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Four hitherto unknown triterpenoids, including one euphane, namely wilfordeuphone (1), and three friedelanes, namely wilforic acids G − I (2–4), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the roots of Tripterygium wilfordii. The absolute configuration of 1 was established by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In addition, this study is the first to report euphane-type triterpenoid in the genus Tripterygium. Compound 1 exhibited the moderate cytotoxic activity when evaluated against five human cancer cell lines (HL-60, A-549, SMMC-7721, MCF-7, and SW-480), with IC50 values ranging from 14.0–26.7 μM.

Background The photocatalytic activity of a series of UIO-66 modified MOFs viz. UiO-66-NO2 [ 1 ], UiO-66-NH2 [ 2 ] and UiO-66-NO2/UiO-66-NH2 [ 3 ] materials for photocatalytic degradation of model aromatic dye Rhodamine B [Rh B] have been assessed. Methods The photocatalysis experiments indicated that the most efficient photocatalyst for the Rh B degradation is 3 which achieved 95.5% degradation under UV light irradiation and displayed excellent recyclability and reusability when compared to 1 and 2. The trapping experiments indicated that O2˙− radical anion is main ROS generated during the photocatalysis play major role in the Rh B degradation. The LC-MS experiments and band gap calculations have been performed which suggested initial protection of xanthene unit and confirmed the major contribution of O2˙− radical anion generated by ligand to ligand transition in 3 for photodegradation of Rh B. Significant Findings This facile approach inculcating benefits of mixed ligands in multivariate metal-organic framework, lays a new pathway to design effective photocatalytic systems for safe and sustainable degradation of aromatic dyes. This strategy led to suppression in rate of hole-electron pair recombination that concomitantly uplifted photocatalytic efficiency over single component counterparts.

Cow milk allergy is one of the most prevalent food allergies worldwide, particularly in infants and children. To the best of our knowledge, minimal research exists concerning the antigenicity of cow milk (CM). This study was performed to evaluate the allergenicity of enzymatically hydrolyzed cow milk (HM) in a BALB/c mouse model. The mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 12/group), which were sensitized with phosphate-buffered saline, CM, and HM (Alcalase-, or Protamex-, or Flavorzyme-treated cow milk; Novo Nordisk; AT, PT, FT, respectively), respectively, using cholera toxin as adjuvant on d 0, 7, 14, 21. On d 28, the test mice were orally challenged with phosphate-buffered saline, CM, and HM (AT, PT, or FT) alone. Anaphylactic symptoms were monitored in the mice. Antibody, cytokine, histamine, and mouse mast cell protease-1 (mMCP-1) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In addition, the numbers of T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cells, as well as the proportions of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs cells, in mouse spleens were detected using flow cytometry. Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA. The results revealed significant differences between CM- and HM-challenged mice. Among these, the clinical scores of HM-challenged mice (AT, 1.50; PT, 2.00; FT, 1.92) were lower than those of CM-challenged mice (positive control, 2.83), but body weight and temperature of HM-challenged mice were higher than those of CM-challenged mice. In addition, significant reductions of allergen-specific IgE, IgG, histamine, and mMCP-1 were showed in HM-challenged mice, especially for histamine, ranging from 171.42 ng/mL to 214.94 ng/mL. Remarkable reductions of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels, as well as elevations of interferon-γ and IL-10 levels in the spleens of HM-challenged mice were also detected. Moreover, the number of Th2 cells decreased in the HM-challenged mice, to 2.36% (AT), 1.79% (PT), and 4.03% (FT), respectively, whereas the numbers of Th1 cells (AT, 6.30%; PT, 6.70%; FT, 6.56%) and the proportions of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs (AT, 8.86%; PT, 9.21%; FT, 9.16%) increased significantly. Our findings indicate that exposure to HM was sufficient to induce a shift toward a Th1 response, thereby reducing potential allergenicity. Importantly, these results will lay a theoretical foundation for the development of hypoallergenic CM products.

