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How plants balance growth and stress adaptation is a long-standing topic in plant biology. Abscisic acid (ABA) induces the expression of the stress-responsive Asparagine Rich Protein (NRP), which promotes the vacuolar degradation of PP6 phosphatase FyPP3, releasing ABI5 transcription factor to initiate transcription. Whether NRP is required for growth remains unknown. We generated an nrp1 nrp2 double mutant, which had a dwarf phenotype that can be rescued by inhibiting auxin transport. Insufficient auxin in the transition zone and over-accumulation of auxin at the root tip was responsible for the short elongation zone and short-root phenotype of nrp1 nrp2. The auxin efflux carrier PIN2 over-accumulated in nrp1 nrp2 and became de-polarized at the plasma membrane, leading to slower root basipetal auxin transport. Knock-out of PIN2 suppressed the dwarf phenotype of nrp1 nrp2. Furthermore, ABA can induce NRP-dependent vacuolar degradation of PIN2 to inhibit primary root elongation. FyPP3 also is required for NRP-mediated PIN2 turnover. In summary, in growth condition, NRP promotes PIN2 vacuolar degradation to help maintain PIN2 protein concentration and polarity, facilitating the establishment of the elongation zone and primary root elongation. When stressed, ABA employs this pathway to inhibit root elongation for stress adaptation.

The dramatic increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations has attracted people’s attention, and many strategies have been developed to convert CO2 into high-value chemicals. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a class of versatile materials, can be used in the CO2 capture and conversion because of their unique porosity, large specific surface area, rich pore structure, multiple active centers, good stability and recyclability. Various functional nanomaterials have been designed and synthesized based on metal organic framework (MOF) of crystalline porous materials to meet these challenges. Herein, in this review, the latest processes of MOFs in field the of CO2 hydrogenation to carbon monoxide, methane, formic acid, methanol and olefins are summarized, and the synthesis methods of catalysts based on MOFs and the reasons for their high catalytic activity are analyzed. Besides, a brief introduction to improve the catalytic activity of the new MOF material and explore the feasible strategies for CO2 conversion are advised. Finally, the paper discusses the main challenges and opportunities of MOF-type catalysts in CO2 chemical conversion, and presents a brief outlook on further developments in this research area.

Directly incorporated phosphorus species into the framework of HZSM-5 zeolite (H[P, Al]-ZSM-5) was successfully synthesized by the facile hydrothermal method. It was characterized by employing XRD, ICP-OES, SEM, FT-IR, N2 adsorption-desorption, NH3-TPD, XPS and TG-DTA, respectively. The effects of the phosphorus species content, temperature, WHSV, and the molar ratio of methanol/1-butene in coupling transformation of methanol with 1-butene to propylene catalyzed by H[P, Al]-ZSM-5 in a fixed bed reactor were studied systematically. Tests have suggested the acid content and specific surface area of H[P, Al]-ZSM-5 are reduced. Under the condition of reaction temperature at 550�Z, molar ratio of methanol/1-butene to 1.0, reaction pressure at 0.1 MPa and WHSV= 3.53 h-1, the P-modified HZSM-5 zeolite (with the P2O5 molar composition of 0.4 )the selectivity and yield of propylene are 35.6% and 32.5%, respectively.

The ZnIn/HZSM-5 catalyst was prepared by the wetness impregnation method, and the structure of catalyst was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, XPS, TG, and N2 adsorption–desorption and then investigated in the coupling of propane with CO2 to propylene. It is found that the addition of Zn species is beneficial to the dispersion of In2O3 over HZSM-5, which plays an important role in propene formation, and adjusts the acidity distribution of In/HZSM-5 catalyst, as well as significantly improves the activity of In/HZSM-5 catalyst. The selectivity of propylene is 68.21% in the coupling of propane with CO2 over ZnIn/HZSM-5 catalyst when the time on stream (TOS) is 2 h, reaction temperature is 580 °C, reaction pressure is 0.3 MPa, C3H6:CO2:N2 = 1:4:5, catalyst mass is 0.2 g, and space velocity is 6000 mL gcat−1 h−1. However, the selectivity of propylene is only 63.33% and 0.25% in the propane dehydrogenation or CO2 hydrogenation reaction, respectively. The ZnIn/HZSM-5 catalyst showed a higher stability with only 0.80% conversion drop after three cycles.

To improve the dispersion of metals and to enhance the catalytic performance of SAPO-34 molecular sieves, the template-assisted method was applied to synthesize Co, Ni and Zn modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves by using palygorskite as silicon source and tetraethylammonium hydroxide as template. The metal modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, N2-adsorption-desorption, NH3-TPD, FTIR, ICP-AES and TG. The N atoms of tetraethylammonium hydroxide exhibited the different forces to three metal ions, thus the acidity of the molecular sieves was further regulated. Compared with metal modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by impregnation, metal modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by template-assisted maintained higher surface area, bigger pore volume and better dispersion of metals. The catalytic performance of metal modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by template-assisted method in the reaction of methanol-to-olefins (MTO) was investigated in the fixed bed reactor. Under the reaction conditions that the reaction temperature was 400 °C, the reaction pressure was 0.1 MPa, the feed WHSV was 2.0 h−1 and the mass of catalyst was 0.5 g, Ni modified SAPO-34 molecular sieves exhibited great methanol conversion and high selectivity to light olefins. The selectivity of light olefins reached 95.7%.

Propane dehydrogenation to propene is an endothermic reaction and CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins is an exothermic reaction. Using the CO2 hydrogenation reaction to consume the hydrogen from the propane dehydrogenation reaction, which is more favorable to propylene formation. A new method for coupling propane and CO2 to propylene is presented. The V–Fe modified KIT-6 was prepared by the ultrasonic-assisted impregnation method and used for coupling reaction of propane with CO2 to propylene. Exploring the relationship between catalytic properties and physicochemical characteristics through several characterization methods. As the appropriate amounts of V and Fe species were introduced into the framework of KIT-6, V–Fe modified KIT-6 performed large specific surface area, a highly ordered mesoporous structure and highly dispersed V and Fe active sites. The catalysis performance of V–Fe modified KIT-6 zeolites for production of propylene by propane dehydrogenation, CO2 hydrogenation and coupling reaction of C3H8 with CO2 was compared. Under the conditions of C3H8/CO2/N2 = 1:4:5, total flow rate = 20 mL/min, the temperature at 580 °C, the reaction pressure at 0.1 MPa, V/Fe molar ratio = 2 and the catalyst mass of 0.2 g, the propane conversion, propylene selectivity and yield are 37.8%, 87.0% and 32.9%, respectively.

