A new flavonoid from Cudrania cochinchinensis

Chemical investigation of the ethanol extract of the roots of Cudrania cochinchinensis led to the isolation of a new flavonoid, (6S,12S,13R)-1-methoxy cyanomaclurin (1), together with seven known compounds, 1,3,5-trihydroxy-4-(3′-hydroxy-3′-methylbutyl)xanthone (2), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-4-prenylxanthone (3), 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone (4), 1,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone (5), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone (6), resveratrol (7) and oxyresveratrol (8). The structure of compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra and the HR-ESI-MS data. The absolute stereochemistry was deduced via Rh₂(OCOCF₃)₄-induced CD and NOESY spectra.     

Framed! Reproducing and Revisiting 150-Year-Old Charts

The Statistical Atlases published by the Census Bureau in the late 1800s utilized a number of novel methods for displaying data. In this paper, we examine the use of framed spine and mosaic plots used in two plates of the Statistical Atlas of 1870. We use forensic statistics to recreate the data using available census information, and then use that data to create framed charts using modern plotting methods. We then examine the effectiveness of the framed charts compared to other alternatives with a user study. The data and code for this study are available online.     

A comparison of an optimised sequential extraction procedure and dilute acid leaching of elements in anoxic sediments, including the effects of oxidation on sediment metal partitioning

The effect of oxidation of anoxic sediment upon the extraction of 13 elements (Cd, Sn, Sb, Pb, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As) using the optimised Community Bureau of Reference of the European Commission (BCR) sequential extraction procedure and a dilute acid partial extraction procedure (4 h, 1 mol L⁻¹ HCl) was investigated. Elements commonly associated with the sulfidic phase, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe exhibited the most significant changes under the BCR sequential extraction procedure. Cd, Cu, Zn, and to a lesser extent Pb, were redistributed into the weak acid extractable fraction upon oxidation of the anoxic sediment and Fe was redistributed into the reducible fraction as expected, but an increase was also observed in the residual Fe. For the HCl partial extraction, sediments with moderate acid volatile sulfide (AVS) levels (1-100 μmol g⁻¹) showed no significant difference in element partitioning following oxidation, whilst sediments containing high AVS levels (>100 μmol g⁻¹) were significantly different with elevated concentrations of Cu and Sn noted in the partial extract following oxidation of the sediment. Comparison of the labile metals released using the BCR sequential extraction procedure (ΣSteps 1-3) to labile metals extracted using the dilute HCl partial extraction showed that no method was consistently more aggressive than the other, with the HCl partial extraction extracting more Sn and Sb from the anoxic sediment than the BCR procedure, whilst the BCR procedure extracted more Cr, Co, Cu and As than the HCl extraction.     

火焰原子吸收光谱法测定爬地虎中6种微量元素

用湿法和干法分别对爬地虎进行处理,采用火焰原子吸收光谱(FAAS)法,利用标准曲线测定爬地虎中几种微量元素的浓度。在优化的仪器工作条件下,对爬地虎果中6种微量元素可进行分别测定,互不干扰,结果的相对标准偏差在0.70%~4.0%,加标回收率在90.0%~108%,方法简便、快速、准确。     

Polymer characterization by thermal evolution techniques

Thermal evolution techniques continuously monitor materials thermally evolved from a sample on controlled heating. Either stepwise detection of such volatiles as a function of temperature or time, or quantitative measurement and identification of these materials provides very useful information. Transducers include vacuum gauges, electrochemical devices, thermal conductivity and flame ionization detectors, etc. These techniques have shown promise in studies of thermal stability and degradation mechanism, analysis of trace impurities and additives, and elucidation of polymer structures. Other applications are in the areas of vapor pressure measurement and toxicity studies of constituents in polymer systems.     

Protective Effect of Cudrania tricuspidata Extract against High-Fat Diet Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through Nrf-2/HO-1 Pathway

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common chronic disease affecting a wide range of the world’s population and associated with obesity-induced metabolic syndrome. It is possibly emerging as a leading cause of life-threatening liver diseases for which a drug with a specific therapeutic target has not been developed yet. Previously, there have been reports on the benefits of Cudrania tricuspidata (CT) for treating obesity and diabetes via regulation of metabolic processes, such as lipogenesis, lipolysis, and inflammation. In this study, we investigated the ameliorative effect of orally administered 0.25% and 0.5% (w/w) CT mixed with high-fat diet (HFD) to C57BL/6J mice for 7 weeks. It was found that body weight, fat mass, hepatic mass, serum glucose level, and liver cholesterol levels were significantly reduced after CT treatment. In CT-treated HFD-fed mice, the mRNA expression levels of hepatic lipogenic and inflammatory cytokine-related genes were markedly reduced, whereas the expression level of epididymal lipogenic genes was increased. The mRNA expression level of beta-oxidation and Nrf-2/HO-1 genes significantly increased in CT-treated obese mice livers. We propose that CT alleviates hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.     

New Isoprenylated Xanthones from Cudrania tricuspidata

A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Cudrania tricuspidata afforded three new isoprenylated xanthones, cudratricusxanthones N–P ( 1 – 3 , resp.), together with five known compounds, 4 – 8 . The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses.     

Two new prenylated isoflavones from Maclura cochinchinensis collected in Hoa Binh province Vietnam

Two new prenylisoflavones, 3′,4′,5-trihydroxy-8-prenyl-dihydrofuran[2″,3″:7,6]isoflavone (1) and 4′,5-dihydroxy-8-prenyl-dihydrofuran[2″,3″:7,6]isoflavone (2), along with five known prenylisoflavones (3–7), benzylalcohol-4-O-β-d-glucoside (8) and two cinnamic acid esters (9, 10) were isolated from the leaves of Maclura cochinchinensis (Cudrania cochinchinensis). Their structures were elucidated by analysis of NMR (¹H-, ¹³C-NMR, HSQC, HMBC), MS spectra and comparison with the published data. Compounds 4–10 were the first time isolated from this species. Prenylisoflavones 1–4 and 6–7 were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity on KB and HepG2 cancer cell lines. Compound 4 showed cytotoxic activity against both cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 26.99 and 19.95 μM, respectively. The other compounds were considered as inactive.     

Four new prenylated flavonoids from the roots of Cudrania tricuspidata

Four new prenylated flavonoids, cudraflavanones E‐F (1–2) and cudraflavones F‐G (6–7), together with eight known compounds were isolated from the roots of Cudrania tricuspidata. The structures of new compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS and CD. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.