ACTH-like Peptides Compensate Rat Brain Gene Expression Profile Disrupted by Ischemia a Day After Experimental Stroke.

Ischemic stroke results from a disruption of cerebral blood flow. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) serves as the basis for the creation of synthetic peptides as neuroprotective agents for stroke therapy. Previously, using RNA-Seq we first revealed differential expressed genes (DEGs) associated with ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) and ACTH(6-9)PGP peptides under cerebral ischemia conditions.

Grapefruit-Derived Vesicles Loaded with Recombinant HSP70 Activate Antitumor Immunity in Colon Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo.

Stress protein HSP70 administered exogenously has demonstrated high potential as an efficient adjuvant in antitumor immune response. To enhance the antigen-presenting activity, bioavailability, and stability of exogenous recombinant human HSP70, we propose incorporating it into plant extracellular vesicles. Earlier, we found that grapefruit-derived extracellular vesicles (GEV) were able to store the protein with no loss of its major function, chaperone activity.

Anaeroselena agilis gen. nov., sp. nov., a Novel Sulfite- and Arsenate-Respiring Bacterium Within the Family Acetonemataceae Isolated from a Thermal Spring of North Ossetia.

A novel Gram-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated 4137-cl, was isolated from a thermal spring of North Ossetia (Russian Federation). Strain 4137-cl grew at 30-50 °C (optimum 42 °C) with 0-3.5% NaCl (optimum 0-0.

Design and commissioning of the PRIOR-II "proton microscope for FAIR".

A new high energy proton radiography facility PRIOR-II (Proton Microscope for FAIR) has been designed, constructed, and successfully commissioned at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Darmstadt, Germany) pushing the technical boundaries of charged particle radiography with normal conducting magnets to the limits. The setup is foreseen to become a new and powerful user facility for carrying out fundamental science experiments in the fields of plasma and shock wave physics, material science, and medical physics. It will help address several unsolved scientific challenges, which require high-speed and precise non-invasive diagnostic methods capable of probing matter with up to 100 g/cm2 areal density.

Near-atomic cryo-EM structure of the light-harvesting complex LH2 from the sulfur purple bacterium Ectothiorhodospira haloalkaliphila.

Bacteria with the simplest system for solar energy absorption and conversion use various types of light-harvesting complexes for these purposes. Light-harvesting complex 2 (LH2), an important component of the bacterial photosynthetic apparatus, has been structurally well characterized among purple non-sulfur bacteria. In contrast, so far only one high-resolution LH2 structure from sulfur bacteria is known.

Diverse Cyclization Pathways Between Nitriles with Active -Methylene Group and Ambiphilic 2-Pyridylselenyl Reagents Enabled by Reversible Covalent Bonding.

Herein, we describe a novel coupling between ambiphilic 2-pyridylselenyl reagents and nitriles featuring an active α-methylene group. Depending on the solvent employed, this reaction can yield two distinct types of cationic pyridinium-fused selenium-containing heterocycles, 1,3-selenazolium or 1,2,4-selenadiazolium salts, in high yields. This is in contrast to what we observed before for other nitriles.

Visualizing kinetics of diffusional penetration in tissues using OCT-based strain imaging.

We report a new application of the recently developed technique, Optical Coherence Elastography (OCE) to quantitatively visualize kinetics of osmotic strains due to diffusive penetration of various osmotically active solutions into biological tissues. The magnitude of osmotic strains may range from fractions of one per cent to tens per cent. The visualized spatio-tempotal dynamics of the strains reflect the rates of osmotic dehydration and diffusional penetration of the active solute, which can be controlled by concentration of the solution components.

Combination of Phenylsilsesquioxane and Acetate Ligands as an Approach to a Record High Nuclear CuNa-Cage. Synthesis, Unique Structure, and Catalytic Activity.

Self-assembly synthesis of mixed-ligand (silsesquioxane/acetate) complex allows to isolate record high nuclear copper(II) Cu-cage (1). In the presence of two additional sodium ions, a unique molecular architecture, with triple combination of ligands (cyclic and acyclic silsesquioxanes as well as acetates), has been formed. The structure was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction based on the use of synchrotron radiation.

