Effects of long-term fencing on soil microbial community structure and function in the desert steppe,China

One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem.However,relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management.In this study,we investigated the diversity and aboveground biomass of Caragana korshinskii Kom.shrub communities in long-term fencing and grazing areas,combined with an analysis of soil physical-chemical properties and genomics,with the aim of understanding how fence management affects plant-soil-microbial inter-relationships in the desert steppe,China.The results showed that fence management(exclosure)increased plant diversity and aboveground biomass in C.korshinskii shrub area and effectively enhanced soil organic carbon(233.94%),available nitrogen(87.77%),and available phosphorus(53.67%)contents.As well,the Shannon indices of soil bacteria and fungi were greater in the fenced plot.Plant-soil changes profoundly affected the alpha-and beta-diversity of soil bacteria.Fence management also altered the soil microbial community structure,significantly increasing the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota(5.31%-8.99%),Chloroflexi(3.99%-5.58%),and Glomeromycota(1.37%-3.28%).The soil bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks under fence management had higher complexity and connectivity.Based on functional predictions,fence management significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrification and nitrate reduction functions and decreased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrate and nitrite respiration functions.The relative abundances of ecologically functional fungi with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,ectomycorrhizal fungi,and saprotrophs also significantly increased under fence management.In addition,the differential functional groups of bacteria and fungi were closely related to plant-soil changes.The results of this study have significant positive implications for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of dry desert steppe and similar areas.

Recent research progress in geochemical properties and restoration of heavy metals in contaminated soil by phytoremediation

Heavy metals are widely distributed contaminants in natural environments and their potential threats to human health have attracted worldwide concerns due to the food chain. Therefore, great efforts have been made to reduce them to a safe level in soil. Compared with the traditional methods, the method using plants to remove them has been accepted as a feasible and efficient way. Herein, the geochemical behavior of heavy metals and the restoration methods with phytoremediation were reviewed. In addition, issues on heavy metal speciation as well as its influencing factors, phytoremediation mechanism, phytoremediation effect and vegetation selection principle used for phytoremediation were discussed.

Purifi cation and identification of anti-inflammatory peptides from sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) cartilage

Cartilage is a nonedible byproduct with little saleable value.However,previous studies have proposed the possibility of producing peptides from cartilage with immune function modulation potential.The current study aimed to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of peptides derived from sturgeon(Acipenser schrenckii)cartilage in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.Five peptide sequences,including four novel peptides,were identified from ethanol-soluble cartilage hydrolysates.Among these five peptides,LTGP,LLLE,LLEL and VGPAGPAGP reduced the production of nitric oxide(NO)and interleukin-6(IL-6)while increasing interleukin-10(IL-10)excretion.Transcriptome analysis suggested the inhibition of activated mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and interleukin-17(IL-17)signaling pathways after LLEL intervention.MAPK,which is involved in the IL-17 signaling pathway,was further proved to be blocked by downregulating the phosphorylation of p38,extracellular-signal regulated protein kinase(ERK),and c-jun N-terminal kinase(JNK).This novel peptide offers an attractive approach to develop functional foods.

Review on the Diseases and Insects of Lycium barbarum L.

With the increasing planting area of Lycium barbarum L. , influence of diseases and pests has grown more serious, and the researches on the diseases and pests of L. barbarum L. have become increasingly important. This study reviewed the found diseases and pests of L barbarum L. and corresponding control measures, proposed the problems, suggestions and prospects, in order to provide references for the sustainable healthy development of L. barbarum L. industry in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Dioscin from Polygonatum sibiricum induces apoptosis and autophagy in Ishikawa human endometrial cancer cell and in vivo

With an aim to comprehend the precise regulatory mechanism of dioscin against endometrial carcinoma(EC), we firstly extracted the components from Polygonatum sibiricum followed by identification and structural characterization. The anti-EC activity of dioscin was initially determined based on the inhibition of Ishikawa cell proliferation and tumor growth. The high-throughput sequencing data indicated that dioscin not only promoted apoptosis, including decrease of poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP) and B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) and increase of c-PARP and Bcl-2-associcated agonist of cell death(Bad), but also induced autophagy, including increase of autophagic lysosomes and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ ratio. Mechanistic exploration suggested that dioscin induced autophagy and apoptosis through inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Besides, the dioscin-regulated p53 pathway was mainly involved in autophagy induction. Furthermore, inhibition of Ishikawa cell autophagy was linked to dioscin-induced apoptosis. Our data suggest the immense potential of dioscin for the development of functional food for EC and related medical application.

