[Response of Topsoil Fungal Community Structure to Soil Improvement Measures in Degraded Forest of Red Soil Region].

Soil fungal community structure and diversity are highly sensitive to variations in the external environment, as well as soil improvement measures. In order to clarify the effects of soil improvement measures on topsoil fertility or quality, a field experiment was conducted in eroded forest of a red soil region. Organic fertilizer, biochar, and lime+microbial fertilizer were added to the topsoil, respectively. After four years, the chemistry properties and nutrients in the topsoil were measured, and the diversity and composition of fungi were analyzed. The results showed that the additions of organic fertilizer, biochar, and lime+microbial fertilizer reduced fungal richness in topsoil, compared to that with no fertilizer addition (CK). Among them, lime+microbial fertilizer had the most negative effect on fungal richness. The three soil improvement measures also affected the diversity of topsoil fungi, but the impacts were not significant. The dominant fungal phyla in the topsoil were Ascomycota (31.29%-46.55%) and Basidiomycota (30.07%-70.71%), and the dominant fungal genera were Amphinema and Archaeorhizomyces. The effects of soil improvement measures on fungal community structure in the topsoil were different; organic fertilizer increased the relative abundance of Ascomycetes and Archaeopteroides, and biochar enhanced the relative abundance of Basidiomycetes and Archaeopteroides, whereas lime+microbial fertilizer improved the relative abundance of Basidiomycetes and Archaeopteroides. Fungal diversity and community structure in the topsoil was affected by edaphic factors, and fungal richness was regulated by pH value, whereas fungal community structure was influenced by pH, total nitrogen, and organic carbon. This study provides scientific guidance for soil improvement and ecological restoration below the canopy in eroded forests of red soil regions.

Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Garlic Odor Compounds in Cultivated Chinese Chives (Allium tuberosum) and Wild Chinese Chives (Allium hookeri).

Chinese chives is a popular herb vegetable and medicine in Asian countries. Southwest China is one of the centers of origin, and the mountainous areas in this region are rich in wild germplasm. In this study, we collected four samples of germplasm from different altitudes: a land race of cultivated Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum), wide-leaf chives and extra-wide-leaf chives (Allium hookeri), and ovoid-leaf chives (Allium funckiaefolium). Leaf metabolites were detected and compared between A. tuberosum and A. hookeri. A total of 158 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAM) were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), among which there was a wide range of garlic odor compounds, free amino acids, and sugars. A. hookeri contains a higher content of fructose, garlic odor compounds, and amino acids than A. tuberosum, which is supported by the higher expression level of biosynthetic genes revealed by transcriptome analysis. A. hookeri accumulates the same garlic odor compound precursors that A. tuberosum does (mainly methiin and alliin). We isolated full-length gene sequences of phytochelatin synthase (PCS), γ-glutamyltranspeptidases (GGT), flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), and alliinase (ALN). These sequences showed closer relations in phylogenetic analysis between A. hookeri and A. tuberosum (with sequence identities ranging from 86% to 90%) than with Allium cepa or Allium sativum (which had a lower sequence identity ranging from 76% to 88%). Among these assayed genes, ALN, the critical gene controlling the conversion of odorless precursors into odor compounds, was undetected in leaves, bulbs, and roots of A. tuberosum, which could account for its weaker garlic smell. Moreover, we identified a distinct FMO1 gene in extra-wide-leaf A. hookeri that is due to a CDS-deletion and frameshift mutation. These results above reveal the molecular and metabolomic basis of impressive strong odor in wild Chinese chives.

