Spherical aberration-based compensation method for narcissus.

A narcissus-compensation method is proposed based on a mathematical model that connects the spherical aberration and the narcissus-induced temperature difference (NITD). Through non-sequential ray tracing analysis in ZEMAX, we simulate a compact, five-lens, long-wave infrared (LWIR) optical system with NITD as low as 0.7 mK.

Fast Stray Light Performance Evaluation Based on BSDF and Radiative Transfer Theory.

Evaluating the stray light cancellation performance of an optical system is an essential step in the search for superior optical systems. However, the existing evaluation methods, such as the Monte Carlo method and the ray tracing method, suffer from the problems of vast arithmetic and cumbersome processes. In this paper, a method for a rapid stray light performance evaluation model and quantitatively determining high-magnitude stray light outside the field of view are proposed by adopting the radiative transfer theory based on the scattering property of the bidirectional scattering distribution function (BSDF). Under the global coordinates, based on the derivation of the light vector variation relationship in the near-linear system, the specific structural properties of the off-axis reflective optical system, and the specular scattering properties, a fast quantitative evaluation model of the optical system's stray light elimination capability is constructed. A loop nesting procedure was designed based on this model, and its validity was verified by an off-axis reflective optical system. It successfully fitted the point source transmittance (PST) curve in the range of specular radiation reception angles and quantitatively predicted the prominence due to incident stray light outside the field of view. This method does not require multiple software to work in concert and requires only 10-5 orders of magnitude of computing time, which is suitable for the rapid stray light assessment and structural screening of off-axis reflective optical systems with a good symmetry. The method is promising for improving imaging radiation accuracy and developing lightweight space cameras with low stray light effects.

Ethnomedicinal Uses, Geographical Distribution, Botanical Description, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Quality Control of Laportea bulbifera (Sieb. et Zucc.) Wedd.: A Review.

Laportea bulbifera (Sieb. et Zucc.) Wedd. (L. bulbifera) is a significant plant in the Laportea genus. Traditionally, it has been used in ethnomedicine for treating various conditions such as rheumatic arthralgia, fractures, falling injuries, nephritis dropsy, limb numbness, pruritus, fatigue-induced internal imbalances, and irregular menstruation. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed its therapeutic potential, including anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, analgesic, and anti-rheumatoid arthritis properties. To gather comprehensive information on L. bulbifera, a thorough literature search was conducted using databases like Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, and CNKI. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of L. bulbifera, covering various aspects such as ethnomedicinal uses, geographical distribution, botanical description, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control. The goal is to establish a solid foundation and propose new research avenues for exploring and developing potential applications of L. bulbifera. So far, a total of one hundred and eighty-nine compounds have been isolated and identified from L. bulbifera, including flavonoids, phenolics, nitrogen compounds, steroids, terpenoids, coumarins, phenylpropanoids, fatty acids and their derivatives, and other compounds. Notably, flavonoids and fatty acids have demonstrated remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, these compounds show promising potential in activities such as analgesia, hypoglycemia, and hypolipidemia, as well as toxicity. Despite extensive fundamental studies on L. bulbifera, further research is still needed to enhance our understanding of its mechanism of action and improve quality control. This requires more comprehensive investigations to explore the specific material basis, uncover new mechanisms of action, and refine quality control methods related to L. bulbifera. By doing so, we could contribute to the further development and utilization of this plant.

Screening the Extract of Laportea bulbifera (Sieb. et Zucc.) Wedd. Based on Active Component Content, Its Antioxidant Capacity and Exploration of Hepatoprotective Activity in Rats.

