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Aim: The relationship between the gut microbiota, metabolites and body fat percentage (BFP) remains unexplored. We systematically assessed the causal relationships between gut microbiota, metabolites and BFP using Mendelian randomization analysis. Materials and Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with gut microbiota, blood metabolites and BFP were screened via a genome‐wide association study enrolling individuals of European descent. Summary data from genome‐wide association studies were extracted from the MiBioGen consortium and the UK Biobank. The inverse variance‐weighted model was the primary method used to estimate these causal relationships. Sensitivity analyses were performed using pleiotropy, Mendelian randomization‐Egger regression, heterogeneity tests and leave‐one‐out tests. Results: In the aspect of phyla, classes, orders, families and genera, we observed that o_Bifidobacteriales [β = −0.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.07 to −0.03; false discovery rate (FDR) = 2.76 × 10−3], f_Bifidobacteriaceae (β = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.07 to −0.07; FDR = 2.76 × 10−3), p_Actinobacteria (β = −0.06; 95% CI: −0.09 to −0.03; FDR = 6.36 × 10−3), c_Actinobacteria (β = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.08 to −0.02; FDR = 1.06 × 10−2), g_Bifidobacterium (β = −0.05; 95% CI: −0.07 to −0.02; FDR = 1.85 × 10−2), g_Ruminiclostridium9 (β = −0.03; 95% CI: −0.06 to −0.01; FDR = 4.81 × 10−2) were negatively associated with BFP. G_Olsenella (β = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.01‐0.03; FDR = 2.16 × 10−2) was positively associated with BFP. Among the gut microbiotas, f_Bifidobacteriales, o_Bifidobacteriales, c_Actinobacteria and p_Actinobacteria were shown to be significantly associated with BFP in the validated dataset. In the aspect of metabolites, we only observed that valine (β = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.5‐1.04; FDR = 8.65 × 10−6) was associated with BFP. Conclusions: Multiple gut microbiota and metabolites were strongly associated with an increased BFP. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this putative causality. In addition, BFP, a key indicator of obesity, suggests that obesity‐related interventions can be developed from gut microbiota and metabolite perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prodromal Parkinson's disease (PD) carriers of dual leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and glucosylceramidase β (GBA) variants are rare, and their biomarkers are less well developed. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the biomarkers for diagnosing the prodromal phase of LRRK2‐GBA‐PD (LRRK2‐GBA‐prodromal). Methods: We assessed the clinical and whole‐brain white matter microstructural characteristics of 54 prodromal PD carriers of dual LRRK2 (100% M239T) and GBA (95% N409S) variants, along with 76 healthy controls (HCs) from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort. Results: By analyzing the four values of 100 nodes on 20 fiber bundles, totaling 8000 data points, we identified the smallest p value in the fractional anisotropy (FA) value of the 38th segment of left corticospinal tract (L‐CST) with differences between LRRK2‐GBA‐prodromal and HCs (p = 8.94 × 10−9). The FA value of the 38th node of the L‐CST was significantly lower in LRRK2‐GBA‐prodromal (FA value, 0.65) compared with HCs (FA value, 0.71). The receiver‐operating characteristic curve showed a cut‐off value of 0.218 for the FA value of L‐CST, providing sufficient sensitivity (79.2%) and specificity (72.2%) to distinguish double mutation prodromal PD from the healthy population. Conclusion: L‐CST, especially the 38th node, may potentially serve as a biomarker for distinguishing individuals with double mutation prodromal PD from the healthy population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helianthus annuus seed byproduct is a residual product obtained after seed oil extraction. The present study investigated the preventive and repair effects of the H. annuus seed byproduct ethanol extract (HSE) on ultraviolet radiation (UVR)‐induced injury in human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaTs) and human skin fibroblasts (HSFs). Results revealed that the total phenolic acid and oligosaccharide content in HSE was >50%. HSE had a stronger preventive effect on UVR‐induced injury than the repair effect. Moreover, phenolic acids were the main active component of HSE mediating the preventative effect. In HaCaTs and HSFs, HSE prevented UVR‐induced injury by inhibiting excessive ROS production. It reduced the secretion of tumor necrosis TNF‐α, IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐8 by inhibiting the level of ROS, thus reducing inflammation‐mediated injury to skin cells. In addition, HSE inhibited the expression of various mRNA kinases in the MAPK–ERK/p38/JNK pathway. This downregulated the expression of activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) mRNA