Search

In this work, theoretical calculations were performed on the addition reaction of the germylenoid H2GeLiCl with acetone. The DFT M06-2X method was used to optimize the geometries of the whole stationary points on the potential energy surfaces and the QCISD method to calculate the single-point energy. The results reveal that the addition reaction of H2GeLiCl with acetone firstly generates an oxagermacyclopropane c-H2GeOC(CH3)2 and then c-H2GeOC(CH3)2 further reacts with acetone along two possible pathways, pathway I and pathway II, in which the 2,4-dioxagermolane is formed at the end of pathway I and 2,5-dioxagermolane is formed at the end of pathway II, respectively. According to the calculated barrier heights, we can deduce that the pathway I is more favorable than pathway II. The computational results suggest that this reaction model can provide new inspiration for the synthesis of heterocyclic germanium compounds.

Understanding the essential processes of heredity, mechanisms of metabolism, and evolutionary traits of this ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) in terms of molecular biology is necessary. The extraction of high-quality and high-integrity RNA from ginkgo is one of the basic techniques of molecular biology. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of the six commonly used RNA extraction methods for detection. TRIzol, modified TRIzol, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), modified CTAB, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen) methods, were evaluated for their capacity to extract high-quality and high-quantity RNA from the embryo and endosperm of ginkgo. The advantages and disadvantages of each method were analyzed to evaluate the isolation process. The optimized modified CTAB method for embryo prevented the precipitation of RNA for a long period and reduced complex separation and precipitation processes. In addition, the modified TRIzol method is more effective in endosperm. Obvious differences in RNA quality and quantity were observed between the embryo and endosperm when the same method is used. Modified TRIzol, modified CTAB, SDS and RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen) methods were applied to RNA extraction from other different ginkgo tissues. The modified CTAB is efficient and recommended for the isolation of good-quality total RNA from all tissues with reduced chemical use, costs, and RNA loss. The results of quantitative real-time PCR confirmed that modified CTAB methods could obtain showing low Ct values and high amplification efficiency and enabled the successful isolation of RNA from all tissues.

Magnolia sieboldii K. Koch is endemic to China and has high medicinal and ornamental values. However, its seed exhibits morphophysiological dormancy, and the molecular mechanisms of which are not clearly understood. To reveal the regulation mechanism of the ABA signal in seed dormancy, the M. sieboldii ABA receptor Pyrabactin Resistance 1 (PYR1) gene was cloned and analyzed. Analysis of the MsPYR1 sequence analysis showed that the full-length cDNA contained a complete open reading frame of 987 bp and encoded a predicted protein of 204 amino acid residues. The protein had a relative molecular weight of 22.661 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 5.01. The transcript levels of MsPYR1 were immediately upregulated at 16 DAI and then decreased at 40 DAI. The highest transcript level of MsPYR1 was found in the dry seeds, indicating that the MsPYR1 gene may play an important role in the regulation of dormancy. The MsPYR1 gene cDNA was successfully expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3), and the protein bands were consistent with the prediction. The Anti-MsPYR1antibody could detect the expression of MsPYR1 in M. sieboldii. The results provided a foundation for further study of the function of the MsPYR1 gene. ABBREVIATIONS ABA: Abscisic acid; MPD: morphophysiological; PYR1: Pyrabactin Resistance1; PYL: Pyr1-Like; RCAR: Regulatory Components of Aba Receptors; PP2C: protein phosphatases 2C; SnRK2: sucrose non-fermenting1-related protein kinase2; DAI: day after imbibition; NCBI: National Center for Biotechnology Information; BCA: Bicinchoninic acid; CDD: Conserved Domains.

Herein, we report a new uranyl–organic polyhedron U4L4 (L = BTPCA) assembled from uranyl and a semirigid tritopic ligand. By adjusting the carbon chain length of organic templates, two complexes can be obtained based on the diverse secondary assembly of U4L4 cages. The mechanism of different arrangements of U4L4 cages induced by organic templates was explored in detail.

Background Topotecan is an anti-cancer chemotherapy drug with common side effects, including hepatotoxicity. In this study, we aim to investigate the mechanisms of topotecan-induced hepatocellular injury beyond conventional DNA damage. Materials and methods Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to detect the inhibitory effect of topotecan on cell proliferation. Western blot was used to detect protein expression. Flow cytometry assay was performed to determine apoptosis rate under topotecan treatment. ASCT2 overexpression was addressed using adenovirus vector. qRT-PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression of ASCT2. Glutamine uptake, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level were detected by glutamine detection kit, GSH detection kit and ROS detection kit respectively. Results MTT results showed that topotecan had an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both L02 and HepG2 cell lines. Topotecan inhibited the expression of glutamine transporter ASCT2 and the uptake of glutamine in both L02 and HepG2 cell lines. The uptake of glutamine and the GSH level was increased in both L02 and HepG2 cell lines after ASCT2 overexpression. The ROS level was inhibited by ASCT2 overexpression upon topotecan treatment in both L02 and HepG2 cell lines. Topotecan-induced hepatocellular apoptosis and proliferation inhibition were attenuated by ASCT2 overexpression in both L02 and HepG2 cell lines. Conclusion Topotecan-induced hepatocytes death is dependent on ASCT2 down-regulation, which causes oxidative stress via inhibiting GSH production.

