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An efficient organocatalytic asymmetric tandem conjugate addition-protonation of α-substituted isocyanoacetates to 2-chloroacrylonitrile catalyzed by dihydroquinine-derived thiourea has been investigated, affording the corresponding adducts with two non-adjacent tertiary-quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields (up to 99%) along with good to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 20 : 1 dr, up to 95% ee) under mild conditions. The adduct can also be transformed into chiral γ-lactam by synthetic transformations.

A ruthenium-catalyzed C-H alkenylation of aroylsilanes with electron-deficient alkenes was developed, using acylsilane as the directing group. The mild reaction conditions enable the tolerance of a wide scope of functionalities such as OMe, F, Cl, Br and CF3, providing a convenient and highly effective method for the synthesis of styrene derivatives bearing acylsilane. Steroid and heterocycles such as furan and thiophene were also well tolerated. Furthermore, acylsilane was efficiently converted to the corresponding aldehyde or carboxylic acid.

A facile template-free one-step synthesis method of ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets was developed through thermal polycondensation of melamine. The higher temperature, prolonged time and tightly sealed crucible reaction system contributed to the formation of ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets. The as-synthesized g-C3N4 nanosheets were applied to the visible light photocatalytic degradation of RhB. The photocatalytic activity was significantly enhanced with increased calcination temperature from 500 °C to 650 °C and prolonged calcination time from 4 h to 10 h. Interestingly, the obtained ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets simultaneously possess high yield and excellent photocatalytic activity. Moreover, g-C3N4 nanosheets can maintain photochemical stability after five consecutive runs. The remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity can be interpreted as the synergistic effects of the enhanced crystallinity, the large surface area, the reduced layer thickness and size and the reduced number of defects. A new layer exfoliation and splitting mechanism of the formation of the ultrathin nanosheets was proposed. This work provides a new strategy to develop a facile eco-friendly template-free one-step synthesis method for potential large-scale synthesis of ultrathin nanosheets with high yield, high photocatalytic efficiency and stable activity for environmental and energetic applications.

The taxonomic position of an actinobacterium, designated CPCC 204380T, which was isolated from a rhizosphere soil sample of the plant Calligonum mongolicum collected from Xinjiang Province, China, was established using a polyphasic approach. Vegetative hyphae developed well and globose bodies formed from aged hyphae. Spore chains that differentiated from the vegetative hyphae contained non-motile rod-shaped spores. The peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and 3-hydroxydiaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic amino acids. The acyl type of the peptidoglycan was glycolyl. Glucose, mannose, ribose and xylose were detected in whole-cell hydrolysates. The predominant menaquinone was MK-10(H8), followed by MK-10(H6) and MK-10(H4). The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and C17 : 1ω9c. The genomic G+C content was 64.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CPCC 204380T should be placed in the family Micromonosporaceae , in which it formed a distinct lineage next to the genera Rhizocola , Catellatospora , Catelliglobosispora , Hamadaea and Allocatelliglobosispora. It shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with Rhizocola hellebori K12-0602T (96.1 %), Catellatospora chokoriensis 2-25/1T (95.9 %), Catelliglobosispora koreensis DSM 44566T (95.9 %), Hamadaea tsunoensis DSM 44101T (95.3 %) and Allocatelliglobosispora scoriae Sco-B14 T (94.2 %), and less than 94.0 % sequence similarity with other validly described species. The combination of phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic characteristics supported the proposal of strain CPCC 204380T as representing a novel species of a new genus in the family Micromonosporaceae , for which the name Allorhizocola rhizosphaerae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. CPCC 204380T (=DSM 102292T=KCTC 39746 T) is the type strain of the type species.

Herein, we present the successful preparation of a new family of porphyrin-functionalized coordination star polymers through the combination of coordination-driven self-assembly and post-assembly polymerization. Their ordered self-assembly behaviour in water and potential applications in photodynamic therapy have been demonstrated.

Polysaccharides are one of the major bioactive components in chrysanthemum teas. In order to understand well the chemical structures and bioactivities of polysaccharides from different chrysanthemum teas (JHPs) collected in China, the physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and antiglycation activity of polysaccharides extracted from different chrysanthemum teas, including Coreopsis tinctoria, Chrysanthemum indicum, C. morifolium ‘Huangju’, C. morifolium ‘Gongju’, and C. morifolium ‘Hangbaiju’, were investigated. The results showed that the contents of total uronic acids and total phenolics in JHPs ranged from (28.4 ± 0.3)% to (36.2 ± 0.2)%, and from 9.4 ± 0.7 to 70.2 ± 1.7 mg GAE per g, respectively. The molecular weights of fraction 1 and fraction 2 in JHPs ranged from 4.29 × 105 to 5.88 × 105 Da, and from 4.11 × 104 to 5.24 × 104 Da, respectively. The dominant constituent monosaccharides of JHPs were galacturonic acid, arabinose, and galactose. Furthermore, JHPs, especially polysaccharides extracted from C. tinctoria, exerted remarkable ABTS, DPPH, nitric oxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, as well as strong antiglycation activities. The results are helpful for better understanding of the chemical structures and bioactivities of JHPs, and JHPs may have good potential applications in the functional-food industry.

To design highly efficient catalysts for the cleavage of the C–O/C–C bond is the key task in the depolymerization of lignin. Bimetallic alloy catalysts Au–Pd-CTFs were developed to be effective in the oxidative cleavage of β-O-4 lignin model compounds with O2. Au–Pd nanoparticles with an Au/Pd molar ratio between 1 : 1 and 1 : 1.5 showed the highest cleavage efficiency. The kinetics of the reaction process revealed that a synergistic effect between Au and Pd played a crucial role in the oxidation of Cα–OH into CαO, which was the rate-determining step for the whole oxidative cleavage process. Further insight revealed that the cooperative effect between Au–Pd nanoparticles and the support covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) facilitated the cleavage of the formed β-O-4 ketone compound to the corresponding aromatics. In addition, Au–Pd-CTF catalysts also showed efficiency in the oxidative transformation of the organosolv lignin. This catalytic system will provide guidance in the oxidative cleavage of β-O-4 linkages in lignin.

An efficient organocatalytic asymmetric formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of α-aryl isocyanoacetates with N-aryl or alkyl substituted itaconimides catalyzed by a dihydroquinine derived squaramide catalyst has been investigated, which affords the corresponding spiropyrroline succinimide derivatives with two non-adjacent quaternary–quaternary stereocenters in moderate to good yields (up to 82%) with moderate to excellent diastereoselectivities (up to >20 : 1 dr) and excellent enantioselectivities (90–>99% ee) under mild conditions.

