New species and records of (Botryosphaeriales, Botryosphaeriaceae) from in China.

During the fungal investigations of hosts in China, ten isolates of were obtained from dead and dying branches. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, and loci revealed the presence of two new species, and , as well as two new host records for and from . In this study, we provide descriptions and illustrations of these species, thereby enriching the diversity within the taxa.

Study on Carbonation of Porcine Blood Hydrogel in the Composite Mortar of Ancient Chinese Architectural Painting.

In the ancient Chinese recipe for composite mortar used in the construction of ground layers for architectural painting, the mixture of porcine blood and lime water is one of the constituent materials. Herein, according to the traditional recipe, the interaction between porcine blood and lime water was systematically and deeply investigated. The experimental investigation demonstrated that porcine blood mixed with lime water at the ratio found in the recipe can form a hydrogel with a hydrophobic surface.

Beneficial Relationships Between Endophytic Bacteria and Medicinal Plants.

Plants benefit extensively from endophytic bacteria, which live in host plant tissues exerting no harmful effects. Bacterial endophytes promote the growth of host plants and enhance their resistance toward various pathogens and environmental stresses. They can also regulate the synthesis of secondary metabolites with significant medicinal properties and produce various biological effects.

PPA1 Regulates Systemic Insulin Sensitivity by Maintaining Adipocyte Mitochondria Function as a Novel PPARγ Target Gene.

Downregulation of mitochondrial function in adipose tissue is considered as one important driver for the development of obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Inorganic pyrophosphatase 1 (PPA1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate to inorganic phosphate and is required for anabolism to take place in cells. Although alteration of PPA1 has been related to some diseases, the importance of PPA1 in metabolic syndromes has never been discussed.

Integrated extraction and purification of total bioactive flavonoids from leaves.

An integrated procedure was developed to extract and purify total flavonoids from leaves for the first time, in which pressurized liquid extraction was performed in tandem with HPD100 macroporous resin column. Consequently, the total flavonoids can be extracted using 10% EtOH, and the recovery and purity of total flavonoids was 71.05% and 66.

Efficient preparation of rare Sagittatoside A from epimedin A, by recyclable aqueous organic two-phase enzymatic hydrolysis.

The rare secondary flavonol glycoside Sagittatoside A has much better in vivo bioactivities than epimedin A in Epimedii Folium. However, its current preparation methods are of low efficiency, with byproducts generated. The aim of this study was to establish a novel catalysis system for effective and convenient preparation of Sagittatoside A from epimedin A based on recyclable and integrated aqueous organic two-phase enzymatic hydrolysis.