Oral quercetin nanoparticles in hydrogel microspheres alleviate high-altitude sleep disturbance based on the gut-brain axis.

High-altitude sleep disturbance is a common symptom of acute mountain sickness, which can be alleviated via modulation of the gut-brain axis. Quercetin (Que) is used to modulate gut microbiota and serves as a potential drug to regulate the gut-brain axis, but the poor solubility and bioavailability affect its biological functions. Here, Que nanoparticles (QNPs) were prepared with zein using an antisolvent method, and QNP-loaded calcium alginate hydrogel microspheres (QNP@HMs) were prepared using electrospinning technology to improve the gastrointestinal stability and intestinal adhesion of QNPs. In the mouse model of high-altitude sleep disturbance, oral administration of QNP@HMs before the mice entering high altitude prolonged sleep duration, improved blood cell recovery, spontaneous behavior and short-term memory, and reduced such inflammation factors as TNF-α and iNOS. Moreover, QNP@HMs enhanced the abundance of probiotics in the gut, including Lactobacillus and Lachnospira, and reduced intestinal inflammation. However, in the mice after gut sterilization by long-term oral antibiotics, QNP@HMs showed no therapeutic effect. QNP@HMs are a promising medication for the prevention of high-altitude sleep disturbance based on the gut-brain axis.

Types of Septic Cardiomyopathy: Prognosis and Influencing Factors - A Clinical Study.

Objective: To explore the prognostic outcomes associated with different types of septic cardiomyopathy and analyze the factors that exert an influence on these outcomes. Methods: The data collected within 24 hours of ICU admission included cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP); SOFA (sequential organ failure assessment) scores, and the proportion of vasopressor use. Based on echocardiographic outcomes, septic cardiomyopathy was categorized into left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, LV diastolic dysfunction, and right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction. Differences between the mortality and survival groups, as well as between each cardiomyopathy subgroup and the non-cardiomyopathy group were compared, to explore the influencing factors of cardiomyopathy. Results: A cohort of 184 patients were included in this study, with LV diastolic dysfunction having the highest incidence rate (43.5%). The mortality group had significantly higher SOFA scores, vasopressor use, and cTnI levels compared to the survival group; the survival group had better LV diastolic function than the mortality group (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast to the non-cardiomyopathy group, each subgroup within the cardiomyopathy category exhibited elevated levels of cTnI. The subgroup with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction demonstrated a higher prevalence of advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and an increased mortality rate; the RV systolic dysfunction subgroup had higher SOFA scores and NT-proBNP levels, and a higher mortality rate (P < 0.05 for all); the LV systolic dysfunction subgroup had a similar mortality rate (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or coronary artery disease are more prone to develop LV diastolic dysfunction type of cardiomyopathy; cardiomyopathy subgroups had higher levels of cTnI. The RV systolic dysfunction cardiomyopathy subgroup had higher SOFA scores and NT-proBNP levels. The occurrence of RV systolic dysfunction in patients with sepsis significantly increased the mortality rate.

ALBI score combined with FIB-4 index to predict post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a potentially life-threatening complication following liver resection. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often occurs in patients with chronic liver disease, which increases the risk of PHLF. This study aimed to investigate the ability of the combination of liver function and fibrosis markers (ALBI score and FIB-4 index) to predict PHLF in patients with HCC. Patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC between August 2012 and September 2022 were considered for inclusion. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with PHLF, and ALBI score and FIB-4 index were combined based on their regression coefficients. The performance of the combined ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting PHLF and postoperative mortality was compared with Child-Pugh score, MELD score, ALBI score, and FIB-4 index. A total of 215 patients were enrolled in this study. PHLF occurred in 35 patients (16.3%). The incidence of severe PHLF (grade B and grade C PHLF) was 9.3%. Postoperative 90-d mortality was 2.8%. ALBI score, FIB-4 index, prothrombin time, and extent of liver resection were identified as independent factors for predicting PHLF. The AUC of the ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting PHLF was 0.783(95%CI: 0.694-0.872), higher than other models. The ALBI-FIB4 score could divide patients into two risk groups based on a cut-off value of - 1.82. High-risk patients had a high incidence of PHLF of 39.1%, while PHLF just occurred in 6.6% of low-risk patients. Similarly, the AUCs of the ALBI-FIB4 score in predicting severe PHLF and postoperative 90-d mortality were also higher than other models. Preoperative ALBI-FIB4 score showed good performance in predicting PHLF and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC, superior to the currently commonly used liver function and fibrosis scoring systems.

