Search

Abstract Background The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis suggests that males with a higher testosterone level should be better at developing male secondary traits, but at a cost of suppressed immune performance. As a result, we should expect that males with an increased testosterone level also possess a higher parasite load. However, previous empirical studies aimed to test this prediction have generated mixed results. Meanwhile, the effect of testosterone level on parasite load in female hosts remains poorly known. Methods In this study, we tested this prediction by manipulating testosterone level in Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus), a medium-sized rodent widely distributed in northeast Asia. S. dauricus is an important host of ticks and fleas and often viewed as a considerable reservoir of plague. Live-trapped S. dauricus were injected with either tea oil (control group) or testosterone (treatment group) and then released. A total of 10 days later, the rodents were recaptured and checked for ectoparasites. Fecal samples were also collected to measure testosterone level of each individual. Results We found that testosterone manipulation and sex of hosts interacted to affect tick load. At the end of the experiment, male squirrels subjected to testosterone implantation had an averagely higher tick load than males from the control group. However, this pattern was not found in females. Moreover, testosterone manipulation did not significantly affect flea load in S. dauricus. Conclusions Our results only lent limited support for the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis, suggesting that the role of testosterone on regulating parasite load is relatively complex, and may largely depend on parasite type and gender of hosts. Graphical Abstract

IntroductionTo address issues related to shallow soil tillage, low soil nutrient content, and single tillage method in maize production in the Western Inner Mongolia Region, this study implemented various tillage and straw return techniques, including strip cultivation, subsoiling, deep tillage, no-tillage, straw incorporation with strip cultivation, straw incorporation with subsoiling, straw incorporation with deep tillage, and straw incorporation with no tillage, while using conventional shallow spinning by farmers as the control.MethodsWe employed Xianyu 696 (XY696) and Ximeng 6 (XM6) as experimental materials to assess maize 100-grains weight, grain filling rate parameters, and grain nutrient quality. This investigation aimed to elucidate how tillage and straw return influence the accumulation of grain material in different maize varieties.Results and discussionThe results indicated that proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the 100-grains weight of both varieties. In comparison to CK (farmer’s rotary rotation), the most notable rise in 100-grains weight was observed under the DPR treatment (straw incorporation with deep tillage), with a maximum increase of 4.84% for XY696 and 6.28% for XM6. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return in the field resulted in discernible differences in the stages of improving the grain filling rates of different maize varieties. Specifically, XY696 showed a predominant increase in the filling rate during the early stage (V1), while XM6 exhibited an increase in the filling rates during the middle and late stages (V2 and V3). In comparison to CK, V1 increased by 1.54% to 27.56% in XY696, and V2 and V3 increased by 0.41% to 10.42% in XM6 under various tillage and straw return practices. The proper implementation of tillage and straw return had a significant impact on the nutritional quality of the grains in each variety. In comparison to CK, the DPR treatment resulted in the most pronounced decrease in the soluble sugar content of grains by 25.43% and the greatest increase in the crude fat content of grains by 9.67%.ConclusionUltimately, the proper implementation of soil tillage and straw return facilitated an increase in grain crude fat content and significantly boosted grain weight by improving the grouting rate parameters at all stages for various maize varieties. Additionally, the utilization of DPR treatment proved to be more effective. Overall, DPR is the most promising strategy to improve maize yield and the nutritional quality of grain in the long term in the Western Inner Mongolia Region.

The regulatory guidelines for the research and development of paediatric drugs are still evolving in China. The formulation of the guidelines started from learning and borrowing existing experience, and gradually changed to the exploration and improvement of local guidelines, which was not only in line with international standards but also had breakthroughs, innovations and Chinese characteristics. In this paper, the current setting of paediatric drug research and development in China and corresponding technical guidelines have been introduced from regulatory perspectives, and the accessibility of further improvement in regulatory strategies has also been discussed.

