A Chinese classical prescription Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in the treatment of coronary heart disease: An overview.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is a hot topic in cardiovascular disease research. Western medicine treats CHD with stent implantation, anti-angina pectoris, anti-platelet aggregation and other operations or drugs. According to the whole concept and the characteristics of syndrome differentiation, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treats CHD according to different syndromes and points out that qi deficiency and blood stasis are the basic pathogenesis of CHD. Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD), as a classic prescription of TCM, has certain value in the treatment of CHD, with the effects of promoting qi, activating blood circulation, dredging collaterals and relieving pain. In addition, it also exhibits advantages in high efficiency, low toxicity, high cost performance, few side effects, and high patient acceptance. Objective: The therapeutic effect and mechanism of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD were searched by literature search, and the components and targets of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD were analyzed by computer simulation technology for molecular docking, providing theoretical basis for clinical treatment of CHD. Method: This study comprehensively searched CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, Pubmed, Embase, Web of science and other databases, included clinical studies with efficacy evaluation indicators in hospitals according to randomization, and excluded literatures with low quality and no efficacy evaluation indicators. Clinical cases and studies, molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD were searched, and the effective ingredients and core targets of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD were docked through molecular docking, providing theoretical support for clinical treatment of CHD. Results and Conclusion: Through this study, we found that XFZYD has a significant therapeutic effect in the clinical treatment of coronary heart disease, which can play a role in the treatment of CHD by inhibiting atherosclerosis, inhibiting cardiovascular remodeling, improving oxidative stress damage, improving hemorheology, improving myocardial fibrosis and other mechanisms. Through computer simulation, it was found that the main effective components of XFZYD treatment for CHD were quercetin, kaempferol and luteolin, and the key core targets were IL6, VEGFA and P53, and each component had a high VEGFA libdock score. It is speculated that VEGFA is the key target of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD. Kaempferol and VEGFA had the highest libdock score. kaempferol and IL6 have the highest number of hydrogen bonds, kaempferol and IL6 have the highest number of hydrogen bonds, which indicates that they are most stable, indicating that kaempferol is the key component of XFZYD in the treatment of CHD, which provides a theoretical basis for follow-up experimental research.

In Situ Oral Metabolism Analysis of Astringent Compounds in Tea by Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry, Electrospray Mass Spectrometry, Turbidimetry, and Sensory Evaluation.

The phenolic compounds (PCs) are the primary components responsible for the astringency of tea infusions, and this astringency is intricately linked to the in situ oral metabolism of PCs in saliva. Initially, a total of 54 PCs were identified in tea infusions by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Subsequently, an in vivo metabolism analysis of PCs during varying drinking times and oral locations was conducted by both paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) and sensory evaluation. The metabolism of PCs within oral saliva was a prolonged process, the residual PCs were distributed across diverse oral regions after drinking tea infusion, and the higher residual PC content reflected the stronger astringency intensity. Furthermore, an in vitro metabolism analysis of PCs under varied reaction temperatures and durations was performed by ESI-MS and turbidimetry. As the reaction time extended, more PCs in tea was interacting with saliva. Moreover, the higher temperatures facilitated this interaction between PCs and saliva. Therefore, this investigation establishes a foundation for further elucidating the mechanisms underlying astringency formation.

Oil candidate genes in seeds of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and functional validation of GhPXN1.

BACKGROUND: Cottonseed oil is a promising edible plant oil with abundant unsaturated fatty acids. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the characteristics of cottonseed oil. The molecular mechanism of cottonseed oil accumulation remains unclear. RESULTS: In the present study, we conducted comparative transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis for two G. hirsutum materials with significant difference in cottonseed oil content. Results showed that, between the high oil genotype 6053 (H6053) and the low oil genotype 2052 (L2052), a total of 412, 507, 1,121, 1,953, and 2,019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 DPA, respectively. Remarkably, a large number of the down-regulated DEGs were enriched in the phenylalanine metabolic processes. Investigation into the dynamic changes of expression profiling of genes associated with both phenylalanine metabolism and oil biosynthesis has shed light on a significant competitive relationship in substrate allocation during cottonseed development. Additionally, the WGCNA analysis of all DEGs identified eight distinct modules, one of which includes GhPXN1, a gene closely associated with oil accumulation. Through phylogenetic analysis, we hypothesized that GhPXN1 in G. hirsutum might have been introgressed from G. arboreum. Overexpression of the GhPXN1 gene in tobacco leaf suggested a significant reduction in oil content compared to the empty-vector transformants. Furthermore, ten other crucial oil candidate genes identified in this study were also validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study enhances our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying cottonseed oil accumulation.

