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AbstractPropolis is a natural resinous compound produced by bees, mixed with their saliva and wax, and has a range of biological benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This article reviews the in vivo transformation of propolis flavonoids and their potential influence on drug efficacy. Despite propolis is widely used, there is little research on how the active ingredients of propolis change in the body and how they interact with drugs. Future research will focus on these interactions and the metabolic fate of propolis in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel sextuple mode resonator (SMR) is proposed to design a compact ultra-wide dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) with high selectivity. An even- and odd-mode analysis method is employed to analyze the proposed SMR, and the SMR can excite six resonant modes simultaneously. In addition, a cross shape and several open-circuit stubs are used in the proposed SMR for generating multiple transmission zeros (TZs). The TZs can divide the transmission poles into two groups to form the two passbands. With properly tuned the TZs and the transmission poles, the proposed dual-band ultra-wideband BPF is of high selectivity. The center frequencies (CFs) of the BPF are centered at 1.6 GHz and 5.2 GHz, respectively. The 3-dB fractional bandwidths (FBW) of the two passbands are larger than 145% and 25%, respectively. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed method, an ultra-wide dual-band BPF is fabricated. Measurement results show that the proposed BPF has high band-to-band isolation, wide stopband, low insertion losses (ILs), controllable bandwidth, and compact size. The stopband is up to 12.5 fc1 (fc1 is the center frequency of passband 1st), and the circuit size is only 0.1λg × 0.12λg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported an experimental and theoretical study on the promotion role of F doping in the improved catalytic performance of fluorinated graphene(F-GO) for ammonium perchlorate (AP) pyrolysis. F-GO was prepared by using graphite oxide (GO) as carbon sources and CF3COOH as fluorinating agent. Compared with other samples, the F-GO-180 with the highest F doping amounts, more C-F semi-ionic and C-F covalent bond amounts exhibit superior catalytic performance, as 10 wt% of catalyst added in AP, the exothermic peak temperature proceeded in just one step was even lower than the HTD peak temperature for pure AP and the released apparent specific heat of the thermal decomposition of AP catalyzed by F-GO-180 is 4261.2 J/g, which is almost sevenfold of that of pure AP (603.5 J/g). The doping of F atoms in graphene increased surface defects and the content of C-F semi-ionic and C-F covalent bond amounts of F-GO, which provided more active sites during the thermal decomposition of AP. The molecular simulation calculation results further confirmed that the F doping could react with the defect structure of graphene to form more C-F semi-ionic and C-F covalent bond, which could act as catalytic active sites and facilitate the electron transfer ability of the graphene to promote the formation of free radicals in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine-doped graphene supported PbO (F-rGO/PbO) composite was prepared through a facile water bath method to study an improvement strategy for its catalytic performance in thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP). The characterization results showed that the PbO with the size of 20 ∼ 30 nm are highly dispersed on the surface of F-doped graphene (F-rGO). Compared with other samples, the F-rGO/PbO exhibited superior catalytic performance, as 3 wt% of catalyst added in AP, the peak temperature for HTD reduced by 124°C, and the peak temperature for LTD increased by 8°C. The released apparent specific heat of the thermal decomposition of AP catalyzed by F-rGO/PbO (3603.7 J/g) is five times of that of pure AP (603.5 J/g). The doping of F atoms in graphene increased BET surface areas of the F-rGO carrier and enhanced the content of hydroxyl groups on the surface of graphene, which improved the thermal decomposition rate of AP. While the highly dispersed PbO NPs further increased BET surface areas of F-rGO/PbO to provide more active sites during the thermal decomposition of AP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignite has great potential for use as one of the major sources for both energy and chemical feedstock. However, its high moisture content extremely restricts its use. The moisture re-adsorption of the dehydrated lignite has been studied increasingly in recent years. This review focuses on the issue of the high moisture re-adsorption capacity of lignite dehydrated using various drying techniques. Experimental and simulative studies on the effects of oxygen-containing functional groups, pores, and other factors on the moisture re-adsorption of the dehydrated lignites from different countries or districts and exploratory work on inhibiting the moisture re-adsorption of the dehydrated lignite are reviewed in detail. Of particular interest is a proposal for a mechanism of moisture re-adsorption on the dehydrated lignite. Additionally, future investigations on inhibiting the moisture re-adsorption of the dehydrated lignite are advised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Race disparities exist in bone metastasis (BM) development and survival in lung cancer (LC) patients. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to investigate different patterns of BM development and survival in different races. Design: LC patients with BM were identified from the database from 2010 to 2014. Risk factors were investigated by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Potential factors for prognosis were evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox regression. Results: Asian and Pacific Islander (API) patients presented the highest prevalence of BM (24.6%), followed by white (20.7%) and black patients (19.9%) (χ2 = 78.74; p <.001). After adjusting for the demographic and clinical factors, API race was independently associated with a high risk of BM development. The median survival times for the API, white and black LC patients with BM were 16 months (95% CI: 15.2–16.8), 11 months (95% CI: 10.9–11.1) and 10 months (95% CI: 9.7–10.3), respectively, with significant differences (p <.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that API race was positively associated with greater overall survival compared with white and black patients. Male gender, larger tumor size, lymph node involvement, lower tumor differentiated grade, and the presence of lung, liver and brain metastases were independently associated with a high risk of developing BM and worse survival with LC across all races. Age, income, insurance and histological types had different impacts on BM among different races. Conclusion: Homogeneous and heterogeneous associated factors for BM were revealed among different races. Individualized screening and treatment should be performed race-specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth inhibition of Streptococcus mutans (SM), Streptococcus salivarius (SS1), and Streptococcus sanguinis (SS2) were determined at different Sparassis latifolia polysaccharides (SLPs) concentrations (2%, 4%, 8%, 16%) mixed with artificial saliva (AS). Metabolomics was determined by the action of 4% SLPs and AS on each bacterium to obtain the bacteriostatic activity of SLPs on oral processing. The results showed that the 16% mixture could inhibit the growth of the oral bacteria S. mutans, S. salivarius, and S. sanguinis. The inhibitory effect on oral bacteria decreased with decreasing polysaccharide concentration. The metabolic pathways and metabolites analyses screened for active inhibitory substances against oral bacteria. These results implied that SLPs are potential new material for developing oral functional products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical investigation into the culture broth of the plant endophyte Penicillium sp. HS-11 in the modified Martin's medium supplemented with subemylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a well-known histone deacetylase (HDACs) inhibitor, led to the isolation and identification of two induced products 4-epipenicillone B (1) and (R)-(+)-chrysogine (2). 4-epipenicillone B (1) was obtained as a new compound whose structure was elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including 1 D/2D NMR, HRESMS, and quantum chemistry calculations including DFT GIAO 13C NMR and ECD calculation. Acquisition of 4-epipenicillone B (1) enriched the chemical diversities of fungal natural products possessing a tricyclo [5.3.1.03,8] undecane skeleton. The cytotoxic activity of 1 was also evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of whey protein isolate (WPI)–low methoxyl pectin (LMP) particles generated by complex coacervation as a food-grade high internal phase Pickering emulsion (HIPE) stabilizer was investigated. The coacervation pH greatly influenced the emulsification ability of the resultant WPI–LMP particles and those separated in pH 3.5 could generate a HIPE with oil fraction of up to 79.02%, which could be ascribed to their small particle size and moderate contact angle. The emulsification ability of the WPI–LMP coacervates was quite sensitive to ionic strength and their concentration, in which, HIPEs could be fabricated only in the absence of NaCl and stabilizer concentration 1.5% (w/v) or higher. The HIPEs showed decreased droplet size with WPI–LMP coacervate concentration rise and were of the oil-in-water type according to confocal laser scanning microscope observation. The HIPEs stabilized by the WPI–LMP coacervates were stable only in solutions with pH of 4.0 or lower and were resistant to centrifugation and heating, but collapsed readily upon freezing and thawing; meanwhile, a higher stabilizer concentration conferred better stabilities. Hence, the WPI–LMP coacervates could find potential applications in the food industry as a HIPE stabilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the deep-sea-derived fungus Aspergillus candidus, one novel (1) and three known (2–4) p-terphenyl derivates were isolated. The structure of the new compound was established mainly on the basis of extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data. All four isolates were tested for in vitro anti-food allergic and antitumor bioactivities. Compounds 3 and 4 showed potent antiproliferative effect against four cancer cells of Hela, Eca-109, Bel-7402, and PANC-1 with IC50 values ranging from 5.5 μM to 9.4 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules, and analyze related influencing factors. Methods: The clinical and ultrasound data of 115 patients with 115 benign thyroid nodules treated with MWA were retrospectively analyzed. The volume of nodules at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure was obtained, and the volume reduction rate (VRR) at each time point was calculated. With VRR > 90% as the criterion