Cinnamicaldehyde regulates the expression of tight junction proteins and amino acid transporters in intestinal porcine epithelial cells

Background： Cinnamicaldehyde（CA） is a key flavor compound in cinnamon essential oil possessing various bioactivities. Tight junction（TJ） proteins are vital for the maintenance of intestinal epithelial barrier function,transport, absorption and utilization of dietary amino acids and other nutrients. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that CA may regulate the expression of TJ proteins and amino acid transporters in intestinal porcine epithelial cells（IPEC-1） isolated from neonatal pigs.Results： Compared with the control, cells incubated with 25 μmol/L CA had increased transepithelial electrical resistance（TEER） and decreased paracellular intestinal permeability. The beneficial effect of CA on mucosal barrier function was associated with enhanced protein abundance for claudin-4, zonula occludens（ZO）-1, ZO-2, and ZO-3. Immunofluorescence staining showed that 25 μmol/L CA promoted the localization of claudin-1 and claudin-3 to the plasma membrane without affecting the localization of other TJ proteins, including claudin-4, occludin,ZO-1, ZO-2, and ZO-3, compared with the control cells. Moreover, protein abundances for rBAT, xCT and LAT2 in IPEC-1 cells were enhanced by 25 μmol/L CA, while that for EAAT3 was not affected.Conclusions： CA improves intestinal mucosal barrier function by regulating the distribution of claudin-1 and claudin-3 in enterocytes, as well as enhancing protein abundance for amino acid transporters rBAT, xCT and LAT2 in enterocytes. Supplementation with CA may provide an effective nutritional strategy to improve intestinal integrity and amino acid transport and absorption in piglets.

Relationships between leaf color changes,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure of Liquidambar formosana Hance

Liquidambar formosana Hance is an attractive landscape tree species because its leaves gradually change from green to red,purple or orange in autumn.In this study,the red variety of L.formosana was used to establish a quantitative model of leaf color.Physiological changes in leaf color,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure were monitored.The relationship between leaf color and physiological structure indices was quantitatively analyzed to systematically explore the mechanisms behind leaf color.Our data showed that with a decrease in external temperatures,chloroplast numbers and sizes gradually decreased,thylakoid membranes became distorted,and chlorophyll synthesis was blocked and gradually decreased.As a result,chloroplast membranes could not be biosynthesized normally;net photosynthesis,maximum and actual photochemical efficiency,and rate of electron transfer decreased rapidly.Excess light energy caused leaf photoinhibition.With intensification of photoinhibition,leaves protected themselves using two mechanisms.In the first,anthocyanin synthesis was promoted by increasing chalcone isomerase and flavonoid glycosyltransferase activities and soluble sugar content so as to increase anthocyanin to filter light and eliminate reactive oxygen species to reduce photoinhibition.In the second,excessive light energy was consumed in the form of heat energy by increasing the non-photochemical quenching coefficient.These processes tuned the leaves red.

双功能添加剂策略制备高效钙钛矿太阳电池

目前针对提高钙钛矿太阳能电池(PSCs)效率的研究发展迅速,效率已经达到26%.然而,在制备高效率PSCs时经常会使用过量PbI_(2),过量的PbI_(2)会导致电池的稳定性缺陷.为了解决这一问题,我们引入了阴阳离子共同作用的双功能添加剂苯乙胺三氟乙酸盐(PEATFA),来钝化钙钛矿薄膜中的缺陷和过量的PbI_(2),以协同钝化钙钛矿太阳能电池.PEA^(+)阳离子促进二维钙钛矿生成,而TFA^(-)阴离子钝化未配位的Pb_(2+)离子和碘空位,从而提高了钙钛矿晶体质量.此外,PEATFA的引入优化了钙钛矿与空穴传输层之间的能级匹配,从而提高了其电荷传输和抽取能力.最终,我们成功实现了PSCs 24.05%的光电转换效率,同时PSCs表现出最小的滞后现象和良好的稳定性.

Lattice reconstruction for mixed-halide blue perovskite light-emitting diodes with high brightness,outstanding color stability and low efficiency roll-off

We report a simple,effective,and universal lattice reconstruction approach to improve the quality of perovskite films by using nonpolar solvents with high Gutmann donor numbers(DNs).We find that high-DN nonpolar solvents,for instance,ethyl acetate,can interact with perovskite precursors.Such a solvent can make the perovskite lattice more ordered and“harder”and promote the formation of heterostructures with low-dimensional perovskite impurities and residual solvent molecules.As a result,the latticereconstructed perovskite films exhibit reduced defect densities and suppressed ion migration.The resultant mixed-halide blue perovskite light-emitting diodes(PeLEDs)show greatly enhanced tolerance to high driving current densities and voltages,demonstrating high brightness,outstanding color stability and low efficiency roll-off.Our work provides a deep understanding of the interactions between nonpolar solvents and perovskites and offers useful guidelines for further development of high-power PeLEDs.

