Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2(LRP2)is required for lipid export in the midgut of the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2(LRP2)is a multifunctional endocytic receptor expressed in epithelial cells.In mammals,it acts as an endocytic receptor that mediates the cellular uptake of cholesterol-containing apolipoproteins to maintain lipid homeostasis.However,little is known about the role of LRP2 in lipid homeostasis in insects.In the present study,we investigated the function of LRP2 in the migratory locust Locusta migratoria(LmLRP2).The mRNA of LmLRP2 is widely distributed in various tissues,including integument,wing pads,foregut,midgut,hindgut,Malpighian tubules and fat body,and the amounts of LmLRP2 transcripts decreased gradually in the early stages and then increased in the late stages before ecdysis during the nymphal developmental stage.Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed that the LmLRP2 protein is mainly located in cellular membranes of the midgut and hindgut.Using RNAi to silence LmLRP2 caused molting defects in nymphs(more than 60%),and the neutral lipid was found to accumulate in the midgut and surface of the integument,but not in the fat body,of dsLmLRP2-treated nymphs.The results of a lipidomics analysis showed that the main components of lipids(diglyceride and triglyceride)were significantly increased in the midgut,but decreased in the fat body and hemolymph.Furthermore,the content of total triglyceride was significantly increased in the midgut,but markedly decreased in the fat body and hemolymph in dsLmLRP2-injected nymphs.Our results indicate that LmLRP2 is located in the cellular membranes of midgut cells,and is required for lipid export from the midgut to the hemolymphand fat body in locusts.

Overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor prevents neurotoxic polarization of astrocytes via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in experimental ischemic stroke

Neurotoxic astrocytes are a promising therapeutic target for the attenuation of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Low-density lipoprotein receptor,a classic cholesterol regulatory receptor,has been found to inhibit NLR family pyrin domain containing protein 3(NLRP3)inflammasome activation in neurons following ischemic stroke and to suppress the activation of microglia and astrocytes in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.However,little is known about the effects of low-density lipoprotein receptor on astrocytic activation in ischemic stroke.To address this issue in the present study,we examined the mechanisms by which low-density lipoprotein receptor regulates astrocytic polarization in ischemic stroke models.First,we examined low-density lipoprotein receptor expression in astrocytes via immunofluorescence staining and western blotting analysis.We observed significant downregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor following middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation.Second,we induced the astrocyte-specific overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor using astrocyte-specific adeno-associated virus.Low-density lipoprotein receptor overexpression in astrocytes improved neurological outcomes in middle cerebral artery occlusion mice and reversed neurotoxic astrocytes to create a neuroprotective phenotype.Finally,we found that the overexpression of low-density lipoprotein receptor inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation injured astrocytes and that the addition of nigericin,an NLRP3 agonist,restored the neurotoxic astrocyte phenotype.These findings suggest that low-density lipoprotein receptor could inhibit the NLRP3-meidiated neurotoxic polarization of astrocytes and that increasing low-density lipoprotein receptor in astrocytes might represent a novel strategy for treating cerebral ischemic stroke.

Emerging low-density polyethylene/paraffin wax/aluminum composite as a form-stable phase change thermal interface material

Thermal interface materials(TIMs) play a vital role in the thermal management of electronic devices and can significantly reduce thermal contact resistance(TCR). The TCR between the solid–liquid contact surface is much smaller than that of the solid–solid contact surface, but conventional solid–liquid phase change materials are likely to cause serious leakage. Therefore, this work has prepared a new formstable phase change thermal interface material. Through the melt blending of paraffin wax(PW) and low-density polyethylene(LDPE), the stability is improved and it has an excellent coating effect on PW. The addition of aluminum(Al) powder improves the low thermal conductivity of PW/LDPE, and the addition of 15wt% Al powder improves the thermal conductivity of the internal structure of the matrix by 67%. In addition, the influence of the addition of Al powder on the internal structure, thermal properties, and phase change behavior of the PW/LDPE matrix was systematically studied. The results confirmed that the addition of Al powder improved the thermal conductivity of the material without a significant impact on other properties, and the thermal conductivity increased with the increase of Al addition. Therefore, morphologically stable PW/LDPE/Al is an important development direction for TIMs.

