[Impacts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)on growth, N bio-fixation, and phosphorus uptake of legume crop.] / ä¸›æžèŒæ ¹çœŸèŒå¯¹è±†ç§‘ä½œç‰©ç”Ÿé•¿å’Œç”Ÿç‰©å›ºæ°®åŠç£·ç´ å¸æ”¶çš„å½±å“.

To explore the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth of legume crop, pot and field experiments with soybean were conducted. Treatments of inoculation (+AMF) and non-inoculation with AMF (-AMF) were set up for the pot experiment, and AMF mycelium non-limited and limited for the field experiment. Results of the pot experiment showed that inoculation with AMF significantly increased soybean aboveground biomass (16.5%) and root nodules number (131.4%), above-ground plant phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and uptakes. In the field trial, the above-ground and root biomasses and root nodules number under AMF mycelium non-limited were significantly increased by 123.6%, 61.5%, and 212.5% compared with those under the limited condition, respectively. Plant phosphorus uptake, nitrogen concentration and uptake, and soil available nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were significantly higher under AMF mycelium non-limited than the limited both in both shoot and root. Our findings provide theoretical reference for further understanding the relationship between legume crop and AMF, as well as the efficient utilization of phosphorus fertilizer.

Protective effects of Naoxintong capsule alone and in combination with ticagrelor and atorvastatin in rats with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.

CONTEXT: Naoxintong Capsule (NXT), a Chinese medicine, has been widely used for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) in clinics. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the cardioprotective effects of NXT alone and in combination with ticagrelor (TIC) and atorvastatin (ATO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qi deficiency and blood stasis rats were established by 8 weeks high fat diet feeding and 16 days exhaustive swimming and randomly divided into seven groups, that is, NXT (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/d), TIC (20 mg/kg/d), ATO (8 mg/kg/d), NXT (500 mg/kg/d)+TIC (20 mg/kg/d) and NXT (500 mg/kg/d)+ATO (8 mg/kg/d) group, with oral administration for 12 weeks. The contents of TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, AST, ALT, SOD, MDA, CK-MB, LDH, TXA2, PGI2, IgA, IgG, IgM and C3 in serum were measured. RESULTS: NXT + TIC group was significantly superior to the TIC group in decreasing the levels of TC (4.34 vs. 5.54), TG (3.37 vs. 4.66), LDL-C (1.21 vs. 1.35), LDH (4919.71vs. 5367.19) and elevating SOD level (248.54 vs. 192.04). NXT + ATO group was significantly superior to the ATO group in decreasing the levels of AST (195.931 vs. 241.63), ALT (71.26 vs. 83.16), LDH (4690.05 vs. 5285.82), TXA2 (133.73 vs. 158.67), IgG (8.08 vs. 9.80), C3 (2.03 vs. 2.35) and elevating the levels of HDL-C (1.19 vs. 0.91), SOD (241.91vs. 209.49). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings demonstrate that the combined use of NXT with TIC and ATO had better integrated regulating effects than TIC and ATO, respectively. The mechanism of action requires further research.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Long-Term (R)-α-Lipoic Acid Supplementation Promotes Weight Loss in Overweight or Obese Adults without Altering Baseline Elevated Plasma Triglyceride Concentrations.

BACKGROUND: α-Lipoic acid (LA) is a dietary supplement for maintaining energy balance, but well-controlled clinical trials in otherwise healthy, overweight adults using LA supplementation are lacking. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate whether LA supplementation decreases elevated plasma triglycerides in overweight or obese adults. Secondary aims examined if LA promotes weight loss and improves oxidative stress and inflammation. METHODS: Overweight adults [n = 81; 57% women; 21-60 y old; BMI (in kg/m2) ≥ 25] with elevated plasma triglycerides ≥100 mg/dL were enrolled in a 24-wk, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, assigned to either (R)-α-lipoic acid (R-LA; 600 mg/d) or matching placebo, and advised not to change their diet or physical activity. Linear models were used to evaluate treatment effects from baseline for primary and secondary endpoints. RESULTS: R-LA did not decrease triglyceride concentrations, but individuals on R-LA had a greater reduction in BMI at 24 wk than the placebo group (-0.8; P = 0.04). The effect of R-LA on BMI was correlated to changes in plasma triglycerides (r = +0.50, P = 0.004). Improvement in body weight was greater at 24 wk in R-LA subgroups than in placebo subgroups. Women and obese participants (BMI ≥ 35) showed greater weight loss (-5.0% and -4.8%, respectively; both P < 0.001) and loss of body fat (-9.4% and -8.6%, respectively; both P < 0.005). Antioxidant gene expression in mononuclear cells at 24 wk was greater in the R-LA group (Heme oxygenase 1 [HMOX1] : +22%; P = 0.02) than in placebo. Less urinary F2-isoprostanes (-25%; P = 0.005), blood leukocytes (-10.1%; P = 0.01), blood thrombocytes (-5.1%; P = 0.03), and ICAM-1 (-7.4%; P = 0.04) at 24 wk were also observed in the R-LA group than in placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term LA supplementation results in BMI loss, greater antioxidant enzyme synthesis, and less potential for inflammation in overweight adults. Improved cellular bioenergetics is also evident in some individuals given R-LA.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00765310.