Phosphorus promoted HZSM-5 zeolites (P-HZSM-5) were prepared by synthetic methods of incipient wetness impregnation and in situ synthesis, respectively. This was characterized by the means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method (BET), thermogravimetry (TG), and NH3-TPD. The P-HZSM-5 zeolite prepared by incipient wetness impregnation has a large specific surface area and pore size, and the weak acidity is remarkably increased. The catalytic activity of P-HZSM-5 for the coupling transformation of methanol with 1-butene to propylene was investigated. Under the reaction conditions of temperature at 550 °C, pressure at 0.4 MPa, space velocity at 1800 mL/(gcat h), and mole ratio of CH3OH/C4H8 at 1:1, the conversion of C4H8 can reach to 75.8%, and the selectivity and yield of propylene are 42.2% and 31.9%, respectively.

[FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+ (tpena- = N,N,N′-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N′-acetate) catalytically activates H2O2 with the concomitant formation of the active oxidants [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ and HO• in aqueous solutions at pH 8. A kinetic model is used to demonstrate that the activation of [FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+ by H2O2 proceeds by the formation of [FeIII(OOH)(tpena)]+. Two previously unreported reactions of [FeIII(OOH)(tpena)]+, the first with another H2O2 molecule to afford [FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+, O2•-, and HO• and the second, and dominant, with [FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+ to yield 2 equiv of [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ and H2O, are found to be the major pathways for the formation of HO• and [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+, respectively. The production of HO• was quantified by a chemiluminescence method showing that [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ is produced in much larger yields than HO•. The generation of HO• compromises the stability of [FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+ unless an external substrate is present that can outcompete [FeIII(OH)(tpena)]+ for HO•. Significantly, we demonstrate that the reaction commonly assumed to occur in the decay of nonheme iron(III)hydroperoxides, homolytic O-O bond cleavage, is of minor significance for the generation of HO• and the iron(IV)oxo complex. The production of both a reactive high-valent iron-oxo species and HO• under mild, aqueous ambient conditions represents a significant contribution to the current state of the art for biomimetic nonheme chemistry in water.

CPT1C, which is expressed in hippocampus, influences ceramide level, endogenous cannabinoid and oxidation process, as well as plays an important role in various brain functions such as learning. This study aimed to investigate the role of CPT1C in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its underlying mechanism. We established a model of Alzheimer's disease in vitro by exposing primary hippocampal neurons to beta-Amyloid peptide fragment 25-35 (Aβ25-35). The cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, expressions of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), LDH assay, ROS kits, malondialdehyde (MDA) kits and SOD kits, respectively. Moreover, the expression of oxidative stress-related proteins as well as the expressions of amyloid precursor protein (App), p-Tau andβ-site APP-cleaving enzyme1 (Bace-1) were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot. Tunel and western blot were adopted to detect apoptosis as well as its related proteins. After the treatment of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), CPT1C expression was detected with the application of RT-qPCR and western blot. CPT1C expression was reduced in Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cells. Overexpression of CPT1C relieved cell viability and toxic injury as well as attenuated oxidative stress, apoptosis and expression levels of AD marker proteins. Moreover, higher doses of PPARα agonist activate the expression of CPT1C in Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cells. In conclusion, CPT1C alleviates Aβ25-35-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and deposition of AD marker proteins in hippocampal neurons, suggesting that CPT1C has favorable effects on alleviating AD and participates in PPARα activation.

The performance of lanthanum carbonate (LC) pertaining to the adsorption of phosphate (HwPO4w-3) was investigated, and the possible adsorption mechanism was elucidated. The stabilization of HwPO4w-3 adsorbed to LC was evaluated. The influence of LC addition on the upward transport of phosphorus (P) from sediment to overlying water (OL-W) was studied, and the adsorption performance of HwPO4w-3 on the LC-amended sediment was explored. The results of this work indicated that LC performed well in the elimination of HwPO4w-3 from water in the pH range of 4 to 11, and the commercial and self-prepared LC samples afforded the maximum HwPO4w-3 adsorption capacities of 57.9 and 99.4 mg P/g, respectively, at pH 7. The presence of coexisting species including chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate had a small influence on the HwPO4w-3 adsorption onto LC. The main HwPO4w-3 adsorption mechanism of LC at pH 7 was the ligand exchange reaction between carbonate and HwPO4w-3 forming the inner-sphere La-phosphate complexation. The self-synthesized LC exhibited much higher HwPO4w-3 adsorption performance than the commercial LC. The overwhelming majority (> 97.0%) of HwPO4w-3 adsorbed to LC primarily existed in the form of muriatic acid-extractable P, which has relatively low re-releasing risk. The addition of LC into sediment could significantly prevent the release of P from the sediment solid into the OL-W, thereby leading to a lower concentration level of reactive soluble P (RSP) in the OL-W compared with no LC treatment. The addition of LC into sediment could greatly improve the HwPO4w-3 uptake ability for the sediment, and the enhancement of HwPO4w-3 adsorption onto the sediment by the added LC increased as the increase of the amendment dosage and the initial HwPO4w-3 concentration. All results suggest that LC could serve as a promising amendment material for the control of sedimentary P release.

Technology for the transformation of waste feathers to quality regenerated filaments has been developed. Regardless of superior properties of natural keratin materials, previously developed regenerated materials from keratin had tensile properties much lower than their natural counterparts due to backbone hydrolysis and inefficient reconstruction of disulfide crosslinkages. In this work, tough keratin filaments have been regenerated from white duck feathers via efficient restoration of disulfide crosslinkages using a dithiol reducing agent. Dithiol substantially reserves free thiol groups in the extraction and formed lengthy intermolecular crosslinkages in regenerated keratin filaments. Due to the high degree of intermolecular reconstruction of disulfide bonds and formation of lengthy crosslinkages via dithiol chain-extension, the keratin filaments exhibited considerable improvements in mechanical properties, especially for ductility and water stability. The tenacity and elongation at break were 160.7 MPa and 14%, respectively. The filaments retained about 80% of the tenacity of natural feathers at either dry or wet conditions and demonstrated stretchability 150% higher than natural feathers. The fiber regeneration technology makes it possible to substitute primary fiber sources by renewable poultry feathers. Successful filament substitution or addition can bring more than 88-billion-dollar revenue. The technology not only contributes to a sustainable fiber and poultry industry but adds substantial values to poultry feathers.

