Henan University of Technology

About: Henan University of Technology is a education organization based out in Zhengzhou, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Chemistry. The organization has 7648 authors who have published 6503 publications receiving 73067 citations. The organization is also known as: Hénán Gōngyè Dàxué.

Pterostilbene, a natural small-molecular compound, promotes cytoprotective macroautophagy in vascular endothelial cells

Abstract: Chemical modulators of macroautophagy (herein referred to as autophagy) have aroused widespread interest among biologists and clinical physicians because of their potential for disease therapy. Pterostilbene (PT), a natural small-molecular compound, has been demonstrated to inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells (VECs). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether and how PT could induce VEC autophagy. PT at 0.5 or 1 μM could effectively induce autophagosome formation in human umbilical vein VECs (HUVECs). PT promoted autophagy via a rapid elevation in intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) concentration and subsequent AMP-activated protein kinase α1 subunit (AMPKα1) activation, which in turn inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin, a potent inhibitor of autophagy. PT-induced AMPKα1 activation and autophagy were refractory to the depletion of serine/threonine kinase 11 but depended on calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase-β activation. Interestingly, PT stimulated cytoprotective autophagy so as to aid in the removal of accumulated toxic oxLDL and inhibit apoptosis in HUVECs. Our study provides a potent small molecule enhancer of autophagy and a novel useful tool in exploring the molecular mechanisms for crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy. PT could serve as a potential lead compound for developing a class of autophagy regulator as autophagy-related diseases therapy.

Non-Halogenated Polymer Donor-Based Organic Solar Cells with a Nearly 15% Efficiency Enabled by a Classic Ternary Strategy

Abstract: Organic solar cells (OSCs) are expected to attain a satisfactory power conversion efficiency (PCE) and acceptable production cost to guarantee strong competitiveness. However, state-of-the-art PCEs...

A photo-controllable third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) switch based on a rhodamine B salicylaldehyde hydrazone metal complex

Abstract: In this work, a novel photo-controllable third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) switch based on a rhodamine B salicylaldehyde hydrazone metal complex was developed. The complex was found to undergo reversible intramolecular spirolactam ring-opening reaction upon UV irradiation, which led to a distinct change in third-order NLO properties. Before light irradiation, the complex in its spirolactam ring-closed form exhibited no NLO properties. After light irradiation, the complex turned to its spirolactam ring-opened form and exhibited strong NLO properties of self-focusing refraction and saturable absorption. The third-order NLO responses of the complex were investigated systematically by top-hat Z-scan and time-resolved pump–probe with phase object (PO-pump–probe) techniques. The results showed that the π-conjugation of the rhodamine xanthen part is indispensable for third-order NLO properties. More importantly, the first excited singlet state lifetime of the complex is remarkably shorter than that of the corresponding rhodamine B dye, which suggest that the complex could not only be used as a photo-controlled switch with excellent reversibility and fatigue resistance, but also be used as a third-order NLO switch with a fast recovery rate.

Effect of storage temperature on lipid oxidation and changes in nutrient contents in peanuts

Abstract: Peanut, an important oil crop worldwide, is highly susceptible to oxidative damage during storage due to its high level of fats and unsaturated fatty acids which will affects its nutritional value and agricultural importance. Therefore, it is significantly important to research the physicochemical properties changes of peanuts during storage. Peanuts belong to two varieties were stored at various temperatures (15°C, 25°C, and 35°C) for 320 days. Peroxide value (PV), carbonyl value (CV), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of oil extracted from peanuts were determined every 80 days to evaluate lipid oxidation degree. Proximate composition (fat, protein, total sugar, moisture, and ash), fatty acid, and amino acid compositions were also assessed. All samples exhibited increased CV and MDA contents during storage. The PV of peanuts increased continuously when stored at 15°C and 25°C, but the PV increased firstly and then decreased sharply when stored at 35°C. Storage significantly affected the contents of lipids, proteins, total sugars, and moisture in peanuts but did not influence the ash content. In general, the fatty acid and amino acid compositions changed significantly during storage at different temperatures. High temperatures lead to a high degree of lipid oxidation and nutrient loss. The results above of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the actual storage and preservation of peanuts.