RESUMEN
Apple polyphenols (APs) have gained attention for their various bioactivities, while no studies on anti-liver fibrosis activity are reported. This study evaluated the protective effect of APs on liver fibrosis using LPS-treated activated HSC-T6 cells and alcohol-treated liver fibrosis (ALF) mice. The results indicated that APs inhibited HSC-T6 cells activation in vitro and reduced the level of serum hyaluronic acid (HA) (p < 0.05), decreased fibrogenesis marker expression (p < 0.05), thereby alleviating ALF. In addition, APs (800 mg/kg b.w.) decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (p < 0.05) in ALF mice, inhibited LPS accumulation in the liver tissue and serum (p < 0.05), and significantly inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB/TGF-ß signaling in mice liver. In conclusion, APs markedly ameliorated ALF, possibly by improving gut microbiota homeostasis, decreasing the translocation of bacterial endotoxins to the blood, and suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB/TGF-ß signaling pathway, indicating its potential as lead compounds for functional foods and/or drugs against ALF.
RESUMEN
Soil carbon reserves are the largest terrestrial carbon pools. Common agricultural practices, such as high fertilization rates and intensive crop rotation, have led to global-scale environmental changes, including decreased soil organic matter, lower carbon/nitrogen ratios and disruption of soil carbon pools. These changes have resulted in a decrease in soil microbial activity, severe reduction in soil fertility and transformation of soil nutrients, thereby causing soil nutrient imbalance, which seriously affects crop production. In this study, 16S rDNA-based analysis and static chamber-gas chromatography were used to elucidate the effects of continuous application of straw biochar on soil carbon pools and the soil microbial environments of two typical soil types (purple and paddy soils) in southern China. Application of biochar (1) improved the soil carbon pool and its activity, (2) significantly promoted the release of soil CO2 and (3) improved the soil carbon environment. Soil carbon content was closely correlated with the abundance of organisms belonging to two orders, Lactobacillales and Bacteroidales, and, more specifically, to the genus Lactococcus. These results suggest that biochar affects the soil carbon environment and soil microorganism abundance, which in turn may improve the soil carbon pool.
RESUMEN
In this contribution, the azo dye (E)-1-(4-((4-(phenylamino)phenyl)diazenyl) phenyl)ethanone (DPA) was combined with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) for the electrochemical modification of a pencil graphite electrode (RGO/DPA/PGE) surface. A series of electrochemical measurements were used for the characterization of the modified electrode surfaces. At the modified electrode, nicotine was irreversibly reduced. An obvious increase was observed in the reductive peak current of nicotine at the modified electrode, indicating the capability of the RGO/DPA composite to increase the electron transfer rate. The current was found proportional to the nicotine concentration in a range of 31 to 1900 µM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as 7.6 µM.