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Three polyoxometalate-based metal-organic frameworks were synthesized by the thermal reaction of pyridyl-Anderson polyoxometalate linker and lanthanide ions. With the help of [Ru(bpy)

Two different AIEgens are incorporated into one metallaprism, exhibiting special photoluminescence properties. Particularly, cis–trans isomeric metallaprisms provide an ideal model for the exploration of the AIE function.

Three isostructural lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) were synthesized with uncoordinated N^N site, and the Ru(N^N)3 photosensitizer was introduced via coordination link. These functionalized frameworks showed excellent performance in the photocatalytic oxidation of sulfides with good conversion and high sulfoxide selectivity.

Covalent organic polymers (COPs) are designable porous organic polymers that have attracted increasing research interest and have developed as electrode materials for supercapacitors. By using an easy synthesis method, a novel phosphazene-anthraquinone-based covalent organic polymer (HD-1) was successfully designed and synthesized through a polymerization reaction between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) and 2,6-diaminoanthraquinone (DAAQ) in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometr (EDX) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterize the structure and properties of HD-1. The specific surface was calculated as 249.2 m2 g−1. The specific capacitance of HD-1 was 125.6 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 in a 6.0 M potassium hydroxide electrolyte. After 20 000 GCD cycles, the specific capacitance retention was about 92.8% of its initial capacitance.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a family of anionic metal-oxo clusters, attracting much attention based on their unique structures and remarkable properties. POM is one type of widely used catalyst owing to their special features of excellent thermal stability, strong redox activity, and multi-electron transfer and storage properties. Cyclometalated units of Ru(N^N)3 and Ir(C^N)2(N^N) have intriguing photo physicochemical properties, such as strong photo-absorption and long excited state lifetime, thus playing an important role in photocatalysis. In the past decade, the photocatalysis system incorporating Ru (Ir)-photosensitizers and POMs received rapid development. In this review, the coupled modes of Ru (Ir)-photosensitizer and POMs were classified into four categories, and the future development was prospected as well.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have functional synthons, diverse structures and feature-rich functionality. Herein, the combination of a linear linker NH2–{MMo6}–NH2 with 4-connected tetrahedral tetrakis(4-formylphenyl)silicon building units produced three isostructural complexes M-Anderson-COFs with a 3-fold interpenetrated diamondoid network. Among them, Mn-Anderson-COF exhibited the highest catalytic activity in the photodegradation of RhB and MB in water. The addition of different scavengers demonstrated that 1O2 and H2O2 were primary reactive species to degrade the dyes. Moreover, using M-Anderson-COF as a catalyst, organic sulfides were almost completely oxidized with 100% sulfoxide/sulfone selectivity.

Three Zr(iv)-substituted polyoxometalate nanoclusters, H16(H2dap)4[{Zr2(OH)2(α-SiW10O38)}2{Zr2(OH)2(β-SiW10O38)}2]·8H2O (1, dap = 1,3-diaminopropane), H17Na9[(Zr2(OH)2)2(Zr2BO(OH)4)2(β-SiW10O38)4]·50H2O (2) and H20Na8[(Zr2BO(OH)4)2(Zr2B2O2(OH)5)2(β-SiW10O38)4]·40H2O (3), were made by a hydrothermal reaction of trivacant [A-α-SiW9O34]10-, Zr4+ ions, and H3BO3 under different alkaline conditions. Single-crystal X-ray structure analysis revealed that they are ring-shaped polyoxotungstate aggregates built by Zr2(OH)2 ({Zr2}) clusters and two types of dilacunary α-/β-SiW10O38 ({α-/β-SiW10}) fragments for 1, {Zr2}, {β-SiW10}, and Zr2BO(OH)4 ({Zr2B}) clusters for 2, and {β-SiW10}, {Zr2B}, and Zr2B2O2(OH)5 ({Zr2B2}) clusters for 3, respectively, showing that the Zr-B-O clusters, {Zr2B} and {Zr2B2}, have been introduced to the lacunary sites of polyoxometalates for the first time. The electrochemistry and electrocatalytic properties of 2 were studied, and it exhibited effective catalytic activities for the reduction of H2O2, NO2-, and BrO3-. Moreover, the catalysis of 2 for the oxidation reactions of various thioethers was investigated, and it was found that 2 possessed high conversion and remarkable selectivity.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the integration of transplanted choroidal plexus epithelial cells with oxygen glucose deprived (OGD) organotypic spinal cord slices. Organotypic spinal cord slices were normally cultured for 14 days, then were OGD for 60 min. They were divided into transplantation group and non-transplantation group. The choroidal plexus epithelial cells, which were cultured for 6–7 days, were labeled by 1,1’-dioctadecyl-3,3,3’,3’-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanineperchlorate(CM-Dil), and were identified by transthyretin (TTR) in immunocytochemistry. They were adjusted to the density of 0.5–1×107/ml. 2µl cells suspension were transplanted into OGD spinal cord slices in transplantation group. Subsequently, the slices were normally cultured for 3 days (NT 3 d group), 7 days (NT 7 d group) and 14 days (NT 14 d group) respectively. Accordingly, in non-transplantation group, 2µl basal medium was dripped to the OGD organotypic spinal cord slices, then the slices were normally cultured for 3 days (N 3 d group), 7 days (N 7 d group) and 14 days (N 14 d group). After 3 days and 7 days of transplantation, the level of LDH in the culture medium was tested by Elisa, and the ratio of caspase 3 active/ caspase 3 was tested by western blotting. After 14 days of transplantation, the differentiations into neurons and astrocytes, and the synapses were identified by immunofluorescence histochemistry. At the same time, the ratios of cell differentiations and synapses in new system, and the changes of MAPK signaling pathway were tested by western blotting. Our result shows that the choroidal plexus epithelial cells were well labeled by CM-Dil and were immune-stained by TTR in immunocytochemistry. The transplantation cells could differentiate into neurons and astrocytes, and there were some synaptophysin positive vesicles between transplantation cells and OGD organotypic spinal cord slices. The level of LDH and the ratio of caspase 3 active/ caspase 3 in the NT 7 d group was significantly lower than which in the N 7 d group (P

