Microbial community interactions determine the mineralization of soil organic phosphorus in subtropical forest ecosystems.

In subtropical forest ecosystems with few phosphorus (P) inputs, P availability and forest productivity depend on soil organic P (Po) mineralization. However, the mechanisms by which the microbial community determines the status and fate of soil Po mineralization remain unclear. In the present study, soils were collected from three typical forest types: secondary natural forest (SNF), mixed planting, and monoculture forest of Chinese fir. The P fractions, Po-mineralization ability, and microbial community in the soils of different forest types were characterized. In addition, we defined Po-mineralizing taxa with the potential to interact with the soil microbial community to regulate Po mineralization. We found that a higher labile P content persisted in SNF and was positively associated with the Po-mineralization capacity of the soil microbial community. In vitro cultures of soil suspensions revealed that soil Po mineralization of three forest types was distinguished by differences in the composition of fungal communities. We further identified broad phylogenetic lineages of Po-mineralizing fungi with a high intensity of positive interactions with the soil microbial community, implying that the facilitation of Po-mineralizing taxa is crucial for soil P availability. Our dilution experiments to weaken microbial interactions revealed that in SNF soil, which had the highest interaction intensity of Po-mineralizing taxa with the community, Po-mineralization capacity was irreversibly lost after dilution, highlighting the importance of microbial diversity protection in forest soils. In summary, this study demonstrates that the interactions of Po-mineralizing microorganisms with the soil microbial community are critical for P availability in subtropical forests.IMPORTANCEIn subtropical forest ecosystems with few phosphorus inputs, phosphorus availability and forest productivity depend on soil organic phosphorus mineralization. However, the mechanisms by which the microbial community interactions determine the mineralization of soil organic phosphorus remain unclear. In the present study, soils were collected from three typical forest types: secondary natural forest, mixed planting, and monoculture forest of Chinese fir. We found that a higher soil labile phosphorus content was positively associated with the organic phosphorus mineralization capacity of the soil microbial community. Soil organic phosphorus mineralization of three forest types was distinguished by the differences in the composition of fungal communities. The positive interactions between organic phosphorus-mineralizing fungi and the rest of the soil microbial community facilitated organic phosphorus mineralization. This study highlights the importance of microbial diversity protection in forest soils and reveals the microbial mechanism of phosphorus availability maintenance in subtropical forest ecosystems.

[Efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion periodic therapy on follicular maldevelopment differentiated as spleen and kidney yang deficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion periodic therapy on folli-cular maldevelopment differentiated as spleen and kidney yang deficiency. METHODS: Sixty patients of follicular maldevelopment differentiated as spleen and kidney yang deficiency were randomized as an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. The conventional acupuncture-moxibustion therapy was used in the control group and the acupuncture-moxibustion periodic therapy was applied to the observation group. In the control group, the acupoints were selected in terms of spleen and kidney yang deficiency, such as Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), Xuehai (SP 10) and Zigong (EX-CA 1). In the observation group, the acupoints were selected in terms of the physiological characteristics of follicular phase, ovulatory phase, luteal phase and menstrual phase. The main acupoints were Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3) and Xuehai (SP 10). The acupoints for benefiting kidney yin were added in the follicular phase, such as Guanyuan (CV 4) and Dahe (KI 12), etc. The acupoints for regulating qi and activating blood circulation were added in the ovulatory phase, such as Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3), etc. The moxibustion was added for tonifying kidney yang in the luteal phase, such as Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4). The treatment was discontinued during the menstrual phase in the two groups. In the rest phases, acupuncture and moxibustion were given once every two days, 30 min each time. The overall efficacy, basal body temperature (BBT), follicular development, the average endometrial thickness and morphology as well as TCM syndrome score of spleen and kidney yang deficiency were observed in the patients after 3-month menstrual periods. The adverse reactions were recorded in the two groups. RESULTS: In the observation group, one case gave up the treatment due to the personal reason and another one stopped the treatment due to suffering from another kind of disease. 28 cases were included totally. In the control group, 3 cases were dropped out since attempting to receive in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and 27 cases were finally included. The total effective rate was 92.9% (26/28) in the observation group, better than 85.2% (23/27) in the control group (P<0.05). Except the endometrial morphology in the control group, after treatment, BBT, follicular development, the average endometrial thickness and morphology as well as TCM syndrome score were all improved apparently after treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). The improvements in follicular development, endometrial morphology and TCM syndrome score in the observation group were more obvious as compared with those in the control group (all P<0.05). The incidence of the adverse reaction was 7.1% (2/28) in the observation group and was 3.7% (1/27) in the control group, indicating mild adverse reaction that could be relieved naturally. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion achieves the significant efficacy on follicular maldevelopment differentiated as spleen and kidney yang deficiency. Compared with conventional acupuncture-moxibustion therapy, the periodic therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion achieves the much better clinical efficacy.

A novel algorithm combining finite state method and genetic algorithm for solving crude oil scheduling problem.

