Search

The design of photochemical molecular devices (PMDs) for photocatalytic H2 production from water is a meaningful but challenging subject currently. Herein, a Pd2 L4 type metal-organic cage (denoted as MOC-Q2) is designed as a PMD, which consists of two catalytic centers (Pd2+ ) and four photosensitive ligands (L-2) with four pyridine anchoring groups. Subsequently, the MOC-Q2 is combined with TiO2 to form TiO2 -MOC-Q2 hybrid materials with different MOC-Q2 contents by a facile sol-gel method, which have micro/mesoporous structures and large surface areas. The optimized TiO2 -MOC-Q2 (6.5 wt%) exhibits high H2 production activity (7.9 mmol g-1 h-1 within 5 h) and excellent durability, giving a TON value of 23477 or 11739 (based on MOC-Q2 or Pd moles) after recycling for 7 rounds. By contrast, the pure MOC-Q2 only shows an ordinary photocatalytic H2 production rate (0.84 mmol g-1 h-1 within 5 h) in the homogeneous system. It can be deduced that TiO2 drives the photocatalysis and simultaneously acts as the structure promoter. This study presents a meaningful and distinctive attempt of a new approach for the design and development of MOC-based heterogeneous photocatalysts.

The development of artificial devices that mimic the highly efficient and ingenious photosystems in nature is worthy of in-depth study. A metal-organic cage (MOC) Pd2(M-4)4(BF4)4, denoted as MOC-Q1, integrating four organic photosensitized ligands M-4 and two Pd2+ catalytic centers is designed for a photochemical molecular device (PMD). MOC-Q1 is successfully immobilized on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) by hydrogen bonds to obtain a robust heterogeneous direct Z-scheme g-C3N4/MOC-Q1 photocatalyst for H2 generation under visible light. The optimized g-C3N4/MOC-Q1 (2 wt %) system shows high hydrogen evolution activity (4495 μmol g-1 h-1 based on the catalyst mass) and exhibits stable performances for 25 h (a turnover number of 19,268 based on MOC-Q1), significantly outperforming pure MOC-Q1, g-C3N4, and comparsion materials Pd/g-C3N4/M-4, which is the highest one of all reported heterogeneous MOC-based photocatalysts under visible irradiation. This enhancement can be ascribed to the synergistic effects of high-efficient electron transfer, extended visible-light response region, and good protective environment for MOC-Q1 arising from an efficient direct Z-scheme heterostructure of g-C3N4/MOC-Q1. This rationally designed and synthesized MOC/g-C3N4-based heterogeneous PMD is expected to have great potential in photocatalytic water splitting.

Kinetics of iron removal from quartz under the ultrasound-assisted leaching was explored in this paper, and the effects of temperature, leaching time, stirring speed and ultrasonic input power on iron removal were studied. The results revealed that the reaction kinetics followed the shrinking core model and the product layer internal diffusion was the rate-determining step in the ultrasound-assisted leaching process. The activation energy of the ultrasonic-assisted leaching reaction was 27.72 kJ/mol, which was 7.28 kJ/mol higher than that of the regular method. Moreover, the kinetic equation and mathematical model of iron removal from quartz were established. Compared with the regular leaching, only 40 min were required for the ultrasound-assisted leaching process to achieve an iron removal rate of up to 74%. Under the optimal parameters, SiO2 content of concentrate increased from 99.5828% to 99.9047%, and Fe2O3 content reduced from 0.0857% to 0.0223%. Additionally, it was found that the iron removal rate increased with increasing temperature, stirring speed or ultrasonic power.

A series of novel triphenylamine/carbazole-based D-D-π-π-A dyes DH1-4 and a mesoporous anatase cubic "microcage" TiO2 material (denoted as MC-TiO2 ) were synthesized and combined to obtain dye-sensitized photocatalysts (denoted as DHn/Pt/MC-TiO2 , n=1-4). These catalysts showed better performances in visible-light-driven H2 evolution from water than DHn/Pt/P25-TiO2 catalysts based on commercial P25-TiO2 bulk semiconductor under similar conditions. Compared with P25-TiO2 particles, the porous MC-TiO2 had a large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, porosity, and exposed {0 0 1} crystal plane, which greatly contributed to the photocatalytic activity. The optimized DH2/Pt/MC-TiO2 photocatalyst exhibited an attractive H2 production rate (16.28 mmol g-1 h-1 based on catalyst mass), and the optimized DH4/Pt/MC-TiO2 photocatalyst showed good stability [turnover number (TON) of 16 699 in 105 h based on dye number], which represents one of the best performances among all reported visible-light-driven heterogeneous catalytic systems. Compared with the other dyes in this series, the high H2 production rate of DH2 on Pt/MC-TiO2 can be attributed to its size-matching effect and thus high dye loading amount, whereas the high TON and durability of DH4/Pt/MC-TiO2 are probably related to the rapid regeneration kinetics of DH4.

A porous organic–inorganic hybrid material consisting of calix[4]arene dye C4BTP with pyridine as an acceptor and titanium dioxide, denoted as C4BTP–TiO2, has been prepared by a facile sol–gel method. The C4BTP–TiO2 materials show expandable photocatalytic activities for H2 evolution from water and CO2 reduction to CO when they are loaded with Pt nanoparticles or rhenium complex ReCl(bpy) (CO)3 (ReP) as co-catalysts, respectively. The optimized Pt/C4BTP–TiO2 (5.0 wt%) catalyst exhibits a high H2 production activity (11.99 mmol g−1 h−1 based on catalyst mass) and excellent recyclable durability (a turnover number of 12 981 within 50 h after 10 rounds) under visible-light (λ > 420 nm), presenting one of the best performances among all the heterogeneous photocatalytic systems based on metal-free sensitizers. As a contrast, the surface sensitized catalyst Pt/gel-TiO2/C4BTP only shows far lower activities than hybrid Pt/C4BTP–TiO2 under the same conditions. In addition, the optimized ReP/C4BTP–TiO2 (5.0 wt%) catalyst obtained by loading ReP exhibits a selective photoactivity for CO2 reduction to CO, giving a turnover number of 112 after 25 h of visible-light irradiation. The good photoactivity and durability of the as-prepared hybrid materials can be attributed to the firm Ti–N linkage and efficient electron transfer between metal-free dye C4BTP and the substrate TiO2, while the alkaline-stable Ti–N bond improves the stability of the photocatalysts under basic aqueous conditions. This study offers a good example for the design and preparation of stable organic/inorganic hybrid materials applied in solar energy-solar fuel conversion.

