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The state-of-the-art lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), consisting of high-capacity battery-type anode and high-rate capacitor-type cathode, can deliver high energy density and large power density when comparing with traditional supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, respectively. However, the ion kinetics mismatch between cathode and anode leads to unsatisfied cycling lifetime and anode degradation. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to solving the abovementioned issue. One promising strategy is altering high conductive hard carbon anode with excellent structural stability to match with activated carbon cathode, assembling dual-carbon LIC. In this contribution, one-pot in-situ expansion and heteroatom doping strategy was adopted to prepare sheet-like hard carbon, while activated carbon was obtained involving activation. Ammonium persulfate was used as expanding and doping agent simultaneously. While furfural residues (FR) were served as carbon precursor. The resulting hard carbon (FRNS-HC) and activated carbon (FRNS-AC) show excellent electrochemical performance as negative and positive electrodes in a lithium-ion battery (LIB). To be specific, 374.2 mAh g−1 and 123.1 mAh g−1 can be achieved at 0.1 A g−1 and 5 A g−1 when FRNS-HC was tested as anode. When combined with a highly porous carbon cathode (SBET = 2961 m2 g−1) synthesized from the same precursor, the LIC showed high specific energy of 147.67 Wh kg−1 at approximately 199.93 W kg−1, and outstanding cycling life with negligible capacitance fading over 1000 cycles. This study could lead the way for the development of heteroatom-doped porous carbon nanomaterials applied to Li-based energy storage applications.

The fructose-to-furfural transformation is facing major challenges in the selectivity and high efficiency. Herein, we have developed a simple and effective approach for the selective conversion of fructose to furfural using Hβ zeolite modified by organic acids for dealuminization to regulate its textural and acidic properties. It was found that citric acid-dealuminized Hβ zeolite possessed high specific surface areas, wide channels and high Brønsted acid amount, which facilitated the selective conversion of fructose to furfural with a maximum yield of 76.2% at 433 K for 1 h in the γ-butyrolactone (GBL)-H2O system, as well as the concomitant formation of 83.0% formic acid. The 13C-isotope labelling experiments and the mechanism revealed that the selective cleavage of C1–C2 or C5–C6 bond on fructose was firstly occurred to form pentose or C5 intermediate by weak Brønsted acid, which was then dehydrated to furfural by strong Brønsted acid. Also this dealuminized Hβ catalyst showed the great recycling performance and was active for the conversion of glucose and mannose.

The component analysis and structure characterization of complex mixtures of biomass conversion remain a challenging work. Hence, developing effective and easy to use techniques is necessary. Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) is a non-selective and non-invasive method capable of achieving pseudo-separation and structure assignments of individual compounds from biomass mixtures by providing diffusion coefficients (D) of the components. However, the conventional 1H DOSY NMR is limited by crowded resonances when analyzing complex mixtures containing similar chemical structure resulting in similar coefficient. Herein we describe the application of an advanced diffusion NMR method, Pure Shift Yielded by CHirp Excitation DOSY (PSYCHE-iDOSY), which can record high-resolution signal diffusion spectra efficiently separating compounds in model and genuine mixture samples from cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Complicated sets of isomers (d-glucose/d-fructose/d-mannose and 1,2-/1,5-pentadiol), homologous compounds (ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol), model compounds of lignin, and a genuine reaction system (furfuryl alcohol hydrogenolysis with ring opening) were successfully separated in the diffusion dimension. The results show that the ultrahigh-resolution DOSY technique is capable of detecting and pseudo-separating the mixture components of C5/C6 sugar conversion products and its derivative hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis from lignocellulose biomass.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial in tumor development, metastasis, and response to immunotherapy. DNA methylation can regulate the TME without altering the DNA sequence. However, research on the methylation-driven TME in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still lacking. In this study, integrated DNA methylation and RNA-seq data were used to explore methylation-driven genes (MDGs). Immune scores were calculated using the ESTIMATE, which was employed to identify TME-related genes. A new signature connected with methylation-regulated TME using univariate, multivariate Cox regression and LASSO regression analyses was developed. This signature consists of four TME-MDGs, including AJAP1, HOXB9, MYH14, and SLC6A19, which exhibit high methylation and low expression in tumors. Validation was performed using qRT-PCR which confirmed their downregulation in ccRCC clinical samples. Additionally, the signature demonstrated stable predictive performance in different subtypes of ccRCC. Risk scores are positively correlated with TMN stages, immune cell infiltration, tumor mutation burden, and adverse outcomes of immunotherapy. Interestingly, the expression of four TME-MDGs are highly correlated with the sensitivity of first-line drugs in ccRCC treatment, especially pazopanib. Molecular docking indicates a high affinity binding between the proteins and pazopanib. In summary, our study elucidates the comprehensive role of methylation-driven TME in ccRCC, aiding in identifying patients sensitive to immunotherapy and targeted therapy, and providing new therapeutic targets for ccRCC treatment.

