The catalytic activities of TiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 in synthesizing ethylester; propyl ester, n-butyl ester; and amyl ester were reported. It was demonstrated thatTiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 is an excellent catalyst. Variou...The catalytic activities of TiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 in synthesizing ethylester; propyl ester, n-butyl ester; and amyl ester were reported. It was demonstrated thatTiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 is an excellent catalyst. Various factors concerned with esterification wereinvestigated. The optimum conditions were found: the mole ratio of alcohol to acid is 1.3:1, themass ratio of catalyst to reactants is 1.5 percent, and the reaction time is 1.0 h. Under theoptimum conditions, the yields are 88.0 percent for ethyl ester, 94.5 percent for propyl ester, 98.6percent for n-butyl ester, 99.1 percent for n-amyl ester, and 96.7 percent for iso-amyl ester,respectively.展开更多
γ-Amino butyric acid （GABA） and proline play a crucial role in protecting plants during various environmental stresses. Their synthesis is from the common precursor glutamic acid, which is catalyzed by glutamate de...γ-Amino butyric acid （GABA） and proline play a crucial role in protecting plants during various environmental stresses. Their synthesis is from the common precursor glutamic acid, which is catalyzed by glutamate decarboxylase and △1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase respectively. However, the dominant pathway under water stress has not yet been established. To explore this, excised tobacco leaves were used to simulate a water-stress condition. The results showed GABA content was much higher than that of proline in leaves under water-deficit and non-water-deficit conditions. Specifically, the amount of GABA significantly increased compared to proline under continuous water loss for 16 h, indicating that GABA biosynthesis is the dominant pathway from glutamic acid metabolism under these conditions. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and protein Western gel-blot analysis further confirmed this. To explore the function of GABA accumulation, a system producing superoxide anion （O 2 - ）, peroxide hydrogen （H 2 O 2 ）, and singlet oxygen （ 1 O 2 ） was employed to investigate the scavenging role on free-radical production. The results demonstrated that the scavenging ability of GABA for O 2 - , H 2 O 2 , and 1 O 2 was significantly higher than that of proline. This indicated that GABA acts as an effective osmolyte to reduce the production of reactive oxygen species under water stress.展开更多
The production of butyric acid by Clostridium butyricum ZJUCB at various pH values was investigated. In order to study the effect of pH on cell growth, butyric acid biosynthesis and reducing sugar consumption, differe...The production of butyric acid by Clostridium butyricum ZJUCB at various pH values was investigated. In order to study the effect of pH on cell growth, butyric acid biosynthesis and reducing sugar consumption, different cultivation pH values ranging from 6.0 to 7.5 were evaluated in 5-L bioreactor. In controlled pH batch fermentation, the optimum pH for cell growth and butyric acid production was 6.5 with a cell yield of 3.65 g/L and butyric acid yield of 12.25 g/L. Based on these results, this study then compared batch and fed-batch fermentation of butyric acid production at pH 6.5. Maximum value (16.74 g/L) of butyric acid concentration was obtained in fed-batch fermentation compared to 12.25 g/L in batch fermentation. It was concluded that culti- vation under fed-batch fermentation mode could enhance butyric acid production significantly (P<0.01) by C. butyricum ZJUCB.展开更多
Objective： To examine modulations caused by cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） inhibitors on altered microenvironments and overbalanced neurotransmitters in pilocarpine-induced epileptic status rats and to investigate possib...Objective： To examine modulations caused by cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） inhibitors on altered microenvironments and overbalanced neurotransmitters in pilocarpine-induced epileptic status rats and to investigate possible mechanisms. Methods： Celecoxib （a COX-2 inhibitor） was administered 45 min prior to pilocarpine administration. The effects of COX-2 inhibitors on mlPSCs （miniature GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents） of CA3 pyramidal cells in the hippocampus were recorded. Expressions of COX-2, c-Fos, newly generated neurons, and activated microgliosis were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and expressions of c^-subunit of y-amino butyric acid （GABAA） receptors and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase （MAPK/ERK） activity were detected by Western blotting. Results： Pretreatment with celecoxib showed protection against pilocarpine-induced seizures. Celecoxib prevented microglia activation in the hilus and inhibited the abnormal neurogenesis and astrogliosis in the hippocampus by inhibiting MAPK/ERK activity and c-Fos transcription. Celecoxib also up-regulated the expression of GABAA receptors. NS-398 （N-2-cyclohexyloxy-4-nitrophenyl-methanesulfonamide）, another COX-2 inhibitor, enhanced the frequency and decay time of mIPSCs. Conclusion： The COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib decreased neuronal excitability and prevented epileptogenesis in pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus rats. Celecoxib regulates synaptic reorganization by inhibiting astrogliosis and ectopic neurogenesis by attenuating MAPK/ERK signal activity, mediated by a GABAergic mechanism.展开更多
