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The present study investigated the effect of Gastrodia elata extracts (GE) on chronic electric foot-shock stress (cEFS)-induce anxiety-like behaviors in male C57BL/6 mice. Mice were administered GE (200 or 400 mg/kg/day, oral), and then exposed to cEFS (0.6 mA intensity, 1 s every 5 s interval, 3 min duration) for seven days. GE treatment ameliorates the anxiety-like behavior induced by cEFS, which were determined with elevated plus maze test and open field test. cEFS decreased the dopamine and serotonin levels in brain and both were reversed by GE treatment. cEFS increased corticosterone levels in serum and number of c-fos positive cells in brain, which were downregulated by GE treatment. These results suggested that GE ameliorates the anxiety-like behavior by regulating the levels of dopamine and serotonin, the number of c-fos positive cells in the brain, and corticosterone levels in the serum.

Abstract Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Recent evidence suggests that total flavonoids of Astragalus (TFA) has promising effects on diabetes; however, its influence on DKD and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Methods In this study, we induced the DKD model using streptozotocin (STZ) in male C57BL/6J mice and utilized glomerular endothelial cell (GEC) lines for in vitro investigations. We constructed a network pharmacology analysis to understand the mechanism of TFA in DKD. The mechanism of TFA action on DKD was investigated through Western blot analysis and multi-immunological methods. Results Our findings revealed that TFA significantly reduced levels of urinary albumin (ALB). Network pharmacology and intracellular pathway experiments indicated the crucial involvement of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in mediating these effects. In vitro experiments showed that TFA can preserve the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors TNF-alpha and IL-8, reducing oxidative stress. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that TFA can ameliorates the progression of DKD by ameliorating renal fibrosis and preserving the integrity of the kidney filtration barrier. These results provide pharmacological evidence supporting the use of TFA in the treatment of kidney diseases.

Summary: Cellular plasticity serves as a crucial biological phenomenon in humans, integral to tissue repair and maintenance of dynamic environmental homeostasis post-injury. However, dysregulated activation of this beneficial mechanism can pave the way for tumorigenesis and cancer progression. In this review, we synthesize recent advancements concerning the properties and roles of gastric epithelial cells, with a special emphasis on cellular plasticity and fate specification during the progress of gastric tumorigenesis. Notably, the attribute of stemness is not exclusive to gastric stem cells but also extends to differentiated cells in gastric units. We delve into the extent of plasticity and changes in cellular fate that contribute to malignant transformation in both stem and mature cells within the stomach. Moreover, we explore matrix-epithelial interactions, immunological modulation, and epigenomic alterations throughout the course of gastric tumorigenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying cellular mechanisms governing plasticity and fate decisions could catalyze the development of innovative approaches for cancer prevention and antineoplastic therapies.

A new species of the genus Orthozona Hampson, 1895, O. parallelilineata sp. nov., is described from China. The new species is illustrated with images of adults and genitalia, and it is compared to similar species, O. quadrilineata and Paracolax curvilineata. A distribution map of this new species is also presented.

Background: Semantic segmentation is crucial in medical image diagnosis. Traditional deep convolutional neural networks excel in image classification and object detection but fall short in segmentation tasks. Enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of detecting high-level cervical lesions and invasive cancer poses a primary challenge in segmentation model development. Methods: Between 2018 and 2022, we retrospectively studied a total of 777 patients, comprising 339 patients with high-level cervical lesions and 313 patients with microinvasive or invasive cervical cancer. Overall, 1554 colposcopic images were put into the DeepLabv3+ model for learning. Accuracy, Precision, Specificity, and mIoU were employed to evaluate the performance of the model in the prediction of cervical high-level lesions and cancer. Results: Experiments showed that our segmentation model had better diagnosis efficiency than colposcopic experts and other artificial intelligence models, and reached Accuracy of 93.29 %, Precision of 87.2 %, Specificity of 90.1 %, and mIoU of 80.27 %, respectively. Conclution: The DeepLabv3+ model had good performance in the segmentation of cervical lesions in colposcopic post-acetic-acid images and can better assist colposcopists in improving the diagnosis.

