One new flavanoid and Anti-HIV active constituents from boussingaultia gracilis miers var. pseudobaselloides bailey

Boussingaultia gracilis Miers var. pseudobaselloides Bailey (Basellaccae) is a folk medicine used as an analgesic and supplements, only a few research was reported on the chemical constituents of this plant. This paper presented its chemical and anti-HIV

Short Homologous Sequences Are Strongly Associated with the Generation of Chimeric RNAs in Eukaryotes

Chimeric RNAs have been reported in varieties of organisms and are conventionally thought to be produced by trans-splicing of two or more distinct transcripts. Here, we conducted a large-scale search for chimeric RNAs in the budding yeast, fruit fly, mous

Schilancidilactones A and B: two novel tetranortriterpenoids with an unprecedented skeleton from Schisandra lancifolia

Schilancidilactones A (1) and B (2). two novel tetranortriterpenoids possessing an unprecedented skeleton, have been isolated from the stems of Schisandra lancifolia. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The r

Lignans with Anti-HIV Activity from Schisandra propinqua var. sinensis

Fourteen new lignans, tiegusanins A-N (1-14), together with 13 known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Schisandra propinqua var. sinensis. The structures and absolute configurations of 1-13 were established using a combination of spectrosco

Anti-HIV Activities of the Compounds Isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum and Polygonum multiflorum

The 70% EtOH extract of Polygonum cuspidatum showed inhibitory action against HIV-1-induced syncytium formation at non-cytotoxic concentrations in vitro with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 13.94 +/- 3.41 mu g/mL. Through bioactivity-guided fractionation, 20 phenolic compounds, including eight stilbenoids, were isolated from the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum, and their anti-HIV-1 activities were evaluated. Results showed that compounds 1, 13, 14, and 16 demonstrated fairly strong antiviral activity against HIV-1-induced cytopathic effects in C8166 lymphocytes at non-cytotoxic concentrations, with EC50 values of 4.37 +/- 1.96 mu g/mL, 19.97 +/- 5.09, 14.4 +/- 1.34 mu g/mL, and 11.29 +/- 6.26 mu g/mL and therapeutic index (TI) values of 8.12, > 10.02, > 13.89, and > 17.71, respectively. Other compounds showed either weak or no effects. Compound 6 also showed weak inhibition (153.42 +/- 19.25 mu g/mL); however, it possesses very good water solubility and showed almost no cytotoxicity (> 2000 mu g/mL), therefore achieving a fairly good TI (13.04). The activities of the two compounds (3 and 18) from Polygonum multiflorum were also assayed. The relationship between molecular structures and their bioactivities was also discussed.

Anti Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Agents 4. Discovery of 5,5 '-(p-Phenylenebisazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline Sulfonates as New HIV-1 Inhibitors in Vitro

To search for compounds with superior anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activity, ten 5,5'-(p-phenylenebisazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline sulfonates (4a-j) were synthesized and preliminarily evaluated as HIV-1 inhibitors in vitro for the first time. Some compounds demonstrated anti-HIV-1 activity, especially 5,5'-(p-phenylenebisazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline p-ethylbenzenesulfonate (4g) and 5,5'-(p-phenylenebisazo)-8-hydroxyquinoline p-chlorobenzenesulfonate (41) showed the more potent anti-HIV-1 activity with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of 2.59 and 4.01 mu g/ml, and therapeutic index (TI) values of 31.77 and 24.51, respectively.

Chemical Constituents from the Leaves and Stems of Schisandra lancifolia

A new nortriterpenoid, 20-hydroxymicrandilactone D (1) and a novel lignan glycoside, lancilignanside A (2) were isolated from leaves and stems of Schisandra lancifolia, together with three known nortriterpenoids (3-5) and nine known phenolics (6-14). The structures of new compounds 1 and 2 were determined by detailed analysis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and chemical evidences. In addition, compounds 1-2, 6-7, and 9-11 showed anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 activities with 50% effective concentration (EC50) in the range of 3.0-99.0 mu g/ml. Compound 12 was not bioactive in this assay with EC50 more than 200 mu g/ml.

Effects of Prenatal Exposure to a 50-Hz Magnetic Field on One-Trial Passive Avoidance Learning in 1-Day-Old Chicks

We investigated memory impairment in newly hatched chicks following in ovo exposure to a 50-Hz magnetic field (MF) of 2 mT (60 min/day) on embryonic days 12-18. Isolated and paired chicks were used to test the effect of stress during training, and memory retention was tested at 10, 30, and 120 min, following exposure to a bitter-tasting bead (100% methylanthranilate). Results showed that memory was intact at 10 min in both isolated and paired chicks with or without MF exposure. However, while isolated chicks had good memory retention levels at 30 and 120 min, those exposed to MF did not. The results suggest a potential disruption of memory formation following in ovo exposure to MF, with this effect only evident in the more stressed, isolated chicks. Bioelectromagnetics 31:150-155, 2010. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss. Inc.