Clinical efficacy of LED golden light combined with acyclovir in the treatment of herpes zoster: a single-center prospective study.

This study aimed to explore the safety and clinical efficacy of light emitting diode (LED) golden light combined with acyclovir in treating herpes zoster (HZ). According to the random number table, 54 inpatients with HZ were divided into control group, golden-light group, and red-light group, with 18 cases in each group. The control group received acyclovir intravenous drip, while the patients in the red-light group received acyclovir intravenous drip and red-light LED phototherapy, and the golden-light group received acyclovir intravenous drip and golden-light LED phototherapy. Primary assessments included herpes stopping time, incrustation time, decrustation time, pain visual analog scale scores (VAS), and incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) on the 30th and 90th days. Golden-light group and red-light group showed a shorter herpes stopping time, incrustation time, and decrustation time (P < 0.05) compared to the control group (P < 0.05), while the golden-light group showed a shorter incrustation time and decrustation time than the red light group (all P < 0.05). After treatment VAS scores, the golden-light group showed a significant improvement compared to the control group. The golden-light group showed a better PHN incidence than the control group at 30 days follow-up. Compared with the comprehensive curative effect, the total effective rates of the golden-light group, red-light group, and control group were 88.89%, 77.78%, and 72.22%, respectively, and the efficacy of the golden-light group was better than that of the control group and red-light group. Golden light combined with acyclovir can shorten the course of HZ, relieve pain, and reduce the occurrence of PHN, and the effect is better than that of the red-light group and the control group.

Optimization of surface enhanced Raman scattering performance based on Ag nanoparticle-modified vanadium-titanium nanorods with tunable nanogaps.

The combination of new noble metal nanomaterials and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology has become a new strategy to solve the problem of low sensitivity in the detection of traditional Chinese medicine. In this work, taking natural cicada wing (C.w.) as a template, by optimizing the magnetron sputtering experimental parameters for the growth of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on vanadium-titanium (V-Ti) nanorods, the nanogaps between the nanorods were effectively regulated and the Raman signal intensity of the Ag15/V-Ti20/C.w. substrate was improved. The proposed homogeneous nanostructure exhibited high SERS activity through the synergistic effect of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism at the nanogaps between the Ag NPs modified V-Ti nanorods. The analytical enhancement factor (AEF) value was as high as 1.819 × 108, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1 × 10-11 M for R6G. The large-scale distribution of regular electromagnetic enhancement "hot spots" ensured the good reproducibility with the relative standard deviation (RSD) value less than 7.31%. More importantly, the active compound of Artemisinin corresponded the pharmacological effect of Artemisia annua was screened out by SERS technology, and achieved a LOD of 0.01 mg/l. This reliable preparation technology was practically applicable to produce SERS-active substrates in detection of pharmacodynamic substance in traditional Chinese medicine.

Effect of application mode (capping and amendment) on the control of cadmium release from sediment by apatite/calcite mixture and its phosphorus release risk.

In this research, the influence of application mode (capping and amendment) on the control of cadmium (Cd) liberation from sediment by apatite/calcite mixture and its phosphorus release risk were investigated. The results showed that calcite addition had a limited effect on the speciation of Cd in sediment, but apatite addition had a significant impact on the fractionation of Cd in sediment. Apatite amendment could effectively immobilize the most readily mobilized Cd by transferring the acid-soluble fraction to the reducible and residual fractions. Apatite addition also could effectively reduce the concentration of toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP)-leachable Cd in sediment, and apatite had a much higher reduction efficiency of TCLP-leachable Cd than calcite. Apatite/calcite mixture capping could reduce the risk of Cd liberation from sediment into the overlying water, and the controlling efficiency of apatite/calcite mixture capping was higher than that of apatite/calcite mixture amendment. The effect of apatite/calcite mixture addition on the concentration of reactive soluble phosphorus (SRP) in the overlying water was limited. The introduction of calcite into the apatite capping layer could lower the risk of phosphorus release from apatite to the overlying water as compared to single apatite capping. However, the apatite/calcite mixture capping layer still had a relatively high risk of phosphorus liberation into the overlying water. Results of this work suggest that apatite/calcite mixture has a high potential to be used as a capping material to control Cd release from sediment from the perspective of controlling efficiency and application convenience.

