Mechanistic studies on the alleviation of ANIT-induced cholestatic liver injury by Polygala fallax Hemsl. polysaccharides.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Polygala fallax Hemsl. is a traditional folk medicine commonly used by ethnic minorities in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and has a traditional application in the treatment of liver disease. Polygala fallax Hemsl. polysaccharides (PFPs) are of interest for their potential health benefits. AIM OF THIS STUDY: This study explored the impact of PFPs on a mouse model of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) induced by alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT), as well as the potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mouse CLI model was constructed using ANIT (80 mg/kg) and intervened with different doses of PFPs or ursodeoxycholic acid. Their serum biochemical indices, hepatic oxidative stress indices, and hepatic pathological characteristics were investigated. Then RNA sequencing was performed on liver tissues to identify differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways and to elucidate the mechanism of liver protection by PFPs. Finally, Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to verify the differentially expressed genes. RESULTS: Data analyses showed that PFPs reduced the levels of liver function-related biochemical indices, such as ALT, AST, AKP, TBA, DBIL, and TBIL. PFPs up-regulated the activities of SOD and GSH, down-regulated the contents of MDA, inhibited the release of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, or promoted IL-10. Pathologic characterization of the liver revealed that PFPs reduced hepatocyte apoptosis or necrosis. The RNA sequencing indicated that the genes with differential expression were primarily enriched for the biosynthesis of primary bile acids, secretion or transportation of bile, the reactive oxygen species in chemical carcinogenesis, and the NF-kappa B signaling pathway. In addition, the results of qRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis were consistent with those of RNA sequencing analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study showed that PFPs improved intrahepatic cholestasis and alleviated liver damage through the modulation of primary bile acid production, Control of protein expression related to bile secretion or transportation, decrease in inflammatory reactions, and inhibition of oxidative pressure. As a result, PFPs might offer a hopeful ethnic dietary approach for managing intrahepatic cholestasis.

The Role of the Orexin System in Craniocerebral Trauma-Induced Epilepsy in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Following traumatic brain injury (TBI), an imbalance arises in the central nervous system within the hippocampus region, resulting in the proliferation of mossy cell fibers, causing abnormal membrane discharge. Moreover, disruptions in cellular neurotransmitter secretion induce post-traumatic epilepsy. Extensive experimental and clinical data indicate that the orexin system plays a regulatory role in the hippocampal central nervous system, but the specific regulatory effects are unclear. Therefore, further experimental evaluation of its relevance is needed. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effects of orexin receptor agonists (OXA) on the seizure threshold and intensity in controlled cortical impact (CCI) mice, and to understand the role of the orexin system in post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice weighing 18-22 g were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, CCI, and CCI+OXA. The three groups of mice were sequentially constructed with models, implanted with electrodes, and established drug-delivery cannulas. After a 30-day recovery, the Sham and CCI groups were injected with physiological saline through the administration cannulas, while the CCI+OXA group was injected with OXA. Subsequently, all mice underwent electrical stimulation every 30 minutes for a total of 15 times. Epileptic susceptibility, duration, intensity, and cognitive changes were observed. Concurrently, the expression levels and changes of GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus of each group were examined by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Injecting OXA into hippocampal CA1 reduces the threshold of post-traumatic seizures, prolongs the post-discharge duration, prolongs seizure duration, reduces cognitive ability, and exacerbates the loss of GABAergic neurons in the hippocampal region. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, we can find that injecting OXA antagonists into the CA1 region of the hippocampus can treat or prevent the occurrence and progression of post-traumatic epilepsy.

Controlling Symmetry-Breaking Charge Separation in Pyrene Bichromophores.

So far, symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) has been observed with a limited number of chromophores and is usually inhibited by the formation of an excimer. We show here that thanks to fine-tuning of the interchromophore coupling via structural control, SB-CS can be operative with pyrene, despite its high propensity to form an excimer. This is realized with a bichromophoric system consisting of two pyrenes attached to a crown ether macrocycle, which can bind cations of different sizes. By combining stationary and time-resolved spectroscopy together with molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that the excited-state dynamics can be totally changed depending on the binding cation. Whereas strong coupling leads to rapid excimer formation, too weak coupling results in noninteracting chromophores. However, intermediate coupling, achieved upon binding of Mg2+, allows for SB-CS to be operative.

