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Synthesis of the C19-truncated maltepolide E has been accomplished via a diene–ene RCM strategy without damage to the C11–C14 alkenyl epoxy unit. Upon release of the C17-OH group, it attacked at the C14 position with double bond migration and epoxide ring-opening to furnish the C19-truncated maltepolide A and B as proposed for the biosynthesis of maltepolides. Preliminary cytotoxicity data of the synthesized C19-truncated maltepolides against L929 mouse fibroblast cell line suggest irrelevance of the vinyl epoxide and importance of the conjugated dienyl keto unit for the observed anticancer activity.

The changed phenolic acids (PAs) allelochemicals exuded by the roots induced by interspecific interactions is related to intercropping alleviates soil-borne disease. However, the presence of PAs in roots and root exudations and their rhizodeposition under intercropping are still unclear. Hydroponic and soil experiments of wheat, faba bean, and wheat intercropped with faba bean were conducted, and the major compositions and contents of PAs in roots, root exudations, and rhizospheric soil were determined. The results showed that ρ-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, and syringic acids were the major components of PAs in roots, root exudations, and rhizospheric soil in a wheat and faba bean intercropping system. The compositions and percentages of PAs in roots of faba bean were altered when faba bean intercropped with wheat. The total exudation rate of PAs in root exudations was decreased by 30%–60% under the wheat and faba bean intercropping (W//F) system as compared to mono-cropped faba bean (MF). ρ-hydroxybenzoic acid was identified in the root exudation of both MF and mono-cropped wheat (MW), but not detected in the intercropping on 60 days after transplanting. Vanillic acid was only detected in the root exudation of MF on 30 days after transplanting. The rhizodepostion of vanillic and cumaric acid were decreased at both branching and pod setting stages in W//F as compared to MF. In conclusion, interspecific interaction changed the compositions and contents of PAs in faba bean roots and root exudations. W//F constrained vanillic acid exuded by roots and decreased vanillic and coumaric acid rhizodeposition by faba bean, which provides insight into root-soil interactions in the intercropping systems.

The modulation of protein aggregation is involved not only in biochemical engineering processes, but also in in vivo biological events such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that features amyloid-β protein (Aβ) deposits. Inspired by the different pharmacological efficacy of enantiomers, taking heptapeptide LVFFARK (LK7) as an example, herein the chiral influence of peptide inhibitors on Aβ fibrillogenesis and cytotoxicity was investigated by extensive biophysical and biological analyses. It was intriguing to find that although both L- LK7 and D- LK7 could inhibit Aβ aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner, it was the d- enantiomer that exhibited chirality preference and selectivity for modulation of Aβ self-assembly. As compared with L- LK7 at the same conditions, D- LK7 showed significantly enhanced potency on suppressing cross-β sheet formation, fibrillar Aβ aggregates deposition, Aβ conformational transition, and Aβ-triggered neurotoxicity on cultured cells. For instance, L- LK7 and D- LK7 rescued cells by increasing cell viability from 60% to 62% and 84% at 100 μmol·L−1, respectively. The chiral discrimination of L-LK7 and D- LK7 was further validated by the different elimination efficiency on amyloid accumulation in AD model nematodes. It is considered that the higher binding affinity of D- LK7 to Aβ monomers than that of L- LK7 resulted in the stronger inhibition effect. This work provided new insights into understanding chirality in the interaction with Aβ and the consequent inhibitory effect, and would contribute to the design of anti-amyloid agents.

Enzyme-polymer conjugates are complex molecules with great practical significance. This work was designed to develop a novel enzyme-polymer conjugate by covalently coupling a zwitterionic polymer with side dimethyl chains (pID) to Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) via the reaction between the anhydrides of polymer chains with the amino groups of the enzyme. The resulting two CRL-pID conjugates with different pID grafting densities were investigated in term of the catalytic activity, stability and structural changes. In comparison with native CRL, both the CRL conjugates displayed 2.2 times higher activity than the native enzyme, and showed an increase in the maximum reaction rate (Vmax) and a decrease in the Michaelis constant (Km), thus resulting in about three-fold increases in the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km). These are mainly attributed to the activation of lipase by the hydrophobic alky side chains. Moreover, the thermostability and pH tolerance of the lipase conjugates were significantly enhanced due to the stabilizing effect of the zwitterion moieties. For instance, a five-fold increase of the enzyme half-life at 50 oC for the high-pID conjugated CRL was observed. Spectroscopic studies reveal that the pID conjugation protected the enzyme in the changes in its microenvironment and conformation, well correlating with enhanced activity and stability of lipase conjugates. The findings indicate that enzyme conjugation to the zwitterionic polymer is promising for improving enzyme performance and deserves further development.

Inhibition of protein misfolding and aggregation is a great challenge in the field of biochemical and biopharmaceutical engineering. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a protein-misfolding disease, and the interactions between 40-amino-acid-residue β-amyloid peptide (Aβ40) and its N-terminal truncated peptide Aβ11-40 demonstrate that Aβ11-40 may play an important role in the pathological process of AD. However, the effect of inhibitors on Aβ11-40 aggregation and on the cross-amyloid aggregation (co-assembly) between Aβ40 and Aβ11-40 has never been studied. Herein, coaggregation and seeding interactions between Aβ40 and Aβ11-40 as well as the effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a small molecule inhibitor, on the cross-amyloid aggregation have been investigated by extensive analyses. It is found that Aβ11-40 participates in the aggregation of Aβ40 and leads to the formation of coaggregates that contain less β-sheet structures than pure Aβ40 aggregates. The aggregation kinetics along with morphologies and secondary structures of the coaggregates are also significantly affected by the Aβ40/Aβ11-40 ratio. EGCG accelerates the nucleation of Aβ40 but retards that of Aβ11-40 by affecting their elongation and secondary nucleation processes in solution and on solid surfaces. Meanwhile, EGCG makes the conformations of the seeding-induced Aβ aggregates more compact, especially for the homologous seedings. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurement indicates that hydrophobic interactions mainly contribute to the inhibition of the two Aβ isoforms by EGCG. The findings of this research have provided new insights into Aβ aggregation and the effect of an important inhibitor and the results would benefit in the development of potent inhibitors against co-assembly of different amyloid proteins.

Inflammatory response plays a critical role in myocardial infarction (MI) repair. The neutrophil apoptosis and subsequent macrophage ingestion can result in inflammation resolution and initiate regeneration, while the therapeutic strategy that simulates and enhances this natural process has not been established. Here, we constructed engineered neutrophil apoptotic bodies (eNABs) to simulate natural neutrophil apoptosis, which regulated inflammation response and enhanced MI repair. The eNABs were fabricated by combining natural neutrophil apoptotic body membrane which has excellent inflammation-tropism and immunoregulatory properties, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with hexyl 5-aminolevulinate hydrochloride (HAL). The eNABs actively targeted to macrophages and the encapsulated HAL simultaneously initiated the biosynthesis pathway of heme to produce anti-inflammatory bilirubin after intracellular release, thereby further enhancing the anti-inflammation effects. In in vivo studies, the eNABs efficiently modulated inflammation responses in the infarcted region to ameliorate cardiac function. This study demonstrates an effective biomimetic construction strategy to regulate macrophage functions for MI repair., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Construction of engineered neutrophil apoptotic bodies to simulate natural neutrophil apoptosis. • Engineered neutrophil apoptotic bodies with excellent inflammation-tropism and macrophage-specific targeting capacity. • Engineered neutrophil apoptotic bodies enhance macrophage efferocytosis and reprogramming for inflammation resolution. • Engineered neutrophil apoptotic bodies ameliorate myocardial infarction and promote cardiac tissue regeneration after MI.

