Metagenomics reveals the response of desert steppe microbial communities and carbon-nitrogen cycling functional genes to nitrogen deposition.

Introduction: Nitrogen (N) deposition seriously affects the function of carbon (C) and N cycling in terrestrial ecosystems by altering soil microbial communities, especially in desert steppe ecosystems. However, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of how microorganisms involved in each C and N cycle process respond to N deposition. Methods: In this study, shotgun metagenome sequencing was used to investigate variations in soil C and N cycling-related genes in the desert steppe in northern China after 6 years of the following N deposition: N0 (control); N30 (N addition 30 kg ha-1 year-1): N50 (N addition 50 kg ha-1 year-1). Results: N deposition significantly increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria (P < 0.05) while significantly decreased the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria (P < 0.05). This significantly impacted the microbial community composition in desert steppe soils. The annual addition or deposition of 50 kg ha-1 year-1 for up to 6 years did not affect the C cycle gene abundance but changed the C cycle-related microorganism community structure. The process of the N cycle in the desert steppe was affected by N deposition (50 kg ha-1 year-1), which increased the abundance of the pmoA-amoA gene related to nitrification and the nirB gene associated with assimilation nitrite reductase. There may be a niche overlap between microorganisms involved in the same C and N cycling processes. Discussion: This study provides new insights into the effects of N deposition on soil microbial communities and functions in desert steppe and a better understanding of the ecological consequences of anthropogenic N addition.

Identification of bacteria and fungi responsible for litter decomposition in desert steppes via combined DNA stable isotope probing.

Introduction: Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in determining the fate of litter in desert steppes because their activities constitute a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Human activities lead to increased ecosystem nitrogen (N) deposition, which has unpredictable impacts on soil microorganism diversity and functions. Nowadays, it is necessary to further study the succession of these microorganisms in the process of litter decomposition in desert steppe, and explore the effect of N deposition on this process. This issue is particularly important to resolve because it contributes to the broader understanding of nutrient cycling processes in desert steppes. Methods: In this study, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) was used to study changes in soil bacterial and fungal community composition and function during 8 weeks of culture of 13C-labeled litter in desert steppes. Results: The results were as follows: (1) Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, and Ascomycota are the main microorganisms involved in litter decomposition in desert steppes; (2) N deposition (50 kg ha-1 year-1) significantly increased the relative abundance of some microorganisms involved in the decomposition process; and (3) N deposition likely promotes litter decomposition in desert steppes by increasing the abundances of N cycles bacteria (usually carrying GH family functional genes). Discussion: These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the C assimilation mechanisms associated with litter residue production, emphasizing the importance of extensive C utilization.