The objective of this study was to evaluate pathogenic and spoilage bacteria counts, physicochemical properties of fresh chilled pork treated with chitosan, nisin, and tea polyphenols along with their combination during storage at 4°C for 11 days. The result showed that treatments with chitosan, nisin, and tea polyphenols alone significantly (P < .05) reduced bacteria population (total viable counts (TVC), lactic acid bacteria, pseudomonas spp., staphylococcus spp., brochothrix thermosphacta, and enterobacteriaceae) on fresh chilled pork. The TVC of sample treated with a combination of nisin, tea polyphenols, and chitosan (N-TP-C) decreased from 7.2 to 5.95 log10 CFU/g at 11th day. It was also found from TVB-N, TBARS, pH, color, water-holding capacity, and texture measurement that the N-TP-C combination treatment significantly maintained good quality and extended the shelf life of fresh chilled pork up to 11 days. In conclusion, it could be suggested that the combination with nisin, tea polyphenols, and chitosan has great potential to preserve fresh chilled pork.

Uranium is one of the most important elements in the nuclear industry, but it also causes potential health risks to human beings when released into the natural environment. It is highly desired to develop a strategy that enables concurrent uranium detection and adsorption for sustainable development of nuclear energy and environmental conservation. In this work, a fluorescent conjugated microporous polymer consisting of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene and amidoxime/carboxylate-substituted fluorene (CMPAO) is designed and synthesized for efficient extraction and detection of uranyl ions. The amidoxime ligands on CMPAO provide selective uranium-binding properties, while hydrophilic carboxylate groups largely enhance aqueous dispersibility leading to adequate contact with uranyl ions. As a consequence, CMPAO is capable of selective and efficient extraction of uranyl ions, achieving an optimal sorption capacity of 251.9 mg U g−1. Moreover, the adsorption of uranium on CMPAO leads to dramatic fluorescence quenching, allowing selective and sensitive detection of uranyl ions by fluorescence spectroscopy. Importantly, thanks to the signal amplification by the conjugated skeleton, CMPAO has a fairly low detection limit of 1.7 × 10−9 M for uranyl ions in deionized water, which is far below the maximum contamination standard in drinking water of the World Health Organization (6.3 × 10−8 M).

A platanus-fruit-like manganese monoxide (MnO)/nitrogen-doped porous carbon (MNPC) is prepared by a simple and low-cost method, in which MnO nanoparticles are combined with the polypyrrole-based hydrogel (PPH) derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC). When used as an electrode, the porous NPC acts as an effective support for the MnO nanoparticles that can provide a high ion storage capacity. Consequently, MNPC shows a good cycling stability and an enhanced rate capability in lithium-ion batteries, and the composite performs better than NPC and bare MnO particles alone. However, in sodium-ion batteries, MNPC exhibits a similar electrochemical behavior as NPC, indicating that MnO nanoparticles are much less active for storing sodium. This is likely because the thermodynamic driving force and redox potential for sodium storage in MnO are much lower than those for lithium storage. Thus, this study helps to thermodynamically reveal the lithiation and sodiation properties of MnO materials.

Facile synthesis of diverse rotaxanes was successfully realized through a simple and efficient supramolecular transformation strategy. Starting from an organometallic [3]rotaxane with a platinum-acetylide moiety as the bridge moiety and transformation site, employing a simple phosphine ligand exchange and sequential reductive elimination reactions resulted in the successful preparation of various rotaxanes with diverse structures and properties.

On the basis of the bifunctional 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-yl)terephthalic acid (H2BTA), four three-dimensional (3D) Pb(II)/Zn(II) coordination polymers (CPs), {[Zn(BTA)]·1.5(DOA)}n (1), [Zn(BTA)]n (2), [Pb(BTA)]n (3), and [Pb(BTA)]n (4), have been synthesized (DOA = dioxane). Structural analyses reveal that two Zn(II)-based complexes are 3D (4,4)-c pts pseudo-supramolecular isomers for 1 and 2, and two Pb(II)-based complexes are supramolecular isomers with a 3D (4,5,6)-c net for 3 and a 3D 6-c pcu net for 4, respectively. Furthermore, the gas adsorption behaviors of complexes 1 and 2 for N2, CO2, and CH4 have been studied in detail at varying temperatures, and the results showed that the adsorption capacities to CO2 at 273 K and 1 bar are stronger than those of other gases. Meanwhile, the selectivity of 1 and 2 for CO2/CH4 was evaluated by the usage of the ideal adsorbed solution theory, whose selectivity exceeded those of reported MOFs under similar conditions. In addition, the fluorescent measurements showed ...

Fortifying food and beverage products with combinations of bioactive agents is a major initiative within the food industry because of their potentially additive or even synergistic benefits for human health. Coix seed oil (CSO) has been reported to possess anticancer activity, whereas β-carotene (βC) is a natural antioxidant that may also exhibit anticancer activity. However, both of these bioactives are insoluble in water and have poor oral bioavailability. The aim of this study was to overcome these obstacles by encapsulating both βC and CSO into liposomes (L-βC-CSO). The effect of different combinations of these two bioactive agents on the physiochemical properties, stability, release, antioxidant activity, and anticancer activity of the liposomes was then determined. Increasing the CSO level decreased the βC entrapment efficiency, increased the particle size, reduced the polydispersity, and raised the magnitude of the surface potential of the bioactive-loaded liposomes. Moreover, the βC and CSO levels affected their orientation within the lipid bilayer, which also influences the physiochemical properties, stability, and in vitro release behavior of the system. Compared to liposomes containing single bioactive types, the combined systems exhibited higher bioavailability and increased anticancer and antioxidant activity. These results suggest that the combined bioactive-loaded liposomes could be an efficient formulation for potential applications in functional foods and supplements.

In this study, the photoinduced ultrafast deactivations of O6-methylguanosine in aqueous solution are mapped by employing multireference methods with implicit solvation model on a reduced model compound 9-methyl-O6-methylguanine (9Me-6MeGua). Although four S1/S0 minimal energy conical intersections (MECIs) are located, energy profiles indicated that only two of them are involved in excited-state decay processes and account for the C2 and C6 reaction coordinates, respectively. To reach both the involved MECIs, 9Me-6MeGua needs to surmount an energy barrier. The computed energy barrier of the C6 reaction coordinate is extremely low and should be responsible for the experimentally observed fast internal conversion (IC) process (∼0.95 ps), whereas the C2 reaction coordinate accounts for the slow IC process (∼41 ps). Eventually, we deliver a detailed mechanism for ultrafast deactivations of 6MeGuo, which explains well the recent experimental results [Ashwood, B.; J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2017, 8, 4380−4385] and re...

