Wheat Germ-Derived Peptide Alleviates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice.

This study explores the protective properties and potential mechanisms of wheat-germ-derived peptide APEPEPAF (APE) against ulcerative colitis. Colitis mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) were used as the animal model. The results showed that the APE peptide could alleviate colitis symptoms including weight loss, colon shortening, and histopathological changes. This peptide attenuated the generation of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the phosphorylation of protein kinase PKCζ (Thr410) and NF-κB transcriptional activity in DSS-induced mice, suggesting that APE ameliorates colitis inflammation by regulating the PKCζ/NF-κB signaling pathway. APE also preserved the barrier function of the colon by dose-dependently promoting the expression of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, zonula occluded-1, and occludin). In addition, APE significantly decreased the abundance of Bacteroides and increased the abundance of Dubosiella and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006 to improve the intestinal flora imbalance in DSS-induced colitis mice. Therefore, wheat germ peptide APE can be used as a novel agent and dietary supplement to treat ulcerative colitis..

Does music intervention relieve depression or anxiety in people living with dementia? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to summarize the available evidence on music intervention alleviating depression or anxiety in dementia. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed to analyze the effects of music intervention on depression or anxiety. Subgroups were created to explore the effect of intervention period, duration, and frequency on efficacy. The effect size was reported as a mean standardized difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The analysis included 19 articles involving 614 samples. Thirteen studies for relieving depression revealed that, with an increase in intervention period, the efficacy decreased and then increased, whereas with an increase of intervention duration, the effect became better. A weekly intervention is ideal. Seven studies verifying the impact on anxiety relief revealed that the effect of intervention within 12 wk is significant; with an increase of intervention duration, the effect became better. A weekly intervention is ideal. Collaborative analysis showed that long low-frequency interventions are more efficient than short high-frequency interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Music intervention can relieve depression or anxiety in people living with dementia. Weekly short interventions of more than 45 min are effective for emotional regulation. Future research should concentrate on severe dementia and follow-up impact.

[Role and mechanism of Cortex Moutan components in inhibiting production of toxic advanced glycation end products (AGEs)].

Advanced glycation end products(AGEs) can lead to many diseases such as diabetes and its complications. In this study, an in vitro non-enzymatic glycosylation reaction model-bovine serum albumin/methylglyoxal(BSA/MGO) reaction system was constructed and incubated with Cortex Moutan extract. High performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) were used to detect and identify the active components that inhibited the formation of AGEs in the co-incubation solution of Cortex Moutan extract and MGO, and differential components such as salvianan, paeoniside, benzoylpaeoniflorin, mudanpioside J, galloyloxypaeoniflorin, benzoyloxy-paeoniflorin, 5-hydroxy-3 s-hydroxymethyl-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro benzofuran, and galloylpaeoniflorin were screened out, which were inferred to be the potential active components of Cortex Moutan extract to capture MGO. In addition, BSA-glucose reaction system was performed to investigate the influence of different concentrations of Cortex Moutan extract(decoction concentrations: 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 mg·mL~(-1)) on inhibiting the production of AGEs in vitro. The inhibitory effects of Cortex Moutan extract and the differential components galloylpaeoniflorin and benzoyl paeoniflorin on the production of AGEs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) induced by high glucose was further evaluated. Cell apoptosis was observed by acridine orange and ethidium bromide(AO/EB) double fluorescence staining. The results showed that Cortex Moutan Cortex extract and its differential components had certain inhibitory effects on the formation of AGEs, and could reduce cell apoptosis. This study provided reference for the treatment of diabetic vascular complications by Cortex Moutan inhibiting the toxic AGEs.

The complete chloroplast genome of a karst-dwelling plant Primulina tenuituba (Gesneriaceae).

Primulina tenuituba is a species in the Gesneriaceae family that is widely distributed in China. It is a karst-dwelling species with an enormous tolerance for extreme drought and high temperatures. The species is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of P. tenuituba was assembled and characterized for the first time. The complete chloroplast genome exhibited a typical quadripartite cycle of 153,236 bp in length, including a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,494 bp, which were separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 84,364 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,884 bp. The GC content was 37.6%. The complete chloroplast genome of P. tenuituba contains 114 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs genes, and four rRNAs. The phylogenetic analysis showed that P. tenuituba is closely related to P. eburnea. The newly reported chloroplast genome of P. tenuituba would provide valuable data for further studies on its evolution and adaptation mechanism.

