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BackgroundCommunication between fibroblasts and endothelial cells is essential for skin wound repair and regeneration. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are crucial for intracellular communication by transporting active molecules. However, whether EVs derived from diabetic fibroblasts can perform the nomal communication function is unclear. Here, we compared the effects of EVs from human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) induced with or without HG on the angiogenic function of endothelial cells and wound healing.MethodsWe first collected EVs from HSFs cultured with normal glucose concentration (NG-EVs) or with HG concentration (HG-EVs) and applied them to treat human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The cells were divided into three groups: control group, NG-EVs group, and HG-EVs group. We then examined the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and tube formation of HUVECs. To illustrate the mechanism, the expression of β-catenin, GSK-3β, and p-GSK-3β was detected by western-blot. Finally, NG-EVs or HG-EVs were used to treat the wounds of mice to determine their role in wound closure.ResultsBy DNA content detection, Annexin V/PI staining, and EdU staining, we found that NG-EVs promoted HUVEC proliferation, while HG-EVs exhibited an opposite effect (p in vitro, while HG-EVs showed negative impact (p p in vivo experiment demonstrated that NG-EVs effectively promoted wound healing by locally enhancing blood supply and angiogenesis. In contrast, HG-EVs leaded to delayed wound closure and reduced blood supply and angiogenesis (p ConclusionNG-EVs and HG-EVs exert opposite effects on wound healing and angiogenesis possibly by regulating GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. This research may provide a new treatment strategy for wound healing and illustrate the mechanism for impaired angiogenesis in diabetics.

To understand the spatial differentiation characteristics and potential hazards of heavy metals in lakeside wetlands caused by low-pollution water in the agricultural runoff area of Qilu Lake, the surface sediments of 32 different types of wetlands(river wetlands n=13, constructed wetlands n=10, and lake wetlands n=9) in the lakeside agricultural runoff area were collected to detect the contents of the heavy metals Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, and Hg. The spatial distribution characteristics of the seven heavy metals were analyzed by inverse distance weighted interpolation in ArcGIS, and the Hakanson potential ecological risk index method was used to evaluate the risks of heavy metal pollution in the Qilu Lake agricultural runoff area. The results showed that the degree of pollution of the seven heavy metals in different types of wetlands was different, and the average content was in the order of river wetlands > constructed wetlands > lake wetlands. The average content of heavy metals was in the order of Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd > Hg. Except for Pb, the heavy metals exceeded the background value of Yunnan soil, and the proportion of Cd samples exceeding backgroung value was as high as 100%. The risk index of the agricultural runoff area ranged from 112 to 1 241, with an average of 264, which indicated a moderate risk level. There were clear differences in the distribution of heavy metals, which was higher in the north than in the south and higher in the west than in the east. The areas with a high distribution were consistent with the results of the potential ecological risk assessment. The correlation analysis showed that the sources of Cu, Ni, Cr, and Zn pollution were mainly agricultural activities; the sources of Pb pollution were mainly related to road traffic, but were also affected by industrial activities; and the sources of Cd pollution were mainly agricultural activities and industrial activities. There were spatial differences in heavy metal pollution among the different types of wetlands in the Qilu Lake agricultural runoff area, among which Cd and Hg pollution were serious. High ecological risk areas appeared in the northwest and southwest, which should be given more attention.

With the rapid development of next-generation sequencing (NGS), multi-omics techniques have been emerging as effective approaches for crop improvement. Here, we focus mainly on addressing the current status and future perspectives toward omics-related technologies and bioinformatic resources with potential applications in crop breeding. Using a large amount of omics-level data from the functional genome, transcriptome, proteome, epigenome, metabolome, and microbiome, clarifying the interaction between gene and phenotype formation will become possible. The integration of multi-omics datasets with pan-omics platforms and systems biology could predict the complex traits of crops and elucidate the regulatory networks for genetic improvement. Different scales of trait predictions and decision-making models will facilitate crop breeding more intelligent. Potential challenges that integrate the multi-omics data with studies of gene function and their network to efficiently select desirable agronomic traits are discussed by proposing some cutting-edge breeding strategies for crop improvement. Multi-omics-integrated approaches together with other artificial intelligence techniques will contribute to broadening and deepening our knowledge of crop precision breeding, resulting in speeding up the breeding process.

