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In recent years, the conversion of biomass-derived platform compounds into a variety of high value fuel and chemical products has attracted increasing attention from researchers. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FFR) belong to a class of important biomass-derived platform chemicals. The molecular structure of HMF and FFR is consisted of aldehyde group, furan ring and other functional groups, which endow them with unique chemical properties. In this paper, the research advances on the catalytic hydrogenation of HMF and FFR in various hydrogen sources, such as hydrogen, alcohol, silanes and formic acid, have been reviewed in detail. In addition, the main influencing factors like catalyst type and reaction conditions on the hydrogenation process as well as the reaction mechanism are discussed in depth. Meanwhile, research foreground in the catalytic hydrogenation of HMF/FFR has been prospected.

To assess associations between infants with macrosomia and placental expression levels of lipid activated/transport-related factors and umbilical cord blood lipid concentrations in healthy pregnancy. We conducted a case-control study of 38 macrosomic neonates (MS group) and 39 normal-birth-weight newborns (NC group) in a healthy pregnancy. Cord blood lipid levels were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer, mRNA and protein expression levels of placental lipid activated/transport-related factors were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot, respectively. Compared with NC group, cord blood total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were decreased in the MS group. The mRNA and protein expression levels of placental peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα, PPARγ), plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (FABPpm), and fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) were significantly higher in the MS group than the NC group. And there was a weak positive correlation between the expression of PPARγ, FABP4, and FABP3 mRNA in the placenta and the HDLC (rs = 0.439; P = 0.005), NEFA (rs = 0.342; P = 0.041), and TG (rs = 0.349; P = 0.034) levels in the cord blood in the MS group, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, the logistic regression analysis showed that high placental PPARα (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.022; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.032-8.853) and FAT/CD36 (AOR=2.989; 95%CI 1.029-8.679) and low LDLC concentration in the cord blood (AOR=0.246; 95%CI 0.080-0.759) increased the risk of macrosomia. The increased PPARα and FAT/CD36 expression levels may influence the occurrence of fetal macrosomia through regulating placental lipid transport.

4-Substituted catechols with different CC bonds as urushiol analogues were synthesized through the a three-step route including reductive amination reaction of 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde with N-Boc-piperazine, Boc deprotection, and amidation with various fatty acids. Electrochemical polymerization of these analogues on a copper surface afforded robust coatings with desirable adhesive force, hydrophobicity and thermal stability. Cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopic characterizations revealed that the coating formation of urushiol analogues resulted from the electrooxidation-induced radical coupling of phenoxyl radicals with a phenyl ring and the side chain CC bond. The coating of the urushiol analogue bearing only one side chain CC bond exhibited the best performance in copper corrosion inhibition, with an inhibition efficiency of 99.99% and long-term effect (99.9% after 4 weeks of immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl). The desired performance of these urushiol analogues suggests that they could be of practical applications as an alternative to the resource-limited natural urushiol.

Nine new compounds, including five natural rarely-occurring 2,3-dihydro-1H-indene derivatives named diaporindenes E−I ( 1 − 5 ), and four new benzophenone analogues named tenellones J−M ( 6 − 9 ) were isolated from the deep-sea sediment-derived fungus Phomopsis lithocarpus FS508. All the structures for these new compounds were fully characterized on the basis of spectroscopic data, NMR spectra, and ECD calculation and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The potential anti-tumor activities of compounds 1 − 9 against four tumor cell lines SF-268, MCF-7, HepG-2, and A549 were evaluated using the SRB method. Compound 7 exhibited cytotoxic activity against the SF-268 cell line with an IC50 value of 11.36 μmol·L−1.

