Oxidation pathway and kinetics of titania slag powders during cooling process in air

The oxidation pathway and kinetics of titania slag powders in air were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and thermogravimetry(TG).The oxidation pathway of titania slag powder in air was divided into three stages according to their three exothermic peaks and three corresponding mass gain stages indicated by the respective non-isothermal DSC and TG curves.The isothermal oxidation kinetics of high titania slag powders of different sizes were analyzed using the ln-ln analysis method.The results revealed that the entire isothermal oxidation process comprises two stages.The kinetic mechanism of the first stage can be described as f(α) = 1.77(1-α) [-ln (1-α)]^((1.77-1)/1.77),f(α)= 1.97(1-α) [-ln (1-α)]^((1.97-1)/1.97),and f (α) = 1.18(1-α) [-ln (1-α)]^((1.18-1)/1.18).The kinetic mechanism of the second stage for all samples can be described as f (α)=1.5(1-α)^(2/3)[1-(1-α)^(1/3)]^(-1).The activation energies of titania slag powders with different sizes(d_(1)<0.075 mm,0.125 mm<d_(2)<0.150 mm,and 0.425 mm<d_(3)<0.600 mm)for different reaction degrees were calculated.For the given experimental conditions,the rate-controlling step in the first oxidation stage of all the samples is a chemical reaction.The rate-controlling steps of the second oxidation stage are a chemical reaction and internal diffusion(for powders d_(1)<0.075 mm)and internal diffusion(for powders 0.125 mm<d_(2)<0.150 mm and 0.425 mm<d_(3)<0.600 mm).

Metformin promotes angiogenesis and functional recovery in aged mice after spinal cord injury by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway

Treatment with metformin can lead to the recovery of pleiotropic biological activities after spinal cord injury.However,its effect on spinal cord injury in aged mice remains unclear.Considering the essential role of angiogenesis during the regeneration process,we hypothesized that metformin activates the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway in endothelial cells,thereby promoting microvascular regeneration in aged mice after spinal cord injury.In this study,we established young and aged mouse models of contusive spinal cord injury using a modified Allen method.We found that aging hindered the recovery of neurological function and the formation of blood vessels in the spinal cord.Treatment with metformin promoted spinal cord microvascular endothelial cell migration and blood vessel formation in vitro.Furthermore,intraperitoneal injection of metformin in an in vivo model promoted endothelial cell proliferation and increased the density of new blood vessels in the spinal cord,thereby improving neurological function.The role of metformin was reversed by compound C,an adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor,both in vivo and in vitro,suggesting that the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway likely regulates metformin-mediated angiogenesis after spinal cord injury.These findings suggest that metformin promotes vascular regeneration in the injured spinal cord by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase pathway,thereby improving the neurological function of aged mice after spinal cord injury.

6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase 2 bridges the OPP and shikimate pathways to enhance aromatic amino acid production in plants

The oxidative pentose phosphate(OPP)pathway provides metabolic intermediates for the shikimate pathway and directs carbon flow to the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids(AAAs),which serve as basic protein building blocks and precursors of numerous metabolites essential for plant growth.However,genetic evidence linking the two pathways is largely unclear.In this study,we identified 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase 2(PGD2),the rate-limiting enzyme of the cytosolic OPP pathway,through suppressor screening of arogenate dehydrogenase 2(adh2)in Arabidopsis.Our data indicated that a single amino acid substitution at position 63(glutamic acid to lysine)of PGD2 enhanced its enzyme activity by facilitating the dissociation of products from the active site of PGD2,thus increasing the accumulation of AAAs and partially restoring the defective phenotype of adh2.Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the point mutation occurred in a well-conserved amino acid residue.Plants with different amino acids at this conserved site of PGDs confer diverse catalytic activities,thus exhibiting distinct AAAs producing capability.These findings uncover the genetic link between the OPP pathway and AAAs biosynthesis through PGD2.The gain-of-function point mutation of PGD2 identified here could be considered as a potential engineering target to alter the metabolic flux for the production of AAAs and downstream compounds.

