Four wetland maps for all China have been produced,based on Landsat and CBERS-02B remote sensing data between 1978 and 2008 (1978,1990,2000 and 2008).These maps were mainly developed by manual interpretation and valid...Four wetland maps for all China have been produced,based on Landsat and CBERS-02B remote sensing data between 1978 and 2008 (1978,1990,2000 and 2008).These maps were mainly developed by manual interpretation and validated by substantial field investigation in 2009.Based on these maps,we analyzed the 2008 wetland distribution in China and discussed wetland changes and their drivers over the past 30 years.(i) There were about 324097 km 2 of wetlands in 2008,for which inland marshes or swamps were the most common wetland type (35%),with lakes (26%) second.Most of the wetlands were in Heilongjiang,Inner Mongolia,Qinghai and Tibet,occupying about 55% of the national wetland area.(ii) From 1978 to 2008,China's wetland area continually and significantly decreased,by about 33% based on changes in the wetland map.This was in sharp contrast to the increase in artificial wetlands,which increased by about 122%.Inland marshes accounted for the main loss of total wetlands from 1978 to 2000.From 2000 through 2008,riverine and lacustrine wetlands constituted the main wetland loss.Fortunately however,the rate of wetland loss decreased from 5523 to 831 km 2 /a.(iii) The change ratio of lost natural wetlands (including inland and coastal wetlands) to non-wetlands has decreased slightly over the past 30 years.From 1978 to 1990,nearly all natural wetlands (98%) lost were transformed into non-wetlands.However,the ratio declined to 86% from 1990 to 2000,and to 77% from 2000 to 2008.(iv) All Chinese provinces were divided into three groups according to patterns of wetland changes,which could relate to the driving forces of such changes.Tibet was completely different from other provinces,as it was one representative example in which there was a net wetland increase,because of global warming and decreased human activity since 1990.Increased economic development caused considerable wetland loss in most eastern provinces,and artificial wetlands increased.展开更多
Few medications are available for meeting the increasing disease burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and its progressive stage,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH).Traditional herbal medicines(THM)have been...Few medications are available for meeting the increasing disease burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and its progressive stage,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH).Traditional herbal medicines(THM)have been used for centuries to treat indigenous people with various symptoms but without clarified modern-defined disease types and mechanisms.In modern times,NAFLD was defined as a common chronic disease leading to more studies to understand NAFLD/NASH pathology and progression.THM have garnered increased attention for providing therapeutic candidates for treating NAFLD.In this review,a new model called"multiple organs-multiple hits"is proposed to explain mechanisms of NASH progression.Against this proposed model,the effects and mechanisms of the frequentlystudied THM-yielded single anti-NAFLD drug candidates and multiple herb medicines are reviewed,among which silymarin and berberine are already under U.S.FDA-sanctioned phase 4 clinical studies.Furthermore,experimental designs for anti-NAFLD drug discovery from THM in treating NAFLD are discussed.The opportunities and challenges of reverse pharmacology and reverse pharmacokinetic concepts-guided strategies for THM modernization and its global recognition to treat NAFLD are highlighted.Increasing mechanistic evidence is being generated to support the beneficial role of THM in treating NAFLD and anti-NAFLD drug discovery.展开更多
Particle suspension characteristics are predicted computationally in a stirred tank driven by a Smith turbine. In order to verify the hydrodynamic model and numerical method, the predicted power number and flow patter...Particle suspension characteristics are predicted computationally in a stirred tank driven by a Smith turbine. In order to verify the hydrodynamic model and numerical method, the predicted power number and flow pattern are compared with designed values and simulated results from the literature, respectively. The effects of particle density, particle diameter, liquid viscosity and initial solid loading on particle suspension behavior are investigated by using the Eulerian-Eulerian two-fluid model and the standard k-ε turbulence model. The results indicate that solid concentration distribution depends on the flow field in the stirred tank. Higher particle density or larger particle size results in less homogenous distribution of solid particles in the tank. Increasing initial solid loading has an adverse impact on the homogeneous suspension of solid particles in a low-viscosity liquid, whilst more uniform particle distribution is found in a high-viscosity liquid.展开更多
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has become one of the most prominent causes of chronic liver diseases and malignancies.However,few therapy has been approved.Radix Bupleuri(RB)is the most frequently used herbal ...Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has become one of the most prominent causes of chronic liver diseases and malignancies.However,few therapy has been approved.Radix Bupleuri(RB)is the most frequently used herbal medicine for the treatment of liver diseases.In the current study,we aim to systemically evaluate the therapeutic effects of saikosaponin A(SSa)and saikosaponin D(SSd),the major bioactive monomers in RB,against NAFLD and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.Our results demonstrated that both SSa and SSd improved diet-induced NAFLD.Integrative lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that SSa and SSd modulated glycerolipid metabolism by regulating related genes,like Lipe and Lipg.SSd profoundly suppressed the fatty acid biosynthesis by downregulating Fasn and Acaca expression and promoted fatty acid degradation by inducing Acox1 and Cpt1 a expression.Bioinformatic analysis further predicted the implication of master transcription factors,including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα),in the protective effects of SSa and SSd.These results were further confirmed in vitro in mouse primary hepatocytes.In summary,our study uncoded the complicated mechanisms underlying the promising anti-steatosis activities of saikosaponins(SSs),and provided critical evidence inspiring the discovery of innovative therapies based on SSa and SSd for the treatment of NAFLD and related complications.展开更多
