White Lotus Research Articles

Comparison of Nutritional Quality and Functional Active Substances in Different Parts of Eight Lotus Seed Cultivars.

In this study, "Honghu White Lotus", "Red Lotus (HH)", "Hunan Cunshan Lotus (CS)", "Wuyi Xuanlian", "Space Lotus 36", "Fujian Jianning White Lotus (JB)", "Jiangsu Yangzhou Lotus (JY)", and "Suzhou Dongshan Lotus" were selected as experimental subjects. The lotus seed flesh and lotus plumule of each cultivar were selected for nutritional quality and functional active substance analyses. Comparing different cultivars of lotus seeds, the protein and crude fat contents of JY flesh were the highest at 65.59 mg/g and 13%, respectively. The VC content of JB flesh and lotus plumule is the highest at 41.56 mg/g and 204.29 mg/g, respectively. JB flesh has the lowest soluble sugar content, at 17.87 mg/g, while HB's lotus plumule and flesh have the highest content, at 33.67 mg/g and 29.62 mg/g, respectively. There was no significant difference in the crude fat content of the flesh and lotus plumule among the eight cultivars. TK flesh and lotus plumule have the highest amylose content, at 23.67 mg/g and 76.81 mg/g, respectively. Among them, the total starch content of JB (476.17 mg/g) was relatively high, whereas its amylose content was only 26.09 mg/g. Lower amylose content makes it less prone to aging. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the JY lotus plumule were the highest, at 18.64 and 21.04 mg/g, respectively. The alkaloid content of CS, HH, and JY was relatively high at 20.01, 19.29, and 18.68 mg/g, respectively. These can provide a consultation for the estimation and processing of the nutritional quality of different lotus seeds.

In vitro acute gamma radiation on tissue of pink and white lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) in Thailand

This research aimed to investigatethe age of embryos of pink and white lotus for in vitropropagation and examine the sensitivity of young lotus plants derived from tissue culture to acute gamma radiation. The seeds of both lotus varieties were 4-week, 6-week and 8-week-old embryos cultivated on solid MS medium. They were then transferred to solid MS medium supplemented with 3 mg/L BA. After culturing, the 6-week-old pink lotus embryos had an average maximum petiole length of 16.78 ± 1.01 cm and an average of 11.84 ± 0.44 roots/explant, while the 6-week-old white lotus embryos had an average maximum petiole length of 15.48 ± 0.68 cm and an average of 11.76 ± 0.70 roots/explant. Each young lotus plant produced one shoot. After treating the young lotus plants with liquid MS medium supplemented with 3 mg/L BA, both lotus varieties showed increased shoot numbers at 3.54 ± 0.13 and 3.40 ± 0.91 shoots/explant. Young lotus plants of both varieties were exposed to gamma radiation levels of 0, 20, 30 and 40 Gy. The LD50 value for pink lotus was 26.138 Gy, while the LD50 value for the white lotus was 32.031 Gy.The LD50 value will offer vital information for determining the optimal dosage of gamma radiation for both pink and white lotus in vitro.

Amino acid profile, Antioxidant Activity and flavonoid Content of White Lotus ‘Purain’ from North Bihar, India

