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Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction has gained much attention due to is mid reaction conditions, and this reaction can be performed without the presence of reductive atmosphere and the reaction conditions of high temperature and high pressure. Solid bases with abundant strong basic sites can be synthesized with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as precursors. These MOFs are immobilized with alkane metal nitrides, followed by calcination to produce the desired basic metal oxides. The basic zirconia shows highly efficient catalytic performance in MPV reduction of substrates with the carbonyl group, and benzaldehyde can be completely reduced in 6 hours with a mild reaction temperature (160 °C) in the absence of hydrogen gas. The catalytic efficiency is determined by the amounts of strong basic sites, but not the total amounts of basic sites, and this phenomenon is proved by the contrast experiments with the catalytic test of weak solid bases. Furthermore, the cooperative action between basic and acid sites can also enhance the catalytic performance in MPV reactions. With MOFs as precursors, metal oxide catalysts can be synthesized with well dispersed active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the hydrophilicity and the cell biocompatibility of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co- 3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) coated with a fusion protein polyhydroxyalkanoates granule binding protein (PhaP) fused with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide (PhaP-RGD)., Methods: PHBV and PHBHHx films were fabricated by solvent evaporation. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) was used to study the morphology of the films. PhaP-RGD fusion proteins were expressed and purified by the technology of protein engineering; PHBV and PHBHHx films were immersed in the PhaP-RGD with an amount of 3.5 mg/mL protein/per sample respectively. The hydrophilicity of the surface were detected by the contact angle measurements. Septal cartilage cells obtained from human septal cartilage were cultured in vitro. The 2nd passage chondrocytes were incubated on PHBV unmodified with PhaP-RGD in group A1, PHBV modified with PhaP-RGD in group A2, PHBHHx unmodified with PhaP-RGD in group Bl, PHBHHx modified with PhaP-RGD in group B2, and on the cell culture plates in group C. After cultured for 3 days, the proliferation of cells was detected by the DAPI staining; the proliferation viability of cells was detected by the MTT assay after cultured for 3 and 7 days; after cultured for 7 days, the adhesion and morphology of the cells on the surface of the biomaterial films were observed by SEM and the matrix of the cells was detected through the toluidine blue staining., Results: SEM observation showed that PHBV and PHBHHx films had porous structures. The contact angle of the surface of the PHBV and PHBHHx films modified with PhaP-RGD fusion proteins were significantly reduced when compared with the films unmodified with PhaP-RGD fusion proteins (P < 0.05). Chondrocytes of human nasal septal cartilage incubated on the films could grow in all groups. After 3 days of cultivation in vitro, the cell proliferation and viability of group B2 were the strongest among all groups (P < 0.05); the cell proliferation after cultured for 7 days was significantly stronger than that after cultured for 3 days in groups A1, A2, B1, and B2 (P < 0.05); and the cell proliferation was significantly stronger in groups B1 and B2 than groups A1, A2 and C, in group B2 than group B1, and in group A1 than group A2 (P < 0.05). The results of toluidine blue staining showed that blue metachromasia matrixes were observed in groups A1, A2, B1, and B2; group A1 and group A2 had similar staining degree, and the staining of group B2 was deeper than that of group B1. The adhesion of cells in all groups was good through SEM observation; and the connection of cells formed and stretched into the pores of the materials., Conclusion: The biomaterial films of PHBHHx modified with PhaP-RGD fusion protein can promote its biocompatibility with chondrocytes.