YI HU^1,#, ZHONGYANG REN^2,#, ZHENGZHONG ZHAO¹, YONGJIA HUANG³, WANTING HUANG³, JIE LIU^3,*, LING DING^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 745-758, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.049140

Abstract Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP), known for its rapid onset and significant incidence and mortality rates, presents a clinical challenge due to the limited availability of effective treatments and preventive measures. Anemarsaponin B (ASB) has emerged as a potential therapeutic agent, demonstrating capabilities in reducing immune inflammation, positioning it as a promising candidate for AP treatment. Methods: We investigated the effects of ASB on AP in mice, induced by caerulein and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Peripheral blood samples were collected 24 h post-induction with caerulein to assess of key biomarkers including lipase, amylase, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, SOD, and GSH-Px. A range of techniques… More >

YUANYUAN LI¹, BITAO ZHANG¹, ZILONG CUI¹, PEIJIAN FAN¹, SHAOXIAN WANG^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 731-744, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048820

Abstract Background: Depression is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, imposing a substantial burden on individuals, families, as well as society. Quercetin is known to be highly effective in treating depression. However, additional research is needed to dissect the mechanisms of its anti-depressive effects. Methods: For this study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into the control, model, quercetin, or fluoxetine group. The latter three groups were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 42 d. The first two groups received saline solution daily via oral gavage. Meanwhile, the quercetin group was orally administered a quercetin suspension (52.08 mg/kg) every day,… More >

QIN LIU^1,#, CHUNYAN NIU^2,#,*, QIANG ZHANG³, SHIQIN SUN⁴, YUE CHEN², YONGQIANG SHI²

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 759-769, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048551

Abstract Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health concern with the acid sphingomyelinase (ASM)/ceramide (CE) pathway and the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome identified as pivotal players in lipid disorders and inflammation. This study explores the interaction mechanism between the ASM/CE pathway and NLRP3 in NAFLD cell models, aiming to understand the impact of amitriptyline (Ami), an ASM inhibitor, on lipid deposition and hepatocyte injury by regulating the ASM/CE-NLRP3 pathway. Methods: HepG2 and HL-7702 cells were exposed to free fatty acids (FFAs) to establish the NAFLD model. The cells were divided into 5 groups:… More >

XINRU FENG¹, LI XIAO^2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.5, pp. 793-801, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.048395

Abstract Background: Galectin 2 (LGALS2) is a protein previously reported to serve as a mediator of disease progression in a range of cancers. The function of LGALS2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), however, has yet to be explored, prompting the present study to address this literature gap. Methods: Overall, 144 paired malignant tumor tissues and paracancerous OSCC patient samples were harvested and the LGALS2 expression levels were examined through qPCR and western immunoblotting. The LGALS2 coding sequence was introduced into the pcDNA3.0 vector, to enable the overexpression of this gene, while an LGALS2-specific shRNA and corresponding controls were also obtained.… More >

Yulei Chen¹, Zhaojun Chen^1,2, Shichao Wang¹, Yang Hang¹, Jianpeng Guo^1,*

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.4, pp. 303-315, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.046863

Abstract Social-Emotional Competency (SEC), regarded as a critical psychological resource for individuals to adapt to social environments, is an effective protective factor for students’ mental health, impacting their future success and well-being. Analyzing the impact of SEC on university students’ mental health can offer valuable insights for nurturing talents with healthy psychological and physical development. Based on data from two large-scale surveys of Chinese university students, this study designed two comprehensive Multiple Mediation Models involving SEC, stress, coping strategies, and stress reaction to explore the pathway of emotion nurturing mentality. Study 1 utilized a parallel mediation model to examine the relationships… More >

Muhammad Waleed Ayub Ghouri¹, Guofeng Wang², Muhammad Ali Hussain³, Zhisheng Li^1,*, Tachia Chin¹

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.4, pp. 279-292, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2024.044759

Abstract Crises in the past have caused devastating, long-lasting impacts on the global economy. The after-effects always bring some dynamic and rigorous challenges for businesses and governments. Such challenges have always been a point of discussion for scholars. The recent COVID-19 pandemic emaciated the global economy, leaving everyone mired in uncertainty, fear, and psychological impairments. One of the headwind features utilized by consumers during pandemic was panic buying (PB), which must be explored in various contexts for policymakers and practitioners. To address this gap, this study deployed a moderated mediation mechanism, integrating the health belief model (HBM) and competitive arousal theory… More >

Ruiqin Tian^*, Yue Feng, Lingqi Zhan

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, Vol.26, No.4, pp. 325-334, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ijmhp.2023.042827

Abstract With the advent of the post-epidemic era, a great wave of tourism has been ushered in everywhere. The relationship between tourism and mental health has become a hot topic in society. This paper investigates the enhancement of people’s mental health after tourism through social survey. Using Hangzhou as the sample collection site, this paper conducted a study on the role of tourism in enhancing personal mental health through descriptive analysis, factor analysis and structural equation modeling, and further specifically analyzed the role of mediating variables. The results showed that: (1) The purpose of tourism is to relax and relieve stress,… More >

Guangwei Sun^1,2,#, Xuanhao Zhang^3,#, Yi Liu³, Liguang Chai², Daisong Liu², Zhenguo Chen^1,*, Shiyou Lü^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.4, pp. 641-659, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.049285

Abstract The Nicotiana genus, commonly known as tobacco, holds significant importance as a crucial economic crop. Confronted with an abundance of herbivorous insects that pose a substantial threat to yield, tobacco has developed a diverse and sophisticated array of mechanisms, establishing itself as a model of plant ecological defense. This review provides a concise overview of the current understanding of tobacco’s defense strategies against herbivores. Direct defenses, exemplified by its well-known tactic of secreting the alkaloid nicotine, serve as a potent toxin against a broad spectrum of herbivorous pests. Moreover, in response to herbivore attacks, tobacco enhances the discharge of volatile… More >

Dong Pan¹, Xu Gui¹, Jiayin Xu¹, Yuming Shen¹, Haoran Xu², Yinghao Ma^2,*

Energy Engineering, Vol.121, No.5, pp. 1309-1328, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ee.2024.046464

Abstract With the increasing urgency of the carbon emission reduction task, the generation expansion planning process needs to add carbon emission risk constraints, in addition to considering the level of power adequacy. However, methods for quantifying and assessing carbon emissions and operational risks are lacking. It results in excessive carbon emissions and frequent load-shedding on some days, although meeting annual carbon emission reduction targets. First, in response to the above problems, carbon emission and power balance risk assessment indicators and assessment methods, were proposed to quantify electricity abundance and carbon emission risk level of power planning scenarios, considering power supply regulation… More >

Bin Chen¹, Ziyang Li¹, Shipeng Li¹, Qingzhou Zhao¹, Xingdou Liu^2,*

Energy Engineering, Vol.121, No.5, pp. 1291-1307, 2024, DOI:10.32604/ee.2024.046374

Abstract To reduce carbon emissions, clean energy is being integrated into the power system. Wind power is connected to the grid in a distributed form, but its high variability poses a challenge to grid stability. This article combines wind turbine monitoring data with numerical weather prediction (NWP) data to create a suitable wind power prediction framework for distributed grids. First, high-precision NWP of the turbine range is achieved using weather research and forecasting models (WRF), and Kriging interpolation locates predicted meteorological data at the turbine site. Then, a preliminary predicted power series is obtained based on the fan’s wind speed-power conversion… More >