Chromatogram-Bioactivity Correlation-Based Discovery and Identification of Three Bioactive Compounds Affecting Endothelial Function in Ginkgo Biloba Extract.

Discovery and identification of three bioactive compounds affecting endothelial function in Ginkgo biloba Extract (GBE) based on chromatogram-bioactivity correlation analysis. Three portions were separated from GBE via D101 macroporous resin and then re-combined to prepare nine GBE samples. 21 compounds in GBE samples were identified through UFLC-DAD-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Correlation analysis between compounds differences and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in vivo in nine GBE samples was conducted. The analysis results indicated that three bioactive compounds had close relevance to ET-1: Kaempferol-3-O-α-l-glucoside, 3-O-{2-O-{6-O-[P-OH-trans-cinnamoyl]-ß-d-glucosyl}-α-rhamnosyl} Quercetin isomers, and 3-O-{2-O-{6-O-[P-OH-trans-cinnamoyl]-ß-d-glucosyl}-α-rhamnosyl} Kaempferide. The discovery of bioactive compounds could provide references for the quality control and novel pharmaceuticals development of GRE. The present work proposes a feasible chromatogram-bioactivity correlation based approach to discover the compounds and define their bioactivities for the complex multi-component systems.

Berberine modulates cisplatin sensitivity of human gastric cancer cells by upregulation of miR-203.

Chemotherapeutic resistance is the main reason of the failure in clinical treatment of gastric cancer. Berberine (BER) is the active compound of traditional Chinese medicine Huang Lian. The aim of this present study is to evaluate the effect of BER on cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer cells and to investigate its possible mechanism. Gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901 and BGC-823 and their respective cisplatin-resistant variants SGC-7901/DDP and BGC-823/DDP were used in this study. We found that BER treatment significantly reversed cisplatin sensitivity and induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in SGC-7901/DDP and BGC-823/DDP cells; BER treatment induced miR-203 expression, and overexpression of miR-203 mimicked the cisplatin-sensitizing effect of BER. Importantly, we showed that miR-203 was able to target the 3'UTR of Bcl-w. Therefore, we conclude that BER treatment reduces cisplatin resistance of gastric cancer cells by modulating the miR-203/Bcl-w apoptotic axis. BER may be a novel agent to enhance chemotherapeutic responses in cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer patients.

Astragaloside IV inhibits NF- κ B activation and inflammatory gene expression in LPS-treated mice.

In this study we investigated the role of astragaloside IV (AS-IV), one of the major active constituents purified from the Chinese medicinal herb Astragalus membranaceus, in LPS-induced acute inflammatory responses in mice in vivo and examined possible underlying mechanisms. Mice were assigned to four groups: vehicle-treated control animals; AS-IV-treated animals (10 mg/kg b.w. AS-IV daily i.p. injection for 6 days); LPS-treated animals; and AS-IV plus LPS-treated animals. We found that AS-IV treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced increases in serum levels of MCP-1 and TNF by 82% and 49%, respectively. AS-IV also inhibited LPS-induced upregulation of inflammatory gene expression in different organs. Lung mRNA levels of cellular adhesion molecules, MCP-1, TNFα, IL-6, and TLR4 were significantly attenuated, and lung neutrophil infiltration and activation were strongly inhibited, as reflected by decreased myeloperoxidase content, when the mice were pretreated with AS-IV. Similar results were observed in heart, aorta, kidney, and liver. Furthermore, AS-IV significantly suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB and AP-1 DNA-binding activities in lung and heart. In conclusion, our data provide new in vivo evidence that AS-IV effectively inhibits LPS-induced acute inflammatory responses by modulating NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways. Our results suggest that AS-IV may be useful for the prevention or treatment of inflammatory diseases.

[Effects of nighttime warming on winter wheat root growth and soil nutrient availability].

Climate warming has an obvious asymmetry between day and night, with a greater increment of air temperature at nighttime than at daytime. By adopting passive nighttime warming (PNW) system, a two-year field experiment of nighttime warming was conducted in the main production areas of winter wheat in China (Shijiazhuang of Hebei Province, Xuzhou of Jiangsu Province, Xuchang of Henan Province, and Zhenjiang of Jiangsu Province) in 2009 and 2010, with the responses of soil pH and available nutrient contents during the whole growth periods and of wheat root characteristics at heading stage determined. As compared with the control (no nighttime warming), nighttime warming decreased the soil pH and available nutrient contents significantly, and increased the root dry mass and root/shoot ratio to a certain extent. During the whole growth period of winter wheat, nighttime warming decreased the soil pH in Shijiazhuang, Xuzhou, Xuchang, and Zhenjiang averagely by 0.4%, 0.4%, 0.7%, and 0.9%, the soil alkaline nitrogen content averagely by 8.1%, 8.1%, 7.1%, and 6.0%, the soil available phosphorus content averagely by 15.7%, 12.1%, 19.6%, and 25.8%, and the soil available potassium content averagely by 11.5%, 7.6%, 7.6% , and 10.1%, respectively. However, nighttime warming increased the wheat root dry mass at heading stage in Shijiazhuang, Xuzhou, and Zhenjiang averagely by 31. 5% , 27.0%, and 14.5%, and the root/shoot ratio at heading stage in Shijiazhuang, Xuchang, and Zhenjiang averagely by 23.8%, 13.7% and 9.7%, respectively. Our results indicated that nighttime warming could affect the soil nutrient supply and winter wheat growth via affecting the soil chemical properties.

