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Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted significant attention for their high specific capacity, non-toxic and harmless advantages. However, the shuttle effect limits their development. In this work, small-sized tin disulfide (SnS2) nanoparticles are embedded between interlayers of two-dimensional porous carbon nanosheets (PCNs), forming a multi-functional nanocomposite (PCN-SnS2) as a cathode carrier for Li-S batteries. The graphitized carbon nanosheets improve the overall conductivity of the electrode, and the abundant pores not only facilitate ion transfer and electrolyte permeation, but also buffer the volume change during the charge and discharge process to ensure the integrity of the electrode material. More importantly, the physical confinement of PCN, as well as the strong chemical adsorption and catalytic reaction of small SnS2 nanoparticles, synergistically reduce the shuttle effect of polysulfides. The interaction between a porous layered structure and physical-chemical confinement gives the PCN-SnS2-S electrode high electrochemical performance. Even at a high rate of 2 C, a discharge capacity of 650 mA h g−1 is maintained after 150 cycles, underscoring the positive results of SnS2 based materials for Li S batteries. The galvanostatic intermittent titration technique results further confirm that the PCN-SnS2-S electrode has a high Li+ transmission rate, which reduces the activation barrier and improves the electrochemical reaction kinetics. This work provides strong evidence that reducing the size of SnS2 nanostructures is beneficial for capturing and reacting with polysulfides to alleviate their shuttle effect in Li-S batteries.

Li-Se battery is a promising energy storage candidate owing to its high theoretical volumetric capacity and safe operating condition. In this work, for the first time, we report using the whole organic Melamine-based porous polymer networks (MPNs) as a precursor to synthesize a N, O, S co-doped hierarchically porous carbon nanobelts (HPCNBs) for both Li-ion and Li-Se battery. The N, O, S co-doping resulting in the defect-rich HPCNBs provides fast transport channels for electrolyte, electrons and ions, but also effectively relieve volume change. When used for Li-ion battery, it exhibits an advanced lithium storage performance with a capacity of 345 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1 after 150 cycles and a superior rate capacity of 281 mAh g−1 even at 2000 mA g−1. Further density function theory calculations reveal that the carbon atoms adjacent to the doping sites are electron-rich and more effective to anchor active species in Li-Se battery. With the hierarchically porous channels and the strong dual physical–chemical confinement for Li2Se, the Se@ HPCNBs composite delivers an ultra-stable cycle performance even at 2 C after 1000 cycles. Our work here suggests that introduce of heteroatoms and defects in graphite-like anodes is an effective way to improve the electrochemical performance.

The synthesis of photochromic functional materials with excellent performances is important owing to their workable applications. In this study, a new viologen-derived Zn(II) material with a two-dimensional layered structure, namely {[Zn(L)(cpbpy)](H2O)3}n (1; H2L = 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid; cpbpy = N-(3-carboxypyridin-5-yl)-4,4′-bipyridinium), was fabricated based on a new mono-substituted viologen derivative via a solvothermal synthesis. Similar to materials containing viologens, 1 displayed a photochromic behavior upon xenon light irradiation. Interestingly, its dehydrated product 1a exhibited a rapid photochromism only under vacuum or an inert atmosphere, which makes 1a a potential O2 sensitive material. Further investigations show that 1 and 1a had remarkably different photomodulated luminescence behaviors. This study widens the application of such a viologen derivative towards constructing new photochromic materials having a rapid photochromic response.

Lithium-sulfur batteries with high theoretical specific capacity are quite promising in energy storage systems. The application of lithium-sulfur batteries however has mainly been hampered by the severe shuttle effect of polysulfides during the charging/discharging process. Here, we report the in situ self-assembling of ultra-thin flexible polyaniline layer decorated manganese dioxide nanoparticles (PANI-MnO2) to form a three-dimensional hierarchically porous network as a sulfur host for lithium-sulfur batteries. The hierarchically porous PANI-MnO2 network not only provides a porous structure to alleviate the volume expansion, but also offers fast channels to accelerate the transfer of active species, electrons and ions to improve the redox reaction kinetics. The as-fabricated PANI-MnO2-S electrode thus demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance, with a stable capacity up to 1195 mA h g-1 at 0.5C after 100 cycles. In particular, the hierarchically porous PANI-MnO2 network employs an extraordinary chemical process for polysulfides to form active thiosulfates, which are further converted into Li2S. This significantly suppresses the shuttle effect, thus providing the possibility for fast charging. As a result, the PANI-MnO2-S electrode exhibits a discharge capacity of 640 mA h g-1 at 2C after 500 cycles. Even at a high sulfur loading of 4.0 mg cm-2, a stable areal capacity of ∼3.12 mA h cm-2 is achieved at 1C after 200 cycles.

An expedient strategy for the synthesis of 3-phosphinoylbenzofurans through a cascade electrophilic phosphination cyclization has been presented. This sequential process was induced by phosphenium-cations under mild and metal-free conditions. The reaction can be scaled up to gram quantities with an excellent yield. Additionally, the obtained arylphosphine oxide product can be reduced to phosphine, which could coordinate with the transition metals ruthenium and palladium, acting as potential ligands for other important chemical reactions.

