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Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a common complication of diabetes mellitus, is primarily characterized by damage to Schwann cells caused by oxidative stress under hyperglycemic conditions. Recently, we demonstrated the ability of coumarin-rich Ficus formosana Maxim. to alleviate DPN in ovariectomized diabetic mice. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we established an in vitro DPN model using RSC96 Schwann cells exposed to high glucose levels. Daphnetin, a natural coumarin found abundantly in Ficus formosana Maxim., was co-incubated with Schwann cells in a high-glucose medium to investigate its protective effects against DPN. The free radical scavenging capacity of daphnetin was evaluated, along with assessments of cell viability, apoptosis, H2O2 levels, and the expression of proteins by the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/glutamate–cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) pathway in RSC96 Schwann cells. The results showed that daphnetin was non-toxic within the tested concentration range of 6.25 μM to 50 μM in RSC96 Schwann cells. Moreover, daphnetin significantly improved cell viability, exhibited strong antioxidant activity, reduced H2O2 levels, and regulated the Nrf2/GCLC pathway protein expressions in RSC96 cells cultured in high-glucose medium. Additionally, daphnetin influenced apoptosis-related proteins by decreasing the expression levels of Bax and Caspase 3, while increasing the Bcl-2 expression level in high-glucose-treated RSC96 cells. These findings suggest that daphnetin may alleviate oxidative stress induced by high glucose levels through activation of the Nrf2/GCLC pathway and inhibition of Schwann cell apoptosis, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for DPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the growth process of weaned piglets, digestive problems such as gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea are common. Farmers usually use antibiotics to help piglets grow smoothly. However, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance issues. Therefore, this study chose to use plant extracts as feed additives to explore their potential as alternatives to antibiotics. Additionally, Tilmicosin was used as the antibiotic because it is widely used in treating respiratory infections in piglets. Since traditional Chinese medicine often uses natural products, we selected Guizhi Li-Zhong (GLZ) extract as an alternative to antibiotics. The experiment involved 126 piglets, each 4 weeks old, which were randomly assigned to one of four groups: the sham group (basal diet without supplements, 10.3 ± 0.4 kg, n = 31), the low-dose GLZ group (basal diet with 0.05% GLZ, 10.9 ± 0.4 kg, n = 32), the regular-dose GLZ group (basal diet with 0.2% GLZ, 10.6 ± 0.4 kg, n = 32), and the regular-dose Tilmicosin antibiotic group (basal diet with 0.2% Tilmicosin, 10.2 ± 0.3 kg, n = 31). We recorded and compared the survival rate, growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and diarrhea incidence among four groups of weaned piglets from the 4th to the 10th weeks of age. Then, we examined the oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in small intestine tissue (jejunum and ileum) through immunohistochemistry and Western blot and compared the gut microbiota in large intestine tissue (colon and rectum) through a next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Our results showed that weaned piglets supplemented with 0.05% and 0.2% GLZ had better survival rates, growth rates (p < 0.01), and feed conversion ratios (p < 0.01) compared to those receiving sham treatment. Even weaned piglets supplemented with 0.2% GLZ performed better than those supplemented with 0.2% Tilmicosin antibiotics (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of diarrhea and small intestine injury (indicated by oxidative stress-, inflammation-, and apoptosis-related proteins) in piglets supplemented with 0.05% and 0.2% GLZ was lower than in piglets receiving sham treatment (p < 0.05). Even piglets supplemented with 0.2% GLZ had less injury than those supplemented with 0.2% Tilmicosin antibiotics (p < 0.05). The NGS results further showed that GLZ treatment significantly improved beneficial bacteria in weaned piglets (p < 0.05), while antibiotic treatment reduced beneficial bacteria (p < 0.05). In summary, we recommend adding GLZ to the feed as an alternative to antibiotics. This not only effectively reduces intestinal damage but also improves the gut microbiota, thereby promoting the growth of weaning piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the challenges faced by autonomous mobile robots in dynamic environments where moving obstacles such as people, cars, and other mobile robots are prevalent. Current motion planning methods for mobile robots focus on stationary obstacles or equivalent static ones at each control moment, resulting in collisions with moving objects or the need for longer distances to avoid them. To address this issue, we propose a system that incorporates dynamic information about moving obstacles into the motion planning decision-making process. We developed an object tracking technique using 2D LiDARs to gather this information and optimized the relevant parameters using Bayesian optimization. The dynamic information of moving obstacles is saved in a costmap representation at each instant, allowing the robot to yield or ignore confronting obstacles based on the prediction of who shall pass first. Simulation and real-world testing demonstrate that our approach saves paths for mobile robots in dynamic environments and prevents them from colliding