Lignin Nanofiber Flexible Carbon Aerogels for Self-Standing Supercapacitors.

Renewable feedstocks are sought for clean technology applications, including energy storage applications. In this study, LignoForce™ lignin, a biobased aromatic polymer commercially isolated from wood, was fractioned into two parts using acetone, and the resulting lignin fractions had distinct thermo-rheological behavior. These two fractionated lignins were combined in various ratios and transformed into nanofibers by electrospinning.

Development of a colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip for rapid detection of avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus.

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) still causes serious economic losses in the poultry industry. Currently, there are multiple prevalent genotypes and serotypes of IBVs. It is imperative to develop a new diagnosis method that is fast, sensitive, specific, simple, and broad-spectrum.

Melatonin Relieves Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain by Regulating pNEK2-Dependent Epigenetic Pathways in DRG Neurons.

The neurohormone melatonin (MLT) demonstrates promising potential in ameliorating neuropathic pain induced by paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapy. However, little is known about its protective effect on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in neuropathic pain resulting from the chemotherapeutic drug PTX. Here, PTX-treated rats revealed that intrathecal administration of MLT dose-dependently elevated hind paw withdrawal thresholds and latency, indicating that MLT significantly reversed PTX-induced neuropathic pain.

Phosphate NIMA-Related Kinase 2-Dependent Epigenetic Pathways in Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons Mediates Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain.

Background: The microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel (PTX) is an important chemotherapeutic agent for cancer treatment and causes peripheral neuropathy as a common side effect that substantially impacts the functional status and quality of life of patients. The mechanistic role for NIMA-related kinase 2 (NEK2) in the progression of PTX-induced neuropathic pain has not been established.

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats intraperitoneally received PTX to induce neuropathic pain.

Curcumae rhizoma and its major constituents against hepatobiliary disease: Pharmacotherapeutic properties and potential clinical applications.

Background: Hepatobiliary disease currently serves as an urgent health issue in public due to health-modulating factors such as extension of life expectancy, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and over-nutrition. A definite treatment remains lacking owing to different stages of the disease itself and its intricate pathogenesis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been gradually popularized in clinic with the satisfactory efficacy and good safety.

Public knowledge and attitudes toward automated external defibrillators use among first aid eLearning course participants: a survey.

Objective: Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) often depends on the effective and immediate use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Given that there have been few studies about AED use in China, the purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge and attitudes regarding AED use among the Chinese public, then provide an effective suggestion for AED education strategies and legislation.

Method: The online survey was conducted among Chinese participants of the First Aid eLearning courses in June 2020.

Antibiofilm and immunomodulatory resorbable nanofibrous filing for dental pulp regenerative procedures.

Multifunctional scaffolds with host defense peptides designed for regenerative endodontics are desirable nanobiotechnological tools for dentistry. Here, different scaffolds were tested for use during the pulp revascularization process, including poly(vinyl alcohol)-PVA hydrogels or resins, collagen hydrogels and poly(vinyl alcohol) PVA/Chitosan (PVA/CS) nanofibers. Based on time to degradation (21 days), nanofibers were chosen to be incorporated with ciprofloxacin and IDR-1002 (each at 50 mg/g).

In vivo antiviral effect of plant essential oils against avian infectious bronchitis virus.

Background: Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) leads to huge economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. The high levels of mutations of IBV render vaccines partially protective. Therefore, it is urgent to explore an effective antiviral drug or agent.

Aminoglycosides with Anti-MRSA Activity: A Concise Review.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a leading cause of infections in human being and is usually associated with a multidrug-resistant profile, represents a significant health threat and public burden globally. The limited options of effective antibiotics motivate the search for novel anti-MRSA agents. Aminoglycoside antibiotics have been extensively applied in the medical field due to their desirable broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, especially for systemic infections caused by Gram-negative organisms.

Identification of a novel avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus variant with three-nucleotide-deletion in nucleocapsid gene in China.

A novel avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) variant, designated as GX-NN160421, was isolated from vaccinated chicken in Guangxi, China, in 2016. Based on analysis of the S1 gene sequence, GX-NN160421 belonged to the New-type 1 (GVI-1) strain. More importantly, three consecutive nucleotides (AAC) deletions were found in the highly conserved structure gene N.

Acupuncture attenuates cognitive deficits through α7nAChR mediated anti-inflammatory pathway in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats.

Aims: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) elicits inflammatory response, which contributes to the pathology of cognitive impairment. Several studies demonstrate that the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) can be a key component to modulate the inflammatory responses. We have reported previously that acupuncture attenuated cognitive deficits induced by CCH.

Acupuncture Attenuates Inflammation in Microglia of Vascular Dementia Rats by Inhibiting miR-93-Mediated TLR4/MyD88/NF-B Signaling Pathway.

