Abstract Certain biological mechanisms of Glehnia littoralis, an endangered medicinal plant in China, may be underlying its endangered status and this has attracted extensive attention from researchers. In this study, nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (nrDNA ITS) sequences and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) were investigated to determine the genetic diversity of G. littoralis

Abstract The genetic and flower volatile diversity of 59 plants from two natural populations of Hyssopus officinalis L. situated 73 km away from each other in typical growing regions for this species in Bulgaria were analysed. Analysis with 10 sequence related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) primer combinations scored a total of 1045 peaks of which 88.7% were polymorphic. Principal Coordinate Analysis

Abstract Strain CG-9, isolated from human saliva and identified as Enterococcus faecalis, produced a component that inhibits the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The active peptide from the cell-free supernatant of Enterococcus faecalis CG-9 was purified in three steps: (1) precipitation with 70% saturated ammonium sulfate: (2) cation-exchange chromatography, (3) gel filter chromatography

Abstract The study aimed to identify key genes involved in cerebral vasospasm (CVS) after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). GSE46696 of basilar arteries of SAH mice and normal controls were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Integrated microarray analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed with

Abstract Elevated CO2 can stimulate plant growth in greenhouses, but the molecular mechanism behind this response is unclear, especially in eggplants. In this study, we evaluated the physiological and photosynthetic response of the eggplant variety ‘Shenyuan 3’ under elevated CO2, and the candidate genes related to this response were identified by transcriptomic analysis. The results showed that elevated

Abstract Polyploidization events are prevalent in plants and act as an important evolutionary force for speciation, adaptation and diversification. During this process, the genome undergoes reorganization and large changes. However, the evolutionary characteristics of specific gene families are still not well investigated. Cultivated peanut is an allotetraploid that evolved from a diploid. In this

Abstract Grain yield improvement in wheat (Triticum aestivum L) requires understanding of the genetic control of grain yield components and other related traits. In this study, a total of 82 and 314 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were associated with grain yield and grain yield components after harvest and photosynthetic traits at the seedling, heading and grain filling stages from a recombinant inbred

Abstract Drought is one of the most severe environmental stressors hampering maize (Zea mays L.) production worldwide. Therefore, revealing the molecular mechanisms underpinning maize drought tolerance is critical for guiding drought resistance breeding and ensuring global food security. Herein, we performed a data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics-based comparative analysis of the proteome

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the extraction of antibacterial substances from Galla chinensis (ASGC) that act against the aquatic pathogen Vibrio harveyi, to identify the chemical composition and explore the mechanism of action. The optimal extraction process was as follows: anhydrous methanol, liquid/material ratio (mL/g) 26:1, extraction temperature 98 °C and extraction time 157 min

Abstract Schisandra chinensis, classed as a climbing woody vine, is representative of the Schisandraceae family regarded as a significant plant in Chinese herbal medicine. However, the application of molecular breeding is constrained by the fact that the number of genetic markers is small for this species. In this study, transcriptome sequencing of S. chinensis was performed using the Illumina HiSeq

Abstract To assess the current regulatory frameworks of cannabidiol-containing products/preparations on the European market, we analyzed data gathered from 19 European countries using the functionalities of the computer software EPITT (European Pharmacovigilance Issues Tracking Tool). In addition, we investigated pharmacists’ knowledge, awareness and attitudes toward cannabidiol (CBD) in Bulgaria.

Recent publications and studies propose using decision-making algorithms in choosing the optimal approach for each individual case of tuberculum sellae meningioma (TSM). Minimally invasive endoscopic approaches offer the possibility of early devascularization, reduced brain and nerve retraction and speedy patient recovery. We used the decision-making algorithm proposed in the literature to choose between

In this study, we investigated the effect of genotype × environment interaction (GEI) on the grain yield of 15 different sesame genotypes on four test areas (Arak, Birjand, Karaj and Shiraz) in two years (2017–2018). We observed significant differences in all sources of combined variance analysis. The interaction items in AMMI (additive main effects and multiplicative interactions) analysis of variance

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important economic crop worldwide. The lignin content of flax stems directly determines the quality of flax fiber, and excessively high lignin content in the fiber leads to pollutant discharge by the textile industry. Flax seeds also contain lignans, a group of compounds that are structurally similar to lignin and highly beneficial for human health. The biosynthesis

Carotenoids belong to a major family of isoprenoids which play vital roles in plant growth and development. Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is not only a vegetable and condiment grown worldwide, but also can be used as a model organism in fruit color research. In this study, 61 genes known to be involved in mevalonate (MVA), plastidial 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) and carotenoid metabolism

