Hot syngas cleanup for pilot two-stage fluidized bed steam-oxygen biomass gasification plant.

Biomass gasification as a renewable energy technology has been a widely explored research and development area. The efficient and economic removal of harmful components, particularly tars, in raw syngas from the biomass gasifier is still a major challenge. In this study, a novel two-stage fluidized bed pilot-scale gasifier has been developed to enhance the steam-oxygen biomass gasification to generate low-tar syngas; while, a prototype hot syngas cleanup system has been designed, built and tested to further reduce the tar content and purify the syngas from the biomass gasifier for downstream applications.

Comparative effects of sacubitril/valsartan and ACEI/ARB on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in patients with heart failure: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome that affects millions of people worldwide and leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Sacubitril/valsartan, a combination drug consisting of a neprilysin inhibitor and an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), has shown a greater improvement in the prognosis of HF than ACE inhibitors (ACEI) or ARB. Recent studies have found that ACEI/ARB or sacubitril/valsartan can increase flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and reduce pulse wave velocity (PWV), which are independent predictors of cardiovascular events and HF prognosis.

Epidermoid Cyst at the Root of the Sphenoidal Pterygoid Process: A Rare Case Report.

Epidermoid cysts of the skull base are rare. We present the case of a woman with an epidermoid cyst at the root of the sphenoidal pterygoid process. She experienced tightness of the forehead skin without headache.

The role of potassium ion channels in chronic sinusitis.

Chronic sinusitis is a common inflammatory disease of the nasal and sinus mucosa, leading to symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, decreased sense of smell, and headache. It often recurs and seriously affects the quality of life of patients. However, its pathological and physiological mechanisms are not fully understood.

Heteroatom Doping Promoted Ultrabright and Ultrastable Photoluminescence of Water-Soluble Au/Ag Nanoclusters for Visual and Efficient Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells.

Photoluminescence (PL) metal nanoclusters (NCs) have attracted extensive attention due to their excellent physicochemical properties, good biocompatibility, and broad application prospects. However, developing water-soluble PL metal NCs with a high quantum yield (QY) and high stability for visual drug delivery remains a great challenge. Herein, we have synthesized ultrabright l-Arg-ATT-Au/Ag NCs (Au/Ag NCs) with a PL QY as high as 73% and excellent photostability by heteroatom doping and surface rigidization in aqueous solution.

Polar Molecules Regulating the Regio- and Stereoselectivity of Polymerization of Conjugated Dienes Catalyzed by CGC-Type Rare-Earth Metal Catalysts.

Herein, a concise, effective, and scalable strategy is reported that the introduction of polar molecules (PMs) (e.g., anisole (PhOMe), phenetole (PhOEt), 2-methoxynaphthalene (NaphOMe), thioanisole (PhSMe), and N,N-dimethylaniline (PhNMe)) as continuously coordinated neutral ligand of cationic active species in situ generated from the constrain-geometry-configuration-type rare-earth metal complexes A-F/AlBu/[PhC][B(CF)] ternary systems can easily switch the regio- and stereoselectivity of the polymerization of conjugated dienes (CDs, including 2-subsituted CDs such as isoprene (IP) and myrcene (MY), 1,2-disubstituted CD ocimene (OC), and 1-substituted polar CD 1-(para-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-butadiene (p-MOPB)) from poor selectivities to high selectivities (for IP and MY: 3,4-selectivity up to 99%; for OC: trans-1,2-selectivity up to 93% (mm up to 90%); for p-MOPB: 3,4-syndioselectivity (3,4- up to 99%, rrrr up to 96%)).

Dexmedetomidine Confers Protection Against Neuronal Oxygen Glucose Deprivation-Reperfusion by Regulating SIRT3 Mediated Autophagy.

Dexmedetomidine (Dex) plays protective effects on brain ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, but its mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether Dex protects neurons against I/R injury by activating SIRT3 mediated autophagy. The oxygen glucose deprivation-reperfusion (OGD/R) model was constructed in HT22 cells.

Bepridil, a class IV antiarrhythmic agent, can block the TREK-1 potassium channel.

Background: The TWIK-related potassium channel (TREK-1) can be regulated by different stimuli. However, it is not clear whether some antiarrhythmics affect the activity of TREK-1. In the present study, the effect of bepridil on the TREK-1 currents is investigated.

Sevoflurane suppresses migration and invasion of glioma cells by regulating miR-146b-5p and MMP16.

Glioma is the most common brain tumor with poor prognosis all over the world. Anesthetics have been demonstrated to have important impacts on cell migration and invasion in different cancers. However, the underlying mechanism that allows anesthetics-mediated progression of glioma cells remains elusive.

