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[Display omitted] • NiS/Ti 3 C 2 T x composites with Ni-S-Ti covalent bond was synthesized successfully. • N and P are doped at the NiS/Ti 3 C 2 T x interface to adjust the electronic structure. • NP-NiS/Ti 3 C 2 T x composites has and enhanced electromagnetic waves absorption performance. The harm of electromagnetic waves on human daily life has gradually received attention, and electromagnetic waves absorption materials have been used to address this issue. MXene, as a new type of 2D material, is a very promising electromagnetic wave absorption material. In this study, NiS nanoparticles were grown on the surface of S terminated Ti 3 C 2 T x , and –S group acted as sulfur sources to construct Ti-S-Ni covalent interface directly in NiS/Ti 3 C 2 T x composites. To further regulate the interface structure and electromagnetic properties, -P and -NH 2 groups were also introduced onto the surface of MXene to achieve the N, P co-doping NiS/Ti 3 C 2 T x composites with covalent interface. By investigating the electromagnetic wave absorption performance of the composites, it was found that N and P doping could effectively enhance the electron transfer rate at the interface and optimize the conduction loss, resulting in a significant improvement in performance. The minimum reflection loss was −50.6 dB at a frequency of 15.6 GHz, and the matching thickness was only 1.14 mm with an effective absorption bandwidth of 3.6 GHz. These results provide an important references and guidance for further research and development of high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam., a medicinal and edible herb for thousands of years in Ayurveda, is used as Pancha (na) karma (purgative) during and after the body cleansing process, to treat constipation, reduce cholesterol and body weight. The aim was to investigate the diarrhea effects and possible mechanism of M. oleifera leaves in constipation rats. The hot water extract of M. oleifera leaves (WEMOL) was prepared and analyzed using LC-20AT HPLC system. The constipated rat model was induced by feeding with low fiber diet for 21 days. After oral administration of WEMOL for 7 days, the excretion parameter analysis, gastro-intestinal propulsion, histological analysis by HE and Alcian blue staining, and gastrointestinal hormone in rat's digestive tract through ELISA were used to evaluate the laxative effect of WEMOL. Label-free quantitation (LFQ) with LC-MS/MS, bioinformatics and Western blot were used to discover and verify the signal pathways and key proteins of WEMOL related to diarrhea. The contents of isoquercitrin and astragalin were 2.7 mg/g and 1.7 mg/g, respectively in WEMOL. The stool number, weight, and water content of constipation rats were significantly reduced, indicating model had been established successfully. WEMOL (1.25 and 2.5 g/kg) increased water content of feces and the levels of Gas, MTL, NPY in gastric antrum and VIP, SP in colon of constipation rats, improved the muscle layer thickness and mucin secretion of colon. The proteomics revealed a total of 1731 differential proteins and 9 signaling pathways, WEMOL increased the expression of Vamp2, Gnai3, and Prkacb. The laxative mechanism of WEMOL maybe modulate the signaling pathways mediated by 5-HT and Ach receptors, related to gastrointestinal motility and intestinal fluid secretion. It can be considered as the scientific connotation of Pancha (na) karma of M. oleifera leaves in ayurveda. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x composites with Ti-S-Mo covalent bond were synthesized. • Doping Ni element could regulate electronic structure of MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x. • Ni-MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x composites have an enhanced EMA performance. Two-dimensional MXene and its composites are among the most attractive electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) materials due to their unique structure. While previous studies have investigated 2D/2D MoS 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x heterojunctions for EMA, there is still a need for further adjustments to interface structure to enhance polarized electron density and electron transfer capacity. In this study, Cl-Ti 3 C 2 T x was prepared by Lewis acid molten salt etching of Ti 3 AlC 2 , and S-Ti 3 C 2 T x was prepared by replacing Cl with S. MoS 2 nanosheets were grown on the surface of S-Ti 3 C 2 T x by a simple hydrothermal method, forming a Ti-S-Mo covalent interface. The EMA properties of the composites were further optimized by adjusting the interface oriented polarization and electronic structure through Ni doping. Compared to MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x , the electromagnetic wave absorption performance of Ni-MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x had been significantly improved. When the Ni doping amount was 0.086 mmol, the minimum reflection loss of Ni-MoS 2 /TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x could reach −48.04 dB at 8.64 GHz, with an effective absorption bandwidth of 3.28 GHz. This study provides theoretical basis and experimental evidence for the follow-up research of MXene-based composite EMA materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) can ameliorate ischemic injury of various tissues. However, the molecular mechanisms involved remain to be clarified. In this study, we intend to investigate the effects of BMSC‐derived conditioned medium (BMSC‐CM) on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced injury of H9c2 myocardial cells, and the potential mechanisms. Cell injury was determined through level of cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, total intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and cell apoptosis. Autophagic activity of cells was detected through levels of the autophagy‐associated proteins and autophagic flux. Results showed that BMSC‐CM alleviated H/R‐induced injury in H9c2 cells, as demonstrated by increased cell viability and Δψm, decreased ROS production, LDH release, and cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the H/R treatment induced a decrease in autophagic activity and an increase in Notch2 signaling activation in H9c2 cells. In the presence of BMSC‐CM, the autophagic activity impaired by the H/R treatment was upregulated with decreased phosphorylation of mTOR, and the activation of Notch2 signaling was downregulated. These effects of BMSC‐CM could be replicated by Notch signaling inhibitor. In contrast, inhibitors of cell autophagy including chloroquine (CQ) and 3‐methyladenine, diminished the protective effects of BMSC‐CM. Taken together results, our study showed that BMSC‐CM could protect H9c2 cells from H/R‐induced injury potentially through regulating Notch2/mTOR/autophagy signaling. These findings may provide a novel insight into the mechanisms of BMSC‐CM in therapy of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury as well as other ischemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HFD stressed GluA3-/Y mice showed significant lower levels of sociability preference for social novelty than wild type. • GluA3-/Y mice showed working spatial memory behavior impairment in Y-maze test and abnormal anxiety in open-field test. • GluA3-/Y mice displayed both low social approach and resistance to change in routine on the T-maze. Cognitive impairment in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) is characterized by developmental delay and deficits in language and memory. Ionotropic AMPA mediate the majority of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system and are essential for the induction and maintenances of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), two cellular models of learning and memory underlie many the symptoms of ID. Clinical research has found obese male patients with GluA3 interrupted underlie the symptom of ID. We tested GluA3-/Y mice under high fat diet (HFD) stress on a series of behavioral paradigms associated with symptoms of ID: wild type mice showed significant levels of sociability, while GluA3-/Y mice did not. Wild type mice showed significant preference for social novelty, while GluA3-/Y mice did not. Normal scores on relevant control measures confirmed general health and physical abilities in both GluA3-/Y and wild type mice (WT), ruling out artifactual explanations for social deficits. GluA3-/Y mice also showed working spatial memory behavior impairment in Y-maze test and abnormal anxiety in open-field test, compared to wild-type littermate controls. GluA3-/Y mice had a significantly