Characterization of mulberry leaf instant tea and evaluation of its hypolipidemia effect via regulation of intestinal microbiota

The purpose of this study was to characterize mulberry leaf instant tea(MLIT)powder prepared from the'Longsang No.1'(Morus abla L.cv.Longsang 1)mulberry leaves in Heilongjiang Province(China)and assess its obesity-preventing/relieving effects.A total of 174 compounds including quercetin,chlorogenic acid,1-deoxyecomycin(1-DNJ)related to antihyperlipidemia effects were identified from the MLIT powder.MLIT treatment reversed the Lee's index,fat coefficient,and serum biochemical parameters in both the obesity relieving and obesity preventing mice fed with high-fat diet.In the obesity relieving experiment,the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio in mouse feces decreased after both 0.5%and 1%MLIT treatments.In obesity preventing experiments,mouse with different amount of MLIT treatments showed increased relative abundance of Akkermansia,Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus,while Deferribacteres,Desulfobacterota decreased.The beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract of mice treated with MLIT increased.This study proved that MLIT had antihyperlipidemia potential via modulating intestinal microbiota in mice.

Hydroxychloroquine induces long QT syndrome by blocking hERG channel

Objective:In March 2022,more than 600 million cases of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)and about 6 million deaths have been reported worldwide.Unfortunately,while effective antiviral therapy has not yet been available,chloroquine(CQ)/hydroxychloroquine(HCQ)has been considered an option for the treatment of COVID-19.While many studies have demonstrated the potential of HCQ to decrease viral load and rescue patients'lives,controversial results have also been reported.One concern associated with HCQ in its clinical application to COVID-19 patients is the potential of causing long QT interval(LQT),an electrophysiological substrate for the induction of lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmias.Yet,the mechanisms for this cardiotoxicity of HCQ remained incompletely understood.Materials and methods:Adult New Zealand white rabbits were used for investigating the effects of HCQ on cardiac electrophysiology and expression of ion channel genes.HEK-293T cells with sustained overexpression of human-ether-a-go-go-related gene(hERG)K+channels were used for whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of hERG K+channel current(IhERG).Quantitative RT-PCR analysis and Western blot analysis were employed to determine the expression of various genes at mRNA and protein levels,respectively.Results:electrocardiogram(ECG)recordings revealed that HCQ prolonged QT and RR intervals and slowed heart rate in rabbits.Whole-cell patch-clamp results showed that HCQ inhibited the tail current of hERG channels and slowed the reactivation process from inactivation state.HCQ suppressed the expression of hERG and hindered the formation of the heat shock protein 90(Hsp90)/hERG complex.Moreover,the expression levels of connexin 43(CX43)and Kir2.1,the critical molecular/ionic determinants of cardiac conduction thereby ventricular arrythmias,were decreased by HCQ,while those of Cav1.2,the main Ca2+handling proteins,remained unchanged and SERCA2a was increased.Conclusion:HCQ could induce LQT but did not induce arrhythmias,and whether it is suitable for the treatment of COVID-19 requires more rigorous investigations and validations in the future.

二维纳米片层孔洞化策略及组装材料在超级电容器中的应用

功率密度高、倍率性能优异和循环性能好等特性使得超级电容器在储能领域显示了巨大的应用前景。尽管二维层状材料剥离形成的纳米片层不仅可为电化学反应提供独特的纳米级反应空间,而且由其组装的层状纳米电极材料具有化学和结构上的氧化还原可逆性及纳米片层水平方向上离子或电子快速传输通道。但是,纳米片层组装电极材料在纳米片层垂直方向上离子或电子传输存在障碍,对于超级电容器功率密度和能量密度的提高及实现快速能量储存非常不利。因此,如何通过改善离子或电子的快速传输,实现超级电容器大功率密度下的高能量密度是超级电容器电极材料发展的方向之一。本文主要综述了二维层状材料剥离成纳米片层,纳米片层孔洞化策略及组装孔洞化材料在超级电容器电极材料中的应用。纳米层孔洞化技术是改善层状电极材料在纳米片层垂直方向离子或电子传输的有效手段,为实现高比电容下的高倍率性能超级电容器电极材料制备提供了方法学。最后,对开发大功率密度下的高能量密度超级电容器电极材料提出了展望。

Early Warning System of Risk in Dairy Cows with Inactive Ovaries

The incidence of Inactive ovaries of dairy cows in China is relatively high. There is no complete early warning system for the occurrence of ovarian quiescence in clinical cows. This test provides early warning indicators for clinical prediction of ovary cessation in dairy cows. This experiment selected blood samples of dairy cows from 60 to 90 days postpartum in the inactive ovaries group and control group. Differential proteins were selected on the basis of proteomics, three energy indexes: AST, Glu, NEFA. Four reproductive hormones: E2, P4, FSH, LH, and four differentially expressed proteins: IGFBP-2, AHSG, APO-A4, and RBP-4. Key enzyme activities: ALDOB, LDHB, ITIH3, GPX3, SPAM1, PKM2. The ELISA test kit was used to detect the content and activity of the above markers in the test bovine serum. Through correlation analysis, binary logistic regression modeling and ROC analysis, a single indicator early warning technique for APOA4 and ITIH3 was established. The early warning values were APOA4 > 28.825 μg/L and ITIH3 > 195.07 ng/L. A multi-index early warning system based on potential biomarkers of APOA4 + ITIH3 and APOA4 + ITIH3 + E2 was established. The former had an early warning value of: APOA4 > 19.55 μg/I;ITIH3 > 191.14 ng/L;the latter has an early warning value: APOA4 > 47.56 μg/L, ITIH4 > 187.80 ng/L, E2 < 69.63 ng/L.

Overexpression of microRNA-135b-5p attenuates acute myocardial infarction injury through its anti-oxidant and anti-apptotic properties

Objective:Myocardial infarction(MI)remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality due partly to the limited regenerative capacity of cardiomyocytes to replace cardiomyocyte lost due to apoptosis.Inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis is recognized as an effective therapeutic approach for MI.MicroRNAs(miRNAs,miRs),which regulate target genes at the post-transcriptional level,play a significant role in the regulation of cardiovascular diseases such as MI.MicroRNA-135b(miR-135b)has a protective effect on cardiomyocytes.However,the role of miR-135b in cardiomyocyte apoptosis in infarct myocardium needs further clarification.Methods:We generatedα-MHC-miR-135b transgenic mice to investigate the role of miR-135b in myocardial injury after MI.MiR-135b mimic and negative control(NC)were transfected into H2O2-induced cardiomyocytes to evaluate the effect of overexpression of miR-135b on the levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and apoptosis.Results:Our results showed that overexpression of miR-135b had protective effect on cardiomyocyte injury both in vivo and in vitro.MiR-135b inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis and ROS generation,downregulated pro-apoptosis proteins(cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax),and increased anti-apoptosis protein(Bcl-2).Moreover,miR-135b showed an inhibitory effect on apoptosis-related protein target transient receptor potential vanilloid-type 4(TRPV4)cation channel.Conclusion:MiR-135b might be considered a new molecular target for potential replacement therapy as antiapoptotic cardioprotection in the setting of MI.

Temperature-dependent self-trapped exciton emission in Cu(I) doped zinc-based metal halides from well-resolved excited state structures

Zero-dimensional metal halides are of unique structures and tunable photoluminescence properties,showing great potential applications such as light-emitting diodes(LEDs)and sensing.Herein,we successfully synthesized Cu^(+)doped(MA)_(2)ZnCl_(4)metal halides by a slow evaporation solvent method.The introduction of Cu^(+)results in sky-blue self-trapped exciton emission in(MA)_(2)ZnCl_(4) at 486 nm at room temperature,and a photoluminescence quantum yield is as high as 54.9%.Interestingly,at low temperatures,Cu^(+)-doped(MA)_(2)ZnCl_(4) exhibits two emission peaks located at 482 and 605 nm,respectively.This temperaturedependent dual emission indicates two excited state structures that exist on the triplet excited-state potential energy surface.In addition,the temperature sensor we fitted has good performance(Sr=1.65%·K^(−1)),which is the first attempt in Cu^(+) doped Znbased metal halides.Our work enriches the family of sky-blue metal halides and provides a promising strategy for building skyblue LEDs.

