[Germplasm resource evaluation of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos based on color and chemical components].

This study explored the correlation between color and chemical components of Chrysanthemi Indici Flos(CIF), aiming at providing a reference for its procurement, evaluation, and breeding. Colorimeter and ultra-performance liquid chromatograph(UPLC) were used to determine the color(lightness-shade chromaticity value L~*, red-green chromaticity value a~*, yellow-blue chromati-city value b~*) and chemical components(cynaroside, linarin, luteolin, apigenin, and chlorogenic acid) of 84 CIF germplasms, respectively. Diversity analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and cluster analysis were performed. The results showed that the color and chemical components of CIF were diversified. Chlorogenic acid was in significantly positive correlation with L~* and b~* and significantly negative correlation with a~*. Cynaroside and grey relational grade γ_i of chemical components were in significantly po-sitive correlation with b~* and L~*, respectively, whereas linarin, luteolin, and apigenin had no significant correlation with L~*, a~*, or b~*. The 84 CIF germplasms were clustered into 4 clades. In addition, germplasms in clade Ⅲ had higher γ_i and total color value(E~*_(ab)) than those in other clades, with the best quality and color, and a germplasm with the highest quality, bright yellow color, and highest content of linarin was screened out in this clade. Thus, CIF with bright yellow color had high content of cymaroside and chlorogenic acid and thereby high quality. In summary, the color can be used to quickly predict the quality of CIF. Our results provided data for the evaluation of CIF quality by color and a reference for its procurement and breeding.

A triazole-based fluorescence probe for detecting Hg2+ ions and its biological application.

A new compound, ethyl 5-phenyl-2-(p-tolyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylate was successfully introduced and synthesized as a novel rhodamine B derivative named REPPC, and characterized by 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13 C NMR, and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). It showed an obvious fluorescence and UV-visible light absorption enhancement towards Hg2+ ion without interference from common metal ions in N,N-dimethylformamide-H2 O (pH 7.4). The spirolactam ring moiety of rhodamine in REPPC was converted to the open-ring form generating a 1:1 complex with the intervention of a mercury ion, verified by electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy testing and density functional theory calculation. REPPC was used to visualize the level of mercury ions in living HeLa cells with encouraging results.

[Metabolomics analysis of Lycium barbarum leaves after Aceria pallida infestation].

Aceria pallida is one of the most common pests in the main production areas of Lycium barbarum in China. The mite mainly feeds on foliage, leading to local tissue deformation and formation of massive galls, which seriously affects the growth and yield of L. barbarum. However, little is known about the influence of galling organisms on plant primary and secondary metabolism. In order to compare the metabolites differences between healthy and the mite infested leaves of wolfberry, and provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of the galled leaves, L. barbarum seedlings were infested with A. pallida artificially in the laboratory, the metabolites of L. barbarum leaves were determined by LC-MS/MS. Our results showed that the leaves were rich in amino acids and flavonoid compounds. A total of 204 compounds from 16 classes were detected in L. barbarum leaves based on LC-MS/MS. The primary metabolites are mainly amino acids, and the secondary metabolites are mainly organic acids and flavonoids. The content of the metabolite in the leaves of L. barbarum was significantly affected by the mite, 30 metabolites such as flavonoids and phenylpropanoids were significantly changed, 21 metabolites were up-regulated and 9 metabolites were down-regulated significantly. There were 8 compounds which has pharmacological and biological activity, such as eriodictyol, isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside and scopoletin up-regulated significantly. Based on the above findings, we suggest that the galled leaves of L.barbarum have a potential to be developed in the future.

[Overwintering status and species identification of gall mite in major wolfberry production areas].

To identify the wolfberry gall mite species and their overwintering situation in different wolfberry production areas and to provide a scientific basis for their prevention and control. We investigate the phoresy overwintering situation of gall mite, and identify the species of gall mite. Our results showed that the phoretic gall mite was Aceria pallida in all the production areas. The phoresy of gall mite was a common occurrence in different production areas, and the phoresy probability was above 75%. The phoretic behavior of wolfberry gall mite occurred commonly in the other production areas. The control of this mite in different production areas should pay attention to their phoretic behavior.

