Reactive oxygen species act as the key signaling molecules mediating light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus.

Light plays a pivotal role in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants, and the early light-responsive signals that initiate anthocyanin biosynthesis remain to be elucidated. In this study, we showed that the anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus is hypersensitive to increased light intensity. The combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted on Eucalyptus leaves after moderate (ML; 100 µmol m-2 s-1) and high (HL; 300 µmol m-2 s-1) light intensity treatments. The results identified 1940, 1096, 1173, and 2756 differentially expressed genes at 6, 12, 24, and 36 h after HL treatment, respectively. The metabolomic results revealed the primary anthocyanin types, and other differentially accumulated flavonoids and phenylpropane intermediates that were produced in response to HL, which well aligned with the transcriptome results. Moreover, biochemical analysis showed that HL inhibited peroxidase activity and increased the ROS level in Eucalyptus leaves. ROS depletion through co-application of the antioxidants rutin, uric acid, and melatonin significantly reduced, and even abolished, anthocyanin biosynthesis induced by HL treatment. Additionally, exogenous application of hydrogen peroxide efficiently induced anthocyanin biosynthesis within 24 h, even under ML conditions, suggesting that ROS played a major role in activating anthocyanin biosynthesis. A HL-responsive MYB transcription factor EgrMYB113 was identified to play an important role in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis by targeting multiple anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. Additionally, the results demonstrated that gibberellic acid and sugar signaling contributed to HL-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. Conclusively, these results suggested that HL triggers multiple signaling pathways to induce anthocyanin biosynthesis, with ROS acting as indispensable mediators in Eucalyptus.

Clinical observation of extraction-site incisional hernia after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery increases the risk of incisional hernia (IH) at the tumor extraction site. AIM: To investigate the incidence of IH at extraction sites following laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery and identify the risk factors for IH incidence. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 1614 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery with tumor extraction through the abdominal wall at our center between January 2017 and December 2022. Differences in the incidence of postoperative IH at different extraction sites and the risk factors for IH incidence were investigated. RESULTS: Among the 1614 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical colorectal cancer surgery, 303 (18.8%), 923 (57.2%), 171 (10.6%), and 217 (13.4%) tumors were extracted through supraumbilical midline, infraumbilical midline, umbilical, and off-midline incisions. Of these, 52 patients developed IH in the abdominal wall, with an incidence of 3.2%. The incidence of postoperative IH was significantly higher in the off-midline incision group (8.8%) than in the middle incision groups [the supraumbilical midline (2.6%), infraumbilical midline (2.2%), and umbilical incision (2.9%) groups] (χ2 = 24.985; P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that IH occurrence was associated with age, obesity, sex, chronic cough, incision infection, and combined diabetes, anemia, and hypoproteinemia (P < 0.05). Similarly, multivariate analysis showed that off-midline incision, age, sex (female), obesity, incision infection, combined chronic cough, and hypoproteinemia were independent risk factors for IH at the site of laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The incidence of postoperative IH differs between extraction sites for laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. The infraumbilical midline incision is associated with a lower hernia rate and is thus a suitable tumor extraction site.

The anti-apoptotic role of Ginkgolide B via mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibition in retinal ischemia-reperfusion.

This research delves into the effectiveness of Ginkgolide B (GB), a compound from Ginkgo biloba, in combating cell death caused by glaucoma, with a focus on mitochondrial impairment and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). Utilizing models of high intraocular pressure and in vitro glaucoma simulations, the study investigates GB's impact on retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) under oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) and in a rat glaucoma model. The study methodologies included apoptosis assessment, apoptotic marker analysis via Western blot, and mitochondrial structure and function evaluation. The findings reveal that GB notably decreases apoptosis in RPCs exposed to OGD/R in vitro, and reduces ischemia-reperfusion damage in vivo. GB's protective role is attributed to its ability to preserve mitochondrial integrity, maintain membrane potential, regulate calcium levels, and inhibit mPTP opening. These results underscore GB's potential as a therapeutic agent for acute primary angle-closure glaucoma, highlighting its capability to alleviate mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in RPCs and retinal nerve fiber layer cells.

Mechanism of SO2/H2O enhanced rare earth tailings catalysts in NH3-SCR at medium and high temperature.

