Insecticidal activity of Ageratina adenophora (Asteraceae) extract against Limax maximus (Mollusca, Limacidae) at different developmental stages and its chemical constituent analysis.

Limax maximus, or great gray slug, is a common agriculture pest. The pest infests crops during their growth phase, creating holes in vegetable leaves, particularly in seedlings and tender leaves. A study was conducted to assess the insecticidal activity of Ageratina adenophora extract against these slugs. Factors such as fecundity, growth, hatching rate, offspring survival rate, protective enzyme activity, and detoxifying enzyme activity were examined in slugs exposed to the extract's sublethal concentration (LC50) for two different durations (24 and 48 h). The phytochemical variability of the extracts was also studied. The LC50 value of the A. adenophora extract against L. maximus was 35.9 mg/mL. This extract significantly reduced the hatching rate of eggs and the survival rate of offspring hatched from exposed eggs compared with the control. The lowest rates were observed in those exposed for 48 h. The survival, growth, protective enzyme, and detoxification activity of newly hatched and 40-day-old slugs decreased. The A. adenophora extract contained tannins, flavonoids, and saponins, possibly contributing to their biological effects. These results suggest that the extract could be used as an alternative treatment for slug extermination, effectively controlling this species.

Identification Markers Responsible for Differentially Processed Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadruple-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

The rhizome of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. The fresh Chinese herb possesses micro toxicity and is thus traditionally alternately steamed and basked nine times to alleviate the toxicity and enhance the pharmaceutical efficacy. Different processing cycles usually result in variable therapeutic effects in the processed Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (P-PCH). However, it can be hard to tell these various P-PCHs apart at present. To identify the P-PCHs that had undergone repeated steaming one to nine times, the chemical constituents were profiled based on Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadruple-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, and the Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis methods were adopted to discriminate different cycles of P-PCH. A total of 44 characteristic markers were identified, which allowed the P-PCHs to be discriminated exactly.

Motor imagery ability scores are related to cortical activation during gait imagery.

Motor imagery (MI) is the mental execution of actions without overt movements that depends on the ability to imagine. We explored whether this ability could be related to the cortical activity of the brain areas involved in the MI network. To this goal, brain activity was recorded using high-density electroencephalography in nineteen healthy adults while visually imagining walking on a straight path. We extracted Event-Related Desynchronizations (ERDs) in the θ, α, and ß band, and we measured MI ability via (i) the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ), (ii) the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ), and (iii) the Imagery Ability (IA) score. We then used Pearson's and Spearman's coefficients to correlate MI ability scores and average ERD power (avgERD). Positive correlations were identified between VMIQ and avgERD of the middle cingulum in the ß band and with avgERD of the left insula, right precentral area, and right middle occipital region in the θ band. Stronger activation of the MI network was related to better scores of MI ability evaluations, supporting the importance of testing MI ability during MI protocols. This result will help to understand MI mechanisms and develop personalized MI treatments for patients with neurological dysfunctions.

Characterization of viscoelastic behavior of basalt fiber asphalt mixtures based on discrete and continuous spectrum models.

In order to analyze the differences between the master curves of relaxation modulus E(t) and creep compliance J(t) obtained from discrete and continuous spectrum models, and to comprehensively evaluate the effect of basalt fiber content on the viscoelastic behavior of asphalt mixtures, complex modulus tests were conducted for asphalt mixtures with fiber content of 0%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Consequently, the master curves of Viscoelastic Parameters of asphalt mixtures were constructed according to the generalized Sigmoidal model(GSM) and the approximate Kramers-Kronig (K-K) relationship. Then, transformation of master curves using discrete and continuous spectrum models to obtain the models of E(t) and J(t) containing all viscoelastic information. Also, the accuracy of the models of E(t) and J(t) was evaluated. The results show that the addition of basalt fibers improves the strength, stress relaxation and deformation resistance of asphalt mixtures. It is worth noting that basalt fibers achieve the improvement of asphalt mixtures by changing their internal structure. Considering the different viscoelastic master curves at four dosages, the optimum fiber dosage was 0.2%. In addition, both discrete and continuous model conversion methods can obtain high accuracy conversion results.

