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The role of linalool in gastric cancer has been examined by measuring its effects on cell cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species as well as markers of oxidative stress. In a dose-dependent fashion, linalool suppressed the viability of gastric cancer cells and increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species with a concomitant increase in malondialdehyde, cleavage of caspase 3 and p53 and decrease in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. N-acetyl cysteine, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species reduced the effects of linalool on gastric cancer cells. In conclusion, linalool suppresses cell viability and promotes cell apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via activation of reactive oxygen species-mediated p53 pathway suggesting that linalool might serve as a potential anti-cancer agent.

The current study was designed to explore the role and underlying mechanism of lncRNA taurine up‐regulated gene 1 (TUG1) in cardiac hypertrophy. Mice were treated by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery to induce cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiomyocytes were treated by phenylephrine (PE) to induce hypertrophic phenotype. Haematoxylin‐eosin (HE), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to examine morphological alterations. Real‐time PCR, Western blots and IF staining were used to detect the expression of RNAs and proteins. Luciferase assay and RNA pull‐down assay were used to verify the interaction. It is revealed that TUG1 was up‐regulated in the hearts of mice treated by TAC surgery and in PE‐induced cardiomyocytes. Functionally, overexpression of TUG1 alleviated cardiac hypertrophy both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, TUG1 sponged and sequestered miR‐34a to increase the Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) level, which eventually inhibited the activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling. In conclusion, the current study reported the protective role and regulatory mechanism of TUG1 in cardiac hypertrophy and suggested that TUG1 may serve as a novel molecular target for treating cardiac hypertrophy.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as a common malignancy is prevalent in East Asia and in eastern and southern Africa. Although pembrolizumab, nivolumab and camrelizumab are respectively recommended as second-line treatment for advanced ESCC due to improved overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) was modest. New effective treatments are needed. Hence, the study of camrelizumab plus apatinib (VEGFR2 inhibitor) as second-line treatment for advanced ESCC was performed. Methods This ongoing phase II trial (NCT03736863) in six sites in China enrolled pts aged 18-75 with unresectable locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic ESCC that progressed or were intolerant after first-line chemotherapy, and an ECOG performance status of 0-1. Pts received 200 mg camrelizumab intravenously every 2 weeks and apatinib 250 mg orally once per day in 4-week cycles until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events (AEs) or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed ORR. Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. Results At data cutoff (Feb 28, 2021), 52 pts were enrolled, including 42 males and 50 with distant metastases, with the median age of 62 years. In the evaluable population of 39 pts, ORR without confirmation was 43.59% and DCR was 94.87%. The median duration of response was 6.9 months (95% CI 4.57–9.23). The median PFS was 6.8 month (95% CI 2.66–10.94). The 12-month overall survival was 52.2%. A total of 80.8% of pts had treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) with 46.2% of grade ≥ 3 TRAEs. The safety profile of camrelizumab and apatinib was consistent with other anti–PD-1 antibodies and angiogenesis inhibitors. Conclusion This is the first study that evaluates the combination anti–PD-1 antibody and anti-angiogenesis inhibitor as a second-line therapy for advanced ESCC. Camrelizumab plus apatinib showed encouraging clinical efficacy and acceptable safety. Further phase III randomized trials are warranted.

Aim Vascular endothelial cell dysfunction plays a crucial role in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Physcion 8-O-β-glucopyranoside (PG), an anthraquinone extracted from Polygonum cuspidatum, has a number of pharmacological functions. The aim of this study was to elucidate the protective effects of PG against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in VECs. Methods and materials Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used as the in vitro model. Cell viability and apoptosis were, respectively, assessed by CCK-8 assay and Annexin-V/PI staining. Formation of autophagosomes was visualized by acridine orange staining, and the autophagy flux was tracked after infecting the cells with the mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus. The expression levels of various apoptosis and autophagy-associated marker proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results Pretreatment with PG protected the HUVECs from ox-LDL-induced apoptosis. In addition, PG promoted autophagy in HUVECs, which was responsible for its antiapoptotic effects. Finally, activation of AMPK/SIRT1 signaling was upstream of PG-induced autophagy. Conclusions PG has potential pharmacological effects against oxidative damage-induced HUVEC injury through inducing AMPK/SIRT1-mediated autophagy.

Colon cancer treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been widely applied to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it is important to explore the use of chemotherapy drugs in combination with other agents to decrease severe adverse effects.This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin in combination with 5-FU on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of CRC SW620 cell line both in vitro and in vivo.Flow cytometry was used to study the effect of curcumin on chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in CRC cells. The mechanism of curcumin's enhanced antitumor effect in vivo was investigated using gene knockdown, TUNEL, western blot, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.The results showed a synergistic effect of the two compounds on CRC cells. Considerable reduction in the proliferation and migration of SW620 cells was observed in the combination treatment group. Significantly increased apoptosis rate extended the survival of immunodeficient mice in the combination group as compared to that of the 5-FU group (p0.05). The results showed that curcumin significantly inhibited pERK signaling and downregulated L1 expression in SW620 cells.We conclude that curcumin promotes chemosensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU by downregulating L1 expression. Our findings provide experimental evidence for the synergism between curcumin and 5-FU, which can be utilized in clinical applications for reducing the toxicity and adverse effects of 5-FU.

Ultraviolet-B is an effective elicitor that enhances the production of bioactive ingredient in various plants. However, the mechanism underlying ultraviolet-B responses in the genus Chrysanthemum is largely unknown. Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is used as herbal medicine, beverage material, and seasoning in many Asian regions. A massive amount of bioactive ingredients, such as caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids, are contained in C. morifolium flowers and leaves, leading to an extensive number of applications for their extracts. In this study, complementary DNA libraries from Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat leaves under ultraviolet-B radiation at various time points (0 h, 3 h, 6 h and 12 h) were separately sequenced. A large number of differential expressed genes were screened during the ultraviolet-B radiation process. The expression of most glycosylsis-, glycosyltransferase-related genes, flavonoid, fatty acid and caffeoylquinic acid biosynthesis related genes were largely induced by ultraviolet-B radiation. Furthermore, the contents of flavonoids, caffeoylquinic acids and fatty acids were significantly induced by ultraviolet-B radiation, suggesting a close relationship between the contents of flavonoids, caffeoylquinic acids and fatty acids and the resistance of plant to ultraviolet-B-induced stress. Our data provides a comprehensive resource for identifying genes associated with ultraviolet-B-induced variations in the bioactive ingredients of C. morifolium.

