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The coexistence of heavy metal-polluted soils and global warming poses serious threats to plants. Many studies indicate that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can enhance the resistance of plants to adverse environments such as heavy metals and high temperature. However, few studies are carried out to explore the regulation of AMF on the adaptability of plants to the coexistence of heavy metals and elevated temperature (ET). Here, we investigated the regulation of Glomus mosseae on the adaptability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to the coexistence of cadmium (Cd)-polluted soils and ET. G. mosseae significantly enhanced total chlorophyll and carbon (C) content in the shoots by 15.6% and 3.0%, respectively, and Cd, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) uptake by the roots by 63.3%, 28.9%, and 85.2%, respectively, under Cd + ET. G. mosseae significantly increased ascorbate peroxidase activity, peroxidase (POD) gene expression, and soluble proteins content in the shoots by 13.4%, 130.3%, and 33.8%, respectively, and significantly decreased ascorbic acid (AsA), phytochelatins (PCs), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents by 7.4%, 23.2%, and 6.5%, respectively, under ET + Cd. Additionally, G. mosseae colonization led to significant increases in POD (13.0%) and catalase (46.5%) activities, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase gene expression (33.5%), and MDA (6.6%), glutathione (22.2%), AsA (10.3%), cysteine (101.0%), PCs (13.8%), soluble sugars (17.5%), and proteins (43.4%) contents in the roots and carotenoids (23.2%) under ET + Cd. Cadmium, C, N, G. mosseae colonization rate, and chlorophyll significantly influenced shoots defenses and Cd, C, N, P, G. mosseae colonization rate, and sulfur significantly affected root defenses. In conclusion, G. mosseae obviously improved the defense capacity of alfalfa under ET + Cd. The results could improve our understanding of the regulation of AMF on the adaptability of plants to the coexistence of heavy metals and global warming and phytoremediation of heavy metal-polluted sites under global warming scenarios.

The density-functional approach was used to systematically investigate the geometries, stabilities, and electronic properties of [B.sub.n] and Al[B.sub.n] clusters, up to n = 12. The results of natural bond analysis (NBO) have indicated that the Al atom in the Al[B.sub.8] cluster offers more electrons to share with B atoms than that in the Al[B.sub.7] and Al[B.sub.9] clusters.

Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction (SGD) has been widely used for the treatment of gynopathy. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of SGD on hyperandrogenism in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rats. In the present work, SGD was orally administrated to the PCOS rats at the dose of 12.5, 25, and 50 g/kg/d for 14 consecutive days. UPLC-MS/MS was performed to identify the main chemical components of SGD. Body weight, ovarian weight, cystic dilating follicles, and serum levels of steroid hormones were tested to evaluate the therapeutic effect of SGD. In order to further clarify the underlying mechanism, we also measured mRNA and the protein levels of NF-κB, NF-κB p65, P-NF-κB p65, and IκB by RT-qPCR and Western blotting techniques. Our results showed that SGD treatment significantly alleviated hyperandrogenism in PCOS rats as evidenced by reduced serum levels of T and increased E2 and FSH levels. In addition, SGD effectively reduced the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and increased the expression of IκB. Results of the present study demonstrated that SGD could ameliorate hyperandrogenism in PCOS rats, and the potential mechanism may relate to the NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous experiment confirmed that high-mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) was involved in the pathogenesis of Lupus nephritis (LN) by upregulating the proliferation of the mouse mesangial cell line (MMC) through the cyclin D1/CDK4/p16 system, but the precise mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, in the present study, we demonstrated that HMGB1 induced the proliferation of MMC cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, downregulated phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) expression, increased the level of Akt serine 473 phosphorylation, and induced p65 subunit nuclear translocation. The overexpression of PTEN prevented the upregulation of HMGB1-induced proliferation by blocking the activation of Akt. The knockdown of Akt by siRNA technology and blocking the nuclear factor-κ (NF-κ) pathway using pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and SN50, inhibitors of NF-κ, both attenuated the HMGB1-induced proliferation by counteracting the activation of the cyclin D1. In addition, while sh-Akt partly blocked the nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit, PDTC did not affect the activation of the Akt induced by HMGB1 in MMC cells. These findings indicate that HMGB1 induced the proliferation of MMC cells by activating the PTEN/phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/NF-κ signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective is to investigate the effect of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) on lipid deposition in interferon (IFN-γ)-stimulated mouse mesangial cell line (MMC) and to determine whether the Janus kinase 2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (JAK2/STAT1) signaling pathway plays an important role in this process. We employed a control group, an IFN-γ stimulation group, and an IFN-γ + AG490 (JAK2 inhibitor) group. RNA interference aimed at sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) or HMGB1 was used to investigate the effect of these proteins on IFN-γ-induced lipid deposition. Western blotting was used to detect phospho (p)-JAK2, JAK2, p-STAT1, STAT1, SREBP-1, fatty acid synthase (FAS), and HMGB1 protein expression. RT-PCR was used to detect SREBP-1, FAS, and HMGB1 mRNA. Oil Red O staining and the triglyceride assay were used to detect lipid deposition and triglyceride content. Results were as follows: 1) IFN-γ increased MMC cell lipid deposition, triglyceride content, and p- JAK2, p-STAT1, SREBP-1, and FAS expression; 2) SREBP-1 inhibition prevented FAS upregulation and attenuated IFN-γ-induced MMC cell lipid deposition and triglyceride content; 3) HMGB1 upregulated SREBP-1 and FAS mRNA and protein levels, which increased lipid deposition in MMC cells. Small interfering RNAmediated inhibition of HMGB1 decreased SREBP-1 and FAS expression and lipid accumulation; 4) AG490 decreased upregulation of HMGB1 and p-JAK2/p-STAT1, as well as IFN-γ-induced lipogenesis. In conclusion, the JAK2/STAT1 pathway mediates IFN-γ-induced lipogenesis in MMC cells through regulation of HMGB1/ SREBP-1/FAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometries, stabilities, and electronic properties of AuLa ( n = 2-8) clusters have been systematically investigated by using density-functional theory. The results show that the doped La atom prefers to locate at the center site with the number of Au atom increasing from 2 to 8. Furthermore, the AuLa clusters are more stable than the Au clusters. The charges transfer from La atom to Au atoms at n = 2-4, but charge-transferring is reversed at n = 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gaseous pvTxproperties of CO2(1, CAS No. 124-38-9) propane (2, CAS No. 74-98-6) mixtures were measured using the Burnett-isochoric method with 225 data points obtained for temperatures from (320 to 400) K, pressures up to 7784 kPa, and densities up to 141 kg·m−3at x1= 0.5158 and x1= 0.8017. Burnett measurements for argon (CAS No. 7440-37-1) were conducted at 319 K and for CO2at 343 K. The pvTproperties and virial coefficients of argon and CO2agreed well with literature results when the effective cell constant for each fluid instead of that of the helium calibration was used in the density calculations. The temperature, pressure, density, and mole fraction uncertainties were estimated to be ± 5 mK, ± 300 Pa, ± 0.05 %, and ± 0.01 %, respectively. A truncated virial equation was used to correlate the experimental pvTxdata of CO2 propane mixtures with root-mean-square deviations of ± 0.03 %. The second and third virial coefficients for the binary mixtures were also determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The structures and stabilities of B n O and B n O2 clusters with n ≤ 6 are studied systematically by using density-functional theory. The lowest-energy structures of B n O clusters favor two-dimensional, and can be obtained from B n or B n−1O. For B n O2, unexpectedly, all of the most stable B n O2 clusters but B6O2 are linear. Furthermore, in B n O2 clusters, the longer the distance between two O atoms, the more stable the structure. To investigate the relative stability of considered clusters, binding energies per atom, reaction energies, and fragmentation energies are also calculated and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixtures of difluoromethane (HFC-32) and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea) are promising alternative refrigerants; however, there is currently no available published experimental PVTxdata. The gaseous PVTxproperties of HFC-32 (1) HFC-227ea (2) mixtures were measured using the Burnett-isochoric method with 251 data sets obtained for temperatures from (310 to 410) K, pressures up to 3658 kPa, and densities up to 206 kg·m-3at x10.2648, x10.5155, and x10.7809. The temperature, pressure, and mole fraction uncertainties were estimated to be ±10 mK, ±100 Pa, and ±0.01 %, respectively. A truncated virial equation was used to correlate the experimental data, with the second and third virial coefficients for the binary mixtures also determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]