Association of sleep traits with benign prostatic hyperplasia in middle-aged and elderly men: A prospective analysis in UK Biobank.

AIMS: The association of sleep traits (insomnia, sleep duration, chronotype, daytime sleepiness, and snoring) with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is unclear. This research aimed to examine the effects of sleep traits on BPH risk. METHODS: A total of 170 241 men aged 38 to 73 years from UK Biobank were included. An overall healthy sleep score was created based on five sleep traits. A Cox regression model was utilized to compute adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and population attributable fractions (PAFs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for BPH risk in relation to sleep traits. RESULTS: During a median of 12.0 years follow-up, 13 026 incident BPH cases occurred. We observed that sleep duration (7-8 h/d; HR 0.95; 95% CI 0.92-0.99), no frequent insomnia (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.69-0.74), and no frequent daytime sleepiness (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.79-0.93) were significantly related to reduced BPH risk. Each one-point increment of the healthy sleep score was related to a decreased BPH risk, with an adjusted HR of 0.90 (95% CI 0.89-0.92). The multivariable-adjusted HR in men adopting five versus zero to one low-risk sleep traits was 0.68 (95% CI 0.61-0.75) for BPH risk. Estimates of the PAF indicated that 9.1% (95% CI 5.8-12.5%) of BPH cases would be prevented if all individuals had adopted all five low-risk sleep traits, assuming causality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates an association between a healthy sleep pattern and a lower risk of BPH, emphasizing the importance of adhering to such patterns for potentially reducing BPH risk. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 675-682.

Diaporchalasins A-E, New Cytochalasins from the Endophytic Fungus Diaporthe sp. BMX12 Isolated from Aquilaria sinensis.

Five new cytochalasins, diaporchalasins A-E (1-5), together with 14 known congeners (6-19) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. BMX12, which was isolated from the branches of Aquilaria sinensis. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses including high-resolution electron spray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Their absolute configurations were assigned by theoretical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 11 and 12 featuring a keto carbonyl at C-21 displayed cytotoxicity toward K562, BEL-7402, SGC-7901, A549, and HeLa cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 4.4 to 47.4 µM.

Endophytic Fungal Diversity of Mangrove Ferns Acrostichum speciosum and A. aureum in China.

Microbial communities are an important component of mangrove ecosystems. In order to reveal the diversity of endophytic fungi in the mangrove ferns Acrostichum speciosum and A. aureum in China, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of endophytic fungi in four plant tissues (leaves, petioles, roots, and rhizomes) from three locations (Zhanjiang, Haikou, and Wenchang) were sequenced. The richness, species composition, and community similarity were analyzed. The main results are as follows: the dominant fungi in A. speciosum and A. aureum belonged to the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, accounting for more than 75% of the total identified fungi; in terms of species composition at the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level, the endophytic fungi in A. aureum were more diverse than those in A. speciosum, and the endophytic fungi in rhizomes were more diverse than in other tissues. In Zhanjiang, both A. speciosum and A. aureum showed the richest diversity of endophytic fungi, both at the OTU classification level and in terms of species composition. Conversely, the richness of endophytic fungi in the samples of A. speciosum from Wenchang and Haikou is extremely low. The regional differences in dominant fungi increase with the degrading of taxonomic levels, and there were also significant differences in the number of unique fungi among different origins, with Zhanjiang samples having a larger number of unique fungi than the other locations. There were significant differences in the dominant fungi among different tissues, with Xylariales being the dominant fungi in rhizomes of A. speciosum and Hypocreales being the dominant fungi in the petioles, roots, and rhizomes of A. aureum. Overall, the community similarity of endophytic fungi among locations is moderately dissimilar (26-50%), while the similarity between tissues is moderately similar (51-75%). The low diversity of endophytic fungi could be one of the main reasons for the endangerment of A. speciosum. The protection of the diversity of endophytic fungi in the underground parts of A. speciosum is essential for the conservation of this critically endangered mangrove fern.