The aromatic compounds, including o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, and ethylbenzene, primarily originate from the catalytic reforming of crude oil, and have a wide variety of applications. However, because of similar physical and chemical properties, these compounds are difficult to be identified by gas chromatography (GC) without standard samples. With the development of modern nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, NMR has emerged as a powerful and efficient tool for the rapid analysis of complex and crude mixtures without purification. In this study, the parameters of one-dimensional (1D) total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY) NMR techniques, including 1D selective gradient TOCSY and 1D chemical-shift-selective filtration (CSSF) with TOCSY, were optimized to obtain comprehensive molecular structure information. The results indicate that the overlapped signals in NMR spectra of nonpolar aromatic compounds (including o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene and ethylbenzene), polar aromatic compounds (benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid), and aromatic compounds with additional conjugated bonds (styrene) can be resolved in 1D TOCSY. More importantly, full molecular structures can be clearly distinguished by setting appropriate mixing time in 1D TOCSY. This approach simplifies the NMR spectra, provides structural information of entire molecules, and can be applied for the analysis of other structural isomers.

Abstract Background Two-dimensional ultrathin Ti3C2 nanosheets are increasingly being used in biomedical applications owing to their special physicochemical properties. But, the biological effects of its exposure on the reproductive system is still unclear. This study evaluated the reproductive toxicity of Ti3C2 nanosheets in the testes. Results Ti3C2 nanosheets at doses of 2.5 mg/kg bw and 5 mg/kg bw in mice caused defects in spermatogenic function, and we also clarified an underlying molecular mechanism of it in vivo and in vitro model. Ti3C2 nanosheets induced an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in testicular and GC-1 cells, which in turn led to the imbalance in oxidative and antioxidant systems (also known as oxidative stress). Additionally, oxidative stress often induces cellular DNA strand damages via the oxidative DNA damages, which triggered cell cycle arrest in the G1/G0 phase, leading to cell proliferation inhibition and irreversible apoptosis. ATM/p53 signaling manifest key role in DNA damage repair (DDR), and we demonstrate that ATM/p53 signaling was activated, and mediated the toxic damage process caused by Ti3C2 nanosheet exposure. Conclusion Ti3C2 nanosheet-induced disruption of proliferation and apoptosis of spermatogonia perturbed normal spermatogenic function that was mediated by ATM/p53 signaling pathway. Our findings shed more light on the mechanisms of male reproductive toxicity induced by Ti3C2 nanosheets. Graphical abstract

Sustainable development based on the value-added utilization of furfural residues (FRs) is an effective way to achieve a profitable circular economy. This comprehensive work highlights the potential of FRs as precursor to prepare porous carbons for high performance supercapacitors (SCs). To improve the electrochemical performance of FR-based carbon materials, a facile route based on methanol pretreatment coupled with pre-carbonization and followed KOH activation is proposed. More defects could be obtained after methanol treatment, which is incline to optimize textural structure. The activated methanol treated FR-based carbon materials (AFRMs) possess high specific surface area (1753.5 m2 g−1), large pore volume (0.85 cm3 g−1), interconnected micro/mesoporous structure, which endow the AFRMs with good electrochemical performance in half-cell (326.1 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, 189.4 F g−1 at 50 A g−1 in 6 mol L−1 KOH). The constructed symmetric SCs based on KOH, KOH–K3Fe(CN)6 and KOH-KI electrolyte deliver energy density up to 8.9, 9.9 and 10.6 Wh kg−1 with a capacitance retention of over 86% after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, the self-discharge can be restrained by the addition of K3Fe(CN)6 and KI in KOH electrolyte. This study provides an effective approach for high-valued utilization of FR waste.

Summary: Herein, we report choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) promoted conversion of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) into nitrogen-containing compounds, i.e., 3-acetamido-5-(1′,2′-dihydroxyethyl) furan (Chromogen III) and 3-acetamido-5-acetylfuran (3A5AF). The binary deep eutectic solvent choline chloride-glycerin (ChCl-Gly), was found to promote the dehydration of GlcNAc to form Chromogen III, which reaches a maximum yield of 31.1%. On the other hand, the ternary deep eutectic solvent, choline chloride-glycerol-B(OH)3 (ChCl-Gly-B(OH)3), promoted the further dehydration of GlcNAc into 3A5AF with a maximum yield of 39.2%. In addition, the reaction intermediate, 2-acetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-erythro-hex-2-enofuranose (Chromogen I), was detected by in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques when promoted by ChCl-Gly-B(OH)3. The experimental results of the 1H NMR chemical shift titration showed ChCl-Gly interactions with α-OH-3 and α-OH-4 of GlcNAc, which is responsible for promoting the dehydration reaction. Meanwhile, the strong interaction between Cl− and GlcNAc was demonstrated by 35Cl NMR.

