Effects of ginsenoside Rg3 on bone loss, bone mineral density and osteoclast number in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis rats, and the likely michanism of action

Purpose: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg3 on bone loss, bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoclast number in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) rats, and the mechanism of action involved.Methods: Sixty female Wistar rats were assigned to control, model group, ginsenoside Rg3, and alendronate sodium groups, comprised of 15 rats per group. The osteoporosis rat model was established via intramuscular injection of dexamethasone. Changes in bone mineral content (BMC), BMD trabecular thickness and area, osteoblasts and osteoclasts in femurs and lumbar vertebrae were measured after 3 months of treatment.Results: There were significantly higher BMC and BMD levels in ginsenoside Rg3 group than in alendronate rats (p < 0.05). The thickness and  trabecular area in femur and lumbar vertebrae in the ginsenoside Rg3 group were significantly higher than those in the model group (p < 0.05), but were comparable with those in the alendronate sodium group (p > 0.05). There were marked increases in osteoblasts, and marked decreases in osteoclasts in the ginsenoside Rg3 group, alendronate sodium and control rats, relative to model rats (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Ginsenoside Rg3 arrests bone loss, and enhances bone density, trabecular thickness and area, bone microstructure, osteoblast activity and population of osteoclasts number in glucocorticoidinduced osteoporotic rats. This provides a new research direction for the clinical treatment ofosteoporosis. Keywords: Ginseng soap, Rg3, Glucocorticoid, Osteoporosis, Bone loss, Bone mineral density, Osteoclast populatio

Model and Algorithm for Container Allocation Problem with Random Freight Demands in Synchromodal Transportation

This paper aims to investigate container allocation problem with random freight demands in synchromodal transportation network from container carriers’ perspective. Firstly, the problem is formulated as a stochastic integer programming model where the overall objective is to determine a container capacity allocation plan at operational level, so that the expected total transportation profit is maximized. Furthermore, by integrating simulated annealing with genetic algorithm, a problem-oriented hybrid algorithm with a novel gene encode method is designed to solve the optimization model. Some numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm

Lifespan Intellectual Factors, Genetic Susceptibility, and Cognitive Phenotypes in Aging: Implications for Interventions

Along with rapid global population aging, the age-related cognitive disorders such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia have posed a serious threat to public health, health care system, and sustainable economic and societal development of all countries. In this narrative review, we seek to summarize the major epidemiological studies from the life-course perspective that investigate the influence of genetic susceptibility [e.g., apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 allele] and intellectual or psychosocial factors (e.g., educational attainments and leisure activities) as well as their interactions on cognitive phenotypes in aging. Numerous population-based studies have suggested that early-life educational attainments and socioeconomic status, midlife work complexity and social engagements, late-life leisure activities (social, physical, and mentally-stimulating activities), certain personality traits (e.g., high neuroticism and low conscientiousness), and depression significantly affect late-life cognitive phenotypes. Furthermore, certain intellectual or psychosocial factors (e.g., leisure activities and depression) may interact with genetic susceptibility (e.g., APOE ε4 allele) to affect the phenotypes of cognitive aging such that risk or beneficial effects of these factors on cognitive function may vary by carrying the susceptibility genes. Current evidence from the randomized controlled trials that support the cognitive benefits of cognitive training among cognitive healthy older adults remains limited. The cognitive reserve hypothesis has been proposed to partly explain the beneficial effects of lifetime intellectual and psychosocial factors on late-life cognitive function. This implies that, from a life-course perspective, preventive intervention strategies targeting multiple modifiable intellectual and psychosocial factors could interfere with clinical expression of cognitive disorders in old age and delay the onset of dementia syndrome, and thus, may help achieve healthy brain aging

Associations of Vascular Risk Factors and APOE Genotype With Perivascular Spaces Among Community‐Dwelling Older Adults

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A meta-analysis

There is a lack of predictive biomarkers that can identify patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who will experience treatment failure and develop drug resistance, recurrence, and metastases. Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) were identified as a subset of cells within the tumor in a variety of solid tumors including HNSCC. CSC are considered the tumor-initiating population responsible for recurrence or metastasis and are associated with therapy resistance. This meta-analysis including fourteen studies with altogether 1258 patients updates and summarizes all relevant data on the impact of ALDH1+ CSC on the prognosis of HNSCC and its association with clinicopathological parameters. ALDH1 expression is highly correlated with tumor differentiation (G3 vs. G1+G2; odds ratio = 2.85. 95% CI: 1.72–4.73, P<0.0001) and decreased overall survival (relative risk = 1.77. 95% CI: 1.41–2.22, P<0.0001) if one out of seven studies was excluded because of heterogeneity. These findings provide insights into the understanding of more aggressive tumor phenotypes and also suggest that the prognostic value provided by HNSCC-subtyping by CSC frequency warrant further clinical investigation

The impact of organizational politics on work engagement—the mediating role of the doctrine of the mean

IntroductionEvents Theory posits that the perception of organizational politics affects job attitudes. The purpose of this study was to answer the question: does organizational politics have a similar impact on Chinese individuals who adhere to the doctrine of the mean?MethodsWe collected survey data from 3,059 library personnel in 36 Chinese university libraries and conducted analysis using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.ResultsThe results showed that the perception of organizational politics reduces employee work engagement. However, this impact exhibits heterogeneity. For newly recruited employees and employees aged 50 and above who are nearing retirement, the impact of organizational politics on work engagement is relatively small. Conversely, for employees aged 30–50, organizational politics has a significant negative impact. Furthermore, the doctrine of the mean moderates the impact of organizational politics on work engagement, mitigating its negative effects.DiscussionThe conclusions offer new insights into enhancing employee work motivation. The library should take more measures to safeguard employee rights to enhance work motivation

Research on financing ecology and financing efficiency of strategic emerging industries in China

After integrating external ecological and endogenous factors of the development of the industry, the paper builds a financing ecology index system, and analyses the financing ecology of strategic emerging industries in recent years. Then the paper further analyses the influence of external and internal financing ecology on financing efficiency. The results show that the financing ecology of the strategic emerging industries, external financing ecology in particular, is in the continuous improvement. The financing efficiency is significantly positively correlated with the macro-economy level and the internal financing ecology, and significantly negatively correlated with the role of government. There is a positive but non-significant correlation between financial development and financing efficiency, meanwhile a negative and non-significant correlation between credit environment and financing efficiency. The internal and external financing ecology can be replaced to some extent. Therefore, the strategic emerging industries should give full consideration to the synergistic optimization of the endogenous factors and external financing ecology so as to improve the financing efficiency