Aberrant METTL14 gene expression contributes to malignant transformation of benzene-exposed myeloid cells.

Benzene is a known contributor to human leukaemia through its toxic effects on bone marrow cells, and epigenetic modification is believed to be a potential mechanism underlying benzene pathogenesis. However, the specific roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a newly discovered RNA post-transcriptional modification, in benzene-induced hematotoxicity remain unclear. In this study, we identified self-renewing malignant proliferating cells in the bone marrow of benzene-exposed mice through in vivo bone marrow transplantation experiments and Competitive Repopulation Assay. Subsequent analysis using whole transcriptome sequencing and RNA m6A methylation sequencing revealed a significant upregulation of RNA m6A modification levels in the benzene-exposed group. Moreover, RNA methyltransferase METTL14, known as a pivotal player in m6A modification, was found to be aberrantly overexpressed in Lin-Sca-1+c-Kit+ (LSK) cells of benzene-exposed mice. Further analysis based on the GEO database showed a positive correlation between the expression of METTL14, mTOR, and GFI and benzene exposure dose. In vitro cellular experiments, employing experiments such as western blot, q-PCR, m6A RIP, and CLIP, validated the regulatory role of METTL14 on mTOR and GFI1. Mechanistically, continuous damage inflicted by benzene exposure on bone marrow cells led to the overexpression of METTL14 in LSK cells, which, in turn, increased m6A modification on the target genes' (mTOR and GFI1) RNA. This upregulation of target gene expression activated signalling pathways such as mTOR-AKT, ultimately resulting in malignant proliferation of bone marrow cells. In conclusion, this study offers insights into potential early targets for benzene-induced haematologic malignant diseases and provides novel perspectives for more targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies.

The NEDD8 activating enzyme inhibitor MLN4924 mitigates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in mice.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a widely utilized chemotherapeutic agent in clinical oncology for treating various cancers. However, its clinical use is constrained by its significant side effects. Among these, the development of cardiomyopathy, characterized by cardiac remodeling and eventual heart failure, stands as a major concern following Dox chemotherapy.In our current investigation, we have showcased the efficacy of MLN4924 in mitigating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through direct inhibition of the NEDD8-activating enzyme, NAE.MLN4924 demonstrated the ability to stabilize mitochondrial function post-doxorubicin treatment, diminish cardiomyocyte apoptosis, alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage in the myocardium, enhance cardiac contractile function, mitigate cardiac fibrosis, and impede cardiac remodeling associated with heart failure. At the mechanistic level, MLN4924 intervened in the neddylation process by inhibiting the NEDD8 activating enzyme, NAE, within the murine cardiac tissue subsequent to doxorubicin treatment.This intervention resulted in the suppression of NEDD8 protein expression, reduction in neddylation activity, and consequential manifestation of cardioprotective effects.Collectively, our findings posit MLN4924 as a potential therapeutic avenue for mitigating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by attenuating heightened neddylation activity through NAE inhibition, thereby offering a viable and promising treatment modality for afflicted patients.

Activation of the Photosensitive Potential of 2D GaSe by Interfacial Engineering.

Two-dimensional (2D) gallium selenide (GaSe) holds great promise for pioneering advancements in photodetection due to its exceptional electronic and optoelectronic properties. However, in conventional photodetectors, 2D GaSe only functions as a photosensitive layer, failing to fully exploit its inherent photosensitive potential. Herein, we propose an ultrasensitive photodetector based on out-of-plane 2D GaSe/MoSe2 heterostructure. Through interfacial engineering, 2D GaSe serves not only as the photosensitive layer but also as the photoconductive gain and passivation layer, introducing a photogating effect and extending the lifetime of photocarriers. Capitalizing on these features, the device exhibits exceptional photodetection performance, including a responsivity of 28 800 A/W, specific detectivity of 7.1 × 1014 Jones, light on/off ratio of 1.2 × 106, and rise/fall time of 112.4/426.8 µs. Moreover, high-resolution imaging under various wavelengths is successfully demonstrated using this device. Additionally, we showcase the generality of this device design by activating the photosensitive potential of 2D GaSe with other transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) such as WSe2, WS2, and MoS2. This work provides inspiration for future development in high-performance photodetectors, shining a spotlight on the potential of 2D GaSe and its heterostructure.

