Moderate Static Magnet Fields Suppress Ovarian Cancer Metastasis via ROS-Mediated Oxidative Stress.

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer patient death, which is closely correlated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. It is well known that the effects of ROS on tumors are diverse, depending on ROS concentration and cell type. We found that ovarian cancer cells have significantly lower levels of ROS than normal ovarian cells. Moreover, increased ROS levels in ovarian cancer cells can substantially inhibit their migration and invasion ability. Furthermore, the results show that moderate static magnetic field (SMF) can inhibit ovarian cancer cell migration, invasion, and stemness in a ROS-dependent manner. RNA sequencing results confirm that SMFs increased the oxidative stress level and reduced the stemness of ovarian cancer cells. Consistently, the expressions of stemness-related genes were significantly decreased, including hyaluronan receptor (CD44), SRY-box transcription factor 2 (Sox2), and cell myc proto-oncogene protein (C-myc). Furthermore, moderate SMFs provided by a superconducting magnet and permanent magnet have good biosafety and can both inhibit ovarian cancer metastasis in mice. Therefore, our study demonstrates the effects of SMFs on oxidative stress and metastasis in the ovarian cancer cells, which reveals the potential of applying SMF as a physical method in cancer therapy in the future.

Improvement on the Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharides by Submerged Fermentation of Shiraia bambusicola GDMCC 60438 (Ascomycota).

Shiraia bambusicola strain GDMCC 60438, originally isolated from eastern China, was applied for production of polysaccharides through submerged fermentation with glucose and potato extracts. Compared with a polysaccharide content of 3.94 ± 0.92% in natural Sh. bambusicola stroma, 9.12 ± 0.36 g intracellular polysaccharides (SIP) could be produced in 100 g freeze-dried Sh. bambusicola mycelium after an optimized fermentation. The SIP showed an 88.65 ± 2.26% hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA) at the concentration of 4 mg/mL. It was higher than the 31.48 ± 3.12% HRSA of Sh. bambusicola stroma polysaccharide (SSP). In the meantime, a 5 mg/mL SIP showed an equivalent 2,2'-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid radical (ABTS+) scavenging activity to ascorbic acid at 0.025 mg/mL. Gel chromatography analysis showed that the SIP had distinct polysaccharide fractions compared with the SSP. Submerged fermentation showed a promising prospect on high production of Sh. bambusicola polysaccharides with improved antioxidant activities.

Moderate Intensity Static Magnetic Fields Prevent Thrombus Formation in Rats and Mice.

We established three types of thrombosis models to explore the effects of the static magnetic field (SMF) on thrombosis in rats and mice with three different MF intensities. In the carrageenan-induced thrombosis model in rats, the SMF treatments reduced the black tail length of rats, extracorporeal thrombus, and the mass of wet and dry thrombus, and improved the coagulation index value. In FeCl3 -induced arterial thrombosis model in rats, the SMF treatment showed some anti-thrombotic effects. More specifically, the SMF treatment affected rodent blood pressure, plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor, tissue-type plasminogen activator, thrombus mass, and thrombus protein content. In the adrenaline-induced thrombosis model in mice, the SMF treatment had certain effects on the diameter and blood flow velocity of mouse auricle microcirculation in fine veins and arteries. Overall, the highest MF intensities we tested, 20-150 mT, showed a trend of anti-thrombotic effect, indicating that the moderate-intensity SMF might serve as a potential treatment for clot-related diseases in the future. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:52-62 © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Antioxidant and Anti-Diabetic Activities of Polysaccharides from Guava Leaves.

Guava (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae) leaves have been used as a folk herbal tea to treat diabetes for a long time in Asia and North America. In this study, we isolated polysaccharides from guava leaves (GLP), and evaluated its antioxidant activity in vitro and anti-diabetic effects on diabetic mice induced by streptozotocin combined with high-fat diet. The results indicated that GLP exhibited good DPPH, OH, and ABTS free-radical scavenging abilities, and significantly lowered fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, total triglycerides, glycated serum protein, creatinine, and malonaldehyde. Meanwhile, it significantly increased the total antioxidant activity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity in diabetic mice, as well as ameliorated the damage of liver, kidney, and pancreas. Thus, polysaccharides from guava leaves could be explored as a potential antioxidant or anti-diabetic agents for functional foods or complementary medicine.

