[Research Progress in Reducing Pollution and Sequestration of Carbon by Carbon Neutral Plants].

Under the dual constraints of economic development and ecological carrying capacity, it is necessary to explore more technical means to achieve carbon neutrality and peak in China. Plants are important carriers of terrestrial and marine carbon sink systems, whereas phytoremediation is also a scientific method to remedy environmental pollution. However, the current studies mostly focus on the single aspect of plant carbon sequestration (including both the reduction of pollutant concentrations in environmental media and degradation of pollutants) or plant pollution reduction, without considering the dual benefits of plant pollution reduction and carbon sequestration. In order to explore the carbon neutral effect of plants, we focused on the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration effect of carbon neutral plants and its progress and evaluated the pollution reduction and carbon sequestration potential of carbon neutral plants and other organisms (such as animals and soil microorganisms) and environmental functional materials. The mechanisms underlying the synergistic coupling of carbon neutral plants and animals, microorganisms, and environmental functional materials and ecosystems in reducing pollution and carbon sequestration were also explored. Finally, we proposed constructive prospects for future research on the effects of carbon neutral plants on pollution reduction and carbon sink.

Meloidogyne graminicola Population Structure in China Suggests a South-to-North Expansion.

The distribution range of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola is rapidly expanding, posing a severe threat to rice production. In this study, the sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes of rice M. graminicola populations from all reported provinces in China were amplified and sequenced by PCR. The distribution pattern and phylogenetic tree showed that all 54 M. graminicola populations in China have distinct geographical distribution characteristics; specifically, cluster 1 (southern China), cluster 2 (central south and southwest China), and cluster 3 (central and eastern China). The high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.646) and low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.00682), combined with the negative value of Tajima's D (-1.252) and Fu's Fs (-3.06764), suggested that all nematode populations were expanding. The existence of high genetic differentiation (Fst = 0.5933) and low gene flow (Nm = 0.3333) indicated that there was a block of gene exchange between most populations. Mutation accumulation with population expansion might be directly responsible for the high genetic differentiation; therefore, the tested nematode population showed high within-group genetic variation (96.30%). The haplotype Hap8 was located at the bottom of the network topology, with the widest distribution and the highest frequency (59.26%), indicating that it was the ancestral haplotype. The populations in cluster 3 were newly invasive according to the lowest frequency of occurrence of Hap8, the highest number of endemic haplotypes, and the highest total haplotype frequency (60%). In contrast, cluster 1 having the highest genetic diversity (Hd = 0.772, π = 0.01127) indicated that it was the most primitive. Interestingly, the highest gene flow (Nm > 1), lowest genetic differentiation (Fst ≤ 0.33), and closest genetic distance (0.000) only occurred between the Guangdong/Hainan population and others, which suggested that there might be channels for gene exchange between them and that long-distance dispersal occurred. This suggestion is further confirmed by the weak correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance. Based on these data, a hypothesis can be drawn that M. graminicola populations in China were spreading from south to north, specifically from Guangdong and Hainan Provinces to other regions. Natural selection (including anthropogenic) and genetic drift were the main drivers of their evolution. Coincidentally, this hypothesis was consistent with the gradual warming trend and the chronological order of reporting these populations. The main factors influencing current M. graminicola population expansion and distribution patterns might be geography, climate, long-distance seedling transport, interregional operations of agricultural machinery, and rotation mode. It reminds human beings of the necessity to be vigilant about preventing nematode disease according to local conditions all year round.

Comprehensive analysis of fixed-time stability and energy cost for delay neural networks.

This paper focuses on comprehensive analysis of fixed-time stability and energy consumed by controller in nonlinear neural networks with time-varying delays. A sufficient condition is provided to assure fixed-time stability by developing a global composite switched controller and employing inequality techniques. Then the specific expression of the upper of energy required for achieving control is deduced. Moreover, the comprehensive analysis of the energy cost and fixed-time stability is investigated utilizing a dual-objective optimization function. It illustrates that adjusting the control parameters can make the system converge to the equilibrium point under better control state. Finally, one numerical example is presented to verify the effectiveness of the provided control scheme.

