Design and Synthesis of Novel Ultralong-Acting Peptides as EDP-EBP Interaction Inhibitors for Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment.

The increased remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in pulmonary fibrosis (PF) generates bioactive ECM fragments called matricryptins, which include elastin-derived peptides (EDPs). The interaction between EDPs and their receptors, including elastin-binding protein (EBP), plays a crucial role in exacerbating fibrosis. Here, we present LXJ-02 for the first time, a novel ultralong-acting inhibitor that disrupts the EDPs/EBP peptide-protein interaction, promoting macrophages to secrete matrix metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12), and showing great promise as a stable peptide. MMP-12 has traditionally been implicated in promoting inflammation and fibrosis in various acute and chronic diseases. However, we reveal a novel role of LXJ-02 that activates the macrophage-MMP-12 axis to increase MMP-12 expression and degrade ECM components like elastin. This leads to the preventing of PF while also improving EDP-EBP interaction. LXJ-02 effectively reverses PF in mouse models with minimal side effects, holding great promise as an excellent therapeutic agent for lung fibrosis.

GFRA4 improves the neurogenic potential of enteric neural crest stem cells via hedgehog pathway.

BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a congenital intestinal disease characterised by functional obstruction of the colon. Herein, we investigated the role and mechanism of the gene GFRA4 in HSCR. METHODS: GFRA4 expression in the ganglionic and aganglionic segment tissues in patients with HSCR and healthy colon tissues were detected using qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation, cycle distribution, apoptosis, changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, and differentiation were assessed in mouse enteric neural crest stem cells (ENCSCs) using the CCK-8 assay, EdU staining, flow cytometry, JC-1 probe, and immunofluorescence, respectively. GSEA analysis was performed to screen the signaling pathways regulated by GFRA4. RESULTS: GFRA4 was downregulated in aganglionic segment tissues compared to control and ganglionic segment tissues. GFRA4 overexpression promoted proliferation and differentiation, and inhibited apoptosis in ENCSCs, while GFRA4 down-regulation had the opposite result. GFRA4 activated the hedgehog pathway. GFRA4 overexpression enhanced the expression of key factors of the hedgehog pathway, including SMO, SHH, and GLI1. However, GFRA4 down-regulation reduced their expression. An antagonist of hedgehog pathway, cyclopamine, attenuated the effect of GFRA4 overexpression on proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of ENCSCs. CONCLUSION: GFRA4 promotes proliferation and differentiation but inhibits apoptosis of ENCSCs via the hedgehog pathway in HSCR. IMPACT: This study confirms that GFRA4 improves the proliferation and differentiation of ENCSCs via modulation of the hedgehog pathway. This study for the first time revealed the role and the mechanism of the action of GFRA4 in HSCR, which indicates that GFRA4 may play a role in the pathological development of HSCR. Our findings may lay the foundation for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying HSCR development and into targets of HSCR treatment.

TLR3 Agonist Amplifies the Anti-Inflammatory Potency of ADSCs via IL-10-Mediated Macrophage Polarization in Acute Pancreatitis.

The immunoregulatory role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in inflammation is heterogeneous and can exhibit anti-inflammatory or proinflammatory properties depending on the microenvironment. We herein observed that the activation of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) by polyinosinic : polycytidylic acid (poly(I : C)) stimulation facilitated the transformation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) into an anti-inflammatory phenotype. The enhanced anti-inflammatory properties were assessed in a taurocholate-induced pancreatitis model. The results demonstrated that poly(I : C) pretreated ADSCs exhibited enhanced anti-inflammatory properties than untreated ADSCs in taurocholate-induced pancreatitis. Mechanistically, poly(I : C)-treated ADSCs showed increased production and secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-10), which demonstrates a potent ability to alleviate inflammatory signaling cascades in acinar cells. Simultaneously, the heightened anti-inflammatory effects of poly(I : C)-treated ADSCs in pancreatitis were associated with the regulation of macrophage classical/alternative transformation, thereby mitigating inflammatory factor-mediated damage to the pancreatic acinar cell. We propose that TLR3 activation by poly(I : C) is an effective strategy to enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of MSCs, which offers a valuable consideration for improving the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs in inflammatory diseases.

Effect of SO2, glutathione, and glutathione-rich inactive dry yeast on the color, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity of Roxburgh rose wine.

