Vapour-Liquid Equilibrium with a New Ebulliometer：Ester＋Alcohol System at 0.5 MPa

A new dynamic ebulliometer is used to determine vapor-liquid equilibrium(VLE) data experimentally. In the equipment,both phases are recirculated. Its operation is a consequence of the Cotrell pump effect produced when the mixture is heated in a double-walled inverted vessel. The reliability of the apparatus is tested with the mixtures studied previously by various authors. VLE data for the binary systems of methyl acetate + methanol and the methyl acetate + ethanol at 0.5 MPa are determined. The experimental data are confirmed with the point-to-point test of van Ness,applying the Fortran program of Frendslund et al. In addition,the experimental results are com-pared with the UNIFAC(including different versions) and ASOG prediction models.

Alcoholism: A systemic proinflammatory condition

Excessive ethanol consumption affects virtually any organ,both by indirect and direct mechanisms.Considerable research in the last two decades has widened the knowledge about the paramount importance of proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of many of the systemic manifestations of alcoholism.These cytokines derive primarily from activated Kupffer cells exposed to Gram-negative intestinal bacteria,which reach the liver in supra-physiological amounts due to ethanol-mediated increased gut permeability.Reactive oxygen species(ROS)that enhance the inflammatory response are generated both by activation of Kupffer cells and by the direct metabolic effects of ethanol.The effects of this increased cytokine secretion and ROS generation lie far beyond liver damage.In addition to the classic consequences of endotoxemia associated with liver cirrhosis that weredescribed several decades ago,important research in the last ten years has shown that cytokines may also induce damage in remote organs such as brain,bone,muscle,heart,lung,gonads,peripheral nerve,and pancreas.These effects are even seen in alcoholics without significant liver disease.Therefore,alcoholism can be viewed as an inflammatory condition,a concept which opens the possibility of using new therapeutic weapons to treat some of the complications of this devastating and frequent disease.In this review we examine some of the most outstanding consequences of the altered cytokine regulation that occurs in alcoholics in organs other than the liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and thyroid dysfunction:A systematic review

Thyroid hormones are totally involved in the regulation of body weight, lipid metabolism, and insulin resistance. Therefore it is anticipated that thyroid hormones may have a role in the pathogenesis of non alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) and non alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH). In this study, we reviewed the current literature on the association between thyroid dysfunction and NAFLD/NASH. A search for English language medical literature reporting an association between thyroid dysfunction and NAFLD/NASH in humans was conducted across PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus in August, 2013. Out of 140 studies initially identified through the search, 11 relevant articles were included in the final review. Thyroid dysfunctions in the form of overt or subclinical hypothyroidism are prevalent among patients with NAFLD/NASH. Hypothyroidism appears to be an independent risk factor for NAFLD/NASH in some studies; however, other newly published studies failed to find such anassociation. The results of the studies on the role of thyroid abnormalities in NAFLD/NASH are inconsistent, and further research is recommended to determine the relationship between hypothyroidism and NAFLD/NASH and the underlying mechanisms.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the renin-angiotensin system:Implications for treatment

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is the commonest liver disease in Western countries.Treatment of NAFLD is currently based on lifestyle measures and no effective pharmacologic treatment is available so far.Emerging evidence,mainly from animal studies,suggests that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system may be of major importance in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and indicates that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACE-I) and angiotensin receptor blockers(ARBs) as a potentially useful therapeutic approach.However,data from human studies are limited and contradictory.In addition,there are few randomized controlled trials(RCTs) on the effects of ACE-I or ARB in patients with NAFLD and most data are from retrospective studies,pilot prospective studies and post hoc analyses of clinical trials.Accordingly,more and larger RCTs are needed to directly assess the effectiveness of ACE-I and ARBs in NAFLD.

