Puerarin alleviates osteoporosis in rats by targeting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common chronic progressive bone disease that increases fracture risk in postmenopausal women. Research suggests that puerarin (Pue) may be an effective treatment for OP. This study examined the effects and underlying mechanisms of Pue in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) in rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent bilateral ovariectomy to simulate PMOP and were then treated with subcutaneous injections of Pue. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using a bone densitometer. Micro-CT scans assessed femur bone structure and various parameters were calculated: bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone surface density (BS/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), and bone surface area-to-bone volume ratio (BS/BV). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed to observe femoral tissue pathology. Serum levels of bone formation metabolism-related markers-osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP)-were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The protein expression levels of the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway in bone tissue were evaluated using Western blotting assay. The results showed improved bone density and reduced bone loss in rats treated with Pue. There were also significant increases in serum levels of OC and BALP, indicating enhanced osteogenesis. Furthermore, there was a decrease in activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in femoral tissue, suggesting a pathway inhibition. These findings indicate that Pue may combat osteoporosis by promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation.

A folding motif formed with an expanded genetic alphabet.

Adding synthetic nucleotides to DNA increases the linear information density of DNA molecules. Here we report that it also can increase the diversity of their three-dimensional folds. Specifically, an additional nucleotide (dZ, with a 5-nitro-6-aminopyridone nucleobase), placed at twelve sites in a 23-nucleotides-long DNA strand, creates a fairly stable unimolecular structure (that is, the folded Z-motif, or fZ-motif) that melts at 66.5 °C at pH 8.5. Spectroscopic, gel and two-dimensional NMR analyses show that the folded Z-motif is held together by six reverse skinny dZ-:dZ base pairs, analogous to the crystal structure of the free heterocycle. Fluorescence tagging shows that the dZ-:dZ pairs join parallel strands in a four-stranded compact down-up-down-up fold. These have two possible structures: one with intercalated dZ-:dZ base pairs, the second without intercalation. The intercalated structure would resemble the i-motif formed by dC:dC+-reversed pairing at pH ≤ 6.5. This fZ-motif may therefore help DNA form compact structures needed for binding and catalysis.

Oxytocin infusion dose-response to maintain uterine tone in obese elective cesarean patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: For cesarean delivery (CD), the 90% effective dosage (ED90) of oxytocin for a first bolus has been established. It is not yet known how much oxytocin to inject into obese women undergoing elective discectomy to keep their uterine tone (UT) appropriate. We hypothesized that patients who are overweight need a greater dose of oxytocin infusion; thus, we aimed to determine how the dose-response curve for oxytocin infusion changes following an initial 1 international unit (IU) bolus in obese women undergoing elective CD. Methods: One hundred parturients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to receive an infusion rate of 14, 18, 22, or 26 IU/h of oxytocin. When the uterine palpation is as hard as touching the forehead or tip of the nose, it is considered sufficient UT according to the criteria used by obstetricians. The median effective dose (ED50) and ED90 values were determined using probit analysis. Results: We found the ED50 and ED90 values for the infusion dose of oxytocin were around 11.0 IU/h and 19.1 IU/h, respectively. Each group had a different number of parturients who needed rescued oxytocin: 14 IU/h for six, 18 IU/h for three, one for 22 IU/h, and none for 26 IU/h. The correlation between the frequency of rescued oxytocin administration and the amount of oxytocin infusion needed to avoid uterine atony was statistically significant (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The present research showed that the most effective dosage of oxytocin infusion for obese parturients undergoing elective CD is 19.1 IU/h, following an initial loading dose of 1 IU. Patients with obesity should receive a greater dosage of prophylactic oxytocin, and further studies comparing patients with and without obesity (with higher BMI) are required. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=159951, identifier ChiCTR2200059582.

Multi-Functional 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks with Diketopyrrolopyrrole as Electron Acceptor.