[Research progress of traditional Chinese medicines as quorum sensing inhibitors in collaboration with antibiotics to inhibit drug-resistant bacteria].

Quorum sensing system regulates the expression of genes related to bacterial growth, metabolism and other behaviors by sensing bacterial density, and controls the unified action of the entire bacterial population. This mechanism can ensure the normal secretion of bacterial metabolites and the stability of the biofilm microenvironment, providing protection for the formation of biofilms and the normal growth and reproduction of bacteria. Traditional Chinese medicine, capable of quorum sensing inhibition, can inhibit the formation of bacterial biofilms, reduce bacterial resistance, and enhance the anti-infection ability of antibiotics when combined with antibiotics. In recent years, the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections has become a research hotspot. Starting with the associations between quorum sensing, biofilm and drug-resistant bacteria, this paper reviews the relevant studies about the combined application of traditional Chinese medicines as quorum sensing inhibitors with antibiotics in the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria. This review is expected to provide ideas for the development of new clinical treatment methods and novel anti-infection drugs.

The hemostatic performance and mechanism of palygorskite with structural regulate by oxalic acid gradient leaching.

Palygorskite (Pal) is a naturally available one-dimensional clay mineral, featuring rod-shaped morphology, nanoporous structure, permanent negative charges as well as abundant surface hydroxyl groups, exhibiting promising potential as a natural hemostatic material. In this study, the hemostatic performance and mechanisms of Pal were systematically investigated based on the structural regulate induced by oxalic acid (OA) gradient leaching from perspectives of structure, surface attributes and ion release. In vitro and in vivo hemostasis evaluation showed that Pal with OA leaching for 1 h exhibited a superior blood procoagulant effect compared with the raw Pal as well as the others leached for prolonging time. This phenomenon might be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the intact nanorod-like morphology, the increase in the surface negative charge, the release of metal ions (Fe3+ and Mg2+), and the improved blood affinity, which promoted the intrinsic coagulation pathway, the fibrinogenesis and the adhesion of blood cells, thereby accelerating the formation of robust blood clots. This work is expected to provide experimental and theoretical basis for the construction of hemostatic biomaterials based on clay minerals.

Promising preclinical models for lung cancer research-lung cancer organoids: a narrative review.

Background and Objective: Traditional cell line models are the commonly used preclinical models for lung cancer research. However, cell lines cannot recapitulate the complex tumor heterogeneity and cannot mimic the microenvironment of human cancer. Recently, 3D multicellular in vitro self-assembled models called "organoids" have been developed at a fast pace in the field of research, which can mimic the actual primary tumor. At present, several studies have reported on protocols of lung cancer organoids (LCOs) generation, and using LCOs can provide novel insight into the basic and translational research of lung cancer. However, the establishment of the LCO models remains challenging due to the complexity of lung cancer and the immaturity of organoid technology, so it is necessary to understand the influences of different methodologies on LCO generation and review the applications and limitations of LCO models. Methods: In this review, we searched the literature in the recent ten years in the field of LCOs. Key Content and Findings: We summarized the methodology, the problems, and the solutions in the LCOs generation, its application and limitations, as well as proposing future challenges and perspectives. Conclusions: Currently, LCOs are successfully generated via exploring the methodology by the researchers. Though there are still challenges in clinical application, LCOs are applied in some cancer studies including investigation of anti-cancer treatment response in vitro, modeling tumor immune microenvironment, and construction of organ chips, which are forging a promising path towards precision medicine.

Mechanical transport revealed by optical textures of heavy minerals in aeolian sand: A case study in the Badain Jaran Desert, Northwestern China.

