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In this paper, classical molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore the impact of deposition temperature and bias voltage on the growth of Al2O3 thin films through magnetron sputtering. Ion energy distributions were derived from plasma mass spectrometer measurements. The fluxes of deposited particles (Ar+, Al+, and O−) were categorized into low, medium, and high energies, and the results show that the films are dominated by amorphous Al2O3 at low incident energies without applying bias. As the deposition temperature increased, the crystallinity of the films also increased, with the crystals predominantly consisting of γ-Al2O3. The crystal content of the deposited films increased when biased with −20 V compared to when no bias was applied. Crystalline films were successfully obtained at a deposition temperature of 773 K with a −20 V bias. When biased with −40 V, crystals could be obtained at a lower deposition temperature of 573 K. Increasing the bias enables the particles to have higher energy to overcome the nucleation barrier of the crystallization process, leading to a greater degree of film crystallization. At this stage, the average bond length between Al-O is measured to be approximately 1.89 Å to 1.91 Å, closely resembling that of the crystal.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), western medicine and integrative medicine in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a rat model. Methods: The T2DM rat model was established with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 35 days and a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg). The T2DM-induced rats were divided into three groups, and treated with Yiqi Yangyin Huatan (YQYYHT) granules (3.84 g/kg per day), pioglitazone (1.35 mg/kg per day) or YQYYHT granules + pioglitazone (3.84 g/kg per day+1.35 mg/kg per day) respectively for 14 days. Clinical features and behavioral changes, as well as T2DM indicators, were recorded to evaluate therapeutics effects in each treatment group. Results: The T2DM rat model expressed insulin resistance (IR), with features similar to qi-yin deficiency and phlegm stasis syndrome, including decreased cyclic adenosine monophosphate/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cAMP/cGMP) ratio, decreased levels of Na+-K+-ATPase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and increased levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL-C). All three treatment groups showed significant decreases in fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting insulin (Fins), and improvement of TCM syndrome to different degrees. Importantly, YQYYHT improved the most of the indicators of T2DM, followed by integrative medicine and pioglitazone alone. Conclusion: Compared with western medicine or integrative medicine, prescription of TCM based on syndrome differentiation may offer more advantages in the prevention and treatment of T2DM. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Qi-yin deficiency, Phlegm stasis syndrome, Integrative medicine, Yiqi Yangyin Huatan prescription

Objective: To investigate how Yiqi Yangyin and Huatan Quyu granule (YYHQ) improves skeletal muscle insulin resistance in a type 2 diabetic rat model and to discover whether the molecular mechanism is related to the promotion of the AMPK/SIRT/PGC-1α signalling pathway. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the normal group, the model group, the YYHQ granule group, and the pioglitazone group. The type 2 diabetic rat model was established by feeding a high-fat diet for 5 weeks along with a single intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). After modelling successfully, the appropriate drug was intragastrically administered to diabetic rats for 2 weeks, once per day. The YYHQ granule group was given a dose of 4.8 g/kg body weight per day, the pioglitazone group was given a dose of 1.35 mg/kg body weight per day. The doses for both groups were equivalent to the clinical equivalent dose based on a previous study. Other groups were gavaged with the same amount of saline water. Body weight, food intake, water intake, urine volume and grip strength were recorded weekly. The fasting blood glucose(FBG) was determined weekly using blood glucose test strips. The related glucose and lipid metabolism indexes, e.g., fasting insulin (Fins), glycated haemoglobin (GHb), HOMA-IR, ISI, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA), were determined using biochemical method. The mRNA expression levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), carnitine palmitoyl transterase-1 (CPT-1), Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) were assessed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The protein expression levels of creatine kinase (CK), Ca2+ ATPase, α-Actin, AMPK, PGC-1α and CPT-1 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method (ELISA). Results: Body weight decreased significantly (P .05). The levels of FBG, Fins, GHb, HOMA-IR and ISI were improved significantly (P .05). Further results indicated that YYHQ granule significantly decreased the mRNA expression of AMPK, PGC-1α, CPT-1, SIRT1 and SIRT3 in skeletal muscle (P .05). Conclusion: The possible molecular mechanism of YYHQ granule improving skeletal muscle insulin resistance in a type 2 diabetic rat model may be related to the stimulation of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle via the AMPK/SIRT/PGC-1α signalling pathway. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), Yiqi Yangyin and Huatan Quyu granule (YYHQ), Skeletal muscle, Energy metabolism, AMPK/SIRT/PGC-1α signalling pathway