BackgroundPrevious studies have indicated that the soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 protein (sST2) is associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the predictive value of sST2 in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been well studied.MethodsA total of 580 patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI were consecutively recruited between January 2021 and January 2023. These patients were then categorized into two groups: the NOAF group and the no NOAF groups based on the presence of NOAF during admission. The concentration of sST2 in blood samples was measured in all patients. The clinical data from the two groups were prospectively analyzed to investigate the predictive factors of NOAF in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.ResultsA total of 41 (7.1%) patients developed NOAF. The presence of NOAF has been found to be associated with various factors, including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, the left atrial (LA) diameter, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein (CRP), sST2, a Killip class of ≥2, and a final TIMI flow grade of

Tea is a popular beverage with characteristic functional and flavor qualities, known to be rich in bioactive metabolites such as tea polyphenols and theanine. Recently, tea varieties with variations in leaf color have been widely used in agriculture production due to their potential advantages in terms of tea quality. Numerous studies have used genome, transcriptome, metabolome, proteome, and lipidome methods to uncover the causes of leaf color variations and investigate their impacts on the accumulation of crucial bioactive metabolites in tea plants. Through a comprehensive review of various omics investigations, we note that decreased expression levels of critical genes in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll and carotenoids, activated chlorophyll degradation, and an impaired photosynthetic chain function are related to the chlorina phenotype in tea plants. For purple-leaf tea, increased expression levels of late biosynthetic genes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway and anthocyanin transport genes are the major and common causes of purple coloration. We have also summarized the influence of leaf color variation on amino acid, polyphenol, and lipid contents and put forward possible causes of these metabolic changes. Finally, this review further proposes the research demands in this field in the future.

Two new species of the subgenus Reticularisus Wu, Wu & Han, 2022 of the genus Rhamnosa Fixsen, 1887, Rhamnosa (Reticularisus) chenjuni sp. nov. and Rh. (R.) mangshanensis sp. nov., are described from the provinces of Hunan and Guangdong, China. The adults and genital structures of the new species and similar examined species are illustrated. A checklist of the genus is provided.

Abstract Background Golden 2-Like (G2-like) transcription factors play an important role in plant development. However, the roles of these G2-like regulatory genes in response to abiotic stresses in tomato are not well understood. Results In this study, we identified 66 putative G2-like genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and classified them into 5 groups (I to V) according to gene structure, motif composition and phylogenetic analysis. The G2-like genes were unevenly distributed across all 12 chromosomes. There were nine pairs of duplicated gene segments and four tandem duplicated SlGlk genes. Analysis of the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) showed that the promoter regions of SlGlks contain many kinds of stress- and hormone-related CREs. Based on RNA-seq, SlGlks were expressed in response to three abiotic stresses. Thirty-six differentially expressed SlGlks were identified; these genes have multiple functions according to Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and are enriched mainly in the zeatin biosynthesis pathway. Further studies exhibited that silencing SlGlk16 in tomato would reduce drought stress tolerance by earlier wilted, lower superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) activities, less Pro contents and more MDA contents. Conclusions Overall, the results of this study provide comprehensive information on G2-like transcription factors and G2-like genes that may be expressed in response to abiotic stresses.

