Root-associated fungal communities are influenced more by soils than by plant-host root traits in a Chinese tropical forest.

Forest fungal communities are shaped by the interactions between host tree root systems and the associated soil conditions. We investigated how the soil environment, root morphological traits, and root chemistry influence root-inhabiting fungal communities in three tropical forest sites of varying successional status in Xishuangbanna, China. For 150 trees of 66 species, we measured root morphology and tissue chemistry. Tree species identity was confirmed by sequencing rbcL, and root-associated fungal (RAF) communities were determined using high-throughput ITS2 sequencing. Using distance-based redundancy analysis and hierarchical variation partitioning, we quantified the relative importance of two soil variables (site average total phosphorus and available phosphorus), four root traits (dry matter content, tissue density, specific tip abundance, and forks), and three root tissue elemental concentrations (nitrogen, calcium, and manganese) on RAF community dissimilarity. The root and soil environment collectively explained 23% of RAF compositional variation. Soil phosphorus explained 76% of that variation. Twenty fungal taxa differentiated RAF communities among the three sites. Soil phosphorus most strongly affects RAF assemblages in this tropical forest. Variation in root calcium and manganese concentrations and root morphology among tree hosts, principally an architectural trade-off between dense, highly branched vs less-dense, herringbone-type root systems, are important secondary determinants.

No Effect on Tumorigenesis in MG63 Cells Induced by Co-Cultured Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Osteosarcoma is a kind of bone tumor with an extremely high malignant degree and often occurs in adolescents. Mesenchymal stem cells are believed to play an important role in the microenvironment of osteosarcoma, but whether they promote or inhibit the development of osteosarcoma is controversial. In this study, the coexpression of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with osteosarcoma cell MG63 was used to explore the effect of MSCs on MG63. We found that co-culture of MSCs with MG63 did not affect the proliferation, invasion, and migration of MG63 cells, nor did it significantly affect the epithelial- and glial-mesenchymal transformation of MG63 cells. Therefore, in this study, we obtained a new concept that MSCs neither promote nor inhibit the occurrence and development of osteosarcoma.

Trends in blood pressure and hypertension among Chinese children and adolescents: China Health and Nutrition Surveys 1991-2004.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the trends in blood pressure (BP) and prevalence of hypertension among Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: Data were extracted from the China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted from 1991 to 2004; 8247 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years were selected for this study. Multivariate linear regression analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the secular trends in BP levels and prevalence of hypertension, respectively. RESULTS: During the study period, there was an upward trend in BP in Chinese children and adolescents. After adjustment for gender, age and weight status, the prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension increased dramatically from 1991 to 2004, with average relative increases of 6.38% and 8.13% in children and adolescents, respectively. Overweight was strongly associated with pre-hypertension and hypertension in comparison with normal weight, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 2.21 (1.58-3.11) and 4.13 (3.32-5.13), respectively. CONCLUSION: BP levels and prevalence of hypertension increased dramatically among Chinese children and adolescents from 1991 to 2004.

Increases in Height among Chinese Children and Adolescents by Gender: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine increases in average height among Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: The data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted during the period 1989-2015. A stratified multistage cluster sampling method was utilized to select participants aged 2-22 years in each province. Linear regression was used to examine the effects of age, birth cohort, and survey period on height. RESULTS: A total of 15,227 males and 13,737 females were included in the final analysis. Age (A) showed a continuous effect on height. The average heights of the investigated groups increased continuously during the investigation period. By 2015, the average height of the overall group increased by 7.87 cm compared to the average height during the 1989 survey. Moreover, birth year (cohort, C) also had a stable effect on height. Using the height of individuals born in or before 1975 as a reference, the average height of each birth cohort increased in comparison to the previous birth cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The height of Chinese children and adolescents was affected by age, period, and cohort effects, and this effect is governed by certain rules. The age-period-cohort model can be used to analyze the trends of children's and adolescent's heights. The findings provide a scientific basis for the formulation of children's and adolescents' growth and development policies in China.

Efficient and stable metabarcoding sequencing data using a DNBSEQ-G400 sequencer validated by comprehensive community analyses.

