Negative-pressure wound therapy induces endothelial progenitor cell mobilization in diabetic patients with foot infection or skin defects

Non healing chronic wounds are difficult to treat in patients with diabetes and can result in severe medical problems for these patients and for society. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been adopted to treat intractable chronic wounds and has been reported to be effective. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of this treatment have not been elucidated. To assess the vasculogenic effect of NPWT, we evaluated the systemic mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) during NPWT. Twenty-two of 29 consecutive patients who presented at the clinic of Seoul National Universty Hospital between December 2009 and November 2010 who underwent NPWT for diabetic foot infections or skin ulcers were included in this study. Peripheral blood samples were taken before NPWT (pre-NPWT) and 7–14 days after the initiation of NPWT (during-NPWT). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that the number of cells in EPC-enriched fractions increased after NPWT, and the numbers of EPC colony forming units (CFUs) significantly increased during NPWT. We believe that NPWT is useful for treating patients with diabetic foot infections and skin ulcers, especially when these conditions are accompanied by peripheral arterial insufficiency. The systemic mobilization of EPCs during NPWT may be a mechanism for healing intractable wounds in diabetic patients with foot infections or skin defects via the formation of increased granulation tissue with numerous small blood vessels.     

Characterizing affinity epitopes between prion protein and β-amyloid using an epitope mapping immunoassay

Cellular prion protein, a membrane protein, is expressed in all mammals. Prion protein is also found in human blood as an anchorless protein, and this protein form is one of the many potential sources of misfolded prion protein replication during transmission. Many studies have suggested that β-amyloid_1–42 oligomer causes neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer''s disease, which is mediated by the prion protein that acts as a receptor and regulates the hippocampal potentiation. The prevention of the binding of these proteins has been proposed as a possible preventative treatment for Alzheimer''s disease; therefore, a greater understanding of the binding hot-spots between the two molecules is necessary. In this study, the epitope mapping immunoassay was employed to characterize binding epitopes within the prion protein and complementary epitopes in β-amyloid. Residues 23–39 and 93–119 in the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42, and monomers of this protein interacted with prion protein residues 93–113 and 123–166. Furthermore, β-amyloid antibodies against the C-terminus detected bound β-amyloid_1–42 at residues 23–40, 104–122 and 159–175. β-Amyloid epitopes necessary for the interaction with prion protein were not determined. In conclusion, charged clusters and hydrophobic regions of the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42. The 3D structure appears to be necessary for β-amyloid to interact with prion protein. In the future, these binding sites may be utilized for 3D structure modeling, as well as for the pharmaceutical intervention of Alzheimer''s disease.     

The Special Issue Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Wei-Shan Zhou(周维善)

This special issue is dedicated to the memory of thelate Professor Wei-Shan Zhou at Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry,Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

NiCF/ABS复合材料的制备及电磁屏蔽效能研究

探讨了碳纤维(CF)表面镍金属的化学镀工艺,制备了镀镍碳纤维(NiCF),采用密炼工艺制备了ABS基体复合材料,研究了CF和NiCF含量对复合材料的导电性能及电磁屏蔽效能的影响。结果表明:采用化学镀的方法在碳纤维表面镀覆了金属镍,所形成的镀层均匀致密;镀覆时间为5min时,镀镍后的碳纤维电阻率降低两个数量级;复合材料电阻率随CF、NiCF含量的增加而逐渐减小;复合材料电磁屏蔽效能随CF、NiCF含量的增加而逐渐增加,当NiCF含量为25%(wt)(约13.3vol%)时,电磁屏蔽效能最高可达51dB。     

Continuous Detection of pH‐responsive Drug Delivery System in Cells in situ by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) were coated by pH‐responsive polymer chitosan‐poly (methacrylic acid) (CS‐PMAA). This nano drug delivery system showed good application prospects and the polymer‐coated microspheres were promising site‐specific anticancer drug delivery carriers in biomedical field. A continuous detection of pH‐responsive drug delivery system in cells in situ, utilizing MSN/CS‐PMAA composite microspheres, was proposed. Two kinds of different cell lines, tumor cell line (Hela) and normal somatic cells (293T), were used to investigate the behaviours of the drug loaded system in the cells. Conclusions could be drawn from the fluorescent images obtained by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), modified drug‐loaded microspheres (MSN/CS‐PMAA) were ingested into cells more easily, the uptake of DOX@FITC‐MSN/CS‐PMAA by HeLa/293T cells were performed at pH 7.4/pH 6.8, DOX was released during the ingestion process, fluorescence intensity decreased with time because of efflux transport and photo‐bleaching. Fluoresence detection by flow cytometry was performed as comparison. The continuous fluorescent observation in situ could be widely used in the pH‐responsive releasing process of drug delivery system in the cells.     

超声波辐照和臭氧氧化协同降解废水中的结晶紫

采用超声波辐照、臭氧氧化以及超声波辐照-臭氧氧化降解废水中的结晶紫;考察了废水初始pH、超声波功率和频率、氧气流量、反应温度等因素对降解效率的影响.结果表明:超声波和臭氧对结晶紫的降解具有协同作用;当废水溶液初始质量浓度为200mg.L-1、pH为10.0时,控制超声波功率和频率分别为100 W和30kHz,氧气流量为0.4L.min-1,反应温度为25℃,反应时间为90 min,则总有机碳(TOC)的去除率可达89.2%,相应的一级反应速率常数为2.38×10-2min-1.     

Effects of Zn, Al and Ti substitution on the electrochemical properties of LiNiO2 synthesized by the combustion method

LiNi_{1 ? y} Ti _y O₂ (0.000 ≤ y ≤ 0.100) and LiNi_0.990M_0.010O2 (M = Zn, Al, and Ti) were synthesized by the combustion method. The effects of Zn, Al and Ti substitution for Ni of LiNiO₂ on the electrochemical properties of LiNiO₂ were investigated. LiNi_0.995Ti_0.005O₂ has the largest first discharge capacity (188.1 mA h/g) among the Ti-substituted samples. LiNi_0.990Ti_0.010O₂ has a relatively large first discharge capacity (185.5 mA h/g) and a relatively good cycling performance. Among LiNi_0.990M_0.010O₂ (M = Ni, Zn, Al, and Ti), LiNiO₂ has the largest discharge capacities at a rate of 0.1 C from n = 1(189.3 mA h/g) to n = 10. LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ has the lowest discharge capacities from n = 1 to n = 10, but it has the best cycling performance. LiNi_0.990Zn_0.010O₂ showed poor crystallinity, LiNi_0.990Ti_0.010O₂ showed high cation mixing, and LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ had good crystallinity and showed low cation mixing. Fewer occurrence of phase transitions and the least change of the ?dx/|dV| vs. voltage curve at the second cycle from the curve at the first cycle of LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ suggest that Al substitution stabilizes the structure and leads to a good cycling performance.     

大豆油煎炸过程理化指标与LF-NMR弛豫特性的相关性研究

在对大豆油无料/薯条煎炸过程[温度:(180±5)℃,持续36 h]中的酸价(AV)、粘度(V)、吸光值(A)及总极性化合物(TPC)含量等及低场核磁共振(LF-NMR)弛豫特性(峰起始时间T21、T22、T23、相应的峰面积比例S21、S22、S23、单组份弛豫时间T2W)变化规律研究的基础上,利用多元回归分析建立了理化指标与其LF-NMR检测结果的相关性模型,并进行验证。结果表明:大豆油的酸价、TPC含量及S21峰面积均随煎炸时间的延长而线性增大,T21、T22峰起始时间及T2W则随煎炸时间的延长而线性减小(r2>0.90),粘度、吸光值随煎炸时间的延长逐渐增加并符合二项式关系(r2>0.90),而T23峰起始时间及S22、S23与煎炸时间之间无明显规律性变化。煎炸薯条后,油样的酸价、粘度、TPC含量、吸光值及S21均较无料煎炸显著增大(P<0.05),而T21、T22峰起始时间及T2W显著缩短。多元回归分析表明,酸价及TPC含量与T2W、T21,粘度与T2W,吸光值与S21间均可建立良好的相关性模型(R2>0.93)。模型验证合理可靠,可通过油样的LF-NMR检测结果有效预测其理化指标的变化。     

Influence of insertion of a noble gas atom on halogen bonding in H2O···XCCNgF and H3N···XCCNgF (X = Cl and Br; Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe) complexes

The H₂O···XCCNgF and H₃N···XCCNgF (X = Cl and Br; Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe) complexes have been studied with quantum chemical calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level. The results show that the inserted noble gas atom has an enhancing effect on the strength of halogen bond, and this enhancement is weakened with the increase of noble gas atomic number. The methyl and Li substituents in the electron donor strengthen the halogen bond. The interaction energy increases from ?3.75 kcal/mol in H₃N–BrCCF complex to ?9.66 kcal/mol in H₂LiN–BrCCArF complex. These complexes have been analyzed with atoms in molecules, natural bond orbital, molecular electrostatic potentials, and energy decomposition calculations.