Abstract Background Research has shown that a fundamental frequency of 40 Hz in continuous neural oscillation is indicative of normal brain activity; in Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, these oscillations either disappear or are significantly interrupted. Research has also indicated that the degenerative impacts of AD in mice were mitigated by the synchronization of 40-Hz acousto-optic stimulation (AOS). Objective To examine the impact of employing a 40-Hz AOS intervention on the induction of a substantial 40-Hz frequency entrainment and improvement in working memory performance among a sample of young individuals in good health. We conduct an analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs) derived from electroencephalogram (EEG) data following the presentation of AOS. Methods We recruited 20 healthy volunteers (median age: 25 years; 8 female subjects). Following the administration of various stimuli, including no stimuli, 40-Hz AOS, pink noise, and 40Hz acoustic stimuli (AS), the participants were required to complete a working memory task. A total of 62 electrodes were used to record EEG data, which was subsequently analyzed to investigate the impact of AOS on the activity of working memory. We also aimed to determine if AOS lead to a more pronounced 40-Hz frequency entrainment. Results Following the administration of AOS, a notable enhancement in the 40-Hz power of pertinent cerebral areas was observed, accompanied by a substantial improvement in the performance of the subjects on working memory tests subsequent to the stimulation. Conclusion The findings unequivocally establish the efficacy of using AOS to enhance the 40-Hz power and working memory.

Resumo Antecedentes A pesquisa mostrou que uma frequência fundamental de 40 Hz em oscilação neural contínua é indicativa de atividade cerebral normal. Em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer (DA), essas oscilações desaparecem ou são significativamente interrompidas. A pesquisa também indicou que os impactos degenerativos da DA em camundongos foram mitigados pela sincronização da estimulação acústico-óptica (EAO) de 40 Hz. Objetivo Examinar o impacto do emprego de uma intervenção EAO de 40 Hz na indução de um arrastamento substancial de frequência de 40 Hz e na melhoria do desempenho da memória de trabalho entre uma amostra de jovens com boa saúde. Conduzimos uma análise de potenciais relacionados a eventos (PREs) derivados de dados de eletroencefalograma (EEG) após a apresentação de EAO. Métodos Recrutamos 20 voluntários saudáveis (idade média: 25 anos; 8 mulheres). Após a administração de vários estímulos, incluindo nenhum estímulo, EAO de 40 Hz, ruído rosa e estímulos acústicos (EA) de 40 Hz, os participantes foram obrigados a completar uma tarefa de memória de trabalho. Um total de 62 eletrodos foram utilizados para registrar dados de EEG, que foram posteriormente analisados. para investigar o impacto do AOS na atividade da memória de trabalho. Também pretendemos determinar se o AOS leva a um arrastamento de frequência de 40 Hz mais pronunciado. Resultados Após a administração de AOS, foi observado um aumento notável na potência de 40 Hz de áreas cerebrais pertinentes, acompanhado por uma melhoria substancial no desempenho dos sujeitos em testes de memória de trabalho subsequentes à estimulação. Conclusão Os resultados estabelecem inequivocamente a eficácia do uso do AOS para melhorar a potência de 40 Hz e a memória de trabalho.

