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IntroductionFritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li is a plant used to treat respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and influenza. Its wild resources have become increasingly scarce, and the demand for efficient artificial cultivation has increased significantly in recent years. Phosphorus-solubilizing fungi can promote the dissolution of insoluble phosphate complex, which benefits plant nutrition. Another strategy for efficiently cultivating traditional Chinese medicine plants is to combine the soil with phosphorus-solubilizing fungi to provide nutrients and other desired features. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different phosphorus-solubilizing fungi and their combinations on photosynthesis, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and expression of protective enzyme system–related genes, and to find a reference strain suitable for the artificial cultivation and industrial development of F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li. In this study, the phosphorus-solubilizing fungi isolated from the rhizosphere soil of F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li were applied to the cultivation of F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li for the first time.MethodsIn this study, seven treatment groups (S1-S7) and one control group were set up using indoor pots as follows: S1 (inoculation with Aspergillus tubingensis), S2 (inoculation with A. niger), S3 (inoculation with Aspergillus nigerfunigatus) and S4 (inoculation with A. tubingensis and A. niger), S5 (inoculation with A. tubingensis and A. nigerfunigatus), S6 (inoculation with A. niger and A. nigerfunigatus), S7 (inoculation with A. tubingensis, A. niger, and A. nigerfunigatus), and CK (control group). These strains were inoculated into pots containing F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li bulbs,and the effects of different phosphorus-solubilizing fungi and combinations on the photosynthetic characteristics, basic physiological and biochemical indicators, and differential gene expression of protective enzyme systems in F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li leaves were determined.ResultsMost growth indexes showed significant differences in the fungal treatment groups compared with the CK group (P < 0.05). The stem diameter and plant height in the S5 group were the highest, which were 58.23% and 62.49% higher than those in the CK group, respectively. The leaf area in the S7 group was the largest, which increased by 141.34% compared with that in the CK group. Except for intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), the contents of photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic parameters, and amounts of osmoregulatory substances increased to varying degrees in the fungal treatment groups (P < 0.05). Among these, the S5 group had the highest stomatal conductance index and soluble sugar and free proline contents, whereas S6 had the highest chlorophyll a and soluble protein contents. In addition, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in all inoculation groups was lower than that in the CK group. The MDA content was the lowest in S7, about 44.83% of that in the CK group. The activities of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were higher in all inoculation groups than those in the CK group; the changes in SOD and CAT activities were significant (P < 0.05). The expression levels of FtSOD, FtPOD, and FtCAT in the S5 group were the highest, which were 8.67, 7.65, and 6.08 times of those in the CK group, respectively.ConclusionVarious combinations of phosphorus-solubilizing fungi exhibit differential capacities to enhance plant growth indices (including leaf area, plant height, and stem diameter), promote the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, regulate osmotic pressure, and elevate antioxidant activity. Notably, The three fungal combinations (S7) were prone to cause a certain degree of antagonism, leading to suboptimal performances in certain biochemical indicators, such as free proline and POD levels. Our study pointed out that the S5 group inoculated with A. tubingensis and A. niger had the best overall effect. These experimental results provided a theoretical basis for the selection and development of artificial cultivation of F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li.

Lycopi herba, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, has long been valued for its aerial parts. however, its roots, which are often discarded as non-medicinal waste, actually contain flavonoid compounds that possess potential medicinal values such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor activities. Despite this, studies on the extraction, purification, and biological activity assessment of total flavonoids from L. herba roots (TFLHR) remain inadequate. Our study aimed to optimize the extraction and purification processes for TFLHR and evaluate their anti-proliferative effects on human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLS-RA), which are key pathological cells in rheumatoid arthritis. By utilizing ultrasound-assisted extraction combined with response surface methodology (RSM), we optimized the extraction conditions, achieving a total flavonoid content of 90.484 ± 0.974 mg/g under the optimal settings: a liquid–solid ratio of 48:1 mL/g, 13 min of ultrasound treatment, 70 % ethanol, and an extraction temperature of 43°C. Subsequently, macroporous resin chromatography was employed for flavonoid purification, with AB-8 resin exhibiting the highest performance, achieving adsorption and desorption rates of 79.64 ± 1.51 % and 88.61 ± 1.02 %, respectively. By further refining the purification conditions through RSM, the purity of flavonoids was increased to 63.9 ± 1.86 %. Through ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis, 74 flavonoid compounds across 15 categories were identified. Further activity studies demonstrated that purified TFLHR exhibited significant concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effects on HFLS-RA cells. This study not only provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive utilization of L. herba root resources but also highlights the potential medicinal value of TFLHR in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, laying a foundation for future research into its specific mechanisms and clinical applications.

Abstract Skyrmions, a stable topological vectorial textures characteristic with skyrmionic number, hold promise for advanced applications in information storage and transmission. While the dynamic motion control of skyrmions has been realized with various techniques in magnetics and optics, the manipulation of acoustic skyrmion has not been done. Here, the propagation and control of acoustic skyrmion along a chain of metastructures are shown. In coupled acoustic resonators made with Archimedes spiral channel, the skyrmion hybridization is found giving rise to bonding and antibonding skyrmionic modes. Furthermore, it is experimentally observed that the skyrmionic mode of acoustic velocity field distribution can be robustly transferred covering a long distance and almost no distortion of the skyrmion textures in a chain of metastructures, even if a structure defect is introduced in the travel path. The proposed localized acoustic skyrmionic mode coupling and propagating is expected in future applications for manipulating acoustic information storage and transfer.

F. taipaiensis P. Y. Li represents a significant asset within traditional Chinese medicinal flora, though it confronts the challenge of germplasm deterioration during its cultivation phase. This study aimed to discern the implications of single strains or combinations of diverse growth-promoting actinomycetes on the growth metrics, antioxidant competence and pertinent gene expression in the leaves of F. taipaiensis. The result revealed that the malondialdehyde content within the plant's leaves notably diminished in the treatment groups compared to the CK group, with the S6 group showcasing the most pronounced malondialdehyde reduction, amounting to approximately one-third of the CK's value. Leaf area, length and width peaked in the S5 cohort, registering values 4.55, 2.46 and 1.85 times surpassing the CK group. Concurrently, plant height and stem thickness were maximal in the S6 group, being 2.29 and 1.75 times that of the CK group, whereas leaf thickness reached its zenith in the S7 group, marking a 2.17-fold elevation compared to the CK. Photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars and soluble proteins in the leaves, exhibited augmentation across the inoculated groups to varying magnitudes. Specifically, the S5 group was superior in photosynthetic metrics and pigments, while the S6 group manifested the highest soluble sugar concentration, which was 1.35 times that of the CK. The S3 group demonstrated the pinnacle of soluble protein content, an impressive 5.86-fold increment relative to the CK group. The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase, along with their affiliated gene expressions, were observably augmented in the inoculated groups, with the S5 group standing out. To encapsulate, the actinomycete inoculation holds potential in fostering the growth and maturation of F. taipaiensis, amplifying its environmental resilience. The revelations from this study extend valuable insights for the judicious choice of microbial fertilizers in the cultivated propagation of Fritillaria taipaiensis P. Y. Li.

