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The main varieties of Echinopsis Radix recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia are the roots of Echinops latifolius Tausch or Echinops grijsii Hance. However, the chemical constituents and biological activities of this herb have not been reviewed. In order to clarify the chemical constituents of the main varieties of this herb and improve the quality of Chinese medicinal material resources, this paper systematically reviewed their chemical constituents and related biological activities. Phytochemical investigations reveal eighty-five compounds including fort y-nine thiophenes (1–49), eight flavonoids (50–57), seven caffeic acids and its derivatives (58–64), eight sesquiterpenoids (65–72), and thirteen triterpenoids and other compounds (73–85) were reported from Echinopsis Radix. The review of biological activities suggests that thiophenes are the main secondary metabolites of the medicinal material which exert antitumor, insecticidal and antifungal activities. In addition, caffeic acid and its derivatives and sesquiterpenes are potential active ingredients worthy of further study. This review provides an important scientific basis for the development of active ingredients and resource quality evaluation of Echinopsis Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Venous tumor thrombus (VTT) consistency of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an important consideration in nephrectomy plus thrombectomy. However, evaluation of VTT consistency through preoperative MR imaging is lacking. Purpose: To evaluate VTT consistency of RCC through intravoxel incoherent motion‐diffusion weighted imaging (IVIM‐DWI) derived parameters (Dt, Dp, f, and ADC) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: One hundred and nineteen patients (aged 55.8 ± 11.5 years, 85 male) with histologically‐proven RCC and VTT who underwent radical resection. Field Strength/Sequences: 3.0‐T; two‐dimensional single‐shot diffusion‐weighted echo planar imaging sequence at 9 b‐values (0–800 s/mm2). Assessment: IVIM parameters and ADC values of the primary tumor and the VTT were calculated. The VTT consistency (friable vs. solid) was determined through intraoperative findings of two urologists. The accuracy of VTT consistency classification based on the individual IVIM parameters of primary tumors and of VTT, and based on models combining parameters, was assessed. Type of operation, intra‐operative blood loss, and operation length were recorded. Statistical Tests: Shapiro–Wilk test; Mann–Whitney U test; Student's t‐test; Chi‐square test; Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Statistical significance level was P < 0.05. Results: Of the enrolled 119 patients, 33 patients (27.7%) had friable VTT. Patients with friable VTT were significantly more likely to experience open surgery, have significantly more intraoperative blood loss, and significantly longer operative duration. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of Dt of the primary tumor and VTT in classifying VTT consistency were 0.758 (95% CI 0.671–0.832) and 0.712 (95% CI 0.622–0.792), respectively. The AUC value of the model combining Dp and Dt of VTT was 0.800 (95% CI 0.717–0.868). Furthermore, the AUC of the model combining Dp and Dt of VTT and Dt of the primary tumor was 0.886 (95% CI 0.814–0.937). Conclusion: IVIM‐derived parameters had the potential to predict VTT consistency of RCC. Evidence Level: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a framework and an index to evaluate landscape ecological integrity. The framework was applied to the Yulin region (Shaanxi Province, China) to evaluate its overall ecological integrity and the effect of the Grain for Green Project on landscape ecological integrity. Landscape ecological integrity (LEI) is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its self-organization capacity, stability, and diversity in structure and function. A landscape having high ecological integrity has three major characteristics: complex structure, high self-organization capacity, and a high level of stability. The LEI can be evaluated using five indicators: landscape fragmentation, connectance, ecological sensitivity, diversity, and vegetation productivity. The results indicate that the LEI in the Yulin region was relatively low during the period from 2000 to 2015. From 2000 to 2005, areas of very low and low LEI decreased, and areas of moderate and high LEI increased. From 2005 to 2010, areas of low and high LEI decreased, and areas of moderate LEI increased. Furthermore, from 2010 to 2015, areas of very low and low LEI increased, and areas of moderate and high LEI decreased. Overall, the LEI of the region was low, but increased between 2000 and 2010, and decreased between 2010 and 2015. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that the Grain for Green Project in the Yulin region has been successful in improving regional LEI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten compounds (1 − 10) including one new neoclerodane diterpenoid (1) and nine known compounds were isolated from the whole plants of Ajuga nipponensis. Their structures were established by performing detailed analysis of NMR, the structure of 1 was determined using HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, UV, and IR. Compounds 1 and 4 – 10 were isolated from Ajuga nipponensis for the first time. And it was the first time to report compounds 9 and 10 as natural products. Based on network pharmacology methods, 45 key targets were selected, which were compounds mapping to diseases. And compounds 2 , 3 , 7 , and a (ajugacumbin B) exhibited excellent AKR1B10 inhibitory activities, with IC 50 values of 53.05 ± 0.75, 87.22 ± 0.85, 61.85 ± 0.66, and 85.19±1.02 nM respectively, with Epalrestat used as the positive control (82.09 ± 1.62 nM). Additionally, the interaction between active compounds and AKR1B10 had been discussed according to the molecular docking results. Ultimately, the analysis of GO and KEGG enrichment indicated that the key signaling pathway of the active compounds may be related to prostate cancer. Our study results demonstrate the hypoglycemic and anti-tumor properties of A. nipponensis for the first time, and provide a comprehensive understanding of its application in traditional medicine. Furthermore, this article establishes a reference for further research on the optimized experimental design of novel AKR1B10 inhibitors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]