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Aims: To develop a semi-mechanistic hepatic compartmental model to predict the effects of rifampicin, a known inducer of CYP3A4 enzyme, on the metabolism of five drugs, in the hope of informing dose adjustments to avoid potential drug-drug interactions. Methods: A search was conducted for DDI studies on the interactions between rifampicin and CYP substrates that met specific criteria, including the availability of plasma concentration–time profiles, physical and absorption parameters, pharmacokinetic parameters, and the use of healthy subjects at therapeutic doses. The semi-mechanistic model utilized in this study was improved from its predecessors, incorporating additional parameters such as population data (specifically for Chinese and Caucasians), virtual individuals, gender distribution, age range, dosing time points, and coefficients of variation. Results: Optimal parameters were identified for our semi-mechanistic model by validating it with clinical data, resulting in a maximum difference of approximately 2-fold between simulated and observed values. PK data of healthy subjects were used for most CYP3A4 substrates, except for gilteritinib, which showed no significant difference between patients and healthy subjects. Dose adjustment of gilteritinib co-administered with rifampicin required a 3-fold increase of the initial dose, while other substrates were further tuned to achieve the desired drug exposure. Conclusions: The pharmacokinetic parameters AUCR and CmaxR of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, when influenced by Rifampicin, were predicted by the semi-mechanistic model to be approximately twice the empirically observed values, which suggests that the semi-mechanistic model was able to reasonably simulate the effect. The doses of four drugs adjusted via simulation to reduce rifampicin interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multiple malignant tumors, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are believed to play a crucial role. Our prior results demonstrated that circ_ZNF778_006 was significantly increased in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues, but the roles of circ_ZNF778_006 in ESCC is still not clear. The expression of circ_ZNF778_006 was compared in different pathological grades of ESCC. And the expression levels of circ_ZNF778_006, miR-18b-5p, HIF-1α were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Plasmid transfection techniques were applied to prepare ESCC cells with silenced or overexpressed genes (CircZNF778_006, miR-18b-5p). The CCK8 kit was used to determine cell proliferation, and the Transwell assay was used to measure the migration and invasion. The effects of circ_ZNF778_006 on tumor growth was investigated in vivo. Furthermore, luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) were performed to verify the targeting relationship between miR-18b-5p and circZNF778_006, miR-18b-5p and HIF-1α. The expression of circ_ZNF778_006 was positively correlated with pathological grade in ESCC. Circ_ZNF778_006 significantly inhibited sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil & cisplatin. It could promote the proliferation, invasion, migration in ESCC cells and accelerated tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, circ_ZNF778_006 could upregulate the expression of HIF-1α via sponing miR-18b-5p. Circ_ZNF778_006 promoted ESCC progression by upregulating HIF-1α expression via sponging miR-18b-5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New consensus indicates type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis as comorbidity and may share common pathways of disease progression. Sulfonylureas have been reported to improve the periodontal status in periodontitis patients. Glipizide, a sulfonylurea widely used in the treatment of T2DM, has also been reported to inhibit inflammation and angiogenesis. The effect of glipizide on the pathogenicity of periodontitis, however, has not been studied. We developed ligature-induced periodontitis in mice and treated them with different concentrations of glipizide and then analyzed the level of periodontal tissue inflammation, alveolar bone resorption, and osteoclast differentiation. Inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenesis were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and ELISA. Transwell assay and Western bolt analyzed macrophage migration and polarization. 