Nine compounds from the root bark of Lycium chinense and their anti-inflammatory activities

Two new compounds, named lyciumlignan D(1) and lyciumphenyl propanoid A(2), along with seven known compounds, were isolated from the root bark of Lycium chinense. Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic data(UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, CD), as well as by comparison with those of the literature. Compounds 3–9 were isolated from this genus for the first time. In the in vitro assay, compounds 3, 6, and 7 exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory effects than the positive control curcumin at a concentration of 10 μmol/L.

Effects of cadmium,17 β-estradiol and their interaction in the male Chinese loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

To assess the interaction effect between cadmium (Cd) and 17-estradiol (E2),male Chinese loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) were exposed to E2 (1 g/L) and Cd (50 or 500 g/L) alone and in combination using a semi-static waterborne exposure system.The effects of E2 on the accumulation and distribution of Cd,as well as the effects of Cd on vitellogenin (Vtg) synthesis induced by E2,were investigated.Cd mainly accumulated in the kidneys,liver,intestines,and gills,with little amounts in muscles,bones,and gonads.Co-exposure with E2 did not change the main targets for Cd.E2 could induce Vtg synthesis in male Chinese loaches,and co-exposure with 50 or 500 g/L Cd could inhibit the Vtg induced by 1 g/L E2.Compared with the results reported in the literature,it can be concluded that factors such as fish species,Cd dosage,and manner of exposure might make contributions to the interaction between Cd and E2.Our results also suggested that male Chinese loaches are susceptible to Cd,and can be recommended as a potential sentinel species to study the ecotoxicology of heavy metals.

Oxidative capacities of size-segregated haze particles in a residential area of Beijing

The frequent haze days around the Chinese capital of Beijing in recent years have aroused great attention owing to the detrimental effects on visibility and public health. To discover the potential health effects of the haze, oxidative capacities of airborne particles collected in Beijing during haze and clear days were comparably assessed by a plasmid scission assay. Eleven water-soluble trace elements （As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Se, T1, and Zn） in the size-segregated airborne particles were quantitatively analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and most of the water- soluble trace elements were found to mainly concentrate in the fine particle size of 0.56-1.0 μm. In comparison with clear days, the mass concentrations of 11 analyzed water-soluble trace elements remarkably increased during haze days, and the oxidative capacities determined by the plasmid scission assay were markedly elevated accordingly during the haze days under the same dosage of particles as for those during clear days. Water-soluble trace elements in airborne particles, such as Cu, V, and particularly Zn, were found to have significantly positive correlations with the plasmid DNA damage rates. Because Cu, V, and Zn have been considered as bioavailable elements, the evident increase of these elements during haze days may be greatly harmful to human health.

A novel de novo mutation of ACTG1 in two sporadic non-syndromic hearing loss cases

Dear Editor,Actins are a family of essential cytoskeletal proteins involved in nearly all cellular processes（Lambrechts et al.,2004）.Of the six human genes that encode actins,only ACTG1and ACTB are ubiquitously expressed.ACTG1（OMIM#604717）,which is linked to the DFNA20/26 locus,wasidentified in autosomal dominant, non-syndromic hearing loss （NSHL） cases （Baek et al., 2012; Liu et al., 2008; Park et al., 2013; Yuan et al., 2016）. In addition, some ACTG1 （OMIM #614583） mutations are associated with Baraitser-Winter syndrome, which is characterized by developmental delay, facial dysmorphologies, brain malformations, colobomas, and variable hearing loss （Riviere et al., 2012）.