Dietary alpha-lipoic acid supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient and apolipoprotein E/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Vascular inflammation and lipid deposition are prominent features of atherosclerotic lesion formation. We have shown previously that the dithiol compound alpha-lipoic acid (LA) exerts antiinflammatory effects by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-alpha- and lipopolysaccharide-induced endothelial and monocyte activation in vitro and lipopolysaccharide-induced acute inflammatory responses in vivo. Here, we investigated whether LA inhibits atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) and apoE/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice, 2 well-established animal models of human atherosclerosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four-week-old female apoE-/- mice (n=20 per group) or apoE/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice (n=21 per group) were fed for 10 weeks a Western-type chow diet containing 15% fat and 0.125% cholesterol without or with 0.2% (wt/wt) R,S-LA or a normal chow diet containing 4% fat without or with 0.2% (wt/wt) R-LA, respectively. Supplementation with LA significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion formation in the aortic sinus of both mouse models by approximately 20% and in the aortic arch and thoracic aorta of apoE-/- and apoE/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice by approximately 55% and 40%, respectively. This strong antiatherogenic effect of LA was associated with almost 40% less body weight gain and lower serum and very low-density lipoprotein levels of triglycerides but not cholesterol. In addition, LA supplementation reduced aortic expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines and aortic macrophage accumulation. These antiinflammatory effects of LA were more pronounced in the aortic arch and the thoracic aorta than in the aortic sinus, reflecting the corresponding reductions in atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that dietary LA supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion formation in 2 mouse models of human atherosclerosis, an inhibition that appears to be due to the "antiobesity," antihypertriglyceridemic, and antiinflammatory effects of LA. LA may be a useful adjunct in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic vascular diseases.

[Effect of electron acceptors on anoxic phosphorus uptake of DPB].

The test of anoxic phosphate uptake of denitrifying phosphorous removal bacteria (DPB) which was cultivated during the anaerobic/ anoxic/aerobic processes was conducted at the various situations of electron acceptors. The various concentrations of nitrate or nitrite were added during the anoxic stage respectively. The conclusions stated that the anoxic phosphate uptake of DPB was rarely influenced by the concentration of nitrate with the adequate nitrate as electron acceptors. It takes 1 mg PO4(3-) -P when the consumption of NO3(-) -N is 1 mg. The nitrite could be regarded as the electron acceptor to participate into the activities of denitrifying phosphorous removal. Compared with the nitrate, the phosphorous uptake rate of DPB with nitrite was rather higher at a low concentration (NO2(-) -N with the concentration range of 5 - 20 mg/L). Furthermore, the rate of anoxic phosphorous uptake was increased with the decreased concentration of NO2(-) -N. The restraining effects related to the anoxic phosphors uptake of DPB was increased as the increase of nitrite concentration. Hence, the anoxic phosphorous uptake of DPB was entirely inhibited when the concentration of NO2(-) -N was higher than 35 mg/L.

Antiinflammatory activity of astragaloside IV is mediated by inhibition of NF-kappaB activation and adhesion molecule expression.

The regulated expression of adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells is a key process in the pathogenesis of inflammation. The saponin astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylcycloastragenol purified from the Chinese medical herb Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch) Bge. has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in vivo. In this study we have investigated the effect of AS-IV on cytokine-and LPS-stimulated expression of adhesion molecules in and leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. We have demonstrated that AS-IV significantly reduced the adhesion promoting activity of LPS-stimulated HUVECs for polymorph-nuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and the monocytic cell line THP-1. Furthermore, by using specific cell ELISAs we could show that AS-IV decreased the LPS-induced expression of E-selectin and VCAM-1 on the surface of HUVECs in a dose and time dependent manner, whereas the expression of ICAM-1 was not affected by AS-IV. AS-IV also inhibits TNFalpha-induced VCAM-1 expression. The saponin octyl-D-glucopyranoside had no effect on the LPS-induced expression of E-selectin and VCAM-1 excluding an unspecific detergent-like effect of AS-IV. Moreover, AS-IV significantly inhibited LPS- and TNFalpha-induced specific mRNA levels for E-selectin and VCAM-1. Finally, we could show that AS-IV completely abolished LPS- and TNFalpha-induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB DNA binding activity in endothelial cells. We conclude that the ability of AS-IV to inhibit the NF-kappaB pathway might be one under-lying mechanism contributing to its anti-inflammatory potential in vivo.