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• Evolution of molecular structure of handmade papers in aging process is traced by two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. • Quantitative changes of molecular and supramolecular structures of Kaihua handmade papers in aging process are presented. • The degradation mechanism of Kaihua handmade paper in dry-heat and wet-heat aging process is revealed. • Correlations between the microstructural evolution and macroscopic deterioration are explained. Valued for its toughness and durability, Kaihua paper has been famous in China since the Qing Dynasty. It attracts great attention on the extension of paper life. Understanding of the complex degradation behavior of handmade paper under various aging conditions is an essential precondition for preparing long-life handmade paper. However, it is still difficult to explain the reactions sequence of cellulose microstructure and its relationship with the macroscopic deterioration of handmade paper. Herein, different types of Kaihua handmade papers, produced by various raw materials and crafts, were artificially aged. The evolution of their multi-scale structures in dry-heat (DH) and wet-heat (WH) conditions was explored systematically. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) distinguished possible carbonyl vibrations involving hydrolysis and oxidation of cellulose and gave sequential changes of various carbonyl groups, illustrating different evolutionary behaviors of molecular structure of papers in DH and WH aging process. The energy and distance of hydrogen bond, crystal size and microfiber accessibility were quantitatively calculated during the degradation of cellulose. In addition, correlations between microstructural evolution and macroscopic deterioration of handmade papers involving reduced mechanical properties and yellowing were revealed. The current results will help to establish a platform for the multi-scale detection of handmade paper and improve the understanding of the degradation mechanism of handmade paper under different reaction paths. It also provides useful foundation on the preparation of long-life paper and the conservation of paper-based culture relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) and their downstream signaling pathways are promising targets in anti-angiogenic therapy. They constitute a crucial system to regulate physiological and pathological angiogenesis. In the last 20 years, many antiangiogenic drugs have been developed based on VEGF/VEGFR system to treat diverse cancers and retinopathies, and new drugs with improved properties continue to emerge at a fast rate. They consist of different molecular structures and characteristics, which enable them to inhibit the interaction of VEGF/VEGFR, to inhibit the activity of VEGFR tyrosine kinase (TK), or to inhibit VEGFR downstream signaling. In this paper, we reviewed the development of marketed anti-angiogenic drugs involved in the VEGF/VEGFR axis, as well as some important drug candidates in clinical trials. We discuss their mode of action, their clinical benefits, and the current challenges that will need to be addressed by the next-generation of anti-angiogenic drugs. We focus on the molecular structures and characteristics of each drug, including those approved only in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Researchers investigated the organic optoelectronic materials and facilitated their development in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), chemo‐ and biosensors, organic solar cells, data storage, and anticounterfeiting devices. Atoms make up molecules through chemical bonds, and molecular aggregates are formed through weak intermolecular interactions. The opto‐electronic performance of these materials depends on not only the properties of the well‐designed molecules with specific function groups, but also their aggregate states. The molecular aggregates in the form of nanoparticles can be applied in biological imaging, and films can be applied to photovoltaic and photodeformable devices, in which, the alignment of optoelectronic molecules can be either an ordered crystalline or an amorphous state. Generally, the crystalline materials could be deeply investigated by single crystal/powder X‐ray diffraction analysis, which could provide the accurate information about molecular conformations, interactions and packing characteristics. It afforded a convenient way to investigate the possible relationship between molecular aggregates and opto‐electronic properties. Among various opto‐electronic materials, organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials exhibit the extremely sensitive luminescence property to molecular aggregates, even the dynamic properties can be detected by the tiny change of molecular aggregates. Thus, we selected the organic RTP emission as the output information of molecular aggregates, and afforded typical examples to find the possible relation between RTP effect and molecular packing. Accordingly, molecular packing can be adjusted by the external force as light, mechanical force, temperature, electric field, and so on, as well as the molecular structures as the building blocks, and the systematic investigation in the dynamic and static aggregation structures is of great value to the design of various optoelectronic materials. This review discusses the relationship among molecular structures, aggregation behaviors and corresponding optoelectronic properties by a comprehensive summary of recent research in our group, and the concept of molecular uniting set identified characteristic (MUSIC) is afforded. What is the most favorite and original chemistry developed in your research group? The concept of "Suitable Isolation Group" for molecular design of organic second‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. Molecular packing is highlighted as the key point to opto‐electronic materials, which are partially summarized in this mini review to present "MUSIC" in the molecular world. How do you supervise your students? Discussions. We do discussions for science, interests and other topics related to research together, through which to solve the encountered problems. What is the most important personality for scientific research? Curiosity, desire to advance, persistence, sense of urgency, and team spirit. What are your hobbies? What's your favorite book(s)?? Listening to music and reading books, and my favorite book is "Tao Te Ching (道德经)". Could you please give us some advices on improving Chinese Journal of Chemistry? There are many different approaches to improve CJC, perhaps, to attract and publish good papers is the key, especially those from Chinese authors since the chemistry in China develops rapidly. If you have anything else to tell our readers, please feel free to do so? While pursuing new published exciting papers, it is a very good habit to read related old excellent literatures and the classics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is rich in Shale gas resources, and the preliminarily predicted geological resource reserves are about 134 1012 m3, with a technically recoverable reserve of approximately 25·1012 m3. The Weiyuan-Rongxian area has abundant natural gas resources, but its geological conditions are complex, characterized by poor drillability of local formations, deep burial of reservoirs, and uneven horizontal distribution. These complex geological conditions result in low mechanical drilling speed, long drilling cycles, and high drilling costs, posing severe challenges and challenges to drilling engineering. In view of the technical difficulties of oil-based drilling fluid in the deep shale high-pressure fracture formation in this block, this paper has developed a particle size variable nano micron plugging agent CLG-NM suitable for the high-pressure fracture formation in the deep shale gas formation. Its molecular structure was characterized, its nano micron plugging characteristics were evaluated, and its microscopic mechanism was discussed. The research results indicate that the median particle size D50 of the newly developed variable nano micron sealing agent CLG-NM is 89.4 nm. After high-temperature aging at 150°C, the