Efficient removal of per/polyfluoroalkyl substances from water using recyclable chitosan-coated covalent organic frameworks: Experimental and theoretical methods.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) demonstrate remarkable potential for adsorbing per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Nevertheless, the challenge of recycling powdered COFs hampers their practical application in water treatment. In this research, a quaternary amine COF with inherent positive surface charge was synthesised to adsorb perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) via electrostatic interactions. The COF was then combined with chitosan (CS) through a simple dissolution-evaporation process, resulting in a composite gel material termed COF@CS. The findings indicated that the adsorption capacity of COF@CS significantly surpassed that of the original COF and CS. According to the Langmuir model, COF@CS achieved a maximum PFOA capacity of 2.8 mmol g-1 at pH 5. Furthermore, the adsorption rate increased significantly to 6.2 mmol g-1 h-1, compared to 5.9 mmol g-1 h-1 for COF and 3.4 mmol g-1 h-1 for CS. Notably, COF@CS exhibited excellent removal efficacy for ten other types of PFAS. Moreover, COF@CS could be successfully regenerated using a mixture of 70% ethanol and 1 wt% NaCl, and it exhibited stable reusability for up to five cycles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterisation, and theoretical calculations revealed that the quaternary amine functional group in COF served as the primary adsorption site in the composite gel material, while the protonated amino group on CS enhanced PFOA adsorption through electrostatic interaction. This study highlights the significant practical potential of COF@CS in the removal of PFAS from aqueous solution and environmental remediation.

Triboelectric Nanogenerator-Enabled Digital Twins in Civil Engineering Infrastructure 4.0: A Comprehensive Review.

The emergence of digital twins has ushered in a new era in civil engineering with a focus on achieving sustainable energy supply, real-time sensing, and rapid warning systems. These key development goals mean the arrival of Civil Engineering 4.0.The advent of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) demonstrates the feasibility of energy harvesting and self-powered sensing. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental elements comprising civil infrastructure, encompassing various structures such as buildings, pavements, rail tracks, bridges, tunnels, and ports. First, an elaboration is provided on smart engineering structures with digital twins. Following that, the paper examines the impact of using TENG-enabled strategies on smart civil infrastructure through the integration of materials and structures. The various infrastructures provided by TENGs have been analyzed to identify the key research interest. These areas encompass a wide range of civil infrastructure characteristics, including safety, efficiency, energy conservation, and other related themes. The challenges and future perspectives of TENG-enabled smart civil infrastructure are briefly discussed in the final section. In conclusion, it is conceivable that in the near future, there will be a proliferation of smart civil infrastructure accompanied by sustainable and comprehensive smart services.

A Natural Gradient Biological-Enabled Multimodal Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Driving Safety Monitoring.

A key element to ensuring driving safety is to provide a sufficient braking distance. Inspired by the nature triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), a gradient and multimodal triboelectric nanogenerator (GM-TENG) is proposed with high sensitivity and excellent multimodal monitoring. The gradient TPMS structure exhibits the multi-stage stress-strain properties of typical porous metamaterials. Significantly, the multimodal monitoring capability depends on the implicit function of the defined level constant c, which directly contributes to the multimodal driving safety monitoring. The mechanical and electrical responsive behavior of the GM-TENG is analyzed to identify the applied speed, load, and working mode. In addition, optimized peak open-circuit voltage (Voc) is demonstrated for self-awareness of the braking condition. The braking distance factor (L) is conceived to construct the self-aware equation of the friction coefficient based on the integration of Voc with respect to time. Importantly, R-squared up to 94.29 % can be obtained, which improves self-aware accuracy and real-time capabilities. This natural structure and self-aware device provide an effective strategy to improve driving safety, which contributes to the improvement of road safety and presents self-powered sensing with potential applications in an intelligent transportation system.

Chemical Constituents, Bioactivities, and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Dendrobium officinale: A Review of the Past Decade.

