pH and ligand dependent assembly of Well-Dawson arsenomolybdate capped architectures.

Five Well-Dawson-type arsenomolybdates, formulated as [Cu(2,2'-bpy)2][{Cu(2,2'-bpy)}3{As2(V)Mo2(V)Mo16(VI)O62}]·4H2O (1), [H2(4,4'-bpy)]2.5[As(III)(As2(V)Mo2(V)Mo16(VI)O62)]·5H2O (2), (pyr)(imi)(Himi)3[As2(III)(As2(V)Mo3(V)Mo15(VI)O62)]·3H2O (3), [As3(III)(As2(V)Mo3(V)Mo15(VI)O62)]·4H2O (4), and (H2btp)3[As2(V)Mo18(VI)O62]·6H2O (5) (bpy = bipyridine, pyr = pyrazine, imi = imidazole, btp = 1,5-bis(triazol)pentane), have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by the elemental analysis, TG, IR, UV-vis-NIR, XPS, XRD, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural analysis indicates that compounds 1-4 contain rare reduced Dawson {As2Mo18O62} (abbreviated as {As2Mo18}) anions as parent cluster unit, which are capped by a certain number of Cu(II) or As(III) species on different coordination positions via altering pH values and organic ligand of the reaction system. Compounds 1 and 2 are asymmetric tricopper and monoarsenate(III) capped assemble by three {Cu(bpy)}(2+) and a {AsO3} fragments, respectively. Compounds 3 and 4 are symmetric biarsenate(III) and triarsenate(III) capped cluster by four and six half occupancy {AsO3} units, respectively. Compound 5 is uncapped {As2Mo18} structures. Compounds 1-4 represent infrequent Dawson arsenomolybdate capped architectures, especially 2-4, as arsenate(III) capped Dawson-type assemblies are observed for the first time. Compounds 1-5 display good electrocatalytic activity on reduction of nitrite. Compounds 1, 2, 3, and 5 exhibit fluorescent properties in the solid state at room temperature. In addition, magnetic properties of 1-4 have been investigated in detail.

Edible gum addition improves the quality of freeze-dried restructured strawberry blocks.

Freeze-dried restructured strawberry blocks (FRSB) have become an increasingly popular product. In this study, the effects of six edible gums (guar gum, gelatin, xanthan gum, pectin, konjac gum, and carrageenan) on the FRSB quality were investigated. For FRSBs, compared with those in untreated samples, the 0.6 % guar gum addition increased texture profile analysis (TPA) hardness, chewiness, and puncture hardness by 29.59%, 174.86%, and 25.34%, respectively; after the 0.6% gelatin addition, the sensory evaluation sourness was reduced by 8.58%, whereas yield, TPA chewiness, and puncture hardness were increased by 3.40%, 28.62%, and 92.12%, respectively; with the 0.9% gelatin addition, the sensory evaluation sourness was reduced by 8.58%; with the 0.9% pectin addition, the yield, TPA hardness, chewiness, and puncture hardness were increased by 4.55%, 5.94%, 77.49%, and 103.62%, respectively. In summary, 0.6-0.9% pectin, gelatin, and guar gum addition are recommended to improve the main qualities of FRSBs.

Effects of prenatal hypoxia on placental glucocorticoid barrier: Mechanistic insight from experiments in rats.

Prenatal hypoxia is the most common stress in mid-late gestation that usually arise from maternal, placental and/or fetal factors. As a multifunctional organ enabling optimal fetal growth, placenta must adapt to diverse environmental stressors. Excessive glucocorticoids exposure is known to have adverse effects on fetal growth. The fetus is shielded by a placental glucocorticoid barrier by 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11ß-HSD2). However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of intrauterine hypoxia on placental glucocorticoid barrier are largely unknown. This study was the first to determine the effects and its mechanisms. Pregnant rats were exposed to hypoxia (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD)10-20. At GD20, expression of 11-ßHSD2 were determined in placenta, and corticosterone levels were measured in maternal and fetal plasma. Prenatal hypoxia disrupted the placental glucocorticoid barrier by suppressing 11-ßHSD2 expression. Meanwhile, the decreased 11-ßHSD2 was correlated with an increased DNA methylation within its gene promoter. Together, these results indicated that prenatal hypoxia impair placental glucocorticoid barrier, was strongly associated with reprogrammed 11-ßHSD2 expression via a DNA methylation-mediated epigenetic mechanism.

