Yiying Li

Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. The precise etiology and pathogenesis of PD remain unclear. Human wild-type α-synuclein has been implicated in PD pathogenesis. The objective of this study is to examine the role of α-synuclein in PD by establishing a rat model of substantia nigra degeneration and Motor behavioral changes through the induced overexpression of human α-synuclein. Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to either the Negative control group or the adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) treatment group. Animals in the AAV9 group received 2.5 μL of AAV9 expressing human wild-type α-synuclein, while those in the Negative control group received an equal volume of AAV9 expressing green fluorescent protein via stereotactic unilateral injection into the substantia nigra pars compacta. Behavioral assessments were conducted at 1-, 3-, and 8-weeks following virus administration. Tyrosine hydroxylase and human α-synuclein expression in the substantia nigra pars compacta were analyzed. Additionally, dopamine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid levels in the striatum were quantified. Results: After 3 weeks of virus induction, neurodegeneration of the right substantia nigra was observed, with a reduction in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive neurons in the AAV9 group. By 8 weeks, substantia nigra neurodegeneration had further progressed, and animals in the AAV9 group exhibited apomorphine-induced asymmetrical rotation and altered forelimb use. Conclusion: Overexpression of human wild-type α-synuclein led to substantia nigra degeneration and Motor behavioral changes in rats, providing a viable model for exploring the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. Limitations include the 8-week observation window and the absence of neuroinflammation markers.

A simple, efficient and environmentally friendly methodology for the halodecarboxylation of anisole analogues using Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O/KBr or NaI at room temperature was developed.

An efficient, green and convenient protocol for synthesizing amides from secondary alcohols using Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O as the mediator, with CH₃CN as the N-source and solvent. This approach was scalable to the gram level.

Developing a new and efficient catalytic route for the production of alkanes by upgrading the aqueous phenolic biofuels still remains a challenge. Here, we designed and synthesized a bifunctional catalyst that uses natural montmorillonite (MMT) as support and combines metal active sites and Brӧnsted acid sites in the MMT via ion exchange and reduction roasting process. The catalytic activity of the as-synthesized Pd-MMT (H⁺) was evaluated by the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of a series of lignin-derived phenolic compounds in water. Our model reaction study reveals that the HDO of phenol undergoes an initial hydrogenation of aromatic rings to produce cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, followed by the dehydration of cyclohexanol to provide intermediate cyclohexene and a final hydrogenation of cyclohexene to create a cyclohexane product. The combination of high metal catalytic activity and Brӧnsted acidity in Pd-MMT (H⁺) synergistically accelerated the HDO of phenol. Furthermore, good catalytic activity and recycling ability were also observed for other lignin-derived phenolic compounds.