Swimming exercise reverses transcriptomic changes in aging mouse lens

Abstract Background The benefits of physical activity for the overall well-being of elderly individuals are well-established, the precise mechanisms through which exercise improves pathological changes in the aging lens have yet to be fully understood. Methods 3-month-old C57BL/6J mice comprised young sedentary (YS) group, while aging mice (18-month-old) were divided into aging sedentary (AS) group and aging exercising (AE) group. Mice in AE groups underwent sequential stages of swimming exercise. H&E staining was employed to observe alterations in lens morphology. RNA-seq analysis was utilized to examine transcriptomic changes. Furthermore, qPCR and immunohistochemistry were employed for validation of the results. Results AE group showed alleviation of histopathological aging changes in AS group. By GSEA analysis of the transcriptomic changes, swimming exercise significantly downregulated approximately half of the pathways that underwent alterations upon aging, where notable improvements were ‘calcium signaling pathway’, ‘neuroactive ligand receptor interaction’ and ‘cell adhesion molecules’. Furthermore, we revealed a total of 92 differentially expressed genes between the YS and AS groups, of which 10 genes were observed to be mitigated by swimming exercise. The result of qPCR was in consistent with the transcriptome data. We conducted immunohistochemical analysis on Ciart, which was of particular interest due to its dual association as a common aging gene and its significant responsiveness to exercise. The Protein-protein Interaction network of Ciart showed the involvement of the regulation of Rorb and Sptbn5 during the process. Conclusion The known benefits of exercise could extend to the aging lens and support further investigation into the specific roles of Ciart-related pathways in aging lens

Comprehensive assessment of eutrophication in Tangxun Lake, a large urban lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River

AbstractUrban lakes play an important role in supporting the ecological environment and human society, yet increasing pollution poses a threat to water quality. Tangxun Lake, a typical Large urban lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, has experienced cultural eutrophication in recent years; however, few studies have comprehensively examined the water quality of this lake. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Tangxun Lake Basin using the Nemerow pollution index, principal component analysis (PCA), phytoplankton density and diversity, and the comprehensive trophic level index (TLI). Additionally, we analyzed the main influencing factors to provide a reference for the management of the aquatic environment of Tangxun Lake. The Nemerow pollution index evaluation showed that the annual degree of pollution in Tangxun Lake ranged from mild to heavy. The PCA results showed that the main pollution factors affecting water quality were total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN). According to the results of TLI, the water in Tangxun Lake was moderately to severely eutrophic. Evaluation of algal cell density showed that Tangxun Lake was mesotrophic, and the phytoplankton diversity index showed that the eutrophication level was high. The degree of pollution in Tangxun Lake varied seasonally and was in the order of spring > winter > summer > autumn. The pollution in inner Tangxun Lake was relatively serious in spring, summer, and autumn, whereas that in outer Tangxun Lake was more serious in winter. This study provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment in the Tangxun Lake Basin

Effects of Harvesting Intensity on the Growth of <i>Hydrilla verticillata</i> and Water Quality

The effects of harvesting intensity on the growth of Hydrilla verticillata (L. fil.) Royle as well as water quality were studied in controlled experiments to provide a reference for managing submerged vegetation and purifying the water. The results showed that harvesting had a significant effect on the recovery of shoot growth and H. verticillata height. The harvested group recovered completely or mostly after two harvests, but the recovery time was significantly longer than the control group. The final biomasses of the harvested groups (15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, and 75% harvested) decreased to 66.61%, 49.13%, 43.95%, 43.77%, and 29.94% of the control group, respectively. The greater the harvesting intensity, the fewer the winter buds. Harvesting reduced the number of H. verticillata branches. Repeated harvesting at medium and low intensities during the rapid growth of H. verticillata effectively improved the water quality and inhibited the propagation and growth of phytoplankton. These results show that harvesting controlled the growth of H. verticillata, and that medium and low harvesting intensities were best when considering water quality

Additional file 1 of Swimming exercise reverses transcriptomic changes in aging mouse lens

Supplementary Material

Effects of water temperature on growth of invasive Myriophyllum aquaticum species

