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Background: Agroforestry is a promising approach for sustainable agriculture due efficient resource cycling and improved soil fertility. Bombax ceiba (Malvaceae), a tall tree with red flowers blooming in spring, is traditionally planted in rice fields in tropical Asia. However, the role of B. ceiba in the agroforestry systems remains unexplored. Methods: We collected 81 soil samples at different distances to B. ceiba (0 m (D0), 1 m (D1), and 5 m (D5)) at a typical B. ceiba-rice agroforestry system in Hainan Island (south China) during three reproductive stages of rice- booting, heading and maturity. We assessed spatiotemporal variations of soil nutrient properties (by a soil nutrient analyzer (YT-TRX03)), and soil bacterial and fungal communities (by sequencing 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, respectively). Results: B. ceiba improved the soil nutrient conditions in a rice field, particularly the availability of potassium and soil organic matter. Soil microbial communities were significantly affected by the distances to B. ceiba and the reproductive stages of rice. Available potassium was the principal driver of soil bacterial diversity and structure. In contrast, fungal diversity was negatively correlated with total nitrogen, while soil organic matter was the main factor shaping fungal community structure. Conclusions. Our results show that B. ceiba has positive impacts on abiotic traits of rice-growing soils. B. ceiba can change soil microbial community structure, however, the principal soil driver varied according to microbial taxa. These findings support the ecological basis of traditional agroforestry systems prevalent in tropical Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Schisandrin B enhances the dentate gyrus proliferation in mouse hippocampus. • Schisandrin A and B increase astrocytes/stem cells in the dentate gyrus. • Schisandrin A and B improve the survival and maturation of dentate gyrus neurons. Schisandrin A and B (Sch A and B) are the main effective components of Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis), which is traditionally used to enhance mental and intellectual functions in eastern Asia. Previously, we reported Sch A and B remarkably affect adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone of mouse lateral ventricle. Since the neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is more important to learning, memory and cognition, here we further examined their effects on the adult DG neurogenesis. Phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) immunostaining showed that Sch B significantly enhanced the cell proliferation in the DG. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, mostly labels astrocytes and some stem cells) staining was used to further identify the proliferating cell type. Dramatically, increases of GFAP+ cells in both Sch A and B treated groups were observed. What's more, the total numbers of the mature neurons labeled by neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) were also increased in both Sch A and B treated groups compared with the controls. Together, Sch A and B enhance the adult DG neurogenesis by increasing astrocytes/stem cells and improving the survival and maturation of DG neurons. Our study shed a new light on the neuropharmacological functions of the herbal medicine S. chinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The different effects of LDL-C levels and statins therapy on coronary atherosclerotic plaque between Western and Asian remain to be settled., Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched from Jan. 2000 to Sep. 2014 for randomized controlled or blinded end-points trials assessing the effects of LDL-C lowering therapy on regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) in patients with coronary heart disease by intravascular ultrasound. The significance of plaques regression was assessed by computing standardized mean difference (SMD) of the volume of CAP between the baseline and follow-up., Results: Twenty trials (ten in the West and ten in Asia) were identified. For Westerns, Mean lowering LDL-C by 49.4% and/or to level 61.9 mg/dL in the group of patients with baseline mean LDL-C 123.2 mg/dL could significantly reduce the volume of CAP at follow up (SMD -0.156 mm(3), 95% CI -0.248 ~ -0.064, p = 0.001). LDL-C lowering by rosuvastatin (mean 40 mg daily) could significantly decrease the volumes of CAP at follow up. For Asians, Mean lowering LDL-C by 36.1% and/or to level 84.0 mg/dL with baseline mean LDL-C 134.2 mg/dL could significantly reduce the volume of CAP at follow up (SMD -0.211 mm(3), 95% CI -0.331 ~ -0.092, p = 0.001). LDL-C lowering by rosuvastatin (mean 14.1 mg daily) and atorvastatin (mean 18.9 mg daily) could significantly decrease the volumes of CAP at follow up., Conclusions: There was a different effect of LDL-C lowering on CAP between Westerns and Asians. For regressing CAP, Asians need lower dosage of statins or lower intensity LDL-C lowering therapy than Westerns.