Phase transition behaviour and mechanism of 2D TiO2(B) nanosheets through water-mediated removal of surface ligands.

Phase engineering is a central subject in materials research. The recent research interest in the phase transition behavior of atomically thin 2D materials reveals the important role of their surface chemistry. In this study, we investigated the phase transformation of ultrathin TiO2(B) nanosheets to anatase under different conditions. We found that the convenient transformation in water under ambient conditions is driven by the hydrolysis of surface 1,2-ethylenedioxy groups and departure of ethylene glycol. A transformation pathway through the formation of protonic titanate is proposed. The ultrathin structure and the metastable nature of the precursor facilitate the phase conversion to anatase. Our finding offers a new insight into the mechanism of TiO2(B) phase transition from the viewpoint of surface chemistry and may contribute to the potential application of ultrathin TiO2(B) nanosheets in aqueous environments.

Quorum sensing responses of activated sludge to free nitrous acid: Zoogloea deformation, AHL redistribution, and microbiota acclimatization.

Free nitrous acid (FNA) has been widely employed for improvement of wastewater management by altering sludge characteristic and function based on its polymer lysing and biocidal capacity. Sludge characteristic and function are commonly considered as the joint consequence of microbial individual behaviors and quorum sensing (QS) involved collective behaviours, but the role of the latter in FNA treatment was still as-yet-unidentified and addressed in this research. The results of sludge morphology and component characterized FNA-induced zoogloea deformation, including inner cell exposure, half of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) reduction and adsorption site depletion. During zoogloea deformation, four acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), including C4-HSL, C8-HSL, C10-HSL and C12-HSL, transferred inward of microbiota, and their total contents reduced by 66% because of depressed signal production, augmented decomposer and recognition. Transcriptome analysis revealed that differentially expressed QS driven by AHL redistribution facilitated microbiota acclimatization including cellular motility and hydrolase synthesis for EPS consumption. Boosted motility may favor escaping from stress spot and moderating intercellular acidity based on cell motility test. Feasible EPS consumption provided nutrition for heterotrophic metabolisms testified by pure culture with EPS as sole nutrition. Our work thus comprehensively revealed QS behaviours responding to FNA and deepened the understanding to FNA treatment performance in wastewater management.

Urine metabolomics reveals biomarkers and the underlying pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease.

PURPOSE: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and its pathogenesis is not yet fully understood and lacks noninvasive and effective diagnostic biomarkers. In this study, we performed urine metabolomics to identify biomarkers for DKD and to clarify the potential mechanisms associated with disease progression. METHODS: We applied a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics method combined with bioinformatics analysis to investigate the urine metabolism characteristics of 79 participants, including healthy subjects (n = 20), T2DM patients (n = 20), 39 DKD patients that included 19 DKD with microalbuminuria (DKD + micro) and 20 DKD with macroalbuminuria (DKD + macro). RESULTS: Seventeen metabolites were identified between T2DM and DKD that were involved in amino acid, purine, nucleotide and primarily bile acid metabolism. Ultimately, a combined model consisting of 2 metabolites (tyramine and phenylalanylproline) was established, which had optimal diagnostic performance (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.94). We also identified 19 metabolites that were co-expressed within the DKD groups and 41 metabolites specifically expressed in the DKD + macro group. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed three interaction networks of these 60 metabolites, involving the sirtuin signaling pathway and ferroptosis signaling pathway, as well as the downregulation of organic anion transporter 1, which may be important mechanisms that mediate the progression of DKD. CONCLUSIONS: This work reveals the metabolic alterations in T2DM and DKD, constructs a combined model to distinguish them and delivers a novel strategy for studying the underlying mechanism and treatment of DKD.

