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The boninitic volcanic rocks from Rutog, western Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone (BNSZ), are characterized by high MgO, SiO2 but low TiO2 contents and interpreted as the products of intra-oceanic subduction in earlier studies. Recently, we discovered new breccia-like boninitic volcanic rocks (mainly trachyandesite and trachyte) that overlie the Rutog ophiolitic peridotites in BNSZ. These volcanic rocks not only show typical boninitic petrographical features of porphyritic texture in which euhedral augite phenocrysts (ca. 5 vol%) are embedded in fine-grained groundmass composed of pyroxene, plagioclase, quartz and minor glass, but also display strong boninitic geochemical affinities with high Mg# (61.59–67.90), Al2O3/TiO2 (40.31–55.97) ratios and low TiO2 (0.26–0.35 wt%) contents. In addition, their rare earth elemental patterns show a slight right-dip pattern with (La/Gd)N values of ~1.28 and (Gd/Yb)N values of ~1.31. Given the evolutionary trend from magnesium-rich intermediate to acid series, the boninite-series are therefore used to describe the vlocanic rocks. Zircon U-Pb isotopic dating on these boninite-series volcanic rocks yielded an age of ca. 79.3 ± 2.0 Ma, after the closure of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan Ocean (BNTO) that occurred before 96 Ma. The newly recognized boninite-series volcanic rocks probably formed more than 20 Ma after the latest regional magmatism related to subduction process and thus the subduction setting is not suitable for these boninite-series volcanic rocks. The enrichment in compatible elements and depletion in high field elements indicate the Rutog boninite-series originated from a severely depleted mantle while several lines of evidence (e.g., the enrichment in light rare earth elements, large iron lithophile elements) imply that the mantle source has been modified by continental crust. Given the widespread Cretaceous high Sr/Y magmatic rocks within BNSZ, the Rutog boninite-series rocks may provide an example of the crust-mantle interaction as a result of the delamination in a partially thickened and cratonized convergent margin during the late Cretaceous within BNSZ, central Tibetan Plateau.

// Qi-Shuai Zhuang 1,* , Hao Zheng 1,* , Xiao-Dan Gu 1 , Liang Shen 1 and Hong-Fang Ji 1 1 Shandong Provincial Research Center for Bioinformatic Engineering and Technique, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, P. R. China * These authors have contributed equally to the work Correspondence to: Liang Shen, email: // Hong-Fang Ji, email: // Keywords : Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, bioinformatics, genome-wide association studies, single nucleotide polymorphisms, Gerotarget Received : April 07, 2017 Accepted : June 18, 2017 Published : July 08, 2017 Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents the major form of dementia in the elderly. In recent years, accumulating evidence indicate that obesity may act as a risk factor for AD, while the genetic link between the two conditions remains unclear. This bioinformatics analysis aimed to detect the genetic link between AD and obesity on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), gene, and pathway levels based on genome-wide association studies data. A total of 31 SNPs were found to be shared by AD and obesity, which were linked to 7 genes. These genes included PSMC3, CELF1, MYBPC3, SPI1, APOE, MTCH2 and RAPSN. Further functional enrichment analysis of these genes revealed the following biological pathways, including proteasome, osteoclast differentiation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, Epstein-Barr virus and TLV-I infection, as well as several cancer associated pathways, to be common among AD and obesity. The findings deepened our understanding on the genetic basis linking obesity and AD and may help shape possible prevention and treatment strategies.

As the key equipment of ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) transmission systems, the converter valve would bear different forms of overvoltage. Consequently, a wideband model for the $\pm $ 1100 kV UHVDC converter valve is essential for the converter system to make overvoltage analysis, insulation design, and electromagnetic disturbance prediction. This paper proposed a wideband modeling method for the $\pm $ 1100 kV converter valve. First, the physics-based wideband model for the key component in the converter valve module is built, of which the parameters could be obtained through genetic algorithm. Second, the parasitic capacitances are obtained through a simplified boundary-element method according to the given structure of the $\pm $ 1100 kV converter valve. By combining wideband models for key components in the converter valve module and the parasitic capacitances of the valve tower, the integrated wideband model for the converter valve could be obtained. The systematic modelling method proposed in this paper could also be of reference value to the modelling of other large-scale complex high-voltage power-electronic equipment. Finally, the experiments for converter valve module and converter tower are carried out, and the corresponding results justified the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed wideband model for the converter valve tower.