Rational nanostructure design has proved fruitful in addressing the bottlenecks of diverse fields. Especially hollow multi-shelled structures (HoMS) have stood out due to their temporal-spatial ordering mass transfer and buffering effect. Localizing multiple cores in a HoMS is highly desired, which could endow it with more fascinating properties. However, such a structure has been barely reported due to the highly challenging fabrication. Here, we develop a controllable synthesis strategy to realize such a structure, which is applicable for diverse cores and shells. Additionally, cores and shells could be tuned to be homogeneous or heterogeneous, with the core and shell number well controlled. In situ TEM analysis verifies that the inner shell confines the expansion orientation of cores, while the outer shell maintains a stable interface. In addition to energy storage, such structure is also promising for multi-drug co-delivery and sequential responsive release as well as tandem catalysis applications.

Endothelial barrier integrity requires recycling of VE-cadherin to adherens junctions. Both p18 and Rab11a play significant roles in VE-cadherin recycling. However, the underlying mechanism and the role of p18 in activating Rab11a have yet to be elucidated. Performing in vitro and in vivo experiments, we showed that p18 protein bound to VE-cadherin before Rab11a through its VE-cadherin-binding domain (aa 1-39). Transendothelial resistance showed that overexpression of p18 promoted the circulation of VE-cadherin to adherens junctions and the recovery of the endothelial barrier. Silencing of p18 caused endothelial barrier dysfunction and prevented Rab11a-positive recycling endosome accumulation in the perinuclear recycling compartments. Furthermore, p18 knockdown in pulmonary microvessels markedly increased vascular leakage in mice challenged with lipopolysaccharide and cecal ligation puncture. This study showed that p18 regulated the pulmonary endothelial barrier function in vitro and in vivo by regulating the binding of Rab11a to VE-cadherin and the activation of Rab11a.

Water deficit inhibits maize (Zea mays L.) seedling growth and yield. Application of exogenous melatonin can improve drought tolerance of corn, but little is known regarding the transcriptional mechanisms of melatonin-mediated drought tolerance in maize. Increased understanding of the effects of melatonin on maize plants under drought stress is vital to alleviate the adverse effects of drought on food production in the future. The aim of this investigation was to use physiological and transcriptome analyses for exploring the possible mechanisms of exogenous melatonin against drought stress in maize. In this study, maize seedlings were subjected to drought stress and some were treated with exogenous melatonin. The physiological results showed that melatonin inhibited H2O2 accumulation and promoted the scavenging of excessive reactive oxygen species to reduce oxidative damage in maize leaves. Transcriptomic analysis identified 957 differentially expressed genes between melatonin and non-melatonin treatment groups. Further detailed analyses suggested that melatonin-regulated genes are mainly related to glutathione metabolism, calcium signaling transduction, and jasmonic acid biosynthesis. Some transcription factor families, such as WRKY, AP2/ERF-ERF, MYB, NAC, and bZIP, were also activated by exogenous melatonin. Moreover, crosstalk between melatonin and other hormones that mediate drought tolerance was observed. In conclusion, the combination of physiological and transcriptome analyses revealed some mechanisms underlying the role of melatonin in alleviating drought; knowledge of these mechanisms may assist in successful maize cultivation under drought stress.

BACKGROUND Oilseed rape requires sulfur (S) fertilization. Cadmium (Cd) differs dramatically in agricultural soils. Rice-oilseed rape rotation distributes widely and contributes the majority of rapeseeds in Asian countries. It was reported that S metabolism was involved in Cd uptake in seedlings of oilseed rape, although the effects of S on Cd accumulation and seed yield at maturity are still unclear. RESULTS We performed a pot experiment including two Cd rates (0.35 and 10.35 mg kg(-1), as low and high Cd soil) and four S levels (0, 30, 60 and 120 mg kg(-1)). The results showed that low S application (30 mg kg(-1)) resulted in two-fold higher seed-Cd concentration irrespective of soil Cd levels. The responsible mechanism might be that Cd translocation into rapeseeds was involved in sulfate transporters, which could be strongly expressed in shoots and roots when supplying sulfate under S-starvation conditions, but depressed under a S-sufficient environment. For high Cd soil, seed yield decreased by 36%, 48% and 72% at 30, 60 and 120 mg S kg(-1) compared to non-S treatment, whereas there were no differences for low Cd soil. Antagonistic effects of S and Cd existed for seed yield according to structure equation model analysis. CONCLUSION Oilseed rape can be grown in low-Cd fields as a safe food crop with high levels of sulfur fertilizers (>60 mg S kg(-1)). In high-Cd fields, oilseed rape is recommended as a Cd-remediation crop, and rapeseeds should only be used for industrial purposes and not for food. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

