Zuogui Pills alleviate cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian aging by reducing oxidative stress and restoring the stemness of oogonial stem cells through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zuogui Pill (ZGP) is a traditional herbal formula of Chinese Medicine with a long history of use in alleviating ovarian aging. AIM OF THE STUDY: To examine the impact of ZGP on oxidative stress and the stemness of oogonial stem cells (OSCs) in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced ovarian aging, as well as its molecular mechanisms involving the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2, NFE2L2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, Hmox1) pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into seven groups: control, model (CTX), estradiol valerate (EV, 0.103 mg/kg), ZGP-L (low dose Zuogui Pill, 1.851 g/kg), ZGP-H (high dose Zuogui Pill, 3.702 g/kg), ML385 (30 mg/kg), and ML385+ZGP-L. After CTX modeling, the EV, ZGP-L, ZGP-H, and ML385+ZGP-L groups were treated by gavage for 8 weeks, while the ML385 and ML385+ZGP-L groups were administered the Nrf2 antagonist ML385 twice a week. OSCs were isolated after modeling and then treated with drug serum containing 10% ZGP or 10 µM ML385. The general conditions of the rats, including body weight, ovarian weight/body weight ratio, and estrous cycle, were observed. Ovarian ultrastructure, follicle and corpus luteum counts were assessed via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Serum hormone levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, stem cell, germ cell, and cell cycle biomarkers were analyzed by qPCR and Western blot. Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Oxidative stress biomarkers were evaluated using flow cytometry and assay kits. Immunofluorescence was employed to detect and locate OSCs in the ovary, quantify the average fluorescence intensity, and identify OSCs. RESULTS: After ZGP treatment, rats with CTX-induced ovarian aging exhibited improved general condition, increased body weight, higher total ovarian weight to body weight ratio, and a restoration of the estrous cycle similar to the control group. Serum levels of estradiol (E2) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), two sex hormones, were also improved. Ovarian ultrastructure and follicle count at all stages showed improvement. Moreover, the viability and proliferation capacity of OSCs were enhanced following ZGP intervention. The Nrf2/HO-1 pathway was found to be down-regulated in CTX-induced aging ovarian OSCs. However, ZGP reversed this effect by activating the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NAD(P)H oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and reducing the accumulation of malonaldehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus restoring resistance to oxidative stress. Additionally, ZGP improved the cell cycle of OSCs, up-regulated the expression of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1, restored cell stemness, promoted proliferation, enhanced the expression of cell stemness markers octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) and mouse VASA homolog (MVH), and down-regulated the expression of P21, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. The therapeutic effects of ZGP against oxidative stress and restoration of cell stemness were attenuated following inhibition of the Nrf2 signaling pathway using ML385. CONCLUSIONS: ZGP protected against CTX-induced ovarian aging by restoring normal ovarian function, alleviating oxidative stress in aging OSCs, promoting OSCs proliferation, and restoring their stemness in rats, possibly through regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Gut microbiota and risk of polycystic ovary syndrome: Insights from Mendelian randomization.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted endocrine and metabolic syndrome with complex origins and pathogenesis that has not yet been fully elucidated. Recently, the interconnection between gut microbiota and metabolic diseases has gained prominence in research, generating new insights into the correlation between PCOS and gut microbiota composition. However, the causal link between PCOS and gut microbiota remains relatively unexplored, indicating a crucial gap in current research. Methods: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using summary statistics obtained from the MiBioGen Consortium's extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) meta-analysis, focusing on the gut microbiota. Summary statistics for PCOS were acquired from the FinnGen Consortium R7 release data. Various statistical approaches, including inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, maximum likelihood, weighted model, and weighted median, have been employed to investigate the causal association between the gut microbiota and PCOS. Additionally, we performed a reverse causal analysis. Cochran's Q statistic was used to assess the heterogeneity of the instrumental variables. Regarding the relationships between PCOS and specific genera within the gut microbiota, a significance level of P < 0.05 was observed, but only when q ≥ 0.1. Results: Our analysis revealed that specific microbial genera, namely Bilophila (P = 4.62 × 10-3), Blautia (P = 0.02), and Holdemania (P = 0.04), displayed a protective effect against PCOS. Conversely, the presence of the Lachnospiraceae family of bacteria was associated with a detrimental effect on PCOS (P = 0.04). Furthermore, reverse Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed the significant influence of Lachnospiraceae on PCOS. No significant variations in instrumental variables or evidence of horizontal pleiotropy were observed. Conclusions: The results revealed a definitive causal link between PCOS and the presence of Bilophila, Blautia, Holdemania, and Lachnospiraceae in the gut microbiota. This discovery could provide pivotal insights, leading to novel preventive and therapeutic approaches for PCOS.