The mechanism of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in electroacupuncture treatment of acute spinal cord injury in rats.

Glutamate excitotoxicity plays a role in spinal cord injury (SCI). This study aimed to explore whether electroacupuncture (EA) improved the functional recovery of spinal cord anterior horn neurons of rats with acute SCI by regulating the GluR1 AMPA subunit in the SCI area. Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham operation, model, AMPA antagonist (DNQX), EA and DNQX + EA group (n = 16/group). The models were obtained by using the modified Allen's impact method. DNQX was given by intrathecal injection 0.5 h after modeling. EA was performed at the "Dazhui" and "Mingmen" acupoints for 30 min at 0.5, 12, and 24 h. The BBB scores were evaluated before modeling and at 6, 24, and 48 h after modeling. Histopathological changes were evaluated. GluR1 expression was evaluated through immunofluorescence and western blot. Compared to the sham group, the BBB scores at 6, 24, and 48 h in the model group were all lower. The BBB scores and histopathological changes in the EA, DNQX and DNQX + EA group were between that of the sham and model group. GluR1 expression in the model group was higher than the sham group. Compared with the model group, the expression of GluR1 protein in the EA, DNQX, and DNQX + EA group was decreased, but similar among the three treatment groups, supporting the histopathological observations. In conclusion, these findings indicated that EA treatment might inhibit GluR1 expression, thus contributing to prevention of secondary nerve injury after primary acute SCI.

Impact of selenium on rhizosphere microbiome of a hyperaccumulation plant Cardamine violifolia.

Cardamine violifolia is the only selenium hyperaccumulation plant found in China. It has been developed as a source of medicinal and edible products that we can consume as selenium supplements. Many planting approaches have been developed to increase the selenium content of C. violifolia for nutrient biofortification. However, the contribution of rhizosphere microbes of C. violifolia to selenium enrichment has not been investigated. In this study, four types of selenium, i.e., selenate, selenite, nanoparticles selenium from Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis-Se), and organic selenium from yeast (yeast-Se), were added to the soil that C. violifolia was grown in, respectively. Selenate led to the greatest accumulation of selenium in C. violifolia, followed by selenite, B. subtilis-Se, and yeast-Se. Except for yeast-Se, the concentration of selenium in C. violifolia positively correlated with the amount of selenium added to the soil. Furthermore, the different types of exogenous selenium exhibited distinct effects on the rhizosphere microbiome of C. violifolia. Alpha and beta diversity analyses demonstrated that rhizosphere microbiome was more obviously affected by selenium from B. subtilis and yeast than from selenate and selenite. Different microbial species were enriched in the rhizosphere of C. violifolia under various exogenous selenium treatments. B. subtilis-Se application enhanced the abundance of Leucobacter, Sporosarcina, Patulibacter, and Denitrobacter, and yeast-Se application enriched the abundance of Singulishaera, Lactobacillus, Bdellovibrio, and Bosea. Bosea and the taxon belonging to the order Solirubrobacterales were enriched in the samples with selenate and selenite addition, respectively, and the abundances of these were linearly related to the concentrations of selenate and selenite applied in the rhizosphere of C. violifolia. In summary, this study revealed the response of the rhizosphere microbiome of C. violifolia to exogenous selenium. Our findings are useful for developing suitable selenium fertilizers to increase the selenium hyperaccumulation level of this plant.

Designing mindfulness information for interaction in social media: The role of information framing, health risk perception and lay theories of health.