2D covalent organic framework (COF) materials with extended conjugated structure and periodic columnar π-arrays exhibit promising applications in organic optoelectronics. However, there is a scarcity of reports on optoelectronic COFs, mainly due to the lack of suitable π-skeletons. Here, two multi-functional optoelectronic 2D COFs DPP-TPP-COF and DPP-TBB-COF are constructed with diketopyrrolopyrrole as electron acceptor (A), and 1,3,6,8-tetraphenylpyrene and 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene as electron donor (D) through imine bonds. Both 2D COFs showed good crystallinities and AA stacking with a rhombic framework for DPP-TPP-COF and hexagonal one for DPP-TBB-COF, respectively. The electron D-A and ordered intermolecular packing structures endow the COFs with broad UV-vis absorptions and narrow bandgaps along with suitable HOMO/LUMO energy levels, resulting in multi-functional optoelectronic properties, including photothermal conversion, supercapacitor property, and ambipolar semiconducting behavior. Among them, DPP-TPP-COF exhibits a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 47% under 660 nm laser irradiation, while DPP-TBB-COF exhibits superior specific capacitance of 384 F g-1. Moreover, P-type doping and N-type doping are achieved by iodine and tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene on a single host COF, resulting in ambipolar semiconducting behavior. These results provide a paradigm for the application of multi-functional optoelectronic COF materials.

Mitigating microplastic stress on peanuts: The role of biochar-based synthetic community in the preservation of soil physicochemical properties and microbial diversity.

Tire-derived rubber crumbs (RC), as a new type of microplastics (MPs), harms both the environment and human health. Excessive use of plastic, the decomposition of which generates microplastic particles, in current agricultural practices poses a significant threat to the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems, worldwide food security and human health. In this study, the application of biochar, a carbon-rich material, to soil was explored, especially in the evaluation of synthetic biochar-based community (SynCom) to alleviate RC-MP-induced stress on plant growth and soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial communities in peanuts. The results revealed that RC-MPs significantly reduced peanut shoot dry weight, root vigor, nodule quantity, plant enzyme activity, soil urease and dehydrogenase activity, as well as soil available potassium, and bacterial abundance. Moreover, the study led to the identification highly effective plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) from the peanut rhizosphere, which were then integrated into a SynCom and immobilized within biochar. Application of biochar-based SynCom in RC-MPs contaminated soil significantly increased peanut biomass, root vigor, nodule number, and antioxidant enzyme activity, alongside enhancing soil enzyme activity and rhizosphere bacterial abundance. Interestingly, under high-dose RC-MPs treatment, the relative abundance of rhizosphere bacteria decreased significantly, but their diversity increased significantly and exhibited distinct clustering phenomenon. In summary, the investigated biochar-based SynCom proved to be a potential soil amendment to mitigate the deleterious effects of RC-MPs on peanuts and preserve soil microbial functionality. This presents a promising solution to the challenges posed by contaminated soil, offering new avenues for remediation.

Microbial mechanisms of C/N/S geochemical cycling during low-water-level sediment remediation in urban rivers.

Low-water-level regulation has been effectively implemented in the restoration of urban river sediments in Guangzhou City, China. Further investigation is needed to understand the microbial mechanisms involved in pollutant degradation in low-water-level environments. This study examined sediment samples from nine rivers, including low-water-level rivers (LW), tidal waterways (TW), and enclosed rivers (ER). Metagenomic high-throughput sequencing and the Diting pipeline were utilized to investigate the microbial mechanisms involved in sediment C/N/S geochemical cycling during low-water-level regulation. The results reveal that the degree of pollution in LW sediment is lower compared to TW and ER sediment. LW sediment exhibits a higher capacity for pollutant degradation and elimination of black, odorous substances due to its stronger microbial methane oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, anammox, and oxidation of sulfide, sulfite, and thiosulfate. Conversely, TW and ER sediment showcase greater microbial methanogenesis, anaerobic fermentation, and sulfide generation abilities, leading to the persistence of black, odorous substances. Factors such as grit and silt content, nitrate, and ammonia concentrations impacted microbial metabolic pathways. Low-water-level regulation improved the micro-environment for functional microbes, facilitating pollutant removal and preventing black odorous substance accumulation. These findings provide insights into the microbial mechanisms underlying low-water-level regulation technology for sediment restoration in urban rivers.

Synergistic stabilization of high internal phase Pickering emulsions by peanut isolate proteins and cellulose nanocrystals for ß-carotene encapsulation.

