Chondroprotective Activity of Murraya exotica

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people. Currently, there is no effective drug treatment for it. The purpose of this study is to investigate the chondroprotective effects of Murraya exotica (L.) on OA. The rat OA models were duplicated to prepare for separating OA chondrocytes, synovial fluid (SF), and serum containing M. exotica (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg), M. exotica showed the activity of decreasing the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in SF and the chondrocyte apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. To investigate the probable mechanism, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to determine gene expression and protein profiles, respectively. The results reveal that M. exotica can downregulate mRNA and protein expressions of β-catenin and COX-2 and reporter activity significantly. Conclusively, M. exotica exhibits antiapoptotic chondroprotective activity probably through inhibiting β-catenin signaling

The Natural Occurring Compounds Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

ER stress has been implicated in pathophysiological development of many diseases. Persistent overwhelming stimuli trigger ER stress to initiate apoptosis, autophagy, and cell death. IRE1-JNK and eIF2α-CHOP signaling pathways are the two important players of ER stress, which is also modulated by ROS production, calcium disturbance, and inflammatory factors. ER stress has been developed as a novel strategy for diseases management. Recently, a vast of research focuses on the natural occurring compounds targeting ER stress, which results in medical benefits to human diseases. These small reported molecules mainly include polyphenols, alkaloids, and saponins. Many of them have been developed for use in clinical applications. To better understand the pharmacological mechanism of these molecules in ER stress in diseases, efforts have been made to discover and deliver medical merits. In this paper, we will summarize the natural occurring compounds targeting ER stress

Effects of Climate Change and Human Activities on Vegetation Coverage in Arsenic Sandstone Area of Yellow River Basin

[Objective] The arsenic sandstone area is the most serious soil erosion area in the Yellow River basin. Vegetation coverage changes and their driving factors were determined in order to provide a scientific reference for vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction in this area. [Methods] MOD13Q1 NDVI data from 2000 to 2022 were used with the Sen trend, Mann-Kendall significance test, Hurst index, residual analysis, and other methods to determine the temporal and spatial variation trends of vegetation coverage during the study period in the arsenic sandstone area. The response relationships between vegetation coverage and climatic factors and human activities were also determined. [Results] ① Vegetation coverage in the arsenic sandstone area increased by 4%/yr (p<0.05) from 2000 to 2022. Vegetation coverage in the study area exhibited obvious spatial differences in the three study areas, showing the spatial distribution trends of “higher in the south and lower in the north” and “higher in the east and lower in the west”. ② The area with positive correlations between vegetation coverage and precipitation during the study period accounted for 66.30% of the total area, and the area with negative correlations accounted for 33.70% of the total area. The area with positive correlations between vegetative coverage and temperature accounted for 92.19% of the total area, and the negative correlation area accounted for 7.81% of the total area; ③ The residual results showed that human activities in 2000—2011 produced mainly negative effects on vegetative coverage, and human activities in 2012—2022 produced mainly positive effects. [Conclusion] Vegetation coverage in the arsenic sandstone area significantly increased during the study period, and had a higher correlation with annual average temperature than with annual rainfall. A series of ecological protection projects have made significant contributions towards increasing vegetation coverage

Ecological Assessment of Water Environment in Huizhou Region of China Based on DPSIR Theory and Entropy Weight TOPSIS Model

The ecological security of the water environment is a key element in evaluating the dynamic balance and ecological service functions in the construction of urban ecological civilizations. Through the regional study of water resources in Huizhou, we selected 24 indicators in five dimensions of the DPSIR theory, such as “driving force-pressure-state-impact-response”, and constructed an ecological evaluation index system of the water environment. Combined with the entropy weight TOPSIS model, the analysis was carried out for spatial differentiation features and spatio-temporal deduction features, and the results showed that the weight coefficients of the spatial differentiation features for the guideline layer exhibited significant stratification characteristics. The overall spatial and temporal interpretation characteristics of the water’s environmental ecology in the Huizhou region from 2016 to 2021 showed a pull-up enhancement effect. The relative proximity value showed a 63.43% increase from 0.361 in 2016 to 0.590 in 2021 over the six-year period. The region is characterized by regional differences in the ecological carrying capacity of the water environment, which is high in the south-east and low in the north-west. The top three areas in the quantitative calculation of the ecological carrying capacity of the water environment are Shexian County, Jixi County, and Qimen County, in that order

Spatiotemporal variation and driving force of gully erosion in the Pisha sandstone area

