Combined and relative effect levels of perceived risk, knowledge, optimism, pessimism, and social trust on anxiety among inhabitants concerning living on heavy metal contaminated soil

This research aims at combined and relative effect levels on anxiety of: (1) perceived risk, knowledge, optimism, pessimism, and social trust; and (2) four sub-variables of social trust among inhabitants concerning living on heavy metal contaminated soil. On the basis of survey data from 499 Chinese respondents, results suggest that perceived risk, pessimism, optimism, and social trust have individual, significant, and direct effects on anxiety, while knowledge does not. Knowledge has significant, combined, and interactive effects on anxiety together with social trust and pessimism, respectively, but does not with perceived risk and optimism. Social trust, perceived risk, pessimism, knowledge, and optimism have significantly combined effects on anxiety; the five variables as a whole have stronger predictive values than each one individually. Anxiety is influenced firstly by social trust and secondly by perceived risk, pessimism, knowledge, and optimism. Each of four sub-variables of social trust has an individual, significant, and negative effect on anxiety. When introducing four sub-variables into one model, trust in social organizations and in the government have significantly combined effects on anxiety, while trust in experts and in friends and relatives do not; anxiety is influenced firstly by trust in social organization, and secondly by trust in the government

Promotion effect of bacteria in phycosphere on flocculation activity of Aspergillus niger on Synechocystis biomass

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis with high scientific research value and application potential to aquaculture is hard to harvest its biomass. Bioflocculation is an economical and efficient method for harvesting microalgal biomass. In this study, Aspergillus niger 7806F3, a fungus that showed high flocculation activity on Synechocystis cells, was selected to assess its potential for the harvest of microalgal biomass. The analyses of flocculation activity and flocculation mechanism indicated that mycelial pellets of Aspergillus niger 7806F3 exhibited high flocculation activity on Synechocystis biomass through charge neutralization mechanism, and proteins of mycelial pellets participated in the flocculation activity. The flocculation activity of strain 7806F3 on aseptic algal culture indicated that bacteria in the phycosphere can promote the flocculation effect of strain 7806F3 on algal cells. Bacterial community analysis indicated that the addition of mycelial pellets changed the bacterial community diversity in the Synechocystis phycosphere, increasing the abundance of genus Pseudomonas in the phycosphere. Finally, Pseudomonas sp. Algal4 was isolated from the Synechocystis phycosphere and confirmed with the ability to promote the flocculation activity of strain 7806F3 on Synechocystis cells. This study not only provides a method to harvest Synechocystis biomass, but also confirms the promotion effect of bacteria in phycosphere on flocculation activity, which provided a new understanding for the interaction between the algae and bacteria in the phycosphere

Crocin Improves the Endothelial Function Regulated by Kca3.1 Through ERK and Akt Signaling Pathways

Background/Aims: Based on the protective effect of crocin against cardiovascular diseases, we hypothesize that crocin could improve endothelial function through activating the eNOS(endothelial nitric oxide synthase) /NO pathway and/or the intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa3.1). Methods: In this study, rat aortic rings were used to assess the regulatory effect of crocin on vascular tone and nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and KCa3.1, all endothelial vasodilators, were analyzed for effects by crocin. The expression profiles of p-eNOS, total-eNOS, p-ERK, total-ERK, p-Akt, total-Akt, KCa3.1, CD31, thrombomodulin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were tested by western blotting. KCa3.1 was also analyzed by qPCR and immunofluorescence staining. Fluorescence and confocal microscopy were used to determine NO generation and intracellular Ca2+. Both EdU and MTT assays were used to evaluate cell viability. Cellular migration was assessed using transwell assay. Results: Crocin relaxed pre-contracted artery rings through either NO or KCa3.1, but not PGI, in an endothelium-dependent manner. Furthermore, crocin increased p-eNOS, total-eNOS expression and NO production as well as intracellular Ca2+ in both HUVECs and HUAECs (Human Umbilical Artery Endothelial cells). Crocin also stimulated the expression of CD31, thrombomodulin and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), as well as increased cellular proliferation and migration in vitro. Interestingly, we determined for the first time that by blocking or silencing KCa3.1 there was inhibition of crocin induced upregulation of p-eNOS and total-eNOS. Correspondingly, the KCa3.1 inhibitor TRAM-34 also reduced the expression of CD31, thrombomodulin and VCAM-1, as well as diminished intracellular Ca2+, cellular proliferation and migration. Finally, crocin stimulated the expression of p-ERK, total-ERK, p-Akt and total-Akt, however suppression of MEK and Akt inhibited this expression profile in endothelial cells. Conclusion: In the present study, these data strongly support the hypothesis that crocin could improve endothelial function through stimulation of the eNOS/NO pathway and other endothelial markers. This functional improvement is regulated by KCa3.1 via the MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Additional file 1 of Differences in archaeal diversity and potential ecological functions between saline and hypersaline lakes on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were driven by multiple environmental and non-environmental factors beyond the salinity

Supplementary Material

Responses of soil microbial communities to concentration gradients of antibiotic residues in typical greenhouse vegetable soils

