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Three previously undescribed compounds including two ergosterols, diaporthins A and B (1 and 2), and a pyrrolidinone derivative, (±)-diaporthin C (3), together with three known compounds 4‒6, were isolated from cultures of kiwi-associated fungus Diaporthe phragmitis. The racemic 3 was further separated into pure enantiomers. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by means of spectroscopic analysis, as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 5 and 6 showed antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidae with MIC values of 25 and 6.25 μg/mL, respectively.

Virtual Reality (VR) is an evolving wearable technology across many domain applications, including health delivery. Yet, human physiological adoption of VR technology is limited by cybersickness (CS) - a debilitating sensation accompanied by a cluster of symptoms, including nausea, oculomotor issues and dizziness. A leading problem is the lack of automated objective tools to predict or detect CS in individuals, which can then be used for resistance training, timely warning systems or clinical intervention. This paper explores the spatiotemporal brain dynamics and heart rate variability involved in cybersickness, and uses this information to both predict and detect CS episodes. The present study applies deep learning of EEG in a spiking neural network (SNN) architecture with a fusion of sympathetic heart rate variability parameters to predict CS prior to using VR (77.5%) and detect it (75.0%), which is more accurate than using just EEG (75%, 70.3%) or ECG alone (74.2%, 72.6%). The study found that Cz (premotor and supplementary motor cortex) and O2 (primary visual cortex) are key hubs in functionally connected networks associated with both CS events and susceptibility to CS. Consequently, Cz and O2 are presented here as promising targets for therapeutic interventions to alleviate and/or prevent the cybersickness.

BACKGROUND: Neural circuits allow whole-body yaw rotation to modulate vagal parasympathetic activity, which alters beat-to-beat variation in heart rate. The overall output of spinning direction, as well as vestibular-visual interactions on vagal activity still needs to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated direction-dependent effects of visual and natural vestibular stimulation on two autonomic responses: heart rate variability (HRV) and pupil diameter. METHODS: Healthy human male subjects (n = 27) underwent constant whole-body yaw rotation with eyes open and closed in the clockwise (CW) and anticlockwise (ACW) directions, at 90°/s for two minutes. Subjects also viewed the same spinning environments on video in a VR headset. RESULTS: CW spinning significantly decreased parasympathetic vagal activity in all conditions (CW open p = 0.0048, CW closed p = 0.0151, CW VR p = 0.0019,), but not ACW spinning (ACW open p = 0.2068, ACW closed p = 0.7755, ACW VR p = 0.1775,) as indicated by an HRV metric, the root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD). There were no direction-dependent effects of constant spinning on sympathetic activity inferred through the HRV metrics, stress index (SI), sympathetic nervous system index (SNS index) and pupil diameter. Neuroplasticity in the CW eyes closed and CW VR conditions post stimulation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Only one direction of yaw spinning, and visual flow caused vagal nerve neuromodulation and neuroplasticity, resulting in an inhibition of parasympathetic activity on the heart, to the same extent in either vestibular or visual stimulation. These results indicate that visual flow in VR can be used as a non-electrical method for vagus nerve inhibition without the need for body motion in the treatment of disorders with vagal overactivity. The findings are also important for VR and spinning chair based autonomic nervous system modulation protocols, and the effects of motion integrated VR.

Four polyketide-amino acid derivatives, pardinumones A-D (1-4), were isolated from the wild mushroom Tricholoma pardinum. Their structures together with absolute configurations were characterized by means of spectroscopic data analyses, as well as calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR with sorted training set (STS) protocol analysis. Compounds 1-4 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli with MIC values in the range of 6.25-50 μg/mL.

Renal amyloidosis secondary to anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is extremely rare. Here, we reported a 77-year-old woman with ANCA-associated vasculitis. Renal biopsy with Masson trichrome staining showed pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis, and electron microscopy showed amyloid deposition in the mesangial area. Immunofluorescence revealed kappa light chain and lambda light chain were negative. Bone marrow biopsy revealed no clonal plasma cell. Finally, she was diagnosed as ANCA-associated vasculitis with secondary renal amyloid A amyloidosis.

