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Transition-metal sulfides (MxSy) have attracted great interest as promising catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to their low cost. However, the formation of sulfur–hydrogen bonds on MxSy (S–Hads) severely suppresses the HER. In this paper, we report a three-dimensional nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) film supported by Ag nanorods (NRs) on Ni foam (Ni3S2–Ag/NF) as a type of electrocatalyst for the HER in alkaline media. The tight coupling between Ag and Ni3S2 creates a mass of heterojunctions. Therefore, this electrocatalyst only shows a low overpotential of 161 mV at 10 mA cm−2, as well as satisfactory stability for 10 h. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the intense electronic interactions in the heterojunctions of the Ni3S2–Ag hybrids can facilitate water adsorption and activation, improve H-adsorption and desorption on the electrocatalysts, and reduce the formation of S–Hads bonds on the catalyst surfaces. The existence of strong interactions between Ag and Ni3S2 in the electrocatalyst can facilitate both the Volmer and Heyrovsky steps of the HER and cause the Ni3S2–Ag/NF electrocatalysts to exhibit outstanding HER catalytic performance. This suitable strategy involving Ag doping may be a promising choice for developing Ni sulfide-based electrocatalysts for the HER.

Background As a common small molecule substance, environmental hormones widely exist in nature, especially water sources, which have a profound effects in humans. Highly efficient and sensitive method for estrogens in the environment are essential. Results In this paper, a novel high-throughput platform was established based on five small hormones molecules specificity aptamer and magnetic beads (MBs). The results showed that the sensitivity of the proposed method are greatly improved. The limit of detection(LOD) of this method for atrazine(Atz), profenofos, bisphenolA(BPA), estradiol(E2), and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) were 9.46, 20.75, 23.81, 8.97, 6.27 pg/mL, respectively. The Recovery rate of the diluted environmental hormones spiked in the samples of Haihe river were in the range of 87.5-111.02% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 28.44%. Conclusion This platform based on new complementary strand fragments can simultaneously rapid detection five environmental hormones. The whole procedure completed within 1.5h including sample treatment, incubation and detection, greatly improving the detection efficiency.

Chronic alcohol consumption causes cognitive impairments accompanying with white matter atrophy. Recent evidence has shown that myelin dynamics remain active and are important for brain functions in adulthood. For example, new myelin generation is required for learning and memory functions. However, it remains undetermined whether alcohol exposure can alter myelin dynamics in adulthood. In this study, we examine the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on myelin dynamics by using genetic approaches to label newly generated myelin (NG2-CreERt; mT/mG). Our results indicated that alcohol exposure (either 5% or 10% in drinking water) for 3 weeks remarkably reduced mGFP + /NG2- new myelin and mGFP + /CC1 + new oligodendrocytes in the prefrontal cortex and corpus callosum of 6-month-old NG2-CreERt; mT/mG mice as compared to controls without changing the mGFP + /NG2 + oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) density, suggesting that alcohol exposure may inhibit oligodendrocyte differentiation. In support with these findings, the alcohol exposure did not significantly alter apoptotic cell number or overall MBP expression in the brains. Further, the alcohol exposure decreased the histone deacetylase1 (HDAC1) expression in mGFP + /NG2 + OPCs, implying epigenetic mechanisms were involved in the arrested OPC differentiation. Together, our results indicate that chronic exposure to alcohol can inhibit myelinogenesis in the adult mouse brain and that may contribute to alcohol-related cognitive impairments.

Glioblastoma is one of the most frequent malignant tumors derived from the brain in adults with very poor prognosis. Ferroptosis is implicated in the initiation and progression of various tumors, including the glioblastoma. The present study aims to investigate the function of microRNA (miR)-670-3p in glioblastoma, and tries to demonstrate whether ferroptosis is involved in this process. Human glioblastoma cell lines, U87MG and A172, were transfected with the inhibitor, mimic and matched negative controls of miR-670-3p to manipulate intracellular miR-670-3p level. To validate the involvement of ferroptosis in miR-670-3p inhibitor-mediated tumor suppressive effects, ferrostain-1 and liproxstatin-1 were used to inhibit ferroptosis in the presence of miR-670-3p inhibitor. In addition, the small interfering RNA against acyl-CoA synthase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) was used to knock down endogenous ACSL4 expression. To validate the combined effects between miR-670-3p inhibitor and temozolomide (TMZ), cells were pretreated with TMZ and then transfected with or without miR-670-3p inhibitor. miR-670-3p level was elevated in human glioblastoma, but decreased upon ferroptotic stimulation. miR-670-3p inhibitor suppressed, while miR-670-3p mimic promoted glioblastoma cell growth through modulating ferroptosis. Mechanistically, ACSL4 was required for the regulation on ferroptosis and growth of glioblastoma cells by miR-670-3p. Moreover, U87MG and A172 cells treated with miR-670-3p inhibitor showed an increased chemosensitivity to TMZ. We prove that miR-670-3p suppresses ferroptosis of human glioblastoma cells through targeting ACSL4, and that inhibiting miR-670-3p can be an alternative, at least adjuvant strategy to treat glioblastoma.

