Emulating Solar Spectral Reflectance of Natural Leaf with Bionic Leaf Prepared from 4A Zeolite-Derived Ultramarine Green Pigment

The emulation of the reflectance of green leaf in the solar spectral band (300–2500 nm) has garnered increasing attention from researchers. Currently, various materials have been proposed and investigated as potential bionic leaves. However, the problems such as poor weather durability, heavy metal pollution, and complex preparation technology still persist. Herein, a bionic leaf is prepared from an ultramarine green pigment as the functional material, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the film-forming material, and LiCl as the humidizer. To prepare the ultramarine green pigment, the sulfur anion is added into the β cage of the 4A zeolite. The mechanisms and properties were discussed based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and spectroscopic methods. The results show that the as-fabricated bionic leaf based on the 4A zeolite-derived ultramarine green pigment was able to demonstrate a high spectral similarity coefficient of 0.91 with the green leaf. Furthermore, the spectral similarity coefficient was increased to 0.94 after being subjected to a simulated rainforest environment for 48 h, which indicated its high weather durability.     

Pathogenesis of black stones

We used infrared absorption spectroscopy to clarify the characteristics of black pigment in gallstones, which is insoluble and amorphous, and is considered to be a polymer of bilirubin or calcium bilirubinate with tetrapyrrol units. Black stones contain several metallic elemental components that exist as complex compounds with bilirubin. Chemical analysis of gallbladder bile indicates that the mechanism by which unconjugated bilirubin is precipitated depends on the pH level or on bile acid components. Black pigment is formed by the bridging action of mucin, forming complexes with metal ions in the bile. Hemolytic jaundice, liver cirrhosis, and cardiac valve replacement have been implicated in the etiology of black stone formation. In hemolytic jaundice and cardiac valve replacement, overproduction of bilirubin, due to hemolysis, is responsible for black stone formation, while in liver cirrhosis, a high concentration of ionized calcium and increased pH levels are the main factors in such stone formation.     

Bile acid composition in brown pigment stones

The bile acids in brown pigment stones and gallbladder bile were fractionated into free acids, glycine and taurine conjugates, and sulfates using diethylaminohydroxypropyl Sephadex LH-20 (DEAP-LH-20) column chromatography and were quantitated by gas chromatography. Twenty-eight cases of brown pigment stones were studied and divided into two groups: those with and those without bacteria possessing bile acid-deconjugating activity. In the former, free bile acid amounted to 62±34% of the total bile acid, while in the latter, only 0.1% of total bile acid was free bile acid. The fraction of total bile acid made up of free bile acids was found to be consistently higher in brown pigment stones than in the corresponding bile, irrespective of the presence or absence of biliary infection. Free bile acid is present in negligible amounts in normal bile. Total bile acid concentration in the bile of patients with brown pigment stones was significantly less than that of controls (13 vs 50 mg/ml). Biliary infection is almost always present in cases with brown pigment stones. These findings suggest that bacterial infection is present at the initiation of brown pigment stone formation as well as during the period of ensuing stone growth.     

