Short-term intensive fasting enhances the immune function of red blood cells in humans.

Background: Fasting is known to influence the immune functions of leukocytes primarily by regulating their mobilization and redistribution between the bone marrow and the peripheral tissues or circulation, in particular via relocalization of leukocytes back in the bone marrow. However, how the immune system responds to the increased risk of invasion by infectious pathogens with fewer leukocytes in the peripheral blood during fasting intervention remains an open question.

Results: We used proteomic, biochemical and flow cytometric tools to evaluate the impact of short-term intensive fasting (STIF), known as beego, on red blood cells by profiling the cells from the STIF subjects before and after 6 days of fasting and 6 days of gradual refeeding.

Facile preparation of polyoxometalate nanoparticles a solid-state chemical reaction for aerobic oxidative desulfurization catalysis.

Polyoxometalate nanoparticles were synthesized a concise solid-state reaction method by directly grinding silver nitrate and the polyoxometalate (NH)HPMoVO at room temperature without the assistance of a surfactant. The as-prepared Ag(NH)PMoVO (AgPMoV) comprised uniform nanoparticles of 50 nm size, which provided significant catalytic oxidative desulfurization (CODS) performance using O, N + O or air as an oxidant. The high efficiency of 100% removal was obtained using AgPMoV nanoparticles as a catalyst in treating model refractory sulfurs.