Promoting the reconstruction of electrocatalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is generally regarded as a promising strategy for enhanced activity. F anions with strong electronegativity are predicted to enhance this transformation. Herein, a fluorine-anion doping route is proposed to convert the well-latticed NiMoO4@MNF to amorphous F-NiMoO4@MNF by a facile and versatile molten salt strategy. The well-defined nanorod arrays guarantee abundant exposed active sites, rapid mass transfer, and fast gas bubble release. Moreover, the emerged loose amorphous structure is conducive to the dynamic migration of F species and effective penetration of the electrolyte; therefore, the resulting exchange between F and hydroxide anions induces the formation of an active oxy(hydroxide) layer, thus finally optimizing the electronic structure and absorption/desorption energy on the surface of F-NiMoO4@MNF. The boosted OER performance of reconstructed F-NiMoO4@MNF is reliably confirmed by a low overpotential of 188 mV at 50 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 33.8 mV dec-1, and favorable long-term stability. In addition, accelerated hydrogen evolution is observed, which is ascribed to the finely tuned electron distribution. This work would provide a new reconstruction route assisted by F-anion doping to the development of high-performance catalysts.

The development of a single-atom iron catalyst (Fe©SiO2) for the direct conversion of methane to olefins, aromatics, and hydrogen is a breakthrough in the field of nonoxidative conversion of methane (NCM). However, the optimization of the catalyst remains desirable for industrial applications. Herein, 25 transition metals, including Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au, are selected to replace the central Fe atom for screening out better single-atom catalysts for the NCM. Using the performance on the activation of methane, such as the adsorption energy of methane, the dissociation energy, and the barrier of methane as the screening descriptors, Mn©SiO2, Fe©SiO2, W©SiO2, and Re©SiO2 are first screened out. The remarkable performance of the four catalysts on methane activation is attributed to the unique geometric structure and the dz2 orbitals of the central metal crossing over the Fermi level, which can benefit the interaction between methane and the catalysts. By considering the catalytic performance on the whole pathway of methane to ethylene, W©SiO2 is finally selected as the most active catalyst for the NCM, which has the lowest rate-determining barrier of 1.62 eV and the smallest free energy span (1.06 eV) of the overall catalytic cycle.

Highly toxic iodinated products would form in oxidation and disinfection of iodine-containing water. Variation of iodinated aromatic products in ferrate [Fe(VI)] oxidation of phenolic compounds (phenol, bisphenol A (BPA), and

A column photobioreactor with internal light column (ILC-CPBR) was compared with CPBRv (without internal light column but with the same culture volume), IC-CPBR (with internal column but without the internal light) and CPBRh (without internal light column but with the same height of culture solution) not only in hydrodynamics characteristics and light intensity, but also in microalgal growth and CO2 fixation rate. The result showed that mass transfer coefficient of ILC-CPBR was 24.3% and 21.5% higher than that of CPBRv and CPBRh in 0.1 vvm. The adding of internal light column enhanced light intensity of microalgal growth by increasing light/dark ratio. Based on mutual enhancement of mass transfer coefficient and light intensity, the biomass increased by 82.4% and 64.4% in ILC-CPBR compared with those in CPBRv and CPBRh, and the peak of CO2 biofixation rate increased by 47.7% and 26.2% in ILC-CPBR compared with those in CPBRv and CPBRh.

