EPOR activation attenuates colitis via enhancing LC3B-dependent apoptotic cell clearance.

Systemic immune activation and excessive inflammatory response, induced by intestinal barrier damage, are the major characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Excessive apoptotic cell accumulation leads to the production of a large number of inflammatory factors, further aggravating IBD development. Gene set enrichment analysis data showed that the homodimeric erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) was highly expressed in the whole blood of patients with IBD. EPOR is specifically expressed in intestinal macrophages. However, the role of EPOR in IBD development is unclear. In this study, we found that EPOR activation significantly alleviated colitis in mice. Furthermore, in vitro, EPOR activation in bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMDMs) promoted microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B) activation and mediated the clearance of apoptotic cells. Moreover, our data showed that EPOR activation facilitated the expression of phagocytosis- and tissue-repair-related factors. Our findings suggest that EPOR activation in macrophages promotes apoptotic cell clearance, probably via LC3B-associated phagocytosis (LAP), providing a new mechanism for understanding pathological progression and a novel potential therapeutic target for colitis.

A new abietane diterpenoid from Lycopodium complanatum.

A new abietane diterpenoid, 1ß, 11-epoxyabieta-12-hydroxy-8, 11, 13-triene-7-one (1), along with three known compounds (2-4), was isolated from Lycopodium complanatum. Their structures were confirmed by the analysis of 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS data, and comparison with previous spectral data. All compounds were tested for inhibitory activities against A549, HepG2 and MCF-7 tumor cell lines. [Figure: see text].

Combined lifestyle factors, incident cancer, and cancer mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Cancer poses a huge disease burden, which could be reduced by adopting healthy lifestyles mainly composed of healthy diet, body weight, physical activity, limited alcohol consumption, and avoidance of smoking. However, no systematic review has summarised the relations of combined lifestyle factors with cancer morbidity and mortality. METHODS: EMBASE and PubMed were searched up to April 2019. Cohort studies investigating the association of combined lifestyle factors with risks of incident cancer and cancer mortality were selected. Summary hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. Heterogeneity and publication bias tests were conducted. RESULTS: The HRs (95% CIs) comparing individuals with the healthiest versus the least healthy lifestyles were 0.71 (0.66-0.76; 16 studies with 1.9 million participants) for incident cancer and 0.48 (0.42-0.54; 30 studies with 1.8 million participants) for cancer mortality. Adopting the healthiest lifestyles was also associated with 17 to 58% lower risks of bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, oesophageal, kidney, liver, lung, rectal, and gastric cancer. The relations were largely consistent and significant among participants with different characteristics in the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Adopting healthy lifestyles is associated with substantial risk reduction in cancer morbidity and mortality, and thus should be given priority for cancer prevention.

Photochemical Synthesis of Shape-Controlled Nanostructured Gold on Zinc Oxide Nanorods as Photocatalytically Renewable Sensors.

Biosensors always suffer from passivation that prevents their reutilization. To address this issue, photocatalytically renewable sensors composed of semiconductor photocatalysts and sensing materials have emerged recently. In this work, we developed a robust and versatile method to construct different kinds of renewable biosensors consisting of ZnO nanorods and nanostructured Au. Via a facile and efficient photochemical reduction, various nanostructured Au was obtained successfully on ZnO nanorods. As-prepared sensors concurrently possess excellent sensing capability and desirable photocatalytic cleaning performance. Experimental results demonstrate that dendritic Au/ZnO composite has the strongest surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement, and dense Au nanoparticles (NPs)/ZnO composite has the highest electrochemical activity, which was successfully used for electrochemical detection of NO release from cells. Furthermore, both of the SERS and electrochemical sensors can be regenerated efficiently for renewable applications via photodegrading adsorbed probe molecules and biomolecules. Our strategy provides an efficient and versatile method to construct various kinds of highly sensitive renewable sensors and might expand the application of the photocatalytically renewable sensor in the biosensing area.