Coal chemical wastewater (CCW) with the features of high toxicity and poor biodegradability is a big issue in environmental remediation, posing a great threat to aquatic ecosystems and to human beings. Such complex molecular mixtures are notoriously difficult to characterize without initial physical separation. Herein, we present the 3D diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) analysis for CCW using DOSY-COSY and DOSY-HSQC methods, the advantages of this strategy have been demonstrated in the analysis of mixtures of aliphatic oxygenates and aromatic compounds, before being implemented on a genuine CCW sample in this study. The results showed that 3D DOSY is a robust and reliable tool for providing superior resolution and virtual separation of complex pollutants, and can be used as a general approach for structural elucidation.

The environmental pollutant Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) has an adverse effect on the reproductive performance of mammals. We previously showed that BaP treatment during early pregnancy damages endometrial morphology and impairs embryo implantation. Endometrial decidualization at the implantation site (IS) after embryo implantation is crucial for pregnancy maintenance and placental development. The balance between proliferation and differentiation in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) is a crucial event of decidualization, which is regulated by the cell cycle. Here, we report that abnormal decidualization caused by BaP is associated with cell cycle disturbance of stromal cells. The mice in the treatment group were gavaged with 0.2 mg/kg/day BaP from day 1–8 of pregnancy, while those in control were gavaged with corn oil in parallel. BaP damaged the decidualization of ESCs and reduced the number of polyploid cells. Meanwhile, BaP up-regulated the expression of Ki67 and PCNA, affecting the differentiation of stromal cells. The cell cycle progression analysis during decidualization in vivo and in vitro showed that BaP induced polyploid cells deficiency with enhanced expressions of CyclinA(E)/CDK2, CyclinD/CDK4 and CyclinB/CDK1, which promote the transformation of cells from G1 to S phase and simultaneously activate the G2/M phase. The above results indicated that BaP exposure accelerates cell cycle progression, promotes ESC proliferation, inhibits differentiation, and impedes proper decidualization and polyploidy development. Thus, the imbalance of ESC proliferation and differentiation would be an important mechanism for BaP-induced defective decidualization.

BackgroundOvarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, yet the clinical results for OC patients are still variable. Therefore, we examined how elafin expression affects the patients’ prognoses and immunotherapy responses in OC, which may facilitate treatment selection and improve prognosis.MethodsThe elafin mRNA expression profile was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus. Elafin’s prognostic potential and its relationship with clinical variables were investigated using Kaplan–Meier survival curves, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves as well as univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. As validation, protein expression in the tumor and adjacent tissues of OC patients was investigated by using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Comprehensive analyses were then conducted to explore the correlation between immune infiltration and elafin expression.ResultsA higher mRNA expression of elafin was associated with an unfavorable prognosis in TCGA cohort and was validated in GSE31245 and IHC. Moreover, elafin was indicated as an independent risk factor for OC. A significantly higher protein expression of elafin was detected in the adjacent tissues of OC patients with shorter overall survival (OS). The immune-related pathways were mainly enriched in the high-elafin-mRNA-expression group. However, the mRNA expression of elafin was favorably correlated with indicators of the immune filtration and immunotherapy response, which also proved better immunotherapy outcomes.ConclusionThe high elafin expression was associated with an unfavorable OS, while it also indicated better immunotherapy responses. Thus, the detection of elafin is beneficial to diagnosis and treatment selection.

The long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in various biological processes and are associated with many diseases. Functional annotation of lncRNAs in diseases attracts great attention in understanding their etiology. However, the traditional co-expression-based analysis usually produces a significant number of false positive function assignments. It is thus crucial to develop a new approach to obtain lower false discovery rate for functional annotation of lncRNAs. Here, a novel strategy termed DAnet which combining disease associations with cis-regulatory network between lncRNAs and neighboring protein-coding genes was developed, and the performance of DAnet was systematically compared with that of the traditional differential expression-based approach. Based on a gold standard analysis of the experimentally validated lncRNAs, the proposed strategy was found to perform better in identifying the experimentally validated lncRNAs compared with the other method. Moreover, the majority of biological pathways (40%∼100%) identified by DAnet were reported to be associated with the studied diseases. In sum, the DAnet is expected to be used to identify the function of specific lncRNAs in a particular disease or multiple diseases.