Assessment of scoring systems for acute-on-chronic liver failure at predicting short-term mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis

AIM To assess the performance of proposed scores specific for acute-on-chronic liver failure in predicting shortterm mortality among patients with alcoholic hepatitis.METHODS We retrospectively collected data from 264 patients with clinically diagnosed alcoholic hepatitis from January to December 2013 at 21 academic hospitals in Korea. The performance for predicting short-term mortality was calculated for Chronic Liver FailureSequential Organ Failure Assessment(CLIF-SOFA), CLIF Consortium Organ Failure score(CLIF-C OFs), Maddrey'sdiscriminant function(DF), age, bilirubin, international normalized ratio and creatinine score(ABIC), Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score(GAHS), model for end-stage liver disease(MELD), and MELD-Na.RESULTS Of 264 patients, 32(12%) patients died within 28 d. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C OFs, DF, ABIC, GAHS, MELD, and MELD-Na was 0.86(0.81-0.90), 0.89(0.84-0.92), 0.79(0.74-0.84), 0.78(0.72-0.83), 0.81(0.76-0.86), 0.83(0.78-0.88), and 0.83(0.78-0.88), respectively, for 28-d mortality. The performance of CLIF-SOFA had no statistically significant differences for 28-d mortality. The performance of CLIF-C OFs was superior to that of DF, ABIC, and GAHS, while comparable to that of MELD and MELD-Na in predicting 28-d mortality. A CLIF-SOFA score of 8 had 78.1% sensitivity and 79.7% specificity, and CLIF-C OFs of 10 had 68.8% sensitivity and 91.4% specificity for predicting 28-d mortality.CONCLUSION CLIF-SOFA and CLIF-C OF scores performed well, with comparable predictive ability for short-term mortality compared to the commonly used scoring systems in patients with alcoholic hepatitis.

Syntheses of Ferrierite and Mordenite Zeolites from Dried Gel in Alcoholic System

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Synthesis and Diffuse Reflectance Spectrum of Open－framework Cobalt Phosphate DAF－2 From Alcoholic System

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Fe(NO_3)_3·9H_2O/Fe(HSO_4)_3:An efficient reagent system for the oxidation of alcohols,thiols and sulfides in the absence of solvent

Fe（NO3）3-9H2O/Fe（HSO4）3 was used as an efficient reagent system for the oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds. All reactions were performed in the absence of solvent in good to high yields. Under the same reaction conditions, thiols and sulfides were also converted to their corresponding disulfides and sulfoxides, respectively. 2007 Farhad Shirini. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Indirect determination of cefradine with n-propyl alcohol-ammonium sulfate-water system by extraction-flotation of cuprous thiocyanate

A new method was developed for the determination of cefradine by extraction-flotation of CuSCN. The experiment indicated that in the presence of 0.20 mol/L NaOH the degradation of cefradine took place in water bath at 100 ℃. The thiol group （-SH） of the degradation product could reduce Cu（Ⅱ） to Cu（Ⅰ） for the formation of the emulsion CuSCN in the presence of NH4SCN at pH 4.0. By determining the residual amount of Cu（Ⅱ） in the solution and calculating the flotation yield of Cu（Ⅱ）, the indirect determination of cefradine can be obtained. This method has been applied to determine cefradine in capsules, human serum and urine samples, respectively.

Highly Regio-Selective Synthesis of β-Amino Alcohol by Reaction with Aniline and Propylene Carbonate in Self Solvent System over Large Pore Zeolite Catalyst

The nucleophilic ring opening of epoxides with amines is a well known route for the synthesis of β-amino alcohols. The use of carbonates offers significant advantages over epoxides as they are far less hazardous materials, safe for handling, do not require high-pressure equipment and most notably the possibility of solvent less reactions. In this work, utilization of zeolite as host catalyst in the reaction media for synthesis of β-amino alcohols without using solvent is reported.