Identifying prognostic markers in spatially heterogeneous breast cancer microenvironment.

To gain deeper insights into the microenvironment of breast cancer, we utilized GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP) technology to analyze transcripts from 107 regions of interest in 65 untreated breast cancer tissue samples. Our study revealed spatial heterogeneity in the expression of marker genes in tumor cell enriched, immune cell enriched, and normal epithelial areas. We evaluated a total of 55 prognostic markers in tumor cell enriched regions and 15 in immune cell enriched regions, identifying that tumor cell enriched regions had higher levels of follicular helper T cells, resting dendritic cells, and plasma cells than immune cell enriched regions, while the levels of resting CD4 memory in T cells and regulatory (Treg) T cells were lower. Additionally, we analyzed the heterogeneity of HLA gene families, immunological checkpoints, and metabolic genes in these areas. Through univariate Cox analysis, we identified 5 prognosis-related metabolic genes. Furthermore, we conducted immunostaining experiments, including EMILIN2, SURF4, and LYPLA1, to verify our findings. Our investigation into the spatial heterogeneity of the breast cancer tumor environment has led to the discovery of specific diagnostic and prognostic markers in breast cancer.

The Effect of a Three-Level Remote Alliance on Critical Care in Grassroot Areas: A Multi-Center, Retrospective Study.

Purpose: To explore an effective model to promote the homogeneous development of intensive care units (ICUs) in grassroot, impoverished and remote areas. Methods: A three-level remote alliance model (in-place and online assistance) was adopted to guide the cross-talk of ICUs between counties and cities. The observed indicators included the mortality of ICU patients and those with APACHE II scores ≥15 points, deep vein thrombosis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, the completion rate of septic shock goals in 3-hour and 6-hour bundles, and the rates of patient transfers. Results: After the implementation of the remote alliance, there was significant reduction in the mortality of ICU patients in the county and city-level tertiary hospitals (7.6% vs 4.5%, P = 0.004; OR = 1.734, 95% CI 1.189-2.532) and the mortality rates of patients with APACHE II scores ≥15 points (11.9% vs 7.1%, P = 0.004; OR = 1.763, 95% CI 1.189-2.614). There was a significant reduction in the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (0.9% vs 5.0%, P < 0.001) and deep vein thrombosis (52.4% vs 13.6%, P < 0.001). The completion rate of 3-hour bundle therapies for septic shock was significantly improved (95.7% vs 68.4%, P < 0.001), as well as 6-hour bundle therapies for septic shock (97.9% vs 81.6%, P < 0.001). The hospital transfer rate decreased significantly in the grassroots and impoverished areas (2.6% vs 4.7%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: A three-level remote alliance might be helpful in improving the quality of critical care in remote areas and promoting the homogeneous development of disciplines.

Research on the Mechanism of Asperosaponin VI for Treating Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion by Bioinformatics Analysis and Experimental Validation.

Asperosaponin VI (AS6), as the quality marker of Dipsaci Radix, is verified to exert therapeutic effect on alleviating recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). However, due to the lack of relevant research, its molecular mechanism is still unclear. We retrieved targets for AS6 and RSA, and then used their overlapped targets for PPI analysis. In addition, we used GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, and molecular docking to investigate the anti-RSA mechanisms of AS6. Furthermore, we conducted in vitro experiments to validate the predictions of network pharmacology. Results showed that a total of 103 AS6-associated targets and 2084 RSA-associated targets, with 49 targets overlapped. GO enrichment analysis showed 845 significant biological processes like decidualization, while KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed 76 significant entries including 18 signaling pathways, which were closely linked to PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, TNF, IL-17, and VEGF signaling pathways, etc. Molecular docking findings verified that AS6 had tight link with the key targets including JUN, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2. Notably, in vitro experiments revealed that AS6 treatment could exert lower expressions of JUN, pro-CASP3, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2 in decidual cells compared with progesterone despite the expressions of STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2 with no significant difference, and mifepristone could interfere with the effects. In general, numerous targets and multiple pathways involve during the process of AS6 treatment against RSA. Moreover, our in vitro research first reported that AS6 may regulate the expressions of key targets (JUN, CASP3, STAT3, SRC, and PTGS2) in decidual cells to promote decidualization, thus treating RSA.

