Chitosan/Al\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e-HA nanocomposite beads for efficient removal of estradiol and chrysoidin from aqueous solution

© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Alumina, as a support material, was loaded together with chitosan and hydroxyapatite to form chitosan/Al2O3-HA composite beads and was used for estradiol and chrysoidin removal from aqueous solution in the present work. The physicochemical properties of the beads were studied with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. FTIR spectra confirmed that the chitosan was loaded successfully on Al2O3-HA, and functional groups were immobilized onto the surface of the beads after the synthesis. The adsorption condition including pH, the amount of adsorbent, initial concentration and time were evaluated during the batch experiments. Isotherm data best matched the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order model best described the adsorption kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 39.78 mg/g and 23.26 mg/g for estradiol and chrysoidine, respectively. The adsorbed estradiol and chrysoidin were completely eluted from the composite beads with the eluent of 0.1 M H2SO4/MeOH and the regenerated material was used in several cycles without deterioration in its initial performances. This study suggests that the developed composite beads have high potential for the efficient removal estradiol and chrysoidin from aqueous solution

Effects of ozone exposure on lipid metabolism in Huh-7 human hepatoma cells

Ozone pollution is a major environmental concern. According to recent epidemiological studies, ozone exposure increases the risk of metabolic liver disease. However, studies on the mechanisms underlying the effects of ozone exposure on hepatic oxidative damage, lipid synthesis, and catabolism are limited. In this study, Huh-7 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells were randomly divided into five groups and exposed to 200 ppb O3 for 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h. We measured the levels of oxidative stress and analyzed the changes in molecules related to lipid metabolism. The levels of oxidative stress were found to be significantly elevated in Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells after O3 exposure. Moreover, the expression levels of intracellular lipid synthases, including SREBP1, FASN, SCD1, and ACC1, were enhanced. Lipolytic enzymes, including ATGL and HSL, and the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidase, CPT1α, were inhibited after O3 exposure. In addition, short O3 exposure enhanced the expression of the intracellular peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidase, ACOX1; however, its expression decreased adaptively with longer exposure times. Overall, O3 exposure induces an increase in intracellular oxidative stress and disrupts the normal metabolism of lipids in hepatocytes, leading to intracellular lipid accumulation

Molecular basis of ligand recognition and activation of human V2 vasopressin receptor.

Vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R) belongs to the vasopressin (VP)/oxytocin (OT) receptor subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which comprises at least four closely related receptor subtypes: V1aR, V1bR, V2R, and OTR. These receptors are activated by arginine vasopressin (AVP) and OT, two endogenous nine-amino acid neurohypophysial hormones, which are thought to mediate a biologically conserved role in social behavior and sexual reproduction. V2R is mainly expressed in the renal collecting duct principal cells and mediates the antidiuretic action of AVP by accelerating water reabsorption, thereby playing a vital role in controlling water homeostasis. Moreover, numerous gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutations of V2R have been identified and are closely associated with human diseases, including nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate diuresis (NSIAD) and X-linked congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Thus, V2R has attracted intense interest as a drug target. However, due to a lack of structural information, how AVP recognizes and activates V2R remains elusive, which hampers the V2R-targeted drug design. Here, we determined a 2.6 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the full-length, G s -coupled human V2R bound to AVP (Fig. 1a; Supplementary information, Table S1). The G s protein was engineered based on mini-G s that was used in the crystal structure determination of the G s -coupled adenosine A 2A receptor (A 2A R) to stabilize the V2R–G s protein complex (Supplementary information, Data S1). The final structure of the AVP–V2R–G s complex contains all residues of AVP (residues 1–9), the Gα s Ras-like domain, Gβγ subunits, Nb35, scFv16, and the V2R residues from T31 to L339 8.57 (superscripts refer to Ballesteros–Weinstein numbering). The majority of amino acid side chains, including AVP, transmembrane domain (TMD), all flexible intracellular loops (ICLs) and extracellular loops (ECLs) except for ICL3 and G185–G188 in ECL2, were well resolved in the model, refined against the EM density map (Fig. 1a; Supplementary information, Figs. S1–3). The complex structure can provide detailed information on the binding interface between AVP and helix bundle of the receptor, as well as the receptor–G s interface

Mine water inflow pattern in the distribution area of paleochannel sand bodies of the Zhiluo Formation in the northern part of the Ordos Basin