Polylactide/cellulose nanocomposites were fabricated by blending of commercial polylactide (PLA) and modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Modified CNCs were prepared via the in situ polymerization of CNCs and L-lactic acid (CNCs-PLLA) or D-lactic acid (CNCs-PDLA). The actual occurrence of chemical bond between CNCs and PLA segment was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction and solubility tests. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction characterization indicated that CNCs-PDLA better improved the crystallization ability of PLA matrix compared with CNCs-PLLA. Furthermore, compared with the neat PLA (60.0 MPa), the tensile strength of resulting nanocomposites showed an enhancement of up to 36% (81.65 MPa). And the nanocomposites with CNCs-PDLA exhibited both high crystallinity and improved mechanical properties.

There is an urgent need to replace highly polluting pesticides with environmentally friendly green pesticides of high efficiency and low toxicity, because of the growing concern for quality and safety of agricultural products. To discover new pesticides with diverse chemical structures from natural products, a series of rhein derivatives 3a-9b were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antifungal activity and insecticidal activity. The bioassay showed that some compounds exhibited moderate antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, but lower activity against the other five pathogens. Surprisingly, most compounds displayed potent insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura and Tetranychus cinnabarinus at a concentration of 2 μmol/mL. In particular, compounds 3a, 5a and 3 b exhibited potent insecticidal activities against S. litura at 72 h, with mortality rates of 100%, 100% and 92.1%, respectively, which were equivalent to that of the insecticide fipronil (100%). Their structure-activity relationships were also discussed. The findings of this experiment provide helpful research ideas for the development of these rhein derivatives as novel natural product-based pesticides in crop protection.

Aqueous solutions of the iron(III) complex of N,N,N′-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N′-acetate (tpena) react with hypochlorite (ClO-) to produce the reactive high-valent [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+. Under catalytic conditions, in bicarbonate-buffered media (pH 8) with a set ionic strength (10 mM NaCl), kinetic analysis shows that two equivalents of [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ per one ClO- are produced, with benign chloride ions the only byproduct. An unprecedented supramolecular activation of ClO- by {(HCO3)⊂[(tpena)FeIII(μ-O)FeIII(Htpena)]}2+ is proposed. This mode of activation has great advantage for use in the catalytic oxidation of C-H bonds in water since: (i) the catalyst scaffold is protected from oxidative degradation and (ii) undesirable radical side reactions which produce toxic chlorinated compounds are circumvented by this novel coactivation of water and ClO-. The unique activation mechanism by the Fe-tpena system makes possible the destruction of organic contaminants as an add-on technology to water disinfection by chlorination, demonstrated here through (i) the catalytic oxidation of micropollutant metaldehyde, and (ii) mineralization of the model substrate formate. The resting-state speciation at pH 3, 5, 7, and 9, as well as the catalytically active iron speciation are characterized with Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopy and supported by DFT calculations. Our study provides fundamentally new insights into the design and activation mode of iron-based catalysts relevant to applications in water remediation.

Homogeneous hollow CuO–ZnO–Al2O3 microspheres, which were synthesised, used carbonaceous saccharide as a template by the hydrothermal treatment at 180°C. The hollow microspheres structure of composite metal oxides was characterised by the methods of X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and N2 adsorption–desorption isothermal. In the evaluation of the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, the synthesised hollow CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 composite microspheres exhibited higher selectivity and yield of methanol than CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 prepared by a co-precipitation method. An optimum yield of methanol of 15.3% with the 24.7% CO2 per pass conversion was obtained under the reaction conditions of pressure at 3.0 MPa, space velocity at 1800 ml gcat −1 h−1, the volume ratio of CO2/H2 at 1:3 and temperature at 262°C.

A new strategy for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and diphenyl carbonate (DPC) in polycarbonate plastics has been proposed, combing excitation-emission matrix fluorescence and second-order chemometrics methods. The studied compounds are two of the most frequently used chemical raw materials and intermediates, which is mainly used for bio-chemical products. The method is fast and sensitive as it can avoid tedious pretreatment steps and large amounts of organic solvents consumption. Chemometrics allowed accurate and precise quantification of two target analytes even in the presence of severe spectral overlap, unknown and background interferences, which benefit from “second-order advantages” provided by chemometrics multivariate calibration. Reasonable quantification results were obtained in real plastics samples, with limits of detection for two analytes were 0.04 and 1.18 × 103 ng mL−1 and limits of quantitation were 0.11 and 3.58 × 103 ng mL−1. In addition, the average recoveries for BPA and DPC were 99.35% and 83.50% with relative standard deviation

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health challenge, especially in China. In clinical practice, HBV infection is associated with nephropathy. Impaired renal function is frequently observed in compensated Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) and cirrhosis (LC). Thus, renal function must be monitored to avoid nephrotoxic effects before and during nucleoside analog treatment. Investigating the predictive markers of early renal dysfunction is essential. New GFR-predicting equations, based on Pcr and/or CystC, have been recently recommended in the general population, but their performance in liver disease patients has been rarely studied. In this study, we will discuss how to detect renal dysfunction in patients with HBV infection. A total of 16 LC patients and 23 CHB patients were enrolled in this study, and we collected and compared the clinical data of the two groups. The estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) were also calculated by several equations. All patients received 99mTc-DTPA dynamic radionuclide imaging examinations to obtain mGFRs as the reference standard. To evaluate the performance of any equation in the CHB and LC groups, paired t test, Pearson’s correlation, Kappa analysis and Bland–Altman plots were utilized. Moreover, all 39 subjects were divided into two groups (according to GFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m2). We compared the serum and urinary markers of kidney injury between the two groups and selected the indicators of renal injury by univariate analysis. The mGFR was 72.26 ± 20.69 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the LC group, and 87.49 ± 25.91 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the CHB group. The paired t test results of eGFR and mGFR showed no difference between eGFR (estimated by the CHINAcr-cys equation) and mGFR (p > 0.05) in the compensated LC and CHB groups. The difference between mGFR and eGFR estimated by other methods was obvious (p 90 mL/min/1.73 m2) and showed International normalized ratio (INR) (p = 0.009), creatinine (p = 0.006), urine N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) (p = 0.001) and serum cystatin C (CysC) (p = 0.044). The CHINAcr-cys equation may be more suitable for the estimation of GFR in Chinese patients with CHB or compensated cirrhosis. INR, creatinine, NAG, and CysC are proper biomarkers for screening renal dysfunction in Chinese patients with CHB or compensated LC.

