Differences in expression of YKL-40 and TLR4 in nasal sinus mucosa of chronic sinusitis patients with and without nasal polyps

This work studies the expression differences of YKL-40 and TLR4 in nasal sinus mucosa of chronic sinusitis patients with and without nasal polyps and its clinical significances. Fifty chronic sinusitis patients with nasal polyps and 50 chronic sinusitis patients without, accepted by our hospital during February 2016-February 2017, were included and taken as group A and group B, respectively. In addition, another 50 patients with nasal deviation were taken as group C (control group). The ostiomeatal complex mucosa of group A and B and the inferior turbinate mucosa of group C were taken and the fluorescence quantitative PCR method was applied to detect the expression of YKL-40, TLR4 and NF- κB of the mucosa and explore and influence of YKL-40 and TLR4 on NF-κB. There was a negative correlation between YKL-40 and TLR4 in group A, and the difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.05) while there was no relationship between YKL-40 and TLR4 expression in group B. The level of YKL-40 protein in group A was higher than that in group B, which was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). YKL-40 and TLR4 were positively correlated in group A while there was no correlation between YKL- 40 and TLR4 expression in group B. The expression of YKL-40, TLR4 and NF-κB in chronic sinusitis patients with nasal polyps was high. In addition, there was a negative correlation between YKL-40 and TLR4 expression in chronic sinusitis patients with nasal polyps. YKL-40 and TLR4 interacted with each other to activate NF-κB and promote disease progression.

Dietary whole and cracked linseed increases the proportion of oleic and α-linolenic acids in adipose tissues and decreases stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase, acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase gene expression in the longissimus thoracis muscle of Yanbian Yellow cattle

We hypothesized that supplementation of linseed in a beef cattle fattening diet would increase PUFA concentrations in intramuscular adipose tissue and depress (), (), and () gene expression by decreasing () expression. Conversely, supplemental linseed would upregulate expression of () and () in muscle of Yanbian Yellow steers. Thirty steers were assigned at random to 3 groups of 10 steers fed either the basal diet (corn grain and corn silage-based commercial concentrate [CON]), the CON diet plus 8% whole linseed (WLS; DM basis), or the CON diet plus 8% cracked linseed (CLS; DM basis) for 6 mo. The WLS and CLS supplements did not affect carcass weight, backfat thickness, or marbling scores ( > 0.10) but increased rib eye area and fat color (more yellow; < 0.05). The WLS and CLS diets decreased the proportions of 16:0 and 18:0 and increased the proportions of 18:1-9, 18:3-3, -9, -11 conjugated linoleic acid, total MUFA, and total PUFA in intramuscular, intermuscular, and subcutaneous adipose tissues. The WLS and CLS diets increased and gene expression whereas the supplements depressed , , , and gene expression in longissimus thoracis muscle, relative to CON muscle, consistent with our hypothesis. Because the WLS and CLS treatments did not affect any measure of carcass adiposity, these results indicated that linseed supplements promoted uptake of dietary lipids while concurrently depressing de novo fatty acid biosynthesis in adipose tissue.

Screening and identification of cucumber germplasm and rootstock resistance against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita)

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp) are destructive agricultural pests that reduce the productivity of cultivated vegetables worldwide, especially when vegetables are cropped continuously in greenhouses. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.), in particular, suffer extensive damage due to root-knot nematodes, and only a few wild species are known to be resistant. Grafting of cultivated plants to rootstocks of known resistant germplasms could be an effective method to resolve this problem. In this study, 21 cucumber germplasms and seven rootstocks were evaluated for resistance based on the growth of cucumber seedlings and resistance indexes to Meloidogyne incognita, which were surveyed 25 days after inoculation with M. incognita. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the resistance of 21 cucumber germplasms and seven rootstocks based on their growth and resistance indexes after inoculation with M. incognita. These analyses showed that the 21 germplasms and seven rootstocks could be divided into three groups based upon their resistance levels: moderately resistant, susceptible, and highly susceptible to M. incognita. All 21 cucumber germplasms exhibited susceptibility or high susceptibility to M. incognita and most rootstocks exhibited moderate resistance. The PCA results were consistent with those of the clustering analysis. The Jinyou No.1 cultivar had the highest resistance to M. incognita among the 21 cucumber germplasms, and Huangzhen No.1 cultivar had the highest resistance among the seven rootstock cultivars.

