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Abstract Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a crucial component of transcription and potential target for anti-cancer therapies, particularly for hematological malignancies. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of CDK9 inhibitors remain not fully understood. Here, we found that inhibiting CDK9 either pharmacologically or through gene downregulation, significantly reduced the levels of α-tubulin protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner. We further discovered that CDK9 inhibition led to increased susceptibility of α-tubulin to proteasomal degradation due to reduced acetylation at lysine 40 (K40), an important modification for microtubule stability. An acetylation-mimicking mutant of α-tubulin mitigated the anti-tumor effects of CDK9 inhibition. Mechanically, we identified that CDK9 inhibition downregulated the expression of ATAT1, the acetyltransferase responsible for α-tubulin acetylation, further compromising microtubule stability. We also conducted in vivo studies in a leukemic xenograft model, where AZD4573 treatment led to significant tumor regression, decreased ATAT1 expression, and α-tubulin degradation. Our study unravels a novel molecular mechanism by which CDK9 inhibition disrupts α-tubulin stability and provides valuable insights for exploring effective treatment regimens involving CDK9 inhibitors.

The emergence of TKX-50, an energetic ionic salt with a high enthalpy of formation and low sensitivity, has opened a new path for the development of high-energetic, insensitive composite explosives. However, due to the poor interfacial binding properties of TKX-50 with conventional binders, there is a lack of effective guidance for the design of TKX-50 based composite explosives. To address the above issues, the interactions between carboxymethyl cellulose acetate butyrate (CMCAB) and other binders with explosives TKX-50/HMX were compared using the molecular dynamics method. Based on the simulations, TKX-50/HMX/CMCAB-based polymer-bonded explosives (PBXs) were prepared with CMCAB as binder, which displays a high binding energy (Ebind) with TKX-50 and high cohesive energy density (CED), and the effect of TKX-50 content on the performance of PBXs was investigated. The physical properties of PBXs, specifically the morphology, mechanical sensitivity, and thermal conductivity, were analyzed by SEM, sensitivity apparatus, and thermal conductivity meter, respectively. The specific heat capacity (Cp) and non-isothermal decomposition temperature of PBXs were tested by DSC, and then the corresponding thermal kinetic parameters were analyzed to evaluate their thermal safety. The adiabatic thermal decomposition processes of PBXs were tested using an ARC instrument. The decomposition mechanism and kinetics were also explored to further analyze their thermal stability and thermal safety under adiabatic conditions. The computer code EXPLO5 was used to predict the detonation parameters of PBXs. The results showed that CMCAB and TKX-50 displayed favorable interfacial bonding properties, and TKX-50 can be bonded with HMX to form a molding powder with a desirable morphology and safety profile. The TKX-50 in PBXs effectively improves the mechanical sensitivity and thermal safety of PBX and has a significant effect on the detonation performance of PBX. This research demonstrates a novel method suitable for screening and investigating high-energetic insensitive explosive systems compatible with TKX-50.

Abstract Background Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) is a traditional Chinese medicine to treat the syndrome of qi deficiency and blood stasis. Platelets play an important role in regulating thrombus and inflammation after ischemic injury, studies have shown that BYHWD regulate myocardial fibrosis and exert anti-inflammatory effects through IL-17 and TLR4 pathways, but the mechanism of platelet activation by BYHWD in stable coronary heart disease is still unknown. In the present study, model of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation was applied to investigate the mechanisms of BYHWD on modulating platelets hyperreactivity and heart function after fibrosis of ischemic myocardial infarction (MI). Methods Myocardial infarction model was constructed by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham, model, MI with aspirin (positive), MI with a low dosage of BYHWD (BYHWD-ld) and MI with a high dosage of BYHWD (BYHWD-hd) for 28 days. Results Coronary artery ligation prominently induced left ventricle dysfunction, increased cardiomyocyte fibrosis, which was accompanied by platelets with hyperreactivity, and high levels of inflammatory factors. BYHWD obviously reversed cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis, increased the thickness of the left ventricular wall, and inhibited aggregation ratio and CD62p expression. BYHWD restored the mitochondrial respiration of platelets after MI, concomitant with an increased telomere expression and decreased inflammation. According to the result of transcriptome sequencing, we found that 106 differentially expressed genes compared model with BYHWD treatment. Enrichment analysis screened out the Ras-related protein Rap-1 (Rap1) signaling pathway and platelet activation biological function. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting were applied to found that BYHWD reduced the expression of Rap1/PI3K-Akt/Src-CDC42 genes and attenuated the overactivity of PI3 kinase/Rap1/integrin α(IIb)β(3) pathway. Conclusion BYHWD reduced inflammation and platelet activation via the PI3 kinase/Rap1/integrin α(IIb)β(3) pathway and improved heart function after MI. Graphical Abstract