In the past ten years, the coal mining operation in the northern part of the Ordos Basin has been frequently threatened by the groundwater of the Zhiluo Formation, and even some water inrush accidents have occurred. In the area, the mines with the groundwater of the Zhiluo Formation as water source are distributed continuously, and are closely related to the paleochannel sand bodies of the Zhiluo Formation. In order to explain the mine water inflow model in the distribution area of the paleochannel sand bodies of the Zhiluo Formation in the southern area of Shenfu, on the basis of the study of the spatial distribution of paleochannel sand bodies in the Zhiluo Formation and their control effect on groundwater occurrence, the relationship between the paleochannel sand bodies and the mine water inflow in the Zhiluo Formation was analyzed from the scale of the study area, the scale of the well field and the scale of the working face, and the mine water inflow model under the paleochannel sand bodies of the Zhiluo Formation was proposed. The results show that the paleochannel scouring zone of the Zhiluo Formation in the southern area of Shenfu is developed along the line of Hongyannao-Erlintu-Jinjie, and the fifth member of the Yan’an Formation in the erosion zone is almost completely eroded, and the fourth member of the Yan’an Formation is also scoured in some areas. According to the analysis of the sand dispersion system and the development characteristics of the aquifer rock group, the paleochannel sand bodies filled and deposited in the scouring zone are divided into three grades. The water-richness of the paleochannel sand bodies of the Zhiluo Formation is mainly controlled by the scale, physical characteristics and weathering of the sand body, and the water-richness of the first-order sand body (main channel) is stronger than that of the second-class sand body (branch channel) and the third-order sand body (delta bay and tributary bay), and its water richness will be further enhanced when the sand body is weathered. Based on the analysis of the relationship between sand body classification, weathered sand body thickness and mine water inflow at different scales, three water inflow modes of production mines under paleochannel sand bodies in the eastern part of the study area were proposed. The strong water inrush mode is mainly located in the distribution area of the first-class sand body, and the thickness of the weathered sand body is generally ≥ 30 m. Medium water inrush mode is mainly located at the edge of the primary sand body or secondary sand body area, the thickness of the weathered sand body is generally 10−30 m. The weak water inrush mode is mainly located in the tertiary sand body area, and the thickness of the weathered sand body is generally < 10 m

Identification of Potential Biomarkers and Metabolic Profiling of Serum in Ovarian Cancer Patients Using UPLC/Q-TOF MS

Background/Aims: Ovarian cancer (OC) is a malignant neoplasm of the female reproductive system with a high mortality rate. Identifying useful biomarkers and clarifying the molecular pathogenesis of OC are critical for early diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the study was to identify candidate biomarkers and explore metabolic changes of OC. Methods: A two-stage design was used in our study, with a discovery cohort of OC cases (n = 30) and controls (n = 30) and an independent cohort of cases (n = 17) and controls (n = 18) for validation. The serum metabolic profiling was investigated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-fight mass spectrometry with positive electrospray ionization. Results: A total of 18 metabolites closely related to OC were identified in the discovery stage, of which 12 were confirmed in the validation cohort. Metabolic pathways in OC related to these biomarkers included fatty acid β-oxidation, phospholipid metabolism, and bile acid metabolism, which are closely related to the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. Multiple logistic regression analysis of these metabolites showed that 2-piperidinone and 1-heptadecanoylglycerophosphoethanolamine were potential biomarkers of OC, with high sensitivity (96.7%), specificity (66.7%), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value (0.894). Conclusion: These findings provide insight into the pathogenesis pathogenesis of OC and may be useful for clinical diagnosis and treatment

QTL mapping for plant height and ear height using bi-parental immortalized heterozygous populations in maize

IntroductionPlant height (PH) and ear height (EH) are key plant architectural traits in maize, which will affect the photosynthetic efficiency, high plant density tolerance, suitability for mechanical harvestingMethodsQTL mapping were conducted for PH and EH using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and two corresponding immortalized backcross (IB) populations obtained from crosses between the RIL population and the two parental lines.ResultsA total of 17 and 15 QTL were detected in the RIL and IB populations, respectively. Two QTL, qPH1-1 (qEH1-1) and qPH1-2 (qEH1-4) in the RIL, were simultaneously identified for PH and EH. Combing reported genome-wide association and cloned PH-related genes, co-expression network analyses were constructed, then five candidate genes with high confidence in major QTL were identified including Zm00001d011117 and Zm00001d011108, whose homologs have been confirmed to play a role in determining PH in maize and soybean.DiscussionQTL mapping used a immortalized backcross population is a new strategy. These identified genes in this study can provide new insights for improving the plant architecture in maize

Geochemical characteristics of groundwater about Zhiluo Formation in the northern Ordos Basin and its indicative significance