reduced spontaneous activities tested by elevated plus maze, display both low social approach and resistance to change in routine on the T-maze, consistent with an ID-like phenotype. These findings demonstrate that selective gene deletion of GluA3 receptor in male mice under oxidative stress induced phenotypic abnormalities related to ID-like symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottlebrush polymers are a type of branched or graft polymer with polymeric side-chains attached to a linear backbone, and the unusual architectures of bottlebrushes provide a number of unique and potentially useful properties. These include a high entanglement molecular weight, enabling rapid self-assembly of bottlebrush block copolymers into large domain structures, the self-assembly of bottlebrush block copolymer micelles in a selective solvent even at very low dilutions, and the functionalization of bottlebrush side-chains for recognition, imaging, or drug delivery in aqueous environments. This review article focuses on recent developments in the field of bottlebrush polymers with an emphasis on applications of bottlebrush copolymers. Bottlebrush copolymers contain two (or more) different types of polymeric side-chains. Recent work has explored the diverse properties and functions of bottlebrush polymers and copolymers in solutions, films, and melts, and applications explored include photonic materials, bottlebrush films for lithographic patterning, drug delivery, and tumor detection and imaging. We provide a brief introduction to bottlebrush synthesis and physical properties and then discuss work related to: (i) bottlebrush self-assembly in melts and bulk thin films, (ii) bottlebrushes for photonics and lithography, (iii) bottlebrushes for small molecule encapsulation and delivery in solution, and (iv) bottlebrush micelles and assemblies in solution. We briefly discuss three potential areas for future research, including developing a more quantitative model of bottlebrush self-assembly in the bulk, studying the properties of bottlebrushes at interfaces, and investigating the solution assembly of bottlebrush copolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottlebrush polymers contain polymericside-chains attached to a linear polymer backbone, and they are currentlyof interest for a variety of potential applications that include drugdelivery, tailored surface wettability, and self-assembled photonics.These polymers are challenging to synthesize in large quantities,so for practical applications, it is of interest to study their propertiesas additives for low-cost linear polymers. In this work, we examinethe phase behavior of bottlebrush polystyrene (PS) and linear deuteratedpolystyrene (dPS) in thin films. These nearly athermal systems exhibitwetting and dewetting transitions that drive bottlebrush dispersionor aggregation, respectively, and these effects depend on the relativedegrees of polymerization of matrix chains Nmto those of bottlebrush side-chains Nsc. When Nm/Nscis low (≤1.6), the bottlebrushes are dispersed throughoutthe film thickness with a slight excess at the free surface and substrateinterfaces. When Nm/Nscis high (≥8), the bottlebrushes are depletedfrom the interior of the film and strongly segregated at the interfaces.The interfacial excess is driven by an entropic depletion attractioneffect: larger branched molecules are adsorbed (attracted) to theinterfaces, and the linear chains are displaced to the film’sinterior where they gain conformational entropy. The bottlebrushesprefer to accumulate at the silicon substrate over the air interface,and this may be driven by the more restrictive condition of a hardboundary or weak van der Waals interactions with the underlying silicon.These studies demonstrate that low concentrations of certain bottlebrushpolymer architectures can generate brushlike surfaces and interfacesin any thermoplastic material through a spontaneous, entropy-drivensegregation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Driving simulation data and naturalistic driving data are verified mutually. • Distribution of ' speed-spacing-TTCi ' is applied to classify the risky state. • Intervention methods include visual, acoustics and acousto-optical. • The three-level graded alarm is calibrated by driving styles. Rear-end collision and side collision are two types of accidents with the highest accident rate in the world. Numerous studies have focused on rear-end accident research, but only a few constructive countermeasures are put forward. Driving risk evolution at the driver operational level before an accident is critical to collision avoidance. This paper puts forward a driver operational level identification of driving risk and graded alarm under near-crash conditions. Firstly, driving simulation is utilized to acquire the operation data of SV (subjective vehicle) under the condition of emergent deceleration of LV (leading vehicle). The kinematic model is built to characterize the law of the risk discrimination indices of SV including THW (time headway), SHW (space headway) and TTCi (the reciprocal of time to collision). The predicted results are consistent with the naturalistic driving data. Secondly, the three-dimensional distribution ' speed-spacing-TTCi ' is applied to classify the risky driving state of SV. The precarious distribution is concentrated at the area where relative velocity increased to 23–40 km/h and spacing decreased to 18–30 m. Finally, based on the reaction time and braking distance reduction, the optimal external intervention is determined to be the acousto-optic way by driving simulation. For moderate drivers, a three-level alarm of 2.94 s, 1.94 s and 1.1 s is calibrated considering different driving styles and cumulative frequency curve of reaction time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottlebrush polymers are highly branchedmacromolecules with potentialapplications in antifouling coatings, rheological modifiers, and drugdelivery systems. However, the solution conformation of bottlebrushpolymers has been studied in only a limited set of materials madeprimarily by grafting-from polymerization. Here we present small-angleneutron scattering (SANS) measurements on a series of polystyrenebottlebrush polymers with varying side-chain and backbone lengthsin d8-toluene to analyze their size, shape,and conformation. Bottlebrush polymers with 2–7 kg mol–1polystyrene side chains (degree of polymerizationDP = 14–54) and poly(oxanorbornene) backbones (DP = 10–264)were synthesized using reversible addition–fragmentation chaintransfer (RAFT) followed by a ring-opening metathesis polymerization(ROMP) grafting-through synthesis scheme. Analysis by Guinier–Porod,rigid cylinder, and flexible cylinder models provided estimates ofthe bottlebrush polymer length, radius, and stiffness. The bottlebrushpolymer cross-sectional area depends primarily on side-chain DP, andthe radius of gyration Rgexhibits a power-lawdependence with side-chain DP. We also observe a sphere-to-cylindertransition with increasing backbone DP, with the transition occurringat a backbone DP of approximately 120 for the polystyrene bottlebrushpolymers studied. The maximum molecular dimension for the series studiedvaries from 25 to 350 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and objective: Matrix Gla protein (MGP) has been recognized as a potent calcification inhibitor and a regulator for bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). The periodontal ligament (PDL) is a non-mineralized connective tissue located between two mineralized tissues, the cementum and the alveolar bone. However, the mechanism by which PDL prevents mineralization has yet to be defined. This study aims to examine the expression pattern of MGP and BMP-2 during human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) osteogenic differentiation in vitro, preliminarily exploring their roles in this process. Materials and methods: hPDLCs were obtained and cultured in mineralizing medium. The expression of MGP and BMP-2 was confirmed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. In the process of osteogenic induction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, extracelluar calcium deposition, and mineralized nodules were measured. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed to evaluate mRNA expression of MGP, BMP-2 and osteogenic marker genes, including ALP, bone sialoprotein (BSP), type I collagen (COLI), osteocalcin (OCN), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). The protein expression of MGP and BMP-2 was analyzed by western blotting. Results: Co-localization of MGP and BMP-2 was visualized in hPDLCs. After osteogenic induction, ALP activity, calcium deposition, mineralized nodules, and osteogenic marker genes were significantly up-regulated. mRNA expression of MGP and BMP-2 generally decreased, although MGP mRNA increased on day 14 and 21 compared with the control, and protein expression of MGP and BMP-2 was down-regulated. Conclusion: Our results indicate that MGP might regulate hPDLCs osteogenic differentiation which might keep a potential relationship with BMP-2 in this process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bottlebrush polymer thin films may be attractive forthe preparationof antifouling and/or stimuli-responsive surface coatings due to thehigh grafting density and conformational flexibility of polymericside chains, but bottlebrush polymer thin films have not been previouslyreported and their surface properties are unknown. Herein, we reporta study of the surface properties of mixed bottlebrush polymer (MBBPs)films. MBBPs with hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) and hydrophilic poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) side chains are synthesized using a “grafting-through”ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) approach. Stimuli-responsiveMBBPs films are prepared by spin-casting a solution of MBBPs ontoa solid surface, and the resulting film morphology and surface propertiesare characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), grazing-incidencesmall-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), water contact angle measurements,and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The water contact anglesof MBBPs films decrease or increase upon exposure of the MBBPs filmsto selective solvents methanol or cyclohexane, respectively. Thiscontact angle change is dependent on the length of the PEG side chain;longer PEG side chains result in greater contact angle changes withsolvent exposure. Consistent with water-contact angle measurements,XPS indicates enrichment of PEG or PS chains at the film surface afterexposure of the MBBPs film to methanol or cyclohexane solvent vapors,respectively. Finally, it is demonstrated that bottlebrush polymerfilms can be stabilized by the addition of a radical cross-linkerand irradiation with UV light. This work demonstrates that bottlebrushpolymers enable the preparation of stimuli-responsive, “brush-like”polymeric coatings using simple solution processing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nearly monodisperse nanoparticles were synthesized by an environmentally benign low-temperature (140–180°C) method involving pressure-induced decomposition of metal oleates in alcohol. XRD and TEM were employed in the characterization of the samples. In this study, Fe3O4, CoO, MnO, CoFe2O4, MnFe2O4, and a mixture of Ni, NiO, Ni2O3 nanoparticles, exhibiting various shapes and assemblies, were obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Effect of intake conditions on GCI combustion was investigated with low-octane gasoline. • Both low-temperature and high-temperature reactions affect GCI combustion processes. • Pressure promotes low-temperature reaction and temperature/equivalence ratio suppresses it. • High-temperature heat release is sensitive to octane sensitivity due to toluene blending. • Cool flame appears in fuel-lean region while hot flame kernel initiates in fuel-rich region. Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) engines favor low-octane fuels (RON = 60–80). However, low-octane fuels possessing low-temperature reactions strongly interact with in-cylinder thermodynamic conditions, which in turn significantly affect GCI combustion characteristics. In this work, using a toluene primary reference fuel (TPRF) with RON = 75, the effects of intake pressure and temperature on combustion evolutions, low-temperature heat release (LTHR), high-temperature heat release (HTHR), and indicated thermal efficiency were numerically investigated in a single-cylinder GCI engine, allowing for the role of octane sensitivity. An early injection timing was considered to obtain relatively homogeneous mixtures and large variations in intake pressure were employed to simulate low to medium loads. The results show that for a given equivalence ratio, the peak of the LTHR and HTHR and the main combustion phasing positively correlates with intake pressure. However, an opposite tendency in the peak of the HTHR is observed for a fixed amount of fuel injection. When octane sensitivity is elevated, the peak of in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate is reduced and ignition timing is retarded, especially for the HTHR. Elevating intake temperature facilitates high-temperature combustion while suppresses low-temperature reactions, which results in nonlinear variations in combustion phasing at a certain range of intake temperatures. The correlations of operating conditions and combustion evolutions are evaluated by pressure-temperature trajectory and Livengood-Wu integration, which indicates the significance of intake pressure in GCI combustion. Finally, combustion evolutions show that low-temperature reactions first take place at fuel-lean regions and hot flame pockets develop in fuel-rich regions, which suggests that low-temperature ignition is more sensitive to ambient temperatures while high-temperature ignition is more dependent on equivalence ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High Co-Ni steel was successfully synthesized by SPS and deformation process. • The ultra-high strength of 1997.3 MPa and good ductility of 11% was achieved. • The strengthening mechanism of the SPSed high Co-Ni steel was revealed. A combination of spark plasma sintering and deformation was developed to fabricate ultra-high strength steel with good ductility in this investigation. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the produced M54 steel were subsequently investigated. Martensite matrix produced by distinctive mechanism of spark plasma sintering led to ultra-high strength of the specimen S and D. Also, the specimen D exhibited good ductility due to gradually closing of micro-pores during SPS compression. Thus, based on the combined procedures, the produced high Co-Ni steel directly achieved ultra-high strength and good ductility without complicated traditional heat treatment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a significant global health issue, necessitating novel therapeutic interventions. In our latest study, we pioneered the use of D-mannitol–cerium–quercetin/rutin coordination polymer nanoparticles (MCQ/R NPs) as a potential treatment for ALI. The MCQ/R NPs, which integrate rutin and quercetin for their therapeutic potential and D-mannitol for its pulmonary targeting, displayed exceptional efficacy. By utilizing cerium ions for optimal nanoparticle assembly, the MCQ/R NPs demonstrated an average size of less than 160 nm. Impressively, these nanoparticles outperformed conventional treatments in both antioxidative capabilities and biocompatibility. Moreover, our in vivo studies on LPS-induced ALI mice showed a significant reduction in lung tissue inflammation. This groundbreaking research presents MCQ/R NPs as a promising new approach in ALI therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 compound was prepared by the sol-gel means and sintered at different temperatures. The effect of sintering temperature on the electrical properties and diffusion behavior of oxygen ions was systematically studied. The bulk conductivity of Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 compound increases first and then decreases with the increase of sintering temperature. At the sintering temperature of 1273 K, the highest bulk conductivity of the Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 sample can reach up to 3.35 × 10-4 S/cm. The total conductivity of the Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 sample shows a monotonous upward trend with increasing sintering temperature. The internal friction spectrum results present that the oxygen vacancy concentration and the relaxation activation energy of the Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 sample show an upward trend, but the mobility of the oxygen vacancy diffusion decreases with the sintering temperature. The Na 0.54 Bi 0.46 TiO 2.96 sample sintered at 1273 K is characterized by a higher oxygen vacancy concentration and mobility, resulting in the high grain conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy oxides (HEOs) have been considered promising novel photocatalytic materials due to their tunable