The Acinetobacter indicus strain ZJB20129 isolated from an urban sewage treatment plant demonstrated the heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) ability. Stain ZJB20129 could remove 98.73% of ammonium-N, 97.26% of nitrite-N and 96.55% of nitrate-N, and the maximum removal rate was 3.66, 4.62 and 5.21 mg/L/h, respectively. Ammonium was preferentially used during simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Strain ZJB20129 exhibited highest ammonium removal capability when carbon source was sodium succinate, C/N ratio was 15, pH was 8.0, and temperature was 35 ℃. Key enzymes involved in HN-AD including hydroxylamine oxidase, periplasmic nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase as well as their encoding genes were detected, and the metabolic pathway of HN-AD was subsequently predicted. Our results suggested that Acinetobacter indicus ZJB20129 displayed superior nitrogen removal performance on actual wastewater and thus made it have a good application prospect in wastewater biological treatment.

Structural heterogeneity is a common phenomenon in cellulose hydrogel fabricated from ionic liquid. In this work, we characterized cellulose hydrogel wire by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) image system and found its interesting core-shell structure. By pixel spectra analysis, we explored their distinctive hydrogen bond network in core and shell regions. To unveil the formation of heterogeneous core-shell structure, we tracked the cellulose regeneration procedure in situ by time-dependent attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Inspired by an interesting red followed by blue band position shift, namely "V-shape" shift, we proposed a tri-step model of cellulose regeneration in favor of quantum calculation. The tri-step model can explain the formation of the heterogeneous core-shell structure.

This work presents a new method to fabricate cellulose gels with micrometer size channels that offer ultra-permeability. A non-ionic surfactant was key to the formation of the macro channels. We studied the chemical microstructure of the [Bmim]Cl (1‑butyl‑3‑methylimmidozolium chloride)-cellulose-surfactant mixtures by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) imaging system. We then questioned the soft template theory and confirmed our surfactant-induced and diffusion-driven hypothesis to explain the formation of the macro channels. We also found that the microstructure of the gels was impacted by the surfactant, according to nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and scanning electron microscopy results. Time-dependent attenuated total reflection-FTIR (ATR-FTIR) was used to monitor the phase separation of the ionic liquid and cellulose in situ during the sol-gel transition. A two-step model of cellulose regeneration was thus proposed. Our study offers a strategy to fabricate hierarchical porous materials with macro channels and can increase the understanding of cellulose regeneration mechanism from ionic liquids.

A highly robust hybrid material consisting of calixarene dye Calix-3 linked covalently to titanium dioxide, denoted as Calix-3-TiO2, is synthesized by a facile sol–gel method for the first time. The material not only has a micro/mesoporous structure and a large surface area, but also owns two clear band gaps: a narrow 1.7 eV and a wide 3.1 eV band gap, which can be ascribed to Calix-3 and Gel-TiO2, respectively. When Pt nanoparticles as co-catalysts are introduced onto the hybrid, the optimized Pt/Calix-3-TiO2 catalyst exhibits high hydrogen production activity (2444 mmol g−1 h−1 based on Pt mass) and performs with excellent stability even after recycling 10 times (a turnover number of 24 920 after 50 h), which is superior to that of the analogous sensitized Pt/Gel-TiO2/Calix-3 system and represents one of the highest among those reported heterogeneous catalytic systems under visible-light. The enhancement in efficiency and stability could be attributed to the more stable Ti–O–Calix-3 linkage and more efficient electron transfer between Calix-3 and TiO2. The micro/mesoporous TiO2 in the hybrid protects the dye, facilitates reactant/product transfer, and works as an electron transporting mediator and a reservoir simultaneously. The current study offers an inspiration for the design and application of new multi-functional organic–inorganic hybrid systems in efficient photocatalysis.

A highly robust hybrid material based on calixarene dye (HO-TPA) and titanium dioxide with a micro/mesoporous structure and a large surface area (denoted as HO-TPA–TiO2) has been prepared by a facile sol–gel method. When Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) or fac-[Re(4,4′-disphosphonic acid-2,2′-bipyridine)(CO)3Cl] (ReP) as co-catalysts are introduced onto the hybrids, respectively, the two hybrid systems can display dual-functional photocatalytic properties. Under visible-light irradiation, the optimized Pt/HO-TPA–TiO2 system exhibits high hydrogen production activity (618.3 mmol g−1 h−1 based on Pt mass) and performs with excellent stability even after being used for 15 times (a turnover number of 6417 after 75 h). On the other hand, the optimum ReP/HO-TPA–TiO2 material displays persistent photocatalysis of CO2 reduction to CO and gives a turnover number of 534 over 26 h (854.4 mmol g−1 based on ReP mass), which is one of the highest among all the reported heterogeneous catalytic systems under visible light. The high activity and stability of the HO-TPA–TiO2 based hybrid materials can be attributed to the stable coordination linkage and efficient electron transfer between HO-TPA and micro/mesoporous TiO2. The current study offers inspiration for the design and application of new multi-functional organic–inorganic hybrid systems for efficient photocatalysis.

A nickel(II)-catalyzed alkynylation/annulation of aryl carboxamides assisted by an N, S-bidentate directing group with terminal alkynes is described. This protocol provides an effective method to selectively furnish a series of biologically 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-one derivatives bearing methylthio group. Various carboxamides and terminal alkynes with a number of functional groups were compatible in this reaction to afford the corresponding products in moderate to good yields.

Bamboo powder and its dissolution process in ionic liquids were analyzed according to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) coupled with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy and chemometrics. Second derivative spectroscopy was applied to enhance the spectra resolution, obtaining more molecular vibration information. After executing the principal component analysis (PCA) on ATR-FTIR spectra of undissolved bamboo powder residue, we obtained a three-staged dissolution process model. In addition, the conclusion that cellulose/hemicellulose dissolving prior to lignin was summarized through the PCA loading spectrum. Point-line moving window two dimensional correlation spectroscopy (PL-MW2DCOS) furtherly unveiled the dissolution details. This work provided us a clear dissolution process of biomass using a rapid, label-free and easy-operation method.

