Mesostructured Nanomagnetic Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) Incorporated with Dithiol Organic Anchors for Multiple Pollutants Capturing in Wastewater

A functionalizable organosiliceous hybrid magnetic material was facilely constructed by surface polymerization of octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) on the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The resultant Fe₃O₄@POSS was identified as a mesoporous architecture with an average particle diameter of 20 nm and high specific surface area up to 653.59 m² g^–1. After it was tethered with an organic chain containing dithiol via thiol–ene addition reaction, the ultimate material (Fe₃O₄@POSS-SH) still have moderate specific area (224.20 m² g^–1) with almost identical porous morphology. It turns out to be a convenient, efficient single adsorbent for simultaneous elimination of inorganic heavy metal ions and organic dyes in simulate multicomponent wastewater at ambient temperature. The Fe₃O₄@POSS-SH nanoparticles can be readily withdrawn from aqueous solutions within a few seconds under moderate magnetic field and exhibit good stability in strong acid and alkaline aqueous matrices. Contaminants-loaded Fe₃O₄@POSS-SH can be easily regenerated with either methanol–acetic acid (for organic dyes) or hydrochloric acid (for heavy metal ions) under ultrasonication. The renewed one keeps appreciable adsorption capability toward both heavy metal ions and organic dyes, the removal rate for any of the pollutants exceeds 92% to simulate wastewater with multiple pollutants after repeated use for 5 cycles. Beyond the environmental remediation function, thanks to the pendant vinyl groups, the Fe₃O₄@POSS derived materials rationally integrating distinct or versatile functions could be envisaged and consequently a wide variety of applications may emerge

Harnessing Excited-State Intramolecular Proton-Transfer Reaction via a Series of Amino-Type Hydrogen-Bonding Molecules

A series of new amino (NH)-type hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) compounds comprising 2-(2′-aminophenyl)­benzothiazole and its extensive derivatives were designed and synthesized. Unlike in the hydroxyl (OH)-type H-bonding systems, one of the amino hydrogens can be replaced with electron-donating/withdrawing groups. This, together with a versatile capability for modifying the parent moiety, makes feasible the comprehensive spectroscopy and dynamics studies of amino-type excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), which was previously inaccessible in the hydroxyl-type ESIPT systems. Empirical correlations were observed among the hydrogen-bonding strength (the N–H bond distances and proton acidity), ESIPT kinetics, and thermodynamics, demonstrating a trend that the stronger N–H···N hydrogen bond leads to a faster ESIPT, as experimentally observed, and a more exergonic reaction thermodynamics. Accordingly, ESIPT reaction can be harnessed for the first time from a highly endergonic type (i.e., prohibition) toward equilibrium with a measurable ESIPT rate and then to the highly exergonic, ultrafast ESIPT reaction within the same series of amino-type intramolecular H-bond system

Conformation of RNA-seq data.

<p>(A) Comparison of our RNA-seq data and the known genes associated with obesity phenotypes. DEGs in the RNA-seq data with a log2(FC)>|±1| and p value <0.05 were qualified to be analyzed, red color presents up-regulation, green color presents down-regulation. (B) qRT-PCR validation of RNA-seq results. Comparison of fold change (log2) in differential expression values determined by RNA-seq (black) and qPCR (grey) for DEGs, n = 6 for qPCR verification.</p

Genome-wide regulation of electro-acupuncture on the neural <i>Stat</i>5-loss-induced obese mice - Fig 3

<p>Venn diagrams and GO annotation analysis of co-regulated genes in both central (hypothalamus) and peripheral (Epi-WAT) tissues (A-D). (A) Venn diagrams were drawn based on the RNA-seq data sets. Red circles indicate the numbers of up- or down-regulated genes in Epi-WAT (<i>vs</i>. <i>Stat</i>5fl/fl group); green circles represent the numbers of up-regulated genes in the hypothalamus (<i>vs</i>. <i>Stat</i>5NKO group). Blue circles represent the numbers of down-regulated genes in the hypothalamus (<i>vs</i>. <i>Stat</i>5NKO group). (B) GO annotation of co-upregulated genes in the <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice’s hypothalamus and WAT. (C) KEGG pathway for the co-upregulated genes in the hypothalamus and WAT of the <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice. (D) GO annotation results of co-down regulated genes in the hypothalamus and WAT of the <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice.</p

GO annotation and KEGG pathways analysis of up- or down-regulated genes in the <i>Stat</i>5NKO mice hypothalamus and Epi-WAT.

<p>(A–F). (A) Cellular components annotation results of the 388 up-regulated genes in <i>Stat</i>5NKO mice’s hypothalamus shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. (B) Major KEGG pathways of the 338 up-regulated genes in <i>Stat</i>5NKO mice hypothalamus shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. (C) Cellular components annotation results of the 1047 up-regulated genes in <i>Stat</i>5NKO mice Epi-WAT draw from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. (D) Cellular components annotation results of the 1106 down-regulated genes in <i>Stat</i>5NKO mice Epi-WAT draw from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>. (E) KEGG pathways result was drawn from the 1047 genes shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>; (F) KEGG pathways result was drawn from the 1106 genes shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0181948#pone.0181948.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>.</p

Genome-wide regulation of electro-acupuncture on the neural <i>Stat</i>5-loss-induced obese mice

<div><p>Acupuncture is reported to be effective in treating obesity related illnesses, but its mechanism is still unclear. To investigate this mechanism we applied electro-acupuncture (EA) in a mouse model of obesity and used RNA-seq to identify molecular consequences. Deletion of the transcription factor STAT5 from neurons (<i>Stat</i>5NKO) led to obesity. Acupuncture, in turn, reduced body weight and the ratio of epididymal white adipose tissue (Epi-WAT) to body weight, and it also decreased plasma concentrations of glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol. In addition, EA increased cold endurance of <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice. EA reversed altered gene expressions in the hypothalamus and Epi-WAT, especially in the hypothalamus in <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice. This study provides, for the first time, insight into genomic networks of obesity and their modulation by electro-acupuncture, which in turn reveals potential mechanisms that explain acupuncture-induced weight-loss.</p></div

Differentially expressed genes(DEGs) with a log2(FC)>|±1| and p value<0.05.

<p>Differentially expressed genes(DEGs) with a log2(FC)>|±1| and p value<0.05.</p

EA treatment restored <i>Stat</i>5NKO-induced obese phenotype, improved energy metabolism and cold tolerance in the <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice.

<p>(A) Observation of body weight in the four groups, n = 10 in each group. (B) Measurement of food consumption, n = 10 in each group. (C) Ratio of epididymal and inguinal white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue weight to mouse body weight, n = 10 in each group. (D) Mouse serum leptin was detected by ELISA, glucose level was measured by using glucometer after 4-weeks electro-acupuncture treatment, n = 10 in each group. (E &F) EA treatment decreased <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice adipocyte size. H&E staining of Epi-WAT (E) together with average adipocyte diameter (F) in EA and control group mice, n = 5 in each group. (G) EA treatment decreased <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice’s serum TG and TC levels. Serum cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) level were measured by ELISA. n = 10 in each group. (H) EA treatment increased the ability of cold endurance in the <i>Stat</i>5NKO obese mice. Mice were settled in 4°C cold room, rectal temperature were measured after 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours; n = 6 in each group. *<i>P</i> < 0.05, <i>** P</i><0.01 vs the <i>Stat</i>5fl/fl group; ^# <i>P</i><0.05, ^## <i>P</i><0.01 vs the <i>Stat</i>5NKO group. All data were expressed as means ± SD, and each experiment was repeated 3 times independently.</p