Acid and Base Resistant Zirconium Polyphenolate-Metalloporphyrin Scaffolds for Efficient CO Photoreduction.

A series of zirconium polyphenolate-decorated-(metallo)porphyrin metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), ZrPP-n (n = 1, 2), featuring infinite Zr -oxo chains linked via polyphenolate groups on four peripheries of eclipse-arranged porphyrin macrocycles, are successfully constructed through a top-down process from simulation to synthesis. These are the unusual examples of Zr-MOFs (or MOFs in general) based on phenolic porphyrins, instead of commonly known carboxylate-based types. Representative ZrPP-1 not only exhibits strong acid resistance (pH = 1, HCl) but also remains intact even when immersed in saturated NaOH solution (≈20 m), an exceptionally large range of pH resistance among MOFs.

Moderate exercise based on artificial gravity preserves orthostatic tolerance and exercise capacity during short-term head-down bed rest.

Numerous countermeasures have been proposed to minimize microgravity-induced physical deconditioning, but their benefits are limited. The present study aimed to investigate whether personalized aerobic exercise based on artificial gravity (AG) mitigates multisystem physical deconditioning. Fourteen men were assigned to the control group (n=6) and the countermeasure group (CM, n=8).

Epitaxial Growth of Oriented Metalloporphyrin Network Thin Film for Improved Selectivity of Volatile Organic Compounds.

This study reports an oriented and homogenous cobalt-metalloporphyrin network (PIZA-1) thin film prepared by liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) method. The thickness of the obtained thin films can be well controlled, and their photocurrent properties can also be tuned by LPE cycles or the introduction of conductive guest molecules (tetracyanoquinodimethane and C ) into the PIZA-1 pores. The study of quartz crystal microbalance adsorption confirms that the PIZA-1 thin film with [110]-orientation presents much higher selectivity of benzene over toluene and p-xylene than that of the PIZA-1 powder with mixed orientations.

[Research on Resistant Starch Content of Rice Grain Based on NIR Spectroscopy Model].

A new method based on near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis was explored to determine the content of rice-resistant starch instead of common chemical method which took long time was high-cost. First of all, we collected 62 spectral data which have big differences in terms of resistant starch content of rice, and then the spectral data and detected chemical values are imported chemometrics software. After that a near-infrared spectroscopy calibration model for rice-resistant starch content was constructed with partial least squares (PLS) method.

Understanding the structural transformation, stability of medium-sized neutral and charged silicon clusters.

The structural and electronic properties for the global minimum structures of medium-sized neutral, anionic and cationic Sin(μ) (n = 20-30, μ = 0, -1 and +1) clusters have been studied using an unbiased CALYPSO structure searching method in conjunction with first-principles calculations. A large number of low-lying isomers are optimized at the B3PW91/6-311 + G* level of theory. Harmonic vibrational analysis has been performed to assure that the optimized geometries are stable.

[Expressions of aquaporins decrease in the prostate and seminal vesicles of castrated rats].

Objective: To investigate the levels of secretions from the prostate and seminal vesicles and their association with the expressions of aquaporins (AQP) in the prostatic tissue and seminal vesicles of castrated rats.

Methods: We randomly divided 18 eight-week-old male SD rats into a control, a castration, and a testosterone (T) replacement group. Four weeks after surgical castration, we detected the plasma T level and measured the volumes of the secretions and the expressions of AQPs 3, 7, and 10 - 12 in the prostate and seminal vesicles of the rats.

The evidence for the contribution of the autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene in heroin dependence susceptibility.

The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs6943555 in autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) has been reported to be significantly associated with alcohol consumption in Europeans. In this study, we identified the SNP in AUTS2 contributing to the genetic susceptibility to heroin dependence. The potential association between heroin dependence and 21 SNPs (rs2270162, rs2851510, rs513150, rs595681, rs210606, rs10237984, rs13228123, rs10235781, rs6969375, rs6943555, rs10251416, rs17141963, rs12669427, rs723340, rs2293507, rs2293508, rs6960426, rs9886351, rs2293501, rs10277450, rs1918425) of AUTS2 was examined in a Chinese Han population using the MassARRAY system.

Cerebral vasomotor reactivity: steady-state versus transient changes in carbon dioxide tension.

Cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) to changes in arterial carbon dioxide tension (P aCO 2) is assessed during steady-state or transient changes in P aCO 2. This study tested the following two hypotheses: (i) that CVMR during steady-state changes differs from that during transient changes in P aCO 2; and (ii) that CVMR during rebreathing-induced hypercapnia would be blunted when preceded by a period of hyperventilation. For each hypothesis, end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (P ET , CO 2) middle cerebral artery blood velocity (CBFV), cerebrovascular conductance index (CVCI; CBFV/mean arterial pressure) and CVMR (slope of the linear regression between changes in CBFV and CVCI versus P ET , CO 2) were assessed in eight individuals.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 is associated with heroin dependence but not depression or schizophrenia in a Chinese population.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 3 (mGluR3, encoded by GRM3) plays important roles in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, depression, and drug dependence. GRM3 polymorphisms were reported to be associated with prefrontal activity, cognitive shifting, and memory capability in healthy subjects, as well as susceptibility to schizophrenia and depression. The goal of this study was to replicate the association of GRM3 with schizophrenia and depression and to explore GRM3's potential association with heroin dependence (HD) in a Chinese population.

