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The health of rolling bearing is of great importance for the normal operation of rotating machinery. The fault diagnosis process can be roughly summarized as signal processing, feature extraction, and fault classification. In this paper, a novel feature extraction and fault diagnosis method with fractional order back-propagation neural network is put forward. The new sine cosine algorithm optimized variational mode decomposition is performed on vibration signals, and the fault feature vectors are selected and built by singular value decomposition. Inspired by the fractional order calculus, a fractional order back-propagation neural network is employed to realize fault classification. The capability of the developed fault diagnosis algorithm is comprehensively evaluated via benchmark bearing data. The experimental results demonstrate that the designed method substantially extracts bearing defect features, increases classification accuracy and efficiency, and also outperforms existing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying among nurses and their professional quality of life, as well as the mediating role of coping styles between the two factors. Background: In China, the overall status of nurses' professional quality of life is not optimistic, and the problems of low compassion satisfaction and high compassion fatigue persist. Workplace bullying, which is a serious global issue, can negatively impact the mental health and professional quality of nurses. However, it has still not attracted enough attention from managers. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional research design and surveyed 297 clinical nurses from two tertiary grade A hospitals in Wuhan, China. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey from March to May 2022. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, including Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. Results: The score for nurses' workplace bullying was 38.72 ± 12.30. The scores for the three dimensions of professional quality of life were 27.56 ± 4.79 for compassion satisfaction, 30.51 ± 4.33 for burnout, and 28.47 ± 4.65 for secondary trauma stress. The scores for positive coping style and negative coping style were 34.59 ± 5.72 and 20.34 ± 5.08 points, respectively. Workplace bullying had a direct negative effect on compassion satisfaction, as well as positive direct effects on burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Coping styles played a mediating effect between workplace bullying and the pairwise relationships of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary trauma stress. Conclusion: Workplace bullying hurts nurses' professional quality of life while coping styles plays an mediating role between workplace bullying and professional quality of life. Nursing managers can improve nurses' professional quality of life by reducing workplace bullying and enhancing positive coping style. Implications for nursing management: Nursing managers can employ management wisdom and techniques to mitigate the presence and detrimental effects of workplace bullying. This, in turn, promotes a positive work environment and enhances the professional quality of life for nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the dynamically optimal consumption, investment and life-insurance strategies for a wage earners under inside information and inflation. Assume that the wage earner can invest in a risk-free asset, a risky asset and an inflation-indexed bond and that the wage earner can obtain some additional information on the risky asset from the financial market. By maximizing the expected utility of the wage earner's consumption, inheritance and terminal wealth, we obtain the dynamically optimal consumption, investment and life-insurance strategies for the wage earner. The method of this paper is mainly based on (dynamical) stochastic control theory and the technique of enlargement of filtrations. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is carried out, which reveals that a wage earner with inside information tends to increase his/her consumption and investment, while reducing his/her purchase of life insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy in acromegaly is uncommon and still in debate for fear of tumor progression or potential threat to both mother and fetus's health. Besides, the data for pregnancy complications in uncontrolled acromegaly is limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to summarize pregnancy safety and disease courses after pregnancy in acromegalic patients and review their clinical characteristics based on disease activity in the literature. Methods: An evaluation of eight acromegalic women from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) with 11 pregnancies was conducted. We also summarized a literature review of 82 disease-active pregnancies and 63 disease-controlled pregnancies with acromegaly. A second analysis was conducted to compare pregnancy courses and outcomes in different disease activities. Results: Before pregnancy, all patients had macroadenomas and underwent pituitary surgery. Pregnancy occurred at a median of 6 years (4–10) after the diagnosis of acromegaly. Assisted reproductive therapy was needed in 42.9% of participants. No cases had a premature birth or congenital malformations. Biochemical control was achieved in 50% of females before pregnancy and 75% at the last follow-up after delivery. Data analysis showed no differences in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) between acromegaly-active or acromegaly-controlled groups. The GDM prevalence in patients diagnosed during pregnancy (33.3%) was higher than that in patients diagnosed before pregnancy (4.8%) (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Pregnancy without biochemical control in acromegaly and receiving medical treatment during pregnancy are not rare and generally safe for the fetus. There could be a higher prevalence of PIH in acromegalic pregnancies. The treatment of acromegaly and related complications can be managed with regular follow-up after pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkholderia gladioli (B. gladioli) may cause food poisoning through the production of the toxin bongkrekic acid (BA), and could induce lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Edible mushrooms are a route of B. gladioli transmission; however, little effort has been focused on the prevalence of B. gladioli in edible mushrooms. In this study, 25 of the 325 edible mushroom samples were positive for B. gladioli , which showed moderate or strong biofilm formation capacity with a wide range of motility. Seventeen strains were capable of producing BA, while the isolates without toxin production lacked BA synthesis pathway genes bonK or bonR2. Antibiotic susceptibility testing indicated that all isolates were multidrug resistant. A considerable proportion of isolates were resistant to polymyxin B (100 %), chloramphenicol (84.62 %), aztreonam (84.62 %), ceftriaxone (84.62 %), and ticarcillin (61.54 %). None of the strains grew under environmental conditions such as pH below 4.0 or NaCl concentrations above 3.0 g/100 mL. Furthermore, 10 novel sequence typings (STs) were detected among the 25 isolates by multilocus sequence typing. This study provides valuable information for the control and prevention of B. gladioli contamination in common edible mushrooms for the first time. • Dried black fungus was contaminated with B. gladioli at a rate of 25.61 %. • Strong or moderate biofilm-forming ability was observed in B. gladioli isolates. • B. gladioli not producing BA were found to lack the bonK or bonR2 genes. • Ten STs were detected from edible mushrooms for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The creation of high-performance thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials is of great importance for minimizing energy consumption and reducing fire risk for modern buildings. Herein, we report the creation of a new composite aerogel, which was prepared by incorporation of 9,10-Dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene 10-Oxide-3-Aminopropyl triethoxysilane (DOPO-KH550) modified hollow glass microspheres (HGM) into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using citric acid as a cross-linker, as a kind of thermal insulation and flame retardant materials (abbreviated as PVA-DKHGM). The as-synthesized PVA-DKHGM composite exhibits superior thermal conductivity of 0.0187 W m−1 K−1, owing to the hollow structure of the hollow glass microspheres and rich porosity. Besides, it reaches V-0 level at the UL-94 test and the peak heat release rate (pHRR) was measured to be 114.93 (kW/m2) which is lower than most composites now. These results are attributed