Study on the hypoglycemic activities and metabolism of alcohol extract of Alismatis Rhizoma

The Alisma rhizoma is widely used in the therapy of diabetes in traditional folk medicine of China. Compositional analysis of the alcohol extract of Alismatis Rhizoma (AEA) revealed that the eight compounds gotten from AEA are all belonging to protostane-type triterpenes. The AEA and compounds were incubated with 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, glucose level in the 3T3-L1 adipocytes culture medium and lipid content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were measured, and analysis of alpha-glucosidase inhibition of AEA and compounds. At the same time, the uptake of AEA by 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the metabolism of AEA in SD rats were analyzed by HPLC-ESI/MS. As result, AEA increased glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocyte model, not increase adipogenesis; AEA inhibited alpha-glucosidase activity; alisol A-24-aceate (8) was absorbed by 3T3-L1 adipocytes; and two compounds were detected in blood and three were detected in urine in SD rats. So AEA had protostane-type triterpenes, these type compounds in AEA may have hypoglycemic activity via inhibition of alpha-glucosidase activity and promotion of glucose uptake. In contrast to the anti-diabetic drug thiazolidinediones, they did not induce adipogenesis, avoiding the displeased effects of rosiglitazone.     

Soil macropore characteristics and aggregate stability with poly-γ-glutamic acid amendment under wetting–drying cycles

Soils are typically subjected to multiple wetting–drying (WD) cycles due to irrigation and seasonal climate cycles, which directly impact soil pore structure and soil aggregate stability. Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a polymer used to improve soil water holding capacity and plant growth. However, the impact of γ-PGA on soil pore structure requires further research, particularly under WD cycles. Therefore, we investigated the different amounts of γ-PGA on soil structure, including soil aggregate stability, macropore (>100 μm) structure characteristics and the relationship between macropore characteristics (equivalent pore diameter, pore shape factor, soil porosity, fractal dimension (FD), soil connectivity and the percentage of aggregate content with particle size larger than 0.25 mm) and soil aggregate stability by structural equation modelling (SEM) under WD cycles. A sandy soil and a loam soil were studied, and amended with γ-PGA at three different concentrations: 0 (P0), 0.4% (P4) and 0.8% (P8) (w/w, %). Results showed that γ-PGA amendment increased the mean weight diameter (MWD) and the percentage of aggregate content with particle size larger than 0.25 mm (R_0.25) under WD cycles in both sandy and loam soils, while the MWD between P4 and P8 did not differ significantly. As the number of WD cycles increased, soil porosity (TP) increased due to an increase in pores of 100–500 μm. With γ-PGA added to soil, large microporosity (>1000 μm) increased in sandy soil, but decreased in loam soil. In addition, 8WD cycles also increased the FD (2.6%–4.2%) and pore connectivity (Con) compared with 4WD. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that soil pore characteristics accounted for 74% and 98% of the variation in sandy and loam soils, respectively. TP, FD, Con and R_0.25 directly contributed to MWD, according to the SEM. These findings improve our understanding of pore characteristics and aggregate stability, which are key factors influencing soil quality when amended with γ-PGA during the seasonal WD period.     

Increased Inflammatory Mediators in Horses Naturally Infected with Trypanosoma vivax. A Preliminary Study

The aim of this study was to measure the levels of inflammatory mediators in serum from horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma vivax. Banked serum samples collected during a previously reported T. vivax natural infection were used to analyze proinflammatory cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and nitrite/nitrate (NO_x) levels. We evaluated 12 serum samples from horses from a farm in southern Brazil, four of which had parasitological and molecular diagnoses for T. vivax and presented with clinical signs of disease. Cytokines were assessed by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and NO_x was measured using the modified Griess method. Levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, and NO_x were increased in serum of infected animals compared to that in noninfected animals. Therefore, infection with T. vivax caused an increase in proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide content.     

利用米糠外添GAD制备γ-氨基丁酸的工艺条件优化

以稻米加工副产品米糠为原料,采用单因素和正交实验确定了外添谷氨酸脱羧酶(GAD)制备γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)的最佳工艺条件:GAD酶用量175u/g,酶解时间2h,pH5.5,酶解温度45℃。经验证实验,在最佳工艺条件下GABA生成量为1530.7mg/100g米糠。     

60Co-γ和EMS诱变“天隆一号”突变体库变异特征的初步分析

为培育新的适应长江流域气候类型的大豆品种,利用60Co-γ射线和EMS分别对大豆天隆一号的种子进行诱变处理,构建大豆突变体库。对350份有表型变异的株系进行连续两年田间鉴定,运用60对SSR标记进行分子检测,并对籽粒表型变化明显的突变株进行苯基丙酸类代谢主要酶qPCR分析。结果表明:350份材料中有145份在株高、叶形、花色、种皮色、结荚习性等方面有稳定可见的表型变异,101份材料中检测到与野生型天隆一号存在至少1个SSR位点差异,其中M3-SD-1与M3-SD-2有超过10个标记的差异。SSR分析表明,表型发生变异的突变体主要是由DNA变化引起的,且突变体发生了多位点变异,突变位点也彼此不同。qPCR检测结果显示,种皮色、脐色等发生突变的3个材料苯基丙酸类代谢途径中关键基因的表达量发生显著变化。研究结果既可以为大豆品种改良提供新的种质资源,也有助于大豆功能基因组的研究。     

