Deconstructive Reading of Snowed Up: A Mistletoe Story

Snowed Up:A Mistletoe Story,a previously unpublished short story of Richard Jefferies,has been studied from many different approaches,but few papers discuss it from the perspective of Deconstruction.This paper will deconstruct Snowed Up:A Mistletoe Story from three binary oppositions:1) the upper class and the lower class;2) nature and civilization;3) Edie' s inner voice and her actual behavior.Besides,this paper will also try to deconstruct the traditional patriarchy through Edie ' s papa.Analyzing this novel from deconstructive approach will provide readers a deep insight into Richard Jefferies work.

Main immunomodulatory constituents of Eastern Nigeria Mistletoe,Loranthus micranthus Linn

Objective:In our continued efforts to isolate the active immunomodulatory and antiviral constituents of Loranthus micranthus Linn parasitic on Kola acuminata,we set out to fractionate the crude aqueous methanol extract of the plant.The establishment of the most potent fraction(s) as well as the isolation of the pure active secondary metabolite responsible for the immune stimulatory and antiviral activities in Eastern Nigeria mistletoe has become very needful.This will enable us prove our assumption that this particular specie is different from the European version,Viscum album.Methods:Five solvents of varying polarity namely n-hexane,chloroform, ethylacetate,acetone and methanol were successively employed in the complete fractionation of the crude aqueous -methanol extract of Eastern Nigerian mistletoe,Loranthus micranthus Linn.,harvested from Kola acuminata in that order.The fractions were dried in-vacuo using a rotary evaporator maintained at a temperature of(40±5)℃.The different fractions were screened for immunomodulatory activity using a universal model:the cellular - mediated delayed type hypersensivity test in experimental mice.This was performed by administering two different dose levels:250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of each fraction against standard positive and negative control. Results:Results of the study established dose-dependent immunostimulatory(upregulatory) effects of the five fractions of the extract as the model used in the study with different percentage stimulations compared to controls.At the dose levels of 500 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg body weight,the percentage stimulation observed were as following:chloroform fraction 311.11%and 122.22%,ethyl acetate fraction 193.38%and 95. 56%,n-hexane 155.56%and 3.50%,acetone fraction 95.56%and 51.11%and methanol fraction 68. 89%and 24.44%respectively.Levamisole,a known potent immunostimulant,afforded a stimulation of 68. 89%at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg.Conclusion:The study showed that the order of immunomodulatory potency is chloroform fraction > ethylacetate fraction > hexane fraction > acetone fraction > methanol fraction.Bioassayguided fractionation and purification of the active extracts led to the isolation of pure compounds phytochemically characterized as sterols and flavonoids.This work indicates that the main constituents of our local mistletoe responsible for immunostimulation are the flavonoids,terpenoids and or steroids.Glycosides,carbohydrates, tannins and alkaoids appear to augment the measured activities.

Methanolic extract of African mistletoe(Viscum album) improves carbohydrate metabolism and hyperlipidemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Objective:To justify the use of African mistletoe(AM) Viscum album {V.album) in folkoric medicine to treat diabetes.Methods:In one experiment,the fasting blood glucose(FBG) leveb of diabetic rats were monitored for 4 h.Diabetic rats were treated with AM at doses of 50 mg/kg(AM1) and 100 mg/kg(AM2),glibenclamide(GB)(positive control) and saline solution(SS).In another experiment,diabetic rats were treated with AM2,GB and SS daily for 3 weeks.Results:AM1 and AM2 elicited significant(P【0.05) hypoglycaemic effects within 4 h of extract administration. AM1 and AM2 decreased the FBG by 41%and 49%,respectively,at 2 h.AM2 was found to lower FBC by 51%,relative to baseline,which was comparable to GB at 3 h.In the second experiment, AM2 and GB significantly(P【0.05) decreased the FBG by 34%and 51%,respectively.This was followed by marked decrease in levels of HbAlC in AM2- and GB- treated diabetic rats.AM2 significantly(P【0.05) decreased the STZ-induced increase in levels of serum triglyceride,urea, lactate dehydrogenase,α-amylase and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.Furthermore, diabetic rats treated with AM2 had significanlly(P【0.05) elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In contrast,STZ administration produced insignificant(P【0.05) effect on the levels of serum creatinine and total bilirubin.Conclusions:Extract of African mistletoe has anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects in STZ-diabetic rats.AM may find clinical application in the amelioration of diabetes-induced lipid disorders.

