Solvent-Responsive Reversible and Controllable Conversion between a Polyimine Membrane and an Organic Molecule Cage.

Adaptive bionic self-correcting behavior offers an attractive property for chemical systems. Here, based on the dynamic feature of imine formation, we propose a solvent-responsive strategy for smart switching between an amorphous ionic polyimine membrane and a crystalline organic molecule cage without the addition of other building blocks. To adapt to solvent environmental constraints, the aldehyde and amine components undergo self-correction to form a polymer network or a molecular cage. Studies have shown that the amorphous film can be switched in acetonitrile to generate a discrete cage with bright birefringence under polarized light. Conversely, the membrane from the cage crystal conversion can be regained in ethanol. Such a membrane-cage interconversion can be cycled continuously at least 5 times by switching the two solvents. This work builds a bridge between the polymer network and crystalline molecules and offers prospects for smart dynamic materials.

Boost of Gas Adsorption Kinetics of Covalent Organic Frameworks via Ionic Liquid Solution Process.

Adsorption, storage, and conversion of gases (e.g., carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and iodine) are the three critical topics in the field of clean energy and environmental mediation. Exploring new methods to prepare high-performance materials to improve gas adsorption is one of the most concerning topics in recent years. In this work, an ionic liquid solution process (ILSP), which can greatly improve the adsorption kinetic performance of covalent organic framework (COF) materials for gaseous iodine, is explored. Anionic COF TpPaSO3 H is modified by amino-triazolium cation through the ILSP method, which successfully makes the iodine adsorption kinetic performance (K80% rate) of ionic liquid (IL) modified COF AC4 tirmTpPaSO3 quintuple compared with the original COF. A series of experimental characterization and theoretical calculation results show that the improvement of adsorption kinetics is benefited from the increased weak interaction between the COF and iodine, due to the local charge separation of the COF skeleton caused by the substitution of protons by the bulky cations of ILs. This ILSP strategy has competitive help for COF materials in the field of gas adsorption, separation, or conversion, and is expected to expand and improve the application of COF materials in energy and environmental science.

Butyrate induces development-dependent necrotizing enterocolitis-like intestinal epithelial injury via necroptosis.

BACKGROUND: The accumulation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from bacterial fermentation may adversely affect the under-developed gut as observed in premature newborns at risk for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This study explores the mechanism by which specific SCFA fermentation products may injure the premature newborn intestine mucosa leading to NEC-like intestinal cell injury. METHODS: Intraluminal injections of sodium butyrate were administered to 14- and 28-day-old mice, whose small intestine and stool were harvested for analysis. Human intestinal epithelial stem cells (hIESCs) and differentiated enterocytes from preterm and term infants were treated with sodium butyrate at varying concentrations. Necrosulfonamide (NSA) and necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) were used to determine the protective effects of necroptosis inhibitors on butyrate-induced cell injury. RESULTS: The more severe intestinal epithelial injury was observed in younger mice upon exposure to butyrate (p = 0.02). Enterocytes from preterm newborns demonstrated a significant increase in sensitivity to butyrate-induced cell injury compared to term newborn enterocytes (p = 0.068, hIESCs; p = 0.038, differentiated cells). NSA and Nec-1 significantly inhibited the cell death induced by butyrate. CONCLUSIONS: Butyrate induces developmental stage-dependent intestinal injury that resembles NEC. A primary mechanism of cell injury in NEC is necroptosis. Necroptosis inhibition may represent a potential preventive or therapeutic strategy for NEC. IMPACT: Butyrate induces developmental stage-dependent intestinal injury that resembles NEC. A primary mechanism of cell injury caused by butyrate in NEC is necroptosis. Necroptosis inhibitors proved effective at significantly ameliorating the enteral toxicity of butyrate and thereby suggest a novel mechanism and approach to the prevention and treatment of NEC in premature newborns.

Impacts of hydraulic conditions on microplastics biofilm development, shear stresses distribution, and microbial community structures in drinking water distribution pipes.