Solar energy is the source of energy required for the dry methane reforming (DMR). In the high temperature field induced by concentrated solar energy, the spatial distribution of radiation intensity has a significant impact on the solar thermochemical performance. Based on principle of minimum Gibbs free energy (Gmin), the idea of regulating radiation field to match solar thermochemical energy conversion on-demand is proposed. To improve solar thermochemical conversion efficiency, biomimetic hierarchical porous structure is introduced as solar thermochemical reactor, which can optimize both the radiation field and temperature field. The analysis model of solar driven DRM is established, combined with user-defined functions (UDFs). The effects of pore diameter combinations along the direction of L and R on the reforming properties are studied. The results show that by designing biomimetic hierarchical porous structure, the temperature of solar thermochemical reactor can approach the thermodynamic temperature (1050 K), and finally the methane conversion is improved by up to 7%.

Mechanochemical treatment (MTC) with SiC as an additive possessed a good performance on the degradation of hexachlorobenzene (HCB). However, this method consumed the additive of SiC and generated a toxic product of CCl4. This work attempted to add another additive, iron powder, to the MCT and explored the performance of the combined additive of SiC + Fe to solve this problem. Result indicated that CCl4 was not produced and SiC was not consumed when Fe was added in proper proportion. Compared with the single additive of SiC, the addition of Fe can further accelerate the degradation of HCB. The reaction pathway was proposed as: HCB can be mostly dechlorinated after a duration of MCT, and only trace-level low chlorobenzenes were generated under the effect of the combined additive. The left benzene skeletons can be broken to produce graphite and amorphous carbon. The shedding Cl radicals preferentially reacted with Fe to form FeCl3, and the reaction between Cl radicals and SiC and its toxic products can be avoided. Free electrons generated from the additive of SiC, fast reaction between Cl and Fe, and sparks in the MCT were considered the potential factors to accelerate the HCB degradation in MCT.

In the chemical-biological synthesis route of gabapentin, immobilized Escherichia coli cells harboring nitrilase are used to catalyze the biotransformation of intermediate 1-cyanocyclohexaneacetonitile to 1-cyanocyclohexaneacetic acid. Herein, we present a novel cell immobilization method, which is based on cell adsorption using 75 g/L Escherichia coli cells and 6 g/L zeolite, cell crosslinking using 3 g/L polyethylenemine and biomimetic silicification using 18 g/L hydrolyzed tetramethylorthosilicate. The constructed “hybrid biomimetic silica particles (HBSPs)” with core-shell structure showed a specific activity of 147.2 ± 2.3 U/g, 82.6 ± 2.8% recovery of nitrilase activity and a half-life of 19.1 ± 1.9 h at 55 °C. 1-Cyanocyclohexaneacetonitrile (1.0 M) could be completely hydrolyzed by 50 g/L of HBSPs at pH 7.5, 35 °C in 4 h, providing 92.1 ± 3.2% yield of 1-cyanocyclohexaneacetic acid. In batch reactions, the HBSPs could be reused for 13 cycles and maintained 79.9 ± 4.1% residual activity after the 10th batch, providing an average product yield of 92.6% in the first 10 batches with a productivity of 619.3 g/L/day. In addition, multi-layer structures consisting of silica coating and polyethylenemine/glutaraldehyde crosslinking were constructed to enhance the mechanical strength of immobilized cells, and the effects of coating layers on the catalytic properties of immobilized cells was discussed.

We herein report an I2/CuCl2-copromoted diamination of C(sp3)-H bonds for the preparation of 2-acyl-4-aminoquinazolines from methyl ketones, 2-aminobenzonitriles, and ammonium acetate. This reaction features operational simplicity, commercially available substrates, mild reaction conditions, and good functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies indicate that CuCl2 plays a pivotal role in this transformation. This study uses a methyl group as a novel input to construct 2-acyl-4-aminoquinazoline derivatives for the first time.

