Comparison of nutrients status in Liaodong Bay and Northern Yellow Sea, China: Controlling factors and nutrient budgets.

Under the dual stress of global warming and human interaction, Liaodong Bay (LDB) and northern Yellow Sea (NYS) are undergoing significant ecological changes. Little is known about the driving nutrients characteristics supporting fishery resource output in these areas. We carried out three field observations in 2019 to investigate nutrient status. Results showed that dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), and dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations changed seasonally, with lowest values in spring, and highest values in autumn. High DIN, DIP, and DSi concentrations were detected in LDB and NYS's estuary areas. The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass plays a role in the distribution and seasonal variation of nutrients. Exchanges across the sediment-water interface, SFGD, atmospheric deposition, and the adjacent sea input dominated DIN dynamics of these areas. DIP primarily came from the adjacent sea input and DSi mainly originated from sediment release and the adjacent sea input. NYS seawater invasion accounted for 13.8% of DIN, 63.4% of DIP, and 35.1% of DSi in LDB. These results provide new insights to better facilitate the formulation of nitrogen and phosphorus reduction and control policies in these marginal seas.

Inhibition of pyroptosis and apoptosis by capsaicin protects against LPS-induced acute kidney injury through TRPV1/UCP2 axis in vitro.

Acute kidney injury is a fatal disease characterized by a rapid deterioration of kidney function. Capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is a natural product extracted from Capsicum. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effect of capsaicin on inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction in an in vitro model of acute kidney injury. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute kidney injury model was established in HK-2 cells to investigate the protective effect of capsaicin. Cell viability was assessed using CCK-8 assay, and protein expression was detected using western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and mitochondrial membrane potential were analyzed by flow cytometry. Cell apoptosis was detected by propidium iodide staining. The results showed that capsaicin ameliorated LPS-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and attenuated the release of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. Intriguingly, genipin abolished the protective effect of capsaicin. Molecularly, capsaicin activated transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 -mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 axis and inhibited caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis. In addition, capsaicin alleviated LPS-induced ROS production and mitochondrial membrane potential disruption and inhibited apoptosis. These findings suggest that capsaicin shows a protective effect in in vitro acute kidney injury model.

Response of microalgae size-class structure to nutrients differences in northern Yellow Sea, China.

Marine phytoplankton size-class structure affects ecological functions and shellfish culture. We use high-throughput sequencing and size-fractioned grading techniques to identify and analyze responses of phytoplankton differences in environmental variables at Donggang, northern Yellow Sea (high inorganic nitrogen (DIN)) and Changhai (low DIN) for 2021. The main environmental variables that correlate with differences in the proportional contributions of pico-, nano-, and microphytoplankton to the total phytoplankton community are inorganic phosphorus (DIP), nitrite to inorganic nitrogen ratio (NO2/dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN)), and ammonia nitrogen to inorganic nitrogen ratio (NH4/DIN), respectively. DIN, which contributes most to environmental differences, mainly positively correlates with changes in picophytoplankton biomass in high DIN waters. Nitrite (NO2) correlates mostly with changes in the proportional contribution of microphytoplankton in high DIN waters and nanophytoplankton in low DIN waters, and negatively correlates with changes in the biomass and proportional representation of microphytoplankton in low DIN waters. For near-shore phosphorus-limited waters, an increase in DIN may increase total microalgal biomass, but proportions of microphytoplankton may not increase; for high DIN waters, an increase in DIP may increase proportions of microphytoplankton, while for low DIN waters, an increase in DIP may preferentially increase proportions of picophytoplankton and nanophytoplankton. Picophytoplankton contributed little to the growth of two commercially cultured filter-feeding shellfish, Ruditapes philippinarum and Mizuhopecten yessoensis.

Trophic transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine mammals based on isotopic determination.