The electronic [Xe]4f13 configurations of Yb(III) ions generate a variety of electronic energy levels, resulting in the fantastic optical and magnetic multifunctional properties of Yb(III) complexes. Here, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid (H2MBA) was used to construct two dinuclear and one-dimensional Yb(III) complexes namely [Yb2(HMBA)2(MBA)2(DMF)2(H2O)2]·6H2O (1, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) and [NH4][Yb(HMBA)4] (2). Fluorescence measurements reveal that H2MBA can sensitize the characteristic near-infrared luminescence of Yb(III). Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the two Yb(III) complexes are field-induced single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with anisotropy barriers of 18(1) cm−1 and 20(1) cm−1 for 1 and 2, respectively. The magnetism–luminescence–structure correlations as well as relaxation pathways are investigated by ab initio calculations and fluorescence spectrometry.

Modulating the biological status of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), such as function and survival, is essential for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic vascular disease environments. This study aimed to explore the role and molecular mechanisms underlying Netrin‑1 in the viability and angiogenic function of EPCs. EPCs were isolated from the bone barrow of adult C57/BL6 mice. The apoptosis and various functions of EPCs were analyzed in vitro by manipulating the expression of Netrin‑1. The TUNEL assay was performed to detect apoptotic EPCs. Cell migration and tube formation assays were performed to detect EPC function. Trypan blue staining was performed to detect cell viability. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the protein expression levels of Netrin‑1, CD146 and apoptotic factors. Quantitative PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of Netrin‑1 receptors. The results demonstrated that treatment with exogenous Netrin‑1 promoted EPC migration and tube formation, whereas transfection with small interfering (si)RNA targeting Netrin‑1 exhibited the opposite effects. Exogenous Netrin‑1 protected EPCs from hypoxia‑induced apoptosis, whereas the interruption of endogenous Netrin‑1 enhancement under hypoxia by Netrin‑1‑siRNA exacerbated the apoptosis of EPCs. Furthermore, CD146, one of the immunoglobulin receptors activated by Netrin‑1, was screened for in the present study. Results demonstrated that CD146 did not participate in Netrin‑1‑promoted EPC function, but mediated the anti‑apoptotic effects of Netrin‑1 in EPCs. In conclusion, Netrin‑1 enhanced the angiogenic function of EPCs and alleviated hypoxia‑induced apoptosis, which was mediated by CD146. This biological function of Netrin‑1 may provide a potential therapeutic option to promote EPCs for the treatment of ischemic vascular diseases.

Background: Erythrina variegata has been widely used as a traditional medicine. Objective: The study was designed to evaluate the anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects of an extract from Erythrina variegata. Methods: The extract was evaluated for anxiolytic and anti-depressant action using the elevated plus maze, light/dark box, open field, forced swimming and tail suspension tests in mice. The mechanism of action was further elucidated using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection methods to assay the levels of five neurotransmitters in brain. Results: The extract exhibited significant increase in the percentage of the open arms entries and the time spent in the open arms in the elevated plus maze test. The results of the light/dark box test revealed a significant increase in the amount of time spent in the light chamber. Extract- treated mice also produced significant increase in the number of crossings and rearings in the open field test.In the forced swimming and tail suspension tests, the extract was able to promote significant decrease in the immobility time. In addition, the extract significantly altered the levels of five neurotransmitters in the brain tissue. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Erythrina variegata presents potential anxiolytic and anti-depressant activity, and the mechanism may be related to the alteration of neurotransmitter levels. Keywords: Anxiolytic; anti-depressant; Erythrina variegata; elevated plus maze; forced swimming; neurotransmitters.

The absolute configuration of cepharanthine (1), a strongly bioactive bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid exhibiting 12 specific bioactivities without any reported negative side-effects, has been reassigned from (1R,1′S) to (1R,1′R) using quantum theory. The absolute configurations (ACs) of 13 other analogues of 1 were also systematically reassigned. Six quaternary salts were prepared from 1 and one exhibited strong anti-bacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC 0.31 μM, while Ciprofloxacin, the positive control medicine was 3.88 μM. This work established the critical importance of correlating chiroptical experimental spectra with their quantum mechanically predicted spectra for accurate stereogenic center assignments.

The role of B7-1 in podocyte injury has received increasing attention. The aim of this study was to investigate whether losartan protects podocytes of patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) by regulating B7-1 and the underlying mechanisms. Rats with streptozotocin-induced DKD were treated with losartan for 8 weeks. Biochemical changes in blood and urine were analyzed. Kidneys were isolated for electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR), and Western blot analysis. Immortalized mouse podocyte cells were cultured in normal or high glucose medium in the presence or absence of losartan for 48 h, and then the cells were collected for immunofluorescence, PCR, Western blotting and monolayer permeability detection. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) 110α subunit and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) plasmids were transfected into podocytes, respectively, and then Western blotting was performed to assess the expression of B7-1 protein. The results showed that losartan ameliorated podocyte structure and function in the rat model of DKD, and reduced the expression of B7-1 protein. Overexpression of PI3K 110α subunit in podocytes attenuated the inhibitory effect of losartan on B7-1 expression in high glucose-stimulated podocytes. The expression of B7-1 was significantly increased by overexpression of AT1R and significantly reduced by blocking PI3K 110α subunit. We conclude that losartan protects podocytes against high glucose-induced injury by inhibiting AT1R-mediated B7-1 expression. This effect is dependent on the AT1R-PI3K 110α subunit pathway.

