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Commercial NiMo foam processed by salt-baking 'recipe' gained a giant leap in electrocatalytic activity. [Display omitted] Ni-based metal foam holds promise as an electrochemical water-splitting catalyst, due to its low cost, acceptable catalytic activity and superior stability. However, its catalytic activity must be improved before it can be used as an energy-saving catalyst. Here, a traditional Chinese recipe, salt-baking, was employed to surface engineering of nickel-molybdenum alloy (NiMo) foam. During salt-baking, a thin layer of FeOOH nano-flowers was assembled on the NiMo foam surface then the resultant NiMo-Fe catalytic material was evaluated for its ability to support oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. The NiMo-Fe foam catalyst generated an electric current density of 100 mA cm−2 that required an overpotential of only 280 mV, thus demonstrating that its performance far exceeded that of the benchmark catalyst RuO 2 (375 mV). When employed as both the anode and cathode for use in alkaline water electrolysis, the NiMo-Fe foam generated a current density (j) output that was 3.5 times greater than that of NiMo. Thus, our proposed salt-baking method is a promising simple and environmentally friendly approach for surface engineering of metal foam for designing catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the regulator of constructed wetlands (CWs), biochar is often used to enhance pollutant removal and reduce greenhouse gas emission. Biochar is proved to have certain effects on microbial populations, but its effect on the aggregation of microbial flocs and the formation of biofilms in the CWs has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the above topics were studied in this paper by adding a certain proportion of biochar in aerated subsurface flow constructed wetlands. The results indicated that after adding biochar in the CWs, pollutant removal was enhanced and the removal rate of NH 4 +-N was increased from 80.76% to 99.43%. The proportion of hydrophobic components in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was reduced by adding biochar from 0.0044 to 0.0038, and the affinity of EPS on CH 3 -SAM was reduced from 5.736 L/g to 2.496 L/g. The weakened hydrophobic and the reduced affinity of EPS caused the initial attachment of microorganisms to be inhibited. The relative abundance of Chloroflexi was decreased after adding biochar, reducing the dense structural skeleton of biofilm aggregates. Correspondingly, the abundance of Bacteroidetes was increased, promoting EPS degradation. Biochar addition helped to increase the proportion of catalytic active proteins in extracellular proteins and decrease the proportion of binding active proteins, hindering the combination of extracellular proteins and macromolecules to form microbial aggregates. Additionally, the proportions of three extracellular protein structures promoting microbial aggregation, including aggregated chain, β-sheet, and 3-turn helix, were decreased to 23.83%, 38.37% and 7.76%, respectively, while the proportions of random coil and antiparallel β-sheet that inhibited microbial aggregation were increased to 14.11% and 8.11%, respectively. An interesting conclusion from the experimental results is that biochar not only can enhance pollutants removal, but also has the potential of alleviating biological clogging in CWs, which is of great significance to realize the sustainable operation and improve the life cycle of CWs. [Display omitted] • Biochar reduced the hydrophobicity of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). • Extracellular protein composition of EPS was altered by biochar. • Biochar addition induced changes in the extracellular protein secondary structure. • Biochar addition improved composition and structure of extracellular proteins. • Biochar has the potential to alleviate biological clogging in constructed wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focused on the bioaccumulation and cytotoxicities of Cd2+, CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and CdSe/ZnS QDs in Escherichia coli (E. coli , represents prokaryotic system) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium , represents eukaryotic system), respectively. Two types of QDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering. The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer results showed that the bioaccumulation amounts of CdSe QDs by E. coli and P. chrysosporium were larger than those of CdSe/ZnS QDs due to the smaller particle size and less negative surface charges of CdSe QDs. Confocal microscopy and TEM results showed that there was an interaction between QDs and cells, and QDs have entered into the cells eventually, leading to the change of cell morphology. Plasma membrane fluidities and membrane H+-ATPase activities of E. coli and P. chrysosporium decreased gradually with the increasing concentrations of Cd2+, CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs. Results of the cell viabilities and intracellular reactive oxygen species levels indicated that the induced cytotoxicities were decreased as follows: CdSe QDs > CdSe/ZnS QDs > Cd2+. These findings suggested that the cytotoxicity of QDs was not only attributed to their heavy metal components, but also related to their nanosize effects which could induce particle-specific toxicity. The above results offer valuable information for exploring the cytotoxicity mechanism of QDs in prokaryote and eukaryote. Image 1 • CdSe QDs were more easily absorbed by cells as compared to CdSe/ZnS QDs. • P. chrysosporium was more sensitive to Cd2+, CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs than E. coli. • The intracellular ROS level was dependent on the intracellular concentration of QDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil ecosystems surrounding chromium slag undergo continuous harsh physicochemical conditions due to multiple heavy metals contamination. Previous studies of soil microbial communities mainly focused on surface soil layer, while little was known about the depth-related distributions of the microbial communities in chromium (Cr)-contaminated soil. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of depth-related distributions of microbial communities in Cr-contaminated soil was carried out by Illumina sequencing of 16s rRNA genes. The results revealed that bacterial diversities at 0 cm depth layer were significantly higher than those below 20 cm depths. And there was a remarkable difference in bacterial compositions along with the sampling depths especially for the dominant phyla of Proteobacteria , Actinobacteria , Chloroflexi and Fimicutes (p < 0.05). While the archaea accounted for a relatively low proportion of the microbes and showed stability in the compositions with the predominant phyla of Thaumarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. The linear discriminate analysis (LDA) and effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that there were thirty-seven kinds of biomarker microbes existing in the five soil layers with LDA threshold of 4.0, and each layer showed distinct microbial divisions, indicating that microbes with different biological functions might survive along with the sampling depths. The environmental variables including total chromium (Cr), Cr(Ⅵ), Mn, Ni, and Zn had considerable influences on microbial community composition in the contaminated soil. A total of 25 Cr(Ⅵ)-reducing strains were further isolated and identified, which were phylogenetically affiliated to Proteobacteria , Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Among the isolated Cr(Ⅵ)-reducing strains, Bacillus stratosphericus was the first time to be reported with Cr(Ⅵ) reducing capacity. Image 1 • Microbial community in Cr-contaminated soil was studied by 16s rRNA genes amplicon. • Significant differences of diversities and compositions among layers were found. • Proteobacteria was the domiant phylum but relative abundance significantly varied. • Thirty-seven biomarker microbes were found among five soil depth layers. • Twenty-five Cr (Ⅵ)-reducing strains were isolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of 2′,3,4,4′-tetrahydrochalcone analogs were designed and synthesized as antivitiligo agents. RY3-c exhibited the best melanogenesis and antioxidant activity and the lowest toxicity in zebrafish model. RY3-c also exhibited better melanogenesis activity compared