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Polygonatum kingianum var.grandifolium, different from most Polygonatum species in biological characteristics, sprouts and blooms in spring and autumn, respectively, and it is evergreen in winter.It is difficult to learn from the patterns of other Polygonatum plants because the chemical composition in P.kingianum var.grandifolium changes with phenology, which consequently restricts the production of high-quality medicinal and eatable substances.Samples of P.kingianum var.grandifolium in different months and ages collected from Xiushan, Chongqing were analyzed for polysaccharide content, polysaccharide relative molecular mass, and mono-saccharide composition by anthrone-sulfuric acid colorimetric assay, high-performance gel-permeation chromatography, and trimethylsilane(TMS) derivatization prior to GC-MS.The results showed that the polysaccharide content and composition in the rhizome of P.kingianum var.grandifolium were closely related to the growth period.New shoot sprouting promoted the accumulation of polysaccharides, and flowering and fruiting consumed polysaccharides.The highest polysaccharide content was found in April, reaching 134.04 mg·g~(-1).Polysaccharides in P.kingianum var.grandifolium were divided into five fractions according to the weight-average M_W, i.e., P1(2.02×10~7), P2(5.09×10~6), P3(1.37×10~6), P4(4.73×10~5), and P5(5.11×10~3), and P5 had the highest content.In terms of monosaccharide composition, polysaccharides were mainly composed of fructose, glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, and arabinose with the average molar ratio of 1.31∶1.00∶0.90∶0.53∶0.22∶0.21.The results of the study provide a scientific basis for the precise harvesting and resource utilization of P.kingianum var.grandifolium.

The temperature-sensitive inverse macroporous membranes containing thermo-responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) were prepared by a template of silica microspheres. The inverse membranes ...

Alloeuzercon seemani Sun, Jin & Yi gen. & sp. nov. (Acari: Mesostigmata: Celaenopsoidea: Euzerconidae) associated with passalid beetles (Coleoptera: Passalidae) is described, representing the first...

In this paper, the adsorption of copper ions on the prepared multilayer diazo resin-graphene oxide/polyacrylonitrile composite membranes was studied, and the adsorption capacity of GO modified poly...

Background Recurrent cystic echinococcosis (CE) with vital organ involvement is a challenge for clinicians. Herein, we report a case of aortic involvement in recurrent retroperitoneal CE lesions following primary splenic CE resection. Case summary A 60-year-old male was admitted due to progressive abdominal pain and poor appetite. He was diagnosed with multiple recurrent CE with abdominal aortic involvement according to preoperative evaluation. During surgical resection, major aortic bleeding accidentally occurred while dissecting the cyst, which was firmly attached to the abdominal aortic wall. Hemostasis attempts were conducted to deal with this emergency situation and maintain circulation. Post-interventional recovery was uneventful, and 2-year follow-up showed no sign of recurrence or any other complications. Conclusion Radical resection of recurrent complicated CE with aortic involvement should be carefully planned and performed to prevent possible severe adverse complications, thereby improving the postoperative outcome.

As revealed by the investigation on the name change, biological characteristics, artificial cultivation, and edible history of Polygonatum kingianum var. grandifolium, it was described as a variation pattern of P. kingianum in the Chinese version of Flora of China(1978) and as a variant of P. kingianum in the revised English version of the Flora of China(2000). P. kingianum var. grandifolium, long been consumed as food by local folks, has been widely cultivated in its natural distribution area and circulated as Polygonati Rhizoma in the market. The important biological properties of P. kingianum var. grandifolium make it possess a great potential of being consumed as both medicine and food. The shoots of P. kingianum var. grandifolium sprout immediately out of the ground after seed germination and a new seedling will be formed at the same year, implying that its seedling cultivation period is at least two years shorter than that of P. cyrtonema. It can sprout more than twice a year, and the adult plants always remain evergreen, thereby obtaining higher biomass. Its rhizome biomass can be more than one time higher than that of P. cyrtonema. With reference to the diploid P. cyrtonema, flow cytometry revealed the polyploid and aneuploid forms in natural populations, which were tall and light-adapted with large underground rhizome. It can grow normally under the forest canopy and in the open field. Furthermore, P. kingianum var. grandifolium has important theoretical values for the study of ploidy variation, bud dormancy mechanism, etc.

