Decolorization, spectral broadening, and luminescence enhancement in Tb:Y2O3 transparent ceramics through vacuum thermal reduction.

Tb3+ is extensively employed in magneto-optical devices and luminescent materials owing to its distinctive physical properties. However, under certain conditions, trivalent Tb3+ readily undergoes oxidation to tetravalent Tb4+, significantly reducing the performance of devices containing Tb3+. In this Letter, we report a technique called dual-annealing (DA) post-treatment, which effectively solves Tb oxidation issues by utilizing the reducibility of the vacuum environment. High-quality Tb:Y2O3 transparent ceramics were prepared with in-line transmittance of ∼80% at 800 nm. Subsequently, the prepared ceramics were subjected to DA treatment. The optical, photoluminescence, radioluminescence, and x-ray imaging properties of DA samples were comprehensively compared with those of conventionally single-annealed (SA) samples. The coloration of Tb:Y2O3 transparent ceramics due to Tb4+ absorption was eliminated by DA. Notably, the DA sample showed a 3.28-fold increase in photoluminescence intensity and a 2.73-fold increase in radioluminescence intensity compared with the traditional SA sample. DA post-treatment enables Tb: Y2O3 transparent ceramics to achieve x-ray imaging capabilities. This Letter presents a simple, efficient, and universally applicable post-treatment technique expected to replace conventional hydrogen annealing in numerous scenarios.

Photochemical Synthesis of Nitriles from Alcohols.

Nickel-catalyzed hydrocyanation of 1,3-butadiene with hydrogen cyanide gas is the predominant method for the synthesis of adiponitrile, which is an important precursor for polymer production. However, the use of fossil-derived alkenes raises environmental concerns, and hydrogen cyanide is highly volatile and extremely toxic. Herein, we report the use of biomass-derived 1,4-butanediol, as well as other primary alcohols, for photochemical synthesis of linear and branched nitriles and dinitriles, including adiponitrile, with 1,4-dicyanobenzene as the CN source. This mild, sustainable method does not require hydrogen cyanide gas or an air- or moisture-sensitive metal catalyst and is applicable for the production of dinitriles as precursors of diamines, which have potential utility for the development of novel polyamides.

Calibration Model Optimization for Strain Metrology of Equal Strength Beams Using Deflection Measurements.

Strain sensors, especially fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, are of great importance in structural health monitoring, mechanical property analysis, and so on. Their metrological accuracy is typically evaluated by equal strength beams. The traditional strain calibration model using the equal strength beams was built based on an approximation method by small deformation theory. However, its measurement accuracy would be decreased while the beams are under the large deformation condition or under high temperature environments. For this reason, an optimized strain calibration model is developed for equal strength beams based on the deflection method. By combining the structural parameters of a specific equal strength beam and finite element analysis method, a correction coefficient is introduced into the traditional model, and an accurate application-oriented optimization formula is obtained for specific projects. The determination method of optimal deflection measurement position is also presented to further improve the strain calibration accuracy by error analysis of the deflection measurement system. Strain calibration experiments of the equal strength beam were carried out, and the error introduced by the calibration device can be reduced from 10 µÎµ to less than 1 µÎµ. Experimental results show that the optimized strain calibration model and the optimum deflection measurement position can be employed successfully under large deformation conditions, and the deformation measurement accuracy is improved greatly. This study is helpful to effectively establish metrological traceability for strain sensors and furthermore improve the measurement accuracy of strain sensors in practical engineering scenarious.

The Fate and Intermediary Metabolism of Soyasapogenol in the Rat.