Encapsulated lignin-based slow-release manganese fertilizer with reduced cadmium accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

As an essential trace element for plant growth and development, manganese plays a crucial role in the uptake of the heavy metal cadmium by rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, we developed a novel slow-release manganese fertilizer named Mn@LNS-EL. Initially, lignin nanoparticles were derived from sodium lignosulfonate, and a one-step emulsification strategy was employed to prepare a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) Pickering double emulsions. These double emulsions served as the template for interfacial polymerization of lignin nanoparticles and epichlorohydrin, resulting in the formation of microcapsule wall materials. Subsequently, manganese fertilizer (MnSO4) was successfully encapsulated within the microcapsules. Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of Mn@LNS-EL on rice growth and the cadmium and manganese contents in the roots and shoots of rice under cadmium stress conditions. The results revealed that the treatment with Mn@LNS-EL markedly alleviated the inhibitory effects of cadmium on rice growth, leading to notably lower cadmium levels in the rice roots and shoots compared to the specimens treated without manganese fertilizer. Specifically, there was a reduction of 37.9 % in the root cadmium content and a 17.1 % decrease in the shoot cadmium content. In conclusion, this study presents an innovative approach for the high-value utilization of lignin through effective encapsulation and slow-release mechanisms of trace-element fertilizers while offering a promising strategy for efficiently remediating cadmium pollution in rice.

Lanostane triterpenoids from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma amboinense.

Lanostane-type triterpenoids are the main characteristic constituents in Ganoderma mushrooms. Phytochemical analysis on the ethanol extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma amboinense led to isolation and identification of twelve previously undescribed lanostane triterpenoids (1-12). Their chemical structures were determined by HR-ESI-MS, IR, and NMR spectroscopic analysis, NMR calculation, as well as X-ray crystallography. All isolates were evaluated for the α-glucosidase inhibitory and anti-inflammatory activities. Compounds 1, 5, 6, and 11 showed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 33.5 µM to 96.0 µM. Moreover, compound 12 showed anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 value of 21.7 ± 2.1 µM.

Identification of the CDPK gene family in patchouli and functional analysis in response to continuous cropping stress.

To further reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of continuous cropping disorders in patchouli, this study analyzed the function of calcium dependent protein kinase (CDPK) genes at the molecular level in patchouli continuous cropping disorders. The findings unveiled the presence of 45 PcCDPK genes within the complete patchouli genome dataset. These genes exhibited a range of molecular weights from 50.78 to 78.96 kDa and aliphatic index values spanning from 74.42 to 88.49, and are shown to be hydrophilic proteins. The evolution of 45 PcCDPK members was divided into 4 subfamilies, with a total of 65 pairs of collinear genes. Each PcCDPK contains a STKc-CAMK domain and four EF-hand structures exhibiting a certain degree of conservatism during evolution. Transcriptome data further supported the significance of PcCDPK25 and PcCDPK38 genes, showing substantial upregulation, which was corroborated by qRT-PCR results. The 1629 bp and 1716 bp CDS sequences were obtained by cloning the PcCDPK25 and PcCDPK38 genes, respectively, and subcellular localization showed that both proteins were localized on the plasma membrane. This comprehensive study provides molecular-level confirmation of the pivotal roles played by CDPK genes in the emergence of continuous cropping challenges in patchouli plants, establishing a crucial foundation for a deeper comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underpinning these obstacles.

A Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Casparian Strip Membrane Domain Protein-like Gene Family in Pogostemon cablin in Response to p-HBA-Induced Continuous Cropping Obstacles.

Casparian strip membrane domain protein-like (CASPL) genes are key genes for the formation and regulation of the Casparian strip and play an important role in plant abiotic stress. However, little research has focused on the members, characteristics, and biological functions of the patchouli PatCASPL gene family. In this study, 156 PatCASPL genes were identified at the whole-genome level. Subcellular localization predicted that 75.6% of PatCASPL proteins reside on the cell membrane. A phylogenetic analysis categorized PatCASPL genes into five subclusters alongside Arabidopsis CASPL genes. In a cis-acting element analysis, a total of 16 different cis-elements were identified, among which the photo-responsive element was the most common in the CASPL gene family. A transcriptome analysis showed that p-hydroxybenzoic acid, an allelopathic autotoxic substance, affected the expression pattern of PatCASPLs, including a total of 27 upregulated genes and 30 down-regulated genes, suggesting that these PatCASPLs may play an important role in the regulation of patchouli continuous cropping obstacles by affecting the formation and integrity of Casparian strip bands. These results provided a theoretical basis for exploring and verifying the function of the patchouli PatCASPL gene family and its role in continuous cropping obstacles.

A Systematic Review on the Continuous Cropping Obstacles and Control Strategies in Medicinal Plants.

