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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the functional gastrointestinal disorders characterized by chronic and/or recurrent symptoms of abdominal pain and irregular defecation. Changed gut microbiota has been proposed to mediate IBS; however, contradictory results exist, and IBS-specific microbiota, metabolites, and their interactions remain poorly understood. To address this issue, we performed metabolomic and metagenomic profiling of stool and serum samples based on discovery (n = 330) and validation (n = 101) cohorts. Fecal metagenomic data showed moderate dysbiosis compared with other diseases, in contrast, serum metabolites showed significant differences with greater power to distinguish IBS patients from healthy controls. Specifically, 726 differentially abundant serum metabolites were identified, including a cluster of fatty acyl-CoAs enriched in IBS. We further identified 522 robust associations between differentially abundant gut bacteria and fecal metabolites, of which three species including Odoribacter splanchnicus, Escherichia coli, and Ruminococcus gnavus were strongly associated with the low abundance of dihydropteroic acid. Moreover, dysregulated tryptophan/serotonin metabolism was found to be correlated with the severity of IBS depression in both fecal and serum metabolomes, characterized by a shift in tryptophan metabolism towards kynurenine production. Collectively, our study revealed serum/fecal metabolome alterations and their relationship with gut microbiome, highlighted the massive alterations of serum metabolites, which empower to recognize IBS patients, suggested potential roles of metabolic dysregulation in IBS pathogenesis, and offered new clues to understand IBS depression comorbidity. Our study provided a valuable resource for future studies, and would facilitate potential clinical applications of IBS featured microbiota and/or metabolites.

Ampelopsin, a flavonoid with a wide variety of biological activities, has been proposed to be a potent antitumor agent. However, the mechanism by which Ampelopsin shows anti-breast cancer activity remains unclear. Therefore, this study will explore the mechanism of Ampelopsin's anti-breast cancer activity by culturing MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method and plate cloning method were used to detect the proliferation inhibition of breast cancer cells. Fluorescence microscopy was used to detect mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). 2',7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) method was used to determine the content of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hoechst 33258 staining was used to detect the apoptotic morphological changes. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe the mitochondrial structure. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2. The results showed that Ampelopsin could significantly inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells, and promote cells apoptosis. In addition, the occurrence of apoptosis in breast cancer cells was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, the production of large amounts of reactive oxygen species, and the up-regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, Ampelopsin-induced mitochondria damage leads to loss of mitochondria membrane potential, overproduction of ROS and activation of Bax, increasing mitochondria membrane permeability and ultimately inducing breast cell apoptosis. These findings provided a new perspective on the role of Ampelopsin in breast cancer prevention and treatment.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a neurasthenic disease, which is the second-largest burden of disease globally. Increasing studies have revealed that depression is associated with abnormalities in gut microbiota and metabolites. Several species of bacteria have been classified as psychobiotics, which confer mental health benefits through interactions with commensal gut microbiota. Therefore, it is essential to identify new psychobiotics and elucidate their mechanisms in the treatment of depression. This study aims to evaluate the antidepressant effect of Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK) in a mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS). C57BL/6 male mice were divided into three groups: mice subjected to CRS, mice not subjected to CRS, and mice treated with AKK for 3 weeks. Behavioral tests were performed, and hormone, neurotransmitter, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were measured. Cecal microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and serum metabolites were detected using untargeted metabolomics. In addition, correlations between altered gut microbiota and metabolites with significant variations in serum associated with AKK ameliorating depression were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results revealed that AKK significantly ameliorated depressive-like behavior and restored abnormal variations in depression-related molecular (corticosterone, dopamine, and BDNF). Moreover, AKK altered chronic stress–induced gut microbial abnormalities. Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed 23 potential biomarkers in serum that could be associated with the mechanisms underlying CRS-induced depression and the therapeutic effects of AKK. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed that AKK predominantly upregulated β-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine and edaravone to relieve depression. Furthermore, β-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine and edaravone exhibited the antidepressant phenotype in mice subjected to CRS. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that AKK ameliorates chronic stress–induced depressive symptoms in mice by regulating gut microbiota and metabolites. • AKK reduces depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic stress. • AKK regulates the gut microbial structure and metabolomics of serum under the chronic stress. • Antidepressant effect of AKK correlates with the increase of β-alanyl-3-methyl-l-histidine and edaravone.

Seed germination is the beginning of a new lifecycle, and involves many complex physiological and biochemical reactions including seed reserve mobilization in the endosperm and nutrient transport and reuse in the embryo. Although glutelin is a dominant storage protein in rice, its contribution to seed germination and its regulatory mechanisms are mostly unknown. Gibberellin (GA) and brassinosteroid (BR), two major growth-promoting phytohormones, also play positive roles in controlling seed germination. However, how GA and BR interact and coordinate seed germination and facilitate glutelin mobilization remains unclear. In the present study, biochemical and physiological analyses of seed germination indicated that both GA and BR promote seed germination and post-germination growth. Exogenous application of GA restored germination defects caused by BR deficiency or insensitivity. Proteomic and qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of several glutelin proteins and their encoding genes was induced by BR and GA in the embryo. Expression assays suggested that the increased accumulation of glutelin protein in the embryo was due to the accelerated degradation of glutelin by a cysteine proteinase (REP-1) in the endosperm. The breakdown of glutelin in the endosperm showed a strict positive correspondence with the length of the shoot. The GluA2 mutation led to reduced degradation rate of glutelin and defects in seed germination, and the promotion effect of GA on seed germination was weakened in the glua2 mutant. In vitro culture assay of rice embryos showed that glutelin mobilization functioned downstream of the GA and BR pathways to promote shoot elongation. These findings suggest a mechanism that mediates crosstalk between BR and GA in co-regulating rice seed germination and embryo growth.

