Polyphenol contents of five of medicinal plants from Cameroon and effects of their extracts on antioxidant capacities of human breast cancer cells

The aim of the study was to investigate the antiproliferative properties of extracts of five plants on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and their effects on antioxidant activities. The total phenol contents of the extracts were determined to establish a correlation to their antiproliferative effects which were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide viability assay. Enzymes involved in oxidative stress were also determined. Total polyphenol contents of the five extracts varied from 170 to 440 mg L^?1 of gallic acid per mg of extract with the highest value for the extract of Sida cordifolia. Cell growth inhibition was observed within 24 h, with inhibitory concentration values ranging from 7.3 to 25 mg L^?1 depending on plant extract. At concentrations between 100 and 200 mg L^?1, all the extracts exhibited significant reduction of cell proliferation in time-dependent and linear manner. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase of cells treated for 24 h with the extract of S. cordifolia were 3.5 U per mg protein and 8 mole H₂O₂ consumed per min per mg protein higher than those of cells treated with an extract of Viscum album.     

草甘膦对青鳉鱼卵黄蛋白原的诱导及其潜在分子机理

为了研究草甘膦潜在的雌激素效应,将1~3d的雌雄青鳉幼鱼暴露于不同浓度 (0.2, 2, 20, 200, 2000μg/L)的草甘膦5周,发现雌雄鱼肝脏卵黄蛋白原(VTG I)基因表达分别在0.2, 2, 20μg/L浓度(雌鱼)和2, 20, 200μg/L浓度(雄鱼)下受到显著诱导,但在高浓度下(雌鱼,200μg/L和2000μg/L;雄鱼,2000μg/L)恢复到正常水平.草甘膦诱导雌激素效应的机理存在雌雄差异:雌鱼中雌激素效应主要由于草甘膦诱导了脑部FSH和性腺CYP19A基因,从而增加了雌激素合成能力.雄鱼中主要由于草甘膦抑制肝脏中雌激素代谢酶 (CYP1A、CYP1B和CYP3A)而显示雌激素效应.     

环境变化对滦河流域径流影响的定量研究

为了研究气候变化和人类活动(环境变化)对地表径流的定量影响程度,应用有序聚类分析法等确定了滦河流域径流变化的基准期和人类活动影响期,采用HBV模型还原了人类活动影响期间滦河流域天然径流量,识别了气候变化、人类活动对滦河流域人类活动影响期间径流的定量影响程度.研究结果表明:1979年之前是滦河流域径流序列的基准期,基准期内HBV水文模型对滦河流域天然径流过程具有良好的模拟效果.1980年以后人类活动对滦河流域地表径流影响加剧,天然径流与实测径流产生分离,人类活动影响期(1980-2007年)相对于基准期(1960-1979年)的变化而言,气候变化、人类活动影响因素对地表径流的影响分别占径流减少总量的55%和45%,人类活动在不同水平年对地表径流量的影响不同.随着人类活动影响的加剧,气候变化对滦河流域径流的影响在逐渐减弱,人类活动对该流域的影响在增强.     

Volcanic hazard or economic destitution: hard choices in Banños,Ecuador

In 1999, the entire population of tourism-dependent Baños, Ecuador, some 16,000 people, was evacuated in anticipation of a violent eruption of Mount Tungurahua. Subsequently, many areas in the risk zone experienced heavy ash falls, lahars, and landslides, although no cataclysmic events occurred. Many small rural communities were also evacuated. While these communities became impacted by the hazard, Baños avoided most direct effects. Conditions for all evacuees were grim, and their conditions compounded because Ecuador was simultaneously undergoing profound economic and political crises. Absent livelihood alternatives, community leaders from Baños organized a return to their town even though it remained under an evacuation order. An aggressive campaign brought tourists and more residents back and Baños revived economically; however, this was achieved at the cost of hazard awareness among both groups, tourists and residents, and public safety became compromised.     

Antibacterial,antiviral and antioxidant activities of aerial part extracts of Peganum harmala L. grown in Tunisia

Ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol, and methanol extracts from the aerial part of Peganum harmala were tested for antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral activities. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the solid medium technique. Oxacillin, amoxicillin, ticarcillin, cefotaxim, and amphotericin were used as control agents. The antiviral activity was evaluated against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain AD-169 (ATCC Ref. VR 538) and Coxsackie B virus type 3 (CoxB-3) using a cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction assay. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using two tests: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging and ammonium thiocyanate methods. Among tested extracts; the chloroform extract displayed a higher antibacterial activity against Gram-positive than Gram-negative bacteria. The butanol extract demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity. The methanol extract showed significant antiviral activity against CoxB-3 virus. The chloroform extract may be an important source of bactericidal compounds against Gram-positive bacteria.     