Research suggests that soyasaponins are poorly absorbed in the GI tract and that soyasaponin aglycones or soyasapogenols are absorbed faster and in greater amounts than the corresponding soyasaponins. Therefore, it is important to understand the bioavailability of these compounds for the potential development of functional foods containing their components. In this paper, to investigate the metabolic characteristics of soyasapogenols A and B, the pharmacokinetic parameters in rats were determined via oral and intravenous administration. The liver metabolites of soyasapogenols were identified using UPLC-/Q-TOF-MS/MS, and their metabolic pathways were also speculated. The results show that, after oral administration, there was a bimodal phenomenon in the absorption process. Tmax was about 2 h, and soyasapogenol was completely metabolized 24 h later. The bioavailability of soyasapogenol was superior, reaching more than 60%. There were sixteen metabolites of soyasapogenol A and fifteen metabolites of soyasapogenol B detected in rat bile. Both phase I and II metabolic transformation types of soyasapogenols, including oxidation, dehydrogenation, hydrolysis, dehydration, deoxidization, phosphorylation, sulfation, glucoaldehyde acidification, and conjugation with cysteine, were identified. In addition, soyasapogenol A could be converted into soyasapogenols B and E in the metabolic process. These results suggest that it is feasible to use soyasapogenols as functional ingredients in nutraceuticals or food formulations.

Biological evaluation of the modified nano-amorphous phosphate calcium doped with citrate/poly-amino acid composite as a potential candidate for bone repair and reconstruction.

Large numbers of research works related to fabricating organic-inorganic composite materials have been carried out to mimic the natural structure of bone. In this study, a new modified n-ACP doped with citrate (n-ACP-cit)/poly (amino acids) (PAA) composite (n-ACP-cit/PAA) was synthesized by employing high bioactive n-ACP-cit and the biodegradable and biocompatible PAA copolymer. Its basic structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, the degradability, bioactivity, biocompatibility, and osteoconductivity of n-ACP-cit/PAA composite were evaluated in vitro and in vivo, using simulated body fluid (SBF) solution soaking test, mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation and differentiation, morphological observation test, expression of genes associated with osteogenesis, and bone defect model repair test, respectively. The modified n-ACP-cit/PAA composite exhibited a much higher weight loss rate (36.01 wt.%) than that of PAA (23.99 wt.%) after immersing in SBF solution for 16 weeks and the pH values of local environment restored to neutral condition. Moreover, cells co-culturing with composites exhibited higher alkaline phosphatase activity, more calcium nodule-formation, and higher expression levels of osteogenic differentiation-related genes (Bmp-2, Colla I, OCN, OPN, and Runx-2) than that of PAA. Furthermore, the bone defect model repair test revealed that the composite could be intimately incorporated with the surrounding bone without causing any deleterious reaction and capable of guiding new bone formation. Together, these results indicated that the new modified bone repair n-ACP-cit/PAA composite material with specific characteristics may be designed for meeting diverse requirements from biomedical applications.

Increased phenolic acid and tanshinone production and transcriptional responses of biosynthetic genes in hairy root cultures of Salvia przewalskii Maxim. treated with methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the impact of the plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the growth, effective components accumulation, and related gene expression of the hairy root of Salvia przewalskii Maxim. Various concentrations of SA (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 µM) or MeJA (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 600 µM) were added to the culture medium of Salvia przewalskii Maxim. Low concentrations of SA promoted the growth of hairy root, while a high concentration inhibited it. 0 to 400 µM MeJA promoted the growth of hairy root, but 600 µM MeJA starts to inhibit its growth. 50 µM SA and 400 µM MeJA significantly enhanced the production of caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B, cryptotanshinone, and tanshinone IIA. In general, 50 µM SA can be used to accumulate of tanshinone in hairy roots of S. przewalskii with 6 days. 400 µM MeJA can be used to accumulate of phenolic acids in hairy roots of S. przewalskii with 3 days. The selected genes in the tanshinone and phenolic acid biosynthetic pathway were upregulated with elicitation. To obtain a higher yield and content of secondary metabolites, it is advisable to use 50 µM SA or 400 µM MeJA as the optimal doses to cultivate the hairy root of S. przewalskii. This study provides, for the first time, an efficient tanshinone and phenolic acid production method for S. przewalskii.

