Search

PKR, also known as EIF2AK2, is an IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) and shows a higher expression in probands with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is likely responsible for the impaired translational and proliferative responses to mitogens in T cells from SLE patients. In this study, we overexpressed EIF2AK2 in HeLa cells to study EIF2AK2-regulated genes using RNA-seq technology, followed by bioinformatic analysis of target genes of EIF2AK2-regulated transcriptional factors (TFs). Overexpression of EIF2AK2 promotes HeLa cell apoptosis. EIF2AK2 selectively represses the transcription of histone protein genes associated with SLE, immune response genes and TF genes, which was validated by RT-qPCR experiments. Analysis of motifs overrepresented in the promoter regions of EIF2AK2-regulated genes revealed eighteen EIF2AK2-regulated TFs involved in establishing the EIF2AK2 network. Eight out of these predicted EIF2AK2-regulated TFs were further verified by RT-qPCR selectively in both HeLa and Jurkat cells, and most such as HEY2, TFEC, BATF2, GATA3 and ATF3 and FOXO6 are known to regulate immune response. Our results suggest that the dsRNA-dependent kinase EIF2AK2 selectively regulates the transcription of immune response and SLE-associated histone protein genes, and such a selectivity is likely to be operated by EIF2AK2-targeted TFs. The EIF2AK2-TFs axis potentially offers new therapeutic targets for counteracting immunological disease in the future.

Oxygen defect-engineered is an important strategy to improve the photoelectric activity of materials. Herein, a facile one-pot solvothermal method was utilized to synthesize visible light-responsive photoactive Bi2MoO6 nanoparticles anchored boron and nitrogen co-doped graphene (BNG) nanosheets nanocomposites with oxygen vacancy. The incorporation of BNG nanosheets increased the oxygen vacancies amounts on Bi2MoO6 remarkably, and the presences of oxygen vacancies can be beneficial to broaden the absorption range. The absorption edge of Bi2MoO6/BNG was widened from 500 nm to 550 nm compared to Bi2MoO6, and the charge transfer was accelerated to improve the photoactive of Bi2MoO6/BNG. Under visible light illumination, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) response of the as-prepared Bi2MoO6/BNG was 11.6-fold, 6.7-fold, 3.1-fold and 2.4-fold higher than that of pristine Bi2MoO6, Bi2MoO6/graphene, Bi2MoO6/nitrogen doped graphene and Bi2MoO6/boron doped graphene. Using Bi2MoO6/BNG nanocomposites with the superior PEC performance as photoactive materials in combination with specifically recognized lincomycin (LIN) aptamer, a highly efficient PEC aptasensor was successfully constructed for sensitive analysis of LIN. Under optimal conditions, the proposed PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent analytical performance for LIN with a wide linear response of 1 × 10−11 to 1 × 10−6 mol L−1 along with a low detection limit of 3.7 × 10−12 mol L−1 (defined as S/N = 3). The as-prepared Bi2MoO6/BNG nanocomposites exhibit excellent visible light response and PEC performance, indicating its potential applications in PEC biosensor.

The modification of active sites in electrocatalysts is important for energy conversion and storage systems. Here, CoOx/N-doped graphene/polymeric carbon nitride (CoOx/NG/PCN) hybrid was prepared by thermal annealing method. The introduction of NG greatly prevented the aggregation of CoOx nanoparticles. Further doping PCN into CoOx/NG, CoOx/NG/PCN showed wrinkle and cross-linked structure. And the introduction of PCN can effectively increase the contents of pyridinic N and numbers of O defects to result in the improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Detailed experiments suggested that the onset and half-wave potentials (Eonset and E1/2) of CoOx/NG positively shifted of 110 and 100 mV, respectively compared to pure CoOx nanoparticles. When further doping PCN into CoOx/NG, Eonset and E1/2 were further positively shifted of 40 and 110 mV, respectively. More importantly, such ORR activity exhibited comparative activity and even more superior stability and excellent methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C. Additionally, the resulted CoOx/NG/PCN also showed superior OER activity. Compared with CoOx/NG and CoOx, the overpotential of CoOx/NG/PCN for 10 mA/cm2 current densities was decreased for 160 mV and 180 mV, respectively. Especially, the investigation herein may assist in a new insight to bond configurations modification of catalysts and can be extended to other catalytic systems.