Cross talk of the immune system in the adipose tissue and the liver in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: Pathology and beyond

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, thus has a tight correlation with systemic metabolic impairment. The complex mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of NASH involve different organs and systems that cross talk together contributing to the onset of NASH. A crucial role is played by inflammatory mediators, especially those deriving from the adipose tissue and the liver, which are involved in the cascade of inflammation, fibrosis and eventually tumorigenesis. In this setting cytokines and adipokines as well as immunity are emerging drivers of the key features of NASH. The immune system participates in this process with disturbances of the cells constituting both the innate and the adaptive immune systems that have been reported in different organs, such as in the liver and in the adipose tissue, in clinical and preclinical studies. The role of the immune system in NASH is increasingly studied, not only because of its contribution to the pathogenetic mechanisms of NASH but also because of the new potential therapeutic options it offers in this setting. Indeed, novel treatments acting on the immune system could offer new options in the management of NASH and the correlated clinical consequences.

System to Control Upright Posture with Alcoholic Intake

Equilibrium function in the cerebellum （vestibulo-cerebellar system） can deteriorate under the influence of alcohol. In the Romberg posture, the center of gravity, which was measured every 50 ms by stabilometry, appeared to shift with alcohol ingestion. In the previous study, a locus in the center of gravity （stabilogram） was converted to values of statistical indices such as area of sway, total locus length, sparse density, and locus length per unit area, although these indices could not always distinguish between the stabilograms sampled from seven healthy young males in sober and intoxicated states. This measurement was made with an AMTI force plate. In this study, ＂translation error＂ was estimated in a d-dimensional embedding space in order to compare stabilograms recorded before and after the ingestion of doubly diluted brandy in 30 s （1 ≤ d ≤ 10）. The authors succeeded in validating stochastic differential equations as a mathematical model of the body sway. Although the postural control system shows different patterns in the lateral and anterior-posterior directions, the randomness in the model was preserved after alcohol intake and significantly increased in the medial/lateral direction. Visual information referred by the postural conlrol system when standing might be interfered by the effects of intoxication, which was regarded as disturbance. The possibility of detecting alcohol-ingestion-induced reduction of the equilibrium function and its recovery process are also suggested in this paper. This method is considered to be useful to diagnose the disorders of the vestibulo-cerebellar system.

Protective mechanism of Coprinus comatus polysaccharide on acute alcoholic liver injury in mice,the metabolomics and gut microbiota investigation

Coprinus comatus polysaccharide(CCP)has significant hepatoprotective effect.To explore hepatoprotective mechanism of CCP,the study analyzed preventive effect of CCP on acute alcoholic liver injury in mice by histopathological examination and biochemical analysis.Simultaneously,hepatoprotective mechanism was also analyzed in conjunction with metabolomics and proliferation of gut microbiota.The results showed that CCP significantly decreased alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and triglyceride(TG)levels in serum of alcoholic liver disease(ALD)mice.Histopathological examination showed that CCP can significantly improve liver damage.Metabolomics results showed that there were significant differences in the level of metabolites in liver tissue of control group,ALD group and CCP group,including taurine,xanthosine,fumaric acid and arachidonic acid,among others.Metabolites pathways analysis showed that hepatoprotective effect of CCP was related to energy metabolism,biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids,amino acids metabolism and lipid metabolism.Additionally,CCP inhibited an increase in the number of Clostridium perfringens,Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus,and a decrease in the number of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the gut of ALD mice.All these findings suggested that CCP treatment reversed the phenotype of ethanol-induced liver injury and the associated metabolites pathways.

The Syntheses of 1-Dimensional(1-D)Chain,2-D Layered,and 3-D Microporous Alumino-phosphates with Occluded Amine or Ammonium Templates from Alcoholic Systems

The present paper covers the syntheses of 1 D chain, 2 D layered and 3 D microporous aluminophosphates containing organic amines or ammonium in the presence of various amines from alcoholic systems. The rule for the crystallization of the above three families of microporous aluminophosphates was summarized and the effects of organic amine, P/Al ratio, sources of aluminum and phosphorous and temperature on the resulted structures were investigated.

