SiO2 dust induces inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in rat lungs through activation of ASMase/ceramide pathway.

The role of ASMase/ceramide signaling pathway in the development of silicosis needs to be verified by in vivo experiments. We investigated the role of the ASMase/ceramide signaling pathway in the progression of silicosis and the effect of desipramine (DMI) (1 mg/mL) on the development of silicosis, by establishing a silica (1 mL, 50 mg/mL) dust-contaminated rat silicosis model and administering the ASMase inhibitor, DMI, to the dust-contaminated rats. The results showed that the levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 were increased in the lung tissues of the rats in the dust-contaminated group at the initial stage after dusting; the inflammatory cell aggregation in the lung tissue was increased. With time progression, the hydroxyproline content in the lung tissue increased, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, and vimentin substantially increased, suggesting that silicosis was formed in the lung tissue of the rats 28 days after SiO2 dust treatment. Moreover, the levels of ASMase, ceramide, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) were increased in the lung tissue of rats. The expression of ß-catenin, fibronectin, and caspase-3 protein was increased, and E-cadherin protein expression was decreased in the lung tissue of the rats in the late stage of dust contamination. The ASMase and ceramide in the lung tissues of the rats in the DMI intervention group were reduced, as were the lung tissue inflammation levels, collagen expression, and lung fibrosis. These results suggest that SiO2 dust may activate the ASMase/ceramide signaling pathway in rat lung tissue, promoting pulmonary fibrosis. DMI inhibited this activation, attenuated apoptosis, blocked epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and halted silica dust-induced silicofibrosis.

Metal-free visible-light-driven cascade cyclization reaction to synthesize 2-oxindoles via benzoyl and phenylsulfinyl radicals with acrylamide derivatives.

A metal-free visible-light-driven cascade cyclization reaction to synthesize 3-methyl-3-acetophenone-2-oxindoles and 3-methyl-3-(methylsulfonyl)benzene-2-oxindoles in yields up to 96% and 99%, via benzoyl and phenylsulfinyl radicals with acrylamide derivatives is reported, respectively. Extensive studies, including gram-scale, radical capture and isotope experiments, were performed to indicate that the reaction may involve a radical process.

Streptomyces sp. FX13 inhibits fungicide-resistant Botrytis cinerea in vitro and in vivo by producing oligomycin A.

Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens which can cause gray mold diseases of numerous plant species, while the frequent applications of fungicides also result in the fungicide-resistances of B. cinerea. In this study, a new Streptomyces strain FX13 was obtained to show biocontrol potentials against fungicide-resistant B. cinerea B3-4. Its in vitro and in vivo antifungal mechanisms were further investigated. The results showed that the culture extract of strain FX13 could significantly inhibit the mycelia growth of B. cinerea B3-4 with the EC50 value of 5.40 mg L-1, which was greatly lower than those of pyrisoxazole, boscalid and azoxystrobin. Further bioassay-guided isolation of the extract had yielded the antifungal component SA1, which was elucidated as a 26-membered polyene macrolide of oligomycin A. SA1 could inhibit the mycelia growth, spore germination, germ tube elongation and sporogenesis of B. cinerea B3-4 in vitro, and also showed significant curative and protective effects against gray mold on grapes in vivo. Moreover, SA1 could result in the loss of membrane integrity and the leakage of cytoplasmic contents, which might be related to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane lipid peroxidation. Besides, intracellular adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of B. cinerea B3-4 decreased after SA1-treatment. Overall, the oligomycin A-producing strain FX13 could inhibit fungicide-resistant B. cinerea B3-4 in vitro and in vivo, also highlighting its biocontrol potential against gray mold.

Highly stable and Active Cu1 /CeO2 Single-Atom Catalyst for CO Oxidation: A DFT Study.