Anthocyanin improves kidney function in diabetic kidney disease by regulating amino acid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is among the most important causes for chronic kidney disease. Anthocyanins (ANT) are polyphenolic compounds present in various food and play an important role in ameliorating hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of ANT in DKD are still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ANT (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside [C3G]) on the renal function of DKD, and whether the anti-DKD effect of ANT is related to metabolic pathways. METHODS: To explore the role of ANT in DKD, we performed the examination of blood glucose, renal function, and histopathology. As for the mechanism, we designed the label-free quantification proteomics and nontargeted metabolomics analysis for kidney and serum. Subsequently, we revealed the anti-DKD effect of ANT through the bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: We showed that the fasting blood glucose level (- 6.1 mmol/L, P = 0.037), perimeter of glomerular lesions (- 24.1 µm, P = 0.030), fibrosis score of glomerular (- 8.8%, P = 0.002), and kidney function (Cystatin C: - 701.4 pg/mL, P = 0.043; urine creatinine: - 701.4 mmol/L, P = 0.032) were significantly alleviated in DKD mice after ANT treatment compared to untreated in the 20th week. Further, proteins and metabolites in the kidneys of DKD mice were observed to be dramatically altered due to changes in amino acid metabolism with ANT treatment; mainly, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism pathway was upregulated (P = 0.0001, t value = 5.97). Furthermore, upregulated tryptophan metabolism (P < 0.0001, t value = 5.94) and tyrosine metabolism (P = 0.0037, t value = 2.91) pathways had effects on serum of DKD mice as responsed ANT regulating. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that prevention of the progression of DKD by ANT could be related to the regulation of amino acid metabolism. The use of dietary ANT may be one of the dietary strategies to prevent and treat DKD.

The urinary exosomes derived from premature infants attenuate cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in mice via microRNA-30a-5p/ mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8).

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a susceptible factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). There is still a lack of effective prevention methods in clinical practice. This study investigated the protective effect of the urinary exosomes from premature infants on cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. Here we isolated exosomes from the fresh urine of premature infants. A C57BL/6 mice model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury was given 100 ug urinary exosomes 24 hours after model establishment. The kidneys were collected for pathological examination and the evaluation of renal tubular damage and apoptosis. In the in vitro experiment, human renal cortex/proximal tubular cells (HK-2) were induced by cisplatin to assess the effect of the urine exosomes from premature infants. Exosome microRNA (miRNA) sequencing technology was applied to investigate the miRNAs enriched in exosomes and the dual-luciferase gene reporter system to examine the targeting relationship of the miRNA with target genes. The results indicated that the urinary exosomes could decrease the serum creatinine level and the apoptosis of renal tubular cells, and reduce mice mortality. In addition, miR-30a-5p was the most abundant miRNA in the exosomes. It protected HK-2 cells from cisplatin-induced apoptosis by targeting and down-regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8). Together, our findings identified that the urinary exosomes derived from premature infants alleviated cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury and inhibited the apoptosis of HK-2 via miR-30a-5p, which could target MAPK8. These findings implied that urinary exosomes from premature infants riched in miR-30a-5p might become a potential treatment for AKI.

Machine learning analysis for the noninvasive prediction of lymphovascular invasion in gastric cancer using PET/CT and enhanced CT-based radiomics and clinical variables.

PURPOSE: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is associated with metastasis and poor survival in patients with gastric cancer, yet the noninvasive diagnosis of LVI is difficult. This study aims to develop predictive models using different machine learning (ML) classifiers based on both enhanced CT and PET/CT images and clinical variables for preoperatively predicting lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status of gastric cancer. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery were retrospectively recruited, and the LVI status was confirmed by pathological analysis. Patients were randomly divided into a training dataset (n = 76) and a validation dataset (n = 25). By 3D manual segmentation, radiomics features were extracted from the PET and venous phase CT images. Image models, clinical models, and combined models were constructed by selected enhanced CT-based and PET-based radiomics features, clinical factors, and a combination of both, respectively. Three ML classifiers including adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and logistic regression (LR) were used for model development. The performance of these predictive models was evaluated with respect to discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. RESULTS: Ten radiomics features and eight clinical factors were selected for the development of predictive models. In the validation dataset, the area under curve (AUC) values of clinical models using AdaBoost, LDA, and LR classifiers were 0.742, 0.706, and 0.690, respectively. The image models using AdaBoost, LDA, and LR classifiers achieved an AUC of 0.849, 0.778, and 0.810, respectively. The combined models showed improved performance than the image models and the clinical models, with the AUC values of AdaBoost, LDA, and LR classifier yielding 0.944, 0.929, and 0.921, respectively. The combined models also showed good calibration and clinical usefulness for LVI prediction. CONCLUSION: ML-based models integrating PET/CT and enhanced CT radiomics features and clinical factors have good discrimination capability, which could serve as a noninvasive, preoperative tool for the prediction of LVI and assist surgical treatment decisions in patients with gastric cancer.

