[Morphological study of sexual reproductive disorders in Ligusticum chuanxiong].

Chuanxiong Rhizoma is a well-known Sichuan-specific herbal medicine. Its original plant, Ligusticum chuanxiong, has been cultivated asexually for a long time. L. chuanxiong has sexual reproductive disorders, which restricts its germplasm innovation. However, there is little research on the reproductive system of L. chuanxiong. This study is based on a comparative anatomical research approach, using morphological dissection, paraffin sectioning, staining and compression, and combined with scanning electron microscopy technology, to observe and compare the flowers, fruits, and seeds at various stages of reproductive growth of L. chuanxiong and its wild relative L. sinense. The results showed that the meiosis of pollen mother cells is abnormal in L. chuanxiong anthers, and the size and number of microspores are uneven and inconsistent in the tetrad stage. tapetum cells are not completely degenerated during anther development. During the pollen ripening stage, there are fine cracks in the anther wall, while most anthers could not release pollen normally. The surface of mature pollen grains is concave and partially deformed, and the pollens are all inactive and cannot germinate in vitro. The starch, polysaccharides, and lipids in the pollen were insufficient. The filaments of L. chuanxiong are short at the flowering stage and recurved downward. Double-hanging fruits were observed in the fruiting stage, being wrinkled; with shriveled seeds. Compared with L. sinense at the same stage, the anthers of L. sinense developed normally, and the pollen grains are vigorous and can germinate in vitro. The double-hanging fruits of L. sinense are full and normal; at the flowering period, the filaments are long and erect, significantly higher than the stigma. Mature blastocysts are visible in the ovary of both L. chuanxiong and L. sinense, and there is no significant difference in stigmas. The conclusion is that during the development of L. chuanxiong stamens, the meiosis of pollen mother cells is abnormal, and tetrad, tapetum, filament and other pollen structures develop abnormally. L. chuanxiong has the characteristic of male infertility, which is an important reason for its sexual reproductive disorders.

Effect the accumulation of bioactive constituents of a medicinal plant (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bge.) by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community.

BACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic relationships with various terrestrial plants and have attracted considerable interest as biofertilizers for improving the quality and yield of medicinal plants. Despite the widespread distribution of AMFs in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge's roots, research on the impact of multiple AMFs on biomass and active ingredient accumulations has not been conducted. In this study, the effects of five native AMFs (Glomus formosanum, Septoglomus constrictum, Rhizophagus manihotis, Acaulospora laevis, and Ambispora gerdemannii) and twenty-six communities on the root biomass and active ingredient concentrations of S. miltiorrhiza were assessed using the total factor design method. RESULTS: Thirty-one treatment groups formed symbiotic relationships with S. miltiorrhiza based on the pot culture results, and the colonization rate ranged from 54.83% to 89.97%. AMF communities had higher colonization rates and total phenolic acid concentration than single AMF, and communities also appeared to have higher root fresh weight, dry weight, and total phenolic acid concentration than single inoculations. As AMF richness increased, there was a rising trend in root biomass and total tanshinone accumulations (ATTS), while total phenolic acid accumulations (ATP) showed a decreasing trend. This suggests that plant productivity was influenced by the AMF richness, with higher inoculation benefits observed when the communities contained three or four AMFs. Additionally, the affinities of AMF members were also connected to plant productivity. The inoculation effect of closely related AMFs within the same family, such as G. formosanum, S. constrictum, and R. manihotis, consistently yielded lower than that of mono-inoculation when any combinations were applied. The co-inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza with nearby or distant AMFs from two families, such as G. formosanum, R. manihotis, and Ac. laevis or Am. gerdemannii resulted in an increase of ATP and ATTS by more than 50%. AMF communities appear to be more beneficial to the yield of bioactive constituents than the single AMF, but overall community inoculation effects are related to the composition of AMFs and the relationship between members. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the AMF community has great potential to improve the productivity and the accumulation of bioactive constituents in S. miltiorrhiza, indicating that it is an effective way to achieve sustainable agricultural development through using the AMF community.