Construction and evaluation of an alcohol vapor chamber system

An increasing number of studies demonstrated that alcohol vapor chamber is an effective way to model physical signs of alcohol use disorders. Although researchers are developing different vapor chambers to study chronic alcohol exposure model worldwide, few studies build and modify their own vapor chambers in China.Here, we designed and established an alcohol vapor chamber system for small animals. We described a paradigm showing how to control and monitor alcohol concentration in whole system. The vapor chamber system with several advantages including accommodating up to ten standard mouse cages. Furthermore, the system was tested by evaluating the blood alcohol concentration and neuron injury in mice. Importantly, the alcohol withdrawal after vapor exposure caused motor coordination impairment, anxiolytic-and depression-like behavior. Finally, the Nmethyl-D-aspartate receptor(NMDAR)-mediated glutamatergic transmissions in the medial prefrontal cortex was changed after alcohol vapor exposure-induced behaviors. The frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents between control and alcohol groups were not different, suggesting that alcohol exposureinduced behaviors are associated with the change in NMDAR response. Taken together, the new alcohol vapor chamber system was constructed, which would help to research the relationship between the stable alcohol exposure and withdrawal behaviors and to study chronic alcohol exposure-induced disorders in China.

A Polyvinyl Alcohol/Acrylamide Hydrogel with Enhanced Mechanical Properties Promotes Full-Thickness Skin Defect Healing by Regulating Immunomodulation and Angiogenesis Through Paracrine Secretion

Hydrogel-based tissue-engineered skin has attracted increased attention due to its potential to restore the structural integrity and functionality of skin.However,the mechanical properties of hydrogel scaffolds and natural skin are substantially different.Here,we developed a polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/acrylamide based interpenetrating network(IPN)hydrogel that was surface modified with polydopamine(PDA)and termed Dopa-gel.The Dopa-gel exhibited mechanical properties similar to native skin tissue and a superior ability to modulate paracrine functions.Furthermore,a tough scaffold with tensile resistance was fabricated using this hydrogel by three-dimensional printing.The results showed that the interpenetration of PVA,alginate,and polyacrylamide networks notably enhanced the mechanical properties of the hydrogel.Surface modification with PDA endowed the hydrogels with increased secretion of immunomodulatory and proangiogenic factors.In an in vivo model,Dopa-gel treatment accelerated wound closure,increased vascularization,and promoted a shift in macrophages from a proinflammatory M1 phenotype to a prohealing and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype within the wound area.Mechanistically,the focal adhesion kinase(FAK)/extracellular signal-related kinase(ERK)signaling pathway may mediate the promotion of skin defect healing by increasing paracrine secretion via the Dopa-gel.Additionally,proangiogenic factors can be induced through Rho-associated kinase-2(ROCK-2)/vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-mediated paracrine secretion under tensile stress conditions.Taken together,these findings suggest that the multifunctional Dopa-gel,which has good mechanical properties similar to those of native skin tissue and enhanced immunomodulatory and angiogenic properties,is a promising scaffold for skin tissue regeneration.

Systematic review with meta-analysis on transplantation for alcohol-related liver disease:Very low evidence of improved outcomes