Abstract NRAS mutations are most frequently observed in hematological malignancies and are also common in some solid tumors such as melanoma and colon cancer. Despite its pivotal role in oncogenesis, no effective therapies targeting NRAS has been developed. Targeting NRAS localization to the plasma membrane (PM) is a promising strategy for cancer therapy, as its signaling requires PM localization. However, the process governing NRAS translocation from the Golgi apparatus to the PM after lipid modification remains elusive. This study identifies GOLGA7 as a crucial factor controlling NRAS’ PM translocation, demonstrating that its depletion blocks NRAS, but not HRAS, KRAS4A and KRAS4B, translocating to PM. GOLGA7 is known to stabilize the palmitoyltransferase ZDHHC9 for NRAS and HRAS palmitoylation, but we found that GOLGA7 depletion does not affect NRAS’ palmitoylation level. Further studies show that loss of GOLGA7 disrupts NRAS anterograde trafficking, leading to its cis-Golgi accumulation. Remarkably, depleting GOLGA7 effectively inhibits cell proliferation in multiple NRAS-mutant cancer cell lines and attenuates NRASG12D-induced oncogenic transformation in vivo. These findings elucidate a specific intracellular trafficking route for NRAS under GOLGA7 regulation, highlighting GOLGA7 as a promising therapeutic target for NRAS-driven cancers.

Abstract Backgrounds Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is widely considered to exert long-term treatment benefits by activating antitumor immunity. However, many cancer patients show poor clinical responses to ICB due in part to the lack of an immunogenic niche. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is frequently amplified and acts as an immune modulator across cancer types. However, evidence illustrates that targeting FAK is most effective in combination therapy rather than in monotherapy. Methods Here, we used drug screening, in vitro and in vivo assays to filter out that doxorubicin and its liposomal form pegylated liposome doxorubicin (PLD) showed synergistic anti-tumor effects in combination with FAK inhibitor IN10018. We hypothesized that anti-tumor immunity and immunogenic cell death (ICD) may be involved in the treatment outcomes through the data analysis of our clinical trial testing the combination of IN10018 and PLD. We then performed cell-based assays and animal studies to detect whether FAK inhibition by IN10018 can boost the ICD of PLD/doxorubicin and further established syngeneic models to test the antitumor effect of triplet combination of PLD, IN10018, and ICB. Results We demonstrated that the combination of FAK inhibitor IN10018, and PLD/doxorubicin exerted effective antitumor activity. Notably, the doublet combination regimen exhibited response latency and long-lasting treatment effects clinically, outcomes frequently observed in immunotherapy. Our preclinical study confirmed that the 2-drug combination can maximize the ICD of cancer cells. This approach primed the tumor microenvironment, supplementing it with sufficient tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to activate antitumor immunity. Finally, different animal studies confirmed that the antitumor effects of ICB can be significantly enhanced by this doublet regimen. Conclusions We confirmed that targeting FAK by IN10018 can enhance the ICD of PLD/doxorubicin, further benefiting the anti-tumor effect of ICB. The animal tests of the triplet regimen warrant further discovery in the real world.

RNA–protein complexes play a crucial role in cellular functions, providing insights into cellular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. However, experimental determination of these complex structures is often time-consuming and resource-intensive, and it rarely yields high-resolution data. Many computational approaches have been developed to predict RNA–protein complex structures in recent years. Despite these advances, achieving accurate and high-resolution predictions remains a formidable challenge, primarily due to the limitations inherent in current RNA–protein scoring functions. These scoring functions are critical tools for evaluating and interpreting RNA–protein interactions. This review comprehensively explores the latest advancements in scoring functions for RNA–protein docking, delving into the fundamental principles underlying various approaches, including coarse-grained knowledge-based, all-atom knowledge-based, and machine-learning-based methods. We critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of existing scoring functions, providing a detailed performance assessment. Considering the significant progress demonstrated by machine learning techniques, we discuss emerging trends and propose future research directions to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of scoring functions in RNA–protein complex prediction. We aim to inspire the development of more sophisticated and reliable computational tools in this rapidly evolving field.

