Nanoscale Composite Lignin Colloids with Tunable Visible Colors Used for Anti-UV Cosmetics.

Nanoscale composite lignin colloids were prepared on a large scale with a process of assembly-mediated internal cross-linking in a good solvent, thus possessing absolutely nanoscale dimensions, excellent robustness, and less aggregation. The therefore prime UV resistance and various natural visible colors contribute to the preservation and beautification of skin.

Carbon nanosol promotes plant growth and broad-spectrum resistance.

Carbon nanosol (CNS) is a carbon-based nanomaterial capable of promoting plant growth while the underlying mechanism involved in this process remains unknown. This study demonstrates that CNS promotes rice seedling growth under restricted concentrations. Macroelement transporter mutants were investigated to further investigate the CNS-mediated promotion of rice seedling growth. The genetic and physiological findings revealed that nitrate transporter 1.1B (NRT1.1B) and ammonium transporter 1 (AMT1) mutants inhibited the CNS-induced growth development of rice seedlings, whereas potassium transporter (AKT1) and phosphate transporter 8 (PT8) did not exhibit any inhibitory effects. Further investigations demonstrated the inhibition of CNS-mediated growth promotion via glutamine synthetase 1;1 (gs1;1) mutants. Additionally, the administration of CNS resulted in enhanced accumulation of chlorophyll in plants, and the promotion of CNS-induced growth was inhibited by yellow-green leaf 8 (YGL8) mutants and the chlorophyll biosynthetic gene divinyl reductase (DVR) mutants. According to these findings, the CNS promotes plant growth by stimulating chlorophyll biosynthesis. Furthermore, the presence of CNS enhanced the ability of rice to withstand blast, sheath blight (ShB), and bacterial blight. The nrt1.1b, amt1, dvr, and ygl8 mutants did not exhibit a broad spectrum effect. The positive regulation of broad-spectrum resistance in rice by GS1;1 suggests the requirement of N assimilation for CNS-mediated broad-spectrum resistance. In addition, an in vitro assay demonstrated that CNS inhibits the growth of pathogens responsible for blast, ShB, and bacterial blight, namely Magnaporthe oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA, and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae, respectively. CNS application may also induce broad-spectrum resistance against bacterial and fungal pathogens, indicating that in addition to its antifungal and antibacterial properties, CNS application may also stimulate N assimilation. Collectively, the results indicate that CNS may be a potential nano-therapeutic agent for improved plant growth promotion while also providing broad-spectrum resistance.

Well-Combined Magnetically Separable Hybrid Cobalt Ferrite/Nitrogen-Doped Graphene as Efficient Catalyst with Superior Performance for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Catalysts with low-cost, high activity and stability toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are extremely desirable, but its development still remains a great challenge. Here, a novel magnetically separable hybrid of multimetal oxide, cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), anchored on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (CoFe2O4/NG) is prepared via a facile solvothermal method followed by calcination at 500 °C. The structure of CoFe2O4/NG and the interaction of both components are analyzed by several techniques. The possible formation of Co/Fe-N interaction in the CoFe2O4/NG catalyst is found. As a result, the well-combination of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles with NG and its improved crystallinity lead to a synergistic and efficient catalyst with high performance to ORR through a four-electron-transfer process in alkaline medium. The CoFe2O4/NG exhibits particularly comparable catalytic activity as commercial Pt/C catalyst, and superior stability against methanol oxidation and CO poisoning. Meanwhile, it has been proved that both nitrogen doping and the spinel structure of CoFe2O4 can have a significant contribution to the catalytic activity by contrast experiments. Multimetal oxide hybrid demonstrates better catalysis to ORR than a single metal oxide hybrid. All results make the low-cost and magnetically separable CoFe2O4/NG a promising alternative for costly platinum-based ORR catalyst in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

Preparation of Hemocompatible Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-F127 Nanospheres and Their Application to Biosensor for Analysis of Whole Blood.