γ-聚谷氨酸对土壤结构、养分平衡及菠菜产量的影响

通过盆栽试验研究了土壤增施γ-PGA(0.1%,0.2%,0.3%,0.4%)对土壤团聚结构、土壤养分平衡、菠菜产量与经济效益的影响。结果表明:随γ-PGA施量增加,水稳性团聚体(WR0.25)、平均重量直径(MWD)和几何平均直径(GMD)均显著增大,而团聚体破坏率(PAD)与分形维数(D)均减小,说明γ-PGA对改善土壤团聚结构具有显著的效果;随γ-PGA施量的增加,菠菜对氮、磷、钾的吸收量减少,土壤养分残留量与盈余量增加,养分表观损失量减小;5组处理中,0.1%施量的土壤养分平衡状况最优,0.4%施量对作物养分吸收与土壤养分的平衡产生负效应;菠菜产量及经济效益均随γ-PGA施量增加而显著减小,0.4%施量时较未施γ-PGA减产42.98%;菠菜经济效益拟合结果表明γ-PGA在0～0.1%施量范围内菠菜获利高于不施加γ-PGA处理。综上,0.1%施量对改善土壤结构与养分状况、促进作物增产及作物养分吸收效果较优,这对进一步将γ-PGA应用于实际生产中提供了理论参考。     

Immunohistochemical expression of interferon-γ in different types of granulomatous lesions associated with bovine paratuberculosis

Animals infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) show a variety of lesions, from focal forms, seen in subclinical stages to diffuse lesions in clinical cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the local expression of IFN-γ by immunohistochemistry in relation with the type of lesion in naturally Map-infected cows. The number of immunolabelled cells, −the majority morphologically consistent with lymphocytes-, was higher in focal and diffuse paucibacillary forms than in diffuse multibacillary lesions, where they appeared closely related to epithelioid cells. Diffuse multibacillary lesions had the lowest numbers, but higher than controls, and positive cells were intermingled among the macrophages. The peripheral IFN-γ production was higher in all Map infected cows and a positive correlation was found with the number of immunolabelled cells in the intestine. The findings of this study show that IFN-γ would play a role in the development of the different types of lesions in paratuberculosis, and also points out the importance of adequate sampling of lymphoid tissue containing samples when studying the local immune response in which IFN-γ expression may be involved, especially in cases where focal lesions are present.     

γ-戊内酯/水复合溶剂体系中金属硫酸盐催化半纤维素定向转化制备糠醛

以廉价金属硫酸盐为催化剂,在γ-戊内酯/水复合溶剂中催化半纤维素定向转化制备糠醛,糠醛得率高达50.2%,半纤维素液化转化率达95.5%。在γ-戊内酯/水复合溶剂中,以金属硫酸盐为催化剂进一步研究了直接催化木质纤维生物质原料玉米芯和竹粉定向转化制备糠醛,其中糠醛得率分别达39.5%、29.7%,木质纤维原料液化转化率分别达86.5%、80.5%。     

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PPARγ expression in porcine uteroplacenta for regulating of placental angiogenesis through VEGF-mediated signalling

Non-infectious prenatal mortality severely affects the porcine industry, with pathological placentation as a likely key reason. Previous studies have demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) deficiency causes defects in the uteroplacental vasculature and induces embryonic losses in mice. However, its role in porcine placental angiogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, PPARγ expression was investigated in porcine uteroplacental tissues at gestational day (GD) 25, GD40 and GD70 via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Moreover, the roles of PPARγ in porcine placental angiogenesis were investigated using a cell model of porcine umbilical vein endothelial cells (PUVECs) to conduct proliferation, migration and tube formation assays in vitro and a mouse xenograft model to assess capillary formation in vivo. The results showed that PPARγ was mainly located in the glandular epithelium, trophoblast, amniotic chorion epithelium and vascular endothelium, as indicated by the higher expression levels at GD25 and GD40 than at GD70 in endometrium and by higher expression levels at GD40 and GD70 than at GD25 in placenta. Moreover, PPARγ expression was significantly downregulated in placenta with dead foetus. In PUVECs, knocking out PPARγ significantly inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro and inhibited capillary formation in mouse xenografts in vivo by blocking S-phase, promoting apoptosis and downregulating the angiogenic factors of VEGF and its receptors. Overall, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of PPARγ expression in porcine uteroplacental tissue suggests its vital role in endometrial remodelling and placental angiogenesis, and PPARγ regulates placental angiogenesis through VEGF-mediated signalling.     

EMS和60^Co-γ射线辐照复合诱变黄麻突变体苗期生理生化特性研究

为丰富黄麻种质资源和扩大突变体容量,本研究采用物理诱变（60^Co-γ）和化学诱变（EMS）相结合的方法,以＂中黄麻4号＂等7个黄麻品种为材料,观察记录诱变黄麻苗期的形态学变化,分析诱变黄麻的代谢特性和抗性指标。结果表明EMS和60^Co-γ射线对黄麻幼苗的叶片产生不同程度的损伤,前者主要导致叶片卷曲,后者导致叶片分叉。复合诱变导致黄麻幼苗脯氨酸含量、丙二醛含量和根系活力提高。而可溶性蛋白、SOD活性和POD活性变化则品种之间呈现差异。本研究为黄麻种质创新的方法提供了参考,并且丰富了黄麻突变体的材料。