to the synergy effect of the hollow glass microsphere and DOPO-KH550 which offers the composites aerogel excellent flame retardancy. Owing to its advantages such as lightweight, highly porous, thermally stable, simple to prepare, high mechanical strength, and can be further scaled up, our PVA-DKHGM aerogel may hold great potential for practical applications in construction of energy-saving modern buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bivalent genes, of which promoters are marked by both H3K4me3 (trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 4) and H3K27me3 (trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 27), play critical roles in development and tumorigenesis. Monomethylation on lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me1) is commonly associated with enhancers, but H3K4me1 is also present at promoter regions as an active bimodal or a repressed unimodal pattern. Whether the co-occurrence of H3K4me1 and bivalent marks at promoters plays regulatory role in development is largely unknown. Results: We report that in the process of lineage differentiation, bivalent promoters undergo H3K27me3-H3K4me1 transition, the loss of H3K27me3 accompanies by bimodal pattern loss or unimodal pattern enrichment of H3K4me1. More importantly, this transition regulates tissue-specific gene expression to orchestrate the development. Furthermore, knockout of Eed (Embryonic Ectoderm Development) or Suz12 (Suppressor of Zeste 12) in mESCs (mouse embryonic stem cells), the core components of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) which catalyzes H3K27 trimethylation, generates an artificial H3K27me3-H3K4me1 transition at partial bivalent promoters, which leads to up-regulation of meso-endoderm related genes and down-regulation of ectoderm related genes, thus could explain the observed neural ectoderm differentiation failure upon retinoic acid (RA) induction. Finally, we find that lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) interacts with PRC2 and contributes to the H3K27me3-H3K4me1 transition in mESCs. Conclusions: These findings suggest that H3K27me3-H3K4me1 transition plays a key role in lineage differentiation by regulating the expression of tissue specific genes, and H3K4me1 pattern in bivalent promoters could be modulated by LSD1 via interacting with PRC2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The end of the Neoproterozoic global ice age has promoted the evolution of the Earth's surface system and initiated the ‘Great Explosion of Life’. Glaciation deposits provide valuable insights into the extreme climate conditions. In the southern margin of the North China Craton (NCC), an Ediacaran glacial deposit named ‘Luoquan Formation’ has been recently described in Luonan County, Shaanxi Province. It has significant characteristics of dark grey and black glacial deposits. Through extensive research in sedimentology, geochemistry and geochronology, the glacial sedimentary evolution sequence of the Luoquan Formation has been established. This research also help to define the age of the formation and reveal its provenance and sedimentary environment. The study reveals that four lithofacies associations were identified in the Luoquan Formation: diamictites, carbonates, dropstone‐bearing rock and black shale. The Luoquan Formation has experienced three cycles of glacial advance–retreat. Sedimentological evidence suggests that the sedimentary environments of the Luoquan Formation evolved from subglacial (diamictite) to intertidal, then to intertidal lagoon, or from subglacial deposits to shoreface (inner shelf, subtidal), then to deep water basin and fine‐grained turbidite and ice‐rafting. The age of the Luoquan Formation is estimated to be 562–550 Ma constrained by indirect chronological and paleontological data, maybe representing an Upper Ediacaran glaciation that occurred later than the Gaskiers glaciation. The overall age profile of detrital zircons from the Luoquan Formation can be divided into six groups, ranging from 1.1 to 1.6, 1.85 to 1.95, ~2.1, ~2.3, ~2.5 and 2.65 to 2.9 Ga. These age groups are consistent with the Archean to Meso‐Neoproterozoic magmatic–tectonic events in the southern margin of NCC, indicating they are ascribed to an origination directly from the southern margin of NCC. The Luoquan Formation exhibits the characteristics of isochronous and different sedimentary facies, with the glacial front moving from north to south. The discovery of Luoquan Formation in Lianshuigou section not only reflects the important significance of the restoration and reconstruction of the Ediacaran ice age, paleoenvironment and palaeogeography of the NCC but also provides significant evidence to support the further subdivision and correlation within the Ediacaran glacial deposits globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development and preparation of multifunctional photothermal conversion materials has far-reaching significance for the utilization of solar energy resources in response to the energy crisis. Herein, we propose a Janus membrane for interfacial solar evaporation and phase change energy storage. The membranes were fabricated via combining the PVA film with multi-shelled hollow spheres (MHS). The membranes have asymmetric wettability, that is, one side is hydrophilic and the other side is hydrophobic. The as-resulted membranes obtain outstanding light absorption without further processing. According to these two advantages, the membranes were applied to solar evaporation. The evaporation rate of the membrane is 1.41 kg*m−2h−1 and the evaporation efficiency is 92.4 % under 1sun irradiation. Moreover, the membrane prepared by impregnating 1-Hexadecanamine (HDA) into MHS possesses excellent tensile strength (2.21 MPa) and photothermal conversion ability. The light-to-thermal conversion efficiency can reach 81.9 % under 1sun irradiation. Therefore, the membranes have broad application prospects in the field of photothermal conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the potential health benefits of the natural environment for human well-being. Given the fast-paced nature of contemporary lifestyles, research into the use of virtual environments as a means to provide various seasonal landscapes has gained increasing importance. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of different sensory modes on the preferences and therapeutic effects of virtual autumn landscapes on university campuses. Methods: In this study, 320 participants, with an average age of 21.11 years (±1.21 years), were exposed to virtual environments featuring autumn color landscapes and bare tree landscapes using visual, auditory, and combined conditions. A control group was included for comparison. Differences in participants' physiological indicators (EEG, heart rate) and psychological measures (POMS, PANAS, SVS, ROS) were analyzed, with the use of the Holm correction (P < 0.05). Results: (1) Autumn virtual landscapes with color had a superior therapeutic effect. (2) There were significant differences in the therapeutic effects of different sensory modes within the same season's landscape categories, suggesting that incorporating additional sensory dimensions may enhance therapeutic outcomes. Conclusion: Based on the study's findings, we recommend that when designing therapeutic environments, attention should be given to seasonal variations and the integration of various sensory modes to optimize therapeutic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Academic emotion is a fundamental emotional concept closely linked to academic achievement. Understanding the connection between academic emotion and the personality trait of hardiness is pivotal in maintaining a stable career orientation throughout one's educational career. Therefore, in pursuit of fostering the robust growth of nursing careers, it is imperative to delve into the academic emotions experienced by undergraduate nursing students. This study endeavors to mitigate the impact of gender differences among nursing students while investigating the intricate relationship between academic emotions and the trait of hardiness in their personalities. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional research design. We gathered data from a convenient sample of 292 nursing students enrolled at Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine. Each student provided demographic information and responded to a general academic mood questionnaire, as well as a Hardiness Personality Rating Scale. Subsequently, we used canonical correlation analysis to evaluate the correlation between academic emotion and tenacity personality in 292 undergraduate nursing students. Results: We discovered that academic emotions among nursing students are predominantly characterized by feelings of disappointment and boredom. Furthermore, personality hardiness is primarily influenced by the dimensions of engagement and control. It is important to note that a heightened level of negative, low-arousal academic emotions can diminish the level of engagement. The first typical correlation coefficient corresponding to academic emotion and hardiness were 0.660. The linear combination of standardized variables of the first typical variable corresponding to academic emotion (X1) = -0.444*negative hyperarousal -0.443 * positive hyperarousal + 0.694 * negative hypoarousal -0.260 * positive hypoarousal. The standardized variable equation of the first typical variable corresponding to hardiness personality (η1) = 0.235* hardiness -0.433* control -0.530* investment -0.303* challenge. Conclusions: Nursing students generally believe that their input is out of proportion to the return, and this unbalanced emotional experience will seriously affect their academic emotions in China. It is suggested that paying attention to cultivating their tenacious personality traits in the teaching process may help to enhance their academic emotions and enhance the sense of belonging and identity of nursing students engaged in the nursing profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Water environmental pollution especially caused by bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms always would accelerate the spread of infectious diseases and has been one of the issues highly concerned by the World Health Organization for a long time. The development of novel antibacterial materials with high activity for water cleanness was of great importance for public health and ecological sustainable development. In this work, we developed two really free-standing conjugated microprous polymers (CMPs) film with large size and processibility by a simple and convenient solid surface-assisted polymerization between bromo- and aryl-acetylene monomers. With the solid interfacial orientation from silica nanofibers, the resulting CMPs film exhibited nanotube-liked morphology with BET surface area of 379.5 m2 g−1 and 480.1 m2 g−1. The introduction of antibacterial isocyanurate and acetanilide group into polymer skeleton brings the resulting CMPs film intrinsically antimicrobial capability and durability. The growth of E. coli can be completely inhibited by the resulting CMPs film even after several cycles. Our work was suggested to provide a new route for rational design of CMPs film or membrane with antibacterial activity for water treatment and sterilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective combination of ultra-precise detection and on-demand sterilization stands out as one of the most valuable antifouling methods to combat pathogenic bacteria source and ensure the environment and food safety. Herein, an innovative "five birds one stone" aptasensor has been reported. It integrates magnetic separation, tri-modal precision detection, and efficient sterilization for monitoring of Staphylococcus aureus. Firstly, as a switch of the aptasensor, aptamer-modified potassium chloride-doped carbon dots (apt/KCl@CDs) could be adsorbed onto the surface of magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotube composites (M-MWCNTs) through π-π stacking, which could be replaced by the specific binding of the target bacteria to the aptamer. The mutual interference between the nanomaterials could be eliminated by this reverse magnetosorption strategy, enhancing the test sensitivity. In addition to the fluorescence properties, the peroxidase activity possessed by apt/KCl@CDs enables the conversion of the (3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine) TMB-H 2 O 2 colorimetric system to a photothermal modal. Then, the ultra-precision detection in the assay was achieved by the fluorescence-colorimetric-photothermal tri-modal sensing from the formation of S. aureus -apt/KCl@CDs in the supernatant. Besides, the efficient sterilization could be ensured by adsorbing the apt/KCl@CDs on the surface of S. aureus , generating toxic •OH for direct attacking cells. This was the first report that was more beneficial for bacterial eradication. The detection limits of fluorescence, colorimetric and photothermal modals were 4.81 cfu/mL, 3.40 cfu/mL and 6.74 cfu/mL, respectively. The magnetic nanoplatform integrating tri-modal detection-sterilization meets the demand for highly sensitive and precise detection in different scenarios, providing immediate control for pathogens and broad application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a common complication after the laminectomy. Epidural fibrosis is the major cause of lower back pain and other complications. Numerous studies have shown that apigenin (API) could treat various fibrotic diseases by regulating various signaling pathways, whereas no study has discussed whether API can inhibit fibroblast proliferation and reduce epidural fibrosis after the laminectomy by regulating Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods: Human fibroblasts were cultured and treated with API in different concentrations for 24 h. CCK-8 detection and EdU incorporation assay were performed to detect cell viability and cell proliferation. Western blotting analysis was applied to detect expressions of proliferative proteins, Wnt3a, and its downstream proteins. Moreover, the Wnt3a gene was overexpressed in fibroblasts to define the relationship between Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway and fibroblast proliferation. Wnt3a overexpressed fibroblasts were treated with API to verify if it could reverse the effects of API treatment. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Laminectomy was performed and the rats were gavaged with different doses of API or 5% sodium carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC-Na) solution for 1 month. The abilities of API to inhibit fibroblast proliferation and to reduce epidural fibrosis were evaluated using histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: CCK-8 detection and EdU incorporation assay demonstrated that API could inhibit the viability and proliferation rate of fibroblasts in a concentration-dependent manner. The Western blotting analysis revealed that API could inhibit the expressions of PCNA, cyclinD1, Wnt3a, and its downstream proteins. The overexpression of Wnt3a in fibroblasts could upregulate the expressions of proliferative proteins such as PCNA and cyclinD1. The inhibitory effect of API on PCNA, Wnt3a, and its downstream proteins was partially reversed by overexpression of Wnt3a. Moreover, the results of the histological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that API could reduce the epidural fibrosis in rats by inhibiting fibroblast proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: API can inhibit fibroblast proliferation and reduce epidural fibrosis by suppressing Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway, which can be adopted as a new option to prevent epidural fibrosis after the laminectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The inevitable intermittency of solar illumination during the interfacial evaporation process can cause a reduction in the evaporation performance of solar evaporators. Here, we report the fabrication of a new solar-driven interfacial evaporator using MXene nanosheets as the photothermal layer, modifying them with conjugated microporous polymer hollow microspheres, and then compounding them with the phase change material, in this case, cetyl alcohol, to form a composite evaporator (CE) that can perform all-weather solar interfacial evaporation. By combining interfacial evaporation photothermal conversion with energy storage, the evaporator achieves an evaporation rate of 1.57 kg⋅m−2⋅h−1 at a light intensity of 1 kW⋅m−2 and 2.79 kg⋅m−2⋅h−1 at a light intensity of 2 kW⋅m−2. In addition, the evaporator attains an excellent solar evaporation efficiency of over 91% in both cases and even in salt water. In addition, interestingly, our CE exhibits excellent continuous evaporation ability, e.g., the mass of evaporated water was increased by 0.36 kg⋅m−2 at a light intensity of 2 kW⋅m−2 compared to the cavity evaporator without the phase change material (PCM) when solar light was turned off. These results could be attributed to the fact that the energy released by the incorporated phase change material allows the evaporator to maintain stable evaporation under conditions of insufficient or intermittent solar irradiation, potentially providing a new opportunity for addressing the intermittent problem of evaporation at the solar interface due to unstable light intensity, thus showing great potential for practical continuous desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multifunctional self-floating photothermal materials (CS-CMPsHM) were synthesized. • The CS-CMPsHM are capable of adsorption antibiotics by interfacial steam generation. • The improved adsorption was due to specific π-π electron-donor–acceptor interactions. • Wastewater purification was achieved in simulated and actual water samples. • The inhibitory effect of the collected water on plant growth was significantly reduced. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) technology holds the promise of purification and removal of organic pollutants from water samples. In this work, an efficient SDIE composed of multifunctional self-floating photothermal materials based on candle soot-coated conjugated microporous polymer hollow spheres (CS-CMPsHM) for treatment of tetracycline (TC) wastewater is reported. By depositing candle soot nanoparticles, CS-CMPsHM achieved excellent interfacial evaporation performance by extending the light absorption. Additionally, the π-π interaction between CMP's unique conjugated network and TC molecules and the well-developed porosity facilitates the capture of target contaminants. The synthesized CS-CMPsHM evaporator demonstrated remarkable properties, i.e., excellent photothermal performance (with superior photothermal conversion efficiency up to 94 % and evaporation rate of 1.55 kg m−2h−1 under one sun irradiation), extremely low wet thermal conductivity (0.075 W m-1K−1), reusability, superior salt resistance, stability, adsorption of pollutants and renewable performance. Furthermore, CS-CMPsHM remains its excellent purification performance from real water samples (the Yellow River) measured by a three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometer. The results of biological toxicity show that the purified water recovered by the SDIE method effectively reduced the phytotoxicity of TC. With its straightforward and scalable manufacturing process, our CS-CMPsHM demonstrates promising potential as advanced photothermal materials for the treatment of various pollutants using SDIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevention of surgery-induced intraarticular fibrosis remains a challenge following orthopedic surgery. Homoharringtonine (HHT) has been reported to have positive effects in preventing various kinds of fibrosis. However, little is known regarding its effect as well as the potential mechanism of HHT in preventing surgery-induced intraarticular fibrosis. Methods: Various concentrations of HHTs were locally applied in vivo to reduce knee intraarticular fibrosis in rabbits. Histological macroscopic assessments such as hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and Picric-sirius red polarized light were used to evaluate the effect of HHT in reducing intraarticular fibrosis. CCK-8, cell cycle assay, and EdU incorporation assay were used in vitro to detect HHT's effect on inhibiting fibroblast viability and proliferation. The effect of HHT on fibroblast differentiation, extracellular matrix production, and apoptosis were evaluated by western blot, flow cytometry, immunofluorescent staining, and TUNEL analysis. Moreover, the expressions of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were detected. Results: The results demonstrated that HHT could reduce the formation of intraarticular fibrosis. HHT was also found to induce fibroblast apoptotic cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro. Moreover, HHT could effectively inhibit the production of the extracellular matrix secreted by fibroblasts and inhibited the expression of p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR in a dose-dependent manner. After treating with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), an activator of the PI3K/AKT axis, the expressions of pro-apoptosis-related proteins were decreased, and the fibroblast apoptosis rate was also inhibited. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that HHT could reduce the formation of intraarticular fibrosis through the inhibition of fibroblast proliferation, extracellular matrix production, and the induction of fibroblast apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, its potential mechanism may be through the suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) processing experimentally investigated to use Methane in SOFC. • Reynolds number effects on electrochemical performance of the SOFCs. • Carbon deposition prevented by utilizing oxygen with methane in favorable operating conditions. • Investigation of the carbon deposition through the NiO-YSZ anode by EDAX and SEM. The development of high-performance non-precious metal electrocatalysts is of great importance for construction of next generation fuel cells. Herein, we report for the first time the creation of new metal-free porous carbon framework catalysts derived from N -rich hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) using pyrrole as building blocks for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) (denoted as PCF-HCPs). The PCF-HCPs obtained at the pyrolysis temperature of 900 °C (PCF-HCP-900), displayed outstanding catalytic activity towards the ORR compared with other PCF-HCPs pyrolysis temperature. Due to PCF-HCP-900 with large specific surface, excellent porosity and, importantly, exposed active sites caused by N doping with high density, the catalysts exhibited outstanding ORR activity in alkaline medium, i.e., the PCF-HCP-900 yielded a half-wave potential of 0.84 V, which was 10 mV higher than that of the state of-the-art Pt/C catalyst (0.83 V), and onset potential of 0.95 V (vs. RHE), a high diffusion limiting current density of 4.8 mA cm−2, better methanol tolerance and long-term stability (2 mV negative shift after 3000 potential cycles) than commercial Pt/C. Furthermore, PCF-HCP-900 shows a favorable 4-electron transfer process (n ≈ 3.96) and lower H 2 O 2 yield. Based on these merits, the PCF-HCP-900 may open a new possibility for design of ORR metal-free catalyst of fuel-cell technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Excessive fructose consumption is a risk factor for liver fibrosis. Pterostilbene protects against liver fibrosis. Here, we investigated the potential role and the mechanisms underlying the hepatocyte epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in fructose-induced liver fibrosis and protection by pterostilbene.Experimental Approach: Characteristic features of liver fibrosis in 10% fructose-fed rats and EMT in 5 mM fructose-exposed BRL-3A cells with or without pterostilbene and the change of miR-34a/Sirt1/p53 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smads signalling were examined. MiR-34a inhibitor, miR-34a minic, or p53 siRNA were used to explore the role of miR-34a/Sirt1/p53 signalling in fructose-induced EMT and the action of pterostilbene.Key Results: Pterostilbene prevented fructose-induced liver injury with fibrosis in rats. Fructose caused hepatocyte undergoing EMT, gaining fibroblast-specific protein 1 and vimentin, and losing E-cadherin, effects attenuated by pterostilbene. Moreover, fructose induced miR-34a overexpression in hepatocytes with down-regulated Sirt1, increased p53 and ac-p53, and activated TGF-β1/Smads signalling, whereas these disturbances were suppressed by miR-34a inhibitor. Additionally, miR-34a inhibitor and p53 siRNA prevented TGF-β1-driven hepatocyte EMT under fructose exposure. Pterostilbene down-regulated miR-34a, up-regulated Sirt1, and suppressed p53 activation and TGF-β1/Smads signalling in fructose-stimulated animals and cells but showed no additional effects with miR-34a inhibitor on miR-34a/Sirt1/p53 signalling in fructose-exposed hepatocytes.Conclusions and Implications: These results strongly suggest that activation of miR-34a/Sirt1/p53 signalling is required for fructose-induced hepatocyte EMT mediated by TGF-β1/Smads signalling, contributing to liver fibrosis in rats. Pterostilbene exhibits a protective effect against liver fibrosis at least partly through inhibiting miR-34a/Sirt1/p53 signalling activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presence of Cronobacter malonaticus in powdered infant formula (PIF) poses a high risk to infant and public health. Cronobacter malonaticus has been widely distributed in food and food processing environments, and the true origin of C. malonaticus in PIF is poorly understood. Control and prevention of C. malonaticus is necessary for achieving microbial safety of PIF. However, little information about decontamination of C. malonaticus is available. In this study, effects of hydrogen peroxide on inactivation and morphological changes of C. malonaticus cells were determined. Furthermore, inhibitory effects of H2O2 on biofilm formation in C. malonaticus were also performed. Results indicated that H2O2 could completely inactivate C. malonaticus in sterile water with 0.06% H2O2 for 25 min, 