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Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which has an extremely low coefficient of friction and good thermal and chemical stability, is widely used as a self-lubricating material. In this study, the thermal oxidative-ageing mechanisms of PTFE were studied using infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, and the influence of the thermal oxidative-ageing time on its tribological properties was investigated under a high load (20 MPa). Results indicated that thermal oxidative-ageing resulted in oxidation fracture, generating CF 2 O products, followed by further oxidation to CFO 2 as ageing time increased. The dynamic friction coefficient of PTFE fluctuated significantly under heavy load, and its wear rate fluctuated over a small range but showed a decreasing trend with increased ageing. [Display omitted] • Thermal oxidative-aging mechanisms of PTFE are evaluated experimentally. • Molecular dynamics simulations predict thermal oxidative aging of PTFE with time. • Tribological properties under high load are affected by thermal oxidative aging. • The dynamic friction coefficient of PTFE fluctuates significantly under heavy load. • The wear rate tends to decrease with increasing aging time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very important to improve the electrical conductivity of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), which can be used under the external field. In this work, by employing a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation, the effect of the external fields (tensile field and shear field) on the conductive probability of PNCs has been investigated in details by tuning the nanofiller shape. By carefully analyzing the conductive network, compared with the rod filler and the sphere filler, the Y filler and the X filler can protect the conducive networks well from their breakage perpendicular to the external fields, which thus can significantly enhance the conductive probability under the external fields. In other words, compared with under the quiescent state, the decrease or the increase of the conductive probability under the external fields depends on the nanofiller shape. Meanwhile, it is interesting to find that both the directional conductive probabilities parallel to the shear field and perpendicular to the shear field increase with the shear rate for the Y fillers, which further reflects their high conductive probability under the shear field. The reason can be attributed to two aspects: (1) the gradual aggregation of Y fillers under the external field; (2) the multi-arm structures of Y fillers. In summary, this work presents some further understanding how to improve the electrical conductivity of PNCs under the external fields by tuning the nanofiller shape. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A series of novel 25-OCH 3 -PPD derivatives were synthesized. • Cytotoxic activities of the derivatives were evaluated on five human tumor cell lines. • Compounds 3a , 14a and 18a exhibited strong anti-tumor activities. • Having aromatic ester at the C3 position could enhance the antiproliferative activities. Abstract Previously we have reported that 25-OCH 3 -PPD could suppress the reproduction of cancer cells and cause apoptosis without obvious toxicity. Herein, we aimed to enhance its bioactivity by introducing aromatic groups to its dammarane-type skeleton. These synthesized derivatives were tested for their inhibitory activities against five cancer cell lines. Of them, compounds 3a , 14a and 18a had the strongest antiproliferative activities against tumor cells (IC 50 < 15 µM, 5-fold to 10-fold increases than 25-OCH 3 -PPD). Especially compound 14a displayed the most potent activity against DU145, MCF-7 and HepG2 cells (IC 50 = 6.7 ± 0.8, 4.3 ± 0.8 and 5.8 ± 0.6 µM, respectively). Structure-activity relationships demonstrated that having aromatic ester at the C3 position could improve the bioactivity. The data provided new insights into exploring novel antiproliferative lead compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium-stabilized calcium-based materials are currently an excellent solution for capturing CO 2 directly from industrial flue gas. However, there is still no report on the technology of low-cost and large-scale assembly of Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 and CaO. In this study, we innovatively put forward a silicon-assisted strategy to facilely synthesize high-purity Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 and evaluate its cyclic performance for stabilizing uptake CO 2 after assembly. With regard to the Si/Al ratio of 0.2, Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 was prepared selectively among 850–900 °C, with only 5.2% CaO residually. The introduction of silicon inhibited the formation of Ca 5 Al 6 O 14 by-products and the mechanism of silicon at the calcium-aluminum interface was also explained by systematic characterization. The Ca 3 Al 2 O 6 modified sorbent with simple assembly showed extremely high cycle stability improvement compared with the pure precipitated calcium carbonate derived CaO. These works provide technical guidance for the industrial scale-up of the rational design of Al-stabilized calcium-based adsorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid amine adsorption is considered to be the most promising technology for post-combustion CO 2 capture, but it still has drawbacks due to the high cost of supports and the easy occurrence of CO 2 -induced chemical deactivation. Herein, we propose a novel eco-friendly method for realizing efficient and stable solid amine adsorbents. A calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) support with a pore volume of 3.0 cm3 g−1 is synthesized from coal fly ash (CFA) with the pore-expanded assistance of azeotropic distillation, and then the PEI@CSH adsorbents are prepared by impregnation. The adsorption capacity of the prepared 60%PEI@CSH-0.1 adsorbent reaches 198 mg g−1 and exhibits an excellent cyclic stability, with an attenuation of only 1.9% after 10 cycles under ideal regeneration conditions. Even under realistic regeneration conditions, the CO 2 uptake remains at 103 mg g−1 after 10 cycles, which shows obvious advantages over that of commercial SiO 2 supports. By using FT-IR, solid-state NMR and DFT calculations, we found that the CSH support promotes the conversion of primary amines to secondary amines in PEI molecules, and thus effectively inhibits the inactivation induced by the formation of urea compounds. Therefore, the PEI@CSH adsorbents provide a low-cost and high-efficiency approach