Trade off analysis between fixed-time stabilization and energy consumption of nonlinear neural networks.

This paper concentrates on trade off analysis between fixed-time stabilization and energy consumption for a type of nonlinear neural networks (NNs). By constructing a compound switching controller and utilizing inequality techniques, a sufficient condition is proposed to ensure the fixed-time stabilization. Then, an estimate of the upper bound of the energy consumed by the controller in the control process is given. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis of the trade-off between the control time and energy consumption is studied. This article reveals that appropriate control parameters can balance the above two indicators to achieve an optimal control state. Finally, the presented theoretical results are verified by two numerical examples.

The complete chloroplast genome of Waldheimia glabra.

Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Rgl. 1879 (family Asteraceae) is a perennial herb with high economic and medicinal values. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of W. glabra by high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The size of the W. glabra cp genome is 151,499 bp, with overall GC content of 37.3%. It contains a large single copy and a small single copy region of 83,078 bp and 18,457 bp, respectively, separated by a pair of inverted repeats regions of 24,982 bp. We also discovered 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes in the genome. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree demonstrated that W. glabra is closely related to Leucanthemella linearis.

Clinical application value of transthoracic echocardiography during perioperative period in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To observe the changes of parameters derived from transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) before and after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, and to evaluate the clinical value of TTE in the perioperative period of LVAD implantation. Methods: This is a retrospective study. The data of patients who underwent LVAD implantation in Fuwai Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The TTE parameters, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and total bilirubin (TBil) before and 1 month after LVAD implantation were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 12 male patients undergoing LVAD implantation were included in this study. The mean age was (43.3±8.6) years. The left atrial volume index ((41.4±12.8)ml/m2 vs. (74.9±30.7)ml/m2, P<0.001), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index ((152.1±35.3)ml/m2 vs. (205.5±35.7)ml/m2, P<0.001), left ventricular end-systolic volume index ((112.5±27.9)ml/m2 vs. (155.1±29.1)ml/m2, P<0.001), right atrial diameter index ((23.7±3.5)mm/m2 vs. (27.2±5.8)mm/m2, P=0.023), right ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole ((24.6±2.7)mm vs. (30.0±4.8)mm, P<0.001), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion ((11.5±2.9)mm vs. (14.6±2.8)mm, P=0.007), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure ((29.2±4.8) mmHg vs. (55.1±19.3) mmHg, P<0.001, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) were significantly reduced at 1 month post LVAD implantation as compared to before LVAD implantation. The aortic sinus diameter ((33.8±4.7)mm vs. (31.6±5.1)mm, P=0.007), left ventricular ejection fraction ((26.3±3.0)% vs. (23.8±4.4)%, P=0.016), right ventricular fractional area change ((31.0±8.6)% vs. (23.8±5.5)%, P=0.004) at 1 month post LVAD implantation were significantly higher than before LVAD implantation. The degree of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation decreased, and the inspiratory collapse rate of inferior vena cava increased (all P<0.05). NT-proBNP ((1 418.4±812.6)ng/L vs. (5 097.5±3 940.4)ng/L, P=0.004) and TBil ((12.4±5.4)μmol/L vs. (27.5±14.0)μmol/L, P=0.001) decreased significantly at 1 month post LVAD implantation. Conclusions: TTE results show that LVAD could effectively relieve left ventricular load and improve right ventricular function. TTE can monitor the cardiac structural and functional changes during the perioperative period of LVAD implantation, and provide the imaging evidence for clinical evaluation of the therapeutic effect of LVAD.

