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Diabetes elevates endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the vitreous and enhances constriction of retinal venules to this peptide. However, mechanisms contributing to ET-1–induced constriction of retinal venules are incompletely understood. We examined roles of sodium-hydrogen exchanger 1 (NHE1), protein kinase C (PKC), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and extracellular calcium (Ca2+) in retinal venular constriction to ET-1 and the impact of diabetes on these signaling molecules. Retinal venules were isolated from control pigs and pigs with streptozocin-induced diabetes for in vitro studies. ET-1–induced vasoconstriction was abolished in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and sensitive to c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 but unaffected by extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059, p38 kinase inhibitor SB203580, or broad-spectrum PKC inhibitor Gö 6983. Diabetes (after 2 weeks) enhanced venular constriction to ET-1, which was insensitive to PD98059 and Gö 6983 but was prevented by NHE1 inhibitor cariporide, SB203580, and SP600125. In conclusion, extracellular Ca2+ entry and activation of JNK, independent of ERK and PKC, mediate constriction of retinal venules to ET-1. Diabetes activates p38 MAPK and NHE1, which cause enhanced venular constriction to ET-1. Treatments targeting these vascular molecules may lessen retinal complications in early diabetes.

A metal-free approach for the synthesis of seven-membered N-heterocycles has been developed by the I2 -promoted intramolecular cross-coupling/annulation of butenyl anilines. This cyclization reaction involves C-H activation and C-C bond formation and exhibits good functional group tolerance. A series of benzo[b]azepine derivatives are obtained in moderate to good yields.

In this work, the water-controlled release solvothermal process (WCRSP) method was selected to synthesize nanostructured β-Li2TiO3 tritium breeder ceramic pebbles using anhydrous lithium acetate (LiOAc) as lithium source and tetrabutyl titanate (TBOT) as titanium source. The effects of the reaction system, temperature, and amount of acetic acid on the crystal structure and morphology of Li2TiO3 power were systematically investigated by using XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques, respectively. The urea or acetone in the reaction system affects the composition of Li2TiO3 in the water-controlled release solvothermal process at 550 °C. Initially, the nanostructured single-phase Li2TiO3 powders with good dispersion and an average particle size of 35 nm were successfully synthesized at 550 °C when the acetic acid content was 15 vol%. Moreover, the phase transition temperature for the monoclinic phase β-Li2TiO3 was as low as 450 °C. The morphology of Li2TiO3 powder presents two different shapes, one is micro-spherical, the other is spherical nanoparticles in different content acetic acid. The results indicate that using ethanol/acetic acid mixture as a reaction system is favorable for obtaining nanostructured Li2TiO3 powder. Finally, Li2TiO3 ceramic pebbles with grain size of 1.4 μm were successfully fabricated at 950 °C for 2 h at room temperature, and the crush load and relative density (theoretical density, T.D) of the pebbles reach 53 N and 85.2%, respectively.

The ability of nanosegregated polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) to dissipate shockwave energy is investigated for a series of imidazolium-based PILs with varying alkyl spacer length. The PILs are designed to have similar glass transition temperatures but different structures. X-ray scattering analysis reveals that each of the amorphous PILs exhibit distinct nanoscale structural heterogeneity, depending on the length of the chain spacer. We find that a higher structural heterogeneity, determined from the intensity of the intercluster scattering peak, in the PILs with longer alkyl spacers results in greater shockwave energy dissipation. In addition, we observe the crystalline phase is less effective at dissipating shockwave energy than the amorphous phase due to the close packed morphology and slow kinetics.

By tactfully structuring a luminescent molecule as an accurate pH probe with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature, it is significant to overcome aggregation-caused quenching of emitted light in practice. Herein, we present a simple AIE-active fluorescence probe for pH detection on the basis of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) with wide response range and high sensitivity reaction. The donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) style probe utilized a conjugated structural hybrid of the electron-withdrawing nitrile group and electron-donating hydroxyl as well as dimethylamino groups for fluorescent platform. The AIE-active probe possesses good fluorescence under water fraction up to 90% in mixed MeOH/water system. Furthermore, it can be used in profiling and visualization of pH detection in MeOH/water system at fw = 90% under UV 365 nm lamp. What’s more, the probe can be employed to be a broad range test paper of pH detection, paving the way for low-cost practical applications.

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the pharmacological effects of sesamin (Ses) and its mechanism of action towards PM2.5-induced cardiovascular injuries. Method: Forty Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups: a saline control group; a PM2.5 exposure group; and low-, middle-, and high-dose Ses pretreatment groups. The SD rats were pretreated with different concentrations of Ses for 21 days. Afterward, the rats were exposed to ambient PM2.5 by intratracheal instillation every other day for a total of three times. The levels of inflammatory markers, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and indicators related to oxidative responses, such as total superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured in the blood and heart. The expression of ferroptosis-related proteins in heart tissues was determined via western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results: Ses pretreatment substantially ameliorated cardiovascular injuries in rats as evidenced by the decrease in the pathological score and collagen area. The decreased levels of SOD, GSH, and GSH-Px in the heart and serum were inhibited by Ses. In addition, Ses not only notably increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes but also reduced the levels of MDA, CK, LDH, CK-MB, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Furthermore, Ses pretreatment upregulated the expression levels of GPX4, SLC7A11, TFRC, and FPN1 and inhibited the expression levels of FTH1 and FTL. Conclusion: Ses pretreatment could ameliorate PM2.5-induced cardiovascular injuries perhaps by inhibiting ferroptosis. Therefore, Ses pretreatment may be a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of PM2.5-induced cardiovascular injury.