Peach(Prunus persica cv. Dajiubao) was chosen as a model to clarify the roles of IAA and ABA during the fruit ripening process. Seventy days after flowering(DAF), the fruits were treated with IAA and ABA(0.1 mmol·...Peach(Prunus persica cv. Dajiubao) was chosen as a model to clarify the roles of IAA and ABA during the fruit ripening process. Seventy days after flowering(DAF), the fruits were treated with IAA and ABA(0.1 mmol·L-1 and 1 mmol·L-1, respectively) and with the IAA transporter inhibitor(NPA) and the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor(NDGA). IAA decreased the fruit ABA concentration, and increased ethylene concentration, leading to fruit(70 DAF) softening and coloration. NPA had the opposite effect. ABA decreased IAA and ethylene concentrations, leading to fruit hardness and lack of color. NDGA had similar effects as with IAA application. A q PCR analysis indicated that in immature fruits, the expression levels of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling genes(PpACS, PpACO, PpETR, PpERF2), anthocyanin biosynthesis genes(PpCHS, PpDFR, PpF3 H, PpUFGT), cell wall softening genes(PpEXP1, PpEXP2, PpPG2, PpPME), and auxin biosynthesis genes(PpPIN, PpTIR1) were upregulated by IAA application but were inhibited by NPA. In contrast, these ripening-related genes were downregulated by ABA application, but upregulated by NDGA. Generally, the immature fruit ripening process requires a high IAA concentration to generate a large amount of ethylene. ABA appeared to modulate ripening through interference not only with ethylene and cell wall related genes but also with auxin-related genes.展开更多
Anthracnose causes severe losses of tea production in China.Although genes and biological processes involved in anthracnose resistance have been reported in other plants,the molecular response to anthracnose in tea pl...Anthracnose causes severe losses of tea production in China.Although genes and biological processes involved in anthracnose resistance have been reported in other plants,the molecular response to anthracnose in tea plant is unknown.We used the susceptible tea cultivar Longjing 43 and the resistant cultivar Zhongcha 108 as materials and compared transcriptome changes in the leaves of both cultivars following Colletotrichum fructicola inoculation.In all,9015 and 8624 genes were differentially expressed between the resistant and susceptible cultivars and their controls(0 h),respectively.In both cultivars,the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were enriched in 215 pathways,including responses to sugar metabolism,phytohormones,reactive oxygen species(ROS),biotic stimuli and signalling,transmembrane transporter activity,protease activity and signalling receptor activity,but DEG expression levels were higher in Zhongcha 108 than in Longjing 43.Moreover,functional enrichment analysis of the DEGs showed that hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)metabolism,cell death,secondary metabolism,and carbohydrate metabolism are involved in the defence of Zhongcha 108,and 88 key genes were identified.Protein–protein interaction(PPI)network demonstrated that putative mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)cascades are activated by resistance(R)genes and mediate downstream defence responses.Histochemical analysis subsequently validated the strong hypersensitive response(HR)and H2O2 accumulation that occurred around the hyphal infection sites in Zhongcha 108.Overall,our results indicate that the HR and H2O2 are critical mechanisms in tea plant defence against anthracnose and may be activated by R genes via MAPK cascades.展开更多
Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber ...Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.）. In a collection of 〉3000 lines, we discovered a unique tendril-less line that forms branches instead of tendrils and, therefore, loses its climbing ability. We hypothesized that this unusual phenotype was caused by a rare variation and subsequently identified the causative single nucleotide poly- morphism. The affected gene TEN encodes a TCP transcription factor conserved within the cucurbits and is expressed specifically in tendrils, representing a new organ identity gene. The variation occurs within a pro- tein motif unique to the cucurbits and impairs its function as a transcriptional activator. Analyses of transcrip- tomes from near-isogenic lines identified downstream genes required for the tendril＇s capability to sense and climb a support. This study provides an example to explore rare functional variants in plant genomes.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of five phase music therapy in patients with depression after ischemic stroke.METHODS: A total of 92 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided i...OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of five phase music therapy in patients with depression after ischemic stroke.METHODS: A total of 92 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into the control group(32 cases), treatment group A(30 cases), and treatment group B(30 cases). All groups were given basic therapies for cerebral infarction. In addition,the control group was administerd 50 mg of oral sertraline hydrochloride daily, while treatment groups A and B received needling at Baihui(GV 20)plus acupoint injection at Yanglingquan(GB 34) daily; treatment group B also received music therapy derived from the five phases in Traditional ChineseMedicine theory twice daily. All treatments were administered for 5 d per treatment cycle for three cycles, with a 1 d interval between cycles. In all three groups, Hamilton's depression scale(HAMD-17)score and the activities of daily life(ADL) score were measured before and after treatment, and side effects were assessed with the treatment emergent symptom scale.RESULTS: The HAMD-17 score significantly decreased after treatment in all three groups, and the post-treatment reduction in HAMD-17 score was markedly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The ADL score significantly increased after treatment in all three groups,and the post-treatment increase in ADL score was significantly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The treatment emergent symptom scale score was highest in the control group, and lowest in group B, and significantly differed between the three groups(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Five phase music therapy plus acupoint needling and acupoint injection can improve the symptoms in patients with post-stroke depression.展开更多