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition. Splenectomy may play a protective role in the development of SCI. However, little is known about whether the timing of splenectomy affects the outcome after SCI. Investigation into splenectomy after SCI would provide insight into how the timing can be selected following SCI to improve neurologic outcomes. Rats were randomized into a sham group, a nonsplenectomized group (NonSPX), four splenectomized groups with the surgery performed immediately, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after SCI (SPX0, SPX6, SPX12, and SPX24, respectively). Rats were subjected to severe contusive SCI at the level of the third thoracic vertebra. At different time points following SCI, Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score was used to assess the recovery of injury. The animals in each group were randomly selected for tissue collection at days 3, 14, and 28 after surgery. Then, immunohistochemistry of immunologic cells was performed and inflammatory mediators were determined. Our study showed that splenectomy within 6 h after SCI improved BBB scores as compared with splenectomy more than 12 h after SCI, and decrease the immune cell responses to SCI. Protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were significantly elevated in nonsplenectomized group compared with sham group. No difference was observed in IL-10 at the lesion site between splenectomized and nonsplenectomized groups at 3 d post-SCI. The study demonstrates that splenectomy within 6 h after SCI would lessen the development of SCI and improve outcome.

A series of triangular metallaprisms with a kinetically inert Pt-N bond have been synthesized from the stepwise assembly of a Pt-corner, linear linker 4,4'-bipy (4,4'-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine) and triangular ligand [tpb or tpt, tpb = tris(4-pyridyl)benzene, tpt = tris(4-pyridyl)triazine]. The use of an unsymmetrical [Pt(HL)]-corner (H

Spinal cord injury (SCI) involves both primary and secondary damages. After the phase of primary injury, a series of inflammatory responses initiate, which belong to the secondary injury. There has been little investigation into the cellular inflammatory response of the spleen to SCI. To disclose the impact of SCI on the spleen, we examined the inflammatory reactions of the spleen during the acute phase of SCI in rat. Adult rats were used as experimental animals and divided into un-injured, sham, and SCI groups (n = 36). Contusion injuries were produced at the T3 vertebral level. Spinal cords were harvested 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 120 h, and 168 h after surgery and were prepared for immunohistochemistry. Spleen wet weight was measured. Blood and spleens were prepared for quantitative analyses. The spleen index was significantly decreased in the SCI groups. Immunohistochemical results showed an increase of the infiltrating cells in the spinal cord tissues from SCI rats at all time points, peaking in 72 h post injury. In the blood, T and B lymphocytes significantly decreased in the SCI group as compared with the sham group, while monocyte increased. Surprisingly, in the SCI group, neutrophil initially decreased and subsequently tended to return toward baseline levels, then remained elevated until the end of the study. Spleen analyses revealed a significant increase in monocyte and neutrophil but a minor (not statistically significant) reduction in T and B lymphocytes. Our data show that the four most prevalent inflammatory cells infiltrate the spinal cord after injury. Increased levels of inflammatory cells (monocyte and neutrophil) in the blood and spleen appear to be very sensitive to SCI. The spleen plays a critical role in the acute phase of SCI.