An economical and simple method for preparing highly permeable and chlorine-resistant reverse osmosis membranes with potential commercial applications.

The improvement in the overall efficiency of thin-film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is limited by their low permeability and sensitivity to degradation by chlorine. In the present study, polypiperazine (PIP), the commonly used amine monomer in preparing commercial TFC nanofiltration (NF) membranes, was used to regulate the m-phenylenediamine (MPD) based interfacial polymerization (IP) process. The results showed that addition of PIP optimized the micro-structure and surface properties of the polyamide (PA) layer. When the MPD and PIP mass ratio was 1 : 1, the TFCW-1:1 membrane exhibited 70% flux enhancement compared to pure MPD-based TFCW-1:0 membranes. Besides, the TFCW-1:1 membrane exhibited better chlorine-resistant performance since the NaCl rejection declined to just 3.8% while it was 11.3% for TFCW-1:0 membranes after immersion in 500 ppm NaClO solution for 48 h. Such improvement can be attributed to the increased number of unreacted amine groups and the thickness of the PA layer that PIP brought, which provided a sacrificial protective layer to consume the active chlorine, and thus maintain the integrity of the inner rejection layer. In all, the novelty and purpose of the present work is to find a more simple and scalable method to fabricate high-performance TFC RO membranes by using commonly, cheaply and frequently used materials.

Adhesive injectable cellulose-based hydrogels with rapid self-healing and sustained drug release capability for promoting wound healing.

Injectable biocompatible hydrogels with multiple functions, including self-healing, adhesion, antibacterial activity, and suitable mechanical properties, are highly desirable for enhancing wound healing. In this study, a new class of multi-functional injectable self-healing cellulose-based hydrogels was synthesised using dynamic covalent acylhydrazone linkages for wound dressing. The carboxymethyl cellulose-graft-adipic dihydrazide (CMC-ADH)/4-Formylbenzoic acid-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-FBA) (CMC-ADH/PEG-FBA) hydrogels have adjustable gelation time and excellent self-healing ability. In addition, drug release and in vitro antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria confirmed the sustained drug-release capacity of the hydrogels. Moreover, haemostasis and wound-healing effects were investigated using an in vivo haemorrhaging liver mouse model and a full-thickness skin defect model, and the results indicated that they not only promoted the wound-healing process but also presented excellent haemostatic effects. The CMC-ADH/PEG-FBA gels also exhibited good adhesion to irregular wounds and significantly enhanced angiogenic ability in vivo. This excellent wound-healing performance occurs because hydrogels can quickly stop bleeding, provide a moist and closed environment for the wound to prevent bacterial invasion, release ciprofloxacin (CIP), reduce inflammatory reactions, and promote wound tissue regeneration. In summary, the synthesised multi-functional gels are ideal candidates for treating haemorrhages and irregular wounds.

Photo-electrochemical oxidation flow system for stormwater herbicides removal: Operational conditions and energy consumption analysis.

Photoelectrochemical oxidation (PECO) is a promising advanced technology for treating micropollutants in stormwater. However, it is important to understand its operation prior to practical validation. In this study, we introduced a flow PECO system designed to evaluate its potential for full-scale applications in herbicides degradation, providing valuable insights for future large-scale implementations. The PECO flow reactor demonstrated the ability to treat a larger volume of stormwater (675 mL, approximately 10 times more than previous batch experiments) with effective removal rates of 92 % for diuron and 22 % for atrazine over 6 h of operation at 2 V. To address the large volume issue in stormwater treatment, a multiple module parallel application design is being considered to increase the treatment capacity of the PECO flow reactor. During the flow reactor operations, flow rate was found to have a notable impact on removal performance, particularly for diuron. At a flow rate of 610 mL min-1, approximately 90 % removal of diuron was achieved, while at 29 mL min-1, the removal efficiency decreased to 60 %. While light intensity had minimal effect on diuron degradation (all settings achieved over 90 % removal), it enhanced atrazine degradation from 9 % to 31 % with an increase in intensity from 63 mW cm-2 to 144 mW cm-2. Remarkably, the PECO flow system exhibited excellent removal performance (>90 % removal) for diuron even at extremely high initial pollutant concentrations (240 µg L-1), demonstrating its capacity to handle varying contaminant loads in stormwater. Energy consumption analysis revealed that flow rate as the primary factor influenced the specific energy consumption rate. Higher flow rate (e.g., 610 mL min-1) were preferable in flow reactor due to its well-balanced performance between removal and energy consumption. These findings confirm that the PECO flow system offers an efficient and promising approach for stormwater treatment applications.

