Towards rapid formation of electroactive biofilm: insights from thermodynamics and electric field manipulation.

Electroactive biofilm (EAB) has garnered significant attention due to its effectiveness in pollutant remediation, electricity generation, and chemical synthesis. However, achieving precise control over the rapid formation of EAB presents challenges for the practical implementation of bioelectrochemical technology. In this study, we investigated the regulation of EAB formation by manipulating applied electric potential. We developed a modified XDLVO model for the applied electric field and quantitatively assessed the feasibility of existing rapid formation strategies for EAB. Our results revealed that electrostatic (EL) force significantly influenced EAB formation in the presence of the applied electric field, with the potential difference between the electrode and the microbial solution being the primary determinant of EL force. Compared to -0.2 V and 0 V vs.Ag/AgCl, EAB exhibited the highest electrochemical performance at 0.2 V vs.Ag/AgCl, with a maximum current density of 6.044 ± 0.10 A/m2, surpassing that at -0.2 V vs.Ag/AgCl and 0 V vs.Ag/AgCl by 1.73 times and 1.31 times, respectively. Furthermore, EAB demonstrated the highest biomass accumulation, measuring a thickness of 25 ± 2 µm at 0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl, representing increases of 1.67 and 1.25 times compared to -0.2 V vs.Ag/AgCl and 0 V vs.Ag/AgCl, respectively. The strong electrostatic attraction under the anodic potential promoted the formation of a monolayer of biofilm. Additionally, the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the biofilm were altered following inversion culture. The Lewis acid-base (AB) attraction offset the electrostatic repulsion caused by negative charges, it is beneficial for the formation of biofilms. This study, for the first time, elucidated the difference in the formation of cathode and anode biofilm from a thermodynamic perspective in the context of electric field introduction, laying the theoretical foundation for the directional regulation of the rapid formation of typical electroactive biofilms.

Genetic assessment and candidate genes identification for breed-specific characteristics of Qingyuan partridge chicken based on runs of homozygosity.

BACKGROUND: Several core breeding and supporting lines of the Qingyuan partridge chicken, a representative local chicken breed in China, have been developed over 20 years. Consequently, its economic traits related to growth and reproduction have been significantly improved by breeding selection and commercial utilization, but some characteristic traits, such as partridge feathers, high meat quality and sufficient flavor, have always been retained. However, effective methods for genetic assessment and functional gene exploration of similar trait groups are lacking. The presence of identical haplotype fragments transmitted from parent to offspring results in runs of homozygosity (ROH), which offer an efficient solution. In this study, genomes of 134 Qingyuan partridge chickens representing two breeding populations and one preserved population were re-sequenced to evaluate the genetic diversity and explore functional genes by analyzing the diversity, distribution, and frequency of ROH. RESULTS: The results showed a low level of genomic linkage and degree of inbreeding within both the bred and preserved populations, suggesting abundant genetic diversity and an adequate genetic potential of the Qingyuan partridge chicken. Throughout the long-term selection process, 21 genes, including GLI3, ANO5, BLVRA, EFNB2, SLC5A12, and SVIP, associated with breed-specific characteristics were accumulated within three ROH islands, whereas another 21 genes associated with growth traits including IRX1, IRX2, EGFR, TPK1, NOVA1, BDNF and so on were accumulated within five ROH islands. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide new insights into the genetic assessment and identification of genes with breed-specific and selective characteristics, offering a solid genetic basis for breeding and protection of Qingyuan partridge chickens.

The Advancement and Application of the Single-Cell Transcriptome in Biological and Medical Research.

Single-cell RNA sequencing technology (scRNA-seq) has been steadily developing since its inception in 2009. Unlike bulk RNA-seq, scRNA-seq identifies the heterogeneity of tissue cells and reveals gene expression changes in individual cells at the microscopic level. Here, we review the development of scRNA-seq, which has gone through iterations of reverse transcription, in vitro transcription, smart-seq, drop-seq, 10 × Genomics, and spatial single-cell transcriptome technologies. The technology of 10 × Genomics has been widely applied in medicine and biology, producing rich research results. Furthermore, this review presents a summary of the analytical process for single-cell transcriptome data and its integration with other omics analyses, including genomes, epigenomes, proteomes, and metabolomics. The single-cell transcriptome has a wide range of applications in biology and medicine. This review analyzes the applications of scRNA-seq in cancer, stem cell research, developmental biology, microbiology, and other fields. In essence, scRNA-seq provides a means of elucidating gene expression patterns in single cells, thereby offering a valuable tool for scientific research. Nevertheless, the current single-cell transcriptome technology is still imperfect, and this review identifies its shortcomings and anticipates future developments. The objective of this review is to facilitate a deeper comprehension of scRNA-seq technology and its applications in biological and medical research, as well as to identify avenues for its future development in alignment with practical needs.

