Secofumitremorgins C and D, a pair of atropisomers from saltern-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus GXIMD00544.

A pair of atropisomers secofumitremorgins C (1a) and D (1b), together with fifteen known alkaloids (2-16), were isolated from a saltern-derived fungus Aspergillus fumigatus GXIMD00544. The structures of atropisomers 1a and 1b were elucidated by the detailed spectroscopic data, chemical reaction and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 1 and 8 displayed antifungal spore germination effects against plant pathogenic fungus associated with sugarcane Fusarium sp. with inhibitory rates of 53% and 77% at the concentration of 100 µM, repectively. Atropisomers 1 also exhibited antifouling potential against Balanus amphitrite larval settlement with an inhibitory rate of 96% at the concentration of 100 µM.

Carneusones A-F, Benzophenone Derivatives from Sponge-Derived Fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543.

Six benzophenone derivatives, carneusones A-F (1-6), along with seven known compounds (7-13) were isolated from a strain of sponge-derived marine fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543. Their chemical structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity on NO secretion using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with EC50 values of 34.6 ± 0.9, 20.2 ± 1.8, and 26.8 ± 1.7 µM, while 11 showed potent effect with an EC50 value of 2.9 ± 0.1 µM.

Comprehensive molecular and morphological analysis of Brachystemmacalycinum and Stellariaovatifolia in the tribe Alsineae (Caryophyllaceae).

Over the course of the recent decade, the composition of Alsineae has been drastically changed by means of molecular phylogeny. However, the genus Brachystemma has not been sampled in any of the previous studies, and its phylogenetic position is still pending. In addition, the related species Stellariaovatifolia, which has at times been placed in Brachystemma, Schizotechium, or Stellaria, has also not been sampled. Here, nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and four plastid regions (trnL-F, matK, rbcL, rps16) were used to conduct phylogenetic analyses within Caryophyllaceae and the tribe Alsineae. Ancestral characters (petal margin and number of seeds) were reconstructed in the tribe Alsineae based on the phylogenetic results. Our results indicate that Brachystemma is nested in the tribe Alsineae and forms a monophylum with S.ovatifolia, and apically lobed petals and numerous seeds may be the ancestral characters in the tribe Alsineae. Based on our study, Stellariaovatifolia should be considered within Brachystemma, and Brachystemma is clearly a separate genus and now includes two species.

Why is the beautyberry so colourful? Evolution, biogeography, and diversification of fruit colours in Callicarpa (Lamiaceae).

Fruit colour is essential to seed dispersal, speciation, and biological diversity in global ecosystems. The relationship between fruit-colour variation and species diversification has long been of interest in evolutionary biology, but remains poorly understood at the genus level. Here, we used Callicarpa, a typical representative of pantropical angiosperm, to analyse whether fruit colours are correlated with biogeographic distribution, dispersal events, and diversification rate. We estimated a time-calibrated phylogeny for Callicarpa and reconstructed ancestral fruit colour. Utilizing phylogenetic methods, we estimated the major dispersal events across the phylogenetic tree and the most likely fruit colours related to each dispersal event, and tested whether the dispersal frequencies and distances of the four fruit colours between major biogeographical areas were equal. We then tested whether fruit colours are correlated with latitude, elevation, and diversification rate. Biogeographical reconstructions showed that Callicarpa originated in the East Asia and Southeast Asia during the Eocene (∼35.53 Ma) and diverse species diverged mainly in the Miocene and lasted into the Pleistocene. Large-scale dispersal events were significantly associated with violet-fruited lineages. Furthermore, different fruit colours were markedly correlated with different latitudes and elevations (e.g., violet fruits were correlated with higher latitudes and elevations; red fruits and black fruits with lower latitudes; white fruits with higher elevations). Notably, violet fruits were statistically associated with highest diversification rates, driving fruit colour variation among different regions globally. Our results contribute to further understanding why fruit colour is so variable at the genus level of angiosperms in different areas around the world.

Education and Quality of Life: Does the Internet Matter in China?

The internet has influenced human wellbeing through social networking, time-saving, diffusion of knowledge, and access to health information. Health is a key component of human quality of life. This study examines the nexus between education, the internet, and quality of life using data from China spanning the period from 1991 to 2020. The study used ARDL to examine the short and long-term, exploring education and the impact of the internet on quality of life. Education status plays a significant role in promoting quality of life in the short and long term. The empirical findings show the significant positive impact of the internet and ICT on quality of life in the short and long-run. Financial development and FDI improve the quality of life in the long-term in China. Based on these results, policymakers in China should develop the ICT infrastructure and human capital to support increased quality of life.