[The Effect in Extraction of Different Ratio of Dahuang-Taoren for Ten Kinds of Chemical Constituents from Rhizoma Rhei].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Dahuang-Taoren with different proportion of extraction amount changes of ten kinds of chemical constituents in Rhizoma Rhei. Methods: Uniform method to set different ratio( 1∶ 5,2∶ 5,2∶ 3,1∶ 1,3∶ 2,5∶ 2,5∶ 1),and set the control group ( Dahuang-Taoren( 1 ∶ 0). HPLC was used to determine the content of ten constituents as gallic acid,( +)-catechin,sennoside B,anthraquinones( aloe-emodin,rhein,emodin,chrysophanol,physcion,chrysophanol-1-O-glucoside,emodin major grape glycoside) in different ratio of drug. Different proportions of Dahuang-Taoren on the extraction amount of ten chemical components in Rhizoma Rhei changes were analyzed. . Results: Compared to the control group, Dahuang-Taoren with different ratio( 5∶ 1,5∶ 2,3∶ 2) in a sample with increasing proportion of Taoren,the extraction amount of ten kinds of constituents of Rhizoma Rhei gradually decreased;Dahuang-Taoren with ratio of 1∶ 1,ten kinds of constituents in extraction of total amount arrived minimum value. Dahuang-Taoren with different ratio( 2∶ 3,2∶ 5,1∶ 5) in a sample with increasing proportion of Taoren,the extraction amount of gallic acid,( +) catechin,chrysophanol of Rhizoma Rhei increased significantly. Conclusion: There is obvious change in chemical constituents of the extraction amount of Rhizoma Rhei with the change of the ratio in Dahuang-Taoren, and Dahuang-Taoren with the ratio( 2∶ 3,2∶ 5,1∶ 5),the extraction amount of gallic acid,( +)-catechin,sennoside B,aloe-emodin,emodin,chrysophanol,physcion,chrysophanol-1-O-glucoside are significantly higher than control group.

Composite scaffolds of nano calcium deficient hydroxyapatite/multi-(amino acid) copolymer for bone tissue regeneration.

In this study, nano calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (n-DA)/multi-(amino acid) copolymer composite scaffolds were prepared by injection molding foaming method using calcium sulphate dihydrate as a foaming agent. The composite scaffolds showed well interconnected macropores with the pore size of ranging from 100 to 600 µm, porosity of 81 % and compressive strength of 12 MPa, and the compressive strength obviously affected by the porosity. The composite scaffolds could be slowly degraded in phosphate buffered solution (PBS), which lost its initial weight of 61 w % after immersion into PBS for 12 weeks, and the porosity significantly affected the degradability of the scaffolds. Moreover, it was found that the composite scaffolds could promote the MG-63 cells growth and proliferation, and enhance its alkaline phosphatase activity. The implantation of the scaffolds into the femoral bone of rabbits confirmed that the composite scaffolds were biocompatibitive, degradable, and osteoconductive in vivo.

[Comparative studies on the material performances of natural bone-like apatite from different bone sources].

The compressive strength of the original bone tissue was tested, based on the raw human thigh bone, bovine bone, pig bone and goat bone. The four different bone-like apatites were prepared by calcining the raw bones at 800 degrees C for 8 hours to remove organic components. The comparison of composition and structure of bone-like apatite from different bone sources was carried out with a composition and structure test. The results indicated that the compressive strength of goat bone was similar to that of human thigh bone, reached (135.00 +/- 7.84) MPa; Infrared spectrum (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results showed that the bone-like apatite from goat bone was much closer to the structure and phase composition of bone-like apatite of human bones. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) test results showed that the content of trace elements of bone-like apatite from goat bone was closer to that of apatite of human bone. Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) results showed that the Ca/P value of bone-like apatite from goat bone was also close to that of human bone, ranged to 1.73 +/- 0.033. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) patterns indicated that the macrographs of the apatite from human bone and that of goat bone were much similar to each other. Considering all the results above, it could be concluded that the goat bone-like apatite is much similar to that of human bone. It can be used as a potential natural bioceramic material in terms of material properties.

A novel strategy for calcium magnesium phosphate/carboxymethyl chitosan composite bone cements with enhanced physicochemical properties, excellent cytocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation.