The purpose of this study was to review the clinical features in a cohort of Chinese patients with primary intraspinal benign tumors.This retrospective study included a consecutive series of patients with intraspinal benign lesions who received surgery between January 2014 and October 2018 at our hospital. We collected each patient's clinical data, including age, gender, presenting symptoms, the spinal level (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or sacral), and location (intramedullary or extramedullary) of the tumor.A total of 66 patients were included in this study, of whom 24 were men and 42 (63.6%) were women. The mean age was 52.5 years (range, 21-76 years). The most common symptom was sensory deficits. The most common tumor type, found in 56.1% patients, was schwannoma, followed by meningioma in 33.3% patients. The commonly performed surgery included decompression of spinal canal and excision of spinal lesions.Primary intraspinal benign tumors occur in elderly and female population and at the thoracic region. Schwannoma and meningioma are the two with higher incidence. The surgical outcome in terms of tumor excision and functional recovery is good.

As a new multifunctional organic porous polymer, COFs have attracted more and more attention. A microporous phosphazene-triazinyl based COF (HM-COF) was designed and synthesized by polymerization reaction of hexachlorocyclo-triphosphazene (HCCP) and melamine (MA) under simple and easy reaction conditions. The BET specific surface area and pore size of HM-COF are 305.7 m2∙g−1 and 12.6 A, respectively. The maximum specific capacitance of HM-COF was calculated as 145 F∙g−1 at current density of 0.5 A∙g−1, and the capacitance retention was 84.6 % of its initial capacitance after 30, 000 cycles.

This study aimed to establish a model to closely mimic spinal cord hypoxic-ischemic injury with high production and high reproducibility. Fourteen-day cultured organotypic spinal cord slices were divided into 4 groups: control (Ctrl), oxygen glucose deprived for 30min (OGD 30min), OGD 60min, and OGD 120min. The Ctrl slices were incubated with 1ml propidium iodide (PI) solution (5μg/ml) for 30min. The OGD groups were incubated with 1ml glucose-free DMEM/F12 medium and 5μl PI solution (1mg/ml) for 30min, 60min and 120min, respectively. Positive control slice was fixed by 4% paraformaldehyde for 20min. The culture medium in each group was then collected and the Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) level in the medium was tested using Multi-Analyte ELISArray kits. Structure and refraction of the spinal cord slices were observed by light microscope. Fluorescence intensity of PI was examined by fluorescence microscopy and was tested by IPP Software. Morphology of astrocytes was observed by immunofluorescence histochemistry. Caspase 3 and caspase 3 active in different groups were tested by Western blot. In the OGD groups, the refraction of spinal cord slices decreased and the structure was unclear. The changes of refraction and structure in the OGD 120min group were similar to that in the positive control slice. Astrocyte morphology changed significantly. With the increase of OGD time, processes became thick and twisted, and nuclear condensations became more apparent. Obvious changes in morphology were observed in the OGD 60min group, and normal morphology disappeared in the OGD 120min group. Fluorescence intensity of PI increased along with the extension of OGD time. The difference was significant between 30min and 60min, but not significant between 60min and 120min. The intensity at OGD 120min was close to that in the positive control. Compare with the Ctrl group, the OGD groups had significantly higher LDH levels and caspase 3 active/caspase 3 ratios. The values increased with the extension of OGD time and reached peak at 120min. The increase was significant between 30min and 60min, but not significant between 60min and 120min. Organotypic spinal cord slices cultured in glucose-free medium and anaerobic incubator could mimic hypoxia-ischemia of the spinal cord perfectly; 60min could be the best duration for OGD. This technique might be a simple and efficient method to obtain in vitro model for spinal cord hypoxic-ischemic injury in sufficient number and with high quality.

Molecular architectures containing photosensitive units respond to light, giving dramatic variations of their structure. In particular, the crystalline packing phases offer the possibility of significant advances in crystal design and the understanding of solid-state photoreactivity. In this review we mainly focus on three different photoreactivity patterns, namely the isomerization of azobenzene, open-ring↔closed-ring transformations of diarylethenes and cycloadditions of olefin pairs, as well as some examples of photoreactive crystals outside these types. Many interesting phototriggered functionalities are documented herein, such as photo-tuning of guest adsorption of azobenzene or diarylethene-based porous frameworks and crystalline organic polymers generated by photo-cycloaddition reactions taking place in the different networks.

