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Owing to the 100% atom utilization and the high activity, single atom catalysts (SACs) toward photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) represent a promising technology. However, its practical industrial application has been still limited by the complex synthesis methods of the catalyst. Herein, a simple two-step electrochemical approach was developed to synthesize an atomically dispersed Au-loaded WO3/TiO2 nanotubes array for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation. Au atoms were proved to be anchored by oxygen vacancies (OVs) on the WO3 surface, which significantly enhanced the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers and the adsorption of toluene, achieving a 95.4% degradation and 85.5% mineralization rate for toluene removal. More importantly, the strong metal-support interaction led to the thermodynamic stability of the Au single atoms, and therefore, the stable toluene degradation cycle was achieved. This work is especially of great industrial significance for application of photocatalytic VOCs removal by SACs technique.

e-MnO2 effectively activates peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the efficient degradation of emerging pollutants. e-MnO2 was synthesized by a facile thermal-treatment method and its long-term stability and efficiency for the elimination of emerging pollutants, including sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), sulfamethazine (SMT), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and azithromycin (AZI), from aqueous media were evaluated. e-MnO2 was found to activate PMS more efficiently than α-MnO2, β-MnO2, or δ-MnO2, owing to its high − OH-group content, unique structure, and high surface area. Sulfate (SO4•−), hydroxyl (•OH), and superoxide (O2•−) radicals, as well as singlet oxygen (1O2) were generated, with O2•− acting as the 1O2 precursor. The e-MnO2/PMS system proved to be effective in the pH range of 3.5–9.0 and the rate of SMX degradation was not significantly affected by the presence of inorganic anions or natural organic matter. The proposed pathway for the activation of PMS by e-MnO2 includes inner-sphere interactions between e-MnO2 and PMS, and electron transfer to PMS via the MnIII ↔ MnIV redox cycle, which generates reactive oxygen species. These findings provide new insight into PMS activation by less-toxic metal oxides as catalysts and demonstrate that Mn-based materials can be used to effectively treat water matrices containing emerging pollutants.

In this study, a series of glucose-derived carbon catalysts were developed and applied for the activation of sulfite for the oxidation of As(III). The process of sulfite activation with the carbon catalysts is based on the production of oxysulfur free radicals such as SO3•-, SO5•-, and SO4•-. The factors responsible for the sulfite activation performance of carbon catalysts are conductivity and ketonic functional groups. A complex is formed between the sulfite and carbon catalysts, and the electron transfer that takes place within the complex leads to the generation of semiquinone and oxysulfur radicals, and finally, the oxysulfur radicals are converted into SO4•- by means of O2, which results in the As(III) oxidation. The efficiency of the sulfite/carbon system is enhanced under normoxia conditions due to the reversible transformation cycle occurring among C═O/C-O•/C-OH triads. The present study is of great environmental significance as sulfite is a source of SO4•- generated, and the activation is achieved by a metal-free carbon material, which makes the process viable and environmentally friendly.

Edible fungi are large fungi with high added value that can be utilized as resources. They are rich in high-quality protein, carbohydrate, various vitamins, mineral elements and other nutrients, and are characterized by high protein, low sugar, low fat and low cholesterol. In addition, edible fungi contain a variety of bioactive substances, such as polysaccharides, dietary fiber, steroids, polyphenols, and most of these compounds have antioxidant, anti-tumor and other physiological functions. This review comprehensively discusses the bioactive components and functional characteristics of edible fungi (such as antioxidant, anti-aging, hypolipidemic activities, etc.). Then the recent developments and prospect in the high-valued utilization of edible fungi are discussed and summarized. The objective of this review is to improve the understanding of health-promoting properties of edible fungi, and provide reference for the industrial production of edible fungi-based health products.

In this study, the catalytic activation of persulfate (PS) via metal oxides was investigated, and the A-Mn2O3 nanocatalyst was found to have the highest efficiency among other PS activators for the degradation of organic contaminants. Additionally, A-Mn2O3 exhibited a remarkable efficiency in activating PS for the degradation of phenol compared to both B-Mn2O3 and C-Mn2O3. This was attributed to the longer bonds between edge-sharing MnO6 octahedra, the unique structure, the high content surface -OH groups, and the average oxidation states. This indicated that all these properties played an important role in an efficient PS activation. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, scavenger tests, and chemical probes were conducted to investigate the reactive oxygen species (ROS). Singlet oxygen (1O2) was determined to be the main ROS generated from PS activation. A plausible mechanism study was proposed, which involved inner-sphere interactions. An electron transfer of the Mn species facilitated the decomposition of PS to generate HO2•/O2• - radicals, which were utilized as a precursor for 1O2 generation via direct oxidation or the recombination of HO2•/O2• -. Finally, the phenol and Sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) degradation pathways were proposed by 1O2 over the A-Mn2O3/PS system according to HPLC and LC-MS results.