Determining whether and to what extent the relative abundance of heavy minerals in original detrital assemblage has been modified by mechanical transport is beneficial for understanding regional historical climate changes and acquiring modern sediment provenance information. Utilizing the frequency of surface mechanical optical textures of heavy minerals may be an effective approach to address this question. However, the connection between the frequency surface mechanical optical textures of heavy minerals and the variations in the relative abundance of these minerals remains uncertain. In this study, 12 modern aeolian sand samples were collected from the Badain Jaran Desert in hyper arid region of northwestern China, characterized by weak weathering to analyze their relative contents of five major heavy minerals. Then, 3796 transparent heavy mineral grains were photographed under the parallel light of a polarizing microscope, and the frequency of 13 surface mechanical optical textures were calculated. The results reveal that the variations in the relative abundance of heavy minerals are substantially influenced by mechanical transport. The decrease in the relative abundance of heavy minerals with weak mechanical stability primarily attributed to mechanical collision. Conversely, the variations in the relative abundance of heavy minerals with strong mechanical stability are primarily influenced by mechanical abrasion. Therefore, mechanical transport impact on the relative abundance of heavy minerals in regions with weak chemical weathering. Establishing heavy mineral characteristic indices for provenance studies using the relative abundance of mechanically unstable minerals may not directly indicate transport distance but rather the strength of wind forces, which have significant potential in palaeo wind regime studies. This study expands the research field of sediment surface micromorphology and has potential applications in inferring past climate changes and determining modern sediment provenance.

Association Between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies With a Quantitative Bias Analysis of Uncontrolled Confounding.

BACKGROUND: Whether individuals with gestational diabetes (GDM) had an increased risk of hypertension remains unclear. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to examine the association between GDM and hypertension and performed a quantitative bias analysis to quantify the impact of uncontrolled confounding due to antenatal psychological stress. METHODS: We searched databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, and Web of Science) through 2022/11. Eligible studies were cohort studies that reported the association of GDM with hypertension. We assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. We pooled adjusted risk ratios with 95% CIs using a random effects model. We performed the quantitative bias analysis using the bias formula. RESULTS: We included 15 cohort studies, with a total of 3 959 520 (GDM, 175 378; non-GDM, 3 784 142) individuals. During the follow-up of 2 to 20 years, 106 560 cases of hypertension were reported. We found that GDM was associated with a higher risk of hypertension (pooled risk ratio, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.47, 2.17]). The risk ratio was lower among cohorts assessing incident (1.58 [95% CI, 1.29, 1.95]) than prevalent hypertension (2.60 [95% CI, 2.40, 2.83]). However, other subgroup analyses showed no differences. The quantitative bias analysis revealed that if the uncontrolled confounder of antenatal psychological stress was additionally adjusted, the positive association between GDM and hypertension would attenuate slightly (≤18%) but remains positive. CONCLUSIONS: Limitations of this study included residual confounding and discrepancies in GDM and hypertension ascertainments. Our findings indicate that GDM is positively associated with hypertension after the index pregnancy.

Traditional Chinese medicine treats ulcerative colitis by regulating gut microbiota, signaling pathway and cytokine: Future novel method option for pharmacotherapy.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory disease with intestinal tract as the main site. The pathogenic of UC has not yet been clarified, and multiple mechanisms can lead to the pathogenesis of UC. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers an opportunity for UC treatment. TCM has become the preferred treatment for UC with characteristics of multiple targets, multiple pathways and high safety. This review attempted to summarize the characteristics of TCM (compound prescriptions, single Chinese herbs, and active ingredients) for UC treatment and discussed their pathogenesis based on analyzing the UC-related gut microbiota, signaling pathway and cytokine. In order to provide more systematic and diverse reference for TCM in the prevention and treatment of UC, and provide theoretical reference for clinical treatment of UC. Materials and methods: The information was acquired from different databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases. We then focused on the recent research progress in UC treatment by TCM. Finally, the deficiencies and future perspectives are proposed. Results: Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the compound prescriptions (strengthening spleen, clearing heat and removing dampness, clearing heat and removing toxin), single Chinese herbs (replenishing Qi, clearing heat, tonifying blood, etc.), and active ingredients (alkaloids, polysaccharides, flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenes, etc.) have an efficiency in UC treatment by regulating gut microbiota, signaling pathway and cytokine. Conclusions: TCM can achieve its purpose of UC prevention and treatment by acting in multiple ways, and TCM deserves further research and development in this field.

