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Controllable synthesis of multimetal nanocrystals with hierarchical structures and tunable compositions are feasible to steeply improve the catalytic properties in fuel cells. Herein, ...trimetallic PtRhCo petal-assembled alloyed nanoflowers (PtRhCo PAANFs) were fabricated via a one-pot solvothermal method, which showed remarkable enlargement in specific activity and mass activity over PtRh0.25Co nanodentrites (NDs), PtRh1.5Co NDs, PtCo NDs and commercial Pt/C catalysts for ethylene glycol oxidation in 0.5 M KOH solution. The as-developed catalyst exhibited dramatically better CO tolerance and recoverability, coupling with the superior activity and durability for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in the alkaline electrolyte. This work demonstrates the significance of Rh in the alloy for improving the stability. This work offers a promising strategy for preparation of advanced trimetallic electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.
Hepatic osteodystrophy (HOD) is a metabolic bone disease that is often associated with chronic liver disease and is marked by bone loss. Here, we demonstrate that hepatic expression of the ...phosphatase PP2Acα is upregulated during HOD, leading to the downregulation of expression of the hepatokine lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT). Loss of LCAT function markedly exacerbates the bone loss phenotype of HOD in mice. In addition, we found that alterations in cholesterol levels are involved in the regulation of osteoblast and osteoclast activities. We also found that LCAT improves liver function and relieves liver fibrosis in the mouse HOD model by promoting reversal of cholesterol transport from the bone to the liver. In summary, defects in a liver-bone axis occur during HOD that can be targeted to ameliorate disease progression.
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•High levels of PP2Acα in the liver correlate with bone loss in individuals with HOD•Upregulation of LCAT expression in the liver ameliorates bone loss in HOD mice•PP2Acα downregulates LCAT expression through dephosphorylation of USF1•LCAT improves liver function by reversing cholesterol transport from bone to liver
Hepatic osteodystrophy (HOD) is a metabolic bone disease caused by chronic liver injuries. Lu et al. discovered a novel liver-bone axis in the pathogenesis of HOD involving the upregulation of hepatic PP2Acα that leads to reduced expression of the hepatokine lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and defects in reverse cholesterol transport from the bone to the liver.
The formation of zygote is the beginning of mammalian life, and dynamic epigenetic modifications are essential for mammalian normal development. H3K27 di-methylation (H3K27me2) and H3K27 ...tri-methylation (H3K27me3) are marks of facultative heterochromatin which maintains transcriptional repression established during early development in many eukaryotes. However, the mechanism underlying establishment and regulation of epigenetic asymmetry in the zygote remains obscure. Here we show that maternal EZH2 is required for the establishment of H3K27me3 in mouse zygotes. However, combined immunostaining with ULI-NChIP-seq (ultra-low-input micrococcal nuclease-based native ChIP-seq) shows that EZH1 could partially safeguard the role of EZH2 in the formation of H3K27me2. Meanwhile, we identify that EHMT1 is involved in the establishment of H3K27me2, and that H3K27me2 might be an essential prerequisite for the following de novo H3K27me3 modification on the male pronucleus. In this work, we clarify the establishment and regulatory mechanisms of H3K27me2 and H3K27me3 in mouse zygotes.
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Rational design of highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of prime importance for renewable and sustainable energy. Herein, PtNi ...nanodentrites (PtNi NDs) were facilely synthesized in oleylamine (OAm) by a one-pot solvothermal method, using melamine and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) as co-structure-directing agents. The obtained catalyst showed superior catalytic activity and enhanced durability for HER relative to commercial Pt/C, home-made PtNi3 nanocrystals (NCs) and Pt3Ni NCs both in alkaline and acidic media. The enhanced HER activities are attributed to bimetallic synergies and interface structures in PtNi NDs. This work provides an effective strategy to prepare highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for HER.
Alloying Pt with earth-abundant metal (e.g. Cu, Ni and Co) can largely improve catalytic activity of Pt-based alloyed nanocrystals by down-shifting the Pt d-band center and modulating the final size, ...morphology and structure. Herein, Cu-rich rhombic dodecahedral PtCu nanoframes (NFs) were obtained via a one-pot solvothermal route with l-proline and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) as co-structure-directing and stabilizing agents, along with OAm as the reductant. The as-prepared Pt24Cu76 NFs were identified as bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline electrolyte. Specifically, the catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity and durability for ORR with positive half-wave potential at 0.95 V, outperforming that of commercial Pt/C (20 wt%, 0.88 V). Besides, it exhibited dramatically enhanced HER activity with the more positive potential at 10 mA cm−2 and smaller Tafel slope (−18 mV, 52 mV dec−1) relative to those of Pt/C (−63 mV, 69 mV dec−1). All the results demonstrate the practical applications of robust PtCu electrocatalysts in energy conversion and storage.
