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MicroRNA-491-5p (miR-491-5p) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and migration; however, the effect of miR-491-5p on neovascularization after traumatic brain injury remains poorly understood. In this study, a controlled cortical injury model in C57BL/6 mice and an oxygen-glucose deprivation model in microvascular endothelial cells derived from mouse brain were established to simulate traumatic brain injury in vivo and in vitro, respectively. In the in vivo model, quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction results showed that the expression of miR-491-5p increased or decreased following the intracerebroventricular injection of an miR-491-5p agomir or antagomir, respectively, and the expression of miR-491-5p decreased slightly after traumatic brain injury. To detect the neuroprotective effects of miR-491-p, neurological severity scores, Morris water maze test, laser speckle techniques, and immunofluorescence staining were assessed, and the results revealed that miR-491-5p downregulation alleviated neurological dysfunction, promoted the recovery of regional cerebral blood flow, increased the number of lectin-stained microvessels, and increased the survival of neurons after traumatic brain injury. During the in vitro experiments, the potential mechanism of miR-491-5p on neovascularization was explored through quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction, which showed that miR-491-5p expression increased or decreased in brain microvascular endothelial cells after transfection with an miR-491-5p mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter and western blot assays verified that metallothionein-2 was a target gene for miR-491-5p. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and 2?,7?-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay results confirmed that the downregulation of miR-491-5p increased brain microvascular endothelial cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis, and alleviated oxidative stress under oxygen-glucose deprivation conditions. Cell scratch assay, Transwell assay, tube formation assay, and western blot assay results demonstrated that miR-491-5p downregulation promoted the migration, proliferation, and tube formation of brain microvascular endothelial cells through a metallothionein-2-dependent hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor pathway. These findings confirmed that miR-491-5p downregulation promotes neovascularization, restores cerebral blood flow, and improves the recovery of neurological function after traumatic brain injury. The mechanism may be mediated through a metallothionein-2-dependent hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway and the alleviation of oxidative stress. All procedures were approved by Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China (approval No. 2020-304) on June 22, 2020.

The conversion of CO2 into value-added chemicals has attracted a lot of attention, not only reducing the concentration of CO2 in the air, but also generating chemicals and fuels, which are of great importance to solve the growing environmental and energy problems. Ni catalysts with different Zr/Al ratios were prepared by co-precipitation and impregnation for CO2 methanation. The activity test results showed that almost 100% CH4 selectivity and 82.6% CO2 conversion were obtained at a reaction temperature of 350 °C when the Zr/Al ratio was 1. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were investigated using XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, H2-TPR, H2-TPD, CO2-TPD, XPS and TEM, and the surface-generating substances and methanation reaction mechanism of the catalysts were explored using in situ DRIFTS characterisation. The experimental results show that the addition of Al2O3 to Ni/ZrO2 weakens the Ni–ZrO2 interaction and promotes the reduction and dispersion of NiO through the solid solution bonding of ZrO2–Al2O3. The in situ DRIFTS results show that there are more formate adsorbed species on the surface of the Ni/ZrO2–Al2O3 catalyst compared to the Ni/ZrO2 catalyst, which is the main formation substance for CO2 methanation.

The hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol is perceived as an effective way to mitigate global warming and drive fossil-fuel companies towards sustainable energy sources. In this study, a series of Cu/ZnO–CeO2 catalysts were prepared by a co-precipitation method, and the effect of the CeO2 content on the catalytic performance of the Cu/ZnO–CeO2 catalysts for the hydrogenation of CO2 to CH3OH was analysed. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were investigated using XRD, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, BET, XPS, TEM, and DRIFTS. The CZC-3 catalyst (CZC stands for Cu/ZnO–CeO2 catalyst and 3 indicates a 30% CeO2 content) had the best catalytic activity at 280 °C in a 3 MPa CO2/H2 (1/3) atmosphere, exhibiting a CO2 conversion rate of 15.6% and a methanol yield of 10.06%. More dispersed CuO species and oxygen vacancies were detected on the CZC-3 catalyst, leading to good activation of H2 and CO2, respectively. In situ DRIFTS results for the catalysts showed that the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol over Cu/ZnO–CeO2 catalysts occurs via the formate pathway. The CeO2-rich Cu/ZnO–CeO2 catalyst facilitated the conversion of formate to CH3OH, and the presence of a large number of intermediate species on the surface of the CZC-3 catalyst greatly contributed to its catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation.

