Effect of Helicobacter Pylori Infection on Glucose Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism and Inflammatory Cytokines in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients.

Objective: To probe into the influence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection on glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory cytokines in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (MASLD). Methods: A total of 140 MASLD patients admitted to our Hospital between June 2020 and May 2021 were selected as the research objects. Based on the presence or absence of Hp infection, they were divided into the study group (73 cases with infection) and control group (67 cases without infection). Glucose metabolism indicators [fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-hour postprandial glucose (2hPG), fasting insulin (FINS), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc)], lipid metabolism indicators [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], and inflammatory indicators [interleukin-37 (IL-37), interleukin-18 (IL-18)] were measured and compared between the two groups. Results: In terms of glucose metabolism indicators, the study group exhibited higher levels of FBG (5.84±0.49 vs 5.40±0.51, t=2.535, P=0.012), 2hPG (7.26±1.30 vs 6.50±1.53, t=3.321, P<0.001), and FINS (11.13±4.13 vs 9.12±3.72, t=3.224, P<0.001), and Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) (2.97±0.35 VS 2.13±0.54, t=3.761, P<0.001) and a lower level of HbAlc (5.25±0.56 vs 6.12±0.57, t=5.473, P<0.001) compared to the control group. Regarding lipid metabolism indicators, the study group exhibited higher levels of TC (5.64±1.49 vs 5.01±1.32, t=3.332, P<0.001), TG (1.89±0.34 vs 1.32±0.43, t=3.411, P<0.001), and LDL-C (3.31±0.43 vs 2.12±0.29, t=4.142, P<0.001), and a lower level of HDL-C (1.45±0.21 vs 1.78±0.42, t=4.347, P<0.001) compared to the control group. As for the inflammatory indicators, the study group exhibited higher levels of IL-37 (45.56±6.02 vs 34.02±3.28, t=9.332, P<0.001) and IL-18 (73.57±5.82 vs 60.34±4.84, t=10.141, P<0.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion: It is crucial to place appropriate emphasis on the impact of Hp infection on the glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory response in MASLD patients, warranting careful consideration during the treatment of these patients.

[Effect of No-tillage on Soil Aggregates in Farmland：A Meta Analysis].

In order to clarify the impact of no-tillage on the quality of farmland soil aggregates in China and promote the adaptive application of no-tillage practices， a Meta-analysis was conducted by collecting data from 116 published studies. The effects of no-tillage on aggregate size distribution， mean weight diameter （MWD）， and aggregate-associated C were studied. The results showed that compared with that under tillage， no-tillage significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates （10.9%） and MWD （12.8%） and decreased the proportion of clay and silt （-15.5%） but had no significant effect on soil microaggregate and aggregate-associated C. The subgroup and Meta regression analysis showed that no-tillage significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates in Northwest China （17.6%） and MWD in North China （15.4%）. In upland and clay loam， no-tillage increased MWD by 12.6% and 18.4%， respectively. The effect of no-tillage on increasing the proportion of macroaggregates increased with the soil pH. When straw returned， no-tillage significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates （9.6%） and MWD （11.6%）， but no significant effect of no-tillage on aggregates was found after straw removal. Regarding test duration， short-term （ < 5 a） no-tillage could significantly increase the proportion of macroaggregates， whereas long-term （ > 10 a） no-tillage could improve the MWD. In different soil layers， no-tillage could only significantly improve the aggregate size distribution and MWD in topsoil （0-20 cm） but had no effect in subsoil （ > 20 cm）. In summary， no-tillage could improve aggregate size distribution and stability but had no effect on aggregate-associated C. Production region， soil properties， field management methods， and other factors should be fully considered in production practice to effectively improve the quality of soil aggregates.

[Research progress on the relationship between neural synchronization activity and memory consolidation during non-rapid eye movement sleep].