India's national flower is the lotus. A lot of seed is carried by white lotuses. Protein and other bioactive substances are abundant in white lotus seeds. An experiment was carried out at the ICAR-National Research Centre in Makhana in 2023-24 to assess the nutritional quality and anti-oxidant characteristics of white lotus seed, which is abundant during the rainy and autumn seasons in the wetland ecosystem of north Bihar. Seeds of white purain accession were grinded and its flour chemically analyzed using AOAC standard methods. Estimation of amino acids was based on the reaction of free amino acids with phenyl isothiocyanate produces stable derivatives that are then separated using liquid chromatography. Anti-oxidant activities were estimated in spectrophotometric observation by DPPH and FRAP methods, based on electron transfer reactions, which visually results on the reduction of a coloured oxidant. Flavonoids are estimated by UHPLC methods. The white lotus purain seed content 17.8±054 % protein, 1.09±0.07 % fat and 1.94±0.08 % crude fibre. The nutritional study also revealed that the appreciable amount of arginine (12.70 g/kg ) and histidine (3.62 g/kg ) were present in the protein of the dry endosperm of Nelumbium spp. In addition, the lotus seed endosperm has a fair source of quercetin (422.0µg/kg) and kaempferol (200.0 µg/kg) as pure flavonoids which influence the rapid glucose metabolism in human cell. The greatest DPPH and FRAP values were found in seed endosperm of white lotus purain, which had 988.05±2.25 mg AEAC/100g FW and 461.78±1.79 mg AEAC/100g FW, respectively.

The White Lotus TV Series Season 2: Deconstructing Italians Stereotypes

Modern mass media serve as both a "magic window" into the world and a "door" to new ideas. It is important to look at how the steady growth of media affects the way racial and cultural stereotypes are pushed forward. Stereotypes themselves can influence how people view facts and social events and one of many examples of stereotypes is Italian stereotypes. This study analyzes HBO's popular series, The White Lotus season two, employing Fairclough's model critical discourse analysis to deconstruct Italian stereotypes through the characters' portrayals. This study also examines the sociocultural aspect and physical appearances of the Italian characters portrayed by American television. The findings of this study show the physical portrayal of Italians mostly they have the same features and are known for their fashion sense and attention to appearance. Moreover, Italian characters are portrayed with speak loudly and having the urge to cause some disturbance. The last stereotype is quite expected but debatable, which is the portrayal of Italians being middle-class workers and mafia. This stereotype had some audience feeling disappointed and others pleased enough. Western films' mafia stereotypes could affect how people learn about the culture, and think all Italians are dangerous, poor, and do drugs. Mafias exist and should not define Italian identity, especially in mainstream media.

UJI AKTIVITAS ANTIOKSIDAN PADA EKSTRAK ETANOL 70% TANAMAN TERATAI PUTIH (Nymphaea nouchali L)

Many aquatic plants grow in these rivers, one of which is the lotus. Lotus (Nymphaea) is a plant that often lives in the swamplands of South Kalimantan, especially Banjarmasin. The lotus is a wild plant in its natural habitat, which is not foreign to Indonesian people. Some Indonesian people only know about the beauty of this plant. It turns out that apart from its beauty, the lotus also has benefits for curing various diseases. The lotus plant can also be used as medicine because it contains several different chemical ingredients in each part. This research aims to determine the antioxidant activity of extracts from various parts of the White Lotus plant (Nymphaea nouchali L) using the DPPH method. The plant parts tested include: flower parts, flower stalks, leaves and petioles. Based on the research results, the highest antioxidant activity test was found in flower extract, namely with an IC50 value of 66.906 μg/mL, and the lowest was found in leaf extract, namely with an IC50 value of 99.449 μg/mL. Quercetin as a comparison standard has an IC50 value of 6.337 μg/mL with a "very strong" antioxidant activity category, while flower extract, flower stalk extract, leaf extract and leaf stalk extract have a "strong" antioxidant activity category.

Harmonizing Wisdom: Exploring the Synchronicity of Taoism and Maitreya Buddhism in Indonesia's Pluralistic Tapestry