Conventional methods for inhibiting browning in wine are not suitable for cili (Roxburgh rose) wine, which is naturally rich in ascorbic acid and subject to restrictions on SO2 addition. In this study, the capacity of various additives to suppress the browning of cili wine caused by ascorbic acid degradation was investigated. SO2, pure reduced glutathione (GSH), regular inactive dry yeast (IDY), and IDY with various levels of glutathione enrichment (g-IDY) were separately introduced into cili wine following the completion of alcoholic fermentation. Over a period of 12 months, the color parameters, levels of ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and GSH content of the aged cili wine were analyzed. Among the investigated additives, g-IDY exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on browning. Moreover, adding 800 mg L-1 g-IDY increased the total reducing power and residual GSH content by factors of 1.52 and 2.44, respectively, with respect to those of the SO2-treated cili wine, thus enhancing its antioxidant capacity. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, a total of 22 monomeric phenolic compounds were identified. After g-IDY treatment, the contents of 15 easily oxidizable o-diphenols decreased, preventing the depletion of ascorbic acid as an antioxidant. As a result, the levels of ascorbic acid and total phenolics were 1.5-fold and 1.17-fold higher than those in the SO2-treated wine, respectively. This study demonstrates that g-IDY provides a new approach to preventing the browning of wine caused by ascorbic acid degradation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Cili wine, characterized by its high ascorbic acid content, can decelerate cellular senescence and bolster immune function, which has contributed to its popularity. Ascorbic acid, a potent antioxidant, can be spiked into white wines to significantly enhance their antioxidative properties. Nevertheless, the high ascorbic acid content in cili wine renders it susceptible to oxidation under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, which alters the wine's hue from golden to dark brown, thus diminishing its commercial value. Overcoming this browning associated with ascorbic acid degradation is therefore of considerable importance and could facilitate the advancement of the cili industry.

Chronic pain exacerbates memory impairment and pathology of Aß and tau by upregulating IL-1ß and p-65 signaling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is linked to cognitive impairment; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we examined these mechanisms in a well-established mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Neuropathic pain was modeled in 5-month-old transgenic APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice by partial ligation of the sciatic nerve on the left side, and chronic inflammatory pain was modeled in another group of APP/PS1 mice by injecting them with complete Freund's adjuvant on the plantar surface of the left hind paw. Six weeks after molding, the animals were tested to assess pain threshold (von Frey filament), learning, memory (novel object recognition, Morris water maze, Y-maze, and passive avoidance), and depression-like symptoms (sucrose preference, tail suspension, and forced swimming). After behavioral testing, mice were sacrificed and the levels of p65, amyloid-ß (residues 1-42) and phospho-tau in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were assayed using western blotting, while interleukin (IL)-1ß levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Animals subjected to either type of chronic pain showed lower pain thresholds, more severe deficits in learning and memory, and stronger depression-like symptoms than the corresponding control animals. Either type of chronic pain was associated with upregulation of p65, amyloid-ß (1-42), and IL-1ß in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, as well as higher levels of phosphorylated tau. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic pain may exacerbate cognitive deficits and depression-like symptoms in APP/PS1 mice by worsening pathology related to amyloid-ß and tau and by upregulating signaling involving IL-1ß and p65.

Mendelian randomization study on insulin resistance and risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Observational studies have suggested that insulin resistance (IR) is associated with hypertension and various cardiovascular diseases. However, the presence of a causal relationship between IR and cardiovascular disease remains unclear. Here, we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches to address the causal association between genetically determined IR and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Our primary genetic instruments comprised 53 SNPs associated with IR phenotype from a GWAS of up to 188,577 participants. Genetic association estimates for hypertension and venous thromboembolism (VTE) were extracted from UK Biobank, estimates for atrial fibrillation (AF) were extracted from the hitherto largest GWAS meta-analysis on AF, estimates for heart failure were extracted from HERMES Consortium, estimates for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and aortic aneurysm were extracted from the FinnGen Study. The main analyses were performed using the random-effects inverse-variance weighted approach, and complemented by sensitivity analyses and multivariable MR analyses. Corresponding to 55% higher fasting insulin adjusted for body mass index, 0.46 mmol/L lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and 0.89 mmol/L higher triglyceride, one standard deviation change in genetically predicted IR was associated with increased risk of hypertension (odds ratio (OR) 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.08; P = 1.91 × 10-11) and PAD (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.43-2.54; P = 1.19 × 10-5). Suggestive evidence was obtained for an association between IR and heart failure (OR per SD change in IR: 1.19, 95% CI 1.01-1.41, P = 0.041). There was no MR evidence for an association between genetically predicted IR and atrial fibrillation, VTE, and aortic aneurysm. Results were widely consistent across all sensitivity analyses. In multivariable MR, the association between IR and PAD was attenuated after adjustment for lipids (P = 0.347) or BMI (P = 0.163). Our findings support that genetically determined IR increases the risk of hypertension and PAD.