Addition reaction of the germylenoid H2GeLiF (R1) and formaldehyde HCHO (R2) leading to the formation of a spiro-Ge-heterocyclic compound was investigated theoretically by using the M062X and QCISD methods for the first time. The geometries of the stationary points along the potential energy surfaces of the addition reaction were optimized at the M062X/6-311+G(d,p) level at first, and then the single-point energies were calculated at QCISD/6-311++G(d,p) level. The addition reaction of H2GeLiF and HCHO firstly generated an oxagermacyclopropane (c-H2GeOCH2, P1) and then P1 can further react with HCHO along two possible pathways (paths II and III). At the end of path II, one spiro-Ge-heterocyclic product (P2) forms, which is the 2,4-dioxagermolane. At the end of path III, the other spiro-Ge-heterocyclic product (P3) forms, which is the 2,5-dioxagermolane. According to the calculated barrier heights we can conclude that the path II is more favorable than path III. Therefore the dominant reaction pathway of the addition reaction between H2GeLiF and HCHO is that firstly R1 + R2 → P1 and then P1 + R2 → P2. The computational studies suggest that this reaction model can provide new ideas for the synthesis of heterocyclic germanium compounds.

The oleaginous alga Botryococcus braunii (Chlorophyta) is known to accumulate hydrocarbons up to 80% of cell dry weight. Races A, B, and L of B. braunii species accumulate alkadiene/triene, botryococcene, and lycopadiene, respectively. Transcriptome analyses in race A and race B have identified various transcripts encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of alkadiene/triene and botryococcene. However, the transcriptome of B. braunii race L has not been analyzed. In this study, we report the de novo assembly of the transcriptome of B. braunii AC768 race L. AC768 culture in 2×BB medium reaches a maximum density (cell dry weight) of 5.5 g L−1, of which, 6% is lycopadiene. Transcriptional profiles of AC768 show that ESTs involved in energy metabolisms are most abundantly expressed, suggesting an energy requirement for lipid accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis indicates the presence of a putative lycopaoctaene synthase that synthesizes the precursor of lycopadiene in AC768. Comparative analysis between races reveals that botryococcene synthase and lycopaoctaene synthase are specific to races B and L of B. braunii, respectively. Taken together, our results indicate that hydrocarbon chemicals accumulated in different races of B. braunii are determined by their transcriptional profiles.

Lecanicillium attenuatum is an important nematophagous fungus with potential as a biopesticide for control of plant-pathogenic nematodes. However, relatively low fungicide-tolerance limits its application in the field. To improve the propamocarb-tolerance of L. attenuatum , a low-energy N + ion implantation-based mutagenesis system was established. In the first round of N + ion implantation, a proper conidial lethality rate (87.2–88.8%) and the highest positive mutation rate (11.2–11.4%) were achieved, and the highest propamocarb-tolerant mutant LA-I-R1-T7-M1 and LA-I-R1-T7-M2 were isolated in the experiment 1 and experiment 2 respectively, having a median effective concentration (EC 50 ) value of 1223.6 and 1173.6 μg/ml respectively. Multiple rounds of N + ion implantation were further employed, but fungal propamocarb-tolerance had not been significantly enhanced until the fifth-round of ion implantation. The LA-I-R5-M1 was the highest tolerant to propamocarb among all the mutants, whose EC 50 value was increased 2.54-fold compared to wild-type strain, reaching to the 1298.7 μg/ml. Its EC 50 value was significantly increased with continuous passaging, which was stable from the fifth- to fifteenth-generation, and then declined. However the EC 50 value of the twentieth-generation strain was still higher than the EC 50 (1298.7 μg/ml) of the first-generation strain. The colony growth, conidia yield and conidial germination of mutants on plates, and their parasitism in the nematode eggs of Meloidogyne incognita and Heterodera glycines were not significantly changed in both single- and multiple-round of N + ion implantation. In conclusion, we had succeeded in improving the propamocarb-tolerance of L. attenuatum through this low-energy N + ion implantation-based mutagenesis system. The improved strain LA-I-R5-M1 could be potentially applied in combination with propamocarb in the field.

