First-Principles Insights into the Selective Separation of MoS42- and WO42-: Crucial Role of Hydration Structures.

The selective separation of MoS42- and WO42- using quaternary ammonium salt through solvent extraction or ion exchange methods has been well-established in the metallurgical industry. However, the conventional electrostatic adsorption theory falls short in explaining the separation mechanism. Through first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations and newly self-developed deep potential molecular dynamics (DPMD) simulation method, our work first reveals that the disparity in hydration structures of MoS42- and WO42- plays a crucial role in their selective separation. It is proposed that MoS42- and WO42- anions undergo hydration to form [MoS4(H2O)n]2- and [WO4(H2O)n]2-, respectively, facilitated by hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions. Emphasis is placed on the discrepancy between MoS42- and WO42- in hydration structures by the hydration energy, Hirshfeld charge, evaluation of weak interactions, hydration radius, hydration coordination number, and H-bonds distribution. MoS42- presents a larger first hydration radius and a lower first hydration coordination number due to weaker interactions with H2O, while WO42- is subjected to enhanced hydration shielding, resulting in MoS42- anions being more susceptible to be selectively separated by a quaternary ammonium salt. This insight paves the way for the selective separation of MoS42- and WO42-, further bridging the gap between theory and industry applications.

KRT19 is regulated by miR-642a-5p and promotes pancreatic cancer progression through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a really poor prognosis, and we urgently need to delve deeper into its molecular mechanisms. In this study, we found that KRT19 expression was significantly increased in PC tissues and cell lines and it was linked to unfavorable outcomes for patients. Overexpression of KRT19 boosted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PC cells. Additionally, miR-374b-5p targets KRT19, inhibiting the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway (WBC), which in turn suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the progression of PC. Further experiments showed that under hypoxic conditions, HIF1α was positively correlated with KRT19, promoting its expression. The loss of miR-642a-5p and the upregulation of KRT19 induced by hypoxia can significantly favor PC progression. Plus, the increased expression of KRT19 might act as a predictive marker and potential target for PC treatment.

The Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A on the Biological Behavior of Fibroblasts on Silicone Implants.

BACKGROUND: Capsular contracture is one of the most severe complications following breast augmentation surgery. It has been reported that botulinum toxin Type A (BTX-A) can inhibit capsular contracture, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential mechanisms behind BTX-A's inhibition of capsular contracture by observing its effects on the biological behavior of fibroblasts and its impact on the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway. METHODS: In vitro experiments involved culturing fibroblasts on PDMS surfaces, subsequently treating them with various concentrations of BTX-A. Fibroblast proliferation activity was assessed using the CCK-8 assay, while the migration and cytoskeletal morphology of the fibroblasts were meticulously examined. ELISA was utilized to quantify the expression of fibrosis-related cytokines. Gene and protein expressions related to the TGF-ß/Smad pathway were analyzed through real-time PCR and Western blotting techniques. RESULTS: BTX-A moderately enhanced the early proliferation and migration of fibroblasts on the surface of PDMS silicone sheets and reduced the synthesis of collagen types I and III. Furthermore, under the influence of BTX-A, the expression of TGF-ßR2 and α-SMA in the TGF-ß/Smad pathway was significantly inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that BTX-A can inhibit fibroblast differentiation by downregulating the expression of TGF-ßR2, thereby suppressing the TGF-ß/Smad pathway. This suggests a possible mechanism through which BTX-A mitigates capsular contracture. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Induction of apoptosis by oridonin in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma cells.

Nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is one of the major subtypes of pituitary adenomas (PA) and its primary treatment is surgical resection. However, normal surgery fails to remove lesions completely and there remains in lack of frontline treatment, so the development of new drugs for NFPA is no doubt urgent. Oridonin (ORI) has been reported to have antitumor effects on a variety of tumors, but whether it could exhibit the same effect on NFPA requires to be further investigated. The effects of ORI on pituitary-derived folliculostellate cell line (PDFS) cell viability, colony formation, proliferation ability, migration, and invasion were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation assay, 5­Ethynyl­2'­deoxyuridine proliferation assay, wound-healing assay, and Transwell assay. The differentially expressed genes in the control and ORI-treated groups were screened by transcriptome sequencing analysis and analyzed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. Cell cycle analysis was performed to detect changes in cell cycle. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining was performed to detect apoptosis in ORI-treated cells. Western blot assay was performed to detect Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression. ORI inhibited PDFS cell viability and significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. GO and KEGG results showed that ORI was associated with signaling pathways such as cell cycle and apoptosis in PDFS cells. In addition, ORI blocked cells in G2/M phase and induced apoptosis in PDFS cells. ORI can trigger cell cycle disruption and apoptosis collaboratively in PDFS cells, making it a promising and effective agent for NFPA therapy.

