Photocatalytic Bicyclization of Indole-Tethered 1,6-Enynes for Diastereoselective Synthesis of Pyrrolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazoles.

A visible-light-driven photocatalytic protocol is established for the diastereoselective synthesis of pyrrolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazoles via a radical-triggered multicomponent bicyclization reaction starting from readily available indole-tethered 1,6-enynes and α-benzyl-α-bromomalonates under mild conditions. This photocatalytic approach exhibits a wide substrate compatibility and excellent tolerability toward various functional groups and boasts the benefit of efficient ring formation and chemical bond creation.

Photocatalytic Thio/Selenosulfonylation-Bicyclization of Indole-Tethered 1,6-Enynes Leading to Substituted Benzo[c]pyrrolo[1,2,3-lm]carbazoles.

The photocatalyzed radical-triggered thio/selenosulfonylation-bicyclization of indole-tethered 1,6-enynes has been established for the first time, enabling the synthesis of various previously unreported thio/selenosulfonylated benzo[c]pyrrolo[1,2,3-lm]carbazoles with moderate to good yields under mild conditions. The reaction pathway was proposed, consisting of energy transfer, homolytic cleavage, radical addition, 5-exo-dig, radical coupling, and a Mallory reaction cascade. This approach exhibits a wide substrate compatibility and excellent tolerability toward various functional groups and is characterized by its remarkable efficiency in both bond formation and annulation.

Surfactant-enhanced remediation of oil-contaminated soil and groundwater: A review.

Oil leakage, which is inevitable in the process of extraction, processing, transportation and storage, seriously undermines the soil and groundwater environment. Surfactants can facilitate the migration and solution of oil contaminants from nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) or solid phase to water by reducing the (air/water) surface tension, (oil/water) interfacial tension and micellar solubilization. They can effectively enhance the hydrodynamic driven remediation technologies by improving the contact efficiency of contaminants and liquid remediation agents or microorganism, and have been widely used to enhance the remediation of oil-contaminated sites. This paper summarizes the characteristics of different types of surfactants such as nonionic, anionic, biological and mixed surfactants, their enhancements to the remediation of oil-contaminated soil and groundwater, and examines the factors influencing surfactant performance. The causes of tailing and rebound effects and the role of surfactants in suppressing them are also discussed. Laboratory researches and actual site remediation practices have shown that various types of surfactants offer diverse options. Biosurfactants and mixed surfactants are superior and worth attention among the surfactants. Using surfactant foams, adding shear-thinning polymers, and combining surfactants with in-situ chemical oxidation are effective ways to resolve tailing and rebound effects. The adsorption of surfactants on soils and aquifer sediments decreases remediation efficiency and may cause secondary pollution, Therefore the adsorption loss should be noticed and minimized.

A Clinical Comparative Analysis of Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Tuberculous Nephrectomy and Open Tuberculous Nephrectomy.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of retroperitoneal laparoscopic tuberculous nephrectomy (RLTN) and open tuberculous nephrectomy (OTN). Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty-eight patients treated with RLTN were enrolled in the RLTN group. One hundred patients treated with OTN were enrolled in the control group. Surgical parameters and postoperative conditions were recorded to assess the effect of the operation, and complications were recorded throughout the follow-up time. The follow-up time was 2-72 months. Results: Eight cases in the RLTN group were moved to the OTN group due to intraoperative bleeding. There were significant differences in the diameter of the incision between the 2 groups (P < .01). The resumed time and length of hospitalization in the RLTN group were significantly shorter than those in the OTN group (P < .05). During surgery, 6 cases (3.79%) in the RLTN group presented pus overflow due to a rupture of the empyema space. The same happened to 3 cases (3.00%) in the OTN group. After surgery, there was 1 case of abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in the RLTN group. There was no tuberculous sinus or systemic disseminated TB during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Both treatment approaches were safe and effective, but RLTN presented more advantages. Therefore, RLTN can be used as a first-line method for tuberculous nephrectomy.

[Ginger-separated Snake Moxibustion Improves Yang Deficiency Constitution by Up-regulating Serum Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Cortisol Levels in Yang Deficiency Constitution Volunteers].