Three 3D Cd(II) complexes, namely, {[Cd4(L)2(dioxane)3(H2O)3]·DMA·5H2O}n (1), {[Cd2(L)(phen)(H2O)3.5]·4H2O}n (2) and {[Cd2(L)(phen)(H2O)4]·3H2O·DMA}n (3) have been synthesized from the ligand of 3,5-di(2′,5-dicarboxylphenyl)pyridine (H4L) with or without the assistance of phen auxiliary linker (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). Complex 1 displays a 3D (4,4,9)-connected net with the point symbol of {3.45}{32.414.55.611.72.82}{45.6}. Complex 2 shows a 3D (4,8)-connected net with the point symbol of {43. 63}2{46.619.83}. Complex 3 presents a 3D 4-connected net with the point symbol of {43.62.8}. The fluorescence measurements showed 1–3 exhibit sensitive detection of Fe(III) and Cr(VI) ions with a low detection limit. In addition, the gas sorption isotherms of complex 3 for N2, H2, CO2 and CH4 were investigated, and the corresponding uptakes are 239.8 cm3 g−1 for N2 and 93.9 cm3 g−1 for H2 at 77 K, 50.5 cm3 g−1 for CO2 and 17.0 cm3 g−1 for CH4 at 298 K, 54.8 cm3 g−1 for CO2 and 24.2 cm3 g−1 for CH4 at 273 K, respectively. Based on the N2 isotherm, the Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) and Langmuir surface area of 3 were calculated to be 610.1 and 710.5 m2 g−1, respectively. Moreover, the two binary gas mixtures adsorption was also studied, indicating that the adsorption of 3 for CO2 is better than that of CH4, which was verified by ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) with the adsorption selectivity being 8.5 (landfill gas, CO2/CH4 = 0.5/0.5) and 7.2 (natural gas, CO2/CH4 = 0.05/0.95).

Carbon nanotubes supported palladium (Pd/CNTs) catalyst displayed excellent activity toward hydrogenation of polystyrene (PS) to produce polycyclohexylethylene (PCHE) with added commercial values. However, its application is limited by the costly catalyst filtration process and energy-consuming elevated agitation speed. Herein, a dense, homogeneous and strongly attached layer of CNTs was decorated on nickel foams and employed as the catalyst support for palladium nanoparticles. Structured catalyst (Pd/CNTs@NF) was directly used as the catalyst stirrer in a rotating foam stirrer reactor (RFSR) for PS hydrogenation. Owing to the enhanced mass-transfer process, the hydrogenation degree reached 68.8%, which was 45.1% higher than that obtained in a slurry reactor using powdered Pd/CNTs catalyst under identical reaction conditions. Outstanding attachment strength of CNTs on the foam and catalytic stability in eight runs of recycling were also demonstrated. This work elucidates the promising feasibility of struc...

The effects of graphene oxide (GO) on the hydration kinetics, pore structure, mechanical properties, and the structure of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels were systematically investigated by combinatorial techniques. GO can accelerate the cement hydration, refine the pore structure and increase the polymerization degree of C-S-H gels due to the nucleation effects of GO. The specific surface area of cement paste and the number of gel pores were reduced with the addition of GO. A 3D network structure of GO modified C-S-H gels was originally proposed based on the obtained results that GO could intercalate into the interlayer space of C-S-H gels through ionic bonding with Ca2+ and fill in the gel pores. A small fraction of GO (0.022 wt%) increased the 28 d compressive strength by 16.31%–25.60% at a various water to cement ratios, indicating that GO is a potential nano-reinforcing material for cement composites. The results would provide a well understanding of the reinforcing mechanisms of GO in cement composites and pave a pathway for the design of high-performance cement composites.

1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) is the main bioactive compound of Morus alba L.. DNJ has pharmacological effects, including blood sugar level regulation and antiviral activity. In this study, the mulberry lysine decarboxylase gene (MaLDC), which is involved in the biosynthesis of DNJ alkaloids, was cloned, expressed, and functionally verified. MaLDC was induced and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant soluble MaLDC protein had a relative molecular mass of 24.0 kDa. The protein was purified by Ni-NTA separation. The results showed that MaLDC protein could catalyze lysine decarboxylation to produce cadaverine. The Km and Vmax values were 19.2 μM and 3.31 μM/min, respectively. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that MaLDC expression was positively correlated with DNJ content (P < 0.001), indicating that the MaLDC could encode a functional protein involved in the biosynthesis of DNJ alkaloid in mulberry. Our results provided a foundation for further studies of the enzymatic properties of LDC and established a basis for the analysis of key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of mulberry DNJ alkaloid.

Based on the hydrolysates of N,N′-bis(3,5-dicarboxylatophenyl)pyromelliticdi-imide) (H4L) and 1,3-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (bimb), three coordination polymers, namely, {[Zn(BTC)0.5(bimb)]·4H2O}n (1), [Cu(BTC)0.5(bimb)]n (2), and {[Cd(AIP)(H2O)]·H2O}n (3), have been obtained under solvothermal conditions. The possible hydrolysis mechanism of H4L was investigated here. Structural analyses reveal that complex 1 is a 3D (4,4)-c {64.82}{66}2-bbf net. Complex 2 displays a 2D 4-c {32.62.72}-kgm sheet. While complex 3 exhibits a 3D (3,6)-c {4.62}2{42.610.83}-rtl net based on binuclear {Cd2(COO)4} SBUs. Besides, luminescent sensing investigation indicated that 1 and 3 exhibit highly sensitive and selective sensing of chromate anions in aqueous solution.

Both connate water and the injected water through hydraulic fracturing can coexist with methane inside shale nanopores where two-phase flow possibly occurs. Few studies have been pertaining to two-...

Gluconobacter oxydans can be efficiently used to produce 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) from 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO). However, the enzymes involved remain unclear. In this study, transcription analysis of two mutants of strain DSM 2003, obtained by UV-mutagenesis, revealed that membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase (mADH) and membrane-bound aldehyde dehydrogenase (mALDH) might be the main enzymes involved. Through deletion and complementation of the genes adhA and aldh, mADH and mALDH were verified as the main enzymes responsible for 3-HP production. Then mALDH was verified as the rate-limiting enzyme in 3-HP production. Since that overexpression of mADH had no effect on 3-HP production, whereas overexpression of mALDH increased 23.6% 3-HP production. Finally, the 3-HP titer of 45.8 g/L and the highest productivity 1.86 g/L/h were achieved when the two mutants DSM 2003/adhAB and DSM 2003/aldh were mixed at a ratio of 1:2 (cell density) and used as whole cell catalysts for 3-HP production.

Based on the mixed ligands of aromatic pentacarboxylate of 3,5-di(2′,4′-dicarboxylphenyl)benozoic acid (H5L) and 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-yl) benzene (bib), two novel coordination polymers, namely, [Ni1.5(H2L)(bib)1.5(H2O)2]n (1), and {[Pb2(HL)(bib)1.5(H2O)]·H2O}n (2) have been synthesized and characterized by EA, IR, TG, PXRD. Structure analyses reveal that complexes 1 and 2 are both (3,4,4)-connected structures with the same stoichiometry of (3-c)2(4-c)2(4-c), the 2D {63}2{64.8.10}{64.82}2 trilayer for 1, and 3D {6.82}2{64.82}2{8.104.12} network for 2. Complexes 1 and 2 exhibit excellent recyclable, selective, and sensitive detection of Cr(VI) anions in aqueous solution. The possible mechanism for selective luminescence quenching responses toward Cr(VI) anions is also discussed in detail.

