BACKGROUND: Resilience engineering (RE) is a new paradigm that can control incidents and reduce their consequences. Integrated RE includes four new factors—self-organization, teamwork, redundancy, and fault-tolerance—in addition to conventional RE factors. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of these four factors on RE and determine the most efficient factor in an uncertain environment. METHODS: The required data were collected through a questionnaire in a petrochemical plant in June 2013. The questionnaire was completed by 115 respondents including 37 managers and 78 operators. Fuzzy data envelopment analysis was used in different α-cuts in order to calculate the impact of each factor. Analysis of variance was employed to compare the efficiency score means of the four above-mentioned factors. RESULTS: The results showed that as α approached 0 and the system became fuzzier (α = 0.3 and α = 0.1), teamwork played a significant role and had the highest impact on the resilient system. In contrast, as α approached 1 and the fuzzy system went toward a certain mode (α = 0.9 and α = 1), redundancy had a vital role in the selected resilient system. Therefore, redundancy and teamwork were the most efficient factors. CONCLUSION: The approach developed in this study could be used for identifying the most important factors in such environments. The results of this study may help managers to have better understanding of weak and strong points in such industries.
Analysis of Variance* ; Plants* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Sixty-one endophytic fungus strains with different colony morphologies were isolated from the leaves, stems and roots of Tephrosia purpurea with colonization rates of 66.95%, 37.50%, and 26.92%, respectively. Based on internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis, 61 isolates were classified into 16 genera belonging to 3 classes under the phylum Ascomycota. Of the 61 isolates, 6 (9.84%) exhibited antifungal activity against one or more indicator plant pathogenic fungi according to the dual culture test. Isolate TPL25 had the broadest antifungal spectrum of activity, and isolate TPL35 was active against 5 plant pathogenic fungi. Furthermore, culture filtrates of TPL25 and TPL35 exhibited greater than 80% growth inhibition against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. We conclude that the endophytic fungal strains TPL25 and TPL35 are promising sources of bioactive compounds.
Ascomycota ; Colon ; Fungi* ; Plants ; Sequence Analysis ; Tephrosia*

Dust ; analysis ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Power Plants

OBJECTIVEThis study attempts to test the total amount of 41 inorganic elements in traditional Chinese medicine materials (TCMM), to analyze to surpass the set standard of 5 toxic heavy metal elements and to explore possible method of modification.

METHODBy using microwave as digestion tool, ICP-MS and ICP-AES as detective instrument, 41 elements in 466 samples are tested. While the amount of elements Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, Sr are determined by ICP-AES, the amount of the rest 32 elements are determined by ICP-MS. SPSS 16.0 is used as the statistical tool for data analysis.

RESULTTesting of reference material Astragalus showed that the measurements of each element are within the reference range, and except for element I, RSD of determination for each element is less than 10%, thus the accuracy and precision of the study method is confirmed. Using above mentioned instruments and methods, general information of elements in 466 TCMM are obtained.

CONCLUSIONThe concentrations of each elements in TCMM varied a lot and are different among each TCMM. The over standard rate of 5 heavy metal elements are lower than previous results, however, the over standard rate is still descending in the order of Cd > Cu > Pb > As > Hg. The content of heavy metal elements in TCMM varies among different areas, especially, over standard of heavy metals are not detected in locality as Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Xinjiang and Hainan provinces.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Metals, Heavy ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Panax notoginseng is a perennial Chinese medicinal plant, which has serious continuous cropping obstacles and is prone to a variety of diseases and insect pests during the growth process. At present, the prevention and control of pests and diseases is mainly carried out through chemical pesticides, and the consequent pesticide residues of P. notoginseng have attracted much attention. This study reviewed the types and detection methods of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng from 1981 to 2021, and compared the limits of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng in China and abroad to provide a reference for rational application of pesticides in P. notoginseng and quality control of medicinal materials, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the P. notoginseng industry in China. Currently, there are only 40 published papers on pesticide residues of P. notoginseng, which is indicative of a serious problem of insufficient research. At present, hundreds of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng can be detected simultaneously by using chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pesticides detected have gradually changed from early prohibited ones, such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane(DDT), benzene hexachloride(BHC), and parathion, to low toxic ones(e.g., dimethomorph, procymidone, propicona-zole, and difenoconazole). The dietary risk from pesticide residues in P. notoginseng is low, which would not cause harm to consu-mers. This study concluded that in the future, the development of the quality standard for pesticide residues of P. notoginseng should be actively carried out. To increase the pesticides used in actual production in the quality standard based on the existing ones and to guide farmers to use pesticides scientifically will be the focus of future work.
China ; Panax notoginseng ; Pesticide Residues/analysis* ; Pesticides/analysis* ; Plants, Medicinal