Predictive value of cyst/tumor volume ratio of pituitary adenoma for tumor cell proliferation.

BACKGROUND: MRI has been widely used to predict the preoperative proliferative potential of pituitary adenoma (PA). However, the relationship between the cyst/tumor volume ratio (C/T ratio) and the proliferative potential of PA has not been reported. Herein, we determined the predictive value of the C/T ratio of PA for tumor cell proliferation. METHODS: The clinical data of 72 patients with PA and cystic change on MRI were retrospectively analyzed. PA volume, cyst volume, and C/T ratio were calculated. The corresponding intraoperative specimens were collected. Immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to evaluate the Ki67 index and nuclear atypia. Patients were categorized according to the Ki67 index (< 3% and ≥ 3%) and nuclear atypia (absence and presence). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of the Ki67 index and nuclear atypia. The receiver operating characteristic curve assessed the prediction ability of the significant predictors. RESULTS: Larger tumor volumes, smaller cyst volumes, and lower C/T ratios were found in patients with higher Ki67 indexes and those with nuclear atypia (P < 0.05). C/T ratio was an independent predictor of the Ki67 index (odds ratio = 0.010, 95% confidence interval = 0.000-0.462) and nuclear atypia (odds ratio = 0.010, 95% confidence interval = 0.000-0.250). The predictive value of the C/T ratio did not differ significantly from that of tumor volume (P > 0.05) but was better than that of cyst volume (P < 0.05). The area under the curve of the C/T ratio for predicting the Ki67 index and nuclear atypia was larger than that for predicting cyst volume and tumor volume. CONCLUSIONS: C/T ratios can be used to predict PA tumor proliferation preoperatively. Our findings may facilitate the selection of surgery timing and the efficacy evaluation of surgery.

Integrated chemical characterization, metabolite profiling, and pharmacokinetics analysis of Zhijun Tangshen Decoction by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the main cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide and a major public issue affecting the health of people. Therefore, it is essential to explore effective drugs for the treatment of DN. In this study, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, Zhijun Tangshen Decoction (ZJTSD), a prescription modified from the classical formula Didang Decoction, has been used in the clinical treatment of DN. However, the chemical basis underlying the therapeutic effects of ZJTSD in treating DN remains unknown. In this study, compounds of ZJTSD and serum after oral administration in rats were identified and analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). Meanwhile, a semi-quantitative approach was used to analyze the dynamic changes in the compounds of ZJTSD in vivo. UPLC-Q/TOF-MS analysis identified 190 compounds from ZJTSD, including flavonoids, anthraquinones, terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, and other categories. A total of 156 xenobiotics and metabolites, i.e., 51 prototype compounds and 105 metabolites, were identified from the compounds absorbed into the blood of rats treated with ZJTSD. The results further showed that 23 substances with high relative content, long retention time, and favorable pharmacokinetic characteristics in vivo deserved further investigations and validations of bioactivities. In conclusion, this study revealed the chemical basis underlying the complexity of ZJTSD and investigated the metabolite profiling and pharmacokinetics of ZJTSD-related xenobiotics in rats, thus providing a foundation for further investigation into the pharmacodynamic substance basis and metabolic regulations of ZJTSD.

Clinical and Molecular Genetic Analysis with Methylmalonic Acidemia Combined with Homocystinuria.