In this study, high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) were stabilized by the complexes of peanut protein isolate (PPI) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for encapsulation ß-carotene to retard its degradation during processing and storage. CNCs were prepared by H2SO4 hydrolysis (HCNCs), APS oxidation (ACNCs) and TEMPO oxidation (TCNCs), exhibiting needle-like or rod-like structures with nanoscale size and uniformly distributed around the spherical PPI particle, which enhanced the emulsifying capability of PPI. Results of optical micrographs and droplet size measurement showed that Pickering emulsions stabilized by PPI/ACNCs complexes exhibited the most excellent stability after 30 days of storage, which indicated that ACNCs had the most obvious effect to improve emulsifying capability of PPI. HIPPEs encapsulated ß-carotene (ßc-HIPPEs) were stabilized by PPI/ACNCs complexes and showed excellent inverted storage stability. Moreover, ßc-HIPPEs exhibited typical shear thinning behavior investigated by rheological properties analysis. During thermal treatment, ultraviolet radiation and oxidation, the retentions of ß-carotene encapsulated in HIPPEs were improved significantly. This research holds promise in expanding Pickering emulsions stabilized by proteins-polysaccharide particles to delivery systems for hydrophobic bioactive compounds.

Application of computer vision and deep learning models to automatically classify medically important mosquitoes in North Borneo, Malaysia.

Mosquito-borne diseases have emerged in North Borneo in Malaysia due to rapid changes in the forest landscape, and mosquito surveillance is key to understanding disease transmission. However, surveillance programmes involving sampling and taxonomic identification require well-trained personnel, are time-consuming and labour-intensive. In this study, we aim to use a deep leaning model (DL) to develop an application capable of automatically detecting mosquito vectors collected from urban and suburban areas in North Borneo, Malaysia. Specifically, a DL model called MobileNetV2 was developed using a total of 4880 images of Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, which are widely distributed in Malaysia. More importantly, the model was deployed as an application that can be used in the field. The model was fine-tuned with hyperparameters of learning rate 0.0001, 0.0005, 0.001, 0.01 and the performance of the model was tested for accuracy, precision, recall and F1 score. Inference time was also considered during development to assess the feasibility of the model as an app in the real world. The model showed an accuracy of at least 97%, a precision of 96% and a recall of 97% on the test set. When used as an app in the field to detect mosquitoes with the elements of different background environments, the model was able to achieve an accuracy of 76% with an inference time of 47.33 ms. Our result demonstrates the practicality of computer vision and DL in the real world of vector and pest surveillance programmes. In the future, more image data and robust DL architecture can be explored to improve the prediction result.

Regioselective hydroformylation of propene catalysed by rhodium-zeolite.

Hydroformylation is an industrial process for the production of aldehydes from alkenes1,2. Regioselective hydroformylation of propene to high-value n-butanal is particularly important, owing to a wide range of bulk applications of n-butanal in the manufacture of various necessities in human daily life3. Supported rhodium (Rh) hydroformylation catalysts, which often excel in catalyst recyclability, ease of separation and adaptability for continuous-flow processes, have been greatly exploited4. Nonetheless, they usually consist of rotationally flexible and sterically unconstrained Rh hydride dicarbonyl centres, only affording limited regioselectivity to n-butanal5-8. Here we show that proper encapsulation of Rh species comprising Rh(I)-gem-dicarbonyl centres within a MEL zeolite framework allows the breaking of the above model. The optimized catalyst exhibits more than 99% regioselectivity to n-butanal and more than 99% selectivity to aldehydes at a product formation turnover frequency (TOF) of 6,500 h-1, surpassing the performance of all heterogeneous and most homogeneous catalysts developed so far. Our comprehensive studies show that the zeolite framework can act as a scaffold to steer the reaction pathway of the intermediates confined in the space between the zeolite framework and Rh centres towards the exclusive formation of n-butanal.

Plasma and milk metabolomics profiles in dairy cows with subclinical and clinical ketosis.