Seven new merosesquiterpenoids, trichothecrotocins D-J (1-7), two new trichothecene sesquiterpenoids, trichothecrotocins K (12) and L (13), and six known compounds (8-11, 14, and 15), were isolated from a potato-associated fungus, Trichothecium crotocinigenum. Compounds 5 and 6 were racemates which were further separated as pure enantiomers. Structures together with absolute configurations were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as quantum chemistry calculations on ECD and optical rotations. Compounds 1-4 are rare meroterpenoids featuring a seco-phenyl group, while 1 and 2 possessed a novel 6-6/5 fused ring system. Compounds 1-4, 8, 11, and 12 showed antifungal activity against four plant pathogens with MIC values of 8-128 μg/mL. It is suggested that the meroterpenoids produced by T. crotocinigenum may play an important role in the antifungal property of the fungus, thereby protecting the host plant, i.e., potato.

Three undescribed bisabolane sesquiterpenoids, zopfiellins A–C (1‒3), and one new α-pyrone derivative, zofiellone (4), have been isolated from cultures of the endophytic fungus Zopfiella sp. Compound 2 is a rare trinor-bisabolane sesquiterpenoid and 3 has an unusual aromatic core. Compounds 3 and 4 possess mild cytotoxicities against three human cancer cell lines with a range of IC50 values from 12.3–27.3 μM.

Five previously undescribed oblongolides, namely phomaones A-E, along with four known compounds, were isolated from the endophytic fungus Phoma bellidis Neerg.. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by extensive experimental spectroscopic methods as well as single crystal X-ray diffractions, ECD calculations and GIAO

Two previously undescribed cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids, rigidoporones A and B (1 and 2), along with an undescribed racemic indolizine alkaloid, (±)-rigidoporine A (3), were isolated from the rice fermentation of the wood-decay fungus Rigidoporus microporus. The structures of the compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D & 2D NMR and HRMS spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1 and 3 were evaluated for their inhibitory activity on NO production in murine monocytic RAW264.7 macrophages (IC50 > 25 μM).

Seven new merosesquiterpenoids, trichothecrotocins D-J (

Two undescribed piperidine racemates, (±)-caulophines A and B (1 and 2), a new N-containing xanthone derivative (3), together with six known piperidines, were isolated from the roots of Caulophyllum robustum Maxim. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic techniques. Compounds 3 and 7 exhibited weak cytotoxicities against human palace cancer hela cell line with inhibitory rates of 32.2% and 39.7%, respectively, at the concentration of 40 μM.

Background Studies have suggested that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the available data on this association are inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the association between IBD and the risk of RA. Methods Observational studies investigating the RA risk among patients with IBD (Crohn disease (CD) and/or ulcerative colitis (UC)) were searched in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from the date of inception to December 2019. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidential intervals (CIs) were pooled with a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistics while publication bias was determined using Begg’s and Egger’s tests. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results A total of three cohort studies, three cross-sectional studies, and two case-control studies were included in the meta-analyses. Compared to the non-IBD control or general population, there was a significantly higher risk of RA among patients with IBD (RR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.93–3.48). Moreover, both CD (RR = 3.14; 95% CI: 2.46–4.01) and UC (RR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.76–2.97) were associated with a significantly increased risk of RA. However, heterogeneity was substantial across studies and the subgroup analyses failed to identify the potential source of heterogeneity. Conclusions Patients with IBD have a greater risk of developing RA. Rheumatologists should be consulted when patients with IBD present with undifferentiated joint complaints. However, more prospective cohort studies are needed to validate these results.

