Discovery of new quaternized norharmane dimers as potential anti-MRSA agents.

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-caused infections greatly threaten public health. The discovery of natural-product-based anti-MRSA agents for treating infectious diseases has become one of the current research focuses.

Objectives: This study aims to identify promising anti-MRSA agents with a clear mechanism based on natural norharmane modified by quaternization or dimerization.

Molecular phylogeny and inflorescence evolution of (Rosaceae) based on RAD-seq and genome skimming analyses.

is an economically important genus widely distributed in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Previous studies on the genus using a variety of loci yielded conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses. Here, we generated nuclear reduced representation sequencing data and plastid genomes for 36 individuals and two outgroups.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy combined with medication therapy in preventing recurrence of major depressive disorder in convalescent patients.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combined with medication therapy in preventing the recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in convalescent patients.

Methods: A total of 130 patients with convalescent MDD were enrolled in this prospective study. Sixty-five patients were assigned to the experimental group and received medication therapy combined with MBCT, and 65 patients were assigned to the control group and treated with medication alone.

Changes in the psychological defense mechanism and clinical features of patients with OCD - A four-year follow-up study.

Objective: The present study aims to (1) follow up with 4-year changes in the efficacy outcome, defense style questionnaire (DSQ) score, and clinical features of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and (2) analyze the relationship between different levels of efficacy and changes in the patients' psychological defense mechanisms.

Methods: The following data collection and 4-year follow-up were completed for 153 patients with OCD: (1) the treatment process, efficacy outcome, course of disease, and clinical features of OCD were collected using a self-made general information questionnaire and (2) the control method was used to analyze the changes in clinical symptoms (Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale [YBOCS], Hamilton anxiety score [HAMA], and Hamilton depression scale [HAMD]) in patients with OCD. Moreover, the changes in the psychological defense mechanism (measured by DSQ) and the relation between the prognosis and DSQ score were investigated.

Active-Site-Specific Structural Engineering Enabled Ultrahigh Rate Performance of the NaLiFe(PO)(PO) Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Iron-based mixed-polyanionic cathode NaFe(PO)(PO) (NFPP) has advantages of environmental benignity, easy synthesis, high theoretical capacity, and remarkable stability. From NFPP, a novel Li-replaced material NaLiFe(PO)(PO) (NLFPP) is synthesized through active Na-site structural engineering by an electrochemical ion exchange approach. The NLFPP cathode can show high reversible capacities of 103.

A study on diffusion tensor imaging in patients with untreated first-episode obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Objective: The present study provides an overview of studies investigating white matter (WM) integrity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Furthermore, it studies the correlation of fractional anisotropy (FA) in abnormal cerebral WM areas with the course and clinical signs of the disease.

Methods: The study subjects were divided into two groups, the OCD group (n=38) and the control group (n=40), based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for OCD.

On the Species Delimitation of the Group of (Rosaceae): Evidence From Plastome and Nuclear Sequences and Morphology.

The recognition, identification, and differentiation of closely related plant species present significant and notorious challenges to taxonomists. The group of , which comprises four to seven species, is an example of a group in which species delimitation and phylogenetic reconstruction have been difficult, due to the lack of clear morphological distinctions, limited sampling, and low informativeness of molecular evidence. Thus, the precise number of species in the group and the relationships among them remain unclear.

Comparative Chloroplast Genomics and Phylogenetic Analysis of (Zygophyllaceae) of China.

The genus comprises over 150 species within the plant family Zygophyllaceae. These species predominantly grow in arid and semiarid areas, and about 20 occur in northwestern China. In this study, we sampled 24 individuals of representing 15 species and sequenced their complete chloroplast (cp) genomes.

Polysaccharides from Polyporus umbellatus: A review on their extraction, modification, structure, and bioactivities.

Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fries, a well-known medicinal fungus, has been reported to exhibit important functions of diuresis and dampness infiltration in traditional Chinese Medicine. Accumulating evidences have demonstrated that the P.

Hollow-Sphere-Structured NaFe(PO)(PO)/C as a Cathode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The mixed polyanionic material NaFe(PO)(PO) combines the advantages of NaFePO and NaFePO in capacity, stability, and cost. Herein, we synthesized carbon-coated hollow-sphere-structured NaFe(PO)(PO) powders by a scalable spray drying route. The optimal sample can deliver a high discharge capacity of 107.

Self-Template Synthesis of NaCrO Submicrospheres for Stable Sodium Storage.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are the appropriate alternatives to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for the large-scale energy storage applications because of the abundant resources and wide distribution of sodium on earth. O3-NaCrO is a promising cathode material for SIBs due to its stable structure and low-cost raw materials. In this paper, we design and synthesize a powder consisting of submicrometer-sized O3-NaCrO spheres (s-NaCrO) self-assembled with nanoflakes, which exhibits faster ion migration ability and strong structure robustness.

Complete plastome sequence of (Rosaceae), a species endemic in west of China.

The Chinese endemic species is of great importance biogeographically, and is distributed in the edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Here, the complete chloroplast genome sequence of was assembled based on the Illumina reads. The complete plastome is 158,740 bp in length, with a large single-copy (87,206 bp) region, a small single-copy (18,884 bp) region, and two inverted repeat (26,325 bp) regions.

Chloroplast genomes elucidate diversity, phylogeny, and taxonomy of Pulsatilla (Ranunculaceae).