Prognostic Value of Serum Magnesium in Mortality Risk among Patients on Hemodialysis: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported that serum magnesium (Mg) deficiency is involved in the development of heart failure, particularly in patients with end-stage kidney disease. The association between serum Mg levels and mortality risk in patients receiving hemodialysis is controversial. We aimed to estimate the prognostic value of serum Mg concentration on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients receiving hemodialysis. METHODS: We did a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify eligible studies that reported the prognostic value of serum Mg levels in mortality risk among patients on hemodialysis. We performed a meta-analysis by pooling and analyzing hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We identified 13 observational studies with an overall sample of 42,967 hemodialysis patients. Higher all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 1.58 [95% CI: 1.31-1.91]) and higher cardiovascular mortality (adjusted HR 3.08 [95% CI: 1.27-7.50]) were found in patients with lower serum Mg levels after multivariable adjustment. There was marked heterogeneity (I2 = 79.6%, p < 0.001) that was partly explained by differences in age stratification and study area. In addition, subgroup analysis showed that a serum Mg concentration of ≤1.1 mmol/L might be the vigilant cutoff value. CONCLUSION: A lower serum Mg level was associated with higher all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients receiving hemodialysis.

Identification of Key Genes and Prognostic Analysis between Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma and Renal Oncocytoma by Bioinformatic Analysis.

The present techniques of clinical and histopathological diagnosis hardly distinguish chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) from renal oncocytoma (RO). To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as effective biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of ChRCC and RO, three mRNA microarray datasets (GSE12090, GSE19982, and GSE8271) were downloaded from the GEO database. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs was performed by DAVID. STRING and Cytoscape were applied to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and key modules of DEGs. Visualized plots were conducted by the R language. We downloaded clinical data from the TCGA database and the influence of key genes on the overall survival of ChRCC was performed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was utilized in exploring the function of key genes. A total of 79 DEGs were identified. Enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs are closely related to tissue invasion and metastasis of cancer. Subsequently, 14 hub genes including ESRP1, AP1M2, CLDN4, and CLDN7 were detected. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the low expression of CLDN7 and GNAS was related to the worse overall survival in patients with ChRCC. Univariate Cox analysis showed that CLDN7 might be a helpful biomarker for ChRCC prognosis. Subgroup analysis revealed that the expression of CLDN7 showed a downtrend with the development of the clinical stage, topography, and distant metastasis of ChRCC. GSEA analysis identified that cell adhesion molecules cams, B cell receptor signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, RIG-I like receptor signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and apoptosis pathway were associated with the expression of CLDN7. In conclusion, ESRP1, AP1M2, CLDN4, PRSS8, and CLDN7 were found to distinguish ChRCC from RO. Besides, the low expression of CLDN7 was closely related to ChRCC progression and could serve as an independent risk factor for the overall survival in patients with ChRCC.