Xanthomonas oryzae pathovars oryzae (Xoo) and oryzicola (Xoc) infect rice, causing bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak, respectively, which are two economically important bacterial diseases in paddy fields. The interactions of Xoo and Xoc with rice can be used as models for studying fundamental aspects of bacterial pathogenesis and host tissue specificity. However, an improved vector system for gene expression analysis is desired for Xoo and Xoc because some broad host range vectors that can replicate stably in X. oryzae pathovars are low‐copy number plasmids. To overcome this limitation, we developed a modular plasmid assembly system to transfer the functional DNA modules from the entry vectors into the pHM1‐derived backbone vectors on a high‐copy number basis. We demonstrated the feasibility of our vector system for protein detection, and quantification of virulence gene expression under laboratory conditions and in association with host rice and nonhost tobacco cells. This system also allows execution of a mutant complementation equivalent to the single‐copy chromosomal integration system and tracing of pathogens in rice leaf. Based on this assembly system, we constructed a series of protein expression and promoter‐probe vectors suitable for classical double restriction enzyme cloning. These vector systems enable cloning of all genes or promoters of interest from Xoo and Xoc strains. Our modular assembly system represents a versatile and highly efficient toolkit for gene expression analysis that will accelerate studies on interactions of X. oryzae with rice., We developed a modular plasmid assembly system to transfer DNA modules from entry vectors into high‐copy number pHM1‐derived vectors and use it for protein detection, mutant complementation, and tracing pathogens in leaves.

Given the rising domestic demand and increasing global prices of corn and soybean, China is looking for alternatives for these imports to produce animal fodder. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) has great potential as a new forage source, due to abundant proteins, phenols and flavonoids in its leaves. However, few studies have evaluated the mechanism of protein synthesis in kenaf leaves. In the current work, compared with kenaf material “L332,” the percentage of crude protein content in leaves of material “Q303” increased by 6.13%; combined with transcriptome and proteome data, the kenaf samples were systematically studied to obtain mRNA-protein correlation. Then, the genes/proteins related to protein synthesis in the kenaf leaves were obtained. Moreover, this work detected mRNA expression of 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Meanwhile, 20 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) related to protein synthesis were performed parallel reaction monitoring. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP), nitrite reductase (NirA), prolyl tRNA synthase (PARS) and glycine dehydrogenase (GLDC) presented increased mRNA and protein levels within kenaf leaves with high protein content. Based on the obtained findings, FBP, NirA, PARS, and GLDC genes may exert a vital function in the protein synthesis of kenaf leaves. The results provide a new idea for further studying the potential genes affecting the quality trait of protein content in kenaf leaves and provide gene resources and a theoretical foundation for further cultivating high protein kenaf varieties.

Objective To explore the optimal conditions for inducing senescence in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) cultured in high glucose and observe the effect of exosomes derived from human placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) on the proliferation, migration and senescence of high glucose-induced fibroblasts. Methods HDFs were isolated from human foreskin tissue and cultured in the presence of 5.5 mmol/L glucose (normal control group), 26 mmol/L glucose (HG1 group) and 35 mmol/L glucose (HG2 group). CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation in each group on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 of cell culture. The cells cultured for 7 d were tested for migration within 24 h using cell scratch assay; reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cells was detected using 2′, 7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetic acid (DCFH) method, and β-galactosidase activity was analyzed using a β-galactosidase staining kit. The HDFs cultured in 35 mmol/L glucose for 7 d were exposed for 3 days to 5 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL exosomes, which were isolated from human PMSCs by differential ultracentrifugation, and the cell proliferation, migration, ROS levels and β-galactoside activity were assessed. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle changes and Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of aging-related proteins p53 and p21 in the cells following treatment with the exosomes. Results Compared with the control cells, the HDFs in HG1 and HG2 groups exhibited significantly decreased proliferation and migration ability (P < 0.01) and increased ROS production (P < 0.01) and β-galactoside activity (P < 0.01). Treatment with the exosomes obviously promoted the proliferation and migration of HDFs cultured in high glucose (P < 0.01). At the concentration of 50 μg/mL, PMSC-derived exosomes significantly decreased ROS production and β-galactoside activity (P < 0.01) and obviously down-regulated the expression levels of p53 and p21 (P < 0.01) in the HDFs cultured in high glucose, whereas a low concentration (5 μg/mL) of the exosomes did not produce such effects. Conclusion Exosomes derived from PMSCs promote the proliferation and migration and alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and cell senescence in high glucose-induced HDFs, the mechanism of which may involve the down-regulation of the aging-related proteins p53 and p21.