Abstract Background Drought stress has significantly hampered agricultural productivity worldwide and can also result in modifications to DNA methylation levels. However, the dynamics of DNA methylation and its association with the changes in gene transcription and alternative splicing (AS) under drought stress are unknown in linseed, which is frequently cultivated in arid and semiarid regions. Results We analysed AS events and DNA methylation patterns in drought-tolerant (Z141) and drought-sensitive (NY-17) linseed under drought stress (DS) and repeated drought stress (RD) treatments. We found that the number of intron-retention (IR) and alternative 3’ splice site (Alt3’SS) events were significantly higher in Z141 and NY-17 under drought stress. We found that the linseed response to the DS treatment was mainly regulated by transcription, while the response to the RD treatment was coregulated by transcription and AS. Whole genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed that drought stress caused an increase in the overall methylation level of linseed. Although we did not observe any correlation between differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and differentially spliced genes (DSGs) in this study, we found that the DSGs whose gene body region was hypermethylated in Z141 and hypomethylated in NY-17 were enriched in abiotic stress response Gene Ontology (GO) terms. This finding implies that gene body methylation plays an important role in AS regulation in some specific genes. Conclusion Our study is the first comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the relationship between linseed methylation changes and AS under drought and repeated drought stress. Our study revealed different interaction patterns between differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DSGs under DS and RD treatments and differences between methylation and AS regulation in drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive linseed varieties. The findings will probably be of interest in the future. Our results provide interesting insights into the association between gene expression, AS, and DNA methylation in linseed under drought stress. Differences in these associations may account for the differences in linseed drought tolerance.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the role of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the potential mechanisms. Methods: Mouse models were established by clamping the left renal vessels, and in vitro cellular models were established by hypoxic reoxygenation. Results: Renal dysfunction and tissue structural damage were significantly higher in the I/R group. After treatment with different concentrations of C3G, the levels of renal dysfunction and tissue structural damage decreased at different levels. And its protective effect was most pronounced at 200 mg/kg. The use of C3G reduced apoptosis as well as the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related proteins. Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced apoptosis and ERS are dependent on oxidative stress in vitro. In addition, both AG490 and C3G inhibited the activation of JAK/STAT pathway and attenuated oxidative stress, ischemia-induced apoptosis and ERS. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that C3G blocked renal apoptosis and ERS protein expression by preventing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production after I/R via the JAK/STAT pathway, suggesting that C3G may be a potential therapeutic agent for renal I/R injury.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the role of puerarin on renal fibrosis and the underlying mechanism in renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) model. Methods: Rats were intraperitoneally injected with puerarin (50 or 100 mg/kg) per day for one week before renal I/R. The level of renal collagen deposition and interstitial fibrosis were observed by hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius Red staining, and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The ferroptosis related factors and TLR4/Nox4-pathway-associated proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results: Puerarin was observed to alleviate renal collagen deposition, interstitial fibrosis and the α-SMA expression induced by I/R. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and glutathione (GSH) level were decreased in I/R and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) and Fe2+ level increased. However, puerarin reversed SOD, MDA, GSH and Fe2+ level changes induced by I/R and H/R. Besides, Western blot indicated that puerarin inhibited the expression of ferroptosis related factors in a dose-dependent manner, which further demonstrated that puerarin had the effect to attenuate ferroptosis. Moreover, the increased expression of TLR/Nox4-pathway-associated proteins were observed in I/R and H/R group, but puerarin alleviated the elevated TLR/Nox4 expression. Conclusions: Our results suggested that puerarin inhibited oxidative stress and ferroptosis induced by I/R and, thus, delayed the progression of renal fibrosis, providing a new target for the treatment of renal fibrosis.

Abstract To determine the efficacy and safety of Endostar combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin in the treatment of NSCLC, and provide evidence-based reference for clinical drug use. Retrieved from Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database, randomized controlled trials (RCT) were collected. Pooled standard mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were analyzed using R software with a random-effects model. Data from a total of 27 RCTs were included, involving 1646 patients were analyzed. Results of meta-analysis showed that response rate and clinical benefit rate of trial group were significantly higher than those of control group. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and gastrointestinal reaction between 2 groups. The results showed that Endostar combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin may generally improve therapeutic efficacy of NSCLC patients, without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.

