An ultra-porous g-C3N4 micro-tube coupled with MXene (Ti3C2TX) nanosheets for efficient degradation of organics under natural sunlight

It remains as a challenge for realizing efficient photo-responsive catalysts towards large-scale degradation of organic pollutants under natural sunlight. This work reports a new pore engineering strategy for creating ultra-porous g-C3N4 micro-tubes with an unprecedentedly high specific surface area of 152.96 m2/g. This is mainly associated with releasing internal vapor pressure in the autoclave where the hydrothermal treatment of the urea/melamine mixture is processed. Supported by microscopic observation, porosity measurement and spectroscopic characterization, it is found that releasing the pressure at halfway of hydrothermal process is vital for forming exfoliated rod-like precursors and the de-aggregation of these rods presents substantial benefits on the production of mesopores on g-C3N4 micro-tubes during the calcination of precursors. This offers a large number of reactive sites required by photocatalytic reaction. Coupling these micro-tubes with Ti3C2TX nanosheets via electrostatic interaction yields a 1D/2D heterojunction with a close interfacial contact. The addition of metallically conductive Ti3C2TX nanosheets accelerates the separation between electrons and holes, and also enhances the light absorption. All these merits of structural design lead to forming a group of highly efficient catalysts demonstrating an excellent photocatalytic degradation rate of k = 0.0560 min-1 for RhB dyes under 100 mW/cm2 visible light radiation that micks sunlight outdoors. This laboratory valuation is further supported by an outdoor test that shows a fast degradation rate of 0.0744 min-1 under natural sunlight.

Exploring the link between microbial community structure and flavour compounds of traditional fermented yak milk in Gannan region

Traditional fermented yak milk has immense cultural and nutritional significance for Tibetan herders. In this study, we investigated the microbial community structure and flavour compounds in traditional fermented yak milk from three distinct regions of Gannan to explore the relationship between microbial composition and flavour compounds. The findings revealed significant variations in flavour compounds and the bacterial microbiota among the samples from the three regions. The dominant species identified in fermented yak milk were Streptococcus salivarius subsp. Thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus, and Kluyveromyces marxianus. Bidirectional orthogonal partial least-squares (O2PLS) analysis highlighted five bacterial genera and three fungal genera as contributors to the production of flavour-related compounds. Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that the Lactobacillus and Streptococcus genera were associated with the production of 2,3-pentanedione as well as eight predicted KEGG pathways. These findings provide valuable insights into the intricate relationship between flavour compounds and microbiota in traditional fermented yak milk.

Boosting the sodium storage performance of iron selenides by a synergetic effect of vacancy engineering and spatial confinement

Recently, iron selenides have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for the anodes of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their cost-effectiveness and high theoretical capacity; however, their practical application is limited by poor conductivity, large volume variation and slow reaction kinetics during electrochemical reactions. In this work, spatially dual-carbon-confined VSe-Fe3Se4-xSx/FeSe2-xSx nanohybrids with abundant Se vacancies (VSe-Fe3Se4-xSx/FeSe2-xSx@NSC@rGO) are constructed via anion doping and carbon confinement engineering. The three-dimensional crosslinked carbon network composed of the nitrogen-doped carbon support derived from polyacrylic acid (PAA) and reduced graphene enhances the electronic conductivity, provides abundant channels for ion/electron transfer, ensures the structure integrity, and alleviates the agglomeration, pulverization and volume change of active material during the chemical reactions. Moreover, the introduction of S into iron selenides induces a large number of Se vacancies and regulates the electron density around iron atoms, synergistically improving the conductivity of the material and reducing the Na+ diffusion barrier. Based on the aforementioned features, the as-synthesized VSe-Fe3Se4-xSx/FeSe2-xSx@NSC@rGO electrode possesses excellent electrochemical properties, exhibiting the satisfactory specific capacity of 630.1 mA h g-1 after 160 cycles at 0.5 A/g and the reversible capacity of 319.8 mA h g-1 after 500 cycles at 3 A/g with the low-capacity attenuation of 0.016 % per cycle. This investigation provides a feasible approach to develop high-performance anodes for SIBs via a synergetic strategy of vacancy engineering and carbon confinement.

