Effects of Variation in Tamarix chinensis Plantations on Soil Microbial Community Composition in the Middle Yellow River Floodplain.

Floodplains have important ecological and hydrological functions in terrestrial ecosystems, experience severe soil erosion, and are vulnerable to losing soil fertility. Tamarix chinensis Lour. plantation is the main vegetation restoration measure for maintaining soil quality in floodplains. Soil microorganisms are essential for driving biogeochemical cycling processes. However, the effects of sampling location and shrub patch size on soil microbial community composition remain unclear. In this study, we characterized changes in microbial structure, as well as the factors driving them, in inside- and outside-canopy soils of three patch sizes (small, medium, large) of T. chinensis plants in the middle Yellow River floodplain. Compared with the outside-canopy soils, inside-canopy had higher microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), including fungi, bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria (GP), Gram-negative bacteria (GN), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The ratio of fungi to bacteria and GP to GN gradually decreased as shrub patch size increased. Differences between inside-canopy and outside-canopy soils in soil nutrients (organic matter, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus) and soil salt content increased by 59.73%, 40.75%, 34.41%, and 110.08% from small to large shrub patch size. Changes in microbial community composition were mainly driven by variation in soil organic matter, which accounted for 61.90% of the variation in inside-canopy soils. Resource islands could alter microbial community structure, and this effect was stronger when shrub patch size was large. The results indicated that T. chinensis plantations enhanced the soil nutrient contents (organic matter, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus) and elevated soil microbial biomass and changed microbial community composition; T. chinensis plantations might thus provide a suitable approach for restoring degraded floodplain ecosystems.

A chronotherapeutics-applicable multi-target therapeutics based on AI: Example of therapeutic hypothermia.

Nowadays, the complexity of disease mechanisms and the inadequacy of single-target therapies in restoring the biological system have inevitably instigated the strategy of multi-target therapeutics with the analysis of each target individually. However, it is not suitable for dealing with the conflicts between targets or between drugs. With the release of high-precision protein structure prediction artificial intelligence, large-scale high-precision protein structure prediction and docking have become possible. In this article, we propose a multi-target drug discovery method by the example of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). First, we performed protein structure prediction for all protein targets of each group by AlphaFold2 and RoseTTAFold. Then, QuickVina 2 is used for molecular docking between the proteins and drugs. After docking, we use PageRank to rank single drugs and drug combinations of each group. The ePharmaLib was used for predicting the side effect targets. Given the differences in the weights of different targets, the method can effectively avoid inhibiting beneficial proteins while inhibiting harmful proteins. So it could minimize the conflicts between different doses and be friendly to chronotherapeutics. Besides, this method also has potential in precision medicine for its high compatibility with bioinformatics and promotes the development of pharmacogenomics and bioinfo-pharmacology.

Exploring the dilemma and influencing factors of ecological transformation of resource-based cities in China: perspective on a tripartite evolutionary game.

The ecological transformation of the mineral resource-based cities (MRBCs) is the key to promoting the construction of ecological civilization and realizing the sustainable development of the social economy and society in China. Existing research ignores the influence of public participation on other subjects in the process of transformation, which is essential to solve the dilemma faced by the ecological transformation of MRBCs. In view of this, from the perspective of stakeholders, this study constructs a new evolutionary game model, which is jointly participated in by the government, enterprises, and social factors (SF) (including public, self-media, and non-governmental organizations). This paper discusses the interests of the main parties and their inter-relationships and reveals the causal mechanism and influencing factors of the dilemma of the ecological transformation of the MRBCs. Our results demonstrate that the evolution and convergence of strategies among the tripartite game agents exhibit strong interaction. First, the single industrial structure, low regulatory efficiency, and weak ecological awareness substantially increase the cost of transformation, thus exacerbating the dilemma of MRBC transformation. Second, the transformation intensity and comprehensive income are important factors affecting the transformation, and the effect intensity of influencing factors in different transition stages is different, which implies that the focus of policies in different stages is different. Third, in the process of promoting enterprise ecological transformation, government supervision and SF supervision have significant complementary effects. However, high-intensity supervision has a significant crowding-out effect on the willingness of SF to participate. Therefore, the government needs to balance the intensity of supervision and willingness of SF to participate. Compared with the existing research, this study comprehensively reflects the complex dynamic game process of the ecological transformation of MRBCs in China and can provide a reference for the policy of promoting the ecological transformation of MRBCs in China.

Construction of a small-caliber tissue-engineered blood vessel using icariin-loaded ß-cyclodextrin sulfate for in situ anticoagulation and endothelialization.

The rapid endothelialization of tissue-engineered blood vessels (TEBVs) can effectively prevent thrombosis and inhibit intimal hyperplasia. The traditional Chinese medicine ingredient icariin is highly promising for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. ß-cyclodextrin sulfate is a type of hollow molecule that has good biocompatibility and anticoagulation properties and exhibits a sustained release of icariin. We studied whether icariin-loaded ß-cyclodextrin sulfate can promote the endothelialization of TEBVs. The experimental results showed that icariin could significantly promote the proliferation and migration of endothelial progenitor cells; at the same time, icariin could promote the migration of rat vascular endothelial cells (RAVECs). Subsequently, we used an electrostatic force to modify the surface of the TEBVs with icariin-loaded ß-cyclodextrin sulfate, and these vessels were implanted into the rat common carotid artery. After 3 months, micro-CT results showed that the TEBVs modified using icariin-loaded ß-cyclodextrin sulfate had a greater patency rate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and CD31 immunofluorescence results showed a better degree of endothelialization. Taken together, icariin-loaded ß-cyclodextrin sulfate can achieve anticoagulation and rapid endothelialization of TEBVs to ensure their long-term patency.