The potential mechanism of Isodon suzhouensis against COVID-19 via EGFR/TLR4 pathways

Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)has brought the new challenges to scientific research.Isodon suzhouensis has good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant stress effects,which is considered as a potential treatment for COVID-19.The possibility for the treatment of COVID-19 with I.suzhouensis and its potential mechanism of action were explored by employing molecular docking and network pharmacology.Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to screen drug targets,and lipopolysaccharide(LPS)induced RAW264.7 and NR8383 cells inflammation model was used for experimental verification.Collectively a total of 209 possible linkages against 18 chemical components from I.suzhouensis and 1194 COVID-19 related targets were selected.Among these,164 common targets were obtained from the intersection of I.suzhouensis and COVID-19.Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enriched 582 function targets and 87 target proteins pathways,respectively.The results from molecular docking studies revealed that rutin,vitexin,isoquercitrin and quercetin had significant binding ability with 3 chymotrypsin like protease(3CLpro)and angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2).In vitro studies showed that I.suzhouensis extract(ISE)may inhibit the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and the expression level of downstream proinflammatory factors by inhibiting the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)in RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS.In addition,ISE was able to inhibit the activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in NR8383 cells exposed to LPS.Overall,the network pharmacology and in vitro studies conclude that active components from I.suzhouensis have strong therapeutic potential against COVID-19 through multi-target,multi-pathway dimensions and can be a promising candidate against COVID-19.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals the dynamic process and novel markers in porcine spermatogenesis

Background:Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations.To date,the dynamic transcriptional changes of defined populations of male germ cells in pigs have not been reported.Results:To characterize the atlas of porcine spermatogenesis,we profiled the transcriptomes of~16,966 testicular cells from a 150-day-old pig testis through single-cell RNA-sequencing(scRNA-seq).The scRNA-seq analysis identified spermatogonia,spermatocytes,spermatids and three somatic cell types in porcine testes.The functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these cell types played diverse roles in porcine spermatogenesis.The accuracy of the defined porcine germ cell types was further validated by comparing the data from scRNA-seq with those from bulk RNA-seq.Since we delineated four distinct spermatogonial subsets,we further identified CD99 and PODXL2 as novel cell surface markers for undifferentiated and differentiating spermatogonia,respectively.Conclusions:The present study has for the first time analyzed the transcriptome of male germ cells and somatic cells in porcine testes through scRNA-seq.Four subsets of spermatogonia were identified and two novel cell surface markers were discovered,which would be helpful for studies on spermatogonial differentiation in pigs.The datasets offer valuable information on porcine spermatogenesis,and pave the way for identification of key molecular markers involved in development of male germ cells.

Stability improvement of human collagenα1(I)chain using insulin as a fusion partner

To enhance the stability of recombinant human collagen α1(I) chains(rhCOL1 A1) in production and purification stages, a gene fragment fusing COL1 A1 and insulin protein coding domains was synthesized and inserted into the pPIC9 K expression vector. The fusion peptide-expressing Pichia pastoris strain was created by transformation.After optimization of shake flask cultures, the ultimate intracellular expression level of the insulin-collagen α1(I) chain fusion protein(INS-COL1 A1) reached about 300 mg·L^(-1), and no obvious protein degradation was found in the fermentation and purification processes. The His-tagged recombinant fusion protein was detected by western blotting and was effectively purified using Ni^(2+)-chelating chromatography. A prominent improvement in the stability of INS-COL1 A1 was observed compared to rhCOL1 A1 in vitro, and the rhCOL1 A1 released from the fusion protein was studied by LC–MS/MS and in bioassays. The results showed that the purified rhCOL1 A1 was consistent with the native protein in amino acid composition and had a similar biological compatibility. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the use of insulin as a fusion protein to improve the stability of easily degradable proteins.

