Penicilloneines A and B, Quinolone-Citrinin Hybrids from a Starfish-Derived Penicillium sp.

Penicilloneines A (1) and B (2) are the first reported quinolone-citrinin hybrids. They were isolated from the starfish-derived fungus Penicillium sp. GGF16-1-2, and their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic, chemical, computational, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Penicilloneines A (1) and B (2) share a common 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-quinolone unit; however, they differ in terms of citrinin moieties, and these two units are linked via a methylene bridge. Penicilloneines A (1) and B (2) exhibited antifungal activities against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, with lethal concentration 50 values of 0.02 and 1.51 µg/mL, respectively. A mechanistic study revealed that 1 could inhibit cell growth and promote cell vacuolization and consequent disruption of the fungal cell walls via upregulating nutrient-related hydrolase genes, including putative hydrolase, acetylcholinesterase, glycosyl hydrolase, leucine aminopeptidase, lipase, and beta-galactosidase, and downregulating their synthase genes 3-carboxymuconate cyclase, pyruvate decarboxylase, phosphoketolase, and oxalate decarboxylase.

Effect of complete revascularization in acute coronary syndrome after 75 years old: insights from the BleeMACS registry.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic benefit of complete revascularization in elderly patients (aged over 75 years) with multi-vessel disease and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is currently unclear. This study aimed to determine the long-term prognostic impact of complete revascularization in this population. METHODS: We conducted this study using data obtained from the BleeMACS (Bleeding complications in a Multicenter registry of patients discharged after an Acute Coronary Syndrome) registry, which was carried out from 2003 to 2014. The objective was to categorize older patients diagnosed with ACS into two groups: those who underwent complete revascularization and those who did not. Propensity score matching and the Kaplan-Meier analysis were employed to examine differences in one-year clinical outcomes. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), which encompassed a combination of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Out of 1263 patients evaluated, 445 patients (35.2%) received complete revascularization. Patients who underwent complete revascularization had a higher prevalence of hypertension and prior percutaneous coronary intervention compared to those who did not. During the one-year follow-up period, complete revascularization was associated with a significantly decreased risk of MACE [13.7% vs. 20.5%, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.45-0.88, P = 0.007] and a lower risk of myocardial infarction (5.9% vs. 9.9%, HR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.33-0.92, P = 0.02). However, it was not linked to a lower risk of all-cause death (9.5% vs. 13.5%, HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.45-1.02, P = 0.06). Similar results were observed in the subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term clinical improvements were observed in ACS patients aged over 75 years with multi-vessel disease who achieved complete revascularization. Therefore, adhering to guidelines for complete revascularization should be recommended for elderly patients.

Microphase Separation with Sub-3 nm Microdomains in Comb-Like Poly(n-alkyl acrylate) Homopolymers Facilitated by Charged Junction Groups between the Main Chains and Side Chains.

The phase structure with a small domain size in polymers is expected to provide a template for lithography to fabricate electronic devices, while the uniformity and thermal stability of the phase structure are vital in lithography. In this work, we report an accurately microphase-separated system of comb-like poly(ionic liquid) (PIL)-based homopolymers containing imidazolium cation junctions between the main chain parts and the long alkyl side chains, poly(1-((2-acryloyloxy)ethyl)-3-alkylimidazolium bromide) (P(AOEAmI-Br)). The ordered hexagonally packed cylinder (HEX) and lamellar (LAM) structures with small domain sizes (sub-3 nm) were successfully achieved. Since the microphase separation was induced by the incompatibility between the main chain parts and the hydrophobic alkyl chains, the microdomain spacing of the ordered structure was independent of the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of P(AOEAmI-Br) homopolymers and could be precisely regulated by changing the length of the alkyl side chains. Importantly, the microphase separation was promoted by the charged junction groups; thus, the phase structure and domain size of P(AOEAmI-Br) exhibited excellent thermal stability.

Bioactive Aspergteroids G-J from Soft-Coral-Associated Symbiotic and Epiphytic Fungus Aspergillus terreus EGF7-0-1.

