Magnetic properties of Ce-containing Pr/Nd-Fe-B sintered magnets by diffusing Nd-Dy-Al alloy

In this study, 5% wt Ce-containing sintered Pr/Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnets were processed by grain boundary diffusion (GBD) with NdxDy90-xAl10 alloy (x = 0, 10, and 20 correspond to N0, N10, and N20, respectively). After the GBD process, the coercivity of magnets increased from 1,124.7 to 1,656.4, 1,673.9, and 1,584.8 kA/m, for N0, N10, and N20, respectively. Microstructure analysis revealed continuous RE-rich intergranular phases around matrix grains, which by weakening the magnetic coupling effect between ferromagnetic matrix grains, thus, leads to coercivity improvement. N10 had the same coercivity enhancement as N0, while the Dy utilization for N10 is lower than that for N0. The SEM results showed that the inclusion of Nd leads to the formation of a network of low-melting grain boundary phases, providing channels for subsequent Dy diffusion. A CeFe2 phase was found in the 5% wt Ce-containing magnet, which hindered diffusion due to its high melting point; in order to inhibit the negative impact of CeFe2 and reveal the diffusion mechanism in the Ce-containing magnet, DyH3, as a diffusion source, was applied to 5% wt-Ce-containing magnets simultaneously; after the GBD process, Nd10Dy90Al10 alloy, as a diffusion source, has better coercivity enhancement than DyH3, due to the deeper diffusion of the Dy element in the Nd10Dy90Al10 diffusion

Gut microbiome and metabolome in aneurysm rat with hypertension after ginsenoside Rb1 treatment

Introduction: Hypertension is a well-known risk factor for aneurysms, as high blood pressure can worsen the development and rupture of aneurysms. Ginsenoside, derived from ginseng and widely used in traditional herbal medicine, is believed to have antihypertensive properties. Recent research has also shown a connection between gut microbiota and various diseases, including hypertension. However, the relationship between ginsenosides, gut microbiota, blood pressure, and intracranial aneurysms needs further exploration.Methods: In this study, a rat model was used to investigate the effects of ginsenosides on both blood pressure and intracranial arteries. Comparative analysis was conducted, and 16S rRNA sequencing was employed to identify marker genera within the gut microbiota. Metabolites were also analyzed to uncover potential mediators of blood pressure regulation.Results and Discussion: The results of this study revealed that ginsenosides, particularly ginsenoside Rb1, demonstrated positive effects in reducing both blood pressure and the development of intracranial aneurysms in rats. Furthermore, the analysis of gut microbiota showed that certain genera, including Clostridium, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, and Treponema, were significantly influenced by ginsenoside treatment. Several metabolites, such as behenic acid, N-Acetylserotonin, Prostaglandin F2a, and Vitamin D2, were also detected, all of which play a role in regulating blood pressure. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential benefits of ginsenosides in hypertension and atheroma development. Furthermore, they suggest a possible link between ginsenosides, gut microbiota, and blood pressure regulation. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying these effects and to determine the clinical implications for treating hypertension and reducing the risk of aneurysm development

Effect of the Combined Extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi on Sex Hormone Functional Levels in Osteoporosis Rats

The combination of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi has been used to treat osteoporosis for almost 50 years by Professor Shizeng Li, a famous doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, it is unclear whether the combination of the effective constituents of the two herbs may have a protective influence on the skeleton. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the combination extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi on rat model of osteoporosis induced by retinoic acid by gavage. With administrations of the combination extracts of the two herbs (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day) via oral gavage for 3 weeks, bone mineral density (BMD), femur histomorphometry, some sex hormones, and sex hormone receptors were measured. Results showed that the combined extracts could increase BMD, affect bone histomorphometry, coordinate the sex hormones at the level of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, and increase the protein and mRNA expressions of sex hormone receptors. The findings suggested that the combination extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi might be beneficial as an alternative medicine for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

Active Ingredients of Epimedii Folium and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus Balanced GR/HSP90 to Improve the Sensitivity of Asthmatic Rats to Budesonide

This study aimed to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms of active ingredients of Epimedii Folium (EF) and Ligustri Lucidi Fructus (LLF) combined with Budesonide (Bun) in asthmatic rats. Rats were divided into 5 groups, including normal group, asthma model group, Bun group, group of active ingredients of EL and LLF (EL), and group of coadministration of Bun with EL (Bun&EL). The asthmatic model was prepared by ovalbumin sensitizing and challenging. Lymphocyte apoptosis, GR protein and binding, and the protein and mRNA of GRα, GRβ, and HSP90 were tested. The results showed that Bun&EL ① markedly increased lymphocyte apoptosis, GR and HSP90 protein, and GR binding in BALF and ② enhanced the expressions of GRα and HSP90 and the ratio of GRα to GRβ or to HSP90 both in protein and in mRNA levels in lung, ③ while decrease occurred in GRβ mRNA and the mRNA ratio of GRβ to HSP90 compared with asthma or Bun group. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between GRα and GRβ in protein level, or between GRα and HSP90 both in protein and in mRNA levels. EL may effectively enhance the sensitivity of asthmatic rats to Bun via balancing GR/HSP90. And these findings will be beneficial for the treatment of asthma in the future

Comparative Genomics of Degradative Novosphingobium Strains With Special Reference to Microcystin-Degrading Novosphingobium sp. THN1