Tanshinone IIA (tan IIA), a key component of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), has been proven to play a significant role in suppressing inflammation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of tan IIA against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity in human U87 astrocytoma cells have not been well justified. Therefore, in this study, U87 cells were pretreated with tan IIA (1, 5 and 10 μM) for 30 min, followed by stimulation with LPS for 24 h. Immunofluorescence, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and western blotting were performed to investigate the effects of tan IIA on neuroinflammatory responses. The findings demonstrated that tan IIA prevented LPS-induced cell viability decrease, inhibited U87 cells activation, and suppressed the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Furthermore, tan IIA significantly reduced the mRNA expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-stimulated U87 cells. Meanwhile, the increased protein levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in cell culture supernatants were also markedly inhibited by tan IIA. Moreover, tan IIA significantly alleviated the phosphorylation of IκBα, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), p38, and JNK induced by LPS. Additionally, tan IIA suppressed the upstream signaling adaptor molecules toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88), and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Blockade of NF-κB, p38, and JNK obviously attenuated IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in U87 cells. In conclusion, the present results suggested that tan IIA can attenuate LPS-induced neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation partly by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB/MAPKs signaling pathways in U87 cells.

Background: The role of glucose transporters in the transport of flavonoids remains ambiguous. Objective: In this study, we examined whether quercitrin would be absorbed intactly in modeled Caco-2 cells, as well as determined the involvement of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) in its transmembrane transport. Design: The first experiment was conducted to examine the uptake of quercitrin into Caco-2 cells 24 h after they were seeded and the second experiment was conducted to determine the transport across the apical and basolateral membrane of Caco-2 cells after they were cultured for 21 days in a Millicell system. Quercitrin was administered at 3, 9, or 18 μg/mL; and the time points of sampling were 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min. Results: In the uptake experiment, the highest intracellular quercitrin concentration was observed in the cells treated with 18 μg/mL quercitrin at 60 min, with a bell-shaped kinetic curve. Quercetin, isorhamnetin, and tamarixetin were detected inside the cells, particularly when treated with a high dose. In the transport experiment, quercitrin was transported from the apical to basolateral side and vice versa; its concentrations depended on dose, time, and transport direction (P < 0.0001). Only trace amounts of isorhamnetin and tamarixetin were detected in the apical chamber when quercitrin was added to the basolateral chamber. Phloridzin and phloretin, potent inhibitors of SGLT1 and GLUT2, respectively, significantly diminished quercitrin transport from the apical to basolateral side; and phloretin had a greater inhibitory effect compared to phloridzin. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that quercitrin is absorbed intactly and then effluxed out of Caco-2 cells through both apical and basolateral membranes probably via SGLT1 and GLUT2.

The development of a stringent sensor to detect low levels of acetone, yielding the potential for the point-of-care clinical diagnosis of diabetes, is still a great challenge but is urgently required. Most studies have focused on Ti3C2Tx, yet other types of MXenes with good performance are rare. Herein, an emerging kind of MXene, V4C3Tx, has been prepared from V4AlC3 via the selective etching of the Al layer using aqueous HF at room temperature (RT), and its performance as an acetone sensor is presented. A V4C3Tx based acetone sensor delivers good performance, as demonstrated by its low working temperature of 25 °C, low detection limit of 1 ppm (lower than the 1.8 ppm diabetes diagnosis threshold), and high selectivity towards acetone in a mixed gas of acetone and water vapor, hopefully showing promise for application in the much faster and earlier diagnosis of diabetes. V4C3Tx MXene is used for the first time in the field of acetone detection in this work, hopefully opening up a path for the investigation of applications of MXene in gas sensors, and such exciting findings distinguish V4C3Tx as a comparable material to the well-known Ti3C2Tx. In addition, we used DFT calculations to explore the mechanisms that result in the superior selectivity for acetone with respect to water vapor. Hopefully, the proposed mechanisms combining experimental results and theoretical study will shed light on the design and production of new high-performance acetone sensors.

The NiO/ZnxZr1−x (x represents the molar mass of Zn) catalyst was prepared by the impregnation method and tested in CO2 methanation. The activity results show that NiO/Zn0.3Zr0.7 has a higher CO2 conversion rate and methane selectivity than NiO/ZnO and NiO/ZnO–ZrO2. Combined with N2 adsorption–desorption, H2-TPR, CO2-TPD, H2-TPD, XRD, TEM, XPS and FTIR and other characterization methods, the physical and chemical properties of NiO/ZnO–ZrO2 were studied. The incorporation of ZnO into NiO/ZrO2 forms a ZnO–ZrO2 solid solution, and the combination of the solid solution weakens the interaction between NiO and the oxide support, thereby promoting the reduction and dispersion of NiO. The H2-TPR experiment results show that, because ZnO–ZrO2 forms a solid solution, NiO is better dispersed on the surface, resulting in a significant reduction in the reduction temperature of NiO. Using FTIR to conduct CO2 adsorption and methanation experiments on NiO/ZnxZr1−x to determine the adsorbed species and intermediates, the results show that CO2 methanation follows the formate pathway.