Two new disubstituted maleimides, aspergteroids G-H (1-2), and two trisubstituted butenolides aspergteroids I-J (3-4), along with four known analogs, were isolated and structurally identified from the fermentation extract of soft-coral-associated symbiotic and epiphytic fungus Aspergillus terreus EGF7-0-1. The structures of the new compounds were established mainly via spectroscopic data analyses, and their absolute configurations were determined via X-ray diffraction analysis and comparison of the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism. Myocardial protection assays showed that compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6 possess protective effects against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced H9c2 (rat myocardial cells) apoptosis at low concentrations. Based on the analyses of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Western blotting, compound 1 may inhibit the apoptosis and inflammatory response of cardiomyocytes after TBHP induction and improve the antioxidant capacity of cardiomyocytes. We speculate that the anti-inflammatory response of compound 1 is suppressed by the glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3ß), downregulated by the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, and suppressed by the expression of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (caspase-3) and B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X protein (Bax).

[LC-MS analysis of 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones in sodium chloride-treated suspension cells of Aquilaria sinensis].

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones in sodium chloride(NaCl)-treated suspension cells of Aquilaria sinensis was conducted by UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. Both analyses were performed on a Waters T3 column(2.1 mm×50 mm, 1.8 µm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution(A)-acetonitrile(B) as mobile phases at gradient elution. MS data were collected by electrospray ionization in positive ion mode. Forty-seven phenylethylchromones was identified from NaCl-treated suspension cell samples of A. sinensis using UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS, including 22 flindersia-type 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones and their glycosides, 10 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones and 15 mono-epoxy or diepoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones. Additionally, 25 phenylethylchromones were quantitated by UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. Overall, the rapid and efficient qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenylethylchromones in NaCl-treated suspension cells of A. sinensis by two LC-MS techniques, provides an important reference for the yield of phenylethylchromones in Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum using in vitro culture and other biotechnologies.

New Indole Diketopiperazine Alkaloids from Soft Coral-Associated Epiphytic Fungus Aspergillus versicolor CGF 9-1-2.

Two new indole diketopiperazine alkaloids (IDAs), (+)19-epi-sclerotiamide (1) and (-)19-epi-sclerotiamide (2), along with 13 known analogs (3-15), were isolated from a soft coral-associated epiphytic fungus Aspergillus versicolor CGF 9-1-2. The structures of two new compounds were established based on the combination of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, optical rotation measurements and quantum chemical 13 C-NMR, the absolute configurations were determined by experimental and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The results of molecular docking showed that all the compounds had a good binding with TDP1, TDP2, TOP1, TOP2, Ache, NLRP3, EGFR, EGFR L858R, EGFR T790M and EGFR T790/L858. Biological evaluation of compounds 3, 6, 8, 11 showed that 3 exerted a strong inhibitory effect on TDP2 with a rate of 81.72 %.

Electrostatic crosslinking-enabled highly asymmetric lamellar nanostructures of polyzwitterionic block copolymers for lithography.

For the bulk self-assembly of traditional diblock copolymers (di-BCPs), lamellar structures only occur when two constituents have similar volume fractions (f) and two alternating layers tend to have similar thicknesses. Highly asymmetric lamellar (A-LAM) structures, in which the thickness of one layer is several times higher than the other, are hardly formed in di-BCPs, while they have potential applications in nanolithography. In this work, A-LAM structures with different dimensions were constructed using a type of simple linear di-BCP, polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine)propane-1-sulfonate (PS-b-PVPS) with the polyzwitterionic block PVPS in minority. The origin of the A-LAM structure was ascribed to the electrostatic crosslinking and confirmed by doping PS-b-PVPS block copolymers (BCPs) with N-butyl pyridinium methane sulfonate (BPMS). The morphology of compositionally asymmetric PS-b-PVPS BCPs changed from A-LAM to cylindrical structures upon salt-doping, i.e. the phase behavior of common BCPs was recovered. In addition, the morphologies of PS-b-PVPS BCPs with similar molecular weights but varied compositions were also studied, and only two kinds of structures (lamellar or ill-defined spherical structure) were observed when the volume fraction of PVPS (fPVPS) was less than 0.5, and the composition range for the formation of the lamellar structure was found to be fPVPS ≥ 0.188.

PEO-Based Block Copolymer Electrolytes Containing Double Conductive Phases with Improved Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties.