Abstract Background Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is involved in a variety of pathological states for which there is no effective treatment exists. Shuangshen Ningxin (SSNX) capsule which is developed by Xiyuan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine has been demonstrated to alleviate MI/RI, but its mechanism remains to be further elucidated. Methods The MI/RI miniature pigs model was constructed to assess the pharmacodynamics of SSNX by blocking the proximal blood flow of the left anterior descending branch of the cardiac coronary artery through an interventional balloon. The principal chemical compounds and potential targets of SSNX were screened by HPLC–MS and SwissTargetPrediction. The targets of MI/RI were identified based on Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and GeneCards. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was applied to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed using metascape. To further validate the mechanism of SSNX, Molecular docking, Transmission electron microscopy, and Western blot analysis were used to test the effectiveness of targets in related pathways. Results Our results indicated that SSNX significantly improved cardiac function, attenuated myocardial I/R injury. Through network analysis, a total of 15 active components and 201 targets were obtained from SSNX, 75 of which are potential targets for the treatment of MI/RI. KEGG and MCODE analysis showed that SSNX is involved in the mitophagy signaling pathway, and ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside Rb2 are key components associated with the mitophagy. Further experimental results proved that SSNX protected mitochondrial structure and function, and significantly reduced the expression of mitophagy-related proteins PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin, FUN14 domain containing 1 (FUNDC1) and Bcl-2/E1B-19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) in MI/RI miniature pigs. Conclusion In our study, the integration of network pharmacology and experiments in vivo demonstrated that SSNX interfered with MI/RI by inhibiting mitophagy.

Aiming at the problem that the traditional discrimination method of rock burst generation lacks the consideration of the whole disaster process and has some defects, taking the decomposition of the physical process of coal mine rock burst generation as the starting point, the calculation formula and application of the discrimination index of coal mine rock burst generation based on the decomposition of physical process are investigated by using the methods of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, mechanical derivation and engineering verification. The results show that the spatial sequence in the physical process of rock burst is the limit equilibrium zone of mining surrounding rock-near-field elastic and plastic zone of mining surrounding rock-mining activity space. The corresponding time series are burst initiation stage, burst energy transmission stage and burst ground pressure manifestation stage. To complete the whole physical process of rock burst, two mechanical conditions must be met at the same time: impact start-up and overcoming impedance. The dynamic and static load type and high static load superposition type rock burst start-up mechanical models and rock burst impedance overcoming mechanical models are established respectively. The starting energy criterion formula of rock burst and the apparent energy criterion formula of rock burst are obtained. Based on the above two formulas, the calculation formula of rock burst occurrence discrimination index has been derived considering both dynamic load sources and static load sources, and taking into account that the mechanical conditions of rock burst initiation and rock burst appearance are satisfied. According to the discriminant index formula, it is obtained that the possibility of rock burst is directly proportional to the sum of static and dynamic loads of coal and rock mass, and inversely proportional to the impedance energy of support and surrounding rock. The structural mechanics model of roadway load-reduction impedance-increase coupling anti-burst engineering based on the occurrence discrimination index of rock burst is established and applied in engineering. The practice shows that the purpose of preventing rock burst is achieved.

The interplay among gut microbiota, intestines, and liver is crucial in preventing acute alcoholic liver injury. In this study, the hepatoprotective potential of polysaccharides from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. leaves (EULP) on acute alcoholic liver injury in Kunming male mice was investigated. The structural features suggested that the EULP appeared as a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharides with a molecular weight of 186132 Da. A 14-day pretreatment of EULP ameliorated acute alcoholic-induced hepatic inflam mation (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10), oxidative stress (GSH, SOD, and T-AOC), and liver damage (ALT and AST) via enhancing intestinal barrier (Occludin, Claudin 1, and ZO-1) and modulating microbiome, which subsequently inhibiting endotoxemia and balancing the homeostasis of the gut–liver axis. EULP restored the composition of intestinal flora with an increase in the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae and a decrease in Lachnospiraceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae. Notably, prolonged EULP pretreatment (14 days) but no single gavage of EULP achieved excellent hepatoprotection. These findings endorsed the potential of EULP as a functional food for mitigating acute alcoholic-induce d liver damage, attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and prebiotic properties facilitated by the microbiota–gut–liver axis.

