RESUMEN
An unusual spiroannulation/cycloisomerization cascade of 3-(2-ethynylaryl)-N-tosylaziridines with indoles enabled by cooperative gold/scandium catalysis is presented, which facilitates the synthesis of 5H-benzo[b]carbazoles in moderate to excellent yields. This protocol features a broad substrate scope and good functional-group compatibility. Additionally, the resulting 5H-benzo[b]carbazoles exhibit good fluorescence properties, demonstrating the synthetic practicality of this method. Moreover, control experiments were performed to illustrate the reaction mechanism.
RESUMEN
Subchondral bone lesions, as the crucial inducement for accelerating cartilage degeneration, have been considered as the initiating factor and the potential therapeutic target of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Acupotomy, the biomechanical therapy guided by traditional Chinese meridians theory, alleviates cartilage deterioration by correcting abnormal mechanics. Whether this mechanical effect of acupotomy inhibits KOA subchondral bone lesions is indistinct. This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupotomy on inhibiting subchondral bone resorption and to define the possible mechanism in immobilization-induced KOA rabbits. After KOA modeling, 8 groups of rabbits (4w/6w acupotomy, 4w/6w electroacupuncture, 4w/6w model, and 4w/6w control groups) received the indicated intervention for 3 weeks. Histological and bone histomorphometry analyses revealed that acupotomy prevented both cartilage surface erosion and subchondral bone loss. Further, acupotomy suppressed osteoclast activity and enhanced osteoblast activity in KOA subchondral bone, showing a significantly decreased expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9), and cathepsin K (Ctsk) and a significantly increased expression of osteocalcin (OCN); this regulation may be mediated by blocking the decrease in osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the increase in NF-κB receptor activated protein ligand (RANKL). These findings indicated that acupotomy inhibited osteoclast activity and promoted osteoblast activity to ameliorate hyperactive subchondral bone resorption and cartilage degeneration in immobilization-induced KOA rabbits, which may be mediated by the OPG/RANKL signaling pathway. Taken together, our results indicate that acupotomy may have therapeutic potential in KOA by restoring the balance between bone formation and bone resorption to attenuate subchondral bone lesions.
RESUMEN
AIM: To expose rat retinal Müller cells to 530 nm monochromatic light and investigate the influence of varying light illumination times on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) expression. METHODS: Three groups of rat retinal Müller cells cultured in vitro under a 530 nm monochromatic light were divided into 6, 12 and 24h experimental groups, while cells incubated under dark conditions served as the control group. The bFGF and TGF-ß1 mRNA expression, protein levels and fluorescence intensity of the Müller cells were analyzed. RESULTS: The bFGF mRNA expression and protein levels were significantly upregulated in Müller cells in all three experimental groups compared with the control group (P<0.05), while that of TGF-ß1 was downregulated (P<0.05). Also, bFGF expression was positively correlated, but TGF-ß1 expression was negatively correlated with illumination time. The largest changes for both cytokines were seen in the 24h group. The changes in bFGF and TGF-ß1 fluorescence intensity were highest in the 24h group, and significant differences were observed among the experimental groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expressions of bFGF and TGF-ß1 changed in a time-dependent manner in Müller cells exposed to 530 nm monochromatic light with 250 lx illumination intensity. Müller cells might play a role in the development of myopia by increasing bFGF expression or decreasing TGF-ß1 expression. Changes in cytokine expression in retinal Müller cells may affect monochromatic light-induced myopia.
RESUMEN
A series of new alkaline-earth metal diphosphonate frameworks were successfully synthesized under solvothermal reaction condition (160 °C, 3 d) using 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (CH3C(OH)(H2PO3)2, hedpH4) as a diphosphonate building block and Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II), or Ba(II) ions as alkaline-earth metal ion centers in water, dimethylformamide, and/or EtOH media. These diphosphonate frameworks, (H2NMe2)4[Mg(hedpH2)3]·3H2O (1), (H2NMe2)2[Ca(hedpH2)2] (2), (H2NMe2)2[Sr3(hedpH2)4(H2O)2] (3), and [Ba3(hedpH2)3]·H2O (4) exhibited interesting structural topologies (zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional (0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D, respectively)), which are mainly depending on the metal ions and the solvents used in the synthesis. The single-crystal analysis of these newly synthesized compounds revealed that 1 was a 0D molecule, 2 has 1D chains, 3 was a 3D molecule, and 4 has 2D layers. All compounds were further characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, solid-state (31)P NMR, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, UV-vis spectra, and infrared spectroscopy. In addition, Eu(III)- and Tb(III)-doped compounds of 1-4, namely, (H2NMe2)4[Ln(x)Mg(1-x)(hedpH2)2(hedpH(2-x))]·3H2O (1Ln), (H2NMe2)2[Ln(x)Ca(1-x)(hedpH2)(hedpH(2-x))] (2Ln), (H2NMe2)2[Ln(x)Sr(3-x)(hedpH2)3(hedpH(2-x))(H2O)2] (3Ln), and [Ln(x)Ba(3-x)(hedpH2)2(hedpH(2-x))]·H2O (4Ln) (where Ln = Eu, Tb), were synthesized, and their photoluminescence properties were studied. The quantum yield of 1Eu-4Eu was measured with reference to commercial red phosphor, Y2O2S:Eu(3+) (YE), and the quantum yield of terbium-doped compounds 1Tb-4Tb was measured with reference to commercial green-emitting phosphor CeMgAl10O17:Tb(3+). Interestingly, the compound 2Eu showed very high quantum yield of 92.2%, which is better than that of the reference commercial red phosphor, YE (90.8%).