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A novel azo-thiourea based anion receptor can be synthesized by coupling a bis-azoaniline motif with butyl isothiocyanate with 45% yield under mild conditions. It was found that azo-thiourea was an excellent receptor to recognize various di-carboxylate anions. It can serve as a colorimetric sensor for azelate ion and led to a significant change in the absorption spectrum. Furthermore, a reversible trans–cis isomerization of azo-thiourea induced by visible lights was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

A series of visible-light responsive photocatalysts prepared using Ag3PO4 immobilized with graphene oxide (GO) with varying GO content were obtained by an electrostatically driven method, and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was used to evaluate the performance of the photocatalysts. The composites exhibited superior photocatalytic activity and stability compared with pure Ag3PO4. When the content of GO was 5%, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP could reach 98.95%, and 55.91% of the total organic (TOC) content was removed within 60 min irradiation. Meanwhile, the efficiency of 91.77% was achieved for 2,4-DCP degradation even after four times of recycling in the photocatalysis/Ag3PO4-GO (5%) system. Reactive species of O2(˙-), OH˙ and h(+) were considered as the main participants for oxidizing 2,4-DCP, as confirmed by the free radical capture experiments. And some organic intermediates including 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), hydroquinone (HQ), benzoquinone (BZQ), 2-chlorohydroquinone and hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ) were detected by comparison with the standard retention times from the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In short, the enhanced photocatalytic property of Ag3PO4-GO was closely related to the strong absorption ability of GO relative to 2,4-DCP, the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the excellent electron capture capability of GO.

A silver nanoparticle (AgNP) with good monodispersity was produced by a convenient method for reducing of AgNO3 with N, N-dimethylacetamide in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as the surface modification agent. The shape and size of the AgNP with reaction time were taken as variables. The surface plasmon band transition was monitored with reaction mixture time at different temperatures. The AgNP crystallinity increases with the reaction time, and the reduction efficiency is very low when AgNP solution is dealt at room temperature even after two days, while it is greatly improved at 160 °C only for 25 min. AgNP modified by the as-synthesized PVP has a face-centered cubic crystalline structure, in which AgNP could develop into a spherical morphology with a very narrow size distribution of 2–11 nm. The preparation provides a new reducing agent to form AgNP with simpler operation and shorter time.

For the varied circumstances in the evaluation of complex power communication systems, this paper proposes a reliable evaluation method based on normal cloud model and fuzzy Petri net. The simulation results show that the model in this paper can effectively evaluate the system reliability when compared with the other models for the same factor.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common oral mucosal disease, yet effective therapeutic approaches are lacking. This study aimed to determine the effects of application of berberine gelatin in the treatment of minor RAS (MiRAS).A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was performed. The gelatin containing berberine (5 mg/g) or vehicle only was applied 4 times per day for 5 days. Clinical evaluation included pain level, size, erythema, and exudation of certain ulcers on days 1, 2, 4, and 6.A total of 84 subjects fulfilled the study without obvious side effects. Berberine gelatin treatment reduced the ulcer pain score compared with placebo gelatin (P0.05). Ulcer size was significantly reduced (P0.05) and lower erythema (P0.05) and exudation (P0.05) levels were associated with berberine treatment.Berberine gelatin may be a safe and effective treatment for MiRAS.

A novel cloud-point extraction (CPE) was successfully used in preconcentration of biphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solutions. Majority of BPA is extracted into the surfactant-rich phase. The parameters affecting the CPE such as concentration of surfactant and electrolyte, equilibration temperature and time and pH of sample solution were investigated. The samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Under the optimized conditions, preconcentration of 10 mL sample gives a preconcentration factor of 11. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.1 μg/L and 0.33 μg/L, respectively. The linear range of the proposed method is 0.2–20 μg/L with correlation coefficients greater than 0.998 7 and the spiking recoveries are 97.96%–100.42%. The interference factor was tested and the extraction mechanism was also investigated. Thus, the developed CPE has proven to be an efficient, green, rapid and inexpensive approach for extraction and preconcentration of BPA from water samples.