Apigenin, a natural flavonoid, promotes autophagy and ferroptosis in human endometrial carcinoma Ishikawa cells in vitro and in vivo

Apigenin,a natural flavonoid has been reported against a variety of cancer types.However,it is unclear whether apigenin can promote autophagy and ferroptosis in Ishikawa cells.There are few reports on the mechanism of apigenin on autophagy and ferroptosis of endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells.We found that iron accumulation,lipid peroxidation,glutathione consumption,p62,HMOX1,and ferritin were increased,while,solute carrier family 7 member 11 and glutathione peroxidase 4 were decreased.Ferrostatin-1,an iron-death inhibitor could reverse the effects of apigenin in Ishikawa cells.On the other hand,apigenin could promote autophagy via up-regulating Beclin 1,ULK1,ATG5,ATG13,and LC3B and down-regulating AMPK,mTOR,P70S6K,and ATG4.Furthermore,apigenin could inhibit tumor tissue proliferation and restrict tumor growth via ferroptosis in vivo.

Dynamic transcriptional atlas of male germ cells during porcine puberty

DEAR EDITOR,Spermatogenesis is the process by which male gametes are formed from spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)and it is essential for the reliable transmission of genetic information between generations.After birth,prospermatogonia(ProSG)give rise to SSCs.While mouse spermatogenesis is relatively well studied,we are only just beginning to unravel this process in larger animals.Here,we analyzed key developmental transitions and differentiation trajectories by profiling neonatal,juvenile,and adult testes through single-cell sequencing(scRNA-seq).We found that SSCs were established at 30 days old,and that CDH1 was a novel cell surface marker for porcine ProSG and undifferentiated spermatogonia.

The anti-cancerous mechanism of licochalcone A on human hepatoma cell HepG2 based on the miRNA omics

To explore the function of licochalcone A as an anticancer phytochemical on HepG2 cells and investigate its potential mechanisms,we analyzed the microRNAs(miRNAs)expression profile of HepG2 cells in response to licochalcone A(70μmol/L)in vitro.102 dysregulated miRNAs were detected,and SP1 was expected as the transcription factor that regulates the functions of most screened miRNAs.A sum of 431 targets,the overlap of predicted mRNAs from TargetScan,miRDB,and miRtarbase were detected as the targets for these dysregulated miRNAs.FoxO signaling pathway was the hub pathway for the targets.A protein-protein interaction network was structured on the STRING platform to discover the hub genes.Among them,PIK3R1,CDC42,ESR1,SMAD4,SUMO1,KRAS,AGO1,etc.were screened out.Afterwards,the miRNA-target networks were established to screen key dysregulated miRNAs.Two key miRNAs(hsa-miR-133b and hsa-miR-145-5p)were filtered.Finally,the miRNA-target-transcription factor networks were constructed for these key miRNAs.The networks for these key miRNAs included three and two transcription factors,respectively.These identified miRNAs,transcription factors,targets,and regulatory networks may offer hints to understand the molecular mechanism of licochalcone A as a natural anticarcinogen.

Image-based nonlinear finite element analysis for the assessment of bone strength

Introduction As a major component of musculoskeletal system,bones support body weight,facilitate body motion,protect internal organs,and also play critical roles in mineral homeostasis.Osteoporosis,one of the most common bone diseases,is a result of imbalance in bone metabolism that causes low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration.The inferior quality of osteoporotic bone leads to a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture.It is known that osteoporotic fractures occur most frequently in trabeculae-rich skeletal sites such as spine,hip,distal radius,and ankle.With the great increase in the number of senile population,

A Preliminary Investigation of Pathogenic Fungi from Lotus(Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn)in Nanchang City

[Objectives]Lotus(Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn)is an economically important aquatic plant in China.Fungal disease is a serious problem in lotus cultivation.In this study,the pathogenic fungi on lotus in Nanchang City were investigated to lay the foundation for the disease control.[Methods]Lotus leaves and stems in ponds of Nanchang City were collected,the fungi on leave/stem spots were isolated and purified.Colonies morphological characters and ITS sequences were used to identify the strains.[Results]49 strains were isolated and identified to 20 species,belonging to 12 genera.[Discussion]15 species may firstly be reported on lotus in this study,i.e.,Alternaria angustiovoidea,Alternaria compacta,Alternaria ricini,Alternaria tenuissima,Arthrinium arundinis,Botryosphaeria dothidea,Curvularia spicifera,Diaporthe australiana,Diaporthe eres,Diaporthe tectonae,Epicoccum nigrum,Fusarium fujikuroi,Neofusicoccum parvum,Nigrospora sphaerica,and Phomopsis eucommii.

