Studies on Lyotropic Liquid‐Crystalline N‐Alkyl Chitosans in Formic Acid

A series of derivatives of chitosan – N‐alkyl(methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl) chitosans – were synthesized from completely deacetylated chitosan. The degree of substitution (from 0.15 to 0.81) of the N‐ethyl chitosan were obtained by controlling the molar ratio of the reactants. All the products showed lyotropic liquid‐crystalline properties regardless of the length of the side chains and the degree of substitution. The critical concentration (C*) of the samples were measured by both microscopy and refractometry. C* seemed not to vary with the degree of substitution (ds) in the case of a given subsitituent chain, but rose dramatically depending on the length of the substituent group as this was varied from methyl to butyl. The results were explained according to Flory's classical theory as well as experimental of X‐ray diffraction measurements.     

Resveratrol Promotes Angiogenesis in a FoxO1-Dependent Manner in Hind Limb Ischemia in Mice

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a severe form of peripheral artery diseases (PAD) and seriously endangers the health of people. Therapeutic angiogenesis represents an important treatment strategy for CLI; various methods have been applied to enhance collateral circulation. However, the current development drug therapy to promote angiogenesis is limited. Resveratrol (RSV), a polyphenol compound extracted from plants, has various properties such as anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Whether RSV exerts protective effects on CLI remains elusive. In the current study, we demonstrated that oral intake of RSV significantly improved hind limb ischemia in mice, and increased the expression of phosphorylated Forkhead box class-O1 (FoxO1). RSV treatment in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) could increase the phosphorylation of FoxO1 and its cytoplasmic re-localization to promote angiogenesis. Then we manipulated FoxO1 in HUVECs to further verify that the effect of RSV on angiogenesis is in a FoxO1-dependent manner. Furthermore, we performed metabolomics to screen the metabolic pathways altered upon RSV intervention. We found that the pathways of pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, were highly correlated with the beneficial effects of RSV on the ischemic muscle. This study provides a novel direction for the medical therapy to CLI.     

间距对图像传感器调制传递函数矩形模板接触测量的影响

为了简易、方便地测量图像传感器的调制传递函数,可以采用将模板直接投射在图像传感器上的办法来测量。实际测试中通常采用矩形模板,而且模板距离图像传感器光敏面有一定距离。从理论上分析了矩形模板和图像传感器光敏面不同间距情况下的光场分布,比较了用此光场分布函数测量图像传感器调制传递函数与采用正弦模板接触式测量法测得的调制传递函数值之间的差异。最后采用空间频率为50 mm-1的高对比矩形光栅进行了实验,测得调制传递函数为0.22,而修正后的调制传递函数值为0.18。结果表明修正后的调制传递函数值更准确,能更准确地评价图像传感器的性能。     

ChemInform Abstract: First‐Principles Prediction on the High‐Pressure Structures of Transition Metal Diborides (TMB2, TM: Sc,Ti, Y,Zr).

Two novel high‐pressure structures are predicted for the title compounds: a monoclinic structure (space group C2/m, Z = 4) for ScB₂ and YB₂ stable above 208 and 163 GPa, resp., and a tetragonal α‐ThSi₂ type structure (I4₁/amd, Z = 4) for TiB₂ which is stable above 215 GPa.     

Reply to Correspondence on “Structural Insight into the Catalytic Mechanism of the Endoperoxide Synthase FtmOx1′′

The high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of the ternary complex FtmOx1 ⋅ 2OG ⋅ fumitremorgin B and the catalytic mechanism were recently reported by us (DOI 10.1002/anie.202112063 ). In their Correspondence, Zhang, Costello, Liu et al. criticize our work in several aspects. Herein, we address these questions one by one. These structural clarifications and new computational results further support the CarC-like mechanistic model.