0.08% H2O2 for 15 min, and 0.10% for 10 min, respectively, whereas the survival rates of C. malonaticus in tryptic soy broth medium significantly increased with the same treatment time and concentration of H2O2. In addition, morphological changes of C. malonaticus cells, including cell shrinkage, disruption of cells, cell intercession, and leakage of intercellular material in sterile water after H2O2 treatment, were more predominant than those in tryptic soy broth. Finally, significant reduction in biofilm formation by H2O2 was found using crystal violet staining, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy detection compared with control samples. This is the first report to determine the effects of H2O2 on C. malonaticus cells and biofilm formation. The findings provided valuable information for practical application of H2O2 for decontamination of C. malonaticus in dairy processing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyranoanthocyanins have been reported to possess better chemical stability and bioactivities than monomeric anthocyanins in some aspects. The hypocholesterolemic activity of pyranoanthocyanins is unclear. In view of this, this study was conducted to compare the cholesterol-lowering activities of Vitisin A with the anthocyanin counterpart Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside(C3G) in HepG2 cells and to investigate the interaction of Vitisin A with the expression of genes and proteins associated with cholesterol metabolism. HepG2 cells were incubated with 40 μM cholesterol and 4 μM 25-hydroxycholeterol with various concentrations of Vitisin A or C3G for 24 h. It was found that Vitisin A decreased the cholesterol levels at the concentrations of 100 μM and 200 μM with a dose–response relationship, while C3G exhibited no significant effect on cellular cholesterol. Furthermore, Vitisin A could down-regulate 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis through a sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2 (SREBP2)-dependent mechanism, and up-regulate low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and blunt the secretion of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) protein to promote intracellular LDL uptake without LDLR degradation. In conclusion, Vitisin A demonstrated hypocholesterolemic activity, by inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis and enhancing LDL uptake in HepG2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne pathogens detection is important to ensure food safety and human health. In this study, we designed a comet structure to rapidly and sensitively detect foodborne Listeria monocytogenes. This method combined isothermal sequence exchange amplification (SEA) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Listeria monocytogenes DNA could be rapidly amplified at a constant temperature via SEA with a pair of modified primers, which rendered the precise thermal control instrumentation unnecessary. Efficient SEA amplification generated a large number of DNA duplexes that could be easily captured by streptavidin-modified magnetic bead and AuMB@Ag-isothiocyanate fluorescein antibody (anti-FITC). AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC was used as a signal probe, which generated a significant excitation signal at 1,616 cm−1 for quantitative detection and analysis. The results displayed sensitive detection of L. monocytogenes in cheese from 2.0 × 101 cfu/mL to 2.0 × 106 cfu/mL within 1.0 h with a detection limit of 7.8 cfu/mL. Furthermore, this comet structure displayed the desirable specificity as its specific primers and amplified DNA ends were attached to streptavidin-modified magnetic beads and AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC, respectively. We expected that the method devised would provide a promising new approach to screening for L. monocytogenes and guarantee the microbiological safety of dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne pathogens detection is important to ensure food safety and human health. In this study, we designed a comet structure to rapidly and sensitively detect foodborne Listeria monocytogenes. This method combined isothermal sequence exchange amplification (SEA) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Listeria monocytogenes DNA could be rapidly amplified at a constant temperature via SEA with a pair of modified primers, which rendered the precise thermal control instrumentation unnecessary. Efficient SEA amplification generated a large number of DNA duplexes that could be easily captured by streptavidin-modified magnetic bead and AuMB@Ag-isothiocyanate fluorescein antibody (anti-FITC). AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC was used as a signal probe, which generated a significant excitation signal at 1,616 cm−1 for quantitative detection and analysis. The results displayed sensitive detection of L. monocytogenes in cheese from 2.0 × 101 cfu/mL to 2.0 × 106 cfu/mL within 1.0 h with a detection limit of 7.8 cfu/mL. Furthermore, this comet structure displayed the desirable specificity as its specific primers and amplified DNA ends were attached to streptavidin-modified magnetic beads and AuMB@Ag-anti-FITC, respectively. We expected that the method devised would provide a promising new approach to screening for L. monocytogenes and guarantee the microbiological safety of dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New approaches for the engineering of well-defined, pore modality, and multi-chemical functionality nanocomposites are crucial to generate the next generation of functional materials with recoverable and easy preparation properties. Here, a catalyst and heat free polymerization reaction is exploited and fabricated zwitterionic system around magnetic nanoparticles. N-aminoethyl piperazine propane sulfonate (AEPPS) and dopamine (DA) are introduced as the zwitterionic system, which provided abundant zwitterionic groups (NH2, SO3−, N+) and strong adhesion and various oxidation state properties. And that, the zwitterionic engineering will assemble between AEPPS and DA whereby Schiff base formation or Michael type addition. Whereafter, a series of sophisticated array of microscopic, spectroscopic, and structure techniques verify the formation of highly crosslinking internal zwitterionic architectures, well-defined core–shell structure, and better porosity. The zwitterionic structure–function relationships and striking porous structure are explored in a multi-interaction adsorption assay. The adsorption capacity of the magnetic nanocomposites was 1065.8 mg/g. And that, the system exhibited with hydrophilic-hydrophobic activity towards glycoprotein and better performance to bioactive protein (Ig-G) isolation form human whole blood sample. The synergistic enhancement interaction in hydrophilic target enrichment, easy preparation, and soft substrate properties of the AEPPS-DA zwitterionic materials make them intriguing candidates for sustainable biomedical loading and chromatographic separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient solar photothermal conversion and energy storage composite (SPCSC) is of great significance in solving the imbalance between supply and demand of solar energy utilization in time and space. Herein, we prepare multi-shell hollow spheres by selecting glucose as the template and magnesium carbonate trihydrate (MgCO 3 ·3H 2 O) and chloroplatinic acid hexahydrate (H 2 PtCl 6 ·6H 2 O) as raw materials by hydrothermal-calcination method. Octadecylamine (ODA) is loaded into MSHS by vacuum impregnation to prepare SPCSC with excellent comprehensive properties (MSHS@ODA). The multi-layer hollow microspheres provide the micro-nano space structure for ODA, enhance the heat transfer rate of MSHS@ODA, effectively solve the leakage problem, and enable MSHS@ODA to have a fast photothermal response. MSHS@ODA possesses a high light absorption (75.5%), thermal conductivity (0.35 W·m−1·K−1), and photothermal conversion. The phase change enthalpy can reach 130.7 J·g−1 and maintain a high energy storage density during 100 cyclic phase change tests. Specifically, MSHS@ODA decreases the operating temperature of lithium-ion batteries by 8 °C during discharge, ensuring their stable operation within the optimal temperature range. Based on the above merits, MSHS@ODA may find useful applications in solar thermal storage and effectively managing the thermal conditions of lithium-ion batteries. [Display omitted] • The unique multi-layer hollow cavity structure of MSHS effectively encapsulates PCMs. • The multi-layer structure of MSHS enhances the heat transfer process. • MSHS@ODA has high latent enthalpy, thermal conductivity and good photothermal conversion efficiency. • MSHS@ODA is superhydrophobic and self-cleaning. • MSHS@ODA has better application prospects