Function, quality-of-life and complications after sacrospinous ligament fixation using an antegrade reusable suturing device (ARSD-Ney) at 6 and 12 months: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common pathology in the female population. Sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) is one of the traditional transvaginal procedures for POP and high sacrospinous ligament fixation (h-SSLF) optimizes it using an antegrade reusable suturing device (ARSD-Ney). Previous studies on h-SSLF have focused on the correction of anatomical positions, with less assessment of patients' function, quality of life and complications. In this study, we evaluated post-operative complications, function, and quality-of-life after h-SSLF to confirm the safety and effectiveness of it. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that included 71 patients between 2018 and 2021: 50 patients for h-SSLF and 21 patients for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) according to patient age and background, POP-Q stage, patient preference, and so on. A clinical evaluation took place before surgery and was repeated at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Intra- and post-operative complications and anatomical results were recorded. Patients completed self-administered questionnaires for functional pelvic problems [Pelvic Floor Disability Index-20 (PFDI-20)], quality of life [Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7)], and sexual function [Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12)] at each medical visit. Results: Patients in both h-SSLF and LSC groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics except for surgery time (86.04±28.70 vs. 153.19±54.88, P<0.05), postoperative indwelling catheter time (3.88±1.65 vs. 4.90±1.84, P<0.05), and hospital stay (8.94±2.38 vs. 10.57±2.06, P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in scores of PFDI-20, PFIQ-7, and PISQ-12 at pre- and post-operative 6 and 12 months (P>0.05). Functional pelvic problems (PFDI-20 scores) and their impact on patients' quality of life (PFIQ-7 scores) significantly improved at 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). Improvements in sexual activity were noted at 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P<0.05). Conclusions: This retrospective cohort study confirmed the positive results of h-SSLF in terms of improvement in function and quality of life following treatment for pelvic organ prolapse.

An active marine halophenol derivative attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver injury in mice by improving M2 macrophage-mediated therapy.

2,4',5'-Trihydroxyl-5,2'-dibromo diphenylmethanone (LM49), an active halophenol derivative synthesized by our group, which exhibits a broad spectrum of therapeutic properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we found LM49 could obviously attenuate acute liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice by polarizing macrophages. The protective effect was described by reducing the hepatic inflammation and improving hepatic function using aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) assay. Further study revealed that LM49 pretreatment induced the Kupffer cells (KCs) to M2 polarization and decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines. The action mechanism in RAW 264.7 macrophages showed that LM49 could induce the activation of JAK1/STAT6 signaling pathway and the inhibition of TLR-4/NF-kB axis. Morever, LM49 also upregulated the expression of SOCS1 and FLK-4, which can promote M2 polarization by cooperating with STAT6 and inhibit M1 formation by reducing JAK1/STAT1. Our results suggested that LM49 could protect against LPS-induced acute liver injury in mice via anti-inflammatory signaling pathways and subsequent induction of M2 Kupffer cells. The results provided the first experimental evidence of active halophenols for the anti-inflammatory therapy by targeting M2 macrophages.

A novel marine halophenol derivative attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells via activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND: 2,4',5'-Trihydroxyl-5,2'-dibromo diphenylmethanone (LM49), a novel active halophenol derivative synthesized by our group from marine plants, exhibits strong anti-inflammatory activities. However, molecular machineries involved in its effect have not been fully identified. The study was aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of LM49 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and its underlying mechanism. METHODS: RAW264.7 cells were treated with LPS (10 µg/mL) and then exposed to different concentrations of LM49 (i.e., 5, 10, and 15 µM) for 24 h. Cytokine release in culture medium of RAW264.7 cells was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Phagocytic capacity (FITC-dextran uptake) was determined by flow cytometry. The protein level of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), AKT and p-AKT was measured by western blot analysis. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that LM49 reduced the production and mRNA levels of cytokines related to inflammation such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and increased the level of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. In addition, LM49 decreased the production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species. Moreover, flow cytometry showed that LM49 significantly enhanced the phagocytic capacity (FITC-dextran uptake) of macrophages. The effects of LM49 were significantly inhibited by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002. In particular, LY294002 attenuated the phagocytic capacity of RAW264.7 cells induced by LM49 and prevented the effects on cytokines. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that LM49 possesses anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, in which the PI3K/Akt pathway plays an essential role. LM49 may have clinical utility as an anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, we demonstrated that a halophenol derivative (LM49) could possess anti-inflammatory activity on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the phagocytic capacity, in which the PI3K/Akt pathway plays an essential role. LM49 may have clinical utility as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Cadmium hyperaccumulation as an inexpensive metal armor against disease in Crofton weed.

