[Ozone Pollution Characteristics and Sensitivity During the Ozone Pollution Days in Summer 2021 of Xinxiang City].

This study was based on the observation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conventional gaseous air pollutants, and meteorological parameters observed at the Xinxiang Municipal Party School site from June to August 2021. The ozone (O3) characteristics and sensitivity of O3 pollution days and the control strategy of its precursors were studied using an observation-based model (OBM). It was found that the meteorological conditions were characterized by high temperature, low humidity, and low pressure in O3-pollution days. The concentrations of O3 and its precursors all increased in the O3 pollution days. Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) and alkanes were the highest-concentration components of VOCs on O3 pollution days in Xinxiang, and OVOCs had the highest ozone formation potential (OFP) and hydroxyl (·OH) reactivity. According to the relative incremental reactivity (RIR) analysis, during the O3 pollution days in Xinxiang, O3sensitivity was in the VOCs-limited regime in June and in the transitional regime in July and August. Ozone production was more sensitive to alkenes and OVOCs. The RIR values of the precursors in June changed throughout the day, but O3 sensitivity remained the VOCs-limited regime. In July and August, O3 sensitivity was the VOCs-limited regime in the morning, transitional regime at noon, transitional and NOx-limited regime, respectively in the afternoon. By simulating different precursor-reduction scenarios, the results showed that the reduction of VOCs was always beneficial to the control of O3, whereas the reduction of NOx had little effect on the control of O3 and a risk of increasing O3.

Pillararene-based AIEgens: research progress and appealing applications.

As a photophysical phenomenon, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was proposed by Tang in 2001. Due to their excellent fluorescence emission performance, AIEgens and AIE-based fluorescence materials have shown great application potential in a wide range of science fields. Hence, exploring new AIEgens and construction of novel AIE materials are especially vital. In addition, as a new class of macrocyclic hosts, pillararenes have shown excellent performance in supramolecular chemistry. Interestingly, pillararenes also exhibited fairly bright application prospects in the AIE area: firstly, some research studies suggested that pillararenes could serve as a novel AIEgen with considerable fluorescence emission in the aggregated state; moreover, they could also participate in the construction of AIE materials and have potential application in various areas. In this review, we summarised the recent development of pillararene-based AIE materials from the following aspects: pillararenes as novel AIEgens, the TPE functionalized pillararene-based AIE materials, the pillararene-based AIE materials constructed by supramolecular assembly, and the functionalized pseudo-pillararene-based AIE materials. It is hoped that this feature article will attract increasing attention and pave a new way for the development and application of pillar[n]arene-based AIE materials in more fields.

Aggregation-induced emission supramolecular organic framework (AIE SOF) gels constructed from tri-pillar[5]arene-based foldamer for ultrasensitive detection and separation of multi-analytes.

In this study, a novel aggregation-induced emission supramolecular organic framework (AIE SOF) with ultrasensitive response, termed FSOF, was constructed using a tri-pillar[5]arene-based foldamer. Interestingly, benefiting from the noise signal shielding properties of FSOF as well as the competition between the cationπ and ππ interactions, the FSOF shows an ultrasensitive response for multi-analytes, such as Fe3+, Hg2+ and Cr3+. The limits of detection (LODs) of the FSOF for Fe3+, Hg2+ and Cr3+ are in the range of 9.40 × 10-10-1.86 × 10-9. More importantly, the xerogel of FSOF exhibits porous mesh structures, which could effect high-efficiency separation above metal ions from their aqueous solution, with adsorption percentages in the range 92.39-99.99%. In addition, by introducing metal ions into the FSOF, a series of metal ions coordinated supramolecular organic frameworks (MSOFs) were successfully constructed. Moreover, MSOFs show selective fluorescence "turn on" ultrasensitive detection CN- (LOD = 2.12 × 10-9) and H2PO4- (LOD = 1.78 × 10-9). This is a novel approach to construct SOFs through a tri-pillar[5]arene-based foldamer, and also provides a new way to achieve ultrasensitive detection and high-efficiency separation.

