• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.15-18
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• 2010

Mangroves are special plant communities that live along intertidal zones in tropical and subtropical areas. They are regarded as one of the most important types of natural ecosystem in the world because of the many ecosystem functions that they perform, of which water purification is the most complex. Mangrove ecosystems are conducive to the deposition and retention of heavy metals. So it is important to understand the impact of heavy metals on mangrove ecosystems, and especially on soil subsystems. We examined the levels of heavy metals in the soil of mangroves in the Dongzhaigang Mangrove National Nature Reserve. Dongzhaigang, the first mangrove nature reserve established in China, is located south of Haikou in Hainan Island and encompasses $33.37\;km^2$, of which mangroves comprise $20.56\;km^2$. To assess the impact of human activities, we collected a large number of soil samples in four sampling areas (the protection station, the harbor, a tour area, and Yeboluo island) in the study area. We measured the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd in the soil samples using the spectra of polyatomic molecules. The average concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd were $5.04\;{\mu}g/g$, $10.36\;{\mu}g/g$, $20.06\;{\mu}g/g$ and $0.06\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively, and the heavy metal concentrations were lowest in the protected area, highest in the harbor, and intermediate in Yeboluo Island and the tour area. The heavy metal concentrations in the soil collected from different sample plots are related not only to the physical and chemical properties of the soil, but also to the heavy metal emitted by nearby pollution sources. Our analysis indicates that tourist boats are the main pollution sources in the study area.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권16호
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• pp.6767-6772
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• 2014

Several studies have suggested associations between MDM2 (mouse double minute 2 homolog) polymorphisms and leukemia risk, but they reported contradictory results. For better understanding of the effect of MDM2 T309G polymorphism on leukemia risk, we performed a meta-analysis. All eligible studies were identified through a search of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM) databases before May 2014. Assessment of associations between the MDM2 T309G polymorphism and leukemia risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Finally, a total of 11 publications covering 12 case-control studies with 2, 362 cases and 5, 562 controls concerning MDM2 T309G polymorphism with respect to leukemia were included in the meta-analysis. Significant associations were found between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and leukemia risk in four models in overall populations (G vs T: OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.11-1.49, p=0.001; GG vs TT: OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.21-2.30, p=0.002; GG vs TG/TT: OR=1.56, 95% CI=1.21-2.00, p=0.001; GG/TG vs TT: OR=1.28, 95% CI=1.05-1.57, p=0.015). In the sub-group analysis according to ethnicity, increased leukemia risks were observed in three genetic models among Asians but not Caucasians. In conclusion, the results of our meta-analysis suggest that the MDM2 T309G polymorphism can increase the risk of leukemia, especially among Asian populations.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.39-48
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• 2024

Wogonin, extracted from the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been shown to suppress collagen deposition in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). This study was performed to investigate the role and mechanism of wogonin underlying vascular remodeling in SHRs. After injection of SHRs with 40 mg/kg of wogonin, blood pressure in rats was measured once a week. Masson's trichrome staining was conducted to observe the changes in aortas and mesenteric arteries. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) isolated from rat thoracic aortas were treated with Angiotensin II (Ang II; 100 nM) in the presence or absence of varying concentrations of wogonin. The viability and proliferation of VSMCs were examined using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, respectively. The migration of VSMCs was examined using wound healing assay and transwell assay. We found that wogonin administration alleviated hypertension, increased lumen diameter, and reduced the thickness of the arterial media in SHRs. Ang II treatment enhanced the viability of VSMCs, which was inhibited by wogonin in a concentration-dependent manner. Wogonin reversed Ang II-induced increases in the viability, proliferation, and migration of VSMCs. Moreover, wogonin inhibited Ang II-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in VSMCs. Overall, wogonin repressed the proliferative and migratory capacity of VSMCs by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway, thereby attenuating vascular remodeling in hypertensive rats, indicating that wogonin might be a therapeutic agent for the treatment of vascular diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.151-163
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• 2024

