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The effect of addition of lithium chloride on the lateral diffusivity and internal motion of lipid in unilamellar dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) vesicles was investigated using elastic incoherent neutron scattering, quasielastic incoherent neutron scattering, and differential scanning calorimetry. A shift of the main phase transition to a higher temperature indicated a broader temperature range of the thermodynamic stability of the ordered phase resulting from the salt addition. A universal stiffening effect exerted by lithium chloride on the lipid membrane manifested itself in (1) lower mean-square displacement and (2) decreasing diffusivities, both lateral and localized, in both the ordered gel and the disordered fluid phase state. A strong reduction in the lateral lipid diffusivity was likely primarily due to the strong interaction of Li+ ions with the head group of the zwitterionic DMPC lipid and was consistent with the previous reports of the effect of a salt addition on the self-diffusivity of zwitterionic lipids in a membrane. Besides the whole lipid long-range diffusivity, quasielastic neutron scattering allowed measurements of the local internal motion of the lipid. Despite the weak interaction between the ions and the uncharged lipid tails, in both the ordered and the disordered phase states, the local diffusivity of the lipid tails decreased by a factor of 2.2 in the presence of the salt, which closely correlates with the decrease in the diffusivity (that is, an increase in viscosity) of water in the LiCl salt solution by a factor of 2.4. Regardless of the phase state of the membrane, the decrease in the local diffusivity of the lipid seems to mimic the decrease in the diffusivity (which is inverse of the increase of viscosity) of the solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atrial fibrosis serves as an arrhythmogenic substrate in atrial fibrillation (AF) and contributes to AF persistence. Treating atrial fibrosis is challenging because atrial fibroblast activity is multifactorial. We hypothesized that the primary cilium regulates the profibrotic response of AF atrial fibroblasts, and explored therapeutic potentials of targeting primary cilia to treat fibrosis in AF. We included 25 patients without AF (non-AF) and 26 persistent AF patients (AF). Immunohistochemistry using a subset of the patients (non-AF: n = 10, AF: n = 10) showed less ciliated fibroblasts in AF versus non-AF. Acetylated α-tubulin protein levels were decreased in AF, while the gene expressions of AURKA and NEDD9 were highly increased in AF patients' left atrium. Loss of primary cilia in human atrial fibroblasts through IFT88 knockdown enhanced expression of ECM genes, including FN1 and COL1A1. Remarkably, restoration or elongation of primary cilia by an AURKA selective inhibitor or lithium chloride, respectively, prevented the increased expression of ECM genes induced by different profibrotic cytokines in atrial fibroblasts of AF patients. Our data reveal a novel mechanism underlying fibrotic substrate formation via primary cilia loss in AF atrial fibroblasts and suggest a therapeutic potential for abrogating atrial fibrosis by restoring primary cilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the regulatory role of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in the anxiety and depressive-like behavior induced by acute sleep deprivation in mice. Methods Forty eight C57BL/6J mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CON), inhibitor group (LiCl), sleep deprivation group (SD), and inhibitor + sleep deprivation group (SD + LiCl), with 12 mice in each group. The model of acute sleep deprivation in mice was established by modified multiple platform method (modified multiple platform method, MMPM), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), Open Field Test (OFT), Forced Swim Test (FST) and Tail Suspension Test (TST) were used to evaluate the behavior of mice. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampal neurons. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 in hippocampal tissues. Results Compared with the CON group, the body weight, hippocampal weight, and hippocampal organ coefficient of the SD group mice were significantly reduced (F = 0.452, P = 0.006; F = 6.553, P = 0.009; F = 1.428, P = 0.001). In OFT, Compared with the CON group, the LiCl group had no significant difference in the number of visits to the center (F = 5. 084, P = 0.744), and the SD group significantly decreased (F = 0.028, P = 0.017). In EPM, the time of entering the open arm in the LiCl group was not significantly shorter than that in the CON group (F = 0.09, P = 0.113), but the SD group was significantly shorter (F = 0.085, P = 0.011). In FST, there was no significant difference in the immobility time between the LiCl group and the CON group (F = 3.422, P = 0.260). In TST, Compared with the CON group, the immobility time of the suspension tail increased in the SD group (F = 11.218, P = 0.005). HE staining results showed, Compared with CON group, pathological changes were found in hippocampus of SD group and SD + LiCl group. RT-PCR showed thatCompared with CON group, the mRNA expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 in LiCl group were not significantly different F = 4. 629, P = 0.147, F = 15. 555, P = 0.107). However, the SD group were significantly increased (F = 6.969, P <0.001, F = 15. 833, P = 0.017). Conclusion NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway may play a regulatory role in the development of SD-induced anxiety-depression-like behavior in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An l-glutamic acid lithium chloride (LGLC) semi-organic nonlinear optical crystal has been grown using a slow evaporation process. Single-crystal XRD investigations confirmed the orthorhombic crystal system of the LGLC crystal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to find and confirm the presence of important functional groups in the synthesized crystal. A UV–Vis–NIR transmission spectrum in the 200–1100 nm band was used to characterize the crystal. Compared to the standard reference crystal KDP, the LGLC crystal's SHG efficiency was 1.21 times greater. According to the TG–DTA results, the thermal stability of LGLC is 215 °C. A photoluminescence spectroscopy analysis documented the electron excitation in the grown crystal. The grown crystal surface characteristics were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) = 2.154 × 10–8 of LGLC grown crystal was utilized to estimate the values for third-order NLO characteristics and its suitability in NLO applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further develop the commercial use of Melaleuca bracteata (F. Muell), this report studied the extraction of essential oil from Melaleuca bracteata (F. Muell) leaves using ultrasonic pretreatment, cellulase-inorganic salt soaked and combined with microwave-assisted hydrodistillation. To optimize the primary contributing parameters, the Box–Behnken design (BBD) was applied. The optimum yield of essential oil was 9.61 mL/kg DW at a microwave power of 510.77 W, lithium chloride dose of 63.56 μmol, and microwave irradiation period of 46.97 min. The essential oil included a total of 41 compounds, and methyl eugenol (76.53%) and methyl cinnamate (12.62%) were the main compounds. The inhibitory impact was notable when the essential oil concentration was 1.6 mg/mL. Therefore, it has the potential to replace chemical pesticides. When the concentration of the essential oil solution was 1.6 mg/mL, the three pathogenic species of fungus (Pseudocercospora