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Ovarian cancer (OC) is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer. In this study, we aimed to explore the role and potential mechanism of LIMD2 during the progression of OC. The expression of LIMD2 was analyzed by GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis) database. Western blot and real-time PCR were applied to detect the gene expression of LIMD2 in OC cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, transwell, wound healing assays, and tumor xenograft experiments were used to evaluate the function of LIMD2 in vitro and vivo. Further, the LIMD2-associated pathways in OC were predicted by RNA-seq analysis, and the involvement of the corresponding cell signaling activities were confirmed by Western blot. We found that LIMD2 was high expressed in OC. Additionally, we found that silencing of LIMD2 inhibited OC cell proliferation in vitro and reduced the growth of its xenograft tumors. Moreover, knockdown of LIMD2 significantly decreased the migration of OC cells. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that pathways regulating extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions and focal adhesion signaling, were deregulated by LIMD2. Particularly, we confirmed that reducing LIMD2 could decrease the expression of Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway related molecules. In conclusion, LIMD2 promotes the proliferation and invasion of ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo, potentially through regulating the focal adhesion signaling pathway.

Laurencia undulata, as one of the most biologically active species in the genus Laurencia, is an edible folk herb red algae. Among them, d-isofloridoside (DIF, 940.68 Da) is isolated from Laurencia undulata, which has antioxidant and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) inhibitory activities. However, its mechanism of action on tumor angiogenesis has not yet been reported. In this study, we have studied the mechanism of DIF on tumor metastasis and angiogenesis in HT1080 cell and human vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC). The results show that DIF can reduce the activity of MMP-2/9, and can inhibit the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) by regulating the downstream PI3K/AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways, thereby down-regulating the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in CoCl2-induced HT1080 cell. In addition, DIF can inhibit the activation of VEGF receptor (VEGFR-2), regulate downstream PI3K/AKT, MAPK, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signal pathways, activate apoptosis, and thus down-regulate the production of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in VEGF-induced HUVEC. In conclusion, our research shows that DIF has the potential to develop into a tumor-preventing functional food and tumor angiogenesis inhibitor, and it can provide theoretical guidance for the high-value comprehensive utilization of edible red algae Laurencia undulata.

Lithium batteries are the most promising electrochemical energy storage devices while the development of high-performance battery materials is becoming a bottleneck. It is necessary to design and fabricate new materials with novel structure to further improve the electrochemical performance of the batteries. Magnetron sputtering is a physical vapor deposition technique that has the advantages of wide deposition range, fast deposition speed, easy control, large coating area, and strong film adhesion. These merits have led to magnetron sputtering being widely applied in the preparation and modification of materials used in lithium batteries. This review provides a systematic summary on magnetron sputtering in terms of lithium batteries: 1) The development of magnetron sputtering structure and mechanism is summarized, and a detailed comparison of advantages between magnetron sputtering and other vapor deposition equipment, including Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Thermal Evaporation (TE), Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), is provided. 2) Various applications of magnetron sputtering in the evolution of important materials for lithium batteries is discussed, according to the classification of battery components, including electrode materials, solid-state-electrolytes, and other battery components (separators, interlayers, current collectors etc.). In particular, the fabrication of artificial solid–electrolyte interphase films on the surface of anodes with high specific energy is described emphatically because this application may guide the future development direction of magnetron sputtering in lithium batteries. 3) Future prospects are proposed from the development of the device itself and its application in lithium batteries, in order to guide subsequent research and promote the development of magnetron sputtering as well as lithium batteries.

In nature, cellulose nanofibers form hierarchical structures across multiple length scales to achieve high-performance properties and different functionalities. Cellulose nanofibers, which are separated from plants or synthesized biologically, are being extensively investigated and processed into different materials owing to their good properties. The alignment of cellulose nanofibers is reported to significantly influence the performance of cellulose nanofiber-based materials. The alignment of cellulose nanofibers can bridge the nanoscale and macroscale, bringing enhanced nanoscale properties to high-performance macroscale materials. However, compared with extensive reviews on the alignment of cellulose nanocrystals, reviews focusing on cellulose nanofibers are seldom reported, possibly because of the challenge of aligning cellulose nanofibers. In this review, the alignment of cellulose nanofibers, including cellulose nanofibrils and bacterial cellulose, is extensively discussed from different aspects of the driving force, evaluation, strategies, properties, and applications. Future perspectives on challenges and opportunities in cellulose nanofiber alignment are also briefly highlighted.

The coexistence of nanoplastics (NPs) and various pollutants in the marine environment has become a problem that cannot be ignored. NPs and marine algae toxins are found in marine organisms and both can enter the human body through the food chain. However, the joint toxic effects of marine algae toxins and NPs on human health remain unknown. In this study, the joint toxic effects and mechanisms of polystyrene (PS) NPs and okadaic acid (OA) were investigated on human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells. AGS cells were exposed to 20 nm PS (0.5, 8 μg mL−1) or/and OA (5, 10 ng mL−1), and their cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring relevant indicators, transcriptomics, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Our data indicated that the joint toxicity of PS and OA to AGS cells was mainly characterized by a decrease in cell viability, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, and a decrease in IL10 and p53 protein activity, accompanied by an increase in intracellular ROS production and calcium and IL8 levels in comparison with single contaminants. In addition, co-exposure to PS and OA caused cellular damage by activating PI3K/AKT, ERK/c-FOS and caspase-3/caspase-9 signaling pathways. Moreover, the high concentration of PS significantly enhanced the toxicity of OA. WGCNA highlighted enrichment in the Fanconi anemia pathway and MAPK signaling pathway and identified that IER3 was the hub gene in PS and OA co-exposed AGS cells. The results of this study provided insights into the joint toxicity evaluation of NPs and marine algae toxins.