To understand the relationship between the catalytic performance, crystallite size, and acidity of SAPO-34 zeolites better, a series of SAPO-34 zeolites were prepared by hydrothermal crystallization using palygorskite as silicon and partial aluminum source, and selecting two kinds of triethylamine, morpholine and tetraethylammonium hydroxide as dual templates. The obtained SAPO-34 zeolites were characterized via the methods of XRD, SEM, N2-adsorption–desorption, NH3-TPD, FTIR, XRF, 29Si MAS NMR, 27Al MAS NMR and TG. The properties of the templates affected the crystal growth rate that triethylamine and morpholine can cause a larger crystallite size while tetraethylammonium hydroxide can form small crystallite size particles. The number of acid sites of SAPO-34 zeolites first decreased and then increased with the increase of morpholine. The formation of Si islands can enhance the number of acid sites of SAPO-34 zeolites. The catalytic performance of SAPO-34 zeolites in methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction was investigated in a fixed bed reactor. Under reaction conditions, when the reaction temperature was 400 °C, the feed WHSV was 2.0 h−1, the mass of the catalyst was 0.5 g, at atmospheric pressure, the sample with an amount of acid sites of 0.85 mmol g−1 and crystallite size of 0.84 μm exhibited the optimum catalytic performance with methanol conversion at 100%, light olefin selectivity at 97.15% and catalytic lifetime at more than 1050 min.

To investigate the expression of elicitin response protein and alpha-chemokines in lung cancer, inflammatory tissues and normal tissues and to observe the relationship between the expression of age, sex, tumor type, stage, differentiation and vascular endothelial growth factor. To detect the expression of chemokines in squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell lung cancer and analyze the relationship between the expression of age, gender, pathological grade and stage. The high expression rate of elicitin response protein and alpha-chemokines in lung cancer was higher than that in normal tissue and the difference was statistically significant (p

In this study, a n-type semiconductor perylene diimide (PDI) was coupled with biodegradation to accelerate the biotic decolorization and mineralization of methyl orange (MO) under light condition. The decolorization rates (k1) of MO in pure and mixed cultures with PDI were promoted by 1.35 and 1.79 folds, respectively, comparing to the cultures without PDI. The total mineralization efficiency of 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid (4-ABA) was achieved to 22.10 ± 0.84% when in the presence of PDI. The quinone-like group and oxidation-reduction capacity of PDI were detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, respectively, but the enhancement on the biotic decolorization of MO was not promoted under dark condition indicating that microbial extracellular electron transfer was not promoted. The 4-ABA was confirmed to be partially mineralized when the PDI exposure to light. The generated free radicals i.e., h+, ⸱OH, was demonstrated as active species to accelerate the decolorization and mineralization of MO by ESR test and radical quenching experiments. The bond breaking of MO and 4-ABA molecules were successfully predicted by density functional theory calculations and were further proven by liquid-chromatography mass spectra. The synergistic mechanism of decolorization and mineralization of MO by microorganism and photocatalysis was proposed. Moreover, High-throughput sequencing and Live/dead cell results indicated that the presence of PDI has no obvious toxicity to the microorganisms and will not change the microbial communities during the short-term treatment period. The results of study provided a biological intimate photocatalytic material and suggested a feasible way for its combination with biodegradation of azo dyes.

Graphene oxide–supported β-cyclodextrin was prepared with graphene oxide and β-cyclodextrin as raw materials and epichlorohydrin as crosslinking agent, respectively. It was characterized by the methods of Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR, and SEM. The graphene oxide–supported β-cyclodextrin showed excellent adsorption performance for p-nitrophenol, and the absorption equilibrium can be achieved within 2 h. The adsorptive capacity is 117.28 mg/g at adsorption temperature of 313 K and pH at 8.0. Adsorption isotherms showed that the adsorption capacity increases with the increases of temperature and adsorption process could be better fitted by Langmuir isotherm (R2 > 0.995). Thermodynamic functions (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) investigation showed that the adsorption is spontaneous, endothermic, and random. The adsorption kinetics of p-nitrophenol over graphene oxide–supported β-cyclodextrin is conformed to a pseudo-second-order process. This study has suggested that the graphene oxide–supported β-cyclodextrin could play an efficient and beneficial source of the adsorbent for the purpose of eliminating p-nitrophenol from aqueous solution.

The bovine colostrums collected within 7 days postpartum were used to prepare caseins and whey proteins. The caseins and whey proteins obtained by acid precipitation were freeze-dried and then dissolved respectively in 0.1 M and 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) for electrophoresis and antioxidant activity analysis. The antioxidant activities, including reducing power, ferrous ion chelating ability, α ,α -diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation, were measured and compared with α -tocopherol, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA, 2 Na-salt). Results showed that whey proteins at a concentration of 20 mg/mL had triple reducing power as that of the caseins. As for the ferrous ion chelating ability, both caseins and whey proteins exhibited increasing chelating ability as protein concentration increased . The whey proteins obtained from the colostrums collected on the first two days apparently exhibited relatively higher chelating abi lity. Similarly, DPPH radical scavenging activity of caseins and whey proteins increased as the protein concentration increased. Whe y proteins from the colostrums collected between the second and the fourth days (Whey proteins 2, 3 and 4) and the caseins from t he colostrums collected on the second day (Casein 2) had relatively higher radical scavenging activities, higher than 60% at a con centration of 20 mg/mL. The inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation of caseins was higher than that of whey proteins, and was compar able to those of α -tocopherol and BHA within 8-hour reaction.

Cu Zn oxide/SAPO-34 molecular sieves was used as bifunctional catalyst for the direct synthesis of light olefins from CO2 and H2, but the production of SAPO-34 molecular sieves required high cost and the Cu Zn oxide (CuO-ZnO) particles were prone to sintering, which severely restricted its industrial application. Herein, kaolin was used as raw material to prepare SAPO-34 molecular sieves and as supports to prepare kaolin-supported CuO-ZnO catalysts. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, N2 sorption, H2 temperature programmed reduction, NH3 temperature programmed desorption and Fourier Transforms Infrared spectra techniques. The results showed that the SAPO-34 molecular sieves presented lamellar structure and the CuO-ZnO particles were well dispersed on the surface of kaolin. The results of catalytic reaction for the direct synthesis of light olefins from CO2 and H2 indicated that the (CuO-ZnO)-kaolin/SAPO-34 molecular sieves could enhance not only the yield of light olefins, but also the lifetime.