Cistanchetubulosa(Schenk)R.Wight amelioratesbisphenol A-induced testicular and sperm toxicity in rats through steroidogenesis and redox pathways

OBJECTIVE Bisphenol A(BPA)is a commonly used phenolic environmental estrogen that impacts male reproductive system.Cistanchetubulosa(CT)is a traditional Chinese medicine used to boost male sexual activity.It has been proved for increasing the expression of steroidogenic enzyme and remarkable antioxidant activity.This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms behind the possible protective effects of CT against BPA-induced testicular and sperm toxicity in rats.METHODS CT was identified by 5.8sgene sequencing.The major compositions(echinacosideand acteoside)of CT were quantified by HPLC method.CT(200or 400mg·kg-1)or VE(positive control,300mg·kg-1)and BPA(200mg·kg-1)were administered orally(one time per day)to adult male ratsfor 6weeks.The sperm parameters were observed by dark-field microscope;serum hormone levels(FSH,LH and T)were tested by radio immunosorbent;LDH-x activity,redox balance status(content of MDA,GSH,H2O2 and OH-,and activity of SOD)were evaluated using commercial kits;the expression of the key steroidogenic enzymes were evaluated by qRT-PCR,heat map,immunofluorescence and Western blotting.RESULTS The CT treatment reversed BPA-induced abnormal in sperm characteristics,testicular structure and LDH-x activity,as well as normalized serum testosterone.CT increased both mRNA and protein expressions of key steroidogenic enzymes including StAR,CYP11A1,3β-HSD,17β-HSD and CYP17A1,suggesting that CT enhanced sex hormone synthesis.Moreover,the remarkable antioxidant effect of CT contributed to its protection against BPA-induced testicular toxicity,which was evidenced by the normalization of testicular,redox markers(MDA,H2O2,OH-and GSH contents,and SOD activity)after CT treatment.CONCLUSION CT effectively attenuated BPA-induced poor sperm quality and testicular toxicity in rats through steroidogenesis and redox pathways.

Study on Pharmacological Effects of Peikun Pills

[Objectives]To explore the effects of Peikun Pill on blood pressure of healthy adult male rats.[Methods]The duodenum of anesthetized rats was given different doses of Peikun Pills,normal saline was used as a blank control group,and captopril was used as a positive western medicine control group.The systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,mean blood pressure and pulse pressure difference(systolic blood pressure-diastolic blood pressure),and heart rate were measured,myocardial tension time index was calculated,and statistical processing was performed.[Results]Peikun Pills have a significant pressure boosting effect,but have no effect on the myocardial tension time index.Captopril has the effects of lowering blood pressure,slowing down the heart rate and reducing the myocardial tension time index,and significantly increasing the pulse pressure difference.[Conclusions]Peikun Pills can increase blood pressure of rats.Peikun Pills are suitable for women with hypotension accompanied by anemia.However,patients with hypertension are prohibited to use.

Phytoremediation capacity of the hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L.and Solanum lycopersicum L.cultivars at the flowering stage in cadmium-polluted soil

Dear Editor,Remediation of cadmium(Cd)-contaminated soil is a popular topic in global environmental science.Phytoremediation using hyperaccumulators or certain plants to accumulate and remove Cd from polluted soils is a promising approach.Wei et al.(2005)first described Solanum nigrum L.as a Cd hyperaccumulator.Subsequently,various aspects of S.nigrum,including the protective effects on proline,physiological and biochemical responses,earthworms,arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,and fertilizers and the intercropping with Solanum photeinocarpum,have been extensively studied(Xu et al.,2009;Khan et al.,2014;Wang et al.,2015;Tang et al.,2017;Yang et al.,2019).

Exploring the effect of in vitro digestion on the phenolics and antioxidant activity of Lycium barbarum fruit extract

To assess the effect of the digestive system on the phenolics and antioxidant capacity of Lycium barbarum fruit,its extract was digested and analyzed in vitro.The results revealed that the phenolics/flavonoids contents and antioxidant capacity in the pH-treated group and digested group generally decreased by 4.39%-21.22%in the oral and intestinal digestions but increased by 1.26%-16.14%in the gastric digestion.The phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were highly correlated in digested groups(r>0.899,p<0.01).Five main phenolics including rutin,p-coumaric acid and its hexoside derivatives were identified and quantified,and these phenolics displayed higher stability during the digestion,implying that they may be the potential functional phenolics of L.barbarum fruit.