The flower of Polygonatum cyrtonema has good edible and medicinal values. In this study, four samples of P. cyrtonema flowers from different regions were selected as test materials. The contents, composition and antioxidant activities of lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components were determined under different light and temperature conditions, which help to reveal the discoloration reason and the composition variation patterns during storage. The results showed that light and temperature had different effects on the lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components in the dried flowers during storage. After storage for 4 weeks, the contents of total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenols and saponins in the samples exposed to light respectively decreased by 62.62%, 66.4%, 68.7% and 43.4% compared with those in the dark. The decreases in the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, lutein, β-carotene and zeaxanthin were 64.64%, 56.74%, 59.2%, 77.7% and 45.4%, respectively. The contents of pigments and components in the samples stored at-20 ℃ were significantly higher than those at room temperature and 4 ℃, indicating that low temperature was conductive to the stability of lipid-soluble pigments and alcohol-soluble components. The samples stored at low temperature and in the dark had the strongest free radical scavenging activity. The results suggest that P. cyrtonema dried flowers should be stored in low temperature environment without light, which can slow down the degradation of internal components. The study provides a theoretical basis for the production, processing and storage of P. cyrtonema flowers.

PAN hollow fiber functional membrane with heavy metal ion adsorption capacity was prepared via layer-by-layer method using diazo-resin (DR). Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and graph...

Purpose Although the interferon α (IFNα) signaling and the paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2) have both been implicated in the progression of breast cancer (BCa), it remains obscure whether these two pathways act in a coordinated manner. We therefore aimed to elucidate the expression and function of PITX2 during the pathogenesis of endocrine resistance in BCa. Materials and methods PITX2 expression was assessed in BCa tissues using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry and in experimentally induced letrozole-resistant BCa cells using RT-qPCR and immunoblotting. Effects of PITX2 deregulation on BCa progression was determined by assessing MTT, apoptosis and xenograft model. Finally, using multiple assays, the transcriptional regulation of interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1) by PITX2 was studied at both molecular and functional levels. Results PITX2 expression was induced in letrozole-resistant BCa tissues and cells, and PITX2 induction by IFNα signaling powerfully protected BCa cells against letrozole insult and potentiated letrozole-resistance. Mechanistically, PITX2 enhanced IFNα-induced AKT activation by transactivating the transcription of IFITM1, thus rendering BCa cells unresponsive to letrozoleelicited cell death. Additionally, ablation of IFITM1 expression using siRNA substantially abolished IFNα-elicited AKT phosphorylation, even in the presence of PITX2 overexpression, thus sensitizing BCa cells to letrozole treatment. Conclusion These results demonstrate that constitutive upregulation of PITX2/IFITM1 cascade is an intrinsic adaptive mechanism during the pathogenesis of letrozole-resistance, and modulation of PITX2/IFITM1 level using different genetic and pharmacological means would thus have a novel therapeutic potential against letrozole resistance in BCa.

To reveal the main nutrients and functional ingredients in the flowers of Polygonatum cyrtonema and P. filipes, the content of the polysaccharides, saponins, amino acids, total phenols, mineral elements, and the DPPH free radical scavenging rates were determined. The flowers and rhizomes of P. cyrtonema were collected from Qingyang in Anhui and Qingyuan in Zhejiang, while the flowers and rhizomes of P. filipes were collected from Longyou in Zhejiang, respectively. The results showed that the polysaccharides content in flowers varied from 60.88 to 97.00 mg·g~(-1), about half of that in rhizomes. The saponins content in flowers varied from 32.55 to 40.93 mg·g~(-1), which was close to the content in rhizomes. The content of total phenols ranged from 40.79 to 50.95 mg·g~(-1), approximately 4.5 times of that in rhizomes. The total amino acids content in flowers was 111.85 to 131.03 mg·g~(-1), about 2.3 times of the content in rhizomes. The essential trace element content was abundant in flowers. The contents of heavy metal elements were all within the limits set by the standards. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate IC_(50) varied from 1.77 to 3.25 mg·mL~(-1), less than one-fifth of that in rhizomes, showing a significant superiority of antioxidant activity compared to rhizomes. The results initially revealed the fundamental ofquot;the flowers exceed the rhizomes in effectquot;, the common saying about the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs over the years, indicating a great developing potential of the flowers. Besides, as polysaccharides, saponins, amino acids, total phenols and other nutritive substances in flowers differ widely among species and provenances, it's important to develop variety breeding to improve the quality and yield of flowers.

