Preparation and Properties of 3D Printing Light-Curable Resin Modified with Hyperbranched Polysiloxane.

A novel, hyperbranched polysiloxane (HBPSi) is successfully synthesized via hydrolysis using γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (A174) and deionized water, under catalyst-free conditions. Then, for the first time, the HBPSis are used to modify a 3D printing light-curing epoxy resin. Thermogravimetry results showed that the addition of HBPSi improved the heat resistance of the epoxy resin. Experimental results also show that the addition of HBPSi simultaneously improves tensile strength, elongation at break, and impact strength. In particular, a great increase in the toughness of 3D printing light-curing epoxy resin is observed, with 5 wt % HBPSi loading. These results indicate that the HBPSi containg OH- and Si-O-Si can be potentially effective at improving the performance of the 3D printing light-curing epoxy resin. This investigation suggests that the method proposed herein is a new approach to develop the performance of 3D printing light-curing epoxy resin for cutting-edge industries, especially those that simultaneously have outstanding thermal resistance and toughness.

Enhancement of Electrochemical Performance of LiFePO4@C by Ga Coating.

LiFePO4 (LFP) is one of the cathode materials widely used in lithium ion batteries at present, but its electronic conductivity is still unsatisfactory, which will affect its electrochemical performance. Ga-coated LiFePO4@C (LFP@C) samples were prepared by a hydrothermal method and ultrasonic dispersion technology. Ga has good electrical conductivity and can rapidly conduct electrons within the LFP cathode material under the synergistic effect with C coating, thus improving the dynamic performance of the LFP cathode material. The experimental results show that LFP@C/Ga samples exhibit good electrochemical performance. Compared with the pristine LFP@C, the 1.0 wt % Ga-coated LFP@C cathode exhibits excellent discharge capacity and cycle stability. The former shows a discharge capacity of 152.6 mA h g-1 at 1 C after 100 cycles and a discharge capacity retention rate of 98.77%, while pristine LFP@C shows only a discharge capacity of 114.5 mA h g-1 and a capacity retention rate of 95.84% after 100 cycles at 1 C current density.

Nasal administration of interleukin-33 induces airways angiogenesis and expression of multiple angiogenic factors in a murine asthma surrogate.

The T-helper cell type 2-promoting cytokine interleukin-33 (IL-33) has been implicated in asthma pathogenesis. Angiogenesis is a feature of airways remodelling in asthma. We hypothesized that IL-33 induces airways angiogenesis and expression of angiogenic factors in an established murine surrogate of asthma. In the present study, BALB/c mice were subjected to serial intranasal challenge with IL-33 alone for up to 70 days. In parallel, ovalbumin (OVA) -sensitized mice were subjected to serial intranasal challenge with OVA or normal saline to serve as positive and negative controls, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis of expression of von Willebrand factor and erythroblast transformation-specific-related gene, both blood vessel markers, and angiogenic factors angiogenin, insulin-like growth factor-1, endothelin-1, epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin was performed in lung sections ex vivo. An established in-house assay was used to test whether IL-33 was able to induce microvessel formation by human vascular endothelial cells. Results showed that serial intranasal challenge of mice with IL-33 or OVA resulted in proliferation of peribronchial von Willebrand factor-positive blood vessels to a degree closely related to the total expression of the angiogenic factors amphiregulin, angiogenin, endothelin-1, epidermal growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1. IL-33 also induced microvessel formation by human endothelial cells in a concentration-dependent fashion in vitro. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that IL-33 has the capacity to induce angiogenesis at least partly by increasing local expression of multiple angiogenic factors in an allergen-independent murine asthma surrogate, and consequently that IL-33 or its receptor is a potential novel molecular target for asthma therapy.

[Separations of four groups of analogues on cyclofructan based columns].

The separations of the immunosuppressive reagents, capsaicinoids, vitamin E, curcumins on cyclofructan based stationary phases containing polystyrene supported native cyclofructan (MCI Gel CRS100), silica supported native cyclofructan (Frulic N), silica supported isopropyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 (Larihc P), silica supported R-naphthylethyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 (Larihc RN) in normal phase HPLC mode were studied. From the investigation it showed that the column MCI Gel CRS100 was more suitable for the separation in normal phase than in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. Derivatized cyclofructan stationary phases, Larihc P and Larihc RN, showed better selectivities in comparison with the native cyclofructan stationary phases. Trifluoroacetic acid had less influence on resolution on cyclofructan based stationary phases in normal phase mode.

Ginkgolide B produced endophytic fungus (Fusarium oxysporum) isolated from Ginkgo biloba.

To screen the presence of ginkgolide B-producing endophytic fungi from the root bark of Ginkgo biloba, a total of 27 fungal isolates, belonging to 6 different genus, were isolated from the internal root bark of the plant Ginkgo biloba. The fungal isolates were fermented on solid media and their metabolites were analyzed by TLC. The obtained potential ginkgolides-producing fungus, the isolate SYP0056 which was identified as Fusarium oxysporum, was successively cultured in the liquid fermentation media, and its metabolite was analyzed by HPLC. The ginkgolide B was successfully isolated from the metabolite and identified by HPLC/ESI-MS and (13)C-NMR. The current research provides a new method to produce ginkgolide B by fungal fermentation, which could overcome the natural resource limitation of isolating from the leaves and barks of the plant Ginkgo biloba.