Search

Abstract This study presents a case of weakly consolidated strata developed in Dananhu No.7 coal mine. Using a combination of numerical simulation, field measurement comparison, and the critical hydraulic gradient criterion, we investigate the overburden failure and the risk possibility of water–sand mixture inrush during excavation. The following are the principal findings: (1) Weakly consolidated rocks have poor physical characteristics, particularly when they are mudded and disintegrated after encountering water, which may become a favorable source of water–sand inrush; (2) The water-conducting zone develops to a height of 160.5 m with a crack-mining ratio of 15.29 times, extending upward to Toutunhe Formation aquifer. The predictions are consistent with measurements in adjacent mines with similar geological conditions; (3) Cracks without larger subsidence are developed at the front edge of the mining direction, and some parallel stepped cracks behind the goaf could be easily observed. Ground subsidence along the goaf center finally displays a symmetrically wide-gentle U shape; (4) The critical hydraulic gradient of Toutunhe Formation aquifer, aquifer above 3# coal seam, and aquifer of 3#–7# coal seam in Xishanyao Formation is 1.314, 1.351, and 1.380, the actual value is 0.692, 2.089, and 7.418 accordingly. It is inferred water–sand mixture outburst will not occur in Toutunhe Formation aquifer, while the potential risk exists in the aquifers of Xishanyao Formation. Through drainage and depressurization projects, a water–sand mixture outburst accident does not occur during excavation. This study reveals the overburden failure characteristics and the initiation mechanism of water–sand inrush in weakly cemented strata, as well as the internal relationship between them, which provides new research ideas for safe operation in other mining areas with similar geological conditions. The research work has certain practical guiding significance.

Four distinct fluorescence complexes, the fluorescent complex-1 (FC-1), fluorescent complex-2 (FC-2), fluorescent complex third (FC-3) and fluorescent complex fourth (FC-4), were created using isorhamnetin and Coomassie brilliant blue G250 as raw materials. The issue of isorhamnetin’s low solubility has been resolved, and isorhamnetin-coomassie brilliant blue G250 now has better biocompatibility. Four different forms of fluorescence compounds’ ultraviolet absorption spectra were identified. It was discovered that FC-2, FC-3, and FC-4, respectively, had double peaks at 483–620 nm. FC-4 had the highest ultraviolet absorption intensity, whereas FC-1 exhibited the most consistent and longest wavelength of ultraviolet absorption. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the acrylic resin evenly disseminated the Coomassie brilliant blue G250-isorhamnetin complex in an amorphous flocculent form. Human prostate cancer cells (PC3) and human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) were investigated in the (Cell Counting Kit-8) CCK8 experiment under 10 different concentration circumstances, and the proliferation impact was 64.30% and 68.06%, respectively. Shown the complex’s strong anti-tumor properties and minimal cytotoxicity. Through in vitro imaging of tumor cells, it was found that FC-1’s fluorescent complex has high selectivity and can accurately infiltrate tumor cells, proving that it is biocompatible. The design not only addresses the issue of isorhamnein-Coomassie Bright Blue G250’s bioavailability, but it also has an effective visual fluorescence targeting effect.

Long-term aging has traditionally been associated with issues such as color fading and oxidation; therefore, it limits grape wine production. Here, we analyzed 90 bottles of mulberry wine aged for various periods (up to 12 years) and observed unique trends in color, flavor, and aroma compounds during prolonged aging. Results from Somers and methylcellulose precipitation (MCP) assays indicated that the tannin and anthocyanin concentrations in newly fermented mulberry wines were 167 to 216 mg/L and 1.04 to 1.37 g/L, respectively. The total phenolics, tannins, and anthocyanin contents exhibited significant negative correlations with aging years, while the non-bleachable pigment content and hue showed positive correlations with aging times. High-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis further revealed a positive correlation between the content of pyranoanthocyanins (including cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-pyruvic acid, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-acetaldehyde, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-4-vinocatechol, and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-4-vinophenol) and aging times, whereas the impacts of aging on the polymeric pigment (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside-epicatechin) were not observed. This suggests that the anthocyanins in mulberry wine primarily transformed into pyranoanthocyanins rather than polymeric pigments during aging. The aging-induced reductions in protein, polysaccharide, and key aroma compounds (contributing to the fruity, sweet and floral odors) remained unaffected by prolonged aging.