Two novel ferrocene organometallic complexes of [Mn(C 16 H 16 FeN 2 O 2 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ]Cl 2 1 and [Co(C 16 H 16 FeN 2 O 2 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 ·3H 2 O 2 were synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, and thermogravimetric analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the two complexes were centrosymmetric species with the central atom in six-coordinated environment. Interestingly, supramolecular constructions of 1 and 2 are totally different due to intriguing hydrogen-bonded systems. Complex 1 was dominated by non-classical C H⋯O hydrogen bonds while 2 was assembled by both classical O H⋯O hydrogen bonds and C H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Different from chloride ions only balanced the electric charge in 1 , nitrate anions in 2 not only balanced the electric charge but also contributed largely to stability through O H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Electrochemical investigation revealed that both 1 (Δ E p = 189 mV, I pa / I pc = 1.32) and 2 (Δ E p = 95 mV, I pa / I pc = 0.96) displayed anticipated one-electron redox process of the ferrocenyl group. Moreover, complex 2 had better redox reversibility than 1 . Furthermore, UV–Vis absorption spectrum has been applied to prove the stability of complex ions of [Mn(C 16 H 16 FeN 2 O 2 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] 2+ and [Co(C 16 H 16 FeN 2 O 2 ) 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] 2+ in acetonitrile for better understanding of electrochemical investigation. It’s significant to reveal the structural and electrochemical characters of these kind of ferrocene-containing complexes for the further application on areas of anticancer metallodrugs based on their good redox-activity.

// Qi-Shuai Zhuang 1 , Liang Shen 1 , Hong-Fang Ji 1 1 Shandong Provincial Research Center for Bioinformatic Engineering and Technique, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, P. R. China Correspondence to: Liang Shen, email: shen@sdut.edu.cn Hong-Fang Ji, email: jhf@sdut.edu.cn Keywords: diabetes, depression, risk, bidirectional relationships Received: November 04, 2016 Accepted: January 09, 2017 Published: February 03, 2017 ABSTRACT Diabetes and depression impose an enormous public health burden and the present study aimed to assess quantitatively the bidirectional relationships between the two disorders. We searched databases for eligible articles published until October 2016. A total of 51 studies were finally included in the present bidirectional meta-analysis, among which, 32 studies were about the direction of depression leading to diabetes, and 24 studies about the direction of diabetes leading to depression. Pooled results of the 32 eligible studies covering 1274337 subjects showed that depression patients were at higher risk for diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = [1.23, 1.46]) than non-depressive subjects. Further gender-subgroup analysis found that the strength of this relationship was stronger in men (OR = 1.63, 95%CI = [1.48, 1.78]) than in women (OR = 1.29, 95%CI = [1.07, 1.51]). For the direction of diabetes leading to depression, pooled data of 24 articles containing 329658 subjects showed that patients with diabetes were at higher risk for diabetes (OR = 1.28, 95%CI = [1.15, 1.42]) than non-diabetic subjects. The available data supports that the relationships between diabetes and depression are bidirectional and the overall strengths are similar in both directions. More mechanistic studies are encouraged to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationships between the two diseases.

Two novel Ba(II) complexes [Ba(TCPA)2(H2O)4] 1 and [Ba(H2O)8]·2(o-FcCOC6H4COO)·6H2O 2 [HTCPA = 2,4,6-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and o-HOOCC6H4-COFc = o-ferrocenylcarbonyl benzoic acid] have been synthesized by a facile microwave method. The solid-state structures were well established by means of X-ray crystallography as well as routine analysis of the infrared spectrum (FTIR), elemental analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Different polyhedra of tricapped triangular prisms for 1 and dodecahedra for 2 were present. It is worth noting that the central Ba(II) ion in 1 is nine-coordinated by two carboxylate oxygen atoms from TCPA ligands and seven oxygen atoms from coordinated water molecules. By contrast, the eight-coordinated Ba(II) in 2 forms barium-water clusters assembled by O–H⋯O hydrogen-bonds contributed by coordinated water molecules. The uncoordinated o-OOCC6H4-COFc ligands in 2 play a key role in the process of charge balance. FESEM images exhibited different surface appearances between the ligand and barium complexes, that is: flower-like HTCPA, branch-like o-HOOCC6H4-COFc, block-like complex 1 and corner-truncated cubes for complex 2. The allelopathic activity of the complexes and their corresponding ligands was evaluated against two herbaceous plants of barnyard grass and turnip (Raphanus sativus). All the tested compounds showed certain activity with good RI values. An antifungal bioassay was also carried out in vitro on three strains of Botrytis cinerea Pers., Glomerella cingulata Schr and Cytospora sp. Complex 1 and HTCPA can work against all three tested fungi, whereas o-HOOCC6H4-COFc and 2 only worked for Botrytis cinerea Pers. The complex presented in this paper has potential applications in weed control, and this work provides an experimental basis for future studies on Ba-based pesticides.

