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Ascites is a common dangerous and lethal complication of the liver cirrhosis. In Chinese Medicine, the ascites due to the liver cirrhosis belongs to Gu Zhang i.e. drum distention, which can be treated by Shi Zao Tang (Ten Jujubes Decoction). Although the Shi Zao Tang with Wan Yua (Flos Genkwa), Gan Sui (Radix Kansui), and Da Ji (Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis) drastically purging and expel water, the herbs are toxic, which must be restrained by the proper use of Da Zao (Fructus Jujube). Additionally, Gu Zhang is characterized by deficient Ben-root and excess Biao-branch. Therefore, clinical attention should be given to carefully neutralize the toxicity of the three herbs, based on the correct diagnosis of the Ben-root and Biao -branch. 【摘 要】腹水是肝硬化最常见的并发症之一，严重威胁患者的健康和生命。肝硬化腹水属于中医“臌胀”的范畴，可运用十枣汤峻下逐水。但需要注意的是芫花、甘遂、大戟药性峻猛有毒，需合理配伍大枣减轻毒性。此外臌胀属于本虚标实之症，临证需要注意：稳中求效、避免攻邪伤正，用药谨守法度、把握“衰其大半而止”的原则，尊古不泥古、灵活变通、中西医结合，辨证求因、谨守病机、治病求本。

This study investigated the protective effect of total triterpenoids from Chaenomeles speciosa against Helicobacter pylori(Hp)-induced gastritis in mice and explored its possible mechanism. The chronic atrophic gastritis(CAG) model mice were randomly divided into four groups of model, total triterpenoids from C. speciosa(50 and 100 mg·kg~(-1)) and triple therapy, with C57 BL/6 J mice without Hp infection taken as the normal group. Mice in the treatment groups were given corresponding drugs once a day for 4 weeks. Then the following indexes were detected: the contents of reactive oxygen species(ROS), monocyte chemotactic protein 1(MCP-1), keratinocyte chemokines(KC), TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, IL-4 and IL-10 in blood and gastric tissue, the activities and contents of LDH, MPO, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and MDA in gastric tissue and the activities of β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, cathepsins B and D in blood, gastric tissue and lysosome. Besides, the mRNA expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bax and Bad in gastric tissue were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Western blot was employed to detect the protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, p-IKKβ, p-IκBα, NOD-like receptor 3(NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), pro-caspase-1, caspase-1, thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP), pro-IL-1β, pro-IL-18, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bax, Bad, cytochrome C, apoptotic protease-activating factor-1(Apaf-1), pro-caspase-9, pro-caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1(PARP-1), cleaved-PARP-1 and cytosol and nucleus NF-κB p65 in gastric tissue. The results indicated that the total triterpenoids from C. speciosa significantly suppressed Hp proliferation, alleviated the damage to gastric mucosa and improved lymphocyte infiltration and gland atrophy. They were also effective in reducing the activities of β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, cathepsins B and D in blood and gastric tissue, elevating the activities of β-glucuronidase and cathepsin D in lysosomal organelles, decreasing the contents of ROS, MCP-1, KC, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18 in blood, MDA content and MPO and LDH activities in gastric tissue and increasing the contents of IL-4 and IL-10 in blood and activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px in gastric tissue. Other phenomena were also observed after the treatment with total triterpenoids from C. speciosa, including the down-regulation of the mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4, MyD88, Bax and Bad, the protein expression levels of p-IKKβ, p-IκBα, NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1, TXNIP, pro-IL-1β, pro-IL-18, cytochrome C, Apaf-1, cleaved-caspase-9, cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-PARP-1 and nuclear NF-κB p65, reduction of p-IKKβ/IKKβ and p-IκBα/IκBα ratios and up-regulation of the mRNA and protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, up-regulation of pro-caspase-9, pro-caspace-3, cytosol NF-κB p65 protein expression levels and Bcl-2/Bax and Bcl-xl/Bad ratios in gastric tissue. These aforementioned results suggest that the total triterpenoids from C. speciosa have significant protective effects against CAG induced by Hp, and its mechanism may be related to enhancing the function of endogenous antioxidant system, suppressing the oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction induced by Hp, correcting lysosomal dysfunction and inflammatory activation of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway and thus inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.

Wheat straw biochar (BC) was modified by KOH and magnetics to generate composited modified biochar (FKC). Based on characterization by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and magnetic (VSM) techniques, the adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of Cd