Immunomodulatory activity of a lupane triterpenoid ester isolated from the eastern Nigeria mistletoe,Loranthus micranthus(Linn)

Objective:To provide further evidence for the ethnomedicinal use of the Eastern Nigeria mistletoe,Loranthus micranthus(L.micranthus),as an immunostimulant.Methods:Solvent fractions from the crude extract of the mistletoe plant was obtained and screened by the cell mediated delayed type hypersensitivity reaction(DTHR) model in mice.Then the immunomodulatory potentials of a major lupane triterpenoid ester isolated from an active hexane fraction of the Eastern Nigeria mistletoe was investigated.Three lupeol-based triterpenoid esters: 7β15α-dihydroxyl-lup-20(29)-ene-3β-palmitate(Ⅰ),7β,15α-dihydroxyl-lup-20(29)- ene-3β-stearate(Ⅱ) and 7β,15α-dihydroxyl-lup-20(29)-ene-3β-decadecanoate(Ⅲ) were isolated from the plant leaves epiphyting on a local kola nut tree and were characterized. Compound 1 was subjected to cell proliferation studies using C57H1/6 splenocvtes at three dose levels(5.25 and 100μg/mL) in presence of controls.Furthermore,the effect of this compound on IL-8 receptor expression was evaluated at three doses(1,5 and 10μg/mL) using the real time polymerase chain reaction assay.Results:This triterpenoid ester produced some enhancement of the splenocytes at the tested doses but at doses higher than 5μg/mL caused inhibition of the IL-8 receptor expression.Conclusions:The present findings support the ethnomedicinal use of the Eastern Nigeria Mistletoe in the management of diseases affecting the immune system.The trilerpenoid(s) have some immunomodulatory abilities on splenocytes and IL-8 receptors and may partly account lor the overall immunomodulatory activity of this plant.

New Polypeptides from Chinese Mistletoe, Viscum coloratum (Kom.) Nakai

Three viscotoxins have been isolated from Chinese mistletoe, Viscum coloratura （Kom.） Nakai. The primary structures were determined unambiguously by the combination of Edman degradation, endoproteinase Elu-c digestion, and Q-TOF mass spectrometry. One was identified as viscotoxin C1, which was for the first time isolated from Chinese mistletoe. The other two were new polypeptides, named as viscotoxin B5 and viscotoxin B8. Pharmacological studies showed that the polypeptides exhibit distinct cytotoxicity to human cancer cells.

Immunomodulation and Nigerian mistletoe immunomodulatory activities of n-hexane and methanol extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn,parasitic on Parkia biglobosa.

Loranthus micranthus is the species of mistletoe peculiar to the eastern province of Nigeria.It has been shown to possess anti-diabetic,anumotility,antimicrobial and antihypertensive activities which are host-tree dependent. The antimicrobial activity was found to vary with the season during which the plant was harvested.We are of the opinion that this species should possess immunomodulating potentials as have been reported for the European species,Viscum album.In our efforts to establish the bio-activities and active principles in our local mistletoe, the immunomodulatory activity of n-hexane and methanol extracts from Loranthus micranthus parasitic on Persea americana was assessed at three dose levels ranging from 100 to 400 mg/kg body weight using delayed type hypersensitivity reaction(DTHR) and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression models in mice.This was compared with responses from a standard immunostimulatory drug,levamisole.Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the plant showed the presence of tannins,flavonoids,alkaloids,terpenoids,carbohydrates and saponins.Regression analysis indicated a dose-dependent response relationship in the parameters measured with over 170%increase for both extracts at the highest dose level.The one way ANOVA test showed significant variation in the parameters between the controls and the different dose levels.However,at 95%confidence level,(P【0.05),there was no statistically significant difference between the two extracts, an indication that the active immunomodulant(s) could be both in the polar and non-polar crude extract.In conclusion,the present results have established some immune stimulating actions of the Eastern Nigeria mistletoe, Loranthus micranthus thus indicating that this variant of the semi parasitic plant holds a strong promise as an immunostimulatory candidate.There is therefore,a basis for further detailed investigation on the fractions and specific constituents.Thus,these extracts from Loranthus micranthus possess pronounced immune stimulating action comparable to Levamisole in mouse-based models.