Numerous studies have suggested the possibility of explaining the etiology of metabolic syndrome through DNA methylation. DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) plays an important role in de novo DNA methylation. There was an alteration in maternal (F0) endometrial function, which might lead to growth and developmental disorder in offspring (F1). In this study, we investigated the effect of maternal endometrial DNMT3B deficiency on the metabolism in offspring. We constructed endometrial DNMT3B conditional knockout female mice (cKO) which were mated with normal C57BL/6 male mice to obtain the F1 generation. Further, to study the development of these offspring, we observed them at three different life stages which included the 6-week-old juvenile, 9-week-old sub-adult and 12-week-old adult. Follow the detection of a range of metabolism-related indicators, we found that in the cKO F1 generation, liver triglyceride level was significantly elevated in 9-week-old female mice, lipid droplet deposition was significantly increased in 9-week-old and 12-week-old mice, and the expression of lipid metabolism key factors in the liver was markedly decreased except of 6-week-old male mice. These results indicate that maternal endometrial DNMT3B conditional knockout leads to imbalance in hepatic metabolism in F1 generation, the mechanism of which requires further discussion.

The acidity and basicity of the solvents can influence the reaction outcome notably, and hence the precise measurement of pH is important for reaction. However, not all the pH values of organic solvents can be determined with a classic pH meter straightly. In this research, the acidity and basicity of environmentally friendly green solvents, such as ZnCl2 molten salt hydrate, ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs), were characterized by 31P and 1H NMR spectroscopy using trimethylphosphine oxide (TMPO) and pyrrole as probe molecules at 298 K. For the ZnCl2 molten salt hydrate, the acidic strength of the ZnCl2 molten salt hydrate increased with the concentration of ZnCl2. By using the 1H-pyrrole NMR approach, it was found that the base strength of amino acid-based ILs follows the order: [Ch][Lys] > [Ch][His].

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exerts negative effects on females of childbearing age. It is important to identify more suitable models for fundamental research on PCOS. We evaluated animal models from a novel perspective with the aim of helping researchers select the best model for PCOS. RNA sequencing was performed to investigate the mRNA expression profiles in the ovarian tissues of mice with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) plus high-fat diet (HFD)-induced PCOS. Meanwhile, 14 datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including eight studies on humans, three on rats and three on mice, and genes associated with PCOS were obtained from the PCOSKB website. We compared the consistency of each animal model and human PCOS in terms of DEGs and pathway enrichment analysis results. There were 239 DEGs shared between prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice and PCOS patients. Moreover, 1113 genes associated with PCOS from the PCOSKB website were identified among the DEGs of PNA mice. A total of 134 GO and KEGG pathways were shared between PNA mice and PCOS patients. These findings suggest that the PNA mouse model is the best animal model to simulate PCOS.

Ternary deep eutectic solvents (TDESs) comprising choline chloride (ChCl), glycerol and l-arginine were synthesized as catalysts and solvents for the conversion of d-glucosamine (GlcNH2) into deoxyfructosazine (DOF). The interactions between these three components in the prepared TDESs were studied by 1H-, 35Cl-NMR spectra and 1H diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) measurements. The chemical shift changes of active hydrogen in the 1H-NMR spectra of TDES system and widening of signals in the 35Cl-NMR spectra confirmed the hydrogen bonding interaction between the components, which was further supported by the decrease of diffusion coefficients (D) of the TDES components according to 1H DOSY measurements. The influences of reaction temperature and l-arginine content in the TDESs on the yield of DOF were also studied. The experimental results have shown that when the molar ratio of ChCl, glycerol, and l-arginine was 1:2:0.1, DOF was the major product with a yield of 22.6% at 90 °C for 120 min. The chemical shift titration indicated that the carboxyl group of l-arginine in the TDES is the catalytical active site, so the mechanism of the catalytic reaction between GlcNH2 and the TDES was proposed. Moreover, a reaction intermediate, dihydrofructosazine, was identified in the self-condensation reaction of GlcNH2 by an in situ 1H NMR technique.

