A Fully Saturated Covalent Organic Framework.

We report the design and synthesis of the first aliphatic covalent organic framework (COF), NUS-119, and its subsequent conversion to NUS-120, marking the first fully saturated COF. NUS-119 is built by imine-linkages exhibiting high crystallinity and porosity, achieved by using a Lewis acid as a reaction modulator to circumvent compatibility issues between the Brønsted acid and the strong basic monomer. The structure was successfully solved using 3D microelectron diffraction (microED) techniques.

Genomics-driven derivatization of the bioactive fungal sesterterpenoid variecolin: Creation of an unnatural analogue with improved anticancer properties.

A biosynthetic gene cluster for the bioactive fungal sesterterpenoids variecolin () and variecolactone () was identified in ATCC 16872. Heterologous production of and was achieved in by expressing the sesterterpene synthase VrcA and the cytochrome P450 VrcB. Intriguingly, the replacement of VrcB with homologous P450s from other fungal terpenoid pathways yielded three new variecolin analogues (-).

Excessive sucrose exacerbates high fat diet-induced hepatic inflammation and fibrosis promoting osteoarthritis in mice model.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is marked by chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and cartilage destruction. High fat diet causes obesity and increases the risk of knee OA-development. However, the impact of high dietary sugar intake on OA pathogenesis has not been elucidated yet.

Development and Evaluation of a Pillow to Prevent Snoring Using the Cervical Spine Recurve Method.

Snoring lowers the quality of sleep, causing many secondary diseases. In response, various types of preventive devices were manufactured, but most of them were far from actual snoring prevention by only sensing snoring and giving feedback. In this study, we proposed a new method to prevent snoring by adjusting the posture during sleep by widening the oropharynx space.

Heteroleptic Pd(II) and Pt(II) Complexes with Redox-Active Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Multimodal Anticancer Mechanism.

A series of heteroleptic square-planar Pt and Pd complexes with bis(diisopropylphenyl) iminoacenaphtene (dpp-Bian) and Cl, 1,3-dithia-2-thione-4,5-dithiolate (dmit), or 1,3-dithia-2-thione-4,5-diselenolate (dsit) ligands have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques, elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The intermolecular noncovalent interactions in the crystal structures were assessed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The anticancer activity of Pd complexes in breast cancer cell lines was limited by their solubility.

A Ferrocene Metal-Organic Framework Solid for Fe-Loaded Carbon Matrices and Nanotubes: High-Yield Synthesis and Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis.

Using a carbon-rich designer metal-organic framework (MOF), we open a high-yield synthetic strategy for iron-nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) nanotube materials that emulate the electrocatalysis performance of commercial Pt/C. The Zr(IV)-based MOF solid boasts multiple key functions: (1) a dense array of alkyne units over the backbone and the side arms, which are primed for extensive graphitization; (2) the open, branched structure helps maintain porosity for absorbing nitrogen dopants; and (3) ferrocene units on the side arms as atomically dispersed precursor catalyst for targeting micropores and for effective iron encapsulation in the carbonized product. As a result, upon pyrolysis, over 89% of the carbon component in the MOF scaffold is successfully converted into carbonized products, thereby contrasting the easily volatilized carbon of most MOFs.

Modulation of Intracellular Copper Levels as the Mechanism of Action of Anticancer Copper Complexes: Clinical Relevance.

Copper (Cu) is a vital element required for cellular growth and development; however, even slight changes in its homeostasis might lead to severe toxicity and deleterious medical conditions. Cancer patients are typically associated with higher Cu content in serum and tumor tissues, indicating increased demand of cancer cells for this micronutrient. Cu is known to readily cycle between the +1 and +2 oxidation state in biological systems.

Invisible Silver Guests Boost Order in a Framework That Cyclizes and Deposits AgSb Nanodots.

The infusion of metal guests into (i.e., metalating) the porous medium of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is a topical approach to wide-ranging functionalization purposes.

The effects of actual human size display and stereoscopic presentation on users' sense of being together with and of psychological immersion in a virtual character.

This study examined the role of display size and mode in increasing users' sense of being together with and of their psychological immersion in a virtual character. Using a high-resolution three-dimensional virtual character, this study employed a 2×2 (stereoscopic mode vs. monoscopic mode×actual human size vs.

Associations between game use and cognitive empathy: a cross-generational study.

Adolescence is a sensitive period of time for developing social abilities such as cognitive empathy. Thus, social experiences in this time period are more influential in forming the social abilities than during other periods in life. Video games are agent-based media in which game players carry out their own action in a mediated world whose rules are predefined by algorithms.