Surgery to treat drug-resistant epilepsy can be quite effective but remains substantially underutilized. A pilot study was undertaken to test the feasibility of using a non-invasive, non-ablative, approach to produce focal neuronal loss to treat seizures in a rodent model of temporal lobe epilepsy. In this study, spontaneous, recurrent seizures were established in a mouse model of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. After post-status epilepticus stabilization, baseline behavioral seizures were monitored for 30 d. Non-invasive opening of the blood–brain barrier targeting the hippocampus was then produced by using magnetic resonance-guided, low-intensity focused ultrasound, through which a neurotoxin (quinolinic acid) administered intraperitoneally gained access to the brain parenchyma to produce focal neuronal loss. Behavioral seizures were then monitored for 30 d after this procedure, and brains were subsequently prepared for histologic analysis of the sites of neuronal loss. The average frequency of behavioral seizures in all animals (n = 11) was reduced by 21.2%. Histologic analyses along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus revealed that most of the animals (n = 8) exhibited neuronal loss located primarily in the intermediate aspect of the hippocampus, while sparing the septal aspect. Two other animals with damage to the intermediate hippocampus also exhibited prominent bilateral damage to the septal aspect of the hippocampus. A final animal had negligible neuronal loss overall. Notably, the site of neuronal loss along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus influenced seizure outcomes. Animals that did not have bilateral damage to the septal hippocampus displayed a mean decrease in seizure frequency of 27.7%, while those with bilateral damage to the septal hippocampus actually increased seizure frequency by 18.7%. The animal without neuronal loss exhibited an increase in seizure frequency of 19.6%. The findings indicate an overall decrease in seizure frequency in treated animals. And, the site of neuronal loss along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus appears to play a key role in reducing seizure activity. These pilot data are promising, and they encourage additional and more comprehensive studies examining the effects of targeted, non-invasive, neuronal lesions for the treatment of epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE Surgery can be highly effective for the treatment of medically intractable, neurological disorders, such as drug-resistant focal epilepsy. However, despite its benefits, surgery remains substantially underutilized due to both surgical concerns and nonsurgical impediments. In this work, the authors characterized a noninvasive, nonablative strategy to focally destroy neurons in the brain parenchyma with the goal of limiting collateral damage to nontarget structures, such as axons of passage. METHODS Low-intensity MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), together with intravenous microbubbles, was used to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a transient and focal manner in rats. The period of BBB opening was exploited to focally deliver to the brain parenchyma a systemically administered neurotoxin (quinolinic acid) that is well tolerated peripherally and otherwise impermeable to the BBB. RESULTS Focal neuronal loss was observed in targeted areas of BBB opening, including brain regions that are prime objectives for epilepsy surgery. Notably, other structures in the area of neuronal loss, including axons of passage, glial cells, vasculature, and the ventricular wall, were spared with this procedure. CONCLUSIONS These findings identify a noninvasive, nonablative approach capable of disconnecting neural circuitry while limiting the neuropathological consequences that attend other surgical procedures. Moreover, this strategy allows conformal targeting, which could enhance the precision and expand the treatment envelope for treating irregularly shaped surgical objectives located in difficult-to-reach sites. Finally, if this strategy translates to the clinic, the noninvasive nature and specificity of the procedure could positively influence both physician referrals for and patient confidence in surgery for medically intractable neurological disorders.

A novel metal-free nitrogen doped carbon material was synthesized by post doping of nitrogen (different amounts of melamine) into carbon substrate derived from glucose, at 550 °C under nitrogen protection. Despite the optimized catalyst has a low nitrogen content of 2.16%, it could effectively activate PMS and exhibited an excellent catalytic performance for phenol degradation with an exceptionally low activation energy. Experiments showed the degradation rates of phenol by the catalyst upon N-doped was 29 times higher than that by carbon substrate, and the reaction pathway of PMS activated transformed from free-radical pathway of carbon substrate to non-radical process. Further, all experimental and theoretical investigations demonstrated the critical role of pyrrolic –N in carbonaceous material to the PMS activation for the first time, which attracts the electrophilic species of PMS and drives the electron transfer towards PMS, thereby the performance of the catalysis was enhanced. The catalytic process performed on various aromatic compounds with different substituents showed a selective degradation dependent on ionization potential (IP). The simple and economical preparation method and the efficiency of the catalyst developed in the study make the activation toward PMS a viable approach for a practical large-scale industrial application.

Solid-state acid-responsive materials are promising for the tunability of their intrinsic properties. However, the relationship between molecular structure and emission shift as a response to acid stimuli has not been systematically studied. Herein, we report the effect of protonation and subsequent intramolecular hydrogen bonding on the photophysical properties of compounds (MPP-s, MPP-d, and MPP-d-CN) with different conjugation modes between the electron-donating dimethoxyl phenyl and the electron-withdrawing benzothiazole ring. The results established that the stronger the intramolecular charge transfer feature of the compound, the smaller is the emission shift after acid stimuli. Our studies also indicated that the conjugation mode significantly affected the solid-state packing mode: MPP-s and MPP-d tended to form dimers, while MPP-d-CN exhibited the strongest aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE). The exploration of structure-property relationship would provide experimental and theoretical guidance in designing acid-responsive molecular switches and developing high-performance AIEE-active luminogens.

Sunflower stalk-derived biochars (BC) were prepared at various temperatures (i.e., 500, 650, and 1000 °C) and demonstrated as a highly efficient catalyst in persulfate (PS) activation for the oxidation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) at 60 °C. The apparent PNP oxidation rate constant in the BC500 (0.1543 L mol-1 S-1), BC650 (0.6062 L mol-1 S-1), or BC1000 (2.1379 L mol-1 S-1) containing PS system was about 2, 8 and 28 times higher than that in PS/PNP (0.0751 L mol-1 S-1) system, respectively. The effect of reaction temperature on PNP oxidation was also investigated. Furthermore, the radical quenching tests and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) were employed to investigate the sulfate and hydroxyl radicals for PNP oxidation. The Raman results suggested that the defective sites on biochars possess vital role for oxidation of PNP in PS system. The possible activation pathway of PS/BC was proposed that the defective sites on BC were involved for weakening the O-O bond in PS and subsequently cleaving O-O bond by heat to generate sulfate radical. The oxidation of PNP at low concentration (below 100 μg L-1) was completely removed in urban wastewater by PS/BC system within 30 min. This work would provide new insights into PS activation by BC catalyst and afford a promising method for organic pollutant removal in high-temperature wastewater.