The causality between Type 2 diabetes and breast cancer: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Observational studies showed that Type 2 diabetes increased the risk of breast cancer, and vice versa. However, it is uncertain whether the link is causal or just due to confounding factors. Using bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis, we assessed the bidirectional causal relationship from a genetic level. Methods: Large genome-wide association studies yielded summary-level data for Type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. Results: Genetically predicted Type 2 diabetes presented no statistically significant association with overall breast cancer or its subtypes. Similarly, genetically predicted overall breast cancer or its subtypes had no causal effect on Type 2 diabetes. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. Conclusion: Our bidirectional Mendelian randomization studies revealed no causal links between Type 2 diabetes and breast cancer.

Breakthrough infection and reinfection in patients with mpox.

Recently, patients with Mpox breakthrough infection or reinfection were constantly reported. However, the induction, risk factors, and important clinical symptoms of breakthrough infection and reinfection of Mpox virus (MPXV), as well as the factors affecting the effectiveness of Mpox vaccine are not characterized. Herein, a literature review was preformed to summarize the risk factors and important clinical symptoms of patients with Mpox breakthrough infection or reinfection, as well as the factors affecting the effectiveness of smallpox vaccine against Mpox. Results showed that MSM sexual behavior, condomless sexual behavior, multiple sexual partners, close contact, HIV infection, and the presence of comorbidity are important risk factors for Mpox breakthrough infection and reinfection. Genital ulcers, proctitis, and lymphadenopathy are the important clinical symptoms of Mpox breakthrough infection and reinfection. The effectiveness of emergent vaccination of smallpox vaccine for post-exposure of MPXV is associated with smallpox vaccination history, interval between exposure and vaccination, and history of HIV infection. This review provides a better understanding for the risk factors and important clinical symptoms of Mpox breakthrough infection and reinfection, as well as the formulation of Mpox vaccine vaccination strategies.

Deep eutectic solvent (DES)-assisted extraction of pectin from Ficus carica Linn. peel: optimization, partial structure characterization, functional and antioxidant activities.

BACKGROUND: The pectin from Ficus carica Linn. (fig) peels is a valuable and recyclable constituent that may bring huge economic benefits. To maximize the utilization of this resource, deep eutectic solvent (DES)-assisted extraction was applied to extract pectin from fig peels, and the extraction process was optimized with response surface methodology. RESULTS: When DES (choline chloride/oxalic acid = 1:1) content was 168.1 g kg-1 , extraction temperature was 79.8 °C, liquid-solid ratio was 23.3 mL g-1 , and extraction time was 120 min, the maximum yield of 239.6 g kg-1 was obtained, which was almost twice the extraction of hot water. DES-extracted fig peel pectin (D-FP) exhibited better nature than hot water-extracted fig peel pectin (W-FP) in terms of uronic acid content, particle size distribution, and solubility, but lower molecular weight and esterification degree. D-FP and W-FP had similar infrared spectra and thermodynamic peaks but differed in monosaccharide compositions. D-FP also showed good antioxidant capacities and exhibited better functional activities than W-FP. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that D-FP was of promising quality being utilized in food or medical industries and the optimal DES-assisted extraction method might be applied as a sustainable process for the effective extraction of bioactive pectin from fig peels with the excellence of low equipment requirements and simple operation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Trends and hotspots in research of traumatic brain injury from 2000 to 2022: A bibliometric study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health concern globally, which is characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Since the 21st century, TBI has received increasing attention and the number of publications is growing rapidly. This study aimed to characterize the volume and quality of scholarly output on TBI and identify the most impactful literature, research trends, and hotspots from the year 2000-2022. We searched publications on TBI through the Web of Science Core Collection-Science Citation Index Expanded database which were published from 2000 to 2022. Basic information of each paper, including publication year, countries, authors, affiliations, journal, fundings, subject areas, and keywords were collected for further analysis by using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace software. A total of 47231 TBI-related publications were identified through database retrieval. The annual number of publications on TBI has increased steadily over the past twenty years and the number in the year 2022 is sevenfold higher than that in 2000. The United States of America (USA) was the leading country in both numbers of publications and citations, which is consistent with the finding that it had the most funding agencies. Menon DK was the author with the highest influence and the University of California System was the most productive affiliation. Moreover, keywords analysis suggested that the research topics can be mainly divided into six categories: management, rehabilitation, mechanisms, concussion, neuroimaging, and neuroendocrine. This study visualized the trends and focuses of scientific research related to TBI, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The USA had a relatively high academic impact owing to its productive experts and institutions in this field. Neuroinflammation, machine learning, tranexamic acid, and extracellular vesicles are currently hot topics in the field of TBI.