Rare earth tailings (RET) NH3-SCR catalysts were prepared by mechanical and microwave activation of a large amount of rare earth tailings after beneficiation of Bayan Ebo rare earth ore. The effects of SO2/H2O on the denitrification performance of the RET catalysts were evaluated by conducting denitrification activity tests, SO2/H2O tolerance tests and in situ DRIFTs mechanistic analysis. The results showed that the denitrification activity was significantly increased in the presence of SO2/H2O. And in situ DRIFTs analysis showed that in the presence of SO2/H2O, SO2 could be adsorbed as SO32- groups by the hydroxyl groups on the catalyst surface and react with SO42- to form S2O72- species. And in the presence of NH3, S2O72- would decompose into unstable SO42- species and SO32- and continue to react cyclically to form S2O72- species, providing the RET catalyst provides more acid sites, facilitating the SCR reaction.

Cytokinin promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis via regulating sugar accumulation and MYB113 expression in Eucalyptus.

Anthocyanins are flavonoid-like substances that play important roles in plants' adaptation to various environmental stresses. In this research, we discovered that cytokinin (CK) alone could effectively induce the anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus and many other perennial woody plant species, but not in tobacco and Arabidopsis, suggesting a diverse role of CK in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in different species. Transcriptomic and metabolomic strategies were used to further clarify the specific role of CK in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus. The results showed that 801 and 2241 genes were differentially regulated at 6 and 24 h, respectively, after CK treatment. Pathway analysis showed that most of the differentially expressed genes were categorized into pathways related to cellular metabolism or transport of metabolites, including amino acids and sugars. The metabolomic results well supported the transcriptome data, which showed that most of the differentially regulated metabolites were related to the metabolism of sugar, amino acids and flavonoids. Moreover, CK treatment significantly induced the accumulation of sucrose in the CK-treated leaves, while sugar starvation mimicked by either defoliation or shading treatment of the basal leaves significantly reduced the sugar increase of the CK-treated leaves and thus inhibited CK-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. The results of in vitro experiment also suggested that CK-induced anthocyanin in Eucalyptus was sugar-dependent. Furthermore, we identified an early CK-responsive transcription factor MYB113 in Eucalyptus, the expression of which was significantly upregulated by CK treatment in Eucalyptus, but was inhibited in Arabidopsis. Importantly, the overexpression of EgrMYB113 in the Eucalyptus hairy roots was associated with significant anthocyanin accumulation and upregulation of most of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a key role of CK in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus, providing a molecular basis for further understanding the regulatory mechanism and diversity of hormone-regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plant species.

Treatment of primary vaginal malignant melanoma and review of previous literature: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Primary vaginal malignant melanoma is a rare gynecological malignant tumor with high malignancy and poor prognosis. Because of its insidious incidence, it is generally diagnosed in the late stage, and the 5-year survival rate is only 5% to 25%. Due to the rarity of this disease and the limited number of related cases reported in the literature, there is currently no unified standard for its diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the treatment of this disease has always been a difficult problem in clinical practice. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with discomfort in the lower abdomen. DIAGNOSIS: The final diagnosis of this patient was vaginal malignant melanoma (T4N1M0). INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent extensive hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, pelvic lymph node resection, and total vaginectomy. Following the surgery, the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. OUTCOMES: The patient was followed up regularly. No recurrence or metastasis has been reported to date. CONCLUSION: The treatment of primary vaginal malignant melanoma is still dominated by surgery, while radiotherapy and chemotherapy are controversial. Immunotherapy and targeted therapy highlight certain advantages in advanced patients, which still need to be verified by large sample studies, We provide a case of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for vaginal malignant melanoma. So far, no signs of disease recurrence have been found. As the price of chemotherapy drugs decreases, it is economically convenient and acceptable for most patients, but its effectiveness needs to be observed in large-scale clinical trials.

Discussion on the influence of optimizing the perioperative management on the recovery after laparoscopic hysterectomy.

