Three anti-inflammatory polysaccharides from Lonicera japonica Thunb.:insights into the structure-function relationships

This study demonstrates the feasibility of producing three polysaccharides(neutral LJP-1,acidic LJP-2 and acidic LJP-3)with significant in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities from the flowers of Lonicera japonica.The three polysaccharides differed in chemical composition,molecular weight(Mw)distribution,glycosidic linkage pattern,functional groups and morphology.They exhibited excellent protective effects(in a dose-dependent manner)in lipopolysaccharide-injured RAW264.7 macrophages and Cu SO4-damaged zebrafish via reducing NO production and inhibiting the overexpressions of inflammation-related transcription factors,inflammatory proteins and cytokines in the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways.Their antiinflammatory effects varied owing to their different molecular characteristics and chemical compositions.Overall,LJP-2 at 400μg/m L was the most effective.LJP-2 consisted mainly of→5)-α-L-Araf(1→,→4)-α-LGalp A(1→and→2)-α-L-Rhap(1→residues with terminal T-β-D-Glcp.Thus,honeysuckle flowers are good sources of anti-inflammatory polysaccharides,and precise fractionation enables the production of potent antiinflammatory agents for the development of functional foods and healthcare products.

Identification of different degrees of processed ginger using GC-IMS combined with machine learning

Ginger,the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe,was a wellknown edible plant species commonly used in China,which has pungent flavor[1].Ginger has numerous chemical compounds,such as phenolic constituents,volatile compounds(VOCs),and polysaccharides[2].Among them,VOCs are considered one of the effective compounds in ginger due to their functional properties,including anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,and analgesic[3].

Covalent organic nanospheres as a fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction of genotoxic impurities followed by analysis using GC-MS

Covalent organic nanospheres(CONs)were explored as a fiber coating for solid-phase microextraction of genotoxic impurities(GTIs)from active ingredients(AIs).CONs were synthesized by an easy solutionphase procedure at 25℃.The obtained nanospheres exhibited a high specific surface area,good thermostability,high acid and alkali resistance,and favorable crystallinity and porosity.Two types of GTIs,alkyl halides(1-iodooctane,1-chlorobenzene,1-bromododecane,1,2-dichlorobenzene,1-bromooctane,1-chlorohexane,and 1,8-dibromooctane)and sulfonate esters(methyl p-toluenesulfonate and ethyl ptoluenesulfonate),were chosen as target molecules for assessing the performance of the coating.The prepared coating achieved high enhancement factors(5097-9799)for the selected GTIs.The strong affinity between CONs and GTIs was tentatively attributed to π-π and hydrophobicity interactions,large surface area of the CONs,and size-matching of the materials.Combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS),the established analytical method detected the GTIs in capecitabine and imatinib mesylate samples over a wide linear range(0.2-200 ng/g)with a low detection limit(0.04-2.0 ng/g),satisfactory recovery(80.03%-109.5%),and high repeatability(6.20%-14.8%)and reproducibility(6.20%-14.1%).Therefore,the CON-coated fibers are promising alternatives for the sensitive detection of GTIs in AI samples.

Visualizing the spatial distribution and alteration of metabolites in continuously cropped Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge using MALDI-MSI

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge(SMB)has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Growing clinical usage has led to a huge demand for artificial planting of SMB.Thus,continuous cropping of SMB is an important challenge that needs to be addressed.Continuous cropping can alter the metabolic profile of plants,resulting in poor growth and low yield.In this study,we tried to image the spatial location and variation of endogenous metabolites in continuously cropped SMB using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging(MALDIMSI).Spatially resolved expressions of tanshinones,salvianolic acids,polyamines,phenolic acids,amino acids,and oligosaccharides in normal and continuously cropped SMB roots were compared.The expressions of dihydrotanshinone Ⅰ,tanshinone Ⅱ A,dehydromiltirone,miltirone,dehydrotanshinone ⅡA,spermine,salvianolic acid B/E,tetrasaccharide,and pentasaccharide in continuously cropped SMB roots were much lower than those in normal roots.There was little difference in the expressions of caffeic acid and salvianolic acid A in normal and continuously cropped SMB roots.Ferulic acid was more widely distributed in xylem of normal SMB but strongly expressed in xylem,phloem,and cambium of continuously cropped SMB.The spatially resolved metabolite information enhances our understanding of the metabolic signature of continuously cropped SMB and also provides insights into the metabolic effects of continuous cropping in other plants.