Electroacupuncture (EA) is considered to have a therapeutic effect in the relief of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-associated visceral hypersensitivity via the reduction of the level of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) and 5-HT3 receptors (5-HT3R). However, whether Epac1/Piezo2, as the upstream of 5-HT, is involved in this process remains unclear. We investigated whether EA at the ST36 and ST37 acupoints alleviated visceral and somatic hypersensitivity in a post-inflammatory IBS (PI-IBS) model mice via the Epac1-Piezo2 axis. In this study, we used 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced PI-IBS as a mouse model. Visceral sensitivity was assessed by the abdominal withdrawal reflex test. Somatic sensitivity was evaluated by the hind paw withdrawal threshold. Quantitative real-time PCR, immunofluorescence staining, ELISA, and Western blotting were performed to examine the expressions of Epac1, Piezo2, 5-HT, and 5-HT3R from the mouse distal colon/L5–S2 dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Our results showed that EA improved the increased visceral sensation and peripheral mechanical hyperalgesia in PI-IBS model mice, and the effects of EA were superior to the sham EA. EA significantly decreased the protein and mRNA levels of Epac1 and Piezo2, and reduced 5-HT and 5-HT3R expressions in the distal colon. Knockdown of colonic Piezo2 eliminated the effect of EA on somatic hypersensitivity. Combined knockdown of colonic Epac1 and Piezo2 synergized with EA in relieving visceral hypersensitivity and blocked the effect of EA on somatic hypersensitivity. Additionally, protein levels of Epac1 and Piezo2 were also found to be decreased in the L5–S2 DRGs after EA treatment. Taken together, our study suggested that EA at ST36 and ST37 can alleviate visceral and somatic hypersensitivity in PI-IBS model mice, which is closely related to the regulation of the Epac1–Piezo2 axis.

Objective: The objective of this study is to screen the therapeutic targets of pain of traditional Chinese medicine Chonglou and explore the relevant mechanism by network pharmacology techniques and methods. Materials and Methods: The chemical components of Chonglou were collected according to chemistry database and related literature. SwissADME was used to collect the potential active ingredients from all the chemical components of Chonglou and SwissTarget Prediction was utilized to predict their targets. The genes related to pain were collected from GeneCards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man databases. Joint genes were uploaded to the online string database for the analysis and the PPI network was constructed. The “Chonglou-active component-target-pain” network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.1 software, Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for key target proteins. The top three active components with most targets in the network were docked with the target proteins by the molecular docking technique. Results: A total of nine potential active compounds of Chonglou, 264 potential target genes, 2385 targets of pain disorder, and 128 common targets for drug and disease were screened. One hundred and thirty-one GO items were identified by the GO enrichment analysis, and 23 related signaling pathways were identified by the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular-docking results show that pennogenin is the optimal butt ligand of PIK3CA, STAT3, mitogen-activated protein kinase 14, and ADORA1. Conclusion: It is preliminarily revealed that Chonglou might treat pain through multiple targets, multiple biology processes and multiple pain-related signaling pathways, providing reference for the subsequent experimental research.

BRI1-EMS-SUPPRESSOR 1 (BES1) transcription factor is closely associated with the brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway and plays an important role in plant growth and development. SLB3 is a member of BES1 transcription factor family and its expression was previously shown to increase significantly in tomato seedlings under drought stress. In the present study, we used virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology to downregulate SLB3 expression to reveal the function of the SLB3 gene under drought stress further. The downregulated expression of SLB3 weakened the drought tolerance of the plants appeared earlier wilting and higher accumulation of H2O2 and O2−·, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and increased proline (PRO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and peroxidase (POD) activity. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of BR-related genes revealed that the expression of SlCPD, SlDWARF and BIN2-related genes was significantly upregulated in SLB3-silenced seedlings under drought stress, but that the expression of TCH4-related genes was downregulated. These results showed that silencing the SLB3 gene reduced the drought resistance of tomato plants and had an impact on the BR signaling transduction which may be probably responsible for the variation in drought resistance of the tomato plants.

In this paper, four species of the genus Diduga Moore, [1887] from China (Chongqing and Guangdong) and Malaysia (Borneo, Sabah) are described as new to science, namely D. simianshana sp. nov., D. chebalinga sp. nov., D. chewi sp. nov., and D. hollowayi sp. nov. Adults of these species are illustrated in color, and images of the male and female genitalia are provided. A distribution map of the new species is provided, together with an updated checklist of all species of Diduga.