The intensive use of groundwater and nitrogen fertilizer has led to serious negative impacts on the environment of the North China Plain (NCP). Water footprint is an emerging approach to assess the consumptive water use and the environmental impacts on winter wheat-summer maize systems. A seven-year rotation experiment was conducted to collect data on wheat and maize growth response to nitrogen rates and irrigation schedules and to explore how the water footprint was affected, using DSSAT 4.6 Wheat and Maize crop models. Results showed that the increase in farm inputs contributed greatly to the increase in water footprint, primarily through the grey water footprint. The water footprints of maize and wheat were more sensitive to the nitrogen rate and irrigation, respectively. An irrigation of 160 mm produced a minimum total water footprint and higher yield for wheat. The grey water footprint of maize increased linearly when the nitrogen rate applied to maize exceeded 60 kg ha−1. Water-saving irrigation with 300 kg ha−1 of nitrogen can maintain a higher grain yield and have little impact on the environment. The approach used and the results can help to develop management strategies to maintain high yields while minimizing the water footprint in NCP.

Objective: To establish a rat model of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) manifesting the Chinese medicine syndrome pattern of both qi and yin deficiency for evaluating the efficacy of a Chinese herbal formula (CHF), integrative medicine (IM), and pioglitazone (PIO) on T2DM indicators in the animal model. Methods: The rat model was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg). CHF (3.4 g/kg), PIO (2.7 mg/kg), and IM (3.4 g CHF + 2.7 mg PIO) were administered to rats once daily for 14 days. Related laboratory parameters were observed. Results: Diabetic rats showed unsmooth fur, alopecia, reduced activity, huddling, somnolence, depression, pale or reddened tongue, damp/dark red tail, and high levels of water and food intake, urine volume, and stool weight, but weakened grip strength. Low levels of serum SOD, Na+-K+-ATPase, cAMP/cGMP, and a high level of iNOS were observed. Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, high levels of serum glucagon/IDE and pancreatic amylin, and low serum and pancreatic SS levels were evident as well. Conclusions: A rat model of T2DM with both qi and yin deficiency was successfully replicated. CHF appeared to be more efficacious than IM and PIO in the rat model of qi and yin deficiency pattern of T2DM, though IM and PIO were each found to have their merits and drawbacks in attenuating T2DM indicators in the rat model.

Using potassium permanganate-modified pineapple cellulose as an adsorbent, the absorption behaviour of Cu2+ was analyzed based on isothermal adsorption, adsorption kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics. SEM, FTIR and XPS analyses were conducted to further investigate the absorption mechanism. Results showed that the modified pineapple bran cellulose by potassium permanganate adsorbed more Cu2+ in solution than the unmodified pineapple bran cellulose by 110.96%. SEM, XPS and FTIR analyses demonstrated that the strong oxidizing agent MnO4- attacked the molecule chains of pineapple bran cellulose and resulted in the growth in the specific surface area and active groups, which provided additional adsorption sites for Cu2+. Adsorption kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of the modified pineapple bran cellulose for Cu2+ was consistent with the Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second order kinetic equation indicating mainly chemisorption. Thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. And the chemisorption process dominated the Cu2+ adsorption process of modified pineapple bran cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been applied widely in industrial production; however, a variety of stressors and inhibitors limit its application. Therefore, exploring the tolerance mechanism of S. cerevisiae to various environmental adverse factors and improving its tolerance by various methods such as genetic modification are crucial for improving the robustness and fermentation ability of S. cerevisiae in industrial production. This article reviews the tolerance mechanism of S. cerevisiae to osmotic pressure, ethanol, high temperature, organic acid, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sulfur dioxide, analyzes tolerance genes related to environmental stress in S. cerevisiae and summarizes the current directions in research on the tolerance mechanism of S. cerevisiae. In the future, the molecular mechanism and functional network of strain adaptation to the environment will be studied by systems biology and genetic engineering technology, which will provide theoretical and practical guidance for improving the stress resistance and fermentation ability of S. cerevisiae in industrial production.