Cerium oxide‐supported palladium catalysts (Pd/CeO2) prepared by a simple impregnation method exhibit exciting catalytic activity and high chemoselectivity for the solvent‐free hydrogenation of a variety of substituted nitroarenes including the reducible functional groups to the corresponding aromatic amines under mild reaction conditions. Taking nitrobenzene as an example, the Pd/CeO2 catalyst can afford aniline yields of >99 % with turnover frequencies as high as 11 411 h−1 and 69 824 h−1 at 40 °C and 100 °C, respectively. Pd2+ ion species exist as isolated single atoms with −Pd2+−O2−−Ce4+− linkages on the surface of PdxCe1−xO2−σ solid solution and are found to be active sites for the selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes in the absence of solvent. The superior catalytic performance can be attributed to the cooperative effect between Pd2+ ions and unique surface sites of CeO2. A possible mechanism is proposed for the hydrogenation of nitroarenes with H2 over the Pd/CeO2. The Pd/CeO2 catalyst can be recovered easily and reused for at least seven recycling reactions without loss of catalytic properties.

IL-19 treatment reduced secondary injuries and improved locomotor functional recovery after contusion SCI, through diverse mechanisms including immune cell polarization, angiogenesis and anti-oxidative responses.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a loss of normal motor and sensory function, leading to severe disability and reduced quality of life. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) deficiency on the function recovery in a mouse model of SCI. Mice received a mid-thoracic spinal contusion injury. Upregulation of RAGE protein expression in spinal cord tissue was evident at 12 h after SCI and continued at 2 and 5 days. Furthermore, we showed that locomotor recovery was improved and lesion pathology was reduced after SCI in RAGE-deficient mice. RAGE deficiency in mice attenuated apoptosis after SCI through inhibiting p53/Bax/caspase-3 pathway. RAGE deficiency in mice inhibited inflammation after SCI, marked by reduced myeloperoxidase activity, NFκB nuclear translocation, and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA and protein levels. RAGE deficiency in mice exposed to SCI suppressed the upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and gp91-phox and attenuated oxidative and nitrosative stresses, marked by reduced formation of malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, peroxynitrite (OONO(-)), and 3-nitrotyrosine. RAGE deficiency in mice exposed to SCI attenuated glial scar at the injury site, marked by decreased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. These data indicate that the RAGE plays an important role in the development of SCI and might provide a therapeutic target to promote recovery from SCI.

Curcumin is a natural product with antimutagenic, antitumor, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. However, to the best of our knowledge, curcumin has yet to be investigated for the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration LIDD). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether curcumin can alleviate LIDD through regulating the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)‑2, transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1/2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑9 and brain‑derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a rat model of LIDD. The results of the present study suggest that pretreatment with curcumin can prevent the development of LIDD in rats. It was revealed that treatment with curcumin significantly reduced interleukin (IL)‑1β and IL‑6, iNOS, COX‑2 and MMP‑9 levels in rats with LIDD. In addition, treatment with curcumin reduced the mRNA expression levels of TGF‑β1 and TGF‑β2, whereas it increased the mRNA expression levels of BDNF in rats with LIDD. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that curcumin may exert protective effects on LIDD development, exerting its action through the regulation of iNOS, COX‑2, TGF‑β1/2, MMP‑9 and BDNF.

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