Search

Chinese herbs are rich resources for the discovery of new environmentally friendly promoters for methane hydrate formation. We demonstrated that 20 out of 300 kinds of Chinese herbs were highly effective in promoting methane hydrate formation. Moreover, a more effective promoter than sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, the benchmark promoter), magnesium baicalin derived from Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) was identified.

An analytical method was established for the simultaneously determination the pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine contents in fermentation broth by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). After high-speed centrifugation, aqueous solution dilution, vortex shock, and microfiltration, the fermentation broth samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. The samples were separated on a Waters Atlantis® T3 column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 5 μm) using a gradient elution program with 10 mmol/L ammonium formate (containing 0.1% formic acid) and methanol (containing 0.02% formic acid) as the mobile phases. Moreover, a chromatographic protection column (5 mm×2.1 mm, 5 μm) was added to preserve the column efficiency. The flow rate, column temperature, and injection volume were set at 0.3 mL/min, 25 ℃, and 10 μL, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the target compounds were performed using an ESI+ source. MS parameters such as the collision energies and tube lens offsets of pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine were optimized. The quantitative ion pairs of pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine were m/z 269.17>153.20 and m/z 267.00>136.10, respectively; the corresponding collision energies were 11 V and 18 V. The external standard method was used for quantitative analysis. The established method was verified rigorously in terms of the linear range, limit of detection, limit of quantification, recovery rate, and precision. Pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine showed good linear relationships in the range of 1.0-250 μg/L. The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9969 to 0.9996, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 6.51% to 8.35% (n=8). This result indicated good accuracy and exactitude in the detection of the pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine. The recoveries (n=6) at three spiked levels (1.0, 5.0, and 25 μg/L) were in the ranges of 97.94%-104.46% and 89.96%-107.21% for the pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine, respectively; the corresponding RSDs were in the ranges of 3.74%-4.88% and 4.81%-13.29%. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N≥3) and limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N≥10) of the 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine and pentostatin in the fermentation broth were 0.003-0.060 μg/L and 0.010-0.200 μg/L, respectively. The validated experimental method was used for the detection of actual samples, viz. the stored multiple pentostatin-producing mutagenic strains in our laboratory. The HPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of the pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine in fermentation broth offered the advantages of small sampling volume, strong maneuverability, good stability, and high sensitivity. Compared with previously published methods, this systematically established and optimized method significantly reduced the detection time, and matrix effects were well suppressed. Moreover, the peak shape and stability of the target compounds were greatly improved. This method provides a methodological basis and meaningful reference for the detection of the pentostatin and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine in fermentation broth.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system. Traditional diagnosis and treatment methods have not significantly improved the overall survival of patients. In this study, we explored the value of

Multi-environment QTL mapping identified 23 stable loci and 34 co-located QTL clusters for panicle architecture and grain yield-related traits, which provide a genetic basis for foxtail millet yield improvement. Panicle architecture and grain weight, both of which are influenced by genetic and environmental factors, have significant effects on grain yield potential. Here, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 333 lines of foxtail millet, which were grown in 13 trials with varying environmental conditions, to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling nine agronomic traits related to panicle architecture and grain yield. We found that panicle weight, grain weight per panicle, panicle length, panicle diameter, and panicle exsertion length varied across different geographical locations. QTL mapping revealed 159 QTL for nine traits. Of the 159 QTL, 34 were identified in 2 to 12 environments, suggesting that the genetic control of panicle architecture in foxtail millet is sensitive to photoperiod and/or other environmental factors. Eighty-eight QTL controlling different traits formed 34 co-located QTL clusters, including the triple QTL cluster qPD9.2/qPL9.5/qPEL9.3, which was detected 23 times in 13 environments. Several candidate genes, including Seita.2G388700, Seita.3G136000, Seita.4G185300, Seita.5G241500, Seita.5G243100, Seita.9G281300, and Seita.9G342700, were identified in the genomic intervals of multi-environmental QTL or co-located QTL clusters. Using available phenotypic and genotype data, we conducted haplotype analysis for Seita.2G002300 and Seita.9G064000,which showed high correlations with panicle weight and panicle exsertion length, respectively. These results not only provided a basis for further fine mapping, functional studies and marker-assisted selection of traits related to panicle architecture in foxtail millet, but also provide information for comparative genomics analyses of cereal crops.