The gram‐negative plant pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is able to infect the host rice and effectively colonize in vascular tissues. The type IV pilus (T4P) is one of the major virulence factors playing an important role in migration of Xoo through host vascular tissues. Here, we identified PilN, a T4P alignment subcomplex protein, which is involved in regulation of swimming motility, and analysed its contribution to bacterial surface‐associated behaviours and virulence. We found that the pilN deletion mutant exhibited dramatically reduced twitching motility and scarcely detectable levels of T4P major pili PilA, as well as enhanced biofilm formation and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. In addition, deletion of the pilN gene in Xoo resulted in impaired virulence in host rice and attenuated type III secretion system (T3SS) genes expression, which is independent of PilA assembly. Expression of the relevant pilN gene in trans was capable of restoring twitching motility and biofilm formation to the wild‐type levels in the pilN mutant but partially recovering EPS production and virulence. Moreover, the expression of trh and xrvA genes, which encode the HrpG positive regulators, was decreased in the pilN mutant. Our results suggest that PilN executes versatile functions in bacterial virulence and cell surface‐associated behaviours.

The temperature dependencies of the excess conductivity $\sigma'(T)$ and possible pseudogap (PG), in a Dy$_{0.6}$Y$_{0.4}$Rh$_{3.85}$Ru$_{0.15}$B$_4$ polycrystal were studied for the first time. It was shown that $\sigma'(T)$ near T$_{c}$ is well described by the Aslamazov Larkin fluctuation theory, demonstrating a crossover with increasing temperature. Using the crossover temperature $T_0$, the coherence length along the c axis $\xi_c(0)$, was determined. Above the level of $T_{2D}>T_{0}$, an unusual dependence $\sigma'(T)$ was found, which is not described by the fluctuation theories in the range from $T_{0}$ to $T_{FM}$, at which a ferromagnetic transition occurs. The range in which superconducting fluctuations exist is apparently quite narrow and amounts to $\Delta T_{fl}=2.8 K$. The resulting temperature dependence of the PG parameter $\Delta^*(T)$ has the form typical of magnetic superconductors with features at $T_{max}=154 K$ and the temperature of a possible structural transition at $T_{s}=95 K$. Below $T_{s}$, dependence $\Delta^*{T}$ has a shape typical for PG in cuprates, which suggests that the PG state can be realized in Dy$_{0.6}$Y$_{0.4}$Rh$_{3.85}$Ru$_{0.15}$B$_4$ in this temperature range. Comparison of $\Delta^*(T)$ with the Peters Bauer theory made it possible to determine the density of local pairs ~0.35, near T$_{c}$, which is 1.17 times greater than in optimally doped YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-\delta}$ single crystals.