In this study, the synergistic redox conversion of As(III) and Cr(VI) in acidic media was efficiently achieved with a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) based photocatalyst material (with pyromellitic diimide doping) under visible light irradiation. The non-adsorptive nature of As(V) on the g-C3N4 based photocatalyst made it very steady in recycle treatment of both pollutants compared to traditional titanium dioxide based photocatalysts (P25). While the adsorption of few Cr(III) on the photocatalyst would activated photogenerated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to yield hydroxyl radical. The As(III)/Cr(VI) conversion was effective at initial pH from 3.0 to 6.0 and concentrations of As(III) and Cr(VI) from 10 to 1000 μM by the photocatalyst material, and the presence of other ion salts such as KCl, Na2SO4 and Mg(NO3)2 had no any inhibitory effect on their conversion. The photogenerated species such as hole coupled with superoxide radical and photogenerated electron coupled with H2O2 were responsible for the oxidation of As(III) and the reduction of Cr(VI), respectively. Besides, the Cr(V)/H2O2 Fenton-like system that was established during the photocatalytic treatment by g-C3N4 based photocatalyst, had synergistic impact towards the simultaneous conversion of As(III) and Cr(VI), i.e., reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(V) as well as generation of hydroxyl radicals for As(III) oxidation.

In this study, g-C3N4/PDI/Fe (gCPF) composite material was prepared by incorporating Fe ion on the composite catalyst of g-C3N4/PDI (gCP). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the Fe was successfully incorporated on the pristine g-C3N4/PDI. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrometry (UV-vis DRS) and Photoluminescence spectral (PL) analysis confirmed the enhancement of the visible absorption band following a decline in the photoelectron/hole recombination rate with gCPF. A preparatory experiment was performed on photocatalytic degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) to examine the activity of gCPF. Results obtained in the radical quenching and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies indicated that an in-situ Fenton-like system has been successfully established and the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) changed from O2- to both O2- and OH in the gCPF system. However, a competition toward conduction band electrons between Fe3+ and O2 caused an inhibitory effect on PNP degradation. To overcome the effect, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) was introduced as a reducing agent for Fe3+. Upon adding NTA, the efficiency of PNP degradation greatly enhanced from 33 to 80%. The effect of initial pH, dosage of NTA and content of dissolved O2 on PNP degradation was also studied. The photocatalytic stability was confirmed by recycling experiments.

The quality traits of beer, which include flavor, texture, foam stability, gushing, and haze formation, rely on contributions from beer proteins and peptides. Large-scale proteomic analysis of beer is gaining importance, not only with respect to authenticity of raw material in beer but also to improve quality control during beer production. In this work, foam proteins were first isolated from beer by virtue of their high hydrophobicity. Then sequential filter-aided sample preparation coupled with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze both beer protein and foam protein. Finally, 4692 proteins were identified as beer proteins, and 3906 proteins were identified as foam proteins. In total, 7113 proteins were identified in the beer sample. Several proteins contributing to beer quality traits, including lipid transfer protein, serpin, hordein, gliadin, and glutenin, were detected in our proteins list. This work constructed a comprehensive beer proteome map that may help to evaluate potential health risks related to beer consumption in celiac patients.

Mg Al CO3 layered double hydroxide (LDH) was prepared via the hydrothermal method, and used to remove Congo red (CR) from the aqueous solution with the assist of ultrasound. The influence of ultrasonic power on the CR adsorption, together with adsorption kinetics and isotherms were investigated. The mechanism of ultrasound-assisted adsorption was elucidated. The results showed that compared with stirring and shaking, ultrasound-assisted adsorption resulted in a significantly shorter adsorption equilibrium time of 120 min under initial 0.2 g/L CR and 0.2 g/L LDH dosage. The optimal ultrasonic power was 180 W at which a maximum adsorption capacity of 934.43 mg/g was achieved. The adsorption kinetics fitted the pseudo-second order kinetic model well (R2 = 0.9999), and the adsorption isotherms fitted the Langmuir isotherm model well (R2 = 0.998). The adsorption rate remained above 60% after three cycles.

Structural variations (SVs), such as inversion and duplication, contribute to important agronomic traits in crops1. Pan-genome studies revealed that SVs were a crucial and ubiquitous force driving genetic diversification2–4. Although genome editing can effectively create SVs in plants and animals5–8, the potential of designed SVs in breeding has been overlooked. Here, we show that new genes and traits can be created in rice by designed large-scale genomic inversion or duplication using CRISPR/Cas9. A 911 kb inversion on chromosome 1 resulted in a designed promoter swap between CP12 and PPO1, and a 338 kb duplication between HPPD and Ubiquitin2 on chromosome 2 created a novel gene cassette at the joint, promoterUbiquitin2::HPPD. Since the original CP12 and Ubiquitin2 genes were highly expressed in leaves, the expression of PPO1 and HPPD in edited plants with homozygous SV alleles was increased by tens of folds and conferred sufficient herbicide resistance in field trials without adverse effects on other important agronomic traits. CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing for gene knock-ups has been generally considered very difficult without inserting donor DNA as regulatory elements. Our study challenges this notion by providing a donor-DNA-free strategy, thus greatly expanding the utility of CRISPR/Cas in plant and animal improvements. This study reports a donor DNA-free approach for gene knock-up based on CRISPR. It induced designed promoter swap or replacement for target genes by triggering genomic inversion or duplication so as to elevate gene expression and generate new traits.