This paper presents a multi-link magnetic wheeled pipeline robot (PR-I), which is a flexible and modular robotic mechanism. It is designed for inspection, cleaning or disinfection of central air conditioning ventilation duct. PR-I can adapt to complex pipeline terrain, and move in the ventilation ducts freely. A novel magnetic wheel is proposed for wall climbing, which is circumferentially embedded with rectangular permanent magnets. Firstly, the wall climbing model is established to obtain the adsorption conditions, then the effects of the magnetizing direction of the magnets, magnetic wall thickness and gap on the magnetic force are analyzed by finite element method. Finally, the optimal magnetic wheel structure is obtained through dynamic simulation analysis. The motion control of the robot is carried out in an embedded system. Two fuzzy controllers based on ranging sensor and IMU are proposed for straight motion and turning motion, and gait sequences are designed for obstacle surmounting. The performance of the robot was evaluated in a real ventilation duct. The experimental results show that PR-I has good trafficability and control performance in various terrains.

Abstract Biochar is an effective soil conditioner. However, we have limited understanding of biochar effects on the tobacco growth and bacterial communities in rhizosphere. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different straw biochar amendment (0, 2, 10, and 50 g/kg dry soil) on tobacco growth, soil properties, and bacterial communities in rhizosphere by pot trials. Most of tobacco agronomic traits increased when the application rate varied from 0 to 10 g/kg, but were inhibited by 50 g/kg of biochar application. Soil pH, SOC, available nutrients and soil urease, invertase, and acid phosphatase activities were all increased with the biochar application, whereas catalase activity decreased or remained unchanged. The OTUs and bacterial community diversity indices differed with the biochar application doses in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. And significant differences in bacterial communities were found between the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils despite the biochar addition. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla in all soil samples, but they had different abundances in different treatment influenced by the rhizosphere and biochar effect. The high dose of biochar (50 g/kg) decreased the similarity of soil bacterial community structure in rhizosphere compared with those in non-rhizosphere soil. These results provide a better understanding of the microecological benefits of straw biochar in tobacco ecosystem.

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) generally have some fatal defects, such as poor compatibility between the two phases leading to non-selective pores. In this work, PIM-1 was chosen as the polymer matrix, and UiO-66 modified with amidoxime (UiO-66-AO) was used as the filler to prepare the MMMs. In the MMMs, the amino and hydroxyl groups on UO-66-AO form a rich hydrogen bond network with the N and O atoms in the polymer PIM-1 chain to improve the compatibility between the polymer matrix and the filler. In addition, the selective adsorption of CO2 by the amidoxime group can promote the transport of CO2 in the membrane, which enhances the gas selectivity. The CO2 permeability and CO2/N2 selectivity of UiO-66-AO@PIM-1 MMMs are increased by 35.2% and 45.2% compared to pure PIM-1 membranes, reaching 7535.5 Barrer and 26.9, surpassing the Robeson Upper Bound (2008) and close to the 2019 Upper Bound. After 38 days of the aging experiment, the CO2 permeability is approximately 74% of the original. The results show that the addition of UiO-66-AO has an obvious effect on improving the aging properties of the membrane. The UiO-66-AO@PIM-1 MMMs have a bright prospect for CO2 separation in the future.

Heavy metal pollution in water, particularly Pb ion pollution, has seriously threatened human life and health. Therefore, the manufacture of efficient and sensitive heavy metal ion detection materials is essential. The objective of this study was to improve the electrochemical detection performance of laser-induced graphene (LIG) for Pb(II). Considering the excellent ion affinity and high activity of transition metals, Ni-Fe alloy coatings were prepared on the surface of LIG through jet electrodeposition. The prepared LIG and Ni-Fe/LIG were qualitatively analyzed through Raman spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface micromorphologies, charge transfer capabilities, and electrochemically active surface areas of LIG and Ni-Fe/LIG were characterized. The detection range and limit of detection (LOD) of Pb(II) for LIG and Ni-Fe /LIG as electrochemical sensors were analyzed. Results showed that compared with LIG, Ni-Fe/LIG had more surface active sites, a higher charge transfer capability, and a larger electrochemically active surface area that reached 0.828 cm2. Ni-Fe/LIG had a detection range of 20–1200 µg/L and an LOD of as low as 0.771 µg/L. Ni-Fe/LIG demonstrated a better electrochemical detection performance for Pb(II) than LIG when used as an electrochemical sensor.

