Tauroursodeoxycholic acid functions as a critical effector mediating insulin sensitization of metformin in obese mice.

Metformin is widely used to surmount insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes. Accumulating evidence suggests that metformin may improve IR through regulating gut microbiota and bile acids. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Sulforaphane alleviates high fat diet-induced insulin resistance via AMPK/Nrf2/GPx4 axis.

Insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of type 2 diabetes. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural antioxidant extracted from the cruciferous vegetables. Recent study reported that SFN exhibits excellent anti-diabetic effects, however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear.

Inhibitory effects of Prorocentrum donghaiense allelochemicals on Sargassum fusiformis zygotes probed by JIP-test based on fast chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics.

The macro- and microalgae have been found to inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of one another due to allelopathic interactions between them. Sargassum fusiformis is a common and commercially cultivated seaweed in coastal waters of the East China Sea (ECS) and usually encounters dense harmful algal blooms (HABs) formed by dinoflagellates during their sexual reproduction period. In the present study, the effects of Prorocentrum donghaiense lipophilic extracted allelochemicals on the growth and photosynthesis of S.

fucoidan alleviates diet-induced insulin resistance by inhibiting colon-derived ceramide biosynthesis.

fucoidan (SFF) is a highly sulfated heteropolysaccharide with various biological activities. As one of the causative factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), insulin resistance has become a global health issue. In this study, we investigated the potential pharmacological mechanisms by which SFF ameliorates insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice.

Fucoidan Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Insulin Resistance Associated with the Improvement of Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Gut Microbiota Profile.

fucoidan (SFF) exhibits diverse biological activities. Insulin resistance (IR) implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become an epidemic health issue worldwide. In this study, we investigated whether SFF can improve insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice.

Cell density-dependent suppression on the development and photosynthetic activities of Sargassum fusiformis embryos by dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi.

Lots of research has demonstrated that macroalgae can strongly inhibit the growth of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in general. However, the effects of HABs or HAB-forming species on macrophytes are still largely uncharacterized until now. In the present study, the effects of the dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi cell density gradient, live cell suspension (LC), ruptured cell suspension (RC) as well as the cell-free supernatant (FC) of K.

Evaluating rhamnolipid-enhanced washing as a first step in remediation of drill cuttings and petroleum-contaminated soils.

Environmental pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) is a severe and widespread problem impacting human health and the environment. To combat this issue, innovative and sustainable treatment methods are required. This research study investigated rhamnolipid-enhanced washing of drill cuttings and petroleum-contaminated soil obtained from northeastern British Columbia in Canada.

Allelopathic interactions between the macroalga Hizikia fusiformis (Harvey) and the harmful blooms-forming dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi.

The effects of algal blooms on seaweeds have been rarely studied, although harmful algal blooms (HABs) are now normally regarded as worldwide incidents. In the present study, the effects of dense Karenia mikimotoi cells on the growth and photosynthesis of Hizikia fusiformis, a common and commercially cultivated macroalga in coastal waters of the East China Sea (ECS), were studied to understand the possible consequences when the mariculture encountered a dense harmful algal bloom. Furthermore, the counteraction of the latter on the growth and photosynthetic activities of K.

Heavy metals and nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) in sediments: relationships to land uses, environmental risks, and management.

Management of sediments in polluted rivers requires an inventory of sediment quantities as well as their nutrient and metal contents and the chemical forms of pollutants. We investigated the influence of three major land uses (i.e.

An Eco-tank system containing microbes and different aquatic plant species for the bioremediation of N,N-dimethylformamide polluted river waters.

An Eco-tank system of 10m was designed to simulate the natural river. It consisted of five tanks sequentially connected containing microbes, biofilm carriers and four species of floating aquatic plants. The purification performance of the system for N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) polluted river water was evaluated by operating in continuous mode.

Elemental sulfur amendment decreases bio-available Cr-VI in soils impacted by leather tanneries.

This study investigated the potential use of elemental S (S(0)) to convert Cr-VI to Cr-III which should decrease the bio-availability hence, toxicity of Cr-VI in soils. The bio-available fraction of Cr in soil was measured by phosphate buffer extraction (PBE) and the results showed that the fraction is about 10% of the total Cr-VI and varied from 12.8 to 42.

Toxic and non-toxic strains of Microcystis aeruginosa induce temperature dependent allelopathy toward growth and photosynthesis of Chlorella vulgaris.

Global warming was believed to accelerate the expansion of cyanobacterial blooms. However, the impact of changes due to the allelopathic effects of cyanobacterial blooms with or without algal toxin production on the ecophysiology of its coexisting phytoplankton species arising from global warming were unknown until recently. In this study, the allelopathic effects of toxic and non-toxic Microcystis aeruginosa strains on the growth of green alga Chlorella vulgaris and photosynthesis of the co-cultivations of C.

Production and Characterization of Melanin by Submerged Culture of Culinary and Medicinal Fungi Auricularia auricula.