Background Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus accounts for 0.1%-0.2% of all esophageal malignancies, including melanotic and amelanotic melanomas. Primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus is extremely rare, and only about 20 cases have been published in the literature to date. Most primary malignant melanomas of the esophagus are diagnosed following development of metastatic lesions and thus have a very poor prognosis. The median survival duration of patients with metastatic melanoma has been reported to be 6.2 mo. Case summary A 49-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Endoscopy, biopsy, imaging evaluation, and physical examination at our hospital indicated a diagnosis of advanced primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed melanoma. Nuclear medicine examination revealed a left iliac bone metastatic lesion. After discharge, the patient self-administered apatinib for 3 mo, followed by oral treatment with Chinese medicines (also self-administered) for 2 mo. No treatments had been taken since then. The patient has survived with no growth out to the most recent follow-up (24 mo post diagnosis), and she always presented with a positive attitude about her condition during this period. Conclusion Survival following metastatic melanoma might be related to the pharmaceutical and Chinese medicine treatment and the patient's positive attitude.

A fluorescence-enhanced and lysosome-targeted Al3+ probe (1) based on a pyrazole-containing hydrazone was developed in this work. The fluorescent probe 1 displays an OFF–ON fluorescence response to Al3+ in the lysosome pH environment. In addition, the resultant 1–Al3+ complex could act as an ON–OFF fluorescence sensor for F−. Fluorescence imaging shows that 1 is suitable for visualization of Al3+ in lysosomes of HeLa cells.

Three kinds of porous catalysts CuO-ZnO/SBA-15 (CZ/SBA-15), CuO-ZnO-MnO2/SBA-15 (CZM/SBA-15) and CuO-ZnO-ZrO2/SBA-15 (CZZ/SBA-15) were synthesized by impregnation method with a siliceous framework mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15. The performance of all catalysts for catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol was evaluated on a fixed bed reactor, combined with N2 adsorption-desorption (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature programmed desorption (H2-TPD, CO2-TPD), N2O titration, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) . The results show that the introduction of metal oxide in the catalyst changes the pore size and specific surface area of the SBA-15 molecular sieve support. The CuO-ZnO-MnO2/SBA-15 and CuO-ZnO-ZrO2/SBA-15 have high copper dispersion (DCu), large specific surface area (ACu), small surface CuO particle size, and easy to be reduced. Compared with the Mn-O cluster, the Zr-O cluster enhances the basic site and improves the methanol selectivity. In addition, CuO-ZnO-ZrO2/SBA-15 has the highest oxygen vacancy concentration and better catalytic activity among three catalysts. The methanol selectivity of CuO-ZnO-ZrO2/SBA-15 is 25.02%, which is 28% and 136.9% higher than those of CuO-ZnO/SBA-15 and CuO-ZnO-MnO2/SBA-15, respectively.

C35H32N6O2, triclinic, P 1 ‾ $‾{1}$ (no. 2), a = 10.902(2) Å, b = 12.434(2) Å, c = 13.481(4) Å, α = 102.881(5)°, β = 104.935(5)°, γ = 114.542(3)°, V = 1488.6(6) Å3, Z = 2, R gt (F) = 0.0511, wR ref (F 2) = 0.1429, T = 296 K.

C31H29N3O7, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 13.6280(14) Å, b = 14.4801(15) Å, c = 14.4962(15) Å, β = 97.586(2)°, V = 2835.6(5) Å3, Z = 4 R gt (F) = 0.0532, wR ref (F 2) = 0.1569, T = 296 K.

Liquid chromatography (LC) is a common and straight forward approach used in the evaluation of the quality of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs). Quality control is a critical step when systematically assessing the efficacy of TCMs. In the present study, the spectrum-effect correlation method was used to identify pharmacologically active substances. The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying correlations between common chemical compounds with antipyretic effects and the anti-endotoxin activity of Lonicera japonica. The common chemical constituents of Lonicera japonica were analyzed using LC, and the antipyretic effects and anti-endotoxin activity were determined using ELISAs. Combining the results of bivariate and principal component analysis methods, eight active constituents were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. The results of these analyses indicated that neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acids A, B and C served a synergistic role with respect to antipyretic effects and anti-endotoxin activity. The present study lays a foundation for the future clinical use of Lonicera japonica.

Trifluoromethylthiolative difunctionalization of alkenes, a cheap and abundant feedstock, which installs a trifluoromethylthiol (SCF3) group and another unique functional group across the carbon–carbon double bonds, provides an ideal strategy for the preparation of β-functionalized alkyl trifluoromethyl sulfides and has become a hot topic recently. This review aims to summarize the major progress in this exciting research area, with particular emphasis on the mechanistic aspects of the reaction pathways.

C41H41N9O5Co, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 10.666(4) Å, b = 18.538(6) Å, c = 19.585(7) Å, β = 104.036(7)°, V = 3757(2) Å3, Z = 4, R gt(F) = 0.0420, wR ref(F 2) = 0.1062, T = 296 K.