Neural synchronization activity is considered a key aspect of information processing in the nervous system. Local synchronization within different frequency ranges and inter-regional synchronization are ubiquitous and related to various behavioral and cognitive functions. As memory is a higher cognitive function of the brain, the formation and consolidation of memory are closely related to neural synchronization activity. This article provides an overview of the research progress on the relationship between neural synchronization activity and memory consolidation, focusing primarily on the neuro-oscillatory activities across multiple brain regions during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in vivo, as well as the synchronous burst activity in cultured neural networks in vitro. Finally, we analyzed the existing issues in current research and provided a perspective on future relevant studies.

[Effect of Biochar on Agricultural Soil Aggregates and Organic Carbon: A Meta-analysis].

As a soil amendment, biochar has been widely used to ameliorate agricultural soil. To ensure the effect of biochar on the carbon sequestration of farmlands in China, a Meta-analysis was carried out via collecting published literatures. We quantitatively analyzed the response of biochar application to soil aggregates, aggregate carbon, and soil organic carbon to different experimental conditions. The results showed that the application of biochar significantly increased the proportion of soil macroaggregates(10.8%) and MWD(13.3%) but had no significant effect on soil microaggregates and silty-clay compared with those in the non-biochar-added treatment. Moreover, biochar addition significantly increased soil organic carbon content(56.9%), with the largest increased area in North China(39.4%), and enhanced intra-aggregate carbon contents of each particle size. Biochar could significantly increase soil organic carbon content under different experimental designs. Compared with that under non-fertilization, biochar combined with fertilization could also significantly improve soil structure and soil fertility. We also found that more than two years of biochar application significantly increased the proportion of macroaggregates(15.7%), MWD(21.2%), macroaggregate carbon(31.7%), and soil organic carbon(40.0%). Meanwhile, biochar produced from crop straw had better soil improvement effects than that of wood and sawdust. Biochar applied in high-nitrogen soil was more beneficial to improve soil stability. Thus, we concluded that biochar could meliorate soil structure and promote the accumulation of soil organic carbon, which was of importance for the fertility maintenance and improvement of the farmland.

[Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Function Prediction of Millet/Peanut Intercropping Farmland in the Lower Yellow River].

The objective of this study was to explore the microecological variability in farmland soil fertility in response to millet-peanut intercropping patterns by clarifying the effects of millet-peanut 4:4 intercropping on soil bacterial community structure and its diversity, as well as to provide a reference basis for promoting ecological restoration and arable land quality improvement in the lower Yellow River farmland. The Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology and QIIME 2 platform were used to analyze the differences in bacterial community composition and their influencing factors in five soils[sole millet (SM), sole peanut (SP), intercropping millet (IM), intercropping peanut (IP), and millet-peanut intercropping (MP)] and to predict their ecological functions. The results showed that the α-diversity of intercropping soil bacterial communities differed from that of monocropping, though not significantly, whereas the ß-diversity was significantly different (P<0.05). A total of 7081 ASVs were obtained from all soil samples, classified into 34 phyla, 109 orders, 256 class, 396 families, 710 genera, and 1409 species, of which 727 ASVs were shared, accounting for 24.5% to 27.8% in five soil species. The bacterial communities of millet-peanut intercropping and its monocropping soils were similar in phylum composition but varied in relative abundance. All five soils were dominated by the Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi, with a relative abundance of 79.40%-81.33%. Soil organic carbon and alkaline nitrogen were the most important factors causing differences in the structures of the five soil bacterial communities at the phylum and genus levels, respectively. The PICRUSt functional prediction revealed that the relative abundance of primary functional metabolism was the largest (78.9%-79.3%), and the relative abundance of secondary functional exogenous biodegradation and metabolism fluctuated the most (CV=3.782%). In terms of the BugBase phenotype, the relative abundance of oxidative stress-tolerant bacteria increased in intercropping millet or peanut soils compared to that in the corresponding monocultures and significantly increased in intercropping millet soils compared to that in sole millet (P<0.05). Oxidative stress-tolerant, Gram-positive, and aerobic phenotypes were highly significantly positively correlated with each other (P<0.01), and all three showed highly significant negative correlations with potential pathogenicity and Gram-negative and anaerobic phenotypes (P<0.01). This showed that millet-peanut intercropping resulted in differences in soil bacterial community diversity, abundance, and metabolic functions and the possibility of reducing the occurrence of potential soil diseases. It can be used to regulate the soil microbiological environment to promote ecological restoration and sustainable development of farmland in the lower Yellow River.