The measurements of activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) for 33 solutes including alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane, chloromethanes, alcohols in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-propyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, [PMIM][Br], were determined by gas-liquid chromatography at five temperatures at 10 K intervals in range of (323.15–363.15) K. The densities of [PMIM][Br] were measured at the temperature range from 323.15 K to 363.15 K. The gas-liquid partition coefficients, K L at infinite dilution from 323.15 K to 363.15 K and the fundamental thermodynamic functions, such as the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H - i E , ∞ ), Gibbs free energies ( G - i E , ∞ ) and entropies ( T ref S - i E , ∞ ) were calculated at a reference temperature T r e f = 298.15. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [PMIM][Br] were also determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory ‘‘combinatorial’’ equation. The values of selectivity and capacity for n-hexane ( i )/benzene ( j ), cyclohexane ( i )/benzene ( j ) at T = 323.15 K were calculated from γ i ∞ and compared to literature values for [Br]-based ILs for the same separation problems.

The activity coefficients at infinite dilution, γ i ∞ , for 33 solutes, including alkanes, cycloalkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane, chloromethanes, alcohols in the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [HMIM][Cl], were determined by gas–liquid chromatography at temperatures range of (313.15–363.15) K. The gas-liquid partition coefficients, K L were calculated for all solutes. The densities of [HMIM][Cl] were measured at the temperature range from 313.15 K to 363.15 K. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution H - i E , ∞ were derived fromthe temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. The entropies T ref S - i E , ∞ and Gibbs energies G - i E , ∞ of organic solutes in [HMIM][Cl] at a reference temperature T ref = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [HMIM][Cl] were also determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory ‘‘combinatorial’’ equation. The values of selectivity and capacity for n-hexane ( i )/benzene ( j ), cyclohexane ( i )/benzene ( j ) were calculated from γ i ∞ and compared to literature values for [HMIM]-based or [Cl]-based ILs for the same separation problems.

Developing effective sensing method for trace analysis of ampicillin (AMP) is urgent and significant due to its residue possess serious threats to human health. Herein, a p-n heterojunction, on the basis of p-type BiFeO3 nanoparticles coupled n-typed ultrathin graphite-like carbon nitride (utg-C3N4) nanosheets, has been designed and synthesized via a simple electrostatic interaction strategy. Such p-n heterojunction has two advantages: one is capable to narrow the band gap of photoactive materials from 2.20 eV of BiFeO3 down to 2.04 eV of BiFeO3/utg-C3N4, leading to improve the efficiency of visible light utilization; and the other is to facilitate the charge separation rate, resulting in the boosted photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of BiFeO3/utg-C3N4. Under visible light illumination, the photocurrent of the resulted BiFeO3/utg-C3N4 was 7.0-fold enhanced than that of pure BiFeO3 nanoparticles, and indeed 2.3-fold enhanced comparing to BiFeO3/bulk-C3N4. Based on excellent PEC properties of BiFeO3/utg-C3N4, an on-off-on PEC aptasensor was successfully fabricated for ampicillin (AMP) determination with highly selectivity and sensitivity. The fabricated PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent PEC performance with a broad linear in the range from 1 × 10–12 mol L–1 to 1 × 10−6 mol L–1 as well as a low detection limit of 3.3 × 10–13 mol L–1 (S/N = 3), and also good feasibility in real sample. The excellent analytical performance indicated that PEC aptasensor on the basis of the visible light driven BiFeO3/utg-C3N4 heterojunction can provide a promising biosensor platform for sensitive detection AMP in food and environment analysis.

The activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ), gas–liquid partition coefficients ( K L ) of organic solutes (n-alkanes, alkenes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, chloromethanes, alcohols and 1,4-dioxane) in the ionic liquid 1-Hexyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([HMMIM][BF4]) have been measured using the gas–liquid chromatographic method (GLC) at five temperatures: 313.15 K, 323.15 K, 333.15 K, 343.15 K, 353.15 K. The density of [HMMIM][BF4], as a function of temperature, was determined in atmosphere. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ‾ i E , ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the In γ i ∞ values. The entropies ( T ref S ‾ i E , ∞ ) and Gibbs energies ( G ‾ i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes in [HMMIM][BF4] at a reference temperature T r ef = 298.15 K were calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [HMMIM][BF4] were determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory ‘‘combinatorial’’ equation. Selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) and capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution at 323.15 K have been determined for n-hexane ( i )/benzene (j), cyclohexane ( i )/benzene (j). The results were analyzed in comparison to literature data for alkylimidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) with [ BF 4 ] - . The interaction between the IL and the individual solutes can be disclosed by the linear free energy relationship (LFER) analysis.

