Protective effects of C-phycocyanin on alcohol-induced acute liver injury in mice

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver disease. Extensive evidence suggests that C-phycocyanin (C-PC), a chromophore phycocyanobilin derived from Spirulina platensis, exerts protective effects against chemical-induced organ damage. In this study, we investigated whether C-PC could protect against ethanol-induced acute liver injury. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), liver homogenate malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) content were measured, and pathological examination of liver sections were examined. C-PC showed obvious inhibitory effects on serum ALT, AST, TG, CHOL, LDL and MDA, and SOD content significantly increased in the liver. The structure of hepatic lobules was clear, liver sinus returned to normal, and liver cell cords were arranged in neat rows. Cloudiness, swelling, inflammatory cell infiltration and spotty necrosis of liver cells were significantly reduced. Therefore, C-PC can significantly protect against ethanol-induced acute liver injury.     

From sequential to parallel growth of cities: Theory and evidence from Canada

This paper examines city growth patterns and the corresponding city size distribution evolution over long periods of time using a simple New Economic Geography(NEG) model and urban population data from Canada. The main findings are twofold. First, there is a transition from sequential to parallel growth of cities over long periods of time: city growth shows a sequential mode in the stage of rapid urbanization, i.e., the cities with the best development conditions will take the lead in growth, after which the cities with higher ranks will become the fastest-growing cities; in the late stage of urbanization, city growth converges according to Gibrat′s law, and exhibits a parallel growth pattern. Second, city size distribution is found to have persistent structural characteristics: the city system is self-organized into multiple discrete size groups; city growth shows club convergence characteristics, and the cities with similar development conditions eventually converge to a similar size. The results will not only enhance our understanding of urbanization process, but will also provide a timely and clear policy reference for promoting the healthy urbanization of developing countries.     

Emissions of biogenic sulfur gases (H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S,COS) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> coastal marsh in the Yellow River estuary of China

Emissions of biogenic sulfur gases (hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and carbonyl sulfide (COS)) from Phragmites australis coastal marsh in the Yellow River estuary of China were determined during April to December in 2014 using static chamber-gas chromatography technique with monthly sampling. The results showed that the fluxes of H₂S and COS both had distinct seasonal and diurnal variations. The H₂S fluxes ranged from 0.09 μg/(m²·h) to 7.65 μg/(m²·h), and the COS fluxes ranged from–1.10 μg/(m²·h) to 3.32 μg/(m²·h). The mean fluxes of H₂S and COS from the P. australis coastal marsh were 2.28 μg/(m²·h), and 1.05 μg/(m²·h), respectively. The P. australis coastal marsh was the emission source of both H₂S and COS over the whole year. Fluxes of H₂S and COS were both higher in plant growing season than in the non-growing season. Temperature had a dramatic effect on the H₂S emission flux, while the correlations between COS flux and the environmental factors were not found during sampling periods. More in-depth and comprehensive research on other related factors, such as vegetation, sediment substrates, and tidal action is needed to discover and further understand the key factors and the release mechanism of sulfur gases.     

Sea surface temperature anomalies in the South China Sea during mature phase of ENSO

Based on the 18-year(1993–2010) National Centers for Environmental Prediction optimum interpolation sea surface temperature(SST) and simple ocean data assimilation datasets,this study investigated the patterns of the SST anomalies(SSTAs) that occurred in the South China Sea(SCS) during the mature phase of the El Ni?o/Southern Oscillation.The most dominant characteristic was that of the outof-phase variation between southwestern and northeastern parts of the SCS,which was influenced primarily by the net surface heat flux and by horizontal thermal advection.The negative SSTA in the northeastern SCS was caused mainly by the loss of heat to the atmosphere and because of the cold-water advection from the western Pacific through the Luzon Strait during El Ni?o episodes.Conversely,it was found that the anomalous large-scale atmospheric circulation and weakened western boundary current during El Ni?o episodes led to the development of the positive SSTA in the southwestern SCS.     

Phylogenetic diversity of culturable bacteria in surface seawater from the Drake Passage,Antarctica

The Drake Passage is located between the Antarctic Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego in the south of South America. Surface seawater samples were collected at seven sites in the Drake Passage during the austral summer of 2012. The 16S rRNA sequences were analyzed from 187 isolated bacterial strains. Three phyla, 29 genera and 56 species were identified. The three phyla were Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria; the Proteobacteria included α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria. γ-Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant class or phyla in terms of quantity and species. Gram-positive bacteria (Actinobacteria and Firmicutes) accounted for 57.8% of all types identified. There were nine dominant genera, including Curtobacterium, Staphylococcus, and Halomonas, and 14 dominant species including Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, Curtobacterium pusillum, and Staphylococcus sciuri. Of the strains identified, 87.2% were catalase positive or weakly positive.     

Timing of mineralization at the Shihu gold deposit in the middle segment of the Taihang Mountain,China

The Shihu gold deposit, located in the middle-south section of the core of the Fuping mantle branch structure, is hosted in the Archean Fuping Group and adjacent to the quartz diorite porphyrite. The gold deposit is the only large gold deposit with reserves of more than 30 tons gold discovered in western Hebei Province so far. In order to constrain the timing of mineralization of this ore deposit, this paper focuses on the isotopic dating of zircon and pyrite. Zircons in gold-bearing quartz veins are magmatic in origin and no hydrothermal zircon has been found in such quartz veins, indicating that zircons were derived from the wall rocks. U–Pb ages of zircons fall mainly in the two domains: 2492 ± 82 and 136 ± 4 Ma, respectively, indicative of the contribution of the Fuping-Group TTG gneiss and Yanshanian igneous rocks, respectively. The Re–Os isotopic compositions of pyrites in the gold-bearing quartz veins yield an isochron age of 127 ± 31 Ma. Combined with other dating results, we suggest that the main metallogenic age of the Shihu gold deposit is 120–127 Ma.     

Groundwater sustainability and groundwater/surface-water interaction in arid Dunhuang Basin,northwest China

The Dunhuang Basin, a typical inland basin in northwestern China, suffers a net loss of groundwater and the occasional disappearance of the Crescent Lake. Within this region, the groundwater/surface-water interactions are important for the sustainability of the groundwater resources. A three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was established and calibrated using MODFLOW 2000, which was used to predict changes to these interactions once a water diversion project is completed. The simulated results indicate that introducing water from outside of the basin into the Shule and Danghe rivers could reverse the negative groundwater balance in the Basin. River-water/groundwater interactions control the groundwater hydrology, where river leakage to the groundwater in the Basin will increase from 3,114?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 11,875?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 17,039?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2036. In comparison, groundwater discharge to the rivers will decrease from 3277?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2017 to 1857?×?10⁴ m³/year in 2021, and to 510?×?10⁴ m³/year by 2036; thus, the hydrology will switch from groundwater discharge to groundwater recharge after implementing the water diversion project. The simulation indicates that the increased net river infiltration due to the water diversion project will raise the water table and then effectively increasing the water level of the Crescent Lake, as the lake level is contiguous with the water table. However, the regional phreatic evaporation will be enhanced, which may intensify soil salinization in the Dunhuang Basin. These results can guide the water allocation scheme for the water diversion project to alleviate groundwater depletion and mitigate geo-environmental problem.