Ethanolic extract of Pereskia aculeata induces Anti-Inflammatory Responses through P38/MK2/TTP-mediated signaling pathway.

Pereskia aculeata Miller, a member of the Cactaceae family, is a plant with pharmacological potential due to its containing compounds with various biological activities, which include anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and analgesic activities. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of an ethanolic extract of P. aculeata Miller (EEPA) and the signalling pathways by which it exerts these effects. In vitro, EEPA inhibited the secretion of inflammatory factors NO, IL-6 and PGE2 in ipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages (P<0.05). Treatment of RAW264.7 cells with EEPA also significantly decreased the levels of P-P38 and P-MK2, while upregulating the expression of TTP (P<0.05). In vivo anti-inflammatory activity assays revealed that EEPA reduced the degree of foot and joint swelling, the splenic index and the serum concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats (P<0.05). Similarly, EEPA treatment of mice inhibited the acetic acid-induced exudation of Evans blue dye from peritoneal capillaries and significantly prolonged heat-stimulated pain response time (P<0.05). Taken together, these results suggest that EEPA exerts anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. Thus, this study provides experimental and technical support for the development of a novel anti-inflammatory treatment based on P. aculeata Miller.

The efficacy and mechanism of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels root aqueous extract based on RNA sequencing and 16S rDNA sequencing in alleviating polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) leads to persistent anovulation, hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and polycystic ovary, and is mainly characterized by menstrual disorders, and reproductive dysfunction. Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels root has been used in many classical formulas of traditional Chinese medicine, and is commonly used to treat various gynecological diseases. PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effect of water extract of A. sinensis root (WEA) on PCOS rats, and the mechanism by RNA sequencing, and 16S rDNA sequencing. METHODS: The PCOS rat model was established by letrozole combined with high-fat diet (gavage; 2 months), and treated with WEA (gavage; 2 g/kg, 4 g/kg or 8 g/kg; 1 month). To evaluate the therapeutic effect of WEA on PCOS rats, vaginal smear, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and biochemical indicators detection were performed. The rat ovarian tissue was analyzed by RNA sequencing, and the results were verified by qRT-PCR, and Western blot. 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbiota of rats. RESULTS: The results of the vaginal smear, and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that WEA improved estrous cycle disorder, and ovarian tissue lesions. WEA (4 g/kg or 8 g/kg; 1 months) alleviated hormone disorders, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. RNA sequencing showed that WEA intervention significantly changed the expressions of 2756 genes, which were enriched in phosphatidylinositol3-kinase/phosphorylated protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and insulin signaling pathways. 16S rDNA sequencing found that WEA increased the species diversity of gut microbiota, and regulated the abundance of some microbiota (genus level: Dubosiella, Bifidobacterium, Coriobacteriaceae (UCG-002), and Treponema; species level: Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactobacillus murinus, and Lactobacillus johnsonii). CONCLUSION: WEA regulated hormone, and glycolipid metabolism disorders, thereby relieving the PCOS induced by letrozole combined with high-fat diet. The mechanism was related to the regulation of PI3K/AKT, PPAR, MAPK, AMPK, and insulin signaling pathways in ovarian tissues, and the maintenance of gut microbiota homeostasis. Clarifying the efficacy and mechanism of WEA in alleviating PCOS based on RNA sequencing and 16S rDNA sequencing will guide the more reasonable clinical use of WEA.

The Effect of Bergenin on Isonicotinic Acid Hydrazide and Rifampicin-Induced Liver Injury Revealed by RNA Sequencing.