Interlocked molecules are a type of supramolecules whose sub-components are held together not by covalent bonds but non-covalent interactions. Examples include rotaxanes, catenanes, Solomon links, ring-in-ring complexes, molecular Borromean rings, molecular knots and interlocked cages. The design and manufacture of these architectures is mainly based on self-assembly and template-directed methodologies. Inspired by the successful utilization of coordination-driven assembly in metallasupramolecular systems, the metallacyclic assembly of interlocked superstructures is developing rapidly and as such makes a fascinating topic for reviewing. In this review we will focus on the metal-directed synthesis of the different types of interlocked superstructures, as well as their functional applications.

Medical education is key for the successful development of a health system in a country.1 In China, medical education starts after high school and varies from three to six years at the undergraduate level, followed by additional years at the graduate level. In most medical universities in China, the undergraduate curriculum comprises four years of basic courses and clinical sciences, followed by one year of a clinical internship. The internship involves rotations in various departments; each rotation lasts for a couple of months. After graduation, most of the graduates who get jobs in hospitals or clinics will work as resident physicians for a specified period. During this period, they learn from experienced physicians, further develop their knowledge and skills, and get familiar with the working environment. This period is termed resident training. Medical resident training is internationally recognized as a continuing medical education process, aiming to cultivate the ability of novice physicians to work independently. Training of the residents is thus crucial to the quality and development of medical services.2-4 In China, the resident training program has experienced necessary changes in the past few decades to cope with the drastic increase in people's needs of high-quality medical services as well as the rapid development of medical science and technology. Given the fact that the world today is increasingly globalized and local health care resources have to address the needs of not only residents but also immigrants and visitors from other parts of the world, it is valuable to introduce medical resident training in China to an international audience. In this way, the rest of the world may develop some understanding of our situation, and at the same time, we can learn from their feedback to further improve our programs. To our knowledge, there are few articles regarding Chinese medical resident training. This article provides an overview of the development of the training programs in China with a purpose to raise attention and elicit opinions from international medical and educational professionals. Resident training in the past The emergence of medical resident training in China dates back to the early 1920s. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, one of the early medical colleges in China, set up the first residency program in China in 1921.5 However, the development of a residency program did not go off smoothly. Before the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, medical education in the country remarkably lacked due to the chaos and poverty caused by wars.6 After 1949, the medical education system was gradually taking shape. However, the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, a decade of internal turmoil, disrupted the normal function of medical institutions and resulted in essential and nationwide cease of medical education.7 A new historical era was ushered in after the end of the Cultural Revolution. In 1979, the Ministry of Health (MOH) issued the Trial Assessment of Resident Training in Hospitals Affiliated to Medical Colleges. Since then, resident training has been officially acknowledged and institutionalized. Some areas were selected for the trial of the training system. The affiliated hospitals of some medical colleges in these areas set up training programs which aimed to equip medical graduates with specialized knowledge in the field of clinical medicine. The trials were performed only in hospitals affiliated to medical colleges but not in other types of hospitals. Also, the resident training for becoming a clinical doctor was abbreviated and neglected. In 1993, MOH reorganized and issued the Trial Measures for Standardized Resident Training of Clinical Residents. Since then, all second-level grade-A hospitals and third-level hospitals set up resident training programs under the MOH guidelines. The primary objective of the programs, in this period, was to provide continuing education that turned medical graduates into qualified clinical physicians. One prominent characteristic of this period is that resident training in different hospitals varied considerably. Not every hospital provided a training program. Hospitals that ranked higher usually offered more and better training opportunities. There was not yet a unified standard for resident training and evaluation at the national level. In this situation, the continuing education of medical graduates relied largely on what hospitals they worked with. If a graduate was employed by a high-level hospital, he would be likely to receive comprehensive and organized training at the position of a resident physician, which would help significantly in his development of professional knowledge and skills. In contrast, those in hospitals where a well-organized residency program was not available would have no such chances and have to rely on the experience learned at college or through an internship. This means that graduates who had gone through the same or similar curriculum at college might develop very differently in their post-graduation professions due to the differences between the hospitals where they worked. This difference might further influence the balance in the distribution of medical resources and the quality of health service as a whole.