Depressive disorder is a common mental disorder characterized by depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure. As the Herbal medicines are mainly used as complementary and alternative therapy for depression. This study aimed at exploring antidepressant activity of Huang-lian Jie-du Decoction (HLJDD), and evaluating active components and potential depression-associated targets. HLJDD was administered on chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced (CUMS) depressive mice. Behavior evaluation was performed through force swimming test (FST), novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSF), and open field test (OFT). Active components of HLJDD, potential targets, and metabolic pathways involved in depression were explored through systemic biology-based network pharmacology assay, molecular docking and metabonomics. FST assay showed that CUMS mice administered with HLJDD had significantly shorter immobility time compared with control mice. Further, HLJDD alleviated feeding latency of CUMS mice in NSFand increased moving distance and duration in OFT. In the following network pharmacology assay, thirty-eight active compounds in HLJDD were identified based on drug-like characteristics, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles. Moreover, forty-eight molecular targets and ten biochemical pathways were uncovered through molecular docking and metabonomics. GRIN2B, DRD, PRKCA, HTR, MAOA, SLC6A4, GRIN2A, and CACNA1A are implicated in inhibition of depressive symptoms through modulating tryptophan metabolism, serotonergic and dopaminergic synaptic activities, cAMP signaling pathway, and calcium signaling pathway. Further network pharmacology-based analysis showed a correlation between HLJDD and tryptophan metabolism. A total of thirty-seven active compounds, seventy-six targets, and sixteen biochemical pathways were involved in tryptophan metabolism. These findings show that HLJDD acts on potential targets such as SLC6A4, HTR, INS, MAO, CAT, and FoxO, PI3K/Akt, calcium, HIF-1, and mTOR signaling pathways, and modulates serotoninergic and dopaminergic synaptic functions. In addition, metabonomics showed that tryptophan metabolism is the primary target for HLJDD in CUMS mice. The findings of the study show that HLJDD exhibited antidepressant effects. SLC6A4 and MAOA in tryptophan metabolism were modulated by berberine, baicalein, tetrahydroberberine, candicine and may be the main antidepressant targets for HLJDD.

Ohmic contacts to n-type 4H-SiC using Ni layer and W/Ni bilayer were investigated and compared. The phase composition, electronic states, and carbon structural evolution of the contact layer were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The surface roughness and cross-sectional morphology were characterized by atomic force microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The Keithley 4200-SCS semiconductor parameter analyzer was used to measure the current–voltage curves of the contacts. The specific contact resistance $\rho _{c}$ was calculated based on the circular transmission line model. $\rho _{c}$ is $\textsf {3.2}\times \textsf {10}^{-\textsf {5}}\,\,\Omega \cdot $ cm2 for W/Ni/SiC and $\textsf {4.2} \times \textsf {10}^{-\textsf {4}} \,\,\Omega \cdot $ cm2 for Ni/SiC. Ni2Si with minor W substitution and tungsten carbide with minor Ni substitution were identified as the dominant phases for W/Ni/SiC after annealed. The contact surface morphology is improved, and the content of free carbon and the quantity of voids at the interface are reduced when W is introduced into Ni/SiC. The wire bonding is easy to carry out and the thermal stability of ohmic contact is greatly enhanced. From the perspective of device applications, W/Ni bilayer ohmic contact to n-type 4H-SiC is very competitive.

Surface modification of polyolefine separators for high performance lithium-ion batteries has been a worthwhile research topic. In this work, poly (poly (ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (PPEGMA) was firstly grafted onto polypropylene (PP) separator based on N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) catalysis and activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET-ATRP). Bis(2,2,2-trichloroethyl) azodicarboxylate (BTCEAD) was anchored on the surface of PP separators in the presence of NHPI. Then BTCEAD functionalized PP separator initiated the polymerization of PEGMA by ARGET-ATRP. Thus, structure controllable PPEGMA was grafted on the surface of PP separators. The results of contact angle and electrolyte uptake tests demonstrated that electrolyte wettability of PPEGMA functionalized PP separator has been significantly improved. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the ionic conductivity and discharge capacity retention of cells assembled with PPEGMA functionalized PP separators were distinctly higher than that of cells with pristine PP separator. Herein, we presented a new methodology with high efficiency to modify PP separators under mild condition, which was also applied to other polyolefine separator for high performance lithium-ion batteries. The proposed approach might have many other potential applications in membrane modification field.