This article aims to explore the parallels between Taoism and Maitreya Buddhism, focusing on their teachings of wisdom. To achieve this, qualitative research methods such as interviews, observation, and documentation were employed for data collection. The research findings showcase the inheritance of beliefs and practices from the White Lotus sect within Maitreya Buddhism, a sect deeply influenced by Taoist teachings. The syncretism of Taoist beliefs within Maitreya Buddhism is evident through the existence of the White Lotus sectarian influence. Moreover, this study unveils shared historical beliefs that serve as a spiritual link between humans, Earth, and heaven. Both Taoism and Maitreya Buddhism emphasize the importance of truth teachings in connecting these realms. Additionally, the convergence between the two traditions lies in their belief systems centered on moral ethics for creation and salvation. Maitreya Buddhism recognizes the future coming of Maitreya Buddha, who will descend to Earth to save humanity from the negative impact of misguided teachings, while Taoism also acknowledges the Enlightening Teacher. This research offers valuable insights into the intertwining of Taoism and Maitreya Buddhism in the diverse religious landscape of Indonesia. The parallels found in their teachings of wisdom and shared beliefs provide a deeper appreciation of the spiritual interconnectedness in this pluralistic society.

First report of spotting disease caused by Fusarium proliferatum infection of Alisma orientale in China.

Alisma orientale (Alismatidae) is highly valued for both its pharmaceutical and nutritional properties. The tubers are in Chinese herbal medicine and the leaves and stems for several Chinese delicacies. Intercropping A. orientale and Nelumbo nucifera may increase quality, yield, and other economic benefits. In July 2021, a novel spotting disease was observed in these plants in the White Lotus Science and Technology Expo Park in Guangchang County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province (26.79°N, 116.31°E). The symptom was round to regular black spots on the stems during the early stage of infection. Over time, the larger spots merged, resulting in stem breakage and eventually death. A. orientale spot disease arose in July of 2021, causing approximately 50% of leaves to die, and leading to 10 to 25% yield loss. To identify the pathogenic organism, 5×5 mm samples were taken from affected tissue adjoining healthy tissue, sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s, and immersed in 0.1% mercury chloride for a further 30 s, before washing in sterile water and transfer to potato glucose agar (PDA) plates. After culturing at 28℃±1℃ for seven days, aerial mycelia were identified. At the start of culture, the mycelia were white but later turned purple-red. Three to five straight or partially bent septa were visible on the macroconidia, which were 28.8(19.1~38.6) ×2.9(1.9~4.0) µm in size (n=50). In contrast, the microconidia appeared glassy and elliptical, with sizes of 9.8(4.9~14.8) ×2.7(1.2~4.1) µm (n=50). These features suggested F. proliferatum (Zhao et al., 2019). To verify this, various primers, including universal ITS1/ITS4, Fusarium-specific EF1T/EF2T, PRO1/PRO2 (Mulè et al., 2004), and Bt2a/Bt2b (Glass and Donaldson, 1995; O'Donnell and Cigelnik, 1998) primers were used for amplification of the 5.8S rRNA/ITS, α-elongation factor, calmodulin, and β-tubulin genes. The resulting sequences were between 99% and 100% identical to those of F. proliferatum in GenBank (accession numbers MW721116.1, KR071735.1, KU604008.1, and MH398186.1, respectively). The present sequences were uploaded with accession numbers of OK047496, OL448294, OL448295, and OM280358, with sequence lengths of 549 bp, 725 bp, 594 bp, and 325bp, respectively. A maximum likelihood-phylogenetic tree was created in MEGA5 based on ITS+TEF+PRO sequences. Pathogenicity was tested by hyphal inoculation. Needles, cotton, and water were sterilized under high temperature and pressure. Five-millimeter punches were taken from infected and uninfected PDA plates and three uninfected stems of A. orientale were inoculated with the pathogen with a fourth used as the control. Plants were maintained in experimental field of the Bailian Science and Technology Expo Park. Infected wounds were gently wetted with sterile water and sealed with sellotape. After 10 days, the infected stems displayed symptoms while the controls did not. The same pathogen was recovered from the infected stems, fulfilling Koch's requirements. This appears to be the only report describing F. proliferatum infection of A. orientale stems. These results are useful for the recognition and avoidance of F. proliferatum infections in A. orientale and other plants.

