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BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Grape peels, the main by‐products of wine processing, are rich in bioactive ingredients of phenolics, including proanthocyanidins, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Phenolics have the function of regulating intestinal microbiota and promoting intestinal health. From the perspective of the dietary nutrition of grape peel phenolics (GPP), the present study aimed to investigate the influence of GPP on the composition and metabolism of human gut microbiota during in vitro fermentation.The results indicated that GPP could decrease pH and promote the production of short‐chain fatty acids. ACE and Chao1 indices in GPP group were lower than that of the Blank group. GPP enhanced the levels of Lachnospiraceae UCG‐004, Bacteroidetes and Roseburia, but reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Proteins and Genome enrichment pathways related to phenolic acid metabolism mainly included flavonoid, anthocyanin, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. Gut microbiota could accelerate the release and breakdown of phenolic compounds, resulting in a decrease in the content of hesperetin‐7‐O‐glucoside, delphinidin‐3‐O‐glucoside and cyanidin‐3‐rutinoside etc. In vitro antibacterial test found that GPP increased the diameters of the inhibition zones of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in a dose‐dependent manner.The results of the present study revealed that GPP might be a potential prebiotic‐like to prevent diseases by improving gut health. The findings could provide a theoretical basis for the potential to exploit GPP as dietary nutrition to maintain intestinal function. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen species of Cheiloneurus from China are studied. Cheiloneurus guangxiensis Zu, sp. nov., is described as new to science, and C. boldyrevi Trjapitzin & Agekyan, 1978, C. bouceki Anis & Hayat, 2002, C. gonatopodis Perkins, 1906, and C. hadrodorys Anis & Hayat, 2002 are newly recorded from China. A key to Chinese species based on females is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work described the one-pot synthesis of orange pectin encapsulated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Pectin NPs) which is prepared by co-precipitation of Fe(II/(III) ions in alkaline solution mediated by pectin. This process led to formation of magnetic nanoparticles within the network of pectin. Physicochemical characterization of the as-synthesized Fe3O4@Pectin NPs was carried out through Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The in vitro cytotoxic and anti-liver cancer effects of biologically synthesized Fe3O4@Pectin NPs against pleomorphic hepatocellular carcinoma (SNU-387), hepatic ductal carcinoma (LMH/2A), morris hepatoma (McA-RH7777), and novikoff hepatoma (N1-S1 Fudr) cancer cell lines were assessed. The anti-liver cancer properties of the Fe3O4@Pectin NPs could significantly remove pleomorphic hepatocellular carcinoma (SNU-387), hepatic ductal carcinoma (LMH/2A), morris hepatoma (McA-RH7777), and novikoff hepatoma (N1-S1 Fudr) cancer cell lines in a time and concentration-dependent manner by MTT assay. The IC50 of the Fe3O4@Pectin NPs were 8, 13, 10, and 7 µg/mL against pleomorphic hepatocellular carcinoma (SNU-387), hepatic ductal carcinoma (LMH/2A), morris hepatoma (McA-RH7777), and novikoff hepatoma (N1-S1 Fudr) cancer cell lines. The antioxidant activity of Fe3O4@Pectin NPs was determined by DPPH method. The Fe3O4@Pectin NPs showed the high antioxidant activity according to the IC50 value. It seems that the anti-human liver cancer effect of recent nanoparticles is due to their antioxidant effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of effective stress is widely recognized as the cornerstone of soil mechanics, with its application extending beyond soils to other porous materials such as rocks and concrete. In recent decades, there has been a significant surge in scientific research and engineering practice in cold regions, where the classical framework of effective stress in soil mechanics is frequently invoked. However, there is no consensus either on mathematical expressions or especially on the physical nature of effective stress in a soil when ice is involved. This paper starts from Terzaghi's principle of effective stress for saturated soils, and subsequently Bishop's work for unsaturated soils and the Clapeyron equation for phase change are introduced as the basis for further discussions. Focus is laid on a comprehensive analysis on formulas for effective stress with respect to cold regions geotechnical engineering. Two categories are classified, in which the effective stress is considered to be undertaken by soil skeleton only and by soil skeleton-ice system together, respectively. They may generate calculated results that can efficiently interpret experiments or observations, while both are rather speculative and faced with major challenges. Controversies on effective stress for unfrozen soils are analyzed with respect to cold regions geotechnical engineering. It is recognized hardly possible to develop a mechanism-based principle of effective stress based on the current understandings, while it is questionable to develop it based on that for unfrozen soils. Two potential approaches are suggested that might be applicable for cold regions geotechnical engineering. • Effective stress in research of cold regions geotechnical engineering is inspected. • Current formulas can be categorized in two groups based on stress sharing. • Extending original principle of effective stress to soils with ice is challenging. • Two potential approaches are suggested for cold regions geotechnical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NLRP3 inflammasome is an intracellular surveillance multimolecule platform that senses broad ranges of pathogen-derived, environmental, and endogenous stress-induced factors,1 and aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation is associated with multiple inflammation-related disorders and diseases, such as gout, T2D, and atherosclerosis.2 Since then, newly discovered NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor may serve as a lead for developing new therapeutics against these diseases. Consistently, xanthone could significantly inhibit cross-link ASC oligomerization and endogenous NLRP3 oligomerization I in vitro i (Figures 1H and 1I), without affecting NLRP3 inflammasome components protein level (Figure 2D). Furthermore, xanthone could inhibit LPS-induced IL-1 secretion, pro-caspase-1 maturation as well as Gsdmd cleavage, and significantly inhibit FLICA intensity in tissue-infiltrating macrophage, representing less mature caspase-1 activity (Figures 4H-4L and S5B). Mechanistically, we showed xanthone metabolically rewired macrophages to obtain mitochondria fitness upon NLRP3 inflammasome activation (Figure 4M). [Extracted from the article]

