Low-fat yogurt alleviates the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction.

Yogurt is a source of bioactive compounds and probiotic microorganisms that modify immunity and metabolism to benefit human health beyond nutrition. In this study, we examined the capacity of yogurt to prevent epithelial barrier disruption in vitro. Different preparations of yogurt were added apically to Caco-2 monolayers before IL-1β exposure.

Sulforaphane Improves Lipid Metabolism by Enhancing Mitochondrial Function and Biogenesis In Vivo and In Vitro.

Scope: Sulforaphane (SFN) is reported to reduce the accumulation of lipids. However, the underling mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the potential of SFN to improve lipid metabolism is investigated through altering mitochondrial function and biogenesis-related mechanisms.

Response of intestinal metabolome to polysaccharides from mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum.

Polysaccharides from the mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum (GLP) can improve intestinal barrier function, regulate intestinal immunity and modulate intestinal microbiota. In the present study, GLP was given via oral administration to rats (100 mg/kg body weight, 21 days) to investigate the metabolomic profiling of caecal contents induced by GLP. Gas chromatography-time of light/mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) was performed to identify the metabolites, followed by biomarker and pathway analysis.

Formation Mechanism and Cohesive Energy Analysis of Metal-Coated Graphene Nanocomposites Using In-Situ Co-Reduction Method.

Nanocomposite powders based on metal-coated graphene were synthesized using an in-situ co-reduction method in order to improve wettability and interfacial bonding between graphene and metal. Graphene oxide (GO) of 2~3 atomic layers was synthesized using the Hummer's method with graphite as a raw material and then dispersed into a dispersing agent solution mixed with -Methyl pyrrolidone and deionized water to form a homogeneous GO suspension, which was finally added into electroless plating solutions for the reduction process. Copper-coated graphene (Cu@graphene) and nickel-coated graphene (Ni@graphene) were synthesized using this one-step and co-reduction method by mixing salt solutions containing metal ions and GOs into the plating solution.

Novel fully reduced phosphomolybdates for highly efficient removal of inorganic hexavalent chromium and the organic dye methylene blue.

New Na-bridged phosphomolybdates (H2en)12[{Na0.8K0.2(H2O)}2{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)2(PO4)2]2}2]·7H2O (1), (H2bpp)2[{Sr2(H2O)4}{Na3(H2O)10}{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)3(PO4)]2}]·2H2O (2), and (H2bpp)6 [{Ca2(H2O)4}{Na2(H2O)4}{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)3(PO4)]2}2] (3) (en = ethylenediamine, bpp = 1,3-bi(4-pyridyl)propane), were synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized.

Regulates Jasmonate-Mediated Defense Responses and Growth.

Jasmonates (JAs) regulate plant growth and defense responses. On perception of bioactive JAs, the JA receptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 (COI1) recruits JA ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins for degradation, and JAZ-targeted transcription factors are released to regulate JA responses. The subgroup IIId bHLH transcriptional factors, including bHLH17, bHLH13, bHLH3, and bHLH14, interact with JAZs and repress JA responses.

Expression and characterization of a pectin methylesterase from Aspergillus niger ZJ5 and its application in fruit processing.

A pectin methylesterase gene, pme-zj5a, from Aspergillus niger ZJ5 was cloned and high-level expressed in Pichia pastoris. The highest PME activity was 71.11 U/ml after induction with methanol for 20 h at 30 °C.

Expression and prognostic value of cell-cycle-associated genes in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: Gastric carcinoma is a malignant disease, and gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is the most common histological type. Molecular profiling of GAC has been extensively performed, but few have focused on the clinical significance of gene clusters of the cell cycle.

Methods: We investigated the genetic profile of cell-cycle-associated genes in a GAC cohort.

Topological chiral phonons in center-stacked bilayer triangle lattices.

Since chiral phonons were found in an asymmetric two-dimensional hexagonal lattice, there has been growing interest in the study of phonon chirality, which were experimentally verified very recently in monolayer tungsten diselenide (2018 Science 359 579). In this work, we find chiral phonons with nontrivial topology in center-stacked bilayer triangle lattices. At the Brillouin-zone corners, [Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]), circularly polarized phonons and nonzero phonon Berry curvature are observed.

