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Background: Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a prevalent chronic non-infectious inflammation affecting the nasal mucosa. NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis of epithelial cells plays a pivotal role in AR pathogenesis. Herein, we evaluated the impact of the long non-coding RNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (lncRNA NEAT1) on NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-mediated pyroptosis in AR., Methods: Nasal inflammation levels in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mice were assessed using HE staining, and NLRP3 expression was evaluated through immunohistochemistry. ELISA was utilized to detect OVA-specific IgE, IL-6, IL-5, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18). Human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) stimulated with IL4/IL13 were used to analyze the mRNA and protein levels of associated genes utilizing RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively. Cell viability and pyroptosis were assessed by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. The targeting relationship between NEAT1, PTBP1 and FOXP1 were analyzed by RIP and RNA pull down assays. FISH and IF analysis were performed to assess the co-localization of NEAT1 and PTBP1., Results: In both the AR mouse and cellular models, increased levels of NEAT1, PTBP1 and FOXP1 were observed. AR mice exhibited elevated inflammatory infiltration and pyroptosis, evidenced by enhanced expressions of OVA-specific IgE, IL-6, and IL-5, NLRP3, Cleaved-caspase 1, GSDMD-N, IL-1β and IL-18. Functional assays revealed that knockdown of PTBP1 or NEAT1 inhibited pyroptosis while promoting the proliferation of IL4/IL13-treated HNEpCs. Mechanistically, NEAT1 directly interacted with PTBP1, thereby maintaining FOXP1 mRNA stability. Rescue assays demonstrated that FOXP1 upregulation reversed the inhibitory effects of silencing NEAT1 or PTBP1 on IL4/IL13-stimulated pyroptosis activation in HNEpCs., Conclusion: NEAT1 acts as a RNA scaffold for PTBP1, activating the PTBP1/FOXP1 signaling cascade, subsequently triggering NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in HNEpCs, and ultimately promoting AR progression. These findings highlight some new insights into the pathogenesis of AR., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Adenoid hypertrophy can lead to adenoidal mouth breathing, which can result in "adenoid face" and, in severe cases, can even lead to respiratory tract obstruction. The Fujioka ratio method, which calculates the ratio of adenoid (A) to nasopharyngeal (N) space in an adenoidal-cephalogram (A/N), is a well-recognized and effective technique for detecting adenoid hypertrophy. However, this process is time-consuming and relies on personal experience, so a fully automated and standardized method needs to be designed. Most of the current deep learning-based methods for automatic diagnosis of adenoids are CNN-based methods, which are more sensitive to features similar to adenoids in lateral views and can affect the final localization results. In this study, we designed a local attention-based method for automatic diagnosis of adenoids, which takes AdeBlock as the basic module, fuses the spatial and channel information of adenoids through two-branch local attention computation, and combines the downsampling method without losing spatial information. Our method achieved mean squared error (MSE) 0.0023, mean radial error (MRE) 1.91, and SD (standard deviation) 7.64 on the three hospital datasets, outperforming other comparative methods., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the development of low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) following anus-preserving surgery for rectal cancer, and to assess the impact of a rapid rehabilitation surgical nursing intervention on patient outcomes. LARS is a significant issue for patients undergoing these surgeries, as it can severely impact quality of life. Understanding the risk factors for LARS is crucial to develop targeted interventions to improve post-operative recovery., Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 78 rectal cancer patients who underwent anus-preserving radical resection. The occurrence of LARS was assessed using the LARS score scale. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors that may affect the development of LARS, including distance of the anastomosis from the anal verge, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, and postoperative anastomotic leakage. Additionally, the study compared outcomes between two patient groups - a control group receiving routine surgical nursing care, and an experimental group receiving a rapid rehabilitation surgical nursing intervention. This intervention included preoperative patient education, optimized anesthesia and surgical techniques, and intensive postoperative rehabilitation. Key outcomes measured included time to first flatus, time to first defecation, duration of pain-free days, length of hospital stay, and total hospitalization costs., Results: The univariate regression analysis showed that the distance from the anastomosis to the anal verge (OR=4.364, P < .001, 95% CI 2.732-7.257), preoperative chemoradiotherapy (OR=9.135, P = .004, 95% CI 1.963-40.316), and postoperative anastomotic leakage (OR=2.636, P < .001, 95% CI 1.641-4.245) were significant risk factors for the development of LARS. The multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that a shorter distance between the anastomosis and anal margin, preoperative radiotherapy, and postoperative anastomotic leakage were independent predictors of LARS (all P < .05). Comparison of the two patient groups showed that the rapid rehabilitation surgical nursing intervention had a significant positive impact. Patients in the experimental group (group E) had a significantly shorter time to first exhaust (62.19±7.43 minutes vs. 96.18±10.62 minutes in group C, P < .001) and first defecation (85.26±8.41 minutes vs. 130.26±12.38 minutes in group C, P < .001). Group E also experienced a longer duration of 0 pain score days (3.57±0.72 days vs. 5.42±1.05 days in group C, P < .001), shorter hospital stays (10.15±2.05 days vs. 15.33±1.23 days in group C, P < .001), and lower total hospitalization costs (31.80±3.70 thousand Yuan vs. 42.80±5.60 thousand Yuan in group C, P < .001)., Conclusion: This study identified the distance between the anastomosis and anal margin, preoperative radiotherapy, and postoperative anastomotic leakage as independent risk factors for the development of LARS in patients undergoing anus-preserving surgery for rectal cancer. These findings can inform preoperative risk assessment and guide surgical planning to mitigate the risk of LARS. Patients identified as high-risk may benefit from more intensive preoperative counseling and targeted nursing interventions to optimize postoperative bowel function. Notably, the rapid rehabilitation surgical nursing intervention demonstrated significant benefits in accelerating patient recovery, reducing complications, and lowering overall healthcare utilization. This comprehensive nursing approach, encompassing preoperative education, optimized perioperative management, and intensive postoperative rehabilitation, offers a promising model to improve standards of care for rectal cancer patients undergoing anus-preserving surgeries. Widespread adoption of such targeted nursing interventions has the potential to enhance patient outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare resource efficiency in this patient population.