Understanding the mechanisms driving parasite distributions is not only important for understanding ecosystem functioning, but also crucial for disease control. Previous studies have documented the important roles of host sex, host body size, host behavioral trait (such as boldness and trappability), and seasonality in shaping parasite load. However, few studies have simultaneously assessed the roles of these factors, as well as their interactions. In spring and summer of 2021, we conducted live trapping in Hohhot, China, to collect ectoparasites on Daurian ground squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus), a small rodent widely distributed in East Asian grassland. We then used generalized linear models to explore the effects of several biological factors (sex, body weight, trappability, and reproductive status) and seasonality on the abundance of ticks and fleas in S. dauricus. Significant but inconsistent seasonal effects were observed: tick load was significantly greater in summer than in spring, while flea load was greater in spring than in summer. Seasons also significantly interacted with host trappability and body weight to affect tick abundance. Our results highlight the importance of considering seasonal changes in parasitism, as well as interactions between season and host biological traits in shaping parasite distributions.

Abstract Grain filling is the key stage for achieving high grain yield. Subsoiling tillage, as an effective conservation tillage, has been widely used in the maize planting region of China. This study was conducted to explore the effects of subsoiling on the grain filling characteristics of maize varieties of different eras. Five typical maize varieties from different eras (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s) were used as experimental materials with two tillage modalities (rotation tillage and subsoiling tillage). The characteristic parameters (Tmax: the time when the maximum grouting rate was reached, Wmax: the grain weight at the maximum filling rate, Rmax: the maximum grouting rate, P: the active grouting stage, Gmean: the average grouting rate; A: the ultimate growth mass) and rate parameters (T1: the grain filling duration of the gradually increasing stage, V1: the average grain filling rate of the gradually increasing stage, T2: he grain filling duration of the rapidly increasing stage, V2: the average grain filling rate of the rapidly increasing stage, T3: the grain filling duration of the slowly increasing stage, V3: the average grain filling rate of the slowly increasing stage) of grain filling of two tillage modalities were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the filling parameters closely correlated with the 100-kernel weight were significantly different among varieties from different eras, and the grain filling parameters of the 2010s variety were better than those of the other varieties, the P and Tmax prolonged by 4.06–19.25%, 5.88–27.53% respectively, the Rmax and Gmean improved by 5.68–14.81%, 4.76–12.82% and the Wmax increased by 10.14–32.58%. Moreover, the 2010s variety helped the V2 and V3 increase by 6.49–13.89%, 4.55–15.00%. In compared with rotation tillage, the grain yield of maize varieties from different eras increased by 4.28–7.15% under the subsoiling condition, while the 100-kernel weight increased by 3.53–5.06%. Under the same contrast conditions, subsoiling improved the Rmax, Wmax and Gmean by 1.23–4.86%, 4.01–5.96%, 0.25–2.50% respectively, delayed the Tmax by 4.04–5.80% and extended the P by 1.19–4.03%. These differences were major reasons for the significant increases in 100-kernel dry weight under the subsoiling condition. Moreover, subsoiling enhanced the V2 and V3 by 0.70–4.29%, 0.00–2.44%. The duration of each filling stage and filling rate of maize varieties from different eras showed different responses to subsoiling. Under the subsoiling condition, the average filling rate of the 1970–2010s varieties were improved by 1.18%, 0.34%, 0.57%, 1.57% and 2.69%. In the rapidly increasing period, the grain filling rate parameters of the 2010s variety were more sensitive to subsoiling than those of the other varieties. The rapidly increasing and slowly increasing period are the key period of grain filling. Since the 2010s variety and subsoiling all improve the grain filling rate parameters of two periods, we suggest that should select the variety with higher grain filling rate in the rapidly increasing and slowly increasing period, and combine subsoiling measures to improve the grain filling characteristic parameters of maize in production, so as to achieve the purpose of increasing 100 grain weight and yield.