[Traditional Chinese therapy of tonifying the kidney and invigorating blood circulation reduces sperm DNA damage and improves natural pregnancy in infertile males].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the traditional Chinese therapy of tonifying the kidney and invigorating blood circulation (TKIB) on male infertility. METHODS: Forty-two infertile males with abnormal DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were randomly allocated into a TKIB (n = 22) and a control group (n = 20), the former treated by TKIB with an oral Chinese medicinal prescription while the latter with oral tamoxifen tablets and vitamin E capsules, both for 3 months. Before and after treatment, we obtained the semen parameters and sperm DFI from the patients and followed them up for the outcomes of natural pregnancy. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the patients in both the TKIB and control groups showed significant increases after medication in sperm concentration (ï¼»36.82 ± 29.16ï¼½ and ï¼»34.56 ± 37.03ï¼½ vs ï¼»50.00 ± 39.16ï¼½ and ï¼»40.72 ± 47.37ï¼½ ×106/ml, P<0.05), the percentage of progressively motile sperm (PMS) (ï¼»20.62 ± 9.10ï¼½% and ï¼»21.25 ± 9.11ï¼½% vs ï¼»36.82 ± 13.45ï¼½% and ï¼»26.18 ± 10.60ï¼½%, P<0.05) and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) (ï¼»1.28 ± 1.00ï¼½% and ï¼»1.48 ± 0.91ï¼½% vs ï¼»3.44 ± 1.33ï¼½% and ï¼»2.57 ± 1.32ï¼½%, P<0.05), but remarkably decreased sperm DFI (ï¼»29.07 ± 11.52ï¼½% and ï¼»24.43 ± 8.46ï¼½% vs ï¼»15.51 ± 11.31ï¼½% and ï¼»18.53 ± 10.44ï¼½%, P<0.05). The patients of the TKIB group exhibited an even higher total sperm motility and percentages of PMS and MNS than those of the control group (P<0.05) but no statistically significant difference from the latter in sperm concentration or DFI (P>0.05). Besides, the former achieved higher rates of natural pregnancy (18.2%) and live birth (18.2%) than the controls (15% and 10%) though neither with statistically significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The traditional Chinese therapy of tonifying the kidney and invigorating blood circulation can reduce sperm DNA damage and improve the outcomes of natural pregnancy in infertile men.

Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Remedy for Male Infertility: A Review.

Male infertility (MI) is a complex multifactorial disease, and idiopathic infertility accounts for 30% of cases of MI. At present, the evidence for the effectiveness of empirical drugs is limited, and in vitro fertilization is costly and may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Therefore, affected individuals may feel obliged to pursue natural remedies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may represent a useful option for infertile men. It has been demonstrated that TCM can regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and boost the function of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. TCM can also alleviate inflammation, prevent oxidative stress, reduce the DNA fragmentation index, and modulate the proliferation and apoptosis of germ cells. Furthermore, TCM can supply trace elements and vitamins, ameliorate the microcirculation of the testis, decrease the levels of serum anti-sperm antibody, and modify epigenetic markers. However, the evidence in favor of TCM is not compelling, which has hindered the development of TCM. This review attempts to elucidate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of TCM. We also explore the advantages of TCM, differences between TCM and Western medicine, and problems in existing studies. Subsequently, we propose solutions to these problems and present perspectives for the future development of TCM.