Landslide disasters have garnered significant attention due to their extensive devastating impact, leading to a growing emphasis on the prompt and precise identification and detection of landslides as a prominent area of research. Previous research has primarily relied on human–computer interactions and visual interpretation from remote sensing to identify landslides. However, these methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, subjective, and have a low level of accuracy in extracting data. An essential task in deep learning, semantic segmentation, has been crucial to automated remote sensing image recognition tasks because of its end-to-end pixel-level classification capability. In this study, to mitigate the disadvantages of existing landslide detection methods, we propose a multiscale attention segment network (MsASNet) that acquires different scales of remote sensing image features, designs an encoder–decoder structure to strengthen the landslide boundary, and combines the channel attention mechanism to strengthen the feature extraction capability. The MsASNet model exhibited an average accuracy of 95.13% on the test set from Bijie's landslide dataset, a mean accuracy of 91.45% on the test set from Chongqing's landslide dataset, and a mean accuracy of 90.17% on the test set from Tianshui's landslide dataset, signifying its ability to extract landslide information efficiently and accurately in real time. Our proposed model may be used in efforts toward the prevention and control of geological disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam explosion (SE), as a high-efficient and environment-friendly pretreatment technology, was applied to pretreat the grape pomace. The results showed that SE increased the yield of free phenolics and flavonoids, but decreased the yield of bound phenolics and flavonoids. The content of total phenolics from grape pomace was much higher than that of total flavonoids. SE significantly decreased the contents of total monomeric anthocyanins and non-extractable proanthocyanins. (−)-Epicatechin and catechin were the most abundant ingredients in free extracts. After SE, most phenolic acids and flavonoids in the free extracts showed an increasing trend, while it is opposite in the bound extracts. SE increased the antioxidant activity of free extracts, but decreased the antioxidant activity of the bound extracts. SE can convert insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) into soluble dietary fiber (SDF) from grape pomace, and increase the oil-holding capacity (OHC) and sodium nitrite binding capacity (SNBC) of SDF. It can be concluded that an optimal SE condition at 1.2 MPa for 1 min could maximally increase the release of the phenolic compounds and enhance the antioxidant capacity; and the optimal SE condition for the extraction, OHC and SNBC of SDF in grape pomace was at 0.8 MPa for 3 min. • Steam explosion (SE) increased the yield of free phenolics and free flavonoids in grape pomace. • (−)-Epicatechin and catechin were the abundance compounds in free extracts. • SE enhanced the antioxidant activity of free extracts and decreased the activity of bound extracts. • SE enhanced the yield of soluble dietary fiber and improved its physicochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gel polymer electrolytes containing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium-bis (trifluoromethyl-sulfnyl)imide (EMITFSI) ionic liquid were prepared for lithium ion batteries by solution casting method. Thermal and electrochemical properties have been determined for the gel polymer electrolytes. Proper addition of EMITFSI to the P(VdF-HFP)-LiTFSI polymer electrolyte improves the ionic conductivity and electrochemical window to 2.11 × 10−3 S cm−1 (30 °C) and 4.6 V. In combination of the prepared ternary P(VdF-HFP)-LiTFSI-EMITFSI ionic liquid polymer electrolytes, Li4Ti5O12 anode exhibited two extra voltage plateaus around 1.1 V and 2.3 V except the typical voltage plateau around 1.6 V by possible side reaction between ionic liquid and polymer. LiFePO4 cathode exhibited high capacity above 140 mA h g−1 and retention of 93.1% due to the suppressed polarization effect caused by enhanced ion transport properties. The high temperature of 80 °C didn''t have significant impact on the cycling performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: As a new type of molecular marker, microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of malignant tumors, and has broad clinical application prospects. This paper mainly studies the important role of miR-889 in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and the prognostic significance of miR-889 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR analysis detected the expression levels of miR-889 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analysis were used to explore the prognostic significance of miR-889 in hepatocellular carcinoma. The CCK-8 and Transwell assays assay were used to assess cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities ability. Results: The expression of miR-889 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues. Overexpression of miR-889 was significantly associated with TNM stage, hepatitis B virus infection, and cirrhosis. Patients with high miR-889 expression had shorter overall survival than those with low miR-889 expression. And