Anti-Inflammatory and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Triterpenoid with Diverse Carbon Skeletons from the Fruits of Rosa roxburghii.

The fruits of Rosa roxburghii Tratt. are edible nutritional food with high medicinal value and have been traditionally used as Chinese folk medicine for a long time. In this study, 26 triterpenoids including four new pentacyclic triterpenoids, roxbuterpenes A-D (1, 4, 5, and 24), along with 22 known analogues (2, 3, 6-23, 25, and 26), were isolated from the fruits of R. roxburghii. Their chemical structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (including IR, HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopy). The absolute configuration of roxbuterpene A (1) was determined by an X-ray crystallographic analysis. This is the first report of the crystal structure of 5/6/6/6/6-fused system pentacyclic triterpenoid. Notably, roxbuterpenes A and B (1 and 4) possessed the A-ring contracted triterpenoid and nortriterpenoid skeletons with a rare 5/6/6/6/6-fused system, respectively. Compounds 1-7, 11, 13-15, 18-20, 24, and 25 exhibited moderate or potent inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase. Compounds 2, 4, 6, 11, and 14 showed strong activities against α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 8.4 ± 1.6, 7.3 ± 2.2, 13.6 ± 1.4, 0.9 ± 0.4, and 12.5 ± 2.4 µM, respectively (positive control acarbose, 10.1 ± 0.8 µM). Compounds 13, 14, and 16 moderately inhibited the release of NO (nitric oxide) with IC50 values ranging from 25.1 ± 2.0 to 51.4 ± 3.1 µM. Furthermore, the expressions of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) and IL-6 (interleukin-6) were detected by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and compounds 13, 14, and 16 exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on TNF-α and IL-6 release in a dose-dependent manner ranging from 12.5 to 50 µM.

Hypolipidemic Effect of Rice Bran Oil Extract Tocotrienol in High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Induced by High-Fat Diet.

In recent years, the potent influence of tocotrienol (T3) on diminishing blood glucose and lipid concentrations in both Mus musculus (rats) and Homo sapiens (humans) has been established. However, the comprehensive exploration of tocotrienol's hypolipidemic impact and the corresponding mechanisms in aquatic species remains inadequate. In this study, we established a zebrafish model of a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model through high-fat diet administration to zebrafish. In the T2DM zebrafish, the thickness of ocular vascular walls significantly increased compared to the control group, which was mitigated after treatment with T3. Additionally, our findings demonstrate the regulatory effect of T3 on lipid metabolism, leading to the reduced synthesis and storage of adipose tissue in zebrafish. We validated the expression patterns of genes relevant to these processes using RT-qPCR. In the T2DM model, there was an almost two-fold upregulation in pparγ and cyp7a1 mRNA levels, coupled with a significant downregulation in cpt1a mRNA (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. The ELISA revealed that the protein expression levels of Pparγ and Rxrα exhibited a two-fold elevation in the T2DM group relative to the control. In the T3-treated group, Pparγ and Rxrα protein expression levels consistently exhibited a two-fold decrease compared to the model group. Lipid metabolomics showed that T3 could affect the metabolic pathways of zebrafish lipid regulation, including lipid synthesis and decomposition. We provided experimental evidence that T3 could mitigate lipid accumulation in our zebrafish T2DM model. Elucidating the lipid-lowering effects of T3 could help to minimize the detrimental impacts of overfeeding in aquaculture.

Exploring the characteristics of Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans: Growth, bongkrekic acid production, and potential risks of food contamination in wet rice noodles and vermicelli.