Metabarcoding is a widely used method for fast characterization of microbial communities in complex environmental samples. However, the selction of sequencing platform can have a noticeable effect on the estimated community composition. Here, we evaluated the metabarcoding performance of a DNBSEQ-G400 sequencer developed by MGI Tech using 16S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) markers to investigate bacterial and fungal mock communities, as well as the ITS2 marker to investigate the fungal community of 1144 soil samples, with additional technical replicates. We show that highly accurate sequencing of bacterial and fungal communities is achievable using DNBSEQ-G400. Measures of diversity and correlation from soil metabarcoding showed that the results correlated highly with those of different machines of the same model, as well as between different sequencing modes (single-end 400 bp and paired-end 200 bp). Moderate, but significant differences were observed between results produced with different sequencing platforms (DNBSEQ-G400 and MiSeq); however, the highest differences can be caused by selecting different primer pairs for PCR amplification of taxonomic markers. These differences suggested that care is needed while jointly analyzing metabarcoding data from differenet experiments. This study demonstrated the high performance and accuracy of DNBSEQ-G400 for short-read metabarcoding of microbial communities. Our study also produced datasets to allow further investigation of microbial diversity.

Na+ , K+ -ATPase participates in the protective mechanism of rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion through the interaction with glutamate transporter-1.

Glutamate excitotoxicity in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion is an important cause of neurological damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) involved in l ow concentration of ouabain (Oua, activating NKA)-induced protection of rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. The 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and neurological deficit scores (NDS) were performed to evaluate rat cerebral injury degree respectively at 2 h, 6 h, 1 d and 3 d after reperfusion of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) 2 h in rats. NKA α1/α2 subunits and glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) protein expression were investigated by Western blotting. The cerebral infarct volume ratio were evidently decreased in Oua group vs MCAO/R group at 1 d and 3 d after reperfusion of 2 h MCAO in rats (*p ＜ 0.05 ). Moreover, NDS were not significantly different (p ＞ 0.05 ). NKA α1 was decreased at 6 h and 1 d after reperfusion of 2 h MCAO in rats, and was improved in Oua group. However, NKA α1 and α2 were increased at 3 d after reperfusion of 2 h MCAO in rats, and was decreased in Oua group. GLT-1 was decreased at 6 h, 1 d and 3 d after reperfusion of 2 h MCAO in rats, and was improved in Oua group. These data indicated that l ow concentration of Oua could improve MCAO/R injury through probably changing NKA α1/α2 and GLT-1 protein expression, then increasing GLT-1 function and promoting Glu transport and absorption, which could be useful to determine potential therapeutic strategies for patients with stroke. Low concentration of Oua improved rat MCAO/R injury via NKA α1/α2 and GLT-1.

[Analysis of promoter sequence and its activity of homologues gene rad25 of eukaryotes from halophilic archaea].

The transcriptional product in Halobacterium halobium R1 similar to eukaryotic gene rad25 was analyzed by RT-PCR. Using bgaH as the reporter genes, the promoter function of eukaryotic rad25-like DNA fragment in halophilic archaea was investigated by promoter probe analysis. The important functional regions, which could influence the promoter activity of rad25-like gene, were identified by deletion analysis of the promoter sequence in Haloferax volcanii. It is found that the DNA fragment of promoter similar to eukaryotic gene rad25 contains the typical characteristic sequence of archaeal promoter. These results indicate that rad25-like gene in Halobacterium halobium R1 is active and may play a role on the NER pathway as the eukaryotic pattern.

Survival and Growth of Epiphytic Ferns Depend on Resource Sharing.

Locally available resources can be shared within clonal plant systems through physiological integration, thus enhancing their survival and growth. Most epiphytes exhibit clonal growth habit, but few studies have tested effects of physiological integration (resource sharing) on survival and growth of epiphytes and whether such effects vary with species. We conducted two experiments, one on individuals (single ramets) and another on groups (several ramets within a plot), with severed and intact rhizome treatments (without and with physiological integration) on two dominant epiphytic ferns (Polypodiodes subamoena and Lepisorus scolopendrium) in a subtropical montane moist forest in Southwest China. Rhizome severing (preventing integration) significantly reduced ramet survival in the individual experiment and number of surviving ramets in the group experiment, and it also decreased biomass of both species in both experiments. However, the magnitude of such integration effects did not vary significantly between the two species. We conclude that resource sharing may be a general strategy for clonal epiphytes to adapt to forest canopies where resources are limited and heterogeneously distributed in space and time.

