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Low-carbon behavior of scenic spots has direct influence on coordinated and orderly development of eco-environment and socio-economic system in World Heritage Site. Five level-one indicators and 38 level-two indicators were respectively established to systematically measure the low-carbon behavioral performance ( LCBP ) of scenic spots in Zhangjiajie, the seat of " World Natural Heritage". ANOVA and Bonferroni analysis were applied to compare the LCBP of scenic spots in different groups. The redundancy analysis and Monte Carlo permutation were used to figure out the main driving factors that affect scenic area's LCBP. Results showed that 32 scenic spots' LCBP was excellent in general, with a weighted mean value of 3.10. The group mean of performance in low-carbon design, daily energy conservation, water saving management, waste reduction and low-carbon awareness was 0.49, 0.74, 0.24, 1.51 and 0.11, separately. Huanglong Cave performed the best (4.193) and He Long's Former Residence performed the worst (2.400) in the 32 scenic spots. The scores of 5A, 4A and 3A or no A scenic spots showed no significant difference in most low-carbon behavior indicators, only 11 indicators reflected significant difference among different groups. Pressures from investors, administration committee, tourists and local government were main driving factors for low-carbon behavior of scenic spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we reported an effective method for the synthesis of a multirecognition magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), using 2,4-diamino-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazine as pseudo-template. The resulting MMIP was characterized in detail by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetic analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). These results indicated the successful synthesis of MMIP with sufficient thermal stability and magnetic properties. The adsorption experiments were carried out to evaluate the specific selectivity of MMIP related to the spatial structure of target molecules. The MMIP exhibited multirecognition ability and excellent binding capability for melamine (MEL), cyromazine (CYR), triamterene (TAT), diaveridine (DVD), and trimethoprim (TME), and the apparent maximum number of binding sites ( Q ) was 77.5, 75.2, 72.5, 69.9, and 70.4 μmol g, respectively. The multirecognition MMIP not only possessed adequate magnetic responsiveness for fast separation but also avoided the risk of template leakage on trace component analysis. Therefore, it was suitable for serving as a magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent. MSPE coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography analysis was applied to enrich and separate five target molecules from three samples. Recoveries for all target molecules ranged from 81.6 to 91.5% with relative standard deviations of no more than 4.1% ( n = 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Alkaloids of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) ( PLA) include piperine and piperlonguminine. Piper longum and piperine have multiple biological properties including antioxidant activity. Objective: The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of PLA in a MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Materials and methods: PLA was prepared by extracting the dry seed of P. longum using 85% ethanol. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided into eight groups of 12 rats each. Experimental and control groups received an equivalent volume of saline, 0.5% CMC-Na, and 0.1% Tween 80, treated groups received oral PLA (30, 60, and 120 mg/kg), other groups treated with piperine (60 mg/kg) or Madopar (50 mg/kg). The PLA prevention group ( PLA-Pr) administrated PLA (120 mg/kg) for 1 week before MPTP challenged. Except for the PLA-Pr group, others were treated for seven consecutive weeks. Parkinson's disease was induced by injecting MPTP intraperitoneally (25 mg/kg) twice weekly for five consecutive weeks. Dopaminerigic (DA) neurons and their metabolism were detected by UFLC-MS/MS. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunohistochemistry assay and Western blotting were performed. The antioxidant enzymatic levels were determined by kit-based assays. Results: The LD50 value of PLA was determined at 1509 mg/kg of body weight. PLA (60 mg/kg) can significantly increase total movement time and distance ( p < 0.05), increase levels of DA ( p < 0.05) and DOPAC ( p < 0.05), increase glutathione (GSH) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity ( p < 0.05), and decrease the lipid peroxidation of malondiadehycle (MDA) ( p < 0.05) in PLA-treated groups as compared with the control group. Discussion and conclusion: Our results indicate that PLA possesses neuroprotective effects and has ameliorative properties in dopaminergic neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon behavior of scenic spots has direct influence on coordinated and orderly development of eco-environment and socio-economic system in World Heritage Site. Five level-one indicators and 38 level-two indicators were respectively established to systematically measure the low-carbon behavioral performance (LCBP) of scenic spots in Zhangjiajie, the seat of World Natural Heritage. ANOVA and Bonferroni analysis were applied to compare the LCBP of scenic spots in different groups. The redundancy analysis and Monte Carlo permutation were used to figure out the main driving factors that affect scenic area&rsquo;s LCBP. Results showed that 32 scenic spots&rsquo; LCBP was excellent in general, with a weighted mean value of 3.10. The group mean of perfor-mance in low-carbon design, daily energy conservation, water saving management, waste reduction and low-carbon awareness was 0.49, 0.74, 0.24, 1.51 and 0.11, separately. Huanglong Cave performed the best (4.193) and He Long&rsquo;s Former Residence performed the worst (2.400) in the 32 scenic spots. The scores of 5A, 4A and 3A or no A scenic spots showed no significant difference in most low-carbon behavior indicators, only 11 indicators reflected significant difference among diffe-rent groups. Pressures from investors, administration committee, tourists and local government were main driving factors for low-carbon behavior of scenic spots.

The metabolites were detected in feces and urine of rats orally administrated alkaloids of Piper longum by using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Fourier Transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (HPLC-FT-MS). According to the mass spectrometric data and reported literature, the structures of metabolites were identified. Several metabolites were analyzed and belonged to piperine, piperanine, piperlonguminine, Δα,β-dihydropiperlonguminine and pellitorine, respectively. The metabolites of alkaloids from P. longum alkaloids were produced through Ⅰ phase and Ⅱ phase metabolism reaction, and were excreted with urination and defecation. The approach provided a rapid method for characterizing the metabolites of P. longum alkaloids and gave the truly active structures and the action mechanism of their neuroprotective effects., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Objective: To discuss the protective effect of alkaloids from Piper longum (PLA) in rat dopaminergic neuron injury of 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson's disease and its possible mechanism., Method: The rat PD model was established by injecting 6-OHDA into the unilateral striatum with a brain solid positioner. The PD rats were divided into the PLA group (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)), the madorpa group (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and the model group, with 15 rats in each group. All of the rats were orally given drugs once a day for 6 weeks. Meanwhile, other 15 rats were randomly selected as the sham operation group, and only injected with normal saline in the unilateral striatum. The behavioral changes were observed with the apomorphine (APO)-induced rotation and rotary rod tests. The number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells in rat substantia nigra and the density of TH-positive fibers in striatum were detected by tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. The content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in rat substantia nigra and striatum were measured by the spectrophotometric method., Result: After being induced by APO, PD rats showed obvious rotation behaviors, with decreased time stay on rotary rod and significant reduction in the number of TH-positive cells in sustantia nigra and the density of TH-positive fibers in striatum. The activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, the content of GSH and the total antioxidant capacity significantly decreased, whereas the activities of NOS and the content of MDA, NO significantly increased. PLA could significantly improve the behavioral abnormality of PD rats and increase the number of TH-positive cells in sustantia nigra and the density of TH-positive fibers in striatum. It could up-regulate the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, the content of GSH and the total antioxidant capacity, and decrease the content of NOS and the content of MDA, NO., Conclusion: Alkaloids from P. longum shows the protective effect in substantia nigra cells of 6-OHDA-induced PD model rats. Its mechanism may be related with their antioxidant activity.