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Novel potential type electrochemical chiral biosensing system with unique capability of distinguishing and quantitating of tyrosine (Tyr) enantiomers by L-cysteic acid and left-handed chiral carbonaceous nanotubes (L-CCNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (L-Cys/L-CCNT/GCE) was first developed. The effect of sweep cycles of L-Cys and the kinds of L-CCNT on electrochemical chiral biosensing performance of L-Cys/L-CCNT/GCE were investigated. The electrochemical identification and quantitative determination of L- and D-tyrosine in their mixed solution were successfully achieved based on the different oxidation potential signals. The chiral structure of L-CCNT, the aromatic ring of Tyr, and also the intermolecular hydrogen bond between cysteic acid (CyA) and Tyr could possibly produce the difference in the free energy, which reflects as potential difference of L- and D-tyrosine. A good linear relationship between the potential, current, and different concentration ratios of L- and D-Tyr was obtained. Our present work realizes the simultaneous detection of Tyr enantiomers in their mixed solution based on the different potential signals, and it is of far-reaching significance in real electrochemical chiral biosensor study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of manned space flight results in more concerns about health risks and an urgent need for health assessment for space travel. The cosmic environment is complicated and full of radiation. Because of their strong biological effects, heavy ions such as 56Fe ions are considered to be an important component of these lethal galactic rays. Due to the importance of brain function to astronauts, we explored the long-term effects and potential mechanisms of 56Fe ion radiation on mice brains containing the hippocampus. In our study, radiation doses were carried out with 0.5 Gy, 1 Gy or 2 Gy. One month after whole-body 56Fe ion exposure, the Morris water maze test was performed to assess the ability of spatial learning and memory. A histological study was used for pathology analysis of the hippocampus. Alteration of oxidative stress was reflected by MDA and GSH and oxidative DNA damage marked by 8-OHdG was detected by biochemical and immunofluorescence methods. In our results, irradiated groups exhibited significant changes in behavioral performance and also showed loose and edematous arrangement in the pathological characteristics. Furthermore, whole brain levels of MDA, GSH and 8-OHdG increased in the irradiated groups. In addition, increased expression of 8-OHdG can also be detected by immunofluorescence in the hippocampus. Our findings revealed a linkage between radiation-induced oxidative stress and behavioral deficits. This may suggest an underlying mechanism of brain tissue protection and risk assessment in manned space flight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon has raised the concerns about the safety of an extended manned mission into deep space due to the high potential for exposure to high-LET radiation during space missions. Heavy ions such as 56 Fe are main radiation sources in deep space, which could pose a significant hazard to space flight crews during and after missions. Since the testis is a radiosensitive organ, which may be susceptible to space radiation-induced changes. In this study, we investigated the effect and potential mechanisms of 56 Fe irradiation on mouse testis. Pathological characteristics were measured following whole-body irradiation with 0.5 and 1 Gy 56 Fe irradiation. Flow cytometry and terminal dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) were performed to detect apoptotic cells. Western blot was applied to identify potential biomarkers. Immunofluorescence was used to investigate protein localization. We found that pathologic changes and apoptosis cells were significantly higher in 1 Gy group than those in 0 Gy groups. In addition, protein expression and localization studies confirmed Nrf2 was involved in this acute injury. Nrf2 and its target genes HO-1 and NQO1 were up-regulated in the irradiated testis in a dose-dependent manner. Nrf2 may be useful molecular markers in radiation-induced cellular responses and is important for detecting abnormal spermatogenesis following exposure to space radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miR-449a, a novel tumor suppressor, is deregulated in various malignancies, including prostate cancer. Overexpression of miR-449a induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence, but its role in response to ionizing radiation and underlying molecular mechanism are still unknown. Here, we report that miR-449a enhances radiation-induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis through modulating pRb/E2F1 and sensitizes prostate cancer cells to X-ray radiation. In wild-type Rb PC-3 cells, overexpression of miR-449a enhances