Background Carbendazim and epoxiconazole are widely applied to control anthracnose and sand bark fungal diseases in citrus. The residues of these two fungicides in citrus and their potential risk to consumers have generated much public concern. We therefore sought to investigate the dissipation, residue, and dietary risk assessment of carbendazim and epoxiconazole in citrus. Results The dissipation kinetics and residue levels of carbendazim and epoxiconazole in citrus under field conditions were measured using dispersive solid-phase extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The citrus samples were extracted with acetonitrile and purified by primary secondary amine sorbent. The mean recoveries of carbendazim and epoxiconazole ranged from 86.2 to 105.6% and relative standard deviations were ≤9.8%. The half-lives of carbendazim and epoxiconazole in whole citrus ranged from 2.0 to 18.0 days. Hazard quotient (HQ) and risk quotient (RQ) models were applied to whole citrus for dietary exposure risk assessment based on the terminal residue test. Hazard quotients ranged from 0.066 to 0.134% and RQs from 18.48 to 82.12%. Conclusion Carbendazim and epoxiconazole in citrus degraded rapidly following first-order kinetics models. The dietary risk of exposure to both carbendazim and epoxiconazole through citrus, based on HQ and RQ, was acceptable for human consumption. This study indicates scientifically validated maximum residue limits in citrus, which are currently lacking for epoxiconazole in China. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Allicin, a chemical found in functional foods, has a variety of beneficial bioactivities but the unpleasent odor and unstability hinder its applications. Isolating products from cyclodextrin (CD) complexation, using β-CD and its derivatives, is usually a time and energy-consuming process. Herein, a high-efficiency and eco-friendly preparation method of an inclusion (allicin@α-CD) formed by allicin and α-CD was designed, which turned liquid allicin into crystal particles with high-speed stirring (10,000 r/min) at 25°C for 10 min in water. In vivo and in vitro masking evaluations showed that the inclusion particles could decrease the unpleasant odor of allicin. Molecular docking and experimental characterization results illustrated that the main reason of odor masking was due to the disulfide and thiocarbonyl groups of allicin being partially encapsulated by the cavity of α-CD. Compared with the physical mixture, the stability of allicin in allicin@α-CD at 60°C for 10 days was 33-fold improved. Overall, this efficient strategy of inclusion provided a promising approach for the industrialization of allicin-related formulations. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: In this study, an environmentally friendly method of α-CD inclusion without the use of organic reagents was designed to solidify and stabilize allicin, which effectively masked the unpleasant odor and taste of allicin. It has contributed greatly to improving the compliance of consumers and provided a new and effective approach to broaden the application of allicin.

The efficient synthesis of quantum materials is becoming a research hotspot as it determines their successful application in the fields of biomedicine, illumination, energy, sensors, information, and communication. Among the quantum materials, it is still a challenge to synthesize quantum wires (QWs) with surfactants due to the inevitable radial growth of QWs in the soft template method. In this paper, amphipathic graphene oxide (GO) was adopted as a macromolecular surfactant to limit the radial growth instead of the commonly used surfactant. GO could roll up under its electrostatic interaction with a cuprous oxide (Cu2O) quantum dot (QD) and then form a tubular template for the growth of the Cu2O QW, which was named herein as the nanoparticle-induced graphene oxide rolling (NIGOR) procedure. The NIGOR procedure was confirmed by the molecular dynamics results by simulating systems consisting of GO and Cu2O nanoparticles. An intermediate with a necklace morphology corresponding to the simulation result was also observed experimentally during the formation of the QW. Meanwhile, the formation mechanism of the QW was demonstrated rationally. Furthermore, increasing the dosage of the reactant, reaction time, and temperature altered the diameter of the QW from 2 to 4 nm and also changed the morphology of the final products from a QD to a QW and then to a bundle of QWs. This was attributed to the aggregation of materials for the lowest surface energy in the system. Additionally, the universality of NIGOR was manifested via the synthesis of other metal oxides as well. The NIGOR strategy provided an alternative, convenient, and mass production method for synthesizing QWs.

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a rare, benign, but locally aggressive bone tumor. It has a high tendency for local recurrence, which may increase the incidence of lung metastasis. Currently, an optimal treatment strategy has not been established because of the rarity of pulmonary metastatic GCTB. Denosumab is the preferred regimen for unresectable metastatic lesions; however, there are no alternative treatment options when patients are resistant to denosumab. Apatinib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively competes for the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) ATP binding site, and several studies have analyzed the effectiveness of apatinib in advanced or metastatic tumors. However, there is no report of apatinib as an anti-angiogenesis therapy for pulmonary metastatic GCTB to date. Here, we present a case of a 26-year-old female who was diagnosed with recurrent and pulmonary metastatic GCTB. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining indicated that the tumor cells were positive for VEGFR-2. Denosumab was administered to control the metastases; nevertheless, disease progression was confirmed after four months of treatment. Given the IHC results and rapid disease progression, apatinib was added to the treatment strategy. After 42 months of treatment, the patient showed noticeable symptomatic improvement and considerable tumor shrinkage.

Melatonin is an important phytohormone in plant development and stress responses. However, the functions of melatonin in rice salt tolerance during seed germination is largely undetermined. In this study, we investigated its potential molecular mechanism during rice seed germination under salinity through comprehensive transcriptome sequencing, metabolome profiling, and physiological assays. Transcriptome analysis revealed 4794 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after melatonin pretreatment under salinity, including 2843 upregulated and 1951 downregulated genes. Functional annotation showed that many DEGs were associated with antioxidative activity and phytohormone biosynthesis and signal transduction. Consistent with the transcriptome results, physiological analysis revealed enhanced activity of antioxidant capacity, increased indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) level, and reduced abscisic acid (ABA) level under melatonin pretreatment. The enhanced antioxidative activity was also supported by metabolome assay that melatonin pretreatment increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant organic acids and amino acids. The results demonstrated that exogenous melatonin can enhance rice seed tolerance to salinity during germination via activating antioxidants and modulating phytohormones.

There is an imperative demand for real-time relative humidity (RH) discrimination with excellent sensitivity and robust operation stability over a broad RH range at room temperature (22 °C). Of diverse two-dimensional (2D) materials, p-type molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as a typical gas-sensing candidate has been rarely harnessed for humidity detection due to tiny response and undesirable stability induced by the conversion from electron to proton conduction with increasing RH. To overcome these issues, MoS2-polyethylene oxide (PEO) inorganic-organic nanocomposites as the sensing layer were facilely prepared in this work. The results showed that the composition-optimized composite film sensor surpassed the isolated MoS2 counterpart in terms of repeatability, response, hysteresis, stability, and selectivity. Both DC-resistance and AC-impedance analyses unveiled different roles of MoS2 and PEO components within composites. MoS2 strengthened the film structure, while hydrophilic PEO enlarged the water-adsorption capacity and thus improved the response and detection reliability via water-triggered ionic conductivity. This work afforded a feasible strategy via inorganic-organic combination to distinguish trace RH and improved the operation stability of 2D material-based sensors, simultaneously demonstrating realistic monitoring applications of exhaled gas detection and distance variation of moisture-emitting objects.

