Flexible cellulose nanofiber aerogel with enhanced porous structure and its applications in copper(II) removal.

In order to achieve an aerogel with both rigid pore structures and desired flexibility, stiff carboxyl-functionalized cellulose nanofiber (CNFs) were introduced into a flexible polyvinyl alcohol-polyethyleneimine (PVA-PEI) crosslinking network, with 4-formylphenylboronic acid (4FPBA) bridging within the PVA-PEI network to enable dynamic boroxine and imine bond formation. The strong covalent bonds and hydrogen connections between CNF and the crosslinking network enhanced the wet stability of the aerogel while also contributed to its thermal stability. Importantly, the harmonious coordination between the stiff CNF and the flexible polymer chains not only facilitated aerogel flexibility but also enhanced its increased specific surface area by improving pore structure. Moreover, the inclusion of CNF enhanced the adsorption capacity of the aerogel, rendering it effective for removing heavy metal ions. The specific surface area and adsorption capacity for copper ions of the aerogel increased significantly with a 3 wt% addition CNF suspension, reaching 19.74 m2 g-1 and 60.28 mg g-1, respectively. These values represent a remarkable increase of 590.21 % and 213.96 %, respectively, compared to the blank aerogel. The CNF-enhanced aerogel in this study, characterized by its well-defined pore structures, and desired flexibility, demonstrates versatile applicability across multiple domains, including environmental protection, thermal insulation, electrode fabrication, and beyond.

[Study on chemical components of Hypericum himalaicum and mechanism of anti-inflammatory based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology].

The chemical constituents of ethyl acetate from Hypericum himalaicum were isolated by silica gel column chromatography, gel column chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The structure of the isolated compounds was identified by modern spectral techniques(NMR, MS, IR, and UV), and the potential anti-inflammatory targets and action pathways were analyzed and predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking methods.Ten compounds were isolated from H. himalaicum and identified as 5,9,11-trihydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-3H,8H-benzo[6,7][1,4]dioxepino[2,3-f]chromen-8-one(1), betulinic acid(2), demethyltorosaflavone C(3), kaempferol(4), quercetin(5), hyperwightin B(6), toxyloxanthone B(7), 1,7-dihydroxy-xanthone(8), emodin(9), and 1,7-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-xanthone(10). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2-10 were isolated from H. himalaicum for the first time. Network pharmacology screened 60 key anti-inflammatory targets. By acting on TNF, AKT1, CASP3, and other key targets, involving PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and other signaling pathways, and phosphorylation, cell migration and movement, protein tyrosine kinase, and other biological processes were regulated to achieve anti-inflammatory effects. The results of molecular docking show that the above components have good binding properties with the core targets.

Mechanically robust, thermal insulating sustainable foams fully derived from bamboo fibers through high temperature drying.

The development of lignocellulosic foams has been gaining momentum due to their sustainability and biodegradability. However, lignocellulosic foams often have low preparation efficiency and poor mechanical properties, especially compression performance. Here, we constructed mechanically robust and thermal insulating cellulosic foams through high-temperature drying, in which all bamboo-sourced lignin-containing pulp fibers (LPF) and steam explosion fibers (SEF) were chosen as a skeleton and high solid fibrillated cellulose (HSFC) as a binder. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the characteristics of bamboo fibers and the HSFC addition on the formation, and mechanical- and thermal insulation performances of the resulting foams. The HSFC incorporation endowed the foams with excellent mechanical performance, the stress at 10 % strain and compressive modulus were 0.29 MPa and 4.4 MPa, respectively, which were 10-fold and 44-fold compared to LPF foam without HSFC. The LPF/HSFC possessed excellent energy absorption capacity (170 kJ/m3 under 40 % strain) as well as good thermal insulating performance (0.054 W/(m·K)). The LPF/HSFC foam with a much more homogeneous cellular structure outperformed the SEF/HSFC foam. This work suggests that the developed bamboo fiber foams hold promise for use in protective packaging and thermal insulation applications.

Associations of global biomarkers of oxidative stress with osteoporosis, bone microstructure and bone turnover: Evidence from human and animal studies.