‘Sicily Can Be Very Seductive’: The White Lotus and the Transnational ‘Making’ of the Mediterranean

ABSTRACT This article examines how, in the second series of The White Lotus (2022), Sicily is portrayed as a backdrop for wealthy North Americans to live out touristic fantasies. This relies on a stereotypical portrayal of Sicily as a repository of ‘pre-modern’ gender roles and racial dynamics. The Sicilian setting facilitates the series' critique of white, male privilege. Although the series uses irony to satirize North American attitudes towards, and beliefs about Sicily, it ultimately ‘recycles’, however knowingly, familiar clichés about the island, particularly ones that recur in twentieth-century films. Thus, while at first glance The White Lotus appears to critique its characters' conception of Sicily as a Mediterranean playground or ‘an idealised space of tourism’ (Hom, p. 52), upon closer inspection the series is ultimately an extension of a long line of transnational portrayals of Sicily that rely on familiar stereotypes, made by and for English-speaking observers.

THE CORRELATION OF BETWEEN BREAST CANCER KNOWLEDGE LEVELS AND BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION BEHAVIOR (BSE) IN CLASS X AND X1 TEENAGE GIRLS AT GLOBAL ISLAMIC HIGH SCHOOL TERATAI PUTIH BEKASI IN 2022

Background: According to data from Global Burden Cancer in the International Agency for Research On Cancer (IARC), it is known that breast cancer is a disease with the highest percentage of new cases (after controlling for age), which is 43.3%, and the percentage of deaths (after being controlled by age ) due to breast cancer by 12.9% (Kendal, 2022). Breast cancer (carcinoma mammae) itself is a condition where cells have lost their normal control and mechanism, resulting in abnormal, fast, and uncontrolled growth that occurs in breast tissue (MOH, 2015). However, over time, this disease begins to lead to a younger age, so teenagers (13-20 years) also need to do BSE regularly as an effort to prevent and early detection to reduce the possibility of other diseases caused by these risks factors (WHO, 2007). Objectives: This study aims to determine the correlation of between knowledge levels of breast cancer and breast self-examination behavior (BSE) in class X and XI adolescent girls at Teratai Putih Global Islamic High School Bekasi in 2022. Methods: The research method that will be carried out by researchers is quantitative. The design in this study uses Analytical Observation with a Cross-Sectional research design. The population in this study was 66 young women in classes X and XI at the global white lotus Islamic high school. The sampling technique used in this research is total sampling. Results: it was found that with a significant level of 95% or a value of 5% (0.05) the results of the Fisher's Exact Test obtained a p-value (0.00) < value of (0.05) there was a Correlation between the level of knowledge of breast cancer with examination behavior Breast Self (BSE) for Teenage Girls in Class X and XI at Teratai Putih Global Islamic High School Bekasi in 2022. Conclusion: There is a correlation between the level of knowledge of breast cancer and the behavior of breast self-examination (BSE) in Class X and XI Teenage Girls at Teratai Putih Global Islamic High School Bekasi 2022.

Leaf vein disease in Nelumbo nucifera caused by Nigrospora pyriformis infection in China.