Icariin restrains NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated Th2 immune responses and ameliorates atopic dermatitis through modulating a novel lncRNA MALAT1/miR-124-3p axis.

CONTEXT: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease characterized with hyperactivation of type 2 T helper (Th2) immune responses. Icariin is a flavonoid glucoside with anti-inflammatory activities, which has been used to treat multiple diseases. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the underlying mechanisms by which icariin regulates Th2 responses and AD development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BALB/c mice were induced by DNFB to establish AD models, and injected with or without 10 mg/kg icariin for 2 weeks (i.p., daily). CD4+T cells were induced by Th2 condition to simulate AD in vitro, and also treated with or without 100 µM icariin. RESULTS: Icariin ameliorated AD-like skin lesion, manifested as a significant decrease in dermatitis scores (from 8.00 ± 1.00 to 3.67 ± 0.58), serum IgE levels (from 3119.15 ± 241.81 to 948.55 ± 182.51 ng/mL), epidermal thickness (from 93.86 ± 4.61 to 42.67 ± 2.48 µm) and infiltration of mast cells (from 60.67 ± 3.21 cells to 36.00 ± 2.65 cells). Also, icariin inactivated NLRP3 inflammasome, inhibited Th2 skewing, reduced lncRNA MALAT1 expression, but elevated miR-124-3p expression in vivo and in vitro. MALAT1 increased NLRP3 expression through targeting miR-124-3p. Knockdown of MALAT1 repressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation and mitigated Th1/Th2 imbalance in Th2-conditioned CD4+T cells, whereas both MALAT1 overexpression and miR-124-3p inhibition ablated the inhibitory effects of icariin on Th2 immune responses. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The findings further improve our understanding of the mechanism by which icariin affects AD progression, and highlights the potential of icariin in the treatment of AD.

[Structure and Function of Soil Fungal Community in Rotation Fallow Farmland in Alluvial Plain of Lower Yellow River].

This study was conducted to clarify the structure and function of the fungal community and the microecology change characteristics of farmland soil fertility response to different fallow rotation patterns. It aimed to provide a reference for promoting farmland ecological restoration and farmland quality improvement in the alluvial plain of the lower Yellow River. Farmland soil subject to a long-term rotation fallow experiment since 2018 was studied using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology, and the 'FUNGuild' fungal function prediction tool was used to analyze differences in soil fungal community structure and function under the following four rotation fallow regimes: long fallow (LF), winter wheat and summer fallow (WF), winter fallow and summer maize (FM), and annual rotation of winter wheat and summer maize (WM). The results showed that LF (fallow lasting two years) increased the richness and diversity of fungal communities in the topsoil (0-20 cm layer), whereas WF increased the richness and diversity of fungi in the deep soil (20-40 cm layer) after winter wheat harvest. A total of 2262 OTU were obtained from all soil samples, which were divided into 14 phyla, 34 classes, 75 orders, 169 families, 309 genera, and 523 species. OTU shared by the two soil layers included 420 types (0-20 cm layer) and 253 types (20-40 cm layer), respectively. The fungal community structure of the four rotation fallow soils was similar at the phylum level, mainly including Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota. The total abundances of the three dominant bacteria were 91.69%-96.91% (0-20 cm layer) and 91.67%-94.86% (20-40 cm layer), respectively. Principal component analysis showed that the first principal component (PC1) and the second principal component (PC2) could explain the difference in community structure by 45.56% (0-20 cm layer) and 46.20% (20-40 cm layer). Additionally, the LDA results of LEfSe (threshold was 4.0) showed that there were 64 fungal evolutionary branches in LF, FM, WF, and WM with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). According to RDA analysis, total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus (TP), available nitrogen (AN), and soil water content (SWC) were the main environmental factors that significantly affected fungal community in the 0-40 cm soil layer (P<0.05). The functional prediction with FUNGuild showed that the main nutrient types among different treatments in different soil layers were saprotrophic, saprotrophic-symbiotrophic, pathotrophic-saprotrophic-symbiotrophic, and pathotrophic. In LF, the nutrient type of topsoil was mainly pathotrophic-saprotrophic-symbiotrophic, whereas in deep soil, the relative abundance of pathotrophic fungi was the highest. Additionally, in the treatments with planted wheat or corn (FM, WF, and WM), saprotrophic was the main type in both soil layers. Therefore, different fallow patterns were linked to variation in the structure, diversity, and nutrient types of soil fungal communities. Based on these results, seasonal fallow practices could regulate the farmland soil micro-ecological environment of intensive planting and promote the health and harmony of farmland soil ecosystems.

