β-FeOOH modified carbon monolith anode derived from wax gourd for microbial fuel cells

The preparation of high-performance anode materials is of significance for enhanced power generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Herein, porous carbon monolith was prepared by simple freeze drying of wax gourd and subsequent pyrolysis (WGC). β-FeOOH was coated on WGC to further improve the performance of the anode (β-FeOOH/WGC). The maximum power density of the MFCs with WGC and β-FeOOH/WGC anode was 913.9 and 1355.1 mW/m² respectively, which was much higher than that of the control (558.2 mW/m²). WGC possessed three-dimensional pore structure, nitrogen and oxygen-containing functional groups, which endowed it with satisfactory bacterial loading. Improved MFC performance after β-FeOOH modification could be ascribed to two aspects: β-FeOOH enhanced the electrochemical activity and decrease the transfer resistance; β-FeOOH was conducive to exoelectrogens formation. This study demonstrated that the synthesis of β-FeOOH modified carbon monolith anode offered an efficient route to enhance the power generation of MFCs.     

IκB激酶β在肿瘤中的作用及其抑制剂的研究进展

近年来，IκB激酶β（inhibitor kappa B kinaseβ, IKKβ）在肿瘤发生发展过程中的作用逐渐被发现。IKKβ通过作用多种分子通路参与肿瘤细胞增殖、存活等过程，抑制IKKβ已被确定为治疗癌症有希望的手段。研究人员开发一系列IKKβ抑制剂，发现它们能够有效抑制肿瘤的生长，但目前尚无IKKβ抑制剂投入到临床上治疗癌症。在这篇综述中，我们将介绍IKKβ介导肿瘤发生发展及主要IKKβ抑制剂的研究进展。     

7-Amidocoumarins as Multitarget Agents against Neurodegenerative Diseases: Substitution Pattern Modulation

This study explores the potential of 7-amidocoumarins as multitarget agents against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, by modulating the substitution patterns within the scaffold. Sixteen compounds were synthesized via 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin acylation, and in vitro evaluation of the molecules against hMAO-A, hMAO-B, hAChE, hBuChE and hBACE1 was performed. Five compounds turned out to be potent and selective hMAO-B inhibitors in the nanomolar range, six displayed inhibitory activity of hMAO-A in the low micromolar range, one showed hAChE inhibitory activity and another one hBACE1 inhibitory activity. MAO-B reversibility profile of 7-(4’-chlorobenzamido)-4-methylcoumarin ( 10 ) was investigated, with this compound being a reversible inhibitor. Neurotoxicity on motor cortex neurons and neuroprotection against H₂O₂ were also studied, corroborating the safety profile of these molecules. Finally, theoretical ADME properties were also calculated, showing these molecules as good candidates for the optimization of a lead compound. Results suggest that by modulating the substitution pattern at position 7 of the scaffold, selective or multitarget molecules can be achieved.     

Electrical polarization and ionic conduction properties of β-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics with controlled vacancies by sodium ion substitution

With the aim to understand electric polarization mechanisms of β-tricalcium phosphate as an advanced biomaterial, Na ion-substituted β-Ca₃(PO₄)₂ (Na-β-TCPs) ceramics with controlled lattice vacancies were synthesized and structural refinement was performed by the Rietveld method. The Rietveld analysis revealed that Ca and vacancies at Ca(4) sites in the β-TCP structure decreased with an increase in Na substitution. Electrical measurements by the complex impedance method revealed that the conductivity and the activation energy calculated from Cole-Cole plots rapidly decreased to a constant value with an increase in Na substitution and decrease in vacancies. The thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) curve of the electrically polarized Na-β-TCP showed one large peak at 530–610 °C. However, the accumulated charge decreased with an increase in Na ions and decrease in vacancies up to 2.37 mol%, after which it became constant. These results are consistent with the presumed formation of a dipole moment between aligned Ca²⁺ ions and their vacancies along the direction of the external polarization field applied at high temperature. We conclude that the large amount of stored charge in β-TCP caused by electrical polarization is due to the low site occupancy of calcium ions and vacancies at Ca(4) sites in the β-TCP structure, which is not the case for hydroxyapatite (HAp), as previously reported.     

