Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki extracts improve inflammatory response and lipid accumulation via PPARs activation.

Background/Introduction: At present, human diet is replete with sugar and fat. Abnormal metabolism and hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia in the body induces the development of an overactive and continuous inflammatory response, resulting in obesity and metabolic syndromes, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki (TC), a perennial creeping herbaceous plant, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb widely used for the treatment of heat stroke, aching muscles and bones, cold, dysentery, and ambustion. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the influence of TC on inflammation responses and lipid metabolism. METHODS: In this study, ground TC powder was extracted with 95% ethanol. The ethanol was removed by vacuum concentration, and the resulting extract was further extracted with a number of solvents of different polarity to produce four final extracts: an ethanol extract (TCEE), an ethyl acetate extract (TCEAE), an n-butanol extract (TCBUE), and a water extract (TCWE). The anti-inflammatory efficacy of the extracts and their capability for lipid metabolism regulation was then explored. RESULTS: TCEE, TCEAE, and TCBUE exhibited good anti-inflammatory efficacy; TCEAE also simultaneously regulated lipid metabolism. In RAW264.7 cells, these three extracts suppressed the expression of iNOS and IL-6 via the signaling pathway activation of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and thereby showed anti-inflammatory efficacy. In 3T3-L1 cells, these three extracts promoted lipid metabolism and reduced lipid accumulation through the activation of PPARα and the increased expression of adiponectin, thus demonstrating regulation of lipid metabolism. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that TC possesses anti-inflammatory efficacy and can regulate lipid metabolism through the activation of transcription factor PPARs. We speculate that these nutraceutical effects are attributable to betulin, an active ingredient in this herbal medicine.

[Three-dimensional morphological modeling and visualization of wheat root system].

Crop three-dimensional (3D) morphological modeling and visualization is an important part of digital plant study. This paper aimed to develop a 3D morphological model of wheat root system based on the parameters of wheat root morphological features, and to realize the visualization of wheat root growth. According to the framework of visualization technology for wheat root growth, a 3D visualization model of wheat root axis, including root axis growth model, branch geometric model, and root axis curve model, was developed firstly. Then, by integrating root topology, the corresponding pixel was determined, and the whole wheat root system was three-dimensionally re-constructed by using the morphological feature parameters in the root morphological model. Finally, based on the platform of OpenGL, and by integrating the technologies of texture mapping, lighting rendering, and collision detection, the 3D visualization of wheat root growth was realized. The 3D output of wheat root system from the model was vivid, which could realize the 3D root system visualization of different wheat cultivars under different water regimes and nitrogen application rates. This study could lay a technical foundation for further development of an integral visualization system of wheat plant.

CuCl catalyst heterogenized on diamide immobilized SBA-15 for efficient oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethylcarbonate.

CuCl has been successfully immobilized on a novel diamide modified SBA-15, and proven to be an efficient heterogenized catalyst for the oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethylcarbonate.