CK Content Research Articles

Balanced Fertilization Enhances the Nutritional Value and Flavor Profile of Tomato Fruits

The tomato is a key fruit in China. However, the drive to produce higher-quality tomatoes has resulted in fertilizer overuse, soil degradation, and environmental pollution in recent years. Therefore, investigating the effects of balanced fertilization on the nutritional and flavor qualities of tomato plants is crucial. This study applied four fertilizer treatments to assess their effects on sugar and acid contents, sugar-metabolism-related enzyme activity, nitrate levels, ascorbic acid, pigments, polyphenols, and volatiles, and we performed a correlation analysis. The results showed that balanced fertilization increased glucose and fructose contents by 45% and 31% compared to CK (conventional fertilizer), while tartaric, citric, acetic, malic, and shikimic acid contents were reduced by 59%, 27%, 22%, 26%, and 4%, respectively. Additionally, balanced fertilization increased the activities of sucrose synthase (SS), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), acid invertase (AI), and neutral invertase (NI) by 58%, 26%, 19%, and 35%, respectively, compared to CK (conventional fertilizer) and upregulated the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), neutral invertase (NI), sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP) genes. Moreover, balanced fertilization significantly enhanced the polyphenol content, as well as the diversity and concentration of volatiles. Correlation analysis confirmed that sugar-metabolism-related enzymes and genes were positively correlated with sugar fractions and negatively correlated with the organic acid content. Principal components analysis demonstrated that the balanced fertilization treatment was distinct from the other treatments, and all polyphenols, except for caffeic acid, were positively associated with balanced fertilization.

Quercetin inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis via Sirt3/SOD2/mitochondrial reactive oxygen species during myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury

BackgroundMyocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) can lead to impaired cardiac function. Quercetin (Que) has a positive effect and improves MI/RI. Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3) is a deacetylase that ameliorates oxidative stress and is associated with MI/RI. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which Que protects cardiac function against MI/RI through the Sirt3 signaling pathway. MethodsWe conducted experiments by constructing hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) cardiomyocytes and MI/RI rat models. H9C2 cells were transfected with siRNA-Sirt3. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was examined by TUNEL and Western blotting. The oxidative stress index was also determined. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity assays, ATP assays and mitochondrial membrane potential assays were performed. Evans Blue/TTC staining was used to examine surviving myocardial tissue. ResultsIn the constructed H/R cells and MI/RI animal models, it was found that myocardial cell apoptosis increased (Bcl-2 expression was downregulated; Bax and cleaved caspase-3/8/9 expression were upregulated). In addition, oxidative stress levels increased (MDA levels increased; SOD, CAT, GSH-Px levels decreased), myocardial tissue was damaged (LDH, CK content increased), Sirt3 expression was downregulated, acetylation levels of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) increased (AC-SOD2), and mitochondrial ROS increased. Que treatment alleviated the effects of MI/RI on cardiomyocytes and rats. Sirt3 expression and activity were upregulated, SOD2 acetylation was decreased, and mitochondrial ROS production was reduced by Que treatment. After Sirt3 was knocked down, we found that AC-SOD2 expression was upregulated and mitochondrial ROS were increased in H/R cardiomyocytes, further increased the degree of injury, while Que treatment attenuated the effect of Sirt3 knockdown on H/R cardiomyocytes. ConclusionQue inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis, reduces oxidative stress levels, protects mitochondrial function and prevents the impairment of cardiac function during MI/RI via the Sirt3/SOD2/mitochondrial ROS pathway.

The impact of PPAR-γ/Nrf-2/HO-1, NF-κB/IL-6/ Keap-1, and Bcl-2/caspase-3/ATG-5 pathways in mitigation of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in an animal model: The potential cardioprotective role of oxyresveratrol and/or dapagliflozin