In this study, hot water was used to extract Inonotus obliquus oligosaccharide. DEAE-cellulose and Sepharose G-200 were used to purify Inonotus obliquus oligosaccharide. Inonotus obliquus oligosaccharide IOP-2A was obtained. Its molecular weight Mw is about 1000 Da. The monosaccharide composition and molar ratio were glucose : xylose : galactose : mannose = 54.1 : 13.6 : 13.2 : 6.7. In addition, it also contains a small amount of galactose, gluconic acid, rhamnose, and fucose. IOP-2A contained mainly β-glycosidic bonds. Among them, 1,4-glycosidic bonds accounted for 9.2%, and 1,6-glycosidic bonds accounted for 85.1%. Oligosaccharide macromolecules formed a layered structure. Mouse experiments showed that IOP-2A had the function of preventing hyperlipidemia. At the same time, IOP-2A had a certain protective effect on the liver and kidney. The mechanism of IOP-2A in preventing hyperlipidemia was obtained from the perspective of mouse intestinal flora.

Surgical intervention can be quite effective for treating certain types of medically intractable neurological diseases. This approach is particularly useful for disorders in which identifiable neuronal circuitry plays a key role, such as epilepsy and movement disorders. Currently available surgical modalities, while effective, generally involve an invasive surgical procedure, which can result in surgical injury to non-target tissues. Consequently, it would be of value to expand the range of surgical approaches to include a technique that is both non-invasive and neurotoxic. Here, a method is presented for producing focal, neuronal lesions in the brain in a non-invasive manner. This approach utilizes low-intensity focused ultrasound together with intravenous microbubbles to transiently and focally open the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). The period of transient BBB opening is then exploited to focally deliver a systemically administered neurotoxin to a targeted brain area. The neurotoxin quinolinic acid (QA) is normally BBB-impermeable, and is well-tolerated when administered intraperitoneally or intravenously. However, when QA gains direct access to brain tissue, it is toxic to the neurons. This method has been used in rats and mice to target specific brain regions. Immediately after MRgFUS, successful opening of the BBB is confirmed using contrast enhanced T1-weighted imaging. After the procedure, T2 imaging shows injury restricted to the targeted area of the brain and the loss of neurons in the targeted area can be confirmed post-mortem utilizing histological techniques. Notably, animals injected with saline rather than QA do demonstrate opening of the BBB, but dot not exhibit injury or neuronal loss. This method, termed Precise Intracerebral Non-invasive Guided surgery (PING) could provide a non-invasive approach for treating neurological disorders associated with disturbances in neural circuitry.

Surgery can be highly effective for treating certain cases of drug resistant epilepsy. The current study tested a novel, non-invasive, surgical strategy for treating seizures in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy. The surgical approach uses magnetic resonance-guided, low-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) in combination with intravenous microbubbles to open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a transient and focal manner. During the period of BBB opening, a systemically administered neurotoxin (Quinolinic Acid: QA) that is normally impermeable to the BBB gains access to a targeted area in the brain, destroying neurons where the BBB has been opened. This strategy is termed Precise Intracerebral Non-invasive Guided Surgery (PING). Spontaneous recurrent seizures induced by pilocarpine were monitored behaviorally prior to and after PING or under control conditions. Seizure frequency in untreated animals or animals treated with MRgFUS without QA exhibited expected seizure rate fluctuations frequencies between the monitoring periods. In contrast, animals treated with PING targeting the intermediate-temporal aspect of the hippocampus exhibited substantial reductions in seizure frequency, with convulsive seizures being eliminated entirely in two animals. These findings suggest that PING could provide a useful alternative to invasive surgical interventions for treating drug resistant epilepsy, and perhaps for treating other neurological disorders in which aberrant neural circuitries play a role.

Two types of polymer latexes and one expansive agent were employed to investigate their effects on the resistance of cement asphalt (CA) pastes to sulfuric acid. Mercury intrusion porosimet...

The goal of this study was to test different combinations of acoustic pressure and doses of quinolinic acid (QA) for producing a focal neuronal lesion in the murine hippocampus without causing unwanted damage to adjacent brain structures. Sixty male CD-1 mice were divided into 12 groups that underwent magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound at high (0.67 MPa), medium (0.5 MPa) and low (0.33 MPa) acoustic peak negative pressures and received QA at high (0.012 mmol), medium (0.006 mmol) and low (0.003 mmol) dosages. Neuronal loss occurred only when magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound with adequate acoustic power (0.67 or 0.5 MPa) was combined with QA. The animals subjected to the highest acoustic power had larger lesions than those treated with medium acoustic power, but two mice had evidence of bleeding. When the intermediate acoustic power was used, medium and high dosages of QA produced lesions larger than those produced by the low dosage.

Fluorescent organic particles are important in a number of areas, including medical imaging; hence, the development of organic materials that exhibit aggregation-induced emissions is an important objective. To that end, we report the synthesis of naphthalimide- and benzimide-based 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) derivatives (HNIBT and HPIBT, respectively) that exhibit aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE), in contrast to most naphthalimide- or benzimide-based derivatives that are prone to aggregation-induced quenching. Experimental studies like single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the ability to undergo excited-state intramolecular proton transfer is pivotal for AIEE. Further studies revealed that a terminal alkynyl chain at the N-imide site of HPIBT has little impact on the emission behavior of the resultant compound (HPIBT-yl). HPIBT-Pe, an amphiphilic molecule obtained through the click reaction of HPIBT-yl and a tetraethylene-glycol-derived azide, self-assembled to form highly photostable particles that have long-term fluorescence imaging potential in cellular environments.

