Tendency For Accumulation Research Articles

Comparative study of irradiation resistance for multicomponent concentrated HfNbTiZr and dilute V-4Cr-4Ti alloys irradiated with He ions

To clarify the efficiency of irradiation resistance, investigation of body-centered cubic concentrated HfNbTiZr and dilute V-4Cr-4Ti alloys, irradiated by 40 keV He ions up to 5 × 1016, 1 × 1017 and 5 × 1017 cm–2 fluences at room temperature, was carried out. Similar to V-4Cr-4Ti, HfNbTiZr possesses high phase stability and surface erosion resistance to irradiation with He ions up to 5 × 1017 cm-2. Using transmission electron microscopy, a more than 2-fold increase in overall swelling, as well as its intensification with increasing fluence was observed for HfNbTiZr compared to V-4Cr-4Ti. Combining atomistic calculations and simulations based on the Modified Embedded Atom Method interatomic potential and Density Functional Theory, the energetics of defects and helium-vacancy complexes, as well as their dynamics, were studied for alloys. It was shown that in the HfNbTiZr and dilute vanadium alloys the number of radiation-induced vacancies (v) can be comparable. According to the binding energy curves, there is a tendency for higher He accumulation in helium-vacancy complexes due to the increased He/v ratio in HfNbTiZr compared to V-4Cr-4Ti (∼1.5 versus ∼1.1). It was found that the kick-out of lattice atoms is enhanced in HfNbTiZr and is suppressed in V-4Cr-4Ti. Therefore, the more intense He bubble growth in HfNbTiZr may be due to the kick-out mechanism, which leads to a decrease in the He/v ratio and stimulates helium-vacancy complexes to trap additional He atoms. Our results can be used to improve the bubble swelling resistance in the design of new multicomponent concentrated alloys.

Dialogue between algorithms and soil: Machine learning unravels the mystery of phthalates pollution in soil

Soil is a major environmental sink for the emerging organic pollutants phthalates (PAEs), and the determination of key factors influencing PAEs accumulation in soil is crucial for agricultural sustainability and food security. Aiming at the time-consuming and inefficient characteristics of traditional batch experiments and statistical prediction models in comprehensively capturing PAEs dynamics in soil, an intelligent analysis framework based on machine learning was proposed and developed. In this study, thirty features were incorporated, including soil PAEs-concentrations, pollutant emissions, agricultural inputs, soil physicochemical properties, and climatic parameters. Six data-driven machine learning models were established: Random Forest Regression (RFR), Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (GBRT), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN). Results showed that the MLP model exhibited optimal performance in predicting soil PAEs concentrations (R²=0.8637), followed by SVR (R²=0.8132) and XGBoost (R²=0.8096). Through feature importance analysis, it was determined that hydrometeorological factors, soil moisture conditions, and nutritional characteristics were the key factors controlling PAEs spatial distribution. Furthermore, non-linear effect analysis elucidated significant synergistic interactions among these environmental covariates. The spatiotemporal prediction model revealed continuous declining trends in PAEs pollution levels in eastern coastal regions over the next 5–10 years, while accumulation tendencies were observed in inland provinces particularly in Guizhou. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and advantages of machine learning in predicting soil PAEs-pollution, providing a new perspective for pollutant risk assessment and management in the era of environmental big data.

Marx-Biased Technical Change and International Profit-Rate Convergence: The Case of Mexican Manufacturing

The article studies the fall in the output/capital (OC) ratio in Mexican manufacturing, contrasting the hypotheses of high labor costs versus convergence toward the United States as drivers of Marx-biased technical change. While econometric estimations reject the labor-cost hypothesis—as do the evidence from wage-profit curves—they support the convergence one, showing in addition that convergence increased with the degree of US-Mexican industrial integration. Downward OC convergence, moreover, led to downward convergence in profit rates. Convergence aside, capital accumulation itself pushed the OC ratio down, confirming a tendency of accumulation to depress the profit rate. The estimations—for the change in the profit rate and the OC ratio—rely on a comprehensive annual panel of 17 Mexican manufacturing industries over the period 1992–2019. JEL Classification: C23, F15, F63, O14, O33