Terahertz generation from laser-driven ultrafast current propagation along a wire target

Generation of intense coherent THz radiation by obliquely incidenting an intense laser pulse on a wire target is studied using particle-in-cell simulation. The laser-accelerated fast electrons are confined and guided along the surface of the wire, which then acts like a current-carrying line antenna and under appropriate conditions can emit electromagnetic radiation in the THz regime. For a driving laser intensity ∼3×10^{18}W/cm^{2} and pulse duration ∼10 fs, a transient current above 10 KA is produced on the wire surface. The emission-cone angle of the resulting ∼0.15 mJ (∼58 GV/m peak electric field) THz radiation is ∼30^{∘}. The conversion efficiency of laser-to-THz energy is ∼0.75%. A simple analytical model that well reproduces the simulated result is presented.

Synchronous primary pulmonary lymphoma presenting with pulmonary adenocarcinoma: A case report and literature review

The incidence of synchronous lung tumors is rare, as reported in various clinical series, ranging from 0.2% to 8%. Most reported cases of synchronous tumors were shown to have the same histologic types of lung cancer. Among possible combinations, squamous cell carcinoma was by far the most common. Primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) is very rare in clinics accounting for only 0.5-1% of primary lung tumors. There is no report about synchronous primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma presenting with lung lymphoma. It can be easily misdiagnosed or missed. Although the treatment of PPL and synchronous pulmonary tumors has controversial, surgery with/without postoperative adjuvant radio-chemotherapy are used for most patients in present. We describe a case of synchronous primary lung tumors presenting with lymphoma and adenocarcinoma, in which expression of the cell surface antigens were evaluated immunohistochemically. By taking into consideration of the reported experiences, the author discusses the clinical features, prognostic criteria and therapeutic management of synchronous lung cancer and PPL.

Dietary linseed oil with or without malate increases conjugated linoleic acid and oleic acid in milk fat and and gene expression in mammary gland and milk somatic cells of lactating goats

Supplementary dietary plant oils have the potential to alter milk fatty acid composition in ruminants as a result of changes in the amount and kind of fatty acid precursors. We hypothesized that linseed oil in combination with malate (a key propionate precursor in the rumen) would increase ∆9 unsaturated fatty acids and specific gene expression in somatic cells and mammary glands of lactating goats. Twelve lactating goats were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Treatments included the basal diet (CON), the CON plus 4% linseed oil (LO), and the CON plus 4% linseed oil and 2% -malate (LOM). Relative to CON, the LO and LOM supplements increased the daily intake of palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), oleic (18:1-9), linoleic (18:2-6), α-linolenic (18:3-3), and γ-linolenic acids (18:2-6); α-linolenic acid intake was increased over 9-fold, from 6.77 to over 51 g/d ( < 0.02). The LO and LOM supplements increased daily milk yield, milk fat yield, and milk fat percentage ( < 0.05). The LOM supplement also increased milk lactose percentage and daily yield ( = 0.03). Both the LO and LOM supplements increased plasma glucose and total cholesterol and decreased plasma β-hydroxbutyrate concentrations ( = 0.03). The LO and LOM supplements increased concentrations of stearic acid; -vaccenic acid (TVA; 18:1-11); -9, -11 CLA; -10 -12 CLA; and α-linolenic acid in rumen fluid and increased the concentrations of oleic acid; TVA; -9, -11 CLA; -10, -12 CLA; and α-linolenic acid in plasma lipids and milk fat ( < 0.05). Conversely, the LO and LOM supplements decreased short- and medium-chain SFA, including lauric (12:0), myristic (14:0), and palmitic acids, in plasma and milk fat ( < 0.05). Relative mRNA levels for and () gene expression were increased in somatic cells and mammary gland tissue by LO and LOM ( < 0.05). We conclude that the higher intake and ruminal production of stearic acid promoted SCD gene expression in somatic cells and mammary tissue. Furthermore, milk somatic cells are a suitable substitute for documenting treatment effects of dietary oils on gene expression in goat mammary tissue.