Taurine is a sulfur-containing,semi-essential amino acid that occurs naturally in the body.It alternates between inflammation and oxidative stress-mediated injury in various disease models.As part of its limiting func...Taurine is a sulfur-containing,semi-essential amino acid that occurs naturally in the body.It alternates between inflammation and oxidative stress-mediated injury in various disease models.As part of its limiting functions,taurine also modulates endoplasmic reticulum stress,Ca^(2+)homeostasis,and neuronal activity at the molecular level.Taurine effectively protects against a number of neurological disorders,including stro ke,epilepsy,cerebral ischemia,memory dysfunction,and spinal cord injury.Although various therapies are available,effective management of these disorders remains a global challenge.Approximately 30 million people are affected worldwide.The design of taurine fo rmation co uld lead to potential drugs/supplements for the health maintenance and treatment of central nervous system disorders.The general neuroprotective effects of taurine and the various possible underlying mechanisms are discussed in this review.This article is a good resource for understanding the general effects of taurine on various diseases.Given the strong evidence for the neuropharmacological efficacy of taurine in various experimental paradigms,it is concluded that this molecule should be considered and further investigated as a potential candidate for neurotherapeutics,with emphasis on mechanism and clinical studies to determine efficacy.展开更多
Experiments were carried out to define the effects of hormonal concentrations on semi-hard wood（SHW） and hard-wood（HW） branch cuttings of the Z.armatum. SHW and HW cuttings were collected in the month of March. Th...Experiments were carried out to define the effects of hormonal concentrations on semi-hard wood（SHW） and hard-wood（HW） branch cuttings of the Z.armatum. SHW and HW cuttings were collected in the month of March. The SHW and HW cuttings were treated with different concentration of indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid（IAA and IBA） and placed in vermiculite rooting medium for 90 days under 1-min misting after 10 min. Sprouting, rooting percentage, sprout number, sprout length, root number, and length were measured.The highest rooting and sprouting rate, 64.0 %, was obtained at the 0.3 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings.Similarly sprout length and number of roots per cutting were also higher at the 0.3 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings. The number of shoots per cutting was higher at the 0.3 % IAA treatment in the SHW cuttings. Root length per cutting was higher in 0.4 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings. The results indicated that 0.3 and 0.4 % IBA treatment produce higher rooting percentages as well as the number of roots and their length in SHW cuttings. The HW cuttings produced maximum rate of 18.0 % rooting in0.5 % IBA treatment. The control set and lower concentrations of IBA and IAA completely failed to root in the mist chamber.展开更多
We studied the influence of seed priming with beta-amino butyric acid（BABA） on the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters of seedlings with varied abiotic stress tolerance, which were raised and grown unde...We studied the influence of seed priming with beta-amino butyric acid（BABA） on the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters of seedlings with varied abiotic stress tolerance, which were raised and grown under unstressed and stressed（NaCl/PEG-6000） conditions. Under stressed conditions, the growth of rice seedlings was less when compared to control plants. After BABA priming, the seedling growth increased both under unstressed and stressed conditions as compared to the respective controls. BABA priming of rice seeds caused increase in the photosynthetic pigment content of the leaves, modified the chlorophyll a fluorescence related parameters and also enhanced the photosystem activities of seedlings when compared to their respective non-primed controls. BABA priming also caused increased mitochondrial activities of the rice seedlings. Moreover, BABA priming significantly reduced malondialdehyde content in the seedlings and also resulted in accumulation of proline especially in the NaCl tolerant variety Vyttila 6. BABA seed priming also enhanced the activity of nitrate reductase enzyme and activities of antioxidant enzymes like guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The presence of BABA was detected by high performance thin layer chromatography analysis in the rice seeds whereas in the seedlings it was not detected. Thus, it can be inferred that the seed priming effect of BABA mainly occurred within the seeds, which was further carried to the seedlings. It is concluded that BABA priming of seeds improved the drought and salinity stress tolerance of all the three rice varieties and it was significantly evident in the drought tolerant variety Vaisakh and NaCl tolerant variety Vyttila 6, when compared to the stress sensitive variety Neeraja.展开更多
An air-stable photovoltaic device based on znic oxide nanoparticles （ZNP） in an inverted structure of indium tin oxide （ITO）/ZnO/poly （3-hexylthiophene） （P3HT）： [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester （P...An air-stable photovoltaic device based on znic oxide nanoparticles （ZNP） in an inverted structure of indium tin oxide （ITO）/ZnO/poly （3-hexylthiophene） （P3HT）： [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester （PCBM）/MoO3/Ag is studied. We fm.d that the optimum thickness of the MoO3 layer is 2 nm. When the MoO3 blocking layer is introduced, the fill factor of the devices is increased from 29% to 40%, the power conversion efficiency is directly promoted from 0.35% to 1.27%.The stability under ambient conditions of this inverted structure device much is better due to the improved stability at the polymer/Ag interface. The enhancement is attributed to the high carriers mobility and suitable band gap of MoO3 layer.展开更多
[Objective] This study was to understand the effects of β-Amino butyric acid(abbreviated as BABA) induced rice blast resistance on reactive oxygen metabolism. [Method] Using the cultivar Chaochan 2 that is highly sus...[Objective] This study was to understand the effects of β-Amino butyric acid(abbreviated as BABA) induced rice blast resistance on reactive oxygen metabolism. [Method] Using the cultivar Chaochan 2 that is highly susceptible to disease as experimental material, the changes of catalase(CAT), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) and MDA activities in rice treated by BABA were investigated. [Result] In rice plants treated by BABA, the activities of CAT and SOD increased, meanwhile the MDA content also rose to some extent, resulting in the disease resistance to rice blast. [Conclusion] By influencing reactive oxygen metabolism, BABA endows rice plants with resistance to rice blast. BABA is safe to environment and has highly resistance-inducing capacity, it could be generalized in production.展开更多
Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)affects about 12%of the global population.Although IBS does not develop into a serious disease or increase mortality,it results in a considerable reduction in the quality of life.The etiol...Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)affects about 12%of the global population.Although IBS does not develop into a serious disease or increase mortality,it results in a considerable reduction in the quality of life.The etiology of IBS is not known,but the intestinal microbiota appears to play a pivotal role in its pathophysiology.There is no effective treatment for IBS,and so the applied treatments clinically focus on symptom relief.Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),an old Chinese treatment,has been applied to IBS patients in seven randomized controlled trials(RCTs).Positive effects on IBS symptoms in various degrees were obtained in four of these RCTs,while there was no effect in the remaining three.Across the seven RCTs there were marked differences in the selection processes for the donor and treated patients,the transplant dose,the route of administration,and the methods used to measure how the patients responded to FMT.The present frontier discusses these differences and proposes:(1)criteria for selecting an effective donor(superdonor);(2)selection criteria for patients that are suitable for FMT;(3)the optimal FMT dose;and(4)the route of transplant administration.FMT appears to be safe,with only mild,self-limiting side effects of abdominal pain,cramping,tenderness,diarrhea,and constipation.Although it is early to speculate about the mechanisms underlying the effects of FMT,the available data suggest that changes in the intestinal bacteria accompanied by changes in fermentation patterns and fermentation products(specifically short-chain fatty acids)play an important role in improving the IBS symptoms seen after FMT.FMT appears to be a promising treatment for IBS,but further studies are needed before it can be applied in everyday clinical practice.展开更多
We report the plasmon-enhanced polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained via chemical method. Here, the AgNPs films with different particle densities are introduced between the pol...We report the plasmon-enhanced polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained via chemical method. Here, the AgNPs films with different particle densities are introduced between the poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) buffer layer and the poly (3-hexythiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-c61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT: PCBM) layer. By improving the optical absorption of the active layer owing to the localized surface plasmons, the power conversion efficiency of the solar cells is increased compared with the control device. It is shown that the efficiency of the device increases with the density of AgNPs. For the device employing higher density, the resulted power conversion efficiency is found to increase from 2.89% to 3.38%, enhanced by 16.96%.展开更多
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors globally.Recent reports suggest that Fusobacterium nucleatum(F.nucleatum)contributes to the initiation,progression,and prognosis of CRC....BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors globally.Recent reports suggest that Fusobacterium nucleatum(F.nucleatum)contributes to the initiation,progression,and prognosis of CRC.Butyrate,a short-chain fatty acid derived from the bacterial fermentation of soluble dietary fiber,is known to inhibit various cancers.This study is designed to explore whether F.nucleatum influences the onset and progression of CRC by impacting the intestinal metabolite butyric acid.AIM To investigate the mechanism by which F.nucleatum affects CRC occurrence and development.METHODS Alterations in the gut microbiota of BALB/c mice were observed following the oral administration of F.nucleatum.Additionally,DLD-1 and HCT116 cell lines were exposed to sodium butyrate(NaB)and F.nucleatum in vitro to examine the effects on proliferative proteins and mitochondrial function.RESULTS Our research indicates that the prevalence of F.nucleatum in fecal samples from CRC patients is significantly greater than in healthy counterparts,while the prevalence of butyrate-producing bacteria is notably lower.In mice colonized with F.nucleatum,the population of butyrate-producing bacteria decreased,resulting in altered levels of butyric acid,a key intestinal metabolite of butyrate.Exposure to NaB can impair mitochondrial morphology and diminish mitochondrial membrane potential in DLD-1 and HCT116 CRC cells.Consequently,this leads to modulated production of adenosine triphosphate and reactive oxygen species,thereby inhibiting cancer cell prolif-eration.Additionally,NaB triggers the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)signaling pathway,blocks the cell cycle in HCT116 and DLD-1 cells,and curtails the proliferation of CRC cells.The combined presence of F.nucleatum and NaB attenuated the effects of the latter.By employing small interfering RNA to suppress AMPK,it was demonstrated that AMPK is essential for NaB’s inhibition of CRC cell proliferation.CONCLUSION F.nucleatum can promote cancer progression throug展开更多