It is a challenging and valuable work to realize the simultaneous sensing of two or more parameters at the end of optical fiber. In this paper, we implemented an ultra compact dual-channel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor on fiber-optic end facet. A dual-layer polymer microcap based on different refractive index (RI) films was used to segment a single Cu/TiO2 coated micro-cone on single mode fiber (SMF) end facet for producing a sensing spectrum with two separated SPR dips. The SPR dip (channel-II) generated by Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microcap can reach high sensitivity temperature measurement of 2.935 nm/°C in the range of 30–70 °C, and the SPR dip (channel-I) generated by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microcap can achieve high sensitivity humidity measurement of 1.08 nm/%RH in the range of 20%RH-70%RH. Finally, the simultaneous detection of humidity and temperature can be realized by the matrix established by channel-I and channel-II. This is a simple, effective and reproducible micro laboratory on optical fiber end facet for dual parameter sensing.

A convenient and low-cost approach to fabricate a high-quality copper layer on epoxy resin via electroless plating for applications in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is introduced in this paper. Through the surface modification of thiosulfate (S2O32−), an epoxy resin substrate is able to adsorb silver ions, which could create a catalytic activating layer to catalyze the subsequent electroless copper plating (ECP) of a conductive deposited copper layer at low temperature. The effects of thiosulfate are evaluated based on water contact angle measurement, XPS, FT-IR, SEM, EDS and adhesion tests. The incorporation of thiosulfate effectively modifies the epoxy resin substrate surface, thus promoting adhesion between the epoxy resin and the deposited copper layer. Moreover, after 40 min of ECP, the resulting deposited copper layer presents a low resistivity of 2.24 × 10−6 Ω cm and an excellent electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of greater than 60 dB in the frequency range from 4 GHz to 18 GHz. It can be concluded that the developed technology can be used to enable surface metallization of epoxy resin as a highly effective electromagnetic interference shielding material without the use of high temperatures or sophisticated manufacturing equipment.

Conductive polymer composites (CPCs) containing nanoscale conductive fillers have been widely studied for their potential use in various applications. In this paper, polypyrrole (PPy)/polydopamine (PDA)/silver nanowire (AgNW) composites with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance, good adhesion ability and light weight are successfully fabricated via a simple in situ polymerization method followed by a mixture process. Benefiting from the intrinsic adhesion properties of PDA, the adhesion ability and mechanical properties of the PPy/PDA/AgNW composites are significantly improved. The incorporation of AgNWs endows the functionalized PPy with tunable electrical conductivity and enhanced EMI shielding effectiveness (SE). By adjusting the AgNW loading degree in the PPy/PDA/AgNW composites from 0 to 50 wt%, the electrical conductivity of the composites greatly increases from 0.01 to 1206.72 S cm-1, and the EMI SE of the composites changes from 6.5 to 48.4 dB accordingly (8.0-12.0 GHz, X-band). Moreover, due to the extremely low density of PPy, the PPy/PDA/AgNW (20 wt%) composites show a superior light weight of 0.28 g cm-3. In general, it can be concluded that the PPy/PDA/AgNW composites with tunable electrical conductivity, good adhesion properties and light weight can be used as excellent EMI shielding materials.

A novel boron–silicon–alkynyl hybrid copolymer (BSD) was synthesized by condensation polymerization of 1,3-diethynylbenzene with dichloromethylsilane and boron trifluoride etherate. Fourier transform infrared and 1H-, 13C-, and 29Si-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies were used to confirm the structures of the copolymers. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry showed that the polymer exhibited excellent heat resistance and thermo-oxidative stabilities under nitrogen and air. The cure cross-linking reaction mechanisms of the BSD were related to Diels–Alder intermolecular cyclization involving two C≡C bonds and hydrosilylation reaction between Si–H and C≡C bonds. The [Formula: see text] of the BSD was above 591°C and 530°C under nitrogen and air, respectively. The residues at 1000°C were above 88% under nitrogen and 25% in air. X-ray diffraction was used to study the formation of ceramics. The precursor for ceramics (β-SiC, α-SiC, and B4C) was formed at 1600°C under an argon atmosphere. The thermo-oxidative stabilities of the copolymers were attributed to the existing organic groups of alkynyl and inorganic elements of silicon and boron.