Alcohol solvent effect on the self-assembly behaviors of lignin oligomers

The interactions between lignin oligomers and solvents determine the behaviors of lignin oligomers self-assembling into uniform lignin nanoparticles(LNPs).Herein,several alcohol solvents,which readily interact with the lignin oligomers,were adopted to study their effects during solvent shifting process for LNPs’production.The lignin oligomers with widely distributed molecular weight and abundant guaiacyl units were extracted from wood waste(mainly consists of pine wood),exerting outstanding self-assembly capability.Uniform and spherical LNPs were generated in H_(2)O-n-propanol cosolvent,whereas irregular LNPs were obtained in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent.The unsatisfactory self-assembly performance of the lignin oligomers in H_(2)O-methanol cosolvent could be attributed to two aspects.On one hand,for the initial dissolution state,the distinguishing Hansen solubility parameter and polarity between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers resulted in the poor dispersion of the lignin oligomers.On the other hand,strong hydrogen bonds between methanol solvent and lignin oligomers during solvent shifting process,hindered the interactions among the lignin oligomers for self-assembly.

Solvent transport dynamics and its effect on evolution of mechanical properties of nitrocellulose(NC)-based propellants under hot-air drying process

Appropriate drying process with optimized controlling of drying parameters plays a vital role in the improvement of the quality and performance of propellant products.However,few research on solvent transport dynamics within NC-based propellants was reported,and its effect on the evolution of mechanical properties was not interpreted yet.This study is conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of hot-air drying for NC-based propellants and clarify the effect of temperature on solvent transport behavior and further the change of mechanical properties during drying.The drying kinetic curves show the drying time required is decreased but the steady solvent content is increased and the drying rate is obviously increased with the increase of hot-air temperatures,indicating hot-air temperatures have a significant effect on drying kinetics.A modified drying model was established,and results show it is more appropriate to describe solvent transport behavior within NC-based propellants.Moreover,two linear equations were established to exhibit the relationship between solvent content and its effect on the change of tensile properties,and the decrease of residual solvent content causes an obvious increase of tensile strength and tensile modulus of propellant products,indicating its mechanical properties can be partly improved by adjustment of residual solvent content.The outcomes can be used to clarify solvent transport mechanisms and optimize drying process parameters of double-based gun propellants.

Simultaneous purification of minor components in natural products using twin-column recycling chromatography with a step solvent gradient

The isolation of minor components from complex natural product matrices presents a significant challenge in the field of purification science due to their low concentrations and the presence of structurally similar compounds.This study introduces an optimized twin-column recycling chromatography method for the efficient and simultaneous purification of these elusive constituents.By introducing water at a small flowing rate between the twin columns,a step solvent gradient is created,by which the leading edge of concentration band would migrate at a slower rate than the trailing edge as it flowing from the upstream to downstream column.Hence,the band broadening is counterbalanced,resulting in an enrichment effect for those minor components in separation process.Herein,two target substances,which showed similar peak position in high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and did not exceed 1.8%in crude paclitaxel were selected as target compounds for separation.By using the twin-column recycling chromatography with a step solvent gradient,a successful purification was achieved in getting the two with the purity almost 100%.We suggest this method is suitable for the separation of most components in natural produces,which shows higher precision and recovery rate compared with the common lab-operated separation ways for natural products(thin-layer chromatography and prep-HPLC).

Reviewing electrochemical stability of ionic liquids-/deep eutectic solvents-based electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries for green and safe energy

Sustainable energy is the key issue for the environment protection,human activity and economic development.Ionic liquids(ILs)and deep eutectic solvents(DESs)are dogmatically regarded as green and sustainable electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal(e.g.,lithium-sulphur,lithium-oxygen)and post-lithium-ion(e.g.,sodium-ion,magnesium-ion,and aluminum-ion)batteries.High electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs is one of the prerequisites for green,sustainable and safe energy;while easy electrochemical decomposition of ILs/DESs would be contradictory to the concept of green chemistry by adding the cost,releasing volatile/hazardous by-products and hindering the recyclability.However,(1)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable when they are not used in batteries?(2)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable in real batteries?(3)how to design ILs/DESs-based electrolytes with high electrochemical stability for batteries to achieve sustainability and green development?Up to now,there is no summary on this topic,to the best of our knowledge.Here,we review the effect of chemical structure and non-structural factors on the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in simulated conditions.More importantly,electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in real lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries is concluded and compared.Finally,the strategies to improve the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries are proposed.This review would provide a guide to design ILs/DESs with high electrochemical stability for lithium-ion,lithium-metal and postlithium-ion batteries to achieve sustainable and green energy.