OBJECTIVE: Yang deficiency constitution may bring with different types of illnesses in many people. The present study was designed to observe the effect of ginger-separated snake moxibustion on yang deficiency symptom, and serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) contents in yang deficiency constitution subjects, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of yang deficiency constitution. METHODS: Ninety subjects with yang deficiency type constitution were equally and randomly assigned to control A group (19 men and 26 women, 18－60 years in age) and moxibustion group (16 men and 29 women, 18－60 years in age) and 45 normal subjects with mild constitution (18 men and 27 women, 18－60 years in age) were assigned to control B group. An snake-like moxa-cone was placed at a moxa-holder covering the middle back of human body from Dazhui (GV 14) to Yaoshu (GV 2) after paving a layer (about 1 cm thick) of fresh ginger in the holder, and then ignited, followed by the next moxa-cone, 3 cones altogether every time for each participant. The treatment was conducted once a week, 12 times in total. The subjects' constitution was scored according to the "Classification and Evaluation of Constitution of Traditional Chinese Medicine" formulated by China Association of Chinese Medicine. The serum ACTH and CORT contents were measured by radioimmunoassay before and at the end of the treatment and 6 months after the treatment. RESULTS: The constitation scores of the moxibustion group and control A group were significantly higher than that of the control B group before treatment (P<0.01). At the end of the treatment, the constitution score was significantly decreased in the moxibustion group (P<0.01) rather than in the control A group relevant to its own pre-treatment (P>0.05). The serum CORT and ACTH contents were significantly decreased in both the moxibustion and control A groups in comparison to the control B group before treatment (P<0.01), and obviously increased at the end of treatment in the moxibustion group compared with its own pre-treatment (P<0.01). No significant differences were found among the three groups in the constitution score, and serum CORT and ACTH levels at the 6th month after the treatment compared with their own post-treatment (P>0.05)．. CONCLUSION: The ginger-separated snake moxibustion treatment may improve the constitution of yang deficiency participants by increasing the levels of serum ACTH and CORT, which may be helpful in resisting diseases.

[Application of "disharmony of stomach leads to insomnia" theory in acupuncture treatment for insomnia].

When looking back to the literature regarding insomnia, it is believed that "disharmony of stomach leads to insomnia" is an important mechanism for the attack of insomnia. This theory is widely accepted in clinical practices by ancient and modern acupuncturists, thus the method treating insomnia from the stomach is developed. But deeper research on its mechanism is still lacking. Through correlation between stomach meridian and heart meridian, spleen and stomach being the pivot of rise and decline of qi movement and yin-yang and being the pivot of five zang-viscera housing spirit, modern abdomen-brain theory and experimental research, the mechanism of treating insomnia from the stomach is discussed in this paper, so as to be better to guide clinical acupoint-selection and treatment.

[Efficacy observation on acupuncture prescription of regulating yin-yang and five viscera for intractable insomnia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore a more optimal therapy for intractable insomnia. METHODS: Seven hundred cases of intractable insomnia that were in accordance with the criteria were randomly divided into an observation group (368 cases) and a control group (332 cases). The acupuncture prescription of regulating yin-yang and five viscera was applied in the observation group, where Dazhui (GV 14), Shenmai (BL 62), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhaohai (KI 6), Geshu (BL 17), etc. were selected. The acupuncture prescription of tranquilizing mind was applied in the control group, where Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Anmian (Extra), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyin jiao (SP 6) were selected. The treatment was given once a day, ten times of which made a session. After the treatment for 4 sessions, the clinical efficacy and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 92.6% (338/365) in the observation group, which was superior to 73.1% (242/331) in the control group (P < 0.05). The PSQI score was obviously decreased in two groups after the treatment (both P < 0.05), in which the decreasing in the observation group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupuncture prescription of regulating yin-yang and five viscera has better effect for intractable insomnia, which could be considered as a more optimal therapy.

