Synthesis of trimethylstannyl arylboronate compounds by Sandmeyer-type transformations and their applications in chemoselective cross-coupling reactions.

A synthetic method based on Sandmeyer-type reactions to access both tin- and boron-substituted arenes from nitroaniline derivatives is described. This transformation can be applied to the synthesis of a series of functionalized trimethylstannyl arylboronates. In addition, the chemoselective reaction of the Stille and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions is explored, and a series of m- and p-terphenyl derivatives have been synthesized by conducting consecutive one-pot Stille and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions.

[Application of custom casting separate post-and-core crown restorations of titanium in molar defects with low occlusogingival distance].

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical effect of custom casting separate post-and-core crown restorations of titanium in residual molar roots and crows with low occlusogingival distance.

Methods: Twenty-two residual roots and crowns with low occlusogingival distance were involved in the study. The root canals were prepared according to their natural directions without concerning about the common path of insertion and then the preparation of abutment teeth were made following the routine clinical procedure.

Monodisperse antimony nanocrystals for high-rate Li-ion and Na-ion battery anodes: nano versus bulk.

We report colloidal synthesis of antimony (Sb) nanocrystals with mean size tunable in the 10-20 nm range and with narrow size distributions of 7-11%. In comparison to microcrystalline Sb, 10 and 20 nm Sb nanocrystals exhibit enhanced rate-capability and higher cycling stability as anode materials in rechargeable Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. All three particle sizes of Sb possess high and similar Li-ion and Na-ion charge storage capacities of 580-640 mAh g(-1) at moderate charging/discharging current densities of 0.

Hypothalamic ghrelin signalling mediates olanzapine-induced hyperphagia and weight gain in female rats.

Excessive weight gain is a major metabolic side effect of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in the treatment of schizophrenia. Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone secreted mainly from the stomach, which can induce weight gain and hyperphagia through regulating neuropeptides at the hypothalamus. Accumulating evidence implicates a relationship between ghrelin signalling and SGA-induced hyperphagia and weight gain.

Fast contact of solid-liquid interface created high strength multi-layered cellulose hydrogels with controllable size.

Novel onion-like and multi-layered tubular cellulose hydrogels were constructed, for the first time, from the cellulose solution in a 7% NaOH/12% urea aqueous solvent by changing the shape of the gel cores. In our findings, the contacting of the cellulose solution with the surface of the agarose gel rod or sphere loaded with acetic acid led to the close chain packing to form immediately a gel layer, as a result of the destruction of the cellulose inclusion complex by acid through inducing the cellulose self-aggregation. Subsequently, multi-layered cellulose hydrogels were fabricated via a multi-step interrupted gelation process.

Haemolytic activity and adjuvant effect of soyasaponins and some of their derivatives on the immune responses to ovalbumin in mice.

Immunological adjuvants are agents that enhance specific immune responses to vaccines. At present more studies are needed to identify a suitable adjuvant for a particular vaccine with maximum safety and efficacy. In this study, six soyasaponins (Aa, Ab, Af, Ba, Bb, and Bb') and three soyasaponin Ab-derivatives (AbDs) were selected to evaluate their toxicities and adjuvant activities.

Temperature sensitivity and basal rate of soil respiration and their determinants in temperate forests of North China.

The basal respiration rate at 10°C (R10) and the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q10) are two premier parameters in predicting the instantaneous rate of soil respiration at a given temperature. However, the mechanisms underlying the spatial variations in R10 and Q10 are not quite clear. R10 and Q10 were calculated using an exponential function with measured soil respiration and soil temperature for 11 mixed conifer-broadleaved forest stands and nine broadleaved forest stands at a catchment scale.

[Composition analyses of bilateral urinary tract calculis].

Objective: To explore the composition of bilateral urinary tract calculi so as to guide treatments.

Methods: A total of 126 patients with bilateral urinary calculi were recruited to undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy or ureteroscopes lithotripsy. And 256 extracted stones were analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry.