for nodule cure, binary logistic regression was employed to screen the factors that affect the efficacy. Results: ‹ At 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure, the volume of nodules continued to decrease, the VRR gradually increased, and the differences at each time point were statistically significant (p < 0.05). A total of 29 (25.21%) nodules disappeared completely at 12 months after the procedure; › Multivariate stepwise logistic regression showed that there was a statistically significant difference for the internal component of nodules, enhancement mode, and immediate volume after the procedure in determining the ablation efficacy (p < 0.05); fi The ROC curve was plotted for predicting the efficacy of MWA, with the results showing that the AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 0.82, 67.50, 88.00, 79.10%, respectively; fl 11 cases (9.56%) had side effects, 10 cases (8.70%) had minor complications, and three cases (2.61%) had major complications. Conclusion: MWA is safe and effective in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. The internal component of nodules, enhancement mode, and immediate volume after the procedure are independent factors that affect the efficacy of ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the performance of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power generating system operating with refrigerant R245fa was investigated when heat source temperature was below 200 °C. It was found the system thermal efficiency increased but the exergy efficiency of the evaporator decreased with the increase of the heat source temperature. It was also obtained that the exergy efficiency of the evaporator could reach70% when the heat source temperature was 80 °C, which was high enough to prove that the transformation efficiency between the waste heat and the electricity power was ideal. In the simulation model, the area of different parts of the heat exchanger were considered to be varied, flow rate of the waste heat and working medium, the system thermal and exergy efficiency of the evaporator were respectively calculated, the different parameter change regarding the performance influences of the ORC system were simulated. The results can be considered as a reference to research on the design of ORC power generating systems and heat exchangers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loy Yang lignite was dewatered using microwave irradiation (MI) treatment. Residual water content (RWC), energy consumption, total acidity, pore size distribution, and equilibrium water contents (EWCs) at various relative humidities (RHs) were investigated. Furthermore, a microscopic description of the MI dewatering process and water re-adsorption performance of the MI-treated sample were presented. The results showed that RWC and energy efficiency decreased with increasing experimental time and power level. The reason the energy efficiency decreased is because the water remaining in lignite is more and more difficult to be removed. Additionally, ca. 0.08 g of lignite matrix was removed from 1 g of lignite on a dry basis for all the treated samples, indicating that water loss content measured by the mass release observed during MI process is imprecise. Furthermore, the total acidity contents, pore volumes, and EWCs of the treated samples decreased relative to those of raw lignite. The decrease in EWC was enhanced with increasing processing time and power level. The decreased EWC suggests that MI upgraded lignite in terms of reducing water re-adsorption capacity. For the microscopic description of the process, dissolved organic and inorganic compounds are removed from lignite during MI treatment process. EWCs decreased at low and high RHs are ascribed to the decrease in total acidity and the combined effect of the decreases in total acidity and pore volume, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oncidium Gower Ramsey orchid is both an important cut flower plant and a potential good model plant for study the ethylene-sensitive floral senescence. Though significant progress has been made in understanding the physiological and molecular events occurred in petal senescence, little is known regarding the regulatory mechanism underlying onset of petal senescence. In this study, RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis of petals during the transition from Oncidium flower opening to senescence were employed to identify novel regulatory genes and pathways in the initiation of ethylene-sensitive petal senescence. The petal senescence is a very active process accompanying differential expressions of a large number of genes. The key genes involved in the biosynthesis of gibberellin (GA), brassinosteroid (BR) and salicylic acid (SA), cytokinin (CK) homeostasis, CK and jasmonate (JA) signalling were found to be down-regulated in opening stage but up-regulated in senescent stage, and a gene in ethylene signalling was the reverse, suggesting that these hormones might play a role in the start of petal senescence. The transition-pattern expressions of major circadian clock genes showed that the timing of petal senescence might be under the circadian clock regulation. Moreover, epigenetic and transcriptional regulations were involved in the onset of petal senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different pretreatments can affect the quality of Hypsizygus marmoreus (HM). In this study, the effects of thermal treatment or combined with color protection and hardening on