Edible jiaosu is one type of food with many bioactive substances, which is very beneficial to human health. The stability of edible jiaosu is the key and difficult point to the development to the new jiaosu products. Currently, many studies on edible jiaosu have been conducted both domestically and internationally. However, there has been no systematic induction and summary until now. Therefore, based on the existing research results, this article summarizes the detection models and evaluation indicators related to the stability of jiaosu products. It shows that the main models include the predicting shelf life dynamics models. The stability indicators mainly include the sensory evaluation, pH index, the functional evaluation, the content of activity, and the probiotic content, among which the sensory evaluation and the antioxidant activity are the main evaluation indicators for the most stability evaluation. The factors that affect the stability of edible jiaosu products include the production process conditions (breeding strain, and fermentation time), the post-processing and the storage environment. The summary shows that by selecting suitable strains or mixed strains for fermentation, reasonable adjustment of fermentation time, adopting appropriate sterilization and drying methods, other post-processing methods, and using the low temperature, dark, anaerobic conditions are all beneficial to improve the stability of jiaosu products. It is recommended to further explore the selection of advantageous strains, research on post processing techniques, and stability regulations for jiaosu processing in the future. In summary, this paper summarizes the evaluation models and indicators for the stability of edible jiaosu, pointed out that production the process conditions, the post-processing of edible enzyme products, and the storage environment have a significant impact on the stability of edible jiaosu, and proposed measures and suggestions to improve its stability. This work provides a theoretical reference basis and guidance for promoting the stability of edible jiaosu and the development of its related industries.

Background/Objectives: Fritillaria taipaiensis P.Y. Li is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herb that utilizes bulbs as medicine, which contain multiple alkaloids. Biomass, as a sustainable resource, has promising applications in energy, environmental, and biomedical fields. Recently, the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms of the main biomass components of biomass have become a prominent research topic. Methods: In this article, we explored the differences in the heterosteroidal alkaloid components of F. taipaiensis biomass using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and high-throughput transcriptome sequencing. Results: The experimental results demonstrated significant differences in the eight types of heterosteroidal alkaloid components among the biomass of F. taipaiensis, including peimisine, imperialine, peimine, peiminine, ebeinone, ebeiedine, ebeiedinone, and forticine. Transcriptomic analysis revealed substantial significant differences in gene expression patterns in the various samples. Three catalytic enzyme-coding genes, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase (HMGS), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), and terpene synthase (TPS), were speculated to contribute to the regulation of the differential accumulation of alkaloid synthesis in F. taipaiensis bulbs. A strong positive correlation was observed between the transcriptional level of the TPS gene and the alkaloid content of F. taipaiensis biomass, suggesting that TPS may be a key gene in the biosynthesis pathway of alkaloids. This finding can be used for subsequent gene function verification and molecular regulatory network analysis. Conclusions: This work provides fundamental data and novel insights for the subsequent research on alkaloid biosynthesis in F. taipaiensis.

Objective: In this research, to study the best technology of fermented wine with fresh Lycopus lucidus as raw material. Methods: According to the results of single factor test, Box-Behnken response surface was used to optimize the technological conditions of L. lucidus fermented wine, and the effects of fermentation temperature, yeast inoculation amount and initial sugar content on fermented wine were investigated with alcohol content and sensory score as response values. Meanwhile, the phenolic acids in L. lucidus fermented wine were analyzed by UPLC. Results: In this study, the optimum technological conditions of L. lucidus fermentation wine were found to be yeast inoculation of 5.1%, initial sugar content of 22.8%, fermentation temperature of 26 ℃ and fermentation time of 9 days. The alcohol content of the fermented wine reached 11.23%vol, the sensory score was 85.50, and the contents of polysaccharide, total phenol, total acid and total flavone were 6.54 g/L, 384.31 mg/L, 20.67 g/L and 204.59 mg/L. The scavenging rates of ABTS+, DPPH and hydroxyl free radicals of L. lucidus fermented wine were 90.53%, 81.51% and 55.86%, indicating that it had certain antioxidant activity. L. lucidus fermented wine contains five phenolic acids including gallic acid, tanshinsu, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and caffeic acid, of which gallic acid content was the highest (11.20 mg/L). Conclusion: The optimized technology of L. lucidus fermented wine was orange, clear and transparent, and the wine was mellow and full. It not only had a unique flavor of L. lucidus fermented wine, but also retained the active components such as polyphenols.

As a kind of medicinal plant, Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn has been over-harvested in the wild population, which leads to its artificial cultivation. The present study aims to analyze the effects of different plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the growth and physiological characteristics of P. Praeruptorum leaves. Compared with the CK, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was drastically reduced in the leaves of P. Praeruptorum in different treatment groups (P

ABSTRACTBackground With increasing knowledge about the gut – bone axis, more studies for treatments based on the regulation of postmenopausal osteoporosis by gut microbes are being conducted. Based on our previous work, this study was conducted to further investigate the therapeutic effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on ovariectomized (OVX) model rats and the immunological and microecological mechanisms involved.Results We found a protective effect of LGG treatment in OVX rats through changes in bone microarchitecture, bone biomechanics, and CTX-I, PINP, Ca, and RANKL expression levels. LGG was more advantageous in promoting osteogenesis, which may be responsible for the alleviation of osteoporosis. Th17 cells were imbalanced with Treg cells in mediastinal lymph nodes and bone marrow, with RORγt and FOXP3 expression following a similar trend. TNF-α and IL-17 expression in colon and bone marrow increased, while TGF-β and IL-10 expression decreased; however, LGG treatment modulated these changes and improved the Th17/Treg balance significantly. Regarding the intestinal barrier, we found that LGG treatment ameliorated estrogen deficiency-induced inflammation and mucosal damage and increased the expression of GLP-2 R and tight junction proteins. Importantly, 16S rRNA sequencing showed a significant increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio during estrogen deficiency. Dominant intestinal flora showed significant differences in composition; LGG treatment regulated the various genera that were imbalanced in OVX, along with modifying those that did not change significantly in other groups with respect to the intestinal barrier, inflammation development, and bile acid metabolism.Conclusions Overall, LGG ameliorated estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis by regulating the gut microbiome and intestinal barrier and stimulating Th17/Treg balance in gut and bone.

