[Examining fermented mustard brine in terms of traditional Chinese medicine].

Fermented mustard brine was a unique liquid fermented with mustard long used in traditional Chinese medicine. It was previously known as Ji Shui, which refered to the yellow salty water after vegetables were fermented. Fermented mustard brine was not established in TCM until the Ming Dynasty. It was found that the original plant of ancient mustard was Brassica juncea (L.) Czern et Coss. var. juncea, and the origin of the mustard used in mustard brine mainly refereed to the cultivated species of Brassica (Brassica juncea var. multiceps Tsen et Lee) in the Brassica branch of the Cruciferae family, which belonged to the mustard leaf class in tillering mustard. Fermented mustard brine tasted spicy and salty and was considered as a feature of cold, and went to the lung meridian. Its effects were of clearing heat and reducing phlegm, calming coughing and expelling pus. It was mainly used for the treatment of lung carbuncle, and also for diseases such as lung impotence, laryngeal tinea, wheezing, coughing, vomiting pus and blood, and facial swelling. The ways to use it involved taking it directly (or taking it warm), taking it with hot soybean milk, having it with food, mixing it with decoction, and mixing it with houttuynia cordata juice. It was mainly produced in the Jiaxing area of Zhejiang province, especially famous for the collection by the Tianning Temple in Tianning in Jiashan, not the Tianning Temple in Changzhou.

[Endemic situation of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the endemic status of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the future schistosomiasis control strategy. METHODS: The data pertaining to the endemic status of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020 were retrieved from the annual schistosomiasis control report, the information management platform of schistosomiasis (parasitic diseases) in Jiangsu Province and the Parasitic Diseases Control Information Management System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including snail survey data, snail control data and schistosomiasis examination data, and were retrospectively reviewed. Differences of proportions were tested for statistical significance with chi-square test, and the trends in proportions were evaluated using the chi-square test for trends. RESULTS: Elimination of schistosomiasis was achieved in Suzhou City in 2018, and there were 3.528 9 million residents living in schistosomiasis-endemic villages of 81 townships in 9 counties. A total of 707 600 labor-days were used for snail survey in 11 586 village-times in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, covering 18 572.73 hm2, and snail habitats were detected with an area of 68.61 hm2, including emerging snail habitats of 37.30 hm2. A total of 23 144 snails were dissected, and no Schistosoma japonicum infection was detected. Reemerging and emerging snail habitats were predominantly found in inlands. During the period from 2010 to 2020, snail control was performed in Suzhou City for 71 000 labor-times, and snail control was done covering 269.34 hm2 through chemical treatment and covering 3.48 hm2 through environmental improvements. A total of 674 002 person-times received serological tests for S. japonicum infections in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020, with seroprevalence of 0.38%, and a total of 33 835 person-times received stool examinations, with no egg-positives identified. The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared an overall tendency towards a rise in Suzhou City from 2010 to 2020 (χ2 = 129.48, P < 0.001). The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared high among local residents in 2016, and remained stable in other years, while the sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections appeared an overall tendency towards a rise among mobile populations (χ2 = 54.11, P < 0.001). There were 278 800 and 175 202 serological tests among local residents and mobile populations in Suzhou City from 2013 to 2020, and 0.50% and 0.35% sero-prevalence rates were detected, respectively. The sero-prevalence of S. japonicum infections was significantly higher among local residents than among mobile populations in Suzhou City (χ2= 54.76, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a risk of rebound of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City. Integrated control should be reinforced to prevent the risk of rebound of schistosomiasis in Suzhou City.

[Research advances in the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty fiver disease and sarcopenia].

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the common causes for chronic liver diseases, which progress gradually from nonalcoholic type simple fatty liver disease to hepatitis, cirrhosis and even liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Sarcopenia is a progressive disease characterized by reduced skeletal muscle mass and function in association to metabolic dysfunctions. Recent studies have shown that the occurrence and development of NAFLD and sarcopenia are related, and there is a common base for the pathogenesis between the two, which may promote each other for mutual risk factors. This article reviews the current research progress of this field in order to clinically further understand the pathogenesis and intrinsic links between the two to look for appropriate interventions.