Artificial bone substitutes for bone repair and reconstruction still face enormous challenges. Previous studies have shown that calcium magnesium phosphate cements (CMPCs) possess an excellent bioactive surface, but its clinical application is restricted due to short setting time. This study aimed to develop new CMPC/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) comg of mixed powders of active MgO, calcined MgO and calcium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate. With this novel strategy, it can adjust the setting time and improve the compressive strength. The results confirmed that CMPC/CMCS composite bone cements were successfully developed with a controllable setting time (18-70 min) and high compressive strength (87 MPa). In addition, the composite bone cements could gradually degrade in PBS with weight loss up to 32% at 28 d. They also promoted the proliferation of pre-osteoblasts, and induced osteogenic differentiation. The findings indicate that CMPC/CMCS composite bone cements hold great promise as a new type of bone repair material in further and in-depth studies.

Light-Triggered, Ni-Catalyzed Cyanation of Aryl Triflates with 1,4-Dicyanobenzene as the CN Source.

A light-triggered, Ni-catalyzed cyanation of aryl triflates was herein reported, which provides a benign photochemical synthesis of aryl nitriles using 1,4-dicyanobenzene as the CN source instead of HCN or a metallic CN source. This mild method uses a readily available bisphosphine ligand and a soluble organosilicon reagent as the reductant and is carried out under purple light without an external photocatalyst. This cyanation was effective for aryl triflates derived from phenols and bisphenols as well as lignin-derived phenolic compounds, demonstrating its potential utility for the synthesis of aryl nitriles from biomass.

Comparison of the difference in the anti-inflammatory activity of two different color types of Farfarae Flos based on in vitro, in vivo experiments and untargeted metabolomics.

Introduction: Due to its remarkable anti-inflammatory pharmacological activity, Farfarae Flos has gained extensive usage in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, prostatitis and colitis. And Farfarae Flos come in two color types depending on the color of the flowers: yellowish-white (YW), and purplish-red (PR). However, the difference in anti-inflammatory activity and metabolic profiles between the two flower colors remains unexplored. Methods: This study aims to explore the difference in the anti-inflammatory potential between YW and PR variants of Farfarae Flos and unravel the mechanisms responsible for the observed differences in anti-inflammatory activity through an integrated approach encompassing untargeted metabolomics and in vivo/vitro experimental studies. Initially, we verified the contrasting effects of YW and PR on the inhibition of the inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) by utilizing an in vitro RAW 264.7 cell inflammation model. Subsequently, a comprehensive evaluation of the systemic inhibitory capacity of YW and PR on IL-6, Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was conducted using a validated whole-body mouse model, followed by the analysis of inflammatory factors and histological examination of collected serum, liver, and spleen after 7 days. Furthermore, non-targeted metabolomics profiling was employed to analyze the metabolite profiles of Farfarae Flos with different colors, and quantitative analysis was conducted to identify differential metabolites between YW and PR. The correlation between the anti-inflammatory activities of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and Farfarae Flos was investigated, resulting in the identification of 48 compounds exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Results: Our findings demonstrate that both YW and PR possess anti-inflammatory abilities, with PR exhibiting significantly superior efficacy. The integration of in vivo/vitro experiments and non-targeted metabolomics confirmed the exceptional anti-inflammatory potential of PR and solidified its classification as the "purplish-red better" of Farfarae Flos. Discussion: This study provides valuable insights into the breeding and medical transformation of Farfarae Flos varieties, along with a scientific basis for the establishment of quality standards and the development of new drugs utilizing Farfarae Flos.

Enhancing osteoblast proliferation and bone regeneration by poly (amino acid)/selenium-doped hydroxyapatite.