A series of novel uranyl coordination polymers have been synthesized by hydrothermal reactions. Both complexes 1 and 2 prosess two ipbp- ligands (H2 ipbpCl=1-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium chloride), one uranyl cation, and two coordination water molecules, which can further extend to 2D networks through hydrogen bonding. In complex 1, two sets of equivalent nets are entangled together, resulting in a 2D + 2D → 3D polycatenated framework. In complex 2, the neighbouring equivalent nets interpenetrate each other, forming a twofold interpenetrated network. Complexes 3 and 4 are isomers, and both of them are constructed from (UO2 )2 (OH)2 dinuclear units, which are connected with four ipbp- ligands. The 3D structures of complexes 3 and 4 are similar along the b axis. Similar to other viologen-based coordination polymers, complexes 3 and 4 exhibit photochromic and thermochromic properties, which are rarely observed in actinide coordination polymers. Unlike the monotonous coordination mode in complexes 1-4, the ipbp- ligands feature a μ3 -bridge through two kinds of coordination modes in complex 5. Notably, complex 5 presents a unique example in which terminal pyridine nitrogen atom is involved in the coordination.

Four novel polymers, poly(3,6-9-decyl-carbazole-alt-1,3-benzene) (PB13CZ), poly(3,6-9-decyl-carbazole-alt-bis(4-phenyl) (phenyl) phosphine oxide) (PTPPO38CZ), poly(3,6-9-decyl-carbazole-alt-2,4-phenyl(diphenyl) phosphine oxide) (PTPPO13CZ) and poly(3,6-9-decyl-carbazole-alt-bis(3-phenyl) (phenyl) phosphine oxide) (PTTPO27CZ) were synthesized, and their thermal, photophysical properties and device applications were further investigated to correlate the chemical structures with the photoelectric performance of bipolar host materials for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes. All of them show high thermal stability as revealed by their high glass transition temperatures and thermal decomposition temperatures at 5% weight loss. These polymers have wide band gaps and relatively high triplet energy levels. As a result, the spin coating method was used to prepare the green phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes with polymers PTPPO38CZ, PTPPO13CZ and PTTPO27CZ as the typical host materials. The green device of polymer PTPPO38CZ as host material shows electroluminescent performance with maximum current efficiency of 2.16 cd·A−1, maximum external quantum efficiency of 0.7%, maximum brightness of 1475 cd·m−2 and reduced efficiency roll-off of 7.14% at 600 cd·m−2, which are much better than those of the same devices hosted by polymers PTTPO27CZ and PTPPO13CZ.

The study aimed to compare differences in oxidative stress and energy metabolism between the left and right lobe of hepatopancreas in large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea exposed to 0 (control), 20, and 100 μM Zn for 96 h. Tipical biomarkers were examined including the proportion of white hepatopancreas, lipid content, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, glutathione (GSH) content, activity levels of enzymes (Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, Cu/Zn-SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; glutathione reductase, GR; mitochondrial ATP synthase, F-ATPase; malate dehydrogenase, MDH; succinate dehydrogenase, SDH; hepatic lipase, HTGL; lipoprotein lipase, LPL), mRNA levels of genes encoding these enzymes (sod1, cat, gpx1a, gr, atp5b, mdh, sdh, htgl, and lpl), and gene expression of signaling molecules the NF-E2-related nuclear factor 2 (nrf2) and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1). A whitish color in the left lobe of hepatopancreas was observed in the control and Zn-exposed fish. Contrarily, the right lobe of hepatopancreas tended towards red with increasing Zn levels. The phenomenon was further confirmed by that lipid content was reduced in the right lobe and was not significantly affected in the left lobe by Zn. The right lobe showed higher energy consumption than the left lobe as reflected by the up-regulation of activity levels of HTGL, LPL, F-ATPase, MDH, and SDH. Lipid peroxidation declined by 20 μM Zn and was unchanged by 100 μM Zn in both lobes, which could be explained by increased activity levels of Cu/Zn-SOD and GPx. However, the magnitude of increase in Cu/Zn-SOD activity was greater in the right lobe than that in the left one. The difference in enzyme activity between two lobes may be involved in changes in mRNA levels of sod1, gr, atp5b, sdh, htgl, lpl, and nrf2, which was further confirmed by positive relationships between enzyme activity and gene expression. Our data also showed positive correlations between nrf2 expression and mRNA levels of its target genes, suggesting that Nrf2 was required for the protracted induction of these genes. Our results demonstrated the potential molecular mechanism of Zn-induced differences between lobes of hepatopancreas, suggesting that the sampling part of hepatopancreas should be considered with caution when assessing metal contamination.

Histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs) are a family of non-protein, nitrogen-containing compounds with multiple physiological roles and are mainly present in excitable tissues of vertebrates. The distribution of HCDs in various animal species has been the subject of study for nearly 100 years. The aim of this research was to determine the content of the HCDs in the aquatic species collected from the Zhoushan fishing ground of the East China Sea. Using LC-MS/MS technology, the occurrence of carnosine, anserine, and homocarnosine in skeletal muscle of 38 aquatic species (26 teleosts, 6 molluscs, and 6 crustaceans) and chicken breast was investigated. Of the 38 aquatic species examined, 24 species (23 teleosts and 1 mollusc) contained considerable amounts (>5 ng/g wet tissue) of HCDs, and anserine was the major component of HCDs in their skeletal muscles. Only 5 teleosts contained homocarnosine. Most invertebrates, with the exception of the sepia Uroteuthis chinensis, did not contain HCDs. The present findings greatly expand the HCD distribution data and provide insight into understanding the roles of HCDs in different animals and a nutritional assessment for marine aquatic species., Highlights • carnosine, anserine, and homocarnosine were determined in 38 marine species. • Almost all the tested fish contain histidine-containing dipeptides. • The highest value was presented in migratory pelagic fishes. • The anserine is the major component in marine species. • No HCD can be detected in invertebrates with the exception of the family Loliginidae.

Magnolia sieboldii is a deciduous tree native to China. This species has a deep dormancy characteristic. To better understand seed germination, we used protein analysis of changes in seed protein at 0, 65, 110 and 150 d of stratification. Comparative 2DE analysis of M. sieboldii seed protein profiles at 0, 65, 110 and 150 d of stratification revealed 80 differentially abundance protein species. Comparative analysis showed that ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase small subunit was degraded during germination. In particular, it was degraded almost completely at 110 d of germination. Starch granules in the microstructure decreased after 65 d of stratification. Starch granules provided a sufficient amount of substrates and ATPs for subsequent germination. Four storage protein species were identified, of which all were down accumulated. Spots 44 and 46 had different MW and pI values, spots 36 and 46 had nearly the same MW with pI shift in the 2-DE gels, suggesting that they might be present as different isoforms of the same protein family and the post translational modification. Our results suggested that degradation of starch granules and storage protein species prepared the seed embryo for growth, as well as regulated seed germination. The present proteomics analysis provides novel insights into the mobilisation of nutrient reserves during the germination of M. sieboldii seeds. Biological significance To better understand seed germination, a complex developmental process, we developed a proteome analysis of M. sieboldii seed. We performed the first comprehensive proteomic and microstructure analysis during different seed stratification stages of M. sieboldii. Among the 80 protein species, 26 were identified, 7 and 14 protein species were up or down accumulated significantly. Many of the identified key proteins were involved in embryo development, starch biosynthesis and energy metabolism, Microstructure of stratification seed analysis revealed degradation of starch was used for preparing the seed embryo for growth. These data may help us to develop a comprehensive understanding of the physiological status and mobilisation mechanisms in M. sieboldii seed germination.

The present study evaluated the feasibility of using a marine cage fish Larimichthys crocea as a model for monitoring short-time Cd discharge near the sewage outlet. Fish were exposed to 0, 20, 100, 500 and 2500 μg/L for 6 h. Cd concentrations in gills, and left and right lobes of hepatopancreas were examined as well as activity levels of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathion-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) and mRNA levels of 19 genes encoding these enzymes. Cd concentrations increased at 100, 500 and 2500 μg/L Cd in gill and at 2500 μg/L Cd in hepatopancreas. Lipid peroxidation increased and GSH levels declined in gills at 2500 μg/L Cd. On the contrary, oxidative damage was not observed in hepatopancreas but GSH levels increased at all tested concentrations of Cd in the left lobe and at 20 μg/L Cd in the right lobe. The enhanced antioxidant response was confirmed in gills due to the increased activity levels of antioxidant enzymes and the up-regulated mRNA levels of most genes. However, disordered antioxidant response was observed in hepatopancreas, showing a dose- and lobe-dependent effect. RNA-seq and q-PCR analyses were performed to investigate differently expressed genes between both lobes under different concentrations of Cd. The most significantly enriched pathway term was pancreatic secretion, where the right lobe showed higher mRNA levels of 18 genes encoding pancreatic digestive enzymes than the left one under Cd stress. Interestingly, both lobes had the same mRNA levels of digestive enzyme genes and antioxidant genes in fish without Cd exposure. Overall, Larimichthys crocea is very sensitive to environmental exposure to cadmium. The present study for the first time investigates Cd-induced antioxidant response in Larimichthys crocea, also is the first to find lobe-dependent effects in fish.