3D printing of injury-preconditioned secretome/collagen/heparan sulfate scaffolds for neurological recovery after traumatic brain injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: The effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) can include physical disability and even death. The development of effective therapies to promote neurological recovery is still a challenging problem. 3D-printed biomaterials are considered to have a promising future in TBI repair. The injury-preconditioned secretome derived from human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells showed better stability in neurological recovery after TBI. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that a biological scaffold loaded with an injury-preconditioned secretome could facilitate neural network reconstruction after TBI. METHODS: In this study, we fabricated injury-preconditioned secretome/collagen/heparan sulfate scaffolds by 3D printing. The scaffold structure and porosity were examined by scanning electron microscopy and HE staining. The cytocompatibility of the scaffolds was characterized by MTT analysis, HE staining and electron microscopy. The modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS), Morris water maze (MWM), and motor evoked potential (MEP) were used to examine the recovery of cognitive and locomotor function after TBI in rats. HE staining, silver staining, Nissl staining, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect the reconstruction of neural structures and pathophysiological processes. The biocompatibility of the scaffolds in vivo was characterized by tolerance exposure and liver/kidney function assays. RESULTS: The excellent mechanical and porosity characteristics of the composite scaffold allowed it to efficiently regulate the secretome release rate. MTT and cell adhesion assays demonstrated that the scaffold loaded with the injury-preconditioned secretome (3D-CH-IB-ST) had better cytocompatibility than that loaded with the normal secretome (3D-CH-ST). In the rat TBI model, cognitive and locomotor function including mNSS, MWM, and MEP clearly improved when the scaffold was transplanted into the damage site. There is a significant improvement in nerve tissue at the site of lesion. More abundant endogenous neurons with nerve fibers, synaptic structures, and myelin sheaths were observed in the 3D-CH-IB-ST group. Furthermore, the apoptotic response and neuroinflammation were significantly reduced and functional vessels were observed at the injury site. Good exposure tolerance in vivo demonstrated favorable biocompatibility of the scaffold. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that injury-preconditioned secretome/collagen/heparan sulfate scaffolds fabricated by 3D printing promoted neurological recovery after TBI by reconstructing neural networks, suggesting that the implantation of the scaffolds could be a novel way to alleviate brain damage following TBI.

[Characteristics of Bacterial Community Structure in Fluvo-aquic Soil Under Different Rotation Fallow].