Laportea bulbifera (Sieb. et Zucc.) Wedd., a plant with a long history of medicinal use, possesses uncertainly defined medicament portions while its antioxidant capacity remains largely unexplored. To gain a better understanding of its medicinal value, this study focused on investigating the Laportea bulbifera aboveground part (LBAP) and the Laportea bulbifera root (LBR). Through an assessment of the bioactive compound content, a significant finding emerged: the LBR exhibited notably higher levels of these bioactive phytochemicals compared to the LBAP. This observation was further reinforced by the antioxidant assays, which demonstrated the superiority of the LBR's antioxidant capacity. The experimental results unequivocally indicate that the root is the optimal medicament portion for Laportea bulbifera. Furthermore, it was discovered that the presence of alcohol in the extraction solvent significantly enhanced the extraction of active ingredients, with the methanol extract of LBR performing the best among the extracts tested. Consequently, this extract was selected for further research. Leveraging cutting-edge UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS technology, the methanol extract of LBR was meticulously analyzed, revealing the presence of 41 compounds, primarily belonging to the phenolics and fatty acids. Remarkably, stability experiments demonstrated that the phenolics in the methanol extract maintained their stability across various pH values and during in vitro simulations of the human digestive system, albeit showing gradual degradation under high temperatures. Furthermore, the oxidative stability tests conducted on oils revealed the potential of the methanol extract as a stabilizer for olive oil and sunflower oil. Moreover, oral acute toxicity studies confirmed the low toxicity of the methanol extract, further supporting its safe use for medicinal purposes. Of particular note, histopathological examination and biochemical analysis affirmed the remarkable protective effects of the methanol extract against d-galactosamine-induced liver damage. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of the methanol extract from the LBR in the treatment of diseases associated with oxidative imbalance.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Activities In Vitro and In Vivo, and Theoretical Calculation of Different Extracts of Euphorbia fischeriana.

Euphorbia fischeriana has a long-standing history of use in traditional medicine for the treatment of tuberculosis diseases. However, the plant's therapeutic potential extends beyond this specific ailment. The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant properties of Euphorbia fischeriana and lay the groundwork for further research on its potential therapeutic applications. Phytochemical tests were performed on the plant, and 11 types of phytochemicals were identified. Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry was used to evaluate the active components and antioxidant properties of eight different solvent extracts, ultimately selecting acetone extract for further research. UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS identified 43 compounds in the acetone extract, and chemical calculations were used to isolate those with high content and antioxidant activity. Three stability experiments confirmed the extract's stability, while cell viability and oral acute toxicity studies demonstrated its relatively low toxicity. In rats, the acetone extract showed significant protective effects against D-galactosamine-induced liver damage through histopathological examination and biochemical analysis. These results suggest that Euphorbia fischeriana's acetone extract has potential in treating diseases related to oxidative imbalances. Therefore, this study highlights the plant's potential therapeutic applications while providing insight into its antioxidant properties.

Diversity and composition of the Panax ginseng rhizosphere microbiome in various cultivation modesand ages.

BACKGROUND: Continuous cropping of ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) cultivated in farmland for an extended period gives rise to soil-borne disease. The change in soil microbial composition is a major cause of soil-borne diseases and an obstacle to continuous cropping. The impact of cultivation modes and ages on the diversity and composition of the P. ginseng rhizosphere microbial community and technology suitable for cropping P. ginseng in farmland are still being explored. METHODS: Amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS regions were analyzed for microbial community composition and diversity. RESULTS: The obtained sequencing data were reasonable for estimating soil microbial diversity. We observed significant variations in richness, diversity, and relative abundances of microbial taxa between farmland, deforestation field, and different cultivation years. The bacterial communities of LCK (forest soil where P. ginseng was not grown) had a much higher richness and diversity than those in NCK (farmland soil where P. ginseng was not grown). The increase in cultivation years of P. ginseng in farmland and deforestation field significantly changed the diversity of soil microbial communities. In addition, the accumulation of P. ginseng soil-borne pathogens (Monographella cucumerina, Ilyonectria mors-panacis, I. robusta, Fusarium solani, and Nectria ramulariae) varied with the cropping age of P. ginseng. CONCLUSION: Soil microbial diversity and function were significantly poorer in farmland than in the deforestation field and were affected by P. ginseng planting years. The abundance of common soil-borne pathogens of P. ginseng increased with the cultivation age and led to an imbalance in the microbial community.

[Research progress on metabolism and pharmacological activities of several iridoid glycosides].

As a large category of natural products widely present in traditional Chinese medicine, iridoid glycosides have multiple pharmacological activities. Recent researches suggest that iridoid glycosides mainly exist in vivo in the forms of original form, aglycone and a series of their Ⅰ and Ⅱ metabolites under the biotransformation effect, and their metabolites have been proved to have multiple pharmacological activities. The research progress on in vivo metabolism and metabolite activities of several iridoid glycosides would be reviewed in this article, to provide a theoretical basis for the further development and utilization of iridoid compounds and their metabolites.