Dendrobium officinale, a plant in the Orchidaceae family, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Sweet and slightly cold in nature, it can invigorate the stomach, promote fluid production, nourish Yin, and dissipate heat. Over the past decade, more than 60 compounds have been derived from D. officinale, including flavonoids, bibenzyl, and phenanthrene. Various studies have explored the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of these compounds, which have shown antitumor, hypoglycemic, hypertensive, gastrointestinal-regulatory, visceral organ protection, antiaging, and neurorestorative effects. This paper presents a systematic review of the structural classification, biological activity, and pharmacological mechanisms of different chemical components obtained from D. officinale over the past decade. This review aims to provide a reference for future study and establish a foundation for clinical applications. Furthermore, this review identifies potential shortcomings in current research as well as potential directions and methodologies in future plant research.

Preparation of pazopanib-fumarate disodium glycyrrhizinate nanocrystalline micelles by liquid-assisted ball milling.

Pazopanib (PZ) is a multikinase inhibitor, which is mainly used in the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma and advanced renal cancer. However, because of its water insolubility, oral bioavailability is poor. At the same time, photo lability and high dose oral administration lead to severe hepatotoxicity, which is limited in clinical application. In this paper, the novel pazopanib-fumarate disodium glycyrrhizinate nanocrystalline micelles are successfully prepared by liquid-assisted ball milling. The prepared cocrystals and nanocrystalline micelle structures are systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) analysis. In vitro solubility and dissolution experiments show that the solubility and dissolution of nanocrystalline micelles are significantly improved under different simulated physiological conditions. The accelerated stabilization experiments show that the nanocrystalline micelles have good physical and chemical stability and showed excellent stability in water (Zeta potential was 62.39 mV). In addition, the in vivo bioavailability of nanocrystalline micelles is 3 times higher than that of PZ, and the therapeutic threshold (> 20 µg/mL) is up to 30 h. This new strategy provides a feasible solution to the undesirable properties of PZ.

The release of FB1-induced heterophil extracellular traps in chicken is dependent on autophagy and glycolysis.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a worldwide contaminating mycotoxin produced by Fusarium, poses a great threat to the poultry industry. It was reported that extracellular traps could be induced by FB1 efficiently in chickens. However, the relevance of autophagy and glycolysis in FB1-triggered heterophil extracellular trap (HET) formation is unclear. In this study, immunostaining revealed that FB1-induced HETs structures were composed of DNA coated with histones H3, and elastase, and that heterophils underwent LC3B-related autophagosome formation assembly driven by FB1. Western blotting showed that FB1 downregulated the phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) axis and raised the AMP-activated kinase α (AMPKα) activation protein. Furthermore, rapamycin- and 3-Methyladenine (3-MA)-treatments modulated FB1-triggered HET formation according to the pharmacological analysis. Further studies on energy metabolism showed that glucose/lactate transport and glycolysis inhibitors abated FB1-induced HETs. These results showed that FB1-induced HET formation might interact with the autophagy process and relied on glucose/monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 (MCT1) and glycolysis, reflecting chicken's early innate immune responses against FB1 intake.

A new operation for gallstones: Choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy, a retrospective study of 3,511 cases.

BACKGROUND: Due to the influence of traditional Chinese culture, many cholelithiasis patients refuse to undergo cholecystectomy. This has prompted surgeons to consider a new treatment option for gallstones, which preserves the gallbladder, termed as choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy. In this study, we reviewed the clinical outcomes of 23 years of single-center application of choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy. METHODS: A total of 5,451 patients with chronic cholelithiasis were selected from 1992 to 2011 as per the inclusion criteria for the choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy study, and clinicopathological and follow-up data were collected from 4,340 patients who underwent successful choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy. The endpoints of the follow-up were recurrence of stones, loss to follow-up, patient death, removal of the gallbladder for other reasons, or end of follow-up in December 2015. RESULTS: All 4,340 cases underwent choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy with a mean procedure time of 79.6 ± 35.4 minutes, among which 3,511 (80.9%) received at least 1 follow-up. The recurrence rate of gallstones gradually increased with increasing follow-up duration, with a recurrence rate of 0.83% within 1 year after surgery and a maximal cumulative recurrence rate of 7.94% at 23 years. The 5-year cumulative recurrence rate of gallstones in the age group ≤20 years was 16.80%, which was significantly higher than those of other age groups, and the 5-year recurrence rate in the single gallstone group was 2.87%, which was significantly lower than that in the multiple gallstone group. Age and number of gallstones were independent risk factors for gallstone recurrence after choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy. CONCLUSION: The recurrence rate of gallstones after choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy is low, and most patients with recurrence are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms. Age and number of gallstones were independent risk factors. Choledochoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy is a safe and effective surgical option for gallstone removal in patients who do not wish to undergo cholecystectomy.