Continuous cropping (CC) is a common practice in agriculture, and usually causes serious economic losses due to soil degeneration, decreased crop yield and quality, and increased disease incidence, especially in medicinal plants. Continuous cropping obstacles (CCOs) are mainly due to changes in soil microbial communities, nutrient availability, and allelopathic effects. Recently, progressive studies have illustrated the molecular mechanisms of CCOs, and valid strategies to overcome them. Transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses revealed that identified DEGs (differently expressed genes) and metabolites involved in the response to CCOs are involved in various biological processes, including photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and bioactive compounds. Soil improvement is an effective strategy to overcome this problem. Soil amendments can improve the microbial community by increasing the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, soil fertility, and nutrient availability. In this review, we sum up the recent status of the research on CCOs in medicinal plants, the combination of transcriptomic and metabolomics studies, and related control strategies, including uses of soil amendments, crop rotation, and intercropping. Finally, we propose future research trends for understanding CCOs, and strategies to overcome these obstacles and promote sustainable agriculture practices in medicinal plants.

An integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals the gene network regulating flower development in Pogostemon cablin.

Pogostemon cablin is a well-known protected species widely used in medicine and spices, however the underlying molecular mechanisms and metabolite dynamics of P. cablin flower development remain unclear due to the difficulty in achieving flowering in this species. A comparison of the transcriptome and widely targeted metabolome during P. cablin flower development was first performed in this study. Results showed that a total of 13,469 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) and 371 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the DEGs were associated with starch and sucrose metabolism, terpenoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Among these DEGs, 75 MIKC-MADS unigenes were associated with the development of floral organs. Gibberellins (GAs), auxin, and aging signaling might form a cross-regulatory network to regulate flower development in P. cablin. According to the metabolic profile, the predominant DAMs were amino acids, flavonoids, terpenes, phenols, and their derivatives. The accumulation patterns of these predominant DAMs were closely associated with the flower developmental stage. The integration analysis of DEGs and DAMs indicated that phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and amino acids might be accumulated due to the activation of starch and sucrose metabolism. Our results provide some important insights for elucidating the reproductive process, floral organ, and color formation of P. cablin flowers at the molecular level. These results will improve our understanding of the molecular and genetic mechanisms involved in the floral development of P. cablin.

Using machine learning for mortality prediction and risk stratification in atezolizumab-treated cancer patients: Integrative analysis of eight clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Few models exist to predict mortality in cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. Our aim was to build a machine learning-based risk stratification model for predicting mortality in atezolizumab-treated cancer patients. METHODS: Data from 2538 patients in eight atezolizumab-treated cancer clinical trials across three cancer types (non-small-cell lung cancer, bladder transitional cell carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma) were included. The whole cohort was randomly split into development and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. Machine-learning algorithms (extreme gradient boosting, random forest, logistic regression with lasso regularization, support vector machine, and K-nearest neighbor) were applied to develop prediction models. Model performance was mainly assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. The probability of death risk was then stratified. RESULTS: One thousand and three hundred and seventy-nine (54.33%) patients died. The random forest (RF) model was overall the best in terms of predictive performance, with the AUC of 0.844 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.826-0.862) in the development cohort and 0.786 (95% CI: 0.754-0.818) in the validation cohort for predicting mortality. Twelve baseline variables contributing to mortality prediction in the RF model were C-reactive protein, PD-L1 level, cancer type, prior liver metastasis, derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, number of metastatic sites, pulse rate, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status. A total of 1782 (70.2%) patients were separated into the high-risk and 756 (29.8%) low-risk groups. Patients in the high-risk group were significantly more likely to die, experience disease progression, discontinue study, and discontinue treatment than patients in the low-risk group (all p values < 0.001). Risk groups were not associated with immune-related adverse events and grades 3-5 treatment-related adverse events (all p values > 0.05). CONCLUSION: RF model has good performance in mortality prediction and risk stratification for cancer patients receiving atezolizumab monotherapy.

Assessment of the Genetic Relationship and Population Structure in Oil-Tea Camellia Species Using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) Markers.

Oil-tea camellia trees, the collective term for a class of economically valuable woody oil crops in China, have attracted extensive attention because of their rich nutritional and pharmaceutical value. This study aimed to analyze the genetic relationship and genetic diversity of oil-tea camellia species using polymorphic SSR markers. One-hundred and forty samples of five species were tested for genetic diversity using twenty-four SSR markers. In this study, a total of 385 alleles were identified using 24 SSR markers, and the average number of alleles per locus was 16.0417. The average Shannon's information index (I) was 0.1890, and the percentages of polymorphic loci (P) of oil-tea camellia trees were 7.79-79.48%, indicating that oil-tea camellia trees have low diversity. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the majority of genetic variation (77%) was within populations, and a small fraction (23%) occurred among populations. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) results indicated that the first two principal axes explained 7.30% (PC1) and 6.68% (PC2) of the total variance, respectively. Both UPGMA and PCoA divided the 140 accessions into three groups. Camellia oleifera clustered into one class, Camellia vietnamensis and Camellia gauchowensis clustered into one class, and Camellia crapnelliana and Camellia chekiangoleosa clustered into another class. It could be speculated that the genetic relationship of C. vietnamensis and C. gauchowensis is quite close. SSR markers could reflect the genetic relationship among oil-tea camellia germplasm resources, and the results of this study could provide comprehensive information on the conservation, collection, and breeding of oil-tea camellia germplasms.

