(Ericaceae), a new species from East Guangdong, China.

(Ericaceae), a new species from East Guangdong Province, China is described and illustrated. This new species is morphologically similar to by having flowers with persistent and leaf-like bracts, long pedicels, and white spherical-urceolate corollas, but is distinguished by having glandular trichomes on the abaxial surface of the leaf blade, shorter pedicels, sparsely pilose corolla ridges, and anther thecae longer than the tubules. A key to the new species and morphologically similar species is also provided.

Role of gut microbiota via the gut-liver-brain axis in digestive diseases.

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional information interaction system between the central nervous system (CNS) and the gastrointestinal tract, in which gut microbiota plays a key role. The gut microbiota forms a complex network with the enteric nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the neuroendocrine and neuroimmunity of the CNS, which is called the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Due to the close anatomical and functional interaction of the gut-liver axis, the microbiota-gut-liver-brain axis has attracted increased attention in recent years.

Plasma membrane Ca-permeable channels and sodium/calcium exchangers in tumorigenesis and tumor development of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tumors are multifactorial diseases associated with a combination of oncogenes and environmental factors. Currently, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy are relatively effective treatment options for the patients with these tumors. However, the asymptomatic phenotype of these tumors during the early stages poses as a significant limiting factor to diagnosis and often renders treatments ineffective.

[Ethyl Acetate-Soluble Chemical Constituents from Callicarpa kwangtungensis (II)].

Objective: To study the ethyl acetate-soluble chemical constituents of Callicarpa kwangtungensis.

Methods: The chemical constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and MPLC. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of special analysis.