Semisynthesis and antitumor activity of endertiin B and related triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma lucidum, a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine, is known for its medicinal value attributed to its active components called Ganoderma triterpenoids (GTs). However, the limited isolation rate of these GTs has hindered their potential as promising drug candidates. Therefore, it is imperative to achieve large-scale preparation of GTs. In this study, four GTs were effectively synthesised from lanosterol. The antitumor activity of these GTs was evaluated in vivo. Endertiin B exhibited potent inhibitory activity against breast cancer cells (9.85 ± 0.91 µM and 12.12 ± 0.95 µM). Further investigations demonstrated that endertiin B significantly upregulated p21 and p27 and downregulated cyclinD1 expression, arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis by decreasing BCL-2 and increasing BAX and BAK levels. Additionally, endertiin B was found to reduce the expression of proteins associated with the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. To summarize, endertiin B effectively inhibited cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis through the PI3K-AKT pathway.

Ultra-Tough and Highly Stretchable Dual-Crosslinked Eutectogel Based on Coordinated and Non-Coordinated Two Types Deep Eutectic Solvent Mixture.

Eutectogels are gaining attention in flexible device applications for their superior ionic conductivity, stability, biocompatibility, and cost-effectiveness. However, most existing eutectogels suffer from low strength and toughness. Herein, ultra-tough and highly stretchable polyacrylamide (PAM) eutectogels featuring a dual-crosslinked network comprising chemical cross-linking and physical cross-linking facilitated by metal coordination bonds and hydrogen bonds are developed. This is achieved through a controlled strategy involving polymerization of acrylamide in a coordinated metal salt-type deep eutectic solvent (DES) combined with a non-coordinated choline chloride (ChCl)-type DES mixture. By varying the molar ratio of these two types of DES, exceptional and adjustable mechanical properties of the resulting eutectogel are achieved, including a high tensile strength ranging from 2.9 to 8.2 MPa and elongation at break ranging from 1725 to 747%, at a 70 wt% DES content. Furthermore, the reversible non-covalent crosslinking in these eutectogels enables self-recovery and self-healing capabilities of eutectogels. The prepared eutectogels also exhibit outstanding ionic conductivity (3.56 mS cm-1 ), making them well-suited for use as strain sensors in human motion detection. The toughening strategy is universally effective for creating tough eutectogels using coordinated metal salt-type DES with various metal ions, as well as a diverse range of coordinatable polymers.

Genetically predicted obesity and risk of hip osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the causal association between genetically predicted obesity and the risk of hip osteoarthritis. METHODS: We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to analyze the association between body mass index (BMI) and hip osteoarthritis using pooled-level genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. The inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR‒Egger, and weighted median methods were used to estimate the causal association. In addition, we applied the MR Steiger filtering method, MR robust adjusted profile score (MR.RAPS) methods, and the MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) global test to examine and address potential horizontal pleiotropy. RESULTS: We found a causal relationship between genetically predicted BMI and the risk of hip osteoarthritis by the IVW method [OR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-2.00, P = 0.02]. In the sensitivity analysis, the results of the MR‒Egger and weighted median methods revealed similar estimations but with a wide CI with lower precision. The funnel plot, MR-Egger intercept, and MR-PRESSO all indicated the absence of a directional pleiotropic effect. In addition, no heterogeneity was observed in the present analysis. Therefore, the result of IVW is most suitable and reliable for the present MR analysis. CONCLUSION: There is a causal relationship between obesity and a higher risk of hip osteoarthritis, suggesting that weight management may be an intervention for the prevention and management of hip osteoarthritis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Bioinformatics, Basic science.

Activity Measurement of Iodine Fission Products in 2LiF-BeF2 Salt and Its Application in Redox Potential Surveillance for a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor.

The activities of 131I, 132I, 133I, and 135I produced by neutron-induced fission of 235U in 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) eutectic salt and their dependence on the redox potential were studied. The dependence observed experimentally suggested that the activity ratio for 131I to 132I could be used as an indicator of the redox potential for FLiBe salt. Relying on the selective adsorption of iodine ions on the activated silver probe by ion exchange, a novel method for activity distribution measurement of the iodine isotopes in FLiBe salt was founded. The method is simple, fast, and easy to operate and would be suitable particularly to in situ monitor the redox potential of a thorium molten salt reactor, where the redox potential should keep at a high level to avoid possible safety risk induced by 233Pa deposition in the reactor.

