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In China there is an increasing need for suitable measures to evaluate clinical outcomes in adolescents’ psychological counselling processes. To satisfy this purpose, this study evaluated the Young Person’s Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (YP-CORE)’s psychometric properties in a Chinese context with two groups: psychiatric outpatients (clinical group: n = 232) and middle-school student controls (non-clinical group: n = 441). All the participants completed the YP-CORE, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the depression subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). The results found that the YP-CORE was highly acceptable and reliable with a two-factor solution consistent with original UK model. There were significant differences in mean YP-CORE scores by gender and age band, as well as distinct clinically significant change cut-off points. These findings suggest that the Chinese version of the YP-CORE is psychometrically acceptable for use in Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulatory immune receptor NKG2D binds diverse ligands to elicit differential anti‐tumor and anti‐virus immune responses. Two conflicting degeneracy recognition models based on static crystal structures and in‐solution binding affinities have been considered for almost two decades. Whether and how NKG2D recognizes and discriminates diverse ligands still remain unclear. Using live‐cell‐based single‐molecule biomechanical assay, we characterized the in situ binding kinetics of NKG2D interacting with different ligands in the absence or presence of mechanical force. We found that mechanical force application selectively prolonged NKG2D interaction lifetimes with the ligands MICA and MICB, but not with ULBPs, and that force‐strengthened binding is much more pronounced for MICA than for other ligands. We also integrated steered molecular dynamics simulations and mutagenesis to reveal force‐induced rotational conformational changes of MICA, involving formation of additional hydrogen bonds on its binding interface with NKG2D, impeding MICA dissociation under force. We further provided a kinetic triggering model to reveal that force‐dependent affinity determines NKG2D ligand discrimination and its downstream NK cell activation. Together, our results demonstrate that NKG2D has a discrimination power to recognize different ligands, which depends on selective mechanical force‐induced ligand conformational changes. SYNOPSIS: NKG2D is able to discriminate different ligands. Its discrimination power is fulfilled by physical restrictions of two‐dimensional plasma membrane and by conformational changes of ligands selectively induced by mechanical force. Mechanical force selectively prolongs NKG2D/MICs bond lifetimes, amplifying their differences with those of NKG2D/ULBPs bonds.Mechanical force induces conformational changes of MIC ligands but not ULBPs to form new interactions with NKG2D.In situ force‐dependent binding affinity of NKG2D interacting with its ligands provides the power for NKG2D to discriminate different ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a lethal gastrointestinal tract disease that occurs in premature infants. Adenosine receptor A2B (A2BR) regulates the inflammation cytokine secretion and immune cell infiltration in the colonic pathophysiology conditions. In the present study, we aim to determine the roles of A2BR in the development of NEC. A NEC rat model was established and treated with A2BR agonist-BAY60-6583 or A2BR antagonist-PSB1115. Animals in the control group were free from any interventions. Our results showed that the inhibition of A2BR PSB1115 improved intestinal injury and inflammation in newborn NEC rats. The expression levels of caspase-3 and the ratio of apoptotic cells were upregulated in NEC rats, and these indices were downregulated after treating with PSB1115 but further upregulated by BAY60-6583. Meanwhile, a similar trend was also witnessed in the changes of MPO activities and proinflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. However, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the NECP group was significantly higher than that in the NEC and NECB groups (p < 0.05 , respectively). Moreover, the expression of Ki67 was significantly increased in the NECP group as compared with those of the NEC and the NECB groups (p < 0.05 , respectively). Collectively, our study suggested that the inhibition of A2BR attenuates NEC in the neonatal rat, at least partially through the modulation of inflammation and the induction of epithelial cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Using transcriptome sequencing, we screened differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) in keratinocyte (KC) with overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) induced by recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34) in order to investigate the mechanism of rhPTH( 1-34 ) in the treatment of psoriasis. Methods Overexpression of EGFR in HaCaT cells was achieved by lentiviral transfection. Cells in rhPTH (1-34) group were incubated with 0. 01 µmol/L of rhPTH (1-34), while the control group were treated with DMEM solution alone. After extraction of RNA, the quantity and quality of RNA were assessed using UV absorbance assay and denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis, respectively. The cDNA was synthesized and amplified by real-time quantitative PCR for accurate quantification of the effective concentration of the library. DESeq2 software was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes, and significance was defined as | log2foldchange | ≥1 and P <0. 05. Results A total of 12 455 genes were detected in the rhPTH (1-34) and control groups, with 421 genes in the rhPTH (1-34) group and 461 genes only in the control group. Of 185 diiferentially expressed genes between the rhPTH (1-34) -treated cells and the control group, 108 genes were up-regulated and 77 genes were down-regulated. Among the down-regulated genes, top five diiferentially expressed transcription factors were ZNF525, ZNF774, ZNF576, ZBTB42 and POU4F1 (P < 0. 05) . ZNF774 and POU4F1 were mainly involved in the regulation of Notch2 and MAPK signaling pathways, possibly regulating IKC proliferation. Conclusions Inhibition of IKC proliferation by rhPTH (1-34) may be associated with down-regulation of ZNF525, ZNF774, ZNF576, ZBTB42, and POU4F1 expression. ZNF774 and POU4F1 may be associated with IKC proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intramedullary hydatid cyst is extremely rare. We present a case of pathologically confirmed primary intramedullary hydatid cyst in an otherwise healthy patient. A 17-year-old boy presented with lumbar pain, weakness, and numbness in both lower limbs, and urinate difficulty interrupted for 2 years. The patient had no other signs of systemic hydatid cyst disease. An intramedullary cystic lesion was identified with magnetic resonance imaging and was shown to be a hydatid cyst by histopathologic examination after the surgical removal. Although extremely rare, primary intramedullary hydatid cyst pathology might be the cause of lumbar pain, weakness, and numbness in both lower limbs for those living in endemic areas. Surgical removement is feasible and effective for intramedullary hydatid cyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immobilized ionic liquids/peroxotungstates/SiO2 catalyst was prepared and characterized. The catalyst was proved to be very efficient for the selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to their corresponding carbonyls with benign H2O2 as an oxidant in neat water. A 1.0 mol% (based on tungstate) dose of the catalyst was found to be sufficient for the oxidation. The catalyst is easily recovered after reaction via simple filtration, and was reused at least six times without a noticeable loss of the activity. A notable feature of this novel protocol is avoiding any organic co-solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate postoperative clinical outcomes and analyze influencing factors for patients with thymic epithelial tumors over 3 years after operation. Methods: Patients with thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Beijing Hospital from January 2011 to May 2019 were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Basic patient information, clinical, pathological, and perioperative data were collected. Patients were followed up by telephone interviews and outpatient records. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: A total of 242 patients (129 men, 113 women) with TETs were included in this study, of which 150 patients (62.0%) were combined with myasthenia gravis (MG) and 92 patients (38.0%) were not. 216 patients were successfully followed up and their complete information was available. The median follow-up period was 70.5 months (range, 2–137 months). The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of the whole group was 93.9%, and the 5-year OS rate was 91.1%. The 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate of the whole group was 92.2%, and the 5-year relapse-free survival rate was 89.8%. Multivariable COX regression analysis indicated that recurrence of thymoma was an independent risk factor for OS. Younger age, Masaoka-Koga stage III + IV, and TNM stage III + IV were independent risk factors for RFS. Multivariable COX regression analysis indicated that Masaoka-Koga staging III + IV, WHO type B + C were independent risk factors for postoperative improvement of MG. For patients with MG, the postoperative complete stable remission (CSR) rate was 30.5%. And the result of multivariable COX regression analysis showed that thymoma patients with MG with Osserman staging IIA + IIB + III + IV were not prone to achieving CSR. Compared with patients without MG, MG was more likely to develop in patients with WHO classification type B, and patients with myasthenia gravis were younger, with longer operative duration, and more likely to develop perioperative complications. Conclusions: The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with TETs was 91.1% in this study. Younger age and advanced stage were independent risk factors for RFS of patients with TETs, and recurrence of thymoma were independent risk factors for OS. In patients with MG, WHO classification type B and advanced stage were independent predictors of poor outcomes of MG treatment after thymectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alteration in the amount of soil organic matter input can have profound effect on carbon dynamics in forest soils. The objective of our research was to determine the response in soil respiration to above- and belowground organic matter manipulation in a Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantation. Five organic matter treatments were applied during a 2-year experiment: both litter removal and root trenching (LRRT), only litter removal (LR), control (CK), only root trenching (RT) and litter addition (LA). We found that either aboveground litter removal or root trenching decreased soil respiration. On average, soil respiration rate was significantly decreased in the LRRT treatment, by about 38.93% ± 2.01% compared to the control. Soil respiration rate in the LR treatment was 30.65% ± 1.87% and in the RT treatment 17.65% ± 1.95% lower than in the control. Litter addition significantly increased soil respiration rate by about 25.82% ± 2.44% compared to the control. Soil temperature and soil moisture were the main factors affecting seasonal variation in soil respiration. Up to the 59.7% to 82.9% seasonal variation in soil respiration is explained by integrating soil temperature and soil moisture within each of the various organic matter treatments. The temperature sensitivity parameter, Q10, was higher in the RT (2.72) and LA (3.19) treatments relative to the control (2.51), but lower in the LRRT (1.52) and LR treatments (1.36). Our data suggest that manipulation of soil organic matter input can not only alter soil CO2 efflux, but also have profound effect on the temperature sensitivity of organic carbon decomposition in a temperate pine forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruthenium-catalyzed intermolecular [3 + 2] annulation pathway for aromatic acids with isocyanates to afford N -substituted phthalimide in one step is demonstrated, which provides an efficient process to direct preparation of phthalimide from commercially available starting materials and environmentally benign catalysts. This cascade cyclization involves the direct functionalization of an ortho C–H bond and the subsequent intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. There is no theoretical waste except for water generated in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel fluorescent sensing strategy was developed for the detection of Hg 2+ with excellent sensitivity and selectivity using a metal-induced disaggregation of aggregated squaraine molecules with the help of ethylenediaminetetreaacetic acid (EDTA). This EDTA promoted probe exhibited a specific “turn on” fluorescent response to Hg 2+ with a detection limit of 7.6 × 10 −9 M (3 σ / k ). Owning to the high coordinating ability of EDTA and dithiocarbamate tethered squaraine dye toward Hg 2+ , the disaggregation process could be improved by EDTA via the formation of squaraine-Hg 2+ -EDTA trinary complex, resulting in a greater fluorescent release, and this novel phenomenon has been confirmed by light scattering experiments, 1 H NMR, IR and MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological changes of ABA amphiphilic triblock copolymer micelles in dilute solution were systematically studied by tuning the solvent property using self-consistent field simulation. The solvent property was tuned by changing the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters between each type of blocks and solvent, respectively. The simulation results show that by changing the solvent properties, a series of micelle morphologies such as vesicle, cage-like, ring-shaped, rod-like and spherical micelle morphologies can be obtained. Variations of the free energy of the solution system and the surface area of micelles with the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters were calculated to better understand the effect of solvent property on micelle morphologies. In addition, a phase diagram showing the morphological changes of micelles with the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4′,4″(5″) Di- tert-butyldibenzo 18-crown-6 (DTBB18C6) was successfully synthesized by SN2 with 4- tert-butyl catechol as starting material. Effects of reagents, solvents, and templates were investigated. Reaction process was monitored by the real-time online FTIR to study the actual reaction route. The highest DTBB18C6 yield (above 33%) was obtained by using Cs2CO3 as the template, 2,2′-diethylene glycol ditosylate as the reagent, and THF as the solvent. From the result of FTIR, four different reaction stages of DTBB18C6 synthesis process were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A colorimetric probe based on the nucleophilic attack of a thiol at the electron-deficient squaraine ring was reported. [•] With the aid of CTAB the probe exhibited a rapid response to thiols with high selectivity in physiological conditions. [•] The detection limit for glutathione is 1.0×10−8 M, with a linear range of 0.15–8.5μM. [•] The sensing system can discriminate cysteine from glutathione and homocysteine by kinetic experiments. [•] The function of the surfactant has also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel squaraine dye (SQ-1) was developed and its chemosensor behavior toward various metal ions was explored. SQ-1 exhibited selectivity and sensitivity to Hg2+ and Ag+ compared to other metal ions, and it can detect Hg2+ and Ag+ by use of an EDTA reversible experiment. More importantly, the SQ-1-Hg2+ complex can also serve as a colorimetric and fluorescent turn-on sensor for thiol-containing biomolecules, and a dynamic measuring range could be obtained by adjusting the concentration of Hg2+. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cornstalk lignin was hydrothermally depolymerized at mild conditions in ethanol–water for producing value-added phenolics. The effects of residence time (from 30min to 180min), reaction temperature (from 498K to 573K) and concentration of ethanol (from 0% to 95%vol.) on yields of liquid products and phenolic compounds were studied in detail. The optimal conditions of 523K, 90min and 65%vol. ethanol–water resulted in the highest yield of liquid products (∼70wt.%). The liquid products were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to confirm the presence of primarily heterocycle (2,3-dihydrobenzofuran) and phenolics (such as ethylphenol, guaiacol, ethylguaiacol and syringol). Reaction conditions had significant effects on yield and composition of liquid products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary 1. Calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR) exist in a variety of tissues. In 2010, we first identified its functional expression in Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells and demonstrated that the activation of CaSR was involved in an increased intracellular calcium through the Gq subunit-phospholipase C-inositol triphosphate pathway. However, its role and related mechanism in hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is still unclear. 2. Therefore, in the present study, BRL cells were incubated in ischaemia-mimetic solution for 4 h, then reincubated in the normal culture medium for 10 h to establish a simulated I/R model. We assayed the apoptotic ratio of BRL cells by flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 staining; analyzed the expression of CaSR, cytochrome c (Cyt- c), caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), and p38 by Western blotting; and measured the concentration of intracellular calcium by laser-scanning confocal microscopy. 3. The results showed that simulated I/R increased the expression of CaSR and induced apoptosis in BRL cells. GdCl3, a specific activator of CaSR, further increased CaSR expression, intracellular calcium, and apoptosis in BRL cells during I/R. The activation of CaSR downregulated Bcl-2 expression, upregulated Cyt- c, caspase-3, and Bax expressions, and promoted p38 and ERK-1/2 phosphorylation. 4. In conclusion, increased CaSR expression plays a vital role in apoptosis induced by I/R injury, in which its mechanism is related with calcium overload and the activation of the mitochondrial and mitogen-activated protein kinase apoptotic pathways. The regulation of CaSR activity might serve as a novel pharmacological target to prevent and treat liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progesterone has been shown to play a role in pain perception. However, the effects of progesterone on P2X3 receptors, the nociception-related receptors in primary sensory neurons, remain unclear. Methods: We investigated the effects of progesterone on P2X3-receptor-mediated responses of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons by using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Results: Progesterone (10 pmol/l to 1 μmol/l) inhibited ATP (100 μmol/l)-induced transient currents and the transient component of biphasic currents in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on the sustained currents. The effect of progesterone could be blocked by its receptor inhibitor, RU38486. Actidione, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, did not change the rapid effect. Investigations of the signaling pathways of progesterone showed that a nonselective antagonist of protein kinase, H-9, totally blocked the depressive effect of progesterone on ATP currents in a dose-dependent manner. Blocking protein kinase A with H-89 or KT5720 also affected progesterone-induced depression. The protein kinase A activator, forskolin, mimicked the effect of progesterone on ATP currents. Conclusion: These results suggest that progesterone may modulate pain signal transmission on dorsal root ganglia via regulating P2X3 receptor function. The cAMP-PKA signaling pathway is involved in the downregulating effect of progesterone on P2X3 receptors. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: P2X3 and P2X2/3 receptors are expressed in peripheral tissues and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and participate in peripheral pain. However, the mechanisms underlying P2X receptor-mediated nociception at different ovarial hormone levels has not been examined. In this study, 24 female rats were randomly divided into sham-operated (sham), ovariectomized (OVX), estrogen-treated, and estrogen–progesterone-treated groups with colitis. In each group, the visceromotor reflex (VMR) to colorectal distension was tested and the DRG were harvested for a real-time PCR analysis of P2X3 and P2X2 receptor mRNA. In OVX rats with colitis we found that the VMR to colorectal distension and P2X3 receptor mRNA in DRG were both significantly decreased. Estrogen replacement reversed the decrease. However, neither the VMR nor the P2X3 mRNA level in DRG from OVX colitis rats was reversed by the complex of estrogen and progesterone. Patch-clamp recording showed that in colitis rats, estradiol rapidly potentiated the sustained and transient currents evoked by ATP to 336±49% and 122±12% of controls, respectively, in a subpopulation of DRG neurons, which were blocked by ICI 182, 780, an antagonist of the estrogen receptor. Whereas progesterone rapidly inhibited the transient currents induced by ATP to 67±10% of control and had no effect on the sustained currents evoked by the same agonist. These results indicate that P2X3 receptors are likely to be an important contributor to the altered colonic functions in colitis rats, where the underlying mechanisms are closely related to endogenous estrogen modulation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The mouth-feel or oral perception of a food may vary in different oral surfaces or tongue-palate environment depending on the physical characteristics of human tongue. Tribological measurements emulating the characteristics of tongue-palate environment will assist in the evaluation of oral perception of food materials. This study reports a 3D printing assisted approach for rapid fabrication of the soft elastomer substrates with different surface (roughness) and bulk characteristics (elastic modulus and