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Valproic acid (VPA) is predominantly prescribed for epilepsy, convulsions, and other psychiatric disorders. As an epigenetic regulator, it is also used to treat various forms of cancer. The clinical demand for the drug may pose an environmental hazard. Evidence indicates that VPA's significant therapeutic value comes at the cost of possible side toxic effects, as symptoms of birth defects have been confirmed in animal experiments using VPA. However, the effects of VPA during the development of the circulatory system remain unclear. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to a series of concentrations of VPA between three hours post fertilization (hpf) and five days post fertilization (dpf). The results demonstrated time- and dose-dependent developmental delays in the zebrafish, including cardiovascular malformation and decreased movement and reaction time. Consistent with the in vivo results, exposure to VPA increased the levels of myocardial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell apoptosis through cardiac mitochondrial turnover disorders. The expression levels of genes related to cardiovascular development and antioxidant response were downregulated, while genes related to apoptosis pathways were upregulated. Overall, our toxicological studies of VPA exposure illustrate the damage to cardiovascular development, raising concerns about the hazard of VPA exposure in early pregnancy. Our study provides novel insights into the potential environmental risks of VPA., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by synovitis, which can lead to joint deformity. Acupuncture treatment stimulates specific acupoints to adjust qi and blood function, relieving joint inflammation and pain., Methods: Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) was utilized for non-targeted metabolomics analysis of plasma samples from the blank group, Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis (AIA) model mice model mice group, and acupuncture group. Metabolite hierarchical clustering analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, standardized processing, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and other methods were employed to identify targeted metabolites affected by acupuncture treatment in AIA mice. The related metabolic pathways were analyzed using KEGG pathway., Results: Histopathological results demonstrated that acupuncture at Zusanli point (ST 36) significantly improved the inflammatory response in AIA mice. The PCA score plot indicated relatively close sample clustering within each group with significant differences observed between the four groups, confirming successful establishment of the AIA animal model with metabolic disorders occurring. Acupuncture treatment effectively corrected these metabolic disorders. Plasma metabolomics identified a total of 10 differential metabolites primarily associated with arachidonic acid and pentose phosphate metabolic pathways., Conclusions: Acupuncture at ST36 can significantly improve the inflammatory response in AIA mice through modulation of arachidonic acid and pentose phosphate metabolic pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Zeste enhancer homolog 2 (EZH2) is a pivotal regulator of gene dynamics implicated in the progression of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (SALI). EZH2 regulates aberrant inflammatory and immune responses in macrophages via unconventional biochemical interactions. However, the mechanisms driving atypical behavior of EZH2 during sepsis remain elusive, and therapeutic strategies targeting EZH2 are currently underutilized., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate how EZH2 regulates macrophage polarization through the AKT pathway to improve SALI and to explore therapeutic drugs targeting EZH2., Methods: We used Western blotting, hematoxylin-eosin stainin, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, RNA sequencing, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing methods to investigate regulation of macrophage immune response by EZH2 and explored its specific mechanism. These methods were also used to examine the protective effects of MS177 against SALI., Results: Specific deletion of EZH2 in macrophages reduced the level of AKTIP, downregulated the M1 macrophage markers CD86 and cytotoxic T cell marker CD8+, upregulated the M2 macrophage marker CD206 and regulatory T cell marker FOXP3+, decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-β, and increased the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This ultimately improved lung injury and mortality in SALI mice. EZH2 promoted the M1 polarization of macrophages by activating AKT2 via direct binding to the promoter region of AKTIP in a SALI mouse model. Furthermore, MS177 alleviated SALI by degrading EZH2 both in vitro and in vivo., Conclusion: EZH2 regulates macrophage polarization via the AKTIP-AKT2 pathway. Our findings suggest that MS177 is a promising therapeutic agent for EZH2-dependent SALI., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that no conflict of interest exists., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng in Chinese) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Its historical use as an antitussive and expectorant has been extensively documented. Researchers, to date, have identified 219 chemical constituents in Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC, encompassing 89 saponins, 11 flavonoids, 21 polysaccharides, 14 phenolic acids, six polyacetylenes, five sterols, 34 fatty acids, 17 amino acids, and 22 trace elements. Jiegeng exhibits diverse pharmacological effects, including antitussive and anti-phlegm properties, anti-cancer activity, anti-inflammatory effects, immune regulation, antioxidant properties, anti-obesity, and antidiabetic effects. Additionally, Jiegeng shows potential in protecting the heart and liver. Beyond its medicinal benefits, Jiegeng is highly esteemed in culinary applications, and its global demand is on the rise. Its utilization has expanded beyond medicine and food to encompass daily necessities, cosmetics, agricultural supplies, and other fields. Currently, there are 18 272 patents related to P. grandiflorum. This comprehensive review summarizes the latest research published over the past 20 years, providing a robust foundation for further exploration of the medicinal and health benefits of P. grandiflorum ., (© 2024 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.)