Nelumbo nucifera (Nymphaeaceae) has both ornamental and nutritional uses in China. In July 2021, a novel disease was observed on plants in the White Lotus Science and Technology Expo Park in Guangchang county, Fuzhou city, Jiangxi province (26.79° N, 116.31° E). Infection was visible as nearly round black spots on the leaves in the early stages of infection. At later stages, the spots spread along the veins forming reticular necrosis until the entire leaf was infected, and the disease caused approximately 20% of leaves to die. To identify the pathogenic organism, 5×5 mm samples were taken from affected tissue adjoining healthy tissue, sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s, and immersed in 0.1% mercury chloride for a further 30 s, before washing in sterile water and transfer to potato glucose agar (PDA) plates. After culturing at 28℃±1℃ for five days, white regularly shaped round colonies were visible that after 10 days turned black with fluffy hyphae. The individual conidia produced by the conidiophore were initially a light-brown color which changed to black as the pigment accumulated; conidia were globose to subglobose, 17.10 (14.77-21.66) ×14.70 (12.08-16.93) μm in size (n=50), with glossy even surfaces lacking in septa, suggestive of Nigrospora. To verify this, PCR amplification was conducted using ITS1/ITS4 primers for the 5.8S rRNA gene. The primers EF1-728F and EF-2 were used for amplifying translation elongation factor 1α (O'Donnell et al. 1998, Carbone and Kohn 1999), and Bt-2a and Bt-2b (Glass and Donaldson 1995) for amplifying β-tubulin. The sequences were found to be 99% to 100% identical to those of Nigrospora pyriformis in GenBank (accession numbers NR153469.1, KY019290.1, and KY019457.1, respectively). The sequences were uploaded to GenBank (accession numbers OK605048, OL362197, and OK662966), with lengths of 522 bp, 475 bp, and 410 bp, respectively. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was created in MEGA5. Pathogenicity was tested by four isolates hyphal inoculation and conducted in an experimental field of the White Lotus Science and Technology Expo Park. Five-millimeter discs were taken from infected and uninfected PDA plates and inoculated into five 1-month-old healthe lotus leaves using inoculations, three with the pathogen and an uninfected sample as the control every leaf. The discs were covered with moisturized sterile cotton and fixed with transparent tape. The wounds were moistened with sterile water and sealed with adhesive tape. After 14 days, spots were visible at the infected sites while the control sites showed no symptoms. The same pathogen was recovered from the infected leaves, fulfilling Koch's requirements. Leaf spot diseases resulting from N. pyriformis infection or infection with other Nigrospora species include infection of Chenopodium album by N. pyriformis (Chen et al. 2020), Eclipta prostrata by N. sphaerica (Qiu et al. 2022), Nicotiana tabacum by N. oryzae (Wang et al. 2022), and Oxalis corymbosa by N. hainanensis (Zheng et al. 2021). This investigation appears to be the first identification of Nelumbo nucifera vein disease resulting from Nigrospora pyriformis infection. The present results are useful for the management and avoidance of the disease caused by Nigrospora pyriformis.

On Mike White’s Primitivist Posthumanisms: Animality, Coloniality, and Racial Affect in The White Lotus

On Mike White’s Primitivist Posthumanisms: Animality, Coloniality, and Racial Affect in The White Lotus

УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ БУДДИЗМ І НЕОБУДДИЗМ В УМОВАХ ВІЙНИ

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of the functioning of Buddhist and neo- Buddhist movements in the conditions of the war in Ukraine. It is noted that the modernization of Ukrainian culture, which is accompanied by the development of post-secular trends, manifests itself not only in the revival and transformation of religious beliefs traditional for our people, but also in the spread of non-traditional and neo-religious teachings and movements, among which Buddhism and Neo-Buddhism occupy a special place. The revival of Buddhism in Ukraine in the 90s of the last century took place mainly with the mediation of Russia. In the situation that developed at that time, Buddhism acted as a kind of "agent" of Russian cultural expansion. In the conditions of the war against rashism, it largely became independent from Russian influence. Among the most striking manifestations of Buddhism in Ukraine is the sangha of the Mahayanist direction of the Nipponzan Myōhōji Order, whose representatives have suffered from racist aggression since 2014 and until today. As a result of the occupation by Russian terrorists of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, neo-religious groups, including Buddhists, were displaced from these territories. Seeking refuge, Ukrainian Buddhists were directly faced with the need to form a clear position in relation to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, not hiding behind the general Buddhist notion of the absurdity of any war as a way to resolve conflicts. During the analysis, it was also established that under the influence of transformational processes in Western European Buddhism, domestic Buddhism is being modernized. In Ukraine, neo-Buddhist practices are identified with such directions and schools as Karma Kagyu, Zen Buddhism, Nittiren, White Lotus, as well as with Protestant and cyber Buddhism. Within the boundaries of neo-Buddhist teachings, the problem of Russia's aggressive war of aggression against Ukraine is discussed sporadically, but it is already possible to distinguish certain trends in the understanding and interpretation of its essence and the preference for a negative assessment of the moral component of rashist aggression, which certainly indicates positive shifts in the ideas of domestic followers of the doctrine and hope on the useful application of Buddhist methods and practices to improve the spiritual and psychological state of the Ukrainian community, as well as on the further development of antitotalitarian tendencies and tolerance towards non-traditional religious phenomena in its environment.