Comparison of the Main Metabolites in Different Maturation Stages of Camelliavietnamensis Huang Seeds.

Camellia vietnamensis Huang is an important woody oil crop in China, which has attracted much attention because of its abundant nutritional components and pharmaceutical value. Its seeds undergo a complex series of physiological and biochemical changes during maturation, with consequent alterations in metabolites. In order to investigate the endogenous metabolism of C. vietnamensis on Hainan Island during seed development, in this study, ultra-high-performance liquid tandem chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS) and multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) were used to analyze the differences in the chemical compounds of C. vietnamensis seeds among the four maturation stages. A total of 293 metabolites were identified from the methanol extract of the seeds of C. vietnamensis. Five metabolites, belonging to benzene and substituted derivatives, 5'-deoxyribonucleosides and linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids, were found in all three comparison groups, with consistently down-regulated trends. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results showed that phloretin and 5'-methylthioadenosine were the differentially expressed metabolites when seeds were in the growth periods of S2 and S3, and indole and L-tryptophan were the differentially expressed metabolites when seeds were in the growth periods of S3 and S4. In addition, 34 flavonoid metabolites were detected, of which 4 were differentially expressed. It was indicated that flavonoids dynamically change during all the oil-tea camellia seed development stages. The findings provide data for the better understanding of endogenous metabolic pathways during C. vietnamensis seed development.

Physiological and Transcriptional Analysis Reveals the Response Mechanism of Camellia vietnamensis Huang to Drought Stress.

Drought stress is considered the main obstacle restricting Camellia vietnamensis Huang (C. vietnamensis) yield. Hainan is the southernmost distribution region of C. vietnamensis in China and experiences a drought period annually. To study the drought-stress-response mechanism of C. vietnamensis, we treated seedlings of drought-tolerant (HD1) and drought-sensitive (WH1) cultivars with PEG-6000 (PEG) to simulate drought stress and compared the physiology and transcriptome of their leaves at 0 d, 3 d and 6 d posttreatment. Under drought stress, the growth of C. vietnamensis was inhibited, the relative water content (RWC) of leaves decreased and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzyme activities, osmotic regulatory substances and secondary metabolites increased. Compared with those of WH1, the leaf RWC, osmotic-regulation substance content (proline, soluble protein and soluble sugar) and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase) of HD1 were significantly increased, while the relative electrical conductivity and MDA content were significantly decreased. Compared with WH1, 2812, 2070 and 919, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in HD1 0 d, 3 d and 6 d posttreatment, respectively, and the number of DEGs increased with increasing treatment time. The detected DEGs are involved in the drought stress response of C. vietnamensis mainly through plant-hormone signal transduction and lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Drought stress significantly activated the expression of several lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis genes in HD1. Moreover, total flavonoid and total polyphenol contents in HD1 were significantly increased, suggesting that the accumulation of flavonoids may be a key factor in the drought stress response of C. vietnamensis. Additionally, 191 DEGs were associated with coding transcription factors (TFs). This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of the drought stress response of C. vietnamensis and provides a theoretical basis for the development and cultivation of new drought-resistant cultivars.

Combined physiological and transcriptome analysis revealed the response mechanism of Pogostemon cablin roots to p-hydroxybenzoic acid.

