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This study investigates the combination mechanism and structural properties of Agriophyllum squarrosum (A. squarrosum) starch (AS)‐lipid complexes during pasting in the rapid viscosity analyzer compared with maize starch (MS)‐lipid complexes. AS‐dodecanoic acid (DA) and MS‐DA samples with lipid contents of 0–125 mg, and starch‐DA samples with different RVA pasting times (8–13 min) are prepared and characterized. Complexing index (CI) analyses show the peak of CI values occurred at 2.5 g starch with 62.5 mg DA for both mixtures, and there are two peaks of the complexes amount for AS‐DA systems compared with one of which for MS‐DA systems. The hardness of starch‐lipid gels decreases significantly (p < 0.05) as the lipid content increases from 0 to 75 mg or as time went on in one RVA protocol. Enthalpy change, structural order, and resistant starch content during the gelation of the mixtures indicated starch‐lipid complexes are mainly formed during the setback stage for two starches, and AS‐DA complexes underwent a process of combination‐disruption‐recombination‐disruption with ongoing cooling. These results reveal the formation process and structural properties of AS‐DA complexes during the retrogradation process and provided a better understanding of rational utilization of A. squarrosum starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Trichoderma asperellum FJ035 has good biocontrol effect on cucumber Fusarium wilt. • Spatiotemporal competition between FJ035 and FOC was described. • Spatiotemporal competition between FJ035 and FOC affects cucumber health. Fusarium wilt is one of the major constraints of cucumber production worldwide and is difficult to control in production. This study selected a strain of Trichoderma asperellum FJ035 with a good antagonistic effect against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum Owen (FOC) by plate confrontation test and secondary metabolites (volatile substances and non-volatile substances) antagonism tests. T. asperellum FJ035 inhibited spore germination of FOC and improved the germination potential of cucumber seeds. The spatiotemporal competition dynamics of T. sperellum FJ035 green fluorescence-labeled strain and FOC red fluorescence-labeled strain in the cucumber rhizosphere were monitored under a laser confocal microscope. The results showed that the vitality of FOC in the cucumber rhizosphere exceeded that of T. asperellum FJ035, but T. asperellum FJ035 exerted some inhibitory effects on FOC. When inoculation of T. asperellum FJ035 24 h before inoculation of FOC could significantly reduce the accumulation of FOC on the roots of cucumber, corresponding to the highest control efficiency against cucumber Fusarium wilt were 69.79% and 75.96% under hydroponic and potted conditions, respectively. T. asperellum FJ035 also significantly improved the root length, plant height, stem thickness, fresh weight, and area index of the first true leaves of cucumber seedlings, and effectively mitigating the adverse effects of FOC on cucumber growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The 5-hydroxytryptamine 7 (5-HT7) receptor is the most recently classified member of the serotonin receptor family. The localization of 5-HT7 receptors and the biological activity of its ligands have suggested that 5-HT7 receptors might be involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. In the present study, we investigated the correlation between temporal lobe epilepsy and 5-HT7 receptors using pilocarpine-induced rat models of temporal lobe epilepsy and surgical samples of temporal neocortex from intractable epilepsy patients. An analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral changes before and after the treatment of SB269970 hydrochloride (a selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist, 10mg/kg, i.p.) and AS19 (a selective 5-HT7 receptor agonist, 10mg/kg, s.c.) demonstrated that in epileptic rats the activation of 5-HT7 receptors could increase the number of seizures, which could be reduced by a 5-HT7 receptor antagonist. Moreover, the expression of 5-HT7 receptors was higher in the epilepsy group compared with the nonepileptic group in both rat and human brain tissues. The present results suggested that 5-HT7 receptors participate in the pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy, and a 5-HT7 receptor antagonist may be used as a therapeutic alternative for temporal lobe epilepsy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease which affects millions of people worldwide. Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure. In this study, APAP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) were employed on mice fed with a high-fat diet, and APAP (2, 4, 8 mM) were cultured with L02 cells in the presence of alcohol and oleic acid. APAP treatment significantly aggravated hepatic lipid accumulation, increased the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and increased hepatic lipid accumulation in H&E and Oil red O staining results. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) found fewer number of autophagosomes in APAP (100 mg/kg) treated group. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed the intensity of hepatic mTOR was increased and AMPK was decreased in 200 mg/kg APAP treated group. Western blot analysis showed APAP treatment decreased the levels of LC3-Ⅱ, Beclin1 and AMPK, while increased the levels of mTOR and SREBP-1c, respectively. In vitro study showed APAP treatment obviously increased TG activities in cell supernatant, and Oil red O staining had the same results. Western blot analysis demonstrated APAP treatment decreased the levels of LC3-Ⅱ, Beclin1 and AMPK, increased the levels of mTOR and SREBP-1c, but rapamycin treatment significantly reversed these effects of APAP. In conclusion, therapeutic dosages of APAP aggravates fat accumulation in NAFLD, the potential mechanism might be involved in inhibiting autophagy associated with the AMPK/mTOR pathway, and patients with NAFLD should use a lower dose of APAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• T. pinnatum LS029-3 with strong inhibition to L. theobromae was identified. • Metabolites of LS029-3 reduced postharvest mango stem-end rot disease. • Treatment with extracts of LS029-3 maintained the quality of mango. Mango stem-end rot caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a destructive postharvest disease that seriously endangers the mango production process after picking. In this study, the antifungal activities of 10 Trichoderma isolates isolated from mango rhizosphere soil were tested against L. theobromae through dual-culture. To understand the mechanism of antifungal activity, volatile and non-volatile metabolites produced by these 10 strains were also