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An electrochemical method for the C(sp2)−H thiocyanation of pyrazol‐5‐amines and enamines were developed in an undivided cell. A variety of thiocyanated pyrazol‐5‐amine and enamine derivatives were accessed in 36–91% yields, employing thiocyanate salts as electrolyte and thiocyanating reagent. Moreover, this electrochemical protocol can be extended to the synthesis of various iodinated and brominated pyrazol‐5‐amine derivatives in 51–95% yields. This electrochemical protocol does not require a metal or external chemical oxidants and tolerates unprotected amino groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, silver nanowires (AgNWs) and aluminum‐doped zinc oxide (AZO) are prepared by polyol and gel–sol method, respectively. Then bendable, strong adhesion, flat, and high optical transmittance AgNWs:AZO composite transparent conductive film (TCF) is prepared in an all‐solution method. By spinning the AZO to the upper layer of the AgNW networks and annealing at 120 °C for 20 min, the junctions of the AgNW networks are welded by the capillary force in the solvent evaporation and AZO crystallization process. The sheet resistance of the TCF is as low as 12.9 Ω sq−1 at an optical transmittance of 92.1% (@550 nm), which is comparable to the indium tin oxide film on glass. The root means square roughness is reduced from 30.1 to 8.48 nm to match the criteria as anode for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Furthermore, the adhesion between the AgNW networks and the substrate has been significantly improved. Finally, a flexible green OLED device with AgNW:AZO TCF as the anode is successfully prepared. The maximum luminous intensity of the prepared OLED is 10 060 cd m−2, and the maximum current efficiency is 6.43 cd A−1, which proves the great potential of the film in flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an I2‐catalyzed unprecedented cycloisomerization of ynamides is developed, furnishing various functionalized bis(indole) derivatives in generally good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope and excellent atom‐economy. This protocol not only represents the first molecular‐iodine‐catalyzed tandem complex alkyne cycloisomerizations, but also constitutes the first chemoselective cycloisomerization of tryptamine‐ynamides involving distinctively different C(sp3)−C(sp3) bond cleavage and rearrangement. Moreover, chiral tetrahydropyridine frameworks containing two stereocenters are obtained with moderate to excellent diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities. Meanwhile, cycloisomerization and aromatization of ynamides produce pyrrolyl indoles with high efficiency enabled by I2. Additionally, control experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that this reaction probably undergoes a tandem 5‐exo‐dig cyclization/rearrangement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of the Internet of Things has promoted the application of wearable devices in human's daily life and industrialization. Strain sensors play an indispensable role as a member of wearable devices. Here, a strain film sensor with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Ti3C2TX MXene, which is obtained by vacuum‐assisted filtration and integrated onto a thermoplastic polyurethane substrate, is developed. Since the MWCNTs and Ti3C2TX MXene composite sensor has a characteristic 'mud‐brick' microstructure. The sensor has the ability to detect various human movements, such as, bending of finger joints, wrists, elbow joints, and shoulder. The sensors show excellent mechanical property and can be folded more than 2000 times without failure. It also exhibits short response time, low detection limit, and wide range of use. In addition, the sensor shows excellent electrical heating performance. The temperature of the composite film can rise to 96.6 °C in a short period of time even under low voltage power supply (25 V). It likewise proves its excellent performance in terms of cyclability and long‐time heating capability. The film has low production cost, easy preparation method, and simple operation. The MWCNT/Ti3C2TX MXene film can be integrated into wearable devices and shows great potential for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible electronic devices have received significant attention in recent years as a result of their flexibility and portability. Carbon nanotube (CNT) films could serve as a promising material for photodetection because of their broad absorption spectral coverage. In this research, vertical ultraviolet (UV) to visible (UV/Vis) detectors based on tannic acid functionalized carbon nanotube/zinc oxide (TCNT/ZnO) heterojunctions were prepared by a simple spraying method. The TCNT electrode had excellent photoelectric properties with a sheet resistance of 40.6 Ω/sq and transmittance of 80.4 % at 550 nm, and the resulting TCNT/ZnO device could achieve photocurrent of 3.0 mA at 360 nm in the UV range, a recession time of 8.05 s, photoresponsivity of 7.12 A/W, and detectivity of 25.2×1011 Jones. As a comparison, for the pure CNT electrode with a sheet resistance of 45.5 Ω/sq and transmittance of 79.6 % at 550 nm, the CNT/ZnO photocurrent was only 0.6 mA