A concise, metal-free, and gram-scale strategy to convert indoline-2,3-diones to 1,2,4-oxadiazole[4,5-a]indolones through an improved [3 + 2] cycloaddition of α-ketone-lactam with nitrile oxides has been developed. The lactim form of the resonance structure of isatin in protic solvents is the key active dipolarophile that shows chemo- and regioselectivity under experimental and theoretical conditions. This strategy conveniently enabled the assembly of several 1,2,4-oxadiazole[4,5-a]indolines with a broad range of functional groups. Compounds 3a and 4b exhibit cytotoxicity in the NCI/ADR-RES, SKOV3, and OVCAR8 cell lines.

A controllable stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives bearing a sulfur moiety was demonstrated with high diastereoselectivity through a catalytic intramolecular acylsulfenylation of activated alkenes. This approach involved a catalytic thia-Michael addition triggered intramolecular aldol-type tandem sequence. Both cis- and trans-products can be readily prepared in moderate to high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities in a catalytically atom-economic fashion under the optimized mild reaction conditions.

Background: The present study investigated the effects of microvascular endothelial cells (MECs) on the chemotaxis, adhesion and proliferation of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) ex vivo. Methods and Results: MECs were collected from the lung tissue of C57BL/6 mice, and HSCs were isolated with immunomagnetic beads from bone marrow of GFP mice. MECs and HSCs were co-cultured with or without having direct cell–cell contact in Transwell device for the measurement of chemotaxis and adhesion of MECs to HSCs. Experimental results indicate that the penetration rate of HSCs from the Transwell upper chamber to lower chamber in ‘co-culture’ group was significantly higher than that of ‘HSC single culture’ group. Also, the HSCs in co-culture group were all adherent at 24 h, and the co-culture group with direct cell–cell contact had highest proliferation rate. The HSC number was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) levels in supernatants of the culture. Conclusions: Our study reports that MECs enhance the chemotaxis, adhesion and proliferation of HSCs, which might be related to cytokines SDF-1 and VEGF secreted by MECs, and thus MECs enhance the HSC proliferation through cell–cell contact. The present study revealed the effect of MECs on HSCs, and provided a basis and direction for effective expansion of HSCs ex vivo.

Developing the transition metal-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under large-current-density is crucial for industrial electrolysis of water. However, most of reported HER electrocatalysts in alkaline solution are tested under the current density of less than 100 mA cm−2. In this work, CoFe Prussian blue analogues (PBA) supported on iron foam (IF) as precursor can (has been) be utilized to construct the fluorine-doped cobalt-iron phosphides (F-Co2P/Fe2P/IF). At the large-current-density at 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 mA cm−2, we systematically investigate the HER performance of F-Co2P/Fe2P/IF. Compared to the electrocatalyst without F− doping, F-Co2P/Fe2P/IF only need the low overpotential of 229.8, 260.5, 292.2 and 304.4 mV, respectively, when reaching the large current of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mA cm−2. The F doping may induce the valence state and electronic structure of Co and Fe ions for enhanced HER activity. The role of F doping is furtherly analyzed by introducing barium ions as precipitation agent. At the same time, it can maintain for a long-term stability in 1.0 and 6.0 M KOH at the different high current density. The stableF-Co2P/Fe2P/IF may bear the high current density and high temperature during industrial water electrolysis. This work enables it possible at the large current density for industrial water splitting.

The reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) of textile wastewater produced in the process of the reverse osmosis usually has a high concentration of salts and organic matters, and is hard to be biodegraded. In this study, forward osmosis process was used for reusing ROC of real textile wastewater, and the effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) and ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3) on the water flux and the recovery of ROC were then investigated. The results showed that the water recovery could reach 90 % when 2 M NaCl was used as DS. The calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scaling could be both observed using NaCl and NH4HCO3 as DS. Compared to the DS of NaCl, the CaCO3 precipitation occurred much earlier when NH4HCO3 was used as DS. Due to the reverse diffusion of HCO3−, the concentration of Ca2+ in the concentrated ROC was significantly lower than 3 mg/L. Although the FO membrane was covered by CaCO3 scaling, the water flux was slightly affected by it. In addition, the water flux showed no difference through four cycles of FO tests during which the FO membrane was not cleaned after each cycle of test. This finding provided the possibility of applying FO process for the near-zero liquid discharge of textile wastewater.

One new pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylhydrazidate-coordinated compound [Zn(pdh)] 1 (pdh = pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylhydrazidate) was obtained under the hydrothermal conditions. Noteworthily, the pdh molecules in the title compound originated from the ligand in situ reaction between organic pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylic acid (pdca) and N2H4·H2O. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis revealed that the pdh ligands exhibit a special μ4-bridging mode in compound 1, which link Zn(II) centers into a 2D layered structure. The photocatalysis analysis indicates that it is a potential visible light catalyst. In addition, the solid photoluminescence property of compound 1 was also investigated.