The evaluation of acute toxicity, antimicrobial activity of 1-phenyl-5-p-tolyl-1H-1, 2, 3-triazole, and binding to human serum albumin.

1-Phenyl-5-p-tolyl-1H-1, 2, 3-triazole (PPTA) was a synthesized compound. The result of acute toxicities to mice of PPTA by intragastric administration indicated that PPTA did not produce any significant acute toxic effect on Kunming strain mice. It exhibited the various potent inhibitory activities against two kinds of bananas pathogenic bacteria, black sigatoka and freckle, when compared with that of control drugs and the inhibitory rates were up to 64.14% and 43.46%, respectively, with the same concentration of 7.06 mM. The interaction of PPTA with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied using fluorescence polarization, absorption spectra, 3D fluorescence, and synchronous spectra in combination with quantum chemistry and molecular modeling. Multiple modes of interaction between PPTA and HSA were suggested to stabilize the PPTA-HSA complex, based on thermodynamic data and molecular modeling. Binding of PPTA to HSA induced perturbation in the microenvironment around HSA as well as secondary structural changes in the protein.

[Residue degradation dynamics of spinetoram in wolfberry].

The safety interval period and residue dynamics of two main components (XDE-175-J and XDE-175-L) of spinetoram in wolfberry were measured. Field experiment design and sampling method were carried out according to the "Guideline on pesticide residue trials". The wolfberry samples were extracted with acetonitrile by ultrasonic, and analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS. The wolfberry was sprayed with 6% spinetoram suspension concentrate (SC) at recommended dosage (1 500 times) and doubling dosage (750 times) (one time) at fructescence of wolfberry. The half-lives of spinetoram residue under recommended dosage treatment was 3.65-4.25 d, and all the fresh and dried fruits conform to first order kinetics equation. The dissipation rate was over 95% in fresh and dried fruits at 14 d after application. In conclusion, spinetoram belongs to the easily degradable pesticide type.

[Dissipation dynamics of spirodiclofen in wolfberry fruit].

The dissipation of spirodiclofen in fresh fruit and dry fruit of wolfberry was detected in this study to provide a reference for its safe application.According to Pesticide Residue Test Criteria of China, the open-field experiment was conducted in Zhongning courty of Ningxia province, and the dissipation of spirodiclofen was studied by acetonitrile extraction and HPLC-MS/MS detection. The results showed that the half-lives of spirodiclofen in fresh wolfberry fruit and dry wolfberry fruit were 6.9-11.2 days and 8.5-10.4 days, respectively. Spirodiclofen belongs to the easily degradable pesticide type. According to the maximum residue limits (0.5 mg•kg⁻¹) of spirodiclofen of EU for wolfberry, after recommended dosage being sprayed for once, fresh wolfberry fruit was safe to eat after 5 days, and dry wolfberry fruit was safe to eat after 21 days.

[Preliminary studies on critical control point of traceability system in wolfberry].

As a traditional Chinese medicine, wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) has a long cultivation history and a good industrial development foundation. With the development of wolfberry production, the expansion of cultivation area and the increased attention of governments and consumers on food safety, the quality and safety requirement of wolfberry is higher demanded. The quality tracing and traceability system of production entire processes is the important technology tools to protect the wolfberry safety, and to maintain sustained and healthy development of the wolfberry industry. Thus, this article analyzed the wolfberry quality management from the actual situation, the safety hazard sources were discussed according to the HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) and GAP (good agricultural practice for Chinese crude drugs), and to provide a reference for the traceability system of wolfberry.