psidii, Colletotrichum eriobotryae, and Colletotrichum siamense) were greatly affected; at this dose, the fungus was unable to develop and its growth diameter was 0 mm. Additionally, the fungus's inhibition rate reached 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional lithium hydroxide production techniques, like lithium sulfate and lithium carbonate causticizing methods, suffer from drawbacks including high specific energy consumption, time-consuming processes, and low recovery rates. The conversion of lithium chloride to lithium hydroxide using bipolar membrane electrodialysis is straightforward; however, the influence of operational parameters on bipolar membrane electrodialysis performance have not been investigated. Herein, the impact of the current density (20 mA/cm2~80 mA/cm2), feed concentration (0.5 M~2.5 M), initial feed pH (2.5, 3.5 and 4.5), and the volume ratio of the feed and base solution (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1) on the current efficiency and specific energy consumption in the bipolar membrane electrodialysis was systematically investigated. The bipolar membrane electrodialysis process showed promising results under optimal conditions with a current density of 50 mA/cm2 and an initial lithium chloride concentration of 1.5 M. This process achieved a current efficiency of 75.86% with a specific energy consumption of 3.65 kwh/kg lithium hydroxide while also demonstrating a lithium hydroxide recovery rate exceeding 90% with a purity of about 95%. This work will provide valuable guidance for hands on implementation of bipolar membrane electrodialysis technology in the production of LiOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) plays a crucial role in advancing state‐of‐the‐art lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) for efficient energy storage. The primary source of lithium is lithium‐rich brines, which have complex compositions. Conventional extraction processes from brines involve cumbersome methods that often lead to emissions and/or large volumes of wastewater. To address these environmental challenges, a novel and eco‐friendly lithium extraction process under ambient pressure is necessary. In this project, we developed an electrolytic process utilizing a NASICON‐type solid‐state electrolyte (LATP) to extract lithium chloride from low‐purity sources at a temperature of 380 °C. To reduce the melting points of the lithium sources, ZnCl2 was introduced as a fluxing agent. The electrolytic process effectively separated Li+ from other coexisting ions, but resulted in their mixture with Zn2+. Subsequently, purification and carbonation processes were employed to produce high‐purity Li2CO3 (98.9 %). We also obtained high‐purity Zn(OH)2 (>99.9 %) as a value by‐product. Despite the formation of color centers that caused the LATP disk to change from white to black during the electrolytic process, it exhibited sufficient ionic conductivity for successful lithium extraction. Our environmentally friendly approach offers a promising pathway for efficient and sustainable lithium extraction, contributing to the advancement of LIB technology for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous wound healing is a challenge in plastic and reconstructive surgery. In theory, cells undergoing mesenchymal transition will achieve re‐epithelialization through mesenchymal‐epithelial transition at the end of wound healing. But in fact, some pathological stimuli will inhibit this biological process and result in scar formation. If mesenchymal‐epithelial transition can be activated at the corresponding stage, the ideal wound healing may be accomplished. Two in vivo skin defect mouse models and dermal‐derived mesenchymal cells were used to evaluate the effect of lithium chloride in wound healing. The mesenchymal‐epithelial transition was detected by immunohistochemistry staining. In vivo, differentially expressed genes were analysed by transcriptome analyses and the subsequent testing was carried out. We found that lithium chloride could promote murine cutaneous wound healing and facilitate mesenchymal‐epithelial transition in vivo and in vitro. In lithium chloride group, scar area was smaller and the collagen fibres are also orderly arranged. The genes related to mesenchyme were downregulated and epithelial mark genes were activated after intervention. Moreover, transcriptome analyses suggested that this effect might be related to the inhibition of CXCL9 and IGF2, subsequent assays demonstrated it. Lithium chloride can promote mesenchymal‐epithelial transition via downregulating CXCL9 and IGF2 in murine cutaneous wound healing, the expression of IGF2 is regulated by β‐catenin. It may be a potential promising therapeutic drug for alleviating postoperative scar and promoting re‐epithelialization in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The corrosion behavior of 1018 carbon steel in LiCl/H2O mixtures has been evaluated by using potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical noise and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Two different concentrations of LiCl were employed, namely 35 and 40 wt. %, and the testing temperatures included 25, 35 and 70 °C. It was found that the steel showed a passive zone; the corrosion current density value increased with an increase in the solution temperature and concentration. The pitting potential value decreased with an increase in the testing temperature and the solution concentration. The corrosion process was under charge transfer control. This mechanism was unaltered either by the solution temperature or concentration. The charge transfer resistance value decreased with an increase in both the solution temperature and concentration. A localized, pitting type of corrosion dominated the corrosion morphology at 25 and 35 °C, whereas at 70 °C, the main type of attack was a mixed type of corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a "solo-solvent de novo liquid-phase" method of synthesizing a highly-favored sulfide electrolyte (Li6PS5Cl) for developing all-solid-state lithium batteries. The key chemistry for such a successful method is that tetrahydropyrrole enables in situ synthesis of the critical precursor Li2S from cheap and air-stable precursors of lithium chloride and sodium sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chitin was chemically extracted from shrimp shell, and then used for the development of a chitin hydrogel-based moisture supporter for hydroponic systems. Here, the chitin hydrogel was prepared at different concentrations of lithium chloride (LiCl), varying from 5 to 9%, in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at room temperature. The results revealed that, while most characteristic functional groups of the chitin segment remained intact in all chitin hydrogels, higher levels of LiCl in DMAc led to a reduction in both crystalline index and equilibrium water content in the resulting chitin hydrogel. In a seed germination experiment, it was observed that the chitin hydrogel containing 5% LiCl concentration exhibited superior results in terms of root, stem, and leaf length, compared to other concentrations. Therefore, the chitin hydrogel was an effective moisture-supporter for seed germination and early plant development, compared conventional soil used as control. Moreover, SEM images illustrated that the chitin hydrogel possessed a pliable structure, indicating improved degradation when subjected to composting over a 15-day period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local structure and molecular interactions of Li+ salt in aqueous solutions is important in many