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Hippocampal neurogenesis plays an important role in the onset and treatment of depressive disorders. Previous studies suggest that paeoniflorin could be used as an antidepressant for treating rats subjected to chronic unpredictable stress. In this study, the effects of paeoniflorin on neurogenesis in the hippocampus dentate gyrus and potential mechanism of action are further investigated in chronic unpredictable stress-induced rat. Results suggest that paeoniflorin markedly increased both sucrose consumption and the number of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine-positive cells in the dentate gyrus of chronic unpredictable stress-induced rats, and the ratio of co-expressed 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells, but exerted no significant effect on the ratio of co-expressed 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine and neuronal nuclei-positive cells. Compared with the vehicle group, a significant increase was detected in the number of brain-derived neurotrophic factor-positive cells and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in the hippocampus of the paeoniflorin-treated group. According to the results, paeoniflorin promoted neural stem cell proliferation, their differentiation into astrocytes, and neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of chronic unpredictable stress-induced rats. Apart from enhancing the protein expression and gene transcription of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, it also activated the expression of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (a high-affinity receptor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor). This suggests that paeoniflorin might promote neurogenesis in the hippocampus dentate gyrus of chronic unpredictable stress-induced rats and act as an antidepressant by regulating the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tropomyosin receptor kinase B signaling pathway.

Danshen-Chuanxiongqin Injection (DCI) is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke in China. However, its underlying mechanisms remain completely understood. The current study was designed to explore the protective mechanisms of DCI against cerebral ischemic stroke through integrating whole-transcriptome sequencing coupled with network pharmacology analysis. First, using a mouse model of cerebral ischemic stroke by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), we found that DCI (4.10 mL·kg-1) significantly alleviated cerebral ischemic infarction, neurological deficits, and the pathological injury of hippocampal and cortical neurons in mice. Next, the whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed on brain tissues. The cerebral ischemia disease (CID) network was constructed by integrating transcriptome sequencing data and cerebrovascular disease-related genes. The results showed CID network was imbalanced due to tMCAO, but a recovery regulation was observed after DCI treatment. Pathway analysis of the key genes with recovery efficiency showed that the neuroinflammation signaling pathway was highly enriched, while the TLR2/TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway was predicted to be affected. Consistently, the in vivo validation experiments confirmed that DCI exhibited protective effects against cerebral ischemic stroke by inhibiting neuroinflammation via the TLR2/TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway. More interestingly, DCI markedly suppressed the neutrophils infiltrated into the brain parenchyma via the choroid plexus route and showed anti-neuroinflammation effects. In conclusion, our results provide dependable evidence that inhibiting neuroinflammation via the TLR2/TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB pathway is the main mechanism of DCI against cerebral ischemic stroke in mice.

There was an error published in the online full-text and PDF versions of Journal of Experimental Biology (2020) 223, [jeb223560][1] ([doi:10.1242/jeb.223560][2]). The common name of the study organism was originally given as striped hamsters in the title of the article. The correct name appears in

Among the important aspects of climate change, exposure to high temperatures (heat waves) is rapidly emerging as an important issue, in particular for female mammals during lactation. High temperatures adversely impact ability to dissipate heat, which has negative effects on reproductive output. The cumulative effects on growth of F1 offspring after weaning and future reproductive performance of offspring remain uncertain. In this study, the F1 mice that weaned from mothers lactating at 21°C and 32.5°C were housed at 21°C from day 19 till 56 of age; during which food intake and body mass were measured. The F1 adult females that had been weaned at the two temperatures were bred and then both exposed to 32.5°C during lactation. Energy intake, milk output and litter size and mass were determined. The F1 adults weaned at 32.5°C consumed less food and had lower body mass than their counterparts weaned at 21°C. Several visceral organs or reproductive tissues were significantly lower in mass in F1 weaned at 32.5°C than at 21°C. The exposure to 32.5°C significantly decreased energy intake, milk output and litter mass in F1 adult females during lactation. The F1 adult females weaned at 32.5°C produced less milk and raised lighter pups than those previously weaned at 21°C. The data suggest that transient exposure to hot temperature during lactation has long-lasting impacts on the offspring, including stunted growth and decreases in future reproductive performance when adult. This indicates that the offspring of females previously experiencing hot temperatures have a significant fitness disadvantage.

Exposure to high temperatures (heatwaves) is rapidly emerging as an important issue of climate change, in particular for female mammals during lactation. High temperatures adversely affect the ability to dissipate heat, which has negative effects on reproductive output. The cumulative effects on growth of F1 offspring after weaning, and future reproductive performance of offspring, remain uncertain. In this study, F1 mice weaned from mothers lactating at 21 and 32.5°C were housed at 21°C from day 19 until day 56 of age, during which food intake and body mass were measured. The F1 adult females that were weaned at the two temperatures were bred and then exposed to 32.5°C during lactation. Energy intake and milk output, and litter size and mass, were determined. The F1 adults weaned at 32.5°C consumed less food and had lower body mass than their counterparts weaned at 21°C. Several visceral organs or reproductive tissues were significantly lower in mass in F1 weaned at 32.5°C than at 21°C. The exposure to 32.5°C significantly decreased energy intake, milk output and litter mass in F1 adult females during lactation. The F1 adult females weaned at 32.5°C produced less milk and raised lighter pups than those previously weaned at 21°C. The data suggest that transient exposure to hot temperatures during lactation has long-lasting impacts on offspring, including stunted growth and decreases in future reproductive performance when adult. This indicates that the offspring of females previously experiencing hot temperatures have a significant fitness disadvantage.

Efficient local implementation of a nonlocal M-control and N-target controlled unitary gate is considered. We first show that with the assistance of two non-symmetric qubit(1)-qutrit(N) Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, a nonlocal 2-control and N-target controlled unitary gate can be constructed from 2 local two-qubit CNOT gates, 2N local two-qutrit conditional SWAP gates, N local qutrit-qubit controlled unitary gates, and 2N single-qutrit gates. At each target node, the two third levels of the two GHZ target qutrits are used to expose one and only one initial computational state to the local qutrit-qubit controlled unitary gate, instead of being used to hide certain states from the conditional dynamics. This scheme can be generalized straightforwardly to implement a higher-order nonlocal M-control and N-target controlled unitary gate by using M non-symmetric qubit(1)-qutrit(N) GHZ states as quantum channels. Neither the number of the additional levels of each GHZ target particle nor that of single-qutrit gates needs to increase with M. For certain realistic physical systems, the total gate time may be reduced compared with that required in previous schemes.

Objective: Analyze the effect of trimetazidine combined with atorvastation calcium on Myocardin I level, cardiac and renal function in patients with Ischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: A total of 82 patients who were admitted in our hospital from January 2013 to May 2016 were selected and divided them randomly into the research group and the control group. All subjects were treated with conventional therapy after admission. On this basis, the control group was given atorvastation calcium, meanwhile the research group was given trimetazidine combined with atorvastation calcium. Then analyzed the cTnI level, evaluated their cardiac and renal function (cardiac function indexes: LVEF, LVESD, LVEDD, renal function indexes: Scr, BUN and mALB) after three months treatment. Results: After treatment, the level of cTnI, LVESD and LVEDD in this two groups were decreased dramatically, the level of cTnI, LVESD and LVEDD in the research group were (0.51±0.24) ng/mL, (38.35±3.94) mm and (51.43±4.56) mm respectively, compared with the control group, these levels were significantly decreased; the level of LVEF was (51.10±4.07)% in research group, increased more obviously than the control group, and the difference was statistical significant. The Scr, BUN and mALB in two groups were decreased after treatment, the research group was significantly reduced, in addition, these levels in research group were (80.14±10.21) μmol/L, (5.89±1.06) mmol/L and (51.35±20.94) mg/24 h respectively, lower than the control group. Conclusion: The therapy of trimetazidine combined with atorvastation calcium in patients with Ischemic cardiomyopathy, was worthy of clinical application, seeing that can ameliorate effectively myocardial injury , the cardiac and renal function.

Alice and Bob are two remote parties. We propose a probabilistic method which allows Alice to map remotely and conclusively Bob’s set of nonorthogonal symmetric d-level quantum states onto another. The procedure we use is a remote positive operator valued measurement (POVM) in Bob’s (2d-1)-level direct sum space. We construct a quantum network for implementing this (2d-1)-level remote nonunitary POVM with (d-1) two-level remote unitary rotations. The fact that the two-level remote rotation, which is hired to rotate remotely a basis vector, can been implementing rapidly using only one ebit (a two-level Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pair) and one cbit (classical communication) is notable. This scheme is simpler but with less resource, which will make it more feasible and suitable for large-scale quantum network.

