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Wogonin (5,7‐dihydroxy‐8‐methoxyflavone), a natural flavonoid compound in herbal plants, can suppress growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles that are influenced by wogonin have not been thoroughly described. To explore the novel miRNAs and the biological mechanism underlying the effect of wogonin on HCC cells. The effect of wogonin on Huh7 cell growth was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The expression profiles of miRNAs were obtained by small RNA sequencing. Luciferase reporter experiment and bioinformatics analysis were conducted to determine whether tyrosine 3‐monooxygenase/tryptophan 5‐monooxygenase activation protein zeta (YWHAZ) can bind to miR‐27b‐5p. Effects of the ectopic expression of YWHAZ and miR‐27b‐5p on Huh7 cells proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated. Furthermore, the cell cycle, apoptosis and multiple signaling pathway‐related molecules were detected by Western blot analysis. Wogonin substantially inhibited the growth of Huh7 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Seventy miRNAs exhibited greater than twofold changes in wogonin‐treated cells. Upregulation of miR‐27b‐5p inhibited Huh7 cell proliferation, and the anticancer effect of wogonin was reversed after miR‐27b‐5p knockdown. miR‐27b‐5p directly targeted YWHAZ in HCC cells. The proliferation‐inhibiting effect of miR‐27b‐5p was revoked by YWHAZ overexpression. Meanwhile, inhibition of HCC growth was achieved by downregulating YWHAZ. Wogonin exerted antitumor activity through multiple signaling molecules, such as focal adhesion kinase, protein kinase B, mammalian target of rapamycin and molecules related to apoptosis and cell cycle by upregulating miR‐27b‐5p and downregulating YWHAZ. Our findings suggest that miR‐27b‐5p/YWHAZ axis contributes to the inhibitory effect of wogonin in HCC by targeting related genes and multiple signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently developed ammonium perchlorate‐based molecular perovskite has been demonstrated to exhibit excellent comprehensive performance as an energetic material. This ABX3‐type molecular perovskite energetic material consists of a high symmetry ternary structure framework stabilized through ionic bonds. In this work, the thermal decomposition mechanism of (C6NH14)(NH4)(ClO4)3 (DAP‐4) was extrapolated by analyzing its thermal decomposition characteristics, gas products, kinetic parameters, and condensed phase change results along with temperature‐varying, with the help of DSC‐TG‐MS‐FTIR and in‐situ FTIR experiment. The results show that a rapid reaction occurs once the decomposition of DAP‐4 starts at 383.7 °C, with the maximum thermal weight loss rate reaches 97.4 %. By using Kissinger's and Ozawa's method, the calculated activation energy of thermal decomposition of DAP‐4 was estimated to be 124.3 kJ/mol and 128.6 kJ/mol, respectively, demonstrating good reliability of our results. The gas products during the thermal decomposition were found mainly include NH3, H2O, HNCO, HCN, CO, HCl, and CO2. The decomposition process of DAP‐4 contains three stages. The first stage involves crystal form changes and H+ transfer of DPA‐4, followed by the collapse of the cage skeleton in the second stage. The third stage mainly involves a rapid redox reaction at high temperatures to generate great heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xanthatin is a natural plant bicyclic sesquiterpene lactone extracted from Xanthium plants (Asteraceae). In the present study, we demonstrated for the first time that Xanthatin inhibited cell proliferation and mediated G2/M phase arrest in human colon cancer cells. Xanthatin also activated caspase and mediated apoptosis in these cells. Concomitantly, Xanthatin triggered cell autophagic response. We found down-regulation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) contribute to the induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Moreover, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was triggered upon exposure to Xanthatin in colon cancer cells. ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) significantly reversed Xanthatin-mediated XIAP down-regulation, G2/M phase arrest, apoptosis and autophagosome accumulation. In summary, our findings demonstrated that Xanthatin caused G2/M phase arrest and mediated apoptosis and autophagy through ROS/XIAP in human colon cancer cells. We provided molecular bases for developing Xanthatin as a promising antitumor candidate for colon cancer therapy. ROS reactive oxygen species DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide 5-FU 5-Fluorouracil 3-MA 3-Methyladenine DCFH-DA 2'7'-dichlorfluorescein-diacetate NAC N-acetylcysteine XIAP X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the reaction kinetic characteristics of Al powder in CL-20-based aluminum-containing explosives, CL-20/Al composite particles were prepared by solvent-non-solvent method, and CL-20 particles and Al particles were close contacted in microstructures. Then the composite explosives containing 85% CL-20/10% Al/5%-polymer binder composite particles were prepared by the direct method. The mechanical sensitivity, explosion heat, explosion tank test results and cylinder test results were compared between CL-20-based aluminum-containing explosives with the method in this work and the same formula prepared by conventional method. The results show that CL-20/Al composite particles can slightly increase the impact sensitivities of explosives, and the friction sensitivity is not changed. Through recombination of CL-20/Al on the micro-structure, because of shortening the diffusion distance between Al powder and detonation products, the reaction kinetics of Al powders can be significantly improved. Further, the reaction completeness of Al powders in the explosion process of aluminum-containing explosives can be improved, and it forces the reaction of part of Al powders occurring in the detonation zone. Compared with the conventional method, the explosion heat of explosive increases from 6 787 J/g to 6 930 J/g, the maximum temperature of explosion field in explosive tank increases from 544.3°C to 661.2 °C, and the Gurney coefficient increases from 2.88 mm/jus to 3.10 mm/µs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the stability of high-energy fuels under strong shock wave effect and simulate the practical enviroment, the explosion and electric detonation shock methods were used to study the stability of boron hydride salt (BHN-10) under shock effect as well as the gas and solid products produced by the decomposition of the boron hydride salt. Moreover, HMX was introduced in BHN-10 to investigate the effect on the decomposition efficiency of BHN-10. The results show that BHN-10 has good stability to the impact of detonation shock generated by single explosive. The shock wave of 1.0 GPa magnitude generated by single explosive detonation cannot promote the decomposition of BHN-10. BHN-10 has relatively low stability under the shock of electric detonation. The interaction of shock and heat generated by the plasma electric detonation method result in the decomposition of BHN-10, and the organic flammable gas products with high calorific value contain triethylamine, nitrile, paraffin, olefin or alkyne. After adding HMX into the BHN-10, the length of the carbon chain of the gas products is shortened and less than 4 carbon atoms except for triethylamine. The addition of HMX can greatly improve the decomposition efficiency of the BHN-10 fuel, and generate low carbon chain flammable gases with a higher proportion. Under the N2 atmosphere, the solid decomposition products of BHN-10 contain C60 and orthorhombic B12H16. Under the air atmosphere, the solid decomposition products are C60, B12H16, B2O3 and boric acid. After adding HMX, the solid products from the decomposition of the BHN-10 are mainly amorphous phases of C and B elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]