The Potential Effects of Phytoestrogens: The Role in Neuroprotection

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring non-steroidal phenolic plant compounds. Their structure is similar to 17-β-estradiol, the main female sex hormone. This review offers a concise summary of the current literature on several potential health benefits of phytoestrogens, mainly their neuroprotective effect. Phytoestrogens lower the risk of menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis, as well as cardiovascular disease. They also reduce the risk of brain disease. The effects of phytoestrogens and their derivatives on cancer are mainly due to the inhibition of estrogen synthesis and metabolism, leading to antiangiogenic, antimetastatic, and epigenetic effects. The brain controls the secretion of estrogen (hypothalamus-pituitary-gonads axis). However, it has not been unequivocally established whether estrogen therapy has a neuroprotective effect on brain function. The neuroprotective effects of phytoestrogens seem to be related to both their antioxidant properties and interaction with the estrogen receptor. The possible effects of phytoestrogens on the thyroid cause some concern; nevertheless, generally, no serious side effects have been reported, and these compounds can be recommended as health-promoting food components or supplements.     

Neuroprotective Effect and Antioxidant Potency of Fermented Cultured Wild Ginseng Root Extracts of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer in Mice

Wild ginseng has better pharmacological effects than cultivated ginseng. However, its industrialization is limited by the inability to grow wild ginseng on a large scale. Herein, we demonstrate how to optimize ginseng production through cultivation, and how to enhance the concentrations of specific ginsenosides through fermentation. In the study, we also evaluated the ability of fermented cultured wild ginseng root extract (HLJG0701-β) to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), as well as its neuroprotective effects and antioxidant activity. In in vitro tests, HLJG0701-β inhibited AChE activity and exerted neuroprotective and antioxidant effects (showing increased catalyst activity but decreased reactive oxygen species concentration). In in vivo tests, after HLJG0701-β was orally administered at doses of 0, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg in an animal model of memory impairment, behavioral evaluation (Morris water maze test and Y-maze task test) was performed. The levels of AChE, acetylcholine (ACh), blood catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissues were measured. The results showed that HLJG0701-β produced the best results at a dose of 250 mg/kg or more. The neuroprotective mechanism of HLJG0701-β was determined to involve the inhibition of AChE activity and a decrease in oxidative stress. In summary, both in vitro and in vivo tests confirmed that HJG0701-β administration can lead to memory improvement.     

Microwave-assisted Catalyzed Synthesis and In vitro Bioactivity Evaluation of Benzimidazoles Bearing Phenolic Hydroxyl

An efficient and facile method was introduced for the synthesis of benzimidazoles in this paper. The optimum reaction conditions were determined. A series of benzimidazoles bearing phenolic hydroxyl(2a-2t) were synthesized in moderate to excellent yields starting from differently substituted hydroxyl benzaldehyde and 4-position substituted o-phenylenediamine via nucleophilic addition in the presence of catalyst Na₂S₂O₅ under microwave irradiation condition. Herein, effects of the catalyst, molar ratio of reactants, reaction temperature and solvent were investigated. The optimal reaction condition was determined. The effect of DMF and EtOH solvent on the reaction was compared. The synthesized compounds were characterized by FTIR, HRMS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Further, the bacteriostatic activities of the synthesized compounds were evaluated with ciprofloxacin and itraconazole as a positive control, respectively. Compounds 2b, 2n, 2q and 2r exhi-bited some antibacterial activity. The lowest MIC of antibacterial activity of compound 2b was 32 μg/mL. Meanwhile, the luminescence property of compound 2b was studied. The antibacterial activity of compound 2b, along with their good fluorescence performance highlighted the potential of these compounds as lead structures and owned fluorescence trace for further study towards the development of novel drugs and functional mechanisms in living organisms.     

Built-in piezoelectric field improved photocatalytic performance of nanoflower-like Bi2WO6 using low-power white LEDs

Photocatalysis technology has been proved to be a potential strategy for removal of organic dyes, however high-power light sources are generally necessary to initiate photocatalytic reaction. In this work, we employed an excellent photocatalyst of Bi₂WO₆ with visible light harvest and meanwhile an intrinsic ferroelectricity, which realized the efficient degradation of organic dye via the synergetic photopiezocatalysis. Through coupling the illumination by a low-power (9 W) LED and the ultrasonic vibration (120 W) by an ultrasonic cleaner, the nanoflower-like Bi₂WO₆ composed of ultrathin nanosheets showed a much more enhanced photopiezocatalysis performance for purification of organic dye than the individual photocatalysis and piezocatalysis. Furthermore, the high mineralization efficiency and the good durability of the Bi₂WO₆ catalyst were demonstrated. The possible mechanism of photopiezocatalysis was finally proposed, where the ultrasound-induced piezoelectric field in Bi₂WO₆ drove photo-generated electrons and holes to diffuse along opposite directions, consequently promoting the separation efficiency of charge carriers. This work indicates that the synergetic photopiezocatalysis by coupling irradiation and ultrasonic vibration is a promising strategy to purify organic pollutants in wastewater.     

