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We disclose herein an efficient and facile method for the synthesis of SF 5 -containing isoquinolinediones with an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter via intramolecular pentafluorosulfanylation of acrylamides using SF 5 Cl as a pentafluorosulfanylation reagent. The protocol proceeds under mild reaction conditions and enjoys a broad substrate scope, wide functional group compatibility, and high atom- and step-economy. A radical mechanism involving the SF 5 radical cascade addition/cyclization of acrylamides is proposed.

A novel and efficient palladium-catalyzed highly regioselective reaction of 1-[2-(2,2-dibromoethenyl)phenyl]-1 H -pyrrole with allenes was realized to synthesize pyrrolo[1,2- a ]quinolones. The tandem process involves intermolecular cyclization and intramolecular direct arylation, leading to the formation three new C-C bonds and two new rings. Notably, this transformation exhibits broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance.

Selective uptake and elution of trace amounts of hazardous radioactive 90 Sr from large-scale high-level liquid waste (HLW) is crucial for sustainable development. Here, we propose a site differentiation strategy, based on the presence of distinct selective metal capture sites (concavity site and tweezer site) within the giant polyoxoniobate (PONb) nanoclusters of an all-inorganic PONb framework (FZU-1). Through this strategy, FZU-1 can not only effectively remove 98.9% of Sr²⁺ from simulated nuclear liquid waste, performing best among the reported Sr adsorbents, but also achieve desorption of adsorbed Sr²⁺ ions by selectively loading Na⁺ ions, thus enabling the recycling of FZU-1. Based on the well-defined single-crystal structures and theoretical studies, it can be revealed that the rapid and selective uptake of Sr²⁺ is attributed to the strong binding energy between the Sr²⁺ ions and the concavity sites. The effective elution of Sr²⁺, on the other hand, stems from the preferential binding of Na⁺ ions at the tweezer sites, elevating the cluster's electrostatic potential and indirectly facilitating the elution of Sr²⁺ ions. The exceptional stability of FZU-1, along with its rapid and selective Sr²⁺ capture and elution capabilities, positions it as a promising candidate for large-scale nuclear waste treatment and groundwater remediation applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A rare all-inorganic high-nuclearity mixed-valent {Mn 11 } cluster embedded polyoxoniobate, K 25 H 43 {(Te 4 Nb 9 O 33 ) 3 (Nb 6 O 19 ) 5 (Te VI Nb 5 O 14 )[(Te IV O 3 ) 2 (MnII7MnIII4O 19 )]}·97H 2 O (1), has been synthesized by a one-pot reaction. Compound 1 contains the largest manganese cluster {Mn 11 } core among polyoxoniobates reported to date. {Mn 11 } consists of three quasi-cubane {Mn 3 O 4 } units and is simultaneously encapsulated by lacunary α-Keggin {Te 4 Nb 9 O 36 } and Lindqvist {Nb 6 O 19 } units. Compound 1 exhibits significant magnetic anisotropy and excellent water solubility and stability. The findings suggest a new, all-inorganic polynulear Mn-based structural paradigm for aqueous solution chemistry and magnetic materials.

