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In this study, crude polysaccharides from soybean and natto were prepared by water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation. The chemical compositions, structural characteristics, water solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC) and fat-binding capacity (FBC) of soybean and natto polysaccharides were analyzed. Their in vitro antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and lipid-lowering activities were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the content of uronic acid was significantly higher in natto polysaccharide than in soybean polysaccharide (P < 0.05). The molecular masses of soybean and natto polysaccharides were 5.256 and 33.532 ku, respectively, and the monosaccharide compositions of soybean and natto polysaccharides were similar in the types but different in the proportions of monosaccharide. The surface of soybean polysaccharide was rough, whereas the surface of natto polysaccharide was smooth and dense. The water solubility of natto polysaccharide was 2.04 times as high as that of soybean polysaccharide, and the FBC was 2.99 times as high as that of natto polysaccharide. Natto polysaccharide exhibited better antioxidant activity, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of (0.049 ± 0.015) and (2.640 ± 0.072) mg/mL for scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical, respectively. The IC50 for the inhibition of α-amylase activity by natto polysaccharide was (3.297 ± 0.395) mg/mL. Natto polysaccharide had significantly higher in vitro hypoglycemic activity (P < 0.05), stronger cholate binding capacity and in vitro hypolipidemic activity than soybean polysaccharide. This study has provided an important theoretical basis for the structural analysis and biological activity evaluation of natto polysaccharide.

Rapeseed is a crucial oil crop globally, and in recent years, abiotic stress has increasingly affected its growth, development, yield, and quality. Salt stress is a significant abiotic factor that restricts crop production. The EPF gene family is vital in managing salt stress by controlling stomatal development and opening, which reduces water loss and increases plant salt tolerance. To explore the features of the EPF gene family in Brassica napus and their expression under salt stress, this study utilized Arabidopsis EPF protein sequences as seed sequences, including their PF17181 and PF16851 domains. A total of 27 members of the EPF gene family were detected within the rapeseed genome. The study examined the physicochemical properties, gene structure, phylogenetic relationships, and collinearity of BnEPFs. Through transcriptomes, we employed the qPCR method to determine the relative expression levels of BnEPF genes potentially associated with rapeseed stress resistance under both non-salt and salt stress conditions. Subsequently, we assessed their influence on rapeseed plants subjected to salt stress. During salt stress conditions, all BnEPF genes displayed a downregulation trend, indicating their potential impact on stomatal development and signal transduction pathways, consequently improving rapeseed's resistance to salt stress. The study findings establish a basis for exploring the roles of BnEPFs and offer candidate genes for breeding stress-resistant varieties and enhancing the yield in rapeseed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the important functional-active components in different varieties of natto, natto was processed using soybean, black bean, red bean, mung bean, lentil, chickpea, kidney bean, pea, red bean and cowpea, and the differences of nattokinase, polyphenol, natto polysaccharide and γ-aminobutyric acid were compared and analyzed in these natto. The results showed that the nattokinase activity ranged from 985.31 to 2453.18 U/g, and the nattokinase activity in chickpea natto was significantly higher than those of other natto (P<0.05). The total phenol content ranged from 1.44 to 3.21 mg GAE/g, and the total phenolic acid content ranged from 19.754 to 183.902 μg/g. The types of phenolic substances were abundant in black bean natto, mung bean natto and cowpea natto. The yield of polysaccharide was 1.03%-15.11%, the content of total sugar was 21.86%-58.40%, and the content of uronic acid was 4.26%-15.09%. And the yield of polysaccharide, the contents of total sugar and uronic acid in kidney bean natto were significantly higher than those of other natto (P<0.05). The content of γ-aminobutyric acid was 4.97-15.99 mg/g, and the content of γ-aminobutyric acid in cowpea natto was significantly higher than those of other natto (P<0.05). The viable number of Bacillus subtilis natto in lentil natto was significantly higher than those of other natto (P<0.05). After comprehensive evaluation, black bean, cowpea and kidney bean were ideal raw materials for the produce of new natto. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has greatly influenced soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. Currently, the response of SOC to atmospheric N deposition is generally detected through understory N addition, while canopy processes have been largely ignored. In the present study, canopy N addition (CN) and understory N addition (UN, 50 and 100 kg N ha−1 year−1) were performed in a Moso bamboo forest to compare whether CN and UN addition have consistent effects on SOC and SOC turnover times (τsoil: defined as the ratio of SOC stock and soil heterotrophic respiration) with a local NHx:NOy ratio of 2.08:1. The experimental results showed that after five years, the SOC content of canopy water addition without N addition (CN0) was 82.9 g C kg−1, while it was 79.3, 70.7, 79.5 and 74.5 g C kg−1 for CN50, CN100, UN50 and UN100, respectively, and no significant difference was found for the SOC content between CN and UN. Five-year N addition did not significantly change τsoil, which was 34.5 ± 7.4 (mean ± standard error) for CN0, and it was 24.9 ± 4.8, 22.4 ± 4.9, 30.5 ± 4.0 and 22.1 ± 6.5 years for CN0, CN50, CN100, UN50 and UN100, respectively. Partial least squares structural equation modeling explained 93% of the variance in τsoil, and the results showed that soil enzyme activity was the most important positive factor controlling τsoil. These findings contradicted the previous assumption that UN may overestimate the impacts of N deposition on SOC. Our findings were mainly related to the high N deposition background in the study area, the special forest type of Moso bamboo and the short duration of the experiment. Therefore, our study had significant implications for modeling SOC dynamics to N deposition for high N deposition areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between Confucianism and auditor judgment. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2006 to 2019, we find that the Confucian atmosphere in auditors' hometowns is positively associated with their audit adjustments. The mechanism analyses show that Confucianism in auditors' hometowns can influence auditor morality and further affect their judgment. We also find that the positive relationship between Confucianism in auditors' hometowns and audit adjustments is reinforced by auditor exposure to strong Confucian atmospheres in their places of education and workplaces but weakened by Western culture diffusion. Moreover, auditors who are more influenced by Confucianism are associated with more improvements in client financial reporting quality, more upward and downward adjustments, more small and large adjustments and more audit effort but not higher audit fees. Overall, this study provides evidence that supports the imprinting effect of traditional Confucianism on auditors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral mucositis is a common and frequentoccurring disease and there is no effective treatment. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of polyphenolic extract from Artemisia selengensis Turcz (PPAST) in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis. Cultured human gingival fibroblast cell HGF-1 was used as an in vitro experimental model to confirm the effect of PPAST inhibition of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) on cytotoxicity and its effect on the production of inflammatory cytokines. A rat model of oral ulcer was induced by acetic acid cauterization, and the curative effect of PPAST on oral ulcer was investigated from ulcer area and ulcer duration. PPAST significantly inhibited the toxic effect of LPS on HGF1 cells, improved the survival rate of HGF1 cells, and showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of TNF-α in HGF-1 cell. Treatment with PPAST reduced mucositis scores, promoted oral ulcer healing, and reduced plasma TNF-α levels in rats. Experimental data show that PPAST is safe and effective in the prevention and treatment of oral inflammatory diseases.

In order to study the effects of inoculation with Rhizobium leguminosarum on soil fertility, development of root nodule and nitrogenase activity, grain yield components and quality of different pea varieties, a pot experiment was conducted involving inoculating with or without Acccl6103 in pea varieties of Zhongwan 4, Zhongwan 6, Chengwan 8, Ewan567, Red flower Pea and Zhongwan 5. The results showed that inoculating with Rhizobium leguminosarum could significantly increase organic matter content in Zhongwan 5, while Zhongwan 4, Zhongwan 6, Chengwan 8 and Ewan567 could markedly improve total nitrogen content. Additionally, pea varieties inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum could distinctly improve available nitrogen content except the variety of Chengwan 8. Zhongwan 4 and Red flower Pea inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum could markedly increase rapidly available potassium content, while Chengwan 8 Ewan567 and Zhongwan 5 could significantly improve rapidly available phosphorus content. Moreover, inoculating with Rhizobium leguminosarum also could distinctly increase the dry weight of root nodules (except Ewan567) and nitrogenase activity, but there was no obvious effect of number of pods per plant. In the study, Zhongwan 6 inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum could markedly improve number of grains per pod, while Zhongwan 4, Zhongwan 6 and Chengwan 8 could obviously increase thousand grain dry weights. In addition, it was observed that inoculating with Rhizobium leguminosarum could significantly improve crude protein and fiber content in different pea varieties' grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]