PURPOSE: Human evidence on the association between oxidative stress and osteoporosis is inconsistent. Fluorescent Oxidation Products (FlOPs) are global biomarkers of oxidative stress. We examined the associations of FlOPs (excitation/emission wavelengths 320/420 nm for FlOP_320, 360/420 nm for FlOP_360, and 400/475 nm for FlOP_400) with osteoporosis, bone microstructure, and bone turnover markers in humans and rats. METHODS: In humans, we conducted a 1:2 age, sex, hospital, and specimen-matched case-control study to test the association between FlOPs and osteoporosis diagnosed from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. In eight-week-old male Wistar rats, we administrated D-galactose and 0.9 % saline for 90 days in treatment and control groups (n = 8/group); micro-CT was used to determine bone microstructure. RESULTS: In humans, higher levels of FlOP_320 (OR for per 1 SD increase = 1.49, 95 % CI: 1.01-2.20) and FlOP_360 (OR for per 1 SD increase = 1.59, 95 % CI: 1.07-2.37) were associated with increased odds of osteoporosis. FlOP_400 were not associated with osteoporosis. D-galactose treated rats, as compared with control rats, showed higher levels of FlOP_320 and MDA, and lower P1NP levels during 90 days of experiment (all P < 0.05). The D-galactose group had lower trabecular bone volume fraction (0.07 ± 0.03 vs. 0.13 ± 0.05; P = 0.008) and volumetric BMD (225.4 ± 13.8 vs. 279.1 ± 33.2 mg HA/cm3; P = 0.001) than the control group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, higher FlOP_320 levels were associated with increased odds of osteoporosis, impaired bone microstructure and decreased bone formation.

Differences in rice component distribution across layers and their relationship with taste.

BACKGROUND: Rice taste is closely associated with endosperm composition, which varies among different rice layers. Although clarifying the relationship between this difference and nutritional taste can guide rice breeding and cultivation practices, research on this topic is limited. RESULTS: Here, typical rice varieties having excellent and poor taste characteristics were selected to analyze the distribution characteristics and differences of their components. The varieties with excellent taste exhibited lower apparent amylose content (AAC) and protein content (PC), lesser short-chain (Fa) and long-chain (Fb3 ) amylopectin (AP) and more medium-chain (Fb1+2 ) AP, higher long-to-short chain ratio (Fa:Fb3 ), and higher nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) content in layer 1 (L1) than the varieties with poor taste. Layer 2 (L2) played a key role in AAC and PC regulation in the varieties with excellent taste by reducing AAC and appropriately increasing PC, consequently improving rice taste. AP structure in layer 3 (L3) substantially affected the taste of the two types of varieties. The mineral content was the highest in L1, and increased potassium (K), Ca, and Mg content improved taste in all varieties. CONCLUSION: AAC in each layer contributes to rice taste. PC and minerals primarily act on L1 and L2, whereas AP acts on L2 and L3. Therefore, the endosperm formation process should be exploited for improving rice taste. Furthermore, key resources and cultivation should be identified and regulated, respectively, to improve rice taste. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

First Report of Calonectria montana Causing Leaf Spot on Ligularia fischeri in China.