BACKGROUND: Based on research, c.609G>A (p.W203X) is a universal mutation site for MMACHC in methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) combined with homocystinuria, cblC type (cblC disease), and c.467G>A (p.G156D) mutation in families with such disease have not yet been reported. To conduct clinical and molecular genetic analysis of a family with cblC disease. METHODS: This work followed the Declaration of Helsinki. All testing methods were performed under the informed consent of our children patients' parents. A second-generation cblC family with 5 members, was selected as the research subject, including sick siblings and parents and an older sister with normal phenotype, given newborn screening for acylcarnitine spectrum via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and diagnosed through combining urine organic acid with homocysteine detection via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with second-generation gene sequencing technology. The peripheral blood of five family members was collected for genomic DNA extraction, and the changes were screened in disease-related MMACHC sequence via PCR and direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The family conformed to the autosomal recessive inheritance, the proband and younger sister were cblC patients, diagnosed in February and at 22d given relevant treatment. The proband died, whereas the younger sister received follow-up treatment. Their parents and sister had normal phenotype. In 2 cases, there was compound heterozygous mutation in MMACHC called c.609G>A (p.W203X) nonsense mutation and c.467G>A (p.G156D) missense mutation in exon 4, while the father with normal phenotype had heterozygous mutation c.609G>A in exon 4 coding area. In its protein, the 203rd amino acid changed from tryptophan to a stop codon (p.W203 x). The normal mother and sister had a heterozygous mutation c.467G>A in exon 4 coding area. In its protein, the 156th amino acid changed from glycine to aspartic acid (p.G156D). CONCLUSIONS: The cblC family results from c.609G>A (p.W203X) and c.467G>A (p.G156D) compound heterozygous mutations in MMACHC, which has a pathogenic impact.

Ultra-Short-Term Offshore Wind Power Prediction Based on PCA-SSA-VMD and BiLSTM.

In order to realize the economic dispatch and safety stability of offshore wind farms, and to address the problems of strong randomness and strong time correlation in offshore wind power forecasting, this paper proposes a combined model of principal component analysis (PCA), sparrow algorithm (SSA), variational modal decomposition (VMD), and bidirectional long- and short-term memory neural network (BiLSTM). Firstly, the multivariate time series data were screened using the principal component analysis algorithm (PCA) to reduce the data dimensionality. Secondly, the variable modal decomposition (VMD) optimized by the SSA algorithm was applied to adaptively decompose the wind power time series data into a collection of different frequency components to eliminate the noise signals in the original data; on this basis, the hyperparameters of the BiLSTM model were optimized by integrating SSA algorithm, and the final power prediction value was obtained. Ultimately, the verification was conducted through simulation experiments; the results show that the model proposed in this paper effectively improves the prediction accuracy and verifies the effectiveness of the prediction model.

Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Applications of Layer-Structured Metal Chalcogenides Composites.

Featured with the attractive properties such as large surface area, unique atomic layer thickness, excellent electronic conductivity, and superior catalytic activity, layered metal chalcogenides (LMCs) have received considerable research attention in electrocatalytic applications. In this review, the approaches developed to synthesize LMCs-based electrocatalysts are summarized. Recent progress in LMCs-based composites for electrochemical energy conversion applications including oxygen reduction reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, overall water splitting, and nitrogen reduction reaction is reviewed, and the potential opportunities and practical obstacles for the development of LMCs-based composites as high-performing active substances for electrocatalytic applications are also discussed. This review may provide an inspiring guidance for developing high-performance LMCs for electrochemical energy conversion applications.

Antibiotic Resistance and Genetic Profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Isolated from Farmed Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Ningde Regions.

To better understand the antibiotic resistance, virulence genes, and some related drug-resistance genes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in farmed pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Ningde regions, Fujian province, we collected and isolated a total of 102 strains of V. parahaemolyticus from farmed pacific white shrimp in three different areas of Ningde in 2022. The Kirby-Bauer disk method was used to detect V. parahaemolyticus resistance to 22 antibiotics, and resistant genes (such as quinolones (qnrVC136, qnrVC457, qnrA), tetracyclines (tet A, tetM, tetB), sulfonamides (sulI, sulII, sulIII), aminoglycosides (strA, strB), phenicols (cat, optrA, floR, cfr), ß-lactams (carB), and macrolides (erm)) were detected by using PCR. The findings in this study revealed that V. parahaemolyticus was most resistant to sulfamoxazole, rifampicin, and erythromycin, with resistance rates of 56.9%, 36.3%, and 33.3%, respectively. Flufenicol, chloramphenicol, and ofloxacin susceptibility rates were 97.1%, 94.1%, and 92.2%, respectively. In all, 46% of the bacteria tested positive for multi-drug resistance. The virulence gene test revealed that all bacteria lacked the tdh and trh genes. Furthermore, 91.84% and 52.04% of the isolates were largely mediated by cat and sulII, respectively, with less than 5% resistance to aminoglycosides and macrolides. There was a clear mismatch between the antimicrobial resistance phenotypes and genotypes, indicating the complexities of V. parahaemolyticus resistance.