compositions, bandgaps, and excellent thermal stability. Investigating the effects of molar ratio of single atoms in HEOs on their crystal structure, defects, and band structures is crucial for realizing their potential photocatalytic applications. We designed and synthesized (La 0.2 Ce 0.2 Gd 0.2 Zr 0.2 Fe x)O 2 HEOs by varying the molar ratio of Fe to study its influence on the atomic arrangement, crystal structure, defects, and optoelectronic properties. With increasing molar ratio of Fe, the valence band position of (La 0.2 Ce 0.2 Gd 0.2 Zr 0.2 Fe x)O 2 gradually decreased, the crystal structure became more ordered, and the defects decreased. Among them, (La 0.2 Ce 0.2 Gd 0.2 Zr 0.2 Fe 0.05)O 2 (H-1) had an appropriate band structure and abundant defects, exhibiting excellent photocatalytic performance. The results showed that the degradation rate of tetracycline reached 95.4% under visible light irradiation for 3 h. After five cycles, its structure and photocatalytic performance remained unchanged. This study lays the foundation for further exploration and optimization of high-entropy oxides for photocatalytic applications. • The Fe ratio impacts (La 0.2 Ce 0.2 Gd 0.2 Zr 0.2 Fe x)O 2 's structure, defects, and bandgap. • Defects in high-entropy oxides impact photogenerated carrier transport. • (La 0.2 Ce 0.2 Gd 0.2 Zr 0.2 Fe x)O 2 has excellent photocatalytic degradation of TCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, manifested by reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). The regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) in islets is an endogenous inhibitor of calcium-activated protein phosphatase. Previous studies have indicated that global RCAN1 overexpression under high nutrient stress is involved in insulin resistance in T2D. However, the specific role and mechanism of this gene's overexpression in pancreatic β-cells have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. Results: In this study, we showed that mice overexpressing islet-specific RCAN1 exhibited a prediabetic phenotype with markedly reduced GSIS under nutrient stress. Overexpression of RCAN1 increased the autophagy-associated DNA methylation level of Beclin-1 suppressing the induction of autophagy, affected the protein kinase B, and downregulated the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin, leading to Miro1-mediated mitophagy deficiency. Furthermore, the exacerbated impairment of autophagy induction and mitophagy flux failures induced β-cell apoptosis, resulting in GSIS impairment, lipid imbalance, and NOD-like receptor 3 proinflammation under high nutrient stress in mice. Innovation: Our present data identify a detrimental effect of RCAN1 overexpression on Miro1-mediated mitophagy deficiency and β-cell dysfunction in high-fat diet-fed RCAN1 overexpressing mice. Conclusion: Our results revealed that strategies targeting RCAN1 in vivo may provide a therapeutic target to enhance β-cell mitophagy quality and may determine the crucial factor in T2D development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind farm (OWF) is considered as a perfect zero‐carbon energy source for the future power system. However, the growing offshore distance and water depth of OWF make the OWF HVDC transmission technique a more promising solution than HVAC due to higher cost‐efficiency and reliability. In this paper, the current situation of OWF‐HVDC projects is introduced at first. Then, novel converter topologies with the higher power density and cost‐efficiency are presented, including the hybrid modular multilevel converter (MMC), alternative arm converter (AAC), and diode rectifier (DR). Next, several OWF HVDC transmission system topologies are introduced, including terminal‐hybrid, station‐hybrid and all‐DC delivered system. Furthermore, the key technologies for OWF HVDC operation and control are summarized, including grid‐forming control strategy for offshore wind turbines, stability analysis method, corresponding stability enhancement measures and frequency support control strategies. Additionally, the fault ride‐through and protection strategies for different fault locations have been presented. Finally, the main conclusions and prospects for OWF HVDC are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for ‘Structure, function, self-assembly, and applications of bottlebrush copolymers’ by Rafael Verduzco et al., Chem. Soc. Rev., 2015, 44, 2405–2420. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cell metastasis is a major cause of cancer death. Unfortunately, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown, which results in the lack of efficient diagnosis, therapy and prevention approaches. Nevertheless, the dysregulation of the cancer cell secretome is known to play key roles in tumor transformation and progression. The majority of proteins in the secretome are secretory proteins and membrane-released proteins, and, mostly, the glycosylated proteins. Until recently, few studies have explored protein N-glycosylation changes in the secretome, although protein glycosylation has received increasing attention in the study of tumor development processes. Here, the N-glycoproteins in the secretome of two human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with low (MHCC97L) or high (HCCLM3) metastatic potential were investigated with a in-depth characterization of the N-glycosites by combining two general glycopeptide enrichment approaches, hydrazide chemistry and zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography (zic-HILIC), with mass spectrometry analysis. A total of 1,213 unique N-glycosites from 611 N-glycoproteins were confidently identified. These N-glycoproteins were primarily localized to the extracellular space and plasma membrane, supporting the important role of N-glycosylation in the secretory pathway. Coupling label-free quantification with a hierarchical clustering strategy, we determined the differential regulation of several N-glycoproteins that are related to metastasis, among which AFP, DKK1, FN1, CD151 and TGFβ2 were up-regulated in HCCLM3 cells. The inclusion of the well-known metastasis-related proteins AFP and DKK1 in this list provides solid supports for our study. Further western blotting experiments detecting FN1 and FAT1 confirmed our discovery. The glycoproteome strategy in this study provides an effective means to explore potential cancer biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell therapy is the frontier technology of biotechnology innovation and the most promising method for the treatment of refractory diseases such as tumours. However, cell therapy has disadvantages, such as toxicity and poor therapeutic effects. Plant extracts are natural, widely available, and contain active small molecule ingredients that are widely used in the treatment of various diseases. By studying the effect of plant extracts on cell therapy, active plant extracts that have positive significance in cell therapy can be discovered, and certain contributions to solving the current problems of attenuation and adjuvant therapy in cell therapy can be made. Therefore, this article reviews the currently reported effects of plant extracts in stem cell therapy and immune cell therapy, especially the effects of plant extracts on the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and nerve stem cells and the potential role of plant extracts in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy (CAR-T) and T-cell receptor modified T-cell immunotherapy (TCR-T), in the hope of encouraging further research and clinical application of plant extracts in cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis is a reliable method to solve energy crisis and generate green energy hydrogen. ZnO@ZnS (ZOS) formed heterojunction repressed carrier complexation and thus enhanced photocatalytic performance, but its low photoresponse efficiency limited its photocatalytic performance. Therefore, in this paper, ZnO@ZnS was modified with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to form ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH composites with coupling interface. The modification of EDTA could inhibite the oxidation of FeOOH during the synthesis process, and what's more it could enhance the charge transfer at the heterojunction interface to promote the separation of electron-hole pairs and photoresponsive ability to further enhanced the hydrogen precipitation performance. The concentration of EDTA and Fe sources were regulated to investigate the photocatalytic hydrogen production capacity of the composites. The results indicated that the ternary composite ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH had the superior hydrogen evolution performance with the hydrogen evolution rate of 529.17 umol g−1 h−1, which was 2.4 times higher than that of ZOS. EDTA acts as an electron channel to enhance the inter-interfacial electron transfer capability, and the loading of FeOOH formed a heterojunction structure, which promoted carrier separation and enhanced the photoresponse. It's the synergistic effect to enhanced the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance. This paper provided a method for the construction of ternary heterojunctions and interfacial charge transport channels. [Display omitted] • EDTA was coated on ZnO@ZnS to form ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH. • EDTA facilitates the growth of FeOOH avoiding oxidation on the surface of ZnO@ZnS. • EDTA as an electron channel, enhanced the interfacial electron transport capacity. • The ZnO@ZnS@FeOOH exhibited photocatalytic activity of 529.17 umol g−1 h−1 of H 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel preparation process consisting of four stages has been successfully developed to produce Ti 52 Al 48 (at.