Characteristics Of Constituents Research Articles

Nanostructured Fibers Containing Natural or Synthetic Bioactive Compounds in Wound Dressing Applications.

The interest in wound healing characteristics of bioactive constituents and therapeutic agents, especially natural compounds, is increasing because of their therapeutic properties, cost-effectiveness, and few adverse effects. Lately, nanocarriers as a drug delivery system have been actively investigated and applied in medical and therapeutic applications. In recent decades, researchers have investigated the incorporation of natural or synthetic substances into novel bioactive electrospun nanofibrous architectures produced by the electrospinning method for skin substitutes. Therefore, the development of nanotechnology in the area of dressings that could provide higher performance and a synergistic effect for wound healing is needed. Natural compounds with antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity in combination with nanostructured fibers represent a future approach due to the increased wound healing process and regeneration of the lost tissue. This paper presents different approaches in producing electrospun nanofibers, highlighting the electrospinning process used in fabricating innovative wound dressings that are able to release natural and/or synthetic substances in a controlled way, thus enhancing the healing process.

Plant-Derived Butters as Lipid Nanocarriers: A Systematic and Prospective Review.

Pharmaceutical nanotechnology represents an efficient alternative for the delivery of pharmacologically active plant-derived compounds, considering their protective capacity, oral bioavailability and drug vectorization capacity. In this context, butters obtained from plant seeds have emerged as promising products for the development of pharmacologically active nanostructures. They possess a complex lipid composition, allowing the formation of different emulsion systems with solid cores, since this mixture of different triglycerides is solid at room temperature and body temperature. Therefore, the systematic mapping around the technological development of nanostructures produced from plant-derived butters is potentially valuable for researchers interested in novel alternative formulations for pharmacological therapy, with potential industrial, economic, health and societal impacts. Systematic review was carried out by the search of scientific papers and patents deposited in official databases concerning the development of nanostructured pharmaceutical products using plantderived butters as starting material. The publications obtained were subjected to sorting and analysis by applying the following inclusion/exclusion criteria. The Solid Lipid Nanoparticle (SLN) was the type of nanostructure produced in all the analyzed scientific papers, due to the physicochemical characteristics of the lipid constituents of plantderived butters. In this sense, 54% of the articles have reported the use of Cocoa Butter for the production of nanostructures; 28% for Shea Butter; 6% for Cupuacu Butter, 6% for Murumuru Butter and 6% for Bacuri Butter. In the technological prospection, only two patents exhibited SLN as an invention based on cocoa butter and on shea butter, respectively. The production methods employed have included: phase inversion temperature, microemulsion, hot high pressure homogenization, high shear homogenization and ultrasonication. In light of this prospective review, the encouragement of novel studies in lipids-based nanotechnology is evident, considering the small number of findings so far, in order to stimulate new research involving plant-derived butters from easily cultivated fruits in tropical regions, then stimulating the pharmaceutical development of new therapeutic alternatives using biocompatible and sustainable raw materials.

From rejection to acknowledgement and dispute: four moments in the origins of Chilean representative democracy, 1822–1851

ABSTRACT This article traces the changes in the meanings and uses of the concept of democracy in Chile in the period 1822–1851. Based on an extensive revision of newspapers, it shows how the idea of democracy evolved from a negative understanding of it to an increasingly positive vision that saw it as a key mechanism for legitimising political power. Essential for this transition were, first, the doctrinal disputes of the 1820s, which established a series of liberal and republican principles that ended up being constituent characteristics of Chilean democracy. Second, the concept of representation, which by normalising a way of exercising power through delegates democratically elected, allowed to cleanse democracy from what contemporaries considered its most menacing excesses. The article identifies four moments of progress and retreats of democracy during the first half of the nineteenth century, demonstrating the extent to which this was a more complex process than what is commonly believed. In so doing, it aims to question some of the general assumptions about the origins of democracy both in Latin America and Chile and to demonstrate how the acknowledgement of the idea of representative democracy was one of the main legacies of these seminal debates for nineteenth-century Chilean politics.