Ketosis, a commonly observed energy metabolism disorder in dairy cows during the peripartal period, is distinguished by increased concentrations of ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in blood. This condition has a negative impact on milk production and quality, causing financial losses. An untargeted metabolomics approach was performed on plasma samples from cows between 5 and 7 DIM diagnosed as controls (CON, BHB <1.2 mM, n = 30), subclinically ketotic (SCK, 1.2 < BHB <3.0 mM, n = 30), or clinically ketotic (CK, BHB >3.0 mM, n = 30). Cows were selected from a commercial farm of 214 Holstein cows (average 305-d yield in the previous lactation of 35.42 ± 7.23 kg/d; parity, 2.41 ± 1.12; body condition score, 3.1 ± 0.45). All plasma and milk samples (n = 90) were subjected to Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomic analysis. Statistical analyses was performed using the Graph Pad Prism 8.0, MetaboAnalyst 4.0 and R packages (version 4.1.3). Compared with the CON group, both SCK and CK groups had greater milk fat, freezing point, and fat-to-protein ratio and lower milk protein, lactose, solids-nonfat, and milk density. Within 21 d after calving, compared with CON, the SCK group experienced a reduction of 2.65 kg/d in milk yield, while the CK group experienced a decrease of 7.7 kg/d. Untargeted metabolomics analysis facilitated the annotation of a total of 5,259 and 8,423 metabolites in plasma and milk. Differentially affected metabolites were screened in CON vs. SCK, CON vs. CK, and SCK vs. CK (unpaired t-test, False discovery rate <0.05; and absolute value of log(2)-fold change >1.5). A total of 1,544 and 1,888 differentially affected metabolites were detected in plasma and milk. In plasma, glycerophospholipid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis were identified as significant pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) indicated that tryptophan metabolism is a key pathway associated with the occurrence and development of ketosis. Increases in 5-Hydroxytryptophan and decreases in kynurenine and 3-indoleacetic acid in SCK and CK were suggestive of an impact at the gut level. The decrease of most glycerophospholipids indicated that ketosis is associated with disordered lipid metabolism. For milk, pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, fatty acid degradation were identified as significant pathways. The WGCNA indicated that purine and pyrimidine metabolism in plasma was highly correlated with milk yield during the peripartal period. Alterations in purine and pyrimidine metabolism characterized ketosis, with lower levels of these metabolites in both milk and blood underscoring reduced efficiency in nitrogen metabolism. Our results may help to establish a foundation for future research investigating mechanisms responsible for the occurrence and development of ketosis in peripartal cows.

Transcriptome profiling of aerial and subterranean peanut pod development.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) showcases geocarpic behavior, transitioning from aerial flowering to subterranean seed development. We recently obtained an atavistic variant of this species, capable of producing aerial and subterranean pods on a single plant. Notably, although these pod types share similar vigor levels, they exhibit distinct differences in their physical aspects, such as pod size, color, and shell thickness. We constructed 63 RNA-sequencing datasets, comprising three biological replicates for each of 21 distinct tissues spanning six developmental stages for both pod types, providing a rich tapestry of the pod development process. This comprehensive analysis yielded an impressive 409.36 Gb of clean bases, facilitating the detection of 42,401 expressed genes. By comparing the transcriptomic data of the aerial and subterranean pods, we identified many differentially expressed genes (DEGs), highlighting their distinct developmental pathways. By providing a detailed workflow from the initial sampling to the final DEGs, this study serves as an important resource, paving the way for future research into peanut pod development and aiding transcriptome-based expression profiling and candidate gene identification.

A nomogram based on clinical characteristics and nutritional indicators for relative and absolute weight loss during radiotherapy in initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Radiation for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma often is accompanied by radiation esophagitis, which interferes with oral intake. We aimed to develop a nomogram model to identify initially inoperable patients with relative and absolute weight loss who need prophylactic nutritional supplementation. METHODS: A total of 365 initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving radiotherapy between January 2018 and December 2022 were included in the study, which was divided into discovery and validation cohorts. Receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan-Meier curve analyses were performed to compare the areas under the curve and survival benefits. RESULTS: A total of 42.2% (154 of 365) of the patients had been diagnosed with cancer cachexia. The malnourished group had a higher interruption rate of radiotherapy and number of complication diseases (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, patients with malnutrition had lower lymphocytes and prognostic nutritional index (P < 0.05). The combined index showed a higher area under the curve value (0.67; P < 0.001) than number of complication diseases (area under the curve = 0.52) and prognostic nutritional index (area under the curve = 0.49) for relative weight loss (≥ 5%). Similarly, the combined index had a higher area under the curve value (0.79; P < 0.001) than number of complication diseases (area under the curve = 0.56), treatment regimens (area under the curve = 0.56), subcutaneous fat thickness (area under the curve = 0.60), pretreatment body weight (area under the curve = 0.61), neutrophils (area under the curve = 0.56), and prognostic nutritional index (area under the curve = 0.50) for absolute weight loss (≥ 5 kg). Absolute and relative weight loss remained independent prognostic factors, with short overall survival rates compared with the normal group (P < 0.05). Patients with high nomogram scores supported by nutritional intervention had less weight loss, better nutrition scores, and increased plasma CD8+ T cells, and interferon gamma. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a nomogram model that was intended to estimate relative and absolute weight loss in initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma during radiotherapy, which might help facilitate an objective decision on prophylactic nutritional supplementation.