Carbon nano-onions/titanium dioxide (CNOs/TiO2) photocatalyst was synthesized by a simple sol-gel method and characterized by the methods of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic mic...

Magnetic biochar (MBC) has been used to remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from water, but the roles of Fe3O4 and persistent free radicals (PFRs) in MBC in Cr(VI) removal are still less investigated. In this work, the MBC synthesized by microwave co-pyrolysis of solid-state FeSO4 and rice husk was employed to remove Cr(VI) from water. In comparison to the rice husk biochar (BC), the MBC exhibits the 3.2- and 11.7-fold higher adsorption and reduction efficiency of Cr(VI), resulting in the higher Cr(VI) removal efficiency (84.3%) and equilibrium adsorption capacity of MBC (8.35 mg g−1) than that (26.5% and 2.63 mg g−1) of BC. Multiple characterization results revealed that the high Cr(VI) removal performance of MBC was mainly attributed to the presence of active Fe3O4 and carbon-centered PFRs in the porous and graphitic MBC. The Fe3O4 not only provided active chemisorption/reduction sites for Cr(VI) via its Fe(II)oct and Fe(III)oct coordination, but also facilitated the generation of more active electron donating carbon-centered PFRs than carbon-centered PFRs with an oxygen atom in the graphitic structure to reduce Cr(VI). The presence of Fe3O4 also elevated 36.7 m2 g−1 of BET-surface area and 0.043 cm2 g−1 of pore volume of MBC, promoting the Cr(VI) removal. The Fe3O4 and carbon-centered PFRs contributed to ∼81.8% and ∼18.2% of total Cr(III) generation, respectively. In addition, the initial solution pH was responsible for determining the relative significance of Cr(VI) adsorption and reduction. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms of Cr(VI) removal from water by the MBC.

Clinically approved therapeutics that mitigate chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, a serious adverse effect of chemotherapy, are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the putative protective capacity of a novel indole alkaloid derivative B (IADB) against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced cardiotoxicity. To assess the free-radical scavenging activities of IADB, the acetylcholine-induced relaxation assay in rat thoracic aorta was used. Further, IADB was tested in normal and cancer cell lines with assays gauging autophagy induction. We further examined whether IADB could attenuate cardiotoxicity in 5-FU-treated male ICR mice. We found that IADB could serve as a novel bifunctional agent (displaying both antioxidant and autophagy-modulating activities). Further, we demonstrated that IADB induced production of cytosolic autophagy-associated structures in both cancer and normal cell lines. We observed that IADB cytotoxicity was much lower in normal versus cancer cell lines, suggesting an enhanced potency toward cancer cells. The cardiotoxicity induced by 5-FU was significantly relieved in animals pretreated with IADB. Taken together, IADB treatment, in combination with chemotherapy, may lead to reduced cardiotoxicity, as well as the reduction of anticancer drug dosages that may further improve chemotherapeutic efficacy with decreased off-target effects. Our data suggest that the use of IADB may be therapeutically beneficial in minimizing cardiotoxicity associated with high-dose chemotherapy. On the basis of the redox status difference between normal and tumor cells, IADB selectively induces autophagic cell death, mediated by reactive oxygen species overproduction, in cancer cells. This novel mechanism could reveal novel therapeutic targets in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity.

Dynamic behavior of a new type of track using the polyurethane foam solidified ballast in heavy haul railway tunnels is comprehensively investigated in this study. First, a dynamic model of the vehicle–track–tunnel interaction system was developed based on the multi-body system dynamics theory and finite element method. Then, the dynamic effects of the polyurethane foam solidified ballast track on the train and the surrounding infrastructures were calculated and compared to those of the traditional ballasted track. Moreover, the effects of the elastic modulus and the solidified area size of polyurethane foam solidified ballast on the dynamic behavior were analyzed. Results show that, compared to the traditional ballast bed, polyurethane foam solidified ballast decreases the track stiffness and the vibration acceleration of the tunnel, while does not affect the vehicle safety (derailment coefficient and the rate of wheel load reduction). A larger elastic modulus of polyurethane foam solidified ballast has little effects on the wheel–rail interaction and the vibration acceleration of the tunnel, while a smaller modulus results in amplification of the displacements of rails and sleepers. Considering the vehicle–track interaction and tunnel vibration, the optimal elastic modulus of polyurethane foam solidified ballast is suggested to be 60–80 MPa. In addition, smaller solidified area of polyurethane foam solidified ballast presents lower effects on the vibration reduction and rate of wheel load reduction, while larger area leads to a higher derailment coefficient and cost. Therefore, an optimal solidified area size of polyurethane foam solidified ballast with the top width of 0.85 m is recommended.

Transition metal encapsulated carbon onions with high crystallinity and economic scalability were fabricated by a facile chemical vapor deposition method. Then the as-prepared metal encapsulated carbon onions were subjected to microwave assisted acid digestion procedures to remove the metal impurities. High-resolution transition electron microscopic images and Raman spectrum demonstrated the efficient removal of metal phase and the formation of defective hollow carbon onions(HCNOs) under microwave assisted strong acid treatment. It was believed that the acid can corrode the outer carbon shell of onions while the microwave can induce local heating of metal impurities. Under the synergistic effect, the metal phase converts into soluble salt and leaves defective hollows in the center of onions.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe disorder caused by medications or genetic mutations. D5 dopamine receptor (D5R) gene knockout (D5-/-) mice have cardiac hypertrophy and high blood pressure. To investigate the role and mechanism by which the D5R regulates cardiac function, we generated cardiac-specific human D5R F173L(hD5F173L-TG) and cardiac-specific human D5R wild-type (hD5WT-TG) transgenic mice, and H9c2 cells stably expressing hD5F173L and hD5WT. We found that cardiac-specific hD5F173L-TG mice, relative to hD5WT-TG mice, presented with DCM and increased cardiac expression of cardiac injury markers, NADPH oxidase activity, Nrf2 degradation, and activated ERK1/2/JNK pathway. H9c2-hD5F173L cells also had an increase in NADPH oxidase activity, Nrf2 degradation, and phospho-JNK (p-JNK) expression. A Nrf2 inhibitor also increased p-JNK expression in H9c2-hD5F173L cells but not in H9c2-hD5WT cells. We suggest that the D5R may play an important role in the preservation of normal heart function by inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species, via inhibition of NADPH oxidase, Nrf2 degradation, and ERK1/2/JNK pathways. Keywords: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), Dopamine D5 receptor (D5R), Reactive oxygen species (ROS), Nrf2

