The increased functional connectivity between the locus coeruleus and supramarginal gyrus in insomnia disorder with acupuncture modulation

BackgroundInsomnia disorder (ID) seriously affects the quality of people’s daily life, and acupuncture is an effective therapy for it. As an essential component of the upward activation system, the locus coeruleus (LC) plays a crucial role in sleep–wake regulation, its aberrant functional connectivity (FC) is found to be involved in ID. The purpose of this study was to explore the modulation effect of acupuncture on the resting state FC of LC in ID patients.Methods60 ID patients were recruited and randomly assigned to real acupuncture (RA) or sham acupuncture (SA) treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before and after the treatment. With LC as the region of interest, the FC method was adopted to examine acupuncture-related modulation of intrinsic connectivity in ID patients. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hyperarousal Scale (HAS), and actigraphy were used to assess sleep quality and cortical hyperarousal states. Associations between clinical outcomes and FC features were calculated using Pearson’s correlation analysis.ResultsThe improvement in sleep quality and hyperarousal in the RA group was greater than that in the SA group. After treatment, the FC between the LC and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) decreased in the RA group. The FC between the LC and left insula and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) was higher in the RA group. The change of LC FC values with the SMG was negatively associated with the change in PSQI scores.ConclusionAcupuncture can modulate FC between the LC and IFG, insular gyrus, and SMG. This may imply the potential mechanism of acupuncture treatment for insomnia

Studying the Differences of Bacterial Metabolome and Microbiome in the Colon between Landrace and Meihua Piglets

This study was conducted to compare the microbiome and metabolome differences in the colon lumen from two pig breeds with different genetic backgrounds. Fourteen weaned piglets at 30 days of age, including seven Landrace piglets (a lean-type pig breed with a fast growth rate) and seven Meihua piglets (a fatty-type Chinese local pig breed with a slow growth rate), were fed the same diets for 35 days. Untargeted metabolomics analyses showed that a total of 401 metabolites differed between Landrace and Meihua. Seventy of these 401 metabolites were conclusively identified. Landrace accumulated more short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and secondary bile acids in the colon lumen. Moreover, expression of the SCFAs transporter (solute carrier family 5 member 8, SLC5A8) and receptor (G protein-coupled receptor 41, GPR41) in the colon mucosa was higher, while the bile acids receptor (farnesoid X receptor, FXR) had lower expression in Landrace compared to Meihua. The relative abundances of 8 genera and 16 species of bacteria differed significantly between Landrace and Meihua, and were closely related to the colonic concentrations of bile acids or SCFAs based on Pearson's correlation analysis. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that there were differences in the colonic microbiome and metabolome between Meihua and Landrace piglets, with the most profound disparity in production of SCFAs and secondary bile acids

Study on Manufacturing Process and Current Carrying Characteristics of Layering Enamelled Stranded Conductor

Ultra high voltage(UHV) power cable system is an economical, safe and reliable power transmission mode. In recent years, the concern about the traditional fossil energy pollution in the world and the determination to using clean energy have promote the medium distance UHV submarine power cable system. This paper designs and tests one kind of energy saving and loss reducing conductor applied to large cross-section submarine cable. Through reasonable process control, the paint film on the enamelled wire surface can be avoided being scraped during the process of twisting. According to the measured AC / DC resistance ratio, the optimized design for the subsequent conductor is put forward. Compared with the traditional conductor, the current carrying capacity of the conductor is improved, and it has a positive and practical significance for reducing the Joule loss of the cable system

Study on Manufacturing Process and Current Carrying Characteristics of Layering Enamelled Stranded Conductor

Ultra high voltage(UHV) power cable system is an economical, safe and reliable power transmission mode. In recent years, the concern about the traditional fossil energy pollution in the world and the determination to using clean energy have promote the medium distance UHV submarine power cable system. This paper designs and tests one kind of energy saving and loss reducing conductor applied to large cross-section submarine cable. Through reasonable process control, the paint film on the enamelled wire surface can be avoided being scraped during the process of twisting. According to the measured AC / DC resistance ratio, the optimized design for the subsequent conductor is put forward. Compared with the traditional conductor, the current carrying capacity of the conductor is improved, and it has a positive and practical significance for reducing the Joule loss of the cable system

Trace Elements and Sulfur Isotopes of Sulfides in the Zhangquanzhuang Gold Deposit, Hebei Province, China: Implications for Physicochemical Conditions and Mineral Deposition Mechanisms

