Visible-Light-Triggered Difluoroacetylation/Cyclization of Chromone-Tethered Alkenes Enabling Synthesis of Tetrahydroxanthones.

Hydroxanthones have attracted considerable attention due to their significance in organic and biological chemistry, yet their synthesis remains a great challenge. In this study, a series of chromone-tethered alkenes are designed, and a radical cyclization reaction of these chromone derivatives has been achieved under photoredox conditions. The reaction uses bromodifluoroacetamides or bromodifluoroacetates as coupling partners, affording a broad range of functionalized tetrahydroxanthone products with up to 85% yields.

Electrochemical Annulation of Indole-Tethered Alkynes Enabling Synthesis of Exocyclic Alkenyl Tetrahydrocarbazoles.

An electrochemical sulfonylation-triggered cyclization reaction of indole-tethered terminal alkynes with sulfinates as sulfonyl sources has been developed, which affords exocyclic alkenyl tetrahydrocarbazoles in good chemical yields. This reaction features convenient operation and tolerates a wide scope of substrates with a variety of electronically and sterically diverse substituents. Furthermore, high -stereoselectivity is observed for this reaction, which provides an efficient method for the preparation of functionalized tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives.

Arylsulfonylation-Triggered Cyclization of 3-Alkenyl Indoles Enabling Synthesis of Tetrahydro-γ-carboline.

A visible-light promoted cyclization reaction of 3-alkenyl indole derivatives with arylsulfonyl chlorides as coupling partners has been developed, which afforded functionalized tetrahydro-γ-carbolines in good chemical yields. The reaction used 3-alkenyl indoles as radical acceptors and proceeded via the sequence of sulfonylation and intramolecular cyclization. The reaction was carried out under mild conditions and tolerated a wide range of substrates, which provides an efficient strategy for the synthesis of tetrahydro-γ-carboline derivatives.

[Effect of acupuncture on blood pressure and sleep quality in patients with stroke-related sleep disorders complicated with hypertension].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture on morning blood pressure, sleep quality and post-stroke nerve function recovery in patients with stroke-related sleep disorders (SSD) complicated with hypertension.

Methods: A total of 120 patients were randomized into an observation group (60 cases) and a control group (60 cases, 1 case dropped off). Both groups were treated with acupuncture (Neiguan [PC 6], Shuigou [GV 26], Sanyinjiao [SP 6], Jiquan [HT 1], Chize [LU 5] and Weizhong [BL 40]).

Acupuncture lowering blood pressure for secondary prevention of stroke: a study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: Stroke is the prime cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population, and hypertension will increase the recurrence and mortality of stroke. We report a protocol of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) using blood pressure (BP)-lowering acupuncture add-on treatment to treat patients with hypertension and stroke.

Methods: This is a large-scale, multicenter, subject-, assessor- and analyst-blinded, pragmatic RCT.

Protection of SK-N-MC cells against β-amyloid peptide-induced degeneration using neuron growth factor-loaded liposomes with surface lactoferrin.

A liposomal system with surface lactoferrin (Lf) was developed for delivering neuron growth factor (NGF) across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and improving the viability of neuron-like SK-N-MC cells with deposited β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). The Lf-grafted liposomes carrying NGF (Lf/NGF-liposomes) were applied to a monolayer of human brain-microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) regulated by human astrocytes (HAs) and to fibrillar Aβ1-42-insulted SK-N-MC cells. An increase in cholesterol mole percentage enhanced the particle size, absolute value of zeta potential, and physical stability, however, reduced the entrapment efficiency and release rate of NGF.

Neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells in hybrid polyester scaffolds with heparinized surface.

This study presents the differentiation capability of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in heparinized binary scaffolds composed of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). The neuronal differentiation of iPS cells in scaffolds with surface heparin was characterized with immunochemical staining. The results revealed that an increase in the weight percentage of PCL and in the gel concentration enhanced the porosity of scaffolds.

Low-temperature decomposition of methanol on Au nanoclusters supported on a thin film of Al2O3/NiAl100.

With a variety of surface probe techniques, we investigated low-temperature decomposition of methanol on Au nanoclusters formed by vapor deposition onto an ordered Al(2)O(3)/NiAl(100) thin film. Upon adsorption of methanol on the Au clusters (with mean diameter 1.5-3.

Temperature-dependent structuring of Au-Pt bimetallic nanoclusters on a thin film of Al2O3/NiAl(100).

Au-Pt bimetallic nanoclusters on a thin film of Al(2)O(3)/NiAl(100) undergo significant structural evolution on variation of the temperature. Au and Pt deposited sequentially from the vapor onto thin-film Al(2)O(3)/NiAl(100) at 300 K form preferentially bimetallic nanoclusters (diameter ≦ 6.0 nm and height ≦ 0.

Non-woven and aligned electrospun multicomponent luminescent polymer nanofibers: effects of aggregated morphology on the photophysical properties.

In this paper, the morphology and photophysical properties of non-woven and aligned ES nanofibers prepared from the ternary blends of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) / poly(2,3-dibutoxy-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (DB-PPV) / poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using a single-capillary spinneret are reported. Various PFO and DB-PPV phase-separated structures in the ES nanofibers were found by two different solvents: ellipsoidal DB-PPV (10-40 nm) and fiber-like PFO (20-40 nm) in the PMMA using chloroform, while fiber-like DB-PPV (10-20 nm) and fiber-like PFO (20-30 nm) using chlorobenzene. Such different PFO and DB-PPV structures resulted in various energy transfer/emission colors in the ES nanofibers.