As the major byproduct of meat processing, bovine bone are produced in large amounts annually. However, the inefficient utilization with low-added value resulted in serious resource waste. The study aims to prepare high-value bovine bone power (BBP) via instant catapult steam-explosion (ICSE) treatment, taking ball milling (BM) method as control. Results showed that ICSE treatment deconstructed bovine bone with more holes emerging, and effectively promoted mineral dissolution and protein degradation while reduced energy consumption. Compared with BM-BBP, ICSE-BBP possessed more protein and essential minerals, presenting in regular elliptical shapes with narrow distribution of particle size (0.1∼40 μm), and owned better solution stability and protein solubility. ICSE-BBP also exhibited higher mineral release and protein digestibility during GI digestion while revealed no obvious cytotoxicity, indicating the potential applicability in nutrition-fortified foods. Taken together, ICSE technology holds promise in reusing bovine bone, providing an efficient and eco-friendly process for BBP industrial production.

Uncontrolled lithium (Li) plating/stripping is one of the most fatal problems of lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, we modified a copper (Cu) foil current collector surface with an indium nitride (InN) thin film, which regulated the Li plating/stripping process through in situ lithiation. That is, InN transformed into a lithium nitride (Li

Anatase TiO2 is an attractive anode for Li-ion batteries and Na-ion batteries because of its structural stability. However, the electrochemical capability of anatase TiO2 is unsatisfactory due to i...

As a result of the high theoretical energy density of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, they have been accepted as the next-generation energy storage system. Nevertheless, the current performance of...

Microalgae are primary producers with multiple nutrients in aquatic environments and mostly have applications in biological feed and fuel industry. There are few studies assessing the angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition potential of Isochrysis zhanjiangensis, other than its antioxidant potential. In this study, we evaluated a peptide from I. zhanjiangensis (PIZ, FEIHCC) and its vascular endothelial factors and mechanism in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The results reveal that PIZ (IC50 = 61.38 μM) acts against ACE in a non-competitive binding mode. In addition, PIZ inhibits angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular factor secretion and expression by blocking inflammation and apoptosis through nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and the serine/threonine kinase (Akt) signal pathways. This study reveals that PIZ has potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for hypertension and provides a new method of high-value utilization of I. zhanjiangensis.

In order to explore the changes of exhaust particulate matter (PM) with the addition of Ce-based catalyst in diesel, naphthenic acid cerium solution was selected as a fuel borne catalyst (FBC). Acc...

The transport of ionic species through nanochannels plays an important role in the basic research and practical application of nanofluidic devices. Here, a visualized CdSe@ZIF-8/PAA nanochannel membrane was created by employing in situ growth of zeolite imidazole skeleton (ZIF-8) and CdSe quantum dots (CdSe QDs) on a porous anodized aluminum oxide (PAA) membrane surface using CdSe QDs, 2-methylimidazole, and zinc nitrate as the precursor solvents. ZIF-8 is a kind of metal-organic framework, a microporous material that possesses strong metal adsorption capacity. In addition, CdSe quantum dots have fluorescent properties. The nanochannel membrane detects copper ions (Cu2+) by quenching the fluorescence intensity by the interaction between Cu2+ and Se and S atoms. The direct potential of 5 V was applied to achieve Cu2+ enrichment at the nanochannel interface, and the fluorescence change was observed. The CdSe@ZIF-8/PAA nanochannel membrane has a good linear range of concentration (0.01 pM-1 μM) for Cu2+ detection. With the help of nanochannel enrichment, its detection limit reaches 4 fM. In addition, this nanochannel membrane has good selectivity for Cu2+.

To achieve a long-cycle-life lithium-air battery, the catalyst, electrolyte and lithium anode should be optimized synergistically. Herein, we achieve a super-long cycle-life lithium-O2 battery by integrating the synergistic effect of highly active Pt3Co nanowires (PtCo NWs) cathode catalyst and stable quasi-solid SiO2-ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte. The PtCo NWs can effectively reduce the charge voltage below 3.2 V, but have to induce the decomposition of the conventional liquid electrolyte. The SiO2-IL electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity, but it still cannot match with carbonaceous oxygen electrode, due to its large charge overpotential. By combining the PtCo NWs cathode catalyst with quasi-solid electrolyte, the lithium-O2 battery can reversibly discharge and charge above 300 cycles (>3000 h). When the battery is disassembled, the lithium metal anode is preserved well, which is closely covered by a layer of SiO2 nanoparticles containing IL. By contrast, the lithium anode completely changes to the white powders for the one with ether-based electrolyte stored under the same condition, demonstrating the lithium anode is perfectly protected by the SiO2-IL electrolyte, which is a critical factor for achieving the long-life performance of lithium-O2 battery. Even under the air atmosphere, the battery can still cycle very well.