Long-term maintenance of high yield and soil fertility with integrated soil-crop system management on the Loess Plateau.

Ridge-furrow with full film mulching has been widely applied to increase crop yield and water productivity on the Loess Plateau, but it may stimulate carbon (C) mineralization. How to integrate other technological benefits based on this technology for long-term maintenance of high yield and soil fertility is a pressing issue. With the local farmers' practice (FP) as a control, three integrated soil-crop system management (ISSM) practices integrating fertilizer rates, fertilizer types and planting densities (ISSM-N1, ISSM-N2 and ISSM-MN) were established to improve maize yield and soil quality. Compared with the FP, the maize yield increased by 13.34%, 21.83% and 30.24%, and the soil quality index (SQI) increased by 9.66%, 14.91% and 38.38% for ISSM-N1, ISSM-N2 and ISSM-MN, respectively. However, ISSM-N1 did not significantly increase yield, and ISSM-N2 increased residual soil nitrate and decreased nitrogen (N) partial factor productivity significantly. Compared to the FP, ISSM practices increased soil organic carbon (SOC), labile organic C fractions (LOCFs) and potassium permanganate organic C fractions in the topsoil to varying degrees, but only ISSM-MN reached significant levels for most C fractions. The sensitivity index indicated very easily oxidizable C (24.6%), easily oxidizable C (24.7%), hot-water extractable C (30.8%), labile organic C (24.7%) and particulate organic C (57.3%) were more sensitive than SOC (22.7%). ISSM-MN sequestered significantly higher C than the other treatments. The results of the relative importance analysis and the structural equation model indicated that LOCFs were the direct contributors to yield, while recalcitrant C (CO) was the indirect contributor, revealing the underlying mechanism that CO decomposed to replenish LOCFs and the total N pool with the water soluble C pool as the transit station. Overall, ISSM-MN is the most promising strategy to improve crop yield and soil fertility in the long term on the Loess Plateau.

Association Between Human Metabolomics and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The underdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be attributed to the various clinical manifestations presented by patients. To address this concern, we conducted an extensive review and meta-analysis, focusing on RA-related metabolites. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase to identify relevant studies published up to October 5, 2022. The quality of the included articles was evaluated and, subsequently, a meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager software to analyze the association between metabolites and RA. RESULTS: Forty nine studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, and six of these studies were meta-analyzed to evaluate the association between 28 reproducible metabolites and RA. The results indicated that, compared to controls, the levels of histidine (RoM = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.79-0.88, I2 = 0%), asparagine (RoM = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.75-0.91, I2 = 0%), methionine (RoM = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.69-0.98, I2 = 85%), and glycine (RoM = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67-0.97, I2 = 68%) were significantly lower in RA patients, while hypoxanthine levels (RoM = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.09-1.19, I2 = 0%) were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: This study identified histidine, methionine, asparagine, hypoxanthine, and glycine as significantly correlated with RA, thus offering the potential for the advancement of biomarker discovery and the elucidation of disease mechanisms in RA.

[Determination of boric acid and silicic acid in mineral water by nonsuppressed ion chromatography].