Danhong formula alleviates endothelial dysfunction and reduces blood pressure in hypertension by regulating MicroRNA 24 - Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Serine/Threonine Kinase- Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase axis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Essential hypertension (EH) is one of the important risk factors of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and it can significantly increase the incidence and mortality of acute myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and hemorrhage. Danhong Formula (DHF) was consisting of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., Labiatae, Danshen in Chinese) and Flos Carthami (Carthamus tinctorius L., Compositae, Honghua in Chinese) (Plant names have been checked with http://www.the plant list.org on June 28th, 2023) was approved by State Food and Drug Administration of China, that has been used for thousands of years in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in China with proven safety and efficacy. Though our previous studies have found that DHF improved endothelial dysfunction (ED) and decreased high blood pressure (BP), the underlying mechanisms of its antihypertensive effect still remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated whether DHF regulated MicroRNA 24- Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Serine/Threonine Kinase- Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (miR-24 - PI3K/AKT/eNOS) axis to produce antihypertensive effect and improve endothelial dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, the chemical components of DHF were analyzed by UHPLC-MS. After that, BP was continuously monitored within the 1st, 3rd, and 4th week in SHR to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of DHF intraperitoneal injection. In addition, not only the contents of serum nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin (PGI2), and angiotensin II (Ang II) were detected, but also the isolated aorta ring experiment was conducted to evaluate the vasomotoricity to evaluate of DHF on improving endothelial dysfunction. Key proteins or mRNA expression associated with miR-24 - PI3K/AKT/eNOS axis in aorta were detected by capillary Western blot, immunohistochemistry or RT-PCR to explore the underlying mechanisms. Index of NO, Ang II PGI2 and key proteins or mRNA expression were also conducted in miR-24-3p over-expression HUVECs model. RESULTS: Compared with SHR control group, DHF (4 mL/kg/day, 2 mL/kg/day, 1 mL/kg/day) treatment significantly reduced high BP in SHR and selectively increased acetylcholine (Ach) induced vasodilation, but not sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in a manner of concentration dependency in isolated aorta ring. DHF (4 mL/kg/day, 1 mL/kg/day) treatment was accompanying an increment of NO and PGI2, and lowering AngII in SHR. Moreover, DHF treatment significantly up-regulated expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, mTOR, eNOS and p-eNOS, but down-regulated miR-24-3p expression in aorta. Compared with miR-24-3p over-expression HUVECs model group, DHF treatment inhibited miR- 24-3p expression and up-regulated p-PI3K, p-AKT, mTOR and eNOS mRNA expression. Similarly, DHF treatment increased PI3K, AKT, mTOR and eNOS protein expression in HUVECs by Western blot. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that DHF alleviates endothelial dysfunction and reduces high BP in SHR mediated by down-regulating miR-24 via ultimately facilitating up-regulation of PI3K/AKT/eNOS axis. This current study firstly demonstrates a potential direction for antihypertensive mechanism of DHF from microRNA aspect and will promote its clinical applications.

Prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response in lung adenocarcinoma based on CD79A, DKK1 and VEGFC.

Background: Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is crucial for tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis; however, its relationship with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is unknown. Traditional predictive models screen for biomarkers that are too general and infrequently associated with immune genes. Methods: RNA sequencing data of LUAD patients and immune-related gene sets were retrieved from public databases. Using the common genes shared by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Immunology Database and Analysis Portal (ImmPort), differential gene expression analysis, survival analysis, Lasso regression analysis, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to generate a novel risk score model. LUAD cohort in International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), GSE68465 cohort in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and an immunohistochemical assay were used to validate the key genes constructed risk score. The LUAD-related prognosis, clinical indicators, immune infiltrate characteristics, response to immunotherapy, and response to chemotherapeutic agents in different risk groups were evaluated by CIBERSORT, ImmuCellAI, pRRophetic and other tools. Results: The risk score model was constructed using CD79a molecule (CD79A), Dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1), and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC). High risk score was identified as a negative predictor for overall survival (OS) in subgroup analyses with tumor stage, TNM classification, therapy outcome, and ESTIMATE scores (P < 0.05). Low risk score was positively associated with plasma cells, memory B cells, CD8 T cells, regulatory T cells and γδT cells (P < 0.05). In low-risk group, programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and lymphocyte activating 3 (LAG3) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) were more robustly expressed (P < 0.05). The treatment responses of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy and chemotherapy were likewise superior in low-risk group (P < 0.05). In immunohistochemical analysis, the tumor group had significantly higher levels of CD79A, DKK1, and VEGFC than the adjacent normal group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: CD79A, DKK1 and VEGFC are important differential genes related to LUAD, risk score could reliably predict prognosis, composition of TIME and immunotherapy responses in LUAD patients. The excellent performance of the risk model shows its strong and broad application potential.

Baicalin promotes antiviral IFNs production and alleviates type I IFN-induced neutrophil inflammation.