for both in-situ CFA utilization and CO 2 mitigation inside coal-fired power plants. [Display omitted] • PEI@CSH adsorbents showed excellent adsorption capacity and cyclic stability. • The surface chemical property of CSH led to the anti-urea PEI@CSH adsorbents. • Solid-phase NMR and DFT calculation were applied for clarifying anti-urea mechanism. • PEI@CSH adsorbents realized both in-situ CFA utilization and CO 2 mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To survey effective treatment strategies for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods The clinical data of 78 patients diagnosed with CSP from January 2010 to December 2013 were reviewed. Results Among these patients, 17 patients were first treated at our hospital; of them, 2 were misdiagnosed. The other 61 patients were referred from other hospitals; of them, 21 were initially misdiagnosed. There were 9 patients who were treated with laparotomy, 50 patients with curettage after uterine artery embolization (UAE) with or without local methotrexate (MTX) infusion, 10 patients with dilatation and curettage, 6 patients with transvaginal sonographic guided local intragestational MTX injection, and 3 patients with systemic MTX injection. All patients finally recovered. Patients with excessive vaginal hemorrhage underwent either emergency UAE treatment or laparotomy. These two treatments had similar success rates (81.82% vs. 100%, χ 2 =0.289, P>0.05). Conclusions The accurate diagnosis of CSP is important. Curettage after UAE with or without local MTX infusion is a safe and effective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, 12 novel 25-hydroxyprotopanaxadiol (25-OH-PPD) derivatives were synthesized by reacting with chloroacetyl chloride. And their in vitro antitumor activities were evaluated on six human tumor cell lines by MTT assay. The results demonstrated that, as compared with 25-OH-PPD, compounds 4 , 6 and 7 exhibited higher cytotoxic activity on all tested cell lines. Of them, compound 4 showed strongly inhibition against MCF-7, HCT-116 and Lovo cells with IC 50 values of 1.7, 1.6 and 2.1 μM, respectively. The IC 50 values of compound 6 against HCT-116 and 7 against MCF-7 were the lowest (1.2 and 1.6 μM, respectively). It was also noted that compound 4 showed a 20- to 100-fold greater growth inhibition than ginsenoside-Rg 3 (an anti-cancer regular drug in China). In conclusion, the data revealed that compounds 4 , 6 and 7 were potential candidates for anti-tumor treatment and may be useful for the development of novel antiproliferative agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that human neutrophil α-defensins (HNPs) inhibit hepatic glucose production through a signaling pathway distinct from insulin. The effect of HNP-1 on fasting blood glucose levels and the expression of hepatic gluconeogenic genes was first examined. Using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps, we determined the effect of HNP-1 on endogenous glucose production, hepatic expression of key gluconeogenic genes and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. In isolated primary hepatocytes, we studied the effect of HNP-1 and -2 on glucose production, expression of gluconeogenic genes, and phosphorylation of Akt, c-Src, and FoxO1. Our results show that HNP-1 reduced blood glucose levels of both normal mice and Zucker diabetic fatty rats predominantly through suppression of hepatic glucose production. HNPs inhibited glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis in isolated hepatocytes. HNPs also suppressed expression of key gluconeogenic genes including phosphoenoylpyruvate carboxyl kinase and glucose-6-phosphatase. To investigate the mechanism, we found that HNPs stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO1 without activating IRS1. Nevertheless, HNPs activated c-Src. Blockade of c-Src activity with either a chemical inhibitor PP2 or an alternative inhibitor CSK prevented the inhibitory effect of HNPs on gluconeogenesis. Together, our results support the hypothesis that HNPs can suppress hepatic glucose production through an intracellular mechanism distinct from the classical insulin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a main catechin of green tea, has been suggested to inhibit hepatic gluconeogenesis. However, the exact role and related mechanism have not been established, In this study, we examined the role of EGCG in hepatic gluconeogenesis at concentrations that are reachable by ingestion of pure EGCG or green tea, and are not toxic to hepatocytes. Our results show in isolated hepatocytes that EGCG at relatively low concentrations (≤1 μM) inhibited glucose production via gluconeogenesis and expression of key gluconeogenic genes. EGCG was not toxic at these concentrations while demonstrating significant cytotoxicity at 10 μM and higher concentrations. EGCG at 1 μM or lower concentrations effective in suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis did not activate the insulin signaling pathway, but activated 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The EGCG suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis was prevented by blockade of AMPK activity. In defining the mechanism by which EGCG activates AMPK, we found that the EGCG activation of AMPK was mediated by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK). Furthermore, our results show that the EGCG activation of AMPK and EGCG suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis were both dependent on production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was a known activator of CaMKK. Together, our results demonstrate an inhibitory role for EGCG in hepatic gluconeogenesis and shed new light on the mechanism by which EGCG suppresses gluconeogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free fatty acid (FFA) is believed to be a major environmental factor linking obesity to Type II diabetes. We have recently reported that FFA can induce gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38). In this study, we have investigated the role of p38 in oleate-induced hepatic insulin resistance. Our results show that a prolonged treatment of primary hepatocytes with oleate blunted insulin suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis, and decreased insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt in a p38-dependent manner. Reduction of the insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation by oleate correlated with activation of p38. In the presence of p38 inhibition, prolonged exposure of hepatocytes to oleate failed to reduce insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt. An siRNA against