Separation and Purification of Acetophenones from Cynanchum bengei Decne Root Bark by Combination of Silica Gel and High-speed Counter-current Chromatography

[Objectives] To develop a method for separation and purification of acetophenones from Cynanchum bengei Decne root bark by combination of silica gel and high-speed counter-current chromatography( HSCCC). [Methods]The crude extract of Cynanchum bengei Decne root bark was separated by silica gel column chromatography,and parts A and B containing acetophenones were obtained. Then,parts A and B were separated by HSCCC with a two-phase solvent system composed of petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-methanol-water( 4∶ 6∶ 4. 5∶ 5. 5 and4∶ 6 ∶ 3 ∶ 7, V/V), respectively. [Results] From 260 mg of part A, four compounds with p-dihydroxybenzene 3. 9 mg(Ⅰ),4-hydroxyacetophenone 17. 1 mg( Ⅱ),2,5-di-hydroxyacetophenone 13. 3 mg(Ⅲ) and 2,4-dihydroxyaceto-phenone 21. 0 mg(Ⅳ) were obtained. And from 300 mg of part B,136 mg of Radix Cynanchi Bungei benzophenone(Ⅴ) was obtained. The purity of compounds determined by HPLC was 97. 0%,96. 6%,99. 2%,99. 7%,99. 5%,respectively. [Conclusions] The established method is simple and efficient. It can be used for separation of acetophenones from Cynanchum bengei Decne root bark and has better practical value,which could provide a reference basis for development and utilization of Cynanchum bengei Decne root bark.

Factors affecting hydraulic conductivity and methods to measure in plants

The plant hydraulic network faces several challenges under drought stress. Hydraulic conductivity is one of the major indicators of the hydraulic network’s response to drought stress. Here, we review our current understanding of the factors directly affecting hydraulic conductivity and the methods used to measure it.

Construction of One New 3D Zinc-organic Framework Based on D-(+)-camphoric Acid and Bis(4-pyridylmethyl)piperazine

A new polymer [Zn2（cam）2（bpmp）]n 1 （H2cam = D-（＋）-camphoric acid, bpmp = bis（4-pyridylmethyl）piperazine） was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n with a = 12.305（9）, b = 12.945（9）, c = 13.619（10） A, β = 116.833（8）°, V= 1936（2）A3, Z = 4, Mr = 397.76, Dc= 1.365 Mg/m3,μ = 1.292 mm-1, F（000） = 832, the final R = 0.0578 and wR = 0.1678 for 2838 observed reflections with I 〉 2σ（I）. The compound presents a three-dimensional （3D） network extended by homochiral 2D layer and bpmp ligands. From the topology point of view, the structure could be described as a 3D 6-connected mab net with （44.610.8） topology. In addition, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analysis and powder X-ray diffraction properties of 1 are also investigated.

DIRECT DETERMINATION OF NEODYMIUM AND ERBIUM IN RARE EARTH MIXTURE BY DERIVATIVE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

The absorption spectra of 4f electron transitions of the complexes of neodymium and erbium with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid in the presence of diethylamine and ethanol have been measured by normal and third-derivative spectrophotometry. Their molar absorptivities are 70.7 l.mol^(-1).cm^(-1) for Nd and 62.5 l.mol^(-1).cm^(-1) for Er. They are 7.6 times and 14.9 times greater than those of corresponding chlorides, respectively. Use of the third-derivative spectra both eliminates the interference of Ce(Ⅳ) and increases the sensitivity for Nd and Er. Beer,s Law was obeyed from 0-10 ug/ml of Nd and Er. The method has been applied to the determination of neodymium and erbium in rare earth mixtures.

Thermogravimetric-Mass Spectrometric Study of the Pyrolysis Behavior of PVC

The pyrolysis characteristics of PVC were systematically investigated using a Netzschne TG thermo-balance coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The pyrolysis conditions were 0.1 MPa of Ar,a heating rate of 10 ℃/min and a final temperature of 1000 ℃. Both the thermogravimetric properties and the simultaneous evolution of gaseous products during pyrolysis were studied. The TG/DTG results showed that as the pyrolysis temperature increases the weight loss and weight loss rate of PVC increases. Near 412 ℃ the weight loss rate attained its peak value. At higher temperatures the rate of loss gradually decreases. The gases evolved during thermogravimetric analysis were analyzed by a mass spectrometer,monitoring the relative intensity of HCl,C6H6,light hydrocarbon and chlorine-containing gases. The evolution curves showed that HCl,C6H6,light hydrocarbon and chlorine-containing gases all peak at about 416 ℃. This is consistent with the fact that the weight loss curves also peak at about 412 ℃. The extensive HCl evolution is consistent with the high chlorine content of PVC. The formation of these gases can be explained by considering these reactions: dehydrochlorination,intramolecular cyclization and the addition of HCl to unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Paleoproductivity evolution in the West Philippine Sea during the last 700 ka