红花黄色素联合奥拉西坦对颅脑外伤患者神经损伤修复作用、血管收缩舒张的影响及疗效分析

目的：探讨红花黄色素联合奥拉西坦对颅脑外伤患者神经损伤修复作用及血管收缩舒张的影响,并进行疗效分析。方法：选择于2016年9月至2018年3月间在某院治疗的70例颅脑外伤患者作为研究对象,将其分为对照组及观察组,各35例。对照组采用奥拉西坦注射液,观察组在对照组基础上加用红花黄色素注射液。观察比较各组疗效（简易智力状态量表MMSE、格拉斯哥昏迷GCS评分）、神经元损伤程度（神经元特异性烯醇化酶NSE、髓鞘碱性蛋白MBP及胶质纤维酸性蛋白GFAP）、神经损伤修复作用[热休克蛋白-27（HSP-27）、热休克蛋白-70（HSP-70）及热休克蛋白-90（HSP-90）]及血管收缩舒张功能（神经肽YNPY、降钙素基因相关肽CGRP）相关因子的表达水平,并记录比较2组不良反应。结果：治疗前,观察组与对照组的疗效相关评分、神经元损伤程度、神经损伤修复作用及血管收缩舒张功能相关因子水平差异不显著（P>0.05）。同组治疗14 d、21 d后分别与治疗前相比,2组疗效相关评分明显提高（P<0.05）,神经元损伤程度、神经损伤修复作用及血管收缩舒张功能相关因子水平明显降低;且同组治疗21 d后与治疗14 d后相比,治疗21 d的疗效相关评分明显提高（P<0.05）,神经元损伤程度、神经损伤修复作用及血管收缩舒张功能相关因子水平明显降低（P<0.05）;观察组同期治疗14 d、21 d后分别与对照组相比,疗效相关评分提高明显（P<0.05）,神经元损伤程度、神经损伤修复作用及血管收缩舒张功能相关因子水平降低明显（P<0.05）。且2组患者的不良反应比较无显著性差异（P>0.05）。结论：红花黄色素联合奥拉西坦治疗颅脑外伤患者能一定程度上提升疗效,降低神经损伤程度,修复神经病调节血管收缩舒张功能。     

The ctnF gene is involved in citrinin and pigment synthesis in Monascus aurantiacus

The application of Monascus is restricted by citrinin. So, it is important to explore the synthetic pathway of citrinin to completely inhibit the production of citrinin. In our previous study, we found that the protein encoded by the ctnF gene has a significant similarity to fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (F26BPase). It is generally known that the bifunctional enzyme F26BPase regulates the glycolytic flux. So, we speculated that the CtnF protein strengthens carbon flux towards acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA which are precursor compounds in citrinin and pigment synthesis. In this study, the ctnF gene-targeting vector pctnF-HPH was constructed and transformed into Monascus aurantiacus. A ctnF-deficient strain was selected by four sets of primers and polymerase chain reaction amplification. Compared with the wild-type strain, citrinin content in the deficient strain was reduced by 34%, and the pigment production was decreased by 72%. These results indicate that the ctnF gene is involved in the common synthesis of citrinin and pigment, which is consistent with previous speculations.     

红花黄色素冻干粉针剂与红花黄色素滴注液治疗冠心病心绞痛(心血瘀阻证)的临床非劣性试验

目的　评价红花黄色素冻干粉针剂与红花黄色素滴注液治疗冠心病心绞痛(心血瘀阻证)的有效性和安全性,并与阳性对照药丹参注射液作非劣性分析。方法　选择每周心绞痛发作2次以上的Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ级稳定型劳累性心绞痛者784例进行分层分段随机、盲法、同一阳性药对照、五组平行、多中心的非劣性临床试验,其中试验组1纳入224例,采用红花黄色素冻干粉剂80mg+ 0 9%NS250ml静滴,每日1次;试验组2纳入112例,采用红花黄色素冻干粉针剂160mg+ 0 9% NS250ml静滴,每日1次;试验组3纳入112例,采用红花黄色素滴注液200ml(160mg)静滴,每日1次;试验组4纳入224例,采用红花黄色素滴注液100ml(80mg)静滴,每日1次。对照组纳入112例,给予丹参注射液20ml+ 0 .9% NS250ml静滴,每日1次。治疗14天后,评价各试验组及其对照组的临床有效性和安全性。结果　治疗心绞痛疗效(PP数据):试验组1~4与对照组相比,其显效率为分别为53 .27%、69 .44%、70. 09%、55. 09%和26. 00%,总有效率分别为88 .79%、92 .59%、93. 46%、89 .81%和73. 00%。试验组1与试验组2比较、试验组3与试验组4比较、试验组1~4分别与对照组比较,其差异均有统计意义(P<0 .05),试验组2的疗效优于试验组1,试验组3的疗效优于试验组4, 4个试验组的疗效均优于对照组,非劣性检验合格