This research investigated the presence of Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans (BGC) in wet rice and starch products, Tremella, and Auricularia auricula in Guangzhou, China. It examined BGC growth and bongkrekic acid (BA) production in wet rice noodles and vermicelli with varying rice flour, edible starch ratios, and oil concentrations. A qualitative analysis of 482 samples revealed a detection rate of 0.62%, with three positive for BGC. Rice flour-based wet rice noodles had BA concentrations of 13.67 ± 0.64 mg/kg, 2.92 times higher than 100% corn starch samples (4.68 ± 0.54 mg/kg). Wet rice noodles with 4% soybean oil had a BA concentration of 31.72 ± 9.41 mg/kg, 5.74 times higher than those without soybean oil (5.53 ± 1.23 mg/kg). The BA concentration correlated positively (r = 0.707, P < 0.05) with BGC contamination levels. Low temperatures (4 °C and -18 °C) inhibited BGC growth and BA production, while higher storage temperatures (26 °C and 32 °C) promoted BGC proliferation and increased BA production. Reducing edible oil use and increasing edible starch can mitigate the risk of BGC-related food poisoning in wet rice noodles and vermicelli production. Further research is needed to find alternative oils that do not enhance BA production. Strengthening prevention and control measures is crucial across the entire production chain to address BGC contamination and BA production.

Vitamin D3 supplementation shapes the composition of gut microbiota and improves some obesity parameters induced by high-fat diet in mice.

PURPOSE: Individuals with vitamin D (VD) insufficiency have a greater tendency to develop obesity and have increased systemic inflammation. Gut microbiota are involved in the regulation of host inflammation and energy metabolism, which plays a role in the pathogenesis of obesity. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of VD3 on body weight, serum lipids, inflammatory factors, and intestinal barrier function in obese mice and to explore the regulatory effect of VD3 on gut microbiota in obese mice. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 J mice received a normal chow diet (NCD, 10% fat) or high-fat diet (HFD, 60% fat) to induce obesity within 10 weeks. Then, HFD mice were supplemented with 5650, 8475, or 11,300 IU VD3/kg diet for 8 weeks. Finally, 16 s rRNA analysis was performed to analyze gut microbiota composition in cecal contents. In addition, body weight, serum lipids, inflammatory factors, and intestinal barrier function were analyzed. RESULTS: VD3 supplementation reduced body weight and the levels of TG, TC, HDL-C, TNF-α, IL-1ß and LPS, and increased ZO-1 in HFD-fed mice. Moreover, it increased α-diversity, reduced F/B ratio and altered microbiota composition by increasing relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Desulfovibrio, Dehalobacterium, Odoribacter, and Parabacteroides and reducing relative abundance of Firmicutes and Ruminococcus. There were significant differences between HFD and NCD groups in several metabolic pathways, including endotoxin biosynthesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid synthesis and metabolism, and glycolysis. CONCLUSIONS: Low, medium, and high doses of VD3 inhibited weight gain, reduced levels of blood lipids and inflammatory factors, and improved endotoxemia and gut barrier function in obese mice. It also increased the α-diversity of gut microbiota in obese mice and reduced the relative abundance of some intestinal pathogenic bacteria, increased the relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria, and corrected the intestinal flora disorder of obese mice, with the low- and high-dose groups showing better effects than the medium-dose group.

Sesquiterpenes from Chloranthus holostegius with anti-inflammatory activities.

The phytoconstituents of the whole plants of Chloranthus holostegius were investigated. As a result, thirteen undescribed sesquiterpenes (chloranholosins A-M, 1-13), including ten acorane-type sesquiterpenes (1-10), one germacrene-type sesquiterpene (11), and two lindenane-type sesquiterpenes (12-13), together with fifteen known sesquiterpenes were isolated. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by a comprehensive method including the spectroscopic data, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Chloranholosin L (12) was elucidated as a rare lindenane-type sesquiterpene featuring 14α-Me and 5-OH moieties. And chloranholosin M (13) was the first lindenane-type sesquiterpene possessing ß-cyclopropane, 14α-Me, and 5ß-H configuration from the family Chloranthaceae. Furthermore, twelve new isolates and some known sesquiterpenes were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Among them, compounds 12, 16, and 23 showed comparable inhibitory activity to that of the positive control, with IC50 values of 47.9, 41.5, and 48.3 µM, respectively.

Sesquiterpenoids from aged Artemisia argyi and their 3D-QSAR for anti-HBV activity.