Preliminary proteomic analysis of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans growing on elemental sulphur and Fe2+ separately.

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is one of the most important bacterium used in bioleaching, and can utilize Fe2+ or sulphide as energy source. Growth curves for Thiobacillus ferrooxidans have been tested, which show lag, logarithmic, stationary and aging phases as seen in other bacteria. The logarithmic phases were from 10 to 32 hours for Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cultivated with Fe2+ and from 4 to 12 days for Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cultivated with elemental sulphur. Differences of protein patterns of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans growing on elemental sulphur and Fe2+ separately were investigated after cultivation at 30 degrees C by the analysis of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization (MALDI)-Mass spectrometry and ESI-MS/MS. From the 17 identified protein spots, 11 spots were found more abundant when growing on elemental sulphur. By contrast 6 protein spots were found decreased at elemental cultivation condition. Among the proteins identified, cytochrome C have been previously identified as necessary elements of electron-transferring pathway for Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to oxidize Fe2+; ATP synthase alpha chain and beta are expressed increased when Thiobacillus ferrooxidans cultivated with Fe2+ as energy source. ATP synthase Beta chain is the catalytic subunit, and ATP synthase alpha chain is a regulatory subunit. The function of ATPase produces ATP from ADP in the presence of a proton gradient across the membrane.

[Molecular diversity of the gene encoding Fe(II)-oxidizing enzyme in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans].

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A.f) is a Gram-negative chemolithotrophic bacterium able to oxidize ferrous iron, elemental sulfur and inorganic sulfur compounds. Fe(II)-oxidizing enzyme plays key role in Fe(II)-oxidizing system. Different A.f strains, which were isolated and purified from various ecological niches, show obviously phenotypic diversity after comparison rates of growth and oxidation of Fe2+. The Fe(II)-oxidizing enzyme gene(iro) for five strains was identified by PCR reactions uitilising primers and genomic DNA, then sequenced and multialignment. The results show there is a putative high variable region in CDS between the 187th and 195th bp and the sequence similarities are from 97% to 99%. For strain YTW, P187-189 Thr-->Pro; For P193-195, Met-->Asn for strain TK; Met-->Ile for strain BY; For P219, all strains T-->C. For upstream of CDS, sequences of all strains are identical to the Genebank sequence (E03451), but downstream of CDS, the sequences exist some variable sites too.

[Studies of polymorphisms of Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans using RAPD].

Random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD) was used in analyzing the polymorphisms of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans from seven different places. Of the 20 primers, four could generate reproducible RAPD profiles, and each one produced 1 approximately 9 bands. The similarity coefficients obtained from profiles generated by four primers among Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans were about 44% approximately 83%.

Size-class effect contributes to tree species assembly through influencing dispersal in tropical forests.

We have investigated the processes of community assembly using size classes of trees. Specifically our work examined (1) whether point process models incorporating an effect of size-class produce more realistic summary outcomes than do models without this effect; (2) which of three selected models incorporating, respectively environmental effects, dispersal and the joint-effect of both of these, is most useful in explaining species-area relationships (SARs) and point dispersion patterns. For this evaluation we used tree species data from the 50-ha forest dynamics plot in Barro Colorado Island, Panama and the comparable 20 ha plot at Bubeng, Southwest China. Our results demonstrated that incorporating an size-class effect dramatically improved the SAR estimation at both the plots when the dispersal only model was used. The joint effect model produced similar improvement but only for the 50-ha plot in Panama. The point patterns results were not improved by incorporation of size-class effects using any of the three models. Our results indicate that dispersal is likely to be a key process determining both SARs and point patterns. The environment-only model and joint-effects model were effective at the species level and the community level, respectively. We conclude that it is critical to use multiple summary characteristics when modelling spatial patterns at the species and community levels if a comprehensive understanding of the ecological processes that shape species' distributions is sought; without this results may have inherent biases. By influencing dispersal, the effect of size-class contributes to species assembly and enhances our understanding of species coexistence.

Intestinal obstruction due to migration of a thermometer from bladder to abdominal cavity: a case report.