Synergistic effects of tree-herb intercropping on the phytoremediation efficiency of cadmium and lead contaminated soil

Tree-herb intercropping has emerged as an effective strategy for the remediation of soil contamination. In this study, the effects of intercropping willow with herbaceous plants Lolium perenne L., Iris lactea Pall. and Bidens pilosa L. were investigated on the phytoremediation of Cd- and Pb-contaminated soil. After a 90-day of cultivation, the results showed that intercropping stimulated the phytoremediation efficiency through increased metal accumulation in plants. Intercropping caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in willow biomass ranging from 48.07 % to 95.58 % by promoting photosynthesis activities and antioxidant responses. Metal contents in willow leaves and roots were also observably (p < 0.05) enhanced, indicating a beneficial effect in tree-herb intercropping systems. The biomass and metal accumulation of I. lactea Pall. and B. pilosa L. decreased due to competitive interactions with willow in the intercropping treatments. However, intercropping with willow (p < 0.05) significantly increased the Pb contents of L. perenne L. Intercropping improved the absorption of bioavailable fractions of Cd and Pb by willow and herbs in comparison to the monoculture. The decrease in soil Cd contents was partly due to the chemical changes induced by root exudates, which enhanced the transfer of Cd from the soil to the plants. Willow showed a tendency for Cd accumulation, whereas herbs exhibited Pb accumulation, reflecting the complementarity of metal accumulation in tree-herb intercropping patterns. Intercropping willow with B. pilosa L. was found to be an effective method for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil, whereas the combination of willow with L. perenne L. proved suitable for the Pb-contaminated soil. These findings might support the potential of tree-herb intercropping as an effective strategy for enhancing the phytoremediation of contaminated soils.

Assessment of Aerotechnogenic Effects of Industrial Emissions of Arkhangelsk Pulp аnd Paper Mill by Bioindication Method

Assessment of the aerotechnogenic impact of the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill on the environment was carried out. It is based on an analysis of the functional stability of representative bioindicator objects according to a set of biochemical parameters: enzymatic activity, content of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid. The urbanized territory was mapped according to the degree of influence of the APPM on the components of forest ecosystems in accordance with the tendency of accumulation of sulfur compounds as marker pollutants of emissions of Pulp and Paper Mills. By the correlation analysis, it was shown that changes in the biochemical parameters of bioindicator objects are the manifestation of adaptive responses to the multifactorial effects of anthropogenic, technogenic and climatic impacts.

Meta-analysis of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soil-crop Systems in China's Urban-Rural Fringe

Owing to the influence of human activities, the issue of heavy metal pollution in farmland soil at the urban-rural fringe has become increasingly prominent. An accurate understanding of the characteristics of soil-crop heavy metal pollution in these areas is of great significance for ensuring food safety and promoting social sustainable development. Most of the existing studies rely on small-scale field monitoring, but research at the national level has not effectively captured the unique pollution dynamics of this urban-rural interface. Based on the published literature, the present study investigated the status of heavy metal pollution in the soil-crop system within China's urban-rural fringe through Meta-analysis. On this basis, the study evaluated the risks to human health associated with heavy metals in major crops in a given region. The results showed that heavy metals were accumulated in farmland soil in the urban-rural fringe of China, especially in Cd （Igeo = 0.89） pollution, and its distinct spatial heterogeneity patterns emerged. When considering different types of cultivated land, paddy fields and irrigated land exhibited a higher tendency of heavy metal accumulation. From the varying urbanization levels, the accumulation of heavy metals in soils of small and medium-sized cities was more obvious. For crops in the urban-rural fringe, Cd and Pb had the highest exceedance rate in rice （28.25% and 39.64%） and wheat （27.72% and 42.72%）. The health risk assessment results of heavy metals in crops showed that Cd was the main element that posed human health risks, which had some degree of non-carcinogenic risk and unacceptable carcinogenic risk to both children and adults.

