Fungal elicitors are a group of chemicals that can stimulate the secondary metabolite production in plants and microbial cells. After being recognized, it could enhance the expression of related genes through the signal-transduction pathway; regulate the activity of the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In recent years, the inducible mechanism of fungal elicitors has been studied deeply worldwide. Meanwhile, it has acquired wide concern in the area of biological industry, especially in the fermentation industry. This paper addresses the application and prospect of fungal elicitors in the secondary metabolites of plant and microbial cells.
Alkaloids ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Camptothecin ; biosynthesis ; Fermentation ; Fungi ; genetics ; metabolism ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Paclitaxel ; biosynthesis ; Plants, Medicinal ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Secondary Metabolism

AIM: To investigate the effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) on the activity of adrenergic receptor(AR) in rabbit sino-atrial node (SAN) by intracellular recording.METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: control group (Con), 14 d CIHH treatment group (CIHH14) and 28 d CIHH treatment group (CIHH28). The CIHH rabbits were exposed to a simulated 5 000 m (oxygen 11.1%) hypobaric hypoxia in hypoxic chamber for 14 d or 28 d (6 h/d), respectively. SAN preparation was used and the transmembrane action potential was recorded by micropipettes. Isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO, agonist of β-AR) and phenylephrine (PE, agonist of α_1-AR) at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μmol/L) were applied cumulatively to investigate the electrophysiological effect of the drugs on the rabbit SAN among Con, CIHH14 and CIHH28 groups, respectively. RESULTS: (1) CIHH didnt change the parameters of action potential of SAN recorded under basic condition. (2) ISO changed some parameters of AP significantly in a dose-dependent manner, including increases in the amplitude of AP (APA), maximal rate of depolarization (V_(max)), the velocity of diastolic (phase 4) depolarization (VDD), and rate of pacemaker firing (RPF). (3) The response of AP to ISO in CIHH rabbits was decreased significantly compared to that in Con animals. Under 1 μmol/L of ISO, the increases in VDD, RPF, APA and V_(max) in CIHH animals were smaller than those in Con animals (P<0.05). (4) No effect of PE (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μmol/L) on the parameters of action potential was observed. CONCLUSION: CIHH decreases the reactivity of β-AR, but has no effect on α_1-AR in SAN of rabbit.

Objective To observe the usage of antiasthmatic drugs and seek problems of following the guidelines of asthma and COPD prevention & treatment in community hospitals.Methods The prescribed quantity in 2013 of antiasthmatic drugs was recorded for 5 community hospitals in a district of Shanghai.Basing on the defined daily dose (DDD),the dosing frequency of drugs (DDDs) and the percentages of each category of drugs were calculated.Then comparisons were made with the data of a grade Ⅱ hospital and a grade Ⅲ hospital in the same district.Results Among three level hospitals,no significant difference existed in the percentages of oral antiasthmatic drugs.But the major category of oral drugs at grades Ⅱ-Ⅲ hospitals was leukotriene receptor antagonist whereas only oral theophylline and oral β2-receptor agonists were available at community hospitals.Among inhaled drugs,inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) dominated at grades Ⅱ-Ⅲ hospitals.But at community hospitals,inhaled short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) predominated.Among inhalants,dry powder inhaler (DPI) dominated at grades Ⅱ-Ⅲ hospitals and metered dose inhaler (MDI) at community hospitals.Conclusions The usage of antiasthmatics at community hospitals is not consistent with the guidelines.Optimizing drug purchasing at hospitals,strengthening continued medical education,modifying the medication concept of patients and boosting the production of domestic inhalants should be urgently undertaken.

Objective:To compare and analyze the effects of impulse oscillometry (IOS) and pulmonary function test (PFT) in the assessment of asthma control in children.Methods:A cross-sectional study of 323 children with bronchial asthma who visited the outpatient pediatric clinic of Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from March to December 2020 was conducted.The patients were divided into the control group (123 cases) and the uncontrolled group (200 cases) according to the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) score.In both groups, PFT and IOS were performed.The PFT test included the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), force expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV 1/FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), the instantaneous forced expiratory flow at 50% of forced vital capacity (FEF 50), the instantaneous forced expiratory flow at 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF 75), and maximum mid expiratory flow (MMEF). In the IOS test, the total respiratory impedance at 5 Hz (Z5), respiratory resistance at 5 Hz (R5), respiratory resistance at 20 Hz (R20), reactance at 5 Hz (X5), respiratory resistance at 5 Hz-respiratory resistance at 20 Hz (R5-R20), reactance area (AX), and resonance frequency (Fres) were measured.The data obtained were analyzed statistically using SPSS 25.0 software. ANOVA or Mann- Whitney U rank-sum test was used to compare data between groups.Receiver′s operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the predictive value of PFT and IOS parameters for uncontrolled asthma. Results:(1) According to the comparison results of PFT indexes between the two groups of children with asthma, the levels of FEV 1, FEV 1/FVC, PEF, FEF 50, FEF 75, MMEF in the control group were all higher than those in the uncontrolled group [(104.41±12.38)% vs.(98.89±16.61)%, 100.50 (94.40, 103.50)% vs.96.00 (89.83, 101.88)%, (100.29±15.31)% vs.(93.19±18.43)%, 85.60(70.60, 96.60)% vs.72.35 (57.08, 91.10)%, 67.20 (53.60, 81.70)% vs.56.80 (41.10, 74.73)%, 80.70 (66.80, 95.10)% vs.69.50 (54.03, 90.05)%] (all P<0.01). (2) According to the comparison results of IOS indices between the two groups, the levels of Z5, R5, R20, R5-R20, X5, AX and Fres in the control group were lower than those in the uncontrolled group {68.58 (63.29, 77.43)% vs.81.27(70.93, 91.96)%, 68.91(62.94, 77.60)% vs.80.61 (70.02, 89.29)%, 75.78 (67.50, 87.55)% vs.82.97 (71.50, 95.50)%, 0.51 (0.43, 0.59) [kPa/(L·S)] vs.0.62 (0.53, 0.74) [kPa/(L·S)], 69.31 (59.93, 79.14)% vs.86.48 (70.00, 102.48)%, 1.11 (0.76, 1.60) kPa/L vs.2.14 (1.42, 2.85) kPa/L, 18.21 (16.06, 19.56) Hz vs.20.56 (18.92, 22.81) Hz} (all P<0.01). (3) In the control group, 31 children (25.20%) had pulmonary dysfunction.(4) In the uncontrolled group, 95 children (47.50%) had pulmonary ventilation dysfunction.Only 20 children (10.00%) had a R5 larger than 120% of the predicted value and/or a R20 larger than 120% of the predicted value.(5) According to the ROC analysis results of the IOS indices for predicting asthma exacerbations, all of the areas under the ROC (AUC) of Z5, R5, R5-R20, X5, AX and Fres were greater than 0.7.AX had the highest value in predicting asthma exacerbations (AUC=0.785, 95% CI: 0.735-0.835), with sensitivity of 78.50% and specificity of 64.20%.All of the AUCs of PFT indices were smaller than 0.7.FEF 50 and MMEF had the largest AUC. Conclusions:PFT and IOS have good sensitivity in evaluating the level of asthma control in children, and IOS has good value in predicting asthma exacerbations.AX has the highest predictive value for asthma exacerbations.Asthma control levels of children should be evaluated using not only subjective (such as C-ACT score) but also objective (e.g.PFT, IOS) indices.