Ionones from cigar tobacco leaves.

Phytochemical studies on cigar tobacco leaves led to the isolation of 18 ionone-type compounds, including previously undescribed cigatobanes E (1) and F (2). Additionally, compounds vomifoliol acetate (3), dehydrovomifoliol (4), 8,9-dihydromegastigmane-4,6-diene-3-one (5), 7α,8α-epoxyblumenol B (6), 3-oxoactinidol (12), and loliolide acetate (15), 4ß-hydroxy-dihydroactinidiolide (17), were found in tobacco leaves for the first time. The structural elucidation of all compounds was accomplished through rigorous spectral analysis.

Antiviral C-geranylated flavonoids from Artocarpus communis.

Ten C-geranylated flavonoids, along with three known analogues, were isolated from the leaves of Artocarpus communis. The chemical structures of these compounds were unambiguously determined via comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments, and quantum chemical electronic circular dichroism calculations. Structurally, artocarones A-I (1-9) represent a group of unusual, highly modified C-geranylated flavonoids, in which the geranyl chain is cyclised with the ortho-hydroxy group of flavonoids to form various heterocyclic scaffolds. Notably, artocarones E and G-I (5 and 7-9) feature a 6H-benzo[c]chromene core that is hitherto undescribed in C-geranylated flavonoids. Artocarone J (10) is the first example of C-9-C-16 connected C-geranylated aurone. Meanwhile, the plausible biosynthetic pathways for these rare C-geranylated flavonoids were also proposed. Notably, compounds 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, and 12 exhibited promising in vitro inhibitory activities against respiratory syncytial virus and herpes simplex virus type 1.

Large-scale transcriptomic and genomic analyses reveal a novel functional gene SERPINB6 for chicken carcass traits.

BACKGROUND: Carcass traits are crucial indicators of meat production efficiency. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms associated with these traits remain unclear. RESULTS: In this study, we conducted comprehensive transcriptomic and genomic analyses on 399 Tiannong partridge chickens to identify key genes and variants associated with carcass traits and to elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Based on association analyses with the elastic net (EN) model, we identified 12 candidate genes (AMY1A, AP3B2, CEBPG, EEF2, EIF4EBP1, FGFR1, FOXD3, GOLM1, LOC107052698, PABPC1, SERPINB6 and TBC1D16) for 4 carcass-related traits, namely live weight, dressed weight, eviscerated weight, and breast muscle weight. SERPINB6 was identified as the only overlapping gene by 3 analyses, EN model analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis and differential expression analysis. Cell-level experiments confirmed that SERPINB6 promotes the proliferation of chicken DF1 cells and primary myoblasts. Further expression genome-wide association study and association analysis indicated that rs317934171 is the critical site that enhances SERPINB6 expression. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase reporter assay proved that gga-miR-1615 targets the 3'UTR of SERPINB6. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our findings reveal that SERPINB6 serves as a novel gene for chicken carcass traits by promoting fibroblast and myoblast proliferation. Additionally, the downstream variant rs317934171 regulates SERPINB6 expression. These results identify a new target gene and molecular marker for the molecular mechanisms of chicken carcass traits.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment in HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer: result of a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Platinum-based chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is now becoming the standard first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced gastric cancer (AGC). In China, paclitaxel has shown good efficacy and tolerability in AGC as an alternative for first-line therapy. Combining ICIs with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy may lead to improved tumor immune microenvironment, but evidence in paclitaxel combing with ICIs as first-line regimen is lacking. This multicenter, retrospective research aims to compare effectiveness and tolerability of paclitaxel-based chemotherapy combined with ICIs versus chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment of HER2-negative AGC in a real-world setting. Methods: Eighty-six patients with HER2-negative AGC were included from 2017 to 2022. Among them, 57 patients received paclitaxel-based chemotherapy plus ICIs, and 29 patients received paclitaxel-based chemotherapy alone. We compared the efficacy and incidence of adverse events between the two therapy options. Results: Significant improvements in median progression-free survival (PFS) (8.77 versus 7.47 months; P=0.04) and median overall survival (OS) (15.70 versus 14.33 months; P=0.04) were observed in the ICIs combined with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy group. The use of ICIs also significantly prolonged the duration of response (DOR) (7.47 versus 4.59 months; P=0.02). Meanwhile, the ICIs plus chemotherapy group demonstrated significantly improved objective response rate (ORR) (50.9% vs. 27.6%; P=0.03) and disease control rate (DCR) (98.3% vs. 82.8%; P=0.01), and the side effects were tolerable. Conclusions: In summary, for HER2-negative AGC, ICIs plus paclitaxel-based chemotherapy is effective with mild toxicities, which should be considered as an alternative first-line therapy regimen.