The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) was first proposed by Professor Kehlet from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark in 1997. The aim is to optimize multiple perioperative management measures, promote rapid postoperative recovery, shorten hospital stay, and reduce surgical related costs, this article explores the effect of optimizing perioperative bowel preparation and diet management under the strategy of ERAS on the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign gynecological diseases. We selected 90 patients who underwent laparoscopic total hysterectomy for benign gynecological diseases at Hebei General Hospital from June 2018 to June 2019, these patients are between the ages of 40 and 65. Divide these 90 patients into an experimental group and a control group using a random number table method (n = 45). The experimental group of patients applied the concept of accelerated rehabilitation surgery for perioperative intestinal preparation and dietary management. The control group patients received routine perioperative management. Compare the first postoperative exhaust time, first postoperative defecation time, incision healing status 7 days after surgery, and pelvic infection status 1 month after surgery between 2 groups of patients. The first postoperative exhaust time and first postoperative bowel movement time of the experimental group patients were shorter than those of the control group (P < .05), and the difference was statistically significant; The incidence of poor incision healing 7 days after surgery was lower than that of the control group (P < .05), and the difference was statistically significant; There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative pelvic infection between the experimental group and the control group (P > .05). Perioperative intestinal preparation and dietary management under the concept of accelerated rehabilitation surgery can promote postoperative recovery of patients undergoing laparoscopic total hysterectomy, promote incision healing, and have good safety.

Diagnostic value of serum human epididymis protein 4, carbohydrate antigen 125 and their combination in endometrial cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To systematically analyze the value of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer, so as to provide evidence-based medical evidence for the selection of serum tumor markers in the early screening of endometrial cancer. METHODS: We comprehensively searched relevant literature in the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, WanFang, and CBM from the date of establishment to November 31, 2021. Quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies 2 was applied to evaluate the quality of the included literature. We used Stata 16.0 to calculate the pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and plot summary receiver operating characteristic curve, as well as to assess diagnostic accuracy using the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: A total of 25 studies, including 1980 patients and 2345 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled SEN, SPE, PLR, NLR, DOR, and AUC of HE4 were 0.58 (95% CI 0.52-0.63), 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.97), 11.57 (95% CI 6.88-19.48), 0.45 (95% CI 0.39-0.51), 25.92 (95% CI 14.84-45.26), and 0.80 (95% CI 0.76-0.83), respectively. The pooled SEN, SPE, PLR, NLR, DOR, and AUC of CA125 were 0.41 (95% CI 0.34-0.49), 0.91 (95% CI 0.85-0.95), 4.55 (95% CI 2.73-7.58), 0.65 (95% CI 0.57-0.74), 7.03 (95% CI 3.92-12.62), and 0.68 (95% CI 0.64-0.72), respectively. The pooled SEN, SPE, PLR, NLR, DOR, and AUC of HE4 + CA125 were 0.67 (95% CI 0.60-0.73), 0.92 (95% CI 0.87-0.95), 8.59 (95% CI 5.32-13.86), 0.36 (95% CI 0.30-0.44), 23.80 (95% CI 13.86-40.86), and 0.85 (95% CI 0.82-0.88), respectively. CONCLUSION: This Meta-analysis found that HE4 alone or in combination with CA125 showed better diagnostic efficacy than CA125, regardless of clinical stage and pathological type. HE4 + CA125 had slightly higher diagnostic efficiency than HE4, but did not show significant advantages. While the studies were heterogeneous, the credibility of the findings needs to be further confirmed by more homogeneous, prospective, and large sample size studies.

Enhancing the Cycle Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries by Coating the Separator with a Cation-Selective Polymer Layer.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are believed to possess the feasibility to power electric vehicles in the future ascribed to the competitive energy density. However, soluble polysulfides continuously shuttle between the sulfur electrode and lithium anode across the separator, which dramatically impairs the battery's capacity. Herein, the surface of a polypropylene separator (PP film) is successfully modified with a delicately designed cation-selective polymer layer to suppress the transport of polysulfides. In principle, since bis-sulfonimide anions groups on the backbone of the polymer are immobilized, only cations can pass through the polymer layer. Furthermore, plenty of ethoxy chains in the polymer can facilitate lithium-ion mobility. Consequently, in addition to obstructing the movement of negatively charged polysulfides by the electrostatic repulsive force of fixed anions, the coated multi-functional layer on the PP film also guarantees the smooth conduction of lithium ions. The investigations demonstrate that the battery with the pristine PP film only delivers 228.5 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles at 2 C with a high capacity fading rate of 60.9 %. By contrast, the polymer-coated sample can release 409.4 mAh g-1 under the identical test condition and the capacity fading rate sharply declines to 43.2 %, illustrating superior cycle performance.

