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Curzerene is a sesquiterpene and component used in oriental medicine. It was originally isolated from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine rhizomes. In this study, anticancer activity of curzerene was examined in both and models. The result of the MTT assay showed that curzerene exhibited antiproliferative effects in SPC-A1 human lung adenocarcinoma cells in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. The anticancer ICs were 403.8, 154.8, and 47.0 µM for 24, 48, and 72 hours, respectively. The flow cytometry analysis indicated curzerene arrested the cells in the G2/M cell cycle and promoted or induced apoptosis of SPC-A1 cells. The percentage of cells arrested in the G2/M phase increased from 9.26 % in the control group cells to 17.57 % in the cells treated with the highest dose (100 µM) of curzerene. Western blot and RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that curzerene induced the downregulation of GSTA1 protein and mRNA expressions in SPC-A1 cells. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in SPC-A1 cell-bearing nude mice by using curzerene (135 mg/kg daily), meanwhile, curzerene did not significantly affect body mass and the organs of the mice, which may indicate that curzerene has limited toxicity and side effects . In conclusion, curzerene could inhibit the proliferation of SPC-A1 human lung adenocarcinoma cells line in both and models. Focusing on its relationship with GSTA1, curzerene could induce the downregulation of GSTA1 protein and mRNA expressions in SPC-A1 cells. Curzerene might be used as an anti-lung adenocarcinoma drug candidate compound for further development.

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A novel polyacrylamide grafted hydrous ferric oxide adsorbent composite has been synthesized by using glow discharge electrolysis plasma. To optimize the synthesis conditions, the following parameters were examined in detail: applied power, discharge time, post polymerization temperature, post polymerization time, amount of crosslinking agent and hydrous ferric oxide gel added and so on. The adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The removal percentage of the adsorbent in Pb(II) solution was examined and the data obtained showed that the adsorbent composite has a high capacity for lead ion. For the use in wastewater treatment, the thermodynamic and kinetic of Pb(II)-capture were also studied. Results indicated that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and an endothermic process, and it seems to be obeyed a pseudo-secondorder rate model. Moreover, the adsorption isotherm of Pb(II)-capture is following the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models.

The dynamic loads acting on concrete-filled steel tubular members under axial impacts by rigid bodies were studied herein by FEM. The whole impact process was simulated and the time history of the impact load was obtained. The effects of eight factors on the axial impact load were studied; these factors were the impact speed, mass ratio, axial pressure ratio, steel ratio, slenderness ratio, concrete strength, impact position, and boundary conditions. Besides this, the effects of concrete creep on the impact load were also considered by changing the material parameters of the concrete. The results show that axial impact load changes with time as a triangle. The peak value of impact load increases and the impact resistance improves with the growth of the axial pressure ratio, steel ratio, slenderness ratio, and concrete strength after creep occurs. As the eccentricity of the axial impact acting on a concrete-filled steel tubular member increases, the peak value of the impact load decreases. The enhancement of constraints at both ends of the member can improve the impact resistance. The creep reduction coefficients for the peak axial impact load of a concrete-filled steel tubular member under axial compression and considering the creep effect over 6 months and 30 years are 0.60 and 0.55, respectively. A calculation formula for the peak value of impact load was suggested based on the existing formula, and its accuracy was proved by finite element calculation in this study.