In this work, the advanced all solid-state block copolymer electrolytes (SBCPEs) for lithium-ion batteries with double conductive phases, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(trimethyl-N-((2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-7-propyl)-ammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide) (PEO-b-PDM-dTFSI)/LiTFSI, were fabricated, in which the charged PDM-dTFSI block contained double quaternary ammonium cations and the PEO block was doped with LiTFSI. The disordered (DIS) and ordered lamellae (LAM) phase structures were achieved by adjusting the composition of the block copolymer and the doping ratio r. In addition, the presence of the hard PDM-dTFSI block and the formation of the LAM phase structure resulted in a good mechanical strength of the solid PEO-b-PDM-dTFSI/LiTFSI electrolyte, and it could maintain a high level of 104 Pa at 100 °C, which was around 10,000 times stronger than that of the PEO/LiTFSI electrolyte. Based on the good mechanical and electrochemical properties, the PEO-b-PDM-dTFSI/LiTFSI SBCPE exhibited excellent long-term galvanostatic cycle performance, indicating the strong ability to suppress lithium dendrites.

A Multifunctional Cytochrome P450 and a Meroterpenoid Cyclase in the Biosynthesis of Fungal Meroterpenoid Atlantinone B.

The biosynthetic gene cluster of atlantinone B (10) was discovered in Penicillium chrysogenum MT-40. A multifunctional cytochrome P450 (AtlD) encoded by the cluster is responsible for the formation of the unique lactone-bridged ring and the 16ß-hydroxyl of atlantinone B, and a new terpene cyclase (AtlC) can unprecedentedly accept the demethylated substrate epoxyfarnesyl-DMOA (4a) to generate three bicyclic meroterpenoids (5a-5c). This study paves the way for combinatorial synthesis of structurally diverse meroterpenoids for drug discovery.

Methods for Predicting Ethylene/Cyclic Olefin Copolymerization Rates Promoted by Single-Site Metallocene: Kinetics Is the Key.

In toluene at 50 °C, the vinyl addition polymerization of 4-vinyl-cyclohexene (VCH) comonomers with ethylene is investigated using symmetrical metallocene (rac-Et(Ind)2ZrCl2) combined with borate/TIBA. To demonstrate the polymerizations' living character, cyclic VCH with linear-exocyclicπ and endocyclicπ bonds produces monomodal polymers, but the dispersity (Ɖ) was broader. The copolymers obtained can be dissolved in conventional organic solvent and have excellent thermal stability and crystalline temperature (ΔHm), and their melting temperature (Tm) varies from 109 to 126 °C, and ΔHm ranges from 80 to 128 (J/g). Secondly, the distribution of polymeric catalysts engaged in polymer chain synthesis and the nature of the dormant state are two of the most essential yet fundamentally unknown aspects. Comprehensive and exhaustive kinetics of E/VCH have shown numerous different kinetic aspects that are interpreted as manifestations of polymeric catalysts or of the instability of several types of active center [Zr]/[C*] fluctuations and formation rates of chain propagation RpE, RpVCH, and propagation rate constants kpE and kpVCH, the quantitative relationship between RpE, RpVCH and kpE, kpVCH and catalyst structures, their constituent polymer Mw, and their reactivity response to the endocyclic and exocyclic bonds of VCH. The kinetic parameters RpE, RpVCH, kpE, and kpVCH, which are the apparent rates for the metallocene-catalyzed E/VCH, RpE, and kpE values, are much more significant than RpVCH and kpVCH at 120 s, RpE and RpVCH 39.63 and 0.78, and the kpE and kpVCH values are 6461 and 93 L/mol·s, respectively, and minor diffusion barriers are recommended in the early stages. Compared with previously reported PE, RpE and kpE values are 34.2 and 7080 L/mol·s. VCH increases the RpE in the initial stage, as we are expecting; this means that the exocyclic bond of VCH is more active at the initial level, and that the chain transfer reaction of cyclic internal π double is increased with the reaction time. The tp versus Rp, kp, and [Zr]/[C*] fraction count may be fitted to a model that invokes deactivation of growing polymer chains. At tp 120-360 s higher, the incorporation rate of VCH suppresses E insertion, resulting in reduced molecular weight.

Identification of a diarylpentanoid-producing polyketide synthase revealing an unusual biosynthetic pathway of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood.

