Preparation of emulsion hydrogels encapsulating extractant by the Pickering emulsion template method to recover lanthanum ions in aqueous solutions.

To solve the problem of liquid-liquid extraction of La(III), the oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were prepared by utilizing the aqueous solution of sodium alginate as the continuous phase, kerosene-diluted extractant di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (P204) as the dispersed phase, and modified silica as an emulsifier. Then the emulsions were added to a calcium chloride solution to prepare the Pickering emulsion hydrogels (PEHGs) to better remove La(III). The PEHGs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorption properties of PEHGs for La(III) in the aqueous solution were investigated using a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The study found that P204 was successfully coated by hydrogels and reached the highest adsorption capacity of 48 mg/g at pH 4. The amount of adsorption increased with the rise in temperature from 298 to 318 K. La(III) adsorption experimental data were more consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of La(III) by PEHGs was a spontaneous endothermic process. The internal diffusion model revealed a linear relationship, indicating that internal diffusion played a role in the adsorption process. The encapsulating property of PEHGs indicated its potential usefulness in industrial wastewater for treating La(III).

Mental Health Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focuses and Trends.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly influenced the world. In wave after wave, many countries suffered from the pandemic, which caused social instability, hindered global growth, and harmed mental health. Although research has been published on various mental health issues during the pandemic, some profound effects on mental health are difficult to observe and study thoroughly in the short term. The impact of the pandemic on mental health is still at a nascent stage of research. Based on the existing literature, we used bibliometric tools to conduct an overall analysis of mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Researchers from universities, hospitals, communities, and medical institutions around the world used questionnaire surveys, telephone-based surveys, online surveys, cross-sectional surveys, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and systematic umbrella reviews as their research methods. Papers from the three academic databases, Web of Science (WOS), ProQuest Academic Database (ProQuest), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were included. Their previous research results were systematically collected, sorted, and translated and CiteSpace 5.1 and VOSviewers 1.6.13 were used to conduct a bibliometric analysis of them. Result: Authors with papers in this field are generally from the USA, the People's Republic of China, the UK, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia. Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University are the top three institutions in terms of the production of research papers on the subject. The University of Toronto, Columbia University, and the University of Melbourne played an important role in the research of mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers of related research papers in the USA and China are significantly larger than those in the other countries, while co-occurrence centrality indexes in Germany, Italy, England, and Canada may be higher. Conclusion: We found that the most mentioned keywords in the study of mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic can be divided into three categories: keywords that represent specific groups of people, that describe influences and symptoms, and that are related to public health policies. The most-cited issues were about medical staff, isolation, psychological symptoms, telehealth, social media, and loneliness. Protection of the youth and health workers and telemedicine research are expected to gain importance in the future.

Anthocyanins isolated from blueberry ameliorates CCl4 induced liver fibrosis by modulation of oxidative stress, inflammation and stellate cell activation in mice.

To study the mechanism of anthocyanins from blueberry on mice model of hepatic fibrosis. We observed that the levels of serum ALT and AST of 100 mg*kg-1*d-1, 200 mg*kg-1*d-1 anthocyanins group were reduced compared to the CCl4 treated group. Mitochondrial electron chain complex 1 and 2 activities, determined by microplate assays, were reduced in CCl4 treated group and restored by anthocyanin treatment. MDA and protein carbonyl content of liver homogenate were induced by CCl4 and anthocyanin treated group reduced both significantly.Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), Interleukin 1 beta (IL1ß), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) were induced by CCl4 were attenuated by anthocyanin. Colagen Ⅲ and α-SMA was significantly increased as determined by histology and anthocyanins decreased their level. The protein levels of MMP-9, TIMP1 and PCNA of liver homogenate was also modulated by anthocyanins. In isolated hepatic stellate cells, activation as determined by fibrotic gene expression was attenuated by anthocyanin. Anthocyanins from blueberry may have protective effects on CCl4 induced hepatic fibrosis. The mechanism may be related to reduce ROS generating sources and associated oxidative damage, decrease the influence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and suppress the activity of hepatic stellate cells and downregulation TIMP1, PCNA, Col-Ⅲ, α-SMA and up-regulation MMP-9.

Baicalin Ameliorates Liver Injury Induced by Chronic plus Binge Ethanol Feeding by Modulating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation via CYP2E1 and NRF2 in Mice.