QTL mapping and haplotype analysis revealed candidate genes for grain thickness in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Grain size and shape are important for grain yield and quality in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Grain thickness (GT) is one of the constituent characteristics of grain shape and has a strong influence on grain weight in rice. In this study, a japonica cultivar (02428) with a thick grain phenotype was crossed with an indica cultivar (YZX) with a thin grain phenotype to construct a set of 192 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed with a high-density genetic map harbouring 2711 bin markers. We identified 6 QTLs for GT in three environments and two stable QTLs with high heritability residing on the known grain width (GW) genes GW5 and GL7/GW7, verifying the effectiveness and reliability of our study. We detected a novel QTL on chromosome 9 with strong association signals for both GW and GT. Using transcript profiles and quantitative RT-PCR, we identified a candidate gene, Os09g0535500, which encodes a zinc finger C3HC4-type domain, that showed the highest expression level and significant differential expression between parents in the development of young panicle and grain. Further haplotype-phenotype association analysis revealed that Os09g0535500 was strongly correlated with GW and GT. Thus, our results indicated that Os09g0535500 was the most promising candidate gene in WTG9 and is likely important for rice grain development, which lays a foundation for further functional validation and breeding utilization.

Anionic contamination and its stabilization on the strength and plastic features of clay soils (vermiculite and sepiolite)

ABSTRACTUtilizing fine-grained soils containing clay minerals in most of the structures due to the specific surface area, ion exchange capacity and high adsorption capacity of hazardous contaminants have always been considered with the geotechnical view of the environment. In this study, the effect of contamination and stabilization of anionic pollutants (As) on the most important mechanical and physical properties of Vermiculite and Sepiolite clay soils was evaluated. Various experiments were performed at different stages such as gradation, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, density, permeability coefficient, unconfined compression strength, determination of pollutant concentration, X-Ray diffraction, as well as X-Ray fluorescence on different treatments of soil and in two different treatment periods (7 and 28 days). Finally, by examining the results of different experiments, we analyzed the proportion of two soils as a liner and also contamination problems with regard to the application of engineering materials. It was concluded that by the passage of time, microstructure characteristics of soil constituents and soil soluble conditions affect the geotechnical properties of polluted soils with anionic factors; therefore, the soils used as engineering materials and exposed to contaminants should be evaluated for their geotechnical properties after contamination and modification, so that the decisions about their selection can be made more confidently. The analysis of experiments also indicates the change in soil properties due to contamination of soil with an anionic contaminant (increasing the plastic limit), as well as the improvement of most of the geotechnical properties after the modification and stabilization (reduction of plastic limit).

Experimental investigation of physicochemical and slagging characteristics of inorganic constituents in ash residues from gasification of different herbaceous biomass

The physicochemical and slagging characteristics of inorganic constituents in ash residues from biomass gasification in a 25 kg/h lab-scale fixed-bed gasifier were experimentally investigated. The results indicated that among the studied ashes, the wheat straw ash (WSA) had the highest alkali and alkaline earth contents, followed by corn straw ash (CSA) and rice straw ash (RSA). Whilst, the chlorine content in the CSA (5.38 wt%) was higher than that of WSA (3.67 wt%) or RSA (3.26 wt%). Besides, the CSA presented the highest specific surface area of 86.98 m2/g, with the average pore size of 9.29 Å and pore volume of 0.162 cm3/g. But the WSA showed the lowest deformation temperature (938 °C) and could be completely melted at 1256 °C. These results indicated that ash melting and slagging behaviours were determined by alkali/alkaline earth content. The coexistence of arcanite and sylvite played important roles in promoting slag formation. The RSA particles were agglomerated with no obvious melting while an evident molten appearance with smooth surfaces on large aggregates of WSA was observed, coating with sylvite and potassium silicates. The formation and transformation of potassium containing minerals was regarded as the dominant reason for the slagging of herbaceous biomass ash.

Pro-Trade Blocs in the US Congress

AbstractWho supports trade in the US Congress? We uncover the ideological space of trade voting, focusing on trade agreements and development policy as two fundamental cleavages around globalization. We then cluster members of Congress into coherent voting blocs, and identify the most pro-trade voting blocs in each Chamber. We find that these blocs: cross party lines; are ideologically heterogeneous; and are over-represented on the committees with jurisdiction over trade. We then examine two leading theories of Congressional voting – on constituency characteristics and campaign contributions – and find support for each using our learned voting blocs. Members of pro-trade blocs have defended their constituents’ and contributors’ interests by speaking out to confront the Trump administration’s protectionism. We conclude that unsupervised learning methods provide a valuable tool for exploring the multifaceted and dynamic divisions which characterize current debates over global economic integration.

