Nanoparticles-free fluorescence anisotropy amplification assay for detection of RNA nucleotide-cleaving DNAzyme activity.

Fluorescence anisotropy is a homogeneous, sensitive, ratiometric, and real-time analytical technology. However, it is a great challenge to produce a large fluorescence anisotropy change upon the presence of target small molecules without nanoparticles-dependent amplification. This work reports a nanoparticle-free and multiple G-enhanced fluorescence anisotropy assay for detection of DNAzyme activity.

Cadmium depletes cellular iron availability through enhancing ferroportin translation via iron responsive element.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that has detrimental effects on various organs. The widespread contamination of Cd in the environment, crops and food sources poses a severe threat to human health. Acute toxicities of Cd have been extensively investigated; however, the health impact of chronic low‑dose exposure to Cd, particularly exposure under non‑toxic concentrations, has yet to be elucidated.

Sublethal exposure of organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos alters cellular iron metabolism in hepatocytes and macrophages.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is commonly used for agricultural and domestic applications, and its contamination is widely detected in environmental media, and in a broad spectrum of field crops, fruits and vegetables. CPF exposure causes many adverse effects on human health including hepatoxicity, neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. However, few studies have been conducted thus far to investigate the potential influence of CPF exposure on iron metabolism at concentrations that do not trigger significant cell death.

Hepcidin deficiency undermines bone load-bearing capacity through inducing iron overload.

Osteoporosis is one of the leading disorders among aged people. Bone loss results from a number of physiological alterations, such as estrogen decline and aging. Meanwhile, iron overload has been recognized as a risk factor for bone loss.

Effects of different dosages of parathyroid hormone-related protein 1-34 on the bone metabolism of the ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis.

Intermittent and low-dose parathyroid hormone (PTH) injection to stimulate bone formation has been used in the treatment of osteoporosis. The N-terminal fragment 1-34 of PTH is quite similar in structure and function to N-terminal PTH-related protein (PTHrP). PTH(1-34) and PTHrP also share a coreceptor, the PTH/PTHrP receptor.

Excess iron undermined bone load-bearing capacity through tumor necrosis factor-α-dependent osteoclastic activation in mice.

Iron overload has been associated with bone mass loss. To elucidate the effects of excess iron on bone metabolism, an iron-overloading mouse model was established by administering iron-dextran at 250 mg/kg to female BALB/c mice. After 4 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and the biomechanical properties of the femurs were examined.

Estrogen regulates iron homeostasis through governing hepatic hepcidin expression via an estrogen response element.

Iron is essential for the human being, involving in oxygen transport, energy metabolism and DNA synthesis. Iron homeostasis is tightly governed by the hepcidin-ferroportin axis, of which hepcidin is the master regulator. Excess iron is associated with various diseases including osteopenia and osteoporosis, which are closely related to the alternation of the endogenous estrogen level.

Bone biomechanical and histomorphometrical investment in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats.

This study was performed to characterize the bone metabolism in ten 6-month-old male Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, a spontaneous type 2 diabetic model, with ten age- and sex-matched non-diabetic Wistar rats as controls. The femora and the fifth lumbar vertebrae were analyzed by a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for bone mineral density. Histomorphometrical analyses were performed on the sections from the tibia embedded in methylmethacrylate.

Influence of heat treatment of rayon-based activated carbon fibers on the adsorption of formaldehyde.

The influence of heat treatment of rayon-based activated carbon fibers on the adsorption behavior of formaldehyde was studied. Heat treatment in an inert atmosphere of nitrogen for rayon-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) resulted in a significant increase in the adsorption capacities and prolongation of breakthrough time on removing of formaldehyde. The effect of different heat-treatment conditions on the adsorption characteristics was investigated.