2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromones (PECs) are the principal constituents contributing to the distinctive fragrance of agarwood. How PECs are biosynthesized is currently unknown. In this work, we describe a diarylpentanoid-producing polyketide synthase (PECPS) identified from Aquilaria sinensis. Through biotransformation experiments using fluorine-labeled substrate, transient expression of PECPS in Nicotiana benthamiana, and knockdown of PECPS expression in A. sinensis calli, we demonstrate that the C6-C5-C6 scaffold of diarylpentanoid is the common precursor of PECs, and PECPS plays a crucial role in PECs biosynthesis. Crystal structure (1.98 Å) analyses and site-directed mutagenesis reveal that, due to its small active site cavity (247 Å3), PECPS employs a one-pot formation mechanism including a "diketide-CoA intermediate-released" step for the formation of the C6-C5-C6 scaffold. The identification of PECPS, the pivotal enzyme of PECs biosynthesis, provides insight into not only the feasibility of overproduction of pharmaceutically important PECs using metabolic engineering approaches, but also further exploration of how agarwood is formed.

Mild haemoglobin drop and clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome patients: finding from the BleeMACS registry.

BACKGROUND: Haemoglobin drop is common in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and correlates with poor prognosis. However, the association between mild haemoglobin drop and adverse clinical outcome remains insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to examine the association between in-hospital haemoglobin drop and risk for adverse clinical outcomes in ACS patients, especially those with mild drop. METHODS: Included patients from the BleeMACS (Bleeding complications in a Multicenter registry of patients discharged after an Acute Coronary Syndrome) registry were categorized into three groups by the presence and amount of in-hospital haemoglobin drop (non-drop, mild drop and severe drop). The cut-off point between mild drop and severe drop is ≥ 3 g/dL. Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess the association between haemoglobin drop and major adverse cardiac endpoints (MACE). Patients taking potent P2Y12 inhibitors were selected for the additional analysis. Propensity score matching was used to avoid selective bias in the additional analysis. RESULTS: Of 6911 patients, 4949 patients (71.6%) experienced in-hospital haemoglobin drop. Compare with non-drop group, patients with haemoglobin drop had higher risk of MACE [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.03-1.80 for mild drop group; adjusted HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.07-2.68 for severe drop group]. Patients in mild drop group were less likely to receive potent P2Y12 inhibitors at discharge (mild drop group vs. severe drop group vs. non-drop group: 10.9% vs. 10.7% vs. 23.8%). After propensity score matching adjustment among patients with potent P2Y12 inhibitors, patients in mild drop group were not associated with an increased risk of MACE than those in non-drop group (adjusted HR = 1.52, 95% CI: 0.49-4.72). CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital haemoglobin drop was common in ACS patients and associated with a higher risk for adverse events. Reduced prescription for potent P2Y12 inhibitors may be responsible for poor prognoses among patients with mild haemoglobin drop.

Disseminated cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans a case report and review / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: To analyze the clinical, therapeutic and laboratory characteristics of disseminated cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans invading the blood stream in patient with liver cirrhosis and splenectomy. A 30-year-old male underwent splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization due to "splenomegaly and hypersplenism" in March in 2016. The patient had intermittent fever after operation for many times, and successively accompanied with back pain, left lower limb abscess and right hip pain. The highest body temperature was 39 ℃. CT and MRI revealed the lung lesion and multiple bone destruction. During that period, the effect of antibiotics was not good. On April 19th, 2017, Gram's stain, India ink stain, API 32C, Vitek 2 Compact, ribosomal ITS and IGS sequence analysis were performed to identify the strain isolated from the pus and blood stream. The serum of the patient was detected for cryptococcal antigen. Antifungal susceptibility test was used to determine drug sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from fresh pus specimen showed a prominent, thick capsule after India ink stain. The colonies isolated from pus and blood stream were identified Cryptococcus neoformans using API 32C, Vitek 2 Compact, and sequence analysis of rDNA ITS and IGS. Cryptococcal capsule antigen was positive. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of 5-Flucytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole, itriconazole, voriconazole against the isolate were <4 μg/mL, <0.5 μg/mL, 4 μg/mL, ≤0.25 μg/mL, 0.125 μg/mL respectively. The patient was initially treated with intravenous amphotericin B and flucytosine. After anti-Cryptococcus treatment for two months, the patient clinically improved, and the lesions were reduced on a follow-up CT scan. The patient made a full functional recovery after treatment for six months. Cryptococcosis has hidden onset, atypical clinical symptoms and lack of specificity. Blood stream is the main channel for Cryptococcus to spread and involve many organs of the whole body, including skin, bone and so on. Therefore, early use of blood culture to monitor blood flow dissemination, actively removing the primary focus and cutting off the infection route in time and carrying out effective anti-Cryptococcus treatment are conducive to the patient's early recovery.