In the post-pandemic era, our health is facing unprecedented challenges, and people are more willing to obtain health-related information or interact with each other than ever before. In this context, people's interest in mindfulness information is also growing. However, not enough attention has been paid to the relationship between mindfulness information design and information interaction. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of information design based on the gain and loss framework on people's willingness to interact with mindfulness information, and to identify the framework for achieving better results. Through two experimental studies, we find that information design based on the framework of gains and losses can produce different effects. Specifically, the findings of the first experiment (N = 282) shows the individuals are more willing to interact mindfulness information when they are exposed to gain-framed information rather than loss-framed. In the second experiment (N = 308), we find that loss framing, compared with gain framing, led to greater health risk perception, which in turn make participants more likely to interact with mindfulness information with others. Additionally, our results show that the lay theories of health plays a moderating role in the direct effect of information framework on willingness to interact with mindfulness information in social media. When individuals hold incremental lay theories, they are more willing to interact with mindfulness information under the gain-framed information condition compared with the loss-framed information condition. However, when individuals are in entity condition, there is no significant difference in the willingness to interact with mindfulness information between the gain-framed and loss-framed information. Our studies of integrating information framework into designing mindfulness information suggest a promising strategy of health information interaction in social media.

Subambient daytime radiative cooling textile based on nanoprocessed silk.

Decreasing energy consumption is critical to sustainable development. Because temperature regulation for human comfort consumes vast amounts of energy, substantial research efforts are currently directed towards developing passive personal thermal management techniques that cool the human body without any energy consumption1-9. Although various cooling textile designs have been proposed previously, textile-based daytime radiative cooling to a temperature below ambient has not been realized6-13. Silk, a natural protein fabric produced by moth caterpillars, is famous for its shimmering appearance and its cooling and comforting sensation on skin14-17. It has been recently recognized that silk, with its optical properties derived from its hierarchical microstructure, may represent a promising starting point for exploring daytime radiative cooling18-21. However, the intrinsic absorption of protein in the ultraviolet region prevents natural silk from achieving net cooling under sunlight. Here we explore the nanoprocessing of silk through a molecular bonding design and scalable coupling reagent-assisted dip-coating method, and demonstrate that nanoprocessed silk can achieve subambient daytime radiative cooling. Under direct sunlight (peak solar irradiance >900 W m-2) we observed a temperature of ~3.5 °C below ambient (for an ambient temperature of ~35 °C) for stand-alone nanoprocessed silks. We also observed a temperature reduction of 8 °C for a simulated skin when coated with nanoprocessed silk, compared with natural silk. This subambient daytime radiative cooling of nanoprocessed silk was achieved without compromising its wearability and comfort. This strategy of tailoring natural fabrics through scalable nanoprocessing techniques opens up new pathways to realizing thermoregulatory materials and provides an innovative way to sustainable energy.

Cigarette Smoking and Opium Use in Relation to the Oral Microbiota in Iran.

Cigarettes and opium contain chemicals and particulate matter that may modify the oral microbiota. This study aimed to investigate the association between cigarette and opium use with the oral microbiota. A total of 558 participants were recruited from Iran between 2011 and 2015. Individuals were categorized as never cigarette nor opium users, ever cigarette-only smokers, ever opium-only users, and ever both cigarette and opium users. Participants provided saliva samples for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Logistic regression, microbiome regression-based kernel association test (MiRKAT), and zero-inflated beta regression models were calculated. For every increase in 10 observed amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), the odds for being a cigarette-only smoker, opium-only user, and both user compared to never users decreased by 9% (odds ratio [OR] = 0.91; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.86 to 0.97), 13% (OR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.75 to 1.01), and 12% (OR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.80 to 0.96), respectively. The microbial communities differed by cigarette and opium use as indicated by MiRKAT models testing the three beta-diversity matrices (P < 0.05 for all). Three genera were less likely and one genus was more likely to be detected in cigarette-only smokers or opium-only users than in never users. The relative abundance of the phylum Actinobacteria (never, 14.78%; both, 21.20%) was higher and the phyla Bacteroidetes (never, 17.63%; both, 11.62%) and Proteobacteria (never, 9.06%; both, 3.70%) were lower in users of both cigarettes and opium, while the phylum Firmicutes (never, 54.29%; opium, 65.49%) was higher in opium-only users. Cigarette and opium use was associated with lower alpha-diversity, overall oral microbiota community composition, and both the presence and relative abundance of multiple taxa. IMPORTANCE Cigarette smoking and opium use are associated with periodontal disease caused by specific bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, which suggests a link between cigarette smoking and opium use and the oral microbiota. Alterations of the oral microbiota in cigarette smokers compared to nonsmokers have been reported, but this has not been studied across diverse populations. Additionally, the association of opium use with the oral microbiota has not been investigated to date. We conducted this study to investigate differences in the oral microbiota between ever users of cigarettes only, opium only, and both cigarettes and opium and never users of cigarettes and opium in Iran. Lower alpha-diversity, distinct overall oral microbial communities, and the presence and relative abundance of multiple taxa have been found for users of cigarettes and/or opium.