Single-cell RNA-seq analysis of testicular somatic cell development in pigs

Spermatogenesis is the process by which diploid male germ cells propagate and differentiate into haploid flagellated spermatozoa.This highly complicated process is dependent on testicular somatic cells maturation.While the role of these somatic cells in spermatogenesis is relatively well established,knowledge about their development and maturation,particularly at the molecular level,is limited.In this study,we profiled the testicular single-cell transcriptomes of Guanzhong black pigs at the age of 7,30,60,90,and 150 days.Five types of Sertoli cells,five types of Leydig cells,and four types of peritubular myoid cells were identified.Histological analysis revealed the changes in proliferation levels and marker gene expressions,and the prion-like protein gene(PRND)was identified as a novel marker for Sertoli cells.Additionally,integrated analyses of porcine and human datasets revealed similarities between human and pig testicular somatic cells.Overall,the data obtained in this study contribute to the understanding of testicular development in pigs as a model species.

Robust UV/moisture dual curable PDMS-microcapsule-silica functional material for self-healing,antifouling,and antibacterial applications

Polydimethylsiloxane containing methacryloyloxy and methoxy silane groups(MAPDMS)-microcapsule-SiO_(2)(MPMS)functional materials were prepared by constructing micro-nano hierarchical structures on the surface of MAPDMS matrix.Herein,MAPDMS@1,1-stilbene-modified hydrolyzed polyglycidyl methacrylate/graphene oxide/dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride(MAPDMS@PGMA_(m)/GO/QC18)self-healing microcapsules with compact multi-shell structure were synthesized and combined with nano-SiO_(2)to construct the hierarchical structures.Furthermore,ultraviolet(UV)/moisture dual curing mode was introduced into deep curing reaction and efficient self-healing reaction of the MPMS.The results show that the introduction of UV/moisture dual curing mode and micro-nano hierarchical structure gives MPMS functional materials excellent mechanical properties,antifouling properties,self-healing properties,antibacterial properties.The shear strength and tensile strength of MPMS increase from 3.32 and 4.26 MPa of MAPDMS to 3.81 and 5.06 MPa,respectively.Its static contact angle increases from 115.9°of MAPDMS to 156.5°,its slide angle decreases from 68.5°of MAPDMS to 7.8°,respectively.The antifouling performance of MPMS against seawater,soy sauce,juice,coffee,protein,other contaminants is effectively improved compared with MAPDMS matrix.At the same time,the tensile strength and elongation at break of MPMS after healing reach 98.22%and 96.57%of those in original state,respectively.In addition,the antibacterial rates of MPMS against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus reach 99.85%and 100%,respectively.The MPMS prepared in this paper is expected to be widely used in marine antifouling,pipeline network,anti-icing,microfluidics,wearable devices,medical devices,electrochemical biosensors,other fields.

Transcriptome-wide Dynamics of m^(6)A mRNA Methylation During Porcine Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is a continual process that occurs in the testes,in which diploid spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs)differentiate and generate haploid spermatozoa.This highly efficient and intricate process is orchestrated at multiple levels.N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A),an epigenetic modification prevalent in mRNAs,is implicated in the transcriptional regulation during spermatogenesis.However,the dynamics of m^(6)A modification in non-rodent mammalian species remains unclear.Here,we systematically investigated the profile and role of m^(6)A during spermatogenesis in pigs.By analyzing the transcriptomic distribution of m^(6)A in spermatogonia,spermatocytes,and round spermatids,we identified a globally conserved m^(6)A pattern between porcine and murine genes with spermatogenic function.We found that m^(6)A was enriched in a group of genes that specifically encode the metabolic enzymes and regulators.In addition,transcriptomes in porcine male germ cells could be subjected to the m^(6)A modification.Our data show that m^(6)A plays the regulatory roles during spermatogenesis in pigs,which is similar to that in mice.Illustrations of this point are three genes(SETDB1,FOXO1,and FOXO3)that are crucial to the determination of the fate of SSCs.To the best of our knowledge,this study for the first time uncovers the expression profile and role of m^(6)A during spermatogenesis in large animals and provides insights into the intricate transcriptional regulation underlying the lifelong male fertility in non-rodent mammalian species.