Bee Bread Ameliorates Vascular Inflammation and Impaired Vasorelaxation in Obesity-Induced Vascular Damage Rat Model: The Role of eNOS/NO/cGMP-Signaling Pathway

Obesity and hyperlipidemia are major risk factors for developing vascular diseases. Bee bread (BB) has been reported to exhibit some biological actions, including anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic. This study aims to investigate whether bee bread can ameliorate vascular inflammation and impaired vasorelaxation activity through eNOS/NO/cGMP pathway in obese rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/group), namely: control (normal group), obese rats (OB group), obese rats treated with bee bread (0.5 g/kg/day, OB/BB group) and obese rats treated with orlistat (10 mg/kg/day, OB/OR group). The latter three groups were given a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks to induced obesity before being administered with their respective treatments for another 6 weeks. After 12 weeks of the total experimental period, rats in the OB group demonstrated significantly higher Lee obesity index, lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein), aortic proinflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, nuclear factor-κβ), aortic structural damage and impairment in vasorelaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh). Bee bread significantly ameliorated the obesity-induced vascular damage manifested by improvements in the lipid profile, aortic inflammatory markers, and the impaired vasorelaxation activity by significantly enhancing nitric oxide release, promoting endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) immunoexpression. These findings suggest that the administration of bee bread ameliorates the impaired vasorelaxation response to ACh by improving eNOS/NO/cGMP-signaling pathway in obese rats, suggesting its vascular therapeutic role.     

Reduced Claudin-12 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Cervical Cancer

Background: Within the claudin (CLDN) family, CLDN12 mRNA expression is altered in various types of cancer, but its clinicopathological relevance has yet to be established due to the absence of specific antibodies (Abs) with broad applications. Methods: We generated a monoclonal Ab (mAb) against human/mouse CLDN12 and verified its specificity. By performing immunohistochemical staining and semiquantification, we evaluated the relationship between CLDN12 expression and clinicopathological parameters in tissues from 138 cases of cervical cancer. Results: Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the established mAb selectively recognized the CLDN12 protein. Twenty six of the 138 cases (18.8%) showed low CLDN12 expression, and the disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival rates were significantly decreased compared with those in the high CLDN12 expression group. We also demonstrated, via univariable and multivariable analyses, that the low CLDN12 expression represents a significant prognostic factor for the DSS of cervical cancer patients (HR 3.412, p = 0.002 and HR 2.615, p = 0.029, respectively). Conclusions: It can be concluded that a reduced CLDN12 expression predicts a poor outcome for cervical cancer. The novel anti-CLDN12 mAb could be a valuable tool to evaluate the biological relevance of the CLDN12 expression in diverse cancer types and other diseases.     

Structural,optical and electronic characteristics of Cu and Mg-doped nano MnS sample prepared by molten salt solid state reaction

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Nano Mn0.95M0.05S (M ≡ Cu, Mg) samples were produced using molten salt solid state reaction method. Rietveld analysis of X-ray...     

Amination of biochar surface from watermelon peel for toxic chromium removal enhancement

Watermelon peel residues were used to produce a new biochar by dehydration method. The new biochar has undergone two methods of chemical modification and the effect of this chemical modification on its ability to adsorb Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution has been investigated. Three biochars, Melon-B, Melon-BO-NH_2 and Melon-BO-TETA, were made from watermelon peel via dehydration with 50% sulfuric acid to give Melon-B followed by oxidation with ozone and amination using ammonium hydroxide to give Melon-BO-NH_2 or Triethylenetetramine(TETA) to give Melon-BO-TETA. The prepared biochars were characterized by BET, BJH,SEM, FT-IR, TGA, DSC and EDAX analyses. The highest removal percentage of Cr(VI) ions was 69% for Melon-B,98% for Melon-BO-NH_2 and 99% for Melon-BO-TETA biochars of 100 mg·L~(-1) Cr(VI) ions initial concentration and 1.0 g·L~(-1) adsorbents dose. The unmodified biochar(Melon-B) and modified biochars(Melon-BO-NH_2 and Melon-BO-TETA) had maximum adsorption capacities(Qm) of 72.46, 123.46, and 333.33 mg·g~(-1), respectively.The amination of biochar reduced the pore size of modified biochar, whereas the surface area was enhanced.The obtained data of isotherm models were tested using different error function equations. The Freundlich,Tempkin and Langmuir isotherm models were best fitted to the experimental data of Melon-B, Melon-BO-NH_2 and Melon-BO-TETA, respectively. The adsorption rate was primarily controlled by pseudo-second–order rate model. Conclusively, the functional groups interactions are important for adsorption mechanisms and expected to control the adsorption process. The adsorption for the Melon-B, Melon-BO-NH_2 and Melon-BO-TETA could be explained for acid–base interaction and hydrogen bonding interaction.     

Review on zirconate-cerate-based electrolytes for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cell

The performance of low-to-intermediate temperature (400–800?°C) solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) depends on the properties of electrolyte used. SOFC performance can be enhanced by replacing electrolyte materials from conventional oxide ion (O^2-) conductors with proton (H⁺) conductors because H⁺ conductors have higher ionic conductivity and theoretical electrical efficiency than O^2- conductors within the target temperature range. Electrolytes based on cerate and/or zirconate have been proposed as potential H⁺ conductors. Cerate-based electrolytes have the highest H⁺ conductivity, but they are chemically and thermally unstable during redox cycles, whereas zirconate-based electrolytes exhibit the opposite properties. Thus, tailoring the properties of cerate and/or zirconate electrolytes by doping with rare-earth metals has become a main concern for many researchers to further improve the ionic conductivity and stability of electrolytes. This article provides an overview on the properties of four types of cerate and/or zirconate electrolytes including cerate-based, zirconate-based, single-doped cerate–zirconate and hybrid-doped cerate–zirconate. The properties of the proton electrolytes such as ionic conductivity, chemical stability and sinterability are also systematically discussed. This review further provides a summary of the performance of SOFCs operated with cerate and/or zirconate proton conductors and the actual potential of these materials as alternative electrolytes for proton-conducting SOFC application.