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Background/Aims: Mobilization of endogenous stem cells is an appealing strategy for cell therapy However, there is little evidence for reproducible, effective methods of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) mobilization. In the present study, we investigated the mobilizing effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on endogenous MSCs. Methods: Normal adult rats were randomly divided into six groups, namely, EA for 14 days (EA14d), sham EA14d, EA21d, sham EA21d and matched control groups. MSC mobilization efficiency was determined by colony-forming unit fibroblast (CFU-F) assays. Mobilized peripheral blood (PB)-derived MSCs were identified by immunophenotype and multi-lineage differentiation potential. Results: CFU-F frequency was significantly increased in the PB of EA14d rats compared with the sham EA and control groups. Moreover, the number of CFU-Fs was increased further in the EA21d group. MSCs derived from EA-mobilized PB were positive for CD90 and CD44, but negative for CD45. Additionally, these cells could differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes and neural-like cells in vitro. Finally, stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) was increased in the PB of rats subjected to EA, and the migration of MSCs was improved in response to SDF-1α. Conclusions: MSCs with multi-lineage differentiation potential can be mobilized by EA. Our data provide a promising strategy for MSC mobilization.

One of the main benefits of using modern RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology is the more accurate gene expression estimations compared with previous generations of expression data, such as the microarray. However, numerous issues can result in the possibility that an RNA-Seq read can be mapped to multiple locations on the reference genome with the same alignment scores, which occurs in plant, animal, and metagenome samples. Such a read is so-called a multiple-mapping read (MMR). The impact of these MMRs is reflected in gene expression estimation and all downstream analyses, including differential gene expression, functional enrichment, etc. Current analysis pipelines lack the tools to effectively test the reliability of gene expression estimations, thus are incapable of ensuring the validity of all downstream analyses. Our investigation into 95 RNA-Seq datasets from seven plant and animal species (totaling 1,951 GB) indicates an average of roughly 22% of all reads are MMRs. Here we present a machine learning-based tool called GeneQC (Gene expression Quality Control), which can accurately estimate the reliability of each gene's expression level derived from an RNA-Seq dataset. The underlying algorithm is designed based on extracted genomic and transcriptomic features, which are then combined using elastic-net regularization and mixture model fitting to provide a clearer picture of mapping uncertainty for each gene. GeneQC allows researchers to determine reliable expression estimations and conduct further analysis on the gene expression that is of sufficient quality. This tool also enables researchers to investigate continued re-alignment methods to determine more accurate gene expression estimates for those with low reliability. Application of GeneQC reveals high level of mapping uncertainty in plant samples and limited, severe mapping uncertainty in animal samples. GeneQC is freely available at http://bmbl.sdstate.edu/GeneQC/home.html.

Evaluation of ecosystem services has become a hotspot in terms of research focus, but uncertainties over appropriate methods remain. Evaluation can be based on the unit price of services (services value method) or the unit price of the area (area value method). The former takes meteorological factors into account, while the latter does not. This study uses Kunyu Mountain Nature Reserve as a study site at which to test the effects of climate on the ecosystem services. Measured data and remote sensing imagery processed in a geographic information system were combined to evaluate gas regulation and soil conservation, and the influence of meteorological factors on ecosystem services. Results were used to analyze the appropriateness of the area value method. Our results show that the value of ecosystem services is significantly affected by meteorological factors, especially precipitation. Use of the area value method (which ignores the impacts of meteorological factors) could considerably impede the accuracy of ecosystem services evaluation. Results were also compared with the valuation obtained using the modified equivalent value factor (MEVF) method, which is a modified area value method that considers changes in meteorological conditions. We found that MEVF still underestimates the value of ecosystem services, although it can reflect to some extent the annual variation in meteorological factors. Our findings contribute to increasing the accuracy of evaluation of ecosystem services.