Monitoring the production of main agricultural crops is important to predict and prepare for disruptions in food supply and fluctuations in global crop market prices.China’s global crop-monitoring system(CropWatch)us...Monitoring the production of main agricultural crops is important to predict and prepare for disruptions in food supply and fluctuations in global crop market prices.China’s global crop-monitoring system(CropWatch)uses remote sensing data combined with selected field data to determine key crop production indicators:crop acreage,yield and production,crop condition,cropping intensity,crop-planting proportion,total food availability,and the status and severity of droughts.Results are combined to analyze the balance between supply and demand for various food crops and if needed provide early warning about possible food shortages.CropWatch data processing is highly automated and the resulting products provide new kinds of inputs for food security assessments.This paper presents a comprehensive overview of CropWatch as a remote sensingbased system,describing its structure,components,and monitoring approaches.The paper also presents examples of monitoring results and discusses the strengths and limitations of the CropWatch approach,as well as a comparison with other global crop-monitoring systems.展开更多
The large-scale development of herbivorous animal husbandry in China has increased the demand for forage products.However,due to scarce land resources and poor soil quality,forage is in short supply.In particular,high...The large-scale development of herbivorous animal husbandry in China has increased the demand for forage products.However,due to scarce land resources and poor soil quality,forage is in short supply.In particular,high-quality forage in China heavily relies on imports.The contradiction between supply and demand for forage grass products is increasingly notable.Therefore,the development of indigenous new forage resources with a strong ecological adaptability and a high nutritional value is a key to solving this problem.Jerusalem artichoke(JA,Helianthus tuberosus L.),a perennial herb of the genus Helianthus,has advantageous growth traits such as resistance to salinity,barrenness,drought,cold,and disease.The contents of crude protein,crude fiber,and calcium in the optimal harvest period of forage-type JA straw are comparable to those of alfalfa hay at the full bloom stage and the straw of ryegrass and corn at the mature stage.Inulin in JA tubers is a functional ingredient that has prebiotic effects in the gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals and young ruminants.In addition,some bioactive substances(e.g.flavonoids,phenolic acids,sesquiterpenes,polysaccharides,and amino acids)in JA leaves and flowers have antibacterial,anti-inflammatory,and antioxidant functions as well as toxicities to cancer cells.These functional ingredients may provide effective alternatives to antibiotics used in livestock production.In this review,we summarized the potentials of JA as a feed ingredient from the aspects of nutritional value and fermenting characteristics of the straw,the functions of physiological regulation and disease prevention of inulin in the tubers,and bioactive substances in the leaves and flowers.展开更多
Genetically modified animal models are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Although genetically modified mice have been widely used to model human disea...Genetically modified animal models are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Although genetically modified mice have been widely used to model human diseases, some of these mouse models do not replicate important disease symptoms or pathology. Pigs are more similar to humans than mice in anatomy, physiology, and genome. Thus, pigs are considered to be better animal models to mimic some human diseases. This review describes genetically modified pigs that have been used to model various diseases including neurological, cardiovascular, and diabetic disorders. We also discuss the development in gene modification technology that can facilitate the generation of transgenic pig models for human diseases,展开更多
High-capacity anode materials are highly desirable for sodium ion batteries. Here, a porous Sb/Sb2O3 nanocomposite is successfully synthesized by the mild oxidization of Sb nanocrystals in air. In the composite, Sb co...High-capacity anode materials are highly desirable for sodium ion batteries. Here, a porous Sb/Sb2O3 nanocomposite is successfully synthesized by the mild oxidization of Sb nanocrystals in air. In the composite, Sb contributes good conductivity and Sb2O3 improves cycling stability, particularly within the voltage window of 0.02-1.5 V. It remains at a reversible capacity of 540 mAh-g-1 after 180 cycles at 0.66 A-g-1. Even at 10 A-g-1, the reversible capacity is still preserved at 412 mAh·g-1, equivalent to 71.6% of that at 0.066 A.g-L These results are much better than Sb nanocrystals with a similar size and structure. Expanding the voltage window to 0.02-2.5 V includes the conversion reaction between Sb203 and Sb into the discharge/charge profiles. This would induce a large volume change and high structure strain、stress, deteriorating the cycling stability. The identification of a proper voltage window for Sb/Sb2O3 paves the way for its development in sodium ion batteries.展开更多
Alcoholic liver disease(ALD)is the most frequent liver disease worldwide,resulting in severe harm to personal health and posing a serious burden to public health.Based on the reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory...Alcoholic liver disease(ALD)is the most frequent liver disease worldwide,resulting in severe harm to personal health and posing a serious burden to public health.Based on the reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of scutellarin(SCU),this study investigated its protective role in male BALB/c mice with acute alcoholic liver injury after oral administration(10,25,and 50 mg/kg).The results indicated that SCU could lessen serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)levels and improve the histopathological changes in acute alcoholic liver;it reduced alcohol-induced malondialdehyde(MDA)content and increased glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),catalase(CAT),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity.Furthermore,SCU decreased tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-1βmessenger RNA(mRNA)expression levels,weakened inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)activity,and inhibited nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome activation.Mechanistically,SCU suppressed cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily E member 1(CYP2E1)upregulation triggered by alcohol,increased the expression of oxidative stress-related nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)pathways,and suppressed the inflammation-related degradation of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)-α(IκBα)as well as activation of NF-κB by mediating the protein kinase B(AKT)and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)pathways.These findings demonstrate that SCU protects against acute alcoholic liver injury via inhibiting oxidative stress by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppressing inflammation by regulating the AKT,p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathways.展开更多