Genetic polymorphisms of loci D18S53, D18S59, and D18S488 in fetuses from a Chinese Tianjin Han population

We investigated the genetic polymorphisms of three short tandem repeat (STR) loci, D18S53, D18S59, and D18S488, on chromosome 18 in fetuses from a Chinese Tianjin Han population. Sixty-four villus samples and 374 amniotic fluid samples were collected from fetuses. Quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify the STR loci, followed by scanned electrophoresis and quantitative analysis of the fluorescence signals. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) analysis was performed based on the genotype distributions of the STR loci to obtain the following population genetic data: genotype frequency, heterozygosity of observation (HO), polymorphism information content (PIC), probability of discrimination power (PD), and probability of exclusion (PE). We detected 15, 13, and 15 alleles of D18S53, D18S59, and D18S488, respectively. The genotype frequencies were found to be in line with HWE. The HO values of the three loci, D18S53, D18S59, and D18S488, were 0.797, 0.847, and 0.792; the PIC values were 0.81, 0.75, and 0.73; the PD values were 0.944, 0.901, and 0.881; and the PE values were 0.593, 0.689, and 0.585, respectively. D18S53, D18S59, and D18S488 loci are good genetic markers of chromosome 18, and show potential for use in the prenatal genetic diagnosis of Edwards' syndrome.

[Antitumor activity of lycorine in renal cell carcinoma ACHN cell line and its mechanism]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the antitumor effect of lycorine on renal cell carcinoma ACHN cells and explore the possible mechanism.

METHODS

We used flow cytometry to examine the effect of lycorine on ACHN cell cycle and apoptosis. The cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed with MTS assay, wound healing assay, and Transwell assay, respectively. Colony forming assay was performed, and the mRNA and protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, survivin, caspase-3, cyclin D1 and CDK4 were measured with qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Lycorine obviously inhibited the proliferation of ACHN cells with an IC(50) of 24.34 µmol/L. Lycorine also induced apoptosis of ACHN cells, caused cell cycle arrest at G(0)/G(1) phase, and suppressed the colony forming ability of the cells in a dose-dependent manner. The migration and invasion of ACHN cells were significantly inhibited by 5 µmol/L lycorine. Lycorine up-regulated the mRNA levels of CDK4, Bax, caspase-3 while down-regulated the levels of survivin, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1; the protein levels of CDK4 and Bax were increased and cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and surviving expressions were decreased, but caspase-3 expression showed no significant changes following the treatment.

CONCLUSION

Lycorine has obvious antitumor effect against ACHN cells, suggesting its value as a new therapeutic agent for renal cell carcinoma.

Model of high-order harmonic generation from laser interaction with a plasma grating

Harmonic generation from linearly polarized high-intensity short-pulse laser normally impacting a solid plasma grating is investigated using analytical modeling and particle-in-cell simulation. It is found that when the radiation excited by the relativistic electron quiver motion in the laser fields suitably matches a harmonic of the grating periodicity, it will be significantly enhanced and peak with narrow angular spread in specific directions. The corresponding theory shows that the phenomenon can be attributed to an interference effect of the periodic grating on the excitation.

Assessment of genetic diversity of cucumber cultivars in China based on simple sequence repeats and fruit traits

The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important crop grown worldwide. In this study, the genetic diversity of 42 cucumber cultivars in China was analyzed using 51 pairs of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. These primers identified 129 polymorphic loci, 95.6% of which were polymorphic. The mean effective number of alleles, mean Nei's gene diversity, and mean Shannon's information index were 0.36, 0.16, and 0.21, respectively. A cluster analysis demonstrated that the 42 cultivars could be divided into three groups, a result that was largely consistent with those of a principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA indicated that the three groups displayed significant variation in fruit traits. The cultivars of group 1 tended to have longer fruits (>30 cm), longer fruit ends (>4 cm), larger fruit diameters (>5 cm), a sharp strigose fruit spine, and the same fruit end shape. The basal color of the fruit in group 2 was dark green. Group 3 cultivars have no wax or mottling on the fruit surface. Our study demonstrates the value of our SSR primers for assessing genetic diversity in cucumber.

Are Epichloë endophytes specific to Elymus grass hosts?

