Traditional management of ancient Pu'er teagardens in Jingmai Mountains in Yunnan of China, a designated Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems site.

BACKGROUND: Pu'er Traditional Tea Agroecosystem is one of the projects included in the United Nations' Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) since 2012. Against the background of having rich biodiversity and a long history of tea culture, the ancient tea trees in Pu'er have experienced from wild-transition-cultivation for thousands of years, and the local people's knowledge about the management of ancient teagardens has not been rigorously recorded. For this reason, it is important to study and record the traditional management knowledge of Pu'er ancient teagardens and the influence on the formation of tea trees and communities. This study focuses on the traditional management knowledge of ancient teagardens in Jingmai Mountains, Pu'er, and monoculture teagardens (monoculture and intensively managed planting base for tea cultivation) were used as the control, through the community structure, composition and biodiversity of ancient teagardens to respond to the influence of traditional management, and this work with a view to providing a reference for further research on the stability and sustainable development of tea agroecosystem. METHODS: From 2021 to 2022, information on traditional management of ancient teagardens was obtained through semi-structured interviews with 93 local people in the Jingmai Mountains area of Pu'er. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before conducting the interview process. The communities, tea trees and biodiversity of Jingmai Mountains ancient teagardens (JMATGs) and monoculture teagardens (MTGs) were examined through field surveys, measurements and biodiversity survey methods. The Shannon-Weiner (H), Pielou (E) and Margalef (M) indices were calculated for the biodiversity of the teagardens within the unit sample, using monoculture teagardens as a control. RESULTS: The tea tree morphology, community structure and composition of Pu'er ancient teagardens are significantly different from those of monoculture teagardens, and the biodiversity is significantly higher than that of monoculture teagardens. The local people mainly manage the ancient tea trees mainly using several methods, including weeding (96.8%), pruning (48.4%) and pest control (33.3%). The pest control mainly relies on the removal of diseased branches. JMATGs annual gross output is approximately 6.5 times that of MTGs. The traditional management of ancient teagardens is through setting up forest isolation zones as protected areas, planting tea trees in the understory on the sunny side, keeping tea trees 1.5-7 m apart, as well as consciously protecting forest animals such as spiders, birds and bees, and reasonably rearing livestock in the teagardens. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that local people have rich traditional knowledge and experience in the management of ancient teagardens in Pu'er, and that this traditional management knowledge has impacted the growth of ancient tea trees, enriched the structure and composition of tea plantation communities and actively protected the biodiversity within ancient teagardens.

Dulong People's Traditional Knowledge of Caryota obtusa (Arecaceae): a Potential Starch Plant with Emphasis on Its Starch Properties and Distribution Prediction.

The greatest global challenge is to ensure that all people have access to adequate and nutritious food. Wild edible plants, particularly those that provide substitutes for staple foods, can play a key role in enhancing food security and maintaining a balanced diet in rural communities. We used ethnobotanical methods to investigate traditional knowledge on Caryota obtusa, a substitute staple food plant of the Dulong people in Northwest Yunnan, China. The chemical composition, morphological properties, functional, and pasting properties of C. obtusa starch were evaluated. We used MaxEnt modeling to predict the potential geographical distribution of C. obtusa in Asia. Results revealed that C. obtusa is a vital starch species with cultural significance in the Dulong community. There are large areas suitable for C. obtusa in southern China, northern Myanmar, southwestern India, eastern Vietnam, and other places. As a potential starch crop, C. obtusa could substantially contribute to local food security and bring economic benefit. In the future, it is necessary to study the breeding and cultivation of C. obtusa, as well as the processing and development of starch, to solve long-term and hidden hunger in rural areas.

Meizi-Consuming Culture That Fostered the Sustainable Use of Plum Resources in Dali of China: An Ethnobotanical Study.