Background In order to utilize tilapia skin gelatin hydrolysate protein, which is normally discarded as industrial waste in the process of fish manufacture, we study the in vivo and in vitro angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the peptide Leu-Ser-Gly-Tyr-Gly-Pro (LSGYGP). The aim was to provide a pharmacological basis of the development of minimal side effects of ACE inhibitors by comparative analysis with captopril in molecular docking. Results This peptide from protein-rich wastes showed excellent ACE inhibitory activity (IC50 = 2.577 μmol L-1 ) and exhibited a mixed noncompetitive inhibitory pattern with Lineweaver-Burk plots. Furthermore, LSGYGP and captopril groups both showed significant decreases in blood pressure after 6 h and maintained good digestive stability over 4 h. Molecular bond interactions differentiate competitive captopril upon hydrogen bond interactions and Zn(II) interaction. The C-terminal Pro generates three interactions (hydrogen bonds, hydrophilic interactions and Van der Waals interactions) in the peptide and effectively interacts with the S1 and S2 pockets of ACE. Conclusion LSGYGP, with an IC50 value of 2.577 μmol L-1 , has an antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Through comparison with captopril, this study revealed that LSGYGP may be a potential food-derived ACE inhibitory peptide and could act as a functional food ingredient to prevent hypertension. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Introduction A previous study has shown that Ala-Thr-Pro-Gly-Asp-Glu-Gly (ATPGDEG) peptide identified from boiled abalone by-products has high antioxidant activities and antihypertensive effect. Objective In this study, we further investigated its antiphotoaging activities by ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced HaCaT cells. Result UVB irradiation significantly increased the content of intercellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in HaCaT cells and decreased its content of collagen. First, the generation of intercellular ROS was reduced by abalone peptide in UVB-induced HaCaT cells. And activities of MMP-1 and MMP-9 were reduced by abalone peptide in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that abalone peptide downregulated the expression of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and NF-κB signaling to protect type I pro collagen and DNA damage. Molecular docking simulation confirms that abalone peptide inhibited activities of MMP-1 and MMP-9 by docking their active site, among them N-terminal Ala, C-terminal Gly, and Pro at the third position of N-terminal made a great contribution. Conclusion and recommendation Abalone peptide could protect type I procollagen synthesis in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, and it is a potential peptide for the treatment of skin photoaging in the future.

Gelidium crinale, the red algae belonging to Geliaceae Gelidium, is a traditional edible and industrial alga in China. A sulfated polysaccharide (GNP) is successfully separated from Gelidium crinale by acid extraction and two-step column chromatography. Chemical analysis showed that the molecular weight of GNP was 25.8 kDa and the monosaccharide composition had the highest galactose content and confirmed the presence and content (16.5%) of sulfate by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrometry as well as barium chloride-gelatin methods. In addition, the effect of GNP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in macrophages was also evaluated. The research results showed that GNP had fairly strong scavenging activities on 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical, hydroxyl radical, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and had Fe2+-chelating ability in a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, it significantly inhibits the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS through blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) signaling pathway. These results indicate that GNP may be a latent component anti-inflammation in pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

Psoriasis is characterized by keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration. M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) was reported to have an important role in cell proliferation, which is a rate-limiting enzyme that regulates the final step of glycolysis. However, how PKM2 regulates cell metabolism and proliferation in psoriatic keratinocytes is still poorly understood. Interestingly, we found that PKM2 was highly expressed in psoriatic epidermis from patients and mouse models. PKM2 overexpression promoted keratinocyte glycolytic metabolism while knockdown inhibited keratinocyte proliferation and glycolysis. Mice lacking PKM2 specifically in keratinocytes, pharmacological inhibition of PKM2 or glycolysis inhibited keratinocyte proliferation and showed obvious remission in an imiquimod-induced psoriatic mouse model. Moreover, the inhibitor of the EGF-receptor blocked EGF-stimulated PKM2 expression and glycolysis in keratinocytes. We identify PKM2 as an upregulated gene in psoriasis. PKM2 is essential in keratinocyte over-proliferation and may represent a therapeutic target for psoriasis.

The coexistence of nanoplastics (NPs) and pollutants such as arsenic (As) has become an unignorable environmental problem. However, there is still a considerable knowledge gap about the impact of NPs and pollutants on human health risks. In this study, the human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells were used as a model to investigate the toxicity of NPs with different particle sizes and As by MTT assay, western blotting, immunofluorescence and so on. The results showed that 20 nm (8 μg/mL), 50 nm (128 μg/mL), 200 nm (128 μg/mL), 500 nm (128 μg/mL), 1000 nm (128 μg/mL) polystyrene (PS) did not affect cell viability, ROS, intracellular calcium and activate apoptosis pathway in AGS cells. However, noncytotoxic concentration of NPs enhanced the cytotoxicity and intracellular accumulation of As. NPs destroys the fluidity of cell membrane and cytoskeleton, inhibits the activity of ABC transporter, and leads to the accumulation of As in cells. This work highlights that the damage caused by NPs, especially at the level of noncytotoxicity, joint with As cannot be ignored and provides a specific toxicological mechanism of NPs accompanied by exposure to As.

