Triptonide, a Diterpenoid Displayed Anti-Inflammation, Antinociceptive, and Anti-Asthmatic Efficacy in Ovalbumin-Induced Mouse Model.

The present study was intended to explore the valuable effects of triptonide on inflammation, asthmatic, and nociceptive. Triptonide possesses numerous beneficial effects extensively managed in the treatment of inflammation disease condition. Initially, triptonide showed anti-inflammation properties over lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Hence, the present study was directed to explore the protecting efficacy of triptonide in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma in mice. Asthma was induced intraperitoneally administration (200µL) in female BALB/c mice with suspension which has ovalbumin (100 µg/mL) and aluminum hydroxide (10 mg/mL). Triptonide (30 mg/kg) over OVA-induced experimental animals altered lung mass, nitric oxide, myeloperoxidase, immunoglobulin E status, interleukins (4, 5, and 13) inflammatory cytokines status, and histological modifications. Animals were also managed with the standard drug dexamethasone (50 mg/kg) followed by the asthma induction, which is also efficient over OVA-induced experimental animals. The nociception was provoked in male Swiss mice by various chemicals (acetic acid, capsaicin, and glutamate). The animals were administered with triptonide (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) and separate standard drugs like diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg) and morphine (5 mg/kg) over chemical-induced nociceptive animals. The present outcome evidently established that the triptonide considerably reduced the various chemical-induced nociception in mice (Fig. 7A, B, and C). Ultimately, the present work explored the evident powerful anti-inflammation, antinociceptive, and anti-asthma properties of a diterpenoid, triptonide experimental animal models. And it is recommended that triptonide is an excellent compound in the management of asthma and its related diseases.

Vacuum Based Gas Sensing Material Characterization System for Precise and Simultaneous Measurement of Optical and Electrical Responses.

Gas sensing performance characterization systems are essential for the research and development of gas sensing materials and devices. Although existing systems are almost completely automatically operated, the accuracies of gas concentration control and of pressure control and the ability to simultaneously detect different sensor signals still require improvement. In this study, a high-precision gas sensing material characterization system is developed based on vacuum technology, with the objective of enabling the precise and simultaneous measurement of electrical responses. Because of the implementation of vacuum technology, the gas concentration control accuracy is improved more than 1600 times, whereas the pressure of the test ambient condition can be precisely adjusted between vacuum and 1.2 bar. The vacuum-assisted gas-exchanging mechanism also enables the sensor response time to be determined more accurately. The system is capable of performing sensitivity, selectivity, and stability tests and can control the ambient relative humidity in a precise manner. More importantly, the levels of performance of three different optical signal measurement set-ups were investigated and compared in terms of detection range, linearity, noise, and response time, based on which of their scopes of application were proposed. Finally, single-period and cyclical tests were performed to examine the ability of the system to detect optical and electrical responses simultaneously, both at a single wavelength and in a spectral region.

Lactobacilli inhibit cervical cancer cell migration in vitro and reduce tumor burden in vivo through upregulation of E-cadherin.

The present study was designed to investigate the antitumor effects of Lactobacillus and the potential mechanisms. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were carried out to determine suitable doses for investigating the inhibitory effect of lactobacilli on cell migration ability of HeLa and U14 cells in vitro. In addition, western blot assays were performed to investigate the possible mechanisms corresponding to its antitumor effects. Furthermore, a xenograft mouse model was established for investigating the E-cadherin expression in tumor tissues after treatment with lactobacilli. Our results showed that live lactobacilli [multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1,000:1] significantly possessed inhibitory effects on cell migration ability of cervical cancer cells. Lactobacilli (MOI: 1,000:1) significantly upregulated E-cadherin expressions in HeLa and U14 cells (p<0.05). On the contrary, our results showed that inactivated lactobacilli could not affect the E-cadherin expression levels in HeLa and U14 cells. Similar to the western blot assay, immunohistochemistry results also indicated that lactobacilli treatment significantly upregulated E-cadherin in tumor tissues (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results above suggest that lactobacilli have the potential for inhibiting the migratory ability of cervical cancer cell lines, and the possible pharmacological mechanism may be closely related to the upregulation of E-cadherin.

[Quantitative estimation source of urban atmospheric CO2 by carbon isotope composition].

To effectively reduce urban carbon emissions and verify the effectiveness of currently project for urban carbon emission reduction, quantitative estimation sources of urban atmospheric CO2 correctly is necessary. Since little fractionation of carbon isotope exists in the transportation from pollution sources to the receptor, the carbon isotope composition can be used for source apportionment. In the present study, a method was established to quantitatively estimate the source of urban atmospheric CO2 by the carbon isotope composition. Both diurnal and height variations of concentrations of CO2 derived from biomass, vehicle exhaust and coal burning were further determined for atmospheric CO2 in Jiading district of Shanghai. Biomass-derived CO2 accounts for the largest portion of atmospheric CO2. The concentrations of CO2 derived from the coal burning are larger in the night-time (00:00, 04:00 and 20:00) than in the daytime (08:00, 12:00 and 16:00), and increase with the increase of height. Those derived from the vehicle exhaust decrease with the height increase. The diurnal and height variations of sources reflect the emission and transport characteristics of atmospheric CO2 in Jiading district of Shanghai.

[Size distributions of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in Shanghai atmospheric particles].

Size distributions of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and secondary organic carbon (SOC) in atmospheric particles with size range from < 0.49, 0.49-0.95, 0.95-1.50, 1.50-3.00, 3.00-7.20, > 7.20 microm, collected in Jiading District, Shanghai were determined. For estimating size distribution of SOC in these atmospheric particles, a method of determining (OC/EC)(pri) in atmospheric particles with different sizes was discussed and developed, with which SOC was estimated. According to the correlation between OC and EC, main sources of the particles were also estimated roughly. The size distributions of OC and SOC showed a bi-modal with peaks in the particles with size of < 0.49 microm and > 3.0 microm, respectively. EC showed both of a bi-modal and tri-modal. Compared with OC, EC was preferably enriched in particles with size of < 0.49 microm. Mass concentrations of OC and EC in fine particles (< 3.00 microm) accounted for 59.8%-80.0% and 58.1%-82.4% of those in total suspended particles. OC and EC were preferably enriched in fine particles (< 3.00 microm). The concentrations of SOC in the particles with different sizes accounted for 15.7%-79.1% of OC in the particles with corresponding size. Concentrations of SOC in fine aerosols (< 3.00 microm) and coarse aerosols (> 3.00 microm) accounted for 41.4% and 43.5% of corresponding OC. Size distributions of OC, EC and SOC showed time-dependence. The correlation between OC and EC showed that the main contribution to atmospheric particles in Jiading District derived from light petrol vehicles exhaust.