Alcoholic liver injury leads to serious complication including death. The potential role of baicalin at the transcription level in mice model of alcohol injury is not known yet. In this study, we examined the effect of baicalin against chronic plus binge ethanol model in mice and understanding the mechanism of protection. Liver function, histology, steatosis, inflammation, NF-κB activity, oxidative stress sources, nuclear translocation of NRF2 transcription factor, and cell death were assessed. Treatment with baicalin ameliorated ethanol-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. Baicalin attenuated ethanol-induced proinflammatory molecules such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, MIP-2, and MCP-1 and reversed redox-sensitive transcription factor NF-κB activation. Baicalin also modulated Kupffer cell activation in vitro. Baicalin inhibited ethanol-induced expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating enzymes NOX2, p67phox, xanthine oxidase, and iNOS in addition to CYP2E1 activities. Baicalin also enhanced ethanol-induced NRF2 nuclear translocation and increased downstream target gene HO-1 as antioxidant defense. Finally, baicalin reduced significant apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Our study suggests that baicalin ameliorates chronic plus binge ethanol-induced liver injury involving molecular crosstalk of multiple pathways at the transcriptional level and through upregulation of antioxidant defense mechanism.

The analytical determination and electrochemiluminescence behavior of amoxicillin.

A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) luminophor of amoxicillin was studied and found to generate ECL following the oxidation or reduction of amoxicillin. The amoxicillin oxidation state was also found to eliminate the reduction state, generating ECL. When solutions of amoxicillin were scanned between +1.5 V and -1.0 V with a graphite electrode in the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide using KC1 as the supporting electrolyte, ECL emissions were observed at potentials of -0.7 V and +0.5 V. The ECL intensity at -0.7 V was enhanced by H2O2. Based on these findings, an ECL method for the determination of the amoxicillin concentration is proposed. The ECL intensities were linear with amoxicillin concentrations in the range of 1.8 × 10-8 g/mL to 2.5 × 10-7 g/mL, and the limit of detection (signal/noise = 3) was 5 × 10-9 g/mL. The florescence of amoxicillin had the greatest emission intensity in a neutral medium, with the emission wavelength dependent on the excitation wavelength. The experiments on the ECL mechanism for amoxicillin found that the electrochemical oxidation products of dissolved oxygen and active oxygen species contributed to the ECL process. The data also suggest that the hydroxyl group of amoxicillin contributed to its ECL emission.

Determination of berberine in pharmaceutical preparations using acidic hydrogen peroxide-nitrite chemiluminescence system.

A stronger chemiluminescence (CL) was observed when hydrogen peroxide was mixed with nitrite and berberine in sulfuric acid solution. The stronger CL originated from peroxidation of berberine by peroxynitrous acid that was synthesized online by the mixing of acidic hydrogen peroxide solution with nitrite solution in a flow system. The emitting species was excited state oxyberberine, a peroxidized product of berberine. Based on the stronger CL, a flow injection CL method for the determination of berberine was proposed. Under optimum experimental conditions, the stronger CL intensity was linearly related to the concentration of berberine over the range of 2.0 × 10(-7) -2.0 × 10(-5) mol L(-1) . The limit of detection (s/n = 3) was 6.2 × 10(-8) mol L(-1) . The proposed method has been evaluated by analyzing berberine in pharmaceutical preparations.

Cathodic electrochemiluminescence of the peroxydisulphate-ciprofloxacin system and its analytical applications.

The cathodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of peroxydisulphate (S(2)O(8)(2-))-ciprofloxacin (CPF) system at a wax-impregnated graphite electrode was studied. When CPF was absent, S(2)O(8)(2-) was electrochemically reduced to sulphate free radical (SO(4)(•-)), and dissolved oxygen absorbed on the electrode surface was reduced to protonated superoxide anion radical (HO(2)(•)). The HO(2)(•) was oxidized by SO(4)(•-) to produce molecular oxygen in both singlet and triplet states. Some of the singlet molecular oxygen ((1)O(2)) further combined through collision to be an energy-rich precursor singlet molecular oxygen pair ((1)O(2))(2). A weak ECL was produced when (1)O(2) or ((1)O(2))(2) was converted to ground-state molecular oxygen ((3)O(2)). When CPF was present, a stronger ECL was produced, which originated from two emitting species. The main emitting species was excited state CPF (CPF*), which was produced by accepting energy from ((1)O(2))(2). The other emitting species was excited singlet molecular oxygen pair [((1)O(2))(2)*], which originated from the chemical oxidation of CPF by SO(4)(•-) and dissolved oxygen. Based on the stronger ECL phenomenon, an ECL method for the determination of either S(2)O(8)(2-) or CPF was proposed. The proposed ECL method has been applied to the determination of CPF in pharmaceutical preparations.