Antioxidants given concurrently with chemotherapy offer an effective strategy for reducing the negative effects of the drug. One remaining obstacle to the use of doxorubicin (DOX) in chemotherapy is cardiotoxicity. Using vitamin E (Vit. E) as a reference standard, our study focuses on the potential preventive benefits of oxyresveratrol (ORES) and/or dapagliflozin (DAPA) against DOX-induced cardiac injury. Acute cardiotoxicity was noticed after a single intravenous injection of a male rat's tail vein with 10 mg/kg of DOX. Oral doses of ORES (80 mg/kg), DAPA (10 mg/kg), and Vit. E (1 g/kg) were given, respectively. Pretreatment of animals with Vit. E, ORES and/or DAPA revealed a considerable alleviation of heart damage, as evidenced by histopathological change mitigation and a notable drop in serum AST, LDH, CK, CK-MB, and cardiac contents of MDA and NO2−. Also, serum TAC, tissue GSH, and SOD showed substantial increases. Additionally, tissue caspase-3, serum IL-6, and TNF-α were considerably reduced. Moreover, a downregulation in cardiac gene expression of ATG-5, Keap-1, and NF-κB in addition to an upregulation of Bcl-2 gene expression and HO-1, Nrf-2, and PPAR-γ protein expression clearly appeared. Ultimately, ORES and/or DAPA have an optimistic preventive action against severe heart deterioration caused by DOX.

Physiological, biochemical and transcriptomic studies reveal the mechanisms promoting tiller bud growth under high temperature conditions in japonica rice

High temperature (HT) negatively impacts the initiation and development of tiller buds in japonica rice, resulting in a substantial decrease in yield. However, the physiological and molecular mechanisms alleviating the inhibition of HT on the growth of tiller buds in japonica rice remain elusive. Hence, this study aimed to dissect the underlying mechanisms of normal tiller buds’ growth under HT in japonica rice through comparative physiological, biochemical and transcriptomics analyses of two contrasting varieties, ‘Changgeng 225’ (‘CG225’, heat-tolerant) and ‘Zhonghua 11’ (‘ZH11’, heat-sensitive). Compared with ‘ZH11’, the tiller number of ‘CG225’ decreased less under HT stress. ‘CG225’ outperformance over ‘ZH11’ was due to higher activities of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD and APX), as well as higher activities of the key enzymes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism (NR, GOGAT, GS, GDH, SS and SPS) in tiller buds. In addition, lower contents of the tiller-inhibiting phytohormone ABA and SLs, and higher contents of the tiller-promoting phytohormone CK in ‘CG225’ also promoted the growth of tiller buds. Most of the significant DEGs between ‘CG225’ and ‘ZH11’ under HT conditions were assigned to chloroplast and photosynthesis. We identified potential candidate genes, including transcription factors (EP2, B3, bHLH, MYB, NAC, and WRKY), phytohormone (auxin efflux carriers and ethylene biosynthesis genes), antioxidant system (peroxidases), and sucrose pathway-related genes. Furthermore, ectopic sucrose application significantly alleviated HT inhibitory effects on tiller bud growth of ‘ZH11’ plants. Our results reveal a synergistic control of heat stress by several metabolic mechanisms in japonica rice during tillering and provide fundamental resources for improving rice HT tolerance and production.

Application of Konjac Glucomannan with Chitosan Coating in Yellow Alkaline Noodles.

To improve the quality of the characteristics of yellow alkaline noodles and enrich their nutritional value, konjac glucomannan (KGM) with or without chitosan coating were added to noodles, and their application effects were investigated in terms of color, texture, water absorption, starch digestion, total plate count (TPC) and microstructure. Chitosan-konjac glucomannan (CK) complex was firstly prepared by embedding konjac powder with chitosan sol. After embedding, the hydrophilicity of KGM decreased significantly. Then, either CK or native KGM were mixed evenly with flour before saline water, and soda was subsequently added to produce noodles. Compared with native KGM, CK provided the noodles with a higher brightness and a lighter yellow color. In terms of texture properties, although the firmness of CK noodles was weaker than that of KGM noodles, the tensile properties were enhanced. After embedding, the water absorption of CK noodles decreased and the content of resistant starch (RS) in the noodles increased. During storage, the TPC in CK noodles was significantly lower than that in KGM noodles. At a CK content of 5%, the noodles presented a lightness of 87.41, a b value of 17.75, a shear work of 39.9 g·cm, a tensile distance of 84.28 cm, a water absorption of 69.48%, a RS content of 17.97% and a TPC of 2.74 lg CFU/g at 10 days. In general, KGM with chitosan coating could improve the physicochemical qualities of noodles and extend their shelf life to a certain extent.