Two undescribed triterpenes, tricholimbrins A and B, three undescribed steroids, tricholimbrins C‒E, one undescribed 4-chromanone derivative, along with 27 known compounds were isolated from fruiting bodies of the mushroom Tricholoma imbricatum. Tricholimbrins A and B are two polycyclic triterpenoids with a carbon degradation, while tricholimbrin C is a ring-rearranged steroid containing an aromatic moiety that might be derived from an ergosterol. Isocyathisterol, 3β,15α-dihydroxyl-(22E,24R)-ergosta-5,8(14),22-trien-7-one, demethylincisterol A3, and volemolide showed cytotoxicities to six human cancer cell lines. 3β-Hydroxyl-(22E,24R)-ergosta-5,8,22-trien-7,15-dione and 3β-hydroxyl-(22E,24R)-ergosta-5,8,22-trien-7-one showed preferable cytotoxicities against HL-60 while chaxine C and volemolide showed preferable cytotoxicities against A-549, with IC50 values less than 10 μM.

A new lupane triterpenoid, 23-O-trans-feruloylcylicodiscic acid (1), as well as four known analogues (2‒5), was isolated from the EtOAc fraction of Menyanthes trefoliata. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR data. The structures of the known compounds were established by comparison of their spectroscopic data with that in the literature. Compounds 1, 2, and 4 exhibited certain anti-NO production activities.

Antroalbocin A (1), a sesquiterpenoid possessing a bridged tricyclic system, was isolated from cultures of the higher fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea (Basidiomycota). The structure with the absolute configuration was determined by extensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 was proposed. Compound 1 was found to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC value of 169 μM.

Seven previously undescribed trichothecenes, named trichothecrotocins M–S (1–7), along with five known compounds, were isolated from rice cultures of the potato-associated fungus Trichothecium crotocinigenum. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined through spectroscopic methods, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemistry calculations on ECD. Compound 1 possesses a rare 6,11-epoxy moiety in the trichothecene family. Compound 6 exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cancer cell lines with an IC50 value of 2.34 ± 0.45 μM. It promoted apoptosis induction in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, cell cycle analysis showed cell cycle arrest caused by compound 6 at the G2/M phase which resulted to cell proliferation inhibition and pro-apoptotic activity. Further quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirmed that the G2/M arrest was accompanied by upregulation of p21 and down regulation of cyclins B1 in 6-treated MCF-7 cells.

The chemical constituents and their biological activities of the mushroom Pyropolyporus fomentarius were investigated in this study. Two previously undescribed pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenes, 3-formyloxybetulin and 3-formyloxybetulinic acid, two rare degraded ergosterols, pyropolincisterols A and B, along with ten known triterpenoids and four known ergosterols were isolated from the fruiting bodies of P. fomentarius. Their chemical structures were determined using a combination of spectroscopic analysis. Nine compounds exhibited certain cytotoxicities to human cancer cell lines, while polyporenic acid showed significant cytotoxicities to SMMC-7721 and A-549 with IC50 values less than 10 μM. Four compounds showed inhibitory activities against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 36.3, 25.1, 21.4, and 34.2 μM, respectively. The results of this assessment suggested that the lanostane triterpenoids and ergosterols in fruiting bodies of P. fomentarius played key roles in its folk usages.

Three new indole alkaloids, ophiorrhines C–D (1–3), together with one known analogue, have been isolated from the plant of Ophiorrhiza cantoniensis Hace. The structures of the new alkaloids with the absolute configurations were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and calculated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with DP4+ analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited certain activity to Con-A induced T cell proliferation, and 1 exhibited good inhibition on LPS-induced B cell proliferation with an IC50 value of 8.7 μM.

Three depsidones boremexins A–C (1–3), two diaryl ethers boremexins D (4) and E (5), together with four known compounds were obtained from cultures of potato endophytic fungus Boeremia exigua. Their structures with absolute configurations were established by extensive spectroscopic methods and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1–4, 6, and 9 displayed anti-inflammatory properties on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with an IC50 range of 19.4–34.4 μM. Compounds 2 and 5 exhibited cytotoxicities to human breast cancer cell line (MCF–7) with IC50 values of 33.1 and 4.0 μM, respectively.

Two trichothecene sesquiterpenoids, trichothecrotocins A (1) and B (2), and a merosesquiterpenoid racemate, (±)-trichothecrotocin C (3), were obtained from potato endophytic fungus Trichothecium crotocinigenum by bioguided isolation. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, electronic circular dichroism calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1 and 2 are trichothecenes possessing new ring systems. Compound 3 possesses a novel 6/6-5/5/5 fused ring system. Compounds 1-3 showed antiphytopathogenic activities with MIC values of 8-128 μg/mL.