Low-voltage stimulated denitrification performance of high-salinity wastewater using halotolerant microorganisms.

Nitrate is a common contaminant in high-salinity wastewater, which has adverse effects on both the environment and human health. However, conventional biological treatment exhibits poor denitrification performance due to the high-salinity shock. In this study, an innovative approach using an electrostimulating microbial reactor (EMR) was explored to address this challenge. With a low-voltage input of 1.2 V, the EMR reached nitrate removal kinetic parameter (kNO3-N) of 0.0166-0.0808 h-1 under high-salinities (1.5 %-6.5 %), which was higher than that of the microbial reactor (MR) (0.0125-0.0478 h-1). The mechanisms analysis revealed that low-voltage significantly enhanced microbial salt-in strategy and promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances. Halotolerant denitrification microorganisms (Pseudomonas and Nitratireductor) were also enriched in EMR. Moreover, the EMR achieved a NO3-N removal efficiency of 73.64 % in treating high-salinity wastewater (salinity 4.69 %) over 18-cycles, whereas the MR only reached 54.67 %. In summary, this study offers an innovative solution for denitrification of high-salinity wastewater.

Polystyrene exposure induces lamb gastrointestinal injury, digestive disorders and inflammation, decreasing daily gain, and meat quality.

Microplastics (MPs), recognized as an emerging environmental menace, have been extensively investigated in both marine and terrestrial fauna. This study is comprehensive to investigate how polystyrene (PS) affects ruminant animals. The experimental design comprised 24 individually housed lambs, divided into a CON group (diet without PS) and three PS-exposed (25 µm, 50 µm, 100 µm) groups, each with six lambs, the exposure of PS was 100 mg/day, and the duration of exposure was 60 days. The study yielded noteworthy results: (ⅰ) PS leads to a decrease in average daily gain along with an increase in feed conversion rate. (ⅱ) PS decreases rumen ammonia nitrogen. The rumen microbiota diversity remains consistent. However, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria increased in the PS-exposed groups, while the relative abundance of Coriobacteriales_incertae_Sedis and Prevotellaceae_YAB2003_group decreased. (ⅲ) PS leads to decrease in hemoglobin, thrombocytocrit, and albumin levels in lamb blood, thus triggering oxidative stress accumulation, along with swelling of the kidneys and liver. (ⅳ) PS inflicts severe damage to jejunum, consequently impacting digestion and absorption. (ⅴ) PS reduces meat quality and the nutritional value. In conclusion, PS-exposure inhibited lambs' digestive function, adversely affects blood and organs' health status, reducing average daily gain and negatively influencing meat quality. PS particles of 50-100 µm bring worse damage to lambs. This research aims to fill the knowledge void concerning MPs' influences on ruminant animals, with a specific focus on the meat quality of fattening lambs.

Insecticidal bisindole alkaloids from leaves of Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Dwaft'.

Six undescribed bisindole alkaloids, namely taberdisines A-F (1-6), were isolated from the leaves of Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Dwaft'. Among them, alkaloids 1 and 2 were the first examples of strychnos-iboga type alkaloid with both C-C linkage patterns. Alkaloid 3, a new type of aspidosperma-iboga with a furan-ring, as well as other three undescribed ones was disclosed. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. Alkaloids 1 and 5 showed insecticide activity on Sf9 cell and eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda in vivo, which might explain the potential of the plants for insect resistance.