The pathogenesis of Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) involves several forms of cell death, such as pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, which consist of PANoptosis. To explore PANoptosis as a regulated cell death pathway in ACLF. Firstly, a bioinformatic strategy was used to observe the role of the PANoptosis pathway in ACLF and identify differentially expressed genes related to PANoptosis. Enrichment analysis showed that PANoptosis-related pathways were up-regulated in ACLF. We screened out BAX from the intersection of pyroptosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, and DEGs. Secondly, we screened articles from literature databases related to PANoptosis and liver failure, and specific forms of PANoptosis were reported in different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Secondly, we established a model of ACLF using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. A substantial release of inflammatory factors(IL-6, IL-18, TNFα, and IFNγ) and the key proteins of PANoptosis (NLRP3, CASP1, GSDMD, BAX, CASP8, CASP3, CASP7, and MLKL) were detected independently in the ACLF rats. Finally, we found that combining TNF-α/INF-γ inflammatory cytokines could induce L02 cells PANoptosis. Our study highlighted the potential role of ACLF and helps drug discovery targeting PANoptosis in the future., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), with the strong toxicity and carcinogenicity, has been reported to great toxicity to the liver and other organs of animals. It cause huge economic losses to breeding industry, including the aquaculture industry. Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis), as one of important species of freshwater aquaculture in China, are deeply disturbed by it. However, the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of hepatopancreas and ovary in crabs underlying coping ability are still unclear. Hence, we conducted targeted injection experiment with or without AFB1, and comprehensively analyzed transcriptome and metabolomics of hepatopancreas and ovary. As a result, 210 and 250 DEGs were identified in the L-C vs. L-30 m and L-C vs. L-60 m comparison, among which 14 common DEGs were related to six major functional categories, including antibacterial and detoxification, ATP energy reaction, redox reaction, nerve reaction, liver injury repair and immune reaction. A total of 228 and 401 DAMs in the ML-C vs. ML-30 m and ML-C vs. ML-60 m comparison both enriched 12 pathways, with clear functions of cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, purine metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, ABC transporters and tryptophan metabolism. Integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptome in hepatopancreas discovered three Co-enriched pathways, including steroid biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. In summary, the expression levels and functions of related genes and metabolites reveal the regulatory mechanism of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) adaptability to the Aflatoxin B1, and the findings contribute to a new perspective for understanding Aflatoxin B1 and provide some ideas for dealing with it., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Yang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a refractory disease with high mortality, which is characterized by a pathophysiological process of inflammation-related dysfunction of energy metabolism. Jieduan-Niwan formula (JDNWF) is a eutherapeutic Chinese medicine formula for ACLF. However, the intrinsic mechanism of its anti-ACLF effect still need to be studied systematically., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of JDNWF against ACLF based on altered substance metabolic profile in ACLF the expression levels of related molecules., Materials and Methods: The chemical characteristics of JDNWF were characterized using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Wistar rats subjected to a long-term CCL 4 stimulation followed by a combination of an acute attack with LPS/D-GalN were used to establish the ACLF model. Liver metabolites were analyzed by LC-MS/MS and multivariate analysis. Liver function, coagulation function, histopathology, mitochondrial metabolic enzyme activity and mitochondrial damage markers were evaluated. The protein expression of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) was investigated by western blot., Results: Liver function, coagulation function, inflammation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial enzyme activity were significantly improved by JDNWF. 108 metabolites are considered as biomarkers of JDNWF in treating ACLF, which were closely related to TCA cycle. It was further suggested that JDNWF alleviated mitochondrial damage and MQC may be potential mechanism of JDNWF improving mitochondrial function., Conclusions: Metabolomics revealed that TCA cycle was impaired in ACLF rats, and JDNWF had a regulatory effect on it. The potential mechanism may be improving the mitochondrial function through MQC pathway, thus restoring energy metabolism., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this study, the catalytic activity of bifunctional SiO 2 /Zr catalysts prepared by template and chelate methods using potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHF) for crude palm oil (CPO) hydrocracking to biofuels was investigated. The parent catalyst was successfully prepared by the sol-gel method, followed by the impregnation of zirconium using ZrOCl 2 ·8H 2 O as a precursor. The morphological, structural, and textural properties of the catalysts were examined using several techniques, including electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray with mapping, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, particle size analyzer (PSA), N 2 adsorption-desorption, Fourier transform infrared-pyridine, and total and surface acidity analysis using the gravimetric method. The results showed that the physicochemical properties of SiO 2 /Zr were affected by different preparation methods. The template method assisted by KHF (SiO 2 /Zr-KHF2 and SiO 2 -KHF catalysts) provides a porous structure and high catalyst acidity. The catalyst prepared by the chelate method assisted by KHF (SiO 2 /Zr-KHF1) exhibited excellent Zr dispersion toward the SiO 2 surface. The modification remarkably enhanced the catalytic activity of the parent catalyst in the order SiO 2 /Zr-KHF2 > SiO 2 /Zr-KHF1 > SiO 2 /Zr > SiO 2 -KHF > SiO 2 , with sufficient CPO conversion. The modified catalysts also suppressed coke formation and resulted in a high liquid yield. The catalyst features of SiO 2 /Zr-KHF1 promoted high-selectivity biofuel toward biogasoline, whereas SiO 2 /Zr-KHF2 led to an increase in the selectivity toward biojet. Reusability studies showed that the prepared catalysts were adequately stable over three consecutive runs for CPO conversion. Overall, SiO 2 /Zr prepared by the template method assisted by KHF was chosen as the most prominent catalyst for CPO hydrocracking., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tongxinluo (TXL) is one of the most common traditional Chinese medicines and plays a vital role in treating atherosclerosis (AS). Endothelial cell (EC) pyroptosis plays a crucial role in the development of AS. Previous research revealed the inhibitory function of TXL in EC apoptosis and autophagy. However, whether TXL can inhibit the pyroptosis of ECs has not been determined., Aim of the Study: To explore the influence of TXL on EC pyroptosis and determine its underlying mechanism of action in AS., Materials and Methods: The TXL components were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. We used ApoE -/- mice to establish a disease model of AS. After treatment with TXL, we recorded pathological changes in the mice and performed immunofluorescence staining of mice aortas. We also measured protein and gene levels to explore the influence of TXL on pyroptosis in vivo. The model was established by stimulating mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and analyzing the effect of TXL on pyroptosis by Western blotting (WB), real-time PCR (RT-PCR), and flow cytometry (FCM). We also investigated the impact of TXL on reactive oxygen species (ROS) by FCM and WB., Results: Ten major components of TXL were detected. The vivo results showed that TXL inhibited the development of AS and decreased EC pyroptosis, the activation of caspase-1, and the release of inflammatory cytokines. The vitro experiments showed that TXL significantly reduced the extent of injury to MAECs by oxidized LDL (ox-LDL). TXL reversed the high expression of gasdermin D and other proteins induced by ox-LDL and had a significant synergistic effect with the caspase-1 inhibitor VX-765. We also confirmed that TXL decreased the accumulation of ROS and the expression levels of its essential regulatory proteins Cox2 and iNOS. When ROS accumulation was reduced, EC pyroptotic damage was reduced accordingly., Conclusion: Our results indicated that TXL inhibited EC pyroptosis in AS. Reducing the accumulation of ROS may be the essential mechanism of AS inhibition by TXL., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we summarize recent advances in the synthesis of magnetic catalysts utilized for biodiesel production, particularly focusing on the physicochemical properties, activity, and reusability of magnetic mixed metal oxides, supported magnetic catalysts, ionic acid-functionalized magnetic catalysts, heteropolyacid-based magnetic catalysts, and metal-organic framework-based magnetic catalysts. The prevailing reaction conditions in the production of biodiesel are also discussed. Lastly, the current limitations and challenges for future research needs in the magnetic catalyst field are presented., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Li, Wang, Jin, Zhang, Cheng and Zhang.)

Catalase (CAT) is an important antioxidant enzyme in plants that plays a key role in plant growth and stress responses. CAT is usually encoded by a small gene family that has been cloned and functionally studied in some species, such as Arabidopsis , wheat and cucumber, but its specific roles in rice are not clear at present. In this study, we identified three CAT family genes ( OsCAT1 , OsCAT2 and OsCAT3 ) in the rice genome and performed a systematic bioinformatics analysis. RT-PCR analysis revealed that OsCAT1-OsCAT3 was primarily expressed in vegetative tissues such as roots, stems and leaves. Since OsCAT3 showed the highest expression level among the three OsCAT genes, we then focused on its related functions. OsCAT3 prokaryotic expression protein has an obvious ability to remove H 2 O 2 . The OsCAT3 crispr plant was short and had a low survival rate, the leaves were small with brown lesions, and the activities of the CAT, POD and SOD enzymes were significantly reduced. A microarray analysis showed that differentially expressed genes were primarily enriched in toxin metabolism and photosynthesis. This study laid a foundation for further understanding the function of the rice OsCAT gene.

To further understand the molecular mechanism for rice male reproduction, a rice male sterile mutant paa1 was screened from the rice mutant library generated by treatment with 60 Coγ-rays. Genetic analysis revealed that paa1 is controlled by a single- recessive nuclear gene, and the anthers of the paa1 mutant were smaller than those of WT plants with a white color. Histological analysis demonstrated that the anthers of the paa1 mutant began to turn abnormal at the microspore stage after meiosis, with abnormal degradation of tapetum, deformed Ubisch bodies, and defective pollen exine. TUNEL assay results also confirmed the delay of tapetum PCD in paa1. Map-based cloning was performed for the PAA1 location. As a result, PAA1 was located in a 88-kb region at the end of chromosome 10, which comprises a total of seven candidate genes, and no genes related to anther development have been reported in this region. The results indicate that PAA1 is an essential gene in regulating tapetum development and pollen/microspore formation after rice meiosis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have widespread application prospects in the field of catalysis owing to their functionally adjustable metal sites and adjustable structure. In this minireview, we summarize the current advancements in zirconium-based metal-organic framework (Zr-based MOF) catalysts (including single Zr-based MOFs, modified Zr-based MOFs, and Zr-based MOF derivatives) for green biofuel synthesis. Additionally, the yields, conversions, and reusability of Zr-based MOF catalysts for the production of biodiesel are compared. Finally, the challenges and future prospects regarding Zr-based MOFs and their derivatives for catalytic application in the biorefinery field are highlighted.