Objective To use NB 4, an authentic human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line, as well as the marrow cells from patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), containing the PML/RARα fusion gene and fused pro...Objective To use NB 4, an authentic human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line, as well as the marrow cells from patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), containing the PML/RARα fusion gene and fused protein to examine the growth inhibition and cytodifferentiation induced by all trans retinoic acid (ATRA), butyric acid (BA) and its prodrug tributyrin (TB) either as a single agent or in combinations.Methods NB 4 and APL cells were cultured in presence of ATRA, BA and TB respectively either as a single agent or in combinations at various concentration ratio. Cell growth was measured and myeloid differentiation was determined by morphology and the percentage of positive nitroblue tetrazolium reduction (NBT) on consecutive days over the whole process of culture. Results NB 4 cells can be induced by ATRA alone and synergistically induced by the combinations of BA or TB with ATRA to differentiate. The synergy was reflected by a remarkable decrease in the effective concentration of ATRA required in the combinations in comparison with it as a sole agent. The combinations also shortened the time for the cells to reach the same level of maturation as that needed for ATRA alone. The potentiation on ATRA induced differentiation of NB 4 cells seemed depending on an appropriate concentration ratio of each inducer in the combinations and the time of action. A preliminary result of in vitro induction of primarily cultured leukemic cells from APL patients by the combined inducers was promising. Conclusion The combinations of ATRA with BA or TB at an appropriate ratio may improve the clinical outcome of differentiation therapy for APL patients.展开更多
（S）-2-aminobutyric acid being initial raw material,（S）-2-hydroxybutyric acid methyl ester was synthesized by means of a three step reaction of hydroxylation, salification and esterification. The product had a yiel...（S）-2-aminobutyric acid being initial raw material,（S）-2-hydroxybutyric acid methyl ester was synthesized by means of a three step reaction of hydroxylation, salification and esterification. The product had a yield rate of 60.4%, purity of 99% and ee value higher than 99% by characterization of GC, HPLC and 1H NMR. This synthesis technique has advantages of high purity and ee value, low cost, short reaction time and mild reaction conditions so that it is suitable for production on industrial scale.展开更多
One of the bottlenecks for bioproduction of butyric acid as bulk chemical is the difficulty in separating butyric acid from the fermentation broth,compared with the petroleum-based chemical synthesis method.In the pre...One of the bottlenecks for bioproduction of butyric acid as bulk chemical is the difficulty in separating butyric acid from the fermentation broth,compared with the petroleum-based chemical synthesis method.In the present work,a novel separation methodology was developed based on an aqueous two-phase system with inor-ganic salts.Calcium chloride was screened out for effective separation of butyric acid from butyric acid-water-salt systems.Within appropriate concentration range of butyric acid and salt,butyric acid was enriched in the upper phase and most of calcium ions remained in the lower phase.This"salting out"effect is very efficient to separate butyric acid from the simulated butyrate fermentation broth,which consists of butyric acid and acetic acid with concentration ratio of 4︰1,so that the final ratio of butyric acid/acetic acid in the upper phase is improved to 9.87. The aqueous two-phase system was used to separate butyric acid from the actual fermentation broth with satisfac-tory result.展开更多
Caffeine intake during pregnancy is common,while its effect on gut microbiota composition of offspring and the relationship with susceptibility to adult diseases remains unclear.This study aimed to confirm the effects...Caffeine intake during pregnancy is common,while its effect on gut microbiota composition of offspring and the relationship with susceptibility to adult diseases remains unclear.This study aimed to confirm the effects of prenatal caffeine exposure(PCE)on the gut microbiota composition and its metabolites in female offspring rats,and to further elucidate its underlying mechanism and intervention targets in adult non-alcoholic fatty disease(NAFLD).The results showed that the gut microbiota of PCE female offspring at multiple time points from infancy to adolescence were significantly changed with depletion of butyric acid-producing bacteria,leading to a decrease in butyric acid in adulthood.It was also found that PCE female offspring rats were sensitive to NAFLD induced by a postnatal high-fat diet(HFD),which is mainly related to the enhancement of hepatic triglyceride synthesis function.Through mechanism exploration,we found that HFD further reduced the fecal and serum butyric acid levels in the PCE female offspring,which was significantly negatively correlated with hepatic SREBP-1c/FASN mRNA expression and triglyceride level.In vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that sodium butyrate(NaB)supplementation could reduce hepatic lipid accumulation through MCT1/GPR109A-AMPK,thereby effectively decreasing the susceptibility to NAFLD in the PCE female offspring rats.展开更多
In this paper,bulk heterojunction solar cells with poly-(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methylester(PCBM) as an active layer and modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)(...In this paper,bulk heterojunction solar cells with poly-(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methylester(PCBM) as an active layer and modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS) as a buffer layer are fabricated.The buffer layer is modified by adding 1% to 5% dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) into PEDOT:PSS solution before spin-coating.The conductivity of modified PEDOT:PSS and the performance of solar cells with modified PEDOT:PSS are measured.The highest conductivity of modified PEDOT:PSS with 4% DMSO can achieve 89.693 S/cm.The performance of organic solar cell with PEDOT:PSS modified by 4% DMSO is the best.The 4% DMSOmodified-PEDOT:PSS cell has a power conversion efficiency of 3.34%,V oc of 5.7 V,J sc of 14.56 mA/cm 2 and filling factor(FF) of 40.34%.展开更多