Bacteria in genus Novosphingobium associated with biodegradation of substrates are prevalent in environments such as lakes, soil, sea, wood and sediments. To better understand the characteristics linked to their wide distribution and metabolic versatility, we report the whole genome sequence of Novosphingobium sp. THN1, a microcystin-degrading strain previously isolated by Jiang et al. (2011) from cyanobacteria-blooming water samples from Lake Taihu, China. We performed a genomic comparison analysis of Novosphingobium sp. THN1 with 21 other degradative Novosphingobium strains downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using 16S rRNA genes, core genes, protein-coding sequences, and average nucleotide identity of whole genomes. Orthologous protein analysis showed that the 22 genomes contained 674 core genes and each strain contained a high proportion of distributed genes that are shared by a subset of strains. Inspection of their genomic plasticity revealed a high number of insertion sequence elements and genomic islands that were distributed on both chromosomes and plasmids. We also compared the predicted functional profiles of the Novosphingobium protein-coding genes. The flexible genes and all protein-coding genes produced the same heatmap clusters. The COG annotations were used to generate a dendrogram correlated with the compounds degraded. Furthermore, the metabolic profiles predicted from KEGG pathways showed that the majority of genes involved in central carbon metabolism, nitrogen, phosphate, sulfate metabolism, energy metabolism and cell mobility (above 62.5%) are located on chromosomes. Whereas, a great many of genes involved in degradation pathways (21–50%) are located on plasmids. The abundance and distribution of aromatics-degradative mono- and dioxygenases varied among 22 Novosphingoibum strains. Comparative analysis of the microcystin-degrading mlr gene cluster provided evidence for horizontal acquisition of this cluster. The Novosphingobium sp. THN1 genome sequence contained all the functional genes crucial for microcystin degradation and the mlr gene cluster shared high sequence similarity (≥85%) with the sequences of other microcystin-degrading genera isolated from cyanobacteria-blooming water. Our results indicate that Novosphingobium species have high genomic and functional plasticity, rearranging their genomes according to environment variations and shaping their metabolic profiles by the substrates they are exposed to, to better adapt to their environments

Crystal and magnetic structure of the La1−x_{1-x}Cax_{x}MnO3_{3} compound (x=0.8,0.85)(x=0.8,0.85)

We studied the crystal and magnetic structure of the La$_{1-x}$Ca$_{x}$MnO$_{3}$ compound for $x=0.8$ and $x=0.85$. At T=300 K both samples are paramagnetic with crystallographic symmetry $Pnma$. At low temperatures they undergo a monoclinic distortion from orthorhombic $Pnma$-type structure with $a_p\sqrt{2}\times 2a_p\times a_p\sqrt{2}$ to a monoclinic structure with ($a_p\sqrt{2}\times 2a_p\times a_p\sqrt{2}$, $\beta=90+\epsilon\sim 91.4^{\rm o}$) and $P2_1/m$ space group below $T_N$. The onset of the structural transformation coincides with the development of the $C$-type long range antiferromagnetic order with propagation vector ${\bf k}=({1/2},0,{1/2})$. The monoclinic unit cell allowed us to determine the direction of the Mn magnetic moment with respect to the crystallographic axes: it is perpendicular to the propagation vector, ${\bf m}\perp {\bf k}=({1/2},0,{1/2})$. The amplitude of the ordered magnetic moment at $T=1.6$ K is found to be $2.53(2)$ and $2.47(2)\mu_{B}$ for $x=0.8$ and 0.85, respectively.Comment: In press (Phys. Rev B 01 Feb 2002

Genes Associated with 2-Methylisoborneol Biosynthesis in Cyanobacteria: Isolation, Characterization, and Expression in Response to Light

The volatile microbial metabolite 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) is a root cause of taste and odor issues in freshwater. Although current evidence suggests that 2-MIB is not toxic, this compound degrades water quality and presents problems for water treatment. To address these issues, cyanobacteria and actinomycetes, the major producers of 2-MIB, have been investigated extensively. In this study, two 2-MIB producing strains, coded as Pseudanabaena sp. and Planktothricoids raciborskii, were used in order to elucidate the genetic background, light regulation, and biochemical mechanisms of 2-MIB biosynthesis in cyanobacteria. Genome walking and PCR methods revealed that two adjacent genes, SAM-dependent methyltransferanse gene and monoterpene cyclase gene, are responsible for GPP methylation and subsequent cyclization to 2-MIB in cyanobacteria. These two genes are located in between two homologous cyclic nucleotide-binding protein genes that may be members of the Crp-Fnr regulator family. Together, this sequence of genes forms a putative operon. The synthesis of 2-MIB is similar in cyanobacteria and actinomycetes. Comparison of the gene arrangement and functional sites between cyanobacteria and other organisms revealed that gene recombination and gene transfer probably occurred during the evolution of 2-MIB-associated genes. All the microorganisms examined have a common origin of 2-MIB biosynthesis capacity, but cyanobacteria represent a unique evolutionary lineage. Gene expression analysis suggested that light is a crucial, but not the only, active regulatory factor for the transcription of 2-MIB synthesis genes. This light-regulated process is immediate and transient. This study is the first to identify the genetic background and evolution of 2-MIB biosynthesis in cyanobacteria, thus enhancing current knowledge on 2-MIB contamination of freshwater