We report the formation of high-quality Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films with nearly full surface coverage and good emission properties upon the introduction of Cs^＋ into perovskite crystals. The Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films...We report the formation of high-quality Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films with nearly full surface coverage and good emission properties upon the introduction of Cs^＋ into perovskite crystals. The Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films were applied as emissive layers in light-emitting diodes. A maximum external quantum efficiency of -2.0% was achieved for these green-emitting devices.展开更多
Pt/CeO2 catalysts with unitary Pt species,nanoparticles,clusters or single atoms,often exhibit excellent activity and unique selectivity in many catalytic reactions benefiting from their small size,abundant unsaturate...Pt/CeO2 catalysts with unitary Pt species,nanoparticles,clusters or single atoms,often exhibit excellent activity and unique selectivity in many catalytic reactions benefiting from their small size,abundant unsaturated active sites,and unique electro nic structure.In recent years,a tre mendous number of related articles have provided great inspiration to future research and development of Pt/CeO2 catalysts.In this review,the state-of-the-art evolution of Pt nanoparticles to Pt single atoms on CeO2 is reviewed with the emphasis on synthetic strategies,advanced characterization techniques(allowing one to clarify the single atoms from clusters),the catalytic applications and mechanisms from the viewpoint of theoretical calculation.Finally,the critical outlooks and the challenges faced in developing the single-atom Pt/CeO2 catalysts are highlighted.展开更多
Photodynamic therapy plays an important role in cancer treatment.In this work,methylene blue(MB)-embedded calcium carbonate nanorods(CaCO_3-MB NRs)have been synthesized for p H-responsive photodynamic therapy and ultr...Photodynamic therapy plays an important role in cancer treatment.In this work,methylene blue(MB)-embedded calcium carbonate nanorods(CaCO_3-MB NRs)have been synthesized for p H-responsive photodynamic therapy and ultrasound imaging.The morphology of CaCO_3-MB NRs can be controlled by modulating the concentration of Na_2CO_3 aqueous solution.The generation of effective reactive oxygen species(ROS)were confirmed by 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran(DPBF)probe.Both photodynamic therapy performance and echogenic performance of CaCO_3-MB NRs were investigated to confirm the feasibility of CaCO_3-MB nanohybrids for ultrasound image-guided photodynamic therapy.展开更多
In the continuous annual wheat-corn cropping area of North China Plain,no-till planting that promotes soil conservation and crop yield while reducing operation cost has been gradually accepted by local farmers.However...In the continuous annual wheat-corn cropping area of North China Plain,no-till planting that promotes soil conservation and crop yield while reducing operation cost has been gradually accepted by local farmers.However,previous wheat residue is the main limiting factor affecting the performance of existing planters in placing seeds at uniform spacing and optimum depth in residue covered fields.In order to solve this problem,a kind of ground-wheel-driven row cleaner was designed,developed and mounted on row units of a four-row pneumatic precision planter.The planter has two adjacent row units equipped with the newly designed row cleaners and the other two adjacent row units equipped with the commonly used inactive row cleaners.This was used for planting at three forward speeds(4 km/h,6 km/h and 8 km/h)into half residue(HR)and whole residue(WR)plots.The amount of residue removal,seeding depth,emergence rate and indices of uniformity in seed spacing(missing-seeding index,quality of feeding index and precision index)were measured.The newly designed row cleaner performed better with regard to residue removal,with the average percentage of residue cleared as 63.0%compared to 40.3%for the inactive row cleaner.For the HR and WR plots,percentage of residue cleared of the newly designed row cleaner reached 57.1%and 68.9%respectively,suggesting that the newly designed row cleaner can work more effectively at high residue level.By contrast,with the percentage of residue cleared of the inactive row cleaner as 43.1%and 37.5%in HR and WR plots,suggesting that the inactive row cleaner just can work effectively under low residue condition.Values of missing-seeding index,QFI,precision index,coefficient of variation of depth and percent emergence for the newly designed row cleaner under whole residue level are comparable to those for the inactive row cleaner under half residue level.The result indicates that the effect of using the newly designed row cleaner is equal to that of reducing surface residue,and can help to maintain the u展开更多
基金supported by the National High-tech R&D Program of China(2009AA122003)
文摘Four wetland maps for all China have been produced,based on Landsat and CBERS-02B remote sensing data between 1978 and 2008 (1978,1990,2000 and 2008).These maps were mainly developed by manual interpretation and validated by substantial field investigation in 2009.Based on these maps,we analyzed the 2008 wetland distribution in China and discussed wetland changes and their drivers over the past 30 years.(i) There were about 324097 km 2 of wetlands in 2008,for which inland marshes or swamps were the most common wetland type (35%),with lakes (26%) second.Most of the wetlands were in Heilongjiang,Inner Mongolia,Qinghai and Tibet,occupying about 55% of the national wetland area.(ii) From 1978 to 2008,China's wetland area continually and significantly decreased,by about 33% based on changes in the wetland map.This was in sharp contrast to the increase in artificial wetlands,which increased by about 122%.Inland marshes accounted for the main loss of total wetlands from 1978 to 2000.From 2000 through 2008,riverine and lacustrine wetlands constituted the main wetland loss.Fortunately however,the rate of wetland loss decreased from 5523 to 831 km 2 /a.(iii) The change ratio of lost natural wetlands (including inland and coastal wetlands) to non-wetlands has decreased slightly over the past 30 years.From 1978 to 1990,nearly all natural wetlands (98%) lost were transformed into non-wetlands.However,the ratio declined to 86% from 1990 to 2000,and to 77% from 2000 to 2008.(iv) All Chinese provinces were divided into three groups according to patterns of wetland changes,which could relate to the driving forces of such changes.Tibet was completely different from other provinces,as it was one representative example in which there was a net wetland increase,because of global warming and decreased human activity since 1990.Increased economic development caused considerable wetland loss in most eastern provinces,and artificial wetlands increased.