fields. However, whether solvent shared ion pairs and the direct contact ion pairs exist in aqueous LiCl solutions or not, and the details about these ion pairs are still under debate. Here, we proposed a novel IR ratio method. Using this method, the hydration spectra of Cl− in LiCl, NaCl, and KCl aqueous solutions were measured from the diluted concentration to the highly concentrated solution. Hydration number of Cl− from the hydration spectra was determined to be ~ 2 in the aqueous LiCl. These data demonstrated that about 3–4 Li+ replaced some water molecules in the first hydration shell of Cl−. As the concentration of LiCl increased, an abnormal increase in the hydration number was observed. This is because the water molecule that bridges Li+ and Cl− in the solvent-shared ion pair are particularly stable, which was directly proven by the red shift of the hydration spectra of Cl− in the O–H stretching region. All the hydration spectra and hydration numbers not only applied to uncover the solvent shared ion pairs and direct contacted ion pairs in LiCl aqueous solution, but also can be employed to the benchmark of force fields in the classical molecular dynamics simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ivermectin has broad‐spectrum antiviral activities. Despite the failure in clinical application of COVID‐19, it can serve as a lead compound for the development of more effective broad‐spectrum antivirals, for which a better understanding of its antiviral mechanisms is essential. We thus searched for potential novel targets of ivermectin in host cells by label‐free thermal proteomic profiling using Huh‐7 cells. Inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) was found among the proteins with shifted thermal stability by ivermectin. Ivermectin could inhibit IMPase activity and reduce cellular myo‐inositol and phosphatidylinositol‐4‐phosphate levels. On the other hand, inositol could impair the antiviral activity of ivermectin and lithium, an IMPase inhibitor with known antiviral activity. As phosphatidylinositol phosphate is crucial for the replication of many RNA viruses, inhibition of cellular myo‐inositol biosynthesis may be an important antiviral mechanism of ivermectin. Hence, inhibition of IMPase could serve as a potential target for broad‐spectrum antiviral development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a novel solid biopolymer-based membrane (BPM) with sodium alginate (SA) as host material incorporated with an ionic salt, lithium chloride (LiCl). Solid BPMs are prepared using the solution casting technique and used as an electrolyte in the fabrication of solid-state Li-ion conducting battery and coin cell. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) method has been carried out to analyze the crystalline/amorphous nature of the membrane. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study is done to confirm the complex formation between the host biopolymer and salt. The ionic conductivity of all prepared BPMs is measured using AC impedance analysis, and the membrane with the composition of 15 mol% of SA:85 mol% of LiCl exhibits a high ionic conductivity of 3.06 × 10−2 S/cm. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the prepared BPMs is examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the membrane of 15 mol% of SA:85 mol% of LiCl exhibits a decreased Tg value of 54.33 °C. The thermal stability of the prepared membranes is studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Transference number measurement (TNM) is made to assure that the major charge carriers involved in transportation are ions. Using the highest ion conducting membrane as an electrolyte, a primary Li-ion conducting battery has been fabricated which results in an OCV of 1.91 V, and various loads are connected to observe the corresponding current drawn from the cell. A coin cell is constructed with the configuration of graphite (G) + tannic acid || 15 mol% of SA:85 mol% of LiCl || LiFePO4 + G + pinch of highest ion conducting membrane, and the galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) analysis is carried out to analyze the rechargeable nature of the prepared membrane and the performance of the coin cell, whereas the cell has undergone charge/discharge process for 200 cycles and resulted with an energy density of 13.94 Wh/Kg, power density of 1111.11 W/Kg, and specific capacitance of 100.40 F/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous evidence shows that lithium chloride (LiCl), a suppressor of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), may enhance bone formation in several medical and dental conditions. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of LiCl on extraction socket repair in rats. Methods: Thirty rats were randomly assigned into a control group (administration of water; n = 15) or a LiCl group (administration of 150 mg/kg of LiCl; n = 15). LiCl and water were given every other day, starting at 7 days before the extraction of upper first molars until the end of each experiment period. Histological sections from five rats per group were obtained at 10, 20, and 30 days post-extractions. Histometrical analysis of newly formed bone (NB) and the levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-stained cells were evaluated at 10, 20, and 30 days post-extractions. Immunohistochemical staining for receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteocalcin (OCN), and osteopontin (OPN) was assessed at 10 days post-extractions. Results: The LiCl group had a greater proportion of NB than the control group at 20 days (P < 0.05). At 30 days, the rate of TRAP-stained cells was lower in the LiCl group than in the control group (P < 0.05). At 10 days, the LiCl group presented stronger staining for OPG, BSP, OPN, and OCN, when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Systemic LiCl enhanced extraction socket repair, stimulated an overall increase in bone formation markers, and restricted the levels of TRAP in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are beginning to use solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) as a potentially useful replacement for liquid electrolytes. However, incompatibility between the lithium metal anode and electrolyte, which results in low ionic conductivity and reduced cycling performance of LIBs, is one of the disadvantages of SPEs. Solution casting with glycerol as a plasticizer was used to create electrolyte films consisting of 80% Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and 20% poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), undoped and doped with various salts, including lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and lithium chloride (LiCl) and various metal oxides (CuO, WO3, and TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs). An investigation was conducted to examine their impact on optical properties. The prepared SPEs were characterized by UV-visible and Fourier transformer infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the type of salt and doping greatly affected the energy gap. The energy showed a blue shift after the addition of lithium carbonate, while it showed a red shift after doping with metal oxides (WO3 and TiO2) NPs; the minimum energy gap was 1.6 eV obtained from SPE (PVC/PVDF/Li2CO3) doped with TiO2 NPs, while the energy gap showed red shift after adding LiCl. It changed non-regularly after doping with metal oxide NPs, reaching the lowest value of 1.8 eV for samples doped with WO3 NPs. All optical constants were determined, and a graph of their values vs. wavelength was created. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of metal oxide NPs.