Background and Aims Butyric acid is an intestinal microbiota-produced short-chain fatty acid, which exerts salutary effects on alleviating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the underlying mechanism of butyrate on regulating hepatic lipid metabolism is largely unexplored. Methods A mouse model of NAFLD was induced with high-fat diet feeding, and sodium butyrate (NaB) intervention was initiated at the eighth week and lasted for 8 weeks. Hepatic steatosis was evaluated and metabolic pathways concerning lipid homeostasis were analyzed. Results Here, we report that administration of NaB by gavage once daily for 8 weeks causes an augmentation of insulin-induced gene (Insig) activity and inhibition of lipogenic gene in mice fed with high-fat diet. Mechanistically, NaB is sufficient to enhance the interaction between Insig and its upstream kinase AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The stimulatory effects of NaB on Insig-1 activity are abolished in AMPKα1/α2 double knockout (AMPK−/−) mouse primary hepatocytes. Moreover, AMPK activation by NaB is mediated by LKB1, as evidenced by the observations showing NaB-mediated induction of phosphorylation of AMPK, and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase is diminished in LKB1–/– mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Conclusions These studies indicate that NaB serves as a negative regulator of hepatic lipogenesis in NAFLD and that NaB attenuates hepatic steatosis and improves lipid profile and liver function largely through the activation of LKB1-AMPK-Insig signaling pathway. Therefore, NaB has therapeutic potential for treating NAFLD and related metabolic diseases., Graphical abstract

As an essential biochemical indicator in the fields of pregnancy and oncology, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) can be evaluated using colloidal gold immunochromatographic paper and quantified using a biochemical analyzer based on the principle of the antibody sandwich method. In view of the inaccuracy of the former and the complication of the latter, this study constructed an accurate, sensitive and simple unlabeled biosensor based on peptide aptamer CGGGPPLRINRHILTR for HCG detection. Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) was used to simulate the aptamer and protein docking, and western blot (WB) was used to verify the binding effect and ratio. The peptide aptamer was characterized and was then reduced with tris-(2-carboxyethyl)-phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP). After electrochemical deposition of chloroauric acid on the screen-printed electrode (SPE), the aptamer was self-assembled on the electrode surface under optimal conditions. The active site of the electrode surface was blocked with 6-mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH) and BSA. The electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS) was used to quantify HCG in the matrix. Showing a good linear relationship in the range of 5-1500 mIU mL-1, with a detection limit of 1 mIU mL-1, the biosensor remained stable at room temperature for 14 days. Because of its small size, stability, sensitivity and accuracy, this biosensor has great potential to become a portable diagnostic device for HCG.

Insect resistance to insecticides is an increasingly serious problem, and the resistant mechanisms are complicated. The resistance research based on the chemosensory pathway is one of the hot problems at present, but the specific binding mechanism of chemosensory genes and insecticides remains elusive. The binding mechanism of AlepGOBP2 (belong to insect chemosensory gene) with two insecticides was investigated by computational and experimental approaches. Our calculation results indicated that four key residues (Phe12, Ile52, Ile94, and Phe118) could steadily interact with these two insecticides and be assigned as hotspot sites responsible for their binding affinities. The significant alkyl-π and hydrophobic interactions involved by these four hotspot residues were found to be the driving forces for their binding affinities, especially for two residues (Phe12 and Ile94) that significantly contribute to the binding of chlorpyrifos, which were also validated by our binding assay results. Furthermore, we also found that the AlepGOBP2-chlorpyrifos/phoxim complexes can be more efficiently converged in the residue-specific force field-(RSFF2C) and its higher accuracy and repeatability in protein dynamics simulation, per-residue free energy decomposition, and computational alanine scanning calculations have also been achieved in this paper. These findings provided useful insights for efficient and reliable calculation of the binding mechanism of relevant AlepGOBPs with other insecticides, facilitating to develop new and efficient insecticides targeting the key sites of AlepGOBP2.

Although circular RNAs (circRNAs) are known to play key roles in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, much about their targets and mechanisms remains unknown. We therefore investigated the actions and mechanisms of hsa_circ_0048179 in an in vitro model of NAFLD. HepG2 cells were exposed to oleate/palmitate (2:1 ratio) for 24 h to induce intracellular lipid accumulation. Using CCK-8 assays, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, western blotting, RT-qPCR, and Oil red O staining, we found that oleate/palmitate treatment reduced cell viability while increasing apoptosis and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Levels of the antioxidant enzyme GPX4 were decreased in oleate/palmitate-treated HepG2 cells, and there were corresponding increases in reactive oxygen species and damage to mitochondrial cristae. Levels of hsa_circ_0048179 expression were also suppressed by oleate/palmitate treatment, and GPX4 levels were markedly increased in HepG2 cells following transfection with hsa_circ_0048179. Analysis of its mechanism revealed that hsa_circ_0048179 upregulated GPX4 levels by acting as a competitive “sponge” of miR-188-3p and that hsa_circ_0048179 attenuated oleate/palmitate-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells by sponging miR-188-3p. Collectively, our findings suggest that hsa_circ_0048179 may play a key role in the pathogenesis of steatosis and may thus be a useful target for drug development.

Here, we report a case of a patient with symptoms of Cushing syndrome, who is diagnosed with primary generalized glucocorticoid hypersensitivity in the end. The patient's relevant laboratory tests and imaging examinations are described. Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, was prescribed and its therapeutic effect on the patient's electrolyte level, lipid metabolism, and bone metabolism was observed during the treatment. The endocrine assessment indicated normal pituitary-adrenal axis regulation function but reduced cortisol secretion. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated reduced mRNA level of mineralocorticoid receptor gene. Pituitary magnetic resonance imaging showed normal pituitary anatomy, while adrenal computed tomography scan showed bilateral adrenal atrophy and increased content of visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat. Moreover, chromosome examination revealed a normal 46, XY chromosome. In this case, mifepristone was administered to treat primary generalized glucocorticoid hypersensitivity. To the best of our knowledge, there are a few reports on mifepristone-treated primary generalized glucocorticoid hypersensitivity. In the one-year follow-up visits, the evaluated results of electrolyte level, lipid metabolism, and bone metabolism indicated that the patient's symptoms resulting from cortisol hypersensitivity were relieved progressively.