A hybrid optimization algorithm combining finite state method (FSM) and genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to solve the crude oil scheduling problem. The FSM and GA are combined to take the advantage of each method and compensate deficiencies of individual methods. In the proposed algorithm, the finite state method makes up for the weakness of GA which is poor at local searching ability. The heuristic returned by the FSM can guide the GA algorithm towards good solutions. The idea behind this is that we can generate promising substructure or partial solution by using FSM. Furthermore, the FSM can guarantee that the entire solution space is uniformly covered. Therefore, the combination of the two algorithms has better global performance than the existing GA or FSM which is operated individually. Finally, a real-life crude oil scheduling problem from the literature is used for conducting simulation. The experimental results validate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-art GA method.

[A comparison of efficacy and tolerance of nateglinide and acarbose monotherapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of nateglinide with those of acarbose in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm study compared the efficacy and tolerability of nateglinide (120 mg, 3/d, n = 119) and those of acarbose (100 mg, 3/d, n = 118) during a 12-week treatment in T2DM patients uncontrolled by diet with glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) 6.5% - 11.0%. RESULTS: Monotherapy with nateglinide (120 mg, 3/d) or acarbose (100 mg, 3/d) decreased HbA1c to a similar extent during 12-week treatment. The mean change from baseline to end-point in HbA1c was (-0.90 +/- 0.98)% and (-0.83 +/- 0.81)% in patients receiving nateglinide and acarbose, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The decrease in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was similar between nateglinide and acarbose (P > 0.05). The mean change in 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (PG2h) was (-1.45 +/- 2.74) mmol/L and (-2.20 +/- 2.21) mmol/L in patients receiving nateglinide and acarbose (P = 0.0017). Body weight was significantly decreased in both groups at the end-point (P < 0.05), although the decrease was more with acarbose than nateglinide [(-0.66 +/- 1.79) kg vs (-2.06 +/- 2.00) kg, P = 0.0000]. And the proportion of patients experiencing any presumed drug related adverse events was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Nateglinide (120 mg, 3/d) is effective and well tolerated in T2DM patients uncontrolled by diet, demonstrating similar HbA1c reductions as compared with acarbose (100 mg, 3/d).

Post-marketing surveillance of acarbose treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and subjects with impaired glucose tolerance in China.

OBJECTIVE: This open, prospective, non-interventional, non-randomised, multi-centre postmarketing surveillance study was conducted over a mean period of 13.9 weeks to assess the efficacy, safety and acceptance of acarbose in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in routine clinical practice. Subjects with IGT were included in analyses because acarbose has been approved for treatment of this condition since 2002. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2550 study participants were enrolled by 133 physicians throughout China. Efficacy parameters were the changes from initial visit to the end of study in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial BG and bodyweight. RESULTS: The majority of study participants (74.7%) were newly diagnosed. Most (77.0%) were administered acarbose 50mg three times daily (the recommended standard dose in China) throughout the study and more than half (51.7%) received concomitant antihyperglycaemic treatment. Acarbose treatment reduced HbA(1c) by 1.4% to 6.7%, FBG by 38.5 mg/dL to 116.4 mg/dL, 2-hour postprandial BG by 92.2 mg/dL to 149.0 mg/dL and bodyweight by 0.4 kg to 67.5 kg. Subgroup analyses for type 2 diabetes and IGT populations were also conducted. In diabetic patients, HbA(1c) was reduced by 1.4%, FBG by 42.1 mg/dL and 2-hour postprandial BG by 98.9 mg/dL. Marked reductions were also achieved in the IGT population (0.9% for HbA(1c), 11.8 mg/dL for FBG and 42.9 mg/dL for 2-hour postprandial BG) despite lower baseline glucose levels in this group than in patients with type 2 diabetes. Bodyweight slightly increased in the IGT population. Only 12 acarbose-related adverse events, none of which was serious, were reported. The attending physicians assessed treatment efficacy as 'good' or 'very good' for 92.4%, tolerability as 'good' or 'very good' for 91.1%, and patient acceptance as 'good' or 'very good' for 89.8% of all study participants. CONCLUSION: Acarbose was efficacious, safe and well accepted by Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and subjects with IGT under day-to-day treatment conditions, both as monotherapy and in combination with other antihyperglycaemic medication.

Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes: early identification of high-risk individuals and treatment with acarbose.

The severity of the type 2 diabetes epidemic is widely acknowledged. Demographic, social, and cultural changes around the world are driving a dramatic increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Consequently, there is increasing interest in defining the target population and developing strategies for preventing or delaying the disease. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), an asymptomatic condition early in the disease continuum of dysglycemia, is the best target for intervention, as it is a strong predictor for the development of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Identifying individuals likely to have IGT using risk-prediction tools is simple and cost-effective; diagnosis can be confirmed with an oral glucose tolerance test. Numerous trials have examined the benefits of intervention in IGT populations. Lifestyle modification and some pharmacologic therapies, such as acarbose, have been shown to significantly reduce disease progression. Acarbose therapy has also been associated with significant reductions in cardiovascular events and new cases of hypertension. Trials assessing the potential preventive effects of various therapies are ongoing, but current evidence confirms that early intervention in individuals with IGT can reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes and CVD. Identification of high-risk individuals should therefore be standard in general practice and, if IGT is diagnosed, therapeutic intervention should be initiated promptly.