Effect of Straw Mulching and Deep Burial Mode on Water and Salt Transport Regularity in Saline Soils

To examine the impacts of various straw mulching techniques, this study used the indoor soil column test as the primary research method and the field test as the validation test on the salinity dynamics of saline and alkaline soils. The experiment in this study was designed with five treatments: SC means for straw covered on the soil surface; DB means for straw buried 40 cm below the soil surface; S1D1, S2D1, and S1D2 represent the ratio of soil surface cover to the amount of straw buried 40 cm below the soil surface as 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2, respectively. The results of the indoor soil column test showed that all kinds of straw mulching techniques could effectively reduce soil moisture evaporation, and the straw mulching and deep burial mode was more effective: after 45 days of evaporation, compared with that of CK, the cumulative evaporation of soil moisture were reduced by 29.61%, 27.49%, 37.87%, 65.85%, and 54.58% for SC, DB, S1D1, S2D1, and S1D2, respectively; the straw mulching and deep burial mode could reduce the soil evaporation intensity more effectively than the single-layer straw mulching mode: the mean soil evaporation rates of CK, SC, DB, S1D1, S2D1 and S1D2 after 45 days of evaporation were 1.27 mm/day, 0.90 mm/day, 0.92 mm/day, 0.80 mm/day, 0.43 mm/day, and 0.58 mm/day; various straw mulching techniques could inhibit the accumulation of salts in the surface soil and effectively regulate the distribution of salts in the soil profile, among which the straw mulching and deep burial mode had the best effect of salinity suppression: after 30 days of evaporation, the re-salinization levels of the 0–40 cm soil layer of SC, DB, S1D1, S2D1, and S1D2 were reduced by 66.78%, 43.08%, 33.95%, 92.04% and 45.94% compared with that in the CK, respectively; there was a significant positive correlation between cumulative evaporation of soil moisture and cumulative soil salinity, which implied that cumulative soil salinity increased with the increase in cumulative evaporation of soil moisture. The results of the field experiment justified the results of the indoor soil column test: after four months of evaporation, the field moisture contents of CK, SC, DB, S1D1, S2D1, and S1D2 in the 0–20 cm soil layer were 14.77%, 3.51%, 15.10%, 15.26%, 18.73%, and 2.94%, respectively; during the experimental period, the salt inhibition rate of SC, DB, S1D1, S2D1 and S1D2 in 0–20 cm soil layer were 35.46%, 44.76%, 50.98%, 54.80% and 37.30%, respectively. Therefore, in a comprehensive view, S2D1 treatment had the best effect of salt and vapor suppression on saline soil. This study is of great significance for the resource utilization of straw waste, the improvement of water utilization and efficiency, and the management of soil salinization.

Effects of Balanced Fertilization and Straw Mulching on Soil Nutrients and Stoichiometry in Purple Soil Slope

To explore the effects of long-term balanced fertilization and straw mulching on soil nutrients and stoichiometric ratios in purple soil sloping cropland, nine plots (length 7 m×width 3 m) were established in Dianjiang County as the research sample area of long-term farmland nitrogen and phosphorus loss monitoring. The following three treatments were set up:conventional mode (CK), balanced fertilization mode (M1), and balanced fertilization+straw mulching mode (M2), with three replications for each treatment to compare the contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and their stoichiometric changes under different treatments from 2018 to 2020. The results showed:K contents showed significant differences among the three treatments in 2018, in the order of CK>M2>M1. NO3--N and NH4+-N contents showed significant differences among the three treatments in 2019, both in the order of M1>M2>CK. Other nutrient contents showed no significant difference among different treatments each year. Soil C and N contents showed non-significant differences among different years. The total K contents of CK, M1, and M2 in 2018 were significantly higher than that in other years and were 78.26% and 98.79%, 19.13% and 35.4%, and 54.49% and 41.76% higher than that in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The total P content in the CK and M2 treatments decreased with years, and that of CK and M2 in 2018 was 20.29% and 10.67% and 39.68% and 17.33% higher than that in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The available potassium (AK) content of the three treatments showed non-significant differences among different years, whereas the contents of nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), and available phosphorus (AP) showed significant differences among the different treatments, with all being the highest in 2020. Soil C:P, C:K, N:P, N:K, and P:K ratios of each treatment showed significant differences among different years (P<0.05). Soil C:K, N:K, and AN:AP ratios all showed significant differences among different fertilization modes in 2018 and 2019, respectively (P<0.05). There was a significantly linearly positive relationship between soil C and N concentration and soil P and K concentration. There were very significant linear positive correlations between soil C:K and C:P, N:K, N:P, and P:K; N:K with C:P, P:K, and N:P; and N:P with C:P, N:P, and C:P. Soil P concentration was highly significantly linearly negatively correlated with C:K and N:K ratios. There were significant positive correlations between soil NO3--N, NH4+-N, AN:AP, and AN:AK; NH4+-N, AN:AP, and AN:AK; and AN:AP and AN:AK. The results suggested that balanced fertilization and straw mulching was a more suitable management mode for purple soil sloping cropland.