L-Arginine enhanced perylenequinone production in the endophytic fungus Shiraia sp. Slf14(w) via NO signaling pathway.

Perylenequinones (PQ) are natural polyketides used as anti-microbial, -cancers, and -viral photodynamic therapy agents. Herein, the effects of L-arginine (Arg) on PQ biosynthesis of Shiraia sp. Slf14(w) and the underlying molecular mechanism were investigated. The total content of PQ reached 817.64 ± 72.53 mg/L under optimal conditions of Arg addition, indicating a 30.52-fold improvement over controls. Comparative transcriptome analysis demonstrated that Arg supplement promoted PQ precursors biosynthesis of Slf14(w) by upregulating the expression of critical genes associated with the glycolysis pathway, and acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA synthesis. By downregulating the expression of genes related to the glyoxylate cycle pathway and succinate dehydrogenase, more acetyl-CoA flow into the formation of PQ. Arg supplement upregulated the putative biosynthetic gene clusters for PQ and activated the transporter proteins (MFS and ABC) for exudation of PQ. Further studies showed that Arg increased the gene transcription levels of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitrate reductase (NR), and activated NOS and NR, thus promoting the formation of nitric oxide (NO). A supplement of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) also confirmed that NO triggered promoted biosynthesis and efflux of PQ. PQ production stimulated by Arg or/and SNP can be significantly inhibited upon the addition of NO scavenger carboxy-PTIO, NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine, or soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor NS-2028. These results showed that Arg-derived NO, as a signaling molecule, is involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of PQ in Slf14(W) through the NO-cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. Our results provide a valuable strategy for large-scale PQ production and contribute to further understanding of NO signaling in the fungal metabolite biosynthesis. KEY POINTS: • PQ production of Shiraia sp. Slf14(w) was significantly improved by L-arginine addition. • Arginine-derived NO was firstly reported to be involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of PQ. • The NO-cGMP-PKG signaling pathway was proposed for the first time to participate in PQ biosynthesis.

Genome sequence and transcriptome of Sorbus pohuashanensis provide insights into population evolution and leaf sunburn response.

Sorbus pohuashanensis (Hance) Hedl. is a potential horticulture and medicinal plant, but its genomic and genetic backgrounds remain unknown. Here, we sequence and assemble the S. pohuashanensis reference genome using PacBio long reads. Based on the new reference genome, we resequence a core collection of 22 Sorbus spp. samples, which are divided into 2 groups (G1 and G2) based on phylogenetic and PCA analyses. These phylogenetic clusters are highly consistent with their classification based on leaf shape. Natural hybridization between the G1 and G2 groups is evidenced by a sample (R21) with a highly heterozygous genotype. Nucleotide diversity (π) analysis shows that G1 has a higher diversity than G2 and that G2 originated from G1. During the evolution process, the gene families involved in photosynthesis pathways expanded and the gene families involved in energy consumption contracted. RNA-seq data suggests that flavonoid biosynthesis and heat-shock protein (HSP)-heat-shock factor (HSF) pathways play important roles in protection against sunburn. This study provides new insights into the evolution of Sorbus spp. genomes. In addition, the genomic resources, and the identified genetic variations, especially those related to stress resistance, will help future efforts to produce and breed Sorbus spp.

The status of fertility control for rodents-recent achievements and future directions.