thickness) for tribological measurements. The influence of substrates with various regularly patterned surfaces, elastic modulus, and thickness on the lubrication properties of four food emulsions (full-fat and skim milk, high-fat and low-fat yoghurt) has been investigated. It is observed that friction coefficient of food emulsions increases with a decrease in height or an increase in density of rectangular micro-scale pillars representing papillae on the surface of soft substrate. Interestingly, a decrease in the elastic modulus of the substrates causes an increase in the friction coefficient for the milk samples, whereas for yoghurt samples it causes a decrease. The variations in the thickness of the substrates have little effect on the friction coefficients of the food emulsions. [Display omitted] • Moulds for fabrication of soft elastomer substrates are 3D printed • Modulation of the bulk and surface characteristics of substrates was achieved • Papillae height and density on the substrate influenced the friction coefficient of emulsions • An increase in elastic modulus of substrates reduced the friction coefficient of milk. • Substrate thickness had little effect on the friction coefficient of the emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tau family of microtubule-asssociated proteins has a microtubule-binding domain which includes three or four conserved sequence repeats. Pelleting assays show that when tubulin and tau are co- assembled into microtubules, the presence of taxol reduces the amount of tau incorporated. In the absence of taxol, strong binding sites for tau are filled by one repeat motif per tubulin dimer; additional tau molecules bind more weakly. We have labelled a repeat motif with nanogold and used three-dimensional electron cryomicroscopy to compare images of microtubules assembled with labelled or unlabelled tau. With kinesin motor domains bound to the microtubule outer surface to distinguish between a- and ß-tubulin, we show that the gold label lies on the inner surface close to the taxol binding site on ß-tubulin. Loops within the repeat motifs of tau have sequence similarity to an extended loop which occupies a site in a-tubulin equivalent to the taxol-binding pocket in ß-tubulin. We propose that loops in bound tau stabilize microtubules in a similar way to taxol, although with lower affinity so that assembly is reversible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the personalities, social avoidance and distress, and anxiety status of Chinese patients with and without objective halitosis, and investigate the association among these psychological disorders. Methods: Patients who complained of bad breath and diagnosed with objective halitosis were enrolled into the halitosis group, while patients without objective halitosis were enrolled into the control group. The questionnaires included the sociodemographic profile of the participants, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SAD), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: A total of 280 patients were assigned into objective halitosis group (n = 146) and control group (n = 134). The extraversion subscales (E) score of the EPQ in the halitosis group were significantly lower than that in the control group (p = 0.001). The total SAD score and proportion of patients with anxiety symptoms in the BAI scale in the objective halitosis was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the extraversion subscale and the total SAD score, Social Avoidance and Social Distress subscales (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients with objective halitosis have more introverted personality traits and are more likely to have social avoidance and distress than the nonhalitosis population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheap, stable and easy‐to‐handle Werner ammine salts have been known for more than a century; but they have been rarely used in organic synthesis. Herein, we report that the Werner hexammine complex [Ni(NH3)6]Cl2 can be used as both a nitrogen and a catalytic nickel source that allow for the efficient amination of aryl chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of bipyridine ligand under the irradiation of 390–395 nm light without the need of any additional catalysts. More than 80 aryl chlorides, including more than 20 drug molecules, were aminated, demonstrating the practicality and generality of this method in synthetic chemistry. A slow NH3 release mechanism is in operation, obviating the problem of catalyst poisoning. Still interestingly, we show that the Werner salt can be easily recovered and reused, solving the problem of difficult recovery of transition metal nickel catalysts. The protocol thus provides an efficient new strategy for the synthesis of primary aryl amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheap, stable and easy‐to‐handle Werner ammine salts have been known for more than a century; but they have been rarely used in organic synthesis. Herein, we report that the Werner hexammine complex [Ni(NH3)6]Cl2 can be used as both a nitrogen and a catalytic nickel source that allow for the efficient amination of aryl chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of bipyridine ligand under the irradiation of 390–395 nm light without the need of any additional catalysts. More than 80 aryl chlorides, including more than 20 drug molecules, were aminated, demonstrating the practicality and generality of this method in synthetic chemistry. A slow NH3 release mechanism is in operation, obviating the problem of catalyst poisoning. Still interestingly, we show that the Werner salt can be easily recovered and reused, solving the problem of difficult recovery of transition metal nickel catalysts. The protocol thus provides an efficient new strategy for the synthesis of primary aryl amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nature, cytochrome c oxidases catalyze the 4e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the heme/Cu site, in which CuI is used to assist O2 activation. Because of the thermodynamic barrier to generate CuI, synthetic Fe‐porphyrin/Cu complexes usually show moderate electrocatalytic ORR activity. We herein report on a Co‐corrole/Co complex 1‐Co for energy‐efficient electrocatalytic ORR. By hanging a CoII ion over Co corrole, 1‐Co realizes electrocatalytic 4e− ORR with a half‐wave potential of 0.89 V versus RHE, which is outstanding among corrole‐based electrocatalysts. Notably, 1‐Co outperforms Co corrole hanged with CuII or ZnII. We revealed that the hanging CoII ion can provide an electron to improve O2 binding thermodynamically and dynamically, a function represented by the biological CuI ion of the heme/Cu site. This work is significant to present a remarkable ORR electrocatalyst and to show the vital role of a second‐sphere redox‐active metal ion in promoting O2 binding and activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nature, cytochrome c oxidases catalyze the 4e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the heme/Cu site, in which CuI is used to assist O2 activation. Because of the thermodynamic barrier to generate CuI, synthetic Fe‐porphyrin/Cu complexes usually show moderate electrocatalytic ORR activity. We herein report on a Co‐corrole/Co complex 1‐Co for energy‐efficient electrocatalytic ORR. By hanging a CoII ion over Co corrole, 1‐Co realizes electrocatalytic 4e− ORR with a half‐wave potential of 0.89 V versus RHE, which is outstanding among corrole‐based electrocatalysts. Notably, 