In this paper, the novel poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-F127 nanospheres (PLGA-F127 NSs) were synthesized and used to establish an amperometric glucose biosensor that can be applied in whole blood directly. This property of glucose biosensor was based on the antibiofouling property of PLGA-F127 NSs. More details of preparing PLGA-F127 NSs and immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) on (PLGA-F127)/glass carbon electrode (GCE) were presented. Then, the electrochemical behaviors of the biosensor in whole blood were studied. The cyclic voltammetric results indicated that GOx immobilized on PLGA-F127 NSs exhibited direct electron transfer reaction, which led to stable amperometric biosensing for glucose with a detection limit of 5.57 x 10(-6) M (S/N = 3). The glucose biosensor did not respond to ascorbic acid (AA) and uric.acid (UA) at their concentration normally encountered in blood. The development of materials science will bring significant input to high-performance biosensors relevant to diagnostics and therapy of interest for human health.

[Research on distribution of patents' holders for Chinese herbal compounds in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular based on cluster analysis].

To discuss the distribution of patents' holders for Chinese herbal compounds in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, the patents' holders for Chinese herbal compounds in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular were cluster analyzed by means of simple statistics and cluster analysis. Clustering variables were composed of patent applications, patent maintained number, related papers' quantity, etc. Chinese herbal compound patents' holders were divided into four categories according to their different scientific research and patent strength. It is the magic weapon for Chinese herbal compound patents' holders that have scientific research patents' transforming and make coordination of patent protection and scientific innovation.

Utilization of composite particles with customizable cross-linked lignin patches for dental cleansing.

Lignin, a natural polyphenol polymer, is a biocompatible, cost-effective and accessible material. To fully utilize the benefits of lignin, it is crucial to transform its complex macromolecules into nanoscale particles in a single solvent. In this research, an assembly-mediated internal cross-linking method in single solvent was proposed to manufacture cross-linked lignin colloidal particles with nanoscale particle size controlled to be around 50 nm. Then, cross-linked lignin composite particles with a unique "patchy" structure for dental cleansing were obtained by rapidly grafting the cross-linked lignin colloidal particles onto the surface of silica microspheres through the bridging effect of silane coupling agent. The resulting composite particles have rivets with adjustable hardness, significantly lower than traditional abrasives like silica in both hardness and modulus. Through the group cleansing behavior of soft interlocking, a breakthrough has been achieved in the high solid content agglomeration friction mode of traditional abrasives, which effectively reduces tooth wear and exhibits an excellent plaque removal effect.

Mechanisms of single herbs and herbal pairs in the treatment of mammary gland hyperplasia: An integrated review.

Background: The pathogenesis of hyperplasia of mammary glands (HMG) is a complex process, involving multiple links and systems within the body. Current clinical research indicates that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) demonstrates a significant therapeutic effect in treating HMG. Single herbs or herbal pairs (two herbs) are the basic units of preventing and treating HMG. It is of great significance to explore the mechanism of single herbs or herbal pairs in treating HMG for clarifying the mechanism of preventing HMG with TCM. Purpose: This study aimed to review the literature, summarize the known mechanisms of single herbs and herbal pair therapy for treating hyperplasia of mammary glands (HMG), and elucidate the relevant substances involved within and outside the body during these treatments. Study design: In this study, the action mechanism of single herbs or herbal pairs in treating HMG was selected as the research object. English articles were mainly selected and Chinese articles were supplemented. We conducted a literature search in PubMed, CNKI, WanFang Database, etc，including full-text studies published between January 1992 and December 31, 2022. The primary literature was carefully screened, and the mechanism of action was explored by logical analysis. Methods: We conducted a literature review focusing on basic studies that explored the mechanisms underlying the effects of herbal treatments for mammary gland hyperplasia. The literature search was performed in PubMed, CNKI, and WanFang Database, covering full-text articles published from January 1992 to 31 December 2022, using various keywords (e.g., hyperplasia of mammary glands, single herb, herbal pair, effect, mechanism, inclusion criteria). Exclusion criteria were also set. We employed methods such as literature measurement, literature research, and content analysis to logically analyze, induce, and deduce the findings of the collected literature. Results: This review reveals that several distinct mechanisms contribute to the beneficial effects of single herbs or herbal pairs on the recovery of mammary gland hyperplasia. Regarding hormone levels, Chinese herbs can decrease hormones such as Estradiol(E2) and Prolactin(PRL), increase Progesterone(P) levels, balance the E2/P ratio, reduce the expression of sex hormone receptors, and lessen the self-sensitivity of breast tissue under the influence of E2. Histologically, Chinese herbs can inhibit breast neovascularization and alleviate blood viscosity. At the cellular level, Chinese herbs can modulate the expression of apoptosis genes and proteins, decrease cell proliferation activity, and ultimately inhibit or even reverse breast hyperplasia. From a pharmacological perspective, Chinese herbs exhibit analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-regulating properties. Conclusion: The evidence in this review demonstrates the effectiveness of single herbs or herbal pairs in preventing and treating mammary gland hyperplasia, with precise underlying mechanisms.