In order to reveal the main nutrients and functional ingredients in the shoots of Polygonatum cyrtonema, the polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids, and total phenols were determined. The tested samples cultured in Ma'nijiaonong, Hengtang village, Tianmushan town, Lin'an, Zhejiang, which were collected from three provenances(Pan'an and Longquan in Zhejiang and Qingyang in Anhui). The results showed that the polysaccharide content of the shoots varied from 2.34% to 12.73%, roughly one-third of rhizomes. The protein content varied from 107.75 to 192.49 mg·g~(-1), nearly 5.50 times more than rhizomes. Moreover, the average of total amino acid content was 193.13-248.74 mg·g~(-1), approximately 4.16 times of rhizomes. And the essential amino acids account for 35.57%-39.44% of the total amino acids content, which was close to the standard of the ideal protein proposed by FAO/WHO(the essential amino acid/total amino acid is about 40%). In addition, the taste amino acids(TaAA) changed from 160.12 to 208.29 mg·g~(-1), revealing the material basis ofquot;shoots were extremely deliciousquot; in Chinese ancient herbal medicine. Additionally, the total phenols varied from 51.21-58.76 mg·g~(-1), about 2.96 times of rhizomes. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate of tested shoots was over 95%, which obviously superior to rhizomes. Therefore, the shoots of P. cyrtonema is a very high-quality vegetable and functional food with good development potential. Furthermore, the main nutrients and functional substances in P. cyrtonema shoots are closely related to the provenances and harvesting seasons. It is important to improve the quality and yield of the shoots by strengthening the variety of breeding and cultivation techniques.

Highly permeable pocket-shaped microfiltration membranes with binary porous structures, which are composed of brominated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (BPPO), were prepared on needles by breath figure (BF) and colloidal crystal template (CCT) methods. In colloidal crystal templates, the membrane pore size in the bottom layer was adjusted by SiO2 microsphere diameter in the colloidal crystal template, while that in the top layer was adjusted by changing the BPPO concentration. The permeability of the binary porous membrane prepared by BF and CCT methods was higher than that of membranes only prepared by the BF method. Due to high permeability and antifouling properties, the pocket shaped binary porous membrane was connected to a syringe and used as a filter film in microfiltration and sample preparation fields.

Attenuation of estrogen receptor α (ERα) expression via unknown mechanism(s) is a hallmark of endocrine-resistant breast cancer (BCa) progression. Here, we report that miR-1271 was significantly down-regulated in letrozole-resistant BCa tissues and in letrozole-resistant BCa cells. miR-1271 directly targeted the chromatin of DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (DDIT3) gene. miR-1271 expression level was inversely correlated to DDIT3 mRNA level in BCa biopsies. Form a mechanistic standpoint, reintroduction of exogenous miR-1271 could effectively restore ERα level via inhibiting DDIT3 expression, thereby potentiating letrozole sensitivity in BCa cells. Moreover, DDIT3 deregulation promoted letrozole-resistance by acting as a potent corepressor of ESR1 transcription. Taken together, we have identified that disruption of the miR-1271/DDIT3/ERα cascade plays a causative role in the pathogenesis of letrozole resistance in BCa.

Fullerene (C60) was successfully grafted on cellulose following with the modification of cellulose by acid chlorination and subsequently azidation. The structures of modified cellulose made by sulf...