Modulating reaction pathways of formic acid oxidation for optimized electrocatalytic performance of PtAu/CoNC

Formic acid oxidation(FAO)is a typical anode reaction in fuel cells that can be facilitated by modulating its direct and indirect reaction pathways.Herein,PtAu bimetallic nanoparticles loaded onto Co and N co-doping carbon nanoframes(CoNC NFs)were designed to improve the selectivity of the direct reaction pathway for efficient FAO.Based on these subtle nanomaterials,the influences of elemental composition and carbon-support materials on the two pathways of FAO were investigated in detail.The results of fuel cell tests verified that the appropriate amount of Au in PtAu/CoNC can promote a direct reaction pathway for FAO,which is crucial for enhancing the oxidation efficiency of formic acid.In particular,the obtained PtAu/CoNC with an optimal Pt/Au atomic ratio of 1:1(PtAu/CoNC-3)manifests the best catalytic performance among the analogous obtained Pt-based electrocatalysts.The FAO mass activity of the PtAu/CoNC-3 sample reached 0.88 A·mg_(Pt)^(-1),which is 26.0 times higher than that of Pt/C.The results of first-principles calculation and CO stripping jointly demonstrate that the CO adsorption of PtAu/CoNC is considerably lower than that of Pt/CoNC and PtAu/C,which indicates that the synergistic effect of Pt,Au,and CoNC NFs is critical for the resistance of Pt to CO poisoning.This work is of great significance for a deeper understanding of the oxidation mechanism of formic acid and provides a feasible and promising strategy for enhancing the catalytic performance of the catalyst by improving the direct reaction pathway for FAO.

NIR-enhanced Pt single atom/g-C_(3)N_(4)nanozymes as SOD/CAT mimics to rescue ATP energy crisis by regulating oxidative phosphorylation pathway for delaying osteoarthritis progression

Osteoarthritis(OA)progresses due to the excessive generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species(ROS/RNS)and abnormal ATP energy metabolism related to the oxidative phosphorylation pathway in the mitochondria.Highly active single-atom nanozymes(SAzymes)can help regulate the redox balance and have shown their potential in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.In this study,we innovatively utilised ligand-mediated strategies to chelate Pt^(4+)with modified g-C_(3)N_(4)byπ-πinteraction to prepare g-C_(3)N_(4)-loaded Pt single-atom(Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4))nanozymes that serve as superoxide dismutase(SOD)/catalase(CAT)mimics to scavenge ROS/RNS and regulate mitochondrial ATP production,ultimately delaying the progression of OA.Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4)exhibited a high loading of Pt single atoms(2.45 wt%),with an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency(54.71%),resulting in tunable catalytic activities under near-infrared light(NIR)irradiation.Interestingly,the Pt-N_(6) active centres in Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4)formed electron capture sites for electron holes,in which g-C_(3)N_(4)regulated the d-band centre of Pt,and the N-rich sites transferred electrons to Pt,leading to the enhanced adsorption of free radicals and thus higher SOD-and CAT-like activities compared with pure g-C_(3)N_(4)and g-C_(3)N_(4)-loaded Pt nanoparticles(Pt NPs/C_(3)N_(4)).Based on the use of H_(2)O_(2)-induced chondrocytes to simulate ROS-injured cartilage in vitro and an OA joint model in vivo,the results showed that Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4)could reduce oxidative stress-induced damage,protect mitochondrial function,inhibit inflammation progression,and rebuild the OA microenvironment,thereby delaying the progression of OA.In particular,under NIR light irradiation,Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4)could help reverse the oxidative stress-induced joint cartilage damage,bringing it closer to the state of the normal cartilage.Mechanistically,Pt SA/C_(3)N_(4)regulated the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes,mainly NDUFV2 of complex 1 and MT-ATP6 of ATP synthase,to reduce ROS/RNS and promote ATP production.This study provides novel insights into the design of artificial nanozymes for treating oxidative stress-induced inflammatory diseases.