[Shenjing Guben Pills for repairing testicular spermatogenic injury induced by oxidative stress in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antioxidative and spermatogenesis-repairing effects of Shenjing Guben Pills (SGP), a Chinese medicine for invigorating the kidney and blood circulation, on the testis, epididymis and sperm in rats with oxidative stress injury (OSI) induced by cadmium chloride. METHODS: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were equally randomized into six groups: normal control, OSI model control, Wuzi Yanzong Pills (WYP) and low-, medium- and high-dose SGP. The OSI model was made in the latter five groups by intraperitoneal injection of cadmium chloride at 1 mg/kg, and 24 hours later, the rats of the normal and model control groups treated intragastrically with 0.9% normal saline, those of the WYP group with WYP at 4.5 g/kg/d, and those of the low-, medium- and high-dose SGP groups with SGP at 2.8, 5.6 and 11.2 g/kg/d, respectively, all for 56 days. Then, all the animals were sacrificed for obtainment of the visceral indexes and histopathological changes of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle, measurement of sperm concentration and motility and the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (MNS) in the epididymis, and determination of the levels of glutathione perox-idase (GSH-PX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondial-dehyde aldehyde (MDA) and serum testosterone (T). RESULTS: Compared with the OSI model controls, the rats in the high-, medium- and low-dose SGP groups showed significantly higher visceral indexes of the testis (ï¼»0.237 ± 0.098ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.403 ± 0.090ï¼½, ï¼»0.357 ± 0.150ï¼½ and ï¼»0.348 ± 0.140ï¼½ g/100 g, P < 0.05) and seminal vesicle (ï¼»0.241 ± 0.118ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.347 ± 0.115ï¼½, ï¼»0.336 ± 0.090ï¼½ and ï¼»0.320 ± 0.065ï¼½ g/100 g, P < 0.05) and those of the high-dose SGP group in the epididymal index (ï¼»0.099 ± 0.088ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.156 ± 0.030ï¼½ g/100 g, P < 0.05). In comparison with the OSI model controls, the animals of the high-, medium- and low-dose SGP groups exhibited significant increases in sperm concentration (ï¼»10.5 ± 17.7ï¼½ vs ï¼»58.1 ± 32.2ï¼½, ï¼»36.0 ± 36.2ï¼½ and ï¼»31.9 ± 32.7ï¼½ ×106/ml, P < 0.05) and serum T (ï¼»2.56 ± 0.75ï¼½ vs ï¼»3.62 ± 0.96ï¼½, ï¼»3.48 ± 1.33ï¼½ and ï¼»3.24 ± 0.83ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and those of the high- and medium-dose SCG groups in total sperm motility (ï¼»9.5 ± 13.0ï¼½% vs ï¼»26.5 ± 15.5ï¼½% and ï¼»18.9 ± 8.2ï¼½%, P < 0.05) and MNS (ï¼»36.2 ± 40.2ï¼½% vs ï¼»85.3 ± 23.3ï¼½% and ï¼»65.8 ± 28.1ï¼½%, P < 0.05) and the levels GSH-PX (ï¼»3.62 ± 2.22ï¼½ vs ï¼»5.70 ± 1.73ï¼½ and ï¼»5.42 ± 2.35ï¼½ U/mg prot, P < 0.05 ) and SOD (ï¼»41.3 ± 8.8ï¼½ vs ï¼»52.7 ± 14.6ï¼½ and ï¼»51.3 ± 14.7ï¼½ U/mg prot, P < 0.05). The MDA level, however, was markedly decreased in the high-, medium- and low-dose SGP groups (ï¼»0.41 ± 0.29ï¼½, ï¼»0.44 ± 0.19ï¼½ and ï¼»0.47 ± 0.20ï¼½ nmol/mg prot) as compared with that in the OSI model controls (ï¼»0.69 ± 0.28ï¼½ nmol/mg prot) (P < 0.05). Histopathological examinations manifested coagulative necrosis, calcification and disappearance of spermatogenic and Sertoli cells in the seminiferous tubules of the OSI model controls, with decreased intraluminal secretions and atrophic epithelial papillae in the seminal vesicles and non-sperm cells in the narrowed lumens of the atrophic epididymis. With the increased dose of SGP, the proportion of normal seminiferous tubules was enlarged, the epithelia of the seminal vesicle became column-shaped again, and the epididymal lumens grew lager with more sperm cells, which indicated a dose-dependent therapeutic efficacy. Medium- and high-dose SGP achieved a significantly better effect than WYP. CONCLUSIONS: Shenjing Guben Pills can antagonize oxidative stress, elevate the levels of testicular antioxidant enzymes and serum T, repair pathological injury of the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle, and improve semen quality and spermatogenic function.

Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Remedy for Male Infertility: A Review

Male infertility (MI) is a complex multifactorial disease, and idiopathic infertility accounts for 30% of cases of MI. At present, the evidence for the effectiveness of empirical drugs is limited, and in vitro fertilization is costly and may increase the risk of birth defects and childhood cancers. Therefore, affected individuals may feel obliged to pursue natural remedies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may represent a useful option for infertile men. It has been demonstrated that TCM can regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and boost the function of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. TCM can also alleviate inflammation, prevent oxidative stress, reduce the DNA fragmentation index, and modulate the proliferation and apoptosis of germ cells. Furthermore, TCM can supply trace elements and vitamins, ameliorate the microcirculation of the testis, decrease the levels of serum anti-sperm antibody, and modify epigenetic markers. However, the evidence in favor of TCM is not compelling, which has hindered the development of TCM. This review attempts to elucidate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of TCM. We also explore the advantages of TCM, differences between TCM and Western medicine, and problems in existing studies. Subsequently, we propose solutions to these problems and present perspectives for the future development of TCM.

Antioxidant and Hemolysis Protective Effects of Polyphenol-Rich Extract from Mulberry Fruits.

BACKGROUND: Mulberry fruits are a superior source of polyphenol, especially anthocyanins that contribute potentially to the beneficial effects which include reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemoprotective properties. OBJECTIVES: In this study, purification of the polyphenol-rich extract from mulberry fruit (MPE) was purified and assessed the activities of antioxidant and hemolysis protective in vivo and in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antioxidant activities in vitro was measured by quantifying its 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, reducing power and Fe2+-chelating ability. MPE was purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analyzed individual polyphenols using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS. RESULTS: The total polyphenol content was 147.69 ± 0.02 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dried weight (DW) in the extract and 403.55 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g DW in the purified extract. Further identification by HPLC-ultraviolet-visible and LC-MS/MS analysis indicated in MPE, an anthocyanin compound, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. With regard to in vitro assays, MPE possessed antioxidant effect, especially in Fe2+ chelating ability with an IC50 value of 1.016 mg/mL. The protective effects on mouse red blood cell hemolysis and lipid peroxidation ex vivo were dose and time dependent. CONCLUSION: It indicates that MPE could be a good candidate for future biomedical applications to promote human health with limited side effects. SUMMARY: Mulberry fruit is an excellent source of polyphenols, in particular, anthocyanins, which has infinite health benefits. This study determined the predominant anthocyanin, cyanidin-3-glucoside, could possibly be the rationale behind the antioxidant and antihemolytic effect of MPE. Results indicate that MPE could be a good candidate for future biomedical applications to promote human health with limited side effects. Abbreviations used: MPE: Purification of the polyphenol-rich extract from mulberry fruit, LC-MS: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, HPLC: High-pressure liquid chromatography, DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity, RBC: Red blood cell, GAE: Gallic acid equivalent, FeCl2: Ferrous chloride, H2O2: Hydrogen peroxide, EDTA-2Na: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt, PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline, TCA: Trichloroacetic acid, TBA: 2-thiobarbituric acid, FeSO4: Ferrous sulphate, MDA: Malondialdehyde, VC: Vitamin C, DW: Dried weight.

Estimation of genomic inbreeding coefficients based on high-density SNP markers in Chinese Holstein cattle.