Identification of core genes in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease based on mRNA-miRNA network.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with cognitive impairment and abnormal mental behaviour. There is currently no effective cure. The development of early diagnostic markers and the mining of potential therapeutic targets are one of the important strategies. This study aimed to explore potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets related to AD in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, two brain regions highly related to AD. Differentially expressed genes and miRNAs between AD patients and healthy controls were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The mRNA-miRNA network was constructed and key genes involved in AD were screened out by protein-protein interaction analysis, and were subsequently verified by independent datasets and qPCR in an AD mouse model. Our findings showed that six hub genes including CALN1, TRPM7, ATR, SOCS3, MOB3A and OGDH were believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. Western blot analysis further determined that CALN1, ATR and OGDH were the possible biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD. In addition, 6 possible miRNAs biomarkers have also been verified by qPCR on AD animal models. Our findings may benefit clinical diagnosis and early prevention of AD.

Global clonal spread of mcr-3-carrying MDR ST34 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and monophasic 1,4,[5],12:i:- variants from clinical isolates.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and transmission of mcr-3 among Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and 1,4,[5],12:i:-. METHODS: A total of 4724 clinical Salmonella isolates were screened for the presence of mcr-3 in China during 2014-19. The clonal relationship of the mcr-3-positive isolates and their plasmid contents and complete sequence were also characterized based on WGS data from the Illumina and MinION platforms. RESULTS: We identified 10 mcr-3-positive isolates, and all were MDR, mostly resistant to colistin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline and florfenicol. mcr-3 was co-present with blaCTX-M-55-qnrS1 on hybrid ST3-IncC-FII conjugatable plasmids (n = 6) and an ST3-IncC non-conjugatable plasmid (n = 1) and embedded into a pCHL5009T-like IncFII plasmid on the Salmonella chromosome (n = 3). Four distinctive genetic contexts surrounded mcr-3 and all but one were closely related to each other and to the corresponding region of IncFII plasmid pCHL5009T. IS15DI was most likely the vehicle for integration of mcr-3-carrying IncFII plasmids into ST3-IncC plasmids and the chromosome and for shaping the MDR regions. In addition, a phylogenetic tree based on the core genome revealed a unique Salmonella lineage (≤665 SNPs) that contained these 10 mcr-3-positive isolates and another 38 (33 from patients) mcr-3-positive Salmonella from five countries. In particular, most of the 51 mcr-3-positive isolates belonged to ST34 and harboured diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), including mcr-3-blaCTX-M-55-qnrS1, and possessed similar ARG profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed global clonal spread of MDR ST34 Salmonella from clinical isolates co-harbouring mcr-3 with blaCTX-M-55 and qnrS1 and a flexibility of mcr-3 co-transmittance with other ARGs mediated by mobile genetic elements.

[Microecology and geoherbalism of traditional Chinese medicine].

Microecology was directly or indirectly involved in the growth and development, metabolism process, and component accumulation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in various ways, which affected the formation and changes of the geoherbalism of TCM. It was one of the main tasks of traditional Chinese medical microecology(TCMM) to reveal the relationship among microecological structure and its change rule and the quality effect of TCM. The heterogeneity of soil environment caused by geographical and climatic factors, as well as the discreteness limitation caused by isolation factors such as distance and host selection, were the main causes of the differentiation of microecological geography of TCM. The microecology of TCM had important influences and contributions on the distinctive origin and quality of Dao-di herbs, which was mainly reflected in the formation of excellent germplasm(including disease and insect resistance, drought resistance, salt resistance, cold resistance, etc.), the increase of yield, the formation of medicinal parts, the metabolism and accumulation of effective components, the time limit of harvesting, and the toxicity, increasing efficiency or reducing toxicity of TCM in the processing, the changes of product efficiency after introduction, and the authenticity of fungus medicine. With the vigorous development of metabonomics and modern information technology, the following aspects would become the future research trends, including the microecologically mediated biogenic pathway of chemical components, the metabolic synthesis reactor of TCM based on the microecological quantitative effect relationship, the cultivation of genuine Chinese medicine based on reconstruction of microecological structure, the origin identification barcode traceability technology, and the toxicity reduction and efficiency enhancement technology of TCM based on the microecological.