Background: As a frequent cause of death in cancer patients, liver cancer usually occurs in hepatitis B and cirrhosis. In China, Chinese people have been using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating various chronic liver diseases, which could effectively improve the symptoms and slow down the progression of liver diseases. However, due to the complexity rules of TCM prescription, their action mechanisms are still not clearly understood, which may affect the popularization of effective prescriptions. This study aims to identify the core TCM herbs in the treatment of hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer so as to clarify the mechanism of action of the core herb networks., Methods: There were 1,673 prescriptions for chronic liver diseases collected in this study, of which 854 were hepatic B prescriptions, 530 were for liver cirrhosis, and 289 were for liver cancer. The basic characteristics of herbal medicine were firstly explained via descriptive analysis, then the core prescriptions of herbal medicine were analyzed through association rule, and finally, the mechanism of core prescriptions was explored with the help of systematic network pharmacology and by applying such databases as TCMIP, HERB, OMIM, GeneCards, KEGG, and software like RStudio and Cytoscape., Results: The rule of the core prescriptions in these cases was characterized by the application of herbs with both cold and warm properties, in which bitter herbs with cold property took priority. Tonifying deficiency, clearing heat, and activating blood circulations to remove stasis were common treatment principles for the three liver diseases. Turmeric Root Tuber (YuJin), White Peony Root (BaiShao), Bupleurum (ChaiHu), Salvia miltiorrhiza (DanShen), and Astragali Radix (HuangQi) were prescribed the most in hepatitis B treatment to invigorate the spleen and soothe the liver. Astragali Radix (HuangQi), Tuckahoe (FuLing), Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (BaiZhu), Fructus Polygoni Orientalis (ShuiHongHuaZi), and Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu) were most frequently applied in liver cirrhosis treatment to replenish qi and activate blood. Oldenlandia (BaiHuaSheSheCao), Bearded Scutellaria (BanZhiLian), Curcumae Rhizome (EZhu), and Cardamom (DouKou) were most frequently prescribed to eliminate cancer toxin, invigorate the spleen, and activate blood. These core herbs mainly act through signal transduction and immune system pathways, in which the PI3K-Akt pathway plays a key role. The core prescription for liver cirrhosis regulated more endocrine system pathways than the hepatitis B prescription, and liver cancer prescription regulated more nervous system-related pathways., Conclusion: Three core prescriptions for hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer treatment were identified, which acted mainly through signal transduction and immune system pathways to regulate immunity and cell growth and participate in inflammation inhibition, in which liver cancer prescription regulated more pathways, especially more nervous system-related pathways than the other two., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhendong Wang et al.)

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a critical and refractory disease and a hepatic disorder accompanied by immune dysfunction. Thus, it is essential to explore key immune-related genes of ACLF and investigate its mechanisms. We used two public datasets (GSE142255 and GSE168048) to perform various bioinformatics analyses, including WGCNA, CIBERSORT, and GSEA. We also constructed an ACLF immune-related protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to obtain hub differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and predict corresponding miRNAs. Finally, an ACLF rat model was established to verify the results. A total of 388 DEGs were identified in ACLF, including 162 upregulated and 226 downregulated genes. The enrichment analyses revealed that these DEGs were mainly involved in inflammatory-immune responses and biosynthetic metabolic pathways. Twenty-eight gene modules were obtained using WGCNA and the coral1 and darkseagreen4 modules were highly correlated with M1 macrophage polarization. As a result, 10 hub genes and 2 miRNAs were identified to be significantly altered in ACLF. The bioinformatics analyses of the two datasets presented valuable insights into the pathogenesis and screening of hub genes of ACLF. These results might contribute to a better understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms of ACLF. Finally, further studies are required to validate our current findings., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) formula is a traditional Chinese medicine compound created by the famous Chinese medicine expert Professor Qian Ying, and has been used clinically for decades to treat acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and exhibits remarkable efficacy. However, the exact mechanism remains to be discovered. As an important hepatocyte damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) factor, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a potential therapeutic target as an accelerator of ACLF in the pathogenesis. Therefore, the present study investigated whether JDNW inhibits the overexpression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 in ACLF liver tissue and alleviates its mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis. In vivo, an immune-induced ACLF rat model was established, and then treated with JDNW for 5, 10, and 15 d. The results showed that a large number of cytoplasmic translocations of HMGB1 occurred in the ACLF group. And there was an increase in the expression of HMGB1 in the M-5 d group. After the intervention of JDNW, the overexpression and translocation of HMGB1 were inhibited. In vitro, D-GaLN caused an increase in the expression and translocation of HMGB1 in L02 cells. Similar to the inhibitor of HMGB1, JDNW serum alleviated this kind of increase. Further tests showed that JDNW attenuated ACLF-related oxidative stress and apoptosis, and the inhibition was associated with the regulation of TLR-4/NF- κ B signaling pathway. In conclusion, our present findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of JDNW on ACLF was associated with the inhibition of high expression and cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1 during the acute injury phase, thus, attenuating oxidative stress injury and apoptosis induced by HMGB1/TLR-4/NF- κ B pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Peng Fang et al.)

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has emerged as an effective alternative for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), but ablation lesions will result in swelling and hematoma of local surrounding tissue, triggering inflammatory cell infiltration and increased release of inflammatory cytokines. Some studies have shown that the inflammatory response may be related to the early occurrence of AF. The most direct way to inhibit perioperative inflammation is to use anti-inflammatory drugs such as glucocorticoids. Here, we prepared polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with budesonide (BUD) and delivered them through irrigation of saline during the onset of ablation. Local high temperature promoted local rupture of PLGA nanoparticles, releasing BUD, and produced a timely and effective local myocardial anti-inflammatory effect, resulting in the reduction of acute hematoma and inflammatory cell infiltration and the enhancement of ablation effect. Nanoparticles would also infiltrate into the local myocardium and gradually release BUD ingredients to produce a continuous anti-inflammatory effect in the next few days. This resulted in a decrease in the level of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and an increase of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This study explored an extraordinary drug delivery strategy to reduce ablation-related inflammation, which may prevent early recurrence of AF., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Ye Liu et al.)

The persistence of antibiotics in sewage treatment plants in recent years has become a serious problem. Meanwhile, humic acid and ammonia nitrogen are widely distributed in natural reservoirs and might influence the sorption, migration and transformation of antibiotics. In this study, natural zeolite (NZ) was evaluated as an adsorbent for the removal of levofloxacin (LEV). The physical and chemical properties of NZ before and after adsorption were characterized by various analytical techniques to develop the mechanism. The effects of ammonia nitrogen and humic acid (HA) on the interfacial behavior of LEV on NZ were explored. Comparative experiments revealed that LEV adsorption on NZ involved electrostatic interactions and ion exchange, and the adsorption processes were well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudosecond-order kinetic model. The maximum experimental adsorption capacity of LEV was 22.17 mg·g -1 at pH 6.5. The presence of ammonia nitrogen and HA significantly suppressed the adsorption of LEV due to competitive adsorption, and the adsorption capacity decreased 58 and 46%, respectively. It is obvious that low concentrations of ammonia nitrogen and HA are conducive to improving the treatment effect of sewage. This study demonstrates that NZ is a promising and efficient material for LEV adsorption.