The tissue distribution (liver, kidney, heart, lung, and muscle), source, and trophic transfer of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied on 14 stranded East Asian finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri), 14 spotted seals (Phoca largha), and 9 stranded minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from Yellow Sea and Liaodong Bay. The PAHs levels ranged from below the limit of detection to 459.22 ng g-1 dry weight in the tissues of the three marine mammals, and light molecular weight PAHs were the primary pollutants. Although the PAHs levels were relatively higher in internal organs of the three marine mammals, generally no tissue-specific distribution of the PAHs congeners was found, either for gender-specific distribution of PAHs in the East Asian finless porpoises. However, species specific PAHs concentration distribution were obtained. The PAHs were mainly originated from petroleum and biomass combustion in the East Asian finless porpoises, while those for the spotted seals and minke whales were complex. Trophic level associated biomagnification was found for phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in the minke whale. Benzo(b)fluoranthene exhibited a significant biodilution with increasing trophic levels in the spotted seals, but the total concentration of the PAHs showed a significant biomagnification with increasing trophic levels. Trophic level-associated biomagnification of acenaphthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and ∑PAHs were found in the East Asian finless porpoise, while pyrene exhibited obvious biodilution with increasing trophic levels. Our current study filled knowledge gaps on tissue distribution and trophic transfer of the PAHs in the investigated three marine mammals.

Comparison of different methods of obturator nerve block in transurethral resection of bladder tumors: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the urinary system, and accounts for 3% of newly diagnosed tumors. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor plays a key role in treating bladder cancer, among which one of the most serious complications is bladder perforation caused by obturator nerve reflex. Obturator nerve reflex can be prevented by inducing obturator nerve block after lumbar anesthesia. However, No study so far has compared the inhibitory effect of different obturator nerve block approaches on intraoperative obturator nerve reflex and bladder perforation. METHOD: In this study, we conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) of studies comparing the efficacy of different obturator nerve block approaches performed after lumbar anesthesia in operation. RESULT: The distal obturator nerve block guided by peripheral nerve stimulator is the best approach for preventing obturator reflex. The proximal obturator nerve block guided by ultrasound is the best approach for preventing bladder perforation. CONCLUSION: Spinal anesthesia combined with the distal obturator nerve block guided by peripheral nerve stimulator is the most optimal approach to prevent the obturator nerve reflex. But the doctor should choose the appropriate anesthesia method according to the patient's general condition, tumor location, and doctor's proficiency in puncture techniques.

The Role of Al4C3 Morphology in Tensile Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced 2024 Aluminum Alloy during Thermal Exposure.

The aluminum alloy drill pipe suffers long-term high-temperature conditions during ultra-deep well drilling. In this paper, the samples were prepared by vacuum hot pressing, followed by hot extrusion and T6 heat treatment. The mechanical properties of short carbon fiber reinforced 2024 aluminum alloy composites (SCFs/2024 Al) and the microstructure evolution at the interface region thermal exposure at 160 °C for 500 h are discussed. The experimental results showed that the effect of short carbon fiber on 2024 aluminum alloy remained steady throughout the whole process of the heat exposure experiment. The distribution and volume of interface products (Al4C3) changed with the prolonging of heat exposure time, and connected after coarsening. The evolution of the morphology of Al4C3 relieved the stress of the interface between carbon fiber and aluminum alloy matrix and enhanced the mechanical properties of the composite.

Sources and spatiotemporal variations of nitrogen and phosphorus in Liaodong Bay, China.

Excessive discharge of N and P pollutants results in deterioration of marine environment quality and reduction of sustainability and safety of marine ecology. Spatiotemporal variations characteristics and sources of N and P pollutants were determined based on the long-term monitoring data in Liaodong Bay. Results indicated that an evident spatiotemporal variation was investigated for nutrients. The highest concentrations of NH3-N, NO2-N, NO3-N and PO4-P were in spring (25.32 µg/L), summer (20.67 µg/L) and autumn (222.07 µg/L, 11.08 µg/L), respectively. The hot-spots of pollutants were mainly concentrated in estuarine and aquaculture areas. The hot spot of PO4-P gradually extended to the middle of Liaodong Bay in autumn. In addition, pollution sources in each marine functional zone were different, the main pollution source was aquaculture wastewater, river input, domestic sewage. This study provided reasonable suggestions for effectively reducing N and P pollution in Liaodong Bay, and elsewhere.

