Ligand-Dependent Intracluster Interactions in Electrochemical CO Reduction Using Cu Nanoclusters.

The electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR) has been extensively studied because it can be leveraged to directly convert CO into valuable hydrocarbons. Among the various catalysts, copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) exhibit high selectivity and efficiency for producing CORR products owing to their unique geometric/electronic structures. However, the influence of protective ligands on the CORR performance of Cu NCs remains unclear.

Atomically Precise AuPt(thiolate)(dithiolate) Nanoclusters with Excellent Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reactivity.

[AuPt(C6)] (C6 = 1-hexanethiolate) is twice as active as commercial Pt nanoparticles in promoting the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), thereby attracting attention as new HER catalysts with well-controlled geometric structures. In this study, we succeeded in synthesizing two new Au-Pt alloy nanoclusters, namely, [AuPt(TBBT)(TDT)] (TBBT = 4--butylbenzenethiolate; TDT = thiodithiolate) and [AuPt(TBBT)(PDT)] (PDT = 1,3-propanedithiolate), by exchanging all the ligands of [AuPt(PET)] (PET = 2-phenylethanethiolate) with mono- or dithiolates. Although [AuPt(TBBT)(TDT)] was synthesized serendipitously, a similar cluster, [AuPt(TBBT)(PDT)], was subsequently obtained by selecting the appropriate reaction conditions and optimal combination of thiolate and dithiolate ligands.

Enhanced disease resistance against by strigolactone-mediated immune priming in .

Strigolactones (SLs) are a class of plant hormones that play several roles in plants, such as suppressing shoot branching and promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. The positive regulation of plant disease resistance by SLs has recently been demonstrated by analyses using SL-related mutants. In Arabidopsis, SL-mediated signaling has been reported to modulate salicylic acid-mediated disease resistance, in which the priming of plant immunity plays an important role.

Oral administration of cysteine peptides attenuates UV-B-induced skin erythema and pigmentation in humans.

The oral administration of antioxidants may suppress UV-B-induced skin damage. HITHION YH-15, the extract of Torula yeast (Cyberlindnera jadinii), is rich in cysteine-containing peptides such as reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG), γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-Glu-Cys), and cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly). These four constituents are termed cysteine peptides.

Priming of Immune System in Tomato by Treatment with Low Concentration of L-Methionine.

Various metabolites, including phytohormones, phytoalexins, and amino acids, take part in the plant immune system. Herein, we analyzed the effects of L-methionine (Met), a sulfur-containing amino acid, on the plant immune system in tomato. Treatment with low concentrations of Met enhanced the resistance of tomato to a broad range of diseases caused by the hemi-biotrophic bacterial pathogen pv.

Isolation of 2,2'-azoxybisbenzyl alcohol from Agaricus subrutilescens and its inhibitory activity against bacterial biofilm formation.

Virulence pathways in pathogenic bacteria are regulated by quorum sensing mechanisms, particularly biofilm formation through autoinducer (AI) production and sensing. In this study, the culture filtrate extracted from an edible mushroom, Agaricus subrutilescens, was fractionated to isolate a compound that inhibits biofilm formation. Four gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Enterobacter cloacae) and two gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) were used for the bioassay.

Strobilurin X acts as an anticancer drug by inhibiting protein synthesis and suppressing mitochondrial respiratory chain activity.

Purpose: Strobilurins act as antifungal agents by inhibiting the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The cytotoxic activity of strobilurins, focusing on its anticancer activities, has been reported. However, the mechanisms involved in these activities remain unclear.

Inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation by strobilurins isolated from mushrooms and their synthetic analogues.

Strobilurins A and X, isolated from Mucidula venosolamellata culture extracts, demonstrated potent inhibition of human melanoma G-361 cell proliferation. Strobilurin X exhibited milder inhibitory effects on human fibroblast cells (NB1RGB) compared to strobilurin A. Additional strobilurin-related compounds were isolated from the other mushroom species.

Characterization of Disease Resistance Induced by a Pyrazolecarboxylic Acid Derivative in .

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a potent innate immunity system in plants that is induced through the salicylic acid (SA)-mediated signaling pathway. Here, we characterized 3-chloro-1-methyl-1-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid (CMPA) as an effective SAR inducer in . The soil drench application of CMPA enhanced a broad range of disease resistance against the bacterial pathogen and fungal pathogens and in , whereas CMPA did not show antibacterial activity.

Pt nanocluster electrocatalysts: preparation and origin of high oxygen reduction reaction activity.

We recently found that [Pt(CO)(PPh)] (Pt = platinum; CO = carbon monoxide; PPh = triphenylphosphine; = 1+ or 2+) is a Pt nanocluster (Pt NC) that can be synthesized with atomic precision in air. The present study demonstrates that it is possible to prepare a Pt-supported carbon black (CB) catalyst (Pt/CB) with 2.1 times higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity than commercial Pt nanoparticles/CB by the adsorption of [Pt(CO)(PPh)] onto CB and subsequent calcination of the catalyst.