Osteoporosis is one of the most common metabolic bone diseases affecting millions of people. We previously found that harmine prevents bone loss in ovariectomized mice via increasing preosteoclast platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB) production and type H vessel formation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which harmine promotes preosteoclast PDGF‐BB generation are still unclear. In this study, we revealed that inhibitor of DNA binding‐2 (Id2) and activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) were important factors implicated in harmine‐enhanced preosteoclast PDGF‐BB production. Exposure of RANKL‐induced Primary bone marrow macrophages (BMMs), isolated from tibiae and femora of mice, to harmine increased the protein levels of Id2 and AP‐1. Knockdown of Id2 by Id2‐siRNA reduced the number of preosteoclasts as well as secretion of PDGF‐BB in RANKL‐stimulated BMMs administrated with harmine. Inhibition of c‐Fos or c‐Jun (components of AP‐1) both reversed the stimulatory effect of harmine on preosteoclast PDGF‐BB production. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay analyses determined that PDGF‐BB was the direct target of AP‐1 which was up‐regulated by harmine treatment. In conclusion, our data demonstrated a novel mechanism involving in the production of PDGF‐BB increased by harmine, which may provide potential therapeutic targets for bone loss diseases.

Purpose Lenvatinib is a long-awaited alternative to Sorafenib for first-line targeted therapy of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, resistance to Lenvatinib results in tumor progression and has become a major obstacle to improving the prognosis of HCC patients. Exploring the mechanisms underlying Lenvatinib resistance is considered essential for the treatment of advanced HCC. Methods Lenvatinib resistant HCC (LR-HCC) cells were generated and potential long non-coding RNAs (Lnc-RNAs) upregulated in LR-HCC cells were identified by RNA sequencing. The effects of upregulated Lnc-RNAs were evaluated in vitro in cell models and in vivo in experimental animals using quantitative cell viability and apoptosis assays. Results We found that Lnc-RNA MT1JP (MT1JP) was upregulated in LR-HCC cells and inhibited the apoptosis signaling pathway. In addition, we found that sponging of microRNA-24-3p by MT1JP released Bcl-2 like 2 (BCL2L2), an anti-apoptotic protein, thereby forming a positive-feedback loop. The role of this feedback loop was validated using rescue assays. Additionally, we found that upregulation of MT1JP and BCL2L2 impaired the sensitivity of HCC cells to Lenvatinib both vitro and vivo. Conclusions Our results suggest a novel molecular feedback loop between MT1JP and apoptosis signaling in Lenvatinib sensitive HCC cells.

The thermal-condensation method is widely used for the synthesis of K-doped g-C3N4 photocatalysts, but the presence of organic byproducts in the resultant products is often overlooked in previous reports. Here, we demonstrated the universal presence of organic byproducts in K-doped g-C3N4 synthesized by typical thermal condensation of KOH/melamine, KOH/dicyandiamide, or KOH/urea. Taking the K-doped g-C3N4 photocatalysis for the degradation of dimethyl phthalate as an example, the negative influence of the organic byproducts on K-doped g-C3N4 photocatalysis was confirmed. Specifically, the organic byproducts can be gradually dissolved into the photocatalytic system of K-doped g-C3N4 as new and stable pollutants. Based on the solubility investigations on the byproducts in several solvents, hot-water washing was demonstrated to be a relatively effective approach to remove the organic byproducts from K-doped g-C3N4. The formation of organic byproducts during the synthesis of K-doped g-C3N4 could be ascribed to the fact that the presence of K salts in melamine, dicyandiamide, or urea molecules results in their insufficient thermal condensation into expected g-C3N4. The present work provides objective information about the K-doped g-C3N4 photocatalysts and reminds researchers about the influence of the organic byproducts on the applications of the other impurity-doped g-C3N4 photocatalysts.

Background The associations of alcohol consumption and venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been investigated widely, but the conclusions were inconsistent. Objective To summarize the relationship of alcohol consumption and VTE. Methods This study has been registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42020164567). We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library databases from inception to September 2019 and reviewed the reference list of relevant articles to identify studies assessing the association between alcohol consumption and risk of VTE. Results Fourteen cohorts and four case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with non-drinkers, the risk of VTE was decreased (RR: 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88–0.99) for alcohol drinkers. The pooled RRs of VTE were 0.91 (95% CI 0.84–0.99) for low to moderate alcohol intake (0.1–14.0 drinks/week) and 0.91 (95% CI 0.78–1.06) for high alcohol intake (>14.0 drinks/week) compared with non-drinker. Subgroup analysis showed liquor intake might slightly increase the risk of VTE (1.01; 95% CI 0.85–1.21) although the difference was not significant. Conclusions Alcohol consumption in low to moderate was associated with a lower risk of VTE. However, precautions are needed when providing personal drinking advice considering the potential harm of alcohol. Further studies are warranted to determine whether moderate alcohol consumption has a causal role in VTE.

International audience; A set of supported Co3O4 catalysts have been designed and prepared to study the effect of textural characteristics and Brønsted acid sites concentration of MWW zeolite support, as well as cobalt loading on catalyst activity. Detailed characterization of the catalysts with a thorough study on their performance in the total oxidation of toluene and propane revealed that MCM-22 is the optimal support and that increasing Si/Al and decreasing external surface of MCM-22 positively affect the activity of supported Co3O4 catalysts, which is determined by their low-temperature reducibility. The activity of the Co/MCM-22 catalysts increased with cobalt content (5-20 wt %), consistent with enhancing the amount of low-temperature reducible Co3O4. The optimized catalyst containing 20% Co supported on dealuminated MCM-22 presented high turnover frequency (TOF) values in both toluene (2.6 × 10-5 s-1 at 270 °C) and propane (3.9 × 10-5 s-1 at 215 °C) oxidation and was characterized by outstanding cycling stability, long-term durability, water tolerance, and sintering resistance.

Chitosan is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and nontoxic aminopolysaccharide. This review summarizes and discusses the structural modifications, including substitution, grafting copolymerization, cross-linking, and hydrolysis, utilized to improve the physicochemical properties and enhance the bioactivity and functionality of chitosan and related materials. This manuscript also reviews the current progress and potential of chitosan and its derivatives in body-weight management and antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, antimicrobial antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulatory activities as well as their ability to interact with gut microbiota. In addition, the potential of chitosan and its derivatives as functional ingredients in food systems, such as film and coating materials, and delivery systems is discussed. This manuscript aims to provide up-to-date information to stimulate future discussion and research to promote the value-added utilization of chitosan in improving the safety, quality, nutritional value and health benefits, and sustainability of our food system while reducing the environmental hazards.

