Diatom and silicoflagellate assemblages in modern surface sediments associated with human activity: A case study in Sishili Bay, China

The spatial distribution of diatom and silicoflagellate fossils deposited in modern surface sediments was studied in inshore and offshore zones of Sishili Bay, China, to explore the impact of human activity on the coastal ecosystem. The sediments from 28 sites representing a gradient in intensity of human activity from inshore to offshore were sampled. Although the nutrient parameters inshore showed far higher concentrations than the offshore area, due to sewage discharge and waste dumping in the bay, the average fossil abundance did not differ significantly between the two areas. The diatom fossil Paralia sulcata, supposed to be a eutrophic indicator dominated most sediment samples and displayed a significant and positive correlation with dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the upper water column, but did not show a significant difference in abundance between inshore area and offshore area. Factors such as sediment disturbance (e.g., shipping), grazing pressure (e.g., shellfish aquaculture farm) and sediment characteristics (e.g., grain size) can affect the preservation of fossil debris in the sediment and lower the precision with which human activities can be associated with the fossil abundance.The spatial distribution of diatom and silicoflagellate fossils deposited in modern surface sediments was studied in inshore and offshore zones of Sishili Bay, China, to explore the impact of human activity on the coastal ecosystem. The sediments from 28 sites representing a gradient in intensity of human activity from inshore to offshore were sampled. Although the nutrient parameters inshore showed far higher concentrations than the offshore area, due to sewage discharge and waste dumping in the bay, the average fossil abundance did not differ significantly between the two areas. The diatom fossil Paralia sulcata, supposed to be a eutrophic indicator dominated most sediment samples and displayed a significant and positive correlation with dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the upper water column, but did not show a significant difference in abundance between inshore area and offshore area. Factors such as sediment disturbance (e.g., shipping), grazing pressure (e.g., shellfish aquaculture farm) and sediment characteristics (e.g., grain size) can affect the preservation of fossil debris in the sediment and lower the precision with which human activities can be associated with the fossil abundance. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation

Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes

Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) Induced COX-2: A Key Factor in Latency, Inflammation, Angiogenesis, Cell Survival and Invasion

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an enigmatic endothelial cell vascular neoplasm, is characterized by the proliferation of spindle shaped endothelial cells, inflammatory cytokines (ICs), growth factors (GFs) and angiogenic factors. KSHV is etiologically linked to KS and expresses its latent genes in KS lesion endothelial cells. Primary infection of human micro vascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-d) results in the establishment of latent infection and reprogramming of host genes, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is one of the highly up-regulated genes. Our previous study suggested a role for COX-2 in the establishment and maintenance of KSHV latency. Here, we examined the role of COX-2 in the induction of ICs, GFs, angiogenesis and invasive events occurring during KSHV de novo infection of endothelial cells. A significant amount of COX-2 was detected in KS tissue sections. Telomerase-immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cells supporting KSHV stable latency (TIVE-LTC) expressed elevated levels of functional COX-2 and microsomal PGE2 synthase (m-PGES), and secreted the predominant eicosanoid inflammatory metabolite PGE2. Infected HMVEC-d and TIVE-LTC cells secreted a variety of ICs, GFs, angiogenic factors and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which were significantly abrogated by COX-2 inhibition either by chemical inhibitors or by siRNA. The ability of these factors to induce tube formation of uninfected endothelial cells was also inhibited. PGE2, secreted early during KSHV infection, profoundly increased the adhesion of uninfected endothelial cells to fibronectin by activating the small G protein Rac1. COX-2 inhibition considerably reduced KSHV latent ORF73 gene expression and survival of TIVE-LTC cells. Collectively, these studies underscore the pivotal role of KSHV induced COX-2/PGE2 in creating KS lesion like microenvironment during de novo infection. Since COX-2 plays multiple roles in KSHV latent gene expression, which themselves are powerful mediators of cytokine induction, anti-apoptosis, cell survival and viral genome maintainence, effective inhibition of COX-2 via well-characterized clinically approved COX-2 inhibitors could potentially be used in treatment to control latent KSHV infection and ameliorate KS

Selection of effective macroalgal species and tracing nitrogen sources on the different part of Yantai coast, China indicated by macroalgal δ15N values