Manganese removal and product characteristics of a marine manganese-oxidizing bacterium Bacillus sp. FF-1 / Eliminación de manganeso y características del producto de una bacteria marina oxidante de manganeso Bacillus sp. FF-1

Biogenic manganese oxides (BioMnOx) have been found all over the world, and most of them were formed by Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MnOB). In this study, a MnOB designated as FF-1 was isolated from marine surface sediments in the Bohai Sea, China. This strain was identified as Bacillus sp. and can tolerate more than 5% salinity. It can grow in the presence of 0–7 mM Mn(II) and pH range from 5.0 to 7.0. When the initial Mn(II) was 5 mM, the percentage of Mn(II) oxidation reached the highest value of 16% after 10 days of incubation. The initial pH (5.0 to 7.0) affected the percentage of Mn(II) oxidation, but the ability of the strain FF-1 to self-regulate pH resulted in the final pH being almost 7.6. The removal of Mn(II) by the strain FF-1 involves extracellular and intracellular adsorption as well as Mn(II) oxidation. Intracellular Mn adsorption contributed a small part to the total Mn removal, and extracellular adsorption was dominant in the initial stage of Mn removal. The solid products after Mn removal were a mixture of MnOx and MnCO3. The layered MnOx formed in the extracellular space could be easily collected and used for adsorption and oxidation of pollutants.(AU)

Tissue distribution and trophic magnification of trace elements in typical marine mammals in Bohai and north Yellow Seas.

A total of 20 stranded spotted seals (Phoca largha) and 9 stranded minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) were collected from Liaodong Bay and the northern part of the Yellow Sea to investigate the tissue distribution (liver, kidney, heart, lung, and muscle), risk, and trophic magnification of 13 trace elements (TEs, Hg, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, V, Zn). The 13 TEs were all detected in all spotted seal and minke whale tissue samples, with mean concentrations ranging from 0.041 to 136.3 mg kg-1 dry weight (dw) and 0.022 to 152.6 mg kg-1 dw, respectively. Zn was the dominant contaminant in all tissues for both spotted seals and minke whales. There was tissue-specific distribution of TEs in both marine mammals, and the TEs tended to accumulate in internal organs. Significant positive correlations were found in the body length of the spotted seals and minke whales among some of the TEs, especially for Cd in the internal organs. Gender-dependent distribution of the TEs was not obtained for the spotted seal. Ecological risk evaluation for spotted seals and minke whales suggested that greater concern should be given to Hg, As, and Se. Based on the TE concentrations detected in this study and trophic levels determined by stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, trophic level-associated biodilution was obtained for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se, Sn, and V in the spotted seal, while Zn displayed a significant biomagnification trend with increasing trophic levels. In the case of the minke whale, As, Cd, Co, Mn, Pb, Se, and V displayed significant biomagnification trends with increasing trophic levels.

Manganese removal and product characteristics of a marine manganese-oxidizing bacterium Bacillus sp. FF-1.

Biogenic manganese oxides (BioMnOx) have been found all over the world, and most of them were formed by Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MnOB). In this study, a MnOB designated as FF-1 was isolated from marine surface sediments in the Bohai Sea, China. This strain was identified as Bacillus sp. and can tolerate more than 5% salinity. It can grow in the presence of 0-7 mM Mn(II) and pH range from 5.0 to 7.0. When the initial Mn(II) was 5 mM, the percentage of Mn(II) oxidation reached the highest value of 16% after 10 days of incubation. The initial pH (5.0 to 7.0) affected the percentage of Mn(II) oxidation, but the ability of the strain FF-1 to self-regulate pH resulted in the final pH being almost 7.6. The removal of Mn(II) by the strain FF-1 involves extracellular and intracellular adsorption as well as Mn(II) oxidation. Intracellular Mn adsorption contributed a small part to the total Mn removal, and extracellular adsorption was dominant in the initial stage of Mn removal. The solid products after Mn removal were a mixture of MnOx and MnCO3. The layered MnOx formed in the extracellular space could be easily collected and used for adsorption and oxidation of pollutants.

Spatial distribution and ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sea ice and seawater from northern Liaodong Bay, China.

To better understand the spatial distribution and ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons especially in low latitude coastal productive areas, PAHs in sea ice were examined for the first time in northern Liaodong bay of China in December 2020. Results showed ΣPAHs were dominated by 2- and 3-ring, with the mean concentration of 241.9 ng L-1 and 202.8 ng L-1 in sea ice and seawater, respectively, suggesting a moderate ecological risk based on Risk Quotients assessment. Ice enrichment factors were greater than 1 at 82% of the sampling sites, reflecting enrichment of PAHs in sea ice. The characteristic compounds ratios demonstrated PAHs mainly derived from petrogenic sources, while combustion was another crucial source for PAHs in sea ice via atmospheric deposition. This helps to better elucidate pollution status, potential sources and risk assessment of PAHs in productive coastal oceans especially during ice-covered period for contamination control and environmental management.

Tissue distribution and health risk of trace elements in East Asian finless porpoises.