Management of overabundant rodents at a landscape scale is complex but often required to sustainably reduce rodent abundance below damage thresholds. Current conventional techniques such as poisoning are not species specific, with some approaches becoming increasingly unacceptable to the general public. Fertility control, first proposed for vertebrate pest management over 5 decades ago, has gained public acceptance because it is perceived as a potentially more species-specific and humane approach compared with many lethal methods. An ideal fertility control agent needs to induce infertility across one or more breeding seasons, be easily delivered to an appropriate proportion of the population, be species specific with minimal side-effects (behavioral or social structure changes), and be environmentally benign and cost effective. To date, effective fertility control of rodents has not been demonstrated at landscape scales and very few products have achieved registration. Reproductive targets for fertility control include disrupting the hormonal feedback associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, gonad function, fertilization, and/or early implantation. We review progress on the oral delivery of various agents for which laboratory studies have demonstrated efficacy in females and/or males and synthesize progress with the development and/or use of synthetic steroids, plant extracts, ovarian specific peptides, and immunocontraceptive vaccines. There are promising results for field application of synthetic steroids (levonorgestrel, quinestrol), chemosterilants (4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide), and some plant extracts (triptolide). For most fertility control agents, more research is essential to enable their efficient and cost-effective delivery such that rodent impacts at a population level are mitigated and food security is improved.

Identification and analysis of oil candidate genes reveals the molecular basis of cottonseed oil accumulation in Gossypium hirsutum L.

KEY MESSAGE: Based on the integration of QTL-mapping and regulatory network analyses, five high-confidence stable QTL regions, six candidate genes and two microRNAs that potentially affect the cottonseed oil content were discovered. Cottonseed oil is increasingly becoming a promising target for edible oil with its high content of unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) cotton population was constructed to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the cottonseed oil content. A total of 39 QTLs were detected across eight different environments, of which five QTLs were stable. Forty-three candidate genes potentially involved in carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis and triacylglycerol biosynthesis processes were further obtained in the stable QTL regions. Transcriptome analysis showed that nineteen of these candidate genes expressed during  the developing cottonseed ovules and may affect the cottonseed oil content. Besides, transcription factor (TF) and microRNA (miRNA) co-regulatory network analyses based on the nineteen candidate genes suggested that six genes, two core miRNAs (ghr-miR2949b and ghr-miR2949c), and one TF GhHSL1 were considered to be closely associated with the cottonseed oil content. Moreover, four vital genes were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). These results provide insights into the oil accumulation mechanism in developing cottonseed ovules through the construction of a detailed oil accumulation model.

Effectiveness and mechanism of aluminum/iron co-modified calcite capping and amendment for controlling phosphorus release from sediments.

The effectiveness and mechanism of aluminum/iron co-modified calcite (Al/Fe-CA) for the control of phosphorus (P) liberation from sediments was investigated. The results showed that Al/Fe-CA possessed good sorption performance for phosphate, and the maximum phosphate sorption capacity for Al/Fe-CA could reach 27.0 mg/g. The major mechanisms involved the surface adsorption of phosphate on calcite, the precipitation between phosphate and Ca2+ leached from calcite, and the ligand exchange between Al/Fe-bound hydroxyl groups and phosphate to form the Al-O-P and Fe-O-P inner-sphere complexes. The re-releasing risk of Al/Fe-CA-bound P under the circumstances of normal pH (5-9) and reducing environment was very low. Al/Fe-CA addition could significantly reduce the risk of P releasing from sediment to overlying water (OL-water), and the inactivation of mobile P, reactive soluble P (SRP) and diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGT)-labile P in sediment by Al/Fe-CA had a great part in the suppression of sediment-P liberation to OL-water by the Al/Fe-CA amendment. Al/Fe-CA capping and fabric-wrapped Al/Fe-CA capping both could greatly reduce the risk of P releasing from sediment into OL-water, and the formation of a static layer with low concentrations of SRP and DGT-labile P in the upper sediment was the key to sustaining a high P controlling efficiency. When the applied mode of Al/Fe-CA varied from capping to amendment, although the inactivation efficiency of DGT-labile P in the overlying water and upper sediment by Al/Fe-CA would decrease to a certain degree, the inactivation efficiency of DGT-labile P in the lower sediment by Al/Fe-CA would increase. Results of this study suggest that Al/Fe-CA has the high potential to be used as an active capping or amendment material for the management of internal P loading in surface water bodies.

Full-Length Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Candidate Genes Involved in Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Artemisia argyi.