In this study, we investigated the protective effects of a peptide (YGDEY, Tyr-Gly-Asp-Glu-Tyr) isolated from tilapia skin gelatin hydrolysates (TGHs), against UVB-induced photoaging in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells. Results showed that YGDEY significantly decreased levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased antioxidant factors (Superoxide Dismutase, SOD and Glutathione, GSH) expression and maintained balance between GSH and GSSG in HaCaT cells. Comet assay shows that YGDEY can protect DNA from oxidative damage. Furthermore, it significantly inhibited MMP-1 (collagenase) and MMP-9 (gelatinase) expression and increased Type I procollagen production. In addition, the molecular docking study showed that YGDEY may form active sites with MMP-1 and MMP-9. Moreover, Western blot analysis was utilized to measure the protein levels of UVB-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Therefore, these results suggested that YGDEY has a therapeutic effectiveness in prevention of UVB-induced cellular damage, and it is a candidate worthy of being developed as a potential natural antioxidant and food additive.

Si-based anode materials for advanced high energy Li-ion batteries and Li-S battery as a promising candidate for “beyond LIBs” have been intensively studied in recent years. Although FEC electrolyte additive plays an important role in improving the cycle stability of Si-based electrodes, its high temperature behavior is still unsatisfactory. Herein, a new bicomponent additive (LiPO2F2 + DMTFA) is proposed to replace FEC in LiPF6/carbonate electrolyte. The resulting electrolyte shows high ionic conductivity (10.9 mS cm-1), good anti-oxidation capability (>5 V vs. Li/Li+) and excellent compatibility with Si-based anodes even at elevated temperature. Moreover, this electrolyte is also fit for S@pPAN cathode developed for Li-S batteries. An in-situ lithiated Si-S@pPAN cell containing the proposed electrolyte delivers a high reversible capacity of about 1400 mA h g-1sulfur with retention of 92.1% for 1000 cycles at 1 C and about 1350 mA h g-1sulfur with a capacity retention of 94.8% for 2000 cycles at 2 C. Its rate performance has been also improved greatly. This cell system avoids some fatal flaws of conventional Li-S cells, including the Li dendrite formation and thermal instability. It is promising for the practical application.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the key enzymes in extracellular matrix degradation, seemed to increase in tumorigenesis, which has a relationship with metastasis and invasions. In this study, we investigated the MMP inhibitory effect of viridicatol and viridicatin, two compounds extracted from shark-gill-derived fungus Penicilliumpolonicum AP2T1, on MMP-2 and -9 in vitro and in silico. The MTT assay showed that viridicatol and viridicatin had no cytotoxicity at a concentration of 50 µM on HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. In addition, the studies by gelatin zymography and Western blot analysis confirmed that the two compounds effectively inhibited the protein activities and expressions of MMP-2 and -9. Moreover, molecular docking studies simulated and clarified the interaction between compounds and MMPs, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of those two compounds on mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was also assessed by Western blot analysis. Collectively, these results suggested that viridicatol and viridicatin could be potential inhibitors of MMPs and P.polonicum may be a rich source of bioactive compounds with MMP inhibitory property.

The catalytic behaviors of the internal and external Bronsted acid sites on HZSM-5 zeolite were investigated in the alkylation of benzene with methanol (MeOH). The external surface passivated HZSM-...

Seahorse has been used as a traditional medicine in Southeast Asian countries for a long time. A compound, 2'-Hydroxy-5'-Methoxyacetophenone (2H5M) isolated from seahorse, Hippocampus kuda, was tested for its anti-inflammatory effect in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 cells and RAW264.7 cells. MTT assay indicated that 2H5M has no cytotoxicity on two kinds of cells. The concentration of nitric oxide (NO) measured by Griess Reaction System showed that 2H5M could significantly inhibit the NO concentration. The ELISA results showed that 2H5M could suppress the secretion of TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, western blot analysis was utilized to measure the protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrated that 2H5M reduced NF-κB DNA binding activity. Furthermore, the molecular docking study showed that 2H5M can form active sites with NF-κB. Collectively, these results indicated that 2H5M possesses anti-inflammatory effects and may have a potential application in inflammatory disorders in the future.

Background Our aim was to explore the potential mechanism underlying papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) development. Methods Gene expression profile data GSE3467 and microRNA (miRNA) expression profile data E-TABM-68 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus and Array Express database respectively. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs between PTC patients and normal individuals were screened. Then, the significant target DEGs regulated by differentially expressed miRNAs were mapped to protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and functional modules were screened. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways analysis for miRNA genes were performed using DAVID (the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integration Discovery) tool. Results Total 4307 DEGs and 23 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. A PPI subnetwork containing 612 nodes and 713 edges was constructed. Total 5 DEGs such as SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine), FN1 (fibronectin 1), THBS1 (thrombospondin 1), COL1A1 (collagen, type I, alpha 1) and COL7A1 (collagen, type VII, alpha 1) were found in module M1. The up-regulated DEGs were significantly related with cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), response to wounding and immune response. The down-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolism related pathways and transcription related with GO terms. Conclusions ECM-receptor interaction and amino acid degradation may play key roles in the mechanism of PTC progression.