[Changes in plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide, endothelin-1 and von Willebrand factor among newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), and their significance among newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH). METHODS: Sixty-six newborns with PPH (case group) (mild: 26 cases; moderate: 21 cases; severe: 19 cases), as well as 40 newborns without PPH (control group) who were hospitalized in the same period, were enrolled. The control group underwent echocardiography on admission. The case group underwent echocardiography before treatment (with refractory hypoxemia) and after 7 days of treatment for measurement of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP). Meanwhile, plasma levels of ANP, ET-1 and vWF were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: Before treatment, the case group had significantly higher plasma levels of ANP, ET-1 and vWF than the control group (P<0.05), and these indices increased as PASP rose. After 7 days of treatment, the children with mild or moderate PPH showed normal PASP, and their plasma levels of ANP, ET-1 and vWF were not significantly different from those of control group. The children with severe PPH had significant decreases in all indices, but they were significantly higher than those of the control group. Plasma levels of ANP, ET-1 and vWF were significantly positively correlated with PASP before and after treatment (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in plasma levels of ANP, ET-1 and vWF can reflect PASP in newborns with PPH during treatment. Dynamic monitoring of these indices can help to judge the severity of PPH and guide treatment.

Identification of Rack1, EF-Tu and Rhodanese as aging-related proteins in human colonic epithelium by proteomic analysis.

The aging process of human colonic epithelium involves a slow decline in physiological vigor and an increasing susceptibility to age-related diseases, especially, colon cancer, but the mechanisms still remain to be elucidated. To reveal the molecular bases of colonic epithelial aging, a proteomic approach was used to screen for differential proteins in the human normal colonic epithelial tissues from young and old people. As a result, 17 differential proteins were identified by two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, and the partial differential proteins were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Rack1, EF-Tu and Rhodanese, three validated differential proteins, were further investigated for their role in the in vitro cell senescence. Western blot showed that the expression of all the three proteins was downregulated in the senescent NIH/3T3 cells induced by D-galactose as compared to the control cells. Furthermore, knockdown of Rack1 by siRNA could promote NIH/3T3 cell senescence. Taken together, our results suggest that Rack1, EF-Tu and Rhodanese are aging-related proteins in human colonic epithelium, and injury of mitochondrial function and decline of antioxidant capability are important reasons for the aging of human colonic epithelium.

Raf kinase inhibitor protein correlates with sensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma to radiotherapy.

Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) is a metastasis suppressor whose expression is reduced in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues and is absent in NPC metastases. To investigate the effect of RKIP on radiosensitivity of NPC, high metastatic 5-8F with low RKIP expression and non-metastatic 6-10B with high RKIP expression were stably transfected with plasmids that expressed sense and antisense RKIP cDNA. Overexpression of RKIP sensitized 5-8F cells to radiation-induced cell death, G(2)-M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In contrast, downexpression of RKIP in 6-10B cells protected cells from radiation-induced cell death, G(2)-M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, RKIP expression altered the radiosensitivity of NPC cells through MEK and ERK phosphorylation changes of Raf-1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. We further investigated the RKIP expression in NPC patients and its association with patients' survival after radiotherapy. Downexpression of RKIP was significantly correlated with advanced clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and radioresistance. Furthermore, survival curves showed that patients with RKIP downexpression had a poor prognosis and induced relapse. Multivariate analysis confirmed that RKIP expression was an independent prognostic indicator. The data suggested that RKIP was a potential biomarker for the radiosensitivity and prognosis of NPC, and its dysregulation might play an important role in the radioresistance of NPC.

Ultrastructure of gap junction and Cx43 expression in gastric cancer tissues of the patients.