Modeling the dynamics of a spruce forest and dwarf mistletoe population:a coupled system

The parasitic plant dwarf mistletoe(Arceuthobium) is currently one of the most threatening infestations of coniferous forests worldwide,especially in Eurasia and North America,but its population dynamics in relation to one of its hosts(spruce) remain unclear.Here,toward understanding the population dynamics,differential equations were used to construct a life history model for the two populations,and two relatively independent subsystems,host and parasite,were generated from their symbiotic relationships.A suspected-infection model was used to couple them.The resulting models were used to analyze structural changes in the forest.When each infected spruce was assumed to support 1000 parasite shoots,the spruce population first increased rapidly,then slows.When 2000 parasite shoots were assumed,the forest declined dramatically,slipping to zero in the 10 th year,and the spruce seedlings were unable to regenerate.Parasite shoot population curves transformed from exponential J-shapes to logistic S-shapes,reaching population limitations as germination rates changed.These results provide important clues to understanding developmental trends of the present parasite population and will assist in reconstructing invasion histories.

Effect of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose on dry eye in postmenopausal women

AIM： To investigate the protective effect of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops on dry eye in postmenopausal women.METHODS： Sixty postmenopause female patients diagnosed of dry eye were assigned randomly to mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops treatment group（n=30） and control group treated with normal saline eye drops（n=30）. The subjective symptoms of ocular surface, Ocular Surface Disease Index（OSDI）, tear film function tests, tear protein and corneal morphology by confocal scanning microscopy were analyzed before treatment and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 wk after treatment respectively. To ensure the safety of the trial, all patients were examined with systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, urine creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen at 8 wk after treatment.RESULTS： There were no obvious differences between two groups before the treatment（P〉0.05）. In two months after the treatment, the symptoms of ocular surface, OSDI, tear protein, and tear film function were only slightly changed in normal saline eye drops group. However, all indices were improved after the treatment of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops group（P〈0.05）. In addition, the average amount of corneal epithelium basal cells and inflammatory cells of mistletoe treated group were 3174±379 and 38±25 cells/mm2, significantly decreased as compared to the control group with 4309±612 and 158± 61 cells/mm2, respectively. In the control group, althoughnerves still maintained straight under corneal epithelium, the number of nerves were significantly decreased, as compared with normal female. In the mistletoe treated group, the number of nerves was only slightly reduced, compared with normal female.CONCLUSION： Mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops can alleviate the symptoms and signs of dry eye symptoms.

Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes,and the defense responses of host plants

Background:Mistletoes are the most successful group of obligatory hemi-parasitic flowering plants that attach to the host via haustorium for obtaining water and minerals.This review aims to assess the current knowledge on mistle-toes host plant recognition,haustorium formation,water/minerals acquisition,and host plants’defense signaling and responses against mistletoe attack.Results:Some mistletoes are host-specific while others are generalists occurring on a wide range of vascular plants.The host nitrogen(N)content,parasite–host chemical interactions,compatibility,and dispersal agents are the main determinant factors for host specificity.Mistletoes take up substantial amounts of water and minerals passively via apoplastic routes,and most are xylem feeders,but could shift to phloem-feeding during the physiological stress of the host plants.Current evidence highlighted that cell wall loosening and modification are critical during the development of the haustorium in the host tissue.This is made possible by the application of physical pressures by the developing haustorium and cell wall degradation using enzymes(xyloglucan endotransglycosylases,glucanase,expansins,etc.)produced by the mistletoe.Host plants defend against mistletoe infection mechanically by producing spines,lignin,suberin,etc.,which discourages dispersers,and chemically defend by killing the infector or inhibiting the establishment of the haustorium using their secondary metabolites such as terpenes,phenolics,and N-containing compounds.Although the host plants’response to mistletoe attack resembles the response to other biotic stresses,unlike short-term stressors,the effect of mistletoe attack is long-term and depends on the parasite load.Infection by mistletoe leads to water and nutrient stress of the host plant and deteriorates its healthy establishment and survival.Conclusion:Mistletoes are heterogeneous group in the order Santalales which have versatile mechanisms for pollination,seed dispersal and nutrient acquisition from host plants.Infection by mistletoes triggers host plant responses,varying from mechanical to chemical mechanisms which are analogous to herbivory defences,and negatively impacts host plant growth and reproduction.