filtration loss of the experimental slurry showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increase of the amount of sealing agent CLG-NM added. When the dosage of sealing agent is 1%, the filtration loss of sand disc sealing is only 4.2 mL, demonstrating strong nano micron sealing performance. On this basis, CLG-NM was applied on-site in the Longmaxi Formation of Well Weiye 32-3HF. Field tests have shown that during the drilling process of the Weiye 32-3HF Longmaxi Formation, there were no complex downhole situations such as well leakage or wellbore instability. The drilling was successfully completed, with a pure drilling time of 42 hours, an average drilling speed of 7.81 m/h, and a density reduction of about 0.08-0.1 g/cm3 compared to the adjacent well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvianolic acid B (SalB), among the most abundant bioactive polyphenolic compounds found in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., exerts therapeutic and protective effects against various diseases. Although some summaries of the activities of SalB exist, there is lack of a scientometric and in-depth review regarding disease therapy. In this review, scientometrics was employed to analyze the number of articles, publication trends, countries, institutions, keywords, and highly cited papers pertaining to SalB research. The scientometric findings showed that SalB exerts excellent protective effects on the heart, lungs, liver, bones, and brain, along with significant therapeutic effects against atherosclerosis (AS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), liver fibrosis, diabetes, heart/brain ischemia, and osteoporosis, by regulating signaling pathways and acting on specific molecular targets. Moreover, this review delves into in-depth insights and perspectives, such as the utilization of SalB in combination with other drugs, the validation of molecular mechanisms and targets, and the research and development of novel drug carriers and dosage forms. In conclusion, this review aimed to offer a comprehensive scientometric analysis and in-depth appraisal of SalB research, encompassing both present achievements and future prospects, thereby providing a valuable resource for the clinical application and therapeutic exploitation of SalB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Saddle Diesel is a diesel engine plant in a local city in northeast China, which is already the special designation. In this paper, a new polyhydroxy polyacid macromolecule called citric acid-1,4-butanediol-citric acid-cycloalkanic acid-tetradecyl alcohol (CTC-NT) with 1,4-butanediol as the core was designed and synthesized via an "ester-ester" copolymerization process using 1,4-butanediol and citric acid as the raw materials and then grafted sequentially with naphthenic acid and tetradecanol containing functionalized groups. The structures of the synthesized compounds were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy, and the results showed that the synthetic products were consistent with the designed molecular structure. The use of the prepared CTC-NT in saddle oil light diesel was studied. The results showed that the filtration improvements of the synthesized multibranched macromolecule CTC-NT were better than those of other additives for the same oil, and the cold filter point was reduced by up to 13°C when the dosage was 900 μg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the deterioration of underground coal quality, hundreds of millions of tons of coal slime in China need to be treated using flotation methods every year. However, the design and selection of coal slurry flotation collectors lack theoretical guidance. In this paper, the quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) model between the molecular structure descriptors of collectors and the flotation recovery and selectivity index is established by using pure kaolinite/clean coal flotation experiments and molecular simulation techniques. Flotation results showed that the flotation recovery rate of kaolinite by collectors with larger head group size, such as DDMAC, DDP, and DTAC, is higher than that of the other collectors with smaller head group size. DDA, DDP, and DD have similar flotation capabilities for clean coal, and their selectivity was slightly better than others. The QSAR model between the molecular structure descriptor and the selectivity index was successfully constructed by combining flotation experiments and molecular simulation results. The reliability of this model has been proven through theoretical analysis and flotation experiments. The molecular simulation results indicate that all eight collectors can advertise on 001 (−) surface of kaolinite, but the final advertisement configuration is different. DDA has less coverage on the surface of kaolinite. When the collector is DDA, the concentration of water molecules near the 001 (−) surface of kaolinite is the highest, indicating that the collector DDA has the weakest effect on improving the hydrophobicity of the 001 (−) surface of kaolinite. DDMAC and DDBAC have the best facilitation to the surface hydrophobicity of kaolinite 001 (−). The research results have theoretical guidance significance for the selection and design of mineral flotation collectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a major safety concern affecting not just miners and businesses, but of industry in China generally. Chemical methods are already widely applied in the field of CSC prevention and plays a vital role in suppressing its negative effects. Ionic liquids (ILs) are novel and environmentally friendly solvents that have shown possible inhibitory effects on CSC through controlling the reactive groups in coal's molecular structure. To study the effects of various ILs on CSC more thoroughly, this paper examined several types of IL that had been pre-treated for different periods and examined how they performed during different phases of the combustion process. A long flame coal type was selected and immersed in four ILs [BMIM][BF4], [BMIM][NO3], [BMIM][I], and [EMIM][BF4]. Immersion periods were 2 days, 3 months, and 6 months; a raw coal sample was retained as a control. LFA 457 laser-flash apparatus determined the thermophysical properties of the samples between 30 and 300 °C. The kinetic process of the samples (30–800 °C) was deduced by thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry thermal at various heating rates (2, 5, 10, and 15 °C min−1), and the thermal effect parameters were obtained. Results from this paper show that immersion treatment using ILs has an inhibitory effect on CSC, and the reliability of the thermophysical parameters was verified by uncertainty analysis. The pre-treated samples characteristics and exothermic peak temperature with different degrees of hysteresis were recorded, and statistical analysis verified the conclusions from the thermal physics experiments. The pre-treated sample with the greatest lag over various stages was found, and the apparent activation energy (Ea) of its rapid oxidation stage was calculated by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose methods. Meanwhile, the two kinetic methods confirm each other and come to a conclusion after joint verification. The greatest Ea found here was for a 6-month immersion coal sample using the IL [BMIM][BF4]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, a single species of Eucommia genus belonging to the Eucommiaceae family, is an endemic in China and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for nearly two thousand years. Records from different historical periods highlight E. ulmoides and its officinal botanical parts, usefulness in adaptation to disease and its central role in Chinese medicine theory. There are also historical collection documents for minorities in China. Tearing the leaves, bark and fruit produces strands of latex; a description of E. ulmoides's morphological features is recorded in this paper. This review summarizes 204 natural compounds isolated from this plant, which are divided into seven categories: lignans, iridoids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, terpenes and others. These components possess wide-ranging