Study on the green extraction of corncob xylan by deep eutectic solvent

Corn as one of the world's major food crops,its by-product corn cob is also rich in resources.However,the unreasonable utilization of corn cob often causes the environmental pollution,waste of resources and other problems.As one of the most abundant polymers in nature,xylan is widely used in food,medicine,materials and other fields.Corn cob is rich in xylan,which is an ideal raw material for extracting xylan.However,the intractable lignin is covalently linked to xylan,which increases the difficulty of xylan extraction.It has been reported that the deep eutectic solvent(DES)could preferentially dissolve lignin in biomass,thereby dissolving the xylan.Then,the xylan in the extract was separated by ethanol precipitation method.The xylan precipitate was obtained after centrifugation,while the supernatant was retained.The components of the supernatant after ethanol precipitation were separated by the rotary evaporator.The ethanol,water and DES were collected for the subsequent extraction of corn cob xylan.In this study,a novel way was provided for the green production of corn cob xylan.The DES was used to extract xylan from corn cob which was used as the raw material.The effects of solid-liquid ratio,reaction time,reaction temperature and water content of DES on the extraction rate of corn cob xylan were investigated by the single factor test.Furthermore,the orthogonal test was designed to optimize the xylan extraction process.The structure of corn cob xylan was analyzed and verified.The results showed that the optimum extraction conditions of corn cob xylan were as follows:the ratio of corn cob to DES was 1:15(g:mL),the extraction time was 3 h,the extraction temperature was 60℃,and the water content of DES was 70%.Under these conditions,the extraction rate of xylan was 16.46%.The extracted corn cob xylan was distinctive triple helix of polysaccharide,which was similar to the structure of commercially available xylan.Xylan was effectively and workably extracted from corn cob by the DES method.This study provided a new approach for high value conversion of corn cob and the clean production of xylan.

Insight into the experiment and extraction mechanism for separating carbazole from anthracene oil with quaternary ammonium-based deep eutectic solvents

Carbazole is an irreplaceable basic organic chemical raw material and intermediate in industry.The separation of carbazole from anthracene oil by environmental benign solvents is important but still a challenge in chemical engineering.Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a sustainable green separation solvent have been proposed for the separation of carbazole from model anthracene oil.In this research,three quaternary ammonium-based DESs were prepared using ethylene glycol (EG) as hydrogen bond donor and tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC),tetrabutylammonium bromide or choline chloride as hydrogen bond acceptors.To explore their extraction performance of carbazole,the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) model was used to predict the activity coefficient at infinite dilution (γ^(∞)) of carbazole in DESs,and the result indicated TBAC:EG (1:2) had the stronger extraction ability for carbazole due to the higher capacity at infinite dilution (C^(∞)) value.Then,the separation performance of these three DESs was evaluated by experiments,and the experimental results were in good agreement with the COSMO-RS prediction results.The TBAC:EG (1:2) was determined as the most promising solvent.Additionally,the extraction conditions of TBAC:EG (1:2) were optimized,and the extraction efficiency,distribution coefficient and selectivity of carbazole could reach up to 85.74%,30.18 and 66.10%,respectively.Moreover,the TBAC:EG (1:2) could be recycled by using environmentally friendly water as antisolvent.In addition,the separation performance of TBAC:EG (1:2) was also evaluated by real crude anthracene,the carbazole was obtained with purity and yield of 85.32%,60.27%,respectively.Lastly,the extraction mechanism was elucidated byσ-profiles and interaction energy analysis.Theoretical calculation results showed that the main driving force for the extraction process was the hydrogen bonding ((N–H...Cl) and van der Waals interactions (C–H...O and C–H...π),which corresponding to the blue and green isosurfaces in IGMH analysis.This work presented a novel method for separating carbazole from crude anthracene oil,and will provide an important reference for the separation of other high value-added products from coal tar.