Background:P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, as a near-threatened and ethnic medicine in China, used to be a key ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of traumatic injuries, sore throat, snakebites, and convulsions for thousands of years. However, there were no reports on the inverse relationship between the contents of heavy metals and saponins and its anti-breast cancer pharmacological activity in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.Methods: The present study aimed to reveal the characteristics of heavy metal contents and saponins and its anti-breast cancer pharmacological activity and their interrelationships in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from different production areas. The contents of heavy metal and steroidal saponins in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the high-performance liquid chromatography technique, respectively. The Pearson correlation was used to study the correlation between saponins and heavy metals. 4T1 mouse mammary tumor cells were selected and cultivated for antitumor studies in vitro. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, Hoechst staining, and flow cytometry analysis were used for the examination of the proliferation and apoptosis of 4T1 tumor cells. Mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells were subcutaneously injected into BALB/c mice to construct a tumor model to explore the in vivo inhibitory effect on breast cancer. TUNEL assay and immunohistochemistry were used for the examination of the effect of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from different origins on cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis induction in 4T1 tumor mice.Results: Heavy metal contents were highly correlated with the content of steroidal saponins. The overall content of 10 metals in the three producing origins was of the order C3 >C2 >C1. The total content of eight steroidal saponins in the extracts of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from three different origins was C1 >C2 >C3. The Pearson correlation study showed that in all of the heavy metals, the contents of Cd and Ba were positively correlated with the main steroidal saponins in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, while Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Zn, As, Hg, and Pb showed a negative correlation. In vitro experiments showed that the extracts of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from three origins could inhibit the proliferation and induce cell apoptosis of 4T1 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, especially in the C1 origin. In vivo experiments showed that the extract of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis from the three origins could inhibit the growth of tumors and induce the apoptosis of tumor cells. In the three origins, C1 origin had the lowest total heavy metal level but the highest total steroidal saponin level. Therefore, it showed a better effect in reducing the expression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and Kiel 67 (Ki67) and increasing the expression of p53 in tumor tissues compared to the other origins. In conclusion, in the three origins, C1 origin exhibits antitumor pharmacological effects in vivo and in vitro which are better than those in the other origins.Conclusion: In this study, we found that with the increase of the heavy metal content, the content of steroid saponins and anti-breast cancer activity decreased. The results showed that the high content of the total heavy metals may not be conducive to the accumulation of steroidal saponins in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and lead to the low anti-breast cancer activity. The results of this study suggest that the content of heavy metals should be controlled in the artificial cultivation process of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

A long-term intake of a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD), even a high-fat, high-fructose but low-protein diet (HFFD + LP), could cause obesity associated with cognitive impairments. In the present study, rats were subjected to a normal diet (ND), an HFFD diet, an HFFD + LP diet, and an HFFD with kidney bean protein (KP) diet for 8 weeks to evaluate the effect of KP on HFFD- or HFFD + LP-induced obesity and cognitive impairment. The results demonstrated that compared with the HFFD diet, KP administration significantly decreased the body weight by 7.7% and the serum Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE-2) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) levels by 14.4% and 46.8%, respectively (p < 0.05). In addition, KP suppressed HFFD-induced cognitive impairment, which was evidenced by 8.7% less time required to pass the water maze test. The 16s RNA analysis of the colonic contents showed that the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Butyricimonas, and Alloprevotella was increased by KP by 5.9, 44.2, and 79.2 times. Additionally, KP supplementation primarily affected the choline metabolic pathway in the liver, and the synthesis and functional pathway of neurotransmitters in the brain, thereby improving obesity and cognitive function in rats.

Abstract Rhizospheric microorganisms can profoundly influence the nutritional status of soil and the growth of plant. To reveal the change on the bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere of Fritillaria taipaiensis under long-term single planting, the bacterial community structure in the rhizospheric soils of F. taipaiensis with different cultivation years from 1 to 5 were analyzed. The result showed the Chao1 and the ACE indices of the bacterial community had no significant difference among samples while the Shannon and Simpson indices declined with the cutivation year; the intra group beta diversity of the rhizospheric bacteria increased after a initial decline with the cultivation year; in the sample with 1 year of cultivation, the dominant bacterial genera were mainly the species that can improve the soil nutrient status and promote plant growth while with the increase of cultivation year, the dominant genera in samples then gradually reflected the pathogen accumulation and soil nutrient status deterioration; pH was the most significant factor affected by the bacterial community composition. These results indicated long term continuous cropping changed the bacterial community structure and soil nutritional status in the F. taipaiensis rhizospheric soils, which could badly affect its growth.

Mallotus paniculatus (Lam.) Müll. Arg. 1865 (Euphorbiaceae) is a shrub or small tree with medicinal properties that is distributed across Southeast Asia. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of M. paniculatus to study phylogenetic relationships within the family Euphorbiaceae Juss. The complete chloroplast genome of M. paniculatus was 164,455 bp in length, with an overall GC content of 35.3%. It was found to consist of a long single copy region of 89,021 bp, a small single copy region of 18,524 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats of 28,455 bp. Results indicated that the chloroplast genome contains a total of 131 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and eight pseudogenes. The phylogenetic tree showed that M. paniculatus is closely related to Mallotus japonicus and Mallotus peltatus.

In this study, sRNA libraries and mRNA libraries of HFs of FMD were constructed and sequenced using an Illumina HiSeq 2500, and the expression profiles of miRNAs and genes in the HFs of FMD were obtained at the anagen and catagen stages. In total, 565 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) were identified, 90 of which were upregulated and 475 of which were downregulated. In the BP category of GO enrichment, the DEGs were enriched in the processes related to HF development and differentiation, including the hair cycle regulation and processes, HF development, skin epidermis development, regulation of HF development, skin development, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the BMP signaling pathway. Through KEGG analysis it was found that DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways associated with HF development and growth. A total of 186 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were screened (p < 0.05) in the HFs of FMD at the anagen stage vs. the catagen stage, 33 of which were upregulated and 153 of which were downregulated. Through DEmiRNA–mRNA association analysis, we found DEmiRNAs and target genes that mainly play regulatory roles in HF development and growth. The enrichment analysis of DEmiRNA target genes revealed similarities with the enrichment results of DEGs associated with HF development. Notably, both sets of genes were enriched in key pathways such as the Notch signaling pathway, melanogenesis, the cAMP signaling pathway, and cGMP-PKG. To validate our findings, we selected 11 DEGs and 11 DEmiRNAs for experimental verification using RT-qPCR. The results of the experimental validation were consistent with the RNA-Seq results.

