Combined System of Organic Substrate and Straw-Degrading Microbial Agents Improved Soil Organic Matter Levels and Microbial Abundance in a Rice-Wheat Rotation.

Rice-wheat rotation is one of the most intensive agricultural planting modes in China and is pivotal to develop optimized straw-returning management in situ to improve soil fertility and productivity in agricultural ecosystems. Previous studies have mainly focused on the effects of straw return with a single application of organic fertilizers. The integrated management of different fertilizers in improving the management of straw return in situ is not well known. In this study, a field experiment was conducted from 2017 to 2019 to explore the effects of a combined system of modified organic substrate (MOS) and straw-degrading compound microbial agent (CMA) on soil physiochemical properties, labile organic carbon, microbial activities, and soil microbial community composition under the background of direct crop straw return and chemical fertilizer utilization. Four treatments were designed: (1) control check; (2) CMA; (3) MOS; and (4) MOS + CMA. The results showed that the MOS + CMA treatment had the combined advantages of soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation, soil nutrient increase and soil microbial community alteration, which may be more suitable for improving the quality and fertility of sandy loam soil. This study provides novel insights for further understanding the effects of organic substrates and composite microbial agents on SOM changes and microbial community composition and function in the field, which has important implications for sustainable crop production and agricultural development.

Knowledge and intake of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects among pregnant women in urban China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in China declined during 2000-2017 with periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation, which is effective in reducing the risk of birth defects. We aimed to assess the knowledge and actual use of FA among Chinese pregnant women and to explore factors associated with FA use before pregnancy. METHODS: All data were collected in face-to-face interviews during health visits among pregnant women. We collected information about knowledge and use of FA supplements and demographic, socioeconomic, and health status. One maternity and childcare hospital was chosen in each of four cities: Beijing, Huaibei, Kunming, and Haikou. In total, 435 pregnant women were randomly recruited for interviews conducted from June to December 2016. RESULTS: A total of 428 pregnant women were included in this survey. Of these, 82.0% (351/428) knew that FA can prevent NTDs, and 75.9% (325/428) knew the correct time to take FA. Overall, 65.9% (282/428) of women knew both that FA can prevent NTDs and the recommended time to take FA before pregnancy. Approximately 95.1% (407/428) of women reported having ever taken FA, only 46.3% (198/428) had begun to take FA supplementation before conception, and 64.5% (109/169) of women from rural areas failed to take FA before pregnancy. Women living in northern China (odds ratio [OR] = 1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-2.77), those with unplanned pregnancy (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.30-3.04), and highly educated women (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.45-3.88) were more likely to know about FA. Women who were homemakers (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.21-3.11) and had unplanned pregnancy (OR = 6.18, 95% CI 4.01-9.53) were less likely to begin taking FA before pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey showed that most pregnant women knew about FA. Although preconception intake of FA can help to reduce NTDs, improving the rate of FA intake before pregnancy is needed in urban areas of China, especially among homemakers and women from rural areas or with unplanned pregnancy. Campaigns are needed to increase awareness about FA and FA use before pregnancy among rural women, homemakers, and those with unplanned pregnancy and lower education levels.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Tandem Cycloisomerization of 1,5-Enyne Ethers by Hydride Transfer.

A novel gold-catalyzed tandem protocol, initiated by hydride transfer in the presence of catalytic (C6 F5 )3 PAuCl/AgSbF6 , for the formation of fused polycyclic ring systems has been achieved. This tandem reaction provides rapid access to various fused polycyclic species in a single chemical operation, leading to stereospecific formation of two carbon-carbon bonds and three rings.

Emission behaviours of novel V- and X-shaped fluorophores in response to pH and force stimuli.

A family of novel fluorophores with V- and X-shaped skeletons is rationally designed and prepared. Due to the extended cross π-conjugation in the X-shaped ones, their emission wavelengths in both solution and the solid state exhibit considerable bathochromic shifts compared with those of the V-shaped ones. It is found that a heavy intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect is the primary element for the mechanofluorochromic (MFC) response of this family, and an appropriate crystallinity of the sample is also indispensible for it to be MFC-active. Additionally, most fluorophores in this family are responsive to pH stimuli and display diverse and reversible changes of emission features. Interestingly, a V-shaped fluorophore exhibits a unique size-dependent emission behaviour, which makes it a distinctive three-color emitter.

[Exploration on an overview of history (from Chunqiu to Ming and Qing Dynasties) and species of Chinese exotic traditional medicine].

