Comparative studies on the toxicological, antiinflammatory and analgesic properties of three sources of Xuedan in mice and their rapid identification by electronic tongue

Purpose: To compare the toxicological, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of three sources of Xuedan, viz, Hemsleya omeiensis (HO), Hemsleya giganth (HG) and Hemsleya dolichocarpa (HD) in mice, and to study their rapid identification based on electronic tongue (E-tongue).Methods: After 7 days of administration, the median lethal doses (LD50) of the three xuedan decoctions in mice were determined. In addition, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the three xuedans were evaluated in mice using xylene-induced ear edema and acetic acid-induced pain. Furthermore, Etongue technology was used to identify HO, HG and HD. Principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant factor analysis (DFA) were used to analyze the data acquired by E-tongue.Results: The median lethal dose (LD50) values of H. omeiensis, H. gigantha and H. dolichocarpa were 32.3, 17.4 and 13.7g/kg, respectively. Compared with normal control group, the anti-inflammatory effects of Xuedan were obvious in xylene-induced ear edema (p < 0.05), and pain sensation was significantly inhibited in acetic acid-induced writhing test (p < 0.05). Furthermore, E-tongue technology effectively identified HO, HG and HD.Conclusion: H. omeiensis exhibits the highest LD50 value and best analgesic effect among the three sources of xuedan. E-tongue technology is effective and rapid in identifying HO, HG and HD.Keywords: Xuedan, Hemsleya omeiensis, Hemsleya gigantha, Hemsleya dolichocarpa, Antiinflammation, Analgesia, Electronic tongu

Effect of solvent fractions of crude extract of Liushenqu on gastrointestinal motility in guinea pigs, and the underlying mechanism(s)

Purpose: To study the effect of solvent fractions of the crude extract of liushenqu on gastrointestinal motility in guinea pigs, and the mechanism of action. Methods: The effects of solvent fractions of crude extract of liushenqu (LSQ) on receptors in guinea pig isolated small intestinal cells were determined by treatment with different receptor blockers, including diphenhydramine (0.067 mg/mL), atropine sulfate (0.064 mg/mL), propranolol hydrochloride (0.033mg/mL), phentolamine mesylate (0.04mg/mL) and ondansetron hydrochloride (0.048mg/mL), to investigate the possible pharmacological mechanism of action. Results: There was no significant change in the maximum amplitude of muscle tension before and after administration in the control group, petroleum ether fraction group, and dichlormethane fraction group, while muscle tension in the 95 % ethanol and n-butanol fractions significantly increased (p < 0.01). The mean changes in tension were significantly different from that of control group (p < 0.01), but ethyl acetate fraction showed significant intestinal muscle inhibition (p < 0.01). Addition of LSQ did not alleviate the inhibition caused by diphenhydramine, but it significantly reversed the inhibition caused by blockers of cholinergic muscarinic receptor, adrenergic alpha- and beta- receptors, and 5-HT receptor (p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results indicate that n-butanol fraction is the most effective bioactive fraction of LSQ, while ethyl acetate fraction has the opposite effect. In addition, its mechanism of action is related to increase in the amplitude of small intestine smooth muscle contraction and acceleration of small intestine peristalsis

The Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Ge/Si Quantum Wells: Lasing at a Wavelength of 1550 nm

The realization of a fully integrated group IV electrically driven laser at room temperature is an essential issue to be solved. We introduced a novel group IV side-emitting laser at a wavelength of 1550 nm based on a 3-layer Ge/Si quantum well (QW). By designing this scheme, we showed that the structural, electronic, and optical properties are excited for lasing at 1550 nm. The preliminary results show that the device can produce a good light spot shape convenient for direct coupling with the waveguide and single-mode light emission. The laser luminous power can reach up to 2.32 mW at a wavelength of 1550 nm with a 300-mA current. Moreover, at room temperature (300 K), the laser can maintain maximum light power and an ideal wavelength (1550 nm). Thus, this study provides a novel approach to reliable, efficient electrically pumped silicon-based lasers

Nitrogen, manganese, iron, and carbon resource acquisition are potential functions of the wild rice Oryza rufipogon core rhizomicrobiome

Background: The assembly of the rhizomicrobiome, i.e., the microbiome in the soil adhering to the root, is influenced by soil conditions. Here, we investigated the core rhizomicrobiome of a wild plant species transplanted to an identical soil type with small differences in chemical factors and the impact of these soil chemistry differences on the core microbiome after long-term cultivation. We sampled three natural reserve populations of wild rice (i.e., in situ) and three populations of transplanted in situ wild rice grown ex situ for more than 40 years to determine the core wild rice rhizomicrobiome. Results: Generalized joint attribute modeling (GJAM) identified a total of 44 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) composing the core wild rice rhizomicrobiome, including 35 bacterial ASVs belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Nitrospirae and 9 fungal ASVs belonging to the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Rozellomycota. Nine core bacterial ASVs belonging to the genera Haliangium, Anaeromyxobacter, Bradyrhizobium, and Bacillus were more abundant in the rhizosphere of ex situ wild rice than in the rhizosphere of in situ wild rice. The main ecological functions of the core microbiome were nitrogen fixation, manganese oxidation, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, chemoheterotrophy, and iron respiration, suggesting roles of the core rhizomicrobiome in improving nutrient resource acquisition for rice growth. The function of the core rhizosphere bacterial community was significantly (p < 0.05) shaped by electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus present in the soil adhering to the roots. Conclusion: We discovered that nitrogen, manganese, iron, and carbon resource acquisition are potential functions of the core rhizomicrobiome of the wild rice Oryza rufipogon. Our findings suggest that further potential utilization of the core rhizomicrobiome should consider the effects of soil properties on the abundances of different genera. [MediaObject not available: see fulltext.]

Comparison of methane metabolism in the rhizomicrobiomes of wild and related cultivated rice accessions reveals a strong impact of crop domestication

Microbial communities from rhizosphere (rhizomicrobiomes) have been significantly impacted by domestication as evidenced by a comparison of the rhizomicrobiomes of wild and related cultivated rice accessions. While there have been many published studies focusing on the structure of the rhizomicrobiome, studies comparing the functional traits of the microbial communities in the rhizospheres of wild rice and cultivated rice accessions are not yet available. In this study, we used metagenomic data from experimental rice plots to analyze the potential functional traits of the microbial communities in the rhizospheres of wild rice accessions originated from Africa and Asia in comparison with their related cultivated rice accessions. The functional potential of rhizosphere microbial communities involved in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, methane metabolism, carbon fixation pathways, citrate cycle (TCA cycle), pyruvate metabolism and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis pathways were found to be enriched in the rhizomicrobiomes of wild rice accessions. Notably, methane metabolism in the rhizomicrobiomes of wild and cultivated rice accessions clearly differed. Key enzymes involved in methane production and utilization were overrepresented in the rhizomicrobiome samples obtained from wild rice accessions, suggesting that the rhizomicrobiomes of wild rice maintain a different ecological balance for methane production and utilization compared with those of the related cultivated rice accessions. A novel assessment of the impact of rice domestication on the primary metabolic pathways associated with microbial taxa in the rhizomicrobiomes was performed. Results indicated a strong impact of rice domestication on methane metabolism; a process that represents a critical function of the rhizosphere microbial community of rice. The findings of this study provide important information for future breeding of rice varieties with reduced methane emission during cultivation for sustainable agriculture