The flower of Hibiscus syriacus has good ornamental and edible-medicinal values.In this study,four samples of two varieties,namely white multiple petals flower and pink multiple petals flower,were selected as test materials.And the optimum extraction conditions,relative molecular weight,monosaccharide composition and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides in flower were investigated.Through single factor experiment and response surface,the optimal extract conditions of polysaccharide were designed as follows:extraction temperature at 96.8℃,ratio of material to liquid of 43.5∶1 m L·g~(-1),extraction time of 3.1 h.Polysaccharides of H.syriacus flowers were analyzed by high performance gel chromatography.The average molecular masses of the 4 polysaccharide samples were1.49×10~5,1.25×10~5,1.01×10~5,1.37×10~5,respectively.Polysaccharides of H.syriacus flowers were mainly composed of glucose,mannose,galactose,rhamnose and arabinose by pre-column derivatization HPLC.The ratio of galactose was the highest in five monosaccharide,and the ratio of galactose to glucose was 1.656-4.496.In addition,crude polysaccharides of H.syriacus flowers showed potential antioxidant activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical(DPPH)assay,total reducing capacity assay and ABTS assay in vitro,and its antioxidant effect showed a good dose-effect relationship with the concentration of crude polysaccharides.Among the tested varieties,polysaccharides of pink multiple petals flower and white multiple petals flower had the same molecular masses and monosaccharides composition,but the antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides of pink multiple petals flower was higher than that of the white flowers.The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the application of H.syriacus flower in the field of functional foods.

The metabolite profiles and antioxidant activity of Dendrobium catenatum Lindley leaf, a new functional ingredient for food product development, were evaluated in samples that had been prepared using various methods, including freeze-drying, hot-air drying, rolling before drying, steaming before drying, steaming and rolling before drying, and drying at 100, 80, and 60 °C. The concentrations of polysaccharides and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant capacity of each sample, were determined. Furthermore, two nucleosides, four amino acids, one monoaromatic compound, and eight flavonoids were identified in dried leaves using high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector–electrospray ionization–multistage mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn) and ultraviolet (UV) spectral analyses. The content of polar compounds such as cytidylic acid, arginine, tyrosine, and hydroxybenzoic acid hexose increased dramatically during hot-air-drying and rolling-before-drying treatments, while flavonol C-glycosides remained stable throughout the various treatments and drying temperatures. Rolling before drying at 100 °C was identified as the most suitable process when manufacturing tea products from D. catenatum leaves. This process resulted in a high-antioxidant-activity and visually appealing tea. This report details a potential strategy that should be applied in the manufacturing processes of high-quality products from D. catenatum leaves.

This study studied the common economic fish in the Pearl River Estuary, including Konosirus punctatus, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Oreochromis spp, dace and Carassius auratus. We evaluated the toxic effects using hydrostatic toxicity. The method is to expose the test organism to different concentrations of algal toxin, and obtain the LC50 by using the probability unit method. The results showed that the same algal toxin had significant differences in toxicity to five species of fish. 96h-LC50 of Anabaena-a toxins on 5 common fishes. is 38.1μg/L, 45.6μg/L, 68.2μg/L, 78.2 μg/L, 64.5 μg/L; MC-LR is 66.9μg/L, 226.8μg/L, 255.4μg/L, 317.5 μg/L, 184.3 μg/L; MC-RR is 91.2μg/L, 266μg/L, 285μg/L, 337.6 μg/L, 214.8 μg/L; MC-YR is 95μg/L, 299μg/L, 505μg/L, 709μg/L, 439 μg/L. Anabaena-a toxins is the most toxic to the test organism, while MC-YR is the weakest. The toxicity of different algal toxins is different for the tested organisms. In this study, we found that the toxicity of the four algal toxins was from strong to weak: Anabaena-a toxins>MC-LR>MC-RR>MC-YR, this research results can provide reference and basic data support for the water environment quality and water supply safety in Dawan District and Pearl River Estuary.

