The Hydrophilic Metabolite UMP Alleviates Obesity Traits through a HIF2α-ACER2-Ceramide Signaling Axis.

Metabolic abnormalities contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and its complications. Yet, the understanding of the interactions between critical metabolic pathways that underlie obesity remains to be improved, in part owing to the lack of comprehensive metabolomics studies that reconcile data from both hydrophilic and lipophilic metabolome analyses that can lead to the identification and characterization of key signaling networks. Here, the study conducts a comprehensive metabolomics analysis, surveying lipids and hydrophilic metabolites of the plasma and omental adipose tissue of obese individuals and the plasma and epididymal adipose tissue of mice. Through these approaches, it is found that a significant accumulation of ceramide due to inhibited sphingolipid catabolism, while a significant reduction in the levels of uridine monophosphate (UMP), is critical to pyrimidine biosynthesis. Further, it is found that UMP administration restores sphingolipid homeostasis and can reduce obesity in mice by reversing obesity-induced inhibition of adipocyte hypoxia inducible factor 2a (Hif2α) and its target gene alkaline ceramidase 2 (Acer2), so as to promote ceramide catabolism and alleviate its accumulation within cells. Using adipose tissue Hif2α-specific knockout mice, the study further demonstrates that the presence of UMP can alleviate obesity through a HIF2α-ACER2-ceramide pathway, which can be a new signaling axis for obesity improvement.

Prospective prenatal cell-free DNA screening for genetic conditions of heterogenous etiologies.

Prenatal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening uses extracellular fetal DNA circulating in the peripheral blood of pregnant women to detect prevalent fetal chromosomal anomalies. However, numerous severe conditions with underlying single-gene defects are not included in current prenatal cfDNA screening. In this prospective, multicenter and observational study, pregnant women at elevated risk for fetal genetic conditions were enrolled for a cfDNA screening test based on coordinative allele-aware target enrichment sequencing. This test encompasses the following three of the most frequent pathogenic genetic variations: aneuploidies, microdeletions and monogenic variants. The cfDNA screening results were compared to invasive prenatal or postnatal diagnostic test results for 1,090 qualified participants. The comprehensive cfDNA screening detected a genetic alteration in 135 pregnancies with 98.5% sensitivity and 99.3% specificity relative to standard diagnostics. Of 876 fetuses with suspected structural anomalies on ultrasound examination, comprehensive cfDNA screening identified 55 (56.1%) aneuploidies, 6 (6.1%) microdeletions and 37 (37.8%) single-gene pathogenic variants. The inclusion of targeted monogenic conditions alongside chromosomal aberrations led to a 60.7% increase (from 61 to 98) in the detection rate. Overall, these data provide preliminary evidence that a comprehensive cfDNA screening test can accurately identify fetal pathogenic variants at both the chromosome and single-gene levels in high-risk pregnancies through a noninvasive approach, which has the potential to improve prenatal evaluation of fetal risks for severe genetic conditions arising from heterogenous molecular etiologies. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: ChiCTR2100045739 .

LAMB3 Promotes Myofibrogenesis and Cytoskeletal Reorganization in Endometrial Stromal Cells via the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 Pathway.

LAMB3, a major extracellular matrix and basal membrane component, is involved in wound healing. We aimed to understand its role in Asherman's syndrome (AS), which is associated with infertility, by using bioinformatics analysis and cultured endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). MRNAs extracted from tissues obtained from control subjects and patients with severe intrauterine adhesion were sequenced and subjected to bioinformatics analysis and the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway was implicated and this subsequently studied using cultured primary ESCs. The effects of overexpression and knockdown and activation and inhibition of LAMB3 on the mesenchymal to myofibroblastic phenotypic transformation of ECCs were assessed using PCR and western blot analysis. Phalloidin was used to localize the actin cytoskeletal proteins. Silencing of LAMB3 reversed the TGF-ß-induced ESC myofibroblast phenotype conversion, whereas overexpression of LAMB3 promoted this process. Activation and silencing of LAMB3 led to remodeling of the ESC cytoskeleton. Overexpression and silencing of LAMB3 caused activation and inhibition of ESCs, respectively. Y-27632 and LPA reversed the activation and inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway after overexpression and silencing, respectively. These results suggest that LAMB3 can regulate ESC fibrosis transformation and cytoskeleton remodeling via the RhoA/ROCK1/MYL9 pathway. This study provides a potential new target for gene therapy and drug intervention of AS.