Broad-spectrum hydrocarbon-degrading microbes in the global ocean metagenomes.

Understanding the diversity and functions of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms in marine environments is crucial for both advancing knowledge of biogeochemical processes and improving bioremediation methods. In this study, we leveraged nearly 20,000 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), recovered from a wide array of marine samples across the global oceans, to map the diversity of aerobic hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms. A broad bacterial diversity was uncovered, with a notable preference for degrading aliphatic hydrocarbons over aromatic ones, primarily within Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota. Three types of broad-spectrum hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were identified for their ability to degrade various hydrocarbons and possession of multiple copies of hydrocarbon biodegradation genes. These bacteria demonstrate extensive metabolic versatility, aiding their survival and adaptability in diverse environmental conditions. Evidence of gene duplication and horizontal gene transfer in these microbes suggested a potential enhancement in the diversity of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Positive correlations were observed between the abundances of hydrocarbon-degrading genes and environmental parameters such as temperature (-5 to 35 °C) and salinity (20 to 42 PSU). Overall, our findings offer valuable insights into marine hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms and suggest considerations for selecting microbial strains for oil pollution remediation.

[Structure motif guided mining of MHET hydrolase and development of a two-enzyme cascade for plastics depolymerization at mild temperature].

The utilization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has caused significant and prolonged ecological repercussions. Enzymatic degradation is an environmentally friendly approach to addressing PET contamination. Hydrolysis of mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (MHET), a competitively inhibited intermediate in PET degradation, is catalyzed by MHET degrading enzymes. Herein, we employed bioinformatic methods that combined with sequence and structural information to discover an MHET hydrolase, BurkMHETase. Enzymatic characterization showed that the enzyme was relatively stable at pH 7.5-10.0 and 30-45 ℃. The kinetic parameters kcat and Km on MHET were (24.2±0.5)/s and (1.8±0.2) µmol/L, respectively, which were similar to that of the well-known IsMHETase with higher substrate affinity. BurkMHETase coupled with PET degradation enzymes improved the degradation of PET films. Structural analysis and mutation experiments indicated that BurkMHETase may have evolved specific structural features to hydrolyze MHET. For MHET degrading enzymes, aromatic amino acids at position 495 and the synergistic interactions between active sites or distal amino acids appear to be required for MHET hydrolytic activity. Therefore, BurkMHETase may have substantial potential in a dual-enzyme PET degradation system while the bioinformatic methods can be used to broaden the scope of applicable MHETase enzymes.

mRNA-Seq of testis and liver tissues reveals a testis-specific gene and alternative splicing associated with hybrid male sterility in dzo.