Background Atherosclerosis is a chronical inflammatory disease in arterial walls, which is involved in oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Aromatherapy is one of the complementary therapies that use essential oils as the major therapeutic agents to treat several diseases. Citronellal (CT) is a monoterpene predominantly formed by the secondary metabolism of plants, producing antithrombotic, antiplatelet, and antihypertensive activities. Aim The aim of the present study is to explore whether aromatherapy with CT improves endothelial function to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in vivo. Methods An AS model in carotid artery was induced by balloon injury and vitamin D3 injection in rats fed with a high-fat diet. The size of the carotid atherosclerotic plaque was determined by ultrasound, oil red, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Endothelial function was assessed by measuring acetylcholine-induced vessel relaxation in an organ chamber. Results Administrations of CT (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg) as well as lovastatin dramatically reduced the size of carotid atherosclerotic plaque in rats in a dose-dependent manner, compared with atherosclerotic rats fed with a high-fat diet plus balloon injury and vitamin D3. Mechanically, CT improved endothelial dysfunction, increased cell migration, and suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation in vascular endothelium in rats feeding on the high-fat diet plus balloon injury. Further, CT downregulated the protein levels of sodium-hydrogen exchanger 1 in rats with atherosclerosis. Conclusion CT improves endothelial dysfunction and prevents the growth of atherosclerosis in rats by reducing oxidative stress. Clinically, CT is potentially considered as a medicine to treat patients with atherosclerosis.

Stable axial conformations generally exist only when the single bond's (axis') rotation was sterically hindered in solution. Herein, we firstly show that two stable conformations could be observed in solution by 1H and 13C NMR experiments when the single bond rotates freely. Its coalescence temperature was measured up to 120 °C when we took compound 13 as an example. The ratio of the two stable conformations was computed using quantum methods. The predicted results matched with the experimental results well. The conversion barrier between two conformers was estimated by potential energy scan (PES) and transition state (TS) calculations at the B3LYP/6-311 + G(d) level. Furthermore, its stereochemistry was also well studied by comparing theoretical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra with the experimental one.

Herein, we developed a series of self-assembled cobalt-cerium oxides (CoCe-x) with the regulated oxygen vacancies, to enhance the decontamination of air pollution with low-temperature catalytic oxidation, in which the typical volatile organic pollutant (VOCs), toluene, acted as the target. The oxygen vacancies in catalyst was tuned by the efficient incorporation of Co atoms into the lattice structure of ceria, and therefore improved the migration of oxygen species, the formation of surface adsorbed oxygen with high activity, as well as the redox recycles of Co3+/Co2+ and Ce4+/Ce3+. Due to the abundant oxygen vacancies, the CoCe-5 (Co loading of 5 wt%) catalyst exhibited the significantly enhanced performance in the low-temperature catalytic oxidation of toluene, on which the conversion temperature of toluene (T90) shifted to 192 °C, reduced by 23% compared with the ceria. From in situ DRIFT results, the surface adsorbed oxygen and lattice oxygen with high mobility played key roles in the excellent performance of CoCe-5 catalyst, which promoted the adsorption, activation and oxidation of toluene significantly, especially accelerating the rate-determining step of toluene oxidation, the breakage of aromatic ring.

To observe the effect of norcantharidin (NCTD) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Sixty Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=10): normal group, CIA model group(model group), NCTD low-dose group [1.35 mg/(kg•d)], NCTD middle-dose group [2.7 mg/(kg•d)], NCTD high-dose group [5.4 mg/(kg•d)] and methotrexate (MTX) group [1.8 mg/(kg/w)]. Anesthetized rats were sacrificed by luxation of cervical vertebra after 4 weeks of administration. The arthritis scores were evaluated twice a week. The pathological changes in the ankle joints of rats were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The serum levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), IL-17 and transform growth factor (TGF) β were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression of retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptorγt (RORγt) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) in peripheral blood lymphocytes were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. MTX and high-dose NCTD not only decreased the arthritis scores but also alleviated the pathological changes in CIA rats’ ankle joints compared with the model group (P

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials with high luminescence efficiencies, short lifetimes, excellent thermal stability and high-quality film formation are highly desired to realize efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with low efficiency roll-off. Herein, two asymmetric TADF molecules consisting of triptycene-fused benzophenone serving as an electron acceptor, and dimethylacridin and phenoxazine as electron donors are reported. The comparative study reveals that the introduction of triptycene scaffold strengthens the molecular rigidity and the intermolecular interactions in aggregated states, which endow the titled materials with significantly improved thermal stability, film formation quality and mechanofluorochromism behaviors. The triptycene-imbedded compound TCO-DMAC emits fast efficient delay fluorescence with photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 0.92 and short lifetime of 4.94 μs in doped evaporated film, based on which the bluish-green doped OLED achieved an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 21.2%, a current efficiency (CE) of 57.3 cd/A, a power efficiency (PE) of 62.3 lm/W, and a maximum brightness of 15780 cd/m2. It is worth mentioning that the evaporated neat film of TCO-DMAC exhibit high PLQY of 0.69 and short delay fluorescence lifetime of 4.37 μs. The non-doped OLED achieved an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 15.6%, a turn-on voltage of 2.8 V and a maximum brightness of 13830 cd/m2 with only minor efficiency roll-off of 3.8% at a high luminance of 1000 cd/m2.