Type I and III interferons (IFNs) both serve as pivotal components of the host antiviral innate immune system. Although they exert similar antiviral effects, type I IFNs can also activate neutrophil inflammation, a function not born by type III IFNs. Baicalin, the main bioactive component of Scutellariae radix, has been shown to exert therapeutic effects on viral diseases due to its anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and immunomulatory activities. There is uncertainty, however, on the association between the antiviral effects of baicalin and the modulation of anti-viral IFNs production and the immunological effects of type I IFNs. Here, a Poly (I:C)-stimulated A549 cell line was established to mimic a viral infection model. Our results demonstrated that baicalin could elevate the expression of type I and III IFNs and their receptors in Poly (I:C)-stimulated A549 cells. Moreover, the potential regulation effects of baicalin for type I IFN-induced neutrophil inflammation was further explored. Results showed that baicalin diminished the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α), ROS, and neutrophil extracellular traps and suppressed chemotaxis. Collectively, all these data indicated that baicalin had a dual role on IFNs production and effects: (1) Baicalin was able to elevate the expression of type I and III IFNs and their receptors, (2) and it alleviated type I IFN-mediated neutrophil inflammatory response. This meant that baicalin has the potential to act as an eximious immunomodulator, exerting antiviral effects and reducing inflammation.

Nur77 Serves as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker That Correlates with Immune Infiltration and May Act as a Good Target for Prostate adenocarcinoma.

Prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) is the most frequent malignancy, and is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in men. Thus, new prognostic biomarkers and drug targets for PRAD are urgently needed. As we know, nuclear receptor Nur77 is important in cancer development and changes in the tumor microenvironment; whereas, the function of Nur77 in PRAD remains to be elucidated. The TCGA database was used to explore the Nur77 expression and its role in the prognosis of PRAD. It was shown that Nur77 was down regulated in PRAD, and low Nur77 expression was correlated with advanced clinical pathologic characteristics (high grade, histological type, age) and poor prognosis. Furthermore, key genes screening was examined by univariate Cox analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival. Additionally, Nur77 was closely related to immune infiltration and some anti-tumor immune functions. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were presented by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Therefore, the expression level of Nur77 might help predict the survival of PRAD cases, which presents a new insight and a new target for the treatment of PRAD. In vitro experiments verified that natural product malayoside targeting Nur77 exhibited significant therapeutic effects on PRAD and largely induced cell apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of Nur77 and its mitochondrial localization. Taken together, Nur77 is a prognostic biomarker for patients with PRAD, which may refresh the profound understanding of PRAD individualized treatment.

Proteomic and Metabolomic Revealed Differences in the Distribution and Synthesis Mechanism of Aroma Precursors in Yunyan 87 Tobacco Leaf, Stem, and Root at the Seedling Stage.

Tobacco, as an important cash crop and model plant, has been the subject of various types of research. The quality of flue-cured tobacco products depends on the compound collection of tobacco leaves, including pigments, carbohydrates, amino acids, polyphenols, and alkaloid aroma precursors. The present study investigates tobacco seedling organs (leaf, stem, and root) with the assistance of label-free proteomic technology and untargeted metabonomic technology. We analyzed 4992 proteins and 298 metabolites obtained in the leaf, stem, and root groups and found that there were significant differences in both primary and secondary metabolism processes involved in aroma precursor biosynthesis, such as carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and alkaloid biosynthesis. The findings showed that the contents of alkaloid metabolites such as nornicotine, anatabine, anatalline, and myosmine were significantly higher in tobacco roots than in leaves and stems at the seedling stage.

[Effects of soil meso- and micro-fauna on litter decomposition under nitrogen deposition and rainfall changes]. / 氮沉降与降雨变化下中小型土壤动物对凋落物分解的影响.