Abstract Objectives Targeted inhibition of inflammatory response can reduce diabetic cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injure. Pyroptosis is characterized by caspase-1 dependence and the release of a large number of pro-inflammatory factors. LncRNA-Fendrr is associated with a variety of diseases, but Fendrr has not been studied in diabetic cerebral I/R. NLR-family CARD-containing protein 4 (NLRC4) regulate the pyroptosis of microglia cells. This study was designed to investigate whether Fendrr is involved in the effects of diabetic cerebral I/R injury. Methods The diabetic brain I/R model in mice was constructed. Mouse microglia cell line BV-2 cells were exposed to high glucose followed by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Fendrr and some pyroptosis-associated proteins were detected by qRT-PCR, western blot or ELISA. HE staining was used to detect pathological changes. Microglia pyroptosis was detected by TUNEL staining. RNA pull-down and RNA Immunoprecipitation were used to detect binding of Fendrr to HERC2 (E3 ubiquitin ligase), and CO-IP detected binding of HERC2 to NLRC4. The ubiquitination of NLRC4 was detected by ubiquitination experiments. Results Fendrr was significantly increased in the diabetic cerebral I/R model, and NLRC4 inflammatory complex and pyroptosis mediated inflammatory factors were increased. NLRC4 and inflammatory cytokines associated with pyroptosis were decreased in the high glucose-treated hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced microglia after Fendrr knockdown. Fendrr bound to HERC2 protein, and HERC2 bound to NLRC4. Meanwhile, Fendrr could inhibit the ubiquitination of NLRC4, HERC2 promoted the ubiquitination of NLRC4 protein. Moreover, the effect of Fendrr overexpression in the diabetic cerebral I/R model of microglia can be reversed by HERC2 overexpression. Conclusion Fendrr can protect against the ubiquitination and degradation of NLRC4 protein through E3 ubiquitin ligase HERC2, thereby accelerating the pyroptosis of microglia.

It has become one of the research directions of intelligent materials for self-healing asphalt pavements to use a bionic microvascular containing oily rejuvenator. The rejuvenator in a microvascular can carry out the healing of asphalt micro-cracks, thus reducing the damage to and prolonging the life of asphalt pavement. The aim of this work was to investigate the smart self-healing capability of an asphalt/microvascular material through its microstructure and mechanical properties. Microstructure observation indicated no interface separation between the microvasculars and bitumen matrix. Micro-CT images showed that microvasculars dispersed in asphalt samples without accumulation or tangles. The phenomenon of microcracks healing without intervention was observed, which proved that the fractured asphalt sample carried out the self-healing process with the help of rejuvenator diffusing out from the broken microvasculars. The self-healing efficiency of asphalt samples was also evaluated through a tensile test considering the factors of microvasculars content, healing time and healing temperature. It was found that the tensile strength of the asphalt samples was greatly enhanced by the addition of microvasculars under a set test condition. Self-healing efficiency was enhanced with more broken microvasculars in the rupture interface of the asphalt sample. During two self-healing cycles, the self-healing efficiency of the asphalt sample with three microvascular per 1 cm2 of a broken interface were able to reach 80% and 86%. This proves that microvasculars containing rejuvenator play a practical role in the self-healing process of asphalt. With an increase in temperature from 0 to 30 °C, the self-healing capability of the asphalt samples increased dramatically. An increase in time increased the self-healing capability of the bitumen samples. At last, a preliminary mathematical model also deduced that the self-healing efficiency was determined by the individual healing steps, including release, penetration and diffusion of the rejuvenator agent.

Nicandra physaloides is a traditional folk medicine in China, and its seeds are used to make jelly. Phytochemical investigation of the active ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of its fruits led to the isolation and identification of two new phenolic amides, (7R,8S)-7-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-8-hydroxymethyl-1′-[N-7″-(4″-hydrxyphenyl)ethyl]carbamoylethenyl-3′-methoxybenzodihydrofuran (1) and cis-N-phydroxycinnamoyl-7′-methoxyethyltyramine (2), together with twelve known compounds (3–14). Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. All these compounds are reported from the genus Nicandra for the first time. Compounds 1–14 were investigated for their protective effects on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridiniumion (MPP+)-induced damage in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y), and compounds 4, 6 and 7 showed significant protective activities at a certain concentration. Further, the cell protection mechanism of compound 4 was proved to be through inhibiting MPP+-induced apoptosis and inducing cytoprotective autophagy in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Herein, a plausible biosynthetic pathway of compounds 1–14 was also discussed. This study suggested that phenolic amides were potential candidate drugs for treating PD and the fruits of N. physaloides could be used as a functional food ingredient to improve the symptoms of memory loss, and possibly to prevent or treat PD.