Using field slope farmland plots, this study planted the typical crop of maize (Zea mays L.) and investigated the effects of varied chemical fertilizer (organic compound fertilizer of potassium nitrate, containing 17% each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) application levels (0.5 times the common fertilizer amount (CK, 0.75 t·hm−2 to 2.5 CK) on the soil fertility in the Yuanmou dry-hot River Valley. The results showed that the soil chemical properties, microbial properties, and enzyme activities increased with the increase of fertilizer application levels from CK to 2.0 CK. However, a declining trend showed both under 0.5 CK level and the 2.5 CK level, and higher in fertilizer application level 3 (1.5 CK) and level 4 (2.0 CK) compared to level 1 (1 CK). Soil chemical properties, microbial properties, and enzyme activities in five-degree slope cropland topsoil were higher than these in 10-degree slope cropland topsoil. Five parameters (available N, nitrifying bacteria, inorganic phosphorus bacteria, organic matter, and invertase) in five-degree slope cropland and three parameters (organic matter, ammonifying bacteria, and total P) in 10-degree slope cropland, which had the greatest weight in the principal components analysis, were selected to calculate the soil quality index (SQI). The SQI calculated by integrating all critical parameters indicated that the highest SQI values were found in fertilizer levels 1.5 CK (0.71) and 2.0 CK (0.69), followed by CK (0.64), and the lowest were found in 0.5 CK (0.62) and 2.5 CK (0.61) in five-degree slope cropland soil. The highest SQI values were found in fertilizer levels 1.5 CK (0.26) and 2.0 CK (0.29), followed by CK (0.23), and the lowest were found in 0.5 CK (0.14) and 2.5 CK (0.20) in 10-degree slope cropland soil. The final SQI values implied that the fertilization treatment 2 (CK), fertilization treatment 3 (1.5 CK) and fertilization treatment 4 (2.0 CK) could improve the soil fertility, whereas the fertilization treatment 1 (0.5 CK) and fertilization treatment 5 (2.5 CK) could decrease the soil fertility. In view of the impact of slope, the soil qualities of five-degree slope cropland of five fertilization treatments were higher than in 10-degree slope cropland. The SQI values in five-degree slope cropland soil were found higher than the SQI values in 10-degree slope cropland soil by 68.65%, 64.20%, 62.22%, 57.46%, and 67.01%, respectively. For this study, the range of fertilization tolerance was 0.75–1.50 t·hm−2 (organic compound fertilizer of potassium nitrate) in 10-degree slope plot scale and 0.75–1.13 t∙hm−2 in five-degree slope cropland soil.

Hydrogel-based flexible strain sensors have shown great potential in body movement tracking, early disease diagnosis, noninvasive treatment, electronic skins, and soft robotics. The good self-healing, biocompatible, sensitive and stretchable properties are the focus of hydrogel-based flexible strain sensors. Dual network (DN) hydrogels are hopeful to fabricate self-healing hydrogels with the above properties. Here, multifunctional DN hydrogels are prepared via a combination of host-guest interaction of β-cyclodextrin and ferrocene with dynamic borate ester bonds of poly(vinyl alcohol) and borax. Carbon nanotubes are used to endow the DN hydrogels with good conductivity. The obtained DN composite hydrogels possess good biocompatibility, stretchability (436%), fracture strength (41.0 KPa), self-healing property (healing efficiency of 95%), and high tensile strain sensitivity (gauge factor of 5.9). The DN composite hydrogels are used as flexible strain sensors to detect different human motions. After cutting, the healed hydrogels also can monitor human motions and have good stability. In addition, the hydrogel sensors may track the respiratory movement of a pig lung in vitro. This work exhibits new ideas and approaches to develop multifunctional self-healing hydrogels for constructing flexible strain sensors.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease. The commonest treatment is artificial tears. A novel artificial tears is urgently required to treat DED pathophysiologically, more than symptoms relief. In this study, a novel artificial tears with highly purified recombinant human lysozyme (rhLYZ), high homologous with natural tear, was obtained for DED treatment on a established rabbit DED model. 36 models were divided into 6 groups (n = 6), and treated with different concentration of novel artificial tears 180µl of drops daily, continuously for 4 weeks. To evaluate pathophysiologic therapeutic effect of the novel artificial tears, rabbit eyes were performed to the schirmer I test, tear ferning test, and corneal fluorescein staining test in 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-administration, respectively. The sacrificed models' corneas in 4 weeks were performed by pathological section staining. In the project, the quality of the artificial tears including rhLYZ was up to the quality standards of pharmacopoeia. RhLYZ eye drops, especially in the medium (0.15% of rhLYZ) and the high(0.30% of rhLYZ) concentration, enable to improve dry eye symptoms effectively, benefit to anti-inflammatory function and promote corneal repair. The novel artificial tears is a promising pathophysiological therapeutic agent in DED treatment.

Background/aim This study aimed to investigate the effect of the new ciprofloxacin chalcone [7-(4-(N-substituted carbamoyl methyl) piperazin-1 yl)] on the proliferation, migration, and metastasis of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Materials and methods Cell viability, colony formation and cell migration abilities were analysed. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometry. The molecular mechanism underlying chalcone's activity was investigated using qRT-PCR and western blotting. Results This new ciprofloxacin chalcone significantly inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration abilities of both cancer cell lines. Furthermore, it initiated apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M and S phase in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. In addition, it up-regulated the expression of pro-apoptotic factors, p53, PUMA and NOXA, and down-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic factors, MDM2 and MDM4. At the same time, it inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition by increasing the expression of E-cadherin and decreasing the expression of TGF-β1, SNAI1, TWIST1, MMP2, and MMP9. Conclusion This new ciprofloxacin chalcone exhibited promising apoptotic and anti-metastatic activities against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, and, therefore, is an attractive molecule for drug development in the treatment of breast cancer.

In situ polymerization of preorganized amphiphilic monomers on various substrates provides a flexible synthetic route to construct high-quality two-dimensional polymers (2DPs) with designed functionalities. However, the detailed polymerization kinetics of these monomers in 2D confinement and their impact on the structural features of 2DPs have not been efficiently explored. Here, using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, we unveil the similarity of the polymerization kinetics of the amphiphilic Gemini molecules in both a 2D-confined space and solution and emphasize the key role of the initiator concentration in modifying the morphology of 2DPs. More interestingly, introducing a spacer group into the Gemini monomer facilitates the formation of porous 2DPs. The size and periodic arrangement of pores in these 2DPs could be directly controlled by the Gemini molecular geometries and polymerization kinetics. The insights based on our DPD simulations provide valuable guidelines for the rational design and synthesis of 2DPs from a wider range of amphiphilic molecules.

