Synthetic community with six Pseudomonas strains screened from garlic rhizosphere microbiome promotes plant growth.

The rhizosphere microbiome plays an important role in the growth and health of many plants, particularly for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Although the use of PGPR could improve plant production, real-world applications are still held back by low-efficiency methods of finding and using PGPR. In this study, the structure of bacterial and fungal rhizosphere communities of Jinxiang garlic under different growth periods (resume growth, bolting and maturation), soil types (loam, sandy loam and sandy soil) and agricultural practices (with and without microbial products) were explored by using amplicon sequencing.

Down-Regulation of miR-301a-3p Reduces Burn-Induced Vascular Endothelial Apoptosis by potentiating hMSC-Secreted IGF-1 and PI3K/Akt/FOXO3a Pathway.

Vascular endothelium dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of multiple organ dysfunction. The mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) maintains vascular endothelial barrier survival via secreting bioactive factors. However, the mechanism of human umbilical cord MSC (hMSC) in protecting endothelial survival remains unclear.

Biotransformation of arsenic trioxide by AS3MT favors eradication of acute promyelocytic leukemia: revealing the hidden facts.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is one of the most effective drugs for treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It could specifically target the PML/RARα fusion oncoprotein stability and induces APL cell differentiation as well as apoptosis. Although many studies have been conducted to document the anticancer effects and mechanism of ATO, there is little information about the association between biotransformation of ATO to active arsenic metabolites and APL therapy.

Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis of Protein and Oil Content in Response to Planting Density in Soybean ( [L.] Merri.) Seeds Based on SNP Linkage Mapping.

Soybean varieties suitable for high planting density allow greater yields. However, the seed protein and oil contents, which determine the value of this crop, can be influenced by planting density. Thus, it is important to understand the genetic basis of the responses of different soybean genotypes to planting density.

[Nitrogen Removal in Low-C/N Rural Sewage Treatment by Anoxic/Oxic Biofilter Packed with New Types of Fillers].

When low-concentration rural sewage is treated biologically, the effluent total nitrogen (TN) concentration often does not meet the discharge limit because of its low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N). To solve this problem, a laboratory-scale anoxic/oxic (A/O) biofilter packed with and activated carbon as the anoxic and aerobic column fillers (No. 2) was operated for treatment of simulated rural sewage and advanced nitrogen removal, while an ordinary gravel-packing A/O biofilter (No.

Identification and field bioassays of the sex pheromone of Eurytoma maslovskii (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae).

Long-range sex pheromones are generally considered to be a main cue for mate recognition in the order Hymenoptera. Although considerable attention has been given to the identification of semiochemicals in the superfamily Chalcidoidea, which comprises 19 families, no study has identified active components in a field bioassay. We herein report the sensitive and selective pheromone communication system of the Korean apricot wasp, Eurytoma maslovskii (Eurytomidae), whose larvae feed on Prunus mume seeds.

Effects of Blast Wave-induced Biomechanical Changes on Lung Injury in Rats.

Objective: To observe the dynamic impacts of shock waves on the severity of lung injury in rats with different injury distances.

Methods: Simulate open-field shock waves; detect the biomechanical effects of explosion sources at distances of 40, 44, and 48 cm from rats; and examine the changes in the gross anatomy of the lungs, lung wet/dry weight ratio, hemoglobin concentration, blood gas analysis, and pathology.

Results: Biomechanical parameters such as the overpressure peak and impulse were gradually attenuated with an increase in the injury distance.

Distributions, compositions, and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalic acid esters in surface sediment of Songhua river, China.

The distribution, composition, and ecological risk of 16 types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 6 types of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in the surface sediment of Songhua river, northeast China, were investigated. The total weight of the PAHs (∑PAHs) varied from 226.70 to 7086.

Potential role of miR-155-5p in fat deposition and skeletal muscle development of chicken.

miR-155 has multiple functions in many physiological and pathological processes. However, little is known about the expression characteristics of avian miR-155. In the present study, partial pri-miR-155 sequences were cloned from AA+ broiler, Sanhuang broiler and Hy-Line Brown layer, respectively.

