Ba4B14O25: A Deep Ultraviolet Transparent Nonlinear Optical Crystal with Strong Second Harmonic Generation Response Achieved by a Boron-Rich Closed-Loop Strategy.

Discovering new deep ultraviolet (DUV) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is the current research hotspot. However, how to perfectly integrate several stringent performances into a crystal is a great challenge because of the natural incompatibility among them, particularly wide band gap and large NLO coefficient. To tackle the challenge, a boron-rich closed-loop strategy is supposed, based on which a new barium borate, Ba4B14O25, is designed and synthesized successfully via the high-temperature solid-state melting method. It features a highly polymeric 3D geometry with the closed-loop anionic framework [B14O25]8- constructed by the fundamental building blocks [B14O33]24-. The high-density π-conjugated [BO3]3- groups and the fully closed-loop B-O-B connections make Ba4B14O25 possess excellent NLO properties, including short UV cutoff edge (<200 nm), large second harmonic generation response (3.0 × KDP) and phase-matching capability, being a promising DUV-transparent NLO candidate material. The work provides a creative design strategy for the exploration of DUV NLO crystals.

LUNCRW: Prediction of potential lncRNA-disease associations based on unbalanced neighborhood constraint random walk.

Accumulating evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with various complex human diseases. They can serve as disease biomarkers and hold considerable promise for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. The traditional random walk algorithms generally exclude the effect of non-neighboring nodes on random walking. In order to overcome the issue, the neighborhood constraint (NC) approach is proposed in this study for regulating the direction of the random walk by computing the effects of both neighboring nodes and non-neighboring nodes. Then the association matrix is updated by matrix multiplication for minimizing the effect of the false negative data. The heterogeneous lncRNA-disease network is finally analyzed using an unbalanced random walk method for predicting the potential lncRNA-disease associations. The LUNCRW model is therefore developed for predicting potential lncRNA-disease associations. The area under the curve (AUC) values of the LUNCRW model in leave-one-out cross-validation and five-fold cross-validation were 0.951 and 0.9486 ± 0.0011, respectively. Data from published case studies on three diseases, including squamous cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma, confirmed the predictive potential of the LUNCRW model. Altogether, the findings indicated that the performance of the LUNCRW method is superior to that of existing methods in predicting potential lncRNA-disease associations.

Ba6Zn6(B3O6)6(B6O12): Barium Zinc Borate Contains π-Conjugated [B3O6]3- Anions and [B6O12]6- Anion with Edge-Sharing BO4 Tetrahedra.

A novel barium zinc borate contains π-conjugated [B3O6]3- anions and [B6O12]6- anion with edge-sharing BO4 tetrahedra, Ba6Zn6(B3O6)6(B6O12), has been successfully synthesized via a high-temperature solution reaction. In its structure, the isolated planar π-conjugated B3O6 groups are interconnected by ZnO4 tetrahedra via corner sharing to construct a [Zn3(B3O6)3]3- single layer parallel to the ab plane with the large Zn3B6 9-member rings. Two adjacent [Zn3(B3O6)3]3- single layers are interconnected by [B6O12]6- anions into a two-dimensional [Zn6(B3O6)6(B6O12)]12- double layer with 1D tunnels of Zn4B8 12-member rings along the a-axis. Neighboring such double layers are packed in an A-B-A-B... fashion along the c axis, and the Ba2+ ions act as counterbalance cations filling in the voids of double layers. All of the planar π-conjugated [B3O6]3- groups in Ba6Zn6(B3O6)6(B6O12) are in approximately parallel arrangement, producing large optical anisotropy and birefringence. The UV-vis-NIR absorption spectrum manifests that the UV cutoff edge for the title compound is below 200 nm. Ba6Zn6(B3O6)6(B6O12) possesses the largest birefringence (0.115@1064 nm) among the zincoborates reported. Its thermal stability, infrared spectrum, and theoretical calculations were also performed.

NaBa3[M2B7O16(OH)2]F2 (M = Ge, Si): Two Synthetic F Analogues of Garrelsite with [B7O16(OH)2]13- Polyanions and Deep-Ultraviolet Cutoff Edges.

Two new borogermanate/borosilicate fluorides, namely, NaBa3[M2B7O16(OH)2]F2 (M = Ge, Si), have been successfully synthesized through a conventional mild hydrothermal method. They represent the first examples of mixed alkali and alkaline-earth borogermanate/borosilicate fluorides. NaBa3[M2B7O16(OH)2]F2 (M = Ge, Si) crystallize in the space group of C2/c, and their structures feature a unique 3D anionic framework composed of [B7O16(OH)2]13- polyanions corner-sharing with SiO4 or GeO4 tetrahedra, forming 1D 10-membered-ring tunnels along the b axis, which are filled by Na+, Ba2+, and F- ions. UV-vis-near-IR absorption spectra identify the title compounds possessing short deep-ultraviolet absorption edges (below 200 nm), while their birefringences were calculated to be 0.021 and 0.016 at 1064 nm, respectively. Optical property, thermal stability, and theoretical calculations have also been conducted on NaBa3[M2B7O16(OH)2]F2 (M = Ge, Si).

