Effects of Rosa roxburghii&edible fungus fermentation broth on immune response and gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice

With the rise of probiotics fermentation in food industry,fermented foods have attracted worldwide attention.In this study,protective effects of Rosa roxburghii&edible fungus fermentation broth(REFB)on immune function and gut health in Cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppressed mice were investigated.Results showed that REFB could improve the immune organ index,and promote the proliferation and differentiation of splenic T lymphocytes.In addition,it attenuated intestinal mucosal damage and improved intestinal cellular immunity.REFB administration also up-regulated the expression of IL-4,INF-γ,TNF-α,T-bet and GATA-3 mRNA in small intestine.Furthermore,administration of REFB modulated gut microbiota composition and increased the relative abundance of beneficial genus,such as Bacteroides.It also increased the production of fecal short-chain fatty acids.These indicate that REFB has the potential to improve immunity,alleviate intestinal injury and regulate gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice.

多孔碳包覆铜纳米颗粒的制备及性能表征——推荐一个化学综合实验

以Cu-MOF为前驱体,通过热解法制备氮掺杂多孔碳包覆铜纳米材料,采用X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD)、场发射扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和傅立叶变换红外光谱仪(IR)等仪器对产物的形貌和组成进行表征。考察了不同热解温度对多孔碳材料形貌和组成的影响,探究其在硝基苯还原反应中的催化性能,并优化了反应条件。将材料的制备、表征和性能探究设计成一个综合实验,能够培养学生的科研思维和综合分析能力。

Citrus fruits are rich in flavonoids for immunoregulation and potential targeting ACE2

The most recent outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus,named as COVID-19,caused pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan with 2121 deaths cases as of February 20th 2020.Identification of effective antiviral agents to combat the novel coronavirus is urgently needed.Citrus fruit peel or wild citrus are rich in flavonoids,and clinically documented for roles in relief of cough and promotion of digestive health.Therefore,citrus fruits are assumed to possess antivirus activities or enhance the host immunity.A previous study found that hesperetin could act as a high potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV 3CLpro.We determined six flavonoid compounds’content in three citrus species by using LC-MS technique.The content of naringin and naringenin was at higher levels in pummelo.Hesperetin and hesperidin were highly accumulated in mandarin and sweet orange.The subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that naringin could inhibit the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines(COX-2,iNOS,IL-1βand IL-6)induced by LPS in Raw macrophage cell line,and may restrain cytokine through inhibiting HMGB1 expression in a mouse model.The results revealed that naringin may have a potential application for preventing cytokine storm.We simulated molecular docking to predict the binding affinity of those flavonoids to bind Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE 2),which is a receptor of the coronavirus.Consideration of the potential anti-coronavirus and anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids,the citrus fruit or its derived phytochemicals are promising in the use of prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Solid Model Bridge Static Damage Monitoring Based on GBSAR

Bridge deformation monitoring usually adopts contact sensors,and the implementation process is often limited by the environment and observation conditions,resulting in unsatisfactory monitoring accuracy and effect.Ground-Based Synthetic Aperture Radar(GBSAR)combined with corner reflectors was used to perform static load-loaded deformation destruction experiments on solid model bridges in a non-contact manner.The semi parametric spline filtering and its optimization method were used to obtain the monitoring results of the GBSAR radar’s line of sight deformation,and the relative position of the corner reflector and the millimeter level deformation signals under different loading conditions were successfully extracted.The deformation transformation model from the radar line of sight direction to the vertical vibration direction was deduced.The transformation results of deformation monitoring and the measurement data such as the dial indicator were compared and analyzed.The occurrence and development process of bridge deformation and failure were successfully monitored,and the deformation characteristics of the bridge from continuous loading to eccentric loading until bridge failure were obtained.The experimental results show that GBSAR combined with corner reflector can be used for deformation feature acquisition,damage identification and health monitoring of bridges and other structures,and can provide a useful reference for design,construction and safety evaluation.

Characterization of wavy root 1,an agravitropism allele,reveals the functions of OsPIN2 in fine regulation of auxin transport and distribution and in ABA biosynthesis and response in rice(Oryza sativa L.)