Azilsartan-nicotinamide cocrystal: Preparation, characterization and in vitro / vivo evaluation.

Azilsartan (AZL) is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, which is mainly used for the treatment of hypertension. AZL has the advantages of high selectivity, hypotensive effect, protection of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In order to improve the water solubility of AZL and its bioavailability, AZL -nicotinamide (NA) cocrystal was prepared by mechanical ball milling, and the effect of ball milling conditions on cocrystal preparation were studied. AZL-NA cocrystal was identified and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The results showed that AZL-NA cocrystal with the molar ratio of 1:2 was successfully prepared. And the optimum ball milling condition was milling speed of 300 rpm, milling time of 50 min, the solvent was ethanol/acetonitrile (1:1, v/v), and the solvent dosage (η) was 0.8 µL/mg. The results of solubility tests showed that the solubility of AZL in the cocrystal was 3.39 times higher than the pure drug at 24 h. And the results of vitro dissolution tests showed that the cumulative dissolution of AZL in 2 h was about 10%. While distilled water, pH 1.2 and pH 4.5 acid or buffered solutions and pH 6.8 buffer phosphate salt solution was used as the dissolution medium, the cumulative dissolution of AZL in cocrystal reached 50%, 35%, 55% and 90%, respectively, showing obvious improvement of dissolution. In addition, the accelerated stability tests showed that the AZL-NA cocrystal had good chemical stability. And the pharmacokinetic results showed that AZL-NA cocrystal could significantly improve the bioavailability of AZL.

Chicken heterophils extracellular traps act as early effectors against cyclopiazonic acid dependent upon NADPH oxidase, ROS and glycolysis.

Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) is a secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium, which is present in contaminated crops and food, causing severe toxicity to humans and animals. Heterophil extracellular traps (HETs) are a novel host innate immune mechanism of chicken heterophils against pathogen infection. However, whether CPA can cause immunotoxicity of heterophils on HETs release remains unclear. Here, we attempt to detect the effects of CPA on HETs release, and further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. We exposed heterophils to 2.5, 5, 10 µM CPA for 90 min. The results showed that CPA induced the release of HETs in heterophils, consisting of DNA-modified citrullinated histone 3 and elastase. The quantitative analysis of HETs content was positively correlated with CPA concentration. CPA also promoted reactive oxygen species production and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38. In addition, CPA-triggered HETs formation was reduced by NADPH oxidase, ERK1/2, and p38 signaling pathway and glycolysis inhibitors, indicating that CPA-induced HETs were related to the production of ROS dependent on NADPH oxidase, ERK1/2, and p38 signaling pathways, as well as glycolysis. Our study describes the underlying mechanism of CPA-induced HETs release, which may provide a further understanding of the immunotoxicology of CPA poisoning.