Context Nephrolithiasis is a major public health problem worldwide and Fu-Fang-Jin-Qian-Cao granules (FFJQC) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula that is used to treat nephrolithiasis. The main component of nephrolithiasis is calcium oxalate (CaOx) and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) shown to play a crucial role in CaOx-induced kidney injury. However, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of FFJQC on the CaOx-induced renal EMT is unknown. Objective This study explores the therapeutic benefits and mechanism of FFJQC in oxalate-induced kidney injury. Materials and methods 60 male C57BL/6 mice were used in this experiment and divided into 6 groups. A mouse kidney stone model was created by intraperitoneal injection of glyoxylate at a dose of 100 mg/kg for 6 days. The standardized FFJQC was used to treat mouse crystal kidney injury by gavage at 1.35 and 2.7 g/kg, respectively. Western blotting and immunostaining for E-cadherin, cytokeratin 18 (CK18), vimentin, smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/Smad pathway were conducted on renal tissues. Results Following CaOx-induced kidney injury, the levels of E-cadherin and CK18 in kidney decreased, while vimentin and α-SMA levels increased. The FFJQC treatment increased the levels of E-cadherin and CK18 and decreased vimentin and α-SMA levels in varying degrees. What’s more, the FFJQC reduced the expression of CaOx-induced fibrosis marker collagen II. Conclusion FFJQC alleviated the CaOx-induced renal EMT and fibrosis by regulating TGF-β/smad pathway. Therefore, the FFJQC is an important traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of CaOx-induced renal injury and fibrosis.

Gynostemma (G.) pentaphyllum (Cucurbitaceae) contains various bioactive gypenosides. Ethanol extract from G. pentaphyllum (GP-EX) has been shown to have ameliorative effects on the death of dopaminergic neurons in animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine- and 6-hydroxydopamine. PD patients exhibit multiple symptoms, so PD-related research should combine neurotoxin models with genetic models. In the present study, we investigated the ameliorative effects of GP-EX, including gypenosides, on the cell death of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain of A53T α-synuclein transgenic mouse models of PD (A53T). Both GP-EX and gypenosides at 50 mg/kg per day were orally administered to the A53T mice for 20 weeks. α-Synuclein-immunopositive cells and α-synuclein phosphorylation were increased in the midbrain of A53T mice, which was reduced following treatment with GP-EX. Treatment with GP-EX modulated the reduced phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bad) at Ser112, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK1/2) due to α-synuclein overexpression. In the A53T group, GP-EX treatment prolonged the latency of the step-through passive avoidance test and shortened the transfer latency of the elevated plus maze test. Gypenosides treatment exhibited the effects and efficacy similar to those of GP-EX. Taken together, GP-EX, including gypenosides, has ameliorative effects on dopaminergic neuronal cell death due to the overexpression of α-synuclein by modulating ERK1/2, Bad at Ser112, and JNK1/2 signaling in the midbrain of A53T mouse model of PD. Further studies are needed to investigate GP-EX as a treatment for neurodegenerative synucleinopathies, including PD. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Chungbuk National University (approval No. CBNUA-956-16-01) on September 21, 2016.

The mechanisms of age-associated memory impairment may be associated with glutamate receptor function and chromatin modification. To observe the effect of an enriched environment on the cognitive function of mice with age-associated memory impairment, 3-month-old C57BL/6 male mice (“young” mice) were raised in a standard environment, while 24-month-old C57BL/6 male mice with memory impairment (“age-associated memory impairment” mice) were raised in either a standard environment or an enriched environment. The enriched environment included a variety of stimuli involving movement and sensation. A water maze test was then used to measure cognitive function in the mice. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays were used to detect right hippocampal GluN2B mRNA as well as protein expression of GluN2B and CREB binding protein in all mice. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to measure the extent of histone acetylation of the hippocampal GluN2B gene promoters. Compared with the young mice, the water maze performance of age-associated memory impairment mice in the standard environment was significantly decreased. In addition, there were significantly lower levels of total histone acetylation and expression of CREB binding protein in the hippocampus of age-associated memory impairment mice in the standard environment compared with the young mice. There were also significantly lower levels of histone acetylation, protein expression, and mRNA expression of GluN2B in the hippocampus of these mice. In contrast, in the age-associated memory impairment mice with the enriched environment intervention, the water maze performance and molecular biological indexes were significantly improved. These data confirm that an enriched environment can improve cognitive dysfunction in age-associated memory impairment mice, and suggest that the mechanisms may be related to the increased expression of CREB binding protein and the increased degree of total histone acetylation in the hippocampus of age-associated memory impairment mice, which may cause the increase of histone acetylation of GluN2B gene promoter and the enhancement of GluN2B mRNA transcription and protein expression in hippocampus. The animal experiment was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Yangzhou University, China (approval No. 20170312001) in March 2017.