A copper-catalyzed oxidative C(sp3)-H/C(sp3)-H cross-coupling reaction of methyl ketones and 3-methylbenzo[c]isoxazoles has been developed for the direct synthesis of 3-oxoindolin-2-ylidene derivatives. This process involves an intermolecular nucleophilic addition/ring-opening/aza-Michael addition cascade, providing indigoid analogues with high atom economy and as single isomers exclusively under mild conditions.

Cancer stemness represents a major source of development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). c-Met critically contributes to CRC stemness, but how c-Met is activated in CRC remains elusive. We previously identified the lipolytic factor ABHD5 as an important tumour suppressor gene in CRC. Here, we show that loss of ABHD5 promotes c-Met activation to sustain CRC stemness in a non-canonical manner. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that ABHD5 interacts in the cytoplasm with the core subunit of the SET1A methyltransferase complex, DPY30, thereby inhibiting the nuclear translocation of DPY30 and activity of SET1A. In the absence of ABHD5, DPY30 translocates to the nucleus and supports SET1A-mediated methylation of YAP and histone H3, which sequesters YAP in the nucleus and increases chromatin accessibility to synergistically promote YAP-induced transcription of c-Met, thus promoting the stemness of CRC cells. This study reveals a novel role of ABHD5 in regulating histone/non-histone methylation and CRC stemness., This study reveals an unrecognized role of ABHD5 in regulating colon cancer stemness via controlling YAP methylation and nuclear localization, further explaining the molecular mechanism through which ABHD5 functions as a tumour suppressor gene in colon cancer.

Estrogen deficiency is one of the most frequent causes of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Under chronic inflammatory conditions caused by estrogen deficiency, activated T cells contribute to elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, impaired osteogenic differentiation capabilities of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), and disturbed regulatory T cell (Treg)/Th17 cell balance. However, therapeutic strategies that re-establish immune homeostasis in this disorder have not been well developed. Here, we produced T cell-depleting nanoparticles (TDNs) that ameliorated the osteopenia phenotype and rescued the osteogenic deficiency of BMMSCs in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. TDNs consist of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)-encapsulated mesoporous silica nanoparticles as the core and Fas-ligand (FasL) as the corona. We showed that the delicate design of the TDNs enables rapid release of MCP-1 to recruit activated T cells and then induces their apoptosis through the conjugated FasL both in vitro and in vivo. Apoptotic signals recognized by macrophages help skew the Treg/Th17 cell balance and create an immune tolerant state, further attenuating the osteogenic deficiency of BMMSCs and the osteopenia phenotype. Mechanistically, we found that the therapeutic effects of TDNs were partially mediated by apoptotic T cell-derived extracellular vesicles (ApoEVs), which promoted macrophage transformation towards the M2 phenotype. These findings demonstrate that TDNs may represent a promising strategy for treating osteoporosis and other immune disorders., Graphical abstract Schematic illustration of TDNs and their therapeutic effects on osteoporosis through inducing T cell apoptosis and regulating Treg/Th17 balance.Image 1, Highlights • A delicate nanoparticle was prepared which can induce the apoptosis of activated T cells. • The T cell-depleting nanoparticles establish an immune tolerance microenvironment and ameliorate bone loss in OVX mice. • T cell-derived apoptotic extracellular vesicles participated in the amelioration of osteopenia.

We herein report an iodine-mediated formal [2 + 2 + 1] cyclization of methyl ketones, p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazines, and 1-aminopyridinium iodide for preparation of 4-aryl-NH-1,2,3-triazoles under metal- and azide-free conditions. Notably, this is achieved using p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazines and 1-aminopyridinium iodide as azide surrogates, providing a novel route toNH-1,2,3-triazoles. Furthermore, this approach provides rapid and practical access to potent inhibitors of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO).