Atomically precise metal clusters serve as a unique model for unraveling the intricate mechanism of the catalytic reaction and exploring the complex relationship between structure and activity. Herein, three series of water-soluble heterometallic clusters LnCu 6 , abbreviated as LnCu 6 -AC (Ln = La, Nd, Gd, Er, Yb; HAC = acetic acid), LnCu 6 -IM (Ln = La and Nd; IM = Imidazole), and LnCu 6 -IDA (Ln = Nd; H 2 IDA = Iminodiacetic acid) are presented, each featuring a uniform metallic core stabilized by distinct protected ligands. Crystal structure analysis reveals a triangular prism topology formed by six Cu 2+ ions around one Ln 3+ ion in LnCu 6 , with variations in Cu···Cu distances attributed to different ligands. Electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) shows that these different LnCu 6 clusters exhibit different OER activities with remarkable turnover frequency of 135 s -1 for NdCu 6 -AC, 79 s -1 for NdCu 6 -IM and 32 s -1 for NdCu 6 -IDA. Structural analysis and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations underscore the correlation between shorter Cu···Cu distances and improves OER catalytic activity, emphasizing the pivotal role of active-site distance in regulating electrocatalytic OER activities. These results provide valuable insights into the OER mechanism and contribute to the design of efficient homogeneous OER electrocatalysts., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder that affects millions of people each year, often leading to cognitive issues and reduced quality of life. Medication is the main treatment, but many patients experience negative side effects. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were chosen as experimental animals for this experiment due to their physiological and genetic similarities to humans, cost-effectiveness, and ease of handling in a laboratory setting., Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the neuroprotective properties of baicalin (BA) in relation to its impact on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in the epilepsy model., Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected for this experiment. Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling (40 mg/kg; i.p.) was utilized to establish an epilepsy model. The effect of BA (50 mg/kg; gavage) on seizure severity (assessed using the Racine scale), anxiety, and depressive- like behaviors (evaluated through open field experiments and forced swimming tests) was examined. Histological examinations, including hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining, were conducted to assess neuronal damage. Furthermore, the neuroprotective properties of BA were examined through the analysis of Doublecortin (DCX), MKI67 (KI67), and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus of rats. The inhibitory impact of BA on neuroinflammation was assessed via dual labeling for NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and the microglial marker ionized calcium- binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1). The influence of BA on the expression of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), NLRP3, and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was also assessed by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in the brain. Finally, we employed a molecular docking model to assess the extent of receptor-ligand binding., Results: Epilepsy models exhibited significant anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, and BA significantly reduced the severity of seizures in these rats while also alleviating their anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, neuronal loss and damage were observed in the hippocampus of epileptic rats, but BA was able to effectively counteract this issue by enhancing BDNF expression and promoting neurogenesis within the hippocampus, especially in the DG region. The co-localization of Iba-1 with NLRP3 indicated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia. Subsequent RT-PCR revealed that BA may alleviate anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in epileptic rats by activating the P2RX7/NLRP3/ IL-1β signaling pathway. The final molecular docking results indicated that BA had a good binding affinity with proteins, such as P2RX7, NLRP3, and IL-1β., Conclusion: This study confirmed the effectiveness of BA in improving anxiety and depressivelike behaviors associated with epilepsy. Moreover, it provides theoretical support for the neuroprotective role demonstrated by BA., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Purpose: Depression is a psychiatric disorder and the treatment of depression is an urgent problem that need to be solved. Gastrodin (GAS) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine from an orchid and is used for neurological diseases, including depressive disorders., Methods: To assess the effect of GAS on gut microbiota of depressive mice, we established a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced mouse model, and GAS was administered to one group of the mice. Animal behavior experiments were used to detect depressive-like behaviors, and 16 S rRNA gene analysis was applied to detect the gut microbiota of each group. All raw sequences were deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive under accession number SRP491061., Results: GAS treatment significantly improved depressive-like behaviors as well as the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota. The depressive-like behaviors of the CUMS-GAS group were improved in different degrees compared with the CUMS group. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of the gut microbiota showed that the makeup of the gut microbiota in mice changed dramatically in the CUMS-GAS group, compared with the CUMS group, Bacteroides (LDA = 3.94, P < 0.05) were enriched in the CUMS-GAS group at the genus level. In comparison to the CUMS group, the CUMS-GAS group had a greater concentration numbers of Lactobacillus, Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Psychrobacter, and Alistipes., Conclusion: Our results suggested that GAS improved depressive-like behaviors in mice and impacted the microbial composition of the gut. Our research indicated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may be affected by GAS treatment, which improved depressive-like behaviors in the CUMS-induced mouse model of depression., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A 3D tellurium-substituted heteropolyoxoniobate framework H 5 K 3 Na[Cu(en) 2 ] 2 [Cu(en) 0.75 (H 2 O) 2.5 ]{[(Te 2 Nb 19 O 58 )(μ 3 -OH) 2 ]}·24H 2 O (1, en = ethylenediamine) with a 6-connected pcu topology is built from heart-shaped {Te 2 Nb 19 O 60 } clusters and copper complexes. The {Te 2 Nb 19 O 60 } cluster represents the new tellurniobate structure type with a 19-nuclearity Nb cluster. It consists of two new monovacant Lindqvist {Nb 5 O 19 } clusters, one boat-shaped {Nb 9 O 32 } cluster and two TeO 3 2- anions. The {Te 2 Nb 19 O 60 } polyanions are interlinked by [Cu(en) 2 ] 2+ complexes into a 2D (4, 4) grid-like layer containing rhombic sheets. The Cu 2+ supports the adjacent layers through Te-O-Cu-O-Te- bonds to form a three-dimensional heteropolyoxoniobate framework with 1D channels. This compound exhibits good chemical and solvent stability and proton conductivity, with a conductivity of 7.9 × 10 -3 S cm -1 at 85 °C under 98% RH.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression among patients with schizophrenia, to achieve early detection of depression in clinical practice., Methods: Following PRISMA guidance, a comprehensive literature search was conducted globally, covering papers published from 1961 to June 2023. A total of 17 manuscripts were selected through meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis after examining available materials from seven databases to determine the correlation between depression and taste dysfunction., Results: The comparison of the 17 selected manuscripts revealed that individuals with gustatory dysfunction may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms (SMD, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.93, p = 0.02). Depression is associated with taste dysfunction in certain aspects, as indicated by the pleasantness ratings of sucrose solutions (SMD, -0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.11 to 0.05, p = 0.08), gustatory identification ability (SMD, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.03 to 1.89, p = 0.04), and the perception threshold of sweet taste (MD, 0.80, 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.81, p < 0.00001)., Conclusions: Due to variations in the methods, designs, and selection criteria employed in the included studies, it is necessary to establish a feasible framework. Future research using detailed and targeted approaches can provide clearer and more unified conclusions on the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression. Moreover, further high-quality research is needed to obtain clearer conclusions and explore the potential of taste dysfunction as an effective tool for early screening of depression., Trial Registration: This review has been registered in the PROSPERO on April 2022 with the identifier CRD42023400172., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that is used for treating neuropathic diseases. However, there is little information about the safety of ATR. Methods: The present study evaluated the acute and subacute oral toxicity of a water extract of ATR in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. In acute trials, a single administration of extract at a dose 5,000 mg/kg body weight led to no clinical signs of toxicity or mortality, indicating that the lethal dose (LD50) exceeded 5,000 mg/kg. A subacute toxicity test was done using daily doses of 1,250, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg of the ATR extract for 28 days, which did not show any adverse clinical symptoms or mortality. However, the male renal organ index and urea level in mice given 5,000 mg/kg was obviously abnormal, which was consistent with pathological results and suggested that this dose might cause kidney injury. Results: Doses of ATR lower than 2,500 mg/kg could be regarded as safe, although the potential cumulative effects of long-term use of high doses of ATR need to be considered. Discussion: The study highlights the function of ATR in reducing blood lipids and provides a new idea for its widespread clinical use in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Ping, Sun, Yang, Lu and Pei.)