A genus Tanvia Solovyev & Witt, 2009, belonging to family Limacodidae, is reported for the first time from Yunnan province, China, with redescription of a newly recorded species: T. zolotuhini Solovyev & Witt, 2009. In this study, illustrations of adults and genitalia of the species and the distribution are provided.

Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an innovative non-invasive technology used for adenomyosis. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) is a hormone commonly used for adenomyosis. We investigated and assessed the efficacy of HIFU combined with GnRH-a for adenomyosis.Methods: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP databases for relevant articles published in Chinese or English that compared HIFU combined with GnRH-a vs. HIFU alone in patients with adenomyosis. The last literature search was completed on January 31, 2021. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility and assessed risk of bias. Another two reviewers extracted the data. The RevMan5.3 software was used for the data analysis. Changes in volume of the uterine and adenomyotic lesion were defined as the primary outcomes. The secondary outcomes were visual analog scale (VAS) scores for dysmenorrhea, menstrual volume scores, serum CA125 levels, and recurrence rate. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021234301).Results: Three hundred and ninety potentially relevant articles were screened. Nine studies with data for 766 patients were finally included. Compared with the HIFU alone group, the HIFU combined with GnRH-a group had a higher rate of uterine volume reduction (MD 7.51, 95% CI 5.84–9.17, p < 0.00001), smaller adenomyotic lesion volume (MD 4.11, 95% CI 2.93–5.30, p < 0.00001), lower VAS score for dysmenorrhea (MD 1.27, 95% CI 0.54–2.01, p = 0.0007) and menstrual volume score (MD 0.88, 95% CI 0.73–1.04, p < 0.00001), and lower CA125 level (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.05–0.56, p = 0.02) after the procedure. The recurrence rate in the HIFU combined with GnRH-a group was lower than that in the HIFU alone group (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10–0.82, p = 0.02).Conclusions: Compared with HIFU treatment alone, HIFU combined with GnRH-a for the treatment of adenomyosis has greater efficacy in decreasing the volumes of the uterine and adenomyotic lesions and alleviating symptoms. However, since the number of the included studies was too small and most of them were written in Chinese, this conclusion needs to be referenced with caution. And the long-term evidence of its efficacy is still insufficient.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ identifier [CRD42021234].

Zinc finger-homeodomain proteins (ZF-HDs) are transcription factors that regulate plant growth, development, and abiotic stress tolerance. The SL-ZH13 gene was found to be significantly upregulated under drought stress treatment in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves in our previous study. In this study, to further understand the role that the SL-ZH13 gene plays in the response of tomato plants to drought stress, the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) method was applied to downregulate SL-ZH13 expression in tomato plants, and these plants were treated with drought stress to analyze the changes in drought tolerance. The SL-ZH13 silencing efficiency was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. In SL-ZH13-silenced plants, the stems wilted faster, leaf shrinkage was more severe than in control plants under the same drought stress treatment conditions, and the mean stem bending angle of SL-ZH13-silenced plants was smaller than that of control plants. Physiological analyses showed that the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) and the content of proline (Pro) in SL-ZH13-silenced plants were lower than those in control plants after 1.5 and 3 h of drought stress treatment. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content in SL-ZH13-silenced plants was higher than that in control plants after 1.5 and 3 h of drought stress treatment, and H2O2 and O2–· accumulated much more in the leaves of SL-ZH13-silenced plants than in the leaves of control plants. These results suggested that silencing the SL-ZH13 gene affected the response of tomato plants to drought stress and decreased the drought tolerance of tomato plants.