The soil’s rhizosphere is a highly active place where the exchange of substances and information occurs among plants, soils, and microorganisms. The microorganisms involved are crucial to the activities of plant growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction. Fritillaria L. medicinal plants are unique Chinese medicinal ingredients, but the continuous cropping obstacles formed in the artificial planting process is severely harmful to the growth and development of these medicinal plants. In this review, we summarized the current species and distribution of Fritillaria L. in China, and analyzed the changes in microbial diversity (mainly among bacteria and fungi) in the rhizosphere of these plants under long-term continuous cropping. The fungi showed an increasing trend in the soil rhizosphere, resulting in the transition of the soil from the high-fertility “bacterial type” to the low-fertility “fungal type” as planting years increased. Furthermore, the interaction between Fritillaria L. medicinal plants and the rhizosphere microorganisms was reviewed, and promising applications for the rhizosphere microbiome in the cultivation of Fritillaria L. medicinal plants were suggested. It is expected that this review will facilitate the in-depth understanding of rhizosphere microorganisms in the growth, accumulation of active ingredients, and disease control of Fritillaria L.

Pomegranate peel (PoP) contains plenty of bioactive compounds and exhibits strong activity to prevent postprandial hyperglycaemia and improve diabetes mellitus. Presently, bioaffinity ultrafiltration coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) is employed to screen and identify the efficient α-glucosidase inhibitors in PoP and the detailed inhibitory mechanisms are further investigated. The results show that many substances, including ellagic acid, kaempferol, gallic acid, and resveratrol in PoP reveal strong activity to inhibit α-glucosidase and ellagic acid (EA) is screened as the most effective compound. Further research indicates that EA plays a competitive and reversible inhibition role against α-glucosidase with the value of Ki was 6.24 × 105 mol/L. EA also directly interacts with the amino acids of α-glucosidase mainly via van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds, thereby, influencing the secondary structure and stability of α-glucosidase. Finally, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of EA is further confirmed to significantly reduce postprandial blood glucose in vivo.

High activity of lipoxygenase (LOX) has been identified as a primary cause of oxidative rancidity in legumes. In this study, the application of dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) (5 W, 10 min) resulted in an obvious decrease in LOX activity in mung bean (MB), kidney bean (KB), and adzuki bean (AB) flours by 36.96%, 32.49%, and 28.57%, respectively. Moreover, DBD-ACP induced significant increases (p < 0.05) in content of soluble dietary fiber, saturated fatty acids, and methionine. The starch digestibility of legumes was changed, evidenced by increased (p < 0.05) slowly digestible starch and rapidly digestible starch, while resistant starch decreased. Furthermore, DBD-ACP treatment significantly affected (p < 0.05) the hydration and thermal characteristics of legume flours, evidenced by the increased water absorption index (WAI) and gelatinization temperature, and the decreased swelling power (SP) and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH). Microscopic observations confirmed that DBD-ACP treatment caused particle aggregation.

The medicinal plant Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. Et Zucc is rich in stilbenes (e.g., polygonin and resveratrol) and anthraquinones (e.g., emodin) for the therapy of human diseases, while how to increase the growth and medicinal composition concentrations of P. cuspidatum has become an urgent issue. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of inoculation with an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Funneliformis mosseae, on plant growth, phosphorus (P) acquisition, medicinal component concentrations, and expressions of resveratrol synthesis-associated enzyme genes of P. cuspidatum at two P levels (0 M and 0.2 M). P supply (0.2 M) stimulated root AM fungal colonization rate. F. mosseae inoculation significantly improved growth performance (height, diameter, and biomass) and root morphology (diameter, length, and projected area), irrespectively of substrate P levels. P supply and F. mosseae distinctly increased soil acid and neutral phosphatase activities, as well as root P concentrations. P supply increased root physcion and resveratrol concentrations in inoculated and uninoculated plants, along with up-regulated expressions of PcCHS1, PcCRS1, PcRS11, and PcSTS. AM plants represented significantly higher root aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, emodin, physcion, polydatin, and resveratrol concentrations than non-AM plants irrespective of P levels, coupled with up-regulated expressions of PcCHS1, PcCHS2, PcRS11, PcRS, and PcSTS. It is concluded that 0.2 M P supply and F. mosseae inoculation promoted chrysophanol, physcion, polydatin, and resveratrol concentrations of P. cuspidatum, with the increase in resveratrol associated with up-regulated expressions of related genes.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a well-known legume widely used as traditional medicine. This study aimed to characterize the structure and evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of one glycoprotein [crude chickpea glycoprotein-1 (CAG-1)] isolated from chickpea. CAG-1 was extracted with hot alkaline water and purified with DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow and Superdex-200 column chromatography. CAG-1, with a molecular weight of 8,106 Da, contained 57.12% polysaccharide and 35.41% protein. The polysaccharide part was mainly composed of glucose (Glc). The protein part was connected mainly by aspartic (Asp) and glutamic (Glu). The results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicated the presence of α-d-Glcp-(1 → 4)-α-d-Glcp-(1 → 4)-α-d-Glcp-(1 → . In addition, the sugar chains of the glycoprotein were not hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions, suggesting that the glycoprotein was N-glycosidic; thus, the sugar chain was linked to the protein chain by Asp. An immunological study showed that CAG-1 stimulated the production of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) in RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner.

Calcium-containing cellulose-based composites possess the advantages of high mechanical strength, excellent osteoconductivity, biocompatibility, biodegradation, and bioactivity, which represent a promising application system in the biomedical field. Calcium-containing cellulose-based composites have become the hotspot of study of various biomedical fields. In this mini-review article, the synthesis of calcium-containing cellulose-based composites is summarized via a variety of methods such as the biomimetic mineralization method, microwave method, co-precipitation method, hydrothermal method, freeze-drying method, mechanochemical reaction method, and ultrasound method. The development on the fabrication, properties, and applications of calcium-containing cellulose-based composites is highlighted. The as-existed problems and future developments of cellulose-based composites are provided. It is expected that calcium-containing cellulose-based composites are the ideal candidate for biomedical application.