Bergenin (BER), a natural component of polyphenols, has a variety of pharmacological activities, especially in improving drug metabolism, reducing cholestasis, anti-oxidative stress and inhibiting inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BER on liver injury induced by isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) in mice. The mice model of liver injury was established with INH (100 mg/kg)+RIF (100 mg/kg), and then different doses of BER were used to intervene. The pathological morphology and biochemical indicators of mice were detected. Meanwhile, RNA sequencing was performed to screen the differentially expressed genes and signaling pathways. Finally, critical differentially expressed genes were verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. RNA sequencing results showed that 707 genes were significantly changed in the INH+RIF group compared with the Control group, and 496 genes were significantly changed after the BER intervention. These differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the drug metabolism, bile acid metabolism, Nrf2 pathway and TLR4 pathway. The validation results of qRT-PCR and Western blot were consistent with the RNA sequencing. Therefore, BER alleviated INH+RIF-induced liver injury in mice. The mechanism of BER improving INH+RIF-induced liver injury was related to regulating drug metabolism enzymes, bile acid metabolism, Nrf2 pathway and TLR4 pathway.

Multistate Aggregation-Induced Chiroptical Properties of Enantiopure Disulfide-Mediated Bispyrene Macrocycles.

A chiral bispyrene macrocycle designed for exclusive intermolecular excimer fluorescence upon aggregation was synthesized by a double hydrothiolation of a bis-enol ether macrocycle followed by intramolecular oxidation of free thiols. Unusually high stereoselectivity was achieved for the thiol-ene additions under templated conditions and Et3 B/O2 radical initiation. After enantiomer separation (chiral stationary phase HPLC), aqueous conditions provoked aggregation. Detailed structural evolution was afforded by ECD/CPL monitoring. Three regimes can be observed and characterized by strong modifications in chiroptical patterns under, at, or above a 70 % H2 O : THF threshold. In luminescence, high glum dissymmetry factors values were obtained, up to 0.022, as well as a double sign inversion of CPL signals during the aggregation, a behavior rationalized by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. Langmuir layers of enantiopure disulfide macrocycles were formed at the air-water interface and transferred onto solid substrates to afford Langmuir-Blodgett films, which were then studied by AFM and UV/ECD/fluorescence/CPL.

Impact of electrochemically generated iron on the performance of an anaerobic wastewater treatment process.

Anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater has the advantages of lower biomass yield, lower energy demand and higher energy recover over the conventional aerobic treatment process. However, the anaerobic process has the inherent issues of excessive phosphate and sulfide in effluent and superfluous H2S and CO2 in biogas. An electrochemical method allowing for in-situ generation of Fe2+ in the anode and hydroxide ion (OH-) and H2 in the cathode was proposed to overcome the challenges simultaneously. The effect of electrochemically generated iron (e­iron) on the performance of anaerobic wastewater treatment process was explored with four different dosages in this work. The results showed that compared to control, the experimental system displayed an increase of 13.4-28.4 % in COD removal efficiency, 12.0-21.3 % in CH4 production rate, 79.8-98.5 % in dissolved sulfide reduction, 26.0-96.0 % in phosphate removal efficiency, depending on the e­iron dosage between 40 and 200 mg Fe/L. Dosing of the e­iron significantly upgraded the quality of produced biogas, showing a much lower CO2 and H2S contents in biogas in experimental reactor than that in control reactor. The results thus demonstrated that e­iron can significantly improve the performance of anaerobic wastewater treatment process, bringing multiple benefits with the increase of its dosage regarding effluent and biogas quality.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) Spatial Prioritisation through Global Sensitivity Analysis for Effective Urban Pluvial Flood Mitigation.