One hundred and sixty-three imported malaria cases were reported in Tai’an City of Shandong Province during 2011-2015, consisting of 120 cases of falciparum malaria（73.6%）, 20 vivax malaria（12.3%）, 14 ovale malaria（8.6%）, 7 quartan malaria（4.3%）, and 2 unclassified cases（1.2%）. The disease onset showed no significant seasonal variation. The reported cases were more at the age of 40～49 years（70/163, 42.9%）, and were imported mainly from Africa（156/163, 95.7%）. The median interval from symptom onset to diagnosis was 4 days, and only 15 patients（9.2%） received definite diagnosis within 24 h. After medication, 161 cases recovered and 2 cases died.

Advanced modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membrane with high adsorption property for heavy metal ions was designed and fabricated for the first time. The introduced diazoresin-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (DR-EDTA) layer could effectively absorb the metal ion, such as Cu2+, Pb2+, Hg2+ in the waste water. The effects of layers, metal ion concentration, pH, temperature and cycle time were investigated. The results showed that the adsorption isotherms for Cu2+ were well fitted by Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity of the modified membrane for Cu2+ was approximately 47.6 mg/g. In addition, the prepared PAN-(DR-EDTA)3 membrane could be regenerated more than 720 h based on their adsorption/desorption cycles. The results demonstrated that the modified PAN membrane could be used as effective adsorbents for heavy metal removal from waste water.

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells represent a heterogeneous cell population, including a large majority of CD3+CD56+ cells, a relatively minor fractions of typical T cells (CD3+CD56-), and natural killer (NK) cells (CD3-CD56+). In order to elucidate the tumor killing mechanism of these three subpopulations of CIK cells, this review summarized the concordances and differences among CD3+CD56+ CIK cells, CD3-CD56+ NK cells and CD3+CD56- T cells to the following aspects: the effects of cell surface molecules, mechanisms of tumor killing, and clinical applications of these cells in immunotherapy. NK cells can be classified into CD56brightCD16- NK cells, which produce cytokines in response to monokine co-stimulation, and the CD56dimCD16+ NK cells, which contribute to lysing susceptible target. Also, the immunity of NK cells is mainly regulated by several immune-receptors, such as ACR, ICR, NCR and KIRs. T cells require TCR and co-stimulatory molecules for initiation of T cell activation. The CD3+CD56+ CIK cells co-express with T-cell marker CD3 and NK cell marker CD56 to appear the most potent cytotoxicity and high impact on adoptive cellular immunotherapy. These CIK subpopulations share some similar tumor killing mechanisms. LFA-1 not only mediates the binding of NK cells to target cells through its ligand ICAM-1 to localize actin accumulation but also acts as a co-stimulatory receptor on NK cells. LFA-1 also functions as co-stimulatory receptor for T cells to transmit intracellular signals from the TCR to LFA-1. Furthermore, cytotoxic effect of CD3+CD56+ CIK cells is blocked by antibodies directly against LFA-1 and its counter receptor, ICAM-1. Clinically, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) is shown in both NK cells and T cells for tumor killing while dendritic cells are another main regulator for the activation of three subpopulations. In summary, CD3+CD56+ CIK cells have dual-functional capability as T-cell subsets which acquire NK cells function and reserve TCR-mediated specific cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, CIK cells play important roles in tumor immunology. It paves the way to more effective immunotherapies for various tumors.

The study is aimed to fully analyze antioxidant activty and stability of color-related components from Dendrobium officinale flower. The contents of anthocyanins,carotenoids and flavonoids of 10 varieties including whole flower and labellum of D.officinale flower were detected using UV visible spectroscopy technique and evaluated for their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH·), superoxide anion radical (·O⁻₂) and hydroxy radical (·OH) scavenging activty. And the effects of 4 kinds of metal ions (Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺,K⁺) and 2 kinds of food additives were investigated on the stability of anthocyanins pigment from D.officinale flower. The results indicated that the flower of D.officinale contained anthocyanins,carotenoids and flavonoids,and their contents in different parts of different families varied. The content of anthocyanins (1 330.9 μg·g⁻¹) in labellum was significantly higher than that in the whole flower (696.3 μg·g⁻¹). The content of carotenoids was positively correlated with the content of anthocyanins,and there was significant positive correlation between the scavenging capacities of the three free radicals and the contents of anthocyanin,respectively (0.415,0.384,0.455). The Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺, K⁺ and glucose showed significant color-enhancing effect and could increase the stability of anthocyanin in D.officinale flower,while ascorbic acids showed remarkably degradation effect of anthocyanin in D.officinale flower.