Anxiety and stress disorders are a major public health issue. However, their pathophysiology is still unclear. The gamma amino acid butyric acid(GABA) neurochemical system has been strongly implicated in their pathoge...Anxiety and stress disorders are a major public health issue. However, their pathophysiology is still unclear. The gamma amino acid butyric acid(GABA) neurochemical system has been strongly implicated in their pathogenesis and treatment by numerous preclinical and clinical studies, the most recent of which have been highlighted and critical review in this paper. Changes in cortical GABA appear related to normal personality styles and responses to stress. While there is accumulating animal and human neuroimaging evidence of cortical and subcortical GABA deficits across a number of anxiety conditions, a clear pattern of findings in specific brain regions for a given disorder is yet to emerge. Neuropsychiatric conditions with anxiety as a clinical feature may have GABA deficits as an underlying feature. Different classes of anxiolytic therapies support GABA function, and this may be an area in which newer GABA neuroimaging techniques could soon offer more personalized therapy. Novel GABAergic pharmacotherapies in development offer potential improvements over current therapies in reducing sedative and physiologic dependency effects, while offering rapid anxiolysis.展开更多
文摘The catalytic activities of TiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 in synthesizing ethylester; propyl ester, n-butyl ester; and amyl ester were reported. It was demonstrated thatTiSiW_(12)O_(40)/TiO_2 is an excellent catalyst. Various factors concerned with esterification wereinvestigated. The optimum conditions were found: the mole ratio of alcohol to acid is 1.3:1, themass ratio of catalyst to reactants is 1.5 percent, and the reaction time is 1.0 h. Under theoptimum conditions, the yields are 88.0 percent for ethyl ester, 94.5 percent for propyl ester, 98.6percent for n-butyl ester, 99.1 percent for n-amyl ester, and 96.7 percent for iso-amyl ester,respectively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30700427)Outstanding Young Talent Fund from Key Projects in Hubei Province Natural Science Foundation(No.2010CDA099)Academic Innovation Team for Plant Development and Genetics in South-Central University for Nationalities
文摘γ-Amino butyric acid （GABA） and proline play a crucial role in protecting plants during various environmental stresses. Their synthesis is from the common precursor glutamic acid, which is catalyzed by glutamate decarboxylase and △1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase respectively. However, the dominant pathway under water stress has not yet been established. To explore this, excised tobacco leaves were used to simulate a water-stress condition. The results showed GABA content was much higher than that of proline in leaves under water-deficit and non-water-deficit conditions. Specifically, the amount of GABA significantly increased compared to proline under continuous water loss for 16 h, indicating that GABA biosynthesis is the dominant pathway from glutamic acid metabolism under these conditions. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and protein Western gel-blot analysis further confirmed this. To explore the function of GABA accumulation, a system producing superoxide anion （O 2 - ）, peroxide hydrogen （H 2 O 2 ）, and singlet oxygen （ 1 O 2 ） was employed to investigate the scavenging role on free-radical production. The results demonstrated that the scavenging ability of GABA for O 2 - , H 2 O 2 , and 1 O 2 was significantly higher than that of proline. This indicated that GABA acts as an effective osmolyte to reduce the production of reactive oxygen species under water stress.
文摘The production of butyric acid by Clostridium butyricum ZJUCB at various pH values was investigated. In order to study the effect of pH on cell growth, butyric acid biosynthesis and reducing sugar consumption, different cultivation pH values ranging from 6.0 to 7.5 were evaluated in 5-L bioreactor. In controlled pH batch fermentation, the optimum pH for cell growth and butyric acid production was 6.5 with a cell yield of 3.65 g/L and butyric acid yield of 12.25 g/L. Based on these results, this study then compared batch and fed-batch fermentation of butyric acid production at pH 6.5. Maximum value (16.74 g/L) of butyric acid concentration was obtained in fed-batch fermentation compared to 12.25 g/L in batch fermentation. It was concluded that culti- vation under fed-batch fermentation mode could enhance butyric acid production significantly (P<0.01) by C. butyricum ZJUCB.
文摘Objective： To examine modulations caused by cyclooxygenase-2 （COX-2） inhibitors on altered microenvironments and overbalanced neurotransmitters in pilocarpine-induced epileptic status rats and to investigate possible mechanisms. Methods： Celecoxib （a COX-2 inhibitor） was administered 45 min prior to pilocarpine administration. The effects of COX-2 inhibitors on mlPSCs （miniature GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents） of CA3 pyramidal cells in the hippocampus were recorded. Expressions of COX-2, c-Fos, newly generated neurons, and activated microgliosis were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and expressions of c^-subunit of y-amino butyric acid （GABAA） receptors and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase （MAPK/ERK） activity were detected by Western blotting. Results： Pretreatment with celecoxib showed protection against pilocarpine-induced seizures. Celecoxib prevented microglia activation in the hilus and inhibited the abnormal neurogenesis and astrogliosis in the hippocampus by inhibiting MAPK/ERK activity and c-Fos transcription. Celecoxib also up-regulated the expression of GABAA receptors. NS-398 （N-2-cyclohexyloxy-4-nitrophenyl-methanesulfonamide）, another COX-2 inhibitor, enhanced the frequency and decay time of mIPSCs. Conclusion： The COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib decreased neuronal excitability and prevented epileptogenesis in pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus rats. Celecoxib regulates synaptic reorganization by inhibiting astrogliosis and ectopic neurogenesis by attenuating MAPK/ERK signal activity, mediated by a GABAergic mechanism.