This work reports the interesting and unique cation-exchange behaviors of the first indium-bridged purely inorganic 3D framework based on high-nuclearity polyoxoniobates as building units. Each nanoscale polyoxoniobate features a fascinating near-icosahedral core-shell structure with six pairs of unique inorganic "molecular tweezers" that have changeable openings for binding different metal cations via ion-exchanges and exhibit unusual selective metal-uptake behaviors. Further, the material has high chemical stability so that can undergo single-crystal-to-single-crystal metal-exchange processes to produce a dozen new crystals with high crystallinity. Based on these crystals and time-dependent metal-exchange experiments, we can visually reveal the detailed metal-exchange interactions and mechanisms of the material at the atomic precision level. This work demonstrates a rare systematic and atomic-level study on the ion-exchange properties of nanoclusters, which is of significance for the exploration of cluster-based ion-exchange materials that are still to be developed., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: This study offers meta-analytic data on the potential association between epilepsy and depression especially for the prevalence of depression in epilepsy or vice versa., Methods: The relevant studies were searched and identified from nine electronic databases. Studies that mentioned the prevalence and/or incidence of epilepsy and depression were included. Hand searches were also included. The search language was English and the search time was through May 2022. Where feasible, random-effects models were used to generate pooled estimates., Results: After screening electronic databases and other resources, 48 studies from 6,234 citations were included in this meta-analysis. The period prevalence of epilepsy ranged from 1% to 6% in patients with depression. In population-based settings, the pooled period prevalence of depression in patients with epilepsy was 27% (95% CI, 23-31) and 34% in clinical settings (95% CI, 30-39). Twenty studies reported that seizure frequency, low income, unemployment of the patients, perception of stigma, anxiety, being female, unmarried status, disease course, worse quality of life, higher disability scores, and focal-impaired awareness seizures were risk factors for depression., Conclusion: Our study found that epilepsy was associated with an increased risk of depression. Depression was associated with the severity of epilepsy., Competing Interests: None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright: © 2022 Qin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Spinal cord impairment involving motor neuron degeneration and demyelination can cause lifelong disabilities, but effective clinical interventions for restoring neurological functions have yet to be developed. In early spinal cord development, neural progenitors of the motor neuron (pMN) domain, defined by the expression of oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (OLIG2), in the ventral spinal cord first generate motor neurons and then switch the fate to produce myelin-forming oligodendrocytes. Given their differentiation potential, pMN progenitors could be a valuable cell source for cell therapy in relevant neurological conditions such as spinal cord injury. However, fast generation and expansion of pMN progenitors in vitro while conserving their differentiation potential has so far been technically challenging. In this study, based on chemical screening, we have developed a new recipe for efficient induction of pMN progenitors from human embryonic stem cells. More importantly, these OLIG2+ pMN progenitors can be stably maintained for multiple passages without losing their ability to produce spinal motor neurons and oligodendrocytes rapidly. Our results suggest that these self-renewing pMN progenitors could potentially be useful as a renewable source of cell transplants for spinal cord injury and demyelinating disorders., (© The Author(s) (2021). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, CEMCS, CAS.)

A palladium-catalyzed C-H allylation of electron-deficient polyfluoroarenes with gem-difluorinated cyclopropanes is reported. It provides a useful and facile approach to 2-fluoroallylic polyfluoroarenes in moderate to excellent yields with high Z-selectivity. In addition, this new approach has good functional group compatibility and broad substrate scope.