radiation-induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis and promotes the sensitivity to X-ray radiation. While mutant Rb DU-145 cells are resistant to the X-ray radiation despite in the presence of miR-449a. The cell cycle distribution of DU-145 cells is not significantly altered by miR-449a in the response to ionizing radiation. Furthermore, elevated miR-449a downregulates cell cycle regulator CDC25A and oncogene HDAC1. By targeting genes involved in controlling pRb/E2F1 activity, miR-449a regulates cell cycle progression and apoptosis and consequently enhances the radiosensitivity of PC-3 cells. Thus, miR-449a, as a miRNA component of the Rb pathway, promotes the radiosensitivity of PC-3 cells through regulating pRb/E2F1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme seasonal summer rain storms are common in the mountains to the north east of Beijing and these often result in mass movement of sediment slurries transported for up to a few km. These debris flows can be deadly and are very destructive to infrastructure and agriculture. This project tests the application of luminescence dating to determining the return frequency of such extreme events. The high sediment concentration and the very short flow duration gives very little opportunity for daylight resetting during transport and only a small fraction of the total mass is likely to be reset before transport begins. Here we examine the quartz single-grain dose distribution from a recent known-age (<25 years) debris flow from a small (∼3.9 km 2 ) catchment ∼140 km north of Beijing and compare it with those from three samples from a sedimentary sequence containing the evidence of multiple flow events. Multi-grain quartz OSL signals are dominated by the fast component and <1% of the 150–200 μm grains give a detectable test dose (4.5 Gy) response. Single-grain beta dose recovery gave a ratio of 0.97 ± 0.06 (n = 30) with an over-dispersion of 23 ± 8% (CAM). Both the recent known age and the palaeo-distributions are highly dispersed with over-dispersions greater than 50%. The average weighted doses range between ∼3 mGy and ∼6.5 Gy, indicating that all deposits are no more than a few thousand years. Minimum age modelling give an age estimate for the youngest sample consistent with the known age, and minimum ages for the older palaeo-deposits suggest that there have been at least 3 major debris flows in this small catchment in the last 1000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loess-palaeosol deposits of the Central Shandong Mountains (CSM) to the east of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) potentially provide valuable archives for the reconstruction of East Asian monsoon patterns. However, compared to the abundant attention given to the loess layer, fewer studies have explored the palaeosols documenting the processes and characteristics of interglacial climate changes. The high-resolution chronologies and provenances of the palaeosol in the CSM area are still unclear. In this work, the luminescence ages and paleoclimate proxies in the Shaozhuang (SZ) and Focun (FC) sections were studied, by combining detrital zircons U–Pb ages from the loess-palaesosol in Jingbian, Licheng, Focun, Pianguan and Dongming Yellow River sediments. Quartz single-aliquot regenerative dose protocol (SAR) and K-feldspar post-infrared IRSL (pIRIR 290) dating results were obtained in the SZ (8.0 ± 1.1 ka −50.8 ± 2.7 ka) and FC (3.8 ± 0.3 ka—144.0 ± 7.8 ka) sections to develop the most detailed CSM region chronologies to date. The analyzed grain sizes and detrital zircon U–Pb ages suggest that the provenance of the CSM loess was dominated by local Yellow River sediments. The palaeosols observed in the field in these two sections were composed of both aggradation soils deposited in the interglacial period and non-aggradation soil formed by the weathering and leaching of the underlying loess. We found evidences for the presence of non-aggradation soils as indicated the relatively high 5–16 μm particle percentages, relatively low chemical index of alteration (CIA) values and the percentages of >63 μm particles compared to those of the overlying palaeosol layers. Nevertheless, the loess-palaeosol deposits in the CSM are still the product of the East Asian monsoon and global climatic variations, as the deposits have recorded the glacial-interglacial cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedimentary deposits in the foreland basin of the northeastern Qilian Mountains are crucial documents recording tectonic activity and climate changes on the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, luminescence dating was used to date alluvial conglomerates and fluvial terrace sediments collected from the Beida River in the Jiuquan Basin, a foreland basin in the Hexi Corridor, northeastern Qilian Mountains. Detailed sedimentology and luminescence ages reveal that alluvial conglomerates accumulated from before 