We investigated the tissue distribution, trophic transfer, and ecological risk of 13 trace elements in 26 East Asian finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri), an endangered species found in the Liaodong Bay and the north Yellow Sea. All the investigated trace elements were detected in the tissue and food web of the East Asian finless porpoises. The concentrations of the potentially toxic elements were 2.37 × 10-5 - 754 mg kg-1 dry weight (dw) in stranded porpoises and 0.01-159 mg kg-1 dw in their food web. Tissue-specific distribution of the trace elements generally ranked as: liver > kidney > heart > lung > muscle. Zn was the dominant contaminant in the five investigated tissues. Significant positive correlations were found between body length or age and some trace elements, especially Cd. Adults (≥2 years old) presented higher concentrations of most of the trace elements than juveniles (<2 years old). Sex-dependent distribution of the trace elements was insignificant except for Mn, Ni, and Zn in muscle and renal tissue. As, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and V biodiluted across the East Asian finless porpoise food web while Zn biomagnified. However, Hg, Cd, Co, Cr, Se, and Sn did not exhibit apparent trophic transfer trends. Overall, ecological risk assessment of trace elements in East Asian finless porpoises suggested that greater attention should be given to Hg, As, Cd, and Se.

Oral Pycnogenol® Intake Benefits the Skin in Urban Chinese Outdoor Workers: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, and Crossover Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: Oral supplementation with a standardized extract from the bark of the French pine (Pycnogenol®) has been reported to benefit the skin. It might thus represent an easy-to-use strategy to improve the skin health of individuals who are exposed to considerable environmental stress in large urban areas. OBJECTIVE: We investigated if oral intake of Pycnogenol® can benefit the skin of Han Chinese working outdoors in Beijing, China. METHODS: In a monocentre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, and crossover study, the effects of Pycnogenol® intake (2 × 50 mg/day for a total of 12 weeks) on a variety of skin physiological parameters was studied in Chinese subjects (n = 76), from spring to autumn, who were working outdoors in Beijing, China. RESULTS: During the intervention period, study subjects were constantly exposed to increased levels of particulate matter (PM)2.5 as well as seasonal changes in humidity and temperature. Despite this environmental stress, Pycnogenol® intake prevented (i) a decrease in the skin hydration, (ii) transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and (iii) skin darkening during the dry autumn season. In addition, Pycnogenol® intake improved (iv) viscoelastic skin properties such as gross elasticity and elastic recovery irrespective of the season. These beneficial effects were not observed if the same subjects were supplemented with placebo. CONCLUSION: Oral intake of Pycnogenol® benefits the skin in Han Chinese, who are working outdoors under considerable environmental stress.

[Concentration Levels and Potential Ecological Risks of Current Use Pesticides in the Surface Seawater of Typical Liaoning Sea Areas].

Fourteen current-use pesticides (CUPs) in the surface seawaters of the typical Liaoning sea areas were analyzed using HPLC-MS/MS. The concentrations, distribution, and ecological risks were studied, as well as their source appointments using principal component analysis (PCA). The results revealed that seven types of CUPs were detected in the surface seawaters of the typical Liaoning sea areas. The total concentrations of these CUPs ranged from 16.7 ng·L-1 to 176.1 ng·L-1. The samples with high concentrations were collected mostly from the estuary, and the concentrations of CUPs in the western Liaodong Bay were generally higher than those in the northeastern Yellow Sea. Atrazine and triadimenol were the predominant CUPs, and their contribution rates accounted for 56.0% and 34.5%, respectively. The PCA results indicated that six types of CUPs might be caused by the runoff from farmlands and the wastewater discharge from the chemical pesticide factory, and fruit planting could be a substantial contributor to the single component acetochlor. Atrazine and acetochlor posed medium-high ecological risks to the microalgae, while all the seven types of CUPs showed relatively lower risks to invertebrates and fish.

