Abstract Qilian Huaji Decoction (QLHJD) is a mixture of 13 herbs. The aim of this study is to observe the efficacy of QLHJD against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The H22 transplanted mouse models were established to explore the effect of QLHJD on HCC in vivo. QLHJD-containing serum (QCS) was prepared using traditional Chinese medicine serum pharmacology methods. After QCS treatment, cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis in HepG2 cells were assessed by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. miRNA expression profiles were determined using qPCR arrays. miR-122 was examined by qPCR in HCC tissue samples and cells. AKT3 protein expression was detected by Western blot. We found that QLHJD significantly inhibited the growth of H22 tumor and improve immune function in vivo. In vitro, QLHJD inhibited proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at the S phase, and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The miRNA expression profiles were altered and the reduced miR-122 levels in HepG2 cell lines were up-regulated compared with control group, accompanied by a decrease in WNT1 expression. In conclusion, QLHJD could inhibit the growth of HCC by restoring the aberrant expression of miR-122, which may be one of the mechanisms whereby QLHJD exerts its effect on HCC.

ABSTRACT Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), the vector of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), is one of the major pests of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum), potentially causing up to 100% yield loss. The purpose of this research was to effectively reduce intrusion by B. tabaci and control damage from ToCV in protected cultivations. The treatments included the use of a regular solar greenhouse as a control (CK); greenhouses I and II with 60- and 80-mesh insect-proof nets, respectively, that were installed in both houses at the front and upper ventilations; and greenhouse III with the addition of not only the 80-mesh insect-proof net as in greenhouse II but also a ventilating pipeline to the back wall. The effects of mesh size and back wall ventilation on the greenhouse temperature and humidity, number of B. tabaci, and level of ToCV infection were studied. Under all conditions tested (from 2014-2016), the temperature of greenhouse III with installed netting was reduced by drilling holes through the back wall and nonsignificant difference existed in the average relative humidity between greenhouses II and III. Importantly, the number of B. tabaci and ToCV infection rate were effectively controlled in greenhouse III, ranging from 0.03 to 0.33 adults per sampled plant and from 0% to 6.67% of virus incidence. Thus, installing 80-mesh insect-proof netting at the front and upper ventilation areas as well as adding a ventilating pipeline to the back wall could effectively reduce the number of B. tabaci and prevent ToCV damage.

PURPOSE:To re-evaluated the clinic efficacy of ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on ureteral calculi with Cochrane systematic reviews in this paper.METHODS: We searched clinical randomized controlled trials and prospective controlled trials in databases such as Cochrane library, Medline, Springer, Elsevier Science Direct, PubMed. Pooled estimate of risk ratios (RRs), standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as measure of effect sizes. Summary effect estimates were also stratified by sample size, study design and study region. The overall effect sizes were derived using a random-effects model or fixed-effects model when appreciated, and meta-analysis were conducted with software RewMan 5.0.RESULTS:The meta-analysis suggested that there were significant differences of post-treatment stone free rate, repeat treatment rate, patients' satisfaction, incidence of postoperative complications, operation time and hospital stays between ESWL treatment cases and URS treatment cases. But in the sample sizes analysis, there were no significant differences of the post-treatment stone free rate and repeat treatment rate when the sample sizes were less than 100.CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the ureteroscopic lithotripsy treatment, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy treatment provided a significantly lower post-treatment stone free rate, but it also obviously brought out less postoperative complications, shorter operation time and hospital stays.

The endophytic fungus strain 0248, isolated from garlic, was identified as Trichoderma brevicompactum based on morphological characteristics and the nucleotide sequences of ITS1-5.8SITS2 and tef1. The bioactive compound T2 was isolated from the culture extracts of this fungus by bioactivity-guided fractionation and identified as 4β-acetoxy-12,13-epoxy-Δ9-trichothecene (trichodermin) by spectral analysis and mass spectrometry. Trichodermin has a marked inhibitory activity on Rhizoctonia solani, with an EC50 of 0.25 µgmL-1. Strong inhibition by trichodermin was also found for Botrytis cinerea, with an EC50 of 2.02 µgmL-1. However, a relatively poor inhibitory effect was observed for trichodermin against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (EC50 = 25.60 µgmL-1). Compared with the positive control Carbendazim, trichodermin showed a strong antifungal activity on the above phytopathogens. There is little known about endophytes from garlic. This paper studied in detail the identification of endophytic T. brevicompactum from garlic and the characterization of its active metabolite trichodermin.