Anaerobic bioconversion of petrochemical wastewater to biomethane in a semi-continuous bioreactor: Biodegradability, mineralization behaviors and methane productivity

Petrochemical wastewaters treatment represents a serious challenge due to the high toxicity and complex chemical components. In this study, the biodegradability, mineralization behaviors and methane productivity of eight different types of petrochemical wastewaters were evaluated in series of semi-continuous bioreactors. Methane production strongly depended on the characteristics of wastewaters and chemical constituents. The highest methane yield of 305.9 ± 2.7 mL/g-COD was achieved by purified terephthalic acid wastewater, followed by ethylene glycol, polyester, etc. Comparatively, one-step-SCN− wastewater produced the lowest methane yield (4.7 ± 0.7 mL/g-COD) owing to high toxicity and low biodegradability. Modified Gompertz model confirmed that purified terephthalic acid, ethylene glycol and polyester wastewaters had a short lag-phase of 1.2, 1.7 and 0.2 days, respectively. Nonetheless, the formation of by-products such as proteins, polysaccharides and ammonia nitrogen throughout anaerobic digestion reflected the high activity of anaerobic microorganisms, confirming the technical feasibility of anaerobic biotechnology in treating petrochemical wastewaters.

Comparison between long and short beam flexure of a carbon fibre based FML

A Fibre metal laminate (FML) consists of a stack of metal sheets alternating to composite material layers: in such a manner, the best characteristics of both constituents are combined together. In this work, the flexural behaviour of different kinds of FMLs was investigated. In particular, both long beam and short beam specimens were produced and tested, since the length-to-thickness ratio influences the stress type arising in the material and, consequently, the failure mode. Moreover, the influence of both the composite/metal interface and the thickness of the layers was analysed. It was found that the structural adhesive was deleterious for the flexural strength of the long beam, while it improved the behaviour of the short one. As concerns the thickness and the distribution of the layers, this factor was unaffecting for the short beam specimen, while it was decisive for the long beam one. A micrographic analysis was carried out on the tested specimens, in order to characterize the failure mode. It was found a preponderance of fibre breakage in the long beam, while in the short one the failure of the metal/composite interface was prevailing.

Outcome Economy: Subscription Business Models in Machinery and Plant Engineering

Subscription business transforms traditional business models of machinery and plant engineering. Many manufacturing companies struggle to pull out the potential created by Industry 4.0 and make it economically usable. In addition to technological innovations, it is necessary to transform the business model. This leads to a shift from ownership-based and product-centric business models to outcome-based business models, which focus on the customer’s value and thus realize a unique value proposition and competitive advantage – the outcome economy. Based on a case study analysis among manufacturing companies, this paper provides further clarification including a definition and constituent characteristics of subscription business models in machinery and plant engineering.

PERSONALITY SAFETY IN STUDENT’S STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL MATURITY: THE THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL EXPLICATION

The main categorical and conceptual outlines of the phenomenon of personality safety from the standpoint of the systemic, integrative, subjective and activity approaches are detailed. The systemic and structural peculiarities of personality safety organization as a psychological formation, providing acquisition and support of human psychological comfort, are revealed. The theoretical model of the structural organization of a person’s social maturity is developed, which include the following components: value-semantic, emotional-evaluative and regulatory-behavioural. The consideration of specific features of personality safety for each social maturity component (a person’s individual senses that divides the phenomena of surrounding reality by their safety or danger, a person’s internal harmony, willingness to take risks) is concentrated around the psychological content of a person’s resource potential for his/her personality safety as the person’s social and psychological activity and the corresponding development of his/her value-semantic sphere, emotional and motivational orientation and ability to comprehension, adaptation and control over a situation. The research results show that the social maturity structural components of students in technical and humanitarian specialties (group 1) and students of “risky” professions (group 2) are rather dynamic and have significant differences. The specifics and manifestations of the resource potential of personality safety in students’ structure of social maturity are substantiated. The resource potential of such personality safety component as an emotional balance characteristic for students in technical and humanitarian specialties was empirically verified; here, the functional plane of emotions takes the form of emotional balance that perform regulatory mobilization at interactions with the environment. The resource potential of such personality safety component as behavioural normative of students in risky specialties demonstrates the specific functional plane of their behavioural activities in the form of behavioural self-regulation and adaptive manifestations of their value orientations as for their life and professional self-fulfilment. We specify that the full expression of the resource potential of personality safety integrates emotional and behavioural attitudes through awareness on their constituent characteristics, which makes it possible not only to change the reality but also oneself with adaptation to new objective peculiarities with the help of new interpretative models of consciousness.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HEART RHYTHM VARIABILITY IN RESIDENTS OF MIDDLE OB REGION WITH DERMAL DISEASES

