A theoretical study on the effect of C60 particles on the growth of coronene radical based on HACA pathway.

Soot is a pollutant caused by combustion and is harmful to the environment and human health. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered the precursors of soot, thus exploring the growth mechanism of PAHs is conducive to reducing soot release. The mechanism by which a pentagonal carbon ring triggers the formation of curved PAHs has been demonstrated but studies on subsequent growth of soot are rare due to the lack of a suitable model. Buckminsterfullerene (C60), as one of the products from incomplete combustion under specific conditions, is similar in structure to soot particles with a surface that can be treated as curved PAH. Coronene (C24H12) is a typical seven-membered fused-ring PAH. In this study, C60 was employed as a substitute for soot particles to investigate its effect on coronene growth reaction based on the hydrogen-abstraction/acetylene-addition (HACA) mechanism. Density functional theory (DFT) at the M062X/6-31G(d,p) level was adopted to investigate the potential energy surfaces (PESs) for these reactions. The high-pressure limiting rate constants for the relevant reactions were obtained based on transition state theory. The calculated results indicate that C60 is easily hydrogenated, providing new pathways for coronene growth. Soot particles have a certain effect on the growth of PAHs. This study provides favorable support for further understanding the effect of soot on the growth pathway of PAHs.

CDKN2B gene rs1063192 polymorphism decreases the risk of glaucoma.

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between cyclin-dependent kinase Inhibitor-2B (CDKN2B) gene rs1063192 polymorphism and glaucoma risk. We searched the databases of PubMed, and Embase. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by using fixed-effect or random-effect models. A total of 14 case-control studies involving 11,316 cases and 24,055 controls were included. Meta-analysis showed that CDKN2B gene rs1063192 polymorphism was associated with a decreased risk of glaucoma. Stratification analysis of ethnicity indicated that rs1063192 polymorphism decreased the risk of glaucoma among Caucasians and Asians. Stratification analysis by type of glaucoma revealed that rs1063192 polymorphism conferred a protective factor of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and non-POAG. Stratification by source of controls uncovered an association between rs1063192 polymorphism and glaucoma in groups of population-based controls. In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicates that CDKN2B gene rs1063192 polymorphism is significantly associated with a decreased risk of glaucoma.

Novel RPGR-ORF15 mutations in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa patients.

X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) is the most severe type of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), with patients consistently showing early onset and rapid deterioration. Obtaining a genetic diagnosis for a family with XLRP is important for counseling purposes. In this study, we aimed to identify disease-causing mutations in two unrelated XLRP families. Genetic analysis was performed on two unrelated XLRP families. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood or amniotic fluid samples. The coding regions and intron/exon boundaries of the Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) and RP2 genes were amplified by PCR and then sequenced directly. A clinically unaffected pregnant female and the four month old fetus were found to have a hemizygous 2 base pair deletion (g.ORF15+484_485delAA) in the exon ORF15 of RPGR gene. In another XLRP family, a nonsense mutation (g.ORF15+810G>T) was identified. Neither mutation has been reported previously. Both are predicted to cause premature termination of the protein. In conclusion, we identified a micro-deletion through prenatal genetic diagnosis and another novel nonsense mutation in RPGR-ORF15. Identifying a disease-causing mutation facilitated early diagnosis and genetic counseling for the patients. Discovery of novel mutations also broadens knowledge of XLRP and the spectrum of its pathogenic genotypes.