Background At present, plant growth regulators (PGRs) are widely used in agricultural and forestry production. PGRs, like traditional pesticides, have certain toxicities. Naively excessively applying them will cause the acute and chronic poisoning of humans and animals and potentially harm human health. Objective In order to assess, prevent, and control the residues of PGRs in fruits and vegetables, a set of quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) analytical methods that simultaneously detect multiple PGR residues are urgently needed for quality and safety inspection of agricultural product. Methods In this study, grapes (representative of fruits) and cabbages (representative of vegetables) were used as the detected objects. The 30 commercial product residues of PGRs were detected in both with an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method, based on optimized chromatographic, MS, and preparation conditions (extraction solvent and cleanup conditions). Grape and cabbage samples were extracted with acetonitrile containing 5% (v/v) acetic acid, dehydrated using a salt package, purified using the QuEChERS method, ionized using electrospray ionization under positive and negative ion switching mode, detected using multi-reaction monitoring, and quantification using an external standard method of matrix matching standard curve. Results Methanol was selected as the strong elution phase. A methanol-0.1% formic acid-5 mmol/L ammonium acetate solution was selected as the best mobile phase. The optimal extraction solvent was acetonitrile containing 5% acetic acid. Primary secondary amine cleanup could met the determination requirements of PGR residues. The developed method for determination of 30 commercial products of PGR, such as betaine, showed excellent linearity in 1–500, 10–1000, ∼500, ∼2000, and 100–10 000 μg/kg (R ≥ 0.98). At the 0.001 (0.01), 0.05, 0.20, and 1.00 mg/kg additive concentrations, the average addition standard recovery of 30 commercial products of PGR were 61–132% with the relative standard deviations of 1–14% and the LOQs were confirmed to be 1.0–100 μg/kg through the actual addition values of samples. Conclusion The set of optimized QuEChERS UHPLC-MS/MS methods simultaneously detect residues of PGRs in fruits and vegetables with one-time sample preparation for high-throughput, rapid quantitative screening, and confirmation. The methods cover a wide range of PGRs with simple and convenient preparation and small amounts of solvent, and can provide technical support for the supervision of PGR residues in fruits and vegetables. Highlights The optimizations of extraction solvent screening, different ratios of various purification packages in the QuEChERS method, and UPLC-MS conditions were conducted and the precision, sensitivity, and recovery rates of the methods were investigated in order to establish a QuEChERS UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneously detecting 30 kinds of PGR residues in fruits and vegetables. The methods allow high-throughput determination of multiple PGR residues in fruits and vegetables and can also provide technical references for related compound residue detection of other matrixes.

We report the first asymmetric total synthesis and structural determination of calixanthomycin A. Taking advantage of a modular strategy, a concise approach was developed to assemble the hexacyclic skeleton with both enantiomers of the lactone A ring. Stereoselective glycosylation coupled the angular hexacyclic framework with a monosaccharide fragment to produce calixanthomycin A and its stereoisomers. This enable us to determine and assign the absolute configuration of C-25 (25S) and monosaccharide (derivative of l-glucose).

Strawberries are one of the most economically important berry fruits worldwide and exhibit colours ranging from white to dark red, providing a rich genetic resource for strawberry quality improvement. In the present study, we conducted transcriptome analyses of three strawberry cultivars, namely, ‘Benihoppe’, ‘Xiaobai’, and ‘Snow White’, and compared their gene expression profiles. Among the high-quality sequences, 5,049 and 53,200 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained when comparing the diploid and octoploid strawberry genomes and analysed to identify anthocyanin-related candidate genes. Sixty-five DEGs in the diploid genome (transcriptome data compared to the diploid strawberry genome) and 317 DEGs in the octoploid genome (transcriptome data compared to the octoploid strawberry genome) were identified among the three cultivars. Among these DEGs, 19 and 70 anthocyanin pathway genes, six and 42 sugar pathway genes, 23 and 101 hormone pathway genes, and 17 and 104 transcription factors in the diploid and octoploid genomes, respectively, correlated positively or negatively with the anthocyanin accumulation observed among the three cultivars. Real-time qPCR analysis of nine candidate genes showed a good correlation with the transcriptome data. For example, the expression of PAL was higher in ‘Benihoppe’ and ‘Xiaobai’ than in ‘Snow White’, consistent with the RNA-seq data. Thus, the RNA-seq data and candidate DEGs identified in the present study provide a sound basis for further studies of strawberry fruit colour formation.

As all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) are widely accepted in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), deescalating toxicity becomes a research hotspot. Here, we evaluated whether chemotherapy could be replaced or reduced by ATO in APL patients at different risks. After achieving complete remission with ATRA-ATO–based induction therapy, patients were randomized (1:1) into ATO and non-ATO groups for consolidation: ATRA-ATO versus ATRA–anthracycline for low-/intermediate-risk patients, or ATRA-ATO–anthracycline versus ATRA–anthracycline–cytarabine for high-risk patients. The primary end point was to assess disease-free survival (DFS) at 3 y by a noninferiority margin of –5%; 855 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up of 54.9 mo, and 658 of 755 patients could be evaluated at 3 y. In the ATO group, 96.1% (319/332) achieved 3-y DFS, compared to 92.6% (302/326) in the non-ATO group. The difference was 3.45% (95% CI –0.07 to 6.97), confirming noninferiority (P < 0.001). Using the Kaplan–Meier method, the estimated 7-y DFS was 95.7% (95% CI 93.6 to 97.9) in ATO and 92.6% (95% CI 89.8 to 95.4) in non-ATO groups (P = 0.066). Concerning secondary end points, the 7-y cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) was significantly lower in ATO (2.2% [95% CI 1.1 to 4.2]) than in non-ATO group (6.1% [95% CI 3.9 to 9.5], P = 0.011). In addition, grade 3 to 4 hematological toxicities were significantly reduced in the ATO group during consolidation. Hence, ATRA-ATO in both chemotherapy-replacing and -reducing settings in consolidation is not inferior to ATRA–chemotherapy (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, NCT01987297).

Disulfide-bond A oxidoreductase-like protein (DsbA-L) is an adiponectin-interacting protein that is highly expressed in adipose tissue. The adipo-renal axis involves adipocyte release of signaling molecules that are recruited to kidney and regulate kidney function. We have found that the DsbA-L modulated the progression of diabetic nephropathy, but the precise mechanism of this modulation is unknown. Here, the transgenic mice overexpressing DsbA-L protein in fat (fDsbA-L) were used to verify that the renoprotective role of DsbA-L whether by adipo-renal axis. Mice were divided into four groups: a normal (Control) group, STZ induced diabetic mice, fDsbA-L mice and diabetic fDsbA-L mice (n=6). Diabetes was induced in mice by STZ 100mg/kg and continued HFD feeding for 12 weeks. Compared with the control group, the weight, blood glucose,and urine protein levels and the pathological changes in the kidney tissue of diabetic mice were increased significantly, accompanied by increased NLRP3,caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, FN, and Collagen1 mRNA and protein expression, which were reduced in diabetic fDsbA-L mice. Interestingly, the level of adiponectin in serum and kidney expression in diabetic mice was reduced significantly compared to that in the control group. However this change was reversed in diabetic fDsbA-L mice. These data suggest that the overexpression of DsbA-L in the adipocytes of mice can protect against diabetic renal injury through anti-inflammatory mediators,and may be mediated by the adipo-renal axis.