高中化学“次氯酸盐的性质”的项目式教学*——84消毒液的使用指南

以“84消毒液的使用指南”为主题,开展高中化学“次氯酸盐的性质”的教学。学生通过完成“一张图说清消毒剂”“探究84消毒液的漂白效果与酸碱性的关系”“探究84消毒液的漂白效果与光照的关系”“探究84消毒液的漂白效果与温度的关系”“84消毒液与酒精混合会有氯气吗”等5个项目任务,理解了次氯酸盐的性质及漂白原理,培养了学生的文献检索能力、实验探究能力以及发展了学生的高阶思维能力。将文献查阅与学生实验相结合,让学生在真实问题的解决中,完成次氯酸盐的性质等相关知识的内化,是顺利完成本项目教学的关键。     

基于认识化学正向价值的教学实践——以“二氧化碳*”为例

模拟大型科普求真类节目《是真的吗？》创设学习氛围;通过基于生活生产实际的“日常灭火可否用N₂代替CO₂”“深海捕获CO₂可否调控温室效应”“石油采矿业中,向油井下注射1吨CO₂可否增产原油3~5吨”“用石灰水可否保鲜鸡蛋”等4个核心问题及3个真假难辨的小问题,引导学生从化学的正向视角深刻认识二氧化碳的性质;利用移动磁贴板设计板书,引导学生经历并建构结构化知识体系。     

气相色谱-质谱法检测益智药材中16种多环芳烃

建立了气相色谱-质谱联用技术同时测定益智药材中16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的分析方法。最佳萃取条件为：取样品2.0 g,加入同位素内标后用无水乙醇、水混合溶解,以10 mL正己烷提取;提取液先过Florisil柱固相萃取,经氢氧化钾-乙醇溶液皂化,多环芳烃分子印迹柱固相萃取后,以5 mL二氯甲烷-正己烷(1∶1,体积比)进行洗脱;采用DB-EUPAH毛细管色谱柱进行分离,内标标准曲线法定量测定。在此条件下,16种多环芳烃的线性范围为1.0~200.0 μg/L(r2 ≥ 0.992 5);检出限(S/N=3)为0.3~1.0 μg/kg;在不同浓度(1、3、10 μg/kg)基质加标条件下,苯并［c］芴(BcFL)的加标回收率为65.4%~72.8%,日内相对标准偏差(RSD,n=6)为6.0%~7.4%,日间RSD(n=6)为8.5%;其他15种多环芳烃的加标回收率为89.3%~116%,日内RSD(n=6)为0.10%~6.1%,日间RSD(n=6)为1.2%~7.5%。该方法的前处理净化效果好、灵敏度高、准确度高,适用于益智药材中16种多环芳烃的定量检测。     

MXene-碳黑/硫复合材料在锂硫电池一体式电极的研究

锂硫电池的实际能量密度不高和多硫化物（LiPSs）的穿梭效应等问题严重影响了该电池的实际应用。本文通过将二维的Ti₃C₂T_x Mxene纳米片与碳黑/硫（CB/S）材料进行混合,制备了Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S正极材料并将其涂覆在商业隔膜（PP）上,最终获得了Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S-PP一体式电极并用于锂硫电池。利用Ti₃C₂T_x纳米片对CB/S进行修饰,不仅能提高活性物质硫的导电性,还能对扩散的LiPSs进行物理阻挡和化学吸附。而一体式电极的设计有利于提高电池的能量密度。恒流充放电测试结果表明,Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S-PP电极在0.1 C电流下的初始放电容量为1028.8 mAh·g^-1,高于不含Ti₃C₂T_x的CB/S-PP电极的896.8 mAh·g^-1。Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S-PP电极还展示出了比基于传统铝箔集流体的Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S-Al电极更好的循环稳定性,前者在0.5 C下400圈长循环测试中的每圈衰减率为0.072%,而后者则为更高的0.10%。本文利用Ti₃C₂T_x-CB/S构建一体式电极的策略为实现高性能和高能量密度的锂硫电池提供了新的研究方向。     

Preparation of modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes as a reinforcement for epoxy shape‐memory polymer composites

Effectively improving the mechanical properties and thermal resistance of epoxy shape‐memory polymers (ESMPs) without affecting their shape‐memory performance is necessary to expand these polymers in practical applications. In this article, modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared and used as efficient reinforcement for enhancing the comprehensive properties of ESMPs. Increases of nearly 289% to 444% for impact strength and 112% to 184% for tensile force were obtained by adding only 0.1 to 1 wt% epoxy‐modified MWCNTs. The addition of unmodified and carboxyl‐modified MWCNTs was also investigated but showed less impact on the mechanical properties of the ESMPs than epoxy‐modified MWCNTs. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) showed that less than 1 wt% modified MWCNTs can enhance the heat resistance of ESMPs greatly. Although the shape recovery time for composite materials increased upon adding the MWCNTs, the entire recovery time was still less than 1 minute, and the shape recovery rate was relatively high, nearly 100%.     

1,3,5-Triaza-7-Phosphaadamantane (PTA) as a 31P NMR Probe for Organometallic Transition Metal Complexes in Solution

Due to the rigid structure of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA), its ³¹P chemical shift solely depends on non-covalent interactions in which the molecule is involved. The maximum range of change caused by the most common of these, hydrogen bonding, is only 6 ppm, because the active site is one of the PTA nitrogen atoms. In contrast, when the PTA phosphorus atom is coordinated to a metal, the range of change exceeds 100 ppm. This feature can be used to support or reject specific structural models of organometallic transition metal complexes in solution by comparing the experimental and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculated values of this ³¹P chemical shift. This approach has been tested on a variety of the metals of groups 8–12 and molecular structures. General recommendations for appropriate basis sets are reported.