We investigated the effectiveness and safety of topical application of 5 mg allicin adhesive tablets in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous ulcerations (MiRAU).A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was performed. Tablets containing 5 mg allicin or vehicle only were consecutively applied 4 times per day for 5 days. The size and pain level of ulcers were measured and recorded on days 1, 2, 4, and 6.A total of 96 subjects with MiRAU fulfilled the study. Allicin adhesive tablets significantly reduced ulcer size (P.005, P.003, P.001 for days 2, 4, and 6, respectively) and alleviated ulcer pain score (P.03, P.001, P.05 for days 2, 4, and 6, respectively) compared with vehicle tablets. Minor and major adverse reactions were not observed.Allicin adhesive tablets were effective in reducing ulcer size and alleviating ulcer pain of the patients in the treatment of MiRAU without significant side effects.

In this paper, an ionic liquid-based aqueous two-phase system (ILATPS) was applied to the chiral separation of α-cyclohexylmandelic acid (α-CHMA) enantiomers with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) as the chiral selector. Several influencing parameters were investigated including the types and concentration of ionic liquids, the amount of phase-forming salt, temperature, mixing time, pH, and the content of HP-β-CD. The results showed that not all ILATPS had the ability to chirally recognise the selected enantiomers and that [C4mim]BF4/(NH4)2SO4-based ATPS possessed the best enantioseparation ability of the investigated ILATPSs. Under optimal conditions, the separation factor (α) attained 1.59 in a single-step extraction. ILATPS is much “greener” than other liquid-liquid extraction systems, showing its potential for application to the chiral separation.

A series of visible-light responsive photocatalysts prepared using Ag3PO4 immobilized with graphene oxide (GO) with varying GO content were obtained by an electrostatically driven method, and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) was used to evaluate the performance of the photocatalysts. The composites exhibited superior photocatalytic activity and stability compared with pure Ag3PO4. When the content of GO was 5%, the degradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP could reach 98.95%, and 55.91% of the total organic (TOC) content was removed within 60 min irradiation. Meanwhile, the efficiency of 91.77% was achieved for 2,4-DCP degradation even after four times of recycling in the photocatalysis/Ag3PO4-GO (5%) system. Reactive species of O2(˙-), OH˙ and h(+) were considered as the main participants for oxidizing 2,4-DCP, as confirmed by the free radical capture experiments. And some organic intermediates including 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), hydroquinone (HQ), benzoquinone (BZQ), 2-chlorohydroquinone and hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ) were detected by comparison with the standard retention times from the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In short, the enhanced photocatalytic property of Ag3PO4-GO was closely related to the strong absorption ability of GO relative to 2,4-DCP, the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the excellent electron capture capability of GO.

An alcohol/salt-based aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) was employed for enantioseparation of (R,S)-mandelic acid (MA) and (R,S)-α-cyclohexylmandelic acid (α-CHMA). Sulfonated β-cyclodextrin (Sf-β-CD) with different degrees of substitution (DS) was considered as the chiral selector. The ethanol/(NH4)2SO4 system showed the optimal chiral recognition ability for MA. To optimize the experimental conditions, Sf-β-CD concentration, ethanol and salt concentration, temperature, and pH were studied. The recognition ability of enantiomers was mainly dependent on the type of the chiral selector but the ethanol and (NH4)2SO4 concentrations also had significant influence on the enantiomeric recognition. The maximum values of α and ee up of 1.69 and 16.3 % were obtained, respectively, for MA under the optimal conditions. A potential application of this alcohol/salt ATPS is the scale-up of chiral separation of MA.

A two-step process has been developed for the purification of nicotine from waste tobacco using an aqueous two-phase system and solvent reverse extraction. The partitioning behavior of nicotine was investigated in an isopropyl alcohol/ (NH4)2SO4 aqueous two-phase system. The effects of the addition of salt, pH and temperature on the partitioning behavior of nicotine were studied. The recovery rate of nicotine was 96.1% with a purity of above 99% when optimal conditions were used [(NH4)2SO4 25%, pH 9, temperature 35°C, isopropyl alcohol 5 mL].