Food restriction (FR) is the most commonly used intervention to prevent the overweight. However, the lost weight is usually followed by “compensatory growth” when FR ends, resulting in overweight. The present study was aimed to examining the behavior patterns and hormones mechanisms underpinning the over-weight. Energy budget and body fat content, and several endocrine markers related to leptin signals were examined in the striped hamsters under 20% FR refed by either low-fat diet (LF group) or high-fat diet (HF group). Body mass and fat content significantly regained when FR ended, and the hamsters in HF group showed 49.1% more body fat than in LF group (P

We show how a shared and programmable maximum-confidence discrimination (SPMCD) can be implemented by two remote parters Alice and Bob. Here Bob is given a qubit prepared in one of N linearly dependent symmetric equiprobable states. Alice has the knowledge of Bob’s signal states, but Bob has not. We build a quantum network that would be able to perform various desired maximum-confidence discrimination among Bob’s measured (data) states depending on Alice’s auxiliary (program) state. The SPMCD can be thought of as a two-step process, in which a two-outcome shared and programmable probability operator measure (POM) performed on data qubit B is firstly implemented by Alice and Bob followed by a N-outcome local POM on B implemented by Bob. We explicitly construct the required POMs. The fact that the nonlocal data-program conditional evolution, which induces the shared and programmable POM, can be realized deterministically using only two partially entangled qubit pairs is notable. The successful probability of implementing this SPMCD is optimal only for one program setting. However, for a relatively large set of program settings it can be very close to the optimal value in an ordinary, local, maximum-confidence discrimination. This protocol is feasible for current experimental technology.

We show how a remote positive operator valued measurement (POVM) can be implemented deterministically by using partially entangled state(s). Firstly, we present a theoretical scheme for implementing deterministically a remote and controlled POVM onto any one of N qubits via a partially entangled (N + 1)-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state, in which (N − 1) administrators are included. Then, we design another scheme for implementing deterministically a POVM onto N remote qubits via N partially entangled qubit pairs. Our schemes have been designed for obtaining the optimal success probabilities: i.e. they are identical to those in the ordinary, local, POVMs. In these schemes, the POVM dictates the amount of entanglement needed. The fact that such overall treatment can save quantum resources is notable.

We give a scheme for locally implementing an inner product modification onto remote qubit product states using partially entangled states, which is designed for obtaining conclusive result with optimal success probability. We exemplify this remote inner product modification (RIPM) by applying it to two-qubit product states via three partially entangled qubit pairs and, additionally, we construct a quantum network to implement this RIPM. It is interesting that our treatment can save entanglement resources.

We present a scheme for implementing a remote minimum-error discrimination (MD) among N linearly independent nonorthogonal symmetric qudit states. The probability of correct guesses is in agreement with the optimal probability for local MD among the N nonorthogonal states. The procedure we use is a remote probability operator measure (POM). We show that this remote POM can be performed as a remote von Neumann measurement by remote basis transformation. We construct a quantum network for realizing the remote MD using local operations, classical communications and shared entanglement (LOCCSE), and thus provide a feasible physical means to realize the remote MD.

We investigate the local implementation of a nonlocal quantum Toffoli gate via partially entangled states. Firstly, we show how the nonlocal Toffoli gate can be implemented with unit fidelity and a certain probability by employing two partially entangled qubit pairs as quantum channels. The quantum circuit that does this proposed implementation is built entirely of local single-level and two-level gates if the target node harness a three-level qudit as a catalyser. This enables the construction of this key nonlocal quantum gate with existing technology. Then, we put forward a scheme to realize deterministic and exact implementation of this nonlocal gate via more partially entangled pairs. In this scheme, the control nodes’ local positive operator valued measurements (POVMs) lies at the heart. We construct the required POVMs. The fact that the deterministic and exact implementation of a nonlocal multi-qubit gate could be realized by using partially entangled qubit pairs and comparatively fewer resources cost is notable.

Two nonlocal and unknown pure qubit states can, with a certain probability of success, be discriminated unambiguously with the aid of local operations, classical communication, and shared entanglements (LOCCSE). We present a scheme for such kind of nonlocal unambiguous quantum state discrimination. This scheme consists of a nonlocal positive operator valued measurement (POVM). This nonlocal POVM can be realized by performing nonlocal unitary operations on initial system and ancillary qubits, and local von Neumann projective measurements on the ancilla plus initial system. By utilizing the degrees of freedom of the original system Hilbert space, we need far more simpler operations than those required by the original Neumark approach. We construct a quantum logic network to implement the required nonlocal POVM.