The development of multifunctional nanoplatforms that integrate both diagnostic and therapeutic functions has always been extremely desirable and challenging in the cancer combat. Here, we report an endogenous miRNA-activated DNA nanomachine (EMDN) in living cells for concurrent sensitive miRNA imaging and activatable gene silencing. EMDN is constructed by interval hybridization of two functional DNA monomers (R/HP and F) to a DNA nanowire generated by hybridization chain reaction. After the target cell-specific transportation of EMDN, intracellular let-7a miRNA initiates the DNA nanomachine by DNA strand displacement cascades, resulting in an amplified fluorescence resonance energy-transfer signal and the release of many free HP sequences. The restoration of HP hairpin structures further activates the split-DNAzyme to identify and cleave the EGR-1 mRNA to realize gene silencing therapy. The proposed EMDN shows efficient cell internalization, good biological stability, rapid reaction kinetics, and the ability to avoid false-positive signals, thus ensuring reliable miRNA imaging in living cells. Meanwhile, the controlled activation of the split-DNAzyme activity regulated by the intracellular specific miRNA may be promising in the precise treatment of cancer. Collectively, this strategy provides a valuable nanoplatform for early clinical diagnosis and activatable gene therapy of tumors.

Previous studies have shown that the addition of carboplatin to neoadjuvant chemotherapy improved the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in patients suffering from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and patients who obtained a pCR could achieve prolonged event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). However, no studies have assessed the effects of the combination of docetaxel and carboplatin without anthracycline with taxane- and anthracycline-based regimens. The NeoCART study was designed as a multicenter, randomized controlled, open-label, phase 2 trial to assess the efficacy and safety of docetaxel combined with carboplatin in untreated stage II-III TNBC. All eligible patients were randomly assigned, at a 1:1 ratio, to an experimental docetaxel plus carboplatin (DCb) for 6 cycles group (DCb group) or an epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide for 4 cycles followed by docetaxel for 4 cycles group (EC-D group). PCR (ypT0/is ypN0) was evaluated as the primary outcome. Between September 1, 2016, and December 31, 2019, 93 patients were randomly assigned, and 88 patients were evaluated for the primary endpoint (44 patients in each group). In the primary endpoint analysis, 27 patients in the DCb group (61.4%, 95% CI 47.0-75.8) and 17 patients in the EC-D group achieved a pCR (38.6%, 95% CI 24.3-53.0) (odds ratio 2.52, 95% CI 2.4-43.1; p noninferiority = 0.004). Noninferiority was met, and the DCb regimen was confirmed to be superior to the EC-D regimen (P = 0.044, superiority margin of 5%). At the end of the 37-month median follow-up period, OS and EFS rates were equivalent in both groups. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

microRNAs act as fine-tuners in the regulation of plant growth and resistance against biotic and abiotic stress. Here we demonstrate that rice miR1432 fine-tunes yield and blast disease resistance via different modules. Overexpression of miR1432 leads to compromised resistance and decreased yield, whereas blocking miR1432 using a target mimic of miR1432 results in enhanced resistance and yield. miR1432 suppresses the expression ofLOC_Os03g59790, which encodes an EF-hand family protein 1 (OsEFH1). Overexpression ofOsEFH1leads to enhanced rice resistance but decreased grain yield. Further study revealed that miR1432 andOsEFH1are differentially responsive to chitin, a fungus-derived pathogen/microbe-associated molecular pattern (PAMP/MAMP). Consistently, blocking miR1432 or overexpression ofOsEFH1improves chitin-triggered immunity responses. In contrast, overexpression ofACOT, another target gene regulating rice yield traits, has no significant effects on rice blast disease resistance. Altogether, these results indicate that miR1432 balances yield and resistance via different target genes, and blocking miR1432 can simultaneously improve yield and resistance.