Comparative Study of Denitrifying-MBBRs with Different Polyethylene Carriers for Advanced Nitrogen Removal of Real Reverse Osmosis Concentrate.

Nitrogen (N) remains a great challenge in wastewater treatment while attempts to remove N has continuously been a research point for decades. In this study, the long-term performance of four identical-shape denitrification MBBRs (moving bed biofilm reactors) with four different configurations of cylindrical polyethylene as carriers (Φ25 × 12, Φ25 × 4, Φ15 × 15, and Φ10 × 7 mm) for advanced N removal of real reverse osmosis concentrate was investigated in great detail. The N of the real concentrate can be effectively removed by denitrification MBBRs when the pH, temperature, hydraulic retention time (HRT), C/N ratio, and filling rate are 7.

Low Bone Mineral Density in Young Patients Newly Diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: The prevalence and risk factors of low bone mineral density (BMD) in Asian patients newly diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have not been fully suggested.

Aims: We aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors of low BMD in young Korean patients newly diagnosed with IBD.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 132 patients aged less than 50 years and newly diagnosed with IBD from six tertiary referral centers in Korea between November 2014 and April 2017.

Correlation of skull morphology and bite force in a bird-eating bat (; Vespertilionidae).

Background: Genetic and ecological factors influence morphology, and morphology is compatible with function. The morphology and bite performance of skulls of bats show a number of characteristic feeding adaptations. The great evening bat, (Thomas, 1902), eats both insects and birds (Thabah et al.

Transparent Pressure Sensor with High Linearity over a Wide Pressure Range for 3D Touch Screen Applications.

The demand for display technology is expected to increase with the continuous spread of portable electronics and with the expected emergence of flexible, wearable, and transparent display devices. A touch screen is a critical component in display technology that enables user interface operations, and the future generation of touch screens, the so-called 3D touch screens, is expected to be able to detect multiple levels of pressure. To enable 3D touch screens, transparent pressure sensors with high linearity over a working range that encompasses the pressure range of human touch (10-100 kPa) are required.

Multiscale study on the enhancing effect and mechanism of borneolum on transdermal permeation of drugs with different log P values and molecular sizes.

D-borneolum is commonly used as a permeation enhancer in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas for transdermal application. Additionally, two other sources of borneolums were recorded in the 2015 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP), including L-borneolum and borneolum syntheticum. To guide the selection and application of borneolum, the safety and enhancing effect of three sources of borneolums were investigated on transdermal permeation of compounds with different octanol-water partition coefficient (log P) values and molecular weights (MWs).

Analysis of chemical constituents and six compounds in Qu-feng-sheng-shi Granules via HPLC-ESI-Q/TOF-MS and HPLC-UV technique.

Qu-feng-sheng-shi Granules (QFSSG), a common prescription for the treatment of chronic inflammation and allergic rhinitis, is widely used in the clinic as a traditional Chinese medicine. Chemical analysis and quality control studies of this formulation are relatively limited compared with pharmacological studies. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q/TOF-MS ) was used to identify the components in this prescription.

Topological dynamics of the 2015 South Korea MERS-CoV spread-on-contact networks.

Network analysis to examine infectious contact relations provides an important means to uncover the topologies of individual infectious contact networks. This study aims to investigate the spread of diseases among individuals over contact networks by exploring the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea. We present several distinct features of MERS transmission by employing a comprehensive approach in network research to examine both the traced relationship matrix of infected individuals and their bipartite transmission routes among healthcare facilities visited for treatment.

-Sulfur-Based Heterotrophic and Autotrophic Denitrification Process for Nitrate-Rich Agricultural Runoff Treatment.

