Ternary Pt/rGO(20%)/TpPa-1-COF hybrid material synthesized by one-pot reaction for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation.
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Covalent organic ...frameworks (COFs) have been recognized as a new type of promising visible-light-driven photocatalysts for H2 evolution, while it still is a key point to facilitate the separation and transfer of photoinduced charges for further enhancing their activities. In this work, we fabricated a new type of ternary Pt/rGO/COF photocatalysts with Pt cocatalyst precisely anchored on rGO serving as electron collector for largely enhanced H2 evolution. A series of ternary hybrid materials were obtained via one-pot photoreduction of Pt4+ and GO under visible-light irradiation in a solution the same as photocatalytic H2 evolution reaction and simultaneous self-assembling of rGO/COF heterostructure. No need isolation, the synthetic system could be further used for photocatalytic H2 evolution reaction and the results show the H2 evolution rate of Pt/rGO(20%)/TpPa-1-COF hybrid material is 19.59 mmol·g−1·h−1, 6.51 times higher than that of Pt/TpPa-1-COF. The essential role of the exclusively distributed Pt nanoparticles on rGO to the high H2 evolution activity was confirmed by various comparisons of activity for the samples with diverse Pt distribution.
Y-box binding protein-1 (YBX1) is a multifunctional protein and often acts as an indicator of poor prognosis in cancers. Increasing evidence has shown that the levels of YBX1 protein were closely ...associated with multidrug resistance, relapse, metastasis and poor prognosis in cancers. However, its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) metastasis remains unknown. In our study, we discovered that the expression of YBX1 was increased in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues. YBX1 protein levels positively correlated with T stage and metastasis of NPC patients. Moreover, expression of YBX1 was negatively correlated with membrane E-cadherin levels and positively correlated with Vimentin expression. In vitro, the expression of YBX1 was closely related to the invasive and migratory ability of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Knockdown of YBX1 inhibited migration and invasion in 5–8F cells, and over-expression of YBX1 promoted CNE1 cells migration and invasion. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) treatment led to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CNE1 cells accompanied by elevated YBX1 expression. On the contrary, knockdown of YBX1 partially inhibited the TGF-β1-induced CNE1 cell migration, together with changes of EMT-associated markers. Our study revealed that TGF-β1/YBX1 signaling might be one of novel mechanisms mediating EMT in NPC, providing a new target for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
•YBX1 overexpressed in cytoplasmic of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.•YBX1 expression associated with the EMT process in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.•TGF-β1 induced YBX1 expression in NPC cell lines.•TGF-β1/YBX1 signaling mediated the EMT process in NPC cell lines.
FKBP5 encodes FKBP51, which has been implicated in stress-related psychiatric disorders, and its expression is often increased under chronic stress, contributing to mental dysfunctions. However, the ...precise role of FKBP51 in brain inflammation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of FKBP51 in microglia-mediated inflammatory responses in the central nervous system.
We employed a peripheral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration model to compare microglial activation and cytokine gene expression between Fkbp5 knockout (Fkbp5-KO) and wild-type (WT) male mice. Additionally, we used both BV2 and primary microglia in vitro to examine how Fkbp5 deletion influenced inflammation-related pathways and microglial functions.
This study revealed that systemic LPS-induced microglial activation was significantly attenuated in Fkbp5-KO mice compared with WT mice. In Fkbp5-KO mice following the LPS challenge, there was a notable decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, coupled with an increase in the anti-inflammatory gene Arg1. Furthermore, Fkbp5 knockdown in BV2 microglial cells led to reduced expression of LPS-induced inflammatory markers, and targeted inhibition of NF-κB activation, while Akt signaling remained unaffected. Similar results were observed in Fkbp5-KO primary microglia, which exhibited not only decreased microglial activation but also a significant reduction in phagocytic activity in response to LPS stimulation.
This study highlights the critical role of FKBP51 in LPS-induced microglial activation and neuroinflammation. It shows that reducing FKBP51 levels attenuates inflammation through NF-κB signaling in microglia. This suggests that FKBP51 is a potential target for alleviating neuroinflammation-induced stress responses.
