Search

Chronic stress is a major risk factor for depression onset. However, it remains unclear how repeated stress sculpts neural circuits and finally elicits depression. Given the essential role of lateral habenula (LHb) in depression, here, we attempt to clarify how LHb-centric neural circuitry integrates stress-related information. We identify lateral hypothalamus (LH) as the most physiologically relevant input to LHb under stress. LH neurons fire with a unique pattern that efficiently drives postsynaptic potential summation and a closely followed LHb bursting (EPSP-burst pairing) in response to various stressors. We found that LH-LHb synaptic potentiation is determinant in stress-induced depression. Mimicking this repeated EPSP-burst pairings at LH-LHb synapses by photostimulation, we artificially induced an "emotional status" merely by potentiating this pathway in mice. Collectively, these results delineate the spatiotemporal dynamics of chronic stress processing from forebrain onto LHb in a pathway-, cell-type-, and pattern-specific manner, shedding light on early interventions before depression onset. [Display omitted] • LH is the most physiologically relevant input onto LHb in response to stress • LH fires with a unique pattern under stress that drives LHb burst • Repeated EPSP-burst pairings at LH-LHb pathway induce LTP • Emotional status can be incepted in naive mice by LH-LHb synaptic potentiation Zheng et al. reveal a circuit mechanism for processing chronic stress. Potentiating hypothalamus-to-habenula pathway leads to lasting changes of emotional status. This study makes a significant stride toward the elucidation of the neural circuit mechanisms underlying chronic-stress-induced depression and sheds light on early interventions before depression onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the relationship between skin lesion scores and aggressive behavior categories (unilateral active attack, standoff, and being bullied) of individual pigs when placed into pens after weaning, duration and frequency of three aggressive behavior categories were observed from video. Behavior of 500 weaned pigs was recorded and observed during the first 48 h after mixing. The skin lesion scores at 24 h before mixing and at 2, 24, and 48 h after mixing was assessed. Canonical correlations and generalized linear mixed models analyses between three aggressive behavior categories and skin lesion scores were performed. The score of skin lesion on the front body was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those on the middle and rear body at 2, 24, and 48 h after mixing. These behavior categories and skin lesion scores of weaned pigs reached the maximum at 2 h after mixing and then decreased gradually. Skin lesion score on the front of the body at 2 and 24 h were associated with CSS (comprehensive standoff score), and CBS (comprehensive being bullied score). The skin lesion score on front body at 2 h after mixing were positively associated with CBS and CSS during the first (P < 0.01) and the second (P < 0.01) hour after mixing. After mixing the skin lesion score on the front body at 2 h was positively associated with CAS (comprehensive unilateral active attack score) at the first hour (P < 0.01), but not at the second hour after mixing. The skin lesion score on the front body at 24 h were positively associated with CBS at the first 12 h and at the second 12 h (from 13 to 24 h) after mixing (P < 0.01). CAS was negatively associated with the skin lesion score on front body at the first 12 h after mixing, and negatively associated at the second 12 h after mixing (P < 0.05). In conclusion, skin lesion score of weaned pigs was the greatest on the front body at 2 h after mixing. The skin lesion score on front body at 24 h after mixing was positively associated with behavior of standoff and being bullied, but not unilateral active attack. These results suggest that the severity of skin lesions is not primarily caused by unilateral active aggressive behavior of weaned pigs after mixing at the individual pig level. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial hypertension (IH) remains a common symptom of neurological diseases, and requires stepwise treatments to release intracranial pressure (ICP). In the present study, we built a rat model of epidural extreme intracranial hypertension (EEIH) and verified the effectiveness of a surgery method called controlled decompression on attenuating brain injury induced by EEIH. For the model part, we determined the level of EEIH of rats via recording ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and the variation tendency of survival rates, mean blood artery pressure and mean velocity (Vm) of left middle cerebral artery (LMCA) as ICP ascending. SD rats were assigned into 4 groups: Sham group, Controlled decompression group (Con group), Rapid decompression group (Rap group) and Rapid decompression + Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) group (Rap+Nec-1 group). The results suggested that controlled decompression lowered cerebral water content, improved neurological function, and attenuated EEIH-induced inflammation response and ROS generation to a greater extent than rapid decompression. Meanwhile, controlled decompression functioned to preserve more Nissl bodies, indicating alleviated neuron injury after EEIH. Additionally, the permeability of blood brain barrier (BBB) was also safeguarded in the Con group. Western blotting (WB) and Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rt-PCR) assays consistently determined lower protein and mRNA levels of necroptosis-related molecules receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) (WB only) in the Con and Rap+Nec-1 group. Double immunofluorescent staining found weaker fluorescence intensity of RIPK3 in the compressed cortex of the Con and Rap+Nec-1 group. • This is an animal experiment concerning a novel surgery technique, controlled decompression, for treating epidural extreme intracranial hypertension (EEIH). • We recorded the vital signs of rats under different ranks of intracranial pressure and further successfully determined the level of EEIH. Based on that, an EEIH model of rats was built to corroborated the effectiveness of controlled decompression in reducing brain injury. • Controlled decompression could effectively improve neurological scoring and attenuate brain edema content, neuro-apoptosis, inflammation response, neuro-death and BBB damage caused by EEIH in rats. • The role of controlled decompression may attribute to the inhibition of necroptosis process activated by TNF-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a relatively uncommon malignant soft tissue tumor. Although metastasis is rare, it has significant topo-aggressive characteristics with a high recurrence rate. The common treatment of DFSP is surgical resection. This study reported a case of a 22 years old woman who presented DFSP with single irregular red plaque in the right occipital area. The plaque is about 2 cm × 2 cm in diameter with an irregular and unclear border. In order to minimize the range of resection area, the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was used to precisely identify the tumor affected area before the surgery treatment. The result shows that CEUS depicted clear structure of the tumor, which successfully helped surgeons to reduce the resection range from 3 cm to 2 cm in diameter. The tumor has been completely removed by one surgery operation only, and no relapse was found up to now. Pre-surgery CEUS inspection of DFSP could be an effective and economical method to minimize the patient's hurts in the surgical treatment of DFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The posttranscriptional gene regulation mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in various species. However, to date limited miRNAs have been reported between fat and muscle tissues in beef cattle. In this paper, 412 known and 22 novel miRNAs in backfat as well as 334 known and 10 novel miRNAs in longissimus thoracis were identified in the Chinese Qinchuan beef cattle. Bta-miR-199a-3p, -154c, -320a and -432 were expressed at higher levels in backfat tissue, while bta-miR-1, -133a, -206, and -378 were also significantly enriched in muscle tissue. Functional analysis revealed that fat-enriched miRNAs targeted PRKAA1/2, PPARA and PPARG genes to modulate lipid and fatty acid metabolism, and muscle-enriched miRNAs targeted CSRP3 gene to present function involved in skeletal and muscular system development. The results obtained may help in the design of new selection strategies to improve beef quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: NPC1 gene is an important gene closely related to the Niemann–Pick type C (NPC). Mutations in the NPC1 gene tend to cause Niemann–Pick