Efficient Detection of Leptosphaeria maculans from Infected Seed lots of Oilseed Rape

An efficient DNA extraction protocol and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detecting Leptosphaeria maculans from infected seed lots of oilseed rape were developed. L. maculans, the causal agent of blackleg, a damaging disease in oilseeds rape/canola worldwide, was listed as a quarantine disease by China in 2009. China imports several millions of tons of oilseeds every year. So there is a high risk that this pathogen will be introduced to China via contaminated seeds. Seed contamination is one of the most significant factors in the global spread of phytopathogens. Detection of L. maculans in infected seed lots by PCR assay is difficult due to the low level of pathogen mycelium/spores on seeds and PCR inhibitors associated with the seeds of oilseed rape. In our study, these two major obstacles were overcome by the development of a two‐step extraction protocol combined with a nested PCR. This extraction protocol (kit extraction after CTAB method) can efficiently extract high‐quality DNA for PCR. Amplification results showed that the detection threshold for conventional PCR and nested PCR was, respectively, 1 ng and 10 fg of DNA per μl in mycelia samples. On contaminated seed lots of oilseed rape, the detection threshold of conventional and nested PCR was 709 fg/μl and 709 ag/μl of DNA, respectively. The DNA extraction protocol and PCR assay developed in this study can be used for rapid and reliable detection of L. maculans from infected seeds of oilseed rape .     

经皮穴位电刺激对老年髋关节置换术患者脑氧代谢以及术后认知功能、镇痛效果的影响

目的:探讨经皮穴位电刺激(TEAS)对老年髋关节置换术患者脑氧代谢以及术后认知功能、镇痛效果的影响。方法:选取2016年1月～2018年7月期间我院收治的行髋关节置换术患者91例为研究对象,将研究对象根据随机数字表法分为对照组(n=45)和研究组(n=46),对照组给予常规麻醉处理,研究组在对照组基础上给予TEAS,比较两组脑氧代谢、术后认知功能以及镇痛效果,记录两组术后的不良反应发生情况。结果:在降压开始后20 min(T1)、降压开始后40 min(T2)、停止降压后20 min(T3)时间点时,两组静脉血氧含量(Cjv O2)较降压前即刻(T0)时间点升高,且研究组高于对照组(P0.05),两组脑动-静脉血氧含量差(Da-jvO2)、脑氧摄取率(CERO2)较T0时间点降低,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者术后72h简易智能量表(MMSE)评分均较术前24h降低,但研究组高于对照组(P0.05),研究组术后认知功能障碍(POCD)发生率低于对照组(P0.05)。与术前比较,两组患者术后8h、术后24h、术后48h视觉疼痛模拟量表(VAS)评分均升高(P0.05),但研究组术后8h、术后24h、术后48h等时间点VAS评分均低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者不良反应总发生率比较无差异(P0.05)。结论:TEAS对老年髋关节置换术后患者的镇痛效果确切,可有效改善脑氧代谢情况,提高术后认知功能,临床应用价值较高。     

经皮椎体后凸成形术对老年骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折患者新发椎体骨折风险和生活质量的影响

目的:探讨经皮椎体后凸成形术(PKP)治疗老年骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折的疗效及对患者新发椎体骨折风险和生活质量的影响。方法:选取2015年2月~2017年7月期间海南医学院第二附属医院收治的老年骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折患者109例为研究对象,根据患者意愿和经济条件将其分为保守治疗组(n=54,采用非手术治疗)和PKP组(n=55,采用PKP治疗),比较两组患者临床指标、疼痛程度、椎体指标、生活质量、新发椎体骨折风险以及并发症发生情况。结果:PKP组住院时间、卧床时间低于保守治疗组(P0.05)。两组患者治疗1周后、治疗1个月后、治疗3个月后、治疗6个月后以及治疗12个月后视觉疼痛模拟评分(VAS)逐渐降低(P0.05),PKP组治疗1周后、治疗1个月后VAS评分低于保守治疗组(P0.05)。保守治疗组治疗12个月后椎体前缘高度丢失率、Cobb角均低于治疗前及治疗1周后(P0.05),PKP组治疗1周后、治疗12个月后椎体前缘高度丢失率、Cobb角逐渐降低(P0.05);PKP组治疗1周后、治疗12个月后椎体前缘高度丢失率、Cobb角低于保守治疗组(P0.05)。两组患者治疗12个月后标准生理组分(PCS)、标准心理组分(MCS)评分均较治疗前升高,且PKP组PCS、MCS评分高于保守治疗组(P0.05)。两组患者新发椎体骨折发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。PKP组并发症发生率低于保守治疗组(P0.05)。结论:PKP治疗老年骨质疏松性椎体压缩骨折疗效确切,安全可靠,可缩短患者住院时间和卧床时间,缓解患者早期疼痛,改善患者生活质量和伤椎后凸畸形,且不会增加新发椎体骨折风险。     

Enantiomeric Polyketides from the Starfish‐Derived Symbiotic Fungus Penicillium sp. GGF16‐1‐2

One new racemic mixture, penicilliode A ( 1 ) and four pairs of enantiomeric polyketides, penicilliode B and C ( 2 and 3 ) and coniochaetone B and C ( 4 and 5 ), were obtained from the starfish‐derived symbiotic fungus Penicillium sp. GGF16‐1‐2. Interestingly, the strain GGF16‐1‐2 can produce enantiomers. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and the absolute configurations of 2 – 4 were determined by the optical rotation (OR) values and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1 – 5 were firstly isolated from the marine‐derived fungus Penicillium as racemates, and 2 – 5 were separated by HPLC with a chiral stationary phase. All the compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial, cytotoxic and inhibitory activities against PDE4D2.     

