Comparison of Bacterial Communities in Five Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Mycosphere Soil.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi have huge potential value, both nutritionally and economically, but most of them cannot be cultivated artificially. To better understand the influence of abiotic and biotic factors upon the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi, mycosphere soil and bulk soil of five ectomycorrhizal fungi (Calvatia candida, Russula brevipes, Leucopaxillus laterarius, Leucopaxillus giganteus, and Lepista panaeola) were used as research objects for this study. Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to analyze the community structure of the mycosphere and bulk soil bacteria of the five ectomycorrhizal fungi, and a comprehensive analysis was conducted based on soil physicochemical properties. Our results show that the mycosphere soil bacteria of the five ectomycorrhizal fungi are slightly different. Escherichia, Usitatibacter, and Bradyrhizobium are potential mycorrhizal-helper bacteria of distinct ectomycorrhizal fungi. Soil water content, soil pH, and available potassium are the main factors shaping the soil bacterial community of the studied ectomycorrhizal fungi. Moreover, from the KEGG functional prediction and LEfSe analysis, there are significant functional differences not only between the mycosphere soil and bulk soil. 'Biosynthesis of terpenoidsand steroids', 'alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism', 'Longevity regulating pathway-multiple species', 'D-Arginine and D-ornithine metabolism', 'Nitrotoluene degradation' and other functions were significantly different in mycosphere soil. These findings have pivotal implications for the sustainable utilization of ectomycorrhizal fungi, the expansion of edible fungus cultivation in forest environments, and the enhancement of derived economic benefits.

Synthesis of a Two-Dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheet and Ultrasensitive Trapping of Staphylococcus Aureus for Enhanced Photothermal and Antibacterial Wound-Healing Therapy.

Photothermal therapy has been widely used in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the short photothermal effective radius of conventional nano-photothermal agents makes it difficult to achieve effective photothermal antibacterial activity. Therefore, improving composite targeting can significantly inhibit bacterial growth. We inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by using an extremely low concentration of vancomycin (Van) and applied photothermal therapy with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). This simple method used chitosan (CS) to synthesize fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled and Van-loaded MoS2-nanosheet hydrogels (MoS2-Van-FITC@CS). After modifying the surface, an extremely low concentration of Van could inhibit bacterial growth by trapping bacteria synergistically with the photothermal effects of MoS2, while FITC labeled bacteria and chitosan hydrogels promoted wound healing. The results showed that MoS2-Van-FITC@CS nanosheets had a thickness of approximately 30 nm, indicating the successful synthesis of the nanosheets. The vitro antibacterial results showed that MoS2-Van-FITC with near-infrared irradiation significantly inhibited S. aureus growth, reaching an inhibition rate of 94.5% at nanoparticle concentrations of up to 100 µg/mL. Furthermore, MoS2-Van-FITC@CS could exert a healing effect on wounds in mice. Our results demonstrate that MoS2-Van-FITC@CS is biocompatible and can be used as a wound-healing agent.

Gold nanorod-loaded thermosensitive liposomes facilitate the targeted release of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes with anti-tumor activity.

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes (Ru) show high anti-tumor activity, but their poor solubility and low biocompatibility impede their use in anti-tumor therapy. Here,we circumvented the problem of low solubility by encapsulating the Ru in thermosensitive liposomes (LTSLs) and used gold nanorods (Au NRs) modified on the surface of the liposomes to permit the precise release of Ru at the tumor site. A facile and simple method was developed to synthesize Ru-loaded Au NR-decorated LTSL (Au@LTSL-Ru NPs). The loaded Au NRs improved the anti-tumor effect of Ru and enhanced the photothermal therapeutic properties of the nanosystem. A characterization experiment indicated that the average particle size of Au@LTSL-Ru was approximately 300 nm and that the Au NRs were successfully modified on the surface of LTSL. In thein vitroanti-tumor test, Au@LTSL-Ru and NIR significantly inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells. The IC50value of Au@LTSL-Ru + NIR was 7.1 ± 1.2µM (13µg ml-1), and the inhibition rate was greater than 90% when the concentration reached 30µg ml-1.In vivostudies revealed that Au@LTSL-Ru and NIR had a significant inhibitory effect on subcutaneous tumor tissues derived from SGC-7901 cells. Analysis of histopathology and immunocytotoxicity indicated that Au@LTSL-Ru has fewer side effects and high biocompatibility. Our results confirm that Au@LTSL-Ru can effectively inhibit tumor growth and aid the development of Ru for use in the thermal response in anti-tumor activity research.