Flavonoids play important roles in plant immune responses, but the molecular mechanism and influencing factors on flavonoid accumulation during Ginkgo immune responses are largely unknown. In this research, post-harvest Ginkgo leaves cultured in the dark were treated with salicylic acid (SA). A transcriptome analysis and total flavonoid measurement showed decreased flavonoid biosynthesis and accumulation in leaves. Experiments carried out in seedlings, young and adult trees, showed increased flavonoid content under light conditions but decreased content under dark conditions after treatment with SA. A detailed analysis of individual flavonoids showed similar changes for most of their contents, although some showed different change trends. Single-colored light experiments revealed that red and far-red light, but not blue light, were required in SA-induced flavonoid accumulation. The results clarified the importance of light in SA-induced flavonoid accumulation and provided valuable information to the Ginkgo related pharmaceutical industry.

Pyrochlore leaching using hydrofluoric, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids has been studied via experimental methods for years, but the interactions between niobium atoms on the pyrochlore surface and different acids have not been investigated. In this work, first-principles calculations based on density functional theory were used to elucidate the leaching performance of these three acids from the viewpoint of geometrical and electronic structures. The calculation results indicate that sulfate, chloride, and fluoride anions influence the geometric structure of pyrochlore (100) to different extents, decreasing in the order: sulfate, fluoride, chloride. Orbitals of O1 and O2 atoms of sulfate hybridized with those of surface niobium atom. Fluorine orbitals hybridized with those of surface niobium atoms. However, no obvious overlap exists between any orbitals of chlorine and surface niobium, revealing that chlorine does not interact chemically with surface niobium atoms.

Sulforaphane (SFN), one of the isothiocyanates, abundantly existed in quite a few of cruciferous vegetables and exhibits effective anticancer activities in our previous experiments. However, its effects on bladder cancer cell invasion and metastasis have only begun to be explored. Here, we investigated the effect of microRNA on bladder cancer cell invasion and the underlying molecular mechanism. According to the gene chip results, SFN obviously increased microRNA-200c (miR-200c) expression, one of the short noncoding RNAs that acts as considerable modulator in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Moreover, SFN dose-dependently induced EMT hallmark E-cadherin and down-regulated vimentin and transcriptional repressor ZEB1 at the level of transcription and translation, and these effects can be reversed by miR-200c inhibitor transfection. Remarkably, Transwell assay showed that cell invasiveness ability can be eradicated by silencing of ZEB1. Therefore, these findings firmly suggest that SFN inhibited bladder cancer cell invasion through reversing EMT via targeting miR-200c/ZEB1 axis.

Manganotantalite is difficult to decompose by sulfuric acid alone. Even at sulfuric-acid mass concentrations of 60%, only 8.5% tantalum and 9.9% niobium leached. To obtain a high leaching efficiency of tantalum and niobium, ammonium fluoride is added as an assistant reagent. Over 93% tantalum and 96% niobium were leached by mixing − 74 μm manganotantalite with 50% sulfuric acid and ammonium fluoride, with heating for 2 h at 200 °C in a closed vessel. The ammonium fluoride/manganotantalite mass ratio was 0.8:1. A comparison of the novel technology that is proposed in this article with traditional hydrofluoric-acid technology shows that the mass concentration decreases significantly from 60 to 70% to 5.3%. Excess fluoride ions in solution can be recycled as the assistant reagent. Therefore, hardly any fluoride ions will be discharged as environmental pollutants. The local-density approximation was used for an adsorption-energy calculation of the fluoride ion on the MnNb2O6 (100) surface. The calculation results indicate that fluoride-ion adsorption on the MnNb2O6 (100) surface is a chemisorption process. The partial density-of-states analysis indicates that fluoride ions interact mainly with surface Nb atoms through a complicated orbital hybridization. The charge transfer from Nb to F confirms the ionic characteristics of the Nb F bonds.

Sub-stoichiometric WO2.9 has gained great attention in the field of gas sensor due to the appropriate oxygen vacancy. Herein, novel WO2.9 hierarchical structures assembled by nanosheets are synthesized in large-scale through de-alloying the two-phase W/Cu pseudo alloy and then thermal annealing them in air ambient. During the growth process, Cu powder is introduced as host frameworks to support the hierarchical structure. By controlling the ratio of Cu and W powder, the diameters and the morphologies of microflowers can be precisely modulated. We compare the gas sensing characteristics of hierarchical W/WO2.9 or WO2.9 structure to trimethylamine (TMA) molecules with W/Cu ratios ranging from 1/9 to 9/1. Interestingly, the WO2.9 sensor prepared with W/Cu ratio of 1/9 displays the best performance including highest response to TMA and rapidest response/recovery time, which are mainly due to its largest specific surface area and most energetic reaction sites. The selectivity and stability measurements further confirm the superior performances of WO2.9 sensors to TMA and the excellent stability of the sensors. Our devices provide a facile and low cost way to fabricate high performance gas sensors which is strongly response to TMA.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Nevertheless, their poor electronic and ionic conductivity as well as huge volume change leads to low capacity release and rapid capacity decay. Herein, a reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-encapsulated TMOs strategy is developed to address the above problems. The Co3 O4 -CoFe2 O4 @rGO composites with rGO sheets-encapsulated Co3 O4 -CoFe2 O4 microcubes are successfully constructed through a simple metal-organic frameworks precursor route, in which Co[Fe(CN)5 NO] microcubes are in situ coated by graphene oxide sheets, followed by a two-step calcination process. As anode material of LIBs, Co3 O4 -CoFe2 O4 @rGO exhibits remarkable reversible capacity (1393 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 after 300 cycles), outstanding long-term cycling stability (701 mAh g-1 at 2.0 A g-1 after 500 cycles), and excellent rate capability (420 mAh g-1 at 4.0 A g-1 ). The superior lithium storage performance can be attributed to the unique double-buffer structure, in which the outer flexible rGO shells can prevent the structure collapse of the electrode and improve its conductivity, while the hierarchical porous cores of Co3 O4 -CoFe2 O4 microcubes can buffer the volume expansion. This work provides a general and straightforward strategy for the construction of novel rGO-encapsulated bimetal oxides for energy storage and conversion application.

