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BackgroundYanshan ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) is a perennial herb used as a medicine and spice, and is beneficial for soil and water conservation in karst areas. Given the widespread utilization of Yanshan ginger in China and continuing expansion of the planting area, disposal of waste materials is problematic. The branches and leaves of Yanshan ginger contain a variety of potent antibacterial compounds, such as volatile oils, phenols, and diterpenoids, which hinder their rapid degradation by microorganisms. In this study, we screened and constructed a composite microbial system to provide a technical reference for production of organic fertilizer from the branches and leaves of Yanshan ginger.MethodsA composite microbial system, "YanShan Jun" (YSJ), was developed by screening for efficient detoxification and degradation of the branches and leaves of Yanshan ginger. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the stability and diversity of YSJ subcultures. The culture conditions for YSJ were optimized by sequential single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. Yanshan ginger leaves and branches were inoculated with YSJ to study its effects on composting efficiency.ResultsThe microbial composition of YSJ was stable and rich in diversity through continuous subculture. Through response surface analysis, the optimized culture conditions for YSJ were determined as follows: peptone 8.0 g/L, sodium chloride 9.0 g/L, calcium carbonate 5.2 g/L, yeast powder 1.6 g/L, cultivation temperature 56.1°C, and culture duration 6 d. Under these conditions, the degradation rate of Yanshan ginger was 58.32%, which was 14.22% higher than that before optimization. The ability of YSJ to degrade the antibacterial compounds of ginger after optimization was significantly enhanced. Inoculation of Yanshan ginger compost with YSJ increased the fermentation temperature, prolonged the high-temperature period, and reduced the water content and pH of the compost in the early stage.ConclusionsInoculation of plant compost with YSJ bacteria improves the nutritional environment of the compost, promotes the composting reaction, promotes the rapid formation of a strong indigenous microflora, forms a beneficial microecological environment, and increases the composting efficiency. This study provides a theoretical basis for practical application of YSJ for organic fertilizer production from Yanshan ginger.

Background: Concerns have been raised about how the transmission of emerging infectious diseases from patients to healthcare workers (HCWs) and vice versa could be recognized and prevented in a timely manner. An effective strategy to block transmission of pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza in HCWs is important. Methodology/Principal Findings: An infection control program was implemented to survey and prevent nosocomial outbreaks of H1N1 (2009) influenza at a 2,600-bed, tertiary-care academic hospital. In total, 4,963 employees at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital recorded their temperature and received online education on control practices for influenza infections. Administration records provided vaccination records and occupational characteristics of all HCWs. Early recognition of a pandemic H1N1 (2009) influenza case was followed by a semi-structured questionnaire to analyze possible routes of patient contact, household contact, or unspecified contact. Surveillance spanned August 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010; 51 HCWs were confirmed to have novel H1N1 (2009) influenza by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Prevalence of patient contact, household contact, or unspecified contact infection was 13.7% (7/ 51), 13.7% (7/51), and 72.5% (37/51), respectively. The prevalence of the novel H1N1 infection was significantly lower among vaccinated HCWs than among unvaccinated HCWs (p,0.001). Higher viral loads in throat swabs were found in HCWs with patient and household contact infection than in those with unspecified contact infection (4.15 vs. 3.53 copies/mL, log10, p = 0.035). Conclusion: A surveillance system with daily temperature recordings and online education for HCWs is important for a low attack rate of H1N1 (2009) influenza transmission before H1N1 (2009) influenza vaccination is available, and the attack rate is further decreased after mass vaccination. Unspecified contact infection rates were significantly higher than that of patient contact and household contact infection, highlighting the need for public education of influenza transmission in addition to hospital infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amplification of genes at 13q34 has been reported to be associated with tumor proliferation and progression in diverse types of cancers. However, its role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) has yet to be explored. We examined two iCCA cell lines and 86 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma to analyze copy number of three target genes, including cullin 4A (CUL4A), insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2), and transcription factor Dp-1 (TFDP1) at 13q34 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The cell lines and all tumor samples were used to test the relationship between copy number (CN) alterations and protein expression by western blotting and immunohistochemical assays, respectively. IRS2 was introduced, and each target gene was silenced in cell lines. The mobility potential of cells was compared in the basal condition and after manipulation using cell migration and invasion assays. CN alterations correlated with protein expression levels. The SNU1079 cell line containing deletions of the target genes demonstrated decreased protein expression levels and significantly lower numbers of migratory and invasive cells, as opposed to the RBE cell line, which does not contain CN alterations. Overexpression of IRS2 by introducing IRS2 in SUN1079 cells increased the mobility potential. In contrast, silencing each target gene showed a trend or statistical significance toward inhibition of migratory and invasive capacities in RBE cells. In tumor samples, the amplification of each of these genes was associated with poor disease-free survival. Twelve cases (13.9%) demonstrated copy numbers > 4 for all three genes tested (CUL4A, IRS2, and TFDP1), and showed a significant difference in disease-free survival by both univariate and multivariate survival analyses (hazard ratio, 2.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 5.88; P = 0.013). Our data demonstrate that amplification of genes at 13q34 plays an oncogenic role in iCCA featuring adverse disease-free survival, which may provide new directions for targeted therapy.