Identification of Novel -Glucosidase Inhibitors from Syzygium jambos (L.) Using Spectroscopy and Molecular Docking.

Fruits of Syzygium jambos (L.) are recognized as a "food", exhibiting significant antidiabetic activities. However, the α-glucosidase inhibition of the components from Syzygium jambos (L.) have not yet been investigated. In this study, a total of 14 compounds were isolated from Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston, eight of which showed significant inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, with IC50 values in the range of 0.011-0.665 mM. Notably, compounds 1-3 (IC50: 0.013, 0.011 and 0.030 mM, respectively) exhibited much stronger activity than acarbose (IC50: 2.329 ± 0.109 mM). The enzyme kinetics study indicated that compound 1 was an uncompetitive inhibitor, and compounds 2-8 were mixed-type inhibitors. Moreover, the interactions between compounds and α-glucosidase were investigated by molecular docking, which further revealed that the number of olefin double bonds and 2-COOH of heptadeca-phenols had a notable effect on the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. This study demonstrated that Syzygium jambos (L.) fruit might serve as a functional food for the prevention of diabetes mellitus.

[Microbial Diversity and Population Structure of Different Salinized Soil Types in Hebei Province].

The objective of this study was to explore the microbial diversity and community composition under saline soil and to screen the salt-tolerant microbial flora from salinization habitats. The soil from three different habitats(primary salinization, secondary salinization, and healthy soil) in Hebei Province were sampled. The convention method and high-throughput sequencing technology were used to examine the physicochemical properties and microorganism diversity. The soil chemical properties of the three habitats were significantly different. Compared with those of field soil, the soil OM, AP, AK, TS, and EC values of greenhouse soil and TS and EC values of coastal saline soil were significantly higher. However, other chemical indexes of coastal saline soil were significantly lower. The diversity index and abundance of soil bacteria in greenhouse soil were the highest, followed by those in field soil and coastal saline soil as the lowest. The diversity index and abundance of fungi in two saline habitats were significantly lower than that in field soil. The community structure of saline soil was analyzed at the phylum and genus levels. Chloroflexi and its genera and Ascomycota and its genera, such as Trichocladium and Fusarium, were the dominant microbial groups in saline soil. EC and TS were the main factors affecting microbial diversity and community composition. EC and TS were positively correlated with unclassified_A4b, unclassified_Chloroflexi, unclassified_α-Proteobacteria, Trichocladium, unclassified_Chaetomiaceae, Crassicarpon, Cephaliophora, and Sodiomyces. The results of this study lay the foundation for future research on screening microbial resources needed for saline soil remediation.

[Characteristics and Sources of PM2.5 Pollution During Winter in Handan City from 2016 to 2020].