16S rRNA sequencing analyzed the effect of glipizide on the oral microbial flora. mRNA sequencing of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) stimulated by P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) after treatment with glipizide was analyzed. Glipizide decreases alveolar bone resorption, periodontal tissue degradation, and the number of osteoclasts in periodontal tissue affected by periodontitis (PAPT). Glipizide-treated periodontitis mice showed reduced micro-vessel density and leukocyte/macrophage infiltration in PAPT. Glipizide significantly inhibited osteoclast differentiation in vitro experiments. Glipizide treatment did not affect the oral microbiome of periodontitis mice. mRNA sequencing and KEGG analysis showed that glipizide activated PI3K/AKT signaling in LPS-stimulated BMMs. Glipizide inhibited the LPS-induced migration of BMMs but promoted M2/M1 macrophage ratio in LPS-induced BMMs via activation of PI3K/AKT signaling. In conclusion, glipizide inhibits angiogenesis, macrophage inflammatory phenotype, and osteoclastogenesis to alleviate periodontitis pathogenicity suggesting its' possible application in the treatment of periodontitis and diabetes comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have indicated that exposure to a single toxic metal can cause renal tubular damage, while evidence about the effects of multimetal exposure on renal tubular damage is relatively limited. We aimed to evaluate the relationships of multimetal coexposure with renal tubular damage in adults in heavy metal-polluted rural regions of China. A cross-sectional study of 1918 adults in China's heavy metal-contaminated rural regions was conducted. Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) was used to measure the plasma levels of 18 metals in participants, and immune turbidimetry was used to measure sensitive biological indicators, reflecting renal tubular damage (including retinol-binding protein and β2-microglobulin). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized regression analysis, logistic and linear regression analysis, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analysis and the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) method were used to explore associations of multimetal coexposure with renal tubular damage risk or renal tubular damage indicators. Plasma selenium, cadmium, arsenic, and iron were identified as the main plasma metals associated with renal tubular damage risk after dimensionality reduction. Multimetal regression models showed that selenium was positively associated, and iron was negatively associated with renal tubular damage risk or its biological indicators. Multimetal RCS analyses additionally revealed a non-linear relationship of selenium with renal tubular damage risk. The BKMR models showed that the metal mixtures were positively associated with biological indicators of renal tubular damage when the metal mixtures were above the 50th percentile of concentration. Our findings indicated that natural exposure to high levels of multimetal mixtures increases the risk of renal tubular damage. Under the conditions of multimetal exposure, selenium was positively associated, and iron was negatively associated with renal tubular damage risk or its biological indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncontrollable bleeding and bacterial infections are the major reasons for the high mortality of post-traumatic. In this study, a composite hemostatic chitosan sponge CaO2@SiO2/CS was prepared by combining a novel core—shell inorganic nano hemostatic CaO2@SiO2 nanoparticles with carboxylated chitosan, which presents a multi-layered structure with a rough and hydrophilic surface for rapid absorption of blood. When the CaO2@SiO2 nanoparticles in the CaO2@SiO2/CS come into contact with blood, the silanol group on its surface and the released H2O2 and Ca2+ can recruit and activate platelets, while generating fibrin clots and activating the endo-exogenous coagulation cascade reaction to achieve rapid clotting. The H2O2 released from CaO2@SiO2 shows the antimicrobial capacity and stimulates the production of tissue factors by endothelial cells. Meanwhile, the silica coating reduces the cytotoxicity of bare CaO2, thus reducing the risk of secondary bleeding at the site of vascular injury. CaO2@SiO2/CS (48 s) showed a 1.83- and 2.52-fold reduction in hemostasis time compared to commercial gelfoam and CS in a femoral artery hemorrhage model. This study illustrates the hemostatic mechanism of CaO2@SiO2 and provides a reference for the development of clinical biomedical inorganic hemostatic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The generalizability of numerous tacrolimus population pharmacokinetic (popPK) models constructed to promote optimal tacrolimus dosing in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive performance of published tacrolimus popPK models for PNS patients with an external data set. Methods: We prospectively collected 223 concentrations from 50 Chinese adult patients with PNS who were undergoing tacrolimus treatment. Data on published tacrolimus popPK models for adults and children with PNS were extracted from the literature. Model predictability was evaluated with prediction-based and simulation-based diagnostics and Bayesian forecasting. Results: In prediction-based evaluation, none of the 11 identified published popPK models of tacrolimus had met a predefined criteria of a mean prediction error ≤ ± 20%, and the prediction error within ± 30% of the identified models didn't exceed 50%. Simulation-based diagnostics also indicated unsatisfactory predictability. Bayesian forecasting demonstrated amelioration in the model predictability with the inclusion of 2–3 prior observations. Moreover, the predictive performance of nonlinear models was not better than that