Pectoral Fin Propulsion Performance Analysis of Robotic Fish with Multiple Degrees of Freedom Based on Burst-and-Coast Swimming Behavior Stroke Ratio.

The pectoral fin propulsion of a bionic robotic fish always consists of two phases: propulsion and recovery. The robotic fish moves in a burst-and-coast swimming manner. This study aims to analyze a pair of bionic robotic fish with rigid pectoral fin propulsion with three degrees of freedom and optimize the elliptical propulsion curve with the minimum recovery stroke resistance using computational fluid dynamics methods. Then, the time allocated to the propulsion and recovery phases is investigated to maximize the propulsion performance of the bionic robotic fish. The numerical simulation results show that when the time ratio of the propulsion and recovery phases is 0.5:1, the resistance during the movement of the robotic fish is effectively reduced, and the drag-reducing effect is pronounced. According to a further analysis of pressure clouds and vortex structures, the pressure difference between the upstream and downstream fins of the pectoral fin varies with different stroke ratios. The increase in recovery phase time helps to prevent premature damage to the vortex ring structure generated during the propulsion process and improves propulsion efficiency.

Multidirectional insights into the phytochemical, biological, and multivariate analysis of extracts from the aerial part of Swertia perennis Linnaeus.

Swertia perennis Linnaeus (SP) has been utilised to treat gastritis. We report the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of SP. The correlation between the biological activities and total bioactive contents of the extracts was also studied via multivariate analysis. Methanol extract contained many active compounds and exhibited good antioxidant activity. Therefore, this was selected for further phytochemical profiling and stability studies. Fourteen compounds were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-orbitrap-mass spectrometry for the first time from this plant. Iridoids, xanthones, and flavonoids were the main components. Methanol extract exhibited good stability and antioxidant capacity in stability studies, with low toxicity, and showed a protective effect on the oxidation of olive and sunflower oils. SP has the potential to be developed and used as an antioxidant, or as urease and XO inhibitors, and its methanol extract could be used as a natural oil stabiliser.

Transcriptome analysis provides insights into the cell wall and aluminum toxicity related to rusty root syndrome of Panax ginseng.

Rusty root syndrome is a common and serious disease in the process of Panax ginseng cultivation. This disease greatly decreases the production and quality of P. ginseng and causes a severe threat to the healthy development of the ginseng industry. However, its pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was used for comparative transcriptome analysis of healthy and rusty root-affected ginseng. The roots of rusty ginseng showed 672 upregulated genes and 526 downregulated genes compared with the healthy ginseng roots. There were significant differences in the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, plant hormone signal transduction, and plant-pathogen interaction. Further analysis showed that the cell wall synthesis and modification of ginseng has a strong response to rusty root syndrome. Furthermore, the rusty ginseng increased aluminum tolerance by inhibiting Al entering cells through external chelating Al and cell wall-binding Al. The present study establishes a molecular model of the ginseng response to rusty roots. Our findings provide new insights into the occurrence of rusty root syndrome, which will reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms of ginseng response to this disease.

Isolation and identification of active ingredients and biological activity of Dioscorea nipponica Makino.

This study reported the isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from Dioscorea nipponica Makino, a plant used in traditional medicine for various ailments. Nine compounds were isolated, including a new compound named as diosniposide E, which was elucidated by analyzing its 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, DEPT, COSY, HMBC and MS data and comparing them with data available in literature. The other eight compounds were identified as known compounds. Theoretical calculations of energy and the generation of a molecular electrostatic potential surface map were employed to assess the antioxidant capacity of nine compounds, the calculation results exhibited that compounds 5 and 6 had strong antioxidant capacities. To further evaluate the antioxidant activities of the investigated compounds, the DPPH and ABTS assays were conducted. The results from the DPPH scavenging activity test revealed that compounds 4-6 exhibited enhanced scavenging activities compared to L-ascorbic acid, while displaying similar efficacy to trolox. Moreover, the ABTS scavenging activities of compounds 4-6 were found to surpass those of L-ascorbic acid and trolox. In terms of α-glucosidase inhibition, compounds 3 and 4 displayed remarkable inhibitory activities that surpassed the effects of acarbose. Additionally, compound 2 exhibited potent anticholinesterase activities, outperforming donepezil. This research provides insights into the potential bioactive compounds present in Dioscorea nipponica Makino and may contribute to its use in traditional medicine.