Soil fauna are important regulators of litter decomposition and nutrient transformation. Nitrogen deposition and rainfall changes driven by global changes could affect litter decomposition by changing environment and soil faunal community. Different mesh size (2 mm and 0.01 mm) litter bags were used to explore how soil meso- and micro-fauna contribute to decomposition of Stipa breviflora litter under nitrogen deposition and rainfall changes. The experiment followed split-plot design, with rainfall change (natural rainfall, CK; rainfall addition 30%, W; rainfall reduction 30%, R) as the main trement and nitrogen addition (0, N0; 30, N30; 50, N50; 100 kg·hm-2·a-1, N100) as the sub-treatment. The results showed that: 1) Rainfall change significantly affected litter decomposition rate, which was increased by rainfall addition. Moreover, litter decomposition rate was accelerated with increasing nitrogen addition rates. Litter residual rate decreased gradually with increasing N addition, and got to the highest in N100. Litter decomposition rate decreased first and then increased, and peaked in N50 in rain reduction and natural rainfall treatment. There was no significant interactions between rainfall change and nitrogen addition in affecting litter decomposition. 2) During the whole decomposition process, a total of 1577 soil meso- and micro-fauna were captured, belonged to 1 phyla, 3 classes, 13 orders (including suborders) and 49 families. The dominant groups were Acarina, Coleoptera larvae, and Collembola. Nitrogen addition significantly increased abundance and group numbers of soil meso- and micro-fauna. 3) The litter mass residue rate was significantly negatively correlated with abundance and group numbers of soil meso- and micro-fauna. The contribution rate of soil meso- and micro-fauna to litter decomposition increased with increasing rainfall. In summary, soil meso- and micro-fauna had a positive effect on decomposition of Stipa breviflora litter in desert steppe. Their contribution to litter was promoted by the enhancement of soil mesofauna abundance and group under rainfall and nitrogen addition. Excessive nitrogen would inhibit soil meso- and micro-fauna community and group density when water was insufficient, and would thus weaken the function of soil mesofauna to litter decomposition.

Shikonin protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and apoptosis in human nucleus pulposus cells through the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of shikonin on human intervertebral disk degeneration. METHODS: Human primary nucleus pulposus (NP) cells cultured in vitro were used for the experiments. The effects of different concentrations of shikonin (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 µM) on the activity of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NP cells were determined using the CCK-8 assay, and the appropriate drug concentration was determined. The experiment was divided into the control, LPS, and LPS + shikonin groups. ELISA and Western blot were used to detect the expression of the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß. NP cell apoptosis was measured using Western blot and caspase 3 activity. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were used to detect the protein expression of p-P65 and P65 and the nuclear translocation of P65. RESULTS: The CCK-8 assay showed that shikonin had no cytotoxic effect on NP cells and increased the activity of LPS-induced NP cells, especially at a concentration of 4 µM. Shikonin reversed the expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1ß and apoptosis-related molecules Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase 3 in LPS-induced NP cells. In addition, shikonin significantly decreased apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in LPS-induced NP cells. Furthermore, shikonin treatment significantly inhibited the expression of p-P65 and nuclear translocation of P65, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway inhibitor Pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate ammonium (PDTC) significantly enhanced the anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of shikonin in LPS-induced NP cells. CONCLUSION: Shikonin significantly inhibited the inflammatory response and apoptosis of human primary NP cells, possibly through the NF-κB pathway.

Sesamin attenuates carrageenan-induced lung inflammation through upregulation of A20 and TAX1BP1 in rats.

Sesamin is a major component in lignans of sesame seeds, has been described to possess a lot of biological activity. The main objective of our study was to investigate the inhibitory effect and novel molecular mechanisms of sesamin on carrageenan-induced lung inflammation in rats. Here we showed that sesamin can obviously reduce polymorphonuclear neutrophils infiltration and exudate volume. Further studies exhibited sesamin can inhibit cytokines release, polymorphonuclear neutrophils markers production and the degree of lung tissues injury. Western blot analysis revealed that sesamin can inhibit the TRAF6 expression and NF-κB pathway activation in lung tissue. We found that sesamin can increase the expression of A20 and TAX1BP1 in lung tissues, and the interaction between the two molecules. In conclusion, all these results demonstrated that sesamin can attenuate carrageenan-induced lung inflammation, the mechanisms that may be related to upregulation of the novel target A20 and TAX1BP1 which can negative regulation for NF-κB pathway. Importantly, this is the first evidence showing that TAX1BP1 can be as a novel regulatory target to attenuate the lung inflammation.

