干扰素调节因子4在风湿性心脏病中去泛素化作用的研究

目的 探究风湿性心脏病病人干扰素调节因子4(IRF4)去泛素化与去泛素化酶USP4互相作用的分子机制,为风湿性心脏病提供新的治疗策略。方法 来自安徽医科大学第一附属医院2015年7月至2016年1月20例风湿性心脏病病人,均行体外循环下瓣膜置换手术,均顺利出院。10例健康对照来自于健康志愿者。分别抽取以上参与实验人员5 mL的外周血,经过细胞培养与转染;通过免疫共沉淀实验观察IRF4的DNA结合结构域以及和配体结合结构域是否可以和USP4互相结合;通过NI-NTA镍螯合树脂纯化实验观察IRF4蛋白针对48位和63位赖氨酸相关的去泛素化是否可以被USP4介导;应用荧光素酶检测技术观察白细胞介素(IL)-4是否可以在IRF4、活化T细胞核因子(NFATC2)和USP4共同促进下表达;利用基因沉默方法在人源Th2细胞中下调USP4。结果 下调USP4后Th2细胞相关细胞因子的转录水平也明显减少;利用流式细胞术检测经USP4抑制剂处理后的Th2细胞表达的IRF4和IL-4均减少;以流式细胞技术测得风湿性心脏病中IL-4表达增高,IRF4表达也增高。结论 风湿性心脏病病人血中IRF4的蛋白稳定表达可以通过USP4去泛素化的作用而实现;IL-4在IRF4表达增加协同NFATC2的情况下可增加表达。     

Systematic determination of absolute absorption cross-section of individual carbon nanotubes

Optical absorption is the most fundamental optical property characterizing light–matter interactions in materials and can be most readily compared with theoretical predictions. However, determination of optical absorption cross-section of individual nanostructures is experimentally challenging due to the small extinction signal using conventional transmission measurements. Recently, dramatic increase of optical contrast from individual carbon nanotubes has been successfully achieved with a polarization-based homodyne microscope, where the scattered light wave from the nanostructure interferes with the optimized reference signal (the reflected/transmitted light). Here we demonstrate high-sensitivity absorption spectroscopy for individual single-walled carbon nanotubes by combining the polarization-based homodyne technique with broadband supercontinuum excitation in transmission configuration. To our knowledge, this is the first time that high-throughput and quantitative determination of nanotube absorption cross-section over broad spectral range at the single-tube level was performed for more than 50 individual chirality-defined single-walled nanotubes. Our data reveal chirality-dependent behaviors of exciton resonances in carbon nanotubes, where the exciton oscillator strength exhibits a universal scaling law with the nanotube diameter and the transition order. The exciton linewidth (characterizing the exciton lifetime) varies strongly in different nanotubes, and on average it increases linearly with the transition energy. In addition, we establish an empirical formula by extrapolating our data to predict the absorption cross-section spectrum for any given nanotube. The quantitative information of absorption cross-section in a broad spectral range and all nanotube species not only provides new insight into the unique photophysics in one-dimensional carbon nanotubes, but also enables absolute determination of optical quantum efficiencies in important photoluminescence and photovoltaic processes.Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), a model one-dimensional nanomaterial system, constitute a rich family of structures (1). Each single-walled nanotube structure, uniquely defined by the chiral index (n,m), exhibits distinct electrical and optical properties (2–5). Quantitative information of SWNT absorption cross-section is highly desirable for understanding nanotube electronic structures, for evaluating quantum efficiency of nanotube photoluminescence (5, 6) and photocurrent (7–9), and for investigating the unique many-body effects in 1D systems (10–16). Despite its obvious importance, reliable experimental determination of nanotube absorption cross-section at the single-tube level is still challenging (17). Previous absorption measurements on ensemble nanotube samples only provide averaged behavior (18–20). Recent absorption studies of individual nanotubes, suffering from small absorption signals and/or slow laser-frequency scanning, cannot determine the absolute absorption cross-section and are limited in achievable spectral range (15, 21–23).We demonstrate here a high-sensitivity polarization-based homodyne method to measure nanotube absorption spectra. By manipulating the light polarization, we enhanced the nanotube-induced transmission contrast, ΔI/I, by two orders of magnitude, and this enhanced transmission contrast can be quantitatively related to nanotube absorption cross-section along and perpendicular to the nanotube axis. Using this polarization control together with supercontinuum laser source, we realized high-throughput and broadband absorption measurements at the single-tube level; combined with electron diffraction technique on the same tube, it enables absolute determination of absorption cross-sections of individual chirality-defined nanotubes, to our knowledge for the first time. We obtained quantitative absorption spectra of over 50 SWNTs of different chiralities, and established a phenomenological formula for absorption cross-sections of different nanotubes. The chirality-dependent nanotube absorption spectra reveal unique 1D photophysics in nanotubes, including a universal scaling behavior of exciton oscillator strength and of exciton resonance linewidth.     