Introduction: Most chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in China are primitively treated with a combination of lamivudine (LAM) and adefovir dipivoxil (ADV). Although antiviral resistance can be avoided with this combination therapy, using it can have harmful side effects related to ADV, specifically kidney and bone injury. This study was designed to compare viral suppression and kidney safety when switching LAM and ADV combination therapy de novo to entecavir (ETV) monotherapy in patients with CHB and compensated hepatic cirrhosis. Materials and methods: In total, 360 CHB and compensated liver cirrhosis patients who received treatment of LAM and ADV combination therapy for more than 1 year were included in this study. One hundred and eighty patients continued combination therapy to serve as a control group and the other 180 patients were switched to ETV monotherapy to serve as the experimental group. The total course of therapy was 3 years. Laboratory studies were done every 3 months to measure liver and kidney function. Studies included glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), HBV-DNA, urine β2-microglobulin (β2-M) and retinol binding protein (RBP). Results: In the experimental group, an HBV-DNA level below 20 IU/ml was found in 77.65%, 85.88%, and 94.77% in years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In the control group, HBV-DNA levels were below 20 IU/ml in 69.66%, 75.42%, and 85.80% in years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Low HBV-DNA levels in the experimental group were significantly less common than in the control group on the second and third year; P values were 0.009 and 0.006 for years 2 and 3, respectively. The cumulative genetic mutation rate was 3.49% in the experimental group and 8.88% in the control group (P=0.044). Decreases in eGFR more than 30% from baseline were found in 0%, 0.56%, and 1.74% of patients in the experimental group and 4.49%, 9.14% and 14.79% in patients in the control group in the first, second, and third year, respectively. Serum creatinine more than 50 μmol/L above baseline was found in 0%, 0% and 1.74% of patients in the experimental group and 1.12%, 4.00% and 5.32% of patients in the control group in years 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The urine β2-M and RBP levels were abnormal more often in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: Switching to ETV monotherapy can decrease HBV-DNA levels, reduce the genetic mutation rate, and prevent renal damage caused by LAM and ADV combination therapy in patients with CHB and compensated liver cirrhosis. Patients receiving LAM and ADV combination therapy de novo should be switched to ETV monotherapy immediately.

We report five novel uranyl coordination polymers, [(CH3)2NH2]UO2(BTPCA) (1), [(CH3)2NH2]UO2(BTPCA) (2), [(CH3)2NH2]2[UO2(BTPCA)][UO2(BTPCA)]·(H2O)5.5 (3), [(CH3)2NH2]2(UO2)2(BTPCA)2·(H2O)3 (4), an...

The control of abscission is an important agricultural concern because of its substantial effect on crop yield and quality. Changes in gene expression are correlated with the ethylene-mediated execution of abscission. However, only few large-scale proteomic studies focused on tomato pedicel abscission. Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification labeling was used to examine the protein and phosphoprotein changes in the tomato pedicel AZ (AZ) treated with ethylene or 1-methylcyclopropene. Among the 1429 quantified proteins, 383 unique peptides corresponding to 166 proteins showed higher than 1.5-fold change in abundance. A total of 450 phosphopeptides were detected, among which 85 phosphopeptides corresponding to 73 phosphoproteins were significantly regulated (> 1.5-fold abundance change) in response to ethylene. Protein and phosphoprotein sets showed 26 similar proteins. Six phosphorylation motifs were extracted from the 138 phosphorylation sites. By analyzing translational and modification levels, we found that the modification level was not due to the translational changes. Comparison between the protein and phosphoprotein functions revealed that the proteins acted mainly in the metabolic process and showed catalytic activity, whereas most of the phosphoproteins showed signaling and transporting activities. Data revealed the unique features of the AZ phosphoproteomics, thereby suggesting the involvement of a complex network of kinase–substrate and phosphatase–substrate interactions in response to ethylene. Some phosphorylation sites from calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK5S523), CDPK5S527, and SRL3S329 were also found to perform protective functions for AZ and to be helpful in ethylene signal transduction. Biological significance Organ abscission has both positive and negative roles. Abscission is conducive for the fall of ripe fruits and the release and dispersion of seeds, but abscission has been a major limiting factor for crop productivity. Hence, more details about the process may aid in the regulation of organ abscission. However, at present, the detailed mechanism of abscission is still unclear. In tomato, several transcriptome analyses were performed using pedicels as materials. Yet, no large-scale proteomics and phosphoproteomic studies of abscission zone have been reported so far. Hence, in this present study, we determined the ethylene-induced changes in the proteomics and phosphoproteomics of tomato flower AZ tissue using the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Proteomics data from both data sets revealed the differentially expressed proteins that are associated with the translational and modification levels relevant to abscission mechanism. Two key proteins (CDPK (CDPK5S523 and CDPK5S527) and SRL3S329) among ethylene signal transduction and defense-related proteins were obtained from the phosphoproteins. The set of tomato phosphorylation sites presented in this work is useful in at least two ways. First, as a database resource, the data would facilitate research on the identified phosphoproteins. Second, the identified sites of the related proteins could provide enough knowledge for further experiments. Hence, our results contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of abscission in plants.