Background: It is widely accepted that inflammation may contribute to cognitive impairment in patients with vascular dementia (VD). Our prior clinical researches have reported that acupuncture can alleviate cognitive function in VD, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. The purpose of this research was to explore whether acupuncture alleviates cognitive impairment by suppressing the microRNA-93- (miR-93-) mediated Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, which triggers inflammatory responses in the central nervous system.

Visible-Light-Driven Difluoromethylation of Isocyanides with -(Difluoromethyl)diarylsulfonium Salt: Access to a Wide Variety of Difluoromethylated Phenanthridines and Isoquinolines.

A highly efficient approach of visible-light-driven radical difluoromethylation of isocyanides to access a wide variety of difluoromethylated phenanthridines and isoquinolines is herein described. Electrophilic -(difluoromethyl)diarylsulfonium salt proved to be a good difluoromethyl radical precursor under photoredox catalysis. A broad range of isocyanides were tolerated to furnish the corresponding difluoromethylated phenanthridines, isoquinolines, furo[3,2-]pyridine, and pyrido[3,4-]indole in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions.

Difluoromethylation of Phenols and Thiophenols with the -(Difluo-romethyl)sulfonium Salt: Reaction, Scope, and Mechanistic Study.

A facile and practical approach for the difluoromethylation of phenols and thiophenols was described. Making use of the recently developed bench-stable -(difluoromethyl)sulfonium salt as the difluorocarbene precursor, a wide variety of diversely functionalized phenols and thiophenols were readily converted to their corresponding aryl difluoromethyl ethers in good to excellent yields in the presence of lithium hydroxide. Chemoselectivity of various ,-nucleophiles toward difluorocarbene was systematically studied, suggesting the reactivity order ArS- > RS-, ArO- > ROH > RO-, ArSH, ArOH, RSH.

Bee venom therapy: Potential mechanisms and therapeutic applications.

Bee venom is a very complex mixture of natural products extracted from honey bee which contains various pharmaceutical properties such as peptides, enzymes, biologically active amines and nonpeptide components. The use of bee venom into the specific points is so called bee venom therapy, which is widely used as a complementary and alternative therapy for 3000 years. A growing number of evidence has demonstrated the anti-inflammation, the anti-apoptosis, the anti-fibrosis and the anti-arthrosclerosis effects of bee venom therapy.

Acupuncture ameliorates cognitive impairment and hippocampus neuronal loss in experimental vascular dementia through Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response.

Emerging evidence suggests acupuncture could exert neuroprotection in the vascular dementia via anti-oxidative effects. However, the involvement of Nrf2, a master regulator of antioxidant defense, in acupuncture-induced neuroprotection in vascular dementia remains undetermined. The goal of our study was to investigate the contribution of Nrf2 in acupuncture and its effects on vascular dementia.

Acupuncture attenuates cognitive deficits and increases pyramidal neuron number in hippocampal CA1 area of vascular dementia rats.

Background: Decreased cognition is recognized as one of the most severe and consistent behavioral impairments in dementia. Experimental studies have reported that acupuncture may improve cognitive deficits, relieve vascular dementia (VD) symptoms, and increase cerebral perfusion and electrical activity.

Methods: Multi-infarction dementia was modeled in rats with 3% microemboli saline suspension.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of beta-thalassemia using real-time polymerase chain reaction with fluorescence resonance energy transfer hybridization probes.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is employed increasingly to allow transfer of embryos to the uterus in assisted reproduction procedures. There are three stages of biopsy: polar bodies, one or two blastomeres from the cleavage-stage embryos, and trophectoderm cells ( approximately 5cells) from the blastocyst-stage embryos. Validation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays are challenging because only limited genetic material can be obtained for PGD.

PGD of beta-thalassaemia and HLA haplotypes using OmniPlex whole genome amplification.

A strategy was developed using the OmniPlex technology of whole genome amplification for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of single gene diseases and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes. The amplified genomic DNA library was subsequently examined separately for mutation analysis with mini-sequence and for short tandem repeat (STR) markers within the HLA loci. To evaluate the reliability of the protocol prior to PGD, tests of 50 single lymphocytes revealed an amplification efficiency of 92-96% and allele drop-out (ADO) rate of 6-16%.

Fire-retardant-treated low-formaldehyde-emission particleboard made from recycled wood-waste.

The objective of this study was to manufacture fire-retardant-treated low-formaldehyde-emission particleboard from recycled wood-waste particles using polymeric 4,4'-methylenediphenyl isocyanate (PMDI) and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins. The influence of the PMDI/PF ratio (ratio of particles sprayed with PMDI to particles sprayed with PF, w/w) after fire retardant treatment on formaldehyde emissions, mechanical properties, and surface fire resistant performance of the manufactured particleboard was investigated. The experimental results showed that the formaldehyde emissions linearly decreased with an increasing PMDI/PF ratio.