Aiming at the ecological footprint model, the traditional trade adjustment method only considered the international trade process at the urban scale, ignoring the trade footprint generated by domestic trade and indirect trade in various products. This paper adopts the urban-scale ecological footprint model based on the macro-trade adjustment method to calculate the trade adjustment coefficient of biological products and the energy trade adjustment coefficient respectively to correct the trade footprint. The results showed that the per capita ecological deficit showed a straight upward trend, from 0.07351 hm 2 in 2013 to 0.15472 hm 2 in 2018. From 2013 to 2018, the per capita ecological footprint of Guangdong Province was greater than the per capita ecological carrying capacity, and the ecological economic system of Guangdong Province was in an unsustainable state. According to the trade ecological footprint, Guangdong Province was a completely foreign resource and service exporting city, which was consistent with Guangdong Province's own economic development direction; the analysis results of the ecological product trade footprint were more consistent with the current city positioning of biological resource products of each city, and the energy indirect trade footprint. The improved ecological footprint model could more accurately assess the true status of ecological vitality above the urban scale., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a critical disease with a high fatality rate. Immune dysfunction and inflammatory responses are key risk factors in ACLF. Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by the release of inflammatory cytokines, which causes the strong inflammatory responses. High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) could induce pyroptosis and is closely related to ACLF. However, the role of HMGB1-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis in ACLF has never been proposed; whether HMGB1-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis participates in the development of ACLF and the mechanisms involved are barely understood., Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the roles of HMGB1-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis in ACLF and the molecular mechanisms involved., Methods: Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, viz.: Normal, ACLF model, HMGB1 inhibitor, Caspase-1 inhibitor, and HMGB1 inhibitor+Caspase-1 inhibitor groups. The ACLF rat model was established using 40% carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. The liver function, coagulation function and pathological damage of rats in each group were evaluated. The biological mechanisms of HMGB1-induced pyroptosis and the release of inflammatory cytokines were investigated using Western blot, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay., Results: The liver function and coagulation function of ACLF rats were seriously impaired; liver tissue showed massive or submassive necrosis, accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration; the percentage of pyroptotic hepatocytes significantly increased, and a large number of inflammatory cytokines were released. The expression levels of pyroptosis-related genes and proteins in liver tissues and serum significantly increased. But these phenomenons were improved by the inhibition of HMGB1, and the dual inhibition of HMGB1 and Caspase-1 showed a stronger effect., Conclusion: The findings indicate, for the first time, that pyroptosis is a crucial pathophysiological event of ACLF involved in its pathogenesis, and HMGB1-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis expands inflammatory responses to aggravate ACLF, suggesting that it may be a potential therapeutic target for ACLF treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to this work., (© 2021 Hou et al.)

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major public health issue as its progression increases risks of multisystem morbidity and mortality. Recent evidence indicates a more complex relationship between hypertension and NAFLD than previously thought. In this study, a comprehensive literature search was used to gather information supporting the comorbidity phenomenon of hypertension and NAFLD. Then, systems biology approach was applied to identify the potential genes and mechanisms simultaneously associated with hypertension and NAFLD. With the help of protein-protein interaction network-based algorithm, we found that the distance between hypertension and NAFLD was much less than random ones. Sixty-four shared genes of hypertension and NAFLD modules were identified as core genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that some inflammatory, metabolic and endocrine signals were related to the potential biological functions of core genes. More importantly, drugs used to treat cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, inflammatory diseases and depression could be potential therapeutics against hypertension-NAFLD co-occurrence. After analyzing public OMICs data, ALDH1A1 was identified as a potential therapeutic target, without being affected by reverse causality. These findings give a clue for the potential mechanisms of comorbidity of hypertension and NAFLD and highlight the multiple target-therapeutic strategy of NAFLD for future clinical research.

Biomass, the only globally available, renewable feedstock of organic carbon, is considered a viable alternative to fossil fuels. It can be efficiently utilized to produce various building blocks in accordance with green and sustainable chemistry principles. In this review, recent progress, such as the transformation of carbohydrates (C5 or C6 sugar, inulin, and cellulose) and their derivatives (furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural) into significant platform chemicals over polyoxometalates, zeolites, non-noble metals, and ionic liquids in single or multiphase, is evaluated., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Liu, Yu, Yang, Zhang, Wu and Li.)

An ideal periosteum substitute should be able to mimic the periosteum microenvironment that continuously provides growth factors, recruits osteoblasts, and subsequent extracellular matrix (ECM) mineralization to accelerate bone regeneration. Here, a calcium-binding peptide-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun membrane modified by the shish-kebab structure that can mimic the periosteum microenvironment was developed as a bionic periosteum. The calcium-binding peptide formed by the negatively charged heptaglutamate domain (E7) in the E7-BMP-2 with calcium ion in the tricalcium phosphate sol (TCP sol) through electrostatic chelation not only extended the release cycle of E7-BMP-2 but also promoted the biomineralization of the bionic periosteum. Cell experiments showed that the bionic periosteum could significantly improve the osteogenic differentiation of the rat-bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) through both chemical composition and physical structure. The in vivo evaluation of the bionic periosteum confirmed the inherent osteogenesis of this periosteum microenvironment, which could promote the regeneration of vascularized bone tissue. Therefore, the hierarchical nanostructured electrospun membrane with periosteum-mimic microenvironment is a promising periosteum substitute for the treatment of bone defects., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of acute liver failure that occurs on the basis of chronic liver disease, which is characterized by a rapid deterioration in a short period and high mortality. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) may be involved in the pathological process of ACLF; its specific role remains to be further elucidated. Our previous studies have shown that quercetin (Que) exerts anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects by inhibiting HMGB1 in vitro. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Que on liver injury in ACLF rats., Methods: The contents of ALT, AST, TBiL, and PT time of rats in each group were observed. HE staining was used to detect liver pathology. The levels of oxidative stress indicators such as MDA, GSH, and 4-HNE in the rat liver were detected. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in rat hepatocytes. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were performed to explore the protective effect of Que on ACLF rats and the underlying mechanism., Results: The results showed that Que could reduce the increase of serum biochemical indices, improve liver pathology, and reduce liver damage in ACLF rats. Further results confirmed that Que reduced the occurrence of oxidative stress and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and these reactions may aggravate the progress of ACLF. Meanwhile, the results of immunofluorescence and western blotting also confirmed that the expression of HMGB1 and extranuclear translocation in ACLF rat hepatocytes were significantly increased, which was alleviated by the treatment of Que. In addition, when cotreated with glycyrrhizin (Gly), an inhibitor of HMGB1, the inhibition of Que on HMGB1 and its translocation, apoptosis and oxidative stress, and the related proteins of HMGB1-mediated cellular pathway have been significantly enhanced., Conclusion: Thus, Que alleviates liver injury in ACLF rats, and its mechanism may be related to oxidative stress and apoptosis caused by HMGB1 and its translocation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Peng Fang et al.)

