The present investigation studied the toxicity of soil contaminated by untreated discharge from a factory that recycles used plastics. The nearby agricultural areas and freshwater fish ponds were polluted with high co...The present investigation studied the toxicity of soil contaminated by untreated discharge from a factory that recycles used plastics. The nearby agricultural areas and freshwater fish ponds were polluted with high concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Mn. Water extracts from the contaminated soil retarded root growth of Brassica chinensis (Chinese white cabbage) and Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) where their seeds were obtained commercially. The contaminated populations of C. dactylon, Panicum repen (panic grass), and Imperata cylindrica (wooly grass) were able to withstand higher concentrations of Cu. Ni, and Mn, especially C. dactylon, when compared with their uncontaminated counterparts. 1990 Academic Press, Inc.展开更多
Following the advent of the Industrial Revolution, plastic pollution has been a serious environmental issue while micro- and nano-plastics have been a cynosure of researchers’ attention in the twenty-first century. T...Following the advent of the Industrial Revolution, plastic pollution has been a serious environmental issue while micro- and nano-plastics have been a cynosure of researchers’ attention in the twenty-first century. This is due to the improved knowledge of its ecotoxicological effects and the global pushforward towards sustainability. There is a growing concern that the increasing presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in aquatic habitats poses a threat to marine life, and it is predicted that nanoplastics will be just as ubiquitous as macro- and micro-plastics, but far more destructive to living organisms due to their ability to infiltrate cells. Recent research has shown that marine and freshwater biota become entangled with plastic litter, which disrupts the ecosystem. Aquatic creatures are known to absorb and deposit these new pollutants in their digestive systems, as has been documented in several studies. More recent research has also examined their co-occurrence and toxicity with other emerging contaminants, including their prevalence and effects in food, air, and soil. Using articles extracted from a six-year period from Scopus, ACS Publications and Google Scholar, this review explores the origins, fates, occurrence in the food chain, exposure routes, cellular interactions of microplastics and nano-plastics, in addition to the ecotoxicological impacts, analytical methods, and the potential remedies for combating pollution and toxicity. Ultimately, this review is a comprehensive, updated addendum to available reviews on micro- and nano-plastics.展开更多
OBJECTIVE Currently, almost all chemical compounds or biological reagents to reverse or slow down the AD process have failed in clinical trials. An integrative and multi-targeted strategy is increasingly appreciated t...OBJECTIVE Currently, almost all chemical compounds or biological reagents to reverse or slow down the AD process have failed in clinical trials. An integrative and multi-targeted strategy is increasingly appreciated to effectively combat this devastating disease. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been widely used for treatment of dementia, and thus the advantages of the potential therapeutic features of TCM treatment and associated mechanisms should be well taken. The Amnesia Remedy Formula(ARF) was invented by one of the most influential Master of TCM SUN Si-miao, who lived for about 100 year old. The aim of this research is to characterize the time course changes of the cognitive behaviors post a ARF, and the mechanism underlying the effects, focusing on PKA-centered signaling for both enhancement of neural plasticity and clearance of the phosphorylated Tau. RESULTS We tested the efficacy of ARF on two animal models of AD, and examine the central role of PKA signaling in the enhancement of neural plasticity via PKA/CREB/BDNF pathway as well as clearance of toxic p Tau via PKA/GSK3β/p Tau pathway. In the scopolamine model, ARF effectively reversed the memory in Morris water maze(MWM) test, with some features superior to anti-AD drug donepezil. In a battery test of MWM, novel object recognition or T maze in 5-month-old senescenceaccelerated mouse prone 8(SAMP8) strain mice, two weeks of administration of ARF showed overall better improvement in memory loss than donepezil, and the effect lasted for at least 1 week after termination of administration of the formula. ARF increased expression of PKA/CREB/BDNF and synaptic proteins PSD95 expression, as well as enhanced Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK3β, thus reduced p Tau in the hippocampus. Blockade of PKA signaling blunted the anti-AD-like effect of ARF, with reversal of CREB/BDNF signaling. Transcriptomic analysis indicated some changes of novel molecules along this pathway may be part of the pathological and therapeutic mechanism, which warrants further investigation. CONCLUSION ARF may display some advantageous features in treating AD with early onset, via multi-targeted manner including enhancement of neural plasticity and reduction in Tau toxicity.展开更多
文摘The present investigation studied the toxicity of soil contaminated by untreated discharge from a factory that recycles used plastics. The nearby agricultural areas and freshwater fish ponds were polluted with high concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Mn. Water extracts from the contaminated soil retarded root growth of Brassica chinensis (Chinese white cabbage) and Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) where their seeds were obtained commercially. The contaminated populations of C. dactylon, Panicum repen (panic grass), and Imperata cylindrica (wooly grass) were able to withstand higher concentrations of Cu. Ni, and Mn, especially C. dactylon, when compared with their uncontaminated counterparts. 1990 Academic Press, Inc.