Here, a novel yuba-like porous carbon microrod is prepared via a simple and facile strategy by using the fluffy fibers of celosia cristata petals (FCCP) as the raw material. The optimized carbon microrod (FCCP-CM-900) possesses unique yuba-like structure, high specific surface area (1680 m2 g−1) and large pore volume (0.98 cm3 g−1), and effective nitrogen (∼4.52 at.%) and oxygen (∼5.49 at.%) doping, which can enhance the wettability and conductivity (7.9 S cm−1). As the electrode material for supercapacitor, FCCP-CM-900-based supercapacitor presents high specific capacitance (314.5 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) in 6.0 M KOH aqueous electrolyte. The FCCP-CM-900-based symmetrical supercapacitor displays high energy density (18.6 Wh kg−1 at 233.4 W kg−1) and outstanding cycling stability (98% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles) in 1.0 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. In addition, served as oxygen reduction electrocatalyst, the FCCP-CM-900 also exhibits excellent catalytic activity, good durability, together with high methanol tolerance in alkaline electrolyte, which makes it a highly efficient air cathode material toward zinc–air cell.

Three new steroidal sapogenins, 3β,8β,14β-trihydroxycarda-5,20(22)-dienolide (1), (20R)-12β,20-epoxy-3β,8β,14β-trihydroxy-17α-pregn-5-en-17-yl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate (2), and 3,20-dioxo-8β,14β,17β-trihydroxy-17α-pregn-5-en-12β-yl 4-hydroxybenzoate (3), along with four known C21-steroidal sapogenins (4-7) were isolated from the hydrolysate of Cynanchum otophyllum roots. Among them, compound 1 harbouring a rare β-OH at the C-8 position in the cardenolide skeleton, was identified for the first time in the genus Cynanchum. Their structures were elucidated via extensive spectroscopic analysis, including UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR. Compounds 1-7 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against four cancer cell lines (MCF-7, H1299, HeLa, and HepG2). Compound 1 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the growth of the four cell lines, exhibiting IC50 values ranging from 6.86 to 22.09 μM.

Controlled synthesis of hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) remains challenging, because the self-assembly of ligands is not only directed by weak hydrogen bonds, but also affected by other competing van der Waals forces. Herein, we demonstrate the coordination-bond-directed synthesis of HOFs using a preformed metal–organic framework (MOF) as the template. A MOF (CuI-TTFTB) based on two-coordinated CuI centers and tetrathiafulvalene-tetrabenzoate (TTFTB) ligands was initially synthesized. CuI-TTFTB was subsequently oxidized to the intermediate (CuII-TTFTB) and hydrated to the HOF product (TTFTB-HOF). Single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-SC) transformation was realized throughout the MOF-to-HOF transformation so that the evolution of structures was directly observed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The oxidation and hydration of the CuI center are critical to breaking the Cu–carboxylate bonds, while the synergic corbelled S⋯S and π⋯π interactions in the framework ensured stability of materials during post-synthetic modification. This work not only provided a strategy to guide the design and discovery of new HOFs, but also linked the research of MOFs and HOFs., The MOF-to-HOF transformation was realized in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal manner by the oxidation and hydration of the CuI center in CuI-TTFTB. The corbelled S⋯S and π⋯π interactions ensured the framework stability during transformation.

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is one of the main environmental air pollutants that is closely related to the development of lung cancer, but the mechanisms are unclear. In this study, A549 cells were exposed to ambient PM2.5 to investigate the alterations of biological behaviors, and the possible role of miR-582-3p in the effects was further explored. The findings showed that PM2.5 exposure could significantly enhance the biological behaviors of A549 cells, and promote their epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transformation, especially at relatively low doses. Over-activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and increased expression of miR-582-3p were also found in A549 cells after PM2.5 exposure. After the knockdown of miR-582-3p in A549 cells, the effects of PM2.5 on malignant biological behavior changes, EMT, and the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were all significantly alleviated. Furthermore, the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway also inhibited the EMT process of A549 cells, which was rescued by the overexpression of miR-582-3p. Therefore, this study showed that ambient PM2.5 can upregulate the expression of miR-582-3p, consequently activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and thereby enhance EMT transformation and promote the malignant biological behaviors of A549 cells. These findings provide evidence for further research into the mechanisms by which exposure to PM2.5 in the environment promotes lung cancer.