The aim of this study was to provide a reference for promoting ecological restoration of farmland and the green development of agriculture in the alluvial plain of the lower Yellow River by determining the effects of different rotation fallow patterns on the bacterial community of the fluvo-aquic soil. Farmland soil subject to a long-term rotation fallow experiment since 2018 was studied using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology, and the 'Tax4Fun' bacterial function prediction tool was used to analyze differences in soil bacterial community structure and function under the following four rotation fallow regimes:long fallow(LF), winter wheat and summer fallow(WF), winter fallow and summer maize(FM), and annual rotation of winter wheat and summer maize(WM). The environmental factors affecting changes in the soil bacterial community structure and function were also analyzed. In total, 44 phyla, 146 classes, 338 orders, 530 families, 965 genera, and 2073 species of bacteria were detected in the soil samples from the different rotation fallow regimes, and the dominant bacterial groups were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi in 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil layers. However, the relative abundances of the dominant bacteria groups were varied between the rotation fallow regimes. In the 0-20 cm layer of the seasonal fallow soils(WF and FM), bacteria were more abundant and community diversity was higher than that of the WM and LF soils. In 20-40 cm soil layer, the WF soil was more abundant in bacterial and the community was more diverse. Based on the prediction function of the 'Tax4Fun' tool, six primary metabolic pathways, 40 secondary metabolic pathways(18 types with relative abundance greater than 1%), and 264 tertiary metabolic pathways were identified in the soil bacteria of the different rotation fallow regimes. Seasonal fallow(WF and FM) was found to increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial metabolic pathways involved in metabolism, environmental information processing, and genetic information processing. According to RDA analysis, the soil bacterial community in the 0-20 cm soil layer was significantly affected by soil moisture, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, available potassium, pH, and C/N ratio(P<0.05), and the soil bacterial community in 20-40 cm soil layer was significantly affected by soil total phosphorus and available phosphorus(P<0.05). Therefore, different fallow patterns were linked to variation in the structure, diversity, and metabolic functions of soil bacterial communities. Based on these results, seasonal fallow practices could promote the health and stability of farmland soil ecosystems.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the edible Basidiomycete mushroom Thelephora aurantiotincta (Aphyllophorales: Thelephoraceae) from China.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Thelephora aurantiotincta, an edible Basidiomycete mushroom species with ecological and economic value is reported in this study. The whole genome is a circular molecule 50,672 bp in length and encodes 42 genes as follows: 15 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes and 25 tRNA genes. The A, T, C, G contents in the genome are 35.60%, 35.31%, 13.89%, and 15.20%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between T. aurantiotincta and T. ganbajun. This is the first complete mitochondrial genome for T. aurantiotincta that will be useful for providing basic genetic information for this important species.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the threatened Cypripedium calceolus (Orchidaceae).

The complete chloroplast genome of Cypripedium calceolus, a rare species in the family Orchidaceae was reported in this study. The genome size is 175,122 bp in length, and contains four sub-regions: 97,486 bp of large single copy (LSC) and 22,260 bp of small copy (SSC) regions, separated by 27,688 bp of inverted repeat (IR) regions. A total of 133 genes were annotated, including 87 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. The GC content of this cp genome is 34.36%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between C. calceolus with C. japonicum and C. formosanum. This is the first complete cp genome for C. calceolus that would be useful for conservation and phylogenetic studies of this species.

[Research advances in iron and zinc transfer from soil to plant in intercropping systems].

Intercropping facilitates the efficient utilization of land, light, water and nutrients. It is, therefore, important to increase the biodiversity of farmland and to develop sustainable ecological agriculture in both theory and practice. Intercropping helps improve the mobilization and uptake of soil iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) and corresponding nutritional status in the plants, thus achieving grain micronutrient biofortification. In this review, phenomena of the improvement of Fe and Zn nutrition in dicotyledonous plants as affected by intercropping with gramineous plants (e.g. maize/peanut intercropping) were summarized. Moreover, the possible mechanisms in relation to interspecific rhizosphere molecular and physiological processes, as well as the changes in interspecific root morphology and distribution and microorganisms in the rhizosphere were elucidated. The accumulation, transfer and distribution of Fe and Zn in the plants in intercropping systems were also reviewed. The possible affecting factors on nutrients of Fe and Zn were analyzed. Based on the present advances in the mobilization and acquisition of soil Fe and Zn, and their accumulation and distribution in plants as well as the related management and environment influence factors, some new research questions were pointed out. Quantitative analysis, dynamic and systemic researches and field studies on Fe and Zn transfer from soil to plant in intercropping systems should be strengthened in the future.