文摘Following the advent of the Industrial Revolution, plastic pollution has been a serious environmental issue while micro- and nano-plastics have been a cynosure of researchers’ attention in the twenty-first century. This is due to the improved knowledge of its ecotoxicological effects and the global pushforward towards sustainability. There is a growing concern that the increasing presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in aquatic habitats poses a threat to marine life, and it is predicted that nanoplastics will be just as ubiquitous as macro- and micro-plastics, but far more destructive to living organisms due to their ability to infiltrate cells. Recent research has shown that marine and freshwater biota become entangled with plastic litter, which disrupts the ecosystem. Aquatic creatures are known to absorb and deposit these new pollutants in their digestive systems, as has been documented in several studies. More recent research has also examined their co-occurrence and toxicity with other emerging contaminants, including their prevalence and effects in food, air, and soil. Using articles extracted from a six-year period from Scopus, ACS Publications and Google Scholar, this review explores the origins, fates, occurrence in the food chain, exposure routes, cellular interactions of microplastics and nano-plastics, in addition to the ecotoxicological impacts, analytical methods, and the potential remedies for combating pollution and toxicity. Ultimately, this review is a comprehensive, updated addendum to available reviews on micro- and nano-plastics.
文摘OBJECTIVE Currently, almost all chemical compounds or biological reagents to reverse or slow down the AD process have failed in clinical trials. An integrative and multi-targeted strategy is increasingly appreciated to effectively combat this devastating disease. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been widely used for treatment of dementia, and thus the advantages of the potential therapeutic features of TCM treatment and associated mechanisms should be well taken. The Amnesia Remedy Formula(ARF) was invented by one of the most influential Master of TCM SUN Si-miao, who lived for about 100 year old. The aim of this research is to characterize the time course changes of the cognitive behaviors post a ARF, and the mechanism underlying the effects, focusing on PKA-centered signaling for both enhancement of neural plasticity and clearance of the phosphorylated Tau. RESULTS We tested the efficacy of ARF on two animal models of AD, and examine the central role of PKA signaling in the enhancement of neural plasticity via PKA/CREB/BDNF pathway as well as clearance of toxic p Tau via PKA/GSK3β/p Tau pathway. In the scopolamine model, ARF effectively reversed the memory in Morris water maze(MWM) test, with some features superior to anti-AD drug donepezil. In a battery test of MWM, novel object recognition or T maze in 5-month-old senescenceaccelerated mouse prone 8(SAMP8) strain mice, two weeks of administration of ARF showed overall better improvement in memory loss than donepezil, and the effect lasted for at least 1 week after termination of administration of the formula. ARF increased expression of PKA/CREB/BDNF and synaptic proteins PSD95 expression, as well as enhanced Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK3β, thus reduced p Tau in the hippocampus. Blockade of PKA signaling blunted the anti-AD-like effect of ARF, with reversal of CREB/BDNF signaling. Transcriptomic analysis indicated some changes of novel molecules along this pathway may be part of the pathological and therapeutic mechanism, which warrants further investigation. CONCLUSION ARF may display some advantageous features in treating AD with early onset, via multi-targeted manner including enhancement of neural plasticity and reduction in Tau toxicity.