A tetratellurium-substituted heteropolyoxoniobate with the formula K 2 H[Cu(phen)(H 2 O)] 4 [Cu(phen)] 2 [(LiNb 8 Te 4 O 40 )]·34H 2 O ( 1 ; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) was hydrothermally prepared and structurally characterized. The compound represents the first hexavalent tellurium-substituted Keggin-type polyoxometalate (POM) so far. What is more, the POM cluster in 1 can elaborately self-assemble into a stable supramolecular framework with an ion conduction property through unique intermolecular π-π stacking.

The effects of five domestic thawing methods, including air thawing (AIR), water thawing with bags (W + B), water thawing without bags (W - B), refrigerator thawing (REF), and microwave thawing (MIC), on the main health-promoting compounds and antioxidant capacity in both unblanched and blanched baby mustard were investigated in this study. The results showed that different thawing methods markedly affected the health-promoting compounds and antioxidant capacity of baby mustard. MIC better retained the overall nutritional quality of frozen baby mustard compared with the four other treatments. AIR led to significant decreases in the glucosinolate contents in unblanched and blanched baby mustard. W + B led to significant decreases in the total phenols contents and antioxidant capacity levels in unblanched and blanched baby mustard, as well as the ascorbic acid content in unblanched baby mustard. W + B led to a significant decrease in the FRAP level in unblanched baby mustard, as well as the glucosinolate and ascorbic acid contents and ABTS level in blanched baby mustard. REF led to significant decreases in glucosinolates and proanthocyanidins contents in unblanched baby mustard, as well as the ascorbic acid content in blanched baby mustard. Furthermore, the thawing time was greatly shortened by MIC (only approximately 1 min). Thus, MIC was the optimal thawing method for frozen baby mustard regardless of whether it was blanched, as MIC best preserved nutritional quality and reduced the thawing time., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

It has been widely reported that exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a protective effect on myocardial infarction (MI). However, the specific molecules which play a damaging role in MSCs shuttled miRNAs are much less explored. MiRNA-153-3p (miR-153-3p) is a vital miRNA which has been proved to modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, peritoneal fibrosis and aortic calcification. Here, we aim to study the effect and mechanism of miR-153-3p in MSC-derived exosomes on hypoxia-induced myocardial and microvascular damage. The exosomes of MSCs were isolated and identified, and the MSCs-exosomes with low expression of miR-153-3p (exo-miR-153-3p - ) were constructed to interfere with the endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes in the oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model. The viability, apoptosis, angiogenesis of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes were determined. Additionally, ANGPT1/VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway was detected by ELISA and/or western blot. The results illustrated that exo-miR-153-3p - significantly reduced the apoptosis of endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes and promoted their viability. Meanwhile, exo-miR-153-3p - can promote the angiogenesis of endothelial cells. Mechanistically, miR-153-3p regulates the VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathways by targeting ANGPT1. Intervention with VEGFR2 inhibitor (SU1498, 1 μM) remarkably reversed the protective effect of exo-miR-153-3p - in vascular endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes treated by OGD. Collectively, MSCs-derived exosomes with low-expressed miR-153-3p notably promotes the activation of ANGPT1 and the VEGF/VEGFR2 /PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathways, thereby preventing the damages endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes against hypoxia., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Baby mustard is a perishable vegetable, and thus its distribution and sale as fresh produce face several challenges. However, little effort has been made to identify optimal techniques for postharvest storage of baby mustard. Here, we evaluated the sensory quality, health-promoting compounds, and antioxidant capacity of baby mustard during postharvest storage for 6 days at low temperature (4 °C, LT) and ambient temperature (20 °C). The results showed that visual quality scores, weight, firmness, the contents of most glucosinolates, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power value decreased in the lateral buds of baby mustard during both treatments; however, LT treatment delayed declines in these characteristics. In addition, the contents of glucose, fructose, total soluble sugars, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids, as well as the level of 2,2-azinobis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), decreased considerably throughout the storage period, sucrose content increased throughout the storage period, and the contents of proanthocyanidin and total phenolics first increased and then decreased at 20 °C; however, their contents remained stable throughout the storage period under the LT treatment. These findings indicate that LT provides a promising approach for maintaining the sensory and nutritional quality of baby mustard., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Acupuncture has pain-relief effects, but no data were available on the use of transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in pain relief during oocyte retrieval. This study was designed to examine the effect of TEAS for pain relief in women undergoing transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte aspiration. This single-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial was performed in China between May 2013 and May 2015. The subjects were randomized to mock TEAS and TEAS. TEAS or mock TEAS was administered 30 min before oocyte retrieval until the end of the operation. The primary and secondary endpoints were the pain measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) within 1 min and 1 hour after oocyte retrieval, respectively. Serum β -endorphin levels were tested in the first 50 patients/group. 390 women were undergoing oocyte retrieval. Pain levels evaluated using VAS within 1 min (18.6 ± 1.3 vs. 24.4 ± 1.7, P < 0.01) and 1 h after oocyte aspiration (4.6 ± 0.7 vs. 6.8 ± 0.8, P < 0.05) were lower in the TEAS group than in the mock TEAS group. Nausea assessment revealed a significantly lower VAS score in the TEAS group within 1 min (1.2 ± 0.4 vs. 2.9 ± 0.7, P < 0.033). Serum β -endorphin levels were significantly higher in the TEAS group than in the mock TEAS group (11.4 ± 0.5 vs. 9.1 ± 0.4, P < 0.001) after retrieval. Serum β -endorphin levels were higher in the TEAS group after the procedure than baseline (11.4 ± 0.5 vs. 9.1 ± 0.3, P < 0.001). Oocyte retrieval causes pain and discomfort, but TEAS is effective and safe for suppressing the pain and alleviating nausea associated with the operation., Competing Interests: Jisheng Han is the inventor of the TEAS stimulator. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Li Tian et al.)