基金supported by the intramural research program of the National Cancer Institute,National Institutes of Health.
文摘Few medications are available for meeting the increasing disease burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and its progressive stage,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH).Traditional herbal medicines(THM)have been used for centuries to treat indigenous people with various symptoms but without clarified modern-defined disease types and mechanisms.In modern times,NAFLD was defined as a common chronic disease leading to more studies to understand NAFLD/NASH pathology and progression.THM have garnered increased attention for providing therapeutic candidates for treating NAFLD.In this review,a new model called"multiple organs-multiple hits"is proposed to explain mechanisms of NASH progression.Against this proposed model,the effects and mechanisms of the frequentlystudied THM-yielded single anti-NAFLD drug candidates and multiple herb medicines are reviewed,among which silymarin and berberine are already under U.S.FDA-sanctioned phase 4 clinical studies.Furthermore,experimental designs for anti-NAFLD drug discovery from THM in treating NAFLD are discussed.The opportunities and challenges of reverse pharmacology and reverse pharmacokinetic concepts-guided strategies for THM modernization and its global recognition to treat NAFLD are highlighted.Increasing mechanistic evidence is being generated to support the beneficial role of THM in treating NAFLD and anti-NAFLD drug discovery.
基金Financial support from National Natural Science Foundationof China(20976191 and 51025624)Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University(NCET-09-0342)111 Project(B12034)
文摘Particle suspension characteristics are predicted computationally in a stirred tank driven by a Smith turbine. In order to verify the hydrodynamic model and numerical method, the predicted power number and flow pattern are compared with designed values and simulated results from the literature, respectively. The effects of particle density, particle diameter, liquid viscosity and initial solid loading on particle suspension behavior are investigated by using the Eulerian-Eulerian two-fluid model and the standard k-ε turbulence model. The results indicate that solid concentration distribution depends on the flow field in the stirred tank. Higher particle density or larger particle size results in less homogenous distribution of solid particles in the tank. Increasing initial solid loading has an adverse impact on the homogeneous suspension of solid particles in a low-viscosity liquid, whilst more uniform particle distribution is found in a high-viscosity liquid.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81773997 and 81073148 to Rong SunNo.82004029 to Runping Liu+3 种基金No.82004045 to Xiaojiaoyang Li)Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(No.2020-JYB-ZDGG-038 to Runping Liu,China)supported by grants from Beijing Nova Program of Science&Technology(Nos.Z201100006820025 and Z191100001119088,China)supported by research fund‘Traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology and toxicology expert(No.ts201511107)’from the Taishan Scholar Project of Shandong Province(China)。
文摘Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)has become one of the most prominent causes of chronic liver diseases and malignancies.However,few therapy has been approved.Radix Bupleuri(RB)is the most frequently used herbal medicine for the treatment of liver diseases.In the current study,we aim to systemically evaluate the therapeutic effects of saikosaponin A(SSa)and saikosaponin D(SSd),the major bioactive monomers in RB,against NAFLD and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.Our results demonstrated that both SSa and SSd improved diet-induced NAFLD.Integrative lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that SSa and SSd modulated glycerolipid metabolism by regulating related genes,like Lipe and Lipg.SSd profoundly suppressed the fatty acid biosynthesis by downregulating Fasn and Acaca expression and promoted fatty acid degradation by inducing Acox1 and Cpt1 a expression.Bioinformatic analysis further predicted the implication of master transcription factors,including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα),in the protective effects of SSa and SSd.These results were further confirmed in vitro in mouse primary hepatocytes.In summary,our study uncoded the complicated mechanisms underlying the promising anti-steatosis activities of saikosaponins(SSs),and provided critical evidence inspiring the discovery of innovative therapies based on SSa and SSd for the treatment of NAFLD and related complications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51678082)
文摘Peach(Prunus persica cv. Dajiubao) was chosen as a model to clarify the roles of IAA and ABA during the fruit ripening process. Seventy days after flowering(DAF), the fruits were treated with IAA and ABA(0.1 mmol·L-1 and 1 mmol·L-1, respectively) and with the IAA transporter inhibitor(NPA) and the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor(NDGA). IAA decreased the fruit ABA concentration, and increased ethylene concentration, leading to fruit(70 DAF) softening and coloration. NPA had the opposite effect. ABA decreased IAA and ethylene concentrations, leading to fruit hardness and lack of color. NDGA had similar effects as with IAA application. A q PCR analysis indicated that in immature fruits, the expression levels of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling genes(PpACS, PpACO, PpETR, PpERF2), anthocyanin biosynthesis genes(PpCHS, PpDFR, PpF3 H, PpUFGT), cell wall softening genes(PpEXP1, PpEXP2, PpPG2, PpPME), and auxin biosynthesis genes(PpPIN, PpTIR1) were upregulated by IAA application but were inhibited by NPA. In contrast, these ripening-related genes were downregulated by ABA application, but upregulated by NDGA. Generally, the immature fruit ripening process requires a high IAA concentration to generate a large amount of ethylene. ABA appeared to modulate ripening through interference not only with ethylene and cell wall related genes but also with auxin-related genes.
