Upregulation of hypothalamic POMC neurons after biliary diversion in GK rats.

Background: Bile acids are important signaling molecules that might activate hypothalamic neurons. This study aimed to investigate possible changes in hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons after biliary diversion in diabetic rats. Methods: Ten GK rats were randomly divided into the biliary diversion (BD) and sham groups. The glucose metabolism, hypothalamic POMC expression, serum bile acid profiles, and ileal bile acid-specific receptors of the two groups were analyzed. Results: Biliary diversion improved blood glucose (P = 0.001) and glucose tolerance (P = 0.001). RNA-Seq of the hypothalamus showed significantly upregulated expression of the POMC gene (log2-fold change = 4.1, P < 0.001), which also showed increased expression at the protein (P = 0.030) and mRNA (P = 0.004) levels. The POMC-derived neuropeptide α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) was also increased in the hypothalamus (2.21 ± 0.11 ng/g, P = 0.006). In addition, increased taurocholic acid (TCA) (108.05 ± 20.62 ng/mL, P = 0.003) and taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) (45.58 ± 2.74 ng/mL, P < 0.001) were found in the BD group and induced the enhanced secretion of fibroblast growth factor-15 (FGF15, 74.28 ± 3.44 pg/ml, P = 0.001) by activating farnesoid X receptor (FXR) that was over-expressed in the ileum. Conclusions: Hypothalamic POMC neurons were upregulated after BD, and the increased TCA, TDCA, and the downstream gut-derived hormone FGF15 might activate POMC neurons.

Stable immobilization of uranium in iron containing environments with microbial consortia enriched via two steps accumulation method.

The stable stabilization of uranium (U) in iron (Fe) containing environments is restricted by the reoxidation of UO2. In the current study, based on air reoxidation tests, we propose a novel two steps accumulation method to enrich microbial consortia from paddy soil. The constructed microbial consortia, denoted as the Fe-U bacteria, can co-precipitate U and Fe to form stable Fe-U solids. Column experiments running for 4 months demonstrated the production of U(IV)-O-Fe(II) precipitates containing maximum of 39.51% uranium in the presence of Fe-U bacteria. The reoxidation experiments revealed the U(IV)-O-Fe(II) precipitates were more stable than UO2. 16S rDNA high throughput sequencing analysis demonstrated that Acinetobacter and Stenotrophomonas were responsible for Fe and U precipitation, while, Caulobacteraceae and Aminobacter were crucial for the formation of U(VI)-PO4 chemicals. The proposed two steps accumulation method has an extraordinary application potential in stable immobilization of uranium in iron containing environments.

Constructing new Fe3O4@MnOx with 3D hollow structure for efficient recovery of uranium from simulated seawater.

Enrichment of uranium from seawater is a promising method for addressing the energy crisis. Current technologies are generally not effective for enriching uranium from seawater because its concentration in seawater is low. In this study, new Fe3O4@MnOx with 3D hollow structure, which is capable of enriching low concentration uranium, was prepared via a novel redox etching method. The physicochemical characteristics of Fe3O4@MnOx were studied with TEM, HRTEM, SEAD, FTIR, XRD, and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. Dynamic kinetic studies of different initial U(VI) concentrations revealed that the pseudo-second-order model fit the sorption process better, and the sorption rates of Fe3O4@MnOx in 1, 10, and 25 mg/L U(VI) solution were 0.0124, 0.00298, and 0.000867 g/mg·min, respectively. Isothermal studies showed that the maximum sorption amounts were 50.09, 56.27, and 64.62 mg/g for 1, 10, and 25 mg/L U(VI), respectively, at pH 5.0 and 313 K, suggesting that Fe3O4@MnOx could effectively enrich low concentration U(VI) from water. The sorption amount of U(VI) did not significantly decrease in the presence of Na+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. HRTEM, FTIR, and XPS results demonstrated that Fe(II) and Mn/Fe-O-H active sites in Fe3O4@MnOx were accounted for the high and specific enrichment efficiency. A column experiment was conducted to evaluate the U(VI) sorption efficiency of Fe3O4@MnOx in simulated seawater. The U(VI) sorption efficiency remained above 80% in 28 days run. Our findings demonstrate that Fe3O4@MnOx has extraordinary potential for the enrichment of uranium from simulated seawater.

[Features of blood supply and results of transarterial infusion and embolization in spinal metastases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the features of blood supply and results of transarterial infusion and embolization in spinal metastases. METHODS: Forty-one patients with spinal metastasis received transarterial infusion and embolization between March 2001 and June 2008. The inclusion criteria were: The metastatic lesion caused back pain; The metastatic lesion involved vertebra at or below T3 level. There were 29 males and 12 females with a mean age of 56.0 (33 - 71) years. Epirubicin was used as the chemotherapeutic agent. Lipoid Ultra-Fluid, Contour SE or gelfoam particles were used as embolitic material. RESULTS: The technical success of therapy was achieved in 52 vertebrae (100%) including 14 thoracic, 35 lumbar and 3 sacral vertebrae. 105 arteries were used for infusion and embolization (16 intercostal arteries, 78 lumbar arteries, 4 iliolumbar arteries, 4 branches of iliac arteries, and 3 median sacral arteries). Lipoid Ultra-Fluid (2 - 8 ml) was used in 15, Contour SE (300 approximately 500 microm, 20 - 100 mg) in 20, and gelfoam particles in 33 arteries. Three days after treatment, complete pain relief (CR) was achieved in 17 patients, partial pain relief (PR) in 20, and moderate pain relief (MR) in 4, with an effective rate of 90.2%. Two weeks after treatment, CR was achieved in 17 patients, PR in 21, and MR in 3, with an effective rate of 92.7%. No adverse nervous system effect occurred. 16 patients developed swelling and pain of normal tissues which were alleviated after symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSION: Transarterial infusion and embolization is an effective therapy in relieving pain resulting from spinal metastases.