A copper nitrate-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction between N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) and ethers/alkanes has been described. The reaction is accomplished smoothly by using simple and green molecular oxygen as the oxidant, providing an alternative for the efficient synthesis of N-alkoxyphthalimides. In addition, it was found that when tert-butyl ethers were used as substrates, unexpected N-hydroxyimide ester derivatives were obtained in moderate to excellent yields. To further understand this unusual transformation, control experiments were performed and a plausible mechanism was proposed.

Voluminous Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the northern and central Lhasa subterranes contain important information on the tectono-magmatic processes. In this contribution, we focus on the Lower Cretaceous volcanic rocks in the Nagqu area, northern Lhasa subterrane, and present their zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb ages, in situ Hf isotopic data, whole-rock major and trace element compositions, and Sr–Nd isotopic data. The Nagqu volcanic rocks are high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic (K 2 O: 1.41–8.52 wt.%; K 2 O/Na 2 O: 0.36–6.65) and feature similar geochemical characteristics (e.g., subparallel distribution of incompatible elements and REEs). Assimilation–fractional crystallization of magmas from identical source (rather than diverse magma sources) was mainly responsible for the formation of the diverse volcanic rock types. High Hf/Sm (> 0.7) and high U/Yb whole-rock values and low Y values in zircon grains suggest the involvement of terrigenous components rather than subducted oceanic crust in the magma source. Tectonic discrimination diagrams, sedimentary environment (marine–continental transition), magma compositions (K-rich and terrigenous components), crustal thickening, and spatio-temporal variations in subduction, syn-collisional and post-collisional processes, indicate that the geodynamic setting of the Early Cretaceous magmatism was associated with the collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes. The high-K characteristics were inherited from the melts derived from the partial melting of lower metasomatized lithospheric mantle (the K-rich layer), which was transported to great depths by the continuously thickening lithosphere, eventually triggering melting.

Mesoporous silica core–shell nanospheres encapsulating a rare-earth metal complex (RC) were first synthesised through a facile W/O (water in oil) inverse microemulsion method. In order to achieve targeted complex delivery, folic acid (FA) was used as the targeting component due to its high affinity for over-expressed folate receptors (FRs) in cancer cells. The RC2@SiO2-FA nanospheres were characterised via ultraviolet-visible light absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis spectroscopy), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A microwave method was used to synthesise five RC cores based on 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, and their crystal structures were further confirmed using X-ray diffraction. The five RC cores have the following chemical formulae: [Er2(p-CPA)6(H2O)6] RC1, [Ho2(p-CPA)6(H2O)6] RC2, [Sm(p-CPA)3(H2O)] RC3, [Pr(p-CPA)3(H2O)]·3H2O RC4 and [Ce(p-CPA)3(H2O)2]·2H2O RC5. The carboxyl groups showed two kinds of coordination modes, namely μ2–η1:η1 and μ2–η1:η2, among RC1–RC5. The flexible –OCH2COO– spacer group, which can undergo rotation of its C–O and C–C bonds, offered great potential for structural diversity. In vivo experiments revealed that the nanospheres exhibited no obvious cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells and 293 T cells, even at concentrations of up to 80 μg mL−1. Nevertheless, all of the RC cores showed a certain degree of anti-tumour efficacy; in particular, RC2 showed the strongest cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of all of the RC2@SiO2-FA nanospheres was higher than that of lone RC2. These types of FA-targeted mesoporous silica nanocarriers can be used for the delivery of anti-tumour RC, and provide a basis for the further study of affordable non-platinum-based complexes.

The southern Qiangtang magmatic belt was formed by the north-dipping subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean during Mesozoic. To better understand the petrogenesis, time–space distribution along the length of this belt, 21 samples of several granitoid bodies, from west to east, in the Bangong Co, Gaize, Dongqiao and Amdo areas were selected for in-situ zircon U–Pb dating, Hf isotopic and whole-rock chemical analyses. The results suggest a prolonged period of magmatic activity (185–84 Ma) with two major stages during the Jurassic (185–150 Ma) and the Early Cretaceous (126–100 Ma). Both the Jurassic and Cretaceous granitoids are high-K calc-alkaline I-type rocks, except the Cretaceous two-mica granite from Amdo in the east, which belongs to S-type. The granitoids are generated from different source materials as indicated by zircon Hf isotopic compositions. The Bangong Co and Dongqiao granitoids show high zircon e Hf (t) values of − 1.3–13.6 with younger T DM C ages of 293–1263 Ma, suggesting a relatively juvenile source; whereas the Gaize and Amdo granitoids have low e Hf (t) values of − 16.1–2.9 with older T DM C ages of 999–2024 Ma, indicating an old crustal contribution. These source rocks melt at different P–T conditions as suggested by Sr/Y ratio and T Zr . The Sr/Y ratio of both stage granitoids increases with decreasing age. However, the T Zr of the Jurassic granitoids decreases, whereas the T Zr of the Cretaceous granitoids increases with decreasing age. The contrasting geochemical signatures of these granitoids may be controlled by the varying contribution of slab-derived fluids involved in the generation of the Jurassic and Cretaceous granitic magmas; i.e. increasing amount of fluids in the Jurassic, whereas decreasing amount of fluids in the Cretaceous. Therefore, it is proposed that the Jurassic and Cretaceous magmatism may be related to subduction and closure of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean, respectively. The age pattern of the Jurassic and Cretaceous granitoids suggests an oblique subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean and a diachronous collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks.