This study aims to enhance gelatin film performance in the food industry by incorporating polyphenol–titanium complexes (PTCs) as crosslinkers. PTCs introduce multiple linkages with gelatin, including coordination and hydrogen bonds, resulting in synergistic crosslinking effects. This leads to an increased hydrodynamic volume, particle size, and thermal stability of the gelatin films. Compared to films crosslinked solely by polyphenols or titanium, PTC-crosslinked gelatin films exhibit significant improvements. They show enhanced mechanical properties with a tensile strength that is 1.7 to 2.6 times higher than neat gelatin films. Moreover, these films effectively shield UV light (from 82% to 99%), providing better protection for light-sensitive food ingredients and preserving lutein content (from 74.2% to 78.1%) under light exposure. The incorporation of PTCs also improves film hydrophobicity, as indicated by water contact angles ranging from 115.3° to 131.9° and a water solubility ranging from 31.5% to 33.6%. Additionally, PTC-enhanced films demonstrate a superior antioxidant ability, with a prolonged polyphenol release (up to 18 days in immersed water) and a higher free radical scavenging ability (from 22% to 25.2%). Overall, the improved characteristics of gelatin films enabled by PTCs enhance their performance, making them suitable for various food packaging applications.

Abstract Background Ginsenosides have been reported to possess a variety of biological activities. Synthesized from the ginsenoside protopanaxadiol (PPD), the octanone pseudoginsengenin DQ (PDQ) may have robust pharmacological effects as a secondary ginsenoside. Nevertheless, its antitumour activity and molecular mechanism against hypopharyngeal cancer cells remain unclear. Methods Cell Counting Kit8 assays, cell cycle assays and cell apoptosis assays were conducted to assess FaDu cell proliferation, cell phase and apoptosis. The interactions between PDQ and HIF-1α were investigated by a molecular docking study. The expression of HIF-1α, GLUT1, and apoptosis-related proteins was detected by Western blotting, direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) and qRT-PCR. A glucose uptake assay was used to assess the glucose uptake capacity of FaDu cells. Results PDQ suppressed proliferation, reduced glucose uptake, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in FaDu cells. A molecular docking study demonstrated that PDQ could interact with the active site of HIF-1α. PDQ decreased the expression and mRNA levels of HIF-1α and its downstream factor GLUT1. Moreover, the dSTORM results showed that PDQ reduced GLUT1 expression on the cell membrane and inhibited GLUT1 clustering. Conclusion Our work showed that the antitumour effect of PDQ was related to the downregulation of the HIF-1α-GLUT1 pathway, suggesting that PDQ could be a potential therapeutic agent for hypopharyngeal cancer treatment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact worldwide, resulting in long-term health effects for many individuals. Recently, as more and more people recover from COVID-19, there is an increasing need to identify effective management strategies for post-COVID-19 syndrome, which may include diarrhea, fatigue, and chronic inflammation. Oligosaccharides derived from natural resources have been shown to have prebiotic effects, and emerging evidence suggests that they may also have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, which could be particularly relevant in mitigating the long-term effects of COVID-19. In this review, we explore the potential of oligosaccharides as regulators of gut microbiota and intestinal health in post-COVID-19 management. We discuss the complex interactions between the gut microbiota, their functional metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, and the immune system, highlighting the potential of oligosaccharides to improve gut health and manage post-COVID-19 syndrome. Furthermore, we review evidence of gut microbiota with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression for alleviating post-COVID-19 syndrome. Therefore, oligosaccharides offer a safe, natural, and effective approach to potentially improving gut microbiota, intestinal health, and overall health outcomes in post-COVID-19 management.