A novel fluorescent sensor nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs)/SiO2/molecular imprinting polymer（N-GQDs/SiO2/MIP）was fabricated by surface imprinting and epitope imprinting to recognize and detect the target protein cytochrome c (Cyt C) with fluorescence quenching. In the polymerization process, the C- and N-terminal nonapeptides of Cyt C were selected as the double templates which were fixed by functional monomer (zinc acrylate) through metal chelation and steady six-membered ring. The linear range of fluorescence quenching for this receptor towards Cyt C was 0.20-60μM, and the detection limit was 0.11μM. The precision for six times replicate determination of Cyt C at 30μM was 1.20%, and the imprinting factor (IF) was 3.06. The recoveries of the material to Cyt C in urine were 99.3-114.0%. In brief, this work proposed a strategy to prepare a new type fluorescent imprinting polymer based on N-GQDs and provided an attractive perspective for the detection of protein by using the combination of N-GQDs and molecular imprinting technique.

Diabetes is a serious public health problem affecting 422 million people worldwide. Traditional diabetes management often requires multiple daily insulin injections, associated with pain and inadequate glycemia control. Herein, we have developed an ultrasound-triggered insulin delivery system capable of pulsatile insulin release that can provide both long-term sustained and fast on-demand responses. In this system, insulin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules are encapsulated within chitosan microgels. The encapsulated insulin in nanocapsules can passively diffuse from the nanoparticle but remain restricted within the microgel. Upon ultrasound treatment, the stored insulin in microgels can be rapidly released to regulate blood glucose levels. In a chemically-induced type 1 diabetic mouse model, we demonstrated that this system, when activated by 30 s ultrasound administration, could effectively achieve glycemic control for up to one week in a noninvasive, localized, and pulsatile manner.

// Chen-Guang Li 1,* , Liang Yan 1,* , Yan-Yun Jing 1,* , Li-Hui Xu 2 , Yi-Dan Liang 1 , Hong-Xia Wei 1 , Bo Hu 3 , Hao Pan 1 , Qing-Bing Zha 4 , Dong-Yun Ouyang 1 and Xian-Hui He 1 1 Department of Immunobiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China 2 Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China 3 Department of Nephrology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China 4 Department of Fetal Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Xian-Hui He, email: // Keywords : antibacterial infection, berberine, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), inflammasome, macrophages, Immunology and Microbiology Section, Immune response, Immunity Received : August 19, 2016 Accepted : December 01, 2016 Published : December 12, 2016 Abstract The isoquinoline alkaloid berberine possesses many pharmacological activities including antibacterial infection. Although the direct bactericidal effect of berberine has been documented, its influence on the antibacterial functions of macrophages is largely unknown. As inflammasome activation in macrophages is important for the defense against bacterial infection, we aimed to investigate the influence of berberine on inflammasome activation in murine macrophages. Our results showed that berberine significantly increased ATP-induced inflammasome activation as reflected by enhanced pyroptosis as well as increased release of caspase-1p10 and mature interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in macrophages. Such effects of berberine could be suppressed by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor compound C or by knockdown of AMPKα expression, indicating the involvement of AMPK signaling in this process. In line with increased IL-1β release, the ability of macrophages to kill engulfed bacteria was also intensified by berberine. This was corroborated by the in vivo finding that the peritoneal live bacterial load was decreased by berberine treatment. Moreover, berberine administration significantly improved survival of bacterial infected mice, concomitant with increased IL-1β levels and elevated neutrophil recruitment in the peritoneal cavity. Collectively, these data suggested that berberine could enhance bacterial killing by augmenting inflammasome activation in macrophages through AMPK signaling.

The effects of high-pressure thawing at 70 MPa (35 min), 140 MPa (29 min), and 210 MPa (25 min) were studied for their affect on the water holding capacity, protein denaturation and ultrastructure of porcine longissimus dorsi muscle that was frozen for 24 h at −18 °C. For comparison, water thawing at 20 °C and air thawing at 4 °C were used as control groups. The results showed that thawing losses at 140 MPa were significantly lower (P

We demonstrated a full visible spectrum emission from a 3D multifacet microrod light-emitting diode (LED). The microrods were fabricated by top-down patterned etched and regrowth. Hexagonal {11-20} and {11-22} facets were first formed on the microrods, then gradually transformed to {10-10} and {10-11} facets. This facet evolution was attributed to the growth competition among different crystal planes. The multiple quantum wells grown on the microrods also followed this facet evolution and resulted in broad emission spectrum. The device can have direct white light emission covering full visible spectral range from 460 to 660 nm under electrical injection.

Rubidium phosphate can be more conveniently obtained by extracting trace Rb+ from the salt lake brine. Rb3PO4 was found to be an excellent heterogeneous catalyst for transfer hydrogenation. Rb3PO4 lost 70% of its active sites after adsorbing water, but the remaining was not affected. The reductions of aldehydes and ketones, when promoted by Rb3PO4, were allowed at room temperature. The activities of substrates at room temperature followed a descending order of 2,6-dichlorobenzaldehyde>4-bromobenzaldehyde>benzaldehyde>acetophenone>anisaldehyde>butanone. A new catalytic cycle postulating a six-membered cyclic transition state for the reductions of aldehydes and ketones was proposed. These results exploited the catalytic usage of Rb3PO4 and worth in industrial application.