Prunus mume has been cultivated for more than three millennia with important edible, ornamental, and medicinal value. Due to its sour taste, the Prunus mume fruit (called Meizi in Chinese and Ume in Japanese) is not very popular compared to other fruits. It is, however, a very favorite food for the Bai people living in Eryuan County, Dali of Yunnan, China. The local people are masters of making various local products with plum in different ways. In this research, we conducted field investigations in Eryuan County using ethnobotanical methods from August 2019 to July 2021, focusing on the Prunus mume (for its edible fruits). A total of 76 key informants participated in our semi-structured interviews. The survey recorded 37 species (and varieties) belonging to 11 families related to the Bai people's Meizi-consuming culture. Among them, there are 14 taxa of plum resources, including one original species and 13 varieties. These 37 species are either used as substitutes for plum due to their similar taste or as seasonings to improve the sour taste of plum. The higher Cultural Food Significance Index value implies that Prunus mume, Chaenomeles speciosa, Phyllanthus emblica, Prunus salicina, and Chaenomeles cathayensis have high acceptance and use value in the Bai communities. Among the various local products traditionally made by the Bai people, carved plums, preserved plums, perilla-wrapped plums, and stewed plums are the most famous and popular categories in the traditional markets. Currently, the plum business based on the traditional Meizi-consuming culture of the Bai people is already one of Eryuan's economic pillars. This study showed that plums play an important role in expressing the local cultural diversity, and they also help the local people by improving their livelihood through their edible value. In turn, for the sustainable use of plum resources, the Bai people positively manage local forests through a series of measures to protect the diversity of plum resources and related plant communities.

Clinical Effects of Simultaneous Implant Placement in Hydraulic Maxillary Sinus Lift Without Bone Grafting.

Context: Tooth absence is a pervasive oral condition and mostly occurs as maxillary tooth absence. The only way to treat tooth absence in adults is prosthesis implantation, and implant therapy usually requires repair of the maxillary sinus to its original state using a maxillary sinus lift (MSL). MSL has usually included bone augmentation with bone grafting simultaneously with the placement of the dental implant. Objective: The study intended to examine the clinical effects of placement of dental implants using the hydraulic maxillary sinus lift (MSL), without bone grafting, to offer new guidance, to make suggestions for future clinical treatment of tooth absence, and also to lay a reliable foundation for subsequent research on MSL without bone grafting. Design: The research team designed a randomized controlled trial. Setting: The study occurred at Suzhou Kowloon Hospital at the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine in Suzhou, China. Participants: Participants were 68 patients at the hospital with tooth defects between February 2019 and December 2019. Intervention: Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. Both groups received dental-implant placement in the hydraulic MSL, but the intervention group's surgery didn't include bone grafting, while the control group's included simultaneous bone grafting. Outcome Measures: Participants' surgical experience were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ), and inflammatory factors were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Participants' periodontal conditions after surgery were assessed, using tests for bone mineral density (BMD), periodontal probing depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), plaque index (PLI), and bleeding index (BI) as well as measurements of the implant retention rate, new bone acquisition around implants, and vertical bone loss. Participants' surgical costs were also evaluated. At a one-year follow-up, a masticatory function score and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used for an evaluation of participants' prognoses. Results: The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative adverse reactions, lower intraoperative blood loss, and shorter operation time than did the control group (all P < .05). After surgery at week1, the intervention group showed significantly lower levels of inflammatory factors than the control group did (all P < .05). Postoperatively at month 6, the intervention group had a significantly higher implant retention rate than did the control group (P < .05). Conclusions: Simultaneous implant placement in a hydraulic MSL without bone grafting can deliver favorable therapeutic effects, with a high safety profile, which can effectively optimize the surgical process, improve patients' postoperative feelings, and reduce surgical expenses, making it easy to popularize clinically.

Medicinal Plants and Fungi Traditionally Used by Dulong People in Northwest Yunnan, China.