Epichloë endophytes are widely distributed mutualists of cool-season grasses and can protect their hosts against biotic and abiotic stresses. Previous studies have shown that Epichloë endophytes are specific to their grass hosts in tall Festuca and Lolium species. However, no systematic analysis exists of host specificity of asexual Epichloë endophytes and Chinese Elymus species. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships between Chinese Elymus species and their diploid donor Hordeum species, using their corresponding Epichloë endophyte sequences. We found that 1) the maternal donor of the Chinese Elymus species was the Chinese Pseudoroegneria (St genome) or Hordeum (H genome); and 2) Chinese Hordeum species probably contained two species of Epichloë endophytes. One Epichloë endophyte was also present in a North American Elymus species. The other Epichloë endophyte was found in a Chinese Elymus species. Our results indicate that Epichloë endophytes isolated from Elymus species did not show grass-host specificity. 3) Plant hybridization could probably transform endophyte-free plants (E-) to endophyte-infected plants (E+). Based on our data, we formulate hypotheses about which Epichloë endophytes were spread via plant hybridization.

Clinical value of concurrent radiochemotherapy in cervical cancer and comparison of ultrasonography findings before and after radiochemotherapy

Herein, we investigated the clinical value of concurrent radiochemotherapy for patients with advanced cervical cancer and its effects on adverse clinical symptoms. Forty patients with cervical cancer were recruited from January 2011 to January 2014 for this study. Participants were randomly allocated into a test or control group, with 20 patients in each group. Patients in the test group were treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy, whereas patients in the control group received only traditional radiotherapy. At the end of the observation period, clinical efficacy in the two groups was compared. Patients were followed up for 2 years, and the rates of recurrence, survival, and complications were compared; ultrasonographic findings before and after radiotherapy were also correlated. Patients in the test group who received concurrent radiochemotherapy showed significantly higher clinical efficacy than the control group at the end of treatment cycles. After 2 years of follow-up, the rates of recurrence, mortality, and complications were all significantly lower in the test group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Comparison of ultrasonographic findings before and after radiochemotherapy showed that the size of the tumor was significantly smaller in patients after concurrent radiochemotherapy. Compared with traditional radiotherapy, concurrent radiochemotherapy significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Concurrent radiochemotherapy also enhanced the rate of survival and decreased the rate of relapse, with enhanced clinical safety and no significant side effects. Thus, concurrent radiochemotherapy can be more broadly applied in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer.

Microscopic origin for the orientation dependence of NV centers in chemical-vapor-deposited diamond

First-principles calculation reveals that hydrogen, which is abundant in chemical vapor deposition (CVD), can significantly improve the uniformity of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. It shows that the formation of NV centers can be described as a multi-step process: first, a substitutional N (NC) is preferentially formed at the surface layer over that of either a carbon vacancy (VC) or an in-pane nitrogen-vacancy-hydrogen (NVH) complex. Second, with the help of H, a VC is preferentially incorporated in the newly formed topmost layer as a nearest neighbor to the NC (now buried in the first sublayer). This NVH complex is even more stable than NC on the same layer. Third, H protects the already formed NV centers by forming low-energy NVHX complexes. These NV centers with their axes pointing along the directions of surface C-H bonds during their incorporation explain the experimental observations by CVD growth on (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) surfaces. Based on the model, we predict that CVD growth on (1 1 1) surface could eliminate the orientation domains to significantly improve the performance of NV centers.

Effect of alcohol fermented feed on lactating performance, blood metabolites, milk Fatty Acid profile and cholesterol content in holstein lactating cows

A feeding experiment with 40 lactating Holstein cows and 4 dietary treatments was conducted to investigate supplementation with different levels of alcohol fermented feed to the TMR on lactating performance, blood metabolites, milk fatty acid profile and cholesterol concentration of blood and milk. Forty Holstein lactating cows (106±24 d post-partum; mean±SD) were distributed into four groups and randomly assigned to one of four treatments with each containing 10 cows per treatment. The treatment supplemented with TMR (DM basis) as the control (CON), and CON mixed with alcohol-fermented feeds (AFF) at a level of 5%, 10% and 15% of the TMR as T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Dry matter intake and milk yield were not affected by supplementation of AFF. An increased 4% FCM in the milk occurred in cows fed T3 diet compared with CON, while T1 and T2 diets decreased 4% FCM in a dose dependent manner. Supplementation of AFF increased the concentration of albumin, total protein (TP), ammonia, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum compared with CON. In contrast, supplementation with AFF clearly decreased concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total cholesterol (TC) compare with CON. AFF supplementation increased the proportion of C18:1n9 and C18:2n6 compared to CON. A decrease in the concentration of saturated fatty acid (SFA) for T1, T2 and T3 resulted in an increased unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) to SFA ratio compared to CON. Concentration of cholesterol in milk fat was reduced in proportion to the supplemental level of AFF. Feeding a diet supplemented with a moderate level AFF to lactating cows could be a way to alter the feed efficiency and fatty acid profile of milk by increasing potentially human consumer healthy fatty acid without detrimental effects on feed intake and milk production. A substantially decreased cholesterol proportion in milk induced by supplementation AFF suggests that alcohol fermented feed may improve milk cholesterol levels without any negative effects in lactating cows.