Predicting the subjective intensity of imagined experiences from electrophysiological measures of oscillatory brain activity.

Most people can conjure images and sounds that they experience in their minds. There are, however, marked individual differences. Some people report that they cannot generate imagined sensory experiences at all (aphantasics) and others report that they have unusually intense imagined experiences (hyper-phantasics). These individual differences have been linked to activity in sensory brain regions, driven by feedback. We would therefore expect imagined experiences to be associated with specific frequencies of oscillatory brain activity, as these can be a hallmark of neural interactions within and across regions of the brain. Replicating a number of other studies, relative to a Resting-State we find that the act of engaging in auditory or in visual imagery is linked to reductions in the power of oscillatory brain activity across a broad range of frequencies, with prominent peaks in the alpha band (8-12 Hz). This oscillatory activity, however, did not predict individual differences in the subjective intensity of imagined experiences. For audio imagery, these were rather predicted by reductions within the theta (6-9 Hz) and gamma (33-38 Hz) bands, and by increases in beta (15-17 Hz) band activity. For visual imagery these were predicted by reductions in lower (14-16 Hz) and upper (29-32 Hz) beta band activity, and by an increase in mid-beta band (24-26 Hz) activity. Our data suggest that there is sufficient ground truth in the subjective reports people use to describe the intensity of their imagined sensory experiences to allow these to be linked to the power of distinct rhythms of brain activity. In future, we hope to combine this approach with better measures of the subjective intensity of imagined sensory experiences to provide a clearer picture of individual differences in the subjective intensity of imagined experiences, and of why these eventuate.

Effects of dietary astaxanthin on growth performance, muscle composition, non-specific immunity, gene expression, and ammonia resistance of juvenile ivory shell (Babylonia areolate).

Astaxanthin is one of the important immunopotentators in aquaculture. However, little is known about the physiological changes and stress resistance effects of astaxanthin in marine gastropods. In this study, the effects of different astaxanthin concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg) on the growth, muscle composition, immune function, and resistance to ammonia stress in Babylonia areolata were investigated after three months of rearing. With the increase in astaxanthin content, the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate (SR) of B. areolata showed an increasing trend. The 75-100 mg/kg group was significantly higher than the control group (0 mg/kg). There was no significant difference in the flesh shell ratio (FSR), viscerosomatic index (VSI), and soft tissue index (STI) of the experimental groups. Astaxanthin (75 mg/kg) significantly increased muscle crude protein content and increased hepatopancreas alkaline phosphatase (AKP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity. Astaxanthin (75-100 mg/kg) significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and acid phosphatase (ACP) of the hepatopancreas and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of B. areolata. Astaxanthin significantly induced the expression levels of functional genes, such as SOD, Cu/ZnSOD, ferritin, ACP, and CYC in hepatopancreas and increased the survival rate of B. areolata under ammonia stress. The addition of 75-100 mg/kg astaxanthin to the feed improved the growth performance, muscle composition, immune function, and resistance to ammonia stress of B. areolata.

Effect of the alumina micro-particle sizes on the thermal conductivity and dynamic mechanical property of epoxy resin.

