The efficacy and safety of Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate in the treatment of endometriosis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis (EMS) is one of the common diseases in women, which seriously affects the quality of life of women. Leuprorelin acetate can control the development of EMS, but long-term use can cause perimenopausal symptoms in women. Clinical studies have shown that Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate is effective in the treatment of EMS, which can relieve perimenopausal symptoms, but it lacks of evidence-based medical evidence. Therefore, this study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate in the treatment of EMS. METHODS: CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, The Cochrance Library, Embase, Web of Science, and other databases were searched by computer to collect randomized controlled trials of Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate in the treatment of EMS. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to February 2021. Two researchers screened the literatures and extracted the data and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate in the treatment of EMS by clinical effective rate, serum sex hormone levels estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, visual analogue scale, Kupperman score and incidence of adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: This study will provide reliable evidence-based evidence for the clinical application of Kuntai capsule combined with leuprorelin acetate in the treatment of EMS. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also does not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval will not be required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated at relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/AZU47.

Sustained production of superoxide radicals by manganese oxides under ambient dark conditions.

Manganese (Mn) oxides are ubiquitous in the environment and have strong reactivity to induce the transformation of various contaminants. However, whether reactive oxygen species contribute to their surface reactivity remains unclear. Here, sustainable production of superoxide radicals (O2•-) by various MnO2 polymorphs in the dark was quantified and the mechanisms involved were explored. The results confirm that O2•- was produced through one-electron transfer from surface Mn(III) to adsorbed O2. In contrast, no H2O2 was detected due to its decomposition by Mn oxides to form O2•- and Mn(III), leading to the sustained production of O2•- on Mn oxide surfaces. In addition, the production of O2•- was found to make a clear contribution (4 - 28%) to the transformation of a series of halophenols by MnO2, suggesting that the O2•--mediated surface reaction is an important supplement to the direct electron-transfer mechanism in the reactivity of Mn oxides. These findings advance our understanding of the surface reactivity of Mn oxides and also reveal an important but hitherto unrecognized abiotic source of O2•- in the natural environment.

Occurrence and distribution of organophosphorus esters in soils and wheat plants in a plastic waste treatment area in China.

This study for the first time reported the occurrence, distribution and concentrations of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in soils caused by plastic waste treatment, as well as their influence on OPE accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Eight OPEs were detected with the total concentrations of 38-1250 ng/g dry weight in the soils from the treatment sites, and tributoxyethyl phosphate and tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate present as the dominant OPEs. There were similar distribution patterns of OPEs and significant correlations between the total OPE concentrations in the soils from the plastic waste treatment sites with those in the nearby farmlands (P < 0.005), indicating that plastic waste treatment caused the OPE contamination of farmland soils. The uptake and translocation of OPEs by wheat were determined, with OPEs of high hydrophobicity more easily taken up from soils and OPEs with low hydrophobicity more liable to be translocated acropetally.

Influences of artificial root exudate components on the behaviors of BDE-28 and BDE-47 in soils: desorption, availability, and biodegradation.

Behaviors of BDE-28 and BDE-47 in two distinct soils (Phaeozem and Acrisol) as affected by the separate addition of root exudate components (i.e., oxalic acid, glycine, and fructose) were investigated by a soil microcosm incubation experiment. The results showed that root exudate components promoted the desorption of BDE-28 (57.6-235.0 %) and BDE-47 (56.9-223.7 %) from the soils due to the enhancement of their water solubilities. The addition of root exudate components increased the n-butanol extractability of BDE-28 and BDE-47 by 20.3-72.5 and 48.6-169.2 %, respectively, which had a positive correlation with the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the soils (p < 0.01), suggesting that the increase of DOC in the soils by root exudate components was the major factor to enhance the extractability. Fructose and oxalic acid promoted the desorption and increased the availability of BDE-28 and BDE-47 in the soils more efficiently than glycine. The addition of different root exudate components resulted in distinct shifts in soil microbial community structure (p < 0.05). Oxalic acid caused the greatest impacts on the soil bacterial communities and increased the degradation rates of BDE-28 and BDE-47 most obviously. The findings of this study clarified the roles of root exudate components in affecting the behaviors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in soils.

[Research of the Stormwater Runoff and Pollution Characteristics in Rural Area of Yuhang District, Hangzhou].