p38α prevented oleate suppression of the insulin-induced phosphorylation of Akt. Furthermore, a prolonged exposure of hepatocytes to oleate decreased insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS1/2, while slightly increasing serine phosphorylation of IRS. The decrease of insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS1/2 in hepatocytes by oleate was reversed by the inhibition of p38. We further show that a prolonged exposure of primary hepatocytes to oleate elevated the protein level of the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) gene in a p38-dependent manner, but had no effect on the mRNA level of PTEN. Knocking down the PTEN gene prevented oleate to inhibit insulin activation of Akt and insulin suppression of gluconeogenesis. Together, results from this study demonstrate a critical role for p38 in oleate-induced hepatic insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic lipogenesis is the principal route to convert excess carbohydrates into fatty acids and is mainly regulated by two opposing hormones, insulin and glucagon. Although insulin stimulates hepatic lipogenesis, glucagon inhibits it. However, the mechanism by which glucagon suppresses lipogenesis remains poorly understood. In this study, we have observed that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase plays an inhibitory role in hepatic lipogenesis. Levels of plasma triglyceride and triglyceride accumulation in the liver were both elevated when p38 activation was blocked. Expression levels of central lipogenic genes, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), fatty acid synthase, hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase, and cytochrome P-450-51, were decreased in liver by fasting and in primary hepatocytes by glucagon but increased by the inhibition of p38. In addition, we have shown that p38 can inhibit insulin-induced expression of key lipogenic genes in isolated hepatocytes. Our results in hepatoma cells demonstrate that p38 plays an inhibitory role in the activation of the SREBP-1c promoter. Finally, we have shown that transcription of the PGC-1β gene, a key coactivator of SREBP-1c, was reduced in liver by fasting and in isolated hepatocytes by glucagon. This reduction was significantly reversed by the blockade of p38. Insulin-induced expression of the PGC-1β gene was enhanced by the inhibition of p38 but suppressed by the activation of p38. Together, we have identified an inhibitory role for p38 in the transcription of central lipogenic genes, SREBPs, and PGC-1β and hepatic lipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free fatty acids (FFA) are considered as a causative link between obesity and diabetes. In various animal models and in humans FFA can stimulate hepatic gluconeogenesis. Although the in vivo role of FFA in hepatic gluconeogenesis has been clearly established, the intracellular role of FFA and related signaling pathway remain unclear in the regulation of hepatic gluconeogenic gene transcription. In this study, we have identified p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) as a critical signaling component in FFA-induced transcription of key gluconeogenic genes. We show in primary hepatocytes that both mid- and long-chain fatty acids (saturated or unsaturated) could activate p38 and increase levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose-6-phosphatase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator α (PGC-1α) gene transcripts. The FFA-induced expression of PEPCK and PGC-1α genes and gluconeogenesis in isolated hepatocytes could be blocked by the inhibition of p38. Furthermore, PGC-1α phosphorylation by p38 was necessary for FFA-induced activation of the PEPCK promoter. Additionally, FFA stimulated phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) through p38. The overexpression of the dominant-negative CREB prevented FFA-induced activation of the PEPCK promoter. Finally, we show that FFA activation of p38 requires protein kinase C5. Together, our results indicate that p38 plays a critical role in FFA-induced transcription of gluconeogenic genes, and the known gluconeogenic regulators, PGC-1α and CREB, are also integral parts of FFA-stimulated transcription of gluconeogenic genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic gluconeogenesis is essential for maintaining blood glucose levels during fasting and is the major contributor to postprandial and fasting hyperglycemia in diabetes. Gluconeogenesis is a classic cAMP/protein kinase A-dependent process initiated by glucagon, which is elevated in the blood during fasting and in diabetes. In this study, we have shown that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) was activated in liver by fasting and in primary hepatocytes by glucagon or forskolin. Fasting plasma glucose levels were reduced upon blockade of p38 with either a chemical inhibitor or small interference RNA in mice. In examining the mechanism, inhibition of p38 suppressed glueoneoganesis in liver, along with expression of key gluconeogenic genes, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, coactivator 1α and cAMP-response element-binding protein have been shown to be important mediators of hepatic gluconeogenesis. We have shown that inhibition of p38 prevented transcription of the PPARγ coactivator 1α gene as well as phosphorylation of cAMP-response element-binding protein. Together, our results from in vitro and in vivo studies define a model in which cAMP-dependent activation of genes involved in gluconeogenesis is dependent upon the p38 pathway, thus adding a new player to our evolving understanding of this physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet scrubber systems (WSSs) are commonly used for effective flue gas cleaning by removing acid gases and dust. To determine the influence of a WSS on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and flue gas particles, a field study was carried out in a full-scale municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator (850 t/d). Phase-separated samples at four flue gas sampling points and two scrubbing solution sampling points were collected for PCDD/F analysis. Two particle samples at the WSS inlet and outlet were simultaneously obtained for TEM-EDS analysis. The memory effect inside the WSS apparently elevated the PCDD/F I-TEQ concentration from 0.0056 to 0.0088 ng I-TEQ Nm−3 by increasing the mass concentrations of 17 congeners. A PCDD/F flux chart was established to interpret the adsorption/desorption mechanism of PCDD/Fs inside the WSS that showed apparent desorption from scrubbing solution. The potential interaction relationship between PCDD/F