Root system architecture is influenced by gravity.How the root senses gravity and directs its orientation,so-called gravitropism,is not only a fundamental question in plant biology but also theoretically important for genetic improvement of crop root architecture.However,the mechanism has not been elucidated in most crops.We characterized a rice agravitropism allele,wavy root 1(war1),a loss-of-function allele in OsPIN2,which encodes an auxin efflux transporter.With loss of OsPIN2 function,war1 leads to altered root system architecture including wavy root,larger root distribution angle,and shallower root system due to the loss of gravitropic perception in root tips.In the war1 mutant,polar auxin transport was disrupted in the root tip,leading to abnormal auxin levels and disturbed auxin transport and distribution in columella cells.Amyloplast sedimentation,an important process in gravitropic sensing,was also decreased in root tip columella cells.The results indicated that OsPIN2 controls gravitropism by finely regulating auxin transport,distribution and levels,and amyloplast sedimentation in root tips.We identified a novel role of OsPIN2 in regulating ABA biosynthesis and response pathways.Loss of OsPIN2 function in the war1 resulted in increased sensitivity to ABA in seed germination,increased ABA level,changes in ABA-associated genes in roots,and decreased drought tolerance in the seedlings.These results suggest that the auxin transporter OsPIN2 not only modulates auxin transport to control root gravitropism,but also functions in ABA signaling to affect seed germination and root development,probably by mediating crosstalk between auxin and ABA pathways.

Development of a concentration method for detection of tobacco mosaic virus in irrigation water

Tobacco mosaic virus(TMV) causes significant yield loss in susceptible crops irrigated with contaminated water. However, detection of TMV in water is difficult owing to extremely low concentrations of the virus. Here, we developed a simple method for the detection and quantification of TMV in irrigation water. TMV was reliably detected at concentrations as low as 10 viral copies/μL with real-time PCR. The sensitivity of detection was further improved using polyethylene glycol 6000(PEG6000, MW 6000) to concentrate TMV from water samples. Among the 28 samples from Shaanxi Province examined with our method, 17 were tested positive after virus concentration. Infectivity of TMV in the original water sample as well as after concentration was confirmed using PCR. The limiting concentration of TMV in water to re-infect plants was determined as 102 viral copies/mL. The method developed in this study offers a novel approach to detect TMV in irrigation water, and may provide an effective tool to control crop infection.

Professor Jun Li Treating Vascular Dementia from Mutual Conclusion of Phlegm and Blood Stasis

Professor Jun Li believes that the main etiology and pathogenesis of vascular dementia is the combination of phlegm and blood stasis.The symptoms include feeling faint and declined senses in organs of the head,caused by mystery reason.To cure phlegm and blood stasis simultaneously,the therapy promotes the notion of“resolving phlegm and stimulating the circulation of blood,liberate brain orifices,”and treatments with the addition and removal of“Naotaitong Decoction,”which has an amazing clinical curative effect.This paper examines Professor Jun Li’s theoretical foundations and ideas from the syndrome differentiation and treatment of phlegm and blood stasis,systematically examines the curative effect and mechanism of Naotaitong Decoction in the treatment of vascular dementia,and examines the prescription and medication of typical cases for readers,in the hopes of providing guidance to clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Correlation between human seizure-related gene 6 variants and idiopathic generalized epilepsy in a Southern Chinese Han population

This study sought to analyze the genotype and gene mutations of human seizure-related gene 6 in 98 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy （non-febrile seizures）, who were selected from three generations of the Chinese Han population living in Shanghai, Zhejiang Province, Wuxi of Jiangsu Province, and Jiangxi Province of Southern China. Twenty-six patients＇ parents were available as a first-degree relatives group and 100 biologically unrelated healthy controls were collected as the control group. Based on the age of onset and seizure type, the patients were divided into six subgroups. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA direct sequencing analysis showed that the most frequent mutations c. 1249dupC （p.Gly418Argfx31 ） and c.1636A 〉 G （p.Thr546Ala） were detected in some idiopathic generalized epilepsy patients and tl^eir asymptomatic first-degree relatives （30.6% vs. 19.2% and 11.2% vs. 26.9%）. A novel mutation c.1807G 〉A （p.Val603Met） was found in a patient with late-onset idiopathic generalized epilepsy. There was no significant difference in the incidence of these three mutations among the different subgroups of idiopathic generalized epilepsy and controls. Thus, further analysis of a larger population is needed to confirm the assumption that human seizure-related gene 6 is a susceptibility gene for idiopathic generalized epilepsy with various sub-syndromes.