C30H28N8O2Br2Cd, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 8.359(7) Å, b = 12.394(10) Å, c = 15.189(12) Å, α = 95.757(14)°, β = 90.593(16)°, γ = 106.961(15)°, V = 1496(2) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0467, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0998, T = 296(2) K.

A novel pyrazine hydrazone 1 has been designed and synthesized, which acts as a multiprobe for selective detection of Al3+, Mg2+, and Zn2+ in DMSO solution based on fluorescent enhancement with three different emission colors. The higher affinity of 1 toward Al3+ and Zn2+ compared with Mg2+ facilitates the establishment of a simple ratiometric fluorescent method for the detection of Al3+ and Zn2+ based on the 1 + Mg2+ system. Conversely, probe 1 selectively recognized Al3+ in DMSO-H2O cosolvent with a turn-on response, and the resultant 1 + Al3+ complex could determine F− via a fluorescence quenching signal. In addition, the probe is applied for imaging of Al3+ and F− in living cells.

A rhodamine hydrazone 1 bearing coumarin moiety was designed and prepared. Compound 1 exhibited high selectivity toward Co2+ and trivalent metal ions with fluorescence enhancement in CH3OH solution. However, 1 selectively responded to Al3+ in nearly pure H2O media and was further applied to monitor Al3+ in live cells. Moreover, 1 could also act as a colorimetric probe toward Cu2+ in either CH3OH or H2O solution. In addition, sensor 1 displayed aggregation-induced ratiometric emission (AIRE) activities in mixed H2O/CH3OH solution.

A simple asymmetric hydrazone 1 based on salicylaldehyde was designed and prepared, and exhibited an evident aggregation-induced emission (AIE) at a long wavelength of 570 nm in aqueous medium. Probe 1 can selectively sense Al3+ in CH3OH solution through the chelation-enhanced fluorescence mechanism and also recognize Cu2+ via fluorescence quenching in H2O solution through the Cu2+-induced assembly of aggregates. In addition, the probe can be applied for detecting Cu2+ in biological samples.

A novel rhodamine-based Schiff base derivative was obtained via the simple condensation of substituted formyl-1H-pyrrole and rhodamine 6G hydrazone. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer enabled the subsequent use of the derivative as a naked-eye colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent sensor for Cu2+ in semi-aqueous solution, and the existence of the morpholine group enabled the further application of the sensor in imaging Cu2+ in the lysosomes of HeLa cells.

Clofibric acid (CFA), a drug and personal care product, has been identified as ubiquitous in the aquatic system and surface water, causing pollution to the environment. In this study, after environmental (4 µg/L) levels of CFA challenge, the LvFABP, LvACS gene expressions, total haemocyte count (THC), relative enzymes (SOD1 and GST) activities in Litopenaeus vannamei were observed to decrease. In the meantime LvFATP, LvRXR expression and the level of NEFA were upregulated in L. vannamei body. LvFABP expression in vivo was knocked down by dsRNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi), which led to significantly decreased levels of PPARα (including LvFATP, LvRXR and LvACS). When exposed to environmental CFA after 4 days, LvFABP knocked down group had a sharp upregulation of LvFATP, LvRXR, LvACS expression, GST activity and NEFA amount, following decreased THC and SOD1 activity. These results suggested that environmental concentration CFA may have some toxicological effect on L. vannamei, following fatty acids metabolism and oxidative stress responses by LvFABP via the PPARα/RXR signaling pathway, including LvFATP, LvRXR and LvACS.

Hypochlorite plays a significant role in physiological processes, particularly regulation of lysosomal functions, and is involved in various diseases. Thus, it is crucial to develop highly sensitive and selective molecule tools to detect HClO in lysosomes. Herein, a novel 2H-benzo[h]chromene-pyridine derivative (1) was synthesized through condensation reaction, which exhibited a notable deep-red emission at 640 nm in pure water. This deep-red emission was specifically quenched by adding ClO−. The response of probe 1 toward ClO− was rapid (within 10 s), sensitive (detection limit of 0.012 μM), and effective over a wide range of pH (1.0–12.0). Due to the existence of morpholine as the lysosome-targeting unit, the probe was successfully utilized to monitor lysosomal ClO−. Moreover, the probe 1 was also applied to detecting ClO− in zebrafish.

Heart aging is characterized by structural and diastolic dysfunction of the heart. However, there is still no effective drug to prevent and treat the abnormal changes in cardiac function caused by aging. Here, we present the preventive effects of emodin and its derivative Kanglexin (KLX) against heart aging. We found that the diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in mice with D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging were markedly mitigated by KLX and emodin. In addition, the senescence of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes induced by D-gal was also reversed by KLX and emodin treatment. However, KLX exhibited better anti-heart aging effects than emodin at the same dose. Dysregulated mitophagy was observed in aging hearts and in senescent neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes, and KLX produced a greater increase in mitophagy than emodin. The mitophagy-promoting effects of KLX and emodin were ascribed to their abilities to enhance the protein stability of Parkin, a key modulator in mitophagy, with different potencies. Molecular docking and SPR analysis demonstrated that KLX has a higher affinity for the ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain of Parkin than emodin. The UBL domain might contribute to the stabilizing effects of KLX on Parkin. In conclusion, this study identifies KLX and emodin as effective anti-heart aging drugs that activate Parkin-mediated mitophagy and outlines their putative therapeutic importance.