High-Pressure-Stabilized Post-Spinel Phase of CdFe2O4 with Distinct Magnetism from Its Ambient-Pressure Spinel Phase.

α-CdFe2O4 stabilizes its normal spinel structure due to the covalent Cd-O bond, in which all the connections between adjacent FeO6 octahedral are edge-shared, forming a typical geometrically frustrated Fe3+ magnetic lattice. As the high-pressure methods were utilized, the post-spinel phase ß-CdFe2O4 with a CaFe2O4-type structure was synthesized at 8 GPa and 1373 K. The new polymorph has an orthorhombic structure with the space group Pnma and an 11.5% higher density than that of its normal spinel polymorph (α-CdFe2O4) synthesized at ambient conditions. The edge-shared FeO6 octahedra form zigzag S = 5/2 spin ladders along the b-axis dominating its low-dimensional magnetic properties at high temperatures and a long-range antiferromagnetic ordering with a high Néel temperature of TN1 = 350 K. Further, the rearrangement of magnetic ordering was found to occur around TN2 = 265 K, below which the competition of two phases or several couplings induce complex antiferromagnetic behaviors.

Enhancing the catalytic performance of Co-N-C derived from ZIF-67 by mesoporous silica encapsulation for chemoselective hydrogenation of furfural.

Developing Cr-free and non-noble metal catalysts with high activity, selectivity and durability for chemoselective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol is highly desirable yet challenging. In this study, we design a hollow mesoporous Co-N-C@mSiO2 nanostructure derived from ZIF-67 via the encapsulation-pyrolysis strategy. The Co-N-C@mSiO2 catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic performance in the furfural hydrogenation towards furfuryl alcohol with good stability, and is much better than the Co-N-C catalyst originating from plain ZIF-67 and other reported transition metal catalysts. Characterization methods and control experiments show that Co-Nx species rather than Co metal should be catalytically active sites for the above reaction. The enhanced performance is associated with abundant Co-Nx active sites, good mass transport, and the SiO2 shell protection. This work provides a novel and facile strategy for preparing highly efficient non-precious metal catalysts to replace Cr-based and noble metal catalysts for furfural hydrogenation.

Cost-Effectiveness of Evolocumab in Adult Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease from Chinese Healthcare Perspective.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the cost-effectiveness of evolocumab with statins versus placebo combined with statins in the treatment of adult patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > 70 mg/dl after the maximum tolerable dose of statin therapy in China. METHODS: A Markov model, based on data from the FOURIER trial, claims databases, and published literature, was used to compare the health outcomes of the two therapies from the perspective of Chinese healthcare system. The time horizon in the model was a lifetime, the cycle length was a year, and the discount rate was 5%. The output indicators of the model included direct medical costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Sensitivity analyses were conducted on critical parameters such as cost, utility, and incidence of cardiovascular events to evaluate the effect of uncertainty in parameters and the robustness of the model. RESULTS: In Chinese adult patients with ASCVD and LDL-C levels > 70 mg/dl, evolocumab was associated with incremental QALYs of 1.25 and incremental costs of 18,714 CNY versus placebo, both with a statin therapy, resulting in an ICER of 14,969 CNY/QALY gained, which was less than the willingness to pay (WTP) threshold (80,976 CNY/QALY, a capita GDP of China, 2021). The result of one-way sensitivity analysis indicated that when the effect of evolocumab on myocardial infarction (MI) rate after the first year varied, ICER changed the most. The results of probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the probability of evolocumab added to statins being cost-effective at a threshold of 80,976 CNY/QALY was 100%. CONCLUSION: Compared with placebo and statin therapy combination, evolocumab added to statin therapy for adult patients with ASCVD and LDL-C > 70 mg/dl in China is cost-effective.