The Dulong, an ethnic group living in the isolated Northwest Yunnan of Southwest China, have directly used a wide of plants to serve their needs and have accumulated rich traditional knowledge about medicinal plants over years. Unfortunately, little has been reported about the medicinal plants used by the Dulong people. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews, guided field trips, and quantitative analysis. Prior informed consent was obtained before each interview. The surveys allowed for the collection of sociodemographic data and traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and their uses. This study used relative frequency of citation (RFC) to identify the most culturally significant medicinal plants and used informant consensus factor (FIC) to evaluate agreement among informants. A total of 105 medicinal plant species belonging to 69 families were recorded. Amongst these 69 families, Asteraceae (8 species), Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Rosaceae (4 species each) were the dominant families. The whole plants were the most frequently used part in the preparation of medicines. The most common preparation method was decoction and the most frequent application route was oral administration. Coptis teeta (0.15), Acorus calamus (0.12), Ophiocordyceps sinensis (0.11), Tanacetum tatsienense var. tanacetopsis (0.11), and Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis (0.08) were shown to be the most useful plants as indicated by their relatively high RFC values. Among the usage types of medicinal plants, the highest FIC values were recorded for the circulatory system (FIC = 0.91), the immune system (FIC = 0.89), and the nervous system (FIC = 0.85). Furthermore, sixty-two medicinal plants utilized by the Dulong for medicinal purposes also have dietary use. Traditional knowledge associated with medicinal plants has been seriously threatened in recent decades. In the future, modern approaches should be used to demystify traditional medicine. However, significant measures need to be taken to protect from loss the important traditional knowledge gained by the Dulong through their experience and inheritance. A collective effort should be made to promote and conserve the important traditional medicinal knowledge and outline a plan for sustainable use of medicinal plants and improve local economic development under the premise of protection.

Ethnobotanical study on wild edible plants used by Dulong people in northwestern Yunnan, China.

BACKGROUND: Dulong (Drung people) are one of the ethnic minorities of China, consisting of a small population living in remote and mountainous regions with limited facilities. Over the years, the Dulong have maintained their livelihood by collecting wild medicinal and edible plants. Therefore, through their experience and understanding, they had accumulated sufficient traditional knowledge about local plant resources. Since ancient times, wild edible plants have been essential to the food security of the Dulong people. However, there is almost no comprehensive report available on WEPs consumed by the Dulong people. The objectives of this study were to: (1) make a systematic study of WEPs used by Dulong people, (2) record traditional knowledge related to WEPs, (3) analyze multiple uses of WEPs, and (4) evaluate species with significant cultural significance to Dulong people. METHODS: Ethnobotanical survey including free listing, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews and participatory observations was conducted in Dulongjiang Township, Gongshan County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. A total of 127 informants were selected using the snowball method and information about WEPs, including vernacular name, food categories, parts used, mode of consumption, collection season, and other local uses were collected. The RFC and CFSI were calculated to identify the most culturally significant WEPs. One-way analysis of variance was performed to evaluate whether the four reference variables (gender, age, occupation, and education) significantly influenced the number of plant species mentioned by the respondents. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 148 species of WEPs consumed by the Dulong people belonging to 58 families were collected, including wild vegetables (71), wild fruits (52), staple food substitutes (15), spices (7), nuts (4), tea substitute (2), liquor making materials (3) oils and fats (3), and culinary coagulants (1). WEPs are used in a number of different ways, including as fuelwood, feed, and medicine. Food substitute plants accounted for the majority of the top 27 wild food plants identified by RFC and CFSI. It was observed that farmers have more knowledge of WEPs, and moderate education level informants reported less WEPs used. CONCLUSION: The WEPs used by the Dulong people are diverse and abundant in the Dulongjiang region. In the future, WEPs such as Maianthemum atropurpureum, Caryota obtusa, Cardiocrinum giganteum, and Angiopteris esculenta with economic potential can be developed to provide a source of income for the residents. More studies of the nutritional value, chemical composition, and biological activities of WEPs are needed. The demands and development of local communities can be realized under the premise of protecting WEPs and the associated traditional knowledge. More attention should be paid to the value of WEP and underutilized plants during future rural development.

Isolation, Characterization, and Pharmaceutical Applications of an Exopolysaccharide from Aerococcus Uriaeequi.