To assess the practicality of 3-D power Doppler angiography (3-D-CPA) for local drug perfusion dosage guidance of refractory infantile hemangioma (IH) treatment, 47 cases (48 lesions) of refractory IH were selected for local bleomycin infusion (once a month). Ultrasound was performed before treatment and 1 and 2 months after the first treatment. The 3-D volume (V) change of infantile hemangiomas and the ratio of bleomycin injection to 3-D V before treatment were calculated, and statistical analysis was performed. One month after percutaneous local drug perfusion, 37 participants (77.08%) exhibited significant improvement; controlled growth was observed on six lesions (12.5%); and treatment of the remaining 5 lesions (10.42%) failed to suppress growth. The calculated tolerable and effective dose of bleomycin for refractory IH was 0.34 ± 0.03 mL/cm3; the corresponding 3-D V decreased approximately 70.27 ± 6.27%. Three-dimensional CPA can provide abundant information on internal lesions. In particular, 3-D-CPA can quantitatively assess changes in lesion volume and guide the effective and rational use of interventional drugs.

Due to the winding level of the thinned wafers and the surface roughness of silicon dies, the quality of through-silicon vias (TSVs) varies during the fabrication and bonding process. If one TSV exhibits a defect during its manufacturing process, the probability of multiple defects occurring in the TSVs neighboring increases the faulty TSVs (FTSV), i.e., the TSV defects tend to be clustered which significantly reduces the yield of three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs). To resolve the clustered TSV faults, router-based and ring-based redundant TSV (RTSV) architecture were proposed. However, the repair rate is low and the hardware overhead is high. In this paper, we propose a novel cross-cellular based RTSV architecture to utilize the area more efficiently as well as to maintain high yield. The simulation results show that the proposed architecture has higher repair rate as well as more cost-effective overhead, compared with router-based and ring-based methods.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that causes severe cognitive impairment. One of the most significant pathological features of AD is the accumulation of β‑amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the brain. Resveratrol (Res) is a polyphenol derived from peanuts, red grapes and other plants, which has received increasing attention due to its neuroprotective features. Tg6799 mice are transgenic mice with five familial AD (FAD) mutations that are also known as 5XFAD mice. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Res on Tg6799 mice. The transgenic mice were randomly divided into the Res treatment group and the vehicle control group, and were treated with 0.5% Res solution (60 mg/kg) or volume‑matched normal saline, respectively. Treatment was administered by oral gavage daily for 60 consecutive days. Res reduced amyloid plaque formation and the levels of Aβ42, and β‑secretase 1 levels were also significantly decreased. Furthermore, Res was able to reduce the expression of amyloid precursor protein and its cleavage products. The administration of Res to Tg6799 mice also improved their spatial working memory, as measured by the Y‑maze test, and rescued spatial memory deficits, as measured using the Morris water maze test; however, Res did not affect their motor function. In conclusion, this study suggested that Res may reduce Aβ‑induced neuronal damage, thus preventing memory loss.

BACKGROUND Encapsulation of enzymes in biomimetic silica seems to be a promising immobilization method due to mild processing conditions and short preparation time. However, biomimetic silica particles may be considered too small for industrial applications because they result in difficult recovery. Furthermore, the use of R5 peptide or polymers as catalyst usually causes protein denaturation. To overcome these drawbacks, a new stable and recyclable biocatalyst based on co-encapsulation of magnetic nanoparticles and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) in biomimetic silica has been prepared using enzyme-assisted direct condensation reactions of silicon oxide with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). RESULTS Under optimal conditions (10 mg mL−1 nanoparticles, 4.5 U mL−1 PAL, 0.8 mol L−1 TMOS), the highest activity recovery (52%) of encapsulated PAL was obtained. Compared with conventional PAL encapsulated in biomimetic silica (28%), the activity recovery was increased 1.86-fold. TEM, CLSM, magnetisation measurements, and FTIR confirmed that the magnetic nanopaticles and PAL had been co-encapsulated into the biomimetic silica. The resulting immobilized PAL exhibited higher activity and stability than native PAL, and the immobilized PAL can be easily separated by applying a magnetic field. CONCLUSIONS This work provides a convenient strategy to prepare stable and easy recycled biocatalyst with excellent catalytic performance. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