Jun Zhou,1,* Suying Wang,2,* Lun Zhu,3 Luting Zhou,1 Hong Zeng,4 Yongli Gan,2 Chaofu Wang1 1Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Ningbo Clinical and Pathological Diagnostic Center, Ningbo, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pathology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chaofu WangDepartment of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 2st Ruijin Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail wangchaofu@126.comAim: The concrete features of expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) are needed to be revealed in male and female germ cell tumors (GCTs).Methods: TdT immunostaining was performed in 195 GCTs, and the tumor and/or tumorous components included seminomas, germ cell neoplasias in situ (GCNISs), dysgerminomas, embryonal carcinomas (ECs), extragonadal germinomas, yolk sac tumors (YSTs), teratomas, and spermatocytic tumors. Twenty-one sex cord-stromal tumors were also added. Expression of the classical germ cell tumor markers (PLAP, OCT4, SALL4, CD117, and D2-40) was compared to that of TDT.Results: Nearly all (tumors or tumorous components) seminomas (99%, 107/108), GCNISs (98%, 51/52), dysgerminomas (94%, 17/18), ECs (100%, 15/15), and extragonadal germinomas (100%, 11/11) were positive for TdT. None of the cells in YSTs (0/38), teratomas (0/19), spermatocytic tumors (0/1), or sex cord-stromal tumors (0/21) were immunoreactive for TdT staining. The normal testicular and ovarian gonadal tissues were also negative for TdT. However, TdT presented with significant loss of antigen immunoreactivity in the paraffin-embedded tissues older than 3 years, giving rise to weak or moderate staining in a subset of cases. The expressions of TdT showed no significances with PLAP, OCT4, SALL4, CD117, and D2-40 during the diagnosis of the most GCTs (P> 0.05), except for with PLAP, SALL4, or CD117 in YST (P= 0.000 each), and D117 (P= 0.000) or D2-40 (P= 0.006) in ECs.Conclusion: Our findings further verify that TdT can serve as a new GCT marker for seminomas, GCNISs, dysgerminomas, ECs, and extragonadal germinomas, with a highly positive rate. Awareness of TdT positivity in GCTs contributes to the prevention of erroneous diagnoses, particularly in the setting of core needle biopsies. To determine the properties where TdT staining may not be apparent in some old archived paraffin-embedded tissues, one could circumvent the potential misinterpretations of false-negative immunohistochemistry results.Keywords: germ cell tumors, immunohistochemistry, TdT, pathological diagnosis

Using a fixed RIL population derived from a widely used foxtail millet backbone breeding line and an elite cultivar, we constructed a high-density bin map and identified six novel multi-environment effect QTLs and seven candidate genes for dwarf phenotype. Plant height is an important trait that determines tradeoffs between competition and resource allocation, which is crucial for yield potential. To improve the C4 model plant foxtail millet (Setaria italica) productivity, it is necessary to isolate plant height-related genes that contribute to ideal plant architecture in breeding. In the present study, we generated a foxtail millet population of 333 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a backbone line Ai 88 and an elite cultivar Liaogu 1. We evaluated plant height in 13 environmental conditions across 4 years, the mean plant height of the RIL population ranged from 89.5 to 149.9 cm. Using deep re-sequencing data, we constructed a high-density bin map with 3744 marker bins. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping identified 26 QTLs significantly associated with plant height. Of these, 13 QTLs were repeatedly detected under multiple environments, including six novel QTLs that have not been reported before. Seita.1G242300, a gene encodes gibberellin 2-oxidase-8, which was detected in nine environments in a 1.54-Mb interval of qPH1.3, was considered as an important candidate gene. Moreover, other six genes involved in GA biosynthesis or signaling pathways, and fifteen genes encode F-box domain proteins which might function as E3 ligases, were also considered as candidate genes in different QTLs. These QTLs and candidate genes identified in this study will help to elucidate the genetic basis of foxtail millet plant height, and the linked markers will be useful for marker-assistant selection of varieties with ideal plant architecture and high yield potential.