Electrooxidative trifunctionalization of alkenes with N-chlorosuccinimide and ArSSAr/ArSH to α,β-dichloride arylsulfoxides

An unprecedented electrochemical oxidative trifunctionalization of olefins with diaryl disulfides/aryl thiols and N-chlorosuccinimide in an aqueous system is developed.Two C-Cl bonds,one C-S bond,and one S=O bond are produced simultaneously in one step from simple and commercially available starting materials with clean energy.This tandem methodology features as mild reaction conditions,transition metal and additional oxidant free,broad substrate scope,good functional group compatibility,and gram scale preparation.

LitePIG: a lite parameter inference system for the gravitational wave in the millihertz band

We present a Python based parameter inference system for the gravitational wave(GW)measured in the millihertz band.This system includes the following features:the GW waveform originated from the massive black hole binaries(MBHB),the stationary instrumental Gaussian noise,the higher-order harmonic modes,the full response function from the time delay interferometry and the Gaussian likelihood function with the dynamic nested parameter sampler.In particular,we highlight the role of higher-order modes.By including these modes,the luminosity distance estimation precision can be improved roughly by a factor of 50,compared with the case with only the leading order(l=2,|m|=2)mode.This is due to the response functions of different harmonic modes on the inclination angle are different.Hence,it can help to break the distance-inclination degeneracy.Furthermore,we show the robustness of testing general relativity(GR)by using higher-order harmonics.Our results show that the GW from MBHB can simultaneously constrain four of the higher harmonic amplitudes(deviation from GR)with 95%confidence level of c21=0.54-1.05+0.82,c32=-0.65-1.42+3.02,c33=0.56-0.96^(+0.79) and c44=1.57-2.19^(+3.22),respectively.

PTPRO represses colorectal cancer tumorigenesis and progression by reprogramming fatty acid metabolism

Background:Abnormal expression of protein tyrosine phosphatases(PTPs)has been reported to be a crucial cause of cancer.As a member of PTPs,protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O(PTPRO)has been revealed to play tumor suppressive roles in several cancers,while its roles in colorectal cancer(CRC)remains to be elucidated.Hence,we aimed to explore the roles and mechanisms of PTPRO in CRC initiation and progression.Methods:The influences of PTPRO on the growth and liver metastasis of CRC cells and the expression patterns of different lipid metabolism enzymes were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.Molecular and biological experiments were conducted to uncover the underpinning mechanisms of dysregulated de novo lipogenesis and fatty acidβ-oxidation.Results:PTPRO expression was notably downregulated in CRC liver metastasis compared to the primary cancer,and such a downregulation was associated with poor prognosis of patients with CRC.PTPRO silencing significantly promoted cell growth and liver metastasis.Compared with PTPRO wild-type mice,PTPROknockout mice developed more tumors and harbored larger tumor loads under treatment with azoxymethane and dextran sulfate sodium.Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that PTPRO downregulation was significantly associated with the fatty acid metabolism pathways.Blockage of fatty acid synthesis abrogated the effects of PTPRO silencing on cell growth and liver metastasis.Further experiments indicated that PTPRO silencing induced the activation of the AKT serine/threonine kinase(AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)signaling axis,thus promoting de novo lipogenesis by enhancing the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1(SREBP1)and its target lipogenic enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha(ACC1)by activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.Furthermore,PTPRO attenuation decreased the fatty acid oxidation rate by repressing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα)and its downstream enzyme peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1(ACOX1)via activating the p38/extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathway.Conclusions:PTPRO could suppress CRC development and metastasis via modulating the AKT/mTOR/SREBP1/ACC1 and MAPK/PPARα/ACOX1 pathways and reprogramming lipid metabolism.

Frequent RNF43 mutation contributes to moderate activation of Wnt signaling in colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma

Dear Editor,Signet-ring cell carcinoma(SRCC)is a rare subtype of colorectal cancer(CRC)characterized histologically by the accumulation of mucins in the cytoplasm and displacement of nuclei to the cellular periphery,accounting for about 1%CRC(Fig.S1A)(Borger et al.,2007).Compare to common subtypes of CRC,such as adenocarcinoma(AC)and mucinous adenocarcinoma(MAC),SRCC is associated with aggressive behaviors and younger age at presentation(Kang et al.,2005;Sung et al.,2008;Nitsche et al.,2013;Hugen et al.,2014;Inamura et al.,2015).A retrospective analysis of CRC patient's data at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center(FUSCC)also indicated a worse overall and disease-free survival of SRCC patients(Fig.S1B and S1C,Table S1).