To explore the characteristics and sources of PM2.5 pollution in winter of Handan City in the past five years, PM2.5 samples were collected in winter of 2016 to 2020, and eight types of water-soluble inorganic ions were analyzed. The principal component analysis(PCA) model was used to analyze the types of pollution sources, and the backward trajectory and potential source contribution factor(PSCF) were used to simulate the transport trajectory and pollution sources. The results showed that the PM2.5 concentration in winter of 2018 was the highest, increasing by 60.44%, 25.46%, 91.43%, and 21.53% compared with that in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, respectively. In the winter of 2020, the concentration of water-soluble inorganic ions(WSIIs) decreased by 18.86% compared with that in 2016, and WSIIs/PM2.5 decreased to 26.69%. The PM2.5 concentration(110.20-209.65 µg·m-3) at night was higher than that in the daytime(95.21-193.00 µg·m-3). The concentration of NO3- and NH4+ increased more at night. On the contrary, the concentration and proportion of Cl-decreased annually. In the winter of 2020, the daytime concentrations of K+, Ca2+, Na+, and Mg2+ decreased by 69.72%, 97.10%, 90.91%, and 74.51% compared with that of 2018, and the night concentrations decreased by 66.67%, 95.38%, 91.67%, and 77.78%, respectively. In 2020, the concentrations of NO3-, SO42-, and NH4+ on polluted days were 4.90, 5.80, and 5.20 times those on non-polluted days, with the largest increase in five years. PCA results showed that the main sources of pollution were secondary sources, coal sources, biomass combustion sources, and road and building dust. The backward trajectory and PSCF analysis results showed that pollution transport continued to exist between south-central Mongolia and central Inner Mongolia in winter and was influenced by the transport between northern Henan and Handan and central Hebei and Handan in winter of 2016 and 2017, whereas the latter had a greater impact in winter of 2018-2020.

Multibranched Molecule Defoamers Based on Methyl Gallate for Highly Effective Defoaming and Antifoaming.

Bubbles or foams appear in many industrial processes, bringing inconvenience; yet, efficient capture or removal of them is still challenging. In this study, we report the synthesis and properties of multibranched molecule defoamers based on methyl gallate derivatives (Mb-GDs), which adopt methyl gallate (M-G) as the parent structure, by incorporating alkyl groups from alkyl isocyanates (A-I) with different chain lengths (C12 and C18) to replace R-OH in the M-G structure and further by linking two Mb-GDs into one Gemini-type multibranched derivative (Gt-Mb-GD) by transesterification to construct a defoamer material with a larger spatial volume. The surface properties and interfacial activity of molecular defoamers in aqueous solutions were studied, and the structure-property relationships of the multibranched gallate molecule defoamers based on Mb-GDs and Gt-Mb-GDs were further investigated by comparing the defoaming and antifoaming performance in four typical surfactant foams and foaming solutions with two kinds of commercial defoamers. The foam experiments indicated that the defoamers with a longer branched chain length (C18) showed more effectiveness in defoaming and antifoaming for four surfactant foams or foaming solutions, even at very low dosages, which were far stronger than the commercial high-carbon alcohol defoamer with a linear structure and comparable to branched silicone-based emulsion-type defoamers. Compared with Mb-GD defoamers, Gt-Mb-GD defoamers with a larger branched structure showed a higher defoaming performance. The study found the great potential of materials with multibranched structures for practical applications as the core components of high-performance defoamers.

Thermosensitive and antioxidant wound dressings capable of adaptively regulating TGFß pathways promote diabetic wound healing.

Various therapies have been utilized for treating diabetic wounds, yet current regiments do not simultaneously address the key intrinsic causes of slow wound healing, i.e., abnormal skin cell functions (particularly migration), delayed angiogenesis, and chronic inflammation. To address this clinical gap, we develop a wound dressing that contains a peptide-based TGFß receptor II inhibitor (PTßR2I), and a thermosensitive and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging hydrogel. The wound dressing can quickly solidify on the diabetic wounds following administration. The released PTßR2I inhibits the TGFß1/p38 pathway, leading to improved cell migration and angiogenesis, and decreased inflammation. Meanwhile, the PTßR2I does not interfere with the TGFß1/Smad2/3 pathway that is required to regulate myofibroblasts, a critical cell type for wound healing. The hydrogel's ability to scavenge ROS in diabetic wounds further decreases inflammation. Single-dose application of the wound dressing significantly accelerates wound healing with complete wound closure after 14 days. Overall, using wound dressings capable of adaptively modulating TGFß pathways provides a new strategy for diabetic wound treatment.

Crypt-like patterned electrospun nanofibrous membrane and probiotics promote intestinal epithelium models close to tissues.