color, texture, microstructure, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and Peroxidase (POD) C-1: Explain the first time? activities, and the volatile components of HM were investigated. The results showed compared with the control group, both heating group (H group) and color protection, hardening and heating (CHH group) significantly enhanced the color difference, and reduced all texture parameters as well as PPO and POD activities. Additionally, in two treatment groups, the structure of HM became loose, the amounts of alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes were changed significantly. Compared with the H group, the color difference and PPO activities in CHH group were significantly decreased, while all texture parameters were increased significantly, the fibers of HM showed regular arrangement. In conclusion, the combination of CHH performed better effects on hardness, chewiness, microstructure, and enzymes activities related to enzymatic browning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the stability of traveling wave fronts for a coupled system of non-local delayed lattice differential equations with a quiescent stage. It shows that under certain conditions all non-critical traveling wave fronts are globally exponentially stable, and critical ftraveling wave fronts are globally algebraically stable by applying the weighted energy method and the semi-discrete Fourier transform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ge-Yb binary system was thermodynamically assessed by CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram) approach based on the available experimental data of thermochemical properties and phase equilibria. The liquid phase and the terminal phases, Fcc_A1 (Yb), Bcc_A2 (Yb) and Diamond_A4 (Ge), are described by a substitutional solution model, and their excess Gibbs free energies are formulated with the Redlich-Kister expression. The intermetallic compounds, Yb3Ge8, Yb3Ge5, Yb11Ge10, Yb5Ge4, Yb5Ge3 and Yb2Ge, are treated as strict stoichiometric compounds. A set of self- consistent thermodynamic parameters for the system is obtained. The calculated phase diagrams and thermochemical properties are in good agreement with the available experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical and digestive properties of Pleurotus eryngiiprotein and the effects of heat treatment and ultrasound treatment on the properties were investigated. The physicochemical property results showed that the shear stress and viscosity increased as the protein concentration increased from 3 to 9 g/100 g raw materials and decreased as the temperature increased from 25°C to 45°C. The pH value from 2.0 to 7.0 significantly affected the state of protein because of the change of the disulfide bond and sulfhydryl bond content. The protein might be held closer with higher sulfhydryl bond at pH 7.0 and be less coacervation with higher disulfide bonds at pH 3.5. The addition of calcium from 0.01 to 0.05 mol/L into the protein system could increase the rheology property of the protein. Based on the results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the content of α-helix increased after heat treatment and ultrasound treatment, while the content of β-sheet decreased, indicating the change of spatial conformation of protein. The result of differential scanning calorimetry of protein manifested that ultrasound treatment significantly enhanced the protein thermal stability (P < 0.05). The digestive property results indicated that heat treatment and ultrasound treatment increased the available amino groups (DH) and vitro digestibility of protein digestive juice and reduced the content of peptides. There were more kinds of amino acids of protein digestion with ultrasound treatment than non-treatment and heat treatment. In addition, the protein after ultrasound treatment exhibited excellent antioxidant properties in in vitro digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheological properties and gel characteristics of Sparassis crispa polysaccharides (SCPs) were investigated under various concentrations, temperature, pH, salt concentrations, and sucrose concentrations. SCP solutions behaved as shear thinning pseudoplastic fluids; apparent viscosity increased with concentrations but decreased with extreme conditions and was highest for 1% SCPs at 80 ℃ under neutral conditions; 5% SCPs solutions formed a hysteresis loop and exhibited thixotropic properties. By oscillatory measurements, SCPs were viscoelastic materials. 0.5% and 1% SCPs solutions exhibited viscous behavior at low frequency and enhanced elastic property with the oscillation frequency increased. With the concentration increased to 3% and 5%, the elastic property was predominant in solutions and exhibited gel-like behavior. SCPs gel textural properties and water holding capacity increased with concentration (to 20%) and decreased with salinity, extreme sucrose, and pH. 10% SCPs gels were optimized at 10% sucrose in neutral conditions. Thus, these results implied SCPs had the potential utilization as a new hydrocolloid source in food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were produced in sea cucumber gut hydrolysates (SCGHs)-ribose system at 75°C, 85°C, and 95°C with a pH value of 7.0 or 8.0 for 12 hour. The parameters of amount of intermediate products, fluorescence intensity, browning development, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging ability showed a positive correlation with each other in SCGHs-ribose system. The amount of intermediate products, fluorescence intensity, and