A high-throughput LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of four immunosu- ppressants drugs in whole blood.

BACKGROUND: Immunoassays and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are two major methods for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of immunosuppressant drugs. Compared to the relatively limited analytical performance and cross reactivities of immunoassays, the LC-MS/MS method is considered as a gold standard; however, the lack of systematic evaluation and standardization needs to be addressed. METHODS: A LC-MS/MS method for the determination of cyclosporine A, sirolimus, tacrolimus, and everolimus was developed. One-step protein precipitation was used to prepare blood samples. The newly developed method was systematically evaluated and validated according to the standard guidelines. RESULTS: The quantitative method for four immunosuppressant drugs in human whole blood was validated according to the guidelines. The lower limits of the measuring interval (LLMI) for cyclosporine A, sirolimus, tacrolimus, and everolimus were 5, 0.5, 0.5, and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. Linear correlation coefficients were all >0.999. Internal standard-normalized (IS-normalized) matrix correction factor was within the range 0.88-1.17. The average spiked recoveries of five replicates for the four immunosuppressant drugs were in the range 87.4-109.6%. CONCLUSION: An LC-MS/MS method combined with one-step protein precipitation was developed, providing short sample preparation and chromatographic run time, thus allowing easy clinical diagnosis.

Altered Brain Functional Hubs and Connectivity Underlie Persistent Somatoform Pain Disorder.

This study investigated the degree of brain functional impairment in persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD) by examining changes in the patterns of brain functional hubs. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 21 PSPD patients with headache as the main symptom and 17 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Degree centrality (DC) analysis as well as the connectivity among these hubs by functional connectivity (FC) analysis and Granger causality analysis (GCA) were performed to characterize abnormal brain networks in PSPD (Gaussian random field corrected: P < 0.001, Z > 3.09). The relationships between DC and connectivity and clinical parameters were also examined. DC values in the bilateral inferior occipital gyrus (IOG), bilateral calcarine fissure (CAL), and left paracentral lobule (PCL) and FC values of right IOG-left CAL, right IOG-right CAL, right IOG-left IOG, left CAL-right CAL, left CAL-left IOG, left CAL-left PCL, right CAL-left PCL, and left IOG-left PCL were lower in PSPD patients as compared to controls. A negative causal effect from the left CAL to the left paracentral lobule and a positive effect from the right CAL to the right IOG were observed in PSPD patients. Abnormal DC, FC, and signed-path coefficients in PSPD patients were negatively correlated with self-rating anxiety and depression scale scores. These results indicate that altered functional hubs and connectivity patterns in the somatosensory cortex may reflect emotional disturbance in PSPD patients.

Novel cyanide supramolecular fluorescent chemosensor constructed from a quinoline hydrazone functionalized-pillar[5]arene.

Herein, we report a simple and novel approach for the design of fluorescent chemosensor through the self-assembly of functionalized monomer molecules. According to these approach, a novel supramolecular fluorescent chemosensor (SPMS) was successfully constructed by self-assembly of a quinoline hydrazone functionalized pillar[5]arene monomer PM. Interestingly, upon the addition of CN-, the solution of SPMS instantly shows dramatic fluorescent enhancement and emitting bright blue emission. Meanwhile, the fluorescence quantum yields show distinct increase from 0.0582 of SPMS to 0.3952 of SPMS + CN-. The detection limit (LOD) of SPMS for CN- is 9.70 × 10-8 M, which indicated high sensitivity. Moreover, the SPMS is selective for CN- even in the presence of other anions, the fluorescent detection process of SPMS for CN- was not interfered by other competitive anions (F-, Cl-, Br-, I-, N3-, OH-, SCN-, HSO4-, AcO-, H2PO4- and ClO4-). Notably, in the CN- sensing process, the self-assembly structure of the supramolecular chemosensor SPMS didn't show any disassembly. This work provides a novel approach for instant detection of CN- through a self-assembled supramolecular fluorescent chemosensor in aqueous system. Moreover, the test strips based on SPMS were fabricated, which could serve as convenient and efficient CN- test kits.

