Composting of rice straw with oilseed rape cake and poultry manure and its effects on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) growth and soil properties

Composting of rice straw with poultry manure and oilseed rape cake and its effects on growth and yield of faba bean and soil properties was studied in pot experiments at Gifu University, Japan in 2001/2002. The composts reached maturity in 90 days, were rich in organic matter and mineral nutrients, had a high level of stability, and no phytotoxicity. The addition of compost (20-200 g pot(-1)) improved selected soil chemical (increased total N, total C and CEC), physical (decreased particle density) and biological (increased soil respiration rate) properties. Application of composts at a rate of 20 g pot(-1) significantly increased growth, yield, yield components and total crude protein of faba bean plants. The benefit of this compost without chemical fertilizer demonstrated the validity and possibility of sustainable agronomic performance of faba bean using locally available recycled organic materials.     

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from the Fruit of Acanthopanaxbrachypus: Physicochemical,Structural and Functional Properties

The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) parameters of total water-soluble polysaccharides (TABPs) from Acanthopanaxbrachypus fruit were optimized by Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Physicochemical, structural, and functional properties of TABPs were investigated by chemical analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC), emulsion capacity (EC), emulsion stability (ES), as well as DPPH^. and ABTS^.+scavenging assays. The results showed that the maximal UAE-yield of TABPs was 3.81±0.18 % under the optimal conditions (ultrasonic power 325 W, extraction temperature 47 °C, extraction time 22 min). TABPs was rich in some beneficial element (Mg, K, Fe, Zn and Na) but little in harmful elements (Hg, Cd, As and Pb), and displayed rough surface with flake-like features and large dents, contained 93.89±0.08 % of total carbohydrate with more different monosaccharides including glucose, galactose, rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, xylose, and uronic acid in a molar ratio of 8.83 : 7.90 : 4.74 : 4.55 : 2.80 : 2.39 : 1.00, respectively. TABPs exhibited broad weight distribution (11.2–133.5 kDa), excellent thermal stability (>280 °C), WHC (0.61±0.08 g water/g sample) and OHC (4.53±0.12 g oil/g sample), as well as higher EC (43.75±1.23 %) and ES (38.32±1.50 %). Furthermore, TABPs also displayed remarkable scavenging activities on DPPH^. and ABTS^.+ in vitro. These findings provide a scientific basis for the applications of TABPs in functional additives for food, medicine, and cosmetics.     

Composition,Chemical Variability and Biological Activity of Cymbopogon schoenanthus Essential Oil from Central Algeria

Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng . (Poaceae) is an aromatic plant whose aerial parts and rhizome produced an essential oil with pleasant odor. A chemical variability has been observed depending of the countries where the plant grows wild, including Algeria. The chemical compositions of 24 oil samples isolated from plants harvested in Central Algeria have been investigated, to evidence homogeneity or chemical variability within a given area of harvest. Twenty of these were dominated by cis‐ and trans‐p‐menth‐2‐en‐1‐ols (22.6 %±3.6 and 14.3 %±1.7, resp.) beside four atypical compositions. Otherwise, aerial parts and rhizomes produced similar essential oils. Lastly, a fair antimicrobial activity was measured against Staphylococcus aureus strain, while the antioxidant potential was low.     

Anti-Tumor Activity of Eurycoma longifolia Root Extracts against K-562 Cell Line: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Eurycoma longifolia Jack has been widely used in traditional medicine for its antimalarial, aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and anti-pyretic activities. Its anticancer activity has also been recently reported on different solid tumors, however no anti-leukemic activity of this plant has been reported. Thus the present study assesses the in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative and apoptotic potentials of E. longifolia on K-562 leukemic cell line. The K-562 cells (purchased from ATCC) were isolated from patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) were treated with the various fractions (TAF273, F3 and F4) of E. longifolia root methanolic extract at various concentrations and time intervals and the anti-proliferative activity assessed by MTS assay. Flow cytometry was used to assess the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Nude mice injected subcutaneously with 10⁷ K-562 cells were used to study the anti-leukemic activity of TAF273 in vivo. TAF273, F3 and F4 showed various degrees of growth inhibition with IC50 values of 19, 55 and 62 µg/ml, respectively. TAF273 induced apoptosis in a dose and time dependent manner. TAF273 arrested cell cycle at G1and S phases. Intraperitoneal administration of TAF273 (50 mg/kg) resulted in a significant growth inhibition of subcutaneous tumor in TAF273-treated mice compared with the control mice (P = 0.024). TAF273 shows potent anti-proliferative activity in vitro and in vivo models of CML and therefore, justifies further efforts to define more clearly the potential benefits of using TAF273 as a novel therapeutic strategy for CML management.     

EV71 3C蛋白酶与ZMYM2相互作用及功能初探

肠道病毒71型(Enterovirus 71,EV71)为小RNA病毒科肠道病毒属A组病毒的代表株,感染可引发手足口病(Hand-foot and mouth disease,HFMD),严重危害儿童健康.EV71 3C蛋白酶(3C)是其编码的主要蛋白酶之一,在病毒多蛋白加工过程中发挥关键作用,同时切割细胞蛋白以利于病毒复制.为进一步了解EV71与宿主间博弈关系,本课题组前期以3C为诱饵进行酵母双杂交实验,筛选与3C发生相互作用的可能底物,钓取到锌指MYM型蛋白2(Zinc finger MYM-type protein 2,ZMYM2).ZMYM2是一种具有锌指结构的转录因子,与细胞中重要的抗病毒小体PML核体(PML nuclear bodies,PML-NBs)的形成及稳定性相关.本文选择3C与ZMYM2关系展开研究,确证二者相互作用并初探生物学功能.首先通过免疫共沉淀实验确证3C与ZMYM2之间存在相互作用;随后分析功能,发现过表达ZMYM2抑制EV71复制;敲减内源ZMYM2有利于EV71的复制;分析3C对ZMYM2影响,发现3C剂量依赖性切割ZMYM2,ZMYM2上至少具有2个3C的识别位点.本研究为解析ZMYM2功能及进一步了解EV71与宿主先天免疫间博弈关系提供了新的实验证据.     

Variation in effects of non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk factors according to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1*01:01 allele and ancestral haplotype 8.1

Genetic variations in human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are critical in host responses to infections, transplantation, and immunological diseases. We previously identified associations with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and the HLA-DRB1*01:01 allele and extended ancestral haplotype (AH) 8.1 (HLA-A*01-B*08-DR*03-TNF-308A). To illuminate how HLA alleles and haplotypes may influence NHL etiology, we examined potential interactions between HLA-DRB1*01:01 and AH 8.1, and a wide range of NHL risk factors among 685 NHL cases and 646 controls from a United States population-based case-control study. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals by HLA allele or haplotype status, adjusted for sex, age, race and study center for NHL and two major subtypes using polychotomous unconditional logistic regression models. The previously reported elevation in NHL risk associated with exposures to termite treatment and polychlorinated biphenyls were restricted to individuals who did not possess HLA-DRB1*01:01. Previous associations for NHL and DLBCL with decreased sun exposure, higher BMI, and autoimmune conditions were statistically significant only among those with AH 8.1, and null among those without AH 8.1. Our results suggest that NHL risk factors vary in their association based on HLA-DRB1*01:01 and AH 8.1 status. Our results further suggest that certain NHL risk factors may act through a common mechanism to alter NHL risk. Finally, control participants with either HLA-DRB1*01:01 or AH 8.1 reported having a family history of NHL twice as likely as those who did not have either allele or haplotype, providing the first empirical evidence that HLA associations may explain some of the well-established relationship between family history and NHL risk.