A reproducible and environmentally friendly method for the preparation of high molecular-weight stereocomplex polylactide (HMW SCPLA) is achieved. Poly(l-lactide) and poly(d-lactide) were simply dissolved in an environmentally friendly solvent, dibasic ester (DBE), at 110 °C. Then, the two solutions were mixed and cooled to room temperature, and the HMW SCPLA spontaneously precipitated in the form of fine powder consequently. The presence of the DBE reduced the reaction temperature and improved the molecular mobility of the polymers; thus, the degradation problems and the molecular diffusion issue in the process of the formation of the stereocomplex could be overcome. The relationship among the concentration of the mixture, degree of stereo-complexation, and thermal properties of SCPLA powders was also established. Moreover, porous membrane and film SCPLA material with good thermal properties were also obtained using this thermally induced technique. This method could be a good approach to expand the SCPLA applications.

Background: Fibroblasts were the main seed cells in the studies of tissue engineering of the pelvic floor ligament. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were widely studied but at various concentrations. This study aimed to optimize the concentrations of combined bFGF and EGF by evaluating their effects on proliferation and collagen secretion of fibroblasts. Methods: Fibroblasts were differentiated from rat adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs). Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used for cell identification. The growth factors were applied at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, and 100 ng/ml as three groups: (1) bFGF alone, (2) EGF alone, and (3) bFGF mixed with EGF. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 assays. Expression of Type I and III collagen (Col-I and Col-III) mRNAs was evaluated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software and GraphPad Prism using one-way analysis of variance and multiple t-test. Results: ADSCs were successfully isolated from rat adipose tissue as identified by expression of typical surface markers CD29, CD44, CD90, and CD45 in flow cytometry. Fibroblasts induced from ADSC, compared with ADSCs, were with higher mRNA expression levels of Col I and Col III (F = 1.29, P = 0.0390). bFGF, EGF, and the mixture of bFGF with EGF can enhanced fibroblasts proliferation, and the concentration of 10 ng/ml of the mixture of bFGF with EGF displayed most effectively (all P < 0.05). The expression levels of Col-I and Col-III mRNAs in fibroblasts displayed significant increases in the 10 ng/ml bFGF combined with EGF group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: The optimal concentration of both bFGF and EGF to promote cell proliferation and collagen expression in fibroblasts was 10 ng/ml at which fibroblasts grew faster and secreted more Type I and III collagens into the extracellular matrix, which might contribute to the stability of the pelvic floor microenvironment.

The content of flavonoids is important for evaluating the quality of citrus-related products. However, due to the different characteristics of the structures of flavonoids and the lack of a universal method, many methods for quantification have been misused. Here, we used twenty-one citrus flavonoid standards to evaluate four widely used colorimetric methods, and seven species of citrus as natural samples were used to verify the evaluation. The results indicated that NaNO2–Al(NO3)3–NaOH and AlCl3 methods could only detect some of the flavonoids and were inadequate to estimate the total flavonoid content, and the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) method might be affected by other carbonyl compounds in extracts. The Davis method was modified with naringin as the standard at a measuring wavelength of 420 nm for grapefruit and pomelo, and with hesperidin as the standard at a measuring wavelength of 360 nm for other species. It was proved to be the most reliable method for the quantification of citrus flavonoids and was also recommended for laboratories and factories where needed.

The flocculation feasibilities of tobacco wastewater (TBW) and livestock and poultry wastewater (LPW) by the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of Bacillus sp. were evaluated in this study. The average particle sizes of flocs formed by the crude EPS were 45.83 mm and 41.67 mm in TBW and LPW, respectively, which were larger than that formed by chemical flocculants. The removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen and suspended solid achieved by crude EPS were increased more than 50% than that by chemical flocculants. Charge neutralization was dominant in the flocculation of LPW, while chemical reactions between the Fe(III) and reductive substances in TBW played an important role in the flocculation of TBW. The FTIR and XPS results indicated that the sugar derivatives of EPS, especially the hemiacetal and glucoside groups interacted with cellulose molecules. Three-dimensional EEM fluorescence spectra presented three peaks of tryptophan protein, aromatic polysaccharides and polysaccharides, and the peak intensities were enhanced with the addition of cellulose by PARAFAC analysis. Cost evaluation suggested that the generated flocs and supernatants could be further utilized as fertilizer after the solid–liquid separation of LPW, thus one ton of LPW after flocculation by crude EPS might generate a gross profit of $43.51, suggesting that advantages of crude EPS not only on environmental protection but also on flocculation cost. The results of present study implied that the crude EPS of Bacillus sp. have stronger competitiveness in the treatment of cellulose-containing wastewaters comparing to the chemical flocculants, which sheds lights on its potential usage as an alternative bio-flocculant.

To generate a scalable and economical approach for preparing tough poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) materials, a series of branched multiblock poly(e-caprolactone)/poly(l-lactide) (BLCL) was synthesized using 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane (IPTS) as a coupling agent. Triblock poly(l-lactide)-b-poly(e-caprolactone)-b-poly(l-lactide)s (HO-LCL-OH) were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using polycaprolactone diol as macroinitiator. The branched copolymers, BLCL, were then synthesized with IPTS as a chain extender. The effects of IPTS/HO-LCL-OH ratio on the thermoplasticity and tensile properties were investigated. The copolymers obtained were fabricated into films by hot press molding. The branched multiblock copolymers exhibited good thermoplasticity and remarkable toughness. Using this facile synthetic technique, various diol soft segments might be introduced into PLLA chain to prepare ductile PLLA material.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) during repetitive airflow cessations may cause endothelial dysfunction. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) has been used to treat various circulatory disturbance-related diseases because of its pharmacological actions, including vasodilation. However, the mechanism of the effect of its vasodilation is not well established. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of Tan IIA in endothelium-dependent contracting factors and endothelin receptors in aortic endothelial dysfunction in CIH rats. Aortas of rats were retrieved for use in in vitro experiments (isometric force measurement), histological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. Tan IIA treatment increased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and formation of nitric oxide (NO), inhibited the production of endothelin-1 (ET-1), down-regulated ETA receptor expression, and up-regulated ETB receptor expression. In conclusion, Tan IIA protects endothelial function by inhibiting strain-induced ET-1 expression, decreasing ETA receptors, increasing ETB receptors, increasing the formation of NO, and up-regulating eNOS in CIH.