The Zhangquanzhuang gold deposit is a special deposit in the Zhangjiakou district, on the northern margin of the North China Craton. It is characterized by the enrichment of sulfides, the scarcity of tellurides and zero to positive sulfur isotope compositions compared with the famous Dongping and Xiaoyingpan Te-Au-Ag deposit types of the same district. In this paper, we use the in-situ LA-(MC)-ICP-MS and bulk trace element concentrations of pyrite, and in-situ sulfur isotope compositions of sulfides, to study physicochemical conditions and mechanisms of mineral deposition in the Zhangquanzhuang deposit. Pyrite from stage I (PyI) contains high Te contents, pyrite from stage II (PyII) has the highest Co and Ni contents, and pyrite from stage III (PyIII) contains high Cr, Zn, Pb, Ag, Cu, Sb, Bi and Au contents. The calculated in-situ δ34SH2S values range from 0.9‰ to 6.1‰, and the values for stages I and II are higher than those for stage III. The mineral assemblages and trace element contents in pyrite show that large amounts of metals precipitated during stage III, in which the pH and logfO2 were constrained within the range of 4.1 to 5.2 and −36.9 to −32.1, respectively. Sulfidation and boiling derived from decreasing pressure may be the main mechanisms leading to mineral deposition in stage III. The Zhangquanzhuang gold deposit was formed in a mineral system that was different from the one that formed the Dongping and Xiaoyingpan Te-Au-Ag deposits, and should thus be called the “Zhangquanzhuang−type” deposit and considered a third gold deposit type in the Zhangjiakou ore field

Data_Sheet_2_The increased functional connectivity between the locus coeruleus and supramarginal gyrus in insomnia disorder with acupuncture modulation.PDF

BackgroundInsomnia disorder (ID) seriously affects the quality of people’s daily life, and acupuncture is an effective therapy for it. As an essential component of the upward activation system, the locus coeruleus (LC) plays a crucial role in sleep–wake regulation, its aberrant functional connectivity (FC) is found to be involved in ID. The purpose of this study was to explore the modulation effect of acupuncture on the resting state FC of LC in ID patients.Methods60 ID patients were recruited and randomly assigned to real acupuncture (RA) or sham acupuncture (SA) treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before and after the treatment. With LC as the region of interest, the FC method was adopted to examine acupuncture-related modulation of intrinsic connectivity in ID patients. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hyperarousal Scale (HAS), and actigraphy were used to assess sleep quality and cortical hyperarousal states. Associations between clinical outcomes and FC features were calculated using Pearson’s correlation analysis.ResultsThe improvement in sleep quality and hyperarousal in the RA group was greater than that in the SA group. After treatment, the FC between the LC and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) decreased in the RA group. The FC between the LC and left insula and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) was higher in the RA group. The change of LC FC values with the SMG was negatively associated with the change in PSQI scores.ConclusionAcupuncture can modulate FC between the LC and IFG, insular gyrus, and SMG. This may imply the potential mechanism of acupuncture treatment for insomnia.</p

Integrated Chemical and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Distribution of Protopanaxadiol- and Protopanaxatriol-Type Saponins in Panax notoginseng

Panax notoginseng is famous for its important therapeutic effects and commonly used worldwide. The active ingredients saponins have distinct contents in different tissues of P. notoginseng, and they may be related to the expression of key genes in the synthesis pathway. In our study, high-performance liquid chromatography results indicated that the contents of protopanaxadiol-(Rb1, Rc, Rb2, and Rd) and protopanaxatriol-type (R1, Rg1, and Re) saponins in below ground tissues were higher than those in above ground tissues. Clustering dendrogram and PCA analysis suggested that the below and above ground tissues were clustered into two separate groups. A total of 482 and 882 unigenes were shared in the below and above ground tissues, respectively. A total of 75 distinct expressions of CYPs transcripts (RPKM &ge; 10) were detected. Of these transcripts, 38 and 37 were highly expressed in the below ground and above ground tissues, respectively. RT-qPCR analysis showed that CYP716A47 gene was abundantly expressed in the above ground tissues, especially in the flower, whose expression was 31.5-fold higher than that in the root. CYP716A53v2 gene was predominantly expressed in the below ground tissues, especially in the rhizome, whose expression was 20.1-fold higher than that in the flower. Pearson&rsquo;s analysis revealed that the CYP716A47 expression was significantly correlated with the contents of ginsenoside Rc and Rb2. The CYP716A53v2 expression was associated with the saponin contents of protopanaxadiol-type (Rb1 and Rd) and protopanaxatriol-type (R1, Rg1, and Re). Results indicated that the expression patterns of CYP716A47 and CYP716A53v2 were correlated with the distribution of protopanaxadiol-type and protopanaxatriol-type saponins in P. notoginseng. This study identified the pivotal genes regulating saponin distribution and provided valuable information for further research on the mechanisms of saponin synthesis, transportation, and accumulation