Polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid/phosphorylated chitosan hydrogel electrode highly efficient electroadsorption of low concentration uranium from uranium tailings leachate.

In order to improve the removal rate of uranium and reduce the harm of radioactive pollution, a physically crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/phosphorylated chitosan (PPP) hydrogel electrode was designed by freezing thawing method. The results show that PPP hydrogel has a good adsorption effect on uranium, and 200 mL of uranium tailings leachate is absorbed, and the treatment efficiency reaches 100 % within 15 min. PPP hydrogel can adapt to a wide range of pH conditions and exhibit excellent adsorption efficiency in the range of 3-9. At the same time, PPP hydrogel maintains an adsorption efficiency of over 85 % for 950 mg/L uranium solution. This lays the foundation for the practical application of PPP hydrogel. In addition, PPP hydrogel also exhibits good repeatability, after 7 cycles, the material still retains 95 % of its initial performance. The synergistic effect of various functional groups such as phosphate, hydroxyl, and ammonium in the material is the main mechanism of PPP's adsorption capacity for uranium. Furthermore, electrochemical adsorption method significantly enhances the adsorption performance of PPP hydrogel.

Preparation of novel polyvinyl alcohol-carbon nanotubes containing imidazolyl ionic liquid/chitosan hydrogel for highly efficient uranium extraction from seawater.

A novel polyvinyl alcohol-carbon nanotube containing an imidazolyl ionic liquid/chitosan composite hydrogel (termed CBCS) was prepared for highly selective uranium adsorption from seawater. The results show that CBCS has good adsorption properties for uranium within the pH range of 5.0-8.0. Kinetics and thermodynamics experiments show that the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of CBCS to U(VI) is 496.049 mg/g (288 K, pH = 6.0), indicating a spontaneous exothermic reaction. Mechanism analysis shows that the hydroxyl group, amino group, and CN bond on the surface of CBCS directly participate in uranium adsorption and that the dense pores on the surface of CBCS play an important role in uranium adsorption. The competitive adsorption experiment shows that CBCS has excellent uranium adsorption selectivity. In addition, CBCS exhibits good reusability. After five adsorption-desorption cycles, the uranium adsorption rate of CBCS can still reach >98 %. Hence, CBCS has excellent potential for uranium extraction from seawater.

Enhancement of CdS resistance to photocorrosion and photocatalytic removal of uranyl by complexation with N-deficient g-C3N4under aerobic conditions.

The effect of oxygen on the reduction of uranyl and photocorrosion of CdS remains a pressing issue when CdS is used as a photocatalyst for the removal of uranyl in uranium-containing wastewater. In this study, composites (CdS/PCN) were prepared by designing N-deficient g-C3N4 composite with CdS for efficient photocatalytic reduction of uranyl under aerobic condition. Meanwhile, a series of characterizations of the CdS/PCN composites were carried out by XRD, FT-IR, XPS, EDS and UV-vis. Surprisingly, the CdS/PCN not only showed very high photocatalytic reduction activity for uranyl under aerobic condition, but also the photocorrosion of CdS by oxygen and h+ was inhibited. With a starting uranium (VI) concentration of 20 ppm, the uranium (VI) removal efficiency could reach 97.33% (dark: 30 min, light: 10 min). Interestingly, the removal efficiency was better in air condition than in pure nitrogen or 30% oxygen atmosphere, i.e. a proper amount of oxygen has accelerated the reduction reaction, while excess oxygen weakened the reduction. Finally, a new mechanism of reduction of uranyl by CdS/PCN photocatalyst was given under aerobic condit ions. This work presents a novel strategy for reduction of U(VI) by photocatalysis and the inhibition of photocorrosion of photocatalysts under aerobic conditions.

Phosphorylation improved the competitive U/V adsorption on chitosan-based adsorbent containing amidoxime for rapid uranium extraction from seawater.

A novel chitosan-based porous composite adsorbent with multifunctional groups, such as phosphoric acid, amidoxime, and quaternary ammonium groups, was prepared to improve the adsorption rate and competitive uranium­vanadium adsorption of amidoxime group adsorbents. The maximum uranium adsorption capacity of PACNC was 962.226 mg g-1 at 308 K and pH = 7. The maximum adsorption rate constant of PACNC for uranium was 2.83E-2 g mg-1 min-1, which is 2.38 times that of ACNC (1.19E-2 g mg-1 min-1). Moreover, the adsorption equilibrium time was shortened from 300 (ACNC) to 50 (PACNC) min. In simulated and real seawater, the Kd and adsorption capacity of PACNC for uranium were approximately 8 and 6.62 times those for vanadium, respectively. These results suggest that phosphorylation significantly improved the competitive adsorption of uranium­vanadium and uranium adsorption rate. PACNC also exhibited good recycling performance and maintained stable adsorption capacity after five cycles. DFT calculations were used to analyze and calculate the possible co-complex structure of PACNC and uranium. The binding structure of phosphate and amidoxime is the most stable, and its synergistic effect effectively improves the competitive adsorption of uranium-vanadium of amidoxime. All the results demonstrated that PACNC has substantial application potential for uranium extraction from seawater.

Derivatives of sesquiterpenes, 2-furaldehyde, phenols, and alkaloids isolated from Taraxacum mongolicum.

Four new compounds (1-4), together with 23 known compounds (5-27), were isolated from the whole plant of Taraxacum mongolicum. Among them, one racemic mixture (4) was separated with a chiral HPLC column. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic evidence and mass spectrometry. The absolute configurations of compounds 1, 3, and 4 were determined via comparison of their calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 3 showed an inhibitory effect against aldose reductase with a 59.1% inhibition. Two known compounds (13 and 27) showed α-glucosidase inhibition of 51.5% and 56.0%, respectively.

Enhanced performance in uranium extraction by the synergistic effect of functional groups on chitosan-based adsorbent.

In this study, a novel sponge phosphoric acid functionalized porous composite adsorbent (named SPCCHC) was prepared from chitosan and chlorella hydrothermal charcoal. Kinetics and thermodynamics experiments showed that the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of SPCCHC to U(VI) is 579.27 mg/g (288 K, pH = 6.5), indicating a spontaneous exothermic reaction. SPCCHC showed good adsorption selectivity for uranium in the adsorption studies of simulated seawater and a mixed solution of uranium-vanadium. The characterization of SPCCHC before and after U(VI) adsorption proves that the introduction of the phosphate group can greatly improve the adsorption effect of the adsorbent on uranium, particularly the distribution coefficients of uranium and vanadium differ by up to 89.5 times. At the same time, SPCCHC has good recycling performance, which is expected to be used in natural seawater uranium extraction.

Gegen Qinlian Decoction Relieves Ulcerative Colitis via Adjusting Dysregulated Nrf2/ARE Signaling.

Objective: Oxidative stress has been proven to be essential in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effect of Gegen Qinlian decoction (GQ) on the Nrf2 pathway in the treatment of UC and explore the potential mechanism. Methods: The UC rat model was induced by 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) aqueous solution, and UC rats were treated with GQ orally. The effect of GQ on UC rats was recorded. Human clonal colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were employed in this study. After being stimulated with TNF-α for 2 hours, Caco-2 cells were cultured with GQ or its major components (puerarin, baicalin, berberine, and liquiritin) for 22 hours. In addition, the Nrf2 gene of Caco-2 cells was silenced and then cultured with GQ for 22 hours. The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in colonic tissues and Caco-2 cells were detected by assay kits. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Caco-2 cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expression of Nrf2 and its related target genes in colon tissues and Caco-2 cells. Results: GQ alleviated the injured colonic mucosa and activated the expression of Nrf2 in UC rats. In TNF-α stimulated Caco-2 cells and Nrf2 silenced Caco-2 cells, GQ also reversed the inhibitory effect of Nrf2. Furthermore, the major components of GQ could activate Nrf2 signaling in TNF-α stimulated cells as well. Moreover, the contents of SOD, GSH, MDA, and ROS were restored to normal after treatment with GQ or its major components. Among these components, puerarin, berberine, and liquiritin appear to have a better effect on activating Nrf2 in vitro. Overall, GQ can alleviate UC by increasing the activity of Nrf2/ARE signaling and enhancing the effect of antioxidant stress.

Berbamine reduces body weight via suppression of small GTPase Rab8a activity and activation of paraventricular hypothalamic neurons in obese mice.

Small GTPase Rab8a is involved in fat-specific protein 27 (Fsp27) mediated lipid droplet accumulation in adipocytes. By screening inhibitors of Rab8a GTPase from a natural compound library, berbamine (BBM), a marketing drug for treatment of leukopenia in China, was identified to inhibit the activity of Rab8a GTPase and block the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Animal study showed that BBM could reduce body weight, improved glucose and lipid metabolic homeostasis in high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) C57BL/6 mice and db/db mice. Additional, BBM increased energy expenditure and inhibited food intake in mice but not in lean mice. Moreover, intracerebroventricular injection (i.c.v.) of BBM inhibited feeding behavior and increased c-Fos expression in paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) of mice. Our data suggest that BBM may improve obesity through the inhibition of Rab8a GTPase activity and the activation of anorexigenic energy-sensing neuron in PVH.

Two new sesquiterpene dimers isolated from the roots of Saussurea lappa (Yunmuxiang).

Two new sesquiterpene dimers, lappadimers A and B, were isolated from the roots of Saussurea lappa (Yunmuxiang). Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods. They were found to have potential anti-inflammatory activity at 10 µM and could reduce LPS-induced NO levels in murine macrophage, with inhibitory rates of 67% and 47%, respectively.

New quinones, a sesquiterpene and phenol compounds with cytotoxic activity from the aerial parts of Morinda umbellata L.

Eight previously undescribed compounds, two quinones (1-2), one sesquiterpene (3), and five phenol compounds (4-8), including three enantiomers (6a, 7a, and 8a), along with three corresponding known enantiomers (6b-8b) were isolated from the aerial parts of Morinda umbellata L. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and experimental and calculated ECD spectra, respectively. Compound 5 was found to have weak cytotoxity, which inhibited the growth of seven human cancer cell lines (A2780, HeLa, MCF-7, BGC-823, H7420, Ketr3 and SW 1990) with IC50 values from 13.3 to 15.1 µM.

Analysis on the Effect of Different Surgical Methods on the Treatment of Senile Osteoporotic Spinal Compression Fractures and the Influencing Factors of Complications.

Osteoporotic fractures are a common type of fractures in the elderly, among which spinal compression fractures are more common. After the occurrence of fractures, due to the compression and burst of the vertebral body, this will lead to local kyphosis deformity and even affect the balance of the sagittal spine. In the past, conservative treatments were used for osteoporotic spinal compression fractures. Although it can relieve pain symptoms, it can easily lead to complications such as aggravation of osteoporosis and deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities. At present, percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) are the main clinical surgical treatments, both of which are minimally invasive surgery, short operation time, effective pain relief, and rapid postoperative recovery. Although both of them are effective, there is still controversy over the efficacy of both in the treatment of osteoporotic spinal compression fractures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of PVP and PKP in the treatment of elderly osteoporotic spinal compression fractures and to analyze the related factors that affect the occurrence of postoperative complications. The results show that both PVP and PKP can effectively improve the pain and dysfunction of elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal compression fracture, restoration of vertebral height, and correct kyphosis, but PKP has better effect and higher safety and is worth promoting. Postoperative complications of patients are related to their age, bone mineral density, use of hormones, and antiosteoporosis treatment.

Water-soluble alkaloids isolated from Portulaca oleracea L.

Fifteen new water-soluble alkaloids were obtained from the fresh herbs of Portulaca oleracea L. The structures of 15 alkaloids 1-15 were established according to spectroscopic data, and the stereoconfigurations were determined based on experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Alkaloids 1-15 were found to display good anti-inflammatory activity at 10 µM and could significantly reduce the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) levels induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

[Advances in studies on structure and pharmacological activities of natural tirucallane-type triterpenoids].

The tirucallane-type triterpenoids, composed of six isoprene units, belong to a group of tetracyclic triterpenoids. Although the naturally-derived tirucallane-type triterpenoids were found in a small amount, the kind of compounds showed various structures, which consist of apo-type, linear said-chain-type and cyclolike said-chain-type and broad bioactivities, such as cytotoxicity, anti-inflammation, antioxidation and anti-plasmin, etc. This paper summarized origins, structures and bioactivities of tirucallane-type triterpenoids in recent ten years. The future research and exploration of tirucallane-type triterpenoids were discussed and prospected.

Inhibition of IL-6 expression by lignans and other constituents isolated from Schefflera rubriflora C. J. Tseng & G. Hoo.

Schefflera rubriflora, a plant native to Yunnan Province in China, is often used to treat ailments such as neuropathic pain, tracheitis, and cough. However, the active components imparting these pharmacological effects are largely unexplored. In this study, five novel lignans and three new derivatives of benzoid or pyran were isolated from the leaves and twigs of S. rubriflora. The structures of these compounds were determined by the comprehensive analyses of the 1D and 2D NMR spectra and ESI mass spectra and a comparison of the obtained data with those of the literature data. All the compounds were tested for the inhibition of IL-6 expression. Three of the isolated compounds could inhibit the expression by 52% to 72%.

Cytotoxic quinones from the aerial parts of Morinda umbellata L.

Although Morinda umbellata L. has been used in numerous folk medicines, there is a lack of phytochemical studies on this plant. Sixteen undescribed quinones, namely, ten anthraquinones (umbellatas A-J), one naphthohydroquinone (umbellata K), one naphthohydroquinone dimer (umbellata L), and four dinaphthofuran quinones (umbellatas M-P), were isolated from the aerial parts of Morinda umbellata L. (Rubiaceae). The structures of all the isolated quinones were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods. Four of the unknown quinones (umbellatas A, H, K and M) showed potent cytotoxic effects against A431, A2780, NCI-H460, HCT116, HepG2, and MCF-7 human cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 1.3-7.1 µM. These results reveal potential lead compounds for the development of new anticancer agents.

Anti-inflammatory terpenes from Schefflera rubriflora C. J. Tseng & G. Hoo with their TNF-α and IL-6 inhibitory activities.

The 95% ethanol extract and its EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions obtained from the leaves and twigs of Schefflera rubriflora C. J. Tseng & G. Hoo showed significant inhibitory activities (33.6%, 35.7% and 40.6%, respectively) against croton oil-induced ear inflammation in mice. Bioactivity-guided isolation and separation gave eight previously undescribed terpenes or terpene glycosides. Structural elucidation was based on UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, MS, experimental and calculated ECD data, and Mosher's method. To identify anti-inflammatory components from the extract, all the compounds were evaluated for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukine-6 (IL-6) inhibitory activities. Four undescribed compounds inhibited mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 with IC50 values of 15.3-52.4 µM.

[Constituents isolated from n-butanol extract of leaves of Moringa oleifera].

Seventeen compounds were isolated from n-butanol extract of the leaves of Moringa oleifera, using column chromatography over macroporous resin HP-20,Sephadex LH-20, and ODS. Their structures were identified as two carboline,tangutorid E(1) and tangutorid F(2); three phenolic glycosides,niazirin(3)，benzaldehyde 4-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside(4) and 4-O-ß-D-glucopyranosidebenzoic acid(5); four chlorogenic acid and derivatives,4-caffeoylquinic acid(6),methyl 4-caffeoylquinate(7),caffeoylquinic acid(8) and methyl caffeoylquinate(9); two nucleosids,uridine(10) and adenosine(11); one flavone,quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside(12); five other types of compounds,phthalimidineacetic acid(13),3-pyridinecarboxamide(14),3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid(15),5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid(16) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde(17) by the spectral data of ¹H, ¹³C-NMR and MS. Among them,compounds 1-2,7,9-10,16 and 17 were isolated from M. oleifera for the first time.

Time-dependent effects of olanzapine treatment on the expression of histidine decarboxylase, H1 and H3 receptor in the rat brain: The roles in olanzapine-induced obesity.

Antipsychotic treatment, particularly olanzapine and clozapine, induces severe obesity. The Histamine H1 receptor is considered to be an important contributor to olanzapine-induced obesity, however how olanzapine modulates the histaminergic system is not sufficiently understood. This study examined the effect of olanzapine on key molecules of the histaminergic system, including histidine decarboxylase (HDC), H1 receptor (H1R) and H3 receptor (H3R), in the brain at different stages of olanzapine-induced obesity. During short-term treatment (8-day), olanzapine increased hypothalamic HDC mRNA expression and H1R binding in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), without changing H3R binding density. HDC mRNA and Arc H1R binding were positively correlated with increased food intake, feeding efficiency and weight gain. When the treatment was extended to 16 and 36 days, H1R binding was increased not only in the hypothalamic Arc and VMH but also in the brainstem dorsal vagal complex (DVC). The H1R bindings in the Arc, VMH and DVC were positively correlated with weight gain induced by olanzapine treatment. However, the expression of HDC and H3R mRNA was not increased. These results suggest that olanzapine time-dependently modulates histamine neurotransmission, which suggested the different neuronal mechanisms underlying different stages of weight gain development. Treatment targeting the H1R may be effective for both short- and long-term olanzapine-induced weight gain.

Phenolic Acid Profiling, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities, and miRNA Regulation in the Polyphenols of 16 Blueberry Samples from China.

To investigate the anti-atherosclerosis related mechanism of blueberries, the phenolic acids (PAs) content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as the microRNA (miRNA) regulation of polyphenol fractions in blueberry samples from China were studied. Sixteen batches of blueberries including 14 commercialized cultivars (Reka, Patriot, Brigitta, Bluecrop, Berkeley, Duke, Darrow, Northland, Northblue, Northcountry, Bluesource, Southgood, O'Neal, and Misty) were used in this study. Seven PAs in the polyphenol fractions from 16 blueberry samples in China were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS²). The antioxidant activities of blueberry polyphenols were tested by (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH]) assay. The anti-inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) activities of the polyphenol fractions of the blueberries were investigated by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. The correlation analysis showed that the antioxidant (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH]) and anti-inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α] and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) activities of the polyphenol fractions of the blueberries were in accordance with their PA contents. Although the polyphenol-enriched fractions of blueberries could inhibit the microRNAs (miRNAs) (miR-21, miR-146a, and miR-125b) to different extents, no significant contribution from the PAs was observed. The inhibition of these miRNAs could mostly be attributed to the other compounds present in the polyphenol-enriched fraction of the blueberries. This is the first study to evaluate the PAs content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and miRNA regulation of Chinese blueberries.

Five new bioactive compounds from Chenopodium ambrosioides.

Five new bioactive compounds, chenopodiumamines A-D (1-4) and chenopodiumoside A (5), were isolated from the ethanol extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by various spectroscopic means (UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR). Compounds 1-3 had moderate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.