of one-compartment models. Conclusions: The prediction of tacrolimus concentrations for patients with PNS remains challenging; published models are not applicable for extrapolation to other hospitals. Bayesian forecasting significantly improved model predictability and thereby helped to individualize tacrolimus dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to identify stable and interpretable profiles of 18,338 Chinese secondary school students in eighth grade on the basis of three aspects of reading engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. Furthermore, the relationship between reading comprehension and these reading engagement profiles was investigated. Latent profile analysis revealed six groupings of individuals representing different patterns of the three aspects of reading engagement. These consistent patterns were labeled Large Amount/Strong Engagement (LA/SE) and Small Amount/Weak Engagement (SA/WE), respectively (0.50–1.75 SD above/below the mean), while the mixed patterns were labeled Large Amount/Moderate Engagement (LA/ME), Large Amount/Weak Engagement (LA/WE), Small Amount/Moderate Engagement (SA/ME), and Small Amount/Strong Engagement (SA/SE). The results (derived from the statistical analyses of consistent patterns) revealed that to some extent, the reading engagement profiles were linearly associated with reading comprehension. On the other hand, the mixed patterns suggest that the reading engagement profiles could be differentially associated with reading comprehension. The findings support the utility of exploring multidimensional reading engagement profiles in planning instruction to improve Chinese secondary school students' reading skills. Implications for reading instruction and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using nerve guide conduits (NGCs) to promote the regeneration of PNI is a feasible alternative to autograft. Compared with NGCs made of single material, composite NGCs have a greater development prospect. Our previous research has confirmed that poly(D, L-lactic acid)/β-tricalcium phosphate/hyaluronic acid/chitosan/nerve growth factor (PDLLA/β-TCP/HA/CHS/NGF) NGCs have excellent physical and chemical properties, which can slowly release NGF and support cell adhesion and proliferation. In this study, PDLLA/β-TCP/HA/CHS/NGF NGCs were prepared and used to bridge a 10 mm sciatic nerve defect in 200–250 g Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat to verify the performance of the NGCs in vivo. Substantial improvements in nerve regeneration were observed after using the PDLLA/β-TCP/HA/CHS/NGF NGCs based on gross post-operation observation, triceps wet weight analysis and nerve histological assessment. In vivo studies illustrate that the PDLLA/β-TCP/HA/CHS/NGF sustained-release NGCs can effectively promote peripheral nerve regeneration, and the effect is similar to that of autograft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the influence of renal insufficiency on the anticoagulant effects and safety of warfarin in Chinese patients. Data on the creatinine levels of participants enrolled in a randomized controlled study were screened and divided into the non-renal insufficiency group, mild renal insufficiency group, and moderate renal insufficiency group, according to the creatinine clearance rate. The primary outcome measures were stable dose and average daily dose of warfarin. Secondary outcome measures were percentage of time in the therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) (%TTR), and the first time to reach the therapeutic INR. Adverse events included bleeding events, thromboembolic events, and mortality. All participants with renal function test results and a baseline INR of less than 1.5 were included in the primary and secondary outcome analysis. The SPSS Statistics 21.0 software was used for statistical analysis. The randomized controlled trial was registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02211326). A total of 571 patients were included in this analysis. Multiple regression analysis showed that the renal function was correlated with stable dose, average daily dose, and the first time to reach therapeutic INR after adjusting for confounding factors. However, no correlation was noted between kidney function and %TTR. No significant differences were observed across the various safety parameters among the three groups. Renal function is an important consideration in patients using warfarin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient particulate matter (PM) newly has been regarded as a conceivable hazard for public health. A large number of studies have described that PM, exceptionally PM2.5, is correlated with respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, etc. PM2.5-induced hepatocyte steatosis previously has been uncovered both in cellular and murine models. Nevertheless, less is known about the underlying mechanism. Here, we found that PM2.5 could cause the downregulation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a key transcription factor for lipid metabolism. FXR could regulate the accumulation of lipid droplets induced by PM2.5 in