Artemisia argyi Levl. Et Vant, commonly known as "Chinese Mugwort," has been utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine for centuries. Aged Chinese Mugwort has been uncovered to possess superior quality and safety, and its ethyl acetate extract has been found to exhibit anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity. In this study, twenty-five sesquiterpenoids were isolated and characterized from three-year-aged A. argyi. Among them, 14 previously undescribed sesquiterpenoids (1-14), featuring double bond oxidation or ring opening. It is hypothesized that during the aging process, sesquiterpenes undergo oxidative transformation of their double bonds to form alcohols due to external factors and inherent properties. The anti-HBV activity and cytotoxicity of all compounds were assessed in vitro using HepG 2.2.15 cells, and their structure-activity relationships were analyzed through three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QASR) techniques. The α-methylene-γ-lactone sesquiterpenoid derivatives were discovered to have potent inhibitory activity against HBV. This research may broaden the potential applications of Chinese Mugwort and offer further guidance for its development and utilization as functional food or traditional Chinese medicine.

Cinobufotalin prevents bone loss induced by ovariectomy in mice through the BMPs/SMAD and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a chronic bone disease characterized by bone loss and decreased bone strength. However, current anti-resorptive drugs carry a risk of various complications. The deep learning-based efficacy prediction system (DLEPS) is a forecasting tool that can effectively compete in drug screening and prediction based on gene expression changes. This study aimed to explore the protective effect and potential mechanisms of cinobufotalin (CB), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), on bone loss. METHODS: DLEPS was employed for screening anti-osteoporotic agents according to gene profile changes in primary osteoporosis. Micro-CT, histological and morphological analysis were applied for the bone protective detection of CB, and the osteogenic differentiation/function in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) were also investigated. The underlying mechanism was verified using qRT-PCR, Western blot (WB), immunofluorescence (IF), etc. RESULTS: A safe concentration (0.25 mg/kg in vivo, 0.05 µM in vitro) of CB could effectively preserve bone mass in estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss and promote osteogenic differentiation/function of hBMMSCs. Both BMPs/SMAD and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathways participated in CB-induced osteogenic differentiation, further regulating the expression of osteogenesis-associated factors, and ultimately promoting osteogenesis. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that CB could significantly reverse estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss, further promoting osteogenic differentiation/function of hBMMSCs, with BMPs/SMAD and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathways involved.

[Manufacturing classification system for oral solid dosage forms of traditional Chinese medicines(â ¢): classification of granule dissolving behaviors].

Solubility is an important sensory quality attribute of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) granules. In this paper, 90 batches of granules(30 batches of TCM formula granules, 30 batches of Chinese patent medicine granules and 30 batches of Japanese Kampo granules) were used as the research objects. The turbidity sensor was used to characterize the turbidity curve of the granule dissolution process. The classification system of granule dissolution behaviors was constructed from three dimensions: dissolution degree, equilibrium time, and dissolution mechanism. According to the equilibrium time, the granule dissolution rates were divided into three categories : faster(<100 s), general(101-300 s) and slow(>301 s). According to the turbidity curve profile, the granule dissolution mechanisms were classified into dissolution-controlled type(α-type), dispersion-controlled type(ß-type), and dispersion-controlled type followed by dissolution-controlled type(γ-type). The proportion of TCM formula granules, Chinese patent medicine granules and Japanese Kampo granules with complete dissolution or slight turbidity at the end of dissolution was 46.7%, 96.7%, and 10.0%. The proportion of TCM formula granules, Chinese patent medicine granules, and Japanese Kampo granules with faster dissolution rates(<100 s) was 23.3%, 26.7%, and 40.0%. The average dissolution rate of Japanese Kampo granules was faster than that of TCM formula granules, and it was slightly faster than the average dissolution rate of Chinese patent medicine granules. The dissolution mechanism of Chinese patent medicine granules was mainly α-type, while that of Japanese Kampo granules was mainly ß-type, and the three types of dissolution mechanisms of TCM formula granules accounted for a relatively average. The purpose of improving the solubility and dispersion of granules can be achieved by combining the comprehensive application of various functional excipients with the small dosage of Japanese Kampo granules and the wide addition scope of excipients. In the process of transforming TCM compound prescriptions into formulas, there is still much room for innovation in formula excipients and process optimization.

