The new coumarin compound Bis 3 ameliorates cognitive disorder and suppresses brain-intestine-liver systematic oxidative stress in high-fat diet mice

High-fat diet (HFD)-induced systemic oxidative damage is critical to the pathological process of obesity and is associated with energy metabolism and cognitive disorders. In our previous research, the coumarin derivative Bis 3 was shown to improve neurological disorders as a potent free radical scavenger. In this study, a 12-week high-fat diet model was established, and mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: standard diet, high-fat diet, and high-fat diet with Bis 3 treatment. Our results demonstrated that Bis 3 attenuated body weight gain and inhibited the development of insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed mice. Bis 3 protected against high fat-induced intestinal barrier integrity damage and lipid content disorder. HFD-induced hepatocyte lipid metabolism disorder and hepatocyte damage were also alleviated by Bis 3. Moreover, the results of cognitive tests indicated that Bis 3 attenuated high fat-induced cerebral dysfunction, such as cognitive disorders. Importantly, Bis 3 simultaneously ameliorated oxidative stress in the digestive and central nervous systems. These findings suggest that Bis 3 protects against systematic oxidative stress in HFD-induced obese mice, balancing insulin resistance, lipid metabolic disorders, and cognitive disorders through its antioxidative effects, indicating that Bis 3, a novel free radical scavenger, might represent a new therapeutic strategy for high fat-induced chronic systemic redox imbalance

Spatiotemporal Pattern and Spatial Convergence of Land Use Carbon Emission Efficiency in the Pan-Pearl River Delta: Based on the Difference in Land Use Carbon Budget

Research on land use carbon emission efficiency (LUCEE) in the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) can aid in formulating regional differentiated carbon reduction strategies. In this work, the inversion of carbon emissions using night-time light (NTL) data and the modified Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model were used to measure the net carbon emissions from land use (NCELU). On this basis, the SBM-undesirable model was used to assess the LUCEE. Additionally, the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA), Dagum Gini coefficient, and spatial convergence model were further introduced to analyze the spatial correlation, regional differences, and convergence trend of the LUCEE. Findings indicate that: (1) The NCELU showed an increasing fluctuation. During the period of 2006–2020, the NCELU increased from −168.58 million tons to −724.65 million tons. (2) The LUCEE exhibited a three-phase fluctuating downward trend of “decrease–rise–decrease”. The LUCEE first decreased from 0.612 in 2006 to 0.544 in 2008, then gradually increased to 0.632 in 2016, and finally decreased to 0.488 in 2020. Spatially, the LUCEE manifested a distribution characteristic of “high in the north and south, low in the middle”, with distinct spatial clustering features. (3) The overall Gini coefficient in the study period increased from 0.1819 to 0.2461. The primary contributor to the overall difference over the entire sample period was hypervariable density. (4) The PPRD and its various subregions displayed significant features of absolute and conditional β convergence. The speed of regional convergence from fastest to slowest was central > west > east, with the absolute convergence speeds of 0.0505, 0.0360, and 0.0212, respectively. Finally, policy recommendations are proposed to achieve regional carbon neutrality for the PPRD

The Peripherin Gene Regulates the Migration of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Wuzhishan Mini Pigs

Increasing the migratory capacity of the implanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a major challenge in developing successful cell transplantation therapies. Nevertheless, the regulatory factors involved in the migration of BMMSCs remain largely unknown. In this study, we studied the role of the peripherin (PRPH) gene in regulating the ability of Wuzhishan mini pig (WZSP) BMMSCs to migrate in vitro. Four different shRNA vectors directed against PRPH were designed and transfected into BMMSCs. The vector with the best interference effect was chosen to be used in the following experiments. The expression level of PRPH in BMMSCs was determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis. The migration capacity of the BMMSCs was estimated using a scratch assay, a transwell in vitro migration model assay, and filamentous actin staining. The results showed that shRNA-mediated knockdown of the expression of the PRPH gene in BMMSCs reduced the ability of these cells to migrate. Overall, these results illustrate that the PRPH gene regulates the migration of BMMSCs in the WZSP

洪泽湖大型水生植物群落结构和时空格局的GIS模拟

2010—2011年对洪泽湖大型水生植物进行了4个季度全面的调查和研究,共发现大型水生植物8科12种,其中沉水植物9种,挺水植物1种,浮叶植物2种。马来眼子菜(Potamogeton malaianus)、微齿眼子菜(P.maackianu)、篦齿眼子菜(P.pectinatus)和菹草(P.crispus)为全年优势度较高的水生植物,但4个季节大型水生植物的优势种类组成差异明显。秋季的水草生物量最高,其次为夏季和冬季,春季最低。结合GPS(Global Position System)和GIS(Geographic Information System),利用GIS的Kring插值法对洪泽湖大型水生植物总生物量及主要优势物种的时空分布进行了可视化模拟。结果发现洪泽湖现阶段大型水生植物分布区域主要集中在湖区北部水质较好、透明度较高且相对封闭的成子湖区。文章也分析了洪泽湖大型水生植物变迁的潜在影响因子,为水生植物保护和生态系统健康提供了基础依据

Effects of Aquaculture on Lakes in the Central Yangtze River Basin, China, I. Water Quality

Lake aquaculture in China has become more common, but there has been only limited research on its effects on the quality of lake water. We measured selected water quality parameters from July to September 2015 in 23 lakes in the middle reach of the Yangtze River basin to investigate the effects of different types of lake aquaculture on water quality. The lakes were classified as low, medium, high, or fallow based on their stocking rate. The results showed that turbidity, total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, conductivity, chloride, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a were lowest in the low lakes and highest in the high or medium lakes (and on occasion in the fallow lakes). These results confirm a close relationship between the level of fish stocking and many of the water quality parameters measured and that the effects of banning aquaculture in the fallow lakes has likely not yet been fully realized

