Study on backward-facing step flow and heat transfer characteristics of hybrid nanofluids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - As high heat dissipation has increasingly become the primary factor restricting the capability of electronic elements, and the high temperature of the...     

Combinatorial Therapeutic Effect of Inhibitors of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase and Mitochondrial Complex I,and the Chemotherapeutic Drug,Temozolomide against Glioblastoma Tumorspheres

Resident cancer cells with stem cell-like features induce drug tolerance, facilitating survival of glioblastoma (GBM). We previously showed that strategies targeting tumor bioenergetics present a novel emerging avenue for treatment of GBM. The objective of this study was to enhance the therapeutic effects of dual inhibition of tumor bioenergetics by combination of gossypol, an aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, and phenformin, a biguanide compound that depletes oxidative phosphorylation, with the chemotherapeutic drug, temozolomide (TMZ), to block proliferation, stemness, and invasiveness of GBM tumorspheres (TSs). Combination therapy with gossypol, phenformin, and TMZ induced a significant reduction in ATP levels, cell viability, stemness, and invasiveness compared to TMZ monotherapy and dual therapy with gossypol and phenformin. Analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed up-regulation of genes involved in programmed cell death, autophagy, and protein metabolism and down-regulation of those associated with cell metabolism, cycle, and adhesion. Combination of TMZ with dual inhibitors of tumor bioenergetics may, therefore, present an effective strategy against GBM by enhancing therapeutic effects through multiple mechanisms of action.     

Loganin Alleviates Gout Inflammation by Suppressing NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Mitochondrial Damage

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by the deposition of monosodium uric acid (MSU) crystals in tissues. The etiology of gout is directly linked to the NLRP3 inflammasome, since MSU crystals are NLRP3 inflammasome activators. Therefore, we decided to search for a small-molecule inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome for the prevention of gout inflammation. We found that loganin suppressed MSU crystals-induced caspase-1 (p20) and interleukin (IL)-1β production and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) specks formation in mouse primary macrophages, showing its ability to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome. In an air pouch inflammation model, oral administration of loganin to mice prevented MSU crystals-induced production of mature IL-1β and IL-18 in air pouch exudates, resulting in decreased neutrophil recruitment. Furthermore, oral administration of loganin suppressed MSU crystals-induced gout inflammation in a mouse foot gout model, which was accompanied by the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Loganin blocked de novo synthesis of mitochondrial DNA in air pouches and foot tissues injected with MSU crystals. Consistently, loganin prevented MSU crystals-induced mitochondrial damage in macrophages, as it increased mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased the amount of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. These data demonstrate that loganin suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by inhibiting mitochondrial stress. These results suggest a novel pharmacological strategy to prevent gout inflammation by blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

改性钛基PbO2电极的制备及其对COD的快速检测

通过制备Ti/α/β-PbO₂、Ti/Ag/β-PbO₂这两种含有不同中间层的钛基二氧化铅电极来探究电催化氧化技术快速测定葡萄糖模拟废水中有机物(COD)含量的可行性。为了评估两种电极的各项性能,首先采用扫描电镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)对电极进行形貌表征,其次进行电化学性能测试包括线性伏安曲线(LSV)、塔菲尔曲线(Tafel)、循环伏安曲线(CV)以及交流阻抗测量分析。结果表明,Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极表面晶体结构更加均匀,晶粒尺寸偏小,具有更大的电活性表面积。Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极的析氧电位为1.77 V,为·OH的产生提供良好条件。在Tafel、CV测试中,Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极的交换电流密度i₀及比电容C_p分别为0.0995 A·cm^-1、0.004098 F·cm^-1均高于Ti/Ag/β-PbO₂电极,说明Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极的耐腐蚀性以及释放电子的能力优异。最终选用Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极为工作电极。Ti/α/β-PbO₂电极检测COD的最佳条件为：氧化电位1.30 V、电解时间150 s、电解液浓度0.03 mol·L^-1 硝酸钠(NaNO₃)。电化学法与比色消解法测定COD的相关系数可达0.9909,同时具有良好的重现性与相关性,COD的检测范围为0 mg·L^-1 ~ 500 mg·L^-1。在误差允许的范围内可以替代标准的重铬酸钾法,为实现COD的在线快速检测提供参考价值。     

Selective annulation of benzamides with internal alkynes catalyzed by an electron-deficient rhodium catalyst

An electron-deficient [Cp^ERhCl₂]₂ catalyzed annulation of N-pentafluorophenylbenzamides with internal alkynes was successfully established under mild reaction conditions, with the assistance of Lewis acid silver salt. Particularly, electron-deficient benzamide substrates were smoothly transformed into the desired products in this catalytic system. The catalytic system showed a broad tolerance for different substituents on the aromatic rings or aryl, alkyl-substituted alkynes.     

