Synergetic effect of green synthesized NZVI@Chitin-modified ZSM-5 for efficient oxidative degradation of tetracycline.

The aggregation and limited activity of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) in aqueous media hinder its practical application. In this study, a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, robust, and efficient synthesis method for NZVI-based composite was developed. NZVI@Chitin-modified ZSM-5 (NZVI@C-ZSM) composite was facilely and greenly synthesized by loading NZVI into alkali-modified ZSM-5 molecular sieves after modifying with chitin as a surfactant and binder. NZVI@C-ZSM exhibited remarkable efficacy in TC removal, achieving a removal efficiency of 97.72% within 60 min. Compared with pristine NZVI, NZVI@C-ZSM demonstrated twice the removal efficiency, indicating that NZVI@C-ZSM effectively improved the dispersion and stability of NZVI. This enhancement provided more reactive sites for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), significantly boosting catalytic activity and durability while reducing the potential risk of secondary pollution. An improved two-parameter pseudo-first-order kinetic model was used to effectively characterize the reaction kinetics. The mechanism for TC removal primarily involved an adsorption process and chemical oxidation-reduction reactions induced by hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide radicals (•O2-). Three potential degradation pathways for TC were suggested. Furthermore, NZVI@C-ZSM exhibited good resistance to interference, suggesting its broad potential for practical applications in complex environmental conditions. This study offers a viable material and method for addressing the issue of antibiotic-contaminated water, with potential applications in water resource management.

Exceptional photo-elimination of antibiotic by a novel Z-scheme heterojunction catalyst composed of nanoscale zero valent iron embedded with carbon quantum dots (CQDs)-black TiO2.

Passivation of nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI, Fe0) impaired its longevity while black TiO2 (b-TiO2) suffered from restricted optical properties. Using a facile approach, a novel Z-scheme heterojunction catalyst (Fe0@CQDs-TiO2(b)) of nZVI decorated with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) implanted into b-TiO2 was designed. Characterization results revealed the optical potential of the passivation coating of nZVI. The incorporation of CQDs stimulated the creation of active •OH during the dark reaction, and led to an accelerated mobility of photo-excited carriers of b-TiO2 and optimized its band gap (narrowing from 2.36 eV to 2.15 eV) during the light reaction. The photo-elimination capacity of metronidazole (MNZ) on Fe0@CQDs-TiO2(b) (99.36%) was 2.64, 8.25 and 1.34 fold beyond that on nZVI, b-TiO2 and Fe0@b-TiO2, respectively. The assembled material offered excellent adaptability to environmental substrates, in addition to being virtually unaffected by tap (95.62%) and river water (92.62%). The mechanism of MNZ degradation was elaborated, and the combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and LC-MS discerned 12 intermediates and 3 routes. Toxicity assessment of these products was conducted to ensure no inadvertent negative environmental impacts arose. This work proposed an original direction and mechanism for the application of passivation layers in nZVI-based materials for environmental restoration.

Construction of urchin-like core-shell Fe/Fe2O3@UiO-66 hybrid for effective tetracycline reduction and photocatalytic oxidation.

Although Fe/Fe2O3 has potential application compared with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), its smooth structure largely limits the catalytic performance. To address this challenge, we innovatively constructed highly efficient composite Fe/Fe2O3@UiO-66 via employing an urchin-like core-shell structure of Fe/Fe2O3 onto UiO-66 through a facile ion exchange precipitation method without inert gas protection. The characterization results show the urchin-like core-shell configuration can extend the life span of Fe0 and produce more active sites. Besides, the absorption spectrum is broadened by Fe2O3 which has narrow band gap and the high-efficiency separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is obtained with the load of Fe/Fe2O3. Moreover, Two-parameter pseudo-first-order decay model fits well with the reduction and adsorption of composites in the dark reaction, and a plausible pathway for tetracycline (TC) degradation is also proposed. The findings of this research provide a promising method for promoting the catalytic properties of MOF-based materials and Fe/Fe2O3.