The Effects of Luminescent CdSe Quantum Dot-Functionalized Antimicrobial Peptides Nanoparticles on Antibacterial Activity and Molecular Mechanism.

BACKGROUND: With the development of bacterial resistance, the range of effective antibiotics is increasingly becoming more limited. The effective use of nanoscale antimicrobial peptides (AP) in therapeutic and diagnostic methods is a strategy for new antibiotics. METHODS: Combining both AP and cadmium selenide (CdSe) into a composite material may result in a reagent with novel properties, such as enhanced antibacterial activity, fluorescence and favorable stability in aqueous solution. RESULTS: AP-loaded CdSe NPs (AP-CdSe NPs) showed strong antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in vitro and in vivo. Colony-forming unit (CFU) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays showed that AP-CdSe NPs have highly effective antibacterial activity. The quantitative analysis of apoptosis by flow cytometry analysis further confirmed that MDR E. coli and S. aureus treated with AP-CdSe NPs had death rates of 98.76% and 99.13%, respectively. Also, AP-CdSe NPs was found to inhibit bacterial activity in an in vivo bacteremia model in mice infected with S. aureus. In addition, the antibacterial mechanism of AP-CdSe NPs was determined by RNA sequencing analysis. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed the molecular mechanism of the antibacterial effect of AP-CdSe NPs. Importantly, histopathology analysis, and hematological toxicity analysis indicated that AP-CdSe NPs had few side effects. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that AP loaded on CdSe NPs had a higher water solubility, bioavailability and antibacterial effect compared with raw AP. This study reports findings that are helpful for the design and development of antibacterial treatment strategies based on AP.

A risk predictor of restenosis after superficial femoral artery stent implantation: relevance of mean platelet volume.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between an increase in the pre- and post-operative mean platelet volume (MPV) and superficial femoral artery in-stent restenosis (ISR) rate. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recruited patients that underwent superficial femoral artery stenting for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans at our hospital from March 2015 to March 2018. All patients gave venous blood three days before and following implantation. Doppler ultrasound, computed tomography angiography or digital subtraction angiography were used for regular follow-up examination. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ISR after superficial femoral artery stenting. We enrolled 173 patients, of which 34 (19.6%) were determined as having ISR for a mean of 8.9 ± 2.7 months (3-12 months). Neutrophil count, neutrophil ratio, lymphocyte ratio and platelet count pre-implantation, and platelet count and MPV after stent implantation, and the pre- and post-operative mean platelet volume difference (MPVD) and mean platelet volume difference ratio (MPVDR) were all statistically different when comparing the ISR and non-restenosis groups (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found for post-operative MPV and presence of ISR (r = 0.58; P < 0.001). A MPVD not less than 1.5 fL was associated with an odds ratio of 9.17 (95% CI [3.76 to 22.35]; P < 0.001) for presence of ISR. A MPVDR of not less than 17.9% was associated with an odds ratio of 7.68 (95% CI [3.19 to 18.49]; P < 0.001) for occurrence of ISR. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in pre- and post-operative MPV was correlated with the occurrence of superficial femoral artery ISR.

Effect of Suo Quan Wan on the bladder function of aging rats based on the ß-adrenoceptor.