Data are limited on the prevalence and vascular distribution of multiterritorial atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis in community populations.To investigate the prevalence and vascular distribution of multiterritorial atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis in older, community-dwelling populations in China.This cross-sectional study was based on the baseline survey from the Polyvascular Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Events (PRECISE) study, a population-based prospective cohort study that enrolled community-dwelling adults aged 50 to 75 years based on cluster sampling from 6 villages and 4 living communities of Lishui city in southeast China. Data were collected from May 2017 to September 2019 and analyzed from September to November 2021.Atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis at baseline were assessed in multiple vascular territories. Brain vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for intracranial and extracranial arteries; computed tomography angiography (CTA) for coronary, subclavian, aorta, renal, and iliofemoral arteries; and ankle-brachial index for peripheral arteries were performed at baseline survey. The extent of atherosclerosis was assessed according to the number of these 8 vascular sites affected, and polyvascular lesions were defined as at least 2 affected sites.A total of 3433 of 4202 invited individuals consented to participate in the study. After excluding 366 participants with contraindications for MRI or CTA scanning, with life expectancies of 4 years of fewer, or with mental disease, a total of 3067 community-dwelling adults were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 61.2 (6.7) years; 1640 (53.5%) were women, and 74 (2.4%) had prevalent ASCVD. Most participants (2870 [93.6%]) had atherosclerotic plaques in at least 1 vascular territory. Atherosclerotic plaques were mostly detected in the aorta (2419 [79.6%]) and iliofemoral arteries (2312 [75.8%]), followed by subclavian (1500 [49.8%]), coronary (1366 [44.9%]), extracranial (1110 [36.4%]), renal (873 [28.7%]), and intracranial (542 [17.7%]) arteries. A substantial proportion of participants (1180 [38.5%]) had arterial stenosis of 50% or greater, predominantly affecting the coronary (542 [17.8%]) and iliofemoral (527 [17.3%]) arteries. Polyvascular atherosclerotic plaque was observed in 2541 participants (82.8%), with 1436 (46.8%) with plaque affecting 4 or more vascular territories, and polyvascular stenosis was observed in 412 patients (13.4%).In this study, atherosclerotic plaque was highly prevalent in the older community population in China, and a substantial proportion of individuals reach stenosis of 50% or greater.

The fresh-cut potato is popular in many foods, but its shelf-time is difficult to predict. Through orthogonal test, the fresh-cut potato was dipped in chlorine dioxide solution (100 mg/L), citric acid solution (1.5%) and potassium sorbate solution (0.1%) in order, and then packaged with polyvinylidene chloride plastic film for the best preservation effect. Then, the processed potatoes were stored in 0 °C, 4 °C, 7 °C and 10 °C. The quality-change relationship between samples over time and temperature are mainly studied by weight loss, PPO activity and total number of colonies. The results show that the weight loss, the PPO activity and the total number of colonies increased with the increase of the time and the temperature, and the temperature of 0 °C is optimum for the storage of fresh-cut potato. The kinetic models of the weight loss, the PPO activity and the total number of colonies are established based on experimental data. By comparing the predicted values with the experimental values, it is shown that the shelf-life prediction model of PPO activity can offer a more accurate prediction of the shelf life of fresh-cut potato at different temperatures. We anticipate that our results might be used to forecast and evaluate the quality of vegetables in the process of logistics.