Many marine bacteria secrete exopolysaccharides (EPSs), which are made up of a substantial component of the macro-molecules surrounding cells. Recently, the wide demand for EPSs for food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other applications has led to great interest in them. In this study, an EPS produced by marine bacteria Aerococcus uriaeequi HZ strains (EPS-A) was isolated and purified to examine its structure and biological function. The molecular weight of EPS-A analyzed by high-performance liquid gel filtration chromatography (HPGFC) is found to have a number average of 2.22 × 105 and weight average of 2.84 × 105, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-transform⁻infrared (FT⁻IR) analysis indicate that EPS-A was a polysaccharide composed of glucose and a little mannose. In addition, the flocculating rate of sewage of EPS-A was 79.90%. The hygroscopicity studies showed that hygroscopicity of EPS-A was higher than chitosan but lower than that of sodium hyaluronate. The moisture retention of EPS-A showed similar retention activity to both chitosan and sodium hyaluronate. EPS-A also can scavenge free radicals including both OH• free radical and O2•- free radical and the activity to O2•- free radical is similar to vitamin C. Safety assessment on mice indicated that the EPS-A is safe for external use and oral administration. EPS-A has great potential for applications in medicine due to its characteristics mentioned above.

Sensitive determination of Se(IV) and tSe in rice and water samples using L-cysteine modified carbon paste electrode-based electrolytic hydride generation and atomic fluorescence spectrometry analysis.

This work illustrates an accurate method for determination of Se by electrolytic hydride generation technique based on a novel carbon paste electrode for sample introduction combined with atomic fluorescence spectral analysis. The studies show that Se(IV) can be converted efficiently to SeH2 on an L-cysteine modified carbon paste electrode (CMCPE), which has never been reported before. Significantly, generation from Se(IV) implies that the use of carbon paste electrode-based electron-induced hydride generation system to achieve efficiency is almost 90% to that obtained by chemical hydride generation, and the response obtained from CMCPE is 2 and 3 times of that from the Pb and graphite electrode, respectively. Results also display that the lifetime and the stability of the CMCPE is superior to that of L-cysteine ornamented graphite electrode fabricated by covalently bonding. Under the optimal conditions, a low concentration limit of detection 0.065µgL-1 of Se(IV) is achieved. The repeatability denoted as % RSD is 2.2% for 1.0µgL-1 Se(IV). The utility of the studied method is compared with certified reference materials as well as several edible samples. The advantages and limitations of this method, compared with existing techniques, are also discussed.

Selective and sensitive determination of As(III) and tAs in Chinese herbal medicine samples using L-cysteine modified carbon paste electrode-based electrolytic hydride generation and AFS analysis.

A novel non-chromatographic speciation technique for ultra-trace arsenite [As(III)] and total arsenic (tAs) in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is developed and validated by electrolytic hydride generation (EHG) coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The studies show that As(III) can be converted efficiently to AsH3 on an L-cysteine modified carbon paste electrode (CMCPE), which has never been reported before. Significantly, other arsenic species such as arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) do not form any or only less volatile hydrides at low applied current mode (<1.0 A). The results also demonstrate that L-cysteine and graphite powder play different roles in the electrolytic generation of AsH3. Comparing with the traditional graphite electrode, CMCPE has better stability, sensitivity and interference tolerance. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) of tAs and As(III) for this method are 0.087µgL-1 and 0.095µgL-1 respectively. The accuracy of the method is verified through the analysis of reference materials (CRM 08231 and SRM1568a), and the proposed method has been applied satisfactorily to the determination of As(III) and tAs in several CHM samples.

Binary stress induces an increase in indole alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus.