Gelselegine-gelsedine type bisindoles as well as the units from Gelsemium elegans with promoting proliferation of oral mucosa fibroblast cells.

Two undescribed bisindole alkaloids, gelseginedine A (1) and its rearranged gelseginedine B (2), and seven unreported gelselegine-type oxindole alkaloids (3-9) were isolated from the stems and leaves of Gelsemium elegans, together with five known alkaloids (10-14). Compounds 1 and 2 represented the first examples of gelselegine-gelsedine type alkaloids which bridged two units by a double bond. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by means of HRESIMS, NMR and calculational chemistry. The performed bioassay revealed that 14 could promote the proliferation of human oral mucosa fibroblast cells.

Search for Snail Repellents: Antimollusc Activities from Stemona parviflora and Six Other Chinese Stemona Species.

Snails are important agricultural pests difficult to control, but data regarding molluscicidal assays are scant. Stemona alkaloids are typical secondary metabolites for the taxa and have been broadly investigated for their pharmacological and toxicological effects. This makes it possible for us to further develop the toxicities of these compounds to snails. In this work, we tested the antifeedant properties of leaves from seven Chinese Stemona species against the land snail species Bradybaena ravida in choice and non-choice feeding assays. The tested leaves Stemona parviflora exhibited the most deterrent effects, and a further phytochemical investigation of aerial parts led to the identification of 16 alkaloids. Among them, three novel alkaloids could be identified. The alkaloidal fraction and single alkaloids were further assayed against this snail species, and the results suggest a cocktail effect because the impact of the alkaloidal fraction was higher than the effects caused by single alkaloids. The study can promote the search process of natural antimollusc products from plants to control snails.

The efficacy and safety of adding anlotinib in gradual progression on third-generation EGFR-TKIs for EGFR-mutant advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Acquired resistance is unavoidable with the approval of third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for first-line therapy of advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Some studies have found that combining antiangiogenesis medicines with EGFR-TKI may benefit clinical outcomes in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. However, it is unclear whether EGFR-TKI paired with antiangiogenesis therapy could further improve survival for patients with gradual progression. Thus, we comprised the clinical effectiveness and safety of continuous EGFR-TKI in combination with anlotinib and EGFR-TKI alone in patients who had gradual progression on third-generation EGFR-TKI treatment. The comparison of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival(OS) between two groups used the Kaplan-Meier method. Our study comprised 121 eligible patients in total. The objective response rates were 25.0% and 0%, and the disease response rate was 91.7% and 86.9% in the combination group and EGFR-TKIs monotherapy group. The median PFS of combined anlotinib and EGFR-TKI treatment was 6.7 months and the median PFS was 3.6 months in the EGFR-TKI monotherapy group ( P  < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in OS. The common adverse reactions were diarrhea (21.7%), hypertension (21.6%) and proteinuria (20.0%) in the combination group. Seven patients experienced a grade 3 or higher adverse event, no patients discounted the treatment or died due to the toxicity. Our study indicated that, when combined with anlotinib following gradual progression on EGFR-TKIs, it was more efficacious for EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients than EGFR-TKI monotherapy. And the toxicity was clinically manageable.

Analysis of the differentially expressed genes in the combs and testes of Qingyuan partridge roosters at different developmental stages.