[A preliminary study on the negative wave mismatch in patients with unilateral total sudden deafness].

Objective:To observe the characteristics of different negativity negativity （MMN） in patients with unilateral sudden deafness, and compare them with normal MMN, in order to provide theoretical reference for discussing the pathogenesis of unilateral sudden deafness and their relationship with the auditory centers, and to provide theoretical basis for the treatment of sudden deafness in the future. Methods:Twenty-six cases of unilateral total sudden deafness were recruited as experimental group, 25 cases of normal healthy people as control group, the MMN inspections was performed respectively, the two groups using classical mode of oddball, standard and deviation stimulate with 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz short pure tone test MMN respectively, to observe the MMN latency and amplitude characteristics, and compare the latent period and amplitude difference between the two groups. Results:Among the 51 subjects, only 1 patient with unilateral total sudden deafness did not elicit MMN waveform, while the rest were all induced. The average incubation period of MMN in the experimental group was （162.03±38.64） ms, the average amplitude was （2.83±1.14）µV, and the mean age was （48.64±10.27） y. While the average incubation period of MMN in the control group was （197.52±27.43） ms, the average amplitude was （2.58±1.07）µV, and the mean age was （45.00±8.20） y. The MMN latency was significantly different between the two groups （P<0.01）. There was no statistical difference in amplitude between the two groups （P>0.05）. There was no statistical difference in age between the two groups （P>0.05）. Conclusion:The latency period of MMN of unilateral total sudden deafness is shorter than that of the control group. It suggests that the auditory center function of patients with acute sudden deafness has changed, and we speculate that the auditory center of patients with acute sudden deafness may have corresponding emergency changes, so as to make its function have adaptive changes, which will provide further reference for the discussion of the pathophysiological mechanism and treatment of sudden deafness in the future.We speculated that acute unilateral auditory deprivation caused by unilateral total deafness sudden deafness has an impact on cerebral cortical auditory function, which provides further reference for the discussion of pathophysiological mechanism and treatment plan of sudden deafness in the future.

The mechanism of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in electroacupuncture treatment of acute spinal cord injury in rats.

Glutamate excitotoxicity plays a role in spinal cord injury (SCI). This study aimed to explore whether electroacupuncture (EA) improved the functional recovery of spinal cord anterior horn neurons of rats with acute SCI by regulating the GluR1 AMPA subunit in the SCI area. Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham operation, model, AMPA antagonist (DNQX), EA and DNQX+EA group (n=16/group). The models were obtained by using the modified Allen's impact method. DNQX was given by intrathecal injection 0.5 h after modeling. EA was performed at the "Dazhui" and "Mingmen" acupoints for 30 min at 0.5, 12, and 24 h. The BBB scores were evaluated before modeling and at 6, 24, and 48 h after modeling. Histopathological changes were evaluated. GluR1 expression was evaluated through immunofluorescence and western blot. Compared to the sham group, the BBB scores at 6, 24, and 48 h in the model group were all lower. The BBB scores and histopathological changes in the EA, DNQX and DNQX+EA group were between that of the sham and model group. GluR1 expression in the model group was higher than the sham group. Compared with the model group, the expression of GluR1 protein in the EA, DNQX, and DNQX+EA group was decreased, but similar among the three treatment groups, supporting the histopathological observations. In conclusion, these findings indicated that EA treatment might inhibit GluR1 expression, thus contributing to prevention of secondary nerve injury after primary acute SCI.

Complete chloroplast genome features and phylogenetic analysis of Eruca sativa (Brassicaceae).