Hexamethyleneimine (HMI) is used as the structure-directing agent (SDA) in the conventional synthesis method of MCM-49 zeolite. Cyclohexanine (CA) is less toxic and cheaper than HMI. Hence, in this paper, MCM-49 zeolite was successfully synthesized by using CA as a sole SDA with the aid of seeds. Both the seed and template CA are indispensable for the synthesis of MCM-49 zeolite. The optimum synthesis conditions were obtained. The range of the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the initial gel was broadened to 70. The synthesis of MCM-49 followed the liquid-phase crystallization mechanism. The MCM-49 zeolites synthesized by using CA and conventional template hexamethyleneimine (HMI) exhibit similar intrinsic properties, such as morphology, acidity, BET surface area, SiO2/Al2O3, and so on. The MCM-49(CA) exhibite good catalytic activity and product distribution in alkylation of benzene with methanol.

Marine microalgae have been widely applied in cosmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and functional foods. In the present study, we first investigated the hepatoprotective effects of peptide purified from microalgae, Isochrysis zhanjiangensis on HepG2 cells alcoholic injury. I. zhanjiangensis was hydrolyzed utilizing chymotrypsin, trypsin, pepsin, and by vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Among hydrolysates, the gastrointestinal hydrolysate showed relatively high free radical scavenging ability preliminarily and was purified with following sequential chromatography methods. The amino acid sequence and molecular mass of the purified peptide from I. zhanjiangensis (PIZ) was identified as Asn-Asp-Ala-Glu-Tyr-Gly-Ile-Cys-Gly-Phe (NDAEYGICGF; MW, 1088.16 Da) via Q-TOF ESI/MS. Additionally, PIZ attenuated ethanol-induced cytotoxicity and inhibited the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species by DCFH-DA assay. Western blot results showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels up-regulated with PIZ treatment before alcohol exposure while gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) protein expression down-regulated. These results provide an opportunity to discover new highly active peptide against alcohol toxicity in HepG2 cells.

The polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODE)/methanol reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) mode was realized by direct injection of PODE as high-reactivity fuel to ignite pre-mixed methanol as low-reactivity fuel in a high-pressure common-rail diesel engine. The effects of load extension ratio (LER) on in-cylinder combustion, emission characteristics and fuel economy of RCCI engine were investigated, and the influences of PODE injection strategy on the high-load extension of PODE/methanol RCCI mode were also systematically studied, including the start of main-injection (SOImain), start of pilot-injection (SOIpilot) and pilot-injection quantity (PIQ). The results show that with the increase of LER, the peak values of in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate of RCCI mode increase, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and the hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and unregulated emissions also increase, but the increase of the ringing intensity (RI), the coefficient of variation of IMEP (COVIMEP) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) limit the further increase of LER. The delay of SOImain can effectively reduce RI, but it will lead to the deterioration of CO and HC emissions and fuel economy. The pilot-injection strategy can weaken the trade-off relationship between NOx and soot emissions and improve combustion stability. With the advance of SOIpilot, the RCCI combustion process evolves from two-stage heat release to single-stage heat release, and the emissions of HC, CO, NOx and soot are reduced. With the increase of PIQ, the combustion phase of PODE/methanol RCCI mode advances, and the RI, COVIMEP and IMEP increase. At 59.5 mg/cycle condition, when PIQ is increased from 2 mg to 10 mg, CO and HC emissions decrease by 19.57% and 6.97% respectively, while NOx emissions increase by 7.93%. With the appropriate LER combined with the optimized PODE injection strategy, the BTE of PODE/methanol RCCI engine reaches 48.68%, and the IMEP is extended from 0.77 MPa to 1.08 MPa.

Hippocampus is a traditional medicine in China, which can be used for treating tumors, aging, fatigue, thrombosis, inflammation, hypertension, prostatic hyperplasia, and other diseases. 1-(5-Bromo-2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone [SE1] from seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeler) has been shown to suppress proinflammatory responses. In the present study, SE1 potently inhibited gelatin digestion by MMP-9 induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and migration of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence analysis have been studied on MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38 kinase and JNK) and NF-κB (p65 and IκB), which refer to the clear molecular mechanism. The results indicated that SE1 significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK: p38 kinase and JNK) and NF-κB. Finally, molecular docking result showed SE1 interacts with TYR245 and HIS226 of MMP-9 by hydrogen bond and Pi-Pi bond to suppress MMP-9 activity. This data suggested that the SE1 may possess therapeutic and preventive potential for the treatment of MMP-9 related disorders.

