Protoplast-based engineering has become an important tool for basic plant molecular biology research and developing genome-edited crops. Uncaria rhynchophylla is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant with a variety of pharmaceutically important indole alkaloids. In this study, an optimized protocol for U. rhynchophylla protoplast isolation, purification, and transient gene expression was developed. The best protoplast separation protocol was found to be 0.8 M D-mannitol, 1.25% Cellulase R-10, and 0.6% Macerozyme R-10 enzymolysis for 5 h at 26 °C in the dark with constant oscillation at 40 rpm/min. The protoplast yield was as high as 1.5 × 10⁷ protoplasts/g fresh weight, and the survival rate of protoplasts was greater than 90%. Furthermore, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transient transformation of U. rhynchophylla protoplasts was investigated by optimizing different crucial factors affecting transfection efficiency, including plasmid DNA amount, PEG concentration, and transfection duration. The U. rhynchophylla protoplast transfection rate was highest (71%) when protoplasts were transfected overnight at 24 °C with the 40 µg of plasmid DNA for 40 min in a solution containing 40% PEG. This highly efficient protoplast-based transient expression system was used for subcellular localization of transcription factor UrWRKY37. Finally, a dual-luciferase assay was used to detect a transcription factor promoter interaction by co-expressing UrWRKY37 with a UrTDC-promoter reporter plasmid. Taken together, our optimized protocols provide a foundation for future molecular studies of gene function and expression in U. rhynchophylla.

A serious leaf disease caused by Colletotrichum dematium was found during the cultivation of Sarcandra glabra in Jingxi, Rong’an, and Donglan Counties in Guangxi Province, which inflicted huge losses to plant productivity. Biological control gradually became an effective control method for plant pathogens. Many studies showed that the application of actinomycetes in biological control has been effective. Therefore, it may be of great significance to study the application of actinomycetes on controlling the diseases caused by S. glabra. Strains of antifungal actinomycetes capable of inhibiting C. dematium were identified, isolated and screened from healthy plants tissues and the rhizospheres in soils containing S. glabra. In this study, 15 actinomycetes strains were isolated and among these, strains JT-2F, DT-3F, and JJ-3F, appeared to show antagonistic effects against anthracnose of S. glabra. The strains JT-2F and DT-3F were isolated from soil, while JJ-3F was isolated from plant stems. The antagonism rate of strain JT-2F was 86.75%, which was the highest value among the three strains. Additionally, the JT-2F strain also had the strongest antagonistic activity when the antagonistic activities were tested against seven plant pathogens. Strain JT-2F is able to produce proteases and cellulase to degrade the protein and cellulose components of cell walls of C. dematium, respectively. This results in mycelia damage which leads to inhibition of the growth of C. dematium. Strain JT-2F was identified as Streptomyces tsukiyonensis based on morphological traits and 16S rDNA sequence analysis.

The mortality rate of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) who develop respiratory muscle paralysis and need mechanical ventilation is increased. Though an unestablished indication, hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has been used to treat patients with mild GBS who do not have respiratory muscle paralysis. The use of HBOT in severe cases has not been reported. We present a patient with severe GBS who received HBOT while ventilated in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. Three courses of HBOT (one session per day, 10 sessions per course) were administered with a 2-day rest period between each course. The HBOT protocol was 40 minutes at 220 kPa with 25 minutes of compression and decompression. Following weeks of gradual deterioration, motor function improved after the first HBOT session. After eight HBOT sessions, the patient was successfully discontinued from mechanical ventilation and after 10 sessions the patient’s muscle strength was significantly improved. After 30 HBOT sessions, the patient had normal breathing and speech, and did not cough when eating. Upper limb muscle strength was graded as 4 on the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, lower limb muscle strength was graded as MRC 3. The patient was successfully discharged. Mechanically ventilated GBS patients may benefit from HBOT but studies are required to separate spontaneous recovery rates from treatment benefit.

Solution reaction of CuI and the ligand L((3-bpfob) [L: 1,3-bis(nicotinoyl) o-phenylenediamine] led to the formation of a novel coordination polymer [CuI(3-bpfob)]_n that exhibited an unusual one-dimensional helical structure. The compound was characterized by x-ray crystallography, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrum, and thermal analyses. This compound crystallized in triclinic system, space group P-1, with cell parameters of a = 7.940(5), b = 10.187(6), c = 12.518(7) Å, α = 78.041(6)°, β = 72.821(6)°, γ = 72.821(6)°.

The root of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep is an important medicinal material in China. An unknown foliar disease, first observed In July 2018, occurred over 240 ha of S. tonkinensis (totally cultured ...