There is a Mid–Late Mesozoic (Jurassic–Cretaceous) arc magmatic belt in southern Qiangtang subterrane associated with the north-dipping subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean. Early Mesozoic (Triassic) magmatism, tectonic evolution of the southern Qiangtang subterrane, and the mechanism of its crustal growth, however, remain unclear. This paper reports zircon U–Pb age, whole-rock major, trace elemental, and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic components for the Mesozoic Tanggula Pass rhyolites in southern Qiangtang subterrane. Our new data reveal a significant, previously unrecognized stage of magmatism in southern Qiangtang subterrane. The Tanggula Pass rhyolites are moderately-strongly peraluminous (A/CNK = 1.09–1.54), highly fractionated (SiO2 > 73%) and ultrapotassic (K2O/Na2O > 44%). Zircon U–Pb dating by LA-ICP-MS yields a concordant age with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 235.9 ± 0.86 Ma (n = 18, MSWD = 0.25). The large variations of major and trace element concentrations are mainly attributed to fractional crystallization of plagioclase, hornblende, Fe-Ti oxides, and accessory minerals such as apatite, allanite, monazite, and zircon in the shallow level. K-feldspar mainly occurs as cumulated mineral, resulting in high K2O contents and K2O/Na2O ratios. The rhyolites were derived by partial melting of mixed source rocks including older sedimentary rocks in the upper crust and juvenile materials, triggered by north-dipping subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. The eruption age of Middle Triassic suggests that the initiation of northward subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan ocean took place earlier than is currently assumed. Whole-rock Nd (ca. 1.55 to 2.34 Ga) and zircon Hf (ca. 1.77 to 2.33 Ga) data reflect the presence of the Proterozoic basement in the southern Qiangtang subterrane. Basaltic magma underplating and accretion of intra-oceanic arc complexes and oceanic plateau contributed to vertical crustal growth and lateral crustal growth, respectively.

Ophiolites in the Indus–Yarlung Zangbo (IYZ) suture (southern Tibet) have been interpreted as remnants of the Neo-Tethyan lithosphere. However, the discovery of diamonds and super-reducing, ultra-high pressure (SuR-UHP) mineral assemblages (e.g., coesite after stishovite, olivine after wadsleyite, native metals, alloys, and moissanite) in some of these massifs and associated chromitites requires a re-evaluation of their origin and evolution. A new petrological and geochemical study of the Purang ophiolite in the western IYZ suture sheds new lights on these issues. The depleted harzburgites of the Purang massif have low modal contents of clinopyroxene ( 40 ~ 70) and pyroxenes (> 16 in orthopyroxene, and > 20 in clinopyroxene), suggesting high degrees of melt extraction (> 20%). These features are not consistent with formation in a (ultra-) slow-spreading mid-ocean ridge. These peridotites have high modal contents of orthopyroxene; this, and the extremely high Cr# of spinels in these peridotites, suggests modification in a subduction zone. The clinopyroxene-rich harzburgites and lherzolites contain rare spinel–pyroxene symplectites after garnet. Their clinopyroxenes have low MREE-to-HREE ratios ((Sm/Yb)N Whole-rock Os isotopic compositions of the Purang peridotites give ancient TRD model ages (up to 1.3 Ga), indicating that the formation of these ancient depletion residues predated the opening of Neo-Tethyan Ocean. These observations, together with recent studies on other IYZ peridotites, suggest that the Purang peridotites are genetically unrelated to the associated mafic crust. Instead, they represent ancient SCLM domains, initially formed beneath a continental margin, and then modified by subduction, before they were incorporated into the Neo-Tethyan ocean basin. This model is consistent with the deep-mantle-recycling model for the presence of SuR-UHP phases in the IYZ ophiolites. The infiltration of MORB melts through these ancient depleted peridotites during their final exhumation in a (ultra-) slow-spreading center may have refertilized them to produce the clinopyroxene-rich peridotites.