Decades of research have witnessed that the mechanical properties of DNA and the associated protein interactions are crucial to the structural organizations and dynamic behaviors of bacterial DNA molecules. Packaged in a restricted cellular space and respective compositions, the entropic force due to confinement is a major factor driving the basal structural formation of the bacterial chromosome and the distribution of plasmids. The dynamic responses of the DNA-protein interactions also modulate the DNA organization when the cellular functions proceed. In this review, we survey the in-vivo and in-vitro evidence and the current understandings of the cellular phenomena of DNA molecules in the sub-micron scale of the bacterial cellular environment. The physical nature and constraints of DNA in cells and the related biological factors, especially the effects induced by gene expressions, are also discussed. We anticipate that by the methodological advances in vivo and in vitro as well as their combinations, the fundamental insights of the coupling from the physical environment and DNA-protein interactions on bacterial DNA dynamics and organization may be revealed.

Watermelon fruit undergoes distinct development stages with dramatic changes during fruit ripening. To date, the molecular mechanics of watermelon ripening remain unclear. Genetic and transcriptome evidences suggested that the ethylene response factor (ERF) gene ClERF069 may be an important candidate factor affecting watermelon fruit ripening. To dissect the roles of ClERF069 in fruit ripening, structure and phylogenetic analysis were performed using the amplified full-length sequence. Normal-ripening watermelon 97103, non-ripening watermelon PI296341-FR and the RIL population were used to analyze ClERF069 expression dynamics and the correlation with fruit ripening indexs. The results indicated that ClERF069 belongs to ERF family group VI and show high homology (83% identity) to melon ERF069-like protein. ClERF069 expression in watermelon flesh was negatively correlated with fruit lycopene content and sugar content during fruit ripening progress. Further transgenic evidences indicated that overexpression of 35S:ClERF069 in tomato noticeably delayed the ripening process up to 5.2 days. Lycopene, β-carotenoid accumulation patterns were altered and ethylene production patterns in transgenic fruits was significantly delayed during fruit ripening. Taken together, watermelon ethylene response factor ClERF069 was concluded to be a negative regulator of fruit ripening.

A novel Fenton-like catalyst was synthesized by immobilizing nano-Fe2O3 (nFe2O3) on MIL-53(Cu). The pseudo-first-order rate constant of bisphenol A degradation in the nFe2O3/MIL-53(Cu)/H2O2 system reached 0.0123 min-1, while the values in MIL-53(Cu)/H2O2 and nFe2O3/H2O2 systems were only 0.0026 and 0.0040 min-1, respectively. The characterization of nFe2O3/MIL-53(Cu) reveals that the supreme catalytic activity of this material could be ascribed to iron-copper synergy, smaller size, and better dispersion of nFe2O3 particles. Moreover, a method of trapping Cu(I) by neocuproine was developed, which could shield Cu(I) from interacting with iron and H2O2, and thus allow quantitative differentiation of the contribution to the enhanced catalytic activity by each of the factors. Using this method, 19% of the enhancement was determined to be contributed by synergistic effect, while 24% of the enhancement was due to the smaller size and better dispersion of the nFe2O3 particles on MIL-53(Cu) support. In addition, the performance of nFe2O3/MIL-53(Cu) only dropped 10.7% after five treatment cycles in real wastewater, showing good potential in practical application. We believe this study sheds light on the tailored design of Fenton-like catalysts and elucidates the catalytic mechanisms of supported bimetallic catalysts.

A novel and highly efficient ternary H2SrTa2O7/g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 heterojunction was fabricated via simple impregnation and ion exchange methods with active performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under solar-like irradiation. The optimal result for the binary composite was obtained for a H2SrTa2O7/g-C3N4-60 wt% system. The incorporation of Ag3PO4 led to a further improvement in the photocatalytic performance, as compared to the binary composite and their single components, with values of around 45.18, 44.17 and 38.23 times higher than those of pristine H2SrTa2O7, g-C3N4 and H2SrTa2O7/g-C3N4, respectively. It was found that MO solution (20 mg L−1) could be photo-degraded within 8 min with 50 mg of the H2SrTa2O7/g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 composite. This enhanced photocatalytic behavior can be mainly ascribed to the prominently promoted charge separation efficiency, the matched band-edge positions, the extension of the absorption range and the synergistic effect among H2SrTa2O7, g-C3N4 and Ag3PO4. In addition, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy results confirmed a strong interface interaction between H2SrTa2O7, g-C3N4 and Ag3PO4, which greatly promoted the photocatalytic activity due to the improved separation of photoinduced charge carriers. This work presents a plausible mechanism via active species trapping experiments and electron spin resonance measurements demonstrated that photogenerated holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (˙O2−) play a crucial role in the photodegradation reaction under visible light irradiation. Thus, the proposed synthetic method for the fabrication of H2SrTa2O7/g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 with superior photocatalytic activity provides new insights for the design of ternary photocatalysts with an ideal heterojunction and wide spectral response.

Synergetically integrating multiple capabilities into a nanostructured material has become one kind of reliable and sustainable strategy for resolving tricky issues in the energy and environmental fields. Herein, we prepare a series of nanochannel thin films by simply assembling cellulose nanofibers with reduced graphene oxide, dominantly driven by van der Waals interactions. The thicknesses of the as-prepared thin films can be well controlled within several micrometers. Their highly compact nanochannel structures were evidenced by the densities of up to 1.1 g cm−3 and the largest Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific area of 126 m2 g−1, endowing them with excellent hygroscopicities (282 mg g−1) and exceptional in-plane thermal conductivities (614–1238 W m−1 K−1 at 25–80 °C), among the highest values for carbon-based composites. Such thin-film composites are readily used for solar-steam generators, delivering an evaporation rate of 1.47 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, and are also easy to integrate into a high-performance amplified system for desalination on a large scale under natural solar irradiation.

A formal hydroxylation/cyclization of cyclopropanemethanols with DMSO is described, which involves isomerization and cyclization under Tf2O catalysis. This reaction undergoes ring-opening of the cyclopropane moiety to generate homoallylic alcohols, which react with DMSO to produce 3-benzylidenetetrahydrofurans. With various substituted groups on cyclopropanemethanols the reactions proceed smoothly and the desired 3-benzylidenetetrahydrofurans are obtained in moderate to good yields.