Background: Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn stem (Hegeng [HG]) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to treat mental symptoms in East Asia. However, scientific evidence is generally lacking to support this traditional claim. Aim of the Study . This study's aim is to investigate the antidepression effect of HG and to further explore the possible molecular mechanisms that are involved in its actions. Materials and Methods . HG aqueous extract was administered intragastrically for 21 days after the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure, and its effect on memory, learning, and emotion was assessed using animal behavioral tests. HG aqueous extract was characterized using HPLC. Immunofluorescence was used to measure the neural cell-adhesion molecule (NCAM) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression., Results: Depression-like behaviors increased in the CUMS group compared with the control (CON) group, while they were reduced in the high-dose HG (H-HG) and fluoxetine (FLU) groups ( p < 0.05). Additionally, NCAM and GAP-43 expression was reduced in the CUMS group compared with the CON group, but it increased in the H-HG and FLU groups ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: These findings show the potential antidepressant effects of HG through mechanisms involving regulation of NCAM and GAP-43. This provides a new theoretical basis for its potential application as an antidepressant-like agent., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Ya-Nan Zhao et al.)

Adipose tissue is essential for whole-body glucose homeostasis, with a primary role in lipid storage. It has been previously observed that lactate production is also an important metabolic feature of adipocytes, but its relationship to adipose and whole-body glucose disposal remains unclear. Therefore, using a combination of metabolic labeling techniques, here we closely examined lactate production of cultured and primary mammalian adipocytes. Insulin treatment increased glucose uptake and conversion to lactate, with the latter responding more to insulin than did other metabolic fates of glucose. However, lactate production did not just serve as a mechanism to dispose of excess glucose, because we also observed that lactate production in adipocytes did not solely depend on glucose availability and even occurred independently of glucose metabolism. This suggests that lactate production is prioritized in adipocytes. Furthermore, knocking down lactate dehydrogenase specifically in the fat body of Drosophila flies lowered circulating lactate and improved whole-body glucose disposal. These results emphasize that lactate production is an additional metabolic role of adipose tissue beyond lipid storage and release., (© 2020 Krycer et al.)

Background: Huazhuo Jiedu Shugan decoction (HJSD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been used to treat epileptic seizures for many years. Some ingredients in these herbs have been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of brain damage caused by epilepsy., Aim of the Study: The object of the study is to determine the effects of HJSD on cognitive and emotional disorders in a rat model of epilepsy., Materials and Methods: After a predetermined time period, rats were intraperitoneally injected with pentylenetetrazol and observed in different phases of convulsions. The cognitive and emotional changes in the epileptic rats were assessed using behavioral and immunohistochemical tests., Results: Compared with the epilepsy group, the seizure grade was reduced and seizure latency was prolonged following HJSD-H treatment ( P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the epilepsy group displayed marked worse performance on the animal behavior tests ( P < 0.05) and the HJSD-H group displayed improved behavioral performance ( P < 0.05). After HJSD-H treatment, the expression of adenylate cyclase (AC), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactive cells markedly increased in the hippocampus, compared with that of the epilepsy group ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The current results demonstrate that HJSD treatment in epileptic rats markedly inhibits epileptic seizures and improves cognitive and emotional disorders, which may be related to the regulation of AC-cAMP-CREB signaling and NPY expression in the hippocampus. The effects of the HJSD treatment may provide a foundation for the use of HJSD as a prescription medicinal herb in the TCM for the treatment of epilepsy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Xin Ping et al.)