Methanol to aromatics (MTA) is an effective way to produce aromatics by non-petroleum route. The acidity and structure of zeolite catalysts are the key to aromatics yield and stability of catalysts in MTA reaction. Here, Zn-modified HZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by physical mixing method (PM), in-situ hydrothermal synthesis method (SH) and steam-assisted crystallization method (SAC) using ZIF-8 as sacrificial template and Zn source. XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption, ICP-OES, NH3-TPD, Py-IR, XPS, H2-TPR, TG characterization methods were used to investigate the physical and chemical properties of the catalysts. The influence of preparation methods of catalysts, the addition amount of ZIF-8, different Zn sources and reaction conditions on the products distribution in MTA reaction were investigated. The results showed that the crystallinity of ZnZ8(SAC)/Z5 catalyst was improved and the hierarchical pore structure was obtained successfully after introduced ZIF-8 by steam-assisted crystallization method. Among them, ZnZ8 mainly exists as ZnOH+ species, which improved the utilization rate of Zn atoms and more L acid sites and moderate acid concentration were formed. The addition amount of ZIF-8 can affect the crystalline size, pore structure and the concentration of ZnOH+ species of ZnZ8(SAC)/Z5. An appropriate ratio of B/L acid concentration was formed when adding an appropriate amount of ZIF-8. Compared with the traditional Z5 catalyst modified with Zn(NO3)2 as Zn source (1% ZnZN(SAC)/Z5), there are smaller particle size, larger specific surface area and mesopore volume as well as suitable acid distribution in 1% ZnZ8(SAC)/Z5 catalyst. The preparation method of catalyst, the addition amount of ZIF-8, different Zn sources and reaction conditions have a significant effect on the selectivity of BTX.

Neuroinflammation plays an early and prominent role in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies have shown that cholinergic lesion is a contributor for the pathophysiology of AD. The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), a subtype of nAChRs, are abundantly expressed in the brain regions related to cognition and memory, such as hippocampus and frontal cortex. The α7 nAChR is rapidly activated and desensitized by agonists. JWX-A0108 is a type I positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of α7 nAChR, which mainly enhances agonist-evoked peak currents. Here, we used the Morris Water Maze to evaluate the effect of JWX-A0108 on cognition and memory functions in APP/PS1 mice, and the mechanism related to anti-inflammatory effect. The results showed that JWX-A0108 could improve the learning and memory function of APP/PS1 transgenic mice in Morris water maze, decrease the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 in the brain and lower the phosphorylation level of IκBα (Ser32/36) and NF-κB p65 (Ser536), decrease the expression of Iba1, the microglia activation marker. Nissl staining showed that the CA3 and DG regions of hippocampus were damaged in APP/PS1 mice, which was improved by JWX-A0108. All of these effects of JWX-A0108 were reversed by MLA (α7 nAChR specific blocker). Taken together, the results reveal that JWX-A0108 improved the learning and memory function of APP/PS1 mice by enhancing the anti-inflammatory effect of the endogenous choline system through α7 nAChR, inhibited the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway by inhibiting IκB phosphorylation, and ultimately inhibited inflammatory responses.

The novel visible-light-driven 3DOM-SrTiO3/Ag/Ag3PO4 ternary composites were fabricated and used as photocatalysts in the degradation of organic contaminants, including RhB, phenol, and MB. Through the XRD, SEM, TEM, DR UV–vis, XPS, PL spectroscopy, N2 sorption, and photoelectrochemical measurement, the obtained 3DOM-SrTiO3/Ag/Ag3PO4 ternary composites were well characterized. The effects of SrTiO3:Ag3PO4 molar ratio and stop-bands of 3DOM-SrTiO3 on the catalytic performance were systemically investigated. 3DOM-SrTiO3/Ag/Ag3PO4 ternary composite photocatalysts exhibited notably enhanced activity compared with single 3DOM-SrTiO3 and Ag3PO4 catalyst. Among these ternary photocatalysts, S35A65(300) exhibited the most excellent photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation, which could be mainly attributed to synergy effect of the notably improved separate efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the suitable stop-bands of 3DOM-SrTiO3(300) material. Although the gradually reduced activity in cycling tests was obtained over S35A65(300) under visible light irradiation, an excellent durability could be achieved for S35A65(300) under UV–vis light irradiation. No obvious loss in photocatalytic efficiency was observed after six cycles for RhB degradation. The notably improved enhanced durability of 3DOM-SrTiO3/Ag/Ag3PO4 ternary composites under UV–vis light irradiation could be mainly attributed to the Z-scheme mechanism of this ternary composite photocatalyst.

We report here the discovery of a fancy interaction between cesium iodide (CsI) and methylamine (CH3NH2) due to the presence of the hydrogen bond. The formed CsI·xCH3NH2 is a liquid phase, which facilitates the large scale fabrication of highly uniform cesium-containing perovskite films with strong (110) preferred orientation by the CH3NH2 gas healing process. With this method, at most 10% nonpolar Cs cations could fully dope into the crystal lattice and extremely enhance the interaction of the inorganic framework with a more symmetrical PbI6 octahedron, resulting in obvious improvement in moisture stability under continuous illumination.

An efficient and scalable method to prepare polylactic acid stereocomplex microspheres (sc-PLA-MPs) is achieved. Low molecular weight polylactic acid containing triethoxysilane end-groups (Si-PLA) were firstly synthesized via coupling reaction of 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate with low molecular weight poly ( l -lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly (D-lactic acid) (PDLA). Then, the triethoxysilane terminated poly ( l -lactic acid) and poly ( d -lactic acid) were dissolved in 1,4-dioxane where the triethoxysilane end-groups could hydrolytic condense in-situ, leading to the formation of the architecture having both PLLA and PDLA arms in one molecule, and consequently the stereocomplex microparticles spontaneously precipitated in the form of spherical microspheres with size of approximately ∼5 μm.

Cinnamomoum osmophloeum Kanehira (COK) is an indigenous tree species in Taiwan. Chemical compositions, antioxidant activity, mushroom tyrosinase inhibition, melanin synthesis repression, and protection against DNA damage of hydrosol from the COK leaves by steam distillation were examined. We performed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, metal ion chelating, reducing power, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays and determined the correlations between total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities. The findings showed that the anti-oxidative properties of COK hydrosol are closely correlated with their phenol contents. Additionally, the major constituents of hydrosol, i.e., cinnamaldehyde and benzaldehyde, had dose-dependent anti-tyrosinase effects against both monophenolase and diphenolase activities. GC-MS analysis revealed that the major bioactive components of hydrosol were trans-cinnamaldehyde (87.7%), benzaldehyde (7.0%), and cinnamyl acetate (5.3%). Moreover, we found that the hydrosol with the presence of benzaldehyde is more potent than pure cinnamaldehyde, and enhances the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of hydrosol. In kinetic analyses, Lineweaver&ndash, Burk plots and replots showed that COK hydrosol is a mixed-type inhibitor. Additionally, we found that very low doses of COK hydrosol repressed &alpha, melanocyte-stimulating hormone-induced synthesis of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, leading to decreased melanin synthesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells. These results demonstrated that production of hydrosol from COK leaves using steam distillation may provide a safe and efficacious source of skin-whitening agents for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications, with antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, anti-melanogenesis, and DNA protective activities.

