CPP induced by MAP challenge. Extracellular glutamate (Glu) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were determined using microdialysis coupled to a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detection system. The results indicated that OT markedly inhibited extracellular Glu levels induced by restraint stress in CPP mice, but not those induced by MAP priming. Ato also attenuated the effects of OT on the changes in Glu levels. Therefore, these findings suggest that OT inhibits drug reward-related behaviors induced by MAP via the OT receptor, and OT blocks the reinstatement of CPP, at least partially, by interfering with the glutamatergic system in the mPFC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper put forward a new method of co-occurrence matrix to describe image features. This method can express the spatial correlation of textons. During the course of feature extracting, we have quantized the original images into 256 colors and computed color gradient from the RGB vector space, and then calculated the statistical information of textons to describe image features. Image retrieval experimental results have shown that our proposed method has the discrimination power of color, texture and shape features, the performances are better than that of GLCM and CCG. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Excessive activation of microglial cells has been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound found in grapes and wine, has been reported to reduce the activation of microglia. In the present study, 5-[2-(4-bromothiophen-2-yl)vinyl]benzene-1,3-diol (RV09), a novel resveratrol analogue, was found to suppress NO production by LPS-activated N9 microglial cell line and/or cultured rat cortical microglia. RV09 appeared to have a slight NO-scavenging activity in sodium nitroprusside (SNP) solution. The inhibition of iNOS was also observed, suggesting the blockage of transcriptional levels. Moreover, RV09 attenuated the expression of mRNA and protein of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in a concentration-dependent manner. Further studies revealed that RV09 blocked IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in N9 microglial cells. It was also found that RV09 is a effective scavenger for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) used as a general free radical model. In the summary, these data suggest that, by blocking IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, RV09 acts to suppress the LPS-induced NO and TNF-α production in microglia, and this effect was mediated, at least in part, by inhibiting the generation of ROS. Our results suggested that RV09 is a novel anti-inflammatory agent which can inhibit proinflammatory responses of microglia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The inhibitory effects of 21 resveratrol derivatives on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in microglia and their structure–activity relationships were studied. It was found, for the first time, that certain resveratrol derivatives that have 3,5-dimethoxyl groups in the A-ring, such as (E)-4-(3,5-dimethoxystyryl)phenol (pterostilbene, compound 2), or have substituted the B-ring of resveratrol with quinolyl, such as (E)-5-[2-(quinolin-4-yl)vinyl]benzene-1,3-diol (compound 18) and (E)-4-(3,5-dimethoxystyryl)quinoline (compound 19), strongly inhibited NO production. Compounds 2, 18, and 19 reduced LPS-induced protein and mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), but did not display direct NO-scavenging activity up to 30μM in sodium nitroprusside (SNP) solution. Moreover, compounds 2, 18, and 19 could also significantly inhibit the production of TNF-α by LPS-activated microglia. Further studies revealed that compounds 2, 18, and 19 inhibited LPS-induced NO and TNF-α production in microglia by blocking IκBα phosphorylation and degradation. The potent inhibitory effects of compounds 2, 18, and 19 on microglial activation suggest their potential for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases accompanied by microglial activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oleamide (cis-9,10-octadecenoamide) is an endogenous sleep-inducing lipid and prototypic member of a new class of biological signaling molecules identified in recent years. In the present study, the anxiolytic-like effect of oleamide was studied in several experimental models of anxiety in group-housed and socially isolated mice. As the results show, socially isolated mice exhibited an anxiogenic-like profile in the elevated plus-maze test, the light/dark test, and the hole-board test, which could be significantly reversed by oleamide (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, oleamide significantly reduced the anxiety levels in grouped-housed mice. In the isolation-induced aggressive test, oleamide markedly reduced the attacking duration and increased the attacking latency. It is concluded that oleamide has an anxiolytic-like effect in socially isolated or group-housed mice, which suggests that fatty acid amides might be involved in the regulation of anxiety-related behavior in mice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The anxiolytic effect of the saponins from