A series of 1-ethyl-1'-arylmethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium compounds is synthesized, where the aryl is phenyl (BEV), 2-naphthyl (NEV), 2-anthracenyl (AEV) or 1-pyrenyl (PEV). Among them, PEV and AEV can bind with calf thymus DNA mainly through intercalation and groove-binding modes, and both of them can be observed to photocleave plasmid pBR 322 DNA significantly under irradiation with a xenon arc lamp. After inclusion of cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]), all of the aromatic donor-viologen acceptor compounds exhibit efficient DNA photocleavage ability. The reason is that CB[8] can inhibit the intramolecular backwards electron transfer in the aromatic donor-viologen acceptor molecule, prolonging the lifetime of the charge separated excited state to some extent. These studies bring a new subject in DNA photocleavage research and a potential application of the host-guest supramolecular system.

N-(4-Hydroxy-phenoxyethyl)-N'-ethyl-4,4'-bipyridium (1) can form a stable 1 : 1 inclusion complex with CB[8] in aqueous solution, in which the hydroxyphenol (HP) moiety is back-folded and inserted together with the viologen moiety into the cavity of CB[8]. When the ethyl viologen dication (EV(2+)) in 1 is reduced, chemically or electrochemically, an intramolecular partner radical (EV(+)*-HP)/CB[8] can be detected, meanwhile, a dynamic balance between the partner radical and the intermolecular radical dimer (EV(+)*-HP)(2)/CB[8] can be observed.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a world-wide public health problem. Hypertension is both a cause and a complication of CKD, and a risk factor for progression of kidney disease. The effect of salt intake on blood pressure (BP) and the salt sensitivity in non-dialysis patients with CKD were studied. Methods: One hundred and thirty non-dialysis patients with CKD were enrolled in the present study. Daily urinary excretion of sodium (representative of daily sodium intake) and BP was monitored in conditions of original eating habits. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured by the creatinine clearance (Ccr). Results: There was a linear positive relationship between the salt intake and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (b ¼ 0.250, p ¼ 0.004). It had been found that the log of BP/24-h urinary sodium (salt sensitivity index) had linear relationship with the log of eGFR (b syst ¼ À0.364, p ¼ 0.000, b diast ¼ À0.345, p ¼ 0.000, respectively). Multi-stepwise regression analysis showed SBP was mainly influenced by salt intake and eGFR. There was a negative correlation between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and age. Conclusion: These results demonstrated a linear relationship between the salt intake and SBP in non-dialysis patients with CKD. The salt sensitivity of BP rose with the decline of renal function.

As part of the cultural landscape, administrative toponyms do not only reflect natural and sociocultural phenomena, but also help with related management and naming work. Historically, county-level administrative districts have been stable and basic administrative regions in China, playing a role in the country’s management. We explore the spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics of the county-level administrative toponyms cultural landscape in China’s eastern plains areas. A Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, Geo-Informatic Tupu, Kernel Density Estimation, and correlation coefficients were conducted. We constructed a GIS database of county-level administrative toponyms from the Sui dynasty onward using the Northeast China, North China, and Yangtze Plains as examples. We then summarized the spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics of the county-level administrative toponyms cultural landscape in China’s eastern plains areas. The results indicate that (1) the number of toponyms has roughly increased over time; (2) toponym densities on the three plains are higher than the national average in the corresponding timeframe since the Sui; and (3) county-level administrative toponyms related to mountains and hydrological features accounted for more than 30% of the total in 2010. However, the percentage of county-level administrative toponyms related to natural factors on the three plains has decreased since the Sui. To explore the factors influencing this spatio-temporal evolution, we analyzed the correlations between the toponyms and natural factors and human/social factors. The correlation degree between toponym density and population density is the highest, and that between toponym density and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) the lowest. Temperature changes were important in toponym changes, and population changes have influenced toponym changes over the last 400 years in China.