Chemical Composition of Bawei Longzuan Granule and Its Anti‐Arthritic Activity on Collagen‐Induced Arthritis in Rats by Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses

Bawei Longzuan granule (BLG) is a representative Zhuang medicine preparation. The present work aims to characterize the chemical constituents of BLG and evaluate its anti‐arthritic activity. The major chemical constituents of BLG were tentatively identified by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC‐Q‐TOF/MS), which revealed the presence of some alkaloids (e. g., magnoflorine, sinomenine and nitidine) and flavonoids (e. g., hesperidin, diosmin and sinensetin) that may be partly responsible for the anti‐arthritic effect of BLG. In addition, the collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) model in rats was induced by intradermal injection of bovine collagen‐II in complete Freund's adjuvant at the base of tail. The CIA rats received oral administration of BLG (1.25, 2.5 and 5 g/kg) for 30 days. Then, various indicators were determined to evaluate its anti‐arthritic activity, including paw swelling, arthritic score, body weight, knee joint pathology, thymus index and spleen index. Additionally, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interferon (IFN)‐γ, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐4 and IL‐10 were measured to determine the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that BLG efficiently ameliorated the severity of arthritis in CIA rats by decreasing paw swelling and arthritis score and improving the histological lesions of knee joint. Moreover, the serum levels of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines (i. e., IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IFN‐γ) were downregulated, whereas two anti‐inflammatory factors (i. e., IL‐4 and IL‐10) were upregulated after BLG administration. These results indicated that BLG possessed promising therapeutic effect on collagen‐induced arthritis by inhibiting inflammatory responses. BLG can be used as a complementary or alternative traditional medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis.     

Three New Polyacetylene Glycosides from the Roots of Heracleum dissectum and Their Triglyceride Accumulating Activities in 3T3‐L1 Cells

Continually phytochemical study of the roots of Heracleum dissectum had led to the isolation of three previously undescribed polyacetylene glycosides ( 1 – 3 ), together with seven known compounds, including one polyacetylene ( 8 ) and six coumarins ( 4 – 7 and 9 – 10 ) using diverse chromatographic methods. The structures of these three new compounds were characterized and identified as deca‐4,6‐diyn‐1‐yl β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ), (8Z)‐dec‐8‐ene‐4,6‐diyn‐1‐yl β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranoside ( 2 ), and (8E)‐dec‐8‐ene‐4,6‐diyn‐1‐yl β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→6)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranoside ( 3 ) based on their physicochemical properties and extensive analyses of various spectroscopic data. Their triglycerides accumulating activities were assayed and the results showed that the three new polyacetylene glycosides ( 1 – 3 ) exhibited triglyceride accumulating activities in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes.     

Confined Fe2VO4⊂Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanowires with Internal Void Space for High‐Rate and Ultrastable Potassium‐Ion Storage

Developing low‐cost, high‐capacity, high‐rate, and robust earth‐abundant electrode materials for energy storage is critical for the practical and scalable application of advanced battery technologies. Herein, the first example of synthesizing 1D peapod‐like bimetallic Fe₂VO₄ nanorods confined in N‐doped carbon porous nanowires with internal void space (Fe₂VO₄?NC nanopeapods) as a high‐capacity and stable anode material for potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) is reported. The peapod‐like Fe₂VO₄?NC nanopeapod heterostructures with interior void space and external carbon shell efficiently prevent the aggregation of the active materials, facilitate fast transportation of electrons and ions, and accommodate volume variation during the cycling process, which substantially boosts the rate and cycling performance of Fe₂VO₄. The Fe₂VO₄?NC electrode exhibits high reversible specific depotassiation capacity of 380 mAh g^?1 at 100 mA g^?1 after 60 cycles and remarkable rate capability as well as long cycling stability with a high capacity of 196 mAh g^?1 at 4 A g^?1 after 2300 cycles. The first‐principles calculations reveal that Fe₂VO₄?NC nanopeapods have high ionic/electronic conductivity characteristics and low diffusion barriers for K⁺‐intercalation. This study opens up new way for investigating high‐capacity metal oxide as high‐rate and robust electrode materials for KIBs.     

Creating Multiband and Broadband Metamaterial Absorber by Multiporous Square Layer Structure

Plasmonics - Since the metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) is composed of electromagnetic resonance structures, the main operational mechanism of the MPA is electromagnetic resonance. In this work,...     

Rho‐associated coiled‐coil kinase 1 activation mediates amyloid precursor protein site‐specific Ser655 phosphorylation and triggers amyloid pathology

Rho‐associated coiled‐coil kinase 1 (ROCK1) is proposed to be implicated in Aβ suppression; however, the role for ROCK1 in amyloidogenic metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce Aβ was unknown. In the present study, we showed that ROCK1 kinase activity and its APP binding were enhanced in AD brain, resulting in increased β‐secretase cleavage of APP. Furthermore, we firstly confirmed that APP served as a substrate for ROCK1 and its major phosphorylation site was located at Ser655. The increased level of APP Ser655 phosphorylation was observed in the brain of APP/PS1 mice and AD patients compared to controls. Moreover, blockade of APP Ser655 phosphorylation, or inhibition of ROCK1 activity with either shRNA knockdown or Y‐27632, ameliorated amyloid pathology and improved learning and memory in APP/PS1 mice. These findings suggest that activated ROCK1 targets APP Ser655 phosphorylation, which promotes amyloid processing and pathology. Inhibition of ROCK1 could be a potential therapeutic approach for AD.