with commercial antivitiligo drug 8-MOP in vitiligo mouse model. RY3-c could repaired cell damage induced by excessive oxidative stress and may exert melanin synthesis activity in mouse melanoma B16F10 cell line by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and upregulation of c-kit. • RY3-a was first isolated from Vernohia anthelmintica (L.) willd seed. • A set of RY3-a analogues were designed and synthesized as antivitiligo agents. • Zebrafish has been used for the toxicity tests and the antivitiligo activity screening. • RY3-c exhibited potent melanogenesis activity compared with 8-MOP in vitiligo mouse model. • RY3-c may exert melanin synthesis activity in B16F10 cells by activating MAPK pathway and up-regulation c-kit. A bioactive component, 2′,3,4,4′-tetrahydrochalcone (RY3-a) was first isolated from Vernohia anthelmintica (L.) willd seeds, and a set of its analogs, RY3-a-1–RY3-a-15 and RY3-c were designed and synthesized. Biological activity assays showed that RY3-c exhibited better melanogenesis and antioxidant activity and lower toxicity in comparison with RY3-a and butin. Further study tests showed that RY3-c exhibited better melanogenesis activity compared with the positive control 8-methoxypsoralan (8-MOP) in a vitiligo mouse model, suggesting that RY3-c is a good candidate antivitiligo agent. Mechanistic studies showed that RY3-c could repair cell damage induced by excessive oxidative stress and may exert melanin synthesis activity in the mouse melanoma B16F10 cell line by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the upregulation of c-kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first report of cobalt-tetrasulfonatophthalocyanine (CoTSPc) as a probe of Rayleigh light scattering (RLS) to determine proteins at nanogram levels. A highly sensitive method has been developed for the determination of proteins by the light scattering technique on a common spectrofluorimeter, based on the fact that the weak RLS of CoTSPc can be greatly enhanced in the presence of proteins. Under optimum conditions, the linear ranges of the calibration curves were 0.10–34.3 μg mL-1 for both human serum albumin and bovine serum albumin, with detection limits of 15.5 and 13.9 ng mL-1, respectively. Moreover, there is almost no interference of any amino acids and metal ions. The method has been applied to the direct determination of total proteins in human serum samples, and the results were satisfactory with clinical data provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Developing materials from natural minerals to efficiently remove arsenite (As(Ⅲ)) from solution is vital important for resources comprehensive utilization and environment protection. In this study, biotite containing minerals was used to prepare a novel composite of amino modified silica supported MnO 2 /Fe–Al hydroxide (SNMFA composite), which was then applied to remove arsenite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that many amorphous MnO 2 and Fe–Al hydroxide nano sheets were loaded on the surface of layered silica structure. Batch experiments showed that this composite could efficiently remove As(Ⅲ) from aqueous solution, and the maximal removal capacity was identified as 46.11 mg/g. As(Ⅲ) adsorption behaviours of SNMFA composite were confirmed by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model, indicating that As(Ⅲ) adsorption on its surface was monolayer adsorption. The adsorption process was a pH and temperature dependent process, and increasing pH and temperature have facilitated the removal of As(Ⅲ). Thermodynamic analysis showed that As(Ⅲ) adsorption process was a spontaneous endothermic reaction. The As(Ⅲ) removal was mainly relied on the stable inner-sphere coordination model, and the corresponding mechanisms were involved in chelation, precipitation, oxidation-adsorption and electrostatic interaction. [Display omitted] • A novel SNMFA composite was prepared from biotite for efficiently remove As(Ⅲ). • The maximal As(Ⅲ) removal capacity was 46.11 mg/g. • The removal mechanism was chelation, precipitation and oxidation-adsorption. • A new high value added comprehensive utilization way of biotite was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition metals and PFRs mainly participated in the single-electron pathway via activating PMS to generate a large amount of ROS, while the graphitic N -containing carbon matrix with π-π* shake up and C O groups acted as the electron mediator to favor the two-electron transfer and directly oxidized the BHA through the ternary activated outer-sphere complexes. [Display omitted] • The introducing of carbon source changed the surface electrification. • Both single-electron and two-electron pathway involved in the oxidation process. • PFRs and transition metals could activate PMS to produce abundant ROS. • N -containing carbon with prone to act as electron mediator and sacrifier. In this study, a novel carbon-wrapped-iron hierarchical porous catalyst (Fe/C-Mn 800) was prepared from electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) and sewage sludge (SS), which showed outstanding degradation ability toward benzohydroxamic acid (BHA, nearly 90 % was removed within 60 min) with low metal leaching rate. Mechanism exploration found transition metal ions (Fe and Mn) can serve as electron acceptors and facilitate the generation of persistent free radicals (PFRs). These transition metal ions and PFRs mainly participated in the single-electron pathway via activating PMS to generate a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While the electron negative graphitic N and C O groups not only improve the electronegatively of catalyst, but also acted as the electron sacrificers to favor the electron transfer and directly oxidized the absorbed BHA through the ternary activated outer-sphere complexes. Eley–Rideal (E-R) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) analysis further demonstrated the crucial role of pre-adsorption during the degradation process. This work provided a deep insight into the degradation mechanism of metal/carbon composite and promising opportunity widened the horizon of the high-value utilization of EMR and SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The first MOF catalyst was developed for the alcohol dehydrogenation to carboxylates. • The Zn-based MOF catalyst was prepared in a facile and environmental-friendly manner. • The catalyst could be reused at least 5 consecutive times without activity decay. • Aldehyde as a key intermediate and [Zn-N] as the active sites were proposed. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is a representative Zn-based metal–organic framework (MOF) featuring high porosity, good stability, and large surface area. Owing to these fascinating properties, ZIF-8 exhibits promising potential in catalysis. With our continuous interest in catalyst development of alcohol-involving green transformations, we intended to exploit the capability of ZIF-8 in catalyzing the acceptorless dehydrogenation of alcohols to carboxylates. The preparation of ZIF-8 at room temperature possesses advantages such as environmental friendliness and easy operation. Subsequently, various techniques were adopted to characterize the structures, morphology, and chemical states of both fresh and reused catalysts. Notably, the catalyst displayed good reusability since it could be reused at least 5 times without considerable loss of catalytic activity. It was also perceived that KOH was an indispensable component of this catalytic process. More specifically, KOH not only worked as one of the starting materials but also provided the basic environment to promote this catalysis. Furthermore, the aldehyde was confirmed as a key intermediate for this catalytic process. Based on additional experiments and literature reports, we proposed [Zn–N] as the active sites and presented a plausible catalytic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Twenty-six mycotoxins were isolated from the fungus Aspergillus puniceus. • Their absolute configurations were determined by ECD calculations. • Eleven hydrogenated austocystins were synthesized from the isolated compounds. • Eighteen compounds showed strong toxicity against brine shrimps or Vero cell. • Twenty-two compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against PTPs. Nine new xanthone-type and anthraquinone-type mycotoxins including austocystins J-N (1 – 5), 7-chloro versicolorin A (6), 3′-hydroxy-8- O -methyl versicolorin B (7), 8- O -methyl versiconol (8) and 2′,3′-dihydroxy versiconol (9), together with 17 known analogues (10 – 26) were isolated from an extract of the deep-sea-derived fungus Aspergillus puniceus SCSIO z021. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of spectroscopic data, and their absolute configurations were further determined by quantum chemical calculations of ECD spectra or comparison of the experimental ECD spectra. Eleven hydrogenated austocystins were synthesized from 1 – 2 , 10 – 15 and 17 by catalytic hydrogenation for bioactivities evaluation. Totally, 18 of the all 37 compounds showed strong toxicity against brine shrimps or Vero cell, and the toxicity of 8- O -methyldemethylsterigmatocystin (18) (LC 50 = 0.020 µM) against brine shrimps was higher than those of three positive controls. In addition, 22 of the isolated compounds also exhibited significant inhibitory activity against seven different protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), among them austocystin H (15) and methyl-averantin (24) were the most potent inhibitors with IC 50 values of 0.20–3.0 µM. Their structure-bioactivity relationship was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a bi-branch network for efficient dynamic scene deblurring. The challenge is to simultaneously reduce the computational cost and enhance the restoration accuracy. The proposed network conduct heterogeneous transformations on motion and RGB content in an encoder–decoder structure with skip connections. The computational efficiency is achieved by explicitly decomposing the intertwined mapping of spatiotemporal and cross-channel correlations into the motion branch that processes grayscale frames with our proposed pseudo depth-wise separable 3D convolution and the color branch that conducts depth-wise separable 2D convolution on RGB content. We refine features captured by the motion branch and the color branch by incorporating a lightweight nonlocal fusion layer that adapts the double attention operation to aggregate heterogeneous transformations and generate for each location in the feature space an output based on its correlation with the entire video clip. Our nonlocal fusion maintains low computational cost in processing high-resolution frames and operates in a patch-based manner during inference. The proposed architecture strikes the right balance between complexity and accuracy for dynamic scene deblurring. In comparison with state-of-the-art methods, the proposed network is compact and shows competitive restoration accuracy with a significant reduction in computational cost. • Two branches with heterogeneous transformations optimizes video deblurring network. • A compact extension enables depth-wise separable spatiotemporal convolution. • Capturing global information in dynamic scenes with nonlocal fusion refines features. • Adapting the double attention operation optimizes nonlocal fusion. • Network and layer decomposition combined enhances restoration with low computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-entropy selenides derived from Prussian blue analogues were selenated by the vapor infiltration method, resulting in the formation of a core–shell structured high-entropy selenides (HESe-6). As a result, the HESe-6 anode for SIBs can achieve excellent cyclability (107 % retention over 1000 loops at 1 A g−1), and remarkable rate capability (606.8 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1). [Display omitted] Transition metal selenides (TMS) have received much attention as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) because of their high theoretical capacity and excellent redox reversibility. However, their further development is constrained by the dissolution of transition metal ions and substantial volume changes experienced during cycling. Herein, the high-entropy Prussian blue analogues were selenized by the vapor infiltration method, resulting in the formation of a core–shell structured high-entropy selenides (HESe-6). The core–shell structure with voids and abundant selenium vacancies on the surface effectively mitigates bulk expansion and enhances electronic conductivity. Furthermore, the high-entropy property endows an ultra-stable crystal structure and inhibits the dissolution of metal ions. The ex-situ EIS and in-situ XRD results show that HESe-6 is able to be reversibly transformed into highly conductive ultrafine metal particles upon Na+ embedding, providing more Na+ reactive active sites. In addition, despite the incorporation of up to seven different elements, it exhibits minimal phase transitions during discharge/charge cycles, effectively mitigating stress accumulation. HESe-6 could retain an ultralong-term stability of 765.83 mAh g−1 after 1000 loops even at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, when coupled with the Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F cathode, it maintains a satisfactory charge energy density of 303 Wh kg−1 after 300 cycles, which shows promising application prospect in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite of significant progress in remediation of Cr(VI) or Hg(II) pollution by microorganisms, study on the reduction of both Cr(VI) and Hg(II) by the same microbial strain was not reported so far, which is actually important for bioremediation of contaminated sites with multiple heavy metals. In this study, Pseudomonas umsongensis CY-1 was newly isolated from chromium-contaminated soil and showed remediation potentials for both Cr(VI) and Hg(II) pollution. The highest Cr(VI) (93.9%) and Hg(II) (82.8%) reduction rates were obtained at the initial concentration of 5 mg/L. Comparison between removal by resting cells and heat-treated resting cells demonstrated that P. umsongensis CY-1 removed Cr(VI) and Hg(II) from Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0) mainly through reduction instead of adsorption. By comparing the Cr(VI) and Hg(II) reduction rates of different cellular fractions, it was found that Cr(VI) and Hg(II) reductions mainly happened in the cytoplasm of P. umsongensis CY-1, which were further demonstrated by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Furthermore, analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the reduction products of Cr(VI) and Hg(II) were mainly in the form of Cr(III) and Hg (0), respectively. The findings in this study will provide a guide for further insights in the bioremediation of contaminated sites with multiple heavy metals. Image 1 • A novel Cr(VI) & Hg(II) reducing strain P. umsongensis CY-1 was firstly isolated. • The removal of Cr(VI) & Hg(II) by CY-1 was through reduction instead of adsorption. • The locations of the Cr(VI) & Hg(II) reduction reactions were in the cytoplasm. • The reduction products of Cr(VI) & Hg(II) were mainly in the form of Cr(III) & Hg (0). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metals in acid mine drainages (AMD) have posed a great threat to environment, and in situ economic environment-friendly remediation technologies need to be developed. Moreover, the effects of acidophiles on biosorption and migrating behaviors of metals in AMD have not been previously reported. In this study, the extremely thermoacidophilic Archaea , Acidianus manzaensis YN25 (A. manzaensis YN25) was used as a bio-adsorbent to adsorb metals (Cu2+, Ni2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+) from acidic solutions which were taken to imitate AMD. The values of their maximum biosorption capacities at both high (1 mM) and low (0.1 mM) metal concentrations followed the order: Cu2+ > Ni2+ > Cd2+ > Zn2+. With the elevations of temperature and pH value, the adsorption amounts of metals increased. The results also indicated that A. manzaensis YN25 had the highest adsorption affinity to Cu2+ in coexisting system of quaternary metals. Acid-base titration data revealed that carboxyl and phosphoryl groups provided adsorption sites for metals via deprotonation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) further corroborated that amino played an important role in the biosorption process. The fitted Langmuir model illustrated monolayer adsorption occurring on cell surface. The possible adsorption mechanism of A. manzaensis YN25 mainly involved in electrostatic attraction and complexes formation. This study gives a profound insight into the biosorption behavior of heavy metals in acidic solution by thermoacidophilic Archaea and provides a probable novel strategy for in situ remediation