Pogostemon cablin (patchouli) cultivation is challenged by serious soil sickness, of which autotoxins accumulation is a major cause. p-hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBA) is one of the main autotoxins of patchouli. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the response of patchouli to p-HBA remains unclear. In this study, RNA-sequencing combined with physiological analysis was used to monitor the dynamic transcriptomic and physiological changes in patchouli seedlings 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 h after p-HBA treatment. p-HBA stress inhibited root biomass accumulation, induced excessive hydrogen peroxide accumulation and lipid peroxidation, and activated most antioxidant enzymes. Compared with that of the control, the osmotic adjustment substance content was elevated with treatment. Subsequently, 15,532, 8,217, 8,946, 2,489, and 5,843 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 h after p-HBA treatment, respectively, were identified in patchouli roots. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched mainly in plasma membrane, defense response, response to chitin, DNA-binding transcription factor activity and abscisic acid-activated signaling pathway. The upregulated genes were involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, cysteine and methionine metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and linoleic acid metabolism. Genes associated with MAPK signaling pathway-plant, plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction were downregulated with p-HBA treatment. These pathways are related to root browning and rotting, leading to plant death.

Integrative Metabolome and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Regulatory Network of Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Response to MeJA in Camelliavietnamensis Huang.

Flavonoids are secondary metabolites widely found in plants, which perform various biological activities, such as antiinflammation, antioxidation, antitumor, and so on. Camellia vietnamensis Huang, a species of oil-tea Camellia tree, is an important woody oil crop species widely planted on Hainan Island, which provides health benefits with its high antioxidant activity and abundant flavonoid content. However, very little is known about the overall molecular mechanism of flavonoid biosynthesis in C. vietnamensis Huang. In this study, methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is used as an inducer to change the content of secondary metabolites in C. vietnamensis. Then, the potential mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis in C. vietnamensis leaves in response to MeJA were analyzed by metabolomics and transcriptomics (RNA sequencing). The results showed that metabolome analysis detected 104 flavonoids and 74 fatty acyls which showed different expression patterns (increased or decreased expression). It was discovered by KEGG analysis that three differentially accumulated metabolites (cinnamaldehyde, kaempferol and quercitrin) were annotated in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (ko00940), flavonoid biosynthesis (ko00941), and flavone and flavonol biosynthesis (ko00944) pathways. In the transcriptome analysis, 35 different genes involved in the synthesis of flavonoids were identified by MapMan analysis. The key genes (PAL, 4CL, CCR, CHI, CHS, C4H, FLS) that might be involved in the formation of flavonoid were highly expressed after 2 h of MeJA treatment. This study provides new insights and data supporting the molecular mechanism underlying the metabolism and synthesis of flavonoids in C. vietnamensis under MeJA treatment.

LKB1 phosphorylation and deactivation in lung cancer by NNAL, a metabolite of tobacco-specific carcinogen, in an isomer-dependent manner.

LKB1 loss of function is one key oncogenic event in lung cancer. Clinical data suggest that LKB1 loss of function is associated with patients' smoking status. The responsible ingredients and molecular mechanisms in tobacco for LKB1 loss of function, however, are not defined. In this study, we reported that NNAL, a major metabolite of a tobacco-specific carcinogen NNK, induces LKB1 phosphorylation and its loss of function via the ß-AR/PKA signaling pathway in an isomer-dependent manner in human lung cancer cells. NNAL exposure also resulted in enhanced lung cancer cell migration and chemoresistance in an LKB1-dependent manner. A 120-day NNAL exposure in lung cancer cells, mimicking its chronic exposure among smokers, resulted in more prominent LKB1 phosphorylation, cell migration, and chemoresistance even in the absence of NNAL, indicating the long-lasting LKB1 loss of function although such an effect eventually disappeared after NNAL was removed for two months. These observations were confirmed in a lung cancer xenograft model. More importantly, human lung cancer tissues revealed elevated LKB1 phosphorylation in comparison to the paired normal lung tissues. These results suggest that LKB1 loss of function in human lung cancer could be extended to its phosphorylation, which may be mediated by NNAL from tobacco smoke in an isomer-dependent manner via the ß-AR/PKA signaling pathway.

Quality Evaluation of the Oil of Camellia spp.

The oil of Camellia spp. has become a well-known high-quality edible oil because of its rich nutrition. It is of great significance to breed fine varieties of Camellia spp. for the sustainable growth of the Camellia spp. industry. This study mainly evaluated the quality and antioxidant capacity of the camellia seed from several sources. The fatty acid composition and main active components of 40 kinds of C. oleifera, C. vietnamensis, C. osmantha, and C. gigantocarpa seeds, and so on, from different regions, were tested using GC-MS and HPLC. The quality of different Camellia spp. germplasm resources was comprehensively evaluated using multiple indices. The unsaturated fatty acid content and the antioxidant capacity of C. vietnamensis from Hainan were higher than those of C. oleifera Abel. In addition, there were a few differences in the fatty acid compositions of Camellia spp. oil from different species. Correlation analysis confirmed that rutin, total saponin, total flavonoids, squalene, and vitamin E were strongly correlated to the antioxidant capacity of Camellia spp. In the comprehensive evaluation, the best quality and strongest antioxidant activity were found for Chengmai Dafeng (C. vietnamensis). These methods in the study were applied for the first time for the quality evaluation of the Camellia spp. species. This study provided new insights into the quality evaluation of the Camellia spp. species, thus facilitating further development of variety breeding along with quality evaluation.