Beta vulgaris L. var cicla Decreases Liver Injury Induced by Antiarrhytmic Agent, Amiodarone.

Amiodarone (AMD) is an effective antiarrhythmic drug, but its long-term usage strongly forms liver toxicity due to its accumulation tendency. The chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) is a unique plant which has a blood sugar-lowering effect and powerful antioxidant activity. The aim of the current study was to investigate the possible protective effects of chard on AMD-induced liver injury. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Control group, aqueous chard extract given group 500 mg/kg/day for one week, AMD given group 100 mg/kg/day for one week, AMD+Chard given group (at the same doses and times). They were sacrificed on the 8th day. The blood and liver samples were taken. The serum and liver biochemical parameters were found to be changed in AMD treated group. Chard administration reversed these parameters in serum and liver. In histological experiments, necrotic areas, mononuclear cell infiltration, the endothelial rupture in central vein, sinusoidal dilatation, hyperemia, dark eosinophilic cells and picnotic nucleus were observed in liver tissues of AMD treated group. Chard treatment reduced liver tissue damage. Considering results, we can suggest that chard prevented AMD induced liver injury biochemically and histologically.

Compost amendment in urban gardens: elemental and isotopic analysis of soils and vegetable tissues

Urban horticulture poses a sustainable form of food production, fosters community engagement and mitigates the impacts of climate change on cities. Yet, it can also be tied to health challenges related to soil contamination. This work builds on a previous study conducted on eleven urban gardens in the city of Vienna, Austria. Following the findings of elevated Pb levels in some soil and plant samples within that project, the present study investigates the elemental composition of soil and plants from two affected gardens 1 year after compost amendment. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis of skin, pulp and seeds of tomato fruits revealed minor variations in elemental composition which are unlikely to have an impact on food safety. In turn, a tendency of contaminant accumulation in root tips and leaves of radishes was found. Washing of lettuce led to a significant reduction in the contents of potentially toxic elements such as Be, Al, V, Ni, Ga and Tl, underscoring the significance of washing garden products before consumption. Furthermore, compost amendments led to promising results, with reduced Zn, Cd and Pb levels in radish bulbs. Pb isotope ratios in soil and spinach leaf samples taken in the previous study were assessed by multi-collector (MC-) ICP-MS to trace Pb uptake from soils into food. A direct linkage between the Pb isotopic signatures in soil and those in spinach leaves was observed, underscoring their effectiveness as tracers of Pb sources in the environment.Graphical

Heavy Metal Accumulation Trends for Tsunga, Tomatoes and Rape in Soils from Two Provinces of Zimbabwe

Tomatoes, tsunga (mustard) and rape were sampled from Mashonaland East and Central provinces of Zimbabwe. Aim was to assess hyper accumulative tendency of these towards heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni, and Pb). Most of these heavy metals were noted to be of anthropogenic origin. Co, Mn and Cr were noted to be naturally inherent in Mushimbo, Mutoko soils. Heavy metal levels in irrigation water were within internationally acceptable ranges according to ATSDR. There was no direct reflection of level dependency between the water and plants studied. Bioaccumulation of cadmium and lead levels occurred in all vegetables despite low levels in the soil environment. High heavy metal levels in arable land as compared to virgin land proves contamination at play and also the anthropogenic origin. It was concluded that different vegetables accrue different heavy metals at different rates under the same environment. It was recommended to do more investigations on factors that determine absorption and hyper accumulation tendency of heavy metals in plants. This data could be used as a basis for recommending what crops to grow and in specific areas hence promote food safety in addition to food security for the nation.