This study sought to investigate the invasive mechanism of Myriophyllum aquaticum by subjecting it to simulation experiments in varying water temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 30 °C. The results showed that water temperature considerably affected both the growth and reproduction of M. aquaticum. The optimal temperature range for the growth of M. aquaticum was 25‒30 °C. Although the growth of M. aquaticum was inhibited at temperatures between 0‒5 °C, this did not result in mortality. The stem nodes, branches, and diameter reached maximum values over a temperature range of 20‒25 °C. High-temperature stress at 30 °C led to a gradual decrease or disappearance of branches. Compared to the 0 °C, 5 °C, and 30 °C treatment groups, a temperature of 20 °C led to biomass accumulation and significantly higher values. M. aquaticum’s physiological activities were affected by temperature. Except for 10 °C and 15 °C, the catalase activity varied among different water temperatures. M. aquaticum catalase activity was maximal at 5 °C and minimal at 25 °C. Conversely, the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments was highest at 10 °C and 15 °C. The plant’s optimal temperature for growth was between 20 °C and 25 °C. When the temperature was <10 °C, M. aquaticum adapted to the water temperature’s potential damage. This plant has a notable ability to tolerate various temperatures

Bu Shen Huo Xue decoction promotes functional recovery in spinal cord injury mice by improving the microenvironment to promote axonal regeneration

Abstract Background Bu-Shen-Huo-Xue (BSHX) decoction has been used in the postoperative rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury in China. In the present study, we aim to reveal the bioactive compounds in BSHX decoction and comprehensively explore the effects of BSHX decoction and the underlying mechanism in spinal cord injury recovery. Methods The main chemical constituents in BSHX decoction were determined by UPLC–MS/MS. SCI mice were induced by a pneumatic impact device at T9–T10 level of the vertebra, and treated with BSHX decoction. Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan (BBB) score, footprint analysis, hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining, Nissl staining and a series of immunofluorescence staining were performed to investigate the functional recovery, glial scar formation and axon regeneration after BSHX treatment. Immunofluorescent staining of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was performed to evaluate the effect of BSHX decoction on neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation and differentiation. Results We found that the main compounds in BSHX decoction were Gallic acid, 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde, (+)-Catechin, Paeoniflorin, Rosmarinic acid, and Diosmetin. BSHX decoction improved the pathological findings in SCI mice through invigorating blood circulation and cleaning blood stasis in the lesion site. In addition, it reduced tissue damage and neuron loss by inhibiting astrocytes activation, and promoting the polarization of microglia towards M2 phenotype. The functional recovery test revealed that BSHX treatment improved the motor function recovery post SCI. Conclusions Our study provided evidence that BSHX treatment could improve the microenvironment of the injured spinal cord to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery in SCI mice

Comprehensive assessment of eutrophication in Tangxun Lake, a large urban lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River

Urban lakes play an important role in supporting the ecological environment and human society, yet increasing pollution poses a threat to water quality. Tangxun Lake, a typical Large urban lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, has experienced cultural eutrophication in recent years; however, few studies have comprehensively examined the water quality of this lake. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Tangxun Lake Basin using the Nemerow pollution index, principal component analysis (PCA), phytoplankton density and diversity, and the comprehensive trophic level index (TLI). Additionally, we analyzed the main influencing factors to provide a reference for the management of the aquatic environment of Tangxun Lake. The Nemerow pollution index evaluation showed that the annual degree of pollution in Tangxun Lake ranged from mild to heavy. The PCA results showed that the main pollution factors affecting water quality were total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN). According to the results of TLI, the water in Tangxun Lake was moderately to severely eutrophic. Evaluation of algal cell density showed that Tangxun Lake was mesotrophic, and the phytoplankton diversity index showed that the eutrophication level was high. The degree of pollution in Tangxun Lake varied seasonally and was in the order of spring > winter > summer > autumn. The pollution in inner Tangxun Lake was relatively serious in spring, summer, and autumn, whereas that in outer Tangxun Lake was more serious in winter. This study provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the ecological environment in the Tangxun Lake Basin.</p