Abstract Bacillus thuringiensis based microbial pesticide is a potential alternative to fumigants. However, the effect of this entomopathogenic bacteria on stored-product pests, and the molecular mechanisms of insect response remain to be investigated. In this study, we showed that B. thuringiensis exhibited toxicity against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) larvae. The 50% and 95% lethal concentrations in response to B. thuringiensis were 1.08 × 107 and 4.27 × 107 spores, respectively. We established a transcriptome to identify differential expressed genes. The predicted unigenes were categorized into 62 GO terms. A total of 187 DEGs were identified according to RNA-seq analysis, which 73 were downregulated and 114 were upregulated. And we preformed RT-qPCR assays to validate RNA-seq results. Both RNA-seq and RT-qPCR indicated that L-lactate dehydrogenase and glycoside hydrolase were inhibited in response to B. thuringiensis, while antimicrobial peptide, GST, and heat shock 90 were induced, suggesting that these genes might be involved in B. thuringiensis insecticidal effect for storage pests. A better understanding of molecular response to B. thuringiensis will facilitate us to develop a viable strategy method to control stored-product pests.

Resumo Fundamento Doenças cardiovasculares são a principal causa de morte na China. Entretanto, os esforços atuais para se identificar os fatores de risco de morte em pacientes hospitalizados com insuficiência cardíaca (IC) estão direcionados principalmente para a mortalidade durante a internação e a mortalidade após 30 dias nos Estados Unidos. Dessa forma, é necessário um modelo semelhante ao modelo utilizado para prever o risco considerado para procedimentos cirúrgicos cardiovasculares em pacientes para avaliar o risco de pacientes internados com diagnóstico de IC. Objetivo Identificar variáveis que podem prever a mortalidade por IC um ano após a alta hospitalar, e desenvolver um escore de risco para avaliar o risco de morte no período de um ano. Métodos No presente estudo, 1.742 pacientes chineses com IC foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: um grupo de amostra de derivação e um grupo de amostra de teste. O método de simulação Monte Carlo via Cadeias de Markov foi usado para identificar variáveis que podem prever a mortalidade um ano após a alta hospitalar. Variáveis com uma frequência >1% na análise bivariada, e que foram consideradas clinicamente significativas, foram qualificadas para análises de modelagens posteriores. A probabilidade posterior de que uma variável estava estatística e significativamente associada ao resultado foi calculada como o número total de vezes em que o IC de 95% da variável não coincidiu com 1 (ou seja, o ponto de referência), dividido pelo número total de iterações. Uma variável com uma probabilidade de 0,9 ou mais alta foi considerado um fator de risco robusto para prever o resultado, e foi incluída na lista final de variáveis. O nível de significância estatística adotado foi 5%. Resultados Cinco variáveis que pudessem prever de maneira robusta a mortalidade um ano após a alta hospitalar foram identificadas: idade, sexo feminino, escore da New York Heart Association (Associação de Cardiologia de Nova Iorque) >3, diâmetro do átrio esquerdo, e índice de massa corporal. Os modelos de derivação e de teste tiveram uma área de curva característica de operação do receptor de 0,79. Essas variáveis selecionadas foram utilizadas para avaliar o escore de risco de mortalidade por IC após um ano, e este foi dividido em três grupos (baixo, moderado e alto). O grupo de alto risco corresponde a aproximadamente 86% das mortes, e o grupo de risco moderado corresponde a 12% das mortes. Conclusão Um escore de risco de 5 variáveis simples pode ser utilizado para avaliar a mortalidade um ano após a alta hospitalar de pacientes internados com IC.