at 360 nm, with a recession time of 17.25 s, photoresponsivity of 1.00 A/W, and detectivity of 3.4×1011 Jones. The prepared device was also able to operate stably after 1000 mechanical bending tests and maintained more than 95 % detectivity, providing a feasible path for the generation of carbon nanotube based photodetector devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Ir‐catalyzed remote dearomatizative amidation for the enantioselective construction of chiral spirolactams in 70–93% yield with 81–96% ee was developed. This protocol represented a more atom‐economical approach to chiral spirolactams via Ir‐catalyzed nitrenoid transfer without the introduction of a traceless O‐silyl achiral auxiliary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A point absorber wave energy converter (WEC) which converts wave energy into electrical energy with a multi‐axis power‐take‐off (PTO) system is considered here. Previous wave tank trials have proved the ability of the multi‐axis WEC to absorb wave power. In this study, the boundary element method (BEM) based software Ansys@ AQWATM was applied to model and analyze the power absorption performance of the multi‐axis WEC for a wider range of regular and irregular waves. To verify the numerical model, a laboratory‐scale physical model was manufactured and tested. Results show that the multi‐axis WEC can absorb more power from the incident regular wave power compared to single‐axis WECs and the efficiency reaches up to 45%. It is found that the wave frequency and incident angle significantly influence the amount of absorbed power from different motion modes and PTO axes. Then the numerical model is simulated at 12 nearshore locations in East and South China Sea. The results indicate that the multi‐axis WEC can absorb up to 5 kW and the efficiency can reach up to 29% at the most energetic site Shengshan. In addition, considerable differences of mean absorbed power efficiency can be found between sea states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a practical, general protocol for denitration of readily available α‐nitroketones with sulfur and amines to access a broad range of α‐ketothioamides under mild conditions. Such a reaction proceeds under metal‐, oxidant‐, and catalyst‐free conditions to provide synthetically useful α‐ketothioamides. Furthermore, the mild reaction conditions tolerate a wide range of substrates especially for the synthesis of aliphatic α‐ketothioamides which are rarely reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ynamides are electron‐rich heteroatom‐substituted alkynes with C−C triple bond directly tethered to the amide group. Over the past decades, ynamides have proven to be versatile reagents for organic synthesis and have received extensive attention. Compared with the well‐established ionic reactions of ynamides, radical‐based ynamide reactions have been exploited relatively seldom. Herein, radical reactions of ynamides, classified by radical attack at the α‐position and β‐position of ynamides, are reviewed by highlighting the reaction selectivity, scope, mechanism, and applicability. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summarization of these advances, casting light on the further development of ynamide chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal‐complex‐modified graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) bulk heterostructure is presented here as a promising alternative to high‐cost noble metals as artificial photocatalysts. Theoretical and experimental studies of the spectral and physicochemical properties of three structurally similar molecules Fo–D, Pt–D, and Pt–P confirm that the Pt(II) acetylide group effectively expands the electron delocalization and adjusts the molecular orbital levels to form a relatively narrow bandgap. Using these molecules, the donor–acceptor assemblies Fo–D@CN, Pt–D@CN, and Pt–P@CN are formed with g‐C3N4. Among these assemblies, the Pt(II) acetylide‐based composite materials Pt–D@CN and Pt–P@CN with bulk heterojunction morphologies and extremely low Pt weight ratios of 0.19% and 0.24%, respectively, exhibit the fastest charge transfer and best light‐harvesting efficiencies. Among the tested assemblies, 10 mg Pt–P@CN without any Pt metal additives exhibits a significantly improved photocatalytic H2 generation rate of 1.38 µmol h−1 under simulated sunlight irradiation (AM1.5G, filter), which is sixfold higher than that of the pristine g‐C3N4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary of main observation and conclusion: An efficient copper‐catalyzed carbocyclization of silyl enol ether tethered ynamides has been developed, allowing rapid and practical construction of diverse 2‐azabicyclo[3.2.0] compounds in generally good to excellent yields with broad substrate scope under mild reaction conditions. Importantly, this protocol not only constitutes a rare example of non‐noble metal‐catalyzed alkyne carbocyclization, but also represents a rare cyclization on the β‐position of π‐tethered ynamides. The possibility of asymmetric carbocyclization via kinetic resolution also emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine planktonic bacteria and archaea commonly exhibit pronounced seasonal succession