Macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulates joint capsule fibrosis by promoting TGF-β1 production in fibroblasts

Joint capsule fibrosis caused by excessive inflammation results in post-traumatic joint contracture (PTJC). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 plays a key role in PTJC by regulating fibroblast functions, however, cytokine-induced TGF-β1 expression in specific cell types remains poorly characterized. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in inflammation- and fibrosis-associated pathophysiology. In this study, we investigated whether MIF can facilitate TGF-β1 production from fibroblasts and regulate joint capsule fibrosis following PTJC. Our data demonstrated that MIF and TGF-β1 significantly increased in fibroblasts of injured rat posterior joint capsules. Treatment the lesion sites with MIF inhibitor 4-Iodo-6-phenylpyrimidine (4-IPP) reduced TGF-β1 production and relieved joint capsule inflammation and fibrosis. In vitro, MIF facilitated TGF-β1 expression in primary joint capsule fibroblasts by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (P38, ERK) signaling through coupling with membrane surface receptor CD74, which in turn affected fibroblast functions and promoted MIF production. Our results reveal a novel function of trauma-induced MIF in the occurrence and development of joint capsule fibrosis. Further investigation of the underlying mechanism may provide potential therapeutic targets for PTJC.     

Salicylic Acid Regulates Sugar Metabolism that Confers Freezing Tolerance in Magnolia wufengensis During Natural Cold Acclimation

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - To improving the understand of the accumulation pattern of soluble sugars in Magnolia wufengensis during natural cold acclimation, the dynamics of freezing...     

Design,synthesis and anticancer activity of novel nopinone-based thiosemicarbazone derivatives

A series of new nopinone-based thiosemicarbazone derivatives were designed and synthesized as potent anticancer agents. All these compounds were identified by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, HR-MS spectra analyses. In the in vitro anticancer activity, most derivatives showed considerable cytotoxic activity against three human cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, SMMC-7721 and Hela). Among them, compound 4i exhibited most potent antitumor activity against three cancer cell lines with the IC₅₀ values of 2.79 ± 0.38, 2.64 ± 0.17 and 3.64 ± 0.13 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the cell cycle analysis indicated that compound 4i caused cell cycle arrest of MDA-MB-231 cells at G2/M phase. The Annexin V-FITC/7-AAD dual staining assay also revealed that compound 4i induced the early apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells.     

Biaxial Strains Mediated Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis on Fenton Reaction Resistant L10‐PtZn Fuel Cell Cathode

PtM alloy catalysts (e.g., PtFe, PtCo), especially in an intermetallic L1₀ structure, have attracted considerable interest due to their respectable activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, metal‐catalyzed formation of ·OH from H₂O₂ (i.e., Fenton reaction) by Fe‐ or Co‐containing catalysts causes severe degradation of PEM/catalyst layers, hindering the prospects of commercial applications. Zinc is known as an antioxidant in Fenton reaction, but is rarely alloyed with Pt owing to its relatively negative redox potential. Here, sub‐4 nm intermetallic L1₀‐PtZn nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized as high‐performance PEMFC cathode catalysts. In PEMFC tests, the L1₀‐PtZn cathode achieves outstanding activity (0.52 A mg_Pt^?1 at 0.9 V_iR‐free, and peak power density of 2.00 W cm^?2) and stability (only 16.6% loss in mass activity after 30 000 voltage cycles), exceeding the U.S. DOE 2020 targets and most of the reported ORR catalysts. Density function theory calculations reveal that biaxial strains developed upon the disorder‐order (A1? L1₀) transition of PtZn NPs would modulate the surface Pt? Pt distances and optimize Pt? O binding for ORR activity enhancement, while the increased vacancy formation energy of Zn atoms in an ordered structure accounts for the improved stability.     

Sub‐6 nm Fully Ordered L10‐Pt–Ni–Co Nanoparticles Enhance Oxygen Reduction via Co Doping Induced Ferromagnetism Enhancement and Optimized Surface Strain

Engineering the crystal structure of Pt–M (M = transition metal) nanoalloys to chemically ordered ones has drawn increasing attention in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis due to their high resistance against M etching in acid. Although Pt–Ni alloy nanoparticles (NPs) have demonstrated respectable initial ORR activity in acid, their stability remains a big challenge due to the fast etching of Ni. In this work, sub‐6 nm monodisperse chemically ordered L1₀‐Pt–Ni–Co NPs are synthesized for the first time by employing a bifunctional core/shell Pt/NiCoO_x precursor, which could provide abundant O‐vacancies for facilitated Pt/Ni/Co atom diffusion and prevent NP sintering during thermal annealing. Further, Co doping is found to remarkably enhance the ferromagnetism (room temperature coercivity reaching 2.1 kOe) and the consequent chemical ordering of L1₀‐Pt–Ni NPs. As a result, the best‐performing carbon supported L1₀‐PtNi_0.8Co_0.2 catalyst reveals a half‐wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.951 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 m HClO₄ with 23‐times enhancement in mass activity over the commercial Pt/C catalyst along with much improved stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the L1₀‐PtNi_0.8Co_0.2 core could tune the surface strain of the Pt shell toward optimized Pt–O binding energy and facilitated reaction rate, thereby improving the ORR electrocatalysis.     

云南栽培稻种SSR 遗传多样性比较

采用64个SSR标记对96份云南水稻(Oryz a sativa)地方品种和选育品种的遗传多样性进行比较分析。结果发现64个标记都具有多态性, 共检测到741个等位基因, 每个多态性位点检测到的等位基因数为2-29个, 平均11.57个; Nei基因多样性指数(He)范围在0.345(RM321)-0.932(RM1)之间, 平均为0.56。水稻品种的遗传多样性并非按地理位置均匀分布, 而是在相 似系数为0.17的水平上明显分为2个不同类群, 即籼稻类群和粳稻类群, 且籼粳亚种间的SSR多样性差异不明显, 籼稻平均等位基因数(Ap)和Nei基因多样性指数(Ap=10.6, He=0.46)与粳稻品种(Ap=10.7, He=0.48)十分接近, 可能与这些品种间存在一定频率的基因交流有关。糯稻和非糯稻在籼稻群和粳稻群中都有表现, 没有特别的分布规律。云南栽培稻选育品种与地方稻亲缘关系较近, 其遗传基础可能来源于云南水稻地方品种。本研究结果表明, SSR标记能较好地区分云南栽培稻品种, 且云南水稻地方品种遗传多样性丰富, 存在大量的优质性状可供育种实践选择。     

Development of a Distributed Watershed Contaminant Transport,Transformation, and Fate (CTT&F) Sub-model

CTT&F is a physically based, spatially distributed watershed contaminant transport, transformation, and fate sub-model designed for use within existing hydrological modeling systems. To describe the fate of contaminants through landscape media as well as spatial variations of contaminant distributions, physical transport and transformation processes in CTT&F are simulated for each cell in the model and routed to the watershed outlet. CTT&F simulates contaminant erosion from soil and transport across the land surface by overland flow. The model also simulates contaminant erosion from stream bed sediment and transport through channels in addition to transport of contaminants inputs by overland flow. CTT&F can simulate solid (granular) contaminant transport and transformation, including partitioning between freely dissolved, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) bound, and particle-sorbed phases. To demonstrate model capabilities, CTT&F was coupled with an existing distributed hydrologic model and was tested and validated to simulate RDX and TNT transport using two experimental plots. These experiments examined dissolution of solid contaminants into the dissolved phase and their subsequent transport to the plot outlet. Model results were in close agreement with measured data. Such a model provides information for decision makers to make rational decisions relevant to the fate of toxic compounds.     

云南栽培稻种SSR遗传多样性比较

采用64个SSR标记对96份云南水稻（Oryza sativa）地方品种和选育品种的遗传多样性进行比较分析。结果发现64个标记都具有多态性,共检测到741个等位基因,每个多态性位点检测到的等位基因数为2—29个,平均11．57个：Nei基因多样性指数（He）范围在0．345（RM321）-0．932（RM1）之间,平均为0．56。水稻品种的遗传多样性并非按地理位置均匀分布,而是在相似系数为0．17的水平上明显分为2个不同类群,即籼稻类群和粳稻类群,且籼粳亚种间的SSR多样性差异不明显,籼稻平均等位基因数（Ap）和Nei基因多样性指数（Ap=10．6,He=0．46）与粳稻品种（Ap=10．7,He=0．48）十分接近,可能与这些品种间存在一定频率的基因交流有关。糯稻和非糯稻在籼稻群和粳稻群中都有表现,没有特别的分布规律。云南栽培稻选育品种与地方稻亲缘关系较近,其遗传基础可能来源于云南水稻地方品种。本研究结果表明,SSR标记能较好地区分云南栽培稻品种,且云南水稻地方品种遗传多样性丰富,存在大量的优质性状可供育种实践选择。     

Photosynthesis-Related Proteins Play Crucial Role During Senescence Stage in Flue-Cured Tobacco Plants: A Combine iTRAQ-PRM Study

Leaf aging is a significant process during herbaceous plant senescence, which is influenced by various internal and external factors. During leaf aging, chlorophyll catabolism is one of the most important metabolism pathways and results in leaf yellowing. Understanding the underlying mechanism is important for the regulation of senescence in tobacco leaf. However, there are few studies on explaining tobacco leaf senescence from the proteomics level. Here, photosynthesis experiments, cell ultrastructure, and proteomics were used to study tobacco leaves of different growth stages. We applied iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) to determine the accumulation of proteins in aging tobacco leaves. Overall, we screened 4747 proteins. The result of KEGG pathways analysis showed that differently expressed proteins (DEPs) were involved in four pathways: metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and starch and sucrose metabolism. This would be first report based on iTRAQ-PRM technique, in which we identified proteins related to photosynthesis showed a differently expressed during senescence stage in flue-cured tobacco plants.