functional studies in two hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines have shown that overexpression of miR-889 significantly promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Conclusions: Overall, miR-889 was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and overexpression of miR-889 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Based on our findings, high expression of miR-889 may promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma, and high expression of miR-889 is also forecasted for an unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures and properties of hydrophobic association polymers can be controlled using micelles. In this work, we synthesize a reactive hydrophobic surfactant monomer, KS-3, from oleic acid, N,N-dimethylpropylenediamine, and allyl chloride. A strong synergistic effect between KS-3 and cocamidopropyl betaine in aqueous solution enhances the hydrophilic dispersibility of KS-3, thereby transforming spherical micelles into cylindrical micelles. KS-3 was grafted onto a polyacrylamide chain via aqueous free-radical polymerization to obtain RES, a hydrophobic association polymer. Structural analysis revealed that the RES polymers assembled in wormlike micelles were more tightly arranged than those assembled in spherical micelles, resulting in a compact network structure in water, smooth surface, and high thermal stability. Rheological tests revealed that the synthesized polymers with wormlike and spherical micelles exhibited shear-thinning properties along with different structural strengths and viscoelasticities. Therefore, controlling the micellar state can effectively regulate the polymer properties. The polymers obtained through wormlike micelle polymerization have potential applications in fields with high demands, such as drug release, water purification, and oilfield development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells play critical roles in cell therapies and tissue engineering for nerve repair. However, achieving effective delivery of high cell density remains a challenge. Here, a novel cell delivery platform termed the hyper expansion scaffold (HES) is developed to enable high cell loading. HES facilitated self‐promoted and efficient cell absorption via a dual driving force model. In vitro tests revealed that the HES rapidly expanded 80‐fold in size upon absorbing 2.6 million human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) within 2 min, representing over a 400% increase in loading capacity versus controls. This enhanced uptake benefited from macroscopic swelling forces as well as microscale capillary action. In spinal cord injury (SCI) rats, HES–hAESCs promoted functional recovery and axonal projection by reducing neuroinflammation and improving the neurotrophic microenvironment surrounding the lesions. In summary, the dual driving forces model provides a new rationale for engineering hydrogel scaffolds to facilitate self‐promoted cell absorption. The HES platform demonstrates great potential as a powerful and efficient vehicle for delivering high densities of hAESCs to promote clinical treatment and repair of SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honeysuckle is a commonly used medicine for health care and treatment. To detect heavy metal pollution in honeysuckle from China and quantify the health risk of heavy metal via dietary intake, the Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Zn contents in honeysuckle samples were determined by ICP-MS. The dissolution rate of heavy metals in honeysuckle was measured by decoction and soaking. The hazard quotient (HQ) and total hazard index (HI) were used to evaluate the noncarcinogenic risk of nine heavy metals in honeysuckle, and the carcinogenic risks of Cd and As were evaluated using the carcinogen risk. Cd exhibited the maximum permissive limit standard-exceeding rate (40.2%) in honeysuckle, followed by Cu (37.6%) and Pb (8.5%). As and Hg did not exceed the standard values, and Cr, Ni, Mn, and Zn had no limits. In a decoction fluid after 30 min of boiling, the transfer rates of Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Zn ranged from 11.9% to 19.9%, whereas that of Cr was low (1.0%). In a soaking fluid, the transfer rates ranged from 17.0% to 56.9%; no transfer rate was detected for Hg in neither the decoction fluid nor the soaking fluid. In addition, the 95th percentile Rs of As and Cd in honeysuckle were 5.93 × 10−6 and 8.12 × 10−5, respectively. The carcinogenic risk of Cd at 56.99th percentile reached the threshold set by the World Health Organization (1.0 × 10−5). The results showed that intake of Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Zn by the human body through honeysuckle could not cause noncarcinogenic damage. The element As had no carcinogenic risk, but Cd had a carcinogenic risk to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses hypoxic pathophysiology and high-altitude medicine as of December 2012, with a focus on the use of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels in preventing endothelial cell dysfunctions associated with high-altitude illness. Topics include the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR), endothelial chemerin secretion, and the therapeutic use of iptakalim in clinical trials. Additional information is presented on hypobaric hypoxia-induced brain injuries and abdominal aortic banding (AAB).