Transcriptome-Based Construction of the Gibberellin Metabolism and Signaling Pathways in Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla, and Functional Characterization of GA20ox and GA2ox in Regulating Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Adaptations.

Gibberellins (GAs) are the key regulators controlling plant growth, wood production and the stress responses in perennial woody plants. The role of GA in regulating the above-mentioned processes in Eucalyptus remain largely unclear. There is still a lack of systematic identification and functional characterization of GA-related genes in Eucalyptus. In this study, a total of 59,948 expressed genes were identified from the major vegetative tissues of the E. grandis × E. urophylla using transcriptome sequencing. Then, the key gene families in each step of GA biosynthesis, degradation and signaling were investigated and compared with those of Arabidopsis, rice, and Populus. The expression profile generated using Real-time quantitative PCR showed that most of these genes exhibited diverse expression patterns in different vegetative organs and in response to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, we selectively overexpressed EguGA20ox1, EguGA20ox2 and EguGA2ox1 in both Arabidopsis and Eucalyptus via Agrobacterium tumefaciens or A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation. Though both Arabidopsis EguGA20ox1- and EguGA20ox2-overexpressing (OE) lines exhibited better vegetative growth performance, they were more sensitive to abiotic stress, unlike EguGA2ox1-OE plants, which exhibited enhanced stress resistance. Moreover, overexpression of EguGA20ox in Eucalyptus roots caused significantly accelerated hairy root initiation and elongation and improved root xylem differentiation. Our study provided a comprehensive and systematic study of the genes of the GA metabolism and signaling and identified the role of GA20ox and GA2ox in regulating plant growth, stress tolerance, and xylem development in Eucalyptus; this could benefit molecular breeding for obtaining high-yield and stress-resistant Eucalyptus cultivars.

Evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific antigen-stimulated CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+ T cells for discrimination of active tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Active tuberculosis (ATB) originates from primary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection or reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Besides bacteriological examination, MTB-reactive immunocytes detection can be an alternative testing for discrimination of active tuberculosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of peripheral blood CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+T cells in ATB diagnosis. METHODS: This prospective diagnostic accuracy study was conducted at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients with ATB, non-tuberculosis mycobacterium infection (NTM), latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), other respiratory diseases (OD), and healthy individuals (HC) were enrolled. The accuracy of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ and other phenotypic markers for ATB diagnosis was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 376 patients (237 ATB, 38 LTBI, 8 NTM, 50 OD, and 43 HC) were enrolled. The ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD27- and CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-CD38+ profiles in CD4+IFN-γ+ cells and the ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+, CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-, and CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+CD27- profiles in CD4+ cells in the ATB group were significantly higher than in the other groups. The area under the curve (AUC) of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for the diagnosis of ATB was the highest, with a value of 0.890. With the optimal cutoff value of 1.34 × 10-4, the sensitivity and specificity of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for ATB diagnosis was 0.869 and 0.849, respectively. CONCLUSION: CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ might be a potential biomarker for active tuberculosis diagnosis.

First Report of Powdery Mildew in Eucalyptus Caused by Erysiphe neolycopersici in China.