[Comparative study on effectiveness of modified-transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery in treatment of mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis in middle-aged and elderly patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (modified-TLIF) and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) for mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis in middle-aged and elderly patients. METHODS: The clinical data of 106 patients with mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis (Meyerding classification≤Ⅱ degree) who met the selection criteria between January 2015 and January 2017 were retrospectively analysed. All patients were divided into modified-TLIF group (54 cases) and PLIF group (52 cases) according to the different surgical methods. There was no significant difference in preoperative clinical data of gender, age, disease duration, sliding vertebra, Meyerding grade, and slippage type between the two groups ( P>0.05). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative bed time, hospital stay, and complications of the two groups were recorded and compared. The improvement of pain and function were evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score at preoperation, 1 week, and 1, 6, 12 months after operation, and last follow-up, respectively. The effect of slip correction was evaluated by slip angle and intervertebral altitude at preoperation and last follow-up, and the effectiveness of fusion was evaluated according to Suk criteria. RESULTS: All patients were followed up, the modified-TLIF group was followed up 25-36 months (mean, 32.7 months), the PLIF group was followed up 24-38 months (mean, 33.3 months). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative bed time, and hospital stay of the modified-TLIF group were significantly less than those of the PLIF group ( P<0.05). The VAS score and JOA score of both groups were significantly improved at each time point after operation ( P<0.05); the scores of the modified-TLIF group were significantly better than those of the PLIF group at 1 and 6 months after operation ( P<0.05). The slip angle and intervertebral altitude of both groups were obviously improved at last follow-up ( P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups at preoperation and last follow-up ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, the fusion rate of the modified-TLIF group and the PLIF group was 96.3% (52/54) and 98.1% (51/52), respectively, and no significant difference was found between the two groups ( χ 2=0.000, P=1.000). About complications, there was no significant difference between the two groups in nerve injury on the opposite side within a week, incision infection, and pulmonary infection ( P>0.05). No case of nerve injury on the operation side within a week or dural laceration occurred in the modified-TLIF group, while 8 cases (15.4%, P=0.002) and 4 cases (7.7%, P=0.054) occurred in the PLIF group respectively. CONCLUSION: Modified-TLIF and PLIF are effective in the treatment of mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis in middle-aged and elderly patients. However, modified-TLIF has relatively less trauma, lower blood loss, lower drainage volume, lower incidence of dural laceration and nerve injury, which promotes enhanced recovery after surgery.

[Linshu Decoction combined with levofloxacin for lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with type â ¢A prostatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Linshu Decoction (LSD) combined with levofloxacin in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with type ⅢA prostatitis. METHODS: We randomly divided 124 type ⅢA prostatitis patients with lower urinary tract symptoms into an experimental and a control group, the former treated orally with LSD (1 dose bid) combined with levofloxacin tablets (0.1 g bid), and the latter with levofloxacin tablets only (0.1g bid). Before and after 4 weeks of medication, we obtained the NIH-CPSI, Traditional Chinese Medicine symptoms (TCM) scores, white blood cell (WBC) count in EPS and the results of uroflowmetry from the patients and compared them between the two groups. RESULTS: Finally 115 of the patients were included in this study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the patients of the experimental group, compared with the controls, showed significantly decreased NIH-CPSI (14.57 ± 3.87 vs 20.12 ± 3.45, P < 0.05), TCM scores (6.35 ± 1.27 vs 10.72 ± 1.72, P < 0.05) and WBC count in EPS (ï¼»7.35 ± 4.52ï¼½ vs ï¼»9.87 ± 5.87ï¼½ n/HP, P < 0.05). In comparison with baseline, the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and average urinary flow rate (Qave) were increased in both of the two groups after medication, with statistically significant difference only in the experimental group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Linshu Decoction combined with levofloxacin is more effective than levofloxacin alone in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with type ⅢA prostatitis.