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) has attracted growing attention as a sustainable approach for mitigating pluvial flooding (also known as flash flooding), which is expected to increase in frequency and intensity under the impacts of climate change and urbanisation. However, spatial planning of WSUD is not an easy task, not only due to the complex urban environment, but also the fact that not all locations in the catchment are equally effective for flood mitigation. In this study, we developed a new WSUD spatial prioritisation framework that applies global sensitivity analysis (GSA) to identify priority subcatchments where WSUD implementation will be most effective for flood mitigation. For the first time, the complex impact of WSUD locations on catchment flood volume can be assessed, and the GSA in hydrological modelling is adopted for applications in WSUD spatial planning. The framework uses a spatial WSUD planning model, the Urban Biophysical Environments and Technologies Simulator (UrbanBEATS), to generate a grid-based spatial representation of catchment, and an urban drainage model, the U.S. EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), to simulate catchment flooding. The effective imperviousness of all subcatchments was varied simultaneously in the GSA to mimic the effect of WSUD implementation and future developments. Priority subcatchments were identified based on their influence on catchment flooding computed through the GSA. The method was tested for an urbanised catchment in Sydney, Australia. We found that high priority subcatchments were clustering in the upstream and midstream of the main drainage network, with a few distributed close to the catchment outlets. Rainfall frequency, subcatchment characteristics, and pipe network configuration were found to be important factors determining the influence of changes in different subcatchments on catchment flooding. The effectiveness of the framework in identifying influential subcatchments was validated by comparing the effect of removing 6% of the Sydney catchment's effective impervious area under four WSUD spatial distribution scenarios. Our results showed that WSUD implementation in high priority subcatchments consistently achieved the largest flood volume reduction (3.5-31.3% for 1% AEP to 50% AEP storms), followed by medium priority subcatchments (3.1-21.3%) and catchment-wide implementation (2.9-22.1%) under most design storms. Overall, we have demonstrated that the proposed method can be useful for maximising WSUD flood mitigation potential through identifying and targeting the most effective locations.

Optimizing heterotrophic nitrification process: The significance of demand-driven aeration and organic matter concentration.

Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (HNAD) sludge were successfully acclimated. The effects of organics and dissolved oxygen (DO) on nitrogen and phosphorus removal by the HNAD sludge were investigated. The nitrogen can be heterotrophically nitrified and denitrified in the sludge at a DO of 6 mg/L. The TOC/N (total organic carbon to nitrogen) ratio of 3 was found to result in removal efficiencies of over 88% for nitrogen and 99% for phosphorus. The use of demand-driven aeration with a TOC/N ratio of 1.7 improved nitrogen and phosphorus removal from 35.68% and 48.17% to 68% and 93%, respectively. The kinetics analysis generated an empirical formula, Ammonia oxidation rate = 0.08917·(TOC·Ammonia)0.329·Biomass0.342. The nitrogen, carbon, glycogen, and poly-ß-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) metabolism pathways of HNAD sludge were constructed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The findings suggest that heterotrophic nitrification precedes aerobic denitrification, glycogen synthesis, and PHB synthesis.

Nitrification potential of daily-watered biofiltration designs for high ammonium wastewater treatment.

The vegetated biofiltration systems (VBS), also known as bioretentions or rain gardens, are well-established technology for treatment of urban stormwater and recently greywater, offering multiple benefits to urban environments. However, the impact of high ammonium strength wastewater (60 mg/L) on the nitrification process in these systems is not well understood. Hence, a laboratory-based column study was conducted to uncover dominant nitrification mechanisms, based on the learnings from similar onsite wastewater treatment systems. The experimental columns tested the effect of contact time (filter media depth, 150 mm, 300 mm and 700 mm), media oxygenation (active and passive) and alkalinity/pH (marble chips 5 % weight), as well as optimal operational conditions (inflow loading, concentrations, and dissolved oxygen (DO)). All nitrogen species (NH4+, NO3-, NO2-), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and physical parameters (DO, pH, electrical conductivity) were monitored across seven events over thirteen weeks. The results show that dosing with 30 and 60 mg/L of NH4+ resulted in 700 mm sand column depth to perform almost complete nitrification of NH4+ to NO3- (< 90 %), while 300 mm designs achieved partial nitrification of NH4+ to NO2-, likely due to limited contact time and inefficient nitrite oxidizing bacteria activity. Nitrification potential of all designs further supported that appropriate aerobic contact time is necessary for effective nitrification. Inflow concentration of NH4+ and DO did not significantly impact nitrification performance, while reducing daily volume loading reduced NO3- and NO2- leaching. Active and passive aeration and alkalinity buffering did not positively affect ammonium removal. While there is a potential to apply both nitrification-denitrification and anammox processes to future VBS design, further understanding of aeration and alkalinity on microbially driven nitrification processes is needed.