[Observation on clinical efficacy of acute pain treated with the intervention of different time of needle retention].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy on acute pain treated under the different time of needle retention so as to provide the scientific evidence for the optimization of needle retention time for acupuncture analgesia. METHODS: Eighty cases of acute pain (acute lumbar sprain, stiffness of neck) were randomized into 4 groups. Acupuncture was applied to all the patients. After the arrival of needling sensation, the needles were retained for 20 min, 30 min, 45 min and 60 min in different groups separately. For acute lumbar sprain, Ashi (Extra), Houxi (SI 3) and Weizhong (BL 40) were the main points. For stiffness of neck, Ashi (Extra), Fengchi (GB 20) and Lieque (LU 7) were the main points. McGill pain scale, the internationally recognized pain description and measurement was adopted to observe the indexes and record the score changes of each item of pain symptoms before and 3 months after treatment. The immediate analgesic efficacy under different time of needle retention and the longterm efficacy in follow-up visit 3 months after treatment were compared and assessed among the groups. RESULTS: The scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) after treatment were all improved significantly as compared with those before treatment in the 4 groups (all P<0. 01), and the result in the 45 min group was superior to the other 3 groups (VAS: 2.90+/-0.87 vs 5. 52 +/-1.01, 4.45+/-0.81, 5.95+/-1.07; PPI: 1.40+/-0.21 vs 2.26+/-0.54, 2. 21+/-0. 43, 2. 28+/-0. 74, all P<0. 01). The total effective rate of the immediate analgesia was 95. 0% (19/20) in the 45 min group, which was better than that in each of the other 3 groups. CONCLUSION: The 45 min of needle retention achieves the best efficacy of acupuncture analgesia in treatment of acute pain.

An analysis of monitoring results on iodized salt in Hainan Province from 2004 to 2011 / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To study the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt at household level based on the salt surveillance results from 2004 to 2011,and to provide a scientific basis for setting up appropriate control strategies to iodine deficiency disorders.Methods Iodized salt monitoring results in Hainan Province from 2004 to 2011 were collected with retrospective method.Coverage rate of iodized salt,qualified rate of iodized salt and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt were calculated at the provincial,city(county) levels and on geographic distribution (coastal,plains and mountains).Qualified iodized salt criteria was set as (35 ± 15)mg/kg,unqualified iodized salt criteria was set as 5 to ＜ 20 mg/kg or ＞ 50 mg/kg,and criteria of non-iodized salt was set as ＜ 5 mg/kg.Results From 2004 to 2011,at provincial level,the median of iodized salt was raised from 30.25 mg/kg to 32.14 mg/kg; the iodized salt coverage rate,the qualified rate of iodized salt and the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was raised from 77.81％ (4780/6143) to 96.06％ (5890/6132),90.48％ (4325/4780) to 98.72％(5815/5890),and 70.41％(4325/6143) to 94.83％(5815/6132),respectively.From 2004 to 2011,at city (county) level,the proportion of iodized salt coverage rate that higher than 90.00％,of qualified rate of iodized salt that higher than 95.00％ and of consumption rate of qualified iodized salt that higher than 90.00％ was raised from 44.45％(8/18) to 88.89％(16/18),16.67％(3/18) to 100.00％(18/18),and 22.22％(4/19) to 88.89％(16/18),respectively.The iodized salt coverage rate in the coastal and plain townships was raised from 70.55％(1440/2041) to 95.02％(1869/1967),and 75.36％ (1762/2338) to 96.24％(2331/2422),respectively.The iodized salt coverage rate in mountainous townships maintained at 89.46％ (1578/1764)-97.46％ (1690/1734) in the 8 years.There were 2 counties where the iodized salt coverage rate was less than 90％.There were 9 and 4 townships,where the iodized salt coverage rate was less than 90％ in coastal and plain townships,respectively,in 2011.Conclusions The rate of qualified iodized salt has been raised in Hainan Province,but part of coastal and plain townships (towns) are still serious in non-iodized salt problem.Comprehensive intervention on iodine deficiency disorders should be strengthened in these areas.

Iodine deficiency disorders in high-risk areas of Hainan province from 2007 to 2009: an analysis of survey results / 中国地方病学杂志