Use of bacterial cellulose obtained from kombucha fermentation in spent coffee grounds for active composites based on PLA and maleinized linseed oil

Spent coffee grounds have been successfully used as an alternative infusion for kombucha fermentation (spent coffee kombucha, SCK). The obtained by-product of this fermentation consists of a kombucha bacterial cellulose (KBC) matrix. The bacterial cellulose was also fermented in pristine coffee grounds infusion for comparison (coffee kombucha, CK). The bacterial cellulose obtained from both infusion fermentations (SCK and CK) was used as filler in PLA matrix plasticized with a 5 wt% of maleinized linseed oil (MLO). Two different content of SCK and CK (3 and 5 wt%) were introduced in the PLA-MLO matrix to produce a film using a conical twin-screw microextruder to simulate the industrial processing conditions. The resultant bio-based films were studied in tern of morphological, tensile, and thermal properties, UV–visible absorption, water vapor permeability, and wettability. The antioxidant activity of the obtained materials was tested in contact with a fatty food simulant demonstrating antioxidant activity. In addition, disintegrability tests under composting conditions confirmed the compostable character of all films. The obtained results suggest the potential applicability of these bio-based materials obtained by the revaluation of HoReCa waste in antioxidant materials with interest as food packaging or for agricultural uses.

Overexpression of MdFRK2 enhances apple drought resistance by promoting carbohydrate metabolism and root growth under drought stress

Soluble sugars function not only as the energy and structural blocks supporting plants, but also as osmoregulators and signal molecules during plant adaptation to water deficit. Here, we investigated drought resistance in transgenic apple (Malus × domestica) overexpressing MdFRK2, a key gene regulating fructose content and sugar metabolism. There is no obvious phenotypic difference between MdFRK2-overexpressing transgenic plants and WT plants under the well-watered condition. However, the transgenic plants and the grafted plants using MdFRK2-overexpressing rootstock exhibited improved tolerance to drought stress. Overexpression of MdFRK2 significantly promoted the growth of root system under drought stress. RNA sequencing showed that under drought stress, genes involved in sugar metabolism, transcription regulation, signal transduction or hormone metabolism were differentially expressed in MdFRK2 transgenic plants. Consistent with the gene expression profile, the activities of enzyme (SDH, FRK and NI) involved in sugar metabolism in the roots of MdFRK2 transgenic plants were significantly higher than those of untransformed control plants after drought stress. Under drought stress, overexpression of MdFRK2 promoted the accumulation of IAA, and decreased the contents of ABA and CK in apple root system. In conclusion, these results suggest that MdFRK2 can promote the growth of apple roots under drought stress by regulating sugar metabolism and accumulation, hormone metabolism and signal transduction, and then resist drought stress.