Eucalyptus is one of the most fast-growing and widely planted hardwood trees in the tropical and subtropical regions (Grattapaglia and Kirst, 2008). In December 2021, powdery mildew diseases were observed on the Eucalyptus urophylla, E. urophylla × E. grandis, E. grandis × E. urophylla, and E. grandis trees growing in the Eucalyptus garden of the Guangxi University campus in Nanning (108°22'E, 22°48'N) of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where is the main plantation area for Eucalyptus. The spread of this disease would bring potential challenges on the Eucalyptus plantation management in this region of China. The early symptoms of this disease in Eucalyptus were that the irregular white spots with surface-attached powder was observed on the leaves. At the late stages, this symptom was diffused to the whole leaves and even petioles and stems. It would finally cause significant defoliation, but barely lead to plant death in Eucalyptus. Microscopic observation showed that the mycelium was straight or flexuous, hyaline, thin-walled, septate, branched, and 3-7 µm wide (n = 50; average 4.86 µm). The appressorium was lobed and attached to one end of the mycelium alone, or paired attached to both ends of the mycelium. The conidiophore was straight or flexuous, unbranched, 54-100 × 6-10 µm (n = 40; average 75.47 µm × 8.22 µm). One to 3 conidium were connate on the conidiophores. Foot-cells were straight or flexuous at base, 5-8 µm wide (n = 40; average 6.53 µm). The conidium were ellipsoid or oval, and the size was 38-56 × 12-21 µm (n = 70; average 44.92 µm × 15.69 µm). The lobed or rod-shaped bud tube was produced at the conidium. According to the morphology, the fungus was identified as Erysiphe neolycopersici (Hsiao, et al. 2022). For the molecular characterization of the isolate, the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 18S and 28S large subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU and LSU) (Scholin et al. 1994 , White et al. 1990), were sequenced and deposited in GenBank (OM422667, OM424285 and ON514159). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the ITS sequence showed 100% identity with sequences of E. neolycopersici (MW082786, MT370492, and JQ972700). The 28S rDNA sequence had the highest identity (99.69%) with that of E. neolycopersici (LC371327, LC371320, and OM368490). The SSU sequence had the highest identity (99.72%) with that of E. neolycopersici (LC516961). The pathogenicity test of the fungus was repeated thrice following the Koch's postulates. The diseased leaves were gently rubbed against 3 to 4 healthy mature leaves of more than five E. grandis seedlings (two-month-old). The inoculated and control plants were then cultured in the greenhouse (25 ℃, 16-h light/8-h dark and 70% humidity). Similar disease symptoms were observed on the inoculated leaves, but not on the control leaves seven days after inoculation. The isolates from three independent experiments were morphologically and genetically identical with the original isolate. As far as we know, this study is the first report of powdery mildew disease in Eucalyptus caused by E. neolycopersici in China.

Determination of free fatty acids in Antarctic krill meals based on matrix solid phase dispersion.

Amino-modified mesoporous silicawas prepared by modifying mesoporous silica with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and used as adsorbents in matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) to analyze free fatty acids (FFAs) in krill meals for the first time. The adsorption-desorption experiments and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed amino-modified mesoporous silica with ordered mesoporous structure was successfully synthesized. The adsorption experiments including static and dynamic adsorption showed thatabsorption capacity of amino-modified mesoporous silica towards FFAs was better than that of aminated silicon microspheres at all concentrations. Under optimal extraction conditions, outstanding linearity (0.1-12000 nmol g-1), low LODs (0.05-1.25 nmol g-1), satisfactory recoveries (82.17-96.43%) and precisions (0.19-5.26%) were obtained. Moreover, the application of MSPD for FFAs analysis avoided complicated lipid extraction procedures and accomplished the homogenization, crushing, extraction and cleaning of the samples in one step. Consequently, this approach provides an alternative choice to the existing approach for analyzing FFAs in solid and semi-solid samples.

Construction of Glycogen-Based Nanoparticles Loaded with Resveratrol for the Alleviation of High-Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

The purpose of this study was to construct a glycogen (Gly)-based nanoparticle (NP) with liver-targeted and redox response to effectively deliver resveratrol (Res) for improving nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Herein, Gly was modified using α-lipoic acid (α-LA) and lactobionic acid (Lac) to obtain an amphiphilic polymer (Gly-LA-Lac), which was self-assembled in water and then encapsulated in Res to form Res NPs with excellent stability. As expected, the Res NPs exhibited liver-targeted and redox response release behavior. In vitro cell studies demonstrated that the nanocarrier treatment enhanced the cellular uptake of Res and reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory factor levels. Meanwhile, the in vivo tests proved that the nanocarriers effectively reduced hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress levels via regulating the TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway to improve liver damage in NAFLD mice. In conclusion, this study provides a promising strategy through the construction of Gly-based nanocarriers for the encapsulation of Res to effectively alleviate the process of NAFLD.

Optimization of ultrasound assisted extraction of abalone viscera protein and its effect on the iron-chelating activity.

