Search

A new catalyst: diatomite supported binary transition metal sulfates (Fe2(SO4)3 and Zr(SO4)2) was prepared. It exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the synthesis of biodiesel from waste fatty acids (conversion close to 100%).

The purpose of this study was to explore the pollution of soil heavy metals and the health risk of the contaminated soil to residents, which was affected by the copper mine in a small basin of a mining area in Yunnan Province. Soil (39 samples), sediment (six samples), water, and corresponding suspended particle (six samples) and dust (one sample) samples were collected. The contents of Cd, Pb, Hg, As, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr in the samples and the soil pH were determined. The spatial distribution of heavy metals was analyzed, and the source of soil heavy metals was innovatively traced by the relative proportion of heavy metals in various media. The geo-accumulation index, Nemerow comprehensive pollution index, and potential ecological risk index were used to evaluate and analyze the pollution status and the potential ecological risk of soil heavy metals in the watershed, whereas the health risk model recommended by USEPA was applied to evaluate the health risk. The results showed that the heavy metals in the soil of the upstream area might be derived from the synergistic input of irrigation, atmospheric deposition, and soil erosion. In the middle reaches and lower reaches, the irrigation and the soil erosion of sloping land mainly contributed the heavy metal input, respectively. It was also found that the pollution degree in the upstream area was higher than that in the downstream area. The farmland soil was seriously polluted by Cd, Zn, Pb, and Cu, and Cd, Zn, and Pb had high potential ecological risks. Although residents did not face the risk of non-cancer diseases, the carcinogenic risk had exceeded the acceptable level, and children were at higher risk of cancer. In addition, although the content of As in the soil was lower than that of Cd, Zn, and Pb, it had a higher carcinogenic risk.

This study focused on the ameliorative effects of gypenosides(GPS) on insulin sensitivity and inflammatory factors in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2 DM) and explored their possible molecular mechanisms. After the successful establishment of T2 DM model, diabetic rats were randomly divided into four groups, including model group, GPS groups(200, 100 mg·kg~(-1)) and metformin group(100 mg·kg~(-1)), with healthy rats serving as the control. After 6-week intragastric administration, fasting blood glucose(FBG) and oral glucose tolerance were examined. The levels of insulin, C-peptide, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6) and C-reactive protein(CRP) in serum were examined. Then the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR) and insulin sensitivity index(ISI) were calculated. The protein expression levels of phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1(p-IRS-1) and phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt) in skeletal muscle were measured by Western blot, as well as those of phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) kinase β(p-IKKβ), phosphorylated alpha inhibitor of NF-κB(p-IκBα) and phosphorylated p65 subunit of NF-κB(p-p65) in adipose tissue. The relative expression levels of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4) mRNA in skeletal muscle and NF-κB mRNA in adipose tissue were measured by qRT-PCR, and the morphological changes of pancreatic tissue were observed. Compared with the model group, the GPS groups witnessed significant decrease in FBG, marked amelioration of impaired oral glucose tolerance and significant increase in ISI. Further, the high-dose GPS group saw significantly reduced HOMA-IR, TNF-α, IL-1β and CRP, significantly increased expression levels of p-IRS-1(Tyr), p-Akt and GLUT4, and markedly inhibited p-IRS-1(Ser), p-IKKβ, p-IκBα, p-p65 and NF-κB. The concentration of CRP and the expression levels of p-IRS-1(Ser), p-IKKβ, p-IκBα and NF-κB were remarkably reduced in the low-dose GPS group. However, GPS was found less effective in the regulation of serum insulin, C-peptide and IL-6 levels and the alleviation of pancreatic islet injury. The results indicated that GPS can reduce FBG and improve insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats possibly by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibiting inflammation, and thereby regulating the expression of key proteins in the insulin signaling pathway.

Chestnut flowers were one of the by-products during chestnut industrial processing. Chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) flower is rich in flavonoids and has been used as a traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases including respiratory disorders for a long history.The present study aims to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory effect of flavonoids from chestnut flower (FCF) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells and stimulated acute lung injury (ALI) in mice.HPLC-ESI-MS/MS was applied to identify flavonoids from Chestnut flower. The ROS content in cells and lung tissue was measured by flow cytometry. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content in cells and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed by photometry. Furthermore, the level of pro-inflammatory factors was analyzed by ELISA, and the expression of inflammatory gene mRNA by fluorescence quantitative PCR. HE staining was used to evaluate the degree of lung tissue injury in mice. MPO activity was used to measure the degree of neutrophil infiltration. Total protein content was detected by BCA method.A total of forty-nine flavonoids compounds were tentatively identified in FCF by mass spectrometry analysis. The results of cell experiment suggested that FCF could alleviate oxidative injury via increasing SOD activity and GSH content, as well as inhibiting the production of intracellular ROS and MDA. FCF exerted its protective effect by suppressing the expression of both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cycooxygenase 2 (COX-2) to inhibit the synthesis of pro-inflammatory factors and cytokines, including NO, PGE2, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Besides, FCF treatment could alleviate the thickening of alveolar wall and pulmonary congestion in LPS-treated ALI mice, and significantly inhibit the activity of myeloperoxidas (MPO) and the expression of cytokines in BALF.FCF could ameliorate inflammation and oxidative stress in LPS-treated inflammation, resulting in an overall improvement in both macroscopic and histological parameters.