Abstract Background The brain is a common site for metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between the mutational of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and overall survival (OS) in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Methods Searches were performed in PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies evaluating the association of EGFR mutation with OS in NSCLC patients through September 2017. Results 4373 NSCLC patients with brain metastases in 18 studies were involved. Mutated EGFR associated with significantly improved OS compared with wild type. Subgroup analyses suggested that this relationship persisted in studies conducted in Eastern, with retrospective design, with sample size ≥500, mean age of patients ≥65.0 years, percentage male

Opisthorchiasis is an overlooked danger to Southeast Asia. High-resolution disease risk maps are critical but have not been available for Southeast Asia. Georeferenced disease data and potential influencing factor data were collected through a systematic review of literatures and open-access databases, respectively. Bayesian spatial-temporal joint models were developed to analyze both point- and area-level disease data, within a logit regression in combination of potential influencing factors and spatial-temporal random effects. The model-based risk mapping identified areas of low, moderate, and high prevalence across the study region. Even though the overall population-adjusted estimated prevalence presented a trend down, a total of 12.39 million (95% Bayesian credible intervals [BCI]: 10.10–15.06) people were estimated to be infected with O. viverrini in 2018 in four major endemic countries (i.e., Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam), highlighting the public health importance of the disease in the study region. The high-resolution risk maps provide valuable information for spatial targeting of opisthorchiasis control interventions.

The name Golovinomyces cynoglossi s. lat. is traditionally applied to a complex of morphologically similar powdery mildews on hosts of the plant family Boraginaceae. The current species-level taxonomy within this complex is ambiguous due to the lack of phylogenetic examinations. The present study applied phylogenetic methods to clarify the taxonomy of G. cynoglossi s. lat. Phylogenetic analysis of rDNA ITS sequences retrieved from Asian, European and North American specimens revealed that G. cynoglossi s. lat. collections from different hosts involved several species in five clearly separated lineages. Clade I consists primarily of Golovinomyces cynoglossi s. str. on Cynoglossum. Clade III consists of Golovinomyces sequences retrieved from the host genera Symphytum and Pulmonaria. The taxa within clade III are now assigned to G. asperifoliorum comb. nov. Clade V encompasses G. cynoglossi s. lat. on the host genera Bothriospermum, Buglossoides, Echium, Myosotis, and Trigonotis. The taxa within clade V are now assigned to G. asperifolii comb. nov. The species concerned in this study were lecto- and epitypified to stabilize their nomenclature.

In this article, by means of a direct variational approach and the theory of the fractional differential space, we prove the existence of a nontrivial solution for superlinear fractional boundary value problems without Ambrosetti and Rabinowitz condition.

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is extensively used in the treatment of patients with gastric cancer (GC), particularly in high risk, advanced gastric cancer. Previous trials testing the efficacy of NAC have reported inconsistent results. Methods This study compares the combined use of NAC and surgery with surgery alone for GC by using a meta-analytic approach. We performed an electronic search of PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on NAC published before Oct 2015. The primary outcome of the studies was data on survival rates for patients with GC. The summary results were pooled using the random-effects model. We included 12 prospective RCTs reporting data on 1538 GC patients. Results Patients who received NAC were associated with significant improvement of OS (P = 0.001) and PFS (P