Bi2[B2(SeO3)6]: A Metal Boroselenite with a Unique Zero-Dimensional [B2(SeO3)6]6- Anionic Group and Large Birefringence.

Explorations of new types of borates are important because of their promising application in diverse fields. A new bismuth-containing boroselenite, Bi2[B2(SeO3)6], has been obtained through high-temperature solid-state reaction in a closed system. Bi2[B2(SeO3)6] possesses a zero-dimensional [B2(SeO3)6]6- anionic group that does not belong to any types of reported boroselenites. Besides, Bi2[B2(SeO3)6] is the first boroselenite with lone-pair electrons containing a metal ion as the countercation. More interestingly, on the basis of the first-principles calculations, this compound displays a large birefringence (0.090) at 1064 nm.

Compound Heterozygosity for an Unstable Novel Hemoglobin Variant, Hb Dongguan [α52(E1)Ser→Cys (TCT>TGT); HBA1: c.158C>G], and the - -SEA (Southeast Asian) α-Thalassemia Deletion.

Here we report a 67-year-old Chinese male carrying an unstable novel hemoglobin (Hb) variant in compound heterozygosity with the - -SEA (Southeast Asian) α-thalassemia (α-thal) deletion. Hemoglobin analysis by capillary electrophoresis (CE) revealed a rapid degradation feature of the variant. Sanger sequencing of the Hb gene revealed a novel homozygous mutation in exon 2 of the α1-globin gene [α52(E1)Ser→Cys (TCT>TGT); HBA1: c.158C>G]. We named this novel variant Hb Dongguan for the place of origin of the proband. Additionally, gap-polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR) indicated the presence of the heterozygous - -SEA α-thal deletion.

The Effect and Mechanism of Transdermal Penetration Enhancement of Fu's Cupping Therapy: New Physical Penetration Technology for Transdermal Administration with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: In this paper, a new type of physical penetration technology for transdermal administration with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) characteristics is presented. Fu's cupping therapy (FCT), was established and studied using in vitro and in vivo experiments and the penetration effect and mechanism of FCT physical penetration technology was preliminarily discussed. METHODS: With 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-ylacetic acid (indomethacin, IM) as a model drug, the establishment of high, medium, and low references was completed for the chemical permeation system via in vitro transdermal tests. Furthermore, using chemical penetration enhancers (CPEs) and iontophoresis as references, the percutaneous penetration effect of FCT for IM patches was evaluated using seven species of in vitro diffusion kinetics models and in vitro drug distribution; the IM quantitative analysis method in vivo was established using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technology (UPLC-MS/MS), and pharmacokinetic parameters: area under the zero and first moment curves from 0 to last time t (AUC0-t, AUMC0-t), area under the zero and first moment curves from 0 to infinity (AUC0-∞, AUMC0-∞), maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and mean residence time (MRT), were used as indicators to evaluate the percutaneous penetration effect of FCT in vivo. Additionally, we used the 3K factorial design to study the joint synergistic penetration effect on FCT and chemical penetration enhancers. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging, micro- and ultrastructural changes on the surface of the stratum corneum (SC) were observed to explore the FCT penetration mechanism. RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo skin permeation experiments revealed that both the total cumulative percutaneous amount and in vivo percutaneous absorption amount of IM using FCT were greater than the amount using CPEs and iontophoresis. Firstly, compared with the control group, the indomethacin skin percutaneous rate of the FCT low-intensity group (FCTL) was 35.52%, and the enhancement ratio (ER) at 9 h was 1.76X, roughly equivalent to the penetration enhancing effect of the CPEs and iontophoresis. Secondly, the indomethacin percutaneous ratio of the FCT middle-intensity group (FCTM) and FCT high-intensity group (FCTH) were 47.36% and 54.58%, respectively, while the ERs at 9 h were 3.58X and 8.39X, respectively. Thirdly, pharmacokinetic data showed that in vivo indomethacin percutaneous absorption of the FCT was much higher than that of the control, that of the FCTM was slightly higher than that of the CPE, and that of the FCTM group was significantly higher than all others. Meanwhile, variance analysis indicated that the combination of the FCT penetration enhancement method and the CPE method had beneficial effects in enhancing skin penetration: the significance level of the CPE method was 0.0004, which was lower than 0.001, meaning the difference was markedly significant; the significance level of the FCT was also below 0.0001 and its difference markedly significant. The significance level of factor interaction A × B was lower than 0.0001, indicating that the difference in synergism was markedly significant. Moreover, SEM and TEM images showed that the SC surfaces of Sprague-Dawley rats treated with FCT were damaged, and it was difficult to observe the complete surface structure, with SC pores growing larger and its special "brick structure" becoming looser. This indicated that the barrier function of the skin was broken, thus revealing a potentially major route of skin penetration. CONCLUSION: FCT, as a new form of transdermal penetration technology, has significant penetration effects with TCM characteristics and is of high clinical value. It is worth promoting its development.

