Foliar Spraying of Chlorpyrifos Triggers Plant Production of Linolenic Acid Recruiting Rhizosphere Bacterial Sphingomonas sp.

Plants have developed an adaptive strategy for coping with biotic or abiotic stress by recruiting specific microorganisms from the soil pool. Recent studies have shown that the foliar spraying of pesticides causes oxidative stress in plants and leads to changes in the rhizosphere microbiota, but the mechanisms by which these microbiota change and rebuild remain unclear. Herein, we provide for the first-time concrete evidence that rice plants respond to the stress of application of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CP) by enhancing the release of amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides in root exudates, leading to a shift in rhizosphere bacterial community composition and a strong enrichment of the genus Sphingomonas sp. In order to investigate the underlying mechanisms, we isolated a Sphingomonas representative isolate and demonstrated that it is both attracted by and able to consume linolenic acid, one of the root exudates overproduced after pesticide application. We further show that this strain selectively colonizes roots of treated plants and alleviates pesticide stress by degrading CP and releasing plant-beneficial metabolites. These results indicate a feedback loop between plants and their associated microbiota allowing to respond to pesticide-induced stress.

Investigation of the binding behavior of bioactive 7-methoxyflavone to human serum albumin by coupling multi-spectroscopic with computational approaches.

The natural flavonoids with bioactivity as secondary plant metabolites are mostly found in fruits, vegetables, tea and herbs, the distribution and bioavailability of which in vivo depends on the interaction and successive binding with carrier proteins in the systemic circulation. In this paper, the binding behavior of bioactive 7-methoxyflavone (7-MF) with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied with the aid of the combination of multi-spectroscopic methods, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation. The results of multi-spectroscopic experiments revealed that 7-MF interacted with HSA predominantly via fluorescence static quenching and the microenvironment around the fluorophore Trp residues in HSA became more hydrophilicity with the binding of 7-MF. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces played a dominant role in stabilizing the HSA-7-MF complex. Moreover, the docking experiment and molecular dynamic simulation further confirmed that 7-MF could enter the active cavity of HSA and caused more stable conformation and change of secondary structure of HSA through forming hydrogen bond. The exploration of the mechanism of 7-MF binding to HSA lights a new avenue to understand the stability, transport and distribution of 7-MF and 7-MF may hold great potential to be extended as a promising alternative of dietary supplements or pharmaceutical agents.

Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Effect of Insecticide Chlorpyrifos on Rice Plant Metabolism.

Pesticides as important agricultural inputs play a vital role in protecting crop plants from diseases and pests; however, the effect of pesticides on crop plant physiology and metabolism is still undefined. In this study, the effect of insecticide chlorpyrifos at three doses on rice plant physiology and metabolism was investigated. Our results revealed that chlorpyrifos cause oxidative stress in rice plants and even inhibit plant growth and the synthesis of protein and chlorophyll at high doses. The metabolomic results suggested that chlorpyrifos could affect the metabolic profiling of rice tissues and a total of 119 metabolites with significant changes were found, mainly including organic acids, amino acids, lipids, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Compared to the control, the content of glutamate family amino acids were significantly disturbed by chlorpyrifos, where defense-related proline and glutathione were significantly increased; however, glutamic acid, N-acetyl-glutamic acid and N-methyl-glutamic acid were significantly decreased. Many unsaturated fatty acids, such as linolenic acid and linoleic acid, and their derivatives lysophospholipids and phospholipids, were significantly accumulated in chlorpyrifos groups, which could act as osmolality substances to help rice cells relieve chlorpyrifos stress. Three organic acids, aminobenzoic acid, quinic acid, and phosphoenolpyruvic acid, involved in plant defenses, were significantly accumulated with the fold change ranging from 1.32 to 2.19. In addition, chlorpyrifos at middle- and high-doses caused the downregulation of most flavonoids. Our results not only revealed the effect of insecticide chlorpyrifos on rice metabolism, but also demonstrated the value of metabolomics in elucidating the mechanisms of plant responses to stresses.

Emerging therapeutic role of Prunella vulgaris in thyroid disease.

Thyroid disease is characterized by unusual levels of thyroid hormones, which results in either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The pathology of a particular type or stage of thyroid disease is very complicated, and always linked to a variety of biological functions. Although the mortality rate is not high, thyroid dysfunction could lead to metabolic and immunological disorders that can subsequently cause discomfort. To date, many drugs are suggested to have curative effects on thyroid disease, however, drug toxicity and long treatment periods encourage the search for more promising ones. Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae) is a popular herb that has shown great potential for improving human immunity and organ protection. It has been extensively used in the treatment of many diseases but its ability to treat specific diseases has not been fully reported. In this review, a literature search regarding herbs and herbal recipes for treating thyroid disease were carried out, organized, and summarized. In addition, this study conducted a literature search on the current situation and progress of P. vulgaris treatment for various diseases. Finally, this study discussed studies regarding P. vulgaris treatment of goiter, and the mechanism of treatment through the regulation of apoptosis. Accordingly, a combination therapy of herbs and Western medicine can provide significant therapeutic effects in the clinical treatment of thyroid disease. Furthermore, the association between P. vulgaris and various diseases suggests that P. vulgaris is rich in a variety of active substances that can fight oxidation and participate in the regulation of apoptosis, thus having a protective effect on the thyroid. Here, a comprehensive literature review regarding the application of herbs or herbal recipes in the treatment of thyroid disease was presented. It is concluded that there is strong evidence for further research regarding the use of P. vulgaris in the treatment of thyroid diseases.