Both microplastic and biofilm are contamination sources in drinking water, but their integrated impacts on water quality have been rarely studied, especially in drinking water distribution pipes with complex hydraulic conditions. This study explored the impacts of hydraulic conditions (0-2 m/s) on microplastic biofilm (MP-BM) development, shear stresses distribution, and microbial community structures. The research was conducted for two weeks using a pilot test device to simulate practical water pipes. The following were the primary conclusions: (1) According to morphology analysis, clusters (>5 µm) significantly increased in the plastisphere when the flow velocity ranged from 0.55 m/s to 0.95 m/s, and average size of clusters decreased when the flow velocity ranged from 1.14 m/s to 1.40 m/s (2) Characteristics of MP-BM impact shear stress on both plastisphere and pipe wall biofilm. Shear stresses were positively correlated with flow velocity, number of MP-BM, and size of MP-BM, while negatively correlated with diameters of pipes. (3) 31 genera changed strictly and monotonously with the fluid velocity, accounting for 15.42%. Opportunistic pathogens in MP-BM such as Sediminibacterium, Curvibacter, and Flavobacterium were more sensitive to hydraulic conditions. Moreover, microplastics (<100 µm) deserve more attention to avoid human ingestion and to prevent mechanical damage and bio-chemical risks.

Association between hypomagnesemia and severity of primary hyperparathyroidism: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of hypomagnesemia in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) has been noted previously; however, the association of hypomagnesemia and severity of primary hyperparathyroidism remains unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate the association of hypomagnesemia with biochemical and clinical manifestations in patients with PHPT. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary hospital. We obtained data from 307 patients with PHPT from January 2010 through August 2020. Data on demographics, history, laboratory findings, bone densitometry findings, and clinical presentation and complications were collected and were compared in normal magnesium group vs hypomagnesemia group. RESULTS: Among the 307 patients with PHPT included in our study, 77 patients (33/102 [32.4%] males and 44/205 [21.5%] females) had hypomagnesemia. Mean hemoglobin levels in the hypomagnesemia group were significantly lower than those in the normal magnesium group in both males and females. In contrast, patients with hypomagnesemia had a higher mean serum calcium and parathyroid hormone than individuals with normal magnesium. The typical symptoms of PHPT, such as nephrolithiasis, bone pain/fractures, polyuria, or polydipsia, were more common in the hypomagnesemia group. In addition, patients with hypomagnesemia had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis, anemia, and hypercalcemic crisis. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and parathyroid hormone levels, these associations remained essentially unchanged. CONCLUSION: Biochemical and clinical evidence indicates that patients with PHPT with hypomagnesemia have more severe hyperparathyroidism than those without hypomagnesemia. In addition, PHPT patients with hypomagnesemia had a higher prevalence of osteoporosis, anemia, and hypercalcemic crisis.

Self-Assembled Biomimetic Capsules for Self-Preservation.

The inorganic semiconductor is an attractive material in sewage disposal and solar power generation. The main challenges associated with environment-sensitive semiconductors are structural degradation and deactivation caused by the unfavorable environment. Here, inspired by the pomegranate, a self-protection strategy based on the self-assembly of silver chloride (AgCl) particles is reported. The distributed photosensitive AgCl particles can be encapsulated by themselves through mixing aqueous silver nitrate and protic ionic liquids (PILs). A probable assembling mechanism is proposed based on the electrostatic potential investigation of PILs cations. The AgCl particles inside the shell maintain their morphology and structure well after 6 months light-treatment. Moreover, they exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity, same as newly prepared AgCl particles, for degradation of methyl orange (MO), neutral red (NR), bromocresol green (BG), rhodamine B (RhB), Congo red (CR), and crystal violet (CV).

Anomalous Melting Point of Multicharge Ionic Liquids: Structural, Electrostatic, and Orbital Properties of [Ln(NO3)6]3- (Ln = Ce, Pr) Anions.

Salts composed of multicharged cations/anions usually exhibit a large lattice energy and strong Coulomb force, which results in high melting points. However, an increasing number of highly charged ionic liquids exceed expectations based on conventional experience; even their melting points are much lower than those found for simple ionic liquids composed of monovalent ions. To further study this phenomenon, we studied a group of stable ionic liquids containing tricharged [Ce(NO3)6]3- and [Pr(NO3)6]3- anions. The structures for [C6mim]3[Ce(NO3)6] and [C6mim]3[Pr(NO3)6] were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction with triclinic and P1̅ space groups. The electrostatic potential density per unit ion surface and volume was proposed and calculated. Additionally, theoretical analysis based on Hirshfeld surface and charge decomposition was carried out to explore the intermolecular interaction and electronic structure of the lanthanide anions. The electrostatic and orbital properties were found to be more useful for understanding the melting points of highly charged salts compared with the sole use of lattice energy. The electrostatic potential density per unit ion surface and volume showed a linear relationship with the melting point of ionic liquids composed of monovalent to trivalent ions. These structure-melting point relationships will be beneficial for expounding new low-melting-point ionic liquids with a wide liquidus range.