Epoxy thermal conductive adhesives with high thermal conductivity and dynamic mechanical properties are important thermally conductive materials for fabricating highly integrated electronic devices. In this paper, micro-Al2O3 is used as a thermally conductive filler for the epoxy resin composite and investigated the effect of micron-sized alumina particle size on the thermal conductivity and dynamic mechanical property of epoxy resin by the transient planar hot plate method and DMA (Dynamic mechanical analysis). The experimental results show that with the same amount of alumina filling, the thermal conductivity and Tg (glass transition temperature) of epoxy/Al2O3 composite material decrease with the increase of alumina particle size. The maximum thermal conductivity of the composite material is 0.679 (W/mK), while the energy storage modulus of epoxy/Al2O3 composite material increases with the increase of alumina particle size, and the maximum energy storage modulus of the composite material is 160MPa. Compared with pure epoxy resin, the thermal conductivity and energy storage modulus have increased by 2.7 and 3.2 times, respectively. The epoxy/Al2O3 composite was applied to the COB (Chips On Board) type LED package, and the substrate temperature of the LED dropped to the lowest after 1.5 hours of operation using EP-A5 composite, and the temperature was stabilized at 38.2°C, indicating that the addition of 5-micron alumina composite has the best heat dissipation in the COB type LED package. These results are critical for the implementation of particulate-filled polymer composites in practical applications because relaxed material specifications and handling procedures can be incorporated in production environments to improve efficiency.

Lipidome of extracellular vesicles from Giardia lamblia.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) (exossomes, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies) have been well acknowledged as mediators of intercellular communications in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Lipids are essential molecular components of EVs but at the moment the knowledge about the lipid composition and the function of lipids in EVs is limited and as for now none lipidomic studies in Giardia EVs was described. Therefore, the focus of the current study was to conduct, for the first time, the characterization of the polar lipidome, namely phospholipid and sphingolipid profiles of G. lamblia trophozoites, microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes, using C18-Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (C18-LC-MS) and Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MS/MS). A total of 162 lipid species were identified and semi-quantified, in the trophozoites, or in the MVs and exosomes belonging to 8 lipid classes, including the phospholipid classes phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), cardiolipins (CL), the sphingolipid classes sphingomyelin (SM) and ceramides (Cer), and cholesterol (ST), and 3 lipid subclasses that include lyso PC (LPC), lyso PE (LPE) and lyso PG (LPG), but showing different abundances. This work also identified, for the first time, in G. lamblia trophozoites, the lipid classes CL, Cer and ST and subclasses of LPC, LPE and LPG. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed clear discrimination of lipid profiles between trophozoite, exosomes and MVs. The principal component analysis (PCA) plot of the lipidomics dataset showed clear discrimination between the three groups. Future studies focused on the composition and functional properties of Giardia EVs may prove crucial to understand the role of lipids in host-parasite communication, and to identify new targets that could be exploited to develop novel classes of drugs to treat giardiasis.

Proximate, minerals, carotenoid and trypsin inhibitor composition in the exoskeletons of seafood gastropods and their potentials for sustainable circular utilisation.

Periwinkle shells of Tympanotonus fuscatus, Pachymelania aurita, and Thais coronata were analyzed for their proximate composition, nutritionally significant minerals, trypsin inhibitors, and carotenoids. The mean values obtained were compared using an ANOVA test. The results showed that T. fuscatus had the highest mean moisture content of 0.96 ± 0.14% and a mean value of 0.49 ± 0.13% for crude fibre but was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from P. auritus. The crude protein and fibre content of T. fuscatus was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than other periwinkle samples. T. coronata had the highest mean total ash content and was significantly different (p < 0.05) from other periwinkle samples. T. fuscatus had the highest mean value for Mg (0.32 ± 0.03 mg/kg) and differed significantly (P < 0.05). The mean Ca content of P. aurita was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from that of T. coronata. The mean values of CaCO3 in T. fuscatus, P. aurita, and T. coronata were 57.20 ± 2.46, 59.50 ± 3.23, and 62.36 ± 1.56 (mg/kg), respectively. T. coronata was significantly different (P < 0.05) from other periwinkle samples. The mean values of carotenoids in T. fuscatus, P. aurita, and T. coronata were 7.17 ± 2.14, 18.00 ± 5.27, and 11.20 ± 3.60 (mg/kg), respectively, and P. aurita was significantly different (P < 0.05) from other periwinkle samples. T. fuscatus and P. aurita had shells with significant amounts of trypsin inhibitor (23.30 ± 4.50 mg/kg and 22.90 ± 14.10 mg/kg, respectively), making them less suitable for livestock feed. In contrast, T. coronata had a lower mean value of 11.80 ± 7.19 mg/kg for trypsin inhibitor, making it an excellent addition to livestock feed. The low crude fibre and fat contents of the periwinkle samples in this study make them suitable for processing complementary foods, especially for hypertensive patients. The high percentage of CaCO3 in periwinkle shells makes them a probable source used in the production of slurry for chromatography. The findings suggest that periwinkle shells contain specific minerals that can be applied in numerous industries. Increased use of these gastropod shells will result in successful application in product creation and a sustainable bio-circular economy.