Heat energy retention and dissipation have become key points of global smart textiles in recent years. This study describes the designing of silicon resin by using a sol–gel process, which acts as the modifying agent for siloxane substrate. The modifying agent was effectively blocked by silicon resin mixed with the ethylene or aluminum bond group, to control the molecular weight. Advanced polymer chromatography confirmed that the number average molecular weight (Mn) of silicon resin is 41,301 g mol−1, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is 47,982 g mol−1, and the molecular weight distribution is 1.1617, which is relatively narrow. When the addition of vinyl groups is 5%, the silicone resin Mn decreases to 18,906 g mol−1 and Mw decreases to 28,641 g mol−1. When the addition of aluminum bond groups is 5%, the silicone resin Mn decreases to 17,497 g mol−1 and Mw decreases to 27,114 g mol−1. The result of thermogravimetric analysis shows that the pyrolysis temperature rises from 265.43°C to 266.17°C after the ethylene is added to the silicon resin, and the index of heat tolerance increases from 179.14°C to 191.38°C. After the addition of aluminum bond groups, the pyrolysis temperature rises from 265.43°C to 309.37°C, and the index of heat tolerance increases from 179.14°C to 193.09°C, meaning the silicone resin has higher thermal stability.

In order to identify the optimum period of spring water-restrictive irrigation for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Haihe Plain, China and elucidate its effects on flag leaf senescence and yield formation, field experiments were conducted at the Xinji Experimental Station of Hebei Agricultural University from 2016 to 2019 by using different irrigation regimes in spring, including the conventional regime involving two irrigation periods (control (CK), the 3-leaf unfolding stage and the anthesis stage) and a series of single, restrictive irrigation regimes (SRI) comprising irrigation at the 3-leaf unfolding stage (3LI), 4LI, 5LI, and 6LI. There are five major findings: (1) The senescence (determined by the green leaf area, GLA) in the 4LI treatment occurred moderately earlier than that in CK, showed no significant difference with that in 5LI and 6LI, and occurred significantly later than that in 3LI. (2) Compared with other SRI treatments, the GLA value and photosynthetic rate in 4LI were 14.82 and 20.1% higher, respectively. Microstructural analysis of flag leaf also revealed that the mesophyll cells and chloroplasts were irregularly arranged under drought stress in 3LI and 6LI; however, drought stress had minimal negative effects on the microstructure in 4LI and 5LI. (3) Postponed irrigation in spring could significantly increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the early stage of grain filling; however, these activities would subsequently decrease. Among the four SRI treatments, the overall enzyme activities were the highest in 4LI, and the combined malondialdehyde (MDA) content in flag leaves in 4LI and 5LI was 14.5% lower on average than that in 3LI and 6LI. (4) The soluble sugar (SS) and proline (Pro) contents in 4LI were the highest among the four SRI treatments; however, they were lower than those in CK. The abscisic acid (ABA) hormone content in 4LI and 5LI was lower than that in 3LI and 6LI, respectively, suggesting a smaller drought stress effect in 4LI and 5LI. (5) In two growing seasons, there was a larger number of spikes per unit area in 4LI (i.e., 13.4% higher than that in 5LI and 6LI) and the 1 000-grain weight in 4LI was the highest among the four SRI treatments (i.e., 6.0% higher than that in the other three SRI treatments). Therefore, a single restrictive irrigation regime at the 4-leaf unfolding stage is recommended to be effective in slowing down the senescence process of flag leaves and achieving high yield.

Pneumocandin B0, the precursor of the antifungal drug caspofungin, is a lipohexapeptide produced by the fungus Glarea lozoyensis. Oxidative stress and the resulting production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to be involved in the regulation of pneumocandin B0 biosynthesis. In this study, the Glyap1 gene of Glarea lozoyensis, a homologue of the yeast redox regulator YAP1, was knocked out. The intracellular ROS levels of the resulting ΔGlyap1 strain were higher than in the wild-type strain, which was caused by the downregulated expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Compared with the wild-type strain, ΔGlyap1 exhibited an oxidative phenotype throughout its life cycle, which resulted in significantly higher pneumocandin B0 production per unit biomass. In addition, ΔGlyap1 showed growth inhibition and decreased pneumocandin B0 production in the presence of CCl4, which leads to strong oxidative stress. To overcome the strain’s sensitivity, a three-stage antioxidant addition strategy was developed. This approach significantly improved the growth of ΔGlyap1 while maintaining a high pneumocandin B0 production per unit biomass, which reached 38.78 mg/g DCW. Notably, this result represents a 50% increase over the wild-type strain. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms that control pneumocandin B0 production under oxidative stress, which may be applied to improve the production of other secondary metabolites. • Glyap1 is involved in expression of redox and pneumocandin B0 synthesis-related genes. • Addition of a three-stage antioxidant alleviated the sensitivity of ΔGlyap1 strain. • The yield of pneumocandin B0 per unit biomass of ΔGlyap1 strain was 38.78 mg/g DCW.