Large deletions within the spinal muscular atrophy gene region in a patient with spinal muscular atrophy type 3

Spinal muscular atrophy （SMA） is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by degeneration and loss of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and brain stem nuclei, leading to progressive limb and trunk paralysis and muscular atrophy. Depending on the age of onset and maximum muscular function achieved, SMA is recognized as SMA1, SMA2, SMA3 or SMA4, and most patients have a deletion or truncation of the survival motor neuron 1 （SMN1） gene. In this report, we present a patient with a mild SMA phenotype, SMA3, and define his genetic abnormality. Tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and array comparative genomic hybridization were used to determine the genetic variations in this patient. A 500 kb deletion in chromosome 5q13.2, including homozygous deletion of neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein, and heterozygous deletion of occludin and B-double prime 1 was identified. This SMA region deletion did not involve SMN, indicating that SMN was likely to function normally. The phenotype was dependent of the large deletion and neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein, occludin and B-double prime 1 may be candidate genes for SMA3.

Excellent thermal stability and thermoelectric properties of Pnma-phase SnSe in middle temperature aerobic environment

SnSe is considered to be a promising thermoelectric material due to a high ZT value and abundant and non-toxic composition elements.However,the thermal stability is an important issue for commercial application.In particular,thermoelectric materials are in the high temperature for a long time due to the working condition.The present work investigates the thermal stability and oxidation resistance of single crystal SnSe thermoelectric materials.The scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)results show that the internal of SnSe crystal is not easily oxidized,while the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)results indicate that the surface of SnSe is slight oxidized to SnO_(2).Even if the surface is oxidized,the SnSe crystal still exhibits stable thermoelectric properties.Meanwhile,the crystallization quality of SnSe samples can be improved after the appropriate heat treatment in the air,which is in favor of the carrier mobility and can improve the electrical conduction properties of SnSe.Moreover,the decrease of defect density after heat treatment can further improve the Seebeck coefficient and electrical transport properties of SnSe.The density functional theory(DFT)calculation verifies the important role of defect on the electrical conductivity and electron configuration.In summary,appropriate temperature annealing is an effective way to improve the transmission properties of SnSe single crystal thermoelectric materials.

Thermal stability and thermoelectric properties of Cd-doped nano-layered Cu2Se prepared using NaCl flux method

Cu2Se is a promising"phonon liquid-electron crystal"thermoelectric material with excellent thermoelectric performance.In this work,Cd-doped Cu2-xSeCdx(x=0,0.0075,0.01,and 0.02)samples were prepared using NaCl flux method.The solubility of Cd in Cu2Se at room temperature was less than 6%,and a second phase of CdSe was found in the samples with large initial Cd content(x=0.01 and 0.02).Field-emission scanning electron microscopic image showed that the arranged lamellae formed a large-scale layered structure with an average thickness of approximately 100 nm.Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that doping of Cd atoms did not destroy the crystal integrity of Cu2Se.A small amount of Cd in Cu2Se could reduce the electrical and thermal conductivities of the material,thus significantly enhancing its thermoelectric performance.With the increase in Cd content in the sample,the carrier concentration decreased and the mobility increased gradually.Thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis showed that no weight loss occurred below the melting point.Excessive Cd doping led to the emergence of the second phase of CdSe in the sample,thus significantly increasing the thermal conductivity of the material.A maximum ZT value of 1.67 at 700 K was obtained in the Cu1.9925SeCd0.0075 sample.

Nutritional Quality of Oat from Different Producing Areas in China

[Objectives]This study aimed to provide some theoretical support for breeders and processing enterprises in choosing suitable locations,in order to cultivate varieties of different functional types and complete the processing needs of different purposes.[Methods]The oat varieties that are currently being grown in large areas in different production areas were selected.In 11 provinces across China's main oat producing areas,15 pilot sites were deployed for unified planting management.After harvest,the contents of protein,crude fat,starch,β-glucan,avenanthramides(AVEs)and other components in oat kernels were determined.[Results]The protein content in oat kernels ranged from(10.68±1.35)%to(16.65±0.81)%,highest in Ningxia and lowest in Tibet;the fat content in oat kernels ranged from(5.15±1.06)%to(7.54±1.51)%,highest in Yunnan and lowest in Ningxia;the starch content in oat kernels was in the range of(60.70±1.62)%-(67.84±2.09)%,highest in Tibet and lowest in Jilin;theβ-glucan content in oat kernels ranged from(3.67±0.42)%to(4.48±0.33)%,highest in Xinjiang and lowest in Tibet;and the AVEs content in oat kernels was in the range of(58.67±20.25)%-(535.83±133.64)%.[Conclusions]The protein andβ-glucan contents in oat kernels were significantly positively correlated with latitude and longitude,and were significantly negatively correlated with altitude;the starch and fat contents in oat kernels were negatively correlated with latitude and longitude and were significantly positively correlated with altitude;theβ-glucan content in oat kernels and precipitation showed a negative correlation;and the AVEs content in oat kernels was negatively correlated with latitude and was positively correlated with longitude and precipitation.