and further reduced the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐1, MMP‐3, and MMP‐9 as well as reduced UVR‐induced injury to the cells. In conclusion, HSE is a broad‐spectrum, natural UV filter with high efficiency and low toxicity that has the potential to be used in sunscreen products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although aging and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele have been documented as two major risk factors for late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), their interaction and potential underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. Using humanized ApoE4‐ and ApoE3‐ target replacement mice, we found the accumulation of senescent neurons and the activation of mTOR and endosome‐lysosome‐autophagy (ELA) system in the hippocampus of aged ApoE4 mice. Further analyses revealed that ApoE4 aggravated the profile change of hippocampal transcription and metabolism in an age‐dependent manner, accompanying with an disruption of metabolism, which is presented with the downregulating activity of citrate synthase, the level of ATP and, most importantly, the level of acetyl coenzyme A (Ac‐CoA); GTA supplement, an Ac‐CoA substrate, reversed the senescent characteristics, decreased the activation of mTOR and ELA system, and enhanced the synaptic structure and increasing level of pre‐/post‐synaptic plasticity‐related protein, leading to cognitive improvement in aged ApoE4 mice. These data suggest that ApoE4 exacerbates neuronal senescence due to a deficiency of acetyl‐CoA, which can be ameliorated by GTA supplement. The findings provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic value of GTA supplement for the cognitive improvement in aged APOE4 carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second cause of the neurodegenerative disorder, affecting over 6 million people worldwide. The World Health Organization estimated that population aging will cause global PD prevalence to double in the coming 30 years. Optimal management of PD shall start at diagnosis and requires both a timely and accurate method. Conventional PD diagnosis needs observations and clinical signs assessment, which are time‐consuming and low‐throughput. A lack of body fluid diagnostic biomarkers for PD has been a significant challenge, although substantial progress has been made in genetic and imaging marker development. Herein, a platform that noninvasively collects saliva metabolic fingerprinting (SMF) by nanoparticle‐enhanced laser desorption–ionization mass spectrometry with high‐reproducibility and high‐throughput, using ultra‐small sample volume (down to 10 nL), is developed. Further, excellent diagnostic performance is achieved with an area‐under‐the‐curve of 0.8496 (95% CI: 0.7393–0.8625) by constructing deep learning model from 312 participants. In conclusion, an alternative solution is provided for the molecular diagnostics of PD with SMF and metabolic biomarker screening for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta‐analysis aimed to investigate the effect of the genotype on the pharmacokinetics and bleeding events of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and comprehensively searched electronic databases. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was used to assess the kinetic indicators, odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to calculate the clinical outcomes. Thirteen articles with 1543 participants were finally included in this study. The peak concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity of individuals with the ABCB1 rs 1045642 CT + TT were higher than that of the CC (WMD = −31.9, 95% CI [−49.94, −12.24], P =.02; WMD = −79.97, 95%CI [−152.38 to −7.56], P =.03, I2 = 0). The Cmax of individuals with mutated genes in ABCB1 2677–3435 is higher than that the wild type (WMD = −19.20, 95%CI [36.62 to −1.79], P =.03, I2 = 0). Carriers of the CYP3A5 rs776746 GG genotype had a higher Cmax than the GA gene (WMD = −51.22, 95%CI [−92.26 to −10.19], P =.01, I2 = 0). Bleeding events were more common in the CES1 rs 2244613 AA + AC than in the CC (odds ratio, 2.62, 95%CI [1.06, 6.47], P =.04; I2 = 0). The Cmax of DOACs was affected by individuals with ABCB1 rs 1045642, ABCB1 2677‐343, and cytochrome P450 3A5 rs 776746. Carriers of the ABCB1 rs 1045642 affected the change of area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity of DOACs. Bleeding events were affected by CES1 rs 2244613. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With serious environmental, cost, and social concerns arising from emerging countries' rapid growth in agricultural food cold chain (AFCC), AFCC firms urgently require a set of comprehensive sustainable strategic solutions. Therefore, this research identified and modeled the critical success factors (CSFs) that support the sustainable development of AFCCs. The study integrated institutional theory, stakeholder theory, and the triple bottom line model; it also surveyed cold chain experts from 16 different organizations in China and applied the adversarial interpretation structure model (AISM). This comprehensive analysis indicates that managing stakeholder pressure is the most motivating CSF of all strategies. This strategy eventually contributes to the sustainability of AFCC in China by driving other CSFs. Additionally, the study determined the degree of interdependence and dominance of different strategies. Thus, this study establishes a theoretical foundation for the sustainable improvement of AFCC organizations' business strategies and environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor‐suppressor role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest‐specific transcript 5 (GAS5) has been proven in various types of cancer. However, the specific function of GAS5 in tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) of endometrial cancer (EC) is elusive. Quantitative PCR results showed that GAS5 expression decreased in EC tissues and primary TAMs from EC tumors. Tumor‐associated macrophage infiltration was significantly positively associated with the developmental stage of EC. Direct coculture of GAS5‐overexpressing TAMs and EC cells showed that GAS5 enhanced phagocytosis, antigen presentation, and activation of cytotoxic T cells, and repressed "Don't eat me" signals between TAMs and EC cells. Tumor formation in immunodeficient mice showed that GAS5‐overexpressing macrophages could repress EC formation in vivo. GAS5 promoted M1 polarization by activating the microRNA‐21– phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)–AKT signaling pathway and directly repressing the nuclear accumulation and phosphorylation of oncogenic yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1) in TAMs. GAS5 inhibited the development of EC from both innate and adaptive immunity by transforming TAMs from a protumor to an antitumor phenotype. These antitumor effects of GAS5 on TAMs were mediated by the activation of the miR‐21‐PTEN‐AKT pathway and inhibition of YAP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomarker testing is recommended for the accurate and timely diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using illustrative case narratives we consider how cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker tests may be used in different presentations of cognitive impairment to facilitate timely and differential diagnosis, improving diagnostic accuracy, providing prognostic information, and guiding personalized management in diverse scenarios. Evidence shows that (1) CSF ratios are superior to amyloid beta (Aβ)1‐42 alone; (2) concordance of CSF ratios to amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) is better than Aβ1‐42 alone; and (3) phosphorylated tau (p‐tau)/Aβ1‐42 ratio is superior to p‐tau alone. CSF biomarkers are recommended for the exclusion of AD as the underlying cause of cognitive impairment, diagnosis of AD at an early stage, differential diagnosis of AD in individuals presenting with other neuropsychiatric symptoms, accurate diagnosis of AD in an atypical presentation, and for clinical trial enrichment. Highlights: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker testing may be underused outside specialist centers.CSF biomarkers improve diagnostic accuracy, guiding personalized management of AD.CSF ratios (amyloid beta [Aβ]1‐42/Aβ1‐40 and phosphorylated tau/Aβ1‐42) perform better than single markers.CSF ratios produce fewer false‐negative and false‐positive results than individual markers.CSF biomarkers should be included in diagnostic work‐up of AD and mild cognitive impairment due to AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethyl acetate is one of typical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitting from solvent use, and removing ethyl acetate from exhaust air is vital to VOCs abatement. The mesoporous manganese oxide (MnOx) samples were sonochemically synthesized by the reduction of KMnO4 using Mn(NO3)2. The characterization shows that γ‐MnO2, β‐MnO2, and bixbyite‐like Mn2O3 were obtained by calcining the MnOx samples from 200°C to 500°C. The results show that γ‐MnO2 and β‐MnO2 possess more Mn4+ than bixbyite‐like Mn2O3. β‐MnO2 has the highest contents of surface oxygen species (Oads) and average oxidation state (AOS) among the MnOx catalysts. Based on a 7‐day test, β‐MnO2 performed the highest activity for the catalytic ozonation of ethyl acetate compared with the other MnOx catalysts. The results show that ethyl acetate is easy to be destroyed but difficult to be completely mineralized by catalytic ozonation. Lower gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) leads to higher CO2 selectivity and more intermediate products form in the catalytic ozonation of ethyl acetate under higher GHSV. A further study indicates that β‐MnO2 has a long‐term stability for catalytic ozonation of ethyl acetate because the accumulation and the decomposition of intermediate products are in a dynamic equilibrium during the catalytic ozonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of