in community composition. But the existence of seasonality in their assembly processes and between‐domain differences in underlying mechanism are largely unassessed. Using a high‐coverage sampling strategy (including single sample for each station during four cruises in different seasons), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and null models, we investigated seasonal patterns in the processes governing spatial turnover of bacteria and archaea in surface coastal waters across a sampling grid over ~300 km in the East China Sea. We found that archaea only bloomed in prokaryotic communities during autumn and winter cruises. Seasonality mostly overwhelmed spatial variability in the compositions of both domains. Bacterial and archaeal communities were dominantly governed by deterministic and stochastic assembly processes, respectively, in autumn cruise, probably due to the differences in niche breadths (bacteria < archaea) and relative abundance (bacteria > archaea). Stochasticity dominated assembly mechanisms of both domains but was driven by distinct processes in winter cruise. Determinism‐dominated assembly mechanisms of bacteria rebounded in spring and summer cruises, reflecting seasonal variability in bacterial community assembly. This could be attributed to seasonal changes in bacterial niche breadths and habitat heterogeneity across the study area. There were seasonal changes in environmental factors mediating the determinism‐stochasticity balance of bacterial community assembly, holding a probability of the existence of unmeasured mediators. Our results suggest contrasting assembly mechanisms of bacteria and archaea in terms of determinism‐vs.‐stochasticity pattern and its seasonality, highlighting the importance of seasonal perspective on microbial community assembly in marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most severe chronic diseases and is an increasingly important public health problem worldwide. Several agonists of the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor have been developed to treat Type 2 diabetes but most of them are administered by injection. This mode of administration seriously reduces patient compliance and increases the risk of infection. Here, we describe the actions of a novel, orally available, GLP‐1 receptor agonist ‐ oral hypoglycaemic peptide 2 (OHP2) ‐ derived from exendin‐4 by replacing amino acids. We have also investigated its pharmacokinetic profiles, therapeutic effects and absorption mechanism. Experimental Approach Healthy Wistar rats were used for pharmacokinetic analyses. In diabetic db/db mice. OHP2 was given for 8 weeks to evaluate its effects on hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, basal metabolism and tissue injury. Possible endocytosis and transcytosis mechanisms of OHP2 uptake were explored in Caco‐2 cell monolayers. Key Results: In rats, the absolute bioavailability of orally administered OHP2 was 20‐fold greater than that of orally administered exendin‐4. In db/db mice, OHP2 dose‐dependently exhibits good potential in glucose‐lowering and weight loss after oral administration. OHP2 also alleviated hyperlipidaemia, ameliorated energy metabolism and promoted tissue repair in diabetic mice. Furthermore, uptake of OHP2 by Caco‐2 cells was dependent on caveolae‐mediated transcytosis rather than endocytosis mediated by GLP‐1 receptors. Conclusions and Implications: OHP2 is a potential, orally bioavailable, candidate drug for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Its transcytosis mechanism of uptake could help in the development of absorption enhancers of OHP2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine‐catalyzed C−H functionalization has emerged as an attractive tool for the construction of various C−X (X=C, N, O, S, etc.) bonds, without the use of toxic transition‐metal catalysts. Nevertheless, strong chemical oxidants are usually required for the regeneration of iodine‐containing catalysts, which leads to poor atom economy and undesirable side reactions. Organic electrochemistry provides new opportunities for the assembly of various chemical bonds in an environmentally friendly manner. This Minireview discusses the recent advances of synthetic electrochemistry in C−H functionalization with various iodine‐containing reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary of main observation and conclusion: An efficient zinc‐catalyzed oxidative cyclization of readily available indoly ynamides has been developed, enabling rapid and practical access to a diverse array of valuable medium‐sized lactams in mostly good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope. In addition, such an asymmetric synthesis has also been explored by employing the chiral substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and reliable fault detecting plays a key role in application of grid‐connected wave power generation systems. This study presents a novel IoT‐based approach to condition monitoring of the wave power generation system, which has faster operating rate and lower hardware requirement. The compressed sensing (CS) method is adopted to compress the data, which aims to reduce the data uploaded to cloud platform; and then, the extreme learning machine (ELM) algorithm is used to achieve the condition monitoring of wave power generation system in cloud platform. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the IoT‐based wave power generation condition monitoring system test platform is established. The experiment results illustrate the high efficiency and reliability of proposed method. The proposed method has a potential of practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient cross‐coupling reaction of carbon dioxide with amines and arylketones was developed by virtue of a simple electrochemical oxidation under mild and metal‐free conditions, providing a variety of O‐β‐oxoalkyl carbamates with moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroadenomas (FAs) are the most common fibroepithelial lesions and the most common benign tumors of the breast in women of reproductive age. Although MED12 mutations, an overwhelming majority of all mutations, and some other gene mutations have been found in FAs, the genomic landscapes of FAs are still not completely clear and the genomic mutation spectrums of FAs in Chinese population remains unknown. Here, by performing whole exome sequencing of 12 FAs and the corresponding normal breast tissues in Chinese Han population, we observed the somatic and germline landscapes of genetic alterations. We identified 16 recurrently mutated genes with 37 nonsynonymous or frameshift somatic mutations and 27 recurrent somatic copy number variants (CNVs). In these mutated genes, MED12 was the most common in FAs, harboring 6 nonsynonymous/frameshift somatic mutations and 1 CNV. In addition, 6 germline mutations of tumor susceptibility genes in 5 FAs were identified and the tumor mutational burden of the 5 FAs was significantly higher than the other 7 FAs without germline mutations. This study provides genomic mutation spectrums of FAs in Chinese population and expand the genetic spectrum of FAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient ultralong organic phosphorescent materials have potential applications in some fields, such as bioimaging, anti-counterfeiting, and sensors. Nevertheless, phosphorescence efficiencies of metal-free organic materials are low due to weak spin-orbit coupling and vigorous nonradiative transitions under ambient conditions. Here a chemical strategy to improve phosphorescence efficiency with intermolecular π-type halogen bonding construction via isomerism is presented. X-ray single crystal analysis reveals that different halogen bonding is formed among p-BrTCz, m-BrTCz, and o-BrTCz crystals. Phosphorescence efficiency of m-BrTCz in solid can reach 13.0%, seven times of o-BrTCz in solid owing to effective π-type halogen bonding, which is further confirmed by theoretical calculations. However, ultralong phosphorescence lifetimes are little affected, 155, 120, and 156 ms for p-BrTCz, m-BrTCz, and o-BrTCz in the solid state, respectively. Furthermore, a simple pattern for data encryption and decryption is first demonstrated under sunlight. This result will provide an approach for improving the phosphorescent efficiency of metal-free organic phosphors with ultralong luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Heavy metal ions such as Cu2+ and Pb2+ impose a significant risk to the environment and human health due to their high toxicity and non-degradable characteristics. Herein, Al(OH)3-polyacrylamide chemically modified with dithiocarbamates (Al-PAM-DTCs) was synthesized using formaldehyde, diethylenetriamine, carbon disulfide, and sodium hydroxide for rapid and efficient removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, and transmission electron microscope measurements. Al-PAM-DTCs showed rapid removal of Cu2+ (<30 min) and Pb2+ (<15 min) with high adsorption capacities of 416.959 mg/g and 892.505 mg/g for Cu2+ and Pb2+ respectively. Al-PAM-DTCs also had high capacities in removing suspended solids and metal ions simultaneously in turbid bauxite suspensions. FTIR, thermodynamic study, and elemental mapping were used to determine the adsorption mechanism. The rapid, convenient, and effective adsorption of Cu2+ and Pb2+ indicated that Al-PAM-DTCs has great potential for practical applications in purification of other heavy metal ions from aquatic systems. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45431. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condition monitoring (CM) is considered an effective method to improve the reliability of wind turbines (WTs) and implement cost‐effective maintenance. This study presents a single hidden‐layer feedforward neural network (SLFN), trained using an extreme learning machine (ELM) algorithm, for CM of WTs. Gradient‐based algorithms are commonly used to train SLFNs; however, these algorithms are slow and may become trapped in local optima. The use of an ELM algorithm can dramatically reduce learning time and overcome issues associated with local optima. In this study, the ELM model is optimised using a genetic algorithm. The residual signal obtained by comparing the model and actual output is analysed using the Mahalanobis distance (MD) measure due to its ability to capture correlations among multiple variables. An accumulated MD value, obtained from a range of components, is