Eruca sativa Mill. (Brassicaceae) is an important edible vegetable and a potential medicinal plant due to the antibacterial activity of its seed oil. Here, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of E. sativa was de novo assembled with a combination of long PacBio reads and short Illumina reads. The E. sativa cp genome had a quadripartite structure that was 153,522 bp in size, consisting of one large single-copy region of 83,320 bp and one small single-copy region of 17,786 bp which were separated by two inverted repeat (IRa and IRb) regions of 26,208 bp. This complete cp genome harbored 113 unique genes: 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Forty-nine long repetitive sequences and 69 simple sequence repeats were identified in the E. sativa cp genome. A codon usage analysis of the E. sativa cp genome showed a bias toward codons ending in A/T. The E. sativa cp genome was similar in size, gene composition, and linearity of the structural region when compared with other Brassicaceae cp genomes. Moreover, the analysis of the synonymous (Ks) and non-synonymous (Ka) substitution rates demonstrated that protein-coding genes generally underwent purifying selection pressure, expect ycf1, ycf2, and rps12. A phylogenetic analysis determined that E. sativa is evolutionarily close to important Brassica species, indicating that it may be possible to transfer favorable E. sativa alleles into other Brassica species. Our results will be helpful to advance genetic improvement and breeding of E. sativa, and will provide valuable information for utilizing E. sativa as an important resource to improve other Brassica species.

D-arginine-loaded metal-organic frameworks nanoparticles sensitize osteosarcoma to radiotherapy.

Osteosarcoma is a common type of bone cancers with a high rate of pulmonary recurrence. High-dose radiation therapy is useful for the ablation of unresectable osteosarcoma. However, it may cause severe adverse effects. To address this problem, we developed D-arginine-loaded metal-organic frameworks (MOF) nanoparticles for improving the radiosensitivity of osteosarcoma. D-arginine, a metabolically inert enantiomer of L-arginine, could produce nitric oxide and down-regulate hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) to alleviate tumor hypoxia. In addition, MOF could also generate free radicals to kill the tumor cells. Results demonstrate that D-arginine-loaded nanoparticles enhanced tumor ablation and prevented the lung metastasis in mice upon radiation therapy. Furthermore, the nanoparticles or radiation alone had relatively low toxicity in cells and mice. Therefore, D-arginine-loaded MOF nanoparticles are relatively safe and highly effective in sensitizing osteosarcoma to radiotherapy.

Artificial Intelligence Algorithm-Based Lumbar and Spinal MRI for Evaluation of Efficacy of Chinkuei Shin Chewan Decoction on Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.

The study aimed to explore the application value of lumbar Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images processed by artificial intelligence algorithms in evaluating the efficacy of chinkuei shin chewan decoction (a traditional Chinese medicine to nourish the kidney) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Specifically, 110 LSS patients admitted to the hospital were selected as the research subjects. They were randomly divided into the control group (n = 55) and experimental group (n = 55) according to different treatment methods. The control group was treated with traditional medicine, and the experimental group additionally took chinkuei shin chewan decoction on its basis. Based on the traditional U-net algorithm, a U-net registration algorithm based on artificial intelligence was designed by introducing the information entropy theory, and the algorithm was applied to the lumbar MRI image evaluation of LSS patients. Compared with the traditional U-net algorithm, the artificial intelligence-based U-net registration algorithm had a decreased noise level (P < 0.05), the Jaccard (J) value (0.84) and the Dice value (0.93) increased significantly versus the traditional algorithm (J = 0.63, Dice = 0.81), and the characteristics of the image were more accurate. Before treatment, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores of the experimental group and the control group were 44.32 ± 6.45 and 43.32 ± 5.45, respectively. After treatment, the ODI scores of the two groups were 10.21 ± 5.05 and 17.09 ± 5.23, respectively. Both showed significant improvement, while the improvement of the experimental group was more obvious than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The overall effective rates of the two groups of patients were 96.44% and 82.47%, respectively, and the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). Under the U-net registration algorithm based on artificial intelligence, the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar MRI in the experimental group was 94.45%, significantly higher than 67.5% before the introduction of the algorithm (P < 0.05). In conclusion, chinkuei shin chewan decoction are effective for the treatment of LSS, and lumbar MRI based on the artificial intelligence U-net registration algorithm can evaluate the efficacy of LSS well and is worthy of promotion.

Manganese Depletion Leads to Multisystem Changes in the Transcriptome of the Opportunistic Pathogen Streptococcus sanguinis.