A series of multifunctional 3-piperazinecarboxylate sarsasapogenin derivatives were designed and synthesized against Alzheimer's disease (AD). The protection against H2O2-triggered oxidative stress in PC12 cells, and inhibition on LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cell lines in vitro by these derivatives were firstly evaluated. Most of the compounds showed better antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities compared with sarsasapogenin, especially AA34 and AA36. Structure-activity relationships revealed that benzyl group, electron-donating group and intramolecular hydrogen bond might be beneficial to enhancing their neuroprotective activities. Moreover, Aβ42 was the optimum predicted target based on the high 3D molecular similarity between compound AA36 and caprospinol. In the following experiments, AA36 significantly protected PC12 cells from Aβ-induced damage and improved learning and memory impairments in Aβ-injected mice. Thus AA36 is regarded as a potent anti-AD agent and N-substituted piperazinecarboxylate can be served as a promising structural unit for anti-AD drug design.

It is fundamental to develop highly efficient visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance material for fabricating PEC biosensor. Herein, BiPO4/three-dimensional nitrogen doped graphene hydrogel (3DNGH) nanocomposites were prepared for the first time via a facile one-pot hydrothermal route. In this nanoarchitecture, the BiPO4 nanorods were anchored onto the porous structure of 3DNGH. Compared with pristine BiPO4, the absorption of BiPO4/3DNGH has been extend to visible-light region, and the energy band gap of BiPO4/3DNGH was calculated to be 2.10 eV, which was greatly narrower than that of pristine BiPO4 with a band gap of 3.85 eV. Under visible light irradiation, the photocurrent signal of the as-prepared BiPO4/3DNGH was 847.2-fold, 4.1-fold and 2.3-fold enhanced comparing to pristine BiPO4, BiPO4 functionalized reduced graphene oxide and BiPO4/nitrogen doped graphene. The enhancement of such photocurrent signal was attributed to the introduction of 3DNGH, which was capable to improve the charge transfer rate and also the efficiency of visible-light utilization of BiPO4. Based on the excellent PEC properties of BiPO4/3DNGH, a label-free PEC aptasensor for selectivity and sensitivity detection of tetracycline (Tc) was successfully established by using Tc aptamer as a biorecognition element. Under optimized conditions, the proposed PEC aptasensor exhibited a wide linear in the range from 0.1 nmol L−1 to 1 μmol L−1 as well as a low detection limit of 0.033 nmol L−1 (S/N = 3). The prepared BiPO4/3DNGH nanocomposites would serve as a promising visible light-responsive photoactive material for fabrication of PEC biosensors with high performance.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) and (gas-liquid) partition coefficients ( K L ) for organic compounds (alkanes, alkenes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane, chloromethanes, and alcohols) in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-octyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([OMMIM][NTf2]) have been measured by the gas-liquid chromatographic(GLC) method in the temperature range of (313.15 to 353.15) K. Density, ρ as a function of temperature for [OMMIM][NTf2] at pressure p = 101.3 kPa were measured. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ¯ i E , ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. The entropies ( T r ef S ¯ i E , ∞ ) and Gibbs energies ( G ¯ i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes in [OMMIM][NTf2] at a reference temperature T r ef = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [OMMIM][NTf2] were also determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory “combinatorial” equation. The linear free energy relationship (LFER) analysis of the results was performed to disclose molecular interactions operating between the IL and the individual solutes. Selectivity ( S i j ∞ ) and capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution at 323.15 K have been determined for n-hexane ( i )/benzene ( j ), cyclohexane ( i )/benzene ( j ) and compared to literature values for [NTf2]-based ILs for the same separation problems. For three isomeric xylenes separation problems, S i j ∞ at 323.15 K was also obtained from the γ i ∞ values.

This paper presents a study of the applicability of the flexibility coefficient limit for vertical boundary elements (VBEs) in steel plate shear walls (SPSWs). One 1/3-scale, one-bay, and two-storey SPSW specimen was tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. The specimen had the flexibility coefficient and axial load ratio of the VBEs of 2.2 and 0.3, respectively. The results show that axial loads on the VBEs exacerbate the failure of SPSW structure. At the drift ratio of 0.9%, VBEs subjected to the axial load of 0.3fyAg exhibited considerable inward deformation equivalent to 1/400 of the column height. Besides, a finite element model (FEM) of SPSW structure was established and validated by test results. A parametrical study of SPSW specimens with various width-to-height ratios of infill steel plates and axial load ratios of VBEs was subsequently conducted by the FEM. The influence of VBEs with different axial loads on the structural performance of SPSWs was also discussed. Without considering the effect of axial load, the VBE flexibility coefficient limit of 2.5 is applicable for the SPSWs with the width-to-height ratio of 1.0 for the infill steel plate. However, with an increase of the width-to-height ratio of the infill steel plate, the development of the tension field tends to be inadequate, while the shear capacity and stress uniformity of the infill steel plate decrease. As a result, the flexibility coefficient limit of 2.1 is recommended for the design of VBEs in SPSW structures. Contrarily, considering the axial load effect, axial loads acting on the VBEs significantly decrease the shear capacity and stress uniformity of SPSWs with levels depending on the width-to-height ratio of infill steel plates and the flexibility coefficient of VBEs. To fully develop the tension field in infill steel plates for lateral resistance of SPSWs, axial load ratio, width-to-height ratio, and column flexibility coefficient should be taken into consideration in the design of SPSW structures.