A new type of thermo-sensitive receptor carbon dots/SiO2/molecularly imprinted polymer (CDs/SiO2/MIP) was prepared by surface imprinting procedure and the epitope approach. The synthetic CDs/SiO2/MIP was able to selectively capture target protein with fluorescence quenching via the special interaction between them and the recognition cavities. The receptor exhibited the linear fluorescence quenching to cytochrome c (cyt c) in the range of 0.1-40 μM, and the detection limit was 89 nM. The precision for five replicate detection of cyt c at 20 μM was 3.11%. Moreover, the receptor owned the temperature-sensitive element that allowed for swelling and shrinking in response to temperature changes to realize recognition of the target cytochrome c. The proposed strategy revealed the feasibility of fabrication of a thermo-sensitive imprinted polymer based on CDs and surface imprinting procedure and the epitope approach.

A series of novel hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-1H-imidazolium salts were synthesized and evaluated in vitro against a panel of human tumor cell lines. The results suggest that the 5,6-dimethyl-benzimidazole ring, and substitution of the imidazolyl-3-position with a 2-bromobenzyl or 2-naphthylmethyl group, were important for the cytotoxic activity. Notably, Compound 43, bearing a 2-bromobenzyl substituent at position-3 of 5,6-dimethyl-benzimidazole, was found to possess the most potent derivative against five human tumor cell lines with IC50 values below 2.68μM and more selective towards SMMC-7721, A549 and SW480 cell lines. Compounds 25 and 39 were more selective to HL-60 and MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.47 and 1.46μM.

Although lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising energy storage systems, the low electrical conductivity of sulfur, the serious shuttle of the dissolved lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the large volume change during cycling greatly hinder the practical application of Li-S batteries. To overcome these issues, we report the in situ growing MnO2 nanosheets on the hollow nitrogen-doped micropore-rich carbon (NMRC) to form NMRC/S@MnO2 nanocomposite with high sulfur content for advanced Li-S battery. The hollow nonpolar micropore-rich carbon nanospheres not only provide effectively structural confinement for active species but also accommodate the volume change during the charge–discharge process. The polar MnO2 nanosheets and doped nitrogen present strong chemisorption for LiPSs. Consequently, the synergistic dual-encapsulation from structural confinement and chemisorption makes the NMRC/S@MnO2 nanocomposite has a theoretical sulfur loading of 72% and exhibit a high initial specific capacity of 1144 mAh·g−1 and a reversible capacity of 1023 mAh·g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 C. Even after 1000 cycles at 2.0 C, a capacity of 590 mAh·g−1 is maintained, among the best results for Li-S batteries. Our work reveals that the carefully design of sulfur-based composites with structural and chemical dual-encapsulation is promising to push forward the practical implementation of Li-S batteries.

The NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in mediating the innate immune defense against pathogenic infections, but aberrant activation of NLRP3 inflammasome has been linked to a variety of inflammatory diseases. Thus targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome represents a promising therapeutic for the treatment of such diseases. Scutellarin is a flavonoid isolated from Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand.-Mazz. and has been reported to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activities, but the underlying mechanism is only partly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether scutellarin could affect the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages. The results showed that scutellarin dose-dependently reduced caspase-1 activation and decreased mature interleukin-1β (IL-1β) release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed macrophages upon ATP or nigericin stimulation, indicating that scutellarin inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. Consistent with this, scutellarin also suppressed pyroptotic cell death in LPS-primed macrophages treated with ATP or nigericin. ATP or nigericin-induced ASC speck formation and its oligomerization were blocked by scutellarin pre-treatment. Intriguingly, scutellarin augmented PKA-specific phosphorylation of NLRP3 in LPS-primed macrophages, which was completely blocked by selective PKA inhibitor H89, suggesting that PKA signaling had been involved in the action of scutellarin to suppress NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Supporting this, the inhibitory effect of scutellarin on NLRP3 inflammasome activation was completely counteracted by H89 or adenyl cyclase inhibitor MDL12330A. As NLRP3-dependent release of IL-1β has a critical role in sepsis, the in vivo activity of scutellarin was assayed in a mouse model of bacterial sepsis, which was established by intraperitoneally injection of a lethal dose of viable Escherichia coli. Oral administration of scutellarin significantly improved the survival of mice with bacterial sepsis. In line with this, scutellarin treatment significantly reduced serum IL-1β levels and attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver of E. coli-infected mice. These data indicated that scutellarin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages by augmenting PKA signaling, highlighting its potential therapeutic application for treating NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases.

A series of novel (+/-)-3-substituted fluorene-imidazolium/triazolium salt derivatives has been prepared and evaluated in vitro against a panel of human tumor cell lines. The results suggest that the existence of 2-methyl-benzimidazole or 5,6-dimethyl-benzimidazole rings and substitution of the imidazolyl/triazolyl3/4-position with a naphthylacyl or 4-methoxyphenacyl group were important for modulating cytotoxic activity. Compounds 37 and 42 were found to be the most potent derivatives with IC50 values of 0.51-2.51 mu M and exhibited cytotoxic activities selectively against myeloid leukaemia (HL-60), liver carcinoma (SMMC-7721) and lung carcinoma (A549). Compound 37 can remarkably induce the G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells. Additionally, compound 30 exhibited selective cytotoxicity to some extent between cancer cells (A549) and normal cells (BEAS-2B).