Role of political risk to achieve carbon neutrality: Evidence from Brazil.

The current research assesses the impact of political risk on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Brazil while controlling the role of financial development, GDP growth, trade openness, and technological innovation. In doing so, the quarterly dataset from 1990 to 2018 is utilized with Bayer and Hanck cointegration, dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) and canonical correlation regression (CCR), and frequency-domain causality tests. The cointegration test revealed a long-run association amongst the variables of interest. Furthermore, the outcomes from the DOLS and CCR revealed that increasing financial development, technological innovation, trade openness, and real growth increase CO2 emissions while a better political environment reduces environmental pollution.

Does green investment, financial development and natural resources rent limit carbon emissions? A provincial panel analysis of China.

This study investigates the role of natural resources rent, green investment, financial development and energy consumption in mitigation of carbon emissions to achieve sustainable development goal of a clean environment by using the panel data of 30 provinces of China from 1995 to 2017. This study employs novel cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) methodology to find the long and short-run impact of the variables of the study on carbon emission, where CS-ARDL estimates confirm the positive impact of energy consumption and financial development on carbon emissions (CO2). Moreover, green investment is negatively linked to CO2, whereas national natural resources rent is positively associated with carbon emissions. Similarly, augmented mean group and common correlated effect mean group methods provide supportive results for CS-ARDL estimates. This study recommends strengthening of national natural tax law, promotion of green investment and environmental-friendly policies to control carbon emissions.

Electrocardiographic characteristics in young male patients with left primary spontaneous pneumothorax estimated by the collins equation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the 12-lead surface electrocardiographic (ECG) findings in young male patients with left primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) estimated by the Collins equation. METHODS: From 2003 through 2008, 60 young male patients who had left PSP and 61 age-matched unaffected males were included for 12-lead ECG analyses. The PSP size was estimated by the Collins equation. Those with left PSP were divided into two groups: 1) large PSP ≥30% (n=37), and 2) small PSP <30% (n=23). The ECG in the unaffected was used as the normal control. Baseline demographic, anthropometric, and electrocardiographic findings including heart rate, P-QRS-T axes, wave intervals, and RS voltages were compared among three groups. RESULTS: As compared to the unaffected, patients with left PSP had faster heart rate, longer QTc interval, greater QRS and T axes. With regard to RS amplitudes, greater R in lead aVR and V1, and deeper S in lead II indicating predominant rightward forces, and smaller R in lead I and V3-V6 indicating inferior leftward forces were present in patients with left PSP. Of these ECG findings, heart rate, S voltage in lead II and R voltage in V1 in the large PSP but not in the small PSP had greater values than that in the unaffected group. CONCLUSION: Among young male patients with left PSP estimated by the Collins method, the ECG showed faster heart beat and predominant rightward forces especially for those with large PSP.

Nocardioides sonneratiae sp. nov., an endophytic actinomycete isolated from a branch of Sonneratia apetala.

A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic non-spore-forming and short-rod-shaped endophytic actinomycete was isolated from a branch of Sonneratia apetala, designated strain BGMRC0092T and investigated in detail data to determine its taxonomic position. On the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the results of the phylogenetic analyses indicated that BGMRC0092T was most closely related to Nocardioides alpinus Cr7-14T (96.9 %), Nocardioides oleivorans DSM16090T (96.4 %) and Nocardiodes exalbidus RC825T (96.3 %). The predominant cellular fatty acids of BGMRC0092T were iso-C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω8c. The major menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant cell-wall sugars were composed of galactose, mannose, rhamnose and xylose. The polar lipid pattern contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, one unknown phospholipid and three unknown polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 69.3 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and the results of phylogenetic analysis, BGMRC0092T represents a novel species of the genus Nocardioides, for which the name Nocardioides sonneratiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Nocardioides sonneratiae BGMRC0092T (=KCTC 39565T=NBRC 110251 T=DSM 100390T).

[Study on Chemical Constituents from Hypocotyls of Mangrove Bruguiera gymnorrhiza].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents from the hypocotyls of mangrove Bruguiera gymnorrhiza. METHODS: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by recrystallization, silica gel column chromatography and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literatures. RESULTS: Seven compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as 3-ß-(Z)-coumaroyllupeol (1), dioslupecin (2), cholesterol (3), menisdaurillide (4), aquilegiolide (5) vomifoliol (6) and roseoside II (7). CONCLUSION: Compounds 1,2 and 4 - 7 are isolated from this plant for the first time.

New antioxidative secondary metabolites from the fruits of a Beibu Gulf mangrove, Avicennia marina.