The temperature dependencies of the excess conductivity σ′(T) and possible pseudogap (PG), Δ*(T), in a Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4 polycrystal were studied for the first time. It was shown that σ′(T) near Tc is well described by the Aslamazov–Larkin (AL) fluctuation theory, demonstrating a 3D–2D crossover with increasing temperature. Using the crossover temperature T0, the coherence length along the c axis, ξc(0), was determined. Above the level of T2D > T0, an unusual dependence σ′(T) was found, which is not described by the fluctuation theories in the range from T0 to TFM, at which a ferromagnetic transition occurs. The range in which superconducting fluctuations exist is apparently quite narrow and amounts to ΔTfl ≈ 2.8 K. The resulting temperature dependence of the PG parameter Δ*(T) has the form typical of magnetic superconductors with features at Tmax ≈ 154 K and the temperature of a possible structural transition at Ts ∼ 95 K. Below Ts, dependence Δ*(T) has a shape typical for PG in cuprates, which suggests that the PG state can be realized in Dy0.6Y0.4Rh3.85Ru0.15B4 in this temperature range. Comparison of Δ*(T) with the Peters–Bauer theory made it possible to determine the density of local pairs near Tc, 〈n↑n↓〉(TG) ≈ 0.35, which is 1.17 times greater than in optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7–δ single crystals.

Xanthomonas oryzea pv. oryzae (Xoo) is the causal agent of bacterial blight of rice, which is a significant threat to many of rice-growing regions. The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an essential virulence factor in Xoo. Expression of the T3SS is often induced in the host environment or in hrp-inducing medium but is repressed in nutrient-rich medium. The elucidation of molecular mechanism underlying induction of T3SS genes expression is a very important step to lift the veil on global virulence regulation network in Xoo. Thus, an efficient and reliable genetic tool system is required for detection of the T3SS proteins. In this study, we constructed a protein expression vector pH3-flag based on the backbone of pHM1, a most widely used vector in Xoo strains, especially a model strain PXO99A. This vector contains a synthesized MCS-FLAG cassette that consists of a multiple cloning site (MCS), containing a modified pUC18 polylinker, and Flag as a C-terminal tag. The cassette is flanked by transcriptional terminators to eliminate interference of external transcription enabling detection of accurate protein expression. We evaluated the potential of this expression vector as T3SS proteins detection system and demonstrated it is applicable in the study of T3SS genes expression regulation in Xoo. This improved expression system could be very effectively used as a molecular tool in understanding some virulence genes expression and regulation in Xoo and other Xanthomonas spp.

Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of personalized health education care in the nursing of patients with acute leukemia. Methods: A total of 108 patients with leukemia who were admitted to our hospital were randomly selected as research subjects. A random number table was used to allocate the patients into the observation group and the control group, with 54 patients in each group. The control group had routine health education care and the observation group received personalized health education care in addition to treatment given to the control group. The knowledge of leukemia, bad moods, adverse reaction and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups. Results: The observation group had better knowledge of leukemia and nursing satisfaction than the control group, and the incidence of bad moods (anxiety, depression) and adverse reactions were lower than that in the control group (all P

Backgroud: Heavy metal pollutant, Cadmium (Cd), is an inorganic pollutant in China. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an important fiber crop to remediate heavy metal-contaminated soils. The MYB family is one of the largest and most important gene families that influences plant growth and produce secondary metabolites. Results: 115 CsMYB genes were identified in the hemp genome. The 1R-MYB subfamily had 17 genes, the 2R-MYB subfamily 88 genes, and the 3R-MYB subfamily 8 genes. The synteny analysis of the CsMYB genes indicated that there were 3 pairs of tandem repeats, 21 pairs of segmental duplication, 6 CsMYB genes present before species differentiation, and 60 genes belonging to the hemp-specific CsMYB genes. 7 CsMYB genes were identified to influence the response to Cd stress by combining the transcriptome data of two hemp species under Cd stress. Based on the changes in the Cannabinoid content of hemp under Cd stress, the expression of different CsMYB genes in hemp with high and low cannabidiol (CBD) contents, and tissue-specific expression, it was inferred that CsMYB024 may be affected by Cd stress and mediate the CBD synthesis pathway.Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the hemp MYB family. These results should be helpful in understanding of their potential functions in Cd-Stress Response and the Regulation of Cannabinoid Biosynthesis in Hemp. In addition, lays the foundation for the further study of biological functions of CsMYBs in hemp.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one chronically remittent and progressive inflammatory disorder. Chemokine receptor CXCR2 is reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases. However, how CXCR2 modulate mucosal inflammation in UC is still obscure. In this study, CXCR2 expression was determined in inflamed mucosa and peripheral blood cells from patients with UC by qRT-PCR. Neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood were pretreated with CXCR2 inhibitor (SB225002), and proinflammatory mediators were examined by qRT-PCR, ELISA and IF. The migratory capacity of neutrophils after SB225002 treatment was examined by using Transwell plate. Furthermore, SB225002 was administrated daily in DSS-induced colitis mice. We found that CXCR2 expression was significantly increased in colonic mucosal tissues and peripheral blood cells from patients with active UC. Besides, CXCR2 was highly expressed in neutrophils, and was positively correlated with disease activity. Inhibition of CXCR2 in neutrophils decreased the production of proinflammatory mediators, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), MPO, S100a8, S100a9, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-6, and the migratory capacity of neutrophils was markedly impaired after SB225002 treatment. Moreover, blockade of CXCR2 with SB225002 could markedly ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice. In summary, CXCR2 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of UC through modulating immune responses of neutrophils. Blockade of CXCR2 may serve as a new therapeutic approach for treatment of UC.