browning development followed the zero-order kinetic with activation energy from 62 to 91 kJ/mol in the Maillard reaction of SCGHs-ribose system. Moreover, 2-methyl-butanal has positive and significant correlation with DPPH radical scavenging ability of SCGHs-ribose MRPs. These results suggest that Maillard reaction improves the antioxidant activity of SCGHs, which contributes to the generation of intermediate, fluorescent, browning, and volatile products of SCGHs-ribose system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As commercialisation of Brazilian green propolis is going on, quality evaluation and authenticity are important. The result demonstrated that artepillin C found by far in Brazilian green propolis by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis, while a small interferent may be mistaken as artepillin C in some propolis from China. A new HPLC quality control method as artepillin C for marker was developed, which is the primary assessment criteria for quality control of Brazilian green propolis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two new metabolites named koninginins R-S (1–2) were isolated from the culture of Trichoderma koningiopsis YIM PH30002. Their chemical structures were elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic analysis. These isolated compounds showed certain antifungal activities against phytopathogens, Fusarium flocciferum and Fusarium oxysporum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are extensively employed for disease diagnosis and treatment because of their high homogeneity and antigen specificity. In recent years, important outcomes have been achieved with mAbs due to their admirable therapeutic efficacy and relatively rare side effects. In clinical practice, several mAb products have been approved by regulatory entities, but their formulations have been highly specific given the complex structure and proteinaceous nature of mAbs. Thus, more attention has been given on formulations. An increasing number of novel delivery systems have been exploited to optimize the application of mAbs. In this article, the formulations, dosages, origins and administration routes of available mAbs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are summarized and categorized. Key issues involved in formulation, processing and storage are addressed as well as other challenges in achieving effective mAb delivery. Finally, recent advances in delivering mAbs in their most bioavailable forms are also briefly reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Manganese dioxides (MnO2) were successfully deposited on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) surface by redox reaction between potassium permanganate and CNTs. The characterization results showed that the MnO2exhibited the rice-shaped nanostructure with about 5∼10 nm in width and 10∼30 nm in the length on CNTs. The solvothermal temperature of composite can greatly affected its morphology and structure to improve the thermal catalytic on ammonium perchlorate (AP) decomposition. Compared with other samples, the prepared composite at 120°C exhibited superior catalytic performance, as 3wt% of composite added in AP, the second exothermic peak temperature decreased by 160.2°C and the apparent release heat of the thermal decomposition of AP which is four times of that of pure AP. A possible mechanism for formation the rice shaped MnO2/CNTs composite is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passalurus ambiguus is a common pinworm which parasitizes in the caecum and colon of rabbits. This study examined genetic variability among P. ambiguus isolated from naturally infected rabbits in four different provinces in China. The partial mitochondrial (mt) cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (p cox1), cytochrome b (p cytb) and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 1 and 5 (p nad1 and p nad5) were amplified separately from individual nematodes by PCR and sequenced. The results showed that p cox1, p cytb, p nad1 and p nad5 were 714, 663, 645 and 546 bp in length, respectively. The intra-specific sequence variations within P. ambiguus were 0-1.1% for p cox1, 0-1.2% for p cytb, 0-0.6% for p nad1 and 0-1.3% for p nad5, whereas inter-specific sequence differences with other members of the Oxyuridae were 16.2-17.3% for p cox1, 27.8-30.4% for p cytb, 20.2-24.0% for p nad1 and 27.1-30.3% for p nad5. Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods, based on the combined sequences of the four partial mtDNA sequences, revealed that all the P. ambiguus samples form monophyletic groups. This study demonstrated the existence of low-level intra-specific variation in cox1, cytb, nad1 and nad5 genes among P. ambiguus isolates from different geographic regions in China, and these four mtDNA sequences can be used as genetic markers for the population genetic studies of P. ambiguus, as well as the differentiation of P. ambiguus from other oxyurid nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, rapid, and reproducible method for the qualification ofRadix paeoniae albaraw material andShenshaocomposite injection was developed. The fingerprint was established using HPLC techniques. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis was carried out on a ODS analytical column. Acetonitrile-phosphoric acid solution (pH 3.0) in gradient program was used as the mobile phase. The detecting wavelength was 230 nm forRadix paeoniae albaand 210 nm forShenshaocomposite injection, respectively. The standard fingerprint chromatograms and the similarity of 10 batches of samples were also established. It was demonstrated that the HPLC fingerprint was a powerful tool to characterize the quality of traditional Chinese medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: It has been widely acknowledged that early treadmill training plays an important role in rewiring neurons in a functionally meaningful manner in spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment. However, it is still unclear how early to start treadmill training to obtain the most efficacious results after SCI. The purpose of this study was to find the earliest time point when treadmill training was most effective in rewiring neurons. Methods: The rats were randomly divided into five groups: a sham group, control group, and three treadmill groups based on training start time post-injury: a 24 h group, 48 h group, and 72 h group. Results: The results revealed that in the 72 h group, Basso, Beattie, and Bresnaham scores increased and apoptotic cells decreased significantly compared to the other groups. There were no statistically differences in neuron counting and 5-bromo-2V-deoxyuridine assays between the groups. Conclusion: These results indicated that the best start time for treadmill training is 72 h after SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is well known to play a pivotal role in cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury. On the basis of this fact, antioxidative agents have been demonstrated to be neuroprotective. Neohesperidin (NH) is abundant in citrus flavonoids and possesses reactive oxygen species scavenging activity and neuroprotective effectsin vitro. However, little is known about its effects on cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury and the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we use a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to investigate the neuroprotective effects of NH. NH significantly improved neurological functions and attenuated MCAO-induced infarct volume, pathological changes, and neuronal loss. Moreover, it enhanced antioxidant capacity and suppressed oxidative stress in the brain. NH inhibited the MCAO-induced upregulation of Bax, cytochromec, and cleaved caspase-9 and -3, as well as the downregulation of Bcl-2. Interestingly, NH treatment upregulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a concentration-dependent manner, which was due to the NH-mediated activation of the protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. NH also abolished the MCAO-induced inhibition of the Akt/Nrf2 pathway. In conclusion, NH attenuates cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury via the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis and oxidative stress through the regulation of the apoptotic pathway and the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. NH might be a promising preventive agent for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stephanandra incisa is a typical discontinuous distribution species in the eastern part of the subspecies with a high economic and ecological value. In this study, we have obtained the complete chloroplast genome of S. incisa using high-throughput sequencing. The chloroplast genome length was 159,583 bp, the AT content was 63.7%, while the large single copy and a small single copy area were 88,018 bp and 18,817 bp, respectively. It contains 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree supported the fact that S. incisa is closely related to Pyracantha fortuneana and Amelanchier sinica, which is consistent with the taxonomic view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids generally occur as O-glycosides with sugars bound in nature, while aglycones and their derivatives are the main flavonoids in propolis. The objective of this work was to study the propolis β-glycosidase activities toward flavonoid β-glycosides and their conjugated forms. β-Glycosidase was extracted from propolis, incubated with flavonoid glycosides, and analysed for aglycone formation by HPLC. The results demonstrated that glucose conjugates were rapidly hydrolysed, but not conjugates with other sugars, i.e. rutin and naringin. The rate and extent of deglycosylation depends on the structure of the flavonoid and the position of the sugar substituitions. Quercetin 3-O-glucoside had the highest percent of hydrolysis, while quercetin 7-O-glucoside was the least hydrolysed. The Km values for hydrolysis of apigenin 7-glucoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were 13 µM and 20 µM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Toxicokinetic characteristics of naringin and its metabolite naringenin were investigated in beagle dogs after oral administration of naringin at the doses of 20, 100, or 500 mg/kg/day in a repeated-dose study for 1, 30, 90, and 180 days. Plasma concentrations of naringin and naringenin were determined by a rapid resolution liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometric method. The results showed that no differences in systemic exposure were observed between male and female beagle dogs. Systematic exposure exhibited dose-dependent increase for both naringin and naringenin. No significant accumulations were observed. Results would be taken into consideration for the interpretation of toxicology findings and provide a reference for clinical safety assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The extensive application of ground coupled heat pump system (GCHP) is restricted by the installation cost of conventional borehole ground