620 ka to 12 ka and that sediment accumulation rates increased at ∼330 ka and ∼35 ka, coinciding with the dates of two tectonic events (∼350 and ∼50 ka) and followed by climate cooling (from marine isotope stage (MIS) 9 to MIS 8 and from MIS 3 to MIS 2). This reveals that variations in the sediment accumulation rates are controlled by the coupling of tectonic uplift and climate cooling. The highest terrace (T7) that developed on the alluvial conglomerate base formed at ∼ 12 ka. The incision rate in the early Holocene was ∼2.1 mm/yr and increased to ∼14.6 mm/yr during the middle and late Holocene. The variations in the river incision rate provide geomorphic evidence for Holocene climate patterns in arid and semiarid areas. Luminescence dating offers a credible temporal framework for the deposits and reveals climate and tectonic effects on the evolution of the foreland basin, northeastern Qilian Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the issue that the Bayer process is not suitable for low-grade bauxite, carbochlorination was proposed to recover aluminum and silicon from low-grade bauxite. This study focused on the behavior of aluminum and silicon during the carbochlorination process of low-grade bauxite. The impact of various process parameters on the chlorination efficiency was investigated, and the chlorination mechanism and kinetics of aluminum and silicon chlorination in bauxite were analyzed and discussed. Under optimal experimental conditions, the chlorination efficiency of Al2O3 and SiO2 reached 94.93% and 86.32%, respectively. The carbochlorination of aluminum and silicon in bauxite adhered to a shrinking, unreacted core model governed by gas diffusion within the product layer. This process can be bifurcated into two stages. Additionally, calculations were conducted to determine the apparent activation energy and reaction order of the chlorination processes involving Al2O3 and SiO2. Examining the chlorination mechanism revealed that the bauxite carbochlorination encompasses transformations among various minerals. Notably, the aluminum component prefers to participate in the carbothermal chlorination reaction over silicon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to investigate the effect of the type 2 diabetes-specific insulin/IGF signaling genetic variants on the hippocampal volume and their relationships with episodic memory in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the genotype-by-diagnosis interaction effect on hippocampal volume in Chinese participants (109 patients with type 2 diabetes, 116 healthy controls). Mediation analysis was performed to test whether the hippocampal volume would mediate the association between genotype and episodic memory in patients with type 2 diabetes. Results: INSR (rs8101064) exhibited a significant genotype-by-diagnosis interaction effect on the bilateral hippocampal volumes (left, P = 0.020; right, P = 0.004, PFDR < 0.05). The T allele carriers exhibited smaller bilateral hippocampal volumes than the CC homozygotes in patients with type 2 diabetes (left, P = 0.004; right, P = 0.002). Mediation analysis revealed the significant mediation effect of the left hippocampal volume on the association between INSR (rs8101064) genetic polymorphism and the short- and long-term memory scores in patients with type 2 diabetes (short-term memory: 95% CI, −2.716, −0.266; long-term memory: 95% CI, −0.823, −0.103). Conclusions: Hyperglycemia exposure and INSR (rs8101064) genetic polymorphism had an interaction effect on the hippocampal volume, and the T allele of the INSR (rs8101064) may serve as a risk factor for the decreased hippocampal volume in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. The left hippocampal volume mediated the effect of INSR (rs8101064) genetic polymorphism on episodic memory in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, which provided a biological pathway for understanding how the INSR (rs8101064) genetic polymorphism affects episodic memory in type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several attempts at reconstructing geological settings and palaeoclimatic changes of the siliciclastic deposits of the Dahomey Basin, SW Nigeria, using relative age dating and correlation methods, have resulted in serious discrepancies on the ages. Therefore, a chronology framework established by an absolute age dating method is requisite to constrain the geological interpretation. This research focuses on quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the upper siliciclastic sediments to help bridge the lacuna that arose from previous relative geologic dating. Ten sub-surface sediment samples were collected from the eastern part of the basin, and quartz OSL dating using single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol was conducted for all the samples. The OSL signals appear well bleached prior to deposition and the OSL ages are reliable and robust. Through the