Genetic deconvolution of fetal and maternal cell-free DNA in maternal plasma enables next-generation non-invasive prenatal screening.

Current non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) analyzes circulating fetal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal peripheral blood for selected aneuploidies or microdeletion/duplication syndromes. Many genetic disorders are refractory to NIPS largely because the maternal genetic material constitutes most of the total cfDNA present in the maternal plasma, which hinders the detection of fetus-specific genetic variants. Here, we developed an innovative sequencing method, termed coordinative allele-aware target enrichment sequencing (COATE-seq), followed by multidimensional genomic analyses of sequencing read depth, allelic fraction, and linked single nucleotide polymorphisms, to accurately separate the fetal genome from the maternal background. Analytical confounders including multiple gestations, maternal copy number variations, and absence of heterozygosity were successfully recognized and precluded for fetal variant analyses. In addition, fetus-specific genomic characteristics, including the cfDNA fragment length, meiotic error origins, meiotic recombination, and recombination breakpoints were identified which reinforced the fetal variant assessment. In 1129 qualified pregnancies tested, 54 fetal aneuploidies, 8 microdeletions/microduplications, and 8 monogenic variants were detected with 100% sensitivity and 99.3% specificity. Using the comprehensive cfDNA genomic analysis tools developed, we found that 60.3% of aneuploidy samples had aberrant meiotic recombination providing important insights into the mechanism underlying meiotic nondisjunctions. Altogether, we show that the genetic deconvolution of the fetal and maternal cfDNA enables thorough and accurate delineation of fetal genome which paves the way for the next-generation prenatal screening of essentially all types of human genetic disorders.

Direct preparation of solid carbon dots by pyrolysis of collagen waste and their applications in fluorescent sensing and imaging.

The fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have found their extensive applications in sensing, bioimaging, and photoelectronic devices. In general terms, the synthesis of CDs is straight-forward, though their subsequent purification can be laborious. Therefore, there is a need for easier ways to generate solid CDs with a high conversion yield. Herein, we used collagen waste as a carbon source in producing solid CDs through a calcination procedure without additional chemical decomposition treatment of the raw material. Considering a mass of acid has destroyed the original protein macromolecules into the assembled structure with amino acids and peptide chains in the commercial extraction procedure of collagen product. The residual tissues were assembled with weak intermolecular interactions, which would easily undergo dehydration, polymerization, and carbonization during the heat treatment to produce solid CDs directly. The calcination parameters were surveyed to give the highest conversion yield at 78%, which occurred at 300°C for 2 h. N and S atomic doping CDs (N-CDs and S-CDs) were synthesized at a similar process except for immersion of the collagen waste in sulfuric acid or nitric acid in advance. Further experiments suggested the prepared CDs can serve as an excellent sensor platform for Fe3+ in an acid medium with high anti-interference. The cytotoxicity assays confirmed the biosafety and biocompatibility of the CDs, suggesting potential applications in bioimaging. This work provides a new avenue for preparing solid CDs with high conversion yield.

Pressure-Induced Superconductivity in HgTe Single-Crystal Film.