Cigarette smoke significantly induces oxidative stress, resulting in cardiovascular disease. NRF2, a well-known antioxidative stress response factor, is generally considered to play protective roles in cardiovascular dysfunction triggered by oxidative stress. Interestingly, recent studies reported adverse effects of NRF2 on the cardiovascular system. These unfavourable pathogenic effects of NRF2 need to be further investigated. Our work shows that cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced oxidative stress disturbs fibronectin (FN) assembly during angiogenesis. Furthermore, this effect largely depends on hyperactive NRF2-STAT3 signalling, which consequently promotes abnormal FN deposition. Consistently, disruption of this pathway by inhibiting NRF2 or STAT3 prevents CSE-induced FN disorganization and vasculature disruption in human umbilical vein endothelial cells or zebrafish. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the cardiovascular dysfunction caused by CSE from a novel perspective that NRF2-dependent signalling engages in FN disorganization.

BackgroundOvarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecologic malignancies and a leading cause of death in the world. Thus, this necessitates identification of prognostic biomarkers which will be helpful in its treatment.MethodsThe gene expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE31245 were selected as the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. The Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival analysis was used to analyze the difference in overall survival (OS) between high and low RB transcriptional corepressor 1 (RB1) expression groups. To confirm whether RB1 was an independent risk factor for OC, we constructed a multivariate Cox regression model. Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways enrichment analyses were conducted to identify the functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The associations of RB1 with immune infiltration and immune checkpoints were studied by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER 2.0) and the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to compare the expression level of RB1 in normal tissues and tumor samples, and to predict the prognosis of OC.ResultsThe KM survival curve of the TCGA indicated that the OS in the high-risk group was lower than that in the low-risk group (HR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.28-2.02, P = 3×10-5), which was validated in GSE31245 (HR = 4.08, 95% CI: 1.21–13.74, P = 0.01) and IHC. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that RB1 was an independent prognostic biomarker (HR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.31-2.10, P = 2.02×10-5). Enrichment analysis suggested that the DEGs were mainly involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, and mitochondrial transition. The infiltration levels of fibroblast, neutrophil, monocyte and macrophage were positively correlated with RB1. Furthermore, RB1 was associated with immune checkpoint molecules (CTLA4, LAG3, and CD274). The IHC staining revealed higher expression of RB1 in tumor tissues as compared to that in normal tissues (P = 0.019). Overexpression of RB1 was associated with poor prognosis of OC (P = 0.01).ConclusionThese findings suggest that RB1 was a novel and immune-related prognostic biomarker for OC, which may be a promising target for OC treatment.

AimRecurrent miscarriage (RM) is associated with numerous clinical factors. However, some RM occurred without specific factors. It has been revealed that some molecules such as hormones, miRNAs, and transcription factors are involved in RM by regulating proliferation, apoptosis, etc. However, the mechanism of RM has yet to be identified clearly. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs that often act as sponges for miRNAs or binds to proteins involved in biological processes. However, the functional role of circRNAs in the uterine decidua of patients with early RM is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of circ-CYP24A1 in RM.MethodsThe Dual-Luciferase Activity Assay was designed to analyze the bonding between circ-CYP24A1 and miR-224, and miR-224 and prolactin receptor (PRLR) mRNA 3′UTR. In situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to observe the expression of circ-CYP24A1 and PRLR in the decidua. Rescue experiments were performed to investigate the regulating effects of circ-CYP24A1, miR-224, and PRLR. Western blotting was conducted to test the expression level of PRLR. The proliferation and apoptosis-related markers in Ishikawa cells were analyzed using CCK8, immunofluorescence staining, and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay.ResultsIn this study, based on the microarray analysis data, we identified a high level of circ-CYP24A1 and PRLR in the decidua of patients with early RM. Based on the bioinformatics prediction, the binding relationship between circ-CYP24A1 and miR-224, as well as miR-224 and PRLR, were verified. Functional experiments demonstrated that circ-CYP24A1 regulated proliferation and apoptosis by binding to and inhibiting miR-224, resulting in increased PRLR expression. Taken together, this study provides new insights into the mechanism of RM.ConclusionIn this study, we found that circ-CYP24A1 plays a role in RM by impairing the balance of cell proliferation and apoptosis by sponging miR-224, thereby regulating PRLR.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of endogenous noncoding RNAs that play important roles in gene expression regulation. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of circRNAs in decidual tissue of patients with early recurrent miscarriage (RM). We constructed circRNA expression profiles in decidual tissue using microarray data. A total of 123 differentially expressed circRNAs, including 78 upregulated and 45 downregulated circRNAs were detected in the early RM group compared with the control group (P