The PWWP domain was first identified in the HDGF protein family and named after the conserved Proline-Tryptophan-Tryptophan-Proline motif in WHSC1. The PWWP domain-containing proteins play important roles in different biological processes, such as DNA replication, transcription, DNA repair, pre-mRNA processing by recognizing methylated histone and dsDNA simultaneously. Recently, how the HDGF family of PWWP domains recognize histone H3K36me3-modified nucleosome has been reported. In order to better understand the interactions between the PWWP domain and dsDNA, we carried out family-wide characterization of dsDNA binding abilities of human PWWP domains. Our binding assays confirmed that PWWP domains bind to dsDNA without sequence selectivity. Our crystal structure of the BRPF2 PWWP domain in complex with a 12-mer dsDNA reveals that the PWWP domain interacts with dsDNA by binding to its major groove, instead of the minor groove observed in the HDGF family of PWWP domains. Our study indicates that PWWP domains could bind to dsDNA in different modes.

A series of highly robust nano-micro hybrid materials based on meso-tetra(4-hydroxyphenyl) porphyrins (M = H, Pd, Zn) and titanium dioxide (denoted as THPP-TiO2, THPP-Pd-TiO2, and THPP-Zn-TiO2) have been prepared by a facile sol-gel method for the first time. When Pt nanoparticles are incorporated in these hybrids, Pt/THPP-Pd-TiO2 achieves good H2 production activity (2025.4 &mu, mol g&minus, 1 h&minus, 1 and 12.03 &mu, mol m&minus, 2 h&minus, 1), higher than that of Pt/THPP-Zn-TiO2 (1239.8 &mu, 1 and 7.46 &mu, 1) and Pt/THPP-TiO2 (576.8 &mu, 1 and 4.02 &mu, 1), owing to the different central metal ions in porphyrins. The best activity of Pt/THPP-Pd-TiO2 would be attributed to the two-center catalysis from coordination Pd metal ions and Pt nanoparticles, while the higher activity of Pt/THPP-Zn-TiO2 than Pt/THPP-TiO2 could be ascribed to the more effective light harvesting and electron transfer between THPP-Zn and TiO2. In addition, the hybridized Pt/THPP-Pd-TiO2 catalyst exhibits unattenuated hydrogen production stability even after recycling the experiment 10 times (cumulative turnover number of 5111 after 50 h), far superior to that of the surface-sensitized Pt/THPP-Pd/TiO2 catalyst with analogous components, due to the more stable Ti-O bonds between four phenols in porphyrins and TiO2 for the hybrid system. The present study provides a promising approach for constructing stable organic&ndash, inorganic hybrid systems with unique hierarchical structures for efficient light absorption and electron transfer.

Wild and cultivated Paridis Rhizoma (PR) were analyzed and characterized systematically by integral analysis method and two dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy, both of which have been successfully utilized in the analysis of complex mixtures. According to their infrared spectra, peaks clusters at around 1642 and 1022 cm−1 could be considered as the key factors to discriminate them. Besides, significant differences emerged in their second derivative spectra, particularly the peaks at 1619, 1317 and 781 cm−1 attributed to calcium oxalate. In addition, standard IR spectra of starch, calcium oxalate and oil were used as references to compare with wild and cultivated PR, indicating that the relative contents of oil in cultivated PR are higher than that in wild PR. While, the relative content of calcium oxalate is higher in wild PR than cultivated one. Moreover, synchronous two-dimensional correlation spectra present great difference in the range of 1750–1350 cm−1. Furtherly, cluster analysis based on principle component analysis algorithm were conducted, obtaining a good classification result.

Ionic liquid is a promising cellulose solvent in the future, while moisture absorption hinders the cellulose dissolution. In the present work, we in situ monitored the procedure of moisture absorption of three 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cation based ionic liquids with variation of halogen anions. According to the peak position shifts across the moisture absorption process, we analyzed the structure variation of ionic liquids during the process. Besides, we analyzed the hydrogen bond interaction between halogen anion and imidazolium cation C Hs, including ring C Hs and side alkyl chain C Hs, based on infrared absorption bands position shifts of the three ionic liquids. In addition, two dimensional correlation spectroscopy was applied to enhance the spectra resolution, unveiling the transformation of ionic liquids after absorbing moisture for the split of peak attributed to ring C2 H stretching. In summary, we provide reliable evidence to analyze the structure variation of ionic liquid during moisture absorption process and hydrogen bond interaction of halogen anion with imidazolium cation ring/side alkyl C Hs from the perspective of infrared spectroscopy.

In this work, cellulose nanoparticles regenerated by water, methanol, ethanol and n-propanol as the anti-solvents from ionic liquid solution were studied systematically. Crystallinity and enthalpy in cellulose degradation of the regenerated cellulose decreased in the order water > methanol > ethanol > n-propanol. Nevertheless, the thermal stability of the regenerated cellulose showed an opposite trend. In addition, morphology of regenerated cellulose changed sharply with the variation of anti-solvents. Moreover, we introduced Kamlet–Taft parameters of anti-solvents to analyze the crystallinity, enthalpy in cellulose degradation and thermal stability variation of regenerated cellulose. Hydrogen bond acidity and basicity of anti-solvent definitely drove the property variation of regenerated cellulose nanoparticles to opposite directions. Furtherly, we proposed two competitive cellulose regeneration routes, providing a reasonable explanation to the crystallinity, enthalpy in cellulose degradation and thermal stability variation of regenerated cellulose nanoparticles. Our work successfully demonstrate that H-bond acidity/basicity of anti-solvent could tune the property of regenerated cellulose nanoparticles, unveiling the competitive routes of cellulose regeneration.

As a kind of common prescriptions, Shaoyao-Gancao-Tang (SGT) contains two Chinese herbs with four different proportions which have different clinical efficacy because of their various components. In order to investigate the herb-herb interaction mechanisms, we used the method of tri-level infrared macro-fingerprint spectroscopy to evaluate the concentration change of active components of four SGTs in this research. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR) can recognize the multiple prescriptions directly and simultaneously. 2D-IR spectra enhance the spectral resolution and obtain much new information for discriminating the similar complicated samples of SGT. Furthermore, the whole analysis method from the analysis of the main components to the specific components and the relative content of the components may evaluate the quality of TCM better. Then we concluded that paeoniflorin and glycyrrhizic acid were the highest proportion in active ingredients in SGT-12:1 and the lowest one in SGT-12:12, which matched the HPLC-DAD results. It is demonstrated that the method composed by the tri-level infrared macro-fingerprint spectroscopy and the whole analysis can be applicable for effective, visual and accurate analysis and identification of very complicated and similar mixture systems of traditional Chinese medicine.