In the present study, the effect of drying methods on the quality of Angelicae Sinensis Radix (DG), was evaluated by newly developed high performance liquid chromatography photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). Ten major bioactive components including two phenolic acids, two hydroxyl phthalides, four alkyl phthalides and two phthalide dimers were selected as evaluation chemical markers and the newly-established method was qualitatively and quantitatively validated. DG slices and whole roots dried in shade, sun light, hot air, vacuum, microwave, far infrared ray and combination of microwave and far infrared ray as well as the fresh DG samples were determined by the established methods. DG slices dried in hot air kept the similar chemical composition to that of fresh DG, while DG whole roots dried in vacuum retained highest contents of the major components. Coniferyl ferulate and ligustilide degraded significantly in DG slices dried by microwave, far infrared ray and their combination. The influence of such chemical changes induced by different drying methods on the bioactivities of DG warrants further investigation, so that the optimal drying method can be obtained for the standardization of DG herb.

A new 3D La(III) coordination polymer, namely, [La2(1,4-ndc)3(H2O)2]·H2O (1), has been synthesized under hydrothermal condition (1,4-ndc = 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate). The compound was structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In 1, the 1,4-ndc ligands bridge neighboring La(III) ions to generate an interesting 3D framework. The thermal behavior of the compound was also studied in detail.

A high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) fingerprinting and ultra high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS/MS) based chemical profiling approach was developed to rapidly find characteristic chemical markers for quality control of dispensing granules, taking Chuanxiong Rhizoma (CR) as a model herb. Firstly, CR crude drugs, their traditional decoctions and CR dispensing granules were analyzed by HPLC-PDA to rapidly establish the fingerprints and thereby generate the simulative median chromatograms of CR crude drugs, decoctions and dispensing granules, and by comparing the simulative median chromatograms, major characteristic peaks of CR decoctions and dispensing granules could be determined. Secondary, UHPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS/MS was used to identify the major characteristic peaks of CR decoctions and dispensing granules. The identities of three major peaks were elucidated and confirmed to be ferulic acid (1), senkyunolide I (2) and senkyunolide H (3) by comparing the mass/UV spectra and retention times with that of the reference compounds. Thirdly, an HPLC-PDA method was validated to quantify the three characteristic components in commercial CR dispensing granules. The average contents of ferulic acid and senkyunolide H were found to be less than 1.0mg/g, whereas that of senkyunolide I was 4.40mg/g in CR dispensing granules, which indicated that senkyunolide I might be chosen as a suitable quantitative marker, while ferulic acid and senkyunolide H as qualitative markers for the quality evaluation of CR dispensing granules. It is suggested that this newly established approach could be used to practically and rapidly find suitable marker compounds for quality control of dispensing granules derived from other medicinal herbs.

Recently, electrospinning of nanofibers based on chitosan has been widely studied and numerous chitosan based nanofibers have been prepared, for the enormous possibilities of applications in various areas such as filtration, enzyme immobilization, tissue engineering, wound dressing, drug delivery, and catalysis. Because most of the chitosan based nanofibers are soluble in aqueous solutions and the other properties such as mechanical properties are not suitable for the further applications. It is necessary to improve the properties of chitosan based nanofibers. Various post-processing has been done to the chitosan based nanofibers and many post-processing products have emerged. This article discusses the post-processing of the chitosan based nanofibers involving methods, mechanisms, changes of nanofiber properties, and applications of the post-processing products in details. The post-processing is divided into alkali treatment, crosslinking, and functionalizing.