Behavioral and Network Pharmacology-Based Analyses for the Traditional Mongolian Medicine Zadi-5 in a Rat Model of Depression.

Zadi-5 is a traditional Mongolian medicine that is widely used for the treatment of depression and symptoms of irritation. Although the therapeutic effects of Zadi-5 against depression have been indicated in previously reported clinical studies, the identity and impact of the active pharmaceutical compounds present in the drug have not been fully elucidated. This study used network pharmacology to predict the drug composition and identify the therapeutically active compounds in Zadi-5 pills. Here, we established a rat model of chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) and conducted an open field test (OFT), Morris water maze (MWM) analysis, and sucrose consumption test (SCT) to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of Zadi-5 in depression. This study aimed to demonstrate Zadi-5's therapeutic effects for depression and predict the critical pathway of the action of Zadi-5 against the disorder. The vertical and horizontal scores (OFT), SCT, and zone crossing numbers of the fluoxetine (positive control) and Zadi-5 groups were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the CUMS group rats without treatment. According to the results of network pharmacology analysis, the PI3K-AKT pathway was found to be essential for the antidepressant effect of Zadi-5.

Design of cryogel based CNTs-anchored polyacrylonitrile honeycomb film with ultra-high S-NZVI incorporation for enhanced synergistic reduction of Cr(VI).

An ultra-high NZVI-loaded PAN film (S-CPN) with a unique 3D honeycomb structure was designed based on the cryogel method of green solvent-induced pores and confinement of the spatially free conformation of films by anchoring carbon nanotubes (CNTs), supplemented sulfidation for removing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), and characterized by SEM, AFM, BET, XRD, XPS, and electrochemical corrosion. The doping amounts of the compounds for S-CPN synthesis were optimized to be 0.075 g CNTs, 0.25 g Na2S, and 0.3 M FeSO4. S-CPN possessed a 175.247 m2/g specific surface area, -0.365 V reduction potential, and 46.54 mg/g ultra-high NZVI-loading. S-CPN had the strong activity of Cr(VI) removal and tolerance to coexisting ions. The removal efficiency remained at 80 % after age for 30 days or 5 cycles. The pseudo-first-order kinetics and Langmuir model were more favorable to simulate the adsorption of Cr(VI) on S-CPN. The thermodynamics show that S-CPN removing Cr(VI) was a spontaneous exothermic reaction. The reasons for these excellent properties were that CNTs improve the film porosity and ultra-high NZVI-loading, and synergistic the FeSX layer to chelates-reduces Cr(VI). This was the first time that honeycomb film with 3D structure and potential applications in heavy metal removal was developed via an eco-friendly strategy.

Effect and Mechanism Analysis of Pig FUT8 Gene on Resistance to Escherichia coli F18 Infection.

Post-weaning diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18 (E. coli F18) causes significant economic losses for pig producers. Fucosyltransferase 8 (FUT8) is a glycosyltransferase that catalyzes core fucosylation; however, its role in mediating the resistance to E. coli F18 infection in pigs remains unknown. In this study, we systematically verified the relationship between FUT8 expression and E. coli resistance. The results showed that FUT8 was expressed in all detected tissues of Meishan piglets and that its expression was significantly increased in the duodenum and jejunum of E. coli F18-sensitive individuals when compared to E. coli F18-resistant individuals. FUT8 expression increased after exposure to E. coli F18 (p < 0.05) and decreased significantly after LPS induction for 6 h (p < 0.01). Then, the IPEC-J2 stable cell line with FUT8 interference was constructed, and FUT8 knockdown decreased the adhesion of E. coli F18ac to IPEC-J2 cells (p < 0.05). Moreover, we performed a comparative transcriptome study of IPEC-J2 cells after FUT8 knockdown via RNA-seq. In addition, further expression verification demonstrated the significant effect of FUT8 on the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and Toll-like signaling pathways. Moreover, the core promoter of FUT8, which was located at −1213 bp to −673 bp, was identified via luciferase assay. Interestingly, we found a 1 bp C base insertion mutation at the −774 bp region, which could clearly inhibit the transcriptional binding activity of C/EBPα to an FUT8 promoter. Therefore, it is speculated that FUT8 acts in a critical role in the process of E. coli infection; furthermore, the low expression of FUT8 is conducive to the enhancement of E. coli resistance in piglets. Our findings revealed the mechanism of pig FUT8 in regulating E. coli resistance, which provided a theoretical basis for the screening of E. coli resistance in Chinese local pig breeds.