Artemisia argyi is an important medicinal plant widely utilized for moxibustion heat therapy in China. The terpenoid biosynthesis process in A. argyi is speculated to play a key role in conferring its medicinal value. However, the molecular mechanism underlying terpenoid biosynthesis remains unclear, in part because the reference genome of A. argyi is unavailable. Moreover, the full-length transcriptome of A. argyi has not yet been sequenced. Therefore, in this study, de novo transcriptome sequencing of A. argyi's root, stem, and leaf tissues was performed to obtain those candidate genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis, by combining the PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and Illumina sequencing NGS platforms. And more than 55.4 Gb of sequencing data and 108,846 full-length reads (non-chimeric) were generated by the Illumina and PacBio platform, respectively. Then, 53,043 consensus isoforms were clustered and used to represent 36,820 non-redundant transcripts, of which 34,839 (94.62%) were annotated in public databases. In the comparison sets of leaves vs roots, and leaves vs stems, 13,850 (7,566 up-regulated, 6,284 down-regulated) and 9,502 (5,284 up-regulated, 4,218 down-regulated) differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were obtained, respectively. Specifically, the expression profile and KEGG functional enrichment analysis of these DETs indicated that they were significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of amino acids, carotenoids, diterpenoids and flavonoids, as well as the metabolism processes of glycine, serine and threonine. Moreover, multiple genes encoding significant enzymes or transcription factors related to diterpenoid biosynthesis were highly expressed in the A. argyi leaves. Additionally, several transcription factor families, such as RLK-Pelle_LRR-L-1 and RLK-Pelle_DLSV, were also identified. In conclusion, this study offers a valuable resource for transcriptome information, and provides a functional genomic foundation for further research on molecular mechanisms underlying the medicinal use of A. argyi leaves.

Electrochemical synthesis of EuVO4 for the adsorption of U(VI): Performance and mechanism.

The efficient removal of uranium from aqueous solution remains of great challenge in securing water environment safety. In this paper, we reported a high temperature electrochemical method for the preparation of EuVO4 with different morphologies from rare earth oxides and vanadate, which solved the problems of rare earth and vanadium recovery. The effects of pH, ionic strength, contact time, initial concentration and reaction temperature on the adsorption of U(VI) by prepared adsorbent were studied by static batch experiments. When the concentration of U(VI) standard is 100 mg g-1, the maximum adsorption capacity of EuVO4 is 276.16 mg g-1. The adsorption mechanism was elucidated with zeta potential and XPS: 1) negatively charged EuVO4 attracted UO22+ by electrostatic attraction; 2) exposed Eu, V, and O atoms complexed with U(VI) through coordination; 3) the hybrid of Eu was complex, which accommodated different electrons to interact. In the multi-ion system with Al3+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Cr2+ and Mn2+, EuVO4 also showed good selective adsorption properties for U(VI). Five adsorption and desorption cycle experiments demonstrated that EuVO4 possessed good renewable performance.

FDA-approved disulfiram inhibits pyroptosis by blocking gasdermin D pore formation.

Cytosolic sensing of pathogens and damage by myeloid and barrier epithelial cells assembles large complexes called inflammasomes, which activate inflammatory caspases to process cytokines (IL-1ß) and gasdermin D (GSDMD). Cleaved GSDMD forms membrane pores, leading to cytokine release and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis). Inhibiting GSDMD is an attractive strategy to curb inflammation. Here we identify disulfiram, a drug for treating alcohol addiction, as an inhibitor of pore formation by GSDMD but not other members of the GSDM family. Disulfiram blocks pyroptosis and cytokine release in cells and lipopolysaccharide-induced septic death in mice. At nanomolar concentration, disulfiram covalently modifies human/mouse Cys191/Cys192 in GSDMD to block pore formation. Disulfiram still allows IL-1ß and GSDMD processing, but abrogates pore formation, thereby preventing IL-1ß release and pyroptosis. The role of disulfiram in inhibiting GSDMD provides new therapeutic indications for repurposing this safe drug to counteract inflammation, which contributes to many human diseases.

Magnetite-modified activated carbon based capping and mixing technology for sedimentary phosphorus release control.