Aniliaeea Panax quinquefolium L. (PQS) was studied in male mice by using a number of experimental paradigms of anxiety and compared with that of the known anxiolytic compound diazepam. Use of the elevated plus-maze test revealed that PQS (50mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2.5mg/kg, p.o.) increased the percentage of time and entries spent in open arms. In the light/dark test, PQS (50 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2.5mg/kg, p.o.) prolonged the time spent in the light area. In the hole-board test, PQS (50 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2.5mg/kg, p.o.) significantly increased both head-dip counts and head-dip duration. Both PQS (50 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2.5mg/kg, p.o.) decreased the total fighting time in the isolation-induced aggressive test. Since PQS, in contrast to diazepam, had no effect on locomotion in these tests, its side-effect profile might be considered superior to the benzodiazepines. Thus, the present findings suggest that PQS might be a potential candidate for use as an anxiolytic drug. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Morphine produces a variety of behavioral and biochemical changes related to its abuse. Our previous studies showed that Pseudoginsenoside-F11 (PF11), an ocotillol-type saponin existing in American ginseng, can antagonize pharmacological effects of morphine. To further investigate the effects of PF11 on morphine abuse and the underlying mechanisms, we tested the effects of PF11 on morphine-induced development of behavioral sensitization and alterations in glutamate levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in freely moving mice by using in vivo microdialysis. As the results shown, PF11 antagonized the development of behavioral sensitization and decrease of glutamate in the mPFC induced by morphine. Therefore, these findings suggest that PF11 may block the development of morphine-induced behavioral sensitization via its effect, at least partially, on the glutamatergic system in the mPFC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is controversial regarding to the roles of acetaldehyde and ethanol in the central nervous system. In the present study, the effects of acetaldehyde and ethanol on extracellular levels of glutamate, taurine and GABA in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of freely moving rats were investigated by using the microdialysis technique coupled to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescent detection. The result showed that glutamate levels were significantly decreased after acute administration of acetaldehyde (AcH, 20 and 100mg/kg, i.p.), while taurine levels were significantly increased after the higher dose of acetaldehyde (100mg/kg, i.p.). GABA levels had no changes at any doses of acetaldehyde tested. Interestingly, similar changes of these amino acids were induced by ethanol (EtOH, 3g/kg, i.p.) when sodium azide (NaN3, 10mg/kg, i.p.), a catalase inhibitor that can reduce brain ethanol metabolism, was used simultaneously. These findings suggest that acetaldehyde and ethanol have the similar effects on the extracellular output of glutamate, taurine and GABA in the ACC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mechanism of ethanol, morphine, methamphetamine (MAP), and nicotine-induced ascorbic acid (AA) release in striatum, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is not well understood. Our previous study showed that the glutamatergic system was involved in the addictive drug-induced AA release in NAc and striatum. Furthermore, frontal decortication eliminates drug-induced ascorbic acid release in the striatum but not in the NAc. In the present study, the roles of the hippocampus in drug-induced AA release in the striatum and NAc were studied by using microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). Ethanol (3.0 g/kg, i.p.), methamphetamine (3.0 mg/kg, i.p.), and nicotine (1.5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly stimulated AA release in the striatum and NAc, respectively. Morphine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly stimulated AA release in the striatum, but not in the NAc. After hippocampal lesion by kainic acid, AA release induced by ethanol, methamphetamine, and nicotine could be eliminated in NAc, but not in the striatum. These results suggest that the hippocampus might be a common and necessary area in addictive drug-induced AA release in the NAc, which also imply that different pathways might be involved in drug-induced AA release in the striatum and the NAc of the rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Methamphetamine (METH) causes memory changes, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, can potentially cause synaptic changes in the brain. Oxytocin (OT) plays a central role in learning and memory, but little is known of the impact of OT on METH-associated memory changes. Here, we explored the role of OT in METH-induced epigenetic alterations that underlie spatial and cognitive memory changes. METH (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to male C57BL/6 mice once every other day for 8 days. OT (2.5 μg, i.c.v.) or aCSF was given prior to METH. Spatial and