The present research investigates the effect of aluminum ions distribution on the removal of aluminum from rare earth solutions using saponified naphthenic acid. The effect of extraction type on the extraction rate of aluminum and rare earth was studied and the results indicated that aluminum influences the purity of rare earth seriously. For the removal of aluminum, the distribution fractions of aluminum ions and hydroxyl polymeric aluminum ions at different pH value at 0.15 mol/L initial aluminum concentration were calculated by MATLAB software. The plot of distribution fraction of aluminum ions and hydroxyl polymeric aluminum ions with pH value are obtained. Based on these, the effect of pH value and saponification value on the extraction of aluminum and rare earth were studied. The results show that the extraction rate of aluminum was highest at pH value 3.0 at initial aluminum concentration 0.15 mol/L in the absence of emulsification. This is consistent with the distribution of aluminum ions and hydroxyl polymeric aluminum ions. For the solutions containing low aluminum concentration, it is easy to separate aluminum from rare earth at 0.3–0.5 saponification value at pH value 3.

Except wolframite monominerals, other monominerals, such as scheelite, fluorite, calcite, and quartz, exist in wolframite flotation. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the floatability of main monominerals in wolframite flotation. This paper mainly investigated the effects of benzohydroxamic acid as a collector and sodium silicate as a depressant on different monominerals surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, including wolframite, scheelite, fluorite, calcite, quartz. The results indicated that the chemisorption of GYB followed by formation of five-membered ring chelate on wolframite and scheelite surfaces is responsible for inducing the floatability. A small number of GYB molecules stayed on fluorite surfaces by physical adsorption. GYB did not adsorb on calcite and quartz surfaces. SS did not adsorb on wolframite and scheelite surfaces. For fluorite and calcite, H2SiO3, H SiO 3 - and SiO 3 2 - can absorb on fluorite surface at low silicate concentrations and the depression was also achieved by ligand exchange between F and Si(OH)4. For quartz, H2SiO3, H SiO 3 - and SiO 3 2 - can absorb on quartz surfaces by supply of external pairs.

Density functional theory calculations, flotation behavior, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and infrared spectra were combined to reveal the Cu2+ activation mechanism on a cyanide (CN−)-leached sphalerite surface. Low CN− adsorption enhanced the activation capability of Cu2+ on the sphalerite surface, whereas the hydrophilicity of the sphalerite increased with increasing CN− coverage, which hindered Cu2+ adsorption. As the amount of chemically adsorbed Cu2+ on the sphalerite surface increased, Cu2+ began to desorb CN−, leading to the same result, which is consistent with the low CN− coverage.

In this review, we summarize recent research related to intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and offer new insight into its pathomechanisms. These underlying pathomechanisms of ICH provide clues for development of novel drugs or drug target screening. Specifically, recent research has provided evidence that iron chelators, lipid peroxidation/ferroptosis inhibitors, antagonists or agonists of prostaglandin E2 receptors (EP1/3 or EP2), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs protect against ICH-induced brain edema and secondary brain tissue damage, and inhibit the toxicity of related tissue damage products. This review will provide a theoretical basis for testing new compounds that may have potential for future clinical trials.

In recent decades, the advancements in layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technology have provoked increasing interest in the preparation of multilayer polyelectrolyte membranes with excellent performance. In the current study, a novel nanofiltration (NF) membrane was prepared by pressure-driven layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyacrylicacid (PAA) on a porous substrate with chemical crosslinking. The effect of deposition pressure on separation performance of the prepared membranes was studied. The surface morphology, hydrophilicity and the charge property of the dynamically-deposited membranes were compared with those prepared by static adsorption. The characterization results showed that dynamic deposition process resulted in a smoother membrane surface with improved hydrophilicity. The mechanism of water-path formation was proposed to interpret the effect of pressure on the membrane performance. Glutaraldehyde (GA) was used as a crosslinker to reduce the number of polyelectrolyte bilayers for obtaining good separation performance. The rejections of different inorganic salts of the dynamically-deposited NF membrane were also investigated.

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent accumulation of lethal lipid peroxidation. First identified in cancer cells in 2012, ferroptosis has significant implications in several nervous system disorders. Studies have revealed the presence of iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, glutathione reduction, and glutathione peroxidase 4 inhibition in various brain diseases, and ferroptotic inhibitors have been shown to protect neurons and improve cognitive function in experimental cellular and/or animal models. In this chapter, we describe the role that ferroptotic mechanisms play in different brain diseases and discuss how this knowledge can be harnessed to prevent and treat nervous system diseases.

e21040 Background: The anti-angiogenic drug bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy has achieved positive results in previous studies. In particular, the median progression-free survival (PFS) for EGFR-negative patients was increased to 8.3 months in the BEYOND study. Unlike bevacizumab, anlotinib is a novel multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor and can be conveniently orally administered. In the phase III trial ALTER 0303, anlotinib significantly improved overall survival (OS) and PFS in advanced NSCLC patients. This exploratory study aims to establish the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in combination with pemetrexed and carboplatin as first-line treatment in advanced non-squamous NSCLC. Methods: This is a multi-center, single-arm clinical trial. Adults with treatment-naive, histologically confirmed stage IIIB-IV non-squamous NSCLC, ECOG 0-1, and without known sensitizing EGFR/ALK alterations are included. Patients received anlotinib (12 mg p.o., QD, d1 to 14, 21 days per cycle) combined with pemetrexed (500 mg/m2, iv, d15-21, Q3W) + carboplatin (AUC = 5, iv, d15-21, Q3W) for 4 cycles followed by anlotinib and pemetrexed maintenance until disease progression (PD). The primary endpoint was PFS. Secondary endpoints were OS, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and safety. Results: Between Mar 2019 and Dec 2020, 40 patients were enrolled in six centers and 31 of them have received at least one tumor assessment. Median age was 62 (33, 75); 66.7% male, 11.1% brain metastasis. At data cutoff (Dec 31, 2020), patients were followed up for a median of 8.26 months. Median PFS was 10.5 months (95% CI: NE, NE); ORR was 67.7% (0 CR, 21 PR), DCR was 96.8% (0 CR, 21 PR, 9 SD) and median OS was NE. The most common Grade ≥ 3 AEs were hypertension 22.2%, neutropenia 19.44%, myelosuppression 11.1%, thrombocytopenia 8.33%, leukopenia 5.56%, hand-foot syndrome 5.56% and there were no Grade 5 toxicities. Conclusions: This study finds that anlotinib plus pemetrexed and carboplatin can significantly improve PFS and ORR compared to standard chemotherapy for treatment-naive non-squamous NSCLC patients. The combination was well tolerated, and the AEs were manageable. The follow-up time is not sufficient, and the OS outcomes need further evaluation. Clinical trial information: NCT03790228.

