[A survey on the current situation of serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels among children aged 2-<7 years of 20 cities in China].

Objective: To investigate serum vitamin A and vitamin D status in children aged 2-<7 years in 20 cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 2 924 healthy children aged 2-<7 years were recruited from September 2018 to September 2019 from 20 cities in China, categorized by age groups of 2-<3 years, 3-<5 years, and 5-<7 years. The demographic and economic characteristics and health-related information of the enrolled children were investigated. Body weight and height were measured by professional staff members. The serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were applied to analyze the association between vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as well as their underlying impact factors. Results: The age of the 2 924 enrolled children was 4.33 (3.42, 5.17) years. There were 1 726 males (59.03%) and 1 198 females (40.97%). The prevalences of vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency in enrolled children were 2.19% (64/2 924) and 3.52% (103/2 924), respectively, and the insufficiency rates were 29.27% (856/2 924) and 22.20% (649/2 924), respectively. Children with both vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies or insufficiencies were found in 10.50% (307/2 924) of cases. Both vitamin A (χ2=7.91 and 8.06, both P=0.005) and vitamin D (χ2=71.35 and 115.10, both P<0.001) insufficiency rates were higher in children aged 3-<5 and 5-<7 years than those in children aged 2-<3 years. Vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation in the last 3 months was a protective factor for vitamin A and D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively (OR=0.68 and 0.22, 95%CI 0.49-0.95 and 0.13-0.40, both P<0.05). The rates of vitamin A and D insufficiency was higher in children with annual household incomes <60 000 RMB than in those with annual household incomes ≥60 000 RMB (χ2=34.11 and 10.43, both P<0.01). Northwest and Southwest had the highest rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency in children aged 2-<7 yeas, respectively (χ2=93.22 and 202.54, both P<0.001). Conclusions: Among 20 cities in China, children aged 2-<7 years experience high rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency, which are affected by age, family economic level, vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation, and regional economic level. The current results suggest that high level of attention should be paid to vitamin A and vitamin D nutritional status of preschool children.

First Report of Root Rot Caused by Fusarium redolens on Ginseng (Panax ginseng) in Jilin Province of China.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a treasure of traditional Chinese medicine resources and has been used in food, health care products, and medicines in China for over 4,000 years. Jilin Province is the largest producing region in the world. Ginseng root rot disease caused by Fusarium spp. is the chief disease of ginseng with more than 25% incidence. Infected ginseng roots could not be used, which brought economic losses, and the species of the pathogens were not clear. The above-ground leaves of infected ginseng plants became red in the early stages and later wilted or died. All parts of root including rhizome, taproot, and fibrous root can be infected. Brown lesions were mainly formed on the surface and expanded gradually. Finally, multiple lesions converged and caused root rot. Diseased roots collected in June 2012 from 4-year-old ginseng (cv. Damaya) from Jingyu County and Jiaohe City, Jilin Province. Six isolates were obtained by cutting the roots into 5 mm3 pieces, disinfecting in 3% NaOCl for 3 min, and isolating on half-strength acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA). All isolates were purified from single spore. They produced white and cottony aerial mycelium cultured on PDA, microconidia were in the majority, oval or reniform, and length ranged from 5.97 to 12.01 µm. Macroconidia were in the minority, fusiform to conical, usually 3 to 5 septa, length ranged from 13.99 to 26.50 µm, thin-walled, with a hooked apical cell and a foot-shaped basal cell. A variety of structures of chlamydospores were produced, in chains or in pairs, basidixed or in the middle of the hyphae. Preliminary conclusions were made according to the morphological characteristics, which were consistent with the descriptions of Fusarium redolens (2). All the isolates of Fusarium spp. were accurately identified based on molecular biological methods of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the elongation factor (EF1-α) gene sequences analysis. ITS sequences analysis (GenBank Accession No. KF499035) resulted in a 100% match for one accession of F. redolens (X94169) by BLAST in the NCBI nucleotide database, and EF1-α gene (KF499036) had 100% similarity with 12 accessions of F. redolens (e.g., AF324319) by BLAST in the FUSARIUM-ID database (1). All isolates of F. redolens were tested for pathogenicity on ginseng root in vitro and healthy plants in a greenhouse, respectively. The surface of healthy ginseng roots were washed and disinfested in 70% alcohol for 3 min and plant in flower pots with sterile sand and sorghum grain infested with 14-day-old isolates and no inoculation as the control. Each experiment was repeated three times. Root rots were assessed 21 days after planting and all the isolates consistently caused root rot on inoculated plants, taproot and fibrous root exhibited brown to black root rot and plant wilting, whereas no root rot was observed in the controls and the pathogen was successfully re-isolated. The results were confirmed by the in vitro and healthy plant inoculation of ginseng root. F. redolens was identified previously as F. oxysporum, but recent molecular studies have shown that they are distant species in phylogenetic analysis (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. redolens causing root rot of ginseng in China. References: (1) M. D. Geiser et al. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 110:473, 2004. (2) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA, 2006. (3) K. O'Donnell et al. Mycologia 90:465,1998.