The effects of taraxasterol on liver fibrosis revealed by RNA sequencing.

Effective treatment of liver fibrosis remains a challenging medical problem. Taraxasterol (TAR) has anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and hepatoprotective effects. Studies have shown that TAR has good biological activity against liver injury induced by various factors. However, the anti-fibrotic effect of TAR and its mechanism are never clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of TAR in liver fibrosis and to reveal its possible mechanism by RNA sequencing. Our results suggested that TAR attenuated CCl4-induced hepatocyte necrosis, inflammatory infiltration and ECM deposition. TAR inhibited the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, γ-GT, LN, HA, PC III and IV-C in serum and TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß and MDA in liver. In addition, TAR increased the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in liver. RNA sequencing analysis of liver tissues revealed that CCl4 and TAR significantly altered 4,155 genes and 2,675 genes, respectively. TAR reversed changes in ECM-related genes. More specifically, TAR mediated the expression of genes related to the activation of the Hippo pathway, while inhibiting the expression of genes related to the activation of HIF-1α, TGF-ß/Smad, and Wnt pathways. In the validation experiments, the qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of Yap1, Tead3, Hif1α, Vegfa, Tgfß1, Want3a, and Ctnnb1 mRNA were consistent with the RNA sequencing results. The Western blot results showed that TAR inhibited the levels of TGF-ß1 and p-Smad2. In addition, the results in vitro were consistent with those in vivo. Therefore, we concluded that TAR improved CCl4-induced liver fibrosis by regulating Hippo, HIF-1α, TGF-ß/Smad and Wnt pathways.

Carbon supported "core-shell structure" of Fe nanoparticles for enhanced Fenton reaction activity and magnetic separation.

Effectively facilitating Fe3+/Fe2+ cycles and expanding its operating pH range are keys to optimizing the traditional Fenton reaction. In this exploration, we used chitosan and ferrous sulfate as precursors to prepare a multicomponent magnetic Fe/C Fenton-like catalyst, which exhibited extraordinary catalytic properties and excellent stability performance in a pH range of 4~8. Besides, it could be easily separated from the solution by a magnet. The characterization showed that the supported Fe species include troilite-2H (FeS), lepidocrocite (FeOOH), and pyrrhotite-6T (Fe1 - xS) with a unique "core-shell structure." The presence of reductive iron sulfide core in the system can accelerate the reduction of Fe(III). Meanwhile, the graphite-like structure formed after calcination can adsorb and enrich priority pollutants near the active site through π-π coupling and strengthen electron transfer, which endows its high catalytic performance and enables it invulnerable to dissolved organic compounds.

Electrochemical iron production to enhance anaerobic membrane treatment of wastewater.

Although iron salts such as iron(III) chloride (FeCl3) have widespread application in wastewater treatment, safety concerns limit their use, due to the corrosive nature of concentrated solutions. This study demonstrates that local, electrochemical generation of iron is a viable alternative to the use of iron salts. Three laboratory systems with anaerobic membrane processes were set up to treat real wastewater; two systems used the production of either in-situ or ex-situ electrochemical iron (as Fe2+ and Fe2+(Fe3+)2O4, respectively), while the other system served as a control. These systems were operated for over one year to assess the impact of electrochemically produced iron on system performance. The results showed that dosing of electrochemical iron significantly reduced sulfide concentration in effluent and hydrogen sulfide content in biogas, and mitigated organics-based membrane fouling, all of which are critical issues inherently related to sustainability of anaerobic wastewater treatment. The electrochemical iron strategy can generate multiple benefits for wastewater management including increased removal efficiencies for total and volatile suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and phosphorus. The rate of methane production also increased with electrochemically produced iron. Economic analysis revealed the viability of electrochemical iron with total cost reduced by one quarter to a third compared with using FeCl3. These benefits indicate that electrochemical iron dosing can greatly enhance the overall operation and performance of anaerobic membrane processes, and this particularly facilitates wastewater management in a decentralized scenario.

Mechanisms of Ardisia japonica in the Treatment of Hepatic Injury in Rats Based on LC-MS Metabolomics.