Allylic sulfones were synthesized with excellent selectivity and good yield via Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of vinyl iodide with N-tosylhydrazone. This process involves palladium carbene migratory insertion/trapping with sulfinic acid salts. For the previous Pd-catalyzed N-tosylhydrazone cross-coupling, sulfinic acid salt is generated as a byproduct. In this transformation, the diazo compound and the sulfinic acid salt, which are all generated from N-tosylhydrazone, were used as cross-coupling partner.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, China is one of 22 countries with serious tuberculosis (TB) infections and one of the 27 countries with serious multidrug-resistant TB strains. Despite the decline of tuberculosis in the overall population, healthcare workers (HCWs) are still at a high risk of infection. Compared with high-income countries, the TB prevalence among HCWs is higher in low- and middle-income countries. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is becoming more popular due to its superior sensitivity and lower radiation dose. However, there have been no reports about active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among HCWs as assessed with LDCT. The purposes of this study were to examine PTB statuses in HCWs in hospitals specializing in TB treatment and explore the significance of the application of LDCT to these workers., Methods: This study retrospectively analysed the physical examination data of healthcare workers in the Beijing Chest Hospital from September 2012 to December 2015. Low-dose lung CT examinations were performed in all cases. The comparisons between active and inactive PTB according to the CT findings were made using the Pearson chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test. Comparisons between the incidences of active PTB in high-risk areas and non-high-risk areas were performed using the Pearson chi-square test. Analyses of active PTB were performed according to different ages, numbers of years on the job, and the risks of the working areas. Active PTB as diagnosed by the LDCT examinations alone was compared with the final comprehensive diagnoses, and the sensitivity and positive predictive value were calculated., Results: A total of 1 012 participants were included in this study. During the 4-year period of medical examinations, active PTB was found in 19 cases, and inactive PTB was found in 109 cases. The prevalence of active PTB in the participants was 1.24%, 0.67%, 0.81%, and 0.53% for years 2012 to 2015. The corresponding incidences of active PTB among the tuberculosis hospital participants were 0.86%, 0.41%, 0.54%, and 0.26%. Most HCWs with active TB (78.9%, 15/19) worked in the high-risk areas of the hospital. There was a significant difference in the incidences of active PTB between the HCWs who worked in the high-risk and non-high-risk areas (odds ratio [OR], 14.415; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.733 - 43.896). Comparisons of the CT signs between the active and inactive groups via chi-square tests revealed that the tree-in-bud, cavity, fibrous shadow, and calcification signs exhibited significant differences (P = 0.000, 0.021, 0.001, and 0.024, respectively). Tree-in-bud and cavity opacities suggest active pulmonary tuberculosis, whereas fibrous shadow and calcification opacities are the main features of inactive pulmonary tuberculosis. Comparison with the final comprehensive diagnoses revealed that the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the diagnoses of active PTB based on LDCT alone were 100% and 86.4%, respectively., Conclusions: Healthcare workers in tuberculosis hospitals are a high-risk group for active PTB. Yearly LDCT examinations of such high-risk groups are feasible and necessary.

A tandem Michael-Henry reaction of 2-mercaptoquinoline-3-carbaldehydes with nitroolefins using hydrogen-bonding-based cooperative organocatalysts for the highly diastereodivergent synthesis of chiral functionalized 3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyrano[2,3-b]quinolines with three contiguous tertiary stereocenters has been developed.

An iodine-promoted one-pot radical cyclization reaction of 1,6-enynes with sulfonyl hydrazides to provide five-membered and hexatomic ring sulfonylated products under the same conditions is established. This reaction proceeded smoothly in water and gave the corresponding products by using I2/TBHP instead of expensive and toxic catalysts with C-S and C-I bond formed in one step. This method also allowed easy access to significant functional sulfones for potential applications in medicinal and organic chemistry.

Purpose: To evaluate the features of parotid neoplasms on real-time elastosonography., Methods: The elastograms of parotid lesions in 43 patients with 48 neoplasms were analyzed and classified into 5 grades, with pathologic diagnosis as the gold standard for comparision. The data was statistically analyzed with SPSS13.0 software package., Results: The elastographic grades of most benign neoplasms were I-II, while those of malignancies were III-IV. The elastographic grades of benign and malignant lesions were of significant difference (P<0.05)., Conclusions: Some typical features of different parotid lesions on elastosonography are found, which are useful for differential diagnosis of parotid lesions.

A facile access to 4-((trifluoromethyl)thio)-2,3-dihydrofurans from unprotected homopropargylic alcohols in high regioselectivity is reported. This method is the first example of using a free hydroxy group as a nucleophile to complete a trifluoromethylthiolation/cyclization protocol with an alkyne in moderate to excellent yields.

Without extra addition of sulfinate salt, allylic sulfones were synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl iodide with N-tosylhydrazone. In this transformation, not only the diazo compound but also the sulfinate salt, which were both generated in situ from base-mediated decomposition of the N-tosylhydrazone, was used as nucleophilic partner., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A silver-promoted oxidative cyclization of 1,6-enynes with disubstituted phosphine oxides is developed for the synthesis of fluorene derivatives. The reaction proceeds with high regioselectivity by constructing one C-P bond and two C-C bonds in one step. Moreover, reduction of the pentavalent phosphine enlarges the application scope of the product.

ortho-Aminated vinylarene derivatives were obtained via a reaction of aryl iodides, N-benzoyloxyamines, and N-tosylhydrazones. This approach involves a palladium-catalyzed, norbornene-mediated ortho-amination/N-tosylhydrazone insertion reaction. In this transformation, one C-N bond and one C-C bond are formed and an amine group is introduced at the ortho position successfully.