Abstract Background Previous studies have revealed that gypenosides (GPS) improve the symptoms of anxiety disorders in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of GPS on memory deficits in an MPTP-lesioned mouse model of PD treated with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Methods MPTP (30 mg/kg/day, 5 days)-lesioned mice were treated with GPS (50 mg/kg) and/or L-DOPA (10 and 25 mg/kg) for 21 days. After the final treatments, behavioral changes were assessed in all mice using passive avoidance and elevated plus-maze tests. We then evaluated the biochemical influences of GPS treatment on levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Results MPTP-lesioned mice exhibited deficits associated with habit learning and spatial memory, which were further aggravated by treatment with L-DOPA (25 mg/kg). However, treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg) ameliorated memory deficits. Treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg) also improved L-DOPA (25 mg/kg)-treated MPTP lesion-induced decreases in retention latency on the passive avoidance test, as well as levels of TH-immunopositive cells and dopamine in the substantia nigra and striatum. GPS treatment also attenuated increases in retention transfer latency on the elevated plus-maze test and in NMDA receptor expression, as well as decreases in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and CREB in the hippocampus. Treatment with L-DOPA (10 mg/kg) also ameliorated deficits in habit learning and spatial memory in MPTP-lesioned mice, and this effect was further enhanced by treatment with GPS (50 mg/kg). Conclusion GPS ameliorate deficits in habit learning and spatial memory by modulating the dopaminergic neuronal and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated signaling systems in MPTP-lesioned mice treated with L-DOPA. GPS may serve as an adjuvant therapeutic agent for memory deficits in patients with PD receiving L-DOPA.

Both iron and lipids are involved in the progression of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), but the interaction between iron and lipids in AFLD is unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that iron regulates the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism through iron regulatory proteins (IRPs), which interact with the iron-responsive elements (IREs) in the untranslated regions (UTRs) of genes, resulting in lipid accumulation. Using “RNA structure software”, we predicted the mRNA secondary structures of more than 100 genes involved in lipid metabolism to investigate whether the IRE structure exists in novel mRNAs. Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7a1) has an IRE-like stem-loop, a noncanonical IRE structure, in its 3′-UTR. Cyp7a1 expression can be regulated by in vivo and in vitro iron treatment. In addition, the noncanonical IRE motif can efficiently bind both to IRP1 and IRP2. The results indicate that hepatic iron overloading in AFLD mice decreased Cyp7a1 expression and resulted in cholesterol accumulation, providing a new mechanism of iron-regulated gene transcription and translation through the interaction between iron and a noncanonical IRE structure in Cyp7a1 mRNA. This finding has significant implications in studying a proposed mechanism for the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis by an Fe/IRP/noncanonical IRE axis.

Background: Coronary intervention therapy is the main treatment for uremic patients with coronary heart disease. The studies on whether dialysis reduces the efficacy of dual antiplatelet drugs are limited. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of dialysis on antiplatelet drugs in uremic patients with coronary heart disease. Methods: This study included 26 uremic patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention in China-Japan Friendship Hospital from November 2015 to May 2017. We examined their thromboelastography results before and after hemodialysis. Self-paired t-tests were employed to analyze changes in the inhibition rate of platelet aggregation. Results: The mean inhibition rates of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation before and after hemodialysis were 82.56 ± 2.79% and 86.42 ± 3.32%, respectively (t= −1.278, P= 0.213). The mean inhibition rates of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation before and after hemodialysis were 67.87 ± 5.10% and 61.94 ± 5.90%, respectively (t = 1.425, P= 0.167). There was no significant difference in the inhibition rates of platelet aggregation before or after hemodialysis. These results also applied to patients with different sensitivity to aspirin and clopidogrel. Conclusion: Dialysis did not affect the antiplatelet effects of aspirin and clopidogrel in uremic patients with coronary heart disease.