The electrochemical behavior and direct quantitative determination of paclitaxel, a poorly soluble drug made into microemulsion, were researched by cyclic voltammetry in acetate buffer solutions (pH = 4.0) at a glassy carbon electrode. The results show that the oxidation process is irreversible and controlled by diffusion. Moreover, the effects of anodic peak current (Ipa), anodic peak potential, scan rate, pH, and the electrochemical redox mechanism have been studied. The anodic peak current varied linearly with paclitaxel concentration in the range of 5 × 10−5 mol/L to 5 × 10−4 mol/L, and the detection limit was 9.15 × 10−8 mol/L. The results of RSD (0.90%) and recovery (99.22%–101.69%) were obtained. Additionally, it has been proved that one electron and one proton are involved in the electrochemical redox process. The present research has been successfully used to determine paclitaxel in pure and real samples, which further supported the electrochemical behavior investigation of paclitaxel and direct determination of micro-emulsion.

In recent years, faced with the improvement of environmental quality problems, cellulose and cellulose-based (nano) composites have attracted great attention as adsorbents. In this review article, we first report the recent progress of modification and functionalization of cellulose adsorbents. In addition, the adsorbents produced by the modification and functionalization of carboxymehyl cellulose are also introduced. Moreover, the cellulose-based (nano) composites as adsorbents are reviewed in detail. Finally, the development prospect of cellulose and cellulose-based (nano) composites is studied in the field of the environment. In this review article, a critical comment is given based on our knowledge. It is believed that these biomass adsorbents will play an increasingly important role in the field of the environment.

Polygonum cuspidatum, an important medicinal plant, is rich in resveratrol and polydatin, but it frequently suffers from drought stress in the nursery stage, which inhibits the plant’s growth, active components concentrations, and the price of rhizome in the later stage. The purpose of this study was to analyze how exogenous 100 mM melatonin (MT) (an indole heterocyclic compound) affected biomass production, water potential, gas exchange, antioxidant enzyme activities, active components levels, and resveratrol synthase (RS) gene expression of P. cuspidatum seedlings growing under well-watered and drought stress conditions. The 12-week drought treatment negatively affected the shoot and root biomass, leaf water potential, and leaf gas exchange parameters (photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate), whereas the application of exogenous MT significantly increased these variables of stressed and non-stressed seedlings, accompanied by higher increases in the biomass, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance under drought versus well-watered conditions. Drought treatment raised the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase in the leaves, while the MT application increased the activities of the three antioxidant enzymes regardless of soil moistures. Drought treatment reduced root chrysophanol, emodin, physcion, and resveratrol levels, while it dramatically promoted root polydatin levels. At the same time, the application of exogenous MT significantly increased the levels of the five active components, regardless of soil moistures, with the exception of no change in the emodin under well-watered conditions. The MT treatment also up-regulated the relative expression of PcRS under both soil moistures, along with a significantly positive correlation between the relative expression of PcRS and resveratrol levels. In conclusion, exogenous MT can be employed as a biostimulant to enhance plant growth, leaf gas exchange, antioxidant enzyme activities, and active components of P. cuspidatum under drought stress conditions, which provides a reference for drought-resistant cultivation of P. cuspidatum.

Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc is an important industrial crop because it contains a large amount of medicinal secondary metabolites (such as polydatin, resveratrol, chrysophanol, and emodin). However, it is unclear whether root endophytic fungi increase the content of secondary metabolites in the plant. This study aimed to analyze the effects of Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Piriformospora indica (Pi) alone or in combination on plant growth, root morphology, thirteen sugars concentrations, and six secondary metabolites (physcion, chrysophanol, emodin, aloe-emodin, polydatin, and resveratrol) concentrations of P. cuspidatum. After 11 weeks of the fungal inoculation, the roots could be colonized by Fm and Pi single or in combination, along with the higher root colonization frequency of Fm > Pi > Fm + Pi in the descending order. In addition, Fm and Pi improved plant growth performance (plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and shoot and root biomass) and root morphology (average diameter, maximum diameter, total length, area, and volume) to varying degrees, depending on fungal inoculations, in which Pi displayed a relatively better effect on plant growth. Single Fm and Pi inoculation significantly increased three disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, and trehalose) accumulation, while dual inoculum (Fm + Pi) only elevated sucrose concentrations. Most monosaccharides concentrations, such as D-arabinose, D-galactose, D-sorbitol, D-fructose, glucose, and L-rhamnose were not altered or inhibited by the endophytic fungi, except the increase in L-fucose and inositol. All fungal treatments significantly increased root chrysophanol and resveratrol concentrations, while decreased aloe-emodin concentrations. In addition, single Pi and dual Fm + Pi increased emodin concentrations, and single Fm and dual Fm + Pi elevated physcion and polydatin concentrations. It was concluded that Fm and Pi promoted the growth of P. cuspidatum, and the combination of Fm and Pi was more conducive to the production of some secondary metabolites than single inoculation.

Abstract Objective We aimed to examine the illness perception characteristics of patients with myasthenia gravis and analyze the associated factors. Methods A general information questionnaire, Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were used to survey 90 patients with myasthenia gravis. One‐way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression were used for statistical analysis. Results The timeline (acute/chronic), consequence, and emotional representation scores of patients with myasthenia gravis were 18.31 ± 4.47, 18.58 ± 3.57, and 20.80 ± 4.56, respectively. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that marital status, disease duration, educational level, disease type, and coping style are factors associated with illness perception in patients with myasthenia gravis. Conclusion Patients who have myasthenia gravis have a negative illness perception. Medical professionals should provide targeted intervention measures based on the factors associated with illness perception.

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, a medicinal plant that originated in Yunnan (China), has been over-harvested in the wild population, resulting in its artificial cultivation. Given the negative environmental impacts of the excessive use of phosphorus (P) fertilization, the application of organophosphate-degrading bacteria (OPDB) is a sustainable approach for improving the P use efficiency in Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis production. The present work aimed to analyze the effects of three organic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria of Bacillus on the yield and quality of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and the P concentrations in the soil. All the inoculation treatments distinctly increased the rhizome biomass, steroidal, and total saponin concentrations of the rhizomes and the Olsen-P and organic P in the soil. The highest growth rate of rhizomes biomass, steroidal saponins, available phosphorus, and total phosphorus content was seen in the S7 group, which was inoculated with all three OPDB strains, showing increases of 134.58%, 132.56%, 51.64%, and 17.19%, respectively. The highest total saponin content was found in the group inoculated with B. mycoides and B. wiedmannii, which increased by 33.68%. Moreover, the highest organic P content was seen in the group inoculated with B. wiedmannii and B. proteolyticus, which increased by 96.20%. In addition, the rhizome biomass was significantly positively correlated with the saponin concentration, together with the positive correlation between the Olsen-P and organic P and total P. It is concluded that inoculation with organophosphate-degrading bacteria improved the biomass and medicinal ingredients of the rhizome in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, coupled with increased soil P fertility, with a mixture of the three bacteria performing best.