of heavy metals pollution in AMD. • Protonation/deprotonation contributed to heavy metal ions adsorption. • The archaea had the best affinity for Cu2+ compared to Ni2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+. • A positive correlation between pH value and adsorption capacity. • Monolayer adsorption occurred on the cell surface of A. manzaensis YN25. • The biosorption mechanism refer to electrostatic attraction and complexation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The emission of fine particles from coal-fired power plants is one of the major healthy and environmental concerns. The enlargement of particles seems to be a promising pretreatment technology due to the low removal efficiency of traditional dusting devices. The study of particle amplification by heterogeneous condensation of magnetized water vapor was carried out based on the growth tube. And, the major component of particles from coal combustion SiO 2 was tested. The experimental results indicate that the particle growth is more favored by the magnetized water compared with non-magnetized water. And the particle growth is closely related to the magnetic field strength. Additionally, the surface tension of magnetized water is reduced and the wettability of particle surface is improved to some extent. Meanwhile, the particle concentration has stronger effect on the particle growth with magnetized water at lower level of supersaturation. Numerical calculation results demonstrate that the critical supersaturation is lower and nucleation rate is elevated when the water magnetized. This work reveals the facilitating process of particle growth by magnetized water that is the physical method of ameliorating particle surface performance. Highlights • Particle growth is more favored by the magnetized water. • Surface tension of magnetized water is reduced. • Wettability of particle surface is slightly improved with magnetized water. • Impact of water vapor depletion on the particle growth is analyzed. • Magnetized water is beneficial to the nucleation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination of organoarsenic is becoming increasingly prominent while SR-AOPs were confirmed to be valid for their remediation. This study has found that the novel metal/carbon catalyst (Fe/C–Mn) prepared by solid waste with hierarchical pores could simultaneously degrade roxarsone (ROX) and remove As(V). A total of 95.6% of ROX (20 mg/L) could be removed at the concentration of 1.0 g/L of catalyst and 0.4 g/L of oxidant in the Fe/C–Mn/PMS system within 90 min. The scavenging experiment and electrochemical test revealed that both single-electron and two-electron pathways contributed to the ROX decomposition. Spectroscopic analysis suggested the ROX has been successfully mineralized while As(V) was fixed with the surface Fe and Mn. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation and chromatographic analysis indicated that the As7, N8, O9 and O10 sites of ROX molecule were vulnerable to being attacked by nucleophilic, electrophilic and radical, resulting in the formation of several intermediates such as phenolic compounds. Additionally, the low metal leaching concentration during recycling and high anti-interference ability in various water matrices manifested the practicability of Fe/C–Mn/PMS system. • The acidic condition was beneficial for the ROX degradation. • ROX has been mineralized while As(V) was fixed with the surface Fe. • Both single-electron and direct-electron ways contributed to the degradation. • The Fe/C–Mn could simultaneously degrade ROX and remove/fix As(V). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissolved organic matter (DOM) should be purified for safe drinking water due to disinfection by-products (DBPs) produced by disinfectants reaction with DOM. Current research on groundwater in the chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology (CKDu) zone of the North Central Province (NCP) in Sri Lanka has focused mainly on aquatic chemistry, with limited attention paid to the spatial distribution, compositional sources and factors of DOM. Therefore, the structure, composition, source and spatial distribution of the DOM of two kinds of groundwater samples collected from dug well and tube well in the NCP during the wet season were determined, compared and analyzed by analytical tools such as parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Results show that the average concentrations of TOC in these two groundwater samples are generally higher than 5.0 mg/L, and the concentration of TOC in the groundwater of the shallow weathered aquifer is higher than that of the deep hard rock aquifer, while its distribution of the two aquifers are on contrary. The DOM in the dug well has three types and four components, including humus-like component C1 (33.36%) and C2 (38.60%), protein-like component C3 (13.09%) and heterogeneous organic component C4 (14.95%). In the tube well, two types and two components of the DOM are determined, including humus-like component CⅠ (69.80%) widely existing in natural water and soluble microbial by-product CⅡ (30.20%) produced by microbial community activities. In the dug well, DOM is mainly exogenous input, the higher ion concentration in water affected the fluorescence intensity of humus and protein components. And in the tube well, DOM has obvious endogenous characteristics, and higher pH value may inhibit the production of protein like fluorescent substances to a certain extent. The DOM in groundwater of dug well has three types and four components (C1, C2, C3 and C4). In the tube well, two types and two components are determined (CⅠ and CⅡ). [Display omitted] • The DOM composition and its main water source of groundwater in the NCP were determined. • DOM in groundwater of dug and tube well are mainly exogenous and endogenous, respectively. • Exogenous inputs significantly affect the composition of DOM in the dug well. • The average TOC concentration is higher in the dug well than that in the tube well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inability to control timely bladder emptying is one of the most serious challenges among the many functional deficits that occur after a spinal cord injury. We previously demonstrated that electrodes placed epidurally on the dorsum of the spinal cord can be used in animals and humans to recover postural and locomotor function after complete paralysis and can be used to enable voiding in spinal rats. In the present study, we examined the neuromodulation of lower urinary tract function associated with acute epidural spinal cord stimulation, locomotion, and peripheral nerve stimulation in adult rats. Herein we demonstrate that electrically evoked potentials in the hindlimb muscles and external urethral sphincter are modulated uniquely when the rat is stepping bipedally and not voiding, immediately pre-voiding, or when voiding. We also show that spinal cord stimulation can effectively neuromodulate the lower urinary tract via frequency-dependent stimulation patterns and that neural peripheral nerve stimulation can activate the external urethral sphincter both directly and via relays in the spinal cord. The data demonstrate that the sensorimotor networks controlling bladder and locomotion are highly integrated neurophysiologically and behaviorally and demonstrate how these two functions are modulated by sensory input from the tibial and pudental nerves. A more detailed understanding of the high level of interaction between these networks could lead to the integration of multiple neurophysiological strategies to improve bladder function. These data suggest that the development of strategies to improve bladder function should simultaneously engage these highly integrated networks in an activity-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron (B) doping plays a critical role in adjusting the electronic properties of carbon materials. In this work, B-doped porous graphene (B-PG) was successfully prepared by a simple strategy and used as an advanced electrode material for the detection of nitrite (NO- 2) in food. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to characterize this B-PG. Due to the ideal doping of boron atoms, the material has good conductivity and exhibits excellent electrochemical catalytic performance. NO- 2 was used as the representative analytes to demonstrate the sensing performance of B-PG. It is found that the B-PG modified GCE exhibited a linear response over the concentration range from 3 μM – 3 mM and 3 mM – 15 mM, with a detection limit of 1.1 μM. The designed electrochemical sensor has good analytical performance, such as high sensitivity, good reproducibility and acceptable accuracy, and can be successfully applied to the accurate and precise detection of residual NO- 2 in food. • A novel nanomaterial of porous graphene doped with B atoms (B-PG) was prepared. • B-PG exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity for nitrite. • The electrochemical sensor has good stability and anti-interference performance. • It can be successfully applied to the detection of residual detect nitrite in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking low cost silicate minerals to develop efficient Cd2+ adsorption materials was favorable to the comprehensive utilization of minerals and remediation of environmental pollution. In this study, a composite of silicon supported nano iron/aluminum/magnesium (hydr)oxides was prepared with biotite by combining acid leaching and base precipitation process, which was used to remove Cd2+. Cd2+ adsorption behaviors were in accordance of pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir model, and the obtained maximal Cd2+ adsorption capacity was 78.37 mg/g. Increasing pH and temperature could accelerate the removal of Cd2+. The activation energy was calculated as 66.05 kJ/mol, meaning that Cd2+ removal process was mainly depended on chemical adsorption. XRD and SEM results showed that this composite was a micro-nano structure of layered silica supported nano iron/aluminum/magnesium (hydr)oxides. Cd2+ removal mechanisms were consisted of surface complexation and ion exchange between Cd2+ and other metal ions, and the ion exchange interaction played the major role. These results indicated that a novel efficient utilization way for silicate minerals was developed. [Display omitted] • A novel composite was prepared from biotite for efficiently remove Cd2+. • The maximal Cd2+ removal capacity was 78.57 mg/g. • The removal mechanism included surface complexation and ion exchange. • A new high value added comprehensive utilization way of biotite was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High fidelity genome-wide expression analysis has strengthened the idea that microRNA (miRNA) signatures in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be potentially used to predict the pathology when anatomical samples are inaccessible like the heart. PBMCs from 48 non-failing controls and 44 patients with relatively stable chronic heart failure (ejection fraction of ≤40%) associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were used for miRNA analysis. Genome-wide miRNA-microarray on PBMCs from chronic heart failure patients identified miRNA signature uniquely characterized by the downregulation of miRNA-548 family members. We have also independently validated downregulation of miRNA-548 family members (miRNA-548c & 548i) using real time-PCR in a large cohort of independent patient samples. Independent in silico Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) of miRNA-548 targets shows unique enrichment of signaling molecules and pathways associated with cardiovascular disease and hypertrophy. Consistent with specificity of miRNA changes with pathology, PBMCs from breast cancer patients showed no alterations in miRNA-548c expression compared to healthy controls. These studies suggest that miRNA-548 family signature in PBMCs can therefore be used to detect early heart failure. Our studies show that cognate networking of predicted miRNA-548 targets in heart failure can be used as a powerful ancillary tool to predict the ongoing pathology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ni(OH)2 nanoflowers with thin nanosheets as building blocks were synthesized using a homogeneous precipitation method with NH4F as a complexing agent and a NH4OH solution as an OH− supplier in an aqueous NiCl2 solution. A series of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscope, and UV–Vis spectroscopy, was used to characterize the nanoflowers. Investigations on the formation process of the flowers indicated that NH4F is vital to the formation of the special flower-like microstructures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Transplantation of olfactory bulb-derived olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) combined with step training improves hindlimb locomotion in adult rats with a complete spinal cord transection. Spinal cord injury studies use the presence of noradrenergic (NA) axons caudal to the injury site as evidence of axonal regeneration and we previously found more NA axons just caudal to the transection in OEG- than media-injected spinal rats. We therefore hypothesized that OEG transplantation promotes descending coeruleospinal regeneration that contributes to the recovery of hindlimb locomotion. Now we report that NA axons are present throughout the caudal stump of both media- and OEG-injected spinal rats and they enter the spinal cord from the periphery via dorsal and ventral roots and along large penetrating blood vessels. These results indicate that the presence of NA fibers in the caudal spinal cord is not a reliable indicator of coeruleospinal regeneration. We then asked if NA axons appose cholinergic neurons associated with motor functions, i.e., central canal cluster and partition cells (active during fictive locomotion) and somatic motor neurons (SMNs). We found more NA varicosities adjacent to central canal cluster cells, partition cells, and SMNs in the lumbar enlargement of OEG- than media-injected rats. As non-synaptic release of NA is common in the spinal cord, more associations between NA varicosities and motor-associated cholinergic neurons in the lumbar spinal cord may contribute to the improved treadmill stepping observed in OEG-injected spinal rats. This effect could be mediated through direct association with SMNs and/or indirectly via cholinergic interneurons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rice ball shaped - Fe2O3 microstructures have been synthesized using a single-step Fe(NO3)3 solution calcination route without the assistance of any other additions. A series of techniques, including XRD, XPS, FE-SEM and DLS ones, were used to characterize the product. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis provided insight into the decomposition process of the Fe(NO3)3 precursor. A possible growth mechanism of the rice ball shaped - Fe2O3 microstructures was explained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Developing novel environmentally materials with high capacity and selectivity for Ag+ adsorption by transforming Ag+ to nano silver is important for the recovery of precious metals from Ag-containing solution. The present study systematically studied the Ag + adsorption process from solution by the composite of SiO 2 supported nano ferrous oxalate (SNFO) synthesized from biotite-containing minerals. Batch experiments, dynamics and isothermal adsorption fitting results showed that Ag+ removal behaviours were in accordance with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir model, and the maximal Ag+ removal capacity was 223.68 mg/g. Thermodynamic fitting results suggested that Ag + removal by the composite was a spontaneous and endothermic reaction process. XRD and TEM revealed that the reaction products were consisted of SiO 2 and nano silver particles, and FTIR and XPS results indicated that the Ag+ removal mechanisms were attributed to the synergistic reduction interaction between ferrous and the anions of oxalate. Meanwhile, the composite possesses high selectivity for Ag+ removal even at low Ag+ concentration. Moreover, the size of nano silver particles could be adjusted by different pH values. All above results demonstrated that the composite was an ideal material for selective recovery of Ag+ from Ag+ containing effluents in the form of nano silver. • An environmentally friendly material was developed to efficiently remove Ag+. • The maximal Ag + removal capacity was 223.68 mg/g. • The composite showed high selectivity for Ag + removal at low concentration. • The removal mechanism was synergistic reduction between Fe2+ and oxalate. • The composite can transform Ag + to nano silver with different size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decreased FC between the right PI and left postcentral gyrus, and increased FC between the left AI and bilateral insula (extending to the right putamen) in unmedicated BD II depression. • Increased IL-6 and TNF-α levels in BD II depression. • Negative correlation between the right PI- left postcentral gyrus FC and IL-6 level in BD II depression. Systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation have been considered as risk factors in the pathophysiology of mood disorders including bipolar disorder (BD). Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated metabolic, structural and functional abnormalities in the insula in BD, proposed that the insula played an important role in BD. We herein aimed to explore neural mechanisms underlying inflammation-induced in the insular subregions functional connectivity (FC) in patients with BD. Brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired from 41 patients with unmedicated BD II (current episode depressed), 68 healthy controls (HCs). Three pairs of insular seed regions were selected: the bilateral anterior insula (AI), the bilateral middle insula (MI) and the bilateral posterior insula (PI), and calculated the whole-brain FC for each subregion. Additionally, the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients and HCs, including IL-6 and TNF-α, were detected. Then the partial correlation coefficients between the abnormal insular subregions FC values and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in patients with BD II depression were calculated. The BD II depression group exhibited decreased FC between the right PI and the left postcentral gyrus, and increased FC between the left AI and the bilateral insula (extended to the right putamen) when compared with the HC group. Moreover, the patients with BD II depression showed higher IL-6 and TNF-α levels than HCs, and IL-6 level was negatively correlated with FC of the right PI to the left postcentral gyrus. Our results demonstrated that abnormal FC between the bilateral insula, and between the insula and sensorimotor areas in BD. Moreover, disrupted FC between the insula and sensorimotor areas was associated with elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine levels of IL-6 in BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are unique glia that support axon outgrowth in the olfactory system, and when used as cellular therapy after spinal cord injury, improve recovery and axon regeneration. Here we assessed the effects of combining OEC transplantation with another promising therapy, epidural electrical stimulation during a rehabilitative motor task. Sprague-Dawley rats received a mid-thoracic transection and transplantation of OECs or fibroblasts (FBs) followed by lumbar stimulation while climbing an inclined grid. We injected pseudorabies virus (PRV) into hindlimb muscles 7 months post-injury to assess connectivity across the transection. Analyses showed that the number of serotonergic (5-HT) axons that crossed the rostral scar border and the area of neurofilament-positive axons in the injury site were both greater in OEC- than FB-treated rats. We detected PRV-labeled cells rostral to the transection and remarkable evidence of 5-HT and PRV axons crossing the injury site in 1 OEC- and 1 FB-treated rat. The axons that crossed suggested either axon regeneration (OEC) or small areas of probable tissue sparing (FB). Most PRV-labeled thoracic neurons were detected in laminae VII or X, and ~25% expressed Chx10, a marker for V2a interneurons. These findings suggest potential regeneration or sparing of circuits that connect thoracic interneurons to lumbar somatic motor neurons. Despite evidence of axonal connectivity, no behavioral changes were detected in this small-scale study. Together these data suggest that when supplemented with epidural stimulation and climbing, OEC transplantation can increase axonal growth across the injury site and may promote recovery of propriospinal circuitry. Graphical abstract 3-D reconstruction of the transection site of an OEC-treated spinal rat shows serotonergic axons that project across the lesion into the caudal stump. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Epidural stimulation, climb training, and OEC transplantation increased axonal projections into the transection site. • 3D reconstruction of an OEC-treated spinal rat revealed evidence of 5-HT axon regeneration across the transection site. • Hindlimb PRV injections labeled V2a propriospinal interneurons rostral to the transection site 7 months post-injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miR-758-3p plays an important role via regulting ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux in atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism of miR-758-5p in cholesterol metabolism is still unclear. Here, we revealed that miR-758-5p decreased total cholesterol accumulation in THP-1 macrophage derived foam cells through markedly reducing cholesterol uptake, and no effect on the cholesterol efflux. Interestingly, computational analysis suggests that CD36 may be a target gene of miR-758-5p. Our study further demonstrated that miR-758-5p decreased CD36 expression at both protein and mRNA levels via targeting the CD36 3′UTR in THP-1 macrophage derived foam cells. The present present study concluded that miR-758-5p decreases lipid accumulation of foam cell via regulating CD36-mediated the cholesterol uptake. Therefore, targeting miR-758-5p may offer a promising strategy to treat atherosclerotic vascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To monitor the genetic variation of PRRSV, the ORF5 gene of the PRRSV-SN strain found in Suining City, Sichuan Province, was cloned and sequenced. The results showed that the PRRSV-SN strain was a highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) variant strain with the North American (NA) genotype. Homology analysis showed that the ORF5 gene of the PRRSV-SN isolate shared 89.4% (86.5%) nucleotide (amino acid) sequence similarity with the North American strain VR-2332, 98.8% (96%) similarity with JXA1, and 63.8% (57.7%) similarity with the European type representative strain Lelystad virus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PRRSV-SN belongs to the NA genotype and has the same subtype as other highly pathogenic PRRSV strains. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that compared with the VR2332 strain, PRRSV-SN has different degrees of variation in the signal peptide, transmembrane region (TM), primary neutralizing epitope (PNE), non-neutral epitopes and N-glycosylation sites. Antigenicity analysis showed that the PRRSV-SN ORF5 gene products and JXA1 have similar antigenic characteristics, and the antigenic epitopes are mainly located in aa30-39, aa50-60, aa128-141, aa146-155 and aa161-183 regions. In contrast, the antigenic characteristics of PRRSV-SN are quite different from those of the VR2332 strain. The main differences were that the PRRSV-SN strain was significantly narrower than the VR2332 strain in the aa30-39 and the aa50-60 regions but was significantly wider in the aa136-141 region. The results of this study showed that the epidemic strains that cause PRRSV outbreaks in the farm are still mainly JXA1 variants, but due to the more frequent use of live vaccine immunizations, the genes of the PRRSV epidemic strain still show constant variation. Vaccination with live PRRSV should be reduced, and surveillance of PRRSV strains should be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enabling motor control by epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord is a promising therapeutic technique for the recovery of motor function after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Although epidural electrical stimulation has resulted in improvement in hindlimb motor function, it is unknown whether it has any therapeutic benefit for improving forelimb fine motor function after a cervical SCI. We tested whether trains of pulses delivered at spinal cord segments C6 and C8 would facilitate the recovery of forelimb fine motor control after a cervical SCI in rats. Rats were trained to reach and grasp sugar pellets. Immediately after a dorsal funiculus crush at C 4, the rats showed significant deficits in forelimb fine motor control. The rats were tested to reach and grasp with and without cervical epidural stimulation for 10 weeks post-injury. To determine the best stimulation parameters to activate the cervical spinal networks involved in forelimb motor function, monopolar and bipolar currents were delivered at varying frequencies (20, 40, and 