The residues of salt lake brine from which potassium had been removed were used to extract Rb + and Cs + together with a sulphonated kerosene (SK) solution of 1.0 mol/L 4-tert-butyl-2-( α -methylbenzyl) phenol (t-BAMBP). Rb + and Cs + were enriched and separated effectively by precipitating Mg 2+ before extraction and by scrubbing out K + and Na + repeatedly before stripping. The effects of the volume ratio of organic phase to aqueous extraction phase (O/A), alkalinity of aqueous phase ( c (OH) − ), interference from K + and Mg 2+ , and ratio the volume of organic phase to aqueous scrubbing phase (O/A′) were investigated. The experimental brine was extracted optimally by 5-stage extraction with 1.0 mol/L t-BAMBP in SK, c (OH − )=1 mol/L, and O/A=1:1. The scrubbing yield of rubidium was only about 10.5% when the extraction solvent was washed 3 times with 1×10 −4 mol/L NaOH at O/A′=1:0.5. After 5-stage countercurrent extraction, the final extraction yields of Rb + and Cs + reached 95.04% and 99.80%, respectively.

The flavonoid baicalin has been reported to possess potent anti-inflammatory activities by suppressing inflammatory signaling pathways. However, whether baicalin can suppress the activation of NOD-like receptor (NLR) family, pyrin containing domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in macrophages is largely unknown. Here, we showed that baicalin treatment dose-dependently inhibited adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or nigericin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as revealed by the decreased release of mature interleukin (IL)-1β, active caspase-1p10, and high-mobility group box-1 protein from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed bone marrow-derived macrophages. The formation of ASC specks, a critical marker of NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, was robustly inhibited by baicalin in the macrophages upon ATP or nigericin stimulation. All these inhibitory effects of baicalin could be partly reversed by MDL12330A or H89, both of which are inhibitors of the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. Consistent with this, baicalin strongly enhanced PKA-mediated phosphorylation of NLRP3, which has been suggested to prevent ASC recruitment into the inflammasome. Of note, the PKA inhibitor H89 could block baicalin-induced NLRP3 phosphorylation on PKA-specific sites, further supporting PKA’s role in this process. In addition, we showed that when administered pre and post exposure to Escherichia coli infection baicalin treatment significantly improved mouse survival in bacterial sepsis. Baicalin administration also significantly reduced IL-1β levels in the sera of bacterial infected mice. Altogether, our results revealed that baicalin inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation at least partly through augmenting PKA signaling, highlighting its therapeutic potential for the treatment of NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases.

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) was the major virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus and a biomarker of S. aureus. To establish a fast, low cost, high accuracy, reliable, and simple method for detecting S. aureus, SEA was analyzed by HPLC-ESI-TOF. SEA was not yet commercially available in universal, so SEA was prepared before it was analyzed by HPLC-ESI-TOF. The result showed that high purified SEA was successfully prepared and SEA has normal distribution in mass spectra. A large amount of recombinant SEA (rSEA) was obtained by engineering technology and was purified by Ni affinity chromatography column, and the expression and purity of rSEA and SEA were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The factors effected on ionization of SEA were studied, and the qualitative analysis of SEA by HPLC-ESI-TOF. The result showed that large amount of SEs expressed within a short time at 28 °C or thereabouts, and there was no impurity bands in electrophorogram after rSEA was purified by Ni affinity chromatography column. In addition, the SEA which had homologous AA sequence with wild SEA was made by rSEA. The retention of SEA in column and ionization of SEA in ESI-TOF were studied for qualitative analysis of S. aureus. The result showed that the content of formic acid in mobile phase was an important factor for ionization of SEs in ESI-TOF. And the result provided theoretical foundation for qualitative detection of S. aureus. [SEs + nH+ + mNH4+] n+m+ was shown on ESI-TOF spectra when SEA was detected by ESI-TOF in positive ion mode, and the numerical value of n+m was less than or equal to the number of basic amino acids in SEs. This method was applied to determine SEA in water samples preliminarily, and the detection limit of SEA in spiked water sample was 3 mg/kg. The limit of detection of 3 mg/kg was low sensitivity for low molecular weight matters, but it was high sensitivity for SEA which had a high molecular weight of 27 kDa. Of SEA, 3 mg/kg was equivalent to 10-4 mmol/kg of SEA. This study can provide evidence for establishing method to determine SEA in real samples.

Peroxynitrite can be highly efficient catalyzed to harmless products with a turnover frequency 34.5 s-1by micromolar concentration of water-soluble iron porphyrin, 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis-(4-carboxyphenyl)-porphyrin-Fe(III)-chloride (T(p-COOH)PPFe(III)Cl). Then we used spectroscopic and kinetic to study its decomposition mechanism and rate in bionic environment (25 mM sodium bicarbonate). The data reveal that this catalytic reaction is a recyclable reaction. Peroxynitrite is decomposed to nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) through forming [oxoFe(IV)]+intermediate. Moreover, the [oxoFe(IV)]+intermediate is reduced back to the starting porphyrin. It is noted that the oxidized iron porphyrin can be reduced by the reducing agent in the solution. In addition, we also find the catalytic rate constant is higher in the presence of sodium bicarbonate than the absence of sodium bicarbonate. They are 1.26×106M-1s-1and 1.17×106M-1s-1, respectively.

The integration of an injectable insulin-encapsulated nano-network with a focused ultrasound system (FUS) can remotely regulate insulin release both in vitro and in vivo. A single subcutaneous injection of the nano-network with intermittent FUS administration facilitates reduction of the blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetic mice for up to 10 d.