We carried out density functional theory simulations to examine the stability and CO oxidation activity of single Cu atoms supported on CeO2 (111). Both the strong binding energy and high activation energy for Cu single atom diffusion indicate a high stability of the Cu1 /CeO2 single-atom catalyst. Electronic structure analysis verifies the formation of Cu+ cation due to electron transfer. The frequency analysis further corroborates that the experimentally observed IR bands around 2114-2130 cm-1 of CO adsorption at the boundary of Cu/CeO2 correspond to Cu+ -carbonyl species. Cu1 /CeO2 single-atom catalyst displays a promising catalytic activity for CO oxidation via Mars van Krevelen mechanism.

Cyclodepsipeptides and Sesquiterpenes from Marine-Derived Fungus Trichothecium roseum and Their Biological Functions.

On the basis of the 'one strain, many compounds' (OSMAC) strategy, chemical investigation of the marine-derived fungus Trichothecium roseum resulted in the isolation of trichomide cyclodepsipeptides (compounds 1⁻4) from PDB medium, and destruxin cyclodepsipeptides (compounds 5⁻7) and cyclonerodiol sesquiterpenes (compounds 8⁻10) from rice medium. The structures and absolute configurations of novel (compounds 1, 8, and 9) and known compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and ECD calculations. All isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic, nematicidal, and antifungal activities, as well as brine shrimp lethality. The novel compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against the human cancer cell lines MCF-7, SW480, and HL-60, with IC50 values of 0.079, 0.107, and 0.149 µM, respectively. In addition, it also showed significant brine shrimp lethality, with an LD50 value of 0.48 µM, and moderate nematicidal activity against Heterodera avenae, with an LC50 value of 94.9 µg/mL. This study constitutes the first report on the cytotoxic and nematicidal potential of trichomide cyclodepsipeptides.

Notopterygium incisum extract and associated secondary metabolites inhibit apple fruit fungal pathogens.

In the search for antifungal lead compounds from natural resources, Notopterygium incisum, a medicine plant only distributed in China, showed antifungal potential against apple fruit pathogens. Based on the bioassay-guided isolation, chromatography fraction 6 of the ethyl acetate partition exhibited significant in vitro and in vivo antifungal activities against apple fruit pathogens. Furthermore, nine antifungal secondary metabolites, including five linear furocoumarins (1-5), two phenylethyl esters (6-7), one falcarindiol (8), and one sesquiterpenoid (9), were isolated and elucidated from fraction 6. Compound 5 is a new metabolite, and 9 isolated from the genus Notopterygium for the first time. The purified compounds (1-9) were firstly reported to exhibit antifungal activities against apple fruit pathogens of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Botryosphaeria dothidea with the MIC values ranging from 8 to 250 mg L-1, especially 8 of 16 and 8 mg L-1, respectively. Moreover, 8 could inhibit the spore germination and new sporulation of B. dothidea, as well as enhance the membrane permeabilization of B. dothidea spores. This was the first investigation for the antifungal components against apple fruit pathogens from Notopterygium incisum, which has great potential to be developed into bio-fungicides.

Expression of cytoplasmic incompatibility and host fitness effects in field populations of Sogatella furcifera infected with Cardinium.

'Candidatus Cardinium' is a maternally inherited intracellular bacterium that infects a wide range of arthropods and causes diverse reproductive alterations of its arthropod hosts, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis and feminization. CI is the most common effect and is expressed as a reduction in the number of offspring in crosses between infected males and uninfected females (or females infected with a different bacterial strain). The white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) is a major rice pest in Asia and is a vector of the Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV). In this study, we found severe CI expression induced by Cardinium in Yunnan and Guangxi populations of S. furcifera by performing four crosses of Cardinium-infected (C) and uninfected (U) planthoppers: female U x male U, female U x male C, Female C x Male U, Female C x Male C. Investigations of the fitness costs and benefits of Cardinium infection in these populations showed that it had no effect on the fecundity of females, but could shorten the developmental time of nymphs.