Accurate detection and classification of the three isoforms of PML/RARA genomic fragments are crucial for predicting disease progression, stratifying risk, and administering precise drug therapies in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). In this study, we have developed a highly specific nucleic acid detection platform capable of quantifying the long isoform of the three main PML-RARA isoforms at a constant temperature. This platform integrates the strengths of the CRISPR/Cas12a nuclease-based method and the rolling circle amplification (RCA) technique. Notably, the RCA-assisted CRISPR/Cas12a trans-cleavage system incorporates a spatial confinement effect by utilizing intermolecular G-quadruplex structures. This innovative design effectively enhances the local concentration of CRISPR/Cas12a, thereby accelerating its cleaving efficiency towards reporter nucleic acids and enabling the detection of PML/RARA fusion gene expression through spectroscopy. The robust detection of PML/RARA fusion gene from human serum samples validates the reliability and potential of this platform in the screening, diagnosis, and prognosis of APL cases. Our findings present an approach that holds significant potential for the further development of the robust CRISPR/Cas sensor system, offering a rapid and adaptable paradigm for APL diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a complication of liver transplantation. I/R-induced inflammatory cell death, namely, pyroptosis, that is triggered by overactive inflammasomes results in the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Hepatic I/R injury correlates with the activation of the Caspase-11-mediated pyroptosis pathway. We investigated whether ghrelin, which is a pleiotropic gut hormone, may have anti-hepatic I/R injury effects, but the mechanism by which Ghrelin ameliorates hepatic I/R -induced injury remains a mystery., Methods: Hepatic I/R injury was induced in a mouse model by clamping the left and right lobes of the liver for 90 min followed by reperfusion for 6 h, 12 h, or 24 h. As treatment, a saline with or without ghrelin was infused via the tail vain. Hepatocytes were isolated using a two-step collagenase liver perfusion method., Results: In our study, treatment with ghrelin protected against hepatic I/R injury as shown by decreased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (p < 0.001) and reduced the histological injury in liver tissues compared with untreated controls. The LDH level of primary hepatocytes was increased by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R), and it was then restored to normal levels by ghrelin-treatment (p < 0.05). Western blotting analysis showed that ghrelin significantly inhibited the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins, including Caspase-11, GSDMD-N, NLRP3 and HMGB1, both in vivo and in vitro (all p < 0.05) compared with the untreated controls. Immunofluorescence showed that the expression of Gasdamin D (GSDMD) in hepatocytes was increased after I/R or H/R, whereas GSDMD expression was reduced by ghrelin treatment (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ghrelin ameliorated I/R-induced hepatic injury by inhibiting Caspase-11-mediated pyroptosis. Ghrelin may be a potential therapeutic option to prevent hepatic I/R injury after liver transplantation., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dopamine (DA) and l-tyrosine (l-Tyr) are neurotransmitters involved in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Therefore, it is important to monitor their levels for diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we synthesized poly (methacrylic acid)/graphene oxide aerogels (p(MAA)/GOA) by in situ polymerization and freeze-drying using graphene oxide and methacrylic acid as substrates. Then, the p(MAA)/GOA were applied as solid-phase extraction adsorbents to extract DA and l-Tyr from urine samples, followed by quantification using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The p(MAA)/GOA showed better adsorption performance for DA and l-Tyr than commercial adsorbents, likely as a result of the strong adsorption of the target analytes via π-π and hydrogen bonding interactions. Further, the developed method had good linearity (r > 0.9990) at concentrations of DA and l-Tyr of 0.075-2.0 and 0.75-20.0 μg mL -1 , respectively, as well as a limit of detection of 0.018-0.048 μg mL -1 , limit of quantitation of 0.059-0.161 μg mL -1 , spiked recovery of 91.1-104.0%, and interday precision of 3.58-7.30%.The method was successfully applied to determine DA and l-Tyr in the urine samples of patients suffering from depression, demonstrating its potential for clinical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) induce extensive transcriptional alterations to promote glioma development. However, IDH1 mutation contributes the better clinical outcomes of glioma. Further understanding the transcriptional and DNA methylation changes mediated by IDH1 mutation will provide new therapeutic targets for glioma., Methods: Public glioma cohorts were collected and processed using R software. The transcriptional changes mediated by IDH1 mutation were determined and presented using heatmap. The differentially expressed genes in IDH1 mutant glioma were overlapped using TBtools. The prognostic effects of IDH1 regulated genes were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis., Results: Retinoic acid receptor responder 2 (RARRES2) was upregulated in IDH1 wild type lower-grade glioma (LGG) patients, and higher expression levels of RARRES2 were associated with worse clinical outcomes of LGG. Moreover, IDH1 wild type LGG patients with higher expression levels of RARRES2 had even worse overall survival. Compared with LGG, RARRES2 was upregulated in grade IV glioma (glioblastoma multiforme, GBM). Also, RARRES2 represented an unfavorable prognostic factor of glioma. In GBM, RARRES2 was also associated with IDH1 mutation. In both LGG and GBM, IDH1 mutation induced extensive DNA hypermethylation, and more than half genes that were downregulated in IDH1 mutant glioma were contributed by DNA hypermethylation. RARRES2 was also hypermethylated in IDH1 mutant LGG or GBM patients. Furthermore, RARRES2 hypomethylation was an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with LGG., Conclusions: RARRES2 was downregulated by IDH1 mutation and served as an unfavorable prognostic factor in glioma., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Qingjin Yiqi granules (QJYQ granules) are hospital preparations derived from ancient prescriptions under the guidance of academician Zhang Boli; they have the effect of invigorating qi and nourishing yin, strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the middle, clearing heat, and drying dampness, and are mainly used for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the recovery period. However, their chemical constituents and pharmacokinetic characteristics in vivo have not been systematically investigated. In this study, 110 chemical constituents of QJYQ granules were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), and a fast and sensitive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the target analytes. A rat model of lung-qi deficiency was established by subjecting mice to passive smoking combined with cold baths, and 23 main bioactive components of QJYQ granules were analyzed in normal and model rats after oral administration. The results showed that, compared to the normal group, there were significant differences in the pharmacokinetics of baicalin, schisandrin, ginsenoside Rb1, naringin, hesperidin, liquiritin, liquiritigenin, glycyrrhizic acid, and hastatoside in the model rats (P < 0.05), indicating that the in vivo processes of the above components changed under pathological conditions, suggesting that they may have pharmacological effects as active components. This study has helped identify QJYQ particulate substances and further supports their clinical application.., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of bariatric surgery and nonsurgery on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity. A systematic literature search of the Medline (via PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was performed until August 18th, 2021. Population-based cohort studies comparing long-term cardiovascular outcomes for patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery or not were included. A meta-analysis of relative risks (RRs) was performed for all outcomes. We conducted subgroup analyses and meta-regression to explore sources of heterogeneity and the stability of the results. Twenty-one population-based cohort studies involving 2,857,016 participants were identified. The major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) RR in the bariatric surgery group was .53 (95% confidence interval [CI] = .45-.62, P < .001) relative to the nonsurgical group. Relative to the nonsurgical group, the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) (RR = .40, 95% CI = .30-.52, P < .001), stroke (RR = .60, 95% CI = .46-.79, P < .001), cardiovascular death (RR = .43, 95% CI = .35-.54, P < .001), and all-cause death (RR = .44, 95% CI = .32-.59, P < .001) was significantly reduced for patients who underwent bariatric surgery. In subgroup analyses, as the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus increased, lower RRs for MACE, MI, and stroke were observed in the surgery group relative to the nonsurgical group. The decreased risk of MACE was also observed in the subgroup with median follow-up duration ≥5 years.Bariatric surgery improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity, especially providing long-term benefits, and this effect is more pronounced in patients with comorbid diabetes., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are emerging organic pollutants that are harmful to the environment and human health. In this study, a headspace solid-phase-microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the separation and enrichment of PCNs in shrimp was developed and validated. A graphene aerogel was prepared by modifying graphene oxide with a deep eutectic solvent to prevent graphene oxide stacking. As a result, the aerogel had a three-dimensional porous structure, which resulted in easy sorption/desorption for PCNs, and was used as the SPME fiber coating. Next, the experimental parameters for the saponification of the sample matrix and the extraction and desorption of the PCNs were systematically optimized. After optimization, the method showed good linearity (R 2 ≥0.9968), low limits of detection (0.00983-0.0661 pg g -1 ), and satisfactory recoveries (80.4-108%). Crucially, compared with previously reported methods, this method does not require the use of large amounts of organic reagents or complex operations, giving it the advantages of simplicity, sensitivity, and environmental friendliness. As an example of the practical application of the developed method, the PCNs in river and sea shrimp were quantified., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bisphenol A (2,2-bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl) propane, BPA) is a well-known endocrine-disrupting compound that is widely used in various daily products and exhibits embryonic development toxicity and genotoxicity. However, the affected signaling pathways involved in embryonic development especially the interactions of involved proteins remain unclear. In our previous study (Ge et al., 2021), BPA induces DNA damage and apoptosis in Xenopus embryos, resulting in multiple malformations of larvae. However, the signaling pathways induced for apoptosis response to DNA damage are still not well elucidated. Here, we systematically elucidated the enriched pathways affected by BPA and illustrated the interactions of involved proteins. Results indicated that BPA affected multiple embryonic development pathways including Hippo, TGF-β, Wnt, and Notch pathways. Furthermore, the protein-protein interaction network suggested that the c-Abl/YAP Y357 /p73 pathway may play a key role in apoptosis induction in response to DNA damage. P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells, as a developmental toxicity model, were treated with different BPA concentrations to establish an in vitro model to verify the role of the c-Abl/YAP Y357 /p73 pathway in apoptosis. BPA triggered DNA damage and significantly upregulated the expression levels of c-Abl, phosphorylated YAP Y357 , phosphorylated p73 Y99 , and cleaved caspase-3 protein (p < 0.05), thus decreasing cell viability and transcriptionally activating the p73 