Lavandula austroapennina: Assessment of the Antiviral Activity of Lipophilic Extracts from Its Organs.

In a framework aimed at the recovery and enhancement of medicinal plants endemic to the territory of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, Lavandula austroapennina N.G. Passal., Tundis and Upson has aroused interest. An insight into the chemical composition of the corolla, calyx, leaf, stem, and root organs was carried out following ultrasound-assisted maceration in n-hexane. The obtained lipophilic extracts were explored using ultra-high-performance chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS). The extracts from the different organs varied in their relative content of fatty acids, ursanes, and oleanane-type triterpenes. In particular, the oleanolic acid content appeared to increase in the order of corolla < leaf < stem. An MTT assay was performed to verify the possible cytotoxicity of the organ extracts of L. austroapennina at a concentration ranging from 12.5 to 400 µg/mL on the Vero CCL-81 cell line. Antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), alpha human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), and poliovirus type 1 (PV-1) was evaluated via a plaque reduction assay in the same cellular model. All the extracts did not show cytotoxic effects after 2 and 24 h exposure times, and the antiviral efficacy was particularly important for the stem extract, capable of completely inhibiting the tested viruses at low doses. The antiviral activity in a non-enveloped virus PV-1 allowed the assertion that the extracts from the organs of L. austroapennina, and especially the stem extract, interfered directly with the viral envelope. This study underlines how much knowledge of a territory's medicinal plant heritage is a harbinger of promising discoveries in the health field.

Attempt to identify antimicrobial Tridax procumbens (TP) mechanical properties using experimental work coupled with FEM model for biomedical applications.

Medicinal plants play a prodigious role in the wound-healing process. Tridax procumbens (TP) has been proven to show strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and could heal skin infections. Identifying mechanical properties of TP in his solid state and mixed with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) have never been studied before. In this study, fresh TP liquid extracts blended with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) biofilm were developed through the solution casting method. The casted film was tested for tensile strength through the Universal Tensile Tester (UTT), and the results were compared with the Finite Element Numerical Model (FEM) through the FEM code developed on the ANSYS solver. The experimental mean tensile test results for pure CMC were found as follows: tensile stress at the maximum of 15.31 MPa, modulus of elasticity of 7,24 GPa, the density of 1,62 g/cm3, and Poisson's ratio of 0.22. The experimental mean tensile test results for pure CMC/TP 50% were as follows: tensile stress at the maximum of 26.2 MPa, modulus of elasticity of 2.092 GPa, and density of 1.276 g/cm3. After several iterations, the following results were found for pure TP: modulus of elasticity of 0.225 GPa, a density of 0.93 g/cm3, and Poisson's ratio of 0.4 through FEM using inverse method technique. The experimental results were compared with the FEM solutions, which were found to be very close to the experimental results. The TP/CMC bio-membrane could be applied as a good wound dressing in biomedical applications. Mechanical properties found in this paper can contribute to the valorization of TP usage in several medical curing films applications.

Intra- and inter-brain synchrony oscillations underlying social adjustment.