A straightforward method for the synthesis of highly functionalized vinylarenes through palladium-catalyzed, norbornene-mediated C-H activation/carbene migratory insertion is described. Extension to a one-pot procedure is also developed. Furthermore, this method can also be used to generate polysubstituted bicyclic molecules. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions to give the products in satisfactory yields using readily available starting materials. This is a Catellani-Lautens reaction that incorporates different types of coupling partners. Additionally, this reaction is the first to demonstrate the possibility of combining Pd-catalyzed insertion of diazo compounds and Pd-catalyzed C-H activation., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A convenient zinc-promoted [4+3] cycloaddition of a carbonyl ene-yne with simple dienes was first achieved. This reaction provided an efficient strategy to prepare various cyclohepta[b]furan rings by cascade cycloadditions. Additionally, a multicomponent reaction of dione, alkynal, and diene was also reported, which exhibited a novel strategy for selective creations of C-O bonds and C-C bonds., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A novel method of a palladium-catalyzed/norbornene-mediated intramolecular C-H activation/N-tosylhydrazones insertion reaction is developed. In this process, various bicyclic or tricyclic substituted vinylarenes are obtained with high efficiency under mild conditions.

A new and efficient metal-free cascade cyclization of 1,6-enynes with aldehydes is developed for the synthesis of tricyclic fluorene derivatives. The reaction involves a radical process and one C(sp(2))-C(sp(2)) and two C(sp(2))-C(sp(3)) bonds are formed simultaneously in one pot by using PivOH and TBHP.

A Pd-catalyzed three-component cross-coupling reaction of vinyl iodide, N-tosylhydrazone, and carbon nucleophiles is reported, and a one-pot procedure is also developed. The cross-coupling is proposed to proceed through a palladium-carbene migratory insertion, carbopalladation other than classic palladium-carbene migratory insertion, and β-H elimination. Moreover, the reaction proceeds under mild conditions and with high stereoselectivity.

Palladium-catalyzed carbene migratory insertion-cyclization reactions were reported, delivering dihydronaphthalene and indene derivatives in moderate to good yields. A three-component cross-coupling was also developed. The reactions are easy to handle, under mild conditions and various functional groups are tolerated.

Isoindolines are synthesized by palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of N-(2-iodobenzyl) anilines with α,β-unsaturated N-tosylhydrazones. The reaction has several potential advantages: (1) toleration of a wide range of functional groups, (2) easy to handle and with mild conditions, (3) enriches the isoindoline family, (4) two new bonds form in one step.

Two different cyclic amino esters are synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of diazoesters with N-substituted-2-iodoanilines. Aryldiazoacetates lead to cyclic α-amino esters with an α-quaternary carbon centre in the presence of CO. Additionally, arylvinyldiazoacetates afford cyclic α,β-unsaturated γ-amino esters.

Lung cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, usually appears as solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) which are hard to diagnose using the naked eye. In this paper, curvelet-based textural features and clinical parameters are used with three prediction models [a multilevel model, a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression method, and a support vector machine (SVM)] to improve the diagnosis of benign and malignant SPNs. Dimensionality reduction of the original curvelet-based textural features was achieved using principal component analysis. In addition, non-conditional logistical regression was used to find clinical predictors among demographic parameters and morphological features. The results showed that, combined with 11 clinical predictors, the accuracy rates using 12 principal components were higher than those using the original curvelet-based textural features. To evaluate the models, 10-fold cross validation and back substitution were applied. The results obtained, respectively, were 0.8549 and 0.9221 for the LASSO method, 0.9443 and 0.9831 for SVM, and 0.8722 and 0.9722 for the multilevel model. All in all, it was found that using curvelet-based textural features after dimensionality reduction and using clinical predictors, the highest accuracy rate was achieved with SVM. The method may be used as an auxiliary tool to differentiate between benign and malignant SPNs in CT images.

Objective: To assess the uptake of Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ((18)F-FDG) coincidence single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging in lung tuberculoma., Methods: We enrolled 27 cases with 29 tuberculomas confirmed by clinical diagnosis. (18)F-FDG triple-head coincidence imaging was performed. The intensity of uptake was graded by visual method and the relationship of the uptake and attenuation was analyzed., Results: The uptake of (18)F-FDG was graded by visual method. There were 10 lesions (34.5%) in grade 0, including 7 (24.1%) lesions that showed focal lack of uptake and 3(10.3%) lesions showed normal uptake in tomograph imaging. Eleven lesions (37.9%) were graded as 1 - 2, 5 lesions (17.2%) as 3, and 3 lesions as 4. With grade 0 - 2 being regarded as benign, the false positive rate was 8/29. The intensity of (18)F-FDG uptake was divided into 3 groups (grade 0, grade 1 - 2, grade 3 - 4) and the intensity of uptake was compared with the attenuation of tuberculomas. There was a statistically significant difference among the 3 groups (χ(2) = 13.29 - 18.02, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: The intensity of (18)F-FDG uptake was influenced by the attenuation of the lesion. Most lung tuberculomas for (18)F-FDG coincidence imaging were of low uptake, and lower uptake than the background was a characteristic finding for tuberculoma. The combination with CT imaging was useful for the differentiation from malignant lesions.