Morchella esculenta is an edible mushroom with special flavor and high nutritional value for humans, primarily owing to its polysaccharide constituents. M. esculenta polysaccharides (MEPs) possess remarkable pharmaceutical properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-atherogenic activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant potential of MEPs. In vitro activity was determined using free radical scavenging assays, whereas in vivo activity was evaluated through dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced liver injury in mice with acute colitis. MEPs effectively scavenged 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azinobis-6-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline sulfonic acid) free radicals in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, DSS-induced mice showed severe liver damage, cellular infiltration, tissue necrosis, and decreased antioxidant capacity. In contrast, intragastric administration of MEPs showed hepatoprotective effects against DSS-induced liver injury. MEPs remarkably elevated the expression levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. Additionally, it decreased malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels in the liver. These results indicate that the protective effects of MEP against DSS-induced hepatic injury could rely on its ability to reduce oxidative stress, suppress inflammatory responses, and improve antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver. Therefore, MEPs could be explored as potential natural antioxidant agents in medicine or as functional foods to prevent liver injury.

Purpose: Atropine, a non-selective muscarinic antagonist, effectively slows down myopia progression in human adolescents and several animal models. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. The current study investigated retinal protein changes of form-deprived myopic (FDM) guinea pigs in response to topical administration of 1% atropine gel (10 g/L).Methods: At the first stage, the differentially expressed proteins were screened using fractionated isobaric tags for a relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) approach, coupled with nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) (n = 24, 48 eyes) using a sample pooling technique. At the second stage, retinal tissues from another cohort with the same treatment (n = 12, 24 eyes) with significant ocular changes were subjected to label-free sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) proteomics for orthogonal protein target confirmation. The localization of Alpha-synuclein was verified using immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging.Results: A total of 1,695 proteins (8,875 peptides) were identified with 479 regulated proteins (FC ≥ 1.5 or ≤0.67) found from FDM eyes and atropine-treated eyes receiving 4-weeks drug treatment using iTRAQ-MS proteomics. Combining the iTRAQ-MS and SWATH-MS datasets, a total of 29 confident proteins at 1% FDR were consistently quantified and matched, comprising 12 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated proteins which differed between FDM eyes and atropine treated eyes (iTRAQ: FC ≥ 1.5 or ≤0.67, SWATH: FC ≥ 1.4 or ≤0.71, p-value of ≤0.05). Bioinformatics analysis using IPA and STRING databases of these commonly regulated proteins revealed the involvement of the three commonly significant pathways: EIF2 signaling; glycolysis; and dopamine secretion. Additionally, the most significantly regulated proteins were closely connected to Alpha-synuclein (SNCA). Using immunostaining (n = 3), SNCA was further confirmed in the inner margin of the inner nuclear layer (INL) and spread throughout the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of the retina of guinea pigs.Conclusion: The molecular evidence using next-generation proteomics (NGP) revealed that retinal EIF2 signaling, glycolysis, and dopamine secretion through SNCA are implicated in atropine treatment of myopia in the FDM-induced guinea pig model.

Accurate assessments of exposure to urban air pollution with higher traffic emissions and its health risks still face several challenges, such as intensive computation of air pollution modeling and the limited availability of personal activity data. The macroscopic health effects can be transmitted to the whole population for personal prevention via air quality health index (AQHI), but the possibility risk index of the specific allergic diseases is still lacking. This interdisciplinary study aims at evaluating the forecasted results of high-resolution air quality with updated traffic emissions and accessing the potential impacts of outdoor pollution on morbidity of rhinitis for urban residents. A high-resolution modelling system (1 km × 1 km) containing the online traffic emission model (VEIN), meteorological and air quality model (WRF-CHIMERE) and the health impact module was developed. A new health index of Potential Morbidity Risk Index (PMRI) was further established using higher resolution health risk coefficients of major air pollutants on allergic rhinitis, and different methods (with/without considering population distributions) targeting different user groups (residents, hospitals and health administrations) were calculated and analyzed. Operational forecasted results of hourly PMRI can be further combined with online map services to serve as an effective tool for patients with allergic rhinitis to arrange their daily activities so as to avoid acute exacerbation. The forecasted PMRIs accessible to the public will also be beneficial for the public health administrations in planning the medical resource and improving the outpatient efficiency.