A tunable quantum-dot device based on cross-bar graphene nanoribbon structures.

In this paper, we present a tunable quantum-dot nanoelectronic device built upon a patterned graphene nanoribbon (GNR) cross-bar structure. The cross junction can confine electronic states with applied gate voltages. By varying the length and width of the cross junction, we can alter the spatial confinement and the number of discrete levels within the junction. In addition, quantum dots can be trapped in the cross junction regardless of the irregularities along the graphene edges. In this design, each cross junction is a basic device element. By applying controllable gate voltages perpendicular to the ribbon, we can tune cross junction in 'on' or 'off' state, which corresponds to the existence or absence of quantum dots. This design can also be used to make a random access memory (RAM) array.

Shape of disorder-broadened Landau subbands in graphene.

In this Letter, we calculate the density of states of graphene under a highly uniform magnetic field and white-noise random potential. We discover that the disorder-broadened zero-energy Landau band has a Gaussian shape and its width is proportional to the random potential variance and the square root of magnetic field. We also use the Wegner-type calculation to justify our simulation results.

Strain effect on electronic structures of graphene nanoribbons: A first-principles study.

We report a first-principles study on the electronic structures of deformed graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). Our theoretical results show that the electronic properties of zigzag GNRs are not sensitive to uniaxial strain, while the energy gap modification of armchair GNRs (AGNRs) as a function of uniaxial strain displays a nonmonotonic relationship with a zigzag pattern. The subband spacings and spatial distributions of the AGNRs can be tuned by applying an external strain. Scanning tunneling microscopy dI/dV maps can be used to characterize the nature of the strain states, compressive or tensile, of AGNRs. In addition, we find that the nearest neighbor hopping integrals between pi-orbitals of carbon atoms are responsible for energy gap modification under uniaxial strain based on our tight binding approximation simulations.

Switching mechanism of photochromic diarylethene derivatives molecular junctions.

The electronic transport properties and switching mechanism of single photochromic diarylethene derivatives sandwiched between two gold surfaces with closed and open configurations are investigated by a fully self-consistent nonequilibrium Green's function method combined with density functional theory. The calculated transmission spectra of two configurations are strikingly distinctive. The open form lacks any significant transmission peak within a wide energy window, while the closed structure has two significant transmission peaks on both sides of the Fermi level. The electronic transport properties of the molecular junction with closed structure under a small bias voltage are mainly determined by the tail of the transmission peak contributed unusually by the perturbed lowest perturbed unoccupied molecular orbital. The calculated on-off ratio of currents between the closed and open configurations is about two orders of magnitude, which reproduces the essential features of the experimental measured results. Moreover, we find that the switching behavior within a wide bias voltage window is extremely robust to both substituting F or S for H or O and varying end anchoring atoms from S to Se and Te.

New taxanes from the seeds of Taxus mairei.

Two new taxoid metabolites were isolated from the methanol extract of the Taxus mairei seeds. Their structures were established as 2alpha-hydroxy-9alpha,10beta,13alpha-triacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxytaxa-11-en-4beta,20-epoxide (1) and 2'-acetyl taxol (2) on the basis of spectral analysis.

Electronic transport in Z-junction carbon nanotubes.

In this paper, the electronic transport in different Z-shape carbon nanotubes containing double knee junction structures on the same tube is studied. One consists of (5,5)-(9,0)-(5,5) double knee nano-metal-metal-metal junctions and another consists (6,6)-(10,0)-(6,6) double knee nano-metal-semiconductor-metal junctions. With the nearest-neighbor pi-orbital tight-binding model, quantum conductances of these double knee junctions are calculated using the Landauer formula. The interesting conductance curves are provided to exhibit a potential application in the arena of molecular electronics.