Airway epithelial cell injury is a key triggering event to activate allergic airway inflammation, such as asthma. We previously reported that administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) significantly alleviated allergic inflammation in a mouse model of asthma, and the mmu-miR-21/ACVR2A axis may be involved. However, whether MSCs protect against bronchial epithelial cell injury induced by hypoxia, and the underlying mechanism, remain unknown. In our study, the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was induced to undergo apoptosis with a hypoxia mimic of cobalt chloride (CoCl2) damage. Treatment of MSCs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) significantly decreased apoptosis of BEAS-2B cells. There was high miR-21 expression in injured BEAS-2B cells after MSC treatment. Transfection of the miR-21 mimic significantly decreased apoptosis of BEAS-2B, and transfection of a miR-21 inhibitor significantly increased apoptosis. More importantly, the protective effects of MSCs on injured BEAS-2B were reversed by transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor. Binding sites of human miR-21 were identified in the 3’UTR of human ACVR2A. We further determined that CoCl2 stimulation increased ACVR2A expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, transfection of the miR-21 mimic further up-regulated ACVR2A expression induced by CoCl2, whereas transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor down-regulated ACVR2A expression. In addition, MSCs increased ACVR2A expression in BEAS-2B cells; however, this effect was reversed after transfection of the miR-21 inhibitor. Our data suggested that MSCs protect bronchial epithelial cells from hypoxic injury via miR-21, which may represent an important target. These findings suggest the potentially wide application of MSCs for epithelial cell injury during hypoxia.

The aim of study was to optimize the extraction process of ginsenosides and investigate the anti-fatigue effect of ginseng and acanthopanax extracts. Orthogonal test was used to optimize the extraction process, loading swimming experiment was used to observe the ant-fatigue effect, and BUN, LDH, CK, glycogen, T-SOD, MDA, GSH-Px and LD were taken as the anti-fatigue indeses to be observed. The yield of ginsenoside was 3.8%. The swimming time of mice in the treatment group was significantly prolonged compared with that in the control group (P< 0.05). The hepatic glycogen storage, LDH, GSH-PX and SOD in the treatment groups were obviously increased (P

We report on the synthesis of a label-free p-nitrophenol (PNP) responsive crystalline colloidal array (CCA) based on the combination of a photonic crystal and the molecular imprinting technique. This novel sensing material was prepared by a self-assembly approach using PNP imprinted colloidal spheres and was characterized by a three-dimensional (3D) ordered opal structure in which numerous recognition sites were created during imprinting. The PNP recognition swelled the colloidal spheres, leading to a red shift of the diffraction wavelength of the CCA due to the lattice spacing change and the effective diffractive index change. The relationship between the diffraction wavelength of the CCA and the size of the colloidal spheres were studied and the size of the molecularly imprinted colloidal spheres was optimized to 200 (±5) nm by adjusting the recipe composition during the emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. As a result, color change due to the diffraction light shift which is related to PNP concentrations can be observed. The results showed that the diffraction wavelength of the molecularly imprinted colloidal array (MICA) red-shifted more than 50 nm in response to 30 mM of PNP with a detection limit of 1 mM PNP. The color change of the MICA from green to red was observed. The imprinting efficiency of the molecular imprinting, the effect of buffer pH and the selectivity were also investigated. We achieved a facile colorimetric detection method for PNP without sample treatment.

In this study the phase behavior of diatomite during magnesiothermic reduction process was investigated. Two packing routes were adopted to estimate the reduction effectiveness at a low reaction temperature of 650 °C for 2h. The phase and microstructure evolution of diatomite were investigated by XRD, SEM, EDS. The results show that diatomite was sucessessfully reduced by the magnesium vapor and reaction products were Si, MgO, and Mg2Si when the raw diatomite was blended with Mg powder. Mg2Si and MgO were alternatively and incompletely dissolved after being immersed in a 1 M HCl solution for 6 h. Meanwhile, the reactant molar ratio had an important influence on products when the raw diatomite was separated with the Mg powder. A small amount of diatomite was reacted to generate MgO and Mg2Si as the molar ratio of Mg and diatomite was 2:1. By contrast, with the molar ratio increasing to be 10:1, diatomite was completely reacted to be Mg2Si and MgO.