BACKGROUND: The sexual maturity of chickens is an important economic trait, and the breeding of precocious and delayed puberty roosters is an important selection strategy for broilers. The comb serves as an important secondary sexual characteristic of roosters and determines their sexual precocity. Moreover, comb development is closely associated with gonad development in roosters. However, the underlying molecular mechanism regulating the sexual maturity of roosters has not yet been fully explored. RESULTS: In order to identify the genes related to precocious puberty in Qingyuan partridge roosters, and based on the synchrony of testis and combs development, combined with histological observation and RNA-seq method, the developmental status and gene expression profile of combs and testis were obtained. The results showed that during the early growth and development period (77 days of age), the development of combs and testis was significant in the high comb (H) group versus the low comb (L) group (p < 0.05); however, the morphological characteristic of the comb and testicular tissues converged during the late growth and development period (112 days of age) in the H and L groups. Based on these results, RNA-sequencing analysis was performed on the comb and testis tissues of the 77 and 112 days old Qingyuan Partridge roosters with different comb height traits. GO and KEGG analysis enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were primarily enriched in MAPK signaling, VEGF signaling, and retinol metabolism pathways. Moreover, weighted correlation network analysis and module co-expression network analysis identified WNT6, AMH, IHH, STT3A, PEX16, KPNA7, CATHL2, ROR2, PAMR1, WISP2, IL17REL, NDRG4, CYP26B1, and CRHBP as the key genes associated with the regulation of precocity and delayed puberty in Qingyuan Partridge roosters. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we identified the key regulatory genes of sexual precocity in roosters, which provide a theoretical basis for understanding the developmental differences between precocious and delayed puberty in roosters.

Sesquiterpenoids from cigar tobacco leaves.

Phytochemical investigation on cigar tobacco leaves led to four unknown sesquiterpenoids as well as nine reported ones. Among of them, 3-acetoxy-ß-damascone was first found in tobacco leaves. All the structures were elucidated by intensive spectroscopic analyses and X-ray diffraction. The relationship between the newly isolates and known ones was tried to describe.

Ancient mitochondrial genome depicts sheep maternal dispersal and migration in Eastern Asia.

Sheep have been one of the most important groups of animals since ancient times. However, the knowledge of their migration routes and genetic relationships is still poorly understood. To investigate sheep maternal migration histories alongside Eurasian communications routes, in this study, we obtain mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from 17 sheep remains in 6 Chinese sites and 1 Uzbekistan site dated 4429-3100 years before present (BP). By obtaining the mitogenomes from the sheep (4429-3556 BP) found in the Tongtian Cave site in Xinjiang, Altai region of northwest China, our results support the emergence of haplogroup C sheep in Xinjiang as early as 4429-3556 BP. The combined phylogenetic analyses with extant ancient and modern sheep mitogenomes suggest that the Uzbekistan-Altai region may have been a migration hub for early sheep in eastern Asia. At least two migration events have taken place for sheep crossing Eurasia to China, one passing by Uzbekistan and Northwest China to the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River at approximately 4000 BP and another following the Altai region to middle Inner Mongolia from 4429 BP to 2500 BP. Overall, this study provides further evidence for early sheep utilization and migration patterns in Eastern Asia.

[The research progress of high altitude environment-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and therapeutic drugs].

The plateau environment is characterized by low oxygen, low air pressure, low temperature, and strong ultraviolet rays, etc. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable chronic lung disease. High altitude environment increases COPD prevalence, clinical manifestation and mortality. The therapeutic window of theophylline drugs for COPD is narrow, and the high altitude environment has an influence on the pharmacokinetics of the drugs. This review summarizes the differences in the prevalence, mortality, clinical manifestation and clinical symptoms of COPD in the plateau and plain, providing a basis for identifying the risk factors of COPD in the plateau areas. The effects of plateau hypoxic environment on the pharmacokinetics of COPD drugs were also discussed. It can provide a rationale for more effective prevention and treatment of COPD at high altitude.

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Mailuo Shutong Pills on posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats based on intestinal flora and intestinal metabolism].