Hepatic abscess caused by esophageal foreign body misdiagnosed as cystadenocarcinoma by magnetic resonance imaging: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Foreign bodies stuck in the throat and esophagus can be discharged through the digestive tract. Esophageal-lodged foreign bodies can cause secondary injury or detrimental response, with hepatic abscess being one such, albeit rare, outcome. Review and discussion of the few case reports on such instances will help to improve the overall understanding of such conditions and aid in differential diagnosis to improve patient outcome. CASE SUMMARY: A 51-year-old female patient with pre-existing diabetes visited our hospital following a 15-d experience of chills and fever. Both plain and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and color Doppler ultrasound examination of the liver and gallbladder revealed a space-occupying lesion in the caudate lobe of the liver (7.8 cm × 6.0 cm × 5.0 cm). Initially, a malignant tumor was suspected, but differential diagnosis was unable to exclude the possibility of hepatic abscess. Conservative anti-infection therapy produced a less than ideal outcome. Additional examination by hepatobiliary imaging with computed tomography suggested a foreign body present in the upper abdomen and hepatic abscess, and subsequent endoscopy revealed a sinus tract in the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb. Therefore, surgery was performed to remove the object (fishbone) and drain the abscess. After a 2-wk uneventful recovery, the patient was discharged. The final diagnosis was foreign body-induced hepatic abscess of the caudate lobe. CONCLUSION: Differential diagnosis is important for hepatic masses, and systematic examination and physician awareness can aid in diagnosing and curing such rare conditions.

Fuzheng Huayu Capsule Attenuates Hepatic Fibrosis by Inhibiting Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells.

AIM: To investigate the mechanisms of Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) Capsule in the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV)- associated fibrosis, HBV patients were divided into two groups, 50 cases were in the nucleotide analogues (NAs) group, while additional 50 cases were in the NAs + FZHY group. METHODS: We assessed the curative effects of antifibrosis through liver function, FibroScan test, and liver biopsy and detected the ratio of lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry. Peripheral blood lymphocyte and CD8+T, CD4+T, and natural killer cell subsets collected from patients were cocultured with LX-2 cells. Activation of LX-2 cells, production of the extracellular matrix, apoptosis, and proliferation of LX-2 cells were determined. Chronic liver injury models were established by ConA treatment. RESULTS: It is evident that FZHY treatment significantly increased the percentage of NK cells, the rate of death, and apoptosis of LX-2 cells and decreased the FibroScan liver stiffness measurement value. The expressions of α-SMA and procollagen type I mRNA in LX-2 cells of the FZHY treatment group as downregulated when they were cocultured with lymphocytes compared to those from the NAs group. The proliferation of LX-2 cells in the FZHY treatment group was inhibited compared to that in the NAs group. In a mouse model of hepatic fibrosis, PBLs and IHLs from ConA exposure plus FZHY treatment inhibited the ability of JS-1 cells to express α-SMA. CONCLUSIONS: FZHY Capsule improved the disordered cellular immunity and postponed liver fibrosis possibly through inhibiting the interaction between lymphocyte and hepatic stellate cells.

Isolation and identification of flavonoids components from Pteris vittata L.

BACKGROUND: Pteris vittata L. is rich in flavonoids which exhibit different bioactivities. In order to investigate the flavonoids components of P. vittata L., extracts of the plant were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. RESULTS: Four flavonoids compounds were obtained, the structures were identified as kaempferol (1), quercetin (2), kaempferol-3-O-d-glucopyranoside (3) and rutin (4), respectively, on the basis of NMR spectroscopic analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Compound 3 was reported for the first time from P. vittata L.

[Performance of FibroScan in evaluating the curative effects of traditional Chinese medicine on liver fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of FibroScan in evaluating the curative effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on liver fibrosis, and to analyze factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: Data of FibroScan values, types of disease, use of drug, liver function indexes, prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) were collected at both pre- (1 month prior) and post-FibroScan for 102 patients who underwent at least two FibroScan procedures. Patients were subgrouped according to presence of fibrosis, presence of cirrhosis, and TCM formulation and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The pre- and post-FibroScan mean liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) were significantly different when the variation of LSM was more than or equal to2 kPa for the non-fibrotic group (vs. the fibrotic group), or when the variation wasmore than or equal to4 kPa for the cirrhotic group (vs. the non-cirrhotic group). In addition, the three TCM formulation groups showed significant differences, with the most robust difference exhibited between the FuZheng HuaYu formulation group and the other treatment groups (P = 0.010). No significant differences were observed for the liver function indexes, PT, or INR. However, the post-FibroScan levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) was significantly reduced in patients with reduced LSM. CONCLUSION: FibroScan may be a useful non-invasive clinical tool for evaluating the comprehensive curative effect of treatments for chronic liver diseases, and its performance is not obviously impacted by ALT, AST, GGT, PT, and INR. The criteria for efficacy established by FibroScan are 2 kPa for the patients without liver fibrosis and 4 kPa for patients with liver cirrhosis.