Alternative splicing (AS) plays an important role in the co-transcription and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression during mammalian spermatogenesis. The dzo is the male F1 offspring of an interspecific hybrid between a domestic bull (Bos taurus ♂) and a yak (Bos grunniens ♀) which exhibits male sterility. This study aimed to identify the testis-specific genes and AS associated with hybrid male sterility in dzo. The iDEP90 program and rMATS software were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEG) and differential alternative splicing genes (DSG) based on RNA-seq data from the liver (n=9) and testis (n=6) tissues of domestic cattle, yak, and dzo. Splicing factors (SF) were obtained from the AmiGO2 and the NCBI databases, and Pearson correlation analysis was performed on the differentially expressed SFs and DSGs. We focused on the testis-specific DEGs and DSGs between dzo and cattle and yak. Among the top 3000 genes with the most significant variations between these 15 samples, a large number of genes showed testis-specific expression involved with spermatogenesis. Cluster analysis showed that the expression levels of these testis-specific genes were dysregulated during mitosis with a burst downregulation during the pachynema spermatocyte stage. The occurrence of AS events in the testis was about 2.5 fold greater than in the liver, with exon skipping being the major AS event (81.89~82.73%). A total of 74 DSGs were specifically expressed in the testis and were significantly enriched during meiosis I, synapsis, and in the piRNA biosynthesis pathways. Notably, STAG3 and DDX4 were of the exon skipping type, and DMC1 was a mutually exclusive exon. A total of 36 SFs were significantly different in dzo testis, compared with cattle and yak. DDX4, SUGP1, and EFTUD2 were potential SFs leading to abnormal AS of testis-specific genes in dzo. These results show that AS of testis-specific genes can affect synapsis and the piRNA biosynthetic processes in dzo, which may be important factors associated with hybrid male sterility in dzo.

Calculation and Analysis of Key Parameters of Underwater Optical Imaging System.

When photographing objects underwater, it is important to utilize an optical window to isolate the imaging device from the water. The properties of the entire imaging system will change, and the imaging quality will decrease due to the refraction impact of the water and the window. The theoretical calculation method for air imaging is no longer relevant in this context. To analyze the unique rule, this research derives the formulas for key parameters of underwater imaging systems under paraxial circumstances. First, the optical window is modeled, then the formula for the optical window's focal length in the underwater environment is derived, and the change rule for the focal length of various window forms underwater is condensed. For the ideal imaging system using a domed optical window, the equivalent two-optical group model of the imaging system is established, and the formula for calculating the focal length, working distance, and depth of field of the underwater imaging system is derived through paraxial ray tracing. The accuracy of the formula is verified through the comparative analysis of the formula calculation results and the Zemax modeling simulation results. It provides an important theoretical basis for the in-depth study of underwater imaging technology.

Expression and function of VISTA on myeloid cells.

V-domain containing Ig Suppressor of T cell Activation (VISTA) is predominantly expressed on myeloid cells and functions as a ligand/receptor/soluble molecule. In inflammatory responses and immune responses, VISTA regulates multiple functions of myeloid cells, such as chemotaxis, phagocytosis, T cell activation. Since inflammation and immune responses are critical in many diseases, VISTA is a promising therapeutic target. In this review, we will describe the expression and function of VISTA on different myeloid cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). In addition, we will discuss whether the functions of VISTA on these cells impact the disease processing.

Prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis in deer in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Deer tuberculosis is a chronic zoonotic infectious disease, despite the existence of socio-economic and zoonotic risk factors, but at present, there has been no systematic review of deer tuberculosis prevalence in mainland China. The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the overall prevalence of deer TB in mainland China and to assess possible associations between potential risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. Methodology: This study was searched in six databases in Chinese and English, respectively (1981 to December 2023). Four authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of all retrieved articles to establish the inclusion exclusion criteria. Using the meta-analysis package estimated the combined effects. Cochran's Q-statistic was used to analyze heterogeneity. Funnel plots (symmetry) and used the Egger's test identifying publication bias. Trim-and-fill analysis methods were used for validation and sensitivity analysis. we also performed subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Results: In this study, we obtained 4,400 studies, 20 cross-sectional studies were screened and conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results show: The overall prevalence of tuberculosis in deer in mainland China was 16.1% (95% confidence interval (CI):10.5 24.6; (Deer tuberculosis infected 5,367 out of 22,215 deer in mainland China) 5,367/22215; 1981 to 2023). The prevalence in Central China was the highest 17.5% (95% CI:14.0-21.9; 63/362), and among provinces, the prevalence in Heilongjiang was the highest at 26.5% (95% CI:13.2-53.0; 1557/4291). Elaphurus davidianus was the most commonly infected species, with a prevalence of 35.3% (95% CI:18.5-67.2; 6/17). We also assessed the association between geographic risk factors and the incidence of deer tuberculosis. Conclusion: Deer tuberculosis is still present in some areas of China. Assessing the association between risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis showed that reasonable and scientific-based breeding methods, a suitable breeding environment, and rapid and accurate detection methods could effectively reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. In addition, in the management and operation of the breeding base, improving the scientific feed nutrition standards and establishing comprehensive standards for disease prevention, immunization, quarantine, treatment, and disinfection according to the breeding varieties and scale, are suggested as ways to reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis.