Effects of gelation concentration on cyclic deformation behavior of κ-carrageenan hydrogels.

The aim of this study is to elucidate the relationship between the network structure of κ-carrageenan hydrogels and their mechanical properties. First κ-carrageenan hydrogels have been prepared at different gelation concentrations, and then the mechanical behavior during four cyclic deformations has been examined at the same κ-carrageenan concentration. Young's modulus is higher for the gel prepared at 5 gL (C05) compared to that for the gel prepared at 30 gL (C30).

Verbal Suggestion Modulates the Sense of Ownership and Heat Pain Threshold During the "Injured" Rubber Hand Illusion.

The appearance of the self-body influences the feeling that one's body belongs to oneself, that is, a sense of ownership (SoO) and pain perception. This can be identified by measuring the SoO and pain thresholds after performing the rubber hand illusion (RHI) with an injured rubber hand. The generation of SoO is thought to be caused by multisensory integration of bottom-up factors (vision, proprioceptive, and touch), and by top-down factors, such as the context effect.

Preparation of tricationic tris(pyridylpalladium(II)) metallacyclophane as an anion receptor.

A tricationic tris(pyridylpalladium(II)) metallacyclophane was prepared from 3,5-dibromopyridine by a successive treatment with tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0), diphosphine, and silver salt. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the metallacyclophane incorporated one of three counter anions into its hole-shaped cavity to form multidentate C-H⋯anion interactions. Solution-phase H NMR experiments in DMSO- indicated that the metallacyclophane exhibited selective binding behavior toward nitrate, tetrafluoroborate, -toluenesulfonate, perchlorate, and hydrogen sulfate ions, whereas the hexafluoroantimonate ion exhibited only weak interaction toward the metallacyclophane.

Turn-On Fluorescent Probe Based on a Dansyl Triarginine Peptide for Ganglioside Imaging.

Gangliosides play pivotal biological roles in the animal cell membranes, and it is vital to develop fluorescent probes for imaging them. To date, various artificial receptors for ganglioside imaging have been developed; however, turn-on fluorescence imaging for gangliosides with high contrast has not been achieved. We developed a simple fluorescent probe on the basis of a dansyl triarginine peptide for turn-on ganglioside imaging on the liposome membrane.

Quantitative Ultrasound of the Heel in Women With Knee Osteoarthritis.

The prevalence of multiple falls is higher in older women, and knee pain is associated with multiple falls in women; thus, it is important to detect individuals at risk of fractures among women with knee osteoarthritis. We aimed to clarify the association between knee osteoarthritis and the quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameter, and investigate the clinical relevance of the QUS parameter with osteoarthritis-related characteristics in women with knee osteoarthritis. This was a cross-sectional study.

Overexpression of neural miRNAs miR-9/9* and miR-124 suppresses differentiation to Müller glia and promotes differentiation to neurons in mouse retina in vivo.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate gene expression and modulate cellular differentiation. MicroRNA-9/9* (miR-9/9*) and microRNA-124 (miR-124) are highly expressed in the central nervous system. In vivo function of miR-9/9* and miR-124 has been investigated in detail, whereas there remain some discrepancies regarding neural development.

Quantification of amygdalin, prunasin, total cyanide and free cyanide in powdered loquat seeds.

Amygdalin, prunasin, total cyanide and free cyanide concentrations in 12 powdered loquat seeds were investigated. Loquat () is a species of flowering plant in the family , and its fruit is quite popular in Japan. Amygdalin and prunasin were measured using LC-MS/MS.

Teriparatide relieves ovariectomy-induced hyperalgesia in rats, suggesting the involvement of functional regulation in primary sensory neurons by PTH-mediated signaling.

Clinical studies have reported that teriparatide (TPTD), a human parathyroid hormone analog, reduces back pain in osteoporotic patients. However, the mechanistic insights of this pharmacological action remain elusive. This study investigated the antinociceptive effect of TPTD mainly on primary sensory neurons in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Normal aging hyperactivates innate immunity and reduces the medical efficacy of minocycline in brain injury.

Symptoms of many neurodegenerative diseases appear later in human life. However, young animal models for penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI) have been used to study neurodegenerative diseases and evaluate the efficacy of neuroprotective medicines. Possibly because of this discordance, effective neuroprotective drugs have still not been developed.

Synergistic effect of bodyweight resistance exercise and protein supplementation on skeletal muscle in sarcopenic or dynapenic older adults.

Aim: The objective of this trial was to investigate the synergistic effects of bodyweight resistance exercise and a protein supplement with vitamin D on skeletal muscle in sarcopenic or dynapenic older adults.

Methods: This was a four-arm randomized controlled trial. Sarcopenic or dynapenic older adults were recruited for this trial.