Background Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring is performed to examine postoperative clinical findings when a monitoring event was noted intraoperatively and to ascertain the alarm threshold for intraoperative neural damage. Methods The tibial SSEP of both lower limbs was recorded intraoperatively in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Change of SSEP amplitude as opposed to the baseline was categorized into 4 levels: decrease 60%. Postoperative neurologic function of patients was examined and compared with SSEP data. Results The baseline amplitude before incision was significantly different from the amplitude after spine exposure. An amplitude reduction of >60% during scoliosis correction procedures was observed in 6 legs, and 4 of them had postoperative deterioration in motor status. As the measure of threshold for alarm, an amplitude reduction of >50% compared with baseline resulted in more false-positive outcomes compared with amplitude attenuation of >60%. Conclusions Compared with the traditional SSEP baseline before skin incision, the baseline acquired after spine exposure results in more accurate monitoring. A >60% decrease in SSEP amplitude could be a more suitable alarm threshold.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are interesting clusters that attracted great attention due to their remarkable structures and intriguing applications. The incorporation of POMs into crystalline architectures generates functional hybrid materials because such materials combine the merits of POMs and architectures together, thus deriving special properties. In particular, the unique combination of POMs with currently popular architectures, viz. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Covalent-Organic Frameworks (COFs) and metallosupramolecules, received great development. In this review, the synthetic strategies, classification and functional properties of POM-based architectures are summarized. Moreover, the current challenges in the design, synthesis and property investigation of POM-based architectures are also discussed.

Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating disorder. After SCI, it initiates a robust immune response. Considering the spleen is one of the most important immune organs, the present study further characterizes the inflammatory cytokine profile of spleen in acute SCI. Methods Adult rats were divided into sham and SCI groups (n = 36). SCI was produced at the T3 vertebral level. The whole blood and spleen was collected at 6, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 168 h after SCI. The levels of the inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and TGF-β) in spleen and serum were measured with an ELISA kit. Results The results showed significantly elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α in spleen compared with control group levels. Inflammatory cytokine levels of spleen correlated negatively with spleen index. Conclusion It was found that inflammatory cytokines in spleen showed dynamic responses to SCI, which suggest their specificity change of spleen caused by SCI. These results suggest that a possible involvement of spleen in the initiation of the inflammatory response after SCI.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of passage and cryopreservation of choroid plexus epithelial cells on their secretion of neurotrophic factors. Choroid plexus epithelial cells were cryopreserved and thawed following primary culture or passage cultured for up to two passages. The supernatant of primary, first/second passage and cryopreserved-thawed choroid plexus epithelial cells was collected when cells reached 80-90% confluence. ELISA was used to quantify brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) levels in the cell supernatant. First passage and cryopreserved-thawed cells secreted less BDNF and CNTF compared with primary cultured cells and increased levels of these two factors compared with second passage cells, and increased levels of GDNF and NGF compared with primary cultured and second passage cells (all P

Background: The sustained compression to the spinal cord caused by muscle scars after surgery in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) models makes it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens. The present study aims to evaluate potential strategies to reduce such compression. Materials and Methods: Rat SCI models were used and divided into two groups: one with muscle layer sutured after surgery and the other not sutured. The time point of muscle scar formation was determined by hematoxylin and eosin stain. Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) was performed after the determined time point to observe the severity of compression of muscle scar against the injured spinal cord in both groups. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score (BBB score) was used to evaluate the locomotor outcomes. Results: The scar formed in the third week after the muscle was dissected. MRI in the fourth week after surgery indicated that the rats with muscle layer sutured experienced more severe compression against the spinal cord than those not sutured. The concave caused by muscle scars in the injured spinal cord tissue of the muscle layer sutured rats was more obvious than that in non-sutured ones. There were no statistically significant differences in the BBB score between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: The compression to the injured spinal cord caused by muscle scars after surgical procedures could be relieved if the muscle layer is not sutured, and this non-suturing management may makes it easy to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic regimens in rat SCI models.

