Brown Algae Dictyopteris divaricata Attenuates Adipogenesis by Modulating Adipocyte Differentiation and Promoting Lipolysis through Heme Oxygenase-1 Activation in 3T3-L1 Cells.

The present study aims to explore the probable anti-adipogenesis effect of Dictyopteris divaricata (D. divaricata) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by regulating heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The extract of D. divaricata retarded lipid accretion and decreased triglyceride (TG) content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes but increased free glycerol levels. Treatment with the extract inhibited lipogenesis by inhibiting protein expressions of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), whereas lipolysis increased by activating phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (p-HSL) and AMP-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK). The extract inhibited adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through down-regulating adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1). This is attributed to the triggering of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. In addition, this study found that treatment with the extract activated HO-1 expression. Pharmacological approaches revealed that treatment with Zinc Protoporphyrin (ZnPP), an HO-1 inhibitor, resulted in an increase in lipid accumulation and a decrease in free glycerol levels. Finally, three adipogenic transcription factors, such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1, restored their expression in the presence of ZnPP. Analysis of chemical constituents revealed that the extract of D. divaricata is rich in 1,4-benzenediol, 7-tetradecenal, fucosterol, and n-hexadecanoic acid, which are known to have multiple pharmacological properties.

Effective radioactive strontium removal using lithium titanate decorated Ti3C2Tx MXene/polyacrylonitrile beads.

A lithium titanate-decorated Ti3C2Tx MXene (LTO-MX) composite was synthesized through etching and alkali processes, and subsequently immobilized using polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer via a phase inversion method. In the batch study, the strontium adsorption behavior followed the Redlich-Peterson isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The maximum adsorption capacity for strontium reached 24.05 mg/g. Furthermore, a continuous fixed-bed column study was performed using the LTO-MX PAN beads to remove strontium from aqueous solutions. The dynamic behavior of column adsorption was examined under various operating parameters such as initial strontium concentration, flow rate, and bed height. Dynamic modeling was employed to describe adsorption breakthrough properties based on these experimental data. Both the Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models accurately simulated the breakthrough curves. The proposed mechanisms for strontium adsorption included encapsulation, electrostatic attraction, cation exchange, and surface complexation. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of LTO-MX PAN beads as adsorbents for the continuous removal of strontium from radioactive wastewater.

Modulating intestinal health: Impact of chitooligosaccharide molecular weight on suppressing RAGE expression and inflammatory response in methylglyoxal-induced advanced glycation end-products.

The accumulation of methylglyoxal (MGO) produced in high-temperature processed foods and excessive production in the body contributes to intestinal barrier dysfunction. In this study, we investigated the effects of chitooligosaccharides (COSs) of different molecular weights (<1 kDa, 1-3 kDa, 3-5 kDa, 5-10 kDa, and >10 kDa) on MGO-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction. We investigated the effect of COSs on inhibiting intracellular MGO accumulation/MGO-derived AGEs production and regulating the receptor for AGE (RAGE)-mediated downstream protein expression, including proteins related to apoptosis and inflammation, intestinal barrier integrity, and paracellular permeability. Pretreatment with COSs ameliorated MGO-induced increased RAGE protein expression, activation of apoptotic cascade/inflammatory response, loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity, and increased paracellular permeability, ameliorating intestinal dysfunction through MGO scavenging. 1-3 kDa COSs most effectively ameliorated MGO-induced intestinal dysfunction. Our results suggest the potential of COSs in improving intestinal health by ameliorating intestinal barrier dysfunction by acting as an MGO scavenger and highlighting the need for the optimization of the molecular weight of COSs to optimize its protective effects.

Therapeutic Potential of Mangosteen Pericarp Extract-Loaded Liposomes against Superficial Skin Infection Caused by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in a Murine Model.

α-mangostin (α-MG) demonstrates antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus species. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the antibacterial activity of α-MG-rich mangosteen pericarp extract (MPE)-loaded liposomes against Staphylococcus isolates from companion animal skin diseases in vitro and evaluated their therapeutic potential in a murine model of superficial skin infection caused by S. pseudintermedius. α-MG-rich extract was purified from mangosteen pericarp and then complexed with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD), forming the inclusion complexes. Nanoliposomes containing MPE and γ-CD complexes were prepared by adding lecithin and casein. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of MPE-loaded liposomes were determined using agar dilution and broth microdilution methods. The therapeutic potential of MPE-loaded liposomes was evaluated in vivo on tape-stripped skin lesions infected with S. pseudintermedius. Purified MPE and MPE-loaded liposomes contained 402.43 mg/g and 18.18 mg/g α-MG, respectively. MPE-loaded liposomes showed antibacterial activity against clinical Staphylococcus isolates in vitro but did not show antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacterial isolates. MPE-loaded liposomes demonstrated consistent MICs and MBCs against Staphylococcus isolates. These liposomes significantly reduced bacterial numbers and lesional sizes in a superficial skin infection model. Moreover, they reconstructed the epidermal barrier in skin lesions. The therapeutic concentrations of MPE-loaded liposomes did not induce cytotoxicity in canine progenitor epidermal keratinocyte cells. In conclusion, MPE-loaded liposomes hold promise for the development of a prospective topical formulation to treat superficial pyoderma in companion animals.

Experimental analysis and prediction of radionuclide solubility using machine learning models: Effects of organic complexing agents.

Radioactive wastes contain organic complexing agents that can form complexes with radionuclides and enhance the solubility of these radionuclides, increasing the mobility of radionuclides over great distances from a radioactive waste repository. In this study, four radionuclides (cobalt, strontium, iodine, and uranium) and three organic complexing agents (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, and iso-saccharic acid) were selected, and the solubility of these radionuclides was assessed under realistic environmental conditions such as different pHs (7, 9, 11, and 13), temperatures (10 °C, 20 °C, and 40 °C), and organic complexing agent concentrations (10-5-10-2 M). A total of 720 datasets were generated from solubility batch experiments. Four supervised machine learning models such as the Gaussian process regression (GPR), ensemble-boosted trees, artificial neural networks, and support vector machine were developed for predicting the radionuclide solubility. Each ML model was optimized using Bayesian optimization algorithm. The GPR evolved as a robust model that provided accurate predictions within the underlying solubility patterns by capturing the intricate relationships of the independent parameters of the dataset. At an uncertainty level of 95%, both the experimental results and GPR simulated estimations were closely correlated, confirming the suitability of the GPR model for future explorations.

Optimization of electrochemical regeneration of intercalated MXene for the adsorptive removal of ciprofloxacin: Prospective mechanism.

2D-Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets intercalated with sodium ions (SI-Ti3C2Tx) were synthesized and utilized in simultaneous adsorption and electrochemical regeneration with ciprofloxacin (CPX). The primary focus of this study is to investigate the long-term stability of SI-Ti3C2Tx MXene and to propose the underlying regeneration mechanisms. The successful synthesis of Ti3AlC2, Ti3C2Tx MXene, and SI-Ti3C2Tx MXene was confirmed using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical regeneration parameters such as charge passed, regeneration time, current density, and electrolyte composition were optimized with values of 787.5 C g-1, 7.5 min, 10 mA cm-2, and 2.5w/v% sodium chloride, respectively, enabling the complete regeneration of the SI-Ti3C2Tx MXene. In addition, the electrochemical regeneration significantly enhanced CPX removal from the SI-Ti3C2Tx MXene owing to partial amorphization, disorderliness, increased functional groups, delamination, and defect creation in the structure. Thus, the synthesized nano-adsorbent has proven helpful in practical water treatment with optimized electrochemical regeneration processes.

Strongylocentrotus intermedius Extract Suppresses Adiposity by Inhibiting Adipogenesis and Promoting Adipocyte Browning via AMPK Activation in 3T3-L1 Cells.

The current study aimed to determine whether Strongylocentrotus intermedius (S. intermedius) extract (SIE) exerts anti-obesity potentials employing 3T3-L1 cells as in vitro model. Herein we reported that treatment of SIE for 6 days reduced lipid accretion and TG (triglyceride) content whereas it increased the release of free glycerol. The inhibited lipid accumulation and induced lipolysis were evidenced by the downregulation of lipogenesis proteins, such as fatty acid synthase and lipoprotein lipase, and the upregulation of hormone-sensitive lipase expression. Furthermore, the downregulation of adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, highlights that reduced lipid accumulation is supported by lowering adipocyte differentiation. Additionally, treatment activates brown adipocyte phenotype in 3T3-L1 cells by inducing expression of brown adipose tissue-specific proteins, such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α). Moreover, SIE induced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The pharmacological approach using AMPK inhibitor revealed that the restraining effect of SIE on adipogenesis and promotion of adipocyte browning were blocked. In GC-MS analysis, SIE was mainly composed of cholest-5-en-3-ol (36.71%) along with saturated and unsaturated fatty acids which have favorable anti-obesity potentials. These results reveal that SIE has the possibility as a lipid-lowering agent for the intervention of obesity.