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As a psychoactive substance abused worldwide, methamphetamine (METH) abuse leads to multiple neurodegenerative symptoms including memory deficits. Terminalia chebula retzius extracts (TREs) isolated by our lab have great antioxidant activity and its effect on METH-induced memory deficits has not been investigated yet. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of TREs on METH induced cell apoptosis in vitro and memory deficits in vivo. The results showed that TREs treatment attenuated free radical release and improved cell survival of primary hippocampal neurons after METH injury. In the Morris water maze task, TREs treatment reversed METH-induced learning and memory deficits in acquisition and retention. Moreover, TREs reduced oxidative stress in the serum and hippocampus of mice. Additionally, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2) pathway and the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway were inactivated after METH treatment, and were significantly activated after TREs pretreatment. These findings suggest that TREs may exert potent neuroprotective effect via activation of both ERK and Nrf2 pathways, thus providing a basis for its potential use for ameliorating memory deficits induced by METH. [Display omitted] • Methamphetamine exposure induced significant memory impairment in mice. • TREs significantly ameliorated memory impairment induced by methamphetamine. • TREs attenuated apoptosis of hippocampal neurons after METH exposure. • TREs significantly activated the ERK and Nrf2 pathway after METH exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony (Sb) decontamination in water is necessary owing to the worsening pollution which seriously threatens human life safety. Designing bismuth-based photocatalysts with hydroxyls have attracted growing interest because of the broad bandgap and enhanced separation efficiency of photogenerated electron/hole pairs. Until now, the available photocatalysis information regarding bismuth-based photocatalysts with hydroxyls has remained scarce and the contemporary report has been largely limited to Bi 3 O(OH)(PO 4) 2 (BOHP). Herein, Bi 3 O(OH)(AsO 4) 2 (BOHAs), a novel ultraviolet photocatalyst, was fabricated via the co-precipitation method for the first time, and developed to simultaneous photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption of Sb(III). The rate constant of Sb(III) removal by the BOHAs was 32.4, 3.0, and 4.3 times higher than those of BiAsO 4 , BOHP, and TiO 2 , respectively, indicating that the introduction of hydroxyls could increase the removal of Sb(III). Additionally, the crucial operational parameters affecting the adsorption performance (catalyst dosage, concentration, pH, and common anions) were investigated. The BOHAs maintained 85% antimony decontamination of the initial yield after five successive cycles of photocatalysis. The Sb(III) removal involved photocatalytic oxidation of adsorbed Sb(III) and subsequent adsorption of the yielded Sb(V). With the acquired knowledge, we successfully applied the photocatalyst for antimony removal from industrial wastewater. In addition, BOHAs could also be powerful photocatalysts in the photodegradation of organic pollutants studies of which are ongoing. It reveals an effective strategy for synthesizing bismuth-based photocatalysts with hydroxyls and enhancing pollutants' decontamination. [Display omitted] • Novel Bi 3 O(OH)(AsO 4) 2 photocatalyst was synthesized for the first time. • The BOHAs exhibited enhanced photocatalytic remediation of Sb(III). • Photocatalytic oxidation of adsorbed Sb(III) and adsorption of the yielded Sb(V). • Thirty-fold higher Sb(Ⅲ) decontamination than BiAsO 4. • Bi 3 O(OH)(AsO 4) 2 is efficient for Sb(III) removal from actual water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Amorphization is not the result of thermal melting, but a new plastic mechanism. • The critical strain of amorphization in small-grained samples is greater. • Interaction between multiple amorphous bands leads to a strain hardening effect. Shear localization is the predominant form of failure of metals at high strain rates where amorphization often occurs. However, the mechanism and role of amorphization in shear localization are not yet clearly understood. In this work, a series of shear deformations of nanocrystals with different grain sizes at high strain rates are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that amorphization is not the result of thermal melting, but a new plastic deformation mechanism in the process of shear localization, which serves as a complement to dislocation and grain boundary to support plastic deformation at a high strain rate. The critical shear strain at which shear localization and amorphization occur is greater for small-grained specimens than for large-grained specimens. This can be attributed to the fact that small-grained specimens have more defects and slip systems that can be activated, which cause amorphization to occur later. The strain rate has a significant influence on shear localization and amorphization. The processes of shear localization and amorphization become more complicated at extremely high strain rates than at relatively low strain rates. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• No chemical agents or surfactants are involved in the preparation process. • Simple synthesis and low cost make QUT/HA-NF a good clinical application potential. • The nanoformulation can be targeted to tumor cells via CD44 receptor mediation. In this study, a novel hyaluronic acid-based quercetin nanoformulation (QUT/HA-NF) was constructed for targeted tumor therapy. QUT/HA-NFs have the advantages of simple operation steps, low production cost and good industrialization prospects. Moreover, surfactants, solvents and chemicals are not involved in the preparation process, which avoid the cumbersome extraction of surfactants and the side effects caused by residual solvents or chemicals. The QUT/HA-NFs we prepared have small particle size and high drug loading. In vitro studies have shown that QUT/HA-NFs can significantly enhance tumor cell uptake and tumor cell killing through CD44 receptor mediation. In a xenograft mouse model of 4T1 tumor, QUT/HA-NFs showed stronger inhibition of tumor growth compared with quercetin alone. The QUT/HA-NFs proposed in this study are expected to provide a potential candidate for the treatment of tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superwetting membranes were widely studied in the field of oil/water separation due to their excellent separation efficiency and good recoverability, but they still suffer from the disadvantages of expensive reagents, complicated processes, and narrow scope of application. Herein, a robust and flexible Janus membrane with asymmetric wetting properties was constructed using discarded PET and bricks powder as building blocks, for various types of emulsions separation. Given the cross-linking effect of acrylic resin, the superhydrophilic crushed waste bricks powder (WBP) was orderly assembled on the electrospinning PET nanofiber membrane, achieving asymmetric wettability on each side: the high-hydrophobic PET side had underwater superoleophilicity, while superhydrophilic WBP side had underwater superoleophobicity. Janus membrane exhibit excellent corrosion resistance and can maintain stable contact angles in different pH environments. Due to its highly porous and surface anisotropic nature, Janus membrane showed excellent separation efficiency and separation flux for both oil-in-water emulsions (separation efficiency up to 99.4%, separation flux up to 196 L m−2 h−1) and oil-in-water emulsions (separation efficiency up to 99.3%, separation flux up to 792 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). More importantly, Janus membranes exhibited outstanding reusability. This Janus membrane shows great potential in the fields of waste upcycling and emulsion separation. [Display omitted] • Waste brick and waste PET were used to produce functional Janus membrane. • The membrane has graded porous structure and asymmetric wetting selectivity. • The membrane could separate both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions. • The membrane shows promising chemical stability and recovery performance. • This technique can lead to greater utilization of waste plastic and waste brick. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Methamphetamine (METH) exposure can cause severe effects to the nervous system; however, the underlying molecular mechanism of neurotoxicity caused by METH is still unclear. Oxidative stress and apoptosis are linked in the pathophysiology of many neurodegenerative diseases. Krill oil (KO) benefits human health via its strong antioxidant ability. Therefore, we hypothesized that KO supplementation might effectively prevent METH-induced neurotoxicity via the inhibition of apoptotic responses and oxidative damages. In this study, PC12 cells were exposed to both METH (3 mmol/L) and KO (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 μ g/mL) in vitro for 24 h, and the following parameters were measured to detect apoptosis and oxidative stress responses that were triggered by METH: cell viability, the oxidative enzyme system, NO production, ROS production, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential and protein expression of cleaved caspase-3. The results indicate that KO mitigates the apoptotic response post-METH exposure in PC 12 cells by increasing cell viability, decreasing protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, reducing apoptotic rates, and decreasing dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, the study revealed increases in SOD and GSH activity, and decreases in MDA content, NO and ROS production, suggesting that KO is beneficial in reducing oxidative stress, which may also play a role in the regulation of METH-triggered apoptotic response. Consequently, these data indicate that KO could potentially alleviate METH-induced neurotoxicity via the reduction of apoptotic responses and oxidative damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy structure of PEDOT:PSS limits the perovskite solar cell (PSC) performance based on inverted FTO/PEDOT:PSS/perovskite/PCBM structure. Here, inorganic CuSCN is modified on PEDOT:PSS using spin-coating method under low temperature, which is compatible with the low temperature fabrication of PSC. Modification CuSCN guarantees the light harvesting of perovskite layer because of the transparency of CuSCN and good crystalline of perovskite film on CuSCN/PEDOT:PSS substrate. Furthermore, CuSCN effectively changes the energy states of PEDOT:PSS to decrease the energy loss during charge transport, promoting the charge transfer at the same time. Based on the improved charge transport and reduced energy loss, the photovoltaic property of PSC based on CuSCN/PEDOT:PSS reaches the optimized efficiency of 10.9%, much better than the control PEDOT:PSS-based device with 9.1% performance (AM1.5, 1sun). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid-liquid two-phase flow in a coaxial micro-channel was investigated with micro-PIV measurement and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The velocity distributions inside and outside of droplet were measured simultaneously. Both experimental and simulated results showed that a pair of symmetrical vortices existed during droplet formation process. In addition, a parameter, swirling strength, was employed to characterize the developing vortices throughout the droplet formation process. The effects of physical properties, such as interfacial tension and viscosity, on fluid flow were also discussed. The results showed that the absolute valued swirling strength increased with the decrease of interfacial tension, while decreased with the increase of continuous phase viscosity. The agreement between the experimental and simulation results in various conditions demonstrates that both the micro-PIV measurement and CFD simulation results in this work are reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the morphology, structure and function of antennae and antennal sensilla of Didesmococcus koreanus Borchsenius, family Coccidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), in the first-instar nymph, adult female and adult male stages, we investigated these stages using light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the antennae of first-instar nymphs and adult females are similar in morphology and sensilla distribution. The antennae of first-instar nymphs comprise six segments, and each antenna has 24 sensilla of six types: one campaniform sensillum (Ca), eleven smooth aporous trichoid sensilla (St), two basiconic sensilla (Ba), five multiporous pegs (Mp), two smooth multiporous pegs (sMp) and three chaetica sensilla (Ch). The antennae of adult females have six or seven segments, and each antenna has 25 sensilla of the same six types as the first nymphs, but with twelve sensillum St. The antennae of adult males are more developed, and each antenna contains 155–213 sensilla of eight types: 16–34 St, 1 Ca, 2–5 Ba, 1 Johnston’s organ (Jo), 3 knob sensilla (Ks), 5 Mp, 2 sMp and 120–181 multiporous sensilla trichodea (Mt). Based on our analysis, we discuss the possible functions of the antennae and antennal sensilla of D. koreanus in different instars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unevenly distributed magnetic field caused irreversible electrochemical states of iron in a sulfuric acid solution due to the undulated surface generated by anodic dissolution. The magnetic field affected the activation-passivation transition threshold by modifying the interface reaction rate and surface morphology. The passivation onset potential was increased by decreasing the scan rate under 0.4 T, and was insensitive to the scan rate at 0 T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel identification algorithm for neuro-fuzzy based single-input-single-output (SISO) Wiener model with colored noises is presented in this paper. The separable signal is adopted to identify the Wiener model, leading to the identification problem of the linear part separated from nonlinear counterpart. Then, the correlation analysis method can be employed for identification of linear part. Moreover, in the presence of random signal, the least square method based parameters estimation algorithm of static nonlinear part are proposed to avoid the impact of colored noise. As a result, proposed method can circumvent the problem of initialization and convergence of the model parameters encountered by the existing iterative algorithms used for identification of Wiener model. Examples are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to fine particulate matter (fine PM) is known to cause severe public health problems. However, the potential mechanisms of alveolar macrophages cytotoxicity induced by fine PM exposure are still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine if both the mitochondrial dysfunction and the inflammatory response of NR8383 macrophages were triggered by Standard Reference Material 2786 (SRM 2786) for fine PM. NR8383 cells were exposed to different concentrations of SRM 2786, mitochondrial membrane potential, ultrastructure of mitochondria, activities of caspase 3/9, release of IL-6/TNF-α, expression of NF-κB and IκBα were evaluated. The results indicated that SRM 2786 induced mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and structural damages of mitochondria with dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential. The inflammatory response was triggered as evidenced by increased release of IL-6/TNF-α, and increased protein expression of NF-κB with decreased protein expression of IκBα. Consequently, these data indicate that both mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory responses might be responsible for SRM 2786 induced macrophage cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boer and Macheng Black goat breeds were used to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene for the prolactin receptor ( PRLR ) by DNA sequencing. Thirteen mutations (seven in the exon, four in the intron, and two in the 3′ UTR) were found. We performed comprehensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) and haplotype analyses of the 13 SNPs of PRLR and found that the SNPs were in two LD blocks in 300 F2 hybrids of Boer×Macheng Black goats. Analyses of the tag SNPs indicated that the g.184822G/A and g.185275C/T SNPs were significantly associated with growth traits, and individuals with the combinative genotype GGTT had the lowest levels of some growth traits. Moreover, Individuals with genotype GA had stronger offspring than did individuals with genotype GG at the g.184822G/A locus. This study revealed that PRLR is a promising candidate for the selection of both growth and litter traits in these goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé Les interférons (IFN) jouent un rôle essentiel de régulation de la différenciation des ostéoclastes et de la résorption osseuse. Ces dix dernières années, notre compréhension des mécanismes de régulation de l’ostéoclastogenèse par les interférons a fait un bond en avant. Parmi les interférons de type I, l’IFN-β inhibe l’ostéoclastogenèse par des processus d’autorégulation ou de régulation exogène. Par ailleurs, il a été démontré récemment que l’IFN-α intervient dans la régulation de la formation des ostéoclastes. Le seul interféron de type II, l’IFN-γ, exerce des effets biphasiques sur l’ostéoclastogenèse. Une action des interférons de type III dans la résorption osseuse par les ostéoclastes a également été mise en évidence, mais aucun mécanisme de direct de régulation n’a été démontré. Dans cette revue, nous rendons compte de l’état actuel des connaissances sur ces rôles récemment identifiés des interférons dans la régulation de différentes voies de signalisation participant au fonctionnement et à la différenciation des ostéoclastes. Nous présentons aussi des possibles applications cliniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferons (IFNs) play essential roles in regulating osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. Over the last decade, we have seen tremendous developments in our understanding of the mechanisms by which interferons regulate osteoclastogenesis. Of the type I interferons, IFN-β inhibits osteoclastogenesis via autoregulatory or exogenous regulatory mechanisms, while IFN-α was recently shown to participate in regulating osteoclast formation. And the only member of type II interferons, IFN-γ, has biphasic effects on osteoclastogenesis. Type III interferons have also been shown to be involved in osteoclast bone resorption, although no direct regulatory mechanism has been demonstrated. In this review, we provide an update account of the current knowledge on these recently revealed novel roles of interferons in the regulation of a variety of signaling pathways in osteoclast differentiation and function. The potential clinical applications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective treatment of diversified and complicated oily wastewater is of great significance but remains challenging, Janus membrane with asymmetric wettabilities is an urgent need in the field of ideal oil-water separation. Herein, this work presents a facile and versatile method to fabricate polydopamine/polyethylene terephthalate/polyvinylidene fluoride (PDA/PET/PVDF) Janus membrane via sequential electrospinning technique and surface chemical modification. Specifically, the PDA/PET side of the resultant Janus membrane possesses superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic properties and the PVDF side of Janus membrane exhibited hydrophobic/superoleophilic surface. It is indicated that the resulting asymmetric wettability of Janus membrane is controlled only by reversal, and the membrane can work as water/oil-removing material for on-demand emulsion separation. In addition, the as-obtained Janus membrane preserved asymmetric wettability for highly efficient separation of various oil-in-water emulsions (separation efficiency of 99.7 % and separation flux of 1,770 L·m-2·h-1) and water-in-oil emulsions (separation efficiency of 99.5 % and separation flux of 19,200 L·m-2·h-1bar-1). Furthermore, the Janus PET membrane also showed excellent mechanical property and good antifouling activity against contaminants due to the hierarchical porous structure. The waste-derived PET Janus fibrous membranes with mild fabrication processes show prominent separation efficiency, excellent mechanical property and good antifouling activity, which is of great importance for providing a flexible strategy to fabricate Janus membranes by using waste plastic as raw materials, as well as demonstrating a solution for multifunctional oil/water separation and purification. [Display omitted] • A waste-to-treasure recycling strategy from waste PET to functional Janus membrane was presented. • Oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions were separated with high efficiency. • The Janus membrane showed strong mechanical properties, good recyclability and antifoul-ability. • The Janus membrane provides a new method for plastic recycling and oil/water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach, radial-axial force controlled (RAFC) electromagnetic sheet forming (EMF), has been developed for hard-form metal sheet deep drawing. Different to the traditional EMF, an additional radial Lorentz force was introduced at the flange region of workpiece to improve the material flow and reduce the maximum strain of workpiece. For this purpose, an EMF system with two coils has been designed. The two coils were used to generate the axial Lorentz force (Fz) on the workpiece region (D1) above the cavity and the radial force (Fr) on the flange region (D2), respectively. The Fz was used to accelerate the D1 region's material in axial direction to shape the workpiece into the die, while the Fr was used to accelerate the D2 region's material in negative radial direction to improve the material flow of the flange. In this paper the electromagnetic analysis of the system has been carried out. As a proof of concept, the variation characteristics of Fr and Fz under different discharging energies and schedules of the coils were simulated and analyzed. The results show that the magnitudes and the action time of the Fr and the Fz can be well controlled, which indicates that the forming can be flexibly controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]