Effects of calcination temperatures on the structure–activity relationship of Ni–La/Al2O3 catalysts for syngas methanation

A series of Ni–La/Al₂O₃ catalysts for the syngas methanation reaction were prepared by a mechanochemical method and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption–desorption, H₂ temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The calcination temperatures (350–700 °C) had significant impacts on the crystallite sizes and interactions between NiO and Al₂O₃. The catalyst calcined at 400 °C (cat-400) showed a 12.1% Ni dispersion degree and the maximum bound state of NiO (54%) through the Gaussian fitting of H₂-TPR. Cat-400 also achieved the highest CO conversion, CH₄ selectivity and yield. Cat-400 exhibited good stability and catalytic activity in a lifetime testing of 200 h. The deactivation of cat-400 was mainly caused by carbon deposition according to the data from XRD, TG-DTG and XPS.

Calcination temperature affects the existing types of NiO, and the influence of the three NiO types on the catalytic activity of samples is bound type ≫ free type > combined type.     

Effects of a forming process on the properties and structure of RANEY®-Ni catalysts for the hydrogenation of 1,4-butenediol

Three commercial Ni–Al alloys formed by a vacuum atomization method (NAV), atmospheric atomization method (NAA) and high-temperature melting method (NAH) were leached by 10 wt% NaOH solution to prepare three RANEY®-Ni catalysts (RNAV, RNAA and RNAH, correspondingly). The effects of a forming process on the structure of Ni–Al alloys and the corresponding RANEY®-Ni catalysts were investigated via XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, NH₃-TPD, N₂ adsorption–desorption and EDX-mapping studies. Also, the as-prepared RANEY®-Ni catalysts were evaluated via the hydrogenation of 1,4-butenediol (BED) to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The results showed that the specific surface areas and surface morphologies of the Ni–Al alloys present significant differences. Meanwhile, the RNAA sample presented a comparatively regular morphology, similar to a small piece of sugar cane. The weak and medium acid peak areas of the RNAA catalyst were lower than those of the other samples. RNAV showed higher weak and medium acid peak areas, demonstrating the higher number of acid centers on the surface of the catalyst. The surface of the RNAA catalyst obtained from NAA contained more active component-Ni, about 90 wt% on the surface, and the specific surface area of the sample was 75 times that of its precursor Ni–Al alloy powder (NAA). The evaluation results present that the RNAA catalyst shows better hydrogenation performance, with BED conversion of 100%, both BDO selectivity and yield of 46.11%.

Xianlong Gao''s paper focuses on the effects of a forming process on the catalytic hydrogenation of 1,4-butenediol (BED) to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The evaluation results showed that the RNAA catalyst showed excellent hydrogenation performance.     

截断逆挽方含药血清对D-氨基半乳糖诱导的人正常肝细胞LO2细胞增殖影响

目的研究截断逆挽方含药血清通过调控E2F1介导的细胞增殖途径减轻D-氨基半乳糖(D-Galactosamine,D-GlaN)诱导的人正常肝细胞LO2的损伤。方法体外培养LO2细胞,以D-GlaN进行造模,将细胞分为正常组、模型组、2.5%截断逆挽方含药血清组(2.5%JDNWF)、5%截断逆挽方含药血清组(5%JDNWF)、10%截断逆挽方含药血清组(10%JDNWF)。采用Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK8)法检测细胞活力;Real-time PCR检测转录因子E2F1、细胞周期蛋白E(cyclin E)、细胞周期蛋白A(cyclin A)、细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶2(cyclin-dependent kinase 2,CDK2)、细胞分裂周期因子25A(cell division cyclin 25A,CDC25A)mRNA的表达;流式细胞术检测细胞周期;Western Blot检测分化调控因子DP1蛋白表达。结果截断逆挽方含药血清能显著促进LO2细胞进入S期(P<0.01),上调E2F1、cyclin E、cyclin A、CDK2、CDC25A mRNA的表达(P<0.01),并且能增加DP1蛋白的表达(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论截断逆挽方减轻肝细胞损伤的作用机制可能与其促进肝细胞增殖有关。     