Dietary intervention with plant protein is one of the main methods that is used to lessen the symptoms of malnutrition. Supplementary soy protein to undernourished weaning rats for 6 weeks significantly increased their body weight gain. After the intervention, the level of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was restored to 1,512.7 μg/g, while the level was only 637.1 μg/g in the 7% protein group. The amino acids (valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan) increased in the colon, and vitamin B6 metabolism was significantly influenced in undernourished rats. The tryptophan and glycine-serine-threonine pathways were elevated, leading to an increase in the level of tryptophan and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in the serum. In addition, the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Lactobacillus increased, while Enterococcus and Streptococcus decreased compared to undernourished rats. Overall, soy protein improved the growth of rats with malnutrition in early life by regulating gut microbiota and metabolites in the colon and serum.

Cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanoplatforms have many inherent properties, such as bio-interfacing abilities, self-identification, and signal transduction, which enable the biomimetic delivery system to escape immune clearance and opsonization. This can also maximize the drug delivery efficiency of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) and functional cell membranes. As a new type of delivery system, cell membrane-coated biomimetic delivery systems have broadened the prospects for biomedical applications. In this review, we summarize research progress on cell membrane biomimetic technology from three aspects, including sources of membrane, modifications, and applications, then analyze their limitations and propose future research directions.

Abstract Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis is one of the original plants used to make the traditional medicine Paridis Rhizoma. Wild individuals have been excessively collected in recent decades, and thus, it has become increasingly endangered. Cultivation is a major method for the conservation and sustainable utilization of its wild resources. In this study, amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were used in the genetic analysis of 15 wild and 17 cultivated populations of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. This study revealed that cultivated populations possessed higher genetic diversity than wild ones at the species level (H = 0.2636 vs. 0.2616, respectively). However, most of the genetic variation was found within populations for both of these groups (ΦST = 18.83% vs. 19.39%). In the dendrogram produced using UPGMA, the 32 populations were divided into three groups (I, II, and III). In group II, both wild and cultivated populations were included, but remained in distinct clusters within this group, which showed the significant separation between the cultivated and wild populations. Furthermore, wild populations were also clustered into three subgroups (W‐I, W‐II, and W‐III), with an obvious geographic structure. In contrast, although cultivated populations were similarly placed in three subgroups (C‐I, C‐II, and C‐III), the latter two of these were not separated based on geography. Finally, the wild populations in Guizhou, China (W‐I), possessed higher genetic diversity than those in Yunnan (W‐II and W‐III). As P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis is an endangered medicinal plant, the fact that it showed richer genetic diversity in its wild populations in Guizhou means that these should be regarded as priority areas for protection and used for provenance selection. Moreover, cultivated populations also showed high genetic variation, which might be attributed to them having originated from mixed provenances, indicating that screening for superior provenances should be carried out as soon as possible.

Potassium (K) use efficiency in Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis production is relatively low, and the excessive use of K fertilization has negative environmental impacts. Bacterial isolates can effectively alleviate this situation. The present work aimed to analyze the effects of different combinations of three potassium-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) (Bacillus thuringiensis, B. polymyxa, and Paenibacillus amylolyticus) on K in soil and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The results showed that the contents of different forms of K were increased after the application of KSB. Compared with the control group, the maximum increases of slow-acting K, available K, quick-acting K, exchangeable K, and water-soluble K were 32.6% under inoculation with both P. amylolyticus and B. polymyxa, 73.5% with B. thuringiensis, 114.0% with B. thuringiensis, 83.2% with P. amylolyticus, and 210.0% with B. thuringiensis, respectively. This promoted the conversion of soil K to the form of K with high plant availability. Pseudo-protodiosgenin and diosgenin H contents were improved by KSB inoculations, which promoted medicinal quality of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. Correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations among the five forms of K in the soil in all experimental groups. In conclusion, the inoculation of KSB effectively improved the plant availability of soil K and medicinal quality of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, providing a path for sustainable production of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) participate in the process of plant secondary metabolism and thus affect the production of secondary metabolites. However, it is not clear whether and how AMF affect the growth and secondary metabolites of Polygonum cuspidatum, a medicinal plant rich in resveratrol and polygonin, under different phosphorus (P) levels. This study was performed to analyze the effects of Glomus mosseae on the growth, leaf gas exchange, P concentration, active ingredient concentrations, and expressions of associated genes of P. cuspidatum under P-deficient (0 mol/L P) and P-sufficient (0.2 mol/L P) conditions. The root mycorrhizal colonization rate of inoculated plants was 62.53–73.18%. G. mosseae improved shoot and root biomass as well as leaf P levels to some extent, but the improvement was more prominent under P-sufficient than P-deficient conditions. The fungal colonization also significantly increased leaf photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and intercellular CO2 concentration, which was more prominent under P-deficient rather than P-sufficient conditions. P addition promoted the concentration of active medicinal components in leaves, especially in uninoculated plants. G. mosseae distinctly raised leaf chrysophanol, emodin, polydatin, and resveratrol concentrations, which was more prominent under P-deficient conditions. However, physcion was raised by G. mosseae only under P-sufficient conditions. AMF and P addition up-regulated expressions of PcCRS1, along with the up-regulation of PcRS11 by P addition and PcRS11 and PcSTS by AMF under P-sufficient conditions. It is concluded that an adequate P fertilizer and AMF facilitate the production of active medicinal components in P. cuspidatum, associated with expressions of associated genes such as PcCRS1.