BACKGROUND The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in women with pT1-T2N1 breast cancer is controversial. The authors developed a nomogram that was predictive for overall survival (OS) and identified patients who derived no benefit from PMRT. METHODS The authors retrospectively evaluated 4869 patients with pT1-T2N1 breast cancer who were treated with mastectomy between 2000 and 2014 in 11 Chinese hospitals. Rates of locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis were calculated using competing risk analysis, and disease-free survival and OS rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Based on the risk factors identified from Cox regression analysis in 3298 unirradiated patients, a nomogram predicting OS was developed. The benefit of PMRT was evaluated in different risk groups stratified by the nomogram model. RESULTS After a median follow-up of 65.9 months, the 5-year OS, disease-free survival, locoregional recurrence, and distant metastasis rates were 93.3%, 84.3%, 5.2%, and 8.3%, respectively. A total of 1571 patients (32.3%) underwent PMRT. On multivariable analyses, PMRT was found to increase OS significantly (hazard ratio, 0.61; P = .002). An OS prediction nomogram evaluated the effect of age; tumor location; tumor size; positive lymph node ratio; estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status; and treatment with trastuzumab. Based on nomogram scores, the entire patient cohort was classified into 3 risk groups. PMRT significantly improved the OS of patients in the intermediate-risk (P

Fluorescence imaging is widely used to determine biodistribution of drugs in mice. However, the dye distribution may not be able to exactly reflect the true distribution of drug molecules. We synthesized PTX-Cy5.5 and mPEG-PLA-Cy5.5, and then prepared dye-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) (Cy5.5, DiR, PTX-Cy5.5, and mPEG-PLA-Cy5.5), dye and PTX co-loaded NPs, and PTX-loaded NPs, respectively. The particle sizes of resulting NPs were between 42.7 nm and 68.8 nm, and Zeta potential was between -0.86 mV and -8.49 mV. The biodistribution of fluorescent NPs (dye-loaded NPs and dye and PTX co-loaded NPs) on Bel-7402 tumor-bearing mice was studied via in vivo fluorescence imaging assays, results of which suggested that Cy5.5 loaded NPs and Cy5.5 conjugates (PTX-Cy5.5 and mPEG-PLA-Cy5.5) formulated NPs can reflect the tissue distribution of PTX whether it was incorporated or not. However, DiR failed to reflect true tissue distribution of PTX unless it was co-loaded with PTX. Based on these results, a guidance for the selection of dyes in drug distribution investigations and disease-targeted treatment was presented.

A novel and straightforward BBr3-mediated tandem reduction of organic azide and demethylation of methyl ether were described. This method provides a new approach to prepare a series of new amino-3-hydroxypyridin-4-one iron chelators, which can be used in the treatment of iron also applicable to other substrates like benzyl azides and aryl azides.

Liver fibrosis is a serious threat to human health, and there is currently no effective clinical drug for treatment of the disease. Although Galectin‑1 is effective, its role in liver function, inflammation, matrix metalloproteinases and the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effect of Galectin‑1 on the activation, proliferation and apoptosis of HSCs in a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Following successful model establishment and tissue collection, mouse HSCs (mHSCs) were identified and an mHSC line was constructed. Subsequently, to determine the role of Galectin‑1 in liver fibrosis, the expression levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and α‑smooth muscle actin (α‑SMA) pre‑ and post‑transfection were evaluated by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. In addition, the effects of Galectin‑1 on the biological behavior and mitochondrial function of mHSCs were determined using a 3‑(4,5‑dimethylthiazol‑2‑yl)‑2,5‑diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and a scratch test. It was first observed that the expression levels of Galectin‑1, TGF‑β1, CTGF and α‑SMA were downregulated by silencing the gene expression of Galectin‑1. Additionally, silencing the gene expression of Galectin‑1 inhibited cell cycle progression, proliferation and migration but induced the apoptosis of mHSCs from mice with liver fibrosis. Furthermore, the in vivo experimental results suggested that silencing the gene expression of Galectin‑1 improved liver fibrosis. Collectively, it was concluded that silencing the gene expression of Galectin‑1 ameliorates liver fibrosis and that functionally suppressing Galectin‑1 may be a future therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.

This work presented a multichannel sensor named RB-FC for Hg2+ detection, which was simply prepared by reaction of rhodamine B hydrazide with 2-amino-4-ferrocenylthiazole. Its structure was confirmed by FT-IR, NMR, MS and X-ray diffraction. The addition of Hg2+ destroyed the spirolactam ring, resulting in enhanced absorbance recorded by UV–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, in addition to color change from colorless to pink observed by the naked eye. Moreover, the molecular configuration change of RB-FC caused by coordination effect of Hg2+ to the sensor influenced the the electron density in ferrocene group, therefore the electrochemical characteristic of Hg(II)-RB-FC was different from RB-FC. Importantly, the off–on mechanism, namely the opening of the rhodamine spirolactam induced by coordination of Hg2+ to O and S atoms of RB-FC with a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio, was proposed to account for fluorescence changes. The sensor of RB-FC in aqueous medium showed a low detection limit and a rapid response to Hg2+. The developed sensor can conveniently detect mercury ions with multichannel for colorimetry, fluorescence and electrochemistry.