In order to reconstruct the paleoproductivity evolution history of the West Philippine Sea during the last 700 ka,the vertical gradient of δ 13 C in dissolved inorganic carbon(δ 13 C between those of foraminifera Pulleniatina obliquiloculata and Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi) and planktonic foraminiferal assemblages were analysed in piston Core MD06-3047 retrieved from the Benham Rise(east of the Luzon Island).Paleoproductivity evolution in the West Philippine Sea during the last 700 ka is closely related to glacial-interglacial cycles and precession-controlled insolation.Controlling factors of paleoproductivity could have been both thermocline fluctuations related with ENSO-like processes and eolian input associated with East Asian winter monsoon,and the former could have been the primary factor.A higher productivity and a shallower thermocline coeval with the occurrence of low CO 2 concentrations in the EPICA Dome C ice core might indicate that biological export production in the low-latitude could act as a significant sink in the global carbon cycle,and modify atmospheric CO 2 concentrations.Spectral analysis further reveals that the paleoproductivity is mainly controlled by thermocline fluctuations subjected to ENSO processes responding to processional variability of insolation.High coherences in eccentricity,obliquity and precession periods further revealing the close link between thermocline fluctuations,paleoproductivity and atmospheric CO 2 levels.

Caenorhabditis elegans deep lipidome profiling by using integrative mass spectrometry acquisitions reveals significantly altered lipid networks

Lipidomics coverage improvement is essential for functional lipid and pathway construction.A powerful approach to discovering organism lipidome is to combine various data acquisitions,such as full scan mass spectrometry(full MS),data-dependent acquisition(DDA),and data-independent acquisition(DIA).Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans)is a useful model for discovering toxic-induced metabolism,highthroughput drug screening,and a variety of human disease pathways.To determine the lipidome of C.elegans and investigate lipid disruption from the molecular level to the system biology level,we used integrative data acquisition.The methyl-tert-butyl ether method was used to extract L4 stage C.elegans after exposure to triclosan(TCS),perfluorooctanoic acid,and nanopolystyrene(nPS).Full MS,DDA,and DIA integrations were performed to comprehensively profile the C.elegans lipidome by Q-Exactive Plus MS.All annotated lipids were then analyzed using lipid ontology and pathway analysis.We annotated up to 940 lipids from 20 lipid classes involved in various functions and pathways.The biological investigations revealed that when C.elegans were exposed to nPS,lipid droplets were disrupted,whereas plasma membrane-functionalized lipids were likely to be changed in the TCS treatment group.The nPS treatment caused a significant disruption in lipid storage.Triacylglycerol,glycerophospholipid,and ether class lipids were those primarily hindered by toxicants.Finally,toxicant exposure frequently involved numerous lipid-related pathways,including the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway.In conclusion,an integrative data acquisition strategy was used to characterize the C.elegans lipidome,providing valuable biological insights into hypothesis generation and validation.

Preparation of National CRMs of Active Compounds from Natural Products

根据 GB/T1500.3-2008 的标准和 ISO/REMCO 的指南，活跃混合物的国家证明参考书材料(CRM ) 的准备由下列二个方面组成：准备和证明。这篇论文论述 biochanin A 的准备的一个例子从自然产品说明活跃混合物的国家 CRM 的准备。第一，目标混合物从粗略的材料被提取并且净化。然后，它的化学结构被紫外光谱，红外光谱， ESIMS，和 NMR 识别。混合物的纯净被 HPLC 与区域正规化方法决定。从六个独立人士比较纯净价值估计的证明价值限制了实验室，无常的价值被给。热分析，剩余溶剂，同质测试和测试的稳定性在这个过程被测试。

Distance-basedα-amylase biosensor fabricated with amylopectin-coated mesoporous membrane

Paper-based biosensors are widely employed in point-of-care testing(POCT)due to their convenience,portability,low cost,and ease of use.This study reports an integrated distance-based paper biosensor fabricated with a mesoporous membrane coated with stimuli-responsive polymer.The detection ofα-amylase(AMY)using amylopectin-coated mesoporous membrane is demonstrated as an example.After introducing the AMY solution,it is observed that the aqueous solution flows along the paper strip due to AMY-catalyzed hydrolysis of amylopectin.The flow distance is proportional to the concentration of AMY with a detection limit as low as 4 mU/mL.In addition,the detection of AMY is demonstrated in human serum.Furthermore,the inhibitory effect of acarbose on AMY is evaluated.This reagent-free and disposable biosensor allows single-step rapid detection of the analyte.This approach is very promising for the development of user-friendly,equipment-free,and cost-effective biosensors with remarkable sensitivity and excellent selectivity for disease diagnosis and hypoglycemic drug screening.