The application of hops could be extended to obtain higher commercial values. Tannins from hops were assessed for their tyrosinase inhibition ability, and the associated mechanisms were explored. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI–MS/MS) revealed that the hop tannins were characterized as condensed tannins with (epi)catechin and (epi)gallocatechin as subunits and an average polymerization degree of 10.32. Tyrosinase inhibition assay indicated that hop tannins had an IC50 = 76.52 ± 6.56 μM. Kinetic studies of the inhibition processes indicated the tannins provided inhibition through competitive–uncompetitive mixed reactions. In silico molecule docking showed that tannins were bound to the active site of tyrosinase via hydrogen and electrovalent bonds. Circular dichroism (CD) observed the structural variation in the tyrosinase after reacting with the tannins. Fluorescence quenching analysis and free radical scavenging assays indicated that the tannins had copper ion chelating and antioxidant activities, which may also contribute to inhibition. The intracellular inhibition assay revealed that the melanin was reduced by 34.50% in B16F10 cells. These results indicate that these tannins can be applied as whitening agents in the cosmetics industry.

The hop is rich in tannins used as a conventional additive in the beer industry, but other applications are limited. This study investigated the tyrosinase inhibition activity of extracted hop tannins and the associated structure–function activity. The tannins were extracted and subjected to a gel permeation chromatography (GPC), a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and an acid-cleavage coupled HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis to obtain the structural information of the tannins. Then, tyrosinase inhibition kinetic assays, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer and antioxidant (ICP-OES), circular dichroism (CD) as well as molecular docking analysis were applied to investigate the inhibition mechanism. Furthermore, the intracellular inhibition ability of hop tannins was assessed with B16-F10 cells. The results indicated that hop tannins were composed of (epi)catechin as extensional units and (epi)gallocatechin as terminal units and can be classified as prodelphenidins. The tyrosinase inhibition assays showed the hop tannin had a IC50 = 76.52 ± 6.56 µM, meanwhile it inhibited the tyrosinase through a competitive–noncompetitive mixed way. The tannins were found to bind on the surface of tyrosinase via forming hydrogen bonding and consequently changed the secondary structure of tyrosinase. The fluorescence and antioxidant assay indicated the tannin had both copper ion chelating and antioxidant ability, which may also contribute to the inhibition. The intracellular inhibition analysis showed that activity of tyrosinase was reduced by 66.67% and melanin production was found to be reduced by 34.50% while 10 µM hop tannins were applied. These results indicated that the hops are not only important in the beer industry, but that hop tannins can be also applied as whitening agents in the cosmetic industry.

Valonea tannin is a natural product readily extracted from acorn shells that has been suggested to have potential skin whitening properties. This study investigated the tyrosinase inhibition activity of extracted valonea tannin and the associated structure–function activity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular weight analysis with gel permeation chromatography revealed that valonea tannin could be characterized as a hydrolysable tannin with galloyl, hexahydroxydiphenoyl and open formed-glucose moieties and an average molecular weight of 3042 ± 15 Da. Tyrosinase inhibition assays demonstrated that valonea tannin was 334 times more effective than gallic acid and 3.4 times more effective than tannic acid, which may relate to the larger molecular size. Kinetic studies of the inhibition reactions indicated that valonea tannin provided tyrosinase inhibition through mixed competitive–uncompetitive way. Stern–Volmer fitted fluorescence quenching analysis, isothermal titration calorimetry analysis and in silico molecule docking showed valonea tannin non-selectively bound to the surface of tyrosinase via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and free radical scavenging assays indicated the valonea tannin had copper ion chelating and antioxidant ability, which may also contribute to inhibition activity. These results demonstrated the structure–function activity of valonea tannin as a highly effective natural tyrosinase inhibitor that may have commercial application in dermatological medicines or cosmetic products.

Aged swim bladders from the yellow drum (Protonibea diacanthus) are considered collagen-based functional food with extremely high market value. The structural integrity of collagen may be crucial for its biological functions. In the current study, swim bladders with 25-year-old sequences were collected and found to be basically composed of collagen. Then, thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) were conducted to evaluate the integrity of the peptide chain and triple helix in the collagen. The structures of microfibers and fiber bundles were revealed with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electrical microscopy (SEM), and optical spectroscopy. The collagens in the aged swim bladders were found to have similar thermal properties to those of fresh ones, but the relative content of the triple helixes was found to be negatively correlated with aging. The secondary structure of the remaining triple helix showed highly retained characteristics as in fresh swim bladders, and the microfibrils also showed a similar D-period to that of the fresh one. However, the fiber bundles displayed more compact and thick characteristics after years of storage. These results indicate that despite 25 years of aging, the collagen in the swim bladders was still partially retained with structures.

