Research Publications (Food Safety)

Metals are among the most prevalent pollutants released into the environment. For these reasons, the use of biomarkers for environmental monitoring of individuals and populations exposed to metal pollution has gained considerable attention, offering fast and sensitive detection of chemical stress in organisms.

In order to determine the potential heavy metal contamination in soil across Dongguan City, 124 soil samples from seven land use types were collected, four heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, and Cu) were analyzed. Total Cd, Cr, and Cu contents were significantly higher than the background values for Guangdong Province. Lead bioaccessibility in urban green land was lower than that in industrial and abandoned districts.

The objective of this study is to identify the feasibility of using rhamnolipid biosurfactant to remediate heavy metals contained in manganese nodules collected from the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, Pacific Ocean. Deep-sea manganese nodules may represent one of the most important future natural resources for heavy metals due to the depletion of resources on land.

Author(s): Hui Li, Guilan Di, Yi Zhang, Rongrong Xue, Jing Zhang, Junping Liang

This study focused on the effects of biochar (BC) application on soil chemical properties and mobilization of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in the paddy soil. BC was applied at the rate of 0, 10, 20 and 40 t ha‐1, respectively. BC application caused significant increase in soil organic carbon contents (SOC), pH, nitrate nitrogen (NO3‐‐N), and available phosphorus contents (AP) in the top and subsurface soil, while SOC contents in the subsurface soil decreased with increasing rate of BC.

Both cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are associated with bone health, but studies exploring the effects of Cd and Pb co‐exposure on bone health are rare. This study aimed to assess the interactive effects of Cd and Pb co‐exposure on bone health. In total, 799 participants, living in the targeted areas (located in southwestern China) for more than 15 years, aged 40‐75 years, and subsisted on homegrown rice and vegetables were investigated.

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterial pathogen that causes food poisoning, various infections, and sepsis. Effective strategies and new drugs are needed to control S. aureus associated infections due to the emergence and rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance. In the present study, the antibacterial activity, potential mode of action, and applications of flavonoids from licorice were investigated.

Author(s): Afsheen Zehra, Zulfiqar Ali Sahito, Wenbin Tong, Lin Tang, Yasir Hamid, Qiong Wang, Xuerui Cao, Muhammad Bilal Khan, Bilal Hussain, Shakeel Ahmed Jatoi, Zhenli He, Xiaoe Yang

Defeat of the antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria is one great challenge today and for the future. In the last century many classes of effective antibacterials have been developed, so that upcoming resistances could be met with novel drugs of various compound classes. Meanwhile, there is a certain lack of research of the pharmaceutical companies, and thus there are missing developments of novel antibiotics. Gram-positive bacteria are the most important cause of clinical infections.

Menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) cultivation is significantly affected by the heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) which also imposes severe health hazards. Two menthol mint cultivars namely Kosi and Kushal were evaluated under Cd stress conditions. Impact of plant growth regulators (PGRs) like salicylic acid (SA), gibberellic acid (GA3) and triacontanol (Tria) on Cd stress tolerance was assessed.

Author(s): Xianli Yang, Zhiyong Zhao, Yanglan Tan, Bo Chen, Changyan Zhou, Aibo Wu

Author(s): Yong-Wei Xiong, Hua-Long Zhu, Yuan Nan, Xue-Lin Cao, Xue-Ting Shi, Song-Jia Yi, Yu-Jie Feng, Cheng Zhang, Lan Gao, Yuan-Hua Chen, De-Xiang Xu, Hua Wang

Author(s): Hong-Rae Kim, Byoung-Gi An, Young Wook Chang, Min-Jung Kang, Jae-Gwan Park, Jae-Chul Pyun

ABSTRACT

Does integration into commercial markets lead people to work longer hours? Does this mean that people in more subsistence-oriented societies work less compared to those in more market-integrated societies? Despite their venerable status in both anthropology and economic history, these questions have been difficult to address due to a dearth...

Lead (Pb) is extremely toxic and a major cause of chronic diseases worldwide. Pb is associated with health disparities, particularly within low-income populations. In biological systems, Pb mimics calcium and, among other effects, interrupts cell signaling. Furthermore, Pb exposure results in epigenetic changes that affect multigenerational gene expression. Exposure to...

Voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) are a key determinant of neuronal signalling. Neurotoxins from diverse taxa that selectively activate or inhibit NaV channels have helped unravel the role of NaV channels in diseases, including chronic pain. Spider venoms contain the most diverse array of inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) toxins (knottins).

Author(s): Seungbaek Lee, Youngho Kim, Jinhee Choi

Author(s): Shihao Chen, Tongwang luo, Qi Yu, Wenxuan Dong, Huiyan Zhang, Hui Zou

Concentrations of mercury and other heavy metals were measured in soils surrounding the Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia where underground coal fires are regarded as an important contamination source. Soil samples at the downwind direction were nearly all enriched mercury in surface layers, with their concentrations ~ 10 times higher than those from upwind soils.

Cooperation in transboundary river basins can make water resources systems more efficient and benefit riparian stakeholders. However, in a basin with upstream and downstream stakeholders that have different interests, non‐cooperative outcomes have often been observed. These can be described by a one‐shot prisoners’ dilemma game where non‐cooperation (defection) is a dominant equilibrium strategy.

Author(s): Parzhak Zoufan, Zeynab Azad, Afrasyab Rahnama Ghahfarokhie, Maryam Kolahi

Author(s): Divya Pal, Subodh Kumar Maiti

Author(s): Can Feng, Yue Chen, Shirong Zhang, Guiyin Wang, Qinmei Zhong, Wei Zhou, Xiaoxun Xu, Ting Li

Author(s): Mohammad Hosein Sinkakarimi, Eisa Solgi, Abasalt Hosseinzadeh Colagar