materials with excellent separation performance remains an ongoing challenge in separation science and technology. Herein, a novel strategy was proposed to gradually enhance gas separation performance in micro/nano‐materials, by constructing a shell‐interlayer‐core structure using ionic liquid (triethylenetetramine lactate, [TETA]L) and zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF‐8). Such structure includes outer [TETA]L shell, interlayer of ZIF‐8, and inner [TETA]L core, endowing the composite with more evident molecular sieving separation for CO2 mixtures than the reported materials. A high CO2 adsorption amount (1.53 mmol/g at 298 K and 1.0 bar) is maintained, while the uptakes for CH4 and N2 are very low. Corresponding ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivities are 260–1,990 and 1,688–5,572 for CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 mixtures at the range of tested pressures. In addition, the separation performance can be controlled by varying the shell‐interlayer‐core structure with IL inside, outside or on both sides of ZIF‐8 and the thickness of outer shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairment of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is one of the most common cognitive disorders. It has a high incidence and results in heavy social burden; thus, it is essential to provide reasonable diagnosis and treatment in clinical practice. Based on the results of clinical research and related reports, combined with the actual situation in China, we propose a diagnosis and treatment guideline for cognitive impairment of CSVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: We examined the associations between maternal age at menarche and anthropometry and metabolism in adolescent offspring. Methods: Anthropometric, metabolic and blood pressure data were obtained from 304 girls and 190 boys aged 11‐16 years attending school in Hangzhou (China). Age at menarche for both mothers and daughters was self‐reported. Fasting blood samples were obtained and all participants underwent clinical examinations. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥95th percentile for age and sex. Results: Older maternal age at menarche was associated with older age of their daughters at menarche (r = 0.21; P < 0.001). Mother's age at menarche was not associated with anthropometry or metabolism of daughters. However, younger maternal age at menarche was associated with increased hip and waist circumferences, and BMI SDS of their sons. Boys whose mothers were ≤13 years at menarche had an adjusted relative risk of obesity 3‐fold greater than sons of mothers with a later menarcheal onset (2.96; 95% CI 1.49, 5.87). Among daughters, every 1‐year increase in their age at menarche was associated with a 0.34 SDS reduction in BMI. Increasing age at menarche was also associated with reduced waist and hip circumferences (−1.5 and −1.8 cm/y, respectively) and waist‐to‐height ratio (−0.008 per year). Girls in the youngest menarcheal age tertile (8.8‐11.6 years) had diastolic blood pressure 2.2 mm Hg higher than other girls (P = 0.029). Conclusions: Younger maternal age at menarche is associated with increased obesity risk in their sons, but not daughters. However, girls who experience menarche earlier have a less favourable anthropometric profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously developed a Deterministic Lateral Displacement (DLD) microfluidic method in silicon to separate cells of various sizes from blood (Davis et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci 2006;103:14779-14784; Huang et al., Science 2004;304:987-990). Here, we present the reduction-to-practice of this technology with a commercially produced, high precision plastic microfluidic chip-based device designed for automated preparation of human leukocytes (white blood cells; WBCs) for flow cytometry, without centrifugation or manual handling of samples. After a human blood sample was incubated with fluorochrome-conjugated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), the mixture was input to a DLD microfluidic chip (microchip) where it was driven through a micropost array designed to deflect WBCs via DLD on the basis of cell size from the Input flow stream into a buffer stream, thus separating WBCs and any larger cells from smaller cells and particles and washing them simultaneously. We developed a microfluidic cell processing protocol that recovered 88% (average) of input WBCs and removed 99.985% (average) of Input erythrocytes (red blood cells) and >99% of unbound mAb in 18 min (average). Flow cytometric evaluation of the microchip Product, with no further processing, lysis or centrifugation, revealed excellent forward and side light scattering and fluorescence characteristics of immunolabeled WBCs. These results indicate that cost-effective plastic DLD microchips can speed and automate leukocyte processing for high quality flow cytometry analysis, and suggest their utility for multiple other research and clinical applications involving enrichment or depletion of common or rare cell types from blood or tissue samples. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Vascular cognitive impairment without dementia is very common among the aged and tends to progress to dementia, but there have been no proper large-scale intervention trials dedicated to it. Vascular cognitive impairment without dementia caused by subcortical ischemic small vessel disease (hereinafter, subcortical Vascular cognitive impairment without dementia) represents a relatively homogeneous disease process and is a suitable target for therapeutic trials investigating Vascular cognitive impairment without dementia. Preclinical trials showed that dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) is effective for cognitive impairment of vascular origin. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we enrolled patients aged 50–70 years who had a diagnosis of subcortical Vascular cognitive impairment without dementia at 15 academic medical centers in China. Inclusion criteria included a clinical dementia rating ≥0.5 on at least one domain and global score ≤0.5; a mini-mental state examination score ≥20 (primary school) or ≥24 (junior school or above); and brain magnetic resonance imaging consistent with subcortical ischemic small vessel disease. Patients were randomly assigned to NBP 200 mg three times daily or matched placebo (1:1) for 24 weeks according to a computer-generated randomization protocol. All patients and study personnel were masked to treatment assignment. Primary outcome measures were the changes in Alzheimer's disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and clinician's interview-based impression of change plus caregiver input (CIBIC-plus) after 24 weeks. All patients were monitored for adverse events (AEs). Outcome measures were analyzed for both the intention-to-treat (ITT) population and the per protocol population. Results This study enrolled 281 patients. NBP showed greater effects than placebo on ADAS-cog (NBP change −2.46 vs. placebo −1.39; P = .03; ITT) and CIBIC-plus (80 [57.1%] vs. 59 [42.1%] patients improved; P = .01; ITT). NBP-related AE were uncommon and primarily consisted of mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Discussion Over the 6-month treatment period, NBP was effective for improving cognitive and global functioning in patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment without dementia and exhibited good safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines play a pivotal role in regulating the immune response through a tightly controlled expression. Elevated levels of inflammatory chemokines commonly occur with aging but the mechanism underlying this age-associated change is not fully understood. Here, we report the role of microRNA-125b (miR-125b) in regulating inflammatory CC chemokine 4 (CCL4) expression in human immune cells and its altered expression with aging. We first analyzed the mRNA level of CCL4 in eight different types of immune cells including CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets (naïve, central and effector memory), B cells and monocytes in blood from both young (≤42 years) and old (≥70 years) adults. We observed that monocytes and naïve CD8 T cells expressed higher levels of CCL4 and exhibited an age-related increase in CCL4. We then found the level of miR-125b was inversely correlated with the level of CCL4 in these cells, and the level of miR-125b was reduced in monocytes and naïve CD8 T cells of the old compared to the young adults. Knock-down of miR-125b by shRNA in monocytes and naïve CD8 T cells led to an increase of CCL4 protein, whereas enhanced miR-125b expression by transfection in naïve CD8 T cells resulted in a reduction of the CCL4 mRNA and protein in response to stimulation. Finally, we demonstrated that miR-125b action requires the 'seed' sequence in 3′UTR of CCL4. Together these findings demonstrated that miR-125b is a negative regulator of CCL4 and its reduction is partially responsible for the age-related increase of CCL4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease ( AD) is characterized by early impairments in memory and progressive neurodegeneration. Disruption of synaptic plasticity processes that underlie learning and memory contribute partly to this pathophysiology. Tripchlorolide (T4), an extract from a traditional Chinese herbal Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, has been shown to be neuroprotective in animal models of Parkinson's disease and to improve cognitive deficits in senescence-accelerated mouse P8. In this study, we investigated the effect of T4 on cognitive decline and synaptic plasticity in five times familial AD (5 XFAD) mice co-expressing mutated amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1. Five-month-old 5 XFAD mice and wild type littermates were intraperitoneally injected with T4, 5 μg/kg or 25 μg/kg, every other day for 60 days. T4 treatment significantly improved spatial learning and memory, alleviated