type C, a lysosomal storage disorder. Previous studies have shown that NPC1 protein plays an important role in subcellular lipid transport, homeostasis, platelet function and formation, which are basic metabolic activities in the process of development. In this study, to explore the association between the NPC1 gene variation and body size traits in Qinchuan cattle, we detected four novel coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (cSNPs) in the bovine NPC1 gene, including one missense mutation (SNP1) and three synonymous mutations (SNP2, SNP3 and SNP4). Population genetic analyses of 518 individuals and association correlations between cSNPs and bovine body size traits were conducted in this research. A missense mutation at SNP1 locus was found to be significantly related to the heart girth, hip width and body weight (P <0.01 or P <0.05, 3.5-year-old). Two synonymous mutations at SNP2 and SNP3 loci also showed significant effects on hip width (P <0.05, 3.5-year-old). One synonymous mutation at SNP4 locus showed significant effect on body weight (P <0.05, 2.0-year-old). Combined haplotypes H2H6 and H6H6 showed significant effects on body size traits such as heart girth, hip width, and body weight (3.5-year-old, P <0.01 or P <0.05). This study provides evidence that the NPC1 gene might be involved in the regulation of bovine growth and body development, and may be considered as a candidate gene for marker assisted selection (MAS) in beef cattle breeding industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ultra-low coverage sequencing (ULCS) is one of the most promising strategies for sequencing based clinical application. These clinical applications, especially prenatal diagnosis, have a strict requirement of turn-around-time; therefore, the application of ULCS is restricted by current high throughput sequencing platforms. Recently, the emergence of rapid sequencing platforms, such as MiSeq and Ion Proton, brings ULCS strategy into a new era. The comparison of their performance could shed lights on their potential application in large-scale clinic trials. In this study, we performed ULCS (<0.1X coverage) on both MiSeq and Ion Proton platforms for 18 spontaneous abortion fetuses carrying aneuploidy and compared their performance on different levels. Overall basic data and GC bias showed no significant difference between these two platforms. We also found the sex and aneuploidy detection indicated 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity on both platforms. Our study generated essential data from these two rapid sequencing platforms, which provides useful reference for later research and potentially accelerates the clinical applications of ULCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Copy number variations (CNVs) have been recently recognized as another important genetic variability complementary to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Compelling evidence has indicated that CNVs are responsible for phenotypic traits by changing the copy numbers of functional genes. Myosin heavy chain 3 (MYH3) gene is a critical regulatory factor in skeletal muscle development, and has been detected in the CNVs region by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) array. This study was conducted to validate and detect the distribution of MYH3 copy numbers (relative to Angus cattle) in four Chinese cattle breeds (NY, QC, LX, and CY), and further to investigate the associations of the copy number changes with its transcriptional expression and cattle growth traits. Substantial genetic differences of MYH3 copy numbers were identified between NY and the other three breeds (P <0.01). The copy numbers of MYH3 gene presented the positive correlations with the transcript level of MYH3 gene in both fetal and adult skeletal muscles (P <0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that CNVs of MYH3 gene were significantly associated with growth traits of NY cattle, and the individuals with copy number gain showed better phenotypes than the loss and/or median groups (P <0.05). This study firstly attempted to establish the correlations between CNVs of candidate genes and growth traits, and our results suggested that the CNVs of MYH3 gene may be utilized as the potential markers for economic traits in selection breeding programs of Chinese cattle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The posttranscriptional gene regulation mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in various species. Recently, a large number of miRNAs and their expression patterns have been identified. However, to date, limited miRNAs have been reported to modulate adipogenesis and lipid deposition in beef cattle. Total RNAs from Chinese Qinchuan bovine backfat at fetal and adult stages were used to construct small RNA libraries for Illumina next-generation sequencing. A total of 13,915,411 clean reads were obtained from a fetal library and 14,244,946 clean reads from an adult library. In total, 475 known and 36 novel miRNA candidates from backfat were identified. The nucleotide bias, base editing, and family of the known miRNAs were also analyzed. Based on stem-loop qPCR, 15 specific miRNAs were detected, and the results showed that bta-miRNAn25 and miRNAn26 were highly expressed in backfat tissue, suggesting these small RNAs play a role in the development and maintenance of bovine subcutaneous fat tissue. Putative targets for miRNAn25 and miRNAn26 were predicted, and the 61 most significant target transcripts were related to lipid and fatty acid metabolism. Of interest, the canonical pathway and gene networks analyses revealed that PPARα/RXRα activation and LXR/RXR activation were important components of the gene interaction hierarchy results. In the present study, we explored the backfat miRNAome differences between cattle of different developmental stages, expanding the expression repertoire of bovine miRNAs that could contribute to further studies on the fat development of cattle. Predication of target genes analysis of miRNA25 and miRNA26 also showed potential gene networks that affect lipid and fatty acid metabolism. These results may help in the design of new intervention strategies to improve beef quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Copy number variations (CNVs) represent an important type of genetic variation that deeply impact phenotypic polymorphisms and human diseases. The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies provides an opportunity to revolutionize the discovery of CNVs and to explore their relationship with diseases. However, most of the existing methods depend on sequencing depth and show instability with low sequence coverage. In this study, using low coverage whole-genome sequencing (LCS) we have developed an effective population-scale CNV calling (PSCC) method. Methodology/Principal Findings: In our novel method, two-step correction was used to remove biases caused by local GC content and complex genomic characteristics. We chose a binary segmentation method to locate CNV segments and designed combined statistics tests to ensure the stable performance of the false positive control. The simulation data showed that our PSCC method could achieve 99.7%/100% and 98.6%/100% sensitivity and specificity for over 300 kb CNV calling in the condition of LCS (∼2×) and ultra LCS (∼0.2×), respectively. Finally, we applied this novel method to analyze 34 clinical samples with an average of 2× LCS. In the final results, all the 31 pathogenic CNVs identified by aCGH were successfully detected. In addition, the performance comparison revealed that our method had significant advantages over existing methods using ultra LCS. Conclusions/Significance: Our study showed that PSCC can sensitively and reliably detect CNVs using low coverage or even ultra-low coverage data through population-scale sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a synthetic material that has been widely used in industrial applications for decades. Exposure to PFOS has been associated with decreased adult testosterone level, and Leydig cell impairment during the time of adulthood. However, little is known about PFOS effects in utero on fetal Leydig cells (FLC). Methods and Results: The present study investigated effects of PFOS on FLC function. Pregnant Sprague Dawley female rats received vehicle (0.05% Tween20) or PFOS (5, 20 mg/kg) by oral gavage from gestational day (GD) 11–19. At GD20, testosterone (T) production, FLC numbers and ultrastructure, testicular gene and protein expression levels were examined. The results indicate that exposures to PFOS have affected FLC function as evidenced by decreased T production, impaired FLC, reduced FLC number, and decreased steroidogenic capacity and cholesterol level in utero. Conclusion: The present study shows