In this study, Spirulina platensis (S.p.) polysaccharide (PSP) was obtained by ultrasonic-microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE) and purified by an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). Two different methods were applied to purified Spirulina platensis (S.p.) polysaccharide (PSP), respectively, due to PSP as a complex multi-component system. Three polysaccharide fractions (PSP-1, PSP-2, and PSP-3) with different acidic groups were obtained after PSP was fractionated by the diethyl aminoethyl (DEAE)-52 cellulose chromatography, and two polysaccharide fractions (PSP-L and PSP-H) with different molecular weight were obtained by ultrafiltration centrifugation. The chemoprotective effects of PSP in cyclophosphamide (Cy) treated mice were investigated. The results showed that PSP could significantly increase spleen and thymus index, peripheral white blood cells (PWBC), and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The in vivo immunostimulatory assays demonstrated that PSP could in dose-dependent increase of TNF-α, IL-10, and IFN-γ production in sera. The in vitro immunostimulatory assays showed that PSP and its fractions (PSPs) could evidently enhance the proliferation of splenocytes and RAW 264.7 cells and increase the productions of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). PSPs could also enhance phagocytic activity of RAW 264.7 cells. The acidic polysaccharide fractions of PSP-2, PSP-3, and PSP-L with small molecular weight had the higher immunostimulatory activity. Signaling pathway research results indicated that PSP-L activated RAW264.7 cells through MAPKs, NF-κB signaling pathways via TLR4 receptor.

To address the structure–activity relationship of Chlamys farreri polysaccharides on their immunostimulatory efficacy, two polysaccharides (CFP-1 and CFP-2) were extracted from Chlamys farreri by hot water extraction, and separated through column chromatography. The isolated CFPs were chemically analyzed to clarify their physicochemical characteristics and cultured with murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells, in order to evaluate their immunostimulatory efficacy. Despite the fact that both CFP-1 and CFP-2 were mainly comprised of glucose lacking the triple-helix structure, as revealed through preliminary physicochemical analyses, obvious differences in regard to molecular weight (Mw), glucuronic acid content (GAc) and branching degree (BD) were observed between CFP-1 and CFP-2. In in vitro immunostimulatory assays for macrophage RAW264.7 cells, it was demonstrated that CFP-2 with larger Mw, more GAc and BD could evidently promote phagocytosis and increase the production of NO, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β secretion, by activating the expression of iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β genes, respectively. Hence, CFP-2 shows great promise as a potential immunostimulatory agent in the functional foods and nutraceutical industry, while CFP-1, with lower molecular weight, less GAc and BD, displays its weaker immunostimulatory efficacy, based on the indistinctive immunostimulatory parameters of CFP-1.

Changes to Australian regulations now allow the limited addition of water to high-sugar musts pre-fermentation. In light of these changes, this study explored how water addition affects Shiraz wine composition and sensory properties. Wines were made from grapes at ≈13.5, 14.5 and 15.5° Baume. Water was added to musts from the ripest fruit by direct addition, or by using a juice substitution (run-off and replace) approach. To compare the effect of juice run-off independently, saigneé treatments were included. Wines made from the fruit that was harvested earlier generally had a lower “opacity” and higher “red fruit” aroma as the defining sensory attributes. Undiluted wines made from riper fruit had higher phenolics, and were characterised by “dark fruit” and “dried fruit” attributes, and “spice”, a “brown colour” and “opacity”. These attributes were accentuated in wines from the same fruit which received saigneé treatments and reduced in all of the water addition treatments. In particular, higher levels of water addition without juice substitution increased the “cooked vegetable” and “drain” attributes in the wines. This indicates possible negative effects of larger water additions, such that a low to moderate adjustment in Shiraz winemaking is suggested.