Microcapsules of volatile oil containing Herba Schizonepetae (VOHS) were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method to improve the drug loading and reduce the amount of pharmaceutical excipients. Orthogonal assay was applied to optimize the preparation condition of microcapsulation, and the results illustrated that the ratio of ethyl cellulose (EC) to VOHS influenced the property of VOHS microcapsule significantly. GC-MS analysis indicated that some volatile components with low concentration in VOHS were lost after microencapsulation. The microcapsules prepared with optimum condition had good fluidity, and the holes on the surface of the microcapsules contributed to the release of VOHS. The particles of the microcapsule conformed to a normal distribution with the diameter of 45–220 μm. In the simulated intestinal fluid containing 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate, pulegone in VOHS microcapsule showed a certain degree of slow release. Compared with β-cyclodextrin method, the microencapsulation used in the present work could reduce the amount of excipients and increase the drug loading. It was beneficial to reduce the dose of Chinese medicines containing volatile oils.

The structure and processing of car holders castings were analyzed. Die-casting molding process scheme was established. The design of mold includes three core-drawing mechanisms. the gate of the gating system was arranged on the casting bottom surface. For economy and die easy maintenance considerations, die-casting machine, mold, and mold standard parts should be standard parts. The designs of mold gating system and non-standard pieces were completed with the aid of PROE. Proved by actual production, the mold operated smoothly, without clamping stagnation, and the production of die castings meet delivery requirements.

Six groups of polyacrylate binders are prepared with emulsion polymerization technique. D4 and ethenylsiloxane as modified monomers. Methyl acrylate (MA), butyl acrylate (BA) and styrene (St) are employed as basic polymerizing monomers; acrylic acid (AA) as catalyzer; glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as reactive monomers; VTMS as coupling agent;sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), composite fatty alcohol ether polyethylene oxide (composite AEO) as emulsifier and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator. The time and dosage of D4/initiator and dosage of coupling agent are changed for their effects on the reaction conversion rate and gel rate. Then, comparison with normal PA and green PA in the adhesivity, staining resistance, yellowing resistance, water tolerance and pliability of binders are carried. The studies show that the green silicone polyacrylate binder have the better comprehensive properties with D4 5% (on mass of monomers ) and ethenylsiloxane 1% (on mass of D4).

Three common polyphenol compounds Gallic Acid (GA), Pyrogallic Acid (PA) and Catechol (CA) are known to have allelochemical-exhibiting inhibitory effects on the growth of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa). Metabolism and antioxidant responses in M. aeruginosa were investigated to elucidate the mechanism by which the three polyphenols inhibit algal growth. The inhibition effects of polyphenols were in the order of CAPAGA. The GA and CA exposures increased protein contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity and soluble sugar, especially for exposure to GA of 25 mg L(-1). Soluble sugar content increased significantly especially when exposed to CA for 72 h. When exposed to PA, protein content, and SOD and CAT activities initially increased but over longer treatment time the activities decreased, in contrast to sugar content. Our results suggest that PA exposure for longer periods of time may inhibit catabolism action, while CA exposure could induce more oxide stress than GA or PA. The overall study showed that polyphenol-induced oxidative damage might be responsible for polyphenol inhibition on M. aeruginosa growth. The increases in cellular antioxidant enzymes and soluble sugar may have been to counteract the oxidative stress.

A series of Cu substituted Mg-Zn ferrite powders Mg0.55-xCux Zn0.45 Fe2O4 with x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. The structure and magnetic behavior of the powders are investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results show that all the samples annealed at 600°C are pure spinel phase and the copper content has an obvious influence on coercivity (Hc), saturation magnetization (Ms) and the lattice constant (a). The densification characteristics and magnetic properties of the low-temperature sintered Mg0.55-xCuxZn0.45Fe2O4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) ferrites were also investigated. The density of sintered samples is observed to increase monotonously with Cu content. At the same time, the initial permeability (μi) is observed to increase with increase in copper content up to x = 0.2 followed by a decrease, while the Curie temperature (Tc) increase continuously from 125°C to 190°C when x increases from 0.0 to 0.4.