Expression of circulating microRNA-20a and let-7a in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the expressions of microRNA-20a (miR-20a) and let-7a in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their diagnostic value. METHODS: Seventy patients with ESCC and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled to investigate the expression of miR-20a and let-7a using quantitative real-time PCR. The expression of miR-20a and let-7a was compared between ESCC patients and healthy subjects. The plasma levels of miR-20a and let-7a in relation to patient clinicopathologic parameters, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the sensitivity and specificity of miR-20a and let-7a in ESCC diagnosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Plasma levels of miR-20a were significantly higher in ESCC patients than in healthy controls, and plasma levels of let-7 were lower in ESCC patients than in healthy controls (both P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve of miR-20a was 0.767 (95%CI: 0.677-0.857; P < 0.001), when the cut-off value was set at 4.77, the sensitivity and specificity were 64.3% and 75.0%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of let-7a was 0.829 (95%CI: 0.754-0.904; P < 0.001), when the cut-off value was set at 6.22, the sensitivity and specificity were 74.3% and 85.0%, respectively. Thus, the sensitivity and specificity of let-7a were higher than those of miR-20a. The median relative plasma expression of let-7a in clinical stage III/IV (0.24) was lower than that in stage I/II (0.42), while the expression of miR-20a according to stage was not statistically different. The expressions of miR-20a and let-7a were not related to gender, age, tumor diameter, tumor grade, or pathologic stage. CONCLUSION: Plasma miR-20a and let-7a levels are significantly altered in patients with ESCC and can be used as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of ESCC.

C-21 steroidal glycosides from Dregea sinensis.

Two new C-21 steroidal glycosides, dregeosides D (1) and E (2), were isolated from the roots of Dregea sinensis. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HR-ESI-MS analysis. Finally, the inhibited effects of the isolated compounds on interleukin 2 receptor were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Dragon's blood dropping pills have protective effects on focal cerebral ischemia rats model.

Dragon's blood is a bright red resin obtained from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C.Chen (Yunnan, China). As a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, it has great traditional medicinal value and is used for wound healing and to stop bleeding. Its main biological activity comes from phenolic compounds. In this study, phenolic compounds were made into dropping pills and their protective effects were examined by establishing focal cerebral ischemia rats model used method of Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO), and by investigating indexes of neurological scores, infarct volume, cerebral index, cerebral water content and oxidation stress. Compared to model group, high, middle and low groups of Dragon's blood dropping pills could improve the neurological function significantly (p<0.01) and reduce cerebral infarct volume of focal cerebral ischemia rats remarkably (p<0.05-0.01). Meanwhile, each group could alleviate cerebral water content and cerebral index (p<0.05-0.01) and regulate oxidative stress of focal cerebral ischemia rats obviously (p<0.05-0.01). Activities of middle group corresponded with that treated with positive control drug. The results obtained here showed that Dragon's blood dropping pills had protective effects on focal cerebral ischemia rats.

[Community structure of Great Gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) parasitic fleas in Junggar Basin focus and related epizootiological characteristics on plague].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the community structure of Rhombomys opimus parasitic fleas in the natural plague focus in Junggar Basin, so as to explain the relationship between the community structure and the prevalence of animal plague in this area. METHODS: The body fleas of R.opimus which were collected in 2005-2010 from the Junggar Basin was analysed by community ecology method, an each clustered flea community was compared with information of pathogenic and serological indicators of animal plague epidemic by statistic method. RESULTS: The community structure of R. opimus parasitic fleas included 19 species and was very complicated, with only 3 were identified as 'common' species but the others belonged to 'rare' species. Both the average richness and diversity of flea community were higher, as 1.66 and 1.5556, with dominance not obvious (0.332) and the homogeneity as moderate (0.5283). The community structure of R. opimus parasitic fleas could be changed by the following factors as: the rates of flea parasitic/flea index and the proportions of main fleas etc. The flea community could be divided into 5 clusters according to the above said elements. All these data showed that the fleas of R. opimus parasitic fleas possess the nature of multi-parasitism. CONCLUSIONS: The community of R. opimus parasitic fleas existed heterogeneous of geographic region, and this phenomenon associated with the animal plague epidemic strength.