ZEB1 Promotes Chemoresistance to Cisplatin in Ovarian Cancer Cells by Suppressing SLC3A2.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological malignancies in women. Chemoresistance has been a major obstacle for ovarian cancer treatment. Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) is an important regulator of tumor development in various types of cancer. Abnormal expression of SLC3A2 (CD98hc), a type 2 transmembrane cell surface molecule, has been described in several cancers. This study was designed to investigate the role of ZEB1 and SLC3A2 in the chemoresistance to cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells. We found that ZEB1 was increased in cisplatin-resistant SKOV3/DPP cells. Downregulation of ZEB1 significantly decreased cell viability in response to cisplatin, increased cis-platin-induced apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion in the presence of cisplatin. In addition, downregulation of ZEB1 decreased the volume and weight of implanted tumors. SLC3A2 was decreased in cisplatin-resistant SKOV3/DPP cells. Upregulation of SLC3A2 significantly decreased cell viability in response to cisplatin, increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis, and decreased migration and invasion in the presence of cisplatin. Moreover, upregulation of SLC3A2 decreased the volume and weight of implanted tumors. Downregulation of ZEB1 resulted in a significant increase of SLC3A2 expression. Moreover, downregulation of SLC3A2 significantly inhibited ZEB1 knockdown-mediated inhibition of cisplatin-resistance. ZEB1-mediated regulation of SLC3A2 was involved in the chemoresistance to cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells. Overall, we provide new insights into the mechanism of chemoresistance to cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells. ZEB1/SLC3A2 may be promising therapeutic targets for enhancement of the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin-mediated chemotherapy.

Resveratrol attenuates high glucose-induced nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis and senescence through activating the ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is closely correlated with disc degeneration. Nucleus pulposus (NP) cell apoptosis and senescence are typical cellular features within the degenerative disc. Resveratrol is a newly identified phytoalexin that has protective effects on cartilaginous tissue. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the whether resveratrol can protect against high glucose-induced NP cell apoptosis and senescence, and the potential mechanism in this process. METHODS: Rat NP cells were cultured in either 10% FBS culture medium (control group) or 10% FBS with a high glucose concentration (0.2 M, experiment group) for 3 days. Resveratrol or the combination of resveratrol and LY294002 was added into the culture medium of experiment group to investigate the effects of resveratrol and the PI3K/Akt pathway. RESULTS: High glucose significantly promoted NP cell apoptosis and NP cell senescence compared with the control group. Resveratrol exhibited protective effects against high glucose-induced NP cell apoptosis and senescence. Further analysis showed that resveratrol suppressed reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and increased the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway under the high glucose condition. However, the LY294002 had no significant effects on ROS content in the resveratrol-treated high glucose group. CONCLUSION: Resveratrol can attenuate high glucose-induced NP cell apoptosis and senescence, and the activation of ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway may be the potential mechanism in this process.

Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl(-1)) protects against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) induced apoptosis in Parkinson's disease.

The myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl(-1)) is an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, which plays an essential role in protecting cells against apoptosis. The expression pattern and potential roles of Mcl(-1) in Parkinson's diseases (PD) are still unknown. In this study, our results indicated that 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treatment augmented the expression of Mcl(-1) at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, we observed increased phosphorylation of Elk-1at Ser383 as well as nuclear translocation of Elk-1 in exposure to MPP+ treatment. Importantly, the elevated expression of Mcl(-1) induced by MPP+ was abolished by knockdown of Elk-1. It was also found that inhibition of Mcl(-1) by small RNA transfection exacerbates MPP + -induced LDH release after 48 h incubation. In addition, Hoechst 33,258 nuclear staining results demonstrated that silence of Mcl(-1) induced a significant increase in apoptosis in cells when compared with the control condition. Mechanistically, the levels of cleaved Caspase3 and PARP were elevated in MPP+ treated cells, which was exacerbated by knockdown of Mcl(-1). These findings suggest that Mcl(-1) might be a potential therapeutic target for PD treatment.

Effect of cerium oxide doping on the performance of CaO-based sorbents during calcium looping cycles.