[Research and prospect of Traditional Chinese Medical Microecology].

In the long-term evolution, microbes and hosts coexist widely, forming a symbiotic microecosystem and resulting the complex interactions of the metabolism. With the application of microecological theory in Chinese materia medica science, two main points have been accepted gradually. On the one hand, the prevention and treatment of human diseases by traditional Chinese medicines can be achieved through the correction and adjustment of the imbalance of the human microecosystem. On the other hand, the microecosystem can regulate the quality of traditional Chinese medicines in real time, and further affect their curative effect. Thus, a new discipline, Traditional Chinese Medical Microecology, has been gradually established. In this review, the background, theoretical structure, research directions, key problems and the relationship with human microecology of Traditional Chinese Medical Microecology were systematically summarized and prospected for promoting its development. Moreover, this review provides a reference protocol for further discoursing the microecological mechanism involving the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines.

[Isolation and Identification of Antagonistic Endophytic Actinomycetes Against Root Rot Disease in Ligusticum chuanxiong].

Objective: To get an understanding of the microflora of endophytic actinomycetes in Ligusticum chuanxiong,and to obtain the resource of antagonistic strains against Ligusticum chuanxiong root rot disease. Methods: Actinomycetes in stem nodes and rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong were isolated and purified by a series of means,namely tissue block method, homogenate technique and plat streaking method. Further, dual culture and inhibition zone method were employed to test the antagonistic activity of these strains. To identify strains with potential precisely,both microscopic observation and DNA sequencing were conducted. Results: 83 strains of Ligusticum chuanxiong endophytic actinomycetes were identified, which consisted of 13 species groups. Among all of them,species identified as Streptomyces scopuliridis( KF600747. 1), Streptomyces griseorubiginosus( AB706352. 1) and Streptomyces agglomeratus( LC055413. 1) showed antagonistic activities against four kinds of pathogenic fungi of Ligusticum chuanxiong root rot disease. Conclusion: Actinomycetes which belong to Griseorubroviolaceus groups of streptomyce are potential biocontrol microbes to Ligusticum chuanxiong root rot,showing importance to the production of Chuanxiong Rhizoma.

[Identification of Pathogens Causing Root Rot Disease on Ligusticum chuanxiong in Sichuan].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the pathogens causing root rot disease on Ligusticum chuanxiong from the main producing areas in Sichuan, and to provide gist of management of this disease in the future. METHODS: The diseased rhizomes of Ligusticurn chuanxiong with root rot symptom were sampled in two main producing areas in Sichuan. According to Koch's postulate, the pathogenicity on Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizomes of the isolates was confirmed. The representative isolates were identified based on their morphological characteristics and ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer(rDNA-ITS) sequences. RESULTS: The isolates(f2-16, 3-2, f4-19 and f5-7)which caused root rot disease held high homology reached 99%, 99%, 100% and 100% respectively, when compared with GenBank sequences GQ229075, JQ796755, JN232136 and FJ481024. CONCLUSION: The causing agents of root rot disease on Ligusticum chuanxiong belong to Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Phoma glomerata. Pathogens from different regions are varied.