Ligularia fischeri (Ledeb.) is a perennial herbal plant of Compositae that is cultivated commercially in China as a medicinal, ornamental, and edible plant. Leaf spots were observed in 2-year-old L. fischeri in Benxi County of northeast China, in August 2021. Irregular reddish brown spots ranging from 3 to 11 mm were observed on infected leaves, and each leaf had dozens of spots (Fig. 1). As the disease progressed, the diseased spots withered and the centers fell out, and multiple lesions merge into large diseased spots, causing leaf wilting. The roots and stem bases were not infected during the reproductive stage. More than 37% of the plants in a 18 ha field were infected in 2021. The ten diseased leaves were collected and cut into small (3-5 mm) pieces, which were surface-disinfested by immersing into 1% NaOCl for 2 min and rinsing with sterile distilled water three times. The leaf pieces were then placed on acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) in petri plates and incubated in the dark at 25°C. Twenty isolates with the same morphological characteristics were obtained. Isolates were further purified by starting a new colony for each isolate from a single spore collected from water agar. Isolate TYTW7 was randomly selected for identification and pathogenicity testing. It grew rapidly and produced profuse aerial mycelia with a carmine red underside. The conidiophores had many fertile branches and formed an elongated stipe with a sphaeropedunculate vesicle at the tip. The one-septate conidia were cylindrical and almost straight with parallel walls and rounded ends. Their sizes ranged from 30.35 to 51.76 × 2.93 to 5.01 µm (n = 100) and the pathogens were initially identified as Calonectria sp. (Crous 2002; Crous et al. 2004; Lombard et al. 2015, 2016). Further confirmation of the identification was determined according to published method (Liu and Chen 2017; Shao and Li 2021). The partial gene regions including the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (GenBank accession no. OP290551), histone H3 (OP290552), calmodulin (OP290553) and ß-tubulin (OP290554) were obtained, and BLAST searches showed 99-100% homology with the ex-type culture CERC 8952 (MF527049, MF527065, MF527081 and MF527107) and phylogenetic analysis combining all loci revealed that the isolate TYTW7 and the type strain of Ca. montana clustered in one group (Fig. 2). Based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, isolate TYTW7 was identified as Ca. Montana. Healthy 2-year-old plants were used for the pathogenicity test. A spore suspension (1×105 spores/mL water) was used to inoculate three host plants; sterile water was sprayed on the same number plants serving as a control. The experiment was repeated three times. All plants were incubated at 27±2°C (12h photoperiod) and were evaluated after seven days. The inoculated plants showed lesions on the leaf surface, similar to those in the field, and the control remained symptomless. The pathogens were successfully reisolated and identified by sequencing, and no pathogens were isolated from symptomless control plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Ca. montana causing L. fischeri leaf spot. The disease poses a threat to the production and more control strategies are needed on management options to minimize losses.

Anthracnose of Brachybotrys paridiformis Caused by Colletotrichum siamense in Northeast China.

Brachybotrys paridiformis Maxim. ex Oliv. (Boraginaceae) is a perennial medicinal plant and vegetable that is cultivated commercially in China. Anthracnose is a devastating disease of B. paridiformis, with annual production losses exceeding 33% based on our survey. In July 2021, anthracnose of B. paridiformis was observed on 2-year-old plants in Shenyang city, Northeast China, which is the most important region for B. paridiformis cultivation. Round or irregular-shaped black spots were exhibited on leaves, with the leaf edges most commonly infected. As the necrosis expanded, the leaves withered and dropped; young leaves were generally not infected (Fig. 1). More than 40% of the plants in a 21-ha sampling field were infected in 2021. Symptomatic leaves (n = 20) were collected and the diseased tissue was cut into small pieces, immersed in 1% NaOCl for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, and placed on acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) in Petri dishes. After a 3-day incubation in darkness at 25 °C, 18 suspected single-pure morphologically identical Colletotrichum isolates were obtained and sequenced. Isolate SQZ9 was randomly selected and identified. Colonies on PDA were initially white, but gradually became pale brownish with a reverse side that was pale yellowish to pinkish. Aerial mycelia were grayish-white, dense, and cottony, with microsclerotia detected on some aging mycelia. The detected single-celled conidia (11.65-17.25 × 4.25-6.15 µm; n = 50) were fusiform to cylindrical with obtuse to slightly rounded ends. Appressoria were ovoid to clavate and medium brown. Setae were not observed. The morphological characteristics were similar to those of Colletotrichum spp. (Prihastuti et al. 2009; Weir et al. 2012). Initial BLAST searches of the GenBank database revealed the SQZ9 rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (OP389109, 566 bp), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (OP407730, 260 bp), chitin synthase (OP407731, 301 bp), calmodulin (OP407732, 712 bp), actin (OP407733, 282 bp), glutamine synthetase (OP407734, 909 bp), ß-tublin (OP407735, 498 bp), and superoxide dismutase (OP407736, 396 bp) sequences were respectively 99%-100% similar to the C. siamense type strain JX010278, JX010019, JX009709, GQ856775, GQ856730, JX010100, JX010410, and JX010332 sequences (Carbone & Kohn 1999; Moriwaki & Tsukiboshi 2009; Stephenson et al. 1997). The SQZ9 identity was confirmed by constructing a phylogenetic tree combining all loci, which grouped the isolate and the C. siamense type strain in the same clade (Fig. 2). For pathogenicity tests, 15 healthy 2-year-old plants (3 plants per pot) were spray-inoculated with SQZ9 conidial suspension (1 × 105 conidia/mL) at 2 mL per plant. Same number of plants sprayed with water were used as control. This experiment was repeated twice. All plants were covered with clear plastic bags for 72 h to maintain high humidity and then placed in a greenhouse (29 °C, natural light, and 85% relative humidity). After six days, the inoculated leaves exhibited symptoms that were similar to those observed in the field, but the controls were symptomless. The same fungus was recovered from inoculated symptomatic leaves, and its identity was confirmed by sequencing and a phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report of C. siamense causing anthracnose on B. paridiformis in China. Future studies should assess the effectiveness of chemical and biological control measures for managing this disease.