215 Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a lethal cancer with a high unmet medical need. Camrelizumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, significantly improved overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR) in Chinese patients (pts) with advanced ESCC compared with chemotherapy, with a manageable safety profile in phase III randomized trial (ESCORT). However, the absolute long-term survival benefiting from PD-1 inhibitors is limited, and new effective treatments are needed. Here, our study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination with camrelizumab and apatinib (VEGFR2 inhibitor) as second-line treatment for advanced ESCC. Methods: This ongoing phase II trial (NCT03736863) in six sites in China enrolled pts aged 18-75 with unresectable locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic ESCC that progressed or were intolerant after first-line chemotherapy, and an ECOG performance status of 0-1. Pts received 200 mg intravenous camrelizumab every two weeks plus 250 mg oral apatinib daily in 4-week cycles until disease progression, unacceptable adverse events (AEs) or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed ORR. Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and OS. Results: At data cutoff (Sept 11, 2020), 36 pts were enrolled, 7 females and 29 males, and 25 pts had lymph node metastases. Twelve pts received radiotherapy and 25 underwent surgery. Twenty-five pts were included in the efficacy analysis with median follow-up time of 5.0 months and 36 pts in the safety analysis with median follow-up time of 4.6 months. The primary endpoint ORR without confirmation was 40 % with complete response in two pts (8%) and partial response in eight pts (32%). Thirteen pts (52%) had stable disease, and the DCR was 92%. The median PFS and OS were not reached. A total of 72.2% of pts had AEs, and 30.6% of pts experienced grade 3 AEs. The most common AEs (all grade, grade≥3) were elevated aspartate aminotransferase (30.6%, 19.4%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (30.6%, 13.9%), hypertension (25%, 2.8%),neutrophil (25%, 5.6%), thrombocytopenia (25%, 0%), leukopenia (22.2%, 2.8%), anemia (11.1%, 0%), proteinuria (11.1%, 0%), hematochezia (8.3%, 0%), reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (5.6%, 2.8%), pruritus (5.6%, 0%), esophageal fistula (5.6%, 0%), fatigue (2.8%, 0%) and hypothyroidism (2.8%, 0%). Conclusions: This is the first study to explore the combination of PD-1 inhibitor and anti-angiogenesis inhibitor as a second-line treatment for advanced ESCC. Camrelizumab plus apatinib demonstrated encouraging clinical efficacy and acceptable safety as second-line treatment, and might be a favorable option for pts with advanced ESCC. Further phase III randomized trials are warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT03736863.

Although high uric acid levels have been reported to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, the relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and cardioembolic stroke (CES) has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we sought to investigate the relationship between the risk of CES and SUA levels. We hypothesized that SUA concentrations are associated with CES.We retrospectively analyzed 2350 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the Seoul National University Hospital between 2002 and 2010. The participants were stratified into five groups according to SUA levels obtained within 24h after stroke onset. The association between SUA levels and CES was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.Of the 2350 patients, 412 (27.7%) were classified with CES, and 1077 (72.3%) were classified with non-CES, including LAA (large artery atherosclerosis) and SVO (small vessel occlusion). Among the acute stroke patients, SUA levels were higher in those with atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular risk factors. Compared with the non-CES patients, the CES patients were more likely to fall in the highest quintile of SUA level. Multivariate analysis revealed that the patients with SUA concentrations in the highest quintile were associated with CES (OR=2.59, 95% CI: 1.35-4.97), test for trend P0.001. Similar results were obtained for gender-based subgroups by (in men, OR=2.34, 95% CI: 1.06-5.15 and in women OR=3.41, 95% CI: 1.15-10.07), test for trend P0.01 and P0.001, respectively.SUA level is associated with the risk of CES in acute ischemic stroke patients of both sexes. Further prospective clinical trials of lowering SUA to prevent CES may be worth considering.

In this paper, the effects of the surface electrical property and solution chemistry on the fine wolframite flotation were investigated by zeta potential measurement and the modified concentration logarithm diagrams. Based on that results, the flotation effects of different monominerals, including wolframite, scheelite, fluorite, calcite and quartz, were studied using different single collector, including sodium oleate, salicylaldoxime, benzohydroxamic acid and fatty-acid collector GYR. However, the wolframite recovery was low, and thus the mixed collectors were used to improve the recovery using benzohydroxamic acid as main collector and other collector as additional collector, including sodium oleate, salicylaldoxime, benzohydroxamic acid, fatty-acid collector GYR and fatty-acid collector TAB-3. The results show that the maximum recovery of wolframite exceeded 86% using GYB and TAB-3 as mixed collectors, which was up 13% compared with single GYB. These results could be explained in terms of the modified concentration logarithm diagrams in conjunction with the IEP values of different monominerals mentioned in this work. The infrared spectrogram indicated that because of different structures and properties of GYB and TAB-3, GYB could be complementary with TAB-3.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the dosage of sodium hypochlorite as activator on the flotations of depressed marmatite and depressed chalcopyrite, with a focus on activation-flotation kinetics. Four flotation kinetic models were applied to test data using 1stOpt statistical analysis software to estimate the relationships between the maximum flotation recovery rates for the depressed marmatite and depressed chalcopyrite, the flotation rate constants and the sodium hypochlorite dosages. Within the range investigated, the highest flotation performances of depressed marmatite and depressed chalcopyrite were obtained at 2.5 mL/L sodium hypochlorite with zinc recovery rate of 93.8 percent and 3 mL/L sodium hypochlorite with copper recovery rate of 94.6 percent, respectively, after four minutes of flotation. A second-order model with rectangular distribution of flotabilities gave the best fit to test data collected at various sodium hypochlorite dosages. For the highest flotation performances of depressed marmatite and depressed chalcopyrite, the respective equations of their flotation models were derived and presented.