Deteriorating urban water quality has attracted considerable attention in China. We investigated the contamination levels and distribution of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in Yuxi River water and sediments, and assessed the heavy metal accumulation capability of five species of submerged macrophytes: Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara, Potamogeton pectinatus L., Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle, Myriophyllum spicatum L., and Potamogeton crispus L. Samples were collected from upstream and downstream locations in different season. The results showed that the levels of heavy metals in the downstream areas were higher than in the upstream areas. Heavy metal concentrations in the river water during the dry seasons were higher than those during the rainy seasons, and the opposite results appeared in sediments and submerged macrophytes. In general, the river was slightly contaminated by heavy metals, and the concentrations of Pb and Ni in this river should serve as a warning, while Cd and Zn pollution in the sediments desperately needs to be removed. Furthermore, Potamogeton pectinatus L. showed a higher accumulation capacity for these metals among the five native submerged macrophytes and could be defined as a hyperaccumulator for Cd. Therefore, the potential use of native aquatic plants in contaminated rivers is worth further exploration.

For the dissection and identification of the molecular response mechanisms to salt stress in cannabis, an experiment was conducted surveying the diversity of physiological characteristics. RNA-seq profiling was carried out to identify differential expression genes and pathway which respond to salt stress in different cannabis materials. The result of physiological diversity analyses showed that it is more sensitive to proline contents in K94 than in W20, 6 h was needed to reach the maximum in K94, compared to 12 h in W20. For profiling 0–72 h after treatment, a total of 10,149 differentially expressed genes were identified, and 249 genes exhibited significantly diverse expression levels in K94, which were clustered in plant hormone signal transduction and the MAPK signaling pathway. A total of 371 genes showed significant diversity expression variations in W20, which were clustered in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. The pathway enrichment by genes which were identified in K94 and W20 showed a similar trend to those clustered in plant hormone signal transduction pathways and MAPK signaling. Otherwise, there were 85 genes which identified overlaps between the two materials, indicating that these may be underlying genes related to salt stress in cannabis. The 86.67% agreement of the RNA-seq and qRT-PCR indicated the accuracy and reliability of the RNA-seq technique. Additionally, the result of physiological diversity was consistent with the predicted RNA-seq-based findings. This research may offer new insights into the molecular networks mediating cannabis to respond to salt stress.

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a valuable plant with a potential health benefit because of its extensive bioactive compounds. Leaf extracts of 33 kenaf genotypes were investigated for their polysaccharide, total phenolic, and flavonoid content. The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assays. Antimicrobial capacity was also assessed against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using a disc diffusion assay. The polysaccharide content varied from 6.45–16.12 mg glucose per g DW. Total phenolic and flavonoid content ranged from 6.03–21.15 mg GAE/g DW and 1.55–9.24 mg RE/g DW, respectively. Similarly, varied values in the range 20.55–79.99% of inhibition by DPPH, 56.28–88.30% of inhibition by ABTS and 1.26–5.08 mmol Fe2+/g DW by FRAP assays were obtained for antioxidants of the genotype extracts. Extracts from CS4 and CS2 genotypes had the highest antioxidant activities. Kenaf leaves exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Strong correlation was found between antioxidant activity with polysaccharide (DPPH, r = 0.893, ABTS, r = 0.819, FRAP, r = 0.864) and total phenolic content (DPPH, r = 0.850, ABTS, r = 0.959, FRAP, r = 0.953). The results suggested that the kenaf leaves could be used as a natural antioxidants and antimicrobial in food industries.