In vitro intestinal epithelium models have drawn great attention to investigating intestinal biology in recent years. However, the difficulty to maintain the normal physiological status of primary intestinal epithelium in vitro limits the applications. Here, we designed patterned electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibrous membranes with crypt-like topography and mimic ECM fibrous network to support crypt culture and construct in vitro intestinal epithelium models. The patterned electrospun PLA nanofibrous membranes modified with Matrigels at 0 °C showed high biocompatibility and promoted cell growth and proliferation. The constructed duodenum epithelium models and colon epithelium models on the patterned electrospun PLA nanofibrous membranes expressed the typical differentiation markers of intestinal epithelia and the gene expression levels were close to the original tissues, especially with the help of probiotics. The constructed intestinal epithelium models could be used to assess probiotic adhesion and colonization, which were verified to show significant differences with the Caco-2 cell models due to the different cell types. These findings provide new insights and a better understanding of the roles of biophysical, biochemical, and biological signals in the construction of in vitro intestinal epithelium models as well as the potential applications of these models in the study of host-gut microbes interactions. KEY POINTS: • Patterned electrospun scaffold has crypt-like topography and ECM nanofibrous network. • Matrigels at 0°C modify scaffolds more effectively than at 37°C. • Synergy of biomimic scaffold and probiotics makes in vitro model close to tissue.

Influence of Human Behavior on COVID-19 Dynamics Based on a Reaction-Diffusion Model.

To investigate the influence of human behavior on the spread of COVID-19, we propose a reaction-diffusion model that incorporates contact rate functions related to human behavior. The basic reproduction number R0 is derived and a threshold-type result on its global dynamics in terms of R0 is established. More precisely, we show that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if R0≤1; while there exists a positive stationary solution and the disease is uniformly persistent if R0>1. By the numerical simulations of the analytic results, we find that human behavior changes may lower infection levels and reduce the number of exposed and infected humans.

Recent advances on Pestalotiopsis genus: chemistry, biological activities, structure-activity relationship, and biosynthesis.

Strains of the fungal genus Pestalotiopsis are reported as large promising sources of structurally varied biologically active metabolites. Many bioactive secondary metabolites with diverse structural features have been derived from Pestalotiopsis. Moreover, some of these compounds can potentially be developed into lead compounds. Herein, we have systematically reviewed the chemical constituents and bioactivities of the fungal genus Pestalotiopsis, covering a period ranging from January 2016 to December 2022. As many as 307 compounds, including terpenoids, coumarins, lactones, polyketides, and alkaloids, were isolated during this period. Furthermore, for the benefit of readers, the biosynthesis and potential medicinal value of these new compounds are also discussed in this review. Finally, the perspectives and directions for future research and the potential applications of the new compounds are summarized in various tables.

Early Diastolic Peak Velocity of Mitral Valve Annulus and Right Ventricular Systolic Tricuspid Annular Velocity as Predictors in Assessing Prognosis of Patients with Sepsis.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological data of patients with septic cardiomyopathy and investigate the relationship between ultrasonic parameters and prognosis of patients with sepsis. Methods: In this study, we enrolled patients with sepsis who were treated at the Department of Critical Care Medicine in the Beijing Electric Power Hospital (No.1 Taipingqiao Xili, Fengtai District, Beijing) from January 2020 to June 2022. All patients received standardized treatment. Their general medical status and 28-day prognosis were recorded. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed within 24 hours after admission. We compared the ultrasound indexes between the mortality group and the survival group at the end of 28 days. We included parameters with significant difference in the logistic regression model to identify the independent risk factors for prognosis and evaluated their predictive value using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: We included 100 patients with sepsis in this study; the mortality rate was 33% and the prevalence rate of septic cardiomyopathy was 49%. The peak e' velocity and right ventricular systolic tricuspid annulus velocity (RV-Sm) of the survival group were significantly higher than those of the mortality group (P < 0.05). Results of logistic regression analysis showed that the peak e' velocity and RV-Sm were independent risk factors for prognosis. The area under curve of the peak e' velocity and the RV-Sm was 0.657 and 0.668, respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of septic cardiomyopathy in septic patients is high. In this study, we found that the peak e' velocity and right ventricular systolic tricuspid annulus velocity were important predictors of short-term prognosis.