AIM To verify the applicability of a new theory for chemomic release kinetics of traditional Chinese medicines using the release characteristics of Yinqiaojiedu tablets. METHODS The methodological studies of the preparation of chemomic standard spectrum, linearity, precision and stability tests of the chemomes of Yinqiaojiedu tablets were processed by UV spectrophotometry and Kalman filter methods. The chemomic release profiles of Yinqiaojiedu tablets and powders were determined. RESULT The methodology studies indicated that there was a good linearity of chemomic concentration of Yinqiaojiedu tablets within the range 0.112 to 1.120 mg total herbs / mL ( r = 0.999 7). The values of RSD tested at three chemomic levels were 0.05 %, 0.07 % and 0.31 % respectively. The chemomic solutions were stable for 24 h at concentrations of 0.278, 0.556, and 1.120 mg total herb / mL. CONCLUSION The chemomic release profiles demonstrated multi-component release kinetics illustrated using a simple visualization approach. The new theory of chemomic release kinetics may advantageously provide a quantitative description for the release of the active agents from traditional Chinese medicines from a conventional dosage form or drug delivery system.

AIM To establish a novel theory for the release/dissolution kinetics of the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) with the aim of the multi-component chemome. METHODS The theory and method for the release/dissolution kinetics of the TCMs were established on the basis of the overall spectrum of the chemome of the TCMs. The released chemomic levels of TCMs were processed by Kalman filter method with stochastic simulation data as an illustration of the methodology feasibility. RESULTS Methodology study indicated that Kalman filter method was validated with good linearity, reproducibility, stability in calculation of the chemomic concentrations for the evaluation of the multi-component TCM release profile. CONCLUSION Kalman filter method is feasible for the evaluation of chemomic multi-component release/dissolution kinetics of TCMs, which is in line with the holistic theories of traditional Chinese medicine with illustrative visualization to simplify the massive results. The new theory shows methodological significance in optimal design of multi-component drug delivery systems of TCMs. A further study may be required to clarify the significance of the new method to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of TCM.

To assess the incidence of and risk factors for acute adverse drug reactions (ADRs) (occurring within 1 h) following iopromide administration in cardiac catheterization in Chinese 'real-world' practice. Acute ADRs following iopromide administration during coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been systematically evaluated in China. TRUST was a prospective, multicenter, observational study conducted at 63 centers in China. Patients received iopromide (300 or 370 mgI/mL) during coronary angiography or PCI (n = 17,513). Acute ADRs occurred in 66 patients (0.38%); ADRs were mild in 58 patients (0.33%) and severe in two patients (0.01%). Most acute ADRs manifested as allergy-like symptoms such as nausea/vomiting [39 patients (0.22%)] and/or rash [15 patients (0.09%)]. The rate of acute ADRs was lower among patients who received premedication (6/3349; 0.18 %) than those who did not (60/14,164; 0.42%; p = 0.0379), and among those who did receive pre-procedural hydration (10/7993; 0.13%) compared with those who did not (56/9520; 0.59%; p < 0.0001). Age

Background: Hyperosmotic solutions have been used successfully in different shock resuscitations with cardioprotection. This study was to examine the effects of hyperosmotic sodium chloride on isolated heart function and heart responses to ischemia/reperfusion in normotensive and hypertensive rats. The roles of hyperosmolarity-induced antioxidants including hyperosmolarity-relevant heat shock proteins as well as vasodilating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vasoactive catecholamines were investigated.Methods: Hearts of normal rats and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats were isolated and perfused for 30 min with control Krebs-Henseleit buffer (osmolarity 300 mOsm/L) or hyperosmotic buffer of different sodium chloride concentrations (320, 350 and 400 mOsm/L) before subjected to 40-min global ischemia followed by 10-min hyperosmotic reperfusion and 30-min normal buffer reperfusion. Heart function, creatine phosphokinase leakage and myocardial antioxidants were examined. Myocardial antioxidants after hyperosmotic perfusion with different osmolytes were assayed with Western blotting.Results: Pre-ischemic hyperosmotic sodium chloride perfusion enhanced heart contractility and diastole function and reduced coronary vascular resistance in both normal and hypertensive hearts. Post-ischemic recoveries of heart function were improved in hyperosmotic perfused hearts, associated with lower creatine phosphokinase leakage, higher coronary flow, reduced coronary resistance and lower norepinephrine overflow. At the end of reperfusion, the myocardial activities of total superoxide dismutase and catalase, glutathione content as well as osmosis-relevant heat shock protein 32 and 90 were increased in hyperosmotic hearts. In addition to sodium chloride, in vitro hyperosmotic mannitol, glucose and raffinose also increased protein expressions of antioxidants including superoxide dismutase, catalase, heat shock protein 32 and 90 and vasodilating eNOS.Conclusion: Hyperosmotic perfusion enhanced heart function and preconditioned normal and hypertensive hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury. The hyperosmolarity-induced up-regulations in myocardial antioxidants including heat shock proteins and eNOS may play an important role in the hyperosmolarity-induced cardioprotection.