pharmacological efficacies, such as antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemia, anti-oxidative, anti-osteoporosis, antitumor, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective activities. This review aims to provide a reference for extensive researches of E. ulmoides crude drugs, especially for quality control, biosynthesis and structure modification of active ingredients and pharmacological mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented plastic production has resulted in over six billion tons of harmful waste. Certain insect taxa emerge as potential agents of plastic biodegradation. Through a comprehensive manual and bibliometric literature analysis, this review analyses and consolidates the growing literature related to insect-mediated plastic breakdown. Over 23 insect species, representing Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and 4 other orders, have been identified for their capacity to consume plastic polymers. Natural and synthetic polymers exhibit high-level similarities in molecular structure and properties. Thus, in conjunction with comparative genomics studies, we link plastic-degrading enzymatic capabilities observed in certain insects to the exaptation of endogenous enzymes originally evolved for digesting lignin, cellulose, beeswax, keratin and chitin from their native dietary substrates. Further clarification is necessary to distinguish mineralisation from physicochemical fragmentation and to differentiate microbiome-mediated degradation from direct enzymatic reactions by insects. A bibliometric analysis of the exponentially growing body of literature showed that leading research is emerging from China and the USA. Analogies between natural and synthetic polymer's degradation pathways will inform engineering robust enzymes for practical plastic bioremediation applications. By aggregating, analysing, and interpreting published insights, this review consolidates our mechanistic understanding of insects as a potential natural solution to the escalating plastic waste crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Buddleja lindleyana Fort., which belongs to the Loganiaceae with a distribution throughout the tropics, is widely used as an ornamental plant in China. There are several morphologically similar species in the genus Buddleja, but the lack of comprehensive molecular and phylogenetic studies makes it difficult to distinguish related species, which hinders further studies of this genus. Objective: Using molecular biology techniques to sequence and analyze the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. lindleyana. Methods: After sequencing of the genomic DNA using next-generation sequencing, a series of bioinformatics software were used to assemble and analyze the molecular structure of the cp genome of B. lindleyana. Results: The complete cp genome of B. lindleyana is a circular 154 487-bp-longmolecule with a GC (Guanine and Cytosine) content of 38.1%. It has a quadripartite structure, including a LSC region (85 489 base pair (bp)), a small single-copy region (17 898 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (25 550 bp). A total of 133 genes were identified in this genome, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA (transfer Ribonucleic Acid) genes, eight rRNA (ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid) genes, and two pseudogenes. Conclusion: These results suggest that the B. lindelyana cp genome could be used as a potential genomic resource to resolve the phylogenetic positions and relationships of Loganiaceae, and will offer valuable information for future research in the identification of Buddleja species and will conduce to genomic investigations into these species. Highlights: This paper study the B. lindelyana cp genome and it's structural characteristics, and analyze the phylogeny of Loganiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor worldwide, traditional Chinese medicine is one of the treatment measures for liver cancer because of its good anti-tumor effects and fewer toxic side effects. Ginsenoside CK (CK) is an active component of ginseng. This study explored the mechanism by which CK induced ferroptosis in liver cancer cells. We found that CK inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and SK-Hep-1 cells, induced ferroptosis of cells. Ferrostatin-1, an ferroptosis inhibitor, was used to verify the role of CK in inducing ferroptosis of liver cancer cells. Network pharmacological analysis identified the FOXO pathway as a potential mechanism of CK, and western blot showed that CK inhibited p-FOXO1. In cells treated with the FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856, further verify the involvement of the FOXO pathway in regulating CK-induced ferroptosis in HepG2 and SK-Hep-1 cells. A HepG2 cell–transplanted tumor model was established in nude mice, and CK inhibited the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice, p-FOXO1 was decreased in tumor tissues, and SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions were also down-regulated after CK treatment. These findings suggested that CK induces ferroptosis in liver cancer cells by inhibiting FOXO1 phosphorylation and activating the FOXO signaling pathway, thus playing an antitumor role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's need for energy resources is growing every day. Future energy demands will be partly met by low-temperature pyrolysis of oil-rich coal, which is a form of coal-to-oil technology. Under the existing fully-mechanized coal mining technology, oil-rich coal is mechanically broken into different particle sizes by a shearer and used in different industrial utilization directions. However, due to differences in particle size and material composition, the pyrolysis products of oil-rich coal with different natural particle sizes are different, which affect the pyrolysis efficiency of oil-rich coal with different particle sizes. In order to explore the differences and influencing factors of pyrolysis products of oil-rich coal with different particle sizes, and taking Jurassic oil-rich coal in northern Shaanxi as the research object, the differences and causes of pyrolysis production of oil and gas from nine kinds of oil-rich coal with different natural particle sizes under existing coal mining conditions are discussed according to particle size characteristics, pore structure, heat transfer velocity and molecular structure. The findings demonstrate that the pyrolysis characteristics of coal do not show a single trend with change in particle size. With decrease in particle size, the ash and sulfur contents were relatively high, and the tar yield increased first and then decreased. In contrast, the light fraction decreased overall, and the heavy fraction decreased. The tar yield of 0.125–0.25 mm was the highest, and the tar content was 1.996 g. For the gas components produced by pyrolysis, the contents of CH4, CO and H2 first increased and then decreased with decrease in particle size, while the contents of CO2 and CnHm showed the opposite trend. Larger particles (about 30 mm) affect the escape efficiency of pyrolysis products and the amount of carbon deposition due to the difference in porosity (interparticle resistance) of the inner surface and pyrolysis bed, resulting in secondary reactions of the products escaped from a primary reaction, thus affecting the differences in pyrolysis products. The heat transfer process of coal was affected by particle size, and the thermal conductivity increased gradually with decrease in particle size, which is consistent with the change of tar yield with particle size. The maceral components and molecular structure functional groups in coal with different particle sizes were also different, which resulted in the differences in tar yield. Studies have shown that smaller particle sizes have longer alkyl side chains, and pyrolysis accompanied by rising temperature causes different changes in the aliphatic hydrocarbon content in coal coke after pyrolysis. The aliphatic hydrocarbon content decreased the most when the particle size was 0.125 mm, which is more beneficial to the improvement of tar yield. In addition, vitrinite is a good carrier of tar yield, and