Theoretical analysis of hydrogen solubility in direct coal liquefaction solvents

The cyclic hydrogenation technology in a direct coal liquefaction process relies on the dissolved hydrogen of the solvent or oil participating in the hydrogenation reaction.Thus,a theoretical basis for process optimization and reactor design can be established by analyzing the solubility of hydrogen in liquefaction solvents.Experimental studies of hydrogen solubility in liquefaction solvents are challenging due to harsh reaction conditions and complex solvent compositions.In this study,the composition and content of liquefied solvents were analyzed.As model compounds,hexadecane,toluene,naphthalene,tetrahydronaphthalene,and phenanthrene were chosen to represent the liquefied solvents in chain alkanes and monocyclic,bicyclic,and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen X(mol/mol)in pure solvent components and mixed solvents(alkanes and aromatics mixed in proportion to the chain alkanes+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,bicyclic saturated aromatic hydrocarbons+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons+compounds containing het-eroatoms composed of mixed components)are determined using Aspen simulation at temperature and pressure conditions of 373–523 K and 2–10 MPa.The results demonstrated that at high temperatures and pressures,the solubility of hydrogen in the solvent increases with the increase in temperature and pressure,with the pressure having a greater impact.Further-more,the results revealed that hydrogen is more soluble in straight-chain alkanes than in other solvents,and the solubility of eicosanoids reaches a maximum of 0.296.The hydrogen solubility in aromatic ring compounds decreased gradually with an increase in the aromatic ring number.The influence of chain alkanes on the solubility of hydrogen predominates in a mixture of solvents with different mixing ratios of chain alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen in mixed aromatic solvents is less than that in the corresponding single solvents.Hydrogen is less soluble in solvent compounds containing heteroatoms than in compounds without heteroatoms.

Solvent effects on Diels-Alder reaction in ionic liquids:A reaction density functional study

Extensive experimental studies have been performed on the Diels-Alder(DA)reactions in ionic liquids(ILs),which demonstrate that the IL environment can significantly influence the reaction rates and selectivity.However,the underlying microscopic mechanism remains ambiguous.In this work,the multiscale reaction density functional theory is applied to explore the effect of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([BMIM][PF_(6)])solvent on the reaction of cyclopentadiene(CP)with acrolein,methyl acrylate,or acrylonitrile.By analyzing the free energy landscape during the reaction,it is found that the polarization effect has a relatively small influence,while the solvation effect makes both the activation free energy and reaction free energy decrease.In addition,the rearrangement of local solvent structure shows that the cation spatial distribution responds more evidently to the reaction than the anion,and this indicates that the cation plays a dominant role in the solvation effect and so as to affect the reaction rates and selectivity of the DA reactions.

Experimental investigation on coal pore-fracture variation and fractal characteristics synergistically affected by solvents for improving clean gas extraction

Chemical solvents instead of pure water being as hydraulic fracturing fluid could effectively increase permeability and improve clean methane extraction efficiency.However,pore-fracture variation features of lean coal synergistically affected by solvents have not been fully understood.Ultrasonic testing,nuclear magnetic resonance analysis,liquid phase mass spectrometry was adopted to comprehensively analyze pore-fracture change characteristics of lean coal treated by combined solvent(NMP and CS_(2)).Meanwhile,quantitative characterization of above changing properties was conducted using geometric fractal theory.Relationship model between permeability,fractal dimension and porosity were established.Results indicate that the end face fractures of coal are well developed after CS2and combined solvent treatments,of which,end face box-counting fractal dimensions range from 1.1227 to 1.4767.Maximum decreases in ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity of coal affected by NMP,CS_(2)and combined solvent are 2.700%,20.521%,22.454%,respectively.Solvent treatments could lead to increasing amount of both mesopores and macropores.Decrease ratio of fractal dimension Dsis 0.259%–2.159%,while permeability increases ratio of NMR ranges from 0.1904 to 6.4486.Meanwhile,combined solvent could dissolve coal polar and non-polar small molecules and expand flow space.Results could provide reference for solvent selection and parameter optimization of permeability-enhancement technology.

Efficient and reversible separation of NH_(3) by deep eutectic solvents with multiple active sites and low viscosities

The efficient separation and collection of ammonia(NH_(3))during NH_(3) synthesis process is essential to improve the economic efficiency and protect the environment.In this work,ethanolammonium hydrochloride(EtOHACl)and phenol(PhOH)were used to prepare a novel class of deep eutectic solvents(DESs)with multiple active sites and low viscosities.The NH_(3) separation performance of EtOHACl+PhOH DESs was analyzed completely.It is figured out that the NH_(3) absorption rates in EtOHACl+PhOH DESs are very fast.The NH_(3) absorption capacities are very high and reach up to 5.52 and 10.74 mol·kg1 at 11.2 and 100.4 kPa under 298.2 K,respectively.In addition,the EtOHACl+PhOH DESs present highly selective absorption of NH_(3) over N_(2) and H_(2) and good regenerative properties after seven cycles of absorption/desorption.The intrinsic separation mechanism of NH_(3) by EtOHACl+PhOH DESs was further revealed by spectroscopic analysis and quantum chemistry calculations.

