Neuroprotective Effects of Leptin on the APP/PS1 Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model: Role of Microglial and Neuroinflammation.

Background: Microglia are closely linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD) many years ago; however, the pathological mechanisms of AD remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether leptin affected microglia in the hippocampus of young and aged male APP/PS1 mice. Objective: In a transgenic model of AD, we investigated the association between intraperitoneal injection of leptin and microglia. Methods: We intraperitoneal injection of leptin (1mg/kg) every day for one week and analyzed inflammatory markers in microglia in the hippocampus of adult (6 months) and aged (12 months) APP/PS1 mice. Results: In all leptin treatment group, the brain Aß levels were decrease. We found increased levels of IL-1ß, IL-6 and microglial activation in the hippocampus of adult mice. Using aged mice as an experimental model for chronic neuroinflammation and leptin resistance, the number of Iba-1+ microglia and the levels of IL-1ß/IL-6 in the hippocampus were greatly increased as compared to the adult. But between the leptin treatment and un-treatment, there were no difference. Conclusion: Leptin signaling would regulate the activation of microglia and the release of inflammatory factors, but it is not the only underlying mechanism in the neuroprotective effects of AD pathogenesis.

Multifunctional xyloglucan-containing electrospun nanofibrous dressings for accelerating infected wound healing.

Preventing wound infection is a major challenge in biomedicine. Conventional wound dressings often have poor moisturizing and antimicrobial properties unfavorable for wound healing. In this study, we prepared a multifunctional electrospun nanofiber dressing (PCQX-M) containing xyloglucan, quaternized chitosan, Polyvinyl alcohol, and collagen. By applying the concept of wet healing, xyloglucan and quaternized chitosan polysaccharides with excellent water solubility were employed to improve the absorption and moisturizing properties and maintain a moist microenvironment for the wound healing process. PCQX-M demonstrated high mechanical, thermodynamic, and biocompatible properties, providing suitable healing conditions for wounds. In addition, PCQX-M showed exceptional antibacterial properties and a potential inhibitory effect on the growth of microorganisms in infected wounds. More intriguingly, the restorative healing effect was investigated on a mouse model of whole skin injury infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Wound healing, collagen deposition, and immunofluorescence results showed that PCQX-M significantly promoted cell proliferation and angiogenesis at the injury site and facilitated the healing of the infected wound. Our study suggests that PCQX-M has excellent potential for clinical application in infected wound healing.

The Correlated Risk Factors for Severe Liver Damage Among HIV-Positive Inpatients With Abnormal Liver Tests.

Background: This study investigated the factors correlated with severe liver damage among HIV-infected inpatients. Methods: We retrospectively collected the first hospitalized HIV-infected patients in the Department of Infectious Disease of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify the factors associated with severe liver damage. Results: A total of 493 patients with abnormal liver tests were recruited. Among 63 cases (12.8%) with severe liver injury, drug-induced liver injury (DILI) identified by the updated Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) score as the direct cause was found in 43 cases. Anti-tuberculosis drug (ATD) exposure [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.835, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.031-3.268], cotrimoxazole exposure (aOR = 2.775, 95% CI: 1.511-5.096), comorbidity of viral hepatitis (aOR = 2.340, 95% CI: 1.161-4.716), alcohol consumption history (aOR = 2.392, 95% CI: 1.199-4.769), and thrombocytopenia (aOR = 2.583, 95% CI:1.127-5.917) were associated with severe liver injury (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: DILI was the predominant cause of severe liver damage, followed by hepatitis virus co-infection. For patients with alcohol consumption and thrombocytopenia, frequent monitoring of liver function tests should be considered.

In-hospital Mortality and Causes of Death in People Diagnosed With HIV in a General Hospital in Shenyang, China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, is a serious public health issue. This study investigated the correlated factors and possible changing trend of in-hospital death in patients diagnosed with HIV in the past decade in our hospital. Methods: We retrospectively collected data of firstly hospitalized patients with HIV in the Department of Infectious Disease in the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019, and compared various factors that correlated with in-hospital death, including age, sex, opportunistic infections, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) status. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for death. Results: In total, 711 patients were recruited for this study, and 62 patients died in the hospital. The in-hospital mortality rate was 8.72%. Tuberculosis (TB), malignancies, and thrombocytopenia were associated with mortality. Antiviral treatment before admission was found to be a protective factor. There was a declining trend in in-hospital mortality from 19.2% in 2010 to 6.3% in 2019 (linear-by-linear association test, p < 0.001), partly due to intensified medical care strategy. Conclusions: Till date, AIDS-defining illnesses remain the major cause of hospital admission and in-hospital mortality. TB and malignancies were correlated risk factors for in-hospital mortality. ART before admission was found to be beneficial, and considering the decreasing rate of in-hospital mortality, the implementation of intensified medical care strategy requires further effort.