In this paper ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP) and ammonium molybdophosphate-zirconium phosphate-silica (AMP-ZrP-SiO2) were prepared as trace Rb+and Cs+adsorbents. The two showed good adsorption performance for trace Rb+and Cs+when dealing with the salt lake brine. AMP-ZrP-SiO2has better hydraulics performance, and is more suitable for column adsorption. The adsorption mechanism, enthalpies (ΔH0), Gibbs free energies (ΔG0), and activation energies (Ea) of Rb+and Cs+from salt lake brine by the two adsorbents were investigated. The results show that the adsorption processes of Rb+and Cs+on AMP and AMP-ZrP-SiO2are spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorption order of various ions on the two adsorbents is Cs+>Rb+>K+>Mg2+>Na+>Li+by comparing their Gibbs free energies. Through the analysis of activation energies indicates that AMP-ZrP-SiO2is more efficient than AMP in the enrichment process of trace Rb+and Cs+.

ObjectiveTo study the effects of environmental factors on the degree of injury and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) in cartilage cells of the joint in a rat model of adjuvant arthritis (AA).MethodsSD rats aged 10 months were randomly divided into 4 groups that varied by temperature and humidity housing conditions and induction of AA: a control group, a model group, a cold-damp group, and a hot-damp group. All groups except the control group were induced with AA. After 4 w, VEGF and IL-1 expression in cartilage cells of ankle joints of hind limbs were observed.ResultsMean area, optical density, and numbers of VEGF- and IL-1-positive cells in the model group, the cold-damp group, and the hot-damp group were significantly higher than that of the control group (all P

Being an advantageous combustion technology, flameless combustion is being widely investigated mainly with gaseous fuels for its high efficiency and low pollution. In this paper the realization of liquid flameless combustion in micro turbine environment is investigated. It is indicated that air preheating is not the essential condition to attain flameless mode and the air injection speed is more important to lower the whole reaction rate. Flameless combustion was described in terms of the realization mechanism, flow field, flame shape, temperature, and emissions. Finally the heat transfer model of the recirculated gas applicable to liquid fuel flameless combustion based on the combustor structure is presented.

Baicalin, a flavonoid compound purified from plant Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been reported to possess a wide variety of pharmacological properties including anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective properties. Oxidative stress can dramatically alter neuronal function and has been linked to status epilepticus (SE). However, the neuroprotective effect of baicalin on epilepsy is unclear. In this study we investigated whether Baicalin could exert anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects in the pilocarpine-induced epileptic model in rats. To this end, we recorded the latency to first limbic seizure and SE and observed the incidence of SE and mortality. The changes of oxidative stress were measured 24 h after pilocarpine-induced SE. Nissl staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and Fluoro-Jade B staining were performed to detect the neuronal loss, apoptosis and degeneration in hippocampus 72 h after pilocarpine-induced seizure. Pretreatment with baicalin significantly delayed the onset of the first limbic seizures and SE, reduced the mortality rate, and attenuated the changes in the levels of lipid peroxidation, nitrite content and reduced glutathione in the hippocampus of pilocarpine-treated rats. Furthermore, we also found that baicalin attenuated the neuronal cell loss, apoptosis, and degeneration caused by pilocarpine-induced seizures in rat hippocampus. Collectively, these results indicated remarkable anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects of baicalin and should encourage further studies to investigate baicalin as an adjuvant in epilepsy both to prevent seizures and to protect against seizure induced brain injury.

A new approach to activate silent gene clusters for dormant secondary metabolite production has been developed by introducing gentamicin-resistance to an originally inactive, marine-derived fungal strain Penicillium purpurogenum G59. Upon treatment of the G59 spores with a high concentration of gentamicin in aqueous DMSO, a total of 181 mutants were obtained by single colony isolation. In contrast to the strain G59, the EtOAc extracts of nine mutant cultures showed inhibitory effects on K562 cells, indicating that the nine mutants had acquired capability to produce antitumor metabolites. This was evidenced by TLC and HPLC analysis of EtOAc extracts of G59 and the nine mutants. Further isolation and characterization demonstrated that four antitumor secondary metabolites, janthinone (1), fructigenine A (2), aspterric acid methyl ester (3) and citrinin (4), were newly produced by mutant 5-1-4 compared to the parent strain G59, and which were also not found in the secondary metabolites of other Penicillium purpurogenum strains. However, Compounds 1–4 inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells with inhibition rates of 34.6% (1), 60.8% (2), 31.7% (3) and 67.1% (4) at 100 μg/mL, respectively. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of a simple, yet practical approach to activate the production of dormant fungal secondary metabolites by introducing acquired resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, which could be applied to the studies for eliciting dormant metabolic potential of fungi to obtain cryptic secondary metabolites.

Electrical effect induced by the laser plasma was investigated with an external tiny probe during Nd:YAG high-power pulse laser ablation on copper target in air. One equivalent circuit for the electrical effect induced by laser plasma was proposed. Based on the equivalent circuit, a new theoretical explanation of the signal generation mechanism is proposed, and the reason that the distribution of electrical signal wave is strongly dependent on the probe distance was discussed. Further the observed signal peak polarity overturn was explained.

Aim of the study To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of phenolic compounds after oral administration of Danshen extract in rat brain. Materials and methods Blood and brain microdialysis probes were inserted into jugular vein and cerebral cortex of rat under anesthesia and perfused with ringer's solution at the rate of 2.0 and 0.8 μL/min, respectively. Blank microdialysates were collected after 2 h post-implantation equilibrium time. Danshen extract (danshensu 40 mg/kg BW, protocatechuic aldehyde 149 mg/kg BW, and salvianolic acid B 50 mg/kg BW) was administrated intragastrically, and then blood and brain microdialysates were collected at 15 and 30 min time intervals for 4 h, respectively. The concentrations of phenolic compounds were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with chemiluminescence detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using non-compartmental methods. Results Danshensu and protocatechuic acid could be detected in both blood and brain microdialysates, while protocatechuic aldehyde and salvianolic acid B were not detected. Brain-to-blood (AUC brain /AUC blood ) distribution ratio were 0.25 ± 0.04 and 0.09 ± 0.02 for danshensu and protocatechuic acid, respectively. Conclusions Danshensu can readily permeate the blood brain barrier after oral administration of Danshen extract, and protocatechuic acid is a potential oxidative metabolite of protocatechuic aldehyde.

Chronic stress is strongly associated with the occurrence and development of depression and cardiovascular disease. Stress can induce altered mitochondrial function and activation of apoptosis in the cardio-cerebral system. However, it is unknown whether the protein kinase C ε (PKCε)-aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) pathway is altered under chronic stress, and this study sought to address this question. A rat model of depression was established using a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) protocol. After experiencing CUMS for 4 weeks, the sucrose preference test and the forced swim test verified depressive-like behaviors. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays showed that ALDH2 activity was decreased in the rat hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but was not altered in the myocardium. Western blot assays demonstrated reduced levels of ALDH2 and PKCε, but increased levels of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE) adducts. Caspase-3 expression did not obviously alter, but active forms of caspase-3 were increased in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. In the myocardium, expression of ALDH2, PKCε and 4HNE adducts did not remarkably alter; while caspase-3 expression was reduced and the active forms of caspase-3 were upregulated. Pearson’s correlation test demonstrated that expression of 4HNE adducts was positively correlated with levels of the active forms of caspase-3 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but not in the myocardium. In conclusion, chronic stress can damage the PKCε-ALDH2 signaling pathway in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, but not in the myocardium. Moreover, 4HNE is associated with active forms of caspase-3 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

A rapid and stable high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI/MS/MS) method were developed and validated for the separation, determination, and identification of eight pairs of diastereoisomers of podophyllotoxin and its esters at C-2 position. The separation was carried out on BDS Hypersil C18 column with CH3OH-CH3CN-H2O as the mobile phase in a gradient program. Interestingly, every 2alpha-H compound migrated before its corresponding 2beta-H epimer under optimum conditions. Also, the [M+NH(4)](+) of all eight pairs of compounds was observed in the HPLC-ESI/MS spectra. The characteristic elimination from the precursor protonated ions and the product ions at m/z 397, 313, 282, and 229 were the common diagnostic masses. The ion ratios of relative abundance [M-ROH+H](+) (ion 397) to [M+NH(4)](+), [A+H](+) (ion 313) to [M-ROH+H](+), and [M-ROH-ArH+H](+) (ion 229) to [M-ROH+H](+) in the ESI/MS/MS spectra of each pair of diastereoisomers of the lignans specifically exhibited a stereochemical effect. Thus, by using identical sample solutions and chromatographic conditions (including the same columns and gradient programs), the combination of DAD and MS/MS data permitted the separation and identification of the eight pairs of diastereoisomers of the podophyllotoxin and its esters in the mixture. The method could be used in rapidly identifying the purity and monitoring of the epimerization of 2-H of podophyllotoxin and its analogues from natural products, chemical reactions, and pharmaceutical metabolism.

The CrB Particles Reinforced MMC Coating was prepared by using high velocity arc spraying (HVAS) method. Through a series of experiments, including metallographic, SEM and EPMA investigation, the microstructure and composition of the coating were analyzed in details. Additionally, the abrasion resistance mechanism of the coating was studied through field test and observation on the abrasion surface of the coating under the SEM. The results show that the microstructure of the coating is characterized by typical compact laminated structure composed of successive metal matrix and hard particles mainly of borides of chromium and oxides of chromium. The abrasion resistance mechanism of the coating lies in two aspects. One is that the hard particles scatter evenly and dispersedly in the coating, which can reinforce the coating and play a barrier role to hinder the movement of the abrasion particles. The other is that the metal matrix with well ductility and toughness make a buffer action to the impact caused by the abrasion particles, thereby the waste rate of the coating can be greatly slowed down. The results also show that the hardness, shape and quantity of the reinforced particles have magnificent influence on the abrasion resistance of the coating made in this paper.

We report the fabrication and study of coreshell InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) nanorod photovoltaic device. The nanorods were fabricated from a GaN substrate by top-down etch, followed by InGaN/GaN MQW growth. The 3D geometry allows higher Indium incorporation and extends the solar absorption spectral range as compared with a planar reference sample. The proof-of-concept coreshell nanorod photovoltaic device has a fill factor of about 54.2%, the short current density of 1.16 mA/cm2, the open circuit voltage of 0.68 V, and the power conversion efficiency of 0.38%, respectively.

A metal-free oxyoximation of allyloximes using tBuONO as the NO-source is developed to yield a variety of isoxazoline substituted aldoximes and ketoximes.

We report the study of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on multi-facet microrods. The multi-facet MQWs have broad emission spectrum. Electrical injection was demonstrated with emission color ranged from red to blue.