Exploring the structural complexity of intermetallic compounds by an adaptive genetic algorithm

Solving the crystal structures of novel phases with nanoscale dimensions resulting from rapid quenching is difficult due to disorder and competing polymorphic phases. Advances in computer speed and algorithm sophistication have now made it feasible to predict the crystal structure of an unknown phase without any assumptions on the Bravais lattice type, atom basis, or unit cell dimensions, providing a novel approach to aid experiments in exploring complex materials with nanoscale grains. This approach is demonstrated by solving a long-standing puzzle in the complex crystal structures of the orthorhombic, rhombohedral, and hexagonal polymorphs close to the Zr2Co11 intermetallic compound. From our calculations, we identified the hard magnetic phase and the origin of high coercivity in this compound, thus guiding further development of these materials for use as high performance permanent magnets without rare-earth elements.

Effects of a mixture of steam-flaked corn and extruded soybeans on performance, ruminal development, ruminal fermentation, and intestinal absorptive capability in veal calves

This study investigated the effects of a mixture of steam-flaked corn and extruded soybeans on performance, ruminal development, ruminal fermentation variables, and intestinal absorptive capability in Holstein male calves (n = 39). Calves were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (13 calves per treatment): 1) milk replacer (MR), 2) one-half of the amount of MR in treatment 1, plus a mixture of 62.1% steam-flaked corn and 30.5% extruded soybeans provided ad libitum (HMCS), or 3) a mixture of 62.1% steam-flaked corn and 30.5% extruded soybeans provided ad libitum (CS). All the calves were started at 2 ± 1 d of age and studied for 150 d. Each 30 d was defined as 1 period. Dry matter intake and growth were measured daily and monthly, respectively. All calves were harvested at 150 d of age, after which rumen fluid was collected. Rumen and intestine samples were gathered. Calves fed MR exhibited greater BW (P = 0.001) and ADG (P < 0.001), compared with calves fed HMCS and CS from period 2 to 3; however, from period 4 to 5, CS calves had greater (P < 0.04) ADG than MR calves. The treatments did not differ in final BW (P = 0.72) and ADG (P = 0.20) from period 2 to 5. Compared with HMCS and MR calves, CS calves had the greatest DMI (P < 0.001) and the least feed efficiency (P < 0.001) from period 2 to 5. For ruminal fermentation parameters, CS calves had decreased (P = 0.04) rumen pH than MR calves. The NH3 concentrations were greater (P = 0.03) in calves fed HMCS than calves fed MR and CS. Total VFA concentrations were greatest in CS calves (P = 0.02). Calves fed CS had the greatest molar concentrations of propionate, butyrate, and valerate (P < 0.002), and calves fed HMCS had the greatest molar concentrations of isobutyrate (P = 0.001) and isovalerate (P = 0.001). The CS calves exhibited greater empty rumen weight (P = 0.001), papillae length (P < 0.001), papillae width (P < 0.001), rumen wall thickness (P = 0.012), and papillae density (P = 0.003). The greatest villus heights in the jejunum (P = 0.04) and ileum (P = 0.005) were observed in CS calves. Compared with HMCS calves, calves fed CS had greater villus:crypt ratios in the duodenum (P = 0.001) and jejunum (P = 0.001). Results indicate that CS improves ADG in period 4 to 5 and positively contributes to ruminal development, ruminal fermentation, and intestinal absorptive capability in veal calves.

Ciclohexadespipeptide beauvericin degradation by different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The interaction between the mycotoxin beauvericin (BEA) and 9 yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae named LO9, YE-2, YE5, YE-6, YE-4, A34, A17, A42 and A08 was studied. The biological degradations were carried out under aerobic conditions in the liquid medium of Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) at 25°C for 48 h and in a food/feed system composed of corn flour at 37°C for 3 days, respectively. BEA present in fermented medium and corn flour was determined using liquid chromatography coupled to the mass spectrometry detector in tandem (LC-MS/MS) and the BEA degradation products produced during the fermentations were determined using the technique of the liquid chromatography coupled to a linear ion trap (LIT). Results showed that the S. cerevisiae strains reduced meanly the concentration of the BEA present in PDB by 86.2% and in a food system by 71.1%. All the S. cerevisiae strains used in this study showed a significant BEA reduction during the fermentation process employed.