Efficient self-photo-degradation of cationic textile dyes involved triethylamine and degradation pathway.

Cationic textile dyes such as astrazon brilliant red (ABR), are frequently used in the textile industry and contaminait the water ecology. Photodegradation of such dyes in wastewater is considered as a promising method, while the existing approaches are usually involved complicated and costly materials as photocatalysts. Facial, effective and low-cost approaches for their decontamination are needed. What's more, the detailed decomposition path of ABR is not revealed. The present study shows that ABR could suffer effective self-photo-degradation under triethylamine treatment without a photocatalyst. Almost 100% of the dye degraded within 1 h under visible light irradiation. UV-vis, FTIR and UPLC-MS analysis conformed the degradation of ABR. Factors involved in the degradation system were investigated clearly. What's more, the accurate and detailed analysis of UV-vis, FTIR and UPLC-MS data combined with computational analysis revealed the decomposition process of ABR. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was investigated from ROS trapping experiments and EPR measurements, which revealed that O2- was the critical ROS in the degradation process, while 1O2 and OH had slightly influence on the degradation progression.

Electrocatalytic reduction of protons to dihydrogen by the cobalt tetraazamacrocyclic complex [Co(N4H)Cl2]+: mechanism and benchmarking of performances.

The cobalt tetraazamacrocyclic [Co(N4H)Cl2]+ complex is becoming a popular and versatile catalyst for the electrocatalytic evolution of hydrogen, because of its stability and superior activity in aqueous conditions. We present here a benchmarking of its performances based on the thorough analysis of cyclic voltammograms recorded under various catalytic regimes in non-aqueous conditions allowing control of the proton concentration. This allowed a detailed mechanism to be proposed with quantitative determination of the rate-constants for the various protonation steps, as well as identification of the amine function of the tetraazamacrocyclic ligand to act as a proton relay during H2 evolution.

Predictive Factors of Hemorrhage After Thrombolysis in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke has a poor prognosis and brings a ponderous burden on families and society. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after intravenous thrombolysis can increase the mortality of patients with ischemic stroke. Thus, finding new HT biomarkers to be applicable in clinical practice is of great importance. Methods: The related risk factors were recruited for analysis, including smoking, drinking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, anamnesis, and pathological indicators. Moreover, the relationship between serum levels of caveolin-1, caveolin-2, and HT after rt-PA treatment were also studied. Results: We studied 306 patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) within 4.5 h of symptom onset. The results showed that Age ≥68 years, smoking, Atrial fibrillation, NIHSS score before thrombolysis ≥17, and systolic pressure 2 h after thrombolysis (mmHg) ≥149 increased the risks of HT after rt-PA administration. Remarkably, the concentration of caveolin-1 (ng/mL) ≤ 0.12 and caveolin-2 (ng/mL) ≤ 0.43 in serum increased the risks of HT after rt-PA administration. Conclusion: Knowledge on the risk factors associated with HT after rt-PA treatment may help develop treatment strategies and reduce the risk of HT. Caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 can be predictors of HT after rt-PA administration. These findings provide evidence for future further investigations aimed to validate these biomarkers.

Electrical Properties of Ba0.96Ca0.04Ti0.90Sn0.10O3 Lead-Free Ceramics with the Addition of Nano-CeO2.

Well dispersed CeO2 nanoparticles are prepared by azeotropic co-precipitation method. (Ba0.96Ca0.04)(Ti0.90Sn0.10)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics doped with nano-CeO2 (x =0 mol%, 0.03 mol%, and 0.07 mol%) and micro-CeO2 (x = 0.03 mol%) are prepared at 1430 °C for 2 h by the conventional solid state sintering method. XRD diffraction indicates that all components have typical perovskite structure. Both doping of nano-CeO2 and micro-CeO2 can inhibit grain growth. And the average grain size decreased apparently with the increase of nano-CeO2 amount. All the samples exhibit typical diffuse phase transition behavior. The optimized electrical performances are obtained at x = 0.03 mol% with d33 = 512 pC/N, kp = 41.5%, and Pr = 14.00 µC/cm².

Synergetic Influence of Alkali-Metal and Lone-Pair Cations on Frameworks of Tellurites.