Core–shell shaped composites with tunable core compositions have been successfully synthesized by a two-step method. Initial, SnO 2 @C was prepared by fixing the hollow SnO 2 nanospheres into the void of amorphous carbon. Followed by another annealing treatment, SnO 2 was gradually reduced to metallic Sn in a mixed H 2 /N 2 atmosphere and leaded to Sn/SnO 2 or Sn cores. Subsequently, the original SnO 2 hollow nanospheres in the core was collapsed and transformed from clusters to nanoparticles. The electromagnetic absorption properties were significant improved for the binary composite (Sn/SnO 2 @C) as compared to SnO 2 hollow sphere, SnO 2 @C and Sn@C products. The effective absorption frequency width was up to 7.1 GHz with a matched thickness of 1.5 mm. The excellent electromagnetic absorption mechanism was attributed to the balanced impedance matching and attenuation ability. Besides, the existed Sn/SnO 2 interface plays a key role on the attenuation intensity since the boosted interface polarization intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric conditions vary significantly in terms of the temporal and spatial scales. Therefore, it is critical to obtain atmospheric parameters synchronized with an image for atmospheric correction based on radiative transfer calculation methods. On 3 July 2020, the high resolution and multimode imaging satellite, Gao Fen Duo Mo (GFDM), which was the first civilian high-resolution remote sensing satellite equipped with the Synchronization Monitoring Atmospheric Corrector (SMAC), was launched. The SMAC is a multispectral and polarization detection device that is used to retrieve atmospheric parameters that are time-synchronized with the image sensor of GFDM in the same field-of-view. On the basis of the atmospheric parameters obtained from the SMAC, a synchronization atmospheric correction (Syn-AC) method is proposed to remove the influence of the atmosphere and the adjacency effects to retrieve the surface reflectance. The Syn-AC method was applied in the experiments of synchronous atmospheric correction for GFDM images, where the surface reflectance retrieved via the Syn-AC method was compared with the field-measured values. In addition, the classical correction method, the FLAASH, was applied in the experiments to compare its performance with that of the Syn-AC method. The results indicated that the image possessed better clarity and contrast with the blurring effect removed, and the multispectral reflectance was in agreement with the field-measured spectral reflectance. The deviations between the reflectance retrievals of Syn-AC and the field-measured values of the selected targets were within 0.0625, representing a higher precision than that of the FLAASH method (the max deviation was 0.2063). For the three sites, the mean relative error of Syn-AC was 19.3%, and the mean relative error of FLAASH was 76.6%. Atmospheric correction based on synchronous atmospheric parameters can improve the quantitative accuracy of remote sensing images, and it is meaningful for remote sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of photoreceptors is a major event of retinal degeneration that accounts for most cases of untreatable blindness globally. To date, there are no efficient therapeutic approaches to treat this condition. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) could serve as a novel seed cell source of photoreceptors for therapy. Here, a two–step treatment with combined Wnt, Nodal, and BMP inhibitors, followed by another cocktail of retinoic acid, taurine, and noggin induced photoreceptor–like cell differentiation of hAESCs. The differentiated cells demonstrated the morphology and signature marker expression of native photoreceptor cells and, intriguingly, bore very low levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and a high level of non–classical MHC class I molecule HLA–G. Importantly, subretinal transplantation of the hAESCs–derived PR–like cells leads to partial restoration of visual function and retinal structure in Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats, the classic preclinical model of retinal degeneration. Together, our results reveal hAESCs as a potential source of functional photoreceptor cells; the hAESCs–derived photoreceptor–like cells could be a promising cell–replacement candidate for therapy of retinal degeneration diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain localization has always been an important subject in frozen soil mechanics and engineering. To evaluate the development of local strain and the formation of shear bands in frozen soil, uniaxial compression tests have been conducted on frozen sand at various temperatures and particle grades. The strain localization evolution law of the frozen soil is analyzed utilizing the digital image correlation (DIC) method. The test results reveal that the entire process of shear band generation, development, and formation in frozen soil can be well captured. Within the testing temperature and particle grade range in this study, in comparison to particle grade, temperature exerts a more pronounced influence on the shear band angle which increases as temperature decreases. It is discovered that the width of the shear band increases with the decrease in temperature and the increase in mean particle diameter d 50. Subsequently, a discrete element method (DEM) model is developed to examine the microscopic mechanical characteristics of frozen sand in uniaxial compression tests. The reliability of the DEM model is verified through comparative analysis with test results. Besides, the development law of the strain localization of the frozen soil obtained by the numerical simulation is revealed based on the quantitative analysis of the rotational angle, bonding state, and displacement of the soil particle during the shearing process. • The strain localization evolution law of frozen sand under uniaxial compression is quantitatively analyzed. • A method for determining the shear band width of frozen soil based on the normal distribution function is proposed. • A DEM numerical model is established to investigate the microscopic mechanical properties of frozen sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam explosion (SE) with its dual effect of high temperature and high pressure has gradually been applied in food pretreatment. The process of SE treatment involves various mechanisms: acid-based hydrolysis, thermal degradation, mechanical-like disruption, hydrogen bond destruction and structure rearrangement. Phenolic compounds, as natural secondary metabolites, are found in different forms depending on their association with the food matrix, and exert significant antioxidant activity to improve health benefits. In this review, we provide a thorough summary regarding on the working principle of SE, the forms of phenolics present in plant, the effects of SE on the concentration and compounds of