The environment-friendly silicone-modified acrylate is made through the emulsion of the polymerization. Research shows that time of organic silicon prepolymerization, quantity of organic silicon graft copolymerization, catalysts and its dosage, dosage of the coupling agent have significantly effect on the acrylate adhesives polymerization process and performance of product. The polysiloxane can resistant to heat and is hydrophobic, breathe freely and feels soft smooth. It can improve the water resistance of the film, and stanning resistance, softness and significant flexibility and wet rubbing fastness and so on.

Rectification is a very efficient technique for gas–liquid separation and has being widely applied in the fields of chemical, petrochemical engineering, etc. In order to explore adaptability of using rectification extraction (RE) to isolate volatile oils from Chinese herbs, RE and steam distillation (SD) techniques were applied to isolate volatile oils from three typical Chinese herbs Bupleurum , Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth (PCB), Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (PCR) in this paper. The experiment shows that SD technique cannot get volatile oils and only aromatic water from Bupleurum but RE can prepare both. RE technique increases 10% oil yield of PCB and 20% of PCR compared with SD, respectively. Therefore, RE would be more effective and suitable for enriching volatile oils from plants or herbs in which volatile oils are water-soluble and with low-content. GC–MS analysis of the products indicates that most compounds in volatile oils of PCB and PCR prepared by SD and RE methods (techniques) are the same, and the percentage contents of the most common compounds change little. Therefore, the quality features of volatile oils extracted by RE are similar to those produced by SD. So RE is not only a way to prepare samples for the aim of volatile oils’ quality analysis but also a good alternative technology in industry for isolating volatile oils from Chinese herbs or other plants.

Background: The clinical application has widespread disagreement on the different regimens of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the efficacy of the different NCT regimens in the treatment of NPC. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochran Library. Totally, 31 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 4062) met study selection criteria and were incorporated in this NMA study. Results: Our study showed that certain NCT regimens improved the prognosis of patients, and found out the relative best solution for each endpoint, such as paclitaxel, carboplatin, and gemcitabine for 1-year overall survival (OS) rate, cisplatin, calcium folinate, and 5-fluorouracil for 2-year OS rate, vinorelbine and cisplatin (NP) for 3-year OS rate, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil for 5-year OS rate, NP for complete remission rate, cisplatin and gemcitabine for overall remission rate of the primary tumor. In addition, for certain grade 3 and above toxicity, the results of the NMA reflected certain NCT regimens can reduce toxicity of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) to a minimum, such as NP for anemia, mucositis, and thrombocytopenia, paclitaxel, epirubicin, and cisplatin for neutropenia and skin toxicity. Conclusion: Our NMA showed that certain cisplatin-based NCT regimens improved the prognosis of patients with NPC and reduced the toxicity of CRT. However, in view of survival rate and response rate, the best NCT regimen is not entirely consistent. Therefore, which NCT regimen will benefit most patients will need further explored.

Two isostructural cadmium(II) complexes, [Cd(L1)(NO 3 ) 2 (H 2 O)] · CH 3 OH (1) and [Cd(L2)(NO 3 ) 2 (H 2 O)] · CH 3 OH (2), derived from the Schiff bases 4-bromo-2-[(2-piperazinylethylimino)methyl]phenol (L1) and 4-chloro-2-[(2-piperazinylethylimino)methyl]phenol (L2), respectively, were prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Each complex consists of a mononuclear cadmium(II) complex molecule and a methanol molecule of crystallization. The Cd atom in each complex is six-coordinated by one phenolate O, one imine N and one amine N atoms of the Schiff base ligand, two O atoms from two nitrate anions, and one water O atom, forming distorted octahedral coordination. The urease inhibitory activities of the complexes were evaluated.

Two new isostructural copper(II)–zinc(II) complexes, [CuZnLBr2] (1) and [CuZnLCl2] (2) (H2L = N,N′-bis(4-methoxysalicylidene)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Both complexes crystallize in the P-1 space group. The Cu in each complex is four-coordinate square planar with two imines and two phenolates of L. The Zn in each complex is four-coordinate tetrahedral with two phenolates of L and two halides (Br for 1 and Cl for 2). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of the complexes indicates that both complexes are rudimentary models for SOD.