the granular coal vitrinite after crushing is enriched to smaller particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) issued Order No. 12, replacing MEP Order No. 7. New measures for environmental management registration of chemical substances require different registration types for new substances not listed in the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances of China (IECSC) and for substances listed in the IECSC but used for industrial applications other than permitted uses in order to be researched, manufactured, imported, processed and used in the territory of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Registration is not mandatory for mixtures (formulations). However, if the substances that make up a mixture are considered new substances, they must be registered. This also applies to variable component substances and complex reaction products without unique and definite molecular structures. Polymers are not exempt from registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate six Imperial China Engraved Coiling Dragon stamps non-destructively. The results have shown that (1) the main colors (yellow, green, scarlet, brown, vermilion, and blue) on the six stamps were all prepared from inorganic pigments, including chrome yellow, chrome orange, Prussian blue, red lead, magnesium sulfate hydrate, and ultramarine blue. (2) Raman spectrometer has been allowed for successfully identifying the molecular structure of the pigments printed on the six examined stamps, suggesting that such a dual analytical approach could satisfy the need for pigment identification on stamps. (3) The finding that certain pigments were intentionally mixed to produce a whole different hue or color, the mechanism of which could be explained by theories of chromatology and metamerism, also provides new insight into the future conservation, authentication, and restoration of the early printings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive disorder is a severe psychiatric problem all over the world. Clinical therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression in the market targeting on monoamine neurotransmitters are far from satisfaction due to their adverse effects. Novel classes of antidepressant agents with different mechanisms and low toxicity are needed. Natural products from traditional Chinese medicines have been revealed as new sources to cure the depressive symptoms with various chemical structures and promising activities. This paper reviews natural products as antidepressants documented in Chinese patents so far. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Polymer flooding, one of the main methods for improving crude oil recovery using chemical flooding technology in China, is widely used for actual oil displacement. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) is a commonly used linear polymer in polymer flooding, but it exhibits poor temperature and salt resistance due to its molecular structure. Therefore, branched polymers have been studied. This article provides a review of the specific synthetic methods and current practical applications in the petrochemical field of dendritic polymers and hyperbranched macromolecules. The advantages and disadvantages of each synthetic method for branched polymers are also elaborated. Finally, the application prospects of branched polymers are discussed. The feasibility of branched polymers in large quantities should be further verified through additional field tests, which should address concerns such as synthesis costs and reaction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-rank coal accounts for over half of China's proven coal reserves. The possibility of coal and gas outbursts in low-rank coal is higher, especially in the m·agmatic thermal evolution area. The complexity of coal's molecular structure is one of the reasons for problems during the process of mining operations. Different analysis techniques, including XRD, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, were used to obtain the molecular characteristics of magmatic thermal evolution coal samples and normal coal samples, so that a comparative study could be carried out to investigate the influence of the magmatic thermal evolution effect on the molecular structure of low-rank coal. The ranges of the aromatic interlayer spacing (d002), average stacking heights (Lc) and stacking layer number (Nave) of the thermally evolved coal samples are 3.41–3.51 Å, 22.76–27.02 Å, and 6.68–7.70, respectively. The ranges of the full width at half maximum ratio (FD1/FG) and the peak integral intensity ratio (ID1/IG) are 2.16–2.19 and 1.55–1.84, respectively. Compared with the normal coal samples, those affected by magmatic thermal evolution have smaller d002, ID1/IG, and FD1/FG values, but larger Lc values. The results indicate that the thermally evolved coal samples have more ordered structures and more developed microcrystalline structure sizes than normal coal samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aging is an important pathogenic factor of age-related diseases and has brought huge health threat and economic burden to the society. Dendrobium nobile Lindl., a valuable herb in China, promotes longevity according to the record of ancient Chinese materia medica. This study aimed to discover the material basis of D. nobile as an anti-aging herb and elucidate its action mechanism. Methods: K6001 yeast replicative lifespan assay was used to guide the isolation of D. nobile. The chronological lifespan assay of YOM36 yeast was further conducted to confirm the anti-aging activity of dendrobine. The mechanism in which dendrobine exerts anti-aging effect was determined by conducting anti-oxidative stress assay, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot, measurements of anti-oxidant enzymes activities, determination of nuclear translocation of Rim15 and Msn2, and replicative lifespan assays of Δsod1, Δsod2, Δcat, Δgpx, Δatg2, Δatg32, and Δrim15 yeasts. Results: Under the guidance of K6001 yeast replicative lifespan system, dendrobine with anti-aging effect was isolated from D. nobile. The replicative and chronological lifespans of yeast were extended upon dendrobine treatment. In the study of action mechanism, dendrobine improved the survival rate of yeast under oxidative stress, decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, and enhanced the enzyme activities and gene expression of superoxide dismutase and catalase, but it failed to elongate the replicative lifespans of Δsod1, Δsod2, Δcat, and Δgpx yeast mutants. Meanwhile, dendrobine enhanced autophagy occurrence in yeast but had no effect on the replicative lifespans of Δatg2 and Δatg32 yeast mutants. Moreover, the inhibition of Sch9 phosphorylation and the promotion of nuclear translocation of Rim15 and Msn2 were observed after treatment with denrobine. However, the effect of dendrobine disappeared from the Δrim15 yeast mutant after lifespan extension, oxidative stress reduction, and autophagy enhancement. Conclusions: Dendrobine exerts anti-aging activity in yeast via the modification of oxidative stress and autophagy through the Sch9/Rim15/Msn2 signaling pathway. Our work provides a scientific basis for the exploitation of D. nobile as an anti-aging herb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe acute metabolic process syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus strain causes an unique Corona viral (COVID-19) disease. It was initially documented in the foreign country of China, and it has since spread around the world. Fever, cough, and runny nose are among the symptoms of this illness, which mostly affects the respiratory system. The peculiar thing is that there is no therapy or vaccine available for this sickness. Clinical trials for a corona virus vaccine are still ongoing, with the vaccine likely to be available by 2021. Until then, the only way to deal with or control the virus's spread is to take preventative precautions. The numerical descriptors of a molecule structure obtained by the molecular graph are known as topological indices. These can be utilized in structure-property relationship (QSPR) and structure-activity relationship (QSAR) investigations to learn