A Maxwell-vector p-wave holographic superconductor in a particular background AdS black hole metric

We study the p-wave holographic superconductor for AdS black holes with planar event horizon topology for a particular Lovelock gravity, in which the action is characterized by a self-interacting scalar field nonminimally coupled to the gravity theory which is labeled by an integer $k$. As the Lovelock theory of gravity is the most general metric theory of gravity based on the fundamental assumptions of general relativity, it is a desirable theory to describe the higher dimensional spacetime geometry. The present work is devoted to studying the properties of the p-wave holographic superconductor by including a Maxwell field which nonminimally couples to a complex vector field in a higher dimensional background metric. In the probe limit, we find that the critical temperature decreases with the increase of the index $k$ of the background black hole metric, which shows that a larger $k$ makes it harder for the condensation to form. We also observe that the index $k$ affects the conductivity and the gap frequency of the holographic superconductors.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Aloin promotes cell apoptosis by targeting HMGB1-TLR4-ERK axis in human melanoma cells

Aloin (ALO) is the major anthraquinone glycoside purified from the Aloe species. It is well known for its anti-tumor effects. However, the protective effects of ALO in melanoma cancer and underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. High-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) is an intracellular protein, which has closely association with cell survival, proliferation and metastasis in various cancers. In this study, we explored the effect of ALO on cell survival and apoptosis by targeting HMGB1 signal pathway. We confirmed that ALO exerts a strong effect on promoting cell apoptosis of melanoma cells in vitro. Furthermore, HMGB1 release was significantly inhibited in melanoma cancer cells treated with ALO. Knockdown of HMGB1 could enhance melanoma cell death that is induced by ALO treatment. Moreover, HMGB1 facilitated ALO mediated melanoma cell apoptosis by binding to its receptor, Toll-like receptor 4 and activating extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signal pathway. Altogether, our study demonstrated that ALO plays an important role in promoting apoptosis of melanoma cells by inhibiting HMGB1 release and activation of downstream ERK signal pathway

THE EFFECT OF FOOT POSITION ON KINETICS OF LOWER LIMBS DURING SQUAT

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of the foot position on the joint forces and moments of lower limbs during squat. Eleven male weightlifters were recruited in this study to perform squat with different foot position (forward position and toe-out 20 degrees). The VICON motion analysis system and two KISTLER force platforms were used to record the kinematical and kinetic data during squat. The results showed that the ankle joint maximal shear force, maximal adduction moment, external rotation moment and knee external rotation moment during squat with foot forward position were significantly greater than the results in toe-out position. Squat with foot forward position could be suggested to improve the ankle stability in rehabilitative training

The impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the dynamic capabilities of supply chains

This study aimed at empirically examining the impact of information and communication technology interaction intensity among supply chain members on the dynamic capabilities of organizations. The study took Taiwan's top 1000 manufacturers as the study population, whereas the relationship between the manufacturers and their suppliers was taken as the research unit, and the respondents consisted of the executives or senior procurement specialists dealing with suppliers in the organizations. LISREL was used to verify models and test their goodness-of-fit. In the data analysis, the parameters were estimated with the default maximum likelihood estimation method. Empirical results of this research can help businesses take a closer look into how the intensity of supply chain ICT interaction impacts the dynamic capabilities of the supply chain members, so that businesses can hold on to different intensities of their supply chain ICT interactions to increase the relationship commitment and trust among the supply chain members, and further promote their dynamic capabilities

Anti-inflammatory activity and chemical composition of the essential oils from Senecio flammeus

Many species from Senecio genus have been used in traditional medicine, and their pharmacological activities have been demonstrated. This study investigated the chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activities of essential oils from Senecio flammeus. A total of 48 components representing 98.41 % of the total oils were identified. The main compounds in the oils were α-farnesene (11.26 %), caryophyllene (8.69 %), n-hexadecanoic acid (7.23 %), and α-pinene (6.36 %). The anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oils was evaluated in rodents (10–90 mg/kg bw) in classical models of inflammation [carrageenan-induced paw edema, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear edema, and cotton pellet-induced granuloma]. The essential oils at doses of 10, 30, and 90 mg/kg bw significantly reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema by 17.42 % (P < 0.05), 52.90 % (P < 0.05), and 66.45 % (P < 0.05) 4 h after carrageenan injection, respectively, and significantly reduced myeloperoxidase activity (P < 0.05). The essential oils (10, 30, and 90 mg/kg) also produced asignificant dose-dependent response to reduce TPA-induced ear edema by 20.27 % (P < 0.05), 33.06 % (P < 0.05), and 53.90 % (P < 0.05), respectively. The essential oils produced significant dose-response anti-inflammatory activity against cotton pellet-induced granuloma that peaked at the highest dose of 90 mg/kg (49.08 % wet weight and 47.29 % dry weight). Results demonstrate that the essential oils of S. flammeus were effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, there by supporting the traditional use of this herb

Anti-inflammatory effect of selagin-7-O-(6''-O-acetyl-)-ß-D-glycoside isolated from Cancrinia discoidea on lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells

Selagin-7-O-(6''-O-acetyl-)-β-D-glycoside, a new flavone glycoside isolated from Cancrinia discoidea, is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. This study aimed to investigate the protection of this flavone glycoside on inflammation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The effects of selagin-7-O-(6''-O-acetyl-)-β-D-glycoside on inflammatory cytokines and signaling pathways were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. Results show that selagin-7-O-(6''-O-acetyl-)-β-D-glycoside protected LPS-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 cells from injury. The flavone glycoside markedly inhibited the LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 and increased interleukin-10 release in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, treatment with the flavone glycoside decreased nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 in LPS-challenged RAW 264.7 cells. These decreases were associated with the down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. These findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of selagin-7-O-(6''-O-acetyl-)-β-D-glycoside were associated with the adjustment of in flammatory cytokines, and attributed to the down-regulation of NF-κB and consequent suppression of the expression of iNOS and COX-2