%) intermetallic compound porous material based on the combined action of making pores arising from the replication of space holders and Kirkendall effect. The porous TiAl exhibits a typical double pore structure, millimeter pores distributed in matrix and micrometer pores embedded in pore walls and struts. Moreover a complete open-cellular structure and homogeneous distribution can be observed and the porosity even more than 80% can be easily achieved. Compressive tests and micrograph observation illustrate that the most suitable sintering temperature should be around 1400 °C for the porous TiAl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Al75V12.5Fe12.5 − x Cu x (x =0, 6.25, and 12.5 at%) amorphous powders were synthesized by MA. [•] Bulk Al75V12.5Fe12.5 amorphous alloy is obtained by means of hydraulic pressing. [•] The Vickers microhardness of bulk sample is in the range of 821-927 HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angong Niuhuang Wan (AGNHW) is a prescription from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used for centuries to treat ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS). According to a recent study, targeting ferroptosis might be effective in the management of IS and HS. However, the ferroptosis-related effects and mechanisms of AGNHW have not yet been reported. This research examines the anti-ferroptosis mechanisms of AGNHW in the treatment of IS and HS. A system pharmacological approach including in vivo experiment, UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, network pharmacology, molecular docking, microscale thermophoresis, and in vitro experiment was utilized to study the anti-ferroptosis mechanisms of AGNHW against IS and HS. In vivo experiments indicated that AGNHW enhanced nerve function, decreased cerebral infarct volume, ameliorated histological brain injuries, improved the structural integrity of the blood-brain barrier, ameliorated the mitochondrial dysfunction and morphology disruption, and inhibits ROS, LPO and Fe2+ accumulations in IS and HS rats. Using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS, the key ingredients of AGNHW-containing serum were identified as bilirubin, berberine, baicalin, and wogonoside. According to the network pharmacology analyses, AGNHW could inhibit ferroptosis by modulating the PPAR and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. The core targets are PPARγ, AKT, and GPX4. Molecular docking and microscale thermophoresis experiments further revealed that the key ingredients have strong interactions with ferroptosis-regulating core proteins. Moreover, in vitro experiment results showed that AGNHW alleviated ferroptosis injury induced by erastin in PC12 cells, increased cell viability, reduced the LPO and Fe2+ levels, and up-regulated mRNA expressions of PPARγ, AKT, and GPX4. AGNHW also up-regulated protein expressions of PPARγ, p-AKT/AKT, and GPX4 in IS and HS rats. AGNHW attenuated ferroptosis in treating IS and HS by targeting the PPARγ/AKT/GPX4 pathway. This work reveals AGNHW's anti-ferroptosis mechanism against IS and HS, but it also develops an integrated approach to demonstrate the common characteristics of drugs in treating different diseases. [Display omitted] • Angong Niuhuang Wan (AGNHW) is used for treating ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) by eliminating phlegm and clearing heat. • Mechanism of AGNHW against IS and HS was related to inhibiting oxidative stress-induced ferroptosis in neurons. • Regulation of oxidative stress-induced ferroptosis in neurons was mediated by PPARγ/AKT/GPX4 pathway. • Bilirubin, berberine, baicalin, and wogonoside were the key active ingredients of AGNHW against IS and HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical performance and relaxation behavior of Na+ doped BaBiNb 5 O 15 compound were investigated. The grain conductivity of the BaBi 0.96 Na 0.04 Nb 5 O 15-δ compound is 4.71 × 10−5 S/cm at 763 K, which is an order of magnitude lower than the parent sample at the same measuring temperature. The highest total conductivity of the BaBi 0.96 Na 0.04 Nb 5 O 15-δ and BaBiNb 5 O 15 sample can reach 1.12 × 10−4 S/cm and 4.0 × 10−5 S/cm at 643 K, respectively, which indicates that the slight Na+ doping can improve the total conductivity. A dielectric relaxation peak related to thermal activation was observed. The activation energy values are E = 0.47 eV for BaBiNb 5 O 15 sample, and E = 0.49 eV for BaBi 0.96 Na 0.04 Nb 5 O 15-δ sample, which indicates that the relaxation activation energy increases with the Bi3+ ions partially replaced by Na+ ions in the BaBiNb 5 O 15 compound. In addition, the oxygen relaxation peak position shifts to the low-frequency direction, which indicates that Na+ ions doping causes the decrease of oxygen vacancy mobility. The lower oxygen vacancy mobility results in the lower grain conductivity in the BaBi 0.96 Na 0.04 Nb 5 O 15-δ sample. After aging for the different time at 773 K, the excellent thermal stability of the BaBi 0.96 Na 0.04 Nb 5 O 15-δ sample can be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cuticle formed in the uterus is the outermost layer as the first defense line of eggshell against microbial invasions in most avian species, and analyzing its genetic regulation and influencing factors are of great importance to egg biosecurity in poultry production worldwide. The current study compared the uterine transcriptome and proteome of laying hens producing eggs with good and poor cuticle quality (GC and PC, the top and tail of the cuticle quality distribution), and identified several genes involved with eggshell cuticle quality (ESCQ). Overall, transcriptomic analysis identified 53 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PC versus GC group hens, among which 25 were up-regulated and 28 were down-regulated. No differences were found in the uterine proteome. Several DEGs, including PTGDS, PLCG2, ADM and PRLR related to uterine functions and reproductive hormones, were validated by qPCR analysis. Egg quality measurements between GC and PC hens showed GC hens had longer laying interval between two consecutive ovipositions (25.64 ± 1.23 vs 24.94 ± 1.12 h) and thicker eggshell thickness (352.01 ± 23.04 vs 316.20 ± 30.58 μm) (P < 0.05). Apart from eggshell traits, other egg quality traits didn't differ. The result demonstrated eggshell and cuticle deposition duration in the uterus is one of the major factors affecting ESCQ in laying hens. PTGDS, PLCG2, ADM and PRLR genes were discovered and might play crucial roles in cuticle deposition by regulating the uterine muscular activities and secretion function. The findings in the present study provide new insights into the genetic regulation of cuticle deposition in laying hens and establish a foundation for further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Response surface methodology described the effects of salt, lactic acid, shortening, and exogenous trehalose and dough mixing temperature (DMT) and their interactions on the three rheological and fermentation parameters. These included maximum dough height (Hm), maximum height of gas release (Hm′) and CO2 production, measured by the Rheofermentometer F3, and bread specific volume (Sp. Vol.) of frozen sweet dough. The models could estimate the four parameters with R 2 values of 0.76, 0.69, 0.93, and 0.59, respectively. Salt significantly influenced all four parameters in a negative way. DMT affected positively the Hm and Sp. Vol. of bread. Lactic acid affected Hm only, but its interactions with other variables influenced all four parameters. Shortening level affected Hm′ and CO2 production positively and Sp. Vol. negatively. The added exogenous trehalose improved Hm, Hm′, and CO2 production significantly, but not the Sp. Vol. of bread. Among the three Rheofermentometer parameters, Hm showed the highest correlation with Sp. Vol. (R 2 =0.75). DMT for the maximum Hm and Sp. Vol. varied with the level of other ingredients. Trehalose alone could not overcome the challenges in a sweet frozen dough system to improve the Sp. Vol., and its combined effects with other ingredients will need to be evaluated to restore the impaired gas retention of the frozen sweet dough. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The synthesis of nanoparticles via the decomposition of organometallic compounds has been studied extensively, but the effect of pressure has received little attention. Here we firstly focus on the pressure effect, and utilize it as well as the solvent and temperature effects to develop a “green” cheap low-temperature (140–200°C) strategy via the decomposition of iron oleate in alcohol (or other alkanols) using oleic acid as the protecting reagent. The obtained monodisperse Fe3O4 nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit satisfying superparamagnetism. The mechanism of the process has been investigated and it was shown both high pressure and alkanol as the solvent can facilitate the formation of magnetite NCs. Furthermore, the solvent used in the preparation can control the shape, size and dispersion of NCs. In addition, the effects of reactant concentration, reaction time, temperature, and the mol ratio of oleic acid on the Fe3O4 NCs have also been discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Activation of pro-inflammatory microglia is an important mechanism of the cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R)-induced neuronal injury and dysfunction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) together with their paracrine factors demonstrated curative potential in immune disorders and inflammatory diseases, as well as in ischemic diseases. However, it remains unclear whether conditioned medium from MSCs could effectively regulate the activation and polarization of microglia exposed to I/R stimulation. In this study, we investigated the effects of conditioned medium from bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs-CM) on I/R-stimulated microglia and the potential mechanism involved, as well as the way to obtain more effective BMSCs-CM. First, cell model of oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) was established in microglia to mimic the I/R. BMSCs-CM from different culture conditions (normoxic: 21% O2; hypoxic: 1% O2; hypoxia preconditioning: preconditioning with 1% O2 for 24 h) was used to treat the microglia. Our results showed that BMSCs-CM effectively promoted the survival and alleviated the injury of microglia. Moreover, in microglia exposed to OGD/R, BMSCs-CM inhibited significantly the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), CD86 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, whereas upregulated the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), CD206 and Arginase-1. These results suggested that BMSCs-CM promoted the polarization of anti-inflammatory microglia. In particular, BMSCs-CM from cultures with hypoxia preconditioning was more effective in alleviating cell injury and promoting anti-inflammatory microglia polarization than BMSCs-CM from normoxic cultures and from hypoxic cultures. Furthermore, inhibition of exosomes secretion could largely mitigate these effects of BMSCs-CM. In conclusion, our results suggested that hypoxia preconditioning of BMSCs could enhance the efficacy of BMSCs-CM in alleviating OGD/R-induced injury and in promoting the anti-inflammatory polarization of microglia, and these beneficial effects of BMSCs-CM owed substantially to exosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

He-charged Cu films were prepared at room temperature by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering in a He/Ar mixed atmosphere. Morphological changes, He desorption behaviors, and He bubble evolution of He-charged Cu films after the annealing treatments at different temperatures were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The results of SEM revealed that some blisters and pinholes were found at the surface and cross-section of He-charged Cu films after the annealing. The results of TDS profiles suggested that different kinds of He could be introduced into Cu films by a magnetron sputtering method. TEM analysis suggested that nano-sized He bubbles could be formed in as-deposited Cu films, and He bubble size increased with the increasing annealing temperature. The growth mechanism of helium bubbles in Cu film was suggested to originate from the migration and coalescence (MC) mechanism. • Blisters and pinholes can be formed in He-charged Cu film after the annealing. • Different kinds of He can be introduced into Cu films by means of direct current magnetron sputtering. • The growth mechanism of helium bubbles in Cu film should be the migration and coalescence mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cytokine storm (CS) is a rapidly occurring, complex, and highly lethal systemic acute inflammatory response induced by pathogens and other factors. Currently, no clinical therapeutic drugs are available with a significant effect and minimal side effects. Given the pathogenesis of CS, natural products have become important resources for bioactive agents in the discovery of anti-CS drugs. This study aimed to provide guidance for preventing and treating CS-related diseases by reviewing the natural products identified to inhibit CS in recent years. A comprehensive literature review was conducted on CS and natural products, utilizing databases such as PubMed and Web of Science. The quality of the studies was evaluated and summarized for further analysis. This study summarized more than 30 types of natural products, including 9 classes of flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids, among others. In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that these natural products could effectively inhibit CS via nuclear factor kappa-B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. Moreover, the enzyme inhibition assays revealed that more than 20 chemical components had the potential to inhibit ACE2, 3CL-protease, and papain-like protease activity. The experimental results were obtained using advanced technologies such as biochips and omics. Various natural compounds in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts could directly or indirectly inhibit CS occurrence, potentially serving as effective drugs for treating CS-related diseases. This study may guide further exploration of the therapeutic effects and biochemical mechanisms of natural products on CS. [Display omitted] • Initially reviews the potential natural products for the treatment of cytokine storm. • Initially summarizes target proteins for natural products treating cytokine storm. • Initially summarizes the pathways of natural products inhibiting cytokine storm. • Investigates the potential targets- ACE2、3CLpro、PLpro based enzyme inhibition assays. • Initially summarizes technical methods in investigated relevant research experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine offer unique advantages in mitigating and preventing early or intermediate stage for treating heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to assess the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of Xin-shu-bao (XSB) at different stages of HF following induction of a myocardial infarction (MI) in mice and use mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify potential therapeutic targets for different stages of HF based on the molecular changes following XSB treatment. XSB had high cardioprotective efficacy in the pre-HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) stages, but had a weak or no effect in the post-HFrEF stages. This was supported by echocardiographic measurements showing that XSB decreased ejection fraction and fractional shortening in HF. XSB administration improved cardiac function in the pre- and post-HFrEF mouse model, ameliorated deleterious changes to the morphology and subcellular structure of cardiomyocytes, and reduced cardiac fibrosis. Proteomics analysis showed that XSB intervention exclusively targeted thrombomodulin (THBD) and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) proteins