[Study on characteristics of laser ablation in KTP crystal and its influence on the Raman spectroscopy].

The research and development of the KTP crystal with high threshold is of very importance for its application in high-energy laser systems. Ablation characteristics in KTP crystal as well as their influence on the Raman spectroscopy were studied by UV laser with high repetition frequency. The research results show that the laser plasma effects are the main reasons for the damage in the KTP crystal.

Cross-immunoreactivity between bacterial aquaporin-Z and human aquaporin-4: potential relevance to neuromyelitis optica.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS that is mediated, in part, by a self-reactive Ab against the astrocyte aquaporin-4 protein. In the current study, we examined the possibility and the biological significance of cross-immunoreactivity between bacterial aquaporin-Z and human aquaporin-4 proteins. Sequence-alignment analysis of these proteins revealed several regions of significant structural homology.

Bis[3,3'-(piperazine-1,4-di-yl)-dipropan-aminium] di-μ(2)-sulfido-bis-[disulfido-german-ate(IV)].

In the title compound, (C(10)H(26)N(4))(2)[Ge(2)S(6)], the dimeric [Ge(2)S(6)](4-) anion formed by two edge-sharing GeS(4) tetra-hedral units lies around an inversion centre. The average terminal and bridging Ge-S bond lengths are 2.162 (7) and 2.

Development of microsatellite markers from Cercis chinensis (Fabaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite markers were developed to characterize the level of genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Cercis chinensis, a widely cultivated garden plant in China with congeneric species disjunctly distributed in East Asia, North America, and the Mediterranean.

Methods And Results: Using the Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences COntaining repeats (FIASCO) protocol, eight microsatellite markers were developed in C. chinensis.

Preparation of porous polymer monolithic column incorporated with graphene nanosheets for solid phase microextraction and enrichment of glucocorticoids.

Novel monolithic capillary columns with embedded graphene were developed and used for polymer monolith microextraction (PMME) coupled to LC-MS analysis. The column was prepared inside fused silica capillaries (320 μm, i.d.

[The influence of laser plasma effects on the characteristics of thin film damage].

Optical components with higher surface quality and higher damage threshold requirement are necessary in high-energy/power laser system, which strongly depends on the performance of optical thin films. The damage morphologies on the surface of the HfO2/SiO2 anti-reflection film, caused by focused laser pulses, were investigated in the present paper. The studies revealed that the shock wave formed with the expansion of laser plasma, and its velocity and pressure decease rapidly with the radius.

Bis[1,3-bis-(diphenyl-phosphan-yl)propane]-copper(I) tetra-chlorido-gallate(III).

In the title compound, [Cu(C₂₇H₂₆P₂)₂][GaCl₄], the Cu(I) atom in the complex cation is P,P'-chelated by two 1,3-bis-(diphenyl-phosphan-yl)propane ligands in a distorted tetra-hedral geometry, while the Ga(III) cation is coordinated by four chloride anions in a distorted tetra-hedral geometry. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯π inter-actions occur between adjacent complex cations.

Bis[(diphenyl-phosphanylmeth-yl)diphenyl-phosphane sulfide-κ(2)P,S]copper(I) hexa-fluoridophosphate.

In the title compound, [Cu(C(25)H(22)P(2)S)(2)]PF(6), the Cu(I) atom, lying on a twofold rotation axis, adopts a distorted tetra-hedral geometry. The (diphenyl-phosphanylmeth-yl)diphenyl-phos-phane sulfide ligand coordinates to the Cu(I) atom through one S and one P atom, forming a stable five-membered chelate ring. The P atom of the PF(6) (-) anion also lies on a twofold rotation axis.

Bis[4-(2-aza-niumyleth-yl)piperazin-1-ium] di-μ-sulfido-bis-[disulfido-germanate(II)].

In the title compound, (C(6)H(17)N(3))(2)[Ge(2)S(6)], the dimeric [Ge(2)S(6)](4-) anion is formed by two edge-sharing GeS(4) tetra-hedral units. The average terminal and bridging Ge-S bond lengths are 2.164 (2) and 2.

Development of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system for oral bioavailability enhancement of berberine hydrochloride.

The purpose of this study was to develop a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) to improve the oral bioavailability of Berberine hydrochloride (BBH), an important bioactive compound from Chinese Medicines with poor water solubility. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed using oil, surfactant and co-surfactant types to identify the efficient self-microemulsification region. SMEDDS was characterized by morphological observation, droplet size, zeta-potential determination, stability, in vitro release and in vivo bioavailability study.

[Component I from Agkistrodon acutus venom induces apoptosis of K562/A02 cells by promoting caspase 3 expression].

To investigate the effects of component I from Agkistrodon acutus venom (AAVC-I) on the biological features of chronic myeloid leukemia cells, K562/A02 leukemia cells were cultured in the presence of AAVC-I (6.25 - 100 µg/ml) and the proliferation status was assayed by CCK-8 method. Morphological changes were observed by inversed microscope after Giemsa and Hochest 33258 staining, and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry.

Metformin sensitizes endometrial cancer cells to chemotherapy by repressing glyoxalase I expression.

Aim: Metformin plays an important role in the inhibition of cancer cell growth and prolongs remission durations. It reverses progestin-resistance in endometrial cancer cells by downregulating glyoxalase I (GloI) expression. This study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on endometrial cancer cell chemotherapeutic sensitivity and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.

[Sulphasalazine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in China: a cross-sectional study].

Objective: To investigate the medication status of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to analyze the clinical use of sulphasalazine (SSZ) and the adverse effect.