that PFOS is an endocrine disruptor of male reproductive system as it causes reduction of T production and impairment of rat fetal Leydig cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A protective effect of drug on ethanol-induced liver damage in mice was reported. [•] Liver W/D ratio and pathological changes improved after treatment with the drug. [•] ALT, AST and TG levels decreased after treatment with the drug. [•] SOD, CRP, IL-6 and NF-κB levels improved after treatment with the drug. [•] The mechanisms might be related to anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copy number variations (CNVs) recently have been recognized as an important source of genetic variability. Compelling evidence has indicated that CNVs are responsible for phenotypic traits by altering the copy numbers of functional genes. The molecule interacting with CasL-like protein 2 ( MICAL- L2) gene plays a critical role in muscle fiber development and has been identified in the CNV region by comparative genomic hybridization array. In the present study, we detected the different distributions of MICAL- L2 gene copy numbers in four Chinese cattle breeds (QC, NY, LX, and CY) and investigated the functional effects of MICAL- L2 CNVs on the gene’s expression level and the phenotypic traits in QC and NY cattle. The results showed that the copy number loss (relative to Angus cattle) was more frequent in CY than in the other breeds. The MICAL- L2 gene copy number presented a moderate negative correlation with the transcriptional expression in fetal skeletal muscles ( P < 0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that the MICAL- L2 CNVs were significantly associated with body weight, body height, and body length of NY cattle in the early stages (6 and 12 months old), and the copy number loss showed better traits than the gain and/or median groups ( P < 0.05). No significance was found at the late stages in QC (24 months old) and NY cattle (18 and 24 months old). These observations provided further insight into the associations between cattle CNVs and economic traits, suggesting that the CNVs may be considered promising markers for the molecular breeding of Chinese beef cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As an adaptor protein, apart from potentiating Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) activation and promoting the insulin signaling pathway, Src homology 2 B 2 (SH2B2) indirectly takes part in the regulation of glucose uptake through the c-Cb1/CAP/TC10 pathway, which can in turn affect growth. In this study, we identified a 4bp indel mutation and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the SH2B2 gene in 959 individuals from five Chinese cattle breeds by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing. Based on the four variations, 12 haplotypes were identified. Additionally, there was a tendency that in every population pair-wise linkages increased progressively from V1–V2 to V3–V4. By association analysis, positive effects of genotypes CC and CT (snp1220 locus), DI (4bp indel locus), and CC (snp21049 locus) on growth traits were obtained. Furthermore, when combined, individuals with the combination CCDITTCC showed the best performance at an early age. These results were suggestive of an association of snp1220, 4bp indel and snp12049 with growth performance in Nanyang cattle, indicating possibly the candidate role of the SH2B2 gene in marker assisted selection in a beef cattle breeding program. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Growth is under complex genetic control and uncovering the molecular mechanisms how the genes and polymorphisms affect economic growth traits, are important for successful marker-assisted selection and more efficient management strategies in commercial cattle populations. SIRT1 is a NAD+-dependent deacetylase that belongs to the class III histone deacetylases. It plays an important role in numerous fundamental cellular processes including gene silencing, DNA repair, and metabolic regulation. In addition, SIRT1 acts as an inhibitor of adipogenesis and has been associated with body weight regulation. The objective of the present study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of bovine SIRT1 using 1255 animals representing the five main Chinese breeds and to determine if these SNPs are associated with economically important traits in Nanyang cattle. The approach consisted of resequencing SIRT1 using a panel of DNA from unrelated animals of five different breeds and the process revealed five novel SNPs. SNPs g.17324T>C and g.17491G>A exhibited a high degree of linkage disequilibrium in all tested breeds. Seven major haplotypes accounting for 91.2% of the alleles were observed and the haplotype ‘GCCGA’ was the most common haplotype in NY, QC, LX and JX breeds. An association analysis was performed between the five SNPs and six performance traits. SNP g.-274C>G was demonstrated to have a strong effect on 24-months-old body weight and g.17379A>G polymorphism was related to 6 and 12-months-old body weight in NY population, although these effects did not remained significant after the Bonferroni correction. Our results provide evidence that polymorphisms in SIRT1 are associated with growth efficiency traits, and may be used for marker-assisted selection and management in feedlot cattle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a previous study, we noticed that some ascitic cells isolated from melanoma patients survive, proliferate, and differentiate into giant phagocytes after the other cells died. Similar phenomena were observed in the primary cultures of mouse lung and liver cells. In the present study, the effects of dying cells on abdominal exudate cells, and the biological characteristics of the differentiated cells were studied. The results indicate that necrotic cells induce CD14−/CD68 + fraction of abdominal exudate cells to proliferate and differentiate into giant phagocytes; however, apoptotic cells had no such effect. Morphologic studies revealed that the large phagocytes possess characteristics of macrophages. Moreover, necrotic cells enhance the expression of CD14, CD68, CD80, and CD86, and the differentiated cells expressed high levels of CD68 and CD86. Our results indicate that necrotic cells induce CD14−/CD68+ fraction of abdominal exudate cells to proliferate and differentiate, and the differentiated cells possess characteristics similar to macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (−)-ligustiphenol is reported. The key step was conducted by exploiting a steric hindrance effect to control the formation of the adduct in a nucleophilic α-Li-phenolate addition reaction to the intermediate α-oxo (−)-menthyl ester. The synthesis is concise and feasible for the construction of analogous compounds and investigation of their biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adiponectin modulates lipid and glucose metabolism in adipose tissues and is also related to bone metabolism. Polymorphisms in the ADIPOQ gene likely have an impact on growth traits in cattle. In this study, we examined the relationship between ADIPOQ polymorphisms and body measurement parameters in Chinese beef cattle. First, we sequenced ADIPOQ and 1.2 kb of DNA upstream of its promoter, and we found 14 polymorphisms. With the luciferase reporter assay, we showed that the two polymorphisms SNP PR_-135 A>G and PR_-68 G>C, which are located in the core region of promoter, influence promoter activity of ADIPOQ. Second, we identified three haplotypes involved in these two polymorphic sites: A (A-135/C-68), B (A-135/G-68), and C (G-135/G-68). Haplotypes B and C are major haplotypes in five Chinese populations of cattle (Qinchuan, Nanyang, Jiaxian, Hazakh, and Chinese Holstein). We studied the effects of these three haplotypes on body measurements, gene expression, and promoter activity, and we found that the genotypes are associated with body measurement parameters in Qinchuan cattle. Individuals with genotype BC (AG/GG) had significantly higher body height and heart girth than others, and this result may be interpreted by the following two observations. The promoter activity with haplotype B (A/G) is significantly higher than those with A (A/C) and C (G/G) in driving reporter gene transcription; the ADIPOQ mRNA level in cattle with genotype BC (AG/GG) is relatively lower than that in cattle with genotype BB (AA/GG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Aggressive behavior in pigs after mixing is an issue of animal welfare. This trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of the dopamine receptor (DR) D2 gene on aggressive behavior in pigs. We found that the core promoter region of the DRD2 gene is located in −2212~−1127 bp. A single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs1110730503, for