Mixing should be optimized in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems to achieve excellent biomaterials production in the sewage sludge (SS) management in wastewater treatment plant. AD depends on the ...coordinated activity of hydrolysis, acidification and methanogenesis. However, the effect of mixing intensity on characteristics of hydrolysis and acidification in AD of SS is still poorly understood. This study focused on the mixing intensity (30, 60, 90 and 120 rpm) effect on the characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the key microorganisms in the hydrolysis and acidification of SS. Results showed that enhanced hydrolysis and acidification efficiency was obtained at mixing of 90 and 120 rpm (p < 0.05), while the maximum acetic acid (388 ± 21 mg/L) was produced at 90 rpm. Mixing at 90 rpm enhanced the release of protein and polysaccharide as well as humic acid. Further analyses of DOM molecular features revealed that 90 rpm led to the highest molecular diversity and easily biodegradable molecules (lipid and proteins/amino sugars), which contributed to the maximum hydrolysis and acidification efficiency. Firmicutes and Actinobacteria significantly increased with mixing intensity (p<0.05), and Chloroflexi and Fusobacteria were enriched at mixing of 90 rpm, which favored the hydrolysis of SS. The enrichment of Clostridium XI and Clostridium sensu stricto contributed to the acidification of DOM at 90 and 120 rpm. The results of this study can advance our knowledge about mixing intensity effects on the AD systems of SS. This research also showed how increasing mixing intensity to a relatively high speed can enhance the hydrolysis and acidification efficiency of SS.
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•Mixing at 90 rpm led to the maximum hydrolysis and acidification efficiency.•The release of protein, polysaccharide and humic acid was enhanced at 90 rpm.•The highest biodegradable molecules contributed to the maximum HAP efficiency.•Variations of mixing intensity induced clear differences in bacterial community.
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•The g-C3N4/UiO-66 (BGxUy) composites were facilely prepared by ball-milling.•The BGxUy achieved robust photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction under white light.•The Z-scheme mechanism of ...Cr(VI) reduction over BG60U40 is proposed and affirmed.
Z-scheme g-C3N4/UiO-66 (BGxUy) heterojunctions constructed from 3D UiO-66 and 2D g-C3N4 sheets were facilely fabricated using ball-milling method, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption measurement (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electron spin resonance (ESR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The photocatalytic activities of Cr(VI) reduction over the BGxUy heterojunctions were tested upon the irradiation of white light. The influence factors on photocatalytic performances of BG60U40 like different organics, pH and different co-existing foreign ions (ions in lake water, tap water, simulated sea water, and simulated leather tanning water) were clarified. The experiment results demonstrated that the optimal BG60U40 exhibited superior Cr(VI) reduction efficiency than pristine UiO-66 and g-C3N4 due to the declined recombination of photo-induced charge carriers. As well, the heterojunction displayed good reusability and stability in the cyclic experiment. The corresponding Z-scheme mechanism of photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction was proposed and verified by electrochemical analysis, ESR measurement and DFT calculations.
Ischemic stroke is the major type of cerebrovascular disease usually resulting in death or disability among the aging population globally. Oxidative stress has been closely linked with ischemic ...stroke. Disequilibrium between excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inherent antioxidant capacity leads to subsequent oxidative damage in the pathological progression of ischemic brain injury. Acupuncture has been applied widely in treating cerebrovascular diseases from time immemorial in China. This review mainly lays stress on the evidence to illuminate the possible mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in treating ischemic stroke through regulating oxidative stress. We found that by regulating a battery of molecular signaling pathways involved in redox modulation, acupuncture not only activates the inherent antioxidant enzyme system but also inhibits the excessive generation of ROS. Acupuncture therapy possesses the potential in alleviating oxidative stress caused by cerebral ischemia, which may be linked with the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture.