Among various biomaterials employed for bone repair, composites with good biocompatibility and osteogenic ability had received increasing attention from biomedical applications. In this study, we doped selenium (Se) into hydroxyapatite (Se-HA) by the precipitation method, and prepared different amounts of Se-HA-loaded poly (amino acid)/Se-HA (PAA/Se-HA) composites (0, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%) byin-situmelting polycondensation. The physical and chemical properties of PAA/Se-HA composites were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and their mechanical properties. XRD and FT-IR results showed that PAA/Se-HA composites contained characteristic peaks of PAA and Se-HA with amide linkage and HA structures. DSC and TGA results specified the PAA/Se-HA30 composite crystallization, melting, and maximum weight loss temperatures at 203.33 °C, 162.54 °C, and 468.92 °C, respectively, which implied good thermal stability. SEM results showed that Se-HA was uniformly dispersed in PAA. The mechanical properties of PAA/Se-HA30 composites included bending, compressive, and yield strengths at 83.07 ± 0.57, 106.56 ± 0.46, and 99.17 ± 1.11 MPa, respectively. The cellular responses of PAA/Se-HA compositesin vitrowere studied using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by cell counting kit-8 assay, and results showed that PAA/Se-HA30 composites significantly promoted the proliferation of BMSCs at the concentration of 2 mg ml-1. The alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and alizarin red staining results showed that the introduction of Se-HA into PAA enhanced ALP activity and formation of calcium nodule. Western blotting and Real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that the introduction of Se-HA into PAA could promoted the expression of osteogenic-related proteins and mRNA (integrin-binding sialoprotein, osteopontin, runt-related transcription factor 2 and Osterix) in BMSCs. A muscle defect at the back and a bone defect at the femoral condyle of New Zealand white rabbits were introduced for evaluating the enhancement of bone regeneration of PAA and PAA/Se-HA30 composites. The implantation of muscle tissue revealed good biocompatibility of PAA and PAA/Se-HA30 composites. The implantation of bone defect showed that PAA/Se-HA30 composites enhanced bone formation at the defect site (8 weeks), exhibiting good bone conductivity. Therefore, the PAA-based composite was a promising candidate material for bone tissue regeneration.

A Bioactive Degradable Composite Bone Cement Based on Calcium Sulfate and Magnesium Polyphosphate.

Calcium sulfate bone cement (CSC) is extensively used as a bone repair material due to its ability to self-solidify, degradability, and osteogenic ability. However, the fast degradation, low mechanical strength, and insufficient biological activity limit its application. This study used magnesium polyphosphate (MPP) and constructed a composite bone cement composed of calcium sulfate (CS), MPP, tricalcium silicate (C3S), and plasticizer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). The optimized CS/MPP/C3S composite bone cement has a suitable setting time of approximately 15.0 min, a compressive strength of 26.6 MPa, and an injectability of about 93%. The CS/MPP/C3S composite bone cement has excellent biocompatibility and osteogenic capabilities; our results showed that cell proliferation is up to 114% compared with the control after 5 days. After 14 days, the expression levels of osteogenic-related genes, including Runx2, BMP2, OCN, OPN, and COL-1, are about 1.8, 2.8, 2.5, 2.2, and 2.2 times higher than those of the control, respectively, while the alkaline phosphatase activity is about 1.7 times higher. Therefore, the CS/MPP/C3S composite bone cement overcomes the limitations of CSC and has more effective potential in bone repair.

CuSO4/H2O2induced polydopamine/polysulfobetaine methacrylate co-deposition on poly(amino acid) membranes for improved anti-protein adsorption and antibacterial activity.

Stopping postoperative soft tissue adhesions is one of the most challenging clinical problems that needs to be addressed urgently to avoid secondary injury and pain to patients. Currently, membrane materials with anti-protein adsorption and antibacterial activity are recognized as an effective and promising anti-adhesion barrier to prevent postoperative adhesion and the recurrent adhesion after adhesiolysis. Herein, poly(amino acid) (PAA), which is structurally similar to collagen, is selected as the membrane base material to successfully synthesize PAA-5 membranes with excellent mechanical and degradation properties by in-situ melt polymerization and hot-melt film-forming technology. Subsequently, the co-deposition of polydopamine/polysulfobetaine methacrylate (PDA/PSBMA) coatings induced by CuSO4/H2O2on PAA-5 membranes results in the formation of PDC-5S and PDC-10S, which exhibit excellent hemocompatibility, protein antifouling properties, and cytocompatibility. Additionally, PDC-5S and PDC-10S demonstrated significant antibacterial activity againstEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition rate of more than 90%. As a result, this study sheds light on newly discovered PAA membranes with anti-protein adsorption and antibacterial activity can sever as one of the promising candidates for the prevention of postoperative peritoneum adhesions.