Fumonisin B1 induces chicken heterophil extracellular traps mediated by PAD4 enzyme and P2 × 1 receptor.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a common mycotoxin contamination in agricultural commodities being considered as a significant risk to human and livestock health, while the mechanism of FB1 immunotoxicity are less understood, especially in chicken. Given that extracellular traps as a novel defense mechanism of leukocytes play an important role against foreign matters, in this study we aimed to investigate the effects of FB1 on chicken heterophil extracellular traps (HETs) formation. Our result showed that FB1 induced HETs release in chicken heterophils observed via immunostaining, and it was concentration-dependent during 10 to 40 µM. Moreover, in 40 µM FB1-exposed chicken heterophils, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was increased, while catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and glutathione (GSH) content were decreased. Simultaneously, FB1 (40 µM) activated ERK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways via increasing the phosphorylation level of ERK and p38 proteins. However, pretreatment of SB202190, U0126, and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI) did not change FB1-triggered ROS production and HETs formation, suggesting FB1-induced HETs was a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, p38, and extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathways-independent process. Inhibition of peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) enzyme and P2 × 1 receptor showed their vital role in 40 µM FB1-triggered HETs. This study reported for the first time that 40 µM FB1 induced the release of HETs in heterophils, and it was related to ROS production, PAD4, and P2 × 1, but was independent of NADPH oxidase, p38 and ERK signaling pathways, which might provide a whole novel perspective of perceiving and understanding the role of FB1 in immunotoxicity.

Baicalin protects against zearalenone-induced chicks liver and kidney injury by inhibiting expression of oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines and caspase signaling pathway.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a secondary metabolite produced by fungi such as Fusarium and Fusarium flavum, which is classified as a mycotoxin. Crops and feed in a humid surrounding are widely polluted by ZEA, which further endangering the healthful aquaculture of poultry and even human health. Up to now, prevention and cure of mycotoxicosis is still a crucial subject of poultry husbandry. Baicalin (BAI) is a flavonoid refined from dried roots of Scutellaria baicalensis possessing the function of hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-atherosclerotic efficacies.etc. But whether Baicalin also has a protective effect against ZEA intoxication is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a model of ZEA-induced toxic injury in chicks, and then to investigate the way in which Baicalin plays a protective role in the mechanism of ZEA-induced liver and kidney injury in chicks. The results exhibit that Baicalin could not only significantly decrease aspartate aminotransferase (AST) , alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatinine (Cre) levels in serum, but also ameliorate ZEA-induced pathologic changes of liver and kidney. Baicalin could also significantly regulate ZEA-induced the changes of catalase (CAT) , malondialdehyde (MDA) , total sulfhydryl group , except for glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) , and inhibit the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) , interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with caspase-3 and caspase-11 in the caspase signaling pathway , meanwhile inhibit the cell apoptosis in immunohistochemistry. In summary, we successfully established a model of ZEA-induced liver injury in chicks, and confirm that Baicalin can reduce ZEA-induced liver and kidney injury in chicks. The mechanism of these effects is via inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis, which also indicates the potential applicability of Baicalin for the prevention and treatment of ZEA-induced toxicity in chicks.

Bongkrekic acid induced neutrophil extracellular traps via p38, ERK, PAD4, and P2X1-mediated signaling.

Bongkrekic acid (BKA) produced by pseudomonas cocovenenans is a deadly toxin, and is mainly found in spoiled or fermented foods. However, less is known on its immunotoxicity. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are a novel effector mechanism of neutrophils against invading pathogens, but excessive NETs also contribute to tissue damage. This study aimed to investigate NET formation triggered by BKA in murine neutrophils, and describe its characteristics and potential mechanisms. Our results showed that BKA triggered NET formation via co-localization of DNA and histone or MPO by immunostaining. Moreover, BKA-triggered NET formation was dose- and time-dependent via NET quantification based on Picogreen-derived fluorescence intensities. Furthermore, BKA increased ROS production in neutrophils. Pharmacological inhibition indicated that BKA-triggered NET formation was associated with ROS-p38 and -ERK signaling pathways, but independent on NADPH oxidase. Besides, PAD4 and P2X1 receptor also mediated BKA-triggered NET formation. To our knowledge, all these findings provide for the first time an initial understanding of BKA on innate immunity, which might be helpful for further investigation on BKA immunotoxicity.