Phytochemical profiling and antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and toxic activities of extracts from Adonis ramosa Franch.

This study investigated the content and biological activity of three solvent extracts of Adonis ramosa Franch (AR), which contains 12 types of phytochemicals. The overall yield and total protein content of the aqueous extract were the highest, and it exhibited the highest hydroxyl and superoxide radical-scavenging abilities, copper chelating abilities, and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity. Ethanol extract had the highest total phenolic, flavonoid, and carbohydrate contents, and it showed the highest iron chelating activity, and HClO- and nitrite-scavenging abilities. Methanol AR extract contained the highest total steroid and tannin contents; it also demonstrated high radical- and reactive oxygen species-scavenging abilities and had the best ferric reducing antioxidant power, which allowed it to effectively prevent ß-carotene bleaching. Methanol extract also showed good stability and low toxicity. All tested solvent extracts of AR exhibited weak enzyme-inhibitory activities for four enzymes (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase). Overall, AR can serve as a natural antioxidant.

Plasma synthesis of defect-rich flexible carbon cloth decorated with PtRu alloyed nanoclusters for highly efficient pH-universal electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Designing electrocatalysts with superior activity and stability to Pt/C for the highly efficient pH-universal electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) still remains an urgent challenge. Herein, we report a facile plasma method for the preparation of defect-rich flexible carbon cloth decorated with ultralow-loading (0.1 wt%) PtRu alloyed nanoclusters (PtRu/CC-P) to resolve these problems. Remarkably, the developed PtRu/CC-P catalyst delivered a high mass activity of 3.77 A mg-1 (η = 100 mV), almost 3.6 times higher than that of the benchmark HER electrocatalyst 20%Pt/C (1.05 A mg-1). Meanwhile, it only required a low overpotential of 44 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in alkaline media. Systematic experimental and DFT calculation results revealed that the Pt-Ru bridge of PtRu alloyed nanoclusters in PtRu/CC-P can optimize the adsorption strength of HER intermediates at active sites, decrease the H2O dissociation energy barrier, and consequently facilitate the HER kinetics. Inspiringly, when the PtRu content was increased to 1 wt%, PtRu/CC-P still exhibited a relatively low overpotential of 276 mV even at a high current density of 1000 mA cm-2 and maintained excellent durability at a relatively high current density of 50-500 mA cm-2 for more than 15 h in alkaline media. In addition, PtRu/CC-P also showed brilliant HER activity and stability in neutral and acidic media. This facile method provides a feasible route for the rational design of Pt-based alloyed catalysts toward industrial hydrogen production at all-pH values.

[Experimental investigation on micro-hollow cathode sustained discharge].

Based on micro-hollow cathode discharge (MHCD) as a plasma cathode, a second anode was added to the device for obtaining large volume and uniform plasma at high pressure. The discharge producing condition of MCSD was investigated in the experiments. And the rotational structures of the N2 first positive bands were analyzed with traces of nitrogen added in argon for the measurements of the gas temperature in the MCSD plume. The experimental results show that when the current of the plasma cathode exceeds the threshold, the large volume stable plasma is generated. The gas temperature in the plume is increased a little with increasing the current (0.5-4 mA) and is about 500 K at the pressure of 50 Torr.

Synthesis, α-Glucosidase inhibition and molecular docking studies of tyrosol derivatives.

To find a potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, 24 tyrosol derivatives with different substituents located at the meta, ortho, or para position of the phenyl group have been synthesised via the Mitsunobu reaction, characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, ESI-MS and IR and evaluated for inhibition. The derivatives possessed varying degrees of in vitro inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and a relationship between the structure and activity was subsequently established for all compounds. Two of these compounds with substituents at the para position showed significant inhibitory effects surpassing that of the control standard acarbose. Molecular docking studies performed to better understand the binding interactions between the enzyme and the two most active compounds showed substantial binding within the active site of α-glucosidase. Taken together, these results indicate that the position of the substituent plays a crucial role in this inhibition and may facilitate the development of new α-glucosidase inhibitors.

Chemical composition and biological activities of an essential oil from the aerial parts of Artemisia Gmelinii weber ex Stechm.