Comparative Evaluation on the Bioaccessibility of Citrus Fruit Carotenoids In Vitro Based on Different Intake Patterns.

The intake pattern has a great impact on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from citrus fruit. Here, we compared the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from fresh citrus fruit (FC), fresh citrus juice (FCJ), and not-from-concentrate citrus juice (NCJ) and analyzed the influencing factors. The results demonstrated that particle size, viscosity, and some active components of the samples during digestion are potential factors affecting the bioaccessibility of carotenoids. The total carotenoid bioaccessibility of NCJ (31.45 ± 2.58%) was significantly higher than that of FC (8.11 ± 0.43%) and FCJ (12.43 ± 0.49%). This work demonstrates that NCJ is an appropriate intake pattern to improve the bioaccessibility of carotenoids from citrus fruit. The findings also suggest that adjustment of food intake patterns is an effective way to improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Effect of ultrasound on functional properties, flavor characteristics, and storage stability of soybean milk.

The effects of different ultrasound treatments (20 kHz at 400 W for 0 to 9 min) on the functional properties, flavor characteristics, and storage stability of soybean milk at 4 °C were investigated. Results indicated that non-sonicated soymilk had the maximum particle size D4, 3 of 2.47 ± 0.47 µm, while 9 min high intensity ultrasound (HIU) decreased D4, 3 to 0.44 ± 0.01 µm. 9 min of HIU decreased the total number of microorganisms in soymilk from 4.51 to 3.95 Log (CFU/mL). Moreover, 9 min HIU increased the absolute value of ζ-potential from 36.43 to 34.13 mV. Turbiscan test showed that 9 min HIU decreased the instability index of soymilk from 0.78 to 0.65. Furthermore, sensory analysis, electronic nose, electronic tongue, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that 7 min HIU decreased the content of aldehydes, furans, ketones, and alcohols by 52.09%, 75.01%, 56.79%, and 57.27%, respectively.

MiR-290 family maintains developmental potential by targeting p21 in mouse preimplantation embryos‡.

The miR-290 family is a mouse-specific microRNA cluster, which maintains mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) pluripotency by increasing OCT3/4 and C-MYC expression. However, its functions in mouse preimplantation embryos remain unclear, especially during zygotic genome activation (ZGA). In this study, miR-290 family expression increased from the two-cell embryo stage through the blastocyst stage. Inhibition of miR-294-3p/5p did not affect ZGA initiation or embryo development, whereas pri-miR-290 knockdown decreased ZGA gene expression and slowed embryonic development. In addition, pluripotency decreased in ESCs derived from pri-miR-290 knockdown blastocysts. To clarify the mechanism of action, 33 candidate miR-294-3p target genes were screened from three databases, and miR-294-3p directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of Cdkn1a (p21) mRNA. Similar to pri-miR-290 knockdown, P21 overexpression impeded embryonic development, whereas simultaneous overexpression of P21 and pri-miR-290 partially rescued embryonic development. The results indicate that the miR-290 family participates in promoting ZGA process and maintaining developmental potency in embryos by targeting p21.

[Textual research on classical prescriptions in Mongolian medicine].

Mongolians have a long history of using prescriptions, which can be classified into four stages as follows: the germination and experience accumulation stage before the 13 th century, the theoretical formation stage from the 13 th to 16 th century, the rapid development stage from the 17 th to 20 th century, and the leaping development stage from the mid-20 th century to the present. The prescriptions from the ancient classical or representative medical books have always been used by Mongolian physicians for generations, and they are still in use due to the definite curative effects. In 2008, the Notice on Issuing the Supplementary Provisions to the Registration and Management of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) described that China has attached more importance to the excavation and development of classical prescriptions. As stipulated in the Law of the People's Republic of China on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the classical prescriptions should be those available in ancient TCM classics and still in wide use, with exact curative effects, distinct features, and obvious advantages. This paper expounded the historical formation and development of classical prescriptions in Mongo-lian medicine, introduced the five most influential ancient medical books revealing the formation and development of these classic prescriptions, and traced the origin of such classical prescriptions as Wenguanmu Siwei Decoction, Shouzhangshen Bawei Decoction, Jianghuang Siwei Decoction and summarized the origin, development history and characteristics of classical prescriptions in Mongolian medicine, aiming to provide a reference for their further research and development.