in battery thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LiCl@CCP-PPy is simple and inexpensive to prepare, with fast water absorption–desorption capacity and cyclic stability. • LiCl@CCP-PPy is a hydrophilic macroporous material with a water absorption capacity of up to 2.86 g/g at 35 % RH and 25 °C. • LiCl@CCP-PPy has good storage capacity and ensures that the salt does not leak. • The water collection rate of LiCl@CCP-PPy in a single hygroscopic-desorption cycle in the Tengger Desert was 0.64 L/m2/d. Solar-driven atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) has been recognized as a promising strategy to alleviate the freshwater crisis. Herein, we developed an efficient porous polymeric foam, LiCl@CCP-PPy, which has low preparation cost, strong adaptability and portability, and is very suitable for use as a wicking material in SAWH systems. LiCl@CCP-PPy contains abundant –NH 2 and –OH groups. These hydrophilic groups and excellent pore structure (porosity is 80.22 %) make it have a good moisture absorption effect even in low humidity environment. The moisture absorption capacity can reach 2.86 g/g at 35 % RH and 25 °C, and 4.48 g/g at 25 °C and 90 % RH. The saturated water absorption effect was 27.48 g/g. LiCl@CCP-PPy can be scaled up for production. In addition, LiCl@CCP-PPy has a high light absorption rate of more than 90 %, and the strong photothermal conversion ability of Polypyrene (PPy) enables the material to warm up rapidly under natural light, thereby accelerating the desorption process (96 % desorption rate at 1 kW/m2 for 3 h). Based on the above properties, LiCl@CCP-PPy was applied to the Tengger desert in northwest China. The final water production efficiency was 0.64 L/m2/d, and the collected water quality met the international drinking water standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Synthesis of RCMP@TD-HA with HGM and CMP composite PCM. • RCMP@TD-HA has good light absorption and energy storage capacity. • The RCMP@TD-HA can continue to evaporate after the light source is dimmed. • O-RCMP@TD-HA achieves a 90% evaporation efficiency in oily water. Interfacial evaporation technology powered by solar energy is a clean and efficient solution for various scenarios, including seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and sterilization. However, the intermittent nature of sunlight remains a challenge that must be overcome. In this study, a novel solar interfacial evaporator (CE) was prepared by mixing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) with conjugated microporous polymer hollow spheres (CMP-H) containing the phase change material tetradecanol (TD) and made into a coating, which was coated on an aerogel made of hollow glass microspheres (HGM). The evaporator has an evaporation rate of 1.68 kg·m−2·h−1 at 1 sun irradiation. In addition, our CE demonstrated exceptional continuous evaporation capabilities. For instance, after exposing the CE to two solar intensities for one hour and then turning off, the mass of evaporated water in our CE increased by 0.76 kg·m−2 compared to the CE without phase change material (PCM) until the surface temperature of the CE returned to its initial temperature. Furthermore, to enhance its versatility, the material has been modified to be oleophobic. The modified evaporator material was immersed in oil for 10 min. It was then evaporated in both oily water, achieving an evaporation rate of 1.62 kg·m−2·h−1 at 1 sun irradiation. These distinctive characteristics of our CE not only offer a novel solution to the constraints of the solar interfacial evaporation process caused by the intermittent nature of sunlight but also facilitate the efficient evaporation of oily wastewater, thus expanding the range of solar interfacial evaporation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxon delimitation and identification are important in many areas of biology, especially in taxonomy and conservation. Taxonomic treatment is required to establish and justify recommendations in conservation biology for the group being considered. Imperfect and controversial taxonomy can undermine conservation assessment. We studied 71 populations; 665 individuals corresponding to the morphology of the Rosa sericea complex (including six taxa, one of which has extremely narrow distributions) were collected from sympatric, parapatric, and allopatric populations distributed in China. This study aims to investigate whether the complex species are macromorphologically different species and evaluate the rare taxa of the complex for conservation priority. The morphological characters and principal component analysis (PCA) of the R. sericea complex showed that the complex species have overlapping characters but can distinguish morphologically. The species of R. sericea complex systematics status based on previous DNA sequencing is controversial. The ecological habitat's current morphological characters only delimit the R. morrisonensis (in Taiwan). To evade mistakes in species conservation, we recommend that taxonomical knowledge be needed to ensure success in protecting target species. Thus, the complementarity of systemic and conservation assurance makes conservation actions more necessary for the complex's rare taxa. The ecological niche modelling (ENM) results showed that habitats of these conspecific taxa would be shrunken. With the presence of snapshots in time, the geography of taxa might decrease rapidly in representative entirely of the Geographic space (G-space) and Environmental space (E-space) that such taxa are bright to inhabit. So far, the significant inferences meant for the niche occupy the most incredible comparative research, taking the impermanent nature of taxa distributions and undertaking that such species are at a state of stability. If the artificially identified species (rarely distributed) are based on morphological identification, they must be conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the limitations of ordinary evaporators in treating oily wastewater, a novel asymmetric superhydrophilic/amphiphobic Janus photothermal membrane (F@CMPsHM-CHM) was created using a simple and direct single-side PFDTCS/CS particle spraying technique. [Display omitted] • A novel Janus photothermal membrane (F@CMPsHM-CHM) was synthesized. • It blocks oil and heavy metal ions while selectively allows water vapor to pass through. • Excellent evaporation was achieved in both pure water and oil–water emulsions. • This work extends the application scenario of SDIE to difficult oily-water treatment. • The preparation method employed is simple, controllable and scalable. Solar-driven interface evaporation (SDIE) is considered to be a crucial solution for the global water shortage due to its ability to directly produce fresh water with minimal carbon footprint. However, efficient evaporation processes have typically only been achieved in simple systems, and the removal of oil and ions from complex oily seawater to produce clean water remains a serious challenge. In this study, we developed a novel asymmetric superhydrophilic/amphiphobic Janus photothermal membrane (F@CMPsHM-CHM). It employed a hydrogel composite film composed of CMPsHM as a substrate and was created by simple and direct single-side 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane/candle soot (PFDTCS/CS) particle spraying. The lower layer of the membrane serves multiple functions such as water supply, insulation and support, while the top PFDTCS/CS coating provides liquid repellency (with a water contact angle of >150° and an oil contact of >120°) and photothermal capability. The membrane's micro/nano composite structure enables it to absorb up to 97 % of light across the entire solar spectrum, and it can achieve an evaporation rate of 1.67 kg m-2h−1 in pure water evaporation. Also, it can achieve an evaporation rate of 1.4 kg m-2h−1 in oil–water emulsion evaporation under 1 kW m−2 solar irradiation. Importantly, the membrane demonstrates long-term stable evaporation for 6 h and ion removal in complex oil/salt dual systems emulsion. With its scalable manufacturing process, excellent flexibility, unique asymmetrical microstructure, and high and stable evaporation performance in a variety of environments, our strategy provides new solutions for efficient SDIE in real-world complex environments, thereby expanding the applications of photothermal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high-efficiency solar photothermal conversion and storage (SPCS) technology is significant in solving the imbalance between the supply and demand of solar energy utilization in time and space. Aiming at the current research status in the field of SPCS, this review thoroughly examines the phase change materials and substrates in SPCS systems. It elucidates the design