Curcumin has a vital role in the development of renal carcinoma. Nevertheless, the mechanism of curcumin in renal carcinoma tumorigenesis remains largely unknown. Thirty renal carcinoma patients were recruited. Renal carcinoma cell lines CAKI-1 and ACHN were exposed to curcumin. The levels of circular RNA fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 3B (circ-FNDC3B), microRNA (miR)-138-5p and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) were detected via quantitative reverse transcription PCR or western blot. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated via 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, colony formation analysis, flow cytometry and western blot. Target association between miR-138-5p and circ-FNDC3B or IGF2 was analyzed via dual-luciferase reporter analysis. The function of curcumin in vivo was assessed via a xenograft model. circ-FNDC3B level was enhanced and miR-138-5p abundance was declined in renal carcinoma tissues and cells. Curcumin restrained renal carcinoma cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. circ-FNDC3B overexpression or miR-138-5p knockdown weakened the influence of curcumin. circ-FNDC3B knockdown hindered cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis by increasing miR-138-5p. IGF2 was targeted via miR-138-5p and positively regulated via circ-FNDC3B. Curcumin decreased xenograft tumor growth via reducing circ-FNDC3B in vivo. Curcumin suppressed renal carcinoma tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo via regulating circ-FNDC3B/miR-138-5p/IGF2 axis, proposing new insight into renal carcinoma tumorigenesis.

The invasion of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) has changed the carbon cycle process of local ecosystems. In order to clarify the effect of S. alterniflora invasion on coastal soil carbon pool in Northern Beibu Gulf, the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC storage (SOCS) at different intrusion stages were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that the SOC content in S. alterniflora wetlands (2.65–21.54 g/kg) was higher than that in mudflats (0.85–1.19 g/kg). SOC content in 0–20 cm depth was highest than that in 20–40 cm and 40–60 cm depth. The total SOCS increased by 72.11%, 78.45%, 77.56%, 80.42%, and 90.63% in 3a, 12a, 15a, 16–19a, and 26a compared with mudflats, respectively. S. alterniflora invasion increased SOC and SOCS both in surface soil and deep soil. SOCS increased rapidly during the initial stage of invasion, and remained in a relatively stable and continuous growth state after 12–15 years. The distributions and accumulation of SOC and SOCS were affected mainly by soil texture, soil bulk density, moisture content, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. The source of SOC from S. alterniflora was increasing with invasion ages and would be mainly input in 26a, while marine sources was mainly imported in other invasion ages. Our data indicated that S. alterniflora continuously enhances the SOC sequestration over the years in coastal wetland ecosystems.

Abstract(−)-Guaiol is a sesquiterpenoid found in many traditional Chinese medicines with potent antitumor activity. However, its therapeutic effect and mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, (−)-Guaiol was found to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in NSCLC in vitro. Using (−)-Guaiol in vivo, we found that (−)-Guaiol could suppress tumor growth, increase dendritic cell activation, and enhance T-cell infiltration. Vaccination experiments suggest that cellular immunoprophylaxis after (−)-Guaiol intervention can suppress tumor growth. Previous studies have found that (−)-Guaiol induces apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC. Apoptosis and autophagy are closely related to ICD. To explore whether autophagy and apoptosis are involved in (−)-Guaiol-induced ICD, we used inhibitors of apoptosis and autophagy. The results showed that the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) was partly reversed after inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy. In conclusion, these results suggested that the (−)-Guaiol triggers immunogenic cell death and inhibits tumor growth in NSCLC.

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A carbon management diagram for use in oak-hickory forests in southern Ohio has been developed to allow easier quantification of total forest carbon stock. The total carbon stock is positively correlated to basal area and average stand diameter but poorly correlated to the number of trees per acre. The total amount of carbon stored in these forests is going to be influenced by age and site quality to the extent that age and site influence basal area and the average tree size. Accordingly, not all stands considered to be fully to overstocked store the most carbon. Rather, it is a combination of basal area and average tree size that determines the total carbon stored, with the carbon stock in the forest increasing with an increase in both basal area and average tree diameter. Examples illustrating the use of the diagram are presented for two oak forests on oak site indexes 60 and 80. Both forests are overstocked at age 100 years, but the forest on site index 60 stores 77 tons/ac of total carbon compared with 103 tons/ac on site index 80.