Effect of strontium on transcription factors identified by transcriptome analyses of bovine ruminal epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Strontium (Sr) has similar physicochemical properties as calcium (Ca) and is often used to evaluate the absorption of this mineral. Because the major route of Ca absorption in the bovine occurs in the rumen, it is essential to understand whether Sr impacts the ruminal epithelial cells and to what extent. RESULTS: In the present study, RNA sequencing and assembled transcriptome assembly were used to identify transcription factors (TFs), screening and bioinformatics analysis in bovine ruminal epithelial cells treated with Sr. A total of 1405 TFs were identified and classified into 64 families based on an alignment of conserved domains. A total of 174 differently expressed TFs (DE-TFs) were increased and 52 DE-TFs were decreased; the biological process-epithelial cell differentiation was inhibited according to the GSEA-GO analysis of TFs; The GO analysis of DE-TFs was enriched in the DNA binding. Protein-protein interaction network (PPI) found 12 hubs, including SMAD4, SMAD2, SMAD3, SP1, GATA2, NR3C1, PPARG, FOXO1, MEF2A, NCOA2, LEF1, and ETS1, which verified genes expression levels by real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, SMAD2, PPARG, LEF1, ETS1, GATA2, MEF2A, and NCOA2 are potential candidates that could be targeted by Sr to mediate cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as lipid metabolism. Hence, these results enhance the comprehension of Sr in the regulation of transcription factors and provide new insight into the study of Sr biological function in ruminant animals.

Transcriptome in Liver of Periparturient Dairy Cows Differs between Supplementation of Rumen-Protected Niacin and Rumen-Protected Nicotinamide.

To investigate the difference between rumen-protected niacin (RPN) and rumen-protected nicotinamide (RPM) in the transcriptome of genes relating to the lipid metabolism of the liver of periparturient dairy cows, 10 healthy Chinese Holstein cows were randomly divided into two groups and fed diets supplemented with 18.4 g/d RPN or 18.7 g/d RPM, respectively. The experiment lasted from 14 days before to 21 days after parturition. Liver biopsies were taken 21 days postpartum for transcriptomic sequencing. In addition, human LO2 cells were cultured in a medium containing 1.6 mmol/L of non-esterified fatty acids and 1 mmol/L niacin (NA) or 2 mmol/L nicotinamide (NAM) to verify the expression of the 10 genes selected from the transcriptomic analysis of the liver biopsies. The expression of a total of 9837 genes was detected in the liver biopsies, among which 1210 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 579 upregulated and 631 downregulated genes. These DEGs were associated mainly with lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and some inflammatory pathways. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that 355 DEGs were enriched in 38 GO terms. The differences in the expression of these DEGs between RPN and RPM were predominantly related to the processes of steroid catabolism, steroid hydroxylase, monooxygenase activity, oxidoreductase activity, hemoglobin binding, and ferric iron binding, which are involved mainly in lipid anabolism and redox processes. The expressions of FADS2, SLC27A6, ARHGAP24, and THRSP in LO2 cells were significantly higher (p < 0.05) while the expressions of BCO2, MARS1, GARS1, S100A12, AGMO, and OSBPL11 were significantly lower (p < 0.05) on the NA treatment compared to the NAM treatment, indicating that NA played a role in liver metabolism by directly regulating fatty acid anabolism and transport, inflammatory factor expression, and oxidative stress; and NAM functioned more as a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD, coenzyme I) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP, coenzyme II) to participate indirectly in biological processes such as ether lipid metabolism, cholesterol metabolism, energy metabolism, and other processes.

Anion-π+ AIEgens for Fluorescence Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy.

Fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted extensive attention due to its potential of real-time monitoring the lesion locations and visualizing the treatment process with high sensitivity and resolution. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) show enhanced fluorescence and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after cellular uptake, giving them significant advantages in bioimaging and PDT applications. However, most AIEgens are unfavorable for the application in organisms due to their severe hydrophobicity. Anion-π+ type AIEgens carry intrinsic charges that can effectively alleviate their hydrophobicity and improve their binding capability to cells, which is expected to enhance the bioimaging quality and PDT performance. This concept summarizes the applications of anion-π+ type AIEgens in fluorescence imaging, fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic anticancer and antimicrobial therapy in recent years, hoping to provide some new ideas for the construction of robust photosensitizers. Finally, the current problems and future challenges of anion-π+ AIEgens are discussed.

Tumor Promoting Effect of Long Non-Coding RNA RP11-556E13.1 and its Clinical Significance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to reveal the function of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) RP11-556E13.1 (RP11) and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: LncRNA and mRNA expression profiling was performed using lncRNA and mRNA microarrays in HCC and adjacent tissues. Human tissue samples were analyzed by semiquantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (sqRT-PCR) to evaluate the expression of RP11. Smart silencer RNA (siRNA) was used to knockdown the expression of RP11 in HCC cells. The function of RP11 was determined by some cell function experiments in HCC cells. Western blotting (WB) was performed to detect proteins that were presumably associated with these function changes. An Affymetrix Human HTA2.0 microarray was used to detect the underlying mechanism of RP11 in HCC. RESULTS: lncRNA RP11 was the most significantly upregulated lncRNA in HCC tissues compared with the adjacent tissues (p < 0.05, fold change = 20.24). The expression of RP11 was significantly higher in HCC tissues compared to adjacent tissues in 112 tissue pairs (p < 0.05). The higher the expression of RP11 in HCC tissues, the bigger the tumor size, the poorer the histological differentiation, and the lower the overall survival rate of the patients (all p < 0.05). After the knockdown of RP11, HCC cells displayed inhibited proliferation, increased apoptosis rate, and G1/S arrest. Moreover, the expression of cleaved PARP1 and cleaved caspase-3 was increased. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed some important pathways that might be related to the knockdown of RP11 in HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: lncRNA RP11 is an HCC-promoting gene and a potential prognostic predictor of HCC.

A Fine Analysis of Zn Species Structure and Distribution in Zn/ZSM-5 Catalysts by Linear Combination Fitting Analysis of XANES Spectra.

Investigating the distribution of different Zn species on Zn-containing zeolite catalysts is crucial for identifying the active sites and establishing the relationship between the catalyst's structure and its activity in the process of ethylene aromatization. By utilizing X-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) of various reference samples, this study employed linear combination fitting (LCF) analysis on XANES spectra of real samples to accurately measure the changes in the distribution of Zn species in Zn-containing HZSM-5 zeolites under different Zn sources and loadings. The results showed that ZnOH+, ZnO clusters, and ZnO crystalline structures coexist in Zn/HZSM-5 catalysts prepared through physical mixing and incipient wet impregnation methods. A similar trend was observed for catalysts prepared using different methods, with an increase in Zn content resulting in a decrease in the proportion of ZnOH+ and a significant increase in the amount of larger ZnO crystals. Furthermore, ZnO clusters were confined within the zeolite pores. The findings of this study established a direct correlation between the amount of ZnOH+ determined through LCF analysis and both the rate of hydrogen production and the rate of aromatics formation, providing strong evidence for the catalytic role of ZnOH+ as an active center for dehydrogenation, which plays a key role in promoting the formation of aromatics. The method of LCF analysis on XANES spectra allows for the determination of the local structure of Zn species, facilitating a more precise analysis based on the distribution of these species. This method not only provides detailed information about the Zn species but also enhances the accuracy of the overall analysis.

The Effect of Water Co-Feeding on the Catalytic Performance of Zn/HZSM-5 in Ethylene Aromatization Reactions.