Examining the Effects of Biochar Application on Soil Phosphorus Levels and Phosphatase Activities with Visible and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Biochar could be got from crop straw which contain rich carbon under oxygen free or oxygen limited conditions at low temperature. The application of biochar into soil is beneficial to ease the pressure of handling straw, reduce pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil quality. This study was carried out in a cornfield containing meadow brown soil at the lower reaches of Liao River which was treated with different amounts of biochar (0, 360, 1 800, 3 600 kg·ha-1) and fertilizer. We investigated the contents of soil available phosphorus (AP), organic P (OP) and total P (TP). We also investigated the enzyme activities of soil acid phosphatase (AcP), alkaline phosphatase (AlP) and phosphodiesterase (PD) via a fluorescence spectroscopy method by using a fluorescent conjugated polymer as the substrate. Soil AP contents increased drastically with the increasing application of biochar, whereas the OP and TP contents exhibited little change. The increase in AP contents was ascribed to the introduction of P into the soil via biochar. Soil AlP and PD activities increased with increasing biochar application. Soil AcP activity increased significantly after the application of the appropriate amount of biochar (1 800 kg·ha-1), whereas it was inhibited by the application of high levels of biochar (3 600 kg·ha-1), perhaps due to the intrinsic alkalinity of biochar. The effect of Biochar inputs on soil phosphorus element and phosphatase activity is the comprehensive embodiment of the soil physical properties, chemical properties, and microbial community structure and metabolic capacity. We should further study such item. The fluorescent microplate method used in this study has many advantages, such as accuracy, rapidness and simple to perform.

[Effects of different fertilization patterns on soil improvement and vegetation restoration of desertified grassland in northwest Liaoning Province, China]. / 不同培肥模式对辽西北沙化草地土壤改良与植被恢复的影响.

Improving soil fertility is one of the key approaches for ecological restoration of the wind-sand area in northwest Liaoning Province. Taking wind-sand area in northwest Liaoning Province as test object, we conducted a fertilization experiment with treatments of inorganic fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers), organic fertilizer, combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, and organic fertilizer combined with a biologically organic matrix (γ-polyglutamic acid), and no fertilizer as control. We measured soil organic matter content and extractable cations concentrations, vegetation coverage, and biomass under different fertilization treatments and determine the suitable fertilization mode. The results showed that compared to the control, inorganic fertilizer rapidly increased vegetation coverage and biomass, but high levels of inorganic fertilizer (150 kg N·hm-2) led to soil acidification and Ca2+ leaching. Organic fertilizer increased soil organic matter content, exchangeable K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ contents, as well as coverage and biomass vegetation, especially combined with γ-polyglutamic acid. Overall, the combination of low levels of inorganic fertilizer (50 kg N·hm-2) and moderate levels of organic fertilizer (30000 kg·hm-2) was the best fertilization practice for the rapid and stable restoration of grassland in wind-sand area. Moreover, the extra addition of γ-polyglutamic acid (60 kg·hm-2)could effectively improve soil fertility.

Short-term legacy effects of long-term nitrogen and water addition on soil chemical properties and micro-bial characteristics in a temperate grassland.

Nitrogen deposition and summer precipitation in eastern Inner Mongolia are predicted to increase in recent decades. However, such increases in nitrogen inputs and precipitation may not be continuous under the future new patterns of global change, with the direction and magnitude of which may change or weaken. The legacy effects of nitrogen and water addition after cessation on ecosystems are still unclear. Based on a 13-year nitrogen and water addition experiment in temperate grassland of northern China, we examined the short-term (2 years) legacy effects of historical nitrogen and water addition on soil physicochemical properties and microbial properties after the cessation of nitrogen and water addition in the 14th year. The results showed that the positive effects of historical nitrogen addition on most of soil nutrient variables diminished after two years of cessation, including ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, and Olsen-P concentrations. In contrast, there were legacy effects on soil microbial characteristics. For example, the historical nitrogen input of 15 g N·m-2·a-1 reduced microbial biomass carbon, respiration, and alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity by 73.3%, 81.9%, and 70.3% respectively. It implied that microbial parameters restored slowly in comparison with soil nutrients, showing a hysteresis effect. Results of Pearson's correlation and redundancy analysis showed that the legacy effects of historical nitrogen addition on microbial parameters could be attributed to the negative effects of nitrogen addition on soil pH. Historical water addition showed significant legacy effects on soil pH, ammonium nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, respiration, and soil enzyme activities, which significantly interacted with historical nitrogen addition. These results are of great significance to predict the changes in grassland ecosystem functions and services under the local environmental improvement conditions, and to reveal the restoration mechanism of degraded grassland.

[Determination of soil exchangeable base cations by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and extraction with ammonium acetate].