Catharanthus roseus is an important medicinal plant, which produces a variety of indole alkaloids of significant pharmaceutical relevance. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential stress-induced increase of indole alkaloid biosynthesis in C. roseus using proteomic technique. The contents of the detectable alkaloids ajmalicine, vindoline, catharanthine, and strictosidine in C. roseus were significantly increased under binary stress. Proteomic analysis revealed that the abundance of proteins related to tricarboxylic acid cycle and cell wall was largely increased; while, that of proteins related to tetrapyrrole synthesis and photosynthesis was decreased. Of note, 10-hydroxygeraniol oxidoreductase, which is involved in the biosynthesis of indole alkaloid was two-fold more abundant in treated group compared to the control. In addition, mRNA expression levels of genes involved in the indole alkaloid biosynthetic pathway indicated an up-regulation in their transcription in C. roseus under UV-B irradiation. These results suggest that binary stress might negatively affect the process of photosynthesis in C. roseus. In addition, the induction of alkaloid biosynthesis appears to be responsive to binary stress.

Improved metabolites of pharmaceutical ingredient grade Ginkgo biloba and the correlated proteomics analysis.

Ginkgo biloba is an attractive and traditional medicinal plant, and has been widely used as a phytomedicine in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Flavonoids and terpene lactones are the major bioactive components of Ginkgo, whereas the ginkgolic acids (GAs) with strong allergenic properties are strictly controlled. In this study, we tested the content of flavonoids and GAs under ultraviolet-B (UV-B) treatment and performed comparative proteomic analyses to determine the differential proteins that occur upon UV-B radiation. That might play a crucial role in producing flavonoids and GAs. Our phytochemical analyses demonstrated that UV-B irradiation significantly increased the content of active flavonoids, and decreased the content of toxic GAs. We conducted comparative proteomic analysis of both whole leaf and chloroplasts proteins. In total, 27 differential proteins in the whole leaf and 43 differential proteins in the chloroplast were positively identified and functionally annotated. The proteomic data suggested that enhanced UV-B radiation exposure activated antioxidants and stress-responsive proteins as well as reduced the rate of photosynthesis. We demonstrate that UV-B irradiation pharmaceutically improved the metabolic ingredients of Ginkgo, particularly in terms of reducing GAs. With high UV absorption properties, and antioxidant activities, the flavonoids were likely highly induced as protective molecules following UV-B irradiation.

Preparation of biodiesel catalysed by KF/CaO with ultrasound.

Biodiesel, chemically consists of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) produced by methanolysis of natural triglycerides, such as animal fats and vegetable oils, is a kind of biomass energy, which is renewable and ecofriendly. In this article, KF/CaO was used as solid base catalyst for transesterification of soya bean oil and methanol, while ultrasound as supplementary means. Compared to mechanical stirring, ultrasound treatment is an effective method to increase the yield of FAME and shorten reaction time. By single-factor method, the optimisation of reaction conditions has been studied. The research showed that the optimum reaction conditions were: w(catalyst)/w(oil): 3%, reaction temperature: 65°C, n(methanol)/n(oil): 12, reaction time: 1 h, sound intensity: 1.01 W cm(-2), frequency: 20 kHz, the yield of FAME could be 97%.

Ultrasonic treatment on activated sewage sludge from petro-plant for reduction.

In this essay, the influences of low frequency ultrasound (20 kHz) on dewater ability and anaerobic digestion behaviors of activated sewage sludge, obtained from Yangzi Water Treatment Plant, Yangzi Petrochemical Corporation, were discussed. Ultrasound pretreatment could enhance the filtration progress and decrease the moisture content of the sludge from 99% to 80%. Together with flocculant, the ultrasound pretreatment decreased the specific filtration resistance (SFR) of the sludge from 3.59 x 10(12) m/kg to 1.18 x 10(12) m/kg and saved about 25-50% of the flocculant dosage. Bound water of the sludge was measured by dilatometer. After 2-4 min treatment of ultrasound under intensity of 400 W/m(2), the bound water of sludge decreased from 16.7 g/g (dry base) to above 2.0 g/g (dry base). Ultrasound pretreatment could also enhance digestion and reduce digestion time. To the same resolution ratio, such as 49%, the digestion time of sludge with ultrasound pretreatment was 7 days less than that without ultrasound. Proper ultrasound pretreatment could also improve the dewater ability of the digested sludge, the final moisture of which was 73.7%.