[A new xanthone from Hypericum lagarocladum].

Repeated silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase C_(18) column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and semi-preparative medium pressure liquid chromatography were performed to separate and purify the chemical constituents of Hypericum lagarocladum. Spectroscopic methods such as mass spectrometry(MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) combined with physicochemical properties were adopted in identifying the structure of the isolated compounds. Ten compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of H. lagarocladum and identified as lagarxanthone A(1), 1,7-dihydroxyxanthone(2), 3,4,5-trihydroxyxanthone(3), 2,7-dihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone(4), 1,3-dihydroxy-7-methoxyxanthone(5), 1,5-dihydroxy-8-methoxyxanthone(6), 3,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone(7), 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone(8), 2,3-dimethoxyxanthone(9), and 2,3,4-trimethoxyxanthone(10). Among them, compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 2-10 were isolated from this plant for the first time. These ten compounds were tested for glucose uptake in L6 cells, and the results showed that all the compounds had no significant effect on glucose uptake.

Anthracnose of Tribulus terrestris Caused by Colletotrichum truncatum in Northeast China.

Tribulus terrestris L. is an annual herbaceous medicinal plant of Zygophyllaceae, which is cultivated commercially in China. Subrotund or irregular gray, sunken, necrotic spots ranging from 2 to 9 mm were observed on diseased leaves of T. terrestris landrace in Fushun County, Liaoning Province of northeast China in July 2021, with more than 32% of the plants being infected in a 18-ha field. The symptoms first appeared on older leaves and gradually spread to younger leaves. The lesions developed a white center gradually and became perforated; multiple lesions could coalesce (Fig. 1). Ten symptomatic leaves were collected and the diseased tissues were cut into small pieces, immersed in 1% NaOCl for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, and placed on acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) in Petri dishes at 25°C in darkness. Fifteen suspected Colletotrichum single-spore fungal isolates (JL1 to JL15) with consistent morphological characteristics were obtained, and isolate JL6 was selected for identification and pathogenicity testing. Colonies on PDA were flat with an entire margin, dense and white at first, then became dark gray with numerous black microsclerotia and formed a concentric circular pattern with aging. Conidia were single-celled, sickle-curved with a tapered tip and truncate base, ranging from 16.46 to 20.26 µm in length and 2.81 to 3.96 µm in width (n=100). Setae were dark brown, septate, straight with a slightly acute tip, 75.45 to 135.63×3.19 to 4.95 µm in size. Appressoria were dark brown, round or irregular, mostly in groups. All characteristics were consistent with the descriptions of C. truncatum (Damm et al. 2009). Further confirmation of the identification was determined according to methods described previously (Damm et al. 2009). The rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (OP364400, 585 bp), and actin (OP380867, 290 bp), beta-tubulin (OP380868, 498 bp), chitin synthase 1 (OP380869, 277 bp), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (OP380870, 280 bp), and histone (OP380871, 411 bp) genes were amplified by PCR and sequenced (Carbone and Kohn 1999; Glass and& Donaldson 1995; Guerber et al. 2003; O'Donnell and Cigelnik 1997). BLAST results showed 98-100% similarity at 85-97% coverage compared to the corresponding sequences of the type strain CBS 151.35 (GU227862, GU227960, GU228156, GU228352, GU228254, and GU228058). Phylogenetic analysis combining all loci revealed that the isolate JL6 and the type strains of C. truncatum clustered in one group (Fig. 2). One-year-old healthy seedlings of T. terrestris (cultivar: landrace) were used for pathogenicity test. Suspension (1×105 conidia/mL) of isolate JL6 was sprayed on ten seedlings, and ten seedlings sprayed with sterilized distilled water were used as the control. Three replicates were performed on each treatment. All plants were kept at 28±1°C (12 h photoperiod), and were evaluated after 7 days. The inoculated plants showed lesions on the leaf surface, similar to those in the field, and the control remained symptomless. The pathogen was successfully reisolated and identified using the methods mentioned above. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. truncatum causing anthracnose on T. terrestris, which will provide valuable information for designing strategies to manage anthracnose on T. terrestris.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross: a medicinal plant.

Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross is an herbal medicine with a long history of common use in China. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome sequence of P. perfoliata and investigated its phylogenetic relationship in the family Polygonaceae. The total genome size is 160,585 bp in length with 37.96% GC content, consisting of a small single-copy (SSC) of 12,876 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) of 85,439 bp, and two inverted repeats (IRs) of 31,135 bp. The cp genome contains 128 genes, including 35 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and 85 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that P. perfoliata was closely related to P. maackiana, and Persicaria exhibited a closer relationship with Bistorta in the family Polygonaceae. This work provides a molecular basis for investigating the evolutionary status, phylogenetic relationships, and population genetics of this species.

Evaluation and identification of morphological characters suitable for delimitation of Taraxacum species distributed in northeastern China.

Taraxacum germplasm resources in northeastern China are not current and do not accurately reflect the actual distribution of the species. The objective of this study was to investigate the morphological traits of Taraxacum species distributed in northeastern China and identify those that will facilitate their classification in this region. Leaf, flower, and achene characteristics of 18 species were used for morphological classification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine pollen morphology. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences were analyzed to determine sequence differences among the species and their utility in delimitation. Taxa were classified into groups based on their morphology. The ITS sequence analysis supported the taxon classification, but the genetic distances among the taxa did not reflect morphological differences. Phylogenetic analysis was used to divide the 18 species into three groups. Group I: T. coreanum (which has white flowers). Group Ⅱ: T. heterolepis, T. sinomongolicum, T. variegatum, T. asiaticum var. lonchophyllum, T. falcilobum, T. brassicaefolium, and T. erythropodium (outer involucre bracts, narrow membranous or nonmembranous). Group Ⅲ: T. formosanum, T. liaotungense, T. mongolicum, T. borealisinense, T. ohwianum, T. platypecidum, T. urbanum, T. antungense, T. asiaticum, and T. junpeianum (outer involucre bracts, broad membranous). The main taxonomic characteristics of Taraxacum floral organs and achene morphology.

Discovery of bicyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum himalaicum with glucose transporter 4 translocation activity.

Hyperhimatins A-P (1-16), sixteen new bicyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (BPAPs), were isolated and identified from Hypericum himalaicum. The planner structures of hyperhimatins A-P were confirmed via extensive NMR and careful HRESIMS data analysis. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were mainly determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation, NMR calculation, and the circular dichroism data of the in situ formed [Rh2(OCOCF3)4] complexes. All compounds were assessed for the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) translocation and expression enhancing effects in L6 myotubes. Compounds 1-16 could promote the GLUT-4 expression by the range of 1.95-6.04 folds, and accelerate the GLUT-4 fusion with the plasma membrane ranged from 53.56% to 76.97% at a consistence of 30 µg/mL, among compound 10 displayed the strongest GLUT-4 translocation effect.

A Deep Learning Model Incorporating Knowledge Representation Vectors and Its Application in Diabetes Prediction.

