Triphenylphosphonium (TPP)-Based Antioxidants: A New Perspective on Antioxidant Design

Mitochondrial oxidative damage and dysfunction contribute to a wide range of human diseases. Considering the limitation of conventional antioxidants and that mitochondria are the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which induce oxidative damage, mitochondria-targeted antioxidants which can selectively block mitochondrial oxidative damage and prevent various types of cell death have been widely developed. As a lipophilic cation, triphenylphosphonium (TPP) has been commonly used in designing mitochondria-targeted antioxidants. Conjugated with the TPP moiety, antioxidants can achieve more than 1000-fold higher mitochondrial concentration depending on cell membrane potentials and mitochondrial membrane potentials. Herein we discuss the deficiencies of conventional antioxidants and the advantages of mitochondrial targeting, and review various types of TPP-based mitochondria-targeted antioxidants. These provide theoretical and background support for the design of new anti-oxidant.     

N-Substituted Nipecotic Acids as (S)-SNAP-5114 Analogues with Modified Lipophilic Domains

Potential mGAT4 inhibitors derived from the lead substance (S)-SNAP-5114 have been synthesized and characterized for their inhibitory potency. Variations from the parent compound included the substitution of one of its aromatic 4-methoxy and 4-methoxyphenyl groups, respectively, with a more polar moiety, including a carboxylic acid, alcohol, nitrile, carboxamide, sulfonamide, aldehyde or ketone function, or amino acid partial structures. Furthermore, it was investigated how the substitution of more than one of the aromatic 4-methoxy groups affects the potency and selectivity of the resulting compounds. Among the synthesized test substances (S)-1-{2-[(4-formylphenyl)bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-methoxy]ethyl}piperidine-3-carboxylic acid, that features a carbaldehyde function in place of one of the aromatic 4-methoxy moieties of (S)-SNAP-5114, was found to have a pIC₅₀ value of 5.89±0.07, hence constituting a slightly more potent mGAT4 inhibitor than the parent substance while showing comparable subtype selectivity.     

Ca-Mg-Al复合氧化物催化尿素与1,2-丙二醇制碳酸丙烯酯

采用共沉淀法制备了系列Ca-Mg-Al复合氧化物催化剂，通过对沉淀剂配比、沉淀液pH值及焙烧温度等制备条件的考察，得到以Na₂CO₃为沉淀剂、pH=9.5、850℃下焙烧4h制备的Ca-Mg-Al催化活性最高。在 n(PG)∶n(urea)=1.5∶1、反应温度为145℃、绝压20kPa、反应时间4h、催化剂用量为尿素质量的5%时，碳酸丙烯酯收率达到84.6%。采用XRF、XRD、NH₃-TPD、SEM及BET对催化剂的组成、晶型及酸性进行了表征，发现随着沉淀剂中Na₂CO₃的含量增加，催化剂中CaO∶MgO的比例增大，碳酸丙烯酯的收率亦升高；经850℃焙烧后，催化剂中存在CaO和MgO两种活性中心，起协同催化作用；随着焙烧温度由700℃升高到850℃，NH₃-TPD脱附曲线向低温方向偏移，且强酸中心NH₃脱附峰面积比由81.14%明显下降为0，中强酸中心NH₃脱附峰面积比由0增加到78.07%，而碳酸丙烯酯收率由68%增加到84.6%，这表明催化剂强酸性位的减少是催化活性增加的主要原因。     

餐饮废油生物柴油低温流动性的改进研究

使用气-质联用仪测定餐饮废油生物柴油(WCME)和-10号柴油(-10PD)的组成,使用冷滤点试验器和运动黏度试验器测定WCME的低温流动性,同时使用调合、添加低温流动性改进剂的方法改进WCME的低温流动性。实验结果表明,WCME主要由饱和脂肪酸甲酯和不饱和脂肪酸甲酯组成,质量分数分别为27.63%和71.81%;WCME冷滤点为0℃,运动黏度(40℃)为4.41mm2/s;WCME与-10PD调合后,冷滤点降低,其中B20的冷滤点最低,为-13℃,运动黏度随着WCME的体积分数的减少,逐渐接近-10PD的运动黏度。通过添加低温流动性改进剂,WCME,B10,B20的冷滤点分别从0,-8,-13℃降至-4,-26,-25℃。     

Reality-based interaction affecting mental workload in virtual reality mental arithmetic training

ABSTRACT

The concept of digital game-based learning (DGBL) evolves rapidly together with technological enhancements of virtual reality (VR) and smart phones. However, the mental workload (MWL) that VR-training applications demand and motivational qualities originating from user experience (UX) should be identified in order to create effective and enjoyable training/learning challenges that fit with individual users’ capabilities. This study examined the effects of reality-based interaction (RBI) and VR on measures of student motivation and MWL, in a mental arithmetic game for secondary school pupils. In a randomised controlled trial with sixty school children, a mental arithmetic game was tested with three different interaction and two different presentation methods – VR RBI, VR head-mounted-display tapping and tablet flick-gesture. Results found a significant effect of RBI on MWL but no differences in enjoyment of training were found between VR-experience and tablet training-experience. In fact, adding the gaming-context to the mental arithmetic task created an enjoyable, motivating experience regardless of presentation or interaction-style.