This work reports the one-pot solvothermal synthesis of a Keggin heteropolyacid (phosphomolybdic acid, tungstophosphoric acid, or silicotungstic acid) immobilized on Ni-MOF composite catalysts for esterification of fatty acids, and the composites were further analyzed by XRD, FTIR, NH 3 -TPD, SEM, TEM, N 2 adsorption/desorption, and XPS. Among the contrastive syntheses ( i.e. , HPW/Ni-MOF, HSiW/Ni-MOF, and HPMo/Ni-MOF), HPMo/Ni-MOF exhibits the most active catalyst toward fatty acids esterification, and the characterization results also revealed that HPMo/Ni-MOF has a strong acidity, large specific surface area, and appropriate average pore size. More significantly, this catalyst exhibits a good catalytic performance (86.1% conversion) during esterification under the optimized reaction conditions, and the HPMo/Ni-MOF catalyst can remain stable after the tenth cycle with a conversion of 73.5%. Intriguingly, the esterification reaction kinetics was studied, and the activation energy was found to be 64.6 kJ mol -1 . The results indicated that the esterification of fatty acids using the HPMo/Ni-MOF catalyst is a chemically controlled reaction., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe, complicated human disease. E2F1-mediated apoptosis plays an important role in ACLF development. Jieduan-Niwan (JDNW) formula, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has shown remarkable clinical efficacy in ACLF treatment. However, the hepatoprotective mechanisms of the formula are barely understood., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of JDNW formula in ACLF treatment by specifically regulating E2F1-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways in rats., Methods: The JDNW components were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The ACLF rat model was established using human serum albumin immune-induced liver cirrhosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. The ACLF rat was treated with JDNW formula. Prothrombin time activity was measured to investigate the coagulation function. Liver pathological injury was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and reticular fiber staining. The hepatocyte apoptosis index and apoptosis rate were determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Additionally, the expression of key genes and proteins that regulate E2F1-mediated apoptosis was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot., Results: Seven major components of JDNW formula were detected. The formula ameliorated the coagulation function, decreased the hepatocyte apoptosis index and apoptosis rate, and alleviated liver pathological damage in ACLF rats. The down-regulation of the expression of genes and proteins from p53-dependent and non-p53-dependent apoptosis pathways and the up-regulation of the expression of genes from blocking anti-apoptotic signaling pathways indicated that JDNW formula inhibited excessive hepatocyte apoptosis in ACLF rats via E2F1-mediated apoptosis signaling pathways., Conclusion: The findings indicate that JDNW formula protects livers of ACLF rats by inhibiting E2F1-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways, implying that these pathways might be a potential therapeutic target for ACLF treatment., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in relation to this work., (© 2021 Hou et al.)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most prevalent liver disease in China. Sinisan (SNS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been widely used in treating chronic liver diseases, including NAFLD. However, its underlying biological mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we employed a network pharmacology approach consisting of overlapped terms- (genes or pathway terms-) based analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network-based analysis, and PPI clusters identification. Unlike the previous network pharmacology study, we used the shortest path length-based network proximity algorithm to evaluate the efficacy of SNS against NAFLD. And we also used random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm and Community Cluster (Glay) algorithm to identify important targets and clusters. The screening results showed that the mean shortest path length between genes of SNS and NAFLD was significantly smaller than degree-matched random ones. Six PPI clusters were identified and ten hub targets were obtained, including STAT3, CTNNB1, MAPK1, MAPK3, AGT, NQO1, TOP2A, FDFT1, ALDH4A1, and KCNH2. The experimental study indicated that SNS reduced hyperlipidemia, liver steatosis, and inflammation. Most importantly, JAK2/STAT3 signal was inhibited by SNS treatment and was recognized as the most important signal considering the network pharmacology part. This study provides a systems perspective to study the relationship between Chinese medicines and diseases and helps to discover potential mechanisms by which SNS ameliorates NAFLD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wei, Hou, Liang, Fang, Dou, Wang, Sai, Xu, Ma, Zhang, Cheng, Wang and Wang.)

Inhalation bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM 2.5 was assessed in numerous studies, however, the lung cell uptake and penetration of PAHs was seldom taken into account in risk assessment. In the present study, eighteen indoor PM 2.5 samples collected from Guangzhou, China were analyzed for the inhalation bioavailability of PAHs combining the inhalation bioaccessibility and cell absorption of PAHs. Two simulated epithelial lung fluid mimicking the healthy condition (as represented by gamble's solution (GMB), pH = 7.4) and the inflammatory condition (as represented by artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF), pH = 4.5) were employed to evaluate the inhalation bioaccessibility. The results indicated that the bioaccessibility of PAHs under the inflammatory condition (1.28%-87.7%) was higher than that under healthy condition (0.88%-87.6%). Naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene were selected for absorption assay of lung epithelial cells (A549). The absorption rate of PAHs ranged from 64.7 to 90.7% and it was inversely proportional to the number of aromatic rings. Taken together, the inhalation bioavailability based on the bioaccessibility of PAHs and the lung cell absorption ratio ranged from 9.9 to 56.9% under the healthy state, from 12.7 to 65.6% under inflammatory condition. The correction parameter (F c ) was thus established and can be used to improve the risk assessment of human exposure to PAHs via PM 2.5 inhalation in future work., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Qingdu Decoction (QDD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating chronic liver injury (CLI). Materials and methods . A network pharmacology combining experimental validation was used to investigate potential mechanisms of QDD against CLI. We firstly screened the bioactive compounds with pharmacology analysis platform of the Chinese medicine system (TCMSP) and gathered the targets of QDD and CLI. Then, we constructed a compound-target network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and enriched core targets in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathways. At last, we used a CLI rat model to confirm the effect and mechanism of QDD against CLI. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used., Results: 48 bioactive compounds of QDD passed the virtual screening criteria, and 53 overlapping targets were identified as core targets of QDD against CLI. A compound-CLI related target network containing 94 nodes and 263 edges was constructed. KEGG enrichment of core targets contained some pathways related to CLI, such as hepatitis B, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, apoptosis, hepatitis C, interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 signaling pathway. Three PPI clusters were identified and enriched in hepatitis B and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, apoptosis and hepatitis B pathway, and peroxisome pathway, respectively. Animal experiment indicated that QDD decreased serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), endotoxin (ET), and IL-17 and increased prothrombin time activity (PTA) level. WB and RT-qPCR analyses indicated that, compared with the model group, the expression of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-9 (caspase-9) protein, caspase-3 protein, B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X protein (Bax) mRNA, and cytochrome c (Cyt c) mRNA was inhibited and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) mRNA was enhanced in the QDD group., Conclusions: QDD has protective effect against CLI, which may be related to the regulation of hepatocyte apoptosis. This study provides novel insights into exploring potential biological basis and mechanisms of clinically effective formula systematically., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Chongyang Ma et al.)

In this study, a series of nanoporous HSiW@ZrO 2 hybrids were synthesized using a zirconium metal-organic framework UiO-66 as a precursor towards biodiesel production. The structural and morphological properties of the obtained hybrids were characterized by the wide-angle XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, N 2 adsorption/desorption, and NH 3 -TPD methods. Moreover, their catalytic activity in terms of calcination temperature during preparation was investigated, and the HSiW@ZrO 2 hybrids calcinated at 300 °C exhibited the highest activity and the oleic acid (OA) conversion of 94.0% owing to the presence of the relatively high surface area, appropriate pore size and strong acidity. It was also revealed that the hybrids maintained as high as 82.0% even after nine cycles. Intriguingly, the nanoporous catalysts were found to exhibit excellent catalytic activity towards the esterification of the high acid value of Jatropha curcas oil., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome with acute jaundice and coagulation dysfunction caused by various inducements on the basis of chronic liver disease. Western medical treatment is limited. Previous studies have confirmed that Jieduan-Niwan Formula (JDNW Formula), an empirical prescription for the treatment of ACLF, can inhibit inflammation and resist hepatocyte apoptosis. However, potential targets and mechanisms still need to be explored., Methods: In this study, network pharmacological analysis was performed to investigate the key components and potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula treating ACLF. Firstly, we predicted the potential active ingredients of JDNW Formula and the corresponding potential targets through TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM platform, and literature supplement. Then, the ACLF targets database was built using OMIM, DisGeNET, and GeneCard database. Based on the matching targets between JDNW Formula and ACLF, the PPI network was constructed for MCODE analysis and common targets were enriched by Metascape. Furthermore, the ACLF rat model was used to verify the potential mechanism of JDNW Formula in treating ACLF., Results: 132 potential bioactive components of JDNW Formula and 168 common targets were obtained in this study. The enrichment analysis shows that the AMPK signaling pathway was associated with the treating effects of JDNW Formula. Quercetin was hypothesized to be the key bioactive ingredient in JDNW Formula and has a good binding affinity to AMPK based on molecular docking verification. JDNW Formula and quercetin were verified to treat ACLF by regulating the AMPK/PGC-1 α signaling pathway as a prediction., Conclusion: The study predicted potential mechanisms of JDNW Formula in the treatment of ACLF, involving downregulation of inflammatory factor expression, antioxidant stress, and inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis. JDNW Formula may improve mitochondrial quality in ACLF via the AMPK signaling pathway, which serves as a guide for further study., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Jiajun Liang et al.)