Emodin Regulates lncRNA XIST/miR-217 Axis to Protect Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of emodin on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and mechanism. Eighty healthy adult male SD rats (weighing 230-250 g) were utilized to establish I/R model, which were randomly divided into five groups (16 rats in each group): sham operation group, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury group (I/R group), emodin group, emodin +NC group, and emodin +XIST group. The contents of CK, CK-MB, LDH, and HBDH in serum were determined by ELISA kit. LDH was detected by ELISA assay, SOD was detected by the xanthine oxidase method, and MDA was detected by the thiobarbituric acid method. The relative expression of XIST and miR-217 was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression. Flow cytometry was applied to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Myocardial infarction area was obviously increased in I/R model rats, while emodin decreased the myocardial infarction in I/R model rats. In addition, cardiac enzymes (CK, CK-MB, LDH, and HBDH) and apoptosis were obviously increased in MIRI model rats, while emodin obviously decreased cardiac enzymes and apoptosis. The ROS and MDA levels were raised while the activities of SOD were declined in the I/R model group. The ROS and MDA levels were decreased while the activities of SOD were raised in the emodin group. The XIST expression was markedly raised in the I/R model group while decreased in the emodin group, and the overexpression of XIST reversed the protective effect of emodin on myocardial infarction, oxidative stress, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In addition, XIST directly regulated the expression of miR-217, and si-XIST inhibited H/R-induced oxidative damage of cardiomyocytes via inhibiting miR-217. Emodin protected MIRI both in vitro and in vivo via inhibiting lncRNA XIST to upregulate miR-217.

MiR-568 mitigated cardiomyocytes apoptosis, oxidative stress response and cardiac dysfunction via targeting SMURF2 in heart failure rats.

Chronic heart failure (CHF), a conventional, complex, and severe syndrome, is generally defined by myocardial output inadequate to satisfy the metabolic requirements of body tissues. Recently, miR-568 was identified to be down-regulated in CHF patients' sera and negatively correlated with left ventricular mass index in symptomatic CHF patients with systolic dysfunction. Nevertheless, the role of miR-568 during CHF development remains obscure. The current study is aimed to investigate the role of miR-568 in CHF. The MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, RT-qPCR analysis, western blot analysis and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to figure out the function and potential mechanism of miR-568 in vitro. Rats were operated with aortic coarctation to establish CHF animal model. The effects of miR-568 and SMURF2 on CHF rats were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson's staining, serum index testing, cardiac ultrasound detection, and TUNEL staining assays. We discovered that miR-568 level was downregulated by H2O2 treatment in cardiomyocytes. In mechanism, miR-568 directly targeted and negatively regulated SMURF2. In function, SMURF2 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-568 on cardiac function and histological changes in vivo. Additionally, SMURF2 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-568 on the content of LDH, AST, CK and CK-MB in vivo. Moreover, SMURF2 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-568 on oxidative stress response in vivo. MiR-568 mitigated cardiomyocytes apoptosis, oxidative stress response and cardiac dysfunction via targeting SMURF2 in CHF rats. This discovery may serve as a potential biomarker for CHF treatment.

Intervention effects of estradiol on myocardial ischemia- reperfusion injury of rat and its mechanisms

Objective: To study the effects of estradiol (E2) on alleviating myocardial ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury through estrogen receptorβ(ERβ) mediated extracellular regulated protein kinases(ERK) pathway activation. Methods: Eighty-four adult female SD rats were ovariectomized and randomly divided into control group, NC siRNA adeno-associated virus (AAV) group received sham operation, the myocardial I/R injury model was prepared by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in I/R group, E2+I/R group, NC siRNA AAV+I/R group, NC siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group and ERβ-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group. E2+I/R group, NC siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group and ERβ-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group were treated with E2 0.8 mg/kg by gavage for 60 days before modeling. NC siRNA AAV+I/R group, NC siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group, and ERβ-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group were treated with AAV by caudal vein injection 24 h before modeling. After 120 min of reperfusion, the contents of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), phosphocreatine kinase (CK), phosphocreatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), myocardial infarction area and the expressions of ERβ, p-ERK, the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1 β), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in myocardium were measured. Results: The contents of serum LDH, CK, CK-MB, myocardial infarction area and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1 β, MDA in myocardium of I/R group were higher than those of the control group, the expression levels of ERβ and p-ERK and the content of T-AOC were lower than those in the control group (P＜0.05). The contents of serum LDH, CK and CK-MB, myocardial infarction area and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1 β and MDA in myocardium of E2+I/R group were lower than those of the I/R group, the expression levels of ERβ and p-ERK and the content of T-AOC were higher than those of the I/R group(P＜0.05). After knockdown ERβ by caudal vein injection of ERβ-siRNA AAV, the contents of serum LDH, CK and CK-MB, myocardial infarction area and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1 β and MDA in myocardium of ERβ-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R group were higher than those of NC-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R, the expression levels of ERβ and p-ERK and the content of T-AOC were lower than those of NC-siRNA AAV+E2+I/R(P＜0.05). Conclusion: E2 has protective effects on myocardial I / R injury in ovariectomized rats, which are related to the promotion of ERβ mediating the activation of ERK pathway, reducing inflammatory and oxidative stress responses.