O efeito da adição de Nb, na microestrutura e nas propriedades mecânicas e de resistência à corrosão dos aços martensíticos com 13% Cr, foi investigado. Excelente resistência mecânica final e suficiente tenacidade e alongamento foram obtidos em aços contendo baixo teor de elementos intersticiais (0.01%N e C < 0.02%) e com adição de 0.10%Nb. O efeito do Nb, também, foi estudado em uma amostra industrial contendo maiores teores de N e adição de V. As propriedades mecânicas obtidas, no aço contendo 0.10% Nb, mostraram-se, significativamente, maiores que aquelas obtidas com o aço contendo V e maior teor de N. A microestrutura, morfologia e dispersão de precipitados, bem como a fração volumétrica de austenita revertida, foram, também, caracterizadas. O tamanho e a dispersão dos precipitados formados a partir dos elementos microligantes contribuem para aumentar a resistência mecânica, enquanto a formação de austenita revertida auxilia na obtenção de tenacidade e ductilidade. Quanto à resistência à corrosão por pite, o desempenho do aço 13Cr5Ni1Mo com maior teor de Nb e menor quantidade de N foi, surpreendentemente, melhor em comparação ao desempenho das demais composições estudadas.

The effect of Nb microalloying on structure and physical properties of quenched and tempered 13%Cr martensitic stainless steel was investigated. Excellent strength and adequate toughness properties were obtained by 0.10 wt% Nb addition to low interstitial (N 0.01wt%, C < 0.02wt%) steel. The effect of Nb in 13%Cr steels with high N content was also studied in a commercial martensitic stainless steel sample containing higher levels of N and also alloyed with V. The microstructure, precipitate morphology and dispersion and volume fraction of reverse austenite were characterized. The strength properties obtained in the steel with 0.10%Nb are significantly higher than those of the V-containing steel. The study shows that whereas amount, size and dispersion of precipitates of microalloying elements contribute to enhanced strength, the optimum volume fraction of reverse austenite formed contributes to enhanced ductility and toughness properties. More importantly, high Nb additions to low N -13%Cr-1%Mo steel are found to improve significantly resistance against pitting corrosion significantly.

The attenuated Salmonella typhimurium χ4550 strain was used to harbour a reconstructed bicistronic DNA vaccine against porcine rotavirus, which carried the rotavirus nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) and VP7 genes simultaneously. Using a balanced lethal system, the kanamycin resistance gene of expressing eukaryotic plasmids pVAX1 and pVAXD were replaced by the aspartate β-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (asd) gene. The NSP4 cleavage product (259-525) of rotavirus OSU strain and VP7 full-length genes were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and then inserted into the eukaryotic single-expression plasmid, pVAX1-asd, and the eukaryotic dual-expression plasmid, pVAXD-asd, respectively. The recombinant plasmids pVAX1-asd-NSP4, pVAX1-asd-VP7 and pVAXD-asd-NSP4-VP7 were transformed into the attenuated S. typhimurium χ4550 strain by electrotransformation. An indirect immunofluorescence assay of the expressed COS-7 cell suggested that the recombinant S. typhimurium χ4550 strain was constructed successfully. The recombinant S. typhimurium χ4550 strain was orally administered to BALB/c mice. The group immunised with dual-expression plasmids produced a significantly higher level of serum Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and intestinal Immunoglobulin A (IgA) than the group immunised with single-expression plasmids. These results indicated that eukaryotic bicistronic plasmid DNA vaccines could be successfully constructed to enhance humoural, mucosal and cellular immune response against rotavirus infection.