Summary Pre‐harvest sprouting (PHS), the germination of grain before harvest, is a serious problem resulting in wheat yield and quality losses.Here, we mapped the PHS resistance gene PHS‐3D from synthetic hexaploid wheat to a 2.4 Mb presence–absence variation (PAV) region and found that its resistance effect was attributed to the pleiotropic Myb10‐D by integrated omics and functional analyses.Three haplotypes were detected in this PAV region among 262 worldwide wheat lines and 16 Aegilops tauschii, and the germination percentages of wheat lines containing Myb10‐D was approximately 40% lower than that of the other lines. Transcriptome and metabolome profiling indicated that Myb10‐D affected the transcription of genes in both the flavonoid and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis pathways, which resulted in increases in flavonoids and ABA in transgenic wheat lines. Myb10‐D activates 9‐cis‐epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) by biding the secondary wall MYB‐responsive element (SMRE) to promote ABA biosynthesis in early wheat seed development stages.We revealed that the newly discovered function of Myb10‐D confers PHS resistance by enhancing ABA biosynthesis to delay germination in wheat. The PAV harboring Myb10‐D associated with grain color and PHS will be useful for understanding and selecting white grained PHS resistant wheat cultivars.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), a regulator of NF-κB signaling, has been discovered recently to be probably related to osteoarthritis, while the function of TRAF6 in lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis(FJOA)still remains unknown. The aim of this study was to probe the specific function of TRAF6 in chondrocytes and its connection with the pathophysiology of FJOA. We found upregulation of TRAF6 in FJOA cartilage by western blot analysis. In vitro, we stimulated immortalized human chondrocytes by LPS to establish the cells apoptosis model. Western blot analysis demonstrated that levels of TRAF6 and cleaved caspase-3/8 in the chondrocyte injury model increased significantly. Knockdown of TRAF6 suppressed the expression of matrix metallopeptidase-13 (MMP-13) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced by LPS, and alleviated cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, western blot and immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that IκBα degradation and p65 nuclear transportation were also inhibited, revealing that knockdown of TRAF6 suppressed activation of the NF-κB pathway in LPS-induced chondrocytes apoptosis model. Collectively, our findings suggest that TRAF6 plays a crucial role in FJOA development by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway. Knockdown of TRAF6 may supply a potential therapeutic strategy for FJOA.

Background Rice eating quality largely dictates consumer preference, and the demand for new rice varieties with excellent eating quality from farmers is increasing. Identification of factors contributing to eating quality is helpful for developing high-quality rice varieties. Results Two groups of rice with different apparent amylose content (AACs) were used in this study. One group contained four varieties with low AACs (8.8-9.4%), whereas the other contained four traditional varieties with medium AACs (17.2-17.5%). The physicochemical properties, starch fine structure and crystallinity and storage protein composition of the two groups were analyzed. We found that, in both groups, the rice varieties with high eating quality had more short-chain amylopectin, lower glutelin and prolamin content, and a higher albumin content. In addition, the low-AAC varieties produced opaque endosperms, which may result from an increased number of pores in the center of starch granules. Conclusions Both the fine structure of starch and the storage protein composition were closely related to rice eating quality. In both groups, short branch-chain amylopectin, short-chain amylopectin [degree of polymerization (DP) 6-12], and albumin had positive effects on eating quality. By contrast, long branch-chain amylopectin, long-chain amylopectin (DP 35-60), glutelin and prolamin had adverse effects on eating quality of rice. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Desmoid fibromatosis (DF) is a locally aggressive connective-tissue tumor arising in deep soft tissues. Although multiple therapeutic modalities have been demonstrated effective for DF, there is no standard systemic treatment for progressive and recurrent DF. As a part of systemic treatment, tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown promising activity against DF with tolerable toxicity profiles. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of apatinib, a novel multi-target angiogenesis inhibitor, in patients with DF. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with advanced extremity DF regularly treated with apatinib between October 2017 and January 2020 in our center. Apatinib was initially administered with a dose of 250 mg daily and the dose was adjusted according to the toxicity. Tumor response was assessed by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1 criteria. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS); objective response rates and drug-related adverse events were also evaluated. A total of 22 (6 male, 16 female) patients with advanced extremity DF were included. The mean medication time was 17 months. None of the patients reached a complete response, but ten (45.5%) patients achieved partial response, and 11 patients (50%) achieved stable disease. One (4.5%) patient developed progressive disease, and the 1-year PFS rate was 95.2%. The disease control rate was 95.4% (21/22) and the objective response rate was 45.5% (10/22). Meanwhile, 18 (81.8%) patients with a tumor shrinkage were accompanied by a decreased signal intensity of lesions in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The most frequent adverse events included hand-foot syndrome (n = 7, 31.8%), fatigue (n = 6, 27.2%), local pain (n = 4, 18.1%), diarrhea (n = 4, 18.1%). Apatinib is an effective and well-tolerated option for patients with advanced extremity DF. Indeed, further prospective, randomized studies with larger cases are required to fully explore the clinical utility of apatinib in DF.

Although morphology and grain size are important to rice growth and yield, the identity of abundant natural allelic variations that determine agronomically important differences in crops is unknown. Here, we characterized the function of mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 from Oryza officinalis Wall. ex Watt encoded by OrMKK3. Different alternative splicing variants occurred in OrMKK3. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)–OrMKK3 fusion proteins localized to the cell membrane and nuclei of rice protoplasts. Overexpression of OrMKK3 influenced the expression levels of the grain size-related genes SMG1, GW8, GL3, GW2, and DEP3. Phylogenetic analysis showed that OrMKK3 is well conserved in plants while showing large amounts of variation between indica, japonica, and wild rice. In addition, OrMKK3 slightly influenced brassinosteroid (BR) responses and the expression levels of BR-related genes. Our findings thus identify a new gene, OrMKK3, influencing morphology and grain size and that represents a possible link between mitogen-activated protein kinase and BR response pathways in grain growth. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12374-020-09290-2.

Photocatalysis with stable, efficient and inexpensive metal-free catalysts is one of the most promising options for non-polluting energy production. This review article covers the state-of-the-art development of various effective metal-free polymeric photocatalysts with large π-conjugated units for chemical transformations including water splitting, CO2 and N2 reduction, organic synthesis and monomer polymerisation. The article starts with the catalytic mechanisms of metal-free photocatalysts. Then a particular focus is on the rational manipulation of π-conjugation enlargement, charge separation, electronic structures and band structures in the design of metal-free polymeric photocatalysts. Following the design principles, the selection and construction of functional units are discussed, as well as the connecting bonds and dimensions of π-conjugated polymeric photocatalysts. Finally the hot and emerging applications of metal-free polymeric photocatalysts for photocatalytic chemical transformations are summarized. The strategies provide potential avenues to address the challenges of catalyst activity, selectivity and stability in the further development of highly effective metal-free polymeric photocatalysts.