Application of biochar and organic fertilizer to saline‐alkali soil in the Yellow River Delta: Effects on soil water, salinity, nutrients, and maize yield

AbstractSoil salinization is a global problem that limits agricultural productivity and sustainable development. As waste‐derived soil amendments, biochar and organic fertilizer have garnered considerable attention for their ability to improve soil physicochemical properties and contribution to agricultural waste resource recovery. However, comparable data on the effects of biochar and organic fertilizers on the physicochemical properties of saline‐alkali soils are lacking. Therefore, we applied biochar (B1: 5 t ha−1 year−1; B2: 10 t ha−1 year−1; and B3: 20 t ha−1 year−1) and organic fertilizer (OF1: 7.5 t ha−1 year−1 and OF2: 10 t ha−1 year−1) to saline‐alkali soil in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China, continuously for 3 years. Because of the influence of their application on soil fertility and water‐salt status, maize yield increased by 55.01–62.51% and 15.01–26.67% for the biochar and organic fertilizer treated soils, respectively. Biochar and organic fertilizer increased soil water content, Ca2+, Mg2+, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, total nitrogen,‐N,‐N, organic matter, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, while decreasing the sodium adsorption ratio and soil pH. Compared with CK, Na+ and soil salt content were reduced by 3.83–8.16% and 2.45–12.08%, respectively, under biochar treatments and increased by 2.19–5.34% and 12.95–20.02%, respectively, under organic fertilizer treatments. Principal component analysis showed that biochar was more effective than organic fertilizer in increasing SWC and reducing salinity and Na+. Based on the evidence of this study, biochar presents an eco‐friendly agricultural strategy for improving saline‐alkali soils and increasing maize yield in the YRD.

Effect of Shelterbelt Construction on Soil Water Characteristic Curves in an Extreme Arid Shifting Desert

To explore the impact of artificial shelterbelt construction with saline irrigation on the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) of shifting sandy soil in extreme arid desert areas, three treatments including under the shelterbelt (US), bare land in the shelterbelt (BL) and shifting sandy land (CK) in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert were selected. The age of the shelterbelt is 16, and the vegetation cover is mainly Calligonum mongolicum. The soils from different depths of 0–30 cm were taken keeping in view the objective of the study. The SWCCs were determined by the centrifugal method and fitting was performed using various models such as the Gardner (G) model, Brooks–Corey (BC) model and Van Genuchten (VG) model. Then, the most suitable SWCC model was selected. The results showed that electrical conductivity (EC) and organic matter content of BL and US decreased with the increasing soil depth, while the EC and organic matter content of CK increased with the soil depth. The changes in soil bulk density, EC and organic matter of 0–5 cm soil were mostly significant (p &lt; 0.05) for different treatments, and the differences in SWCCs were also significant among different treatments. Moreover, the construction of an artificial shelterbelt improved soil water-holding capacity and had the most significant impacts on the surface soil. The increase in soil water-holding capacity decreased with increasing soil depth, and the available soil water existed in the form of readily available water. The BC model and VG model were found to be better than the G model in fitting results, and the BC model had the best fitting result on CK, while the VG Model had the best fitting result on BL with higher organic matter and salt contents. Comparing the fitting results of the three models, we concluded that although the fitting accuracy of the VG model tended to decrease with increasing organic matter and salinity, the VG model had the highest fitting accuracy when comparing with BC and G models for the BL treatment with high organic matter and salinity. Therefore, the influence of organic matter and salinity should be considered when establishing soil water transfer function.

Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai causes myotoxicity through the metalloprotease component of venom

Jellyfish envenomation is a common medical problem in many countries. However, the myotoxicity and effector molecules of scyphozoan venoms remain uninvestigated. Here, we present the myotoxicity of nematocyst venom from Nemopilema nomurai (NnNV), a giant venomous scyphozoan from China, for the first time, using in vivo models with inhibitors. NnNV was able to induce remarkable myotoxicity including significant muscle swelling, increasing the content of CK and LDH in serum, stimulating inflammation of muscle tissue, and destroying the structure of muscle tissue. In addition, the metalloproteinase inhibitors BMT and EDTA significantly reduced the myotoxicity induced by NnNV. Moreover, BMT and EDTA could decrease the inflammatory stimulation and necrosis of muscle tissue caused by the venom. These observations suggest that the metalloproteinase components of NnNV make a considerable contribution to myotoxicity. This study contributes to understanding the effector molecules of muscle injury caused by jellyfish stings and suggests a new idea for the treatment of scyphozoan envenomation.

Honey on Basketball Players' Physical Recovery and Nutritional Supplement.

Sports injury is a subject that every athlete will face, and it is the easiest to happen in training and competition, especially for basketball players. Moreover, the excessive fatigue caused by sports not only reduces the person's ability to play sports, but also it reduces the person's participation in normal training and competition. Sugar and fat play a dominant role in energy metabolism, while protein only plays an auxiliary role. For competitive sports, sugar is the most important energy, and the main components of honey are glucose and fructose. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore the effect of honey on the physical recovery and nutritional supplement of basketball players. In this paper, 10 basketball players in our city were selected as the experimental objects and the data of their physiological and biochemical indexes were analyzed. The results showed that the average hemoglobin of the experimental group decreased from 14.45 g·100 ml−1 in the first week to 13.23 g·100 ml−1 in the second week, increased to 14.25·100 ml−1 in the third week, and increased to 15.79.100 ml−1 in the fourth week. Adding honey can improve the content of HB and CK of basketball players in higher vocational colleges and reduce the increase of BUN, to slow down fatigue and accelerate the speed of physical recovery.

RNA-seq analysis revealed key genes associated with salt tolerance in rapeseed germination through carbohydrate metabolism, hormone, and MAPK signaling pathways

Seedling survival, growth, and yield are highly associated with seed germination performance. Germination of rapeseed differs under NaCl stress among cultivars, but the molecular mechanism of salinity tolerance in rapeseed is poorly understood. In the current study, in contrast to the trend of the hydrogen peroxide level, the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase were increased in the salt-tolerant (Yangyou9; YY9) cultivar as compared with the salt-sensitive one (Zhongshuang11; ZS11). Integrative transcriptome analysis of four seed germination phases was carried out on the two rapeseed cultivars, which showed a substantial transcriptional change at 24 and 48 h. Different pairwise comparisons were performed to provide a comprehensive view of the biochemical processes that underpin salt tolerance and seed germination. Plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, fermentation, and tricarboxylic cycle pathways were significantly enriched. Genes related to auxin (Aux) signaling, i.e., BnaAUX1, BnaTIR1, BnaGH3.5/17, and BnaSAUR were associated with salt tolerance through activating the germination process. Genes related to cytokinin (Ck; BnaAHP1/3/4 and BnaA-ARR3/4/8/9), gibberellin (GA; BnaPIF3/4/5), brassinosteroids (BRs; BnaBAK1, BnaBSK, BnaBZR1/2, BnaTCH4, and BnaCYCD3), and salicylic acid (SA; BnaNPR1/3/5, BnaPR1, and BnaTGA2/4) signaling transductions were linked to salt tolerance at the germination stage. While genes related to abscisic acid (ABA; BnaPP2C and BnaABF) and ethylene (Eth; BnaEIN3 and BnaERF1/2) were relatively upregulated in the dry seeds and salt-stressed sensitive cultivar, therefore, these genes may participate in salt sensitivity and seed dormancy. Moreover, the enzymatic activities (fructose-bisphosphate aldolase and isocitrate dehydrogenase) and content of phytohormones (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Ck, and GA) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in YY9 than in ZS11, while ABA content showed a reverse trend, indicating the reliability of the RNA-seq data. Overall, this is the first study that provides new insights about transcripts involved in the salt tolerance during seed germination of rapeseed.

