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The non-noble metal modified sulfated zirconia was found easy to deactivate. Herein, highly active and highly stable non-noble core-shell Ni-S2O82-/Al2O3@ZrO2 catalysts (Ni-SA@Z-x, x = Al content in wt%) have been successfully prepared and investigated for n-pentane isomerization. The results showed that the core-shell Ni-SA@Z-30 provided a sustained high isopentane yield (63.1%) with little or no deactivation within 5000 min at a mild reaction pressure of 2.0 MPa, which can be attributed to the following factors: (i) carbon deposition was greatly suppressed by the large pore size and huge pore volume; (ii) the loss of sulfur entities was suppressed because the small and highly dispersed tetragonal ZrO2 particles can bond with the S species strongly; (iii) strong Brønsted acidity can be maintained well after the isomerization. The pore structures and acid nature of the core-shell Ni-SA@Z-x are entirely different from those of the normal structure Ni-S2O82-/ZrO2-Al2O3, even though the Al content and the compositions of the individual components are the same. The Al2O3 cores endow the catalysts with high internal surface area and high mechanical strength. Meanwhile, the ZrO2 shell, which consists of more and smaller tetragonal ZrO2 particles because of the large surface area of the Al2O3 core, promotes the formation of more stable sulfur species and stronger binding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the influencing factors of chronic hepatitis B with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and to provide a reference for screening and clinical treatment of highrisk groups. Methods: A case-control study was conducted. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 133 cases of newly diagnosed patients with CHB combined with NAFLD were enrolled in the Affiliated Hospital of North China University of Technology and Tangshan Infectious Disease Hospital from January 2015 to January 2018. 139 cases of newly diagnosed patients with CHB diagnosed in the same period were selected as the control group. The clinical data, initial laboratory examination and imaging findings of the two groups of patients were compared to analyze the influencing factors of chronic hepatitis B combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Results: 1 The BMI, ALT, AST, GGT, FBG, TG and CAP in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The control group HDL-C, HBcAb, type III procollagen amino terminal peptide, The type IV collagen, laminin and LSM were higher than the case group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The case group was more likely to be associated with complications, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.01). 2 Univariate analysis showed that About the author: Zhang Guoshun, male, chief physician, professor, master's tutor, doctoral, mainly engaged in research and prevention of liver diseases, 13930565676, zguoshun@sina.com.Fund Project: China Hepatitis Prevention Foundation Funded Project (No.: TQGB20170015); Hebei Province Medical Science Research Key Project (No. 20170933); North China University of Technology Graduate Innovation Project (No. 2019S49)patients in the case group had BMI ≥ 25Kg/m2, GGT>45U/L, type IV collagen ≤140ng/ml, laminin ≤140ng/ml, CAP≥283dB/m, hyperglycemia, high glycerol The proportion of patients with lipemia was significantly higher than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); 3 binary logistic regression analysis showed that GGT, FBG, BMI, laminin, CAP were predictive of chronic hepatitis B combined with non- An effective indicator of alcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusion 1GGT, BMI, FBG, laminin and CAP are the influencing factors of CHB combined with NAFLD. The occurrence of 2NAFLD is closely related to obesity, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The HBcAb and liver fibrosis indexes are decreased when CHB combined with NAFLD, and the mechanism is still unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the fatal risk factors of liver cirrhosis complicated with the first upper gastrointestinal bleeding, so as to provide reference for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods: 572 patients with cirrhosis admitted to North China University of Science and Technology and Tangshan Infectious Diseases Hospital from January 2014 to January 2018 were selected. According to whether there is concurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding, it is divided into 163 cases of hemorrhage group and 409 cases of non-bleeding group. The patients in the hemorrhagic group were divided into case group (65 cases died of first upper gastrointestinal bleeding) and control group (98 cases died of non-first upper gastrointestinal bleeding). The general clinical data, laboratory and imaging data of the patients were analyzed. The risk factors of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis and the independent risk factors of the first upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis were analyzed. Results: (1) Univariate analysis showed that: there were significant differences in Hb, PLT, CHE, ALB, TBIL, PT, left gastric vein diameter, portal vein diameter, course of cirrhosis, family history of cirrhosis, Child classification of liver function, esophagogastric varices, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and portal vein thrombosis between hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic groups (P<0.05). The difference was statistically significant; (2) Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the diameter of left gastric vein, esophageal varices, ascites, Child C grade of liver function and portal vein thrombosis were risk factors for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. Left gastric vein diameter, esophagogastric varices and portal vein thrombosis are independent risk factors for first upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis. Conclusion: Wider internal diameter of left gastric vein, severe esophagogastric varices and portal vein thrombosis are independent risk factors for fatal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aconitum kusnezoffii Rchb. is a medicinal plant in the Ranunculaceae family. In this study, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome of A. kusnezoffii. The total length of the mitochondrial genome of A. kusnezoffii is 440,720 bp and the GC content of 46.85%. The mitochondrial genome contained 37 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs, and three rRNAs. These data will provide the basis for the systematic evolutionary analysis of Ranunculaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of an important medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. is reported for the first time. The mitochondrial genome sequence of G. uralensis was 463,869 bp in length and had a GC content of 45.19%. The genome contained 40 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and three ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). The phylogenetic tree was built based on 25 plants, using the maximum-likelihood method. These data will provide certain help to determine the taxonomic status of G. uralensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-DAD-ELSD) was established to determine paeoniflorin and albiflorin simultaneously in Radix Paeoniae Rubra. The assay was performed on a Diamonsil C18 (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) column by a gradient elution program with acetonitrile and aqueous formic acid (0.05% v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. The detection wavelength of DAD was 230 nm, and the evaporator tube temperature of ELSD was set at 110 °C with the nebulizing gas flow rate of 3 L min-1. The temperature of column was kept at 30 °C. The linear ranges of paeoniflorin and albiflorin were within 0.050-1.510 mg mL-1 and 1.007-5.035 mg mL-1. The recoveries of paeoniflorin and albiflorin were 96.2-102.9% and 95.0-102.4%, respectively, while the relative standard deviation (RSD) of them was 0.2-2.5%. This method was quick, simple, accurate, and specific. It could be used for the quality control of Radix Paeoniae Rubra. The proposed approach was expected as a powerful tool for the quality control of Radix Paeoniae Rubra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wnt-β-catenin signaling participates in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of cancers; however, its involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and downstream molecular events is largely undefined. HNF4ɑ- is the most prominent and specific factor maintaining the differentiation of hepatic lineage cells and a potential EMT regulator in HCC cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which HNF4ɑ- maintains the differentiated liver epithelium and inhibits EMT have not been completely defined. In this study, we systematically explored the relationship between Wnt-β-catenin signaling and HNF4ɑ- in the EMT process of HCC cells. Our results indicated that HNF4ɑ- expression was negatively regulated during Wnt-β-catenin signaling-induced EMT through Snail and Slug in HCC cells. In contrast, HNF4ɑ- was found to directly associate with TCF4 to compete with β-catenin but facilitate transcription corepressor activities, thus inhibiting expression of EMT-related Wnt-β-catenin targets. Moreover, HNF4ɑ- may control the switch between the transcriptional and adhesion functions of β-catenin. Overexpression of HNF4ɑ- was found to completely compromise the Wnt-β-catenin-signaling-induced EMT phenotype. Finally, we determined the regulation pattern between Wnt-β-catenin signaling and HNF4ɑ- in rat tumor models. Our studies have identified a double-negative feedback mechanism controlling Wnt-β-catenin signaling and HNF4ɑ- expression in vitro and in vivo, which sheds new light on the regulation of EMT in HCC. The modulation of these molecular processes may be a method of inhibiting HCC invasion by blocking Wnt-β-catenin signaling or restoring HNF4ɑ- expression to prevent EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]