In order to investigate the pollution characteristics of stormwater runoff in the southern developed rural region, the runoff samples were collected from four different underlying surfaces during three storm events in Caoqiao and Pujia Tou, which are two typical villages and are located in Yuhang District of Hangzhou. The content of nutrition (nitrogen and phosphorus) and heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cd, As, Pb) in the simples were analyzed, and the difference of EMC ( event mean concentration) and pollution load of the contaminants in the runoff on different underlying surfaces were compared. The results showed that the EMC of TSS, COD, NH4(+)-N, TP and TN were 16.19, 21.01, 0.74, 1.39 and 2.39 mg x L(-1) in the Caoqiao, respectively; as to Pujia Tou, they were 3.10, 15.69, 0.90, 0.78 and 3.58 mg x L(-1), respectively. The content of heavy metals was all lower than the national surface water quality of two type water in the runoff. Compared with the quality standards for surface water, the EMC of TP was 9 times and 3. 5 times higher and TN was 1. 8 times and 1. 2 times higher in two areas. Besides, the pollution loads of TSS and COD were the highest in farmland.

Strategy for characterization of distribution and associations of organobromine compounds in soil using synchrotron radiation based spectromicroscopies.

It is imperative to obtain information on the binding sites and distribution of organic contaminants in soils in order to understand their reactions and fates in soils. Here we propose a novel strategy that enables in situ observation at the micrometer scale of the spatial distribution of organobromine compounds and characterization of their associations with organic carbon (OC) forms (i.e., C-functional groups) in soils. According to the strategy, two complementary synchrotron radiation-based spectroscopic techniques (i.e., Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) and micro X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) spectromicroscopies) were applied to characterize the binding sites and distribution of Br (as a conservative tracer for organobromine compounds), OC forms, clay minerals, and other mineral elements within soil particles, respectively, at a 6-10 µm-scale spatial resolution. This study is the first in situ investigation on the microscale locations of organobromine compounds at environmental levels and their associations with OC forms and clay mineral/elements in natural soils. The strategy paves the way toward in situ characterization of the distribution, speciation, and binding sites of some organic contaminants, which is critical in understanding their associated environmental processes in soils.

[Effects of long-term fertilization on evolution of S forms in a red soil and a black soil].

Sulfur (S) forms in two contrasting soils (a red soil and a black soil) under different long-term fertilization treatments (from 1990 to 2011) from the National Long-term Monitoring Network of Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Effects of China were investigated using a fractionation scheme in order to explore the distribution and transportation of S with different forms in the soils. The soil samples were collected from the topsoil (0-20 cm) and subsoil (20-40 cm) horizons that were treated with no fertilizers (CK), nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers (NPK), or NPK plus organic manures (MNPK) since 1990. The results indicated that when compared with the CK, total S contents in the topsoil layers treated with NPK and MNPK were increased by 42% and 33% for the red soil, and by 6% and 76% for the black soil, respectively, while the total S in the subsoil layer was less affected by the fertilization treatments and obviously lower than in the topsoil layer except for the red soil treated with NPK. The main forms of inorganic S in the red soil and black soil were found to be available S and HCl-extracted S, respectively. The application of NPK and MNPK increased the available S by 447% and 102% in the topsoil layer of the red soil compared with CK, and facilitated the transportation of available S into the lower depth. In contrast, NPK and MNPK only increased the available S by 54% and 93% in the topsoil layer of the black soil, and showed a slight influence on available S in the subsoil. The organic S forms were predominantly composed of ester S and residual S in the two soils. Under long-term fertilization, the residual S significantly increased over 32% and 55% in the topsoil and subsoil layers, respectively, compared with CK. The ester S and carbon-bonded S, which were relatively active, were less affected by the fertilization treatments, but positively related to the level of organic carbon in each soil (P < 0.05). In addition, the results from the long-term experiments indicated that the contribution of S input from atmospheric deposition was significant and should not be neglected.

In vitro biotransformation of PBDEs by root crude enzyme extracts: potential role of nitrate reductase (NaR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in their debromination.

In order to investigate the enzyme transformation of PBDEs and to track the key enzymes involved in PBDE degradation in plants, in vivo exposure of plants of ryegrass, pumpkin and maize and in vitro exposure of their root crude enzyme extracts to PBDEs were conducted. Degradation of PBDEs in the root crude enzyme solutions fit well with the first order kinetics (R(2)=0.52-0.97, P<0.05), and higher PBDEs degraded faster than the lower ones. PBDEs could be transformed to lower brominated PBDEs and hydroxylated-PBDEs by the root crude enzyme extracts with debromination as the main pathway which contributed over 90% of PBDE depletion. In vitro and in vivo exposure to PBDEs produced similar responses in root enzyme activities of which the nitroreductase (NaR) and glutathione-transferase (GST) activities decreased significantly, while the peroxidase, catalase and cytochrome P-450 activities had no significant changes. Furthermore, higher enzyme concentrations of NaR and GST led to higher PBDE debromination rates, and the time-dependent activities of NaR and GST in the root crude enzyme extracts were similar to the trends of PBDE depletion. All these results suggest that NaR and GST were the key enzymes responsible for PBDE degradation. This conclusion was further confirmed by the in vitro debromination of PBDEs with the commercial pure NaR and GST.