60 Hz) concomitant with the reaching and grasping task. We found that cervical epidural stimulation increased reaching and grasping success rates compared to the no stimulation condition. Bipolar stimulation (C6– C8 + and C6 + C8–) produced the largest spinal motor-evoked potentials (sMEPs) and resulted in higher reaching and grasping success rates compared with monopolar stimulation (C6– Ref + and C8– Ref +). Forelimb performance was similar when tested at stimulation frequencies of 20, 40, and 60 Hz. We also found that the EMG activity in most forelimb muscles as well as the co-activation between flexor and extensor muscles increased post-injury. With epidural stimulation, however, this trend was reversed indicating that cervical epidural spinal cord stimulation has therapeutic potential for rehabilitation after a cervical SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the long-term efficacy of anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for the treatment of medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in patients who presented with ipsilateral temporal PET hypometabolism and nonlesional magnetic resonance imaging (PET +/MRI−) with that in patients who had mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) on MRI. We described the electroclinical, MRI, PET, and pathological characteristics and seizure outcome of 28 PET +/MRI − patients without discordant ictal and interictal electroencephalography (EEG) who underwent ATL (2004–2007) for medically refractory partial epilepsy while avoiding intracranial monitoring. The primary outcome was the percentages of Engel Class I outcomes at 2 and 5 years of PET +/MRI− patients compared with those of patients with MTS on MRI; neuropsychological testing was used as the secondary outcome. At 2-year follow-up, 21 (75%) patients in the PET +/MRI − group were in Engel Class I compared with 66 (75.9%) patients with MTS, and at 5-year follow-up, 20 (71.4%) patients in the PET +/MRI − group were in Engel Class I compared with 64 (73.6%) patients in the group with MTS. There were no significant differences between the groups at either time period. We concluded that normal MRI results should not preclude presurgical evaluations in patients with medically refractory TLE, as favorable long-term postoperative seizure outcomes are possible, especially in patients with unilateral anterior interictal epileptiform discharges and ipsilateral temporal PET hypometabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spindle assembly checkpoint kinase Mps1 is highly expressed in several types of cancers, but its cellular involvement in tumorigenesis is less defined. Herein, we confirm that Mps1 is overexpressed in colon cancer tissues. Further, we find that forced expression of Mps1 in the colon cancer cell line SW480 enables cells to become resistant to both Mps1 inhibition-induced checkpoint depletion and cell death. Overexpression of Mps1 also increases genome instability in tumor cells owing to a weakened spindle assembly checkpoint. Collectively, our findings suggest that high levels of Mps1 contribute to tumorigenesis by attenuating the spindle assembly checkpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the efficacy and safety of extended, one-stage anterior callosal section that spares the splenium, which is performed in a large series of pediatric patients with drop attacks. Twenty-nine pediatric patients with drop attacks were studied (19 males and 10 females; mean age: 9.9 years). As presurgical factors, the age at surgery, age at seizure onset, age at drop attack onset, sex, hemiparesis, severe mental retardation, electroencephalograph abnormalities, magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities, and 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography abnormalities were analyzed. All patients had multiple seizure types, including drop attacks, atypical absence seizures, complex partial seizures, tonic seizures, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. All patients were developmentally impaired and had electroencephalograph results showing marked secondary bilateral synchrony. All patients received an extended, one-stage callosal section, leaving only the splenium intact. The mean follow-up time was 5.2 years. Seizure outcome (cessation of seizures or ≥90% seizure reduction) was achieved in 79.3% of patients with drop attacks. The families assessed the overall daily function as improved in 62.1% of the patients, unchanged in 24.1%, and worse in 13.8%. Family satisfaction with callosotomy was achieved in 82.8% of the patients. The majority of the patients had some degree of a transient acute postoperative disconnection syndrome that disappeared within 3 weeks. Postoperatively, patients showed a consistent increase in attention levels. We conclude that extended callosal sectioning that leaves the splenium intact should be considered a good palliative surgical option for pediatric patients with drop attacks and that diminishment of epileptic discharge synchrony is a good prognostic sign following callosotomy. We also found that the postoperative increase in attention levels was as useful as seizure control in improving the quality of life of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations account for 35% of the genetic alterations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Src-homology region 2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP2), encoded by PTPN11 , is closely involved in RAS downstream pathways and development of many tumors by affecting cell proliferation, differentiation, and immunity. Targeting SHP2 with small molecules may be a promising avenue for the treatment of KRAS -mutant (mut) NSCLC. Herein, hexachlorophene (HCP) was identified as a SHP2 inhibitor with an IC 50 value of 5.63 ± 0.75 μM through screening of the FDA-approved drug library. HCP specifically inhibited SHP2 rather than other phosphatases. Molecular docking showed that HCP displayed an orientation favorable for nucleophilic attack in the catalytic domain of SHP2. HCP suppressed viability of multiple KRAS -mut and KRAS -wild type cells and induced senescence and apoptosis in KRAS -mut cells. Moreover, HCP reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition to suppress metastasis in KRAS -mut cells, and inhibited the RAS/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways by suppression of SHP2 phosphorylation and formation SHP2/Grb2/Gab1/SOS1 complex. In summary, HCP can act as a specific SHP2 inhibitor to inhibit KRAS -mut NSCLC cell proliferation and metastasis and induce senescence through suppression of the RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways. HCP warrants further investigation as a new compound skeleton for the development of selective SHP2 inhibitors for the treatment of NSCLC. • HCP selectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of SHP2. • HCP inhibits growth and metastasis in KRAS -mut NSCLC cells. • HCP inhibits the RAS/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in KRAS -mut NSCLC cells. • HCP disrupts the SHP2/Grb2/Gab1/SOS1 complex in KRAS -mut NSCLC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pervasively transcribed and have a critical role in genome regulation. Alterations in the expression of several lncRNAs have been observed in some types of cancers; however, the contributions of lncRNAs to osteosarcoma remain unknown. Here, we describe the expression profile of lncRNAs in osteosarcomas compared with paired adjacent noncancerous tissue using microarray analysis. In our study, 25,733 lncRNAs were expressed in osteosarcoma; 403 lncRNAs were consistently over-regulated and 798 lncRNAs were consistently under-regulated in all samples analyzed (⩾2.0-fold, p <0.05). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to validate six over-regulated and four under-regulated lncRNAs. Bioinformatic analysis (gene ontology analysis, pathway analysis and network analysis) was used for further research. Pathway analysis indicated that 32 pathways corresponded to under-regulated transcripts and that 34 pathways corresponded to over-regulated transcripts (p-value cut-off is 0.05). Our results are the first to reveal differentially expressed lncRNAs in osteosarcoma and suggest that lncRNAs may be novel candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of osteosarcoma and potential targets for therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is accumulating evidence that microRNAs are involved in multiple processes in development and tumor progression. Abnormally expressed miR-125b was found to play a fundamental role in several types of cancer; however, whether miR-125b participates in regulating the initiation and progress of osteosarcoma still remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that miR-125b is frequently down-regulated in osteosarcoma samples and human osteosarcoma cell lines. The ectopic restoration of miR-125b expression in human osteosarcoma cells suppresses proliferation and migration in vitro and inhibits tumor formation in vivo. We further identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as the direct and functional downstream target of miR-125b. Interestingly, we discovered that the expression of miR-125b is regulated by STAT3 at the level of transcription. STAT3 binds to the promoter region of miR-125b in vitro and serves as a transactivator. Taken together, our findings point to an important role in the molecular etiology of osteosarcoma and suggest that miR-125b is a potential target in the treatment of osteosarcoma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Spinal Wistar Hannover rats injected with olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) have been shown to recover some bipedal stepping and climbing abilities. Given the intrinsic ability of the spinal cord to regain stepping with pharmacological agents or epidural stimulation after a complete mid-thoracic transection, we asked if functional recovery after OEG injections is due to changes in the caudal stump or facilitation of functional regeneration of axons across the transection site. OEG were injected rostral and caudal to the transection site immediately after transection. Robotically assisted step training in the presence of intrathecal injections of a 5-HT2A receptor agonist (quipazine) was used to facilitate recovery of stepping. Bipedal stepping as well as climbing abilities were tested over a 6-month period post-transection to determine any improvement in hindlimb functional due to OEG injections and/or step training. The ability for OEG to facilitate regeneration was analyzed electrophysiologically by transcranially stimulating the brainstem and recording motor evoked potentials (MEP) with chronically implanted intramuscular EMG electrodes in the soleus and tibalis anterior with and without intrathecal injections of noradrenergic, serotonergic, and glycinergic receptor antagonists. Analyses confirmed that along with improved stepping ability and increased use of the hindlimbs during climbing, only OEG rats showed recovery of MEP. In addition the MEP signals were eliminated after a re-transection of the spinal cord rostral to the original transection and were modified in the presence of receptor antagonists. These data indicate that improved hindlimb function after a complete transection was coupled with OEG-facilitated functional regeneration of axons. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Understanding olfactory ensheathing glia and their prospect for nervous system repair. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of peripheral nerve grafts (PNG) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (αFGF) combined with step training on the locomotor performance of complete spinal cord-transected (ST, T8) adult rats were studied. Rats were assigned randomly to five groups (N =10 per group): sham control (laminectomy only), ST only, ST–step-trained, repaired (ST with PNG and αFGF treatment), or repaired–step-trained. Step-trained rats were stepped bipedally on a treadmill 20min/day, 5days/week for 6months. Bipolar intramuscular EMG electrodes were implanted in the soleus and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of ST–step-trained (n =3) and repaired–step-trained (n =2) rats. Gait analysis was conducted at 3 and 6months after surgery. Stepping analysis was completed on the best continuous 10-s period of stepping performed in a 2-min trial. Significantly better stepping (number of steps, stance duration, swing duration, maximum step length, and maximum step height) was observed in the repaired and repaired–step-trained than in the ST and ST–step-trained rats. Mean EMG amplitudes in both the soleus and TA were significantly higher and the patterns of activation of flexors and extensors more reciprocal in the repaired–step-trained than ST–step-trained rats. 5-HT fibers were present in the lumbar area of repaired but not ST rats. Thus, PNG plus αFGF treatment resulted in a clear improvement in locomotor performance with or without step training. Furthermore, the number of 5-HT fibers observed below the lesion was related directly to stepping performance. These observations indicate that the improved stepping performance in Repaired rats may be due to newly formed supraspinal control via regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Activin plays important roles in reproductive tissues as a stimulator of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion. Activin receptor-interacting protein 2 (ARIP2) has been recently identified in mouse tissues as a regulatory protein of activin signal transduction. However, the localization and function of ARIP2 are not well characterized. In this study, we found that ARIP2 mRNA and protein were widely expressed in mouse tissues by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The immunoreactivities of ARIP2 were mainly localized at myocardial cells of heart, Leydig cells in testis, macrophages and epithelial cells of bronchus in lung, renal tubule and collecting tubule, pancreatic islet, adrenal gland, adenohypophysis and hypothalamus by immunohistochemical staining. Furthermore, ARIP2 overexpression down-regulated signal transduction induced by activin A in pituitary gonadotroph LβT2 cells and inhibited FSH secretion from primary cultured anterior pituitary cells induced by activin A. These findings suggest that ARIP2 is widely distributed in various tissues and may be a negative regulator of activin action in pituitary cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Activin A is a member of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, which is also named restrictin-P, and can inhibit the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) from LPS-activated mouse macrophages. In this study, the regulation effect and possible mechanism of activin A as an anti-inflammatory factor on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages were investigated in vitro. It was observed that activin A could not only decrease the secretion of IL-1β and NO, as well as the mRNA expressions of IL-1β and iNOS, but also suppress the pinocytosis of mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS. In addition, activin A could obviously reduce the expressions of CD68 and CD14, as well as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS, but could not influence the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells. These findings suggest that activin A may play an important down-regulation role in inflammatory factor production and phagocytosis of the activated macrophages via suppressing the maturation of LPS-induced macrophages or LPS-TLR4 signal transduction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin (Hb) on natural nano-structural attapulgite clay film-modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode was investigated. The interaction between Hb and attapulgite was examined using UV–vis, FTIR spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The immobilized Hb displayed a couple of well-defined and quasi-reversible redox peaks with the formal potential () of about (versus SCE) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.0. The current was linearly dependent on the scan rate, indicating that the direct electrochemistry of Hb in that case was a surface-controlled electrode process. The formal potential changed linearly from pH 5.0 to 9.0 with a slope value of , which suggested that a proton transfer was accompanied with each electron transfer in the electrochemical reaction. The immobilized Hb exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide without the aid of an electron mediator. The electrocatalytic response showed a linear dependence on the H2O2 concentration ranging from to with the detection of at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant for the H2O2 sensor was estimated to be 490 μM, showing a high affinity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]