A new lupane triterpenoid, 23

A new homoisoflavonoid, (3R)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-3-(2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one (1), namely polygonatone H, in addition to fourteen known homoisoflavones (2–15) were isolated from the rhizome of Polygonatum Cyrtonema Hua. The structures were identified with the aid of 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic technologies. Compounds 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, and 15 were isolated from P. Cyrtonema for the first time. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicities to human cancer cell lines with IC50 values to comparable those of cisplatin.

The paper simulated integrated machine drop process by Abaqus / Explicit and extracted its displacement and strain results. We forecasted possible structural weakness and compared the results with the test results. The FE simulation analysis results were verified correct.

Based on the Pro / E 3D modeling technology and combined with the force decomposition and transmission principle, this paper used the connecting rod mechanism to achieve a creative guardrail structure design with the cushioning function. Aiming at the phenomenon that small cars burst from the side into the bottom of heavy vehicles on the highway and cause the small cars’ passengers deadly damage, according to GB11567.1-2001 official requirements, the author innovatively designed a new structure of side crash barrier for heavy vehicle. In summary, the design of collision avoidance principle and creative structure design were briefly introduced in this paper.

The influence of the spin rate profiles on the stability of polarization transformations of all-fiber polarization transformers (AFPTs), which behave as a broad-band all-fiber quarter-wave plate, is analyzed by the super-mode theory. Huang firstly proposed and demonstrated these AFPTs, and suggested qualitatively that to perform a stable polarization transformation, the variation of the spin rate from zero to fast of the AFPT should be slow. However a compact fiber structure is desirable for an optical current transformers (OCT) system, and bending or wrapping AFPTs will weaken their abilities to hold the output SOPs. A first-order analytical approximation describing the coupling between the two local eigen-modes in the AFPT is derived, and two more detail suggestions for the spin rate profiles design of AFPTs are proposed. A random orthogonal axial gradient method (ROAGM) is developed to optimize the spin rate profiles. Numerical simulations show that for an AFPT with a shorter length, the stable transformation can also be obtained by a carefully designed spin rate profile according the two suggestions.

S-shaped bend waveguides are indispensable in planar light circuits to realize the lateral displacements and connections. High-density integrated optical circuits require S-shaped bend waveguides to be low loss and compact sized. In this paper, the loss mechanism of the S-shaped bend is briefly analyzed first, and then a novel scheme to optimize the waveguide bends is proposed. Using a modified random direction method, the random orthogonal axial gradient method (ROAGM), the configuration curves of the S-shaped bends fitted by polynomials are optimized. Numerical results show that the insertion losses of the optimized configuration curves are much smaller than those of the conventional cosine functions when the space requirement is strict.

A new organic penta­borate, C4H7N2+·B5O6(OH)4−, has been synthesized under hydro­thermal conditions. Its crystal structure is composed of isolated penta­borate anions and 2-methyl­imidazolium counter-cations. The B5O6(OH)4− units are connected to one another through hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional framework with large channels along the c axis, in which the cations are located.

To evaluate the diagnostic valve of double balloon enteroscopy in patients with obscure abdominal pain and analyze the etiology of chronic abdominal pain resulted from enteral diseases.Sixty-seven cases with chronic abdominal pain underwent a previous negative gastroscopy, colonoscopy, gastrointestinal barium, B ultrasound and electrocardiogram were received double balloon enteroscopy during June 2005 to June 2008.Thirty-six of 67 patients was done by enteroscopy via anus, and 19 cases via oral, and 12 cases via both anus and oral. The lesions were found in 41 of the 67 patients, with overall diagnostic yield of 61.19%. Among 41 cases of abdominal pain resulted from small bowel diseases, Crohn's disease were found in 15 cases (36.59%), non-specific small enteritis in 10 cases (24.39%), tumors in 8 cases (19.51%), other enteral diseases in 8 cases (19.51%).Double balloon enteroscopy was a diagnostic modality with a high diagnostic value for obscure abdominal pain resulted from small bowel diseases. The most common causes of obscure abdominal pain were Crohn's disease, non-specific small enteritis and tumors.

