Enhancement in the active site exposure in a porphyrin-based PIL/graphene composite catalyst for the highly efficient conversion of CO2.

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) have gained widespread attention in recent years due to their excellent properties similar to both ionic liquids and polymers. However, their further applications are limited because abundant and flexible ions easily block nanopores in the PIL catalysts, thus blocking the active sites and ultimately leading to decreased catalytic activity. This work reports the synthesis of a PIL/graphene composite catalyst (iPOP-ZnTPy@GNFs) based on an in situ surface preparation strategy, which effectively controlled the particle size and dispersion state of ionic liquids. The iPOP-ZnTPy@GNFs exhibited a larger surface area and more exposed active sites, which intensified the catalytic activity in the CO2 cycloaddition reaction with propylene oxide with almost double the reaction rate as compared to that of iPOP-ZnTPy-2 at 100 °C and S/C = 1000. As expected, the iPOP-ZnTPy@GNF catalyst efficiently converted epoxides to cyclic carbonates at room temperature or atmospheric pressure, which can significantly reduce the process cost. In addition, iPOP-ZnTPy@GNFs exhibited excellent broad substrate scope, catalytic diversity, and remarkable reusability. The reaction mechanism of CO2 cycloaddition was studied via density functional theory calculations and was validated by experimental findings. This work provides a feasible method for improving the utilization of active sites in PILs as a highly robust catalyst for CO2 cycloaddition and can be further extended to other types of catalytic reactions in practical applications.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of primary intracranial alveolar soft-part sarcoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary intracranial alveolar soft-part sarcoma (PIASPS) is a rare malignancy. We aimed to investigate the clinical profiles and outcomes for PIASPS. CASE SUMMARY: We firstly reported five consecutive cases from our institute. Then, the cases from previous studies were pooled and analyzed to delineate the characteristics of this disease. Our cohort included two males and three females. The median age was 21-years-old (range: 8-54-years-old). All the patients received surgical treatment. Gross total resection (GTR), radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were administered in 3 patients, 4 patients, and 1 patient, respectively. After a median follow-up of 36 mo, tumor progression was noticed in 4 patients; and 3 patients died of the disease. Pooled data (n = 14) contained 5 males and 9 females with a median age of 19 years. The log-rank tests showed that GTR (P = 0.011) could prolong progression-free survival, and radiotherapy (P < 0.001) resulted in longer overall survival. CONCLUSION: Patients with PIASPS suffer from poor outcomes. Surgical treatment is the first choice, and GTR should be achieved when the tumor is feasible. Patients with PIASPS benefit from radiotherapy, which should be considered as a part of treatment therapies.

The neuroprotective effects of progesterone on traumatic brain injury: current status and future prospects.

Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in young adults. The secondary injury in traumatic brain injury consists of a complex cascade of processes that simultaneously react to the primary injury to the brain. This cascade has been the target of numerous therapeutic agents investigated over the last 30 years, but no neuroprotective treatment option is currently available that improve neurological outcome after traumatic brain injury. Progesterone has long been considered merely a female reproductive hormone. Numerous studies, however, show that progesterone has substantial pleiotropic properties as a neuroprotective agent in both animal models and humans. Here, we review the increasing evidence that progesterone can act as a neuroprotective agent to treat traumatic brain injury and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Additionally, we discuss the current progress of clinical studies on the application of progesterone in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries.

