crocetin, a natural compound, has been demonstrated to exhibit beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies demonstrated that crocetin reduced ischemia/reperfusion (I/r) injury by attenuating cytotoxicity and cellular apoptosis. However, the previous mechanistic studies did not fully elucidate its pharmacological effects on cardiac damage, especially i/R injury. The present study verified its cardioprotective effects in a Langendorff perfusion system, an ex vivo model of I/R. It was demonstrated that crocetin significantly attenuated the activities of pro-inflammatory cytokines and nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 signaling. The present study provided novel insight that crocetin regulated the unfolded protein response (UPR) and decreased associated protein levels to protect the heart. Furthermore, it was identified that Nrf2 played a key role in the cardioprotective effect of crocetin by attenuating inflammation and the UPR.
Anthropogenic N inputs have become progressively more problematic and have profoundly affected the water quality in megacities throughout China. Thus, to design and implement appropriate megalopolis watershed management, it is important to understand the relationship between N inputs and exports and to identify the N pollution sources. To that end, in this work, the net anthropogenic N inputs (NANI) in Chengdu City were estimated based on statistical data collected between 1970 and 2019. N input fluxes and pollution sources were estimated through sample collection and field measurements that were performed between 2017 and 2019, while nitrate (NO3−) was identified using stable isotope and Bayesian model (SIAR) analysis. The NANI was found to be affected primarily by livestock and poultry consumption of N rich feed. Moreover, the N export fluxes and runoff showed a high degree of correlation. Notably, NO3− fluxes exhibited a significant increase over the course of the study period, such that, by 2019, the total N fluxes (18,883.85 N kg/km2) exceeded the NANI (17,093.87 N kg/km2). The results indicate that although livestock and poultry farming were the original primary sources of NANI, their contributions declined on an annual basis. Moreover, with the emphasis placed on point source management in Chengdu City, domestic sewage discharge has been significantly reduced. Therefore, N retention in groundwater is thought to be the factor driving the N flux increase. These findings are pivotal to solving the N pollution problem in megacities like Chengdu (China).
The current standards used for nitrogen pollution evaluation are lacking, and scientific classification methods are needed for nitrogen pollution to improve water quality management capabilities. This study addresses the important issue of assessing surface water nitrogen pollution by utilizing two advanced multivariate statistical techniques: self-organizing maps (SOMs) obtained using the K-means algorithm and the Hasse diagram technique (HDT). The research targets of this study are the rivers of the megacity Chengdu, China. Samples were collected on a monthly basis in 2017–2020 from different sites along the rivers, and their nitrogen pollution parameters were determined. The grouping of nitrogen pollution parameters and the clustering of sampling events using SOMs facilitate the preprocessing required for the HDT, wherein clusters are ordered according to the pre-clustered water sampling events. The results indicate that nitrogen pollution in the Chengdu River Basin, which is prominent and mainly driven by nitrate nitrogen, can be categorized into five levels. The nitrogen pollution in Tuo River is serious. Although the degree of ammonia nitrogen pollution in Jin River is higher, the pollution range is smaller. Furthermore, these results were evaluated by the SOMs and HDT to be clear and reliable. Overall, these findings can provide a basis for local environmental legislation.
Background This study aims to explore the antibacterial activity of cethromycin against Staphylococcus aureus, and its relationship with multilocus sequence typing (MLST), erm genes and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotypes of S. aureus. Results The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of cethromycin against 245 S. aureus clinical isolates ranged from 0.03125 to ≥ 8mg/L, with the resistance rate of 38.8% in 121 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 37.1%in 124 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA).This study also found that cethromycin had strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus, with the MIC ≤ 0.5 mg/L in 55.4% of MRSA and 60.5% of MSSA, respectively. The main MLSTs of 121 MRSA were ST239 and ST59, and the resistance rate of ST239 isolates to cethromycin was higher than that in ST59 isolates. The top five MLSTs of 124 MSSA were ST7, ST59, ST398, ST88 and ST120, but there was no difference in the resistance of MSSA to cethromycin between these STs. The resistance of ermA isolates to cethromycin was higher than that of ermB or ermC isolates in MRSA, but the resistance of ermB or ermC isolates to cethromycin was higher than that of ermA isolates in MSSA.The resistance of constitutive MLSB (cMLSB) phenotype isolates to cethromycin was higher than that of inducible MLSB (iMLSB) phenotype isolates in MRSA or MSSA. The ermA,ermB and ermC genes was mainly found in ST239, ST59and ST1 isolates in MRSA, respectively. Among the MSSA, the ermC gene was more detected in ST7, ST88 and ST120 isolates, but more ermB genes were detected in ST59 and ST398 isolates. The cMLSB phenotype was more common in ST239 and ST59 isolates of MRSA, and was more frequently detected in ST59, ST398, and ST120 isolates of MSSA. Conclusion Cethromycin had strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus. The resistance of MRSA to cethromycin may had some clonal aggregation in ST239. The resistance rate of S. aureus carrying various erm genes or MLSB phenotypes to cethromycin was different.
This study used stable isotope (δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − ) ratios, modeled by means of a Bayesian stable isotope analysis in R (SIAR) approach, to identify nitrate sources in the Pi River, which flows through the megacity Chengdu. The goal was to determine where management resources should be applied to reduce nitrogen pollution. Results revealed that NO 3 − was the primary nitrogen species throughout the study area; that it originated in manure and sewage, as well as nitrification of fertilizer and soil nitrogen; and that the nitrogen in the main stream came primarily from the tributaries. Notably, the nitrogen concentration in the tributaries exhibited no evident seasonal variations, further demonstrating that its source was intensive anthropogenic activity. Results of Bayesian model (SIAR) estimation indicated that manure and sewage were the dominant nitrate contributors in the watershed and that the nitrate concentration decreased from 54.19% to 39.57% in response to water treatment. These results empirically demonstrate that the methodology described in this work can be used effectively in catchments affected by intensive anthropogenic activity to determine where management resources should be applied to reduce nitrogen pollution.
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