Biomass is a potential non-food, carbon-neutral, and abundant resource, which can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels during the sustainable preparation of various platform chemicals. Alkyl levulinates (ALs) have found widespread application as flavorings, plasticizing agents, and fuel additives, as well as synthetic precursors to various building blocks. Several processes have been investigated to transform biomass and its derivatives into ALs, which mainly include: (i) direct esterification of levulinic acid (LA) with alkyl alcohols and (ii) alcoholysis reactions of renewable biomass feedstocks and their derivatives, including furfuryl alcohol (FAL), chloromethyl furfural (CMF), and saccharides. This review focuses on illustrating the effects of the biomass pretreatment step, catalyst texture, possible mechanisms, acidities, and intermediates on the synthesis of ALs from sustainable resources covering a wide range of intermediates, including diethyl ether (DEE), 4,5,5-triethoxypentan-2-one (TEP), ethoxymethylfuran (EMF), ethyl-D-fructofuranoside (EDFF), and ethyl-D-glucopyranoside (EDGP)., (Copyright © 2020 Liu, Yang, Zhang, Li and Wu.)

Metal-modified adsorbent had appreciable adsorption capacity and fast rate toward norfloxacin (NOR), but limited studies focused on the influence of metal species on adsorbents' performance. In this study, Fe and Cu were chosen to be loaded on mesoporous silicon SBA-15 for absorbing NOR and investigating the key function of metal species. An obvious synergy effect was found between active species and supporter. A high adsorption capacity (44.8 mg g -1 for Fe/SBA-15 and 78.3 mg g -1 for Cu/SBA-15) and short equilibration time (< 2 h) were obtained. NOR adsorptions on two processes were described well by pseudo-second-order kinetics, particle diffusion equation, and Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption processes were spontaneous, but NOR adsorption on Cu/SBA-15 was endothermic while its adsorption on Fe/SBA-15 was exothermic. HA had dual effect on the adsorption efficiency, with a promotion at low HA concentration but an inhibition at high concentration. NOR removal increased first and then decreased with pH ascension from 3 to 9 for both Fe/SBA-15 and Cu/SBA-15, achieving maximum at pH = 7. Comparative characterizations and experiments suggested that NOR adsorption processes were dominated by electrostatic interactions, n-π EDA interactions, hydrogen bonds, and surface complex. The greater n-π EDA and complex efficiency of Cu with NOR resulted in the superior performance of Cu/SBA-15. Graphical abstract.

Doping heteroatom in phosphor can effectively improve luminescent properties, which has attracted great attention recently. GdAlO3 phosphors (GAP) doped with Er 3+ /Yb 3+ /Tm 3+ were prepared via the co-precipitation method. Upon 980 nm excitation, strong blue, green, and red up-conversion (UC) emissions centered at 476, 524, 546, and 659 nm were observed, which could be successfully combined to form pure white light. It was found that changing the doping concentration of Er 3+ and Yb 3+ ions, the calcination temperature of the precursor, the laser power of the excitation light source, and doping Li+ could systematically adjust red/green/blue colors of GdAlO3:Er3+/Yb3+/Tm3+ phosphors to optimize the white emitting luminescence. When the Er3+ doping concentration of the phosphors increased, each color distribution successfully moved, making the maximum shift of the CIE coordinate. Finally, the influence of each factor on adjusting the UC white light performance and its mechanism were explored., (Copyright © 2020 Deng, Jiang and Zhang.)

The transcriptomic response of green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana exposure to environmentally relevant concentration of cadmium(II) (Cd) and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP) was compared in the present study. Cd and 4-n-NP exposure showed a similar pattern of dys-regulated pathways. The photosystem was affected due to suppression of chlorophyll biosynthesis via down-regulation of Mg-protoporphyrin IX chelatase subunit ChlD (CHLD) and divinyl chlorophyllide a 8-vinyl-reductase (DVR) in Cd group and via down-regulation of DVR in 4-n-NP group. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) could be induced through down-regulation of solanesyl diphosphate synthase 1 (SPS1) and homogentisate phytyltransferase (HPT) in Cd group and via down-regulation of HPT in 4-n-NP group. Additionally, Cd and 4-n-NP would both cause the dys-regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and protein synthesis. On the other hand, there are some different responses or detoxification mechanism of C. sorokiniana to 4-n-NP stress compared to Cd exposure. The increased ROS would cause the DNA damage and protein destruction in Cd exposure group. Simultaneously, the RNA transcription was dys-regulated and a series of changes in gene expressions were observed. This included lipid metabolism, protein modification, and DNA repair, which involved in response of C. sorokiniana to Cd stress or detoxification of Cd. For 4-n-NP exposure, no effect on lipid metabolism and DNA repair was observed. The nucleotide metabolism including pyrimidine metabolism and purine metabolism was significantly up-regulated in the 4-n-NP exposure group, but not in the Cd exposure group. In addition, 4-n-NP would induce the ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and proteasomal degradation to diminish the misfolded protein caused by ROS and down-regulation of heat shocking protein 40. In sum, the Cd and 4-n-NP could cause the same toxicological effects via the common pathways and possess similar detoxification mechanism. They also showed different responses in nucleotide metabolism, lipid metabolism, and DNA repair.

Numerous studies focused on the human exposure to plasticizers via dermal contact; however, the percutaneous penetration of plasticizers was seldom considered in exposure assessment. In the present study, skin wipes of palms, back-of-hands, and forehead were collected from 114 participants (ages: 18-27). There was no significant difference between the levels of phthalates from palms and back-of-hand, while all phthalates collected from the forehead were significantly higher than those from palms and back-of-hand ( p < 0.001); di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate levels were substantially higher than other detected phthalates followed by di( n -butyl)phthalate and di(isobutyl)phthalate (DiBP), and for alternative plasticizers, bis-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate levels were substantially higher than acetyltributyl citrate and bis-2-ethylhexyladipate. Skin permeation and metabolism of phthalates was assessed using human skin equivalent models. The permeability coefficient ( k p ) values of phthalates were significantly negatively correlated with their log octanol-water partition coefficient (log K ow ), while a significantly positive correlation was found between the log K ow and the cumulative amounts of phthalates in the cells. The proportion of phthalate intake via dermal exposure to skin wipes ranges from 1.3% (for dimethyl phthalate) to 8.6% (for DiBP) and suggests that dermal absorption is a significant route for adult phthalate exposure.

Objective: To dynamically observe the efficacy of Jieduan Niwan formula (JDNW) on a rat model of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF)., Methods: Seventy Wistar rats were divided into control group (6 rats), model group (22 rats), JDNW group (21 rats), and SP600125 group (21 rats). 13 weeks' porcine serum injection followed with D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attack was used to establish ACLF model. Rats in JDNW group were orally given JDNW formula for 3 days before acute attack; rats in SP600125 group were injected with SP600125 30 min ahead of acute attack. Rats were sacrificed respectively at 4, 8 and 12 h after model established. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), Creatinine (CR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), prothrombin activity (PTA) were examined by biochemical process, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), transformed growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), High mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), CD3, CD4, CD8 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, apoptotic index (AI) was detected by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling staining, expression of Bad, phosphorylated Jun N-terminal kinases (p-JNK) and Cytochrome C (Cyt C) were detected by immunohistochemical analysis, Bax and Bid were detected by Western blot analysis., Results: In model group, the levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, CR, BUN, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β1 and HMGB-1 remarkably increased and PTA decreased compared with control group (P < 0.05), as time goes on, ALT, AST, TBIL, CR, BUN, continued to grow, while IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, HMGB-1, TGF-β1 and PTA gradually decreased; massive necrosis could be seen; the levels of TNF-a, CD3, CD4, CD8, AI, p-JNK, Bax, Bad, Bid and Cyt C increased at 4 h and peaked at 8 h, but decreased at 12 h (P < 0.05). JDNW group, by contrast, showed less pathological injury, increased PTA level, and reduced ALT, AST, TBIL, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β1, HMGB-1, CD3, CD4 and CD8 levels (P < 0.05), moreover, the AI and expression of p-JNK, Bax, Bad, Bid and Cyt C were lower than model group at 4 and 8 h but were higher at 12 h (P < 0.05). Similar results were observed in SP600125 group., Conclusion: An ACLF rat model with low mortality can be established by porcine serum joint with D-galactosamine + lipopolysaccharide induction; JDNW decoction can effectively suppress the inflammatory reaction, improve the immune system, and protect the liver of ACLF rats, the mechanism might involve the inhibition of the JNK-induced mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