This paper collected and analyzed literatures about starting of traditional medicine and trading of different medicine from Chunqiu Zhanguo to Ming and Qing Dynasties, in order to preliminarily explore on an overview of specie of chinese exotic traditional medicine and trade of different country in different dynasty（from Chunqiu to Ming and Qing Dynasties）, as well as the amount of exotic medicine over two thousand years. (remove repeating and doubtful species), find peculiarity of exotic medicine, sreen species that used to develop the Silk Route and establish quality standards.Finally, We get conclusions are as follows. First, primary,.prosperous and declining stages of development of exotic traditional medicine are Qin and Han, Song-Jin-Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, respectively. Second, according to literature, the stage that has the most species of exotic medicine is song dynasty,approximately have 300. Removing repeating and doubtful species, the believable species are approximate 230 to 250. Meanwhile, the unknown species are approximate 30, which may be different name of one medicine or processed goods, now these medicines are named as "doubtful species". Third, the medicinal parts of exotic medicine are different from Chinese medicine of Han nation. The number of Resin, fruits and seeds kind are more than root and rhizomes kind,mineral medicines are more than animal. Fourth, the major producing area of exotic medicine is some countries and territories related to the Silk Route in the history. Ultimately, this paper preliminarily figure out basic information of exotic medicine of different dynasty in China,that provide reference for learning study and decision of industrial development.

[Penile rehabilitation after radical pelvic surgery].

Prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and rectal cancer are common malignancies in the male pelvis. The incidence rate of erectile dysfunction (ED) following radical prostatectomy, cystectomy or rectal cancer surgery is about 25% - 100%. The main cause of post-surgery ED is mainly attributed to injury of neurovascular bundles, which may lead to reduced oxygenation in and fibrosis of the penile tissue. Early penile rehabilitation after surgery can improve or restore the erectile function of the patients. This article focuses on penile rehabilitation after radical pelvic surgery.

[Preliminary discussion on an overview of ethnic minority use of species of mineral medicine].

As an indispensable part of minority traditional medicine, mineral medicine has used with less dosage and reliable efficacy for the last thousand years. Based on the unearthed relics and medical literatures of past dynasties, the history of Han nationality ap- years, which had been recorded in main literature. But there is less comprehensive report of its usage in the other 55-minority nationality. This article was based on the analysis of ethnic minority literature of thousands of years, and conducted a comprehensive collation and analysis of mineral medicine. It was mostly determined that there was 20 minority groups using mineral medicine, with a total of 163 species (limited our references), and the most used is the Tibetan, accounting for 141. The most serious problems of mineral medicine are that species should be further investigated and researched, and then become the legal commercial medicine, and the classification principles of mineral medicine should be established. Through the traditional processing and experimental studies, the problems of attenuation and detoxification should be solved.

[Progress of researches on acupuncture treatment of allergic rhinitis].

Acupuncture therapy has been widely used in clinical treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR), and can induce a positive therapeutic effect through multi-targets and multi-aspects. In recent 10 years, the research on the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating AR mainly focused on humoral immunity, cellular immunity, cell apoptosis, inflammatory mediators and factors, neuropeptides, etc. By regulating the level of immunoglobulin in the blood, acupuncture intervention can restore the relative balance of cellular immune response, reduce the accumulation of eosinophils and promote apoptosis, down-regulate the expression of related inflammatory mediators and factors, regulate the excitability of related nerves, modulate the release of neuropeptides and other ways to diminish the inflammatory reaction of nasal mucosa, and enhance the repair and protection of nasal mucosa, relieve the nasal symptoms at last. On the basis of the existing studies, the follow-up research should make use of the advantages of acupuncture intervention, refine the treatment process, and deeply explore the feasibility of acupuncture treatment of AR, further promote the combination of mechanism study and clinical practice, provide references for clinical application. Moreover, some shortcomings exist, for example, the unknown correlation between the therapeutic effect and duration of treatment, the unknown correlation between the effect of acupuncture and various targets, and disconnection between experimental research achievements and clinical application, etc.