Biogeochemical mechanisms of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in groundwater and soil profiles in the Zhongning section of the Weining Plain (northwest China)

High levels of Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in soils may contribute to secondary contamination of groundwater. However, there is limited understanding of the cycling mechanisms of Fe and Mn in groundwater and soil. This study aimed to investigate the biogeochemical processes constituting the Fe and Mn cycle by combining hydrochemistry, sequential extraction and microbiological techniques. The results indicated a similar vertical distribution pattern of Fe and Mn, with lower levels of the effective form (EFC-Fe/Mn) observed at the oxygenated surface, increasing near the groundwater table and decreasing below it. Generally, there was a tendency for accumulation above the water table, with Mn exhibiting a higher release potential compared to Fe. Iron‑manganese oxides (Ox-Fe/Mn) dominated the effective forms, with Fe and Mn in the soil entering groundwater through the reduction dissolution of Ox-Fe/Mn and the oxidative degradation of organic matter or sulfide (OM-Fe/Mn). Correlation analysis revealed that Fe and Mn tend to accumulate in media with fine particles and high organic carbon (TOC) contents. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis disclosed significant variation in the abundance of microorganisms associated with Fe and Mn transformations among unsaturated zone soils, saturated zone media and groundwater, with Fe/Mn content exerting an influence on microbial communities. Furthermore, functional bacterial identification results from the FAPROTAX database show a higher abundance of iron-oxidizing bacteria (9.3 %) in groundwater, while iron and manganese-reducing bacteria are scarce in both groundwater and soil environments. Finally, a conceptual model of Fe and Mn cycling was constructed, elucidating the biogeochemical processes in groundwater and soil environments. This study provides a new perspective for a deeper understanding of the environmental fate of Fe and Mn, which is crucial for mitigating Fe and Mn pollution in groundwater.

Influencing factors of plant habitat, phenophase, and organ on the essential oil composition of Agastache rugosa

AbstractAgastache rugosa (Fisch. et Mey.) O. Ktze, also known as “Suhuoxiang” (SHX), has been cultivated for more than three hundred years as a valuable aromatic edible and medicinal plant in Jiangsu Province, China. The volatile compounds of SHX from various habitats were investigated by HS-SPME-GC-MS, detecting sixty-five chemical constituents with menthone, pulegone, and estragole being the major volatile compounds. Their relative contents showed various accumulation tendencies in different growth months by GC-MS, with the relative content of menthone gradually increasing, pulegone content decreasing, as well as estragole content climbing initially before declining. This tendency was supported by quantitative experiments using samples from various habitats, which also revealed that the full-bloom stages exhibited the highest total concentrations of menthone and pulegone. The volatile composition of SHX in various plant organs differed, with palmitic acid being the main volatile component of stems, while menthone and pulegone being the core volatile components of leaves and spikes, implying that leaves and spikes should be separated from the stem to obtain higher drug contents. The current findings provide new information for SHX cultivation and applications.

Processes Towards Sedimentation around a Reed Island in a Shallow Lake

There are many studies on the hydromorphological impacts of emergent aquatic vegetation, but many of these focus on gravity-driven flows in riverine or tidal environments. However, an added effect of emergent vegetation in lakes is that it reduces the main external force (wind) significantly and in a spatially coherent way. We performed long Monte Carlo simulations using a 2D hydrodynamic model and a spectral wind wave model to study resuspension dynamics around a 100-m-wide reed island in southern Lake Fertő/Neusiedl. Wave-current interaction, computed in a post-processing step, was found to enhance maximum bed shear stresses only on the leeward side of the reed island, and even there to a small extent. We have found evidence that the present bed topography is close to an equilibrium where simulated combined wave-current shear stresses have a reasonably uniform exceedance probability over the critical shear stress of the bed sediment. We also found that an artificially flattened lakebed around the reed island would start evolving towards the present bed topography and grain size distribution (both of which were surveyed in the field). Despite the limitations of our modelling framework, our results illustrate the importance of how wind climate is translated to an uneven distribution of sediment entrainment around the reed island, explaining tendencies of sediment accumulation and sorting. Our results lead to a better understanding of the complicated processes involving interaction among wind, vegetation, circulation, wind waves, sediment and bathymetry.