A series of CaO-based sorbents were synthesized through a sol-gel method and doped with different amounts of CeO2. The sorbent with a Ca/Ce molar ratio of 15:1 showed an excellent absorption capacity (0.59 gCO2/g sorbent) and a remarkable cycle durability (up to 18 cycles). The admirable capture performance of CaCe-15 was ascribed to its special morphology formed by the doping of CeO2 and the well-distributed CeO2 particles. The sorbents doped with CeO2 possessed a loose shell-connected cross-linking structure, which was beneficial for the contact between CaO and CO2. CaO and CeO2 were dispersed homogeneously, and the existence of CeO2 also decreased the grain size of CaO. The well-dispersed CeO2, which could act as a barrier, effectively prevented the CaO crystallite from growing and sintering, thus the sorbent exhibited outstanding stability. The doping of CeO2 also improved the carbonation rate of the sorbent, resulting in a high capacity in a short period of time.

Amyloid ß regulates the expression and function of AIP1.

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1-interacting (ASK1-interacting) protein-1 (AIP1) is a newly identified novel member of the Ras GTPase-activating protein family, which has been implicated in cell growth inhibition and cell apoptosis. However, the effects of AIP1 in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are unknown. In the present study, we found that AIP1 was elevated in the brain of AD Tg2576 mice and Aß1-42 treated brain cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (CECs). Aß1-42 treatment induced the interaction of AIP1 and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), which led to dissociation of ASK1 and its inhibitor 14-3-3. Dissociation of ASK1 from 14-3-3 leads to ASK1 activation. Indeed, Aß1-42 dephosphorylated ASK1 at Ser-967, suggesting that Aß1-42 increased ASK1 activity. Importantly, disassociation of ASK1 and 14-3-3 induced by Aß1-42 could be rescued by silence of AIP1. In addition, down-regulation of AIP1 also led to attenuation of the activation of JNK, as well as p53, downstream signaling targets of ASK1. AIP1 silencing attenuated the pro-apoptotic effects of Aß1-42 on CECs. We propose that AIP1 mediates Aß induced ASK1 activation by facilitating dissociation of 14-3-3, suggesting a novel mechanism for Aß-induced apoptosis in CECs.

Porous spherical CaO-based sorbents via PSS-assisted fast precipitation for CO2 capture.

In this paper, we report the development of synthetic CaO-based sorbents via a fast precipitation method with the assistance of sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS). The effect of PSS on physical properties of the CaO sorbents and their CO2 capture performance were investigated. The presence of PSS dispersed the CaO particles effectively as well as increased their specific surface area and pore volume remarkably. The obtained porous spherical structure facilitated CO2 to diffuse and react with inner CaO effectively, resulting in a significant improvement in initial CO2 carbonation capacity. A proper amount of Mg(2+) precursor solution was doped during a fast precipitation process to gain CaO-based sorbents with a high anti-sintering property, which maintained the porous spherical structure with the high specific surface area. CaO-based sorbents derived from a MgxCa1-xCO3 precursor existed in the form of CaO and MgO. The homogeneous distribution of MgO in the CaO-based sorbents effectively prevented the CaO crystallite from growing and sintering, further resulting in the favorable long-term durability with carbonation capacity of about 52.0% after 30 carbonation/calcination cycles.

[Short-term effectiveness of quadrant retractor in treatment of recurrent lumbar disc protrusion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of Quadrant retractor for the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc protrusion. METHODS: Between July 2008 and March 2010, 18 cases of recurrent lumbar disc protrusion were treated with Quadrant. There were 13 males and 5 females with an average age of 43 years (range, 35-67 years). Involved segments included L4, 5 in 6 cases and L5, S1 in 12 cases. The time between first operation and recurrence was 12-120 months (mean, 42.8 months). Before operation, radiological evaluation including X-ray, CT, and MRI were performed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score and modified MacNab criteria were used to evaluate the effectiveness. RESULTS: The operation time was 40-80 minutes (mean, 60 minutes), and the amount of blood loss was 80-120 mL (mean, 100 mL). All operations were performed successfully, and no complication of infection and nerve injury occurred. Incisions healed by first intention. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in 2 cases and was cured at 3 days after operation by removal of drainage. Eighteen patients were followed up 12-30 months (mean, 22 months). The VAS score of leg pain was decreased from 7.3 +/- 2.2 preoperatively to 2.0 +/- 1.3 at the final follow-up, showing significant difference (t = 11.08, P = 0.00). According to modified MacNab criteria, the results were excellent in 12 patients and good in 6 patients. No recurrence was found during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Discectomy via Quadrant retractor is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgical technique in treating recurrent lumbar disc protrusion.