A method to determine soil exchangeable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and sodium (Na) by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and extraction with ammonium acetate was developed. Results showed that the accuracy of exchangeable base cation data with AAS method fits well with the national standard referential soil data. The relative errors for parallel samples of exchangeable Ca and Mg with 66 pair samples ranged from 0.02%-3.14% and 0.06%-4.06%, and averaged to be 1.22% and 1.25%, respectively. The relative errors for exchangeable K and Na with AAS and flame photometer (FP) ranged from 0.06%-8.39% and 0.06-1.54, and averaged to be 3.72% and 0.56%, respectively. A case study showed that the determination method for exchangeable base cations by using AAS was proven to be reliable and trustable, which could reflect the real situation of soil cation exchange properties in farmlands.

[Variation in soil Mn fractions as affected by long-term manure amendment using atomic absorption spectrophotometer in a typical grassland of inner Mongolia].

The effect of sheep manure amendment on soil manganese fractions was conducted in a 11 year experiment at inner Mongolia grassland, using sequential extraction procedure in modified Community Bureau of Reference, and determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Five treatments with dry sheep manure addition rate 0, 50, 250, 750, and 1500 g x m(-2) x yr(-1), respectively, were carried out in this experiment. Results showed that the recovery rate for total Mn was 91.4%-105.9%, as the percentage recovered from the summation of the improved BCR results with aqua regia extractable contents, and it was 97.2%-102.9% from certified soil reference materials. Plant available exchangeable Mn could be enhanced by 47.89%, but reducible and total Mn contents decreased significantly under heavy application of manure at depth of 0-5 cm. The effect of manure amendment on Mn fractions was greater in 0-5 cm than in 5-10 cm soil layer. The results are benefit to micronutrient fractions determination and nutrient management in grassland soils.

[Interannual variations in natural abundance of nitrogen stable isotopes in soil and plant and their implications in a meadow steppe]. / è‰ç”¸è‰åŽŸåœŸå£¤ä¸Žæ¤ç‰©ç³»ç»Ÿè‡ªç„¶ä¸°åº¦æ°®ç¨³å®šåŒä½ç´ çš„å¹´é™ å˜åŒ–åŠå ¶æŒ‡ç¤ºä½œç”¨.

Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for ecosystems. The natural abundance of δ15N (15N/14N) can efficiently indicate ecosystem nitrogen cycling processes. We investigated the interannual variations in natural abundance of δ15N in soil-plant system and soil net nitrogen mineralization in a meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia. Results across the four sampling years (2017-2020) showed that the content of soil NO3--N (9.83-14.79 mg·kg-1) was significantly higher than that of NH4+-N (3.92-5.00 mg·kg-1) and that δ15N value of soil NH4+ (13.3‰-18.3‰) was significantly higher than that of NO3-(3.76‰-6.14‰). The δ15N value of soil NO3- was negatively correlated with soil NO3- content. The δ15N value of soil NH4+ was relatively higher in the dry years, while the δ15N value of soil NO3- significantly decreased in the wetter and drier years. Soil net mineralization and ammonification rates were significantly higher in the dry years than that of the wet years, while soil nitrification rates showed no correlation with annual precipitation. The δ15N values of plants were not related to that of soils, but nega-tively correlated with plant nitrogen content. Both δ15N values and nitrogen contents were significantly and positively correlated between the leguminous and non-leguminous plants, suggesting that legume could facilitate nitrogen uptake of non-leguminous plants. These results could provide supporting data for nitrogen cycling and their responses to changes in precipitation in grassland soil-plant systems.

[Effects of nutrient and water addition on soil inorganic phosphorus fractions in an old-field grassland]. / å »åˆ†å’Œæ°´æ·»åŠ å¯¹å¼ƒè€•è‰åœ°åœŸå£¤æ— æœºç£·ç»„åˆ†çš„å½±å“.