基金This work was supported by the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-19)the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences through an Innovation Project for Agricultural Sciences and Technology(CAAS-ASTIP-2017-TRICAAS)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project(Project No.:2017M620970)Zhejiang Province Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project.
文摘Anthracnose causes severe losses of tea production in China.Although genes and biological processes involved in anthracnose resistance have been reported in other plants,the molecular response to anthracnose in tea plant is unknown.We used the susceptible tea cultivar Longjing 43 and the resistant cultivar Zhongcha 108 as materials and compared transcriptome changes in the leaves of both cultivars following Colletotrichum fructicola inoculation.In all,9015 and 8624 genes were differentially expressed between the resistant and susceptible cultivars and their controls(0 h),respectively.In both cultivars,the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were enriched in 215 pathways,including responses to sugar metabolism,phytohormones,reactive oxygen species(ROS),biotic stimuli and signalling,transmembrane transporter activity,protease activity and signalling receptor activity,but DEG expression levels were higher in Zhongcha 108 than in Longjing 43.Moreover,functional enrichment analysis of the DEGs showed that hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)metabolism,cell death,secondary metabolism,and carbohydrate metabolism are involved in the defence of Zhongcha 108,and 88 key genes were identified.Protein–protein interaction(PPI)network demonstrated that putative mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)cascades are activated by resistance(R)genes and mediate downstream defence responses.Histochemical analysis subsequently validated the strong hypersensitive response(HR)and H2O2 accumulation that occurred around the hyphal infection sites in Zhongcha 108.Overall,our results indicate that the HR and H2O2 are critical mechanisms in tea plant defence against anthracnose and may be activated by R genes via MAPK cascades.
文摘Rare genetic variants are abundant in genomes but less tractable in genome-wide association study. Here we exploit a strategy of rare variation mapping to discover a gene essential for tendril development in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.）. In a collection of 〉3000 lines, we discovered a unique tendril-less line that forms branches instead of tendrils and, therefore, loses its climbing ability. We hypothesized that this unusual phenotype was caused by a rare variation and subsequently identified the causative single nucleotide poly- morphism. The affected gene TEN encodes a TCP transcription factor conserved within the cucurbits and is expressed specifically in tendrils, representing a new organ identity gene. The variation occurs within a pro- tein motif unique to the cucurbits and impairs its function as a transcriptional activator. Analyses of transcrip- tomes from near-isogenic lines identified downstream genes required for the tendril＇s capability to sense and climb a support. This study provides an example to explore rare functional variants in plant genomes.
基金Supported by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China,State Clinical Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine,The Second Batch of Professional Skill Scientific and Research Special Project(No.JDZX2015127)Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation Youth Project(No.BK20171070)Nanjing Scientific Development Planned Project(No.201402057)
文摘OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of five phase music therapy in patients with depression after ischemic stroke.METHODS: A total of 92 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into the control group(32 cases), treatment group A(30 cases), and treatment group B(30 cases). All groups were given basic therapies for cerebral infarction. In addition,the control group was administerd 50 mg of oral sertraline hydrochloride daily, while treatment groups A and B received needling at Baihui(GV 20)plus acupoint injection at Yanglingquan(GB 34) daily; treatment group B also received music therapy derived from the five phases in Traditional ChineseMedicine theory twice daily. All treatments were administered for 5 d per treatment cycle for three cycles, with a 1 d interval between cycles. In all three groups, Hamilton's depression scale(HAMD-17)score and the activities of daily life(ADL) score were measured before and after treatment, and side effects were assessed with the treatment emergent symptom scale.RESULTS: The HAMD-17 score significantly decreased after treatment in all three groups, and the post-treatment reduction in HAMD-17 score was markedly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The ADL score significantly increased after treatment in all three groups,and the post-treatment increase in ADL score was significantly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The treatment emergent symptom scale score was highest in the control group, and lowest in group B, and significantly differed between the three groups(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Five phase music therapy plus acupoint needling and acupoint injection can improve the symptoms in patients with post-stroke depression.
