Effect of microwave pretreatment on catalytic gasification of spirit-based distillers' grains to hydrogen-rich syngas.

Steam gasification of spirit-based distillers' grains (SDGs) was performed in a fixed-bed reactor under different microwave pretreatment (MWP) approaches with or without addition of red mud (RM). The effects of MWP on the gasification rate, total gas yield, H2/CO, and gasification mechanism of action were investigated. The results showed that RM could enhance the effect of MWP. The gasification rate, total gas yield and H2/CO increased by 21.29%, 8.23% and 16.08%, respectively. In addition, RM and MWP had a synergistic effect on the catalytic gasification reaction. This was because MWP disrupted the complete ordered surface structure of the SDGs, allowing a large number of inherent alkali and alkaline earth metal ions to dissolve onto the surface and combine with the catalytically active material in RM to form a uniformly dispersed bimetallic catalyst. The catalytic mechanism consisted of an active-site catalytic mechanism and a bimetallic synergistic catalytic mechanism. Therefore, the combination of MWP and SDGs steam gasification is a promising, clean, efficient hydrogen-rich synthesis gas technology.

Synthesis, characterization and evaluation cytotoxic activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized by Chinese herbal Cornus officinalis via environment friendly approach.

Cornus officinalis has been widely used as a precious herb and as the tonic food to improve kidney function in China. Its fruits have been used in many traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions to treat kidney diseases, diabetes, cancer and shock. In this study, a new eco-friendly approach for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using the fruits of Cornus officinalis aqueous extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The so-synthesized AgNPs showed quasi-spherical in shape with uniform dispersal and an average mean size of 11.7nm. Water soluble biomolecules such as flavonoids and/or anthocyanins from the extract played important roles in the nanoparticles formation. The AgNPs displayed distinctive cytotoxicity activities against human prostate cancer (PC-3) and human liver cancer (HepG2) cell lines. The results provided a low cost, nontoxic and eco-friendly approach for synthesizing metal nanoparticles to explore alternative anticancer agents on the way fighting against cancer in future.

[Effects of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction on serum asymmetric dimethylarginine in atherosclerosis rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction on serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level of the atherosclerosis rabbits. METHOD: Twenty-four male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n = 8) was fed with normal diet; the model group (n = 8) was fed with high fat/high cholesterol diet; and Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (n = 8) was fed with high fat/high cholesterol diet and intragastric administrated with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction 7.10 g x kg(-1) x d(-1). Concentrations of serum total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), serum ADMA and serum nitric oxide (NO) were measured after eight weeks. Rabbits' aorta were made into the pathological section to observe the pathology changes degree and atherosclerotic plaqu mean gray value and plaque area were analyzed by OPTIMAS image analysis system. RESULT: 1) Compared with the aortic atherosclerotic plaqu mean gray value of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group 175.56 +/- 12.30, those of the model group 198.91 +/- 5.08 were significant higher (P < 0.01). Significant difference were found between the the aortic atherosclerotic plaque area of the model group (4.80 +/- 0.83) mm2 and Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (1.96 +/- 0.48) mm2 (P < 0.01). There were no atherosclerotic plaque in the control group rabbits' aorta. 2) The serum TC (23.42 +/- 7.80) mmol x L(-1), TG (2.37 +/- 0.42) mmol x L(-1) and LDL (17.24 +/- 8.29) mmol x L(-1) of the model group were higher than those of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (P < 0.01); Compared with control group, the serum TC (15.63 +/- 4.12) mmol x L(-1) and LDL (7.64 +/- 2.36) mmol x L(-1) of the Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group increased significantly, while there were no significant changes between serum TG of control group (1.11 +/- 0.26) mmol x L(-1) and serum TG of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (1.43 +/- 0.34) mmol x L(-1). The serum ADMA of the model group (1.57 +/- 0.17) micromol x L(-1) were higher than those of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (1.01 +/- 0.13) micromol x L(-1) (P < 0.01), while the serum NO of the model group (8.76 +/- 2.42) micromol x L(-1) were significantly lower than those of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group (15.90 +/- 2.38) micromol x L(-1) (P < 0.01). There were no significant difference between the serum ADMA of the control group (0.93 +/- 0.11) micromol x L(-1) and Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group. Compared with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction group, the serum NO of the control group (17.88 +/- 3.34) micromol x L(-1) have no significant difference. 3) The serum ADMA of all rabbits negatively correlated to the serum NO (r = -0.773), (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Xuefu Zhuyu decoction can decrease the serum ADMA level in atherosclerosis rabbits. The effect of Xuefu Zhuyu decoction on anti-atherosclerosis may be related to the decreased serum ADMA level.

Proportional change of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells after lymphocyte therapy in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the proportional changes of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood after lymphocyte therapy in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) patients. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: University Hospital. PATIENT(S): Twenty-five URSA patients. INTERVENTION(S): Measurements of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood before and after paternal or third-party lymphocyte immunization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cells and the percentage of CD25(bright) cells in the CD4(+) T-cell population. RESULT(S): The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(bright) T cells in peripheral blood from URSA patients was increased significantly after paternal or third-party lymphocyte immunization therapy, whereas the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(dim) cells were decreased significantly. The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(bright) cells in the CD4(+) T-cell population was significantly increased, and the proportion of CD4(+)CD25(bright) T cells was significantly higher in successfully pregnant women than in those with pregnancy loss after lymphocyte therapy. CONCLUSION(S): Allogeneic lymphocyte therapy can enhance the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood, therefore CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells may serve as a novel biomarker for monitoring allogeneic lymphocyte therapy in URSA patients.

[Changes in proportion of decidua and peripheral blood CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) regulatory T cells in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) regulatory T (Tr) cells in peripheral blood and deciduas in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) patients, normal non-pregnant and pregnant women respectively. METHODS: The percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) Tr cells in deciduas and peripheral blood from 25 URSA patients, 22 normal non-pregnant (NNP) women, and 34 normal early pregnant (NP) women were measured by double-staining followed by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: (1) The percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(bright) T cells in peripheral blood in both URSA and NP [(1.55 +/- 0.77)%, (2.65 +/- 1.10)%, respectively] women were increased significantly than that in NNP women [(0.39 +/- 0.14)%, P < 0.05]. The percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(bright) T cells in peripheral blood in URSA women was significantly lower than that in NP women (P < 0.05). (2) The percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(bright) T cells in decidua in URSA women was significantly lower than that in NP women [(0.59 +/- 0.23)%, (1.24 +/- 0.55)%, respectively, P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference in the percentage of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(dim) T cells in decidua between URSA women and NP women [(4.23 +/- 1.52)%, (3.75 +/- 1.88)%, respectively, P > 0.05]. (3) The proportion of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(bright)/CD(4)(+) cells in deciduas was significantly higher than that in peripheral blood in NP women [(13.10 +/- 10.25)%, (5.59 +/- 2.62)%, respectively, P < 0.05]. However, a significant difference in the proportion of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(bright)/CD(4)(+) between decidua and peripheral blood was not found in URSA patients [(5.16 +/- 2.83)%, (4.64 +/- 2.07)%, respectively, P > 0.05)]. CONCLUSIONS: The number of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) Tr cells is increased in normal pregnancy and decreased in URSA. Therefore, CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) Tr cells may play an important role in maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance and may be involved in the pathogenesis of URSA.