vitro. Moreover, FXR−/− mice were exposed to PM2.5 for 2 months to investigate the role of FXR in pathogenesis of PM2.5-induced hepatic steatosis in vivo. The results showed that exposure of wild-type (WT) mice to PM2.5 caused mild liver steatosis compared with the mice exposure to filtered air (FA). Furthermore, the content of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) was elevated in WT mice liver triggered by the inhalation of PM2.5. However, there was no statistical difference in TG and TC content between FXR−/− mice with and without PM2.5 exposure. Overall, our finding suggested FXR mediated PM2.5-induced hepatic steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive polymers show great promise because of their electrical property based on bioelectricity in vivo. In order to search electro-activity materials which insure abduction of tissue, we synthesized conductive nerve conduits with poly-dl-lactic-acid (PDLLA) and tetra-aniline (TA). Preparation technology of TA was optimized, and the properties of the conduit were studied. RSC96 cell were used to investigate the toxicity and electrical stimulation effect. SD rats were used to assess biocompatibility in vivo. The results showed that the reaction ratio of 1:1, the reaction time of 2 h and the HCl concentration of 2 mol/L were the optimum conditions for synthesis of TA. The influence of TA content on the mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, conductivity and microstructure of the nerve conduit was evaluated. Cell and histocompatibility study showed PDLLA/TA possessed good biocompatibility. These results showed it had application values in tissue projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The psychometric property of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is underappreciated in public health settings. Our study aimed to assess the reliability, validity, and measurement invariance of DLQI in a homogeneous population with arsenic-related skin lesions and symptoms.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in communities under lifetime arsenic exposure. The DLQI was measured through a face-to-face interview. Skin examinations were performed by certificated dermatologists. The intensity of itching was measured by a numerical rating scale. Reliability, structural validity, and measurement invariance were determined using classical and modern test theories, including confirmatory factor analysis and item response models.Results: 465 participants with arsenic-related skin lesions and symptoms completed the DLQI assessment. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.79, and the split-half reliability was 0.77. A two-factor model exhibited the best model fit among models evaluated, but local dependencies among items were identified. The model showed good root mean square error of approximation (0.031) and acceptable Tucker-Lewis index (0.92). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed no measurement invariance across subgroups of age, gender, ethnicity, and intensity of itching.Conclusions: The DLQI had acceptable psychometric properties, but measurement invariance was not observed across different groups of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic materials have seldom been used in vapor-phase reaction due to their poor thermal stability. To solve this problem, toluene vapor-phase oxidation catalyst was fabricated by supporting vanadium oxide onto graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN), an organic material with excellent thermal and oxidative stability. The nitrogen-rich property provides g-CN with abundant anchoring sites, leading to high dispersion of vanadium oxide. When used as catalysts for the oxidation of toluene, V-g-CN exhibited greatly improved activity and selectivity to benzaldehyde compared to traditional catalyst. After the vapor-phase reaction at 330 °C for 6 h, no marked deactivation was observed. The TGA, XRD, FT-IR and XPS results revealed that V-g-CN keeps constant during this high-temperature process. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to obtain the fillers in the lumen of hollow nerve conduits (NCs) to improve the microenvironment of nerve regeneration. A pH-induced injectable chitosan (CS)-hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel for nerve growth factor (NGF) sustained release was developed. Its properties were characterized by gelation time, FT-IR, SEM, in vitro swelling and degradation. Furthermore, the in vitro NGF release profiles and cell biocompatibility were also investigated. The experimental results show that the CS-HA aqueous solution can undergo a rapid gelation 3 minutes after its environmental pH is changed to 7.4. The CS-HA hydrogel has interconnected channels with a controllable pore diameter and with a porosity of about 80%. It has a favorable swelling behavior and can be degraded by about 70% within 8 weeks in vitro and is suitable for NGF release. The CS-HA/NGF hydrogel exhibits a lower cytotoxicity and is in favor of the adhesion and proliferation of the BMMSCs cells. It is indicated that the CS-HA/NGF will be a promising candidate for neural tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel water soluble chitosan derivatives as gene vectors was synthesized. The delivery systems were tested for their ability to form complexes with plasmid DNA by utilizing agarose gel electrophoresis, particle size analysis, zeta potential measurement and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, cytotoxicity of chitosan derivatives and transfection efficiency of polyplexes were evaluated in vitro. The experimental results showed that the novel chitosan derivatives had lower cytotoxicity, good DNA condensation, and higher transfection efficiencies compared to chitosan in both 293T and HeLa cell lines. It was indicated that these chitosan derivatives were promising candidates for non-viral gene vectors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time, maturity, and plant morphology have considerable effects on the adaptation and grain yield of soybean ( Glycine max). The identification of novel genes and an understanding of their molecular basis are critical to improve soybean productivity. In this study, we cloned a flowering time related APETALA2- like gene GmTOE4a and generated GmTOE4a-overexpressing lines in the cultivar Williams 82. The transgenic lines exhibited late flowering both under long day and short day conditions, and repressed the flowering-related genes, including GmFT2a, GmFT5a, GmAP1, and GmLFY, whereas the flowering repressors GmFT4 and miR156 were upregulated. Interestingly, GmTOE4a was also mediated by photoperiod via maturity genes E3 and E4, which encode photoreceptors in soybean. Further, miR172-mediated GmTOE4a, which regulates flowering in soybean, is different in Arabidopsis in that it is dependent on the CONSTANS- like gene GmCOL1a. In addition to its effect on flowering time, GmTOE4a regulated plant morphology, increased stem thickness, and reduced plant height, internode length and leaf size, which are important agronomic traits that enhance the capacity to resist lodging and increase soybean yield. This is useful information to understand the molecular mechanism of flowering time and plant morphology in soybean and will greatly influence soybean yield improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been studied extensively over the last few years. Liver is an important organ that plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism and homeostasis; however, there are few reports of the identification and functional characterization of lncRNAs with important roles in liver development. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically identify lncRNAs that are involved in liver development. In this paper, we assembled the transcriptome using published RNA-seq data across three mouse liver developmental stages and identified 4,882 putative long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) expressed in at least one of the investigated stages. Combining these with Ensembl lincRNAs, we established a reference catalog of 6,602 transcribed lincRNAs in the mouse liver. We then analyzed all the lincRNAs in this reference catalog systematically and revealed that liver lincRNAs carry different genomic signatures from protein-coding genes, while the putative lincRNAs are generally comparable with known Ensembl lincRNAs. In addition, putative lincRNAs are functionally associated with essential biological processes, including RNA splicing, protein localization and fatty acid metabolic process, implying that they may play an important role in regulating liver development. The validation of selected lincRNAs that are specifically expressed in developing liver tissues further suggested the effectiveness of our approach. Our study shows that lincRNAs that are differentially expressed during three liver developmental stages could have important regulatory roles in liver development. The identified putative lincRNAs are a valuable resource for further functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of methotrexate (MTX), an anticancer drug for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, has been limited in the clinical application due to its poor water solubility, high clearance rate, and lack of target specificity. To solve these problems, O, N-carboxymethyl chitosan-dipeptide-MTX conjugates have been synthesized and characterized by fourier transform infrared radiation spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR). All polymeric conjugates showed satisfactory water solubility. The results of the study revealed that drug release and toxicity were affected by employing polymeric conjugation strategy and dipeptide spacers [glycylglycine (Gly-Gly), glycyl- l-phenylalanine (Gly-Phe), glycyl- l-tyrosine (Gly-Tyr)]. It has been found that drugs could be effectively loaded and released when polymeric prodrugs were combined with a dipeptide spacer. In conclusion, O, N-CMCS-dipeptide-MTX polymeric prodrugs could potentially be used as responsive drug delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs involved in various biological processes. We characterized the expression of miR-344-3p during mouse embryonic development. At E9.5-E10.5 and E15.5, in situ hybridization