This work proposes a new perovskite solar cell structure by inserting a polymer interlayer between perovskite and hole transporting material (HTM) to minimize the interface losses via interface engineering. The multifunctional interlayers improve the photovoltaic efficiency and device stability by shielding perovskite from moisture, suppressing charge combination, and promoting hole transport. The five different polymer layers are utilized to investigate the relationships of polymer structure, layer morphology and cell performance systematically. It is found that a reliable power conversion efficiency exceeding 19.0% is realized based on P3HT/spiro-OMeTAD composite structure, surpassing that of pure spiro-OMeTAD (15.0%). Moreover, the device with P3HT interlayer shows more brilliant long-term stability than that without interlayer when exposed into moisture. The enhanced device performance based on P3HT interlayer compared with the other polymers can be ascribed to the long hydrophobic alkyl chains and the small molecule monomers of P3HT, which contribute to self-assembly of the polymers into insulating layers and formation of the efficient π-π stacking in polymer/spiro-OMeTAD interface simultaneously. This study provides a practical route for the integration of a new class of easily-accessible, solution-processed interfacial polymer materials for high-performance and long-time stable PSC.

Two analogues of capsule-like fluorescent cages have been constructed by dimerization of terpyridine-containing calixarene derivatives utilizing a MII–terpyridine (M = Zn and Cd) interaction. 1H NMR spectral studies show that the self-assembled molecular capsules Zn4L12 and Cd4L12 have a highly symmetrical D4h-structure. The encapsulation of the anticancer drug mercaptopurine in their cavities has been documented by NMR, ESI-TOF-MS, fluorescence switching, and molecular simulation, indicating that strong S–π and π–π interactions between drug and cage are of importance for the host–guest binding. The nanoscale cages exhibit excellent behaviors to control the release of mercaptopurine in phosphate buffered saline solution (pH = 7.4). These results further highlight the potential of self-assembled Zn4L12 cages for drug-carrier applications.

Formaldehyde abuse for retaining squid freshness is detrimental to public health. The aim is to establish a rapid and quantitative detection method of formaldehyde in squid for screening massive samples. A linear relationship between formaldehyde concentration in squid and formaldehyde concentration in squid soaked water was observed using HPLC. Chemical profile variances of squids were rapidly analyzed by Tri-step infrared spectroscopy. Specifically, with increasing formaldehyde concentration, peak intensities of 2927cm-1 (vas(CH2)), 1081cm-1 (glycogen), 1631cm-1 (β-sheet proteins) decreased while 1655cm-1 (α-helix proteins) increased. Spectral curve-fitting results further disclosed that β-sheet proteins were transformed to α-helix and β-turn conformations. Furthermore, a quantitative prediction model based on IR spectra was established by PLS (R2, 0.9787; RMSEC, 5.51). The developed method was applicable for rapid (c.a. 5min) and quantitative analysis of formaldehyde in squids with LOD of 15mg/kg.

IR spectra of heme and different O2-content hemoglobin were studied by the quantum computation method at the molecule level. IR spectra of heme and different O2-content hemoglobin were quantificationally characterized from 0 to 100 THz. The IR spectra of oxy-heme and de-oxy-heme are obviously different at the frequency regions of 9.08–9.48, 38.38–39.78, 50.46–50.82, and 89.04–91.00 THz. At 24.72 THz, there exists the absorption peak for oxy-heme, whereas there is not the absorption peak for de-oxy-heme. Whether the heme contains Fe–O–O bond or not has the great influence on its IR spectra and vibration intensities of functional groups in the mid-infrared area. The IR adsorption peak shape changes hardly for different O2-content hemoglobin. However, there exist three frequency regions corresponding to the large change of IR adsorption intensities for containing-O2 hemoglobin in comparison with de-oxy-hemoglobin, which are 11.08–15.93, 44.70–50.22, and 88.00–96.68 THz regions, respectively. The most differential values with IR intensity of different O2-content hemoglobin all exceed 1.0 × 104 L mol−1 cm−1. With the increase of oxygen content, the absorption peak appears in the high-frequency region for the containing-O2 hemoglobin in comparison with de-oxy-hemoglobin. The more the O2-content is, the greater the absorption peak is at the high-frequency region. The IR spectra of different O2-content hemoglobin are so obviously different in the mid-infrared region that it is very easy to distinguish the hemoglobin variant by means of IR spectra detector. IR spectra of hemoglobin from quantum computation can provide scientific basis and specific identification of hemoglobin variant resulting from different O2 contents in medical diagnosis.

Ag2CO3/SrCO3 rods were prepared by a facile precipitation method using AgNO3, Sr(NO3)2, and Na2CO3 as precursors. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and UV-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solutions under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The results indicate that the Ag2CO3/SrCO3 rods become thinner and shorter with the decrease of Ag2CO3/SrCO3 molar ratio. The as-prepared Ag2CO3/SrCO3 rods show excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity. Moreover, Ag2CO3/SrCO3 composites exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with the monocomponent Ag2CO3 and SrCO3. Ag2CO3/SrCO3 rods with the Ag2CO3/SrCO3 molar ratio of 1:5 exhibit the highest activity due to the synergetic effects of the large surface area and the heterostructure.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is highly associated with the expression of human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B∗27). HLA-B∗27 heavy chain (B27-HC) has an intrinsic propensity to fold slowly, leading to the accumulation of the misfolded B27-HC in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and formation of the HLA-B∗27 HC homodimer, (B27-HC)2, by a disulfide linkage at Cys-67. (B27-HC)2displayed on the cell surface can act as a ligand of the killer-cell Ig-like receptor (KIR3DL2). (B27-HC)2binds to KIR3DL2 of NK and Th17 cells and activates both cells, resulting in the activation of the IL-23/IL-17 axis to launch the inflammatory reaction in AS patients. However, activation of the IL-23/IL-17 axis originally derived from the HLA-B∗27 misfolding in the ER needs to be characterized. In this study, we delivered two HLA-B∗27-binding peptides, KRGILTLKY and SRYWAIRTR, into the ER by using a tat-derived peptide (GRKKRRQRRR)-His6-ubiquitin (THU) vehicle. Both peptides are derived from the human actin and nucleoprotein of influenza virus, respectively. Our results demonstrated that targeted delivery of both HLA-B∗27-binding peptides into the ER can promote the HLA-B∗27 folding, decrease the levels of (B27-HC)2, and suppress the activation of the IL-23/IL-17 axis in response to lipopolysaccharide. Our findings can provide a new therapeutic strategy in AS.