TMT-based quantitative proteomics reveals the protective mechanism of tenuigenin after experimental intracerebral hemorrhage in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tenuigenin (TNG) is an extract obtained from Polygalae Radix. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. However, the potential mechanism of TNG in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has not been well studied.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In the present study, we aimed to identify the prospective mechanism of TNG in treating ICH.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 120 mice were divided into five groups: Sham group, ICH + vehicle group, ICH + TNG(8 mg/kg), ICH + TNG(16 mg/kg), and ICH + TNG(32 mg/kg). The modified Garcia test and beam walking test were carried out at 24 h and 72 h after ICH. Brain water content, haematoma volume and hemoglobin content examinations were performed at 72 h after ICH. TMT-based quantitative proteomics combined with bioinformatics analysis methods was used to distinguish differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) to explore potential pharmacological mechanisms. Western blotting was performed to validate representative proteins.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the optimal dose of TNG was 16 mg/kg, which could markedly improve neurological functions, and reduce cerebral oedema, haematoma volume and hemoglobin levels 72 h after ICH. A total of 404 DEPs (353 up-and 51 downregulated) were identified in the ICH + vehicle vs. sham group, while 342 DEPs (306 up-and 36 downregulated) and 76 DEPs (28 up-and 48 downregulated) were quantified in the TNG vs. sham group and TNG vs. ICH + vehicle group, respectively. In addition, a total of 26 DEPs were selected according to strict criteria. Complement and coagulation cascades were the most significantly enriched pathways, and two proteins (MBL-C and Car1) were further validated as hub molecules.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that the therapeutic effects of TNG on ICH were closely associated with the complement system, and that MBL-C and Car1 might be potential targets of TNG for the treatment of ICH.

Lanhuashen stimulates the positive cross-regulation mediated by the S1P axis to ameliorate the disorder of glucolipid metabolism induced by the high sucrose diet in Drosophila melanogaster

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Herba Wanlenbergiae, named 'Lanhuashen' (LHS) in Chinese, is derived from the dried herba of Wahlenbergia marginata (Thunb.) A.DC. It is an abundant resource that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for over 600 years. LHS has the effects of enriching consumptive disease and relieving deficient heat, consistent with the therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in TCM. As the basic remedy of Yulan Jiangtang capsules, a listed Chinese medicine specifically for treating T2DM, LHS is a potential candidate for an anti-T2DM drug. However, due to the lack of pharmacodynamic studies and chemical component analysis, the application and development of LHS as a treatment for T2DM have been hindered.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the regulation of the disorder of glucolipid metabolism using LHS extracts and its therapeutic potential in T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Chemical components in LHS extracts were analysed using UPLC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap-MS. Subsequently, high sucrose diet (HSD)-induced Drosophila melanogaster were used as suitable models for T2DM in vivo. Behavioural and biochemical tests were performed to evaluate the regulation of the disorder of glucolipid metabolism using LHS in T2DM flies. Furthermore, integrative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis was applied to reveal the specific effects of LHS extracts on metabolites and genes. Meanwhile, bioinformatic analysis was carried out to predict the targeted transcription factors (TFs) and potentially effective components of LHS extracts.

RESULTS

We redefined the chemical profile of LHS with 76 identified chemical components, including 65 chemical components for the first time. As indicated by decreased trehalose, glucose and triglyceride levels and increased total protein levels, LHS extracts were perceived to alleviate the disorder of glucolipid metabolism in HSD-induced T2DM fruit flies. Integrative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that LHS extracts eliminated the accumulation of sphingolipids and subsequently stimulated the positive cross-regulation mediated by the sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) axis, resulting in the activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signalling pathway and inhibition of lysosome-mediated apoptosis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the upstream TFs, transcriptional enhancer factor TEF-5 (TEAD3) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA), were the potential targets of atractylenolide III, dihydrokaempferol and syringaldehyde, the potentially effective components of LHS extracts. Therefore, this TF network was plausibly the basis for the efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

LHS extracts broadly modulated TF-dependent gene expression and subsequently stimulated the positive cross-regulation mediated by the S1P axis to ameliorate the disorder of glucolipid metabolism. Our study provides critical evidence considering LHS as a potential drug candidate for T2DM, inspiring the discovery and development of innovative therapeutic agents based on the cross-regulation mediated by the S1P axis for treating T2DM and related complications.

Unveiling the impacts moso bamboo invasion on litter and soil properties: A meta-analysis

Moso bamboo invasion potentially alters litter, soil properties and soil microbial communities in forest ecosystems. However, the overall direction and magnitude of this alteration at a large spatial scale remain unclear. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of 72 experimental studies on the impact of moso bamboo invasion on litter, soil physicochemical properties, and soil microbial communities. Overall, the moso bamboo invasion increased litter decomposition, soil pH, and NH4+-N, while concurrently leading to a decrease in soil bulk density, soil electrical conductivity, soil TN: TP ratio, soil NO3--N, and available potassium. Moreover, we observed that the invasion significantly enhanced soil microbial biomass nitrogen, fungal ACE diversity index, fungal biomass, and bacterial Shannon diversity index, while decreasing the ratio of Gram-positive to Gram-negative bacteria and the biomass of Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, we identified the primary factors influencing specific soil properties and microbial community responses to moso bamboo invasion. Specifically, the response of NH4+-N, NO3--N, soil bulk density, fungal diversity and pH were found to be primarily influenced by climatic factors (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation), topographic factors (aspect), and invasion stage, respectively. In addition, we further revealed a close relationship between soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities during moso bamboo invasion. Specifically, the response of soil microbial biomass nitrogen was positively correlated with the responses of soil organic nitrogen and total nitrogen content, Gram-positive bacteria biomass was positively correlated with soil total nitrogen but negatively correlated with soil pH. Meanwhile, soil bacterial diversity showed a significant positive correlation with soil pH but exhibited a negative correlation with soil SOC. Our study suggests that macro-climatic conditions, local microenvironment, and invasion stage co-regulate the important effects of moso bamboo invasion on litter, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial communities.