The experiment was conducted on gully slopes with slopes ranging from 80° to 90° to investigate the relationship between erosion rates, spatial and temporal changes in microtopography, and drivers of erosion on gully slopes in different seasons. To precisely characterize the microtopography of slopes where debris slides occur, we used the RIEGL VZ-400 3D laser scanner to scan the observation site and acquire point cloud data on the slope’s microtopography. Using the “data conversion module” of ArcGIS software, the point cloud data were transformed into raster data. Through the “3D analysis,” “hydrological analysis,” and “grid calculator” modules, the basic microgeomorphological indicators were extracted from the gully slope grid data, and the erosion rate and microterrain evolution mechanism of the gully slope in different seasons were also determined. The results revealed the following: (1) in the Pisha sandstone area, erosion was relatively strong in the first quarter, with 65% of the area being eroded. The average erosion rates over the four quarters followed the order of first quarter &gt; fourth quarter &gt; second quarter &gt; third quarter, from fastest to slowest. (2) As the soil on the gully slope thawed, melt water increased soil moisture. This phenomenon sharply increased surface roughness in the first quarter. The correlation coefficients between the erosion rate and temperature in the first and fourth quarters were 0.75 and 0.82, respectively. Temperature mainly affected the erosion rate through surface roughness. The direct path coefficient of this effect was 0.72. (3) In the first and fourth quarters, temperature and wind speed were the main factors influencing the erosion rate; the relationship between surface roughness and other factors was evident, making surface roughness the best topographic factor for assessing slope erosion in the Pisha sandstone area. The results of this study aim to provide theoretical references for understanding the gravity erosion mechanism of gully slopes in the Pisha sandstone area and contribute to the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin

The Multifunctional Effects of Nobiletin and Its Metabolites In Vivo

Nobiletin (NOB) chemically known as 5,6,7,8,3′,4′-hexamethoxyflavone is a dietary polymethoxylated flavonoid found in Citrus fruits. Recent evidences show that NOB is a multifunctional pharmaceutical agent. The various pharmacological activities of NOB include neuroprotection, cardiovascular protection, antimetabolic disorder, anticancer, anti-inflammation, and antioxidation. These events may be underpinned by modulation of signaling cascades, including PKA/ERK/MEK/CREB, NF-κB, MAPK, Ca2+/CaMKII, PI3K/Akt1/2, HIF-1α, and TGFβ signaling pathways. The metabolites may exhibit stronger beneficial effects than NOB on diseases pathogenesis. The biological activities of NOB have been clarified on many systems. This review aims to discuss the pharmacological effects of NOB with specific mechanisms of actions. NOB may become a promising candidate for potential drug development. However, further investigations of NOB on specific intracellular targets and clinical trials are still needed, especially for in vivo medical applications

Analysis of temporal variation characteristics in water resources in typical ecosystems of the Genhe River Basin

The Genhe River Basin is an ecological barrier and water conservation area in northern China, but its hydrological process has undergone significant changes due to climate change and human activities, endangering ecosystem functions and water resource security. Systematic research on the influencing mechanisms and laws of hydrological processes in different ecosystems in this region remains lacking. Therefore, this study analyzed the effects of different anthropogenic factors on the hydrological processes of typical ecosystems in the Genhe River Basin. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool distributed hydrological model was used to simulate the surface runoff, evapotranspiration, and soil water content of the three ecosystems of forest, grassland, and farmland in four different periods of 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010. The spatial and temporal changes in water resources in typical ecosystems under the influence of historical climate change were demonstrated. Results showed that under different land use scenarios, the surface runoff of the farmland ecosystem increased, the evapotranspiration remained unchanged, and the soil water content decreased. The surface runoff of forest and grassland ecosystems did not change significantly, the evapotranspiration increased, and the soil water content decreased. This study reveals the influence of different human factors on the hydrological processes of typical ecosystems in the Genhe River Basin and provides a scientific basis for water resources management and ecological protection in the region

Comparative analysis of milk production, composition, and plasma metabolomics across various dairy goat breeds in Yunnan Province, China

The present study involved crossing Alpine goats with Yunshang black bucks from Yunnan Province to produce Alpine-Yunshang dual-purpose F1 (AYF1) goats. The AYF1 goats were compared with Saanen and Toggenburg goats by evaluating milk yield, composition, and molecular markers in order to identify metabolites using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) technology. A total of 18 goats were selected, with 6 goats from each breed forming 3 groups. Daily milk yield was recorded, and milk composition was analyzed on days 60 and 120 of lactation. The results showed that on day 60, Saanen and AYF1 goats had significantly higher protein and fat contents than Toggenburg goats. On day 120, AYF1 goats had higher fat content, while Saanen goats had higher protein content compared to Toggenburg goats. There were no differences (p &gt; 0.05) in milk yield among the breeds during the first, second, and fourth months; however, the Saanen breed yielded more milk during the third month compared to the other breeds (p &lt; 0.05). Metabolomics analysis revealed a total of 1,108 distinct metabolites in the positive ion mode and 360 in the negative ion mode. The majority of these metabolites were found at higher levels in Saanen goats compared to other breeds. The relative abundance of 2-phenylacetamide, 5-aminolevulinic acid, and ureidopropionic acid was significantly higher in Saanen goats compared to AYF1 goats (p &lt; 0.05). In the initial screening, 55 common and 17 useful differential metabolites were identified. A total of 17 metabolites, including 12 metabolic pathways and 7 functional classifications, were investigated using the KEGG platform. Metabolomics analysis showed that Saanen dairy goats produced higher levels of L-fucose, 4-acetamidobutanoic acid, L-tyrosine, and D-galactose, suggesting their involvement in milk production. In contrast, AYF1 goats had higher levels of sucrose, L-proline, ectoine, and biotin, suggesting their possible role in the metabolism of milk constituents. These findings offer insights into breed-specific milk metabolite profiles, highlighting the potential of AYF1 goats as a beneficial dual-purpose genotype for enhanced dairy and metabolic performance