Toxic effects of chlortetracycline on maize growth, reactive oxygen species generation and the antioxidant response.

The toxicity of chlortetracycline (CTC) on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was studied. The root and shoot lengths and fresh weights of maize seedlings were inhibited by CTC treatment (p < 0.05). Root length was more sensitive than other parameters with the EC10 value of 0.064 mg/L. The spin trapping technique followed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis was used to quantify the ROS production. The ROS generated in maize roots after exposure to CTC was identified as hydroxyl radical (*OH). The EPR signal intensity correlated positively with the logarithm of CTC concentrations exposed (p < 0.05). The dynamic changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the antioxidative enzyme activities in maize roots were also determined. As compared to the control group, CTC was found to significantly increase MDA content. Treatment of maize roots with the *OH scavenger sodium benzoate (SB) reduced the MDA content and enhanced the antioxidative enzyme activities. The results demonstrated the harmfulness of CTC at high dose to maize in the early developmental stage, and clarified that the inducement of *OH is one of the mechanisms of CTC toxicity.

Accumulation and speciation of selenium in plants as affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus mosseae) on the accumulation and speciation of selenium (Se) in alfalfa, maize, and soybean were investigated by using Se(IV)-spiked soil. Mycorrhizal inoculation decreased Se accumulation in roots and shoots of all the plants at Se spiked level of 0 or 2 mg kg(-1), while an increased Se accumulation was observed in alfalfa shoots and maize roots and shoots at the spiked level of 20 mg kg(-1). Concentration of inorganic Se (especially Se(VI)) in roots and shoots of the three plants was much higher in mycorrhizal than non-mycorrhizal treatment. Mycorrhizal inoculation decreased the portion of total organic Se in plant tissues with the exception of alfalfa and maize shoots at Se spiked level of 20 mg kg(-1), in which organic Se portion did not reduced greatly (<5%) for mycorrhizal treatment. Mycorrhizal effects on alfalfa and maize were more obvious than on soybean in terms of root colonization rate, biomass, and Se accumulation.

Improved approaches for modeling the sorption of phenanthrene by a range of plant species.

Equilibrium sorption of phenanthrene and its relationship with plant lipid contents were investigated using roots and shoots of alfalfa, ryegrass, tomato, potato, carrot, cucumber, zucchini, and pumpkin. Lipid extractions using chloroform and hexane were compared, and the influence of dechlorophyllization on lipid determinations was evaluated. The sorption isotherms were close to linear (R2 > 0.923, P < 0.05) and the plant-water partition coefficients (K(pl)) of phenanthrene obtained from the isotherms exhibited significant and positive correlations with plantlipid contents (R2 > 0.664, P < 0.05). The correlations were more significant (R2 > 0.906, P < 0.001) when dechlorophyllization was included in the lipid extraction. The measured sorption was higher than that estimated using the octanol-water partition coefficient (K(ow)) but was very close to the estimate using the triolein-water partition coefficient (K(tw)). This study leads us to conclude that dechlorophyllization is necessary for plant lipid determination and that K(tw) is more accurate as a substitute for the lipid-water partition coefficient (K(lip)) than K(ow). These novel approaches may provide substantial improvements in the application of partition-limited models for the estimation of plant uptake of organic contaminants.

Effects of earthworm activity on fertility and heavy metal bioavailability in sewage sludge.

The potential for using earthworms (Eisenia fetida) to improve fertility and reduce copper and cadmium availability in sewage sludge was tested by laboratory incubation experiments. Results comparing sewage sludge with and without earthworm treatment showed that earthworm activity decreased the contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, but increased the contents of available nitrogen and phosphorus and had no significant effect on the contents of total phosphorus, total potassium and available potassium. After incubation of the sewage sludge with earthworms for 60 days, the contents of Cu and Cd in the earthworms increased with the increase of additional Cu up to 250 mg kg(-1) and Cd up to 10 mg kg(-1). Bioconcentration factors (BCF) were higher than 1 only for Cd when the addition rate was lower than 5 mg kg(-1), which indicates that the earthworms can only accumulate Cd when the concentration of Cd is low in sewage sludge. Bioavailability of Cd and Cu was evaluated by applying sewage sludge with and without earthworm treatment to soil and then growing cabbage plants. The results showed that earthworm treatment increased the biomass of cabbage and decreased the bioaccumulation of Cd and Cu in the cabbage plants.