Medicinal plants are well known to have the advantages of high concentration of medicinal ingredients having clinical importance, curative value, small toxic and side effects. Important compounds viz., paclitaxel, camptothecin, and vincristine have been developed from medicinal plants as first-line of clinical drugs, leading to their consistently increasing demand globally. However, the destruction of natural environment due to excessive mining threatened such resources jeopardizing the successful growing of medicinal plants. A group of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is known to exist in the rhizosphere of medicinal plants, which can establish a reciprocal symbiosis with their roots, namely arbuscular mycorrhizas. These AM fungi are pivotal in the habitat adaptation of medicinal plants. Studies have demonstrated that AM fungi aided in growth promotion and nutrient absorption of medicinal plants, thereby, accelerating the accumulation of medicinal ingredients and aiding resistance against abiotic stresses such as drought, low temperature, and salinity. An AM-like fungus Piriformospora indica is known to be cultured in vitro without roots, later showed analogous effects of AM fungi on medicinal plants. These fungi provide new mechanistic pathways towards the artificial cultivation of medicinal plants loaded with ingredients in huge demand in international market. This review provides an overview of the diversity of AM fungi inhabiting the rhizosphere of medicinal plants, and analyzes the functioning of AM fungi and P. indica, coupled with future lines of research.

Abstract Cotinus coggygria Scop. (Anacardiaceae) is an important ornamental tree with beautiful characteristics that is grown in China. In this study, the complete plastid genome of C. coggygria was sequenced and assembled. This genome was 158,843 bp in size and presented a typical tetrad structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (87,121 bp), a pair of inverted repeat regions (26,829 bp), and a small single-copy region (18,064 bp). A total of 134 genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. We observed a deletion that caused the loss of the rpl32 gene, and a small expansion of IR regions resulted in the trnH gene accessing IR regions; two copies were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. coggygria was most closely related to Pistacia, with 100% bootstrap support within Anacardiaceae. In this study, we report the plastid genome of Cotinus species for the first time, which provides insight into the evolution of the plastid genome in Anacardiaceae and promotes the understanding of Cotinus plants.

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis is a kind of biomass resource, which has important medicinal and economical values with a huge market. This review article aims to summarize the recent development of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The genetic diversity and chemical components of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were reviewed based on the literature. Both the genetic diversity and genetic structure of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were compared by using molecular marker technologies. All the extraction processes, harvest time, and drying methods on the chemical components were summarized in detail. The differences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the infection rate, diosgenin content, microorganisms, enzyme activities, rhizospheric environment, and endogenous hormones were discussed. This review article is beneficial for the applications of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis as a biomass resource in the biomedical field.

Background: Nitrous oxide (N2O), commonly known as laughing gas, is inhaled recreationally because it produces the feelings of euphoria and freedom from pain. The risk of neurological dysfunction secondary to N2O abuse and its clinical diagnosis are, however, not yet sufficiently recognized, especially in China. Here, we have summarized the key clinical characteristics of N2O-induced neurological disorders.Materials and Methods: We recruited 20 patients with N2O-induced neurological disorders and analyzed their clinical features, laboratory data, magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography. We also carried out a literature review and compared 99 previously reported patients with our case series to confirm our results. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the difference in demographical and clinical characteristics of N2O abuse between Asian and non-Asian patients.Results: The most common initial symptoms of N2O-induced neurological disorders were weakness and/or paresthesia. Most patients presented with myelopathy and/or peripheral neuropathy. The most commonly involved segment of the spinal cord was the cervical spinal cord, extending over 4–6 vertebral levels, but more than half of the patients with myelopathy had no sensory change at the corresponding spinal level. Homocysteine was found to be the most sensitive and practical indicator for diagnosis. Subgroup analysis showed that the Asian patients (median: 22.0 years old, Q1–Q3:19.0–26.0 years old) with N2O abuse were younger than non-Asian patients [26.0 (22.3–31.0) years old, P = 2.8 × 10−4]. The incidence of myelopathy combined with peripheral neuropathy was significantly higher in Asian patients than in non-Asian patients, who had myelopathy or peripheral neuropathy (P = 2 × 10−5).Conclusions: Key clinical characteristics of N2O abuse are longitudinally extensive cervical myelopathy and peripheral neuropathy. Recognition of these traits in young people in the age group of 20–30 years will provide important guidance for accurate diagnosis of neurological disease associated with N2O abuse. The clinical manifestations differ in Asian patients and non-Asian patients.

Sida szechuensis Matsuda is an economically and medicinally important plant. Here, we report the first chloroplast (cp) genome of the genus Sida (S. szechuensis). The complete cp genome is 159,878 bp in length with an overall GC content of 36.9% and consists of a large single copy region (LSC, 89,426 bp), a small single copy region (SSC, 114,715 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb, 25,288 bp). The genome encodes 111 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes, and 1 pseudogene. Phylogenetic analysis constructed using the maximum likelihood (ML) method showed that Sida was closely related to Malvastrum and Malva.

ABSTRACT Purpose To study the Periplaneta americana L. extract Ento-B on the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and acetic acid in rats and to explore its primary mechanism of action. Methods Using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene combined with acetic acid to induce chronic ulcerative colitis (chronic UC) in rats. The sulfasalazine (400 mg/kg) and Ento-B (200 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg,50 mg/kg) were given by intragastric administration and the effect was evaluated according to the disease activity index (DAI) score, colon mucosal injury index (CMDI) score, histopathological score (HS) and the serum levels of Interleukin-4(IL-4), Interleukin-10(IL-10), Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), Malondialdehyde(MDA), Superoxide dismutase(SOD) and Inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS.) Results Compared with the model group, all doses of Ento-B could reduce the score of CMDI (p < 0.05), HS(p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), significantly increased the expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD (p < 0.01) and decreased the levels of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS in serum of UC rats, significantly improving the degree of colon lesionsin UC rats. Conclusions Ento-B may play an important role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis induced byUC rats. The mechanism may be related to the increased expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD and reduced expression of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS.

Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. is a major raw material for the extraction of drugs such as resveratrol, while the over-exploitation of P. cuspidatum decreases the yield and drug components. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of inoculation with root endophytic fungi Funneliformis mosseae and Piriformospora indica singly or in combination in biomass production, physiological activities (e.g., chlorophyll, soluble protein, and gas exchange) and main medicinal ingredients of P. cuspidatum, accompanied by the expression levels of associated genes in resveratrol biosynthesis. Single and co-inoculation with P. indica significantly improved shoot and root biomass production, and single and co-inoculation with F. mosseae and P. indica, especially single P. indica, significantly promoted leaf chlorophyll and soluble-protein concentrations and improved leaf gas exchange, including photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 concentration. The application of endophytic fungi increased resveratrol and polydatin concentrations, while it affected chrysophanol, emodin, and physcion concentrations in a complex manner. In addition, F. mosseae inoculation and co-inoculation induced the expression of PcCRS1, PcRS11, PcRS, and PcSTS, and only single F. mosseae and P. indica inoculation up-regulated the expression of PcCHS1 and PcCHS2. It was concluded that endophytic fungi accelerated biomass production, leaf physiological activity, and resveratrol accumulation in P. cuspidatum, which was associated with the up-regulation of related gene expression in resveratrol biosynthesis.