Widespread use of anti-retroviral therapy elevated the prevalence of dyslipidemia in HIV-infected Chinese patients

With the widespread use of high-efficiency antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the life expectancy of HIV-infected patients has been significantly extended. However, the metabolic complications among HIV-infected patients treated with HAART have become the most common problem in the world. It is very important to explore the incidence of dyslipidaemia and studies on the role of potential risk factors in HIV-infected Chinese patients treated with HAART are sparse. Therefore, we designed current study, to investigate the effects of therapeutic intervention and continuous information support on the lifestyle of HIV/AIDS patients with dyslipidaemia. Three hundred and six HIV/AIDS patients admitted to the AIDS clinic in Beijing from January 2016 to January 2017 were recruited and assigned into two groups: the treatment group (n=64) and the control group (n=64). The median age of the participants was 38.8±11.0 years (range 20-75 years). The prevalence of dyslipidemia in control and treatment group was (59/64) 92.2% and (53/64) 82.8%, respectively. In this study, low HDL-cholesterol (HDLC) led to abnormalities 47/64 (73.3%) in the control group and 35/64 (54.7%) in HAART-treatment group. Additionally, HAART group showed higher triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (246.1±171.8, 1.73±1.61 mmol/L, 4.46±1.1 mmol/L, 2.54±0.74 mmol/L). In multivariate analysis, gender, marital status, high BMI, dietary habits and physical activity were potential risk factors for dyslipidemia in HIV-infected Chinese patients. In this study, we reported high prevalence dyslipidemiain two HIV infected groups. We suggest that the appropriate diagnosis should be performed for analyzing the metabolic complications in HIV-infected Chinese patients. Further studies are very important to understand the role of potential risk factors in metabolic complications.

Impact of NF-κB pathway on the apoptosis-inflammation-autophagy crosstalk in human degenerative nucleus pulposus cells.

The NF-κB pathway has been reported to play a very important role in the process of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Our results demonstrated that knockdown of NF-κB with P65-siRNA can significantly decrease cell apoptosis and the expression of pro-inflammation factors TNF-α and IL-1ß in LPS-induced nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). However, the molecular mechanism of NF-κB pathway exerting anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis function remains unclear. Some researchers reported that inhibiting NF-κB pathway can attenuate the catabolic effect by promoting autophagy during inflammatory conditions in rat nucleus pulposus cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that in human NPCs, inhibiting NF-κB pathway may also promote autophagy. Our results indicated that after knockdown of NF-κB, the autophagy was significantly increased and the expression of p-AKT and p-mTOR protein markedly decreased, but the level of autophagy was inhibited after treatment with AKT activator SC79, suggesting the involvement of AKT/mTOR-mediated autophagy was under autophagy activation. However, both LPS-induced NPCs apoptosis and expression of pro-inflammation factors were further increased by pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ). These suggested that inhibiting NF-κB pathway can promote autophagy and decrease apoptosis and inflammation response in LPS-induced NPCs. Meanwhile, autophagy triggered by NF-κB inhibition plays a protective role against apoptosis and inflammation.

Effects of exogenous nitrogen input and water change on litter decomposition in a desert grassland.