Accelerators are commonly used in the self-compacting concrete of CRTS III slab track to advance its strength development in cold areas. Triisopropanolamine (TIPA) is a known accelerator, and its influences on the strength development of hardened cement pastes (HCPs) were discussed based on a further understanding of cement hydration and microstructure. The results show that the addition of TIPA visibly heightens hydration degree at each age because it triggers the reaction of C4AF and gently promotes C3S hydration. At low dosages, more hydrates deposited in capillary pores facilitate a refined pore structure and therefore, significantly increase the early and late strengths. On the contrary, a high dosage of TIPA results in a loose and porous structure at an early age owing to the emergence of numerous AFm platelets and the reduction of Ca(OH)2 crystals, so that the heightened hydration degree only slightly increases the early compressive and flexural strengths. At a later age, high dosages of TIPA cause an increase in the volume of harmful pores (greater than 50 nm), which may result from the appearance of some pores full of fractional AFm and the changed morphology of Ca(OH)2. Therefore, the late compressive strength of HCPs remains almost unchanged under the positive effect of the heightened hydration degree coupled with the negative effect of the increased volume of the harmful pores. In contrast, the late flexural strength sharply decreases, which is ascribed to both of the increased volume of the pores larger than 50 nm and the morphological changes of hydration products.

Incorporation of A. auricula into wheat flour dough could improve their nutritional properties, but utilization of A. auricula is limited as it causes a weakened dough and deterioration in the quality of product. In this study, A. auricula was treated using high temperature high pressure processing combined with acidic solution treatment, and the effect of A. auricula before and after the treatment on the rheological and structural properties of dough was investigated. Results showed that the high temperature high pressure-acidic solution treated A. auricula (HTHPA) did not block the formation of intrachain disulfide bonds in glutenins. On the contrary, it led to a higher aggregation extent of glutenin macropolymer by contributing to the crosslinking of proteins via noncovalent interactions. Rheological tests showed that the doughs with 2–8% HTHPA exhibited higher elastic and viscous moduli and shear-thinning behavior compared to the doughs with 2–8% untreated A. auricula (UA). This will contribute to the volumetric expansion of dough during proofing. Temperature sweep test revealed that addition of 2–8% HTHPA could reinforce the intermolecular interactions in the dough structure. This study will provide a new method to design and produce A. auricula-enriched staple foods with desirable rheological and structural properties.

Polycarboxylate ether (PCE) superplasticizers with different molecular structure were synthesized by copolymerizing macro-monomer with cis-butenedioic anhydride (MAH) and trans-1,2-ethenedicarboxylic acid (FA). Gel permeation chromatography, specific charge density, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance were used to characterize these co-polymers. Their Ca2+ binding capacity, adsorption behaviors, retardation effects and dispersion efficiency were investigated by the calcium-ion selective electrode, total organic carbon, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, zeta potential, calorimetry measurements, mini-cone and rheological tests. Results indicated that PCE containing more FA possesses the higher density of –COO– groups, due to the higher reactivity of FA than MAH. The high density of –COO– groups in PCEs significantly affects their adsorption behaviors, retardation, and dispersion of cement pastes. Intermolecular chelation between –COO– groups and Ca2+ is dominated for FA-PCE, while the main coordination modes between –COO– in MAH-PCE and Ca2+ are intramolecular chelation owing to more adjacently distributed –COO– groups. FA-PCE exhibits larger adsorption amount and thicker adsorption layer compared with MAH-PCE. Hence, the FA-PCE demonstrated stronger dispersion efficiency, with which the cement pastes showed excellent flowability and rheological properties, correspondingly.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in a wide range of biological processes including angiogenesis. MiR-204 was identified as a tumor suppressor in multiple cancer types, including lung adenocarcinoma. However, the function of miR-204 in lung tumor angiogenesis remains unknown. In this study, we found that the miR-204 expression was decreased in lung adenocarcinoma based on the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) analysis and gain-of-function experiment showed that miR-204 promoted cancer cell apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation, migration in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Functionally, both the tube formation and migration abilities of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were suppressed by conditioned media from lung cancer A549 cells with miR-204 overexpression. Meanwhile, these conditioned media inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis in HUVECs. The key angiogenesis inducer hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) and the pro-angiogenic mediators vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor were decreased in A549 cells transfected with miR-204 mimics. Mechanistically, miR-204 could target Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and further impaired signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of JAK2 or signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activity with small chemical inhibitors in A549 cells impaired lung adenocarcinoma angiogenesis in vitro. Meanwhile, conditional media from interleukin 6-treated lung normal epithelial cells significantly promoted tube formation of HUVEC, which was disturbed by miR-204 overexpression. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that miR-204 attenuates angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma potentially via JAK2-STAT3 pathway. Clinically, the miR-204/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway is a putative therapeutic target in lung adenocarcinoma. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 70(1):81-91, 2018.

