Double pyrovanadates CaMgV2O7: Formation mechanism,phase structure,and thermodynamic properties

A double pyrovanadate CaMgV₂O₇ sample was synthesized via a facile solid-state route under an air atmosphere. The nonequilibrium formation pathways of the CaMgV₂O₇ were investigated via powder X-ray diffraction. A multistep reactions path (metavanadates–pyrovanadates–double pyrovanadate CaMgV₂O₇) was proposed to describe the formation of the CaMgV₂O₇ considering the thermodynamic and kinetic factors. The cell unit parameters of the CaMgV₂O₇ sample indicated the crystallization according to a monoclinic system with space group P12/c1(14), and the lattice parameters of a = 6.756 Å, b = 14.495 Å, c = 11.253 Å, β = 99.12, and V = 108.806 Å³. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy also confirmed the +5 oxidation state vanadium in CaMgV₂O₇. The endothermic effects at 1033 and 1143 K were related to the incongruent melting and liquidus temperatures of CaMgV₂O₇, respectively. The comprehensive thermodynamic properties of CaMgV₂O₇ were established in both low- and high-temperature regions, utilizing a physical property measurement system and multi-high-temperature calorimetry (96 lines). The heat capacity (200 J mol K⁻¹) and entropy (198 J mol K⁻¹) at 298.15 K were computed based on the low-temperature heat capacity values, and the enthalpy of formation at 298.15 K was also estimated. The fitted high-temperature capacity can be used to obtain the changes in the enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy. This study is part of building a reliable thermodynamic database of the CaO–MgO–V₂O₅ system.     

Application of artificial neural network method to predict the breakage properties of PGE bearing chromite ore

In the present investigation, systematic grinding experiments were conducted in a laboratory ball mill to determine the breakage properties of low-grade PGE bearing chromite ore. The population balance modeling technique was used to study the breakage parameters such as primary breakage distribution (B_{i, j}) and the specific rates of breakage (S_i). The breakage and selection function values were determined for six feed sizes. The results stated that the breakage follows the first-order grinding kinetics for all the feed sizes. It was observed that the coarser feed sizes exhibit higher selection function values than the finer feed size. Further, an artificial neural network was used to predict breakage characteristics of low-grade PGE bearing chromite ore. The predicted results obtained from the neural network modeling were close to the experimental results with a correlation of determination R² = 0.99 for both product size and selection function.     

Adaptation to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Enhances Resistance of Oral Cancer Cells to Cisplatin by Up-Regulating Polymerase η and Increasing DNA Repair Efficiency

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is an adaptive program to cope with cellular stress that disturbs the function and homeostasis of ER, which commonly occurs during cancer progression to late stage. Late-stage cancers, mostly requiring chemotherapy, often develop treatment resistance. Chemoresistance has been linked to ER stress response; however, most of the evidence has come from studies that correlate the expression of stress markers with poor prognosis or demonstrate proapoptosis by the knockdown of stress-responsive genes. Since ER stress in cancers usually persists and is essentially not induced by genetic manipulations, we used low doses of ER stress inducers at levels that allowed cell adaptation to occur in order to investigate the effect of stress response on chemoresistance. We found that prolonged tolerable ER stress promotes mesenchymal–epithelial transition, slows cell-cycle progression, and delays the S-phase exit. Consequently, cisplatin-induced apoptosis was significantly decreased in stress-adapted cells, implying their acquisition of cisplatin resistance. Molecularly, we found that proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) ubiquitination and the expression of polymerase η, the main polymerase responsible for translesion synthesis across cisplatin-DNA damage, were up-regulated in ER stress-adaptive cells, and their enhanced cisplatin resistance was abrogated by the knockout of polymerase η. We also found that a fraction of p53 in stress-adapted cells was translocated to the nucleus, and that these cells exhibited a significant decline in the level of cisplatin-DNA damage. Consistently, we showed that the nuclear p53 coincided with strong positivity of glucose-related protein 78 (GRP78) on immunostaining of clinical biopsies, and the cisplatin-based chemotherapy was less effective for patients with high levels of ER stress. Taken together, this study uncovers that adaptation to ER stress enhances DNA repair and damage tolerance, with which stressed cells gain resistance to chemotherapeutics.     