The Proton Dissociation of Bio-Protic Ionic Liquids: [AAE]X Amino Acid Ionic Liquids.

[AAE]X composed of amino acid ester cations is a sort of typically "bio-based" protic ionic liquids (PILs). They possess potential Brønsted acidity due to the active hydrogens on their cations. The Brønsted acidity of [AAE]X PILs in green solvents (water and ethanol) at room temperature was systematically studied. Various frameworks of amino acid ester cations and four anions were investigated in this work from the viewpoint of structure-property relationship. Four different ways were used to study the acidity. Acid dissociation constants (pKa) of [AAE]X determined by the OIM (overlapping indicator method) were from 7.10 to 7.73 in water and from 8.54 to 9.05 in ethanol. The pKa values determined by the PTM (potential titration method) were from 7.12 to 7.82 in water. Their Hammett acidity function (H0) values (0.05 mol·L-1) were about 4.6 in water. In addition, the pKa values obtained by the DFT (proton-transfer reactions) were from 7.11 to 7.83 in water and from 8.54 to 9.34 in ethanol, respectively. The data revealed that the cationic structures of [AAE]X had little effect and the anions had no effect on the acidity of [AAE]X. At the same time, the OIM, PTM, Hammett method and DFT method were reliable for determining the acidic strength of [AAE]X in this study.

Desymmetrized Vertex Design toward a Molecular Cage with Unusual Topology.

A novel low-symmetry organic molecular cage with distinctive geometry was successfully synthesized from 5,5'-(propane-2,2-diyl)bis(2-hydroxyisophthalaldehyde) and 1,2-cyclohexanediamine building blocks, through the desymmetrized vertex design strategy. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis shows that the cage contains asymmetrical and nonplanar windows, exhibiting an unprecedented C2 symmetry and an efficient packing. The molecular cage structure was also characterized by FTIR, NMR, and MALDI-TOF. Quantum chemistry studies show that the cage structure contains rare intramolecular hydrogen-hydrogen (C-H⋅⋅⋅H-C) bonding interactions. The cage crystals exhibit high iodine vapor uptake (3.78 g g-1 ), which is among the highest for porous molecular materials. The knowledge gained in this study would open new possibilities for the design and synthesis of molecular cages with novel topologies targeting a broad range of applications.

Biocompatible Ionic Liquid Based on Curcumin as Fluorescence Probe for Detecting Benzoyl Peroxide without the Interference of H2O2.

Accurate estimation of the level of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) is of considerable significance because of its threat to humanity and environment. Several research efforts have been devoted to the detection of BPO by fluorescent method with high sensitivity and selectivity. However, it remains challenging to eliminate the interference of H2O2 due to its similar properties to BPO. In this work, the first demonstration of fluorescent and colorimetric probe for specific detection of BPO without the disturbance of H2O2 was achieved by curcumin-based ionic liquid (CIL) that possesses simple fabrication, good biocompatibility, and low cost. The fluorescence quenches and emission peak blue-shifts once the probe selectively interacts with BPO, whereas the other possible interfering agents, including H2O2, do not have this phenomenon. The probe CIL exhibits prominent sensitivity for BPO sensing and enables the detection limit at levels as ultralow as 10 nM. The local detection of BPO in practical samples is realized by visualization using a portable device derived from CIL-based liquid atomizer.

Hydrogen-Bonding-Driven Ion-Pair Formation in Protic Ionic Liquid Aqueous Solution.

Protic ionic liquids (PILs) in solution especially in water have attracted more and more attention due to their unique properties. The solvation of PILs in water is important to their properties and applications. To explore the solvation of bio-based PILs in water, acidity of 49 [AA]X amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) consisting of 7 different cations and 7 different anions was studied as a favorable probe. The pKa values for [AA]X PILs containing same cations were obtained and discussed. The acidity strength of the [AA]X PILs varies with both cation and anion which does not follow the conventional assumption that the acidity for PILs is independent of anions. The acidic discrepancy of [AA]X PILs aqueous solution is probably mediated by the formation of ion pairs according to a revised solvation model of PILs. Quantum-chemistry calculation was employed to unpuzzle anion's different effects on the acid balance of cations where cation-anion hydrogen bonds play an important role. Such difference in acidity allows us to understand the formation of solvated ion pairs. This work provides an insight into the fundamental solvation of PILs from acid perspective and their influence on acidity properties for the first time.