Ultrasound combined with elemental iron (US/Fe(0)) is effective in oxidizing organic contaminants in water. The sonolysis degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) was significantly enhanced by a factor of 4.2 with the addition of elemental iron, mainly via reaction with hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals), and the synergistic mechanism of the enhancement in the combined system was investigated. Experiments were performed with (1) sole ultrasonic treatment; (2) ultrasound in presence of iron; (3) ultrasound combined with copper powder as the same particle size as iron powder; (4) ultrasound in presence of Fe(II). It was observed that PCP degradation and OH radicals production were both enhanced in these combined methods, and the pitting on the sonicated iron surface was apparent. These results indicated that the rate enhancements in US/Fe(0) system were attributed to (1) the iron solid effect and the catalysis of Fe(II) produced from corroded-iron with promoting the production of OH radicals; (2) the increased surface area of iron particles by acoustic cavitation with promoting the adsorption process.

Parallel laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for the digestion of thermo-hydrolyzed sewage sludge. The average total COD (TCOD) removal rates of thermophilic, mesophilic ASBR at 10-day HRT and 5.42 kg/(m3 x d) TCOD loading rate were 56.20% and 61.66%, and the biogas production rates of TCOD in feeding sludge were 199 and 219 mL/g, respectively. ASBR has the unique capability of maintaining high-solid content and keeping a high solid retention time (SRT). The average SRT of thermophilic, mesophilic ASBR were 30 and 37d, respectively. Compared to mesophilic ASBR, thermophilic ASBR show considerably fewer microbial morphologies and lower methane-production, which might result in a relatively lower treatment efficiency in thermophilic ASBR than that in mesophilic ASBR.

To determine the effect of anterior chamber associated immune deviation (ACAID) on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) and the possible mechanism.ACAID animal model was induced by injection of 5 microl IRBP (10 microg/microl) into the anterior chamber (AC) of Spar-Dawley (SD) rats. Then 200 microg LPS was injected into hind footpads at different time points after AC inoculation. The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups: positive control (LPS injection only), 3 d group (LPS injection 3 days after IRBP inoculation), 7 d group (LPS injection 7 days after IRBP inoculation). Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) was examined to determine the development of ACAID. Then the serum level of IL-10 was evaluated by ELISA, and GATA-3 expression at the different time points after IRBP injection was assayed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot on mRNA and protein level respectively. The ocular inflammation was observed clinically; at the same time, the eye was extirpated and histological examination was performed.In control and 3 d groups, significant DTH reaction was induced, but the serum level of IL-10 could not be detected and GATA-3 expression was not increased. While in 7 d group, the DTH reaction could not be induced, and IL-10 and GATA-3 expression increased significantly at both the mRNA and protein levels. The clinical manifestation was significantly alleviated in the 7 d group; Histological examination displayed that the inflammatory cells were significantly reduced in iris/ciliary body, anterior and posterior chambers, vitreous body and retina of the rats in 7 d group.The development of ACAID can reduce the ocular inflammation induced by LPS, that is related to the increase of GATA-3 and IL-10 expression.

In the title compound, C8H7BrO3, an intra­molecular hydrogen bond exists between the hydroxyl group and the O atom of the carbonyl group. The mol­ecules are stacked along the b axis with weak π–π inter­actions.

The molecule of the title compound, C11H12N2O6, is essentially planar except for the alkyl chain, which has a non-extended conformation.

In the title compound, C10H11NO5, all bond lengths and angles show normal values. Weak inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds form centrosymmetric dimers, which are further linked by π–π inter­actions into ladders extending along the a axis.

In the title compound, C7H13NO4, there are two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. All bond lengths and angles in the mol­ecules are in normal ranges. The ψ1 and ψ2 torsion angles are 159.9 (4) and −23.4 (5)°, respectively, in the first molecule, and the ψ3 and ψ4 torsion angles 157.7 (4) and −26.7 (5)°, respectively, in the second. Each of the independent mol­ecules has a different comformation. The translationally and screw-related mol­ecules are connected by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a two-dimensional network parallel to the ac plane.