Maternal polysorbate 80 intake promotes offspring metabolic syndrome through vertical microbial transmission in mice

Polysorbate 80 (P80) is an emulsifier extensively produced, consumed and discharged into the environment, consequently making human exposure inevitable. Despite evidence suggesting that P80 intake causes metabolic syndrome (MS) in mammals via microbial perturbation, limited data exist on its transgenerational impacts on offspring. In this study, we found that maternal P80 treatment impaired intestinal barrier integrity, leading to metabolic endotoxemia, low-grade inflammation and MS-related symptoms in C57BL/6J female offspring. Further analysis of the gut microbiome revealed MS-related changes in the offspring of P80-treated dams. Fecal microbiota transplantation experiment confirmed the crucial role of the altered microbiome in offspring in the transgenerational impacts of P80. Furthermore, we found that the P80-induced microbial alterations were directly transmitted from P80-treated mothers to their offspring and that interrupting vertical microbial transmission through cesarean section and foster nursing blocked the transgenerational impacts of P80 on the offspring microbiome and metabolic health. Moreover, maternal pectin supplementation also effectively mitigated P80-induced microbial alterations and MS-associated phenotypes in offspring. Together, our results indicated that maternal P80 intake could impair offspring metabolic health through the mother-to-offspring transmission of the microbiome, and maternal pectin supplementation might be a promising strategy for reducing the adverse effects of P80.

Modulating the properties of myofibrillar proteins-stabilized high internal phase emulsions using chitosan for enhanced 3D-printed foods

The 3D printability of myofibrillar proteins (MP)-based high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) is a concern. This study investigated the influence of chitosan (CS) concentrations (0-1.5 wt%) on the physicochemical properties, microstructure, rheological properties, and stability of MP-based HIPEs. Results showed that the interaction between MP and CS efficiently modulated the formation of HIPEs by modifying interfacial tension and network structure. The addition of CS (≤ 0.9 wt%, especially at 0.6 wt%) acted as a spatial barrier, filling the network between droplets, which triggered electrostatic repulsion between CS and MP particles, enhancing MP's interfacial adsorption capacity. Consequently, droplet sizes decreased, emulsion stability increased, and HIPEs became more stable during freeze-thaw cycles, centrifugation, and heat treatment. The rheological analysis further demonstrated that the low energy storage modulus (G', 330.7 Pa) of MP-based HIPEs exhibited sagging and deformation during the self-supporting phase. However, adding CS (0.6 wt%) significantly increased the G' (1034 Pa) of MP-based HIPEs. Conversely, increasing viscosity and spatial resistance attributed to CS (> 0.9 wt%) noticeably caused larger droplet sizes, thereby diminishing the printability of MP-based HIPEs. These findings provide a promising strategy for developing high-performance and consumer-satisfaction 3D printing inks using MP-stabilized HIPEs.

Smartphone-based electrochemical sensor for cost-effective, rapid and on site detection of chlorogenic acid in herbs using biomass-derived hierarchically porous carbon synthesized by a soft-hard dual template method

To achieve excellent germplasm resource screening and ensure the quality control of herbal tea raw material, it is important to establish a cost-effective, rapid, and on site quantitative detection method for their bioactive constituents. We developed a smartphone-operated sensor for electrochemical detection of chlorogenic acid (CGA) using hierarchically porous carbon (DSiFPC), synthesized through a soft-hard dual template strategy with tannin acid as a carbon source, silica colloid as a hard template, and Pluronic F127 as a soft template. The DSiFPC modified glassy carbon electrode sensor showed excellent electrocatalytic ability towards CGA, with a wide linear range of 0.03-1 μM and a low limit of detection of 6.2 nM. It was successfully applied for detecting CGA in dried flowers of Lonicera japonica. Furthermore, a portable sensor utilizing a DSiFPC modified screen-printed electrode was employed for on site detection of CGA in fresh Eucommia ulmoides leaves, yielding satisfactory recoveries.