PEP06 polypeptide 30 is a novel clusterdissociating agent inhibiting αv integrin/FAK/Src signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Collectively migrating tumor cells have been recently implicated in enhanced metastasis of epithelial malignancies.In oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC),av integrin is a crucial mediator of multicellular clustering and collective movement in vitro;however,its contribution to metastatic spread remains to be addressed.According to the emerging therapeutic concept,dissociation of tumor clusters into single cells could significantly suppress metastasis-seeding ability of carcinomas.This study aimed to investigate the anti-OSCC potential of novel endostatin-derived polypeptide PEP06 as a clusterdissociating therapeutic agent in vitro.Firstly,we found marked enrichment ofαv integrin in collectivelyinvading multicellular clusters in human OSCCs.Our study revealed that metastatic progression of OSCC was associated with augmented immunostaining of av integrin in cancerous lesions.Following PEP06treatment,cell clustering on fibronectin,migration,multicellular aggregation,anchorage-independent survival and colony formation of OSCC were significantly inhibited.Moreover,PEP06 suppressed av integrin/FAK/Sre signaling in OSCC cells.PEP06-induced loss of active Src and E-cadherin from cell-cell contacts contributed to diminished collective migration of OSCC in vitro.Overall,these results suggest that PEP06 polypeptide 30 inhibiting av integrin/FAK/Src signaling and disrupting E-cadherin-based intercellular junctions possesses anti-metastatic potential in OSCC by acting as a cluster-dissociating therapeutic agent.

Mitochondrial uncoupler BAM15 inhibits artery constriction and potently activates AMPK in vascular smooth muscle cells

Our previous studies found that mitochondrial uncouplers CCCP and niclosamide inhibited artery constriction and the mechanism involved AMPK activation in vascular smooth muscle cells. BAM15 is a novel type of mitochondrial uncoupler. The aim of the present study is to identify the vasoactivity of BAM15 and characterize the BAM15-induced AMPK activation in vascular smooth muscle cells(A10 cells). BAM15 relaxed phenylephrine(PE)-induced constricted rat mesenteric arteries with intact and denuded endothelium. Pretreatment with BAM15 inhibited PEinduced constriction of rat mesenteric arteries with intact and denuded endothelium. BAM15, CCCP,and niclosamide had the comparable IC50 value of vasorelaxation in PE-induced constriction of rat mesenteric arteries. BAM15 was less cytotoxic in A10 cells compared with CCCP and niclosamide.BAM15 depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential, induced mitochondrial fission, increased mitochondrial ROS production, and increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate in A10 cells.BAM15 potently activated AMPK in A10 cells and the efficacy of BAM15 was stronger than that of CCCP, niclosamide, and AMPK positive activators metformin and AICAR. In conclusion, BAM15 activates AMPK in vascular smooth muscle cells with higher potency than that of CCCP, niclosamide and the known AMPK activators metformin and AICAR. The present work indicates that BAM15 is a potent AMPK activator.

Effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria on corrosion of X80 pipeline steel under disbonded coating in a red soil solution

Effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria on the corrosion behaviors of API-X80 pipeline steel has been studied in crevices under simulated disbonded coatings in red soil solution.The results show that there are amounts of SRB in the crevice under the simulated disbonded coating in the red soil solution during the whole period of experiment.The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that SRB can enhance the corrosion of the steel in the crevice under the simulated disbonded coating,and the thermodynamic analyses indicate that SRB can accelerate the corrosion of steel using not only sulfate but also ferric hydroxide as electron acceptors.

Chemical Compositions,Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Roll Core used Ductile Iron in Centrifugal Casting Composite Rolls

The industrial manufacture processes of three kinds of roll core used ductile irons have been investigated via systematical experiments. EfFects of the ratio of C/Si, pig iron, nodularizer and alloying method on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the heavy section ductile iron have been analyzed. It has been found that when treated with RE-Mg plus Sb, high quality nodular castings can be produced even if much anti spheroidizing alloy elements are included in the pig iron. The alloy element Sb played an important role in the control of graphite morphology.

Numerical Simulation of Solidification of Work Roll in Centrifugal Casting Process

A program on the solidification process of horizontal centrifugal casting coupled with eutectic carbides segregation has been developed in this paper. Due to the geometrical features of work roll, a cylindrical coordinate system was used. The temperature field of the outer layer at the end of filling process was imported as the initial temperature condition for the solidification process. The model of eutectic carbides segregation caused by different densities between eutectic MC and the molten steel was coupled in the program. The temperature field of the outer layer of work roll during horizontal centrifugal casting process was investigated. Results show that the outer layer has a ＂sandwich shape＂ solid fraction manner. Results also indicate that the segregation of eutectic MC is quite severe during centrifugal casting process. It forms four zones of different content of carbides in radial direction. The simulated results of MC carbides segregation phenomenon agree with the experimental observations.