Clinical outcome of lesion size index-guided high-power radiofrequency catheter ablation for pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation: 2-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: The long-term efficacy of high-power (50 W) ablation guided by lesion size index (LSI-guided HP) for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains undetermined. Our study sought to assess the clinical efficacy of LSI-guided HP ablation for PVI in patients with AF and explore the potential predictors associated with clinical outcomes. METHODS: We consecutively included 186 patients with AF who underwent LSI-guided HP (50 W) ablation at Fuwai Hospital from June 2019 to October 2021. The target LSI values of 4.5-5.5 and 4.0-4.5 at the anterior and posterior walls, respectively, were used in our study. The baseline clinical characteristics, procedural and ablation data, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. The independent potential predictors associated with AF recurrence were further evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence rate of first-pass PVI was 83.9% (156/186). A total of 11 883 lesions were analyzed, and compared with posterior walls of pulmonary veins, anterior walls had significantly lower mean contact force (8.2 ± 3.0 vs. 8.3 ± 2.3 g, p = .015), longer mean radiofrequency duration (16.9 ± 7.2 vs. 12.9 ± 4.5 s, p < .001) and higher mean LSI (4.8 ± 0.2 vs. 4.4 ± 0.2, p < .001). The overall incidence of periprocedural complications was 3.7%, and steam pops without pericardial effusion occurred in three patients (1.6%). During a mean follow-up of 24.0 ± 8.4 months, the overall AF recurrence-free survival was 87.1% after a single procedure. Patients with paroxysmal AF had a higher incidence of freedom from AF recurrence than those with persistent AF (91.2% vs. 80.8%, log-rank p = .034). Higher LSI (HR 0.50, p < .001) and paroxysmal AF (HR 0.39, p = .029) were significantly associated with decreased AF recurrence. By receiver operating characteristic analysis, the LSI of 4.7 and 4.3 for the anterior and posterior walls of the PVs had the highest predictive value for AF recurrence, respectively. CONCLUSION: LSI-guided HP (50 W) ablation for PVI was an efficient and safe strategy and led to favorable single-procedure 2-year AF recurrence-free survival in patients with AF. Higher LSI and paroxysmal AF were independent predictors of decreased 2-year AF recurrence. The LSI of 4.7 for the anterior wall and 4.3 for the posterior wall of the PVs were the best cutoff values for predicting AF recurrence after LSI-guided HP ablation.

Dusp1 regulates thermal tolerance limits in zebrafish by maintaining mitochondrial integrity.

Temperature tolerance restricts the distribution of a species. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that set the thermal tolerance limits of an organism are poorly understood. Here, we report on the function of dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) in thermal tolerance regulation. Notably, we found that dusp1 -/- zebrafish grew normally but survived within a narrowed temperature range. The higher susceptibility of these mutant fish to both cold and heat challenges was attributed to accelerated cell death caused by aggravated mitochondrial dysfunction and over-production of reactive oxygen species in the gills. The DUSP1-MAPK-DRP1 axis was identified as a key pathway regulating these processes in both fish and human cells. These observations suggest that DUSP1 may play a role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and redox homeostasis. We therefore propose that maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis may be a key mechanism for coping with cellular thermal stress and that the interplay between signaling pathways regulating redox homeostasis in the most thermosensitive tissue (i.e., gills) may play an important role in setting the thermal tolerance limit of zebrafish.

Vertical fate of Cd in soil under phytoremediation by Indian mustard and tall fescue.

Soil columns were designed to investigate the vertical migration of Cd in Indian mustard (IM) and tall fescue (TF). The TF biomass was greater than the IM biomass, and the Cd content in IM was higher in the shoots but lower in the roots than that in TF. Both IM and TF released N and absorbed P and K during outdoor growth, differing from the results of the previous experiment in which plants were grown in greenhouses. TF was more absorbent and had less upward attraction than IM. The IM soil was more favorable for Cd precipitation than was the TF soil. Leaching remained the dominant effect, with only 2.28-3.40% and 2.65-3.90% of Cd absorbed by IM and TF, respectively. The present study on the vertical migration of Cd provides new insights into the phytoremediation mechanisms of IM and TF. HIGHLIGHTSVertical migration rate of Cd in soil was calculated.Cd precipitation in IM soil was greater and more excellence than TF soil.TF was more absorbent and had less upward attraction than IM.Leaching remained the dominant effect with only small absorb.