Premise The natural population size of Huperzia serrata (Lycopodiaceae) has dramatically decreased and the species has become endangered due to overexploitation. Here, we developed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for H. serrata to survey both its genetic diversity and population structure. Methods and Results Based on 177 individuals, 120 SSR primer pairs were developed and optimized from five regions of the H. serrata transcriptomic data. Of these primer pairs, 20 were successfully amplified and 10 showed obvious polymorphism. These polymorphic loci were investigated to study the genetic diversity of H. serrata. Two to 11 alleles per locus were identified, the level of observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.00 to 1.00, and the level of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.19 to 0.79. All loci were successfully amplified in H. crispata, H. sutchueniana, and H. selago. Conclusions The 10 polymorphic primer pairs developed here will be valuable for studies of the endangered H. serrata and other related species.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) may lead to cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). This case report describes the diagnostic and treatment processes used for a patient with CVT caused by SIH due to spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage in the high cervical region. Clinical data were collected from a 37-year-old man with an initial symptom of spontaneous posterior cervical pain. The diagnostic and treatment processes of SIH-induced CVT were described. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study showed superior sagittal sinus thrombosis, and a lumbar puncture revealed a low initial CSF pressure of less than 60 mmH2O. The patient underwent anticoagulation and fluid rehydration therapies. No abnormalities were observed in the thoracic MRI scan, but a cervical MRI scan revealed a spontaneous CSF leak. An epidural blood patch with autologous blood was performed, and symptoms completely resolved 3 days after the procedure. This report proposes a diagnostic procedure for detecting rare cases of SIH-induced CVT, thereby preventing future misdiagnoses and delayed treatment. When a patient presenting with CVT in conjunction with intracranial hypotension has no history of trauma or piercing, SIH caused by spontaneous spinal CSF leakage should be considered as a potential cause of secondary low intracranial pressure. For detection of CSF leaks at rare sites, an MRI of the whole spine rather than a localized MRI of the spine needs to be performed to avoid misdiagnosis. An epidural blood patch should be performed as soon as possible as it may shorten the length of hospitalization and improve prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has been shown to have hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties, although its mode of action is yet unknown. Because oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, we evaluated the protective effect of LBP-4, the major active component of Lycium barbarum, on the defensive antioxidative mechanism in kidneys in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Moreover, we investigated the effects of LBP-4 on the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in isolated mesangial cells. The role of protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent and -independent pathways in LBP-4-reduced ERK1/2 was studied by bisindolylmaleimide (BIM)IV, an inhibitor of PKC. Diabetic rats treated with LBP-4 (10 mg/kg) for 8 weeks showed increased activity of antioxidant enzymes and increased scavenging of oxygen radicals, while the activity of PKC in the renal cortex was maintained at a physiological level. The decreased activation of ERK1/2 in mesangial cells, through the involvement of PKC, could explain the protective mechanism in kidneys of diabetic rats treated with LBP-4. Key words: Lycium barbarum polysaccharide, diabetic nephropathy, oxidative stress, protein kinase C, extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Des etudes ont montre que le polysaccharide Lycium barbarum a des proprietees hypoglyceemiques et antioxydatives, bien que son mode d'action demeure inconnu. Comme le stress oxydatif joue un role dans la pathogenese de la nephropathie diabetique, nous avons evaluee l'effet protecteur du polypeptide Lycium barbarum 4 (LBP-4), principal composant actif de Lycium barbarum, sur le meecanisme de defense antioxydatif dans les reins chez un modele de rats rendus diabetiques par streptozotocine. Nous avons aussi examinee les effets du LBP-4 sur l'activation des kinases 1 et 2 regulees par un signal extracellulaire (ERK1/2) dans des cellules mesangiales (CM) isolees. Nous avons eevalue le role des voies dependantes et independantes de la PKC dans la reduction de l'activite de ERK1/2 par LBP-4, en utilisant le BIMIV, un inhibiteur de PKC. Le traitement des rats diabetiques au moyen du LBP-4 (10 mg/kg) pendant 8 semaines a permis d'observer une augmentation des activites des enzymes antioxydantes, une eepuration des radicaux oxygene et un maintien de l'activite; de la proteine kinase C (PKC) dans le cortex renal. La diminution de l'activite; de ERK1/2 dans les CM, par le biais de la PKC, pourrait expliquer le mecanisme protecteur sur les reins des rats diabetiques traite;s au moyen du LBP-4. Mots-cles: polysaccharide Lycium barbarum, nephropathie diabeetique, stress oxydatif, proteine kinase C, kinase regukee par un signal extracellulaire. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem that represents the most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (American Diabetes Association 1999). Treating DM and preventing its complications [...]