Comparative metabolism study on chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid using UHPLC-Q-TOF MS coupled with network pharmacology.

Chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), neochlorogenic acid (3-CQA), and cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA), usually simultaneously exist in many traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). However, insufficient attentions have been paid to the comparative metabolism study on these three isomeric constituents with similar effects on anti-inflammation until now. In this study, a novel strategy was established to perform comparative analysis of their metabolic fates in rats and elucidate the pharmacological mechanism of anti-inflammation. Firstly, diagnostic product ions (DPIs) deduced from the representative reference standards were adopted to rapidly screen and characterize the metabolites in rat plasma, urine and faeces using UHPLC-Q-TOF MS. Subsequently, Network pharmacology was utilized to elucidate their anti-inflammatory mechanism. Consequently, a total of 73 metabolites were detected and characterized, including 50, 47 and 43 metabolites for 5-CQA, 4-CQA and 3-CQA, orderly. Moreover, the network pharmacology study indicated that these three isomeric constituents and their major metabolites with similar in vivo metabolic pathways exerted anti-inflammatory effects through co-owned 20 biological processes, which involved 10 major signal pathways and 159 potential targets. Our study shed light on the similarities and differences of the metabolic profiling and anti-inflammatory activity among these three isomeric constituents and set an example for the further researches on the active mechanism of isomeric constituents existing in TCMs based on comparative metabolism study.

Fabrication of High χ-Low N Block Copolymers with Thermally Stable Sub-5 nm Microdomains Using Polyzwitterion as a Constituent Block.

In this work, we used zwitterionic poly(4-vinylpyridine) propane-1-sulfonate (PVPS) as a constituent block to construct high χ-low N block copolymers (BCPs) with different neutral polymers as the other block, including polystyrene (PS), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and poly(l-lactide) (PLLA). Lamellar structures with sub-5 nm microdomains were observed in all three types of BCPs. Due to the tendency of self-aggregation induced by electrostatic interaction in polyzwitterion, the Flory-Huggins parameters (χ) between PVPS and most neutral polymers are relatively high, which provides a facile and efficient way to fabricate high χ-low N BCPs. In addition, the dimension of the sub-5 nm structures formed in PVPS-containing BCPs showed high thermal stability with a small fluctuation (±0.1 nm) of domain spacings upon heating.

Deciphering the Biosynthetic Mechanism of Pelletierine in Lycopodium Alkaloid Biosynthesis.

Pelletierine, a proposed building block of Lycopodium alkaloids (LAs), was demonstrated to be synthesized via the non-enzymatic Mannich-like condensation of Δ1-piperideine and 3-oxoglutaric acid produced by two new type III PKSs (HsPKS4 and PcPKS1) characterized from Huperzia serrata and Phlegmariurus cryptomerianus, respectively. The findings provide new insights for further understanding the biosynthesis of LAs such as huperzine A.

Epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in Anhui Province, Eastern China from 2013 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a severe infectious respiratory disease, the burden of which remains high in China. To provide scientific evidence for developing more targeted prevention and control strategies, this study aimed to determine the incidence trends and explore the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary TB in Anhui Province, Eastern China between 2013 and 2018. METHODS: The retrospective study analyzed information regarding pulmonary TB cases reported by the National Infectious Disease Reporting System and census data collected from the Anhui Provincial Bureau of Statistics. RESULTS: Overall, 211,892 cases of TB patients were reported in Anhui Province, China between 2013 and 2018, with an average annual reported incidence rate of 57.7 per 100,000 persons. A significant decrease in the incidence rate of pulmonary TB (p < 0.001) was observed during the study period. Men had a higher incidence rate of pulmonary TB than women (p < 0.001). The highest annual average reported incidence rate was 204.2 per 100,000 persons in those aged 70-74 years. The number of farmers with pulmonary TB, i.e., 155,415, accounted for 73.4% of all cases. Moreover, the peak period of reported cases was from January to March. Four cities along the Yangtze River-Anqing, Tongling, Chizhou, and Wuhu-reported significantly higher incidence rates of pulmonary TB than other cities (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: From 2013 to 2018, there was a significant decline in the incidence rate of pulmonary TB in Anhui Province, with peaks occurring from January to March. Prevention and control strategies targeting men, people aged 70-74 years, farmers, and the four cities along the Yangtze River should be strengthened.