A Method for Improving Controlling Factors Based on Information Fusion for Debris Flow Susceptibility Mapping: A Case Study in Jilin Province, China.

Debris flow is one of the most frequently occurring geological disasters in Jilin province, China, and such disasters often result in the loss of human life and property. The objective of this study is to propose and verify an information fusion (IF) method in order to improve the factors controlling debris flow as well as the accuracy of the debris flow susceptibility map. Nine layers of factors controlling debris flow (i.e., topography, elevation, annual precipitation, distance to water system, slope angle, slope aspect, population density, lithology and vegetation coverage) were taken as the predictors. The controlling factors were improved by using the IF method. Based on the original controlling factors and the improved controlling factors, debris flow susceptibility maps were developed while using the statistical index (SI) model, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model, the random forest (RF) model, and their four integrated models. The results were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the spatial consistency of the debris flow susceptibility maps was analyzed while using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. The results show that the IF method that was used to improve the controlling factors can effectively enhance the performance of the debris flow susceptibility maps, with the IF-SI-RF model exhibiting the best performance in terms of debris flow susceptibility mapping.

Improving the compatibility and toughness of sustainable polylactide/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blends by incorporation of peroxide and diacrylate.

Polylactide/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) blends were compatibilized using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and poly(ethylene glycol) 600 diacrylate (PEG600DA) through a one-step melt-blending process. The compatibility and performance of these blends were subsequently characterized. The results showed that grafts formed "in situ" effectively improved the compatibility and interfacial adhesion between PLA and PBAT phases. Melt viscosity and elasticity of both the PLA/PBAT/DCP and PLA/PBAT/DCP/PEG600DA blends evinced significant increases. Compared to PLA alone, both cold and melt crystallization abilities of the PLA/PBAT/DCP/PEG600DA blends were enhanced, with crystallinities increasing by 5 % - 10 %. Furthermore, the thermal stability, as well as hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of the compatibilized blends improved. In comparison with PLA, the elongation at break and notched impact strength for the PLA/PBAT/DCP/PEG600DA (60/40/0.1/4) blend achieved increases of 290 % and 44.23 kJ/m2, corresponding to improvements of 279 % and 1457 %, respectively. The toughening effect was substantially influenced by the ductile matrix (either a co-continuous phase or a flexible PBAT matrix) in addition to the strong interfacial adhesion and fine phase domain. These eco-friendly blends exhibit considerable potential for packaging articles and 3D printing products owing to their excellent mechanical properties and enhanced melt rheology.

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the lumbar facet joint: A case report.

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rarely documented benign osseous neoplasm, particularly with respect to its incidence in the lumbar spinal region. CMF predominantly manifests in vertebral bodies, exhibiting atypical emergence in ancillary anatomical sites. The present report describes, to the best of our knowledge, the second documented instance of CMF originating from the lumbar facet joint. The present case provides an example of CMF in the lumbar facet joint precipitating spinal canal stenosis, thereby engendering neurological manifestations in the lower extremities due to neoplastic proliferation through the intervertebral foramen. The present therapeutic intervention entailed surgical excision of the neoplasm concomitant with facet joint arthrodesis, with the objective of achieving comprehensive neoplasm eradication, ameliorating the symptomatology and safeguarding the spinal structural integrity of the patient. The present study aimed to illustrate the clinical implications of this rare neoplasm, thereby elucidating the diagnostic quandaries and therapeutic complexities associated with CMF in the lumbar facet joint. In addition, the present study aimed to augment the existing knowledge for the diagnosis and clinical management of CMF.

Control and surveillance of redox potential for 233Pa dissolution in 2LiF-BeF2 molten salt.

233Pa, the precursor nuclide of 233U in the thorium-uranium conversion is prone to reductive deposition in 2LiF-BeF2 (66 : 34 mol%, FLiBe) molten salt. We explored the adjustment and control of the redox potential of the FLiBe melt to avoid the 233Pa reduction deposition. The experimental data indicated that the deposited 233Pa can be completely dissolved and reentered into the molten salt with the addition of oxidant NiF2, and the distribution and behaviour of uranium, thorium, neptunium, and most fission products did not have any significant change in the NiF2-oxidised FLiBe molten salt, showing the feasibility of this manner to make 233Pa exist stably in the melt. The effects of NiF2-addition on the behaviour of the fission products 95Nb and 131I in the FLiBe molten salt were also investigated. It was found that 131I could be used as a redox indicator to monitor the redox potential of the oxidation-enhanced FLiBe molten salt. All the information drawn from this study could provide significant support for the control and surveillance of the redox potential of the FLiBe molten salt in the upcoming thorium molten salt reactor (TMSR).