The existence and release of fluid inclusions in bornite and its associated minerals, namely, quartz and calcite were investigated and confirmed. The structures, forms, and phases of these large quantities of fluid inclusions were also studied. A mass of fluid inclusions with various sizes, distributions, shapes, and phases exist in bornite and its associated minerals. Their sizes vary from a few micrometers to tens of micrometers, and the forms appear as negative crystals, or elongated, elliptical, and irregular. At room temperature, fluid inclusions were mainly characterized as gas-liquid twophase. However, small amounts of fluid inclusions with pure gas phase and pure liquid single-phase were also observed in quartz and calcite. These fluid inclusions initially broke during the ore crushing and grinding process and then released into the flotation pulp in the flotation process. The quantitative analysis of fluid inclusions in the solution and the comparisons of mineral dissolution show that the amount of copper and iron released by fluid inclusions in the bornite sample is higher than the amount dissolved by the mineral; fluid inclusions in the associated gangue minerals, quartz, and calcite also make contribution.

Flexible conductive fibers were fabricated by in-situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole monomers on the surface of polyurethane (PU) fibers. Compact polypyrrole (PPy) surface layer were observed, and moreover, high structural stability of the composite fibers can be obtained due to interpenetrating interface formation and strong interaction between PPy layers and PU matrix. More importantly, the composite fibers exhibited high sensitivity with relative fast response and recovery time, and good reproducibility for chloroform vapor detection.

Two highly symmetrical (3,4)-connected uranyl-organic frameworks (UOFs) were synthesized by a judicious combination of D3h -symmetrical triangular [UO2 (COO)3 ]- and Td symmetrical tetrahedral tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)methane (H4 MTB). These two as-synthesized UOFs possess similar structural units and coordination modes but totally different topological structures, namely ctn net and bor net. Solvent-induced interpenetration and a morphology change are observed. The two compounds exhibit crystal transformation via a dissolution-crystallization process. Adsorption experiments in CH3 OH solution indicate that both of them can selectively remove positively charged dyes over negatively charged and neutral dyes. Moreover, the electronic structural and bonding properties of the two compounds were systematically explored by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Use of resource-rich wastepaper/recycled plastics as raw materials in the production of wood-plastic composites(WPC) can alleviate the shortage of wood resources, reduce pollution and has a attractive prospect. In this paper, old newspaper fiber(ONPF)/recycled-polypropylene(rPP) Wood-Plastics Composite(WPC) was prepared by means of mixing processing and compression molding. The effects of technical conditions on the mechanical properties of WPC were investigated. The structure of composite was characterized by means of FTIR and SEM. The results show that, Wastepaper and waste-PP can be used as raw materials for preparation of WPC. The suitable preparation process for wastepaper/rPP composites was: wastepaper fiber 20%, blending temperature 175°C, blending time 15min, molding pressure 12MPa, molding temperature 175°C and molding time 10min. In these conditions, tensile strength and flexural strength of wastepaper/rPP composites are 23.6MPa and 28.8MPa respectively, increased by 20.9% and 12.6% compared to those of rPP matrix. The elongation at break of WPC is 10.6%, and the flexural modulus is 1328.9MPa，increased by 7.7% compared to those of rPP matrix. The structure analysis found that there is no chemical reaction between the fibers and the matrix. The research results have important practical significance in the field of printing and packaging waste recycling and utilization, environmental protection and energy saving.

In-situ phosphatizing organic coating is a one-step self-phosphatizing process, in which the formation of metal phosphate layer on the substrate surface and the curing of organic paint coating take place simultaneously, instead of multi-step metal pretreatment process. In the present research, the impact of three rare earth oxide nanoparticles on corrosion resistance of in-situ phosphatizing organic coatings formed on 6061-T6 aluminum alloy was investigated by polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicated that the small amounts of rare earth oxide nanoparticles can effectively improve the corrosion resistance of the in-situ phosphatizing organic coating in 3.5%NaCl solution. The influencing degree of rare earth oxide nanoparticles on the corrosion resistance of the in-situ phosphatizing organic coating follows the order of lanthanum oxide > yttrium oxide

A kind of flexible, conductive polypyrrole–coated polyurethane (PPy/PU) fibers was fabricated by controlled chemical polymerization and its strain sensing ability was evaluated. The as-prepared fibers possessed high conductivity with a maximum value of 10-1 (Ω•cm)-1, and highly elastic nature of the PU matrix. It is further found that dense PPy layer was covered uniformly onto PU fiber surface, and an interpenetrating interface and strong hydrogen bonding interaction could be observed, which greatly benefited their high structural stability. More importantly, the composite fibers exhibited a wide strain deformation range up to 250% and high strain sensitivity of over 20 (at the large strain of 50%), and good reversible resistance response on cyclic force loading, which would open a high opportunity for fabricating strain sensing material in large volume for future smart device applications.

Some 4-substituted-2-aminothiazoles were prepared starting from aromatic ketones and thiourea in the presence of powered iodine. Then treating 4-substituted-2-aminothiazole with substituted benzaldehyde gave corresponding 2-aminothiazole derives Schiff bases in good yield.