Four osteotomy methods with piezosurgery to remove complicated mandibular third molars: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Piezosurgery has been used widely in oral and maxillofacial surgery, but there has been no report systematically describing an osteotomy method with piezosurgery for complicated mandibular third molar removal. The aim of this study was to introduce 4 osteotomy methods using piezosurgery and evaluate their effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients with a complicated impacted mandibular third molar requiring extraction. The predictor variable was the extraction technique. Four osteotomy methods using piezosurgery were tested according to different impaction types: method 1 involved complete bone removal; method 2 involved segmental bone removal; method 3 involved bone removal combined with tooth splitting; and method 4 involved block bone removal. Outcome variables were success rate, operative time, major complications (including nerve injury, mandible fracture, severe hematoma, or severe edema), and serious pyogenic infection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The study was composed of 55 patients with 74 complicated impacted mandibular third molars. All impacted mandibular third molars were removed successfully. The average surgical time was 15 minutes (range, 8 to 26 minutes). Thirty-eight molars (51.4%) were extracted by method 1, 18 molars (24.3%) by method 2, 12 molars (16.2%) by method 3, and 6 molars (8.1%) by method 4. Two cases (2.7%) developed postoperative infections and recovered within 1 week using drainage and antibiotic administration. CONCLUSION: The 4 osteotomy methods with piezosurgery provide effective ways of removing complicated impacted mandibular third molars.

Computer-assisted local resection for exostosis osteochondroma of the mandibular condyle.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the guiding effect of computer-assisted design technique in local resection of exostosis osteochondroma (EOC) from the mandibular condyle. Eight patients diagnosed with EOC through computed tomographic scan were selected from January 2011 to March 2012. SurgiCase CMF 5.0.0.32 software was used for preoperative design. The osteotomy angle, depth, and tumor shape were measured to guide the surgery. The tumors were resected from the stalk 2 mm within the normal tissue to restore the unaffected condyle as much as possible. Postoperative computed tomographic scans showed that the tumors had been resected completely in all patients. The mean (SD) error between the design and the result was 1.82 (1.25) mm. Five patients had more than 1-year follow-up without recurrence. Computer-assisted design is a good way to help local resection of EOC. It can improve the accuracy of tumor resection and keep the unaffected condyle as much as possible for function.

[Changing of TSG101 expression on the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the functions of tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101) in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells by cell culture. METHODS: The TSG101 eukaryotic expression and empty plasmids were transfected into gastric cancer cell line SGC7901. After screening with G418, single cell clone was selected and cultured. The expression of TSG101 was detected by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and Western blotting. Cells were divided into TSG101 eukaryotic expression plasmid and blank control groups. Then the relationship was examined between TSG101 expression and tumor invasion and metastasis through the invasion, mobile, adhesion and damage scar experiment. RESULTS: The expression levels of TSG101 in mRNA and protein in the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group were significantly higher than those of the plasmid and blank control groups (0.85 ± 0.09 vs 0.55 ± 0.07, 0.45 ± 0.07 and 29.4 ± 1.2 vs 17.0 ± 0.4, 15.9 ± 0.4, all P < 0.05). The cell number of TSG101 eukaryotic expression group through Matrigel, laminin, type IV collagen protein (84 ± 14, 128 ± 10, 62 ± 7) were significantly higher than those of the plasmid group (55 ± 9, 77 ± 10, 31 ± 6) and blank control group (48 ± 8, 76 ± 9, 24 ± 5, all P < 0.01). The number of cells adherent to Matrigel, laminin, type IV collagen protein of the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group (0.97 ± 0.04, 1.34 ± 0.04, 0.90 ± 0.01) were obviously higher than those of the plasmid group (0.53 ± 0.03, 0.75 ± 0.05, 0.42 ± 0.02) and blank control group (0.60 ± 0.03, 0.72 ± 0.03, 0.40 ± 0.01, all P < 0.01). The number of TSG101 eukaryotic expression group cell migrating to membrane lower surface was obviously higher than that of the plasmid group and blank control group (87 ± 13 vs 54 ± 8, 48 ± 7, all P < 0.01). The fusion speed of the TSG101 eukaryotic expression group was faster than that of plasmid and blank control groups after cultivating for 24 and 48 h. CONCLUSIONS: TSG101 expression increases significantly in SGC-7901 cells after a stable transfection of TSG101 eukaryotic expression plasmids. Also the capacities of invasion and metastasis become markedly enhanced.