the DRD2 gene is associated with aggressive behavior in pigs and influences the binding of the transcriptional factor interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 2. The transcriptional factor IRF1 upregulates the expression of the DRD2 gene; however, IRF2 downregulates the gene's expression. IRF1 and IRF2 are functionally antagonistic to each other. Aggressive behavior in pigs is impacted by the DRD2 gene and its expression. These results provide insight into the genetics and neurophysiology of aggressive behavior in pigs. Aggressive behavior has negative effects on animal welfare and growth performance in pigs. The dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) has a critical neuromodulator role in the dopamine signal pathway within the brain to control behavior. A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs1110730503, in the promoter region of the porcine DRD2 gene was identified, which affects aggressive behavior in pigs. A chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to identify the interactions between interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) and IRF2 with the DRD2 gene. The overexpression or knockdown of these two transcription factors in porcine kidney-15 (PK15) and porcine neuronal cells (PNCs) indicate that the binding of IRF1 to DRD2 promotes the transcription of the DRD2 gene, but the binding of IRF2 to the DRD2 gene inhibits its transcription. Furthermore, IRF1 and IRF2 are functionally antagonistic to each other. The downregulation of DRD2 or upregulation of IRF2 increased the apoptosis rate of porcine neuroglial cells. Taken together, we found that transcriptional factors IRF1 and IRF2 have vital roles in regulating the transcription of the DRD2 gene, and rs1110730503 (−915A/T) is a functional SNP that influences IRF2 binding to the promoter of the DRD2 gene. These findings will provide further insight towards controlling aggressive behavior in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • AHP solution was used to modify sweet potato residue to generate the A-SPDF extract. • A-SPDF had a smaller molecular weight and a lower zeta-potential than those of O-SPDF. • The structure of A-SPDF and O-SPDF were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, and XRD analyses. • Gelling and physicochemical properties (WHC, WSC, OHC) of SPDF were enhanced after AHP modification. • A-SPDF significantly reduced the starch hydrolysis and glucose diffusion rates using an Infogest simulated digestion model. Alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) modification increased the yield and the content of soluble dietary fiber extracted from sweet potato residue. As compared to the original sweet potato dietary fiber (O-SPDF), AHP modified SPDF (A-SPDF) had a smaller molecular weight of 69073.59 Da and a lower zeta-potential of −27 mV. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that A-SPDF had a higher proportion of pectin polysaccharides with homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan-Ⅰ (RG-Ⅰ) backbones. Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were employed to determine the structural differences between A-SPDF and O-SPDF. Characterization of their rheological properties showed that A-SPDF exhibited higher viscosity than O-SPDF at concentrations of 2%, 4% and 6%, respectively. Additionally, A-SPDF had a more gel-like behavior than O-SPDF in the presence of Ca2+, supporting the better functional properties of A-SPDF as determined by water holding capacities (WHC), oil holding capacities (OHC), and water swelling capacities (WSC). Furthermore, A-SPDF performed significantly better in inhibiting starch hydrolysis and reducing the glucose diffusion rate using an Infogest simulated digestion model. However, SPDFs had no impact on the digestion rate of protein. Our results suggested that A-SPDF has the potential to serve as a novel food additive and functional hydrocolloid to attenuate nutrients digestion related disorders, which forms the scientific basis for the better utilization of sweet potato residue and further develop sweet potato dietary fiber (SPDF) as a functional food and/or additive in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Wnt7a is a member of the WNT gene family, which encodes secreted signaling proteins and responds to many biological processes. Specifically Wnt7a influences satellite stem cells and regulates the regenerative potential of the muscle. However, similar researches about the bovine Wnt7a gene are lacking. Therefore, in this study, polymorphisms of the bovine Wnt7a gene were detected in 488 individuals from Chinese Qinchuan cattle by DNA pooling, forced PCR-RFLP, and DNA sequencing methods. 3 novel SNPs were identified, two SNPs (g.T4926C and g.A21943G) were in the intron and the last one (g.C63777T) was in the exon. Five haplotypes involved in these three variant sites in the Wnt7a gene were identified and their effects on growth traits were analyzed. The results revealed that haplotype 1 had the highest haplotype frequencies and was highly significantly associated with body height (P<0.01), body weight (P<0.05), chest width (P<0.05) and height at hip cross (P<0.01) respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Multifunctional theranostics have recently been intensively explored to optimize the efficacy and safety of therapeutic regimens. In this work, a photo-theranostic agent based on chlorin e6 (Ce6) photosensitizer-conjugated silica-coated gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@SiO2–Ce6) is strategically designed and prepared for fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT). The AuNCs@SiO2–Ce6 shows the following features: i) high Ce6 photosensitizer loading; ii) no non-specific release of Ce6 during its circulation; iii) significantly enhanced cellular uptake efficiency of Ce6, offering a remarkably improved photodynamic therapeutic efficacy compared to free Ce6; iv) subcellular characterization of the nanoformula via both the fluorescence of Ce6 and plasmon luminescence of AuNCs; v) fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT). This photo-theranostics owns good stability, high water dispersibility and solubility, non-cytotoxicity, and good biocompatibility, thus facilitating its biomedical applications, particularly for multi-modal optical, CT and photoacoustic (PA) imaging-guided PDT or sonodynamic therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The discovery of cell free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) in maternal plasma has brought new insight for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Combining with the rapidly developed massively parallel sequencing technology, noninvasive prenatal detection of chromosome aneuploidy and single base variation has been successfully validated. However, few studies discussed the possibility of noninvasive pathogenic CNVs detection. Methodology/Principal Findings: A novel algorithm for noninvasive prenatal detection of fetal pathogenic CNVs was firstly tested in 5 pairs of parents with heterozygote α-thalassemia of Southeast Asian (SEA) deletion using target region capture sequencing for maternal plasma. Capture probes were designed for α-globin (HBA) and β-globin (HBB) gene, as well as 4,525 SNPs selected from 22 automatic chromosomes. Mixed adaptors with 384 different barcodes were employed to construct maternal plasma DNA library for massively parallel sequencing. The signal of fetal CNVs was calculated using the relative copy ratio (RCR) of maternal plasma combined with the analysis of R-score and L-score by comparing with normal control. With mean of 101.93× maternal plasma sequencing depth for the target region, the RCR value combined with further R-score and L-score analysis showed a possible homozygous deletion in the HBA gene region for one fetus, heterozygous deletion for two fetus and normal for the other two fetus, which was consistent with that of invasive prenatal diagnosis. Conclusions/Significance: Our study showed the feasibility to detect pathogenic CNVs using target region capture sequencing, which might greatly extend the scope of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently very few noninvasive molecular genetic approaches are available to determine zygosity for twin pregnancies in clinical laboratories. This study aimed to develop a novel method to determine zygosity by using maternal plasma target region sequencing. Methods: We constructed a statistic model to calculate the possibility of each zygosity type using likelihood ratios (Li) and empirical dynamic thresholds targeting at 4,524 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci on 22 autosomes. Then two dizygotic (DZ) twin pregnancies,two monozygotic (MZ) twin pregnancies and two singletons were recruited to evaluate