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•Rhombic dodecahedral Pt26Cu74 NFs were prepared by a facile solvothermal method.•The nanoframes with highly open structures promoted the electron transfer kinetics and mass transport.•l-proline and CTAC worked as the co-structure directors.•The Pt26Cu74 NFs were highly active and stable for ORR and HER in alkaline electrolyte.
Background
Anshen Buxin Liuwei pill (ABLP) is a Mongolian medicinal formula that is composed of six medicinal materials: the Mongolian medicine
Bos taurus domesticus
Gmelin,
Choerospondias axillaris
...(Roxb.) Burtt et Hill,
Myristica fragrans
Houtt.,
Eugenia caryophμllata
Thunb.,
Aucklandia lappa
Decne., and
Liqui dambar formosana
Hance. ABLP is considered to have a therapeutic effect on symptoms such as coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, depression and irritability, palpitation, and shortness of breath.
Methods
H9c2 cardiomyocytes were used to construct a hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) injury model. CCK-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC cell apoptosis assays were used for cell viability and cell apoptosis determination. The LDH, SOD, MDA, CAT, CK, GSH-Px, Na
+
-K
+
-ATPase, and Ca
2+
-ATPase activities in cells were determined to assess the protective effects of ABLP. The mRNA levels of Sirtuin3 (Sirt3) and Cytochrome C (Cytc) in H9c2 cells were determined by quantitative real-time PCR.
Results
The results indicate that HR-treated cells began to shrink from the spindle in an irregular shape with some floated in the medium. By increasing the therapeutic dose of ABLP (5, 25, and 50 μg/mL), the cells gradually reconverted in a concentration-dependent manner. The release of CK in HR-treated cells was significantly increased, indicating that ABLP exerts a protective effect in H9c2 cells against HR injury and can improve mitochondrial energy metabolism and mitochondrial function integrity. The present study scrutinized the cardioprotective effects of ABLP against HR-induced H9c2 cell injury through antioxidant and mitochondrial pathways.
Conclusions
ABLP could be a promising therapeutic drug for the treatment of myocardial ischemic cardiovascular disease. The results will provide reasonable information for the clinical use of ABLP.
Graphic abstract
Artemisia argyi
leaf is a well-known species in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the anti-inflammatory and activating blood stasis activities of its essential oil (AAEO) have not been explored ...in vivo. The present study measured the contents of three chemical components by gas chromatography (GC). The anti-acute inflammatory effects of AAEO were investigated in dimethyl benzene, glacial acetic acid and carrageenan-induced animals through skin administration or by oral gavage, respectively. The effects of AAEO on haemorheology were studied in a rat acute blood stasis model. The contents of eucalyptol, camphor and borneol in AAEO were 254.4, 51.6 and 58.7 mg/g, respectively. All dosages of AAEO by skin administration significantly decreased the swelling in dimethyl benzene-induced ear oedema and carrageenan-induced paw oedema, and reduced the permeability in glacial acetic acid-induced abdominal blood capillary (
p
< 0.01). Meanwhile, haemorheology indexes such as whole blood viscosity and the erythrocyte aggregation index significantly decreased only in the high dosage group. In addition, the effects of AAEO by oral gavage were weaker than skin administration at the medium dose in the experiments. It suggests that AAEO has better absorption bioavailability and pharmacological effects through skin administration due to the better skin permeability of essential oil than gastrointestinal absorption.
The occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a city of Central China were determined in the settled dust and its extracted water phase from different land use types ...and bus stops in Nanchang City. The physicochemical properties of its water extracted dissolved organic matter (WEOM) were characterized to investigate the effect of fluorescence organic matter on the dust-water partitioning coefficients (Kd) using three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy combined parallel factor analysis. Results showed that the range of ∑PAHs in settled dust and the extracted water phase was 0.05–15.92 μg·g−1 and 2–211 ng·L−1, respectively. These PAHs mostly came from the combustion of biomass. The risk assessment showed that PAHs in dust had no obvious health risk (less than the magnitude of 10−6). Additionally, the high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs and the low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were preferentially adsorbed by dust and the dissolved portion, respectively. It was confirmed by the relatively high logKd values of 4.23 for the HMW-PAHs. Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the higher concentration of dissolved organic carbon and humic-like substance were in favor of PAHs in dust released into waters. This study can provide information on pollution control when considering the impact of fluorescent organic matter on the fate and transport of PAHs.