This study aims to investigate effects of ultrasound assisted extraction on the abalone viscera protein extraction rate and iron-chelating activity of peptides. The optimal conditions for ultrasound assisted extraction by response surface methodology was at sodium hydroxide concentration 14 g/kg, ultrasonic power 428 W and extraction time 52 min. Under the optimal conditions, protein extraction rate was 64.89%, compared with alkaline extraction of 55.67%. The iron-chelating activity of peptides affected by ultrasound technology was further evaluated by iron-chelating rate, FTIR spectroscopy and LC-HRMS/MS. Alcalase was the suitable enzyme for the preparation of iron-chelating peptides from two abalone viscera proteins, showing no significant difference between their iron-chelating rate of 16.24% (ultrasound assisted extraction) and 16.60% (alkaline extraction). Iron binding sites from the two hydrolysates include amino and carboxylate terminal groups and peptide bond of the peptide backbone as well as amino, imine and carboxylate from side chain groups. Moreover, 24 iron-chelating peptides were identified from hydrolysate (alcalase, ultrasound assisted extraction), which were different from the 27 iron-chelating peptides from hydrolysate (alcalase, alkaline extraction). This study suggests the application of ultrasound technology in the generation of abalone viscera-derived iron-chelating peptides which have the ability to combat iron deficiency.

Age-Related Retinal Changes in Wild-Type C57BL/6J Mice Between 2 and 32 Months.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to extend our understanding of how aging affects normal retina function and morphology in wild-type C57BL/6J mice, by analyzing electrophysiological recordings and in vivo and post mortem anatomy. Methods: Electroretinograms (ERGs), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) in vivo images were obtained from mice between the ages of 2 and 32 months in four groups: group 1 (<0.5 years), group 2 (1.0-1.5 years), group 3 (1.5-2.0 years), and group 4 (>2.0 years). Afterward, mouse bodies and eyes were weighed. Eyes were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and cell nuclei were quantified. Results: With aging, mice showed a significant reduction in both a- and b-wave ERG amplitudes in scotopic and photopic conditions. Additionally, total retina and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness, as measured by SD-OCT images, were significantly reduced in older groups. The cSLO images showed an increase in auto-fluorescence at the photoreceptor-RPE interface as age increases. H&E cell nuclei quantification showed significant reduction in the ONL in older ages, but no differences in the inner nuclear layer (INL) or ganglion cell layer (GCL). Conclusions: By using multiple age groups and extending the upper age limit of our animals to approximately 2.65 years (P970), we found that natural aging causes negative effects on retinal function and morphology in a gradual, rather than abrupt, process. Future studies should investigate the exact mechanisms that contribute to these gradual declines in order to discover pathways that could potentially serve as therapeutic targets.

Study on the mechanism of synthetic (Ce,La)CO3F sulfuric acid acidification and NH3-SCR loaded with Mn and Fe.

A hydrothermal method was used to synthesise (Ce,La)CO3F grain simulated minerals, in accordance with the Ce-La ratio of bastnaesite in the mineralogy of the Bayan Ebo process. The NH3-SCR catalytic activity of the synthesised (Ce,La)CO3F was improved by loading transition metals Mn and Fe and sulphuric acid acidification treatments. The activity test results showed that the catalysts which were simultaneously acidified with sulphuric acid and loaded with transition metals Mn and Fe had a NO x conversion of 92% at 250 °C. XRD, SEM, XPS and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to investigate the physical phase structure, surface morphology, reaction performance and mechanism of the catalysts, to provide theoretical guidance for the specific reaction path of cerium fluorocarbon ore in the NH3-SCR reaction. The results showed that the introduction of transition metals and sulphuric acid greatly increases the proportion of adsorbed oxygen (Oα) and facilitates the adsorption of NH3 and NO. The catalyst surface metal sulphate and metal oxide species act as the main active components on the catalyst surface to promoted the reaction, and cracks and pores appear on the surface to facilitate the adsorption of reactive gases. The reaction mechanism of the SO4 2--Mn-Fe/(Ce,La)CO3F catalyst, and characterisation of the adsorption and conversion behaviour of the reactive species on the catalyst surface, were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the catalyst follows the E-R and L-H mechanisms throughout the reaction, with the E-R mechanism being the main reaction. The reaction species were NH4 +/NH3 species in the adsorbed state and NO. The NH3(ad) species on the Lewis acidic site is the main NH3(g) adsorbed species for the reaction, bonded to Ce4+ in the carrier (Ce,La)CO3F to participate in the acid cycle reaction, and undergo a redox reaction on the catalyst surface to produce N2 and H2O. The SO4 2- present on the catalyst surface can also act as an acidic site for the adsorption of NH3. The above results indicated the excellent performance of the SO4 2--Mn-Fe/(Ce,La)CO3F catalyst, which provided a theoretical basis for the high value utilization of bastnaesite.