Silane films have been successfully used as an alternative to toxic Chromate coatings for the corrosion protection of aluminum alloys. To further improve the performance of these silane films, rare earth elements are used. The present work aims at understanding the role of yttrium oxide for silane films applied on AA6061. The corrosion protection performance of silane film formed in bis-1,2-[triethoxysiyl]ethane silane (BTSE) solution doped with different contents of Y 2 O 3 was investigated with potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The morphologies of silane film were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of potentiodynamic polarization curves, impedance spectroscopy (EIS) reveal that the presence of small amounts of Y 2 O 3 in BTSE solutions can increase the corrosion resistance of the silane films in 3.5% NaCl solution. The formed film does not change the dynamic behaviors of the electrode reaction; it mainly inhibits the cathodic reduction reaction of electrochemical corrosion and acts as a physical barrier for the protection of aluminum alloy. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that the surface morphologies of silane films formed were flat and compact, with high cross-link density, when the contents of Y 2 O 3 in BTSE solutions were 10mg/L and 20mg/L.

A practical synthesis of 3-methyl-N-substituted-1H-indole (N-substituted-skatole) starting from 2-halogen phenylamine was described, by following acetylation or sulfonylation, alkylation and the intramolecular Heck reaction. In this article, effects of the reactions temperature, solvent, time, proportion and the mount of catalyst were investigated. Target product has an application prospect. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Zinc phosphate coating was formed on 6061-Al alloy through a phosphating bath containing mainly ZnO, H3PO4, NaF. Yttrium oxide (Y2O3) was used as an accelerator of phosphatization to replace nitrite. The morphology, composition and the growth process of the zinc phosphate coating were investigated by SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR and electrochemical measurements. The phosphate coating formed is composed of hopeite and metallic zinc. The formation and morphology of the zinc phosphate coating were strongly influenced by the presence of yttrium oxide (Y2O3) in the phosphating bath. The formed zinc phosphate coatings exhibited high corrosion resistance in 3% NaCl solution as shown by polarization measurement.

The corrosion and protection characteristics of phosphate coatings formed on aluminum alloy (AA)6061 (UNS A96061) in a phosphating solution containing mainly zinc oxide (ZnO), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and sodium fluoride (NaF), using yttrium oxide (Y2O3) as additive, were investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) diagrams, the salt water immersion test, and the adhesion test. The results show that the corrosion and protection of phosphate coatings have been improved when Y2O3 is added to the phosphating solution, making the free corrosion potential shift to the positive direction and corrosion current to decrease. The phosphate coatings formed in the phosphating solution with 10 mg/L and 20 mg/L Y2O3 have finer crystal structures, and they exhibit better corrosion resistance and adhesion than those with 0 or 40 mg/L Y2O3.

A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of matrine in human plasma extracted by isopropanol:ethyl acetate (v/v, 5:95). Rapid chromatographic separation was achieved in the mobile phase composition of 5-mM aqueous ammonium acetate and acetonitrile (v/v, 70:30) with a flow rate of 0.20ml/min. Detection was carried out using positive-ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry on a Sciex API3000. The method was accurate, specific and sensitive for the analysis of matrine in human plasma in the concentration range of 5-2000ng/ml, when huperzine A was used as internal standard. The method facilitated a clinical pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of a single dose of matrine soft gelatin capsules (100, 200 and 400mg) in a three-period crossover design. Dose-related linear trends were observed for the AUC(0-t) and the C(max) of matrine. The t(1/2) and the T(max) of matrine were independent of the administered doses.

In the structure of the title complex, [CuI(C12H8N2){Ph2PCH2CH2P(O)Ph2}]·CH2Cl2, the coordination polyhedron with copper as the central atom has a distorted tetra­hedral geometry formed by two N atoms from 1,10-phenanthroline, one iodide anion and one P atom from 1-(di­phenyl­phosphino)-2-(diphenyl­phosphino­yl)ethane.

The mol­ecules of the title compound, C20H18O6S2, lie across centres of inversion. The dihedral angle between the central and terminal benzene rings is 54.92 (9)°.

In the cation of the title compound, C16H14NO3S+·C7H7O3S−, the quinolinium ring system makes a dihedral angle of 69.14 (9)° with the benzene ring.

Mol­ecules of the title compound, C11H17NO2S, are linked by paired N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into centrosymmetric R22(8) dimers.

The title compound, [Fe(C5H5)(C24H19NP)], a new Schiff base containing a ferrocenyl (Fc) group, has been synthesized and characterized structurally. The compound is a trans isomer with the CFc—C—N—C linkage almost planar.