Effects of low-energy argon ion implantation on the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton during maize pollen germination.

The relationship between pollen germination and the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton during pollen germination is a central theme in plant reproductive biology research. Maize (Zea mays) pollen grains were implanted with 30 keV argon ion (Ar(+)) beams at doses ranging from 0.78 x 10(15) to 13 x 10(15) ions/cm(2). The effects of low-energy ion implantation on pollen germination viability and the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton during pollen germination were studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Maize pollen germination rate increased remarkably with Ar(+) dose, in the range from 3.9 x 10(15) to 6.5 x 10(15) ions/cm(2); the germination rate peaked at an Ar(+) dose of 5.2 x 10(15) ions/cm(2). When the implantation dose exceeded 7.8 x 10(15) ions/cm(2), the rate of pollen germination decreased sharply. The actin filaments assembled in pollen grains implanted with 5.2 x 10(15) ions/cm(2) Ar(+) much earlier than in controls. The actin filaments organized as longer parallel bundles and extended into the emerging pollen tube in treated pollen grains, while they formed random and loose fine bundles and were gathered at the pollen aperture in the control. The reorganization of actin cytoskeleton in the pollen implanted with 9.1 x 10(15) ions/cm(2) Ar(+) was slower than in controls. There was a positive correlation between pollen germination and the dynamic organization of the actin cytoskeleton during pollen germination. Ion implantation into pollen did not cause changes in the polarization of actin filaments and organelle dynamics in the pollen tubes. The effects of Ar(+) implantation on pollen germination could be mediated by changes in the polymerization and rearrangement of actin polymers.

Understanding ZHENG in traditional Chinese medicine in the context of neuro-endocrine-immune network.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses ZHENG as the key pathological principle to understand the human homeostasis and guide the applications of Chinese herbs. Here, a systems biology approach with the combination of computational analysis and animal experiment is used to investigate this complex issue, ZHENG, in the context of the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) system. By using the methods of literature mining, network analysis and topological comparison, it is found that hormones are predominant in the Cold ZHENG network, immune factors are predominant in the Hot ZHENG network, and these two networks are connected by neuro-transmitters. In addition, genes related to Hot ZHENG-related diseases are mainly present in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway, whereas genes related to both the Cold-related and Hot-related diseases are linked to the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. These computational findings were subsequently verified by experiments on a rat model of collagen-induced arthritis, which indicate that the Cold ZHENG-oriented herbs tend to affect the hub nodes in the Cold ZHENG network, and the Hot ZHENG-oriented herbs tend to affect the hub nodes in the Hot ZHENG network. These investigations demonstrate that the thousand-year-old concept of ZHENG may have a molecular basis with NEI as background.

Microbial transformation of dehydrocostuslactone by Mucor polymorphosporus.

Biotransformation of dehydrocostuslactone (1) by Mucor polymorphosporus yielded four compounds, and their structures were identified as 11alpha,13-dihydrodehydrocostuslactone (2), 3alpha-hydroxy-11alpha,13-dihydrodehydrocostuslactone (3), 3beta-hydroxy-4beta,15,11alpha,13-tetrahydrodehydrocostuslactone (4) and 2beta-hydroxyl-11alpha,13-dihydrodehydrocostuslactone (5), respectively, on the basis of their spectral data. Among them, compound 5 is a new compound.

A new labdane diterpene from Leonurus heterophyllus.

A new labdane diterpene, heteronone B (1), together with a known labdane diterpene, heteronone A (2), have been isolated from the aerial part of Leonurus heterophyllus. Their structures were established mainly by 1D and 2D NMR analysis and the stereochemistry of 2 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Julibroside J8-induced HeLa cell apoptosis through caspase pathway.