1‐Co outperforms Co corrole hanged with CuII or ZnII. We revealed that the hanging CoII ion can provide an electron to improve O2 binding thermodynamically and dynamically, a function represented by the biological CuI ion of the heme/Cu site. This work is significant to present a remarkable ORR electrocatalyst and to show the vital role of a second‐sphere redox‐active metal ion in promoting O2 binding and activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric dose parameters comparison for deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) or free breathing (FB) mode during radiotherapy (RT) for left-sided breast cancer patients (LSBCPs) has not been investigated before. This study aimed to analyze the impact of Active Breath Coordinator (ABC)-DIBH technique on the dose received by the stomach during RT for LSBCPs and to provide organ-specific dosimetric parameters. The study included 73 LSBCPs. The dosimetric parameters of the stomach were compared between FB and DIBH mode. The correlation between the stomach volume and dosimetric parameters was analyzed. Compared to FB mode, statistically significant reductions were observed in gastric dose parameters in ABC-DIBH mode, including Dmax (46.60 vs 17.25, p < 0.001), D1cc (38.42 vs 9.60, p < 0.001), Dmean (4.10 vs 0.80, p < 0.001), V40Gy (0.50 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V30Gy (6.30 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V20Gy (20.80 vs 0.00, p < 0.001), V10Gy (51.10 vs 0.77, p < 0.001), and V5Gy (93.20 vs 9.60, p < 0.001). ABC-DIBH increased the distance between the stomach and the breast PTV when compared to FB, from 1.3 cm to 2.8 cm (p < 0.001). Physiologic decrease in stomach volume was not found from FB to ABC-DIBH (415.54 cm3 vs 411.61 cm3, p = 0.260). The stomach volume showed a positive correlation with V40Gy (r2 = 0.289; p < 0.05), V30Gy (r2 = 0.287; p < 0.05), V20Gy (r2 = 0.343; p < 0.05), V10Gy (r2 = 0.039; p < 0.001), V5Gy (r2 = 0.439; p < 0.001), Dmax (r2 = 0.269; p < 0.05) and D1cc (r2 = 0.278; p < 0.05) in FB mode. While in ABC-DIBH mode, most stomach dosimetric parameters were not correlated with gastric volume. The implementation of ABC-DIBH in LSBCPs radiotherapy resulted in lower irradiation of the stomach. Larger stomach volume was associated with statistically significantly higher dose irradiation in FB mode. To reduce radiotherapy related side effects in FB mode, patients should be fast for at least 2 hours before the CT simulation and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to estimate the long-term survival, late toxicity profile, and quality of life of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with combined induction chemotherapy (IC) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy from a clinical trial focused on reducing the target volume of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted across 6 Chinese hospitals and included 212 patients with stage III-IVB NPC who were randomly allocated to a pre-IC or post-IC group. Eligible patients were treated with 2 cycles of IC + CCRT. All patients underwent radical IMRT. Gross tumor volumes of the nasopharynx were delineated according to pre-IC and post-IC tumor extent in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. After a median follow-up of 98.4 months, 32 of 97 (32.9%) and 33 of 115 (28.7%) patients experienced treatment failure or died in the pre-IC and post-IC groups, respectively. None of the patients developed grade 4 late toxicity. Late radiation-induced toxicity predominantly manifested as grade 1 to 2 subcutaneous fibrosis, hearing loss, tinnitus, and xerostomia, whereas grade 3 late toxicity included xerostomia and hearing loss. The 5-year estimated overall, progression-free, locoregional recurrence-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates in the pre-IC and post-IC groups were 78.2% versus 83.3%, 72.0% versus 78.1%, 90.2% versus 93.5%, and 78.1% versus 82.1%, respectively. The pre-IC group had a significantly higher incidence of xerostomia and hearing damage than the post-IC group. In terms of quality of life, compared with the pre-IC group, the post-IC group showed significant improvement in cognitive function (P =.045) and symptoms including dry mouth (P =.004), sticky saliva (P =.047), and feeling ill (P =.041). After long-term follow-up, we confirmed that reducing the target volumes of IMRT after IC in locoregionally advanced NPC showed no inferiority in terms of the risk of locoregional relapse and potentially improved quality of life and alleviated late toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), with abilities of infinite proliferation (self-renewal) and to differentiate into distinct cell types (pluripotency), show attenuated inflammatory response against cytokines or pathogens, which is recognized as a unique characteristic of ESCs compared with somatic cells. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear, and whether the attenuated inflammatory state is involved in ESC differentiation is completely unknown. Our recent study demonstrated that macroautophagy/autophagy-related protein ATG5 inhibits the inflammatory response of mouse ESCs (MmESCs) by promoting the degradation of BTRC/β-TrCP1 and further the downregulation of NFKB/NF-κB signaling. In addition, maintenance of an attenuated inflammation status in MmESCs is required for their differentiation. In conclusion, ATG5 is a key regulator for the regulation of inflammatory response and differentiation of MmESCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct transition-metal-catalyzed addition of C–H bonds to unsaturated C=X (X=C, O, and N) bonds via C–H bond activation has been recognized as a powerful tool for the construction of C–C bonds (in terms of atom and step economy). Herein, the direct rhodium-catalyzed C–H bond addition of aromatic ketones to allylic alcohols and α,β-unsaturated ketones that affords β-aryl carbonyl compounds is described, in which a ketone carbonyl acts as a weakly coordinating directing group. It was found that the type of alkyl in aromatic ketones is crucial for the success of the reaction. This transformation provides a convenient and efficient methodology for the synthesis of 2-alkyl aromatic ketones in moderate-to-excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of the amount of water inflows in mines is of great significance for safe production in mining. To improve the accuracy of the prediction, based on the analysis of the hydrological and geological conditions of the mine, the main factors affecting the water inflows in mines were determined. Using entropy method, the weight values of the factors affecting the water inflows in mines were calculated, and the non-linear regression fitting between the water inflows and various factors was carried out using multiple regression theory and MATLAB function programming. Combining with the factor weights determined by the entropy method, a weighted non-linear regression prediction model for water inflows in mines was established. The model not only takes into account the fact that the water inflows in mines are affected by multiple factors, but also reflects the characteristic that the importance of factors is different. By comparing with the multiple linear regression prediction model and the measured water inflows, it is proved that the weighted non-linear regression prediction model for water inflows in mines can overcome the defects of existing methods, minimize the prediction error caused by low degree of hydrological and geological exploration, and improve the prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermolecular tandem C−H olefination/C−O cyclization has been achieved via a rhodium (III)-catalyzed C−H activation of carboxylic acids with acrylates. This strategy provides the direct and efficient construction of biologically relevant ( E)-3-ylidenephthalide scaffolds with satisfactory to good yields, and is characterized by stoichiometric reactants, exclusive stereoselectivity, commercially available substrates, mild atmospheric conditions, and short reaction time (less than 2 h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the synthesis of nitrogen (N)-substituted phthalimide which is catalyzed with ruthenium, through carbon-hydrogen (C-H) activation or annulation.