IL-21 Is Associated With Virological Relapse of HBeAg Positive Chronic Hepatitis B After Discontinuance of Entecavir

Background: To investigate the association between interleukin-21 (IL-21) expression level and virological relapse (VR) of HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) after discontinuance of entecavir (ETV).Methods: The serum IL-21 level of 112 CHB patients was measured at 0, 12, 24, 52, and 104 weeks after ETV discontinuance. ELISA was used for the measurement of serum IL-21 level. VR was defined as two continuous examinations with an interval of 1 month with both showing HBV DNA >10 000 copies/mL after drug discontinuance.Results: The serum IL-21 levels at 0, 12, 24, 52, and 104 weeks after discontinuance of ETV were significantly higher in the durable virological remission (DVR) group than in the VR group (all P < .01). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.728 (95% CI: 0.630-0.827, P < .001), while the best cut-off value was 49.8 pg/mL. Multivariate Cox model showed that the factors affecting the relapse included age, followed by HBsAg level at the serological conversion of HBeAg and serum IL-21 level (all P < .05).Conclusion: Serum IL-21 level at ETV discontinuance is an independent risk factor for CHB relapse. IL-21 acts as an immunomodulatory factor in maintaining DVR in HBeAg positive CHB patients after ETV discontinuance.     

Rapid large-scale synthesis of ultrathin NiFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheets with tunable structures as robust oxygen evolution electrocatalysts

Transition metal layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) structures, especially NiFe-based LDH nanosheets, have been extensively developed as advanced oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for water splitting. Nevertheless, traditional synthetic approaches for these promising catalysts usually involve tedious pretreatment procedures and a subsequent time-consuming exfoliation process, and the obtained products possess a wide dispersion of thickness and limited production yield. Here, a sequence of ultrathin NiFe-LDH nanosheets with tunable components were prepared on a large scale via a rapid room-temperature method under ambient conditions, and were further used as a desired material model for studying the influence of Ni/Fe ratio modulation on the OER performance. Due to the synergetic effect of more exposed active sites, efficient electron transport and optimized OER kinetics, the resulting LDH samples manifest outstanding electrocatalytic performance toward water oxidation.

A sequence of ultrathin NiFe-LDH nanosheets with tunable components were prepared via a rapid room-temperature method, which were further used as efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation.     

Formulation of nanopesticide with graphene oxide as the nanocarrier of pyrethroid pesticide and its application in spider mite control

Nanopesticides with controlled release can achieve more effective utilization of pesticides. Here, to enhance the adsorption of pesticides onto the target organisms, the formulation of pesticides with temperature-responsive release was proposed by combing graphene oxide (GO) and existing pyrethroid pesticides (cyhalothrin, bifenthrin and fenpropathrin). Pesticides were loaded onto GO nanosheets as a carrier via a simple physisorption process, and the GO–pesticide nanocomposites exhibited temperature-responsive release and excellent storage stability, which are of vital importance to the practical application. Furthermore, we assessed the bioactivity of the GO–pesticide nanocomposites against spider mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch) indoors and in the field. As a result, GO–pesticide nanocomposites had many folds higher bioactivity than individual pesticides, and could be adsorbed on the cuticle of T. urticae and surface of bean leaves with highly uniform dispersibility. The easy preparation and higher bioactivity of GO–pesticide nanocomposites indicate their promising application potential in pest control and green agriculture.

Nanopesticides with controlled release can achieve more effective utilization of pesticides.     

淫羊藿素联合达拉菲尼抑制黑素瘤增殖和转移

目的探讨淫羊藿素联合达拉菲尼对人黑素瘤A375细胞增殖和转移的抑制作用及可能的机制。方法采用不同浓度淫羊藿素和达拉菲尼单独及联合作用于A375细胞;CCK-8法检测细胞生长抑制率,进行协同性分析;Transwell和划痕实验检测细胞迁移和侵袭能力;qPCR及Westernblot检测MMP-2、MMP-9、Vimentin和E-cadherin的表达情况。结果淫羊藿素和达拉菲尼均能下调A375细胞MMP-2、MMP-9和Vimentin的表达,上调E-cadherin的表达,抑制其增殖、迁移和侵袭,且两药低浓度联合具有协同效应。结论淫羊藿素能协同达拉菲尼抑制A375细胞MMP-2、MMP-9和Vimentin的表达,促进E-cadherin的表达,抑制黑素瘤细胞的增殖和转移。