Vertical flow constructed wetlands (VF CWs) are considered to be effective for treating organic pollutants. The rhizosphere of macrophytes such as Phragmites sp., Typha sp. serves as an active and dynamic zone for the microbial degradation of organic pollutants. However, it is still not clear how soil bacterial communities respond to macrophytes and pollutants during the process. For this purpose, the seedlings of Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia were planted respectively in the VF CWs added with HCB at a dose of 2 mg/kg. During 96 days of cultivation, we monitored hexachlorobenzene (HCB) removal efficiency by GC/MS and the structure of the rhizosphere bacterial communities in the different VF CWs by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and constructed bacterial clone library based on PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene. As expected, the rhizosphere bacterial communities also remained insensitive to HCB exposure in the wetland soil. The diversity of these microbes presented two stages, from the varied up and down to equilibrium in the entire experimental period. Molecular analysis revealed that the phylum Firmicutes dominated over the bacterial communities. The genera that increased under HCB stress included the well-known HCB-degrading bacteria (Pseudomonas sp. and Alcaligenes sp.) and other common bacteria found in contaminated soil but with lesser known practical functions (Burkholderia sp., Lysinibacillus fusiformis, and Bacillus cereus). Furthermore, there was a certain variance in the relative abundances of the bacterial phyla and HCB removal efficiency among different VF CW treatments. The degradation of HCB in T. angustifolia microcosms was faster than that in P. australis and unvegetated wetlands, and the highest bacterial diversity and richness was found in the VF CWs comprising T. angustifolia.

Nowadays, backscatter modulation gets more and more concern in IoT field, mostly because of its ultra-low power character. However, it also faces serious problems. This prominently manifests that the traditional backscatter modulation lacks enough flexibility and ability to adapt to the environment, especially the varying channel condition. For this reason, we design a novel adaptive modulation algorithm for backscatter communication. The main idea is that transmitter could flexibly select modulation algorithm from a set before sending data, based on its perception of the physical channel. We also simulate our algorithm and analyze its performance. We find that: (1) While the emitted power of RF Transmitter is very low, our algorithm has smaller BER than traditional ASK-based backscatter modulation. (2) While the emitted power of RF Transmitter increases to high value, our algorithm has faster bit rate than traditional ASK-based backscatter modulation.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the three major threats to human health identified by WHO. Dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are well established as common CVD risk factors. However, controversies exist on the effects of gut flora on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current evidence suggests that gut microbiota is a double-edged sword for CVD risk, and its effects are largely determined by the metabolites of the gut microbiota. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), as one of the metabolites of gut flora, is consistently associated with higher CVD risk. A few studies have emerged providing early evidence about the safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating cardiovascular diseases by regulating gut flora. In this article, we review and interpret the existing evidence as well as explore the potential of intestinal flora as novel therapeutic targets of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the number one killer in developed countries, and currently considered a chronic inflammatory disease. The central role of T cells in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is well documented. However, little is known about the newly described T cell subset-Th9 cells and their role in AS pathogenesis. Here, the amounts of Th9 cells as well as their key transcription factors and relevant cytokines during atherosclerosis were assessed in ApoE-/- mice and age-matched C57BL/6J mice. Significantly increased Th9 cell number, Th9 related cytokine (IL-9), and key transcription factor (PU.1) were found in ApoE-/- mice compared with age-matched C57BL/6J mice. Additionally, treatment with rIL-9 accelerated atherosclerotic development, which was attenuated by anti-IL-9 antibodies. These data suggested that both Th9 cells and related IL-9 play key roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and antibodies against these antigens offer a novel therapeutic approach in AS treatment.