Effect of oxide impurities on the dissolution behavior of Th4+, Be2+ and U4+ in fluoride salts.

Oxides are one of the most important impurities in the fuel salt of molten salt reactors (MSRs), and excessive oxide impurities pose a risk to the safe operation of MSRs. This study focused on investigating the precipitation behavior between Th4+, U4+, and Be2+ with O2- in the 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) eutectic salt system. The results showed that the solubility of UO2 was 5.52 × 10-3 mol kg-1, and the solubility product (Ksp) of UO2 was 6.14 × 10-7 mol3 kg-3 in FLiBe salt at 650 °C. It was also found that the O2- ion would firstly react with U4+ to form UO2, and then the excessive O2- would react with Be2+ to generate BeO in the FLiBe system. Despite conducting the solubility experiment of ThO2 and titration experiment of FLiBe-ThF4, the system failed to achieve the solubility and the Ksp of ThO2. The main reason for this was that O2- preferentially reacted with Be2+ over Th4+ to form precipitates, in other words, Be2+ exerted a protective effect against Th4+. Above all, this work experimentally demonstrated that in the FLiBe system, O2- preferentially combines with U4+ to form a precipitate, followed by Be2+, while Th4+ is relatively inert.

Recovery of FLiBe from ThF4-FLiBe salt using precipitation-distillation coupled method.

The low-pressure distillation of FLiBe salt containing ThF4 was carried out at 1223 K and <10 Pa using thermogravimetric equipment. The weight loss curve indicated a rapid distillation stage at the beginning of distillation, followed by a slow stage. The composition and structure analyses showed that the rapid distillation process originated from the evaporation of LiF and BeF2, while the slow distillation process was mainly attributed to the evaporation of ThF4 and LiF complexes. Precipitation-distillation coupled method was employed for the recovery of FLiBe carrier salt. XRD analysis indicated that ThO2 was formed and remained in the residue with the addition of BeO. Our results showed that the combination of precipitation and distillation treatment was an effective way to recover carrier salt.

Intermittent cyclic mechanical compression promotes endplate chondrocytes degeneration by disturbing Nrf2/PINK1 signaling pathway-dependent mitophagy.

An abnormal mechanical load is a pivotal inducer of endplate cartilage degeneration, which subsequently promotes intervertebral disc degeneration. Our previous study indicated that intermittent cyclic mechanical compression (ICMC) promotes endplate chondrocyte degeneration, but the mechanism underlying this effect is unclear. In this study, we investigated PTEN-induced kinase 1(PINK1) dependent mitophagy during ICMC-induced endplate chondrocyte degeneration. Furthermore, we determined whether NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation correlated with PINK1-dependent mitophagy regulation and increased oxidation resistance of endplate chondrocytes under ICMC application. First, we generated a mechanical compression-induced endplate chondrocyte degeneration model in vitro and in vivo. ICMC was found to promote endplate chondrocyte extracellular matrix degradation. PINK1-mediated mitophagy was suppressed in the ICMC-stimulated endplate chondrocytes, while increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation suggested that mitophagy is involved in the protective effect of mechanical strain on endplate chondrocytes. Moreover, Nrf2 expression, interaction with Kelch-like ECH-associated protein (Keap1), and nuclear translocation were inhibited by ICMC. Nrf2 overexpression inhibited reactive oxygen species production and reversed ICMC-induced endplate chondrocyte degeneration. Transfection with PINK1 shRNA abolished this effect and partially blocked Nrf2-induced mitophagy. Our findings suggested that ICMC could inhibit the Nrf2/PINK1 signaling pathway to reduce the mitophagy levels which significantly promote oxidative stress and thereby endplate chondrocyte degeneration. Therapeutic regulation of the Nrf2/PINK1 signaling pathway may be an efficient anabolic strategy for inhibiting this process.