the performance of our novel method. Finally we estimated the sensitivity and specificity of the model in silico under different cell-free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) concentration and sequence depth. Results/Conclusions: We obtained 8.90 Gbp sequencing data on average for six clinical samples. Two samples were classified as DZ with L values of 1.891 and 1.554, higher than the dynamic DZ cut-off values of 1.162 and 1.172, respectively. Another two samples were judged as MZ with 0.763 and 0.784 of L values, lower than the MZ cut-off values of 0.903 and 0.918. And the rest two singleton samples were regarded as MZ twins, with L values of 0.639 and 0.757, lower than the MZ cut-off values of 0.921 and 0.799. In silico, the estimated sensitivity of our noninvasive zygosity determination was 99.90% under 10% total cff-DNA concentration with 2 Gbp sequence data. As the cff-DNA concentration increased to 15%, the specificity was as high as 97% with 3.50 Gbp sequence data, much higher than 80% with 10% cff-DNA concentration. Significance: This study presents the feasibility to noninvasively determine zygosity of twin pregnancy using target region sequencing, and illustrates the sensitivity and specificity under various detecting condition. Our method can act as an alternative approach for zygosity determination of twin pregnancies in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO)-based nanocomposites'' antibacteria activity exhibits great potential in clinical application. Herein we reported for the first time the preparation and enhanced antifungal activity of carbon nanoscrolls (CNSs) filled with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The nanoscrolls filled with silver nanoparticles were prepared by sonication, TEM picture showed AgNPs filled and wrapped inside prepared nanocomposites, the antifungal test showed that CNSs-AgNPs exhibited ideal lengthened activities against Candida albicans and Candida tropical compared with the GO–AgNPs nanocomposites based on silver nanoparticles directly deposited on the surface of grapheme oxides, which is caused by CNS-AgNPs'' controlled durative slow-releasing of silver ion. It is also observed that graphene oxides exhibited no antifungal activity. In conclusion, the carbon nanoscrolls composed of graphene oxides and silver nanoparticles own enhanced and lengthened antifungal activity, and have great potential in applications such as clinical nosocomial infections and local antifungal therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paired box 7 ( Pax7) gene encoding for the transcription factor can regulate the conversion of stem cells into myogenic cells and participate in the development and regeneration of skeletal muscle. The aims of this study were to detect variations of the Pax7 gene by DNA pool sequencing and aCRS-RFLP methods in 1441 cattle from five breeds and to investigate their associations with growth traits in Nanyang and Chinese red steppe cattle. Altogether, three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the last intron of the Pax7 gene: NC_007300: ss1 (g. G103688A), ss2 (g. T103735C), and ss3 (g. A103764T). Genotypes and the referring haplotype frequencies showed a high similarity trend among five breeds, and the G, T, and A allele frequencies of the three loci were always superior when separate or in combination. Association analysis of the single SNPs and haplotype combinations revealed that the T allele of ss2 and ss3 loci and the haplotype H2H2 (GG-TT-TT) showed significant effects on growth traits such as body height, body mass, and chest girth in cattle at early stages (6 and 12 months old) ( P < 0.05). The results showed that Pax7 gene variations and their corresponding genotypes may be considered as molecular markers for economic traits in cattle breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel urchin-like CdS was synthesized via a facile solvothermal route without any assistant agent. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron, and photoluminescence spectrophotometer. Based on time-resolved experiments, a possible growth mechanism of 3D urchin-like CdS microspheres was initially proposed. Furthermore, morphology control of CdS was achieved by adjusting the quantity addition of TGA to obtain the 1D CdS nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Gold nanorods coated with polyamidoamine dendrimer can deliver brcaa1-shRNA into MCF-7 cells with high efficiency, and realized targeted silencing of brcaa1gene in MCF-7 cells. Specifically, gold nanorods have a controllable absorbance band at ~850nm, which can be used to monitor their position in cancer cells and also can be used to enhance expression of brcaa1-shRNA in MCF-7 cells and its inhibition effects on growth of MCF-7 cells under local infrared irradiation. MTT analysis showed that dendrimer-coated gold nanorods exhibited very low cytotoxicity. In conclusion, dendrimer-modified gold nanorods maybe one kind of good gene delivery system for cancer therapy, and have potential applications in future tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of boron isomorphously framework-substituted ZSM-5 (B x –Al–ZSM-5, Si/Al=200, B/Al=X) were synthesized and used to selectively transform methanol to propylene (MTP). The catalytic stability can be significantly influenced by B incorporation. In comparison with the conventional ZSM-5, the B1–Al–ZSM-5 catalyst afforded a 7-time-long catalytic life under a space velocity of WHSV 1.8h−1 (700h for B1–Al–ZSM-5 and 100h for ZSM-5, respectively). The enhancement of catalytic stability can be attributed to the increase of weak acid sites on the ZSM-5 catalysts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The insulin-induced gene 1 ( INSIG1) gene encodes a protein that blocks proteolytic activation of sterol regulatory element binding proteins, which are transcription factors that activate genes that regulate cholesterol, fatty acid, and glucose metabolism. However, similar research for the bovine INSIG1 gene is lacking. Therefore, in this study, polymorphisms of the bovine INSIG1 gene were detected in 643 individuals from four cattle breeds by DNA pooling, forced PCR-RFLP, PCR-SSCP, and DNA sequencing methods. Only 10 novel SNPs were identified, which included four mutations in the coding region and the others in the introns. In Nanyang individuals, seven common haplotypes were identified based on four coding region SNPs. The haplotype GACT, with a frequency of 75.4%, was the most prevalent haplotypes and SNPs formed two linkage disequilibrium blocks with strong multi-allelic D′ (D′ = 1). Additionally, association analysis between mutations of the bovine INSIG1 gene and growth traits in Nanyang cattle at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months old was performed, and the results indicated that the polymorphisms were not significantly associated with body mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulates growth hormone (GH) released from the pituitary. Mutations detected in GHRH gene showed associations with animal production traits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of the GHRH gene with growth traits in Chinese native cattle. PCR-SSCP and sequencing were used to detect mutations of the GHRH gene in this study. One novel mutation 4251nt (C>T) was found and the frequencies of C allele were 0.8778 and 0.8476 for Qinchuan and Nanyang cattle, respectively. Body weight with the CT genotype was significantly higher (P <0.05 or P <0.01) than those with CC genotype for different growth periods (6, 12, 18, and 24months old) in Nanyang cattle. Our findings suggested that polymorphism in bovine GHRH might be one of the important genetic factors to influence body weight. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A major challenge in nanotechnology and nanomedicine is to integrate tumor targeting, imaging, and selective therapy functions into a small single nanoparticle (<50 nm). Herein, photosensitizer-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles with ∼20 nm in diameter were strategically designed and prepared for gastric cancer imaging and therapy. The second generation photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) was covalently anchored on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles with silane coupling agent. We found that the covalently incorporated Ce6 molecules retained their spectroscopic and functional properties for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT), and the core magnetic nanoparticles offered the functions of magnetically guided drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The as-prepared single particle platform is suitable for simultaneous targeting PDT and in vivo dual-mode NIR fluorescence imaging and MRI of nude mice loaded with gastric cancer or other tumors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Our study found that miR-152 functions in bovine myoblasts to inhibit proliferation. Our prediction and experimental verification revealed that Kruppel-Like Factor 6 (KLF6) is a direct target gene of miR-152. Therefore, miR-152 and its target gene KLF6 have certain effects on the development of bovine skeletal muscles. Though miRNAs have been reported to regulate bovine myoblast proliferation, but many miRNAs still need to be further explored. Specifically, miR-152 is a highly expressed miRNA in cattle skeletal muscle tissues, but its function in skeletal muscle development is unknown. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-152 in regulating bovine myoblast proliferation. Functionally, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, EdU assay, and flow cytometry detection results showed that miR-152 inhibited bovine myoblast proliferation. Mechanistically, we demonstrated transcription factor KLF6 was a target gene of miR-152 by means of bioinformatics software prediction and dual-luciferase report analysis, which had been demonstrated to be favorable for myoblast proliferation. Collectively, our research suggested that miR-152 inhibits bovine myoblast proliferation via targeting KLF6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• tRNA-derived RNA fragments RNA were identified from milk exosomes. • tRNA-derived RNA fragments target gene enrichment was analyzed. • The result will be helpful to the development of nutritional and healthy formula. RNA in milk exosomes can be absorbed in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract and plays an important regulatory function. tRNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) have recently been found to have important physiological functions. In the present study, we examine in detail the landscape of tRFs in bovine milk exosomes to provide a molecular basis for understanding these functional components of bovine milk. Total RNA was isolated from exosomes in bovine colostrum and mature milk. High-throughput RNA sequencing was used to characterize the profiles of the tRFs. A total of 602 distinct tRFs were identified from milk exosomes, most of which were expressed either specifically in colostrum or in mature milk exosomes. The tRF profiles of colostrum and mature milk exosomes differed significantly. The target genes of the differentially expressed tRFs were predicted and analyzed. The target mRNAs of the downregulated tRFs were enriched in the cAMP signaling pathway, whereas those of the upregulated tRFs were enriched in the insulin and FoxO signaling pathways. Preliminary research shows that tRF-Gly-CCC-026 inhibits the translation of IL7R by directly targeting its 3′-UTR. As RNAs in milk exosomes can be absorbed and function in recipient cells, these RNAs might act as novel regulatory nutrients for infant and adult consumers, which is a possibility that needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NaP zeolite was successfully synthesized by using various commercial silicon sources and NaAlO 2 extracted from coal fly ash as raw materials. Multiple characterization methods were employed to investigate the effect of silicon sources on NaP zeolite. Adsorption performance and mechanism of NaP zeolite for Rhodamine B were surveyed. The product synthesized by fumed SiO 2 at n (Na 2 O)/ n (SiO 2) = 0.70 presented single spherical morphology with the average grain size of 3.22 µm. The shearing of NaOH resulted in the formation of silicates with different polymerization degrees and silicates occurring in the forms of monomeric, dimeric, trimeric, long-chain, and cyclic oligomers, initiating an improvement in pore structure and morphology. The introduction of dynamic crystallization mode (with the rotating speed of 150 r/min) not only reduced grain size (from 3.22 µm to 1.78 µm) but also shortened crystallization time (from 12 h to 10 h) of NaP-fumed SiO 2. NaP zeolite had excellent adsorption performance for Rhodamine B with the removal rate of 98.26%. Adsorption behavior fitted well with pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm adsorption equations. Adsorption process was endothermic and feasible. NaP zeolite had good regeneration and alkali resistance capacities. Adsorption manners mainly contained pore filling, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding, focused on physisorption. [Display omitted] • The NaAlO 2 extracted from coal fly ash was employed to synthesize NaP zeolite. • Pore structure of NaP zeolite was regulated by different occurrence states of silicates. • NaP-fumed SiO 2 with large pore size was favorable for purification of Rhodamine B. • It was significant for the utilization of coal fly ash and the purification of sewage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BiOBr/TNAs displayed high PEC degradation for p -CNB under visible light. • The coexistence of dissolved anions and humic acid declined the p -CNB removal. • Hydroxyl radical and holes played crucial roles during the p -CNB degradation. • Degradation pathway was deduced based on GC/MS spectra and theoretical calculations. The BiOBr modified TiO 2 nanotube arrays (BiOBr/TNAs) photoelectrodes were prepared for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of p -chloronitrobenzene (p -CNB) under visible light irradiation. The surface structure analysis demonstrated that BiOBr nanoflakes were successfully deposited on the TNAs surface to form tight heterojunction. The BiOBr/TNAs photoelectrodes showed higher PEC degradation efficiency for p -CNB (71.96%) than that by bare TNAs (41.52%) owing to the improved visible-light absorption and reduced charges recombination. The hydroxyl radical and photogenerated holes were the main active species responsible for degradation, dechlorination and mineralization of p -CNB. The coexistence of dissolved anions and humic acid could decline p -CNB removal due to the radical scavengers or competition for active sites. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the matched energy bands between BiOBr and TiO 2 formed an internal electric field at the heterojunction interface, which promoted the charges migration and separation. The degradation mechanism and pathways of p -CNB were proposed based on the radical scavenging experiments, GC-MS spectra and theoretical calculations. The toxicity of identified intermediates from p -CNB was declined after PEC degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quadrupole moment of light nuclei 17F in the ground state (I?= 5/2+) is measured by the ?-NMR method. The effective charge of the last proton in a d5/2orbit for 17F is extracted from the measured quadrupole moment Q(17F) divided by the quadrupole moment Qspcalculated with a single particle model. A proton effective charge of eeffp= 1.12 ± 0.07eis obtained, which is in agreement with that given by a particle-vibration coupling model calculation within the experimental error. The present value of the proton effective charge is strong evidence for the existence of a proton skin in 17F (I?= 5/2+). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The ternary rGO/BiOBr/TiO 2 nanotube arrays (GB/TNAs) were prepared. • GB/TNAs exhibited excellent PEC degradation for p -CNB under visible light. • The coexistence of dissolved anions and humic acid declined the p -CNB removal. • Hydroxyl radical and holes played crucial roles during the p -CNB degradation. The fast recombination of photogenerated charges, low utilization of visible light and difficult recyclability of photocatalysts limit the practical application of photocatalysis technology. Therefore, ternary reduced graphene oxide/BiOBr/TiO 2 nanotube arrays (GB/TNAs) photoelectrodes were prepared for the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of p -chloronitrobenzene (p -CNB) under visible light irradiation. The internal interaction among different semiconductors demonstrated that the successful fabrication of ternary heterojunction. The photoelectrochemical properties showed that GB/TNAs exhibited higher visible-light absorption property and lower charges recombination than bare TNAs. The p -CNB degradation rate by GB/TNAs reached 0.0055 min−1, which was 3.93 times than that by TNAs (0.0014 min−1). The GB/TNAs effectively solved the recovery of powdered catalysts, and had excellent PEC stability for p -CNB. The coexistence of dissolved anions and humic acid could decline the p -CNB degradation owing to the competition for active sites or behave as the active radical scavengers. The radical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance spectra revealed that the hydroxyl radical and photogenerated holes were the main active species responsible for the degradation, dechlorination and mineralization of p -CNB. The as-prepared GB/TNAs photoelectrodes display a great potential for the degradation of emerging organic contaminants in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable carbon dots-based AIEgens with adjustable fluorescence emission wavelength prepared from rosin using hydrothermal methods. [Display omitted] • Rosin-derived carbon dots-based aggregation-induced emission luminogens (CD-AIEgens) show AIE fluorescence. • Fluorescence wavelength of CD-AIEgens is adjustable. • CD-AIEgens can be used in a two-switch-mode luminescence ink. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have many applications, including bioimaging, organic light-emitting diodes, sensing and anti-cancer therapy. Most AIEgens, however, suffer from unsustainable synthesis. Here, we have developed carbon dots-based AIEgens (CD-AIEgens), with adjustable fluorescence wavelength, that can be prepared from sustainable rosin in a one-step hydrothermal process. The fluorescence wavelength of solutions containing as-prepared CD-AIEgens can be adjusted between 430 nm and 582 nm by varying the concentration. The adjustable emissive wavelength is attributed to inherent FRET between the carbon cores and aggregates of tricyclic phenanthrene moieties on the surface of the CD-AIEgens. Making use of their adjustable fluorescence, we successfully used the CD-AIEgens as a two-switch-mode luminescence ink for encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visible-light induced heterogeneous photo-Fenton-like (HPF-like) process is regarded as a promising technique for organic pollutants degradation due to its efficient utilization of solar energy and high H 2 O 2 activation activity. This study prepared the CuFeO 2 /biochar catalysts via hydrothermal technique at no extra reductant and systematically investigated their band structure and photoelectric properties. The dispersed distribution of CuFeO 2 particles in CuFeO 2 /biochar composites narrowed bandgap of CuFeO 2 and promoted electron transport of CuFeO 2. Compared with CuFeO 2 , the CuFeO 2 /biochar containing 1.0 g biochar in the preparation (CuFeO 2 /biochar-1.0) possessed higher carrier density and longer photoelectron lifetime, which is beneficial to higher catalytic performance. The apparent rate constant for tetracycline as target pollutant degradation by CuFeO 2 /biochar-1.0 was 2.0 times higher than that by CuFeO 2. The acquired optimum conditions for tetracycline degradation were 220 mg L−1 CuFeO 2 /BC-1.0, 22 mM H 2 O 2 and pH 6.4 using response surface methodology. The quenching experiments and ESR analysis revealed that OH was the predominant active species, and photoelectron and O 2 − were auxiliary species. The photoelectron could promote in-situ recycling of Cu2+ to Cu+ and Fe3+ to Fe2+, which significantly improved H 2 O 2 activation by CuFeO 2. The possible pathway of tetracycline was proposed according to intermediates identified by HPLC/MS. The toxicity analysis demonstrated that the overall toxicity of the identified intermediates was reduced in HPF-like system. [Display omitted] • Biochar narrowed bandgap and facilitated interface electron transfer of CuFeO 2. • Biochar extended photoelectron lifetime and enhanced carrier density of CuFeO 2. • Efficient degradation of tetracycline by CuFeO 2 /biochar in HPF-like system. • OH, e− and O 2 − rather than h+ played a role in tetracycline degradation. • The photoelectron greatly promoted in-situ recycling of Cu2+ to Cu+ and Fe3+ to Fe2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rich pore structure, NaP zeolite adsorbent has been widely employed in the adsorption and separation fields. The NaP zeolite crystals with small size and good dispersion were generated with the addition of ionic surfactants using coal fly ash as the raw material. The effects of different types and concentrations of surfactants on the structure of NaP zeolites were investigated by various characterization methods. The optimal concentration of ionic surfactants was 0.5 cmc (critical micelle concentration) for NaP-CTAB and 0.125 cmc for NaP-SDBS. The NaP-SDBS zeolite at 0.125 cmc exhibited higher crystallinity (96.11%), the smallest grain size (2.20 ​μm), and the largest specific surface area (29.1 ​m2/g). The functional groups in the ionic surfactants exerted the electrostatic interaction (attraction and repulsion) and steric hindrance effects together with the negatively charged precursors of NaP zeolite, which provided a favorable foundation for broadening the application fields and improving the adsorption properties. And the introduction of ionic surfactants did not destroy the structure of NaP zeolites synthesized at optimal concentrations. Via the evaluation of Zn(II) adsorption, the NaP-SDBS zeolite showed the adsorption removal rate of 96.27% and the main adsorption manner was the ion exchange. Meanwhile, through the five times adsorption — desorption cycles, the adsorption properties of Zn(II) by NaP zeolites still reached above 95.30%, which demonstrated that NaP zeolite adsorbent is effective in treating industrial sewage. [Display omitted] • The grain size of NaP zeolite decreased by introducing the ionic surfactants. • The dispersion of NaP zeolite crystals was improved via the steric hindrance effect. • The steric hindrance and electrostatic interaction acted in synergy for NaP zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical refractory pollutant, p -chloronitrobenzene (p -CNB) from industrial wastewater poses a serious threat to the aquatic environment safety and human health. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) technology is regarded as a promising and cleaner approach for p -CNB removal. Therefore, the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) modified TiO 2 nanotube arrays (g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs) were prepared as the photoelectrodes for p -CNB degradation. The PEC degradation efficiency for p -CNB by g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs (0.00484 min−1) was much higher than that by bare TNAs (0.00135 min−1) under visible light. The g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs photoelectrodes exhibited excellent visible-light response, efficient charges separation and high redox potentials of electron/hole, which was favorable for p -CNB degradation. The radical scavenging experiments indicated that both reductive electrons and oxidized species (holes and ·OH) played crucial roles simultaneously during the dechlorination process, whereas the mineralization of p -CNB mainly depended on the photo-generated holes and ·OH. The degradation pathways of p -CNB were proposed through GC/MS spectra. The acute toxicity, bioaccumulation factor and mutagenicity of identified intermediates were reduced after PEC degradation by g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs photoelectrodes. The Z-scheme g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs provided an efficient approach for simultaneous dechlorination and mineralization of refractory pollutants. Image 1 • Z-scheme g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs reduced recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. • g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs exhibited high PEC degradation for p -CNB under visible light. • Reductive electrons played crucial roles during the dechlorination process. • The degradation pathways of p -CNB and its intermediates toxicity was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis (OP) and vascular calcification (VC) share a number of common risk factors, pathophysiological mechanisms and etiology, which are known as bone-vascular axis. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Shuxuetong (SXT) injection on VC and osteoporosis. A rat model of VC and osteoporosis was induced by dexamethasone (DEX; 1 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks, intramuscularly). Simultaneously, 0.6 ml/kg/day SXT was intraperitoneally injected. Compared with control rats, DEX induced significantly more VC and OP, as determined by increased calcium deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity in the aorta, disturbed structure, decreased levels of cortical bone thickness and trabecular bone area, and increased apoptosis in the bone. SXT injection ameliorated DEX-induced VC and osteoporosis; furthermore, the osteoblastic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells and the activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the DEX group was also prevented by SXT injection. Compared with control rats, protein expression levels of sclerostin, a crucial crosslink of the bone-vascular axis, were significantly increased in the aorta and bone of rats with DEX, which was also attenuated by SXT injection. Thus, the present study suggested that SXT injection could ameliorate both VC and OP, and may be mediated by the regulation of sclerostin. The present study may provide the basis a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of VC and OP, which emerge as side-effects of glucocorticoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategy, based on introducing steric hindrance, has been designed to prepare biomass-based solid-state fluorescent carbon dots (SSF-CDs) with high yield (~100%) via one-pot hydrothermal reaction of dehydroabietic acid and ethanolamine. The obtained SSF-CDs emitted bright light-yellow fluorescence under UV light, were resistant to aggregation-caused quenching and had a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 10%. Further, the structural composition and optical properties of the SSF-CDs were investigated in detail, which contained a graphitic carbon core, a sterically hindered non-planar tricyclic phenanthrene skeleton and a variety of functional groups, simultaneously. The sterically hindered phenanthrene skeleton efficiently suppressed π-π interactions between carbon cores in the SSF-CDs, thus enabled solid-state emission. Importantly, the biomass-based SSF-CDs can be used as the color conversion layer in a white light-emitting diode (WLED), with CIE coordinates of (0.3304, 0.3055), CCT of 5608 K and CRI of 88.6. High-yielding (~100%) synthesis of biomass-based solid-state fluorescent carbon dots with distinct advantages for solid-state luminescent devices. Image 1 • One-step synthesis of biomass-based solid-state fluorescent carbon dots (SSF-CDs). • The biomass-based SSF-CDs were obtained with high yield (~100%). • Solid-state emission was obtained by introducing tricyclic phenanthrene skeleton to inhibit ACQ. • The biomass-based SSF-CDs successfully used to fabricate white light emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling macrophage response to biomaterials is critical for the reduction of inflammation after implantation. Here we designed a sustained release system from TiO 2 nanotubes (TNTs) to improve osteogenesis on titanium implants with anti-inflammatory properties. TNTs (around 70 nm diameter) were first fabricated on titanium surfaces by anodization, directly filled with the anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone (DEX) and then covered by chitosan (CHI) multilayer films. Primary osteoblast and macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells were cultured on untreated and treated titanium surfaces in vitro. Osteoblasts grown on CHI-coated Dex-filled TNTs surfaces displayed higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and mineralization, which was consistent with qRT-PCR analysis of osteoblastic genes including collagen type I (Col I), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN) and runt related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). In contrast, protein levels of nitric oxide (NO) and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) from macrophages on Dex-filled TNTs, CHI-coated TNTs and CHI-coated Dex-filled TNTs were significantly lower, especially on CHI-coated Dex-filled TNTs surfaces compared to levels on titanium and TNTs. These results indicate that CHI-coated Dex-filled TNTs enhanced osteoblast differentiation and decreased the inflammatory response of macrophages. The approach presented here provides new insight into the modification of TNTs for the development of titanium-based implants. • The TiO 2 nanotubes were filled with dexamethasone by a drip method, and then successfully coated by chitosan multilayer. • The modified TiO 2 nanotubes displayed the release of dexamethasone in a sustained manner. • The modified TiO 2 nanotubes have great potential for enhancing osteoblast differentiation. • The modified TiO 2 nanotubes effectively suppressed inflammation response of macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes an increased risk of bone fracture. Our goal was to enhance the bioactivity and anti-osteoporotic properties of titanium implants by immobilizing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) onto TiO 2 nanotubes through polydopamine film. The response behaviors of osteoblasts and osteoclasts cultured onto unmodified and modified TiO 2 nanotube surfaces were evaluated in vitro. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization potential and osteogenic marker gene expression (Runx2, ALP, Col I, OPN, OPG and RANKL) indicated that osteoblast differentiation was greater on CGRP modified TiO 2 nanotubes than those on other substrate surfaces. Additionally, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and osteoclastic-related gene expression (VATPase, MMP9, TRAP and CTSK) showed that osteoclast differentiation was lowest on CGRP modified TiO 2 nanotubes. These results indicate that CGRP functionalized TiO 2 nanotubes enhance osteoblast differentiation as well as suppress osteoclast resorption. This study provides design modifications of titanium applied as osteoporotic bone implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of melt overheating treatment on the microstructure of the alloy NiAl–28Cr–5.9Mo–0.1Hf(at.%)–0.05Ho(wt.%) has been investigated. Overheating treatment resulted in the decrease of the amount of primary NiAl from 12% in the normal sample to 8% in the overheated sample and in the refinement of NiAl/Cr(Mo) lamellar. The size of eutectic cell was increased from 37μm to 63μm after the treatment. Another significant change of the microstructure was the morphological instability of precipitates: the morphology of Cr(Mo) precipitates in primary NiAl was dendritic in the normal alloy but was cubic/spherical in the overheated alloy. The mechanisms responsible for these changes were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Herein, a novel method for the adsorption of metal ions from sewage by NaP zeolite adsorbent synthesized from stage-treated coal fly ash (CFA) was proposed. The pre-treatment of CFA and grading extraction of silicon and aluminum were explored, and the effects of crystallization parameters and sodium salts on the yield and purity of NaP zeolites were investigated. The characteristics of the zeolite product were measured by a series of characterization methods and the adsorption performance was also evaluated. Optimal treatment parameters were calcination at 800 °C for 3 h with m (CFA)/ m (Na 2 CO 3) = 1:1 and 3 mol/L HCl with m (CFA)/ V (HCl) = 1 g: 10 mL, with high extraction efficiencies (Si: 91.40% and Al: 90.20%) through stage treatment method. NaP zeolite product exhibited higher purity (96.66%) and yield (94.24%) at 120 °C for 8 h with the addition of NaBr (entirely instead of NaOH, the purity was 90.57% and the yield was 87.82%). The effect of organic steric hindrance was connected with its molecular configuration. NaP zeolite with the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) at n (Al 2 O 3)/ n (PEG) = 1:5 had the highest single-grain dispersion with the smallest grain size (2.13 μm). However, NaP zeolite with the addition of cyclohexanol (CyOH) at n (Al 2 O 3)/ n (CyOH) = 1:3 had the largest surface area (80.4 m2/g). During the Zn(II) adsorption, the appropriate pH value was identified at 5, and the adsorption process followed the pseudo second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm adsorption equations. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. NaP zeolite adsorbent exhibited excellent adsorption performance with Zn(II) concentration less than 0.2 ppm in the absorption equilibrium. Moreover, NaP zeolite as an effective adsorbent possessed excellent regeneration. Image 1 • NaP zeolites were synthesized from coal fly ash by grading extraction of Si and Al. • Purity and yield of NaP zeolites were improved by regulating the pH of system. • Steric hindrance helped regulate the grain size to enhance the adsorption property. • The technology was meaningful for utilizing the solid waste and treating the sewage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly-dispersed Pt nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-modified CMK-3 mesoporous carbon (Pt/N-CMK-3) were first fabricated by a two-step impregnation route. The influences of N content on the catalyst porous structure, Pt nanoparticle size, surface properties, and interaction between Pt species and the support were investigated in detail using N2 sorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The N species acted as anchoring sites for the stabilization of Pt particles. Benefiting from the formation of ultrafine metal nanoparticles, the Pt/N-CMK-3 exhibited excellent catalytic activity and selectivity for the selective hydrogenation of nitro aromatics to the corresponding anilines with hydrogen. The Pt/N-CMK-3 catalyst could be reused eight times and keep its catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]