The proteins related to the biosynthesis of salvianolic acids and lignins were regulated by smoke–water and karrikinolide in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy roots. The effects of smoke–water (SW) and karrikinolide (KAR1) on the biosynthesis of salvianolic acids and lignins in Salvia miltiorrhiza hairy roots have been studied using proteomic technology. The results showed that a total of 1290 and 1678 differentially expressed proteins were respectively obtained in SW and KAR1 comparing to the control. Bioinformatics analysis indicated the differentially expressed proteins responding to SW and KAR1 treatments mainly involved in macromolecule metabolic process, cell part, binding, etc., and most of the proteins were located at the cytoplasm and cell membrane, followed by nuclear. In addition, the proteins involved in salvianolic acids biosynthesis were up-regulated, including 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (EC 6.2.1.12) and shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyl-transferase (EC 2.3.1.133). Enzymes involved in lignins biosynthesis were also identified, e.g. cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.195) and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7). The results indicated that proteins related to the biosynthesis of salvianolic acids and lignins were regulated by SW and KAR1 in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots. This study will enhance our understanding of the mechanism by which SW and KAR1 on the biosynthesis of salvianolic acids and lignins in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots.

The hydrazone sensor (1) derived from pyrazine-2-carbohydrazide and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone (PMBP) was applied to the fluorescent “turn-on” detection of Al3+ in semi-aqueous solutions. The strongly emissive 1+Al3+ complex could identify F− among other tested anions. The detection limits of sensor 1 for Al3+ and F− were 0.18 and 0.20 μM, respectively, which are both much lower than the corresponding values recommended by the World Health Organization, namely, 7.41 and 79 μM. Several spectral methods, including single crystal X-ray analysis for the crystal structures of the Cu2+ and Ni2+ complexes of sensor 1, as well as the density-functional theory method, were used to elucidate the binding mode between the sensor and Al3+. 1 can also be used for a selective sensor to continuously monitor Al3+ and F− in living cells.

A simple hydrazone probe (1) was designed and synthesized for the successive detection of Al3+ and pyrophosphate (PPi) in almost 100% buffer environment. The probe provided O2N donor set for chelation with Al3+, leading to a distinct fluorescence boost at 510 nm. The in-situ formed 1-Al3+ complex detected PPi with an “on-off” behavior. The detection limits for Al3+ and PPi were 35.7 nM and 76 nM, respectively. Benefiting from the existence of morpholine as lysosome-targeting group, probe 1 was successfully applied to the detection of Al3+ and PPi in lysosomes.

A water-soluble salicylaldehyde-based thiosemicarbazone has been designed and applied to the selective fluorescent turn-off detection of Hg2+ ions. The probe-Hg2+ system acted as a turn-on probe toward biothiols, including cysteine, homocysteine, and glutathione. The limits of detection of the probe toward Hg2+, cysteine, homocysteine, and glutathione are 0.52 μM, 0.74 μM, 0.31 μM, and 0.27 μM, respectively. The mechanisms are carefully confirmed by fluorescence spectrometry, UV-visible spectrometry, electrospray ionization mass spectra, hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance, time-resolved fluorescence spectrum, and density functional theory calculation. Moreover, due to the presence of a morpholine group, the probe was successfully used to monitor Hg2+ and biothiols in the lysosomes of HeLa cells.

Previous studies demonstrated that penta-acetyl geniposide ((Ac)5GP, an acetylated derivative of geniposide) exhibited better pharmacological functions than geniposide. This study was aimed to observe the potential effect of (Ac)5GP on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rat and explore the involved mechanisms. Rat AIA was induced by complete Freund’s adjuvant. (Ac)5GP (30, 60, 120 mg/kg) was given to AIA rats by intragastric administration. Paw swelling, polyarthritis index, serum pro-inflammatory cytokines levels, histological assessments of ankle joint, and proteoglycan expression were respectively measured to evaluate the therapeutic effect of (Ac)5GP on rat AIA. Immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and TUNEL assay were performed to reveal the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of (Ac)5GP on AIA synoviocytes in vivo. Protein levels of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase 3, IκBα, p-IκBα, and NF-κB p65 in synovial tissues were detected by Western blot. We found that (Ac)5GP treatment could suppress secondary hind paw swelling, reduce polyarthritis index, decrease TNF-α and IL-1β serum levels, attenuate pathological damage of ankle joint, and promote proteoglycans expression. (Ac)5GP treatment also could reduce Ki67 positive expression rate and raise the synovial apoptosis index in synovial tissues. Additionally, (Ac)5GP (120 mg/kg) could significantly decrease Bcl-2 protein level, increase Bax and cleaved caspase 3 protein levels, and normalize the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax. Moreover, (Ac)5GP (120 mg/kg) could inhibit the degradation and phosphorylation of IκBα and reduce NF-κB p65 protein level in nuclear extracts. In conclusion, (Ac)5GP showed a potent anti-arthritic effect on AIA rats via inducing synovial apoptosis and inhibiting NF-κB activation in synovial tissues.