The first examples of regioselective cyclocondensation of hetereocyclic ketene aminals with nitrophenylpropiolates are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The circulating neutrophil count was commonly believed to be influenced by altitude. At present, neutrophil reference ranges (RRs) for very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates are only available from the sea level and from high altitude. This study aimed to construct RRs for neutrophils in VLBW infants in an intermediate-altitude area and assess its usefulness in evaluation for sepsis. Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study of 2173 VLBW infants admitted to 20 hospitals in Chongqing in southwest of China with altitude from 1000 to 2600 feet. The RRs for absolute total neutrophils (ATN), absolute total immature neutrophils (ATI), and immature: total neutrophil proportion were constructed based on “normal” neonates (unlikely infection). Values of neutrophil from septic and uninfected neonates were respectively assessed using the revised RRs and the previous Mouzinho’s and Schmutz’s RRs. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were compared using the McNemar’s test or χ2 test. Results: The upper limits for ATN and ATI using the revised RRs were much higher than those using Mouzinho’s RRs, but lower than those using Schmutz’s RRs. The revised RRs and Mouzinho’s RRs had higher sensitivities than Schmutz’s RRs at 73–672 h. The revised RRs had a higher specificity than Mouzinho’s RRs at both 0–72 h and 73–672 h. The NPV for any abnormality in neutrophil values was high at both 0–72 h and 73–672 h irrespective of the RRs used. Conclusion: Altitude-appropriate RRs for neutrophils is more suitable to guide the diagnosis and management of neonatal sepsis in VLBW infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale measures state anhedonia in multiple domains, such as hobbies, food and drink, social activities, and sensory experience, and it has good reliability and validity in adult samples. However, no study has examined the psychometrical properties of this scale in adolescents. The present study examined its reliability and validity in adolescents with and without depression. In Study 1, 988 high‐school students completed the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale; 915 completed the second‐round survey 3 months later. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure. Additionally, internal consistency and test–retest reliability, and concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity were assessed in typical adolescents. In Study 2, the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale was administrated to 108 patients with major depressive disorder, 108 adolescents with subthreshold depression, and 108 healthy controls. Factor structure and convergent validity were assessed in the clinical and subclinical groups. Finally, a one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to examine the effect of depression severity on the scale scores. The results of Study 1 indicated that a four‐factor model (i.e., hobbies, food and drink, social activities, and sensory experience) best fit the data. Meanwhile, the scale also yielded good concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity, as well as high internal consistency and test–retest reliability, in typical adolescents. In Study 2, goodness‐of‐fit statistics also suggested a good fit for the four‐factor model in the two depressed groups. The one‐way ANOVA revealed significant group differences in the total and factor scores, whereby the major depressive disorder group had lower scores than the subthreshold depression group, whose scores were lower than the healthy controls, indicating excellent eligibility of the scale in depressed adolescents. The Chinese version of the Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale is a reliable and valid instrument to comprehensively measure state anhedonia in Chinese typical and depressed adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cannabinoids and their derivatives attract strong interest due to the tremendous potential of their psychoactive effects for treating psychiatric disorders and symptoms. However, their clinical application is restricted by various side-effects such as impaired coordination, anxiety, and learning and memory disability. Adverse impact on dorsal striatum-dependent learning is an important side-effect of cannabinoids. As one of the most important forms of learning mediated by the dorsal striatum, reinforcement learning is characterized by an initial association learning phase, followed by habit learning. While the effects of cannabinoids on habit learning have been well-studied, little is known about how cannabinoids influence the initial phase of reinforcement learning. Results: We found that acute activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) by the synthetic cannabinoid HU210 induced dose-dependent impairment of association learning, which could be alleviated by intra-dorsomedial striatum (DMS) injection of CB1R antagonist. Moreover, acute exposure to HU210 elicited enhanced synaptic transmission in striatonigral "direct" pathway medium spiny neurons (MSNs) but not indirect pathway neurons in DMS. Intriguingly, enhancement of synaptic transmission that is also observed after learning was abolished by HU210, indicating cannabinoid system might disrupt reinforcement learning by confounding synaptic plasticity normally required for learning. Remarkably, the impaired response-reinforcer learning was also induced by selectively enhancing the D1-MSN (MSN that selectively expresses the dopamine receptor type 1) activity by virally expressing excitatory hM3Dq DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug), which could be rescued by specifically silencing the D1-MSN activity via hM4Di DREADD. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate dose-dependent deleterious effects of cannabinoids on association learning by disrupting plasticity change required for learning associated with the striatal direct pathway, which furthers our understanding of the side-effects of cannabinoids and the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cerebral ischemia can lead to anxiety and cognitive impairment due to the loss of hippocampal neurons. Facilitation of endogenous neurogenesis in the hippocampus is a potential therapeutic strategy for alleviating ischemia‐induced anxiety and cognitive impairment. Progranulin (PGRN), a secretory glycoprotein, has been reported to have a mitogentic effect on many cell types. However, it is not clear whether PGRN enhances hippocampal neurogenesis and promotes functional recovery. Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) and injected intracerebroventricularly with recombinant mouse PGRN 30 min after pMCAO. Anxiety‐like behavior was detected by the open field and the elevated plus maze tests, and spatial learning and memory abilities were evaluated by Morris water maze. Neurogenesis was examined by double labeling of BrdU and neural stem cells or neurons markers. For mechanism studies, the level of ERK1/2 and AKT phosphorylation were assessed by western blotting. Results: Progranulin significantly alleviated anxiety‐like behavior and spatial learning and memory impairment induced by cerebral ischemia in mice. Consistent with the functional recovery, PGRN promoted neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation and neuronal differentiation in the dentate gyrus (DG) after cerebral ischemia. PGRN upregulated the expression of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and Akt in the DG after cerebral ischemia. Conclusions: Progranulin alleviates ischemia‐induced anxiety‐like behavior and spatial learning and memory impairment in mice, probably via stimulation of hippocampal neurogenesis mediated by activation of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt pathways. PGRN might be a promising candidate for coping with ischemic stroke‐induced mood and cognitive impairment in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carotid body (CB) is a complex sensory organ that functions to sense homeostatic O 2 in the blood. Previous studies have shown that CBs express interleukin (IL)-1 receptor type I and that the chemosensitivity of CBs is increased following stimulation with pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, on the neurogenesis of CB are unclear. Thus, in this study, we aimed to assess the effects of IL-1β and intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) plus IL-1β on the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the expression of nestin, a well-established stem cell marker in the nervous system. The results showed that TH, nestin expression and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were increased in the rat CB following intraperitoneal injection of IL-1β. Moreover, IL-1β had additive effects on IHH. These results suggested that the plasticity of CB was increased following treatment with IL-1β and that ERK1/2 may be involved in neurogenic signaling in CBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel, efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalytic assembly of peroxophosphotungstate held in an ionic liquid brush was synthesized and an extraction and catalytic oxidative (ECODS) procedure was developed for a model oil of benzothiophene (BT) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) using 30 wt% as terminal oxidant and methanol as solvent under mild conditions. Several factors that affect were investigated in detail. The highest can reach 100% for BT in 7 h at 70 °C when the molar ratio of H2O2, S and catalyst is 10:1:0.025. The for DBT can also reach 100% in 4 h at 50 °C with the same molar ratio of H2O2, S and catalyst. The experimental results demonstrate that this ECODS process has no apparent scale-up effect. The catalyst can be easily recovered (via simple filtration) and recycled five times without a significant decrease in activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gangue filling mining method is used to reduce the occurrence of dynamic disasters on the roof of a steeply dipping coal seam (SDCS) effectively and improve the stability of the overburden structure. To comprehensively study the movement law of the overburden under different filling quantities, the 3221 working face of the Lvshuidong coal mine was taken as the research site. The vertical displacement, vertical stress, and plastic zone of the overburden under different filling quantities were analyzed by using FLAC3D numerical simulation and physical similarity simulations. The results show that the maximum stress in the stress concentration zone decreased with the increase of filling size. The vertical stress range of the overburden and floor in the filling zone increased significantly. The affected zones of the vertical displacement of the roof and floor and the vertical displacement of the overburden were reduced to varying degrees. The overall plastic zone was shrinking. The movement of overburden was well-controlled as the proportion of the fillings increased. The results of this study can provide an important reference for the stability control of the roof of SDCS filling mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhodium-catalyzed amidation of substituted benzoic acids with isocyanates by directed CH functionalization followed by decarboxylation to afford the corresponding N-aryl benzamides is demonstrated, in which the carboxylate serves as a unique, removable directing group. Notably, less common meta-substituted N-aryl benzamides are generated readily from more accessible para- or ortho-substituted groups by employing this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attenuated inflammatory response is a property of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Moreover, whether the attenuated inflammatory status is involved in ESC differentiation is also unknown. Here, we found that autophagy-related protein ATG5 is essential for both attenuated inflammatory response and differentiation of mouse ESCs and that attenuation of inflammatory signaling is required for mouse ESC differentiation. Mechanistically, ATG5 recruits FBXW7 to promote ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of β-TrCP1, resulting in the inhibition of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling and inflammatory response. Moreover, differentiation defects observed in ATG5-depleted mouse ESCs are due to β-TrCP1 accumulation and hyperactivation of NF-κB signaling, as loss of β-TrCP1 and inhibition of NF-κB signaling rescued the differentiation defects. Therefore, this study reveals a previously uncharacterized mechanism maintaining the attenuated inflammatory response in mouse ESCs and further expands the understanding of the biological roles of ATG5. [Display omitted] • ATG5 attenuates inflammation of mESCs through NF-κB signaling independent of autophagy • Attenuated inflammatory signaling is required for mESC differentiation • FBXW7 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for β-TrCP1 and employed by ATG5 to regulate β-TrCP1 Li et al. demonstrate that autophagy-related protein ATG5 recruits FBXW7 to regulate β-TrCP1 ubiquitination and degradation and further affect NF-κB signaling. The ATG5-β-TrCP1- NF-κB axis is essential for attenuated inflammatory response and differentiation of mESCs and early embryo development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare gastrointestinal cancer with a low incidence of ovarian metastasis. Differential diagnosis of metastatic and primary ovarian cancer is often challenging. The present study reported the case of a 45-year-old woman with jejunal adenocarcinoma who presented with right ovarian, left ovarian, abdominopelvic implant and local recurrent bowel wall metastases successively after primary tumor resection. The ovarian masses of the patient originated from SBA, which was confirmed by immunohistochemical results. Following four comprehensive evaluations by an experienced multidisciplinary team (MDT) during the disease period, the patient underwent four operations, 28 cycles of chemotherapy, 24 cycles of targeted therapy