A universal and sensitive target analysis strategy was constructed by combining the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) colorimetry. Based on this strategy, we realized the detection of target DNA and thrombin. For the detection of target DNA, the hairpin chain H1 (H1) and the hairpin chain H2 (H2) could trigger HCR in the presence of target DNA. Subsequently, the HCR products could hybridize with DNA-AuNPs and make the aggregation of AuNPs, resulting in a dynamical change in the absorbance at the wavelength of 522 nm. Furthermore, the detection limit of target DNA was 4.47 pM. For the detection of thrombin, the primer could be designed according to the aptamer. The designed primer bound to the aptamer to prevent HCR in the absence of thrombin. Once upon the addition of thrombin, the thrombin preferentially bound to the aptamer, thus the primer could be released to trigger HCR. Afterwards, the HCR products hybridized with DNA-AuNPs, thus realizing the detection of thrombin. Finally, the detection limit of thrombin was 1.26 pM. Consequently, by designing the sequence of primer, the strategy exhibited good universality for the detection of different targets, which had great potential in biosensing.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) and (gas–liquid) partition coefficients ( K L ) for organic compounds (alkanes, alkenes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, 1,4-dioxane, chloromethanes, and alcohols) and water in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium perchlorate ([BMIM][ClO4]) have been measured by the (gas-liquid) chromatographic method in the temperature range of (303.15–353.15) K. Density, ρ as a function of temperature for [BMIM][ClO4] at pressure p = 101.3 kPa were measured. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ¯ i E , ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. The entropies ( T ref S ¯ i E , ∞ ) and Gibbs free energies ( G ¯ i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes in [BMIM][ClO4] at a reference temperature T ref = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [BMIM][ClO4] were also determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory ‘‘combinatorial’’ equation. Selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) and capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution at 323.15 K have been determined for n-hexane (i)/benzene (j), cyclohexane (i)/benzene (j)). The results were analyzed in comparison to literature values for 1-buthyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) for the same separation problems. For three isomeric xylenes separation problems, selectivity at 323.15 K were also obtained from the γ i ∞ values.

A shaking table test of a 1:3 scale semi-rigid steel frame with buckling-restrained steel plate shear wall was conducted herein to study the seismic performance of this type of structure. The model was designed as ordinary steel plate shear walls, but with buckling-restrained. Its members consisted of non-simplified sections. The descriptions of the test specimen, instruments, set-up procedures were also presented. The dynamic characteristics, acceleration, displacement, and shear force were analysed. The maximum inter-storey drift angle in elastic-plastic was 1/68. The lateral stiffness drop was only 12% when completely loaded. The test model did not collapse under rare earthquakes. The results showed that the seismic behaviour was adequate for survival in large seismic excitations, and the design methods of the members and the semi-rigid connections were reasonable.

Smart Farming is a development that emphasizes the use of information and communication technology in the cyber-physical farm management cycle. New technologies such as the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing are expected to leverage this development and introduce more robots and artificial intelligence in farming. This is encompassed by the phenomenon of Big Data, massive volumes of data with a wide variety that can be captured, analysed and used for decision-making. This review aims to gain insight into the state-of-the-art of Big Data applications in Smart Farming and identify the related socio-economic challenges to be addressed. Following a structured approach, a conceptual framework for analysis was developed that can also be used for future studies on this topic. The review shows that the scope of Big Data applications in Smart Farming goes beyond primary production; it is influencing the entire food supply chain. Big data are being used to provide predictive insights in farming operations, drive real-time operational decisions, and redesign business processes for game-changing business models. Several authors therefore suggest that Big Data will cause major shifts in roles and power relations among different players in current food supply chain networks. The landscape of stakeholders exhibits an interesting game between powerful tech companies, venture capitalists and often small start-ups and new entrants. At the same time there are several public institutions that publish open data, under the condition that the privacy of persons must be guaranteed. The future of Smart Farming may unravel in a continuum of two extreme scenarios: 1) closed, proprietary systems in which the farmer is part of a highly integrated food supply chain or 2) open, collaborative systems in which the farmer and every other stakeholder in the chain network is flexible in choosing business partners as well for the technology as for the food production side. The further development of data and application infrastructures (platforms and standards) and their institutional embedment will play a crucial role in the battle between these scenarios. From a socio-economic perspective, the authors propose to give research priority to organizational issues concerning governance issues and suitable business models for data sharing in different supply chain scenarios.