and flue gas particles were also observed, that was, the desorbed PCDD/Fs from scrubbing solution might be adsorbed by flue gas particles again and therefore enhanced the concentration of solid-phase PCDD/Fs from 0.0236 to 0.0411 ng Nm−3. Furthermore, TEM-EDS analysis indicated that the WSS could evidently remove some soluble particles and reduce the particle size. And the variation in morphology, elemental composition, and distribution of flue gas particles were observed during the scrubbing process. This study systematically analyzed the memory effect of PCDD/Fs and firstly investigated the specific impact of WSS on flue gas particles, thereby improving the comprehensive understanding of WSS applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the biological characterization of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) CRF07_BC infection among men who have sex with men (MSM). From November 2011 to November 2013, a total of 66 blood samples were collected from MSM with acute HIV-1 infection with CRF07_BC subgroup strains. Deletion in the gag p6 region was detected by sequence alignment and comparative analysis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HNXX1301–1307 samples were separated by density gradient centrifugation. Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used to amplify the viral DNA. The near full-length HIV-1 DNA products were ligated to the long terminal repeat (LTR) vector plasmid (07BCLTR) to construct a full-length HIV clone. The molecular clone was transfected into HEK-293T cells, TZM-b1 cells and patients’ PBMCs. The pregenome of an infectious molecular clone of HIV-1 (pNL4-3) was amplified, and a subclone with CRF07_BC was developed to construct the full-length chimeric molecular clone pNL4-3/07BCLTR. Detection of p24 antigen and luciferase activity was used to measure the in vitro infectivity of pNL4-3/07BCLTR. Among the 66 MSM patients infected with CRF07_BC strains, deletion mutations of the Gag P6 proteins were found in 7 of 18CRF07_BC strains; deletion mutations of 2–13 amino acids in different regions were discovered in 6 strains; and the remaining 42 strains did not show deletions. Seven strains with amino acids deficiency in the P6 protein accounted for 27% of all strains and 75% of all deletion genotype strains. A total of 186 full-length molecular clones of CRF07_BC were constructed. There were 5, 9, 10 and 11 clones of HNXX1302, HNXX1304, HNXX1305 and HNXX1306 that resulted in p24-positive supernatant when transfected into HEK-293T cells. Full-length clones of HNXX1302, HNXX1304, HNXX1305 and HNXX1306 showed slight infection in the transfected TZM-b1 cells, as judged by the fluorescence values of TZM-b1 cells 48 h post-transfection. However, we were unable to transfect the patients’ PMBCs with the above four clones. The phylogenetic tree of the C2V3 segment of the Env gene showed that a significant gene cluster was formed by all of the chimeric full-length HNXX1306 clones, and the bootstrap value for this cluster was 97.5%. Patients’ PBMCs could be infected by 1306N6, 1306N13 and 1306N22 chimeric full-length clones. The CRF07_BC subtype (6889–7407 nucleotide residues of HXB2) is one of the most prevalent epidemic HIV-1 virus strains among the MSM population. The full-length chimeric molecular clone pNL4-3/07BCLTR may significantly improve the in vitro infectivity of the CRF07_BC strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism play important roles in bidirectional signaling between granulosa cells (GCs) and oocytes. However, the factors associated with mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism of GCs in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are poorly understood, and their potential downstream effects on oocyte quality are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are alterations in mitochondrial-related functions and glucose metabolism in ovarian GCs of women with PCOS and the role of Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) in this process. Here, we demonstrated that women with PCOS undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer had significantly lower rates of metaphase II oocytes, two-pronuclear fertilization, cleavage, and day 3 good-quality embryos. Germinal vesicle- and metaphase I-stage oocytes from women with PCOS exhibited increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and downregulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. GCs from women with PCOS presented significant alterations in mitochondrial morphology, amount, and localization, decreased membrane potential, reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, increased mitochondrial ROS and oxidative stress, and insufficient oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) together with decreased glycolysis. SIRT3 expression was significantly decreased in GCs of PCOS patients, and knockdown of SIRT3 in KGN cells could mimic the alterations in mitochondrial functions and glucose metabolism in PCOS GCs. SIRT3 knockdown changed the acetylation status of NDUFS1, which might induce altered mitochondrial OXPHOS, the generation of mitochondrial ROS, and eventually defects in the cellular insulin signaling pathway. These findings suggest that SIRT3 deficiency in GCs of PCOS patients may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, elevated oxidative stress, and defects in glucose metabolism, which potentially induce impaired oocytes in PCOS. [Display omitted] • Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have impaired oocyte quality. • Granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome show altered mitochondrial functions. • Granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome show defects in glycolysis. • Sirtuin 3 deficiency exists in granulosa cells of polycystic ovary syndrome. • Sirtuin 3 regulates acetylation status of NDUFS1 and insulin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as a common endocrine disease in reproductive-age women, which is characterized by both reproductive and metabolic disorders. Cang-Fu-Dao-Tan Formula (CFDTF) is an effective and relatively safe treatment for PCOS. However, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. To explore the effective compounds and mechanisms of CFDTF in treating PCOS based on UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS, network pharmacology and molecular experiments. The UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS and TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction databases were used to identify the active ingredients of CFDTF. Then GeneCards, Disgenet, Drugbank databases were used to obtain the PCOS related targets. Based above, the Drug-component-target (D-C-T) network and protein-protein-interaction (PPI) network were built to analysis the key targets. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis were performed to find the potential mechanisms. Finally, molecular docking analysis, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular experiments were used to confirm the interactions among the active compounds, targets and explore the potential mechanisms. A total of 20 compounds were identified by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS, and 136 active compounds by TCMSP from CFDTF. After removing the duplicate results, there were 370 targets related to both CFDTF and PCOS, among which, MAPK3, AKT1, RELA, EGF, TP53 and MYC were proved to have high interactions with the components. The mechanisms of CFDTF against PCOS were related to PI3K-Akt, mTOR, MAPK signaling pathways, and the in vitro experiments proved that the CFDTF positively regulated the cell proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis levels in PCOS cell model. The combination of UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS, systematic network pharmacology and molecular experiments identified that the quercetin, hesperidin, and glycyrrhizin disaccharide are the TOP 3 effective compounds of CFDTF in treating PCOS and the potential mechanisms may involve in regulating proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells. • Cang-Fu-Dao-Tan Formula (CFDTF) is an effective and relatively safe treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). • The quercetin, hesperidin, and glycyrrhizin disaccharide are the TOP 3 effective compounds of CFDTF in treating PCOS. • MAPK3, AKT1, RELA, EGF, TP53 and MYC were proved to have high interactions with the active components. • The potential mechanisms may involve in regulating proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An innovative manner was used in the co-pyrolysis for more CO 2 consumption. • CP CO2 evaluation was innovatively constructed and realized in the CO 2 -looping system. • More CO 2 entered into pyrolysis products by Ca-based additives for improving CP CO2. • CaO not only improved CP CO2 by 21.2% but also reduced the total HMs at 500 ℃. • Mechanism for CO 2 assisted Ca-based on CP CO2 with temperature was proposed. In this study, the CO 2 -looping system was firstly attempted to build for exploring the effect of calcium-based (Ca-based) additives on pyrolytic characteristics and products in co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge (SS) and biomass. Then, an innovation method for the consumption of CO 2 (CP CO2) evaluation was proposed and carried out in the CO 2 -looping system, in which it was evaluated based on the syngas volume and CO 2 proportion. The results revealed that the addition of CaO and Ca(OH) 2 could significantly improve CP CO2 by 21.2% in the co-pyrolysis of 500 ℃, while the CaCO 3 addition decreased the CP CO2 by 1.0%. Besides, the co-pyrolysis temperature more than 700 ℃ would play more significant role on the CP CO2 than the addition of Ca-based additives. Then the effect of Ca-based types on biochar characteristics was also identified accompanied by the bio-oil composition. Results showed that the CaO and Ca(OH) 2 additives not only increased biochar mass and pH, but also enhanced the dissolved organic carbon content and the variety of dissolved organic matter, and reduced the total HMs content. Meanwhile, it was 15 types of components that was identified in bio-oil by NIST mass spectral library, found that the intensity of heptadecanenitrile and estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17 beta-ol was influenced by Ca-based additives. Moreover, the CaO and Ca(OH) 2 played important roles for improving the CP CO2 in the CO 2 -looping system, which was further verified by Fact Sage. Finally, the mechanism for the Ca-based additives on CP CO2 was proposed at different co-pyrolysis temperatures. These findings can widen paths for biochar application and development of CO 2 capture materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Twelve water channels (aquaporins) are expressed in mammalian reproductive systems, and play very important roles in maintaining water homeostasis in reproductive cells. Impairment of their functions can result in attenuated male and female fertility. Alteration of AQPs expression is also found in reproductive tissues of the patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis or endometrium carcinoma. A lot of data have increased understanding of the functions and mechanisms of regulation of aquaporins at both the molecular and the clinical level. Researches have also focused on aquaporins as therapeutic targets. This review discusses recent advances in uncovering the physiological and pathophysiological roles of aquaporins in the reproductive systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes the synthesis and ring-opening polymerization of a new functional dioxanone monomer 5-benzyloxymethyl-1,4-dioxan-2-one (BDON) in bulk using stannous octoate [Sn(Oct)2], aluminium isopropoxide [Al(OiPr)3] or aluminium isobutoxide [Al(OiBu)3] as an initiator. The influences of reaction conditions such as polymerization temperature, polymerization time, initiator and initiator concentration on the monomer conversion and molecular weight have been investigated. The protecting benzyl groups of poly(5-benzyloxymethyl-1,4-dioxan-2-one) (PBDON) were subsequently removed by catalytic hydrogenation to give poly(5-hydroxymethyl-1,4-dioxan-2-one) (PHDON) with pendant hydroxyl groups. The polymers obtained were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, GPC and DSC. In vitro degradation rates of the three poly(dioxanone) PHDON, PBDON and PDON under different conditions were also investigated. On the other hand, several copolymers P(BDON-co-DON)s were also synthesized. Deprotection of the benzyl groups in the copolymers afforded the corresponding hydroxyl-containing P(HDON-co-DON)s. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), a model protein drug, was encapsulated with PDON, PBDON or P(HDON-co-DON) to form microparticles and release behavior of these microparticles were studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common gynecological endocrine and metabolic disorder. Chinese herbal medicine has some advantages in the treatment of PCOS with its unique theoretical system and rich clinical practice experiences. The present study was to investigate the potential mechanisms of Bu-Shen-Jian-Pi Formula (BSJPF) on the treatment of PCOS. The combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS/MS) rapid analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking analysis and bio-experiments were firstly conducted to identify the main effective components of BSJPF, and to predict the potential mechanisms. The ovarian granulosa cell line (KGN) was treated with testosterone to construct the PCOS model in vitro, and the cells were further treated with the lyophilized powder of BSJPF. The levels of proliferation, autophagy and apoptosis were detected to explore the mechanisms of BSJPF on treating PCOS. Firstly, thirty-six active compounds were identified in BSJPF and thirty-one potential targets on PCOS were found. Then, PI3K and PDK1 were verified to have good binding activity with the active compounds through molecular docking analysis. In bio-experiments, BSJPF significantly alleviated the arrested proliferation of KGN cells in G0/G1 phase and reduced the active levels of autophagy and apoptosis of KGN cells induced by testosterone. Additionally, the inhibition of autophagy diminished apoptosis, while the repression apoptosis enhanced autophagy. Finally, BSJPF significantly decreased the FOXO1 expression levels induced by testosterone, especially for nuclear FOXO1, and significantly activated the PI3K/AKT pathway. BSJPF significantly alleviated the activated autophagy and apoptosis in KGN induced by testosterone through PI3K/AKT1/FOXO1pathway, which is an effective treatment for PCOS. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A dammarane derivative (4-XL-PPD) was obtained by structural modification. • 4-XL-PPD showed much better anticancer activity than original compound AD-2 on cancer cells. • 4-XL-PPD-induction of apoptosis of can be attenuated by the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine in gastric carcinoma cells. • 4-XL-PPD inhibits migratory and invasive. (20 R)-Dammarane-3 β , 12 β , 20, 25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) is a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng (C. A. Meyer). Previous research shows that the compound exhibits anti-cancer activities on many human cancer cell lines. In an attempt to enhance 25-OH-PPD activity, some derivatives were synthesized. Through screening of the derivative compounds for anti-cancer activity against gastric carcinoma cells, 12 β - O -(L-Chloracetyl)-dammar-20(22)-ene-3 β , 25-diol (4-XL-PPD) was selected as a strong anti-cancer agent. In this study, the anti-cancer mechanisms of 4-XL-PPD were investigated. The results showed that compound 4-XL-PPD resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of cells viability in gastric cancer cells, without affecting the viability of normal cell (human gastric epithelial cell line-GES-1). In BGC-803 cancer cells, 4-XL-PPD triggered apoptosis, and stimulated reactive oxygen species production. Apoptosis can be attenuated by the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Meantime, 4-XL-PPD effectively suppressed the migratory and invasive capabilities of BGC-803 cancer cell and inhibited the expression levels of proteins associated with migratory and invasive capabilities (MMP-2, MMP-9, E-cadherin and CD34). All the results suggest that 4-XL-PPD exhibited remarkable anticancer activity base on inducing apoptosis via generating reactive oxygen species and inhibiting migratory and invasive, which support development of 4-XL-PPD as a potential agent for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(20R)-Dammarane-3 β , 12 β , 20, 25-tetrol (25-OH-PPD) is a ginsenoside isolated from Panax ginseng (C. A. Meyer). This compound exhibits anti-cancer activities on many human cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated anti-cancer mechanisms of 12 β - O -( L -Chloracetyl)-dammar-20(22)-ene-3 β ,25-diol(12-Chloracetyl-PPD), a modified 25-OH-PPD. We found that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of viability in prostate, breast, and gastric cancer cells, without affecting the viability of normal cell (human gastric epithelial cell line-GES-1, hair follicle dermal papilla cell line-HHDPC and rat myocardial cell line-H9C2). In MDA-MB-435 and C4-2B cancer cells, 12-Chloracetyl-PPD induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, down-regulated mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) expression, up-regulated p53 expression, triggered apoptosis, and stimulated reactive oxygen species production. Apoptosis can be attenuated by the reactive oxygen species scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Our results suggested that compound 12-Chloracetyl-PPD showed obvious anti-cancer activity based on delaying cell cycle arrest and inducing cell apoptosis by reactive oxygen species production, which supported development of 12-Chloracetyl-PPD as a potential agent for cancer chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco is traditionally known to potentiate hair growth promotion. However, there has been no report on its main active ingredient responsible for the hair growth activity. In the current work, cedrol as a major constituent from P. orientalis was evaluated for its potential on hair growth in vivo . Different concentrations of cedrol (10, 20 and 30 mg/mL) were applied topically over the shaved skin of C57BL/6 mice and monitored for 21 days. Results indicated that cedrol significantly promoted hair growth in a dose-dependent manner, particularly for the female mice. Both male and female mice groups treated with 30 mg/mL cedrol required shorter time than the blank control and 2% minoxidil groups at different growth stages. Compared with the blank control (8.87 mm) and 2% minoxidil (9.94 mm) groups at 21 days, the hair length of female mice treated with 30 mg/mL cedrol showed a remarkable increase with the value of 11.07 mm. Hair in male and female mice groups treated with 30 mg/mL cedrol was heavier than the 2% minoxidil (38.2 and 35.9 mg, respectively) groups with the weight of 42.6 and 45.2 mg, respectively. Further observation of the hair follicle demonstrated that cedrol exerted a remarkable effect on the hair follicle length. These findings suggested that cedrol may be the main active ingredient of P. orientalis and have the potential of becoming a new hair growth promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel monolithic tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides nanoarrays have been fabricated, exhibiting excellent periodate activation efficiency for the degradation of organic pollutants by synergistic effect between reduced copper and mixed-valence manganese species. [Display omitted] • A novel monolithic tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides nanoarrays (CMM) was