The interactions of aerosol and planetary boundary layer over a large city in the Mongolian Plateau

The interactions of aerosol and planetary boundary layer (PBL) play a crucial role in deteriorating the air quality in vast urban agglomeration areas in eastern China. However, there remains a lacking of report regarding their performance in the hazy events in Mongolian Plateau cities in northern China. In this study, half-month (01-16 January 2020) physical and material datasets of the PBL measured by multi instrumentations mounted in downtown Hohhot, a largest Mongolian Plateau city, are statistically analyzed. Results demonstrate that the aerosol-PBL feedback is of particular importance in promoting the hazy outbreak and the statistical relationship follows PBLH = -76.14 × ln(PM2.5) + 820.61. The non-linear fitting implies that there exists a potential threshold of 76.14 μg m-3 for PM2.5, below which the PBLH decrease rapidly along with the increasing of air pollutants, defined as strong aerosol-PBL interaction phase, while beyond which there is minimal decrease for PBLH even when PM reaches to a high value, i.e., the hazy accumulation phase. Using a large-eddy simulation model named as Dutch Atmospheric Large-Eddy Simulation (DALES) initialized with the synergetical observations in a representative hazy process in 11 January 2020, we found that the DALES is effective to capture the diurnal PBLH in this region. The existence of atmospheric aerosols is essential for lowering PBLH by 51.4 % from 1090 m of clean scenario to 530 m of polluted condition, postponing the development time, and advancing the afternoon lapse time. The enhancement of aerosol absorption ability strengthens the aerosol heating rate, thereby weakening the sensible heat flux, and inhibiting the development of PBLH. While opposite elevation on PBLH is found for the scattering aerosols. These findings highlight the importance of aerosol-PBL interaction in motivating the hazy episodes in Mongolian Plateau cities, which provide scientific references for the local policy-making towards pollution reductions in future.

Mitigating cadmium accumulation in dicotyledonous vegetables by iron fertilizer through inhibiting Fe transporter IRT1-mediated Cd uptake

The solubility of cadmium (Cd) in soil and its transfer to plants are influenced by soil pH. While increasing soil pH reduces Cd solubility and accumulation in rice plants grown in acidic soils, its effect on Cd accumulation in vegetables remains inconclusive. Here, we investigated the impact of soil pH on Cd accumulation in dicotyledonous vegetables and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms. Soils collected from various locations were supplemented with varying quantities of lime to achieve soil pH values of around 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0. Raising soil pH from around 5.0 to 8.0 markedly decreased extractable Cd. However, increasing soil pH tended to promote shoot Cd accumulation in dicotyledonous vegetable species including lettuce, pakchoi, and Chinese cabbage, and the model dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Conversely, soil pH increase resulted in a monotonic decrease in rice Cd accumulation. In our hydroponic experiments, we discovered that iron (Fe) deficiency substantially increased Cd uptake and accumulation in dicotyledonous plants but not in rice. Increasing soil pH reduced soil Fe availability and induced the Fe transporter gene IRT1 expression in dicotyledonous vegetables roots, which led to an increase in IRT1-mediated Cd uptake and subsequently increased Cd accumulation as soil pH increases. A comprehensive model incorporating extractable Cd and root IRT1 expression better explained Cd accumulation in vegetable shoots. The application of 50 mg/kg of Fe fertilizer in neutral or alkaline soils resulted in a significant reduction in Cd accumulation by 34-58% in dicotyledonous vegetables. These findings reveal that increasing soil pH has two opposite effects, decreasing soil Cd availability while promoting Cd uptake through IRT1 upregulation, reconciling the inconsistency in its effect on Cd accumulation in dicotyledonous plants. Our findings provide important insights for understanding the factors affecting Cd uptake in plants and offer a practical solution to mitigate Cd contamination in vegetables.

A novel FGFR1 inhibitor CYY292 suppresses tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis of glioblastoma by inhibiting the Akt/GSK3β/snail signaling axis

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor that grows quickly, spreads widely, and is resistant to treatment. Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1 is a receptor tyrosine kinase that regulates cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation. FGFR1 was predominantly expressed in GBM tissues, and FGFR1 expression was negatively correlated with overall survival. We rationally designed a novel small molecule CYY292, which exhibited a strong affinity for the FGFR1 protein in GBM cell lines in vitro. CYY292 also exerted an effect on the conserved Ser777 residue of FGFR1. CYY292 dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness, invasion, and migration in vitro by specifically targeting the FGFR1/AKT/Snail pathways in GBM cells, and this effect was prevented by pharmacological inhibitors and critical gene knockdown. In vivo experiments revealed that CYY292 inhibited U87MG tumor growth more effectively than AZD4547. CYY292 also efficiently reduced GBM cell proliferation and increased survival in orthotopic GBM models. This study further elucidates the function of FGFR1 in the GBM and reveals the effect of CYY292, which targets FGFR1, on downstream signaling pathways directly reducing GBM cell growth, invasion, and metastasis and thus impairing the recruitment, activation, and function of immune cells.