In this work, 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD)-loaded polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibres were successfully fabricated by the electrospinning technique using Tween 80 as a solubilizer. Firstly, smooth and continuous nanofibres were collected using suitable solvents and appropriate spinning conditions. Secondly, nanofibre mats were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mechanical testing. Finally, nanofibrous membranes were evaluated using water contact angle, in vitro drug release, biodegradation test, in vitro and in vivo anti-tumour activity and cell apoptosis assay. Scanning electron microscopic observations indicated that the diameter of the drug-loaded nanofibres increased with the increase of drug concentration. TG analysis and mechanical test showed that nanofibres were equipped with great thermal and mechanical properties. Biodegradation test exhibited that the structure of fabricated nanofibres had a certain degree of change after 15 days. An in vitro release study showed that PPD from drug-loaded nanofibres could be released in a sustained and prolonged mode. The cytotoxic effect of drug-loaded nanofibre mats examined on human laryngeal carcinoma cells (Hep-2 cells) demonstrated that the prepared nanofibres had a remarkable anti-tumour effect. Meanwhile, the drug-loaded fibre mats showed a super anti-tumour effect in an in vivo anti-tumour study. All in all, PCL nanofibres could be a potential carrier of PPD for cancer treatment.

Derived from Panax ginseng, the natural product 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) has been reported for its cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines. The molecular mechanism is, however, not well understood. Here we show that PPD significantly inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and causes G2/M cell cycle arrest in human laryngeal carcinoma cells (Hep-2 cells). PPD also decreases the levels of proteins related to cell proliferation. Moreover, PPD-induced apoptosis is characterized by a dose-dependent down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of Bax, and is accompanied by the activation of Caspase-3 as well. Further molecular mechanism is revealed by direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM)—a novel high-precision localization microscopy which enables effective resolution down to the order of 10 nm. It shows the expression and spatial arrangement of mTOR and its downstream effectors, demonstrating that this ginsenoside exerts its excellent anticancer effects via down-regulation of mTOR signaling pathway in Hep-2 cells. Taken together, our findings elucidate that the antitumor effect of PPD is associated with its regulation of mTOR expression and distribution, which encourages further studies of PPD as a promising therapeutic agent against laryngeal carcinoma.

Dust storms and sandy dust events originating in arid and semi-arid areas can transport particulate material, pollutants, and potential transport long distances from their sources. Exposure to desert dust particles is generally acknowledged to endanger human health. However, most studies have examined anthropogenic particulate sources, with few studies considering contributions from natural desert dust. A systematic literature review was undertaken using the ISI Web of Knowledge and PubMed databases with the objective of identifying all studies presenting results on the potential health impact from desert dust particles across the world. This review reveals an imbalance between the areas most exposed to dust and the areas most studied in terms of health effects. Among the human health effects of dust storms are mortality and morbidity, arising from respiratory system, circulatory system, and other diseases. We summarize the quantitative results of current scientific health research and possible pathological mechanisms, and describe some of the many challenges related to understanding health effects from exposures to desert dust particles. Overall, for respiratory and circulatory mortality, both positive and negative associations have been reported for PM10 of desert dust, but only a positive relationship was reported between PM2.5–10 and mortality, and a positive relationship was also reported between PM2.5 and human mortality. Future pathological studies should continue to focus on those mechanisms causing the most harmful effect of desert dust on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. More attention should also be paid to the association between desert dust and the morbidity of other diseases, such as those affecting the reproductive system and nervous system.

The title compound, C21H26N2O, was obtained as an unexpected by-product when attempting to prepare (S)-2-benzyl-N-tert-butyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxamide from (S)-2-benzylamino-N-tert-butyl-3-phenylpropanamide and dimethoxymethane. The molecules are linked by weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds, generating linear chains parallel to the b axis. C—H...π interactions provide further stability for the crystal structure. The planes of the two phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 84.1 (1)°. The absolute configuration was known from the starting material.