[Effects of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal pathway on FSH facilitation on cell proliferation and invasion by human epithelial ovarian cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signal pathway on the process of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) facilitating cell proliferation and invasion in human epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: Ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and 3AO were cultured to exponential phase, then assigned to control group, FSH group, LY294002 group and FSH + LY294002 group, respectively. Cells were treated with different concentration of FSH and LY294002, respectively. The effects of FSH on cell proliferation were observed by methylthiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). Morphological changes were observed by phase contrast microscope. The ability of cell invasion was investigated by transwell invasion assay. The expression of FSH receptor (FSHR), Akt1/2, phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) and NF-κB p65 protein were detected by western blot. RESULTS: (1) FSH could promote the proliferation of SKOV3 and 3AO cells. When the cells were treated with 40 U/L FSH for 48 hours (SKOV3) and 24 hours (3AO), compared with those in control groups, they reached the highest proliferation rate (P < 0.05), respectively. (2) The morphology of SKOV3 and 3AO cells in four groups:in control group, SKOV3 cells were short spindle and 3AO cells were long spindle, the nuclei of them were both roundness or oval, the cytoplasm were bright. In FSH group, the cells changed to slightly longer or polygonal, they were full in shape, meanwhile, the cell intensity were higher than control group. In LY294002 group, some cells changed from spindle to round, and began to shrink. The cell intensity diminished. The morphology of FSH + LY294002 group was similar with control group, but the cell intensity was lower than that in FSH group. (3) The number of SKOV3 cell that passed through the membrane in control group, FSH group, LY294002 group and FSH + LY294002 group was (26 ± 6), (118 ± 19), (18 ± 5) and (38 ± 7), respectively. The number of 3AO cell was (19 ± 4), (134 ± 20), (12 ± 3) and (58 ± 11), respectively. The results showed that the number of cells in FSH group was significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.05), while the number of cell in FSH + LY294002 group was significantly fewer than that in FSH group (P < 0.05). (4) There was no significant difference in the expression of FSHR and Akt1/2 between FSH group and control group (P > 0.05), but FSH increased the expression of p-Akt and the ratio of NF-κB p65 in the nucleus versus cytoplasm in SKOV3 and 3AO cells, there were significant differences compared with control group (P < 0.05). LY294002 reversed the effects of FSH on increasing the expression of p-Akt and the ratio of NF-κB p65 in the nucleus versus cytoplasm, there were significant differences among LY294002 group, FSH + LY294002 group and FSH group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The effects of FSH on proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and 3AO may be realized by regulating the activity of NF-κB in PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

[Study on the chemical constituents of Lonicera similes].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of flower buds of Lonicera similes. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified with macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, gel chromatography, ect. The structures were elucidated according to the references combined with the application of spectrum techniques such as 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR ect. RESULTS: Nine compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as 5-hydroxyl-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone (I), rutin (II), quercetin (III), amentoflavone (IV), aesculetin (V), beta-sitosterol (VI), 5-hydroxyl-7,3', 4'-trimethoxyflavone (VIII), oleanolic acid (VIII), beta-daucosterin (IX). CONCLUSION: Among the nine isolated compounds, compounds I, II, III, IV, V, are flavonoids. Compounds I , IV, V, VII, VIII, IX are isolated from this plant for the first time.

Antibacterial and Fluorescence Staining Properties of an Innovative GTR Membrane Containing 45S5BGs and AIE Molecules In Vitro.

This study aimed to add two functional components-antibacterial 45S5BGs particles and AIE nanoparticles (TPE-NIM+) with bioprobe characteristics-to the guided tissue regeneration (GTR) membrane, to optimize the performance. The PLGA/BG/TPE-NIM+ membrane was synthesized. The static water contact angle, morphologies, and surface element analysis of the membrane were then characterized. In vitro biocompatibility was tested with MC3T3-E1 cells using CCK-8 assay, and antibacterial property was evaluated with Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis by the LIVE/DEAD bacterial staining and dilution plating procedure. The fluorescence staining of bacteria was observed by Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope. The results showed that the average water contact angle was 46°. In the cytotoxicity test, except for the positive control group, there was no significant difference among the groups (p > 0.05). The antibacterial effect in the PLGA/BG/TPE-NIM+ group was significantly (p < 0.01), while the sterilization rate was 99.99%, better than that in the PLGA/BG group (98.62%) (p < 0.01). Confocal images showed that the membrane efficiently distinguished G+ bacteria from G- bacteria. This study demonstrated that the PLGA/BG/TPE-NIM+ membrane showed good biocompatibility, efficient sterilization performance, and surface mineralization ability and could be used to detect pathogens in a simple, fast, and wash-free protocol.

Effects of ectomycorrhizal fungus bolete identity on the community assemblages of endofungal bacteria.

Ectomycorrhiza-associated bacteria, especially endofungal bacterial microbiota (EBM) in the fruiting body, play important roles in driving the establishment and function of ectomycorrhizae. However, the influence of ectomycorrhizal fungus bolete identity on their EBM is still unclear. We analysed the EBM of three different bolete fruiting body species on Thousand Island Lake, including Tylopilus felleus, Tylopilus areolatus and Boletus queletii, and compared them with their corresponding mycosphere soil bacterial microbiota by high-throughput sequencing. The EBM was classified into Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia and Stenotrophomonas genera. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteria were predominant in the EBM of bolete fruiting bodies as well as their mycosphere soil, while Firmicutes was significantly higher in the EBM. Moreover, the core microbiome (342 operational taxonomic units) of the EBM was shared among the three bolete fungal species. The relative abundances of gene families related to cell cycle control and nucleotide, coenzyme and lipid metabolism were significantly higher in the EBM than in the corresponding mycosphere soil bacterial microbiota, but there was no difference among the three different boletes. The results suggested that the host identity of ectomycorrhizal fungus boletes could affect the EBM, which might be mainly due to the selection of host fungi for the different functional EBM needed.