Invasive plants readily invade metal-contaminated areas. The hyperaccumulation of toxic heavy metals is not an uncommon feature among plant species. Although several hypotheses were proposed to explain this phenomenon, it is currently unclear how hyperaccumulation may benefit plants. The invasive Crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) is a known hyperaccumulator of chromium and lead. We previously found that the species can also hyperaccumulate cadmium. The role of phytoaccumulation in defense to pathogen attack is unclear. We inoculated A. adenophora plants with a common generalist pathogen (Rhizoctonia solani) to test its resistance under cadmium treatment. We found evidence that cadmium hyperaccumulation reduced pathogen infection in A. adenophora. Our findings indicate elemental defense is highly cost efficient for hyperaccumulators inhabiting metal-contaminated sites, where plants were only modestly affected by cadmium. The reduction in pathogen damage conferred by cadmium was relatively high, particularly under lower cadmium levels. However, the benefits at higher levels may be capped. Elemental defense may be a key mechanism for plant invasion into polluted sites, especially in regions with widespread industrial activity. Our study highlights the importance of testing different metal concentrations when testing plant resistance and the importance of considering enemy attack when selecting plants for phytoremediation.

Metabolic Changes Precede Radiation-Induced Cardiac Remodeling in Beagles: Using Noninvasive 18F-FDG (18F-Fludeoxyglucose) and 13N-Ammonia Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Scans.

Background This study was performed to characterize the metabolic, functional, and structural cardiac changes in a canine model of radiation-induced heart disease by serial in vivo imaging and ex vivo analyses. Methods and Results Thirty-six dogs were randomly assigned to control or irradiated groups at 3 time points (months 3, 6, and 12 after radiation; each group comprised 6 dogs). The left anterior myocardium of dogs in irradiated groups was irradiated locally with a single dose of 20-Gy X-ray. The irradiated myocardial regions showed increased myocardial uptake of 18F-FDG (18F-fludeoxyglucose) in the irradiated beagles, but the increased uptake area decreased at months 6 and 12 compared with month 3 after radiation. Abnormality of myocardial perfusion and cardiac function were detected at month 6 after radiation. Compared with the control groups, the protein expression of GLUT4 (glucose transporter 4) was upregulated in the irradiated groups, correlating with significantly decreased CPT1 (carnitine acyltransferase 1) expression. Mitochondria degeneration, swelling, and count reduction in the irradiated groups were observed. The difference in CD68 of macrophage markers and the inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 [interleukin 6], TNF-α [tumor necrosis factor α]) between the irradiation and control groups was not significant. Furthermore, the progressive aggravation of apoptosis and fibrosis was displayed. Conclusions Elevated 18F-FDG uptake occurred after irradiation and subsequently led to ventricular perfusion defects and dysfunction. The process was associated with myocardial metabolic substrate remodeling, cardiac muscle cell apoptosis, and myocardial fibrosis rather than inflammation.

5,2'-Dibromo-2,4,5-trihydroxydiphenylmethanone, a novel immunomodulator of T lymphocytes by regulating the CD4+ T cell subset balance via activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

5,2'-Dibromo-2,4',5'-trihydroxydiphenylmethanone (LM49) exerted therapeutic effects against rat acute pyelonephritis by regulating immune responses, especially affecting T lymphocytes. However, its underlying action mechanism remains unclear. T lymphocytes play an irreplaceable role in immune responses. Therefore, we sought to understand whether LM49 is an immunomodulator of T lymphocytes. The results showed that LM49 promoted T lymphocyte proliferation, increased the number of CD4+ T cells, and increased the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio. LM49 regulated the CD4+ T cell subset balance by increasing the production of CD4+IL-2+, CD4+IL-4+, and CD4+IL-10+, and reducing the production of CD4+IL-17+, without changing the production of interferon-γ. LM49 had a significant effect on the mRNA expression of the transcription factors T-bet, GATA3, Foxp3, and RORγt. Furthermore, LM49 raised the phospho (p)-extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, p-p38, and p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase expression levels. T cell proliferation, and the production of CD4+IL-2+, CD4+IL-4+, and CD4+IL-10+ induced by LM49, were decreased by inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). These results revealed that LM49 possesses immunomodulatory activity on T lymphocytes, in which the MAPK pathway plays an essential role.

Different Growth Promoting Effects of Endophytic Bacteria on Invasive and Native Clonal Plants.

The role of the interactions between endophytes and alien plants has been unclear yet in plant invasion. We used a completely germ-free culture system to quantify the plant growth-promoting (PGP) effects of endophytic bacteria Bacillus sp. on aseptic seedlings of Wedelia trilobata and of its native clonal congener W. chinensis. The endophytic bacteria did not affect the growth of W. chinensis, but they significantly promoted the growth of W. trilobata. With the PGP effects of endophytic bacteria, relative change ratios of the clonal traits and the ramets' growth traits of W. trilobata were significantly greater than those of W. chinensis. Our results indicate that the growth-promoting effects of endophytes may differ between invasive and native clonal plants, and the endophytes of invasive plant may be host-specific to facilitate plant invasion.