// Ying Yue 1, 2, 3, * , Mengjia Song 1, 2, * , Yamin Qiao 1, 2, * , Pupu Li 1, 2 , Yiqiang Yuan 3 , Jingyao Lian 1, 2 , Suying Wang 4 and Yi Zhang 1, 2, 5, 6 1 Biotherapy Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China 2 Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China 3 The No.7. People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, Henan 450016, China 4 Clinical Laboratory, Hebi People’s Hospital, Hebi 458030, China 5 School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China 6 Key Laboratory for Tumor Immunology and Biotherapy of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Yi Zhang, email: yizhang@zzu.edu.cn Keywords: esophagus cancer; gene function analysis; microarray gene expression profiling Received: February 23, 2017 Accepted: August 28, 2017 Published: October 30, 2017 ABSTRACT Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common digestive malignant tumors worldwide. Over the past decades, there have been minimal improvements in outcomes for patients with EC. New targets and novel therapies are needed to improve outcomes for these patients. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of EC by integrated bioinformatic analyses of the feature genes associated with EC and correlative gene functions which can distinguish cancerous tissues from non-cancerous tissues. Gene expression profile GSE20347 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, including 17 EC samples and their paired adjacent non-cancerous samples. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between EC and normal specimens were identified and then applied to analyze the GO enrichment on gene functions and KEGG pathways. Corresponding Pathway Relation Network (Pathway-net) and Gene Signal Network (signal-net) of DEGs were established based on the data collected from GCBI datasets. The results showed that DEGs mainly participated in the process of cell adhesion, cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Aberrant expression of PTK2, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway and MET were closely associated with EC carcinogenesis. Importantly, Interleukin 8 (IL8) and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR-7) were predicted to be significantly related to EC. These findings were further validated by analyzing both TCGA database and our clinical samples of EC. Our discovery provides a registry of genes and pathways that are disrupted in EC, which has the potential to be used in clinic for diagnosis and target therapy of EC in future.

We first demonstrated that L-methionine, a natural amino acid, can be used to dramatically enhance CO2 uptake kinetics in the formation of CO2 hydrate without the use of energy-intensive mixing technologies or environmentally harmful chemicals. To the best of our knowledge, L-methionine is the most effective promoter to enhance CO2 hydrate formation (at a concentration of 0.2 wt%, the gravimetric capacity reached up to 356 mg g-1 in 1000 min, and t90 (the time to achieve 90% of this capacity) was only 15 min). We also presented a tentative explanation of the promotion mechanism of L-methionine in the formation of CO2 hydrate from the point of view of structure-property relationship that will help search for more effective promoters. Our results may offer the possibility of practical application of hydrate-based CO2 capture and storage technology.

Astragaloside IV (AS#IV) has previously demonstrated antitumoractivity. We investigated the effect and mechanisms of AS#IV in relation to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), viainterference with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in gliomaU251 cells. Induction of glioma U251 cells by transforming growthfactor (TGF)#β1 activated EMT, including switching E#cadherin toN-cadherin and altering the expression of Wnt/β-catenin signalingpathway components such as vimentin, β-catenin, and cyclin-D1.AS-IV inhibited the viability, invasion, and migration of TGF-β1-induced glioma U251 cells. AS-IV also interfered with the TGF#β1-induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in glioma U251 cells.These findings indicate that AS#IV prohibits TGF#β1-induced EMTby disrupting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in glioma U251 cells. AS#IV may thus be a potential candidate agent for treating glioma andother central nervous system tumors.

Dry hydrated potassium carbonate (DHPC) is a free-flowing powder prepared by uniformly mixing hydrated K

Marine Streptomyces sp. CC0208 isolated from the Bohai Bay showed high efficiency of cellulose degradation under optimized fermentation parameters. Also, as one of the bioinformatics-based approaches for the discovery of novel natural product and enzyme effectively, genome mining has been developed and applied widely. Herein, we reported the complete genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. CC0208.Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed a genome size of 9,325,981 bp with a linear chromosome, GC content of 70.59% and 8487 protein-coding genes. Abundant genes have predicted functions in antibiotic metabolism and enzymes. A 20 enzymes closely associated with cellulose degradation were discovered. A total of 25 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) of secondary metabolites were identified, including diverse classes of natural products. The availability of genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. CC0208 not only will assist in cracking the mechanism of cellulose degradation but also will provide the insights into the significant secondary metabolic potentials for the production of diverse compound classes based on rational strategies.