文摘Taurine is a sulfur-containing,semi-essential amino acid that occurs naturally in the body.It alternates between inflammation and oxidative stress-mediated injury in various disease models.As part of its limiting functions,taurine also modulates endoplasmic reticulum stress,Ca^(2+)homeostasis,and neuronal activity at the molecular level.Taurine effectively protects against a number of neurological disorders,including stro ke,epilepsy,cerebral ischemia,memory dysfunction,and spinal cord injury.Although various therapies are available,effective management of these disorders remains a global challenge.Approximately 30 million people are affected worldwide.The design of taurine fo rmation co uld lead to potential drugs/supplements for the health maintenance and treatment of central nervous system disorders.The general neuroprotective effects of taurine and the various possible underlying mechanisms are discussed in this review.This article is a good resource for understanding the general effects of taurine on various diseases.Given the strong evidence for the neuropharmacological efficacy of taurine in various experimental paradigms,it is concluded that this molecule should be considered and further investigated as a potential candidate for neurotherapeutics,with emphasis on mechanism and clinical studies to determine efficacy.
文摘Experiments were carried out to define the effects of hormonal concentrations on semi-hard wood（SHW） and hard-wood（HW） branch cuttings of the Z.armatum. SHW and HW cuttings were collected in the month of March. The SHW and HW cuttings were treated with different concentration of indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid（IAA and IBA） and placed in vermiculite rooting medium for 90 days under 1-min misting after 10 min. Sprouting, rooting percentage, sprout number, sprout length, root number, and length were measured.The highest rooting and sprouting rate, 64.0 %, was obtained at the 0.3 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings.Similarly sprout length and number of roots per cutting were also higher at the 0.3 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings. The number of shoots per cutting was higher at the 0.3 % IAA treatment in the SHW cuttings. Root length per cutting was higher in 0.4 % IBA treatment in the SHW cuttings. The results indicated that 0.3 and 0.4 % IBA treatment produce higher rooting percentages as well as the number of roots and their length in SHW cuttings. The HW cuttings produced maximum rate of 18.0 % rooting in0.5 % IBA treatment. The control set and lower concentrations of IBA and IAA completely failed to root in the mist chamber.
文摘We studied the influence of seed priming with beta-amino butyric acid（BABA） on the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters of seedlings with varied abiotic stress tolerance, which were raised and grown under unstressed and stressed（NaCl/PEG-6000） conditions. Under stressed conditions, the growth of rice seedlings was less when compared to control plants. After BABA priming, the seedling growth increased both under unstressed and stressed conditions as compared to the respective controls. BABA priming of rice seeds caused increase in the photosynthetic pigment content of the leaves, modified the chlorophyll a fluorescence related parameters and also enhanced the photosystem activities of seedlings when compared to their respective non-primed controls. BABA priming also caused increased mitochondrial activities of the rice seedlings. Moreover, BABA priming significantly reduced malondialdehyde content in the seedlings and also resulted in accumulation of proline especially in the NaCl tolerant variety Vyttila 6. BABA seed priming also enhanced the activity of nitrate reductase enzyme and activities of antioxidant enzymes like guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The presence of BABA was detected by high performance thin layer chromatography analysis in the rice seeds whereas in the seedlings it was not detected. Thus, it can be inferred that the seed priming effect of BABA mainly occurred within the seeds, which was further carried to the seedlings. It is concluded that BABA priming of seeds improved the drought and salinity stress tolerance of all the three rice varieties and it was significantly evident in the drought tolerant variety Vaisakh and NaCl tolerant variety Vyttila 6, when compared to the stress sensitive variety Neeraja.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.60876046 and 60976048)the Key Project of Education Ministry of (No.209007)+2 种基金the Tianjin Natural Science Council (No.0ZCKFGX01900)the Scientific Developing Foundation of Tianjin Education Commission (No.20100723)the Tianjin Key Discipline of Material Physics and Chemistry
文摘An air-stable photovoltaic device based on znic oxide nanoparticles （ZNP） in an inverted structure of indium tin oxide （ITO）/ZnO/poly （3-hexylthiophene） （P3HT）： [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester （PCBM）/MoO3/Ag is studied. We fm.d that the optimum thickness of the MoO3 layer is 2 nm. When the MoO3 blocking layer is introduced, the fill factor of the devices is increased from 29% to 40%, the power conversion efficiency is directly promoted from 0.35% to 1.27%.The stability under ambient conditions of this inverted structure device much is better due to the improved stability at the polymer/Ag interface. The enhancement is attributed to the high carriers mobility and suitable band gap of MoO3 layer.
基金Supported by National Key Technology R&D Program During the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2006BAD08A04)Innovation Project(20076020)~~
文摘[Objective] This study was to understand the effects of β-Amino butyric acid(abbreviated as BABA) induced rice blast resistance on reactive oxygen metabolism. [Method] Using the cultivar Chaochan 2 that is highly susceptible to disease as experimental material, the changes of catalase(CAT), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) and MDA activities in rice treated by BABA were investigated. [Result] In rice plants treated by BABA, the activities of CAT and SOD increased, meanwhile the MDA content also rose to some extent, resulting in the disease resistance to rice blast. [Conclusion] By influencing reactive oxygen metabolism, BABA endows rice plants with resistance to rice blast. BABA is safe to environment and has highly resistance-inducing capacity, it could be generalized in production.