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in China. However, present efforts to identify the risk factors for death in patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF) are primarily focused on in-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality in the United States. Thus, a model similar to the model used for predicting the risk in patients considered for cardiovascular surgical procedures is needed to evaluate the risk of the patients admitted with a diagnosis of HF. Objective To identify variables that can predict post-discharge one-year HF mortality and develop a risk score to assess the risk of dying within one year. Methods In the present study, 1,742 Chinese patients with HF were randomly divided into two groups: a derivation sample group and a test sample group. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation method was used to identify variables that can predict the one-year post-discharge mortality. Variables with a frequency of >1% in the bivariate analysis and that were considered clinically meaningful were eligible for further modeling analyses. The posterior probability that a variable was statistically and significantly associated with the outcome was calculated as the total number of times that the variable’s 95% CI did not overlap with 1 (i.e., the reference point) divided by the total number of iterations. A variable with a probability of 0.9 or higher was considered a robust risk factor for predicting the outcome, and this was included in the final variable list. The level of statistical significance adopted was 5%. Results Five variables that could robustly predict the one-year post-discharge mortality were identified: age, female gender, New York Heart Association functional classification score >3, left atrial diameter, and body mass index. Both derivation and test models had a receiver operating curve area of 0.79. These selected variables were used to assess the one-year HF mortality risk score, and these were divided into three groups (low, moderate, and high). The high-risk group corresponds to nearly 86% of the deaths, while the moderate group corresponds to 12% of the deaths. Conclusion A simple 5-variable risk score can be used to assess the one-year post-discharge mortality of hospitalized Chinese patients with HF.

Abstract In this work, Ag doped NaSbO3 (ANS) was successfully synthesized and applied an efficient visible light photocatalyst. The properties of catalyst were fully characterized, and DFT (the density functional theory) computation was utilized to investigate the photocatalytic mechanism. The various characterization findings proved that Ag atoms were perfectly doped into NaSbO3 crystals, which greatly reduced the band gap, and made ANS catalyst exhibit excellent visible light absorption performance. In addition, ANS appeared great photocatalytic activities and remarkable stability. Also, electrochemical characterizations illustrated that ANS possessed stronger ability of generating and transferring electrons and holes under visible light, and the doping of Ag atoms reduced the resistance of charge transfer, thus effectively accelerated the photocatalysis reaction. Moreover, through ESR characterization and scavengers coexistent experiments, •OH and •O2- were considered to be active radicals that played a crucial role in the photodegradation process. Furthermore, DFT calculation demonstrated that ANS displayed obvious visible light excitation performance via reducing the band gap. The improvement of work function enhanced the oxidation ability of photogenerated holes, forming more hydroxyl radicals, thus boosted the photodegradation of pollutants.