In livestock, inbreeding coefficient based on pedigree information is usually used to evaluate the level of inbreeding. Recently, with cost reduction of high-density SNP genotyping, it's possible to analyze real genomic inbreeding degree using genomic information. In this study, utilizing high-density SNP chip data, we analyzed the frequency and distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) in 2107 Chinese Holstein cattle in Beijing area, and calculated 2 genomic inbreeding coefficients, i.e., 1) the proportion of ROH length in the total length of autosomal genome (Froh), and 2) the percentage of homozygous SNPs (Fhom). Then we analyzed the correlation between 2 genomic inbreeding coefficients and the correlation between genomic and pedigree inbreeding coefficients. We totally detected 44 676 ROHs that mainly ranged from 1 to 10 Mb. Various lengths of ROHs existed in the genome. There were more short ROHs than long ROHs. ROHs aren't evenly distributed in chromosomes. The area with most ROHs is in the middle part of chromosome 10. Strong correlation (r > 0.90) existed between 2 kinds of genomic inbreeding coefficients, but the correlation between pedigree and genomic inbreeding coefficients were much lower (r < 0.50). Our finding suggests that pedigree completeness influences the correlation between genomic and pedigree inbreeding. Genomic inbreeding measures may reflect individuals' real inbreeding, which could be a useful tool to evaluate population inbreeding.

[Qilin Pills for idiopathic oligoasthenospermia: A multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Qilin Pills in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia in infertile men. METHODS: This multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial included 216 infertile males with oligoasthenospermia, 108 in the trial group and the other 108 in the control, the former treated with Qilin Pills at the dose of 6 g tid while the latter with Wuziyanzong Pills at 6 g bid, both for 12 weeks. We examined the total sperm count, sperm motility and the count of progressively motile sperm of the patients before and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after medication and evaluated the safety of the drug based on the adverse events and the laboratory results of blood and urine routine examinations and liver and kidney function tests. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the patients in the trial group showed a significant time-dependent improvement after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of medication in sperm motility (21.75% vs 27.54%, 29.04% and 32.95%, P <0.05), total sperm count (156.27 ×106 vs 177.33, 188.18 and 205.44 ×106, P <0.05), and the count of progressively motile sperm (32.08 ×106/ml vs 46.33, 50.98 and 61.10 ×106/ml, P <0.05). The three parameters above were also improved in the controls, but more significantly in the trial group (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Qilin Pills can evidently improve the semen quality of oligoasthenospermia patients with no obvious adverse events.

Qilin Pills for idiopathic oligoasthenospermia: A multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial / 中华男科学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Qilin Pills in the treatment of oligoasthenospermia in infertile men.@*METHODS@#This multi-centered randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial included 216 infertile males with oligoasthenospermia, 108 in the trial group and the other 108 in the control, the former treated with Qilin Pills at the dose of 6 g tid while the latter with Wuziyanzong Pills at 6 g bid, both for 12 weeks. We examined the total sperm count, sperm motility and the count of progressively motile sperm of the patients before and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after medication and evaluated the safety of the drug based on the adverse events and the laboratory results of blood and urine routine examinations and liver and kidney function tests.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the baseline, the patients in the trial group showed a significant time-dependent improvement after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of medication in sperm motility (21.75% vs 27.54%, 29.04% and 32.95%, P <0.05), total sperm count (156.27 ×106 vs 177.33, 188.18 and 205.44 ×106, P <0.05), and the count of progressively motile sperm (32.08 ×10⁶/ml vs 46.33, 50.98 and 61.10 ×10⁶/ml, P <0.05). The three parameters above were also improved in the controls, but more significantly in the trial group (P <0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Qilin Pills can evidently improve the semen quality of oligoasthenospermia patients with no obvious adverse events.

Effects of capecitabine and docetaxel on vascular endothelial growth factor,hep-atocyte growth factor and prognosis in patients with liver metastasis of breast cancer / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of capecitabine and docetaxel on vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor in patients with liver metastasis of breast cancer, and to analyze the possible mechanism of its treatment.Methods:A total of 216 patients with liver metastasis of breast cancer from January 2012 to June 2014 were enrolled,and the patients were randomly divided into observation group and control group with 108 cases in each group,and the control group was treated with docetaxel,and the observation group was treated with capecitabine combined with docetaxel.The short-term efficacy, vascular endothelial growth factor,hepatocyte growth factor,adverse reaction and survival rate were compared between the two groups.Results:The rate of disease control in the observation group was 88.89%,which was higher than that in the control group 70.37% (χ2=11.416,P<0.01). Vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF-A,VEGF-C,VEGFR-3 and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were significantly lower than those in the control group(t=14.684,16.726,16.733,4.508,P<0.05,P<0.01).There was no significant difference in adverse reactions between the two groups (20.37% vs 26.85%) (χ2=1.258,P>0.05).After the patients were followed up for 12 months,24 months,and 36 months,the survival rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group,but the difference was not statistically significant (78.70% vs 70.37%,62.96% vs 55.56%,40.74% vs 30.56%) (χ2=1.976,1.227,2.442,P>0.05).Conclusion: Capecitabine combined with docetaxel treatment is helpful to improve the clinical efficacy,and safe and reliable.It may be related to the decrease of serum vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor in patients.