Soluble sugars and starches are important metabolites of plant life and physiological markers of plant stress response. There is an urgent need to develop a non-destructive and rapid method for determining plant starch and soluble sugar contents. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technology has been used to determine the physiological state and cold resistance of select plant tissues. However, so far there have been no reports on the use of EIT for the rapid estimation of soluble sugar and starch contents. In this study, EIT was used to obtain reconstructed voltage values and estimate starch and soluble sugar contents in the stems of three Rosa hybrida cultivars during February to May, which were grown in the Specimen Park (38° 50′ N, 115° 26′ E) of Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding City, Hebei Province, China. Stems from two of the cultivars were used for establishing regression models for starch and soluble sugar contents as functions of reconstructed voltage values. The third cultivar was used to test the accuracy of the regression models. The quadratic regression model was best for determining soluble sugar content and the logarithmic regression model was best for determining starch content. Thus, this research provided technical support for using EIT to analyze changes in physiological parameters and to rapidly estimate physiological indexes of plants. More studies were now needed to validate the results in this paper.

As a kind of promising resource, animal bone has been widely processed into functional foods. However, there is little research about the effect of particle size on the physicochemical properties and digestibility of yak bone powder (YBP), as well as its anti-osteoporosis activity. In this study, the YBP with median particle sizes (MPS) ranging from 19.68 to 128.37 μm were prepared, and their digestibility and anti-osteoporosis activity were investigated. The results showed that smaller MPS significantly increased water holding capacity and protein solubility without changing composition. The MPS reduction greatly promoted protein digestion, producing more peptides

Ultraviolet radiation B cause photoaging of the skin by enhancing the high expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to degrade collagen and inhibit the synthesis of procollagen. Trehalose (TRE), a widely occurring natural disaccharide, has been shown to play a cytoprotective role in many pathological processes. However, few studies have evaluated whether it has anti-photoaging potential. In this study, we investigated the anti-photoaging and mechanism of action of TRE using Human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells. The results indicated that TRE pretreatment effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation induced by UVB and increases the content of certain endogenous antioxidant factors in HaCaT cells. TRE suppressed UVB-induced MMP expression by blocking mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), activator protein 1 (AP-1) and NF-κB signaling. TRE treatment increased procollagen I synthesis via activating transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad pathway and demonstrated that TRE may be a potential natural disaccharide for photoaging therapy in the future.

Background Excessive exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause premature skin aging. Ishigoside (IGS) is a new glyceroglycolipid compound isolated from brown algal Ishige okamurae, However, whether it can protect the skin from (Ultraviolet-B) UVB damage has not been illuminated. Methods The in vitro anti-photoaging effect of IGS was conducted in UVB-induced HaCaT. The HaCaT cells were divided into the following five groups: (1) cells didn't suffer from UVB irradiation or IGS treatment. (2–5) Cells were treated with various concentrations of IGS (0, 10, 50, and 100 μM) and irradiated by 40 mJ/cm2 UVB. The Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) of photoaging process was determined by ELISA kits and the latent interaction between IGS and MMP was further performed by molecular docking. The crucial signaling pathway proteins involved in the collagen synthesis and degradation were subsequently evaluated by Western blotting, immunofluorescence and EMSA. Results IGS effectively suppresses the high expressions and secretions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and photo-inflammation by blocking MAPKs, AP-1 and NF-κB. Meanwhile, increasing antioxidant enzyme expression. Molecular docking results suggest that inhibition of IGS on MMPs may be attributed to its hydrogen supply and hydrophobic capacity. In addition, IGS enhanced procollagen production by upregulating the TGF-β/Smad pathways. Conclusions IGS exhibited anti-photoaging activity in UVB-damage HaCaT. These effects might be a contribution by its suppression of MMPs expression via MAPKs, AP-1 and NF-κB pathway and have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, IGS has the great potential to become skin-care products or functional foods for preventing skin photoaging.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is limited to use in clinical practice because of poor targeting, serious side effects and multidrug resistance (MDR). Vitamin E and its derivatives are currently considered as hydrophobic material that can reverse tumor MDR by suppressing the action of p-glycoprotein (p-gp). Therefore, reduction-sensitive amphiphilic heparosan polysaccharide-cystamine-vitamin E succinate (KSV) copolymers were designed to reverse breast cancer MDR cells. The spherical micelles (DOX/KSV) micelles which had suitable particle size presented redox-sensitive release character. Simultaneously, DOX-loaded reduction insensitive heparosan-adipic dihydrazide-vitamin E succinate (KV) micellar system was designed as a control. DOX/KSV and DOX/KV micelles had the higher capability to overcome tumor MDR than that free DOX. However, DOX/KSV had the highest amount of cellular uptake which might be caused by the synergistic intracellular drug release and inhibition of p-gp expression. The mechanism experiments revealed that DOX/KSV could be fast disassembled to release DOX after internalization into tumor cells. Moreover, DOX/KSV produced more ROS than free DOX and DOX/KV resulting in enhanced anticancer effect. In vivo tumor-bearing mice study suggested that DOX/KSV micelles could efficiently enhance antitumor effect by overcoming tumor MDR and reduce toxicity of DOX. The DOX/KSV micelles could synergistically increase the therapeutic effect of chemotherapeutic drug on tumor MDR cells.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) threatens human health, so it is imperative that we find ways to prevent or treat it. In recent years, the study of polysaccharides has shown that they have different kinds of bioactivities. Among them are many biological effects that have been attributed to polysaccharide precursors. D-Isofloridoside (DIF) is one of the polysaccharide precursors from the marine red alga Laurencia undulata. This study evaluated the effect of DIF on alcohol-induced oxidative stress in human hepatoma cells (HepG2). As a result, DIF attenuated alcohol-induced cytotoxicity, reduced the amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and effectively reduced alcohol-induced DNA damage in HepG2 cells. In addition, a western blot showed that, after DIF treatment, the expression levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (bcl-2) increased, while the expression levels of &gamma, glutamyl transferase (GGT), BCL2-associated X (bax), cleaved caspase-3, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase ) signal transduction proteins reduced. This showed that DIF may protect cells by reducing the amount of intracellular ROS and inhibiting intracellular oxidative stress and apoptotic processes. Finally, molecular docking demonstrated that DIF can bind to SOD, GGT, B-cell lymphoma-2, and bax proteins. These results indicated that DIF can protect HepG2 cells from alcohol-induced oxidative stress damage, making it an effective potential ingredient in functional foods.