In this work, two MOFs, {[Cd3(L)2(m-BDC)(NO3)4]��2(H2O)}n (1) and [Zn3(L)(m-BDC)3]n (2), were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. Single crystal diffraction showed that the flexible tripod ligand L (1,3,5-[1-(2-methylimidazole-methylene)]benzene) delivers completely different configurations under the influence of the coordination metal [Cd(II), Zn(II)] ions, resulting in two completely different structures. In 1, the flexible tripod ligand L adopted a "chair" conformation which combined with Cd(II) ions, forming a two-dimensional structure in the orthorhombic C2221 space group. In 2, L adopted a "bowl" conformation which combined with Zn(II) ions, forming another two-dimensional structure in the P-3m1 space group. The synthesized MOFs were characterized by PXRD, thermogravimetry (TGA), infrared spectroscopy (IR), elemental analysis, fluorescence property analysis, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) quantitative calculations. The fluorescence analysis displayed that the maximum emission wavelength of 1 and 2 has a blue shift. In addition, the results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the thermal stability of 1 is 150 ��C higher than that of 2. This is probably because the energy of "chair" conformation is lower than that of the "bowl" conformation, which makes 1 more stable than that of 2.

A novel iodine promoted cyclization of enaminone with aryl methyl ketones has been developed as a straightforward method for constructing 2-hydroxy-pyrrol-3(2H)-ones. This strategy affords structurally diverse 2-hydroxy-pyrrol-3(2H)-ones rings in high yields. Moreover, a quarternary alcohol has been constructed efficiently in the reaction. Product purification required only washing with CH2Cl2 solvent, thereby avoiding traditional chromatography and recrystallization, making this an example of group-assisted purification chemistry.

A novel [2 + 1 + 3] cyclization reaction for the synthesis of 2-aryl-4-quinolinecarboxylates from aryl methyl ketones, arylamines, and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds has been established. This metal-free process achieved the C-C bond cleavage of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds directly as a single-carbon synthon. The reaction is highly efficient and has good substrate compatibility while operating under mild conditions. This method has good practicability and successfully realized the synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Gangliosides, the major sialic-acid containing glycosphingolipids in the mammalian brain, play important roles in brain development and neural functions. Here, we show that the b-series ganglioside GD3 and its biosynthetic enzyme, GD3-synthase (GD3S), were up-regulated predominantly in the microglia of mouse hippocampus from 2 to 7 days following global cerebral ischemia (GCI). Interestingly, GD3S knockout (GD3S-KO) mice exhibited decreased hippocampal neuronal loss following GCI, as compared to wild-type (WT) mice. While comparable levels of astrogliosis and microglial proliferation were observed between WT and GD3S-KO mice, the phagocytic capacity of the GD3S-KO microglia was significantly compromised after GCI. At 2 and 4 days following GCI, the GD3S-KO microglia demonstrated decreased amoebic morphology, reduced neuronal material engulfment, and lower expression of the phagolysosome marker CD68, as compared to the WT microglia. Finally, by using a microglia-primary neuron co-culture model, we demonstrated that the GD3S-KO microglia isolated from mouse brains at 2 days after GCI are less neurotoxic to co-cultured hippocampal neurons than the WT-GCI microglia. Moreover, the percentage of microglia with engulfed neuronal elements in the co-cultured wells was also significantly decreased in the GD3S-KO mice after GCI. Interestingly, the impaired phagocytic capacity of GD3S-KO microglia could be partially restored by pre-treatment with exogenous ganglioside GD3. Altogether, this study provides functional evidence that ganglioside GD3 regulates phagocytosis by microglia in an ischemic stroke model. Our data also suggest that the GD3-linked microglial phagocytosis may contribute to the mechanism of delayed neuronal death following ischemic brain injury.