application of OSL, the age framework of the uppermost part of sediments in the study area was established. The OSL dating results revealed that these depositional periods fall within the Holocene and are concentrated during two groups: 3.52 ka–1.55 ka, and 0.64 ka–0.05 ka. The samples with ages of 3.52 ka–1.55 ka distribute in the belt-like inland zone approximately parallel to the coastline. This deposition episode appears to be caused by the decrease in relative sea level during late Holocene. Thus, this study sheds light on the understanding past coast dynamics in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing and optimising ecological networks in high-density cities plays an important role in mitigating urban ecological problems. Our study uses comprehensive evaluation methods such as Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI), and Connectivity to identify ecological source areas in Fuzhou City, and constructs and optimises the network using the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, current theory, and other methods. Meanwhile, the changes in urban landscape connectivity under different development scenarios were explored. The results show that the following: (1) the identification of ecological source sites based on the integrated approach is better than the single MSPA method; (2) the ecological network of Fuzhou City consists of 44 ecological source sites and 92 corridors; and (3) among the various development modes, transforming the top 30% of the bare land patches in Fuzhou City into green spaces improves the overall connectivity of the ecological network the most. The results can provide auxiliary decision-making for ecological construction in high-density cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of low-cost and highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts has driven continuous effort. Here we develop a one-step preparation method of novel two-dimensional coupled hybrid of molybdenum carbide embedded N-doped carbon nanolayer architecture (MoCx-N/CNL) using cheap cotton as carbon and nitrogen precursor and ammonium molybdate as Mo precursor. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), element mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were utilized to characterize the as-prepared nanocomposites. The synergistic effect between dispersive Mo 2 C particles and N doping in MoCx-N/CNL leads to remarkable HER performance in acidic media. Different amount of Mo were doped in the samples by arranging the ammonium molybdate concentration. Three samples were obtained and MoCx-N/CNL-3 showed better HER electrocatalytic performance than other two samples. Moreover, the as prepared MoCx-N/CNL-3 exhibits excellent stability and durability in acidic media. A new viable route is provided to prepare molybdenum carbide embedded N-doped carbon hybrid architecture with higher HER stability and activity, it is of significance in novel HER catalyst preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cercis glabra is a plant belonging to the legume family, whose flowers and barks are commonly used as food and traditional Chinese medicines. However, its leaves are usually disposed of as wastes. This research comprehensively investigated the bioactive constituents of C. glabra leaves, and two new phenolic, ceroffesters A-B (1–2) and thirteen known compounds (3–15) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (1D NMR and 2D NMR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectra (HR-ESI-MS), optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). All of them were assessed for their antioxidant activities through ABTS, DPPH and PTIO methodologies, and evaluated for inhibitory activities against two enzymes (mushroom tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase). As a result, compounds 3–6, 10 and 13 exhibited evident antioxidant activities. Meanwhile, compounds 5, 10 and 13 showed the most potent tyrosinase inhibitory activities, with IC50 of 0.64, 0.65 and 0.59 mM, and compared with the positive control of 0.63 mM (kojic acid). In the initial concentration of 1 mg/mL, compounds 3, 5 and 6 demonstrated moderate inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase with 85.27 ± 0.06%, 83.65 ± 0.48% and 82.21 ± 0.09%, respectively, compared with the positive control of 91.17 ± 0.23% (donepezil). These bioactive components could be promising antioxidants, tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite remotely sensed aerosol optical depth (AOD) provides an effective way to fill the spatial and temporal gaps left by ground PM 2.5 monitoring network. Previous studies have established robust advanced statistical models to estimate PM 2.5 using AOD data in China. However, their coarse resolutions (∼10 km or greater) of PM 2.5 estimations are not enough to support the health effect studies at urban scales. In this study, 3 km AOD data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection 6 products were used to estimate the high resolution PM 2.5 concentrations in Yangtze Delta Region of China. We proposed a nested linear mixed effects (LME) model including nested month-, week-, and day-specific random effects of PM 2.5 -AOD relationships. Validation results show that the LME model only with day-specific random effects (non-nested model) used in previous studies has poor performance in the days without PM 2.5 -AOD matchups (the R 2 of day-of-year-based cross validation (DOY-based CV) is 0.148). The results also show that our nested model cannot improve the performance of non-nested model in the days with PM 2.5 -AOD matchups (sample-based CV R 2 = 0.671 for nested model vs. 0.661 for non-nested model), but can greatly improve the model performance beyond those days (DOY-based CV R 2 = 0.339 for nested model vs. 0.148 for non-nested model). To further improve the model performance, we applied the “buffer models” (i.e., models fitted from datasets which ground PM 2.5 were matched with the average AOD values within certain radius buffer zones of gridded PM 2.5 data) on the 3 km AOD data since the “buffer models” has more days with PM 2.5 -AOD matchups and can provide more day-specific relationships. The results of this study show that 3 km MODIS C6 AOD data can be used to estimate PM 2.5 concentrations and can provide more detailed spatial information for urban scale studies. The application of our nested LME model can greatly improve the accuracy of 3 km PM 2.5 predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A resistant variety against P. aegyptiaca was identified from 118 tomato varieties. • Resistant tomato 'H1015' manifested slower growth and a lower number of P. aegyptiaca. • 193 LRR-RLK genes were identified in the tomato genome. • Ten LRR-RLK proteins showed different expression patterns between 'H1015' and 'H2401'. • LRR-RLK-3 positive regulated tomato resistance against P. aegyptiaca. Phelipanche aegyptiaca is a devastating parasitic plant that causes substantial yield losses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) due to a lack of effective control strategies. Breeding for resistance is the most promising measure for reducing P. aegyptiaca infestation. Identifying novel resistance resources and mining the resistance genes/proteins are of great interest and can help hosts achieve durable resistance. In this study, field, pot, and rhizotron experiments were conducted to assess 118 tomato varieties against P. aegyptiaca. Further proteomic research, genome-wide analysis, and genetic engineering were performed to determine the LRR-RLK genes that control tomato resistance to P. aegyptiaca. A resistant variety ('H1015') was identified from 118 tomato varieties, which manifested slower growth, partial necrosis, and a lower parasitic number compared to the susceptible variety ('H2401'). Furthermore, 193 LRR-RLK s in tomato were discovered and classed into 21 groups. Among these, the expression of 10 LRR-RLK proteins was significantly different between 'H1015' and 'H2401' using proteomic data, implying that LRR-RLK s may play a pivotal function in tomato resistance to P. aegyptiaca. This finding was further confirmed by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and overexpression, through which silencing of LRR-RLK-3 compromised tomato resistance to P. aegyptiaca , while overexpression of LRR-RLK-3 enhanced resistance in Arabidopsis. These results consistently support the view that LRR-RLK-3 acts as a positive regulator to improve tomato resistance against P. aegyptiaca. Our research contributes to understanding the resistance mechanisms of hosts against parasitic plants and facilitates the breeding and application of resistant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud and coal fly ash (CFA) are bulk aluminum-containing solid waste in the industrial production process, posing a great threat to the environment and ecological security. The present paper proposes a novel method for one-step producing potassium-containing fertilizer synergistically extracting Al 2 O 3 by KOH hydrothermally treating red mud or CFA. In this paper, the dissolving ratio of Al 2 O 3 in the K 2 O-Al 2 O 3 -H 2 O ternary system and the extraction of Al 2 O 3 from red mud or CFA after hydrothermal treatment with KOH were investigated. The phase structure transformation of leaching residue obtained under various conditions was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and the fertilization efficiency of the products was verified by potting experiments. The results show that the dissolving ratio of Al 2 O 3 can reach the highest value of 85.04% at 120 °C with the K 2 O mass fraction of 24.90% in the ternary system. When red mud or CFA was hydrothermally leached with 240 g/L K 2 O at 240 ℃, the Al 2 O 3 extraction rates of 25.50% and 31.42% could be separately obtained, and the leachate could be reused. The main phases of the