To determine the dominant nitrogen sources and select effective macroalgal species for monitoring eutrophication along the Yantai coast, the total carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ15N) in macroalgal tissue were analyzed in conjunction with environmental variables in seawater along the Yantai coastline. The ranges of macroalgal tissue δ15N values together with dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) composition indicated that except for the atmospheric deposition, there were three dominant types of nitrogen sources along the Yantai coast, with the agricultural fertilizer usage and factorial wastewater input at the S1 (Zhifu Island coast), the sewage discharge at S2 (the Moon Bay coast), the sewage discharge together with aquaculture impacts at S3 (Fisherman Wharf coast) and S4 (the Horse Island coast). Macroalgal growth were not limited by DIN but limited by P at S2, S3 and S4. Macroalgal species suitable or not for DIN source tracing along the Yantai coast were discussed. For sites with low DIN concentration, many species of three phyla could be used for DIN sources tracing with Laurencia okamurai, Gloiopeltis furcata and Ulva pertusa being ideal species. For site with high DIN concentration, however, species of Rhodophyta were not suitable and only Scytosiphon lomentaria and Monostroma nitidium were chosen

Temporal and spatial distributions of nutrients under the influence of human activities in Sishili Bay, northern Yellow Sea of China

The temporal and spatial distributions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and dissolved reactive silica (DRSi) together with chlorophyll-a, temperature and salinity were analyzed monthly from December 2008 to March 2010 at four zones in Sishili Bay located in the northern Yellow Sea. The nutrient distribution was impacted by seasonal factors (biotic factors, temperature and wet deposition), physical factors (water exchange) and anthropogenic loadings. The seasonal variations of nutrients were mainly determined by the seasonal factors and the spatial distribution of nutrients was mainly related to water exchange. Anthropogenic loadings for DIN, SRP and DRSi were mainly from point sources, but for DON, non-point sources were also important. Nutrient limitation has changed from DIN in 1997 to SRP and DRSi in 2010, and this has resulted in changes in the dominant red tide species from diatom to dinoflagellates.The temporal and spatial distributions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and dissolved reactive silica (DRSi) together with chlorophyll-a, temperature and salinity were analyzed monthly from December 2008 to March 2010 at four zones in Sishili Bay located in the northern Yellow Sea. The nutrient distribution was impacted by seasonal factors (biotic factors, temperature and wet deposition), physical factors (water exchange) and anthropogenic loadings. The seasonal variations of nutrients were mainly determined by the seasonal factors and the spatial distribution of nutrients was mainly related to water exchange. Anthropogenic loadings for DIN, SRP and DRSi were mainly from point sources, but for DON, non-point sources were also important. Nutrient limitation has changed from DIN in 1997 to SRP and DRSi in 2010, and this has resulted in changes in the dominant red tide species from diatom to dinoflagellates. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Large scale northward expansion of warm water species Skeletonema tropicum (Bacillariophyceae) in China seas

S keletonema tropicum is regarded as a species with an affinity to warm waters and it has never been reported in seas where temperatures drop below 11A degrees C in winter. Previous studies in China reported that S. tropicum was restricted to subtropical and warm temperate seas (East and South China Seas), but the species was recently found during August cruises of 2009 and 2010 in Jiaozhou Bay, Yellow Sea, located several hundred kilometers to the north. Here, winter water temperatures often drop below 5A degrees C. Identification of S. tropicum was confirmed under light and scanning electronic microscopes and maximum cell abundance in Jiaozhou Bay was estimated as 1.73x10(4) cell/L. This record of S. tropicum in Jiaozhou Bay represents a significant northward expansion in the geographic range of the species. Ship ballast water was identified as a possible carrier of S. tropicum from southern places along Chinese coastline, and in addition, thermal pollution from local power stations and seawater desalination plants may provide suitable conditions for species over-wintering.S keletonema tropicum is regarded as a species with an affinity to warm waters and it has never been reported in seas where temperatures drop below 11A degrees C in winter. Previous studies in China reported that S. tropicum was restricted to subtropical and warm temperate seas (East and South China Seas), but the species was recently found during August cruises of 2009 and 2010 in Jiaozhou Bay, Yellow Sea, located several hundred kilometers to the north. Here, winter water temperatures often drop below 5A degrees C. Identification of S. tropicum was confirmed under light and scanning electronic microscopes and maximum cell abundance in Jiaozhou Bay was estimated as 1.73x10(4) cell/L. This record of S. tropicum in Jiaozhou Bay represents a significant northward expansion in the geographic range of the species. Ship ballast water was identified as a possible carrier of S. tropicum from southern places along Chinese coastline, and in addition, thermal pollution from local power stations and seawater desalination plants may provide suitable conditions for species over-wintering