[Effects of electroacupuncture of "governor vessel" acupoints on changes of BDNF in the cortical motor area of mice with spinal cord transection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of electroacupuncture of "Governor Vessel" acupoints on changes of brain erived neurotrophic facotr (BDNF) in the cortex area of mice with spinal cord transection (SCT). METHODS: GFP mices were made spinal cord transection between T9 and T10, and then divided into electroacupuncture group (EA group) and control group; mices of EA group had be given EA from 1 day postoperation to 14 day postoperation, however, mices of control group had only SCT. Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, RT-PCR and ELISA were performed to observe changes of BDNF in the cortical motor area of EA and control group. RESULTS: At 28 d postoperation the protein expression of BDNF in the cortex area of EA group and control group was (1973.41 +/- 194.71) pg/kg and (1615.22 +/- 137.21) pg/kg respectively, and there was statistical difference between them (P < 0.05). However, there was no obvious different in expression of BDNF mRNA in the cortex area between EA and control group (P > 0.05). The positive products of BDNF mRNA and protein were mainly located in neurons in the cortex area. CONCLUSION: EA in "Governor Vessel" can effectively induce the increases of BDNF protein in the cortex area which may be helpful to understand the mechanism of EA in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Four one-dimensional lanthanide-phenylacetate polymers exhibiting luminescence and magnetic cooling/spin-glass behavior.

Four isostructural lanthanide coordination polymers with a phenylacetate (PAA-) ligand, [Ln(PAA)3(H2O)]n (Ln = Eu (1); Gd (2); Tb (3); Dy (4)), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Complexes 1-4 display a one-dimensional (1D) wave chain structure bridged by the carboxylate of the PAA- ligand, which was generated via the in situ decarboxylation of phenylmalonic acid. Magnetic studies suggest the presence of ferromagnetic LnLn coupling in the 1D chain of 1-4. Meanwhile, 2 has a significant cryogenic magnetocaloric effect with the maximum -ΔSm of 26.73 at 3 K and 7 T, and 3 and 4 show interesting spin-glass behavior, which is rarely reported for Ln-containing complexes. Additionally, the solid-state photophysical properties of 1 and 3 display strong characteristic Eu3+ and Tb3+ photoluminescence emission in the visible region, indicating that Eu- and Tb-based luminescence are sensitized by the effective energy transfer from the ligand to the metal centers.

Host-symbiont interactions in spider mite Tetranychus truncates doubly infected with Wolbachia and Cardinium.

Inherited bacteria Wolbachia, and more recently Cardinium, have received a great deal of attention for their ability to manipulate the reproduction and fitness of their host species. Wolbachia and Cardinium have been found to co-infect the same host species. In this study, both Wolbachia and Cardinium were found to manipulate host reproduction through cytoplasmic incompatibility and to affect the male-biased sex-ratio in the doubly infected spider mite Tetranychus truncates Ehara. We also investigated effects of double infection with Wolbachia and Cardinium on host fecundity and longevity. Results indicated that Wolbachia and Cardinium increased the fecundity of doubly infected females, although no infection effect on host longevity was observed. Our most important finding was that the mating of uninfected mites facilitated the proliferation of Wolbachia and Cardinium in double-infected mites. We discuss the results observed with respect to the spread of bacterial infection in natural populations and the evolution of the endosymbiont-T. truncates symbiosis.

Wolbachia-Host Interactions: Host Mating Patterns Affect Wolbachia Density Dynamics.

Wolbachia are maternally inherited intracellular bacteria that infect a wide range of arthropods and cause an array of effects on host reproduction, fitness and mating behavior. Although our understanding of the Wolbachia-associated effects on hosts is rapidly expanding, our knowledge of the host factors that mediate Wolbachia dynamics is rudimentary. Here, we explore the interactions between Wolbachia and its host, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch. Our results indicate that Wolbachia induces strong cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), increases host fecundity, but has no effects on the longevity of females and the mating competitiveness of males in T. urticae. Most importantly, host mating pattern was found to affect Wolbachia density dynamics during host aging. Mating of an uninfected mite of either sex with an infected mite attenuates the Wolbachia density in the infected mite. According to the results of Wolbachia localization, this finding may be associated with the tropism of Wolbachia for the reproductive tissue in adult spider mites. Our findings describe a new interaction between Wolbachia and their hosts.