Iturin A is a biosurfactant with various applications, and its low synthesis capability limits its production and application development. Fatty acids play a critical role in cellular metabolism and target product syntheses, and the relationship between fatty acid supplies and iturin A synthesis is unclear. In this study, we attempted to increase iturin A production via strengthening fatty acid synthesis pathways in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. First, acetyl-CoA carboxylase AccAD and ACP S-malonyltransferase fabD were overexpressed via promoter replacement, and iturin A yield was increased to 1.36 g/L by 2.78-fold in the resultant strain HZ-ADF1. Then, soluble acyl-ACP thioesterase derived from Escherichia coli showed the best performance for iturin A synthesis, as compared to those derived from B. amyloliquefaciens and Corynebacterium glutamicum, the introduction of which in HZ-ADF1 further led to a 57.35% increase of iturin A yield, reaching 2.14 g/L. Finally, long-chain fatty acid-CoA ligase LcfA was overexpressed in HZ-ADFT to attain the final strain HZ-ADFTL2, and iturin A yield reached 2.96 g/L, increasing by 6.59-fold, and the contents of fatty acids were enhanced significantly in HZ-ADFTL2, as compared to the original strain HZ-12. Taken together, our results implied that strengthening fatty acid supplies was an efficient approach for iturin A production, and this research provided a promising strain for industrial production of iturin A.

AbstractRockburst frequently occurs in deep multipillar gob-side entry in Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi, China. A case study of the Hongqinghe coal mine was analyzed to reveal the occurrence mechanism of rockburst in deep multipillar gob-side entry through theoretical and applied research. And new control methods were put forward. The results show that there is an essential difference between the surrounding rock load characteristics of multipillar gob-side entry and single-pillar gob-side entry. Within the influence area of the lateral goaf, more coal pillars will promote stress concentration, and the high stress concentration area will migrate to the coal pillar of mining roadway. The hanging roof of the working face can cause the stress concentration in the area of leading coal pillar to reach 5 times. The multipillar gob-side entry is less affected by the dynamic load of the roof of the lateral goaf. The ‘F-shaped and L-shaped’ stress source structure model of the deep gob-side multipillar entry was established, and the occurrence mechanism of rockburst is revealed. On the one hand, the static load of rockburst start foundation is formed under the superposition of lateral goaf, rear goaf, and multicoal pillar. On the other hand, the superposition of the foundation static load and the opportune static load induces the start of rockburst. Aiming at the two types of load sources, the fracturing method of kilometer bedding drilling in the roof of coal pillar area is proposed to reduce the foundation static load. The treatment method of periodic tendency blasting fracture of leading roadway roof in a working face reduces opportune static load. The field test has been carried out, and the effect was good.

Abstract Background Shenxian-Shengmai (SXSM) Oral Liquid is a CFDA-approved patent Chinese Herbal medicine, which has been clinically used for the treatment of bradycardia. However, its active components and action mechanism remain to be established. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of SXSM on bradycardia and to identify the possible active components and their pharmacological targets for this action. Methods A literature-based meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of SXSM on bradycardia, which was confirmed by a rat ex vivo cardiac model. Network pharmacology analysis was then conducted to reveal the potential targets of SXSM active components and their anti-arrhythmia mechanisms. Finally, the identified drug-target interaction was confirmed by immunofluorescence assay in cardiomyocyte. Results Meta-analysis of the available clinical study data shows that Shenxian-Shengmai Oral Liquid has a favorable effect for bradycardia. In an ex vivo bradycardia model of rat heart, SXSM restored heart rate by affecting Heart rate variability (HRV) which is associated with autonomic nervous system activity. A drug-target-pathway network analysis connecting SXSM components with arrhythmia suggested that a prominent anti-arrhythmia mechanisms of SXSM was via β1-adrenergic signaling pathway, which was subsequently validated by immunofluorescence assay showing that SXSM indeed increased the expression of ADRB1 in cultured cardiomyocytes. Conclusion By combining approaches of clinical evidence mining, experimental model confirmation, network pharmacology analyses and molecular mechanistic validation, we show that SXSM is an effective treatment for bradycardia and it involves multiple component interacting via multiple pathways, among which is the critical β1-adrenergic receptor upregulation. Our integrative approach could be applied to other multi-component traditional Chinese medicine investigation where ample clinical data are accumulated but advanced mechanistic studies are lacking.

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) is the substance with the highest content of triterpenoid saponins that can be extracted from licorice, and has anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anticancer functions, among others. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of GA on cognitive decline in middle-aged mice and explore its mechanisms. We injected GA by the tail vein of C57BL/6 mice and measured their cognitive levels using the Morris water maze. The Morris water maze results demonstrated that GA improved learning and memory abilities in middle-aged mice. Furthermore, the RNA-sequencing and flow cytometric analyses revealed that GA could increase T and B cells. We then confirmed the relationship between cognition and the immune system in the immune-deficient B-NDG mouse model. Our results suggest that GA improves cognition in aging mice by regulating T/B cell proliferation.