Oxidative Desulfurization of Fuel Oil with H_(3)PO_(4)-based Deep Eutectic Solvents

A series of Lewis-acid deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were synthesized by stirring phosphoric acid and zincchloride as raw materials at 80℃ to form H_(3)PO_(4)/nZnCl_(2) (n = 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1). The DESs were characterized byFourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR), thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), andelectron spray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The DESs were used as both extractants and catalysts to removedibenzothiophene from fuels via oxidative desulfurization (ODS). Experiments were performed to investigated the influenceof factors such as composition of DES, temperature, oxidant dosage (molar ratio of O:S), DES dosage (volume ratio ofDES:oil), and number of cycles on desulfurization rate. The results indicated that the removal rate of dibenzothiophene (DBT)was affected by the Lewis acidic DESs, with that of H_(3)PO_(4)/0.25∙ZnCl_(2) reaching 96.4% under optimal conditions (Voil=5 mL,VDES=1 mL, an oxidant dosage of 6, T=50 ℃). After six cycles, the desulfurization rate of H_(3)PO_(4)/0.25∙ZnCl_(2) remained above94.1%. The apparent activation energy of dibenzothiophene (DBT) removal reaction was determined by a pseudo-first orderkinetic equation according to the Arrhenius equation to be 32.34 kJ/mol, as estimated. A reaction mechanism is proposedbased on the experimental data and characterization results.

Rational surface charge engineering of haloalkane dehalogenase for boosting the enzymatic performance in organic solvent solutions

Biocatalysis in organic solvents(OSs)has numerous important applications,but native enzymes in OSs often exhibit limited catalytic performance.Herein,we proposed a computation-aided surface charge engineering strategy to improve the catalytic performance of haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA in OSs based on the energetic analysis of substrate binding to the DhaA surface.Several variants with enhanced OS resistance were obtained by replacing negative charged residues on the surface with positive charged residue(Arg).Particularly,a four-substitution variant E16R/E93R/E121R/E257R exhibited the best catalytic performance(five-fold improvement in OS resistance and seven-fold half-life increase in 40%(vol)dimethylsulfoxide).As a result,the overall catalytic performance of the variant could be at least 26 times higher than the wild-type DhaA.Fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulation studies revealed that the residue substitution mainly enhanced OS resistance from four aspects:(a)improved the overall structural stability,(b)increased the hydrophobicity of the local microenvironment around the catalytic triad,(c)enriched the hydrophobic substrate around the enzyme molecule,and(d)lowered the contact frequency between OS molecules and the catalytic triad.Our findings validate that computationaided surface charge engineering is an effective and ingenious rational strategy for tailoring enzyme performance in OSs.

Effect of solvent on the initiation mechanism of living anionic polymerization of styrene:A computational study

For living anionic polymerization(LAP),solvent has a great influence on both reaction mechanism and kinetics.In this work,by using the classical butyl lithium-styrene polymerization as a model system,the effect of solvent on the mechanism and kinetics of LAP was revealed through a strategy combining density functional theory(DFT)calculations and kinetic modeling.In terms of mechanism,it is found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the more electrons transfer from initiator to solvent through detailed energy decomposition analysis of electrostatic interactions between initiator and solvent molecules.Furthermore,we also found that the stronger the solvent polarity,the higher the monomer initiation energy barrier and the smaller the initiation rate coefficient.Counterintuitively,initiation is more favorable at lower temperatures based on the calculated results ofΔG_(TS).Finally,the kinetic characteristics in different solvents were further examined by kinetic modeling.It is found that in benzene and n-pentane,the polymerization rate exhibits first-order kinetics.While,slow initiation and fast propagation were observed in tetrahydrofuran(THF)due to the slow free ion formation rate,leading to a deviation from first-order kinetics.

Lithium-ion and solvent co-intercalation enhancing the energy density of fluorinated graphene cathode

Fluorinated carbons CF_xhold the highest theoretical energy density(e.g.,2180 W h kg^(-1)when x=1)among all cathode materials of lithium primary batteries.However,the low conductivity and severe polarization limit it to achieve its theory.In this study,we design a new electrolyte,namely 1 M LiBF_(4)DMSO:DOL(1:9 vol.),achieving a high energy density in Li/CF_xprimary cells.The DMSO with a small molecular size and high donor number successfully solvates Li^(+)into a defined Li^(+)-solvation structure.Such solvated Li^(+)can intercalate into the large-spacing carbon layers and achieve an improved capacity.Consequently,when discharged to 1.0 V,the CF_(1.12)cathode demonstrates a specific capacity of 1944 m A h g^(-1)with a specific energy density of 3793 W h kg^(-1).This strategy demonstrates that designing the electrolyte is powerful in improving the electrochemical performance of CF_(x) cathode.