[Temporal and spatial changes of α7nAChR and nNOS in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of Aß-induced cognitive dysfunction rats].

The present study was to explore the temporal and spatial distributions and variations of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and neuronal nitric oxide synthetase (nNOS) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of Aß-induced cognitive dysfunction rats. Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups. Three experimental groups were intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) injected with condensed-amyloid beta peptides 1-42 (Aß1-42, 2.5 µg/µL, 4 µL) and were observed on day 7 (7 d Aß group), day 14 (14 d Aß group) and day 21 (21 d Aß group), respectively. Three control groups were i.c.v. injected with equivalent volume of normal saline and observed at the same time points as the experimental groups. The learning and memory abilities of rats were tested with Y-maze; the locations and protein expression levels of α7nAChR and nNOS in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1, CA3, DG regions were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. The result showed that, compared with the control groups, the three experimental groups exhibited decreased learning and memory behavioral abilities, and down-regulated expressions of nNOS and α7nAChR in prefrontal cortex and hippocampal regions, especially in superficial layer of prefrontal cortex and hippocampal CA3 region. Comparisons among the three experimental groups showed that the inhibitory effects of Aß on the abilities of learning and memory and the expressions of α7nAChR and nNOS in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were time dependent. The results suggest that the coincident declines of α7nAChR and nNOS in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus may be the foundations of the cognitive dysfunction.

Functional analysis in vivo of engineered valved venous conduit with decellularized matrix and two bone marrow-derived progenitors in sheep.

Tissue engineering has been considered a promising approach for creating grafts to replace autologous venous valves. Here, ovine bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) were harvested and then loaded into decellularized venous matrix to create tissue-engineered (TE) valved vein. Subsequently, the ovine femoral veins containing the valve were removed and replaced by TE grafts or acellular matrix only. The morphology and function were analysed for up to 1 year by ultrasonography, angiography, H&E staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The differentiation of seeded cells was traced immunofluorochemically. The results showed that decellularized venous matrix could initially and feebly attract endogenous cells, but failed afterwards and were insufficient to restore valve function. On the contrary, the seeded cells differentiated into endothelial cells (ECs) in vivo and formed a monolayer endothelium, and smooth muscle cells within the scaffold therefore produced TE grafts comparable to the native vein valve. This TE graft remained patent and sufficient after implantation into the venous circuit of the ovine lower extremity for at least 6 months. Unfortunately, cells seeded on the luminal surface and both sides of the leaflets lost their biological functions at 12 months, resulting in thrombosis formation and leading to complete occlusion of the TE grafts and impotent venous valves. These findings suggest that this TE valved venous conduit can function physiologically in vivo in the medium term. Before translating this TE venous valve into clinical practice, the durability should be improved and thrombogenicity should be suppressed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Biocompatibility evaluation of tissue-engineered valved venous conduit by reseeding autologous bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells and multipotent adult progenitor cells into heterogeneous decellularized venous matrix.