A mixed valence diiron(II/III) complex with the ligand 2,6-bis{bis[(2-pyridinylmethyl)amino]methyl}phenol (bppH) has been covalently anchored onto graphene using a mild in situ microwave-assisted diazonium coupling through an aryl amino precursor and isoamyl nitrite. A dinuclear iron complex is then formed by complexation of the grafted bppH-graphene material with iron(II) in the presence of dioxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy confirm the formation of the anchored ligand and derivative diiron complexes. Semiquantitative XPS analysis shows an average bppH ligand bulk loading of 0.33 mmol/g, corresponding to a significant 20.7 wt % of the functionalized material consisting of grafted moieties. EPR measurements reveal the existence of a strong isotropic S = 1/2 spin center associated with the graphene lattice, together with a much weaker S = 5/2 signal, associated with the iron(III) center of the grafted complex. The grafted complex is redox-active with surface-confined FeIIFeII → FeIIFeIII (+0.56 V vs NHE), FeIIFeIII → FeIIIFeIII (+0.73 V), and FeIIIFeIII → FeIIIFeIV (+0.95 V) redox processes accessible, with an estimated surface coverage of 58 pmol cm-2 established from the electrochemical measurements.

Fstl1 is a TGF-β superfamily binding protein which involved in many pathological processes. The function of Fstl1 has been widely elucidated, but its structural characterization has not been explored. Here we solved the high-resolution crystal structure of FK domain of murine Fstl1, analyzed its unique characteristics, and investigated its contribution to the function of full-length Fstl1. We found that Fstl1-FK forms a stable dimer in both solution and crystal, which suggest that this protein may function as a dimer during its interaction with TGF-β, a molecule known to form dimer during activation process. We also found this FK domain is indispensable for the proper function of Fstl1 during the transduction of TGF-β signaling. These observations provide important insights into the understanding of Fstl1 and may facilitate the exploration of this molecule in clinical study.

In this study, an optically induced dielectrophoretic platform (ODEP) was used to project a radial pattern onto a photosensitive layer of a chip to perform optically induced imaging. After a non-uniform electric field was formed, an optically induced dielectrophoresis force was generated to drive the movement of polystyrene particles. First, the simulation software (COMSOL) was used to conduct electric field analysis of radial patterns and the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology was used to produce a gold nanofilm on optical dielectrophoresis chips. Experiments show that the chip with no gold nanofilm (filmless) is intended to drive polystyrene particles with a diameter of $90 \mu \mathrm{m}$ to move. At $20 \mathrm{V}_{pp}$, the particle driving frequency ranges from 500 Hz to 60 kHz, and have only negative dielectrophoresis forces, with the particle moving speed of approximately $6.7 \mu \mathrm{m} /$s. In addition, the 5-nm gold film chip exhibits negative dielectrophoresis force from 600 Hz to 18 kHz, with a particle moving speed of $10 \mu \mathrm{m} /\mathrm{s}$, while the positive dielectrophoresis force is generated from 23 kHz to 70 kHz. The 50 kHz drive works is best condition, accumulating $90 \mu \mathrm{m}$ particles within a radius of 1 mm into the center of the radial pattern in 60 s, with a particle moving speed of $16.7 \mu \mathrm{m} /$s.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is one of global persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The currently available PFOA removal techniques are of high cost and only limited to bench scale. In the present work, a novel covalently bound hybrid coagulant (CBHyC) bearing a hydrophobic quaternary ammonium group was prepared and characterized. Its excellent PFOA removal performance was demonstrated. Compared with the conventional coagulants, it is a thicker, larger and more irregular aggregate with much higher zeta potential. CBHyCs with different Si/Al molar ratio (0.15, 0.3 and 0.6) and basicity (B) values (1.0, 2.0 and 2.5) were tested for the PFOA removal from a water solution containing 100 μg/L PFOA. The results indicate that CBHyCs can remove 99.6% PFOA and its Si/Al molar ratio and B value can affect its PFOA removal performance. The CBHyC with Si/Al = 0.3 and B = 2 showed the best PFOA removal performance and highly tolerance to pH of the PFOA solution. A PFOA removal mechanism including counter-ion attraction from quaternary ammonium groups, hydrophobic interaction between PFOA and the long chain alkyls of CBHyCs and hydrolytic polymerization on aluminum species was proposed. In all, CBHyCs is a very promising coagulant for the removal of PFOA in the drinking water and wastewater treatments.

Palygorskite was used as a silicon and partial aluminum source to prepare SAPO-34 molecular sieves using diethylamine, triethylamine, morpholine and tetraethylammonium hydroxide as templates. The synthesized SAPO-34 molecular sieves were characterized by using the methods of XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, FT-IR, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR and TG. Composite catalysts of CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/SAPO-34 were prepared by mechanically mixing SAPO-34 molecular sieves with CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 and were used in the direct synthesis of light olefins via CO2 hydrogenation. The results showed that SAPO-34 molecular sieves prepared by acid-treated palygorskite using tetraethylammonium hydroxide as a template had a higher specific surface area, a greater CO2 conversion rate and higher light olefin selectivity. The CO2 conversion rate reached 53.5%, the light olefin selectivity reached 62.1%, and the yield reached 33.2% when the reaction conditions were as follows: reaction temperature 673 K, reaction pressure 3.0 MPa, volume ratio of CO2/H2 1:3 and 0.5 g composite catalyst.