Streptococcus sanguinis is a primary colonizer of teeth and is typically considered beneficial due to its antagonistic relationship with the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans. However, S. sanguinis can also act as an opportunistic pathogen should it enter the bloodstream and colonize a damaged heart valve, leading to infective endocarditis. Studies have implicated manganese acquisition as an important virulence determinant in streptococcal endocarditis. A knockout mutant lacking the primary manganese import system in S. sanguinis, SsaACB, is severely attenuated for virulence in an in vivo rabbit model. Manganese is a known cofactor for several important enzymes in S. sanguinis, including superoxide dismutase, SodA, and the aerobic ribonucleotide reductase, NrdEF. To determine the effect of manganese depletion on S. sanguinis, we performed transcriptomic analysis on a ΔssaACB mutant grown in aerobic fermentor conditions after the addition of the metal chelator EDTA. Despite the broad specificity of EDTA, analysis of cellular metal content revealed a decrease in manganese, but not in other metals, that coincided with a drop in growth rate. Subsequent supplementation with manganese, but not iron, zinc, or magnesium, restored growth in the fermentor post-EDTA. Reduced activity of Mn-dependent SodA and NrdEF likely contributed to the decreased growth rate post-EDTA, but did not appear entirely responsible. With the exception of the Dps-like peroxide resistance gene, dpr, manganese depletion did not induce stress response systems. By comparing the transcriptome of ΔssaACB cells pre- and post-EDTA, we determined that manganese deprivation led to altered expression of diverse systems. Manganese depletion also led to an apparent induction of carbon catabolite repression in a glucose-independent manner. The combined results suggest that manganese limitation produces effects in S. sanguinis that are diverse and complex, with no single protein or system appearing entirely responsible for the observed growth rate decrease. This study provides further evidence for the importance of this trace element in streptococcal biology. Future studies will focus on determining mechanisms for regulation, as the multitude of changes observed in this study indicate that multiple regulators may respond to manganese levels.

Chloroplast genome features of an important medicinal and edible plant: Houttuynia cordata (Saururaceae).

Houttuynia cordata (Saururaceae), an ancient and relic species, has been used as an important medicinal and edible plant in most parts of Asia. However, because of the lack of genome information and reliable molecular markers, studies on its population structure, or phylogenetic relationships with other related species are still rare. Here, we de novo assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of H. cordata using the integration of the long PacBio and short Illumina reads. The cp genome of H. cordata showed a typical quadripartite cycle of 160,226 bp. This included a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 26,853 bp, separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 88,180 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,340 bp. A total of 112 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes, were identified in this cp genome. Eighty-one genes were located on the LSC region, 13 genes were located on the SSC region, and 17 two-copy genes were located on the IR region. Additionally, 48 repeat sequences and 86 SSR loci, which can be used as genomic markers for population structure analysis, were also detected. Phylogenetic analysis using 21 cp genomes of the Piperales family demonstrated that H. cordata had a close relationship with the species within the Aristolochia genus. Moreover, the results of mVISTA analysis and comparisons of IR regions demonstrated that the cp genome of H. cordata was conserved with that of the Aristolochia species. Our results provide valuable information for analyzing the genetic diversity and population structure of H. cordata, which can contribute to further its genetic improvement and breeding.

Influence of dragon bamboo with different planting patterns on microbial community and physicochemical property of soil on sunny and shady slopes.

Dragon bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) is a giant sympodial bamboo species widely distributed in Asia. However, it remains unclear how dragon bamboo and soil microbes interact to affect soil properties. In this study, we investigated the planting patterns (semi-natural and artificial) on different slopes (sunny and shady) to determine the effects on soil properties and microbial community. The results showed that the soil in which dragon bamboo was grown was acidic, with a pH value of ∼5. Also, the soil organic matter content, nitrogen hydrolysate concentration, total nitrogen, available potassium, and total potassium of the dragon bamboo semi-natural forest significantly improved, especially on the sunny slope. In contrast, the available phosphorus level was higher in the artificial bamboo forest, probably owing to the phosphate fertilizer application. The bacterial and fungal diversity and the bacterial abundance were all higher on the sunny slope of the semi-natural forest than those in the other samples. The microbial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared between the shady and sunny slopes accounted for 47.8-62.2%, but the core OTUs of all samples were only 24.4-30.4% of each sample, suggesting that the slope type had a significant effect on the microbial community. Some acidophilic microbes, such as Acidobacteria groups, Streptomyces and Mortierella, became dominant in dragon bamboo forest soil. A PICRUSt analysis of the bacterial functional groups revealed that post-translational modification, cell division, and coenzyme transport and metabolism were abundant in the semi-natural forest. However, some microorganisms with strong stress resistance might be activated in the artificial forest. Taken together, these results illustrated the influence of dragon bamboo growth on soil physicochemical property and microbial community, which might help understand the growth status of dragon bamboo under different planting patterns.

