A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation

Subduction zones are pivotal for the recycling of Earth’s outer layer into its interior. However, the conditions under which new subduction zones initiate are enigmatic. Here, we constructed a transdisciplinary database featuring detailed analysis of more than a dozen documented subduction zone initiation events from the last hundred million years. Our initial findings reveal that horizontally forced subduction zone initiation is dominant over the last 100 Ma, and that most initiation events are proximal to pre-existing subduction zones. The SZI Database is expandable to facilitate access to the most current understanding of subduction zone initiation as research progresses, providing a community platform that establishes a common language to sharpen discussion across the Earth Science community

Protective effects of N-acetylcysteine on acetic acid-induced colitis in a porcine model

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease and involves multiple etiological factors. Acetic acid (AA)-induced colitis is a reproducible and simple model, sharing many characteristics with human colitis. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been widely used as an antioxidant in vivo and in vitro. NAC can affect several signaling pathways involving in apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell growth and arrest, redox-regulated gene expression, and inflammatory response. Therefore, NAC may not only protect against the direct injurious effects of oxidants, but also beneficially alter inflammatory events in colitis. This study was conducted to investigate whether NAC could alleviate the AA-induced colitis in a porcine model. METHODS: Weaned piglets were used to investigate the effects of NAC on AA-induced colitis. Severity of colitis was evaluated by colon histomorphology measurements, histopathology scores, tissue myeloperoxidase activity, as well as concentrations of malondialdehyde and pro-inflammatory mediators in the plasma and colon. The protective role of NAC was assessed by measurements of antioxidant status, growth modulator, cell apoptosis, and tight junction proteins. Abundances of caspase-3 and claudin-1 proteins in colonic mucosae were determined by the Western blot method. Epidermal growth factor receptor, amphiregulin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mRNA levels in colonic mucosae were quantified using the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, AA treatment increased (P < 0.05) the histopathology scores, intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) numbers and density in the colon, myeloperoxidase activity, the concentrations of malondialdehyde and pro-inflammatory mediators in the plasma and colon, while reducing (P < 0.05) goblet cell numbers and the protein/DNA ratio in the colonic mucosa. These adverse effects of AA were partially ameliorated (P < 0.05) by dietary supplementation with NAC. In addition, NAC prevented the AA-induced increase in caspase-3 protein, while stimulating claudin-1 protein expression in the colonic mucosa. Moreover, NAC enhanced mRNA levels for epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin in the colonic mucosa. CONCLUSION: Dietary supplementation with NAC can alleviate AA-induced colitis in a porcine model through regulating anti-oxidative responses, cell apoptosis, and EGF gene expression

The effect of psoriasis treatment on body composition, components of metabolic syndrome and psoriatic arthritis

Background and Design: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory immun mediated skin disorder with unknown etiology. The chronic inflammation in psoriasis have role in the development of metabolic and vascular disorders related with associating comorbidities. Recent studies have suggested a strong association exists between metabolic syndrome, obesity and complexity of the association between psoriasis, body mass index (BMI) and psoriasis tratment. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effect of psoriasis treatment with methotrexate, cyclosporine and biological agents on body composition, comorbidities and associated laboratory findings. Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine patients treated with methotrexate, cyclosporin and biological agents were included in our study. Demographic characteristics, body composition analysis, psoriasis related comorbidities and laboratory examinations were evaluated before and after 12 weeks of systemic treatment. Results: Comorbidities and metabolic syndrome tended to be more frequent in the anti tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-α) treated group. Increase in body fat and weight detected in patiens receiving biologic drug therapy. Conclusion: The results of our study showed that severe psoriasis patients with longer disease duration were more likely to have metabolic syndrome because of severe and long term inflammation in pathogenesis of comorbidities

Identification of phenolic compounds and evaluation of antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of the endemic Achillea multifida

594-603The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time total phenolic content, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects of heptane, chloroform and methanol extracts from Achillea multifida (DC.) Boiss. (Compositae) aerial parts followed by identification of phenolic compounds in the methanol extract, which showed the highest total amount of phenolics, antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The phenolic compounds in methanol extract were identified for the first time by ESI-Q-TOF LC/MS. The phenolic compounds were identified as: chlorogenic acid; quercetin hexoside; luteolin-7-O glucoside; dicaffeoyl quinic acid; luteolin. The chloroform extract showed strong activity and selectivity against HeLa, HT-29 and MCF-7 cell lines. The results indicated that low concentrations (100 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL) of chloroform and methanol extracts had no toxic effects on the NIH/3T3 cells. Therefore, the methanol extract from A. multifida aerial parts may be a natural source of antioxidants and antibacterial and seems to have potential application in both medicine and the food industry. In additon, the chloroform extract might be a potential anti-cancer agent