To explore the curative effect and the mechanism of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl4.Thirty-nine male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. The rats in the normal control group (n=10) received subcutaneous injection of peanut oil (0.003 mL/g body weight) for 10 weeks. Rat liver fibrosis was induced in 29 rats by 0.003 mL/g subcutaneous injection of 40% CCl4 (CCl4: peanut oil = 2:3), twice weekly for 10 weeks. In the 7th week, these 29 rats were randomly divided into a liver fibrosis group without treatment (n=15) and an IFN-alpha treatment group (n=14), which received subcutaneous injection of IFN-alpha-2b at 10(6) units per rat. The rats' liver tissue was collected and HE and Masson staining were performed to observe of pathological changes, stage of liver fibrosis,and semi-quantitative scoring. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Collagen I, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA),and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the rat liver.The stage of liver fibrosis, semi-quantitative scoring of Masson staining, and immunohistochemical staining of Collagen I in the liver fibrosis group were significantly higher than those of the normal controls (All P0.01), and those in the IFN-alpha treatment group were significantly lower than those of the liver fibrosis group(P0.05). The semi-quantitative immunohistochemical scoring of alpha-SMA and TGF-beta1 in the liver fibrosis group was significantly higher than those of the normal control (All P0.01), and that in the IFN-alpha treatment group was significantly lower than that of the liver fibrosis group (All P0.05).Treatment of IFN-alpha can decrease the liver fibrogenesis induced by CCl4 in rats. The anti-fibrosis effect of IFN-alpha may be attributed to the inhibition of the hepatic stellate cells' activation to decrease TGF-beta1 expression.

To observe the effect of ranitidine on gastric acid, plasma endothelin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in patients undergoing the brain operation, and to explore the possible pathogenesis of ranitidine on preventing from gastric mucosal injury under the stress.Thirty patients who underwent brain surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups: Fifteen patients in the control group did not use ranitidine and the other 15 in the treatment group received ranitidine 150 mg intravenously twice daily besides the routine therapy. We continuously monitored the gastric pH value from 4 hours pre-operatively to 72 hours post-operatively in the 30 patients. We also determined the plasma endothelin and CGRP levels of the patients at the 4th hour pre-operatively and at the 4th, 24th, and 72nd hours post-operatively.In the control group there was no significant difference between the mean intra-gastric pH values pre-operatively and post-operatively (P0.05). In the treatment group the level of intra-gastric pH was much higher than that in the control group (P0.05). In the control group, the level of plasma endothelin significantly higher and the level of calcitonin gene-related peptide significantly lower than that pre-operatively (P0.01), but the level of plasma endothelin significantly was lower and the level of calcitonin gene-related peptide obviously higher in the post-operative treatment group than that pre-operatively (P0.01).The brain operation obviously influences the endogenous plasma endothelin and CGRP levels, but its influence on the intra-gastric acid is not visible. Ranitidine can obviously decrease the level of intra-gastric acid, and improve the macrocirculation of gastric mucous membrane by decreasing ET and increasing the CGRP level.

To determine whether there is diversity among clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori in Chinese patients with peptic ulcer disease, 40 strains of H. pylori were isolated from antral biopsy specimens obtained at the gastroenterology clinic of Xiangya Hospital from January 1996 to June 1998. Total protein profile by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and DNA diversity by polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) fingerprinting were performed with these isolates. All the isolates from peptic ulcer disease were relatively homogeneous in protein profiles, but they showed a great DNA sequence diversity by PCR-RAPD fingerprinting. In Chinese patients H. pylori demonstrated an enormous diversity. The diversity among clinical isolates of H. pylori could be distinctly demonstrated and this observation will be helpful in the management of intrafamilial and recurrent H. pylori infection. PCR-RAPD fingerprinting is an efficient method of distinguishing between clinical isolates of H. pylori.