[Assisted reproductive technology for male patients with end-stage renal disease: A case-based discussion on strategies and ethical issues].

OBJECTIVE: To explore normalized and reasonable strategies of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under ethical supervision based on the experience with a case of ART for an ESRD male. METHODS: A male patient with ESRD successfully fathered a child through in vitro intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in our center. We performed an epidemiological analysis, reviewed the relevant literature and explored the feasibility, ethical issues and strategies of ART for male patients with ESRD. RESULTS: ESRD affected the reproductive hormone levels, sperm quality and erectile function of the patient. Considering the contradictions between the reproductive right and the uncertainty of disease prognosis of the patient and the health of the offspring and his wife, we comprehensively evaluated the physical and mental conditions of the patient, obtained the informed consent, submitted the case to the Ethics Committee of Reproductive Medicine. CONCLUSIONS: With respect to ART for ESRD patients, importance should be attached to their rights of reproduction and choice of reproductive technology. In the process of ART, the physical conditions of the patient ought to be evaluated comprehensively and rigorously, and the related ethical principles followed strictly.

Fluorescigenic Magnetofluids Based on Gadolinium, Terbium, and Dysprosium-Containing Imidazolium Salts.

Multistimuli responsive soft materials are urgently needed in many different fields, such as anticounterfeiting technology and microdroplet manipulation. Herein, the straightforward preparation of fluorescigenic magnetofluids by the introduction of the paramagnetic metal ions Gd3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+ into alkylimidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) is reported. Bright visible fluorescence was observed under UV irradiation for Tb- and Dy-containing ILs. Either pure samples or papers coated with these ILs exhibited pronounced magnetic responses. Consistent and stable structures of these salts were confirmed by systematical characterizations. Because of the competition of nitrate ligands, structural water in the precursors was eliminated easily under a vacuum. For Tb- and Dy-containing ILs, featured electronic transitions were observed and were assigned in the fluorescence spectra. The long lifetimes of these transitions were also confirmed. The field-cooling experiments showed that all of these ILs display paramagnetism at room temperature. At low temperature, small deviations from the Curie Law indicate the occurrence of antiferromagnetic coupling and spin canting in these ILs. Temperature-induced differences in magnetic properties were further verified by field-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements carried out at 5 and 300 K.

Human papillomavirus genotype distribution among HPV-positive women in Sichuan province, Southwest China.

In this hospital-based descriptive study, the genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) among HPV-infected women were investigated in 4,305 gynecological patients in Sichuan province. Females attending gynecology clinics between March 2014 and March 2015 were subjected to HPV screening after giving informed consent. Cervical scrapings were examined by cytopathology and colposcopy-directed biopsies. HPV genotyping was performed on a Luminex 200 system. Seventeen high-risk (HR) genotypes (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -53, -56, -58, -59, -66, -68, -73, and -82) and seven low-risk (LR) genotypes (HPV-6, -11, -42, -43, -61, -81, and -83) were detected. Among all HPV-positive women, 34.1% (1,467/4,305) of the cases showed abnormal cytology and biopsy, including high-grade squamous lesions (HSIL), cervical intraepithelial neoplasias of grades 2 and 3 (CIN2/CIN3), and cervical cancer (CC). HPV-16, -52, and -58 were the predominant genotypes, followed by HPV-56, -18, -59, -39, -53, -33, and -81. A total of 3,785 (87.9%) HPV positive women were found to have HR HPV infection, while 859 (20.0%) were found to have LR HPV infection. Among all patients, 79% (3,401/4,305) were infected with a single strain of HPV, 85.5% (2,907/3,401) cases of which were of the HR HPV genotype. In cervical precancerous lesions (CPLs) and CC patients, HR HPV-16, -58, -52, -33, and -18 were the predominant genotypes. Interestingly, 33 CPL patients had a single LR HPV infection with HPV-61, -11, -81, -6, -43, or -42. Furthermore, one CC patient was infected only with LR HPV-11. According to the abundant genotype diversity of HPV in Sichuan, we suggest that a large-scale epidemiological investigation should be launched, not only to understand the distribution of HPV genotype, but also to provide information needed for HPV vaccination programs and to predict the effectiveness of current vaccines in Southwest China.

PKC412 normalizes mutation-related keratin filament disruption and hepatic injury in mice by promoting keratin-myosin binding.

