Young Sca-1 bone marrow stem cell-derived exosomes preserve visual function via the miR-150-5p/MEKK3/JNK/c-Jun pathway to reduce M1 microglial polarization.

Background: Polarization of microglia, the resident retinal immune cells, plays important roles in mediating both injury and repair responses post-retinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, which is one of the main pathological mechanisms behind ganglion cell apoptosis. Aging could perturb microglial balances, resulting in lowered post-I/R retinal repair. Young bone marrow (BM) stem cell antigen 1-positive (Sca-1) cells have been demonstrated to have higher reparative capabilities post-I/R retinal injury when transplanted into old mice, where they were able to home and differentiate into retinal microglia.

DFT study on the adsorption of 5-fluorouracil on B, BM, and M@B (M = Mg, Al, Si, Mn, Cu, Zn).

Based on density functional theory, the adsorption behavior of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) on B and its derivatives has been explored. It was observed that 5-Fu prefers to combine with the corner boron atom of the B cage one of its oxygen atoms, forming a strong polar covalent B-O bond. The adsorption energy of 5-Fu on B was calculated to be -11.

Biomimetic amphiphilic FAAP NPs nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and antivirus activity.

Antiviral agents based on natural products have attracted substantial attention in clinical applications for their distinct biological activities,molecular structuralmultiformities, and low biotoxicities. Ferulic acid (FA) with apigenin propaneto form an esterified FA derivative (FAAP).Herein, we designed a CsPbBr3-modified chitosan oligosaccharide, a biomimetic nanoplatform that could load with FAAP.

Designing an alkali-metal-like superatom CaB for ambient nitrogen reduction to ammonia.

Converting earth-abundant nitrogen (N) gas into ammonia (NH) under mild conditions is one of the most important issues and a long-standing challenge in chemistry. Herein, a new superatom CaB was theoretically designed and characterized to reveal its catalytic performance in converting N into NH by means of density functional theory (DFT) computations. The alkali-metal-like identity of this cluster is verified by its lower vertical ionization energy (VIE, 4.

On the Role of Alkali-Metal-Like Superatom Al P in Reduction and Conversion of Carbon Dioxide.

Developing efficient catalysts for the conversion of CO into fuels and value-added chemicals is of great significance to relieve the growing energy crisis and global warming. With the assistance of DFT calculations, it was found that, different from Al X (X=Be, Al, and C), the alkali-metal-like superatom Al P prefers to combine with CO via a bidentate double oxygen coordination, yielding a stable Al P(η -O C) complex containing an activated radical anion of CO (i.e.

Coinage metalides: a new class of excess electron compounds with high stability and large nonlinear optical responses.

The possibility of using coinage metal atoms as excess electron acceptors is examined for the first time by designing a new class of M-1-M' (M = Li, Na, and K; M' = Cu, Ag, and Au) compounds termed "coinage metalides" on the basis of an intriguing Janus-type all-cis1,2,3,4,5,6-hexafluorocyclohexane (1) molecule. Under the large facial polarization of 1, the outermost ns electrons of alkali metal atoms can be transferred to coinage metal atoms, forming diffuse excess electrons around them. Consequently, the resulting M-1-Cu and M-1-Ag compounds exhibit significantly large nonlinear optical (NLO) responses.

Hyperbranched rolling circle amplification (HRCA)-based fluorescence biosensor for ultrasensitive and specific detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping associated with the therapy of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Detection of specific genes related to drug action can provide scientific guidance for personalized medicine. Taking the detection of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping related to the chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy as an example, a novel biosensor with high sensitivity and selectivity was developed based on the hyperbranched rolling circle amplification (HRCA) in this work. The single-base mutant DNA (mutDNA) sequence can perfectly hybridize with the specially designed discrimination padlock probe and initiate the HRCA reaction.

Can Coinage Metal Atoms Be Capable of Serving as an Excess Electron Source of Alkalides with Considerable Nonlinear Optical Responses?

Alkalides, as a representative kind of excess electron compounds, have been demonstrated to be potential nonlinear optical (NLO) materials with large static first hyperpolarizabilities (β). The possibility of utilizing coinage metal atoms as a novel excess electron source to design a series of alkalides, i.e.

On the feasibility of designing hyperalkali cations using superalkali clusters as ligands.

The possibility of using superalkali clusters instead of alkali atoms as ligands to design a class of cationic compounds, referred to as hyperalkali cations, has been examined by using gradient-corrected density functional theory. By taking typical superalkalis (FLi, OLi, and NLi) as examples, a series of hyperalkali cations ML [M = (super)halogen; L = superalkali] have been constructed and investigated. Calculational results show that all the superalkali moieties preserve their geometric and electronic integrity in these proposed cations.

Theoretical Study of the Substituent Effects on the Nonlinear Optical Properties of a Room-Temperature-Stable Organic Electride.

Excess-electron compounds can be considered as novel candidates for nonlinear optical (NLO) materials because of their large static first hyperpolarizabilities (β ). A room-temperature-stable, excess-electron compound, that is, the organic electride Na@(TriPip222), was successfully synthesized by the Dye group (J. Am.

ClpP-deletion impairs the virulence of Legionella pneumophila and the optimal translocation of effector proteins.

Background: The opportunistic bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila uses substrate effectors of Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system (T4BSS) to accomplish survival and replication in amoebae cells and mammalian alveolar macrophages. During the conversion between its highly resistant, infectious dormant form and vigorously growing, uninfectious replicative form, L. pneumophila utilizes a complicated regulatory network in which proteolysis may play a significant role.

Stability and Nonlinear Optical Response of Alkalides that Contain a Completely Encapsulated Superalkali Cluster.