Background: Subacromialimpingement syndrome (SIS) is characterized by shoulder pain and restriction in range of motion (ROM), which lead to debility and decrease quality of life (QoL). Duloxetine could provide persistent long-term pain relief in chronic musculoskeletal pain. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of duloxetine in stage I or II SIS patients through comparing the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) treatment.Methods: The patients diagnosed with stage I or II SISwere randomly assigned into the duloxetine group (N= 37) and NSAIDs group (N= 37). Duloxetine group patients started on oral duloxetine 40 mg per day for one week and then titrated up to 60 mg per day for one week. NSAIDs group patients received oral loxoprofen sodium tablets 60mg3 times a day for two weeks. The standard measures for investigating the efficacy include pain intensity (VAS), ROM, shoulder functional status, and the QoL at baseline, end of treatment, and at 1 and 3 months follow-up.Results: 74 eligible patients completed the treatment and evaluation. Both treatment groups improved significantly from baseline over time. And all parameters of pain intensity, shoulder functionalstatus and QoL in the duloxetine group were significantly better than those in the NSAIDs group.And no one manifested SIS recurrence and side effects during the entire follow-up period.Conclusions: Both duloxetine and NSAIDs can be beneficial in the rehabilitation of stage I or II SIS patients. Moreover, duloxetine resulted in improvements in outcomes greater than NSAIDs for the treatment of SIS. The current results indicated that duloxetine treatment might be used as a new safe and effective alternative for SIS. Given the encouraging results of this study, it would be worthwhile to confirm our findings in randomized placebo-controlled multicentre clinical trials.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is characterized by visual acuity decrease and visual field loss. However, the impact of visual field loss on the cognitive performance of RP patients remains unknown. In the present study, in order to understand whether and how RP affects spatial processing and attentional function, one spatial processing task and three attentional tasks were conducted on RP patients and healthy controls. In addition, an EZ-diffusion model was performed for further data analysis with four parameters, mean decision time, non-decision time, drift rate, and boundary separation. It was found that in the spatial processing task, compared with the control group, the RP group exhibited a slower response speed in large and medium visual eccentricities, and slower drift rate for the large stimulus, which is strongly verified by the significant linear correlation between the visual field eccentricity with both reaction time (p = 0.047) and non-decision time (p = 0.043) in RP patients. In the attentional orienting task and the attentional switching task, RP exerted a reduction of speed and an increase of non-decision time on every condition, with a decrease of drift rate in the orienting task and boundary separation in the switching task. In addition, the switching cost for large stimulus was observed in the control group but not in the RP group. The stop-signal task demonstrated similar inhibition function between the two groups. These findings implied that RP exerted the impairment of spatial cognition correlated with the visual field eccentricity, mainly in the peripheral visual field. Moreover, specific to the peripheral visual field, RP patients had deficits in the attentional orienting and flexibility but not in the attentional inhibition.

DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE 1 (DAD1), a phospholipase A1, utilizes galactolipids (18:3) to generate &alpha, linolenic acid (ALA) in the initial step of jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we isolated the JcDAD1 gene, an ortholog of Arabidopsis DAD1 in Jatropha curcas, and found that it is mainly expressed in the stems, roots, and male flowers of Jatropha. JcDAD1-RNAi transgenic plants with low endogenous jasmonate levels in inflorescences exhibited more and larger flowers, as well as a few abortive female flowers, although anther and pollen development were normal. In addition, fruit number was increased and the seed size, weight, and oil contents were reduced in the transgenic Jatropha plants. These results indicate that JcDAD1 regulates the development of flowers and fruits through the JA biosynthesis pathway, but does not alter androecium development in Jatropha. These findings strengthen our understanding of the roles of JA and DAD1 in the regulation of floral development in woody perennial plants.

Golgi is a critical compartment for both the reutilisation of the essential micronutrient manganese (Mn) and its detoxification. However, whether Mn plays a role in the Golgi remains to be demonstrated in plants. We characterised the function of PML3, a member of the Unknown Protein Family UPF0016, in Mn transport and the regulation of plant growth, Golgi glycosylation and cell wall biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. We also investigated the relationship of PML3 with NRAMP2, a trans-Golgi network localised Mn transporter. PML3-GFP is preferentially localised in the cis-Golgi. PML3 can transport Mn to rescue the hypersensitivity of yeast mutant Δpmr1 to excess Mn. Two mutant alleles of PML3 displayed reduced plant growth and impaired seed development under Mn-deficient conditions. The pml3 mutants also showed impaired Golgi glycosylation and cell wall biosynthesis under Mn deficiency. Double mutations of PML3 and NRAMP2 showed improved plant growth compared with that of single mutants under Mn deficiency, implying that PML3 and NRAMP2 play opposite roles in the regulation of Golgi Mn levels. Our results suggest that PML3 mediates Mn uptake into the Golgi compartments, which is required for proper protein glycosylation and cell wall biosynthesis under Mn-deficient conditions.

It has been a challenging topic and perpetual task to design and synthesize covalent macrocycles with characteristic self-assembling behaviors and excellent host-guest properties in supramolecular chemistry. Herein, we present a family of macrocyclic diphenylamine[n]arenes (DPA[n]s, n = 3–7) consisting of methyldiphenylamine units through a facile one-pot synthesis strategy. Unlike many other reported macrocyclic arenes, the resultant non-planar DPA[n]s feature intrinsic π-π stacking interactions, interesting self-assembling behaviors and ethene/ethyne capture properties. Specifically, strong multiple intermolecular edge-to-face aromatic interactions in DPA[3] have been systematically investigated both in solid and solution states. The intriguing findings on the intermolecular edge-to-face stacking interaction mode in the macrocycle would further highlight the importance of noncovalent π-π interaction in supramolecular self-assembly. This study will also shed light on the macrocyclic and supramolecular chemistry and, we expect, will provide a direction for design and synthesis of covalent macrocycles in this area., The design of covalent macrocycles which show characteristic self-assembly behaviour and host-guest properties is challenging. Here, the authors demonstrate the synthesis of diphenylamine[n]arenes through a one-pot synthesis and demonstrate the π-π pi stacking of the non-planar rings as well as ethane/ethyne host-guest interactions.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Hypecoum erectum has been used extensively in folk medicine to treat inflammation, fever, and pain. However, few investigations have been carried out on the biological activities related to its traditional use. The chemical constituents of this plant along with their anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects have yet to be revealed. Aim of the study This study aimed to support the traditional use of H. erectum by first assessing its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and then investigating its chemical constituents to identify any anti-inflammatory and/or analgesic compounds. Material and methods The in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of the MeOH extract (ME), total alkaloid (AL), and non-alkaloid (Non-AL) fractions of H. erectum at doses of 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg and four major constituents (20, 21, 22, and 27) at doses of 100 and 50 mg/kg delivered via intragastrical administration were evaluated using carrageenan-induced paw edema and acetic acid-stimulated writhing animal models. A phytochemical study of the bioactive (AL) fraction was conducted using various chromatographic techniques, and the structures of the obtained isoquinolines were identified by multiple spectroscopic analyses and quantum chemical computations. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory activities of all the isolates were assessed in vitro based on the suppression of lipopolysaccharide-activated inflammatory mediators (COX-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Results At the dose of 200 mg/kg, the three fractions (ME, AL, and Non-AL) of H. erectum ameliorated the paw edema by carrageenan-stimulated and reduced the number of writhing by acetic acid-induced in mice compared to the model group, with the AL fraction showing the most potent effects. Subsequent phytochemical investigation of the AL fraction led to the isolation of six new isoquinoline alkaloids (1–6) as well as 23 known analogues (7–29). However, compared to common isoquinolines, compounds 1–4 possess an additional nitrogen atom, while compound 5 has two additional nitrogen atoms. These additional atoms enrich the diversity of natural isoquinoline alkaloids. Further pharmacological evaluation in vivo revealed that the four major constituents (20, 21, 22, and 27) significantly relieved paw edema at 100 mg/kg, while protopine (20) and oxyhydrastinin (27) remarkably decreased the number of writhing at 100 mg/kg. In addition, most of the isolates displayed anti-inflammatory effects, as indicated by the inhibition of inflammatory mediators (COX-2, IL-1β, and/or TNF-α) in vitro at a treatment concentration of 5 μg/mL. trans-benzindenoazepines (13), protopine (20), and 1,3,6,6-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahyboisoquiolin-8-one (25) showed comparable anti-inflammatory activity to dexamethasone by inhibiting the secretion of IL-1β. Conclusions This investigation validated the traditional use of H. erectum by assessing its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Phytochemical investigation revealed the diversity and novelty of the natural isoquinoline alkaloids in H. erectum. Four major isoquinolines were identified as the bioactive constituents of H. erectum. The findings provide scientific justification to support the traditional application of H. erectum for treating inflammatory and pain disorders.