fabricated. • The Fenton-like microreactor CMM exhibits excellent catalytic activity for degradation of organic pollutants. • O 2 −, 1O 2 and OH were the major reactive radicals for 4-CP degradation in the CMM/NaIO 4 system. • The positive synergistic effect between reduced copper and mixed-valence manganese species for IO 4 - activation. Recently, considerable attention has been paid to develop novel Fenton-like oxidation systems for environmental remediation. The activation of periodate (NaIO 4) is a desirable oxidation process that drive redox reactions to produce abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) by a suitable activator. This study reports a simple hydrothermal-calcination route for forming novel tree-branch-like copper-manganese oxides (CuMnO x @MnO x , CMM) nanoarrays, and the production of radical species from NaIO 4 induced by CMM for the removal of rhodamine B and 4-chlorophenol from wastewater. The synergistic effects of Cu oxides and Mn oxides composite significantly elevated the activation of periodate, exhibited excellent degradation performance in the CMM/NaIO 4. Furthermore, reduced copper species and mixed-valence manganese species play a major role in reaction via XPS analysis. Additionally, the underlying degradation mechanism of this work was systematically researched by radical quenching tests and EPR analysis. Superoxide anion radical (O 2 −) was the major free radicals in this system, simultaneously the production of non-radical singlet oxygen (1O 2) via the electron transfer, which are contributed to remove organic pollutants. This work provides a facile way for fabricating monolithic multi-component metal oxides, and new insights into understand activation mechanism of manganese-based periodate activator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amine-functionalized adsorbents have become a hot topic in research on CO 2 separation from biogas. However, developing superior adsorbents with high adsorption capacity and stable cyclic stability under a CO 2 regeneration atmosphere remains difficult. In this study, azeotropic distillation, a green, recyclable method, was used to expand the pores of the nano-Al 2 O 3 support. The pore volume of pore-expanded nano-Al 2 O 3 reached 1.62 cm3 g−1, and the derived amine-functionalized nano-Al 2 O 3 adsorbent ('60%PEI@AD-Al 2 O 3 ') possessed a superior CO 2 uptake of 199.4 mg·g−1 adsorbent with rapid adsorption kinetics. '60%PEI@AD-Al 2 O 3 ' showed favourable cyclic stability under CO 2 regeneration atmosphere with a final CO 2 uptake of 133.8 mg·g−1 adsorbent after 50 cycles, which possessed a competitive CO 2 uptake compared with the reported amine-functionalized adsorbents with anti-urea stability. This superior performance is attributed to the large pore volume of the pore-expanded nano-Al 2 O 3 support and the anti-urea stability for '60%PEI@AD-Al 2 O 3 ', which does not require active amine modification and avoids diluting the active amine content. Furthermore, the effect of water vapour in biogas on adsorption performance was studied. Water vapour could significantly promote CO 2 adsorption at low temperatures (<90 °C), and it was accompanied by strong water vapour adsorption, which would potentially increase the regeneration energy consumption. Additionally, water vapour could effectively inhibit the formation of urea compounds, further improving the cyclic stability. Because of the facile, scalable preparation method, the synthesised amine-functionalized nano-Al 2 O 3 adsorbent has broad application prospects for CO 2 separation. [Display omitted] • Nano-Al 2 O 3 was pore-expanded via n-butanol solvent to a pore volume of 1.62 cm3 g−1. • Polyethylenimine was impregnated on nano-Al 2 O 3 for CO 2 separation from biogas. • '60%PEI@AD-Al 2 O 3 ' adsorbent shows superior CO 2 uptake of 199.4 mg·g−1 adsorbent. • '60%PEI@AD-Al 2 O 3 ' adsorbent possesses favourable cyclic and anti-urea stability. • Water vapour can inhibit the urea formation and improve the cyclic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates to alkyl levulinates is an important goal of biorefinery process, but is still challenging on applicable catalyst. Ce–Si pillared montmorillonite (CeSiM) clay heterostructures, incorporated with Wells-Dawson tungstophosphoric acid (H 6 P 2 W 18 O 64 , DPW), were prepared for the first time and used as the multifunctional catalyst for direct production of ethyl levulinate (EL) from various biomass-derived sugars. The DPW introduced by sol-gel method (DPW-CeSiM) has been effectively incorporated into the framework of porous CeSiM, while part of DPW was just absorbed on the surface of CeSiM by impregnation method (DPW-CeSiM-I). The DPW-CeSiM catalyst has large specific surface area owing to the insertion of Ce–Si pillars, and possesses strong Brønsted acidity and moderate Lewis acidity originated from the incorporated DPW and the Ce-doping, respectively. Due to the well synergistic effect of porous structure and dual acid, the DPW-CeSiM catalyst efficiently catalyzed the conversion of glucose into EL with 56.2% yield and nearly 100% conversion at 170 °C for 4 h. The recyclability studies certified that DPW-CeSiM catalyst showed higher stability than DPW-CeSiM-I over cycles and could be easily recovered from consecutive alcoholysis of biomass-derived sugars. The DPW-CeSiM catalyst also displayed high activity toward the conversion of other biomass-derived carbohydrates (fructose, sucrose, cellobiose and cellulose) into EL. Therefore, this work provides an instructive strategy for the design of efficient and stable DPW-based catalysts with dual acid sites uniformly distributed over the porous structure, which is obviously potential for industrial production of alkyl levulinates from carbohydrates and biomass. [Display omitted] • The DPW-modified Ce–Si pillared montmorillonite was successfully prepared. • The DPW-CeSiM is heterogenous catalyst with dual acidity and porous structure. • The DPW incorporated by sol-gel method has a strong bonding with the CeSiM support. • Glucose ethanolysis via DPW-CeSiM catalyst achieved high EL yield of 56.2%. • Direct ethanolysis of various carbohydrates is available using DPW-CeSiM catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: The increasing use of traditional herbal medicines around the world requires more scientific evidence for their putative harmlessness. To this end, a plethora of methods exist, more or less satisfying. In this post-genome era, recent reviews are however scarce, not only on the use of new “omics” methods (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabonomics) for genotoxicity, teratogenicity, and