In order to provide new information on polysaccharide in Dendrobium officinale flowers,the monosaccharide composition and relative molecular mass distribution of 11 families of flowers were investigated and analyzed by high performance gel filtration chromatography (HPGFC) and pre-column derivatization ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in this study. Then cluster analysis was carried out for the monosaccharide peak areas by utilizing SPSS 19.0 software. The results showed that the polysaccharides of all the above 11 hybrid families of D. officinale flower were separated into three fractions (DOP-1, DOP-2 and DOP-3) with the average relative molecular mass of 5.53×105, 3.49×105 and 2.12×105. The polysaccharides in 11 different families were mainly composed of glucose, mannose, galactose, galacturonic acid and arabinose; mannose had the highest proportion among them, with mannose/glucose ratio of 0.302-3.335. Additionally, the relative contents of various monosaccharides in different families varied. 11 families of D. officinale flower could be classified into four categories according to their monosaccharide components and relative contents. In this study, the relative molecular mass distribution and monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides in D. officinale flowers were defined, which can provide foundations for its resource utilization．.

The main theories of spatial autoregressive model and model selection were used to study the spatial correlation between suspended sediment, sea surface temperature and alga during summer 2011 in Changjiang estuary. The results indicated that: there were significant high spatial autocorrelations in the spatial distributions of suspended sediment, sea surface temperature and alga, respectively; Suspended sediment always had significant and positive spatial correlation effect on the distribution of alga, Sea surface temperature had significant and positive spatial correlation effect on the spatial distribution of alga in June and August, but this effect decreased in July; The spatial distributions of suspended sediment and alga were closely correlated. Suspended sediment was the key dominant factor of the growth and bloom of alga, also the source of nutriment of alga.

This paper aimed to research the effects of inertial mass coefficient on knotless netting models used in tuna purse seine. Knotless nettings were modeled and simulated using mathematical and mechanical models. In the simulation, the marine environment was imitated in the computer. The results demonstrated that inertial mass coefficient was a key factor to affect the stability of knotless model, especially in the sinking process, and the model presented more stable and quicker convergent as the inertial mass coefficient increased. During fishing operation at sea, the instability of the sinking of purse seine with knotless nettings, especially in the area with complicated currents and waves, might be due to the smaller inertial mass coefficient of knotless nettings.

This study modeled and simulated the rice-azolla-crab (R-A-C) mutualistic system based on experiments in rice field. The results demonstrated that: mutualism between rice and azolla happened at low density of azolla but competition happened at high density of azolla; The interaction between rice and crab changed from positive to negative as the density of crab increased; By selecting proper initial values of azolla and crab, mutualism could exceed competition; The economic benefits of rice and crab could be increased by increasing mutualism or positive interaction between rice and crab during the rice’s growth.

Based on finite element analysis and explicit Euler method, the present study visualized the dynamical simulation of a knotless netting in R environment. In the physical models, the linking between knot and twine were considered as a mass-spring system. Vector algebra methods were applied to analyze the hydrodynamic forces and tensile forces of the spring. To solve the equations numerically, explicit Euler method was introduced for the mechanical system to achieve the stable solutions. A package of scatterplot3d in R program was transferred to realize the visualization of the knotless netting in three-dimensional space. The results of dynamical simulation were displayed distinctly to show the sinking processes and equibibrium state of the knotless netting in the sea water.