Breaking Fundamental Limitation of Flow-Induced Anisotropic Growth for Large-Scale and Fast Printing of Organic Single-Crystal Films.

Advanced organic electronic technologies have put forward a pressing demand for cost-effective and high-throughput fabrication of organic single-crystal films (OSCFs). However, solution-printed OSCFs are typically plagued by the existence of abundant structural defects, which pose a formidable challenge to achieving large-scale and high-performance organic electronics. Here, it is elucidated that these structural defects are mainly originated from printing flow-induced anisotropic growth, an important factor that is overlooked for too long. In light of this, a surfactant-additive printing method is proposed to effectively overcome the anisotropic growth, enabling the deposition of uniform OSCFs over the wafer scale at a high speed of 1.2 mm s-1 at room temperature. The resulting OSCF exhibits appealing performance with a high average mobility up to 10.7 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is one of the highest values for flexible organic field-effect transistor arrays. Moreover, large-scale OSCF-based flexible logic circuits, which can be bent without degradation to a radius as small as 4.0 mm and over 1000 cycles are realized. The work provides profound insights into breaking the limitation of flow-induced anisotropic growth and opens new avenues for printing large-scale organic single-crystal electronics.

Challenging diagnosis of male intraductal papilloma masquerading as eccrine hidradenoma in the breast: Case report.

RATIONALE: This article presents a challenging case involving an elderly male patient with a misdiagnosed intraductal mammary papilloma initially identified as a sweat adenoma through ultrasound imaging. The study aims to explore the histopathology, clinical presentations, and sonographic features of both conditions, emphasizing the contributing factors to the diagnostic misstep. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 61-year-old male reported a persistent left breast mass, along with pain and swelling, spanning a 6-month duration. DIAGNOSES: Ultrasound examination indicated a deep, square, mixed-echo mass in the left nipple, initially suggestive of a sweat adenoma. However, subsequent pathological analysis following resection under general anesthesia confirmed an intraductal papilloma. INTERVENTION: The patient underwent surgical resection of the left breast mass under general anesthesia. OUTCOME: Post-surgery, the patient exhibited satisfactory recovery; however, regrettably, he was lost to follow-up. LESSONS: This study underscores the challenge in differentiating between clear cell sweat adenoma and male intraductal mammary papilloma solely based on ultrasonic characteristics. It emphasizes the susceptibility of ultrasound-based diagnoses to misinterpretation, highlighting the critical need for a comprehensive pathological examination to establish a definitive diagnosis.

Sophoricoside improved Crohn's disease-like colitis by inhibiting intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis through PI3K/AKT signaling.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Increased apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) is a significant cause of intestinal barrier dysfunction in Crohn's disease (CD). Sophoricoside (SOP) is an isoflavone glycoside known for its anti-apoptotic properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of SOP on mice with CD-like colitis and to understand the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Mice treated with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) were used to examine the therapeutic effect of SOP on CD-like colitis and intestinal barrier damage. To further explore SOP's impact on IECs apoptosis and intestinal barrier protection, an in vitro colonic organoid apoptosis model induced by TNF-α was utilized. Network pharmacology was employed to predict the relevant pathways and molecular processes associated with SOP in the treatment of CD. RESULTS: Treatment with SOP significantly improved colitis symptoms in TNBS mice, as demonstrated by reductions in the Disease Activity Index (DAI), weight loss, colon shortening, macroscopic scores, colonic tissue inflammatory scores, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors. Our experiments confirmed that SOP protects the intestinal barrier by counteracting IECs apoptosis. Additionally, this study established that SOP reduced IECs apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: SOP can reduce IECs apoptosis through the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby protecting the intestinal barrier. This study is the first to illustrate how SOP ameliorates colitis and protects the intestinal barrier, suggesting SOP has potential clinical application in treating CD.