[Effects of ß-lactam antibiotics ceftriaxone on expression of glutamate in hippocampus after traumatic brain injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of ß-lactam antibiotics ceftriaxone on the levels of glutamate in hippocampus following traumatic brain injury in rat. METHODS: Rats were divided randomly into three groups:sham group; trauma group and trauma+ceftriaxone group. Rats in the later two groups were subjected to a lateral cortical impact injury caused by a free-falling object, and trauma+ceftriaxone group was treated with ceftriaxone immediately after injury. The levels of glutamate in hippocampus was determined by HPLC at 12 h after trauma; the pathological change at 24 h after trauma was examined and water content of brain tissue at 3, 12 and 24 h after trauma was measured in three groups. RESULTS: Compared with the trauma group,the water content in brain tissue (P<0.05), neuronal death in hippocampus CAl area and the levels of glutamate and aspartate in hippocampus at 12 h (P<0.05) were significantly decreased in trauma+ceftriaxone group. CONCLUSION: ß-lactam antibiotics ceftriaxone can reduce the level of brain glutamate, brain edema and neuronal death after traumatic brain injury in rat.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points on chronic fatigue syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs on chronic fatigue syndrome. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-one cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. The multiple cupping group (n = 142) were treated with multiple cupping along both sides of the spinal cord, and the acupuncture group (n = 49) were treated with acupuncture at acupoints selected according to TCM syndrome differentiation. Their therapeutic effects were assessed by clinical symptoms and Fatigue Assessment Indexes (FAI). RESULTS: The total effective rate was 97.9% in the multiple cupping group and 79.6% in the acupuncture group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01), and after treatment, there was a very significant difference between the two groups in FAI score (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs is an effective method for chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Clinical study on the therapeutic effects and mechanism of progesterone in the treatment for acute severe head injury].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of Progesterone (PG) on the patients with acute severe traumatic brain injury, and investigate it's neuroprotective mechanisms. METHODS: Fifth-six patients with acute severe traumatic head injury were divided randomly into two groups: 26 cases were treated with PG and 30 cases were control. Neurological outcome of the patients were assessed using Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), verbal and motor functions scale and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS). The serum concentrations of PG, TNF-alpha and 15-F(2t)-isoprostane were measured at day 1, 5 and 10 after trauma. RESULTS: In the two groups, There were no significant difference in the mortality, GCS of acute healing phase, GOS and verbal and motor functions at 10th days after treatment (P>0.05); After follow-up for 3 months, GOS, verbal functions and KPSin the PG treatment group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05); In addition, there was no difference of motor functions in the two groups (P>0.05). At 5th day after trauma, serum 15-F(2t)-isoprostane and TNF-alpha levels increased in the control group, but decreased at 10th day after trauma. Compared with the control group serum PG levels increased, serum 15-F(2t)-isoprostane and TNF-alpha levels reduced significantly in the PG treatment group at 5th and 10th day after injury (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: It indicated that successive early application of PG will benefit the patients with acute severe head injury by improving the recovery and reducing the disability, which may be related to its alleviating inflammatory and lipid peroxidation response.

Effects of beta-Aescin on the expression of nuclear factor-kappaB and tumor necrosis factor-alpha after traumatic brain injury in rats.

To investigate the inhibiting effect of beta-Aescin on nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) protein after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the rat brain, 62 SD rats were subjected to lateral cortical impact injury caused by a free-falling object and divided randomly into four groups: (1) sham operated (Group A); (2) injured (Group B); (3) beta-Aescin treatment (Group C); (4) pyrrolidine dithocarbamate (PDTC) treatment (Group D). Beta-Aescin was administered in Group C and PDTC treated in Group D immediately after injury. A series of brain samples were obtained directly 6 h, 24 h and 3 d respectively after trauma in four groups. NF-kappaB activation was examined by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA); the levels of TNF-alpha protein were measured by radio-immunoassay (RIA); the water content of rat brain was measured and pathomorphological observation was carried out. NF-kappaB activation, the levels of TNF-alpha protein and the water content of rat brain were significantly increased (P<0.01) following TBI in rats. Compared with Group B, NF-kappaB activation (P<0.01), the levels of TNF-alpha protein (P<0.01) and the water content of brain (P<0.05) began to decrease obviously after injury in Groups C and D. Beta-Aescin could dramatically inhibit NF-kappaB activation and the expression of TNF-alpha protein in the rat brain, alleviate rat brain edema, and that could partially be the molecular mechanism by which beta-Aescin attenuates traumatic brain edema.