Comparison of outcomes of complete mesocolic excision with conventional radical resection performed by laparoscopic approach for right colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study compared the outcomes of laparoscopic complete mesocolic excision (CME) guided by superior mesenteric artery with laparoscopic conventional radical resection (CRR) performed for right-sided colon cancer. METHODS: Patients with right-sided colon cancer underwent CME (n=107; January 2011 to December 2015) or CRR (n=60; January 2008 to December 2010). RESULTS: The 2 groups were comparable regarding age, gender, body mass index, maximum tumor diameter, and tumor stage. In the CME group, the distances between the tumor and the high vascular tie (HVT; 12.6 cm), and between the closest bowel wall and HVT (10.4±0.9 cm) was significantly greater than that of the CRR group (11.5 cm and 9.3±1.0 cm, respectively; P<0.001). In the CME group, the number of retrieved lymph nodes (23.2) was significantly higher, and the volume of intraoperative bleeding (108.4 mL) was less than that of the CRR (14.0 and 128.7 mL; P<0.001). The length of resected bowel in the 2 groups was similar (25.8±0.7 cm and 25.5±2.1 cm; P=0.106), as was the operative time, postoperative hospitalization, time of first bowel movement, and complications. The 3-year recurrence rate of the CME group (8.4%) was significantly lower than that of the CRR (20.0%), the 3-year overall survival was significantly higher (93.5% cf. 85.0%), and the survival rates of T4 stage, N1 stage, pTNM stage II, pTNM stage III and lympho vascular invasion were significantly higher (P<0.05). The 2 groups were similar for survival rates of Tis, T1, T2, T3, N2 stage, pTNM stage I and perineural invasion (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: CME for right-sided colon cancer guided by superior mesenteric artery has similar short-term outcomes, higher lymph node yield, and higher 3-year overall survival compared with CRR.

Protective effect of curcumin against irinotecan­induced intestinal mucosal injury via attenuation of NF­κB activation, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Irinotecan (CPT­11) is a DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor which is widely used in clinical chemotherapy, particularly for colorectal cancer treatment. However, late­onset diarrhea is one of the severe side­effects of this drug and this restricts its clinical application. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of curcumin treatment on CPT­11­induced intestinal mucosal injury both in vitro and in vivo and to elucidate the related mechanisms involved in these effects. For this purpose, mice were intraperitoneally injected with CPT­11 (75 mg/kg) for 4 days to establish a model of late­onset diarrhea. Curcumin (100 mg/kg) was intragastrically administered 8 days before the injection of CPT­11. Injury to small intestinal tissues was examined by H&E staining. The protein expression of prolyl 4­hydroxylase subunit beta (P4HB) and peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4) was detected by immunohistochemistry, as well as western blot analysis. IEC­6 cell viability was detected by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was performed to examine the cell apoptotic rate, mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the localization of nuclear factor (NF)­κB. The levels of cleaved caspase­3, glucose­regulated protein, 78 kDa (GRP78), P4HB, PRDX4 and CHOP were detected by western blot analysis. The results revealed that in vivo, curcumin effectively attenuated the symptoms of diarrhea and abnormal intestinal mucosa structure induced by CPT­11 in nude mice. Treatment with curcumin also increased the expression of P4HB and PRDX4 in the tissue of the small intestine. In vitro, curcumin, exhibited little cytotoxicity when used at concentrations <2.5 µg/ml for 24 h in IEC­6 cells. At this concentration, curcumin also improved cell morphology, inhibited apoptosis, maintained mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced the elevated levels of ROS induced by CPT­11 (20 µg/ml). Furthermore, curcumin abolished NF­κB signal transduction and protected the cells from CPT­11­induced apoptosis by upregulating the expression of molecular chaperones, such as GRP78, P4HB and PRDX4, and suppressing the levels of the apoptosis­related proteins, CHOP and cleaved caspase­3. On the whole, our data indicate that curcumin exerted protective effects against CPT­11­induced intestinal mucosa injury. The protective effects of curcumin are mediated by inhibiting the activation of NF­κB, and suppressing oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Laparoscopic versus Open Surgery in Lateral Lymph Node Dissection for Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

AIM: To compare the clinical efficacies between laparoscopic and conventional open surgery in lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: We comprehensively searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang Data and performed a cumulative meta-analysis. According to inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, all eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or retrospective or prospective comparative studies assessing the two techniques were included, and then a meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software to assess the difference in clinical and oncological outcomes between the two treatment approaches. RESULTS: Eight studies involving a total of 892 patients were finally selected, with 394 cases in the laparoscopic surgery group and 498 cases in the traditional open surgery group. Compared with the traditional open group, the laparoscopic group had a longer operative time (WMD = 81.56, 95% CI (2.09, 142.03), P = 0.008), but less intraoperative blood loss (WMD = -452.18, 95% CI (-652.23, -252.13), P < 0.00001), shorter postoperative hospital stay (WMD = -5.30, 95% CI (-8.42, -2.18), P = 0.0009), and higher R0 resection rate (OR = 2.17, 95% CI (1.14, 4.15), P = 0.02). There was no significant difference in the incidence of surgical complications between the two groups (OR = 0.52, 95% CI (0.26, 1.07), P = 0.08). Lateral lymph node harvest, lateral lymph node metastasis, local recurrence, 3-year overall survival, and 3-year disease-free survival did not differ significantly between the two approaches (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic LLND has a similar efficacy in oncological outcomes and postoperative complications to the conventional open surgery, with the advantages of reduced intraoperative blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and higher R0 resection rate, and tumor radical cure is similar to traditional open surgery. Laparoscopic LLND is a safe and feasible surgical approach, and it may be used as a standard procedure in LLND for advanced rectal cancer.