Objective Portal hyperperfusion after extended hepatectomy or small-for-size liver transplantation may induce organ dysfunction and failure. This study was designed to monitor and characterize the hepatic microcirculatory perfusion following different volumes of hepatectomy in rats by using laser speckle contrast image (LSCI) and Oxygen to See (O2C), a spectrometric device. Methods The microcirculatory liver blood flow of the rats that underwent 68%, 85% and 90% hepatectomy (68PH, 85PH and 90PH) was monitored with LSCI and O2C before and following the hepatectomy. The portal venous flow (PVF) and hepatic arterial flow (HAF) were measured with an ultrasonic flowmeter. Liver regeneration, liver injury, histologic evaluation and gene expression were also assessed at 12 h, 24 h, 3 d and 7 d post hepatectomy. Results All the 68PH and 85PH rats survived, and 57% of the 90PH rats survived. After hepatectomy, both PVF and HAF decreased transiently, with the PVF of the 85PH and 90PH rats significantly lower than that of the 68PH rats. In contrast, the PVF and HAF per gram of liver weight were greatly increased after liver resection and were proportional to the volume of resected liver. Correspondingly, the microcirculatory liver blood flow of the 68PH, 85PH and 90PH rats, as assessed by both LSCI and O2C, were increased after hepatectomy, and the 90PH group was significantly higher than the 68PH and 85PH groups. The hyperperfusion continued for approximately 3 days and returned to baseline following the completion of liver regeneration. The liver venous oxygen saturation of the three groups decreased immediately after hepatectomy and returned to baseline from 24 h after hepatectomy. The 90PH rats also showed delayed liver regeneration and the most severe liver injury, as reflected by increased serum ALT, AST and TBIL levels, hepatocellular vacuolization, and inflammatory and endothelial constriction gene expressions (TNF-α, IL-1β, MIP-1α, ET-1 and TM-1). Conclusion Hepatic microcirculation hyperperfusion resulting from major and extended liver resection could be assessed by LSCI and O2C methods. The 90PH in rats led to extraordinary sinusoidal hyperperfusion, severe endothelial injury and liver failure. Monitoring the changes of hepatic microcirculation perfusion following extended hepatectomy or small-for-size liver transplantation may help to analyze the extent of hyperperfusion.

Scarce precious metals commonly adopted for crucial technologies such as catalysis can potentially be replaced with inexpensive, earth-abundant metals. Cobalt is gaining attention in this respect because of its distinctive redox chemistry that is suited to catalyzing the formation of C–C and C–N bonds. Two recently developed examples are cobalt-catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) and auto-transfer-hydrogenative (ATH) reactions for the reliable and mild construction of these bonds. Advances in both classes of reaction are herein reviewed (2013-present).

The need to feed an increasing world population and to respond to the effects of climate change creates unprecedented challenges for bio-based production systems. Many of these systems have been designed to maximize productivity and efficiency under standard conditions, increasing their vulnerability to changes in their surrounding natural, technological and social systems. Reviewing the recent literature and reflecting on current research, we find that dominant attempts to increase production focus on maximizing control, while insufficient attention has been paid to system resilience, adaptability and transformability. These three core aspects of resilience thinking aim to reduce system vulnerability. We therefore argue for stronger adoption of resilience thinking into research on bio-based production systems. We show how applying resilience thinking helps to address both the production and the vulnerability challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-fertilization.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) and gas-liquid partition coefficients (KL) for organic solutes: n-alkanes, alkenes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, and chloromethanes in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-hexyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([HMMIM][NTf2]) have been measured by the gas-liquid chromatographic method (GLC) in the temperature range of (313.15–353.15) K. The thermodynamic functions at infinite dilution as partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ‾ i E, ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. Gibbs energies ( G ‾ i E, ∞ ) and entropies ( T ref S ‾ i E, ∞ ) of organic solutes in [HMMIM][NTf2] at a reference temperature Tref = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The solubility parameters of the IL [HMMIM][NTf2] were determined by two methods. Selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) and capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution at 323.15 K have been determined for n-hexane (i)/benzene (j), cyclohexane (i)/benzene (j). The results were analyzed in comparison to literature data for alkylimidazolium-based ILs with [NTf2]−. For three isomeric xylenes separation problems, selectivity at 323.15 K were also obtained from the γ i ∞ values.

