Protective effect of theaflavins on neuron against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells

Theaflavins, the oxidation products of tea polyphenols are important biologically active components of black tea. 6-hydroxydopamine is a pro-parkinsonian neurotoxin. Theaflavins could inhibit the auto-oxidation of 6-hydroxydopamine in a dose-dependent manner from 0.5 µg/ml to 25 µg/ml. Here we investigated the protective effect of theaflavins on 6-hydroxydopamine induced SH-SY5Y cells against apoptosis (within this concentration range). It was found that pretreating SH-SY5Y cells with 0.5 µg/ml of theaflavins prevented 6-hydroxydopamine-induced loss of cell viability, condensed nuclear morphology, attenuated 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis, decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and the increase of intracellular nitric oxide levels. Our results indicated that theaflavins had protective effect against 6-hydroxydopamine induced apoptosis at low concentrations, possibly through inhibition of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide production

Identification of the shared gene signature and biological mechanism between type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer

Background: The correlation of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with colorectal cancer (CRC) has garnered considerable attention in the scientific community. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between these two diseases are yet to be elucidated. Hence, the present investigation aims to explore the shared gene signatures, immune profiles, and drug sensitivity patterns that exist between CRC and T2DM.Methods: RNA sequences and characteristics of patients with CRC and T2DM were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. These were investigated using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to determine the co-expression networks linked to the conditions. Genes shared between CRC and T2DM were analyzed by univariate regression, followed by risk prognosis assessment using the LASSO regression model. Various parameters were assessed through different software such as the ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, AND SSGSEA utilized for tumor immune infiltration assessment in the high- and low-risk groups. Additionally, pRRophetic was utilized to assess the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in both groups. This was followed by diagnostic modeling using logistic modeling and clinical prediction modeling using the nomogram.Results: WGCNA recognized four and five modules that displayed a high correlation with T2DM and CRC, respectively. In total, 868 genes were shared between CRC and T2DM, with 14 key shared genes being identified in the follow-up analysis. The overall survival (OS) of patients in the low-risk group was better than that of patients in the high-risk group. In contrast, the high-risk group exhibited higher expression levels of immune checkpoints The Cox regression analyses established that the risk-score model possessed independent prognostic value in predicting OS. To facilitate the prediction of OS and cause-specific survival, the nomogram was established utilizing the Cox regression model.Conclusion: The T2DM + CRC risk-score model enabled independent prediction of OS in individuals with CRC. Moreover, these findings revealed novel genes that hold promise as therapeutic targets or biomarkers in clinical settings

Influence of turbid flood water release on sediment deposition and phosphorus distribution in the bed sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Excessive phosphorus (P) loading was identified as an urgent problem during the post-Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) period. Turbid water with high suspended sediment loads has been periodically released during the flood season to mitigate sediment deposition in the TGR, but limited attention has been paid to its effect on the distribution of P in bed sediment within the reservoir. In this study, field surveys, historical monitoring data related to sediment deposition, and physiochemical properties and the fractional P content in the mainstream surface sediment and representative column sediment, were used to investigate the effect of turbid flood water release on P distribution in bed sediment. The results revealed that turbid flood water release could discharge approximately 20% of the suspended sediment inflow entering the TGR. Additionally, both the particle size of the inflow sediment and suspended sediment flux tended to decline, and the deposited sediment volume tended to constantly increase in the TGR at a rate of 0.117 billion tonnes per year between 2004 and 2016. The median particle size (MPS) was larger for surface sediment obtained in the flood season than for that obtained in the dry season, and the MPS tended to increase with an increase in the sediment depth from 0 to 20 cm. The total phosphorus (TP) content in sediment ranged from 2.6% to 17.5% lower in the flood water releasing period than in the non-flood water storing period. However, no consistent variation was detected for the vertical distribution of P fraction in the top 20 cm of bed sediment. Compared with lakes with slow deposition rates, the TGR showed a rapid sedimentation rate of >1.0 m/y, which mostly resulted in the uniform distribution of the surface sediment P fraction

Relationship between Surface Hardness and Peak Interfacial Frictional Coefficient in a Laboratory Scale Setting

This study aims to clarify the relationship between surface hardness and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient under different particle sizes. The relationship between particle size and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient with different surface hardness values has not been addressed in previous literature. A pile-soil interfacial shear test was conducted using a multifunctional interfacial shear instrument was developed in the laboratory. The influences of surface hardness and particle size on the shear characteristics of pile-soil interfaces and the peak interface friction coefficient were studied. The test results revealed that the interfacial shear stress-shear displacement curves showed typical softening behavior when the surface of the model pile was smooth. The difference in curve characteristics for different particle sizes gradually cleared as the surface hardness decreased. The initial shear stiffness of the interface increased with increasing surface hardness and decreased with increasing particle size. The peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing surface hardness for different particle sizes. Furthermore, the peak interface friction coefficient increased with increasing particle size when the surface was hard. However, when the surface was soft, the peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing particle size. The linear relationship between the peak interfacial friction coefficient and particle size for different surface hardness values was established

Relationship between Surface Hardness and Peak Interfacial Frictional Coefficient in a Laboratory Scale Setting

This study aims to clarify the relationship between surface hardness and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient under different particle sizes. The relationship between particle size and the peak interfacial frictional coefficient with different surface hardness values has not been addressed in previous literature. A pile-soil interfacial shear test was conducted using a multifunctional interfacial shear instrument was developed in the laboratory. The influences of surface hardness and particle size on the shear characteristics of pile-soil interfaces and the peak interface friction coefficient were studied. The test results revealed that the interfacial shear stress-shear displacement curves showed typical softening behavior when the surface of the model pile was smooth. The difference in curve characteristics for different particle sizes gradually cleared as the surface hardness decreased. The initial shear stiffness of the interface increased with increasing surface hardness and decreased with increasing particle size. The peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing surface hardness for different particle sizes. Furthermore, the peak interface friction coefficient increased with increasing particle size when the surface was hard. However, when the surface was soft, the peak interfacial friction coefficient decreased with increasing particle size. The linear relationship between the peak interfacial friction coefficient and particle size for different surface hardness values was established

The Effects and Vertical Bearing Capacity of Two Jacked Model Piles in Sand

The effects and vertical bearing capacity of two jacked piles in sand are still not well understood, and the mechanism of the adjacent pile’s uplift caused by the jacking pile in a double pile system is especially unclear, but these facets are important to the stability of the jacked pile. In this paper, a series of tests is performed on jacked model piles in sand, where in the influences of the pile length and the driving pile’s speed on the effects and vertical bearing capacity of two jacked piles were studied. The results revealed that the effects and vertical bearing capacity of the two jacked piles were mainly in relation to pile length and influenced by the driving speed. The horizontal displacement of the top of the first jacking pile during the installation of the post-jacking pile was caused by the difference in the stress state of the first jacking pile between the side of the pile’s face and its back side, in which the uplift displacement of the first jacking pile was also involved. The radial stress of the pile increased nonlinearly with the depth under different pile lengths and gradually converged to the passive earth pressure. The ultimate capacity of the double pile is approximately twice that of a single pile, and the ratio of the ultimate capacity of a single pile to the final jacking pressure was approximately 1.04