GLUT3 induced by AMPK/CREB1 axis is key for withstanding energy stress and augments the efficacy of current colorectal cancer therapies

Cancer cells are usually characterized by hyperactive glucose metabolism,which can often lead to glucose scarcity;thus,alternative pathways to rewire cancer metabolism are required.Here,we demonstrated that GLUT3 was highly expressed in colorectal cancer(CRC)and negatively linked to CRC patient outcomes,whereas GLUT1 was not associated with CRC prognosis.Under glucoselimiting conditions,GLUT3 expedited CRC cell growth by accelerating glucose input and fuelling nucleotide synthesis.Notably,GLUT3 had a greater impact on cell growth than GLUT1 under glucose-limiting stress.Mechanistically,low-glucose stress dramatically upregulated GLUT3 via the AMPK/CREB1 pathway.Furthermore,high GLUT3 expression remarkably increased the sensitivity of CRC cells to treatment with vitamin C and vitamin C-containing regimens.Together,the results of this study highlight the importance of the AMPK/CREB1/GLUT3 pathway for CRC cells to withstand glucose-limiting stress and underscore the therapeutic potential of vitamin C in CRC with high GLUT3 expression.

Optically invariant InGaN nanowire light-emitting diodes on flexible substrates under mechanical manipulation

The integration of GaN-based light-emitting diodes(LEDs)onto flexible platforms provides opportunities for conformal lighting,wearable electronics,and bendable displays.While this technology may enhance the functionality of the light source,the development of flexible GaN LEDs suffers from performance degradation,when mechanical bending is applied during operation.A unique approach to eliminate the degradation employs dot-in-wire structures,using cylindrical light-emitting heterostructures that protrude above the flexible platform,separating the active light-emitting region from the bending substrate.Here,we demonstrate the optical enhancement of nanowire light emitters by changing the geometric orientation within a 1×1 mm^(2) array of nanowires on a flexible platform through bending of the substrate platform.The flexible structures were achieved by transferring GaN nanowire LEDs from sapphire substrates onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate(PET)using a“paste-and-cut”integration process.The I–V characteristics of the nanowire LEDs showed negligible change after integration onto the PET,with a turn-on voltage of 2.5 V and a forward current of 400μA at 4 V.A significant advantage for the nanowire devices on PET was demonstrated by tilting the LEDs through substrate bending that increased the electroluminescence(EL)intensity,while the I–V characteristics and the EL peak position remained constant.Through finite-element analysis and three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain modeling,it was determined that tilting the protruding devices changed the effective distance between the structures,enhancing their electromagnetic coupling to increase light output without affecting the electrical properties or peak emission wavelength of the LEDs.

Flavor supplementation during late gestation and lactation periods increases the reproductive performance and alters fecal microbiota of the sows

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of flavor on reproductive performance and fecal microbiota of sows during late gestation and lactation.A total of 20 healthy Yorkshire sows were fed a corn-soybean basal diet unsupplemented or supplemented with 0.1%flavor compound from d 90 of gestation to 25 d post-farrowing,and then the piglets were weaned.The reproductive performance and the fecal microbiota of sows were analyzed.Compared with the controls,flavor supplementation in maternal diets increased(P<0.05)weaning litter weight,litter weight gain,weaning body weight,and average daily gain of piglets.There was a trend of increase in the average daily feed intake of sows(P=0.09)by maternal dietary flavor addition.The backfat thickness and litter size were not affected by flavor supplementation(P>0.05).The 16S rRNA analysis showed that flavor supplementation signifi-cantly increased the abundance of Phascolarctobacterium(P<0.05),but significantly decreased genera Terrisporobacter,Alloprevotella,Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1,and Escherichia-shigella(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that Phascolarctobacterum was positively correlated with the average daily feed intake of sows(P<0.05),the litter weight gain and average daily gain of piglets(P<0.05).In contrast,Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae were negatively correlated with the litter weight gain and average daily gain of piglets(P<0.05).Taken together,dietary flavor sup-plementation improved the reproductive performance of the sows,which was associated with enhanced beneficial microbiota and decreased potentially pathogenic bacteria in the sows.