To explore the responses of soil microbial communities to concentration gradients of antibiotic residues in soil, 32 soil samples were collected from a typical greenhouse vegetable production base in Northern China in 2019. The total concentrations of 26 antibiotic residues in these soil samples was 83.24–4237.93 μg·kg−1, of which metabolites of tetracyclines were 23.34–1798.80 μg·kg−1. The total concentrations in 32 samples were clustered into three levels (L: 300 μg·kg−1) to elucidate the impacts of antibiotic residues on the diversity, structure, composition, function and antibiotic resistome of soil microbial community. Results showed that higher concentration of antibiotic residues in soil was prone to decrease the diversity and shift the structure and composition of soil microbial community. Antibiotic resistome occurred in soils with antibiotic residues exceeding 300 μg·kg−1. Interactions among soil bacteria followed the order of H > L > M, consistent with the relative abundances of mobile genetic elements. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the top attributors impacting the profile of antibiotics in soil. According to weighted comprehensive pollution index of risk quotient, in 28.1 % of soil samples the residual antibiotics presented high ecological risk, whereas in the rest of soil samples the ecological risk is medium. The results will enrich the database and provide references for antibiotic contamination control in soils of the region and alike

Establishment of a three-step method to evaluate effects of chemicals on development of zebrafish embryo/larvae

Core endpoints in zebrafish embryos are crucial indicators in screening harmful effects of chemicals. In this study, we established a three-step process to more quantitatively and less-subjective determine effects of chemicals on phenotypes of developing zebrafish embryos. Embryos were exposed to each of two concentrations of the representative chemicals cadmium chloride (CdCl2), tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) or 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-nonafluoro-1-hexanol (4:2 FTOH) from 0.75 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 96 hpf. After exposure, larvae were imaged by use of a three-step method to describe morphology. Seven points were selected, which resulted in acquisition of 21 lines and 105 angles from images of larvae. Exposure to TDCIPP (0.1 or 0.2 mg/L), CdCl2 (1 or 4 mg/L) or 4:2 FTOH (0.3 or 1 mg/L) significantly changed lengths of some lines and magnitudes of some angles, that resulted in differential scoring of points. Points were then prioritized and directions, distances and trajectories of movement were further described and standard reference values were developed. Movement of the point describing the mouth during embryonic development was found to be a sensitive parameter for assessment of adverse effects of chemicals. The present study provides a new strategy to characterize phenotypes of development of zebrafish embryo/larva following exposure to environmental toxins. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

PECAM-1 drives β-catenin-mediated EndMT via internalization in colon cancer with diabetes mellitus

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered to be a risk factor in carcinogenesis and progression, although the biological mechanisms are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) internalization drives β-catenin-mediated endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) to link DM to cancer. Methods The tumor microenvironment (TME) was investigated for differences between colon cancer with and without DM by mRNA-microarray analysis. The effect of DM on colon cancer was determined in clinical patients and animal models. Furthermore, EndMT, PECAM-1 and Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling were analyzed under high glucose (HG) and human colon cancer cell (HCCC) supernatant (SN) or coculture conditions by western and immunofluorescence tests. Results DM promoted the progression and EndMT occurrence of colon cancer (CC). Regarding the mechanism, DM induced PECAM-1 defection from the cytomembrane, internalization and subsequent accumulation around the cell nucleus in endothelial cells, which promoted β-catenin entry into the nucleus, leading to EndMT occurrence in CC with DM. Additionally, Akt/GSK-3β signaling was enhanced to inhibit the degradation of β-catenin, which regulates the process of EndMT. Conclusions PECAM-1 defects and/or internalization are key events for β-catenin-mediated EndMT, which is significantly boosted by enhanced Akt/GSK-3β signaling in the DM-associated TME. This contributes to the mechanism by which DM promotes the carcinogenesis and progression of CC. Graphical Abstract Video Abstrac

Transcriptional activation analysis of PpCO and PpFT in yeast.

<p>PpCO and PpFT were fused with the GAL4 DNA-binding domain and expressed in yeast strain AH109. Transcriptional activation activities were monitored by the detection of yeast growth and α-galactosidase activity. pGBKT7 and pGBKT7-AtWRKY33 were used as negative control and positive control, respectively.</p

The Cloning and Functional Characterization of Peach <i>CONSTANS</i> and <i>FLOWERING LOCUS T</i> Homologous Genes <i>PpCO</i> and <i>PpFT</i>

<div><p>Flowering is an essential stage of plant growth and development. The successful transition to flowering not only ensures the completion of plant life cycles, it also serves as the basis for the production of economically important seeds and fruits. <i><u>CO</u>NSTANS</i> (<i>CO</i>) and <i><u>F</u>LOWERING LOCUS <u>T</u></i> (<i>FT</i>) are two genes playing critical roles in flowering time control in Arabidopsis. Through homology-based cloning and rapid-amplifications of cDNA ends (RACE), we obtained full-lengths cDNA sequences of <i><u>P</u>runus <u>p</u>ersica <u>CO</u></i> (<i>PpCO</i>) and <i><u>P</u>runus <u>p</u>ersica <u>FT</u></i> (<i>PpFT</i>) from peach (<i>Prunus persica</i> (L.) Batsch) and investigated their functions in flowering time regulation. <i>PpCO</i> and <i>PpFT</i> showed high homologies to Arabidopsis <i>CO</i> and <i>FT</i> at DNA, mRNA and protein levels. We showed that PpCO and PpFT were nucleus-localized and both showed transcriptional activation activities in yeast cells, consistent with their potential roles as transcription activators. Moreover, we established that the over-expression of <i>PpCO</i> could restore the late flowering phenotype of the Arabidopsis <i>co-2</i> mutant, and the late flowering defect of the Arabidopsis <i>ft-1</i> mutant can be rescued by the over-expression of <i>PpFT</i>, suggesting functional conservations of <i>CO</i> and <i>FT</i> genes in peach and Arabidopsis. Our results suggest that <i>PpCO</i> and <i>PpFT</i> are homologous genes of <i>CO</i> and <i>FT</i> in peach and they may function in regulating plant flowering time.</p></div