文摘Irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)affects about 12%of the global population.Although IBS does not develop into a serious disease or increase mortality,it results in a considerable reduction in the quality of life.The etiology of IBS is not known,but the intestinal microbiota appears to play a pivotal role in its pathophysiology.There is no effective treatment for IBS,and so the applied treatments clinically focus on symptom relief.Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT),an old Chinese treatment,has been applied to IBS patients in seven randomized controlled trials(RCTs).Positive effects on IBS symptoms in various degrees were obtained in four of these RCTs,while there was no effect in the remaining three.Across the seven RCTs there were marked differences in the selection processes for the donor and treated patients,the transplant dose,the route of administration,and the methods used to measure how the patients responded to FMT.The present frontier discusses these differences and proposes:(1)criteria for selecting an effective donor(superdonor);(2)selection criteria for patients that are suitable for FMT;(3)the optimal FMT dose;and(4)the route of transplant administration.FMT appears to be safe,with only mild,self-limiting side effects of abdominal pain,cramping,tenderness,diarrhea,and constipation.Although it is early to speculate about the mechanisms underlying the effects of FMT,the available data suggest that changes in the intestinal bacteria accompanied by changes in fermentation patterns and fermentation products(specifically short-chain fatty acids)play an important role in improving the IBS symptoms seen after FMT.FMT appears to be a promising treatment for IBS,but further studies are needed before it can be applied in everyday clinical practice.
基金supported by the Project of Tianjin Ministry of Education (No. 20100723)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 60876046)
文摘We report the plasmon-enhanced polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained via chemical method. Here, the AgNPs films with different particle densities are introduced between the poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) buffer layer and the poly (3-hexythiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-c61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT: PCBM) layer. By improving the optical absorption of the active layer owing to the localized surface plasmons, the power conversion efficiency of the solar cells is increased compared with the control device. It is shown that the efficiency of the device increases with the density of AgNPs. For the device employing higher density, the resulted power conversion efficiency is found to increase from 2.89% to 3.38%, enhanced by 16.96%.
基金Supported by the Key Discipline of Zhejiang Province in Medical Technology(First Class,Category A)and the Health Project of the Science and Technology Department of Wenzhou,No.Y20220029.
文摘BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors globally.Recent reports suggest that Fusobacterium nucleatum(F.nucleatum)contributes to the initiation,progression,and prognosis of CRC.Butyrate,a short-chain fatty acid derived from the bacterial fermentation of soluble dietary fiber,is known to inhibit various cancers.This study is designed to explore whether F.nucleatum influences the onset and progression of CRC by impacting the intestinal metabolite butyric acid.AIM To investigate the mechanism by which F.nucleatum affects CRC occurrence and development.METHODS Alterations in the gut microbiota of BALB/c mice were observed following the oral administration of F.nucleatum.Additionally,DLD-1 and HCT116 cell lines were exposed to sodium butyrate(NaB)and F.nucleatum in vitro to examine the effects on proliferative proteins and mitochondrial function.RESULTS Our research indicates that the prevalence of F.nucleatum in fecal samples from CRC patients is significantly greater than in healthy counterparts,while the prevalence of butyrate-producing bacteria is notably lower.In mice colonized with F.nucleatum,the population of butyrate-producing bacteria decreased,resulting in altered levels of butyric acid,a key intestinal metabolite of butyrate.Exposure to NaB can impair mitochondrial morphology and diminish mitochondrial membrane potential in DLD-1 and HCT116 CRC cells.Consequently,this leads to modulated production of adenosine triphosphate and reactive oxygen species,thereby inhibiting cancer cell prolif-eration.Additionally,NaB triggers the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)signaling pathway,blocks the cell cycle in HCT116 and DLD-1 cells,and curtails the proliferation of CRC cells.The combined presence of F.nucleatum and NaB attenuated the effects of the latter.By employing small interfering RNA to suppress AMPK,it was demonstrated that AMPK is essential for NaB’s inhibition of CRC cell proliferation.CONCLUSION F.nucleatum can promote cancer progression throug
文摘Objective To use NB 4, an authentic human acute promyelocytic leukemia cell line, as well as the marrow cells from patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), containing the PML/RARα fusion gene and fused protein to examine the growth inhibition and cytodifferentiation induced by all trans retinoic acid (ATRA), butyric acid (BA) and its prodrug tributyrin (TB) either as a single agent or in combinations.Methods NB 4 and APL cells were cultured in presence of ATRA, BA and TB respectively either as a single agent or in combinations at various concentration ratio. Cell growth was measured and myeloid differentiation was determined by morphology and the percentage of positive nitroblue tetrazolium reduction (NBT) on consecutive days over the whole process of culture. Results NB 4 cells can be induced by ATRA alone and synergistically induced by the combinations of BA or TB with ATRA to differentiate. The synergy was reflected by a remarkable decrease in the effective concentration of ATRA required in the combinations in comparison with it as a sole agent. The combinations also shortened the time for the cells to reach the same level of maturation as that needed for ATRA alone. The potentiation on ATRA induced differentiation of NB 4 cells seemed depending on an appropriate concentration ratio of each inducer in the combinations and the time of action. A preliminary result of in vitro induction of primarily cultured leukemic cells from APL patients by the combined inducers was promising. Conclusion The combinations of ATRA with BA or TB at an appropriate ratio may improve the clinical outcome of differentiation therapy for APL patients.