Shikonin Could Be Used to Treat Tubal Pregnancy via Enhancing Ferroptosis Sensitivity.

Background: Albeit oxidative stress has been implied in the pathogenesis of tubal pregnancy (TP), there are scant data to suggest that ferroptosis occurs in TP. Shikonin plays a pivotal role in redox status, but whether it can regulate ferroptosis to treat TP remains unknown. Methods: We collected and analyzed ferroptosis-related indices from the villous tissue (VT) of women suffering from TP and from women with a normal pregnancy. In vitro, we used shikonin and/or RAS-selective lethal 3 (RSL3) to intervene HTR-8/SVneo cells and further detected ferroptosis indices and cell functions. Finally, the expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is pharmacologically activated to explore the effect of Nrf2 on shikonin regulating ferroptosis. Results: Increased malondialdehyde content, reduced levels of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and upregulated protein expression which promoted ferroptosis were observed in the VT of TP patients, suggesting that ferroptosis occurred during TP. In vitro, shikonin enhanced ferroptosis sensitivity in HTR-8/SVneo cells induced by RSL3 via amplifying lipid peroxidation, which mainly included increasing cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid ROS and Fe2+ level. RSL3 and/or shikonin inhibited Nrf2 and downregulated protein expression of SLC7A11 and GPx4 caused by RSL3 + shikonin co-treatment, which could be reversed under activation of Nrf2. Hence, shikonin facilitated lipid peroxidation by inhibiting Nrf2 signaling. Additionally, shikonin and/or RSL3 potently inhibited the invasion and migration of HTR-8/SVneo cells. Conclusion: This study firstly showed that ferroptosis may be involved in TP pathogenesis and shikonin potentially targeted ferroptosis to treat TP.

Mechanical forces on trophoblast motility and its potential role in spiral artery remodeling during pregnancy.

During the first trimester of pregnancy, cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) differentiate into extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). EVTs migrate from villus to decidua, invade maternal spiral arteries (SAs) and more strikingly, they migrate against blood flow along the vessels and replace endothelial cells (ECs), completing SA remodeling. Studies have indicated that trophoblast cells are mechanosensitive. They assemble ECs, which can align in the direction of fluid flow. However, how they sense blood flow and transform mechanical stimulations into chemical signals remain largely unexplored. What factors trigger their motility? what are the potential and major factors that guide them to find their path and empower them to migrate against flow? To answer these intricate questions, this review provides some of the novel aspects and sheds new insights into clinical applications.

Zuogui pills maintain the stemness of oogonial stem cells and alleviate cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian aging through Notch signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Zuogui pills (ZGP), a classical prescription of traditional Chinese medicine, have been widely used in the treatment of ovarian aging. Previous studies have demonstrated its efficacy on protecting ovarian aging, and the mechanisms were mostly relevant to inhibiting the apoptosis of follicles and activating the primordial follicles. However, whether ZGP could stimulate the oogonial stem cells (OSCs) to refresh the follicle pool remains poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of ZGP on the stemness of OSCs in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced ovarian aging. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: control group, model group, ZGP groups (low / high dose groups), estradiol valerate (EV) groups (low / high dose groups), DAPT group and DAPT+ZGP-L group. After modeling with Cy, the ZGP groups and EV groups were treated with ZGP and EV for 8 weeks respectively. Meanwhile, the DAPT groups were treated with DAPT twice a week. Additionally, OSCs were also isolated after modeling, and then treated with drug serum containing ZGP or EV. Ovarian volume and the ratio of weight of total ovaries to the body weight were measured. The serum hormones were measured by ELISA. Quantities and location of OSCs in ovaries were detected by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Cell viability was measured by CCK8. And OSCs were identified by immunofluorescence. Biomarkers of germ cells, stem cells and associated to differentiation and meiosis were detected by qPCR and western blot. Proteins in Notch signaling pathway were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: After treating with ZGP, ovarian volume and the ratio of weight of total ovaries to the body weight increased. ZGP could increase serum AMH and E2 level and decrease serum FSH level. Quantities and cell viability of OSCs increased after ZGP treatment in vivo and in vitro. In addition, treatment with ZGP could increase not only the expression of MVH, Oct4 and DAZL, but also the expression of ZP1 and ZP2. Furthermore, ZGP could up-regulate the expression of Notch intracellular domain (NICD), HES1 and HES5. After blocking the Notch signaling pathway, ZGP could increase not only the expression of NICD, HES1 and HES5, but also the expression of MVH, Oct4, DAZL, ZP1 and ZP3. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the mechanism of ZGP on treating ovarian aging may be relevant to maintain the stemness of OSCs by up-regulating Notch signaling pathway, which added the mechanism of ZGP on the perspective of OSCs at first time.