phenolics, their antioxidant activity including cellular antioxidant activity, the microstructure of the plant matrix, and the application of SE. Phenolic acids and flavonoids are common phenolic compounds. The different forms of phenolics present in the plant matrix, include free and bound phenolics, or free, esterified, glycosidic and insoluble-bound forms. During SE processing, explosion temperature/pressure and residence time were the main factors that influenced the extraction and conversion of plant phenolics. In general, the effect of SE on phenolic extraction showed a trend of increasing first and decreasing later, and finally, it reached a balanced state with the dissolution and degradation of phenolic compounds. The optimal SE conditions depend on the pretreatment strategy and physical accessibility of the raw material. Under optimal conditions, SE can increase the release of phenolics and enhance their antioxidant activity. There was a positive correlation between phenolics and antioxidant activity. SE can break down the glycosidic linkages, and ester and β-O-4 ether bonds, which leads to an increase in carboxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups. The SE process can enhance the cellular antioxidant activity of free phenolics, but has the opposite effect on bound phenolics. Regarding the microstructure, the SE can increase the porosity and pore volume of the material, which is beneficial to solute-solvent accessibility and internal mass transfer in the phenolic extraction process. However, the migration and transformation mechanism of SE on phenolics is still not clear. More studies need to focus on the conversion mechanism of SE on bioactive components and further expand the application scope of SE. • Steam explosion (SE) is gradually being applied to food pretreatment. • SE improves solute-solvent accessibility by altering the porosity of biomass. • The effect of SE on phenolic yield generally shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. • SE increases phenolic hydroxyl groups by breaking glycosidic, ester and β-O-4 ether bonds. • Optimal SE conditions increase the phenolic yield and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Emulsifier type affects the stability of nanoemulsion. • Nanoemulsion systems can improve the bioavailability of bioactive components. • Poor stability of nanoemulsion prepared by carbohydrate emulsifiers. • The nanoemulsion constructed by SPI-PC has higher stability and bioavailability. The stability and digestibility of food emulsions are affected by the various sources and structural characteristics of emulsifiers. Chitosan, Arabia gum, soy protein isolate (SPI), and soybean protein isolate-phosphatidylcholine (SPI-PC) were used as natural emulsifiers in this study, and a 10 % (v/v) MCT oil phase (containing 10 methyl g/mL benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC)) was used for the preparation of oil in water nanoemulsions. The stability of nanoemulsions and their in vitro digestion characteristics were determined using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The average particle size and potential of chitosan and Arabia gum nanoemulsion changed significantly under extreme environmental conditions, and their stability was poor. SPI-PC nanoemulsion exhibited a more stable transport system. The type of emulsifier has a significant effect on the release of free fatty acids and BITC digestibility. SPI-PC nanoemulsion have higher BITC bioavailability when compared to other emulsifiers. The results showed that natural emulsifiers could stabilize the emulsion, but there was a significant difference in their stability. The SPI-PC composite emulsifier could produce a nanoemulsion that is relatively stable, safe, and high in bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of new sulfamide derivatives have been synthesized, their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR and ESI-MS. Some target compounds were assessed by the tool of Dock6, and inhibition effects of all the new compounds on carbonic anhydrase II have been investigated. In addition, some compounds have been investigated for their antihypoxic effects in mice. Results indicated that nine target compounds exhibit as effectively as acetazolamide and 10 compounds have more potent inhibition effects on carbonic anhydrase II than acetazolamide. Three of them (I-8, I-18 and I′-3) can prolong markedly the survival time of mice in hypoxia, which are worth carrying out further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, sucrase was added to convert non-reducing sugars into reducing sugars in skim obtained by enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction processing (EAEP), then the variation of soy protein hydrolysates (SPH) from the skim under different Maillard reaction times were studied. We conducted one-factor experiment and selected 2 mg/mL sucrase for enzymatic hydrolysis for 2 h. The structure of SPH was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, and amino acid composition. Results showed that the Maillard reaction loosened the SPH structure and produced new functional groups. Sensory evaluation, electronic tongue, electronic nose and GC–MS were used to study the sensory characteristics of SPH, we found that the bitterness value was significantly reduced to 1.71 from 4.63 after 2 h of the Maillard reaction. The change of bitterness was related to amino acid composition and the production of pyrazine. Additionally, the iron reduction ability, DPPH free radical scavenging ability, and emulsifying activity reached the highest at 2 h of reaction with 0.80, 73.94 %, and 56.09 %. The solubility, emulsifying stability, and foaming capacity increased and gradually stabilized with the increasing reaction time. Therefore, this paper presents an effective method for generating SPH with low bitterness and high functional properties. [Display omitted] • Sucrase enzymatic hydrolysis turned non-reducing sugars into reducing sugars. • The skim uses its own reducing sugars and SPH for the Maillard reaction. • Maillard reaction reduced bitterness and improved the functional properties of SPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perinatal