Evidence of fluid evolution of Baoshan Cu−Pb−Zn polymetallic deposit: Constraints from in-situ sulfur isotope and trace element compositions of pyrite

In-situ LA-ICP-MS and S isotopes of pyrite from the Baoshan Cu polymetallic deposit were conducted to investigate the ore-forming process and the enrichment mechanism of elements. Three generations of pyrite (Py I, Py II, and Py III) in the skarn-type ores and pyrite in the carbonate-hosted sulfide ores from central, western, and northern (C_Py, W_Py, and N_Py) mining districts are selected for comparison. Compared with Py I and Py III, the contents of most elements in Py II are apparently higher. The As and Se contents are high within a wide range and are decoupled in the growth band of the C_Py. The highest As, Se, and Pb contents were found in W_Py and N_Py. These results indicate the drastic changes in the temperature and fluid mixing during the mineralization. The occurrence of fluctuation and change in temperature and f(O₂) was triggered by intermittent pulses of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids, mixing with meteoric water, and water−rock interactions. The sulfur isotopes of all species of pyrite indicated the magmatic source. The change in the f(O₂) conditions caused slight differences in the sulfur isotope compositions. Consequently, a metallogenic model was proposed to explain the ore-forming processes.     

Design and fabrication of lutetium aluminum silicate glass and nanostructured glass for radiation detection

Flexible scintillating fiber plays an important role in X-ray radiation monitoring and high-resolution medical imaging, while construction of scintillating fiber derived from the commercial material system meet with limited success. Here, we report the design and successful fabrication of the Ce-activated lutetium aluminum silicate glass, nanostructured glass, and fiber, and explore their scintillating properties. The scintillating glass with optimized composition and optical properties is determined. The crystallization behavior of lutetium aluminum silicate glass is studied and the nanostructured glass embedded with orthorhombic Lu₂Si₂O₇ phase is successfully constructed for the first time. Importantly, the crystalline layer thickness of the nanostructured glass can be finely tuned and ~172.89% enhancement in the scintillating performance can be achieved. Furthermore, the fiber with large sized core is fabricated and its radiation response properties are tested. The results show that it exhibits high sensitivity and its scintillating emission is lineally dependent on the X-ray power, indicating the potential application for radiation detection.     

7-Amidocoumarins as Multitarget Agents against Neurodegenerative Diseases: Substitution Pattern Modulation

This study explores the potential of 7-amidocoumarins as multitarget agents against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, by modulating the substitution patterns within the scaffold. Sixteen compounds were synthesized via 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin acylation, and in vitro evaluation of the molecules against hMAO-A, hMAO-B, hAChE, hBuChE and hBACE1 was performed. Five compounds turned out to be potent and selective hMAO-B inhibitors in the nanomolar range, six displayed inhibitory activity of hMAO-A in the low micromolar range, one showed hAChE inhibitory activity and another one hBACE1 inhibitory activity. MAO-B reversibility profile of 7-(4’-chlorobenzamido)-4-methylcoumarin ( 10 ) was investigated, with this compound being a reversible inhibitor. Neurotoxicity on motor cortex neurons and neuroprotection against H₂O₂ were also studied, corroborating the safety profile of these molecules. Finally, theoretical ADME properties were also calculated, showing these molecules as good candidates for the optimization of a lead compound. Results suggest that by modulating the substitution pattern at position 7 of the scaffold, selective or multitarget molecules can be achieved.     