The julibroside J8 was isolated from the Albizia julibrissin and evaluated for antiproliferatived on six cancer cell lines (BGC-823, Bel-7402, HeLa, PC-3MIE8, MDA-MB-435 and LH-60) in vitro. Julibroside J8 at 100 microg mL- 1 (46.08 micromol.L- 1) significantly inhibited growth in the first three cell lines. In addition, in HeLa cells typical apoptotic changes in morphology were observed, and further, nuclear damage was observed by Giemsa staining and DNA fragmentation was exhibited. Effects of julibrosideJ8 on induction of DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation and downregulation of ICAD expression were effectively inhibited by a caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk. In addition, apoptosis induced with julibroside J8 was associated with an increase in expression of the apoptosis inducer Bax, and a significant reduction in expression of the apoptosis suppressor Bcl-2 in mitochondria. These results suggest that julibroside J8 induces HeLa death through caspase pathway.

A new dicoumarinoid glycoside from Daphne giraldii.

A new dicoumarinoid glycoside, named giraldoid A (1), has been isolated from Daphne giraldii Nitsche. The structure of 1 was determined as 7-O-beta-glucosyl-8-(7-hydroxy-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one-8-)yl-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one on the basis of chemical reactions and spectroscopic methods.

Two new steroidal saponins from the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica and their cytotoxic activity.

Two new steroidal saponins, dioscoresides C (1) and D (2), along with a new natural product, pregnadienolone 3-O-beta-gracillimatriose (3), and two known compounds, pregnadienolone 3-O-beta-chacotrioside (4) and pseudoprotodioscin (5), were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill. On the basis of extensive NMR studies and chemical evidence, dioscoresides C and D were determined to be 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3 beta,26-dihydroxy-23(S)-methoxy-25(R)-furosta-5,20(22)-dien-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3 beta,26-dihydroxy-20,22-seco-25(R)-furosta-5-en-20,22-dine-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1--> 4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside. These compounds showed mild cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines, A375, L929, and HeLa, in a dose-dependent manner.

Studies on the hepatocyte protective activity and the structure-activity relationships of quinic acid and caffeic acid derivatives from the flower buds of Lonicera bournei.

13 quinic acid derivatives along with caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, myo-inositol, bis[5-formylfurfuryl] ether and 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin were isolated from the ethanol extract of the flower buds of Lonicera bournei Hemsl., among which 8 compounds were firstly obtained from this genus. The effects of different solvent soluble fractions of the ethanol extract and the pure compounds on heptocyte death induced by D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were studied, and the structure-activity relationships were also discussed.

[Separation of echinacoside by reversed-phase preparative high performance liquid chromatography].

Echinacoside, one kind of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs), was isolated from the stems of Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) R. Wight with a series of steps, including solvent extraction, D101 polymer adsorption column separation, Sephadex LH-20 separation, C18 column reversed-phase preparative high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-prep-HPLC) preparation and polyamide thin-layer chromatographic detection. The purity of the product was over 98%. The chemical structure of echinacoside was identified by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. To find out the optimum condition of mobile phase of RP-prep-HPLC, several systems were used in this work. Finally acetonitrile-1% HCOOH water (18:82, V/V) system was found to be the best. On the other hand D101 polymer adsorption column and Sephadex LH-20 were also effective for PhGs separation.

[Metabolic regulation of phenylethanoid glycosides from Herba cistanches in dogs' gastrointestine].

AIM: To study the metabolic process of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) in the gastrointestine of beagle dogs that were administered intragastrially process, and develop some new methods of biopharmacology on the effective position of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: High-performance liquid chromatography was used to purify constituents from faeces and analyze relative contents of the three main compounds in the gastrointestinal tract at different times and in the faeces of dogs. Every sample was collected, extracted with methanol and analyzed with integration. RESULTS: Four compounds, based on reference substances, were identified as echinacoside, acteoside, isoacteoside, and 2'-acetylacteoside from extraction of faces of dogs. Quantitative "with HPLC" analysis reveals that variation of ratios of the three main compounds is not distinct when moving in the gastrointestinal tract 7 h, that is quite different from those in faeces, in which the content of echinacoside fell from 48.0% to 16.0%, and acteoside increased from 11.0% to 34.7%. CONCLUSION: PhGs are mainly metabolized in large intestine. Among them, a portion of echinacoside is transformed into aceteoside.

[Isolation and identification of steroidal saponins from Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill].