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•Partitioning behavior of PAHs between dust and WEOM was investigated.•Higher concentrations of ∑PAHs in both dust and WEOM were from the traffic roads.•LMW-PAHs preferred to dissolve in waters due to their higher solubility.•HMW-PAHs were predominantly existed in dust having a higher logKd value.•Humic-like substance was in favor of PAHs in dust released into waters.
Background. Anshen Buxin Liuwei pill (ABLP) is a Mongolian medicinal formula which has a therapeutic effect on the symptoms such as coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, depression and ...irritability, palpitation, and short breath. However, its bioactivity against cardiac injury remains unclear. Methods. The protective effect of ABLP was evaluated using H9c2 cells. Cell viability, intracellular Ca2+, reactive oxidative indices, and mitochondrial membrane potential (∆ψ) were assessed, respectively. The mRNA levels of Ca2+ channel-related genes (DHPR, RyR2, and SCN5A) and oxidative stress-related genes (Keap1, Nrf2, and HO-1) were measured by RT-PCR. Results. 0.5–50 μg/mL ABLP could significantly decrease H2O2-induced cell injury by suppressing cell necrosis/apoptosis and excess oxidative stress, ameliorating the collapse of ∆ψ, and reducing intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Furthermore, 0.5–50 μg/mL ABLP reversed H2O2-induced imbalance in the mRNA levels of DHPR, RyR2, SCN5A, Keap1, Nrf2, and HO-1 gene in H9c2 cells, which further illustrate the mechanism. Conclusion. ABLP provided protective and therapeutic benefits against H2O2-induced H9c2 cell injury, indicating that this formula can effectively treat coronary disease. In addition, the present study also provides an in-depth understanding of the pharmacological functions of ABLP, which may lead to further successful applications of Mongolian medicine.
Ruyi Zhenbao Pill (RZP) is a prescribed Tibetan formulation for the treatment of white-pulse-disease, yellow-water-disease as well as pain-related disease. RZP is composed of 30 medicinal materials ...including herbal medicine, animal medicine and mineral medicine. They are widely used in the Tibetan area to treat cerebrovascular disease, hemiplegia, rheumatism, and pain diseases for centuries.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti-osteoarthritis function of RZP and to clarify the underlying mechanisms.
The active components in RZP were identified using HPLC methods. Osteoarthritis (OA) animal model was established via intra-articular injection of papain in rat knees. After the administration of RZP (0.45, 0.9 g/kg) for 28 days, the clinical observation was conducted, and pathological changes as well as serum biochemical indexes were detected. Moreover, therapeutic targets and pathways of RZP were discussed.
The results showed that RZP could suppress knee joint swelling and arthralgia, thus relieving joint pain and inflammation in OA rats. Microcomputed tomography (μCT)-based physiological imaging and staining pictures confirmed the therapeutic effects of RZP on OA symptoms including knee joint swelling and structural changes with progressive inflammation in OA rats. RZP could promote the synthesis or inhibit the degradation of COLⅡ, attenuate OA-induced OPN up-regulation and thus relieve the OA symptom. Furthermore, RZP (0.45–0.9 g/kg) could all ameliorate the imbalance of biomarkers related to OA such as MMP1, TNF-α, COX2, IL-1β and iNOS in knee joints or serum.
In conclusion, RZP could effectively relieve inflammatory reaction induced by OA injury and the formulation could be applied to the treatment of OA therapy.
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•Ruyi Zhenbao Pill (RZP), a prescribed formulation based on the theory of Tibetan medicine, could suppress knee joint swelling and hyperalgesia.•Microcomputed tomography (μCT)-based physiological imaging and staining pictures confirmed the therapeutic effects of RZP on OA symptoms.•RZP could promote the synthesis or inhibit the degradation of COLⅡ, attenuate OA-induced OPN up-regulation.•RZP (0.45–0.9 g/kg) could all ameliorate the imbalance of biomarkers related to OA such as MMP1, TNF-α, COX2, IL-1β and iNOS in knee joints or serum.
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