Hyperoside, an active compound found in plants of the generaHypericumandCrataegus, is reported to exhibit antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. Induction of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) apoptosis is recognized as a promising strategy for attenuation of hepatic fibrosis. In this study, we investigated whether hyperoside treatment can exert antifibrotic effects in human LX-2 hepatic stellate cells. We found that hyperoside induced apoptosis in LX-2 cells and decreased levels ofα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), type I collagen, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Remarkably, hyperoside also inhibited the DNA-binding activity of the transcription factor NF-κB and altered expression levels of NF-κB-regulated genes related to apoptosis, including proapoptotic genesBcl-Xs,DR4,Fas, andFasLand anti-apoptotic genesA20,c-IAP1,Bcl-XL, andRIP1. Our results suggest that hyperoside may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

The emission of CO2 has been considered a major cause of greenhouse effects and global warming. The current CO2 capture approaches have their own advantages and weaknesses. We found that free-flowing hydrated sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) powders with 30 wt % water can achieve a very high CO2 sorption capacity of 282 mg/g within 60 min and fast CO2 uptake (90% saturation uptake within 16 min). The results suggest that the alkaline solution resulting from the dissolution of partial Na2CO3 can freely attach onto the hydrated Na2CO3 particles, which provides an excellent gas–liquid interface for CO2 capture, leading to significantly enhanced CO2 sorption capacity and kinetics.

The oncogenic microRNA-21 contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma. Ibrutinib (also referred to as PCI-32765), an inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, while its effects on multiple myeloma have not been well described. Here, we show that microRNA-21 is an oncogenic marker closely linked with progression of multiple myeloma. Moreover, ibrutinib attenuates microRNA-21 expression in multiple myeloma cells by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that ibrutinib is a promising potential treatment for multiple myeloma. Further investigation of mechanisms of ibrutinib function in multiple myeloma will be necessary to evaluate its use as a novel multiple myeloma treatment.

Objectives Sparsomycin, which exhibits rare broad-spectrum antibiotic and antitumour activity against bacteria, Archaea, Eucarya and various cancer cell lines, has been widely used as a powerful tool to study protein synthesis. Here we report the draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sparsogenes ATCC 25498 from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), which has become an organism of interest owing to its ability to produce sparsomycin. Methods The whole-genome sequence of S. sparsogenes ATCC 25498 was determined using a high-throughput Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform and genome assembly was performed using the SOAPdenovo method. Results Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed a genome size of 10.0 Mb. A total of 41 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified. The gene cluster for the biosynthesis of sparsomycin was localised on scaffold 9. Conclusions The genome sequence of S. sparsogenes ATCC 25498 will not only aid in understanding the regulatory mechanism of sparsomycin biosynthesis but will also reveal the ability of the isolate to produce novel bioactive secondary metabolites.

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important grain crop that is grown in arid regions. Here we sequenced 916 diverse foxtail millet varieties, identified 2.58 million SNPs and used 0.8 million common SNPs to construct a haplotype map of the foxtail millet genome. We classified the foxtail millet varieties into two divergent groups that are strongly correlated with early and late flowering times. We phenotyped the 916 varieties under five different environments and identified 512 loci associated with 47 agronomic traits by genome-wide association studies. We performed a de novo assembly of deeply sequenced genomes of a Setaria viridis accession (the wild progenitor of S. italica) and an S. italica variety and identified complex interspecies and intraspecies variants. We also identified 36 selective sweeps that seem to have occurred during modern breeding. This study provides fundamental resources for genetics research and genetic improvement in foxtail millet.

Based on 16S rRNA and rpoC1 gene sequences, the phylogenetic relationship between Spirulina and Arthrospira were studied and compared.We amplified, sequenced and analyzed 16S rRNA and rpoC1 of 84 strains. Then the phylogenetic trees were constructed and compared.The conserved sites percentage, average G+C content and sequence identity of rpoC1 were 49.7%, 47.7%, 76%-100% respectively, significantly lower than 79.4%, 55.6% and 91%-100% of 16S rRNA, and the heterogeneity degree was higher. The trees generated with two different genes showed similar topologies and thus inferred consistent phylogenetic relationships. Eighty-four experimental strains were divided into 3 groups belonging to 2 genera: F-35 1, F-904-2, F-1070 and TJBC14 were Spirulina and the rest were Arthrospira. Although morphospecies and geographical species could not be distinguished based on 16S rRNA and rpoC1 gene sequences, the bootstrap value of rpoC1 (100%) was higher than that of 16S rRNA (99%). Moreover, clustering effect of rpoC1 for Spirulina and Arthrospirai was better than 16S rRNA.Spirulina and Arthrospira were different genera, rpoC1 gene has more advantage to distinguish the strains in the same genus than that of 16S rRNA gene.