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, is one of the most destructive pests of citrus and the primary vector of Candidatus Liberibacter spp., which cause citrus Huanglongbing (HLB). Microbial insecticides based on entomopathogenic fungi are safer alternatives to chemical pesticides. They can mitigate the spread of HLB by suppressing D. citri populations in citrus groves. Purpureocillium

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cultivars that produce black grains are thought to be more nutritious and contain powerful antioxidant properties, but little is known about the chemical foundation and the genetic mechanism behind this trait. In this research, widely-targeted metabolome and transcriptome analyses were employed to unveil the chemical and genetic differences between black and white

This study explored whether inflammatory gene including C-reactive protein (CRP) and growth arrest-specific gene 6 (GAS6) are related to the etiology of ischemic stroke (IS), and to verify their potential interaction upon susceptibility to IS in Chinese population. A total of 236 patients with IS and 291 non-IS subjects were enrolled. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two candidate genes

Sophora tonkinensis is an important source of herbal medicine for treatment of swelling and pain in the throat. Its chemical composition has been extensively studied; however, there are still gaps in the research on genetic diversity of S. tonkinensis which can provide insights for better utilization and conservation of genetic resources. In this study, 23 populations of diverse locations from southern

The “Zaoheibao” fruit with rich rose-scented grapes was used as the main material to optimize the fermentation process of “Zaoheibao” wine. Its composition in volatile aroma compounds was determined by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, indicating that “Zaoheibao” wine has strong ester, fruity and floral characteristics. The addition

This study was conducted to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of globally diverse mini core collection of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) using agro-morphological, sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) and simple-sequence repeats (SSR) molecular markers. Field experiment results showed significant differences between genotypes for agro-morphological traits such

Dechlorination is the key step in biological degradation of dichloromethane (DCM), which is catalyzed by the enzyme DCM dehalogenase. In this study, the detailed structure and function of DCM dehalogenase in Methylobacterium rhodesianum H13 were investigated. Our results indicate that DCM dehalogenase (C1505H2255N403O430S7) is a stable hydrophilic protein localized in the cytoplasm, with an isoelectric

Naoxintong Capsule (NXT), a Chinese medicine, has been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in clinic. The present study was designed to clarify the effects of NXT on haemorheology, blood coagulation, hepatic function, antioxidant capacity and inflammatory responses in a rat model of blood stasis syndrome. Rats were placed in ice-cold water for 5 min during the time interval of

This study aims to explore whether there is a relationship between different electromagnetic radiations, such as extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF), radiofrequency (RF) radiation and ionizing radiation, and Alzheimer's disease. Resources related to the subject were scanned and 46 articles that were important to clarify the subject were evaluated. The results of the study investigating

Grain hardness and starch are two of the most important factors that determine the end-use quality of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain. The grain hardness and amylose content are controlled by the puroindolines (Pina-D1 and Pinb-D1) genes, located on chromosomes 5D, and waxy (Wx-A1, -B1 and -D1) genes, located on chromosomes 7A, 4A and 7D. A total of 160 Iranian landraces from the Germplasm

This study reports the synthesis and antibacterial evaluation of two novel complexes, [Cd (Q) (Bpy) (CH3COO)2, complex 1] and [Cd (Q) (Phen) (CH3COO)2, complex 2], based on quercetin ligand. The method of synthesis was by reacting natural flavonoid quercetin (Q) with a good chelator (Bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine, Phen= 1,10-phenanthroline and Q = quercetin) and metal ions. The produced metal complexes were

We have established a highly efficient 96-well format based strategy to characterize nanobody (Nb) from an expressed alpaca Nb repertoire by combining heavy-chain antibody variable region gene cloning with Nb expression and reactivity profiling at the single cell level. Individual alpaca B lymphocytes were isolated based on B cell surface marker and membrane type antigen specific antibodies expression

Infections caused by Campylobacter spp. continue to be a serious health burden worldwide. The importance of Campylobacter jejuni/coli for the development of acute gastroenteritis in Bulgaria has not been studied well yet, especially in early childhood. In this study, we report the incidence and the course of infection with C. jejuni/coli in early childhood and the antibiotic resistance of the clinical

Cathelicidin host defense peptides (cHDPs) widely exist in animals with the functions of innate immunity and acquired immunity. To investigate the tissue and sequential expression patterns of the dCATH gene, which encodes the only cHDPs found in waterfowls, we analyzed the internal organs of healthy ducks (Shaxoxing Sheldrake) from 1-day-old to 28-day-old raised in the natural environment. The dCATH

Neural stem cell (NSC)-based gene therapies have been recently developed as effective strategies for treating brain tumors through inherent tumor tropism. However, this methodology has two considerable challenges: preventing NSCs from dying from the therapeutic agents encoded by their equipped genes before reaching tumor sites and the clearance of exogenous NSCs after therapeutic treatments. For these