Klasik Türk Şiirinde Nilüfer

Klasik Türk şiirinde gül ve lâle kadar olmasa da beyitlere konu olan çiçeklerin başında gelen nilüfer genellikle âşığın aşk çilesinden solmuş sararmış sarı yüzü vasfında karşımıza çıkar. Lakin yine de klasik şairinin tahayyülünde daha pek çok teşbihe de söz konusu olmuş latif bir çiçek olan nilüfer bazen âşığın bizatihi kendisidir. Âşık, gözyaşı denizinde bir nilüferken bu güzel çiçek kimi zaman da sevgilinin bir gösterenidir. Sevgiliye yaraşır hil‘at, zerrîn düğmeler, taktığı tülbent nilüferin bu bağlamda benzeyenleridir. Mavi veyahut mor nilüferin semâ ile ilişkisi de şekil ve renk yönüyle şairlerin tahayyülerinde sayısız beyitlere vesile olmuştur. Şifalı bir bitki olarak şerbeti de yapılan nilüfer kimi beyitlerde ise bu yönüyle ele alınır. Klasik şairlerin hayal dünyasında çok çeşitli benzetmelere konu olan nilüferin tespit edildiği üzere en çok beyitlerde rastlanan çeşidi ise Latince olarak çiçeğin ismini de taşıyan nymphaea, yani sarı nilüferdir. Sarı nilüferi, mavi/mor nilüfer izlerken beyaz ve kırmızı nilüfer de edebî metinlere farklı beyitlerde aksetmiştir. Çalışmada nilüferin bir gelenek edebiyatı olan klasik Türk şiirindeki aksi ele alınarak bu nadide çiçeğin şairlerin hayal dünyalarında ne şekilde yer aldığı incelenmeye çalışılacaktır.

Integrated metabolite profiling and transcriptome analysis reveal candidate genes involved in the formation of yellow Nelumbo nucifera

As a worldwide major ornamental flower and a edible plant, lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is also used as medicine and tea beverage. Here, transcriptome and metabolites of yellow (MLQS) and white (YGB) lotus cultivars during five key flower coloration stages were profiled. 2014 differentially expressed genes were detected with 11 carotenoids in lotus were identified for the first time. Then, regulatory networks between and within functional modules was reconstructed, and the correlation between module-metabolites and gene-metabolites was conducted within 3 core modules. 18 candidate genes related to the formation of yellow flower were screened out and a gene regulatory model for the flower color difference between MLQS and YGB were speculated as follows: The substrate competition between F3′H and F3′5′H and substrate specificity of FLS, together with differential expression of CCD4a and CCD4b were contribute to the differences in flavonoids and carotenoids. Besides, UGT73C2, UGT91C1–2 and SGTase, and regulation of UGTs by transcription factors PLATZ, MADS, NAC031, and MYB308 may also play a role in the upstream regulation. The following verification results indicated that functional differences existed in the coding sequences of NnCCD4b and promoters of NnCCD4a of MLQS and YGB. In all, this study preliminarily reveals the mechanism of yellow flower coloration in lotus and provides new ideas for the study of complex ornamental characters of other plants.

First report of Alternaria alternata causing leaf spot on Nelumbo nucifera plants in China.

White lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic plant of the Nymphaeaceae family that primarily serves as an ornamental plant and is an important cash crop in China. In May 2020, an unknown leaf disease affecting these plants was first detected in White Lotus Science and Technology Expo Park in Guangchang County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province (26.79° N, 116.31° E). The disease caused approximately 30-40% of leaves to die, and led to 15 to 20% in seed yield losses. This disease was characterized by the formation of irregular yellow-brown to dark-brown spots during the initial phases of infection. As the disease is developing, these spots expanded until they were generally round and brown to purple-brown in color, with a yellow halo surrounding the expanding spots. In an effort to characterize the causative pathogen, a small ~5×5 mm leaf tissue section from the boundary between normal and diseased tissue was collected, and sterilized with the following regimes: 30 s with 75% ethanol, soaked in 0.1% mercuric chloride for 30 s, washed thrice with sterile water, and transferred onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) plate, and placed in an illumination incubator (12 h light/dark) at 28 °C± 1°C for 5 days. Seven pure cultures were obtained from ten diseased leaves. For pathogenicity testing, a hyphal inoculation strategy was employed, with all studies being conducted at the Plant Pathology Laboratory of Jiangxi Agricultural University. Five mm discs were selected from three separate cultures and one control (PDA). Healthy leaves of lotus seeds were treated with 4 treatments per leaf including three separate cultures and one control that were treated with the test pathogen. The experiments were repeated three times with three biological replicates. Healthy leaves were covered with moisturized sterile cotton balls and fixed to the leaf surface with transparent tape. The inoculated lotus seedlings were kept in greenhouse incubator at 28 °C± 3°C and relative humidity of 70 to 80%. Following a 14-day incubation period, brown spots began to manifest at all sites inoculated with the test pathogen whereas the control spots remained healthy. Diseased spots were then separated. The same pathogen was once again successfully isolated and identified microscopically, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Six isolates were characterized. Ovoid or elliptical conidia were brown to light-brown in color with a short beak, 1-5 diaphragms, and 0-3 mediastinum. The diameter of these conidia were thick (13.8-44.0×7.5-16.3 µm; average: 24.0×11.9 µm, n=50). These morphological characteristics were consistent with Alternaria alternata. The ITS4/ITS5, EF1-728F/EF1-986R, AltF/AltR, OPA10-2R/OPA10-2L, EPGF/EPGR and KOG1058F2/KOG1058R2 primer sets were then used to conduct molecular identification by amplifying key transcription elongation factor and internal transcriptional spacer regions, yielding sequences that were 99%-100% similar to Alternaria alternata (GenBank No: MK396606, MT178329, MN184998, MN894688, MT849815 and KP125234). Sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MW898580 (ITS, 620 bp), MW981281 (EF1-α, 284 bp), MZ514094 (Alt a1, 477 bp), MZ514095 (OPA10-2, 716 bp), MZ514096 (endoPG, 465 bp) and MZ514097 (KOG1058, 877 bp). Nelumbo nucifera is an important aquatic cash crop in China, and this is the first study we are aware of demonstrating the presence of a leaf disease caused by Alternaria alternata in Nelumbo nucifera plants anywhere in the world. These findings may offer a foundation for efforts to prevent diseases caused by Alternaria alternata.

An Interpretative View of the Origin of the Early Chinese Revolution from the Perspective of Secret Societies: Retrospect and Reflections from the History of Social Thought, Part II

Abstract The development of the Chinese revolutionary movement in the early twentieth century absorbed cultural resources from traditional secret societies and associations. The White Lotus, the Tiandihui, the Gelaohui, the Triad, and the various secret societies that had emerged in the Taiping and the Boxer rebellions were all incorporated into the discourse system of revolutionary history. The secret societies’ slogans of “overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming” and “rob the rich to help the poor” merged with the revolutionaries’ platform of “drive out the Manchus” and “relief for people’s livelihood,” and finally advanced the success of the Xinhai Revolution and was turned into a coherent historical narrative. After the founding of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen and Song Jiaoren carefully assessed the function of secret societies and distinguished them from modern political parties. On the other hand, leaders of the Communist Party, such as Mao Zedong, Qu Qiubai, Yun Daiying, and Chen Duxiu, emphasized the ideological transformation of secret societies and the suitable role they could play in the revolution, thus showing a dynamic strategy of allying with these organizations. The history of the relationship between the Chinese revolution and secret societies reflects the changing characteristics and logic of the underclass of Chinese society.