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious gastrointestinal disease, primarily affects preterm newborns and occurs after 7 days of life (late-onset NEC, LO-NEC). Unfortunately, over the past ...several decades, not much progress has been made in its treatment or prevention. This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for LO-NEC, and the impact of LO-NEC on short-term outcomes in very preterm infants (VPIs) with a focus on nutrition and different onset times.
Clinical data of VPIs were retrospectively collected from 28 hospitals in seven different regions of China from September 2019 to December 2020. A total of 2509 enrolled VPIs were divided into 2 groups: the LO-NEC group and non-LO-NEC group. The LO-NEC group was divided into 2 subgroups based on the onset time: LO-NEC occurring between 8 ~ 14d group and LO-NEC occurring after 14d group. Clinical characteristics, nutritional status, and the short-term clinical outcomes were analyzed and compared among these groups.
Compared with the non-LO-NEC group, the LO-NEC group had a higher proportion of anemia, blood transfusion, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) treatments before NEC; the LO-NEC group infants had a longer fasting time, required longer duration to achieve the target total caloric intake (110 kcal/kg) and regain birthweight, and showed slower weight growth velocity; the cumulative dose of the medium-chain and long-chain triglyceride (MCT/LCT) emulsion intake in the first week after birth was higher and breastfeeding rate was lower. Additionally, similar results including a higher proportion of IMV, lower breastfeeding rate, more MCT/LCT emulsion intake, slower growth velocity were also found in the LO-NEC group occurring between 8 ~ 14d when compared to the LO-NEC group occurring after 14 d (all (P < 0.05). After adjustment for the confounding factors, high proportion of breastfeeding were identified as protective factors and long fasting time before NEC were identified as risk factors for LO-NEC; early feeding were identified as protective factors and low gestational age, grade III ~ IV neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), high accumulation of the MCT/LCT emulsion in the first week were identified as risk factors for LO-NEC occurring between 8 ~ 14d. Logistic regression analysis showed that LO-NEC was a risk factor for late-onset sepsis, parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis, metabolic bone disease of prematurity, and extrauterine growth retardation.
Actively preventing premature birth, standardizing the treatment of grade III ~ IV NRDS, and optimizing enteral and parenteral nutrition strategies may help reduce the risk of LO-NEC, especially those occurring between 8 ~ 14d, which may further ameliorate the short-term clinical outcome of VPIs.
ChiCTR1900023418 (26/05/2019).
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Ferrocene-containing amphiphilic block copolymers, poly(2-acryloyloxyethyl ferrocenecarboxylate)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PAEFc-b-PDMAEMA), were synthesized ...via sequential ATRP, and self-assembled into globular nanoscaled micelle aggregates. The copolymer micelles exhibited reversible redox on-off switch feature, which was mediated by using H2O2, KMnO4, NaClO and FeCl3 as a model of oxidants and ascorbic acid as a model of reductants. The micelle nanoparticles were used to load and deliver anticancer drug, 10-hydroxycamptothecine, finding that the encapsulated drug was rapidly delivered by selectively responding to redox environments in cancer cells. MTT assays were performed to uncover cytotoxicity of the developed copolymer micelles and potentiality used for cancer therapy.
The role of corticosteroids in the treatment of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is controversial. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of adjuvant corticosteroids treatment on the ...outcome of patients with COVID-19 (n=966), using Propensity Score Matching to adjust for potential differences between the corticosteroids group (n=289) and the non-corticosteroids group (n=677). Analysis of data without adjusting differences in baseline characteristics indicated that the proportion of mechanical ventilation and the mortality was higher in the corticosteroids treatment group in total or severe/critical patients. The duration of viral shedding was longer in the non-corticosteroids treatment group in total or general/mild patients. After adjusting the difference between the corticosteroids and non-corticosteroids treatment group, the analysis revealed that the use of corticosteroids had no effect on the duration of viral shedding, in-hospital mortality or 28-day mortality.