An end-on azido-bridged dinuclear Cu(II) complex, [Cu2L2(μ1,1–N3)2]·CH3OH, and an end-on azido-bridged polynuclear Cu(II) complex, [CuL(μ1,1–N3)]n, derived from the Schiff base 2-[(3-methylaminopropylimino)methyl]phenol (HL), were synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The two complexes were synthesized and crystallized with different solvents, methanol for [Cu2L2(μ1,1–N3)2]·CH3OH and ethanol for [CuL(μ1,1–N3)]n. The Cu atom in each complex is five-coordinate in a square pyramidal geometry with one O and two N atoms of L, and one N atom of an azide ligand defining the basal plane, and with one N atom of another azide ligand occupying the apical position. The urease inhibitory activities of both complexes were evaluated.

Two azido-bridged polynuclear Cu(II) complexes with the formulae [Cu(L1)(μ1,3-N3)]n and [Cu(L2)(μ1,3-N3)]n (HL1 = 2-[(2-morpholin-4-ylethylimino)methyl]phenol, HL2 = 2-methoxy-6-[(2-piperidin-1-ylethylimino)methyl]phenol), have been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The Cu atom in each of the complexes is five-coordinate in a square pyramidal geometry, with one O and two N atoms of a Schiff base ligand and one terminal N atom of a bridging azido ligand defining the base-plane, and with another terminal N atom of a symmetry-related azido ligand occupying the apical position. The molecules are linked through end-to-end azido bridges, forming one-dimensional polymeric chains. Both of the complexes show moderate inhibitory activities against jack bean urease.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Yaotongning (YTN) is a traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that contains ten component medicinal materials (CMMs) and uses Chinese rice wine as a vehicle to enhance its efficacy. YTN has been used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment in China for decades and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, as well as to strengthen the immune system. Aim of the study The present work quantitatively evaluated the in vitro effects of active fractions from the ten CMMs that make up YTN and eight additional herbs commonly used in TCM formulas for RA treatment, as well as different combinations of these active fractions, on cellular immune response; the findings were used to determine which active fractions are responsible for promoting an immune response, and to assess whether YTN is superior to other similar formulas and whether YTN can be improved by simplifying its formula from the point of its cellular immunomodulatory activity. Materials and methods Using the YTN formulation principles and some concepts in combinatorial chemistry, 27 TCM samples were designed by combining some or all of the active fractions of YTN and other eight herbs used for RA treatment. Release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) from ANA-1 murine macrophages was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The immunoregulatory effects of the TCM samples were evaluated by comparing their half-effective concentrations (EC 50 ) for stimulating the release of these cytokines. Results Among the investigated active fractions, the flavonoids from Carthamus tinctorius (Fct), Davallia mariesii (Fdm), and Cinnamomum cassia Twig volatile oils (Vca) from the eight selected herbs effectively promoted IL-1β and IL-6 release from ANA-1 cells. Saponins from the YTN CMM Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Sgu) were the most potent promoters of IL-1β and TNF-α release. The aqueous extract of YTN CMM Eupolyphaga sinensis (Ves) strongly enhanced the release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α from ANA-1 cells. The EC 50 values for stimulating the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α could be determined for only six samples. The full YTN formula and the sample containing 50% Glycyrrhiza uralensis saponins, 25% of the mixture of alkaloids, and 25% of the mixture of all flavonoids exhibited good comprehensive cellular immunomodulatory activity. The immunomodulatory activity of the complete YTN formula was better than that of the sample containing all active fractions of YTN without Chinese rice wine (the YTN vehicle). Conclusions Sgu and Ves are the primary active fractions of YTN involved in stimulating immune responses. The YTN prescription was reasonably effective at promoting cellular immune responses. Chinese rice wine, the YTN vehicle, strengthened the immunoregulatory activity of YTN. The results of this study demonstrate that the YTN recipe could be improved by reducing the number of CMMs and altering some active fractions without reducing its activity to promote cellular immune responses.