A general and practical protocol for the construction of isoxazolidine-fused isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones has been described by electrochemical-oxidation-induced intramolecular annulation via amidyl radicals. In an undivided cell, isoquinolinones could be easily generated from various available amides bearing CONHOR groups under metal-free, additive-free and external oxidant-free conditions. Moreover, this transformation proceeded smoothly by using cheap 95% ethanol as the green solvent and could be extended to the gram scale.

It is increasingly important to understand and study materials for removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other harmful gases for both industrial and commercial uses. In this work, we present pioneering work in studying how defects affect the sorption performance of molybdenum (Mo) oxide. Using a unique thin film approach, we are able to study the chemical states of the sorption material and we demonstrate how to directly influence and control the defect states of an electroplated Mo oxide. Subsequently, we show the high performance of the coated materials yielding CO2 sorption capacity of ∼23 mmol g−1 at 760 mmHg or an area capacity of 0.018 μmol mm−2. By using XPS, NAPXPS and sorption isotherms, supported by first-principles calculation of CO2 interaction with Mo defects, we report on the important role of Mo4+ defects that can increase the CO2 sorption performance by ∼50%.

A series of carbazole substituted spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene] (SFX) derivatives, namely SFX-2-Cz, SFX-2′-Cz, SFX-3′-Cz, SFX-2,7-DCz, SFX-2′,7′-DCz and SFX-3′,6′-DCz, were designed and prepared as hosts for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). All the target compounds exhibited excellent thermal stability, especially for the substitution onto the 3′,6′-position of SFX (SFX-3′,6′-DCz, up to 500 °C). The results of low temperature phosphorescence show that the triplet energy level (T1) will be reduced when the carbazole group is attached to the fluorene unit of SFX; however, the T1 is nearly intact when carbazoles were introduced into the xanthene moiety of SFX. In the following investigation of blue, green, and red PhOLEDs based on these SFX-carbazole hosts, all the host materials could realize effective energy transfer to dopant phosphors under electric field excitation. For the blue PhOLEDs, the SFX-3′,6′-DCz-based device reached the maximum current efficiency (CE) of 9.7 cd A−1, power efficiency (PE) of 6.4 lm W−1 and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.1% due to high T1. However, the SFX-2′-Cz-based green PhOLED and the SFX-2,7-DCz-based red PhOLED show better performance of 28.2 cd A−1, 24.7 lm W−1, 8.5% and 17.4 cd A−1, 15.6 lm W−1, 10.1%, respectively, attributable to their well-matched frontier molecular orbital energy levels with the corresponding phosphorescent dopants. This work provides a systematic scheme for the rational design of efficient SFX-based hosts by carbazolyl functionalization.

Background The discovery of novel derivative of berberine (BBR) having higher anti-tumor activity in vivo is of clinical importance. In this profile, 13-[CH2CO-Cys-(Bzl)-OBzl]-berberine (13-Cys-BBR) was prepared for related assays. Purpose The object of preparation and evaluation is to show the advantages of 13-Cys-BBR over BBR in both in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor actions, furthermore to correlate the proliferation of cancer cells with ROS formation and anti-apoptosis protein (XIAP) expression inside cancer cells. Methods Transwell chamber was used to simulate the intestinal and cell wall for bioavailability evaluation; MTT assay was used to evaluate the in vitro anti-proliferation activity; fluorescein isothiocyanate content was used to represent ROS level in HCT-8 cells; Western blot assay was used to quantify the expression of XIAP, caspase-3, and poly ADP-ribose polymerase in HCT-8 cells; and S180 mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo anti-tumor activity. Results In vitro the IC50 values (~15-40 μM) of 13-Cys-BBR against the proliferation of eight cancer cell lines were significantly lower than those of BBR (~25-140 μM); the content of ROS formed inside HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~3.44-folds higher than that inside HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the expression of XIAP in HCT-8 cells treated by 13-Cys-BBR was ~1.21-folds lower than that in HCT-8 cells treated by BBR; the tumor weight of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of 13-Cys-BBR (~1.5 g) was significantly lower than that of S180 mice orally treated by 2 μmol/kg/day of BBR (~2.5 g); and the active pocket of XIAP was more suitable for 13-Cys-BBR than for BBR. Conclusion The anti-tumor action correlates with ROS and apoptosis protein, which suggests 13-Cys-BBR is a promising candidate for preclinical study.

Direct conversion of methane with carbon dioxide to value-added chemicals is attractive but extremely challenging because of the thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness of both molecules. Herein, the first dinuclear cluster species, RhVO3 - , has been designed to mediate the co-conversion of CH4 and CO2 to oxygenated products, CH3 OH and CH2 O, in the temperature range of 393-600 K. The resulting cluster ions RhVO3 CO- after CH3 OH formation can further desorb the [CO] unit to regenerate the RhVO3 - cluster, leading to the successful establishment of a catalytic cycle for methanol production from CH4 and CO2 (CH4 +CO2 →CH3 OH+CO). The exceptional activity of Rh-V dinuclear oxide cluster (RhVO3 - ) identified herein provides a new mechanism for co-conversion of two very stable molecules CH4 and CO2 .

The side-on-end-on coordination of N2 can be very important to activate and functionalize this very stable molecule. However, such coordination has rarely been reported. This study reports a gas-phase species (a polynuclear vanadium nitride cluster anion [V5 N5 ]- ) that can capture N2 efficiently (12 %), and the quantum chemistry modelling suggests an unusual side-on-end-on coordination. The cluster anions were generated by laser ablation and the reaction with N2 has been characterized by mass spectrometry, photoelectron imaging spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. The back-donation interactions between the localized d-d bonding orbitals on the low-coordinated dual metal (V) sites and the antibonding π* orbitals of N2 are the driving forces to adsorb N2 with a high binding energy (about 2.0 eV).

