Heavy metal contents and enrichment characteristics of dominant plants in wasteland of the downstream of a lead-zinc mining area in Guangxi, Southwest China

A field investigation on the content of heavy metals in soils and 17 kinds of dominant plants from wasteland of the downstream of a Pb-Zn mine in Northwest Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was carried out. The absorption and accumulation characteristics of heavy metals between plants and soil were compared, and the candidate species for ecosystem restoration of the area were selected. The results indicated that the soils had been subjected to pollution of heavy metals in varying degrees. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn were 46.5, 57.3 and 23.7 times higher than their corresponding background values, respectively. The contents of Cd, Pb and Zn in the most analyzed plants exceed the normal ranges and the phytotoxic level. C. crepidioides, S. nigrum, B. pilosa, C. Canadensis, A. conyzoides, I. denticulata and E. crusgali showed strong capability in accumulation and transport of Cd, and they could be used as good candidates for Cd- phytoextraction. Among which, Cd concentration in the aerial part of C. crepidioides exceeded the threshold of Cd-hyperaccumulator. Thus, C. crepidioides demonstrated the basic characteristics of a Cd-hyperaccumulator. The lower translocation ratios for Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in P. vittata and C. chinensis make them suitable for phytostabilization in the study area

The Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Involved in Irreversible Pulp Neural Inflammation

Aim. To identify the critical genetic and epigenetic biomarkers by constructing the long noncoding RNA- (lncRNA-) related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network involved in irreversible pulp neural inflammation (pulpitis). Materials and Methods. The public datasets regarding irreversible pulpitis were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. The differential expression analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DElncRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to explore the biological processes and signaling pathways enriched by DEGs. By performing a weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), the significant gene modules in each dataset were identified. Most importantly, DElncRNA-DEmRNA regulatory network and DElncRNA-associated ceRNA network were constructed. A transcription factor- (TF-) DEmRNA network was built to identify the critical TFs involved in pulpitis. Result. Two datasets (GSE92681 and GSE77459) were selected for analysis. DEGs involved in pulpitis were significantly enriched in seven signaling pathways (i.e., NOD-like receptor (NLR), Toll-like receptor (TLR), NF-kappa B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), chemokine, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways). The ceRNA regulatory relationships were established consisting of three genes (i.e., LCP1, EZH2, and NR4A1), five miRNAs (i.e., miR-340-5p, miR-4731-5p, miR-27a-3p, miR-34a-5p, and miR-766-5p), and three lncRNAs (i.e., XIST, MIR155HG, and LINC00630). Six transcription factors (i.e., GATA2, ETS1, FOXP3, STAT1, FOS, and JUN) were identified to play pivotal roles in pulpitis. Conclusion. This paper demonstrates the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of irreversible pulpitis by revealing the ceRNA network. The biomarkers identified could provide research direction for the application of genetically modified stem cells in endodontic regeneration

Hypoglycaemic and anti-hyperglycaemic activity of Tabernanthe iboga aqueous extract in fructose-fed Streptozotocin type 2 diabetic rats

Publisher Copyright: © 2020, Institute of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of Bading-Taïka, B., Souza, A., Bourobou Bourobou, HP. et al. Hypoglycaemic and anti-hyperglycaemic activity of Tabernanthe iboga aqueous extract in fructose-fed streptozotocin type 2 diabetic rats. ADV TRADIT MED (ADTM) (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-020-00484-0Root bark preparations of the Gabonese plant Tabernanthe iboga (T. iboga) has long been used in traditional medicine in Central and West African regions for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study is the first investigation of in vivo hypoglycaemic activity in healthy rats and anti-hyperglycaemic activity of T. iboga in a 10% fructose-fed (40 mg/kg i.p.) streptozotocin (STZ) injected type 2 diabetic rat model. T. iboga at 50 to 200 mg/kg induced hypoglycaemia activity over 3 h fasted glucose tolerance in healthy Wistar rats and anti-hyperglycaemic effects on non-fasted and fasted blood glucose in fructose-fed STZ T2D rats with no toxicity. Fructose-fed STZ T2D rats developed characteristic type 2 diabetic complications over 6 weeks exhibiting significantly elevated fasting and non-fasting blood glucose, polydipsia, reduced body weight gain and glucose and insulin tolerance compared with STZ alone and normal control rats. T. iboga (50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg bw) administered p.o. once daily for 4 weeks significantly improved diabetic symptoms of polydipsia, reduced body weight, hyperglycaemia, glucose and insulin tolerance (as AUC) compared with fructose-fed STZ T2D rats. T. iboga aqueous extract (50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) also significantly reversed altered actions of marker enzymes of liver including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, HbA1c and elevated triglycerides in fructose-fed STZ type 2 diabetic rats. Our outcomes show that daily oral provision of T. iboga improves type 2 diabetes complications, superior to glibenclamide, in rat fructose-fed STZ model and offers the potential for safe clinical management of T2D in Gabon.Peer reviewe