Electrochemiluminescence of palmatine being oxidized by electrogenerated hydroxyl radical and its analytical application.

A strong electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of palmatine in NaOH medium was observed at a vaseline-impregnated graphite anode. The ECL production could be described as follows: hydroxyl radical (OH(•)) was generated via the oxidation of hydroxyl group (OH(-)) in NaOH medium, and the formed OH(•) subsequently oxidized palmatine base converted from palmatine in NaOH medium to the excited state oxypalmatine (oxypalmatine*). As the oxypalmatine* went back to its ground state, a stronger chemiluminescence was produced. Based on the ECL of palmatine, an ECL method for the determination of palmatine was proposed. An ECL signal of palmatine in NaOH solution was obtained by applying direct current of 15 mA to the vaseline-impregnated graphite anode. The ECL intensity was rectilinear with palmatine concentration in the range of 8.0 × 10(-7) to 2.0 × 10(-5) mol l(-1) and the limit of detection (signal-to-noise = 3) was 3 × 10(-7) mol l(-1) . The proposed method was applied to the determination of palmatine in pharmaceutical preparations.

Electrochemiluminescence from successive electro- and chemo-oxidation of rifampicin and its application to the determination of rifampicin in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine.

A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) type was proposed based on successive electro- and chemo-oxidation of oxidable analyte, which was different from both annihilation and coreactant ECL types in mechanism. Rifampicin was used as a model compound. No any chemiluminescence (CL) was produced by either electrochemical oxidation or chemical oxidation of rifampicin in KH(2)PO(4)--Na(2)B(4)O(7) (pH 6.6) buffer-dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DTAC) solution. However, an ECL was observed by electrochemical oxidization of rifampicin in the same solution in the presence of oxidant such as dissolved oxygen, activated oxygen and potassium peroxydisulfate (K(2)S(2)O(8)). The ECL was attributed to electrochemical oxidation of rifampicin to form semiquinone free radical, and then subsequently chemical oxidation of the formed radical by oxidant to form excited state rifampicin quinone. The proposed ECL type introduced additional advantages such as high selectivity, simple and convenient operation, and effective avoidance of side reaction that often took place in homogenous CL reaction, and will open a novel application field. In addition, with the ECL in the presence of K(2)S(2)O(8) as oxidant, a flow injection ECL method for the determination of rifampicin was proposed. The ECL intensity was linear with rifampicin concentration in the range of 1.0 x 10(-7) to 4.0 x 10(-5) mol l(-1) and the limit of detection (s/n=3) was 3.9 x 10(-8) mol l(-1). The proposed method was applied to the determination of rifampicin in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine.

Electrochemiluminescence determination of pipemidic acid using sulfite as energy transfer mediator.

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) based on energy transfer from electro-generated triplet sulfur dioxide to pipemidic acid (PPA) was studied. A weak ECL from triplet sulfur dioxide (3)SO2 * was observed when sulfite was electrochemically oxidized in sulfuric acid solution on a Pt electrode. When PPA was present, the weak ECL was enhanced. The enhanced ECL was attributed to energy transfer from (3)SO2 * to PPA. Based on the enhanced ECL, a flow-injection (FIA) ECL method for the determination of PPA was proposed. The proposed method allowed the measurement of PPA over the range of 1.0x10(-7) to 2.0x10(-5)moll(-1). The detection limit was 3.9x10(-8)moll(-1), and the relative standard deviation for 1.0x10(-6)moll(-1) PPA (n=9) was 1.3%. This method was evaluated by the analysis of PPA in pharmaceutical preparations and urine samples.

Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of tryptophan through its peroxidation and epoxidation by peroxynitrous acid.