[Quality evaluation of Lysimachiae Herba from different habitats based on simultaneous determination of multiple bioactive constituents combined with multivariate statistical analysis].

A method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole linear ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QTRAP-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 41 bioactive constituents of flavonoids, organic acids, nucleosides, and amino acids in Lysimachiae Herba. The content of multiple bioactive constituents was compared among the samples from different habitats. The chromatographic separation was performed in a Waters XBridge®C_(18) column(4.6 mm×100 mm, 3.5 µm) at 30 ℃. The gradient elution was performed with 0.4% methanol(A)-formic acid water(B) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL·min~(-1), and the multiple-reaction monitoring(MRM) mode was adopted. According to the content of 41 constituents, hierarchical cluster analysis(HCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA), and gray relational analysis(GRA) were perfomed to comprehensively evaluate the samples from different habitats. The results showed that the 41 constituents exhibited good linear relationship within the tested concentration ranges, with the correlation coefficients(r) greater than 0.999 4. The method featured good precision, repeatability, and stability with the relative standard deviations(RSDs) less than 5.0%. The average recoveries of the 41 constituents ranged from 98.06% to 101.9%, with the RSDs of 0.62%-4.6%. HCA and OPLS-DA separated 48 batches of Lysimachiae Herba samples from different habitats into three categories: the producing areas in Sichuan and Chongqing, the producing areas in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, and the producing areas in Guizhou. The content of 41 constituents varied among the Lysimachiae Herba samples from different habitats. The GRA results revealed that the Lysimachiae Herba sample from Nanchong City, Sichuan Province had the best comprehensive quality. The method developed in this study was accurate and reliable and thus can be used for comprehensive evaluation of Lysimachiae Herba quality and provide basic information for the selection of habitats.

Effect of vitamin D3 on lipid droplet growth in adipocytes of mice with HFD-induced obesity.

Vitamin D-regulating action of PPARγ on obesity has been confirmed on adipocyte differentiation. However, it is not clear whether vitamin D affects the morphological size of mature adipocytes by influencing the expression of PPARγ in vivo. Our hypothesis was that Vitamin D3 (VitD3) inhibits the growth of adipocyte size by suppressing PPARγ expression in white adipocytes of obese mice. Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal diet and high-fat diet groups. After 10 weeks, the body weight between the two groups differed by 26.91%. The obese mice were randomly divided into a high-fat diet, solvent control, low-dose VitD3 (5000 IU/kg·food), medium-dose VitD3 (7500 IU/kg·food), high-dose VitD3 (10,000 IU/kg·food), and PPAR γ antagonist group, and the intervention lasted for 8 weeks. Diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice fed high-dose VitD3 exacerbated markers of adiposity (body weight, fat mass, fat mass rate, size of white and brown adipocytes, mRNA, and protein levels of ATGL and Fsp27), and the protein level of ATGL and Fsp27 decreased in the low-dose group. In conclusion, high-dose VitD3 possibly via inhibiting the ATGL expression, thereby inhibiting lipolysis, increasing the volume of adipocytes, and decreasing their fat-storing ability resulted in decreased Fsp27 expression. Therefore, long-term high-dose oral VitD3 may not necessarily improve obesity, and we need more clinical trials to explore the intervention dose and duration of VitD3 in the treatment of VitD3 deficiency in obese patients.

Curative effect of medicine cake sticking ultrasound drug penetration combined with body training on hemiplegia after stroke: An in vitro ultrasound targeted drug controlled release technology.