target genes Bax and Puma. These data suggested that BPA activated the c-Abl/YAP Y357 /p73 pathway in response to DNA damage. Imatinib, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase c-Abl, significantly downregulated the elevated expression levels of p-YAP Y357 , p-p73 Y99 and cleaved caspase-3 (p < 0.05) caused by BPA and then ameliorated the cell index of P19 cells in the BPA-treated group. Therefore, this substance restrained the phosphokinase activity of c-Abl and suppressed the c-Abl/YAP Y357 /p73 pathway. Results showed that the c-Abl/YAP Y357 /p73 pathway served as a mechanism for caspase-3 activation that induced the apoptosis response to DNA damage stress., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aim: To explore whether the General Movement Optimality Score (GMOS) could help to identify asymmetric movement in infants with neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (NAIS) in the early stage., Method: Twenty-seven infants with NAIS (16 males, 11 females) were enrolled. The general movement video was recorded approximately one month after birth. The GMOS focused separately on the neck and trunk and the upper and lower extremities. The differences between the ipsilesional and contralesional limbs were analyzed., Results: Eight infants who developed cerebral palsy (CP) had middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction involving the main branch. By GMOS evaluation, the scores of the contralesional upper and/or lower limbs were lower than those of the ipsilesional side (p < 0.05). In the contralesional limbs, the CP group had a lower GMOS than the non-CP group. Distal rotatory components of the contralesional upper limbs and tremulous movement of the lower limbs showed significant differences., Interpretation: The GMOS could help to quantitatively find and assess the asymmetric movement of global and contralesional limbs. Distal rotatory movement of the upper limbs could be an early sign of abnormal motor function in infants with NAIS., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We constructed a novel β-mannanase/GLP-1 fusion peptide, termed MGLP&#95;1, and evaluated its ability to ameliorate obesity in a high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFSD)-induced mouse model. Eight-wk MGLP&#95;1 treatment notably reduced obesity, as reflected by significant changes of body weight, serum triglyceride level, fatty liver and adipose tissue distribution. Amelioration of HFSD-induced gut dysbiosis by MGLP&#95;1 was evidenced by reduced abundance ratio of bacterial phyla Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, enhanced abundance of beneficial probiotic genera (Bifidobacterium, Lachnospiraceae, Ileibacterium), and reduced abundance of harmful genera (Clostridium, Romboutsia). Mechanisms of weight loss were investigated by comparing effects of treatment with MGLP&#95;1 vs. prebiotics manno-oligosaccharides (MOS). MGLP&#95;1 ameliorated gut microbiota imbalance by enhancing carbohydrate catabolism, whereas MOS promoted glycan synthesis and metabolism. Our findings, taken together, indicate that MGLP&#95;1 fusion peptide has strong potential for amelioration of obesity by modifying relationships between gut microbiota and lipid and glucose metabolism., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has caused large economic losses in the swine industry worldwide; therefore, research on relevant therapeutic medicines is still urgently needed. To define the relationship between histone acetylation and inflammation induced by PCV2, we investigated whether traditional Chinese medicinal polysaccharides could alleviate viral infection by regulating histone acetylation. In this study, Sophora subprostrate polysaccharide (SSP)-treated PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes in vitro and murine spleen in vivo were used to explore the regulatory effects of SSP on inflammation and histone acetylation caused by PCV2. SSP at different concentrations significantly reduced the secretion levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, the activity of COX-2, the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2 and the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 but promoted the secretion and mRNA expression levels of IL-10. Furthermore, the different concentrations of SSP significantly regulated the activity of histone acetylase (HAT) and the mRNA expression of HAT1, increased the activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and the mRNA expression of HDAC1 and reduced the protein expression levels of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4. Overall, SSP inhibited inflammation in PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes by regulating histone acetylation in vitro and in vivo, thus playing an important role in PCV2 infection., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel 3-D biopolymer-based adsorption-photocatalytic composite, polyaniline/dicarboxyl acid cellulose@graphene oxide was synthesized and was employed to remove the reactive brilliant red K-2G from aqueous solution. The addition of dicarboxyl acid cellulose could improve the morphology, structure, stability and dispersity of the nanocomposite, thus providing excellent adsorption and photocatalysis performance to the product. Batch of experiments were conducted in two scenarios: adsorption followed by photocatalysis process and simultaneous adsorption-photocatalysis process. For the first scenario, adsorption equilibrium can be reached within 25 min, the expected adsorption capacity was 447.0 mg·g -1 ; the subsequent photocatalysis process was carried out under light irradiation and the removal capacity could further improve to 729.0 mg·g -1 under equilibrium state (about 180 min). For the simultaneous adsorption-photocatalytic process, the removal capacity was about 558.1 mg·g -1 at about 25 min and the total removal capacity could reach to 733.3 mg·g -1 under equilibrium state. PANI-DCC@GO exhibited excellent reusability and had potential in the treatment of dyes polluted wastewater., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel nanomaterial (L-Cu&Mn-nZVFe@B) was synthesized and was applied to nitrate selective reduction under UV irradiation and persulfate activation in the presence of oxalic acid. Results denoted the