We aimed to identify whether Rho GTPase activating proteins (RhoGAPs) were downregulated in cervical cancers and might be targeted to reduce the growth of cervical cancer using the GEO database and immunohistochemical analysis to identified changes in transcription and protein levels. We analyzed their proliferation, clone formation ability, and their growth as subcutaneous tumors in mice. To detect ARHGAP30 localization in cells, immunofluorescence assays were conducted. Mass spectrometry combined with immunoprecipitation experiments were used to identify binding proteins. Protein interactions were validated with co‐immunoprecipitation assays. Western‐blot and q‐PCR were applied to analyze candidate binding proteins that were associated with ribosome biogenesis. Puromycin incorporation assay was used to detect the global protein synthesis rate. We identified that ARHGAP30 was the only downregulated RhoGAP and was related to the survival of cervical cancer patients. Overexpression of ARHGAP30 in cervical cancer cells inhibited cell proliferation and migration. ARHGAP30 immunoprecipitated proteins were enriched in the ribosome biogenesis process. ARHGAP30 was located in the nucleous and interacted with nucleolin (NCL). Overexpression of ARHGAP30 inhibited rRNA synthesis and global protein synthesis. ARHGAP30 overexpression induced the ubiquitination of NCL and decreased its protein level in Hela cells. The function of ARHGAP30 on cervical cancer cell ribosome biogenesis and proliferation was independent of its RhoGAP activity as assessed with a RhoGAP‐deficient plasmid of ARHGAP30R55A. Overall, the findings revealed that ARHGAP30 was frequently downregulated and associated with shorter survival of cervical cancer patients. ARHGAP30 may suppress growth of cervical cancer by reducing ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis through promoting ubiquitination of NCL., ARHGAP30 suppressed growth of cervical cancer by reducing ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis through promoting ubiquitination of nucleolin.

While enzymatic hydrolysis is an effective method for lowering the antigenicity of cow milk (CM), research regarding the antigenicity and nutritional traits of CM hydrolysate is limited. Here, we evaluated the protein content, amino acid composition, sensory traits, color, flow behavior, and antigenicity of CM following enzymatic hydrolysis. The results showed that enzymatic hydrolysis increased the degree of hydrolysis, destroyed allergenic proteins, including casein, β-lactoglobulin, and ɑ-lactalbumin, and significantly increased the content of free amino acids and nutritional quality. In particular, the antigenicity of CM was significantly reduced from 44.05 to 86.55% (P P

Two chalcogenophosphates, SnPS2.86Se0.14 (1) and SnPSe3 (2), are isostructural and crystallize in the monoclinic noncentrosymmetric space group Pn. Their three-dimensional (3D) structures are constructed by [Sn(1)Q8] hendecahedra and [Sn(2)Q8] dodecahedra by sharing Q vertices and edges, leaving cavities for isolated [P2Q6] (Q = S/Se, Se) dimers. A second-harmonic-generation (SHG) measurement indicates that 1 is phase-matchable with a response of approximately 1.2 × AgGaS2 (AGS), which is verified by the theoretical calculation result. The powder sample of 1 exhibits a high laser-induced damage threshold of 3.9 × AGS. For comparison, the known SnPS3 (3) was also synthesized and evaluated using the same method. The chemical composition-NLO performance relationship of 1-3 is also discussed. Dipole moment calculation results suggest that [SnQ8] polyhedra make the main contribution to their excellent nonlinear optical (NLO) performance.

The surface of titanium and titanium alloys can easily form a Ti-OH bond by absorbing water to induce apatite nucleation, and shows good biological activity and osseointegration ability, which is e...

Mild encephalopathy with reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is associated with a variety of infections and anti-epileptic drug withdrawal. Here we report the clinical characteristics of H1N1 influenza A-associated MERS based on our experience of four pediatric cases. A detailed retrospective analysis of four patients with H1N1 influenza A-associated MERS was performed at Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center. All patients exhibited mild influenza-like illness and seizures. Three patients presented with a new-onset seizure with fever after 5 years of age. 75% patients had altered mental status. For all four patients, influenza A (H1N1) viral RNA was detected in throat swab specimens at least twice. Brain magnetic resonance images revealed similar ovoid lesions in the corpus callosum, mainly in the splenium and for one patient in the splenium and genu of the corpus callosum. Only one patient had an abnormal electroencephalogram tracing. Cells and protein in the cerebrospinal fluid were normal in all patients. All patients received oseltamivir and one patient received intravenous immunoglobulin. As a result, all patients fully recovered after 2 months and showed no neurologic sequelae at discharge. This case series provides insight towards clinical features of H1N1 influenza A-associated MERS.