The intricate architecture of the intestinal epithelium, crucial for nutrient absorption, is constantly threatened by environmental factors. The epithelium undergoes rapid turnover, which is essential for maintaining homeostasis, under the control of intestinal stem cells (ISCs). The central regulator, Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in intestinal integrity and turnover. Despite its significance, the impact of environmental factors on this pathway has been largely overlooked. This study, for the first time, investigates the influence of Cd on the intestinal Wnt signaling pathway using a mouse model. In this study, male BALB/c mice were administered an environmentally relevant Cd dose (0.98 mg/kg) through oral gavage to investigate the intestinal disruption and Wnt signaling pathway. Various studies, including histopathology, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, western blotting, ELISA, intestinal permeability assay, and flow cytometry, were conducted to study Cd-induced changes in the intestine. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway experienced significant downregulation as a result of sub-chronic Cd exposure, which caused extensive damage throughout the small intestine. Increased intestinal permeability and a skewed immune response were also observed. To confirm that Wnt signaling downregulation is the key driver of Cd-induced gastrointestinal toxicity, mice were co-exposed to LiCl (a recognized Wnt activator) and Cd. The results clearly showed that the harmful effects of Cd could be reversed, which is strong evidence that Cd mostly damages the intestine through the Wnt/β-catenin signalling axis. In conclusion, this research advances the current understanding of the role of Wnt/β catenin signaling in gastrointestinal toxicity caused by diverse environmental pollutants.

Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects the brain structure and function, leading to cognitive impairments. Previous studies have reported putative neuroprotective effects of lithium in certain neurodegenerative disorders. However, the beneficial effects of lithium on improving cognitive impairments and alleviating affective disorders induced by T2DM remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of lithium chloride treatment on cognitive and affective functions in diabetic mice. We found that the diabetic mice exhibited hyperglycemia and cognitive deficits in the novel object recognition test (NORT) and novel object location recognition test (NOLT), increasing anxiety-like behavior and depressive-like behavior. The treatment with lithium chloride normalized the blood glucose level, improved cognitive function in NOLT and alleviated anxiety-like behavior in diabetic mice. Our findings provide added information regarding the therapeutic benefits of lithium against diabetes-associated cognitive and affective impairments.

The escalating demand for lithium has intensified the need to process critical lithium ores into battery-grade materials efficiently. This review paper overviews the transformation processes and cost of converting critical lithium ores, primarily spodumene and brine, into high-purity battery-grade precursors. We systematically examine the study findings on various approaches for lithium recovery from spodumene and brine. Dense media separation (DMS) and froth flotation are the most often used processes for spodumene beneficiation. Magnetic separation (MS) and ore gravity concentration techniques in spodumene processing have also been considered. To produce battery-grade lithium salts, the beneficiated-concentrated spodumene must be treated further, with or without heat, in the presence of acidic or alkaline media. As a result, various pyro and hydrometallurgical techniques have been explored. Moreover, the process of extracting lithium from brine through precipitation, liquid–liquid extraction, and polymer inclusion membrane separation employing different organic, inorganic, and composite polymer sorbents has also been reviewed.

Nannochloropsis sp., which is abundant in the ocean and has a high carbohydrate content, has great potential if used as a raw material for bioethanol. However, the low concentration of microalgae in the culture medium (0.5-2 µg/L) and the small size of the microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. (2-8 µm) become problems in the harvesting process. This study aims to increase the concentration of Nannochloropsis sp. during the harvesting process using a LiCl-modified polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. In addition, a computational approach was used to select the best solvent for PVDF and explain the conformational changes of PVDF. The results showed that N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone is the best solvent for PVDF polymer (the lowest solvation energy is -86.25 Kjmol−1, and the highest binding energy is 1.8 Kjmol−1). The membrane, with the addition of 2% LiCl, had the best performance, increased the microalgae concentration ten times (from 596.4 to 5098 ppm), flux (150 Lm−2h−1bar−1), and rejection (100%). Adding LiCl to the dope solution increased the water flux (from 516 to 614 Lm−2h−1bar−1), changed the PVDF conformation from alpha to beta, and decreased the hydrophobicity of the membrane (from 94.89 to 81.68 °). Layer pore fouling is the fouling that plays a role in reducing microalgae flux during microalgae filtration by Nannochloropsis sp. Meanwhile, the type of washing recommended to overcome layer pore fouling is rinsing by increasing the speed of the filtration flow and immersion in chemical compounds.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as novel alternatives to common solvents and VOCs. Their employment as electrolytes in batteries has been an area of intense research. In this context, understanding changes in the physicochemical properties of DESs in the presence of Li salts becomes of utmost importance. Solvatochromic probes have the potential to gauge such changes. It is reported herein that one such UV–vis molecular absorbance probe, Reichardt’s betaine dye 33, effectively manifests changes taking place in a DES Glyceline composed of H-bond accepting salt choline chloride and H-bond donor glycerol in a 1:2 molar ratio, as salt LiCl is added. The lowest energy intramolecular charge–transfer absorbance band of this dye exhibits a 17 nm hypsochromic shift as up to 3.0 molal LiCl is added to Glyceline. The estimated ETN parameter shows a linear increase with the LiCl mole fraction. Spectroscopic responses of betaine dye 33, N,N-diethyl-4-nitroaniline and 4-nitroaniline are used to assess empirical Kamlet–Taft parameters of dipolarity/polarizability (π*), H-bond-donating acidity (α) and H-bond-accepting basicity (β) as a function of LiCl concentration in Glyceline. LiCl addition to Glyceline results in an increase in α and no change in π* and β. It is proposed that the added lithium interacts with the oxygen of the –OH functionalities on the glycerol rendering of the solvent with increased H-bond-donating acidity. It is observed that pyrene, a popular fluorescence probe of solvent polarity, does respond to the addition of LiCl to Glyceline, however, the change in pyrene response starts to become noticeable only at higher LiCl concentrations (mLiCl ≥ 1.5 m). Reichardt’s betaine dye is found to be highly sensitive and versatile in gauging the physicochemical properties of DESs in the presence of LiCl.