deposition of copper could prompt the nitrate conversion and improve the nitrate conversion significantly. The high nitrate conversion was on account of the formation of galvanic cells accelerating the generation of electrons, in which Fe° acted as anode and Cu° acted as cathode. Meanwhile, the coexistence of Cu 2 O and MnO 2 exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with the obvious improvement of N 2 selectivity because of the formation of heterojunction could boost the generation of CO 2 - . Furthermore, the deposition of manganese could also accelerate the generation of CO 2 - through the activation of persulfate. The conversion of NO 3 - was almost 100 % and the N 2 selectivity could reach 81.57 % by the S 2 O 8 2- /UV/L-Cu&Mn-nZVFe@B/H 2 C 2 O 4 system when the initial nitrate concentration was 100 mg /L, the L-Cu&Mn-nZVFe@B dosage was 6.0 g/L, the H 2 C 2 O 4 dosage was 15 mmol/L, pH was 5.0, the reaction time was 100 min under 25 °C. Research provides an alternative approach for selective reduction nitrate into nitrogen., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Gully erosion has been widely studied during the rainy season due to soil loss that seriously reduces arable area and decreases soil quality. However, very few publications have focused on gully slope erosion (GSE) during freeze thaw cycle (FTC). In this study, GSE on both active and stable gullies in Mollisol fields was investigated by 3D-photogrammetry. Soil bulk density (BD), soil moisture (SM), soil temperature (ST), daily maximum difference in soil temperature (MDT), saturated water (SW), field capacity (FC), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), water-stable soil aggregate (WA), vegetation cover rate (VC), root dry weight (RW), root length (RL), slope length (SL) and slope steepness (SS) were compared before- and after FTCs. The main results are as follows: (1) combined with both front and profile views, 3D photogrammetry can be used to monitor GSE; (2) GSE mainly occurred at the early stage of FTCs (approximately 80%) and was mainly determined by snowmelt of both the gully slope and farmland and was driven by the solar radiation in activity gully; (3) the high ST in surface soil layers (0-5 cm) of active gullies accelerated the GSE; (4) GSE on the active gully slope was 7.3-9.8 times greater than that on the stable gully slopes; (5) the plough pan as the important layer can effectively reduce GSE at upper slope positions in an active gully; (6) low values of VC, BD, SOC, RW, RL and macro-WA and high values of SL, SW and MDT in the middle of the gully slope typically accelerate the GSE; (7) the index SS*SL/VC can be used to predict GSE on Mollisol gully slopes. Generally, GSE was greatest after FTCs compare to the soil loss tolerance in the Mollisol region, especially in the middle slope position of the active gully, and should urgently be controlled., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biogenic nanopalladium (BioPd) catalysts have drawn increasing attentions recently as a combination of metal catalyst over the support of biomass. Anaerobic granular sludge (AGS), as a special microbial granule, demonstrates a strong potential to reduce Pd(II) and precipitate Bio-Pd in the sludge body. The problem how the Bio-Pd precipitates would influence the function and microbial community of the Pd hosting AGS (Pd-AGS) remains unknown. In this study, Pd-AGS with different Bio-Pd loadings (1.7, 3.0, 4.4 and 8.0 wt% of Pd) was obtained through bio-reduction at different Na 2 PdCl 4 concentrations. Effects of Bio-Pd precipitates on acidogenesis and methanogenesis of AGS were assayed. Response of bacterial and archaeal community of AGS towards Bio-Pd precipitation were also revealed based on high-throughput sequencing data on Illumina Miseq platform. Results showed that Bio-Pd precipitates affected the acidogenesis and methanogenesis process of the Pd-AGS, as the produced total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and methane were reduced by 25.8-53.0% and 33.9-87.7%, respectively, comparing to the native AGS. Bio-Pd precipitation resulted in microbial community shift and a decrease in the microbial diversity. The bacterial community suffered more influence than the archaeal community. Hydrogenotrophic methanogens were more sensitive to the toxicity of Pd(II)/Bio-Pd than acetotrophic methanogens. Overall, when the heterogeneous Pd-AGS catalyst is designed to possess both the function of microbial metabolism and Pd catalysis, it is necessary to control a suitable Pd(II) concentration during reduction process and the final Bio-Pd loading in AGS (<4.4 wt% of Pd)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sudden death syndrome (SDS), which is a cardiac-related condition commonly observed in chickens selected for rapid growth, causes significant economic losses to the global poultry industry. Its pathogenesis in broilers is poorly understood, and little is known about the proteome of the heart tissue of SDS broilers. A quantitative proteomic approach using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification labeling of peptides was used to characterize the protein expression profiles in the left ventricle of SDS broilers. These proteins were further analyzed by bioinformatics, and two proteins were validated by western blot analysis. We identified 186 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), of which 72 were upregulated, and 114 were downregulated in the SDS group. Functional annotation suggested that 7 DEPs were related to cardiac muscle contraction, and another 7 DEPs were related to cardiac energy metabolism. Protein interaction network predictions indicated that differences in cardiac muscle contraction between SDS and healthy groups were regulated by troponin T, tropomyosin alpha-1 chain, fast myosin heavy chain HCIII, myosin-1B, coronin, and myoglobin, whereas differences in cardiac energy metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids were regulated by gamma-enolase, phosphoglycerate mutase, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 2, serine/threonine-protein kinase, myoglobin, and alpha-amylase. Our expression profiles provide useful information and new insights into key proteins to elucidate SDS for further studies., (© 2019 Poultry Science Association Inc.)