基金The development of CropWatch and its operation was supported by grants from Major Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences during the 9th Five-Year Plan period(KZ951-A1-302-02[19982000])the Key Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZ95T-03-02[19982000])+4 种基金the Knowledge Innovation Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-313[20002002],KZCX3-SW-338-2[20032007],KSCX1-YW-09-01[20082010])the National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China during the 10th Five-Year Plan Period(2001BA513B02[20012003])the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China(2003AA131050[20032005],2012AA12A307[20122014],2013AA12A302[20132015])the National Extension Program for Main Achievements(KJSX0504[20052007])the Conversion Program for Technical Achievements in Agriculture(GQ050006[20052007])by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.
文摘Monitoring the production of main agricultural crops is important to predict and prepare for disruptions in food supply and fluctuations in global crop market prices.China’s global crop-monitoring system(CropWatch)uses remote sensing data combined with selected field data to determine key crop production indicators:crop acreage,yield and production,crop condition,cropping intensity,crop-planting proportion,total food availability,and the status and severity of droughts.Results are combined to analyze the balance between supply and demand for various food crops and if needed provide early warning about possible food shortages.CropWatch data processing is highly automated and the resulting products provide new kinds of inputs for food security assessments.This paper presents a comprehensive overview of CropWatch as a remote sensingbased system,describing its structure,components,and monitoring approaches.The paper also presents examples of monitoring results and discusses the strengths and limitations of the CropWatch approach,as well as a comparison with other global crop-monitoring systems.
基金funded by the National13th five-year plan R&D project(No.2016YFD0700205 and 2017YFD0701604)Key Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(No 2019B020215002 and 2019B020215004)
文摘The large-scale development of herbivorous animal husbandry in China has increased the demand for forage products.However,due to scarce land resources and poor soil quality,forage is in short supply.In particular,high-quality forage in China heavily relies on imports.The contradiction between supply and demand for forage grass products is increasingly notable.Therefore,the development of indigenous new forage resources with a strong ecological adaptability and a high nutritional value is a key to solving this problem.Jerusalem artichoke(JA,Helianthus tuberosus L.),a perennial herb of the genus Helianthus,has advantageous growth traits such as resistance to salinity,barrenness,drought,cold,and disease.The contents of crude protein,crude fiber,and calcium in the optimal harvest period of forage-type JA straw are comparable to those of alfalfa hay at the full bloom stage and the straw of ryegrass and corn at the mature stage.Inulin in JA tubers is a functional ingredient that has prebiotic effects in the gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals and young ruminants.In addition,some bioactive substances(e.g.flavonoids,phenolic acids,sesquiterpenes,polysaccharides,and amino acids)in JA leaves and flowers have antibacterial,anti-inflammatory,and antioxidant functions as well as toxicities to cancer cells.These functional ingredients may provide effective alternatives to antibiotics used in livestock production.In this review,we summarized the potentials of JA as a feed ingredient from the aspects of nutritional value and fermenting characteristics of the straw,the functions of physiological regulation and disease prevention of inulin in the tubers,and bioactive substances in the leaves and flowers.
基金supported by the grants from the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program) awarded to N.L.(No.2011CBA01000) and L.L.(No. 2011CB944203)
文摘Genetically modified animal models are important for understanding the pathogenesis of human disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Although genetically modified mice have been widely used to model human diseases, some of these mouse models do not replicate important disease symptoms or pathology. Pigs are more similar to humans than mice in anatomy, physiology, and genome. Thus, pigs are considered to be better animal models to mimic some human diseases. This review describes genetically modified pigs that have been used to model various diseases including neurological, cardiovascular, and diabetic disorders. We also discuss the development in gene modification technology that can facilitate the generation of transgenic pig models for human diseases,
文摘High-capacity anode materials are highly desirable for sodium ion batteries. Here, a porous Sb/Sb2O3 nanocomposite is successfully synthesized by the mild oxidization of Sb nanocrystals in air. In the composite, Sb contributes good conductivity and Sb2O3 improves cycling stability, particularly within the voltage window of 0.02-1.5 V. It remains at a reversible capacity of 540 mAh-g-1 after 180 cycles at 0.66 A-g-1. Even at 10 A-g-1, the reversible capacity is still preserved at 412 mAh·g-1, equivalent to 71.6% of that at 0.066 A.g-L These results are much better than Sb nanocrystals with a similar size and structure. Expanding the voltage window to 0.02-2.5 V includes the conversion reaction between Sb203 and Sb into the discharge/charge profiles. This would induce a large volume change and high structure strain、stress, deteriorating the cycling stability. The identification of a proper voltage window for Sb/Sb2O3 paves the way for its development in sodium ion batteries.
基金supported by the Basic Science(Natural Science)Research Project of Higher Education of Jiangsu Province(Nos.21KJB230001 and 21KJB350019)the Open Foundation of Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening(No.HY202101)+1 种基金the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Lianyungang(No.LYG20220013)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China.