Under the background of global climate change, atmospheric nitrogen deposition and precipitation are undergoing substantial changes, which leads to an uncertainty on litter decomposition in desert grassland. The experiment was set up with a split-plot design. There were three precipi-tation treatments, including natural precipitation, an increase of 30% and a decrease of 30%, and four levels of nitrogen application, including 0 (N0), 30 (N30), 50 (N50) and 100 kg·hm-2·a-1 (N100). A two-year decomposition experiment aimed to examine how water and nitrogen manipulations interactively influence litter decomposition of three dominant species in the desert grassland, i.e., Salsola collina, Stipa breviflora and Kochia prostrata. The results showed that litter mass remaining rate decreased with time, which was consistent with Olson negative exponential decay model. Litter decomposition coefficient (k) was highest for S. collina, followed by S. breviflora and K. prostrata. The decomposition coefficient (k=0.028) was the highest under the treatment of increased precipitation 30% and N application level of 100 kg·hm-2·a-1. Under single factor treatment, litter decomposition was the fastest under increased precipitation 30% and N application level of 50 kg·hm-2·a-1. Under the combined water and nitrogen treatments, litter decomposition under increased precipitation 30% and N application level of 100 kg·hm-2·a-1 was the fastest. The initial nitrogen content was the greatest for S. collina, followed by S. breviflora and K. prostrata. The decomposition coefficients were positively correlated with initial nitrogen contents for S. collina and S. breviflora. The total carbon content, cellulose content, lignin content, C/N, lignin/N and cellulose/N were higher in K. prostrata than in S. breviflora and S. collina. The litter characteristics were negatively correlated with decomposition coefficient for S. collina. For S. breviflora and K. prostrata, the decomposition coefficients decreased with increasing C/N, lignin/N and cellulose/N. The results indicated that the decomposition rate was the highest in S. collina, and the lowest in K. prostrata. The findings suggest that appropriate amounts of added water and nitrogen will contribute to accelerating litter decomposition, promoting nutrient cycling, and will play an important role in the sustainability and ecological balance of the desert grassland .

[Early effects of forest harvesting gap on understory plant diversity of three different plantations in Baiyun Mountain, China.] / 采伐林窗对白云山3ç§äººå·¥æž—æž—ä¸‹æ¤ç‰©å¤šæ ·æ€§çš„æ—©æœŸå½±å“.

Pinus massoniana, Cunninghamia lanceolata, and Phyllostachys edulis are the main afforesting species in the low hilly areas and valley of the southern Yangtze River for commercial purpose. Ecological problems such as the monotonous community structure and low biodiversity are common in these plantations. To understand the effect of forest harvesting gap on the understory plant diversity in the three plantations, different size gaps with identical habitats were conducted with cano-pies as control in the three plantations in Baiyun Mountain. The life form spectrum of plants and plant diversity were compared among the different forest gaps. The results showed that species richness was the highest in C. lanceolata plantation (57 species), followed by P. edulis plantation (53 species) and P. massoniana plantation (41 species) in two years after harvesting. In the early period, plant species were more abundant in the gaps than that in the controls in C. lanceolata and P. edulis plantations, but there was no significant difference between the gaps and the control in P. masso-niana plantation. The percentage of phanerophyte plants were significantly higher in the forest gaps covered 500 m2 area than that with other sizes. The percentage of the hemicryptophyte and therophyte plants were higher in the forest gaps covered 250 m2 area. The percentage of geophyte plants were higher in the forest gaps with 50 m2 area than the others. The resembling coefficients between the different size gaps were higher than that between the gaps and the control in the same plantation. The resembling coefficients between different size gaps in the same plantation were higher than that between different size gaps in different plantations. The resembling coefficients between the gaps and the control in different plantations were generally lower than the others. The species richness, Simpson ecological dominance index, and Shannon diversity index differed significantly for different size gaps. Except for Simpson ecological dominance index, the indices were significantly influenced by the plantation types. The effects of the interaction between plantation types and gap sizes on these indices were not statistically significant. Forest harvesting gaps altered life form spectrum of understory plants and increased plant diversity in the three plantations.

Development of a microarray for simultaneous detection and differentiation of different tospoviruses that are serologically related to Tomato spotted wilt virus.