The mechanism of action of Ardisia japonica in the treatment of immune liver injury was systematically analyzed from the perspective of the biological metabolic network by using non-targeted metabolomics combined with biological network analysis tools. A rat model of acute immune hepatic injury was established by Concanavalin A (Con A) and the efficacy of the treatment of acute immune liver injury was judged by gavage of A. japonica. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based plasma metabolomics was used to identify the key metabolites and metabolic pathways for the hepatoprotective effects of A. japonica. The results demonstrated that A. japonica reduced the levels of inflammatory parameters, decreased hepatic malondialdehyde levels, and enhanced hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity in animal experiments. The clustering of metabolomic samples showed significant separation in principal component analysis plots and the three groups in PLS-DA and OPLS-DA models could be clearly distinguished in multivariate statistical analysis. Among the 937 total metabolites, 445 metabolites were significantly different between the control and model groups, while 144 metabolites were identified as metabolites with differences between the model and administration groups, and a total of 39 differential metabolites were identified to affect the metabolic levels of the three groups. The differential metabolites were principally involved in the citric acid cycle, glutathione metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. This study found that A. japonica can significantly inhibit acute liver injury in rats, and exert a hepatoprotective effect through anti-inflammatory effect, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, improvement of the antioxidant defense system, and regulation of metabolites and related metabolic pathways. This study will provide a theoretical basis for the application of A. japonica in the treatment of the liver injury.

The effects of scoparone on alcohol and high-fat diet-induced liver injury revealed by RNA sequencing.

Scoparone (SCO) has a wide range of pharmacological activities, especially antioxidant and lipid-lowering ones. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of SCO on alleviating liver injury induced by alcohol and high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The pathomorphology, biochemical indices, lipid accumulation, alcohol metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory response were examined. RNA sequencing analysis was performed on liver tissues to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and signaling pathways, thus elucidating the mechanism of SCO in protecting the liver. Finally, some of the DEGs were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. The results showed that SCO had significant hepatoprotective effects, which could inhibit lipid accumulation, improve alcohol metabolism, reduce oxidative stress and inhibit inflammatory response. RNA sequencing results showed that 1208 genes were differentially expressed in liver tissues of mice treated with alcohol and HFD, while 2143 genes were significantly changed after SCO intervention. These DEGs were mainly involved in metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, fatty acid (triglyceride) metabolism, and cholesterol synthesis pathways. In addition, the results of qRT-PCR and Western blot were consistent with the RNA sequencing. SCO can alleviate liver injury induced by alcohol and HFD in mice, and its mechanism may be related to regulating alcohol metabolism and lipid metabolism pathways.

Community values on governing urban water nature-based solutions in Sydney, Australia.

Since the needs and expectations of communities towards their urban environments often vary, landscape management strategies can often be prone to fail in the absence of social considerations. It is therefore incumbent on policy-makers to investigate and attempt to reconcile diverse community perceptions toward the natural and built environment for more equitable governance. This is of particular interest when planning and managing nature-based solutions (NBS) for river protection. We considered this challenge in understanding human values, perceptions and behaviour in a multilayered ecosystem that includes waterways, NBS, green open spaces, and a built environment. This paper analyses perceptions and behaviour around a public urban park next to the Georges River in Sydney Australia, utilizing a proxy-based approach and a mixed-method comprising community surveys and behavioural mapping. The results showed that while users perceive the significance of the urban river environment differently, naturalistic (ecological), humanistic (recreational) and utilitarian (well-being) values are dominant. Urban river catchments are highly valued for recreational purposes, with a strong perception of potential flooding hazards. Through exploring the literature, we recognized that the dominancy of leisure-related values around urban river catchments can be generalized to similar cases worldwide. While NBS, as an urban stormwater management solution, address some user values (e.g., naturalistic) around urban river catchments, they may lack further delivery of humanistic and utilitarian values due to the poor integration with recreational and cultural spaces. It was also the case around the Georges River, where low prominence of cultural features was observed. We concluded that NBS development around Georges River and other urban river catchments should incorporate socio-cultural considerations and community values, in particular the ones related to leisure. The gaps between users' beliefs and behaviour do not greatly challenge governance, provided that the decision-makers utilise these gaps for optimising management actions.