Moderate intensity low frequency rotating magnetic field inhibits breast cancer growth in mice.

Moderate intensity low frequency rotating magnetic field (LF-RMF) has been shown to inhibit melanoma, liver and lung cancer growth in mice. However, its effects on other types of cancers have not been investigated in vivo. Here, we show that 0-0.15T moderate intensity 4.2 Hz LF-RMF can inhibit tumor growth in mice bearing MDA-MB231 and MCF7 human breast cancer cells by over 30%. In contrast, the human gastrointestinal stromal tumor GIST-T1 growth was not inhibited by LF-RMF. In all RMF treatments, there were no apparent adverse effects on mice organs, body weight or water/food consumptions. However, the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was decreased in LF-RMF-treated mice bearing MCF7 and GIST-T1 cells, which indicated alleviated liver damage. Therefore, our study shows that moderate intensity LF-RMF might be a safe physical method that has clinical potentials to be used to inhibit breast cancer growth in the future.

Cellular ATP levels are affected by moderate and strong static magnetic fields.

Mitochondrion is the major cellular energy producing organelle that is at the boundary between chemical reactions and physical processes. Although mitochondria have been shown to be affected by physical methods such as nonthermal plasma, whether static magnetic field (SMF) could also affect them is still unclear. Here we used rat adrenal PC12 cells to compare SMFs of different intensities for their effects on ATP (adenosine-5'-triphosphate), the major energy source produced by mitochondria, which is essential for various cellular processes. Our results show that although 0.26 or 0.50 T SMFs did not affect ATP, 1 T and 9 T SMFs affected ATP level differently and time-dependently. Moreover, SMF-induced ATP level fluctuations are correlated with mitochondrial membrane potential changes. Our study provides insights not only into understanding various cellular effects of SMFs, but also the potential clinical applications of SMFs. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:352-360, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biochar derived from corn straw affected availability and distribution of soil nutrients and cotton yield.

Biochar application as a soil amendment has been proposed as a strategy to improve soil fertility and increase crop yields. However, the effects of successive biochar applications on cotton yields and nutrient distribution in soil are not well documented. A three-year field study was conducted to investigate the effects of successive biochar applications at different rates on cotton yield and on the soil nutrient distribution in the 0-100 cm soil profile. Biochar was applied at 0, 5, 10, and 20 t ha-1 (expressed as Control, BC5, BC10, and BC20, respectively) for each cotton season, with identical doses of chemical fertilizers. Biochar enhanced the cotton lint yield by 8.0-15.8%, 9.3-13.9%, and 9.2-21.9% in 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively, and high levels of biochar application achieved high cotton yields each year. Leaching of soil nitrate was reduced, while the pH values, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (N), and available K content of the 0-20 cm soil layer were increased in 2014 and 2015. However, the changes in the soil available P content were less substantial. This study suggests that successive biochar amendments have the potential to enhance cotton productivity and soil fertility while reducing nitrate leaching.

Removal of pigments from molasses wastewater by combining micro-electrolysis with biological treatment method.

Pigments in molasses wastewater (MWW) effluent, such as melanoidins, were considered as kinds of the most recalcitrant and hazardous colorant contaminants to the environment. In this study, de-coloring the MWW by a synergistic combination of micro-electrolysis with bio-treatment was performed. Aiming to a high de-colorization yield, levels of nutrition source supplies, MWW dilution ratio, and micro-electrolysis reaction time were optimized accordingly. For a diluted (50 %, v/v) MWW, an maximum overall de-colorization yield (97.1 ± 0.5 %, for absorbance at 475 nm) was achieved through the bio-electrolysis treatment. In electrolysis bio-treatment, the positive effect of micro-electrolysis was also revealed by a promoted growth of fungal biomass as well as activities of ligninolytic enzymes. Activities of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and laccase were promoted by 111.2, 103.9, and 7.7 %, respectively. This study also implied that the bio-treatment and the micro-electrolysis had different efficiencies on removal of pigments with distinct polarities.