Aged hepatocyte-specific-Mcl-1 knockout (MKO-hep) mice are prone to develop liver tumors mimicking human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we reported that a protein named UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase-1-like-1 (Uap1l1) is upregulated in the liver of young MKO-hep mice without any macroscopically detectable tumor nodules and is prominently expressed in the hepatic tumors developed in the aged MKO-hep mice. Intriguingly, human UAP1L1 is also significantly upregulated in a distinct subset of HCC tissues and patients with upregulated expression of UAP1L1 appeared to have poor prognosis. Overexpression of UAP1L1 significantly promoted, whereas UAP1L1 knockdown markedly reduced the proliferation of human hepatoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. UAP1L1 shows ~59% sequence identity to UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase-1 (UAP1), which is directly involved in the synthesis of the sugar donor (UDP-GlcNac) for N-acetylglucosamine modification (O-GlcNAcylation) of proteins. However, unlike UAP1, UAP1L1 harbors very limited UDP-GlcNAc synthesis activity. Moreover, although both UAP1 and UAP1L1 are required for O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT)-mediated protein O-GlcNAcylation, they appear to function distinctly from each other. UAP1L1 directly interacts with OGT, but does not seem to be an OGT substrate. In addition, UAP1L1 alone is not sufficient to activate OGT activity in vitro, suggesting that UAP1L1 may function together with other proteins to modulate OGT activity in vivo. Lastly, UAP1L1 knockdown attenuated c-MYC O-GlcNAcylation and protein stability, and overexpression of c-MYC significantly rescued the proliferation defect of UAP1L1 knockdown HepG2 cells, suggesting that c-MYC is one downstream target of UAP1L1 that contributes to UAP1L1-mediated cell proliferation, at least in HepG2 cells.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacumL.) is able to accumulate cadmium in leaves and reduction of cadmium content can reduce health hazards to smokers. In the present study, the influence of silicon on the growth, yield and the content and distribution of cadmium (Cd) in flue-cured tobacco plants in the presence of cadmium was investigated by pot experiment. The results showed that Cd reduced the growth of both shoots and roots. Application of Si significantly increased the dry weight of roots and shoots in flue-cured tobacco grown in Cd contaminated soils, but not the largest leaf area. Si reduced the Cd concentration and accumulation in the root, stem and leaf of flue-cured tobacco compared with Cd alone. Si restricted the transport of Cd from roots to shoots. These results demonstrate that 1 and 2 g/kg Si could enhance Cd tolerance in flue-cured tobacco and decrease of Cd accumulation in plant and Cd translocation to shoots.

Water management affects the bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) in the soil and hence their accumulation in rice and grain yields. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different water managements (flooding, intermittent irrigation and aerobic) on rice yield and cadmium accumulation in rice plants growing on cadmium contaminated soil. The results showed that compared to the flooding and aerobic treatment, the intermittent irrigation increased grain yield by 7.55-29.58%, which contributed to the increase of seed setting rate and panicle number. Compared with the intermittent irrigation, aerobic treatment significantly increased Cd contents in roots, straw and grains, while flooding reduced the Cd contents in rice. Compared with flooding, both aerobic and intermittent irrigation enhanced Cd distribution in the root and reduced it in the straw and grain. With increasing irrigation from aerobic to flooded conditions, the soil available Cd concentrations decreased significantly. The patterns of soil pH change were just opposite to those of soil available Cd. Thus, intermittent irrigation could increase rice yield and also reduce Cd in the grain.

Tea is a widely consumed beverage in the world and an important economic crop in China. However in recent years tea gardens were increasingly contaminated by heavy metals such as lead (Pb). Root uptake of Pb could contribute significantly to Pb accumulation in tea leaves due to the strong acidity of tea garden soils. To reduce the Pb bioavailability and absorption by tea plants, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of 3 phosphate fertilizers separately with a normal application rate in the field of 0.2 g (P2O5) ·kg-1soil and a high application rate of 0.5 g (P2O5) ·kg-1soil on bioavailable Pb in tea garden soil and Pb absorption and accumulation by tea plants. Results showed that application of calcium magnesium phosphate significantly increased soil pH by up to 0.6 units from 3.50 to 4.13. Phosphate fertilizers resulted in an increase of bioavailable Pb concentration in tea garden soil under our experimental conditions. Pb concentration in tissues of the tea plants under different phosphate fertilizer treatments followed the order of root>stem>leaf. Calcium magnesium phosphate with a high application rate of 0.5 g P2O5·kg-1soil decreased Pb concentrations of roots, stems and leaves of tea plants significantly. For one phosphate fertilizer, Pb absorption in tea plants under high application rate was much lower than it under normal application.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant extremely toxic to plants and other living organisms including humans. To assess Cd phytotoxicity, the seedling growth, mineral (K, Fe, Zn) and carbohydrate contents and hydrolase activities in the endosperm and seedlings during rice seed germination subjected to Cd stress were investigated. The results showed that Cd caused a reduction in seedling growth and distribution of biomass, mineral contents, compared to the control. Cd accumulation in seedlings increased in the duration of treatment. Cd exposure caused a deleterious fall in mineral nutrient supply in seedlings. Moreover, Cd decreased the content of starch and sustained a higher level of soluble sugar in the endosperm of rice seeds. Activities of α-amylase and acid invertase were inhibited in Cd-treated seeds during the germination. The results suggest that Cd inhibits early seedling growth due to restriction of mineral and carbohydrate reserves mobilization.