Cholinergic disorder, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation play important roles in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. To explore the healthy potential of the edible seaweed Hizikia fusiforme on this aspect, a functional oil (HFFO) was extracted from this alga and investigated on its constituents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in this study. Its anti-Alzheimer's related bioactivities including acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, antioxidation, and anti-neuroinflammation were evaluated, traced, and simulated by in vitro and in silico methods. GC/MS analysis indicated that HFFO mainly contained arachidonic acid (ARA), 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid (ETrA), palmitic acid, phytol, etc. HFFO showed moderate AChE inhibition and antioxidant activity. Bioactivity tracing using commercial standards verified that AChE inhibition of HFFO mainly originated from ARA and ETrA, whereas antioxidant activity mainly from ARA. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that both ARA and ETrA are noncompetitive AChE inhibitors. A molecular docking study demonstrated low CDOCKER interaction energy of -26.33 kcal/mol for ARA and -43.70 kcal/mol for ETrA when interacting with AChE and multiple interactions in the ARA (or ETrA)-AChE complex. In the anti-neuroinflammatory evaluation, HFFO showed no toxicity toward BV-2 cells at 20 μg/mL and effectively inhibited the production of nitroxide and reduced the level of reactive oxygen species in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV-2 cells. The results indicated that HFFO could be used in functional foods for its anti-Alzheimer's disease-related activities.

The diabetic wounds do not heal easily in part because they are susceptible to infection due to environmental influences. Wound dressing is crucial to wound healing, as it can basically protect the wound from external damages and provide a suitable microenvironment for tissue regeneration. In this study, a double-layer membrane that consists of chitosan sponge and decellularized bovine amniotic membrane (dBAM) has been developed by freeze-casting method. The results showed that the porous structure of the sponge layer improved the performances of blood coagulation and swelling. The dense dBAM can optimize the mechanical property of wound dressing. In vitro studies revealed that the bilayer membrane had favorable biocompatible, especially for human foreskin fibroblast cells (HFF-1) cell adhesion and proliferation. Moreover, the full-thickness skin defects of diabetic model mice that treated with bilayer membrane showed over 80% closure in 8 days. Our findings imply that the double-layer dressing has great potentials to be used in diabetic patients.

Abalone is a marine gastropod that is an important fishery and food industrial resource, massively maricultured in Asia, Africa, Australia, and America. Marine by-products from boiled abalone, norm...

The microstructure of hydroxyapatite is known to influence cellular behavior, can be used as a substrate for osteoblast growth, and exploited as a drug-release platform. However, easy delamination and self-decomposition of hydroxyapatite caused by poor adhesion with substrates are the main problems currently. In this paper, we successfully fabricated titanium dioxide/strontium-doped hydroxyapatite (TiO2/SrHA) composite scaffolds by self-generated strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite microspheres in TiO2 nanotubes. Moreover, the active compound 1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone (BHM) from Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeler) was loaded in this scaffold, and the controlled release kinetics of BHM was studied. It was found that in the first 5 h, the release concentration and time of BHM had a good linear relationship, and the correlation coefficient reached 0.98. TiO2/SrHA/BHM composites exhibited favorable cytocompatibility at a given concentration of BHM (20 μmol/L). Compared to pure SrHA, TiO2 n...

Seahorse is been used as a traditional Chinese medicine and invigorant for many years. Among, the seahorse is considered to have anti-fatigue effects. However, few researches have demonstrated such an effect. This study, the anti-fatigue effect of a novel peptide purified (SH200) from the seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. The effect of SH200 on exercise performance was assessed using a Rotarod test and clinical biochemical parameters. In addition, the expression levels of muscular-associated proteins were examined by western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. The results revealed that SH200 prolonged the running time of mice, reduced the expression of creatine, CK, LDH, l -lactate, Citrate, and increased the production serum glucose and FFA, hepatic glycogen, ATP, and SDH. Addition, SH200 also improved mitochondrial function and protected muscle fibers via AMMPK/PGC-1α signal pathway. Thus, the SH200 is a potential candidate natural agent that could be used to reduce physical fatigue.