INTRODUCTION: Gap junctions are intercellular channels formed by connexin facilitating communication between cells by allowing transfer of ions and small signaling molecules. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is the most ubiquitous connexin in human tissues. Ample evidence suggests the role of gap junction and its connexins such as connexin 43 in human cancers including gastric cancer, which has an important place in the worldwide incidence of cancer and cancer-related deaths. Due to a number of contradictory studies and insufficient detailed examination in specific cancers, such as gastric cancer, more data on the role of gap junctions and their connexins such as Cx43 involved in gastric cancer remain necessary. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Transmission electron microscopy, Western blotting and RT-PCR were used to show the ultrastructure damage of the gap junction in the gastric carcinoma tissue as well as the expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA, respectively. RESULTS: Ultrastructure damage of the gap junction in gastric carcinoma tissue was shown while poorly differentiated tissue experienced greater damage. The expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA was higher in healthy gastric tissue than in carcinomatous gastric tissue (p < 0.05). There was higher expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA in high-medium differentiation than in poor differentiation (p < 0.05). Cx43 protein and mRNA expression is not statistically significant for different ages and sex (such as for > 56 and ≤ 56 years) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrastructural changes of gap junctions with abnormal Cx43 expression are associated with occurrence and development of gastric cancer, which provides a new research direction for gastric cancer pathogenesis and targeted therapy.

[Electrophysiological and behavioral responses of gall midge, Jaapiella sp. to volatiles of host plant Lycium barbarum]. / 枸杞红瘿蚊对寄主植物挥发物的电生理和行为反应.

Plant-derived volatiles are important for guiding herbivorous insects to their host plants. Jaapiella sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is the most serious pest of Lycium barbarum. The young flower buds of L. barbarum are attractive to females of Jaapiella sp. for oviposition in the field. In this study, we compared response of Jaapiella sp. to volatiles from flower buds of L. barbarum at different stages, and clarified the crucial semiochemicals attracting Jaapiella sp. to lay eggs. Volatiles from young and mature flower buds were collected using SPME, and then identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both electrophysiological and behavior experiments were conducted to measure the attraction of eight synthetic compounds to females and screen the crucial components based on gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) and Y-tube bioassays, respectively. Results showed that qualitative and quantitative diffe-rences between two odor profiles. Consistent electroantennographic response was observed for eight compounds from headspace collections, of which five synthetic compounds (3-carene, camphene, terpinolene, d-limonene, and (+)-pinene) were essential for significant preference or avoidance. Our results indicated that these compounds from L. barbarum flower buds could be effective candidates as oviposition attractant or repellents of Jaapiella sp., which would be helpful in the exploitation of new control agent to Jaapiella sp. in the field.

[Hormone response of Lycium barbarum to gall mite Aceria pallida and effects of exogenous salicylic acid on the infestation and development of gall mite]. / å®å¤æž¸æžå¯¹æž¸æžç˜¿èž¨ä¸ºå®³çš„å† æºæ¿€ç´ å“åº”åŠå¤–æºæ°´æ¨é ¸å¯¹æž¸æžç˜¿èž¨çš„å½±å“.

To investigate the hormone responses of Lycium barbarum to Aceria pallida infestation and the effects of exogenous salicylic acid on the infestation and development of gall mite, four phytohormones (salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), Auxin, and abscisic acid (ABA)) of L. barbarum leaves infested with A. pallida were determined by LC-MS/MS. Moreover, the effects of exogenous SA on the growth of gall and mite population were investigated. The results showed that contents of SA and JA in leaves infested with A. pallida were significantly higher (4.0 and 13.0 folds, respectively) than that in control, but that of Auxin and ABA did not change. The growth of gall was inhibited significantly by exogenous SA, with the inhibition increasing with the prolongation of treatment time. Meanwhile, mite population in galls treated with SA was significantly lower than that in control. Our results suggested that A. pallida could induce SA and JA resistance of L. barbarum, and that the exogenous SA could inhibit the growth of gall and mite population. Exogenous SA could be potentially used in A. pallida prevention.