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) is an economically important crop. Its yield is highly dependent on photosynthesis, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most important constituents in photosynthesis. In this study, we investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms of CO2 enrichment in increasing strawberry leaf growth, and ultimately fruit yield. Strawberry plants were grown under ambient

Selection for new single-flowered amaryllis with cultivated wild species or hybrids has continued for more than 200 years. However, our basic knowledge of the extent of genetic variation within the single-flowered amaryllis is still not sufficient, which is very important for the ongoing improvement of the double-flower type in China. In this study, a total of 23 screened sequence-related amplified

The PEBP family members are reported to play important roles in plant flowering and reproductive organ formation. However, this gene family has not been identified nor their functions have been analyzed in Brassica oleracea. In this study, 10 PEBP genes were identified in the B. oleracea genome. These genes were categorized as TFL1, FT and MFT subfamilies according to the phylogeny and gene structure

Aphids are sap-sucking insects and are pests that cause substantial damage to many crops worldwide. Spodoptera litura is a leaf-chewing insect and poses a severe threat to many species of vegetable and cotton plants. In this paper, we studied an ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) that enhances plant resistance to sap-sucking and leaf-chewing insects. ERF11-like was obtained from Chinese cabbage via reverse

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is also associated with significant concomitant diseases which affect the disease progression course, and contribute to the exacerbation of health status and overall mortality rate. The aim of this study was to identify the most frequent Cardio-vascular disease (CVD) comorbidities among patients with

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a common blood cancer with rapid progression and a high death rate. The aim of this study was to illustrate the molecular mechanism and identify potential prognostic genes by performing weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) of AML. WGCNA of AML was performed with R software based on GDC The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (LAML) RNA-seq

The present study aims at the use of transcriptomic data of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) under salt stress in detecting regulated metabolites and crosstalking signal transduction pathways that help plants withstand harsh conditions. The studied pathways involved those emphasizing the roles of phytohormones auxin and abscisic acid (ABA) in conferring stress tolerance and adaptation. Of which, tryptophan-core

The hemibiotrophic oomycetes are significant threats to a wide range of Cucurbitaceae species, causing substantial losses of plant productions. Particularly, Phytophthora melonis Katsura evokes severe symptoms, thus dramatically limiting the yield in cucumber. However, the information about cucumber–P. melonis interaction is still limited. This study explored the changes in the activities of phenylalanine

Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) and blast are among the most destructive diseases of rice. In order to develop new varieties that can resist various races of the pathogens Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and Magnaporthe oryzae, which cause these two diseases, respectively, it is important to identify suitable markers and a marker-aided selection strategy. Seventeen foreground microsatellites associated

Abstract As a well-known edible fungus that generally grows at low temperature, Flammulina velutipes is believed to be able to withstand most undesirable microbes. However, in this study, we discovered and isolated cold-adapted bacteria that developed rapidly and caused soft rot in the stipe of F. velutipes. The pathogen was identified as Mycetocola saprophilus based on morphology, 16S rRNA sequences

Abstract The amino acid/auxin permease (AAAP) gene family plays a significant role in the long-distance amino acid transport and is involved in plant stress responses and various developmental processes. The functions of the AAAP family have been extensively discussed in multiple organisms, whereas detailed information of this family in strawberry (Fragaria vesca) has not been reported yet. In this

Abstract The SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP)-box consists of a family of transcription factors unique to plants and mediates important roles in plant growth and development. We identified 57 SBP genes in the Brassica juncea (swollen-stem mustard) genome, and analyzed the structural characteristics, evolutionary relationships, as well as their involvement in regulation and response to environmental

Abstract Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is one of the world's top ten oil crops. China is the second largest producer of castor beans, but China's castor bean acreage has been declining. A principal reason for this decline is the prevalence of weeds and the absence of herbicide resistant varieties of castor plants. In this study, we used Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer to introduce the EPSPS (5

Abstract The present study reports the isolation and analysis of a beta-glucosidase gene (accession number MN816859) from the fungus Auricularia heimuer. The Aa-bgl gene comprises 2583 bp and encodes a putative polypeptide of 860 amino acids. BlastP analysis revealed conserved glycoside hydrolase family 3 domains. Recombinant plasmid pET-32a-bgl was constructed to overexpress the target protein in

Abstract This report examines the soluble expression of a novel feruloyl esterase, BpFae, from Burkholderia pyrrocinia in Escherichia coli overexpression systems using three expression vectors, pET28a, pCold-TF and pGEX-4T-1. BpFae was overexpressed as insoluble inclusion bodies when pET28a was used as the expression vector. BpFae was overexpressed in the soluble form when using pCold-TF; however,