Inhibitory Effects of Mistletoe Alkali on Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cells

Mistletoe alkali plays an important role in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma（SACC） cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. Mistletoe alkali shows potent anticaner property. In this paper, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence staining were employed to evaluate the expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear anti- gen（PCNA）, Caspase 3, Caspase 8 and Caspase 9. Apoptosis was detected by acridine orange/ethidium bromide （AO/EB） staining, cell invasion ability was assessed by Boyden Chamber assay. Pretreatment with mistletoe alkali markedly decreased PCNA expression in SACC cells in a dose-dependent manner（P〈0.001） and also led to increase the expression of Caspase 3, Caspase 8 and Caspase 9 in SACC cells compared with control group（P〈0.001）. Number of apoptotic cells increased dramatically in mistletoe alkali group（P〈0.001）. In Boyden Chamber assay, mistletoe al- kali treatment could inhibit SACC ceils to penetrate the artificial basement membrane compared with control group（P〈0.01）. Mistletoe alkali remarkably inhibited the proliferation and invasion of SACC cells and induced the apoptosis of SACC cells. These results provide an insight into the mechanisms of anticancer effects of mistletoe alka- li, and highlight the potential clinical application of it.

Unravelling host-mediated effects on hemiparasitic Mexican mistletoe Psittacanthus calyculatus(DC.)G.Don traits linked to mutualisms with pollinators and seed dispersers

Aims While the influence of mistletoe-host interactions on each other’s evolution is well-recognized,the role of interactions between mis-tletoes and its mutualistic pollinators and seed dispersers mediated by host species is relatively unexplored.Methods Here,we examine the effects of host species(Mexican hawthorn Crataegus mexicana DC,black cherry Prunus serotina Ehrh.,leather-leaf Mexican oak Quercus crassipes Bonpl.)on flower morphology,nectar production,pollinator visitation rate and female reproduct-ive fitness in hemiparasitic Mexican mistletoe Psittacanthus caly-culatus(DC.)G.Don(Loranthaceae)populations at three different locations.We first measured the lengths of corolla,style,stamen,exerted stamen and anther,the length and width of the ovary and nectar availability for mistletoe flowers in natural populations.Then,we evaluated flower visitation and measured(length and width)and weighed the fruits and its seeds of mistletoes growing on each of the three host species.Finally,we evaluated the effects of host species,location and flower traits on fruit or seed size variation(both as proxies of reproductive fitness).Important Findings We found mistletoes growing on natural hosts P.serotina and Q.crassipes produced larger flowers,fruits and seeds than mistle-toes on cultivated C.mexicana.However,these differences varied across space.The amount of available nectar and hummingbird vis-itation rates in flowers of mistletoes on C.mexicana was higher at the three sites than in flowers of mistletoes on P.serotina or Q.cras-sipes.The effects of host species,study site and floral trait covariates affected significantly all fitness measures,indicating that mistletoes’reproductive fitness is affected differently depending on the host species and their site of occurrence.These host-associated differ-ences in reproduction might have implications for interactions with mutualistic vectors.

Proximate and mineral components of Viscum album var. coloratum grown on eight different host tree species

Mistletoes are parasite plants growing on various tree species,taking nutrients from the host.Beneficial compounds of mistletoe were used in medicine and these mistletoes were commonly collected from oak species that were not well identified.We analyzed the nutritional value by measuring proximate and mineral components of Korean mistletoe(Viscum album var.coloratum)from various host trees.Carbohydrate was the most proximate component in both leaves and twigs followed crude protein,crude fiber,crude ash and crude fat.While the contents of the proximate components and minerals varied among hosts and between plant parts,leaves contained higher crude protein and ash,and more minerals except for magnesium than twigs,although no significant difference was found inmistletoe grown on Prunus mandshurica.There were significant differences of proximate and mineral contents depending on the host species.Mistletoe grown on Chaenomeles sinensis contained higher levels of carbohydrates,crude fat,crude ash,magnesium,calcium,sodium,iron,and zinc than mistletoe grown on other species.Mistletoe grown on P.mandshurica contained high mineral levels of potassium,copper and phosphorous.The nutritional value of mistletoes were greatly influenced by the host species but among the hosts,specific nutrients accumulated in leaves more than in twigs,and vice versa.Based on the analysis,Korean mistletoe contains relatively good quality of nutrients and has high potential for dietary supplements as well as for medicinal compounds.