Four new tellurites were hydrothermally synthesized by the adjustment of different alkali-metal ions, and all of the compounds demonstrate 2D layer structures. Rb2Te4O9·2H2O in centrosymmetric space group Pccn features a new [Te4O9]∞2- anion sheet consisting of rare [Te8O22]12- groups. RbNaTe8O14(OH)6·8H2O in CS space group P1̅ exhibits a [Te4O9]∞2- anion layer by linkage of the TeO3 and TeO4 units. NaPb4Te4O12F located in CS space group P4/ n displays an unusual [PbTeO3]∞ neutral layer made up of PbO3 and TeO3 trigonal pyramids. RbK3Te8O18·5H2O lying in noncentrosymmetric (NCS) space group Cc shows a [Te4O9]∞2- anion layer composed of the TeO3 and TeO4 units; its second-harmonic-generation response is about 0.2 times that of KH2PO4; structure analysis and local dipole moment calculation verify that the weak polarization mostly from the [Te4O9]∞2- layer results from the inverse arrangement of TeO n units, and further theoretical calculation confirms that TeO n groups dominate the band gap of RbK3Te8O18·5H2O and optical properties. Meanwhile, systematic analyses of a series of metal tellurites reveal that the alkali-metal cations exert a considerable impact on polarization of the crystal structures, which puts forward a feasible idea about the design of new NCS materials.

A Water-Soluble Copper-Polypyridine Complex as a Homogeneous Catalyst for both Photo-Induced and Electrocatalytic O2 Evolution.

The water-soluble polypyridine copper complex [Cu(F3TPA)(ClO4)2] [1; F3TPA=tris(2-fluoro-6-pyridylmethyl)amine] catalyzes water oxidation in a pH 8.5 borate buffer at a relatively low overpotential of 610 mV. Assisted by photosensitizer and an electron acceptor, 1 also exhibits activity as a homogeneous catalyst for photo-induced O2 evolution with a maximum turnover frequency (TOF) of (1.58 ± 0.03) × 10(-1) s(-1) and a maximum turnover number (TON) of 11.61 ± 0.23. In comparison, the reference [Cu(TPA)(ClO4)2] [TPA=tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine] displayed almost no activity under either set of conditions, implying the crucial role of the ligand in determining the behavior of the catalyst. Experimental evidence indicate the molecular catalytic nature of 1, leading to a potentially practical strategy to apply the copper complex in a photoelectrochemical device for water oxidation.

Visible light catalysis-assisted assembly of Ni(h)-QD hollow nanospheres in situ via hydrogen bubbles.

Hollow spheres are one of the most promising micro-/nanostructures because of their unique performance in diverse applications. Templates, surfactants, and structure-directing agents are often used to control the sizes and morphologies of hollow spheres. In this Article, we describe a simple method based on visible light catalysis for preparing hollow nanospheres from CdE (E = Te, Se, and S) quantum dots (QDs) and nickel (Ni(2+)) salts in aqueous media. In contrast to the well-developed traditional approaches, the hollow nanospheres of QDs are formed in situ by the photogeneration of hydrogen (H2) gas bubbles at room temperature. Each component, that is, the QDs, metal ions, ascorbic acid (H2A), and visible light, is essential for the formation of hollow nanospheres. The quality of the hollow nanospheres depends on the pH, metal ions, and wavelength and intensity of visible light used. Of the various metal ions investigated, including Cu(+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+), Fe(3+), Ni(2+), Mn(2+), RuCl5(2-), Ag(+), and PtCl4(2-), Ni(2+) ions showed the best ability to generate H2 and hollow-structured nanospheres under visible light irradiation. The average diameter and shell thickness of the nanospheres ranged from 10 to 20 nm and from 3 to 6 nm, respectively, which are values rarely reported in the literature. Studies using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy revealed the chemical nature of the hollow nanospheres. Additionally, the hollow-structured nanospheres exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity and stability for the generation of H2 with a rate constant of 21 µmol h(-1) mg(-1) and a turnover number (TON) of 137,500 or 30,250 for CdTe QDs or nickel, respectively, under visible light irradiation for 42 h.

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from glycerol and water over nickel-hybrid cadmium sulfide quantum dots under visible-light irradiation.

Natural photosynthesis offers the concept of storing sunlight in chemical form as hydrogen (H2), using biomass and water. Herein we describe a robust artificial photocatalyst, nickel-hybrid CdS quantum dots (Nih-CdS QDs) made in situ from nickel salts and CdS QDs stabilized by 3-mercaptopropionic acid, for visible-light-driven H2 evolution from glycerol and water. With visible light irradiation for 20 h, 403.2 µmol of H2 was obtained with a high H2 evolution rate of approximately 74.6 µmol h(-1) mg(-1) and a high turnover number of 38 405 compared to MPA-CdS QDs (mercaptopropionic-acid-stabilized CdS quantum dots). Compared to CdTe QDs and CdSe QDs, the modified CdS QDs show the greatest affinity toward Ni(2+) ions and the highest activity for H2 evolution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and photophysical studies reveal the chemical nature of the Nih-CdS QDs. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and terephthalate fluorescence measurements clearly demonstrate water splitting to generate ⋅OH radicals. The detection of DMPO-H and DMPO-C radicals adduct in EPR also indicate that ⋅H radicals and ⋅C radicals are the active species in the catalytic cycle.

Chitosan confinement enhances hydrogen photogeneration from a mimic of the diiron subsite of [FeFe]-hydrogenase.