A novel one-dimensional silver(I) complex, derived from 2-hydroxypyridine with Ag2O in an ammonia solution, have been prepared and structurally characterized. Each Ag atom in the complex is three-coordinate in a T-shaped geometry with two phenolate O atoms and one pyridine N atom. Adjacent Ag atoms are linked by Ag–Ag interactions, forming an Ag4 unit. The Ag4 units are further linked by four phenolate O atoms, forming a one-dimensional chain running along the c axis. The fluorescence of the complex has been studied. The complex show strong urease inhibitory activity.

Three polymeric zinc(II) complexes, derived from the end-on azide (μ1,1-N3) and end-to-end azide (μ1,3-N3) bridges and similar tridentate Schiff base ligands, have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The zinc(II) atom in each complex is in a midway between trigonal–bipyramidal and square–pyramidal coordination. The slight difference of the steric effects of the Schiff bases and the hydrogen bonds can influence the bridging modes of the azide groups.

Thirty-six new amino acid and peptidyl diphenyl phosphonate esters were synthesized and evaluated to identify potent and selective inhibitors for four trypsin-like proteases: lymphocyte granzymes A and K, human mast cell tryptase, and pancreatic trypsin. Among five Cbz derivatives of Lys and Arg homologues, Z-(4-AmPhe)P(OPh)2 is the most potent inhibitor for granzyme A, and Z-LysP(OPh)2 is the best inhibitor for granzyme K, mast tryptase, and trypsin. The amidino P1 residue D,L-(4-AmPhGly)P(OPh)2 was utilized in a series of compounds with several different N-protecting groups and systematic substitutions at P2 in Cbz-AA derivatives and at P3 in Cbz-AA-Ala derivatives. Generally, these phosphonates inhibit granzyme A and trypsin more potently than granzyme K and tryptase. The P2 Thr and Ala dipeptide phosphonates, Cbz-AA-(4-AmPhGly)P(OPh)2, are the most potent inhibitors for granzyme A, and Cbz-Thr-(4-AmPhGly)P(OPh)2 (kobs/[I] = 2220 M-1 s-1) was quite specific with much lower inhibition rates for granzyme K and trypsin (kobs/[I] = 3 and 97 M-1 s-1, respectively) and no inhibition with tryptase. The most effective inhibitor of granzyme A was Ph-SO2-Gly-Pro-(4-AmPhGly)P(OPh)2 with a second-order rate constant of 3650 M-1 s-1. The most potent inhibitor for granzyme K was 3, 3-diphenylpropanoyl-Pro-(4-AmPhGly)P(OPh)2 with a kobs/[I] = 1830 M-1 s-1; all other phosphonates inhibited granzyme K weakly (kobs/[I] < 60 M-1 s-1). Human mast cell tryptase was inhibited slowly by these phosphonates with Cbz-LysP(OPh)2 as the best inhibitor (kobs/[I] = 89 M-1 s-1). The overall results suggest that scaffolds of Phe-Thr-(4-AmPhe) and Phe-Pro-Lys will be useful to create selective phosphonate inhibitors for granzymes A and K, respectively, and that P4 substituents offer opportunities to further enhance selectivity and reactivity.

This provides access to tetrahydroquinolines possessing one or two stereocenters at different positions as well as highly divergent functional groups.

Reactions of cyclopentadienyl iron 2-alkynyl and allyl complexes with ketenes or ketene precursors yield transition-metal substituted cyclopentenones in some cases and new transition-metal substituted allyl complexes in others. The transition metals can subsequently be cleaved from the cyclopentenone containing complexes under a variety of oxidative and nonoxidative reaction conditions.