Abstract Background: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancies often resulting in a poor prognosis. 5-methylcytosine (m5C) is a common epigenetic modification with roles in eukaryotes. However, the expression and function of m5C regulatory factors in ovarian cancer remained unclear. Results: Two molecular subtypes with different prognostic and clinicopathological features were identified based on m5C regulatory factors. Meanwhile, functional annotation showed that in the two subtypes, 452 differentially expressed genes were significantly related to the malignant progression of ovarian cancer. Subsequently, four m5C genes were screened to construct a risk marker predictive of overall survival and indicative of clinicopathological features of ovarian cancer, also the robustness of the risk marker was verified in external dataset and internal validation set. multifactorial cox regression analysis and nomogram demonstrated that risk score was an independent prognostic factor for ovarian cancer prognosis. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results revealed that m5C-related genes play a critical role in tumor progression in ovarian cancer. Further detection of m5C methylation could provide a novel targeted therapy for treating ovarian cancer.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effect of Picroside II on testicular ischemia and reperfusion (l/R) injury and the underlying mechanism. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham operated group (Sham), Sham with Picroside II treatment group (Sham+ Pic II), l/R group (l/R) and l/R with Picroside II treatment group (I/R+ Pic II). l/R model was established by rotating the left testis 720° in a clock-wise direction for 4 hours. The histopathologic and spermatogenetic evaluation was performed. The apoptosis changes and the levels of HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1), MPO (myeloperoxidase), NOX (NADPH oxidase), SOD (superoxide dismutase), XO (xanthine oxidase) and NOS (nitric oxide synthase) were measured. Results: The seminiferous tubules were damaged in l/R rats, but Picroside II alleviated the changes induced by l/R. The increased level of apoptosis was decreased by Picroside II (P=0.01, 9.05±0.35 vs. 4.85±0.25). The activities of HO-1, MPO, NOX, XO and MDA content were increased and the SOD activity was decreased in l/R (P<0.05) and could be reversed by Picroside II (P=0.03, 405.5±7.5 vs. 304±17U/mgprot; P=0.02, 0.99±0.05 vs. 0.52±0.04 mgprot; P=0.01, 260+7 vs. 189±2 mgprot; P=0.04, 10.95+0.55 vs. 8.75+0.35 U/mgprot; P=0.045, 6.8+0.7 vs. 3.75+0.35 mgprot; P=0.04, 44.5+3.5 vs. 57.5+3.5 mgprot). Western blot showed that the expression of iNOS, nNOS and eNOS were increased in l/R (P<0.05); however, they were decreased after Picroside II treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion: Picroside II attenuated testicular I/R injury in rats mainly through suppressing apoptosis and oxidative stress through reduction of nitric oxide synthesis.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of transformed Lactobacillys reuteri on intestinal pH and morphology, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and serum biochemical indexes of broiler chickens. A total of 480 broilers were assigned to six treatment groups and fed a phosphorus-adequate diet, a phosphorus-deficient diet, or a phosphorus-deficient diet containing different L. reuteri recombinants. The results showed that transformed L. reuteri decreased the pH in the duodenum and jejunum of chickens at day 21, decreased drip loss and cooking loss of muscles, and improved muscle tenderness of chickens at days 21 and 42, but did not affect carcass characteristics and only slightly decreased abdominal fat. Transformed L. reuteri also significantly increased calcium, phosphorus, and glucose levels, decreased the uric acid level of serum at day 21, and significantly increased the glucose level and decreased the triglycerides of serum on day 42. L. reuteri pLEM4159-cel/phy increased the villi height in the duodenum of chickens at days 21 and 42. The transformed L. reuteri decreased the crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum of chickens at day 21 and also decreased the crypt depth in the ileum and increased the villi height in the duodenum at day 42. L. reuteri pLEM4158 (phy) and L. reuteri pLEM4159-cel/phy improved the villi height in the ileum at day 42. Taken together, transformed L. reuteri can improve blood calcium, phosphorus, and glucose metabolism and intestinal development in broilers, but does not affect carcass characteristics.

This study explores the safety and effect of acute cerebral infarction treatment by microcatheter injection of tirofiban combined with a Solitaire AB stent and/or stent implantation. Emergency cerebral angiograms showing the responsible vascular occlusion of 120 acute cerebral infarction patients who underwent emergency endovascular thrombectomy were included in the study. These patients were randomly divided into two groups using the random number table method: treatment group (n=60) that received thrombectomy (with cerebral artery stents) combined with intracerebral injection of tirofiban and control group (n=60) that only received thrombectomy (with cerebral artery stents alone). The baseline data, cerebral angiography before and after surgery, hospitalization, and follow-up results of patients in these two groups were compared. Furthermore, the incidence of major adverse cerebrovascular events of these two groups was compared (90-day modified Rankin scale, a score of 0–2 indicates a good prognosis). The difference between baseline clinical data and brain angiography between these two groups was not statistically significant. Patients in the treatment group had a higher prevalence of thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2b/3 than patients in the control group (88.3% (53/60) vs 66.7% (40/60), P=0.036). Moreover, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores 7 days after surgery and the 90-day prognosis were all better for the patients who received tirofiban (P=0.048 and P=0.024). Mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire AB stents in combination with the injection of tirofiban through a microcatheter appears to be safe and effective for the endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