Biogenic nanopalladium (Bio-Pd) was formed by Anaerobic Granular Sludge (AGS). The Bio-Pd hosted in AGS (Pd-AGS) was used to degrade a pharmaceutical compound diclofenac (DCF) under the conditions of various electron donors, Pd loadings and reaction media. Results showed that hydrogen was the most effective electron donor for the Pd-AGS, followed by formate, glucose and acetate. The Pd-AGS was able to produce effective hydrogen/electron donors from organic compounds via microbial metabolism to initiate Pd activity. Over 96% of DCF (initial concentration of 20 mg L -1 ) was removed using the Pd-AGS within 90 min, and a maximum specific activity K obs of 1.53 L g -1 min -1 was obtained at 3.0 wt% Pd loading, in the presence of hydrogen. The Pd-AGS exhibited a relatively high activity in the medium of PBS or Na 2 SO 4 (25 mM) at pH = 7-7.5, but lost activity in the medium of Na 2 CO 3 (40 mM) or NaOH (40 mM). The Pd-AGS was more resistant to deactivation by chloride or sulphide comparing to free Pd nanoparticles. The Pd-AGS could reduce DCF and nitrate simultaneously with high nitrogen selectivity. The Pd-AGS, as a novel form of Pd catalyst with AGS, shows promise for applications in reducing chlorinated organic compounds in contaminated water., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the potential clinical value of Arterial spin-labeled (ASL) through comparison with computed tomography perfusion (CTP) in patients with chronic intracranial artery (middle cerebral artery, MCA) stenosis., Methods: Twenty-nine patients (14 female, average ages 62) were included in our study from October 2013 to August 2016. Relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the MCA territory was calculated on both ASL and CTP. Patients were divided into three groups (mild, moderate and severe) based on their degree of MCA stenosis on DSA. The paired t-tests and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate the differences of rCBF between ASL and CTP., Results: There was a significant difference in rCBF between ASL and CTP for all patients (P < 0.001) and for those with severe MCA stenosis (P < 0.001). For patients with mild or moderate stenosis, there were no significant differences (P = 0.496 and 0.645, respectively). The 95% limits of agreement for all patients and those with severe stenosis were (-0.25, 0.41) and (-0.13, 0.56), respectively. For patients with mild or moderate stenosis, the values were (-0.21, 0.22) and (-0.20, 0.19)., Conclusion: Compared with CTP, ASL tended to overestimate the perfusion deficit in patients with severe chronic MCA stenosis. However, ASL is noninvasive, repeatable method and can be a promising clinical diagnostic tool to evaluate patients with intracranial stenosis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been suggested as a potential in vivo method to detect inflammation of aneurysm wall and identify unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) at high risk for rupture. This study aims to investigate the correlation between aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) on vessel wall MRI and rupture-related morphological parameters in patients with multiple UIAs., Methods: Clinical data and vessel wall MRI images were reviewed in 14 patients with 30 multiple UIAs. The AWE was defined as enhancement of the aneurysm wall in postcontrast vessel wall MRI using the precontrast MRI as a reference. Morphological parameters, including aneurysm size, aspect ratio, size ratio, bottleneck factor, height-to-width ratio, nonsphericity index (NSI), and inflow angle, were measured using 3-dimensional rotation angiography. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the correlations between morphological parameters and the presence of AWE., Results: Sixteen of the 30 multiple UIAs presented with AWE on vessel wall MRI. On univariate analyses, UIAs with AWE were significantly larger (P = 0.001) and had significantly higher aspect ratio (P = 0.047), size ratio (P = 0.003), bottleneck factor (P = 0.007), and NSI (P = 0.007) values. Further multivariate logistic regression showed that aneurysm size (odds ratio, 3.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-11.35; P = 0.033) and NSI (odds ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-11.80; P = 0.040) were independently associated with the presence of AWE in multiple UIAs., Conclusions: The presence of AWE on vessel wall MRI was significantly correlated with conventional morphological rupture risk factors in patients with multiple UIAs, which might indicate AWE as a potential radiologic predictor for UIAs with high rupture risk., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The morphology of sagittal alignment varies in normal population. Sagittal alignment was classified into four subgroups; however, this classification was performed based on senior authors' clinical experiences rather than scientific methods. The objective of this study is to classify the morphology of sagittal alignment in normal population and describe the characteristics of sagittal alignment in each subgroup., Methods: Medical records of asymptomatic volunteers without known spinal diseases in our outpatient clinic from January 2015 to August 2015 were reviewed. Demographic data and radiological parameters were evaluated, and compared between males and females as well. Two-step cluster analysis was performed. Radiological parameters were compared among these subgroups and then, the characteristics of each group were described. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to detect the optimal cut-off value of separation of individual spine., Results: 230 healthy volunteers with mean age of 33.53 years old were recruited (male:female = 106:124). No significant difference of each demographic and radiological parameter was observed between males and females, except for maxLL and PT. Two types of sagittal alignment were classified by the two-step cluster analysis. Type I (57.8%): small sagittal curves with small maxTK (29.24° ± 4.99°), maxLL (43.99° ± 9.10°) and PI (43.49° ± 7.61°), and Type II (42.2%): large sagittal curves with large maxTK (43.10° ± 6.41°), maxLL (53.41° ± 9.59°) and PI (53.10° ± 11.82°). The mean value of age, SS, PT, SVA, TPA, T1 sagittal angle, maxLL-maxTK, SS-PT and PI-maxLL was 37.07 ± 11.54 years old, 31.64° ± 7.43°, 15.66° ± 7.34°, 4.57 ± 22.24 mm, 10.85° ± 7.45°, 16.77° ± 5.09°, 10.31° ± 9.58°, 15.97° ± 10.74° and 3.32° ± 8.91° in Type I, and 39.94 ± 12.73 years old, 37.88° ± 8.36°, 15.29° ± 7.89°, 4.19 ± 22.00 mm, 9.23° ± 7.28°, 23.37° ± 4.87° , 16.74° ± 9.42°, 22.59° ± 11.64° and -5.84° ± 10.70° in Type II, respectively. maxTK, maxLL, PI, SS, T1 sagittal angle, maxLL-maxTK, SS-PT and PI-LL in Type II were greater than those in Type I, while no significant difference was found in age, gender, PT, SVA and TPA between two groups. On the basis of the ROC curve, the optimal cut-off values of maxTK, maxLL and PI as indicators for classification of sagittal alignment were projected to be 37°, 52° and 49°, respectively., Conclusions: There were two subgroups of sagittal plane in normal population. The optimal cut-off values of maxTK, maxLL and PI as indicators for classification of sagittal alignment were projected to be 37°, 52° and 49°, respectively. This novel classification could provide guidelines for our further understandings of sagittal alignment and mechanisms of different spinal diseases more easily, which also help to