Two styrene-acrylate (SA) polymer latexes with and without the introduction of PEO hairy layer on the surface of colloidal particles were synthesized. The impacts of the latexes on setting time and cement hydration were evaluated. The hydrolysis of acrylate contained in the polymers and the complexation ability of the generated carboxyl group with Ca2+ were investigated. It is found hairy layer of colloidal particles minimizes the retardation effect on cement hydration, although it does not mitigate the acrylate hydrolysis and the complexation effect of generated carboxyl groups. Hairy surface reduces the adsorption of polymer on cement surface and consequently leads to less retardation effect on cement hydration.

The impacts of polycarboxylate co-polymers with varied charge characteristics on the microstructure and properties of fresh cement pastes (FCPs) were investigated. Measurements of adsorption of polymers on cement, cement hydration, microstructure, rheological and viscoelastic properties of FCPs were performed to characterize the performance of the co-polymers. Results show that the effects of the co-polymers on the microstructure and properties of FCPs are determined by their charge characteristics, in the order of COO− > SO3− > N+ . Polymers with more carboxylate groups exhibit stronger dispersing capability due to their stronger adsorption capability and retardation effects, thereby bringing about superior dispersion of cement particles, lower viscosity and elasticity of FCPs. The dispersing capability and fluidizing efficiency of the co-polymers with cationic charges are evidently lower than those with negative charges, so are their impacts on the microstructure and properties of FCPs.

Fluorescent solid-state organic materials have been intensively researched in recent years. In this study, two 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) derivatives: phenylethylene-modified HBT (HBT-s-Ph) and diphenylethylene-modified HBT (HBT-d-Ph), were synthesized by facile Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. In toluene solutions, the fluorescence quantum yield (Φf) of HBT-s-Ph is slightly larger than that of HBT-d-Ph, because of the presence of a stronger intramolecular H-bond in HBT-s-Ph than in HBT-d-Ph. In crystalline forms, both of their Φf has substantial improvement, and the Φf of HBT-d-Ph reaches 78%, which is twice that of HBT-s-Ph. The crystal structure revealed that the striking emission enhancement of HBT-d-Ph was attributable to its distinct molecular packing model and the resultant relatively weak intermolecular interactions induced by the single phenyl group cis to the HBT moiety.

Effect of colloidal polymers with different surface properties on the rheological properties of fresh cement pastes (fcps) was studied and the mechanism was discussed. It is found that the surface property of polymer particles is a key factor determining the impacts of polymer latexes on the rheological properties of fcps. The rheological properties of fcps with the addition of various polymer latexes are highly related to the adsorption behavior of the polymers. The abundant carboxyl groups located on the surface of polymer particles promote the adsorption of the polymer on cement grains and hence cause the agglomeration of cement grains, which leads to the decrease of fluidity, the increase of plastic viscosity and yield stress of fcps. Polymer particles with PEO hairy layer prefer to be flowing in aqueous phase and thus increase the fluidity and decrease the plastic viscosity of fcps. This paper scientifically discloses the importance of surface property of polymer particles on the rheological property of fcps and practically provides an effective technical approach to modify the rheological property of fcps by tuning the surface properties of colloidal particles when a polymer latex is used in the cementitious application.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been used for centuries as a preservative in winemaking. However, the addition of SO2 is associated with allergic reactions and can negatively affect wine quality. In our work, chitooligosaccharide (COS) was applied as an alternative to SO2 in winemaking, and its antimicrobial activity during winemaking was investigated in comparison with the action of SO2. The optimal concentration of COS was identified as 500 mg/L. The antimicrobial effect of COS was evaluated using known and our own separated wine spoilage organisms. The antimicrobial effect of 500 mg/L COS was found to be comparable with that of 100 mg/L SO2. Furthermore, using 500 mg/L COS as an additive during winemaking did notinfluence the cell growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Therefore, COS can be used as an additive in winemaking.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of microRNA19a (miR-19a) antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells (HL60). METHODS: In experiment 1, HL60 cells were divided into the blank control group, the blank transfection group, the scrambled oligonucleotide (SODN) group and the ASODN group. MiR-19a ASODN and SODN were independently transferred into HL60 cells. The miR-19a expression was detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) after 48-h and 72-h transfection; CCK8 assay was used to detect the proliferation inhibition rate at 48 and 72 h; Hoechst 33258 staining was performed to examine apoptotic cells at 48 h; the apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry after AnnexinV/PI staining at 48 and 72 h; the protein expression of E2F1 and Bim was detected by Western blotting at 48 h. In experiment 2, cells were divided into the Ara-C group, the SODN + Ara-C group and the ASODN + Ara-C group. The cell proliferation inhibition rate at 48 and 72 h and apoptosis rate at 72 h were assessed as mentioned above. RESULTS: MiR-19a expression in the miR-19a ASODN group was lower than in the SODN group and the blank control group (P

Biochars have demonstrated great potential for water decontamination and soil remediation; however, their redox reactivity toward trace contaminants and the corresponding redox-active moieties (RAMs, i.e., phenolic -OH, semiquinone-type persistent free radicals (PFRs), and quinoid C═O) remain poorly understood. Here we investigated the roles of the RAMs on biochar in oxidation of As(III) under varying pH and O2 conditions. The results showed that the promoted oxidation of As(III) by the RAMs is strongly pH dependent. Under acidic and neutral conditions, only the oxidation of As(III) by •OH and H2O2 produced from activation of O2 by phenolic -OH and semiquinone-type PFRs occurred. In contrast, the oxidation by semiquinone-type PFRs, quinoid C═O, and H2O2 (if O2 was introduced) appeared under alkaline conditions. This pH-dependent oxidation behavior was attributed to the varying redox activities of RAMs, as confirmed by multiple characterization and validation experiments using biochar with tuned RAMs compositions, as well as thermodynamics evaluation. Our findings provide new insights into the roles of the RAMs on biochar in the promoted oxidation of trace As(III) over a broader pH range under both anoxic and oxic conditions. This study also paves a promising way to oxidize As(III) with biochar.