Propolis was widely used in health preservation and disease healing, it contains many ingredients. The previous study had been revealed that the propolis has a wide range of efficacy, such as antiviral, immune enhancement, anti-inflammatory and so on, but its antiviral components and underlying mechanism of action remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition, and anti-PPV and immunological enhancement of Propolis Flavonoid(PF). Chemical composition of PF was distinguished by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS/MS analysis.The presence and characterized of 26 major components was distinguished in negative ionization modes.To evaluate the effects of PF used as adjuvant on the immune response porcine parvovirus (PPV). Thirty Landrace-Yorkshire hybrid sows were randomly assigned to 3 groups, and the sows in adjuvant groups were intramuscular injected PPV vaccine with 2.0 mL PF adjuvant (PA), oilemulsion adjuvant (OA), respectively. After that, serum hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers, IgM and IgG subclasses, eripheral lymphocyte proliferation activity, and concentrations of cytokines were measured. Results indicated an enhancing effect of PA on IgM, IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ and the IgG subclass responses. These findings suggested that PA could significantly enhance the immune responses. Furthermore, we screened the chemical components the effective of anti-PPV, Ferulic acid have an excellently anti-PPV effective.

The whole plant of Clerodendranthus spicatus (Thunb.) is one of popular functional food in south of China, named as "kidney tea" and used to ameliorate renal inflammation. In order to verify this potential function and explore the accurate compounds responsible for inflammation, the ethanol extract, fractions, and subfractions of this plant were prepared to evaluate anti-inflammation effect on xylene-induced acute inflammatory mice model, and the results indicated that two subfractions from EtOAc fraction show potential activities. Subsequent bioassay-guided isolation of the bioactive subfractions led to isolation of 25 compounds. Among them, compounds 2, 4, 5, 9-11, 13, 16, 17, and 20-22 inhibited the productions of pro-inflammation factors TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced renal epithelia (HK-2) cells, respectively. Further anti-inflammation evaluation in vivo indicated that the major bioactive compounds 1, 2, 5-7, 17, 21, and 22 from C. spicatus were even better than aspirin. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: C. spicatus as a healthy tea has been available in the Chinese market and as a medicine for various disorders such as nephritis, rheumatism, inflammation, gout, and diabetes. Previous pharmacological investigation of the plant revealed the potential anti-inflammatory activities, but the material basis of anti-inflammatory activity remains to be elucidated. In our study, the anti-inflammatory fractions and compounds were obtained by the bioassay-guide isolation and the results showed that the highly oxygenated diterpenoids were major anti-inflammatory compounds, in which 1, 2, 5-7, 17, 21, and 22 were even better than aspirin. This information supported kidney tea as a functional food for treatment of renal inflammation reasonably and may add a new dimension to biological activity of this plant in the field of agriculture as a functional food were cultivated.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is recognized as a general endocrine disease and reproductive disorder. Although evidence indicates that PCOS has a complex etiology and genetic basis, the pathogenic mechanisms and signal pathway in PCOS remain unclear. In this study, the normal structure of follicle and corpus luteum were observed, and no cyst nor hyperemia was observed under the light microscopic study with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Eestosterone and progesterone were evaluated by radioimmunoassay in rat serum. The alterations of proliferative ability and cell cycle distribution of each group were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay and flow cytometry. The protein expression of p-mTOR/mTOR, p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, and GAPDH were analyzed by western blotting. Both doses of PLB could benefit the ovarian morphology and polycystic property. PLBinduced a suppress effect on the proliferation of rat ovarian granulosa cells. In addition, PLB also induced concentration-dependent apoptosis in rat ovarian granulosa cells. The rat ovarian granulosa cells treated with PLB that the expression levels of p-AKT, p-mTOR, and p-PI3K were significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. PLB not only plays a critical role in attenuating the pathology and polycystic property changes in the ovary but can also induce rat ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway. This study showed the innovative role of PLB in the pathogenesis of PCOS and provides a new therapeutic modality for the treatment of PCOS.

An integrated technique of hydrothermal pretreatment coupling with deep eutectic solvent (DES) extraction was tailed to cleanly fractionate lignocellulose into three usable forms, i.e., water-soluble hemicellulose, cellulose-rich and lignin fractions, which were further upgraded to three nanomaterials, i.e., activated nanocarbons (ANCs), lignin-containing cellulose nanofibers (LCNFs), lignin nanospheres (LNSs) respectively. Almost 100% hemicellulose was solubilized in the hydrothermal pretreatment, which was used as carbon source to produce ANCs with rather high specific surface area (about 2680 m2 g−1) through in situ carbonation followed by activation. Cellulose-rich fraction was used to produce LCNFs with high aspect ratio (about 150) using facile mechanical refining. While the clean lignin fraction with enhanced amphiphilic properties was used to produce LNSs (223 nm diameter) using self-assembly method. The related mechanism was that condensed lignin could still be extracted by DES due to its excellent lignin solubility. The resulting lignin amphiphilicity provided a powerful driving force to enhance the self-assembly process thus compact LNSs was obtained. Meanwhile, the DES-swelled cellulose structure significantly facilitated the subsequent mechanical disintegration for LCNFs production. In this work, the proposed integrated technique platform realized the complete utilization concept of lignocellulosic biomass, and also provided three high-value nanomaterials product streams for downstream application towards an industrial relevant process.

