Adipose tissue‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) from livestock are valuable resources for animal reproduction and veterinary therapeutics. Previous studies have shown that hypoxic conditions were beneficial in maintaining the physiological activities of ASCs. However, the effects of hypoxia on buffalo ASCs (bASCs) remain unclear. In this study, the effects of hypoxia on proliferation, stemness, and reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of bASCs were examined. The results showed that the hypoxic culture conditions (5% oxygen) enhanced the proliferation and colony formation of bASCs. The expression levels of proliferation‐related genes, and secretion of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly enhanced in hypoxia. Hypoxic culture conditions activated hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), thereby contributing to the secretion of bFGF and VEGF, which in turn enhanced the expression of HIF‐1α and promoted the proliferation of bASCs. Furthermore, in hypoxic culture conditions, bASCs exhibited the main characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells, and the expression levels of the pluripotent markers OCT4, NANOG, C‐MYC, and the differentiation capacity of bASCs were significantly enhanced. Finally, bASCs were more efficiently and easily reprogrammed into iPSCs in hypoxic culture conditions and these iPSCs exhibited some characteristics of naïve pluripotent stem cells. These findings provide the theoretical guidance for elucidating the detailed mechanism of hypoxia on physiological activities of bASCs including proliferation, stemness maintenance, and reprogramming.

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Experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of CaO and CaCO3 on the capture efficiency of heavy metals during the combustion of municipal solid waste (MSW) in CO2/O2 and N2/O2 atmospheres. Six heavy metal elements were studied in this paper, including Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Zn. On the basis of the results, the operating temperature has a great effect on the transformation of Pb and Cd, while the amount of Cu, Cr, and Ni in the bottom ash are affected only slightly by changes in the temperature and atmosphere. The volatilization of Cd, Cu, Cr, and Zn marginally decreased with the addition of CaCO3 or in a CO2/O2 atmosphere (oxy-fuel combustion). The X-ray diffraction results show that CaO and CaCO3 have the same ability to capture heavy metals under CO2/O2 and N2/O2 atmospheres as a result of the reaction of CaO with CO2. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations indicate that CaO or CaCO3 could barely hinder the volatilization of heavy metals by chemical reactions with the heavy metals but might hinder their volatilization by their physical adsorption. The initial forms of the heavy metals in the MSW may be another factor that affects the volatilization of the heavy metals. The importance of these forms is indicated by these six heavy metals having similar enrichment behaviors in both the CO2/O2 and N2/O2 atmospheres with CaO or CaCO3 additives; the calculations predict that these heavy metals have the same main species, except for a slight change in the content of these species.

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Background. Clinically, the traditional Chinese medicine compound Gujiansan has been widely used in the treatment of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH). The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of Gujiansan. Methods. A rat model of SANFH was established by the injection of dexamethasone (DEX) at a high dosage of 25 mg/kg/d. Then, Gujiansan was intragastrically administered for 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, and histological examination of the femoral head was performed. The expression levels of related mRNAs and proteins were analyzed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry, and the levels of bone biochemical markers and cytokines were detected with ELISA kits. Results. Gujiansan administration ameliorated SANFH and induced the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), LC3, and Beclin-1 in the rat model in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and Gujiansan promoted osteocalcin secretion at the femoral head. In addition, Gujiansan increased the levels of bone formation- and bone resorption-specific markers (osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), tartrate resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRACP-5b), N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX-1), and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-1)) and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Conclusions. Gujiansan accelerates the formation of a new bone, promotes the absorption of the damaged bone, inhibits the inflammatory response, induces autophagy of the femoral head via the HIF-1α/BNIP3 pathway, and ultimately ameliorates SANFH.