Intraperitoneal foreign bodies such as retained surgical instruments can cause intestinal obstruction. However, intestinal obstruction due to transmural migration of foreign bodies has rarely been reported. Here, we report a case of intestinal obstruction due to a clinical thermometer which migrated from the bladder into the abdominal cavity. A 45-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a one-year history of recurrent lower abdominal cramps. Two days before admission, the abdominal cramps aggravated. Intestinal obstruction was confirmed with upright abdominal radiography and computerized tomography scan which showed dilation of the small intestines and a thermometer in the abdominal cavity. Then laparotomy was performed. A scar was observed at the fundus of the bladder and a thermometer was adhering to the small bowels and mesentery which resulted in intestinal obstruction. Abdominal cramps were eliminated and defecation and flatus recovered soon after removal of the thermometer.

The environment, not space, dominantly structures the landscape patterns of the richness and composition of the tropical understory vegetation.

The mechanisms driving the spatial patterns of species richness and composition are essential to the understanding of biodiversity. Numerous studies separately identify the contributions of the environment (niche process) and space (neutral process) to the species richness or composition at different scales, but few studies have investigated the contributions of both types of processes in the two types of data at the landscape scale. In this study, we partitioned the spatial variations in all, exotic and native understory plant species richness and composition constrained by environmental variables and space in 134 plots that were spread across 10 counties in Hainan Island in southern China. The 134 plots included 70 rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantation plots, 50 eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla) plantation plots, and 14 secondary forest plots. RDA based variation partitioning was run to assess the contribution of environment and space to species richness and composition. The results showed that the environmental variables alone explained a large proportion of the variations in both the species richness and composition of all, native, and exotic species. The RDA results indicated that overstory composition (forest type here) plays a leading role in determining species richness and composition patterns. The alpha and beta diversities of the secondary forest plots were markedly higher than that of the two plantations. In conclusion, niche differentiation processes are the principal mechanisms that shape the alpha and beta diversities of understory plant species in Hainan Island.

Strong neutral spatial effects shape tree species distributions across life stages at multiple scales.

Traditionally, ecologists use lattice (regional summary) count data to simulate tree species distributions to explore species coexistence. However, no previous study has explicitly compared the difference between using lattice count and basal area data and analyzed species distributions at both individual species and community levels while simultaneously considering the combined scenarios of life stage and scale. In this study, we hypothesized that basal area data are more closely related to environmental variables than are count data because of strong environmental filtering effects. We also address the contribution of niche and the neutral (i.e., solely dependent on distance) factors to species distributions. Specifically, we separately modeled count data and basal area data while considering life stage and scale effects at the two levels with simultaneous autoregressive models and variation partitioning. A principal coordinates of neighbor matrix (PCNM) was used to model neutral spatial effects at the community level. The explained variations of species distribution data did not differ significantly between the two types of data at either the individual species level or the community level, indicating that the two types of data can be used nearly identically to model species distributions. Neutral spatial effects represented by spatial autoregressive parameters and the PCNM eigenfunctions drove species distributions on multiple scales, different life stages and individual species and community levels in this plot. We concluded that strong neutral spatial effects are the principal mechanisms underlying the species distributions and thus shape biodiversity spatial patterns.

[Spatial clustering and changing trend of hand-foot-mouth disease during 2008-2011 in China].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the spatial clustering, specific clustering areas, as well as changing trend of clustering areas of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD). METHODS: Exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) was used to conduct spatial statistical analyses for the HFMD using 2008 - 2011 data at both provincial and county/district levels. RESULTS: The Global Moran's I coefficients appeared to be 0.3336, 0.6074, 0.3372, 0.4620 and 0.4367 for 2008 - 2011 and for the combined 4 years, respectively. The corresponding P-values were 0.002, 0.001, 0.004, 0.001 and 0.001 respectively, when using the Monte Carlo tests with all the P-values less than 0.05. Moran's I coefficients ranged between 0.3 and 0.7, showing the appearance of moderate or higher clustering nature. Based on the results from nationwide analyses on clustering areas at the county/district levels between 2008 and 2011 (Moran's I = 0.5198, P = 0.001), it appeared a moderate clustering nature. When local autocorrelation analysis was applied at the provincial level, 3 hot spot areas in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai cities in 2008; 7 hot spot areas in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Shandong in 2009; four hot spot areas: Beijing, Tianjin, Guangdong and Guangxi; five hot spot areas: Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi in 2011, were discovered. 390 hot-spot counties/districts were found through local autocorrelation analyses using the three-year data of 2008 to 2010. CONCLUSION: Spatial clustering nature of HFMD incidence between 2008 and 2011 in China appeared to be moderate or high, with the clustered areas a north to south shifting trend. However, further investigation was in need to address this changing trend.