Three new taxoids from the leaves of the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata.

Three new taxane diterpenoids were isolated from the leaves of the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidta. Their structures were established as 5 alpha,13 alpha-diacetoxy-taxa-4(20),11-diene-9 alpha,10 beta-diol (1), 7 beta,13 alpha-diacetoxy-5 alpha-cinnamyloxy-2(3-->20)-abeo-taxa-4(20),11-diene-2 alpha,10 beta-diol (2), and 2 alpha,10 beta,13 alpha-triacetoxy-taxa-4(20),11-diene-5 alpha,7 beta,9 alpha-triol (3) respectively on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR data.

Four polyoxygenated cyclohexenes from the Chinese tree, Uvaria purpurea.

Two novel polyoxygenated cyclohexenes, 6-methoxyzeylenol (3) and 2-acetoxyzeylenone (4), together with two known compounds, zeylenol (1) and zeylenone (2), were isolated from the heartwood of the Chinese tree, Uvaria purpurea. Zeylenol (1) and zeylenone (2) both showed inhibitory activity toward the root growth of Lactuca sativa. Their structures were established by spectroscopic and chemical methods.

New 11(15-->1)abeotaxane, 11(15-->1),11(10-->9)bisabeotaxane and 3,11-cyclotaxanes from Taxus yunnanensis.

Chemical examination of the seeds of Chinese yew, Taxus yunnanensis Cheng et L. K. Fu resulted in the isolation of an 11(15-->1)abeotaxane, an 11(15-->1), 11(10-->9)bisabeotaxane and two 3,11-cyclotaxanes. The structures of these new taxoids were established as 13alpha-acetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxy-11(15-->1)abeotaxa-4(20),11-diene-9alpha,10beta,15-triol (1), 20-acetoxy-2alpha-benzoyloxy-4alpha, 5alpha, 7beta, 9alpha, 13alpha-pentahydroxy-11(15-->1), 11(10-->9) bisabeotax-11-eno-10,15-lactone (2), 2alpha,10beta-diacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxy-9alpha-hydroxy-3,11 -cyclotax-4(20)-en-13-one (3) and 10beta-acetoxy-2alpha,5alpha,9alpha-trihydroxy-3,11-cyclotax-4(20)-en-13-one (4) on the basis of spectral analyses.

Taxane diterpenoids from Taxus yunnanensis and Taxus cuspidata.

Chemical examination of the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus runnanensis Cheng et L. K. Fu and the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata Sieb et Zucc, resulted in the isolation of four taxane diterpenoids. The structures of these taxoids were established as (12alpha)-2alpha-acetoxy-5alpha,9alpha, 10beta-trihydroxy-3,11-cyclotax-4(20)-en-13-one; 2alpha,7beta,13alpha-triacetoxy-5alpha, 9alpha-dihydroxy-2(3-->20)abeotaxa-4(20),11-dien-10-one; 9alpha,10beta-diacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxytaxa- 4(20),11-dien-13alpha-ol and the known 2alpha,7beta,9alpha,10beta,13-pentaacetoxytax a-4(20),12-diene-5alpha,11beta-diol on the basis of spectral analysis.

Three new taxoids from the seeds of Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata.

Five taxane diterpenoids were isolated from the seeds of the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. The structures were established as 2 alpha,7 beta,13 alpha-triacetoxy-5 alpha-(3'-dimethylamino-3'-phenyl)-propionyloxy-2(3-->20)-aboe+ ++-taxa-9,10-dione (1) and 2 alpha,7 beta,9 alpha,10 beta-tetraacetoxy-5 alpha-[(2R,3S),N,N-dimethyl-3-phenylisoseryloxy]-taxa-4(20),11- dien-13-one (2), 2 alpha, 9 alpha, 10 beta-triacetoxy-5 alpha-cinnamoxy-taxa-4(20),11-diene-13 alpha-ol (3), taxezopidine J (4), and taxuspine D (5) on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR, and MS spectral analysis. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 are new compounds.