Integrated gut microbiota and serum pharmacochemistry reveal the mechanisms of wine steaming in alleviating rhubarb diarrhea.

BACKGROUND: Long-term use of rhubarb (RH) can cause adverse gastrointestinal reactions (such as diarrhea), whereas RH steaming with wine (PRH) can alleviate RH-induced diarrhea. However, the potential material basis and mechanisms by which wine steaming alleviates diarrhea caused by RH remain unclear. PURPOSE: To reveal the potential material basis and underlying mechanisms of wine steaming in alleviating diarrhea caused by RH from the perspective of small intestinal flora and immune function. METHODS: The major anthraquinone/anthrone components were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Constipation model mice were replicated using loperamide hydrochloride and were administered RH and PRH for six consecutive weeks. Histopathological observation (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were examined. CD4+, CD8+, and Treg cells counts in peripheral blood were determined using flow cytometry; The protein expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot (WB). The small intestine contents and feces were analyzed by 16 S rRNA sequencing and the contents of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to analyze the blood absorption compounds and endogenous metabolites. RESULTS: The levels of the major anthraquinone/anthrone components were decreased in PRH. RH and PRH both increased the wet fecal weight at 12 h (WFW-12) and fecal water rate (FWR), alleviated the dry and black fecal morphology, and relieved small intestine injuries in the second week. In the fourth week, although RH and PRH alleviated the abnormal levels of indicators in the model mice (fecal water rate, immune cells percentage, and TLR4/NF-κB expression), minor small intestinal damage was observed. Compared to that at the fourth week, RH and PRH increased the levels of WFW-12, FWR, inflammatory cytokines, and TLR4/NF-κB expression, and decreased the levels of IgG/IgA and immune cells with extended administration (sixth week). Further, damage to the small intestine worsened (severe ileal damage) and different degrees of loose stools were observed in RH- and PRH-administered mice in the sixth week. Compared with those in the control group, the levels of WFW-12, FWR, inflammatory cytokines, TLR4/NF-κB expression, IgG/IgA, and immune cell percentage were significantly different in the RH-H and PRH-H mice at the sixth week (except for CD8+in PRH-H). Further, RH and PRH disturbed the gut microbiota (GM) (Lactobacillus and Dubosiella decreased, Aerococcus and Corynebacterium increased) and obviously reduced the content of SCFAs (acetic acid, butyric acid, and isobutyric acid). However, almost all the results indicated a lower impact of PRH than that of RH. Metabolic pathways mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism were identified along with a total of 21 blood absorption components, including anthraquinones, anthrones, flavanols, and tannins. The correlation analysis showed a positive correlation of pathogenic bacteria (Aerococcus and Corynebacterium) with inflammatory cytokines, TLR4/NF-κB, LysoPC(20:0/0:0), and PE (16:0/20:4(8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)) and a negative correlation with immune cells and SCFAs (acetic acid and isobutyric acid); however, the opposite results were observed for beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus and Dubosiella). CONCLUSION: Overall, PRH can alleviate RH-induced diarrhea by recovering the GM imbalance and abnormal levels of GM-mediated SCFAs, alleviating the decrease in cellular immune function and abnormal expression of TLR4/NF-κB, thereby suppressing the release of inflammatory factors, possibly, through its lower content of anthraquinones. This study explored for the first time the processing mechanism of wine steaming in alleviating RH-induced diarrhea from the aspects of small intestinal flora and small intestinal immune function.