Evaporation behavior of 233Pa in FLiBeZr molten salt.

In thorium molten salt reactors (TMSR), 233Pa is an important intermediate nuclide in the conversion chain of 232Th to 233U, its timely separation from the fuel salt is critically important for both the thorium-uranium (Th-U) fuel cycle and the neutron economy of the reactor. In this study, the evaporation behavior of 233Pa in the FLiBeZr molten salt was investigated during a vacuum distillation process. The separation characteristics between 233Pa and the major components of the fuel (salt and fission products) were evaluated in a calculation of the separation factors between these components. It was found that 233Pa5+ evaporated more readily than 233Pa4+ and the other components of the fuel, the relatively low temperature and medium pressure were much more beneficial to the separation of 233Pa5+ from FLiBeZr salt in the evaporation process, with the maximum value of the separation factor achieving more than 102. Results of distillation experiments also show that increasing the temperature and decreasing the ambient pressure enhances the separation between 233Pa5+ and most of the fission product nuclides due to the 233Pa5+ volatility more strongly depending on the process conditions. These results will be utilized to design a concept for a process for 233Pa separation from the fuel of a molten salt reactor.

Transient release of radioactive iodine from the fission of UF4 in 2LiF-BeF2 salt.

In this study, the behavior of fission product iodine released from the melting process of a mixture consisting of UF4 irradiated with neutrons and 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) salt was studied. The experiment showed that a large amount of iodine was released immediately during melting and captured by Ni metal foils. The transient release of iodine observed in this experiment is attributed to the redox reaction between the hot atoms of the fission product iodine that cumulated due to long-time irradiation. The effect of the redox status of the molten salt on the transient release of iodine was also investigated. Based on this investigation, it was proposed that the activity ratios of 131I to salt-seeking fission products in the fuel salt, as an effective diagnostic criterion, may be used for the surveillance of the redox potential of fuel salts in a molten salt reactor.

Distribution and behaviour of 233Pa in 2LiF-BeF2 molten salt.

Distribution and behavior of 233Pa, essential in the thorium-uranium nuclear fuel cycle, were studied in 2LiF-BeF2 (66 : 34 mole%, FLiBe) molten salt by γ-ray spectrometry. The experiments showed that 233Pa deposited slightly on the surface of graphite crucible. The addition of Hastelloy and metallic lithium decreased the 233Pa specific activity in the salt by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude rapidly. Analysis indicated that reductive deposition of 233Pa was responsible for the rapid decrease of 233Pa specific activity in the salt. Additional experiments strongly supported the mechanism of reductive deposition of 233Pa induced by Hastelloy and metallic lithium. In view of the large deposition of 233Pa on Hastelloy, the possible influence of fissile nuclide 233U produced from 233Pa decay on the operation of thorium-based molten salt reactor was discussed.

Evaporation behavior of 2LiF-BeF2-ZrF4 molten salt with irradiated nuclear fuel.

The evaporation behaviours of various components were investigated by using a low pressure distillation method in a 2LiF-BeF2-ZrF4 mixture containing irradiated ThF4 and UF4. The experiment showed that BeF2 and ZrF4 were found to mainly condensate at the outer cover, the coolest zone, and their relative volatilities vs. LiF were 9.8 and 32.2, respectively, while for ThF4 and UF4, at four different temperature zones the values were almost constant, at 0.1 and 0.3. The radioactivity of various nuclides was further detected using gamma spectrometer analysis. 137Cs was hardly observed due to long half-time decay. 233Pa was found to co-evaporate with the carrier salt, while 239Np mainly remained in the residual salt as 237U. In different temperature zones, the decontamination factors of rare earth in receiver salts ranged from 10 to 103. On the basis of the investigation, it was proposed that the distribution of various nuclides after distillation, may be helpful to design the feasible condensate system to recover the carried salt in a molten salt reactor.

Mass distribution and diffusion of [1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium][Y] ionic liquids adsorbed on the graphite surface at 300-800 K.

