Effect of quercetin on biochemical parameters in letrozoleinduced polycystic ovary syndrome in rats

Purpose: To investigate the effect of quercetin, a natural flavonoid, on biochemical parameters in letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in ratsMethods: Oral glucose test was performed with the aid of a glucometer. Estradiol, testosterone and steroidogenic enzyme activities were determined using standard protocols. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities were determined by standard methods. Histological analysis was carried out with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.Results: Quercetin exerted protective effects against PCOS in the rat model by enhancing the levels of antioxidant enzymes, viz, CAT, SOD and GPX. Quercetin also prevented weight gain, and caused significant decline in serum glucose levels in PCOS rats. Furthermore, quercetin normalised estradiol and testosterone levels, as well t steroidogenic enzyme activities, but blocked letrozole-induced abnormalities in PCOS. It also exerted protective effects on the anatomy of the ovaries.Conclusion: These results indicate that quercetin exerts protective effects on letrozole-induced PCOS in rats. Thus, quercetin may be an important lead molecule for the treatment of PCOSKeywords: Letrozole, Quercetin, Polycystic ovary syndrome, Oxidative stress, Steroidogenic enzyme

Comparison of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony parameters between exercise and adenosine triphosphate stress tests using gated single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging

Background Left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) can be induced after stress test. However, no studies have compared the influence of different stress-inducing methods on LVMD parameters. aims The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a difference between exercise and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stress tests in terms of changes in LVMD parameters assessed using gated single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (GSPECT MPI). methods A total of 190 patients who underwent 99mTc-sestamibi GSPECT MPI were consecutively enrolled. Treadmill exercise and ATP stress tests were performed in 95 patients each. Normal myocardial perfusion was defined as the summed stress score (SSS) ≤3 and summed rest score (SRS) ≤3, myocardial ischemia as SSS \u3e3 and SRS ≤3, and myocardial infarction as SSS \u3e3 and SRS \u3e3. Parameters of LVMD, including phase standard deviation (PSD), phase bandwidth (PBW), skewness, and kurtosis were compared. Subtraction was made between values during stress and rest phases to acquire ∆PSD, ∆PBW, ∆skewness, and ∆kurtosis. results There were no differences in LVMD parameters between the exercise and ATP groups. The same results were obtained in the normal perfusion, ischemia, and infarction subgroups. Furthermore, no differences were observed in ∆PSD (median [interquartile range, IQR], 0.25 [-2.3 to 3.1] vs 0.42 (-1.7 to 3.1]; P = 0.73), ∆PBW (median [IQR], 1 [-7 to 11] vs 1 [-6 to 11]; P = 0.95), ∆skewness (mean [SD], -0.06 [0.63] vs 0 [0.81]; P= 0.53), and ∆kurtosis (median [IQR], -0.47 [-4.2 to 4.3] vs -0.42 [-4.8 to 5.2]; P= 0.73) between the exercise and ATP stress-inducing methods. conclusions There are no differences between the exercise and ATP stress tests in terms of changes in LVMD parameters. Thus, the 2 methods can be used alternatively

Bis{2,4-dibromo-6-[(2-phenyl­eth­yl)imino­meth­yl]phenolato-κ2 N,O}cobalt(II)

In the title complex, [Co(C15H12Br2NO)2], the CoII atom is four-coordinated by two N,O-bidentate chelate Schiff base ligands, displaying a flattened tetra­hedral coordination environment. The CoII atom occupies a special position on a twofold rotation axis. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via weak C—H⋯Br inter­actions

Histone H3 Lysine 9 Methyltransferase DIM5 Is Required for the Development and Virulence of Botrytis cinerea

Histone methylation is widely present in animals, plants and fungi, and the methylation modification of histone H3 has important biological functions. Methylation of Lys9 of histone H3 (H3K9) has been proven to regulate chromatin structure, gene silencing, transcriptional activation, plant metabolism and other processes. In this work, we investigated the functions of a H3K9 methyltransferase gene BcDIM5 in Botrytis cinerea, which contains a PreSET domain, a SET domain and a PostSET domain. Characterization of BcDIM5 knockout transformants showed that the hyphal growth rate and production of conidiophores and sclerotia were significantly reduced, while complementary transformation of BcDIM5 could restore the phenotypes to the levels of wild type. Pathogenicity assays revealed that BcDIM5 was essential for full virulence of B. cinerea. BcDIM5 knockout transformants exhibited decreased virulence, down-regulated expression of some pathogenic genes and drastically decreased H3K9 trimethylation level. However, knockout transformants of other two genes heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) BcHP1 and DNA methyltransferase (DIM2) BcDIM2 did not exhibit significant change in the growth phenotype and virulence compared with the wild type. Our results indicate that H3K9 methyltransferase BcDIM5 is required for H3K9 trimethylation to regulate the development and virulence of B. cinerea

Myocardial Stunning-Induced Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony On Gated Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Objectives Myocardial stunning provides additional nonperfusion markers of coronary artery disease (CAD), especially for severe multivessel CAD. The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of myocardial stunning to the changes of left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) parameters between stress and rest gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Patients and methods A total of 113 consecutive patients (88 males and 25 females) who had undergone both stress and rest 99mTc-sestamibi gated SPECT MPI were retrospectively enrolled. Suspected or known patients with CAD were included if they had exercise stress MPI and moderate to severe myocardial ischemia. Segmental scores were summed for the three main coronary arteries according to standard myocardial perfusion territories, and then regional perfusion, wall motion, and wall thickening scores were measured. Myocardial stunning was defined as both ischemia and wall dysfunction within the same coronary artery territory. Patients were divided into the stunning group (n=58) and nonstunning group (n=55). Results There was no significant difference of LVMD parameters between stress and rest in the nonstunning group. In the stunning group, phase SD and phase histogram bandwidth of contraction were significantly larger during stress than during rest (15.05±10.70 vs. 13.23±9.01 and 46.07±34.29 vs. 41.02±32.16, PP\u3c0.05). Conclusion Both systolic and diastolic LVMD parameters deteriorate with myocardial stunning. This kind of change may have incremental values to diagnose CAD

Synergistic Improvement of Production, Economic Return and Sustainability in the Tea Industry through Ecological Pest Management

The use of ecological principles to manage plant pests has attracted renewed attention, but our knowledge related to the contributions of ecological pest management to social and natural sustainability is fragmented. In this study, we compared the performance and resilience of tea production and the economic benefits of tea ecological management (TEM) and tea conventional management (TCM). We show that TEM significantly improved tea biomass and quality, nutritional efficiency, and beneficial insects, but reduced seasonal variation. As a result, economic return increased by $8045/ha in the TEM mode compared to$6064/ha in the TCM mode. These results confirm that TEM is a promising production mode that can reconcile the conflict between the immediate and long-term service of agriculture. However, environmental improvements associated with organic pest control benefit society, and the government should provide adequate financial support to promote the production system

Phylogeny of genus Sichuana Shen & Yin, 2020 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae) with four new species from Sichuan, China

Four new species of Sichuana Shen & Yin, 2020 are described based on morphological comparison and molecular analysis: S. planicercata sp. nov., S. curvicercata sp. nov., S. longilamina sp. nov. and S. magnicerca sp. nov. Specimens showed some intraspecific variation of male tegmina and subgenital plates. The genes COI and 16S were used to analyze the genetic distance between species and COI was used to analyze the phylogenetic relationship of Sichuana