Amyloid β and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) play an important role in the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study was to investigate whether a combination of plasma biomarkers and clinical data would discriminate AD from vascular dementia, other neurodegenerative dementia and non-demented controls. The study included 112 patients with AD, 85 patients with vascular dementia, 30 patients with other neurodegenerative dementia and 116 age-matched, non-demented controls. Although ACT, Aβ42 and the ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40 had significant differences between AD, vascular dementia, other neurodegenerative dementia and non-demented controls (P

The cyanobacteria TJSD091 strain, a member of the genus Arthrospira was isolated from seaside wetland in China, Bohai. The draft genome sequence of Arthrospira sp. TJSD091 with a genome size of approximately 6.3 M bp and a G + C content of 44.75% is reported.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the factors that may predict the occurrence of depression in patients with primary hypertension. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey on 891 hypertensive patients and 651 normal subjects (control group) from a single community. Zung self-rating depression scale (SDS) was applied to evaluate the symptoms of depression, which was diagnosed when the SDS score was41. RESULTS There was no significant difference in gender distribution (female, 48.5 vs. 47.6%) and age (65.3±9.2 vs. 64.0±7.9 years) between the hypertensive control groups (P0.05). Depression was diagnosed in 139 hypertensive patients (15.6%) and 27 (4.2%) control subjects (P0.01). The average SDS score was higher in patients with hypertension duration of more than 3 years (33.3±9.0 vs. 30.6±7.6, P0.001), in patients with severe hypertension (44.0±7.8 vs. 28.9±4.9, P0.001) and in patients with a history of hospitalization for cardiovascular disorders (38.1±9.3 vs. 32.0±8.4, P0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the degree and the duration of hypertension, as well as hospitalization history, were independent predictors of depression in the hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS Hypertension is associated with a higher prevalence of depression that can be predicted by the duration and severity of hypertension as well as a history of hospitalization.

In this paper, a total of 22 bacterial isolates capable of fixing nitrogen and/or solubilizing phosphorus were inoculated, and mixed incubated in 15 liquid media. The isolates were obtained from soil with selective media, and not purified. After grown for 48 hours, the mixed cultures were continuously inoculated to the same media, and then incubated under the same conditions. The procedures were repeated for 12 times, and 15 stable bacterial mixtures (SBM) were obtained. Each SBM was purified, which contained two or three bacterial species. Agar plate bacteriostasis test showed that 6 mixed cultures of the SBM exhibited significant inhibition effects to one or more plant pathogens of Verticillium dahliae, Rhizoctonia solani, and Pseudomonas syringae. It was found that C7 and C15 were the two SBM with most obvious antibiological effect. SMB C15 had the ability of nitrogen fixation, and C4, C5 C7, C9, C14 and C15 showed the ability of phosphorus solubilization. These results suggested a possible approach to develop stable, synergistic, and multi-functional antibiological agents.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the most common hematological malignancies and to date, it remains an incurable disease. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of 5-acetyloxy-6,7,8,4′-tetramethoxyflavone (5-ATMF), a compound from aged citrus peel extracts, on the MM U266 cell line. We found that the compound inhibited cell growth and induced cell apoptosis in multiple apoptotic assays. The apoptotic proteins caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase) were cleaved when cells were treated with 5-ATMF. Along with the apoptosis process, the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2), was significantly downregulated and the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax (Bcl-2 associated X protein), upregulated along with the release of cytochrome C (Cyt c) and the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Notably, we found that the phosphorylation of Bad (Bcl-2/Bcl-X L -associated death promoter) was decreased but Bad remained unchanged in this process. On adding 5-ATMF to U266 cells, we observed that 5-ATMF repressed the phosphorylation of Akt (PKB Protein Kinase B PKB), thereby increasing the release of Cyt c and inhibiting the phosphorylation of Bad. These effects were enhanced by Ly294002, an inhibitor of Akt. These results suggested that 5-ATMF exerts a pro-apoptotic effect on U266 cells, possibly associated with the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway induced by the PI3K/Akt/Bad pathway.