Germanium tellurides and its pseudo binary compounds offer interesting properties that are important in thermoelectric and phase-change applications. Despite being a class of materials under scrutiny since its discovery, unique properties and functionalities kept on emerging in recent years. In this work, we observed another unique property of Ge-Sb-Te (GST) thin film that can be beneficial in its development for thermoelectric application. A rapid heating and quenching process of the GST film resulted in a metastable rock-salt cubic structure, exhibiting a unique electronic-transition-like behavior. Above the transition temperature at 150 °C, we observed a temperature-induced band modulation, corroborated with changes in its effective mass and valence band position that leads to favorable electronic and thermoelectric properties. Charge transfer between Sb and Te occurred, accompanied by a distorted cubic-to-cubic structural change. The interplay of the electronic and lattice structure born out of the co...

The present work demonstrated and compared the anti-inflammatory effects of celery leaf (CLE) and stem (CSE) extracts. LC-MS-based metabolomics were an effective approach to achieve the biomarker identification and pathway elucidation associated with the reduction in inflammatory responses. The celery extracts suppressed LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells, and CLE was five times more effective than CSE. Distinct differences were revealed between the control and celery-treated samples among the 24 characteristic metabolites that were identified. In celery-treated LPS cells, reversals of intracellular (citrulline, proline, creatine) and extracellular (citrulline, lysine) metabolites revealed that the therapeutic outcomes were closely linked to arginine metabolism. Reversals of metabolites when treated with CLE (aspartate, proline) indicated targeted effects on the TCA and urea cycles, while, in the case of CSE (histidine, glucose), the glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathways were implicated. Subsequently, apigenin and bergapten in CLE were identified as potential biomarkers mediating the anti-inflammatory response.

Harvesting high-energy excited-state energy is still challenging in organic chromophores. An introduction of boron atoms along the short axis of the diazapentacene backbone induces multiple emission characteristics. Our studies reveal that the weak molecular orbital (MO) coupling of the S3-S1 transition is responsible for the slow internal conversion rates. Such MO coupling-regulated anti-Kasha emission is different from the large band gap-induced anti-Kasha emission character of classical azulene derivatives. Theoretical studies reveal that a strong MO coupling of the S3-S0 transition is responsible for the higher photoluminescence quantum yield of the anti-Kasha emission in a more polar solution (tetrahydrofuran: 11%; cyclohexane: 0%). Such an MO coupling factor is generally overlooked in anti-Kasha emitters reported previously. Furthermore, the multiple emission can be regulated by solvent polarity, solvent temperature, and fluoride anion binding. As a proof of concept of harvesting high-energy emission, the multiple emission character has allowed us to design single-molecule white-light-emitting materials.

Protein kinase C (PKC) activation can evoke vasoconstriction and contribute to coronary disease. However, it is unclear whether PKC activation, without activating the contractile machinery, can lead to coronary arteriolar dysfunction. The vasoconstriction induced by the PKC activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) was examined in isolated porcine coronary arterioles. The PDBu-evoked vasoconstriction was sensitive to a broad-spectrum PKC inhibitor but not affected by inhibiting PKCβ2 or Rho kinase. After exposure of the vessels to a sub-vasomotor concentration of PDBu (1 nmol/L, 60 min), the endothelium-dependent nitric oxide (NO)-mediated dilations in response to serotonin and adenosine were compromised but the dilation induced by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside was unaltered. PDBu elevated superoxide production, which was blocked by the superoxide scavenger Tempol. The impaired NO-mediated vasodilations were reversed by Tempol or inhibition of PKCβ2, xanthine oxidase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Rho kinase but were not affected by a hydrogen peroxide scavenger or inhibitors of NAD(P)H oxidase and p38 kinase. The PKCβ2 protein was detected in the arteriolar wall and co-localized with endothelial NO synthase. In conclusion, activation of PKCβ2 appears to compromise NO-mediated vasodilation via Rho kinase-mediated JNK signaling and superoxide production from xanthine oxidase, independent of the activation of the smooth muscle contractile machinery.

Two strategies were combined and applied in this study to achieve a desired structure and texture of gluten free crackers and to reduce the calorie content. The first strategy is increasing structural heterogeneity of crackers and doughs and a separated-dough method was developed. A butter dough and a water dough were prepared separately and mixed together and the influence of mixing time was investigated. In the second strategy, which is the incorporation of a structuring material, powdered cellulose and fibrillated cellulose were incorporated in formulation to replace flour and pregelatinised starch with enhanced health benefits of low calorie and high fibre. Powdered cellulose played the role of the skeleton of the gluten free crackers. A laminar structure was observed in crackers when powdered cellulose was initially added to the butter dough. The crackers exhibit high thickness, hardness and fracturability and sharp sound emission which are typically observed in wheat crackers. Pregelatinised starch can be replaced by fibrillated cellulose at a lower addition level.

The production of gluten free crackers is challenging because the formation of a gluten network is required. This study investigated the effects of psyllium seed husk powder (PSY), methylcellulose (MC), pregelatinised starch (PGS), and cold water swelling starch (CWSS) on gluten free crackers made of rice flour. The evaluations of pasting properties, dough rheological properties, textural properties, acoustic emissions, and structures were included in this study. Gluten free cracker doughs were more solid-like compared to wheat doughs based on their frequency dependence shown in the mechanical spectra. However, PGS significantly increased the fluid-like property and shapeability. The addition of MC at a high level significantly modified the pasting profile and a secondary swelling and breakdown might occur. As for the crackers, PSY and PGS crackers had comparable textural properties and sound release to wheat crackers, while CWSS crackers were slightly weaker. However, MC did not improve the textural properties compared to rice crackers because the interaction between the MC molecules was limited at the low water addition level, which limited its functionality in cracker making.

A catalyst-free method for the preparation of 1,4,2-dithiazoles is developed by reactions of isothiocyanates with hydroxylamine triflic acid salts. This reaction achieves C–S, C–N, and S–N bond formation, and a range of products are obtained in moderate to good yields. The obvious feature is using shelf-stable hydroxylamine triflic acid salts as a N source to synthesize heterocycles under mild conditions.