文摘Alcoholic liver disease(ALD)is the most frequent liver disease worldwide,resulting in severe harm to personal health and posing a serious burden to public health.Based on the reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of scutellarin(SCU),this study investigated its protective role in male BALB/c mice with acute alcoholic liver injury after oral administration(10,25,and 50 mg/kg).The results indicated that SCU could lessen serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)levels and improve the histopathological changes in acute alcoholic liver;it reduced alcohol-induced malondialdehyde(MDA)content and increased glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),catalase(CAT),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity.Furthermore,SCU decreased tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-1βmessenger RNA(mRNA)expression levels,weakened inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)activity,and inhibited nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome activation.Mechanistically,SCU suppressed cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily E member 1(CYP2E1)upregulation triggered by alcohol,increased the expression of oxidative stress-related nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)pathways,and suppressed the inflammation-related degradation of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)-α(IκBα)as well as activation of NF-κB by mediating the protein kinase B(AKT)and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)pathways.These findings demonstrate that SCU protects against acute alcoholic liver injury via inhibiting oxidative stress by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppressing inflammation by regulating the AKT,p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathways.
基金Acknowledgements This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China （No. 2016YFB0401602）, National Basic Research Program of China （No. 2015CB932200）, the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 51522209, 91433204, 51372223, 91333203, 11474164, and 61405091）, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China （Nos. BK20131413 and BK20140952） and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities （No. 2015FZA3005）.
文摘We report the formation of high-quality Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films with nearly full surface coverage and good emission properties upon the introduction of Cs^＋ into perovskite crystals. The Cs0.4MA0.6PbBr3 thin films were applied as emissive layers in light-emitting diodes. A maximum external quantum efficiency of -2.0% was achieved for these green-emitting devices.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21906063,21876061,21805112)Key Technology R&D Program of Shandong Province(2019GSF109042)。
文摘Pt/CeO2 catalysts with unitary Pt species,nanoparticles,clusters or single atoms,often exhibit excellent activity and unique selectivity in many catalytic reactions benefiting from their small size,abundant unsaturated active sites,and unique electro nic structure.In recent years,a tre mendous number of related articles have provided great inspiration to future research and development of Pt/CeO2 catalysts.In this review,the state-of-the-art evolution of Pt nanoparticles to Pt single atoms on CeO2 is reviewed with the emphasis on synthetic strategies,advanced characterization techniques(allowing one to clarify the single atoms from clusters),the catalytic applications and mechanisms from the viewpoint of theoretical calculation.Finally,the critical outlooks and the challenges faced in developing the single-atom Pt/CeO2 catalysts are highlighted.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0106100, 2016YFA0201501)National Natural Science Foundation of China (51325304, 51373017, 51473014, 51521062, 51773013)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (BHYC1705A)Higher Education and High-quality and World-class Universities (PY201603)
文摘Photodynamic therapy plays an important role in cancer treatment.In this work,methylene blue(MB)-embedded calcium carbonate nanorods(CaCO_3-MB NRs)have been synthesized for p H-responsive photodynamic therapy and ultrasound imaging.The morphology of CaCO_3-MB NRs can be controlled by modulating the concentration of Na_2CO_3 aqueous solution.The generation of effective reactive oxygen species(ROS)were confirmed by 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran(DPBF)probe.Both photodynamic therapy performance and echogenic performance of CaCO_3-MB NRs were investigated to confirm the feasibility of CaCO_3-MB nanohybrids for ultrasound image-guided photodynamic therapy.
基金This study was supported by the National Science and Technology Research Program(2013BAD08B01-3)the Soil-Machine-Plant Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture of PR China.
文摘In the continuous annual wheat-corn cropping area of North China Plain,no-till planting that promotes soil conservation and crop yield while reducing operation cost has been gradually accepted by local farmers.However,previous wheat residue is the main limiting factor affecting the performance of existing planters in placing seeds at uniform spacing and optimum depth in residue covered fields.In order to solve this problem,a kind of ground-wheel-driven row cleaner was designed,developed and mounted on row units of a four-row pneumatic precision planter.The planter has two adjacent row units equipped with the newly designed row cleaners and the other two adjacent row units equipped with the commonly used inactive row cleaners.This was used for planting at three forward speeds(4 km/h,6 km/h and 8 km/h)into half residue(HR)and whole residue(WR)plots.The amount of residue removal,seeding depth,emergence rate and indices of uniformity in seed spacing(missing-seeding index,quality of feeding index and precision index)were measured.The newly designed row cleaner performed better with regard to residue removal,with the average percentage of residue cleared as 63.0%compared to 40.3%for the inactive row cleaner.For the HR and WR plots,percentage of residue cleared of the newly designed row cleaner reached 57.1%and 68.9%respectively,suggesting that the newly designed row cleaner can work more effectively at high residue level.By contrast,with the percentage of residue cleared of the inactive row cleaner as 43.1%and 37.5%in HR and WR plots,suggesting that the inactive row cleaner just can work effectively under low residue condition.Values of missing-seeding index,QFI,precision index,coefficient of variation of depth and percent emergence for the newly designed row cleaner under whole residue level are comparable to those for the inactive row cleaner under half residue level.The result indicates that the effect of using the newly designed row cleaner is equal to that of reducing surface residue,and can help to maintain the u
