The Influences of Rainfall Intensity and Timing on the Assemblage of Dung Beetles and the Rate of Dung Removal in an Alpine Meadow.

Changes in precipitation patterns, including rainfall intensity and rainfall timing, have been extensively demonstrated to impact biological processes and associated ecosystem functions. However, less attention has been paid to the effects of rainfall intensity and rainfall timing on the assembly of detritivore communities and the decomposition rate of detritus such as animal dung. In a grazed alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, we conducted a manipulative experiment involving two levels of rainfall intensity (heavy rainfall, 1000 mL/5 min; light rainfall, 100 mL/5 min) and five levels of rainfall timing (0, 2, 4, 24, and 48 h after yak dung deposition).

Exploitation of Enterobacter hormaechei for biodegradation of multiple plastics.

The escalating problem of environmental ecological pollution caused by plastics presents a significant challenge, which makes the management of plastic waste urgent nowadays. In this study, a bacterium named WX-2 was isolated and screened for its potential in polymer degradation. Through standard microbiological techniques and 16SrDNA gene sequencing, it was identified as Enterobacter hormaechei.

Biodegradability of polyethylene mulch film by Bacillus paramycoides.

Discarded polyethylene (PE) mulch film has led to persistent agricultural pollution. Biodegradation of plastic waste is considered as a promising solution that can potentially overcome environmental and economic problems. In this study, a novel bacterium (Bacillus paramycoides) was isolated from a waste mulch recycling plant and showed an extraordinary ability to customize polyethylene film.

Effect of an Acinetobacter pittobacter on low-density polyethylene.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a major cause of persistent and long-term environmental pollution. In this study, we report the successful isolation of an efficient LDPE degrading bacterial strain from the wastewater sediment of an agricultural land film recycling plant and identified and designated it as Acinetobacter sp. LW-1, respectively.

Corrigendum to "Determination of Serum Lost Goodwill Target Proteome in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2015/183821.].

Shikonin inhibits TNF-α production through suppressing PKC-NF-κB-dependent decrease of IL-10 in rheumatoid arthritis-like cell model.

Shikonin, a major effective component in the Chinese herbal medicine Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb., exhibits an anti-inflammatory property towards rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the potential mechanism is unclear. Our aim was to investigate the mechanism of shikonin on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fibroblast-like synoviocyte (LiFLS) inflammation model.

Determination of Serum Lost Goodwill Target Proteome in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

This study investigates the biokinetics of LGT proteome, a potential biomarker of severe TBI, in serum of severe TBI patients. The LGT proteome presents in the serum of severe TBI patients. The abundance diversity of LGT proteome is closely associated with pathologic condition of TBI patients.

Edaravone protects osteoblastic cells from dexamethasone through inhibiting oxidative stress and mPTP opening.

Existing evidences have emphasized an important role of oxidative stress in dexamethasone (Dex)-induced osteoblastic cell damages. Here, we investigated the possible anti-Dex activity of edaravone in osteoblastic cells, and studied the underlying mechanisms. We showed that edaravone dose-dependently attenuated Dex-induced death and apoptosis of established human or murine osteoblastic cells.

Perinatal exposure to Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-Phthalate leads to cognitive dysfunction and phospho-tau level increase in aged rats.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-Phthalate (DEHP) can affect glucose and insulin homeostasis in periphery and lead to insulin resistance, especially exposure of DEHP during critical developmental period. Given the potential relationship between insulin resistance and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in elderly life, we investigated the relationship between perinatal DEHP exposure and AD pathogenesis. Our results suggested that perinatal exposure to DEHP can affect the expression of insulin and insulin-Akt- GSK-3β signal pathway in hippocampus.