Humans naturally synchronize their behavior with other people. However, although it happens almost automatically, adjusting behavior and conformity to others is a complex phenomenon whose neural mechanisms are still yet to be understood entirely. The present experiment aimed to study the oscillatory synchronization mechanisms underlying automatic dyadic convergence in an EEG hyperscanning experiment. Thirty-six people performed a cooperative decision-making task where dyads had to guess the correct position of a point on a line. A reinforcement learning algorithm was used to model different aspects of the participants' behavior and their expectations of their peers. Intra- and inter-connectivity among electrode sites were assessed using inter-site phase clustering in three main frequency bands (theta, alpha, beta) using a two-level Bayesian mixed-effects modeling approach. The results showed two oscillatory synchronization dynamics related to attention and executive functions in alpha and reinforcement learning in theta. In addition, inter-brain synchrony was mainly driven by beta oscillations. This study contributes preliminary evidence on the phase-coherence mechanism underlying inter-personal behavioral adjustment.

Structure characterization of a highly branched galactan from the slug Vaginulus alte and its utilization by human gut microbiota.

The slug Vaginulus alte is used as folk medicine in China, but the structure and activities of its galactan components remain to be clarified. Here, the galactan from V. alte (VAG) was purified. The Mw of VAG was determined as ~28.8 kDa. Chemical composition analysis showed that VAG was composed of d-galactose (75 %) and l-galactose (25 %). To elucidate its precise structure, a series of disaccharides and trisaccharides were purified from mild acid hydrolyzed VAG and their structures were characterized by 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy. Based on methylation analysis and structural analysis of oligosaccharides, VAG was elucidated as a highly branched polysaccharide and mainly composed of (1 â†’ 6)- or (1 â†’ 3)-linked ß-d-galactose, and distinct (1 â†’ 2)-linked α-l-galactose. The investigation of probiotic effects in vitro revealed that VAG could promote the growth of B. thetaiotaomicron and B. ovatus, while had no effect on the growth of L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, B. longum subsp. infantis and B. animalis subsp. lactis, but dVAG-3 with Mw ~1.0 kDa could promote the growth of L. acidophilus. These results will provide insights into specific structures and functions of polysaccharides from the V. alte.

The role of a microbial consortium on gas exchange and water relations in Allium cepa L. under water and nutritional deficit conditions.

Synergistic studies of microorganisms in the last decade have been mostly directed towards their biofertilizing effects on growth and crop yield. Our research examines the role of a microbial consortium (MC) on physiological responses of Allium cepa hybrid F1 2000 under water and nutritional deficit in a semi-arid environment. An onion crop was established with normal irrigation (NIr) (100% ETc) and water deficit (WD) (67% ETc) and different fertilization treatments (MC with 0%, 50% and 100% NPK). Gas exchange (Stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration (E) and CO2 assimilation rates (A)) and leaf water status were evaluated throughout its growth cycle. The MC + 50% NPK treatment with NIr maintained similar A rates to the production control. A. cepa decreased Gs by approximately 50% in the WD treatment. The highest water use efficiency (WUE) and an increase in the modulus of elasticity in response to water stress were obtained for the 100% NPK treatment under non-inoculated WD. The onion hybrid F1 2000 was tolerant to water stress and under non-limiting nutrient conditions, irrigation may be reduced. The MC facilitated the availability of nutrients under NIr allowing a 50% reduction in the application of high doses of fertilization without affecting yield, resulting in a suitable agroecological strategy for this crop.

Characterization of Streptomyces sp. KB1 and its cultural optimization for bioactive compounds production.