Selenoprotein P and Yunnan endemic sudden cardiac death--an ecological study

The aim of the present study was to explore the role of selenoprotein P (SePP) in the etiology of the endemic sudden cardiac death in Yunnan, China. The levels of SePP of 124 subjects and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of 119 subjects were measured. The subjects were from the old and new endemic areas and non-endemic areas. The levels of SePP and GPx of the subjects of the old endemic area were significantly higher than those of the subjects of the new endemic area and the non-endemic areas, respectively. The Pearson's correlation among SePP, GPx, and the number of the incident cases of the disease were statistically significant. These correlations show that there is an inverse relationship among the number of patients and the levels of SePP (r  =  - 0.9800, P  =  0.0200) and GPx (r  =  - 0.961, P  =  0.009). The results show that selenium deficiency might play an important role in the incidence of the disease.

Neural-endocrine mechanisms of respiratory syncytial virus-associated asthma in a rat model

We examined the underlying neural-endocrine mechanisms of asthma associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) group, and anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) IgG group. An RSV infection model was established by nasal drip once a week. In the anti-NGF antibody intervention group, each rat was given an intraperitoneal injection of anti-NGF IgG 3 h before RSV infection. Optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the structural changes in adrenal medulla cells. Changes in adrenaline and norepinephrine in serum were detected by ELISA. NGF expression was assayed by immunohistochemistry. Expression differences in synaptophysin mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Transmission electron microscopy displayed widened adrenal medulla intercellular spaces, reduced chromaffin particle concentration, and increased mitochondria in the RSV infection group. At the same time, NGF expression was increased in the RSV infection group significantly. In addition, the adrenaline concentration was significantly decreased compared with the control and anti-NGF antibody groups. Synaptophysin mRNA expression was significantly increased in the RSV infection and anti-NGF antibody groups. However, compared with the RSV infection group, synaptophysin mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the anti-NGF antibody group. We conclude that RSV infection could induce adrenal medulla cell differentiation to nerve cells by over-expression of NGF, resulting in the decreased endocrine function found in asthma progression.

Role of ethanol in kava hepatotoxicity

Kava is known for its recreational, ceremonial and medicinal use in the Pacific. The aqueous non-alcoholic drink of kava rhizome produces intoxicating, relaxing and soothing effects. While kava's medicinal effects receive worldwide recognition, kava-containing products came under scrutiny after over 100 reports of spontaneous adverse hepatic effects. Many mechanisms have been postulated to explain the unexpected toxicity, one being pharmacokinetic interactions between kavalactones and co-administered drugs involving cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Alcohol is often co-injested in kava hepatotoxicity cases. This review evaluates the possible hepatotoxicity mechanisms involving alcohol and kava.

The aqueous degradation of bisphenol A and steroid estrogens by ferrate

The aqueous reactivity of five prominent endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with potassium ferrate has been studied. The degradation kinetics and reaction pathways for bisphenol A (BPA) have been considered in detail, and the reaction rate constants for 17alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE2), estrone (E1), beta-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3) have been determined, from tests carried out in the pH range of 8-12 and at different reactant molar ratios. The rate constants were determined by a kinetic model incorporating the various species equilibria for the EDC compounds and ferrate, using observations of the temporal reduction in EDC and ferrate concentrations. In agreement with other studies, the oxidation of the EDCs was found to be greater for mono-protonated ferrate, HFeO(4)(-), than for non-protonated ferrate, FeO(4)(2-). Among the five EDCs, all of which have phenol moieties, the ferrate oxidation of the four steroid estrogens (each incorporating the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring) had higher reaction rates than BPA. The by-products of BPA degradation by ferrate were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (GC/MS-MS) and nine specific compounds were identified, including p-isopropylphenol, 4-isopropanolphenol, p-isopropenylphenol, and some dicarboxylic acids, etc. It is concluded that ferrate oxidation could be an effective treatment method for the purification of waters containing these particular EDCs.