Eutrophication and heavy metal pollution patterns in the water suppling lakes of China's south-to-north water diversion project

This study used non-supervised machine learning self-organizing maps (SOM) in conjunction with traditional multivariate statistical techniques (e.g., hierarchical cluster analysis, principle component analysis, Pearson&#39;s correlation analysis) to investigate spatio-temporal patterns of eutrophication and heavy metal pollution in the water supplying lakes (i.e., the Gao-Bao-Shaobo Lake, GBSL) of the eastern route of China&#39;s South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP-ER). A total of 28 water quality parameters were seasonally monitored at 33 sampling sites in the GBSL during 2016 to 2017 (i.e., 132 water samples were collected in four seasons). The results indicated that: 1) spatially, the western and south-western GBSL was relatively more eutrophic and polluted with heavy metals; and 2) temporally, the lakes suffered from high risks of heavy metal contamination in spring, but eutrophication in summer while water quality in winter was the best among the four seasons. Two main potential sources of pollution and transport routes were identified and discussed based on the pollution patterns. These findings contributed considerably to providing in-depth understanding of water pollution patterns, as well as potential pollution sources in the water-supplying region. Such understanding is crucial for developing pollution control and management strategies for this mega inter-basin water transfer project. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</p

Effects of Aquaculture on Lakes in the Central Yangtze River Basin, China, III: Heavy Metals

Fish culture in lakes is an important component of aquaculture in some countries, but little is known about its impact on the ecosystem of the impacted lake. In summer 2015, we measured concentrations of 11 heavy metals, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and manganese (Mn), in water and sediment from 23 lakes of different aquaculture classifications in the middle reach of the Yangtze River basin, China. These lakes represented the following four lake aquaculture management strategies: fish ranching in lakes classified as receiving low (LOW; used for backup drinking water and irrigation), medium (MEDIUM), or high (HIGH; fish fed commercial feed) stocking rates or as fallow (FALLOW), in which previously ranched HIGH lakes had not been stocked for 2years. Results showed a positive relationship between most heavy metal concentrations and fish culture intensity. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, and aluminum (Al) in the water column were significantly greater in the HIGH lakes than in the LOW lakes. Heavy metals in the FALLOW lakes did not appear to fully recover from past aquaculture activities. In sediment, the concentration of As in LOW lakes was significantly lower than those in MEDIUM and HIGH lakes, whereas no among-group significant differences in the other heavy metal concentrations were detected. Metals in sediments of all four lake types were at the low ecological risk level. We speculate that these results may be applied to lakes in other regions globally with similar fish stocking and management strategies

A holistic assessment of water quality condition and spatiotemporal patterns in impounded lakes along the eastern route of China's South-to-North water diversion project

Water quality is one of the key determinants for assessing effectiveness and success of water diversions, but rarely studied at a spatial scale that crosses large river basins. Multiple statistical methods and the water quality index (WQI) were used to assess overall condition and detect spatiotemporal patterns of water quality in a series of impounded lakes along the Eastern Route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Principal components analysis and analysis of variances identified three groups with distinct water quality characteristics: upstream Gaoyou Lake and Hongze Lake showing relatively higher nutrients, turbidity, and total suspended solids; downstream Dongping lake and Donghu Lake showing higher conductivity, total hardness, and chloride; and Luoma Lake and Nansi Lake intermediate between the two former groups. The WQI indicated overall "Good" water quality with an improving trend from upstream to downstream lakes. The upstream Gaoyou Lake had over 55% of the monitoring sites with "Moderate" water quality in all the seasons. Management should focus on preventing high nitrogen, phosphorus, turbidity, and total suspended solids in upstream lakes, high chloride in downstream lakes, high nitrogen during water diversion seasons, and high phosphorus during non-water diversion seasons. These findings greatly improved our understanding of the spatiotemporal water quality patterns of the impounded lakes, and can be used to develop water quality management strategies. This study exemplifies a methodology for investigating and securing water quality for inter-basin water transfer projects. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Heavy metal gradients from rural to urban lakes in central China

AbstractBackgroundLimited information is available on heavy metal patterns in lakes under rapid watershed urbanization, especially considering a large spatial gradient with a long linear distance and great variations in topographic relief. To fill this gap, we studied concentrations of a series of heavy metals in both water and sediments from 20 lakes along a rural to urban gradient in central China, and we aimed to understand the effects of urban processes on heavy metal dynamics in lake ecosystems. Studied lakes were divided into five groups: A (rural reservoir group), B (rural commercial fishing group), C (urban park group), D (urban recreational fishing group), and E (urban commercial fishing group). An inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) were used to analyze the heavy metals in water and sediments.ResultsAn increasing trend of most heavy metals in water from rural to urban lakes was observed. Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), magnesium (Mn), iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) in water were significantly lower in rural group A than those in other groups. Arsenic in sediments of rural group A was lower than those in other groups. No other heavy metal element in sediments was significantly different among groups. The enrichment factor analysis of selected heavy metals showed there were different degrees of enrichments of heavy metals in sediments. The potential ecological risk index showed a low level for heavy metals in sediments of all studied lakes.ConclusionsResults indicated that urban processes could have an impact on heavy metals in lake water. The sources of heavy metals in sediments were more likely from anthropogenic activities. These results could enhance our understanding of metal dynamics in lake ecosystems under urbanization and could help prevent heavy metal pollutions and promote sustainable management of urban ecosystems