Background: Bioactive compounds (BCs) from natural resources have been extensively studied because of their use as models in the development of novel and important medical and biopreservative agents. One important source of BCs is microorganisms, particularly terrestrial bacteria of the order Actinomycetales. Methods: We characterized Streptomyces sp. KB1 by observing its morphology, physiology, and growth on different media using biochemical tests, optimizing cultural conditions by changing one independent variable at a time. Results: Streptomyces sp. KB1 (TISTR 2304) is a gram-positive and long filamentous bacteria that forms straight to flexuous (rectiflexibile) chains of globose-shaped and smooth-surfaced spores. It can grow under aerobic condition s only at a temperature range of 25-37 °C and initial pH range of 5-10 in the presence of sodium chloride 4% (w/v). Therefore, it is considered an obligate aerobe, mesophilic, neutralophilic, and moderately halophilic bacteria. The isolate grew well on peptone-yeast extract iron, Luria Bertani (LB), and a half-formula of LB (LB/2), but could not grow on MacConkey agar. It utilized fructose, mannose, glucose, and lactose as its carbon source along with acid production and showed positive reactions to casein hydrolysis, gelatin liquefaction, nitrate reduction, urease, and catalase production. Streptomyces sp. KB1 (TISTR 2304) could produce the maximum number of BCs when 1% of its starter was cultivated in a 1,000 ml baffled flask containing 200 ml of LB/2 broth with its initial pH adjusted to 7 with no supplemental carbon source, nitrogen source, NaCl, or trace element at 30 °C, shaken at 200 rpm in an incubator for 4 days.

Overview of structure, function and integrated utilization of marine shell.

Marine shell resources have received great attention from researchers owing to their unique merits such as high hardness, good toughness, corrosion resistance, high adsorption, and bioactivity. Restricted by the level of comprehensive utilization technology, the utilization rate of shells is extremely low, resulting in serious waste and pollution. The research shows that the unique brick-mud structure of shells makes them have diverse and good functional characteristics, which guides them to have great utilization potential in different fields. Hence, this review highlights the constitutive relationship between microstructure-function-application of shells (e.g., gastropods, cephalopods, and amniotes), and the comprehensive applications and development ideas in the fields of biomedicine, adsorption enrichment, pHotocatalysis, marine carbon sink, and environmental deicer. It is worth mentioning that marine shells are currently well developed in three areas: bone repair, health care and medicinal value, and drug carrier, which together promote the progress of biomedical field. In addition, an in-depth summary of the application of marine shells in the adsorption and purification of various impurities such as crude oil, heavy metal ions and dyes at low-cost and high efficiency is presented. Finally, by integrating thoughts and approaches from different applications, we are committed to providing new pathways for the excavation and future high-value of shell resources, clarifying the existing development stages and bottlenecks, promoting the development of related technology industries, and achieving the synergistic win-win situation of economic and environmental benefits.

[Detection of chondroitin sulfate in Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum and Cervi Cornu of different specifications and its application in quality evaluation].

The present study comprehensively compared the content of chondroitin sulfate in Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(CCP) and Cervi Cornu(CC) of different specifications and explored the feasibility of chondroitin sulfate as an indicator to distinguish between CCP and CC. Twenty-two batches of CCP of different specifications(two-branched velvet antler and three-branched velvet antler) from 15 habitats, CC from 6 habitats, and 60 batches of CCP slices prepared from different parts(wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices) were collected. High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was used to determine chondroitin sulfate content in CCP and CC of different specifications. Cluster analysis was used to classify CCP slices of different specifications. The results showed that CCP contained abundant chondroitin sulfate. The average content of chondroitin sulfate was 2.35 mg·g~(-1) in two-branched velvet antler and 1.79 mg·g~(-1) in three-branched velvet antler, significantly higher than 0.11 mg·g~(-1) in CC. Chondroitin sulfate content in wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices were 7.81, 8.39, 1.33, and 0.54 mg·g~(-1), respectively. Cluster analysis showed that gauze slices and bone slices could be clustered into one category and distinguished from wax slices and powder slices. CCP slices prepared from different parts could be separated well through chondroitin sulfate content. Based on the five principles of Q-marker selection, chondroitin sulfate can be used as a potential Q-marker for the identification of CCP and CC, as well as a potential quality indicator for CCP slices of different specifications(wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices). This research provides data support for CCP quality evaluation.

Features of urban green spaces associated with positive emotions, mindfulness and relaxation.