Coal mine water disaster is the main disaster of the Jurassic coalfield in the northern Shaanxi and the groundwater of the Zhiluo Formation is one of the main water inrush sources. Using the Durov diagram, Piper three-line diagram, Gibbs diagram, Stiff diagram and principal component analysis method, the geochemical characteristics of the Zhiluo Formation groundwater in the northern Ordos Basin and its indicative significance were investigated in this study. Also, it studied the geochemical characteristics of groundwater and explains its significance for the hydraulic connection between the Zhiluo Formation and overlying aquifer and the groundwater runoff conditions. The results show that the concentrations of the pH, TDS, K+ + Na+, \begin{document}${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$\end{document} and Cl− show a decreasing trend about the Zhiluo Formation groundwater from the western normal bedrock area to the eastern weathered bedrock area. And there are some differences about the Zhiluo Formation groundwater chemical types. For the deep buried area of the Zhiluo Formation in the west, the hydrochemical types of groundwater are mainly SO4−Na type, SO4·Cl−Na type and HCO3·SO4−Na type. For the bedrock weathering area of the Zhiluo Formation in the east, the groundwater type transitions to HCO3−Ca type and HCO3−Ca·Mg type. The hydrochemical formation of the Zhiluo Formation groundwater is controlled by rock weathering, alternating adsorption, desulfuration and leaching. Hydrogen isotope and oxygen isotope and hydro-chemical characteristics have obvious indicative effects on the hydraulic connection between aquifers. The analysis of hydrogen isotope and oxygen isotope, chemical ion concentration of typical borehole groundwater and regional groundwater hydro-chemical characteristics shows that there is no hydraulic connection between the normal bedrock groundwater of the Zhiluo Formation and the groundwater of the Luohe Formation and the Salawusu Formation in the western part of the study area. The weathered bedrock groundwater of the Zhiluo Formation in the eastern part is closely related to the Salawusu Formation groundwater. The halogen element (Cl−) has obvious indication effect on the runoff conditions of the Zhiluo Formation groundwater., The normal bedrock groundwater runoff of the Zhiluo Formation in the western is slow and the groundwater is mainly static reserves. For the bedrock weathering area, due to its development of pores and fissures, the water storage and permeability are significantly enhanced and there is a strong mixing effect with the Quaternary groundwater. So the groundwater runoff intensity is large and the groundwater is mainly dynamic reserves

Lifelike Agility and Play on Quadrupedal Robots using Reinforcement Learning and Generative Pre-trained Models

Summarizing knowledge from animals and human beings inspires robotic innovations. In this work, we propose a framework for driving legged robots act like real animals with lifelike agility and strategy in complex environments. Inspired by large pre-trained models witnessed with impressive performance in language and image understanding, we introduce the power of advanced deep generative models to produce motor control signals stimulating legged robots to act like real animals. Unlike conventional controllers and end-to-end RL methods that are task-specific, we propose to pre-train generative models over animal motion datasets to preserve expressive knowledge of animal behavior. The pre-trained model holds sufficient primitive-level knowledge yet is environment-agnostic. It is then reused for a successive stage of learning to align with the environments by traversing a number of challenging obstacles that are rarely considered in previous approaches, including creeping through narrow spaces, jumping over hurdles, freerunning over scattered blocks, etc. Finally, a task-specific controller is trained to solve complex downstream tasks by reusing the knowledge from previous stages. Enriching the knowledge regarding each stage does not affect the usage of other levels of knowledge. This flexible framework offers the possibility of continual knowledge accumulation at different levels. We successfully apply the trained multi-level controllers to the MAX robot, a quadrupedal robot developed in-house, to mimic animals, traverse complex obstacles, and play in a designed challenging multi-agent Chase Tag Game, where lifelike agility and strategy emerge on the robots. The present research pushes the frontier of robot control with new insights on reusing multi-level pre-trained knowledge and solving highly complex downstream tasks in the real world

Rapid determination of fumonisin (FB\u3csub\u3e1\u3c/sub\u3e) by syringe SPE coupled with solid-phase fluorescence spectrometry

© 2019 Fumonisin B1 is the most prevalent member of a family of toxins, known as fumonisins, which occurs mainly in maize, wheat and other cereals. Due to its hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic in all animal species, very strict regulations have been imposed on the levels of fumonisin B1 in cereal and cereal-based foods worldwide. In this work, a rapid determination method of fumonisin B1 by membrane solid phase extraction coupled with solid-phase fluorescence analysis is developed. A rhodamine based fluorescent probe was used for derivatization with fumonisin B1. After derivatization and extraction by nylon membrane, the enriched fumonisin B1 can be detected directly on the membrane without further elution process that is placed in a designed spectra collection device. The established method showed a linear relationship in concentration range of 0.5–5.0 μg/L, with the R2 = 0.991, and a limit of detection of 0.119 μg/L. Method accuracy was further confirmed using LC-MS method by comparing the detection results of 3 corn powder samples spiked with FB1, that demonstrated equivalent results. The results of this study indicated that the proposed method was simple, sensitive, reliable and suitable for trace fumonisins B1 quantitation in corn-based feeds

Ligand recognition and G-protein coupling selectivity of cholecystokinin A receptor.

Cholecystokinin A receptor (CCKAR) belongs to family A G-protein-coupled receptors and regulates nutrient homeostasis upon stimulation by cholecystokinin (CCK). It is an attractive drug target for gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. One distinguishing feature of CCKAR is its ability to interact with a sulfated ligand and to couple with divergent G-protein subtypes, including Gs, Gi and Gq. However, the basis for G-protein coupling promiscuity and ligand recognition by CCKAR remains unknown. Here, we present three cryo-electron microscopy structures of sulfated CCK-8-activated CCKAR in complex with Gs, Gi and Gq heterotrimers, respectively. CCKAR presents a similar conformation in the three structures, whereas conformational differences in the 'wavy hook' of the Gα subunits and ICL3 of the receptor serve as determinants in G-protein coupling selectivity. Our findings provide a framework for understanding G-protein coupling promiscuity by CCKAR and uncover the mechanism of receptor recognition by sulfated CCK-8