This document provides information on the synthesis of a COVID-19 therapeutic drug called Ensitrelvir. The addition of LiCl (lithium chloride) was found to facilitate the generation of lithium triazinolate, which improved the yield and selectivity of the N-alkylation process. The use of LiCl and Et3N (triethylamine) also simplified the work-up operation and allowed for the use of a cheaper and more readily available base. The method was effective for various electrophiles, and further investigation is being conducted on the substrate scope of nucleophiles. The document also includes information on the physical and spectroscopic properties of the synthesized compounds, as well as acknowledgments and additional supporting information. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that presents with challenging mechanisms and treatment strategies. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of quinpirole on lithium chloride pilocarpine-induced epileptic rats and explored its potential mechanisms. Methods: Lithium chloride pilocarpine was used to induce an epileptic model in rats, and the effects of quinpirole on seizure symptoms and cognitive function were evaluated. The Racine scoring method, electroencephalography, and Morris water maze test were used to assess seizure severity and learning and memory functions in rats in the epileptic group. Additionally, immunohistochemistry and Western blot techniques were used to analyze the protein expression levels and morphological changes in glutamate receptor 2 (GluR2; GRIA2), BAX, and BCL2 in the hippocampi of rats in the epileptic group. Results: First, it was confirmed that the symptoms in rats in the epileptic group were consistent with features of epilepsy. Furthermore, these rats demonstrated decreased learning and memory function in the Morris water maze test. Additionally, gene and protein levels of GluR2 in the hippocampi of rats in the epileptic group were significantly reduced. Quinpirole treatment significantly delayed seizure onset and decreased the mortality rate after the induction of a seizure. Furthermore, electroencephalography showed a significant decrease in the frequency of the spike waves. In the Morris water maze test, rats from the quinpirole treatment group demonstrated a shorter latency period to reach the platform and an increased number of crossings through the target quadrant. Network pharmacology analysis revealed a close association between quinpirole and GluR2 as well as its involvement in the cAMP signaling pathway, cocaine addiction, and dopaminergic synapses. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis showed that quinpirole treatment resulted in a denser arrangement and a more regular morphology of the granule cells in the hippocampi of rats in the epileptic group. Additionally, quinpirole treatment decreased the protein expression of BAX and increased the protein expression of BCL2. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that quinpirole exerted neuroprotective effects in the epileptic rat model induced by lithium chloride pilocarpine. Additionally, it was found that the treatment not only alleviated the rats' seizure symptoms, but also improved their learning and memory abilities. This improvement was linked to the modulation of protein expression levels of GLUR2, BAX, and BCL2. These findings provided clues that would be important for further investigation of the therapeutic potential of quinpirole and its underlying mechanisms for epilepsy treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Li−Cl2 battery is a promising high energy density battery system. However, reasonable cycle life could only be achieved under low specific capacities due to the sluggish oxidation of LiCl to Cl2. Herein, we propose an amine‐functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) with catalytic activity, namely COF−NH2, that significantly decreases the oxidation barrier of LiCl and accelerates the oxidation kinetics of LiCl in Li−Cl2 cell. The resulting Li−Cl2 cell using COF−NH2 (Li−Cl2@COF−NH2) simultaneously exhibits low overpotential, ultrahigh discharge capacity up to 3500 mAh/g and a promoted utilization ratio of deposited LiCl at the first cycle (UR−LiCl) of 81.4 %, which is one of the highest reported values to date. Furthermore, the Li−Cl2@COF−NH2 cell could be stably cycled for over 200 cycles when operating at a capacity of 2000 mAh/g at −20 °C with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ≈100 % and a discharge plateau of 3.5 V. Our superior Li−Cl2 batteries enabled by organocatalyst enlighten an arena towards high‐energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium chloride (LiCl) has been used in signalling and molecular studies of animals, plants, and yeast. However, information on its roles in basidiomycetous fungi is still limited. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to study the effects of LiCl on Coprinopsis cinerea. LiCl enhanced mycelial growth and inhibited fruiting body formation in C. cinerea. RNA-Seq of the LiCl-treated C. cinerea resulted in a total of 14,128 genes. There were 1199 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the LiCl-treated samples and control samples in the mycelium stage (the first time point), and 1391 DEGs were detected when the control samples were forming hyphal knots while the treated samples were still in the mycelium (the second time point). Pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed a significant association between enhanced mycelium growth in the LiCl-treated C. cinerea and metabolic pathways. In addition, the DEGs involved in cellular process pathways, including "cell cycle-yeast" and "meiosis-yeast", were identified in suppressed C. cinerea fruiting body formation by LiCl under favourable environmental conditions. As LiCl can predominantly inhibit the activity of glycogen synthase kinase3 (GSK3), our findings suggest that LiCl affects the expression of genes involved in fruiting body initiation and cellular processes by inhibiting GSK3 activity which is essential for fruiting body formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground brines in the Sichuan Basin of China are rich in lithium, potassium, strontium, chlorine, etc. In order to fully develop and utilize these brine resources, it is necessary to carry out phase equilibrium research about the quaternary system LiCl–KCl–SrCl2–H2O and develop a reasonable lithium extraction process. The quaternary system LiCl–KCl–SrCl2–H2O at 273.2 K were determined using the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method. As a result, the corresponding phase diagrams were drawn based on the data. The phase diagram shows that the quaternary system LiCl–KCl–SrCl2–H2O has no double salt or solid solution at 273.2 K and there are two invariant points, five univariate curves and four solid phase crystallization fields, which are LiCl·2H2O, SrCl2·2H2O, SrCl2·6H2O and KCl. Furthermore, Pitzer's model was used to predict the solubility of salts in the quaternary system. The calculated values are in good agreement with the experimental ones. Finally, combined with isothermal evaporation method and the phase diagram of the quaternary system, a brine evaporation process was designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3He gas is commonly used for the detection of thermal neutrons. However, with the depletion of 3He gas, there is a need to develop new solid scintillators for thermal neutron detection. Solid scintillators containing 6Li, which have large neutron capture cross-sections and a large amount of energy released by transmutation reactions, are commonly used as alternative candidates. However, only single-crystal scintillators are currently used, and their 6Li concentration is limited by their chemical composition. In this study, we designed, grew, and evaluated a new eutectic scintillator, Rb2CeCl5/LiCl, which can improve the 6Li concentration compared with single-crystal scintillators. Rb2CeCl5, which was selected as the scintillator phase, has excellent scintillator properties (light yield: 36,000 photons/MeV, decay time: mostly 24 ns, slightly 153 ns), and is less deliquescent than other halide scintillators. The crystal grown using the vertical Bridgman method exhibited a eutectic phase composed of Rb2CeCl5 and LiCl. The eutectic crystals exhibited Ce3+ 5d-4f emissions, with a peak between 360 and 370 nm. The Rb2CeCl5 phase was identified as the luminescent phase via cathodoluminescence mapping, and 16,000 photons/neutron of the light yield and 56.1 ns of the decay time were observed. This study indicates that the Rb2CeCl5/LiCl eutectic scintillator is a promising candidate for use in thermal neutron detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inorganic Chemicals Industry is the property of Editorial Office of Inorganic Chemicals Industry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A swarf of aluminum alloy with high corrosion resistance and ductility was successfully converted into fine hydro reactive powders via ball milling with silver powder and either lithium chloride or gallium. The latter substances significantly intensified particle size reduction, while silver formed 'cathodic' sites (Ag, Ag2Al), promoting Al corrosion in aqueous saline solutions with hydrogen generation. The diffraction patterns, microphotographs, and elemental analysis results demonstrated partial aluminum oxidation in the samples and their contamination with tungsten carbide from milling balls. Those factors were responsible for obtaining lower hydrogen yields than expected. For AlCl3 solution at 60 °C, Al–LiCl–Ag, Al–LiCl, Al–Ga–Ag, and Al–Ga composites delivered (84.6 ± 0.2), (86.8 ± 1.4), (80.2 ± 0.5), and (76.7 ± 0.7)% of the expected hydrogen, respectively. Modification with Ag promoted Al oxidation, thus providing higher hydrogen evolution rates. The samples with Ag were tested in a CaCl2 solution as well, for which the reaction proceeded much more slowly. At a higher temperature (80 °C) after 3 h of experiment, the corresponding hydrogen yields for Al–LiCl–Ag and Al–Ga–Ag powders were (46.7 ± 2.1) and (31.8 ± 1.9)%. The tested Ag-modified composite powders were considered promising for hydrogen generation and had the potential for further improvement to deliver higher hydrogen yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bladder cancer (BC) has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide. Suppressor anaphasepromoting complex domain containing 2 (SAPCDC2) is over-expressed in a variety of tumors. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of SAPCD2 knockdown on BC cells. Methods: T24 and UMUC3 cell models and the xenografted BC tumor model with SAPCD2 knockdown were established to observe the malignant phenotype of BC cells by cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation test, wound healing, and Transwell assay, mRNA and proteins expressions were measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and tissue immunohistochemistry. Lithium chloride agonist on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was used to clarify the molecular mechanism of SAPCD2 knockdown. Results: SAPCD2 expression was significantly higher in BC cell lines than in SVHUC-1 cells. SAPCD2 knockdown inhibited viability and cloning, hindered the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle in UMUC3 and T24 cells, and decreased the migration and invasiveness of BC cells. SAPCD2 knockdown inhibited expression levels of cyclin D1, cyclin B1, N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail, β-catenin, c-Myc, and cyclin-dependent kinase 4, while the P21 and E-cadherin were raised by SAPCD2 knockdown. Furthermore, lithium chloride reversed the effects of SAPCD2 knockdown on the expression levels of the above proteins in UMUC3 and T24 cells. In vivo, SAPCD2 knockdown inhibited the volume, weight, and expression of Ki-67 and β-catenin in tumors and increased the E-cadherin expression. Conclusion: SAPCD2 knockdown inhibits the malignant phenotype of BC via a pathway involving β-catenin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal energy is not only environmentally friendly and has low carbon but also represents a nonintermittent technology. It is anticipated that its utilization in human society will experience rapid growth in the coming decades. Absorption refrigeration can be employed for the recovery of geothermal resources. However, the low performance of absorption refrigeration systems has hindered their development. In order to advance absorption refrigeration technology suitable for geothermal energy recovery, this study developed a mathematical model for an absorption refrigeration system using 55% lithium bromide (LiBr) and 35% lithium chloride (LiCl) solutions as working fluids. The impact of various parameters, including cooling water conditions, chilled water conditions, heat source parameters, and working fluid concentration, on the thermodynamic performance, system efficiency, and exergy efficiency of a single-effect absorption refrigeration system was analyzed. The results reveal that the cooling water inlet temperature and flow, chilled water inlet temperature, heat source inlet temperature, and working fluid concentration are the primary factors affecting the thermodynamic performance and exergy efficiency of the absorption refrigeration system. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the system increases with higher cooling water flow, chilled water inlet temperature, and working fluid concentration, but decreases with higher cooling water inlet temperature. Within a certain temperature range, the COP increases with higher heat source temperature. The effective COP (ECOP) increases with higher cooling water inlet temperature, cooling water flow, chilled water inlet temperature, and working fluid concentration, while it decreases with higher heat source temperature. The highest COP values for the LiBr and LiCl solution single-effect absorption refrigeration systems are 0.795 and 0.785, respectively, while the highest ECOP values are 0.694 and 0.684, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of various lithium chloride (LiCl) applications in eradicating the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies was investigated, with a specific focus on its impact on brood development. In broodless colonies (3 weeks post queen caging), the highest efficacy of 98% was achieved with a 9-day treatment of 2.5 kg of candy spiked with 