Triphenylamine-Functionalized Silsesquioxane-Based Hybrid Porous Polymers: Tunable Porosity and Luminescence for Multianalyte Detection.

A series of hybrid luminescent porous polymers (HLPPs) are synthesized through Friedel-Crafts reactions by tuning the molar ratio of triphenylamine (TPA) to octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS). The synthesized HLPPs exhibit high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface areas up to 841±10 m  g , high thermal stability with decomposition temperatures (T at 5 wt %) up to 440 °C in air, and strong blue-violet luminescence at approximately 450 nm. The porosities and luminescent properties of the HLPPs, including emission wavelength, intensity, fluorescence quantum yield, and monochromaticity, can be tuned easily by modulating the molar ratio of TPA to OVS.

Self-assembly of silver(i)-based high-energy metal-organic frameworks (HE-MOFs) at ambient temperature and pressure: synthesis, structure and superior explosive performance.

Two new high-energy metal-organic frameworks (HE-MOFs), {Ag(DNMAF)(HO)} (1) and {Ag(DNMAF)} (2) were prepared using potassium 4,4'-bis(dinitromethyl)-3,3'-azofurazanate (KDNMAF) in a self-assembly strategy. Compound 1 exhibits a 3D HE-MOF structure with coordinated water molecules. Compound 2 exhibits compact solvent-free 3D HE-MOFs.

Rare Earth pcu Metal-Organic Framework Platform Based on RE(μ-OH)(COO) Clusters: Rational Design, Directed Synthesis, and Deliberate Tuning of Excitation Wavelengths.

The T point group symmetry of rare earth (RE) metal clusters RE(μ-OH)(COO) makes them attractive building blocks for creating metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with controllable topologies. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of isoreticular MOFs featuring pcu topology [MOF-1114(RE) and MOF-1115(RE)] with variable rare earth metal ions (RE = Y, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) and linear amino-functionalized dicarboxylate linkers of different lengths. In total, we report 22 MOFs that vary in both composition and structure yet share the same RE(μ-OH) cluster motif.

Differences between measured and reported volatile organic compound emissions from oil sands facilities in Alberta, Canada.

Large-scale oil production from oil sands deposits in Alberta, Canada has raised concerns about environmental impacts, such as the magnitude of air pollution emissions. This paper reports compound emission rates () for 69-89 nonbiogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for each of four surface mining facilities, determined with a top-down approach using aircraft measurements in the summer of 2013. The aggregate emission rate () of the nonbiogenic VOCs ranged from 50 ± 14 to 70 ± 22 t/d depending on the facility.

Diabetes reversal by inhibition of the low-molecular-weight tyrosine phosphatase.

Obesity-associated insulin resistance plays a central role in type 2 diabetes. As such, tyrosine phosphatases that dephosphorylate the insulin receptor (IR) are potential therapeutic targets. The low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP) is a proposed IR phosphatase, yet its role in insulin signaling in vivo has not been defined.

Spin-Dependent Weakly-Interacting-Massive-Particle-Nucleon Cross Section Limits from First Data of PandaX-II Experiment.

New constraints are presented on the spin-dependent weakly-interacting-massive-particle–- (WIMP-)nucleon interaction from the PandaX-II experiment, using a data set corresponding to a total exposure of 3.3×10^{4}  kg day. Assuming a standard axial-vector spin-dependent WIMP interaction with ^{129}Xe and ^{131}Xe nuclei, the most stringent upper limits on WIMP-neutron cross sections for WIMPs with masses above 10  GeV/c^{2} are set in all dark matter direct detection experiments.

Epigenetic Patterns in Blood Associated With Lipid Traits Predict Incident Coronary Heart Disease Events and Are Enriched for Results From Genome-Wide Association Studies.

Background: Genome-wide association studies have identified loci influencing circulating lipid concentrations in humans; further information on novel contributing genes, pathways, and biology may be gained through studies of epigenetic modifications.

Methods And Results: To identify epigenetic changes associated with lipid concentrations, we assayed genome-wide DNA methylation at cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs) in whole blood from 2306 individuals from 2 population-based cohorts, with replication of findings in 2025 additional individuals. We identified 193 CpGs associated with lipid levels in the discovery stage (<1.

Towards Monodisperse Star-Shaped Ladder-Type Conjugated Systems: Design, Synthesis, Stabilized Blue Electroluminescence, and Amplified Spontaneous Emission.

A novel series of monodisperse star-shaped ladder-type oligo(p-phenylene)s, named as TrL-n (n=1-3), have been explored. Their thermal and electrochemical properties, fluorescence transients, photoluminescence quantum yields, density functional theory calculations, electroluminescence (EL) and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) properties have been systematically investigated to unravel the molecular design on optoelectronic properties. The resulting materials showed excellent structural perfection, free of chemical defects, and exhibited great thermal stability (T : 404-418 °C and T : 147-184 °C) and amorphous glassy morphologies.

The feasibility of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy-a stepwise procedure and learning curve.

Background: Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) has been proven feasible and safe. The artery-first approach emerged as a standard procedure in pancreatic surgery. In this manuscript, we describe both our stepwise, artery-first technique for LPD and methods for accumulating experience during the initial learning stage.

Lone Atrial Fibrillation Is Associated With Impaired Left Ventricular Energetics That Persists Despite Successful Catheter Ablation.

Background: Lone atrial fibrillation (AF) may reflect a subclinical cardiomyopathy that persists after sinus rhythm (SR) restoration, providing a substrate for AF recurrence. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effect of restoring SR by catheter ablation on left ventricular (LV) function and energetics in patients with AF but no significant comorbidities.