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is the causative pathogen of infectious hematopoietic necrosis, outbreaks of which are responsible for significant losses in rainbow trout aquaculture. Strains of IHNV isolated worldwide have been classified into five major genogroups, J, E, L, M, and U. To date, comparative transcriptomic analysis has only been conducted individually for the J and M genogroups. In this study, we compared the transcriptome profiles in U genogroup and J genogroup IHNV-infected RTG2 cells with mock-infected RTG-2 cells. The RNA-seq results revealed 17,064 new genes, of which 7,390 genes were functionally annotated. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis between U and J IHNV-infected cells revealed 2,238 DEGs, including 1,011 downregulated genes and 1,227 upregulated genes. Among the 2,238 DEGs, 345 new genes were discovered. The DEGs related to immune responses, cellular signal transduction, and viral diseases were further analyzed. RT-qPCR validation confirmed that the changes in expression of the immune response-related genes trpm2, sting, itgb7, ripk2, and irf1, cellular signal transduction-related genes irl, cacnb2, bmp2l, gadd45α, and plk2, and viral disease-related genes mlf1, mtor, armc5, pik3r1, and c-myc were consistent with the results of transcriptome analysis. Taken together, our findings provide a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of the differential virulence of the U and J genogroups of IHNV, and shed new light on the pathogenic mechanisms of IHNV strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The desorption kinetic parameters (the desorption activation energy (Ed) and the desorption pre-exponential factor (A)) and the surface acidity (the strength and number of acid sites) of spherical and octahedral nano-SnO2 with different particle sizes for NH3 were measured by a temperature-programmed desorption method. Afterwards, the shape and size dependence of the desorption kinetic parameters and surface acidity of nano-SnO2 were discussed. The results show that shape and size have significant influences on the desorption kinetics and surface acidity of nano-SnO2. For the desorption on spherical or octahedral nano-SnO2, Ed, ln A, and the strength and number of acid sites increase with decreasing particle size. When the diameter is larger than 20 nm, Ed, ln A, and the number of surface acid sites are linearly related to the reciprocal of the particle size, respectively. For different shapes of nano-SnO2 with the same equivalent diameter, the desorption kinetic parameters of octahedral nanoparticles are larger than those of spherical ones, that is, Ed octahedron > Ed sphere and ln A octahedron > ln A sphere. The influence mechanism of shape and size on the desorption kinetic parameters of nano-SnO2 can be attributed to the influence of shape and particle size on the surface acidity of nano-SnO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Atropine, a non-selective muscarinic antagonist, effectively slows down myopia progression in human adolescents and several animal models. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. The current study investigated retinal protein changes of form-deprived myopic (FDM) guinea pigs in response to topical administration of 1% atropine gel (10 g/L). Methods: At the first stage, the differentially expressed proteins were screened using fractionated isobaric tags for a relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) approach, coupled with nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS/MS) (n = 24, 48 eyes) using a sample pooling technique. At the second stage, retinal tissues from another cohort with the same treatment (n = 12, 24 eyes) with significant ocular changes were subjected to label-free sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) proteomics for orthogonal protein target confirmation. The localization of Alpha-synuclein was verified using immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging. Results: A total of 1,695 proteins (8,875 peptides) were identified with 479 regulated proteins (FC ≥ 1.5 or ≤0.67) found from FDM eyes and atropine-treated eyes receiving 4-weeks drug treatment using iTRAQ-MS proteomics. Combining the iTRAQ-MS and SWATH-MS datasets, a total of 29 confident proteins at 1% FDR were consistently quantified and matched, comprising 12 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated proteins which differed between FDM eyes and atropine treated eyes (iTRAQ: FC ≥ 1.5 or ≤0.67, SWATH: FC ≥ 1.4 or ≤0.71, p -value of ≤0.05). Bioinformatics analysis using IPA and STRING databases of these commonly regulated proteins revealed the involvement of the three commonly significant pathways: EIF2 signaling; glycolysis; and dopamine secretion. Additionally, the most significantly regulated proteins were closely connected to Alpha-synuclein (SNCA). Using immunostaining (n = 3), SNCA was further confirmed in the inner margin of the inner nuclear layer (INL) and spread throughout the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of the retina of guinea pigs. Conclusion: The molecular evidence using next-generation