AIM: To investigate the chemical constituents of the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica Prain et Burkill and look for new active compounds. METHODS: The compounds were isolated with silica gel and HPLC, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical evidences and spectral analysis (IR, ESI-MS, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, DEPT, 1H-1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, NOESY). RESULTS: Three steroidal saponins were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea panthaica. They were elucidated as 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3 beta, 26-diol-23(S)-methoxy-25(R)-delta 5,20(22)-diene-furosta-3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)- O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (I), pseudoprotodioscin (II), 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3 beta, 26-diol-25 (R)-delta 5,20(22)-diene-furosta-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1-->2)-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (III). CONCLUSION: Compound I is a new steroidal saponin and was named as dioscoreside C. Compound II and III were obtained from this genus for the first time.

[Studies on the constituents of the roots of Acorus calamus L].

A new tricyclic sesquiterpene, named calamenone (1), and two known sesquiterpenes, calamendiol (2) and isocalamendiol (3), were isolated from the roots of Acorus calamus L. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectral and X-ray diffraction data.

[Studies on anthraquinones from the roots of rubia cordifolia l].

Seven anthraquinones were isolated from the ethyl alcohol extracts of the roots of Rubia Cordifolia L. By means of spectrometric data combined with physico-chemical properties, six of them were identified as 2-methyl-1,3,6-trihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (I), 1-hydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone(II), 1,2,4-trihydroxy-9,10-anthrequinone(III), 2-methyl-1,3,6-trihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-3-O-beta-D-glucoside(IV), 1,2-dijhydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-2-O-beta-D-xylosyl(1-->6)-beta-D -glucoside(V) and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl1-9,10-anthraquinone-3-O-beta-D- xylosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucoside(VI). VII is a new compound. Its structure was elucidated to be 2-methyl-1,3,6-trihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone-3-O-beta-D-xylosyl(1-->2)-b eta-D- (6'-O-acetyl)glucoside.

[Studies on naphthoic acid esters from the roots of Rubia cordifolia L].

Four naphthoic acid esters including a new compound were isolated from the roots of Rubia cordifolia L. The new one was named as rubilactone and its structure was elucidated as 3'-carbomethoxy-4'-hydroxy-naphtho[1',2'-2,3] pyran-6-one (I) based on the physicochemical properties and spectrometric analyses (UV, IR, MS, 1HNMR and 13CNMR). The other three were 3'-carbomethoxy-4'-hydroxy-naphtho [1',2'-2,3] furan (II), dihydromollugin (III) and 3-carbomethoxy-2-(3'-hydroxy)isopentyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone-1-O -beta-D-glucoside (IV).

[Studies on antibacterial constituents from the roots of Rubia cordifolia L].

Twelve compounds were isolated from the roots of Rubia cordifolia L.. Nine of them were established by chemical and spectroscopic methods to be alizarin (I),1-hydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone(II),1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methyl- 9,10-anthra-quinone-3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnosyl(1--- -2)-beta-D- glucoside(III),1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraqueinone-3-O-a lpha- L-rhamnosyl(1----2)-beta-D-glucoside(IV),1,3,6-trihydrozy-2- methyl-9,10- anthraquinone-3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-D-glucoside(V),2-carbomethyoxy++ +-3-prenyl- 1,4-naphthohydroquinone di-beta-D-glucoside(VI),rubimallin(VII),beta- sitosterol(VIII) and daucosterol(IX), among them, V is a nwe compound and IX was obtained from this genus for the first time, III, VI and VII showed certain antibacterial activities.

[Studies on the structure of a new flavanonol glucoside of the root-sprouts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb].

Three compounds were isolated from benzene and acetone extracts of the root-sprouts of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. On the basis of physicochemical properties, spectroscopy (UV, IR, NMR, MS, CD, GC) and chemical degradation, two known compounds were identified as palmitic acid (VIII) and daucosterol (IX), one new compound was elucidated as (2S,3S)-(-)-taxifolin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (X).

[Chemical studies of minor triterpene compounds isolated from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer].

Two new natural products were isolated from the stems and leaves of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer cultivated in Liaoning, China. Their structures were characterized as 20(R)-dammaran-3 beta, 6 alpha, 12 beta, 20, 25-pentol and 20(R)-dammaran-3 beta, 6 alpha, 12 beta, 20, 25-pentol-6-O-alpha-L-rhampyranosyl(1----2)-O-beta-D-gluc opy ranoside.