Boron and silicon are widely distributed in nature; in water, these compounds typically present in the forms of boric acid and silicic acid, respectively. The maximum allowable levels of silicic acid and boric acid in water are stipulated in relevant national and industry standards, such as GB 8538-2022. Quality changes in water, which are of great significance in water-quality evaluations, can be understood in terms of its silicic acid and boric acid contents. Boric acid content is usually determined by ion exclusion chromatography, whereas silicic acid content is usually determined by postcolumn derivatization. Therefore, traditional methods cannot achieve the simultaneous determination of silicic acid and boric acid contents in water. Modern ion chromatography has been widely used in the detection of ionic compounds, such as anions, cations, organic acids, organic amines, amino acids, and sugars. Boric (pKa=9.24) and silicic (pKa=9.77) acids are weak acids that dissociate into ionic states under alkaline conditions. Although these compounds cannot be tested using suppressed ion chromatography, they can be retained on ion chromatography columns. In this study, a method based on nonsuppressed conductance detection was established for the simultaneous determination of boric acid and silicic acid in water. The contents of boric acid and silicic acid were detected by nonsuppressed ion chromatography using a Dionex IonPacTM AS20 analytical column. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: flow rate, 1.0 mL/min; column temperature, 30 ℃; eluent, 6 mmol/L sodium hydroxide solution and 60 mmol/L mannitol; and sample injection volume, 50 µL. The effective separation of silicic acid and boric acid was achieved within 8 min. SiO32- and boric acid demonstrated good linear relationships in the concentration ranges of 0.25-100 and 0.5-100 mg/L (correlation coefficients, 0.9999), respectively. The method detection (MDL) and quantification (MQL) limits were 0.078 and 0.26 mg/L for SiO32-, and the MDL and MQL limits were 0.18 and 0.60 mg/L for boric acid. The average recoveries of boric acid and SiO32- (n=6) were 97.3%-105.3%. Moreover, the relative standard deviations were less than 0.9% for boric acid at four spiked levels and less than 0.30% for SiO32- at three spiked levels. Thus, the method meets detection requirements. The pretreatment method is very simple, and the sample can be directly injected through a 0.22 µm water filtration membrane and into the column. The boric acid and silicic acid contents in nine mineral drinking water samples were determined under the optimized analytical conditions. Boric acid was not detected in these nine samples, but silicic acid was detected in six samples. The silicic acid contents detected were between 18.70 and 62.08 mg/L, which was consistent with the concentration ranges marked on the manufacturers' packaging. The proposed method can be used for the determination of boric acid and silicic acid in mineral drinking water and laboratory water, and provides a reference for the simultaneous detection of boric acid and silicic acid in ultrapure water used in the semiconductor industry.

Controlled-Release Nitrogen Mixed with Common Nitrogen Fertilizer Can Maintain High Yield of Rapeseed and Improve Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency.

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of different proportions of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer mixed with quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer on the yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency of direct-seeding rapeseed. Using a conventional nitrogen application rate of 180 kg ha-1 as a control, a total of 5 types of available nitrogen fertilizers and different proportions of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers were mixed for fertilizer treatment. The proportion of available nitrogen fertilizer used was 135 kg ha-1, and the addition ratios of the five types of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers were 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%, respectively (i.e., the proportion of controlled-release nitrogen to the total nitrogen application amount). These ratios were represented as N135R0, N135R1, N135R2, N135R3, and N135R4, respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the number of pods per plant, the number of seeds per pod, or the grain yield under the treatment of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer mixed with quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer for proportions of 30-50% (N135R1~R3) when compared with the control, and a stable yield was achieved. Mixing controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer under reduced nitrogen application can significantly improve the apparent utilization rate of rapeseed nitrogen fertilizer, but it first increases and then decreases with the increase of the controlled-release nitrogen mixing ratio, reaching its highest under the N135R2 treatment. The agronomic utilization efficiency and partial productivity of nitrogen fertilizer first increased and then decreased with the increased proportion of controlled-release nitrogen, and both reached their highest utilization with the N135R2 treatment. The mixed treatment of controlled-release nitrogen did not affect soil urease activity, but significantly increased soil sucrase activity. The mixed treatment of controlled-release nitrogen also increased soil microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon content. Especially in the flowering stage, the soil microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon content was significantly higher under a controlled-release nitrogen mixing ratio of 30-50%. At the same time, it had a similar effect on soil inorganic nitrogen content. Therefore, a controlled-release nitrogen mixing treatment provided sufficient nitrogen for the key growth period of rapeseed. Under the condition of reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer by 25% based on the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to conventional rapeseed, the application of controlled-release urea mixed with common nitrogen fertilizer mixed at a ratio of 30-50% can be an effective way to maintain grain yield levels and improve nitrogen utilization efficiency.

Lipidomics reveals the lipid metabolism disorders in Fructus Psoraleae-induced hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome.