2-(4-methyl-thiazol-5-yl) ethyl nitrate maleate-potentiated GABAA receptor response in hippocampal neurons.

AIMS: 2-(4-methyl-thiazol-5-yl) ethyl nitrate maleate (NMZM), a derivative of clomethiazole (CMZ), had been investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The beneficial effects of NMZM in AD included reversing cognitive deficit, improving learning and memory as well as neuroprotection. The pharmacological effects of NMZM on GABAA receptors were reported previously; however, the mechanisms were unclear and were explored therefore. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that NMZM improved learning and memory by alleviating scopolamine-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) suppression in the dentate gyrus of rats, indicating that NMZM had protective effects against scopolamine-induced depression of LTP. Next, we investigated the action of NMZM on GABAA receptors in hippocampal neurons and the binding site of NMZM on GABAA receptors. NMZM directly activated GABAA receptors in hippocampal neurons in a weak manner. However, NMZM could potentiate the response of GABAA receptors to GABA and NMZM positively modulated GABAA receptors with an EC50 value of 465 µmol/L at 3 µmol/L GABA while this potentiation at low concentration of GABA (1, 3 µmol/L) was more significant than that at high concentration (10, 30 µmol/L). In addition, NMZM could enhance GABA currents after using diazepam and pentobarbital, the positive modulators of GABAA receptors. NMZM could not affect the etomidate-potentiated GABAA current. It suggested that the binding site of NMZM on GABAA receptors is the same as etomidate. CONCLUSIONS: These results provided support for the neuroprotective effect of NMZM, which was partly dependent on the potentiation of GABAA receptors. The etomidate binding site might be a new target for neuronal protection and for drug development.

A novel supramolecular organogel based on acylhydrazone functionalized pillar[5]arene acts as an I- responsive smart material.

A novel organic gelator (PZ) has been synthesized by rationally connecting a pillar[5]arene moiety and a bis(hexadecyloxy)phenyl functionalized acylhydrazone moiety. PZ could self-assemble into a supramolecular polymer and form a stable organogel (OPZ) in cyclohexanol by multi-self-assembly driving forces such as C-Hπ, ππ, vdW and hydrogen bonding interactions. The organogel (OPZ) shows blue aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Interestingly, the organogel OPZ could sense iodide ions (I-) in the gel-gel state with high selectivity and sensitivity. The detection limit of OPZ for I- is 9.4 × 10-8 M, indicating high sensitivity to I-. Furthermore, a thin film based on OPZ was prepared, which could be used as a smart material for the detection of I- as well as a fluorescent security display material.

Amplitude of low-frequency oscillations in Parkinson's disease: a 2-year longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND: Neuroimaging studies have found that functional changes exist in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the majority of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in patients with PD are task-related and cross-sectional. This study investigated the functional changes observed in patients with PD, at both baseline and after 2 years, using resting-state fMRI. It further investigated the relationship between whole-brain spontaneous neural activity of patients with PD and their clinical characteristics. METHODS: Seventeen patients with PD underwent an MRI procedure at both baseline and after 2 years using resting-state fMRI that was derived from the same 3T MRI. In addition, 20 age- and sex-matched, healthy controls were examined using resting-state fMRI. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) approach was used to analyze the fMRI data. Nonlinear registration was used to model within-subject changes over the scanning interval, as well as changes between the patients with PD and the healthy controls. A correlative analysis between the fALFF values and clinical characteristics was performed in the regions showing fALFF differences. RESULTS: Compared to the control subjects, the patients with PD showed increased fALFF values in the left inferior temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and right middle frontal gyrus. Compared to the baseline in the 2 years follow-up, the patients with PD presented with increased fALFF values in the right middle temporal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus while also having decreased fALFF values in the right cerebellum, right thalamus, right striatum, left superior parietal lobule, left IPL, left precentral gyrus, and left postcentral gyrus (P < 0.01, after correction with AlphaSim). In addition, the fALFF values in the right cerebellum were positively correlated with the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor scores (r = 0.51, P < 0.05, uncorrected) and the change in the UPDRS motor score (r = 0.61, P < 0.05, uncorrected). CONCLUSIONS: The baseline and longitudinal changes of the fALFF values in our study suggest that dysfunction in the brain may affect the regions related to cortico-striato-pallido-thalamic loops and cerebello-thalamo-cortical loops as the disease progresses and that alterations to the spontaneous neural activity of the cerebellum may also play an important role in the disease's progression in patients with PD.