Background: Mezlocillin is off-label used for the treatment of respiratory infections in children. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) data are also limited in children. A sensitive Liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method adapted to children was developed and validated for the determination of mezlocillin plasma concentration in the present study. Methods: Mezlocillin, extracted from a volume of 50 μL plasma using acetonitrile, was analyzed on an online LC-MS/MS system with an Agilent 1290 Infinity UHPLC (Agilent Technologies, CA, USA) coupled to an AB SCIEX QTRAP 6500PLUS MS/MS (AB Sciex, Framingham, MA, USA) with ceftiofur as an internal standard. HPLC separation was performed on a C18 column with ultra-pure water and acetonitrile as gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min at 30°C. Analyst TM Version 1.5.2 (Applied Biosystems) was used for data acquisition. The total chromatographic run time was 1.6 min. Results: LC/MS/MS method used for TDM of mezlocillin in children was developed and validated. This assay has a lower limit of quantification of 0.025 μg/mL for mezlocillin with 50 μL plasma. Good linearity was achieved for mezlocillin over the range from 0.025 to 20 μg /mL. The acceptance criteria were met in all cases. Among 36 patients aged between 0.16-1.63 years old, only one patient had detectable trough concentration higher than 1 μg/mL. Conclusion: LC-MS/MS method with 50 μL plasma developed in this study was successfully applied to TDM of mezlocillin in children. The high variability of trough concentration highlighted that TDM is important to optimize mezlocillin therapy in children.

Fluorescent probes are vital to cell imaging by allowing specific parts of cells to be visualized and quantified. Color-switchable probes (CSPs), with tunable emission wavelength upon contact with specific targets, are particularly powerful because they not only eliminate the need to wash away all unbound probe but also allow for internal controls of probe concentrations, thereby facilitating quantification. Several such CSPs exist and have proven very useful, but not for all key cellular targets. Here we report a pioneering CSP for in situ cell imaging using aldehydefunctionalized silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) that switch their intrinsic photoluminescence from red to blue quickly when interacting with amino acids in live cells. Though conventional probes often work better in cell-free extracts than in live cells, the SiNCs display the opposite behavior and function well and fast in universal cell lines at 37 ? while requiring much higher temperature in extracts. Furthermore, the SiNCs only disperse in cytoplasm not nucleus, and their fluorescence intensity correlated linearly with the concentration of fed amino acids. We believe these nanosilicon probes will be promising tools to visualize distribution of amino acids and potentially quantify amino acid related processes in live cells.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of α-momordicine (α-MMC) on liver cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis, and to elucidate the mechanisms of action involved. Methods: In in vitro experiments, hepatoma cell lines were used, while nude mice with hepatocellular carcinoma were used for in vivo studies. Cancer cell proliferation was determined using MTT assay while apoptosis was assayed by flow cytometry and TUNNEL staining. Gene expression was determined with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while protein expression levels were assayed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results: Alpha-MMC decreased HCC cell viability dose-dependently (p < 0.05). In HepG2 cells, G2/M cell cycle was halted after 48 h intervention with 1.24 mg/mL α-MMC. However, at G0/G1 phase, αMMC at doses of 1.06 and 0.92 mg/mL caused cell cycle arrest of HCC-LM3 and SMMC-7721 cells. In vivo studies showed that after establishment of the nude mice liver cancer model, exposure to α-MMC at a dose of 0.70 mg/kg or 2.08mg/kg for 4 weeks reduced the size of liver cancer in the treatment group, relative to control group; mean diameter of liver cancer decreased from 2.16 to 0.51 cm, while mean volume decreased from 1.185 to 0.085 cm3 . Moreover, α-MMC increased apoptosis level in liver cancer tissues in nude mice, and down-regulated the expressions of P-AKT, RAGE, MMP-9 and HMGB1, but upregulated Bax/Bcl2 ratio (p < 0.05). Conclusion: α-MMC inhibits cancer cell growth and proliferation, and facilitates their apoptosis by positively regulating the ratio of Bax/Bcl2. The anti-liver cancer effect of α-MMC is mediated via HMGB1-RAGE and AKT signaling pathways