Exposure to ethephon (ETH), a plant growth regulator commonly used for several purposes, can potentially decrease sperm numbers and viability. Occasional findings regarding ETH effects on female reproduction during early pregnancy have also been reported. During early pregnancy, endometrial decidualization is a critical event for embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance. Thus, we aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of ETH on endometrial decidualization both in vivo and in vitro. Mice were gavaged with 0 and 285 mg/kg b.w. ETH from gestational days (GD)1 until sacrifice, whereas pseudopregnant mice from pseudopregnant day 1 (PPD-1) until PPD-8. Primary mouse endometrial stromal cells (mESCs) received 640 ug/ml ETH and added E2 and P4 to induce decidualization. Results indicated female albino CD1 mice exposed to high dose of ETH (285 mg/kg b.w.) by oral gavage, the number of embryo implantation sites on GD6 and GD8 were significantly decreased, the levels of serum E2 and P4 on GD8 were significantly decreased. Compared with the control group, the decidualization response artificially induced by corn oil in pseudopregnant mice and by E2 and P4 in primary mouse endometrial stromal cells (mESCs) was weakened in the high dose of ETH treated group. The high dose, 285 mg/kg b.w ETH treated group altered the expression of endometrial decidual markers on GD6 and GD8. The triglyceride and fatty acid metabolism-related genes were significantly increased after female albino CD1 mice exposed to high does, 285 mg/kg b.w ETH on GD6 and GD8. GPR120 was substantially reduced after ETH treatment. When overexpression of GPR120, the compromised decidualization induced by ETH treatment was rescued. Furthermore, molecular docking presented Thr234 and His251 of GPR120 as preferred binding sites for ETH. Mutation of these two sites rescued the compromised decidualization induced by ETH. In conclusion, we demonstrated that ETH exposure could impair decidualization during early pregnancy. GPR120 expression and binding between GPR120 and ETH are crucial for impaired decidualization mediated via ETH.

Background: Breast cancer (BRCA) is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide and a leading cause of death from malignancy. This study was designed to identify a novel biomarker for prognosticating the survival of BRCA patients. Methods: The prognostic potential of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 1 (EIF4G1) was assessed using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) as training cohort and validation set, respectively. The functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was performed. The relationship between EIF4G1 and tumor microenvironment (TME) was analyzed. Immunotherapy responses were explored by the immunophenoscores (IPS) and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score. The Connectivity Map (CMap) was used to discover potentially effective therapeutic molecules against BRCA. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was applied to compare the protein levels of EIF4G1 in normal and cancer tissues and to verify the prognostic value of EIF4G1. Results: BRCA patients with increased expression of EIF4G1 had a shorter overall survival (OS) in all cohorts and results from IHC. EIF4G1-related genes were mainly involved in DNA replication, BRCA metastasis, and the MAPK signaling pathway. Infiltration levels of CD4+-activated memory T cells, macrophages M0, macrophages M1, and neutrophils were higher in the EIF4G1 high-expression group than those in the EIF4G1 low-expression group. EIF4G1 was positively correlated with T cell exhaustion. Lower IPS was revealed in high EIF4G1 expression patients. Five potential groups of drugs against BRCA were identified. Conclusion: EIF4G1 might regulate the TME and affect BRCA metastasis, and it is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BRCA.

The association between the accumulation of synthetic chemicals with estrogenic activity and risks to oogenesis has become a growing concern. This study indicates that in utero estrogen exposure can affect homologous recombination in early oogenesis and influence the reproductive potential and lifespan of female offspring. We conducted this study in developing mouse ovaries using two different models: oral doses administered to the mother, and fetal ovary cultures. Our analyses of meiotic fetal oocytes suggest that 17-β-estradiol induces gross aberrations in prophase I events, including delayed meiotic progression, increased unrepaired DNA damage, and altered homologous recombination levels. These effects were mainly mediated by estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) activation. Mid-gestation exposure to estrogen also led to delayed primordial folliculogenesis after birth, impaired follicle development after prepuberty, and ultimately reduced the total litter size of the offspring. This raises the concern that maternal exposures to substances activating ESR2 may compromise the fertility of the exposed female fetus.

Hydrogen production by steam reforming of ethylene glycol (EG) at 300 °C was investigated over SiO2 and CeO2 supported Pt–Ni bimetallic catalysts prepared by incipient wetness impregnation methods. It was observed that impregnation sequence of Pt and Ni can affect the performance of catalysts apparently. Catalyst with Pt first and then Ni addition showed higher EG conversion and H2 yield owing to the Ni enrichment on the surface and the proper interaction between Pt and Ni. It was observed that although SiO2 supported catalysts exhibited better activity and H2 selectivity, CeO2 supported ones had better stability. This is attributed to the less coke formation on CeO2. Increasing Pt/Ni ratio enhanced the reaction activity, and Pt3–Ni7 catalysts with 3 wt% Pt and 7 wt% Ni showed the highest activity and stability. Ni surficial enrichment facilitated the C—C bond rupture and water gas shift reactions; and Pt addition inhibited methanation reaction. Electron transfer and hydrogen spillover from Pt to Ni suppressed carbon deposition. These combined effects lead to the excellent performance of Pt3–Ni7 supported catalysts. Keywords: Ethylene glycol, Steam reforming, Pt–Ni bimetallic catalyst, Hydrogen production, Synergistic effect

Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) is a widespread persistent organic pollutant (POP) and a well-known endocrine disruptor. Exposure to BaP is known to disrupt the steroid balance and impair embryo implantation, but the mechanism under it remains unclear. The corpus luteum (CL), the primary source of progesterone during early pregnancy, plays a pivotal role in embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance. The inappropriate luteal function may result in implantation failure and spontaneous abortions. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effects and potential mechanisms of B(a)P on the CL function. Our results showed that pregnant mice received B(a)P displayed impaired embryo implantation and dysfunction of ovarian CL. The estrogen and progesterone levels decreased by B(a)P. In vitro, exposure to BPDE, which is the metabolite of B(a)P, affected the luteinization of granular cell KK-1. Additionally, melatonin and its receptors, which are important for ovarian function and anti-oxidative damage, were affected by B(a)P or BPDE. B(a)P or BPDE-treated alone impaired antioxidant capacity of ovarian granulosa cells, caused an increasing of ROS and cell apoptosis, and disrupted the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro. Co-treatment with melatonin alleviated B(a)P or BPDE-induced CL dysfunction by ameliorating oxidative stress, counteracting phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, decreasing the apoptosis of the ovarian cells. Moreover, activation of the melatonin receptor by ramelteon in KK-1 cells exhibits an analogous protective effect as melatonin. In conclusion, our findings not only firstly clarify the potential mechanisms of BaP-induced CL dysfunction, but also extend the understanding about the ovarian protection of melatonin and its receptors against B(a)P exposure.

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a valuable approach to convert furfural residue (FR) into carbon material. The prepared biochars are usually characterized comprehensively, while the stock process water still remains to be studied in detail. Herein, a NMR study of the main components in stock process water generated at different HTC reaction conditions was reported. Various qualitative and quantitative NMR techniques (1H and 13C NMR, 1H–1H COSY and 1H13C HSQC etc.) especially 1D selective gradient total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY NMR) were strategically applied in the analysis of HTC stock process water. Without separation and purification, it was demonstrated that the main detectable compounds are 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, formic acid, methanol, acetic acid, levulinic acid, glycerol, hydroxyacetone and acetaldehyde in this complicate mixture. Furthermore, the relationship between the concentration of major products and the reaction conditions (180–240 °C at 8 h, and 1–24 h at 240 °C) was established. Finally, reasonable reaction pathways for hydrothermal conversion of FR were proposed based on this result and our previously obtained characteristics of biochars. The routine and challenging NMR methods utilized here would be an alternative other than HPLC or GC for biomass conversion research and can be extended to more studies. Keywords: NMR, Hydrothermal carbonization, Furfural residue, Stock process water

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and massive loss of neuronal cells in the brain. Adult hippocampus continuously generates new neurons throughout life to shape brain function and impaired neurogenesis may contribute to a series of cognitive deterioration associated with AD. Enhancing endogenous neurogenesis represents a promising strategy that may ameliorate AD-associated cognitive defects. However, neurogenesis-enhancing approaches and underlying mechanisms are still not well studied. Here, using a mouse model of AD amyloid precursor protein (APP/PS1/Nestin-GFP triple transgenic mice, 3xTgAD), we examined the effects of 4 weeks of valproic acid (VPA) treatment on hippocampal neurogenesis in 2- and 6-month-old mice. VPA treatment promoted cell proliferation and increased the density of immature neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus of 3xTgAD mice. Consistent with enhanced neurogenesis, behavioral and morphological analysis showed that VPA treatment improved the learning and memory ability of 3xTgAD mice. Mechanistically, VPA treatment increased β-catenin levels, accumulated the inactive form of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and induced the expression of NeuroD1, a Wnt target gene involved in neurogenesis, suggesting the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway in the hippocampus of 3xTgAD mice. This study indicates that VPA stimulates neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus of AD mice model through the Wnt pathway, highlighting VPA as a potential therapeutic for treating AD and related diseases.