UNLABELLED: Keratins, among other cytoskeletal intermediate filament proteins, are mutated at a highly conserved arginine with consequent severe disease phenotypes due to disruption of keratin filament organization. We screened a kinase inhibitor library, using A549 cells that are transduced with a lentivirus keratin 18 (K18) construct, to identify compounds that normalize filament disruption due to K18 Arg90Cys mutation at the conserved arginine. High-throughput screening showed that PKC412, a multikinase inhibitor, ameliorated K18 Arg90Cys-mediated keratin filament disruption in cells and in the livers of previously described transgenic mice that overexpress K18 Arg90Cys. Furthermore, PKC412 protected cultured A549 cells that express mutant or wild-type K18 and mouse livers of the K18 Arg90Cys-overexpressing transgenic mice from Fas-induced apoptosis. Proteomic analysis of proteins that associated with keratins after exposure of K18-expressing A549 cells to PKC412 showed that nonmuscle myosin heavy chain-IIA (NMHC-IIA) partitions with the keratin fraction. The nonmuscle myosin-IIA (NM-IIA) association with keratins was confirmed by immune staining and by coimmunoprecipitation. The keratin-myosin association is myosin dephosphorylation-dependent; occurs with K8, the obligate K18 partner; is enhanced by PKC412 in cells and mouse liver; and is blocked by hyperphosphorylation conditions in cultured cells and mouse liver. Furthermore, NMHC-IIA knockdown inhibits PKC412-mediated normalization of K18 R90C filaments. CONCLUSION: The inhibitor PKC412 normalizes K18 Arg90Cys mutation-induced filament disruption and disorganization by enhancing keratin association with NM-IIA in a myosin dephosphorylation-regulated manner. Targeting of intermediate filament disorganization by compounds that alter keratin interaction with their associated proteins offers a potential novel therapeutic approach for keratin and possibly other intermediate filament protein-associated diseases.

Exosomal Long Noncoding RNAs are Differentially Expressed in the Cervicovaginal Lavage Samples of Cervical Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: As the second leading cause of cancer morbidity and death in women, cervical cancer remains an important public health problem worldwide. Novel biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity for the early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer are urgently needed. Increasing evidence shows that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are differentially expressed in cancer tissues and may serve as diagnostic markers. In multiple tumor types, exosomes harboring lncRNAs are actively released from tumor cells. In this study, we investigate the potential association of exosomal lncRNA expression with cervical cancer. METHODS: Cervicovaginal lavage specimens were collected from patients with cervical cancer and cancer-free volunteers who are HPV-positive or HPV-negative. Exosomes in these specimens were isolated by ultracentrifugation and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The exosomal lncRNAs HOTAIR, MALAT1, and MEG3 were quantified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Expression of HOTAIR, MALAT1 and MEG3 was predominantly observed in cervical cancer-derived exosomes in cervicovaginal lavage samples. The expression levels of lncRNAs were significantly different in exosomes isolated from cervical cancer patients compared to normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that lncRNAs in exosomes isolated from cervicovaginal lavage are differentially expressed in cervical cancer patients and cancer-free volunteers. Exosomal lncRNAs may have great potential to be used for the early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer, and serve as convenient and noninvasive biomarkers.

Understanding acoustic methods for cement bond logging.

Well cementation is important for oil/gas production, underground gas storage, and CO2 storage, since it isolates the reservoir layers from aquifers to increase well integrity and reduce environmental footprint. This paper analyzes wave modes of different sonic/ultrasonic methods for cement bonding evaluation. A Two dimensional finite difference method is then used to simulate the wavefield for the ultrasonic methods in the cased-hole models. Waveforms of pulse-echo method from different interfaces in a good bonded well are analyzed. Wavefield of the pitch-catch method for free casing, partial or full bonded models with ultra-low density cement are studied. Based on the studies, the modes in different methods are considered as follows: the zero-order symmetric Leaky-Lamb mode (S0) for sonic method, the first-order symmetric Leaky-Lamb mode (S1) for the pulse-echo method, and the zero-order anti-symmetric Leaky-Lamb mode (A0) for the pitch-catch method. For the sonic method, a directional transmitter in both the azimuth and axial directions can generate energy with a large incidence angle and azimuth resolution, which can effectively generate S0 and break out the azimuth limitation of the conventional sonic method. Although combination of pulse-echo and pitch-catch methods can determine the bonding condition of the third interface for the ultra-low density cement case, the pitch-catch cannot tell the fluid annulus thickness behind casing for the partial bonded cased-hole.

Keratin 8 modulates ß-cell stress responses and normoglycaemia.

Keratin intermediate filament (IF) proteins are epithelial cell cytoskeletal components that provide structural stability and protection from cell stress, among other cellular and tissue-specific functions. Numerous human diseases are associated with IF gene mutations, but the function of keratins in the endocrine pancreas and their potential significance for glycaemic control are unknown. The impact of keratins on ß-cell organisation and systemic glucose control was assessed using keratin 8 (K8) wild-type (K8(+/+)) and K8 knockout (K8(-/-)) mice. Islet ß-cell keratins were characterised under basal conditions, in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. STZ-induced diabetes incidence and islet damage was assessed in K8(+/+) and K8(-/-) mice. K8 and K18 were the predominant keratins in islet ß-cells and K8(-/-) mice expressed only remnant K18 and K7. K8 deletion resulted in lower fasting glucose levels, increased glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and decreased pancreatic insulin content. GLUT2 localisation and insulin vesicle morphology were disrupted in K8(-/-) ß-cells. The increased levels of cytoplasmic GLUT2 correlated with resistance to high-dose STZ-induced injury in K8(-/-) mice. However, K8 deletion conferred no long-term protection from STZ-induced diabetes and prolonged STZ-induced stress caused increased exocrine damage in K8(-/-) mice. ß-cell keratin upregulation occurred 2 weeks after treatments with low-dose STZ in K8(+/+) mice and in diabetic NOD mice, suggesting a role for keratins, particularly in non-acute islet stress responses. These results demonstrate previously unrecognised functions for keratins in ß-cell intracellular organisation, as well as for systemic blood glucose control under basal conditions and in diabetes-induced stress.

Donor kidney glomerular filtration rate and donor/recipient body surface area ratio influence graft function in living related kidney transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to account for the possibility that single kidney glomerular filtration rate (SKGFR) and donor/recipient (D/R) body surface area (BSA) ratio could act as cofactors for evaluating potential living related donors. METHODS: The study population included 204 cases of LKRs with a functional graft that were regularly followed up for more than 2 years. Based on SKGFR and D/R BSA ratio, the recipients were divided into six groups: group A (SKGFR < 40 mL/min, D/R BSA ratio ≤ 0.8), group B (SKGFR < 40 mL/min, 0.8 < D/R BSA ratio < 1.2), group C (SKGFR < 40 mL/min, D/R BSA ratio ≥ 1.2), group D (SKGFR ≥ 40 mL/min, D/R BSA ratio ≤ 0.8), group E (SKGFR ≥ 40 mL/min, 0.8 < D/R BSA ratio < 1.2), and group F (SKGFR ≥ 40 mL/min, D/R BSA ratio ≥ 1.2). The database included donor, recipient, and transplant variables. Renal function of the recipients was recorded at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-transplantation, respectively. RESULTS: The declining rate of SCr and graft eGFR in stable periods post-transplantation in group A were always worse than the other five groups, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The declining rate of SCr and graft eGFR in stable periods post-transplantation in groups C and F were always better than the other four groups, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both SKGFR and D/R BSA ratio should be considered for choosing potential living related donors. Donors with SKGFR < 40 mL/min and D/R BSA ratio ≤ 0.8 should be carefully selected. Satisfactory graft function in donors with SKGFR < 40 ml could be achieved if their D/R BSA ratio is >0.8.

Preliminary screening of 44 plant extracts for anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant activities.

In order to find new tyrosinase inhibitors and antioxidant materials, we investigated 44 plants, which were evaluated for the anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant activities. The mushroom tyrosinase inhibition assay and 2, 2-Diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay were conducted to evaluate these activities. Among all tested plant extracts, Morus alba L. (positive control), Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms.) H. Ohba, Momordica charantia L., Cuminum cyminum L. et al. exhibit higher tyrosinase inhibition. Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms.) H. Ohba, Rosa rugosa Thunb. and Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. perform the highest antioxidant activity, similar to vitamin C (the positive control). A low positive correlation is found in the DPPH radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibition assay. Considering these factors, the extracts of Rhodiola crenulata (Hook. f. et Thoms.) H. Ohba, Alpinia officinarum Hance and Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. exhibit high anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant activities and could be used in the cosmetic industry. Further studies are warranted to characterize the compounds responsible for the anti-tyrosinase and antioxidant properties of these plant extracts.