A novel solid acid nanocatalyst (Ag 1 (NH 4 ) 2 PW 12 O 40 /UiO-66) comprising ammonium and silver co-doped H 3 PW 12 O 40 and zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N 2 adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and ammonia temperature-programmed desorption. The catalytic activity was evaluated for the synthesis of biodiesel via esterification of lauric acid and methanol. The effect of the operating parameters including the molar ratio of lauric acid to methanol, catalyst amount, and reaction temperature and time on the lauric acid conversion was also investigated to obtain optimum reaction conditions. Also, the composite (Ag 1 (NH 4 ) 2 PW 12 O 40 /UiO-66) was recyclable and reused up to six cycles. Kinetics of the lauric acid esterification has been assumed to be of a pseudo-first order, and the results showed that the activation energy for the esterification process was found to be 35.2 kJ/mol., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.)

High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) plays an important role in various liver injuries. In the case of acute liver injury, it leads to aseptic inflammation and other reactions, and also regulates specific cell death responses in chronic liver injury. HMGB1 has been demonstrated to be a good therapeutic target for treating liver failure. Quercetin (Que), as an antioxidant, is a potential phytochemical with hepatocyte protection and is also considered to be an inhibitor of HMGB1. However, the mechanism of its hepatoprotective effects remains to be characterized. The present study explored whether the hepatoprotective effect of Que antagonizes HMGB1, and subsequent molecular signaling events. Our results indicated that Que protects L02 cells from d-galactosamine (d-GaLN)-induced cellular damage by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptotic responses in the mitochondrial pathway. Immunofluorescence and Western blot assays showed that HMGB1 was involved in d-GaLN-induced L02 cell damage. Further research showed that after transfection with HMGB1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), cell viability was improved, and intracellular ROS production and apoptosis were suppressed. When co-treated with Que, the expression of HMGB1 was decreased significantly, the expression of proteins in the corresponding signal pathway were further reduced, and the production of ROS and apoptosis were further suppressed. Molecular docking also indicated the binding of Que and HMGB1. Taken together, these results indicate that Que significantly improves d-GaLN-induced cellular damage by inhibiting oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis via inhibiting HMGB1., (Copyright © 2020 Fang, Liang, Jiang, Fang, Wu, Wei, Yang, Hou and Zhang.)

In the present study, metal-organic framework Cu-BTC-supported Sn (II)-substituted Keggin heteropoly nanocomposite (Sn 1.5 PW/Cu-BTC) was successfully prepared by a simple impregnation method and applied as a novel nanocatalyst for producing biodiesel from oleic acid (OA) through esterification. The nanocatalyst was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, thermogravimetrics (TG), and NH 3 -temperature-programmed desorption (NH 3 -TPD). Accordingly, the synthesized nanocatalyst with a Sn 1.5 PW/Cu-BTC weight ratio of 1 exhibited a relatively large specific surface area, appropriate pore size, and high acidity. Moreover, an OA conversion of 87.7% was achieved under optimum reaction conditions. The nanocatalyst was reused seven times, and the OA conversion remained at more than 80% after three uses. Kinetic study showed that the esterification reaction followed first-order kinetics, and the activation energy ( E a ) was calculated to be 38.3 kJ/mol., (Copyright © 2020 Zhang, Ling, Lei, Wang, Liu, Zhang and Ma.)

Background: Aroma is an important organoleptic quality for fruit and has a large influence on consumer preference. Kiwifruit esters undergo rapid and substantial changes contributing to the flavor during fruit ripening. Part of enzymes and their coding genes have been indicated potential candidates for flavor-related esters synthesis. However, there still exist obvious gaps in the biosynthetic pathways of esters and the mechanisms regulating ester biosynthesis in kiwifruit remain unknown., Results: Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), volatile compounds of kiwifruit were quantified in response to ethylene (ETH, 100 μl/l, 24 h, 20 °C) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 1 μl/l, 24 h, 20 °C). The results indicated that esters showed the most substantial changes enhanced by ethylene and were inhibited by 1-MCP. Correlations between RNA-seq results and concentrations of esters, constructed using Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) indicated that three structural genes (fatty acid desaturase, AdFAD1; aldehyde dehydrogenase, AdALDH2; alcohol acyltransferase, AdAT17) had similar expression patterns that paralled the changes in total ester content, and AdFAD1 transcripts exhibited the highest correlation. In order to search for potential regulators for ester biosynthesis, 14 previously reported ethylene-responsive transcription factors (TFs) were included in the correlation analysis with esters and their biosynthetic genes. Using dual-luciferase assay, the in vivo regulatory activities of TFs on ester biosynthetic gene promoters were investigated and the results indicated that AdNAC5 and AdDof4 (DNA binding with one finger) trans-activated and trans-suppressed the AdFAD1 promoter., Conclusions: The present study advanced the molecular basis of ripening-related ester biosynthesis in kiwifruit by identifying three biosynthetic related genes AdFAD1, AdALDH2 and AdAT17 by transcriptome analysis, and highlighted the function of two TFs by transactivation studies.

According to the need of sustainable development, solid catalysts are critical materials for green biodiesel production. In this study, a hydrothermal method was used to develop a reusable and highly active Fe-BTC and UiO-66 metal-organic framework encapsulated Zr-doped polyoxometalate nano-hybrid catalysts (ZrSiW/Fe-BTC and ZrSiW/UiO-66) for the acid-catalyzed esterification of oleic acid with methanol. The structural and compositional characterization of the synthesized catalysts were characterized using various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric (TG) and temperature programmed desorption (NH 3 -TPD) analysis. The as-prepared ZrSiW/UiO-66 had excellent catalytic activity in the esterification of oleic acid with methanol, higher than that of ZrSiW/Fe-BTC catalyst, owing to the fact that ZrSiW/UiO-66 nano-hybrids have high acidity, large specific surface area and pore volumes, and relatively large average pore sizes. Furthermore, the reusability and stability of nano-hybrids were also evaluated, and it was found that the stability of ZrSiW/UiO-66 catalyst was better., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in house dust have raised significant concern around the world. However, few studies have reported the correlation between BFR concentrations in house dust and children's hair samples. In this study, BFR concentrations in house dust and children's hair were measured. Chemical analysis showed that the total concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust ranged from 334 to 4444 ng g -1 , with a median of 442 ng g -1 , and the concentrations in children's hair ranged from 352 to 655 ng g -1 , with a median of 530 ng g -1 . In addition, two alternative flame retardants, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB) and hexabromobenzene, were frequently detected in house dust and human hair. BDE209 was the most abundant PBDE congener detected in both house dust and children's hair. A significant correlation was found between the integrated PCA score of BFR concentrations in house dust and in children's hair ( r 2 = 0.31, P  < 0.05), indicating the great contribution of house dust to the bodily burden of PBDEs in children. Risk assessment indicated that children's exposure to PBDEs via non-dietary intake of house dust should be recognized as an important exposure pathway.