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Sulfenylation of β-Naphthols.

An enantioselective sulfenylation of β-naphthols has been developed for the first time using a newly synthesized cinchona-derived thiourea as the catalyst and N-(arylthio) succinimide (or phthalimide) as an electrophilic sulfur source. Various enantioenriched naphthalenones with an S-containing all-substituted stereocenter were prepared via a dearomatization strategy under mild reaction conditions.

Experimental and DFT simulation study of a novel felodipine cocrystal: Characterization, dissolving properties and thermal decomposition kinetics.

In this study, a new cocrystal of felodipine (Fel) and glutaric acid (Glu) with a high dissolution rate was developed using the solvent ultrasonic method. The prepared cocrystal was characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. To provide basic information about the optimization of pharmaceutical preparations of Fel-based cocrystals, this work investigated the thermal decomposition kinetics of the Fel-Glu cocrystal through non-isothermal thermogravimetry.

Changes in iron availability in Arabidopsis are rapidly sensed in the leaf vasculature and impaired sensing leads to opposite transcriptional programs in leaves and roots.

The OLIGOPEPTIDE TRANSPORTER 3 (OPT3) has recently been identified as a component of the systemic network mediating iron (Fe) deficiency responses in Arabidopsis. Reduced expression of OPT3 induces an over accumulation of Fe in roots and leaves, due in part by an elevated expression of the IRON-REGULATED TRANSPORTER 1. Here we show however, that opt3 leaves display a transcriptional program consistent with an Fe overload, suggesting that Fe excess is properly sensed in opt3 leaves and that the OPT3-mediated shoot-to-root signaling is critical to prevent a systemic Fe overload.

Effects of prokineticin 2 on testicular inflammation in rats.

Problem: Prokineticin 2 (PK2), a pro-inflammatory peptide, is highly expressed in primary spermatocytes. However, systematic research on PK2 and testicular inflammation is lacking to date.

Method Of Study: An experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) model was established to detect the expression of PK2 and its receptor (prokineticin receptor 1, PKR1) 50 and 80 days after immunization.

TNFα induces Ca influx to accelerate extrinsic apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-α has been proven an effective anticancer agent in preclinical studies. However, the translation of TNFα from research to clinic has been blocked by significant systemic toxicity and limited efficacy at maximal tolerated dose, which need urgently to be solved.

Methods: The level of cytosolic Ca was assessed by Fura-2 in HCC cells.

An enhanced anti-tumor effect of apoptin-cecropin B on human hepatoma cells by using bacterial magnetic particle gene delivery system.

The gene therapy of cancer, due to the limit of its efficiency and safety, has not been widely used in clinical. Recently, bacterial magnetic particles (BMPs), which are membrane-bound nanocrystals found in magnetotactic bacteria, have been exploited as a new gene delivery system. However, its application on gene therapy remains to be explored.

Antigen-Directed Fabrication of a Multifunctional Nanovaccine with Ultrahigh Antigen Loading Efficiency for Tumor Photothermal-Immunotherapy.

Current antigen-encapsulated multifunctional nanovaccines for oncotherapy suffer from limited antigen loading efficiency, low yield, tedious manufacture, and systemic toxicity. Here, an antigen-directed strategy for the fabrication of multifunctional nanovaccine with ultrahigh antigen loading efficiency in a facile way for tumor photothermal-immunotherapy is shown. As a proof of concept, a model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) is used as a natural carrier to load a representative theranostic agent indocyanine green (ICG).

Synergistic enhancing effect for mechanical and electrical properties of tungsten copper composites using spark plasma infiltrating sintering of copper-coated graphene.

Successful applications of WCu alloys in high voltage electrical switches require their high strength and excellent conductivity. Unfortunately, the strategies for increasing their strength such as doping with fine particles and alloying often significantly decrease their conductivity. In this paper, we developed a new pathway for fabricating WCu alloys using spark plasma infiltrating sintering of copper-coated graphene (Cu@Gr) composite powders.

Bacterial magnetosomes as an efficient gene delivery platform for cancer theranostics.

Background: Gene therapy has gained an increasing interest in its anti-tumor efficiency. However, numerous efforts are required to promote them to clinics. In this study, a novel and efficient delivery platform based on bacterial magnetosomes (BMs) were developed, and the efficiency of BMs in delivering small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) as well as antiproliferative effects in vitro were investigated.

Fiber-Optic Point-Based Sensor Using Specklegram Measurement.

Here, we report a fiber-optic point-based sensor to measure temperature and weight based on correlated specklegrams induced by spatial multimode interference. The device is realized simply by splicing a multimode fiber (MMF) to a single-mode fiber (SMF) with a core offset. A series of experiments demonstrates the approximately linear relation between the correlation coefficient and variation.

MYC5 is Involved in Jasmonate-Regulated Plant Growth, Leaf Senescence and Defense Responses.

Jasmonates (JAs), lipid-derived phytohormones, regulate plant growth, development and defenses against biotic stresses. CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1 perceives bioactive JA and recruits JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins for ubiquitination and subsequent degradation via the 26S proteasome, which de-represses JAZ-targeted transcription factors that regulate diverse JA responses. Recent studies showed that the Arabidopsis basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor MYC5 interacts with JAZs and regulates stamen development.

Hyaluronic acid family in bladder cancer: potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Background: Molecular markers of clinical outcome may aid in designing targeted treatments for bladder cancer. However, only a few bladder cancer biomarkers have been examined as therapeutic targets.

Methods: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and bladder specimens were evaluated to determine the biomarker potential of the hyaluronic acid (HA) family of molecules - HA synthases, HA receptors and hyaluronidase.

MCUR1-Mediated Mitochondrial Calcium Signaling Facilitates Cell Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent P53 Degradation.

Aims: Levels of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter regulator 1 (MCUR1) increases during development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, mechanisms of how mitochondrial Ca homeostasis is modulated and its function remain limited in cancers.

Results: MCUR1 was frequently upregulated in HCC cells to enhance the Ca uptake into mitochondria in an MCU-dependent manner, which significantly facilitated cell survival by inhibiting mitochondria-dependent intrinsic apoptosis and promoting proliferation of HCC cells, and thus led to poor prognosis.

Endothelial adenosine A2a receptor-mediated glycolysis is essential for pathological retinal angiogenesis.

Adenosine/adenosine receptor-mediated signaling has been implicated in the development of various ischemic diseases, including ischemic retinopathies. Here, we show that the adenosine A2a receptor (ADORA2A) promotes hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1 (HIF-1)-dependent endothelial cell glycolysis, which is crucial for pathological angiogenesis in proliferative retinopathies. Adora2a expression is markedly increased in the retina of mice with oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).

Facile synthesis of copper(II)-decorated functional mesoporous material for specific adsorption of histidine-rich proteins.

The Cu-decorated functional mesoporous material was fabricated by thermally initiated free-radical polymerization of octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. It was used as adsorbent for highly specific separation of histidine (His)-rich proteins in blood and cell lysate based on immobilized metal affinity chromatography. The functional mesoporous material (named as PPOSS-IDA-Cu) was characterized in detail and its selectivity and binding capacity were evaluated using a His-rich protein (bovine hemoglobin, BHb) and other proteins (bovine serum albumin, myoglobin, lysozyme and horseradish peroxidase) containing fewer surface-exposed His residues as model proteins.

OncoKB: A Precision Oncology Knowledge Base.

Purpose: With prospective clinical sequencing of tumors emerging as a mainstay in cancer care, there is an urgent need for a clinical support tool that distills the clinical implications associated with specific mutation events into a standardized and easily interpretable format. To this end, we developed OncoKB, an expert-guided precision oncology knowledge base.

Methods: OncoKB annotates the biological and oncogenic effect and the prognostic and predictive significance of somatic molecular alterations.