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection of the developing fetus frequently results in major neural developmental damage. In previous studies, HCMV was shown to downregulate neural progenitor/stem cell ...(NPC) markers and induce abnormal differentiation. As Notch signaling plays a vital role in the maintenance of stem cell status and is a switch that governs NPC differentiation, the effect of HCMV infection on the Notch signaling pathway in NPCs was investigated. HCMV downregulated mRNA levels of Notch1 and its ligand, Jag1, and reduced protein levels and altered the intracellular localization of Jag1 and the intracellular effector form of Notch1, NICD1. These effects required HCMV gene expression and appeared to be mediated through enhanced proteasomal degradation. Transient expression of the viral tegument proteins of pp71 and UL26 reduced NICD1 and Jag1 protein levels endogenously and exogenously. Given the critical role of Notch signaling in NPC growth and differentiation, these findings reveal important mechanisms by which HCMV disturbs neural cell development in vitro. Similar events in vivo may be associated with HCMV-mediated neuropathogenesis during congenital infection in the fetal brain.
Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is the leading cause of birth defects that primarily manifest as neurological disabilities. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs), key players in fetal brain development, are the most susceptible cell type for HCMV infection in the fetal brain. Studies have shown that NPCs are fully permissive for HCMV infection, which causes neural cell loss and premature differentiation, thereby perturbing NPC fate. Elucidation of virus-host interactions that govern NPC proliferation and differentiation is critical to understanding neuropathogenesis. The Notch signaling pathway is critical for maintaining stem cell status and functions as a switch for differentiation of NPCs. Our investigation into the impact of HCMV infection on this pathway revealed that HCMV dysregulates Notch signaling by altering expression of the Notch ligand Jag1, Notch1, and its active effector in NPCs. These results suggest a mechanism for the neuropathogenesis induced by HCMV infection that includes altered NPC differentiation and proliferation.
Bacteria breeding in refrigerators can greatly compromise the quality and shelf life of stored food, posing a serious concern. The utilization of disinfection treatments, including ultraviolet ...irradiation, ozone, and precious metal ions, in refrigerators is constrained by the risk of secondary contamination and the associated high costs. To tackle this matter, we developed a pyro-catalytic disinfection technology that takes advantage of ubiquitous temperature fluctuations to trigger the generation of highly cytotoxic reactive oxygen species for antibacterial. By subjecting the synthesized Ba0.68Sr0.32TiO3 (BST) nanowires or composite patches (BST@C) to temperature fluctuations ranging from 5 to 25 °C for 40 cycles, the survival rates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were found to be below 5%. More importantly, the survival rates of S. aureus and E. coli were reduced to 19% and 34%, respectively, after only 80 refrigerator opening-closing cycles. This effective demonstration highlights the potential of the safety pyro-catalytic disinfection technology, which does not require additional energy consumption, and exhibits great compatibility with refrigerators.
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•It takes advantage of ubiquitous temperature fluctuations to trigger ROS for antibacterial based on pyro-catalysis.•Pyro-catalysis is a cost-effective, high-efficient, and power-free strategy for refrigerator disinfection.•Pyro-catalytic sterilization strategy in refrigerators expands the range of applications of catalytic technology.
Ten new prostaglandin derivatives (PGs), sarcoehrendins A–J (1–10), together with five known analogues (11–15) were isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi. Compounds 4–8 represented the ...first examples of PGs featuring an 18-ketone group. The structures including the absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. All of the isolates and six synthetic analogues (3a, 3b, 4a, and 11a–11c) were screened for inhibitory activity against phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), which is a drug target for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Compounds 2, 10, 11a, 11b, and 13–15 exhibited inhibition with IC50 values less than 10 μM, and compound 15 (IC50 = 1.4 μM) showed comparable activity to the positive control rolipram (IC50 = 0.60 μM). The active natural PGs (2, 10, and 13–15) represent the first examples of PDE4 inhibitors without an aromatic moiety, and a preliminary structure–activity relationship is also proposed.
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