Two-in-One: Photothermal Ring-Opening Copolymerization of CO2 and Epoxides.

A two-in-one strategy for the photothermal ring-opening copolymerization (PROCOP) of carbon dioxide (CO2) and epoxides was developed by using visible light as an external stimulus. This strategy bridges two processes involving light-to-heat conversion and the alternating copolymerization of CO2 and epoxides. As a proof-of-concept, aluminum porphyrin complexes were explored as photothermal catalysts to afford the copolymerization of CO2/epoxides under a 635 nm laser irradiation. We demonstrated photothermally enhanced polymerization activity, in which the polymerization initiated by the photothermal effect showed a much higher turnover frequency than in the thermal system. Moreover, the PROCOP demonstrated a spatial-temporal control by a light on/off switch. This study provides a fascinating photothermal strategy not only for the CO2/epoxides copolymerization but also for the ring-opening (co)polymerization of other cyclic monomers.

From Impossible to Possible: Atom-Economic Polymerization of Low Strain Five-Membered Carbonates.

The direct ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of propylene carbonate (PC) only affords oligomers with substantial unidentified by-products, which hinders the efficient utilization of PC. Through detailed studies, for the first time, a careful mechanism involving the in situ release of propylene oxide (PO) from PC decarboxylation is proposed. Further, we report a novel strategy of copolymerization of PC/cyclic anhydrides via in situ capture of the formed intermediates. Results show that PC is successfully transformed into polyesters. Especially for the ring-opening alternating copolymerization (ROAC) of PC/phthalic anhydride (PA), a variety of advantages are manifold: i) slow-release of PO ensuring a perfectly alternating structure; ii) quantitative and fast transformation of PC; iii) visualization of polymerization process by a CO2 pressure gauge. Of importance, through tandem polymerizations, PC is fully transformed into polyesters and polycarbonates concurrently, thus achieving PC utilization with a high atom-economy.

High-phosphorus diet controlled for sodium elevates blood pressure in healthy adults via volume expansion.

Whether increasing exposure to dietary phosphorus can lead to adverse clinical outcomes in healthy people is not clear. In this open-label prospective cross-over study, we are to explore the impact of various dietary phosphorus intake on mineral, sodium metabolisms and blood pressure in young healthy adults. There were 3 separate study periods of 5 days, each with a 5 days washout period between different diets interventions. Six young healthy male volunteers with normal nutrition status were recruited in Phase I Clinical Research Center and sequentially exposed to the following diets: (a) normal-phosphorus diet (NPD): 1500 mg/d, (b) low-phosphorus diet (LPD): 500 mg/d, (c) high-phosphorus diet (HPD): 2300 mg/d. HPD induced a significant rise in daily average serum phosphate (1.47 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.56 ± 0.06 mg/dl]) compared to NPD (1.34 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.15 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) and LPD (1.17 ± 0.02 mmol/L [3.63 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) (p < .05). Daily average levels of serum parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23 in HPD were significantly higher, and serum 1,25(OH)2 D3 was remarkably lower than those in LPD. HPD induced a significant decrease in daily average serum aldosterone and an increase in daily average atrial natriuretic peptide level compared to LPD. The 24-hour urine volume in HPD subjects was less than that in LPD subjects. HPD significantly increased daily average systolic blood pressure by 6.02 ± 1.24 mm Hg compared to NPD and by 8.58 ± 1.24mm Hg compared to LPD (p < .05). Our study provides the first evidence that 5-day high-phosphorus diet can induce elevation in SBP in young healthy adults, which may due to volume expansion.

Twelve weeks of pioglitazone therapy significantly attenuates dysmetabolism and reduces inflammation in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients--a randomized crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oral pioglitazone (PIO) on lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, inflammation, and adipokine metabolism in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. METHODS: In this randomized crossover trial, 36 CAPD patients with serum triglyceride levels above 1.8 mmol/L were randomly assigned to receive either oral PIO 15 mg once daily or no PIO for 12 weeks. Then, after a 4-week washout, the patients were switched to the alternative regimen. The primary endpoint was change in serum triglycerides during the PIO regimen compared with no PIO. Secondary endpoints included changes in other lipid levels, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), adipocytokines, and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: All 36 CAPD patients (age: 64 ± 11 years; 33% men; 27.8% with diabetes mellitus) completed the study. Comparing patients after PIO and no PIO therapy, we found no significant differences in mean serum triglycerides (3.83 ± 1.49 mmol/L vs 3.51 ± 1.98 mmol/L, p = 0.2). However, mean high-density lipoprotein (0.94 ± 0.22 mmol/L vs 1.00 ± 0.21 mmol/L, p = 0.004) and median total adiponectin [10.34 µg/mL (range: 2.59 - 34.48 µg/mL) vs 30.44 µg/mL (3.47 - 93.41 µg/mL), p < 0.001] increased significantly. Median HOMA-IR [7.51 (1.39 - 45.23) vs 5.38 (0.97 - 14.95), p = 0.006], mean fasting blood glucose (7.31 ± 2.57 mmol/L vs 6.60 ± 2.45 mmol/L, p = 0.01), median CRP [8.78 mg/L (0.18 - 53 mg/L) vs 3.50 mg/L (0.17 - 26.30 mg/L), p = 0.005], and mean resistin (32.70 ± 17.17 ng/mL vs 28.79 ± 11.83 ng/mL, p = 0.02) all declined. The PIO was well tolerated, with only one adverse event: lower-extremity edema in a patient with low residual renal function. CONCLUSIONS: Blood triglycerides were not altered after 12 weeks of PIO 15 mg once daily in CAPD patients, but parameters of dysmetabolism were markedly improved, including insulin resistance, inflammation, and adipokine balance, suggesting that PIO could be of value for this high-risk patient group. Larger, more definitive studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Comparing the autoantibody levels and clinical efficacy of double filtration plasmapheresis, immunoadsorption, and intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of late-onset myasthenia gravis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP), immunoadsorption (IA) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the treatment of late-onset myasthenia gravis (MG). A total of 40 late-onset MG patients were randomly divided into three groups: 15 patients were treated with DFPP; 10 patients were treated with IA; and 15 patients received IVIg. The titers of titin antibodies (Titin-ab), acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR-ab), presynaptic membrane antibody (Prsm-ab) were detected before and after the treatment, and the quantitative MG score (QMG score) was assessed by blinded examiners before and immediately after the entire course of treatment. The clinical efficacy, duration of respiratory support, hospital stay, and the correlation between the three antibodies and the QMG score were also analyzed. Compared to pre-treatment, the values of Titin-ab, AChR-ab, and PrsmR-ab were all dramatically decreased (P < 0.05); meanwhile the value of Titin-ab in the DFPP and IA groups decreased much more than in the IVIg group (P < 0.01); however, no statistical difference was found between the DFPP and IA groups (P > 0.05). Although the QMG score significantly improved in all three groups, it decreased much more in both the DFPP and IA groups than that in the IVIg group (P < 0.01). Symptoms were also effectively ameliorated by all treatments, but the clinical efficacy of the DFPP and IA groups was higher than the IVIg group (P < 0.05), as was the remission time (P < 0.01), the duration of hospital stay (P < 0.05), and the number of respiratory supports required (P < 0.05). Using Pearson's correlation, the decrease of Titin-ab showed a longitudinal correlation with the decrease of QMG score (r = 0.6107, P < 0.01). Both DFPP and IA showed better short-term clinical effectiveness than immunoglobulin transfusion, rapidly and effectively clearing the pathogenic antibodies in late-onset MG patients, especially for Titin-ab.