synaptic ultrastructure degradation, up-regulated expression of synapse-related proteins, including synaptophysin, post-synaptic density-95, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1, phosphorylation of calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II α, and phosphorylation of cyclic AMP-response element binding protein, and promoted activation of the phophoinositide-3-kinase-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway in 5 XFAD mice. Accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) may contribute to synapse dysfunction and memory impairment in AD. We found that T4 treatment significantly reduced cerebral Aβ deposits and lowered Aβ levels in brain homogenates. These effects coincided with a reduction in cleavage of β-carboxyl-terminal amyloid precursor protein ( APP) fragment, levels of soluble APPβ, and protein expression of β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1. Taken together, our findings identify T4 as a potent negative regulator of brain Aβ levels and show that it significantly ameliorates synaptic degeneration and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new poly(ionic liquid) of N, N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA)-crosslinked-poly(4-vinylbenzyltriethylammonium hexafluorophosphate)(MBA-crosslinked-P[VBTEA][PF6]) is prepared through the ion exchange of KPF6 with the precursor of MBA-crosslinked-P[VBTEA][Cl]; the precursor is synthesized by 4-vinylbenzyltriethylammonium chloride and MBA via inverse suspension polymerization. MBA-crosslinked-P[VBTEA][PF6] is a thermally stable (decomposes at nearly 300°C) and porous (apparent porosity of 64.3% and specific surface of 39.12 m2/g) polymer particle with high purity, as indicated by Fourier transformed infrared, energy dispersive spectroscopy, thermogravimetric, scanning electron microscopy, and porous analyses. It is observed that MBA-crosslinked-P[VBTEA][PF6] has good CO2 adsorption capability of 14.04 mg/g at 0.2 MPa and 25°C, and can be recovered by desorption at vacuum and 80°C, and reused with 99% CO2 adsorption after four cycles. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:59-63, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viscosity data for ionic liquids (ILs) are needed for the theoretical study on viscosity or for the design/development of industrial process that involves ILs; understanding the relationship between ionic structure and viscosity is also desired to more rationally design and synthesize ILs with ideal viscosity. A database for the viscosity of pure ILs and their binary/ternary mixtures with molecular compounds is created by performing a comprehensive collection from published scientific literature sources worldwide covering the period from 1970 to 2009. In this database, there are 5046 data entries, 696 ILs, 306 cations, and 138 anions. Following the database, a direct observation of the effects of ionic structure along with temperature, pressure, and impurity on the viscosity is summarized, and a quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) correlation is performed to understand the viscosity at a micro-electronic or molecular level. Through direct observation and QSPR, the relationship between ILs structure and viscosity is addressed. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional distillation method for recovery of butanol from fermentation broth is an energy-intensive process. Separation of butanol based on adsorption methodology has advantages in terms of biocompatibility and stability, as well as economy, and therefore gains much attention. However, the application of the commercial adsorbents in the integrated acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process is restricted due to the low recovery (less than 85%) and the weak capability of enrichment in the eluent (3-4 times). In this study, we investigated the sorption properties of butanol onto three kinds of adsorbents with different polarities developed in our laboratory, that is, XD-41, H-511, and KA-I resin. The sorption behaviors of single component and ABE ternary mixtures presented in the fermentation broths on KA-I resin were investigated. KA-I resin had higher affinity for butanol than for acetone, ethanol, glucose, acetic acid, and butyric acid. Multicomponent ABE sorption on KA-I resin was modeled using a single site extended Langmuir isotherm model. In a desorption study, all the adsorbed components were desorbed in one bed volume of methanol, and the recovery of butanol from KA-I resin was 99.7%. The concentration of butanol in the eluent was increased by a factor of 6.13. In addition, KA-I resin was successfully regenerated by two bed volumes of water. Because of its quick sorption, high sorption capacity, low cost, and ease of desorption and regeneration, KA-I resin exhibits good potential for compatibility with future ABE fermentation coupled with in situ recovery product removal techniques. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 28: 962-972, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the findings of a study which determined the volatility of ionic liquids using molecular dynamic simulation and ab initio calculation. It demonstrates how ionic interactions between coulombic electrostatic and Van der Waals forces affect vaporization enthalpy, while molecular conformations result from factors such as intraionic bond, angle, and torsion interactions. The study concluded with a volatilization mechanism indicating proton transfer occurrence in ion pair for 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinium-based ionic liquids.