葡萄酒酿造过程中产β-葡萄糖苷酶酵母菌研究进展

在葡萄酒酿造的微环境中，产β-葡萄糖苷酶的酵母菌种类繁多，其酶的活性也存在着显著的差异。该文对产β-葡萄糖苷酶的酵母菌种类、产酶部位、产酶工程菌的构建、产酶酵母菌的选育方法以及酿造过程中酶解产香机制等方面的研究成果进行了综述，以期为高产β-葡萄糖苷酶酵母菌的选育和葡萄酒酿造过程中香气品质的提升提供参考。     

Viscosity reduction of isotonic solutions of the photosensitizer TPCS2a by cyclodextrin complexation

Meso-tetraphenyl chlorin disulphonate (TPCS_2a) is a photosensitizer (PS) particularly developed and patented for use in the technology of photochemical internalization (PCI) against cancer. TPCS_2a is known to aggregate in aqueous media even at low concentrations (≥0.1?µM) and to form a high-viscosity network at clinically relevant concentrations (mM). The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of two hydroxypropylated cyclodextrin derivatives of beta and gamma type, respectively i.e. HPβCD and HPγCD, on the aggregation and solubilization of TPCS_2a in isotonic solutions. Samples containing micromolar concentrations of TPCS_2a were studied spectrophotometrically, while samples containing a clinical relevant concentration (10?mM?=?9?mg/ml) of TPCS_2a were evaluated by dynamic viscosity measurements. HPβCD was determined to be a more suitable solubilizer of TPCS_2a than HPγCD in aqueous media both in the absence and presence of salt. The complexation stoichiometry between TPCS_2a/HPβCD at micromolar to millimolar concentrations of TPCS_2a was determined to be 1:3 and 1:2 in the absence and presence of isotonic NaCl, respectively. The network of TPCS_2a (10?mM) was broken down in the presence of 3% w/v (=?20?mM) HPβCD, i.e. a 1:2 molar ratio between TPCS_2a and the cyclodextrin. Formation of the inclusion complex resulted in low viscosity samples both in water and in the presence of isotonic NaCl or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 25?°C and 37?°C.     

Impact of β-glucan on debittering,bioaccessibility and storage stability of skim milk fortified with shrimp oil nanoliposomes

Shrimp oil was encapsulated in nanoliposomes and fortified into skim milk. Shrimp oil nanoliposomes (SONL) were thermodynamically stable when added into skim milk at 10 mL 100 mL⁻¹. Mild bitterness in fortified skim milk caused by the SONL was masked by adding β-glucan at various levels (0.05–0.2 g 100 mL⁻¹). With the addition of SONL, fortified skim milk appeared more reddish in colour due to the presence of astaxanthin. Addition of β-glucan resulted in the increase in viscosity of the fortified milk by forming network of junction zones. During the storage of skim milk fortified with SONL and 0.1 g 100 mL⁻¹ β-glucan at 4 °C for 15 days, no major quality changes took place. Simulated in vitro digestion studies revealed that 45.41 g 100 g⁻¹ eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 48.86 g 100 g⁻¹ docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from shrimp oil were bioaccessible for absorption in the gut after digestion.     

Effect of different initiators on temperature-sensitive monolithic columns and application in online enrichment of β-sitosterol

Three temperature-sensitive monolithic columns were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization and oxidation–reduction method using the initiator systems of CCl₄/FeCl₂, BPO/DMA, and APS/TEMED, respectively. The three monoliths were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and thermogravimetric analysis. The obtained monolithic columns were used as on-line solid phase extraction sorbent coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography for the enrichment of β-sitosterol. By comparing some influencing factors on the adsorption, the optimum temperature-sensitive monolithic column which was initiated by CCl₄/FeCl₂ was selected for enrichment of β-sitosterol from plant oil. The maximum adsorption capacity of the monolith for β-sitosterol was 10.0031 mg/g. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.039 and 0.13 mg/mL, respectively. The recovery was in the range of 90.21–98.26%. The results showed that the monolith had better selectivity for β-sitosterol and could be used for enrichment of β-sitosterol in food samples. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47683.