"One-step production of biodiesel from Jatropha oil with high-acid value in ionic liquids" [Bioresour. Technol. 102 (11) (2011)].

Catalytic conversion of un-pretreated Jatropha oil with high-acid value (13.8 mg KOH/g) to biodiesel was studied in ionic liquids (ILs) with metal chlorides. Several commercial ILs were used to catalyze the esterification of oleic acid. It was found that 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate {[BMIm][TS]} had high catalytic activity with 93% esterification rate for oleic acid at 140 °C but only 63.7% Jatropha biodiesel yield at 200 °C. When ZnCl2 was added to [BMIm][TS], a maximum Jatropha biodiesel yield of 92.5% was achieved at 180 °C. Addition of metal ions supplied Lewis acidic sites in ILs promoted both esterification and transestrification reactions. It was also found that the transition metal ions performed higher catalytic activity in transestrification than the ions of Group A. Mixture of [BMIm][TS] and ZnCl2 was easily separated from products for reuse to avoid producing pollutants.

The discovery of Artemisia annua L. in the Shengjindian cemetery, Xinjiang, China and its implications for early uses of traditional Chinese herbal medicine qinghao.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Artemisia annua L., with the ancient name of qinghao, is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. It has appeared in many ancient Chinese medical manuscripts, which describe its uses to include treatment of wounds, alleviating intermittent fevers, as well as enhancing the brightness of eyes and even improving longevity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sheaf of plant remains, including stalks and inflorescence intentionally placed in the corner of a tomb, have been recovered from the Shengjindian cemetery (about 2400-2000 BP on the basis of (14)C dating), Turpan, Xinjiang, China. The morphology of these materials was examined using a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope. Ancient DNA was also extracted from these remains. RESULTS: By comparing the morphological and DNA characteristics with modern specimens, these plant remains were identified to belong to Artemisia annua L. Owing to its strong fragrance, these plant remains are suggested as serving to disguise the odor of the deceased. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first material archaeological evidence to date despite numerous records of A. annua in ancient Chinese texts as herbal medicine qinghao, though it seems to have been employed as odor suppressant, not for medical purpose.

Production of biodiesel and lactic acid from rapeseed oil using sodium silicate as catalyst.

Biodiesel and lactic acid from rapeseed oil was produced using sodium silicate as catalyst. The transesterification in the presence of the catalyst proceeded with a maximum yield of 99.6% under optimized conditions [3% (w/w) sodium silicate, methanol/oil molar ratio 9/1, reaction time 60 min, reaction temperature 60°C, and stirring rate 250 rpm]. After six consecutive transesterification reactions, the catalyst was collected and used for catalysis of the conversion of glycerol to lactic acid. A maximum yield of 80.5% was achieved when the reaction was carried out at a temperature of 300°C for 90 min. Thus, sodium silicate is an effective catalyst for transesterification and lactic acid production from the biodiesel by-product, glycerol.

One-step production of biodiesel from Jatropha oil with high-acid value in ionic liquids.

Catalytic conversion of un-pretreated Jatropha oil with high-acid value (13.8 mg KOH/g) to biodiesel was studied in ionic liquids (ILs) with metal chlorides. Several commercial ILs were used to catalyze the esterification of oleic acid. It was found that 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate ([BMIm][CH(3)SO(3)]; a Brønsted acidic IL) had the highest catalytic activity with 93% esterification rate for oleic acid at 140°C but only 12% biodiesel yield at 120°C. When FeCl(3) was added to [BMIm][CH(3)SO(3)], a maximum biodiesel yield of 99.7% was achieved at 120°C. Because metal ions in ILs supplied Lewis acidic sites, and more of the sites could be provided by trivalent metallic ions than those of bivalent ones. It was also found that the catalytic activity with bivalent metallic ions increased with atomic radius. Mixture of [BMIm][CH(3)SO(3)] and FeCl(3) was easily separated from products for reuse to avoid producing pollutants.