[Comparison of the shear bond strength by using nano silica sol to zirconia basement and veneer porcelain].

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of using sol gel technique to produce thin layer nano silicon dioxide on zirconia ceramic surface and the effect of improving shear bond strength between zirconia and veneer porcelain. METHODS: The presintered zirconia specimen was cut into a rectangle block piece (15 mm×10 mm×2.5 mm), a total of 40 pieces were obtained and divided into 4 groups, each group had 10 pieces. Four different treatments were used in each group respectively. Pieces in group A (control group) were only sintered at 1450°C to crystallization; pieces in group B underwent 30% nano silica sol infiltration first and then were sintered at 1450°C to crystallization; piece in group C underwent crystallization first at 1450°C, then 30% nano silica sol infiltration and were sintered at 1450°C again; pieces in group D was coated by nano silica sol and then sintered at 1450°C to crystallization; ten rectangle block pieces (12 mm×8 mm×2 mm) in group E were made. Cylinder veneers 5 mm in diameter and 4 mm in height were produced in each group and the shear bond strength was tested. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 19.0 software package. RESULTS: The shear bond strength of the 5 group specimens were: (28.12±2.95) MPa in group A, (31.09±3.94) MPa in group B, (25.60±2.45) MPa in group C, (31.75±4.90) MPa in group D, (28.67±3.95) MPa in group E, respectively. Significant differences existed between the 5 groups, and group C had significant difference compared with group B and D. CONCLUSIONS：① Use of nano silicon sol gel on presintered zirconia surface to make thin layer of nano silicon dioxide can improve the shear bond strength between zirconia and veneer; ②Using nano silicon sol gel on crystallization zirconia surface to make thin layer of nano silicon dioxide will decrease the shear bond strength between zirconia and veneer; ③ Zirconia veneer bilayer ceramic has the same shear bond strength with porcelain fused to Ni Cr alloy; ④Use of sol gel technique to produce thin layer nano silicon dioxide on zirconia ceramic surface is feasible and can improve shear bond strength between zirconia and veneer porcelain.

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor protects intestinal stem cells from injury in a rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an often catastrophic disease that typically affects premature newborns. Although the exact etiology of NEC is uncertain, the disease is associated with formula feeding, bacterial colonization of the gut, hypoxia and hypoperfusion. In light of the pathogenesis of NEC, the integrity and function of the intestinal mucosa has a major defensive role against the initiation of NEC. Various forms of intestinal injury, including NEC, injure the intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) lineages, including the intestinal stem cells (ISCs), thereby disrupting the normal homeostasis needed to maintain gut barrier function. In the current study, we examined the effects of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) administration on enterocytes, goblet cells, neuroendocrine cells and ISCs in a newborn rat model of experimental NEC. We also examined the cytoprotective effects of HB-EGF on ISCs in in vitro cell cultures and in ex vivo crypt-villous organoid cultures. We found that HB-EGF protects all IEC lineages, including ISCs, from injury. We further found that HB-EGF protects isolated ISCs from hypoxic injury in vitro, and promotes ISC activation and survival, and the expansion of crypt transit-amplifying cells, in ex vivo crypt-villous organoid cultures. The protective effects of HB-EGF were dependent on EGF receptor activation, and were mediated via the MEK1/2 and PI3K signaling pathways. These results show that the intestinal cytoprotective effects of HB-EGF are mediated, at least in part, through its ability to protect ISCs from injury.

Selenium level surveillance for the year 2007 of Keshan disease in endemic areas and analysis on surveillance results between 2003 and 2007.

Selenium deficiency is widely accepted as a fundamental cause of Keshan disease (KD). In the present study, the selenium levels of hair and food samples of KD in some endemic areas were measured; the prevalence and incidence of KD for the year 2007 in these areas were surveyed. The results for KD surveillance from 2003 to 2007 were analyzed. The selenium level was measured fluorometrically. In 2007, a total of 19,280 residents were surveyed in 15 provinces. The prevalence and incidence of KD were 3.0% and 4.9‰, respectively. In KD and control subjects, the mean levels of hair selenium were respectively 0.3223 mg/kg and 0.4466 mg/kg. The mean level of staple food selenium was 0.0227 ± 0.0144 mg/kg. During the 5 years, the selenium content in hair was always kept at a normal level within inhabitants of KD-endemic areas, but that in staple food was always kept at a lower level. These results indicate that the pathogenic factor has not been drastically eliminated even with the increasing selenium level of internal environment and is still continually damaging public health of KD in endemic areas. Since KD is still a serious threat to public health in its endemic areas, it is of great importance to pay attention to the prevention and control of this disease.