Effects of Long-Term Exposure to L-Band High-Power Microwave on the Brain Function of Male Mice.

Currently, the impact of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on the nervous system is an increasingly arousing public concern. The present study was designed to explore the effects of continuous long-term exposure to L-band high-power microwave (L-HPM) on brain function and related mechanisms. Forty-eight male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were exposed to L-HPM at various power densities (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 W/m2) and the brain function was examined at different time periods after exposure. The morphology of the brain was examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Furthermore, cholinergic markers, oxidative stress markers, and the expression of c-fos were evaluated to identify a "potential" mechanism. The results showed that exposure to L-HPM at 1.5 W/m2 can cause generalized injuries in the hippocampus (CA1 and CA3) and cerebral cortex (the first somatosensory cortex) of mice, including cell apoptosis, cholinergic dysfunction, and oxidative damage. Moreover, the deleterious effects were closely related to the power density and exposure time, indicating that long-term and high-power density exposure may be detrimental to the nervous system.

Transcriptome and genome sequencing elucidates the molecular basis for the high yield and good quality of the hybrid rice variety Chuanyou6203.

The yield heterosis of rice is sought by farmers and strong contributes to food safety, but the quality of hybrid rice may be reduced. Therefore, developing new varieties with both high yield and good quality is a heavily researched topic in hybrid rice breeding. However, the molecular mechanism governing yield heterosis and high rice quality has not been elucidated to date. In this study, a comparative transcriptomics and genomic analysis was performed on a hybrid rice variety, Chuanyou6203 (CY6203), and its parents to investigate the molecular mechanism and gene regulation network governing the formation of yield and quality stages. A total of 66,319 SNPs and InDels between CH3203 and C106B were detected in the 5'-UTR, exon, intronic, and 3'-UTR regions according to the reference genome annotation, which involved 7473 genes. A total of 436, 70, 551, 993, and 1216 common DEGs between CY6203 and both of its parents were identified at the same stage in panicles and flag leaves. Of the common DEGs, the numbers of upregulated DEGs between CY6203 and CH3203 were all greater than those of upregulated DEGs between CY6203 and C106B in panicles and flag leaves at the booting, flowering, and middle filling stages. Approximately 40.61% of mRNA editing ratios were between 0.4 and 0.6, and 1.68% of mRNA editing events (editing ratio ≥ 0.8) in CY6203 favored one of its parents at three stages or a particular stage, suggesting that the hypothetical heterosis mechanism of CY6203 might involve dominance or epistasis. Also 15,934 DEGs were classified into 19 distinct modules that were classified into three groups by the weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Through transcriptome analysis of panicles and flag leaves in the yield and quality stages, the DEGs in the green-yellow module primarily contributed to the increase in the source of CY6203 due to an in increase in photosynthetic efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency, and a small number of DEGs related to the grain number added spikelet number per panicle amplified its sink. The balanced expression of the major high-quality alleles of C106B and CH3203 in CY6203 contributed to the outstanding quality of CY6203. Our transcriptome and genome analyses offer a new data set that may help to elucidate the molecular mechanism governing the yield heterosis and high quality of a hybrid rice variety.

Effect of ultra­wide­band electromagnetic pulses on blood­brain barrier permeability in rats.

The restrictive nature of the blood brain barrier (BBB) brings a particular challenge to the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The effect of ultra­wide band electromagnetic pulses (UWB­EMPs) on BBB permeability was examined in the present study in order to develop a safe and effective technology that opens the BBB to improve treatment options for CNS diseases. Rats were exposed to a single UWB­EMP at various field strengths (50, 200 or 400 kV/m) and the BBB was examined using albumin immunohistochemistry and Evans blue staining at different time periods (0.5, 3, 6 and 24 h) after exposure. The expression and distribution of zonula occludens 1 (ZO­1) were evaluated using western blotting to identify a potential mechanism underlying BBB permeability. The results showed that the BBB permeability of rats exposed to UWB­EMP increased immediately following UWM­EMP treatment and peaked between 3 and 6 h after UWB­EMP exposure, returning to pre­exposure levels 24 h later. The data suggested that UWB­EMP at 200 and 400 kV/m could induce BBB opening, while 50 kV/m UWB­EMP could not. The levels of ZO­1 in the cerebral cortex were significantly decreased at 3 and 6 h after exposure; however, no change was observed in the distribution of ZO­1. The present study indicated that UWB­EMP­induced BBB opening was field strength­dependent and reversible. Decreased expression of ZO­1 may be involved in the effect of UWB­EMP on BBB permeability.

