Deep decalcification of factory-provided freezing acidolysis solution to achieveα-high-strength gypsum

The freezing acidolysis solution of the nitric acid-phosphate fertilizer process has a high calcium content,which makes it difficult to produce fine phosphate and high water-soluble phosphate fertilizer products.Here,based on the potential crystallization principle of calcium sulfate in NH_(4)NO_(3)-H_(3)PO_(4)-H_(2)O,the deep decalcification(i.e.calcium removal)technology to achieveα-high-strength gypsum originated from freezing acidolysis-solutions has been firstly proposed and investigated.Typically,calcium can be removed from the factory-provided freezing acidolysis-solution by neutralizing it with ammonia,followed by the addition of ammonium sulfate solution.As a result,the formation of calcium sulfate in the reaction system undergoes the nucleation and growth of CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O(DH),as well as its dissolution and crystallization into short columnarα-CaSO_(4)·0.5H_(2)O(α-HH).Remarkably,with the molar ratio of SO_(4)^(2-)/Ca^(2+)at 1.8,the degree of neutralization(NH_(3)/HNO_(3) molar ratio)at 1.7,the reaction temperature of 94℃,and the reaction time of 300 min,the decalcification rate can reach 86.89%,of which the high-strengthα-CaSO_(4)·0.5H_(2)O(α-HH)will be obtained.Noteworthy,the deep decalcification product meets the standards for the production of fine phosphates and highly water-soluble phosphate fertilizers.Consequently,the 2 h flexural strength ofα-HH is 5.3 MPa and the dry compressive strength is 36.8 MPa,which is up to the standard of commercialα-HH.

Ca(H_(2)PO_(4))_(2)-H_(3)PO_(4)-K_(2)SO_(4)体系两步法制备KH_(2)PO_(4)过程中硫酸钙晶型和形貌调控

在Ca(H_(2)PO_(4))_(2)-H_(3)PO_(4)-K_(2)SO_(4)体系中,通过调控较低温度下CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O结晶和较高温度下CaSO_(4)·2H_(2)O向CaSO_(4)·0.5H_(2)O转晶的两步法晶化反应,制备KH_(2)PO_(4)及副产品α型半水硫酸钙。研究了反应条件对两步晶化过程中CaSO_(4)晶型和形貌、磷钾收率和脱钙率的影响。结果表明,反应温度、反应时间、K_(2)SO_(4)溶液浓度、SO_(4)^(2-)过量系数、CaO/P_(2)O_(5)摩尔比和P_(2)O_(5)含量等参数的变化对CaSO_(4)晶型形貌、磷钾收率和脱钙率具有明显影响。一步反应和结晶温度为70℃、反应和结晶时间为60 min、二步转晶温度为102℃、转晶时间为5.0 h、K_(2)SO_(4)质量分数10%、SO_(4)^(2-)过量系数1.2、CaO/P_(2)O_(5)摩尔比0.20、P_(2)O_(5)质量分数25%条件下,滤液钾收率、磷收率和脱钙率分别达98.35%,91.43%和89.74%,制得石膏样品晶型为α-CaSO_(4)·0.5H_(2)O、形貌呈六棱形锥面短柱状、2 h抗折强度和绝干抗压强度分别达5.70 MPa和35.07 Mpa、强度等级达到JC/T 2038-2010《α型高强石膏》α30要求。制得的磷酸二氢钾纯度达80%以上。

Fusagerins A–F,New Alkaloids from the Fungus Fusarium sp.

Fusagerins A–F(1–6),six new alkaloids including a unique one with the rare a-(N-formyl)carboxamide moiety(1),a hydantoin(imidazolidin-2,4-dione)derivative(2),and four fungerin analogues(3–6),were isolated from the crude extract of the fungus Fusarium sp.,together with the known compound fungerin(7).Compound 2 was isolated as a racemate and further separated into two enantiomers on a chiral HPLC column.The structures of 1–6 were determined mainly by NMR experiments,and the absolute configuration of 1 and 2 was assigned by electronic circular dichroism(ECD)calculations.Compound 7 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae,and weak cytotoxicity against the T24 cells.