Methoprene-tolerant 1 (Met1) is a basic-helix-loop-helix Per/Arnt/Sim (bHLH-PAS) protein identified as the intracellular receptor of juvenile hormone (JH). JH induces phosphorylation of Met1; however, the phosphorylation site and outcomes of phosphorylation are not well characterized. In the present study, using the lepidopteran insect and serious agricultural pest Helicoverpa armigera (cotton bollworm) as a model, we showed that JH III induced threonine-phosphorylation of Met1 at threonine 393 (Thr393) in the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) B domain. Thr393-phosphorylation was necessary for Met1 binding to the JH response element (JHRE) to promote the transcription of Kr-h1 (encoding transcription factor Kruppel homolog 1) because Thr393-phosphorylated Met1 increased its interaction with Taiman (Tai) and prevented the Met1-Met1 association. However, JH III could not prevent Met1-Met1 association after Met1-Thr393 was mutated, suggesting that Thr393-phosphorylation is an essential mechanism by which JH prevents Met1-Met1 association. The results showed that JH induces Met1 phosphorylation on Thr393, which prevents Met1-Met1 association, enhances Met1 interaction with Tai, and promotes the binding of Met1-Tai transcription complex to the E-box in the JHRE to regulate Kr-h1 transcription.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have lately attracted a lot of attention in the chemistry and material fields because of the “smart” change of their properties under outside stimuli including light, temperature, electric or magnetic field, pH, chemicals, shear stress, and redox reagents. Ferrocenyl (Fc) is often employed as a redox-responsive building unit due to its properties of chemical and electrochemical redox reversibility. This property involves reversible change between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, which endows hydrogels with unexpected features. Also, Fc derivatives are used as guest molecules featuring host–guest interactions with macrocyclic host molecules, mainly including cyclodextrins and pillararenes, commonly leading to the formation of supramolecular hydrogels with shape-memory, self-healing and sol–gel transition performances. This review focuses on the fabrication of various kinds of Fc-containing hydrogels and describes their gelling mechanisms, characteristic structures and properties, as well as functional applications. The review is divided into covalently cross-linked hydrogels and supramolecular cross-linked hydrogels. Furthermore, Fc-containing microgels constructed by chemically cross-linked three-dimensional polymer networks that are related to traditional hydrogels are also discussed. Fc-containing hydrogels and microgels are becoming more and more important as advanced functional materials, especially biomedical, shape-memory and self-healing materials.

Human milk is compatible with infant intestinal microbiota and is vital for infant health. However, most infants do not receive sufficient exclusive breastfeeding, and the effects of including other types of animal milk on the gut microbiota of infants are unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elucidate the impact of milk from various animal sources on infant fecal microbiota through in vitro fermentation. The types of milk assessed include cow milk, goat milk, camel milk, mare milk, human milk, and infant formula milk. Here we determined the gas pressure, pH, and microbiota after 24 h fermentation. Results showed that mare milk had the lowest gas pressure rating, with levels similar to human milk. More so, pH analysis demonstrated that other milk types were identical to human milk. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that all milk types increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, which was proportional to the lactose content of milk. Moreover, mare milk also significantly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia. Collectively, results from mare milk (gas pressure, pH, and microbiota) were comparable to that of human milk, and thus support the theoretical basis for exploring the development of a mare milk-based infant formula., Graphical Abstract Distinct effects of milks from various animal types on infant fecal microbiota through in vitro fermentations.

This study evaluated the stabilities of catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), procyanidin B3, procyanidin A1 and epicatechin-(4β → 6)-epicatechin-(2β → O → 7,4β → 8)-catechin (PCA-trimer) during in vitro digestion, as well as characterized their digestion products (DPs), and evaluated their protective effects against ACR-induced cytotoxicity on IPEC-J2 cells. The results showed that procyanidin A1 (70.38%) and procyanidin B3 (15.25%) had the highest and lowest stability in the gastric phase, respectively. During the intestinal phase, the contents of C, EC and procyanidin B3 increased from 57.37%, 49.92% and 15.25% to 88.15%, 71.81% and 46.72%, while those of procyanidin A1 and PCA-trimer showed continuous decreases to 27.13% and 28.89%, respectively. Isomerism, hydrolysis and condensation reactions were found to play major roles in in vitro digestion. Besides, procyanidin A1 and its DPs exhibited the best protective effect against ACR-induced cytotoxicity compared with other compounds and their DPs, as indicated by MTT assay and measurement of glutathione (GSH).

Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have attracted attention as a promising sensitizer owing to their high atomic number (Z), and because they are considered fully multifunctional, they are preferred over other metal nanoparticles. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has also recently gained attention, especially for cancer treatment, by inducing apoptosis through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, the activity of different sized Au-NPs with helium-based CAP (He-CAP) was analyzed, and the underlying mechanism was investigated. Treating cells with only small Au-NPs (2 nm) significantly enhanced He-CAP-induced apoptosis. In comparison, 40 nm and 100 nm Au-NPs failed to enhance cell death. Mechanistically, the synergistic enhancement was due to 2 nm Au-NPs-induced decrease in intracellular glutathione, which led to the generation of intracellular ROS. He-CAP markedly induced ROS generation in an aqueous medium; however, treatment with He-CAP alone did not induce intracellular ROS formation. In contrast, the combined treatment significantly enhanced the intracellular formation of superoxide (O2• −) and hydroxyl radical (•OH). These findings indicate the potential therapeutic use of Au-NPs in combination with CAP and further clarify the role of Au-NPs in He-CAP-aided therapies.

Inflammation plays an important role in cases of acute lung injury (ALI), and the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway, which can be regulated by Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSPs), is closely related to the dynamics of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. Thus, we sought to evaluate whether or not PSPs prevent LPS-induced ALI by way of inhibiting inflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway in rats. We established an ALI rat model by tracheal instillation of LPS, and by pre-injection of PSPs into rats to examine PSPs in the ALI rat model. We found that PSPs attenuated LPS-induced lung pathological changes in ALI rats, decreased LPS-induced myeloperoxidase (MOP) activity, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in lung tissue. However, PSPs also decreased the LPS-induced increase in the neutrophil ratio, and decreased inflammatory factor levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Moreover, PSPs decreased LPS-induced increases in inflammatory factors measured by mRNA expression, and altered the levels of expression of TLR4, medullary differentiation protein 88 (Myd88), p-IKB-α/IKB-α and p-p65/p65 proteins in lung tissue. In vitro, PSPs also reduced apoptosis induced by LPS in BEAS-2B cells by suppressing inflammation through its effect of inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that PSPs may be a potential drug for effective treatment of LPS-induced ALI, due to the ability to inhibit inflammation through effects exerted on the TLR4/Myd88/NF-κB pathway.

The study aimed to identify the preference of pathways of humus formation. Five lab-scale composting experiments were established: the control (CK), montmorillonite addition (M), illite addition (I), thermal treatment montmorillonite addition (M-) and thermal treatment illite addition (I-). Results showed humus content was increased by 11.5%, 39.3%, 37.2%, 30.9% and 27.6% during CK, M-, M, I- and I composting. Meanwhile, Redundancy analysis indicated the bands of bacteria community related to humic acid (HA) were more abundant in the M- and I- treatments. Furthermore, structural equation model and variance partitioning analysis demonstrated that M- and I- treatments promoted precursors to synthesize HA by coordinated regulation of biotic pathway and abiotic pathway, the increase of HA in the M and I treatments mainly through the abiotic pathway. In summary, an effective method was proposed to improve humus production by adjusting the preference of biotic and abiotic pathways of humus formation.