[Chemical constituents from Canarium pimela fruits].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents from Canarium pimela fruits. METHODS: Compounds were obtained after separation and purification by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. The structures were identified on the basis of physico-chemical properties and spectrum data. RESULTS: Eight compounds were isolated from Canarium pimela fruits. The structures were identified as amentoflavone (1), kaempferol-3-O-ß-D-galactopyranoside (2), shikimic acid (3), quercetin (4), kaempferol (5), 3,3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (6), 3,3',4-tri-O-methylellagic acid (7) and stigmasterol (8). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1-8 are isolated from Canarium pimela fruits for the first time.

[Study on the chemical constituets in ethyl acetante extraction from semen litchi].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents in ethyl acetate extraction of Semen Litchi. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and purified by column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 coupled with preparative silica gel TLC, their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectrum analysis. RESULTS: Five compounds were isolated and identified as stigmasterol (1), P-hydroxy-benzaldehyde (2), protocatechuic acid (3), daucosterol (4) and kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5). CONCLUSION: Compounds 2 and 5 are obtained from this plant for the first time.

Profiling the expression of interleukin (IL)-28 and IL-28 receptor α in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-28 is an interferon-λ-family member involved in immunity against viral infection and tumour. We here determined the expression profiles of IL-28 and IL-28 receptor α (IL-28RA) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to evaluate the possibility that IL-28 is linked to the pathogenesis of SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serum IL-28 protein levels were determined by ELISA, and the IL-28 and IL-28RA transcript levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and peripheral blood T cells were determined by RT-PCR. The levels in patients with SLE with the active disease activity were statistically compared with those in normal controls. RESULTS: IL-28 protein in sera and IL-28 transcripts in PBMCs and unactivated T cells were detectable only in some individuals, and IL-28 transcripts in T cells were induced by cell activation with anti-CD2, anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies. However, compared with normal controls, patients with SLE more frequently had detectable IL-28 protein in serum and had the higher IL-28 transcript levels in activated CD4(+) T cells, but not activated CD8(+) T cells. Two IL-28RA transcripts isoforms were detected in PBMCs and T cells, and their levels in patients with SLE were comparable with those in normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of IL-28, a T-cell autocrine factor, is dysregulated in patients with SLE, supporting the possibility that IL-28 may contribute to some of the SLE pathogenesis.

OIP30, a RuvB-like DNA helicase 2, is a potential substrate for the pollen-predominant OsCPK25/26 in rice.

Calcium ions are a well-known essential component for pollen germination and tube elongation. Several calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are expressed predominantly in mature pollen grains and play a critical role in pollen. However, none of their interacting proteins or downstream substrates has been identified. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we isolated OsCPK25/26-interacting protein 30 (OIP30), which is also predominantly expressed in pollen. OIP30 encodes a RuvB-like DNA helicase 2 (RuvBL2) that is well conserved in eukaryotic species from yeast to human. Yeast and Drosophila defective in RuvBL2 are non-viable. The interaction between OsCPK26 and OIP30 was confirmed by far-Western blot and pull-down experiments. OIP30 was phosphorylated in a calcium-dependent manner by OsCPK26 but not OsCPK2, which is highly similar to OsCPK26 in sequence and expression profile. OIP30 unwound partial duplex DNA with a 3' to 5' directionality by ATP hydrolysis. Concurrently, the ATPase activity of OIP30 depended on single-stranded DNA. OsCPK26 phosphorylated OIP30 and enhanced both its helicase and ATPase activity about 3-fold. OIP30 may be the potential downstream substrate for OsCPK25/26 in pollen. This report characterizes a RuvBL in plants and links its activities with its upstream regulator.