Anti-atherosclerotic effects and molecular targets of ginkgolide B from Ginkgo biloba

Bioactive compounds derived from herbal medicinal plants modulate various therapeutic targets and signaling pathways associated with cardiovascular diseases(CVDs),the world’s primary cause of death.Ginkgo biloba,a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with notable cardiovascular actions,has been used as a cardio-and cerebrovascular therapeutic drug and nutraceutical in Asian countries for centuries.Preclinical studies have shown that ginkgolide B,a bioactive component in Ginkgo biloba,can ameliorate atherosclerosis in cultured vascular cells and disease models.Of clinical relevance,several clinical trials are ongoing or being completed to examine the efficacy and safety of ginkgolide B-related drug preparations in the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases,such as ischemia stroke.Here,we present a comprehensive review of the pharmacological activities,pharmacokinetic characteristics,and mechanisms of action of ginkgolide B in atherosclerosis prevention and therapy.We highlight new molecular targets of ginkgolide B,including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases(NADPH oxidase),lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1(LOX-1),sirtuin 1(SIRT1),platelet-activating factor(PAF),proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9(PCSK9)and others.Finally,we provide an overview and discussion of the therapeutic potential of ginkgolide B and highlight the future perspective of developing ginkgolide B as an effective therapeutic agent for treating atherosclerosis.

Targeted isolation of antiviral cinnamoylphloroglucinol-terpene adducts from Cleistocalyx operculatus by building blocks-based molecular networking approach

The building blocks-based molecular network(BBMN)strategy was applied to the phytochemical investigation of Cleistocalyx operculatus,leading to the targeted isolation of eighteen novel cinnamoylphloroglucinol-terpene adducts(CPTAs)with diverse skeleton types(cleistoperones A-R,1-18).Their structures including absolute configurations were determined by extensive spectroscopic methods,quantum chemical calculations,and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic experiments.Cleistoperone A(1),consisting of a cinnamoylphloroglucinol motif and two linear monoterpene moieties,represents an unprecedented macrocyclic CPTA,whose densely functionalized tricyclo[15.3.1.0^(3,8)]heneicosane bridge ring skeleton contains an enolizableβ,β′-triketone system and two different kinds of stereogenic elements(including five point and three planar chiralities).Cleistoperones B and C(2 and 3)are two new skeletal CPTAs with an unusual coupling pattern between the(nor)monoterpene moiety and the cinnamoyl chain of the cinnamoylphloroglucinol unit.Cleistoperone D(4)possesses an unprecedented cage-like 6/6/6/4/6-fused heteropentacyclic scaffold.The plausible biosynthetic pathways for 1-18 were also proposed.Notably,compounds 1,4,7,8,and 18 exhibited significant antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus(RSV).The most potent one,cleistoperone A(1)with IC_(50) value of 1.71±0.61μmol/L,could effectively inhibit virus replication via affecting the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway.

Discovery of unusual phloroglucinol-triterpenoid adducts from Leptospermum scoparium and Xanthostemon chrysanthus by building blocks-based molecular networking

The first phloroglucinol-triterpenoid hybrids,myrtphlotritins A-E(1-5),were rapidly recognized and isolated from two species of Myrtaceae by employing the building blocks-based molecular network(BBMN)strategy.Compounds 1-5 featured new carbon skeletons in which phloroglucinol derivatives were coupled with lupane-and dammarane-type triterpenoids through different linkage patterns.Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations.Biosynthetic pathways for compounds 1-5 were proposed on the basis of the coexisting precursors.Guided by the biogenetic pathways,the biomimetic synthesis of compound 1 was also achieved.Additionally,compounds 2,3,and 5 exhibited potent antiviral activities against herpes simplex virus type-1(HSV-1)infection,and compounds 2 and 5 displayed significant anti-inflammatory activities on RAW264.7 cells.

Targeting FAPα-positive lymph node metastatic tumor cells suppresses colorectal cancer metastasis

Lymphatic metastasis is the main metastatic route for colorectal cancer, which increases the risk of cancer recurrence and distant metastasis. The properties of the lymph node metastatic colorectal cancer(LNM-CRC) cells are poorly understood, and effective therapies are still lacking. Here, we found that hypoxia-induced fibroblast activation protein alpha(FAPα) expression in LNM-CRC cells. Gain-or loss-function experiments demonstrated that FAPα enhanced tumor cell migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness, and lymphangiogenesis via activation of the STAT3 pathway. In addition, FAPα in tumor cells induced extracellular matrix remodeling and established an immunosuppressive environment via recruiting regulatory T cells, to promote colorectal cancer lymph node metastasis(CRCLNM). Z-GP-DAVLBH, a FAPα-activated prodrug, inhibited CRCLNM by targeting FAPα-positive LNM-CRC cells. Our study highlights the role of FAPα in tumor cells in CRCLNM and provides a potential therapeutic target and promising strategy for CRCLNM.