Phenethoxy Derivatives with Anti-inflammatory Activities from the Betelnut Endophytic Trichoderma asperellum G10.

Eight new phenethoxy derivatives, trichoasperellins A-H (1-8), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum G10 isolated from the medicinal plant Areca catechu L. The structures of these compounds were elucidated from spectroscopic data, J-based configurational analysis, and Mosher's methods. Compounds 1-4 and 6-8 bear one or two multioxidized C7 moieties with the same carbon skeleton. The carbon skeletons of compounds 6-8 are new, all containing three moieties connected via two acetal carbons similar to those of disaccharide glycosides. Compound 4 inhibited nitric oxide production with an IC50 value of 48.3 µM, comparable to that of the positive control indomethacin (IC50, 42.3 µM).

Integrated Analysis of Physiological, mRNA Sequencing, and miRNA Sequencing Data Reveals a Specific Mechanism for the Response to Continuous Cropping Obstacles in Pogostemon cablin Roots.

Pogostemon cablin (patchouli) is a commercially important medicinal and industrial crop grown worldwide for its medicinal and aromatic properties. Patchoulol and pogostone, derived from the essential oil of patchouli, are considered valuable components in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Due to its high application value in the clinic and industry, the demand for patchouli is constantly growing. Unfortunately, patchouli cultivation has suffered due to severe continuous cropping obstacles, resulting in a significant decline in yield and quality. Moreover, the physiological and transcriptional changes in patchouli in response to continuous cropping obstacles remain unclear. This has greatly restricted the development of the patchouli industry. To explore the mechanism underlying the rapid response of patchouli roots to continuous cropping stress, integrated analysis of the transcriptome and miRNA profiles of patchouli roots under continuous and noncontinuous cropping conditions in different growth periods was conducted using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and miRNA-seq and complemented with physiological data. The physiological and biochemical results showed that continuous cropping significantly inhibited root growth, decreased root activity, and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) and the levels of osmoregulators (malondialdehyde, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and proline). Subsequently, we found 4,238, 3,494, and 7,290 upregulated and 4,176, 3,202, and 8,599 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the three growth periods of continuously cropped patchouli, many of which were associated with primary carbon and nitrogen metabolism, defense responses, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and transcription factors. Based on miRNA-seq, 927 known miRNAs and 130 novel miRNAs were identified, among which 67 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMIs) belonging to 24 miRNA families were induced or repressed by continuous cropping. By combining transcriptome and miRNA profiling, we obtained 47 miRNA-target gene pairs, consisting of 18 DEMIs and 43 DEGs, that likely play important roles in the continuous cropping response of patchouli. The information provided in this study will contribute to clarifying the intricate mechanism underlying the patchouli response to continuous cropping obstacles. In addition, the candidate miRNAs and genes can provide a new strategy for breeding continuous cropping-tolerant patchouli.

Preparation of Active Peptides from Camellia vietnamensis and Their Metabolic Effects in Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury Cells.

Liver damage seriously affects human health. Over 35% of cases of acute liver damage are caused by alcohol damage. Thus, finding drugs that can inhibit and effectively treat this disease is necessary. This article mainly focuses on the effect of the metabolome physical activity of active peptides in Camellia vietnamensis active peptide (CMAP) and improving liver protection. DEAE Sepharose FF ion-exchange column chromatography was used in separating and purifying crude peptides from Camellia vietnamensis Two components, A1 and A2, were obtained, and the most active A1 was selected. Sephadex G-100 gel column chromatography was used in A1 separation and purification. Three components, Al-1, Al-2, and Al-3, were obtained. Through antioxidant activity in vitro as an index of inspection, the relatively active component A1-2 was removed. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography showed that the purity of component A1-2 was 93.45%. The extracted CMAPs acted on alcoholic liver injury cells. Metabolomics studies revealed that the up-regulated metabolites were ribothymidine and xanthine; the down-regulated metabolites were hydroxyphenyllactic acid, creatinine, stearoylcarnitine, and inosine. This study provides an effective theoretical support for subsequent research.