Effect of miR-29b-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway on progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats

AIM: To investigate the role of microRNA-29b (miR-29b)-mediated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and its effect on the progression of hepatic fibrosis in rats.METHODS: Hepatic liver fibrosis rat model was established, and its HSC were isolated. Normal rat HSC were also obtained and identified in vitro. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the alterations of miR-29b, TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins and liver fibrosis marker proteins in the acquired cells. Finally, the direct targeting binding of miR-29b to TGF-β1 was identified by dual-luciferase reporter assay system.RESULTS: With the activation of HSC, the expression of miR-29b gradually decreased (P<0.01), while the expression of collagen type I and α-smooth muscle actin gradually increased (P<0.01). At the same time, the expression of Smad2/3/4 was significantly increased, and the expression of Smad7 was significantly decreased (P<0.01). Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-29b bound directly to "UCUCUCCGU" in the 3'UTR of TGF-β1, indicating that TGF-β1 was a downstream target gene of miR-29b.CONCLUSION: miR-29b may be involved in the inhibition of HSC activation and migration, thereby inhibiting the process of liver fibrosis. The biological function of miR-29b may be through the direct targeting of TGF-β1, thus regulating and inhibiting the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.     

Analysis and Assessment on Heavy Metal Contamination in Cotton Seeds of Hunan Province

[Objective] In order to guarantee the quality and safety of cotton products and to explore the feasibility of alternative planting, the contamination condition of the heavy metals in cotton seeds in Hunan province was investigated and evaluated. [Method] Fifty-six cotton seed samples, collected in 6 counties of Hunan province, were collected to determine 6 indicators including cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, mercury and inorganic arsenic contents. This was followed by pollution index calculation, correlation analysis, and cluster analysis. [Results] The range of comprehensive pollution indexes of Junshan district, Anxiang county, Nanxian county, Wangcheng and Dingcheng districts varied between 0.366 5–0.577 0, which belonged to a secure level. However, the single pollution indexes of Hengyang county are relatively high. The comprehensive pollution index of Hengyang county was 0.801 6, meaning a mild pollution level. [Conclusion] The pollution status of cadmium, lead, copper, chromium, mercury and arsenic in Hunan cottonseed samples are generally acceptable. Cotton could be a substitute for rice on contaminated soil.     

基于6 000 kg·hm－2以上籽棉产量水平的高产高效理论

提高棉花产量是棉农增收的根本途径，实现6 000 kg·hm^－2以上籽棉高产水平应满足如下群体质量特征要求：品种为环境适应性强、高光效且化调敏感的抗虫杂交种；密度在2.40万～3.00万株·hm^－2范围，棉花总铃数120万～135万；成铃时空均衡分布，伏前桃、伏桃、秋桃分别占5%、45%、50%，上、中、下部成铃各占35%、35%、30%，内、外围铃各占52%、48%。在6 000 kg· hm^－2以上籽棉产量目标下，棉花个体要达到“120壮株型、555超大铃”标准，即株高120 cm以上，高质量成铃时间达到70 d，单株果节120个以上，单株50铃以上，内围成铃占52%、外围成铃占48%，秋桃占50%左右、铃重6 g以上。     

抗虫棉品种苏棉6039的选育

介绍了苏棉6039的选育过程和方法、特征特性以及栽培技术要点。     

浅谈陆地棉杂种二代利用

棉花杂种优势利用是提高棉花产量主要途径之一。研究表明，一些陆地棉F₂仍具有明显的产量杂种优势，种子成本低廉的F2具有潜在的应用前景。本文综述了陆地棉F₂杂种优势遗传基础、优势表现以及目前生产上出现的问题，并从育种层面提出了有针对性的解决对策。     

Intensive organic vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated management

Intensive vegetable production in greenhouses has rapidly expanded in China since the 1990s and increased to 1.3 million ha of farmland by 2016, which is the highest in the world. We conducted an 11‐year greenhouse vegetable production experiment from 2002 to 2013 to observe soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics under three management systems, i.e., conventional (CON), integrated (ING), and intensive organic (ORG) farming. Soil samples (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) were collected in 2002 and 2013 and separated into four particle‐size fractions, i.e., coarse sand (> 250 µm), fine sand (250–53 µm), silt (53–2 µm), and clay (< 2 µm). The SOC contents and δ¹³C values of the whole soil and the four particle‐size fractions were analyzed. After 11 years of vegetable farming, ORG and ING significantly increased SOC stocks (0–20 cm) by 4008 ± 36.6 and 2880 ± 365 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, respectively, 8.1‐ and 5.8‐times that of CON (494 ± 42.6 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). The SOC stock increase in ORG at 20–40 cm depth was 245 ± 66.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1, significantly higher than in ING (66 ± 13.4 kg C ha^?1 y^?1) and CON (109 ± 44.8 kg C ha^?1 y^?1). Analyses of ¹³C revealed a significant increase in newly produced SOC in both soil layers in ORG. However, the carbon conversion efficiency (CE: increased organic carbon in soil divided by organic carbon input) was lower in ORG (14.4%–21.7%) than in ING (18.2%–27.4%). Among the four particle‐sizes in the 0–20 cm layer, the silt fraction exhibited the largest proportion of increase in SOC content (57.8% and 55.4% of the SOC increase in ORG and ING, respectively). A similar trend was detected in the 20–40 cm soil layer. Over all, intensive organic (ORG) vegetable production increases soil organic carbon but with a lower carbon conversion efficiency than integrated (ING) management.     