认知双向中继网络在κ-μ衰落信道下的中断性能分析

针对认知双向中继网络在进行数据传输时面临的复杂无线信道场景问题,采用广义κ-μ分布构建认知双向中继网络中的视距和非视距无线传输信道,推导次网络在κ-μ衰落信道下的统一中断概率,并分析次网络在多种单一和混合衰落信道情况下的中断性能。仿真结果表明,无线信道的衰落程度对次网络的中断概率影响显著,依据衰落信道类型合理设置网络参数将有助于提升次网络中断性能。     

Role of Polyinosinic:Polycytidylic Acid-Induced Maternal Immune Activation and Subsequent Immune Challenge in the Behaviour and Microglial Cell Trajectory in Adult Offspring: A Study of the Neurodevelopmental Model of Schizophrenia

Multiple lines of evidence support the pathogenic role of maternal immune activation (MIA) in the occurrence of the schizophrenia-like disturbances in offspring. While in the brain the homeostatic role of neuron-microglia protein systems is well documented, the participation of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 and CD200-CD200R dyads in the adverse impact of MIA often goes under-recognized. Therefore, in the present study, we examined the effect of MIA induced by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) on the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 and CD200-CD200R axes, microglial trajectory (MhcII, Cd40, iNos, Il-1β, Tnf-α, Il-6, Arg1, Igf-1, Tgf-β and Il-4), and schizophrenia-like behaviour in adult male offspring of Sprague-Dawley rats. Additionally, according to the “two-hit” hypothesis of schizophrenia, we evaluated the influence of acute challenge with Poly I:C in adult prenatally MIA-exposed animals on the above parameters. In the present study, MIA evoked by Poly I:C injection in the late period of gestation led to the appearance of schizophrenia-like disturbances in adult offspring. Our results revealed the deficits manifested as a diminished number of aggressive interactions, presence of depressive-like episodes, and increase of exploratory activity, as well as a dichotomy in the sensorimotor gating in the prepulse inhibition (PPI) test expressed as two behavioural phenotypes (MIA_PPI-low and MIA_PPI-high). Furthermore, in the offspring rats subjected to a prenatal challenge (i.e., MIA) we noticed the lack of modulation of behavioural changes after the additional acute immune stimulus (Poly I:C) in adulthood. The important finding reported in this article is that MIA affects the expression and levels of the neuron-microglia proteins in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of adult offspring. We found that the changes in the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis could affect microglial trajectory, including decreased hippocampal mRNA level of MhcII and elevated cortical expression of Igf-1 in the MIA_PPI-high animals and/or could cause the up-regulation of an inflammatory response (Il-6, Tnf-α, iNos) after the “second hit” in both examined brain regions and, at least in part, might differentiate behavioural disturbances in adult offspring. Consequently, the future effort to identify the biological background of these interactions in the Poly I:C-induced MIA model in Sprague-Dawley rats is desirable to unequivocally clarify this issue.     

Split Enzyme-Based Biosensors for Structural Characterization of Soluble and Insoluble β-Glucans

β-Glucan is widely distributed in various plants and microorganisms and is composed of β-1,3-linked d-glucose units. It may have a branched short or long side chain of glucose units with β-1,6- or β-1,4-linkage. Numerous studies have investigated different β-glucans and revealed their bioactivities. To understand the structure-function relationship of β-glucan, we constructed a split-luciferase complementation assay for the structural analysis of long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan. The N- and C-terminal fragments of luciferase from deep-sea shrimp were fused to insect-derived β-1,3-glucan recognition protein and fungal endo-β-1,6-glucanase (Neg1)-derived β-1,6-glucan recognition protein, respectively. In this approach, two β-glucan recognition proteins bound to β-glucan molecules come into close proximity, resulting in the assembly of the full-length reporter enzyme and induction of transient luciferase activity, indicative of the structure of β-glucan. To test the applicability of this assay, β-glucan and two β-glucan recognition proteins were mixed, resulting in an increase in the luminescence intensity in a β-1,3-glucan with a long polymer of β-1,6-glucan in a dose-dependent manner. This simple test also allows the monitoring of real-time changes in the side chain structure and serves as a convenient method to distinguish between β-1,3-glucan and long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan in various soluble and insoluble β-glucans.