Acetylene hydrochlorination is a major industrial technology for manufacturing vinyl chloride monomer in regions with abundant coal resources; however, it is plagued by the use of mercury(II) chloride catalyst. The development of a nonmercury catalyst has been extensively explored. Herein, we report a N-doped carbon catalyst derived from ZIF-8 with both high activity and quite good stability. The acetylene conversion reached 92% and decreased slightly during a 200 h test at 220 °C and atmospheric pressure. Experimental studies and theoretical calculations indicate that C atoms adjacent to the pyridinic N are the active sites, and coke deposition covering pyridinic N is the main reason for catalyst deactivation. The performance of those N-doped carbons makes it possible for practical applications with further effort. Furthermore, the result also provides guidance for designing metal-free catalysts for similar reactions.

An extraction and catalytic oxidation desulfurization (ECODS) system composed of V 2 O 5 , 30 wt % H 2 O 2 and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim]BF 4 ) as the basic experiment was used for the removal of DBT from the model oil at moderate temperature (30 °C). In the reaction process, V 2 O 5 was oxidized by H 2 O 2 into peroxovanadium compounds. Meanwhile, the sulfur-containing compounds, such as benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), were extracted into ionic liquid (IL) from the model oil and oxidized into their corresponding sulfones by peroxovanadium compounds. The reactivity of sulfur-containing compounds in the ECODS followed this order: DBT > BT > 4,6-DMDBT. In the case of ECODS, the sulfur removal of DBT can reach 98.7%, which was superior to that of the simple extraction with IL (16.5%) or the catalytic oxidation (2.8%). This ECODS system could be recycled seven times without a significant decrease in activity.

There is increasing evidence that chronic noise stress impairs cognition and induces oxidative stress in the brain. Recently, orientin, a phenolic compound abundant in some fruits, millet, and herbs, has been shown to have antioxidant properties. This study investigated the potential effects of orientin against chronic noiseinduced cognitive decline and its underlying mechanisms. A moderate-intensity noise exposure model was used to investigate the effects of orientin on behavior and biochemical alterations in mice. After 3 weeks of the noise exposure, the mice were treated with orientin (20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, oral gavage) for 3 weeks. The chronic noise exposure impaired the learning and memory in mice in the Morris water maze and step-through tests. The noise exposure also decreased exploration and interest in a novel environment in the open field test. The administration of orientin significantly reversed noise-induced alterations in these behavior tests. Moreover, the orientin treatment significantly improved the noise-induced alteration of serum corticosterone and catecholamine levels and oxidative stress in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, the orientin treatment ameliorated the noise-induced decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and synapseassociated proteins (synaptophysin and postsynaptic density protein 95) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Thus, orientin exerts protective effects on noise-induced cognitive decline in mice, specifically by improving central oxidative stress, neurotransmission, and increases synapse-associated proteins. Therefore, supplementation with orientin-enriched food or fruit could be beneficial as a preventive strategy for chronic noise-induced cognitive decline. Disciplines Medicine and Health Sciences Publication DetailsWang, S., Yu, Y., Feng, Y., Zou, F., Zhang, X., Huang, J., Zhang, Y., Zheng, X., Huang, X., Zhu, Y. & Liu, Y. (2016). Protective effect of the orientin on noise-induced cognitive impairments in mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 296 290-300.

A simple, rapid and efficient synthesis of the metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 [Cu3(1,3,5-benzene-tri-carboxilic-acid)2] by microwave irradiation is described, which afforded a homogeneous and highly selective material. The unusually short time to complete the synthesis by microwave irradiation is mainly attributable to rapid nucleation rather than to crystal growth rate. Using this method, HKUST-1-MW (MW=microwave) could be prepared within 20 min, whereas by hydrothermal synthesis, involving conventional heating, the preparation time is 8 h. Work efficiency was improved by the good performance of the obtained HKUST-1-MW which exhibited good selective adsorption of heavy metal ions, as well as a remarkably high adsorption affinity and adsorption capacity, but no adsorption of Hg(2+) under the same experimental conditions. Of particular importance is the preservation of the structure after metal-ion adsorption, which remained virtually intact, with only a few changes in X-ray diffraction intensity and a moderate decline in surface area. Synthesis of the polyoxometalate-containing HKUST-1-MW@H3PW12O40 afforded a MOF with enhanced stability in water, due to the introduced Keggin-type phosphotungstate, which systematically occluded in the cavities constituting the walls between the mesopores. Different Cu/W ratios were investigated according to the extrusion rate of cooper ions concentration, without significant structural changes after adsorption. The MOFs obtained feature particle sizes between 10-20 μm and their structures were determined using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction. The results of this study can be considered important for potentially wider future applications of MOFs, especially to attend environmental issues.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), the third endogenous gaseous signalling molecule, has attracted attention in biochemical research. The selective detection of H2S in living systems is essential for studying its functions. Fluorescence detection methods have become useful tools to explore the physiological roles of H2S because of their real-time and non-destructive characteristics. Herein we report a near-infrared fluorescent probe, NIR-HS, capable of tracking H2S in living organisms. With high sensitivity, good selectivity and low cytotoxicity, NIR-HS was able to recognize both the exogenous and endogenous H2S in living cells. More importantly, it realized the visualization of endogenous H2S generated in cells overexpressing cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), one of the enzymes responsible for producing endogenous H2S. The probe was also successfully applied to detect both the exogenous and endogenous H2S in living mice. The superior sensing properties of the probe render it a valuable research tool in the H2S-related medical research.