To understand the physiological mechanism that confers Cd sensitivity/tolerance, Cd uptake and translocation by Cd-sensitive mutant and wild-type rice seedlings were characterized using radioactive tracer. Time-dependent Cd accumulation during 210 min was 1.8-fold higher in roots of the mutant than of wild-type rice. The kinetics of Cd uptake showed that two processes were involved: a first, fast, probably passive process and a second, slower, possibly physiological process. After 96 h, more Cd was translocated to the shoot of mutant compared with wild-type rice. Low temperature (2 degrees C), carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide inhibited Cd accumulation to a greater extent in mutant than wild-type rice, suggesting that metabolism plays a more important role in Cd uptake for the rice mutant. Cd uptake into the symplasm is linked to Ca2+ transport, as revealed by the inhibition of Cd accumulation by La and high Ca by equal percentages in both mutant and wild-type rice. Cd uptake and root-to-shoot translocation in the mutant were inhibited more markedly by Zn and Mn than in wild-type rice. This indicates that transport sites other than entry into the root symplasm are also stimulated in the mutant. The results suggest that enhanced absorption into the root and further accumulation in the shoot is one of the mechanisms involved in Cd accumulation and sensitivity, and the difference in Cd uptake and root-to-shoot translocation between mutant and wild-type rice may be mediated partly by energy supply and transporters for Zn and Mn.

Two rice varieties, Xiushui 110 with high cadmium (Cd) tolerance and Xiushui 11 with low Cd tolerance were used to study the effects of Cd stress on seed germination, seedling growth and amylase activities. The low cadmium concentration had little effect on seed germination rate. However, cadmium stress could significantly inhibit plumule and radicle growth, especially for radicle growth. Germination index, vigour index, radicle length and amylase activities of Xiushui 11 decreased more significantly with the increasing cadmium level compared with Xiushui 110. The cadmium content in seedlings of Xiushui 11 was higher than that in Xiushui 110 when the cadmium concentration exceeded 5 μmol/L, which caused lower mitotic index in root tips and amylase activities, and more serious cadmium toxicity in Xiushui 11.

Wild-type (Zhonghua 11) and mutant rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants were used to investigate the efiect of cadmium (Cd) application on biomass production, to characterize the influx of Cd from roots to shoots, and to determine the form, content, and subcellular distribution of Cd in the roots, leaf sheaths, and leaves of the rice plants. Seedlings were cultivated in a nutrient solution and were treated with 0.5 mmol L−1 of Cd2+ for 14 d. The sensitivity of rice plants to Cd toxicity was tested by studying the changes in biomass production and by observing the onset of toxicity symptoms in the plants. Both the wild-type and mutant rice plants developed symptoms of Cd stress. In addition, Cd application signiflcantly (P ≤ 0.01) decreased dry matter production of roots, leaf sheaths, and leaves of both types, especially the mutant. The Cd content in roots of the mutant was signiflcantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than that of the wild-type rice. However, there was no signiflcant difierence in the Cd content of roots, leaf sheaths, and leaves between the wild-type and mutant rice. Most of the Cd was bound to the cell wall of the roots, leaf sheaths, and leaves, and the mutant had greater Cd content in cell organelles than the wild type. The uneven subcellular distribution could be responsible for the Cd sensitivity of the mutant rice. Furthermore, difierent chemical forms of Cd were found to occur in the roots, leaf sheaths, and leaves of both types of rice plants. Ethanol-, water-, and NaCl-extractable Cd had greater toxicity than the other forms of Cd and induced stunted growth and chlorosis in the plants. The high Cd content of the toxic forms of Cd in the cell organelles could seriously damage the cells and the metabolic processes in mutant rice plants.

To investigate the relationships among β-mannanase, β-mannosidase and α-galactosidase required for degrading galactomannan in cell wall during and following rice seed germination, the activities of the three enzymes and the effects of ABA and GA3 on them were surveyed. The activities of β-mannosidase and α-galactosidase presented in dry and pre-germinated rice seeds, and increased slowly during and following germination. However, the activity of β-mannanase was detected only after germination. GA3 could promote the activities of β-mannanase and α-galactosidase. ABA had little effect on the activities of β-mannosidase and α-galactosidase, but it could seriously inhibit the activity of β-mannanase.

The biogeochemical cycle of sulfur can directly affect the speciation transformation of heavy metals in soils and their accumulation in plants. The toxicity of heavy metals in plants can be alleviated by their complexation with sulfur compounds like phytochelatins or metallothiones, consisting of the major mechanisms of phytodetoxification. Sulfur deficiency is becoming one of the limiting factors that influence Chinese agricultural production. Although the applications of sulfur fertilizer in soil have received much attention in recent years, the interaction mechanism of heavy metal with sulfur metabolism has not been studied extensively. In this paper, we reviewed current research advance on the impact of sulfur on the speciation transformation of soil heavy metals and their accumulation in plants, discussed the effect of sulfur on the detoxification mechanism of heavy metal in plants and provided further research prospective in this field.

Mechanism based medicine (MBM) is the new medical mode proposed by the author. Relevant concepts of MBM were described in this paper, such as essential mechanism, analysis of MBM, experiments of MBM,clinics of MBM, and diagram of MBM, thus helping readers to understand this new mode.