Hyperterpenoids A and B: Two pairs of unprecedented 6/6/4/6/6 polycyclic cyclobutane meroterpenoids with potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities from Hypericum beanii

Hyperterpenoid A (1) and B (2), two pairs of enantiomers, with an unprecedented 6/6/4/6/6 polycyclic skeleton, along with one known compoud hypermonone A (3) were isolated from Hypericum beanii. The racemate (±)-1 and (±)-2 were successfully separated into the two optically pure enantiomers (ee ≥ 99%) using a preparative HPLC system. Their absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The related plausible biogenetic pathways were presented. Compound 1-3 showed significant neuroprotective activity and potential anti-inflammatory activity. The result that (+)-2 and (-)-2 presented different anti-inflammatory properties, may lead us to new discovery of structure activity relationship between racemates, enantiomers, and diastereomers, as well as further research regarding the binding of drugs to target proteins.     

Preparation and physicochemical properties of konjac glucomannan ibuprofen ester as a polysaccharide-drug conjugate

Abstract

A novel drug-polysaccharide conjugate with konjac glucomannan (KGM) as a drug carrier was fabricated through the esterification of ibuprofen (IBU), an anti-inflammatory drug, with KGM. The influences of the reaction conditions, such as the amount of ibuprofen acryl chloride, reaction time, reaction temperature, and the amount of catalyst, on the degree of substitution were investigated. KGM ibuprofen ester (KGM-IBU) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state ¹³C NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The hydrophobic structure of IBU in KGM-IBU was proven by the fluorescence emission spectra of pyrene. In addition, by using commercially available ibuprofen sustained-release capsules (IBU-SRC) as a control, the in vitro controlled release performance of KGM-IBU was evaluated. The cumulative release of IBU-SRC within 36?h was 94%, while that of KGM-IBU within 36?h was 77%. The results showed that KGM-IBU had better sustained-release performance without a burst release effect. The obtained products could be used as a potential biocompatible sustained-release drug delivery system.     

热处理对钙钛矿锰氧化物La_(0.95)Sr_(0.05)MnO_3离子价态和磁结构的影响

对于磁性氧化物的磁有序,传统的观点用超交换相互作用(SE)和双交换相互作用(DE)模型进行解释,其出发点都建立在全部氧离子是-2价的基础上.例如,对于LaMnO_3,认为其中的La和Mn都处于+3价,用SE模型解释相邻Mn~(3+)离子间的反铁磁序;当以二价的Sr离子替代一部分La离子后,认为等量的Mn~(3+)离子变为Mn~(4+)离子,用DE模型解释相邻Mn~(3+)和Mn~(4+)离子间的铁磁序.然而,事实上在氧化物中存在一部分负一价氧离子.Cohen[Nature 358 136]利用密度泛函理论计算了BaTiO_3的价电子态密度,结果得到只有Ba离子的化合价与传统观点相同,为+2价;而Ti和0分别为+2.89价和-1.63价,不是传统观点的+4价和-2价,但是与多年来关于氧化物电离度的研究[Rev.Mod.Phys.42 317]和X射线光电子谱(XPS)的研究结果相符合.本文经过不同热处理条件制备了名义成分为La_(0.95)Sr_(0.05)MnO_3的三个样品,通过对样品的XPS分析,发现样品中不存在Mn~(4+)离子,只存在Mn2+和Mn~(3+)离子,平均价态随热处理程序的增加而升高.尽管三个样品有相同的晶体结构,但磁矩明显不同.对于这样的性能,不能用SE和DE模型解释其磁结构.利用本课题组最近在研究尖晶石结构铁氧体磁有序过程中提出的O 2p巡游电子模型解释了这种现象,利用样品在10 K的磁矩估算出的Mn离子平均价态变化趋势与XPS分析结果一致.O 2p巡游电子模型的出发点建立在氧化物中存在一部分负一价氧离子的基础上,这是其与SE和DE模型的根本区别.     

大气环境下飞秒激光对铝靶烧蚀过程的研究

利用时间分辨的光阴影成像技术研究了在大气环境下飞秒激光烧蚀铝靶的动态过程. 在入射激光能量为4 mJ, 激光光斑超过1 mm时, 激光烧蚀区表面物质以近似平面冲击波形式向外喷射; 在同样激光能量下、激光光斑较小时(约0.6 mm), 激光烧蚀区以近似半球型冲击波形式向外喷射. 当激光能量比较大时(7 mJ), 发现空气的电离对于激光烧蚀靶材有着重要影响. 在光轴附近烧蚀产生的喷射物具有额外的柱状和半圆型的结构, 叠加在平面冲击波结构上.