Astaxanthin, a carotenoid extensively found in marine organisms and increasingly used as a dietary supplement, has been reported to have neuroprotective effect. In this study, the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of astaxanthin against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity were explored. The results showed that pretreatment with astaxanthin inhibited neuronal PC12 cell death induced by L-glutamate and reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) significantly. Astaxanthin prevented glutamate-induced apoptosis by depressing the elevation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3 activation and Ca2+ influx. Moreover, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) as well as the activation of ROS associated NF-κB and MAPK pathways were also inhibited upon treatment with astaxanthin. Therefore, the neuroprotective effects reflected the ability of astaxanthin in the regulation of multiple signaling pathways that protect mitochondria as well as cellular damage induced by L-glutamate. Thus, astaxanthin has the potential to be used as a prophylactic or remediation agent against neuronal disorders.

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs), depolymerized products of chitosan composed of β-(1→4) d-glucosamine units, have broad range of biological activities such as antitumour, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. In this study, peracetylated chitosan oligosaccharides (PACOs) and N-acetylated chitosan oligosaccharides (NACOs) were prepared from the COSs by chemcal modification. The structures of these monomers were identified using NMR and ESI-MS spectra. Their antagonist effects against glutamate-induced PC12 cell death were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment of PC12 cells with the PACOs markedly inhibited glutamate-induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. The PACOs were better glutamate antagonists compared to the COSs and the NACOs, suggesting the peracetylation is essential for the neuroprotective effects of chitosan oligosaccharides. In addition, the PACOs pretreatment significantly reduced lactate dehydrogenase release and reactive oxygen species production. It also attenuated the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Further studies indicated that the PACOs inhibited glutamate-induced cell death by preventing apoptosis through depressing the elevation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 activation. These results suggest that PACOs might be promising antagonists against glutamate-induced neural cell death.

To investigate the effect of dietary Acanthopanax senticosus polysaccharide (ASPS) on growth performance, immunity, blood parameters and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in immunologically challenged piglets, an experiment employing 2×2 factorial arrangement concerning dietary ASPS treatment (0 or 800 mg/kg) and immunological challenge (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] or saline injection) was conducted with 64 crossbred piglets (weaned at 28 d of age, average initial body weight of 7.25±0.21 kg) assigned to two dietary ASPS treatments with 8 replicates of 4 pigs each. Half of the piglets of per dietary treatment were injected with LPS or saline on d 14. Blood samples were obtained at 3 h after immunological injection on d 14 and piglets were slaughtered to obtain spleen samples on d 21. Dietary ASPS did not affect average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.634), average daily feed intake (ADFI) (p = 0.655), and gain:feed (p = 0.814) prior to LPS challenge. After LPS challenge, for LPS-challenged pigs those fed ASPS had higher ADG and ADFI than the non-supplemented group (p

Filled high thermal conductivity epoxy composite solves the problem of the low thermal conductivity of the epoxy resin itself, but the addition of the thermal conductive filler reduces the mechanical properties of the composite, which limits its application in the field of high voltage insulation. In this work, carboxyl-terminated butadiene nitrile liquid rubber (CTBN) was used to toughen the boron nitride-epoxy hybrid system, and the effects of different contents of CTBN on the mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, glass transition temperature, thermal stability, and dielectric properties of the composites were investigated. The results showed that when the content of CTBN was 5–15 wt.%, the CTBN formed a dispersed island structure in the epoxy resin matrix. The toughness of the composite increased by about 32%, the breakdown strength was improved, and the thermal conductivity was about 160% higher than that of pure epoxy resin. As the CTBN content increased, the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the composite decreased and the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss increased. When the CTBN content is 10–15 wt.%, a toughened epoxy composite material with better comprehensive properties is obtained.