Clinical treatment of chronic deep venous insufficiency remains difficult despite the availability of various therapies. Previous experimental efforts have demonstrated that the tissue-engineered valvedvenous conduit (TEVV) is a promising option to replace the damaged venous valve. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the TEVV by reseeding bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells and multipotent adult progenitor cells into acellular matrix according to International Standard ISO10993, and to clarify their interactions with blood, the local effect after implantation both in vitro and vivo, and immunogenicity. The results showed that the 2-cm long TEVV did not cause haemolysis in vitro and remained patent without thrombosis formation in vivo. However, the luminal surface of TEVV was partially covered by multilayer cells. Compared with the native ovine femoral vein segment, the TEVV beneath the mouse skin produced significant mononuclear cell infiltration, with serum interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α similar to normal. The TEVV maintained its structural integrity, while the native ovine femoral vein segments fell apart at postoperative week nine. The TEVV implantation did not change serum immunoglobulin G. In addition, the seeds and extracts of the scaffold did not affect the proliferation of mouse lymphocytes. These findings suggest that the histocompatibility, haemocompatibility and immunogenicity of this TEVV are acceptable owing to complete removal of the cellular components of autologous seeds and residues of chemical regents, thus providing an experimental basis for further clinical translation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temporal and spatial changes of α7nAChR and nNOS in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of Aβ-induced cognitive dysfunction rats / 生理学报

The present study was to explore the temporal and spatial distributions and variations of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and neuronal nitric oxide synthetase (nNOS) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of Aβ-induced cognitive dysfunction rats. Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups. Three experimental groups were intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) injected with condensed-amyloid beta peptides 1-42 (Aβ, 2.5 µg/µL, 4 µL) and were observed on day 7 (7 d Aβ group), day 14 (14 d Aβ group) and day 21 (21 d Aβ group), respectively. Three control groups were i.c.v. injected with equivalent volume of normal saline and observed at the same time points as the experimental groups. The learning and memory abilities of rats were tested with Y-maze; the locations and protein expression levels of α7nAChR and nNOS in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1, CA3, DG regions were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. The result showed that, compared with the control groups, the three experimental groups exhibited decreased learning and memory behavioral abilities, and down-regulated expressions of nNOS and α7nAChR in prefrontal cortex and hippocampal regions, especially in superficial layer of prefrontal cortex and hippocampal CA3 region. Comparisons among the three experimental groups showed that the inhibitory effects of Aβ on the abilities of learning and memory and the expressions of α7nAChR and nNOS in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were time dependent. The results suggest that the coincident declines of α7nAChR and nNOS in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus may be the foundations of the cognitive dysfunction.

Role of E-selectin for diagnosis of myocardial injury in children of age up to 14 years.

BACKGROUND: Effects of myocardial injury on E-selectin remain unclear. Thus, we investigated the diagnostic value of E-selectin for myocardial injury in children of no more than 14 years of age, which determined the scoring method of myocardial injury. METHODS: In this prospective study, plasma E-selectin, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) concentrations in pediatric patients with myocardial injury (myocardial injury group, n=85) were measured. The control group comprised 80 patients without myocardial injury, and the case-control study method was selected at the same time. The definition of cardiac injury was based on cTnI and CK-MB (with or possibly without abnormal ECG evidence). Diagnostic value of E-selectin for myocardial injury was determined by analyzing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The differences between the two groups were of statistical significance (P<0.001). For the 85 patients with myocardial injury, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value for plasma E-selectin levels was 0.945 with a 95% CI of 0.899-0.991 and the optimal diagnostic cut-off value 29.67 ng/ml (positive likelihood ratio (positive LR=72.5); AUC value for plasma cTnI level was 0.848 with a 95% CI: 0.737-0.960 and the optimal diagnostic cut-off value was 0.155 µg/L (positive LR=12.3); AUC value for plasma CK-MB levels was 0.946 with a 95% CI: 0.903-0.989 and the optimal diagnostic cut-off value 24.26 IU/L (positive LR=72.5). CONCLUSIONS: E-selectin is more effective than cTnI in diagnosing myocardial injury as an important biological marker of myocardial injury- an important index of pediatric cardiac injury score.