Donor-Acceptor-Donor Strategy Rouses the Photodynamic Therapy Anticancer Activity of a Bis-terpyridyl Ru(II) Complex.

Photodynamic therapy has been regarded as a noninvasive treatment for cancer with spatiotemporal control over drug activation. Bis-terpyridyl Ru(II) complexes exhibit a promising achiral structure but suffer from low photoreactivity due to deviation from the ideal octahedral geometry. Herein, we introduce the donor-acceptor-donor motif to construct a dinuclear bis-terpyridyl Ru(II) complex (Ru2). Ru2 exhibits superior light absorption properties compared with mononuclear complex Ru1. Importantly, upon 595 nm light excitation, Ru2 shows promising synergetic type I/II photosensitization and photocatalytic activity, while Ru1 is inactive. Anticancer mechanistic studies reflect that Ru2 induces intracellular redox imbalance and affects the biosynthetic and metabolic processes, leading to cell apoptosis. Overall, this work provides a simple strategy to rouse the PDT efficiency of bis-terpyridyl Ru(II) complexes.

Tuning MOF/polymer interfacial pore geometry in mixed matrix membrane for upgrading CO2 separation performance.

The current paradigm considers the control of the MOF/polymer interface mostly for achieving a good compatibility between the two components to ensure the fabrication of continuous mixed-matrix metal-organic framework (MMMOF) membranes. Here, we unravel that the interfacial pore shape nanostructure plays a key role for an optimum molecular transport. The prototypical ultrasmall pore AlFFIVE-1-Ni MOF was assembled with the polymer PIM-1 to design a composite with gradually expanding pore from the MOF entrance to the MOF/polymer interfacial region. Concentration gradient-driven molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that this pore nanostructuring enables an optimum guided path for the gas molecules at the MOF/polymer interface that decisively leads to an acceleration of the molecular transport all along the MMMOF membrane. This numerical prediction resulted in the successful fabrication of a [001]-oriented nanosheets AlFFIVE-1-Ni/PIM-1 MMMOF membrane exhibiting an excellent CO2 permeability, better than many MMMs, and ideally associated with a sufficiently high CO2/CH4 selectivity that makes this membrane very promising for natural gas/biogas purification.

A rapid and eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of low-silica SAPO-34 with excellent MTO catalytic performance.

A rapid and eco-friendly route has been developed for the synthesis of SAPO-34 with short crystallization time (1-3 h), low silica content (as low as 6.2 wt%) and excellent methanol-to-olefin (MTO) catalytic performance by utilization of a recycled mother liquid at elevated crystallization temperature.

Antimicrobial peptide cecropin B functions in pathogen resistance of Mythimna separata.

Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an omnivorous pest that poses a great threat to food security. Insect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides that are important effector molecules of innate immunity. Here, we investigated the role of the AMP cecropin B in the growth, development, and immunity of M. separata. The gene encoding M. separata cecropin B (MscecropinB) was cloned. The expression of MscecropinB was determined in different developmental stages and tissues of M. separata. It was highest in the prepupal stage, followed by the pupal stage. Among larval stages, the highest expression was observed in the fourth instar. Tissue expression analysis of fourth instar larvae showed that MscecropinB was highly expressed in the fat body and haemolymph. An increase in population density led to upregulation of MscecropinB expression. MscecropinB expression was also upregulated by the infection of third and fourth instar M. separata with Beauveria bassiana or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). RNA interference (RNAi) targeting MscecropinB inhibited the emergence rate and fecundity of M. separata, and resulted in an increased sensitivity to B. bassiana and Bt. The mortality of M. separata larvae was significantly higher in pathogen plus RNAi-treated M. separata than in controls treated with pathogens only. Our findings indicate that MscecropinB functions in the eclosion and fecundity of M. separata and plays an important role in resistance to infection by B. bassiana and Bt.