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of microRNA (miR)-141 in lymphatic fluid, lymph node and tumor tissues of patients with papillary thyroid cancers (PTC), and its regulating mechanism on tumor infiltration and invasion. A total of 35 patients with PTC were included in this study: 23 cases with lymph node metastasis and 12 cases with no metastasis. Quantitative real-time

Abstract Exploring the genetic aspects of germplasm using genotypic and phenotypic analysis is more reliable for the development of rice varieties that could lead to the attainment of food security. This is because genetic variations provide a space for recombinants, which is an important factor in new varietal development. This study was conducted to evaluate genetic variability and diversity among

Abstract Drought is a major abiotic stress factor that affects the yield of maize (Zea mays L.) during the grain filling period. Therefore, it is critical to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying maize drought stress tolerance. To analyze the characteristics and functions of differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in response to drought stress during the maize kernel-filling stage, here, two maize

Abstract Drought is one of the most critical environmental stresses adversely disturbing the yield and growth of plants worldwide. Acclimatizationto environmental constraints depends upon the activation of plant signalling pathways participating in signal transduction, stress perception, and the stress-related gene expression. The molecular tailoring of genes can facilitate the development of improved

Abstract This study utilized a renewable energy source, agricultural waste, in anaerobic digestion (AD) at appropriate conditions to obtain biogas and biomethane as an energy carrier. Maize stalks underwent ultrasound (US) pre-treatment for better accessibility for microorganisms, as lignocelluloses have a stable structure, insoluble in water and resist both mechanical and enzymatic attack. The digestate

Abstract Leucocalocybe mongolica (S. Imai) is a well-known edible medicinal mushroom. Polysaccharides extracted from L. mongolica show several pharmacological properties. Owing to increased predation and desertification, wild L. mongolica populations are declining and becoming increasingly rare. Microbial fermentation is emerging as a suitable alternative to obtain bioactive compounds from this mushroom

Abstract Rice blast is one of the most destructive diseases of rice and is caused by the infection with rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. In the present study, we obtained 12 bacterial isolates from Sichuan basin neutral purplish soil. Among them, the strain named ZW-10 showed significant activity against M. oryzae. Morphological and biochemical studies, along with 16S rDNA sequencing analysis

Abstract Juglans regia L. and J. sigillata D. have a long cultivation history in China. With the purpose of detecting interspecific and intraspecific genetic variation, 35 clonal cultivars of J. regia, J. sigillata, J. sigillata×J. regia and J. hopeiensis Hu. (J. mandshurica Maxim. ×J. regia) were selected from a broad geographic range and applied in amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis

Abstract Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is highly malignant with poor prognosis, causing prevalent mortality worldwide. Early-stage lung cancer can be distinguished through reliable early detection to urge timely treatment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) might play such a vital role in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis that they are becoming an important biomarker in cancer screening. To

Abstract Overweight and obesity are serious and an ever-growing problem in modern society. It is a major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Obesity is a complex condition resulting from the interaction of a range of genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to identify genetic markers predisposing to, and

Abstract The walnut is an excellent food product with abundant nutrients. However, the inference of its population structure has been hindered by the intricate phylogenetic relationships among Juglans species. In this study, RAD sequencing was conducted to investigate the genetic variation and population structure among 41 walnut cultivars from Southwestern Sichuan (SS, n = 10), Eastern Sichuan (ES

Abstract Colletotrichum fructicola causes strawberry anthracnose, which results in considerable economic losses in quality and production in Asia. However, the molecular mechanism of strawberry infection with C. fructicola is still poorly understood. Here, we employed RNA-Seq technology to mine the strawberry transcriptome for EST-SSRs (Expressed Sequence Tag–Simple Sequence Repeats) following C. fructicola

Abstract Bioaerosol sampling is a critical step toward characterizing airborne pathogen exposure risks for many respiratory infectious diseases in human-to-human or human-to-animal outbreaks. The integrated performance-parameter design and sampling efficiency of aerosol-to-hydrosol samplers (cyclones) has been rarely published or studied. This review focuses on the determination of cyclone performance-parameter

Abstract As a valuable and powerful platform technology, yeast surface display (YSD) has been widely used in various biotechnological fields, but little in agricultural applications. Xylanase can be used as an elicitor in the plant–pathogen interaction system and induce corn defence response. In this study, the YSD technology was used to express the xylanase protein family from Setosphaeria turcica

Abstract The increasing antibiotic application in agriculture has raised a potential risk to human health worldwide. Although high concentrations of antibiotics are lethal for plants without a resistant gene, it is not clear what detoxifying processes act in plants under low antibiotic concentration. Arabidopsis thaliana was selected to characterize the effects of kanamycin antibiotic toxicity on seedling