LiCl-KCl molten salt has been used as a reaction medium to synthesize various perovskite materials from oxide precursors. However, it was observed that temperature, p(O2), precursor mix ratio, etc., greatly affected the perovskite stoichiometry, phase stability, crystal structure, and the formation of various impurities (secondary phases). Thermodynamics and kinetics involved in the synthesis are complicated. Guidance from thermodynamic modeling is thus needed to control the formation of the perovskites. In the present work, for the first time we use the CALculation of PHAse Diagram (CALPHAD) approach to develop a perovskite-molten salt thermodynamic database, which is used to understand the phase equilibrium between the molten salt, precursor oxides, and the resulting LaMnO3 (LMO) perovskite. Especially, the effects of temperature, La2O3 and Mn2O3 precursor ratio, and p(O2) on the LMO phase stability were predicted. Pseudo-ternary isothermal sections were generated, which successfully predicted the coexistence of LaMnO3 and the impurity, LaOCl. Meanwhile, the molten salt thermodynamic experiments were designed and carried out to verify La and Mn's solubilities in LiCl-KCl molten salt and thermodynamic equilibria in the La-Mn-O-Li-K-Cl system. The CALPHAD predictions were in accord with the experimental observations.

Two new unsymmetrical ligands, namely, 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-5-(quinolin-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (L1) and 2-(pyridin-4-yl)-5-(quinolin-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (L2), have been synthesized and their self-as...

The electronic modulation between the catalytic active components can improve the catalytic activity and stability of the catalyst. The Pd-based catalysts can easily react with SOX to form stable and inactive sulfates. In this paper, the Pd–Pt-based catalytic combustion catalyst was prepared by replacing part of Pd with a small amount of Pt. The storage tank VOCs catalytic combustion activity and the anti-SO2 poisoning performance of the Pd–Pt-based catalyst and Pd-based catalyst were tested. The Pd 3d binding energy of each Pd-based catalyst was detected by XPS characterization, and the electronic structure changes of Pd active components was analyzed by the change of Pd 3d binding energy. The effect of electrons transfer between Pd and Pt on the improvement of catalytic combustion activity and SO2 poisoning resistance of Pd-based catalysts was analyzed. The results show that the Pt addition can increase the electron cloud density of the Pd active components, and improve the performance of the Pd active components to adsorb and activate oxygen. The reaction of Pd and SOX to form sulfate needs to gain electrons. The increase in the electron cloud density of the Pd active components in Pd–Pt-based catalyst makes it difficult for the Pd active components to adsorb SOX and difficult to react with SOX to form sulfate, thereby preventing the Pd active components from being poisoned and deactivated.

Perchlorate, emerging pollution with thyroid toxicity, has a high detection rate in fresh tea leaves. What needs attention is that the uptake characteristic is insufficiently understood. Herein, the uptake, accumulation, and translocation of perchlorate in a tea plant-hydroponic solution system were investigated, of which the mechanism was further lucubrated by subcellular distribution. The perchlorate concentration in tea tissues is ramped up along with the increase in the exposure level and time. The bioaccumulation factor of tea tissues followed the rank: mature leaves > tender leaves > roots. After the seedlings have been transplanted to a perchlorate-free solution, the perchlorate in mature leaves is reduced significantly, accompanied by a progressive increase in perchlorate in new shoots and solutions. The cell-soluble fractions are the major reservoir of perchlorate both for roots (>59%) and leaves (>76%), which precisely explained the translocation within the tea plant-hydroponic solution system. These results not only illuminate the uptake characteristic in tea plants but also improve the understanding of the behavior of perchlorate in higher plants.

Despite grand advances in Zn-air batteries in recently years, their commercialization remains challenging due largely to the lack of efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts. Herein, we report the crafting of a bifunctional electrocatalyst comprising ultrafine alloyed FeNi nanoparticles encapsulated within N-doped layered carbon nanosheets (denoted FeNi/N-LCN) for high-efficiency Zn-air batteries. The FeNi/N-LCN electrocatalyst is yielded via the coordination of triphenylimidazole-containing polyaniline (TPANI) oligomer with Fe- and Ni-containing precursors, followed by hydrogen binding with melamine and subsequent pyrolysis. The as-constructed FeNi/N-LCN manifests outstanding activity and stability toward both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The primary Zn-air battery assembled with FeNi/N-LCN delivers both high specific capacity and peak power density. Remarkably, the rechargeable Zn-air battery can be repeatedly charged and discharged for 1100 h at 5 mA cm-2 and for 600 h at 10 mA cm-2, representing the highest cycling stability among various reported Zn-air batteries.