Taxonomic review of the lace bug genus Omoplax (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) endemic to “Oriental Galapagos” (the Ogasawara Islands,Japan) with the description of its new allied genus and species

In this study, we revise the lace bugs (family Tingidae) from the Ogasawara Islands, Japan (also known as the “Oriental Galapagos”). Three species belonging to two endemic genera are recognized: Acanthomoplax tomokunii gen. et sp. nov. , Omoplax desecta (Horváth, 1912), and O. majorcarinae Guilbert, 2001. A key to species is provided to facilitate the identification of Ogasawaran lace bugs.     

Comparative Genome Analysis of Scutellaria baicalensis and Scutellaria barbata Reveals the Evolution of Active Flavonoid Biosynthesis

Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) and Scutellaria barbata (S. barbata) are common medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family. Both produce specific flavonoid compounds, including baicalein, scutellarein, norwogonin, and wogonin, as well as their glycosides, which exhibit antioxidant and antitumor activities. Here, we report chromosome-level genome assemblies of S. baicalensis and S. barbata with quantitative chromosomal variation (2n = 18 and 2n = 26, respectively). The divergence of S. baicalensis and S. barbata occurred far earlier than previously reported, and a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event was identified. The insertion of long terminal repeat elements after speciation might be responsible for the observed chromosomal expansion and rearrangement. Comparative genome analysis of the congeneric species revealed the species-specific evolution of chrysin and apigenin biosynthetic genes, such as the S. baicalensis-specific tandem duplication of genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia lyase and chalcone synthase, and the S. barbata-specific duplication of genes encoding 4-CoA ligase. In addition, the paralogous duplication, colinearity, and expression diversity of CYP82D subfamily members revealed the functional divergence of genes encoding flavone hydroxylase between S. baicalensis and S. barbata. Analyzing these Scutellaria genomes reveals the common and species-specific evolution of flavone biosynthetic genes. Thus, these findings would facilitate the development of molecular breeding and studies of biosynthesis and regulation of bioactive compounds.     

清代北京会馆园林述略

清代北京外城地区修建了大量的会馆,作为各地同乡或商业行会的聚会、住宿、祭祀场所,其中部分会馆设有专门的园林,园内营造用于宴饮的厅堂,布置亭轩楼台等建筑,并堆叠假山、开辟池沼、种植花木,形成一种独立的园林类型。通过文献考证和现场调查,对清代北京会馆园林的主要实例进行记述,并对其造园意匠做进一步的分析。总体而言,这些园林的格局较为方整,建筑形式以厅堂、亭、轩为主,假山多以青石叠置,水景简单,植物多为易于维护的品种,匾额、楹联富有文化寓意并反映其故乡特色。     

奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖的理化性质、抗氧化活性与保肝作用

本研究旨在探讨奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖（TLFPS）的化学性质和酒精性肝损伤的保护作用。首先用水提醇沉法提取得到多糖,通过化学组成分析、紫外吸收光谱法、傅里叶红外光谱法和刚果红染色法对多糖结构进行初步表征,以DPPH、ABTS、超氧阴离子自由基的清除能力和铁离子还原能力为指标评价了多糖体外抗氧化能力,在小鼠急性肝损伤之前连续灌喂多糖8d,比较各组小鼠血清和肝的相关生化指标以及组织病理切片来确定多糖对酒精性肝损伤小鼠的保护作用。结果显示：多糖具有β-吡喃糖环结构,含有较高含量的糖醛酸和硫酸根基团,空间构型不具备三股螺旋结构。在体外抗氧化活性方面,多糖对DPPH、ABTS和超氧阴离子自由基均有良好的清除活性,铁离子还原能力也呈良好的剂量依赖性。在小鼠保肝实验中,与模型组相比,多糖能够显著延长小鼠的醉酒时间和缩短醒酒时间,降低了酒精性肝损伤小鼠的肝指数,并且显著降低血清中谷丙转氨酶（alanine aminotransferase,ALT）、谷草转氨酶（aspartate aminotransferase,AST）、甘油三酯（triglyceride,TG）、总胆固醇（total cholesterol,TC）和肝脏中丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）的含量,同时明显提高了肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）和过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）的活性。结果证实奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖具有良好的抗氧化能力,可以减轻由酒精引起的急性肝细胞损伤,而且对机体的毒害作用很小。肝组织病理切片也进一步证实了奶油栓孔菌多糖的保肝活性。研究结果不仅丰富了奶油栓孔菌的药用价值,而且对多糖在功能食品领域的应用提供了药效基础。