Small Ring Molecules Comprising 3-6 Boron Atoms: An Account on Synthesis, Structure, and Orbital Engineering.

ConspectusUnlike carbon, boron does not usually form ring compounds due to its electron-deficiency-driven affinity toward polyhedral geometries. The polyhedral boranes having -, -, -, or -shapes can be structurally and electronically correlated using various electron counting rules developed by Wade, Mingos, and one of us. However, in the last few decades, boron chemistry progressed significantly toward ring systems.

Taxonomy of (Caryophyllaceae) - overall phylogenetic relationships and assessment of species diversity based on a first comprehensive checklist of the genus.

In this study, we present an overall phylogenetic framework for using four plastid regions (--, -, -) and nuclear ITS and a species-level checklist for the genus developed by using all available databases and the literature. The trees from the plastid dataset depict a clade of that also includes and a few taxa of . New combinations in are provided for these species.

Healthcare Worker Attendance During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Analysis of Daily Fingerprint-Verified Data from All Public-Sector Secondary and Tertiary Care Facilities in Bangladesh.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed hospitals in several areas in high-income countries. An effective response to this pandemic requires healthcare workers (HCWs) to be present at work, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where they are already in critically low supply. To inform whether and to what degree policymakers in Bangladesh, and LMICs more broadly, should expect a drop in HCW attendance as COVID-19 continues to spread, this study aims to determine how HCW attendance has changed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Effect of Precursor Stoichiometry on the Performance and Stability of MAPbBr Photovoltaic Devices.

The wide-bandgap methylammonium lead bromide perovskite is promising for applications in tandem solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Despite its utility, there is a limited understanding of its reproducibility and stability. Herein, the dependence of the properties, performance, and shelf storage of thin films and devices on minute changes to the precursor solution stoichiometry is examined in detail.

Effect of pH on the toxicity of fumonisins towards the RTL-W1 cell line and zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

Fumonisins are common contaminants of maize. The neutral red assay, using the RTL-W1 trout liver cell line, and the fish embryo test (FET), using zebrafish, were selected to assess the effect of pH on the cytotoxicity, acute toxicity and teratogenicity of fumonisin B (FB). The results demonstrated that FB exerts low cytotoxicity towards RTL-W1 cells without pH adjustment (IC 1 746 μM), and no cytotoxicity after pH-adjustment to physiological conditions.

Independent Control over Multiple Cell Types in Space and Time Using Orthogonal Blue and Red Light Switchable Cell Interactions.

Independent control over multiple cell-material interactions with high spatiotemporal resolution is a key for many biomedical applications and understanding cell biology, as different cell types can perform different tasks in a multicellular context. In this study, the binding of two different cell types to materials is orthogonally controlled with blue and red light providing independent regulation in space and time. Cells expressing the photoswitchable protein cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) on cell surface bind to N-truncated CRY-interacting basic helix-loop-helix protein 1 (CIBN)-immobilized substrates under blue light and cells expressing the photoswitchable protein phytochrome B (PhyB ) on cell surface bind to phytochrome interaction factor 6 (PIF6)-immobilized substrates under red light, respectively.

Modulation of ABC Transporters by Nuclear Receptors: Physiological, Pathological and Pharmacological Aspects.

ABC transporters are membrane proteins mediating the efflux of endo- and xenobiotics. Transporter expression is not static but instead is subject to a dynamic modulation aiming at responding to changes in the internal environment and thus at maintaining homeostatic conditions. Nuclear receptors are ligand modulated transcription factors that get activated upon changes in the intracellular concentrations of the respective agonists and bind to response elements within the promoter of ABC transporters, thus modulating their expression and, consequently, their activity.

Incongruent range dynamics between co-occurring Asian temperate tree species facilitated by life history traits.

Postglacial expansion to former range limits varies substantially among species of temperate deciduous forests in eastern Asia. Isolation hypotheses (with or without gene flow) have been proposed to explain this variance, but they ignore detailed population dynamics spanning geological time and neglect the role of life history traits. Using population genetics to uncover these dynamics across their Asian range, we infer processes that formed the disjunct distributions of Ginkgo biloba and the co-occurring Cercidiphyllum japonicum (published data).

A deadly organometallic luminescent probe: anticancer activity of a ReI bisquinoline complex.

The photophysical properties of [Re(CO)3 (L-N3)]Br (L-N3 =2-azido-N,N-bis[(quinolin-2-yl)methyl]ethanamine), which could not be localized in cancer cells by fluorescence microscopy, have been revisited in order to evaluate its use as a luminescent probe in a biological environment. The Re(I) complex displays concentration-dependent residual fluorescence besides the expected phosphorescence, and the nature of the emitting excited states have been evaluated by DFT and time-dependent (TD) DFT methods. The results show that fluorescence occurs from a (1) LC/MLCT state, whereas phosphorescence mainly stems from a (3) LC state, in contrast to previous assignments.