Inactivation of 14-3-3 sigma by promoter methylation correlates with metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

14-3-3 sigma, the downstream target of p53, is a negative regulator of cell cycle G2-M phase checkpoint in response to DNA damage. Our previous comparative proteomics study showed that 14-3-3 sigma was downregulated or lost in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissue compared with non-cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial tissue (NNET). In this study, we further investigated for the epigenetic mechanism of 14-3-3 sigma inactivation. Methylation-specific PCR showed 14-3-3 sigma promoter methylation in 100% of analyzed NPC cell lines (4/4) but not in immortalized human nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line NP69. Treatment of the four NPC cell lines with the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-dC resulted in the demethylation and upregulation of 14-3-3 sigma. In tissues, 14-3-3 sigma promoter methylation occurred at a higher frequency in NPC, 63/75 (84%), compared to adjacent NNET, 7/25 (28%), and fully methylated 14-3-3 sigma promoter was detected in NPC but not in any of adjacent NNET. RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry showed that 14-3-3 sigma expression was downregulated or lost in NPC with methylation, and there was a negative correlation between the expression levels and methylation statuses of 14-3-3 sigma gene. In addition, the patients with methylated 14-3-3 sigma presented a higher frequency of lymph node and distant metastasis, and an advanced clinical stage, and overexpression of 14-3-3 sigma in NPC cell line 5-8F with high metastatic potential was able to inhibit its in vitro invasive ability. Our data are the first to show that 14-3-3 sigma is frequently inactivated by promoter methylation in NPC and this aberrant methylation correlates with lymph node and distant metastasis.

Identification of novel nasopharyngeal carcinoma biomarkers by laser capture microdissection and proteomic analysis.

PURPOSE: To identify novel nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biomarkers by laser capture microdissection and a proteomic approach. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Proteins from pooled microdissected NPC and normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues (NNET) were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and differential proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Expression of three differential proteins (stathmin, 14-3-3sigma, and annexin I) in the above two tissues as well as four NPC cell lines was determined by Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was also done to detect the expression of three differential proteins in 98 cases of primary NPC, 30 cases of NNET, and 20 cases of cervical lymph node metastases, and the correlation of their expression levels with clinicopathologic features and clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-six differential proteins between the NPC and NNET were identified. The expression levels of stathmin, 14-3-3sigma, and annexin I in the two types of tissues were confirmed and related to differentiation degree and/or metastatic potential of the NPC cell lines. Significant stathmin up-regulation and down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma and annexin I were observed in NPC versus NNET, and significant down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma and annexin I was also observed in lymph node metastasis versus primary NPC. In addition, stathmin up-regulation and down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma and annexin I were significantly correlated with poor histologic differentiation, advanced clinical stage, and recurrence, whereas down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma and annexin I was also significantly correlated with lymph node and distant metastasis. Furthermore, survival curves showed that patients with stathmin up-regulation and down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma and annexin I had a poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the expression status of stathmin, 14-3-3sigma, and annexin I was an independent prognostic indicator. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that stathmin, 14-3-3sigma, and annexin I are potential biomarkers for the differentiation and prognosis of NPC, and their dysregulation might play an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC.

Structural equation modeling analysis of social support, coping strategies, depression and suicidal ideation among people living with HIV/AIDS in Changsha, China.

INTRODUCTION: People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) have a higher rate of suicide compared to the general population. Psychosocial factors closely correlate with suicidal ideation and it is essential to explain the relationships between related factors among PLWHA. OBJECTIVES: To establish a structural equation model and examine direct and indirect effects of social support, coping strategy, depression symptoms and suicidal ideation among PLWHA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 504 PLWHA completed a set of questionnaires in the HIV clinic of Changsha Infectious Disease Hospital between December 2015 and January 2016. RESULTS: Among the 504 respondents, a total of 27.2% (n=137) had experienced suicidal ideation in their lifetime. The goodness of fit for the two structural equations model was highly satisfactory. Depression symptoms had a significant direct impact on suicidal ideation (ß 1=0.401, ß 2=0.422), while problem-focused coping (ß=-0.067), emotion-focused coping (ß=-0.081) and social support (ß=-0.137) had a significant indirect effect with suicidal ideation via depression symptoms. Factors of total effects were ranked from large to small as follows: depression, social support, emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping. CONCLUSION: Findings provide more understanding of direct and indirect associations between variables, suggesting that depression screening services, and the strengthening of social support and psychological care services among PLWHA can potentially prevent suicide.