An experiment was performed to study the influence of polymer binders on the physical properties, and stability against a simulated rainfall, of a slope consisting of engineering spoil. Results showed that low polymer binder concentrations (≤500 g/m3) could enhance the air permeability and moisture -retaining capacity of the engineering spoil; however, adding more polymer binder made the hardness of the engineering spoil increase and then decline. With the increase of polymer binder concentrations, the surface (0–5 cm) permeability of the engineering spoil decreased but the permeability of the lower layers (5–10 cm) increased. Polymer binders might reduce runoff and sediment, but the effect becomes weaker with the increase of rainfall. The results of this study have significance for engineering practices. Further experiments are needed to study the effects of binders under other conditions, such as natural rainfall, different slopes, different rock types, different degrees and spoil weathering and different added material, and the chemical interaction between soil and polymer binders.

p -Nitrophenol ( p -NP) molecularly imprinted colloidal microspheres were prepared by polymerization of functional monomers (acrylamide, AM) and template of p -NP in poly (methyl methacrylate, PMMA) pre-polymerization solution. Molecularly imprinted colloidal array (MICA) was prepared using the molecularly imprinted colloidal microspheres by self-assembly, and then fixed by an adhesive tape. The MICA on the adhesive tape was easy to handle and had strong stability. The MICA film combines both the high selectivity of molecular imprinting and facility to use of photonic crystal. This material senses p -NP in aqueous solution by shifting reflection wavelength. The adsorption of p -NP into molecularly imprinted colloidal microspheres would swell the microspheres, thus leading to a reflection peak red shift. The reflection peak redshifted nearly 60 nm when the concentration of p -NP increases from 0 mM to 30 mM, while non-imprinted molecularly imprinted colloidal array (NICA) red shifted about 40 nm. The color of MICA changed from red to blue-violet was observed. This method simplifies the preparation of photonic crystal material which is an efficient approach for developing high-performance chemical/biological sensors.

Background Whether Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) 761, an herbal chemical with cytoprotective properties, could counteract hypoxia-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes remains unclear. Methods Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes pretreated with vehicle or EGb 761 were exposed to anoxia for up to 24 h. Viability and apoptotic indexes of myocardial cells were assessed and relevant mediators in both the mitochondrion-dependent and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-activated apoptotic signaling pathways were examined. Results and conclusion Trypan blue exclusion, lactate dehydrogenase release and flow cytometric studies demonstrated hypoxia impaired viability and induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes from 2 h of exposure throughout the whole 24 h. Immunofluorescence, protein and RNA analyses further illustrated hypoxia depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential, triggered cytochrome c release into cytosol and activated ER stress pathway mediators XBP-1, ATF4, eIF-2α, ATF6 and GRP 78 leading to up-regulation of downstream pro-apoptotic transcriptional factor C/EBP homologous protein. In contrast, EGb 761 pretreatment suppressed nearly all of the aformentioned apoptosis-evoking actions of hypoxia on myocardial cells except the expression of ATF4 and eIF-2α. Thus, EGb 761 effectively prevents hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through inhibiting both mitochondrion-dependent and ER stress-activated signaling, and may thereby serve as an antagonist against this cytotoxic insult in clinical practice.

Four Strandberg-type phosphomolybdate-based Cu(II) complexes of 2,2′-biimidazole (C6H6N4, H2biim) and H2O molecules, namely [Cu(H2biim)2(H2O)][Cu(H2biim)2(HPO4)2(Mo5O15)]·2H2O (1), [{Cu(H2biim)(H2O)}2{μ-Cu(H2biim)(H2O)}(P2Mo5O23)]2·20H2O (2), [Cu(H2biim)2][{Cu(H2biim)(H2O)2}{Cu(H2biim)2}(HPO4)(PO4)(Mo5 O15)]2·20H2O (3), and [Cu(H2biim)2(H2O)][Cu(H2biim)2(HPO4)2(Mo5O15)]·6H2O (4) have been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that compound 1 consists of a mono-supporting heteropolyoxoanion [Cu(H2biim)2(H2P2Mo5O23)]2−and an isolated [Cu(H2biim)2(H2O)]2+ cation. Compound 2 is composed of two tetra-supporting heteropolyoxoanions linked via two Cu(II) complex fragments. In compound 3, there exist two symmetrical bi-supported polyoxoanion clusters and an isolated [Cu(H2biim)2]2+ fragment lying in the center of the clusters. Compound 4 is also constructed from a [Cu(H2biim)2(H2P2Mo5O23)]2− polyoxoanion and a [Cu(H2biim)2(H2O)]2+ cation, but it has a different space group and packing interactions compared with compound 1.