Raw cow milk may be adulterated water and pseudo proteins such as melamine either intentionally or accidentally for getting more profit. This study prepared a series of adulteration milk samples by adding different amounts of aqueous solutions of dextrin (or starch) containing pseudo proteins (melamine, urea, or ammonium nitrate) to raw cow milks, which were collected from pastures surrounding Shanghai in 2011. Improved υ-support vector machines (υ-SVM) method was applied to build classification models for discriminating adulteration milks based on near infrared (NIR) spectra of different sample sets. Uniform design table was used to find good value of parameters of υ and σ. Results show that the adulteration milks in which content of the adulteration solutions equals or exceeds 5% can be well identified by improved υ-SVM combining NIR spectroscopy with high validation correct ratio (VCR), which positively correlates to the content of the adulteration solutions. Water amount added to raw milks is the key fact influencing classification results of the NIR classification models. However, it is difficult to judge type of pseudo proteins added to milks by NIR spectroscopy. Chromatography or kit method aiming to particular prohibited substances such as melamine could be selected to further detect which kind of pseudo proteins is added to milk if necessary.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C14H10N4O2, contains two independent molecules with similar structures. In one molecule, the tetrazole ring is oriented at dihedral angles of 17.71 (16) and 57.13 (17)°, respectively, to the central benzene ring and the terminal benzene ring; in the other molecule, the corresponding dihedral angles are 16.46 (18) and 75.87 (18)°. Intermolecular N—H...N hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds occur in the crystal structure.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C30H22O7, neighbouring benzene rings are twisted out of the plane of the five-membered ring by 27.30 (3) and 45.47 (3)°.

Objectives Elemene is a chemical extracted from plants. It has demonstrated anti-tumour capability. Although widely studied, there has been little reported regarding its tissue distribution. Our aim was to rectify this. Methods The tissue distribution of elemene was studied after intragastric or intravenous administration in rats. The effectiveness of elemene in treating brain tumours was studied using the G-422 tumour cell model in mice. Key findings Elemene had a higher concentration in the lungs, spleen and livers than other tissues of normal rats after intragastric and intravenous administration, while the concentration in the gastrointestinal tract was greater after intragastric administration. Elemene molecules were also detected in the rats' brain tissue. Elemene had a therapeutic effect on mice inoculated with G-422 cells both intracranially and subcutaneously. The best life-extending rate and the best tumour-inhibiting rate of elemene were 64.43% and 34.46%, respectively, when 80 mg/kg elemene was used for treatment. Conclusions The results from the tissue distribution study showed that elemene can pass through the blood-brain barrier. The therapeutic experiments showed that elemene is effective in treating cerebral malignancy.

In order to explore novel urease inhibitors, three new mononuclear complexes of Cu(II) and Zn(II) with Schiff base 2-{[2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)ethylimino]methyl}-4-nitrophenol have been prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Among the three complexes, two Cu(II) complexes show strong urease inhibitory activities with the IC(50) values being much lower than that of the acetohydroxamic acid, while the Zn(II) complex shows no activity at the concentration of 100 microM.

The amidine-containing α-aminoalkylphosphonofluoridate 3 (Cbz-(4-AmPhGly) P (OPh)(F)) is a very potent inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymes. It was prepared by hydrolyzing the corresponding phosphonate diphenyl ester 4 followed by reaction of fluoride with the phosphonochloridate prepared from the intermediate phosphonic acid monoester 5 . Compound 3 is the most potent amidine-containing organophosphorus inhibitor yet reported for trypsin-like enzymes. It inhibits trypsin and thrombin with second-order rate constants ( k obs /[I]) of 2.6×10 5 M −1 s −1 and 1.0×10 5 M −1 s −1 , respectively, showing a 130-fold and a 1250-fold rate enhancement over the corresponding diphenyl ester ( 4 ). It also inactivates trypsin 2 orders of magnitude more potently than simple phosphonofluoridates such as DFP, [1] Sarin and Soman. The phosphonofluoridate 3 does not inhibit other serine proteases such as porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) and the esterase acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The phosphonofluoridate 3 is hydrolyzed rapidly in buffer solution and has a t 1/2 of 4.5 s at pH 7.5.