Catalytic co-conversion of methane with carbon dioxide to produce syngas (2 H2+2 CO) involves complicated elementary steps and almost all the elementary reactions are performed at the same high temperature conditions in practical thermocatalysis. Here, we demonstrate by mass spectrometric experiments that RhTiO2- promotes the co-conversion of CH4 and CO2 to free 2 H2+CO and an adsorbed CO (COads) at room temperature; the only elementary step that requires the input of external energy is desorption of COads from the RhTiO2CO- to reform RhTiO2-. This study not only identifies a promising active species for dry (CO2) reforming of methane to syngas, but also emphasizes the importance of temperature control over elementary steps in practical catalysis, which may significantly alleviate the carbon deposition originating from the pyrolysis of methane.

Two transition-metal coordination polymers {[Zn2(L)2(HCOO)2]}n (I) and {[Cd2(L)3(HCOO)] ∙ 2H2O}n(II) (L = 1,3-bis(4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium anion) have been synthesized via solvo-thermal method. Both of the coordination polymers I and II were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (CIF files CCDC nos. 1834629 (I) and 1834630 (II)), FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The results shown compound I is a two dimensional sql layer structure containing interlocking structure between the left and right helix chains, and compound II is rare three dimensional six-fold interpenetrating dia topology framework. Luminescence investigations revealed that both of compound I and II emitted blue light.

A combination of boronic acid and a photoactivatable diazirine enables oriented conjugation of Fc-fused lectins and antibodies on nanoparticles., The utilization of immuno-magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for the selective capture, enrichment, and separation of specific glycoproteins from complicated biological samples is appealing for the discovery of disease biomarkers. Herein, MNPs were designed and anchored with abundant boronic acid (BA) and photoreactive alkyl diazirine (Diaz) functional groups to obtain permanently tethered Fc-fused Siglec-2 and antiserum amyloid A (SAA) mAb with the assistance of reversible boronate affinity and UV light activation in an orientation-controlled manner. The Siglec-2–Fc-functionalized MNPs showed excellent stability in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and excellent efficiency in the extraction of cell membrane glycoproteins. The anti-SAA mAb-functionalized MNPs maintained active Ab orientation and preserved antigen recognition capability in biological samples. Thus, the BA–Diaz-based strategy holds promise for the immobilization of glycoproteins, such as antibodies, with the original protein binding activity maintained, which can provide better enrichment for the sensitive detection of target proteins.

When paraquat (PQ) enters the human body, it increases oxidative stress and inflammation, ultimately resulting in acute lung injury (ALI). Curcumin, a naturally occurring compound, has been reported to ameliorate PQ-induced ALI; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, normal lung fibroblasts (WI-38VA13) were treated with 10 µmol/l PQ for 48 h, followed by a further 48 h incubation with 300 µmol/l curcumin. Cells were then harvested to determine their viability. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the rate of apoptosis. The levels of apoptotic proteins and activation of the thioredoxin interacting protein/NLR pyrin domain containing 3 (TXNIP/NLRP3) axis were measured via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. Proinflammatory cytokine levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Finally, the expression levels of Notch1, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphorylated-ERK1/2 were evaluated via western blotting. Following treatment with curcumin, PQ-induced increases in ROS levels and apoptosis were significantly attenuated, and Bcl-2 expression levels were upregulated, whereas those of Bax were downregulated. It was also observed that curcumin treatment downregulated the expression levels of TXNIP, NLRP3, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18, and downstream caspase-1 compared with PQ treatment alone. Curcumin significantly attenuated the upregulation of Notch1 without affecting ERK1/2 phosphorylation. The present findings suggested that the inhibitory effects of curcumin on TXINP1 may inhibit activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, subsequently suppressing the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and ultimately improving PQ-induced ALI.

This study explores the effects of different force fields and solvent water on the free binding energy calculation of NA‐OS and its mutants using the Gromacs software and g_mmpbsa tool. The recommended calculation models selected for working with small molecule antiviral drug systems (as exampled by NA‐OS) are amber03‐tip4p, amber99sb‐tip3p, and amber99sb‐ildn‐tip3p.

Metals are important industrial catalysts for activation and transformation of methane. Investigations on the reactivity evolution of metal particles along size change to determine the critical siz...

Six high molecular weight, soluble, and stable elastomers were prepared derived from −O(CH2)3Si(CH3)3/–OCH2CF3 cosubstituted polyphosphazenes with 1–92 mol % of the organosilicon component. The surface and morphological properties are appropriate for biomaterials, soft contact printing, or other elastomeric applications. Full substitution by either side group yields thermoplastics. The syntheses were facilitated by small molecule model reactions to establish appropriate reaction conditions.

A visible-light-promoted electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex-initiated [5 + 1] annulation between biguanides and perfluoroalkyl halides for the construction of perfluoroalkyl- s-triazines has been developed. It was found that both visible light and dioxygen in the air are favorable for the reaction. A radical-polar crossover mechanism was proposed, in which sequential SET, radical combination, HF elimination, electrocyclization, and aromatization are involved.

The construction of C–N bonds by the direct incorporation of dinitrogen (N2) instead of ammonia (NH3) into active species is particularly desirable but has been rarely reported. Herein, a ditantalu...

Spheroidal graphene film (SGF) is of importance for the spatial sensor matrix applications due to its large specific surface area and more chemical modification sites. It is difficult to in-situ grow the SGF on the desired substrate, specifically, the control of the number of layers and lattice defects of SGF is difficult. In this work, the SGF is grown in-situ on a cemented carbide surface with controllable layer number and lattice defects. The Co, a binder phase in cemented carbide, was used as a catalytic metal; amorphous SiC (a-SiC) film was used as a carbon source on the surface of the cemented carbide and catalytic reaction occurred under the annealing condition. The controllable preparation of a number of layers and lattice defects of graphene was achieved by controlling the flow rate of acetylene gas during the deposition of the a-SiC film. It was found that the acetylene gas flow rate can directly control the C atom content of the interfacial layer. With the increase of the content of C atoms, the lattice defects of the resulting graphene tend to decrease, while the number of layers of SGF tends to increase. The reaction mechanism of growth of SGF is discussed. The content of C atom may induce the change of the phase composition of the interfacial layer, which acts as a constituting element of the graphene film. As a result, the content of C atoms is in close relationship with the number of layers and lattice defects of the SGF.