In this study, a smart and green analytical method based on the second-order calibration algorithm coupled with excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence was developed for the determination of rhodamine dyes illegally added into chilli samples. The proposed method not only has the advantage of high sensitivity over the traditional fluorescence method but also fully displays the “second-order advantage”. Pure signals of analytes were successfully extracted from severely interferential EEMs profiles via using alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm even in the presence of common fluorescence problems such as scattering, peak overlaps and unknown interferences. It is worth noting that the unknown interferents can denote different kinds of backgrounds, not only refer to a constant background. In addition, the method using interpolation method could avoid the information loss of analytes of interest. The use of “mathematical separation” instead of complicated “chemical or physical separation” strategy can be more effective and environmentally friendly. A series of statistical parameters including figures of merit and RSDs of intra- (≤1.9%) and inter-day (≤6.6%) were calculated to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. Furthermore, the authoritative method of HPLC-FLD was adopted to verify the qualitative and quantitative results of the proposed method. Compared with the two methods, it also showed that the ATLD-EEMs method has the advantages of accuracy, rapidness, simplicity and green, which is expected to be developed as an attractive alternative method for simultaneous and interference-free determination of rhodamine dyes illegally added into complex matrices.

Endothelial dysfunction is one of the main pathological changes in Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway is associated with endothelial dysfunction. However, the interaction between ROCK and nuclear factor of activated T cells isoform c3 (NFATc3) in the development of this pathological response under chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is unclear. To simulate the OSA model, we established a moderate CIH rat model by administering the fraction of inspired O2 (FiO2) from 21% to 9%, 20 times/h, 8 h/day for 3 weeks. Fasudil (ROCK inhibitor, 8 mg/kg/d, i.p.) was administrated in the rats exposed to CIH for 3 weeks. Our results demonstrated that CIH caused significantly endothelial dysfunction, accompanying with increased ET-1 level, decreased eNOS expression and NO production, which reduced ACh-induced vascular relaxation responses. Moreover, RhoA/ROCK-2/NFATc3 expressions were up-regulated. Fasudil significantly improved CIH induced endothelial dysfunction. Data suggested that the ROCK activation is necessary for endothelial dysfunction during CIH.

Spherical carbons were prepared successfully from aqueous glucose using hydrothermal method. After covered with aqueous Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ and Al 3+ ions during the co-precipitation treatment, carbons were removed via calcination to yield CuO–ZnO–Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles. HZSM-5 membrane, which was synthesized using tetrapropylammonium hydroxide as templating agent, was packed onto CuO–ZnO–Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles hydrothermally to form HZSM-5 packed CuO–ZnO–Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles. It was characterized by the method of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and nitrogen sorption measurement. HZSM-5 packed CuO–ZnO–Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were used as catalysts for the CO 2 hydrogenation to dimethyl ether. The catalyst activity was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor. Under the reaction conditions of pressure at 3.0 MPa, space velocity (SV) of 1800 mL g cat −1 h −1 , volume ratio of CO 2 /H 2 to 1:3 and temperature at 270 °C, the conversion of CO 2 could reach to 48.3%, with a dimethyl ether yield and selectivity of 23.4% and 48.5%, respectively.

A novel diacetylene monomer was synthesized via the esterification of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid with 4-aminophenol. The polymer of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid-4-aminophenyl ester was formed by self-assembly of the monomer, followed by UV irradiation at room temperature. It was characterized by the methods of NMR, laser diffraction, SEM and UV measurement. The polymer demonstrated a reversible purple-to-red colorimetric transition when the temperature changes from 25 to 70°C.

Vinegar and eggs have rich nutrients. In this study, the mixed form of both derived products, vinegar–egg solution and its products (vinegar–egg concentrate and vinegar–egg condensate) were chosen for an assessment of their biological activity. To further our understanding regarding the anticancer and immunomodulatory effects of vinegar–egg, we investigated its effects on the proliferation and differentiation of U937 cells. Vinegar–egg was treated using spray drying, freeze drying and vacuum concentration and used to stimulate human mononuclear cells. The conditioned media obtained from these cultures by filtration were used to treat U937 cells. Three conditioned media inhibited U937 cell growth by 22.1–67.25% more effectively than PHA-treated control (22.53%). CD11b and CD14 expression on the treated U937 cells were 29.1–45.4% and 31.6–47.2%, respectively. High levels of cytokines IL-1β, IFN-γ and TNF-α were detected in the three conditioned media. Vinegar–egg stimulates human mononuclear cells to secrete cytokines, which inhibit the growth of U937 cells and induce their differentiation. Keywords: Cytokines, Differentiation, Immunomodulatory activity, Leukemic U937 cells, Vinegar–egg

The nonheme iron(IV) oxo complex [FeIV(O)(tpenaH)]2+ and its conjugate base [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ [tpena- = N,N,N'-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N'-acetate] have been prepared electrochemically in water by bulk electrolysis of solutions prepared from [FeIII2(μ-O)(tpenaH)2](ClO4)4 at potentials over 1.3 V (vs NHE) using inexpensive and commercially available carbon-based electrodes. Once generated, these iron(IV) oxo complexes persist at room temperature for minutes to half an hour over a wide range of pH values. They are capable of rapidly decomposing aliphatic and aromatic alcohols, alkanes, formic acid, phenols, and the xanthene dye rhodamine B. The oxidation of formic acid to carbon dioxide demonstrates the capacity for total mineralization of organic compounds. A radical hydrogen-atom-abstraction mechanism is proposed with a reactivity profile for the series that is reminiscent of oxidations by the hydroxyl radical. Facile regeneration of [FeIV(O)(tpenaH)]2+/ [FeIV(O)(tpena)]+ and catalytic turnover in the oxidation of cyclohexanol under continuous electrolysis demonstrates the potential of the application of [FeIII(tpena)]2+ as an electrocatalyst. The promiscuity of the electrochemically generated iron(IV) oxo complexes, in terms of the broad range of substrates examined, represents an important step toward the goal of cost-effective electrocatalytic water purification.

Arsenic (As) methylation in aquatic microbes plays a major role in the biogeochemistry of As. Protozoa, especially the free-living freshwater species, are important players in aquatic ecological health. In this study, an arsenite (As(III)) methyltransferase, TpyArsM, was identified and characterized in a free-living protozoan, Tetrahymena pyriformis. In order to confirm its function, TpyarsM gene was knocked-out in Tetrahymena and was also heterologously expressed in hypersensitive E. coil; these events resulted in expected decreases in As tolerance and methylation ability, respectively. In-vitro tests revealed that purified TpyArsM protein methylated inorganic As to mono- and di- methylarsenate, and also had the novel property of producing trimethylarsenite (TMA(III)) and dimethylarsine (Me2AsH) gases. This new methyltransferase gene, identified in a species near the base of the food web, has enriched our knowledge of As methyltransferases and has great potential for bioremediation of As-contaminated environments. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.