Mechanism of the protective effects of noninvasive limbs preconditioning on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Background This study aimed at assessing the effect of noninvasive limb preconditioning on myocardial infarct size, and determining whether nitric oxide and neurogenic pathway play an important role in the mechanism of acute remote ischemic preconditioning （IPC）.Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups. In Group I , the rats underwent 30-minute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and 120-minute reperfusion. In Group PL, the rats underwent four cycles of 5-minute occlusion and reperfusion of both hind limbs using a tourniquet before the experiment was continued as in Group I. In Group PL-N and Group PL-,, we administered L-nitro-arginine methyl ester （L-NAME） 10 mg/kg or hexamethonium chloride 20 mg,/kg intravenously, 10 minutes before IPC. Infarct size as a percentage of the area at risk was determined by triphenyhetrazolium chloride staining.Results There were no statistically significant differences in mean arterial pressure and heart rate among these groups at any time point during the experiment （ P〉0. 05 ）. The myocardial infarct size （IS） was decreased significantly in Group PL and Group PL-U compared with Group I , and the IS/AAR was 34. 5%± 7.6%, 35.9%±8.6% and58.5%±8.5%, respectively （P〈0.05）. The IS/AAR was 49.1%±6.5% in Group PEN, and there was no significant difference compared with Group I （P〉0. 05 ）.Conclusions Noninvasive limb IPC is effective in protecting the myocardium from ischemia reperfusion injury. Nitric oxide plays an important role in the mechanism of acute remote IPC, in which the neurogenic pathway is not involved.

Cell-specific expression and immunolocalization of nitric oxide synthase isoforms and the related nitric oxide/cyclic GMP signaling pathway in the ovaries of neonatal and immature rats

Objective: The present study is designed to investigate the cellular expressions and immunolocalizations of three different nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and the related nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling pathway in the ovaries of neonatal and immature rats.Methods: The ovaries were obtained from ICR (Institute for Cancer Research) female Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal days 1,5,7,10,and 19.Then we carried out the histologic examination,immunohistochemistry,measurement of NOS activity,and modifications within the NO/cGMP pathway.Results: During postnatal days 1,5,7,10,and 19,all three isoforms of NOS were mainly localized to the oocytes and expressed as a gradual increase in granulosa cells and theca cells within the growing follicle.The ovarian total NOS activities and NO levels were increased at postnatal days 7 and 10 compared with other days.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the locally produced NO and the NO/NOS signaling systems are involved in the follicular development to puberty.

Glycolytic Shunts Replenish the Calvin-Benson-Bassham Cycle as Anaplerotic Reactions in Cyanobacteria

The recent discovery of the Entner-Doudoroff(ED)pathway as a third glycolytic route beside Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas(EMP)and oxidative pentose phosphate(OPP)pathway in oxygenic photoautotrophs requires a revision of their central carbohydrate metabolism.In this study,unexpectedly,we observed that deletion of the ED pathway alone,and even more pronounced in combination with other glycolytic routes,diminished photoautotrophic growth in continuous light in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.PCC 6803.Furthermore,we found that the ED pathway is required for optimal glycogen catabolism in parallel to an operating Calvin-Benson-Bassham(CBB)cycle.It is counter-intuitive that glycolytic routes,which are a reverse to the CBB cycle and do not provide any additional biosynthetic intermediates,are important under photoautotrophic conditions.However,observations on the ability to reactivate an arrested CBB cycle revealed that they form glycolytic shunts that tap the cellular carbohydrate reservoir to replenish the cycle.Taken together,our results suggest that the classical view of the CBB cycle as an autocatalytic,completely autonomous cycle that exclusively relies on its own enzymes and C02 fixation to regenerate ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate for Rubisco is an oversimplification.We propose that in common with other known autocatalytic cycles,the CBB cycle likewise relies on anaplerotic reactions to compensate for the depletion of intermediates,particularly in transition states and under fluctuating light conditions that are common in nature.

c-Abl-MST1 Signaling Pathway Mediates Oxidative Stress Induced Neuronal Cell Death

Oxidative stress influences cell survival and homeostasis, but the mechanisms underlying the biological effects of oxidative stress remain to be elucidated. We have defined that the