Effects of light qualities on growth and physiological-biochemical traits of Scutellaria baicalensis.

Canopy spectral composition significantly affects growth and functional traits of understory plants. In this study, we explored the optimal light condition suitable for enhancing Scutellaria baicalensis's yield and quality, aiming to provide scientific reference for the exploitation and utilization of medicinal plant resources in the understory of forests. We measured the responses of growth, morphology, biomass allocation, physiological traits, and secon-dary metabolites of S. baicalensis to different light qualities. S. baicalensis was cultured under five LED-light treatments including full spectrum light (control), ultraviolet-A (UV-A) radiation, blue, green, and red light. Results showed that UV-A significantly reduced plant height, base diameter, leaf thickness, leaf area ratio, and biomass of each organ. Red light significantly reduced base diameter, biomass, effective quantum yield of photosystem Ⅱ (ФPSⅡ), and total flavonoid concentration. Under blue light, root length and total biomass of S. baicalensis significantly increased by 48.0% and 10.8%, respectively, while leaf number and chlorophyll content significantly decreased by 20.0% and 31.6%, respectively. The other physiological and biochemical traits were consistent with their responses in control. Our results suggested that blue light promoted photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, and secondary metabolite synthesis of S. baicalensis, while red light and UV-A radiation negatively affected physiological and biochemical metabolic processes. Therefore, the ratio of blue light could be appropriately increased to improve the yield and quality of S. baicalensis.

[Effects of canopy spectral composition on growth and photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics of Pinus koraiensis and Quercus mongolica seedlings]. / å† å±‚å ‰è°±ç»„æˆå¯¹çº¢æ¾å’Œè’™å¤æ Žå¹¼è‹—ç”Ÿé•¿å’Œå ‰åˆè§å ‰ç‰¹æ€§çš„å½±å“.

We investigated the responses of leaf and individual traits, growth, and fluorescence characteristics of seedlings of two dominant species of broad-leaved Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountain, i.e., Pinus koraiensis and Quercus mongolica, to five spectrum-attenuation treatments. Results showed that the architecture and growth of P. koraiensis and Q. mongolica seedlings were mainly regulated by ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation and blue light. The attenuation of blue light significantly decreased leaf area ratio and relative growth rate of two species. The attenuation of UV-B radiation significantly increased leaf area ratio and relative growth rate of P. koraiensis seedlings by 41.8% and 47.7%, respectively, and significantly decreased plant height, total leaf area, and biomass accumulation of Q. mongolica seedlings. Furthermore, the attenuation of UV-B radiation significantly decreased the fluorescence regulation ability of two tree seedlings, with lower magnitude of P. koraiensis than Q. mongolica. The non-regulatory quantum yield (ΦNO) of P. koraiensis increased by 31.6%, and the ΦNPQ/ΦNO ratio, an indicator for photosynthetic fluorescence regulation ability, decreased by 37.5%. These results suggested that those two species might have evolved adaptation strategies to changes in canopy spectral compositions of their respective habitats. Q. mongolica seedlings tended to improve light capture ability through rapid morphological responses, while P. koraiensis seedlings preferred to increase carbon assimilation efficiency by adjusting fluorescence characteristics.

Characteristics of immune function of full-term infants with different feeding patterns at the age of 3 months: a prospective cohort study. / ä¸åŒå–‚å »æ–¹å¼çš„è¶³æœˆå„¿3æœˆé¾„æ—¶å ç–«åŠŸèƒ½ç‰¹ç‚¹åˆ†æžçš„å‰çž»æ€§é˜Ÿåˆ—ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the characteristics of immune function of healthy full-term infants at the age of 3 months, and to analyze the relationship of immune function with feeding pattern and sex. METHODS: A total of 84 healthy full-term infants born in four hospitals in Beijing and Hohhot, China were prospectively recruited. Their feeding patterns remained unchanged within 4 months after birth. They were divided into a breast-feeding group and a milk powder feeding group according to their feeding patterns. At the age of 3 months after birth, peripheral venous blood samples of the two groups were collected to evaluate cellular immunity and humoral immunity and perform routine blood test. The laboratory indices were compared between infants with different feeding patterns and sexes. RESULTS: Compared with the milk powder feeding group, the breast-feeding group had significantly lower proportion of T cell second signal receptor CD28, immunoglobulin M, and proportion and absolute count of neutrophils (P<0.05) and significantly higher expression and proportion of HLA-DR, a surface activation marker of CD8+ T cells, and proportion of lymphocytes (P<0.05). The male infants had a significantly lower white blood cell count and a significantly higher proportion of eosinophils compared with the female infants (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sex has no significant effect on the proportion of lymphocyte subsets in 3-month-old full-term infants, but feeding patterns are associated with the proportion of CD28+ T cells (lymphocyte functional subset) and HLA-DR+ T cells (lymphocyte activation subset), suggesting that feeding patterns have a certain effect on the development of immune function in 3-month-old full-term infants.

[A clinical analysis of 15 children with systemic lupus erythematosus accompanied by pulmonary hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features, laboratory findings, diagnosis and treatment, and prognosis of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: The clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, echocardiographic features, SLE disease activity index, and treatment outcome of 15 hospitalized children with SLE accompanied by PH were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 15 patients, the median interval from diagnosis of SLE to diagnosis of PH was 0.1 year (range: 0-6.5 years). Aside from PH-related symptoms, Raynaud's phenomenon was observed in 6 (40%) of the 15 patients. There was no significant difference in SLE disease activity (evaluated by complements 3 and 4 levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and positive rate of anti-double-stranded DNA) between patients with mild-to-moderate PH and those with severe PH (P<0.05). As for treatment, 13 patients received immunosuppressive therapy with glucocorticoids, and among them 2 patients received PH-targeted therapy. During a median follow-up of 8.0 years (range: 0.5-18.1 years) since the diagnosis of PH, 2 deaths were noted with class III or IV cardiac function (World Health Organization), while the other patients were in a stable condition. CONCLUSIONS: Raynaud's phenomenon is a common clinical manifestation in children with SLE accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH severity is not significantly associated with SLE disease activity, and thus greater focus should be placed upon early screening of pulmonary arterial pressure in SLE patients. Early diagnosis and early treatment can improve the prognosis of children with SLE.

[Epigenetic effects of human breastfeeding].

Breastfeeding is well-known for its benefits of preventing communicable and non-communicable diseases. Human breastmilk consists not only of nutrients, but also of bioactive substances. What's more, the epigenetic effects of human breast milk may also play an important role. Alterations in the epigenetic regulation of genes may lead to profound changes in phenotype. Clarifying the role of human breast milk on genetic expression can potentially benefit the infant's health and his later life. This review article makes a brief summary of the epigenetic mechanism of breast milk, and its epigenetic effects on neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, infectious diseases, metabolism syndrome, cognitive function and anaphylactic diseases.

[Recurrent bleeding tendency in a school-aged boy].

The study reports a boy with alpha1-antitrypsin Pittsburgh mutation. The boy was admitted into the hospital because of recurrent joint hematoma. The laboratory examinations revealed that prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were prolonged and cannot be corrected by 1:1 fresh plasma. The inhibitor of factor VIII, anticardiolipin antibody and lupus anticoagulant were all negative. Platelet aggregation test indicated the existence of the inhibitor of thrombin. Alpha1-antitrypsin Pittsburgh mutation was confirmed by genomic sequencing. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of this disorder are discussed in this paper.