Enhanced bending strength and thermal conductivity in diamond/Al composites with B4C coating.

Diamond/Al composites containing B4C-coated and uncoated diamond particles were prepared by powder metallurgy. The microstructure, bending strength and thermal conductivity were characterized considering the B4C addition and diamond fraction. The influence of B4C coating and fraction of diamond on both bending strength and thermal conductivity were investigated. The bending strength increased with decreasing diamond fraction. Moreover, addition of B4C coating led to an obvious increase in bending strength. The peak value at 261.2 MPa was achieved in the composite with 30 vt.% B4C-coated diamond particles, which was about twice of that for 30 vt.% uncoated diamond/Al composite (140.1 MPa). The thermal conductivity enhanced with the increase in diamond fraction, and the highest value (352.7 W/m·K) was obtained in the composite with 50 vt.% B4C-coated diamond particles. Plating B4C on diamond gave rise to the enhancement in bending strength and thermal conductivity for diamond/Al composites, because of the improvement of the interfacial bonding between diamond and aluminum matrix.

[Occurrence and Gas-particle Partitioning of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Air of Liaodong Bay].

The gas-and particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were collected from the air of Liaodong Bay in May and August to investigate their occurrence and gas/particle distribution. The 24 PAHs were analyzed for gas-and particle-phase samples, and the concentrations of total gas-and particle-phase PAHs were found to be 28.8 ng·m-3 and 24.0 ng·m-3, respectively. The concentrations of the gas-phase PAHs were higher in August than in May, and the concentrations of the particle-phase PAHs were higher in May than in August. The low molecular weight PAHs were mainly distributed in the gas-phase, and the high molecular weight PAHs were mainly distributed in the particle-phase; the medium molecular weight PAHs were more easily affected by the environmental conditions than the low and high molecular weight PAHs. The value of Kp increased with an increase in the molecular weight. The slopes m for regressed lgKp-lgPL and lgKp-lgKOA plots were -0.35 and 0.37, deviated from -1 and+1 for the equilibrium states of gas/particle partitioning. The equilibrium states of the lgKp-lgKOA, lgKp-lgPL, and soot-air models were applied; the predicted results of the 5-ring PAHs fitted well with the field measure results. The predicted results of the soot-air model were much closer to the field measure results than the results of the lgKP-lgKOA and lgKP-lgPL models; compared to their heavier counterparts, the low and medium molecular weight PAHs were influenced to a greater extent by soot.

Alisertib Induces Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis, Autophagy and Suppresses EMT in HT29 and Caco-2 Cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with substantial mortality and morbidity. Alisertib (ALS) is a selective Aurora kinase A (AURKA) inhibitor with unclear effect and molecular interactome on CRC. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular interactome and anticancer effect of ALS and explore the underlying mechanisms in HT29 and Caco-2 cells. ALS markedly arrested cells in G2/M phase in both cell lines, accompanied by remarkable alterations in the expression level of key cell cycle regulators. ALS induced apoptosis in HT29 and Caco-2 cells through mitochondrial and death receptor pathways. ALS also induced autophagy in HT29 and Caco-2 cells, with the suppression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), but activation of 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathways. There was a differential modulating effect of ALS on p38 MAPK signaling pathway in both cell lines. Moreover, induction or inhibition of autophagy modulated basal and ALS-induced apoptosis in both cell lines. ALS potently suppressed epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HT29 and Caco-2 cells. Collectively, it suggests that induction of cell cycle arrest, promotion of apoptosis and autophagy, and suppression of EMT involving mitochondrial, death receptor, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, p38 MAPK, and AMPK signaling pathways contribute to the cancer cell killing effect of ALS on CRC cells.