In this study, magnetite-modified activated carbon (MAC) was synthesized, characterized and used as capping and amendment materials to control sedimentary phosphorus (P) release. Batch experiments were applied to determine the behavior of phosphate adsorption and desorption on/from MAC. Sediment incubation experiments were utilized to evaluate the impact of MAC capping and addition on the mobilization of P in sediments. Sediment capping and amendment with MAC both can greatly reduce the amount of reactive soluble P (RS-P) in the overlying water (OLY-water), with a reduction efficiency of higher than 83%. MAC capping and amendment both can significantly reduce the concentrations of labile P measured by diffusive gradient in thin-films (DGT) in the upper sediment, which gives rise to in the formation of the static layer of P (P-S-Layer) in the upper sediment. The forms of P bound by MAC were mainly redox-sensitive P (PRS), NaOH extractable inorganic P (IPNaOH) and HCl extractable P (PHCl), which accounted for 47.2, 18.5 and 32.9% of the total adsorbed P, respectively. Almost half of P adsorbed by MAC existed in the form of PRS, which is easy to be released under anoxic condition, and the retrieval of MAC from the waterbody after its application is very necessary. The concentrations of RS-P in OLY-water and mean DGT-labile P in P-S-Layer under capping condition were much less than those under amendment condition. The reduction of the apparent diffusion efflux of P across the interface between OLY-water and sediment by the MAC capping was much larger than that by the MAC amendment. Results of this work suggest that MAC capping and amendment are very promising methods for blocking the liberation of P from sediments into OLY-water, and MAC capping can achieve a higher efficiency of sedimentary P release control compared to MAC amendment.

An integrated omics analysis reveals molecular mechanisms that are associated with differences in seed oil content between Glycine max and Brassica napus.

BACKGROUND: Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds are rich in both protein and oil, which are major sources of biofuels and nutrition. Although the difference in seed oil content between soybean (~ 20%) and rapeseed (~ 40%) exists, little is known about its underlying molecular mechanism. RESULTS: An integrated omics analysis was performed in soybean, rapeseed, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh), and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), based on Arabidopsis acyl-lipid metabolism- and carbon metabolism-related genes. As a result, candidate genes and their transcription factors and microRNAs, along with phylogenetic analysis and co-expression network analysis of the PEPC gene family, were found to be largely associated with the difference between the two species. First, three soybean genes (Glyma.13G148600, Glyma.13G207900 and Glyma.12G122900) co-expressed with GmPEPC1 are specifically enriched during seed storage protein accumulation stages, while the expression of BnPEPC1 is putatively inhibited by bna-miR169, and two genes BnSTKA and BnCKII are co-expressed with BnPEPC1 and are specifically associated with plant circadian rhythm, which are related to seed oil biosynthesis. Then, in de novo fatty acid synthesis there are rapeseed-specific genes encoding subunits ß-CT (BnaC05g37990D) and BCCP1 (BnaA03g06000D) of heterogeneous ACCase, which could interfere with synthesis rate, and ß-CT is positively regulated by four transcription factors (BnaA01g37250D, BnaA02g26190D, BnaC01g01040D and BnaC07g21470D). In triglyceride synthesis, GmLPAAT2 is putatively inhibited by three miRNAs (gma-miR171, gma-miR1516 and gma-miR5775). Finally, in rapeseed there was evidence for the expansion of gene families, CALO, OBO and STERO, related to lipid storage, and the contraction of gene families, LOX, LAH and HSI2, related to oil degradation. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular mechanisms associated with differences in seed oil content provide the basis for future breeding efforts to improve seed oil content.

Enhanced production of perylenequinones in the endophytic fungus Shiraia sp. Slf14 by calcium/calmodulin signal transduction.

Perylenequinones (PQ) that notably produce reactive oxygen species upon exposure to visible light are a class of photoactivated polyketide mycotoxins produced by fungal plant pathogens such as Shiraia sp. The involvement of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) signalling in PQ biosynthesis was investigated by submerged culturing of Shiraia sp. Slf14, a species that produces hypocrellins HA and HB and elsinochromes EA, EB, and EC. Our results showed that the total content of PQ reached 1894.66 ± 21.93 mg/L under optimal conditions of Ca2+ addition, which represents a 5.8-fold improvement over controls. The addition of pharmacological Ca2+ sensor inhibitors strongly inhibited PQ production, which indicates that Ca2+/CaM signalling regulates PQ biosynthesis. The expression levels of Ca2+ sensor and PQ biosynthetic genes were downregulated following addition of inhibitors but were upregulated upon addition of Ca2+. Inhibition was partially released by external Ca2+ supplementation. Fluo-3/AM experiments revealed that similar cytosolic Ca2+ variation occurred under these conditions. These results demonstrated that Ca2+ signalling via the CaM transduction pathway plays a pivotal role in PQ biosynthesis.

