Pretreatment with antioxidants prevent bone injury by improving bone marrow microenvironment for stem cells

Irradiation induces bone injury by generating free radicals that adversely affect the microenvironment for Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and damages bone marrow blood vessels. We wished to investigate the efficacy of antioxidant administration in protecting stem cell microenvironments and promoting bone marrow vasculature recovery after radiation treatment. The antioxidant ascorbic acid was administered 3 times at a dosage: 150 mg/kg/day to experimenttal groups 3 days before targeted radiation by a unique Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP). Histological staining indicated that antioxidant treated mice had less severe bone marrow damage 1 week after irradiation with substantial marrow cellular recovery 4 weeks later. Flow cytometry analysis showed that antioxidant administration was correlated with a rebound in MSC quantity in bone marrow. Anti-oxidant treatment was also observed to allow for better vasculature retention and recovery through angiographic imaging. Our data suggests that pre-treatment with ascorbic acid serves to improve bone marrow microenvironments for bone marrow stem cells after radiation treatment.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Antifungal Evaluation of Thiolactomycin Derivatives

5-Substituted benzylidene 3-acylthiotetronic acids are antifungal.A series of 3-acylthiotetronic acid derivatives with varying substitutions at the 5-position were designed,synthesized,and characterized,based on the binding pose of 3-acyl thiolactone with the protein C171Q KasA.Fungicidal activities of these compounds were screened against Valsa Mali,Curvularia lunata,Fusarium graminearum,and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.lycopersici.Most target compounds exhibited excellent fungicidal activities against target fungi at the concentration of 50μg·mL-1.Compounds 11c and 11i displayed the highest activity with a broad spectrum.The median effective concentration(EC50)values of 11c and 11i were 1.9–10.7 and 3.1–7.8μg·mL-1,respectively,against the tested fungi,while the EC50 values of the fungicides azoxystrobin,carbendazim,and fluopyram were respectively 0.30,4.22,and>50μg·mL-1 against V.Mali;6.7,41.7,and 0.18μg·mL-1 against C.lunata;22.4,0.42,and 0.43μg·mL-1 against F.graminearum;and 4.3,0.12,and>50μg·mL-1 against F.oxysporum f.sp.lycopersici.The structures and activities of the target compounds against C.lunata were analyzed to obtain a statistically significant comparative molecular field analysis(CoMFA)model with high prediction abilities(q2=0.9816,r2=0.8060),and its reliability was verified.The different substituents on the benzylidene at the 5-position had significant effects on the activity,while the introduction of a halogen atom at the benzene ring of benzylidene was able to improve the activity against the tested fungi.

Combined remediation of DDT congeners and cadmium in soil by Sphingobacterium sp.D-6 and Sedum alfredii Hance

Combined pollution of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis （4-chlorophenyl） ethane （DDT） and cadmium （Cd） in agricultural soils is of great concern because they present serious risk to food security and human health.In order to develop a cost-effective and safe method for the removal of DDTs and Cd in soil,combined remediation of DDTs and Cd in soil by Sphingobacterium sp.D-6 and the hyperaccumulator,Sedum alfredii Hance was investigated.After treatment for 210 days,the degradation half-lives of DDTs in soils treated by strain D-6 decreased by 8.1% to 68.0% compared with those in the controls.The inoculation of strain D-6 into soil decreased the uptake of DDTs by pak choi and S.alfredii.The shoots/roots ratios of S.alfredii for the Cd accumulation ranged from 12.32 to 21.75.The Cd concentration in soil decreased to 65.8%-71.8% for S.alfredii treatment and 14.1%-58.2% for S.alfredii and strain D-6 combined treatment,respectively,compared with that in the control.The population size of the DDTs-degrading strain,Simpson index （1/D） and soil respiratory rate decreased in the early stage of treatment and then gradually increased,ultimately recovering to or exceeding the initial level.The results indicated that synchronous incorporation of strain D-6 and S.alfredii into soil was found to significantly （p 0.05） enhance the degradation of DDTs in soil and the hyperaccumulation of Cd in S.alfredii.It was concluded that strain D-6 and S.alfredii could be used successfully to control DDTs and Cd in contaminated soil.