The high-operating temperature and poor selectivity of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-based chemiresistive-type gas sensors severely limit their application in the future Internet of Things (IoT), which need a lower power consumption and a higher accurate molecular recognition ability. Here, a simple and effective modification strategy is proposed for the incorporation of Cu2O and the two-dimensional (2D) material MoS2via a facile hydrothermal and wet chemical method. The sensing characteristics of a series of (p–p) Cu2O/MoS2 nanohybrids towards ammonia (NH3) are systematically investigated. The nanohybrid based sensor shows an excellent NH3 sensing performance compared with the pristine Cu2O nanoparticles in the 25–325 °C temperature range. Under an optimal low-operating temperature of 75 °C, the sensing performance for 20–100 ppm NH3 is studied and the sensing response of the Cu2O/MoS2 sensor (at ∼872%) with an optimized composition for 100 ppm NH3 is increased more than 8 times compared with the pristine Cu2O (∼103%) under the same conditions. Furthermore, excellent selectivity for NH3 is observed against other interferent gases. The Cu2O/MoS2 sensor belongs to a surface-controlled type and the enhanced sensing property of nanohybrid benefits from the superimposed effect of the p–p heterojunction formation and the elevated specific surface area at the interface between Cu2O and MoS2.

A series of composite proton-exchange membranes composed of main-chain sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and side-chain sulfonated poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (SPPTA) were prepared through a solution-blending technique. Physicochemical properties, such as proton conductivity, ion selectivity, and vanadium redox flow battery performance were characterized in depth. The synergistic proton-conduction channels composed of main-chain and side-chain –SO3H groups from SPEEK and SPPTA, respectively, and the formed hydrophilic/hydrophobic microphase separation yielded a trade-off balance between proton conductivity and vanadium ion permeability for SPEEK/SPPTA composite membranes. Against pristine SPEEK (2.8 × 103 S min cm−3) and Nafion 117 (4.0 × 103 S min cm−3), the SPEEK/SPPTA-25 composite membrane exhibited the highest ion selectivity (22.9 × 103 S min cm−3) in terms of the good restriction of vanadium ion penetration. For the single-cell performance, at a current density of 50 mA cm−2, the voltage efficiency (VE, 92.0%) and energy efficiency (EE, 89.4%) of SPEEK/SPPTA-25 were much higher than those of SPEEK (VE, 86.2% and EE, 80.2%) and Nafion 117 (VE, 88.8% and EE, 83.5%). Moreover, EE was still above 70.0% at a current density of 210 mA cm−2, and no significant reductions in efficiency appeared after 500 charge–discharge cycles at 100 mA cm−2. This result demonstrates that SPEEK/SPPTA composite membranes have excellent structural stability and long-term durability, showing great perspective towards vanadium redox flow battery applications.

Background Phosphate is the major ingredient of bone tissue, and is also an important component of commercial bone substitute materials, bone scaffolds, and implant surface coatings. With the dissolution of the bone substitute materials and the degradation by cells, local ion concentrations will change and affect bone tissue reconstruction. Bone marrow -derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) are main autologous cells to repair injured bone. When bone injure occurs, BM-MSCs migrate to the damaged area, differentiate into osteoblasts, and secrete bioactive factors to promote bone tissue repaired. This study aimed to investigate the effect of inorganic phosphate (Pi) at a series of concentration on migration and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow -derived mesenchymal stem cells(hBM-MSCs). Methods The culture of hBM-MSCs in mediums with different concentration of Pi from 2 mM to 10 mM were performed. HBM-MSCs migration were examined with transwell assays. HBM-MSCs proliferation were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 colorimetric method. Osteogenic genes expression were analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Mineralized nodules formation were demonstrated by Alizarin red staining. Result 4–10 mM Pi could effectively promote the migration of hBM-MSCs at 12 h and 18 h. There was no significant difference in the migration number of hBM-MSCs in Pi culture mediums at a concentration of 6, 8, and10mM. 2–10 mM Pi could promote the proliferation of hBM-MSCs to varying degrees in the observation period, while 4–10 mM Pi could promote the osteogenic differentiation and mineralization of hBM-MSCs. Conclusion The findings in our study showed 4-10 mM Pi could promote the migration, osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization of hBM-MSCs.

Continuous emission of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) poses a significant effect on ambient environment, crop production, and human health, necessitating further improvement of CO2 monitoring especially ...

Catalytic production of structured phospholipids (SPLs) containing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in an efficient heterogeneous manner is of great importance from the standpoint of food engineering. Herein, a bifunctionalized sulfonated Zn-SBA-15 catalyst was studied for SPL synthesis through interesterification of soybean lecithin with ethyl propionate or methyl butyrate. Various characterization techniques such as pyridine Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy were conducted to determine the physicochemical properties, so as to build the possible structure-reactivity relationship of the catalyst. In screening tests with commercial Amberlyst-15 or other SBA-15-type materials, the as-prepared sample showed promising catalytic performance probably owing to its mesoporous structure and cooperative role of Brönsted and Lewis acid sites. Notably, the sample was easily separated and recycled without obvious deactivation. In general, the investigated catalyst was regarded as one of the promising alternatives to otherwise expensive biocatalysts for SCFA-containing SPL production.

Background Phospholipids, the main lipid component in marine shellfish, mainly comprise glycerophosphocholine (GPC) and glycerophosphoethanolamine (GPE). GPC and GPE in marine shellfish, especially scallop, carry n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), although different types of glycerophospholipids (GP) have different health benefits on human health. Moreover, different GP subclasses such as GPC and GPE have different oxidative susceptibilities in complex food systems. The present study compared the oxidative susceptibilities of GPC and GPE in dried scallop during storage by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and kinetic models, and also investigated the effects of natural phenolic antioxidant on their susceptibilities. Results The results showed that GPC and GPE molecular species (carrying EPA or DHA) contents in samples continuously reduced during storage at two different temperatures. The first-order kinetic model better reflected the changes of GPC and GPE molecular species (carrying EPA or DHA) in samples than the zero-order kinetic model during storage. According to the oxidation rate (k) obtained from first-order kinetic models, GPE possessed a greater oxidation rate than GPC during storage. Moreover, the results showed that antioxidants of bamboo leaves (AOB, polar polyphenolic antioxidants) significantly decreased the oxidation rates of GPC and GPE molecular species (carrying EPA or DHA) in samples during storage, and GPC could be more effectively protected by AOB compared to GPE. Conclusion The present study provides a practical method for accurately evaluating the oxidative susceptibility of different phospholipid classes in complex food systems. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zeolites with particles of nm-scale size and restricted aggregation propensity were designed by decoration of zeolite surface with specific functional groups to address the problem of irreversible aggregation of respective nanoparticles. Highly crystalline MFI nano zeolites synthesized using hydrothermal method were functionalized with silanes of different nature (monodentate vs. polydentate, hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic) to investigate the influence of the type of surface functional groups on the stability of zeolite nanoparticles against aggregation in solution, accessibility of acid sites located in zeolite framework, and catalytic properties of resulting hybrid materials. The as-prepared materials were characterized by XRD, DLS, nitrogen adsorption, and adsorption of acetonitrile followed by FTIR, solid state 29Si and 27Al NMR, ICP-OES, TEM. Finally, we investigated the catalytic performance of designed materials in acylation of p-xylene to demonstrate that surface functionalization does not lead to deterioration of catalytic activity of the zeolite nanoparticles. Characterization data and catalytic results confirmed the improved stability of prepared nanoparticles with reasonable accessibility of acid sites. This finding can be used for preparation of aggregation-resistant zeolites dispersible in liquid-phase reaction mixtures in order to mimic homogeneous catalytic systems.