Nature has created [FeFe]-hydrogenase enzyme as a hydrogen-forming catalyst with a high turnover rate. However, it does not meet the demands of economically usable catalytic agents because of its limited stability and the cost of its production and purification. Synthetic chemistry has allowed the preparation of remarkably close mimics of [FeFe]-hydrogenase but so far failed to reproduce its catalytic activity. Most models of the active site represent mimics of the inorganic cofactor only, and the enzyme-like reaction that proceeds within restricted environments is less well understood. Here we report that chitosan, a natural polysaccharide, improves the efficiency and durability of a typical mimic of the diiron subsite of [FeFe]-hydrogenase for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The turnover number of the self-assembling system increases ~4,000-fold compared with the same system in the absence of chitosan. Such significant improvements to the activity and stability of artificial [FeFe]-hydrogenase-like systems have, to our knowledge, not been reported to date.

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 mediates cardiac hypertrophy, apoptosis, and fibrosis in experimentally pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

Identifying the key factor mediating pathological cardiac hypertrophy is critically important for developing the strategy to protect against heart failure. Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) is a mechanosensitive and proinflammatory gene. In this study, we investigated the role of BMP4 in cardiac hypertrophy, apoptosis, and fibrosis in experimentally pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The in vivo pathological cardiac hypertrophy models were induced by pressure-overload and angiotensin (Ang) II constant infusion in mice, and the in vitro model was induced by Ang II exposure to cultured cardiomyocytes. The expression of BMP4 increased in pressure overload, Ang II constant infusion-induced pathological cardiac hypertrophy, but not in swimming exercise-induced physiological cardiac hypertrophy in mice. BMP4 expression also increased in Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. In turn, BMP4 induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis, and cardiac fibrosis, and these pathological consequences were inhibited by the treatment with BMP4 inhibitors noggin and DMH1. Moreover, Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was inhibited by BMP4 inhibitors. The underlying mechanism that BMP4-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis was through increasing NADPH oxidase 4 expression and reactive oxygen species-dependent pathways. Lentivirus-mediated overexpression of BMP4 recapitulated hypertrophy and apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes. BMP4 inhibitor DMH1 inhibited pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice in vivo. The plasma BMP4 level of heart failure patients was increased compared with that of subjects without heart failure. In summary, we conclude that BMP4 is a mediator and novel therapeutic target for pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

[Formation causes of wind damage to Robinia pseudoacacia plantation in Yellow River Delta].

Based on the investigation of the gale-caused damage to the Robinia pseudoacacia plantation in the Yellow River Delta in June-July 2010, this paper measured the morphological indexes and root system characteristics of fallen trees, gap sizes, and soil compactness, aimed to analyze the formation causes of the wind damage to the plantation. Wind-falling was the main form of the wind damage to the R. pseudoacacia plantation, and the damage was more serious for the trees with the diameter at breast height of 15-20 cm. For the fallen trees, their tree height and their crown width, height, and taper degree increased significantly with the increase of the diameter at breast height, while the height under branch, the ratio of crown width to height, and the ratio of the height under branch to tree height showed no significant change. With the increase of diameter class, root length had a rapid increase first but a slow increase then, while root mass increased gradually. With increasing forest gap area, the number of fallen trees decreased after an initial increase, being the maximum in the gap areas of 100-150 m2. Soil compactness increased with soil depth, but did not show significant changes with the stand diameter class. Increased tree shape factors and suppressed root growth resulting from the increased diameter could be the main factors causing wind-falling, and forest gap played a promotion role.

[Association of polymorphisms of exon 2 of GOLA-DQB1 gene with immune traits in goats].

PCR-RFLP was used to analyze the polymorphisms of exon 2 of GOLA-DQB1 gene in Laiwu black goats, Lubo goats, and Boer goats. The effects of genotypes of exon 2 of GOLA-DQB1 gene on immune traits were estimated. Seven genotypes (AA, BB, CC, AB, AC, BC, and DD) were detected by analyzing restriction maps. Polymorphic sites were detected at base position 24, 151 of exon 2 of GOLA-DQB1 gene. The results showed that the effects of breed were major effect. W-SCR in Laiwu black goats with genotype BC was significantly higher than that with genotype AC and CC (P<0.05), W-LCR in Laiwu black goats with genotype BC was significantly lower than that with genotype CC (P<0.05); W-LCC in Laiwu black goats with genotype BC was lower than that with genotype AC, CC (P>0.05). W-LCC in Boer goats with genotype BC was lower than that with genotype AA, AB, and BB (P>0.05); W-LCC in Lubo goats with genotype BC and AC was significantly lower than that with genotype AA (P<0.05). It was concluded from the results that GOLA-DQB1 was the gene affecting the immune traits. These results may be applied to marker assisted selection in disease resistance breeding of goats.