To explore the efficacy of ultrasound drugs in the treatment of hemiplegia after stroke. The evaluation included clinical symptoms and signs, the Stroke Scale, activities of daily living, sensory disorder Fugl-Meyer and Lindmark, electromyography sensory nerve amplitude, and conduction velocity indexes in both groups. There was no significant difference in the improved Fugl-Meyer and Lindmark score between treatment (26.97 ± 2.78) and the control group (27.45 ± 3.1) (t = 14.528, P = 0.593). After treatment, the observation group (37.10 ± 4.2) was significantly different from the control group (34.76 ± 4.36) (t = 11.259, P = 0.005) and (t = 10.15 ± 1.69), (40.87 ± 6.58) (t = 7.943,9.538, P = 0.564,0.826). After treatment, the observation group the Stroke Scale (4.27 ± 0.57), activities of daily living score (76.15 ± 12.38) and the control group (5.36 ± 0.89), (58.41 ± 9.69) (t = 16.274,5.379, P = 0.035,0.000) after treatment and F wave and M wave. The cure rate of the observation group was 77.50% (31/40), which was significantly better than that of the control group, 47.50% (19/40), with a significant difference (χ2 = 11.724,P = 0.000). After comparison, the total response rate of the observed group reached 92.500% (37 / 40), which was significantly higher than the 80.00% (32 / 40) of the control group. This difference was statistically significant (χ 2 = 9.458, P = 0.015). This therapy closely links the theoretical knowledge of modern medicine with the theoretical knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, and uses the meridian theory to give full play to the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Analysis and evaluation of bioactive constituents from different parts of Epimedium brevicornum].

A comprehensive analytical method based on ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole/linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry(UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS) was established for simultaneous determination of the content of 45 bioactive constituents including flavonoids, alkaloids, amino acids, phenolic acids, and nucleosides in Epimedium brevicornum. The multiple bioactive constituents in leaves, petioles, stems and rhizomes of E. brevicornum were analyzed. The gradient elution was performed at 30 ℃ in an XBridge~® C_(18) column(4.6 mm×100 mm, 3.5 µm) with 0.4% formic acid aqueous solution-acetonitrile as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL·min~(-1). Single factor experiment and response surface methodology were employed to optimize the extraction conditions. Multivariate statistical analyses including systematic cluster analysis(SCA), principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA), and one-way analysis of variance(One-way ANOVA) were carried out to classify the samples from different parts and identify different constituents. Grey relation analysis(GRA) and entropy weight-TOPSIS analysis were performed to build a multi-index comprehensive evaluation model for different parts of E. brevicornum. The results showed that there was a good relationship between the mass concentrations of 45 constituents and the corresponding peak areas, with the correlation coefficients(r) not less than 0.999 0. The precision, repeatability, and stability of the established method were good for all the target constituents in this study, with the relative standard deviations(RSDs) less than 5.0%(0.62%-4.9%) and the average recovery of 94.51%-105.7%. The above results indicated that the bioactive constituents varied in different parts of E. brevicornum, and the overall quality followed the trend of leaves > petioles > rhizomes > stems. This study verified the rationality of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition) stipulating that the medicinal part of E. brevicornum is the leaf. Moreover, our study indicated that the rhizome had the potential for medicinal development. The established method was accurate and reliable, which can be used to comprehensive evaluate and control the quality of E. brevicornum. This study provides data reference for clarifying the medicinal parts and rationally utilizing the resources of E. brevicornum.

EETs alleviate alveolar epithelial cell senescence by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress through the Trim25/Keap1/Nrf2 axis.

Alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) senescence is a key driver of a variety of chronic lung diseases. It remains a challenge how to alleviate AEC senescence and mitigate disease progression. Our study identified a critical role of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), downstream metabolites of arachidonic acid (ARA) by cytochrome p450 (CYP), in alleviating AEC senescence. In vitro, we found that 14,15-EET content was significantly decreased in senescent AECs. Exogenous EETs supplementation, overexpression of CYP2J2, or inhibition of EETs degrading enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) to increase EETs alleviated AECs' senescence. Mechanistically, 14,15-EET promoted the expression of Trim25 to ubiquitinate and degrade Keap1 and promoted Nrf2 to enter the nucleus to exert an anti-oxidant effect, thereby inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and alleviating AEC senescence. Furthermore, in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced premature aging mouse model, inhibiting the degradation of EETs by Trifluoromethoxyphenyl propionylpiperidin urea (TPPU, an inhibitor of sEH) significantly inhibited the protein expression of p16, p21, and γH2AX. Meanwhile, TPPU reduced the degree of age-related pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Our study has confirmed that EETs are novel anti-senescence substances for AECs, providing new targets for the treatment of chronic lung diseases.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of rice bran oil extract in copper sulfate-induced inflammation in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Tocotrienols have strong antioxidant properties; however, tocotrienol has not been investigated in detail in aquatic products. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the tocotrienol-rich fraction from rice bran oil and its potential mechanism were verified in a zebrafish CuSO4 inflammation model. The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) stable radical method. The copper chelating activity was determined using the pyrocatechol violet method. Intracellular reactive oxygen species in zebrafish were detected using a fluorescent ROS probe. Transgenic Tg (lyz: DsRed2) zebrafish were used for neutrophil transmigration assays. The mRNA expression levels of antioxidant and pro-inflammatory factor genes were measured using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR. In the concentration range tested, 100 µg/mL TRF had the highest copper chelating activity (10%). TRF showed DPPH-free radical scavenging ability, which was 53% at 100 µg/mL TRF. TRF effectively repressed ROS generation and inhibited neutrophil migration to the inflamed site. Moreover, TRF upregulated the expression of antioxidant genes sod and gpx4b, inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory factors tnfa and il8, and suppressed CuSO4-induced inflammation. In conclusion, TRF has significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which supports the use of TRF as an aquatic feed additive to improve the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity of aquatic products.

A green approach to copper biodetoxification and sustainable agriculture application by vermicomposting in pig manure.

A green approach of copper (Cu) contaminated pig manure composting by earthworm Eisenia fetida was optimized. This work aims to assess the relationship between the bio-fertility properties and bioaccumulation of Cu during vermicomposting with five different doses of Cu. The optimal concentration of copper largely promoted the enrichment of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but the biological activities of earthworms could be inhibited once the Cu concentration exceed the threshold. When the Cu doses at 300 mg kg-1, the nutrient recovery rate (Irecovery) of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium reached their highest value, concomitant with largest C/N ratio reduced at 46.01 %. Moreover, nutrients recovery mechanism of total phosphorus increased up to 0.11 % h-1 and higher bioaccumulations in faces and intestine were detected by 1.79 and 0.99, respectively, during vermicomposting. The maximal enzyme activity rates (kmax) indicate that the enzyme activities, such as ROS and SOD, are sensitive bioindicators, which can be used to estimate the stress response of earthworms and Cu biotoxicity. The maximum specific growth rate (µmax) of the actinomycetes (TAct) increased gradually from 0.02 to 0.04 with the increase of Cu doses, but total fungi (TF) showed different response to µmax, which decreased firstly and then increased. It was demonstrated that Cu influenced the gut microbial community to vary the bio-fertility properties and bioaccumulation of Cu in the pig manure. All the findings refer that the vermicomposting could be the sustainable agricultural practices.

Rhubarb Peony Decoction Downregulates the Expression of c-Fos after Intestinal Epithelial Cells Hypoxia-reoxygenation Injury.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs in several clinical situations and after intestinal transplantation. This study aimed to examine the role of rhubarb peony decoction (RPD) in intestinal I/R injury. METHODS: Different concentrations of RPD were set to treat IEC-6 and Caco-2 cells. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing was performed on IEC-6 cells treated with hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) or HR and RPD. RESULTS: RPD treatment significantly promoted the proliferation of IEC-6 and Caco-2 cells and inhibited apoptosis. Sequencing results identified 109 significantly up-regulated genes and 36 significantly down-regulated genes in the RPD group. In addition, the results of western blot suggested that HR induced the expression of c-Fos, and the treatment of RPD prevented the HR-induced c- Fos expression. Importantly, knockdown of c-Fos rescued the HR-inhibited cell proliferation and HR-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, RPD was beneficial in protecting the survival of intestinal epithelial cells under HR stress. Furthermore, the increase in c-Fos expression after HR stress was closely related to the proliferation and apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells.

[Relationship between peripheral blood micronutrients and four kinds of oral mucosal diseases in children: clinical analysis of 217 cases].