Cellulose, regarded as a potential sustainable resource for the future, can dissolve and regenerate in ionic liquids (ILs) upon adding anti-solvents. Improving the regeneration conditions, like changing the anti-solvents, could optimize the properties of regenerated cellulose-based materials. Previous studies pointed out that the diffusion processes of anti-solvents plays a significant role in the determination of the properties of regenerated cellulose fibers/films. However, the cellulose regeneration mechanism from ILs has not been clarified. Here, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was introduced to monitor the molecular diffusion processes of four anti-solvents in situ. The crystallinity of regenerated cellulose showed a negative correlation with respect to the diffusion coefficient. In addition, the interaction of imidazolium cations and anti-solvent molecules was evaluated from the peak shifting during the diffusion processes. Furthermore, Taft and Kamlet scales were used to quantify the interaction between IL cations/anions and anti-solvent molecules, eliciting distinct cellulose regeneration paths in different anti-solvents.

Rhizoma Chuanxiong (CX) and Radix Angelica sinensis (DG) are very important Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and usually used in clinic. They both are from the Umbelliferae family, and have almost similar chemical constituents with each other. It is complicated, time-consuming and laborious to discriminate them by using the chromatographic methods such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Therefore, to find a fast, applicable and effective identification method for two herbs is urged in quality research of TCM. In this paper, by using a three-stage infrared spectroscopy (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D-IR)), we analyzed and discriminated CX, DG and their different extracts (aqueous extract, alcoholic extract and petroleum ether extract). In FT-IR, all the CX and DG samples' spectra seemed similar, but they had their own unique macroscopic fingerprints to identify. Through comparing with the spectra of sucrose and the similarity calculation, we found the content of sucrose in DG raw materials was higher than in CX raw materials. The significant differences in alcoholic extract appeared that in CX alcoholic extract, the peaks at 1743 cm−1 was obviously stronger than the peak at same position in DG alcoholic extract. Besides in petroleum ether extract, we concluded CX contained much more ligustilide than DG by the similarity calculation. With the function of SD-IR, some tiny differences were amplified and overlapped peaks were also unfolded in FT-IR. In the range of 1100–1175 cm−1, there were six peaks in the SD-IR spectra of DG and the intensity, shape and location of those six peaks were similar to that of sucrose, while only two peaks could be observed in that of CX and those two peaks were totally different from sucrose in shape and relative intensity. This result was consistent with that of the FT-IR. Several undetected characteristic fingerprints in FT-IR and SD-IR spectra were further disclosed by 2D-IR spectra. In the range of 1120–1500 cm−1, the FT-IR spectra and the SD-IR spectra of aqueous extract of CX and DG were almost similar and hard to be discriminated, but the 2D-IR spectra were markedly different. These findings indicated that the three-stage infrared spectroscopy can identify not only the main compositions in these two medicinal materials and their different extracts, but also can compare the differences of categories and quantities of chemical constituents between the similar samples. In conclusion, the three-stage infrared spectroscopy could identify the two similar TCM (CX and DG) quickly and effectively.

The herbal material of Notoginseng (the root of Panax notoginseng) is sold by “Tou” (the number of Notoginseng in every 500 g) to distinguish the grade. Normally the better quality, the few number of the “Tou” and the size of Notoginseng is bigger. In this study, three grades of Notoginseng harvested from Yunnan province were discriminated and identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2DCOS-IR)). The correlation coefficient of IR spectra between the three grades of Notoginseng and starch are greater than 0.95 in the range of 1300–800 cm−1, means the main compositions of Notoginseng are starch polysaccharide. Also, when the size of Notoginseng is bigger, it may contain more polysaccharide. There is no difference in range of 815–1000 cm−1 of the 2DCOS-IR synchronous spectra of the three grades means polysaccharides possess good thermal stability. In the range of 1200–1300 cm−1 shows the inverse ration between the thermal sensitivity of C–O and the number of “Tou”. Combination with the 2DCOS-IR asynchronous spectra, the response speed of amino acid (1640 cm−1) on the thermal perturbation is the fastest, followed by nitrate (1384 cm−1); the response speed of polysaccharides (1079 cm−1) is the slowest. The result proved that the 2DCOS-IR could discriminate different grades of Notoginseng.

Background: Vascular dementia (VD) is a common type of disease in the elderly. Numerous clinical trials have suggested that hyperbaric oxygen is an effective and safe complementary therapy for aging-related disorders. However, there is no reliable systematic evidence regarding hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for the treatment of VD. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of HBOT in treating VD.Methods: We methodically retrieved the clinical studies from eight databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Sino-Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and WanFang) from their inception to November 2018. RevMan 5.3.5 was used for quality assessment and data analysis. Stata 15.1 was employed for publication bias detection and sensitivity analysis.Results: Twenty-five randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 1,954 patients met our inclusion criteria. These articles researched the HBOT + oxiracetam + conventional therapy (CT) vs. oxiracetam + CT (n = 13), HBOT + butylphthalide +CT vs. butylphthalide + CT (n = 5), HBOT + donepezil + CT vs. donepezil + CT (n = 4), HBOT + nicergoline + CT vs. nicergoline + CT (n = 2) and HBOT + CT vs. CT (n = 1). The results indicated that additional HBOT strikingly improved the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (MD = 4.00; 95% CI = 3.28–4.73; P < 0.00001), activities of daily living (ADL) (MD = −5.91; 95% CI = −6.45, −5.36; P < 0.00001) and ADL by Barthel index (BADL) (MD = 13.86; 95% CI = 5.63–22.10; P = 0.001) and increased the total efficacy rate (TEF) (OR = 4.84, 95% CI = 3.19–7.33, P < 0.00001). The adverse events rates were not statistically significant between the HBOT and CT groups (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.26–2.78, P = 0.79).Conclusion: In view of the effectiveness and safety of HBOT, the present meta-analysis suggested that HBOT can be recommended as an effective and safe complementary therapy for the treatment of VD.Protocol Registration: PROSPERO (ID: CRD42019117178). Available online at: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42019117178.

Improper storage of wolfberry fruit is liable to soften, discoloration and adhesion, we call it “oil-spilling”. The purpose of the study is to explore the mechanism of “oil-spilling” of wolfberry fruits during storage. In our study, the relationship between water content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the cross section, epidermal cells of wolfberry fruit were studied during storage. Results showed that wolfberry fruits began to “oil-spilling” on the 20th day, and with the extension of storage time, the degree of “oil-spilling” gradually deepened, the content of water increased and the activity of POD decreased, and the content of MDA increased. It suggested that “oil-spilling” was the result of improper external storage conditions, which it could promote the increase of water content and reactive oxygen free radical of wolfberry fruit, and lead to damage of cell structure and function and lipid peroxidation of cell membrane. The results explain the mechanism of “oil-spilling” and provide a strong basis for the establishment of scientific storage methods of wolfberry fruit.