A bioassay-guided in vitro screen has revealed that a 70% methanol extract of the leaves of Salix matsudana shows considerable inhibitory activity against cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2). A subsequent phytochemical study led to the isolation of a new flavonoid, matsudone A (1), together with five known flavonoids – luteolin (2), isoquercitrin (3), 7-methoxyflavone (4), luteolin 7-O-glucoside (5), 4',7-dihydroxyflavone (6) – and two phenolic glycosides, leonuriside A (7) and piceoside (8). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR studies, high resolution ESI mass spectroscopic analyses and comparisons with literature data. The isolated compounds 1-8 were tested for their inhibitory activities against COX-1 and COX-2. Compounds 1, 5 and 6 were found to have potent inhibitory effect on COX-2 and compounds 3-5 exhibited moderate inhibition against COX-1.

This paper revealed the accumulation regularity of polysaccharides and alcohol-soluble extracts contents of Dendrobium officinale leaves, which have provided basis for the development and utilization of the leaves. The polysaccharides and alcohol-soluble extracts contents of three D. officinale strains leaves collected in different growing periods were determined by phenol-sulfric acid method and hot-dip method respectively. The results showed that the content of polysaccharides in leaves was 4.45% -12.17%, and was about a quarter in stems. The alcohol-soluble extracts content in leaves was 7.45% - 29.34%, and was 1.5 times that of stems. The quality variation of polysaccharides in leaves was closely related to the phenophase. The leaves with lower level of metabolism in three stages: winter, early germination stage and deciduous period, which led to lower content of polysaccharides. The leaves at the vigorous growth stage with higher content of polysaccharides. The alcohol-soluble extracts were closely associated to the formation and germination of buds. The content of alcohol-soluble extracts peaked before sprout, and promoted the growth of new shoots.

The aim of the paper is to reveals the variations of Dendrobium officinale amino acids in different strains and parts for breeding excellent varieties, and providing scientific basis for the expanding of medicinal or edible parts. The contents of 17 amino acids in 11 strains of D. officinale were determined by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis method. The total amino acids content of leaves was from 6.76 to 7.97 g per 100 g, and the stems was from 1.61 to 2.44 g per 100 g. As the content of amino acids in leaves was significantly higher than that of stems, and the composition was close to the ideal protein standard proposed by FAO/WHO. The leaves of D. officinale had the good prospect for the development of functional foods. The 9 x 66 strain which with high yield and polysaccharide content had the highest amino acids content both in stems and leaves, indicated crossbreeding could improve the quality of varieties. Compared the amino acids content of D. officinale in two main harvest periods, the harvest time has a significant impact on amino acids content of D. officinale. This study demonstrates that the harvesting time of D. officinale stems is suitable for leaves as well, which is the period before bolssom.

To reveal the quality variation of polysaccharides, triterpenoids and proteins in spores and fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum from producing areas, different varieties, harvesting parts and periods, and wall-breaking treatments.Spores and fruiting bodies from varieties of Longzhi No. 1 and Hunong No. 1 were collected as test samples, together with wall-broken spores sold in domestic main producing areas. The anthrone-sulfuric acid colorimetric method was used to determine the content of total polysaccharides. The vanillin-glacial acetic acid-perchloric acid colorimetric method was used to determine the content of total triterpenoids. The Lowry method was used to determine the content of total proteins.The content ranges of total polysaccharides, total triterpenoids, and total proteins from 6 domestic main producing areas were 0.40% - 2.25%, 1.36%-3.15% and 0.74% -1.91% respectively. The content ranges of total polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and proteins in the fruiting bodies from 2 varieties cultured in Zhejiang were 0.25% -1.42%, 0.44% -1.42% and 1.82% -3.67% respectively. In addition, the ranges of samples from wall-unbroken spores were 0.41% - 0.91%, 0.09% - 0.12%, 0.78% - 0.90% respectively and wall-broken spores are 1.03% - 2.25%, 1.89% - 3.15%, 0.96% - 1.04% respectively.There are significant differences in the contents of main chemical ingredients of wall-broken G. lucidum spores saled in the markets. The samples from Zhejiang contain high content of total polysaccharides and triterpenoids, and samples from Fujian contains more proteins. Between the 2 major varieties cultured in Zhejiang, Longzhi No. 1 contains higher content of triterpenoids, but Hunong No. 1 has more polysaccharides. Contents of triterpenoids and polysaccharides from wall-broken spores are much higher than those of fruiting bodies. The stipes from fruiting bodies contains more polysaccharides than those of the pileus, while the triterpenoids contents are higher in the pileus than stipes. The pileus and stipes collected in the second year contain higher content of polysaccharides than the first year's samples, but the contents of triterpenoids are lower. Wall-breaking treatment would significantly improve the extraction and dissolution rate of total triterpenoids and polysaccharides.