Microelectrode electrochemistry with semiconducting microelectrode chips.

Well-defined semiconducting microelectrodes on silicon chips are prepared for new insights into microelectrode electrochemistry. Unique voltammetric features are observed due to a combined effect of enhanced mass transport from microelectrodes and rectifying nature of the semiconductor-electrolyte interface. The "diffusional independence" of single elements in certain arrays is also carefully studied.

Von Willebrand factor inhibits mature smooth muscle gene expression through impairment of Notch signaling.

Von Willebrand factor (vWF), a hemostatic protein normally synthesized and stored by endothelial cells and platelets, has been localized beyond the endothelium in vascular disease states. Previous studies have implicated potential non-hemostatic functions of vWF, but signaling mechanisms underlying its effects are currently undefined. We present evidence that vWF breaches the endothelium and is expressed in a transmural distribution pattern in cerebral small vessel disease (SVD).

Synthesis of aryl trimethylstannanes from aryl amines: a Sandmeyer-type stannylation reaction.

Sandmeyer-type stannylation: Stille coupling is one of the most powerful coupling reactions for CC bond formation, whereas there are only limited methods to access aryl stannane compounds. A mild stannylation process based on a Sandmeyer-type transformation using aromatic amines as the starting materials is described. DCE: 1,2-dichloroethane.

Nα-acetylated Sir3 stabilizes the conformation of a nucleosome-binding loop in the BAH domain.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, acetylation of the Sir3 N terminus is important for transcriptional silencing. This covalent modification promotes the binding of the Sir3 BAH domain to the nucleosome, but a mechanistic understanding of this phenomenon is lacking. By X-ray crystallography, we show here that the acetylated N terminus of Sir3 does not interact with the nucleosome directly.

Facile synthesis of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) film via solid-state polymerization as high-performance Pt-free counter electrodes for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells.

A high-performance Pt-free counter electrode (CE) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) film for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) has been developed via a facile solid-state polymerization (SSP) approach. The polymerization was simply initiated by sintering the monomer, 2,5-dibromo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (DBEDOT), at the temperature of 80 °C, which can be applied on the plastic substrate. The cyclic voltammetry measurements revealed that the catalytic activity of the SSP-PEDOT CE for triiodide reduction is comparable with that of the Pt CE.

Simultaneous catalyst-free growth of highly oriented ZnO nanowires and microtubes.

Through a catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition method, highly oriented ZnO nanowires and microtubes were simultaneously grown on the side and the top surface of Si substrate respectively. The ZnO nanowires and microtubes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. The growth mechanism of the microtubes was discussed and the room temperature photoluminescence properties of individual microtubes were investigated.

[Effects of four dental alloys on apoptosis related gene and protein expression of fibroblast L929].

Objective: To investigate the effects of the leaching liquids of 4 differents kinds of dental alloys (Au alloy, Ag-Pd alloy, Co-Cr alloy, Ni-Cr alloy) on apoptosis related gene and protein of fibroblast L929.

Methods: The L929 cells of mouse were treated in vitro with leaching liquids of 4 different kinds of dental alloys, Au alloy (group A), Ag-Pd alloy(group B), Co-Cr alloy(group C) and Ni-Cr alloy(group D). The RPMI1640 cell medium containing 10% fetal calf serum was served as a control(group E).

Effects of renal pelvic high-pressure perfusion on nephrons in a porcine pyonephrosis model.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of various renal pelvic pressure gradients on nephrons with purulent infection. Five miniature test pigs were selected. One side of the kidney was used to prepare the pyonephrosis model and the other side was used as the healthy control.

Controllable two-stage droplet evaporation method and its nanoparticle self-assembly mechanism.

Bottom-up self-assembly is able to constitute a variety of structures and has been thought to be a promising way for advanced nanofabrication. Droplet evaporation, as the simplest method, has been used in various self-assemblies. However, the assembled area is not large enough and the order is still not well controlled.