principles and methods of SPCS integrated composites. Comparatively, it analyzes the parameters of various types of SPCS composites in terms of photothermal conversion, thermal conductivity, energy density, and cycling stability. Additionally, the review discusses the trade-offs between each parameter to achieve the most optimal effect of SPCS. By sorting out the current status of the application of SPCS technology in solar thermal/photovoltaic, aerospace, buildings, textile, and other industries, this analysis clarifies the requirements for various latent heat, phase change temperature, and other properties under different environmental conditions. Through a comprehensive discussion of SPCS technology, this paper accurately captures the development trend of efficiently and comprehensively utilizing solar energy by analyzing existing scientific problems. It identifies bottlenecks in SPCS technology and suggests future development directions that need focused attention. The insights gained from this analysis may provide a theoretical basis for designing strategies, enhancing performance, and promoting the application of SPCS. [Display omitted] • SPCS technology show high efficiency for energy utilization and management. • SPCS can solve the imbalance in the supply and demand of solar energy utilization. • The study of the design principles and methods of SPCS is important. • SPCS system can solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. • SPCS systems have great potential for practical water treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation plays an important role in soil carbon storage and water balance. However, there is a lack of information on deep soil carbon and water storage. The study investigates the effect of returning farmland to the forest on soil carbon accumulation and soil water consumption in 20-m deep soil profile in the hilly and gully region of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Four sampling sites were selected: Platycladus orientalis (Linn.) Franco forest (PO: oriental arborvitae), Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. Forest (PT: southern Chinese pine), apple orchard (AO) and farmland (FL, as a control). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) content were measured in 50-cm sampling intervals of 20-m soil profiles, as well as the associated factors (e.g. soil water content). The mean SOC content of PT was the highest in the 1–5 m layer and that of FL was the lowest (p < 0.05). Compared with FL, the SOC storages of PO, PT and AO increased by 2.20, 6.33 and 0.90 kg m−2 (p > 0.05), respectively, in the whole profile. The SIC content was relatively uniform throughout the profile at all land-use types and SIC storage was 9–10 times higher than SOC storage. The soil water storage of PO, PT and AO was significantly different from that of FL with a decrease of 1169.32, 1161.60 and 1139.63 mm, respectively. After the 36-yrs implementation of the "Grain for Green" Project, SOC in 20 m soil profiles increased as a water depletion cost compared with FL. Further investigation is still needed to understand the deep soil water and carbon interactions regarding ecological restoration sustainability in the Northern Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies indicate that vegetation and lakes in arid and semi-arid regions are closely related to climate change. However, the responses of vegetation and lakes to climate-related variables have rarely been contrastively studied. The Hulun Lake (HLL) and its surrounding grasslands in Northeast Inner Mongolia of China comprise a semi-arid region that has experienced intense climate change over the last several decades. This study aims to understand the key factors that control the variations in the lake area and vegetation cover over the last five decades in the HLL region, as well as contrastively investigate the different responses of the lake area and vegetation cover to climate-related variables. Analysis results indicate that the variations with increasing change rates in the HLL area were mainly controlled by precipitation fluctuation. Moreover, an increase or decrease in the air temperature and relative humidity could affect the response time of the HLL area to the change in precipitation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) variations from 1990 to 1999 around the HLL region were mainly controlled by the intense local grazing rather than climatic restrictions. The fluctuation in NDVI after 1999 reflects the response of the vegetation cover to climatic change. The correlation analysis shows that the variations in the HLL area were closely related to the multi-year tendency of precipitation amount and to the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) with a long timescale. However, NDVI is sensitive to changes in short-term precipitation amount, such as seasonal precipitation, and in SPEI with a monthly timescale. The soil moisture at shallow depths (< 0.1 m) was the key root–zone soil moisture that could influence NDVI, whereas soil moisture at depths of 0.4 to 1.0 m and the HLL area were closely related and had similar responses to climatic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) has been generally recognized as an endocrine-disrupting chemical for its toxic effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis accompanied by dysfunction in sex hormone secretion. Particularly, exposure to Cd during puberty versus post-puberty exhibits differing age-dependent effects that require further examination. This study sought to determine if cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G), a typical anthocyanin with neuroprotective bioactivity, could protect against Cd-induced sex hormone-disorder in Pubertal male mice. C3G treatment reversed the disruption of hormone levels and increased Gnrh1 gene expression in the hypothalamus. In addition, the levels of gonadotropins, including luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), were reversed by C3G. Interestingly, C3G improved the expression of LH and FSH receptor in the testis in mice exposed to Cd. Furthermore, C3G activated the signaling pathway related to the synthesis of testosterone processing. In conclusion, C3G protected against Cd-induced dysfunction of sex hormone secretion through the regulation of the HPG axis in male mice during puberty. The results of this study suggest that consumption of anthocyanins can be protective against metal-induced male reproductive dysfunction. Image 1 • Cd-exposure increases testosterone in puberty, which differ from that in maturity. • Consumption of C3G reorganizes the dysfunction of sex hormone secretion caused by Cd. • C3G regulates the hypothalamus function for a normal synthesis and secretion of GnRH. • C3G ameliorates the testosterone synthesis related pathway for a normal level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a poisonous metal that is toxic for male reproduction. Cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G) as typical anthocyanin benefits many organs. In this study, we investigated the protective effects and associated underlying mechanisms of C3G against the toxicity of Cd on male reproduction in rat Leydig cell line R2C cells. Cells were pre-protected with C3G (5–160 μmol/L) for 2 h and then treated with cadmium sulfate (CdSO 4) (10–160 μmol/L) for 24 h. The results showed that cytotoxicity, mitochondrial damage, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CdSO 4 -treated R2C cells were significantly reduced with C3G pre-treatment. Moreover, C3G pre-treatment led to upregulated expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein and progesterone production. Our study suggests that C3G may be a potential therapeutic agent against Cd-induced reproductive toxicity. • C3G improved cell morphological changes in CdSO 4 -treated R2C cells. • C3G enhanced progesterone synthesis by modulating MMP and StAR expression. • C3G protected against Cd-caused reproductive injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide (AA) occurs in many cooked carbohydrate-rich foods and has caused widespread concern as a possible carcinogen. Glycidamide (GA) is the ultimate genotoxic metabolite of AA. The present study was to investigate the protective effect of Cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G) against AA- and GA-induced reproductive toxicity in R2C Leydig cells. The results demonstrated that C3G inhibited AA- and GA-induced cytotoxicity and mitochondria-mediated cell apoptosis, the effective doses of C3G were ranging from 10 to 50 μM. Besides, AA (1.925 mM) and GA (0.872 mM) exposure increased ROS level and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, which led to a decrease in progesterone production, while C3G ranging from 10 to 50 μM reduced ROS