Suo Quan Wan (SQW) has been used to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in elderly patients for hundreds of years in China. ß-adrenoceptors (ß-ARs), particularly ß3-adrenoceptor (ß3-AR), was reported to be important in the bladder dysfunction of the elderly. The present study was conducted to explore the effect of ß-AR, and particularly the ß3-adrenoceptor, in aging rat bladder function in vitro and to test the therapeutic effect of SQW on LUTS in an aging rat model based on the ß3-adrenoceptor. Briefly, the bladder detrusor muscles of young (age, 3 months) and aging (age, 15 months) female rats were separated. A ß-AR non-selective agonist, isoprenaline (ISO), subtype ß3-AR agonist (BRL37344A) and ß3-AR antagonist (SR59230A) were used to define the tension change of detrusor muscles between young and aging rats in vitro. For blank controls, 12 young rats were marked, and 48 aging female rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: Model, SQW high, SQW middle and SQW low. Following oral administration of SQW for 6 weeks in aging rats, urodynamic and bladder detrusor tests were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SQW. The expression of ß3-AR mRNA was investigated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Using ISO and BRL37344A in vitro, maximum relaxation (Emax), intrinsic activity (IA), and log (50% effective concentration) (PD2) were significantly decreased in aging rats compared with that in young rats (P<0.05). Significant changes were also observed in the ß3-AR antagonist experiment, which blocked ISO-induced relaxation, with significant decreases observed in Emax, IA and PD2, and a significant increase observed in PA2 for the aging rats compared with the young controls (P<0.05). SQW was demonstrated to enhance bladder control, storage and contraction ability. Furthermore, SQW was able to increase the sensitivity and expression of ß3-AR in an aging rat. In conclusion, the decrease in ß3-AR sensitivity in aging rats and the expression resulted in bladder detrusor dysfunction. In addition, the therapeutic effect of SQW against LUTS relies on the former's effect on the urethral sphincter, bladder detrusor and ß3-AR.

[Effects of Suoquan Wan and Shenqi Wan on Urethra Function and ß-AR Function of Detrusor in Natural Aged Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Suoquan Wan(SQW) and Jinkui Shenqi Wan(JKSQW) on urethra function and ß6-AR function of detrusor in natural aged rats. METHODS: young rats(3 months) and Aged rats(15 months) were chosen. Young rats were chosen as control, aged rats were randomly divided into three groups: model, JKSQW and SQW groups, 12 rats in each group. JKSQW and SQW were given the appropriate concentration once a day for six weeks. The effects of SQW and JKSQW on relaxation function of bladder detrusor was investigated, and their effects on bladder induced by ß3-AR agonist and ß3-AR agonist were further studied. Then, their effects on pressure of urethra were observed. RESULTS: Compared with the young group, detrusor compliance of natural aged model rats was increased, Emax and IA of agonist of ß3-AR including BRL37344 and ISO were decreased(P <0. 01), while PA2 of antagonist of ß3-AR were increased(P <0. 05). Compared with model group, SQW and JKSQW decreased the bladder compliance(P <0. 05), and increased Emax, IA and PD2 due to sensitivity of detrusor to agonist of ß3-AR and ß3-AR including BRL37344 and ISO(P <0. 05 or P < 0. 01) ,while decreased PA2 of antagonist of ß3-AR(P <0. 05). MUCP, MUP and FUL of aged rats were lower than those of normal rats. But SQW and JKSQW increased MUCP and MUP, and JKSQW increased FUL of aged rats(P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). CONCLUSION: SQW and JKSQW can remarkably adjust ß3-AR function on the detrusor and improve the closure ability of bladder detrusor of the natural aged rats.

[Edaphic FTIR finger print and the area choice of Chinese herb culture].

UNLABELLED: In order to search for the difference of the soil of Chinese herb growth, and provide useful information for the area choice of Chinese herb culture, 53 soil samples were detected by FTIR. The results showed that all the samples have 8 peaks at 3,621, 3,425, 1,642, 1,435, 1,029, 878, 760 and 690 cm(-1), respectively, but the relative intensity is different. In addition, the peaks at 1,796, 2,982 and 2,874 cm(-1) show difference too. This can be used to distinguish soil in different area. The study also showed that soil in Tianshui and Dingxi of Gansu province are similar to that in Shanxi province. CONCLUSIONS: FTIR finger print of soil can provide useful information for the area choice of Chinese herb culture and transplantation and can be used in the study of soil.