We demonstrate a glucose-sensing material based on the combination of photonic crystal templating and a molecular-imprinting technique. In the presence of the target molecule glucose, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel with pendent phenylboronic acid groups was synthesized in the void of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) colloidal crystal. After removing the PMMA photonic crystal template and glucose molecules, a 3D-ordered porous covalently imprinted photonic crystal (CIPC) hydrogel was created. The unique 3D-ordered porous hydrogel revealed optical changes in response to glucose concentration. At pH = 11 and37∘C, the diffraction of CIPC redshifted from 725 nm to 880 nm in response to 20 mmol L−1glucose. Due to the covalently imprinted recognizer, boronic acid group, the selectivity of the CIPC towards glucose overD-ribose andL-rhamnose was improved significantly.

A label free molecularly imprinted photonic crystal (MIPC) was developed to detect the degradation product of nerve agents. Mono-dispersed poly-methyl methacrylate colloidal particles with the diameter of 280 nm were used to fabricate a closely packed colloidal crystal array (CCA), and a methyl phosphonic acid (MPA) imprinted hydrogel was prepared within the CCA using 2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate and N-isopropylacrylamide as monomers, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate and N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide as cross-linkers, a mixture of n-octanol and acetonitrile as porogen. The diffraction intensity of the MIPC decreased significantly upon the MPA adsorption with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10(-6) molL(-1). Furthermore, the diffraction intensity decreased and blue shifted with the increase of temperature, decreased and red shifted with the increase of ionic strength. At higher pH, the diffraction intensity increased without obvious diffraction shift. The MIPC provides an indirect path to detect nerve agents (Sarin, Soman, VX and R-VX) by monitoring the MPA released from the hydrolysis of nerve agents, with LODs of 3.5 × 10(-6) molL(-1), 2.5 × 10(-5) molL(-1), 7.5 × 10(-5) molL(-1) and 7.5 × 10(-5) molL(-1) for Sarin, Soman, VX and R-VX, respectively.

A novel approach for monitoring oil-water interface level and oil level in a single tank is presented. A liquid level sensor has been developed that is suitable to determine the oil-water interface level and oil level. This sensor can realize two sensing functions, namely, inductive and capacitive sensing functions. For achieving this multi-sensing function, the designed sensor employed two coils wound on a plastic pipe. According to the relationships between oil-water interface level and inductance produced by a coil connected using the two coils, oil level and capacitance measured from two coils, the oil-water interface level and the oil level can be estimated at same time.

N. Sugimoto, Y.-M. Chen, S.-Y. Lee, M. Matsuda and C.-Y. Lee. Pathodynamics of intoxication in rats and mice by enterotoxin of Clostridium perfringens type A. Toxicon29, 751–759, 1991.—The pathodynamics of lethal intoxication in rats and mice by i.v. administration of enterotoxin of Clostridium perfringens type A was studied using whole animals and isolated organs. A lethal i.v. dose (50 μg/kg) of enterotoxin killed anesthetized rats and mice within 4–15 min. Rapid changes of ECG pattern suggestive of hyperpotassemia, rapid fall of blood pressure and transient hyperpnea followed by respiratory depression were observed. Analysis of plasma levels of cations revealed hyperpotassemia in both animal species. On the other hand, enterotoxin (up to 100 μg) showed little direct cardiotoxicity on the isolated heart. ECG changes produced by i.v. injection of KCl (0.5 ml of 50 mM) mimicked the ECG changes observed in the intoxicated rats injected with a lethal dose of enterotoxin. Perfusion of rat isolated organs showed that potassium concentration in the eluent from the liver (but not lungs or lower extremities) increased markedly within 1–2min after the administration of enterotoxin. The amount of potassium liberated from a rat liver was about 133 μmoles, which is sufficient to increase the plasma level of potassium to more than 10 mM. In addition to potassium, cytoplasmic enzymes, such as glutamate oxalacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase, were also liberated from the intoxicated liver, indicating that potassium was liberated from hepatocytes by the change in membrane permeability produced by enterotoxin. It is concluded that hyperpotassemia elicited by the cytotoxic action of enterotoxin on hepatocytes caused cardiac failure leading to the death of the intoxicated animals.