A two-photon fluorescent probe (NQ) for cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) was developed based on twisted-intramolecular-charge-transfer (TICT) mechanism. NQ showed excellent “OFF–ON” fluorescence (at 540 nm) detection signal on addition of Cys/Hcy with high selectivity. The detection mechanism was successfully proved by theoretical calculations, viscosity dependent fluorescence and time resolved fluorescence spectra. NQ exhibits large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section with Cys/Hcy (580 and 710 GM) at nearly 800 nm, respectively. Cell-culture results indicated that NQ was cell-permeable and could be used to detect Cys/Hcy with low cytotoxicity under two-photon excitation in living cells. To our best knowledge, NQ is the first TICT based two-photon fluorescent probe for Cys/Hcy.

In this work, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, sodium metabisulfite and copper sulfate as activators were investigated to lessen the depression effect of cyanide for deep-depressing chalcopyrite. The experimental results indicate that the copper recovery exceeded 94%, 84% and 97% at the dosage: sodium hypochlorite 3 mL/L, hydrogen peroxide 2 mL/L, sodium metabisulfite 2 × 10−3 mol/L and copper sulfate 1.67 × 10−4 mol/L, respectively. According to the results of zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared spectrum, it is suggested that chalcopyrite was depressed because of the chemical adsorption of cyanide on the chalcopyrite surfaces. Sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide and sodium metabisulfite can destroy Cu-C bond on the deep-depressing chalcopyrite surface by chemical reaction. Copper sulfate can activate deep-depressing chalcopyrite by copper ion adsorption.

The present research investigates sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, sodium metabisulfite and copper sulfate as activators to lessen the depressant effect of cyanide. The results indicate that the zinc recovery exceeded 93%, 90%, 85% and 95% at the dosages: sodium hypochlorite 1.5 ml/L, hydrogen peroxide 2 ml/L, sodium metabisulfite 1.67 × 10−3 mol/L and copper sulfate 2 × 10−3 mol/L, respectively. According to the results of FTIR spectrum and zeta potential, it is suggested that the studied marmatite was depressed due to the adsorption of CN− on the surfaces of marmatite by chemical bonds, and moreover the afore enhanced activators can present Zn C N bonds on the surfaces of depressed marmatite by oxidation or ionic adsorption, respectively, and hence activate the depressed marmatite for flotation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a principal cause of death and disability worldwide. Melatonin, a hormone made by the pineal gland, is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, using a weight-drop model of TBI, we investigated the protective effects of ramelteon, a melatonin MT1/MT2 receptor agonist, and its underlying mechanisms of action. Administration of ramelteon (10 mg/kg) daily at 10:00 a.m. alleviated TBI-induced early brain damage on day 3 and long-term neurobehavioral deficits on day 28 in C57BL/6 mice. Ramelteon also increased the protein levels of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-4, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase and reduced the protein levels of IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor, and malondialdehyde in brain tissue and serum on days 1, 3, and 7 post-TBI. Similarly, ramelteon attenuated microglial and astrocyte activation in the perilesional cortex on day 3. Furthermore, ramelteon decreased Keap 1 expression, promoted nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear accumulation, and increased levels of downstream proteins, including SOD-1, heme oxygenase-1, and NQO1 on day 3 post-TBI. However, in Nrf2 knockout mice with TBI, ramelteon did not decrease the lesion volume, neuronal degeneration, or myelin loss on day 3; nor did it mitigate depression-like behavior or most motor behavior deficits on day 28. Thus, timed ramelteon treatment appears to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress via the Nrf2-antioxidant response element pathway and might represent a potential chronotherapeutic strategy for treating TBI.

The content of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in mitochondria is related to various physiological and pathological processes. The irregular viscosity in mitochondria would result in mitochondria disorders. In this research, a novel ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe (MBCB) based on carbazole framework has been strategically designed and synthesized for dual-detection of mitochondrial SO2 derivatives and viscosity. The results show that probe MBCB is capable of responding to SO2 derivatives and viscosity using dual-color imaging. MBCB can not only recognize SO2 derivatives utilizing a ratiometric change of fluorescent intensity (I434 nm/I600 nm), but also shows a high sensitivity and selectivity for monitoring SO2. On the other hand, the fluorescent intensity ratio (I567 nm/I415 nm) of MBCB increased with the increment of viscosity and exhibited a good logarithmic linear relationship between the ratio and viscosity (R2 = 0.99). Satisfactorily, probe MBCB has a good targeting ability to mitochondria and a low cell cytotoxicity, and can be successfully applied to detect HSO3− in living cells and in vivo. Furthermore, the probe can visualize the change of mitochondrial viscosity induced by nystatin.

Two phenol-based "end-off" biscompartmental heptadentate ligands were designed by introduction of substituents with different electronic and steric properties to the chelating arms, i.e. 2,6-bis{[(2-pyridylmethyl)(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]methyl}-4-methylphenol (L1) and 2,6-bis{[(2-aminoethyl)(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]methyl}-4-methylphenol (L2). The dinuclear copper(II) complexes (1 and 2) of the ligands were synthesized and evaluated as potential nuclease models. The basicity behavior and coordination property of each ligand towards Cu(II) ion in aqueous solution were investigated by pH potentiometric titrations accompanied by ESI-MS and spectrometry. Both ligands show a strong tendency to chelate Cu(II) generating dinuclear copper(II) complexes in Cu(II)/L molar ratio of 2:1 in the pH range of 3-11, and when pH is 7.40 the cationic OH--bridged dicopper(II) complexes were determined to be the dominant species. Studies on the interactions of 1 and 2 with Calf Thymus DNA relevant to DNA binding exhibit a pronounced impact of the substituents tethered on the chelating arms of the ligands. Assessment by agarose gelelectrophoresis of the plasmid pBR322 DNA cleavage activity in the presence of Vc under aerobic conditions evidence significant cleavage efficiency of the two complexes, displaying a reactivity order of 1

