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Two interesting cyathane-type diterpenoids, scabronines G and H, isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete, Sarcodon scabrosus (L.: Fr.) Karst, were tested against the bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Escherichia coli, Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis. Both scabronine G and H showed promising activity in vitro against the five bacteria tested at 1 mg/ml and 100 μg/ml. The degree of antibacterial activity of both scabronine G and H was almost the same as streptomycin. Scabronines G and H were also tested against the pathogenic fungi, Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon, Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl., Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsicum. Both scabronines G and H showed promising activity in vitro against G. zeae, S. sclerotiorum, F. moniliforme, F. oxysporum at 1 mg/ml and showed weak activity in vitro against F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum and F. oxysporum f. sp. capsicum at the same concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review surveys the chemical and biological literature dealing with the isolation, structural elucidation and bioactivity of hericenones and erinacines from the fruiting body and mycelium of Hericium erinaceus, concentrating on work that has appeared in the literature up to December 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. The serum testosterone concentrations of 28 volunteers were investigated daily during abstinence periods after ejaculation for two phases. The authors found that the fluctuations of testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence were minimal. On the 7th day of abstinence, however, a clear peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline ( P<0.01). No regular fluctuation was observed following continuous abstinence after the peak. Ejaculation is the precondition and beginning of the special periodic serum testosterone level variations, which would not occur without ejaculation. The results showed that ejaculation-caused variations were characterized by a peak on the 7th day of abstinence; and that the effective time of anejaculation, is 7 days minimum. These data are the first to document the phenomenon of the periodic change in serum testosterone level; the correlation between ejaculation and periodic change in the serum testosterone level, and the pattern and characteristics of the periodic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reported two rhodamine-derived chemosensors for cysteine optical sensing. To minimize their photobleaching, up-conversion NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Er 3+ nanocrystals were prepared and modified with α-cyclodextrin, serving as excitation host. Efficient energy transfer between this excitation host and our chemosensors was confirmed by spectral analysis, energy transfer radius analysis and emission decay lifetime comparison. Detailed analysis suggested that our chemosensors followed a simple recognition mechanism towards cysteine with binding stoichiometry of 1:1. Chemosensor emission was increased with increasing cysteine concentration. Good selectivity and linear sensing behavior were obtained. The correlation between sensing performance and chemosensor structure was tentatively discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four dsRNA bands were extracted from Pleurotus ostreatus TD300 by the dsRNA isolation technique with sizes of 8.2 kb, 2.5 kb, 2.1 kb, and 1.1 kb, respectively. Four virus-eliminated methods, i. e. hyphal tips cut (HTC), protoplast regeneration (PR), single spore hybridization (SSH), and frozen and lyophilized (FL), were applied to prepare virus-eliminated strains, and one virus-eliminated strain was selected for each virus-elimination method. The virus-eliminated strains were named as HTC8, PR15, FL01, and SSH11, respectively. There were low concentration of 8.2 kb dsRNA remained in HTC8, as well as low concentration of 8.2 kb and 2.5 kb dsRNA remained in FL01. However, no dsRNA remained in PR15 and SSH11. The hyphal growth rate and laccase activity of the virus-eliminated strains increased, especially HTC8 and PR15, whose hyphal growth rate was higher by 22.73% and 18.18%, and laccase activities higher by 145.83% and 134.38% than that of the original strain, respectively. The conclusion is that hyphal tips cut and protoplast regeneration are suitable to prepare virus-eliminated strains of edible fungi.

Objective: To study the effect of Jingui Shenqi Pill (JSP) on morphology of spinal cell apoptosis in rats injured by 192Ir irradiation., Methods: One hundred and twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups: the model group, the JSP group, the prednisone group and the normal group. Corresponding pharmaceutics were given to rats once a day for 14 days respectively. Then except rats in the normal group, the others received 192Ir interstitial irradiation with the dosage of 22 Gy using back-fixing technology. The injured segments of spinal cord were taken out for HE staining, TUNEL examination and observation with electron microscope 8 hrs, 24 hrs and 4 weeks after irradiation., Results: HE staining examination showed no obvious histological change in rats 8 and 24 hrs after irradiation, but pathological changes, as tissue rarefaction and hemorrhage did found in white matter of spinal cord shown by TUNEL 4 weeks later. Electron microscopic examination and TUNEL staining showed that as compared with the model group, the apoptotic index in the JSP and predinisone treated groups was significantly lower (P < 0.01) 8 hrs after radiation, but it showed insignificant difference between groups at the time points of 24 hrs and 4 weeks after radiation (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: JSP could act against apoptosis of gliocyte in spinal cord of rats in early stage after brachytherapy, indicating that JSP possessing a prednisone-like action.