restore sagittal balance in the correction surgery more accurately., (Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Contamination of grains and other crops by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a highly toxic aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, poses a serious threat to human health and is an important food safety issue. In this study, a competitive up-converting phosphor technology-based lateral flow (AFB1-UPT-LF) assay was developed for rapid detection of AFB1. Detection sensitivity of the proposed assay can reach 0.03ngmL -1 for standard AFB1 solutions, with the coefficients of variation (CV) less than 10% (from 1.0 to 9.4%). A good linearity (r=0.9889) was observed for quantification of AFB1 from 0.03 to 1000ngmL -1 . Except for aflatoxin M1, no cross-reactivity was found with the abrin, ricin, ochratoxin A, botulinum toxin, shiga toxin 1, shiga toxin 2, and staphylococcal enterotoxin B, even at high concentrations of 100 or 1000ngmL - 1 . After optimizing the extraction of AFB1, the assay showed good tolerance to various crop samples, with the detection limit (from 0.1 to 5ngg - 1 ) lower than the corresponding maximum residue level (MRL) set in China. The AFB1-UPT-LF assay provides a promising tool for rapid on-site detection of AFB1 because of its high sensitivity, specificity, and sample tolerance., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Recent development of high resolution MRI techniques have enabled imaging of intracranial atherosclerotic plaque in vivo. However, identifying plaque composition remains challenging given the small size and the lack of histological validation. This study aims to quantify the relaxation times of intracranial plaque components ex vivo at 3 T and to determine whether multi-contrast MRI could classify intracranial plaque according to the American Heart Association classification with histological validation., Methods: A total of 53 intracranial arteries with atherosclerotic plaques from 20 cadavers (11 male, age 73.8 ± 10.9) were excised. Quantitative T1/T2/T2* mapping sequences and multi-contrast fast-spin echo sequences (T1, T2, proton-density weighted and short time inversion recovery) were acquired. Plaque components including: fibrous cap, lipid core, fibrous tissue, calcification, and healthy wall were segmented on histology, and their relaxation times were derived from quantitative images. Two radiologists independently classified plaque type blinded to the histology results., Results: Relaxation times of plaque components are distinct and different. T2 and T2* values of lipid core are lower than fibrous cap (p = 0.026 & p < 0.0001), but are comparable with fibrous tissue and healthy wall (p = 0.76 & p = 0.42). MRI reliably classified plaque type compared with histology (κ = 0.69) with an overall accuracy of 80.7%. The sensitivity and specificity using MRI to identify fibro-lipid atheroma (type IV-V) was 94.8% and 77.1%, respectively. Inter-observer agreement was excellent (κ = 0.77)., Conclusion: Intracranial plaque components have distinct and different relaxation times at 3 T. High-resolution MRI is able to characterize intracranial plaque composition and classify plaque types ex vivo at 3 T., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The nuclear receptor Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) is likely a tumor suppressor in liver tissue but its molecular mechanism of suppression is not well understood. In this study, the gene expression profile of human liver cancer cells was investigated by microarray. Bioinformatics analysis of these data revealed that FXR might regulate the mTOR/S6K signaling pathway. This was confirmed by altering the expression level of FXR in liver cancer cells. Overexpression of FXR prevented the growth of cells and induced cell cycle arrest, which was enhanced by the mTOR/S6K inhibitor rapamycin. FXR upregulation also intensified the inhibition of cell growth by rapamycin. Downregulation of FXR produced the opposite effect. Finally, we found that ectopic expression of FXR in SK-Hep-1 xenografts inhibits tumor growth and reduces expression of the phosphorylated protein S6K. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that FXR suppresses proliferation of human liver cancer cells via the inhibition of the mTOR/S6K signaling pathway. FXR expression can be used as a biomarker of personalized mTOR inhibitor treatment assessment for liver cancer patients., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the pathogenicity of SSM-CVB3 in a macaque model., Methods: The clinical symptoms of macaques were recorded; hematological, biochemical and histopathological evaluations were completed; viral titers and neutralization titers (NT-titers) in sera were tested; and the mRNA levels of SSM-CVB3, coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) and decay accelerating factor (DAF) were determined., Results: After SSM-CVB3 infection, the macaques showed a lack of activity, a poor appetite, a higher body temperature, and severe diarrhea. The macaques also developed hematuria and albuminuria at 4 to 10 days post-inoculation. Virus titers (5.1-6.5 LogTCID(50)/mL) were higher at 6 to 10 days post-inoculation, and NT-titers (6.5-7.3 Log2) reached plateaus at 8 to 14 days post-inoculation. The infected macaques developed serious anemia with decreased RBC and WBC, but the percentages of LYM were increased. The levels of CK, CK-MB, AST and ALT in the sera were 84-169 U/L, 87.6-271.1 U/L, 43-87 U/L and 43-82 U/L, respectively, and all of those were higher than normal. Histological analysis showed obvious cardiac, hepatic and renal damages in the infected macaques and the mRNA contents of SSM-CVB3, CAR and DAF in the heart, liver and kidneys of infected macaques were higher (P<0.05)., Conclusion: This was the first report on experimental SSM-CVB3 infections in macaques with serious hepatic and renal damage, except for myocarditis. The information obtained from this study suggests that the SSM-CVB3 strain and this macaque model could be used for studying CVB3-induced cardiac, hepatic or renal diseases., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate whether combined epidermal growth factor (EGF) and gastrin can correct the hyperglycemia induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in rats and to determine the involvement of the transcription factor pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) in this process., Methods: Rat diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. The mRNA and protein levels of insulin and PDX1 were determined by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of C-peptide and insulin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits., Results: The combined administration of EGF and gastrin efficiently reversed the hyperglycemia induced by STZ. Elevated insulin concentration was detected in diabetic rats treated with EGF plus gastrin. The authors also found that both insulin and PDX1 expression were reduced in STZ-treated rats. Interestingly, the combination treatment also significantly enhanced the mRNA levels of insulin and PDX1, and that of their protein products., Conclusions: Therapy with EGF plus gastrin corrected hyperglycemia and maintained insulin content in STZ-induced diabetic rats via up-regulation of PDX1 expression, suggesting that this combination treatment may provide a valuable approach for pancreatic islet neogenesis in vivo.