-sulfur-based heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification (HSHAD) process was developed in free water surface constructed wetland mesocosms for the treatment of nitrate-rich agricultural runoff with low chemical oxygen demand/total nitrogen (C/N) ratio, whose feasibility and mechanism were extensively studied and compared with those of heterotrophic denitrification (HHD) mesocosms through a 273-day operation. The results showed that the heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification can be combined successfully in HSHAD mesocosms, and achieve satisfactory nitrate removal performance. The average NO-N removal efficiency and denitrification rate of HSHAD were 94.

Linkage Analysis and Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies Identify QTNs Controlling Soybean Plant Height.

Plant height is an important target for soybean breeding. It is a typical quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes and is susceptible to environmental influences. Here, we carried out phenotypic analysis of 156 recombinant inbred lines derived from "Dongnong L13" and "Henong 60" in nine environments at four locations over 6 years using interval mapping and inclusive composite interval mapping methods.

Expression of lncRNA MEG3 in asthma with different phenotypes and its relationship with course of disease.

The purpose of this study was to explore the application value of lncRNA in lung cancer. From March 2017 to March 2019, 119 asthma patients and 125 healthy people undergoing physical examination in the same period were selected as the research objects. The levels of lncRNA in the peripheral blood of the two groups were compared, and the predictive value of for asthma as well as the differences in different inflammatory phenotypes were analyzed.

Fecal calprotectin is more accurate than fecal immunochemical test for predicting mucosal healing in quiescent ulcerative colitis: a prospective multicenter study.

Non-invasive stool tests, including the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and fecal calprotectin (FC), are reliable biomarkers for mucosal healing (MH) in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, which fecal test is superior for predicting MH in inactive UC patients requires evaluation. We aimed to compare the accuracy of FIT and FC results for predicting MH in quiescent UC patients.

Safflower seed extract synergizes the therapeutic effect of cisplatin and reduces cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in human colorectal carcinoma RKO cells and RKO-transplanted mice.

Safflower seed is effective against oxidative stress, mediating the activation of the apoptotic signaling pathway in the renal tissues of cisplatin-treated mice. The anticancer activity of safflower in various cancer cell lines has also been reported. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential synergistic anticancer effects of the co-treatment of safflower seed extracts and cisplatin in RKO cells and in BALB/c mice bearing RKO cell-derived human colorectal tumors.

Study on the Multitarget Mechanism and Key Active Ingredients of Herba Siegesbeckiae and Volatile Oil against Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Network Pharmacology.

Background: Herba Siegesbeckiae (HS, Xixiancao in Chinese) is widely used to treat inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and arthritis, and its molecular mechanisms and active ingredients have not been completely elucidated.

Methods: In this study, the small molecule ligand library of HS was built based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP). The essential oil from HS was extracted through hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS).

Circulating tumor cells in precision oncology: clinical applications in liquid biopsy and 3D organoid model.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a rare subset of cells found in the blood of patients with solid tumors, which function as a seed for metastases. Cancer cells metastasize through the bloodstream either as single migratory CTCs or as multicellular groupings-CTC clusters. The CTCs preserve primary tumor heterogeneity and mimic tumor properties, and may be considered as clinical biomarker, preclinical model, and therapeutic target.

[Distribution Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Surface Sediments of the Songhua River].

This study assesses the spatial distribution characteristics and ecological risk of phthalate esters (PAEs) in the surface sediments of the mainstream and tributaries of the Songhua River, China, using concentrations and composition of six PAEs, which were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometery (GC-MS). We assess the ∑PAEs ecological risk using the hazard quotient (HQ) method and environmental risk levels (ERL). The results were as follows.

[Establishment of Flp-In CHO cell lines with double expression of CYP2A13 and MRP2].

Objective To construct a double transfected Flp-In CHO cell line stably expressing both cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily A member 13(CYP2A13) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2(MRP2). Methods We constructed the recombinant plasmids of pCMV6-NEO-CYP2A13 and pcDNA5-MRP2. The pCMV6-NEO-CYP2A13 recombinant plasmid was first transfected into Flp-In CHO cells, and CYP2A13-Flp-In CHO cells with higher CYP2A13 activity were screened using limiting dilution method and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) cytotoxicity assay.