Effects of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling on oxidative stress and antioxidant defense system in Nelumbo nucifera G. under cadmium exposure.

Water contamination with cadmium (Cd) is a global environmental problem and its remediation becomes urgent. Phytoremediation using ornamental plants has attracted much attention for its advantages of cost-effectiveness and beautification of the environment. Nelumbo nucifera G. is a popular ornamental aquatic macrophyte with fast growth, large biomass, and high capacities for Cd accumulation and removal. However, information about Cd resistance and defense responses in N. nucifera is rather scarce, which restricts its large-scale utilization for phytoremediation. The phytohormone ethylene plays an important role in plant resistance to Cd stress, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated morphophysiological responses of N. nucifera seedlings to Cd stress, and focused on the effects of ethylene on oxidative damage, Cd accumulation, and antioxidant defense system at the metabolic and transcript levels in leaves under Cd stress. Our results showed that Cd exposure led to leaf chlorosis and necrosis, coupled with an increase in contents of hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde, and decrease in chlorophyll content. Exogenous ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) application intensified Cd-induced stress responses and Cd accumulation, and increased ethylene production by inducing ACC synthase (ACS) gene NnACS. Such enhanced ethylene emission inhibited catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities, and modulated ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) accumulation through transcriptional regulation of their respective metabolic genes. After ethylene action inhibitor silver thiosulfate (STS) supplementation, Cd-induced oxidative damage was abolished, and Cd content declined but still at a relatively high level. Blocking of ethylene perception by STS inhibited ethylene biosynthesis; enhanced CAT, APX, and GR activities and their transcript levels; increased AsA accumulation via inducing its biosynthetic genes; but reduced GSH content and NnGSH2 expression level. These results suggest that ethylene biosynthesis and signaling play an important role in N. nucifera response to Cd stress, and maintaining appropriate ethylene level and low ethylene sensitivity could improve its Cd tolerance via efficient antioxidant defenses.

The discovery of azetidine-piperazine di-amides as potent, selective and reversible monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibitors.

Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is the enzyme that is primarily responsible for hydrolyzing the endocannabinoid 2-arachidononylglycerol (2-AG) to arachidonic acid (AA). It has emerged in recent years as a potential drug target for a number of diseases. Herein, we report the discovery of compound 6g from a series of azetidine-piperazine di-amide compounds as a potent, selective, and reversible inhibitor of MAGL. Oral administration of compound 6g increased 2-AG levels in rat brain and produced full efficacy in the rat complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) model of inflammatory pain.

[Discussion on the academic system of "theory, method, recipe and degree" in LIU's infantile Chinese massage of the western part of Hunan province].

The theory and technique of LIU's infantile Chinese massage of the western part of Hunan province are reviewed in clinical diagnosis and treatment and the core theoretical system is refined. Based on clinical experiences and in consideration of the analysis on relevant literature, the academic system of LIU's infantile Chinese massage of the western part of Hunan province is summarized as four aspects, named "theory, method, recipe and degree". "Theory" refers to the four diagnostic methods and eight principle in terms of diagnosis and treatment and the therapeutic emphasis on the main disorders of zangfu organs in children. "Method" refers to promotion and restriction of five elements, meridian tropism in treatment. "Recipe" refers to the selection of acupoints, optimization of therapeutic techniques and the key in the composition of the herbs with different roles considered, named monarch herb, minister herb, assistant herb and guiding herb. "Degree" refers to the strength and intensity of manipulation to ensure the optimal effect. All of the aforementioned reviews provide the reference to theoretic study on this Chinese massage school.