[Research of single incision via MAST Quadrant retractor in management of lumbar spondylolisthesis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using single incision via MAST Quadrant retractor in the management of lumbar spondylolisthesis. METHODS: From July 2008 to June 2009, 20 cases of lumbar spondylolisthesis were treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion via MAST Quadrant retractor using single incision, including 2 cases of degenerative spondylolisthesis and 18 cases of isthmic spondylolisthesis. There were 8 males and 12 females aged from 34 to 62 years (average 45.5 years). The disease course was 1 to 6 years (mean 34.5 months). The spondylolisthesis locations were L4, 5 in 8 cases and L5, S1 in 12 cases. According to Meyerding classification, all cases were classified as degree I. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was (6.6 +/- 1.2) points. The operative time, the blood loss, and the therapeutic effects were recorded. RESULTS: The operative time was (155 +/- 23) minutes and the amount of blood loss was (360 +/- 102) mL. The hospitalization time were (12.0 +/- 3.4) days. All incisions healed by first intention. X-ray films showed spondylolisthesis reduction immediately after operation. All patients were followed up 14.3 months on average (from 9 to 20 months). The VAS score decreased to (1.6 +/- 2.3) points at the last follow-up, showing significant difference when compared with that of preoperation (P < 0.05). The X-ray films showed that lumbar interbody fusion was achieved in all the patients. No loosening, breakage, and displacement of pedicle screw fixation was observed. According to Nakai standard, the results were excellent in 18 cases and good in 2 cases at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION: As long as the indication is strictly chosen, PLIF via MAST Quadrant retractor is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive surgical technique in treating lumbar spondylolisthesis.

[µ-(4S,5S,15S,16S)-10,21-Di-tert-butyl-4,5,15,16-tetra-phenyl-3,6,14,17-tetra-aza-tricyclo-[17.3.1.1]tetra-cosa-1(23),8,10,12(24),19,21-hexa-ene-23,24-diolato-κN,N,O,O:NN,O,O]bis-[(acetato-κO)zinc(II)] ethanol disolvate.

In the title compound, [Zn(2)(C(36)H(42)N(4)O(2))(CH(3)COO)(2)]·2CH(3)CH(2)OH, a centrosymmetric dinuclear zinc macrocyclic complex is accompanied by two half-occupied ethanol solvent molecues resulting in a 1:2 macrocycle-solvent composition. The Zn(II) atom has a square-pyramidal geometry arising from an N(2)O(3) donor set, being coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms from the macrocyclic ligand in the equatorial sites and one O atom from an acetate anion in the apical site. The two Zn(II) atoms are linked by two phenolate O atoms, generating a four-membered Zn(2)O(2) ring at the centre of the macrocycle. The tert-butyl group shows rotational disorder over two sets of sites in a 0.552 (12):0.448 (12) ratio. In the crystal, N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds are seen and a short intra-molecular C-H⋯O contact occurs.

[µ-14,29-Di-tert-butyl-3,10,18,25-tetra-azatpenta-cyclo-[25.3.1.1.0.0]dotriaconta-1(31),4,6,8,12(32),14,16,19,21,23,27,29-dodeca-ene-31,32-diol-ato]bis-[(nitrato-κO,O')zinc(II)].

In the title centrosymmetric dinuclear zinc(II) complex, [Zn(2)(C(36)H(42)N(4)O(2))(NO(3))(2)], the Zn(II) atom has a distorted octa-hedral geometry, defined by two N atoms and two O atoms from the macrocyclic ligand and two O atoms from a chelating nitrate anion and are bridged by two phenolate O atoms, forming a four-membered Zn(2)O(2) ring.