Prognostic significance of the peripheral blood absolute monocyte count in patients with locally advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma receiving systemic chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic significance of the circulating absolute monocyte count (AMC) in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is uncertain. This study was designed to assess the association of circulating AMC with survival outcomes in patients diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic HCC receiving systemic chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1, 2005 and December 30, 2012, locally advanced or metastatic HCC patients who had Child-Pugh stage A or B disease and received systemic chemotherapy were retrospectively enrolled. Patient features including gender, age, extrahepatic metastasis, Child-Pugh stage, serum alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) level and AMC were collected to investigate their prognostic impact on overall survival(OS). RESULTS: A total of 216 patients were eligible for the study. The optimal cut-off value of AMC for OS analysis was 0.38×109/L. Median OS was 5.84 months in low-AMC group (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.23 to 6.45), and 5.21 months in high-AMC group (95% CI, 4.37 to 6.04; p=0.003). In COX multivariate analysis, elevated AMC remained as an independent prognostic factor for worse OS (HR, 1.578; 95% CI, 1.120 to 2.223, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indiicate that circulating AMC is confirmed to be an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with locally advanced or metastatic HCC receiving systemic chemotherapy.

[Effect of glucocorticoid on dendritic cells in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change in dendritic cells (DCs) in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (cITP) and the effect of glucocorticoid on DCs in children with cITP. METHODS: Fifteen children with cITP and 20 healthy controls were included in the study. Flow cytometry was used to measure the DC subsets count in the 15 children with cITP before and after glucocorticoid treatment as well as the corresponding values in the 20 healthy controls. The DCs derived from peripheral blood monocytes in children with cITP were cultured in vitro and collected, and their immunophenotypes were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Before glucocorticoid treatment, the children with cITP showed no notable change in the absolute count of myeloid DCs (mDCs) but showed decreased absolute count of plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) and increased mDC/pDC ratio compared with the healthy controls (P<0.05). After glucocorticoid treatment, the children with cITP demonstrated increased absolute count of pDCs and decreased absolute count of mDCs and mDC/pDC ratio compared with before treatment (P<0.05). Before glucocorticoid treatment, the children with cITP had significantly higher positive rates of HLA-DR, CD80, CD83 and CD86 on peripheral blood DCs than the healthy controls (P<0.01). All the positive rates were significantly decreased after glucocorticoid treatment (P<0.01), so that there was no significant difference from the healthy controls (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Disproportion and functional disturbance of DC subsets is associated with the pathogenesis of cITP in children. Glucocorticoid can strengthen the immunosuppression of DCs in children with cITP, which may contribute to the effectiveness of glucocorticoid as a treatment.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy.

AIM: The effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy on hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with prior resolved hepatitis B is not fully understood. METHODS: From January 2006 to December 2010, 43 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative/anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) positive patients with newly diagnosed unresectable HCC were enrolled in the study. All underwent TACE therapy. RESULTS: Four patients (9.3%) developed HBV reactivation with mild/moderate hepatitis. The median number of TACE cycles received was 3.5 (range 3-4 cycles). The median time interval between the occurrence of HBV reactivation and the completion of TACE therapy was 3 months (range 1-5 months) and their median HBV DNA level was 1.58 × 10(4) IU/mL (range, 1.65 × 10(3) -6.42 × 10(4) IU/mL). After the introduction of lamivudine at the occurrence of HBV reactivation, all had resolution of hepatitis. An exploratory analysis indicated that significant predictors of HBV reactivation included increased serum total bilirubin coexisting with cirrhosis and the total number of cycles of TACE received. CONCLUSION: The administration of TACE therapy may increase the risk of HBV reactivation in HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive patients diagnosed with unresectable HCC. Further studies are warranted to explore the optimal management of HBV reactivation in patients with prior resolved hepatitis B.