Scale-dependent climatic drivers of human epidemics in ancient China.

A wide range of climate change-induced effects have been implicated in the prevalence of infectious diseases. Disentangling causes and consequences, however, remains particularly challenging at historical time scales, for which the quality and quantity of most of the available natural proxy archives and written documentary sources often decline. Here, we reconstruct the spatiotemporal occurrence patterns of human epidemics for large parts of China and most of the last two millennia. Cold and dry climate conditions indirectly increased the prevalence of epidemics through the influences of locusts and famines. Our results further reveal that low-frequency, long-term temperature trends mainly contributed to negative associations with epidemics, while positive associations of epidemics with droughts, floods, locusts, and famines mainly coincided with both higher and lower frequency temperature variations. Nevertheless, unstable relationships between human epidemics and temperature changes were observed on relatively smaller time scales. Our study suggests that an intertwined, direct, and indirect array of biological, ecological, and societal responses to different aspects of past climatic changes strongly depended on the frequency domain and study period chosen.

Effect of Yiqi Yangyin prescription in treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy: a Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Yiqi Yangyin prescription for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for relevant clinical randomized controlled trials of DCM treatment using Yiqi Yangyin prescription (Shengmai and Zhigancao decoction). Databases searched included PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Chinese Biological Medicine from January 1, 1985, to October 31, 2015. After literature screening and data extraction according to previously determined exclusion criteria, data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Study heterogeneity was evaluated using the I 2 test and Cochran's Q test. Egger's test was used to detect publication bias. RESULTS: Nineteen trials involving 1024 participants were included in the Meta-analysis. Of these, 15 used Shengmai (treatment group: 421 cases; control group: 344 cases) and 4 used Zhigancao decoction (treatment group: 133 cases; control group: 126 cases). A Meta-analysis demonstrated that the total curative effect was significantly improved by combining Shengmai with conventional treatment [relative risk (RR) = 1.32, 95% confidence intervals (CI) (1.22, 1.43), P < 0.01]. Left ventricular ejection fraction [standard mean difference (SMD) = 1.13, 95% CI (0.55, 1.70), P < 0.01] and left ventricular end diastolic [SMD = -0.46, 95% CI (-0.70, -0.23), P < 0.01] were also improved. Adding Zhigancao decoction achieved the same effect [total efficiency of RR = 1.34, 95% CI (1.16, 1.54), P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional therapy, Yiqi Yangyin prescription can significantly improve the curative effect, increase left ventricular ejection fraction, and reduce left ventricular end diastolic. Thus, it can effectively improve heart function in patients with DCM.

[Textual research on the illustrations in ancient versions of Yi jin jing (Classic of Changing Tendon)].

For a long time, the origin of inheritance of Daoyin illustrations for changing the tendon and its development are vague and lack of investigation. By investigating 48 kinds of versions of Yi jin jing (Classic of Changing Tendon), and other archaic texts of Daoyin for keeping-fit, it can be identified that there are no illustrations in extant early works of Yi jin jing. In terms of the Daoyin illustrations in the rather extensively distributed Yi jin jing, there are external exercise of Eight Section Brocade, Twelve Illustrations for Changing Tendon, 22-style yi jin jing, which are 3 different series of exercise in which the 22-style is not derived from the 12-style one. The illustrations of Daoyin for changing the tendon in the ancient versions of Yi jin jing were stemmed from the source other than the versions of Yi jin jing itself. Among them, the external exercise of Eight-section brocade is derived from many works of the Ming Dynasty, while the 12 illustrations for changing the tendon is derived from Wei sheng yao shu (Essential Art of Healthcare) in the 18th year of Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty. The so-called "illustrations of external classic of yi jin jing" is but only part of the 22-style yi jin jing.