An accurate prediction of cage-cultured water quality is a hot topic in smart mariculture. Since the mariculturing environment is always open to its surroundings, the changes in water quality parameters are normally nonlinear, dynamic, changeable, and complex. However, traditional forecasting methods have lots of problems, such as low accuracy, poor generalization, and high time complexity. In order to solve these shortcomings, a novel water quality prediction method based on the deep LSTM (long short-term memory) learning network is proposed to predict pH and water temperature. Firstly, linear interpolation, smoothing, and moving average filtering techniques are used to repair, correct, and de-noise water quality data, respectively. Secondly, Pearson’s correlation coefficient is used to obtain the correlation priors between pH, water temperature, and other water quality parameters. Finally, a water quality prediction model based on LSTM is constructed using the preprocessed data and its correlation information. Experimental results show that, in the short-term prediction, the prediction accuracy of pH and water temperature can reach 98.56% and 98.97%, and the time cost of the predictions is 0.273 s and 0.257 s, respectively. In the long-term prediction, the prediction accuracy of pH and water temperature can reach 95.76% and 96.88%, respectively.

In this paper, the process of direct reduction roasting using magnetic separation to produce direct reduction iron (DRI) from high-phosphorus oolitic hematite, using coal slime and blast furnace dust as reductant, is investigated. The possible use of slime coal and blast furnace dust as reductant and the dephosphorization behavior during the process of direct reduction was studied. Experimental results showed that both blast furnace dust and coal slime can be used as reductant under certain conditions in the process. The dephosphorization mechanism of blast furnace dust and coal slime were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). A DRI with 91.88 wt. % iron grade, 88.38% iron recovery and 0.072 wt. % P can be obtained with 30 wt. % blast furnace dust as reductant. The program not only used blast furnace dust but also recovered iron from blast furnace dust and high-phosphorus oolitic hematite. The analysis results revealed that phosphorus is distributed in gangue mineral and fluorapatite when blast furnace dust is used as reductant. Phosphorus-bearing minerals were not reduced to phosphorus element when the blast furnace dust was the reductant, but part of the fluorapatite reduced to phosphorus which smelt into metallic iron with coal slime as reductant. This led to a high phosphorus content of DRI. This research could provide support to the idea concept for recycling of carbon-containing solid waste and to assist the effective recovery of refractory iron ore by direct reduction⁻magnetic separation.

China has shown a rapid economic development in recent decades, and several drivers of this change are known to enhance biological invasions, a major cause of biodiversity loss. Here we review the current state of research on plant invasions in China by analyzing papers referenced in the ISI Web of Knowledge. Since 2001, the number of papers has increased exponentially, indicating that plant invasions in China are an emerging hot topic in invasion science. The analyzed papers cover a broad range of methodological approaches and research topics. While more that 250 invasive plant species with negative impacts have been reported from China, only a few species have been considered in more than a handful of papers (in order of decreasing number of references: Spartina alterniflora, Ageratina adenophora, Mikania micrantha, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Solidago canadensis, Eichhornia crassipes). Yet this selection might rather reflect the location of research teams than the most invasive plant species in China. Considering the previous achievements in China found in our analysis research in plant invasions could be expanded by (1) compiling comprehensive lists of non-native plant species at the provincial and national scales and to include species that are native to one part of China but non-native to others in these lists; (2) strengthening pathways studies (primary introduction to the country, secondary releases within the country) to enhance prevention and management; and (3) assessing impacts of invasive species at different spatial scales (habitats, regions) and in relation to conservation resources.

Objectives: To describe pharmacists' attitudes toward and satisfaction with on-line training modules on MTM tools and tips for pharmacists and to characterize how useful the tools and concepts in the modules were to pharmacists when delivering MTM services. Methods: Researchers distributed a web-based survey to pharmacists who had viewed the training modules that had been posted onto the training web site of OutcomesMTM. The majority of survey questions consisted of a 6-point Likert scale. Questions assessed pharmacists' opinions on the use of the tools. Information also was collected on implementing MTM tips, pharmacist demographics, and practice site characteristics. Results: Respondents rated the Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review (TIMER) and DRug Adherence Work-up (DRAW) tools favorably across multiple items. Many pharmacists integrated the MTM tips into their practices, and reported increased efficiency in their delivery of MTM services. Conclusion: Pharmacist training and tools such as the TIMER and DRAW tools plus MTM practice tips can assist pharmacists in providing MTM services to patients. Type: Original Research