Imine Gels Based on Ferrocene and Porphyrin and Their Electrocatalytic Property.

A series of porphyrin-based imine gels have been synthesized via dynamic covalent gelation between 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-aminophenyl)-21H,23H-porphyrin (H2 TAPP) derivatives and various aldehyde compounds. The porphyrin-ferrocene imine gels based on MTAPP (M=H2 , Ni2+ , Co2+ , Pd2+ and Zn2+ ) and ferrocene-1,1'-dicarbaldehyde (NA) display efficient HER, OER and ORR activities in alkaline media. Among the gels, CoTAPP-NA shows an HER current density of 10 mA cm-2 at low overpotential of 470 mV and small Tafel slope of 110 mV decade-1 in alkaline media. CoTAPP-NA also exhibits OER catalytic activity with low overpotential (416 mV for 10 mA cm-2 ). CoTAPP-NA shows ability in overall water splitting in alkaline media. In addition, CoTAPP-NA exhibits onset potential (Ep ) of 0.95 V and half-wave potential (E1/2 ) of 0.84 V in 1.0 mol L-1 KOH solution for oxygen reduction. Moreover, the gel catalyst shows good stability.

Measures for reducing nitrate leaching in orchards:A review.

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for plant growth. However, improper management of N fertilization in agriculture has led to a large amount of nitrate leaching, which is especially the case in fruit production systems. Studies have shown that high levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause harm to the human body. Excessive nitrate in rivers leads to eutrophication and damage to the ecological environment of the water. This study reviewed the measures and methods for reducing nitrate leaching in orchards. Some approaches for reducing nitrate leaching in orchards were evaluated, such as using grass cover, applying controlled-release N fertilizer, adding nitrification inhibitors, etc. These methods play important roles in reducing nitrate leaching in orchards, but more importantly, integrated measures are required to achieve agricultural sustainability and environmental protection goals.

UiO-67 metal-organic gel material deposited on photonic crystal matrix for photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production.

Robust UiO-67 metal-organic framework nanoparticles have been precisely and uniformly anchored on the surface of a photonic crystal via metal-organic gelation, resulting in a nanoscale UiO-67 composite. Mott-Schottky measurements indicate that UiO-67/B is an n-type semiconductor with electron conduction, and the band gap significantly decreases with the assistance of the photonic crystal matrix with a band gap of 0.75 eV. Benefiting from the abundant photoelectrons trapped from the photonic crystal, good hydrogen evolution reaction performance is achieved under light irradiation. The current density increases from 3.2 to 7.0 mA cm-2 at -0.6 V (vs. RHE) for UiO-67/B. The optimized carrier density obtained from UiO-67/B is apparently increased 2.15 times under light irradiation for 30 min. This work provides a rational strategy to address the photo-capture and energy transfer issues of metal-organic frameworks under visible light irradiation for H2 production in artificial photosynthesis.

Confinement of a Au-N-heterocyclic carbene in a Pd6L12 metal-organic cage.

A Au(i)-N-heterocyclic-carbene (NHC)-edged Pd6L12 molecular metal-organic cage is assembled from a Au(i)-NHC-based bipyridyl bent ligand and Pd2+. The octahedral cage structure is unambiguously established by NMR, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The electrochemical behaviour was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry. The octahedral cage has a central cavity for guest binding, and is capable of encapsulating PF6 - and BF4 - anions within the cavity.

Efficient Removal of Copper Ion from Wastewater Using a Stable Chitosan Gel Material.

: Gel adsorption is an efficient method for the removal of metal ion. In the present study, a functional chitosan gel material (FCG) was synthesized successfully, and its structure was detected by different physicochemical techniques. The as-prepared FCG was stable in acid and alkaline media. The as-prepared material showed excellent adsorption properties for the capture of Cu2+ ion from aqueous solution. The maximum adsorption capacity for the FCG was 76.4 mg/g for Cu2+ ion (293 K). The kinetic adsorption data fits the Langmuir isotherm, and experimental isotherm data follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model well, suggesting that it is a monolayer and the rate-limiting step is the physical adsorption. The separation factor (RL) for Langmuir and the 1/n value for Freundlich isotherm show that the Cu2+ ion is favorably adsorbed by FCG. The negative values of enthalpy (ΔH°) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) indicate that the adsorption process are exothermic and spontaneous in nature. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of FCG before and after adsorption further reveal that the mechanism of Cu2+ ion adsorption. Further desorption and reuse experiments show that FCG still retains 96% of the original adsorption following the fifth adsorption-desorption cycle. All these results indicate that FCG is a promising recyclable adsorbent for the removal of Cu2+ ion from aqueous solution.