Surface plasmon propelled high-performance CdSe nanoribbons photodetector.

In this work, we present a plasmonic photodetector (PPD) with high sensitivity to red light illumination. The ultrasensitive PPD was composed of high-crystalline CdSe nanoribbons (NRs) decorated with plasmonic hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNs) on the surface, which were capable of coupling the incident light due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Device analysis reveals that after modification of HGNs, both responsivity and detectivity were considerably improved. Further device performance analysis and theoretical simulation based on finite element method (FEM) find that the optimized performance is due to HGNs induced localized field enhancement and direct electron transfer.

Unexplained association between cystitis glandularis and interstitial cystitis in females: a retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: An increasing number of female patients have received comorbid diagnoses of cystitis glandularis (CG) and interstitial cystitis (IC) at our institution. In addition, most of these patients suffer from coexisting obstructive lower urinary tract diseases (OLUTDs). In this study, we aimed to present evidence of the possible association between CG and IC and analyze the clinical features of this association. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 395 female patients diagnosed with CG and/or IC. The patients were divided into three groups: group A (CG only), group B (IC only), and group C (CG+IC). Chi-squared tests were applied to compare the prevalence rates of CG in patients with IC and in the general population, the prevalence rates of IC in patients with CG and in the general population, and the prevalence rates of OLUTD in the three patient groups. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of IC in patients with CG was significantly higher than that in the general population, while the prevalence rate of CG in patients with IC was also significantly higher than that in the general population. For groups A, B, and C, 93 (39.2 %), 30 (44.1 %), and 58 (64.4 %) cases respectively presented with OLUTDs, and the prevalence rate of OLUTDs varied significantly among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study found a possible association between CG and IC, and coexisting OLUTDs influenced this association.

Notoginsenoside R1 activates the NAMPT-NAD+-SIRT1 cascade to promote postischemic angiogenesis by modulating Notch signaling.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) maintains mitochondrial function and protects against cerebral ischemic injury by improving energy metabolism. Notoginsenoside R1 (R1), a unique constituent of Panax notoginseng, has been shown to promote the proliferation and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Whether R1 has proangiogenesis on the activation of NAMPT in ischemic stroke remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacodynamic effect and mechanism of R1 on angiogenesis after ischemic stroke. We used male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R). R1 was administered via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection immediately after ischemia induction. The promotion of R1 on angiogenesis were detected by immunofluorescence staining, 3D stereoscopic imaging and transmission electron microscopy detection. HBMEC cells were pretreated with different concentrations of R1 for 12 h before oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) exposure. Afterward, scratch assay, EdU staining and tube formation were determined. Western blot analyses of proteins, including those involved in angiogenesis, NAMPT-SIRT1 cascade, VEGFR-2, and Notch signaling, were conducted. We showed that R1 significantly restored cerebral blood flow, improved mitochondrial energy metabolism and promoted angiogenesis. More importantly, incubation with 12.5-50 µM R1 significantly increased the migration, proliferation and tube formation of HBMECs in vitro. The promotion of R1 on angiogenesis were associated with the NAMPT-NAD+-SIRT1 cascade and Notch/VEGFR-2 signaling pathway, which was partially eliminated by inhibitors of NAMPT and SIRT1. We demonstrated that R1 promotes post-stroke angiogenesis via activating NAMPT-NAD+-SIRT1 cascade. The modulation of Notch signaling and VEGFR-2 contribute to the post-stroke angiogenesis. These findings offer insight for exploring new therapeutic strategies for neurorestoration via R1 treatment after ischemic stroke.

Role of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors in non-small cell lung cancer.