Dissolved barium as a tracer of Kuroshio incursion in the Kuroshio region east of Taiwan Island and the adjacent East China Sea

From May to June 2014, the geochemical characteristics of dissolved barium(Ba) in sea water and its influx from the Kuroshio into the East China Sea(ECS) were studied by investigation of the Kuroshio mainstream east of Taiwan Island and the adjacent ECS. This allowed for the scope and extent of the Kuroshio incursion to be quantitatively described for the first time by using Ba as a tracer. The concentration of Ba in the Kuroshio mainstream increased gradually downward from the surface in the range 4.91–19.2 μg L.1. In the surface layer of the ECS, the Ba concentration was highest in coastal water and gradually decreased seaward, while it was higher in coastal and offshore water but lowest in middle shelf for bottom layer. The influx of Ba from Kuroshio into the ECS during May to October was calculated to be 2.19×108 kg by a water exchange model, in which the subsurface layer had the largest portion. The distribution of Ba indicated that Kuroshio upwelled in the sea area northeast of Taiwan Island. The north-flowing water in the Taiwan Strait restrained the incursion of Kuroshio surface water onto the ECS shelf, while Kuroshio subsurface water gradually affected the bottom of the ECS from outside. The results of end member calculation, using Ba as a parameter, showed that the Kuroshio surface water had little impact on the ECS, while the Kuroshio subsurface water formed an intrusion current by climbing northwest along the bottom of the middle shelf from the sea area northeast of Taiwan Island into the Qiantang Estuary, of which the volume of Kuroshio water was nearly 65%. Kuroshio water was the predominant part of the water on the outer shelf bottom and its proportion in areas deeper than the 100 m isobath could reach more than 95%. In the DH9 section(north of Taiwan Island), Kuroshio subsurface water intruded westward along the bottom from the shelf edge and then rose upward(in lower proportion). Kuroshio water accounted for 95% of the ocean volume could reach as far as 122°E. Ba was able to provide detailed tracing of the Kuroshio incursion into the ECS owing to its geochemical characteristics and became an effective tracer for revealing quantitative interactions between the Kuroshio and the ECS.

Characterization of arsenate transformation and identification of arsenate reductase in a green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Arsenic （As） is a pervasive and ubiquitous environmental toxin that has created catastrophic human health problems world-wide. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular green alga, which exists ubiquitously in freshwater aquatic systems. Arsenic metabolism processes of this alga through arsenate reduction and sequent store and efflux were investigated. When supplied with 10 μmol/L arsenate, arsenic speciation analysis showed that arsenite concentration increased from 5.7 to 15.7 mg/kg dry weight during a 7-day period, accounting for 18%–24% of the total As in alga. When treated with different levels of arsenate （10, 20, 30, 40, 50 μmol/L） for 7 days, the arsenite concentration increased with increasing external arsenate concentrations, the proportion of arsenite was up to 23%–28% of the total As in alga. In efflux experiments, both arsenate and arsenite could be found in the efflux solutions. Additionally, the efflux of arsenate was more than that of arsenite. Furthermore, two arsenate reductase genes of C. reinhardtii （CrACR2s） were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli strain WC3110 （？arsC） for the first time. The abilities of both CrACR2s genes to complement the arsenate- sensitive strain were examined. CrACR2.1 restored arsenate resistance at 0.8 mmol/L. However, CrACR2.2 showed much less ability to complement. The gene products were demonstrated to reduce arsenate to arsenite in vivo. In agreement with the complementation results, CrACR2.1 showed higher reduction ability than CrACR2.2, when treated with 0.4 mmol/L arsenate for 16 hr incubation.

A new sesquiterpene lactone and a new aromatic glycoside from Illicium difengpi

A new sesquiterpene lactone(1)and a new aromatic glycoside(2),together with three known compounds(3–5)were isolated from the stem bark of Illicium difengpi K.I.B et K.I.M.Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods,including 1D and 2D NMR,HRESIMS,and chemical methods.The absolute configuration of the secondary alcohol in 1 was confirmed by Mosher’s method.Compound 2 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 value of 6.72 mmol/L.