when administered to the mice for both 8 and 6 weeks. Furthermore, XSB intervention for 8, 6, and 4 weeks after MI induction increased the expression of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) and decreased arrestin β1 (ARRB1), which are classic biomarkers of cardiac fibroblast transformation and collagen synthesis, respectively. Overall, the study suggests that early intervention with XSB could be an effective strategy for preventing HFrEF and highlights potential therapeutic targets for further investigation into HFrEF remediation strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issues of existing powder metallurgy particle reinforced composites, such as poor wettability between ceramic reinforcement and Al matrix, the toxicity of quasicrystal, the compositional limitations of high entropy alloy, and poor thermal stability of amorphous alloy reinforcement, etc. Al matrix composites reinforced with Co-based hard particles (M7) were synthesized by a powder metallurgy process. The effects of sintering temperature, M7 hard particle content, and particle size on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of the composites were investigated. The results show that as the sintering temperature rises, the interdiffusion reaction between M7 particles and Al matrix is enhanced, the diffusion layer becomes thicker, the in-situ generated intermetallic compounds such as Al 3 Ni 2 , Al 13 Cr 2 , Co 2 Al 9 and Al 72.5 Co 16.5 Ni 11 become more abundant, and parts of M7 particles gradually dissolve in the Al matrix and the interdiffusion layer disappeared. When the sintering temperature was raised from 580°C to 640°C, the microhardness and yield strength were improved from 23.9 to 34.7 HV 0.1 and 40.9–175.2 MPa, respectively. The composites' microhardness and strength increase as the M7 particle content increases. Meanwhile, the smaller the particle size, the greater the microhardness and yield strength. The strengthening mechanism of M7/Al composites is mainly attributed to the synergistic effects of the in-situ generated multiphase intermetallic compounds strengthening, solid solution strengthening, and M7 hard particles dispersion strengthening. Furthermore, the M7/Al composites' microhardness and strength were respectively 27.6% and 146.1% higher than those of the SiC/Al composites containing the same size and content of SiC particles, which is mainly due to the good interfacial wettability between M7 and Al matrix. It indicates that metal-based hard particles could be better alternative reinforcements to produce high performance composites. • Al matrix composites reinforced with Co-based hard particles were synthesized by PM. • There was a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the M7 /Al composites. • The synergistic reinforcement mechanism for M7 /Al composites is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human plasma is a readily available clinical sample that reflects the status of the body in normal physiological and disease states. Although the wide dynamic range and immense complexity of plasma proteins are obstacles, comprehensive proteomic analysis of human plasma is necessary for biomarker discovery and further verification. Various methods such as immunodepletion, protein equalization and hyper fractionation have been applied to reduce the influence of high-abundance proteins (HAPs) and to reduce the high level of complexity. However, the depth at which the human plasma proteome has been explored in a relatively short time frame has been limited, which impedes the transfer of proteomic techniques to clinical research. Development of an optimal strategy is expected to improve the efficiency of human plasma proteome profiling. Here, five three-dimensional strategies combining HAP depletion (the 1st dimension) and protein fractionation (the 2nd dimension), followed by LC-MS/MS analysis (the 3rd dimension) were developed and compared for human plasma proteome profiling. Pros and cons of the five strategies are discussed for two issues: HAP depletion and complexity reduction. Strategies A and B used proteome equalization and tandem Seppro IgY14 immunodepletion, respectively, as the first dimension. Proteome equalization (strategy A) was biased toward the enrichment of basic and low-molecular weight proteins and had limited ability to enrich low-abundance proteins. By tandem removal of HAPs (strategy B), the efficiency of HAP depletion was significantly increased, whereas more off-target proteins were subtracted simultaneously. In the comparison of complexity reduction, strategy D involved a deglycosylation step before high-pH RPLC separation. However, the increase in sequence coverage did not increase the protein number as expected. Strategy E introduced SDS-PAGE separation of proteins, and the results showed oversampling of HAPs and identification of fewer proteins. Strategy C combined single Seppro IgY14 immunodepletion, high-pH RPLC fractionation and LC-MS/MS analysis. It generated the largest dataset, containing 1544 plasma protein groups and 258 newly identified proteins in a 30-h-machine-time analysis, making it the optimum three-dimensional strategy in our study. Further analysis of the integrated data from the five strategies showed identical distribution patterns in terms of sequence features and GO functional analysis with the 1929-plasma-protein dataset, further supporting the reliability of our plasma protein identifications. The characterization of 20 cytokines in the concentration range from sub-nanograms/milliliter to micrograms/milliliter demonstrated the sensitivity of the current strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the common approaches for global glycopeptide enrichment, hydrazide chemistry is well recognized. However, conventional hydrazide-functionalized products are composed of a single layer of hydrazide functional groups. Due to the limited specific surface area of such a structure, the loading amount of hydrazide groups immobilized on these materials is restricted. Therefore, these materials can only provide a limited reaction rate with glycopeptides in complex protein samples, which is exacerbated by the microheterogeneities of glycosylation. Here, we introduce a new functionalized magnetic nanoparticle coating with hydrazide-modified non-crosslinked polymer chains. The multivalent hydrazide-functionalized particles were synthesized by the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) technique. The density of the hydrazide groups on the surface of these nanoparticles was three-fold higher than that of conventional single-layered materials. The new particles enabled the highly sensitive and selective enrichment of glycopeptides from a digestion mixture of fetuin, even from a background mixture of non-glycosylated protein that was 100-fold more abundant. The recovery ratio of glycopeptides was determined to be 77.8%, and the glycopeptide binding capacity of the materials was determined to be 25 μg mg−1. Finally, the novel multivalent hydrazide-functionalized particles were applied in the enrichment of N-linked glycopeptides from mouse liver tissues, which resulted in the assignment of 511 unique glycopeptides belonging to 372 different glycoproteins. The results further demonstrated the potential of the multivalent particles for glycopeptide enrichment in complex proteomics samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intense stimulus can cause death of odontoblasts and initiate odontoblastic differentiation of stem/progenitor cell populations of dental pulp cells (DPCs), which is followed by reparative dentin formation. However, the mechanism of odontoblastic differentiation during reparative dentin formation remains unclear. This study was to determine the role of β-catenin, a key player in tooth development, in reparative dentin formation, especially in odontoblastic differentiation. We found that β-catenin was expressed in odontoblast-like cells and DPCs beneath the perforation site during reparative dentin formation after direct pulp capping. The expression of β-catenin was also significantly upregulated during odontoblastic differentiation of in vitro cultured DPCs. The expression pattern of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was similar to that of β-catenin. Immunofluorescence staining indicated that Runx2 was also expressed in β-catenin–positive odontoblast-like cells and DPCs during reparative dentin formation. Knockdown of β-catenin disrupted odontoblastic differentiation, which was accompanied by a reduction in β-catenin binding to the Runx2 promoter and diminished expression of Runx2. In contrast, lithium chloride (LiCl) induced accumulation of β-catenin produced the opposite effect to that caused by β-catenin knockdown. In conclusion, it was reported in this study for the first time that β-catenin can enhance the odontoblastic differentiation of DPCs through activation of Runx2, which might be the mechanism involved in odontoblastic differentiation during reparative dentin formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The lipid deposition and health status of egg-laying hens is crucial to the development of the poultry industry. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of genetic variations in the flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) on the lipid metabolic diseases of laying hens during the late laying period. The results showed that the T329S mutation in FMO3 moderated the lipid parameters and decreased the atherosclerotic lesions and hepatic steatosis in laying hens with homozygous T329S mutation. In conclusion, the T329S mutation in FMO3 is closely associated with the improvement of lipid metabolic diseases in laying hens during the late laying period. The results of this study may contribute to overcoming the challenge of lipid metabolic diseases in laying hens during the late laying period. The T329S mutation in flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) impairs the trimethylamine (TMA) metabolism in laying hens. The TMA metabolic pathway is closely linked to lipid metabolic diseases, such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease. We aimed to evaluate the effects of the T329S mutation in FMO3 on lipid metabolism in chickens during the late laying period. We selected 18 FMO3 genotyped individuals (consisting of six AA, six AT, and six TT hens) with similar body weight and production performance. The lipid metabolism and deposition characteristics of the laying hens with different genotypes were compared. The T329S mutation moderated the serum-lipid parameters in TT hens compared to those in AA and AT hens from 49 to 62 weeks. Furthermore, it reduced the serum trimethylamine N-oxide concentrations and increased the serum total bile acid (p < 0.05) and related lipid transporter levels in TT hens. Moreover, it significantly (p < 0.01) decreased atherosclerotic lesions and hepatic steatosis in TT hens compared to those in the AA and AT hens. Our findings may help improve the health status in laying hens during the late laying period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic diseases are becoming increasingly common in modern society. Therefore, it is essential to develop effective drugs or new treatments for metabolic diseases. As an active ingredient derived from plants, celastrol has shown great potential in the treatment of a wide variety of metabolic diseases and received considerable attention in recent years. In reported studies, the anti-obesity effect of celastrol resulted from regulating leptin sensitivity, energy metabolism, inflammation, lipid metabolism and even gut microbiota. Celastrol reversed insulin resistance via multiple routes to protect against type 2 diabetes. Celastrol also showed effects on atherosclerosis, cholestasis and osteoporosis. Celastrol in treating metabolic diseases seem to be versatile and the targets or pathways were diverse. Here, we systematically review the mechanism of action, and the therapeutic properties of celastrol in various metabolic diseases and complications. Based on this review, potential research strategies might contribute to the celastrol's clinical application in the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A GP subset as a novel biological monitoring index of cerebral ischemic injury and repair by BNJ. • Key MAPK pathway of BNJ protection against ischemic injury enriched by the complementary omics techniques. • Core TFs of the MAPK signaling pathway play a more important role in cerebral ischemic injury and repair by BNJ. Stroke is the one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Systematic description and characterization of the types of stroke and the effects induced in the cerebral cortex have not been performed so far. Here, we analyzed the protein and mRNA expression in the cerebral cortex12 h after ischemic injury and repair. Drug intervention using Buchang Naoxintong Jiaonang (BNJ), which has been reported to have good clinical therapeutic effects, was selected for our study of cerebral ischemic repair in rat models. Two powerful techniques can be merged in a single study to examine and yield new perspectives in physiology and pathophysiology. Combining LC–MS/MS and DNA microarray analyses of the rat cerebral cortex confidently identified two large datasets in more than three biological replicates. Quantitative approaches were then used to quantify the differences among the four experimental groups the naive, sham, middle cerebral artery occlusion MCAO and MCAO + BNJ groups by a label-free proteomics approach and a Cy5-labeled microarray approach. In brief, 3217 unique proteins and 24,300 unique gene symbols were confidently identified. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that of these unique proteins and gene symbols, 269 proteins and 632 gene symbols were identified to be differentially expressed. The results of subcellular localization, hierarchical clustering, and pathway enrichment analyses were combined with the results of the injury and repair phase analyses, and twelve proteins and twenty-seven gene symbols were significantly differentially expressed and were identified as potential candidates for cerebral ischemic injury involvement; all the candidates were verified by western blot and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. The primary enriched MAPK signaling pathway may play a key role in the molecular mechanisms related to cerebral ischemic injury. The observations of the present study help to illuminate the regulatory mechanism of cerebral ischemic injury and repair due to BNJ intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of systematic descriptions and characterization of strokes and their effects in both the cerebral hippocampus and cortex. Shuxuetong (SXT) injection was reported to have good therapeutic effects in the clinic; therefore, it was selected as a drug intervention method for cerebral ischemia repair in rat models. The aim of this study was to understand the features of molecules and pathways and to reveal key processes of SXT repair. Evaluation of neurological deficit and infarct volume measurement was used to estimate the pharmacological effects of SXT injection on Ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) model rats. LC-MS/MS and RNA-Seq analysis were used to analyze the proteins and mRNA expression in the cerebral hippocampus and cortex 6 h and 24 h after ischemic injury and repair. A label-free approach (IBAQ) for proteomics analysis and FPKM based on gene read count for transcriptomics analysis were used to quantify the differences among the three experimental groups (Sham, Model and SXT-treated groups). Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses were verified by RT-qPCR and western blotting. By combining LC-MS/MS and RNA-Seq, eight larger datasets (two time points and two tissues) were confidently identified in more than three biological replicates. An average of 4500 unique proteins and 8200 protein-coding genes were confidently identified. By combining the subcellular localization, hierarchical clustering, pathway enrichment analysis in the injury and repair phase, six core proteins and related genes that were significantly expressed were verified as candidates for cerebral ischemic injury by western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Meanwhile, the results indicated that there was better expression in the 6 h group by significant proteomics analysis during the development and progression of cerebral ischemia. Two primary co-enriched pathways, the PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling pathways, and six related core candidates may play key roles in molecular mechanisms related to cerebral ischemic injury and repair by SXT injection. Our data not only identified six core candidates and two key signaling pathways for cerebral ischemic injury and verification but also provided evidence for the explanation, prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia by SXT injection. The results of the present study provide evidence for the explanation, prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia by SXT injection. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]