Further chemical investigation of the fruits of the mangrove, Avicennia marina, afforded three new phenylethyl glycosides, marinoids J-L (1-3), and a new cinnamoyl glycoside, marinoid M (4). The structures of isolates were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of the data with those of related secondary metabolites. The antioxidant activity of the isolates was evaluated using the cellular antioxidant assay (CAA), and compounds 1-4 showed antioxidant activities, with EC50 values ranging from 23.0 ± 0.71 µM to 247.8 ± 2.47 µM.

[Quality improvement on acupuncture intervention report: application and perfection of STRICTA].

ABSTRACT Clinical application of standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture (STRICTA) is introduced in this article, and improving opinions are proposed as well. STRICTA has already been extensively applied in designation of acupuncture clinical trials, composition of articles and quality assessment of acupuncture literature. According to the present version of STRICTA, it is suggested that items such as "standards and methods on acupoint selection and location", "angle and direction of needle insertion" and "whether the subjects ever have been acupunctured" should be further perfected. Individuated treat protocols which is highlighted on treatment according to differentiation of syndromes according to different opportunities and stages of diseases should be promoted so as to give better expression to the characteristics of Chinese medicine and enhance the clinical value of the relative literature.

[Analysis on characteristics of meridians and acupoints of acupuncture and moxibustion for diarrhea in ancient based on data mining].

The data in literature of acupuncture and moxibustion on treatment of diarrhea from pre-Qin period to Qing dynasty was collected to establish prescription database and characteristics and rules of ancient acupuncture and moxibustion for diarrhea were analyzed with data mining technology. Totally 235 papers were collected and 76 acupoints were involved with 439 times of selection. The number and times of special acupoints were 72.37% (55/76) and 76.99% (338/439), respectively, which was more seen in front-mu acupoint and back-shu acupoint. The acupoints were distributed among 11 meridians. Moxibustion was applied in 53 papers while combination of acupuncture and moxibustion was used in 1 literature. As a result, acupuncture and moxibustion for diarrhea in ancient pay much attention on acupoint in back and abdomen, in which Tianshu (ST 25), Shen-que (CV 8), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Dachangshu (BL 25) were the most frequently used. The compatibility of front-mu acupoint and back-shu acupoint was very common. Selection of special acupoint was dominant. Besides crossing points that has the most intersection of meridian qi in the back and abdomen, acupoints below the elbow and knee joints, such as five-shu points, source point, luo-connecting point, eight confluence point and lower he-sea point were also taken into account. As for compatibility of special acupoints, the supportive degree between back-shu acupoint and confluence points or front-mu acupoint was the highest; the selections of meridians mainly were Bladder Meridian, Conception Vessel and Spleen Meridian; and application of moxibustion was highly valued. In conclusion, it is feasible to apply data mining technology to the clinical literature research of ancient acupuncture and moxibustion, which can provide evidence for summary of the traditional classical theory.

Two new lignans from the stems of Schisandra bicolor.

Two new lignans, named zuihonins E (1) and F (2), were isolated from the stems of Schisandra bicolor Cheng var. tuberculata Law. The structures of the new lignans were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR, and MS experiments, and their absolute stereochemistry was determined by circular dichroism spectrum. Compounds 1 and 2 did not inhibit the growth of hepatoma carcinoma cell (HepG2), lung carcinoma cell (A549), and human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines.

Interaction of pseudolaric acid B with the colchicine site of tubulin.

We purified pseudolaric acid B (PAB) from the root and stem bark of Pseudolarix kaempferi (Lindl.) Gorden. Confirming previous findings, we found that the compound had high nanomolar IC50 antiproliferative effects in several cultured cell lines, causing mitotic arrest and the disappearance of intracellular microtubules. PAB strongly inhibited tubulin assembly (IC50, 1.1 µM) but weakly inhibited the binding of colchicine to tubulin, as demonstrated by fluorescence and with [³H]colchicine. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that the mechanism of inhibition was competitive, with an apparent K(i) of 12-15 µM. Indirect studies demonstrated that PAB bound rapidly to tubulin and dissociated more rapidly from tubulin than the colchicine analog 2-methoxy-5-(2',3',4'-trimethoxyphenyl)tropone, whose complex with tubulin is known to have a half-life of 17s at 37 °C. We modeled PAB into the colchicine site of tubulin, using the crystal structure 1SA0 that contains two αß-tubulin heterodimers, both bound to a colchicinoid and to a stathmin fragment. The binding model of PAB revealed common pharmacophoric features between PAB and colchicinoids, not readily apparent from their chemical structures.