Reasonable nutrient and water management is effective ways to improve productivity and biodiversity of degraded grasslands. However, little is known about the effects of nutrient and water addition on soil inorganic phosphorus (P) fractions in old-field grasslands. Based on a field experiment with nutrient addition (N: 10 g·m-2·a-1, P: 10 g·m-2·a -1) and water addition (180 mm water irrigated during plant growing season) in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia in 2005, we examined the changes of inorganic P fractions and Olsen-P contents in the topsoil (0-10 cm). Results showed that 11-year P addition significantly increased total inorganic P (TIP) content, and that exogenous P was mostly transformed into calcium phosphate (Ca-P: 62.6%-69.2%), and then into aluminium phosphate (Al-P: 19.9%-25.1%), ferric phosphate (Fe-P) and occluded P (O-P). Phosphorus incorporated with nitrogen (N) addition significantly increased Fe-P and Al-P contents by declining soil pH and activating Fe3+ and Al3+ in soil. Water addition alone significantly increased Fe-P, Al-P, and decalcium phosphate (Ca10-P) fractions, and the contents of Fe-P, Al-P, octacalcium phosphate (Ca8-P), and Ca10-P were greater in P incorporated with water treatment than in P addition alone. There was no difference of each inorganic P fraction between P incorporated with N and water treatment and P incorporated with N treatment. Phosphorus and P incorporated with N additions significantly increased soil Olsen-P content, while water addition significantly decreased soil Olsen-P content under P addition alone and P incorporated with N treatment. In the calcareous soils, calcium superphosphate addition could enhance soil inorganic P pool through increasing Ca-P fraction.

[Effects of long-term fertilization and water addition on soil properties and plant community characteristics in a semiarid grassland.] / 长期施肥和增水对半干旱草地土壤性质和植物性状的影响.

We summarized the effects of fertilization and water addition on some soil properties and plant community characteristics in a long-term field experiment established in 2005 in a degraded grassland in Duolun, Inner Mongolia, China. The results showed that nitrogen (N) addition resulted in surface soil acidification and decreased acid buffering capacity, increased the availability of carbon (C), N, phosphorus (P), sulfur (S) and DTPA-extractable iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) contents, depleted the sum of base cations calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and sodium (Na), decreased the diversity of soil microbial community. Nitrogen addition enhanced the uptake of N, P, S, K, Mn, Cu and Zn by plants, while inhibited plant Fe uptake, but with no effect on the uptake of Ca or Mg. Nitrogen addition increased aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) but declined plant species diversity and community stability. Phosphorus addition alone increased total P and Olsen-P contents and fungal abundance in the surface soil, and improved N, P and S uptake by leaves, but had no significant influence on other soil basic chemical properties, ANPP, and plant species diversity. Water addition could improve the resistance of plant community, but its contribution to ANPP was limited by soil N availa-bility. Water addition could buffer soil acidification and the decline of microbial and plant diversity induced by N addition. Under the treatments of N and water addition or P and water addition, the diversity and function of soil microorganisms were affected by plant community structure and function. Long-term controlled field experiments were useful for understanding ecosystem structure and functions of grasslands. However, to uncover the underlying mechanisms in grassland ecosystem ecology, single-site experiments should be incorporated with multiple-site controlled field experiments in different regions. More attentions should be paid to the linkage of above- and below-ground ecological processes.

Effects of miR-145 on the inhibition of chondrocyte proliferation and fibrosis by targeting TNFRSF11B in human osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of functional deterioration in older adults, and altered chondrogenesis is the most common pathophysiological process involved in the development of OA. MicroRNA­145 (miR­145) has been shown to regulate chondrocyte homeostasis. However, the function of miR­145 in OA remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the expression levels of miR­145 were examined in cartilage specimens from 25 patients with knee OA using reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. The effects of miR­145 on the proliferation and fibrosis of the C­20/A4 and CH8 cell lines were also investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylth-iazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and western blot assays in vitro. The results revealed that the expression of miR-145 was decreased in the OA cartilage tissues, compared with normal cartilage tissues. The overexpression of miR­145 by transfection of cells with miR­145 mimics significantly inhibited C­20/A4 and CH8 cell proliferation and fibrosis. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 11b (TNFRSF11B) was identified as a direct target of miR­145 in chondrocytes, which was confirmed using a dual­luciferase reporter assay. The expression level of TNFRSF11B was markedly upregulated in the patients with OA, and the ectopic expression of miR­145 was capable of suppressing the expression of TNFRSF11B. In addition, the knock down of TNFRSF11B using specific small interfering RNA also inhibited the proliferation and fibrosis of C­20/A4 and CH8 cells in vitro. These data provide the first evidence, to the best of our knowledge, to suggest the critical function of miR­145 in regulating the expression of TNFRSF11B, which may have important implications on the regulation of chondrocyte proliferation and fibrosis in OA.

Naringin protects human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced inhibition of osteogenic differentiation.