Background: Galangin, commonly employed in traditional Chinese medicine for its diverse medicinal properties, exhibits potential in treating inflammatory pain. Nevertheless, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Methods: Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups for 7 days: a normal control group, a galangin-treated (25 and 50 mg/kg), and a positive control celecoxib (20 mg/kg). Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated using a hot plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test, formalin-induced paw licking test, and carrageenan-induced paw swelling test. The interplay between galangin, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), NF-κB, COX-2, and TNF-α proteins was evaluated via molecular docking. COX-2, PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in serum were measured using ELISA after capsaicin administration (200 nmol/L). TRPV1 expression in the dorsal root ganglion was analyzed by Western blot. The quantities of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were assessed using qPCR. Results: Galangin reduced hot plate-induced licking latency, acetic acid-induced contortions, carrageenan-triggered foot inflammation, and capillary permeability in mice. It exhibited favorable affinity towards TRPV1, NF-κB, COX-2, and TNF-α, resulting in decreased levels of COX-2, PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum following capsaicin stimulation. Galangin effectively suppressed the upregulation of TRPV1 protein and associated receptor neuropeptides CGRP and SP mRNA, while concurrently inhibiting the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, COX-2, and PGE2 mRNA. Conclusions: Galangin exerts its anti-inflammatory pain effects by inhibiting TRPV1 activation and regulating COX-2, NF-κB/TNF-α expression, providing evidence for the use of galangin in the management of inflammatory pain.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.775-781
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• 2012

There are various kinds of patterns on Li brocade textile of Hainan province in China. Those patterns are rich and colorful. Li (黎族) traditional brocade is an ancient exquisite craftsmanship and a world cultural heritage. This study analyzed and categorized Li brocade pattern of traditional Chinese textiles. Li (黎族) traditional brocade is an ancient exquisite craftsmanship. Based on the research of classifications of Li brocade patterns, expound the application of women's costume. The patterns of Li brocade textile of Hainan province analyzed through three levels: design transforming, meaning prolongation, and refining spirit. The patterns were explored the feasibility way to inherit the patterns of Li brocade for the modern fashion product design. The results showed that Li brocade textile pattern of Hainan province were images sourced from local environment and geographical terrain. They contained the nation's history memory, religion, hope for life of the Li nationality. Those patterns can be categorized as human figure pattern, animal pattern, geometric pattern, appliance or architecture pattern, and Chinese character pattern.

• Mycobiology
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• 제49권5호
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• pp.498-506
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• 2021

An endophytic fungus strain DYSJ3 was isolated from a stem of Aphanamixis grandifolia Blume, which was identified as Aspergillus versicolor based on the morphological characteristics, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and calmodulin gene sequences analyses. A. versicolor DYSJ3 exhibited strong antagonistic activity against Colletotrichum musae, C. gloeosporioides and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense with the inhibition rates of 61.9, 51.2 and 55.3% respectively. The antifungal metabolites mainly existed in the mycelium of A. versicolor DYSJ3, and its mycelial crude extract (CE) had broad-spectrum antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi. The CE had a good thermal stability, and the inhibition rate of 100 mg/mL CE against C. musae was above 70.0% after disposing at 120 ℃ for 1 h. Five secondary metabolites were isolated from the CE and identified as averufanin, ergosterol peroxide, versicolorin B, averythrin and sterigmatocystin. Activity evaluation showed versicolorin B exhibited inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth and conidial germination of C. musae, and sterigmatocystin had a weak inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of C. musae.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.175-186
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• 2022

This study is a randomized pretest-posttest design that aims to investigate the effect of early entrepreneurship education on cognitive and non- early entrepreneurship education, non-cognitive skills, creativity, self-efficacy, Bizworld cognitive skills of male sixth-grade primary school students. A total of 45 students were selected by multi-stage random sampling method and were assigned randomly to experimental, active-control and control groups. The experimental group received entrepreneurship education based on the Bizworld entrepreneurship program. The results indicate that early entrepreneurship education had an effect on non-cognitive skills (such as risk taking propensity, creativity, self-efficacy, persistence and need for achievement. It seems that early entrepreneurship education is a proper strategy to develop children's non-cognitive skills in late years of primary school. These skills will affect children's individual, educational, social and occupational future and can have long term benefits for students, families and society.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 2013