Cadmium sulfide nanoparticle (Nano-CdS) is a kind of important semiconductor material with special photochemistry property. With the Nano-CdS being widely used, the security problems it caused have been catching more and more attention. This study aims to explore the possible mechanism of liver injury induced by Nano-CdS and whether resveratrol can reduce the damage. In this study, male BALB/C mice were treated with Nano-CdS with a diameter of 20 to 30 nm and a length of 80 to 100 nm. It turned out that the mice liver inflammatory cells infiltrated, the liver tissue and the ultrastructure changed; The activities of T-AOC and GSH were suppressed (n = 6, P < 0.05) and the content of lipid peroxide (MDA) increased (n = 6, P < 0.05). Besides, Nano-CdS decreased the mRNA expression level of Sirt1 and FoxO1 genes in liver tissue (n = 3, P < 0.05). All the changes in the index were reversed by resveratrol. The mRNA expression level of FoxO3a showed no significant difference between the control group and the Nano-CdS group. But under the protection of resveratrol, the mRNA expression level of FoxO3a was higher than that in the control and Nano-CdS groups (n = 3, P < 0.05). Results suggest that Nano-CdS can cause oxidative damages to liver tissues in mice, in which process that the Sirt1 and FoxO1 genes may participate, and the damage can be reversed by resveratrol which may be a potential cure for oxidative damage to nanomaterials.

Myelin-laden macrophages (mye-MΦ), resulting primarily from internalization of myelin debris by infiltrating bone marrow-derived macrophages in spinal cord injury (SCI), trigger inflammatory responses that largely contribute to secondary injury. Adiponectin, which is secreted from adipose tissue, is an important hormone that modulates macrophage inflammation. In the present study, we examined the role of adiponectin on macrophage-mediated neuroinflammation after SCI. We found that in vitro activation of adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs) by their agonist AdipoRon suppressed myelin lipid accumulation in mye-MΦ through APPL1/PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1-mediated lipid efflux, subsequently inhibiting inflammation and restoring normal function to mye-MΦ. In vivo data further confirmed that intravenous administration of AdipoRon after SCI dampened recruitment of macrophages and reduced myelin lipid accumulation. Accordingly, AdipoRon treatment ameliorated post-SCI tissue damage and astrogliosis, resulting in improved motor function. Although there was no significant pathological exacerbation in adiponectin-null mice subjected to SCI, our work reveals a functional link between adiponectin and hematogenous macrophages in the context of SCI, suggesting that activation of adiponectin signaling is a promising therapeutic approach to mitigate mye-MΦ-mediated neuroinflammation in neurological disorders involving demyelination.

Two-dimensional (2D) polyaniline with C3N stoichiometry, is a newly fabricated layered material that has been expected to possess fascinating electronic, thermal, mechanical and chemical properties. The nature of its counterpart nanoribbons offering even more tunability in properties because of the unique quantum confinement and edge effect, however, has not been revealed yet. Here we systemically study the mechanical, electronic and magnetic properties for various nanoribbons cutting from a monolayer C3N sheet along the typical crystallographic orientations. By the first-principles calculations we find that C3N nanoribbons exhibit sensitive responses to the externally applied electric field and strain. Specifically, the spin-selective half-metallicity depends on the external electric field or strain, as well as the ribbon width. For the asymmetric zigzag-edged ribbon, the spin-polarization rate approaches −100% at electric field strength −0.2 V/A. Interestingly, an applied strain can transform a symmetric zigzag-carbon-edge ribbon from a magnetic semiconductor to a half-metal. And the half-metal property remains unchanged when the strain increases from 8 to 15%, while the spin-up subband gap further increases to 0.46 eV. These numerical results may be useful to engineer and design magnetic-field-free spintronic devices based on the 2D C3N.

Density functional theory calculations were carried out to study the reaction mechanism of the Rh(iii)-catalyzed regioselective C-H cyanation of indole and indoline with N-cyano-N-phenyl-para-methylbenzenesulfonamide (NCTS). This mechanism involves four major steps: C-H activation, cyano group insertion, β-N elimination, and regeneration of active species. How different indole and indoline substrates affect the regioselectivity of C-H bond cyanation has been examined and analyzed in detail. Our calculation results indicate that the regioselectivity of C-H bond cyanation of indole depends on the nucleophilicity of carbon atoms in C-Rh(iii) bonds to the cyano group. For indoline, it can be attributed to the different hybridization platforms of the C-H bond activation.

Nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) is a major cytoplasmic sensor for pathogens and is critical for the clearance of cytosolic bacteria in mammals. However, studies regarding NOD2, especially the initiated signaling pathways, are scarce in teleost species. In this study, we identified a NOD2 molecule (PaNOD2) from ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis). Bioinformatics analysis showed the structure of NOD2 to be highly conserved during vertebrate evolution. Dual-luciferase reporter assays examined the activation of NF-κB signaling and Western blotting analysis detected the phosphorylation of three MAP kinases (p-38, Erk1/2, and JNK1/2). Functional study revealed that, like its mammalian counterparts, PaNOD2 was the receptor of the bacterial cell wall component muramyl dipeptide (MDP), and the leucine-rich repeat motif was responsible for the recognition and binding of PaNOD2 with the ligand. Overexpression of PaNOD2 activated the NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1β in HEK293T cells and ayu head kidney-derived monocytes/macrophages (MO/MΦ). Particularly, we found that PaNOD2 activated the MAPK signaling pathways, as indicated by the increased phosphorylation of p-38, Erk1/2, and JNK1/2, which have not been characterized in any teleost species previously. Our findings proved that the NOD2 molecule and initiated pathways are conserved between mammals and ayu. Therefore, ayu could be used as an animal model to investigate NOD2-based diseases and therapeutic applications.