The deep learning methods for various disease prediction tasks have become very effective and even surpass human experts. However, the lack of interpretability and medical expertise limits its clinical application. This paper combines knowledge representation learning and deep learning methods, and a disease prediction model is constructed. The model initially constructs the relationship graph between the physical indicator and the test value based on the normal range of human physical examination index. And the human physical examination index for testing value by knowledge representation learning model is encoded. Then, the patient physical examination data is represented as a vector and input into a deep learning model built with self-attention mechanism and convolutional neural network to implement disease prediction. The experimental results show that the model which is used in diabetes prediction yields an accuracy of 97.18% and the recall of 87.55%, which outperforms other machine learning methods (e.g., lasso, ridge, support vector machine, random forest, and XGBoost). Compared with the best performing random forest method, the recall is increased by 5.34%, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of medical knowledge into deep learning through knowledge representation learning can be used in diabetes prediction for the purpose of early detection and assisting diagnosis.

New Aclyphloroglucinols and geranyl-α-pyrones from Hypericum hengshanense.

Hypericum hengshanense is a previously uninvestigated endemic plant species of China. Three new aclyphloroglucinols, hengshanols A-C (1-3), and two new geranyl-α-pyrones, hengshanpyol D and E (4 and 5), together with three known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of H. hengshanense. The structure of these compounds were elucidated by NMR, MS, optical rotation, and ECD data. All compounds were isolated from H. hengshanense for the first time. Among them, compounds 2-4 may have anti-laryngeal cancer activity. Compounds isolated were tested for glucose uptake in L6 cells, and compound 4 showed the most potent glucose uptake with 1.62-fold enhancement.

Comprehensive determination of the processing level of rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum by macroscopic, micromorphological, and microscopic characterizations.

The rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum Red. (PR, Huangjing in Chinese) has served as traditional medicine and foodstuff in China for over 2000 years. However, due to its irritating effect on the throat, Huangjing must be processed before clinical use. People have been exploring to determine the processing level of traditional Chinese medicine in an accurate tool. The evaluation of PR processing levels based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics has not yet been performed. This study aimed to provide a convenient method to determine the level of PR processing by monitoring the changes in color and crystal inclusion. According to the Chinese Pharmacopeia (2020 edition), macroscopic, micromorphological, and microscopic observations were performed with a polarized light microscope. Color quantization based on the CIE L* a* b* color system using a CM-2300d colorimeter. Color parameters h° , L* , and ΔE* had a significant influence on the differentiation ability. The inner transverse section of PR samples gradually turned into moist black with specular luster, which was consistent with the traditional identification of "brightness like oil and color like black lacquer." The change rate of the needle crystal morphology increased with the processing level, and the change rate of the needle crystal of the fifth product was over 90%. Combined with the correlation analysis, needle-like crystals were related to color parameters and could be used as an alternative marker to discriminate PR samples from different processing levels. The results confirmed the potential applicability of macroscopic and microscopic features for the classification of PR samples with different processing levels. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Color parameters h° , L* , and ΔE* had a significant influence on the differentiation ability. Micromorphological results were consistent with the traditional identification. High correlations were found between color parameters and needle-like crystals.

Four new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from Hypericum wilsonii and their glucose uptake bioactivities.

Wilsonglucinols H-K (1-4), four new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs), and eight known compounds (5-12) were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of Hypericum wilsonii. Their planner structures were confirmed via extensive NMR and HRESIMS data analysis. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were mainly determined by NMR calculation and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Compounds 1, 6, 8, and 10 showed glucose uptake activities at 30 µg/mL, in which compound 6 showed the strongest effect and increased the glucose uptake by 2.73 folds.

Polydopamine-treated hierarchical cellulosic fibers as versatile reinforcement of polybutylene succinate biocomposites for electromagnetic shielding.

There is a need for scalable technologies to reduce electromagnetic pollution with materials of low density and low carbon footprint. Unfortunately, environmental adaptability, economic feasibility and lightweight are factors that are still far from optimal in most electromagnetic shielding materials. Herein, we address these challenges with polybutylene succinate (PBS) reinforced with bamboo fibers functionalized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) and polypyrrole (PPy). Such hybrid system was compatibilized via polydopamine (PDA) coupling, demonstrating magnetic, dielectric and interfacial polarization losses as well as distributed reflection, yielding a shielding effectiveness of ~36.9 dB. Simultaneously, the composite displayed gains in tensile strength and modulus (by 18 and 38%, respectively) combined with improved flexural strength and modulus (by 33% and 15%, respectively). Overall, this work demonstrates a new pathway toward low cost and lightweight bio-based materials for high-performance electromagnetic shielding.