The structure and diffusion behavior of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([bmim](+)) ionic liquids with [Cl](-), [PF(6)](-), and [Tf(2)N](-) counterions near a hydrophobic graphite surface are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation over the temperature range of 300-800 K. Near the graphite surface the structure of the ionic liquid differs from that in the bulk and it forms a well-ordered region extending over 30 A from the surface. The bottom layer of the ionic liquid is stable over the investigated temperature range due to the inherent slow dynamics of the ionic liquid and the strong Coulombic interactions between cation and anion. In the bottom layer, diffusion is strongly anisotropic and predominantly occurs along the graphite surface. Diffusion perpendicular to the interface (interfacial mass transfer rate k(t)) is very slow due to strong ion-substrate interaction. The diffusion behaviors of the three ionic liquids in the two directions all follow an Arrhenius relation, and the activation barrier increases with decreasing anion size. Such an Arrhenius relation is applied to surface-adsorbed ionic liquids for the first time. The ion size and the surface electrical charge density of the anions are the major factors determining the diffusion behavior of the ionic liquid adjacent to the graphite surface.

Double-layer formation of [Bmim][PF6] ionic liquid triggered by surface negative charge.

Applications of ionic liquids (ILs) in electrified interfaces and electrochemical systems require insight into the molecular-level structure and properties of the interfacial ILs. Using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we show here that a new double-layer stacking formation of the [Bmim][PF(6)] IL can be triggered by the surface negative charge. We also found that the double-layer formation induced by the surface charge thoroughly extended into the bulk phase, implying a strong unscreened ion effect in our IL system. Further study indicated that the double-layer formation in the bulk phase was due to a rapid structural transition. Different IL formations, including the conventional adsorption layer and the double-layer formation, can be achieved in sequence by increasing the surface negative charge. Moreover, the diffusion ability of the new double-layer formation in the bulk phase is much lower when compared to that observed in its original uncharged condition. The structure and properties of the ILs formation may be attributed to the tail-tail aggregation hypothesis of the nonpolar domain in the IL.

Study on the Thermal Stability of the Na2UF8 Complex in the Argon Atmosphere.

The Na2UF8 complex is an important intermediate compound in the purification of UF6 by the adsorption-desorption process during fluoride volatility of the spent nuclear fuel, and its decomposition is seriously affected by temperature and atmosphere. In this study, the thermal stability of Na2UF8 in the argon atmosphere was investigated by the in situ Raman spectroscopy. The decomposition products of Na2UF8 at different temperatures were systematically determined by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The results indicated that Na2UF8 on the NaF sorbent was stable under 300 °C in the argon atmosphere, and it started to decompose into UF6 and NaF rapidly when the temperature was above 300 °C. Meanwhile, a small amount of Na2UF8 was converted to Na3UF7, and it was stable in the temperature range from 350 to 450 °C. The decomposition mechanism of the Na2UF8 and the formation mechanism of Na3UF7 on the NaF sorbent were speculated according to the experimental results.

Investigation on Polylactide (PLA)/Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/Bark Flour of Plane Tree (PF) Eco-Composites.

Polylactide (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/bark flour of plane tree (PF) eco-composites were prepared via melt blending. The morphologies, mechanical properties, crystal structures and melting and crystallization behaviors of the eco-composites were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical tests, polarized light microscopy (PLM), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. It is shown that the interfacial adhesion between PLA matrix and PF is weak and the mechanical properties of PLA/PF eco-composites are poor. The titanate treatment improves the adhesion between the matrix and the filler and enhances the stiffness of the eco-composites. The toughness is improved by PBAT and ductile fractured surfaces can be found. The spherulitic size of PLA is decreased by the addition of PF. The α crystalline form of PLA remains in the composites. Compared with PF, T-PF (PF treated by a titanate coupling agent) and PBAT have negative effects on the crystallization of PLA.

Molecular insights into the electric double layers of ionic liquids on Au(100) electrodes.

The electric double layer structure and differential capacitance of single crystalline Au(100) electrodes in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Results show strong adsorption on the electrode surface. The potential of zero charge (pzc) and maxima of differential capacitance are strongly dependent on the adsorption layer structure. At potentials near the pzc, cations and anions adjacent to the electrode surface are coadsorbed on the same screening layer. This strong adsorption layer results in overscreening effects on the compact layer and induces both a bell-shaped differential capacitance curve and a positive pzc. Moreover, the potential required for transition from overscreening to overcrowding is about 4.0 V. This transition potential may be attributed to the higher interaction energy between the Au(100) electrode and ions compared with the binding energy in our cation-anion system.