BACKGROUND: Tospoviruses, the plant-infecting genus in the family Bunyaviridae, are thrips borne and cause severe agricultural losses worldwide. Based on the serological relationships of the structural nucleocapsid protein (NP), the current tospoviruses are divided into six serogroups. The use of NP-antisera is convenient for virus detection, but it is insufficient to identify virus species grouped in a serogroup due to the serological cross-reaction. Alternatively, virus species can be identified by the N gene amplification using specific primers. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is the type species of the genus Tospovirus and one of the most destructive plant viruses. Eight known tospoviruses, Alstroemeria necrotic streak virus (ANSV), Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus (CSNV), Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), Melon severe mosaic virus (MeSMV), Pepper necrotic spot virus (PNSV), Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) and Zucchini lethal chlorosis virus (ZLCV), sharing serological relatedness with TSWV in NP, are grouped in the TSWV serogroup. Most of the TSWV-serogroup viruses prevail in Europe and America. An efficient diagnostic method is necessary for inspecting these tospoviruses in Asia, including Taiwan. METHODS: A microarray platform was developed for simultaneous detection and identification of TSWV-serogroup tospoviruses. Total RNAs extracted from Chenopodium quinoa leaves separately inoculated with ANSV, CSNV, GRSV, INSV, TCSV and TSWV were used for testing purposes. The 5'-biotinylated degenerate forward and reverse primers were designed from the consensus sequences of N genes of TSWV-serogroup tospoviruses for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification. Virus-specific oligonucleotide probes were spotted on the surface of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chips to hybridize with PCR products. The hybridization signals were visualized by hydrolysis of NBT/BCIP with streptavidine-conjugated alkaline phosphatase. The microarray was further applied to diagnose virus infection in field crop samples. RESULTS: Amplicons of approximately 0.46 kb were amplified from all tested TSWV-serogroup tospoviruses by RT-PCR using the degenerate primer pair Pr-dTS-f/Pr-dTS-r. Virus species were identified on chips by hybridization of PCR products with respective virus-specific probes. The microarray was successfully used to diagnose TSWV infection in field pepper samples. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a rapid, sensitive and precise microarray method has been developed to simultaneously detect and identify six TSWV-serogroup tospoviruses. The microarray platform provides a great potential to explore tospoviruses that can help researchers and quarantine staff to prevent invasions of tospoviruses.

Autonomic control of bone formation: its clinical relevance.

Bone remodeling is thought to be regulated by many factors including nutritional status, humoral factors, and biomechanical stress. However, the involvement of the autonomic nervous system, mainly the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), in the modulation of bone remodeling is beginning to receive more attention. Neural innervation of bone has been demonstrated. Both experimental and clinical evidence has indicated the involvement of autonomic nervous system regulation in bone metabolism. The sympathetic neural pathway is so far the only identified link between the potent leptin-dependent central control and bone cells. An intact autonomic nervous system contributes to the maintenance of healthy bone tissue. Conversely, disturbance of the autonomic nervous system could induce abnormal bone remodeling. In this chapter, we review current knowledge about the role of the autonomic nervous system in abnormal bone formation and its association with clinical diseases such as heterotopic ossification, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, postmenopausal osteoporosis, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, complex regional pain syndrome, Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy, unloading-induced osteoporosis, central or peripheral nervous system damage, and depression-induced osteoporosis. Understanding the mechanism of sympathetic neural signaling in bone remodeling may shed light on a potential treatment avenue for the prevention or reversal of bone loss.

[Growth and accumulation of shikonin compounds of two kinds of cells in suspension culture of Arnebia euchroma].

Via studying the phenotype, growth curve and secondary metabolites of two kinds of suspension culture cell of Arnebia euchroma, the kinetics parameters of growth and accumulation of shikonin compounds in cell suspension culture of A. euchroma was obtained through simulating and modeling. This Study found that the red high-yielding one was a fine cell line for producing shikonin compounds, and the white low-yielding one may be a mutant. The first-order and second-order derivative of the fitting function were obtained by fitting the Logistic model of growth curve to get the growth rate and growth acceleration curve of the suspended cells. It is found that the best period to subculture was the 15th day cultured in fresh medium, and the best period of the induction process was the 13th-14th day. When compared the growth rate of the red line and the shikonin compounds accumulation curve, it is found that the rapid growth of the biomass of cells was not conducive to the synthesis and accumulation of shikonin compounds.