Long-range atmospheric transport and alpine condensation of short-chain chlorinated paraffins on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Pristine alpine regions are ideal regions for investigating the long-range atmospheric transport and cold trapping effects of short chain chlorinated paraffins(SCCPs).The concentrations and alpine condensation of SCCPs were investigated in lichen samples collected from the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.The concentrations of SCCPs ranged from 3098 to 6999 ng/g lipid weight(lw)and appeared to have an increasing trend with altitude.For congeners,C10 dominated among all the congener groups.The different environmental behavior for different congener groups was closely related to their octanol-air partition coefficient(Koa).C10 congeners showed an increasing trend with altitude,whereas C13 congeners were negatively correlated with altitude.Volumetric bioconcentration factors(BCF)of SCCPs reached 8.71 in lichens,which were higher than other semivolatile organic compounds(SVOCs)such as organochlorine pesticides(OCPs),polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs),polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs),and hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD).These results suggested that SCCPs were prone to accumulate in the lichen from the air and provided evidence for the role of lichens as a suitable atmospheric indicator in the Tibetan Plateau.

Diffusion growth of Φ ternary intermetallic compound in the Mg-Al-Zn alloy system:In-situ observation and modeling

Study on the diffusion growth of ternary intermetallic compounds in Mg-Al-Zn based light-weight alloys is important due to its close interrelation with alloy property.However,there is a very lack of existing data due to difficulties in both experimental and computational aspects.The current work aims at presenting the experimental observation on the diffusion growth behavior of Φ phase at 360℃ as well as calculating its composition-dependent interdiffu sion coefficients.We designed and succes s fully fabricated four Mg-τ ternary diffusion couples annealed at 360℃ for different times,where the diffusion path goes across the Φ phase region and the diffusion growth of ternary intermetallic compound can be solely detected.In-situ observation of the time-dependent growth of Φ phase was performed to accurately determine the parabolic growth constant.The experimental data were then subjected to a numerical inverse method to generate a set of self-consistent interdiffusivities of the ternary intermetallic compounds,which can reproduce the presently observed diffusion growth behavior of Φ ternary intermetallic compound in Mg-τ diffusion couples.

The preparation and performance of visible-light-sensitized luminescent nanoparticles based on europium complex

Long-wavelength-sensitized luminescent materials are desired for bio-detection. In this paper, we prepared a new kind of luminescent europium nanoparticles by a co-precipitation-condensation method. The luminescent europium complex Eu（tta）3.bpt （tta = thenoyltrifluoroacetonate; bpt = 2-（N,N- di-ethylanilin-4-yl）-4,6-bis（pyrazol-l-yl）-l,3,5-triazine） was used as the active material, being encapsulated in the nanoparticles formed from 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane （PFOTS） and poly（styrene-co-methyl methacrylate） [P（ST-co-MMA）]. The prepared nanoparticles not only can be well dispersed in water but also were of high photostability. Importantly, the nanoparticles displayed maximal excitation wavelength at 425 nm as well as an extended excitation wavelength up to 480 nm and a quantum yield for Eu3＋ luminescence of 0.22 （λex= 425 nm, room temperature）.

Super-assembled sandwich-like Au@MSN@Ag nanomatrices for high-throughput and efficient detection of small biomolecules

Small biomolecules(m/z<500)are the material basis of organisms and participate in life activities,but their comprehensive and accurate detection in complex samples remains a challenge.Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry(MALDI-MS)is a powerful detection tool for molecular analysis with high throughput.The development of a new matrix is essential to improve the efficiency of the MALDI-MS for molecular compound detection.In this work,the sandwich-like gold nanoparticles@mesoporous silica nanocomposite@silver nanoparticles(Au@MSN@Ag)nanospheres were prepared by layer-by-layer super-assembly strategy,and can be used as a novel matrix for the quantitative detection and enrichment of small biomolecules by LDI-MS.The sandwich-like nanospheres form a unique plasma resonant cavity that effectively absorbs the laser energy,while the homogeneous mesoporous structure of MSN can lock the analyte,which is essential for efficient LDI of small molecules.Compared to traditional matrices,Au@MSN@Ag shows the advantages of low background,wide application range,high sensitivity,super high salt and protein tolerance,and good stability.For example,the detection limit of glucose was as low as 5 fmol,and showed a good linear relationship in the range of 1−750μg/mL.Au@MSN@Ag assisted LDI-MS allows the enrichment and detection of small molecules in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)without derivatization and purification,classification of herbs using the accurate quantitative results oligosaccharides,and identification of gelatin by amino acid content.This research could help in designing more efficient nanostructure matrices and further explored the application of LDI-MS.