Stability, Stimuli-Responsiveness, and Versatile Sorption Properties of a Dynamic Covalent Acylhydrazone Gel.

Gel adsorbents are promising for pollutant removal from the wastewater. Herein, an acylhydrazone gel is developed from acylhydrazide-terminated pentaerythritol (PAT) and 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (TFP) based on dynamic covalent acylhydrazone chemistry. PAT-TFP gel is stable under various conditions, while it shows reversible Cu2+ adsorption and desorption. PAT-TFP gel is studied as a versatile adsorbent for the capture of a range of (bulky) organic contaminants and heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. Fast and good adsorption capacities are achieved for various dyes (rhodamine B and methyl orange), amines (aniline, p-chloroaniline, 4-methylaniline, and p-aminobenzoic acid), phenols (phenol, 1-naphthol, p-methylphenol, and bisphenol A), and metal ions (Cu2+, Cr3+, and Hg2+). The maximum adsorption capacity is 107.5 mg g-1 for Cu2+ and the equilibrium adsorption time is 30 min. PAT-TFP gel can be regenerated efficiently and used repeatedly.

Hierarchical Gelation of a Pd12L24 Metal-Organic Cage Regulated by Cholesteryl Groups.

The creation of supramolecular assemblies by assembly of structurally simple components via supramolecular interactions provides an opportunity to develop functional materials with hierarchical complexibility. Herein, we report an assembly approach to supramolecular gels based on metal-organic cages with tunable hierarchical structures and properties. A Pd12L24 cage (L is cholesteryl-functionalized 3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)benzene) bearing 24 cholesteryl groups is used as a supramolecular building unit and molecular platform for functionalization with tunable functional behaviors. The Pd12L24 cage motifs spontaneously self-assemble into gels where orthogonal metal-organic coordination and cholesteryl-cholesteryl interactions are involved in the gelation. The Pd12L24 cage exhibits a reversible transition between solution and aggregated gel states in response to temperature. The gelation and the mechanical property are rarely regulated by deuterated solvents and tetramethylsilane. The mechanical property of the gel materials is tunable by varying the content of cholesteryl groups of Pd12L24. Functional moieties (e.g., luminescent TPE group) can be introduced on the cage, and the luminescent property changes while the structure is maintained. The Pd12L24 gel shows visible anion-responsive behaviors arising from the hierarchical structure.

Zuogui Pills inhibit mitochondria-dependent apoptosis of follicles in a rat model of premature ovarian failure.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zuogui Pills (ZGP), which is a classical prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been reported to be widely used in the treatment of premature ovarian failure (POF). AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the therapeutic effects of ZGP on the treatment of POF induced by chemotherapy, and elucidate the potential molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 54) were randomized to six groups, containing the Control group, Model group, three ZGP groups and Triptorelin group which was served as a positive control. The Triptorelin group received triptorelin injection ten days before model establishment by cyclophosphamide. The three ZGP groups (high dose group, medium dose group and low dose group) were given a daily intragastric administration of ZGP at doses of 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 g/kg for sixty days. We observed the general growth of rats and examed the estrous cycle and the rate of pregnancy, ovarian ultrastructures, follicles and corpora lutea numbers. The serum hormone concentrations were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To explore the molecular mechanism of the effect, gene and protein expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2 and Cyt-c related to apoptosis were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR), Western Blot and Immunohistochemistry analysis, respectively. RESULTS: After treating with ZGP, though the rate of pregnancy showed no significant difference, the estrous cycle, ovarian ultrastructures, numbers of follicles and corpora lutea were improved significantly. And ZGP led to a significant lower concentration of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum, and the concentration of oestradiol (E2) was increased. Furthermore, a significant downregulation of Bax, cytochrome c (Cyt-c), and upregulation of B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) both on gene and protein levels were observed after the administration with ZGP. And effects showed a positive correlation with the dosages. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that ZGP exerted significant effect on POF, which was meditated by inhibiting mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in the follicles.