UV Resistance Locus 8 (UVR8), an ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 280–315 nm) photoreceptor, participates in the regulation of various plant growth and developmental processes. UV-B radiation is an important factor enhancing the production of active components in medicinal plants. To-date, however, studies on UV-B photoreceptors have largely focused on Arabidopsis, and the functions of UVR8 in medicinal plants are still largely unknown. In the present study, a homolog of Arabidopsis UVR8, CmUVR8, was isolated from Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, and its structure and function were analyzed in detail. Protein sequence analysis showed that CmUVR8 contained nine conserved regulators of chromosome condensation 1 repeats, seven conserved bladed propellers, one C27 region, three “GWRHT” motifs and several crucial amino acid residues (such as 14 Trps and 2 Args), similar to AtUVR8. 3-D structural analysis of CmUVR8 indicated that its structure was similar to AtUVR8. Heterologous expression of CmUVR8 could rescued the deficient phenotype of uvr8-6, a mutant of UVR8 in Arabidopsis, indicating the role of CmUVR8 in the regulation of hypocotyl elongation and HY5 gene expression under UV-B irradiation. Moreover, CmUVR8 regulates UV-B-induced expression of four flavonoids biosynthesis-related genes and the UV-B-induced accumulation of flavonoids. Furthermore, the interaction between CmUVR8 and CmCOP1 were confirmed using a yeast two-hybrid assay. These results indicated that CmUVR8 plays important roles in UV-B signal transduction and the UV-B-induced accumulation of flavonoids, as a counterpart of AtUVR8.

The potential efficacy of sulforaphane in protecting alcohol-induced hepatic injury in vivo and its underlying mechanism were investigated. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally administrated with broccoli sprout extract (BSE) containing sulforaphane [7.6, 25.2, and 50.4 mg/kg of body weight (bw)] once a day for 14 days. At the 13th day, mice were challenged with alcohol (5 g/kg of bw) every 12 h for 3 times, which increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (4.44 ± 1.24 nmol/mg of protein, p0.01) in the liver. Our results showed that low-, medium-, and high-dose BSE markedly reversed the decrease of antioxidant capacity through enhancing glutathione (GSH) (2.07 ± 0.31 mg/g of protein, p0.05; 2.31 ± 0.32 mg/g of protein, p0.01; and 2.46 ± 0.21 mg/g of protein, p0.01), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (483.20 ± 62.76 units/mg of protein; 500.81 ± 49.82 units/mg of protein, p0.05; and 605.00 ±64.32 units/mg of protein, p0.01), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (318 ± 60.74 units/mg of protein; 400.67 ± 72.47 units/mg of protein, p0.01; and 394.72 ± 62.97 units/mg of protein, p0.01), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) (31.84 ± 6.34 units/mg of protein, p0.05; 30.34 ± 6.40 units/mg of protein, p0.05; and 38.08 ± 7.05 units/mg of protein, p0.01) in the liver. The protective actions are also associated activation of phase 2 enzymes via nuclear erythoriod-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). The endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress-specific proteins, such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6, and protein kinase RNA (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), were also significantly attenuated by BSE. These results indicate that BSE protects the liver against alcohol challenge via upregulating antioxidant capacity and downregulating ER stress.

Icaritin, a hydrolytic product of icariin from the Epimedium genus, exerts anti-tumour effects on a variety of tumour cell types, mainly by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. However, little is known about the role of icaritin in cancer invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the present study, the glioblastoma (GBM) cell line U87MG was used as a model to investigate the effects of icaritin on the invasion and EMT of cancer cells. The results showed that icaritin significantly inhibited the invasion and EMT of GBM cells by targeting extracellular matrix metalloproteinase (EMMPRIN). Furthermore, the findings strongly indicate that the modulatory effect of icaritin on EMMPRIN is mediated via the PTEN/Akt/HIF-1α signalling pathway. The data provide the first experimental evidence of the inhibitory effect of icaritin on cancer cell invasion and EMT, thus highlighting the potential of icaritin to be employed as a promising anti-cancer agent in the treatment of GBM.

The present research investigates the use of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate as a compound lixiviant, and ammonium acetate as an inhibitor for aluminum in the recovery of rare earth elements from ion-adsorption rare earth ores. It is previously shown that rare earth ions, adsorbed physically on ion-adsorption rare earth ores, could be easily recovered via an ion exchange mechanism with inorganic monovalent salt solutions. A standardized desorption procedure was established to systematically investigate the effects of elution conditions such as compound lixiviant concentration, ammonium nitrate/ammonium sulfate molar ratio, particle size, elution flow rate, pH and inhibitor concentration on the leaching of rare earth and aluminum. It was determined that the leaching rate of rare earth exceeded 80% under the optimum elution conditions: particle size

The kinetics of the forward extraction of NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3 − by N235 was investigated using a Lewis cell. Different parameters such as the niobium concentration, oxalic acid concentration, hydrogen ion concentration, and R 3 N concentration, as well as extracting temperature were studied separately to examine their effect on the extraction rate of NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3 − , and a rate equation was deduced based on the analysis. The experimental results demonstrate that the rate of NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3 − extraction is controlled by a chemical reaction at the interface rather than in the bulk phase. Further analysis suggests that the NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3 − extraction rate is first order with respect to hydrogen ion concentration, niobium concentration, and R 3 N concentration, and zero order with respect to oxalic acid concentration. The mechanism of NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3 − extraction is controlled by the slow distribution of the R 3 NH + at the interface to form NbO(C 2 O 4 ) 3 ⋅R 3 NH 2 − between the liquid phase and the interface.

Ginkgo leaves are raw materials for flavonoid extraction. Thus, the timing of their harvest is important to optimize the extraction efficiency, which benefits the pharmaceutical industry. In this research, we compared the transcriptomes of Ginkgo leaves harvested at midday and midnight. The differentially expressed genes with the highest probabilities in each step of flavonoid biosynthesis were down-regulated at midnight. Furthermore, real-time PCR corroborated the transcriptome results, indicating the decrease in flavonoid biosynthesis at midnight. The flavonoid profiles of Ginkgo leaves harvested at midday and midnight were compared, and the total flavonoid content decreased at midnight. A detailed analysis of individual flavonoids showed that most of their contents were decreased by various degrees. Our results indicated that circadian rhythms affected the flavonoid contents in Ginkgo leaves, which provides valuable information for optimizing their harvesting times to benefit the pharmaceutical industry.

Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase, is reported to be related to cell survival after A/H (anoxia/hypoglycemia) insult. However, the role of SYK in cardiocyte survival under A/H injury remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to gain insight into the role and molecular mechanism of SYK in cardiocytes exposed to A/H stress. The mRNA and protein expressions of SYK in H9c2 cardiocytes exposed to A/H injury, separately detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, were both robustly up-regulated. Then we overexpressed SYK in H9c2 with A/H injury, and found that cell viability was significantly increased and LDH leakage was decreased. Moreover, apoptosis measured by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide and reactive oxygen species (ROS) identified by 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate were markedly inhibited in H9c2 with A/H injury following SYK overexpression. Furthermore, we observed that SYK could induce HO-1 expression by regulating the Akt phosphorylation level in H9c2 with A/H injury, protecting H9c2 from the injury induced by A/H treatment.

The flavonoids in the extracts of Ginkgo leaves have been shown to have great medical value: thus, a method to increase the flavonoid contents in these extracts is of significant importance for human health. In the present study, we investigated the changes in flavonoid contents and the corresponding gene expression levels in post-harvest Ginkgo leaves after various treatments. We found that both ultraviolet-B and NaCl treatment induced flavonoid accumulation. However, gene expression analysis showed that the increases in flavonoid contents were achieved by different pathways. Furthermore, post-harvest Ginkgo leaves responded differently to NaCl treatment compared with naturally grown leaves in both flavonoid contents and corresponding gene expression. In addition, combined treatment with ultraviolet-B and NaCl did not further increase the flavonoid contents compared with ultraviolet-B or NaCl treatment alone. Our results indicate the existence of a novel mechanism in response to NaCl treatment in post-harvest Ginkgo leaves, and provide a technique to increase flavonoid content in the pharmaceutical industry.

A novel mitochondria-targeted ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe (Mito-MQ) for detecting intracellular cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) has been designed. Mito-MQ showed the ratiometric fluorescent detection signal (the green-to-blue emissionfrom 517nm to 460nm) to cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) over glutathione (GSH), along with the fast response rate (10min). The detection mechanism was illustrated by 1H NMR, ESI-MS and theoretical calculation. The co-localization coefficient of 0.87 between Mito-MQ and MitoTracker Red revealed that the probe was predominantly present in mitochondria, therefore, Mito-MQ was successfully applied to detect mitochondrial oxidative stress by detecting the change of Cys/Hcy. Moreover, imaging in fresh tissue slices indicated that Mito-MQ could work in deep tissue (ca. 130µm) under two-photon excitation. Furthermore, the measurement of Cys/Hcy detection in zebrafish showed that probe can be used in determination of biothiols in vivo.

The current study was carried out to investigate the kinetics of pressure leaching of niobium ore in sulfuric acid media. The effects of stirring speed, oxygen pressure, sulfuric acid concentration, particle size and temperature on the leaching efficiency of niobium were studied. It was found that over 98% niobium was leached by mixing the ground ore to − 74 μm with sulfuric acid concentration 10 M, and heating for 2 h at 200 °C. The pressure leaching of niobium ore in sulfuric acid solution depends largely on the temperature and follows a surface reaction control kinetic model. An activation energy value of 43 kJ/mol was determined for the temperature range of 100 °C to 200 °C.

The scrubbing of impurities from tantalum-loaded MIBK was investigated using dilute sulfuric acid as scrubbing agent in a cross-current system. The effects of various scrubbing parameters such as sulfuric acid concentration and scrubbing time have been investigated. Stripping studies of tantalum from the scrubbed tantalum-loaded MIBK were carried out using distilled water as stripping agent in a cross-current system. The elimination of emulsification was investigated using ultrasound in the scrubbing and stripping processes. The effect of ultrasonic power on demulsification was studied. After a six-stage cross-current scrubbing with 5 mol/L dilute sulfuric acid and single-stage cross-current stripping, pure tantalum-loaded MIBK can be obtained that yields 99.6% tantalum oxide after precipitation, filtration and roasting. The overall recovery of tantalum was 96.21%. Ultrasound technology can be used for demulsification with the optimal output power range being from 0.44 to 0.56 W/mL. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Life cycle alternation between arthropod and mammals forces the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi , to adapt to different host milieus by utilizing diverse carbohydrates. Glycerol and chitobiose are abundantly present in the Ixodes tick. B. burgdorferi can utilize glycerol as a carbohydrate source for glycolysis and chitobiose to produce N -acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a key component of the bacterial cell wall. A recent study reported that Rrp1, a response regulator that synthesizes cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP), governs glycerol utilization in B. burgdorferi . In this report, we found that the rrp1 mutant had growth defects and formed membrane blebs that led to cell lysis when GlcNAc was replaced by chitobiose in the growth medium. The gene chbC encodes a key chitobiose transporter of B. burgdorferi . We found that the expression level of chbC was significantly repressed in the mutant and that constitutive expression of chbC in the mutant successfully rescued the growth defect, indicating a regulatory role of Rrp1 in chitobiose uptake. Immunoblotting and transcriptional studies revealed that Rrp1 is required for the activation of bosR and rpoS and that its impact on chbC is most likely mediated by the BosR-RpoS regulatory pathway. Tick-mouse infection studies showed that although the rrp1 mutant failed to establish infection in mice via tick bite, exogenous supplementation of GlcNAc into unfed ticks partially rescued the infection. The finding reported here provides us with new insight into the regulatory role of Rrp1 in carbohydrate utilization and virulence of B. burgdorferi .

Background All reported plant ferritins are heteropolymers comprising two different H-type subunits. Whether or not homopolymeric plant ferritin occurs in nature is an open question. Methods A homopolymeric phytoferritin from adzuki bean seeds (ASF) was obtained by various protein purification techniques for the first time, which shares the highest identity (89.6%) with soybean seed H-1 ferritin (rH-1). Therefore, we compared iron oxidation activity and protein stability of ASF with those of rH-1 by stopped-flow combined with light scattering or UV/Vis spectrophotography, SDS- and native- PAGE analyses. Additionally, a new rH-1 variant (S68E) was prepared by site-directed mutagenesis approach to elucidate their difference in protein stability. Results At high iron loading of protein, the extension peptide (EP) of plant ferritin was involved in iron oxidation, and the EP of ASF exhibited a much stronger iron oxidative activity than that of rH-1. Besides, ASF is more stable than rH-1 during storage, which is ascribed to one amino acid residue, Ser68. Conclusions ASF exhibits a different mechanism in iron oxidation from rH-1 at high iron loading of protein, and a higher stability than rH-1. These differences are mainly stemmed from their different EP sequences. General significance This work demonstrates that plant cells have evolved the EP of phytoferritin to control iron chemistry and protein stability by exerting a fine tuning of its amino acid sequence.

Borrelia burgdorferi gene product BB0323 is required for cell fission and pathogen persistence in vivo. Here, we show that BB0323, which is conserved among globally prevalent infectious strains, supports normal spirochaete growth and morphology even at early phases of cell division. We demonstrate that native BB0323 undergoes proteolytic processing at the C-terminus, at a site after the first 202 N-terminal amino acids. We further identified a periplasmic BB0323 binding protein in B. burgdorferi, annotated as BB0104, having serine protease activity responsible for the primary cleavage of BB0323 to produce discrete N- and C-terminal polypeptides. These two BB0323 polypeptides interact with each other, and either individually or as a complex, are associated with multiple functions in spirochaete biology and infectivity. While N-terminal BB0323 is adequate to support cell fission, the C-terminal LysM domain is dispensable for this process, despite its ability to bind B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan. However, the LysM domain or the precisely processed BB0323 product is essential for mammalian infection. As BB0323 is a membrane protein crucial for B. burgdorferi survival in vivo, exploring its function may suggest novel ways to interrupt infection while enhancing our understanding of the intricate spirochaete fission process.

The technological parameters and the mechanism of low-acid pulp extraction of tantalum were investigated. The results show that hydrofluoric acid concentration, sulfuric acid concentration, organic to pulp phase ratio, the concentration of tantalum and niobium, contact time and temperature have a significant effect; optimum process operating parameters were established as follows: hydrofluoric acid concentration 1.6 mol/L, sulfuric acid concentration 0.6 mol/L, organic to pulp phase ratio 3:1, tantalum concentration 26.61 g/L, niobium concentration 11.64 g/L, contact time 5min and room temperature. Under these experimental conditions, tantalum extraction can reach more than 98% and the separation factors of Ta/Nb, Ta/Fe and Ta/Sn were maximal. According to slope analysis, the equimolar series method and the saturation capacity method, the extraction product was identified as 3MIBK center dot H2TaF7.

A new method for the decomposition of low-grade refractory tantalum-niobium ores using sodium hydroxide fusion was proposed. The effects of initial mineral particle size, alkali to ore mass ratio, decomposition temperature and decomposition time on the decomposition rate of the tantalum-niobium ore were investigated. The alkali to ore mass ratio, decomposition temperature and initial mineral particle size showed significant influence on the decomposition of tantalum-niobium ore. The results show that the decomposition rates of cassiterotantalite and pyrochlore in the ore can be above 98% and 99% respectively when the initial mineral particle size is less than 75µm, the mass ratio of alkali to ore is 1:1, the decomposition temperature is 650°C and the decomposition time is 30min.

Scope: To investigate the effect of sulforaphane (SFN) on the abnormal lipid metabolism and underlying mechanisms. Methods and results: Models with abnormal lipid metabolism were established both in rats and human hepatocytes. Hepatic steatosis was detected by H&E and oil red O staining. The structure of endoplasmic reticulum was visualized by transmission electron microscopy. The expressions of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP1c) and lipogenic enzymes were determined by real-time PCR and western blot analysis. SFN lowered the content of triglyceride and cholesterol. SFN alleviated the swelling of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and decreased the perimeter of ER. SFN significantly decreased the expressions of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and fatty acid synthase. SFN inhibited SREBP1c by blocking the PERK. Meanwhile, SFN suppressed ACC1 and SCD1 via blocking the formation of splicing-type XBP1. The key roles of XBP1 and SREBP1c in SFN-reduced lipid droplets were confirmed by a timed sequence of measurement according to time points. Conclusion: SFN improved abnormal lipid metabolism via both ER stress -dependent and -independent pathways.

It was established that green pigment(s) responsible for garlic greening is composed of yellow and blue species, and pyruvic acid (a product from 1-PeCSO or 2-PeCSO under the action of alliinase) reacted with pigment precursor (PP) model compounds, 2-(1 H -pyrrolyl) carboxylic acids to produce yellow pigments. However, the structure of the yellow pigments is unknown. In present paper, we identified three yellow pigments (Y1, Y2 and Y3) from three reaction systems containing pyruvic acid and 2-(1 H -pyrrolyl) acetic acid (P-Gly) or 1-(2′-methyl-1′-carboxy-propyl) pyrrole (P-Val) or 1-(2′-methyl-1′-carboxy-butyl) pyrrole (P-Ile), respectively, by LC-ESI MS/MS and IT-TOF mass spectrometry. The three pigments have a UV/visible maximum absorbance between 400 and 434 nm and might be formed by dimerisation of the three corresponding PP under participation of pyruvic acid, molecular formula of which are C 16 H 16 N 2 O 4 (Y1), C 22 H 28 N 2 O 4 (Y2) and C 24 H 32 N 2 O 4 (Y3), respectively.

A rapid, sensitive, and specific liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometric (HPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed for quantification of ferulic acid in rat plasma. The analyte and docetaxel (internal standard) were extracted from plasma samples with diethyl ether and analyzed on a C18 column. The chromatographic separation was achieved within 3.5 min by using acetonitrile-water as the mobile phase and the flow rate was 0.2 mL · min−1. The method was linear within the range of 0.5 − 800 ng · mL−1. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.5 ng · mL−1. Finally, the method is successfully applied for the pharmacokinetic study of ferulic acid in rats following intravenous administration.