[Distribution and epidemiological characteristics of disease spectrum in patients with pre-hospital care in Hohhot in 2016: a case analysis in 28 325 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution and epidemiological characteristics of patients in pre-hospital emergency in Hohhot. METHODS: The data of 28 325 pre-hospital emergency patients in 7 first-aid stations in Hohhot from January 1st to December 31st in 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The gender, age, call time, disease spectrum of patients served as investigation elements, the data were collected into Excel 2010 form, and statistical analysis was carried out. RESULTS: Among 28 325 pre-hospital emergency patients, there were 15 973 male (56.39%) and 12 352 female (43.61%), with the ratio of male to female of 1.29:1. The age of patients were 1 day-108 years, with the majority of patients aged 51-60 years, which accounting for 16.08% (4 554/28 325). The top 6 of diseases were trauma [33.10% (9 376/28 325)], neurological system diseases [16.81% (4 762/28 325)], circulatory system diseases [12.31% (3 486/28 325)], respiratory system diseases [7.62% (2 159/28 325)], digestive system diseases [5.68% (1 609/28 325)], acute poisoning [5.02% (1 422/28 325)]. The peak period of call for help was 09:00-11:00 (12.55%, 3 554/28 325), and 1 small peak occurred at 15:00-17:00 (11.22%, 3 179/28 325). The highest number of patients with pre-hospital care happened in summer (26.22%, 7 428/28 325), followed by autumn (24.94%, 7 065/28 325) and winter (24.83, 7 032/28 325), and the lowest in spring (24.01%, 6 800/28 325). The peak incidence of traumatic patients was in November (11.13%, 1 044/9 376), the most patients with nervous system diseases were found in October (9.97%, 475/4 762), and the most patients with circulatory system diseases were found in July (11.16%, 389/3 486). CONCLUSIONS: The first aid patients in Hohhot were mainly suffered from diseases of trauma, nervous system and circulatory system, more men than women, most in 51-60 years old patients, and the summer was the peak season. Therefore, the establishment of trauma center in emergency department, strengthening the health education of high-risk groups and the primary prevention of patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, scientific and effective use of medical resources can improve the success rate of pre-hospital rescue.

Hydrogen sulfide inhalation decreases early blood-brain barrier permeability and brain edema induced by cardiac arrest and resuscitation.

The effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on blood-brain barrier (BBB) and brain edema after cardiac arrest (CA) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of exogenous 80-p.p.m. H2S gas on BBB, brain water content, neurologic outcome, and survival rate after CA and CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation followed CA induced in rats by ventricular fibrillation for 6 minutes. Results show that inhalation of 80-p.p.m. H2S significantly reduced the permeability of the BBB in both in the cortex and hippocampus at 24 hours after resuscitation. Hydrogen sulfide also lessened brain edema in the cortex and hippocampus, ameliorated neurologic outcome as evaluated by neurologic deficit score and tape removal test, and improved the 14-day survival rate. Hydrogen sulfide also attenuated CA and CPR-induced increases of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and increased the expression of angiogenin-1 (Ang-1). These results indicate that inhalation of 80-p.p.m. H2S immediately after CPR attenuated BBB permeability and brain edema, and improved neurologic outcome and 14-day survival of rats after CA. The therapeutic benefits of H2S could be associated with suppression of MMP-9 and VEGF expression and increased expression of Ang-1.

Relative Determination Approach to the Metabolites of Protoberberine Alkaloids in Rat Urine by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Comparative Studies on Rhizome coptidis and Zuojinwan Preparation.

The lack of authentic standards has limited the quantitative analysis of herbal drugs in biological samples. The present work demonstrated a practicable strategy for the assay of herbs and their metabolites independent of authentic standards. A liquid chromatography- electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the metabolites after oral administration of Rhizome coptidis and Zuojinwan preparation in rat urine has been developed. Urine samples, extracted with a protein precipitation procedure were separated on a C18 column using a mixture of water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (30:70, v/v) as mobile phase. The detection was performed via MS with electrospray ionization interface in positive selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. One urine sample after administration was selected as . The method validation was carried out according to a conventional method which was calibrated by authentic standards. The fully validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of 2,9-demethyljateorhizine-3-sulfate, 13-methoxyjateorhizine-3- glucoronide and 6-methyljateorhizine-5-glucoronide in rat urine. The results could provide evidence to explain the combination of Rhizome coptidis and Evodiae fructus in terms of elimination.

Characterization and determination of the alkaloid metabolites of Evodiae fructus in rat urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection.

The lack of authentic standards limits the quantitative analysis of herbal drugs in biological samples. This present work demonstrated a practicable assay of herbs and their metabolites independent of the availability of authentic standards. A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of the metabolites after oral administration of Evodiae fructus and Zuojinwan preparation in rat urine has been developed. Urine samples extracted with a protein precipitation procedure were separated on a C(18) column using a mixture of water (containing 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (30:70, v/v) as mobile phase. The detection was performed by MS with electrospray ionization interface in positive selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. One urine sample after administration was selected as 'standard'. The method validation was carried out according to a conventional method that was calibrated by authentic standards. The fully validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of the metabolites in rat urine. The results could provide evidence to explain the combination of Coptidis rhizoma and Evodiae fructus in terms of elimination.