During the methanol-to-aromatics (MTA) process, a large amount of water is generated, while the influence and mechanism of water on the activity and selectivity of the light olefin aromatization reaction are still unclear. Therefore, a study was conducted to systematically investigate the effects of water on the reactivity and the product distribution in ethylene aromatization using infrared spectroscopy (IR), intelligent gravitation analyzer (IGA), and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) characterizations. The results demonstrated that the presence of water reduced ethylene conversion and aromatic selectivity while increasing hydrogen selectivity at the same contact time. This indicated that water had an effect on the reaction pathway by promoting the dehydrogenation reaction and suppressing the hydrogen transfer reaction. A detailed analysis using linear combination fitting (LCF) of Zn K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) on Zn/HZSM-5 catalysts showed significant variations in the state of existence and the distribution of Zn species on the deactivated catalysts, depending on different reaction atmospheres and water contents. The presence of water strongly hindered the conversion of ZnOH+ species, which served as the active centers for the dehydrogenation reaction, to ZnO on the catalyst. As a result, the dehydrogenation activity remained high in the presence of water. This study using IR and IGA techniques revealed that water on the Zn/HZSM-5 catalyst inhibited the adsorption of ethylene on the zeolite, resulting in a noticeable decrease in ethylene conversion and a decrease in aromatic selectivity. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the aromatization reaction process and provide data support for the design of efficient aromatization catalysts.

An Esterase-Responsive SLC7A11 shRNA Delivery System Induced Ferroptosis and Suppressed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression.

Ferroptosis has garnered attention as a potential approach to fight against cancer, which is characterized by the iron-driven buildup of lipid peroxidation. However, the robust defense mechanisms against intracellular ferroptosis pose significant challenges to its effective induction. In this paper, an effective gene delivery vehicle was developed to transport solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) shRNA (shSLC7A11), which downregulates the expression of the channel protein SLC7A11 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), evoking a surge in reactive oxygen species production, iron accumulation, and lipid peroxidation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and subsequently leading to ferroptosis. This delivery system is composed of an HCC-targeting lipid layer and esterase-responsive cationic polymer, a poly{N-[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]-N-[p-acetyloxyphenyl]-N} (PQDEA) condensed shSLC7A11 core (G-LPQDEA/shSLC7A11). After intravenous (i.v.) injection, G-LPQDEA/shSLC7A11 quickly accumulated in the tumor, retarding its growth by 77% and improving survival by two times. This study is the first to construct a gene delivery system, G-LPQDEA/shSLC7A11, that effectively inhibits HCC progression by downregulating SLC7A11 expression. This underscores its therapeutic potential as a safe and valuable candidate for clinical treatment.

Benzoic acid supplementation improves the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism of weaned lambs.

Nitrogen is one of the essential components of proteins and nucleic acids and plays a crucial role in the growth and development of ruminants. However, the nitrogen utilization rate of ruminants is lower than that of monogastric animals, which not only reduces protein conversion and utilization, but also increases manure nitrogen discharge as well as causing environmental pollution. The lamb stage is an important period in the life of sheep, which can affect the production performance and meat quality of fattening sheep. The purpose of this experiment was to explore effects of benzoic acid supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism and plasma parameters of weaned lambs. A total of 40 weaned male Hu sheep lambs with similar body weight were randomly divided into 4 groups: control with no benzoic acid (0 BA) and the lambs in other 3 groups were fed 0.5, 1, and 1.5% benzoic acid on the basis of experimental diet (0.5, 1, and 1.5 BA, respectively). The experiment lasted for 60 days. Results showed that the average daily gain of 1 BA group was significantly increased (p < 0.05) when compared to 0 and 1.5 BA groups, while an opposite tendency of dry matter intake to average daily gain ratio was observed. The dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber digestibility of 1 BA group was significantly increased (p < 0.05) as compared with 0 and 1.5 BA groups as well as plasma albumin content. Also, the urinary hippuric acid and hippurate nitrogen concentrations in 1 and 1.5 BA groups were higher (p < 0.05) than those in 0 and 0.5 BA groups. Additionally, the nitrogen intake in 0.5 and 1 BA groups was significantly increased (p < 0.05) when compared to other groups. At 1 h after morning feeding, the plasma benzoic acid concentration of 1 BA group reached up to maximum value and was higher (p < 0.05) than other groups, and then began to decrease. Similarly, the hippuric acid concentration in plasma of 1 and 1.5 BA groups was higher (p < 0.05) than that of 0 BA group from 1 to 4 h post morning feeding. At 3 h after feeding, the urea nitrogen concentration in plasma of 0 BA group was higher (p < 0.05) than that of 1.5 BA group. Overall, the appropriate supplementation of benzoic acid (1%) in the diet can improve growth performance and nitrogen metabolism of weaned lambs.