[Research progress in the integration of machine learning and acupunctology].

Machine learning is a newly emerged discipline. It develops rapidly and has been penetrated into all walks of life and made great achievements in medical field. The introduction of machine learning in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion should fully play the advantages of targeted therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion, optimize the resource allocation of traditional Chinese medicine and accurately serve the clinic rather than only limited to data mining and analysis. In the paper, through the analysis of the relevant literature in recent years, the combination of acupuncture-moxibustion with machine learning was discussed from the aspects of acupoint selection and prescription, clinical teaching application of acupuncture and moxibustion, the prediction on acupuncture curative effect, etc. Moreover, on the base of multidisciplinary intersection and by means of machine learning, the exploration was given on the future direction of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Effects of multi-phase inoculation on the fungal community related with the improvement of medicinal herbal residues composting.

Composting has become the most important way to recycle medicinal herbal residues (MHRs). The traditional composting method, adding a microbial agent at one time, has been greatly limited due to its low composting efficiency, mutual influence of microbial agents, and unstable compost products. This study was conducted to assess the effect of multi-phase inoculation on the lignocellulose degradation, enzyme activities, and fungal community during MHRs composting. The results showed that multi-phase inoculation treatment had the highest thermophilic temperature (68.2 °C) and germination index (102.68%), significantly improved available phosphorus content, humic acid, and humic substances concentration, accelerated the degradation of cellulose and lignin, and increased the activities of cellulase in the mature phase, xylanase, manganese peroxidase, and utilization of phenolic compounds. Furthermore, the non-metric multi-dimensional scaling showed that the composting process and inoculation significantly influenced fungal community composition. In multi-phase inoculation treatment, Thermomyces in mesophilic, thermophilic, and mature phase, unclassified_Sordariales, and Coprinopsis in mature phase were the dominant genus that might be the main functional groups to degrade lignocellulose and improve the MHRs composting process.

[Study on the content of imperatorin and HPLC fingerprint of Baizhi collected from different areas].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the content of imperatorin and HPLC fingerprint of Baizhi collected from different areas. METHODS: The medicinal materials and seeds of Baizhi from 15 main habitats of 7 provinces and cities were collected, and the seeds were planted in the germplasm resource garden of Suining, Sichuan. The content of imperatorin and HPLC fingerprint were compared using the samples collected from different areas and germplasm resource garden collected and dried at the most suitable harvest date. RESULTS: The differences on the content of imperatorin and HPLC fingerprint were obvious. The content of imperatorin significantly increased and the HPLC fingerprint were trending to coincide when the herbs were planted in the same place. CONCLUSION: The environmental factors and the cultivation technique had great influences on the quality of Baizhi.

Stereospecific Iron-Catalyzed Carbon(sp2)-Carbon(sp3) Cross-Coupling with Alkyllithium and Alkenyl Iodides.

An efficient synthetic protocol involving iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions between organolithium compounds and alkenyl iodides as key coupling partners was achieved. More than 30 examples were obtained with moderate to good yields and high stereospecificity. Gram-scale and synthetic applications of this procedure are recorded herein to demonstrate its feasibility and potential utilization.

Effect of Al alloying on cavitation erosion behavior of TaSi2 nanocrystalline coatings.

To broaden the scope of non-aerospace applications for titanium-based alloys, both hexagonal C40 binary TaSi2 and ternary Al alloyed TaSi2 nanocrystalline coatings were exploited to enhance the cavitation erosion resistance of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in acidic environments. To begin with, the roles of Al addition in influencing the structural stability and mechanical properties of hexagonal C40 Ta(Si1-xAlx)2 compounds were modelled using first-principles calculations. The calculated key parameters, such as Pugh's index (B/G ratio), Poisson's ratio, and Cauchy pressures, indicated that there was a threshold value for Al addition, below which the increase of Al content would render the Ta(Si1-xAlx)2 compounds more ductile, but above which no obvious change would occur. Subsequently, the TaSi2 and Ta(Si0.875Al0.125)2 coatings were prepared and their microstructure and phase composition were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both the two coatings exhibited a uniform thickness of 15 µm and a densely packed structure mainly composed of spherically shaped nanocrystallites with an average diameter of about 5 nm. Nanoindentation measurements revealed that Al alloying reduced the hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) values of the TaSi2 coating. Ultrasonic cavitation erosion tests were carried out by immersing coated and uncoated samples in a 0.5 M HCl solution. The cavitation-erosion analysis of the tested samples was investigated by various electrochemical techniques, mass loss weight and SEM observation. The results suggested that both coated samples provided a better protection for Ti-6Al-4V against the cavitation-erosion damage in acidic environments, but the addition of Al further improved the cavitation-erosion resistance of the TaSi2 coating.