detected strong miR-344-3p signal in the central nervous system, including the cerebral cortex, hindbrain, cerebellum, thalamus, hindbrain, medulla oblongata, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia. Further, qRT-PCR analysis identified miR-344-3p expression at E15.5, with expression stably maintained in the brain from E12.5 to E18.5 before decreasing to relatively low levels postnatally. We also analyzed miR-344-3p expression using immunofluorescence in situ hybridization at E18.5 and within the adult brain. miR-344-3p signal was mainly detected in cortical regions surrounding the ventricular system, choroid plexus, glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, and granular cell layer of the cerebellar cortex. Altogether, our results indicate miR-344-3p may play an important role in morphogenesis, nervous system development in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has revealed that the maternal non-coding RNA genes ( Gtl2, Rian and Mirg) from the Dlk1- Dio3 imprinted cluster are closely related to the full development potential of the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Transcriptional silencing of these genes failed to generate all-iPSC mice, indicating their significant contribution to embryogenesis. However, except for Gtl2, little information regarding these genes has been acquired in this cluster. In the present study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal expression patterns of Mirg during mouse embryogenesis. Using in situ hybridization and quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that Mirg non-coding RNA exhibited sustained expression throughout mouse embryogenesis from E8.5 to E18.5. Strong expression was detected in the central nervous system (E9.5-E15.5) and various skeletal muscles (E13.5 and E15.5), and the subcellular localization appeared to be in the nuclei. The pituitary and adrenal gland also showed high expression of Mirg, but, unlike the skeletal muscles and the neural circuitry, the signals were not concentrated in the nuclei. In the major internal organs, Mirg maintained low expression during embryogenesis (E12.5-E18.5) whereas in the liver and the developing lung, Mirg was expressed with a gradually decreasing trend and a gradually raising trend, respectively. These findings indicate that temporal regulation of Mirg expression may be required during specific stages and in specific tissues during embryonic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of Usnic acid (UA) were explored on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cell line. The effects of UA on pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF- α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 β), pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were studied by sandwich ELISA, real-time PCR and western blot analyses. Similarly, the effect of UA on anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and anti-inflammatory mediator heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were also studied following the same methods. Furthermore, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was assayed by immunocytochemistry. The results showed that UA has anti-inflammatory effect by down-regulatinng iNOS, COX-2, IL-1 β, IL-6 and TNF- α, COX-2 gene expression through the suppression of NF-κB activation and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and anti-inflammatory mediator HO-1 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the study on co-capture of SO2 and NO x in O2/CO2 recycled coal combustion in a pilot scale facility with the heat input of 0.3 MW by using high-sulphur lean coal. Detailed comparison of SO2 and NO x emission indexes and desulphurization and denitration rates have been made among three working conditions of O2/CO2, O2/CO2 with limestone injection (O2/CO2+Ca) and O2/RFG (recycled flue gas) with limestone injection (O2/RFG+Ca). Combustion in air was performed as a base case. Results showed that in the O2/RFG with limestone injection, desulphurization and denitration rates could reach up to 96% and 89%, respectively. Limestone injection under the high-CO2 atmosphere caused a significant reduction on SO2 emission and NO x emission as well. This indicated O2/CO2 recycled coal combustion could reduce the investment on the flue gas purification. The techno-economic evaluation indicated that Oxy-combustion technique is not only feasible for CO2 emission control based on existing power plants but is also cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel iron-based complex and acetyl(imino)pyridine iron(II) chloride (1 and 2) have been successfully synthesized and characterized. The behavior of the complex/methylaluminoxane (MAO) for ethylene polymerization was investigated and compared with 2,6-Bis(imino)pyridyl iron(II) chloride (3 and 4)/MAO. The results show that the new acetyl(imino)pyridine iron(II) chloride/MAO catalytic systems were highly active for ethylene polymerization. Polyethylene from those polymerization systems has a bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10171-4 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]