Upregulated TRPC5 plays an important role in development of nasal polyps by activating eosinophilic inflammation and NF-κB signaling pathways.

The pathophysiology of nasal polyps (NP) remains unclear, however, several ion channels may participate. Whether transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channel play a role in NP remains unknown. We investigated expression of TRPC, eosinophil infiltration, IL-6, and NF-κB in 58 patients with NP and 35 control subjects using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry, real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR), Western blotting, and calcium imaging.

Lipophilic but not hydrophilic statin functionally inhibit volume-activated chloride channels by inhibiting NADPH oxidase in monocytes.

Volume-activated Cl channels (VACCs) can be activated by hypotonic solutions and have been identified in many cell types. Here, we investigated the effects of different statins on VACCs in monocytes. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings demonstrated that a hypotonic solution induced 5-nitro-2- (3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB)- and 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)-sensitive VACC currents in human peripheral monocytes and RAW 264.

Glibenclamide decreases ATP-induced intracellular calcium transient elevation via inhibiting reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial activity in macrophages.

Increasing evidence has revealed that glibenclamide has a wide range of anti-inflammatory effects. However, it is unclear whether glibenclamide can affect the resting and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-induced intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) handling in Raw 264.7 macrophages.

Protective role of acidic pH-activated chloride channel in severe acidosis-induced contraction from the aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Severe acidic pH-activated chloride channel (ICl,acid) has been found in various mammalian cells. In the present study, we investigate whether this channel participates in reactions of the thoracic aorta to severe acidosis and whether it plays a role in hypertension. We measured isometric contraction in thoracic aorta rings from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive Wistar rats.

Extracellular acidic pH-activated, outward rectifying chloride currents can be regulated by reactive oxygen species in human THP-1 monocytes.

Extracellular acidic pH-activated chloride channels (ICl,acid) have been found in a variety of mammalian cells. In the present study, the expression and regulation of ICl,acid were investigated in THP-1 cells. Patch clamp recordings demonstrated that an extracellular acidic solution induced an outward rectified current, which could be blocked by the Cl(-) channel blocker.

Hydrogen inhalation decreases lung graft injury in brain-dead donor rats.

Background: The process of brain death induces acute lung injury in donors and aggravates ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in grafts. Hydrogen, a new anti-oxidant, attenuates IRI in several organ transplant models. We examined whether 2% inhaled hydrogen would show favorable effects on lung grafts from brain-dead donor rats.

Overexpression of CyclinD1 and underexpression of p16 correlate with lymph node metastases in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese patients.

Background: CyclinD1 and p16 are involved in the regulation of G1 checkpoint and may play an important role in the tumorgenesis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Previous studies have examined the level of expression of cyclinD1 or p16 in LSCC but no such information is available for their relation and their correlation with lymph node metastasis in Chinese patients.

Patients And Methods: A total of 58 patients underwent surgical resection of laryngeal tumours in the Department of Otolaryngology, Qilu Hospital Shandong University between January 2001 and December 2002.

[Anti-tumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs on human gastric cancer cells in vitro and the relationship with Bcl-2 expression].

Objective: To evaluate in vitro anti-tumor effect of chemotherapeutic drugs on human gastric cancer cells, and investigate the relationship with Bcl-2 expression.

Methods: Single cell suspension was prepared from fresh gastric cancer tissue and exposed to taxol (Tax), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin (CDDP), adriamycin (ADM), mitomycin (MMC) respectively for 48 hours. Metabolic activity and inhibitory rate of cells were detected by MTT assay.

[Anti-tumor effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on human gastric cancer cells in vitro and the relationship with expression of hTERT mRNA].

Objective: To evaluate in vitro antitumor effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and investgate the relationship with expression of hTERT mRNA in human gastric cancer tissues.

Methods: Fresh samples of gastric cancer obtained from operation room were prepared to single-cell suspension (3 x 10(5) to 5 x 10(5) cells ml(-1)) and were separately exposed to taxol (TAX), cisplatin (CDDP), 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), adriamycin (ADM), mitomycin (MMC) for 48 hours. Metabolic activity and inhibitory rate of the cells were determined by trypan blue exclusion and MTT assay.

[Expressions of cyclin D1 and p16 in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and their clinical significance].

Objective: To study the expressions of Cyclin D1 and p16 proteins in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and their clinical significance.

Method: Immunohistochemical technology (P-V) was applied to detect the expression of Cyclin D1 and p16 in 36 cases of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 10 cases of normal epithelium.

Result: (1) The expression of cyclin D1 in the tumorous cell was significantly higher than that in normal epithelium (P < 0.