used to evaluate the health of a gearbox, one of the critical subsystems of a WT. Models have been identified from supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data obtained from a working wind farm. The results show that the proposed training method is considerably faster than traditional techniques, and the proposed method can efficiently identify faults and the health condition of the gearbox in WTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperhomocysteine has become a critical risk for atherosclerosis and can stimulate proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs). N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor ( NMDAR) is a receptor of homocysteine and mediates the effects of homocysteine on VSMCs. Bioinformatics analysis has shown NMDAR is a potential target of micro RNA-217 (miR-217), which exerts multiple functions in cancer tumorigenesis and carotid plaque progression. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of miR-217 in VSMCs phenotype transition under homocysteine exposure and elucidate its effect on atherosclerotic plaque formation. After treating with several doses of homocysteine (0-8 × 10−4 mol/L) for 24 hours, the expression of miR-217 in HA- VSMCs and rat aortic VSMCs was not altered. Intriguingly, the expression of NMDAR mRNA and protein was reduced by homocysteine in a dose-dependent manner. Transfection of miR-217 mimic significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs with homocysteine treatment, while transfection of miR-217 inhibitor promoted VSMCs migration. Moreover, miR-217 mimic down-regulated while miR-217 inhibitor up-regulated NMDAR protein expression but not NMDAR mRNA expression. Through luciferase reporter assay, we showed that miR-217 could directly bind to the 3′- UTR of NMDAR. MiR-217 mimic transfection also released the inhibition of cAMP-response element-binding protein ( CREB)- PGC-1α signalling induced by homocysteine. Additionally, restoration of PGC-1α expression via Ad PGC-1α infection markedly suppressed VSMCs proliferation through the degradation of NADPH oxidase ( NOX1) and reduction of reactive oxygen species ( ROS). Collectively, our study identified the role of miR-217 in regulating VSMCs proliferation and migration, which might serve as a target for atherosclerosis therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration distribution of droplets in liquid-liquid hydrocyclones was studied using a phase Doppler particle analyzer. The effect of cone angle and inlet flow flux on the concentration distribution of droplets was determined. The cone angle of the hydrocyclone obviously influenced the maximum droplet concentration, especially that in the cone section. The hydrocyclone with a cone angle of 6° presented the best separation result. A higher inlet flow rate enhanced the separation of droplets from the water. The concentration profiles at five different axial heights presented a parabola law pattern in the radial direction. The optimized hydrocyclone was applied for the dewatering of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). The amount of residual water could be greatly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, metal-free method for the formation of C(sp3)-O bonds was established by PhI(OAc)2-mediated oxygenation of benzylic C(sp3)-H bonds with N-hydroxyamides at room temperature, in which the C(sp3)-H oxidation is activated by a polyflurophenylamide group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe the one-pot construction of the pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolinone scaffold by a cascade nitration/cyclization sequence of 1,7-enynes with tBuONO and H2O. The cascade proceeds through alkene nitration, 1,7-enyne 6- exo-trig cyclization, CH nitrations, and redox cyclization, and exhibits excellent functional group tolerance. The mechanism was investigated using in situ high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutral‐point‐clamped (NPC) three‐level converter has been widely used in wind power generation systems. However, traditional NPC three‐level converter often suffers excessive voltage fluctuation at the neutral point of DC‐link capacitors. This problem may leads to switching devices damage and increases additional harmonics in output voltage of the converter. To solve this problem, a compensating scheme based on a current compensation method is proposed. The results show that the proposed scheme can alleviate considerably voltage fluctuation. Consequently, it is effective and can also enhance the reliability of the converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ray of light: 10a,11‐Dihydro‐10H‐benzo[b]fluorenes were synthesized by a visible‐light‐catalyzed tandem cyclization of 1,6‐enynes with arylsulfonyl chlorides. This method extends the scope of enyne cyclizations and represents a new synthetic application of arylsulfonyl chlorides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photochemical internalization (PCI) is under development for clinical use in treatment of soft tissue sarcomas and other solid tumors. PCI may release endocytosed bleomycin (BLM) into the cytosol by photochemical rupture of the endocytic vesicles. In this study, the human fibrosarcoma