Guided by density functional theory (DFT) computations, a new series of superalkali-based alkalides, namely FLi2 (+) (aza222)K(-) , OLi3 (+) (aza222)K(-) , NLi4 (+) (aza222)K(-) , and Li3 (+) (aza222)K(-) were designed with various superalkali clusters embedded into an aza222 cage-complexant. These species possess diverse isomeric structures in which the encapsulated superalkalis preserve their identities and behave as alkali metal atoms. The results show that these novel alkalides possess larger complexation energies and enhanced hyperpolarizabilities (β0 ) compared with alkali-metal-based and previous superalkali-based clusters.

A theoretical study on superalkali-doped nanocages: unique inorganic electrides with high stability, deep-ultraviolet transparency, and a considerable nonlinear optical response.

By doping an Al12N12 nanocage with superalkali Li3O, a series of Li3O@Al12N12 compounds were theoretically designed and investigated for the first time. Computational results reveal that these species contain diffuse excess electrons, and thus can be regarded as inorganic electrides of a new type. As expected, these proposed electrides possess considerable first hyperpolarizabilities (β0) up to 1.

Can Fluorinated Molecular Cages Be Utilized as Building Blocks of Hyperhalogens?

Based on the density functional theory for exchange-correlation potential, fluorocarbon molecular cages are investigated as building blocks of hyperhalogens. By utilizing C8 F7 as a ligand, a series of hyperhalogen anions, that is, M(C8 F7 )2 (-) (M=Li, Na, and K) and M(C8 F7 )3 (-) (M=Be, Mg, and Ca), are modeled. Calculations show that all the C8 F7 moieties preserve their geometric and electronic integrity in these anions.

Theoretical characterization of a series of N5-based aromatic hyperhalogen anions.

Hyperhalogens are a class of highly electronegative molecules whose electron affinities even exceed those of their superhalogen ligands. Such species can serve as new oxidizing agents, biocatalysts, and building blocks of unusual salts, and hence are important to the chemical industry. Utilizing stable N5(-) as the ligand, a series of aromatic hyperhalogen anions, namely mononuclear M(N5)(k+1)(-) (M = Li, Be, B) and dinuclear M2(N5)(2k+1)(-) (M = Li, Be), have been reported here for the first time.

Efficient post-disaster patient transportation and transfer: experiences and lessons learned in emergency medical rescue in Aceh after the 2004 Asian tsunami.

This descriptive study aimed to present experiences and lessons learned in emergency medical rescue after the 2004 Asian tsunami in terms of transportation and transfer of patients and coordination of medical rescue forces. After the tsunami, numerous rescue institutions and international organizations rushed to Aceh province to aid in the rescue work. To coordinate various aspects of medical rescue efforts, an airport-based joint patient transfer center was developed.

Simultaneous determination of 143Nd/144Nd and 147Sm/144Nd ratios and Sm-Nd contents from the same filament loaded with purified Sm-Nd aliquot from geological samples by isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry.

Isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) is the standard technique used to achieve precise (143)Nd/(144)Nd and (147)Sm/(144)Nd isotope ratios and accurate elemental concentrations of Sm-Nd. However, in previous studies, purified Sm and Nd fractions must be individually loaded onto different filaments for their accurate determination using TIMS because of severe isobaric interferences. Thus, the classical ID-TIMS technique is time consuming and laborious.

Rapid and precise determination of Sr and Nd isotopic ratios in geological samples from the same filament loading by thermal ionization mass spectrometry employing a single-step separation scheme.

Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) offers the excellent precision and accuracy of the Sr and Nd isotopic ratio analysis for geological samples, but this method is labour intensive, expensive and time-consuming. In this study, a new analytical protocol by TIMS is presented that aims at improving analytical efficiency and cutting down experimental cost. Using the single-step cation exchange resin technique, mixed Sr and rare earth elements (REEs) fractions were separated from matrix and evaporated to dryness.

An evaluation of a single-step extraction chromatography separation method for Sm-Nd isotope analysis of micro-samples of silicate rocks by high-sensitivity thermal ionization mass spectrometry.

A single-step separation scheme is presented for Sm-Nd radiogenic isotope system on very small samples (1-3 mg) of silicate rock. This method is based on Eichrom(®) LN Spec chromatographic material and affords a straightforward separation of Sm-Nd from complex matrix with good purity and satisfactory blank levels, suitable for thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). This technique, characterized by high efficiency (single-step Sm-Nd separation) and high sensitivity (TIMS on NdO(+) ion beam), is able to process rapidly (3-4 h), with low procedure blanks (<10 pg) and very small sample (1-3 mg).

[The lethiferous journey of a bacterium--the research progress of secretion systems and effectors in Legionella pneumophila].

Legionella pneumophila is the intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes severe Legionnaires' disease and flu-like Pontiac fever. To accomplish successful aggression against hosts, L. pneumophila secrets more than 150 kinds of substrate effector proteins into host cells via its Type IVB secretion system.

Arsenic trioxide up-regulates Fas expression in human osteosarcoma cells.

Background: Osteosarcoma is a common primary malignant tumor of bone with a poor prognosis due to its propensity for metastasis. The prognosis of patients is highly dependent on the presence or absence of lung metastasis and on the effectiveness of treatment against it. It has been reported that low level expression of Fas protein in human osteosarcoma cell is closely associated with lung metastasis.

The ClpP protease homologue is required for the transmission traits and cell division of the pathogen Legionella pneumophila.

Background: Legionella pneumophila, the intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes Legionnaires' disease, exhibit characteristic transmission traits such as elevated stress tolerance, shortened length and virulence during the transition from the replication phase to the transmission phase. ClpP, the catalytic core of the Clp proteolytic complex, is widely involved in many cellular processes via the regulation of intracellular protein quality.

Results: In this study, we showed that ClpP was required for optimal growth of L.