cognitive memory were assessed. In Hip and PFC, synaptic structures and proteins were examined, levels of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) were determined, and the DNA methylation status at the Synaptophysin (Syn) promoter was assessed. METH enhanced spatial memory, decreased synapse length, downregulated DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, and MECP2, and induced DNA hypomethylation at the Syn promoter in Hip. In contrast, METH reduced cognitive memory, increased synapse thickness, upregulated DNMT1, DNMT3A, and MECP2, and induced DNA hypermethylation at the Syn promoter in PFC. OT pretreatment specifically ameliorated METH-induced learning and memory alterations, normalized synapse structures, and regulated DNMTs and MECP2 to reverse the DNA methylation status changes at the Syn promoter in Hip and PFC. DNA methylation is an important gene regulatory mechanism underlying METH-induced learning and memory alterations. OT can potentially be used to specifically manipulate METH-related memory changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present study, we investigated the effect of morphine on the extracellular levels of glutamate in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in freely moving rats using in vivo microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. The results showed that either acute or chronic morphine treatment decreased the extracellular levels of glutamate in the ACC. Naloxone could reverse the decrease induced by chronic morphine treatment. The present study provided the first neurochemical evidence that morphine decreased extracellular levels of glutamate in the ACC, suggesting that glutamate in ACC is involved in the central actions of morphine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mechanism of morphine-, methamphetamine-, and nicotine-induced ascorbic acid (AA) release in the striatum and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is not well understood. In the present study, the roles of the corticostriatal and corticoaccumbens pathways in drug-induced AA release were studied by using microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). The results showed that morphine (20 mg/kg), methamphetamine (3.0 mg/kg), or nicotine (1.5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p.) significantly stimulated AA release in the striatum to more than 180%, 190%, and 140% compared with saline groups, respectively. These effects could be completely eliminated by frontal decortication, or antagonized by MK-801 (1.0 mg/kg). Moreover, methamphetamine or nicotine also significantly induced AA release in the NAc to more than 180% and 150% compared with saline groups, respectively. However, these effects could not be eliminated by frontal decortication. Although the effects of methamphetamine or nicotine in the NAc could be antagonized by MK-801, two-way ANOVA analysis did not show a significantly interaction between MK-801 and methamphetamine, or nicotine. The results indicates that the corticostriatal glutamatergic pathway may be a common and necessary pathway in drug-induced AA release in the striatum, but the corticoaccumbens glutamatergic pathway may not be crucial in drug-induced AA release in the NAc. The present study implies that different mechanisms might be involved in drug-induced AA release in the striatum and the NAc in rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Upon activation, brain macrophages, the microglia, release proinflammatory mediators that play important roles in eliciting neuroinflammatory responses associated with neurodegenerative diseases. As resveratrol, an antioxidant component of grape, has been reported to exert anti-inflammatory activities on macrophages, we investigated its effects on the production of TNF-alpha (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia. Exposure of cultured rat cortical microglia and a mouse microglial cell line N9 to LPS increased their release of TNF-α and NO, which was significantly inhibited by resveratrol. Further studies revealed that resveratrol suppressed LPS-induced degradation of IκBα, expression of iNOS and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in N9 microglial cells. These results demonstrate a potent suppressive effect of resveratrol on proinflammatory responses of microglia, suggesting a therapeutic potential for this compound in neurodegenerative diseases accompanied by microglial activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of clozapine, olanzapine and haloperidol on ethanol-induced striatal ascorbic acid (AA) release in mice were compared by using microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Ethanol (4.0 g/kg i.p.) significantly stimulated striatal AA release by about 200% of baseline in mice. Clozapine and olanzapine, two atypical neuroleptic drugs, at the dose of 1.0 mg/kg s.c., had no effect on basal AA or ethanol-induced AA release. However, both drugs, at the dose of 10 mg/kg s.c., significantly inhibited ethanol-induced AA release. In contrast, haloperidol, a typical neuroleptic drug, at the doses of 0.1–2.0 mg/kg, had no effect on both basal and ethanol-induced AA release. The present study demonstrated that similar actions were exhibited