Association between global biomarker of oxidative stress and quantitative ultrasound parameters in middle-aged and elderly adults: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: With the population aging, osteoporosis has become a major public health concern. Elevated oxidative stress is a vital detrimental factor for bone health. Compared to common oxidative stress-related biomarkers, Fluorescent Oxidation Products (FlOPs) reflect the global levels of oxidation from proteins, lipids, and DNA. Nevertheless, whether plasma FlOP levels are related to bone health measured by Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is unclear. Thus, the present study examined the association between FlOPs and QUS parameters in middle-aged and elderly adults. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Changchun, northeast China. Plasma FlOPs were determined by a fluorescent microplate reader at a wavelength of 320/420 nm (excitation/emission). QUS parameters [speed of sound (SOS) and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA)] of the calcaneus were assessed by an ultrasound bone densitometer. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the association between FlOPs and QUS parameters. Results: A total of 491 subjects were included in this study. Their average age was 65.2 years (standard deviation [SD]: 9.7 years). FlOPs were inversely associated with SOS (ß for an increase of logarithmic interquartile range = -10.64; P = 0.018). Higher FlOP levels were marginally associated with lower SOS in females (ß for an increase of logarithmic interquartile range = -9.68, P = 0.066), but not in males (ß for an increase of logarithmic interquartile range = -11.84, P = 0.131). No significant relationship between FlOPs and BUA was observed. Conclusions: Plasma FlOP levels were inversely associated with SOS, but not with BUA in middle-aged and elderly adults.

Dietary carotenoid intake and osteoporosis: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2018.

Higher intake of ß-carotene and ß-cryptoxanthin were associated with lower risk of osteoporosis. A very high intake of lutein + zeaxanthin was also associated with lower risk of osteoporosis. These results support the beneficial role of carotenoids on bone health. PURPOSE: To examine the associations of α-carotene, ß-carotene, ß-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein + zeaxanthin intake with the risk of osteoporosis based on the cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2018. METHODS: This study identified individuals ≥ 50 years old with valid and complete data on carotenoid intake and bone mineral density (BMD). Intake of α-carotene, ß-carotene, ß-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein + zeaxanthin was averaged from two 24-h recall interviews. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and converted to T-scores; osteoporosis was defined as a T-score ≤ - 2.5. We used logistic regression models to test the associations between carotenoids and osteoporosis, adjusting for factors such as age, sex, race, and education. RESULTS: Participants were on average 61.9 years of age, with 57.5% identifying as females. Higher quintiles of ß-carotene (odds ratio [OR] for quintile 5 vs. 1:0.33; 95% CI: 0.19-0.59; P for trend = 0.010) and ß-cryptoxanthin intake (OR for quintile 5 vs. 1:0.61; 95% CI: 0.39-0.97; P for trend = 0.037) were associated with reduced risk of osteoporosis. Similar and marginally significant results for lutein + zeaxanthin intake was found (OR for quintile 5 vs. 1:0.53; 95% CI: 0.30-0.94; P for trend = 0.076). There was no association of α-carotene and lycopene intake with osteoporosis. These associations did not differ by sex (all P_interaction > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Higher ß-carotene and ß-cryptoxanthin intake was associated with decreased osteoporosis risk. A very high intake of lutein + zeaxanthin was also associated with lower risk of osteoporosis.

New Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinol Derivatives and Xanthones From Hypericum wilsonii.

Four new polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol derivatives, hyperwilone A-D (1-4), and two new xanthones, wilsonxanthone A (5) and wilsonxanthone B (6), together with eight known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum wilsonii. Their structures were expounded by comprehensive analysis of the 1D and 2D NMR spectra and HRESIMS. The relative configurations and absolute configurations of 1-6 were determined by NMR calculations and comparing their experimental and computed ECD data. All compounds were evaluated for GLUT4 translocation effects in L6 myotubes. Compound 5 showed the strongest GLUT4 translocation effects with 2.57 folds at a concentration of 30 µg/ml.