Size-transformable nanomedicine has the potential to overcome systemic and local barriers, leading to efficient accumulation and penetration throughout the tumor tissue. However, the design of this ...type of nanomedicine was seldom based on active targeting and intracellular size transformation. Here, we report an intracellular size-transformable nanosystem, in which small and positively charged nanoparticles (<30 nm) prepared from the self-assembly of an amphiphilic hexadecapeptide derivative was coated by folic acid- and dopamine-decorated hyaluronan (HA) to form large and negatively charged nanoparticles (∼130 nm). This nanosystem has been proven to improve the blood circulation half-life of the drug and prevent premature intravascular drug leakage from the nanocarrier. Once accumulated in the tumor, the nanoparticles were prone to HA- and folic acid-mediated cellular uptake, followed by intracellular size transformation and discharge of transformed small nanoparticles. The size-transformable nanosystem facilitated the transcytosis-mediated tumor penetration and improved the internalization of nanoparticles by cells and the intracellular release of 7-ethyl-10 hydroxycamptothecin. With an indocyanine green derivative as the intrinsic component of the amphiphilic polymer, the nanosystem has exhibited additional theranostic functions: photoacoustic imaging, NIR-laser-induced drug release, and synergistic chemotherapy and phototherapy, leading to a 50% complete cure rate in a subcutaneous B16 melanoma model. This nanosystem with multimodalities and efficient tumor penetration has shown potentials in improving anticancer efficacy.
Acupuncture is widely applied for treatment of various neurological disorders. This manuscript will review the preclinical evidence of acupuncture in mediating neural plasticity, the mechanisms ...involved.
We searched acupuncture, plasticity, and other potential related words at the following sites: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and VIP information data base. The following keywords were used: acupuncture, electroacupuncture, plasticity, neural plasticity, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, neuroblast, stem cell, progenitor cell, BrdU, synapse, synapse structure, synaptogenesis, axon, axon regeneration, synaptic plasticity, LTP, LTD, neurotrophin, neurotrophic factor, BDNF, GDNF, VEGF, bFGF, EGF, NT-3, NT-4, NT-5, p75NTR, neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, noradrenaline, dopamine, monamine. We assessed the effects of acupuncture on plasticity under pathological conditions in this review.
Relevant references were reviewed and presented to reflect the effects of acupuncture on neural plasticity. The acquired literatures mainly focused on neurogenesis, alterations of synapses, neurotrophins (NTs), and neurotranimitters. Acupuncture methods mentioned in this article include manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture.
The cumulative evidences demonstrated that acupuncture could induce neural plasticity in rodents exposed to cerebral ischemia. Neural plasticity mediated by acupuncture in other neural disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and depression, were also investigated and there is evidence of positive role of acupuncture induced plasticity in these disorders as well. Mediation of neural plasticity by acupuncture is likely associated with its modulation on NTs and neurotransmitters. The exact mechanisms underlying acupuncture's effects on neural plasticity remain to be elucidated. Neural plasticity may be the potential bridge between acupuncture and the treatment of various neurological diseases.
Cancer immunotherapy offers a promising approach in cancer treatment. The adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) could protect cancerous tissues from immune clearance via inhibiting T cells response. To date, ...the role of A2AR in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been investigated. Here, we sought to explore the expression and immunotherapeutic value of A2AR blockade in HNSCC.
The expression of A2AR was evaluated by immunostaining in 43 normal mucosae, 48 dysplasia and 165 primary HNSCC tissues. The immunotherapeutic value of A2AR blockade was assessed in vivo in genetically defined immunocompetent HNSCC mouse model.
Immunostaining of HNSCC tissue samples revealed that increased expression of A2AR on tumor infiltrating immune cells correlated with advanced pathological grade, larger tumor size and positive lymph node status. Elevated A2AR expression was also detected in recurrent HNSCC and HNSCC tissues with induction chemotherapy. The expression of A2AR was found to be significantly correlated with HIF-1α, CD73, CD8 and Foxp3. Furthermore, the increased population of CD4
Foxp3
regulatory T cells (Tregs), which partially expressed A2AR, was observed in an immunocompetent mouse model that spontaneously develops HNSCC. Pharmacological blockade of A2AR by SCH58261 delayed the tumor growth in the HNSCC mouse model. Meanwhile, A2AR blockade significantly reduced the population of CD4
Foxp3
Tregs and enhanced the anti-tumor response of CD8
T cells.
These results offer a preclinical proof for the administration of A2AR inhibitor on prophylactic experimental therapy of HNSCC and suggest that A2AR blockade can be a potential novel strategy for HNSCC immunotherapy.