Background: Carotenoids are a class of terpenoid pigments that contribute to the color and nutritional value of many fruits. Their biosynthetic pathways have been well established in a number of plant species; however, many details of the regulatory mechanism controlling carotenoid metabolism remain to be elucidated. Apricot is one of the most carotenoid-rich fruits, making it a valuable system for investigating carotenoid metabolism. The purpose of this study was to identify key genes and regulators associated with carotenoid metabolism in apricot fruit based on transcriptome sequencing., Results: During fruit ripening in the apricot cultivar 'Luntaixiaobaixing' (LT), the total carotenoid content of the fruit decreased significantly, as did the levels of the carotenoids β-carotene, lutein and violaxanthin (p < 0.01). RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the fruit resulted in the identification of 44,754 unigenes and 6916 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during ripening. Among these genes, 33,498 unigenes were annotated using public protein databases. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that two of the 13 identified modules ('blue' and 'turquoise') were highly correlated with carotenoid metabolism, and 33 structural genes from the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were identified. Network visualization revealed 35 intramodular hub genes that putatively control carotenoid metabolism. The expression levels of these candidate genes were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, which showed ripening-associated carotenoid accumulation. This analysis revealed that a range of genes (NCED1, CCD1/4, PIF3/4, HY5, ERF003/5/12, RAP2-12, AP2, AP2-like, BZR1, MADS14, NAC2/25, MYB1R1/44, GLK1/2 and WRKY6/31/69) potentially affect apricot carotenoid metabolism during ripening. Based on deciphering the molecular mechanism involved in ripening, a network model of carotenoid metabolism in apricot fruit was proposed., Conclusions: Overall, our work provides new insights into the carotenoid metabolism of apricot and other species, which will facilitate future apricot functional studies and quality breeding through molecular design.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a serious and complicated disease that threatens human health because its pathogenesis is unclear, and the outcome of the current therapies has been less than satisfactory. A national famous doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Qian Ying, created the Jieduan-Niwan Formula (JDNW), based on his long-term clinical experience. However, despite the good clinical outcome, the biological mechanism by which it works is unknown. In the current study, we established an ACLF rat model by administering human serum albumin (HSA) combined with D-galactosamine (D-GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to explore the potential mechanism of JDNW in treating ACLF. The rats were treated with JDNW by administration of the model substances and sacrificed after 4, 8, and 12 h. Then we divided the rats into normal group, model at 4 h, model at 8 h, model at 12 h, JDNW at 4 h, JDNW at 8 h, and JDNW at 12 h. Biochemical and histopathological examinations were performed to compare the rats in different groups. Compared with the ACLF model group, expression levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and TNF- α and IL-6 proteins were reduced in the JDNW group at the corresponding time points, the survival rates of rats were increased, and the pathological condition of the liver was improved. In addition, JDNW treatment improved the ultrastructure of hepatocytes and mitochondria and decreased the hepatocyte apoptosis index. E2F1, P53, P73, Apaf-1, p14ARF, caspase-3, caspase-6, and caspase-7 levels in the JDNW group were distinctly lower than those in the untreated rats. Moreover, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 levels increased. Thus, JDNW decreases ACLF-induced mortality in rats by modulating the E2F1-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Wenlong Yang et al.)

A solid-state mechanochemical route for rapid synthesis of MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets large in surface area and decorated with abundant hydroxyl groups was developed for catalytic elimination of carbonyl sulfide and H 2 S, showing activity superior to those of commercial LDHs and porous metal oxides.

Several studies indicate that human exposure to plasticizers via dermal pathway is not negligible, but the dermal bioaccessibility of phthalates and alternative plasticizers from the important environmental matrix including indoor dust and clothing and the importance weight of dermal exposure to those pollutants have been poorly studied. An in vitro physiologically based extraction test was employed to investigate the dermal bioaccessibility of target phthalates and alternative plasticizers from indoor dust and clothing. Temperature, incubation time, sweat/sebum ratio and solid/liquid ratio were selected to study their effects on the bioaccessibility. The bioaccessibility of Diethyl phthalates (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), bis-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), Acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), bis-2-ethylhexyladipate (DEHA) and bis-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHT) in indoor dust were 66.20 ± 1.93%, 94.27 ± 1.31%, 80.37 ± 8.09%, 75.02 ± 2.12%, 94.50 ± 3.42% and 74.09 ± 3.79%, respectively, under the condition of 1:1 sweat/sebum ratio, 1/100 solid/liquid ratio (indoor dust), 1:1 area/area ratio (1:1, clothing) and 90 min incubation time at 36.3 °C which are chosen based on the experimental results and human physical conditions. DBP showed the highest bioaccessibility in all samples. The time course of the plasticizer release was fitted to a first-order one-compartment model. DBP showed the highest release rate (k 1 ) calculated from the model, which was consistent with the bioaccessibility result. Risk assessment indicated that dermal exposure of DBP was an important exposure route, accounting for about 21.58% of total intake, and indoor dust was an important exposure media when considering the dermal bioaccessibility., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An attempt has been made to optimize the preparation of biodiesel from the transesterification of oleic acid with methanol over iron(III)-doped phosphomolybdic acid (H 3 PMo) catalysts. The prepared doped H 3 PMo salts were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The detailed characterization results demonstrated that the doped H 3 PMo salts have a strong interaction between the iron(III) ions and metal oxygen cluster, well preserving a typical Keggin structure of heteropolyacids and possessing good thermal stability. The effect of esterification reaction parameters was investigated and optimized using single-factor experiments method in combination with response surface methodology (RSM). The doped catalyst exhibited good catalytic activity, affording the oleic acid conversion of 89.2% with single factor optimization and 95.1% with RSM. More importantly, the catalyst was simply separated by decantation and exhibited good stability, with the oleic acid conversion of 70.2% after three consecutive cycles. Besides, this catalyst can also catalyze the esterification of other free fatty acids. Therefore, the doped H 3 PMo catalyst is a promising candidate for eco-friendly production of biodiesel in industry., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been shown to be promising candidates in the recent decades for the immobilization of guest active species due to their diversified structures, porosity, and high surface area. In this study, silicotungstic acid (HSiW) encapsulated UiO-66 has been successfully synthesized by one-pot synthesis strategy. The synthesized composite (HSiW-UiO-66) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric (TG) techniques, and the HSiW-UiO-66 was also employed as a solid acidic catalyst for the synthesis of biodiesel by esterification of lauric acid with methanol. The results revealed that the HSiW-UiO-66 composite had better textural properties (such as large BET surface area (758.3 m 2 g -1 ), large pore volume (0.438 cm 3 g -1 ), and smaller particle size (about 50-200 nm)), good thermal stability, and high catalytic activity. In addition, the effect of the esterification process parameters on biodiesel production was analyzed using single factor experimental method combined with response surface methodology (RSM); a high conversion of 80.5% with single factor optimization and 92.8% with RSM was obtained. More importantly, the conversion of lauric acid decreased from 80.5% to just 70.2% when the catalyst had been reused six times, which exhibited that the catalyst had excellent reusability. The high activity of HSiW-UiO-66 benefited from low activation energy of 27.5 kJ mol -1 . This work thus offers an underlying application for green biodiesel obtained from free fatty acids esterification or pre-esterification of low-cost oils with high acid value., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

A phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) was sequentially incorporated into highly porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, Fe-BTC) by using a facile one-pot synthesis method, and the prepared composite (PMA/Fe-BTC) was employed as an efficient and stable solid acid catalyst for biodiesel production. N 2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization techniques were employed to reveal the structure-performance relationship. The effects of reaction parameters like catalyst amount, reaction time and temperature were further investigated. This solid acid gave good catalytic performance in the esterification of free fatty acids with methanol, which is attributed to large surface area and thermal stability. The PMA/Fe-BTC was successfully reused for up to six cycles and exhibited high stability. From the kinetic study performed at different reaction temperatures (140 °C, 150 °C and 160 °C) E a = 49.5 kJ mol -1 was obtained. In addition, due to the high activity presented in various esterifications of free fatty acids, this composite catalytic material has immense potential for industrial biodiesel production., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)