Facile Synthesis of Uniform Mesoporous Nb2O5 Micro-Flowers for Enhancing Photodegradation of Methyl Orange.

The removal of organic pollutants using green environmental photocatalytic degradation techniques urgently need high-performance catalysts. In this work, a facile one-step hydrothermal technique has been successfully applied to synthesize a Nb2O5 photocatalyst with uniform micro-flower structure for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV irradiation. These nanocatalysts are characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopies (TEM and SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). It is found that the prepared Nb2O5 micro-flowers presents a good crystal phases and consist of 3D hierarchical nanosheets with 400-500 nm in diameter. The surface area is as large as 48.6 m2 g-1. Importantly, the Nb2O5 micro-flowers exhibit superior catalytic activity up to 99.9% for the photodegradation of MO within 20 mins, which is about 60-fold and 4-fold larger than that of without catalysts (W/O) and commercial TiO2 (P25) sample, respectively. This excellent performance may be attributed to 3D porous structure with abundant catalytic active sites.

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) is present in smooth muscle cells of human aneurysmal aorta and is induced by angiotensin II in vitro.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer) is present and is up-regulated in human aneurysmal aortas, and to assess a possible association with AngII (angiotensin II)-induced aneurysm formation. The presence of EMMPRIN was assessed in 41 surgical specimens from patients with a TAA (thoracic aortic aneurysm) (Type A aortic dissection, n=12; Type B aortic dissection, n=7; and TAA without dissection, n=7) or an AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm, n=15) by immunohistochemistry. EMMPRIN expression in aortic aneurysm tissues was compared with 12 aortas obtained during autopsy (free of any vascular diseases), and scored for both staining intensity and the percentage of vascular cells stained. EMMPRIN protein levels in cultured human aortic SMCs (smooth muscle cells) following stimulation of AngII were analysed by Western blotting. Significant EMMPRIN immunoreactivity was detected in aortic aneurysm lesions from patients with TAAs and AAAs. In the aneurysmal wall, alpha-actin-positive SMCs were the main source of EMMPRIN. The frequency of EMMPRIN overexpression was significantly higher (P=0.026) in TAAs with dissection (68.4%) than TAAs without dissection (14.3%). AngII stimulation up-regulated the expression of EMMPIRN in cultured human aortic SMCs, which was suppressed by the addition of the AT1R (AngII type 1 receptor) antagonist losartan. In conclusion, the present study is the first to report the expression of EMMPRIN in aortic aneurysmal diseases, and we speculate that EMMPRIN may be important in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Whether these abnormalities are potential therapeutic targets deserve further investigation.

Adrenal myelolipoma within myxoid cortical adenoma associated with Conn's syndrome.

The coexistence of myelolipoma within adrenal cortical adenoma is extremely rare, for both tumors present usually as separate entities. There are only 16 such cases reported worldwide. To the best of our knowledge, the case we reported here is the first one of myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma associated with myelolipoma reported. A 32-year-old Chinese woman with 4-year history of hypertension was presented in our study. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a large heterogeneously-enhancing mass (4.5 cm in diameter) in the left suprarenal region. Clinical history and laboratory results suggest a metabolic disorder as Conn's syndrome. The patient underwent a left adrenalectomy, and a histopathological study confirmed the mass to be a myxoid adrenal cortical adenoma containing myelolipoma. The patient was postoperatively well and discharged uneventfully. In the present case report, we also discuss the etiology of simultaneous myelolipoma and adrenal adenoma associated with Conn's syndrome, and the methods of the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Schwann cell apoptosis in Wallerian-degenerated sciatic nerve of the rat.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate systematically Schwann cell apoptosis in Wallerian-degenerated sciatic nerve of the rat, and evaluate its time-related feature. METHODS: Ninety-five SD rats were divided randomly into one normal group (8 rats) and 11 experimental groups (66 rats, 6 in each). Both hind legs of each rat in experimental groups were randomly divided into test leg (sciatic nerve transected) and control one (nerve uninjured). All test legs constituted a test group and all control legs constituted a control one. After operation, all rats were respectively sacrificed at 1 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 2 d, 3 d, 4 d, 8 d, 14 d, 21 d, and 30 d. We analyzed the specimens of mid-distal sciatic nerve, especially the morphological changes of the nerve, the different expression levels of S-100 protein and apoptosis-related proteins such as Bcl-2, Bax, and Fas in Schwann cells. The TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptotic rate of Schwann cells. RESULTS: (1) The test group showed Wallerian degeneration. The number of Schwann cells began to decrease at 24 h, obviously decreased on day 3 and 4, then began to increase from day 8 and formed Bungner belt after 14 days. (2) Schwann cells generally expressed S-100 at a low level in all groups. The control group was not significantly different from the normal group. The test group had statistical significance at 1 h and day 21. (3) As an inhibitory gene protein of Schwann cell apoptosis, Bcl-2 positive rates in the control and test groups apparently elevated and were statistically different from the normal group. (4) As a promotive gene protein of Schwann cell apoptosis, the control and test groups expressed Bax at a high level and were statistically different from the normal group. (5) As a promotive gene protein of Schwann cell apoptosis, Fas positive rate in control group was slightly elevated, but had no statistical significance compared with the normal group. Fas positive rate in test group continuously elevated in a fluctuant way, with highly statistical significance compared with the normal group. (6) TUNEL detection further proved that Schwann cell apoptosis rarely existed in the normal group, and the left sciatic nerve had no statistical significance compared with the right sciatic nerve. While the test group showed lots of apoptotic nuclei at 6 h, 2 d, 4 d, and 21 d. It had highly statistical significance compared with the normal group. CONCLUSIONS: Schwann cell apoptosis does exist in Wallerian-degenerated sciatic nerve of the rat after transection. Schwann cell apoptosis and its apoptotic genes expression have a time-related feature.