HgTe film is widely used for quantum Hall well studies and devices, as it has unique properties, like band gap inversion, carrier-type switch, and topological evolution depending on the film thickness modulation near the so-called critical thickness (63.5 Å), while its counterpart bulk materials do not hold these nontrivial properties at ambient pressure. Here, much richer transport properties emerging in bulk HgTe crystal through pressure-tuning are reported. Not only the above-mentioned abnormal properties can be realized in a 400 nm thick bulk HgTe single crystal, but superconductivity is also discovered in a series of high-pressure phases. Combining crystal structure, electrical transport, and Hall coefficient measurements, a p-n carrier type switching is observed in the first high-pressure cinnabar phase. Superconductivity emerges after the semiconductor-to-metal transition at 3.9 GPa and persists up to 54 GPa, crossing four high-pressure phases with an increased upper critical field. Density functional theory calculations confirm that a surface-dominated topologic band structure contributes these exotic properties under high pressure. This discovery presents broad and efficient tuning effects by pressure on the lattice structure and electronic modulations compared to the thickness-dependent critical properties in 2D and 3D topologic insulators and semimetals.

Rare Transient Infantile Hypertriglyceridemia with Hypoglycemia and Insulin Resistance Caused by a Novel GPD1 Mutation.

Introduction: Transient infantile hypertriglyceridemia (HTGTI) is a rare autosomal recessive disease. At present, only 20 cases of HTGTI have been reported worldwide. Hence, it is necessary to further assess the phenotypic and genetic variation spectra of HTGTI. Case Presentation: A 10-month-old male infant was diagnosed with hypertriglyceridemia, hepatomegaly, liver injury, fasting hypoglycemia, and insulin resistance. Trio-whole exome sequencing (trio-WES) was performed on the patient and his parents. Bioinformatics software was used to analyze the suspected genes and potential pathogenicity of the resulting mutant proteins. The results of trio-WES demonstrated that the patient was homozygous for a novel mutation in the GPD1 gene (NM_005276.3; c.805C>T/p.Arg269Trp), whereas his parents were heterozygous for the same mutation. Bioinformatics prediction results demonstrated that the mutation might affect the protein function, and crystal simulation results showed that the mutation might affect the protein-binding ability of the enzyme. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the novel homozygous mutation in GPD1 could be the pathogenic factor in the patient. Our report highlights the value of genome sequencing in the diagnosis of infant liver disease with low phenotypic heterogeneity.

Discovery of Dome-Shaped Superconducting Phase and Anisotropic Transport in a van der Waals Layered Candidate NbIrTe4 under Pressure.

The unique electronic structure and crystal structure driven by external pressure in transition metal tellurides (TMTs) can host unconventional quantum states. Here, the discovery of pressure-induced phase transition at ≈2 GPa, and dome-shaped superconducting phase emerged in van der Waals layered NbIrTe4 is reported. The highest critical temperature (Tc ) is ≈5.8 K at pressure of ≈16 GPa, where the interlayered Te-Te covalent bonds form simultaneously derived from the synchrotron diffraction data, indicating the hosting structure of superconducting evolved from low-pressure two-dimensional (2D) phase to three-dimensional (3D) structure with pressure higher than 30 GPa. Strikingly, the authors have found an anisotropic transport in the vicinity of the superconducting state, suggesting the emergence of a "stripe"-like phase. The dome-shaped superconducting phase and anisotropic transport are possibly due to the spatial modulation of interlayer Josephson coupling .