It has been reported that β-MnO2 has photocatalytic activity for the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols into 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols. Nevertheless, it is hard to exclude the possibility that the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols is initiated by β-MnO2 catalysis in dark due to the insufficient investigations in the related reports. In the present work, the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols into 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols with different phases MnO2 catalysis in dark and under visible-light irradiation were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols is jointly initiated by MnO2 catalysis and O2-oxidation, not by MnO2 photocatalysis. Among the α-MnO2, β-MnO2, γ-MnO2 and δ-MnO2 catalysis, β-MnO2 catalysis has the optimal performance, its selectivity for the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols into 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols is close to 100%, and its catalytic capacity could be well retained after multiple using. Our findings provide comprehensive and accurate understanding the catalytic role of MnO2 for the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols into 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols. In the present work, the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols into 1,1′-bi-2-naphthols was proved to be jointly initiated by MnO2 catalysis and O2-oxidation, not by MnO2 photocatalysis. β-MnO2 has the optimal catalytic activity for the oxidative-coupling of 2-naphthols relative to α-MnO2, γ-MnO2 and δ-MnO2.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanism of nitrite (NO2−) for the surface passivation of carbon steels in acidic environments through investigating the influences of 0.01 mol/L NaNO2 addition on the corrosion and passivation behaviors of Q235 carbon steel in acidic phosphate buffer (APB) solutions (pH 2 to 6). Design/methodology/approach The electrochemical techniques including open circle potential evolution, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were applied. Findings In APB solutions without NO2−, the Q235 steel presented the electrochemical behaviors of activation (A), activation-passivation-transpassivation and self-passivation-transpassivation at pH 2 to 4, pH 5 and pH 6, respectively; the corrosion rate decreased with the up of pH value, and the surface passivation occurred in the pH 5 and pH 6 solutions only: the anodic passivation at pH 5 and the spontaneous passivation at pH 6. Originality/value In APB solutions without NO2−, the corrosion rate decreased with the up of pH value, and the surface passivation occurred in the pH 5 and pH 6 solutions only: the anodic passivation at pH 5 and the spontaneous passivation at pH 6. With the addition of 0.01 mol/L NaNO2, into APB solutions, the variation of corrosion rate showed the same rule, but the surface passivation occurred over the whole acidic pH range, including the anodic passivation at pH 2 to 4 and the spontaneous passivation at pH 5 to 6.

A number of studies have showed the relationship between R353Q (rs6046) polymorphism in factor VII gene and coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the results remain controversial due to the limitations of the research objects and small sample size of individual study. We conducted this meta-analysis to validate the association between R353Q (rs6046) polymorphism and the risk of CHD.The relevant data was collected up to March 25, 2019 from PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. We examined all eligible studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). The odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were adopted to evaluate the relationship between the R353Q (rs6046) polymorphism and CHD. Stata version 14.0 (Stata Corporation, USA) was used in all statistical tests.There were at least 28 eligible studies, including 14626 cases and 17994 controls, included in our meta-analysis. R353Q (rs6046) polymorphism was associated with the reduced risk of CHD in four genetic models: allele model (Q versus R: OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.90, P < 0.001, I2 = 56.4%), homozygote (co-dominant) model (QQ versus RR: OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.92, P = 0.004, I2 = 5.8%), heterozygote (co-dominant) model (RQ versus RR: OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.86, P = 0.001, I2 = 75.4%), and dominant model (RQ+QQ versus RR: OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.63 to 0.865, P < 0.001, I2 = 64.1%) excluding recessive model (QQ versus RR+RQ: OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.28, P = 0.447, I2 = 51.6%).The results of the current meta-analysis suggested that R353Q (rs6046) polymorphism was associated with the reduced risk of CHD, especially in Asians.

The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) domain inhibitor JQ1 exerts potent anticancer activity in various cancer cells. However, the resistance to BET inhibitors in leukemia stem cells limits its implication in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). High concentration of triptolide (TPL) presents anticancer activities but with adverse effects. Here, we investigated whether the combination of low-dose TPL with JQ1 could help to circumvent the dilemma of drug resistance and side effect in treating AML. AML cell lines, primary cells from 10 AML patients with different status, as well as AML mice model were subjected to different treatments and apoptotic related protein expression were evaluated. Data showed that low-dose TPL combined with JQ1 effectively killed AML cell lines and primary cells from AML patients without exerting significantly greater lethal activity against normal cells. Mechanism study revealed that low-dose TPL combined with JQ1 triggered reactive oxygen species production and induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in AML cells, in which the inhibition of RNA polymerase II to downregulate c-Myc was mainly responsible for the enhanced activity of TPL in combination with JQ1. In vivo study presented that cotreatment with low-dose TPL and JQ1 significantly reduced tumor burden of the NOD/SCID mice engrafted with MOLM-13 cells. In conclusion, low-dose TPL enhanced the antitumor effect of JQ1 on AML without increasing the side effects, supporting a potential option for AML treatment.

Plants maintain a dynamic balance between plant growth and stress tolerance to optimise their fitness and ensure survival. Here, we investigated the roles of a clade A type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C)-encoding gene, OsPP2C09, in regulating the trade-off between plant growth and drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The OsPP2C09 protein interacted with the core components of abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and showed PP2C phosphatase activity in vitro. OsPP2C09 positively affected plant growth but acted as a negative regulator of drought tolerance through ABA signalling. Transcript and protein levels of OsPP2C09 were rapidly induced by exogenous ABA treatments, which suppressed excessive ABA signalling and plant growth arrest. OsPP2C09 transcript levels in roots were much higher than those in shoots under normal conditions. After ABA, polyethylene glycol and dehydration treatments, the accumulation rate of OsPP2C09 transcripts in roots was more rapid and greater than that in shoots. This differential expression between the roots and shoots may increase the plant's root-to-shoot ratio under drought-stress conditions. This study sheds new light on the roles of OsPP2C09 in coordinating plant growth and drought tolerance. In particular, we propose that OsPP2C09-mediated ABA desensitisation contributes to root elongation under drought-stress conditions in rice.