by clozapine and olanzapine, but not by haloperidol, for the regulation of ethanol-induced AA release in the mouse striatum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A reformative kernel algorithm, which can deal with two-class problems as well as those with more than two classes, on Fisher discriminant analysis is proposed. In the novel algorithm the supposition that in feature space discriminant vector can be approximated by some linear combination of a part of training samples, called “significant nodes”, is made. If the “significant nodes” are found out, the novel algorithm on kernel Fisher discriminant analysis will be superior to the naive one in classification efficiency. In this paper, a recursive algorithm for selecting “significant nodes”, is developed in detail. Experiments show that the novel algorithm is effective and much efficient in classifying. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A reformative kernel Fisher discriminant method is proposed, which is directly derived from the naive kernel Fisher discriminant analysis with superiority in classification efficiency. In the novel method only a part of training patterns, called “significant nodes”, are necessary to be adopted in classifying one test pattern. A recursive algorithm for selecting “significant nodes”, which is the key of the novel method, is presented in detail. The experiment on benchmarks shows that the novel method is effective and much efficient in classifying. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel model for Fisher discriminant analysis is developed in this paper. In the new model, maximal Fisher criterion values of discriminant vectors and minimal statistical correlation between feature components extracted by discriminant vectors are simultaneously required. Then the model is transformed into an extreme value problem, in the form of an evaluation function. Based on the evaluation function, optimal discriminant vectors are worked out. Experiments show that the method presented in this paper is comparative to the winner between FSLDA and ULDA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a Complex LDA based combined Fisherfaces framework, coined Complex Fisherfaces, is developed for face feature extraction and recognition. In this framework, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Kernel PCA (KPCA) are first used for feature extraction. Then, the resulting PCA-based linear features and KPCA-based nonlinear features are integrated by complex vectors and, Complex LDA is further employed for feature fusion. The proposed method is tested on a subset of FERET database. The experimental results demonstrate that Complex Fisherfaces outperforms Fisherfaces and Kernel Fisherfaces. Also, the complex vector based parallel feature fusion strategy is demonstrated to be much more effective and robust than the super-vector based serial feature fusion strategy for face recognition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new strategy of parallel feature fusion is introduced in this paper. A complex vector is first used to represent the parallel combined features. Then, the traditional linear projection analysis methods, including principal component analysis, K–L expansion and linear discriminant analysis, are generalized for feature extraction in the complex feature space. Finally, the developed parallel feature fusion methods are tested on CENPARMI handwritten numeral database, NUST603 handwritten Chinese character database and ORL face image database. The experimental results indicate that the classification accuracy is increased significantly under parallel feature fusion and also demonstrate that the developed parallel fusion is more effective than the classical serial feature fusion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PCA plus LDA is a popular framework for linear discriminant analysis (LDA) in high dimensional and singular case. In this paper, we focus on building a theoretical foundation for this framework. Moreover, we point out the weakness of the previous LDA based methods, and suggest a complete PCA plus LDA algorithm. Experimental results on ORL face image database indicate that the proposed method is more effective than the previous ones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a seemingly contradictory experimental result concerning Fisher criterion is first exhibited. Then, we analyze this result from the statistical correlation point of view and give a reasonable explanation. More importantly, we emphasize that Fisher criterion is not an absolute criterion, and, it should be associated with the statistical correlation together to assess the discrimination of a set of discriminant vectors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of oleamide on apoptosis was investigated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide reduction assay, DNA staining assay with propidium iodide and caspase-3 activity analyses. The present results showed that oleamide significantly attenuated the cell death and nuclear condensation of cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons induced by K+ deprivation in a dose-dependent manner. The oleamide actions were well parallel with the attenuation of caspase-3 activity in the process of apoptotic death. Moreover, neither elaidic acid nor stearic acid, two fatty acids structurally related to oleamide without the Δ9-cis double bond, had similar effects on the cell death, suggesting the selectively structural features of oleamide required for this action. These data provided the first evidence of a protective effect of oleamide against apoptosis in a structurally specific manner. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Low-level features are extracted by simulating the human orientation selection and color perception mechanisms. • Ranking whitening is proposed for extracting deep features via low-level features and reasonably combining them to obtain deep-seated features. • The proposed method is straightforward and reduces the vector dimensionality. • Deep-seated features can describe image contents in terms of colors and edge orientations and identify similar scene styles. Low-level features and deep features each have their own advantages and disadvantages in image representation. However, combining their advantages within a CBIR framework remains challenging. To address this problem, we propose a novel image-retrieval method: the deep-seated features histogram (DSFH). Its main highlights are: 1) Low-level features are extracted by simulating the human orientation selection and color perception mechanisms. This follows the human habit of looking at conspicuous regions and then less-conspicuous ones. 2) A novel method, ranking whitening , is proposed for extracting deep features via low-level features and combining them to obtain deep-seated features. 3) The proposed method is straightforward and reduces the vector dimensionality of the FC7 layer of a pre-trained VGG-16 network, and significantly improves image-retrieval precision. Comparative experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods, including low-level feature-based, deep feature-based, and fused feature-based methods, in terms of precision/recall, area under the precision/recall curve metrics, and mean average precision. The proposed method provides efficient CBIR performance and not only has the power to discriminate low-level features, including color, texture, and shape, but can also match scenes of similar style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytochemical investigation of leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden & Betche) Cheel led to the isolation of a new monoterpenoid glycoside derivative melaleuoside (1), together with four known monoterpenoid glycoside derivatives (2 – 5). Structure elucidation of these compounds was performed based on NMR spectral data and MS. Compounds 2 – 5 were isolated from the genus of Melaleuca for the first time. Furthermore, we also discussed the chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates in this thesis. Image 1 • A new and four known monoterpenoid glycoside derivatives (2 – 5) were isolated. • Compounds 2 – 5 were isolated for the first time from the genus of Melaleuca. • Monoterpenoid glycoside derivatives (1 – 5) can be regarded as important chemotaxonomic markers of the genus Melaleuca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is first revealed that the Fisher criterion ratio of each FSLDA discriminant vector must not be less than that of corresponding ULDA discriminant vector. So, the phenomenon in Yang et al. (Pattern Recognition 35 (2002) 2665) is not strange but certain, and must be available in all experiments! In addition, it is also first illustrated that in fact ULDA discriminant vectors are the St− orthogonal eigenvectors of a generalized eigenequation. As a result, the algorithms to obtain St− orthogonal eigenvectors of the generalized eigenequation are equivalent to the ULDA algorithm. Consequently, it is possible to work out ULDA discriminant vectors more efficiently. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The conventional principal component analysis (PCA) and Fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLD) are both based on vectors. Rather, in this paper, a novel PCA technique directly based on original image matrices is developed for image feature extraction. Experimental results on ORL face database show that the proposed IMPCA are more powerful and efficient than conventional PCA and FLD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• An effect orientation feature was introduced to mimic orientation-selection mechanism. • Global object shape is proposed to reduce the side-effects of texture bias. • Color cues were introduced to address the shortcoming of deep features. • Gain whitening learning is proposed to provide a compact yet efficient representation. Deep learning techniques can be used to describe image content, which is a good way to reduce the semantic gap between low-level and high-level features. However, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) exhibit texture bias and largely ignore global object shape. This does not conform to human perception and can fail to gain the advantages of both low-level features and deep features. To address this problem, in this work, the main focus was shifted from using simple deep features to the use of sublimated deep features , which incorporate global object shape and color features. Along these lines, in this work, a novel image retrieval method named the sublimated deep feature histogram (SDFH) was proposed. The main highlights are: 1) An effect orientation feature was introduced, namely, orientation-selective feature , to mimic the orientation-selection mechanism. This provides a good representation of global object shape and reduces the side-effects of texture bias. 2) A new concept was developed, namely color perceptual feature , to address the shortcoming of deep features—that they discard color features. This includes color cues in the deep features and provides a more discriminating representation. 