INTRODUCTION:: The aim of this study was to investigate whether combined epidermal growth factor (EGF) and gastrin can correct the hyperglycemia induced by streptozotocin (STZ) in rats and to determine the involvement of the transcription factor pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (PDX1) in this process. METHODS:: Rat diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ. The mRNA and protein levels of insulin and PDX1 were determined by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of C-peptide and insulin were analyzed using radioimmunoassay kits. RESULTS:: The combined administration of EGF and gastrin efficiently reversed the hyperglycemia induced by STZ. Elevated insulin concentration was detected in diabetic rats treated with EGF plus gastrin. The authors also found that both insulin and PDX1 expression were reduced in STZ-treated rats. Interestingly, the combination treatment also significantly enhanced the mRNA levels of insulin and PDX1, and that of their protein products. CONCLUSIONS:: Therapy with EGF plus gastrin corrected hyperglycemia and maintained insulin content in STZ-induced diabetic rats via up-regulation of PDX1 expression, suggesting that this combination treatment may provide a valuable approach for pancreatic islet neogenesis in vivo.

Sj23, a member of the tetraspanin protein family, is a 23-kDa surface-exposed protein of Schistosoma japonicum and expressed in all infective parasite stages, which has been regarded as a potential candidate in vaccine development for schistosomiasis. In this study, we found that, in the BALB/c mouse model, Sj23 elicited rapid humoral responses after parasite infection and the dominant antibodies were of IgG2a subclass. Immunization with Sj23 by priming with recombinant SFV RNA virus particles followed by a boost with recombinant protein also generated strong IgG2a responses which did not provide protection against challenge with cercariae. Our data indicated that one of the functions of Sj23 of S. japonicum is to facilitate parasite immune regulation. Sj23 antigen-based vaccine may require strong adjuvant that can drive IgG1 responses which are more critical in resistance to helminth infection., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ceftiofur is a new broad-spectrum, third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic for veterinary use. Immunopharmacological studies can provide new information on the immunomodulatory activities of some drugs, including their effect on cytokine productions. For this reason, we investigated the effect of ceftiofur on cytokine productions in vitro. We found that ceftiofur can downregulate tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but did not affect interleukin-10 (IL-10) production. We further investigated signal transduction mechanisms to determine how ceftiofur affects. RAW 264.7 cells were pretreated with 1, 5, or 10 mg/L of ceftiofur 1 h prior to treatment with 1 mg/L of LPS. Thirty minutes later, cells were harvested and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation was measured by Western blot. Alternatively, cells were fixed and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation was measured using immunocytochemical analysis. Signal transduction studies showed that ceftiofur significantly inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation protein expression. Ceftiofur also inhibited p65-NF-kappaB translocation into the nucleus. Therefore, ceftiofur may inhibit LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines by blocking NF-kappaB and MAPKs signaling in RAW264.7 cells.

The interaction of vessel endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (flt-1, FLK-1/KDR) regulates tumor angiogenesis. Therefore, blocking the binding of VEGF and the corresponding receptor has become critical for antitumor angiogenesis biological therapy. Our study extracted sFLK-1 fragment from embryo mouse liver using RT-PCR, recombined it to retrovirus vector, and transfected it to tumor cell lines (S180 and B16) by the liposome mediated method, then we observed the biological behavior of transgenic cells in vivo. The results are: (1) Fragment (1034 bp) was extracted from E9, E11 embryo mouse liver tissue, which was identified by sequence analysis. (2) This fragment was cloned to retrovirus vector (PLXSN vector), which was further transfected to tumor cells lines (S180 and B16). SDS-PAGE indicated the suspension of transgenic cells present sVEGFR-2(sFLK-1) fragment; Western blot identified it. (3) In vivo study showed that the weight and size of tumor in the group of transgenic cells were smaller than in control groups. Microvessel density (MVD) and FLK-1 expression were obviously different between transgenic and control groups, but there were no differences in VEGF expression between transgenic and control groups. In short, the isolated soluble VEGFR2 fragment transfected to tumor cells can be secreted to extracellular suspension and can inhibit tumor angiogenesis in vivo.