with dynamic obstacles, improving the practicality of mobile robots working alongside moving humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple single-step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize Ag3PO4 (APO)/CuBi2O4 (CBO) composites. C.I. Reactive Red 2 (RR2) was the target pollutant, which was degraded under visible-light to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the composites. Various APO/CBO molar ratios were used to evaluate the effect of this ratio on the performance. All prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Scavenger experiments were conducted to determine the photocatalytic mechanism. APO/CBO composites exhibited higher surface areas than both pristine APO (0.13 m2/g) and CBO (0.11 m2/g) and they all responded to visible light. The photodegradation of RR2 satisfied pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. As the proportion of APO in the APO/CBO composites increased, the photocatalytic activity firstly increased to a maximal value and then declined. The optimal APO/CBO molar ratio was two (AC2). The rate constant obtained with AC2 (0.200 ± 0.009 min−1) was 6.1 times that of APO alone. The degradation efficiency of RR2 decreased from 91 to 73% after three cycles, revealing that AC2 exhibited general reusability; additionally, the photocatalytic stability and reusability of AC2 exceeded those of APO. The scavenger experimental results suggested that hydroxyl radicals had an important role in RR2 photodegradation in the AC2 system. The improved photodegradation efficiency of AC2 was attributed to its larger surface area and greater absorption of visible-light than those of APO and CBO, as well as the formation of heterojunctions at the interfaces of APO and CBO nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of elderly dogs is increasing significantly worldwide, and many elderly dogs develop canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS). CCDS is the canine analog of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans. It is very important to develop techniques for detecting CDDS in dogs. Thus, we used the detection of neurofilament light chains (NfL) in plasma as a blood-based biomarker for the early diagnosis of canine Alzheimer's disease using immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) technology by immobilizing NfL antibodies on magnetic nanoparticles. According to the 50-point CCDS rating scale, we divided 36 dogs into 15 with CCDS and 21 without the disease. The results of our IMR assay showed that the plasma NfL levels of dogs with CCDS were significantly increased compared to normal dogs (p < 0.01). By plasma biochemical analysis, we further confirmed that the liver and renal dysfunction biomarkers of dogs with CCDS were significantly elevated compared to normal dogs (p < 0.01–0.05). On the basis of our preliminary study, we propose that IMR technology could be an ideal biosensor for detecting plasma NfL for the early diagnosis of CCDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of genetic factors to the memory is widely acknowledged. Research suggests that these factors include genes involved in the dopaminergic pathway, as well as the genes for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). The activity of the products of these genes is affected by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genes. This study investigates the association between memory and SNPs in genes involved in the dopaminergic pathway, as well as in the BDNF and MTHFR genes, in a sample of healthy individuals. The sample includes 134 Taiwanese undergraduate volunteers of similar cognitive ability. The Chinese versions of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-III) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) were employed. Our findings indicate that the BDNF Met66Val polymorphism and dopamine receptor D3 (DRD3) Ser9Gly polymorphism are associated significantly with long-term auditory memory. Further analysis detects no significant associations in the other polymorphisms and indices. Future replicated studies with larger sample sizes, and studies that consider different ethnic groups, are encouraged. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

The single-step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize Ag3PO4/Bi2MoO6 (APO/BMO) composites. The effects of the APO/BMO molar ratio, synthesis temperature and synthesis time on the photocatalytic activity of APO/BMO composites were determined. C.I. Reactive Red 2 (RR2) was selected as the target compound to test the photocatalytic activity of the prepared photocatalysts under irradiation by visible-light (Vis.). The surface characteristics of APO/BMO composites were measured using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, surface area analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry. The photodegradation of RR2 in all Vis./APO/BMO systems followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The optimal APO/BMO molar ratio for generating APO/BMO composites was 1 (AB1) and the RR2 photodegradation rate constant of the Vis./AB1 system was 0.098 ± 0.012 min−1. The optimal conditions for AB1 synthesis were heating at 160 °C for 12 h. The photocatalytic activity of mechanically mixed APO and BMO was lower than that of APO/BMO composites. This study suggests that the formation of a heterojunction in the APO/BMO composites may improve their photocatalytic activity by inhibiting the recombination of photo-excited electron–hole pairs. The experimental results of scavenger suggested that photocatalytic RR2 degradation over AB1 was dominated by direct photo-generated hole oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]