The Yunzhug ophiolite, in the middle sector of the Shiquanhe-Namco ophiolite belt (SNOB), has generally been interpreted as a remnant of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere, composed of mantle peridotites and mafic-ultramafic magmatic rocks. However, detailed study reveals that the mantle parts are ultra-depleted peridotites with affinities to subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM), including major harzburgites and minor dunites. The olivine in dunite has the highest Fo values, up to 93.8, and the harzburgite is divided into three groups. Olivine included in Opx in Group I has Fo 92.4–93.3, close to the dunite. In Group II, olivine in the peridotites has Fo between 91.8 and 92.5. Group III olivine occurs in vein-like clusters with small grains of Cpx and Spl within Group II peridotites, and has the lowest Fo, mainly at 91.5 and the Cr# of Spl as low as 50 with MOR-like features. The chemical composition of Opx is consistent with that from on-craton garnet lherzolites, while the Cpx displays lower Na2O and Al2O3, and elevated Cr2O3 contents with an embryonic oceanic-crust affinity. The high Mg# values and low 187Os/188Os (0.11301–0.12374; TRD = 2.30 Ga − 0.54Ga) of whole rocks and the high Fo in Ol of Group I and II suggest that the peridotites originated from ancient SCLM. The fine-grained mineral clusters in Group III reflect modification of the peridotite massif, representing the oceanization process during the initial rifting of the Gondwana continent.

We present high-precision measurements of iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) isotopic compositions of olivine, orthopyroxene, and chromite separates from harzburgites, dunites, and chromitites in the mantle section of the Luobusa ophiolite, southern Tibet, to investigate the origins of podiform chromitite. Two harzburgites in the Zedong ophiolite, southern Tibet, are also reported for comparison. The olivine and orthopyroxene in the Luobusa and Zedong harzburgites have similar Fe and Mg isotopic compositions, with Fe-56 values ranging from 0 to +0.083 in olivine, from -0.034 to +0.081 in orthopyroxene and Mg-26 values ranging from -0.25 parts per thousand to -0.20 parts per thousand in olivine, from -0.29 parts per thousand to -0.26 parts per thousand in orthopyroxene, respectively. The olivines of two dunites from the Luobusa display small Fe and Mg isotopic variations, with Fe-56 values of +0.014 parts per thousand and +0.116 parts per thousand and Mg-26 values of -0.21 parts per thousand and -0.29 parts per thousand. All chromites in the Luobusa chromitites have lighter Fe isotopic compositions than the coexisting olivines, with Fe-56 values ranging from -0.247 parts per thousand to +0.043 parts per thousand in chromite and from -0.146 parts per thousand to +0.215 parts per thousand in olivine (Fe-56(Chr-Ol)=-0.294 to -0.101 parts per thousand). The chromite Mg-26 values span a significant range from -0.41 parts per thousand to +0.14 parts per thousand. Large disequilibrium Fe and Mg isotope fractionation between chromite and olivine, as well as positive correlation of chromite Fe-56 values with their MgO contents, could be attributed to Fe-Mg exchange between chromite and olivine. In the disseminated chromitites, the higher modal abundances of olivine than chromite would result in a more extensive Fe-Mg exchange, whereas chromite in the massive chromitite where olivine is rare could not be affected by this process.

Our study investigated the shared genetic etiology underlying type 2 diabetes (T2D) and major depressive disorder (MDD) by analyzing large-scale genome wide association studies statistics. A total of 496 shared SNPs associated with both T2D and MDD were identified at p-value ≤ 1.0E-07. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the enriched pathways pertained to immune responses (Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis, T cell and B cell receptors signaling), cell signaling (MAPK, Wnt signaling), lipid metabolism, and cancer associated pathways. The findings will have potential implications for future interventional studies of the two diseases.

Targeting activated macrophages using anti-inflammatory phytopharmaceuticals has been proposed as general therapeutic approaches for rheumatic diseases. Besides macrophages, chondrocytes are another promising target of anti-inflammatory agents. Tetrandrine is a major bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Stephania tetrandrae S. Moore which has been used for 2,000 years as an antirheumatic herbal drug in China. Although, the anti-inflammatory effect of tetrandrine has been demonstrated, the mechanism has not been clearly clarified. In this study, we designed a comprehensive anti-inflammatory evaluation system for tetrandrine, including complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis rat, LPS-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, and chondrogenic ATDC5 cells. The results showed that tetrandrine alleviated CFA-induced foot swelling, synovial inflammation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion. Tetrandrine could inhibit IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α expression via blocking the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB p65 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, ATDC5 cells well responded to LPS induced pro-inflammatory mediators secretion and tissue degradation, and tetrandrine could also inhibit the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 , as well as the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 via inhibiting IκBα phosphorylation and degradation. In conclusion, the results showed that one of the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of tetrandrine was inhibiting IκBα and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation in LPS-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and chondrogenic ATDC5 cells. Moreover, we introduce a vigorous in vitro cell screening system, LPS-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells coupling chondrogenic ADTC5 cells, for screening anti-rheumatic drugs. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1557-1568, 2016.