A morpholine-functionalized pyrrole-cyanine probe was synthesized via a simple condensation reaction in high yield. This probe exhibits high selectivity toward ClO− on fluorescence and UV–vis spectra in neat aqueous solution. The strong green emission of the probe solution was quenched and the yellow color faded immediately upon the addition of ClO−. The detection limit of the probe for ClO− was 0.165 μM. The mechanism of hypochlorite-induced C C breakage was supposed on the basis of EIS-MS, NMR, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Finally, the probe was utilized to image ClO− in lysosomes of living cells.

Objectives The emergence and spread of plasmid-encoded tet(X3/X4) genes that confer high-level tigecycline and eravacycline resistance in Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter spp. pose serious threats to human and animal health. We developed a rapid and robust assay to detect Tet(X3/X4) in Gram-negative bacteria based on eravacycline degradation by the presence of the Tet(X) enzyme in the test strain. Methods This tetracycline inactivation method (TIM) is based on the degradation of eravacycline by the Tet(X3/X4)-producing strain, which results in reduced eravacycline activity against an acid-producing thermophile Bacillus stearothermophilus indicator strain. For Tet(X)-negative strains, eravacycline retains its antimicrobial activity. Coupled with a pH-sensitive dye (bromocresol purple), the reduced colorimetric inhibition zone can be measured to determine the production of Tet(X3/X4). One hundred and eighteen isolates, including 30 tet(X4)-positive E. coli, 30 tet(X3)-positive Acinetobacter spp. and 58 tet(X)-negative E. coli and Acinetobacter spp., were examined to evaluate the performance of this TIM. Results The sensitivity and specificity for E. coli carrying tet(X4) was 96.7% and 100%, respectively, and for Acinetobacter spp. carrying tet(X3) both were 100%. The TIM assay can be completed within 6.5 h. Conclusions The TIM is a simple, rapid and cost-effective method for the detection of plasmid-mediated high-level tigecycline resistance in E. coli and Acinetobacter spp.

To investigate the role of miR-146 and its possible relationship with MALAT1 in LPS-induced inflammation in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs), HMEC-1 cells were treated with LPS to construct an inflammatory injury cell model, and the cell viability, TNF-α and IL-6 secretion and the expression levels of VCAM-1, SELE and ICAM-1 were analysed as markers of inflammatory injury. The regulation mechanisms of miR-146 interacted with MALAT1 and the downstream NF-κB signalling were also verified by dual-luciferase assay and knockdown technology. LPS significantly decreased the cell viability, increased levels of VCAM-1, SELE and ICAM-1 and also up-regulated miR-146a/b, TNF-α and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Over-expression of miR-146a resulted in down-regulation of TNF-α and IL-6, as well as VCAM-1, SELE and ICAM-1, while inhibition of miR-146a led to opposite results. The dual-luciferase reporter assay showed both miR-146a and miR-146b directly targeted and negatively regulated the expression of MALAT1. Silencing of MALAT1 suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation and TNF-α and IL-6 secretion, reducing the cell inflammatory injury, but these changes were reversed after combined treatment with miR-146a inhibitor. Taken together, we demonstrate that miR-146 protects HMECs against inflammatory injury by inhibiting NF-κB activation. This process is modulated by MALAT1.

This study tested the effect of berberine on autophagy-related protein of Megalobrama amblycephala fed with high fat diet under different feeding modes. The full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of microtubule-associated protein 1-light chain 3B (LC3B) was 1871 bp with an open reading frame of 378 bp encoding 125 amino acids. High homology at nucleotide and amino acid sequences to carp LC3B was revealed though sequence analysis. LC3B was mainly (P

A novel 'D-π-A' sensor 1 has been designed and prepared via the condensation reaction of 3‑ethyl‑2‑methyl‑1,3‑benzothiazol‑3‑ium iodide and 5‑nitro‑o‑vanillin. Upon treatment with cyanide, sensor 1 exhibited a significant near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence quenching at 663nm. The MS, IR, 1H NMR and DFT methods confirmed that the response of 1 to cyanide is due to the nucleophilic addition reaction, which results in the inhibition of the Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT) process in the sensor. Furthermore, sensor 1 was used for the determination of CN- in HeLa cells.

