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The rhizosphere of invasive plants presumably develops different soil microbial assemblages compared with native plants, which may hinder or promote their invasion. However, to date, no studies have clearly explored rhizosphere microbial community assemblages during invasion. The invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Bidens pilosa L. are widely distributed in China and are known to reduce local biodiversity and cause agricultural losses. Monoculture of A. artemisiifolia or B. pilosa, a mixture of each invasive and native species, and monoculture of native species were established to simulate different degrees of invasion. Metagenomic sequencing techniques were used to test microbial community structure and function. The aim was to explore the drivers of the assembly of peculiar functional microbes in the rhizosphere soil of invasive species during the long-term invasive-native species interaction. Compared with the native species, the relative abundance of 34 microbial genera was higher in the rhizosphere soil of the invasive species. The NO 3 -N concentration in the rhizosphere soil from the A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa monocultures was lower than that from monocultures of the three native plants, whereas pH followed the opposite trend. The NO 3 -N concentration was significantly and negatively correlated with Sporichthya , Afipia , Actinokineospora , and Pseudolabrys . pH was positively correlated with Bradyrhizobium , Actinoplanes , Micromonospora , Steroidobacter , Burkholderia , and Labilithrix . The differences in soil microbes, NO 3 -N concentrations, and pH between native and invasive species suggest that the rhizosphere soil microbial assemblages may vary. The reduced NO 3 -N concentration and increased pH corelated with changes in rhizosphere microbial community during A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa invasion. IMPORTANCE Soil microbial communities play a vital role in the growth of invasive plants. Invasive species may shape peculiar functional microbes in the rhizosphere soil of an invasive species to benefit its growth. However, the drivers of the assembly of soil microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of invasive species remain unclear. Our study established the relationship between soil microbial communities and soil chemical properties during invasion by A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa . Additionally, it showed that the presence of the invasive plants correlated with changes in NO 3 -N and pH, as well as in rhizosphere microbial community assemblage. Furthermore, the study provided important insights into the difference in the microbial community assembly between native and invasive plant species.

Background/aims: Adiponectin can initiate a broad range of metabolic and immunological effects. Little is known about the role of adiponectin in hepatitis B related liver disease and metabolic syndrome (MS)., Methodology: We studied 138 patients with untreated chronic hepatitis B (CHB), who were from Beijing Ditan hospital in 2005 to 2009. According to MS, two groups (65 with MS vs. 73 without MS) were established. They were compared with characteristics and stained immunohistochemically for adiponectin and adiponectin receptor2 (adipoR2)., Results: In the group of CHB patients with MS, the levels of LDH, γ-GT, FPG, FINS, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β, TG and HBeAg positive were significantly higher than those in the group without MS (p<0.05). Liver steatosis in the group with MS is significantly more severe than that in the group without MS (p<0.001). With binary logistic regression analyses, BMI and HOMA-IR showed independent predictors to MS in patients with CHB. In patients with chronic HBV, the insulin sensitizing adipokine adiponectin and its receptor AdipoR2 was associated with diabetes in patients with CHB and MS., Conclusions: Our findings showed the CHB patients with MS may be presence of more severe steatosis. MS in CHB patients may be closely correlated with insulin resistance and less effect of viruses. Reduced hepatic expression of adiponectin and adipoR2 might be of pathophysiological relevance in CHB patients with MS.