Soil Chemical Attributes and Foliar Nutrient Contents of Native Species in Rehabilitation Chronosequence After Iron Ore Mining

ABSTRACT The mineland rehabilitation can be a challenge due to high soil density and low levels of organic matter and nutrients. This study assessed soil chemical attributes and leaf nutritional contents of two native species (Mimosa acutistipula var. ferrea and Vismia baccifera) grown in an iron waste pile under environmental rehabilitation in the Carajás Mineral Province, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. Soil samples were collected close to plant species in three different chronosequences of rehabilitation. Regardless of the rehabilitation stage, the soils have low levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and boron. A tendency of organic matter accumulation was observed at the advanced stage (5–8 years after the onset of rehabilitation process) and it was correlated with other soil nutrients. The leaf nutrient’ contents of M. acutistipula and V. baccifera tend to be distinct from each other, which could indicate that the studied species have different nutritional requirements. The V. baccifera presented higher leaf concentrations of sulfur, copper, and zinc, while M. acutistipula stood out for presenting a higher leaf nitrogen content, which is possibly related to its nitrogen-fixing capacity. In general, an improvement of soil chemical attributes was achieved with the advance of the rehabilitation stages, showing the efficiency of the procedures performed to rehabilitate the studied areas.

Calcium sulphate biomineralisation: Artefact of sample preparation?

Calcium biomineralisation is widely documented in plants. However, crystallisation of Ca-sulphate-containing minerals is closely related to water content, and sample processing, such as drying, alters the water balance of plant tissues. We hypothesised that common sample processing practices may favour the formation of crystals, leading to spurious crystallisation not observed in unaltered plant tissues. We selected three species (Ononis tridentata, Helianthemum squamatum and Gypsophila struthium) with reported gypsum biomineralisation. We used x-ray diffractometry on fresh intact or sliced leaves, and on the same leaves processed by subsequent drying, to address whether sample processing alters crystal formation. Ca-sulphate crystals were detected in dry samples of all species but not in fresh intact samples. Ca-sulphate crystallisation occurred in some cut fresh samples, although the accumulation greatly increased after drying. In addition, G. struthium exhibited Ca-oxalate crystals in both fresh and dry treatments, with a tendency for greater accumulation in dry treatments. Our results demonstrate that the Ca-sulphate crystals observed by x-ray diffractometry in these species are artefacts caused by common sample processing practices, such as excessive drying and slicing samples. We encourage future studies on the biomineral potential of plants to avoid the use of procedures that alter the water balance of tissues.

Genome-Wide Identification of WRKY Gene Family and Functional Characterization of CcWRKY25 in Capsicum chinense.

Pepper is renowned worldwide for its distinctive spicy flavor. While the gene expression characteristics of the capsaicinoid biosynthesis pathway have been extensively studied, there are already a few reports regarding transcriptional regulation in capsaicin biosynthesis. In this study, 73 WRKYs were identified in the genome of Capsicum chinense, and their physicochemical traits, DNA, and protein sequence characteristics were found to be complex. Combining RNA-seq and qRT-PCR data, the WRKY transcription factor CA06g13580, which was associated with the accumulation tendency of capsaicinoid, was screened and named CcWRKY25. CcWRKY25 was highly expressed in the placenta of spicy peppers. The heterologous expression of CcWRKY25 in Arabidopsis promoted the expression of genes PAL, 4CL1, 4CL2, 4CL3, CCR, and CCoAOMT and led to the accumulation of lignin and flavonoids. Furthermore, the expression of the capsaicinoid biosynthesis pathway genes (CBGs) pAMT, AT3, and KAS was significantly reduced in CcWRKY25-silenced pepper plants, resulting in a decrease in the amount of capsaicin. However, there was no noticeable difference in lignin accumulation. The findings suggested that CcWRKY25 could be involved in regulating capsaicinoid synthesis by promoting the expression of genes upstream of the phenylpropanoid pathway and inhibiting CBGs' expression. Moreover, the results highlighted the role of CcWRKY25 in controlling the pungency of pepper and suggested that the competitive relationship between lignin and capsaicin could also regulate the spiciness of the pepper.