Background Parthenolide (PT), the effective active ingredient of the medicinal plant, feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), has been used as an anti-inflammatory drug due to its involvement in the inhibition of the NF-кB pathway. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated the anti-tumor effect of PT in several cancers. However, the effect of PT on esophageal carcinoma remains unclear to date. In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of PT and its underlying mechanism of action in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells - Eca109 and KYSE-510. Methods The proliferation ability of Eca109 and KYSE-510 treated with PT was detected using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony forming assay. The Transwell assay and the wound healing assay were used to analyze the cell invasion and migration ability, respectively. The tube formation assay was used to investigate the effect of PT on tube formation of endothelial cells. The expression level of NF-кB, AP-1 and VEGF was analyzed by Western blot. Results We demonstrated that PT attenuates the proliferation and migration ability of ESCC cells in vitro and also inhibits tumor growth in the mouse xenograft model. In addition, PT exhibited anti-angiogenesis activity by weakening the proliferation, invasion and tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro and reduced microvessel density in the xenograft tumors. Further studies revealed that PT reduced the expression level of NF-кB, AP-1 and VEGF in ESCC cells. Conclusion Collectively, the results of our study demonstrated that PT exerts anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis effects possibly by inhibiting the NF-кB/AP-1/VEGF signaling pathway on esophageal carcinoma and might serve as a promising therapeutic agent for ESCC.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) or “vomitoxin” is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species. Few food poisoning cases caused by DON have been reported since the 1990s in China. However, on May 16, 2019, the Zh...

Background Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a highly aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) with poor prognosis. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has shown a promising impact on advanced STS patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib, an oral multi-TKI, which especially inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, as second-line therapy for patients with advanced SS. Patients and methods This retrospective analysis included 21 advanced SS patients, who had a poor response to anthracycline-based chemotherapy alone or combined with ifosfamide at least one cycle. All the patients received an apatinib containing regimen between May 2016 and October 2019 in our institution. Apatinib 500-750 mg (250 mg for patients younger than 10) was given daily. Tumor responses were assessed by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier test, and a safety profile was recorded. Results The median follow-up was 15.2 months (95% CI, 12.2-NE). Nine (42.9%) patients had partial response (PR), and eight (38.1%) had stable disease. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13.1 months (95% CI, 6.7-NE). The 6- and 12-month PFS rates were 76.2% (95% CI, 60.0-96.8) and 55.4% (95% CI, 37.3-82.3), respectively. Additionally, the median overall survival (OS) was 15.5 months (95% CI, 10.7-NE). The 6- and 12-month OS rates were 81.0% (95% CI, 65.8, 99.6) and 64.9% (95% CI, 46.9-90.0), respectively. Moreover, the objective response rate was 42.9% (9/21) for advanced SS patients. The disease control rate was 81.0% (17/21). For the nine patients with the best response of PR, the median duration of response was 7.7 months. Conclusion Apatinib was proved to be a potential second-line treatment option for advanced SS patients with chemo-resistance. Apatinib showed promising efficacy and acceptable safety profile in advanced SS, with considerable OS and particularly PFS. Indeed, further multicenter studies with a longer follow-up time are needed to fully determine the clinical application of apatinib in advanced SS.

Chemiresistive gas sensors have been extensively explored for hazardous gas detection. Currently, an overwheming majority of previous attention was focused on the parameter improvement of sensor performance while the impact of carrier gas species on the performance was severely ignored. Aiming to a deep insight into this issue, in this work we prepared zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire-network sensor and explored its UV-activated sensing performance toward trace nitrogen dioxide gas (NO2) at room temperature (25 °C) under two carrier gases, i.e., dry nitrogen (N2) and air. Within N2, the sensor exhibited a reversible response of 157 toward 50 ppb NO2 and a sensitivity of 7.8/ppb, which was not only among the best showcases of the existing work, but much larger than those within air (11 and 0.091/ppb, respectively). Moreover, decent selectivity and long-term stability were demonstrated. Far more UV irradiation-induced electrons which reacted with adsorbed NO2 molecules on ZnO surface as well as smaller baseline resistance under N2 than those under air jointly led to the superior response and sensitivity. After long-time UV exposure prior to gas-sensing tests within both carrier gas cases, the remaining oxygen ions (O2−) were weakly bonded on ZnO surface, contributing to the reversible behaviors at room temperature. The interconversion between physisorbed O2 molecules and ionic O2− on ZnO surface was proposed to rationalize the sensing phenomena especially when no continuous oxygen was supplied under N2 atmosphere, which enriched the current transduction mechanisms.

K-Ras must interact primarily with the plasma membrane (PM) for its biological activity. Therefore, disrupting K-Ras PM interaction is a tractable approach to block oncogenic K-Ras activity. Here, we found that avicin G, a family of natural plant-derived triterpenoid saponins from Acacia victoriae, mislocalizes K-Ras from the PM and disrupts PM spatial organization of oncogenic K-Ras and H-Ras by depleting phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) and cholesterol contents, respectively, at the inner PM leaflet. Avicin G also inhibits oncogenic K- and H-Ras signal output and the growth of K-Ras-addicted pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer cells. We further identified that avicin G perturbs lysosomal activity, and disrupts cellular localization and activity of neutral and acid sphingomyelinases (SMases), resulting in elevated cellular sphingomyelin (SM) levels and altered SM distribution. Moreover, we show that neutral SMase inhibitors disrupt the PM localization of K-Ras and PtdSer and oncogenic K-Ras signaling. In sum, this study identifies avicin G as a new potent anti-Ras inhibitor, and suggests that neutral SMase can be a tractable target for developing anti-K-Ras therapeutics.

Insulated silicone/alumina (Al2O3) composites with high thermal stability and thermal conductivity were fabricated, in which the silicone resin was fabricated by a hydrolysis and condensation reaction with triethoxysilane (MTES), dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDES) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (PhTMS). When the Al2O3 loading was 80 wt.%, the composite had only a 1.2% weight loss at 390°C. When the volume ratio of the 10 μm Al2O3 powder to 0.5 μm Al2O3 powder was controlled at 7:3, the silicone resin-based composite had thermal conductivity of 1.18 W m−1 K−1, which is 6.2 times as high as that of the pure silicone resin. Furthermore, the silicone/Al2O3 composite had dielectric strength of 87.5 kV mm−1.

Tonoplast sugar transporters (TSTs) play essential roles in regulating plant growth, development, and response to various biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, a total of three TST genes were identified by a genome-wide analysis in cucumber. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TST proteins from cucumber and other plant species can be classified into five groups, and nearly all TST members in the same groups displayed similar motif distributions, transmembrane (TM) domains, and gene structures. All of the three CsTST genes possess a number of development-, stress-, and hormone-related cis-elements in the promoter sequences. Meanwhile, qRT-PCR assays revealed that the CsTST1 was expressed in fruits, flowers, leaves, and other tissues, and its expression varied significantly under various abiotic stresses such as cold, salt, drought (PEG), and abscisic acid (ABA). Finally, functional analysis of CsTST1 in yeast revealed that it was able to complement the deficiency in galactose, mannose and sucrose transport. These results revealed that CsTST1 can act as a functional sugar transporter to play important roles in cucumber growth and response to abiotic stress probably through affecting carbohydrate distribution.

It is essential to develop new carriers for laryngeal drug delivery in light of the lack of therapy in laryngeal related diseases. When the inhalable micron-sized crystals of γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic framework (CD-MOF) was utilized as dry powder inhalers (DPIs) carrier with high fine particle fraction (FPF), it was found in this research that the encapsulation of a glycoside compound, namely, scutellarin (SCU) in CD-MOF could significantly enhance its laryngeal deposition. Firstly, SCU loading into CD-MOF was optimized by incubation. Then, a series of characterizations were carried out to elucidate the mechanisms of drug loading. Finally, the laryngeal deposition rate of CD-MOF was 57.72 ± 2.19% improved by SCU, about two times higher than that of CD-MOF, when it was determined by Next Generation Impactor (NGI) at 65 L/min. As a proof of concept, pharyngolaryngitis therapeutic agent dexamethasone (DEX) had improved laryngeal deposition after being co-encapsulated with SCU in CD-MOF. The molecular simulation demonstrated the configuration of SCU in CD-MOF and its contribution to the free energy of the SCU@CD-MOF, which defined the enhanced laryngeal anchoring. In conclusion, the glycosides-like SCU could effectively enhance the anchoring of CD-MOF particles to the larynx to facilitate the treatment of laryngeal diseases., Graphical abstract Glycoside scutellarin enhanced inhalable γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic framework particles anchoring in larynx. As a proof-of-concept, dexamethasone co-delivered with scutellarin (SCU) had enhanced laryngeal deposition. Laryngeal deposition of dried powders was evaluated using the Next Generation Pharmaceutical Impactor. Molecular simulation revealed the scutellarin incorporation in CD-MOF and its effect to the surface properties.Image 1

A layer-spacing-enlarged MoS2 nanotube (LE-MoS2) consisting of hierarchical superstructural nanosheets (-MoS2-carbon layer-MoS2-) was fabricated and served as the sulfur host. The (002) lattice plane of LE-MoS2 is greatly expanded to 1.04 nm and 67.7% higher than that of the conventional 2H-MoS2. Benefitting from the layer-spacing-enlarged hierarchical superstructure of LE-MoS2, the catalytic effect on the S(s)-Li2Sx (soluble, x > 6)-Li2Sy (soluble, y > 2)-Li2S(s) phase transformation kinetics and immobilizing effect on the soluble Li2Sy in Li-S batteries are both further enhanced and demonstrated by in situ X-ray adsorption near-edge structure spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. The formation of hierarchical superstructural nanosheets was carefully investigated by customized synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry.

Aspergillus niger mycelial waste is a good raw material for production of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc). In this study, AnChiB, an A. niger chitinase which is upregulated during autolysis, was found to degrade A. niger mycelial waste with high efficiency. It could produce 1.45 mM (GlcNAc)2 in 8 h from raw mycelial waste, outperforming other chitinases, including bacterial SmChiA, human HsCht, and insect OfChtI and OfChi-h. The crystal structure of AnChiB was determined, and residues Trp106 and Trp118 were found to be important for the activity of AnChiB toward mycelial waste; mutation of either Trp106 or Trp118 into phenylalanine or alanine resulted in dramatically decreased activity. A recombinant strain of Bacillus subtilis was constructed to extracellularly produce AnChiB, and the culture supernatant was used to treat mycelial waste. This eco-friendly strategy could produce 3.7 mM of GlcNAc from 10 g of mycelial waste in 94 h with a yield of 71.3%.

The lipid profiles, including lipid classes, phospholipid (PL) classes, fatty acid (FA) composition, and glycerophospholipid (GP) molecular species, in the two edible parts (edible viscera and musc...

Lipid profile of the oyster Crassostrea talienwhanensis from the Yellow Sea was evaluated based on the seasonal changes in lipid categories, phospholipid (PL) categories, fatty acid (FA) compositio...

Background Fresh shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) deteriorates easily and the drying process is an important processing method for prolonging the shelf life of shrimp. The traditional drying method is hot-air-drying (HD), which can cause some problems such as nutrient loss, discoloration and lipid oxidation. In recent years, freeze-drying (FD) has been popular for removing moisture from food at lower temperatures, maintaining the structure of raw materials, and improving storage stability of products. In the present study, the effects of HD and FD on lipid and color of P. vannamei and the mechanisms involved were investigated. Results FD caused less lipid oxidation compared to HD; consequently, FD-processed shrimps had lower levels of primary and secondary oxidation products, as well as acid value, and higher contents of triacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid compared to HD-processed samples. Lipase and lipoxygenase played a role in the oxidation and hydrolysis of lipids during drying process. FD-processed shrimps had lower yellowness value and chromatic aberrations but a higher whiteness value compared to HD-processed samples. Correlation analysis showed that lipid oxidation, astaxanthin degradation and the Maillard reaction contributed to the changes of color. Principal component analysis indicated that FD caused less deterioration in quality compared to HD. Conclusion In the present study, FD is recommended for preserving shrimp color and lipid nutrition in terms of lipid oxidation control. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

In the field of electronics, organocatalysts are in high demand for use in the synthesis of clean polymers using solar radiation rather than potentially contaminating metals. Combining theoretical design, simulation, and experiments, this work presents a novel, pyridine-diketopyrrolopyrrole (P-DPP)-based metal-free visible-light organophotoredox catalyst (P-DPP). It is effective in the photocontrolled organocatalytic atom-transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene. The use of this catalyst and white light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation produces polymers with a cross-linked feature. In O-ATRP, the P-DPP catalyst has an oxidative quenching catalytic mechanism with an excited-state reductive potential of -1.8 V, fluorescence lifetime of 7.5 ns, and radical-cation oxidative potential of 0.45 V. Through molecular simulation, we found that the adjacent pyridine group is key to reducing the alkyl halide initiator and generating radicals, while the diketopyrrolopyrrole core stabilizes the triplet state of the catalyst through intramolecular charge transfer. The findings related to this novel photoredox catalyst will aid in the search for much more effective organophotoredox catalysts for use in controlled radical polymerization. They will also be of value in the fields of polymer chemistry and physics and in various applications.