文摘（S）-2-aminobutyric acid being initial raw material,（S）-2-hydroxybutyric acid methyl ester was synthesized by means of a three step reaction of hydroxylation, salification and esterification. The product had a yield rate of 60.4%, purity of 99% and ee value higher than 99% by characterization of GC, HPLC and 1H NMR. This synthesis technique has advantages of high purity and ee value, low cost, short reaction time and mild reaction conditions so that it is suitable for production on industrial scale.
基金Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(2009AA02Z206,2006AA02Z239)the National Basic Research Program of China(2007CB707805)the Ministry of Science and Technology,China
文摘One of the bottlenecks for bioproduction of butyric acid as bulk chemical is the difficulty in separating butyric acid from the fermentation broth,compared with the petroleum-based chemical synthesis method.In the present work,a novel separation methodology was developed based on an aqueous two-phase system with inor-ganic salts.Calcium chloride was screened out for effective separation of butyric acid from butyric acid-water-salt systems.Within appropriate concentration range of butyric acid and salt,butyric acid was enriched in the upper phase and most of calcium ions remained in the lower phase.This"salting out"effect is very efficient to separate butyric acid from the simulated butyrate fermentation broth,which consists of butyric acid and acetic acid with concentration ratio of 4︰1,so that the final ratio of butyric acid/acetic acid in the upper phase is improved to 9.87. The aqueous two-phase system was used to separate butyric acid from the actual fermentation broth with satisfac-tory result.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82030111, U23A20407)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFA0803900)+2 种基金the Major Technological Innovation Projects of Hubei Province (2019ACA140)Hubei Province's Outstanding Medical Academic Leader programthe Basic and Clinical Medical Research Joint Fund of Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University (ZNLH202208)
文摘Caffeine intake during pregnancy is common,while its effect on gut microbiota composition of offspring and the relationship with susceptibility to adult diseases remains unclear.This study aimed to confirm the effects of prenatal caffeine exposure(PCE)on the gut microbiota composition and its metabolites in female offspring rats,and to further elucidate its underlying mechanism and intervention targets in adult non-alcoholic fatty disease(NAFLD).The results showed that the gut microbiota of PCE female offspring at multiple time points from infancy to adolescence were significantly changed with depletion of butyric acid-producing bacteria,leading to a decrease in butyric acid in adulthood.It was also found that PCE female offspring rats were sensitive to NAFLD induced by a postnatal high-fat diet(HFD),which is mainly related to the enhancement of hepatic triglyceride synthesis function.Through mechanism exploration,we found that HFD further reduced the fecal and serum butyric acid levels in the PCE female offspring,which was significantly negatively correlated with hepatic SREBP-1c/FASN mRNA expression and triglyceride level.In vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that sodium butyrate(NaB)supplementation could reduce hepatic lipid accumulation through MCT1/GPR109A-AMPK,thereby effectively decreasing the susceptibility to NAFLD in the PCE female offspring rats.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.60977027 and 60825407)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.2010JBZ003)the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (No.Z090803044009001)
文摘In this paper,bulk heterojunction solar cells with poly-(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methylester(PCBM) as an active layer and modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS) as a buffer layer are fabricated.The buffer layer is modified by adding 1% to 5% dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) into PEDOT:PSS solution before spin-coating.The conductivity of modified PEDOT:PSS and the performance of solar cells with modified PEDOT:PSS are measured.The highest conductivity of modified PEDOT:PSS with 4% DMSO can achieve 89.693 S/cm.The performance of organic solar cell with PEDOT:PSS modified by 4% DMSO is the best.The 4% DMSOmodified-PEDOT:PSS cell has a power conversion efficiency of 3.34%,V oc of 5.7 V,J sc of 14.56 mA/cm 2 and filling factor(FF) of 40.34%.
文摘Anxiety and stress disorders are a major public health issue. However, their pathophysiology is still unclear. The gamma amino acid butyric acid(GABA) neurochemical system has been strongly implicated in their pathogenesis and treatment by numerous preclinical and clinical studies, the most recent of which have been highlighted and critical review in this paper. Changes in cortical GABA appear related to normal personality styles and responses to stress. While there is accumulating animal and human neuroimaging evidence of cortical and subcortical GABA deficits across a number of anxiety conditions, a clear pattern of findings in specific brain regions for a given disorder is yet to emerge. Neuropsychiatric conditions with anxiety as a clinical feature may have GABA deficits as an underlying feature. Different classes of anxiolytic therapies support GABA function, and this may be an area in which newer GABA neuroimaging techniques could soon offer more personalized therapy. Novel GABAergic pharmacotherapies in development offer potential improvements over current therapies in reducing sedative and physiologic dependency effects, while offering rapid anxiolysis.