The high viscosity of ionic liquids, even at relatively high temperatures, can greatly affect the production of cellulose fibers through the wet-spinning process. The high viscosity mainly by due to the hydrogen bond interaction between the cations and anions of ionic liquids. It is possible to reduce the viscosity by modulating the hydrogen bond interaction. In the present work, copper chloride (CuCl2) was dissolved in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl)-cellulose solution, followed by the formation of a complex with the chloride anions by converting it to [CuCl4]2- anion. Through this strategy, the extrusion velocity of the solution improved, and the produced fibers obtained smoother surfaces and shrunken diameters.

The compatible redox pairs are essential to make non-aqueous redox flow batteries (NRFBs) reach their full potentials. Two novel NRFBs with polyoxometalate (POM) redox pairs were designed and investigated. [C16H36N]4[S2W18O62] used as anolyte and benzophenone(BP) severed as catholyte in an asymmetric NRFB, these two diverse active species could cooperate well with each other and achieve a high theoretical cell voltage of 1.54 V. During the charge-discharge cyclic tests, it yielded impressive results with the coulombic efficiency more than 97%, and high voltage efficiency and energy efficiency were delivered without reduction. At the current density of 0.5 mA cm−2, this reformative asymmetric battery delivered a volumetric capacity of 1.97 Ah L−1. The excellent stability of [C16H36N]4[S2W18O62] was validated by the identical 1HNMR and XRD spectra. As a comparison, the symmetric battery employed [C16H36N]4[S2W18O62] both as anolyte and catholyte, which delivered a moderate performances with the coulombic efficiency was about 90%. Also, the permeability of polyoxoanion [S2W18O62]4- cross through AMI-7001 membrane was 1.307×10−7 cm 2 min −1 and less than 1% of this active species had crossed over after 3 d stationary tests.

A series of MDI-50 based non-ionic waterborne polyurethane dispersions (MDI-NPUD) were prepared by the mixing of 2,4’-diphenylmethane diisocianate (2,4’-MDI) and 4,4’-MDI (MDI-50) which reacted with hydroxylated tung oil (HTO) and polyethylene glycol-800 (PEG-800), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Proton-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) were used to characterize and analyze their molecular structures. The results indicated that MDI-50 and HTO were introduced as hard segment while PEG acted as soft segment. The surface tension, Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) and stability were investigated. All MDI-NPUDs had much lower surface tension than the dicyclohexyl methane diisocyanate (HMDI) based NPUD (HMDI-NPUD). By changing the feed ratio of MDI-NPUD, the properties of MDI-NPUD could be controlled

We report the design and characterization of UNC3866, a potent antagonist of the methyllysine (Kme) reading function of the Polycomb CBX and CDY families of chromodomains. Polycomb CBX proteins regulate gene expression by targeting Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) to sites of H3K27me3 via their chromodomains. UNC3866 binds the chromodomains of CBX4 and CBX7 most potently, with a K d of â ∼1/4100 nM for each, and is 6-to 18-fold selective as compared to seven other CBX and CDY chromodomains while being highly selective over >250 other protein targets. X-ray crystallography revealed that UNC3866's interactions with the CBX chromodomains closely mimic those of the methylated H3 tail. UNC4195, a biotinylated derivative of UNC3866, was used to demonstrate that UNC3866 engages intact PRC1 and that EED incorporation into PRC1 is isoform dependent in PC3 prostate cancer cells. Finally, UNC3866 inhibits PC3 cell proliferation, consistent with the known ability of CBX7 overexpression to confer a growth advantage, whereas UNC4219, a methylated negative control compound, has negligible effects.

As complicated mixture systems, chemical components of Angelica are very difficult to identify and discriminate, so as not to control its quality effectively. In recent years, Mid-infrared spectroscopy has been innovatively employed to identify and assess the quality of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products. In this paper, the macroscopic IR fingerprint method including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D-IR), are applied to study and identify Angelica raw material, the decoction and different segmented production of AB-8 macroporous resin. FT-IR spectrum indicates that Angelica raw material is rich in sucrose and the correlation coefficient is 0.8465. The decoction of Angelica contains varieties of polysaccharides components and the content is gradually decreased with increasing concentration of ethanol. In addition, the decoction of Angelica contains a certain amount of protein components and 50% ethanol eluate has more protein than other eluates. Their second derivative spectra amplify the differences and reveal the potentially characteristic IR absorption bands, then we conclude that the decoction of Angelica contains a certain amount of ferulic acid and ligustilide. And 30% ethanol eluate, 50% ethanol eluate and 70% ethanol eluate are similar to ligustilide. Further, 2D-IR spectra enhance the spectral resolution and obtain much new information for discriminating the similar complicated samples. It is demonstrated that the above three-step infrared spectroscopy could be applicable for effective, visual and accurate analysis and identification of very complicated and similar mixture systems of traditional Chinese medicines.

Formula granule is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation usually made from the decoction of a single herbal medicinal by spray drying. It is easy to make a TCM formula decoction by dissolving multiple formula granules in hot water, instead of boiling the herbal medicinals in water for hours. The flexibility and convenience make formula granules more and more popular in TCM clinical applications. However, the efficacy and safety of commercial formula granules often suffer from the excessive addition of carbohydrate excipients. In this research, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is used for the simple and rapid detection of carbohydrate excipients in formula granules of Gardeniae Fructus (GF). Using the attenuated total reflection (ATR) accessory, formula granules can be measured directly free of pretreatments or chemical reagents. Lactose and sucrose in simulated GF granules can be identified by the characteristic peaks in the second derivative spectra when the weight concentration of the excipient is 10%. Dextrin, which is the most common excipient in commercial formula granules, in simulated GF granules can be quantified by the partial least squares calibration model when the weight concentration of dextrin is above 5%. The excessive addition of dextrin is found in some commercial GF formula granules. This research shows the potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in the rapid, green, and low-cost detection of carbohydrate excipients for the quality control of GF formula granules and analogues.