Quenching residual H2O2 from UV/H2O2 with granular activated carbon: A significant impact of bicarbonate.

UV/H2O2 has been used as an advanced oxidation process to remove organic micropollutants from drinking water. It is essential to quench residual H2O2 to prevent increased chlorine demand during chlorination/chloramination and within distribution systems. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filter can quench the residual oxidant and eliminate some of the dissolved organic matter. However, knowledge on the kinetics and governing factors of GAC quenching of residual H2O2 from UV/H2O2 and the mechanism underlying the enhancement of the process by HCO3- is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the kinetics and influential factors, particularly the significant impact of bicarbonate (HCO3-). H2O2 decomposition by GAC followed first-order kinetics, and the rate constants normalised by the GAC dosage (kn) were steady (1.6 × 10-3 L g-1 min-1) with variations in the GAC dosage and initial H2O2 concentration. Alkaline conditions favour H2O2 quenching. The content of basic groups exhibited a stronger correlation with the efficiency of GAC in quenching H2O2 than did the acidic groups， with their specific kn values being 8.9 and 2.4 min-1 M-1, respectively. The presence of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and dissolved organic matter inhibited H2O2 quenching, while HCO3- promoted it. The interfacial hydroxyl radical (HO•) zones were visualised on the GAC surface, and HCO3- addition increased the HO• concentration. HCO3- increased the concentration of persistent free radicals (PFRs) on the GAC surface, which mainly contributed to HO• generation. A significant enhancement of HCO3- on H2O2 quenching by GAC was also verified in real water. This study revealed the synergistic mechanism of HCO3- and GAC on H2O2 quenching and presents the potential applications of residual H2O2 in the H2O2-based oxidation processes.

Flexible Polyolefin Elastomer/Paraffin Wax/Alumina/Graphene Nanoplatelets Phase Change Materials with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Performance for Solar Conversion and Thermal Energy Storage Applications.

In this study, electrically insulating polyolefin elastomer (POE)-based phase change materials (PCMs) comprising alumina (Al2O3) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are prepared using a conventional injection moulding technique, which exhibits promising applications for solar energy storage due to the reduced interfacial thermal resistance, excellent stability, and proficient photo-thermal conversion efficiency. A synergistic interplay between Al2O3 and GNPs is observed, which facilitates the establishment of thermally conductive pathways within the POE/paraffin wax (POE/PW) matrix. The in-plane thermal conductivity of POE/PW/GNPs 5 wt%/Al2O3 40 wt% composite reaches as high as 1.82 W m-1K-1, marking a remarkable increase of ≈269.5% when compared with that of its unfilled POE/PW counterpart. The composite exhibits exceptional heat dissipation capabilities, which is critical for thermal management applications in electronics. Moreover, POE/PW/GNPs/Al2O3 composites demonstrate outstanding electrical insulation, enhanced mechanical performance, and efficient solar energy conversion and transportation. Under 80 mW cm-2 NIR light irradiation, the temperature of the POE/PW/GNPs 5 wt%/Al2O3 40 wt% composite reaches approximately 65 °C, a notable 20 °C improvement when compared with the POE/PW blend. The pragmatic and uncomplicated preparation method, coupled with the stellar performance of the composites, opens a promising avenue and broader possibility for developing flexible PCMs for solar conversion and thermal storage applications.