The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with chronic dermatoses, citizens of the Middle Ob Region. Methods. 74 patients with chronic dermal diseases (psoriasis and eczema), as well as 37 people who were included in the control group, were examined using the method of variational pulse oximetry using the Elox-01 hardware complex and the ELOGRAPH software product. The assessment of the constituent characteristics of HRV was carried out using different approaches: methods of mathematical statistics using non-parametric tests of Wilcoxon, Shapiro-Wilk and multivariate analysis of multidimensional phase spaces, which determined the evidential base for quantitative measures and diagnostic markers (criteria) in disorders of neuro-vegetative regulation of cardiac function in patients with dermatoses. Results. Peculiarities of the heart rhythm structure were found in patients with dermal diseases: a statistically significant decrease in the LF and HF components was revealed and an imbalance was found in the regulation of the autonomic nervous system with a predominance of sympathetic imbalance in patients with dermatoses living in the Middle Ob region in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Ugra. Diagnostic indicators of the characteristics of HRV in patients with eczema and psoriasis were determined, which made it possible to distinguish a complex of signs in the differences in the autonomic regulation of heart rhythm - Total P (mc2), VLF (mc2), LF (mc2) and the integral characteristics of HRV - Baevsky stress index (INB (cu), indicators of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system (SIM, PAR, cu). Conclusions. Patients with chronic dermatoses (psoriasis, eczema) living in severe climatic conditions of the Middle Ob Region have a tendency to early development of complicated forms of the disease with detection of imbalance in the regulation of the autonomic nervous system with a predominance of parasympathetic tone. The data obtained are important diagnostic aspects of the diseases pathogenesis, contributing to the determination of the further prognosis and correction of medical treatment.

Specialist Supportive Clinical Management for anorexia nervosa: what it is (and what it is not).

Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM) is a psychotherapy comprising a clinical management focus addressing anorexia nervosa (AN) symptoms and a supportive therapy component. SSCM has been an active control therapy in randomised controlled trials for AN, but has proven to be an effective therapy in its own right. There has been speculation about how this relatively straightforward therapy works. Some of the commentaries and descriptors used for SSCM, however, do not reflect the content or principles of SSCM. This paper clarifies areas of misunderstanding by describing what SSCM is and what it is not, particularly in relation to commentary about its constituent characteristics. SSCM utilises well established clinical management for AN (with a sustained focus on normalised eating and weight restoration) coupled with supportive therapy principles and strategies. Common factors across both arms include core counselling skills and a positive therapeutic alliance to promote adherence and retention in treatment for AN. Compared to other comparator therapies to date, SSCM is a simpler therapy without unique or novel theoretically derived strategies. Comparable outcomes with more complex psychotherapies raise the question of whether the combined core components of SSCM may be sufficient for many people with AN.

Numerical Modeling of PZT- Piezoelectric Composites with Passive and Active Polymer Matrix

Piezoelectric composite materials with a polymer matrix are important for underwater acoustic and biomedical imaging applications. The dependence of electromechanical properties of piezoelectric composite on constituent material characteristics and shape of piezoelectric inclusions is a central problem that provides the opportunity to tailor the performance of piezoelectric composites according to design needs. A numerical model has been developed to investigate the electromechanical properties of 1-3 piezoelectric composites with a passive and active polymer matrix. Maxwell Homogenization method is employed to homogenize the solution domain. It is demonstrated that the use of PVDF as an active polymer matrix has a significant influence on piezoelectric charge coefficient d31, hydrostatic coefficient dh, voltage coefficient gh, and hydrophone figure of merit ghdh when compared to the passive Araldite-D polymer matrix. Overall, a 5 to 30% volume fraction of PZT-7A fiber inclusions in an active polymer matrix is the optimum ratio that has a significant effect on piezoelectric properties. The accuracy and effectiveness of homogenized material constants were verified by comparing the derived composite properties with experimental work published elsewhere. These results provide much needed intuitiveness in the development of piezoelectric polymer composite with better performance for transducer applications.