Investigating the association between influenza vaccination and reduced stroke risk.

Acute infections, mainly of the respiratory tract, have consistently been demonstrated to considerably increase the risk of stroke. At present, prospective interventional trials are lacking and there is no proof of the effectiveness of any therapeutic anti-infective strategy in stroke prevention. However, some new evidence from observational studies lends support to the idea that influenza vaccination may contribute importantly to fighting stroke.

Identification of single-point mutations in mycobacterial 16S rRNA sequences by confocal single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy.

We demonstrate the specific identification of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) responsible for rifampicin resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis applying fluorescently labeled DNA-hairpin structures (smart probes) in combination with single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. Smart probes are singly labeled hairpin-shaped oligonucleotides bearing a fluorescent dye at the 5' end that is quenched by guanosine residues in the complementary stem. Upon hybridization to target sequences, a conformational change occurs, reflected in a strong increase in fluorescence intensity.

MedRapid--medical community & business intelligence system.

Objective: currently, it takes at least 6 months for researchers to communicate their results. This delay is caused (a) by partial lacks of machine support for both representation as well as communication and (b) by media breaks during the communication process.

Methods: To make an integrated communication between researchers and practitioners possible, a general structure for medical content representation has been set up.

Sense or no-sense of the sum parameter for water soluble "adsorbable organic halogens" (AOX) and "absorbed organic halogens" (AOX-S18) for the assessment of organohalogens in sludges and sediments.

"AOX" is the abbreviation of the sum parameter for water soluble "adsorbable organic halogens" in which 'A' stands for adsorbable, 'O' for organic and 'X' for the halogens chlorine, bromine and iodine. After the introduction of the AOX in 1976, this parameter has been correctly used for "real" AOX constituents (DDT and its metabolites, PCBs, etc.) but also misused for non-adsorbable adsorbed OX-compounds, mostly high molecular organohalogens in plants and even to inorganic compounds being neither organic nor adsorbable.

Synthesis, Characterization and Solution Chemistry of trans-Indazoliumtetrachlorobis(Indazole)Ruthenate(III), a New Anticancer Ruthenium Complex. IR, UV, NMR, HPLC Investigations and Antitumor Activity. Crystal Structures of trans-1-Methyl-Indazoliumtetrachlorobis-(1-Methylindazole)Ruthenate(III) and its Hydrolysis Product trans-Monoaquatrichlorobis-(1-Methylindazole)-Ruthenate(III).

Besides intensive studies into the synthesis of the complex trans-Hlnd[RuCl(4)(ind)(2)] (Ind = indazole) 1, which differs remarkably from the usual method for the complexes of the HL[RuCl(4)L(2)] - type, competitive products and hydrolysis of this species are described. Stability and pseudo-first-order rate constant under physiological conditions of complex 1 in comparison with the analogous imidazole complex trans-Hlm[RuCl(4)im(2)] (Im = imidaZole) ICR were examined by means of HPLC, UV and conductivity measurements (K(obs.)(1) = 1.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator enhances invasion of human T cells (Jurkat) into a fibrin matrix.

The receptor for urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA-R) localizes uPA to the cell surface. The receptor-bound uPA converts plasminogen to the trypsin-like endopeptidase plasmin. Thus uPA is involved in the initiation of pericellular proteolysis.

Protein-binding Properties of two Antitumour Ru(III) Complexes to Human Apotransferrin and Apolactoferrin.

The interaction of two ruthenium(III) complexes exhibiting high anticancer activity - namely trans-Indazolium(bisindazole) tetrachlororuthenate(III), Hlnd[RuInd(2)Cl(4)], and trans-Imidazolium (bisimidazole) tetrachlororuthenate(III), Hlm[RuIm(2)Cl(4)], - with human serum apotransferrin has been investigated through spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques with the ultimate goal of preparing adducts with good selectivity for cancer cells due to the fact that tumour cells express high amounts of transferrin receptors on their cell surface. Whereas the binding of Hlm[RuIm(2)Cl(4)] to human serum apotransferrin takes several hours, Hlnd[RuInd(2)Cl(4)], the less toxic complex, gives rise to a well defined 2:1 complex within a few minutes. Hlnd[RuInd(2)Cl(4)] will react with apotransferrin only in the presence of bicarbonate, this anion dictating the kinetic and mechanistic characteristics of protein-binding.