Clinical features and effectiveness of Chinese medicine in patients with COVID-19 from overseas: A retrospective study in Xiamen, China.

COVID-19, referred to as new coronary pneumonia, is an acute infectious disease caused by a new type of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. To evaluate the effect of integrated Chinese medicine and Western medicine in patients with COVID-19 from overseas. Data were collected from 178 COVID-19 patients overseas at First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from April 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021. These patients received therapy of integrated Chinese medicine and western medicine. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were extracted and analyzed. In addition, the prescription which induced less length of PCR positive days and hospitalization days than the median value was obtained. The top 4 frequently used Chinese medicine and virus-related genes were analyzed by network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis. According to the chest computed tomography (CT) measurement, abnormal lung findings were observed in 145 subjects. The median length of positive PCR/hospitalization days was 7/7 days for asymptomatic subjects, 14/24 days for mild subjects, 10/15 days for moderate subjects, and 14/20 days for severe subjects. The most frequently used Chinese medicine were Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Gancao), Bupleurum chinense (Chaihu), and Pinellia ternata (Banxia). The putative active ingredients were baicalin, stigmasterol, sigmoidin-B, cubebin, and troxerutin. ACE, SARS-CoV-2 3CL, SARS-CoV-2 Spike, SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a, and caspase-6 showed good binding properties to active ingredients. In conclusion, the clinical results showed that integrated Chinese medicine and Western medicine are effective in treating COVID-19 patients from overseas. Based on the clinical outcomes, the putative ingredients from Chinese medicine and the potential targets of SARS-CoV-2 were provided, which could provide a reference for the clinical application of Chinese medicine in treating COVID-19 worldwide.

Molecular characterization, expression analysis and heterologous expression of two translationally controlled tumor protein genes from Cucumis sativus.

The translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is a family of abundant and ubiquitous proteins involved in several important primary functions. Cucumbers harbor two TCTP genes, CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2; however, their functional roles remain unclear. In this study, we isolated CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2 (XP-004134215 and XP-004135602, respectively) promoters, full-length cDNA and genomic sequences from Cucumis sativus. Bioinformatics analysis, containing cis-acting elements, structural domains, phylogenetic tree and conserved motifs, suggested the conservation and divergence of CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2, thus providing knowledge regarding their functions. Expression analysis indicated that CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2 exhibited tissue-specific expression and were regulated by biotic or abiotic stresses in C. sativus. Furthermore, CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2 were regulated by ABA and may be associated with the TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling pathway. In a prokaryotic expression analysis, CsTCTP1 and CsTCTP2 showed positive responses to salt and heat stresses and a negative response to drought and HgCl2 stresses. TCTP may exert multiple functions in various cellular processes.

[Influence of submerged macrophytes on phosphorus transference between sediment and overlying water in the growth period].

In order to study the process of phosphorus transfer between sediment and overlying water, Hydrilla verticillata and Vallisneria natans were cultured in spring, Potamogeton crispus was cultured in winter. Changes of environmental factors and phosphorus concentrations in water and sediment were investigated. The results indicated that: submerged macrophytes could reduce all phosphorus fractions in the overlying water. Phosphorus concentrations in overlying water maintained in a relative low level in the growth period of submerged macrophytes. The concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) in overlying water of H. verticillata, V. natans and P. crispus were 0.03-0.05, 0.04-0.12, 0.02-0.11 mg x L(-1), respectively. All phosphorus fractions in sediment were reduced. The maximum value between submerged macrophyte and control of H. verticillata, V. natans and P. crispus were 35.34, 60.67 and 25.92 mg x kg(-1), respectively. Dissolved oxygen (DO), redox potential (Eh) and pH in overlying water increased (DO 10.0-14.0 mg x L(-1), Eh 185-240 mV, pH 8.0-11.0) in the submerged macrophytes groups. Submerged macrophytes increased Eh( -140 - -23 mV) and maintained pH(7.2-8.0) in neutral range. The results indicated that submerged macrophytes affected phosphorus transferring between sediment and overlying water through increasing DO, Eh and pH in overlying water, and Eh in sediment.

[Effects of cutting on photosynthesis and purification efficiencies on nitrogen and phosphorus of the Lolium multiflorum].

Effects of different cutting intensities on the growth, photosynthesis and the purification efficiencies on nitrogen and phosphorus of the Lolium multiflorum by hydroponics experiment method were studied. The results were shown as followings: 1) Cutting could promote regeneration capacity of the Lolium mutiflorum, and sprout regeneration rate in C2 (stubble = 5 cm) achieved 2.78 cm x d(-1) after being cut 5 to 13 d, which was significantly more than zero-cutting (0.88 cm x d(-1)). The height, standing-biomass, productivity of cutting groups were significantly more than zero-cutting. Their compensation capacities were raised with the increase of cutting intensity, and the sprout height, total biomass of the serious cutting groups were 40.6-44.0 cm, 31.6-37.2 g, which indicates that the serious cutting is good for the biomass cumulation of the Lolium multiflorum. 2) Different cutting intensities have obvious effects on the chlorophyll contents of Lolium multiflorum: the chla and chla/chlb in C2 were about 1.85 mg x g(-1), 3.18, which was highest in treating groups, while they were lowest in zero-cutting. 3) The fluorescence chorophyll parameters had a significant changes in the different cutting intensities. With increasing cutting intensity, the values of phi PS II and ETR were significant increased: the phi PS II and ETR in C2 were about 1.13 and 1.09 times of those in zero-cutting, indicating cutting could improve the photosynthetic capacity of Lolium multiflorum. 4) The purification efficiencies on TN, NH4+ -N, TP and COD had a significant increase with the cutting intensities increase, and the purification rate on TN, NH4+ -N, TP and COD of C2 was 1.07,1.20, 1.05,1.44 times more than zero-cutting respectively. 5) About 2-5 cm of stubble was the best cutting height of Lolium multiflorum, which can applied a technical references for ecological bed management.