Three calcium coordination compounds, [Ca(CPA)(H2O)4]·(CPA), 1, [Ca(MCPA)2(H2O)2]·H2O, 2, and [Ca(TCPA)2(H2O)3]·2H2O, 3 [HCPA = 3-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, HMCPA = 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, and HTCPA = 2,4,6-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid], have been synthesized by the microwave method with advantages that include shorter reaction times, lower energy consumption, and higher product yield. The structures have been characterized by IR, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Influences on the crystal structures by changing the number and position of chlorine substituent group in phenoxyacetic acid are discussed. Steric hindrance effects involving the Cl and an ability to form the O–H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds enrich the structure diversity. TG analysis reveals that the thermostability for the three compounds is 3 > 1 > 2, which could be influenced by the existence of hydrogen bonds (O–H⋯Cl and O–H⋯O).

Three novel conjugated polymers based on 2,4,6-triphenylpyridine moieties were synthesized by a Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reaction. The three polymers P-1, P-2 and P-3 showed strong fluorescence emission with large Stokes' shifts and high quantum yields. We also performed a theoretical calculation analysis to predict the electrochemical and optical properties of the conjugated polymers. The results indicated that although the calculated energy levels were higher than those determined by experiments, the trends of P-1, P-2 and P-3 in the band gaps were in good agreement with the ones obtained by UV-vis and CV measurements of the polymers.

Four novel Mg(II) coordination compounds [Mg(CPA)2(H2O)4] 1, [Mg(H2O)6]·(MCPA)2 2, [Mg(DCPA)(H2O)5]·(DCPA) 3 and [Mg(TCPA)2(H2O)4]·2H2O 4 were designed by the strategy of hydrogen bonding driven self-assembly (HCPA = 2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, HMCPA = 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, HDCPA = 2,3-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and HTCPA = 2,4,6-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction demonstrated that each coordination compound had its own specific motif driven by multiple hydrogen bonding: rectangle motif (compound 1), butterfly motif (compound 2), head and tail connected double heart-rectangle motif (compound 3) and alternative one side shared hexagon-rectangle motif (compound 4). The hydrogen bonding effects (O–H⋯Cl and O–H⋯O) on thermostability of the title compounds were well proved by TG analysis. The antibacterial activity of 1–4 has been explored, and all of them showed antibacterial efficiency against colibacillus at certain concentrations. The number of chlorides in the ligands seemed to affect the efficiency of the complexes while their position had no obvious effect. In addition, all the title compounds were evaluated for plant growth regulation by using the lettuce seedling growth bioassay. The results showed that these kinds of compounds had potential to serve as natural plant growth regulators because of their higher allelopathic activity. This research firstly applied the effective microwave method to synthesize Mg(II) phenoxy carboxylic acid coordination compounds. The design strategy of hydrogen-bonding-driven self-assembly presented here gave a novel insight into the further structural prediction and biofunction achievement of Mg(II) supramolecular assemblies.

We present high-precision Fe and Mg isotopic data for the Purang ophiolite, southwestern Tibet, representing the first combined Fe and Mg isotopic study of the oceanic lithosphere hitherto. The δ56Fe and δ26Mg values of the ophiolitic peridotite, dunite and gabbro vary from −0.209 to 0.187‰ and from −0.28 to − 0.14 ‰ , respectively. The average δ56Fe of the peridotites is − 0.030 ± 0.143 ‰ (2SD, n = 17 ), a value indistinguishable from abyssal peridotites and chondrites, and lower than oceanic basalts. The average δ26Mg value of the peridotites is − 0.20 ± 0.10 ‰ , a value slightly higher than both chondrites and oceanic basalts. Correlations between δ56Fe and indices of partial melting indicate fractionation of 0.323‰ in δ56Fe between the oceanic lithospheric mantle and the overlying mafic crust during an early episode of partial melting, presumably beneath a spreading centre. Subsequent metasomatism in a supra-subduction zone caused elevated oxygen fugacity and heavy Fe isotopic compositions in the oceanic lithospheric mantle. The dunite with high Ba/La, a proxy for oxygen fugacity, and high δ56Fe values was likely formed during this process of sub-arc mantle-melt interaction. The negatively coupled Fe–Mg isotopic variations of the Purang ophiolite indicate that Mg isotope fractionation may also occur during high-temperature mantle processes. The observed isotopic variations among different lithologies in the ophiolite may satisfactorily account for the isotopic differences between arc lavas and mantle peridotites with respect to oceanic basalts, thus providing implications for crust–mantle differentiation.