Extensive evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the development of osteoporosis. We show that naringin, a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, effectively protects human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced inhibition of osteogenic differentiation. Naringin increased viability of hAMDSCs and attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. Naringin also reversed H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induced by H2O2 inhibits osteogenic differentiation by decreasing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium content and mRNA expression levels of osteogenesis marker genes RUNX2 and OSX in hADMSCs. However, addition of naringin leads to a significant recovery, suggesting the protective effects of naringin against H2O2-induced inhibition of osteogenic differentiation. Furthermore, the H2O2-induced decrease of protein expressions of ß-catenin and clyclin D1, two important transcriptional regulators of Wnt-signaling, was successfully rescued by naringin treatment. Also, in the presence of Wnt inhibitor DKK-1, naringin is no longer effective in stimulating ALP activity, increasing calcium content and mRNA expression levels of RUNX2 and OSX in H2O2-exposed hADMSCs. These data clearly demonstrates that naringin protects hADMSCs against oxidative stress-induced inhibition of osteogenic differentiation, which may involve Wnt signaling pathway. Our work suggests that naringin may be a useful addition to the treatment armamentarium for osteoporosis and activation of Wnt signaling may represent attractive therapeutic strategy for the treatment of degenerative disease of bone tissue.

[Effects of nitrogen and water addition on soil bacterial diversity and community structure in temperate grasslands in northern China].

In this study, we measured the responses of soil bacterial diversity and community structure to nitrogen (N) and water addition in the typical temperate grassland in northern China. Results showed that N addition significantly reduced microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) under regular precipitation treatment. Similar declined trends of MBC and MBN caused by N addition were also found under increased precipitation condition. Nevertheless, water addition alleviated the inhibition by N addition. N addition exerted no significant effects. on bacterial α-diversity indices, including richness, Shannon diversity and evenness index under regular precipitation condition. Precipitation increment tended to increase bacterial α-diversity, and the diversity indices of each N gradient under regular precipitation were much lower than that of the corresponding N addition rate under increased precipitation. Correlation analysis showed that soil moisture, nitrate (NO3(-)-N) and ammonium (NH4+-N) were significantly negatively correlated with bacterial evenness index, and MBC and MBN had a significant positive correlation with bacterial richness and evenness. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination illustrated that the bacterial communities were significantly separated by N addition rates, under both water ambient and water addition treatments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that soil MBC, MBN, pH and NH4+-N were the key environmental factors for shaping bacterial communities.

[Profile distribution of exchangeable calcium and magnesium in an aquic brown soil as affected by land use type].

A comparative study was made on the profile distribution of exchangeable Ca and Mg and Ca/Mg ratio at the depth of 0-150 cm in an aquic brown soil under four land use patterns, i. e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field, and woodland. The results showed that less difference was observed in the soil exchangeable Ca content and storage among different land use patterns. For soil exchangeable Mg, it was significantly higher in woodland than in paddy field, and its storage was in the sequence of woodland > maize field > fallow field > paddy field (P <0.05). The exchangeable Ca/Mg ratio tended to decrease with soil depth, and was significantly lower in paddy field than in other three land use patterns in the soil layers below 40 cm (P <0.05). The preferential retention of Mg in soil ecosystem, soil management practices, and plant characteristics, e. g., biomass cycling rate, biomass above- and below-ground allocation, root distribution, and maximum rooting depth) might play important roles in shaping soil exchangeable Ca and Mg profiles and in reconstructing soil exchangeable Ca and Mg pools.

[Distribution characteristics of soil phosphorus in maize belt farmlands of Northeast China].

The study on the vertical distribution and latitudinal differentiation of soil total and organic phosphorus (P) down to 100 cm depth in maize belt farmlands of Northeast China showed that in Hailun and Harbin of Heilongjiang Province, Gongzhuling of Jilin Province, and Dashiqiao of Liaoning Province, soil total P decreased with soil depth, being significant higher in 0-40 cm than in 40-100 cm (P < 0.01). In Dehui of Jilin Province and in Changtu and Shenyang of Liaoning Province, soil total P was relatively lower in 40-60 cm, but no significant difference was observed among different layers. Soil organic P was significantly higher in 0-20 cm than below 20 cm (P < 0.05). Soil total and organic P increased with increasing latitude (P < 0.05). The differences in climate conditions and soil types were considered as the main reasons induced the latitudinal differentiation of soil P. Soil total and organic P were significantly correlated with soil organic carbon (P < 0.01), indicating that soil organic matter was one of the most important factors affecting the soil P content and its distribution in maize belt farmlands of Northeast China.