Objective To know the prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) and the implementation of control measures against the disorders in high-risk areas of Hainan province. Methods Typical sampling principle was used. Eight townships with lower coverage rate of iodized salt were chosen in IDD high-risk counties of Hainan. New cretinism cases were screened among children aged 10 years and under. Intelligence quotient (IQ)value, urinary iodine (UI) concentration and thyroid gland size (by palpation and B ultrasonic) were investigated in children aged 8 to 10 years and questionnaire was also carried out among students from grade 5 in elementary school. Edible salt and urine of women of childbearing age were collected to detect iodine levels, respectively,questionnaire was also carried out among the women of childbearing age. The UI was determined by As3-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometer, the salt iodine level was determined using self-quantitative kit. IQ values were measured by the Combined Raven Test in China (CRT-C2). Results Seventy-two townships were investigated in three consecutive years, 7937 children aged 8 to 10 years, 1797 women of childbearing age and 4128 students of grade 5 were included in the survey. One child was diagnosed as suspected new cretinism case. The coverage rate of iodized salt was increased from 44.6%(629/1411) in 2007 to 92.1%(1688/1832) in 2009. The goiter rate was dropped from 5.9% (269/4548), 6.0% (274/4548) in 2007 to 1.6% (24/1461), 0.1% (2/1461) in 2009 bypalpation, and by B-ultrasound, respectively, in children aged 8 to 10 years. The median urinary iodine(MUI) was found to be increased from 97.4 μg/L in 2007 to 165.0 μg/L in 2009, and the percentage of UI less than 50.0 μg/L, and 100.0 μg/L were dropped from 21.4%(973/4548), 51.2%(2329/4548) in 2007 to 7.5 %(110/1461), 23.4%(342/1461) in 2009, respectively. The MUI of women of childbearing age was found to be elevated from 73.7 μg/L in 2007 to 126.1 μg/L in 2009, and the value was also increased from 55.7 μg/L to 121.5 μg/L in pregnant women, but these values were still lower than 150.0 μg/L The pass rate of the questionnaire of IDD controlling among the students of grade 5 and the women of childbearing age was raised from 29.8% (446/1495) ,24.1% (179/742) in 2007 to 65.8%(732/1112), 72.1%(264/366) in 2009, respectively. The mean IQ of children was 90.4±16.0, and the percentage of IQ value less than 69 was 12.6% (1000/7937). Conclusions The diseased state of IDD has improved in the high-risk counties of disorders in Hainan province, but the pregnant women are still iodine deficient. Iodine supplimentation should be promoted among pregnant women.

[Expression and clinical significance of nuclear matrix protein 22 and cytokeratin 18 in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression and clinical significance of urinary nuclear matrix protein (NMP22) and cytokeratin 18 (CK18) for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. METHODS: Urinary NMP22 and CK18 levels of 293 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, 400 patients with non-transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and 105 bladder benign disease were analysed by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The levels of urinary NMP22 and CK18 in the patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (M = 17.3 U/ml, M(CK18) = 484.2 U/L) were significantly higher than those in the non-transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (M = 6.8 U/ml, M(CK18) = 156.0 U/L) and the benign disease group (M(NMP22) = 2.3 U/ml, M(CK18) = 66.6 U/L) (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of urinary NMP22 and CK18 were 79.2%, 88.6% and 78.2%, 82.9%, respectively, for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder before any treatment. The joint sensitivity of the two markers was 91.7%. The NMP22 and CK18 levels were significantly lower in the recovered patients after surgical operation (P < 0.01), while in patients with recurrence or metastasis the levels of the markers were significantly higher (P < 0.01). There was a significant relationship between NMP22 and CK18, (r = 0.689, P < 0.01). The levels of urinary nmp22 and CK18 were significantly different among pathological grade G1, G2, G3, and stage Ta, T1, T2, T3 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: NMP22 and CK18 are useful tumor marker for diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and for monitoring the state of illness. The joint use of the two markers can improve the sensitivity of cancer detection. NMP22 and CK18 may become a new class of tumor markers, and to be the basis for development of a new assay with an increased efficacy for the detection and treatment of bladder cancer.

Ultrastructural localization of aquaporin 4 and alpha1-syntrophin in the vascular feet of brain astrocytes.

Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a recently discovered membrane bound water-selective channel and has been described at the light microscopic level to be predominantly expressed in the astrocytes of the brain, especially at the perivascular astrocyte endfoot processes. Alpha1-syntrophin, a member of dystrophin-associated protein, has also been reported at the light microscopic to be expressed level in the same site of astrocytes as AQP4 and interacts with other molecules through its PDZ domain. AQP4 expression has been reported to be absent at the sarcolemma and the perivascular astrocyte endfoot processes of alpha1-syntrophin knockout mice. Based on these observations, the molecular association between AQP4 and alpha1-syntrophin could be speculated. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the ultrasturctural localization of AQP4 and alpha1-syntrophin in the brain astrocytes by using double immunogold labeled electron microscopy. The results showed that AQP4 and alpha1-syntrophin colocalized frequently at the astrocyte membrane, especially at the perivascular astrocyte endfoot processes and suggested the presence of linkage between AQP4 and alpha1-syntrophin at the astrocyte plasma membrane.