50 mM LiCl. A shorter 5-day treatment with 2 kg of 50 mM LiCl candy resulted in an efficacy of 78%. In colonies with brood, a repeated short-term application of 4 × 0.5 kg 50 mM LiCl candy yielded an efficacy of 88%. LiCl treatment led to a removal of the first batch of brood reared after release of the queen. However, no long-term effects on colony growth were observed, and the colonies successfully overwintered. Additionally, the study demonstrated that lithium is rapidly distributed among the bees of a colony within 2 days, yet only low concentrations were detected in stored food samples. This suggests that the bees efficiently absorb and distribute lithium within the colony. The harvested honey in the following spring revealed a lithium concentration of 0.1–0.2 mg/kg, which is below naturally occurring lithium levels in honey. Based on these findings, LiCl can be considered an effective and easy-to-apply acaricide in broodless colonies, and even in colonies with brood, it had good efficacy and no long-term effects on colony survival. Further research may be necessary to determine the optimal treatment period for achieving an efficacy over 95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharide-based nanosystem is an umbrella term for many areas within research and technology dealing with polysaccharides that have at least one of their dimensions in the realm of a few hundreds of nanometers. Nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanofibers, nanofilms, and nanonetworks can be fabricated from many different polysaccharide resources. Abundance in nature, cellulose, starch, chitosan, and pectin of different molecular structures are widely used to fabricate nanosystems for versatile industrial applications. This review presents the dissolution and modification of polysaccharides, which are influenced by their different molecular structures and applications. The dissolution ways include conventional organic solvents, ionic liquids, inorganic strong alkali and acids, enzymes, and hydrothermal treatment. Rheological properties of polysaccharide-based nano slurries are tailored for the purpose functions of the final products, e.g., imparting electrostatic functions of nanofibers to reduce viscosity by using lithium chloride and octenyl succinic acid to increase the hydrophobicity. Nowadays, synergistic effects of polysaccharide blends are increasingly highlighted. In particular, the reinforcing effect of nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanowhiskers, and nanofibers to hydrogels, aerogels, and scaffolds, and the double network hydrogels of a rigid skeleton and a ductile substance have been developed for many emerging issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RGD-containing peptides (linear and cyclic) have been developed to target some types of cancer cells through interaction with the αvβ3 Integrin. Due to their reduced conformational freedom, cyclic peptides exhibit improved metabolic stability and binding affinity/specificity to their molecular targets. However, macrocyclization is considered a significant synthetic challenge that is affected by the ring size, peptide sequence, and reaction conditions, making tetra- and pentapeptides more difficult to cyclize. In this work, we report some optimized cyclization conditions for the obtention of a cyclic RGDfK peptide that combine the use of low reaction temperature and the addition of LiCl, a combination not yet reported that resulted in a reduction of the formation of oligomers and an improvement of the cyclization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inorganic Chemicals Industry is the property of Editorial Office of Inorganic Chemicals Industry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Academic Journal of Agriculture / Akademik Ziraat Dergisi is the property of University of Ordu, Faculty of Agriculture, Academic Journal of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Comprehensive Summary: Cross‐electrophile coupling of triazine esters with aryl bromides could be facilely accomplished by employing nickel as catalyst, magnesium as metal mediator, and lithium chloride as additive. The reactions proceeded efficiently in THF at room temperature through C—O bond activation to afford an array of structurally different diaryl ketones in moderate to good yields with wide functional group tolerance. Control experiments showed that nickel, magnesium, lithium chloride, and THF are all indispensable for the good performance of the coupling reaction. Preliminary mechanistic exploration indicated that in situ formed arylmagnesium reagent by the insertion of magnesium into aryl bromide might serve as the key intermediate of the cross‐coupling. The method which avoids the utilization of moisture‐labile and relatively difficult‐to‐obtain organometallics is step‐economical, cost‐efficient, and operationally simple, potentially serving as an attractive alternative to documented methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four phenyl groups of 1,1,3,3‐tetraphenyl‐2,2,4,4‐tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)cyclotetrasilane were partially replaced by chlorine atom(s) by successive treatment with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and lithium chloride. The replacement of all phenyl groups was carried out with hydrogen chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride. The structural features of the resulting mono‐, di‐, and tetrachlorocyclotetrasilanes were compared by X‐ray crystallography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard magnetic soft robots have been widely used in biomedical engineering. In these applications, it is crucial to sense the movement of soft robots and their interaction with target objects. Here, we propose a strategy to fabricate a self-sensing bilayer actuator by combining magnetic and ionic conductive hydrogels. The magnetic hydrogel containing NdFeB particles exhibits rapid response to magnetic field and achieve bending deformation. Meanwhile, the polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel with lithium chloride (LiCl) allows for the sensing of deformation. The bending behavior of the bilayer under magnetic field is well captured by theoretical and simulated models. Additionally, the bilayer strain sensor shows good sensitivity, stability and can endure a wide-range cyclic stretching (0-300%). These merits qualify the self-sensing actuator to monitor the motion signals, such as bending of fingers and grasping process of an intelligent gripper. When subject to an external magnetic field, the gripper can grab a cube and sense the resistance change simultaneously to detect the object size. This work may provide a versatile strategy to integrate actuating and self-sensing ability in soft robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the effects of lithium chloride (LiCI) preconditioning on bone loss, JAK/STAT signaling pathway, and osteoblast (OB) in bilaterally ovariectomized mice. Methods In vivo experimental: 24 female 8-week-old C57BL6/J mice were randomly divided into sham operation group (Sham), ovariectomized operation group (OVX), and ovariectomized operation+Lithium chloride intervention (OVX+LiCI) group. The left and right