A novel pyrene-based Schiff base derivative, 1, was synthesized by one-pot reaction. This compound was then used for aggregation emission enhancement and as fluorescence turn-on sensor toward Cu2+ in semi-aqueous solution based on metal-induced self-assembly. Detection limit of Cu2+ ion was 35 nM. The fluorescent sensor was further applied in monitoring intracellular Cu2+ in HeLa cells.

Electroless deposition of aluminum using room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL) and liquid reducing agents is extremely water sensitive and has only been successful in glove boxes with deposition on copper or glass substrates. We have successfully brought the deposition out of the glove box using Schlenk techniques. We also have reported the first electroless aluminum deposition onto a nickel nanowire substrate. The nanowire synthesis and subsequent aluminum deposition were confirmed with measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Aluminum plating reached a deposition rate of 1.14 × 10−4 mol/hr. Results indicate a smooth and pure aluminum coating with thin surface oxidation on the nanowires.

An aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active bis-hydrazone in the aqueous medium is designed and prepared, which can be used as a multi-probe that selectively detects Cu2+, Zn2+, and Hg2+ by monitoring the changes in absorption and fluorescence spectral patterns. Results show that Zn2+ and Hg2+ can enhance the fluorescence in EtOH solution. The addition of Cu2+ strongly improves absorption in the visible range. In contrast to the fluorescence of 1 + Zn2+, the fluorescence of 1 + Hg2+ can be maintained in the presence of water. The crystal structure of the Hg(II) complex based on 1 is further determined through X-ray crystallographic analysis. To test the practical use of the probe, the determination of Hg2+ in real water samples was also evaluated.

A novel turn-on fluorescent probe containing a benzoxazole fluorophore has been synthesised and its response to different metal ions has been investigated by spectrometry. The probe was highly selective and sensitive to Zn2+ and showed a complexation ratio towards Zn2+ of 1:1. It also exhibited a linear response range for Zn2+ from 0.3 to 4.8 μmol L−1 with a detection limit of 0.36 μmol L−1.

Background: As a major antioxidant in serum, uric acid (UA) was once considered only as the leading cause of gout; however, recent studies have validated its neuroprotective role in ischemic stroke. Because the potential protective effects of UA in traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain largely unknown, this study investigated the role of UA in TBI in both clinical patients and experimental animals. Methods: In TBI patients, serum UA concentrations were measured within 3 days after injury. Clinical outcomes at discharge were classified according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale: good outcome (4-5) and poor outcome (1-3). Risk factors for good outcome were identified via backward logistic regression analysis. For the animal study, a controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury model was established in mice. These mice were given UA at different doses intraperitoneally, and subsequent UA concentrations in mouse serum and brain tissue were determined. Neurological function, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, neuronal maintenance, cerebral blood flow, and lesion size were also assessed. Results: The serum UA level was significantly lower in TBI patients who had a good outcome (P0.05). Conclusions: UA acted to attenuate neuronal loss, cerebral perfusion impairment and neurological deficits in TBI mice through suppression of neuronal and vascular oxidative stress. Following TBI, active antioxidant defense in the brain may result in consumption of UA in the serum, and thus, a decreased serum UA level could be predictive of good clinical recovery.

A new colorimetric and fluorescence molecular chemosensor based on triazole hydrazone can be used as a multi-probe for selective detection of Al3+, Zn2+, and Cu2+ by monitoring changes in the absorption and fluorescence spectral patterns. Results show that Al3+ and Zn2+ ions can induce remarkable fluorescence enhancement at pH 6.0 and pH 10.0, respectively, while the addition of Cu2+ ions leads to a significant UV-visible absorption enhancement in the visible range at pH 6.0. In addition, the resultant Al3+ complex could act as an ‘on–off’ fluorescence sensor for F−. The fluorescence sensor was also used to monitor intracellular Al3+, Zn2+, and F− in Hela cells.

A simple chemosensor, namely, N-((quinolin-8-yl)methylene)acetohydrazide (1) was synthesized and used as an off–on fluorescence sensor, which exhibits high selectivity toward Zn2 + in aqueous media. The probe has large Stokes shift of > 200 nm, and its detection limit for Zn2 + is 89.3 nM. The binding process was confirmed through UV–vis absorption analysis, fluorescence measurements, mass spectroscopy study, 1H NMR spectra and density functional theory calculation. The crystal structures of Zn2 +, Ni2 +, and Cu2 + complexes based on 1 were determined through X-ray crystallographic analysis. The fluorescent probe was then applied to monitor intracellular Zn2 + in HeLa cells.