A growing body of evidence suggests that hydrogen is a novel, selective antioxidant that exerts a protective effect against organ damage. The present study investigated the effect of hydrogen-rich saline on corticosteroid-induced necrosis of the femoral head in an animal model established using prednisolone. A total of 30 healthy, male, adult New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: Hydrogen-rich saline (treated with hydrogen-rich saline via intraperitoneal injection) and placebo (treated with normal saline). At the set time-points, the structure of the femoral head was examined using a microscope; the concentrations of glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxide (LPO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thrombomodulin (TM) in the plasma were measured and the microvessel density was quantified. The results showed that hydrogen-rich saline significantly decreased the levels of VEGF, TM and LPO and increased the GSH level in steroid-associated necrosis of the femoral head in the rabbit model. A significant increase in the microvessel density was observed in the hydrogen-rich saline group. Histopathological staining confirmed the results of the biochemical analysis. The present study demonstrates that hydrogen treatment may alleviate steroid-associated osteonecrosis by inhibiting oxidative stress. Hydrogen-rich saline may provide an alternative treatment for steroid-associated necrosis of the femoral head.

Four porous coordination networks have been synthesized from 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate with Cl, Br, I, and NO2 substituents whose different spatial differences are sufficient to influence the coordination mode of adjacent carboxyl moieties to unlock an inter-penetrating framework to give isostructural structures. Their size and polarity differences account for the diverging CO2 adsorption performances.

A series of trapezoidal metallacycles were synthesized by the selective combination of a rigid with a flexible arm. [2]Catenane 3 was obtained by self-assembly when the cavity size of the trapezoidal rings was optimised.

We developed a metalloligand strategy to construct porous frameworks, viz. the combined use of Ir

This study was undertaken to establish a method for the culture of organotypic spinal cord slices. A long-term organotypic spinal cord slice culture was conducted from postnatal rats. Lumbar spinal cord was isolated, and meninges were removed from the spinal cord. The spinal cord was embedded in 4% agarose, and was sectioned by vibratome into slices. Then the slices were cultured on the surface of the membrane inserts, which were placed in six-well plates containing 1 ml of growth medium at 37°C in an incubator with 5% humidified carbon dioxide. The cultured organotypic spinal cord slices were examined by light microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The organotypic spinal cord slices were fully attached to the membrane inserts after 10 days in vitro. The general change in color and transparency from whitish to transparent gray appeared at the seventh and eighth day. Under the light microscope, the outgrowth of cells from the edge of the living slices arose from the second day of the culture, and arose to peak at the sixth and seventh day. The organotypic spinal cord slices were characterized as clear, semitransparent structures with bright and good refraction until the 14th day of culture. The viability of the slices was excellent as assessed by the trypan blue exclusion method at the 28th day, and they were positive for NeuN and GFAP. This culture technique, which does not require complex operation skills, might be a simple and efficient method for obtaining organotypic spinal cord slices in sufficient number, high viability, and contamination-free from postnatal rats.

This study was designed to investigate whether fractional anisotropy (FA) contributes to study pathologic changes in SCI. Here rats were divided into a control group and three injury groups. Those in the injury groups were administered a mild, moderate, and severe contusion injury at the T10 vertebral level, respectively. Three rats were randomly selected from each group at 6, 24 and 72 h after SCI for imaging examination. Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging was FA and tractography. Once magnetic resonance was completed, blood was collected and serum levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE) and soluble protein-100β (S-100β) were determined. Then animals were sacrificed and histopathologic examination was conducted. The spinal cord in the SCI model rats produced prominent tissue damages characterized by neuronal injury in the affected regions. An obvious decrease in FA happened 24 h after SCI, and at 72 h, FA tended to be stable. There were significant differences in the serum levels of NSE and S-100β between 6 h and 24 h, respectively. FA significantly related with the serum testing results at 24 h. FA may be used as a marker for different severities of SCI. The optimal time for examination is at 24 h post-injury in rat.

Bluetooth technology is the global wireless standard enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), it was created as an open standard to allow connectivity and collaboration between disparate products and industries. In recent years, many applications of Bluetooth devices have brought great convenience to the users of electronic devices. In this article, first, the Bluetooth protocol is used to connect Bluetooth transmission kit ICETEKBLE, TMS320VC5509A and the mobile phone. Next, completed the software design By using CCS compiling environment and assembly language. Then, control light on development board by Bluetooth of mobile phone. Finally, through this research to explore the application of TMS320VC5509A in the Bluetooth transmission.

The emergence of supramolecular chemistry has led to the discovery of a rising number of macrocycles and cages with a range of functionalities. Most of these supramolecular aggregates are metal coordination networks, whereas pure organic assemblies are less developed. Organic macrocycles and cages have the advantages of chemical robustness, processability in organic solvents, and suitability for pilot-scale applications. They are constructed primarily from covalent bonds, with irreversible and reversible bond types. We herein highlight the use of different versatile bonding approaches in engineering these soft materials, as well as their emerging applications, such as gas storage, thin films, liquid crystals, and catalysis.