The bone mineral density of hip joint was reduced in the initial stage of ankylosing spondylitis?

The osteoporosis was common complication of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but it was frequently unrecognized in the initial stage of the disease. This study was to compare areal bone mineral density (BMD) of hip joints in early AS patients with that in healthy controls, to explore the progress of bone loss in cortex and spongiosa in early AS.Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) of hip was performed in 60 AS patients (modified New York criteria for AS, with grade 2 sacroiliitis in computed tomography) and 57 healthy controls. The QCT measurements of AS patients were compared with the measurements of healthy controls.The AS patients had lower areal BMD in cortical bone and total bone of proximal femur in early AS patients (P < .01), than the controls. But there were not significant different of areal BMD in spongiosa of proximal femur between the early AS patients and healthy controls. Strong correlations were found between body mass index BMI, areal BMD in cortical bone (rs = 0.410, P < .001; rs = 0.422, P < .001) and total bone (rs = 0.368, P < .001; rs = 0.266, P = .003) both in AS patients and healthy controls.The results indicate that osteopenia/osteoporosis is general in early stage of AS. What is more, the osteopenia/osteoporosis in cortex is earlier than in spongiosa of proximal femur in early AS.

Interfacial self-assembly of amphiphilic conjugated block copolymer into 2D nanotapes.

In the present work, the evaporation-induced interfacial self-assembly behavior of an amphiphilic conjugated polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (P3HT-b-PAA), at the oil-water interface is explored. Novel 2D nanotapes of P3HT-b-PAA are prepared via the interfacial self-assembly. It is inferred that P3HT segments adopt a special conformation at the oil-water interface, which facilitates the packing of alkyl side chains and π-π interaction. The UV-vis spectrum further confirms that the ordering degree of P3HT segments is increased while transmission IR and Raman spectroscopic studies suggest that the P3HT chains adopt a more planar conformation at the oil-water interface. It is proposed that the formation of the nanotapes is driven by the ordered packing of the P3HT chains at the oil-water interface. Finally, the packing model of the P3HT chains inside the nanotapes is roughly proposed.

STARD-compliant article: Comparison of pulmonary sequestrations with thoracic and abdominal aortic arterial supply.

Pulmonary sequestrations (PS) are typically supplied by a vessel originating from thoracic aorta, or abdominal aorta. Differences in imaging features between these PS subtypes have not been described.To analyze the imaging features of PS with arterial supply from the thoracic and abdominal aorta.Retrospectively, 23 pathologically proven cases of pulmonary sequestration were analyzed and compared based on the site of feeding artery origin.In 21 cases (21/23), the PS was soft tissue density. 1 (1/23) PS was purely cystic and another heterogeneous with both cystic and solid components (1/23). In 16/23 cases, the feeding vessel(s) arose from the thoracic aorta (male:female ratio 1:7) and in 7/23 cases from the abdominal aorta (male:female ratio 4:3). Feeding vessels from the thoracic aorta were duplicated in 7/16 cases. PS location (P <.05) and size (P <.001) differed based on the origin of the feeding vessel (thoracic aorta: 14/16 left lower lobe, mean volume 962.97 mL; abdominal aorta: 3/7 left lower lobe, mean volume 1120.89 mL). The feeding arteries themselves differed in size depending on their site of origin (thoracic aorta: mean diameter 7.0mm ±â€Š2.7 mm, mean length 44.6mm ±â€Š10.9 mm; abdominal aorta: mean diameter 3.3mm ±â€Š0.6 mm, mean length 103.6mm ±â€Š34.5 mm).PS size and distribution differ depending upon the site of feeding vessel origin as does the size of the feeding vessel itself.