The mechanism of birth defects induced by folate deficiency was focused on mainly in fetal development. Little is known about the effect of folate deficiency on the maternal uterus, especially on decidual angiogenesis after implantation which establishes vessel networks to support embryo development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of folate deficiency on decidual angiogenesis. Serum folate levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence. The status of decidual angiogenesis was examined by cluster designation 34 (CD34) immunohistochemistry and the expression of angiogenic factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), placental growth factor (PLGF), and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) were also tested. Serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), progesterone (P4), and estradiol (E2) were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The folate-deficient mice had a lower folate level and a higher Hcy level. Folate deficiency restrained decidual angiogenesis with significant abnormalities in vascular density and the enlargement and elongation of the vascular sinus. It also showed a reduction in the expressions of VEGFA, VEGFR2, and PLGF. In addition, the serum levels of P4, E2, LH, and PRL were reduced in folate-deficient mice, and the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) and estrogen receptor α (ERα) were abnormal. These results indicated that folate deficiency could impaire decidual angiogenesis and it may be related to the vasculotoxic properties of Hcy and the imbalance of the reproductive hormone.

In situ microfibrillation and multiflow vibrate injection molding (MFVIM) technologies were combined to control the phase morphology of blended polypropylene (PP) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), wherein PP is the majority phase. Four kinds of phase structures were formed using different processing methods. As the PET content changes, the best choice of phase structure also changes. When the PP matrix is unoriented, oriented microfibrillar PET can increase the mechanical properties at an appropriate PET content. However, if the PP matrix is an oriented structure (shish-kebab), only the use of unoriented spherical PET can significantly improve the impact strength. Besides this, the compatibilizer polyolefin grafted maleic anhydride (POE-g-MA) can cover the PET in either spherical or microfibrillar shape to form a core⁻shell structure, which tends to improve both the yield and impact strength. We focused on the influence of all composing aspects—fibrillation of the dispersed PET, PP matrix crystalline morphology, and compatibilized interface—on the mechanical properties of PP/PET blends as well as potential synergies between these components. Overall, we provided a theoretical basis for the mechanical recycling of immiscible blends.

Improving the mechanical properties of immiscible PP/PET blend is of practical significance especially in the recycling process of multi-layered plastic solid waste. In this work, a multi-flow vibration injection molding technology (MFVIM) was hired to convert the crystalline morphology of the PP matrix from spherulite into shish-kebab. POE–g–MA was added as compatibilizer, and results showed that the compatibilization effect consisted in the formation of a core-shell structure by dispersing the POE–g–MA into the PP matrix to encapsulate the PET. It was found that the joint action of shish-kebab crystals and spherical core-shell structure enabled excellent mechanical performance with a balance of strength and toughness for samples containing 10 wt % PET and 4 wt % POE–g–MA, of which the yield strength and impact strengths were 50.87 MPa and 13.71 kJ/m2, respectively. This work demonstrates a new approach to optimize mechanical properties of immiscible PP/PET blends, which is very meaningful for the effective recycling of challenging plastic wastes.

OBJECTIVE: Embryo implantation is directly affected by genes related to uterine receptivity. Studies have demonstrated the important roles of miRNAs in the regulation of gene expression. Our early miRNA chip analyses revealed that the mmu-miR-141 expression in endometrial tissue is lower after embryo implantation than before it. However, the possible roles of miR-141 in embryo implantation have not yet been elucidated. Here, mmu-miR-141 was designed to detect the expression and role of miR-141 in the endometria of mice in early pregnancy following embryo implantation. METHODS: Real-time PCR and in-situ hybridization were used to study mmu-miR-141 expression in mouse uterus. Cell proliferation was detected by tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to confirm the mRNA and protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) to determine whether it was the target gene of mmu-miR-141. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fluorescence reporter vector analysis was also performed. A functional study was performed by injecting mice uteri with mmu-miR-141 inhibitor or mimic vectors. RESULTS: mmu-miR-141 expression was lower on day 6 (D6) than day 4 (D4) and could be increased by progesterone. Reduced mmu-miR-141 could decrease the proliferation activity of stromal cells and promote apoptosis. Upregulation of mmu-miR-141 inhibited PTEN protein expression but downregulation of mmu-miR-141 increased it, while the mRNA level remained unchanged. EGFP fluorescence reporter vector analysis showed that miR-141 targets the 3'-untranslated region of the PTEN mRNA. In addition, when the physiological mmu-miR-141 level was altered on D2 by injecting with inhibitor or mimic, the embryo implantation sites were significantly decreased on D7. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that mmu-miR-141 might influence cell proliferation and apoptosis in the endometrium by negatively regulating PTEN expression, and could also influence the number of embryo implantation sites. mmu-miR-141 plays an essential role in embryo implantation.