Methods: A total of 1 096 outpatients and inpatients diagnosed with RA were investigated in 21 hospitals all over China from July 2009 to December 2010, including gender, age of onset, clinical manifestations, as well as the clinical characteristics and medication status of 160 RA patients who received SSZ therapy.

Results: In the group of 160 patients who received SSZ, the male-to-female ratio was 1:7, The average age at onset was (46.

[Survey of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors application in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in China].

Objective: To investigate the current status of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors application in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in China and to analyze the related factors.

Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted in 21 hospitals from different parts of China. The patients with RA were randomly enrolled.

[A multicenter study of coronary artery disease and its risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis in China].

Objective: To learn about the prevalence and risk factors of coronary artery disease (CAD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Data were obtained from a 12-month retrospective investigation of the patients with RA, randomly selected from Departments of Rheumatology and Immunology in 21 big hospitals in China. The data were collected about their social conditions, clinical conditions, medications associated with RA, such as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoid, biologic agents.

Luteinizing hormone facilitates angiogenesis in ovarian epithelial tumor cells and metformin inhibits the effect through the mTOR signaling pathway.

High levels of gonadotropin are a risk factor for ovarian cancer development. Aberrant gonadotropin levels benefit tumor angiogenesis, but the detailed mechanism is not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of high levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) on the promotion of tumor angiogenesis and to outline a feasible therapeutic strategy.

Altered microRNA expression profile in maternal and fetal liver of HBV transgenic mouse model.

Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression in a post-transcriptional sequence-specific manner. Expression profile analysis of miRNAs in liver is necessary to understand the possible roles of miRNAs in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Methods: We obtained HBV-positive liver samples from mice, using HBV transgenic mouse model.

Chloridobis(1,2,3,4-tetra-hydro-1,4,6,11-tetra-aza-naphthacene-κN)copper(I).

In the title complex, [CuCl(C(14)H(12)N(4))(2)], the Cu(I) atom, lying on a twofold rotation axis, is coordinated by two N atoms of two 1,2,3,4-tetra-hydro-1,4,6,11-tetra-aza-naphthacene ligands and one Cl atom, also lying on the twofold rotation axis, in a distorted trigonal-planar geometry. The complex mol-ecules are connected into a one-dimensional structure along [001] via N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds and further into a three-dimensional structure via N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. π-π inter-actions between the pyrazine and benzene rings and between the benzene rings [centroid-centroid distances = 3.

Acute cannabinoids impair working memory through astroglial CB1 receptor modulation of hippocampal LTD.

Impairment of working memory is one of the most important deleterious effects of marijuana intoxication in humans, but its underlying mechanisms are presently unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the impairment of spatial working memory (SWM) and in vivo long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic strength at hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses, induced by an acute exposure of exogenous cannabinoids, is fully abolished in conditional mutant mice lacking type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB(1)R) in brain astroglial cells but is conserved in mice lacking CB(1)R in glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons. Blockade of neuronal glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) and of synaptic trafficking of glutamate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole propionic acid receptors (AMPAR) also abolishes cannabinoid effects on SWM and LTD induction and expression.

Bis{2,2'-[(2-amino-eth-yl)aza-nedi-yl]diethanaminium} di-μ-sulfido-bis-(disulfido-germanate).

In the title compound, (C(6)H(20)N(4))(2)[Ge(2)S(6)], the dimeric [Ge(2)S(6)](4-) anion is formed by two edge-sharing GeS(4) tetra-hedral units. The average terminal and bridging Ge-S bond lengths are 2.158 (14) and 2.

Three-year outcomes from BENEFIT-EXT: a phase III study of belatacept versus cyclosporine in recipients of extended criteria donor kidneys.

Recipients of extended-criteria donor (ECD) kidneys have poorer long-term outcomes compared to standard-criteria donor kidney recipients. We report 3-year outcomes from a randomized, phase III study in recipients of de novo ECD kidneys (n = 543) assigned (1:1:1) to either a more intensive (MI) or less intensive (LI) belatacept regimen, or cyclosporine. Three hundred twenty-three patients completed treatment by year 3.

Retinoic acid regulates germ cell differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells through a Smad-dependent pathway.

Murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent cells that differentiate into multiple cell lineages. It was recently observed that all-trans retinoic acid (RA) provides instructive signals for the commitment of the germ cell lineage from ESCs. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which RA signals lead to germ cell commitment.

Dual-wavelength slightly off-axis digital holographic microscopy.

We propose dual-wavelength digital holographic microscopy with a slightly off-axis configuration. The axial measurement range without phase ambiguity is extended to the micrometer range by synthesizing a beat wavelength between the two wavelengths with separation of 157 nm. Real-time measurement of the specimen is made possible by virtue of the high wavelength selectivity of the Bayer mosaic filtered color CCD camera.

Fast speciation of mercury in seawater by short-column high-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma spectrometry after on-line cation exchange column preconcentration.

A simple and fast method for trace speciation analysis of mercury (Hg(2+)), methylmercury (MeHg(+)) and ethylmercury (EtHg(+)) in seawater has been developed by short-column high-performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) after on-line cation-exchange column (CEC) preconcentration. The analytes were firstly adsorbed on the CEC without any extraneous reagent, and then were eluted rapidly (within seconds) and completely with a very low concentration of l-cysteine solution, which provides the conveniency for the on-line coupling of the preconcentration method and detection technique. To our best knowledge, it is for the first time to employ the CEC preconcentration technique to trap all of the three mercury species simultaneously at their positive charged status for the purpose of speciation analysis.