Fructus Psoraleae (FP), one of the important traditional Chinese medicines, is widely used in clinic and has been reported to be hepatotoxic. However, there is no report on the mechanism of FP-induced hepatotoxicity based on the theory of You Gu Wu Yun. In this study, plasma samples of rats with different kidney deficiency syndromes were investigated using a lipidomics approach based on UPLC/Q-TOF-MS technique. Firstly, multivariate statistical analysis, VIP value test, statistical test and other methods were used to find the lipid metabolites in the two syndrome model groups that were different from the normal group. The screening of differential lipid metabolites revealed that there were 12 biomarkers between the blank group and the kidney-yang deficiency model group as well as 16 differential metabolites between the kidney-yin deficiency model group, and finally a total of 17 relevant endogenous metabolites were identified, which could be used as differential lipid metabolites to distinguish between kidney-yin deficiency and kidney-yang deficiency evidence. Secondly, the relative content changes of metabolites in rats after administration of FP decoction were further compared to find the substances associated with toxicity after administration, and the diagnostic ability of the identified biomarkers was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results a total of 14 potential differential lipid metabolites, including LysoPC(20:0/0:0) and LysoPC(16:0/0:0), which may be related to hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency syndrome were further screened, namely, the potential active lipid metabolites related to hepatotoxicity in rats induced by FP. Finally, cluster analysis, MetPA analysis and KEGG database were used to analyze metabolic pathways. It was discovered that the metabolism of glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid may be strongly related to the mechanism of hepatotoxicity brought on by FP. Overall, we described the lipidomics changes in rats treated with FP decoction and screened out 14 lipid metabolites related to hepatotoxicity in rats with kidney-yin deficiency, which served as a foundation for the theory of "syndrome differentiation and treatment" in traditional Chinese medicine and a guide for further investigation into the subsequent mechanism.

K5[B3O3F4(OH)]2(NO3): the first hydroxyfluorooxoborate-nitrate with a short ultraviolet cutoff edge and large birefringence.

The first hydroxyfluorooxoborate-nitrate mixed anion compound, K5[B3O3F4(OH)]2(NO3), was synthesized by the solution evaporation method. It displays a unique structure built by K+ cations, the hydroxylated and fluorinated six-membered ring [B3O3F4(OH)] and [NO3] groups. It possesses a band gap of 5.68 eV derived from the diffuse reflectance spectrum, which corresponds to an ultraviolet cutoff edge of 218 nm. First-principles calculations show that it has a large birefringence of 0.095 at 532 nm and the result of the response electron distribution anisotropy method indicates that all three anion groups contribute positively to the birefringence, verifying the synergic contributions from the multiple anion groups.

Selective adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by isostructural hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks.

Two isostructural hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with 1-D hexagonal-shaped pores were crystallised using the molecules biphenyl-3,3',5,5'-tetracarboxylic acid (BPTCA) and [1,1':4',1'']terphenyl- 3,3'',5,5''-tetracarboxylic acid (TPTCA). The desolvated HOFs, named BPTCA-2 and TPTCA-2, exhibited selective adsorption towards naphthalene and anthracene, respectively, during competitive adsorption experiments.

In Situ N, O Co-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Derived from Mixed Egg and Rice Waste as Green Supercapacitor.

The conversion of nitrogen-oxygen-rich biomass wastes into heteroatomic co-doped nanostructured carbons used as energy storage materials has received widespread attention. In this study, an in situ nitrogen-oxygen co-doped porous carbon was prepared for supercapacitor applications via a two-step method of pre-carbonization and pyrolytic activation using mixed egg yolk/white and rice waste. The optimal sample (YPAC-1) was found to have a 3D honeycomb structure composed of abundant micropores and mesopores with a high specific surface area of 1572.1 m2 g-1, which provided abundant storage space and a wide transport path for electrolyte ions. Notably, the specific capacitance of the constructed three-electrode system was as high as 446.22 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and remained above 50% at 10 A g-1. The capacitance retention was 82.26% after up to 10,000 cycles. The symmetrical capacitor based on YPAC-1 with a two-electrode structure exhibited an energy density of 8.3 Wh kg-1 when the power density was 136 W kg-1. These results indicate that porous carbon materials prepared from mixed protein and carbohydrate waste have promising applications in the field of supercapacitors.