Air content can greatly affect the properties of concrete, therefore, the development of high efficient air-entraining agents is important. In this work, novel phosphate-modified polymers with different aryl substitutions were synthesized and used as highly efficient air-entraining agents. The structure of polymers was characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectra. The foamability and foam stability of the different polymeric surfactants were tested in solutions. Surfactants with large steric hindrance, such as APP-6, showed superior performance of foamability and foam stability. In view of the excellent foamability properties of synthesized polymers in aqueous solution, the application of these polymers used in cement mortar as air-entraining agents were also evaluated for practical application. The surface tension, theoretical calculation and dynamic light scattering test for these polymeric surfactants were also studied. The synthetic aryl-polyether-phosphate surfactants showed higher surface activity, foamability, foam stability, and air-entraining performance compared with commercial air-entraining agent.

Traditional approaches used for transforming hydrophobic anticancer drugs into therapeutically available nanoparticles heavily rely on the noncovalent formulation of drugs within amphiphilic copolymers. However, these nanotherapies have not yet shown the expected favorable clinical outcomes in cancer patients, presumably due to their insufficient stability. To solve this dilemma, we conceive a new class of nanotherapies assembled with polymeric prodrugs that maintain pharmacological activity while substantially alleviate the drug toxicity in animals. By exploiting methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D, L-lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) as a promoiety, cabazitaxel is tethered to the terminus of the PLA fragment via a hydrolysable ester linkage. These conjugates recapitulate the self-assembly to produce colloidal stable nanotherapies. In a xenograft model of prostate cancer, this nanotherapy shows a durable inhibition of tumor progression upon the administration of a tolerable dose. Our results suggest that a hydrophobic and highly toxic drug can be rationally converted into a pharmacologically efficient and self-deliverable nanotherapy.

A facile reversed-phase microemulsion method was used to synthesize shell-core nanospheres of SiO

Yonghua Yang,1,* Jingyu Huang,2,* Nianlin Xie,3,* Hu Huang,4,* Shaogan Xu,5 Jun Cai,1 Shuai Qi6 1Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434000, Hubei Province, China; 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China; 3Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038, Shaanxi Province, China; 4Department of Oncology, 5Department of Thoracic Surgery, 6Department of Pharmacy, The 161th Hospital of PLA, Wuhan 430010, Hubei Province, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Introduction: Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4–ALK) is identified as an important pathogenic factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and could induce a stem-like phenotype in NSCLC cells. Crizotinib is commonly used for EML4–ALK+ NSCLC treatment, but its acquired resistance results in tumor recurrence. Long intergenic noncoding RNA, regulator of reprogramming (lincROR) is related to the acquisition and maintenance of self-renewal and stemness features of cancer stem cells. It has been documented that lincROR is implicated in chemoresistance. However, the correlations of lincROR and EML4–ALK in stem cell-like properties and of lincROR and crizotinib resistance in NSCLC cells are yet to be elucidated. Patients and methods: In the present study, we investigated the expression profile of lincROR in EML–ALK NSCLC tissues, and the potential role of lincROR in prognosis was then analyzed. Subsequently, its association with stem cell-like properties of EML–ALK+ NSCLC cells was determined. Furthermore, the correlation of lincROR with crizotinib and the effects of lincROR and crizotinib on cell viability of EML4–ALK+ NSCLC cells were all explored. Results: The results showed that lincROR expression was upregulated in EML4–ALK+ NSCLC tissues relative to EML4–ALK- NSCLC tissues. Low-expressed lincROR was related to a favorable prognosis of patients with EML–ALK NSCLC. lincROR overexpression could enhance the stemness features of EML–ALK+ NSCLC cells which were repressed by ALK knockdown. Conclusion: We found that lincROR expression was significantly inhibited because of the increased concentration of crizotinib in EML4–ALK+ NSCLC cells. Furthermore, lincROR overexpression increased cell viability of EML4–ALK+ NSCLC cells, which was impaired by crizotinib. Conjointly, these results suggested the important role of lincROR in EML–ALK+ NSCLC. lincROR may serve as a potential therapeutic target to overcome chemotherapy resistance in EML–ALK+ NSCLC. Keywords: EML–ALK, lincROR, stemness, crizotinib, NSCLC

With time passing by, Chinese banks have completed another year in their journey of internationalization. During this year, Chinese banks achieved outstanding performance in their overseas development, and meanwhile they encountered various challenges. In the upcoming future, the world’s economic situation will remain challenging. The US election and the Federal Reserve raising interest rate have brought uncertainties to the US economic recovery.