Objective: To analyze the CT image features of pneumonic-type lung cancer and to reduce misdiagnosis., Methods: The CT findings of 46 patients with pneumonic-type lung cancer were retrospectively reviewed, and CT image in the differential diagnosis of this special kind of disease was evaluated., Results: According to the extent of lesion, these cases were divided into two groups: multi-lobe consolidation group and single lobe consolidation group. The lesions in the latter group located in the upper, middle or lower lobe, respectively. Twenty-nine cases had homogeneous consolidation lesion, 14 cases showed single or multiple cysts and cavities in the lesions, 3 cases exhibited localized low density in the lesion. Forty-one cases shown the sign of air bronchogram with presentation of narrow air bronchogram in 25 of those. Forty cases showed well or ill defined ground-glass opacitiy surrounding the consolidation lesion. Fifteen cases had multi-nodules or opacities distributed in centrilobular or centric bronchiolar location. Of the 30 patients who received contrast medium, 23 showed distinct enhancement, and 7 showed indistinct enhancement with a positive CT angiogram., Conclusion: CT findings including lower lobe distribution, homogeneous consolidation, narrow air bronchogram, well defined ground-glass and CT angiogram are helpful in differentiating pneumonic-type lung cancer from various kinds of infection. However, most of CT manifestations of pneumonic-type lung cancer are not specific. Therefore, it's necessary to combine CT findings with other clinical data when making diagnosis.

The marine algae Sargassum sp., Padina sp., Ulva sp., and Gracillaria sp., harvested locally, were investigated for their biosorption performance in the removal of lead, copper, cadmium, zinc, and nickel from dilute aqueous solutions. It was found that the biosorption capacities were significantly affected by solution pH, with higher pH favoring higher metal-ion removal. Kinetic and isotherm experiments were carried out at the optimal pH: at pH 5.0 for lead and copper, and at pH 5.5 for cadmium, zinc, and nickel. The metal removal rates were rapid, with 90% of the total adsorption taking place within 60 min. Sargassum sp. and Padina sp. showed the highest potential for the sorption of the metal ions, with the maximum uptake capacities ranging from 0.61 to 1.16 mmol/g for Sargassum sp. and 0.63 to 1.25 mmol/g for Padina sp. The general affinity sequence for Padina sp. was Pb>Cu>Cd>Zn>Ni, while that for Sargassum sp. was Pb>Zn>Cd>Cu>Ni. XPS and FTIR analysis of Sargassum sp. and Padina sp. revealed the chelating character of the ion coordination to carboxyl groups. It was confirmed that carboxyl, ether, alcoholic, and amino groups are responsible for the binding of the metal ions.

Objective: To evaluate the value of incremental dynamic CT in the diagnosis of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (sclerotic hemangioma)., Methods: Thin-section CT at 2.0 mm thickness and 2.0 mm interval was performed before and after administration of contrast material in 20 cases of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma., Results: Pulmonary sclerosing hemangiomas were shown to be round or oval masses, with smooth margins, homogeneous parenchymal density, and occasional calcification. Homogeneous enhancement was evident in all cases, with maximum CT values ranging from 90 to 110 HU., Conclusion: Spiral dynamic CT is useful in the diagnosing of sclerosing hemangioma in the lungs.

Aim: To evaluate the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the preoperative staging of advanced gastric cancer., Methods: An MRI (SE sequence) was preoperatively performed on 34 patients with advanced gastric cancer. The tumors were located at the cardia fundus in 11 patients, the corpus in 14, the antrum in ten and throughout the entire stomach in two. The images were analyzed and staged on the basis of the criteria proposed by Matsushita M. The results were compared with the corresponding histopathologic findings to analyze the rate of diagnostic accordance., Results: The diagnostic rate accuracy by MRI was 77.8% (seven out of nince) for T2 tumors; 77.3% (17 out of 22) for T3 tumors and 100% (three out of three) for T4 tumors, with the overall accuracy equaling 79.4%. When grades T3 and T4 tumors were considered as a single group to determine the presence or absence of extraserosal invasion using MRI technology, the diagnostic accuracy was 88.3%. Statistically, MRI staging showed a significant correlation with the corresponding histopathologic staging using the Spearman correlation test (rs' = 0.743, P < 0.01). When the concordance between MRI and histopathologic staging results were studied according to tumor location, the staging accuracy was highest (90.9%) in tumors located in gastric cardia fundus., Conclusion: MR imaging is moderately valuable when staging advanced gastric cancer, especially for tumors located in gastric cardia fundus.