Evaluation of efficacy and mechanism of Bacillus velezensis CB13 for controlling peanut stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii.

Peanut stem rot, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, considerably affects crop productivity. Application of chemical fungicides harms the environment and induces drug resistance. Biological agents are valid and eco-friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides. Bacillus spp. are important biocontrol agents that are now widely used against several plant diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of a potential biocontrol agent Bacillus sp. for controlling peanut stem rot caused by S. rolfsii. Here, we isolated a strain of Bacillus from pig biogas slurry that considerably inhibits the radial growth of S. rolfsii. The strain CB13 was identified as Bacillus velezensis on the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rDNA and gyrA, gyrB, and rpoB gene sequences. The biocontrol efficacy of CB13 was evaluated on the basis of colonization ability, induction of defense enzyme activity, and soil microbial diversity. The control efficiencies of B. velezensis CB13-impregnated seeds in four pot experiments were 65.44, 73.33, 85.13, and 94.92%. Root colonization was confirmed through green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagging experiments. The CB13-GFP strain was detected in peanut root and rhizosphere soil, at 104 and 108 CFU/g, respectively, after 50 days. Furthermore, B. velezensis CB13 enhanced the defense response against S. rolfsii infection by inducing defense enzyme activity. MiSeq sequencing revealed a shift in the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities in peanuts treated with B. velezensis CB13. Specifically, the treatment enhanced disease resistance by increasing the diversity of soil bacterial communities in peanut roots, increasing the abundance of beneficial communities, and promoting soil fertility. Additionally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that B. velezensis CB13 stably colonized or increased the content of Bacillus spp. in the soil and effectively inhibited S. rolfsii proliferation in soil. These findings indicate that B. velezensis CB13 is a promising agent for the biocontrol of peanut stem rot.

[Regional development of patents of traditional Chinese medicine compounds on basis of cluster analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To study current regional development and optimization schemes of patents of traditional Chinese medicine compounds. METHOD: Simple statistics and cluster analysis were adopted for calculating application quantity, maintenance quantity and quantity of scientific research papers related to patents of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in different regions. On that basis, cluster analysis was used for studying current development patents of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in different regions. RESULT: The 34 regions, including Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, were divided into four groups by cluster analysis according to the difference in quantities of patents and research papers. The first and third region are better, the second region is medium, while the forth region is not ideal. CONCLUSION: Different regions shall adopt suitable development schemes for the development of traditional Chinese medicine compounds according to their actual situations. Reasonable regional alliance is helpful for inter-regional win-win and co-flourishing.

[Current service invention patents and growth pathways on basis of cluster analysis].

This study aims for enhancing quantity and quality of patents of traditional Chinese medicine compounds of traditional Chinese medicine enterprises, traditional Chinese medicine colleges and relevant institutions while building an efficient pathway for patent protection using simple statistics and cluster analysis, with service invention patent holders of traditional Chinese medicine compounds as the study object.

[Regularity of drug use of patents in force of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases on basis of frequency analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the regularity of drug use of patents in force of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in treating cardiovascular diseases and provide reference for new drug R&D and patent protection. METHOD: With long-lasting patents in force of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in treating cardiovascular diseases as the study object, the frequency analysis was made for studying their core ingredients, efficacy, channel tropism and drug compatibility. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: There are nearly 30 frequently used traditional Chinese medicine compounds in treating cardiovascular diseases with patents in force including Salvia miltiorrhiza and Astragalus mongholicus, with main efficacy for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis and reinforcing Qi and the highest efficacy in heart, liver, spleen and lung channels. The results of this study provide reference and new room for development for R&D of traditional Chinese medicine compounds in treating cardiovascular diseases and patent protection.