[Key Production Process of Nitrous Oxide and Nitrogen Sources in Tuojia River].

The nitrogen (N) pollution of water is a common global problem. To understand the key production process of N2 O and identify the dominant N sources, Tuojia River, a typical agricultural watershed in a subtropical area, was investigated. To analyze the characteristics of dual nitrate isotopes (δ15N-NO3-,δ18O-NO3-) in water, and N isotope (δ15Norg) and carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N) in sediment organic matter from four reaches(S1-S4), the stable isotopes method was used. The results showed that the sources of nitrate varied significantly among river segments and were affected by agricultural production and human habitation on the land surface. The average δ15N-NO3- in reaches S1, S2, S3, and S4 were 1.72‰, 2.62‰, 4.10‰, and -1.28‰, respectively, while the average δ18O-NO3- were 2.60‰,-0.06‰, 0.85‰, and -0.62‰. The N in terrestrial soil made a large contribution to nitrate sources in reach S1, while soil N, ammonium N fertilizer, and manure played a main role in reaches S2 and S3. Most of the nitrate came from ammonium N fertilizer in reach S4. We also found that δ15Norg in sediment organic matter ranged from -0.69‰ to 11.21‰, and C/N was between 7.30 and 12.02. The mean δ15Norg in reaches S1-S4 were 1.91‰, 2.96‰, 4.72‰, and 3.23‰, respectively, and the mean C/N values were 10.62, 8.63, 9.05, and 9.22, respectively. Although there were some differences in δ15Norg among reaches S2-S4, the dominant N source was sewage in those reaches. However, soil organic matter was the main N source in the sediments of reach S1. The mean δ18O-NO3- in reaches S1-S4 were -7.01‰,-0.17‰,-0.28‰, and -0.60‰, respectively, indicating that nitrification was the key N2 O production process in these reaches. The ratios of δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3- were 0.66,-41.01,-30.23, and 9.39 in reaches S1-S4, respectively. Finally, we found that there was a positive correlation between NO3--N and δ15N-NO3-. To summarize, the N transformation and N2 O production could be dominated by the nitrification process in Tuojia River.

Proteomic analysis of the aging-related proteins in human normal colon epithelial tissue.

In order to screen the aging related proteins in human normal colon epithelia, the comparative proteomics analysis was applied to get the two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles with high resolution and reproducibility from normal colon epithelial tissues of young and aged people. Differential proteins between the colon epithelia of two age groups were found with PDQuest software. The thirty five differential protein-spots were identified by peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) and database searching. Among them there are sixteen proteins which are significantly up-regulated in the colonic mucosal epithelia of young people group, which include ATP synthase beta chain, electron transfer flavoprotein alpha-subunit, catalase, glutathione peroxidase 1, annexin A2 and heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein, etc.; There are nineteen proteins which are significantly up-regulated in the colonic mucosal epithelia of aged people group, which include far upstream element-binding protein 1, nucleoside diphosphate kinase B, protein disulfide-isomerase precursor and VDAC-2, etc.. The identified differential proteins appear to be involved in metabolism, energy generation, chaperone, antioxidation, signal transduction, protein folding and apoptosis. The data will help to understand the molecular mechanisms of human colon epithelial aging.

A globally convergent QP-free algorithm for nonlinear semidefinite programming.

In this paper, we present a QP-free algorithm for nonlinear semidefinite programming. At each iteration, the search direction is yielded by solving two systems of linear equations with the same coefficient matrix; [Formula: see text] penalty function is used as merit function for line search, the step size is determined by Armijo type inexact line search. The global convergence of the proposed algorithm is shown under suitable conditions. Preliminary numerical results are reported.