Mechanism of CWS (coal water slurry) electrolysis was investigated by using anode reaction kinetics. The results indicated that the activation energies of electrode reaction reduce with the increase in activity of carbon materials. According to the electrode reaction kinetics, the direct oxidation of CWS electrolysis occurred easily under lower concentration of electrolyte and higher concentration of CWS. On the contrary, the indirect oxidation of CWS electrolysis took place. Because of the high oxygen evolution potential of water electrolysis in H2SO4 solution (1.23 V), the direct oxidation of CWS electrolysis mainly occurred under water decomposition potential (0.5-1.23 V). As NaOH solution was used as electrolyte, it was difficult to distinguish direct and indirect oxidation under the low potential (0.4 V). With increasing stirring rate, the electrode reaction activation energies of GWS (graphite water slurry) electrolysis increased slightly and were always lower than 40 kJ/mol. The results indicated that GWS electrolysis was controlled by diffusion and the increase in stirring rate could not reduce the polarization. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fibrosis results from excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) plays a central role in hepatic fibrosis. Thus, removal of excess ECM and promotion of apoptosis in HSC are two antifibrotic approaches. Ethyl acetate fraction (EF) of Terminalia bellirica fruit has long been used in liver diseases, but little scientific evidence exists for EF mechanisms in such illnesses. EF has demonstrated both antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities in HSC-T6. The present study investigated the effects of EF on cellular proliferation, ECM removal, cellular signaling pathways, and apoptosis of a rat HSC line (HSC-T6). HSC-T6 cells were incubated with EF, and their proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. Expression of Smad2, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analysis. Expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and TIMP-2 mRNAs was determined by real-time PCR. Collagen I, collagen III, TGF-β1, and hydroxyproline levels were assessed by ELISA. Apoptosis was measured and confirmed by Annexin V-PI staining using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Apoptotic pathways involving Fas/FasL expression and Bcl-2/Bax family were investigated by real-time PCR. Results showed that 31.25–250 μg/mL EF exhibited cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects on HSC-T6 cells. EF at 50 μg/mL significantly decreased the levels of collagen I, collagen III, TGF-β1, and hydroxyproline. EF suppressed the gene expression of Smad2, PDGFR, α-SMA, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 but elevated that of MMP-2. These events consequently facilitated ECM removal and fibrosis resolution. The highest potency of EF promoting HSC-T6 apoptosis was detected at 50 μg/mL concentration. This finding was associated with upregulation of Fas/FasL and Bax, as well as downregulation of Bcl-2 in HSC-T6. These results indicate that EF demonstrates antifibrotic activity, and its mechanism of action can be ascribed to inhibition of collagen synthesis, cytokine secretion, and TGF-β1/Smad pathway. Furthermore, EF facilitates apoptosis in HSCs.

Preparation of high-value pitch-based carbon fiber from catalytic slurry oil is of great importance, but is very difficult with traditional routes. In this work, a new route studied on the development of suitable pitch precursor from catalytic slurry oil was carried out using the techniques of thermal polymerization to increase the content of heavy components, centrifugal separation to remove the quinoline insolubles (QI), solvent extraction to remove light components and vacuum distillation to remove extractant. The effects of the above treatment processes on the QI particles size distribution, thermo-gravimetry, other properties of asphalt, micro-structure of pitch fibers and mechanical properties of carbon fibers were investigated. The result showed that thermal polymerization could significantly improve the contents of heavy components, accelerate the conversion of active components (alkenes, heterocycles, etc) into QI, and greatly increase QI particles size. The process of solvent extraction could effectively remove the light components and increase the softening point s of asphalt. With increasing the time of thermal polymerization, QI particles became bigger and more easily removable, the micro-structures of pitch fibers were much smoother, and the mechanical properties of carbon fibers were more uniform.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) for organic solutes: alkanes, alkenes, and alkyl benzenes in two ionic liquids (ILs) 1,3-dimethylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([MMIM][DMP]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([EMIM][DMP]) have been measured by the gas–liquid chromatographic method (GLC). The measurements were carried out in the temperature range of (313.15 to 363.15) K. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ‾ i E , ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. The entropies ( T ref S ‾ i E , ∞ ) and Gibbs energies ( G ‾ i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes at a reference temperature Tref = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. Selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) and capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution at T = 323.15 K have been determined for hexane (i)/benzene (j), cyclohexane (i)/benzene (j). The results were analyzed in comparison to literature data for other ILs with the [MMIM] and [EMIM] cations. For three isomeric xylenes separation problems, selectivity at T = 323.15 K were also obtained from the γ i ∞ values.