xenograft HT1080 was transplanted into the leg muscle of athymic mice. The photosensitizer disulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcS2a) and BLM were systemically administrated 48 h and 30 min, respectively, prior to light exposure at 670 nm (30 J cm−2). The purposes of this study were to evaluate the treatment response to AlPcS2a-photodynamic therapy (PDT) and AlPcS2a-PDT in combination with BLM ( i.e. PCI of BLM) in an orthotopic, invasive and clinically relevant tumor model and to explore the underlying response mechanisms caused by PDT and PCI of BLM. The treatment response was evaluated by measuring tumor growth, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI), histology and fluorescence microscopy. The results show that PCI of BLM is superior to PDT in inducing tumor growth retardation and acts synergistically as compared to the individual treatment modalities. The CE-MRI analyses 2 h after AlPcS2a-PDT and PCI of BLM identified a treatment-induced nonperfused central zone of the tumor and a well-perfused peripheral zone. While there were no differences in the vascular response between PDT and PCI, the histological analyses showed that PDT caused necrosis in the tumor center and viable tumor cells were found in the tumor periphery. PCI caused larger necrotic areas and the regrowth in the peripheral zone was almost completely inhibited after PCI. The results indicate that PDT is less efficient in the tumor periphery than in the tumor center and that the treatment effect of PCI is superior to PDT in the tumor periphery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphical abstract of the article "Electrosynthesis of (E)-Vinyl Sulfones Directly from Cinnamic Acids and Sodium Sulfinates via Decarboxylative Sulfono Functionalization" by J. Su et al. is presented.

The article presents chemical equations related to the article "Synthesis of Malonates from 3-Halopropynoates, Alcohols, and Water Using DABCO" by Peng-Cheng Qian published in the "Synthesis" in 2015.

A facile, copper-catalyzed sequential oxidative C-S bond formation, ipso-cyclization, and dearomatization strategy assembles the title compounds (III),(V),(VII),(IX),(XI) using an inexpensive catalytic system and molecular oxygen as oxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary of main observation and conclusion: An efficient copper‐catalyzed carbocyclization of silyl enol ether tethered ynamides has been developed, allowing rapid and practical construction of diverse 2‐azabicyclo[3.2.0] compounds in generally good to excellent yields with broad substrate scope under mild reaction conditions. Importantly, this protocol not only constitutes a rare example of non‐noble metal‐catalyzed alkyne carbocyclization, but also represents a rare cyclization on the β‐position of π‐tethered ynamides. The possibility of asymmetric carbocyclization via kinetic resolution also emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary of main observation and conclusion: An efficient zinc‐catalyzed oxidative cyclization of readily available indoly ynamides has been developed, enabling rapid and practical access to a diverse array of valuable medium‐sized lactams in mostly good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope. In addition, such an asymmetric synthesis has also been explored by employing the chiral substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperhomocysteine has become a critical risk for atherosclerosis and can stimulate proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) is a receptor of homocysteine and mediates the effects of homocysteine on VSMCs. Bioinformatics analysis has shown NMDAR is a potential target of microRNA-217 (miR-217), which exerts multiple functions in cancer tumorigenesis and carotid plaque progression. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of miR-217 in VSMCs phenotype transition under homocysteine exposure and elucidate its effect on atherosclerotic plaque formation. After treating with several doses of homocysteine (0-8 × 10(-4)  mol/L) for 24 hours, the expression of miR-217 in HA-VSMCs and rat aortic VSMCs was not altered. Intriguingly, the expression of NMDAR mRNA and protein was reduced by homocysteine in a dose-dependent manner. Transfection of miR-217 mimic significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs with homocysteine treatment, while transfection of miR-217 inhibitor promoted VSMCs migration. Moreover, miR-217 mimic down-regulated while miR-217 inhibitor up-regulated NMDAR protein expression but not NMDAR mRNA expression. Through luciferase reporter assay, we showed that miR-217 could directly bind to the 3'-UTR of NMDAR. MiR-217 mimic transfection also released the inhibition of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB)-PGC-1α signalling induced by homocysteine. Additionally, restoration of PGC-1α expression via AdPGC-1α infection markedly suppressed VSMCs proliferation through the degradation of NADPH oxidase (NOX1) and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, our study identified the role of miR-217 in regulating VSMCs proliferation and migration, which might serve as a target for atherosclerosis therapy., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)