[Isolation and identification of berberine from endophytic fungi HL-Y-3].

The endophytic fungi HL-Y-3, which was isolated from the healthy leaves of Coptis chinensis, produced berberine when grown in the PDA culture medium. The presence of berberine was confirmed by the chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses. The yield of berberine was recorded as 9.313 µg•g⁻¹ by HPLC. The strain HL-Y-3 was identified as Alternaria sp.by morphological observation and 5.8S rDNA-ITS sequence analysis.The separation and purification of constituents were performed by PTLC. The mass spectrometry (MS) of the analyte was shown to be identical with authentic berberine.Further analysis with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to showed that the chemical structure of the fungal berberine was identical with authentic berberine. The research provided new resources for the utilization of berberine.

Optimization of Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Total Alkaloids, Peimisine, Peimine and Peiminine from the Bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq, and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities of the Extracts.

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was used to extract total alkaloids, peimisine, peimine and peiminine from the bulb of Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA), ABTS radical scavenging activity (ABTS-RSA) and ferric reducing capacity (FRAP) assay. A central composite design (CCD) with four variables and five levels was employed for optimization of process parameters, and response surface plots were constructed in accordance with a second order polynomial model. Under optimal conditions of 3.0 h, 60.4 °C, 26.5 MPa and 89.3% ethanol, the highest yields were predicted to be 3.8 mg/g for total alkaloids, 0.5 mg/g for peimisine, 1.3 mg/g for peimine and 1.3 mg/g for peiminine, and the antioxidant capacity of extracts displayed EC50, DPPH value of 5.5 mg/mL, EC50, ABTS value of 0.3 mg/mL and FRAP value of 118.2 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/100 g.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The complete mitochondrial genome of the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was determined (GenBank accession No. KF163965). The length of this mitochondrial genome is 15,377 bp with an A + T content of 82.5%. There are 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes, that is, 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA gene and an A + T-rich region. The tRNA gene trnM was rearranged to the upstream of the trnI-trnQ-trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Ten protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas three protein-coding gene use incomplete stop codon T. The A + T-region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 332 bp and A + T content of 94.88%.

ERK1/2 participates in regulating the expression and distribution of tight junction proteins in the process of reflux esophagitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alterations of esophageal epithelial barrier during the process of reflux esophagitis (RE). METHODS: In total, 85 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups, the sham-operation group (n = 25) and the RE group induced by incomplete pyloric ligation (n = 60). The establishment of RE model and the severity of esophagitis were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin stain. Dilated intercellular spaces (DIS) in the esophageal epithelium were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The cellular distributions of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 were assessed by immunohistochemical stain. The expressions of these tight junction (TJ) proteins and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), myosin light chain (MLC) and nonmuscular myosin light chain kinase (nmMLCK) were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: DIS occurred gradually in the RE group. ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 were incompletely or even not expressed in the RE group. TJ proteins were expressed in the membrane instead of the cytoplasm in many epithelial cells in RE. With Western, the expression of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 was increased gradually in the RE group (P < 0.05). The phosphorylation levels of nmMLCK, MLC and ERK1/2 were also increased (P < 0.05). There was no marked changes in the esophageal epithelium in the sham-operation group. CONCLUSIONS: TJ proteins could be used as sensitive markers of RE instead of DIS. ERK1/2 may participate in regulating TJ proteins in esophageal epithelia in RE.

The complete mitogenome of the turnip moth Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Abstract The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the turnip moth Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was determined (GenBank accession No. KC894725). This is the first sequenced mitogenome from the subfamily Noctuinae of Noctuidae. The length of this mitogenome is 15,378 bp with a A+T content of 80.7%. There are 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and a A+T-rich region. The tRNA gene trnM was the only rearranged gene compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Ten protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas three protein-coding gene use incomplete stop codon T. The A+T-region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 332 bp and A+T content of 93.5%.

Adaptive synchronization and parameter identification of chaotic system with unknown parameters and mixed delays based on a special matrix structure.

In this paper, we investigate the synchronization and parameter identification of chaotic system with unknown parameters and mixed delays. A new approach is proposed for designing a controller and a update rule of unknown parameters based on a special matrix structure, and the synchronization and the parameter identification are realized under the controller and the update rule. Numerical simulations are carried out to confirm the effectiveness of the approach. A significant advantage is that the process of designing a controller and a update rule become very clear and easy by the proposed approach.