[Cluster analysis on authorized patents of compound traditional Chinese medicines with different efficacy in 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the authorized patent of compound traditional Chinese medicines with different efficacy in 2010, in order to provide reference for R&D of relevant compounds and patent protection. METHOD: Literatures for patents of compound traditional Chinese medicines were searched to screen relevant data and create a sample space. The samples were classified by hierarchical cluster procedures and iterative partitioning procedures using "authorized percentage" and "authorized time interval" as variable quantities. The comprehensive results generated by the two clustering methods were used to draw a conclusion. RESULT: The samples were classified into four groups by clustering methods, each has significant difference in authorized patents' number and authorized time interval with others. CONCLUSION: Among compounds showing therapeutic advantage of traditional Chinese medicines, patents with short authorization period and in less number can be given most attention for patent application. Those with longer authorization period and in less number can be given more attention. While those with shorter authorization period and in large number can also be given attention for information guidance for traditional Chinese medicine science and technology and commercialization of patent achievements.

[Analyses on positive influence of harmonous development of traditional Chinese medicine compounds' researchs and patent protection].

Current patent protection of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds is far from being satisfactory with increasing research and development achievements. As patent protection of traditional Chinese medicine compounds is closely related with many fields such as research and development of new TCM drugs, industrial development and TCM internationalization, the development of research and harmonious development of TCM compounds and their patent protection is bound to have a far-reaching influence on domestic and even international societies.

Eczema compound patents' herbal combination rules research based on complex system entropy clustering: A review.

The aim of this study is to investigate the herbal compound patents' combination rules of eczema. Eczema herbal compound patents (oral drugs) from the past 29 years were collected, and a database was created. Complex system entropy clustering was used to analyze the prescription rule for eczema herbal compound patents. In total, 1039 eczema herbal compound patents, including 398 Chinese herbs, were identified. Complex system entropy clustering acquired high-frequency herbs, herbal couples, and core associations. Eczema herbal compound patents are known for clearing dampness and heat, dispelling poison, evacuating wind, and invigorating and cooling blood. By using complex system entropy clustering, herbal correlation of eczema herbal compound patents can be effectively analyzed.

Study on a Strain of Lysinibacillus sp. with the Potential to Improve the Quality of Oil Sands.

A strain of Lysinibacillus sp., named as Y316, can degrade heavy fractions such as resins and asphaltenes in oil sand. We used Y316 to degrade oil sand samples for 35 days. After bacterial degradation, the oil sand degradation efficiency was 5.88%, while the degradation efficiency of the control group was only 0.29% under the same conditions. Compared with the control group, the saturated content of oil sand in the degradation group increased from 9.56 to 14.39%. After degradation, the resin and asphaltene fractions decreased by 5.34 and 4.77%, respectively. The results of the vaporizable fraction analysis also confirmed the degradation of heavy fractions and the formation of light fractions. After 35 days of degradation, the vaporizable fractions of saturates increased by 3.76 times. The results indicate that Y316 has great significance for improving the quality of oil sands and assisting in oil sand exploitation.

Self-assembled/composited lignin colloids utilizing for therapy, cosmetics and emulsification.

Lignin, the most abundant source of renewable aromatic compounds on the planet, is attracting more scholarly attention due to its possibility of replacing petroleum-based chemicals and products. However, it remains underutilized because of the heterogeneity of its multi-level structure that prevents homogenization and standardization of derived products. The key to solving these problems lies in finding a general preparation method to achieve the integrated utilization of lignin molecules at all levels. The assembly-mediated granulation methods provide a significant means for the integrated value-added utilization of lignin, and for biomass productization applications, it is significant to understand the molecular mechanisms of lignin nano-colloids (LNCs) formation thus accurately guiding their functionalization. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the assembly morphology and behavior of lignin in different solutions towards colloids is of great scientific importance. In this minireview, we focus on the assembly behavior of lignin in different solvents, specifically in mono-solvent and multi-solvent, and in particular, we review various methods for preparing lignin composite colloids and concentrate on the applications in therapy, cosmetics and emulsification, which are important for guiding the preparation and efficient utilization of LNCs.