Three new taxane diterpenoids from the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis var mairei.

Three new taxoids were isolated from the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus chinesis var mairei, their structures were established as 9alpha, 13alpha-diacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamoyloxy-11(15-->1)-abeo-taxa-4(20),11-diene-10beta, 15-diol, 2alpha,9alpha,10beta-triacetoxy-taxa-4(20),11-diene-5alpha,13alpha-diol and 2alpha,7beta,10beta-triacetoxy-5alpha-cinnamyloxy-9alpha-hydroxy-taxa-4(20),11-diene-13-one on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR, and MS spectral analyses.

Isolation and structural determination of a novel bicyclic taxane diterpene from needles of the Chinese yew, Taxus mairei.

A novel bicyclic taxane diterpene with a rare 12-membered ring was isolated from needles of the Chinese yew, Taxus mairei, and its structure was established as (3E, 8E)-2 alpha, 7 beta, 9, 10 beta, 13 alpha, 20-hexaacetoxy-5(2'-acetoxy-cinnamoyloxy)-3,8-secotaxa -3,8,11-triene (1) with the help of 1D and 2D NMR data. The relative stereochemistry was deduced from a NOESY experiment.

Three novel bicyclic taxane diterpenoids with verticillene skeleton from the needles of Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis var. mairei.

Three novel bicyclic taxane diterpenoids with the verticillene skeleton were isolated from the needles of Chinese yew, Taxus chinensis var. mairei. Their structures were established as (3E,7E)-2 alpha, 10 beta, 13 alpha, 20-tetraacetoxy-5 alpha-hydroxy-3,8-secotaxa-3,7,11-trien-9-one (1), (3E,7E)-2 alpha, 5 alpha, 10 beta, 13 alpha-tetraacetoxy-20-hydroxy-3,8-secotaxa-3,7,11-trien-9-one (2), and (3E,7E)-10 beta, 13 alpha-diacetoxy-2 alpha, 5 alpha, 20-trihydroxy-3,8-secotaxa-3,7,11-trien-9-one (3) on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR and HR-MS spectroscopic analysis. Verticillene skeleton was considered as the biogenetic intermediate of taxane diterpenoids, isolation of bicyclic taxane diterpenoids with verticillene skeleton from this plant provides direct proof for this hypothesis.

Three new bicyclic taxane diterpenoids from the needles of Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc.

Three new bicyclic taxane diterpenes were isolated from the needles of the Japanese yew, Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et Zucc. Their structures were established to be 7,9,10,13-tetraacetoxy-5-cinnamoyloxy-4-hydroxy-methyl-8,12,15,15- tetramethyl-bicyclo[9.3.1] pentadeca-3,8,11-trien-2-ol (2,20-dideacetyl taxuspine X), 7,9,10,13,20-pentaacetoxy-5-cinnamoyloxy-8,12,15,15-tetramethyl bicyclo[9.3.1] pentadeca-3,8,11-trien-2-ol (2-deacetyl taxuspine X), and 9,10,13,20-tetraacetoxy-5-cinnamoyloxy-8,12,15,15-tetramethyl-bicyclo[9.3.1] pentadeca-3,8,11-trien-2,7-diol (2,7-dideacetyl taxuspine X) with the aid of spectroscopic techniques and by comparing with taxuspine X.

Two new taxane diterpenoids from the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus yunnanensis.

A new taxoid and a taxinine analogue were isolated from the seeds of the Chinese yew, Taxus yunnanensis. The structures were established as 13 alpha-acetoxy-5 alpha-(3'-dimethylamino-3'-phenyl)-propionyloxy-11(15-->1)-abeotaxa- 4(20),11-diene-9 alpha, 10 beta-diol and 2 alpha-acetoxy-5 alpha-cinnamoyloxy-9 alpha, 10 beta-dihydroxy-taxa- 4(20),11-diene-13-one on the basis of 1D, 2D NMR, and MS spectral analysis.