There is an established consensus among researchers that contact with nature improves mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life in urbanised environments. Studies tend to examine the health impacts of nature without identifying specific physical and spatial landscape features that could guide health-promoting design of urban green spaces. A growing body of evidence suggests that landscape features described in the Contemplative Landscape Model (CLM) can be used to measure therapeutic value of urban landscapes. CLM assesses urban landscapes across seven sub-scales: Layers of the Landscape, Landform, Vegetation, Color and Light, Compatibility, Archetypal Elements and Character of Peace and Silence. We exposed 74 healthy adults to six urban landscapes in laboratory (video representations) and naturalistic outdoor settings. We explored the associations between the visual quality of urban landscapes annotated with CLM, with self-reported positive emotions and brain activity consistent with mindfulness (Theta waves), relaxation (Alpha waves) and attention restoration (Beta waves), and differences between laboratory and naturalistic setting. CLM scores predicted self-reported Valence and Arousal, and low frequency power bands: Alpha and Theta in the naturalistic setting. Landscape features showing the strongest associations were Character of Peace and Silence, Layers of the Landscape and Archetypal Elements. Alpha, Theta brain reactivity and Arousal scores, were significantly different between laboratory and naturalistic settings (p < 0.05), while Valence scores between those settings were statistically identical (p = 0.22). Self-reported Valence and Arousal, but not brain activity, were significantly associated with the majority of landscape features in the laboratory setting. The results of the study provide guidelines on the urban landscape features most beneficial for human health, to inform urban green space design.

[Bioinformatics and expression analysis on MYB-related family in Angelica dahurica var. formosana].

In recent years, the MYB-related gene family has been found pivotal in plant growth and development. MYB-related gene family in Angelica dahurica var. formosana was systematically investigated based on "Chuanzhi No. 2" through transcriptome database search and bioinformatics and the temporal and spatial expression patterns were analyzed through real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR). The results showed that 122 MYB-related proteins family were identified, mainly including the unstable hydrophilic proteins with good thermal stability. Most of the proteins were located in nuclei. The majority of the proteins had the structures of random coil and α-helix. Five MYB-related proteins family of A. dahurica var. formosana had membrane-binding domains. The conserved domain analysis of MYB-related proteins family of A. dahurica var. formosana showed that the MYB domains of genes in five subgroups, similar to 2 R-, 3 R-, and 4 R-MYB proteins, contained three evenly distributed Trp(W) residues in the MYB repeat sequence. The phylogenetic analysis of MYB-related proteins family in A. dahurica var. formosana and Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the MYB-related members were unevenly distributed in five subgroups, and A. thaliana and A. dahurica var. formosana had almost the same number of genes in the CCA1-like subgroup. There were differences in the number, type, and distribution of motifs contained in 122 encoded proteins. Transcription factors with similar branches had similar domains and motifs. The expression pattern analysis showed that the transcription factors AdMYB53, AdMYB83, and AdMYB89 responded to hormones to varying degrees, and they were highly expressed in leaves and responded quickly in roots. This study lays a foundation for further investigating the function of MYB-related transcription factors of A. dahurica var. formosana and solving the corresponding biological problems such as bolting early.

[Quality assessment of different forms of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum based on content of free amino acids].

In this study, we analyzed the composition and content of 25 free amino acids in 32 batches of different forms of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(CCP; one-branched, two-branched, and three-branched) from 15 producing areas. The clustering analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were performed based on the content of 25 free amino acids. Potential differential metabolites were identified based on VIP value. The results showed that there were 25 free amino acids in CCP, and the average content of essential, non-essential, and total amino acids was 6.13, 32.99, and 39.12 mg·g~(-1), respectively. The clustering analysis and OPLS-DA demonstrated that 25 free amino acids had different content among the three forms of CCP, of which two-branched CCP samples were separately gathered into a group. Five differential components, including glutamic acid, tryptophan, ornithine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and hydroxylysine, were screened out as potential quality markers for the identification of different forms of CCP. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality evaluation, processing, and utilization of different forms of CCP.