Traditional hydrogels often face issues like dehydration, excessive swelling, and poor adhesion, limiting their practical applications. This study presents a facile and universal method to create elastomer‐encapsulated hydrogels with improved water retention, non‐swelling, and enhanced adhesion. n‐Butyl acrylate (BA) and 2,2,3,4,4,4‐hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBMA) are utilized as the “soft” and “hard” monomers, respectively, to in situ construct the elastomer coatings on the hydrogel surface through surface‐confined copolymerization. The resulting transparent, hydrophobic, and adhesive elastomer coating is tightly bound to the hydrogel surface, conferring upon it a robust defense against dehydration and swelling in various media, and strong adhesion to diverse substrates in both aerial and submerged conditions. Furthermore, this encapsulation strategy also augments the mechanical attributes of the bulk hydrogel, including its tensile properties and puncture resistance, and is applicable to a wide array of hydrogel types and configurations. Additionally, the in situ encapsulation method applied to conductive hydrogels results in flexible sensors with high sensitivity, reversible resistance change, exceptional sensing stability, and significantly enhanced durability in both air and underwater environments. These properties suggest potential applications in harsh environments, such as underwater acoustic detection and sonar scanning camouflage for submarines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the popularization of information and automation, an automatic handling system has been gradually applied to various industries of intelligent manufacturing. For the intelligent management of Mask in TFT‐LCD industry, unmanned transport has naturally become a key tool for factories to enhance competitiveness and expand profitability. Meanwhile, the Mask cost exponentially increases with the increasing generation lines. In order to create leading global G10.5 production line, a Mask intelligent handling system including MES, ACS and AGV is built. As the system brain, MES is responsible for collecting production information and processing big data. ACS can collect Mask information, accept MES instruction and coordinate the logical actions among different devices. AGV acts as an implementer to carry out the specific implementation of Mask movement. The Mask intelligent handling system has been implemented at present, and it plays an important role in the improvement of the business productivity and corporate profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conflicting information exists concerning the actions of ethanol on vesicular release at excitatory synapses. Because long-term alterations in synaptic transmission are thought to underlie neuroadaptive responses to ethanol, we have directly measured the actions of ethanol on release dynamics at an intact central synapse., Methods: Here we investigated the effects of ethanol on release dynamics in hippocampal slices using confocal microscopy with the lipophilic dye, FM1-43, complemented by a patch clamp analysis of AMPA miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). After a pretreatment/loading paradigm with sulforhodamine (S-Rhd) and FM1-43, stable, dense punctate FM1-43 staining in the CA1 stratum radiatum was evident., Results: FM1-43 fluorescence destaining was dose-dependently induced by perfusion with elevated K+ (20-60 mM). Cadmium inhibited K+-induced destaining, whereas nifedipine had no significant effect. Ethanol (25-75 mM) inhibited K+-induced destaining with high efficacy and had no effect on basal destaining. Both omega-Conotoxin GVIA and omega-Agatoxin IVA inhibited K+-induced destaining with high efficacy. The combination of omega-Conotoxin GVIA and omega-Agatoxin IVA occluded the inhibitory effect of ethanol, indicating that ethanol inhibition of release was dependent on inhibition of N/P/Q-voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Patch clamp studies of AMPA mEPSCs revealed similar findings in that vesicular release was enhanced with K+ depolarization in an ethanol-sensitive manner., Conclusions: These findings indicate that the FM1-43/S-Rhd method is a stable and powerful approach for direct real-time measurement of vesicular release kinetics in intact brain slice preparations and that ethanol inhibits vesicular release induced by depolarization via inhibition of N/P/Q-VGCCs.