leaching residue were kaliophilite, illite, and megakalsilite, and the content of K 2 O was 7.83% and 26.89%, which can be applied as potassium-containing fertilizer to improve soil fertility and effectively promote the growth of pakchoi. The process improves the comprehensive utilization of red mud and CFA without secondary pollution, reduces the negative impact on the environment, and opens up a new way to apply bulk solid waste in the agricultural field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separating the relative roles of tectonics and climate change in geological evolution is complicated. The northern coast of Bohai Bay (NCBB), with a thick accumulation of Quaternary lacustrine sediments, is a subsiding area and is well suited to studying tectonic versus climatic controls on sedimentary processes. We used magnetostratigraphy and sedimentological analyses of borehole core JL01 from the NCBB to provide new insights into the effects of tectonic processes and climate changes in this region. The results show the following: (1) A shallow lacustrine delta, a deep-water lacustrine sedimentary system and a subaqueous fan-delta sedimentary system developed during 2.1–1.4 Ma, 1.4–0.78 Ma, and from 0.78 Ma to the present, respectively, corresponding to the rift-initiation, rift-climax, and late-rift tectonic stages of the evolution of an extensional basin, respectively. These stages constitute a low-order tectono-sedimentary cycle. (2) Tectonic and orbital-scale climate changes can be distinguished, particularly the 2.5 Ma climatic transition and a significant shift from 41- to 100-kyr cyclicity across the Mid-Pleistocene climatic transition. These changes indicate that the sedimentary processes of the NCBB were influenced by high-latitude climate forcing since the Late Pliocene. Our results demonstrate that detailed sedimentary facies analyses can provide valuable information about the effects of tectonics and climate changes on basin sedimentary evolution. This approach can be applied to other regional basins worldwide. • A new borehole is being used to analyze the effects of tectonic processes and climate change on the northern coast of Bohai Bay. • Three lacustrine sedimentary systems constitute a low-order tectono-sedimentary cycle of an extensional basin. • Changes and cyclicity of sedimentary facies have been influenced by high-latitude climate forcing since the Late Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GTS-21 regulated the ACE/ACE2 ratio and glycocalyx shedding in LPS-ALI mice. • GTS-21 inhibited macrophage M1 polarization and increased M2 polarization in vivo and in vitro. • Macrophage polarization regulated ACE/ACE2 ratio and glycocalyx shedding in epithelial cells. • Macrophage generated ADAM-17 mediated the effect of GTS-21 on ACE/ACE2 ratio and glycocalyx shedding in epithelial cells. Acute lung injury (ALI) has received considerable attention in intensive care owing to its high mortality rate. It has been demonstrated that the selective alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist Gainesville Tokushima scientists (GTS)-21 is promising for treating ALI caused by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). However, the precise underlying mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the potential efficacy of GTS-21 in the treatment of ALI. We developed mouse models of ALI and alveolar epithelial type II cells (AT2s) injury following treatment with LPS and different polarized macrophage supernatants, respectively. Pathological changes, pulmonary edema, and lung compliance were assessed. Inflammatory cells count, protein content, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were analysed in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), ACE2, syndecan-1 (SDC-1), heparan sulphate (HS), heparanase (HPA), exostosin (EXT)-1, and NF-κB were tested in lung tissues and cells. GTS-21-induced changes in macrophage polarization were verified in vivo and in vitro. Polarized macrophage supernatants with or without recombination a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-17 (ADAM-17) and small interfering (si)RNA ADAM-17 were used to verify the role of ADAM-17 in AT2 injury. By reducing pathological alterations, lung permeability, inflammatory response, ACE/ACE2 ratio, and glycocalyx shedding, as well as by downregulating the HPA and NF-κB pathways and upregulating EXT1 expression in vivo, GTS-21 significantly diminished LPS-induced ALI compared to that of the LPS group. GTS-21 significantly attenuated macrophage M1 polarization and augmented M2 polarization in vitro and in vivo. The destructive effects of M1 polarization supernatant can be inhibited by GTS-21 and siRNA ADAM-17. GTS-21 exerted a protective effect against LPS-induced ALI, which was reversed by recombinant ADAM-17. Collectively, GTS-21 alleviates LPS-induced ALI by attenuating AT2s ACE/ACE2 ratio and glycocalyx shedding through the inhibition