[Spectroscopic analysis studies of organo-attapulgite/nylon 6 composites].

The surface organic modification of attapulgite with silane coupling reagent was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Qrgano-attapulgite/nylon 6 composites with different content of attapulgite were prepared by means of melt blending, and the crystal structure and morphology were investigated. The results show that the surface content of Si, N and C of the modified attapulgite increased. Combined with the FTIR results, it was confirmed that an organic coating layer was formed on the surface of attapulgite. The adding of attapulgite does not change the crystal structure of nylon 6, but changes the crystallite size of nylon 6. The modified attapulgite was well dispersed in nylon 6 and the silane coupling coating on the attapilgite enhanced the interfacial adhesion.

[Preparation and spectral characterisation of TiO2/polyaniline nanocomposites with 2D lamellar morphology].

Nanostructured polyanilines (PANIs) are selected quite often as the matrix for the synthesis of inorganic/conductive polymer composites due to their excellent optical, electrical and magnetic properties. Herein both 2D lamellar PANI and the cor responding composite loading TiO2 species were successfully prepared from a microemulsion system, as composed by dodecyl benzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) and water. The composite was achieved through a simultaneous polymerization of aniline in the presence of ammonium persulfate and hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate clearly that 2D PANI lamella are formed through organization of small PANI sheets. The inter-lamellar distance of PANI and that of TiO2/polyaniline composite, as derived from X-ray diffraction (XRD), is about 3.4 nm (nearly twice the length of one DBS molecule), suggesting that PANI and double-layered DBSA species are arranged in an alternated way. FTIR spectrum displays that PANI chains exhibit quinonoid and benzenoid strutures while both Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that rutile TiO2 is produced upon hydrolyzation of tetrabutyl titanate in the microemulsion system. Moreover, UV-Vis spectrum suggests that the electronic absorption behaviour of PANI species is influenced upon loading TiO2.

4,4'-[(2,7-Dibromo-fluorene-9,9-di-yl)dimethyl-ene]dipyridinium bis-(perchlorate).

In the crystal of the title compound, C(25)H(20)Br(2)N(2) (2+)·2ClO(4) (-), inter-molecular N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, along with C-H⋯π inter-actions, stabilize the crystal structure.

[Preparation of microencapsulated red phosphorus and its flame-retardant application in PP composites].

In the present study, the melamine-formaldehyde prepolymer (MFP) was first synthesized at pH 8-8.5 under about 80 degrees C with melamine, formaldehyde, triethanolamine and methanol as the starting materials. Subsequently, the microencapsulated red phosphorus (MRP) was successfully prepared by in-situ polymerization at pH 5.5 under 65 degrees C, using MFP and red phosphorus (RP) powders as raw materials, and potassium persulphate (KPS) as catalyst. The obtained products were detected by differential scan calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that KPS is useful in enhancing the reaction activity of MFP, which can make RP be well encapsulated by melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF) and reduce the reaction time. The DSC, SEM and XPS results show that it won't get well-encapsulated MRP only under acidic condition and without any KPS. When a proper quantity of KPS is employed, the RP particles can be almost completely-encapsulated by MF and the peak temperature of oxidation reaction for MRP is 480 degrees C, which is much higher than that of RP, extending the applications for MRP. The FTIR spectrum demonstrates that the coating material on the surface of RP accurately is MF, in agreement with the reference. Polyproplene (PP) composites with different formulations were prepared by melt extrusion. It was shown that the flame-retardant efficiencies are very low when the PP composites only contain MRP or MH. However, the flame-retardant property can obviously improve if MRP and MH are both used in the PP composites. When PP : MRP: MH = 100 (phr) : 15 (phr) : 50 (phr), the limited oxygen index of the MRP/MH/PP composite is 26%, and vertical firing ranks UL-94 V-0. In addition, the possible flame-retardant mechanism of the PP composites has also been discussed, and further verified by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy.