Direct Evidence: Enhanced C2H6 and C2H4 Adsorption and Separation Performances by Introducing Open Nitrogen-Donor Sites in a MOF.

To comparably analyze the influence of a porous environment on the gas adsorption in MOFs, based on an imidazole-decorated MOF, {[Zn(imtp)]·DMA·1.5H2O} n (1-im, H2imtp = 2-(imidazol-1-yl) terephthalic acid), an analogue MOF, {[Zn(tztp)]·DMA} n (1-tz, H2tztp = 2-(1 H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl) terephthalic acid) has been synthesized by replacing imidazole with triazole motifs. The two MOFs are isostructural frameworks containing 1D channels; however, they possess different porous wall environments. The open nitrogen-decorated channels in 1-tz lead to significantly enhanced C2H6 (76.5 cm3 g-1) and C2H4 (73.1 cm3 g-1) uptakes at 298 K and 1 atm, which are 5 times of the adsorption amounts of C2H6 and C2H4 in 1-im that is the absence of exposed N atoms in the channels. Furthermore, the activated 1-tz also reveals higher adsorption selectivities for C2H6 and C2H4 over CH4. The different sorption properties were further uncovered by theoretical simulations.

Hypouricemic and nephroprotective effects of total flavonoids from the residue of supercritical CO2 extraction of Humulus lupulus in potassium oxonate-induced mice.

Total flavonoids of Humulus lupulus (TFHL) were prepared using ethanol extraction, liquid-liquid partition and purification with polyamide resin. Different dose of TFHL were orally administered to normal and hyperuricemic mice for 7 days. The xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity and hypouricemic effects of TFHL on potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mice were examined. The TFHL showed very potent XOD inhibitory activity with IC50=66.8 µg/mL. At a single oral dose of 100mg/kg TFHL, the serum uric acid levels of hyperuricemic mice significantly decreased (P<0.01) compared with a hyperuricemic control group, and the XOD activity was inhibited by 22%. Moreover, TFHL has a protective role against potassium oxonate-induced renal damage in mice. The results suggested that TFHL could be used as a promising drug or ingredient for treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

Two 3D Isostructural Ln(III)-MOFs: Displaying the Slow Magnetic Relaxation and Luminescence Properties in Detection of Nitrobenzene and Cr2O72.

Two new three-dimensional isostructural lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln(III)-MOFs), [LnL(H2O)3]·3H2O·0.75DMF (1-Ln; Ln = Dy(III) and Eu(III) ions, H3L = biphenyl-3'-nitro-3,4',5-tricarboxylic acid, DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide), were synthesized and characterized. The appearance of temperature-dependent out-of-phase (χ″M) signal reveals that complex 1-Dy displays slow magnetic relaxation behavior with the energy barrier (ΔUeff) of 57 K and a pre-exponential factor (τ0) of 3.89 × 10-8 s at 1200 Oe direct current field. The luminescence explorations demonstrated that 1-Eu exhibits high quenching efficiency and low detection limit for sensing nitrobenzene and Cr2O72-. Meanwhile, the fluorescence intensity of the quenched 1-Eu samples will be resumed after washing with DMF or water, indicating that 1-Eu may be used as a highly selective and recyclable luminescence sensing material for sensing nitrobenzene and Cr2O72- anion.

The polysaccharide isolated from Pleurotus nebrodensis (PN-S) shows immune-stimulating activity in RAW264.7 macrophages.

A novel Pleurotus nebrodensis polysaccharide (PN-S) was purified and characterized, and its immune-stimulating activity was evaluated in RAW264.7 macrophages. PN-S induced the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner, as determined by the MTT assay. After exposure to PN-S, the phagocytosis of the macrophages was significantly improved, with remarkable changes in morphology being observed. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that PN-S promoted RAW264.7 cells to progress through S and G2/M phases. PN-S treatment enhanced the productions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), interferon gamma (INF-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the macrophages, with up-regulation of mRNA expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interferon gamma(INF-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) being observed in a dose-dependent manner, as measured by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, these results suggest that the purified PN-S can improve immunity by activating macrophages.

Pleurotus nebrodensis polysaccharide (PN-S) enhances the immunity of immunosuppressed mice.

In the present study, the effects of Pleurotus nebrodensis polysaccharide (PN-S) on the immune functions of immunosuppressed mice were determined. The immunosuppressed mouse model was established by treating the mice with cyclophosphamide (40 mg/kg/2d, CY) through intraperitoneal injection. The results showed that PN-S administration significantly reversed the CY-induced weight loss, increased the thymic and splenic indices, and promoted proliferation of T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte, and macrophages. PN-S also enhanced the activity of natural killer cells and increased the immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in the serum. In addition, PN-S treatment significantly increased the phagocytic activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages. PN-S also increased the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (INF-γ), and nitric oxide (NOS) in splenocytes. qRT-PCR results also indicated that PN-S increased the mRNA expression of IL-6, TNF-α, INF-γ, and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the splenocytes. These results suggest that PN-S treatment enhances the immune function of immunosuppressed mice. This study may provide a basis for the application of this fungus in adjacent immunopotentiating therapy against cancer and in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression.

[Study on specificity of acupuncture effect of Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupunture at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) on different cerebral functional regions by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and discuss the relative specificity of effect of these two acupoints. METHODS: Ten healthy right-handed volunteers were enrolled in this research. Under the scan of fMRI with the pattern of "rest-stimulation-rest-stimulation-rest", acupuncture stimulation was given at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) on the right side, and all the data were analyzed with Matlab software and SPM5 package to observe the activated cerebral regions. RESULTS: The activated brodmann areas by acupuncture at Shenmen (HT 7) were mainly BA10 BA13, BA47, BA22 on the left side and BA40 BA44 on the right side, while the activated areas by acupunoture at Daling (PC7) were BA46, BA47, BA22 BA10. BA45 on the left side and BA44 BA9, BA6. BA40 on the right side. CONCLUSION: The activated cerebral functional regions of acupuncture stimulation at Shenmen (HT 7) and Daling (PC 7) are not exactly the same, which indicates that the acupuncture effects of the two acupoints are specific. With the same activated areas of language and cognitive function, the Shenmen (HT 7) specializes in emotion control while the Daling (PC 7) could active the autonomic nerve function area.