3) The orientation selective and color perception mechanisms were effectively mimicked to provide a compact yet efficient representation, and propose an effective transfer learning method called gain whitening learning. By carrying out comparative experiments, it was demonstrated that sublimated deep features can provide highly competitive retrieval performance (in terms of mean average precision) using a pre-trained CNN model applied to well-known benchmark datasets. Our results provide new insights into image retrieval based on the mechanisms of the primary visual cortex (V1). Furthermore, the method is more in line with human perception than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New acyclic cucurbit[n]urils (ACBs) with eight carboxylate groups were synthesized. These hosts are highly soluble in water, and can form stable inclusion complexes with cationic bitter compounds. ACBs are confirmed to be non‐toxic and biocompatible. Two‐bottle preference (TBP) tests on mice show that all ACBs are tasteless to mammals. ACBs are discovered to mask the bitterness of berberine and denatonium benzoate, but not quinine hydrochloride, due to different binding modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Antiplatelet therapies for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a highly active research topic with five critical drugs obtained by visual analysis. We aimed to compare and rank multiple antiplatelet therapies using a network meta-analysis. Methods Relevant medical databases were searched. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which examined any comparisons involving mono- or dual antiplatelet therapies, based on aspirin, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, ticlopidine, cilostazol and placebo for patients with noncardioembolic ischemic stroke or TIA, were included. 14 outcomes were assessed. Primary outcomes were stroke recurrence, composite events (stroke recurrence, myocardial infarction and vascular death), and intracranial hemorrhage. PROSPERO registered number CRD42017069728. Results 45 RCTs with 173,131 patients were included in network meta-analysis, involving eight antiplatelet therapies. Cilostazol and clopidogrel were statistically more efficacious than aspirin (odds ratio (OR) = 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.47–0.88; OR = 0.77, 95%CI = 0.62–0.95) and dipyridamole (OR = 0.64, 95%CI = 0.44–0.93; OR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.58–0.99) in reducing stroke recurrence, and showed significant benefits in reducing composite events compared with aspirin (OR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.45–0.89; OR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83–0.97). No significant difference was found between cilostazol and clopidogrel in intracranial hemorrhage. Weighted regression suggested cilostazol was hierarchically the optimum treatment in consideration of both efficacy and safety, followed by clopidogrel. Conclusion Cilostazol and clopidogrel are probably promising options for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke or TIA. Both of them reduce stroke recurrence similarly compared with aspirin or dipyridamole, and reduce composite events compared with aspirin. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding. Highlights • Cilostazol and clopidogrel are promising options for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke or TIA. • Cilostazol and clopidogrel reduce stroke recurrence compared with aspirin or dipyridamole. • Cilostazol and clopidogrel reduce composite events compared with aspirin. • Dipyridamole performs well in safety but poorly in efficacy. • Clopidogrel plus aspirin and dipyridamole plus aspirin perform well in efficacy but poorly in safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiVO 4 /PDA(Polydopamine)/g-C 3 N 4 was synthesized by facile ultrasonic dispersion and self-assembly at the room temperature, and monoclinic BiVO 4 was embedded on PDA/g-C 3 N 4 sheet, which PDA was first formed in situ on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 via self-polymerization of dopamine. The dependence of photocatalytic activity on the structural, electronic and optical properties of the BiVO 4 /PDA/g-C 3 N 4 nanostructure has been explored using XRD, XPS, TEM, SEM, DRS, PL, BET and photocurrent. The BiVO 4 /PDA/g-C 3 N 4 photocatalysts show higher activity of glyphosate degradation than BiVO 4 , g-C 3 N 4 and BiVO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 under visible light irradiation. The enhanced activity of