Cardiac fibrosis is one of the key structural changes of the hypertrophied left ventricle in hypertensive heart disease. Increased angiotensin II was found to be important in the hypertension related fibrosis, while the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, we found that angiotensin II dose-dependently increased the expression of Col1a1, Col3a1 and α-smooth muscle actin, which were blocked by ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Mechanistically, angiotensin II induced robust ROS generation, which in turn induced cytoplasmic translocation of RNA binding protein HuR. Cytoplasmic translocated HuR increased TGFβ pathway activity and subsequent collagen synthesis. In contrast, knockdown of HuR nearly blocked angiotensin II induced TGFβ activation and collagen synthesis. Taken together, we here identified that angiotensin II promotes collagen synthesis in cardiac fibroblast through ROS-HuR-TGFβ pathway.

The desulfurization kinetics and mineral phase evolution from bauxite water slurry (BWS) electrolysis were examined. The results showed that the desulfurization ratio in NaCl system increased with current density, and reached up to 96% at 0.22 A/cm(2). In contrast, the desulfurization ratio in NaOH system increased firstly, and then decreased with current density, which was relative to the lifetime of oxidizing media from electrolysis. It was noted that pH value of electrolyte had some crucial effects on oxidant species and surface of FeS2, and thus the desulfurization ratio increased with the decrease in pH value of electrolyte. According to desulfurization kinetics, electrolysis desulfurization in NaCl solution was controlled by internal diffusion, and the apparent activation energy was 18.68 kJ/mol. However, electrolysis desulfurization process in NaOH solution was controlled by interface chemical reaction, and the apparent activation energy was 25.77 kJ/mol. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The infinite dilution activity coefficients ( γ i ∞ ) and gas–liquid partition coefficients (KL) of solutes in the ionic liquids (ILs) are important parameters of thermodynamic properties. They can evaluate the separation selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) of ILs and screen out suitable extractants for difficult separation systems. The retention times of solutes in IL 1-propyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [PMMIM][NTf2] were measured by gas chromatography (GC) to calculate the γ i ∞ and the ΚL values of organic solutes (eg. n-alkanes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, etc.) in [PMMIM][NTf2] at 303.15 K-353.15 K. The density of [PMMIM][NTf2], as a function of temperature, was measured at p = 101.3 kPa. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H - i E , ∞ ) were derived from the T dependence of the l n γ i ∞ . The entropies ( T ref S - i E , ∞ ) and Gibbs free energies ( G - i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes in [PMMIM][NTf2] at a reference temperature Τref = 298.15 K can be calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters of the IL [PMMIM][NTf2] were obtained from the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory “combinatorial” equation. At 323.15 K, the selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) of n-hexane (i)/benzene (j) and cyclohexane (i)/benzene (j) and the capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution of benzene have been determined. The results were analyzed by comparing with literature data for alkylimidazolium-based ILs with [NTf2]−.

Activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) and (gas + liquid) partition coefficients (KL) for organic solutes: alkanes, alkenes, alkyl benzenes, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, and chloromethanes in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methyl sulfate ([BMIM][CH3SO4]) have been measured by the (gas + liquid) chromatographic method in the temperature range of (313.15 to 363.15) K. The values of the partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ‾ i E, ∞ ) were derived from the temperature dependence of the γ i ∞ values. The entropies ( T ref S ‾ i E, ∞ ) and Gibbs free energies ( G ‾ i E, ∞ ) of organic solutes in [BMIM][CH3SO4] at a reference temperature Tref = 298.15 K were also calculated from the γ i ∞ values. The solubility parameters of the IL [BMIM][CH3SO4] were also determined by the regular solution theory (RST). The linear free energy relationship (LFER) analysis of the results was performed to disclose molecular interactions operating between the IL and the individual solutes.

The electrothermal characteristics and degradation mechanism of 4H-SiC JBS under high temperature power cycling (HTPC) stress were investigated based on thermal structure function, failure analysis and electrothermal simulation. Results show that, the HTPC stress at different temperature conditions (maximum junction temperature Tjmax = 150 °C and Tjmax = 200 °C) have different effects on the reverse breakdown voltage (Vbr), reverse leakage current and the on-resistance (Ron-sp). It was that the increased reverse leakage currents with HTPC stress are due to the Schottky barrier lowering at the beginning. However, as the heat concentration effect increased at the metal/4H-SiC interface, the contribution of tunneling to leakage current is the major components. So the heat flux path and thermal distribution are very crucial to the reliability of chip and package. It can be concluded that the degradations of die-attach, die surface and metal/SiC interface are the main reliability limiting factors of SiC JBS diodes under high temperature applications.