Role of PERK/eIF2α/CHOP Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in Oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein Mediated Induction of Endothelial Apoptosis

Objective PERK/elF2/CHOP is a major signaling pathway mediating endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress related with atherosclerosis. Oxidized LDL （ox-LDL） also induces endothelial apoptosis and plays a vital role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. The present study was conducted to explore the regulatory effect of ox-LDL on PERK/elF2a/CHOP signaling pathway in vascular endothelial cells. Methods The effects of ox-LDL on PERK and p-elF2a protein expression of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVECs） were investigated by Western blot analysis. PERK gene silencing and selective elF2a phosphatase inhibitor, salubrinal were used to inhibit the process of ox-LDL induced endothelial cell apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, and CHOP mRNA level. Results Ox-LDL treatment significantly increased the expression of PERK, PERK-mediated inactivation of elF2a phosphorylation, and the expression of CHOP, as well as the caspase-3 activity and apoptosis. The effects of ox-LDL were markedly decreased by knocking down PERK with stable transduction of lentiviral shRNA or by selective elF2a phosphatase inhibitor, salubrinal. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence that ox-LDL induces apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells mediated largely via the PERK/elF2a/CHOP ER-stress pathway. It adds new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of atherosclerosis.

Effects of Pitavastatin on Lipoprotein Subfractions and Oxidized Low-density Lipoprotein in Patients with Atherosclerosis

It has been demonstrated that pitavastatin can significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein(LDL)cholesterol(LDL-C),but its impact on lipoprotein subfractions and oxidized low-density lipoprotein(oxLDL)has not been determined.The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential effects of pitavastatin on subfractions of LDL and high-density lipoprotein(HDL)as well as oxLDL in untreated patients with coronary atherosclerosis(AS).Thirty-six subjects were enrolled in this study.O f them,18 patients with AS were administered pitavastatin 2 mg/day for 8 weeks and 18 healthy subjects without therapy served as controls.The plasma lipid profile,lipoprotein subfractions and circulating oxLDL were determined at baseline and 8 weeks respectively.The results showed that pitavastatin treatment indeed not only decreased LDL-C,total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG)and apolipoprotein B(ApoB)levels,and increased HDL cholesterol(HDL-C),but also reduced the cholesterol concentration of all of the LDL subfractions and the percentage of intermediate and small LDL subfractions.Meanwhile,pitavastatin could decrease plasma oxLDL levels.Furthermore,a more close correlation was found between oxLDL and LDL-C as well as LDL subfractions after pitavastatin treatment.We concluded that a moderate dose of pitavastatin therapy not only decreases LDL-C and oxLDL concentrations but also improves LDL subfractions in patients with AS.

Detection of Genetically Modified Crops by Combination of Multiplex PCR and Low-density DNA Microarray

Objective To develop a technique for simultaneous detection of various target genes in Roundup Ready soybean by combining multiplex PCR and low-density DNA microarray. Methods Two sets of the multiplex PCR system were used to amplify the target genes in genetically modified （GM） soybean. Seventeen capture probes （PCR products） and 17 pairs of corresponding primers were designed according to the genetic characteristics of Rroundup Ready soybean （GTS40-3-2）, maize （MonS10, Nk603, GA21）, canola （T45, MS1/RF1）, and rice （SCK） in many identified GM crops. All of the probes were categorized and identified as species-specific probes. One negative probe and one positive control probe were used to assess the efficiency of all reactions, and therefore eliminate any false positive and negative results. After multiplex PCR reaction, amplicons were adulterated with Cy5-dUTP and hybridized with DNA microarray. The array was then scanned to display the specific hybridization signals of target genes. The assay was applied to the analysis of sample of certified transgenic soybean （Roundup Ready GTS40-3-2） and canola （MS1/RF1）. Results A combination technique of multiplex PCR and DNA microarray was successfully developed to identify multi-target genes in Roundup Ready soybean and MS 1/RF1 canola with a great specificity and reliability. Reliable identification of genetic characteristics of Roundup Ready of GM soybean from genetically modified crops was achieved at 0.5% transgenic events, indicating a high sensitivity. Conclusion A combination technique of multiplex PCR and low-density DNA microarray can reliably detect and identify the genetically modified crops.