BiVO 4 /PDA/g-C 3 N 4 can be significantly attributed to the improved visible light absorption, enhanced specific surface area and increased charge separation. PDA has a strong and irreversible binding ability onto BiVO 4 and g-C 3 N 4 to form BiVO 4 /PDA/g-C 3 N 4 . This simple method at the room temperature is promising for the synthesis of high performance composite photocatalysts for different applications, such as pollutant degradation, photocatalytic splitting water, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) plays an essential role in carcinogenesis. The overexpression of HIF-1 induced by hypoxia is closely associated with metastasis, poor prognosis and high mortality. In this study, a novel HIF-1 inhibitor SYP-5 was first observed by the luciferase reporter assay. Western blots results showed SYP-5 inhibited hypoxia-induced upregulation of HIF-1. Moreover, the proteins of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 that are targets of HIF-1, were down-regulated by SYP-5. Furthermore, in the tube formation assay, SYP-5 suppressed angiogenesis induced by hypoxia and VEGF in vitro. Additionally, using Transwell and RTCA assays, we found that SYP-5 also retarded the Hep3B and Bcap37 cells migration and invasion induced by hypoxia and FBS. Last, we also detected the upstream pathways related to HIF-1 and found both PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK were involved in the SYP-5 mediated invasive inhibition of Bcap37 cells. These results indicates that SYP-5 inhibits tumor cell migration and invasion, as well as tumor angiogenesis, which are mediated by suppressing PI3K/AKT- and MAPK/ERK-dependent HIF-1 pathway. It suggests that SYP-5 might be a potential HIF-1 inhibitor as an anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a serious and life-threatening chronic cardiopulmonary disease characterized by progressive elevation of pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Mesenchymal stem cell- derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) can relieve HPH by reversing pulmonary vascular remodeling. The HPH model was established in healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats aged 6 to 8 weeks. The rats were placed in a room with oxygen concentration of (10 ± 1) % for 8 hours a day over 28 days, were then injected intravenously with MSC-Exos (100 ug protein/kg) or equal-volume phosphate buffer saline (PBS) once a day over 1 week. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) and pulmonary vascular remodeling were observed after anesthesia. In addition, platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) was used to stimulate rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) to construct HPH pathological cell models. The results showed that MSC-Exos could not only reduce the elevation of RVSP, right ventricular hypertrophy and the degree of pulmonary vascular remodeling in HPH rats, but also reduce the proliferation, migration and apoptosis resistance of PASMCs. Finally, GSE53408 and GSE113439 datasets were analyzed and showed that the expression of Hsp90aa1 and pERK/ERK were significantly increased in HPH, also could be inhibited by MSC-Exos. Meanwhile, inhibition of Hsp90aa1 also reduced PASMCs migration and pERK/ERK protein level. In conclusion, MSC-Exos alleviated HPH by suppressing PASMCs proliferation, migration and apoptosis resistance through inhibiting the Hsp90aa1/ERK/pERK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting protein–protein interaction (PPI) sites from protein sequences is still a challenge task in computational biology. There exists a severe class imbalance phenomenon in predicting PPI sites, which leads to a decrease in overall performance for traditional statistical machine-learning-based classifiers, such as SVM and random forests. In this study, an ensemble of SVM and sample-weighted random forests (SSWRF) was proposed to deal with class imbalance. An SVM classifier was trained and applied to estimate the weights of training samples. Then, the training samples with estimated weights were utilized to train a sample-weighted random forests (SWRF). In addition, a lower-dimensional feature representation method, which consists of evolutionary conservation, hydrophobic property, solvent accessibility features derived from a target residue and its neighbors, was developed to improve the discriminative capability for PPI sites prediction. The analysis of feature importance shows that the proposed feature representation method is an effective representation for predicting PPI sites. The proposed SSWRF achieved 22.4% and 35.1% in MCC and F-measure , respectively, on independent validation dataset Dtestset72, and achieved 15.2% and 36.5% in MCC and F-measure , respectively, on PDBtestset164. Computational comparisons between existing PPI sites predictors on benchmark datasets demonstrated that the proposed SSWRF is effective for PPI sites prediction and outperforms the state-of-the-art sequence-based method (i.e., LORIS) released most recently. The benchmark datasets used in this study and the source codes of the proposed method are publicly available at http://csbio.njust.edu.cn/bioinf/SSWRF for academic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]