Aims Linderane, an important bioactive compound in Linderae, improved glucose and lipid metabolism in ob/ob mice. However, the effect of linderane on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced oxidative damage in INS-1 cells remains unclear. Main methods INS-1 cells were pre-treated with different doses of linderane for 2 h and then treated with 3 mM STZ for 12 h. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected using an Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit. The level of intracellular ROS was determined using dichlorofluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA). The activities of insulin secretion, SOD, catalase (CAT) and GPx were measured using ELISA kits. The expression levels of bax, bcl-2, p38, p-p38, nuclear Nrf2 and HO-1 were measured using western blot. Key findings The results showed that STZ-caused inhibitory effects on cell viability and insulin secretion were mitigated by linderane. Furthermore, linderane inhibited apoptosis and oxidative stress in STZ-induced INS-1 cells. Finally, linderane suppressed the activation of p38 MAPK pathway, as well as enhanced the activation of Nrf2 pathway in STZ-induced INS-1 cells. Activation of p38 MAPK pathway or inhibition of Nrf2 significantly reversed the protective effects of linderane against STZ-induced ROS production and cell apoptosis. Significance The protective effects of linderane on STZ-induced INS-1 cells might be attributed to the inhibition of p38 MAPK and activation of Nrf2 pathway.

A series of vanadium-based catalysts with different doping amounts of cerium and nickel were prepared by ultrasonic-assisted impregnation. Their catalytic activities were investigated for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 as the reducing agent (NH3-SCR). XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, XPS, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, SEM and HR-TEM were used to probe the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. The characterization results showed that nickel or cerium doping could increase the specific surface area and the concentration of weak acid sites, improve the catalytic activity, and extend the temperature window to some degree. Cerium and nickel co-modification catalyst possesses higher redox ability, and the element is highly dispersed. Besides, the Oα/(Oα+Oβ) ratio and Ce3+/(Ce3++Ce4+) ratio are higher over the co-modification catalyst, and cerium is more active than the redox site of V and plays an essential role in NH3-SCR at low temperatures. In addition, 3.75 V–7Ce-0.1Ni/TiO2 catalyst shows the widest temperature window (200°C–400 °C) and the best catalytic activity (above 90%), and reaches the maximum of 100% at 300 °C.

Excited-state intramolecular charge transfer (ESICT) and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) can occur either concertedly or sequentially, or even independently, thus harnessing the steady-state fluorescence features of a molecule. In this study, two 4-nitrostyryl-modified 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) isomers (o–NO2–HBT and m–NO2–HBT) are rationally designed, in which the 4-nitrostyryl group is located ortho and meso, respectively, to the phenolic hydroxyl. Unlike the para-isomer (p–NO2–HBT), which exhibits dual emission [solvatochromicenol-emission (EICT emission) and non-solvatochromic keto-emission (K-emission) based on a sequential ESICT-ESIPT process and aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) property, o–NO2–HBT shows only non-solvatochromic K-emission and anti-aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), while m–NO2–HBT demonstrates EICT emission and ACQ. Theoretical calculations reveal that the substituent position and the resultant dipole moment induce differences in the relative energies of EICT* and K* and in the energy barriers for the forward and reverse ESIPT processes. Furthermore, based on the elucidated emission mechanisms, a red-emitting ESIPT-active AIEgen (o–CN–CF3-HBT), with a solid-state fluorescence efficacy of 41.0%, is strategically designed and successfully applied in lipid droplet imaging. Therefore, the results of this study provide important insights into designing high-performance AIEgens for future applications in various cutting-edge research areas.

Elevated As(III) and Fe(II) in shallow reducing groundwater can be frequently re-oxidized by introducing O2 due to natural/anthropogenic processes, thus leading to oxidative precipitation of As as well as Fe. Nevertheless, the geochemical process may be impacted by co-existing engineered black carbon due to its considerable applications, which remains poorly understood. Taking rice husk-derived biochar prepared at 500 °C as an example, we explored its impact on the process particularly for the As(III) oxidation and (im)mobilization during the oxygenation. The presence of the biochar had a negligible effect on the As(III) oxidation and immobilization extents within 1 d, while accelerating their rates. However, the immobilized As(III) was significantly liberated from the formed Fe(III) minerals afterward within 21 d, which was 2.2-fold higher than that in the absence of the biochar. The enhanced As(III) liberation was attributed to the presence of the surface silicon-carbon structure, consisting of the outer silicon and inner carbon layers, of the rice husk-derived biochar. The outer silicon components, particularly for the dissolved silicate primarily promoted the As(III) release via ligand exchange, while significantly impeding the transformation of ferrihydrite to lepidocrocite and goethite still resulted secondarily in the As(III) release. Our findings reveal the possible impact of biochar on the environmental behavior and fate of As(III) in the Fe(II)-rich groundwater during the oxygenation. This work highlights that biochar, particularly for its structural features should be a concern in re-mobilizing As in such scenarios when the oxygenation time reaches several days or weeks.