The aerial parts of Artemisia gmelinii Weber ex Stechm were collected from the northeast of China. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-MS. A set of 66 compounds were identified representing 99.1% of the oil composition. The major compounds in the oil were cyclobutaneethanol, endo-borneol, germacrene D, eucalyptol, selin-6-en-4α-ol, bisabolone oxide A, caryophyllene and terpinen-4-ol. Moreover, the essential oil was evaluated for its antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticholinesterase activities in vitro. Additionally, the antioxidant potential of the oil was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays. The oil showed good antidiabetic activity with an IC50 of 63.2 µg/mL, which was similar to that of the positive control acarbose, and weak anticholinesterase activities. These findings demonstrated that the essential oil of Artemisia gmelinii may be a good natural antidiabetic.

Evaluation of total phenolic, flavonoid, carbohydrate contents and antioxidant activities of various solvent extracts from Angelica amurensis root.

We investigated the antioxidant activities of different solvent extracts of Angelica amurensis root (AAR). The yield of aqueous extract was the highest. The methanol extract had the highest total phenolic content and total flavonoid content. The aqueous extract showed the highest total carbohydrate content. Methanol and ethanol extracts showed high DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging abilities, and high antioxidant activities in FRAP and CUPRAC assays. The extract of chloroform and water exhibited high ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. All extracts showed high inhibition of ß-carotene bleaching, ethyl acetate extract showed the best effect. Ethyl acetate extract exhibited the highest protection against cellular oxidative damage. The best extraction solvent for the active substance in AAR was methanol. AAR may act as a natural antioxidant.

[Optical emission spectroscopy for the characteristic parameters measurement of argon microhollow cathode discharge].

In order to measure the basic plasma parameters, well understand the mechanism of microhollow cathode discharge (MHCD), the rotational structures of the N2 first positive bands (B3 pi(g)A3+u) were analyzed with traces of nitrogen added in argon for the measurement of the gas temperature, and the Stark broadening of Hbeta lines was analyzed for the determination of the electron density. The experimental results show that the gas temperature increases with the increasing pressure and the current and can reach 700 K in the stable glow region. The electron density is in the order of 10(14)-10(15) cm(-3). The magnitude and the changing relations can provide substantial experimental data and technical support for the wide application of MHCD.

Late-bolting transgenic Chinese cabbage obtained by RNA interference technique.

LEAFY (LFY) gene plays an important role in determining plant flowering mainly by controlling the timing of phase transition. Constitutive under-expression of LFY in Arabidopsis resulted in the formation of a late-flowering and highly branching phenotype. In this paper, an RNAi approach was used in down-regulated LFY gene expression to delay Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) bolting and flowering. The results show that transgenic plant has a later transition to the reproductive phase, and the transgenic plants have more branches, more leaves, but a lower height. Results of RQ-RT-PCR analysis show that LFY gene expression was greatly reduced in transgenic plants. These results suggest that inhibiting LFY gene expression by RNA interference can delay bolting in a cold-sensitive long-day (LD) condition. Late flowering of Chinese cabbage can be used as a good genetic resource for the breeding late-bolting Chinese cabbage.

Phosphorus accumulation by bacteria isolated from a continuous-flow two-sludge system.

In this article, polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) from a lab-scale continuous-flow two-sludge system was isolated and identified, the different phosphorus accumulation characteristics of the isolates under anoxic and aerobic conditions were investigated. Two kinds of PAOs were both found in the anoxic zones of the two-sludge system, one of them utilized only oxygen as electron acceptor, and the other one utilized either nitrate or oxygen as electron acceptor. Of the total eight isolates, five isolates were capable of utilizing both nitrate and oxygen as electron acceptors to uptake phosphorus to some extent. And three of the five isolates showed good phosphorus accumulative capacities both under anoxic or aerobic conditions, two identified as Alcaligenes and one identified as Pseudomonas. Streptococcus was observed weak anoxic phosphorus accumulation because of its weak denitrification capacity, but it showed good phosphorus accumulation capacity under aerobic conditions. One isolates identified as Enterobacteriaceae was proved to be a special species of PAOs, which could only uptake small amounts of phosphorus under anoxic conditions, although its denitrification capacity and aerobic phosphorus accumulation capacity were excellent.