Pulsatilla (Ranunculaceae) consists of about 40 species, and many of them have horticultural and/or medicinal value. However, it is difficult to recognize and identify wild Pulsatilla species. Universal molecular markers have been used to identify these species, but insufficient phylogenetic signal was available.

Efficient Identification of (Ranunculaceae) Using DNA Barcodes and Micro-Morphological Characters.

(Ranunculaceae) comprises about 40 species, many of which have horticultural and/or medicinal importance. However, the recognition and identification of wild species is difficult due to the presence of complex morphological characters. DNA barcoding is a powerful molecular tool capable of rapidly and accurately distinguishing between species.

Synthesis and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Quaternized 10-Methoxycanthin-6-one Derivatives.

Background: Based on our previous work, we found that 10-methoxycanthin-6-one displayed potential antibacterial activity and quaternization was an available method for increasing the antibacterial activity. Here, we explored the antibacterial activity of quaternized 10-methoxy canthin-6-one derivatives.

Methods And Results: Twenty-two new 3--benzylated 10-methoxy canthin-6-ones were designed and synthesized through quaternization reaction.

Three exopolysaccharides from the liquid fermentation of Polyporus umbellatus and their bioactivities.

The exopolysaccharides were extracted and separated from the broth of the liquid fermentation of P. umbellatus, and the antioxidant activities and other relative bioactivities were investigated, aiming to find clues for a wider use in the future. Three novel exopolysaccharides of PPS1, PPS2 and PPS3 with molecular weight of 3.

Activity-guided isolation of phase II enzyme inducers from buckwheat flour methanolic extracts.

Background: Buckwheat is an important alternative crop and a raw material for functional food formulation. Phase II detoxification proteins/enzymes provide cytoprotective roles against oxidative stress and inflammation originating from various stressors. We aimed to identify and characterize potential phase II enzyme inducers from methanolic extracts of buckwheat flour, using an activity-guided fractionation based on the induction of quinone reductase (QR) (EC 1.

Characteristic differences in essential oil composition of six Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (Rutaceae) cultivars and their biological significance.

Great variations have been found in composition and content of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (Rutaceae), resulting from various factors such as harvest time, drying and extraction methods (Huang et al., 2006; Shao et al.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Ester Derivatives of 10-Hydroxycanthin-6-one as Potential Antimicrobial Agents.

As part of our continuing research on canthin-6-one antimicrobial agents, a new series of ester derivatives of 10-hydroxycanthin-6-one were synthesized using a simple and effective synthetic route. The structure of each compound was characterized by NMR, ESI-MS, FT-IR, UV, and elemental analysis. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds against three phytopathogenic fungi (Alternaria solani, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium solani) and four bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Pseudomonas syringae) were evaluated using the mycelium linear growth rate method and micro-broth dilution method, respectively.

Synthesis, in vitro antibacterial activities of a series of 3-N-substituted canthin-6-ones.

An improved synthetic route of canthin-6-one was accomplished. To further enhance the antibacterial potency and improve water solubility, a series of 3-N-alkylated and 3-N-benzylated canthin-6-ones were designed and synthesized, and their in vitro antibacterial activities were evaluated. A clear structure-activity relationship with peak minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.

β-Carboline-functionalized dithioacetal as Hg2+-selective fluorescence probe in water.

A novel sensing system based on the β-carboline core has been designed and synthesized for Hg(2+) detection in water. We have demonstrated that a straight forward methodology can provide rapid, sensitive and selective recognition (cross-contamination experiments) for Hg(2+) over a wide pH range. The vivid fluorescence change from blue to colorless can be clearly discriminated by the naked eye.

Synthesis and larvicidal activity against Culex pipiens pallens of new triazole derivatives of phrymarolin from Phryma leptostachya L.

Twelve new triazole derivatives of Phrymarolin were prepared from Phrymarolin I and the structures of all the derivatives were fully characterized by (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR and MS spectral data analyses. Larvicidal activities against 4rd instar larvae of Culex pipiens pallens of these Phrymarolin analogues were assayed. Although the triazole derivatives of Phrymarolin showed certain larvicidal activity, they showed lower activity than Phrymarolin I.

[Clinical observation on superior cluneal nerve entrapment syndrome treated by relaxation therapy of in-row multi-needling technique].

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy on superior cluneal nerve entrapment syndrome treated by relaxation therapy of in-row multi-needling technique.

Methods: One hundred and twenty cases were randomized into a multi-needling group, an acupotomy group and a conventional acupuncture group, 40 cases in each one. In the multi-needling group, the perpendicular or oblique puncture was applied to the affected area of the lumbar and gluteal region.

Thiophene-functionalized octupolar triindoles: synthesis and photophysical properties.

Two thiophene-functionalized octupolar triindole molecules were synthesized through Suzuki and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties were explored. The spectroscopic data demonstrate that triindole is an excellent rich electronic central donor for building octupolar optoelectronic molecules and possesses excellent luminescent properties.

[The correlation between endogenous TgAb and experimental Tg values in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas].

Objective: To determine the interference of antithyroglobulin (TgAb) on the measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC).

Methods: The Tg positive serum and TgAb positive serum were taken from the patients with total thyroidectomy and thyroid remnant ablation by radioiodine. The Tg positive serum contained high level of Tg (>10 microg/L) and nondetectable TgAb.