Effects of ATP on the Physicochemical Properties and Cytocompatibility of Calcium Sulfate/Calcium Citrate Composite Cement.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), acting as a source of energy, has effects on cellular activities, such as adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. In this study, ATP-loaded calcium sulfate hemihydrate/calcium citrate tetrahydrate cement (ATP/CSH/CCT) was successfully prepared for the first time. The effect of different contents of ATP on the structure and physicochemical properties of ATP/CSH/CCT was also studied in detail. The results indicated that incorporating ATP into the cement did not significantly alter their structures. However, the addition ratio of ATP directly impacted the mechanical properties and in vitro degradation properties of the composite bone cement. The compressive strength of ATP/CSH/CCT gradually decreased with an increasing ATP content. The degradation rate of ATP/CSH/CCT did not significantly change at low concentrations of ATP, but it increased with a higher ATP content. The composite cement induced the deposition of a Ca-P layer in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH = 7.4). Additionally, the release of ATP from the composite cement was controlled. The ATP was controlled releasing at the 0.5% and 1% ATP in cement by the diffusion of ATP and the degradation of the cement, whereas it was controlled by the diffusion process merely at the 0.1% ATP in cement. Furthermore, ATP/CSH/CCT demonstrated good cytoactivity with the addition of ATP and is expected to be used for the repair and regeneration of bone tissue.

Fabricating biodegradable calcium phosphate/calcium sulfate cement reinforced with cellulose: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Osteoporosis is a growing public health concern worldwide. To avoid extra surgeries, developing biodegradable bone cement is critical for the treatment of osteoporosis. Herein, we designed calcium phosphate/calcium sulfate cement reinforced with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC/OPC). It presents an appropriate physicochemical performance for clinical handling. Meanwhile, CMC/OPC bone cement promotes osteogenic differentiation in vitro. Results of the immune response in vitro and in vivo confirmed that increasing the cellulose content triggered macrophage switching into the M2 phenotype and CMC/OPC exhibited significant anti-inflammation. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo degradation demonstrated that cellulose tailors the degradation rate of composite bone cement, which achieved a linear degradation process and could degrade by more than 90% for 12 weeks. In summary, the composite bone cement CMC/OPC is a promising candidate for bone repair applications.

Light-Promoted Ni-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Aryl Chlorides with Hydrazides: Application to the Synthesis of Rizatriptan.

A general and highly efficient photochemical C-N coupling reaction of challenging (hetero)aryl chlorides with hydrazides is reported. Catalyzed by a Ni(II)-bipyridine complex, this reaction provides an efficient tool for the synthesis of arylhydrazines in the presence of a soluble organic amine base without an external photosensitizer. The reaction features a wide substrate range (54 examples) and excellent functional group tolerance. The method has also been successfully applied to the three-step concise synthesis of rizatriptan, an effective drug for migraine and cluster headaches.

Metabolome and transcriptome analyses identify the characteristics and expression of related saponins of the three genealogical plants of bead ginseng.

Objective: The classification and clinical usage of the different species of bead ginseng are often confused. Therefore, we conducted an integrated metabolomics and transcriptome analysis of three main species of Panax, including Panax japonicas, Panax pseudoginseng, and Panax pseudo-ginseng var. elegantior. Methods: A broad metabolome and transcriptome analysis for three origins of bead ginseng plants was performed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, RNA sequencing and annotation, and bioinformatic analysis of transcriptome data. Results: The levels of 830 metabolites were determined. A total of 291 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) between Panax pseudo-ginseng var. elegantior and Panax japonicas (Group A), with 73 upregulated and 218 downregulated. A total of 331 DAMs (110 upregulated and 221 downregulated) were found between Panax pseudoginseng and Panax japonicas (group B). There were 160 DAMs (102 up-regulated and 58 down-regulated) between Panax pseudoginseng and Panax pseudo-ginseng var. elegantior (group C). In addition, RNA sequencing was performed in the above three ways. A total of 16,074 differential expression genes (DEGs) were detected between Group A, in which 7,723 genes were upregulated and 8,351 genes were downregulated by RNA sequencing. Similarly, 15,705 genes were differentially expressed between group B, in which 7,436 genes were upregulated and 8,269 genes were downregulated. However, only 1,294 genes were differentially expressed between group C, in which 531 genes were upregulated and 763 genes were downregulated. We performed differential gene analysis on three groups of samples according to the Venn diagram and found that 181 differential genes were present. A total of 3,698 and 2,834 unique genes were in groups A and B, while 130 unique genes were in group C. Conclusions: This study provides metabolome and transcriptome information for three bead ginseng plants. The analysis of the metabolite content showed differences in the attributes of the three bead ginseng, contained mainly flavonoids, phenolic acids as well as terpenes.