[Analysis of endophytic fungi community of Ligusticum chuanxiong using PCR-DGGE].

OBJECTIVE: To research the diversity of endophytic fungal communities among Ligusticum chuanxiong growing at 5 areas in Sichuan province, and illuminate the developing mechanism of geoherbs from the microecological perspective. METHOD: The PCR-DGGE and DNA sequencing techniques were used to analyze the endophytic fungi community of L. chuanxiong. RESULT: The community of endophytic fungi present difference among different growing areas. Though minor difference were found among individuals at the same area, similarity among individuals from the same growing areas were higher significantly than those from different growing areas. Compared with the other 4 growing areas, L. chuanxiong from Shiyang town, Dujiangyan city had more abundant endophytic fungi and low similarity to others, and which probably had special types of fungi. CONCLUSION: The abundant and stable endophytic fungal community is an important factor for the development of geoherb L. chuanxiong at Shiyang town, Dujiangyan city.

[Surveillance and analysis on the pathogenic features of Salmonella in Guangdong province in 2010].

OBJECTIVE: In order to better understand the nature of Salmonella infection in diarrheal patients in Guangdong province, the study analyzed the serum types, antibiotic resistance and molecular determinants of the isolated Salmonella strains. METHODS: In year 2010, 8405 diarrhea patients from 16 surveillant hospital in Guangzhou, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Maoming, Yangjiang and Jiangmen cities in Guangdong province, were recruited in the study. A total of 8405 fecal specimen were collected and subjected to Salmonella isolation and culture. The isolated Salmonella strains were further analyzed via serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PFGE. The χ(2) test was applied to compare the differences between the isolated Salmonella strains in different seasons and districts. BioNumerics software was used to analyze the PFGE results in order to determine the correlation between different Salmonella strains. RESULTS: The positive rate of the surveillant Salmonella in Guangdong province was 3.58% (301/8405) in 2010; with the gender ratio at 1.34:1 (166/124). Salmonella infection was found in all age groups, and most in infants, accounting for 57.48% (173/301). The isolated rates of Salmonella were separately 3.48% (61/1751), 4.97% (134/2695), 3.08% (73/2370) and 2.08% (33/1589) in the four seasons; and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 27.29, P < 0.01). The isolated rates of Salmonella in different regions were as follows: Zhuhai 15.43% (25/162), Maoming 7.53% (18/239), Dongguan 6.51% (39/599), Yangjiang 3.64% (14/385), Zhongshan 3.03% (70/2309), Guangzhou 2.90% (126/4349) and Jiangmen 2.49% (9/362). The difference between regions was statistically significant (χ(2) = 100.75, P < 0.01). Except one strain of the isolated Salmonella cannot be serotyped, the other 300 strains were divided into 42 serotypes, of which Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis were dominant, account for 45.18% (136/301) and 10.96% (33/301) respectively. Although over 85% of Salmonella were sensitive to cephalosporin, ACSSuT resistance patterns (defined as resistance to at least ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline) reached 34.88% (105/301), the highest resistant rate was found in serotype Salmonella typhimurium, as high as 65.44% (89/136). 136 strains of Salmonella typhimurium were divided into 51 PFGE types, showed great genetic diversity. 33 strains of Salmonella enteritidis were divided into 18 PFGE types. The strains with same PFGE pattern may have different drug-resistant patterns, and vice versa. CONCLUSION: Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis were the dominant serotypes causing infectious diarrhea in Guangdong province. Cephalosporin was the primary choice in clinical medicine. However, Salmonella typhimurium was resistant to drug most seriously in Guangdong province. There was no significant correlation between Salmonella resistance patterns and PFGE type.

Immediate acupuncture with GB34 for biliary colic: protocol for a randomised controlled neuroimaging trial.