In contrast to conventional stepwise synthesis of molecular Borromean rings, a self-assembly synthetic method which proceeds without the aid of a template has been developed. In the formation of molecular rectangles, by adjustment of the long-arm length of the rectangles, a series of size-dependent Borromean-link frameworks were constructed. Both the shortest length of two arms and the relative proportion of the length of the long arm to that of the short arm play a key role in the formation of Borromean rings. DFT calculations were used to provide theoretical support for the formation of discrete interlocked frameworks.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the most important components of the pathogenesis of spinal cord dysfunction. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the beneficial effects of Ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1) on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury and its associated mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into the following ten groups: a sham group, an ischemia group, four reperfusion groups and four GRg1 groups. Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by balloon occlusion of the aorta for 10 minutes, followed by immediate reperfusion. In the GRg1 treatment groups, intraperitoneal injection of GRg1 was performed 30 minutes before the induction of ischemia and immediately after the completion of ischemia. The animals were then sacrificed at designated time points, namely, 6, 12, 24 or 48 h after reperfusion had started. Histopathology (H&E staining) and immunohistochemistry (Survivin, Bcl-2, AIF and TUNEL) were performed in all the groups. Spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion produced prominent tissue damage characterized by edema and neuronal injury in the affected regions. Rats in the GRg1 treatment groups showed significantly better morphological results than those in the corresponding reperfusion groups. The numbers of survivin- and Bcl-2-positive cells in the GRg1 groups were more than that in the reperfusion groups (P < 0.05), whereas the numbers of AIF- and TUNEL-positive cells were less (P < 0.05). The data obtained in this study demonstrates a considerable neuroprotective effect of GRg1 during spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion in rats. One of the underlying mechanisms is that GRg1 reduces cell apoptosis.

To evaluate computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in patients with diastematomyelia and to investigate clinical characteristics of this lesion. A retrospectively study. The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University. A total of 82 diastematomyelia cases were retrospectively studied. All the patients underwent neurological examinations as well as MRI and CT of the spine. A self-established neurological functional grading system was used, and posterior tibial nerve somatosensory cortical-evoked potential (PTNSCEP) was measured to assess the neurological status of the patients. Imaging features of symmetry of splitting, presence of septum, location of lesion and number of split segments were studied. The neurological functional grading, PTNSCEP, and imaging findings were then analyzed and compared, and the difference was considered to be significant if P-value was lower than 0.05. Neurological functional grading and latency of PTNSCEP were significantly different but related in terms of symmetry of splitting, presence of septum and location of lesion. Although no significant differences were present in the number of split segments, the severity of the neurological functional grading and PTNSCEP impairment were not related to the number of split segments. The imaging features in diastematomyelia are characteristic and relate well with the clinical manifestations according to neurological functional grading and PTNSCEP measurement, except the number of split segments.

Choroid plexus epithelial cells secrete numerous biologically active neurotrophic factors, which may be beneficial to the transplantation site. Encapsulated cells are often used in tissue transplantation. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of encapsulation on the secretory function of choroid plexus epithelial cells. Neonatal rat choroid plexus epithelial cells were primarily cultured. After 9 days of culture, the cells were distributed into two groups, and one group of cells was encapsulated in vitro. The initial culture conditions such as cell numbers and medium volumes were the same. Supernatants in the free and encapsulated choroid plexus epithelial cells were collected at the time points of day 1 through day 7. Quantitative determination of the BDNF and GDNF levels was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess the secretory function of the cells in the two forms. Statistical analyses were performed using a Student t test. P

We suggest in this paper that the combinative use of bent tritopic carboxylate, linear dipyridyl and adaptable Cu2+ ion leads to a higher probability of self-penetrated polymeric networks. This assertion is supported by four structures isolated herein, among which two are self-penetrated, highlighting the potential for controlled assembly of self-penetrating networks.