proteomics (NGP) revealed that retinal EIF2 signaling, glycolysis, and dopamine secretion through SNCA are implicated in atropine treatment of myopia in the FDM-induced guinea pig model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper amounts of copper supplemented in livestock feed improve the physical growth and traits of farm animals. The pancreas is an important organ with both exocrine and endocrine portions. To investigate the role and mechanism of copper in the sheep pancreas, we first established sheep pancreatic duct organoids (sPDOs). We found that an appropriate amount of copper benefited the formation and growth of sPDOs, whereas excess or deficient copper damaged sPDOs. We found that the proliferation-stimulating effect of copper was related to the copper chaperone antioxidant protein 1 (ATOX1)-dependent activation of MEK-ERK1/2 signaling. Atox1 knockdown suppressed the cell proliferation of sPDOs, even in the presence of the MEK activator. These results indicate that moderate concentrations of copper promote sPDO growth through ATOX1-regulated cell proliferation by activation of MEK-ERK. Moreover, our study indicates that organoids may be a useful model to study organ growth mechanisms in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater recycling technologies have been widely used in tanneries to reduce environmental impacts. However, only a few recycling methods have been developed for vegetable tanning processes due to limited knowledge of their wastewaters. In this study, the structures of the polyphenols in the larch tanning wastewater (LTW) and commercial larch tannin (CLT) were characterized with spectrographic and chromatographic analysis. Structures of these polyphenols were illustrated accordingly; their collagen reaction abilities were then tested with thermal analysis and visualized with a molecular docking software. Results showed that polyphenols in LTW and CLT were all procyanidins. However, average molecular weight of the polyphenols in LTW was 1104Da, in contrast to an obviously higher value for the CLT sample (3334Da). Meanwhile, the LTW presented obvious lower reactivity in the collagen-polyphenol reaction, including lower thermal stabilities and docking energies, fewer hydrogen bonds, and lower interaction energies. These results provide a hint for vegetable tanning wastewater recycling: because of these structural differences, reactivity of the polyphenols in wastewater are lower than the ones in commercial tannins. Therefore, before the recycling processes, polyphenols must be chemically modified in accordance with these structural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective Brønsted base catalyzed reactions have established themselves as powerful tools for the construction of optically pure compounds. Most strategies aim at improving these reactions involve the modification of substrates to decrease the pKa of the acidic proton. Typically, an electron-withdrawing group such as an ester or a fluorine is placed at the a-carbon, where the proton is also residing. The activation of less active proton, thus, becomes a major challenge in this field of research. In order to overcome this pKa barrier, some new innovative approaches have been demonstrated in recent years. The implementation of dual activation modes and the development of organocatalytic Brønsted superbases are selected to be discussed in this minireview. 1 Introduction. 2 Dual Activation Using Lewis Acid and Brønsted Base. 3 Dual Activation Using Iminium Catalyst and Brønsted Base. 4 Chiral Brønsted Superbase. 5 Chiral Ion-Pair Brønsted Base. 6 Summary and Outlook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most asymmetric phase transfer reactions are Bransted base reactions, and the inorganic bases used greatly influenced the profile of the reaction. Alkoxide salts are able to activate substrates with high pfCa values, but background reactions are often unavoidable. On the other hand, carbonate and phosphate salts are milder, but their low basicity limits the scope of their reactions. This presents a difficult situation whereby fragile substrates such as lactone will be hydrolyzed by a stronger base but will not be activated with a weaker one. Thus, a Bronsted probase strategy is devised, in which a strong base can be generated in situ from silylamide (probase) through the use of fluoride. In this approach, the strong base produced will be transient and not be in excess, thus reducing background and side reactions. We demonstrate this strategy using pentanidinium and bisguanidinium as catalysts; highly enantioselective phase transfer alkylation of several types of substrates including dihydrocoumarin (lactone) can be achieved. We found that the probase also acts as a silylation reagent, generating silyl enol ether or silyl ketene acetal, which are key intermediates in the reaction. We further propose that hypervalent silicates form ion-pairs with pentanidinium and bisguanidinium as intermediates in the reaction, and it is through these ion-pairs that the selective enantiofacial approach of the electrophile is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]