Qing-Xue-Xiao-Zhi formula attenuates atherosclerosis by inhibiting macrophage lipid accumulation and inflammatory response via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway regulation.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a progressive chronic disease characterised by aberrant lipid metabolism and a maladaptive inflammatory response. As atherosclerosis-driven cardiovascular disease remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, more effective clinical therapies are urgently needed. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has demonstrated efficacy against atherosclerosis, with Qing-Xue-Xiao-Zhi formula (QXXZF) having been approved for clinical treatment of patients with atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms underlying the anti-atherosclerotic activity of QXXZF remain unknown. PURPOSE: To investigate the anti-atherosclerotic effect of QXXZF and reveal its mechanisms using preclinical models. METHODS: In vivo, apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice were fed a high-fat and high-choline diet (HHD) to induce atherosclerosis. Serum metabolomic profiling was used to identify the concentration of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in mice. In vitro, RAW264.7 macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from WT and TLR4-/- C57BL/6 mice were used to explore the effects of QXXZF on macrophages. After confirming the therapeutic effects of QXXZF, mass spectrometry and network pharmacology analyses were used to predict and investigate the main components and the anti-atherogenic mechanisms of QXXZF in the context of atherosclerosis. RESULTS: Our results showed QXXZF significantly suppressed the development of atherosclerosis, as evidenced by the decreased atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta and aortic root, reduced plasma lipid levels and decreased serum TMAO content in HHD-fed ApoE-/- mice. Meanwhile, QXXZF effectively reduced foam cell formation in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and TMAO-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and BMDMs. Moreover, QXXZF facilitated reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in macrophages by upregulating the expression of cholesterol efflux-related genes PPARγ/LXRα/ABCA1/ABCG1. Mechanistic studies revealed that QXXZF influenced cholesterol metabolism by inhibiting the TLR4-mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) axis. Importantly, TLR4 knockout abolished the influence of QXXZF on macrophages. CONCLUSION: QXXZF promotes lipid efflux and inhibits macrophage-mediated inflammation, producing a therapeutic effect against atherosclerosis. Our study provides new insight into the mechanism of QXXZF against atherosclerosis.

Deposition, Characterization, and Modeling of Scandium-Doped Aluminum Nitride Thin Film for Piezoelectric Devices.

In this work, we systematically studied the deposition, characterization, and crystal structure modeling of ScAlN thin film. Measurements of the piezoelectric device's relevant material properties, such as crystal structure, crystallographic orientation, and piezoelectric response, were performed to characterize the Sc0.29Al0.71N thin film grown using pulsed DC magnetron sputtering. Crystal structure modeling of the ScAlN thin film is proposed and validated, and the structure-property relations are discussed. The investigation results indicated that the sputtered thin film using seed layer technique had a good crystalline quality and a clear grain boundary. In addition, the effective piezoelectric coefficient d33 was up to 12.6 pC/N, and there was no wurtzite-to-rocksalt phase transition under high pressure. These good features demonstrated that the sputtered ScAlN is promising for application in high-coupling piezoelectric devices with high-pressure stability.

CircTLK1 modulates sepsis-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via enhancing PARP1/HMGB1 axis-mediated mitochondrial DNA damage by sponging miR-17-5p.

INTRODUCTION: Septic cardiomyopathy is a common complication of sepsis with high morbidity and mortality, but lacks specific therapy. This study aimed to reveal the role of circTLK1 and its potential mechanisms in septic cardiomyopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro and in vivo models of septic cardiomyopathy were established. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK8, TUNEL and flow cytometry, respectively. LDH, CK, SOD, MDA, ATP, 8-OHdG, NAD+/NADH ratio, ROS level, mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome C distribution were evaluated using commercial kits. qRT-PCR and western blotting were performed to detect RNA and protein levels. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and transcription were assessed by quantitative PCR. Dual-luciferase assay, RNA immunoprecipitation and co-immunoprecipitation were performed to verify the interaction between circTLK1/PARP1 and miR-17-5p. RESULTS: CircTLK1, PARP1 and HMGB1 were up-regulated in the in vitro and in vivo models of septic cardiomyopathy. CircTLK1 inhibition restrained LPS-induced up-regulation of PARP1 and HMGB1. Moreover, circTLK1 knockdown repressed sepsis-induced mtDNA oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction and consequent cardiomyocyte apoptosis by inhibiting PARP1/HMGB1 axis in vitro and in vivo. In addition, circTLK1 enhanced PARP1 expression via sponging miR-17-5p. Inhibition of miR-17-5p abolished the protective effects of circTLK1 silencing on oxidative mtDNA damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. CONCLUSION: CircTLK1 sponged miR-17-5p to aggravate mtDNA oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis via activating PARP1/HMGB1 axis during sepsis, indicating that circTLK1 may be a putative therapeutic target for septic cardiomyopathy.