In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing technology to sequence and functionally annotate the chloroplast genome of Piptanthus concolor. The total length of P. concolor chloroplast genome is 152,115 bp with the typical quadripartite structure. It contains two inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 26,233 bp each, which are separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region of 82,024 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,625 bp. The cp genome contained 111 genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on the whole chloroplast genome showed that P. concolor was closely related to Ammopiptanthus.

The high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence and assemble the chloroplast genome of Gentianopsis grandis, and we analyzed its structural characteristics and phylogenetic relationships. The complete chloroplast genome of G. grandis was 151,271 bp in length, consisting of a large single copy (LSC) region of 82,572 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,907 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 25,396 bp. The annotation contained a total of 114 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, four rRNA genes, and two pseudogenes. The phylogenetic analysis indicated the genus Gentianopsis was closely related to Halenia and Swertia.

Fritillaria taipaiensis is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant that has experienced continuous decline over its cropping area. The present study aims to explore the reasons for the quality and growth decline. The fungal diversities and biochemical factors in its rhizospheric soils with cultivation duration from 1 up to 5 years were analyzed and compared. The results showed that rhizospheric fungi of F. taipaiensis belong to six phyla, including Neocallimastigomycota, Glomeromycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota and Ascomycota. Thirteen genera (Pseudogymnoascus, Fusarium, Mortierella, Colletotrichum, Laetinaevia, Gibberella, Synchytrium, Lysurus, Trichocladium, Volutella, Monoblepharis, Aquamyces and Trichoderma) constituted the “core community” in the rhizosphere of F. taipaiensis. The dominant fungal genera varied significantly in rhizospheric soils with different cultivation years. The abundance of fungal species in the soil declined with the cultivation year generally. The pH, available P, organic matter and urease activity were the primary factors determining the fungal community composition in the rhizosphere. The content of organic matter, available N, P and K and the activities of urease and alkaline phosphatase decreased with cultivation years. The soil pH increased with cultivation years and was unsuitable for F. taipaiensis growth. These features suggested that long-term single planting altered the fungal community structure, fertility conditions and soil enzyme activities in F. taipaiensis rhizospheric soils, which could be detrimental for plant growth and quality.

Fritillaria taipaiensis is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant affected by germplasm degradation during cultivation. To find a suitable solution for this problem, F. taipaiensis was inoculated with exogenous arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi, potassium-solubilizing bacteria, and phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in pot experiments. The effects of inoculation on the AM colonization, photosynthetic pigment, and superoxide dismutase contents, rhizospheric enzyme activities, alkaloid, and nucleotide content of F. taipaiensis were studied. The results showed that the inoculation increased mycorrhizal infection intensity of F. taipaiensis. Compared to the control group, the photosynthetic pigment contents in the leaf of the inoculation groups were increased; the content of soluble protein, the activities of the superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase in leaves were all significantly increased, and the content of malondialdehyde was decreased. The microbial inoculum also increased the content of active ingredients in F. taipaiensis bulbs and increased the enzyme activities, total microorganism number, bacteria/fungi, and actinomycetes/fungi ratios in the rhizosphere. To sum up, microbial fertilizer can significantly improve the rhizospheric environment and medicinal quality of F. taipaiensis. This research provides a theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the sustainable development of an F. taipaiensis industry.

The complete chloroplast genome of Crotalaria pallida was obtained using the high-throughput sequencing technology in this article. The complete chloroplast genomes of this species were 152,658 bp in length, consisting of a large single-copy region (LSC) of 83,652 bp and a small single-copy region (SSC) of 18,028 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IRs) regions of 25,489 bp. The chloroplast genome contained 111 unique genes, including 77 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The phylogenomic relationship analysis suggested that C. pallida was closely related to Lupinus in the family of Leguminosae.

We sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium via high-throughput sequencing technology, and analyzed its structural characteristics and phylogenetic relationships. The chloroplast exhibits a genome length of 158,473 bp, including a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 27,369 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,629 bp and a large single-copy (LSC) region of 85,570 bp. The annotation analysis identified 112 genes, containing 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Z. acanthopodium was closely related to Z. piperitum and Z. tragodes.

Boschniakia himalaica is a medicinal plant in southwest China. In this study, we sequenced complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. himalaica to investigate its phylogenetic relationship in Orobanchaceae. The chloroplast genome was 106,466 bp in length with 37.3% overall GC content, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 49,606 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 5572 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,644 bp. The cp genome contained 84 genes, including 50 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis indicated B. himalaica was closely related to Cistanche deserticola.

Zimbabwe, located in Southern Africa, faces a significant public health challenge due to schistosomiasis. We investigated this issue with emphasis on risk prediction of schistosomiasis for the entire population. To this end, we reviewed available data on schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe from a literature search covering the 1980-2022 period considering the potential impact of 26 environmental and socioeconomic variables obtained from public sources. We studied the population requiring praziquantel with regard to whether or not mass drug administration (MDA) had been regularly applied. Three machinelearning algorithms were tested for their ability to predict the prevalence of schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe based on the mean absolute error (MAE), the root mean squared error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R²). The findings revealed different roles of the 26 factors with respect to transmission and there were particular variations between Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni infections.We found that the top-five correlation factors, such as the past (rather than current) time, unsettled MDA implementation, constrained economy, high rainfall during the warmest season, and high annual precipitation were closely associated with higher S. haematobium prevalence, while lower elevation, high rainfall during the warmest season, steeper slope, past (rather than current) time, and higher minimum temperature in the coldest month were rather related to higher S. mansoni prevalence. The random forest (RF) algorithm was considered as the formal best model construction method, with MAE = 0.108; RMSE = 0.143; and R² = 0.517 for S. haematobium, and with the corresponding figures for S. mansoni being 0.053; 0.082; and 0.458. Based on this optimal model, the current total schistosomiasis prevalence in Zimbabwe under MDA implementation was 19.8%, with that of S. haematobium at 13.8% and that of S. mansoni at 7.1%, requiring annual MDA based on a population of 3,003,928. Without MDA, the current total schistosomiasis prevalence would be 23.2%, that of S. haematobium 17.1% and that of S. mansoni prevalence at 7.4%, requiring annual MDA based on a population of 3,521,466. The study reveals that MDA alone is insufficient for schistosomiasis elimination, especially that due to S. mansoni. This study predicts a [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]