Natural melanin is of great potential value and application in the fields of pharmacology, cosmetics, and functional foods. In the present study, statistically designed experiments were conducted for the optimization of the media to enhance the production of melanin by submerged culture of Auricularia auricula. Glucose, tyrosine, peptone, and CaCO3 were found to have significant effects (P < 0.

Adsorption of Orange II dye in aqueous solution onto surfactant-coated zeolite: characterization, kinetic and thermodynamic studies.

Adsorption of anionic dye - Orange II - in aqueous solution onto hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA)-coated zeolite (HCZ) reached 38.96mg/g compared with 8.13mg/g onto natural zeolite.

Ultrasonic oil recovery and salt removal from refinery tank bottom sludge.

The oil recovery and salt removal effects of ultrasonic irradiation on oil refinery tank bottom sludge were investigated, together with those of direct heating. Ultrasonic power, treatment duration, sludge-to-water ratio, and initial sludge-water slurry temperature were examined for their impacts on sludge treatment. It was found that the increased initial slurry temperature could enhance the ultrasonic irradiation performance, especially at lower ultrasonic power level (i.

Assessments of chromium (and other metals) in vegetables and potential bio-accumulations in humans living in areas affected by tannery wastes.

Chromium (Cr) commonly enters the food chain through uptake by vegetables. However, accurate prediction of plant uptake of Cr (and other metals) still remains a challenge. In this study, we evaluated 5 indices of availability for Cr (and other metals) to identify reliable predictors of metal transfer from soils to garlic, onion, bokchoy, radish and celery grown in soils impacted by tannery wastes.

Ultrasonic desorption of petroleum hydrocarbons from crude oil contaminated soils.

Ultrasonic irradiation was applied to improve the desorption of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) in crude oil from three types of soil. Soil A was an Ottawa sand, while soil B and soil C were fine soils that contained 27.6% and 55.

Mobility and storage sinks for chromium and other metals in soils impacted by leather tannery wastes.

Leather tanneries around the world, including China, introduce chromium (Cr) and other metals into the environment. In China, the population pressure compels the utilization of every piece of available land for food production. In this study, we investigated the content, leachability and possible storage sinks for Cr and other metals in soils around facilities of leather industry in southern China.

Comparison of methane production by co-digesting fruit and vegetable waste with first stage and second stage anaerobic digester sludge from a two stage digester.

Fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) was co-digested with first stage (FSS) and second stage anaerobic digester sludge (SSS) separately, over the course of 10 days, in batch reactors. Addition of FVW significantly increased the methane production in both sludges. After 10 days of digestion FSS + FVW produced 514 ± 57 L CH(4) kg VS(-1)(added) compared with 392 ± 16 L CH(4) for the SSS + FVW.

Oil recovery from refinery oily sludge via ultrasound and freeze/thaw.

The effective disposal of oily sludge generated from the petroleum industry has received increasing concerns, and oil recovery from such waste was considered as one feasible option. In this study, three different approaches for oil recovery were investigated, including ultrasonic treatment alone, freeze/thaw alone and combined ultrasonic and freeze/thaw treatment. The results revealed that the combined process could achieve satisfactory performance by considering the oil recovery rate and the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations in the recovered oil and wastewater.

Wood pellet fly ash and bottom ash as an effective liming agent and nutrient source for rye grass (Lolium perenne L.) and oats (Avena sativa).

Fly ash (FA) and bottom ash (BA) from a softwood pellet boiler were characterized and evaluated as soil amendments. In a greenhouse study, two plant species (rye grass, Lolium perenne L. and oats, Avena sativa) were grown in three different treatments (1% FA, 1% BA, non-amended control) of a silty loam soil.

Increased biogas production in a wastewater treatment plant by anaerobic co-digestion of fruit and vegetable waste and sewer sludge - a full scale study.

Anaerobic digestion is a well established technology for the reduction of organic matter and stabilization of wastewater. Biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, is produced as a useful by-product of the process. Current solid waste management at the city of Prince George is focused on disposal of waste and not on energy recovery.

Evaluation of Compatibility between Beetle-Killed Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta var. Latifolia) Wood with Portland Cement.

The compatibility of wood from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosa) killed lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) with Portland cement was investigated based on time-since-death as a quantitative estimator, and the presence of blue-stained sapwood, brown rot, or white rot as qualitative indicators. The exothermic behavior of cement hydration, maximum heat rate, time to reach this maximum, and total heat released within a 3.

Bacterial reduction of selenium in coal mine tailings pond sediment.

Sediment from a storage facility for coal tailings solids was assessed for its capacity to reduce selenium (Se) by native bacterial community. One Se(6+)-reducing bacterium Enterobacter hormaechei (Tar11) and four Se(4+)-reducing bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae (Tar1), Pseudomonas fluorescens (Tar3), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Tar6), and Enterobacter amnigenus (Tar8) were isolated from the sediment. Enterobacter hormaechei removed 96% of the added Se(6+) (0.