Influence of oxygen content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cold rolled Ti-32.5Nb-6.8Zr-2.7Sn-x O alloys after aging treatment

The influence of oxygen（O） content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cold rolled Ti-32.5 Nb-6.8 Zr-2.7 Sn-xO（TNZS-xO; x = 0,0.3.0.6; mass%） alloys after aging at temperature range from 350 to 600℃ for 24 h was investigated. Results showed that the cold rolled TNZS-xO alloys possess single βphase. During the aging process, O could not only effectively suppress the precipitation of ω phase but also retard the formation and decomposition of a phase. In addition, the corresponding temperatures of the maximal volume fraction of α phase precipitation and the（α＋β）/β transus temperatures of the TNZS-xO alloys were all increased with the increasing of O content. For mechanical properties, it was found that the strength and Young＇s modulus of the TNZS-xO alloys increased owing to the ω phase and/or a phase precipitation and decreased owing to the a phase decomposition. However, the elongation showed the opposite change tendency with the above mentioned strength. The mechanical properties of TNZS-xO alloys can be controlled over a wide range by subjecting to aging treatment and/or changing their 0 content. When aged at or below 450 ℃,the TNZS-xO alloys exhibit great potential to become a series of new candidates for biomedical applications since they possess high strength（870-1460 MPa）, low Young＇s modulus（45.1-75.6 GPa）, high strength-to-modulus ratio（0.018-0.02） and appropriate elongation（7.2%-14.9%）, which are superior to those of Ti-6 Al-4 V alloy and suitable for the use as bio-implant materials.

Glycomolecules in Echinococcus granulosus cyst fluid inhibit TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses via c-Raf

Cystic echinococcosis,which is caused by larval infection of Echinococcus granulosus(E.granulosus)sensu lato,is a widespread chronic cyst-forming helminthic disease that affects up to 3 million people.1 E.granulosus can actively divert the host immune response towards anergy and anti-inflammatory pathways.2 Previous studies have shown that E.granulosus can escape host immunosurveillance by modulating the maturation of dendritic cells(DCs).3,4 Nevertheless,how E.granulosus,an extracellular pathogen,modulates the inflammatory response in DCs remains poorly understood.In this study,we investigated the effects of E.granulosus cyst fluid(EgCF)on bone marrow-derived DCs(BMDCs)exposed to LPS,an inflammatory stimulus,and the mechanisms involved in the EgCF–DCs immune modulation.

Design of solid-state sodium-ion batteries with high mass-loading cathode by porous-dense bilayer electrolyte

Solid-state sodium-ion batteries with sodium metal anodes possess high safety and reliability,which are considered as a promising candidate for the next generation of energy storage technology.However,poor electronic and ionic conductivities at the interface between electrodes and solid-state electrolytes restrict its practical application.Herein,we demonstrate a β″-Al_(2)O_(3) electrolyte with a vertically porousdense bilayer structure to solve this problem.The carbon-coated vertically porous layer serves as a high mass-loading host for Na_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3) cathode and provides fast electronically and ionically conductive pathways.In addition,the dense layer is produced to prevent sodium dendrite growth and improve mechanical strength of β″-Al_(2)O_(3) electrolyte.Experimental results show that the cathode loading in vertically porous layer can reach to 8 mg cm^(-2),and the porous-dense bilayer β″-Al_(2)O_(3) electrolyte-based battery exhibits a reversible specific capacity of 87 mAh g^(-1) and a capacity retention of 95.5%over 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 C,which is superior to that of the traditional dense β″-Al_(2)O_(3) electrolytebased battery.This work based on electrolyte structure design represents an efficient strategy for the development of solid-state sodium-ion batteries with high mass-loading cathode.

Temperature stress response of heat shock protein 90(Hsp90)in the clam Paphia undulata

The Heat shock proteins(HSPs)are a group of molecular chaperones that play a crucial role in cell response to various stresses.A full-length cDNA of the heat shock protein 90(PuHsp90)was cloned and sequenced from the clam Paphia undulata.Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PuHsp90 grouped with the Hsp90 from other metazoan species.Expression of PuHsp90 was highly detected in the gonad,followed by digest gland,gills and heart but was found poorly expressed in mantle,adductor muscle and hemocytes.After a heat shock stress at 32℃up-regulation of PuHsp90 was detected in the mantle,adductor muscle,gills and hemocytes.Maximal expression levels occurred at 4 h after the heat shock and up-regulation is indicative of protein denaturation and of an increase in energy consumption.In contrast after the heat shock,PuHsp90 was continuously down-regulated in the digestive gland and in the gonad suggesting modifications of the biochemical pathways and energy budgets involved in the synthesis of other protein,such as catalase and of other Hsp proteins.These results reveal that PuHsp90 may play an important role in the clam response to a temperature stress.