Conventionally, Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are known activators of Rho guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) that promote tumorigenesis. However, the role of Rho GEFs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains largely unknown. Through the screening of 81 Rho GEFs for their expression profiles and correlations with survival, four of them were identified with strong significance for predicting the prognosis of NSCLC patients. The four Rho GEFs, namely ABR, PREX1, DOCK2 and DOCK4, were downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared to normal tissues. The downregulation of ABR, PREX1, DOCK2 and DOCK4, which can be attributfed to promoter methylation, is correlated with poor prognosis. The underexpression of the four key Rho GEFs might be related to the upregulation of MYC signaling and DNA repair pathways, leading to carcinogenesis and poor prognosis. Moreover, overexpression of ABR was shown to have a tumor-suppressive effect in PC9 and H1703 cells. In conclusion, the data reveal the unprecedented role of ABR as tumor suppressor in NSCLC. The previously unnoticed functions of Rho GEFs in NSCLC will inspire researchers to investigate the distinct roles of Rho GEFs in cancers, in order to provide critical strategies in clinical practice.

Network Analyses of the Differential Expression of Heat Shock Proteins in Glioma.

Heat shock protein (HSP) is a family of highly conserved protein, which exists widely in various organisms and has a variety of important physiological functions. Currently, there is no systematic analysis of HSPs in human glioma. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of HSPs through constructing protein-protein interaction network (PPIN) considering the expression level of HSPs in glioma. After the identification of the differentially expressed HSPs in glioma tissues, a specific PPIN was constructed and found that there were many interactions between the differentially expressed HSPs in glioma. Subcellular localization analysis shows that HSPs and their interacting proteins distribute from the cell membrane to the nucleus in a multilayer structure. By functional enrichment analysis, gene ontology analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, the potential function of HSPs and two meaningful enrichment pathways was revealed. In addition, nine HSPs (DNAJA4, DNAJC6, DNAJC12, HSPA6, HSP90B1, DNAJB1, DNAJB6, DNAJC10, and SERPINH1) are prognostic markers for human brain glioma. These analyses provide a full view of HSPs about their expression, biological process, as well as clinical significance in glioma.

[Analysis of oxygen atmospheric band in dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure].

The emission spectra of pure oxygen in dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure were observed. Comparison between experimental and fitting spectra of oxygen A band (b 1Sigmag(+) --> X 3Sigmag(-)) (0, 0) was used to determine the gas temperature, and the electronic temperature was calculated from O I lines. The causation of oxygen A band in atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge was discussed by means of analysis of producing and quenching approaches. The result showed that the electronic temperature, (11,800+/-400) K, was much higher than the gas temperature, (650+/-20) K. The emission from a 1Deltag or A 3Sigmau(+) was not been observed, but atmospheric band with its resoluble rotational structure was measured.

Effects of nutrients on Microcystis growth more easily forming bloom.

Different nutrient media experimentally were N, P and Fe-limited conditions and a serial of diluted BG11 media. The cell change of morphology and life history, cell number, cell color and cell area of Microcystis were analyzed quantitatively. First, the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron depletion were distinctively different. Phosphorus and iron depletion caused more special division cells, slowly growth increasing, the easier change of bigger cell area. Second, the nitrogen and iron depletion could make the color of alga from green to brown. Finally, according to the resource competition and Monod equation, Microcystis kinetics of phosphorus and iron were also examined. K(s) and micro(max) of phosphorus absorption were 0.0352 micromol/L, 0.493 d(-1) respectively; iron absorption: 0.00323 micromol/L, 0.483 d(-1). In a word, some evidences of the Microcystis bloom dominance in certain nutrient conditions were indicated in the experiments. The dominances were determined as the reviving under the adverse circumstances through the special division, the various nitrogen resources, and the lower kinetics of phosphorus and iron than that of most of other algae. The conclusions provided the scientific basis for preventing and managing Microcystis bloom in freshwater.

The enhanced adsorption of dibenzothiophene onto cerium/nickel-exchanged zeolite Y.

The investigations for selective adsorption of dibenzothiophene (DBT) over Ce/Ni-loaded Y zeolites with the emphasis on the effect of Ce as a cocation in the Ni-loaded Y zeolite are carried out in an attempt to produce more effective adsorbents for the desulfurization from transportation fuels. The promotional effects of Ce and coexisting toluene in the model fuel as well as contact time and adsorbent dose on the adsorptive performance were examined. The sulfur uptake strongly depends on the amount of Ce in the zeolite structure. The sorption data is varied according to both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The maximum sorption capacity by theoretically calculation is 22.2mg/g at 25 degrees C. The Langmuir constants b=5.82 mL/mg and the Freundlich constants K=1.042 L/mg and 1/n=0.4 are evaluated. Ni/Ce-loaded Y zeolites (NiCeY) and NiY, CeY, NaY zeolites were used as adsorbents for the removal of DBT from model fuel containing 500 mg/L sulfur with 5 vol% of toluene by a batch method under ambient conditions. NiCeY exhibits higher adsorptive selectivity for DBT than NiY and CeY, indicating that NiCeY is a more effective adsorbent to remove sulfur compounds from transportation fuels.