Shen-Yuan-Dan Capsule Attenuates Verapamil-Induced Zebrafish Heart Failure and Exerts Antiapoptotic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects via Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced NF-κB Pathway.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is the end stage of ischemic cardiovascular diseases; nonetheless, safe and effective therapeutic agents for HF are still lacking, and their discovery remains challenging. Our previous studies demonstrated that Shen-Yuan-Dan Capsule (SYDC), a hospital preparation of traditional Chinese herbal, effectively protected ischemic injury in cardiovascular diseases. However, its therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms on HF remain unclear. Methods: A zebrafish HF model treated with verapamil was developed to assess the therapeutic effect of SYDC on HF zebrafish. Zebrafish were administered with SYDC and digoxin (positive control) by direct soaking. After drug treatment, zebrafish were randomly assigned to the visual observation and image acquisition using a Zebralab Blood Flow System. The reactive oxygen species (ROS), MDA, and SOD levels were determined by fluorescence signal detection, TBA, and WST-8 methods. RT-PCR determined the mRNA expressions of Caspase-3, Caspase-1, Bcl-2, Bax, IL-1ß, NF-κB, and TNF-α. Results: SYDC significantly inhibited the levels of heart dilatation and venous congestion and markedly increased the levels of cardiac output, blood flow dynamics, and heart rates in HF zebrafish (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001). Moreover, SYDC also significantly decreased the levels of MDA and ROS and increased the level of SOD in HF zebrafish. The RT-PCR results revealed that SYDC decreased the expression of Caspase-1, Caspase-3, Bax, IL-1ß, NF-κB, and TNF-α but increased the expression of Bcl-2 in HF zebrafish (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001). Conclusions: SYDC improved the heart function in verapamil-induced HF zebrafish and alleviated inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the ROS-mediated NF-κB pathway.

Thermal Conductivity and Stability of Hydrocarbon-Based Nanofluids with Palladium Nanoparticles Dispersed by Modified Hyperbranched Polyglycerol.

Palladium nanoparticles, which were prepared by modified hyperbranched polyglycerol (mHPG) as stabilizers, can be dispersed well in nonpolar organic solvents and form highly stable nanofluids. The influences of three mHPG products modified with cyclohexanethiol (CSHPG), dodecanethiol (DSHPG), and octadecanethiol (OSHPG) on the preparation and stability of the palladium nanoparticles were investigated. The stability and thermal conductivity enhancement of the hydrocarbon-based nanofluids with Pd@mHPG (Pd@CSHPG, Pd@DSHPG, and Pd@OSHPG) compared to the corresponding base fluid were investigated at different temperatures. The average diameters of nanoparticles stabilized by CSHPG, DSHPG, and OSHPG are within 2.7-3.6 nm. The palladium nanoparticles could be dispersed well in the nonpolar base fluid such as decalin. The nanofluids with Pd@DSHPG and Pd@OSHPG could remain stable for up to 330 days at room temperature. The nanofluid with Pd@DSHPG or Pd@OSHPG could be stable for more than 24 h at 110 °C. The thermal conductivity of the nanofluids improved with increasing temperature and the mass fraction of nanoparticles compared to the corresponding base fluid. The long alkyl chain-modified HPG can give better protection for nanoparticles from agglomeration and assist metal nanoparticles in enhancing the thermal conductivity of nanofluids.

Anion-Regulated Synthesis of ZnO 1D Necklace-Like Nanostructures with High Photocatalytic Activity.

One-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials with specific architectures have received increasing attention for both scientific and technological interests for their applications in catalysis, sensing, and energy conversion, etc. However, the development of an operable and simple method for the fabrication of 1D nanostructures remains a challenge. In this work, we developed an "anion-regulated morphology" strategy, in which anions could regulate the dimensionally-restricted anisotropic growth of ZnO nanomaterials by adjusting the surface energy of different growth facets. ZnO 1D necklace-like nanostructures (NNS) could be prepared through a hydrothermal treatment of zinc acetate and urea mixture together with a subsequent calcination procedure at 400 °C. While replacing the acetate ions to nitrate, sulfate, and chlorion ions produced ZnO nanoflowers, nanosheets and hexagonal nanoplates, respectively. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to explain the mechanism behind the anions-regulating anisotropic crystal growth. The specified ZnO 1D NNS offered improved electron transport while the grain surface could supply enlarged specific surface area, thus providing advanced photocatalytic ability in the following photodegradation of methyl orange (MO). Among the four photocatalysts with different morphologies, ZnO 1D NNS, possessing the highest catalytic activity, degraded 57.29% MO in the photocatalytic reaction, which was 2 times, 10 times and 17 times higher than nanoflowers, nanosheets and hexagonal nanoplates, respectively. Our work provides new ideas for the construction and application of ZnO 1D nanomaterials.

Survey on the Mechanical Properties of Lamellar Ag-MXA Supercluster Architectures.

Lamellar nanomaterials with specific architectures and novel properties have received increasing attention from both scientific and technological fields in recent years because of their potential applications in catalysis, energy conversion, and storage devices. Bulk supercluster pellets with well-defined lamellar structures were fabricated by assembling silver clusters and mercaptoalkyl acids (MXA) to investigate the mechanical properties. The relationship between the assembled structure and pressure resistance was surveyed for the first time. The enhanced interlayer interactions were found to increase the elastic modulus of the Ag-MXA supercluster architectures.

Fabrication of Porous Al2O3 Ceramics with Submicron-Sized Pores Using a Water-Based Gelcasting Method.

The gelcasting method is usually employed to fabricate relatively dense ceramics. In this work, however, porous Al2O3 ceramics with submicron-sized pores were fabricated using the water-based gelcasting method by keeping the Al2O3 content at low levels. By controlling the water content in the ceramic slurries and the sintering temperature of the green samples, the volume fractions and the size characteristics of the pores in the porous Al2O3 can be readily obtained. For the porous Al2O3 ceramics prepared with 30 vol.% Al2O3 content in the slurries, their open porosities were from 38.3% to 47.2%, while their median pore sizes varied from 299.8 nm to 371.9 nm. When there was more Al2O3 content in the slurries (40 vol.% Al2O3), the porous Al2O3 ceramics had open porosities from 37.0% to 46.5%, and median pore sizes from 355.4 nm to 363.1 nm. It was found that a higher sintering temperature and Al2O3 content in the slurries increased the mechanical strength of the porous Al2O3 ceramics.

Exendin-4 promotes the vascular smooth muscle cell re-differentiation through AMPK/SIRT1/FOXO3a signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a key role during development and progression of vascular remodeling diseases. Recent studies show that GLP-1 can inhibit intima thickening to delay the progression of atherosclerotic plaques. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Exendin-4, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, in VSMCs phenotype switching and the related mechanisms. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to detect the effect of Exendin-4 on expression of markers of contractile VSMCs. Phalloidin staining was performed to observe the effect of Exendin-4 on morphology of VSMCs. RESULTS: Exendin-4 significantly increased the protein levels of contractile VSMCs markers like Calponin and SM22α. After treatment of Exendin-4, VSMCs showed more typical characteristic spindle shape. In addition, Exendin-4 significantly upregulated the phosphorylation of AMPK as well as the protein levels of Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and FOXO3a in VSMCs. After inhibiting AMPK activity with compound C and SIRT1 activity with EX527, and knocking down FOXO3a expression through RNAi technique, Exendin-4 increased the protein levels of Calponin and SM22α and promoted the redifferentiation of VSMCs mainly through AMPK/SIRT1/FOXO3a signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Exendin-4 can regulate the phenotype switching of VSMCs and promote redifferentiation of VSMCs through AMPK/SIRT1/FOXO3a signaling pathways.