One-pot sequential asymmetric reactions of aminobenzaldehydes or aminophenones with alkynes catalysed by a gold(I)/Brønsted acid cooperative system are reported. This process provides a highly efficient method for the synthesis of optically active tetrahydroquinolines, with one or two chiral centres at different positions as well as highly divergent functional groups, in good to excellent yields and with high regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivities. A preliminary study on the effect of stereochemistry on biological activity suggests a potential application of these optically active tetrahydroquinolines in drug discovery processes.

In the title complex, [ZnBr2(C13H19N3O)], the ZnII atom is five-coordinated by the three N-donor atoms of the Schiff base ligand and by two Br atoms in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. The morpholine ring adopts a chair conformation.

The title compound, C(15)H(16)N(4)O, was prepared by the reaction of pyridine-3-carbaldehyde with 4-dimethyl-amino-benzo-hydrazide in methanol. The dihedral angle between the pyridine and the benzene rings is 5.1 (3)°. In the crystal structure, the hydrazone mol-ecules are linked through inter-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along the b axis.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Yaotongning Capsule (YTNC) is a Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) formula that has been demonstrated to be effective for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment in clinical use. Many compounds and 10 component medicinal materials (CMMs for short, i.e., the fundamental elements used in TCM formulas) in YTNC are challenging to study the pharmacological effects and interactions of the CMMs. Besides, it is difficult to know whether the YTNC formula is reasonable, and if YTNC formula could be improved without comparing YTNC with other TCM formulas of treating OA. Based on different combinations of the active fractions from the 10 CMMs of YTNC and eight additional herbs frequently used in the TCM formulas of treating OA, the present study evaluated systematically the in vitro effects of these active fractions and the interactions among the active fractions from YTNC on rat chondrocytes to find possible solutions of the above questions. Materials and methods Based on the formulation of YTNC and the concept of combinatorial chemistry, the active fractions were applied to form the whole YTNC prescription (i.e., the combination of all YTNC active fractions and the extract of YTNC׳s vehicle), five disassembled formulas of YTNC (i.e., the combinations of some active fractions in YTNC) and 21 TCM samples consisted of different kinds of active fractions. The degenerated chondrocytes were induced with interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and then the half-effective concentration (EC 50 ) value of the proliferation activity was analyzed to evaluate the 27 TCM samples. Nine samples were screened for the following evaluation on glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis. Rat articular cartilage was obtained from six Sprague-Dawley rats (seven days of age), and then chondrocytes were isolated through enzymatic digestion with 0.2% Collagenase II. Proliferations of chondrocytes were examined through Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, when the intracellular levels of GAG were detected by 1,9-Dimethylmethylene blue staining. The interactions between the active fractions in YTNC were evaluated by comparing experimental EC 50 values of the YTNC formulas with their additive EC 50 values. The effects of every active fraction were estimated by comparing the EC 50 values of the TCM sample containing the active fraction with that of the initial sample without the active fraction. Results The whole formula of YTNC was very good at promoting the proliferation and GAG synthesis among all the 27 TCM samples. The vehicle of YTNC (Chinese rice wine) strengthened the two activities of YTNC. Refer to promoting the proliferation in chondrocytes, Davallia mariesii flavonoids (not belong to YTNC) were more potent than Glycyrrhiza uralensis flavonoids in YTNC, while the saponins, volatile oils and polysaccharides of YTNC were more potent than those from the eight additional herbs. Some samples including fewer active fractions were as good as YTNC. The YTNC formula and its disassembled formulas exhibited good activities both in promoting the proliferation and GAG synthesis, and the whole formula was most potent among the six YTNC formulas. Conclusions The YTNC formula is reasonable and has advantage in promoting the proliferation and GAG synthesis in IL-1β induced chondrocytes. YTNC׳s vehicle Chinese rice wine plays an important role in strengthening the activity of YTNC. YTNC may have the potential activity on treating chondrocytes degeneration caused by OA. However, the formula still can be simplified based on the combination of alkaloids, flavonoids and 50% of saponins from Glycyrrhiza uralensis to improve its quality controllability and safety. The present study can be a quite purposeful work for developing new YTNC-based formulas with maximal therapeutic efficacy and minimal adverse effects.