nephrotoxicity assessment, but also on conventional ones. Methods: The present work aims (i) to review conventional methods used to assess genotoxicity, teratogenicity and nephrotoxicity of medicinal plants and mushrooms; (ii) to report recent progress in the use of “omics” technologies in this field; (iii) to underline advantages and limitations of promising methods; and lastly (iv) to suggest ways whereby the genotoxicity, teratogenicity, and nephrotoxicity assessment of traditional herbal medicines could be more predictive. Results: Literature and safety reports show that structural alerts, in silico and classical in vitro and in vivo predictive methods are often used. The current trend to develop “omics” technologies to assess genotoxicity, teratogenicity and nephrotoxicity is promising but most often relies on methods that are still not standardized and validated. Conclusion: Hence, it is critical that toxicologists in industry, regulatory agencies and academic institutions develop a consensus, based on rigorous methods, about the reliability and interpretation of endpoints. It will also be important to regulate the integration of conventional methods for toxicity assessments with new “omics” technologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, we explored the effects of testosterone deprivation on the expression of voltage-dependent potassium (Kv) channels in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in rats. Six months after mature male Wistar rats were castrated, functional and posttranscriptional alterations of voltage-dependent potassium channels were detected using isometric tension measurement, whole-cell patch-clamp and western blot analysis. Constriction of aortic artery rings in response to 4-aminopyridine was significantly decreased 6 months after castration. A significant decrease in the amplitude of voltage-dependent potassium currents of aortic artery smooth muscle cells was detected in castrated rats compared with control rats. The level of expression of Kv1.5 channel protein was decreased. The decreased function and suppressed Kv1.5 protein expression of Kv channels after castration were restored by testosterone replacement. We concluded that long-term deprivation of endogenous testosterone in rats significantly attenuated the function of voltage-dependent potassium channels, and that a decreased expression of Kv1.5 channel protein accounted for this alteration. Restoration of physiological concentrations of testosterone restored the impaired function of voltage-dependent potassium channels, which may provide evidence for the beneficial effects of clinical testosterone replacement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Polyethylenimine is impregnated on porous nano-Al 2 O 3 derived from coal fly ash. • The PEI@Al 2 O 3 adsorbent is efficient for biogas upgrading via adsorbing CO 2. • The PEI@Al 2 O 3 adsorbent is extremely stable under realistic regeneration condition. • Nano-Al 2 O 3 support enhances cyclic stability via resisting urea linkages formation. • PEI impregnation process is not restricted by the pore size of nano-Al 2 O 3 support. Cyclic CO 2 adsorption via amine-functional adsorbents is widely accepted as an efficient route for biogas upgrading and CO 2 mitigation. However, the fast deactivation and insufficient CO 2 uptake are the major drawbacks of this technology. Herein, we developed a green and facile approach, including the recycling of porous nano-Al 2 O 3 support from coal fly ash (CFA) and the impregnation of PEI onto the nano-Al 2 O 3 support with large pore volume, to enhance both the CO 2 adsorption capacity and the cyclic stability of amine-functional adsorbents. The as-synthesized 50%PEI@Al 2 O 3 adsorbent possessed a CO 2 adsorption capacity of 136 mg g adsorbent −1 and showed superior cyclic stability with merely a negligible decay of <0.3% after 10 cycles. Even under the realistic regeneration conditions (at 165 °C in pure CO 2), it still maintained extremely stable adsorption capacity with a final CO 2 uptake of 111 mg g adsorbent −1, markedly increased by 5.5-fold than that of traditional 40%PEI@SiO 2 adsorbent. It was concluded that the nano-Al 2 O 3 support was benefical for the resistance of urea linkages formation during the regeneration stage, which would inactivate the functional amidogen. This strategy significantly enhanced the cyclic CO 2 uptakes of amine-functional adsorbents through the recycling of CFA-derived nano-Al 2 O 3 support, and is thus a green technology for practical biogas upgrading via CO 2 adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A prediction model (κ -model) is proposed for secondary average temperature. • κ -model can accurately build with a small amount of training data. • κ -model has a high prediction accuracy compared to data-driven methods at the beginning of heating. • The training data needed to build different models are evaluated. A prediction model, which can be established with a small number of operating data, is the key to realize the on-demand heating as soon as possible for new heating stations. The existing physics-based methods with high accuracy are based on detailed building thermal parameters, which are difficult to obtain and have poor applicability. Data-driven methods have high prediction accuracy, but they require a large amount of historical data for model training. In this paper, a novel prediction model based on building thermal inertia was proposed, called κ -model. Analysis and comparison were conducted between κ -model, support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and Multiple linear regression (MLR) with different conditions for secondary average temperature prediction. Results showed that κ -model can explore the heating characteristics from 1/2 days of operational data, and predict secondary average temperature with high precision by one-step or multi-step not only hourly but also daily. While XGBoost and MLR required the operational data of 15/60 days for the hourly/daily prediction model training, the accuracy of multi-step prediction was higher than that of one-step prediction for XGBoost, and MLR was not suitable for daily multi-step prediction due to error accumulation. SVM required the training data of 15/75 days for the hourly/daily prediction, and one-step prediction had higher accuracy than multi-step prediction. The above mean that in practical engineering, only κ -model can be applied for hourly prediction from November 16 to November 29, and for daily prediction from November 17 to January 16 at the beginning of the heating season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]