Hiwi, a human homologue of the Piwi family, plays an important role in stem cell self-renewal and is overexpressed in various human tumors. This study aimed to determine whether an RNA interference-based strategy to suppress Hiwi expression could inhibit tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. A rare population of $SSC^{lo}\;Alde^{br}$ cells was isolated and identified as lung cancer stem cells in our previous study. Plasmids containing U6 promoter-driven shRNAs against Hiwi or control plasmids were successfully established. The xenograft tumor model was generated by subcutaneously inoculating with lung cancer stem cell $SSC^{lo}\;Alde^{br}$ cells. After the tumor size reached about 8 mm in diameter, shRNA plasmids were injected into the mice via the tail vein three times a week for two weeks, then xenograft tumor growth was assessed. In nude mice, intravenously delivery of Hiwi shRNA plasmids significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to treatment with control scrambled shRNA plasmids or the vehicle PBS. No mice died during the experiment and no adverse events were observed in mice administered the plasmids. Moreover, delivery of Hiwi shRNA plasmids resulted in a significant suppressed expression of Hiwi and ALDH-1 in xenograft tumor samples, based on immunohistochemical analysis. Thus, shRNA-mediated Hiwi gene silencing in lung cancer stem cells by an effective in vivo gene delivery strategy appeared to be an effective therapeutic approach for lung cancer, and may provide some useful clues for RNAi gene therapy in solid cancers.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.140-150
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• 2022

A method of ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) was established for characterization of the lipid profile of Skipjack tuna. Over 300 lipid molecular species were identified through cross-acquisition in both positive and negative ion mode. Phospholipids (PLs) were dominant in Skipjack tuna. Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were the main lipid molecular species in PLs, accounting for 89.24% of the total PLs. The ratio of sphingolipids (SLs) and glycerolipids (GLs) were considerable, accounting for 12.30% and 13.60% of the total lipids respectively. Ceramide (Cer) was the main lipid molecular species of SLs, accounting for 64.96% of total SLs, followed by sphingomyelin (SM), accounting for 25.45% of total SLs. Ether diglycerides (ether DG) were the main lipid molecular species of GLs (97.83%). The main fatty acids (FAs) are unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in Skipjack tuna. Besides, a new FAs class branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFA) was detected, together with the FA. The active lipids identified in this study can be used to evaluate the nutritional value of Skipjack tuna.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제86권5호
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• pp.673-686
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• 2023

Determining the properties of pile from cone penetration test (CPT) is costly, and need several in-situ tests. At the present study, two novel hybrid learning models, namely PSO-RF and HHO-RF, which are an amalgamation of random forest (RF) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and Harris hawks optimization (HHO) were developed and applied to predict the pile set-up parameter "A" from CPT for the design aim of the projects. To forecast the "A," CPT data along were collected from different sites in Louisiana, where the selected variables as input were plasticity index (PI), undrained shear strength (S_u), and over consolidation ratio (OCR). Results show that both PSO-RF and HHO-RF models have acceptable performance in predicting the set-up parameter "A," with R² larger than 0.9094, representing the admissible correlation between observed and predicted values. HHO-RF has better proficiency than the PSO-RF model, with R² and RMSE equal to 0.9328 and 0.0292 for the training phase and 0.9729 and 0.024 for testing data, respectively. Moreover, PI and OBJ indices are considered, in which the HHO-RF model has lower results which leads to outperforming this hybrid algorithm with respect to PSO-RF for predicting the pile set-up parameter "A," consequently being specified as the proposed model. Therefore, the results demonstrate the ability of the HHO algorithm in determining the optimal value of RF hyperparameters than PSO.