Low temperature NH3-SCR performance and mechanism of Mn and Fe supported CeCO3F-monazite catalysts.

The group has shown that Baiyun Ebo rare earth concentrate has excellent performance in NH3-SCR denitrification when used as a carrier, where rare earth elements are mainly present in cerium fluorocarbon ore (CeCO3F) and monazite (CePO4) mineral phases. In this paper, a new low-temperature NH3-SCR catalyst of Mn-Fe/CeCO3F-monazite was prepared by an impregnation method, using synthetic CeCO3F and purified monazite as carriers. By exploring its denitrification performance and mechanistic analysis, it provides theoretical guidance for the use of rare earth concentrates as low-temperature NH3-SCR catalysts. Our previous studies have determined the optimum loading of Fe, so this paper needs to be investigated for the optimum doping ratio of the active substance Mn. The results of the activity tests, XRD and BET have determined that the best denitrification rate and catalytic performance was achieved at a ratio of Mn : Ce of 1 : 5. The denitrification activity of the different catalysts was investigated by loading Fe, Mn and Fe and Mn together. The results obtained by means of experimental analyses such as XRD, SEM, BET and activity tests showed that the composite catalyst loaded with Fe and Mn at the same time, had the highest activity and its denitrification rate could reach 94.8% at 250 °C. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the interaction of Fe, Mn can promote the dispersion of each other on the carrier surface, which greatly improves the specific surface area of the catalyst. The introduction of Fe and Mn increases the acidic sites and the amount of acid on the catalyst surface, which results in the formation of a large number of oxygen vacancies and the presence of more oxygen species on the catalyst surface, which facilitate the migration of oxygen. The new catalyst was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to characterise the adsorption and transformation behaviour of the reactive species on the surface of the catalyst, and to investigate the reaction mechanism. The results showed that the entire reaction process followed the L-H mechanism, with the gaseous NO adsorption and activation on the catalyst surface generating bidentate nitrate, bridging nitrate species and NH3/NH4 + species as the main intermediate species involved in the reaction, both of which underwent redox reactions on the catalyst surface to produce N2 and H2O. The above results indicated that the CeCO3F-monazite carrier has excellent performance, and provided a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of rare earth concentrates.

Density functional theory study on adsorption of L-cysteine by Y, Zr, Nb, Mo-doped graphenes.

The adsorption properties of l-cysteine (L-cys) on [Kr] 4d1-4 (Y-Mo) doped graphenes with single and double vacancies are studied using density functional theory calculations with dispersion correction. The results showed that Y, Zr, Nb and Mo doped single-vacancy and double-vacancy graphenes show chemical adsorption characteristics towards L-cys. For the respective S, O and N-end adsorption, the binding strengths of L-cys on XSVs decrease from Y to Nb, and then increase. The binding strengths of L-cys on XDVs have no regular trend. Nb-doped graphene exhibits the most stable adsorption characteristics in the [Kr] 4d1-4 element series, which is independent of the vacancy type. Zr-doped single and double vacancy graphene sensors have higher sensitivity than Y, Nb, Mo.

Food protein-derived iron-chelating peptides: The binding mode and promotive effects of iron bioavailability.

Iron is known as an essential nutrient in the human body. Insufficient iron uptake is easy to result in iron deficiency anemia, which is a public health problem in both developing and developed countries. Iron, complexed by iron-chelating peptides, have been proposed as a superior candidate to ionized iron for improving iron absorption and bioavailability. Nowadays, as more and more iron-chelating peptides are identified from different food sources, the iron-peptide binding mode attracts much attention. Meanwhile, many studies have been conducted on the iron-chelating peptides to make clear their iron bioavailability enhancement potential. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of research progress in food protein-derived iron-chelating peptides. The review would be of particular value for iron-peptide complexes as functional ingredients or iron supplements.