heat exchangers (GHE), which is not only expensive but also requires additional ground area. The idea of combining the GHE with building foundation piles, i.e., the “energy pile,” has arisen in recent years. The novel pile GHEs consisting of vertical spiral coils buried in the piles of a building, are proposed for their flexibility and convenience for applications. Evolved from existing models, a new spiral source model and its analytical solutions are established in this article for thermal analysis and design of the pile GHEs. The temperature field of the pile and its surrounding soil is simulated; in addition, the temperature responses of the coil pipe wall and the circulating water entering/effusing the pile GHE to the short time-step heat transfer loads are deduced based on the new spiral source model. The study indicates that the heat transfer features of the novel pile GHE can be described adequately by the proposed new spiral heat source model, which provides an appropriate tool for thermal analysis and design of the novel pile GHE or other potential similar engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different polyoxozirconium oxide clusters tri- and tetranuclear half-zirconocene complexes assisted by 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzoic acid and 3,4,5,6-tetrafluorophthalic acid have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR (1H, 19F, and 13C) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. The structure analyses reveal that 1 is trinuclear with a µ3-oxygen bridge, central to a Zr-O backbone; 2 is a tetranuclear complex with four Zr's tetrahedrally arranged around a µ4-oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(butylene terephthalate)/silica nanocomposites were prepared by in situ polymerization of terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol and silica. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the quality of the dispersion of silica in the PBT matrix. The non-isothermal crystallization behavior of pure PBT and its nanocomposites was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the crystallization peak temperatures of PBT/silica nanocomposites are higher than that of pure PBT at a given cooling rate. The values of halftime of crystallization indicate that silica could act as a heterogeneous nucleating agent in PBT crystallization and lead to an acceleration of crystallization. The non-isothermal crystallization data were analyzed with the Avrami, Ozawa, and Mo et al. models. The non-isothermal crystallization process of pure PBT and PBT/silica nanocomposites can be best described by the model developed by Mo et al. According to the Kissinger equation, the activation energies were found to be -217.1, -226.4, -259.2, and -260.2 kJ/mol for pure PBT and PBT/silica nanocomposites with silica weight content of 1, 3 and 5 wt%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of silica nanoparticles on the tensile properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) fibers was investigated. The results showed that mechanical properties of PET fibers were improved through nano-silica incorporation. Two maxima of the modulus-strain curves of PET/silica nanocomposites (PETS) fibers are always higher than those of pure PET (PET0) fibers. The results of microstructure investigations suggested that the amorphous orientation factor of PETS fibers is higher than that of PET0 fibers. It is suggested that the increase of amorphous orientation factor contributed to the improvement of tensile properties of PET fibers. Considering the difference in modulus-strain curves of PET0 and PETS fibers, it is believed that the addition of nanoparticles not only improved the amorphous orientation factor but also changed the load units of PET fibers when strained, which also resulted in the improvement of tensile properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isothermal crystallization from the glassy state of pure poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) and PET/Silica nanocomposites films was studied. The results showed that addition of nano-silica increased the crystallinity of filled PET compared to pure PET, suggesting that nano-silica is an effective nucleating agent. However, the induction period prior to crystallization was prolonged and the overall crystallization rate decreased through nano-silica incorporation. This is a result of the cold crystallization rate being primarily controlled by diffusion of PET chains, rather than being controlled by the nucleation rate. The strong interaction between the nanoparticles and PET chains confined the movement of the macromolecular chains and decreased the cold crystallization rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to find an optimal method for monitoring disease progression and assessing the effectiveness of new agents in SOD1 mice. We compared six testing methods including clinical grading, weighing, hanging wire test, rotarod test, motor neuron counting and motor unit number estimation (MUNE) in SOD1 mice and control animals. The six methods were all able to differentiate between control animals and SOD1 transgenic mice at some time points; of them motor neuron counting, weighing and MUNE could detect abnormalities in presymptomatic stage in SOD1 mice; The number of functional motor units precisely correlated with motor neuron counts (r = 0.894, p<0.01). We concluded that MUNE is the better testing measure for monitoring disease and evaluating pharmacological therapies in SOD1 mice, which not only can reflect a