A flow-injection chemiluminescence method for the determination of tryptophan was proposed, which was based on an intense chemiluminescence of tryptophan in hydrogen peroxide-nitrite-sulfuric acid medium. The chemiluminescence reaction was attributed to peroxidation and epoxidation of tryptophan by peroxynitrous acid, and subsequent decomposition of the formed dioxetane. The chemiluminescence intensity was linear with tryptophan in the range of 6.0 x 10(-7) to 3.0 x 10(-5)mol l(-1) and the limit of detection (S/N=3) was 1.8 x 10(-7)mol l(-1). The proposed method was applied to the analysis of tryptophan in pharmaceutical preparations and human serum.

Determination of pipemidic acid based on flow-injection chemiluminescence due to energy transfer from peroxynitrous acid synthesized on-line.

A flow-injection chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of pipemidic acid is described. It is based on energy transfer from excited state peroxynitrous acid to pipemidic acid, in which the excited state peroxynitrous acid is synthesized on-line by the mixing of acid hydrogen peroxide with nitrite in a flow system and the CL is from two excited states of pipemidic acid. The proposed method allows the measurement of pipemidic acid over the range of 2.0 x 10(-7)-2.0 x 10(-5) mol l(-1) . The detection limit is 6.3 x 10(-8) mol l(-1), and the relative standard deviation for 2.0 x 10(-6) mol l(-1) pipemidic acid (n = 9) is 0.9%. This method was evaluated by the analysis of pipemidic acid in pharmaceutical preparations.

[Mutual interaction between hepatitis B virus antigen and metallothionein].

OBJECTIVE: To screen and identify the protein interacting with HBV antigen in hepatocytes. Then investigate the biological functions of hepatitis B virus antigen in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B and seek effective methods to prevent and treat it. METHODS: The yeast two-hybrid system-3 technique was used to construct HBV PreS2, HBeAg, HBcAg, HBxAg bait plasmids. The bait plasmids transformed the yeast AH109 and expressed themselves in it. After being identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot, the AH109 yeast was mated with yeast Y187 containing liver cDNA library plasmid in 2 x YPDA medium to form diploid yeast and was then plated on synthetic dropout nutrient medium (SD/-Trp-Leu-His-Ade) and synthetic dropout nutrient medium (SD/-Trp-Leu-His-Ade) containing x-alpha-gal for screening. Plasmids of blue colonies were extracted and transformed into Escherichia coli, then analyzed by DNA sequencing and bioinformatics. To further prove the interaction between HBV antigen and metallothionein, translation was performed by using reticulocyte lysate and coimmunoprecipitation was displayed in vitro. RESULTS: Genes coding for HBV antigen binding protein were successfully cloned and metallothionein was found in that protein. The interaction between HBeAg, HBcAg and HBxAg and metallothionein were further proved by coimmunoprecipitation in vitro. CONCLUSION: The interaction between HBV antigen and metallothionein indicates that metallothionein may participate in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B

Rapid determination of telmisartan in pharmaceutical preparations and serum by linear sweep polarography.

The polarographic behaviors of telmisartan (TE) are investigated in 0.8 mol/l NH3.H2O-NH4Cl (pH = 8.9) supporting electrolyte. The results demonstrated that the reduction peak is obtained at ca. -1.30V, which corresponds to a catalytic hydrogen wave. Based on the catalytic hydrogen wave, a novel method has been developed for the determination of telmisartan by linear sweep polarography. Calibration curve is linear in the range 2.0 x 10(-7) to 3.0 x 10(-6) mol/l and the detection limit is 1.0 x 10(-7) mol/l. The proposed method is applied to the rapid determination of the telmisartan in capsule forms and biological sample without pre-separation.

Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of chloroquine using peroxynitrous acid as oxidant.

A new flow-injection chemiluminescence (CL) method for determination of chloroquine is proposed based on a stronger chemiluminescence of chloroquine in hydrogen peroxide-nitrite-sulfuric acid medium. The proposed method allows the measurement of chloroquine over the range of 3.0x10(-7) to 1.0x10(-5)moll(-1). The detection limit is 8.6x10(-8)moll(-1), and the relative standard deviation for 1.0x10(-6)moll(-1) chloroquine (n=11) is 1.6%. The CL mechanism is also discussed.