Recent Progress of Transgenic Technology Development for Alfalfa

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important leguminous crop worldwide and it has important roles in different aspects of the agriculture system, including livestock feed, crop soil conservation, and improvement of soil nitrogen supply. As a perennial crop, alfalfa breeding for trait improvement takes longer periods of time compared to many other crops, therefore, genetic engineering is a faster route for alfalfa trait modification and improvement. Alfalfa was a first crop in which somatic embryogenesis was developed. Alfalfa was also a pioneering crop in which transgenic technology was developed and applied for trait improvement. Transgenic technology in alfalfa has since advanced steadily in various areas. In this review, we update the recent research progress in alfalfa genetic engineering, focusing on genetic transformation and use of transgenic technology for trait improvement and new trait development.

Mechanism of Scalp Acupuncture Combined with Distal Acupoint Selection in the Treatment of Vascular Headache Caused by Hyperactivity of Liver-Yang

The clinical effect of acupuncture on vascular headache caused by hyperactivity of liver-yang has been shown, but the specific mechanism is not yet clear. This paper is intended to discuss the etiology and pathogenesis of vascular headache caused by hyperactivity of liver-yang and the mechanism of acupuncture, so as to provide a certain reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of scalp acupuncture treatment of vascular headache caused by hyperactivity of liver-yang.

Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation(rTMS)Combined with Repetitive Magnetic Stimulation at Taichong Acupoint(LR3)on Depression:A Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Study

[Objectives]To explore the clinical treatment effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)combined with repetitive magnetic stimulation at Taichong acupoint(LR3)therapy in the treatment of depression.[Methods]60 patients who met the inclusion standard were chosen as the research subjects.They were split into two sets using a randomized parallel control method,with 30 cases each in the experimental and control groups.The experimental group adopted the treatment with rTMS+repetitive magnetic stimulation at Taichong acupoint(LR3),and the control group adopted the treatment with rTMS alone.The course of treatment was 8 weeks.Then the clinical efficacy,Hamilton Depression Scale 17 item score(HAMD-17),Symptom Check List-90(SCL-90),Patient Health Questionnaire-15(PHQ-15)and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)were compared.[Results]After treatment,the scores of HAMD-17,SCL-90,PHQ-15 and PSQI in the two groups were lower than those before and 4 weeks after treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the scores in the experimental group were inferior to those in the control group(P<0.01),The effective rate was 96.66%in the experimental group and 76.47%in the control group(P<0.05).In the course of treatment,no serious adverse reactions happened in either group.[Conclusions]The rTMS combined with repetitive magnetic stimulation at Taichong acupoint(LR3)can enhance the control of depression in the right frontal lobe,significantly improve the symptoms of depression and somatic discomfort,and improve the sleep quality of patients.It has a wide range of application,and is safe and noninvasive,so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

微乳液法调控纳米Cu-MOF形貌的实验教学案例

通过微乳液法调控Cu-MOF的形貌,对其制备条件进行优化,得到各种不同形貌的Cu-MOF材料。为了开发材料化学实验与时俱进的教学案例,探究环己烷的用量、反应时间、反应温度等条件对Cu-MOF形貌的影响,从而优化实验细节以满足实验教学案例的要求,使得到的Cu-MOF材料具有重复性好、成本低廉、可行性高的优点。通过本实验教学案例,能够使学生掌握调控纳米MOFs形貌的技能。

Slow magnetic relaxation behaviors and diamagnetic dilution studies of a carboxyl bridged dinuclear dysprosium(Ⅲ) complex