Genome-Wide DNA Methylome and Transcriptome Analysis of Porcine Testicular Cells Infected With Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus.

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) is a porcine pathogen causing highly communicable gastrointestinal infection that are lethal for suckling piglets. In an attempt to delineate the pathogenic mechanism of TGEV-infected porcine testicular cells (ST cells), we conducted a whole genome analysis of DNA methylation and expression in ST cells through reduced bisulfate-seq and RNA-seq. We examined alterations in the methylation patterns and recognized 1764 distinct methylation sites. 385 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the viral defense and ribosome biogenesis pathways. Integrative analysis identified two crucial genes (EMILIN2, RIPOR3), these two genes expression were negatively correlated to promoter methylation. In conclusion, alterations in DNA methylation and differential expression of genes reveal that their potential functional interactions in TGEV infection. Our data highlights the epigenetic and transcriptomic landscapes in TGEV-infected ST cells and provides a reliable dataset for screening TGEV resistance genes and genetic markers.

Surface functionality density regulated in situ reduction of nanosilver on hierarchial wrinkled mesoporous silica nanoparticles and their antibacterial activity.

Hierarchical wrinkled mesoporous silica nanoparticles (WMS NPs) bedecked with diverse functionality density of amino groups (WMSs-N2, WMSs-NN and WMSs-NNN) were first synthesized via typical Sol-Gel method, and then utilized for the in situ reduction of nanosilver with sodium borohydride. Elegantly distributed Ag NPs (ca. 7-10 nm, 3-5 nm) on WMSs-N2 and WMSs-NN without any agglomeration were obtained respectively, while Ag NPs (ca. 50 nm) dispersed on WMSs-NNN were obviously larger and slightly agglomerated. Compared to pure Ag NPs, all the obtained Ag@WMSs composites were durable and displayed much better antibacterial performance, with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 12-80 mg L-1 and a minimal bactericidal concentration of 24-108 mg L-1, respectively. Moreover, it was found that the functionality density of amino groups and the specific surface area of WMSs played a crucial role for the antibacterial performance of the obtained nanocomposites. Because WMSs-NN had higher specific surface area and surface amino density than WMSs-N2, the size and dispersion of Ag NPs on WMSs-NN were smaller and superior to those of Ag NPs on WMSs-N2, respectively. Accordingly, Ag@WMSs-NN displayed a better antibacterial capacity than Ag@WMSs-N2. As for Ag@WMSs-NNN, owing to the high loading content of Ag NPs, they exhibited the best antibacterial and bactericidal properties.

Facile synthesis of a water-soluble fluorescence sensor for Al3+ in aqueous solution and on paper substrate.

In this study, a facile water-soluble fluorescence sensor 2-((2-hydroxybenzylidene)-amino)-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (ST) was synthesized via one-step reaction, and its fluorescence sensing performance for Al3+ both in aqueous solution and on paper substrate was evaluated. The results showed that ST exhibited an specific fluorescence "turn-on" response to Al3+ over other cations in aqueous solution as well as on the test paper. The limit of detection was found to be 3.2×10-7M, which revealed that the obtained Schiff-base based fluorescence chemosensor ST possessed a great potential for the rapid, quantitative and qualitative detection of Al3+.