Although rhizoremediation is an effective approach to remove organic pollutants from the environment, little is known about the mechanism of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) biodegradation in water. In this study, we used Typha angustifolia (T. angustifolia) grown in sterile Hoagland nutrient solution to determine the rhizosphere effects on the ability of bacteria in water to reduce HCB levels. The results revealed that T. angustifolia could facilitate HCB degradation and that the initial HCB concentration was the major factor responsible for HCB degradation in nutrient solution. Furthermore, HCB biodegradation in low-HCB nutrient solution with T. angustifolia fitted the first-order kinetics, owing to the high concentration of total organic carbon, low HCB toxicity, and unique bacterial community in the T. angustifolia rhizosphere. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis indicated that the rhizosphere effects and different dosages of HCB have significant effects on the bacterial communities by repressing and favoring certain populations. The most successful bacteria to adapt to HCB contamination was Bacillus sp., while the dominant bacterial phyla in HCB-polluted water were Proteobacteria and Firmicutes.

The ecological functions of natural forests are quite different from the functions of rubber and pulpwood plantations.The change from natural forest to plantations is the main form of human-driven landscape change on Hainan Island.The development of Hainan Island has undergone a series of phases which have included the common environmental stresses caused by the expansion of industry and agriculture.These include the expansion of agricultural cultivation,enlargement of rubber plantations and efforts to develop the landscape in harmony with ecological needs;as well as phases of exploration,experimentation and the implementation of untested land management methods.In the current efforts to develop the land using ecologically sound techniques,the local people and government are paying more attention to various human impacts on ecosystems.Research is very important in these efforts to use ecologically sound construction and development techniques designed to limit human impacts on the natural environment.Therefore,it is necessary to study the key factors and dynamic characteristics of both natural forest and rubber and pulpwood plantations to produce needed social and economic development in an ecological sustainable manner.We analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics and the forces driving landscape scale change during the last two decades.This study is based on the spatial distribution of natural forests as well as rubber and pulpwood plantations along with other types of land use using data from 1988(when Hainan Province was formally established),1998(when the Province was first promoted as an ecological province) and 2008.The results provided four findings.First,from 1988 to 1998 the total area of natural forest on the island increased significantly from 78.37×104 hm2 to 89.14×104 hm2;but,from 1998 to 2008,this figure decreased to 69.11×104 hm2.The area of natural forest initially gained from 1988 to 1998 was more than offset by losses from 1998 to 2008.The land area used for rubber plantations decreased slightly,by 1.9%,during 1988—1998;but the extent of this land use increased rapidly during 1998—2008(10.19%).The extent of the area used for pulpwood plantations increased steadily.Second,annual dynamic variation rate of three vegetation types was 1.335% from 1998 to 2008,0.965% from 1988 to 2008 and 0.490% during the years 1988—1998,respectively.Third,from 1988 to 1998,natural forests were allowed to grow and expand as rubber plantations and other land types reverted to natural forest.From 1998 to 2008,human activities began to cause a decrease in the extent of natural forest as external pressures caused natural forests to shrink in size and some natural forest was replaced during the expansion of rubber and pulpwood plantations.The most obvious feature was the transformation in land use was the transition from natural forest to pulpwood and rubber plantations although some natural forests were modified into other land use types.Fourth,from 1988 to 1998,the change of forested area was driven mainly by extrinsic factors such as government policy,changes in the local human population and associated land development efforts.From 1998 to 2008 forests were primarily affected by combined actions of ecological policies and economic interests.The effects of these changes are discussed and some mitigation measures and other suggestions are put forward related to forest management and oversight.These include an evaluation of the ecological services forests provide,ecological mitigation and compensation measures,and the implementation of methods to develop the local economy and provide employment,as well as market regulation,and ways of increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement as it relates to Hainan Island forest protection.