Background: Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen [DS]) and Carthamus tinctorius (Honghua [HH]) are commonly used traditional Chinese medicines for activating blood and removing stasis, and they were usually used as DS-HH (Danshen-Honghua [DH]) herbal pair in clinical applications. Characterizing the antioxidant active ingredients in DH herbal pair may be helpful for understanding their curative effect on cardiovascular diseases. Objective: The objective of the study is to screen the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine (DPPH) scavenging active compounds in DH herbal pair by spectrum-effect relationship analysis. Materials and Methods: First, the water extracts of DH herbal pair with different ratios (DS: HH = 1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 1:5, 1:3, and 1:2) were prepared. Then, the clearance effects of DH herbal pair and single drugs on DPPH were compared, meanwhile, high performance liquid chromatography was applied for chemical analysis of DH extracts. Finally, DPPH scavengers in DH herbal pair were predicted and identified by spectrum-effect relationship analysis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Results: Compared with single drugs, the extracts of herbal pairs had higher clearance rate to DPPH. Eighteen potential active compounds (peaks) in the extract of DH herbal pair were predicted, and 13 of them were tentatively identified by LC-MS analysis. Furthermore, antioxidant activities of eight pure compounds from the DH herbal pair were validated by DPPH radical scavenging assay with Vitamin C as positive control drug. Among them, six compounds including danshensu, protocatechuic acid, coffee acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and salvianolic acid A were found to have high antioxidant activity. Conclusion: DH herbal pair showed strong clearance effect on DPPH, and danshensu, protocatechuic acid, coffee acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin and salvianolic acid A are the active components. Abbreviations Used: DS: Danshen, HH: Honghua, DH: Danshen-Honghua, TCMs: Traditional Chinese medicines, LC-MS: Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, DPPH: 1, 1-diphenyl-2-trinitrophenylhydrazine, VC: Vitamin C, CCA: Canonical correlation analysis.

Extraction behaviour of copper from Yunnan red soil by EDTA and citric acid were investigated. The influencing factors of EDTA and citric acid extraction were obtained. The EDTA and citric acid composite extraction for copper was also tested. The result showed that the extraction of copper for the system of low concentration citric acid (0.003 mol/L EDTA+0.05 mol/L) can reach to 64.8%, which is very close to that for thesystem of high concentration citric acid (0.003 mol/L EDTA+0.1 mol/L citric acid) (64.9%), and is high than that for 0.01 mol/L EDTA (61.1% )and 0.1 mol/L citric acid (61.2%).

The copper in plateau red soil was extracted by ultrasonic-assisted oxalic acid. Tessier fractional extraction method was used to evalute copper speciation. The result showed that the biggest extraction rate was 69%. Compared with oscillation extraction, the extraction rate of ultrasonic extraction was increased by 7.18% under the condition of 0.1 mol/L oxalic acid, 20:1 of liquid-solid ratio and 30 min of extraction time. Ultrasound could promote the oxalic acid extraction of copper from plateau red soil effectively, which could be attributed the success to the activation effect of ultrasound on bound to carbonates speciation and bound to iron and manganese speciation.

Occult intrasacral extradural cyst is a rare entity. Since little about this lesion has been reported in the literature, this study herein demonstrates by cases some of the clinical features and surgical treatment of occult intrasacral extradural cyst in children. A series of 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls aged from 4 years and 6 months to 11 years, with occult intrasacral extradural cyst were reviewed. All patients underwent neurological examinations and magnetic resonance imaging. Of these 4 patients two had urinary incontinence in daytime, one frequent micturition, and one numb in saddle area. There were no abnormal findings on physical or laboratory examination. Whole excision of the cyst and ligation of the tract between the cyst and thecal sac were performed for all the patients. No complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage and infection were found after operation. All cases made complete recovery and have been asymptomatic at follow-up. The clinical and radiological features of occult intrasacral extradural cyst are characteristic in children. Magnetic resonance imaging is the choice of investigation and surgery is curative.

Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is a rare condition seen in adults. Many interbody fusion cages have been developed for its treatment, but clinical studies of Fidji cervical cage are still scarce. A total number of five patients (four male and one female) were reviewed. The ages of the patients ranged from 40 to 60 years. All the patients underwent neurological and radiological examinations. Neurological and functional outcomes were assessed on the basis of Frankel’s grade. Three of the patients were Frankel B, and the rest two were Frankel C. Magnetic resonance imaging was also performed for the evaluation of spinal cord and intervertebral disc injury. Anterior cervical discectomy and Fidji cervical cage fusion were performed for all. The fusion status was evaluated on the basis of X-rays. After surgical intervention, the clinical symptoms improved for all the patients. The disc interspaces in all the patients achieved solid union at final follow-up. Fidji cervical cage is very efficient in achieving cervical fusion in patients with SCIWORA. There are few complications associated with the use of this cage, and the functional and neurological outcomes are satisfactory.