RESUMEN Este estudio se realizó para analizar las características de los ciclones marítimos en la costa de Guangdong entre los años 1949 y 2016, además de su variación interanual, la intensidad de los ciclones tropicales, el lugar y el momento de creación, y su recorrido. Las características temporales y espaciales también fueron estudiadas. Los resultados muestran que 183 ciclones tropicales tocaron tierra en la costa de Guangdong en estos 68 años, con un promedio de 2.7 por año, de los cuales el 60 por ciento se consideran tifones. Muchos de los ciclones tropicales se generaron en el noroeste del Pacífico, y van de abril a diciembre. Las direcciones de recorrido son principalmente norte, noroeste, y oeste. La fuerza de los ciclones tropicales se redujeron desde la costa central de Guangdong hacia el este y el oeste, mientras que el sector entre las ciudades de Zhanjiang y Shenzhen es el más vulnerable a los ciclones. Los ciclones tropicales generados en el mar del Sur de China tienden a tocar tierra en el oeste de la costa de Guangdong, mientras que aquellos que se producen en el noroeste del Pacífico suelen recorrer hacia la costa este. En el área de estudio, los ciclones tropicales frecuentemente ocurren de julio a septiembre y son más fuertes en septiembre. Se evidenciaron recorridos y direcciones de los ciclones propias a cada mes. Finalmente, de acuerdo con la información estadística y los resultados de investigación, el recorrido de los ciclones tropicales en la costa de Guangdong fueron analizados preliminarmente.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to analyze the maritime cyclone characteristics in Guangdong coast in the years of 1949 to 2016, including inter-annual variation, the intensity of tropical cyclones, generating location and time, and path direction. Also, the temporal-spatial characteristics were also studied. Results show there were 183 tropical cyclones landed in Guangdong coast in the past 68 years, with an average of 2.7 each year, which more than 60 percent were a typhoon. Most of the tropical cyclones were generated in the northwest Pacific, spanning from April to December. The path directions were mainly north, northwest, and west. The strengths of the tropical cyclones were reduced from central Guangdong coast to the east and the west sides, and the section of Zhanjiang city to Shenzhen city was the most vulnerable to tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones that generated in the South China Sea tend to attack the west of the Guangdong coast, while the ones that produced in the northwest Pacific tend to attack the east of the Guangdong coast. In the study area, the tropical cyclones frequently occurred from July to September and became strongest in September. There are a most common landing section and path direction for each month. Finally, based on the statistical data and research results, the tropical cyclone paths in Guangdong coast were preliminarily analyzed.

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the macroscopic and histological structure of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of Larimichthys crocea (Richardson, 1846). It consists of esophagus, stomach regions, pyloric caeca, intestinal regions, and rectum. Sixteen tubular light yellowish pyloric caeca of similar sizes were observed in all individuals. The digestive wall consists of mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and adventitia. No major differences appeared in the structure of the tunica, epithelial cell types, connective tissues and musculature glands of L. crocea GIT. The mucosal epithelia in the oesophagus has longitudinal branched folds with frontward and hindmost zones. The gastric tunica mucosa has a characteristic folded structure and can be divided into three regions. The intestinal tunica mucosa is characterized by villi structures and numerous mucus-secreting cells. Mucus-secreting goblet cells were strongly positive to AB at pH 2.5 in the oesophagus (excluding gastro-oesophageal junction) and intestine mucosal regions, which indicates an abundance of carboxylate mucins. The surface epithelia of the gastric mucosa is PAS-positive and AB-negative. SEM examination revealed that cells in the epithelium of the esophagus have an unbroken apical layer and goblet cells. The intestinal coefficient (IC) of L. crocea was 0.80 ± 0.21, consistent with a carnivorous or omnivorous habit. Our study adds the knowledge of the digestive system of L. crocea and might be useful in the management of L. crocea stocks.

Abstract. Learning to pronounce Chinese characters is usually considered as a very hard part to foreigners to study Chinese. At beginning, Chinese learners must bear in mind thousands of Chinese characters, including their pronunciation, meanings, Bishun (order of strokes) etc., which is very time consuming and boring. In this paper, we proposed a novel method based on translation model to predict the Chinese character pronunciation automatically. We first convert each Chinese character into Bishun, then, we train the pronunciation prediction model (translation model) according to Bishun and their correspondence Pinyin sequences. To make our model practically, we also introduced some error tolerant strategies. Experimental results show that our method can predict the pronunciation of Chinese characters effectively.