In this study we isolate a heptameric peptide from the marine microalga Pavlova lutheri and examine its inhibitory effect and mechanism of action on the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein in human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells. Through consecutive rounds of purification we isolated a potent MMP-9 inhibitory peptide composed of seven amino acids: Leu-Leu-Ala-Pro-Pro-Glu-Arg (796.4 Da). We show that the mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-9 are reduced in the presence of this purified peptide. Furthermore, we show that this peptide inhibits PMA-induced translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by suppressing IκB-α phosphorylation and that it suppresses the phosphorylation of the c-Jun N-terminal (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Our results indicate that this peptide, purified from P. lutheri, has the potential to be a valuable natural preventive agent against MMP-related diseases.

Au nanoclusters were synthetized through chemical reduction based on glutathione template. The fluorescence excitation and emission wavelength is 375 nm and 565 nm, respectively. The fluorescence would be quenched at the presence of ferrous and hydrogen peroxide and recovered as ascorbic acid added. It can be used for qualitative analysis of ascorbic acid according to fluorescence recovery. The fluorescence intensity is positive correlation with the concentration of ascorbic acid. The detection limit is 200 μM and linear range is 350–700 μM. It offers an easy and convenient method to detect of ascorbic acid.

Lithium metal is one of the most promising anode candidates for next-generation high-energy batteries. Nevertheless, lithium pulverization and associated loss of electrical contact remain significant challenges. Here, an antipulverization and high-continuity lithium metal anode comprising a small number of solid-state electrolyte (SSE) nanoparticles as conformal/sacrificial fillers and a copper (Cu) foil as the supporting current collector is reported. Guiding by the SSE, this new anode facilitates lithium nucleation, contributing to form a roundly shaped, micro-sized, and dendrite-free electrode during cycling, which effectively mitigates the lithium dendrite growth. The embedded Cu current collector in the hybrid anode not only reinforces the mechanical strength but also improves the efficient charge transfer among active lithium filaments, affording good electrode structural integrity and electrical continuity. As a result, this antipulverization and high-continuity lithium anode delivers a high average Coulombic efficiency of ≈99.6% for 300 cycles under a current density of 1 mA cm-2 . Lithium-sulfur batteries (elemental sulfur or sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathodes) equipped with this anode show high-capacity retentions in their corresponding ether-based or carbonate-based electrolytes, respectively. This new electrode provides important insight into the design of electrodes that may experience large volume variation during operations.

A sensitive and intuitive freshness intelligent label was fabricated for indicating the freshness of fish based on porous anodic aluminum (PAA) membrane and bromocresol green. This label is fabricated by the bromocresol green (BCG) immobilized on PAA membrane, which responds through visible color change to the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) released during fish spoilage period. The result showed that the fish is inedible when it was stored at 25 °C for 6 h (TVBN > 20 mg/100 g). Under this condition, the color of BCG/PAA label changed from yellow to green obviously. In addition, BCG/PAA membrane label and the electrospinning nanofiber label were used to evaluate the fish freshness. As a result, the color of BCG/PAA membrane label is more obvious and sensitive. Thus, BCG/PAA membrane label can be considered as a new promising method for the assessment of fish freshness.

The behavior of two-dimensional (2D) materials for energy storage systems relates to their morphology and physicochemical properties. Although various 2D materials can be found in different fields, the open access of these materials has greatly hampered their practical applications, such as in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, where the soluble intermediates should be controlled. Here, we have developed a facile approach to prepare 2D ultrathin interconnected carbon fabrics (ICFs) with "bubble-like" morphology and abundant mesopores using a "blowing bubble" method. Serving as independent meso-sized rooms, nanosulfur dots can be stitched in 2D "bubble-like" ICF, which afford a short electron-/ion-transfer path and thus is beneficial to high reversible capacity. Encapsulated with reduced graphene oxide, a binder-free/free-standing cathode was constructed for advanced Li-S batteries. In addition, the specific energy of a pouch Li-S battery with this interconnected cathode can be achieved to 1.55 Ah@315.98 Wh/kg at 0.1 C. These results suggest that the design of "bubble-like" interconnected porous carbon fabrics and their integration with reduced graphene oxide provide a facile strategy to enhance the electrochemical activity of S and have the potential to be applied to other semiconductors or insulating materials for a wide range of applications.

In this study, a marine microalga Spirulina sp.-derived protein was hydrolyzed using gastrointestinal enzymes to produce an angiotensin I (Ang I)-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide. Following consecutive purification, the potent ACE inhibitory peptide was composed of 7 amino acids, Thr-Met‑Glu‑Pro‑Gly‑Lys-Pro (molecular weight, 759 Da). Analysis using the Lineweaver-Burk plot and molecular modeling suggested that the purified peptide acted as a mixed non-competitive inhibitor of ACE. The inhibitory effects of the peptide against the cellular production of vascular dysfunction-related factors induced by Ang II were also investigated. In human endothelial cells, the Ang II-induced production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species was inhibited, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) was downregulated when the cells were cultured with the purified peptide. Moreover, the peptide blocked the activation of p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase. These results indicated that this Spirulina sp.-derived peptide warrants further investigation as a potential pharmacological inhibitor of ACE and vascular dysfunction.