INTRODUCTION: As the main manifestation of gallstone disease, biliary colic (BC) is an episodic attack that brings patients severe pain in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Although acupuncture has been documented with significance to lead to pain relief, the immediate analgesia of acupuncture for BC still needs to be verified, and the underlying mechanism has yet to be covered. Therefore, this trial aims first to verify the immediate pain-alleviation characteristic of acupuncture for BC, then to explore its influence on the peripheral sensitised acupoint and central brain activity. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a randomised controlled, paralleled clinical trial, with patients and outcome assessors blinded. Seventy-two patients with gallbladder stone disease presenting with BC will be randomised into a verum acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group. Both groups will receive one session of immediate acupuncture treatment. Improvements in patients' BC will be evaluated by the Numeric Rating Scale, and the pain threshold of acupoints will also be detected before and after treatment. During treatment, brain neural activity will be monitored with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and the needle sensation will be rated. Clinical and fNIRS data will be analysed, respectively, to validate the acupuncture effect, and correlation analysis will be conducted to investigate the relationship between pain relief and peripheral-cerebral functional changes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This trial has been approved by the institutional review boards and ethics committees of the First Teaching Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with the ethical approval identifier 2019 KL-029, and the institutional review boards and ethics committees of the First People's Hospital of Longquanyi District, with the ethical approval identifier AF-KY-2020071. The results of this trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference abstracts or posters. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTR2000034432.

Preauricular transcondylar approach for basal cell adenoma of parotid coexist with ganglion cyst of the ipsilateral temporomandibular joint.

The concurrence of 2 independent neoplasias in the ipsilateral parotid and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region was infrequently reported. In this article, we present a unique case characterized by the coexistence of a rare salivary gland tumor, basal cell adenoma, of the parotid gland with a ganglion cyst in the ipsilateral TMJ region. A special surgical procedure was also presented here using a modified preauricular incision and transcondylar approach for extracapsular dissection of both lesions. Previously published literature are about the traditional treatment of benign parotid tumors using partial or total parotidectomy with the preservation of facial nerve mainly via an S-shaped submandibular incision and approach. Here, for the first time, a special surgical method using preauricular transcondylar approach for this unique case of synchronous occurrence of parotid tumor and TMJ cyst is reported.

The differentiation of human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells into dopaminergic cells in vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) constitute an interesting cellular source to promote brain regeneration after Parkinson's disease. MSCs have significant advantages over other stem cell types, and greater potential for immediate clinical application. The aim of this study was to investigate whether MSCs from the human placenta could be induced to differentiate into dopaminergic cells. MSCs from the human placenta were isolated by digestion and density gradient fractionation, and their cell surface glycoproteins were analyzed by flow cytometry. These MSCs were cultured under conditions promoting differetiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts. Using a cocktail that includes basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), all trans retinoic acid (RA), ascorbic acid (AA) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), the MSCs were induced in vitro to become dopamine (DA) neurons. Then, the expression of the mRNA for the Nestin and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) genes was assayed via RT-PCR. The expression of the Nestin, dopamine transporter (DAT), neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN) and TH proteins was determined via immunofluorescence. The synthesized and secreted DA was determined via ELISA. We found that MSCs from the human placenta exhibited a fibroblastoid morphology. Flow cytometric analyses showed that the MSCs were positive for CD44 and CD29, and negative for CD34, CD45, CD106 and HLA-DR. Moreover, they could be induced into adipocytes and osteocytes. When the MSCs were induced with bFGF, RA, AA and IBMX, they showed a change in morphology to that of neuronal-like cells. The induced cells expressed Nestin and TH mRNA, and the Nestin, DAT, NeuN and TH proteins, and synthesized and secreted DA. Our results suggest that MSCs from the human placenta have the ability to differentiate into dopaminergic cells.

[Characteristics of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation and moisture sources in Gaoyou, Jiangsu Province, China]. / æ±Ÿè‹é«˜é‚®å¤§æ°”é™æ°´æ°¢æ°§åŒä½ç´ ç‰¹å¾åŠæ°´æ±½æ¥æº.