We report straightforward access to two new anionic porous organic polymers (Si-POPs) based on hexacoordinate [SiO6]2– species and polyimine aromatic linkers which exhibit outstanding capabilities for removal of cationic dyes from contaminated industrial water. These multifunctional materials are stable under air and in water; they were synthesized via solvothermal chemistry exploiting Schiff base formation between tri(protocatechuic aldehyde)-silicate and 4,4′-diaminobiphenyl acid (for Si-POP-1) or 4,4′-diamino-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid (for Si-POP-2). Charge neutrality of the Si-POPs was achieved by [Et3NH]+ cations. The structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR and solid 13C-NMR spectroscopy), while SEM and TEM revealed a micrometer-scale solid sphere morphology for Si-POP-1 and hollow nanometer-sized tubes for Si-POP-2. BET specific surface area determination gave 376 and 234 m2 g−1 for Si-POP-1 and Si-POP-2, respectively. The unprecedented adsorption abilities of these materials for standard cationic dyes such as methylene blue (MB), malachite green (MG), and Basic Blue 7 (BB7) were revealed by studying the effects of system variables such as pH, contact time, temperature and mixed-dye solutions. At 25 °C, the maximum adsorption capacity of Si-POP-1 reached 300.3 mg g−1 for MB and 378.5 mg g−1 for MG, while the performance of Si-POP-2 at the same temperature was substantially higher (3516 mg g−1 for MB and 662 mg g−1 for MG). Furthermore, at 35 °C, the maximum adsorption of MB on Si-POP-2 reached 4098 mg g−1, surpassing the performance of previous adsorbents. It was found that both Si-POP-1 and Si-POP-2 exhibit charge and size-selective adsorption. Thermodynamics studies indicated that the adsorptions were spontaneous and endothermic. A minimal loss of adsorptive capacity of Si-POP-2 (less than 4%) was observed after four cycles, demonstrating an effective reuse of the regenerated POP in discarding MB from effluents. Importantly, this green protocol also allows recovery of the dye retained in the POP. These assets recommend these new hexacoordinate silicate-based adsorbents as viable materials for wastewater remediation by removal of organic dye pollutants affecting nature and public health.

The manipulation of crystal superstructure and polymorphism of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) are of great technical importance to expand its applications in flexible electronics. In this work, strong ion-dipole interaction via the introduction of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in PVDF induced zig-zag conformers [i.e., the precursor nuclei of β/γ folded chain crystals (FCCs)]. Meanwhile, favorable conditions (i.e., high temperature and high pressure) for the pseudohexagonal (hex) paraelectric (PE) phase with gauche conformers [i.e., the precursor nuclei of extended-chain crystals (ECCs)] are purposely chosen to study whether there is any synergy between the ion-dipole interaction and ECCs. It is interesting to find that the high pressure/high temperature hex PE phase can be substantially affected by the strong ion-dipole interaction between PVDF and CTAB. For the neat PVDF melt, most hexagonal folded-chain (h-FC) nuclei ultimately lead to major β/γ ECCs. For the PVDF melt with 5 wt% CTAB, the β/γ FC nuclei induced by the strong ion-dipole interaction compete with the h-FC nuclei at the initial nucleation stage. The β/γ FC nuclei are found to be more kinetically favorable in the beginning under a high pressure, leading to major β/γ FCCs and minor β/γ ECCs. Furthermore, compared to neat PVDF, addition of 5 wt% CTAB resulted in ECCs of a thinner lamellar thickness. Finally, this new understanding leads to a modified T-P phase diagram, in which the kinetically favorable area for α/β/γ FC nucleation expands to higher temperatures because of the strong ion-dipole interaction.

Solvothermal reactions of isonicotinic acid (HIN) with lanthanide nitrate and cuprous halide yielded seven three-dimensional (3D) 3d-4f heterometallic coordination polymers (HCPs). These HCPs are formulated as {[NH 2 (CH 3 ) 2 ] 2 LnCu 2 Br(IN) 6 ∙(DMA) 2 } n (Ln = Sm( 1 ), Eu( 2 ), Gd( 3 ), Tb( 4 ), Dy( 5 )) and [LnCu(IN) 4 ∙DMA] n (Ln = Er( 6 ), Yb( 7 )). Compounds 1 – 5 possess anionic three-dimensional pillared-layer frameworks with pcu topology, while compounds 6 – 7 show a rare 3d-4f dia -type two-fold interpenetrating framework with one dimensional square channels with side length of about 9.0 A along the a axis. Crystal structure analysis reveals that the structure diversity is attributed to the synergistic effect of lanthanide contraction and halide anions. In addition, the magnetic properties of 1 , 3 , 4 and 5 were investigated.

Xuebijing (XBJ), the only drug approved for the sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction, and its protective effects against acute liver injury (ALI) and its mechanism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of XBJ on cecal ligation and perforation (CLP)-induced mouse ALI model and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell ALI model. Mice were pretreated with XBJ before the CLP model was established, and serum and liver tissues were collected at the end of the experiment to assess the levels of inflammatory factors and liver injury. Results showed that XBJ pretreatment reduced liver/body weight, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in serum, and inhibited levels of pro-inflammatory factors in serum. Cells were treatment with XBJ and modeled by LPS modeling increased cell viability in the XBJ-treated group compared to the model group and XBJ also decreased serum pro-inflammatory factors in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot detected that XBJ also up-regulated the phosphorylated levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (p-GSK-3β) and cAMP-response element-binding protein (p-CREB) and down-regulated the phosphorylated level of nuclear factor kappa-B (p-NF-κB) in liver and cell. After overexpression of GSK-3β in cells, the mechanism was further investigated using CO-IP analysis. The binding of p-NF-κB and p-CREB to CREB-binding protein (CBP) was increased and decreased, respectively, indicating that GSK-3β regulated inflammation by regulating the binding of p-NF-κB and p-CREB to CBP. The present studies suggested that the hepatoprotective effect of XBJ may be through up-regulation of GSK-3β (Ser9) and increasing the binding of p-CREB to CBP, thereby alleviating the inflammatory response.