Inositol hexanicotinate self-micelle solid dispersion is an efficient drug delivery system in the mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Inositol hexanicotinate (IHN) self-micelle solid dispersion (SD) with glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and arabic gum (AG) was prepared by mechanical ball milling process to improve the solubility, stability of amorphous state, and bioavailability of IHN, which enhanced the treatment of IHN on hyperlipidemia and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The physicochemical properties of IHN/GA/AG SDs in solid state were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction studies, and scanning electron microscopy. The characteristics of the sample solutions were analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC, particle characterization, critical micelle concentration, and transmission electron microscopy. Further pharmacokinetic study of this SD formulation in rats showed a significant 3.3-fold increase in bioavailability compared to pure IHN. Moreover, biomarkers in serum and liver of NAFLD mice were significantly ameliorated after oral administration of IHN/GA/AG SDs for 15 days. Altogether, these results establish the mechanochemically prepared IHN/GA/AG SDs as an efficacious formulation for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and NAFLD.

Histamine triggers the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps via NADPH oxidase, ERK and p38 pathways.

Histamine plays a central role in various allergic diseases, such as allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation is a novel effector mechanism of neutrophils to defend against various stimuli. In this present study, we aimed to investigate the role of histamine on bovine NET formation, and examined its preliminary molecular mechanisms. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and Lactate dehydrogenase assays showed that histamine had no significant influence on PMNs (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) viability. Confocal microscopy analyses identified NET structures by co-localizing the main components of NETs, and NET quantification revealed that histamine-triggered NETs were released in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 proteins were significantly elevated in histamine-challenged PMNs. By applying functional inhibitors of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase (NADPH oxidase), ERK and p38, histamine-triggered NETs were markedly reduced, indicating their importance in histamine-triggered NET formation. Our findings described histamine-triggered NET formation, and revealed its potential molecular mechanisms via NADPH oxidase, ERK and p38 pathways. This is the first study to depict histamine-triggered NET formation, which could provide a new insight into histamine-related diseases.

Misdiagnosis of ligamentoid fibromatosis of the small mesenteric: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Ligamentoid fibromatosis is a rare borderline tumor that occurs in the muscles, fascia, and aponeurosis. It is a kind of soft tissue tumor of fibrous origin, also known as invasive fibromatosis, desmoid fibroma, neurofibromatosis, etc. The tumor is between benign and malignant tumors and rarely has distant metastasis. Its characteristics are mainly local invasion, destruction and growth and easy recurrence. The World Health Organization defines it as a fibroblast cloning value-added lesion originating from deep soft tissue, which causes local invasion and growth leading to tissue reconstruction, extrusion and destruction of important structures and organs. The incidence rate accounts for 0.03% of all tumors and less than 3% of all soft tissue tumors. Definite diagnosis mainly depends on postoperative pathology. Surgical resection is still the main way to treat the disease, and a variety of nonsurgical treatment methods are auxiliary. Combined treatment can effectively reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence. CASE SUMMARY: The patient is a 57-year-old female. One week ago, she accidentally found a mass in the left upper abdomen while lying flat. There was no abdominal pain and abdominal distention, no fever, no black stool and blood in the stool and no nausea and vomiting. She had a 10-year history of glaucoma on the left side, underwent hysterectomy for uterine fibroids 5 years ago, had no hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, hepatitis or tuberculosis, had no history of smoking and had been drinking for 20 years. CONCLUSION: Accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult, surgical resection is the main treatment, and a variety of nonsurgical treatment methods are auxiliary. Combined treatment can effectively reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence. The prognosis is still good, and the risk of recurrence of secondary surgery is greatly increased.

Fumonisins B1 exposure triggers intestinal tract injury via activating nuclear xenobiotic receptors and attracting inflammation response.