Microbiology Associated with Disease on White Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and Application of Silver Nanoparticles for the Control of Plant Pathogens In vitro

Microbiology Associated with Disease on White Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and Application of Silver Nanoparticles for the Control of Plant Pathogens In vitro

Blown like cotton in the wind: women’s experiences of the White Lotus War (1796-1804)

ABSTRACT This article explores women’s experiences during the White Lotus War (1796–1804), examining disparities related to the state’s calculation of women’s value as agents of institutional reproduction, sources of intelligence, and symbols of disorder. The state cared assiduously for widows of officers killed in battle, converting their grief into a commitment to raising sons as officers, while offering only meagre assistance to soldiers’ widows. Interrogators used female captives to verify identities of captured men, taking their emotions as evidence of attachment. Officials resettling female refugees treated them as threats to social order who need to be returned to families or remarried.

STUDY ON THE ISOLATION AND BIOACTIVITY ASSAY OF SOME COMPOUNDS FROM Nelumbo nucifera GAERTN SEEDS COLLECTED AT TINH TAM LAKE, THUA THIEN HUE, VIETNAM

In this study, we isolated and purified compounds from the n-Butanol segment of seed Concave white Lotus variety (N. nucifera) collected at Tinh Tam Lake, Thua Thien Hue province based on classical column chromatographic methods. Research results have obtained three compounds namely: Nuciferin (NH2 : C19H21NO2), Armepavine (NH8 : C19H23O3N), and Anonaine (NH11 : C17H15NO2). At the concentration of 100 µg/mL, Nuciferin was the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity substance reaching of 94.620 ± 0.657%, followed by Armepavine (74.019 ± 2.400%) and Anonaine (61.151 ± 2.349 %). The IC50 values obtained from these substances were 30.031 ± 1.506 µg/mL (Nuciferin), 43.093 ± 14.215 µg/mL (Armepavine) and 68.217 ± 6.214 µg/mL (Anonaine) respectively. The cytotoxicity results of three active ingredients showed the very low activity of the investigated substances at the studied concentrations. The IC50 value cannot be determined in the concentration range from 0.8; 4; 20 and 100 µg/mL. At a concentration of 100 µg/mL, Nuciferin gave the best inhibitory activity against the human gastric cancer cell line MKN7 (23.800%), Armepavine showed the highest inhibitory activity against the oral carcinoma cell line KB (12.320%) and Anonaine showed the best inhibitory activity against the human skin cancer cell line SK-Mel-2 (19.720%). Our results initially show the prospect of using Concave white Lotus seeds as functional foods to support and improve human health.

Amnesty and Surrender in the White Lotus War

Abstract This study focuses on amnesty and surrender in the White Lotus war (1796–1804) from the rebel perspective. Offers of amnesty corresponded to Confucian norms regarding the relationship between rulers and subjects and were regularly utilized throughout the war by the court and its officials as a tool to pacify and succor the people. Paternalistic language about the proper behavior of good subjects notwithstanding, the rebels acted of their own accord. The rebels made strategic decisions about amnesty and surrender and sought the advantage when opportunities arose; their responses to amnesty proclamations accordingly alternated between engagement and opposition. Over the course of the revolt, there was significant resistance to pacification initiatives from the rebel side. Rebel intransigence detracted from the efficacy of amnesty policies and compelled the court to adapt its tactics. In sum, viewing state policies of appeasement from the rebel side reveals the contingencies governing decisions to surrender and further demonstrates that the contest over amnesty and surrender was an important component of the overall conflict.