A simple Schiff-base fluorescent chemosensor (1) was synthesized by the reaction of 3-amino-pyrazine-2-carbohydrazide and 7-diethylamino-3-formylcoumarin; the sensor 1 displayed a notable green emission at 524 nm in DMSO and an aggregation-induced ratiometric emission (AIRE) at 555 nm in an almost buffered aqueous media (0.5% DMSO content). The AIRE of 1 was quenched following binding to Zn2+ ions, while the fluorescence emission in the far-red region was evidently enhanced at 628 nm. Notably, the ratiometric signal output could be utilized to specifically distinguish Zn2+ among various metal ions. Moreover, the 1-Zn2+ complex was effectively employed as a fluorescent ratiometric chemosensor for pyrophosphate (PPi) detection. The detection limit was 3.52 μM and 2.45 μM for Zn2+ and PPi, respectively. The binding mechanism was evaluated by 1H NMR, ESI-MS, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, TEM, time-resolved fluorescence spectrophotometry, and density functional theory studies. Overall, owing to its sensitive fluorescence behavior, cell imaging studies demonstrated that this sensor is capable of sensing Zn2+ and PPi in living cells.

Dynamics of a PT -symmetry chain comprising split-ring resonator (SRR) dimers with both gain and loss are investigated. A dimer is built as a pair of opposite orientations of the SRR gaps which result in the alternating electric and magnetic coupling in the chain. The transition from the exact to the broken PT -symmetric phase is presented in the linear regime. Considering the Kerr nonlinearity, it is shown that the localized modes in the form of solitons exist in the continuum limit approximation. Such localized structures are studied in the phase plane and numerical expressions are also obtained.

A 1,8-naphthalimide hydrazone derivative bearing a pyrrole unit is a highly selective ratiometric fluorescent Cu 2+ probe used to monitor intracellular Cu 2+ in HeLa cells. This probe functions via a unique hydrolysis mechanism through Cu 2+ -promoted electrophilic substitution. Binding is confirmed through UV–vis absorption, fluorescence measurements, mass spectroscopy, IR, X-ray single crystal diffraction, and DFT calculation.

A 2 × 2 factorial design was conducted to elucidate the effect of dietary biotin on growth performance, body composition, tissue lipid content and lipid metabolism related genes expression of blunt snout bream, Megalobrama amblycephala fed with different dietary lipid levels. Juvenile fish (average initial weight: 36.0 ± 1.0 g) were fed with diets containing two lipid levels (5% and 11%) and two biotin levels (0.06 mg kg − 1 and 2.50 mg kg − 1 ) for 8 weeks, respectively. Specific growth rate (SGR), hepatosomatic index (HSI), mesenteric fat index (MFI), hepatopancreas lipid, total triacylglycerol (TG) and cholesterol (TC) contents, plasma TG and muscle TG contents were significantly ( P P P P P P P

C20H29N3O5, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 8.482(6) Å, b = 15.272(12) Å, c = 15.285(12) Å, a = 112.024(11)°, β = 95.325(9)°, γ = 98.958(9)°, V = 1788(2) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0570, wR ref(F 2) = 0.1687, T = 296(2) K.

A new morpholine functionalized coumarin-based fluorescent probe 1 was easily synthesized. The probe realized the sequentially detecting of Cu2+ and H2S in the HEPES buffer solution (20 mM, pH = 5.0). It made a turn-off fluorescence response to Cu2+ by using a complex formation with a 2:1 binding mode, and the resulting complex was able to detect H2S according to the displacement approach with a turn-on fluorescence response. The detecting limits of probe 1 for Cu2+ and 1–Cu2+ system for H2S were calculated to be 26 nM and 88.5 nM, respectively. This “on-off-on” recognition process was demonstrated by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, using proton nuclear magnetic resonance studies, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and using density functional theory calculations. In addition, both cell imaging and co-staining experiments showed that the probe could be utilized to visually detect Cu2+ and H2S in lysosomes.

C27H25N3O6, triclinic, P 1 ‾ $‾{1}$ (no. 2), a = 10.591(5) Å, b = 10.833(5) Å, c = 12.503(6) Å, α = 73.690(7)°, β = 88.569(7)°, γ = 60.856(6)°, V = 1191.7(9) Å3, Z = 2, R gt (F) = 0.0542, wR ref (F 2) = 0.1716, T = 296 K.

Incorporation of foreign elements into the cathode material is broadly adopted by both academia and industry to improve the battery performance. The lack of an in-depth understanding for the underlying mechanism, however, makes it a largely try-and-error process with unsatisfactory efficiency and effectiveness. This is particularly true for the electrochemical reaction kinetics that is heterogeneous over a broad range of length scales and is determined collectively by the cathode’s electronic structure, lattice configuration, and micro-morphology. Here we unveiled a facet-dependent dopant segregation effect in Zr-modified single-crystal LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode. By forming kinetically favored corners on the cathode particles, the presence of a trace amount of Zr critically modulates the mesoscale reaction kinetics. Our findings suggest that a delicately controlled dopant distribution is a viable strategy for designing the next-generation battery cathode with superior structural and chemical robustness.