In preliminary experiments, polyphenol fractions prepared from the leaves of Salix matsudana reduced the elevation of the rat plasma triacylglycerol level at 3 and 4 h after oral administration of a lipid emulsion containing corn oil, at a dose of 570 mg/kg. The present study examined the anti-obesity action of polyphenol fractions of S. matsudana leaves by testing whether the polyphenol fractions prevented the obesity induced by feeding a high-fat diet to female mice for 9 weeks. Body weights at 2-9 weeks and the fi nal parametrial adipose tissue weights were significantly lower in mice fed the high-fat diet with 5% polyphenols of S. matsudana leaves than in those fed the high-fat diet alone. The polyphenols of S. matsudana leaves also significantly reduced the hepatic total cholesterol content, which was elevated in mice fed the high-fat diet alone. In addition, the polyphenol fractions of S. matsudana leaves inhibited palmitic acid uptake into brush border membrane vesicles prepared from rat jejunum and alpha-amylase activity, and their fractions enhanced norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells. In conclusion, it is suggested that the inhibitory effects of the flavonoid glycoside fraction of S. matsudana leaves on high-fat diet-induced obesity might be due to the inhibition of carbohydrate and lipid absorption from small intestine through the inhibition of alpha-amylase and palmitic acid uptake into small intestinal brush border membrane or by accelerating fat mobilization through enhancing norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in fat cells.

Paraschizogynium plumachela sp. nov., collected from passalid, tiger, and stag beetles (Coleoptera: Passalidae, Carabidae: Cicindelinae, Lucanidae) in China, is described. This is the second species of the genus Paraschizogynium Hunter & Rosario, 1987, and the first record of Schizogyniidae from China. The genus is redefined based on this new species. Paraschizogynium plumachela sp. nov. can be separated from Paraschizogynium odontokeri Hunter & Rosario, 1987 by having an entire dorsal shield covering most of the dorsum, setae Z5 at least four times as long as setae s2, latigynal shields abutting each other anteriorly and each bearing two pairs of setae, a triangular mesogynal shield, two pairs of simple setae on integument of posterior margin of venter, three types of excrescences (one weakly sclerotized finger-like, one membranous feather-like and one coral-like) sub-distal on movable digit, deutosternal groove with four rows of fine denticles in female and three rows in male, and male hypostome dimorphic (hypostomal setae hp1 large, thumb-like, with one pair of seta-like spurs at base; hp2 tiny; hp3 hyaline, lobe-like).

Stenosternum cordata sp. nov. and Stenosternum bifurcata sp. nov., new to science, are described, which is the first record of Hoplomegistidae from Asia. Stenosternum cordata sp. nov. is distinguished by its heart-shaped latigynal shield with two pairs of setae along the lateral margin, and two pairs of setae along the posterior margin of the sternal shield. Stenosternum bifurcata sp. nov. is distinguished by having remarkable bifurcate corniculus, six pairs of setae on the sternal shield and three pairs setae on the latigynal shield. The family Hoplomegistidae Camin & Gorirossi, 1955 is redefined and a key to adult females of species is provided.

Phytochemical study on the BuOH-soluble fraction of the stem bark of Populus davidiana resulted in the isolation of a new salicin derivative ( 1 ), named davidianoside. The structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses.

A new diterpenoid, named populusol A (1), was isolated from the methanolic extraction of the stem bark of Populus davidiana. The structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR as well as HRFAB-MS spectroscopic analysis.