and maintenance therapy for 8 months. As of February 2023, the patient has survived for 73 months and has a high quality of life. It is suggested that when a patient with SBA presents with an ovarian mass, the differential diagnosis between metastatic ovarian cancer and primary ovarian cancer mainly relies on immunohistochemistry. After a comprehensive evaluation by an experienced MDT, surgical resection is the primary treatment for advanced SBA, thus demonstrating some benefits for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lignin is a carbon-rich renewable source owning aromatic structure units, which is an important constituent in biomass. Hydrothermal conversion of lignin is widely studied as a promising method to produce not only bioenergy but also value-added useful chemicals. Fuel gas, aromatic aldehydes and phenolic products can be obtained from lignin hydrothermal gasification, wet oxidation and hydrothermal liquefaction, respectively. This article discusses and compares the three methods of lignin hydrothermal conversion, including their process parameters, possible conversion routes, catalysts, application of products. Effects of hot-compressed organic solvent–water mixture solution on conversion of lignin and effects of lignin in biomass hydrothermal conversion are commented. Wet oxidation of lignin is an efficient mean of recovering value-added aromatic aldehydes, especially vanillin. Hydrothermal liquefaction of lignin is a promising way of recovering phenolics-rich bio-oils. Both aromatic aldehyde and phenolic compound are important chemical intermediates. There are strict requirements of process conditions and relative high costs to get fuel gas from direct hydrothermal gasification of lignin. However, further studies on improving gasification of lignin seem necessary in order to get fuel gas from hydrothermal gasification of the whole biomass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel squaraine derivative (SQ-1) was synthesized and characterized for the determination of cysteine. Binding with Hg2+ as a fluorescent quencher to SQ-1 leads to absorption and emission turn-off. More significantly, the SQ-1–Hg2+ complex exhibits a dual-channel chromofluorogenic responses to biologically important cysteine with a high sensitivity and selectivity over other natural amino acids, along with a low detection limit of 36.7nM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the interaction of multiple mediators, among the most important of which are cytokines. In recent years, extensive studies demonstrate a pivotal role for one cytokine, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), in fundamental events in innate and adaptive immunity. MIF has now been demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, but in the case of RA the evidence for a role of MIF is very strong. MIF is abundantly expressed in the sera of RA patients and in RA synovial tissue correlating with disease activity. MIF-deficient mice were used to induce arthritis by serum transfer from K/BxN mice. K/BxN serum transfer arthritis was markedly attenuated in MIF mice, with reduction in clinical index and histological severity as well as decrease in synovial cytokines. Macrophage transfers were done to investigate the specific role of macrophage-derived MIF. We show that adoptive transfer of wild-type macrophages into MIF mice restores the sensitivity of MIF mice to arthritis development, and this affect was associated with a restoration in serum IL-1β and IL-6 production. These results indicate that MIF plays a critical role in inflammation and joint destruction in K/BxN serum-induced arthritis and that the systemic expression of MIF by a subpopulation of macrophages is necessary and sufficient for the full development of arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, a fibrous scaffold was prepared by electrospinning triblock PCL–PEG–PCL (PCEC) copolymer. Afterwards, in vitro biomimetic mineralization was carried out through incubation of the PCEC fibrous mats in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for different time. The apatite-deposited PCEC composite scaffolds were characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation and weighing. Due to the importance of biocompatibility, rat ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts were cultured on mineralized PCEC scaffolds, and the cell proliferation was investigated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. The obtained results confirmed that the deposited apatite had the chemical composition and crystalline phase similar to those of hydroxyapatite (HA). After 21 days incubation, the mass increase of PCEC scaffold reached up to 22%. Moreover, in vitro cell culture also confirmed that osteoblasts could attach on the mineralized composite scaffolds, and the HA-deposited PCEC mats had less cytotoxicity. So, the mineralized PCEC composite scaffolds had a great potential for tissue engineering application. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Organo-fly ash (OFA) was prepared with pretreated fly ash (FA) and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMAB), and the composites composed of OFA and polyaniline were obtained by emulsion polymerization at different OFA weight ratios (2.0 wt%, 5.0 wt%, 10.0 wt%, 15.0 wt% and 20.0 wt%) in the presence of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid as dopant and emulsifier. A polymerization procedure was supposed. The electrical conductivities of the composites were tested by the four-probe technique. The chemical structure and crystallinity of the composites were confirmed by FT-IR and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Morphologies of FA, OFA and the composites were observed by SEM. The element analysis was performed by energy dispersive spectrometry. The thermal stability of the composites was analyzed by TGA. The results showed that the electrical conductivity of the composites decreased with increasing the feed weight ratio of OFA, and the lowest value was 0.62 S/cm. HDTMAB and PAn were just adsorbed on the surface of FA and OFA, respectively according to the physical adsorption without destroying the crystalline structure of FA or OFA. The surface became smoother after organification of FA by using HDTMAB, and its content on FA surfaces was about 26.9 wt%. The core/shell structure of the composite was observed by SEM analysis. The composites showed a higher thermal stability than pure PAn by introduction of OFA into this polymerization system, the heat stability of PAn was increased by decreasing 31.8 wt% of weight loss after introducing 20 wt% of OFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Selective production of 4-ethylphenolics from lignin via mild hydrogenolysis was reported in this short communication. The hydrogenolysis of lignin was carried out in an autoclave with 65 vol.% ethanol/water as solvent, with 5% Ru/C, Pd/C and Pt/C as catalysts. The influences of catalysts, lignin species, and reaction conditions including reaction temperature, reaction time, and initial H2 pressure on yield of target compounds were investigated. 3.1% 4-Ethylphenol and 1.3% 4-ethylguaiacol based on lignin could be obtained simultaneously from hydrogenolysis of corn stalk lignin, which is approximate to the yield obtained from petrochemical route. The results of this work showed that this novel method is a quite promising technique for the substitution of petrochemical route. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]