Genetically modified crops which had been commercial applied extensively majorly are the insect resistance and herbicide tolerance events. In this study, the Bt insecticidal gene Cry1Ab, the glyphosate-tolerant gene EPSPS, and the selection marker gene PMI were combined into a single transferred DNA fragment and introduced into sugarcane by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Thirty-three resistant plantlets were obtained after selection using a PMI/mannose selection system. Thirty of these resistant plantlets were PCR positive for the three target genes. Southern blot assay revealed that the copy number of the integrated fragment in the transformed plantlets varied from 1 to 7. ELISA analysis showed that 23 of the 33 resistant plantlets expressed Cry1Ab and EPSPS protein. Five single-copy and ELISA-positive transgenic lines were tested under laboratory and field conditions to determine their resistance to insects and herbicides, and also evaluated their agronomic characteristics and industrial traits. Results showed that larvae fed with fodder mixture containing stem tissues from single-copy transgenic lines were weak and small, moreover, pupation and eclosion were delayed significantly during voluntary feeding bioassays. None of transgenic sugarcane was destroyed by cane borer while more than 30% of wild type sugarcane was destroyed by cane borer. For herbicide resistance, the transgenic plantlets grew healthy even when treated with up to 0.5% roundup while wild type plantlets would die off when treated with 0.1% roundup. Thus demonstrate that these transgenic lines showed strong insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance under both laboratory and field conditions. But in the field most of the transgenic plants were shorter and more slender than non-transformed control plants. So they presented poor agronomic characteristics and industrial traits than non-transformed control plants. Thus, a considerable number of embryogenic calli should be infected to obtain transgenic lines with potential for commercial use.

The rate of blinding caused by high myopic maculopathy is high, vitrectomy is the most common treatment. However, the effectiveness of vitrectomy for high myopic patients who have serious posterior scleral staphyloma is not ideal. Recent years, posterior scleral reinforcement is used as a supplementary method with vitrectomy in clinical, treating for high myopic maculopathy. It achieves a positive curative effect especially in macular foveoschisis and macular hole cases. In this article, we introduced a review of history, current situation, material and surgery operand of scleral reinforcement. It also makes a further discussion of its prospects used in retina surgery.

In this study, the effects of herbal ethanol extracts of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP-EX), on chronic electric footshock (EF) stress-induced anxiety disorders were investigated in mice, which were orally treated with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) once a day for 14 days, followed by exposure to EF stress (2 mA, with an interval and duration of 10 s for 3 min). After the final exposure to EF stress, the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests were performed, and the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, the serum levels of corticosterone, and the expression of c-Fos in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) were determined. Treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) significantly recovered the number of entries into open arms and time spent on open arms, which was reduced by chronic EF stress. GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) also reduced the number of marbles buried, which was increased by chronic EF stress. In addition, electric EF stress significantly decreased the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, which was recovered by treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). The serum levels of corticosterone, which were markedly increased by chronic EF stress, were reduced by treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). Chronic EF stress-induced increases in c-Fos expression were also markedly reduced by GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) in the PVN. These results suggest that GP-EX shows anxiolytic functions, determined by the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests, which are mediated by modulating the activity of dopamine and serotonin neurons as well as the expression of c-Fos in the brain, and the serum levels of corticosterone. Clinical trials of herbal GP-EX and its bioactive components need further investigation.

Pollen-stigma interactions are essential for pollen germination. The highly regulated process of pollen germination includes pollen adhesion, hydration, and germination on the stigma. However, the internal signaling of pollen that regulates pollen-stigma interactions is poorly understood. KINβγ is a plant-specific subunit of the SNF1-related protein kinase 1 complex which plays important roles in the regulation of plant development. Here, we showed that KINβγ was a cytoplasm- and nucleus-localized protein in the vegetative cells of pollen grains in Arabidopsis. The pollen of the Arabidopsis kinβγ mutant could not germinate on stigma, although it germinated normally in vitro. Further analysis revealed the hydration of kinβγ mutant pollen on the stigma was compromised. However, adding water to the stigma promoted the germination of the mutant pollen in vivo, suggesting that the compromised hydration of the mutant pollen led to its defective germination. In kinβγ mutant pollen, the structure of the mitochondria and peroxisomes was destroyed, and their numbers were significantly reduced compared with those in the wild type. Furthermore, we found that the kinβγ mutant exhibited reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in pollen. The addition of H2O2 in vitro partially compensated for the reduced water absorption of the mutant pollen, and reducing ROS levels in pollen by overexpressing Arabidopsis CATALASE 3 resulted in compromised hydration of pollen on the stigma. These results indicate that Arabidopsis KINβγ is critical for the regulation of ROS levels by mediating the biogenesis of mitochondria and peroxisomes in pollen, which is required for pollen-stigma interactions during pollination.