Effect of alumina on photocatalytic activity of iron oxides for bisphenol A degradation

To study the photodegradation of organic pollutants at the interface of minerals and water in natural environment, three series of alumina-coupled iron oxides (Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3)-300, Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3)-420, and Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3)-550) with different alumina fraction were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Barret-Joyner-Halender (BJH), and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). The XRD results showed that existence of alumina in iron oxides could hinder the formation of maghemite and hematite, and also the crystal transformation from maghemite to hematite during sintering. It has been confirmed that the BET surface area and micropore surface area of Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3) catalysts increased with an increased dosage of alumina and with decreased sintering temperature. The pore size distribution also depended on the fraction of alumina. Furthermore, all Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3) catalysts had a mixed pore structure of micropore, mesopore and macropore. FTIR results showed that FTIR peaks attributable to Fe-O vibrations of maghemite or hematite were also affected by alumina content and sintering temperature. It was confirmed that the crystal structure and crystalline, the surface area and pore size distribution of Al(2)O(3)-Fe(2)O(3) catalysts depend strongly on the content of alumina and also sintering temperature. Bisphenol A (BPA) was selected as a model endocrine disruptor in aquatic environment. The effects of alumina on the photocatalytic activity of iron oxides for BPA degradation were investigated in aqueous suspension. The experimental results showed that the dependence of BPA degradation on the alumina content was attributable to the crystal structure, crystalline and also the properties of their surface structures. It was confirmed that the mixed crystal structure of maghemite and hematite could achieve the higher photocatalytic activity than maghemite or hematite alone.

Degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in aqueous solution by a hybrid oxidation process

A hybrid photoelectroreaction system has been developed in this study, which consists of three functional electrodes: a TiO2/Ti sheet as the anode, a steel (Fe) sheet as another anode in parallel and a piece of graphite felt (GF) as the cathode. While an electrical current is applied between the Fe anode and GF cathode and UV light is irradiated on the surface of TiO2/Ti anode, both of E-Fenton reaction and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) reaction are involved simultaneously. The integration of E-Fenton and PEC reactions was evaluated in terms of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation in aqueous solution. In the meantime, the current distribution between two anodes and pH influence on the 2,4-DCP degradation were studied and optimized. Experimental results confirmed that 2,4-DCP in aqueous solution was successfully degraded by 93% and mineralized by 78% within 60 min in such a hybrid oxidation process. When a current intensity of 3.2 mA was applied, the current efficiency for H2O2 generation on the GF cathode was determined to be 61%. Furthermore, the experiments demonstrated that combination of E-Fenton reaction with photocatalytic reaction let the process be less pH sensitive and would be more favorable to water and wastewater treatment in practice.

Heterogeneous photodegradation of bisphenol A with iron oxides and oxalate in aqueous solution

To understand the degradation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with existence of iron oxides and polycarboxylic acids in the natural environment, the photodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA) at the interface of iron oxides under UV illumination was conducted. Four iron oxides were prepared by a hydrothermal process and then sintered at different temperatures of 65, 280, 310, and 420 degrees C named "IO-65," "IO-280," "IO-310," and "IO-420," respectively. The prepared iron oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) methods. The XRD pattern of IO-65 showed a crystal structure of lepidocrocite (gamma-FeOOH) and that of IO-420 demonstrated a crystal structure of hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)), while IO-280 and IO-310 have the mixed crystal structures of maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) and hematite. The BET results revealed that the specific surface areas decreased with the increase of sintering temperature. The results demonstrated that the photodegradation of BPA depends strongly on the properties of iron oxides and oxalate, and pH. The properties of iron oxides influenced strongly the dependence of the BPA degradation on the oxalate concentration. The optimal initial concentrations of oxalate for BPA degradation under UV illumination were determined to be 2.0, 2.0, 2.4, and 2.0 mM for IO-65, IO-280, IO-310, and IO-420, respectively. The first-order kinetic constants k for BPA degradation under UV illumination in the presence of oxalate with the optimal initial concentration are ranked as IO-280>IO-310>IO-65>IO-420. The experiments demonstrated that the optimal pH value should be in the range of 3-4. Furthermore, the dependence of BPA degradation should be also attributable to the formation of the dissolved Fe-oxalate in the solution and the adsorbed Fe-oxalate on the surface of iron oxides, and also the formation of hydrogen peroxide.