a lot about a molecule's physicochemical and biological properties. Lopinavir, ritonavir, arbidol, thalidomide, chloroquine, hydroxy-chloroquine, theaflavin, and remdesivir are investigated in this research as crucial lights in COVID-19 treatment. For chemical graphs of these medications, some status distance-based topological indices are constructed. Furthermore, these topological indices are used in the QSPR models to estimate some of the medications' physicochemical properties. The results of the QSPR experiments, which were acquired using the polynomial regression technique, can contribute in the development of new drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microstructures of the outcrop/core kerogen were systematically characterized. • Differences in chemical structure between the outcrop/core kerogen were identified. • Realistic 2D/3D molecular models of the outcrop/core kerogen were constructed. • Validity of the proposed molecular models was verified by gravimetric adsorption. • Effect of the kerogen microstructure on CH 4 adsorption behavior was investigated. It has been known that adsorbed gas, mainly CH 4 , serves as the dominant source of shale gas yield in the middle and later stages of reservoir exploitation. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the microstructure of kerogen (organic matter rich in shale) and its effect on CH 4 adsorption characteristics. In this paper, for the first time, a comparative study was conducted to experimentally characterize the microstructure of both outcrop and core kerogen samples from Longmaxi Shale, Sichuan Basin, SW China, using 13C NMR, FTIR, and XPS. Great differences in the chemical structure such as carbon skeleton (e.g. , aromaticity, aliphatic branch) and heteroatoms (e.g. , distribution and proportion of various types of functional groups) between the two kerogen samples have been identified. Molecular models of the outcrop and core kerogen samples were constructed based on the experimental data, that is, C 237 H 219 O 21 N 5 S 4 for the former and C 239 H 175 O 27 N 5 S 4 for the latter. CH 4 adsorption isotherms obtained from gravimetric adsorption test and molecular simulation using proposed kerogen molecular models are in reasonable agreement with each other, especially at low-pressure range. Interestingly, the adsorption capacity of CH 4 in the core sample is found higher than that in the outcrop sample under the same condition, indicating the effect of kerogen microstructure on CH 4 adsorption behavior. As a result, to precisely evaluate the adsorbed gas content in shale gas reservoirs, it is strongly recommended to use a core sample rather than an outcrop sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a surge burden worldwide owing to its high prevalence and range of associated complications such as coronary artery disease, blindness, stroke, and renal failure. Accordingly, the treatment and management of DM have become a research hotspot. Mulberry leaves (Morus alba L.) have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for a long time, with the first record of its use published in Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica). Mulberry leaves (MLs) are considered highly valuable medicinal food homologs that contain polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other bioactive substances. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that MLs have multiple bioactive effects, including hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidation, and anti-inflammatory properties, with the ability to protect islet β -cells, alleviate insulin resistance, and regulate intestinal flora. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of MLs in DM have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the botanical characterization, traditional use, chemical constituents, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology of MLs, and highlight the mechanisms involved in treating DM and its complications. This review can provide a valuable reference for the further development and utilization of MLs in the prevention and treatment of DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation on the chemical components of Valeriana jatamansi Jones (Caprifoliaceae), a new lignan with pyran-ring, dipsalignan G (1), along with eight known compounds (2–9) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of 1D, 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data. Additionally, possible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed. Finally, biological evaluation results showed that 8 had significant scavenging ability to ABTS and DPPH free radicals, with IC50 values of 1.35 ± 0.01 and 2.94 ± 0.01 μg/ml, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria are essential for spermiogenesis. Prohibitins (PHBs; prohibitin 1, PHB1 or PHB, and prohibitin 2, PHB2) are evolutionarily conserved and ubiquitously expressed mitochondrial proteins that act as scaffolds in the inner mitochondrial membrane. In this study, we analyzed the molecular structure and dynamic expression characteristics of Ot-PHBs, observed the colocalization of Ot-PHB1 with mitochondria and polyubiquitin, and studied the effect of phb1 knockdown on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and apoptosis-related gene expression in spermatids. Our aim was to explore the effect of Ot-PHBs on mitochondrial function during the spermiogenesis of Octopus tankahkeei (O. tankahkeei), an economically important species in China. The predicted Ot-PHB1/PHB2 proteins contained an N-terminal transmembrane, a stomatin/prohibitin/flotillin/HflK/C (SPFH) domain (also known as the prohibitin domain), and a C-terminal coiled-coil domain. Ot-phb1/phb2 mRNA were widely expressed in the different tissues, with elevated expression in the testis. Further, Ot-PHB1 and Ot-PHB2 were highly colocalized, suggesting that they may function primarily as an Ot-PHB compiex in O. tankahkeei. Ot-PHB1 proteins were mainly expressed and localized in mitochondria during spermiogenesis, implying that their function may be localized to the mitochondria. In addition, Ot-PHB1 was colocalized with polyubiquitin during spermiogenesis, suggesting that it may be a polyubiquitin substrate that regulates mitochondrial ubiquitination during spermiogenesis to ensure mitochondrial quality. To further investigate the effect of Ot-PHBs on mitochondrial function, we knocked down Ot-phb1 and observed a decrease in mtDNA content, along with increases in ROS levels and the expressions of mitochondria-induced apoptosis-related genes bax, bcl2, and caspase-3 mRNA. These findings indicate that PHBs might influence mitochondrial function by maintaining mtDNA content and stabilizing ROS levels; in addition, PHBs might affect spermatocyte survival by regulating mitochondria-induced apoptosis during spermiogenesis in O. tankahkeei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is considered the most relevant bacteria during the transition of the non-pathogenic commensal oral microbial community to plaque biofilms that promote the development of dental caries. Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), is a universally natural flavoring and its essential oil has been demonstrated to have good antibacterial effects. However, the specific antibacterial mechanism of oregano essential oil (OEO) against S. mutans is still not completely understood. Methods: In this work, the composition of two different OEOs was determined by GC‒MS. Disk-diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined to assess their antimicrobial effect on S. mutans. The inhibition of acid production, hydrophobicity, biofilm formation and real-time PCR for gtfB/C/D, spaP, gbpB, vicR, relA and brpA mRNA expression by S. mutans were assessed to preliminarily investigate the mechanisms of action. Molecular docking was performed to simulate the interactions with the virulence proteins and active constituents. MTT test using immortalized human keratinocytes cells was also performed to investigate cytotoxicity. Results: Compared with the positive drug Penicillin /streptomycin 100X (DIZ: 34.13 ± 0.85 mm, MIC: 0.78125 μL/mL, MBC: 6.25 μL/mL), the essential oils of Origanum vulgare L. (DIZ: 80 mm, MIC: 0.625μL/mL, MBC:2.5μL/mL) and Origanum heracleoticum L. (DIZ: 39.67 ± 0.81 mm, MIC: 0.625μL/mL, MBC: 1.25μL/mL) could also exhibit similar effects to inhibit the acid production and reduce the hydrophobicity and biofilm formation of S. mutans at 1/2-1MIC concentration. And gene expression of gtfB/C/D, spaP, gbpB, vicR and relA were found to be downregulated. Due to the composition of essential oils from different sources being highly variable, through effective network pharmacology analysis, we found that OEOs contained many effective compounds, like carvacrol and its biosynthetic precursors γ-terpinene and p-cymene, which may directly target several virulence proteins of S. mutans. Besides, no toxic effect was instigated by OEOs at 0.1 μL/mL in the immortalized human keratinocytes cells. Conclusion: The integrated analysis in the present study suggested that OEO might be a potential antibacterial agent for the prevention of dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of mental illnesses highly correlated with gut microbiota. Recent studies have shown that some abnormal aromatic metabolites in autism patients are presumably derived from overgrown Clostridium species in gut, which may be used for diagnostic purposes. In this paper, a GC/MS based metabolomic approach was utilized to seek similar biomarkers by analyzing the urinary information in 62 ASDs patients compared with 62 non-ASDs controls in China, aged 1.5–7. Three compounds identified as 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA), 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (3HPA), and 3-hydroxyhippuric acid (3HHA) were found in higher concentrations in autistic children than in the controls (p<0.001). After oral vancomycin treatment, urinary excretion of HPHPA (p<0.001), 3HPA (p<0.005), and 3HHA (p<0.001) decreased markedly, which indicated that these compounds may also be from gut Clostridium species. The sensitivity and specificity of HPHPA, 3HPA, and 3HHA were evaluated by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The specificity of each compound for ASDs was very high (>96%). After two-regression analysis, the optimal area under the curve (AUC, 0.962), sensitivity (90.3%), and specificity (98.4%) were obtained by ROC curve of Prediction probability based on the three metabolites. These findings demonstrate that the measurements of the three compounds are strong predictors of ASDs and support the potential clinical utility for identifying a subgroup of ASDs subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal the effect of the molecular structure of coal on the gas adsorption ability of coal seams, this paper selects the high-quality bituminous coal in the Shenmu mining area of Shaanxi Province, China, as the research object. We changed the molecular structure of coal through pyrolysis experiments and studied the effect of changing coal molecular structure on methane adsorption capacity based on Langmuir adsorption equations, Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and liquid nitrogen adsorption. The findings of the experiments reveal that d 002 reduces as pyrolysis temperature rises, but L a , N ave , and L c increase overall. The molecular structure of coal is restructured and layered, and the degree of polycondensation increases. Simultaneously, heating decomposes the active functional groups inside the coal sample, A C-O / A ar , A CH 2 / A CH 3 and A al / A ar decrease with the increasing pyrolysis temperature, and the aromatization degree of coal also deepens. The adsorption Langmuir constant a is well connected with d 002 , L a , N ave , L c , A C-O / A ar , A CH 2 / A CH 3 and A al / A ar. After high-temperature pyrolysis, A variety of chemical bonds in the coal sample are broken, resulting in the release of a substantial amount of light hydrocarbon, and then a large number of holes and cracks appear in the coal body, and the micropores are reduced, thus reducing the overall adsorption capacity of the coal. The findings of this study provide theoretical guidance for the development of new technologies to recover coal seam gas during mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019, the global economy, culture, politics, and people's lives and health have been severely damaged and threatened. Although western modern medical treatment has made great efforts, the treatment of COVID-19 has not achieved ideal clinical efficacy with severe sequelae. Qingfei Paidu (QFPD), an important herbal prescription for COVID-19 treatment, has shown remarkable therapeutic effects in China's fight against the epidemic. Materials and methods: We searched seven databases up to 7 September 2022, including PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, World Scientific and SpringerLink. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool to assess the quality of randomized controlled trials. All analysis results were conducted by RevMan 5.4.1 to carry out a meta-analysis. Results: Fifteen studies with 10390 patients were included. QFPD could not only significantly improve the cure rate and lung CT of COVID-19, reduce the number of patients turning to critical condition and death, shorten the time for nucleic acid conversion and the length of hospital stay, but change laboratory indexes and relieve body symptoms quickly without adverse effects. Conclusions: Compared with patients only treated by conventional western treatment (CWM), QFPD combined with CWM could be more effective for patients. It is worth spreading to other countries in the global battle against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. An important feature of aging cells is the gradual loss of physiological integrity. As aging progresses, MSCs change preferring to differentiate toward adipocytes rather than osteoblasts. Oxidative stress accumulation is an important factor in age-related bone loss. Many experiments have demonstrated the good therapeutic effect of Ginsenoside (Rg1) on oxidative stress injury. In this study, we investigated the effect of Rg1 on the osteogenic-adipogenic differentiation balance of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC). Objective. To analyze the potential application value of Rg1 in the treatment of senile osteoporosis. Methods. BMMSCs were isolated from healthy donors of different ages and identified based on isotype and by multi-differentiation induction. Rg1 was used to treat BMMSCs, The differentiation propensity was analyzed by induction of differentiation assay. Antioxidant capacity of BMMSCs as measured by oxidative stress product assay Related mechanism studies were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), immunofluorescence, western blotting, and inhibitor treatment. Moreover, Observation of the effects of Rg1 on aging BMMSCs under in vivo conditions by treatment of aged mice with Rg1 injections. Results. Rg1 treatment rescued age‐induced switch of BMMSCs differentiation fate in vitro. In elderly people, Rg1 markedly increased osteogenic differentiation of BMMSCs by decreasing oxidative stress, while inhibiting adipogenic differentiation. However, this effect was abolished in BMMSCs by an Nrf2-inhibitor. Notably, aging mice showed a reduction in adipocyte distribution in the bone marrow and a decrease in oxidative stress products after a 3-month period of Rg1 treatment. Conclusion. We have uncovered a novel function for Rg1 that involves attenuating bone loss via Nrf2 antioxidant signaling, which in turn may potentially be utilized as a therapeutic agent for improving osteogenic differentiation in aging BMMSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenol composition in persimmon fruits were analyzed for 30 cultivars using thiolysis-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Regarding the amount of proanthocyanidins, persimmon polyphenols were classified into three groups: pollination constant and non-astringent (PCNA) from Japan, non-PCNA (pollination variant and non-astringent (PVNA), pollination variant and astringent (PVA), pollination constant and astringent (PCA)) from Japan and PCA from China, and PCA from Korea. Similar to the genetic-based classification and the molecular structures including the degree of polymerization and galloyl group ratio, as well as the bioactivities, such as the anti-oxidative activities and the inhibitory effects on amylolytic enzymes, were consistent with the amount of proanthocyanidins. In all cultivars investigated, the inhibitory activity of α-amylase was the strongest, followed by that of α-glucosidase, maltase, and sucrase. Since persimmon polyphenols have been reported to suppress the increase in postprandial blood glucose levels, they can be used for glycemic control regardless of the cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with a poor prognosis. The AT-rich interaction domain (ARID) family plays an essential regulatory role in the pathogenesis and progression of cancers. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value and clinical significance of human ARID family genes in HCC. Methods. ONCOMINE and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were employed to retrieve ARIDs expression profile and clinicopathological information of HCC. Kaplan–Meier plotter and MethSurv were applied to the survival analysis of patients with HCC. CBioPortal was used to analyze genetic mutations of ARIDs. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Metascape were used to perform hub gene identification and functional enrichment. Results. Expression levels of 11 ARIDs were upregulated in HCC, and 2 ARIDs were downregulated. Also, 4 ARIDs and 5 ARIDs were correlated with pathologic stages and histologic grades, respectively. Furthermore, higher expression of ARID1A, ARID1B, ARID2, ARID3A, ARID3B, ARID5B, KDM5A, KDM5B, KDM5C, and JARID2 was remarkably correlated with worse overall survival of patients with HCC, and the high ARID3C/KDM5D expression was related to longer overall survival. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that ARID3A, KDM5C, and KDM5D were independent risk factors for HCC prognosis. Moreover, ARIDs mutations and 127 CpGs methylation in all ARIDs were observed to be significantly associated with the prognosis of HCC patients. Besides, our data showed that ARIDs could regulate tumor-related pathways and distinct immune cells in the HCC microenvironment. Conclusions. ARIDs present the potential prognostic value for HCC. Our findings suggest that ARID3A, KDM5C, and KDM5D may be the prognostic biomarkers for patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing prevalence and mortality, chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a world public health problem. As the primary pathological manifestation in CKD, renal fibrosis is often used as a critical target for the treatment of CKD and inhibits the progression of CKD to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). As a potential drug, natural products have been confirmed to have the potential as a routine or supplementary therapy for chronic kidney disease, which may target renal fibrosis and act through various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation of natural products. This article briefly introduces the pathological mechanism of renal fibrosis and systematically summarizes the latest research on the treatment of renal fibrosis with natural products of Chinese herbal medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new dinor-eudesmane sesquiterpenoids, named multistalin A (1), and multistalin B (2), together with three sesquiterpene glycosides (3–5), and a norlabdane-type diterpene (6) were isolated from the root extract of Chloranthus multistachys Pei. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including 1D, 2D NMR techniques and HR-ESI-MS. In addition, the cytotoxicity activities of the isolated compounds against selected cancer cells (Hela and A-549) were evaluated by MTT assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aims to evaluate the clinical effects of Ling Gui Zhu Gan formula (LGZG), a famous TCM formula, for the management of serum lipids and obesity and preliminarily elucidates the bioactive components and the potential mechanism. Methods. Cluster analysis was adopted to investigate the TCM herbs and their frequency of occurrence for treating hyperlipidemia and obesity in an academic experience database of Chinese famous TCM doctors (http://www.gjmlzy.com:83). Then, relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about LGZG supplementation in improving lipid levels and obesity were retrieved and analyzed. Lastly, the integration of network pharmacology, as well as greedy algorithms, which are theoretically well founded for the set cover in computer science, was exploited to identify the bioactive components of LGZG and to reveal potential mechanisms for attenuation or reversal of hyperlipidemia and obesity. Results. Based on the cluster analysis of 104 cases in TCM academic experience database, four TCM herbs in LGZG showed high-use frequency for treating hyperlipidemia and obesity. Meta-analysis on 19 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 1716 participants indicated that LGZG supplementation significantly decreased the serum levels of total triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, BMI, and body weight and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, compared with clinical control groups. No serious adverse effect was detected in all studies. Twenty-one bioactive components of LGZG, mainly flavonoids (i.e., naringenin, kaempferol, and kumatakenin), saponins (i.e., hederagenin), and fatty acids (i.e., eicosenoic acid), had the potential benefits possibly by regulating multiple targets such as PTPN1, CYP19A1, and ESR2, as well as a few complex pathways including the TNF signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, arachidonic acid metabolism, fat digestion, and absorption. Conclusion. The present study has proved the clinical value of LGZG as a complementary treatment for attenuation or reversal of hyperlipidemia and obesity. More high-quality clinical and experimental studies in the future are demanded to verify its effects and the precise mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic sinusitis (CRS) was a chronic inflammation that originated in the nasal mucosa and affected the health of most people around the world. Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) was one kind of chronic sinusitis. Emerging research had suggested that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) played vital parts in inflammatories and inflammation development. Methods. We acquired GEO data to analyze the differential expression between the miRNA, immune genes, TF, and lncRNA data in CRSWNP and the corresponding control tissues. Bioinformatic analysis by coexpression of endogenous RNA network and competitive way enrichment, analysis, and forecasting functions of these noncoding RNA. The different pathway expressions in CRSwNP patients were confirmed using GSVA to analyze the differentially expressed immune genes and TF data sets in CRSwNP patients. The differential immune gene and transcription factor data set in CRSwNP perform functional notes and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network structure. We predicted the potential genes and RNAs related to CRSWNP by constructing a ceRNA network. In addition, we also used 19 hub immune genes to predict the potential drugs of CRSWNP. lncRNA biomarkers in CRSwNP were identified by lncRNAs LASSO regression. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to contrast the divergence in immune infiltrations between CRSwNP and usual inferior turbinate organizations in 22 immunocyte subgroups. Results. We identified a total of 48 miRNAs, 304 lncRNAs, 92 TFs, and 525 immune genes as CRSwNP-specific RNAs. GO and KEGG pathways both analyzed differentially expressed immune genes and transcription factor data sets. We predicted the potential genes GNG7, TUSC8, LINC01198, and has-miR-6776-5p by constructing ceRNA and PPI networks. At the same time, we found that the above genes were involved in two important pathways: chemokine signal path and PI3K/AKT signal path. In addition, we predicted 5 small molecule drugs to treat CRSwNP by analyzing 19 central immune genes, namely, danazol, ikarugamycin, semustine, cefamandole, and molindone. Finally, we identified 5 biomarkers in CRSwNP, namely, LINC01198, LINC01094, LINC01798, LINC01829, and LINC01320. Conclusions. We had identified CRSwNP-related miRNAs, lncRNAs, TFs, and immune genes, which may be making use of latent therapeutic target for CRSwNP. At the same time, we identified 5 lncRNA biomarkers in CRSwNP. The results of this study showed that LINC01198 promoted the progression of CRSwNPs through spongy miR-6776-5p. Our studies provide a new way for further analyses of the pathogenesis of CRSwNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the processing and application potential of Chinese yam starch, nine kinds of Chinese yam starch (GY11, GY5, GY2, GXPY, LCY, SFY, MPY, SYPY, ASY) from South China were collected and characterized. The chemical composition, rheological properties, thermal properties, and in vitro starch digestion were compared, and the correlation between the structure and processing properties of these yam starches was analyzed using Pearson correlation. The results show that GY2 had the highest amylose content of 28.70%. All the yam starches were similarly elliptical, and all the yam starch gels showed pseudoplastic behavior. Yam starches showed similar pasting temperatures and resistant starch content, but SYPY showed the largest particle size (28.4 μm), SFY showed the highest setback (2712.33 cp), and LCY showed the highest peak viscosity (6145.67 cp) and breakdown (2672.33 cp). In addition, these yam starches also showed different crystal types (A-type, B-type, C-type), relative crystallinity (26.54–31.48%), the ratios of 1045/1022 cm−1 (0.836–1.213), pasting properties, and rheological properties, so the yam starches have different application potentials. The rheological and pasting properties were related to the structural properties of starch, such as DI, Mw, and particle size, and were also closely related to the thermodynamic properties. The appropriate processing methods and purposes of the processed products of these yam starches can be selected according to their characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation on the 95% alcohol extract of the aerial part of Inula japonica led to the isolation of three new compounds, inulanolides F-G (1-2) and 17α-carboxaldehyde-ent-kaur-18-oic acid (3), together with four known compounds (4–7). The structures of new compounds were elucidated by using spectroscopic data. Most of the isolated compounds showed significant anti-inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The relationship between kaolinite structure and the temperature of thermal transformation of phase was discussed in this paper through grinding and heating treatment. The results show that the structure of kaolinite is destroyed rapidly with increasing mechanical grinding time, and the kaolinite structure collapses completely after 1h grinding. The temperature of thermal transformation of phase decreases with the destruction of kaolinite structure. This result has a great significance for the utilization of kaolinite associated with coal measures in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The conservation of historic stone buildings and sculptures is recently receiving growing attention and becoming a focus of research because of rapid changes in weather conditions (pollution, acid rain, etc.). Presently, techniques for stone conservation primarily involve the use of organic coating treatments, but their side effects have been recognized. In contrast, some traditional materials used in historic stone buildings function well for thousands of years. In this paper, we report our research on the reasons why traditional protective materials can provide an unexpected long-term protection. First, calcium carbonate was prepared according to a formula for making Chinese traditional consolidating materials, and its structure and morphology were examined by different instruments. Second, the reinforcing effectiveness of the prepared CaCO3 powders was tested and analyzed by investigating its surface characteristics. The experimental results reveal that a biocontrolled process occurs, in which an organic template can induce the precipitation of a mineral structure, which in turn results in a great improvement in the conservation of the historic stone buildings protected by these traditional protective materials. This provides a contribution toward the development of new researches on biocontrolled processes and on some protective materials with excellent performance through biocontrolled synthesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Flame-resistant fiber, as the name suggests, can resist fire because of its special molecular structure. It has been paid attention some 20 years ago overseas, and relative laws and regulations were drew up accordingly. While in China, the situation was different, except for the booming of towers and unfortunately, the recurrence of terrible fire disasters in towers, flame-resistant fiber is valued gradually. This paper introduced the development status quo of flame-resistant fiber at home and abroad comprehensively, hoping the standardization and relative regulations development of this industry to be better and perfect day by day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A Microcystis aeruginosa which produced high content of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) but no microcystin-RR (MC-RR) was isolated from Dianchi Lake in China. In the molecular structure of MC-LR, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, leucine, alanine and arginine are the constitutional components which are abundant in natural water. In this paper, effects of six amino acids at their natural concentrations on the growth of the M. aeruginosa and the microcystin (MC) production were studied in batch culture. M. aeruginosa could assimilate alanine, leucine and arginine as sole nitrogen sources for growth and MC production. However, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine could not be assimilated quickly, although they could pass the cell membrane and enter into the cell rapidly. Our experiment demonstrated that the possible reason of such phenomenon was that different amino acids had different effects on the process of metabolism through the free dissolved amino acids within the cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phytochemical investigation on the 80% EtOH extract of the whole plants of Zephyranthes grandiflora afforded three new 4a-epi-plicamine-type alkaloids, zephyranthines A-C (1-3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds were performed by spectral methods such as 1D and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy, in addition to high resolution mass spectrometry. All the alkaloids were in vitro evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against six glioma cell lines (CHG-5, SH-SY5Y, SHG-44, U251, U343, and GL15). Alkaloids 2 and 3 exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against all tested cell lines with IC50 values of less than 20 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China is a mainland country rich in natural Morchella spp. resources. At present, about half of the natural Morchella spp. in the world has been recorded in China. The current study was aimed at the classification and cultivation of Morchella spp. This study provided a more accurate molecular trait for the systematic classification of Morchella spp. in southern Gansu Province, China. Methods: From April to May 2019. Based on the molecular biological analysis of 16 natural Morchella spp. strains collected from the southern Gansu province, China. The ITS fragments between transcripts of the rDNA gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Result: The results of BLAST comparison according to GenBank showed that the 16 tested strains of Morchella spp. were classified into 5 species, which were M.angusticeps, M. esculenta, M. elata, M. crapssipes and M. conica. According to the molecular evolutionary trees constructed by the Maximum-Parsimony method (MP) and the Neighbour-Joining method (NJ), the topological structures of the two molecular evolutionary trees were similar and the Bootstrap verification had a high support rate, indicating that the phylogenetic relationship had high credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]