A evolução do traçado urbano e o desmonte de um bairro fluvial

Este artigo discute a relação entre traçado urbano, relevo e hidrografia, enquanto agenciamento que configura uma identidade palpável da forma urbana, porque baseada na evidência material de algumas das suas principais características constituintes. A cidade de São Paulo, expoente de uma metrópole contemporânea, é tomada como objeto de análise, e o bairro da Penha, na zona leste do município, como estudo de caso específico, por ser um estrato de tecido urbano que apresenta uma transformação radical no tempo, evidenciando, na atualidade, uma série de conflitos. A metodologia utilizada consiste de dois procedimentos, um teórico e um prático, respectivamente: decomposição sistêmica do tecido urbano, com ênfase no traçado e na identificação de duas escalas concomitantes – dos tecidos locais e da rede de infraestruturas metropolitanas; elaboração de seis lâminas cartográficas na escala 1: 50.000, que serviram tanto para demonstrar a transformação radical do tecido urbano quanto para identificação dos conflitos resultantes da interface entre a hidrografia, o leito carroçável, calçamento e o parcelário, que constituem o espaço público do traçado urbano, bem como oitenta e quatro desenhos de “caixas de rua”, que demonstram, esquematicamente, quais são as principais características destes conflitos.

Effect of fiber prestressing on mechanical properties of glass fiber epoxy composites manufactured by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding

The mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced polymer composites depend on several aspects such as the characteristics of constituents, fiber volume fraction, and manufacturing techniques. Fiber prestressing is considered a very attractive manufacturing technique that can be used to produce fiber-reinforced polymer composites with high mechanical properties. This technique has the potential to eliminate or reduce some manufacturing problems like fiber waviness. In the present study, a new approach was used to prepare prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Unidirectional E-glass fiber-stitched mats were impregnated with epoxy matrix through vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process. Once the infusion was done, a pre-calculated tensile force was applied to the fiber mats through a hydraulic tensile machine. The impregnated fiber mats were left under tension and vacuum during curing of the epoxy matrix (24 h). Five prestressed samples were prepared by using five different prestressing levels 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 MPa. In addition, non-prestressed (control) sample was prepared for the purpose of comparison. The influence of fiber prestressing on fiber waviness, fiber volume fraction, and void content was investigated. Flexural, tensile, and compression tests were performed to observe the effect of fiber prestressing on the mechanical properties. The results have shown the success of this new approach in producing prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer composites with high mechanical properties comparing to non-prestressed composites. The microstructure analysis has shown dramatical reduction in fiber waviness for the prestressed samples over control sample. All prestressed samples have shown higher fiber volume fraction and lower void content comparing to the control sample. Also the results have shown as the prestressing level increases, fiber volume fraction increase and void content decreases. Prestressing levels of 40 and 60 MPa were found to be the best candidates, they have led to an increase in tensile strength, compressive strength, and flexural strength by 24.2%, 72.5%, 28% and 28.6%, 100.4%, 26.1%, respectively, comparing to the non-prestressed sample. Ease of implementation and promising results of this new approach would attract the attention toward it. Automotive industry is one potential nominee to apply this approach during manufacturing of fiber-reinforced polymer leaf spring.

Abrasive Wear Resistance of Ferrous Microstructures with Similar Bulk Hardness Levels Evaluated by a Scratch-Tester Method

A high-strain scratch tester was employed to investigate the abrasive behavior of four different ferrous microstructures with similar bulk hardness levels. The microstructures revealed unique groove characteristics and significant deformation in their sub-surface layers. Bainite and pearlite displayed superior abrasive wear performance in comparison with martensite and tempered martensite microstructures. The characteristics of microstructure constituents were responsible for the distinct groove characteristics and material removal mechanisms. The effect of normal load was influential in the transition of the material removal mechanism from ploughing to cutting. The sub-surface layer of microstructures revealed significant deformation (i.e., nanostructure formation), which was largely determined by the initial microstructure characteristics. The occurrence of work-hardening phenomenon in the sub-surface layer demonstrated a positive impact during abrasion.

Vote Secrecy With Diverse Voters

Why would incumbent politicians adopt the secret ballot when doing so weakens the advantages of incumbency? Why is the secret ballot considered a democratizing reform in some settings, whereas in others it is associated with democratic backsliding? We provide theory and empirics to address these questions. Our starting point is the observation that the secret ballot had two consequences. It reduced the capacity to monitor the vote, thereby dampening the efficacy of clientelism. Yet, depending on literacy and electoral rules, it could also narrow political participation. Recognizing this, we endogenize politicians’ preferences over the secret ballot, concentrating on the role of their personal and constituency characteristics. Legislative roll call voting data from Brazil’s Second Republic (1945-1964) is used to test our framework. Consistent with expectations, the level of literacy of legislators’ supporters and the strength of their local ties strongly influenced the choice to adopt the secret ballot.

ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF HYDROGEL INCORPORATED WITH PLGA NANOPARTICLES OF CROSSANDRA INFUNDIBULIFORMIS

Objective: Present study is aimed at formulation of Hydrogel containing Poly Lactic Glycolic Acid (PLGA) nanoparticles incorporated with ethanolic extract of Crossandra infundibuliformis (EECI) and investigate the efficacy of hydrogel nanoparticles as a carrier of antimicrobial constituents.
 Methods: Poly Lactic Glycolic Acid (PLGA) nanoparticles containing ethanolic extract of Crossandra infundibuliformis (EECI) were synthesized by an emulsion-evaporation method and their physicochemical properties were studied. Polymeric PLGA nanoparticles were then incorporated into gel matrix, using Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC K4M) as a base. The antibacterial activity of nanoparticulated hydrogel formulations were evaluated by agar well diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
 Results: Nanoparticulate hydrogel formulations exhibited high viscosity, neutral pH with good spreadability which is appropriate for transdermal application as well as showed prolonged drug release from optimized formulation up to 24 h. Nanoparticulate hydrogel formulations were effective inhibitors of all the micro-organisms with more promising activity against Staphylococcus aureus.
 Conclusion: Nanoparticulate hydrogel formulation can be used as a feasible alternative to conventional formulations of Crossandra infundibuliformis extract with advanced permeation characteristics of antimicrobial constituents for transdermal application.

TCM-ADMEpred: A novel strategy for poly-pharmacokinetics prediction of traditional Chinese medicine based on single constituent pharmacokinetics, structural similarity, and mathematical modeling

Ethnopharmacological relevanceYuanhu Zhitong prescription (YZP) is a commonly used and relatively simple clinical herb preparation recorded in the China Pharmacopoeia. It contains Corydalis yanhusuo (Chinese name, Yanhusuo [YH]) and Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) (Chinese name, Baizhi [BZ]), and has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of stomach pain, hypochondriac pain, headache, and dysmenorrhea. Aim of the studyA TCM-ADMEpred method is developed for novel strategy for poly-pharmacokinetics prediction of TCM. To predict the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the main YZP constituents in rat plasma using in silico models, based on the theory that structurally similar constituents show similar pharmacokinetic properties. This approach may facilitate in silico prediction of the pharmacokinetics of TCM. Materials and methodsA robust platform using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of seven active YZP constituents in rat plasma. These seven compounds were divided into two structural classes, alkaloids and coumarins. The correlation between AUC profiles within a structural class was expressed as Γ+, and this variable was used to develop two novel in silico models to predict constituent AUC values. The pharmacokinetics of tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline following YZP administration were predicted using the Γ+-values of α-allocryptopine observed following YH administration, while those of imperatorin and isoimperatorin following BZ administration were predicted using the Γ+-values of byakangelicin observed following YZP administration. ResultsThe UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully used to evaluate pharmacokinetic parameters after oral YZP, YH, or BZ administration. Our findings showed that co-administration of YH and BZ increased the AUC of four alkaloid constituents and reduced the AUC of three coumarin constituents, which might provide a scientific rationale for co-administering these herbs clinically as a YZP preparation, thus increasing their efficacy and reducing toxicity. The AUC values of imperatorin and isoimperatorin were predicted 3 h after oral BZ administration, with the bias ratios between the theoretical values and the observed experimental values ranging from 0.61% to 11.4%, and average bias ratios of 5.8% and 8.0%, respectively. The AUC values of tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine, and corydaline were predicted 3 h after oral YZP administration, with bias ratios ranging from 3.7% to 46.4%, and average bias ratios of 23.8%, 15.4%, and 25.8%, respectively. ConclusionThe UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic evaluations after oral administration of YZP, YH, and BZ to rats. The Γ+ variable was used to express the correlation between the AUC profiles of structurally similar compounds. This facilitated the development of an in silico model that was used to predict the AUC of three alkaloids in YZP and of two coumarins in BZ. Calculation of the bias ratios between the predicted and experimental values suggested that this in silico model provided a viable approach for the prediction of TCM pharmacokinetics.