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Serum creatinine (Scr), which is a conventional indicator of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), is unable to reflect the damage of kidney promptly. The present study aimed to investigate the value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in kidney and serum of CIN rats to observe whether NGAL can be used as a superior indicator of CIN. Furthermore, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used to assess its effect on CIN. A total of 120 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=30/group): CIN rats (CIN), normal rats treated with NAC (NAC), CIN rats treated with NAC (NAC+CIN) and the control group (CON). Serum Scr and NGAL values were measured at 2, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h following the procedure. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were used to detect NGAL within the kidney tissue. Hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to access the renal injury score. Oxidative stress within the kidney was analyzed via malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The level of NGAL in the serum and tissue of the CIN group increased significantly 2 h after the procedure (P<0.05). However, the Scr value did not exhibit a significantly change until 48 h later. Based on the renal injury scores, NAC reduced the kidney damage caused by the contrast. NAC treatment was associated with a decrease in SOD levels and an increase in MDA. These findings suggested that NGAL was a superior indicator of CIN than Scr, as NGAL was able to detect kidney damage much earlier. Furthermore, NAC treatment inhibited oxidative stress, thus protecting against CIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a new method to prepare silver NP paste that can be used as a Cu-to-Cu bonding material under an additional pressure of 10 MPa. This new paste consists of a high concentration of uniform silver NPs with a thin layer of dodecanoate coated on the surface. Shear strengths indicate that the silver NP paste prepared with our method could serve as a bonding material in electronic packaging and interconnections. The microstructure of the interface between the silver and the copper substrate was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Based on this analysis, a metallic bond is formed at the interface between the sintered Ag layer and both sides of the joint when bonding Cu pads above 250 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There are currently few published studies that compare hippocampal volume (HCV) in children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Aims: To compare HCVs in children with TLE and in relation to normal controls (NC), and to analyze HCV change in the acute phase in pediatric subjects using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Setting and Design: The case group (n=24) was matched in gender and age range with NC subjects (n=24). Subjects were divided into three groups according to age: 2-5.9 years, 6-8.9 years and 9-13 years. Materials and Methods: Manual measurements were used to obtain HCVs on oblique coronary MRI images obtained by three-dimensional magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (3D-MPRAGE) sequence. Statistical Analyses: The HCV was calculated and normalized. Paired t-tests were used to compare the right and left HCVs within each study group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to consider the impact of age and gender on HCVs. Results: Twenty-two patients were diagnosed with definite/probable TLE, and two were non-syndromic focal epilepsy which was distributed in the 2-5.9 years group. The range of left to right mean HCVs of the case and NC group aged 2-13 years was 2014.14 ± 54.32 mm3 to 2165.31 ± 80.99 mm3 and 2015.46 ± 26.97 mm3 to 2100.93 ± 57.33 mm3 respectively. There were age-related differences in left and right HCV, but no effect of gender. Relative to NC subjects, cases group aged 2-5.9 years had significantly different HCVs, while no significant difference was found in the other two groups. There was significant difference in the right to left HCVs in the case subjects aged 2-5.9 years, but not in the other age groups. Conclusions: The heterogeneity in the 2-5.9 years age cohort may relate to the increased HCVs. The HCV data from NC subjects may be used as a reference to assess hippocampal abnormalities in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts to summarize the status, main models in different regions and the procedure of construction of eco-county in China. Introduction of the eco-agriculture county construction; Main development stresses in different regions; Case study of eco-country construction in Dazu County.

Objective Helper T (Th) cell responses are critical for the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis. Th22 cells represent a newly discovered Th cell subset, but their relevance to H. pylori-induced gastritis is unknown. Design Flow cytometry, real-time PCR and ELISA analyses were performed to examine cell, protein and transcript levels in gastric samples from patients and mice infected with H. pylori. Gastric tissues from interleukin (IL)-22-deficient and wild-type (control) mice were also examined. Tissue inflammation was determined for pro-inflammatory cell infiltration and proinflammatory protein production. Gastric epithelial cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were isolated, stimulated and/or cultured for Th22 cell function assays. Results Th22 cells accumulated in gastric mucosa of both patients and mice infected with H. pylori. Th22 cell polarisation was promoted via the production of IL-23 by dendritic cells (DC) during H. pylori infection, and resulted in increased inflammation within the gastric mucosa. This inflammation was characterised by the CXCR2-dependent influx of MDSCs, whose migration was induced via the IL-22-dependent production of CXCL2 by gastric epithelial cells. Under the influence of IL-22, MDSCs, in turn, produced pro-inflammatory proteins, such as S100A8 and S100A9, and suppressed Th1 cell responses, thereby contributing to the development of H. pylori-associated gastritis. Conclusions This study, therefore, identifies a novel regulatory network involving H. pylori, DCs, Th22 cells, gastric epithelial cells and MDSCs, which collectively exert a pro-inflammatory effect within the gastric microenvironment. Efforts to inhibit this Th22-dependent pathway may therefore prove a valuable strategy in the therapy of H. pylori-associated gastritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyl ionic liquid grafted onto cross-linked divinylbenzene polymer (PDVB-HEIMBr) was fabricated and evaluated as a catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and epoxides without the use of any co-catalyst and organic solvent. The catalyst shows good performance across a wide range of epoxides, giving almost quantitative yield of carbonates (140 °C, 2.0 MPa of initial CO2, and ≤4 h). The effects of reaction temperature, time and initial CO2 pressure on product yield were investigated. It is suggested that the synergetic effect between the bromide ions and the hydroxyl groups facilitates the coupling reaction. Furthermore, the PDVB-HEIMBr catalyst shows excellent stability and reusability. From the viewpoint of industrial application, the catalyst is very attractive because of its simplicity, activity, stability, and reusability. Hydroxyl ionic liquid grafted onto divinylbenzene polymer was fabricated and evaluated for the solventless synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and epoxides. The catalyst shows good activity, selectivity, stability and reusability towards the coupling reaction.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalization with formaldehyde via an electrophilic substitution reaction and graft with poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) by “grafting from” technology have been carried out for multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and MWNTs-PAA composites have been formed. The IR and TEM results show presence of covalent band and so-called “core-shell” structures for MWNTs-PAA. The MWNTs-PAA exhibits excellent suspendability in water, which is significant to explore the potential application of carbon nanotube in biological and medical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure, dielectric, ferroelectric property and high-temperature dielectric relaxation behaviors (HTRBs) were systematically studied for the first time in the Ba(HfxTi1−x)O3 ferroelectric ceramics. It was noted that the TC of the Ba(HfxTi1−x)O3 ceramics decreases, while TO and TR increases with the increase of Hf quantity. Furthermore, the HTRBs were observed in all samples. Mechanisms of HTRBs were studied from complex impedance and ac conductivity, exposing that it was concerned with the drifting of oxygen vacancies (OVAs). Based on the value of theoretical calculation for activation energy, it was concluded that the HTRBs were attributed to the short distance hopping of the OVAs and the conduction was ascribed to the long-range move of doubly-ionized OVAs in Ba(HfxTi1−x)O3 system. Meanwhile, electron paramagnetic resonance spectra were measured to detect the defects in BHTO ceramics. The results showed that the OVAs-related defect signals were observed at g  =  1.942. In addition, the dielectric constant peak of relaxation could be significantly restrained by O2 annealing. This further proved that the HTRBs being associated with the defect of oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]