Low-to-medium temperature geothermal fluids in the granite regions of southeastern China are an important renewable energy resource, but they are also a source of contamination containing highly toxic elements such as fluoride and arsenic. This study analyzed the origin of the geothermal fluids in a regional-scale hydrogeological unit in the city of Xiamen, China, based on isotope and hydrochemical analyses. The Br/Cl ratios suggested that the inland geothermal fluid is merely recharged by rainwater from the mountain edge, while the coastal geothermal fluid is originally recharged by the seawater and later mixed with rain-derived groundwater. The geothermal water featured high SiO2 and detectable Zn concentrations. The former reflects the significant water–granite interaction along the flow path, and the latter indicates the active hydraulic connection between surface waters, shallow aquifers and deep geothermal fluids. High radon content was detected near the deep conductive fault adjacent to a geothermal well, demonstrating that the fault damage zone acts as a major conduit for upward transport of the deep geothermal fluid. As a result, the fault damage zones developed in the granite are necessary for the formation of geothermal water, which leads to the uneven distribution of geothermal water in the subsurface. High-temperature geothermal water can be found in those regions with fairly sparse fault damage zones. In contrast, in the region with high-density fault activities, the active communication between shallow cool water and deep geothermal fluids can decrease the water temperature.

A novel I2-mediated Povarov reaction of arylacetylenes and anilines for the synthesis of 2,4-substituted quinolines has been developed, in which arylacetylene first acts as both a diene precursor and dienophile. This work further develops the Povarov reaction to expand the types of diene precursors. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the I2/DMSO system realized the oxidative carbonylation of C(sp)-H of arylacetylene and then undergoes a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction.

BACKGROUND Exposure to a maternal high-fat diet (HFD) predisposes offspring to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to explore whether milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) supplementation during suckling exerts a long-term protective effect on hepatic lipid metabolism in adult offspring exposed to maternal HFD. METHODS We fed 5-week-old female C57BL/6J mice either a HFD (60% kcal fat) or control diet (CD; 16.7% kcal fat) for 3 weeks before mating, as well as throughout gestation and lactation. After delivery, male offspring from HFD dams were supplemented with 1 g/(kg body weight·day) MFGM (HFD + MFGM group) or the same volume of vehicle (HFD group) during suckling. Male offspring from CD dams were also supplemented with vehicle during suckling (CD group). All offspring were weaned onto CD for 8 weeks. Histopathology, metabolic parameters, lipogenic level, oxidative stress, and mitochondria function in the liver were analyzed. A 1-way ANOVA and a Kruskal-Wallis test were used for multi-group comparisons. RESULTS As compared to the CD group, the HFD group had more lipid droplets in livers, and exhibited ∼100% higher serum triglycerides, ∼38% higher hepatic triglycerides, ∼75% higher serum aspartate aminotransferase, and ∼130% higher fasting blood glucose (P