The effects of heating rate and holding time on the formation of YBa2Cu3O7−x phase in precursor powders for YBa2Cu3O7−x superconducting bulks prepared by powder melting process have been investigated. The phase conversion of the precursor powders is studied by X-ray diffraction and found to be different for different heating rates during heating. The YBa2Cu3O7−x phase is formed during heating to peritectic temperature at 100 and 400 °C/h, but not at 6,000 °C/h. The longer the holding time, the more the amount of YBa2Cu3O7−x phase between 880 °C and about 950 °C. The results are useful for understanding the mechanism of powder melting process and controlling the process conditions.

The inclusion complex formation of tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) was studied by using phase solubility method, and the formation constant for tanshinone IIA-HPCD-dextrin was determined. The effect of temperature on the reaction was studied through thermodynamics, and the changes inentropy, enthalpy, and free energy of the reaction were calculated. The molecular modeling provided further evidence for the formation of the inclusion complexes. Stable inclusion complex in solid state was characterized by IR spectra.

In order to improve the efficiency of the processing of Nitrification-Denitrification. We used the supernatant of activated sludge after anaerobic digestion to enrich nitrifying bacteria. Under certain condition, the enrichment culture of supernatant fluid was taken for five dynasties. Further, the seed sludge and the enriched sludge were taken respectively in to the artificial water in contrastive analysis. The results show that nitrification efficiency of enriched sludge is 10% higher than the seed sludge and the optimum pH value is about 8.0.

In order to achieve optimal control on mechanism model of fermentation process, We studied the global stochastic methods (simulated annealing algorithm SA) and local deterministic method (sequential quadratic programming SQP), Taking into account the full use of their complementary strengths: some global convergence properties, in the case of the stochastic strategy, and fast convergence if started close to the global solution, in the case of the deterministic approach. The paper proposes a novel Hybrid algorithm which combines the global stochastic method (SA) and the local deterministic method (SQP). In the hybrid algorithm simulated annealing method is introduced in the SQP algorithm to generate new solutions out of local minima, and improves the SA sampling criteria. The test results of several classical COPs using the hybrid algorithm proved the effectiveness of the hybrid algorithm for constrained optimization problems.

With the advent of 9/11, face detection and recognition is becoming an important tool to be used for securing homeland safety against potential terrorist attacks by tracking and identifying suspects who might be trying to indulge in such activities. It is also a technology that has proven its usefulness for law enforcement agencies by helping identifying or narrowing down a possible suspect from surveillance tape on the crime scene, or quickly by finding a suspect based on description from witnesses.In this thesis we introduce several improvements to morphable model based algorithms and make use of the 3D face structures extracted from multiple images to conduct illumination analysis and face recognition experiments. We present an enhanced Active Appearance Model (AAM), which possesses several sub-models that are independently updated to introduce more model flexibility to achieve better feature localization. Most appearance based models suffer from the unpredictability of facial background, which might result in a bad boundary extraction. To overcome this problem we propose a local projection models that accurately locates face boundary landmarks. We also introduce a novel and unbiased cost function that casts the face alignment as an optimization problem, where shape constraints obtained from direct motion estimation are incorporated to achieve a much higher convergence rate and more accurate alignment. Viewing angles are roughly categorized to four different poses, and the customized view-based AAMs align face images in different specific pose categories. We also attempt at obtaining individual 3D face structures by morphing a 3D generic face model to fit the individual faces. Face contour is dynamically generated so that the morphed face looks realistic. To overcome the correspondence problem between facial feature points on the generic and the individual face, we use an approach based on distance maps. With the extracted 3D face structure we study the illumination effects on the appearance based on the spherical harmonic illumination analysis. By normalizing the illumination conditions on different facial images, we extract a global illumination-invariant texture map, which jointly with the extracted 3D face structure in the form of cubic morphing parameters completely encode an individual face, and allow for the generation of images at arbitrary pose and under arbitrary illumination.Face recognition is conducted based on the face shape matching error, texture error and illumination-normalized texture error. Experiments show that a higher face recognition rate is achieved by compensating for illumination effects. Furthermore, it is observed that the fusion of shape and texture information result in a better performance than using either shape or texture information individually.