[Analysis on adverse effects of acupuncture in clinical practices].

Aiming at raising awareness of preventing adverse effects of acupuncture in clinical practices, such cases were studied from the angle of therapy methods, the factors of patients constitution and practitioners. The findings showed that adverse physical and chemical effects of acupuncture increased in modern times because of multifactorial reasons, for instance, the introduction of modern medicine, the differences of individual constitution and the practitioners. This suggests that to decrease adverse cases acupuncture practitioners should be an expert not only in traditional Chinese medicine, but also in western medicine, such as anatomy, and pharmacology.

Electroacupuncture treatment of chronic insomniacs.

BACKGROUND: Due to the quick rhythm of life and work pressure, more and more people suffer from sleep quality problems. In this study, we investigated the effect of electroacupuncture on sleep quality of chronic insomniacs and the safety of electroacupuncture therapy. METHODS: Four courses of electroacupuncture treatment were applied to 47 patients. With pre-treatment and post-treatment self-control statistical method, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scores were used for evaluating sleep quality. Polysomnogram was used for detecting insomniacs' changes in sleep architecture. The safety of electroacupuncture was evaluated by monitoring the self-designed adverse events and side effects during treatment and post-treatment. RESULTS: Electroacupuncture considerably improved insomniacs' sleep quality and social function during the daytime. Electroacupuncture had certain repairing effect on the disruption in sleep architecture. At the same time, electroacupuncture prolonged slow wave sleep (SWS) time and relatively rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep) time. There was no hangover, addiction or decrements in vigilance during the daytime (incidence rate was 0). However, insomnia rebound rate was about 23% within one month. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that electroacupuncture has beneficial effect on sleep quality improvement in the patients with chronic insomnia, which may be associated with repairing sleep architecture, reconstructing sleep continuity, as well as prolonging SWS time and REM sleep time. Electroacupuncture treatment for chronic insomnia is safe. Therefore, electroacupuncture therapy could be a promising avenue of treatment for chronic insomnia.

[Effects of the degrees of anxiety and depression on the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in the patient of insomnia].

OBJECTIVE: To probe factors of influencing therapeutic effects of acupuncture in the patient of insomnia. METHODS: According to scores of degrees of anxiety and depression, 52 cases of insomnia were divided into 3 groups, group I (mild or less degree) and group II (moderate degree) and group II (serious degree). The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were compared before and after treatment in the 3 groups, and between two groups after treatment. Results There were significant differences in the therapeutic effect as the groups I, II compared with the group III (P < 0.01). The total sleep quality in the group I was better than that in the group II (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The degree of anxiety and depression in the patient of insomnia is one of important factors influencing therapeutic effect of acupuncture on insomnia.

Novel topological index for research on structure-property relationships of complex organic compounds.

Based on bonding parameters such as Yang's Electronegative Force Gauge Y(i), electronic number of valence layer Z(i), number of combined hydrogen atoms h(i), number of bonding electron b(i), and quantum number such as the highest main quantum number of valence layer n(i), a novel atomic valence delta(i) (Y) is defined and a novel topological index (1)chi(Y) is derived from the atomic valence. The atomic valence is defined as delta(i) (Y) = (Z(i) - h(i))b(i)/n(i) (2)Y(i), while the topological index is expressed as (1)chi(Y) summation operator (i,j=1) (m) (delta(i) (Y)delta(j) (Y))(-1/2). Subsequently, the index (1)chi(Y) is utilized to study the structure-property relationships of complex organic compounds. The results of correlativity showed that the index is highly and extensively correlated with such properties as solubility of phenyl chlorides, gas chromatographic retention index of alkoxyl silanes, and toxicity of heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds. Moreover, predicted values are quite consistent with experimental ones when the index is employed to predict the partition coefficient (log P) of fatty alcohols, phenyl chlorides, and barbitals. Compared to the topological indices reported in the literature, the universality and reliability of (1)chi(Y) to the properties of complex organic compounds have been distinctively improved, and its calculating process is simple and convenient.