[Study on the interactions of Eu(III) complex of O-(thioxanthone-[2]-yl)-oxyacetic acid with DNA].

The interaction of the Eu(III) complex of O-(thioxanthone-[2]-yl)-oxyacetic acid and calf thymus DNA was studied using fluorimetric, UV-Vis and CD(circular dichroism) methods. It was found that the ultraviolet absorption intensity of Eu(III) complex of O-(thioxanthone-[2]-yl)-oxyacetic acid decreased as the concentration of DNA increased under the physiological condition of pH 7.10, and the compound remarkably influenced the negative peak in CD spectra of DNA when Eu(III) complex of O-(thioxanthone-[2]-yl)-oxyacetic acid interacted with DNA. The emission intensity of the Eu(III) complex evidently increased in the presence of DNA. The emission intensity of the DNA-EB system decreased as the concentration of the complex increasesd. And the presence of EB also led to the decrease in the emission intensity of the DNA-complex system. These changes observed here are often characteristic of intercalation. The above results strongly suggest that the complex can bind to DNA mainly by intercalation.

[Progress of Researches on Mechanisms of Acupuncture Therapy in Regulating Brain Plasticity].

Brain plasticity is referred to the ability of the brain to change in structure and functional activities from microscopic aspects (synapses) in individual neurons to larger-scale aspects such as cortical remapping, neuronal remodeling, etc. in response to injury. Acupuncture has a positive effect in the treatment of cerebral diseases, thus leading to an increasing research on its underlying mechanisms in regulating brain plasticity. The present paper reviewed recent development of studies on acupuncture treatment of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, cerebral ischemia, bone cancer pain, autism, etc. from 1) regulating synaptic plasticity (up-regulating the proportion of hippocampal synapses, increasing synaptic curvature, post-synaptic density, and numerical density, areal density, and lowering synaptic cleft); 2) increasing hippocampal post-synaptic potential slop, peak and peak area of population spikes to evoke long-term potentiation (LTP) by regulating the expression of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, and growth associated protein (GAP-43); 3) down-regulating the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) to suppress the activity of astrocytes in the ischemic cerebral area and hippocampus in cerebral ischemia rats, and in the spinal cord dorsal horns of bone cancer rats, etc. and promoting vimentin and connexin 43 expression; and 4) promoting neuronal remodeling, and repair and regeneration of the injured nerve in the central nervous system via regulating neuron-glia network, expression of nerve growth factor, brain derived neurotrophic factor, etc. The future studies should pay more attention to 1) the contribution of acupuncture intervention to the correlation between the initiation of the endogenous protective effect and the brain plasticity during the onset of nerve injury and repair of the injured nerve, and 2) standarization of stimulating quantity, manipulation and duration of acupuncture treatment, as well as the relationship between the stimulating quantity and efficacy.

Preoperative prostate health index predicts poor pathologic outcomes of radical prostatectomy in patients with biopsy-detected low-risk patients prostate cancer: results from a Chinese prospective cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the performance of the prostate health index (PHI) in predicting pathologic outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in Chinese patients with low-risk prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: Of all consecutive patients who underwent RP in one tertiary center from September 2013 to January 2017, we prospectively examined the data of 140 patients with low-risk PCa based on the Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) criteria. All patients were eligible for active surveillance, but underwent RP. Clinical and pathological data were collected. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between the PHI and outcome of RP. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the accuracy of different models. Decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of making model-based decisions. RESULTS: Only 44 (31.4%) patients were finally confirmed to have organ-confined Gleason ≤6 PCa. A low PHI was significantly predictive of organ-confined Gleason ≤6 PCa (p = 0.001), while tPSA and f/tPSA were not associated with final pathology. In the multivariate analyses, addition of the PHI significantly increased the predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.767, 95% Cl 0.685-0.849, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The PRIAS criteria for active surveillance may not suitable for Chinese patients with PCa. Addition of the PHI to the PRIAS models improved the prognostic performance. If confirmed in future larger and multicenter studies, PHI may help us to identify patients eligible for AS in China.