Yinqiaojiedu honeyed pills were equally divided into 1/4, 1/8, 1/12, and 1/16 parts. The materiomics release rates within 12 h of the intact Yinqiaojiedu honeyed pills and the divided granules were determined by the paddle method with a rotate speed at 100 r x min(-1), and the materiome was quantified by UV-scan and Kalman filter methods. The intact Yinqiaojiedu honeyed pills behaved typical sustained release profiles, while the well-divided portions also maintained a sustained release profile over 2-4 h. The release rates were well correlated with the extents for the divisions of the pills. The Weibull distribution parameters, Td and T50, were reduced in line with the particle size, indicating that the ways of administration of the pills may play a role in the in vivo pharmacokinetics of the pills. The visualization results showed obvious difference of materiomic release synchronicities between the intact pills and the equally divided particles, and the divisions enhanced the asynchronization. Therefore the novel theory of materiomic release/dissolution kinetics of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) quantitatively proved the traditional dosage form, namely, honeyed pills, as a prototype of the sustained-release dosage form with a visualization of the scientific connotation to the old saying in the classics of TCM, Pills, the moderate ones in action. In terms of materiome increase for each period of the release profiles, the materiomic release synchronicity was visually demonstrated. The novel theories provided methodological basis for the evaluation of traditional dosage forms and the design of the modern drug delivery systems for TCMs.

Due to the diversity of components within the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), the release profiles of the components in the TCM dosage forms vary dramatically and no quantification method is available to determine the variance yet. Based upon the principles of Kalman filter method, the authors defined a new parameter, relative chemomic error (epsilon), to evaluate the asynchronous nature of the components in TCMs, and a derivative parameter as synchronization factor (SF) to quantify the synchronicity of the chemome of the TCMs. The average synchronization factor (SF(av)) was accordingly derived to simultaneously quantify the release/dissolution profiles of the multi-components in TCMs. Randomly generated simulation data were processed to demonstrate the chemomic data processing and the methodology. The results indicated that the novel parameter epsilon was well correlated (r = 0.996 8) with the coefficient of variation from the conventional release profiles of all the components. As the asynchronicity was the intrinsic characteristics of the multi-component TCMs, the synchronicity might be a new target of quality control of TCMs. The methods established by this report can be used a quantitative tool for the evaluation of the chemomic release synchronization of TCMs.

We present a scheme for implementing locally a nonlocal N-target controlled–controlled gate with unit probability of success by harnessing two (N+1)-qubit Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states as quantum channel and N qutrits as catalyser. The quantum network that implements this nonlocal (N+2)-body gate is built entirely of local single-body and two-body gates, and has only (3N+2) two-body gates. This result suggests that both the computational depth of quantum network and the quantum resources required to perform this nonlocal gate might be significantly reduced. This scheme can be generalized straightforwardly to implement a nonlocal N-target and M-control qubits gate.

To determine the effects of hypertonic solution on myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in normal and stroke-prone hypertensive rat hearts in vitro.Hearts were perfused in an isolated-perfused Langendorff apparatus and perfused with normal or hypertonic solution (360 mOsm/L, by addition of NaCl to the normal perfusate of 300 mOsm/L) before subjected to 30 min ischemia followed by 40 min isotonic reperfusion. Heart function, myocardial creatine kinase leakage, norepinephrine release, and ventricular calcium content were determined.Normal rat hearts with hypertonic perfusion showed higher recovery rate of spontaneous beating than control hearts after ischemia. Hypertensive rat hearts perfused with hypertonic solution also had better recovery in diastolic function and less creatine kinase leakage than hypertensive controls. Concomitantly, myocardial release of norepinephrine was also reduced from hypertensive hearts perfused with hypertonic solution. There was no significant difference in myocardial calcium content between normal and hypertonic perfused hypertensive hearts.Hypertonic perfusion may precondition the hearts and protect them from ischemia and reperfusion injury in both normal and hypertensive rats. The modulation of hypertonic perfusion on myocardial norepinephrine release and its role in cardioprotection needs further investigation.