Interaction between protein 4.1R and spectrin heterodimers.

Defects or deficiencies in red cell membrane skeletal proteins often undermine the integrity and stability of the plasma membrane, and consequently cause hereditary hemolytic anemias. Genetic and biochemical studies have revealed a complicated picture of the organization of the membrane skeleton, within which α-/ß-spectrin heterodimers form a protein lattice. By stabilizing the red cell membrane skeleton, the erythroid protein 4.1R greatly contributes to connecting and regulating the interaction among spectrins, actin filaments and integral proteins on the plasma membrane. In this study, we demonstrated the direct interaction between 4.1R and α-/ß-spectrin. The results provide novel insights into the stoichiometry of 4.1R with spectrin, and demonstrate for the first time that the binding ratio of 4.1R to spectrin heterodimers is approximately 5.

[Microanalysis study on lignin distribution of wood with different growth stress level by SEM-EDXA].

By virtue of FE-SEM and EDXA marked by Br element, the relationship between the lignin distribution and growth stress was micro-analyzed by normal wood of plantation Eucalyptus urophylla X E. grandis with different growth stress levels. The results indicated that the lignin contents of different cell wall layers were not related to the growth stress level, and the lignin content (from high level to low level) in sequence was cell corner, compound middle lamellae, S1, S2 and S3; The lignin contents in micro-morphological regions of wood fiber cell wall were decreased with the increase in growth stress and lignification process was delayed.

[Preparation and identification of a monoclonal antibody against recombinant human L-type pyruvate kinase N].

OBJECTIVE: To prepare and identify the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against pyruvate kinase N terminal (PK-N). METHODS: BALB/C mice were immunized with immunogen PK-N-GST-tag. Then the spleen cells were isolated and fused with SP2/0 cells. After several rounds of detecting and cloning, the hybridoma cell strains secreting anti-PK-N mAb were obtained. Its specificity was evaluated with ELISA and Western blot, and the titer, immunoglobulin subtype and affinity of the mAb were measured. RESULTS: Two cell strains of hybridoma, 2B2E4G and 2C6F5, were obtained. The hybridoma cell strains secreting anti-PK-N mAb belonged to IgG2b subtype, with a mAb titer in ascetic fluid of 1 : 409600 and 1 : 102400, respectively. Their affinity reached 3.54 x 10(8) L/mol and 2.72 x 10(8) L/mol, respectively, as determined by ELISA. Western blot demonstrated that the mAb could specifically recognize the immunogen and the natural cell lysis protein. The cell immunohistochemistry proved that the antibody could recognize human L type pyruvate kinase expressed in the plasma of HL-7702 cell strain and paraffin slice of hepatoma. CONCLUSION: The success in anti-PK-N mAb preparation provides a foundation for further studies into glycolysis in normal condition and metabolic diseases.

[Analysis of hydrochloride 4-methyl-piperazine-1-carbodithioc acid 3-cyano-3,3-diphenyl-propyl ester and its metabolites in rats by HPLC-ESI/ITMSn].

AIM: To identify the main metabolites of hydrochloride 4-methyl-piperazine-1-carbodithioc acid 3-cyano-3,3-diphenyl-propyl ester (TM208) in rats. METHODS: Rat feces, urine and plasma samples were collected after ig 500 mg x kg(-1) TM208, then the samples were extracted and concentrated using ethyl acetate. The treated samples were analyzed by HPLC-ESI/ITMSn. The structures of metabolites were elucidated according to the rules of drug metabolism and disposition in vivo and the characteristic fragmentation behaviors of TM208 in ESI-ITMSn. RESULTS: Eight phase I metabolites were identified existing in rat feces, five of them were also found in rat urine and plasma, but no phase II metabolite was found. CONCLUSION: The HPLC-ESI/ITMSn method is rapid, highly sensitive and specific and it is suitable for the identification of TM208 and its metabolites in rats.