Before their medical use, thermal processing methods are frequently utilized to treat the traditional Chinese herbal materials to improve their efficacy or reduce their side effects. Understanding the temperature-dependent chemical reactions of herbal materials is necessary to explore the mechanisms and optimize the procedures of thermal processing. Being a quick, label-free, and nondestructive analytical technique, infrared (IR) spectroscopy can be used to in situ monitor the changes of herbal materials as the temperature increases continually. In this research, the thermal processing of Gardeniae fructus (the ripe fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis) was studied by thermogravimetry-infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR) and heated transmission IR spectroscopy. In summary, the decrease in organic acids (chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, ursolic acid, etc.) is the main reason why thermal processing can reduce the side effects of Gardeniae fructus on intestines and stomach. Stir-baking to yellow at 125–145 °C can reduce the amount of the organic acids remarkably, while most iridoids such as geniposide remain to retain the medical functions of Gardeniae fructus in clearing pathogenic heat, lessening the virulence of pathogens, reducing blood pressure, etc. Stir-baking to brown at 145–165 °C can further reduce the organic acids, but the iridoids also decompose significantly. Stir-baking to scorch at 165–190 °C will destroy most iridoids, but the tannins change the function of Gardeniae fructus into hemostasis.

Rhubarb has a long history of medicinal applications in Asia and Europe. For some clinical applications of traditional Chinese medicine, rhubarb has to be stir-baked to scorch to eliminate the purgative activity, but increase the functions of blood-cooling and hemostasis. Understanding the chemical transitions during the stir-baking process is necessary for the quality assessment a quality control of scorched rhubarb. This research used the heated ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to study the thermal transitions of rhubarb and related compounds. Critical points during the heating process of rhubarb, emodin, emodin-8-glucoside, glucose and 5-HMF were recognized from PCA score plots. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) was used to interpret the spectral changes of rhubarb during different thermal stages. It was found that the decomposition of anthraquinone glycosides and the formation of aromatic carbon networks at high temperature (above 170 °C) may be the primary reactions to generate scorched rhubarb. These results are helpful for the reasonable procedure optimization and quality control of the stir-baking process to produce scorched rhubarb.

TM5441, a furan-containing drug, is an inhibitor of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which can induce intrinsic apoptosis of human cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to identify the reactive metabolites of TM5441 and to reveal the bioactivation pathways that are associated with its hepatotoxicity. The reactive metabolites were trapped by using glutathione (GSH) or N-acetyl-lysine (NAL) in rat, dog, and human liver microsomal incubation system after exposure to TM5441. Two metabolic activation pathways were disclosed. The first bioactivation pathway was dominated by Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450s); TM5441 was metabolized into cis-2-butene-1,4-dial derivative dependent on NADPH, which can be trapped in the liver microsomal incubations fortified with GSH or NAL as trapping agents. Five metabolites (M1, M2, M9, M12 and M13) associated with GSH and three metabolites (M4, M7 and M14) associated with NAL were identified by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. The second bioactivation pathway was catalyzed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs); TM5441 was conjugated with glucuronide to form acyl-glucuronide (M10), which further reacted with GSH, resulting in the identification of a TM5441-S-acyl-GSH adduct (M11) in liver microsomal incubations fortified with uridine-5'-diphosphoglucuronidc acid (UDPGA) and GSH. M9, M10, M11, M12 and M13 were also detected in bile samples of rats given TM5441. Compared with rat, dog would display closer bioactivation profiles to human. The CYP450 enzyme responsible for the bioactivation of TM5441 was mainly identified as CYP3A4, using human recombinant CYP450 enzymes and specific inhibitory studies. The UGT enzymes responsible for the bioactivation of TM5441 mainly involved UGT2B7, 1A1 and 1A4. These results facilitate the understanding of the bioactivation of TM5441 and potential toxicological implications.

Herein, the ultrathin and robust diphenylalanine (FF) self-assembled nanosheets were fabricated by a gold-stabilized strategy for the first time, using a facile electrospray method followed by a thermal treatment process. The key for the gold-stabilized mechanism was explored, demonstrating that the synergy of the stable binding and steric effect between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the exposed amino groups of FF nanosheets, led to strong thermal stability and solvent resistance of the composites. Contributing to the features of remarkable accessible surfaces and strong laser light absorption ability of this FF/Au nanosheets, two robust functional devices, that is, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber and surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) platforms, were in situ prepared for in vitro and in vivo biological analysis. The findings indicated that the fabricated platforms possessed two advantages: (1) rapid absorption/desorption speed (within 5 min) and (2) remarkable enhancement of ionization efficiency with 2 orders of magnitude. As a result, the extraction efficiency of the SPME fiber and the quantitation ability of SALDI platform were significantly improved. This study not only demonstrated that FF/Au composites could be prepared through an electrospray method followed with thermal-treatment to serve as promising adsorption/desorption/ionization materials for specific applications but also provided useful strategy to advance the ideas for future combination of SPME with LDI technique.

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibrous membranes were fabricated by electrospinning technique. The PEG was incorporated into the PET matrix at fixed ratios (1/1, 2/1, 4/1, 6/1, 8/1, 10/1, w/w) to significantly improve the conductivity and reduce the viscosity of the solution, which would result in a novel morphology and high hydrophilicity of the composite fibrous membranes. Water contract angle tests show that the membranes exhibit super hydrophilic properties only when the ratio of PET/PEG is 10/1. The 6/1-PET fibrous membrane exhibits uniform and smooth morphology, while the flat fibers are formed in 4/1-PET fibrous membrane. Furthermore, incorporation of PEG can also significantly improve the mechanical properties of PET membranes. The tensile strength is increased about two times in 6/1-PET membrane compared with pure PET membrane. Additionally, the 6/1-PET membrane has the best porosity and NaCl rejection due to the uniform and thinner fibers. This work finds that PEG can effectively improve hydrophilic and mechanical properties of electrospun PET fibrous membranes, which plays a vital role in filtration field.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) associated with second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D-IR) are employed to analyze various processed products and different extracts of Rhizoma Coptidis. There is a shift of the peak of 1641 cm−1 of raw Rhizoma Coptidis after processed, which drifts to lower wave number. Peaks at 1508, 1387, 1363, 1332, 1274 and 1234 cm−1 barely change in most samples, except an obvious enhancement of these peaks after processed, suggesting that processed Rhizoma Coptidis may have higher content of berberine than raw material, which is corresponding to the results of correlation coefficients analysis. There are some differences in the absorption peaks in the range of 1800–1000 cm−1 in the SD-IR spectra, which have better resolution, of different processed products. 2D-IR spectra, which elevate the resolution further, can present more differences among the products in the range of 1300–800 cm−1 and 1800–1300 cm−1. Analysis of aqueous, ethanol and petroleum ether extracts of various processed products proves that there are distinctive differences of all auto-peaks in shapes and intensities in all of them. With the advantages of high resolution, high speed and convenience, FT-IR combined with 2D-IR can quickly and precisely distinguish various processed products of Rhizoma Coptidis and can be applied to predict the tendency of transformation of the complicated chemical mixture systems under heat perturbation.

A major goal of aging research now is to find pharmacological manipulations in healthspan extension. Icariin is a flavonol isolated from medicinal herbal tonics. We have previously reported that icariin extended the healthspan of invertebrate models. Here, we showed that long-term treatment with icariin starting at 12months of age extended healthspan and mean lifespan in C57BL/6 mice. In all our assays associated with healthspan, such as behavioral tests and bone density analysis, we found that icariin boosted healthy features in mice. We also presented data indicating that such beneficial effects of icariin were due to at least two mechanisms: reduced oxidative stress indicated by the induction of antioxidant protein superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the decrease of oxidative marker malondialdehyde (MDA); maintained the genomic stability indicated by a reduction in DNA double-stranded breaks and down-regulation of DNA damage response genes. Our results indicated that icariin, a safe and widely used natural flavonol, extended healthspan and maintained genomic stability in a mammalian system.

The properties of wood can be improved through steam-heat treatment. There are many studies about mechanical properties of steam-heat treated wood, but very few studies are on the aspects of chemical modifications. In this study, FT-IR spectra combined with SD-IR spectra, correlation coefficients and 2D-IR spectra are employed to analyze the chemical modifications of teak (Tectona grandis L.F.) wood during steam-heat treatment under treatment temperatures from 120 °C to 220 °C at intervals of 20 °C. Acetic acid, which is produced during steam-heat treatment, acts as a catalyst of condensation and degradation reactions of wood components. The changes of wood components are more and more intense with increasing the treatment temperature. The sensitivity of wood samples to thermal perturbation rises initially with increasing treatment temperature before falling back. The steam-heat treated wood under 180 °C is the most sensitive.

In this study, a convenient method using multi-step infrared spectroscopy, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), second derivative infrared spectroscopy (SD-IR) and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2DCOS-IR), was employed to analyze and discriminate ten marine sponges from two classes collected from the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. Each sponge had an exclusive macroscopic fingerprint. From the IR spectra, it was noted that the main ingredient of calcareous sponges was calcium carbonate, but that of demosponges was proteins. For sponges from the same genus or having highly similar chemical profile (IR spectral profile), SD-IR and 2DCOS-IR were applied to successfully reveal the tiny differences. It was demonstrated that the multi-step infrared spectroscopy was a feasible and objective approach for marine sponge identification.

Both viral infection and DNA transfection expose single-stranded or double-stranded DNA to the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Recognition of cytosolic DNA activates a series of cellular responses, including induction of pro-inflammatory genes such as type I interferon through the well-known cGAS-STING pathway. Here we show for the first time that intracellular administration of either single or double stranded interferon stimulating DNA (ISD), but not poly(dA) suppresses cell growth in many different cell types. Suppression of cell growth by cytosolic DNA is cGAS/STING independent and associated with inhibition of glucose metabolism, ATP depletion and subsequent cellular energy stress responses including activation of AMPK and inactivation of mTORC1. Our results suggest that in concert with but independent of innate immune response, recognition of cytosolic DNA induced cellular energy stress potentially functions as a metabolic barrier to viral replication.

The study aimed to determine the effects of reduction of dietary crude protein (CP) level with balanced essential amino acids (EAA) on intestinal bacteria and their metabolites of growing pigs. Forty pigs (initial BW 13.50 ± 0.50 kg, 45 ± 2 days of age) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments containing CP levels at 20.00% (normal crude protein, NP); 17.16% (medium crude protein, MP); 15.30% (low crude protein, LP); and 13.90% (extremely low crude protein, ELP), respectively. Crystalline AAs were added to meet the EAA requirement of pigs. After 4-week feeding, eight pigs per treatment (n = 8) were randomly selected and slaughtered for sampling of ileal, cecal, and colonic digesta and mucosa. Pigs with moderately reduced CP level had increased bacterial diversity, with the Shannon diversity indices for the colon digesta in the LP group and mucosa in the MP and LP groups significantly (P

As complicated mixture systems, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are difficult to be identified and discriminated, especially for the drug samples originated from the same source. In this study, a tri-step infrared spectroscopy method, i.e., conventional infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) combined with second derivatives spectra and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2DCOS-IR), was employed to study and identify three Uighur drugs of Eremurus in Xinjiang, i.e. Eremurus altaicus (Pall.) Stev (AET), E. inderiensis (M.Bieb.)Regel(CB), E. anisopterus (Kar.et Kir.) Regel(YC). It was founded that the conventional IR spectra of the three species Eremurus were very similar based on the peak positions and shapes, indicating that the three had similar chemical profiles. On the basis of the different IR spectra of reference compounds and microscopic identification, the roots of YC, CB and AET all have comparable amount of calcium oxalate. The second derivative spectra of Eremurus enhanced the spectral resolution and amplified the small differences, especially at about 1468 cm−1, 1454 cm−1, and 1164 cm−1, and subsequently provided some dissimilarity in their calcium oxalate content. AET has relatively higher content of calcium oxalate but the lower content of anthraquinones. Moreover, the 2D-IR spectra revealed tiny differences among the three species by providing dynamic structural information of their chemical components in a more direct and visual way. The differences embodied mainly on the intensity of the auto-peaks at 971 cm−1, 1008 cm−1, 1468 cm−1 and 1578 cm−1. As a result, it was demonstrated that the macroscopic IR fingerprint method could discriminate the three similar Uighur drugs, YC, CB and AET.

Moving-window two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (MW2DCOS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were combined to interpret the time serial infrared spectra. The curing process of an automotive paint sample was tracked by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Score plots of the first and second principal components showed that the curing process contained three stages. Meanwhile, the loading spectra indicated that the solvent was a mixture of aromatic compounds. Absorption peaks which changed significantly in each stage were revealed by auto-peak MW2DCOS. Furthermore, point-line and point-point MW2DCOS demonstrated the time-resolved relationship between absorption peaks from toluene, xylene and resin. In summary, the evaporation of toluene was the first stage of the curing process of this automotive paint sample. Next, the mixture of o-xylene, m-xylene and p-xylene began to evaporate in the second stage. After the evaporation of the solvent, the solid paint membrane was formed. For the interpretation of the time serial spectra, PCA is useful to estimate the number of significant chemical components and to find out the important turning points of the process, while MW2DCOS can show the changes of the spectral peaks and the relationship between them step by step. The combination of PCA and MW2DCOS is very interesting to extract and display the time-resolved information in the time serial spectra.