Phytopathogenic fungi cause plant diseases and economic losses in agriculture. To efficiently control plant pathogen infections, a total of 19 spirotryprostatin A derivatives and 26 spirooxindole ...derivatives were designed, synthesized, and tested for their antifungal activity against ten plant pathogens. Additionally, the intermediates of spirooxindole derivatives were investigated, including proposing a mechanism for diastereoselectivity and performing amplification experiments. The bioassay results demonstrated that spirotryprostatin A derivatives possess good and broad-spectrum antifungal activities. Compound
exhibited excellent antifungal activity in vitro, equal to or higher than the positive control ketoconazole, against
,
,
,
,
,
,
and
(MICs: 8-32 µg/mL). Compound
also displayed remarkable antifungal activity against eight other phytopathogenic fungi, including
f. sp.
and
(MICs: 8-32 µg/mL). The preliminary structure-activity relationships (SARs) were further discussed. Moreover, molecular docking studies revealed that spirotryprostatin A derivatives anchored in the binding site of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Therefore, these compounds showed potential as natural compound-based chiral fungicides and hold promise as candidates for further enhancements in terms of structure and properties.
Summary
Aims
Oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia (VD). Thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TXNIP) plays a vital role in oxidative stress and ...NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. There is evidence that acupuncture has an antioxidative and neuroprotective effect in VD. In this study, we investigated whether acupuncture can attenuate cognitive impairment via inhibiting TXNIP‐associated oxidative stress and inflammation in VD rats.
Methods
Both common carotid arteries were occluded (2‐vessel occlusion 2VO) in rats to model VD. The neuroprotective effect of acupuncture was assessed by the Morris water maze and Nissl staining. Oxidative stress was assessed by detecting levels of reactive oxygen species, DNA oxidation, and antioxidase. Western blot, real‐time PCR, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of TXNIP, NLRP3, caspase‐1, and IL‐1β. A TXNIP siRNA intraventricular injection was applied to investigate whether acupuncture mimicked the effect of TXNIP inhibitor.
Results
Our findings demonstrated that VD rats treated with acupuncture had reduced hippocampal neuronal loss and oxidative stress. The upregulation of TXNIP, NLRP3, caspase‐1, and IL‐1β induced by 2VO was also reversed by acupuncture. Furthermore, TXNIP siRNA had a similar effect as acupuncture on cognition, hippocampal neurons, and ROS production in VD rats.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our study suggests that the neuroprotective effects of acupuncture in VD are mediated through reducing expression of TXNIP‐associated oxidative stress and inflammation.
Improving heteroatomic interactions via alloying or forming heterogeneous catalysts is of importance to the enhancement in terms of electrocatalytic activity and stability. In this work, a simple ...galvanic replacement reaction was utilized to synthesize low Pt-based quaternary nanotubes (NTs). It is easy to obtain PtPdRuTe NTs with different composition and controlled shape using ultrathin Te nanowires (NWs) as sacrificial templates for its high activity. The NT wall thickness and formed NPs on the surface are closely related with the composition, especially Pd content. The optimized incorporation of Pd atoms into ternary PtRuTe NTs formed a uniform protecting PtPd surface and modified the Pt electronic structure to improve the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) performance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals a larger extent of electron transfer from neighboring atoms to Pt on PtPdRuTe, consequently leading to a weaker bonding of the intermediate on Pt. As a result, the quaternary PtPdRuTe NTs exhibit enhanced activity and stability toward efficient MOR.
A series of reported Pt(II) carbene complexes possibly have the ability to serve as the new generation of blue emitters in luminescent devices because of their narrow emission spectra, high ...photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), and rigid molecular skeleton. However, the combination of all carbene ligands with different multidentate structures will affect the overall planarity and horizontal dipole ratio to varying degrees, but the specific extent of this effect has not previously been analyzed in detail. In this work, density functional computation is used to study a class of platinum tetracarbene bidentate complexes with similar absorption and emission band characteristics, which is the main reason for the remarkable difference in quantum efficiency due to subtle differences in electronic states caused by different ligands. From the calculation results, the major reason, which results in significantly decrease in quantum efficiency for Pt(cyim)
, is that Pt(cyim)
can reach the non-radiative deactivation metal-centered d-d excited state through an easier pathway compared with Pt(meim)
. The result, based on changes in the dihedral angle between ligands, can achieve the goal of improving and designing materials by adjusting the degree of the dihedral angle. (meim: bis(1,1'-dimethyl-3,3'-methylene-diimidazoline-2,2'-diylidene); cyim: bis(1,1'-dicyclohexyl-3,3'-methylene-diimidazoline-2,2'-diylidene).
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