The effect of pH regulation on schwertmannite bio-synthesis and its As removal ability were investigated in this study. The total Fe precipitation efficiency in a conventional schwertmannite bio-synthesis system (CK) reached 26.5%, with a mineral weight of 5.21 g/L and a mineral specific surface area of 3.18 m2/g. The total Fe precipitation efficiency increased to 88.4%-95.8%, the mineral weight increased to 17.10-18.62 g/L, and the specific surface area increased to 3.61-90.67 m2/g of five different treatments in which the system pH was continually adjusted to 2.50, 2.70, 2.90, 3.10, and 3.30 every 3 h, respectively. The very small amounts of schwertmannite were transformed to goethite when the system pH was periodically adjusted to 2.90, 3.10 and 3.30. The increased specific surface area of bio-schwertmannite was due to the contribution of mesopores, with most pores having a diameter of 2-20 nm. For actual As-containing groundwater (27.4 μg/L), the As removal rate was 52.9% for bio-schwertmannite collected from the CK system. However, the removal rate of As increased to 92.7%-97.8% for minerals which were collected after five adjusted pH treatments. The outcomes of this study provide a fresh insight into the bio-synthesis regulation of schwertmannite, and have great significance for the treatment of As-containing groundwater.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of thiamine triethylorthoformate conjugate (TTO) on Parkinson disease (PD) in vitro and in vivo in a mice model. Methods: The effect of TTO on behavioural changes in PD mouse model was studied using pole, traction and swimming tests. Astrocyte proliferation after TTO treatment was assessed using 3 (4, 5 dimethyl 2 thi¬azolyl) 2, 5 diphenyl 2 H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was determined with flow cytometry using Annexin V Fluorescein isothiocyanate kit. Results: Treatment of PD mice with TTO led to a decrease in climbing time, increase in suspension score and enhancement of swimming score, when compared to the untreated group (p < 0.05). Treatment of astrocytes with TTO prior to MPP incubation significantly increased proliferation (p < 0.05). Apoptosis induction in astrocytes by MPP was attenuated by pre-treatment with TTO. Pre-treatment of astrocytes with 10 µM TTO markedly reduced JNK activation, when compared to astrocytes incubated with MPP alone (p < 0.05). Up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl 2 by MPP in astrocytes were attenuated by pre-treatment with TTO. MPP-induced up-regulation of cleaved caspase 3 was suppressed in astrocytes by TTO pre-treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Treatment with TTO prevents MPP+ -induced neuronal damage in vitro in astrocytes and in vivo in mice. The neuro-protective effect of TTO involves down-regulation of JNK activation, inhibition of caspase-3 level, decrease in Bax and increase in Bcl-2 expression. Thus, TTO has a potential for use in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Due the energy resource comes from solar energy, resulting in a high working temperature, radiation field has a significant influence on the energy storage efficiency of the high temperature solar thermochemistry. In order to promote the solar energy conversion efficiency of solar driven steam methane reforming (SMR), the idea of regulate the radiation field to be in accordance with the energy conversion on-demand is proposed and the biomimetic leaf-type hierarchical porous structure solar thermochemical reactor is introduced, which can regulate the spatial distribution of solar radiation intensity and optimize the temperature field. Combined with thermochemical kinetics and Finite Volume Method (FVM), the numerical calculation model of the SMR reaction in a biomimetic solar thermochemical reactor is established to optimize the temperature field. The effects of different reaction conditions and reactor parameters on steam methane reforming hydrogen production are analyzed. The results show that methane conversion in the biomimetic leaf-type solar thermochemical reactor is increased by 4.5%.

To improve the stability and sensitivity of pH sensors based on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), we proposed a modified sensing structure by integrating a reference HEMT device. This structural pH sensor exhibits a typical Nernstian behavior with a sensitivity of 54.38 mV/pH, which is higher than the value of 49.43mV/pH derived from the AlGaN/GaN HEMT-based sensor without integrating the reference HEMTs device. Furthermore, the stability of the new structural sensor is enhanced by approximately 19.2% in comparison with that of its traditional counterpart. The improved performances are analyzed using an electrical double-layer model together with an equivalent circuit model, and we find that the new sensor structure has a larger capacitor and exhibits a better rectification effect, hence decreasing the electrical noise and enhancing the stability of the testing signal. Meanwhile, the new sensor structure displays a smaller equivalent resistance and results in a larger available output current, hence exhibiting a higher sensitivity.