By using a rigid bulky carboxylic ligand a-cyanocinnamic acid(CCA),a dinuclear dysprosium(Ⅲ) complex [Dy_(2)(CCA)_(6)(MeOH)_(4)](1) was synthesized.Single crystal X-ray crystallography reveals that the two eight-coordinate dysprosium ions are bridged by four deprotonated carboxyl groups,forming a centrosymmetric paddle-wheel-1ike structure.Dynamic magnetic property measurements indicate that complex 1 displays field-induced slow magnetic relaxation.The temperature-dependent relaxation times can be fitted using Orbach and Raman processes with parameters of n=2.8(2),C=27(8) s^(-1)/K^(n),τ_(0)=5(2) × 10^(-10) s and U_(eff)=40(3) cm^(-1).Magnetic studies on the diamagnetic Y~Ⅲ-diluted analogue[Dy_(0.206)Y_(1.794)(CCA)_(6)(MeOH)_(4)](2) reveal its slow magnetic relaxation behavior without external dc field and the antiferromagnetic coupling between the Dy^(Ⅲ) ions in 1.Fits on the obtained relaxation times of 2lead to the parameters of n=4.5(3),C=0.7(2) s^(-1)/K^(n),τ_0=2.8(2) × 10^(-9) s and U_(eff)=38(2) cm^(-1).The results suggest that slow magnetic relaxation originates from the single-ion relaxation of Dy^(Ⅲ) ions.Moreover,the diamagnetic dilution can suppress other fast relaxation pathways at low temperature,on account of the elimination of magnetic coupling and dipolar interaction.Ab initio calculations were then performed on the single Dy^(Ⅲ) ion species {YDy} and indicate that the first excited Kramers doublets(KDs)lie at ca.76 cm^(-1),which is slightly higher than the experimental U_(eff) value.The intramolecular magnetic interactions were also calculated and indicate a weak ferromagnetic dipole-diploe magnetic interaction and an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling.

过渡金属配合物抗肿瘤级联靶向策略

以顺铂为代表的铂类药物在临床上的成功,使金属配合物的抗肿瘤特性逐渐进入大众视野,但靶向性缺失与多药耐药性制约了金属药物的发展.因此,如何获得高效低毒的新型抗肿瘤金属配合物是目前研究的关键.过渡金属结构易修饰,可以通过合理引入不同功能的有机配体,改变金属配合物的亚细胞器分布及生物分子靶标,激活与经典铂药不同的抗肿瘤机制.本文综述了近年来通过级联靶向策略实现从亚细胞器富集到生物大分子靶向及干预的金属配合物,并对其抗肿瘤机制进行了归纳总结,希望通过本文可以对未来靶向金属药物的设计提供新的研究基础与启发.

A genome-wide association study uncovers that TaPI4K-2A regulates pre-harvest sprouting in wheat

Dear Editor,Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS)is a major challenge to cereal crop production in areas with frequent rainfall at harvest time and has significant effects on grain yield and end-use quality(Lang et al.,2021).PHS is quantified by the dormancy/germination ratio of seeds and is largely regulated by two opposing phytohormones,abscisic acid(ABA)and gibberellin(GA)(Tai et al.,2021).ABA induces dormancy and suppresses PHS,whereas GA exerts the opposite effects(Finkelstein et al.,2008).Because of the complexity of the genome,only a few genes involved in regulation of PHS have been identified in wheat,and the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms of PHS remain largely unknown in this species.

A data-fusion-model method for state of health estimation of Li-ion battery packs based on partial charging curve

The estimation of State of Health(SOH)for battery packs used in Electric Vehicles(EVs)is a complex task with significant importance,accompanied by several challenges.This study introduces a data-fusion model approach to estimate the SOH of battery packs.The approach utilizes dual Gaussian Process Regressions(GPRs)to construct a data-driven and non-parametric aging model based on charging-based Aging Features(AFs).To enhance the accuracy of the aging model,a noise model is established to replace the random noise.Subsequently,the statespace representation of the aging model is incorporated.Additionally,the Particle Filter(PF)is introduced to track the unknown state in the aging model,thereby developing the data-fusion-model for SOH estimation.The performance of the proposed method is validated through aging experiments conducted on battery packs.The simulation results demonstrate that the data-fusion model approach achieves accurate SOH estimation,with maximum errors less than 1.5%.Compared to conventional techniques such as GPR and Support Vector Regression(SVR),the proposed method exhibits higher estimation accuracy and robustness.