Diversity and bioactivity of sediment-associated fungi from a mangrove forest in Mexico with different conservation conditions

The biological importance of rhizosphere sediment-associated fungi in mangroves is poorly understood, especially when they are affected by high salinity and anaerobiosis in disturbed areas. This study evaluated the fungal diversity in the rhizosphere sediments of three mangrove species associated with three conservation conditions of mangrove forests in preserved, semi-preserved, and deteriorated areas. In addition, fungal bioactivity was correlated to the fungal diversity found in mangrove species from each area. We isolated 50 fungal strains belonging to three phyla, seven classes, and 10 orders. The fungal diversity was higher in the preserved area (H' = 2.22) than in the semi-preserved (H' = 1.73) and deteriorated areas (H' = 1.68); the redundancy analysis showed a tendency of fungal accumulation towards the rhizosphere of Rhizophora mangle and Avicennia germinans in the preserved and semi-preserved areas. In addition, the redundancy analysis showed that 10 bioactive fungi genera tended to accumulate on the rhizosphere of R. mangle and A. germinans in the preserved and semi-preserved areas. The preserved area is related to the semi-preserved area, with a 28% Jaccard similarity coefficient. The diversity and bioactivity of the isolated fungi encourage the need to conserve and restore mangrove ecosystems considering their current and potential services, such as bioprospecting new pharmacological compounds.

Prevalence of metabolic phenotypes among citizens of Arctic area of the Russian Federation (in Arkhangelsk city setting)

BACKGROUND: Influence of obesity on the body at whole and with regard to metabolic changes is still unclear. In Russia there are a few data about prevalence of metabolic phenotypes among population based on epidemiological data.AIM: to assess the prevalence of metabolic phenotypes among citizens of Arctic area of the Russian Federation (in the Arkhangelsk city setting).MATERIALS AND METHODS: a cross-sectional study was conducted using a random sample of Arkhangelsk citizens (n=2380) 35–69 years old, which was obtained within a population study of cardiovascular diseases («Know your heart» (KYH)). The participants were divided into metabolic phenotypes according to the presence of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) and metabolic syndrome (AHA/NHBLI): phenotype 1 — metabolically healthy normal weight, phenotype 2 — metabolically unhealthy normal weight, phenotype 3 — metabolically healthy obesity, phenotype 4 — metabolically unhealthy obesity.RESULTS: 2352 participants of KYH were included in the study, 982 (41,8%) men and 1370 (58,3%) women. Mean age was 53,9 (SD 9,7) years. The distribution of participants by metabolic phenotypes was as follows: 1167 (49,6%) persons had phenotype 1, 489 (20,8%) — phenotype 2, 248 (10,5%) — phenotype 3, 448 (19,1%) — phenotype 4. In men, the second common after the first phenotype was phenotype 2, while in women, the second position was shared by the 2nd and 4th phenotypes, which had approximately the same frequency. «Arterial hypertension» was the most prevalent component of metabolic syndrome and seen in 68–96% men and 38–94% women in the study with different phenotypes. The proportions of phenotypes with metabolic disorders increased with age.CONCLUSION: in a study of a random population sample within the framework of the concept of metabolic phenotypes, a half of the participants had no obesity and metabolic syndrome. Proportions of participants with metabolic disorders with and without obesity was 20% each. Only 10% of participants had «metabolically healthy» obesity. If excluding individuals without obesity and metabolic syndrome, the phenotype characterized by metabolic disorders in the absence of obesity was the most common among men. Phenotypes with metabolic disorders on the background of obesity or without obesity were equally common among women. The most common component of metabolic syndrome was «arterial hypertension». There was a tendency of accumulation of metabolic disturbances with age.