Dragon's blood may have radioprotective effects in radiation-induced rat brain injury.

Dragon's blood is a bright red resin obtained from Dracaena cochinchinensis. It is a traditional medicinal that is used for wound healing and to stop bleeding. Its main biological activity appears to be from phenolic compounds found in Dragon's blood. In this study, the radioprotective effects of Dragon's blood were examined after whole brain irradiation of rats with either 100 MeV/u Carbon (12)C(6+) heavy ions or (60)Co γ-rays. The amounts of radiation-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis in irradiated rat brains were compared with and without Dragon's blood treatment. Compared to the "irradiation only" control group, the Dragon's blood treatment group significantly decreased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels, and increased superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels induced by oxidative stress in radiation exposed rats (P < 0.05). Dragon's blood also significantly reduced radiation-induced inflammatory cytokines of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ and interleukin-6 levels (P < 0.05) and inhibited hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in (60)Co γ-ray irradiated rats. Furthermore, Dragon's blood significantly increased expression of brain-derived neurophic factor and inhibited the expression of pro-apoptotic caspase 3 (P < 0.05-0.01). Finally, Dragon's blood significantly inhibited expression of the AP-1 transcription factor family members c-fos and c-jun proteins (P < 0.05-0.01). The results obtained here suggest that Dragon's blood has radioprotective properties in rat brains after both heavy ions and (60)Co γ-ray exposure.

Dragon's Blood extract has antithrombotic properties, affecting platelet aggregation functions and anticoagulation activities.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dragon's Blood from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C. Chen (Yunnan, China), as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, was shown to have certain antithrombotic effects. A new preparation process was used to extract effective components from Dragon's Blood. A 95% ethanol extract A (EA) and a precipitate B (PB) fraction were obtained and compared. Reliability of the preparation process was validated by pharmacodynamic experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A rat/mouse thrombosis and blood stasis model was developed for this study, and EA and PB effects on thrombosis, platelet functions and blood coagulation activities were analyzed. RESULTS: It was observed that the EA fraction had significantly better inhibitory effects than the PB fraction on thrombosis (p<0.05), platelet aggregation function (p<0.01) and anticoagulation activity (p<0.05-0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained here showed that EA fraction from Dragon's Blood contained pharmacologically effective compounds with antithrombotic effects, partially improving platelet function and anticoagulation activity.

Combination of HPLC chromatogram and hypoglycemic effect identifies isoflavones as the principal active fraction of Belamcanda chinensis leaf extract in diabetes treatment.

In previous study, we demonstrated the hypoglycemic effect of aqueous extract of Belamcanda chinensis leaves in rats. Here, we separated the aqueous extract of B. chinensis leaves and investigated the spectrum-effect relationships between HPLC chromatograms and hypoglycemic activities of different isolates from B. chinensis leaf extract. Sequential solvent extraction with petroleum ether, chloroform, acetic ester and n-butanol provided several isolates showing similar hypoglycemic activities, making it difficult to discriminate the active fractions. Stepwise elution through HP20 macroporous resin by water, 40% and 95% ethanol provided isolates with distinct hypoglycemic activities, representing a simple, rapid and efficient preparative separation method. Combination of HPLC chromatogram and pharmacological effect targeted a hypoglycemic activity-related region in HPLC chromatogram. Each peak in this region was analyzed by UV spectrum scan. Most of them were flavonoids in which tectoridin and swertisin were known flavonoids with anti-diabetic activities. In together, this work provides a general model of combination of HPLC chromatography and pharmacological effect to study the spectrum-effect relationships of aqueous extract from B. chinensis leaves, which can be used to find principle components of B. chinensis on pharmacological activity.