Methods: Fifty-three patients with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF and without significant valvular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, coronary artery disease, uncontrolled thyroid disease, systemic inflammatory disease, diabetes mellitus, or obstructive sleep apnea (ie, lone AF) undergoing ablation and 25 matched control subjects in SR were investigated.

Classification of point-group-symmetric orientational ordering tensors.

The concept of symmetry breaking has been a propelling force in understanding phases of matter. While rotational-symmetry breaking is one of the most prevalent examples, the rich landscape of orientational orders breaking the rotational symmetries of isotropic space, i.e.

Rapid identification and quantitation for oral bacteria based on short-end capillary electrophoresis.

High-speed capillary electrophoresis (HSCE) is a promising technology applied in ultra-rapid and high-performance analysis of biomolecules (such as nucleic acids, protein). In present study, the short-end capillary electrophoresis coupled with one novel space domain internal standard method (SDIS) was employed for the rapid and simultaneous analysis of specific genes from three oral bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g), Treponema denticola (T.

Body Mass Index Predicts 24-Hour Urinary Aldosterone Levels in Patients With Resistant Hypertension.

Prospective studies indicate that hyperaldosteronism is found in 20% of patients with resistant hypertension. A small number of observational studies in normotensive and hypertensive patients suggest a correlation between aldosterone levels and obesity while others could not confirm these findings. The correlation between aldosterone levels and body mass index (BMI) in patients with resistant hypertension has not been previously investigated.

Immunotherapy with dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells for MDA-MB-231 breast cancer stem cells in nude mice.

Objective: To compare the effects and safety of immunotherapy using different methods to load DC-CIK cells for MDA-MB-231 breast cancer stem cells.

Methods: A breast cancer model was established in BALB/c nude mice using breast cancer stem cells. All mice were randomly divided into six groups, and each group had three nude mice: the blank control group, the DC-CIK group (group D), the MDA-MB-231 CSC whole-cell lysate DC-CIK group (group L-D), the MDA-MB-231 CSC RNA DC-CIK group (group R-D), the THP DC-CIK group (group T-D) and group THP.

Contribution of Heritability and Epigenetic Factors to Skeletal Muscle Mass Variation in United Kingdom Twins.

Context: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is one of the major components of human body composition, with deviations from normal values often leading to sarcopenia.

Objective: Our major aim was to conduct a genome-wide DNA methylation study in an attempt to identify potential genomic regions associated with SMM.

Design: This was a mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

Single Nanoparticle Translocation Through Chemically Modified Solid Nanopore.

The nanopore sensor as a high-throughput and low-cost technology can detect single nanoparticle in solution. In the present study, the silicon nitride nanopores were fabricated by focused Ga ion beam (FIB), and the surface was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to change its surface charge density. The positively charged nanopore surface attracted negatively charged nanoparticles when they were in the vicinity of the nanopore.

Gonyautoxin 1/4 aptamers with high-affinity and high-specificity: From efficient selection to aptasensor application.

Gonyautoxin 1/4 (GTX1/4) are potent marine neurotoxins with significant public health impact. However, the ethical issues and technical defects associated with the currently applied detection methods for paralytic shellfish toxin GTX1/4 are pressing further studies to develop suitable alternatives in a regulatory monitoring system. This work describes the first successful selection, optimization, and characterization of an aptamer that bind with high affinity and specificity to GTX1/4.

Shared Genetic Predisposition in Peripartum and Dilated Cardiomyopathies.

Background Peripartum cardiomyopathy shares some clinical features with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, a disorder caused by mutations in more than 40 genes, including TTN, which encodes the sarcomere protein titin. Methods In 172 women with peripartum cardiomyopathy, we sequenced 43 genes with variants that have been associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. We compared the prevalence of different variant types (nonsense, frameshift, and splicing) in these women with the prevalence of such variants in persons with dilated cardiomyopathy and with population controls.

[Establishment and evaluation of a rat model of type 2 diabetes associated with depression].

Objective: To establish and evaluate a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with depression for further elaborating the disease.

Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal group (group N), T2DM group (group T) and T2DM with depression group (group T + D), with 8 rats in each group. The T2DM rat model was induced by high fat diet and low dose of Streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and in addition, the T2DM rats were made restraint stress for 21 days.

The TMAO-Generating Enzyme Flavin Monooxygenase 3 Is a Central Regulator of Cholesterol Balance.

Circulating levels of the gut microbe-derived metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) have recently been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Here, we performed transcriptional profiling in mouse models of altered reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) and serendipitously identified the TMAO-generating enzyme flavin monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) as a powerful modifier of cholesterol metabolism and RCT. Knockdown of FMO3 in cholesterol-fed mice alters biliary lipid secretion, blunts intestinal cholesterol absorption, and limits the production of hepatic oxysterols and cholesteryl esters.

Structural features and antitumor activity of a purified polysaccharide extracted from Sargassum horneri.

A polysaccharide fraction (SHPSA) was obtained from Sargassum horneri by hot-water extraction and sequential purification of anion-exchange chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography. SHPSA was found to be a neutral polysaccharide fraction with an average molecular weight of 5.78×10(5) Da and composed of T-D-Glcp, 1,3-D-Glcp, 1,6-D-Glcp and 1,3,6-D-Glcp in a molar percentage of 1.

Circulating betatrophin levels are increased in patients with type 2 diabetes and associated with insulin resistance.

Context: Betatrophin has recently attracted increasing interests as a potential β-cell regenerative therapy in diabetes. However, differences in betatrophin profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain unclear.

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine circulating betatrophin levels in subjects with different glucose tolerance status and its correlation with insulin resistance.

Quantification of periodontal pathogens cell counts by capillary electrophoresis.

Gingivitis is a highly prevalent periodontal disease around the worldwide. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g), Treponema denticola (T.