Green synthesis of TiO2 nanocrystals with improved photocatalytic activity by ionic-liquid assisted hydrothermal method.

Owing to potential industrial applications and fundamental significance, tailored synthesis of well-defined anatase TiO2 nanocrystals with exposed highly reactive {001} facets has stimulated great research interest. In this work, surface-fluorinated anatase TiO2 nanocrystals have been successfully prepared by using an ionic liquid (IL) assisted hydrothermal synthetic route. TiCl4 is used as precursor, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim](+)[BF4](-)) as morphology-controlling agent.

Facile synthesis of TiO2 nanocrystals using NH4F as morphology-controlling agent and its influences on photocatalytic activity.

Controllable synthesis of nanomaterials with different morphologies can significantly affect their properties. Here we report that the morphology and facet orientation of TiO2 nanocrystals can be readily modulated via a hydrothermal method using a simple morphology-controlling agent of NH4F. The photocatalytic activity of resultant TiO2 has been evaluated by photodegradation of methyl orange.

The role of hypothalamic H1 receptor antagonism in antipsychotic-induced weight gain.

Treatment with second generation antipsychotics (SGAs), notably olanzapine and clozapine, causes severe obesity side effects. Antagonism of histamine H1 receptors has been identified as a main cause of SGA-induced obesity, but the molecular mechanisms associated with this antagonism in different stages of SGA-induced weight gain remain unclear. This review aims to explore the potential role of hypothalamic histamine H1 receptors in different stages of SGA-induced weight gain/obesity and the molecular pathways related to SGA-induced antagonism of these receptors.

Toxicity assessments of near-infrared upconversion luminescent LaF3:Yb,Er in early development of zebrafish embryos.

This study reports the effects of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) LaF3:Yb,Er on zebrafish, with the aim of investigating UCNPs toxicity. LaF3:Yb,Er were prepared by an oleic acid/ionic liquid two-phase system, and characterized by transmission electron microscope and X-ray powder diffraction. 140 zebrafish embryos were divided into six test groups and one control group, and respectively were injected into 5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 μg/mL LaF3:Yb,Er@SiO2 solution, and respectively were raised for 5 days.

Protein-assisted fabrication of nano-reduced graphene oxide for combined in vivo photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.

Theranostic agents are attracting a great deal of attention in personalized medicine. Here, we developed a protein-based, facile method for fabrication of nanosized, reduced graphene oxide (nano-rGO) with high stability and low cytotoxicity. We constructed highly integrated photoacoustic/ultrasonic dual-modality imaging and photothermal therapy platforms, and further demonstrated that the prepared nano-rGO can be used as ready-to-use theranostic agents for both photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy without further surface modification.

The selection of endogenous genes in human postmortem tissues.

Precisely determining the postmortem interval (PMI), which is crucial to criminal and forensic cases, is a research in which quantitative RT-PCR (also known as qRT-PCR or real-time RT-PCR) has been used to analyse gene expression levels and data normalisation should be required to eliminate the differences among the samples. Therefore, it is quite necessary to find stable molecular biological markers in PMI determination research. In this study, we compared nine commonly used endogenous markers (containing ACTB, GAPDH, B2M, U6, 18S rRNA, hsa-mir-1, hsa-mir-9, hsa-mir-194-1 and hsa-mir-203) in the 109 human tissue samples obtained from autopsy at the aim of finding stable markers in human tissues with consideration of the impact of parameters (PMI and cause of death).

Collagen represses canonical Notch signaling and binds to Notch ectodomain.

The Notch signaling system features a growing number of modulators that include extracellular proteins that bind to the Notch ectodomain. Collagens are a complex, heterogeneous family of secreted proteins that serve both structural and signaling functions, most prominently through binding to integrins and DDR. The shared widespread tissue distribution of Notch and collagen prompted us to investigate the effects of collagen on Notch signaling.