The stripe-backed weasel Mustela strigidorsa: taxonomy, ecology, distribution and status

1. The stripe-backed weasel Mustela strigidorsa is one of the rarest and least-known mustelids in the world. Its phylogenetic relationships with other Mustela species remain controversial, though several unique morphological features distinguish it from congeners. 2. It probably lives mainly in evergreen forests in hills and mountains, but has also been recorded from plains forest, dense scrub, secondary forest, grassland and farmland. Known sites range in altitude from 90 m to 2500 m. Data are insufficient to distinguish between habitat and altitudes which support populations, and those where only dispersing animals may occur. 3. It has been confirmed from many localities in north-east India, north and central Myanmar, south China, north Thailand, north and central Laos, and north and central Vietnam. Given the limited survey effort, the number of recent records shows that the species is not as rare as hitherto believed. Neither specific nor urgent conservation needs are apparent.

Singing Behavior and Singing Functions of Black-Crested Gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) at Mt. Wuliang, Central Yunnan, China

We used data on loud duetted and solo songs collected from one habituated polygynous group of black-crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) on Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, to test several hypotheses about the functions of these songs. The major function

The Critically Endangered black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor on Wuliang Mountain, Yunnan, China: the role of forest types in the species' conservation

The Critically Endangered black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor of China, Laos and Vietnam is threatened by deforestation and habitat destruction but there have been no studies of how it uses its forest habitat, probably because of the typically rugged t

A NEW SPECIES FROM SOUTHWESTERN CHINA IN THE AFRO-PALEARCTIC LINEAGE OF THE HORSESHOE BATS (RHINOLOPHUS)

A new species of horseshoe bat (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) is described from southwestern China. The presence of a wedge-shaped sella and pointed connecting process of the nose leaf aligns the new species to the landeri group in the Afro-Palearctic lineag

Predation on giant flying squirrels (Petaurista philippensis) by black crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China

Predation on vertebrates is infrequent in gibbons. In a 14-month field study of the central Yunnan black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor jingdongensis) at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China, we observed gibbons attacking, killing and eating giant flying squirre

Altitudinal Ranging of Black-Crested Gibbons at Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan: Effects of Food Distribution, Temperature and Human Disturbance

We studied the altitudinal ranging of one habituated group of black-crested gibbons (Nomascus concolor) at Dazhaizi, Mt. Wuliang, Yunnan, China, between March 2005 and April 2006. The group ranged from 1,900 to 2,680 m above sea level. Food distribution was the driving force behind the altitudinal ranging patterns of the study group. They spent 83.2% of their time ranging between 2,100 and 2,400 m, where 75.8% of important food patches occurred. They avoided using the area above 2,500 m despite a lack of human disturbance there, apparently because there were few food resources. Temperature had a limited effect on seasonal altitudinal ranging but probably explained the diel altitudinal ranging of the group, which tended to use the lower zone in the cold morning and the higher zone in the warm afternoon. Grazing goats, the main disturbance, were limited to below 2,100 m, which was defined as the high-disturbance area (HDA). Gibbons spent less time in the HDA and, when ranging there, spent more time feeding and travelling and less time resting and singing. Human activities directly influenced gibbon behaviour, might cause forest degradation and create dispersal barriers between populations. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel

Maintenance of Multifemale Social Organization in a Group of Nomascus concolor at Wuliang Mountain, Yunnan, China

Many short-term studies have reported groups of black crested gibbons containing >= 2 adult females (Nomascus concolor). We report the stability of multifemale groups in this species over a period of 6 yr. Our focal group and 2 neighboring groups included 2 breeding females between March 2003 and June 2009. We also habituated 1 multifemale group to observers and present detailed information concerning their social relationships over a 9-mo observation period. We investigated interindividual distances and agonistic behavior among the 5 group members. The spatial relationship between the 3 adult members (1 male, 2 females) formed an equilateral triangle. A subadult male was peripheral to the focal group, while a juvenile male maintained a closer spatial relationship with the adult members. We observed little agonistic behavior among the adult members. The close spatial relationship and lack of high rates of agonistic behavior among females suggest that the benefits of living in a multifemale group were equal to or greater than the costs for both females, given their ecological and social circumstances. The focal group occupied a large home range that was likely to provide sufficient food sources for the 2 females and their offspring. Between March 2003 and June 2009, 1 adult female gave 2 births and the other one gave 1 birth. All individuals in the focal group survived to June 2009. A long-term comparative study focused on females living in multifemale groups and females living in pair-living groups would provide insight into understanding the evolutionary mechanisms of the social system in gibbons.