It is necessary to examine the characteristics of hydrological cycle in Gaoyou area of Jiang-su Province in response to climate change and flood disasters. In this study, 121 atmospheric rain samples were collected and environmental factors were recorded from July 2015 to October 2017. We analyzed the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic composition of rain and identify moisture sources in this area. Results showed that the hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of rain had an seasonal variation, which was positive in the winter but negative in the summer. D-excess value was higher in winter than that in summer. On the annual scale, significantly negative relationships between δD (δ18O) and temperature and between δD (δ18O) and precipitation indicated the "anti-temperature effect" and "precipitation amount effect", respectively. On the seasonal scale, there was no obvious "temperature effect" but "precipitation amount effect" in autumn and winter. Results from the HYSPLIT model showed that the precipitation in this area came mainly from ocean evaporation that was influenced by the Chinese South Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Precipi-tation in other seasons mainly came from the water vapor mixture from the Eurasian continent, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, as well as local evaporation. The seasonal pattern of δD and δ18O values in precipitation was mainly influenced by monsoon activity and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In addition, the precipitation isotopes clearly indicated the shift in climates from El Niño to La Niña.

Increased formation of neutrophil extracellular traps is associated with gut leakage in patients with type 1 but not type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with gut leakage in type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: In all, 105 subjects (56 T1D, 49 T2D) were included in the study. Eight biomarkers of NET formation and gut leakage (ie, protein arginine deiminase type 4 [PAD4], neutrophil elastase [NE], proteinase 3 [PR3], complement 5a [C5a], α1 -antitrypsin [AAT], DNase I, zonulin, and lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) were measured in serum samples by ELISA. Neutrophils were isolated and stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate to form NETs in vitro. Neutrophil intracellular contents were then collected and used as antigens to detect anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in the serum. RESULTS: There was an increase in NET-associated proteins (PAD4, NE, PR3, C5a, AAT and DNase I) in new-onset T1D patients but not in those with T2D. Of PAD4, NE, and PR3, PAD4 was found to be the most sensitive biomarker for the diagnosis of T1D. Furthermore, circulating levels of zonulin and LPS were not only increased, but were also strongly correlated with NET formation and ANCA generation in T1D patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that increased formation of NETs, particularly PAD4, is closely associated with gut leakage in T1D but not T2D, and suggests that microorganisms and the release of neutrophil cytoplasmic antigen during the formation of NETs may be involved in the pathogenesis of T1D.

The expression of classical swine fever virus structural protein E2 gene in tobacco chloroplasts for applying chloroplasts as bioreactors.

It has been reported that genes encoding antigens of bacterial and viral pathogens can be expressed in plants and are shown to induce protection antibodies. The structural protein E2 of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), which has been shown to carry critical epitopes, has been expressed in different systems. Here, we report the expression of CFSV E2 gene in tobacco chloroplasts. Mice immunized with leaf extracts elicited specific antibodies. This indicated that the expressed E2 proteins had a certain degree of immunogenicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing induction of protective antibody in response to classical swine fever virus (CSFV) by immunization with antigen protein E2 expressed in tobacco chloroplasts, which will open a new way to protection from CSFV by plant chloroplasts as bioreactors.

Stable expression of foot-and-mouth disease virus protein VP1 fused with cholera toxin B subunit in the potato (Solanum tuberosum).

The expression vector, pBI121CTBVP1, containing the fusion of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) VP1 gene and the cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) gene was constructed by fused PCR and transferred into potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transformed plants were obtained by selecting on kanamycin-resistant medium strictly and regenerated. The transgenic plantlets were identified by PCR, Southern-blot and the production of fused protein was confirmed and quantified by Western-blot and ELISA assays. The results showed that the fused genes were expressed stablely under the control of specific-tuber patatin promoter. The expressed fused proteins have a certain degree of immunogenicity.