tested. Among ten Trichoderma isolates, the highest antifungal activity was shown by non-volatile metabolites of Trichoderma LS029-3, which was identified as Trichoderma pinnatum by morphological and molecular characteristics. The concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC 50) of the crude extracts extracted by ethyl acetate from the fermentation broth of isolate LS029-3 on L. theobromae was 0.25 ± 0.03 g L−1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that crude extracts could destroy the mycelium structure of L. theobromae at the 4 × EC 50 concentration. Ten chemical constituents from crude extracts were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) among which three compounds (Z)-13-docosenamide (ACROS), Hexanedioic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (DOA) and (Z)-9-Octadecenamide (MSDS) were the major constituents and could suppress fungal growth significantly. LS029-3 crude extracts significantly reduced severity and lesion area of mango stem-end rot disease, and maintained the hardness and color of the fruit by increasing the activity of mango defense enzyme (polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, total phenol) and reducing the decline rate of superoxide dismutases enzyme, glutathione enzyme and ascorbic acid content, thereby slowing down fruit rot. Post-harvest treatment of fruits with protective chemicals is a serious concern, that is directly related to human health. This study provides a practical solution to control postharvest of stem-end rot disease on mango through a safe and effective biocontrol strategy. This study firstly reported the biocontrol effect of T. pinnatum metabolites on postharvest mango stem-end rot and maintain the quality of mango fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Different Cultivation patterns used for a long period alter cucumber root microbiome. • Crop growth key genera are enriched in the rhizosphere of all cultivation patterns. • Paddy upland rotation alleviates soil acidification and promotes microbial functions. • Paddy upland rotation improves microbial diversity, realizes sustainable agriculture. Changing crop cultivation patterns may alleviate the negative effects of continuous cropping by altering soil characteristics. But how soil properties and microbial states are specifically altered is largely unknown. In this study, soil properties and cucumber growth were investigated after nine years under six cultivation patterns. The results showed that the different cultivation patterns significantly altered the bacterial and fungal communities of the bulk soil, and bacteria appeared to be more sensitive to cultivation pattern than fungal communities. In pairwise comparisons of the six cultivation patterns at the phylum level, all 15 comparisons showed significant differences in bacterial phyla, and 6 showed significant differences in fungal phyla. The paddy upland rotation pattern (pattern 1) had the greatest effect on the types of soil microorganisms, with 5 unique OTUs for bacteria and 17 for fungi. The results of unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis between bulk soil and rhizosphere soil suggested that differences in bulk soil microbes led to differences in rhizosphere soil microbes. Bacterial and fungal genera (Serratia, Arachidicoccus, Penicillium, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil were significantly associated with cucumber agronomic traits. Compared with the other cultivation patterns, pattern 1 and the garlic rotation pattern (pattern 6) promoted the succession of soil microorganisms in a direction beneficial to plant growth through enrichment of more microbiota antagonistic to plant pathogens. Different cultivation patterns also changed the abundance of potential microbial functional genes. Pattern 1 had an increased abundance of microorganisms associated with functions such as N and P cycling, arsenic detoxification, and aromatic compound degradation. Pattern 1 also significantly weakened the trend of soil acidification and produced a significantly higher soil pH than the other five patterns. Therefore, paddy upland rotation and garlic rotation cultivation patterns may be considered as alternatives for sustainable cucumber production in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Different Cultivation patterns used for a long period alter cucumber root microbiome. • Crop growth key genera are enriched in the rhizosphere of all cultivation patterns. • Paddy upland rotation alleviates soil acidification and promotes microbial functions. • Paddy upland rotation improves microbial diversity, realizes sustainable agriculture. Changing crop cultivation patterns may alleviate the negative effects of continuous cropping by altering soil characteristics. But how soil properties and microbial states are specifically altered is largely unknown. In this study, soil properties and cucumber growth were investigated after nine years under six cultivation patterns. The results showed that the different cultivation patterns significantly altered the bacterial and fungal communities of the bulk soil, and bacteria appeared to be more sensitive to cultivation pattern than fungal communities. In pairwise comparisons of the six cultivation patterns at the phylum level, all 15 comparisons showed significant differences in bacterial phyla, and 6 showed significant differences in fungal phyla. The paddy upland rotation pattern (pattern 1) had the greatest effect on the types of soil microorganisms, with 5 unique OTUs for bacteria and 17 for fungi. The results of unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis between bulk soil and rhizosphere soil suggested that differences in bulk soil microbes led to differences in rhizosphere soil microbes. Bacterial and fungal genera (Serratia, Arachidicoccus, Penicillium, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil were significantly associated with cucumber agronomic traits. Compared with the other cultivation patterns, pattern 1 and the garlic rotation pattern (pattern 6) promoted the succession of soil microorganisms in a direction beneficial to plant growth through enrichment of more microbiota antagonistic to plant pathogens. Different cultivation patterns also changed the abundance of potential microbial functional genes. Pattern 1 had an increased abundance of microorganisms associated with functions such as N and P cycling, arsenic detoxification, and aromatic compound degradation. Pattern 1 also significantly weakened the trend of soil acidification and produced a significantly higher soil pH than the other five patterns. Therefore, paddy upland rotation and garlic rotation cultivation patterns may be considered as alternatives for sustainable cucumber production in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]