BACKGROUND Alcohol-related liver disease(ALD) is a leading cause of liver failure and indication for liver transplantation that arises in the setting of alcohol use disorder(AUD). Previous reviews of transplantation for ALD are limited in scope of outcomes and type of ALD studied. A comprehensive systematic review could improve use of transplantation in ALD and improve future research. We hypothesize that while transplanting ALD may improve mortality and relapse,findings will be limited by pre-specified causes of heterogeneity-assessment and treatment of AUD, definition of ALD, spectrum of ALD studied, assessment and rates of relapse, and study quality and bias.AIM To optimize liver transplantation for ALD, understanding existing research to guide future research, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis.METHODS We conducted a systematic review, comparing liver transplant to no-transplant in patients with ALD, with a primary outcome of both short-and long-term mortality and relapse. We performed a comprehensive search of MEDLINE,EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases for peer-reviewed journal articles comparing use of liver transplant in ALD to no-transplant. Two reviewers independently conducted screening, full text review, and data extraction according to the PRISMA guidelines. We report the quality of the evidence according to the GRADE criteria.RESULTS We analyzed data from 10 studies. Of 1332 participants, 34.2%(456/1332) had undergone liver transplantation, while 65.8%(876/1332) had not. While random effects meta-analysis suggested transplant in comparison to no-transplant had an association of reduced mortality that did not reach statistical significance, relative risk(RR) = 0.51(0.25-1.05), but not relapse risk, RR = 0.52(0.18-1.53), significant heterogeneity limited these findings. When restricted to prospective data,transplant compared to no-transplant significantly reduced mortality, RR = 0.25(0.13-0.46, P < 0.01), and relapse, RR = 0.25(0.14-0.45, P < 0.01), with insignificant heterogeneity but persistent small-study effects. The overall quality of the evidence was Very Low. Heterogeneity analysis suggested that AUD assessment and treatment was often not reported while ALD, relapse assessment and rate,and data collection were institutionally rather than standardly defined.CONCLUSION Systematic review of liver transplantation for ALD suggests reduced mortality and relapse in heterogeneous, institution-specific populations with inherent bias.To understand efficacy of transplanting ALD, our research approach must change.

Alcohol hangover:impairments in behavior and bioenergetics in central nervous system

Alcohol hangover(AH)is defined as the temporary state after alcohol binge-like drinking,starting when EtOH is absent in plasma.Results from our laboratory have shown behavioral impairments and mitochon-drial dysfunction in an experimental model of AH in mice.Our model consisted in a single i.p.injection of EtOH(3.8 g/kg BW)or saline solution in male and female mice,sacrificing the animals 6 hours after injection.Motor and affective behavior together with mitochondrial function and free radical production were evaluated in brain cortex and cerebellum during AH.Results showed that hangover animals exhibited a significant reduction in neuromus-cular coordination,motor strength and locomotion together with a loss of gait stability and walking deficiencies.Moreover,an increment in anxiety-like behavior together with fear-related phenotype and depression signs were observed.In relation to bioenergetics metabolism,AH induced a reduction in oxygen uptake,inhibition of respira-tory complexes,changes in mitochondrial membrane permeability,decrease in transmembrane potential,increase in O2•-and H2O2 production and impairment in nitric oxide metabolism.All together our data suggest that the phys-iopathological state of AH involves behavioral impairments and mitochondrial dysfunction in mouse brain cortex and cerebellum showing the long lasting effects of acute EtOH exposure in CNS.

Ethosomes-Silk Fibroin/Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Hydrogel Transdermal Drug Delivery System : Preparation and Characterization

One key of constructing ideal transdermal drug delivery system(TDDS)is enhancing the percutaneous rate of drugs without sacrificing compatibility.Ethosomes(Eths)have excellent transdermal performance as well as good biocompatibility,and thus been widely used as drug carrier.Hydrogel has good 3-dimensional mesh structure which is convenience for drugs release and storage.In this study,Eths were introduced into silk fibroin(SF)/polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)composite hydrogel to construct a novel TDDS through a green process.The Ethsomes(Eths)-SF/PVA composite hydrogel TDDS showed good mechanical properties(stress:(0.236±0.032)MPa;strain:(65.74±2.45)%).Also,skin fibroblasts can grow and proliferate well on this TDDS,indicating that this material has a good cytocompatibility.Furthermore,with doxorubicin hydrochloride(Dox)as a model drug loaded in ethosomes,in vitro studies showed that this TDDS was able to transdermally release Dox efficiently.Our data suggested this novel system had a good potential for application in TDD,though further evaluative study still needed to carry out.