Highly Porous Scandium(III) Tetrafluoroisophthalate Framework for Adsorptive Separation of Light Alkanes.

The separation of light alkanes is one of the most important tasks for modern industry due to the widespread use of ethane and propane as chemical feedstocks. Their extraction from natural gas is a challenging task and is now carried out by cryogenic distillation at a limited number of plants around the world. The development of new materials for adsorption separation is therefore important.

Monolayer Magnetic Metal with Scalable Conductivity.

2D magnets have emerged as a class of materials highly promising for studies of quantum phenomena and applications in ultra-compact spintronics. Current research aims at design of 2D magnets with particular functional properties. A formidable challenge is to produce metallic monolayers: the material landscape of layered magnetic systems is strongly dominated by insulators; rare metallic magnets, such as FeGeTe, become insulating as they approach the monolayer limit.

Co-culture of postnatal mouse spinal cord and skeletal muscle explants as an experimental model of neuromuscular interactions.

The intercommunication between nerves and muscles plays an important role in the functioning of our body, and its failure leads to severe neuromuscular disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying nerve-muscle interactions and mediating their mutual influence is an integral part of strategies aimed at curing neuromuscular diseases. Here, we propose a novel ex vivo experimental model for the spinal cord (SC) and skeletal muscle interactions which for the first time utilizes only fully formed (but not yet quite functional) postnatal tissues.

An octanuclear 3-phenyl-5-(2-pyridyl)pyrazolate/phenylsilsesquioxane complex: synthesis, unique structure, and catalytic activity.

The first metallasilsesquioxane bearing pyrazolylpyridine ligands, the Cu-based complex 1, adopts a cage-like structure with two zigzag-type copper tetramers sandwiched by two cyclic Si silsesquioxane ligands. The four 3-phenyl-5-(2-pyridyl)pyrazolate ligands in 1 exhibit dual (chelating and bridging) modes of ligation. Compound 1 is very active in the oxidation of alkanes and alcohols.

Magnetic polarons reach a hundred thousand Bohr magnetons.

The ability of light to manipulate fundamental interactions in a medium is central to research in optomagnetism and applications in electronics. A prospective approach is to create composite quasiparticles, magnetic polarons, highly susceptible to external stimuli. To control magnetic and transport properties by weak magnetic and electric fields, it is important to find materials that support photoinduced magnetic polarons with colossal net magnetic moments.

Unexpected nanoscale CeO structural transformations induced by ecologically relevant phosphate species.

In the present study, the dissolution and microstructural transformation of CeO nanoparticles (NPs) in a phosphate-containing milieu were investigated. The dissolution behaviour of 2 nm and 5 nm CeO NPs in phosphate buffer solutions was found to differ markedly from that observed in 0.01 M NaClO.

Advances of the Holographic Technique to Test the Basic Properties of the Thin-Film Organics: Refractivity Change and Novel Mechanism of the Nonlinear Attenuation Prediction.

A large number of the thin-film organic structures (polyimides, 2-cyclooctylarnino-5-nitropyridine, N-(4-nitrophenyl)-(L)-prolinol, 2-(n-Prolinol)-5-nitropyridine) sensitized with the different types of the nano-objects (fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, shungites, reduced graphene oxides) are presented, which are studied using the holographic technique under the Raman-Nath diffraction conditions. Pulsed laser irradiation testing of these materials predicts a dramatic increase of the laser-induced refractive index, which is in several orders of the magnitude greater compared to pure materials. The estimated nonlinear refraction coefficients and the cubic nonlinearities for the materials studied are close to or larger than those known for volumetric inorganic crystals.

Chloroplast Genome Variation and Phylogenetic Relationships of Autochthonous Varieties of from the Don Valley.

The autochthonous grape varieties of the Don Valley, situated in southern Russia, constitute a distinctive element of regional cultural heritage. These varieties have been adapted over centuries to the region's specific local climatic and soil conditions. For the most part, these varieties are not imported from other countries.

Rational (supra)molecular design and catalytic activity of cage-like Cu-based phenylsilsesquioxanes.

An extended (, 19 distinct species) family of cage-like Cu-phenylsilsesquioxanes allowed us to accentuate the general regularities behind their structural organization. Influencing factors, namely the (i) size of external alkali metal ions (from Li to Cs) and (ii) nature of bridging linkers (including the smallest possible ones, like a water molecule) on the self-assembly/supramolecular assembly of such Cu-building blocks have been thoroughly explored. A CuK-based complex has been evaluated as a precatalyst in the oxidation of alkanes (cyclohexane, -heptane, methylcyclohexane) and alcohols.

[Immunological and neuroanatomic markers of the clinical dynamics of MCI and pre-MCI].

Objective: To study the relationship of the parameters of immunity and systemic inflammation with the structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and pre-MCI undergoing neurocognitive rehabilitation to search for candidate markers of its effectiveness.

Material And Methods: The main group included 49 patients, aged ≥60 years, with MCI and pre-MCI with memory impairment, who underwent a course of neurorehabilitation for 5 weeks. The control group included 19 volunteers of similar age with a total MoCA score of ≥25, who did not have cognitive impairment and immuno-inflammatory disorders.

Uncovering chemical homology of superheavy elements: a close look at astatine.

The fascination with superheavy elements (SHE) spans the nuclear physics, astrophysics, and theoretical chemistry communities. Extreme relativistic effects govern these elements' chemistry and challenge the traditional notion of the periodic law. The experimental quest for SHE critically depends on theoretical predictions of these elements' properties, especially chemical homology, which allows for successful prototypical experiments with more readily available lighter homologues of SHE.

Boron Nanoparticle-Enhanced Proton Therapy: Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Cell Sensitization.

Boron-enhanced proton therapy has recently appeared as a promising approach to increase the efficiency of proton therapy on tumor cells, and this modality can further be improved by the use of boron nanoparticles (B NPs) as local sensitizers to achieve enhanced and targeted therapeutic outcomes. However, the mechanisms of tumor cell elimination under boron-enhanced proton therapy still require clarification. Here, we explore possible molecular mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of therapeutic outcomes under boron NP-enhanced proton therapy.

Influence of the Structure of Hydrothermal-Synthesized TiO Nanowires Formed by Annealing on the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO in HO Vapor.

The present study investigates the photocatalytic properties of hydrothermally synthesized TiO nanowires (NWs) for CO reduction in HO vapor. It has been demonstrated that TiO NWs, thermally treated at 500-700 °C, demonstrate an almost tenfold higher yield of products compared to the known commercial powder TiO P25. It has been found that the best material is a combination of anatase, TiO-B and rutile.

Orientational and crystallographic relationships in thin films of yttrium orthoferrite on sapphire substrates.

An algorithm is proposed for determining the orientational relationships and crystal unit-cell parameters of thin films using a laboratory X-ray diffractometer and stereographic projections. It is illustrated by the treatment of experimental data obtained for yttrium orthoferrite YFeO films on single crystalline sapphire (AlO) substrates for film thicknesses in the range from 100 to 7000 Å. Precise determination of unit-cell constants and angles is possible by combining the results of X-ray measurements made in the in-plane and out-of-plane geometries.

Formation of the icosahedral C fullerene migration of single sp atoms and annihilation of sp-atom pairs.

The disappearance of sp structural defects during abundant fullerene isomer formation is considered within the framework of the atomistic mechanism with participation of carbon atoms with sp hybridization. The study is carried out using the example of the icosahedral C- fullerene formation from the appropriate C- fullerene with a 7-ring. In this case the studied atomistic mechanism includes the following stages: (1) insertion of single carbon atoms into the fullerene from carbon vapor as an sp-atom instead of or above a bond, (2) directional migration of the sp-atom positions towards the 7-ring with decrease of energy, and (3) meeting of two sp atoms near the 7-ring with annihilation of the sp-atom pair and formation of the sp structure of the C- fullerene.