Measurements were made of the residual level of chlorinated hydrocarbon compound and mercury compound in the tissues of wild birds and herbs in Korea from November 1974 to August 1975. Aldrin was detected in all of the wild birds analyzed. The residue levels of aldrin varied from 0.353ppm to 16.115ppm. Among the tissues analyzed, the feathers contained the highest concentration of aldrin, but chloridane could not be detected in wild birds. The pesticides detected in wild birds were (alpha+beta)-BHC gamma-BHC, delta-BHC, heptachlor, aldrin, TDE and DDT. Dieldrin was detected only in the stomach of eastern dunlin caught at the Nakdong River basin. Residue levels of mercury were measured in all wild birds analyzed. Among tissues analyzed for mercury compound concentration, here also the feathers showed the highest level. The feathers of the eastern dunlin showed a high content of mercury compound which was 76.665 ppm at the highest level. Herbs used as material for oriental remedies were contaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbons which were (alpha+beta)-BHC, gamma-BHC, dieldrin, DDT, heptachlor, TDE, aldrin and epoxide. The insect materials from Cicadae testa, Bombycis corpus, and Scolopendia were much more contaminated by pesticides than plant materials. Herbs cultivated in arable areas were also found to be more contaminated by pesticides than wild ones. Herbs, on the whole, contained lower levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons than wild birds. The incidence of pesticide residues in natural products and in wild birds, however, should be considered as a global environmental pollution problem. The present investigation could contribute as a baseline study for the monitoring of pesticide pollution, its application and dispersal, and the hazard limit for food and human health.
Animal ; Birds/metabolism* ; Human ; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated/analysis ; Korea ; Mercury/analysis ; Pesticide Residues/analysis* ; Plants/analysis*

OBJECTIVETo provide foundation for developing Gynostemma pentaphyllum with physic and edible use.

METHODTo plant the seven leaves with sweet taste of Enshi, Five leaves with honey taste of Enshi, Makino (picric taste) taste, in the same ecological environment in accordance with the require of mathematical statistics and give the same management, At the same time, sowing and reaping dry grass to do composition analysis;

RESULTThe ginseng total saponin, the total amino acid. VitE, VitB1, VitB2 of the two new variety are 33% and 34.3%, 11.8% and 4.7%, 76% and 45.8%, 46% and 76.1%, 41.2% and 25% higher than the raw variety of Gynostemma pentaphyllam Makino respectively. All of them achieve the remarkable standard. The total sugar of the two is 16.3% and 4.4% lower than the raw variety of G. pentaphyllum respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe two new variety is not only with the distinct flavor and good taste, but also has wider used domain More amount of utilization, Better medical treatment and health care than the raw variety of G. pentaphyllum. It is more worthful to develop in industry domain.

Amino Acids ; analysis ; Carbohydrates ; analysis ; Genetic Variation ; Ginsenosides ; analysis ; Gynostemma ; chemistry ; genetics ; Plants, Edible ; chemistry ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics ; Riboflavin ; analysis ; Thiamine ; analysis ; Vitamin E ; analysis

Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fourier Analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Spectrum Analysis, Raman ; instrumentation ; methods

The dynamic accumulation rule of active substances in medicinal plants is of great value not only for medicinal material production and application,but also for the genetic mechanism study on the formation of medicinal ingredients,especially vital to guide medicinal material collection as well as experiment material selection and candidate gene screening in the analysis of biosynthesis pathway. This study investigated the accumulation of curcumins and terpenoids,and the biosynthesis of these metabolites,which are the active metabolites in Curcuma longa,a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Rhizoma of C. longa from leaf growing period,rhizome swelling period and dry matter accumulating period were used as experimental materials,to analyze the changes of metabolites and biosynthesis in the three periods by comparative transcriptome and metabolomes analysis.The results indicated that terpenoids accumulation and biosynthesis mainly occurred in leaf growing period,while curcumin accumulation and biosynthesis mainly occurred in dry matter accumulating period. Therefore,we suggested that turmeric rhizomes in leaf growth period were suitable for terpenoids biosynthetic pathway characterization,and rhizome in accumulation of dry matter period was suitable for curcuminoid biosynthesis pathway characterization. This study provides references for medicinal materialproduction and application,as well as biopathway analysis of active compounds for C. longa.
Curcuma ; chemistry ; Curcumin ; analysis ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Terpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the AAPH scavenging activities of 22 flavonoids and phenolic acids and 9 extracts of Chinese materia medica.

METHODThe antioxidant activities of the samples were evaluated by an oxygen radical absorbance capacity method (ORAC), at the same time, the total contents of flavonoids and phenolic the 9 herb extracts were analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the active components were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by an HPLC method.

RESULTIt was found that the tea extract showed the strongest AAPH activity with the ORAC value of 4786.40 micromol x g(-1) whereas safflower demonstrated the weakest activity with the ORAC value of 784.04 micromol x g(-1). As for compounds, quercetin had the strongest AAPH activity with the ORAC value of 12.90 while ( - )-EGC had the weakest activity with the ORAC value of 2.47. A quantitative relationship was obtained to describe the AAPH scavenging activity of the herb extracts: Y = 1844.8 lnX-3577.5, r = 0.8675, where Y stands for the ORAC vaule, and X stands for the concentration of total phenolic acids.

CONCLUSIONFlavonoids and phenolic acids are the AAPH scavenging active ingredients in the Chinese herb extracts. It's a good way to study the antioxidant activity of Chinese herb extract and its chemical composition by combing ORAC method and HPLC method.

Amidines ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Free Radical Scavengers ; analysis ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; Materia Medica ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry