On the relevance between fine structure and enhanced performance of skutterudite thermoelectric materials: X-ray spectroscopy studies

AbstractThe relevance between the fine structure and transport performance of thermoelectric materials can be revealed by X-ray spectroscopy including X-ray absorption and emission spectra as an effective tool. In this paper, the experimental spectra of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), and valence-band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of Ba and In double-filled skutterudites (BaxInyCo4Sb12) were analyzed via the first-principles calculation and spectrum simulation. The atomic-scale fine structures indicate that the rectangle Sb4 rings become square when the total filing fraction of Ba and In increases. The transition of Sb4 rings leads to the band convergence and density of states (DOS) increase of the SbSb ppσ bonding and ppπ∗ antibonding states. The enhanced TE performance of BaxInyCo4Sb12 is essentially attributed to the band convergence, the increased DOS near the Fermi level, and the resonant phonon scattering of Ba and In fillers

Interactions between curcumin and human salt-induced kinase 3 elucidated from computational tools and experimental methods

Natural products are widely used for treating mitochondrial dysfunction-related diseases and cancers. Curcumin, a well-known natural product, can be potentially used to treat cancer. Human salt-induced kinase 3 (SIK3) is one of the target proteins for curcumin. However, the interactions between curcumin and human SIK3 have not yet been investigated in detail. In this study, we studied the binding models for the interactions between curcumin and human SIK3 using computational tools such as homology modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy calculations. The open activity loop conformation of SIK3 with the ketoenol form of curcumin was the optimal binding model. The I72, V80, A93, Y144, A145, and L195 residues played a key role for curcumin binding with human SIK3. The interactions between curcumin and human SIK3 were also investigated using the kinase assay. Moreover, curcumin exhibited an IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) value of 131 nM, and it showed significant antiproliferative activities of 9.62 ± 0.33 µM and 72.37 ± 0.37 µM against the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-23 cell lines, respectively. This study provides detailed information on the binding of curcumin with human SIK3 and may facilitate the design of novel salt-inducible kinases inhibitors

Original Article Peptic ulcer hemorrhage combined with acute gout: analyses of treatment in 136 cases

Abstract: This study aims to compare the safety and curative effect of celecoxib and small-dose methylprednisolone sodium succinate in patients with peptic ulcer hemorrhage combined with acute gout. In this randomized, controlled trial, a total of 136 patients with peptic ulcer hemorrhage combined with acute gout were divided into the celecoxib group or the small-dose methylprednisolone sodium succinate group. These patients underwent gastroscopy hemostasis and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Moreover, for the treatment of gout, the patients were administered either celecoxib or small-dose methylprednisolone sodium succinate. Adverse reactions and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score were recorded for the two groups. The difference in adverse reactions between the two groups was not significant (χ 2 = 0.002, P = 0.967). The duration of evident pain relief after the first dose of treatment showed a significant difference between the two groups (t = 13.728, P < 0.01). The VAS scores before treatment were not significantly different between the two groups (t = -1.786, P = 0.076). The VAS scores at 6 h, 2 days, 4 days, 6 days, and 8 days after treatment were significantly different between the two groups (t = 3. 239, 6.586, 6.280, 3.737, 3.215; P = 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.002, respectively). In cases that receive effective gastroscopy hemostasis and PPI therapy, small-dose methylprednisolone sodium succinate exhibits a greater clinical curative effect for peptic ulcer hemorrhage combined with acute gout as compared to celecoxib, and is associated with greater safety

Influence of Cellulose Nanoparticles on Rheological Behavior of Oil Well Cement-Water Slurries

Performance of hardened oil well cement (OWC) is largely determined by the rheological properties of the cement slurries. This work was carried out to investigate the effect of water- to-cement ratio (WCR) and cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs), including cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), on rheology performance of OWC-based slurries using a Couette rotational viscometer coupled with rheological models. The yield stress and viscosity of neat OWC slurries had a decreasing trend with the increase of WCRs. The suspension became increased unstable with the increase of WCRs. The properties of CNPs, including rheological behaviors, surface properties and morphology, determine the rheological performance of CNP-OWC slurries. In comparison with CNC-OWC slurries, the gel strength, yield stress and viscosity of CNF-OWC slurries were higher as CNFs were more likely to form an entangled network. The gel strength, yield stress and viscosity of CNP-OWC slurries increased with reduced CNF size through regrinding and the proportion of CNFs in the mixture of CNFs and CNCs, respectively

Transcriptome Analysis of the Chicken Follicular Theca Cells with miR-135a-5p Suppressed

As a class of transcription regulators, numerous miRNAs have been verified to participate in regulating ovary follicular development in chickens (Gallus gallus). Previously we showed that gga-miR-135a-5p has significant differential expression between high and low-yield chicken ovaries, and the abundance of gga-miR-135a-5p is significantly higher in follicular theca cells than in granulosa cells. However, the exact role of gga-miR-135a-5p in chicken follicular theca cells is unclear. In this study, primary chicken follicular theca cells were isolated and then transfected with gga-miR-135a-5p inhibitor. Transcriptome sequencing was performed in chicken follicular theca cells with or without transfection. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using bioinformatics. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the target relationship between gga-miR-135a-5p and predicted targets within the DEGs. Compared with the normal chicken follicle theca cells, 953 up-regulated and 1060 down-regulated genes were detected in cells with gga-miR-135a-5p inhibited. The up-regulated genes were significantly enriched in Gene Ontology terms and pathways involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. In chicken follicular theca cells, Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), ATPase phospholipid transporting 8A1 (ATP8A1), and Complexin-1 (CPLX1) were significantly up-regulated when the expression of gga-miR-135a-5p was inhibited. In addition, KLF4, ATP8A1, and CPLX1 confirmed as targets of gga-miR-135a-5p by using a dual-luciferase assay in vitro. The results suggest that gga-mir-135a-5p may involve in proliferation and differentiation in chicken ovarian follicular theca cells by targeting KLF4, ATP8A1, and CPLX1

Differentially expressed cuticular genes.

<p>Differentially expressed cuticular genes.</p

Comparison of RPKM between qRT-PCR.

<p>Comparison of RPKM between qRT-PCR.</p

Transcriptome analysis of the epidermis of the <i>purple quail-like</i> (<i>q-l^p</i>) mutant of silkworm, <i>Bombyx mori</i>

<div><p>A new <i>purple quail-like</i> (<i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i>) mutant found from the plain silkworm strain 932VR has pigment dots on the epidermis similar to the pigment mutant <i>quail</i> (<i>q</i>). In addition, <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant larvae are inactive, consume little and grow slowly, with a high death rate and other developmental abnormalities. Pigmentation of the silkworm epidermis consists of melanin, ommochrome and pteridine. Silkworm development is regulated by ecdysone and juvenile hormone. In this study, we performed RNA-Seq on the epidermis of the <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant in the 4^th instar during molting, with 932VR serving as the control. The results showed 515 differentially expressed genes, of which 234 were upregulated and 281 downregulated in <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i>. BLASTGO analysis indicated that the downregulated genes mainly encode protein-binding proteins, membrane components, oxidation/reduction enzymes, and proteolytic enzymes, whereas the upregulated genes largely encode cuticle structural constituents, membrane components, transport related proteins, and protein-binding proteins. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to verify the accuracy of the RNA-Seq data, focusing on key genes for biosynthesis of the three pigments and chitin as well as genes encoding cuticular proteins and several related nuclear receptors, which are thought to play key roles in the <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant. We drew three conclusions based on the results: 1) melanin, ommochrome and pteridine pigments are all increased in the <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant; 2) more cuticle proteins are expressed in <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> than in 932VR, and the number of upregulated cuticular genes is significantly greater than downregulated genes; 3) the downstream pathway regulated by ecdysone is blocked in the <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant. Our research findings lay the foundation for further research on the developmental changes responsible for the <i>q-l</i>^<i>p</i> mutant.</p></div

Quality evaluation of the RNA-Seq data.

<p>(A) Quality evaluation of bases. (B) Base distribution. (C) Pretreatment of the data quality. (D) Pollution detection of reads.</p