Response of Soil Organic Carbon Content in Different Slope Positions to Fertilization Management in Purple Soil Sloping Fields

The purple soil sloping field is the main cultivated land type in the Three Gorges area, and the soil fertility directly determines crop yield. In order to explore the effects of different fertilization treatments on the soil organic carbon content at different slope positions, field experiments were carried out at the Three Gorges Reservoir Test Station of Chengdu Institute of Mountain and Disasters, Chinese Academy of Sciences. A total of five treatments were set up:no fertilization(CK), conventional fertilization(T1), optimum fertilization(T2), biochar combined with 85% of T2(T3), and straw combined with 85% of T2(T4), to study the differences in soil aggregate composition, soil total organic carbon, soluble organic carbon, and microbial carbon content at different slope positions under different fertilization treatments. The results showed that:①Fertilization increased the content of soil mass and improved the organic carbon content of soil, especially with T3 and T4 treatments. ②The sequence of distribution of soil organic carbon content with CK, T1, and T2 treatments in different slope positions was downslope position>middle slope position>upslope position, while the soil organic carbon content of T3 and T4 treatments was the highest at the middle slope position. ③With the decrease of slope, the soluble organic carbon content of CK, T1, T2, and T3 treated soil showed an increasing trend; the carbon content of CK, T1, T2, and T4 treated soil microorganisms increased; while the distribution of T3 treated soil microbial carbon on the slope was highest at the middle slope followed by the lower slope. In general, both biochar and straw treatments can significantly increase soil carbon content and delay the migration of soil carbon on slopes, which provides guidance for improving the soil quality and reducing water pollution of purple soil dry slopes in the Three Gorges reservoir area.

Production of minor ginsenosides by combining Stereum hirsutum and cellulase.

Minor ginsenosides (MGs) (include ginsenoside F2, Compound K, PPT, etc), which are generally not produced by ginseng plants naturally, are obtained by deglycosylation of major ginsenosides. However, the conventional processes used to produce deglycosylated ginsenosides focus on the use of intestinal microorganisms for transformation. In this study, an edible and medicinal mushroom Stereum hirsutum JE0512 was screened from 161 β-glucosidase-producing soil microorganisms sourced from wild ginseng using the plate coloration method. Furthermore, JE0512 was used for the production of CK from ginseng extracts (GE) in solid-state fermentation (SSF) using 20 g corn bran as substrate, 4 g GE, and 20% inoculation volume, and the results showed that the highest CK content was 29.13 mg/g. After combining S. hirsutum JE0512 with cellulase (Aspergillus niger), the MGs (F2, CK, and PPT) content increased from 1.66 to 130.79 mg/g in the final products. Our results indicate that the Stereum genus has the potential to biotransform GE into CK and the combination of S. hirsutum JE0512 and cellulase could pave the way for the production of MGs from GE.

Effect of Propylene Glycol Alginate Sodium Sulfate Nanoparticles on Myocardial Injury in Diabetic Rats via Silent Information Regulator 1/ Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 Alpha Pathway.

The main purpose of this paper is to study the effect of propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfite nanoparticles on myocardial injury in diabetic rats through Sirt1/HIF-1 α signal pathway. The effects of different doses of propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfite nanoparticles on the content of malondialdehyde, creatine kinase, nitric oxide, the activity of superoxide dismutase, lactate dehydrogenase and nitric oxide synthetase in the myocardial tissue of diabetic rats observed. The function indexes of HIF-1 α mitochondria and measured the expression of Sirt1/HIF-1 α pathway. The results show that compare with the diabetic model group, the blood glucose level of the rats in the propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfite nanoparticles treatment group was slightly low. The serum LDH, CK and MDA contents were significantly low, and the activity of SOD in the myocardium in the propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfite nanoparticles treatment group was significantly higher than that in the diabetic model group in the treatment group. The activity of NOS and the content of MDA and no were lower than that in the diabetic rats, the expression of Sirt1 and HIF-1α in myocardial tissue was increased. It suggested that propylene glycol alginate sodium sulfite nanoparticles alleviate myocardial damage in diabetic rats by regulating Sirt1/HIF-1α signal pathway, improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting oxidative stress.