stem cells have been regarded as an attractive and available cell source for medical research and clinical trials in recent years. Multiple stem cell types have been identified in the human placenta. Recent advances in knowledge on placental stem cells have revealed that human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) have obvious advantages and can be used as a novel potential cell source for cellular therapy and clinical application. hAESCs are known to possess stem-cell-like plasticity, immune-privilege, and paracrine properties. In addition, non-tumorigenicity and a lack of ethical concerns are two major advantages compared with embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). All of the characteristics mentioned above and other additional advantages, including easy accessibility and a non-invasive application procedure, make hAESCs a potential ideal cell type for use in both research and regenerative medicine in the near future. This review article summarizes current knowledge on the characteristics, therapeutic potential, clinical advances and future challenges of hAESCs in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Engineering MoS 2 catalysts with more active sites and higher conductivity is an effective way to improve its electrochemical activity. Herein, defect-rich amorphous MoS x /carbon nanofiber (CF) arrays on carbon cloth (CC) support (denoted as MoS x /CF/CC) was designed and fabricated, which served as an efficient free-standing electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid media. This architecture was beneficial to expose more active catalytic sites and improve the electron/ion transport. In addition, abundant defects altered preferred growth direction of MoS x , resulting in the formation of irregular MoS x particles at the surface of CF arrays. The as-synthesized MoS x /CF/CC-2 exhibited excellent stability and superior HER activity, with a small onset overpotential (107 mV) and low Tafel slope (51 mV dec−1). Such excellent electrochemical performance was attributed to the enriched active sites and shortened charge diffusion distance. This work would pave a new way for rational design and fabrication of defect-rich MoS x -based composite electrode for renewable energy applications. Highlights • Defect-rich MoS x /carbon nanofiber arrays on carbon cloth support were fabricated. • Abundant defects altered preferred growth pattern of MoS x. • Defect-rich MoS x could provide more active sites to promote the HER performance. • Carbon nanofiber/carbon cloth was a supporting material for defect-rich MoS x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose We designed a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled study to assess a 5-month regimen compared with the standard regimen on previously treated patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methods We enrolled 917 sputum smear–positive patients undergoing additional treatment in 27 major tuberculosis hospitals in China. Patients were randomly assigned to a test group (n = 626)treated with a 5-month regimen of moxifloxacin, pasiniazid, rifabutin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide or a reference group (n = 291) treated with an 8-month regimen of isoniazid, rifampicin, and streptomycin. All patients with a favorable response were followed up for 5 years after the end of treatment. Findings Of the study patients, 61 in the test group and 19 in the reference group had multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. The treatment success rate in the study group was 74.12%, which was significantly higher than the 67.70% in the reference group ( P = 0.04), whereas the treatment success rate of patients with MDR-TB was not significantly different between the test and reference groups (70.5% vs 63.1%, P =0.79). The adverse effects rates in the test and reference groups were 7.4% and 3.1%, respectively ( P = .01). The difference in the TB recurrence rates between the group arm (9.6%) and the reference group (21.8%) was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). Implications The moxifloxacin, pasiniazid, rifabutin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide test regimen yielded higher success and lower recurrence rates than the currently recommended isoniazid, rifampicin, and streptomycin regimen, but the rate of adverse effects was higher. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02331823. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag, a by-product of the steelmaking process, has never been effectively utilised owing to its various drawbacks. In this study, BOF slag was used as the calcareous raw material of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) to successfully and completely replace lime with BOF slag. Moreover, the slurry was regulated with NaOH and a thickening agent, successfully reducing bulk density from the B07 level to the B05 level without reducing mechanical performance. The reaction products of AAC were analysed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that the addition of BOF slag can hinder the formation of xonotlite which offsets the other negative effects of BOF slag to a certain extent. In addition, kirschsteinite and part of C 2 F were involved in generating tobermorite during the autoclaving process. • Steel slag completely replaced lime as the main calcareous raw material in AAC production. • The addition of steel slag showed no significant loss of strength in AAC products. • The bulk density of AAC can be reduced by adjusting the W/S ratio and NaOH content. • The addition of steel slag can hinder the formation of xonotlite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms of natakalim, a novel SUR2B/Kir6.1-K ATP channel opener, against chronic heart failure induced by isoproterenol in rats were investigated. Male Wistar rats were administered isoproterenol subcutaneously (85 mg/kg, 7 days) to induce chronic heart failure and were then treated with natakalim or saline for 6 weeks. Their blood pressure, heart rates and cardiac functions were measured using an 8-channel physiological recorder. Sophisticated technologies such