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins that are widely distributed in crops and feed, and ingestion of FBs -contaminated crops is harmful to animal health. Furthermore, it is unknown if Fumonisins B1 (FB1) can cause intestinal toxicity. To investigate FB1-induced intestinal toxicity, mice were treated with 0 or 5 mg/kg FB1 by gavage administration for 42 days. Histopathology indicated that FB1 exposure caused proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells, intestinal villi and epithelial layer shedding, intestinal gland atrophy, and necrosis. Notably, FB1 interfered with nuclear xenobiotic receptors (NXR) homeostasis by regulating the level of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR) and downstream target genes (CYP450s). Moreover, abnormal expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and TNF-α) indicated the occurrence of inflammation. The present study provides new insights regarding the mechanism of FB1-induced intestinal toxicity through activating the NXR system and by triggering inflammatory responses in the intestinal tract in mice.

Sodium Butyrate Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Responses by Down-Regulation of NF-κB, NLRP3 Signaling Pathway, and Activating Histone Acetylation in Bovine Macrophages.

Sodium butyrate is the sodium salt of butyric acid, which possesses many biological functions including immune system regulation, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ability. The present study was designed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of sodium butyrate on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bovine macrophages. The effect of sodium butyrate on the cell viability of bovine macrophages was assayed by using the CCK-8 kit. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the gene expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS). NF-κB, NLRP3 signaling pathway, and histone deacetylase were detected by western blotting. The results showed that sodium butyrate had no significant effect on cell viability at 0-1 mM, and inhibited LPS-induced IL-6, IL-1ß, COX-2, and iNOS expression. Moreover, sodium butyrate suppressed LPS (5 µg/ml)-stimulated the phosphorylation of IκB and p65, inhibited the deacetylation of histone H3K9, and has also been found to inhibit protein expression in NLRP3 inflammasomes. Thus, our finding suggested that sodium butyrate relieved LPS-induced inflammatory responses in bovine macrophage by inhibiting the canonical NF-κB, NLRP3 signaling pathway, and histone decetylation, which might be helpful to prevent cow mastitis.

Assessment of ionic homeostasis imbalance and cytochrome P450 system disturbance in mice during fumonisin B1 (FB1) exposure.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin frequently found in agricultural commodities, and poses a considerable risk for human and animal health. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxic effect of FB1 in mice intestine. Male Kunming mice (n = 40) were treated with FB1 diet for 42 days. Histopathological and biochemical analyses, including ion concentrations, transcription of ATPase subunits and mRNA expression of cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) analyses were performed on duodenum, cecum and colon of mice. The results revealed that FB1 caused histological alterations, including partial shedding of villous epithelial cells and inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, a significant change in Na+, K+ and Ca2+ in serum, and the mRNA expression of ATPase subunits and CYP450s in intestinal tracts were observed in FB1-exposed mice. Our results suggested that FB1 exposure induce histopathological injury via disrupting CYP isoforms transcription and triggering ion homeostasis imbalance in mice intestinal tracts.

Prediction of mechanical properties of green concrete incorporating waste foundry sand based on gene expression programming.

Waste foundry sand (WFS) is a major pollutant generated from metal casting foundries and is classified as a hazardous material due to the presence of organic and inorganic pollutants which can cause adverse environmental impact. In order to promote the re-utilization of WFS, gene expression programming (GEP) has been employed in this study to develop empirical models for prediction of mechanical properties of concrete made with WFS (CMWFS). An extensive and reliable database of mechanical properties of CMWFS is established through a comprehensive literature review. The database comprises of 234 compressive strength, 163 split tensile strength and 85 elastic modulus results. The four most influential parameters i.e. water-to-cement ratio, WFS percentage, WFS-to-cement content ratio and fineness modulus of WFS are considered as the input parameters for modelling. The mechanical properties can be estimated by the application of proposed simplified mathematical expressions. The performance of the models is assessed by conducting parametric analysis, applying statistical checks and comparing with regression models. The results reflected that the proposed models are accurate and possess a high generalization and prediction capability. The findings of this study can enhance the re-usage of WFS for development of green concrete leading to environmental protection and monetary benefits.