femurs and the right tibia of the animals were collected and tested using micro-CT, immunohistochemistry, and bone biomechanics. In vitro experiment: 3-day-old C57BL/6 mice were sacrificed. The calvarial bone was isolated to culture primary osteoblasts and randomly divided into blank group (Control) and LiCl group (LiCI). Alkaline phosphatase staining, Alizarin red staining, cell activity detection, and real-time quantitative PCR analysis were used. Results Micro-CT analysis result showed that the bone microstructure in the Sham group was generally normal. However, the microstructure in the OVX group changed abnormally, mainly including decreased bone mass, thinning of trabecular thickness, and decreased number of trabecular bone. The degree of separation of trabecular bone was increased. The intervention with LiCl significantly improved bone loss. Biomechanics result showed that the maximum load and maximum stress in mice of the OVX group were significantly lower than those of the Sham group (P<0.05), and the maximum load and maximum stress of the OVX + LiCl group were significantly higher than those of the OVX group (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expressions of JAK2 and STAT3 in the OVX+LiCl group were significantly higher than those in the OVX group (P<0.05). The expression of P-STAT3 in the OVX group was significantly lower than that in the Sham group (P<0. 05 vs. Sham), while the expression in OVX+LiCl group increased significantly (P<0.05 vs. OVX). The proliferation activity of osteoblasts in the LiCl group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The alkaline phosphatase activity and the number of calcium nodules in the LiCl group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). The expressions of STAT3 mRNA and OCN mRNA in LiCl group were significantly higher than those in control group (P <0.05). Conclusion LiCl improves bone mass and bone microstructure of OVX mice by regulating OB. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have emerged as novel alternatives to common solvents and VOCs. Their employment as electrolytes in batteries has been an area of intense research. In this context, understanding changes in the physicochemical properties of DESs in the presence of Li salts becomes of utmost importance. Solvatochromic probes have the potential to gauge such changes. It is reported herein that one such UV–vis molecular absorbance probe, Reichardt's betaine dye 33, effectively manifests changes taking place in a DES Glyceline composed of H-bond accepting salt choline chloride and H-bond donor glycerol in a 1:2 molar ratio, as salt LiCl is added. The lowest energy intramolecular charge–transfer absorbance band of this dye exhibits a 17 nm hypsochromic shift as up to 3.0 molal LiCl is added to Glyceline. The estimated E T N parameter shows a linear increase with the LiCl mole fraction. Spectroscopic responses of betaine dye 33, N,N-diethyl-4-nitroaniline and 4-nitroaniline are used to assess empirical Kamlet–Taft parameters of dipolarity/polarizability ( π * ), H-bond-donating acidity (α) and H-bond-accepting basicity ( β ) as a function of LiCl concentration in Glyceline. LiCl addition to Glyceline results in an increase in α and no change in π * and β . It is proposed that the added lithium interacts with the oxygen of the –OH functionalities on the glycerol rendering of the solvent with increased H-bond-donating acidity. It is observed that pyrene, a popular fluorescence probe of solvent polarity, does respond to the addition of LiCl to Glyceline, however, the change in pyrene response starts to become noticeable only at higher LiCl concentrations ( m L i C l ≥ 1.5 m). Reichardt's betaine dye is found to be highly sensitive and versatile in gauging the physicochemical properties of DESs in the presence of LiCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites in mangroves often interfere with RNA extraction yielding poor concentration and quality, which is unsuitable for downstream applications. As existing protocols yielded low-quality RNA from root tissues of Kandelia candel (L.) Druce and Rhizophora mucronata Lam., an optimized method was developed for improving the quality and yield of RNA. Compared with three other methods, this optimized protocol gave better RNA yield and purity for both species. The absorbance ratios were ≥1.9 for A260/280 and A260/230, while RNA integrity number values ranged from 7.5 to 9.6. Results show that our modified method is efficient in obtaining high-quality RNA from mangrove roots and is suitable for downstream experiments such as cDNA synthesis, real-time quantitative PCR and next-generation sequencing.

Lithium, a common component in various mood-stabilizing drugs, induces adverse effects on spermatozoa and human fertility. Oxidative stress, as a possible mechanism involved in lithium toxicity, can be reversed using antioxidants. Therefore, in this study, the effects of silymarin as a potent antioxidant were evaluated on human spermatozoa treated with lithium. Human spermatozoa were divided into five groups: (1) spermatozoa at 0 min, (2) spermatozoa at 180 min (control group), (3) spermatozoa treated with lithium chloride (500 μM) for 180 min, (4) spermatozoa were treated with silymarin (100 μM) + lithium chloride (500 μM) for 180 min, and (5) spermatozoa treated with silymarin (100 μM) for 180 min. Sperm motility and viability, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) were evaluated in these groups. The results showed that sperm motility and viability significantly (p < 0.001) decreased in the group treated with lithium. In addition, a significant increase (p < 0.001) was observed in MDA levels, while FRAP amount and the activity of antioxidant enzymes decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in this group. Interestingly, these results were significantly (p < 0.001) reversed in the group treated with silymarin + lithium. The finding of the present study showed that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in lithium toxicity in human spermatozoa, and the coapplication of silymarin as a potent antioxidant with lithium can protect human sperm against oxidative stress-induced damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient and inherently safe NH3 storage and separation are of significant importance for the chemical industry. Herein, we proposed zwitterionic COF as a porous host to disperse LiCl for highly efficient NH3 storage and separation with record adsorption capacity. The equivalently cationic and anionic groups in the channels of zwitterionic COF could act as two separated sites to facilitate the dispersion of LiCl, hence the optimal composite exhibits a high capture capacity of 44.98 mmol/g at 25 °C and 1 bar, far exceeding other existing porous materials. Notably, the adsorption capacity is completely reversible and the efficient separation of NH3 from NH3/CO2/N2 mixture is achieved through breakthrough experiments. DFT calculation combined with XPS and 7Li NMR experimental results give insight into the interaction between zwitterionic COF and LiCl. This work extends possibilities for the development of efficient adsorbents for NH3 storage and separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]