as histological analysis, ELISA, radioimmunoassay, immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and western blotting were employed for analysis. Natakalim (1, 3, 9 mg/kg/day, orally) or saline was administered for 6 weeks orally via a gastric tube to rats that had been injected with isoproterenol. Natakalim remarkably inhibited changes in left ventricular hemodynamic parameters and decreased the heart mass index, the left ventricular weight index, right ventricular weight index and lung weight index. Histological examination demonstrated no significant hypertrophy or fibrosis in the hearts of the natakalim-treated rats. Mechanistically, natakalim attenuates the elevation of plasma nitric oxide (NO) level and inducible NO synthase in cardiac tissue induced by isoproterenol. Additionally, natakalim inhibits the endothelin signaling system by decreasing both the content of endothelin-1 in the plasma and the protein levels of cardiac endothelin receptors A and B. Moreover, natakalim could augment the plasma prostacyclin concentration. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that natakalim effectively ameliorates isoproterenol- induced chronic heart failure in rats by protecting against endothelial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The endothelial molecular pathway of a new ATP-sensitive potassium channel (K ATP ) opener natakalim was investigated in mesenteric arterioles of rats. Main methods A DMT wire myograph was used to evaluate the vasorelaxation effects of natakalim. Ca 2 + responses of endothelial cells induced by natakalim were measured by laser confocal fluorescence microscopy. NO assay kits and Western blotting were used. Key findings The new K ATP opener natakalim significantly produced endothelium-dependent arteriolar dilation and increased endothelial cell intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2 + ] i ) as well as NO release, which could be inhibited by SB366791 and capsazepine, the specific TRPV1 blockers. Additionally, down-regulation of endothelial TRPV1 by RNA interference inhibited the Ca 2 + influx induced by natakalim. Significance These results suggest that endothelial K ATP mediated natakalim-induced vasorelaxation through increasing [Ca 2 + ] i and NO production. Activation of endothelial TRPV1 channels and subsequent Ca 2 + entry, and NO release at least partly contribute to endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation induced by natakalim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of ultrasound pretreatment on the formation of soy protein fibrils, interaction of soy protein fibrils and EGCG, rheological property and antioxidant activity of the complex, and bioaccessibility of EGCG were investigated in this study. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and surface hydrophobicity (H 0) indicated that ultrasound caused the unfolding of soy protein structure and exposure of hydrophobic regions. Compared with the un-treated soy protein fibrils, there were greater Thioflavin T fluorescence intensity and β-sheet content in the ultrasound-treated protein fibrils. These results indicated that ultrasound pretreatment could be used for modifying soy protein to improve its fibrils formation. FTIR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and H 0 showed that protein fibrils mainly interacted with EGCG through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The stability, viscosity, and antioxidant activity of soy protein fibrils treated with ultrasound-assisted EGCG (U–F-EGCG) were greater than those of other samples. EGCG drove the formation of protein fibrils-EGCG hydrogels. In vitro bioaccessibility of EGCG was significantly improved after its formation of complex with protein fibrils. Hence, the soy protein fibril hydrogels system can extend the application as the delivery carriers of bioactive compounds. [Display omitted] • Ultrasound pretreatment affected the formation of soy protein fibrils. • Protein fibrils interacted with EGCG by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. • Protein fibrils treated by ultrasound and EGCG had the highest antioxidant activity. • EGCG bioaccessibility was increased in the presence of protein fibrils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To prepare folic acid-chitosan conjugated nanoparticles (FA-CS NPs) and evaluate their targeting specificity on tumor cells. Methods. Chitosan (CS) NPs were prepared by ionic cross linking method, and folic acid (FA) was conjugated with CS NPs by electrostatic interaction. The properties of NPs were investigated, and doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox) as a model drug was encapsulated for investigating drug release pattern in vitro. The cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of FA-CS NPs were also investigated. Results. The results reveal that the obtained FA-CS NPs were monodisperse nanoparticles with suitable average size and positive surface charge. Dox was easily loaded into FA-CS NPs, and the release pattern showed a long and biphasic drug release. Noticeable phagocytosis effect was observed in the presence of rhodamine B-labeled FA-CSNPs when incubating with the folate receptorpositive SMMC-7221 cells. Conclusion. Compared with the unmodified CS NPs, FA-CS NPs showed much higher cell uptaking ability due to the known folate-receptor mediated endocytosis. FA-CS NPs provide a potential way to enhance the using efficiency of antitumor drug by folate receptor mediated targeting delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical and oxidative stability of soybean protein hydrolysate-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions created via limited hydrolysis using Alcalase (15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min) was investigated. The extracted emulsion protein exhibited significantly lower surface hydrophobicity, higher antioxidant properties, and a greater proportion of β-sheet and α-helix structures than soybean protein isolate. The physical stability of the emulsions was characterized by particle size, zeta-potential, rheological property, and multiple light scattering. The emulsion obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis for 90 min (90 min-E) had the highest physical stability, showing the smallest droplet size, uniform droplet distribution, lowest zeta-potential, lowest Turbiscan stability index, and larger G′ and G″ values. It also exhibited the highest oxidative stability, as evidenced by the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances test. Due to the good physical and oxidative stability of 90 min-E, LC-MS/MS analysis and bioinformatic tools (Chou−Fasman secondary structure prediction and the BIOPEP database) were conducted on the protein extracted from 90 min-E. These data provided insight into the mechanism of emulsion-stabilizing action by the emulsion protein (peptide) and identified potential bioactive peptides. This new strategy of producing stable O/W emulsions will likely expand its application to nutrient components or effective wall materials. [Display omitted] • Soy protein hydrolysate-stabilized O/W emulsions created via limited hydrolysis. • Emulsion stabilized by 90-min enzymatic hydrolysis had the highest stability. • Protein (hydrolysate) affected the physical and oxidative stability of the emulsion. • Functional/bioactive peptides in emulsions were predicted by bioinformatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adjacency effect can blur and reduce the contrast of satellite images. For low visibility, the adjacency effect has a crucial impact on submeter-scale spatial resolution optical (SM) satellite images. Therefore, SM satellite images are preprocessed with an atmospheric correction before performing visual interpretation and quantitative research. This atmospheric correction includes the adjacency effect (expressed by the average background reflectance, ABR) correction and atmospheric intrinsic reflectance correction. ABR is related to the spatial distance from the central pixel to its surrounding pixels (SDCS) and is affected by the reflectance difference between the central pixel and its surrounding pixels (RDCS). Existing methods to calculate ABR do not include the effect of RDCS. Therefore, in this study, we use equivalent average background reflectance (EABR) instead of ABR used in the 6S model. EABR considers the effects of the strengths of the aerosol optical depth (AOD), SDCS, and RDCS on the adjacency effect. Compared with ABR, EABR can better represent the adjacency effect in an SM satellite image. We develop an adaptive atmospheric correction algorithm (called adaptive-AC) based on EABR. The adaptive characteristic of adaptive-AC is that it can adjust the contribution factor (or weighted value) of the background pixel to the adjacency effect according to the SDCS and RDCS. The application of adaptive-AC to a panchromatic band image of WorldView-3 (WV-3) reveals that adaptive-AC can significantly improve image quality, with the reflectance of pixels in the corrected image processed by adaptive-AC being close to the actual reflectance. Comparison with the results of the atmospheric correction algorithm in the 6S model (6S-AC) indicates that adaptive-AC is more suitable for SM satellite image preprocessing than 6S-AC approaches. There is no clear theory or formula available to calculate the exact value of the adjacency effect range (R ad). Therefore, different R ad values are used in applying the adaptive-AC and 6S-AC. The results show that the larger is the R ad used to construct the adjacency effect model, the more satisfactory is the atmospheric correction. • Submeter-scale spatial resolution optical satellite imagery with lower visibility. • A quantitative study of the influence of reflectance difference on adjacency effects. • The adaptive atmospheric correction algorithm corrects the adjacency effect well. • The weight value is a function of AOD, spatial distance, and reflectance difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Baicalein could induce the degradation of MAP4K3 through decreasing its stability and promoting proteasome-dependent mechanisms. • Baicalein directly occupied the polypeptide binding site of MAP4K3. • Baicalein causes dissociation of the TFEB/14-3-3 complex in a MAP4K3-dependent manner. • Novel mechanistic insights of baicalein/ MAP4K3/ mTORC1/ TFEB axis in regulating baicalein-induced autophagy in NSCLC. Exploring key genes associated with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) may lead to targeted therapies for NSCLC patients. The protein kinase MAP4K3 has been established as an important modulator of cell growth and autophagy in mammals. Herein, we investigated the somatic mutations and the expression pattern of MAP4K3 detected in NSCLC patients based on the TCGA database. Abnormal MAP4K3 expression and its somatic mutations are associated with the carcinogenesis and thereby becoming an attractive therapeutic target. Baicalein, a natural product, was determined to be the first-reported MAP4K3 binding ligand with its K D values of 6.47 μM measured by microscale thermophoresis. Subsequent in silico docking and mutation studies demonstrated that baicalein directly binds to MAP4K3, presumably to the substrate-binding pocket of this kinase domain, causing inactivity of MAP4K3. We further showed that baicalein could induce degradation of MAP4K3 through decreasing its stability and promoting the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. Degradation of MAP4K3 could cause dissociation of the transcription factor EB and 14-3-3 complex, enhance rapid transport of TFEB to the nucleus and trigger TFEB-dependent autophagy, resulting in lung cancer cells proliferation arrest. Knockdown of MAP4K3 expression by siRNA was sufficient to mimic baicalein-induced autophagy. Ectopic expression of the MAP4K3 protein resulted in significant resistance to baicalein-induced autophagy. Baicalein exhibited good tumor growth inhibition in a nude mouse model for human H1299 xenografts, which might be tightly related to its binding to MAP4K3 and degradation of MAP4K3. Our data provide novel mechanistic insights of baicalein/ MAP4K3/ mTORC1/ TFEB axis in regulating baicalein-induced autophagy in NSCLC, suggesting potential therapies for treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]