Author correction to“The FAPα-activated prodrug Z-GP-DAVLBH inhibits the growth and pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by suppressing the AXL pathway”[Acta Pharm Sin B 12(2022)1288–1304]

We deeply regret that the representative image of invaded 143B cells treated with Z-GP-DAVLBH + AXL-KD in the lower panel of Fig. 6C was incorrect due to inadvertent mistake of copying and pasting in the process of assembling figures with Adobe Illustrator software. The image has now been corrected, and the quantification of cell invasion in Fig. 6C remains correct. The corrected version of Fig. 6C has been provided below, and the change did not affect the results and conclusions of this study. We have provided the original data of this figure to Editorial Office, and the Editorial Office or the corresponding authors can be contacted for original data access.

Therapeutic Targeting of PKM2 Ameliorates NASH Fibrosis Progression in a Macrophage-Specific and Liver-Specific Manner

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)may soon become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease worldwide with limited treatment options.Liver fibrosis,which is driven by chronic inflammation and hepatic stellate cell(HSC)activation,critically determines morbidity and mortality in patients with NASH.Pyruvate kinase M2(PKM2)is involved in immune activation and inflammatory liver diseases;however,its role and therapeutic potential in NASH-related fibrosis remain largely unexplored.Bioinformatics screening and analysis of human and murine NASH livers indicated that PKM2 was upregulated in nonparenchymal cells(NPCs),especially macrophages,in the livers of patients with fibrotic NASH.Macrophage-specific PKM2 knockout(PKM2^(FL/FL)LysM-Cre)significantly ameliorated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis severity in three distinct NASH models induced by a methionine-and choline-deficient(MCD)diet,a high-fat high-cholesterol(HFHC)diet,and a western diet plus weekly carbon tetrachloride injection(WD/CCl_(4)).Single-cell transcriptomic analysis indicated that deletion of PKM2 in macrophages reduced profibrotic Ly6C^(high) macrophage infiltration.Mechanistically,PKM2-dependent glycolysis promoted NLR family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)activation in proinflammatory macrophages,which induced HSC activation and fibrogenesis.A pharmacological PKM2 agonist efficiently attenuated the profibrotic crosstalk between macrophages and HSCs in vitro and in vivo.Translationally,ablation of PKM2 in NPCs by cholesterol-conjugated heteroduplex oligonucleotides,a novel oligonucleotide drug that preferentially accumulates in the liver,dose-dependently reversed NASH-related fibrosis without causing observable hepatotoxicity.The present study highlights the pivotal role of macrophage PKM2 in advancing NASH fibrogenesis.Thus,therapeutic modulation of PKM2 in a macrophage-specific or liver-specific manner may serve as a novel strategy to combat NASH-related fibrosis.

Discovery and development of natural heat shock protein 90 inhibitors in cancer treatment

Heat shock protein 90(Hsp90)is a highly conserved molecular chaperone that plays a vital role in the signal transduction of cancers.Hsp90 inhibitors are able to inhibit Hsp90 or the complex of Hsp90 and co-chaperones resulting in the degradation of Hsp90-dependent client proteins through the ubiqui tina tion-proteasome pathway,thereby leading to the growth inhibition of tumor cells.This review will briefy discuss the molecular structure and biological function of Hsp90,and focus on a summary of recent progress in the development and testing of natural Hsp90 inhibitors and their different means by which they interact with Hsp90.

The FAPα-activated prodrug Z-GP-DAVLBH inhibits the growth and pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by suppressing the AXL pathway

Osteosarcoma is a kind of bone tumor with highly proliferative and invasive properties,a high incidence of pulmonary metastasis and a poor prognosis.Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for osteosarcoma.Currently,there are no molecular targeted drugs approved for osteosarcoma treatment,particularly effective drugs for osteosarcoma with pulmonary metastases.It has been reported that fibroblast activation protein alpha(FAPa)is upregulated in osteosarcoma and critically associated with osteosarcoma progression and metastasis,demonstrating that FAPa-targeted agents might be a promising therapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma.In the present study,we reported that the FAPa-activated vinblastine prodrug Z-GP-DAVLBH exhibited potent antitumor activities against FAPa-positive osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo.Z-GP-DAVLBH inhibited the growth and induced the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells.Importantly,it also decreased the migration and invasion capacities and reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and suppressed pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma xenografts in vivo.Mechanistically,Z-GP-DAVLBH suppressed the AXL/AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway,leading to inhibition of the growth and metastatic spread of osteosarcoma cells.These findings demonstrate that Z-GP-DAVLBH is a promising agent for the treatment of FAPa-positive osteosarcoma,particularly osteosarcoma with pulmonary metastases.