2种入侵植物对根际土壤微生物种群及代谢的影响

选取2种入侵植物（一年蓬Annual Fleabane及加拿大蓬Erigeron Canadensis）及本土植物（艾蒿Artemisia argyi）的根际土壤微生物种群为研究对象,以分析不同根际土壤微生物种群的数量及测定根际土壤微生物酶活的活性为切入点来探析入侵植物对土壤微生物的影响及其响应机制。结果显示：2种入侵植物显著增加了其根际土壤中的细菌的数量,而显著抑制了真菌与放线菌的数量。另外,入侵植物一年蓬显著抑制其根际土壤中纤维素酶的活性,而3种植物的根际土壤硝酸还原酶活性无显著差异。入侵植物对其他3种土壤酶（即转化酶、脲酶及酸性磷酸酶）活性的影响却呈现出截然相反的影响,即一年蓬显著增加了3种根际土壤酶的活性,而加拿大蓬却显著减少了3种根际土壤酶的活性。导致这种现象的原因可能是不同入侵植物的根系释放不同的化学物质进而对土壤微生物的数量和活性造成不同的影响。     

Distraction in older drivers - A face-to-face interview study

The prevalence of older drivers’ engagement in distracting activities while driving is largely unexplored. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in the city of Braunschweig, Germany, comparing a sample of older drivers (n = 205) to a group of middle-aged drivers (n = 209). The drivers were interviewed on their engagement in distracting activities during the last half an hour of their driving trip, including the frequency and duration of these activities, their perception of the risk associated with these distracting activities and the role of these activities in at-fault crashes. Middle-aged drivers were significantly more likely to engage in certain distracting activities than older drivers. With regard to the duration of interactions with the passengers older drivers were significantly more talkative than middle-aged drivers. Middle-aged drivers rated most of the distracting activities as significantly less dangerous than older drivers. Distraction-related crashes are not a special problem of older drivers but seem to be very comparable to the middle-aged drivers. It is concluded that older drivers’ reluctance to engage in distracting tasks while driving is either a process of self-regulation or their age-related prudence. The study is the first to gather knowledge about distraction in German older drivers. Although older drivers are not currently overrepresented in distraction-related crashes, it is important to note that future cohorts of older drivers might differ in the way they engage with vehicles and technologies, which in turn may influence their driving patterns and willingness to engage in potentially distracting activities.     

Heavy metal contamination of paddy soils and rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) from Kočani Field (Macedonia)

This research focuses on the heavy metal contamination of the paddy soils and rice from Kočani Field (eastern Macedonia) resulting from irrigation by riverine water impacted by past and present base-metal mining activities and acid mine drainage. Very high concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in the paddy soils (47.6, 6.4, 99, 983 and 1,245 μg g⁻¹) and the rice (0.53, 0.31, 5.8, 0.5 and 67 μg g⁻¹) in the western part of Kočani Field, close to the Zletovska River, which drains the mining facilities of the Pb–Zn mine in Zletovo. In terms of health risk, the observed highest concentrations of these elements in the rice could have an effect on human health and should be the subject of further investigations.     

利用报告基因试验检测饮用水源水的内分泌干扰活性（Endocrine-Disrupting Effects of Drinking Source Water with the Reporter Gene Assay）

基于非洲猴肾CV-1细胞受体转录激活试验,研究了饮用水源水内分泌干扰活性的检测方法,并测定了南方某城市某水厂水源水中有机提取物的拟雌激素活性和拟/抗甲状腺激素活性.结果表明,CV-1细胞受体转录激活试验是一种筛选和定量分析具有拟雌激素受体活性和拟/抗甲状腺受体活性的内分泌干扰物的快速、有效的方法.结合固相萃取等前处理技术,有效检测了南方某城市某水厂水源水弱极性和强极性有机提取物的内分泌干扰活性.此水源水弱极性组分和强极性组分,皆可以显著诱导雌激素活性,诱导倍数为对照组的6~7倍,且弱极性组分的拟雌激素活性要略强于极性组分.弱极性组分和强极性组分在不同浓缩倍数下皆不会显著诱导甲状腺激素活性,但当与5nmol·L-1T3共同作用于CV-1细胞时,弱极性组分在25~100倍浓缩时,会产生显著的拟甲状腺激素活性,且表现为与5nmol·L-1T3协同作用;在25~100倍浓缩的强极性组分暴露下,无显著的拮抗甲状腺激素活性,但当样品浓度上升至200倍浓缩暴露时,表现为显著拮抗甲状腺激素活性.对应的化学分析表明,该水厂水源水中含有有机氯农药类化合物及其代谢物(0.09~0.33ng·L-1)、多氯联苯类化合物(0.06~0.1ng·L-1)、多环芳烃类化合物(0.6~19.0ng·L-1)和辛基酚(49ng·L-1)等内分泌干扰物,很好地印证了样品内分泌干扰活性的来源.