immediately, and increased progesterone production after 24 h treatment. Furthermore, C3G up-regulated expression of Bcl-2 protein and down-regulated pro-apoptotic protein Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 after 24 h treatment in 1.925 mM AA- and 0.872 mM GA-treated R2C cells. Moreover, C3G intervention increased the protein expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR). It was concluded that C3G is effective in reducing AA- and GA-induced reproductive toxicity via inhibition of ROS generation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis, as well as activating steroidogenic enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone is commonly generated from moldy cereal grain, which is toxic to the development of gametogenesis and embryo in human and animals. The zearalenone-induced reproductive damage is mainly attributed to four mechanisms. Firstly, zearalenone as an oestrogen-like compound binds to estrogen receptor and causes damage to germ cells and testicular structure. Secondly, zearalenone disrupts the blood-testis barrier, and causes the damage to germ cells. Thirdly, zearalenone elevates oxidative stress, which increases the production of lipid peroxides, and results in the damage to the antioxidant defense system. Fourth, zearalenone increases DNA damage and promotes cells apoptosis. In addition, Zearalenone induces inflammatory reactions and leads to the disorders of reproductive hormones. In this study, we systematically introduced the toxic effects of zearalenone on gametogenesis and embryonic development in animals, and focused on the molecular pathways, which providing a basis for further prevention of zearalenone-induced injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food contaminant acrylamide (AA) is usually recognized as a probable human carcinogen. In addition, AA has also been found able to induce male infertility in animals. Interestingly, resent research work revealed that the toxic effect of AA on the ability of male reproduction in vivo may due to glycidamide (GA) which is the metabolite of AA. In this study, R2C Leydig cells was used to investigate the toxic effects of GA on progesterone production. GA caused dose-dependent inhibition on the cell growth, with IC 25 , IC 50, and IC 75 values found at 0.635, 0.872, and 1.198 mM, respectively. The results of single cell gel/Comet assay showed that GA significantly induced early-phase cell apoptosis, reduced progesterone production, as well as decreasing the protein expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) in R2C cells. Furthermore, GA induced overproduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), upregulated Bax expression, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and triggered mitochondria-mediated cell apoptosis. Consequently, the downstream effector caspase-3 was activated, resulting in Leydig cells apoptosis. Overall, our results showed that GA could damage R2C Leydig cells by the lesion of the ability of progesterone genesis and inducing cells apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic acid, is a potential therapy for diabetes mellitus. FA has been shown to protect against hepatic and myocardial injury and oxidative stress in obese rats with late-stage diabetes, but the mechanism of the antioxidative activity of FA is still unclear. Objective: The aim of this study was to elucidate whether FA can prevent damage to cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes caused by high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative stress and whether the protection effects of FA on these cells are related to the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathways. Design: Cells were divided into four groups: a control group (cultured with normal medium), an HG group (medium containing 80 mmol/L glucose), an FA+HG group (medium containing 80 mmol/L glucose and 1, 5, or 10 µ/g/mL FA), and a dimethylbiguanide (DMBG) + HG group (medium containing 80 mmol/L glucose and 50 µg/mL DMBG). Results: FA treatment significantly increased cell viability and significantly decreased cell apoptosis compared with the HG-treated group. Moreover, FA down-regulated the expression of Keap1 protein and up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 protein and gene transcription of HO-1 and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: FA alleviated the HG-induced oxidative stress and decreased cell apoptosis in hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes. These effects were associated with the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the therapeutic effects of zeaxanthin dipalmitate (ZD) on a rat alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) model were evaluated. After-treatment with ZD from the 5th week to the 10th week in a 10-week ethanol intragastric administration in rats significantly alleviated the typical AFLD symptoms, including reduction in rat body weight, accumulation of hepatic fat droplets, occurrence of oxidative stress, inflammation, chemoattractive responses and hepatic apoptosis in the liver. The reduction of liver function abnormalities by ZD was partly through lower expression level of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), diminished activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) through the restoration of its inhibitor kappa B alpha (IκBα), and the modulation of MAPK pathways including p38 MAPK, JNK and ERK. ZD treatment alone did not pose obvious adverse effect on the healthy rat. In the cellular AFLD model, we also confirmed the inhibition of p38 MAPK and ERK abolished the beneficial effects of ZD. These results provide a scientific rationale for the use of zeaxanthin and its derivatives as new complementary agents for the prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whey protein is a mixture of globular proteins with high nutritional value and excellent functional properties availability. Purified individual whey proteins exhibit better functionality than in their original mixture, thus there is an increasing interest in developing more efficient methods to recover individual whey protein fractions, especially membrane technology. However, whey protein fractionation from the protein mixture is still a huge challenge for membrane separation. Herein, a dual-gating pHresponsive membrane with the heterogeneous structure was developed for whey protein fractionation. The heterogeneous structure of the membranes was obtained by grafting the dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) near the topside and inside the pores of the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAL) membranes based on selective modification of grafting sites. The PDMAEMA and P4VP gates responded to pH individually and provided a multi-stage regulation of the surface charge and sieving property of the membranes. The major whey protein fractionation from the mixture could be achieved by single dual-gating pH-responsive membrane via the sequential stepwise pH gradient from 3.0 to 8.0. The α-Lactalbumin (α-La), β-Lactoglobulin (β-Lg), lactoferrin (LF) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were separated and enriched in the permeate at pH 3.0, 4.2, 6.4 and 8.0 by the diafiltration process, respectively. This work not only proposed a novel concept of pHresponsive membrane, but also offered a sustainable solution to fractionate the whey protein from the complicated mixture. [Display omitted] • Dual-gating pH-responsive EVAL membrane was fabricated for whey protein fractionation. • Heterogeneous structure was obtained based on selective modification of grafting sites. • Multistage regulation of the membrane properties was exhibited. • Whey protein fractionation from the mixture was achieved via single membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactions of ytterbium dichlorides with different β-diketiminate ligand ((Ar)NC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Ar′), Ar=Ar′=C6H5 (L1); Ar=Ar′=2,6-Me2&z.sbnd;C6H3 (L2); Ar=C6H5, Ar′=2,6-Pr2i-C6H3 (L3)) with 1 equiv of Cp′Na were studied. It was found that the bulkiness of β-diketiminate ligand and cyclopentadienyl group both have significant effect on the above reaction. For less bulky ligands L1 and L2, the reaction affords not the expected mixed-ligand ytterbium chloride, (C5H5)YbLCl or (CH3C5H4)YbCl, but the ligand-redistributed product (C5H5)2YbL or (CH3C5H4)2YbL. For bulkier ligand L3, the desired anionic ytterbium chloride (C5H5)YbL3(μ-Cl)2Li(THF)2 is obtained. For the smallest ligand L1, the expected ytterbium monochloride can also be obtained using bulky C5Me5Na as reactant. Each of these complexes was well characterized, while several have been characterized by X-ray diffraction structure determination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]