of macrophage M1 polarization derived ADAM-17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal fly ash (CFA) is the main solid waste discharged from coal-fired power plants, a new method for preparing silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer using KOH hydrothermal treatment CFA was proposed to improve its comprehensive utilization rate and reduce its threat to ecological environment security. In this paper, the characteristics of CFA raw material and transformation residue were studied, the agricultural applicability of the process was verified by pakchoi planting experiments, and the effects of the silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer on soil physical-chemical characteristics were investigated. The results show that increasing the leaching temperature and time can improve the extraction rate of alumina from CFA, and the reaction rate is controlled by the mixing of interfacial chemical reaction and solid product layer diffusion. The CFA raw material was hydrothermally leached at 280 g/L K 2 O 200 °C for 1 h, in which the Al 2 O 3 extraction rate was 27.46%. The main component of the transformation residue was potassium aluminum silicate hydrate, which is the main component of the silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer, and the effective K 2 O and SiO 2 content is 25.07% and 34.56%. The application of CFA residue can effectively improve the fertility and productivity of the soil, providing nutrients for the growth of pakchoi and improving the soil quality. This research provides theoretical guidance for the preparation of silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer using CFA and has the potential for practical production, which is important for the resourceful use of CFA and its application in agriculture. [Display omitted] • A novel process of Al separation in coal fly ash to prepare silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer was proposed. • The feasibility of the process was determined by thermodynamic calculations. • The mechanism of the new technology was studied by batch hydrothermal leaching experiments. • The products can be used as silicon-potassium mineral fertilizer to promote pakchoi growth. • KOH hydrothermal treatment of CFA has broad application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaeoflood deposits record extreme climatic and environmental events. While historic data show that floods occurred frequently in the Yongding River in China and have caused many natural disasters. The sedimentologic records of palaeoflood in the Yongding River have not been well studied. This study investigates the palaeoflood deposits at the Tanmugou site in the middle reach of the Yongding River. Six episodes of palaeoflood were identified in the sediment profile. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating method was applied to establish the chronology of the palaeoflood deposits. Both the improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol and standard growth curve (SGC) method were employed for equivalent dose (D e ) determinations. The minimum age model (MAM), central age model (CAM) and arithmetic mean were applied to calculate the D e values. The OSL dating results show that these palaeoflood events occurred in the Holocene and concentrated during three stages, including 8.5–7.3 ka, 2.8–2.4 ka and 1–0.5 ka. The timings of these palaeoflood events in the Yongding River coincide with the timings of palaeoflood events in other river systems in China. Compared with the continuously high-resolution climate record in China, these palaeoflood events occurred during climate transition periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new rhamnosides, 18-O- α - l -rhamnopyranosylabietic acid (1) and (E) -3,5-dimethoxystilben-4′-O- α - l -rhamnopyranoside (2), five known glucosides (3 – 7) along with three others were isolated from Cynanchum atratum roots. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by physical data analyses such as NMR, UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, as well as acid hydrolysis. All of them were assessed for their antioxidant activities through 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical ion (ABTS•+), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH•) and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide radical (PTIO•) assay, with l -ascorbic acid used as the positive control. As a result, compounds 3 – 5 exhibited obvious antioxidant activities. These bioactive components could be promising antioxidants. [Display omitted] • Two new rhamnosides (1 – 2) and eight known compounds (3 – 10) were isolated from Cynanchum atratum roots. • The structures of new compounds (1 – 2) were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS, NMR, acid hydrolysis, and comparisons with literatures. • Compounds 3 – 5 exhibited obvious antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]