Distribution of water-stable aggregates under soil tillage practices in a black soil hillslope cropland in Northeast China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Soil aggregates are the basic units of soil structure. Water-stable aggregates (WSAs) are greatly influenced by tillage practices. The main objective of our study...     

isopropylstilbene发酵条件优化及其对灰葡萄孢的抑制作用

isopropylstilbene (3, 5-二羟基-4-异丙基二苯乙烯) 是发光杆菌Photohabdus temperata产生的一种二苯乙烯类化合物，具有多种生物活性。为促进isopropylstilbene在农业抗生素领域应用价值的开发，采用固相萃取、柱层析等技术从发光杆菌P. temperata SN 35的发酵液中分离纯化得到1个化合物，通过核磁共振氢谱对其结构进行了确认，并采用高效液相色谱测定了其纯度；通过Plackett-Burman试验和响应面法对发光杆菌SN 35摇瓶发酵培养条件进行了优化，并初步研究了所分离化合物对灰葡萄孢Botrytis cinerea的离体抑菌活性及对灰霉病的防治效果。结果表明:所分离的化合物为isopropylstilbene，纯度为93%；对发光杆菌SN 35摇瓶发酵培养条件进行优化后，isopropylstilbene的产量是优化前的2.22倍。离体抑菌试验结果表明:isopropylstilbene对灰葡萄孢的菌丝生长具有较好的抑制作用，其EC₅₀值为 (9.17 ± 0.17) μg/mL，但低于对照药剂百菌清[EC₅₀值为 (0.90 ± 0.08) μg/mL]；在10 μg/mL下，isopropylstilbene对灰葡萄孢孢子萌发的抑制率为63.01%。活体盆栽试验结果表明，在200 μg/mL下，isopropylstilbene对黄瓜灰霉病的防治效果达92.19%，与百菌清的防效 (97.63%) 相当，对番茄灰霉病的防治效果为72.12%，略低于百菌清 (81.61%)。本研究通过对isopropylstilbene发酵条件的优化，为其工业化生产奠定了理论基础。该化合物对灰霉病具有很好的防治效果，可为天然杀菌剂的研究与开发提供参考。     

盐胁迫对膜荚黄芪种子萌发的影响

为了保护并开发膜荚黄芪,同时改良盐碱地,研究了3种不同盐（中性盐NaCl、碱性盐Na₂CO₃和复盐）对膜荚黄芪种子发芽率、发芽势、抗氧化酶活性、丙二醛含量、可溶性蛋白质含量和相对电导率的影响。结果表明,不同盐胁迫对膜荚黄芪种子的影响不同,随着盐浓度的增加,黄芪种子的发芽率和发芽势逐渐降低;低浓度的NaCl和复盐可提高抗氧化酶活性,Na₂CO₃处理随着其浓度增加对抗氧化酶活性的抑制作用增强;各处理均增大了丙二醛含量和相对电导率;NaCl和复盐处理降低了膜荚黄芪种子可溶性蛋白含量,Na₂CO₃处理的可溶性蛋白含量随盐浓度增加而增加,综合各项指标可得同等盐浓度条件下胁迫作用由强到弱为Na₂CO₃>NaCl>复盐。     

培肥措施对复垦土壤微生物碳氮代谢功能多样性的影响

土壤复垦是矿区生态环境恢复和耕地总量平衡及质量提升的根本要求。本研究依托山西襄垣采煤塌陷区复垦定位试验基地，采用Biolog-ECO方法和荧光定量PCR技术，研究了不施肥（CK）、单施化肥（CF）、单施有机肥（M）和有机无机培肥（MCF）4种培肥措施下复垦4年和8年土壤微生物碳代谢功能多样性及氮代谢功能基因丰度的变化特征。结果表明，随复垦年限增加，单施有机肥较其他处理可显著提高复垦土壤微生物的总碳源利用能力；不同处理复垦土壤微生物碳源相对利用率总体表现为氨基酸类>糖类>聚合物类>羧酸类>双亲化合物类>胺类，其中单施有机肥更大程度上提高了羧酸类、氨基酸类和胺类碳源的利用率；复垦年限和培肥措施没有改变复垦土壤微生物优势度指数，但有机无机配施较其他处理可显著提高香浓指数（H′）和Pielou均匀度指数；不同处理复垦土壤氮转化功能基因丰度总体表现为amoA（AOA）> amoA（AOB）>nisS、nirK> nifH，5种功能基因丰度均为以有机无机培肥处理最高，且随复垦时间增加而增加；复垦土壤有机质含量与nirS、nirK、nifH基因丰度以及AWCD值存在显著相关性，相关系数在0.707～0.807，同时5种氮转化功能基因丰度均与玉米产量存在显著或极显著的相关性，相关系数在0.824～0.949。综上所述，单施有机肥可提高土壤有机质含量，进而增强了复垦土壤碳代谢强度，有机无机培肥则更有利于复垦土壤碳氮代谢功能多样性的提升，并促进作物产量形成。