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Mailuo Shutong Pills(MLST) on posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. The rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a low-dose MLST group(1.8 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), a high-dose MLST group(3.6 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a positive drug group(60 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) Maizhiling Tablets). The femur in the sham operation group was exposed and the wound was sutured, while the other four groups underwent mechanical damage to cause femur fracture. The rats were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage 7 days before modeling and 5 days after modeling, while those in the sham operation group and the model group were given an equivalent dose of distilled water by gavage. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to detect the pathological injury of the posterior limb muscle tissues in rats, and the degree of hind limb swelling was measured. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) kit was used to detect the expression levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum of rats in each group. The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), catalase(CAT), and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) in rat serum was also measured. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), and nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2) in rat posterior limb muscle tissues. The changes in the intestinal flora and intestinal metabolites in rats were detected by 16S rDNA sequencing and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), respectively, to explore the underlying mechanism of MLST in treating posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. Compared with the model group, MLST significantly improved the degree of posterior limb swelling in rats, reduced the levels of serum inflammatory factors, and alleviated oxidative stress injury. The HE staining results showed that the inflammatory infiltration in the posterior limb muscle tissues of rats in the MLST groups was significantly improved. Western blot results showed that MLST significantly increased the protein expression of HO-1, NQO1, and Nrf2 in rat posterior limb muscle tissues compared with the model group. The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that MLST improved the disorder of intestinal flora in rats after femur fracture. The UPLC-MS/MS results showed that MLST significantly affected the bile acid biosynthesis and metabolism pathway in the intestine after femur fracture, and the Spearman analysis confirmed that the metabolite deoxycholic acid involved in bile acid biosynthesis was positively correlated with the abundance of Turicibacter. The metabolite cholic acid was positively correlated with the abundance of Papilibacter, Staphylococcus, and Intestinimonas. The metabolite lithocholic acid was positively correlated with Papilibacter and Intestinimonas. The above results indicated that MLST could protect against the posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. This protective effect may be achieved by improving the pathological injury of the posterior limb muscle, reducing the expression levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related factors in serum, reducing the oxidative injury of the posterior limb muscle, improving intestinal flora, and balancing the biosynthesis of bile acids in the intestine.

Two Novel Iboga-Type and an Oxindole Glucuronide Alkaloid from Tabernaemontana peduncularis Disclose Related Biosynthetic Pathways to Tabernaemontana divaricata.

Phytochemical investigation of the two Tabernaemontana species (Apocynaceae) T. peduncularis Wall. and T. divaricata (L.) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult. indicated closely related biosynthetic pathways leading to lipophilic and hydrophilic alkaloids. In total, 18 specialized metabolites comprising indole-derived alkaloid aglycones, three oxindole-derived alkaloid glycosides, and two iridoid glucosides could be identified in the studied species. Among the alkaloids, the two Iboga-type alkaloids 3,7-coronaridine isoindolenine, coronaridine 3,4-iminium and a javaniside derivative bearing a glucuronic acid, named javanuronic acid, could be described by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods for the first time. A docking experiment using alpha-fold was performed to generate a protein model of the enzyme 7-deoxyloganetic acid glucosyl transferase. Performed bioassays exhibited a growth reduction of neonate Spodoptera littoralis larvae and reduced cell viability of HepG2 cells of the extracts containing Iboga alkaloids, whilst the javaniside derivatives containing hydrophilic fraction did not show any effects. These findings indicate a high flexibility in the formation of bioactive indole alkaloid aglycones by Tabernaemontana species and also evidence similar accumulation trends in both species as well as indicate that biosynthetic routes leading to oxindole alkaloids like javanisides are more widespread than reported. Furthermore, the incorporation of the three novel compounds into potential biosynthetic pathways is discussed.

Compared to antibiotic, feeding peony byproducts can improve growth performance, rumen fermentation, slaughter parameters, and meat quality of lambs.

Our objective was to determine effects of feeding lamb's peony byproducts, including stem and leaves (PSL), root (PR), and seeds meal (PSM), on growth, rumen fermentation, slaughter parameters, and meat quality. Sixty-four lambs (14.0 ± 2.1 kg) were allocated into eight treatments based on BW: no additives (CON), 0.15% aureomycin (CONA), low/high levels of PSL (5%/10% PSL replaced 5%/10% Chinese hay), PR (basal diet with 0.5%/1.0% PR), PSM (5%/10% PSM replaced 5%/10% soybean meal). Growth, digestibility, and rumen fermentation had dose responses whereas slaughter parameters, meat quality, or amino acids indexes were not. Peony byproducts increased DMI (p < 0.001) compared to CON, but higher levels were more advantageous (p = 0.003). However, low levels of peony byproducts decreased the NH3 -N concentration, but increased total volatile fatty acids mole percent more than high levels of that (p < 0.001). All peony byproducts increased dressing percentage (p < 0.05), increased pH and tenderness than CON (p < 0.05). In addition, PSL and PSM improved amino acid profiles of meat compared to CON, and were even better than CONA (p < 0.05). Therefore, peony byproducts not only improved animal growth but also reduced the frequency of antibiotic use in animal feeding.