Cerebral autoregulation of blood velocity and volumetric flow during steady-state changes in arterial pressure.

The validity of using transcranial Doppler measurement of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) to assess cerebral autoregulation (CA) still is a concern. This study measured CBFV in the middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler and volumetric cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the internal carotid artery (ICA) using color-coded duplex ultrasonography to assess CA during steady-state changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP). Twenty-one healthy adults participated.

Global brain hypoperfusion and oxygenation in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Background: To determine if global brain hypoperfusion and oxygen hypometabolism occur in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Methods: Thirty-two aMCI and 21 normal subjects participated. Total cerebral blood flow (TCBF), cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2), and brain tissue volume were measured using color-coded duplex ultrasonography (CDUS), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and MRI.

Cerebral vasomotor reactivity during hypo- and hypercapnia in sedentary elderly and Masters athletes.

Physical activity may influence cerebrovascular function. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of life-long aerobic exercise training on cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVMR) to changes in end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) in older adults. Eleven sedentary young (SY, 27±5 years), 10 sedentary elderly (SE, 72±4 years), and 11 Masters athletes (MA, 72±6 years) underwent the measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), arterial blood pressure, and EtCO2 during hypocapnic hyperventilation and hypercapnic rebreathing.

An association study between dopamine D1 receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia.

Deficits in dopamine transmission at D1 receptors in the PFC are implicated in schizophrenia. Genetic polymorphisms in functional regions of DRD1 have a plausible role in modulating the risk of schizophrenia. In order to evaluate the role of DRD1 polymorphisms as a risk factor for schizophrenia, we performed a detailed analysis of possible functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in regulatory and coding regions of DRD1.

[Association of the polymorphisms in the promoter region of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 genes with schizophrenia].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the -308G/A, -857C/T and -1031T/C of tumor necrosis factor alpha gene (TNF- alpha), -174G/C and -572C/G of interleukin-6 gene (IL-6) polymorphisms and schizophrenia.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from the venous blood leukocytes of 346 unrelated patients with schizophrenia and 323 healthy unrelated individuals (control group). All of the polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP).

Artificial gravity with ergometric exercise can prevent enhancement of popliteal vein compliance due to 4-day head-down bed rest.

Changes of venous compliance may contribute in part to postflight orthostatic intolerance. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether intermittent artificial gravity exposure with ergometric exercise could prevent venous compliance changes in the lower limbs due to simulated weightlessness. Twelve healthy male volunteers were exposed to simulated microgravity for 4 days of head-down bed rest (HDBR).

Differential diagnosis between pre- and postganglionic adult traumatic brachial plexus lesions by ultrasonography.

The goal of this study was to prospectively investigate the feasibility of preoperative ultrasonography evaluation in the differentiation between pre- and postganglionic traumatic brachial plexus lesions. Two expert radiologists employed ultrasonography to observe the morphology of the brachial plexus in 23 patients with suspected traumatic brachial plexus lesions and 40 healthy volunteers. The detection rate was 100% (126/126) for the C5 through C7 nerve roots and upper and middle trunks and three fascicles, 84% (106/126) for the C8 roots and the lower trunks and 64% (81/126) for T1 roots in all subjects.

Increases in cerebrovascular impedance in older adults.

This study explored a novel method for measuring cerebrovascular impedance to quantify the relationship between pulsatile changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial pressure. Arterial pressure in the internal or common carotid artery (applanation tonometry), CBF velocity in the middle cerebral artery (transcranial Doppler), and end-tidal CO(2) (capnography) were measured in six young (28 ± 4 yr) and nine elderly subjects (70 ± 6 yr). Transfer function method was used to estimate cerebrovascular impedance.

Effects of distal protection on left ventricular function in acute anterior myocardial infarction: a Doppler echocardiographic study.

Whether distal protection devices (DPDs) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can improve myocardial function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still under debate. Using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), we evaluate the global and regional left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in patients with anterior AMI using DPDs compared with conventional PCI. Ninety-six patients with anterior AMI were randomly assigned to either PCI with DPDs (DPD, n = 46) or traditional PCI (control, n = 50) groups.

[Prognostic value of ventricular longitudinal systolic velocities and maximal oxygen consumption in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].

Objective: To compare the prognostic value of regional longitudinal ventricular systolic velocities with that of maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: VO(2max) derived from cardiopulmonary exercise tests and regional longitudinal ventricular systolic velocities obtained from tissue Doppler imaging were compared in 18 DCM patients with cardiac events (death, cardiac transplantation, hospitalization, group A) and 24 patients without cardiac events (group B). Peak velocities during isovolumic contraction (is) and ejection (ez) were interrogated at the mitral or tricuspid annulus (site 1), at the mid parts of the walls (site 3, at the level of papillary muscle), and at the midpoints (site 2) between sites 1 and 3 of interventricular septum (S), lateral wall of LV (L) and of RV (R) in apical 4 chambers view.

[Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of HL-60 cell proliferation by survivin antisense oligonucleotide].

Objective: To investigate the effects of survivin antisense oligonucleotide (ODN) on cell proliferation and apoptosis of HL-60 cells.

Methods: Synthetic ODN was completely phosphorothioate-modified. Cationic lipid-mediated antisense ODN was transferred into HL-60 cells.