Supplementation with iron-fortified foods is an effective method for treating iron deficiency diseases. However, traditional iron agents used to treat anemia of inflammation (AI) have little effect. In this study, two types of iron liposomes, heme liposomes (HEME-LIP) and ferric citrate liposomes (FAC-LIP), were prepared by the rotary-evaporated film-ultrasonication method, and the encapsulation efficiencies, microstructures, size distributions and zeta potentials were assessed. Both types of iron liposomes showed stable physical characteristics. When used to treat rat models of AI, FAC-LIP and HEME-LIP could increase serum iron levels by 119% and 54% higher than did ferric citrate (FAC) and heme, respectively. Furthermore, the hepcidin, a key regulator of iron homeostasis was up-regulated by these iron liposomes, especially by HEME-LIP. These results indicate that the absorption of iron liposomes was improved over that of unencapsulated iron agents. Thus, iron liposomes may be used to fortify food in treating iron deficiency diseases, especially AI.

Myocardial perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with sliding-window conjugate-gradient highly constrained back-projection reconstruction (SW-CG-HYPR) allows whole left ventricular coverage, improved temporal and spatial resolution and signal/noise ratio, and reduced cardiac motion-related image artifacts. The accuracy of this technique for detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been determined in a large number of patients. We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic performance of myocardial perfusion MRI with SW-CG-HYPR in patients with suspected CAD. A total of 50 consecutive patients who were scheduled for coronary angiography with suspected CAD underwent myocardial perfusion MRI with SW-CG-HYPR at 3.0 T. The perfusion defects were interpreted qualitatively by 2 blinded observers and were correlated with x-ray angiographic stenoses ≥50%. The prevalence of CAD was 56%. In the per-patient analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of SW-CG-HYPR was 96% (95% confidence interval 82% to 100%), 82% (95% confidence interval 60% to 95%), 87% (95% confidence interval 70% to 96%), 95% (95% confidence interval 74% to100%), and 90% (95% confidence interval 82% to 98%), respectively. In the per-vessel analysis, the corresponding values were 98% (95% confidence interval 91% to 100%), 89% (95% confidence interval 80% to 94%), 86% (95% confidence interval 76% to 93%), 99% (95% confidence interval 93% to 100%), and 93% (95% confidence interval 89% to 97%), respectively. In conclusion, myocardial perfusion MRI using SW-CG-HYPR allows whole left ventricular coverage and high resolution and has high diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected CAD.

CoCO3 particles with diverse morphologies were successfully synthesized through a solvothermal method using cobalt salt and urea as the reactants with the assistance of sodium dodecylsulphonate. Co3O4 particles which kept the spherical morphology were obtained by a subsequent calcinating process at a series of temperatures from 350 to 550 °C. It is found that the average diameter of Co3O4 spheres decreases with the increase of calcination temperature. Additionally, the influence of solvent and sodium dodecylsulphonate on the product morphology has been employed, and a possible formation mechanism is also proposed. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals that Co3O4 microspheres show a potential application as catalyst in the thermal degradation of ammonium perchlorate.

Ca–Al and Ca–Fe layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were successfully synthesized from chicken eggshells by an ultrasonic wave assistant method. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. XRD and TEM analyses showed that the 4Ca–Al LDHs were of high purity but other samples were not. The present study provides a simple, efficient and environmental friendly method to obtain LDHs from biowaste eggshells, in which additional alkaline solution is not required for synthesis. Moreover, eggshells provide all the requisite bivalent metal ions, which are needed to form layered double hydroxides.

The Cu/SiO 2 catalysts were in situ synthesized by the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in one phase solution using ethanol as co-solvent or TEOS/H 2 O two phases solution, followed by the precipitation of copper on SiO 2 by ammonia evaporation. In the hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate, the catalyst prepared by one phase hydrolysis exhibited higher activity and ethylene glycol (EG) selectivity at lower temperature than that of two phases due to its larger BET surface area and multimodal pore distribution. At 488–503 K, the catalyst prepared in one phase solution with water/ethanol (W/E) volume ratio of 3:1 exhibited 90–95% EG selectivity, while catalyst prepared by two phase hydrolysis reached 90% EG selectivity only at 498–503 K.

C@LaCO 3 OH core-shell microspheres have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method using colloidal carbonaceous spheres (CCSs) as template and its by-products as reactant without any other precipitating agent added in the reaction system. The FT-IR and XRD results indicated the successful formation of the well-crystallized LaCO 3 OH shell with hexagonal crystal structure on the CCSs’ surface. The morphology and qualitative elemental chemical analysis were characterized by SEM, TEM, and EDS. The effects of co-solvent on the crystallinity of the LaCO 3 OH shell were also studied. In addition, PL result showed one emission band centered at 421 nm ( λ ex = 365 nm) of the C@LaCO 3 OH microspheres. The UV–visible spectrum was also employed to investigate the optical property of the products. Further, a possible formation mechanism of the core-shell structure was proposed.