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between peripheral blood micronutrient levels and 4 kinds of oral mucosal diseases (minor recurrent aphthous ulcer, angular cheilitis, cheilitis and geographic tongue) in children aged 0~14 years. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-two children with oral mucosal lesions (COML) and 65 healthy children (health control group, HC) were included. The clinical data of each group were recorded separately to compare whether there existed differences in the levels of serum water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C), serum fat-soluble vitamins [vitamins A, E, K, 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3], zinc and serum calcium. Whether peripheral blood micronutrients were risk factors associated with the onset of COML was analyzed through disorder multiclass logistic regression with SPSS 23.0 software package. RESULTS: Peripheral blood micronutrients differed in children with minor recurrent aphthous ulcers, cheilitis, and geographic tongue (P＜0.05). Compared with HC group, children in minor recurrent aphthous ulcer group had significantly lower levels of vitamin B1, B6, B7, C, A, and 25(OH)D3 (P＜0.05), and relatively higher rates of vitamin B6 (50.00% vs 13.85%), vitamin B7 (36.76% vs 9.23%), 25(OH)D3 (64.71% vs 36.92%) deficiency and vitamin K excess (8.82% vs 0.00%)(P＜0.005). Multiclass logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin B1, vitamin C, vitamin A deficiency, vitamin B5, and vitamin K excess were risk factors for incidence in children with minor recurrent aphthous ulcer, and each element was independent for each other. Compared with HC group, the levels of vitamin B7 and 25(OH)D3 in children with cheilitis were significantly lower(P＜0.05), and the rate of vitamin B7 deficiency was significantly higher (P＜0.005). Multiclass logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin B7 and vitamin A deficiency were risk factors for cheilitis in children, and the two were independent for each other. Compared with the HC group, vitamin K excess rate was significantly higher in children with geographic tongue (7.14% vs 0.00%) (P＜0.005). Multiclass logistic regression analysis showed that vitamin C deficiency and vitamin K excess were risk factors for the incidence of geographic tongue, and the two were independent for each other. Compared with other groups, peripheral blood micronutrients had no correlation with the pathogenesis of angular cheilitis (P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of COML is closely related to peripheral blood micronutrient levels, which suggests that children with COML need to monitor vitamin and mineral levels and supplement treatment when necessary.

The synergistic effect between biofertility properties and biological activities in vermicomposting: A comparable study of pig manure.

Vermicomposting is a resource technology for managing animal excreta, whereas the internal relationships of the process are vital for its wide applications. The present study examined how macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations, microbial communities, and enzymatic activity of pig manure (PM) changed during the composting and vermicomposting processes and their internal interactions. The vermicomposting process increased macronutrients more significantly than composting (32.40% of total available nitrogen, 21.70% of total available phosphorous, and 12.70% of total available potassium). The vermicomposting reduced total organic carbon (7.91%), C/N ratio (61.35%), and humification index (56.47%) more than composting due to the quick decomposition of PM. After continual fertility optimization, the total microbial population, with the exception of total fungi, rose significantly to accelerate organics mineralization and improve macronutrients in vermicomposting compared to composting. Moreover, earthworm addition favored the stabilization of the PM containing higher concentrations of micronutrients after being catalyzed by the enhanced catalase activity and reduced sucrase activity after 90 days of vermicomposting. Principal component analysis and chord plots found that the generated vermicomposting products had higher fertility properties and biological activities induced by the synergistic effect of microorganisms and earthworms. These findings highlight vermicomposting is an eco-friendly management technology for processing PM and can be scaled up for agricultural applications.

Biological Activities and Secondary Metabolites from Sophora tonkinensis and Its Endophytic Fungi.

The roots of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep., a traditional Chinese medicine, is known as Shan Dou Gen in the Miao ethnopharmacy. A large number of previous studies have suggested the usage of S. tonkinensis in the folk treatment of lung, stomach, and throat diseases, and the roots of S. tonkinensis have been produced as Chinese patent medicines to treat related diseases. Existing phytochemical works reported more than 300 compounds from different parts and the endophytic fungi of S. tonkinensis. Some of the isolated extracts and monomer compounds from S. tonkinensis have been proved to exhibit diverse biological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and so on. The research progress on the phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of S. tonkinensis have been systematically summarized, which may be useful for its further research.