meaningful biological effect of the agents used, but also is a sensitive, accurate and practical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Styrax japonicus is a shrub with high economic values. Here, complete chloroplast (cp) genomes were reported using high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The size of the S. japonicus chloroplast genome is 157,940 bp long, with an average AT content of 63.05%, containing a pair of inverted repeats of 24,047 bp, separated by a large single copy and a small single copy region of 87,562 bp and 22,284 bp, respectively. It contains 125 genes, including79 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree supported the fact that the chloroplast genome of S. japonicus is closely related to that of Symplocos paniculate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystallization process of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/silica nanocomposites were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and then analyzed using the Avrami method. The results indicated that the crystallization of pure poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was fitted for thermal nucleation and three‐dimensional spherical growth throughout the whole process, whereas the crystallization of PET/silica nanocomposites exhibits two stages. The first stage corresponds to athermal nucleation and three‐dimensional spherical growth, and the second stage corresponds to recrystallization caused by the earlier spherulites impingement. The crystallization rate increases remarkably and the activation energies decrease considerably when silica nanoparticles are added. The subsequent melting behavior of the crystallized samples shows that the melting point ( T m ) of nanocomposites is higher than that of pure PET, which might be caused by two factors: (1) The higher melting point might be due to some hindrance to the PET chains caused by the nanoparticles at the beginning of the melting process; (2) it might also be the case that more perfect crystals can be formed due to the higher crystallization temperatures and lower activation energies of PET/silica nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/Silica nanocomposite (PETS) was synthesized via in situ polymerization using the compatibility between silica nanoparticles and ethylene glycol (EG). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs revealed that the silica nanoparticles were well dispersed in the PET matrix, the particle size was about 10 nm with narrow distribution, and there existed strong interaction between the particles and the polymer chains. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that the thermal properties of PETS with 2 wt% silica (PETS‐2) are different from those of pure PET (PETS‐0). The properties of the as‐spun fibers show that the tenacity and LASE‐5 (load at a specified elongation of 5%) of PETS‐2 were higher than those of PETS‐0, while the heat shrinkage of PETS‐2 was lower than that of PETS‐0. We suggest that the increasing of crystallinity and the strong interface interaction of the nanocomposite caused the fibers of PETS‐2 to not only have higher tenacity and LASE‐5 but also to have lower heat shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotoneaster schantungensis is an endangered vulnerable species restricted to Shandong Province. In this study, we report the sequencing of the C. schantungensis chloroplast (cp) genome using the Illumina Novaseq platform for the first time. The complete C. schantungensis cp genome is 159,883 bp in length and contains two inverted repeats (IRs), separated by a large single-copy region (LSC) and a small single-copy region (SSC). A total of 132 unique coding genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes were identified. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. schantungensis is closely related to Eriobotrya japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia japonica is an evergreen tree species with high ornamental value. The complete C. japonica cp genome is 156,606 bp in length and contains a small single-copy region (18,415 bp) and a large single copy (86,257 bp) region – separated by a pair of the inverted repeat regions (51,934 bp). The overall GC content of the C. japonica cp genome is 37.31%. We identified 128 genes in this genome, including 91 protein-coding genes, 29 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. japonica is closely related to Camellia oleifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we determined the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence ofEimeria magnafrom rabbits for the first time, and compared its gene contents and genome organizations with that of sevenEimeriaspp. from domestic chickens. The size of the complete mt genome sequence ofE. magnais 6249 bp, which consists of 3 protein-coding genes (cytb,cox1 andcox3), 12 gene fragments for the large subunit (LSU) rRNA, and 7 gene fragments for the small subunit (SSU) rRNA, without transfer RNA genes, in accordance with that ofEimeriaspp. from chickens. The putative direction of translation for three genes (cytb,cox1 andcox3) was the same as those ofEimeriaspecies from domestic chickens. The content of A + T is 65.16% forE. magnamt genome (29.73% A, 35.43% T, 17.09 G and 17.75% C). TheE. magnamt genome sequence provides novel mtDNA markers for studying the molecular epidemiology and population genetics ofEimeriaspp. and has implications for the molecular diagnosis and control of rabbit coccidiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]