Characterizing the specific mechanism of series processed Coptidis Rhizoma by multi-organ metabolomics combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking

BackgroundAfter being processed with different excipients, the clinical application of Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) is differentially investigated. However, the underlying mechanism and material basis are not clear, and there is a lack of attention to the collaborative working mode of herbal medicine during exploration. PurposeTo characterize the specific mechanism of wine/zingiberis rhizoma recens/euodiae fructus processed CR (wCR/zCR/eCR) and to investigate the role of excipients during processing. MethodsThe multi-organ metabolomics approach was employed to explore the target organs of wCR/zCR/eCR and multiple pathways being triggered in each organ. The tissue distribution of CR and wCR/zCR/eCR components was compared to indicate the material basis of efficacy change after processing. Further, the network pharmacology study coupled with experimental validation was conducted to support metabolomic research and predicted active ingredients and core targets, and the molecular docking coupled with binding test was performed to identify the binding between active ingredient and core target. ResultsThe multi-organ metabolomics and network pharmacology study elucidated the intervening effect of wCR on heart/lung, zCR on stomach/colon, and eCR on liver/colon/stomach. Combined with molecular docking, binding test and tissue distribution studies, the specific mechanism was as follows: the wine made iso-quinoline alkaloids in CR more likely to accumulate in heart/lung, thus triggering the core targets of PTGS2, NOS2, ESR1 and SLC6A4 in heart/lung, and thereby highlighting the detoxifying and cardiopulmonary protective effect of wCR. The zingiberis rhizoma recens and euodiae fructus made organic acids in CR more likely to accumulate in stomach/colon and liver/colon/stomach respectively, thus triggering the core targets of ACTB, TNF and PRKCA in stomach/colon, the core targets of ACTB, TNF, PRKCA and GPT in stomach/colon/liver, and thereby highlighting the improving effect of zCR/eCR on digestive function. ConclusionIso-quinoline alkaloids were the material basis of CR for anti-inflammation, and organic acids were mainly responsible for regulating gastrointestinal function. Due to the influence of excipients on the accumulation tendency of CR components, the differentially highlighted application of wCR/zCR/eCR was achieved. These findings propose a novel strategy for processing mechanism research.

Reversible Fluorescent Banding Analysis in Six Wild &lt;i&gt;Corchorus&lt;/i&gt; Species from Bangladesh

Fluorescence chromosome bandings with CMA- and DAPI- were analyzed in six wild Corchorus species to find out the diversity in the number and location of AT- and GC-rich sequences. These six wild Corchorus species had variation in somatic chromosome numbers viz. C. brevicornatus (2n=14), C. septentrionalis (2n=14), C. urticifolius (2n=14), C. hirtus (2n=28), C. siliquosus (2n=28) and C. pinnatipartitus (2n=78). A wide range of CMA- and DAPI-positive bands were found in the metaphase chromosomes of six wild Corchorus species. A total number of 35 and 32 terminal CMA- and DAPI-bands were generated which recommended the tendency of accumulation of GC- and AT-rich sequences at the terminal region of chromosomes, respectively. In some species, CMA-banded satellites were extended in prometaphase while contracted at the terminal region of the short arm in the metaphase stage. Reshuffling of chromosomal segments was detected following CMA- and DAPI-banding. After reversible fluorescent banding, C. brevicornatus, C. urticifolius and C. siliquosus had a few CMA-positive and DAPI- negative banded chromosomes which could be used as marker chromosomes. In addition, few chromosomes of C. pinnatipartitus could be used as markers due to their unique DAPI-banding pattern. Each species had its characteristic CMA- and DAPI-banding pattern.

Assessment of heavy metal accumulation in Penaeus monodon and its human health implications

Asian tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon (P. monodon) of Chilika lagoon, India was studied regarding the metal accumulation and its associated human health risks. It showed a tendency of metal accumulation in the following order: Zn > Ni > Cu > Co > Cr > Pb > Cd. A two-way ANOVA indicated the metal accumulation was insignificant with respect to season (n = 421, p = 0.59) and sector (n = 32, p = 0.61). The estimated daily intake (EDI), targeted hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risks (CR) revealed no potential human health risks and were safe for consumption. The pollution load index (PLI) of <1, Geo-accumulation index (Igeo,) and contamination factor (CF) indicated that the study area was unpolluted. This pioneering study highlighted that P. monodon was nurtured well in the healthy habitat of Chilika lagoon and the fair level of metal content made it an excellent source of dietary components.