Highly interconnected ordered mesoporous carbon-carbon nanotube nanocomposites: Pt-free, highly efficient, and durable counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

We report the preparation of highly interconnected ordered mesoporous carbon-carbon nanotube nanocomposites which show Pt-like dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) efficiency and remarkable long-term durability as DSSC counter electrodes.     

Genome Mining Reveals Two Missing CrtP and AldH Enzymes in the C30 Carotenoid Biosynthesis Pathway in Planococcus faecalis AJ003T

Planococcus faecalis AJ003^T produces glycosyl-4,4′-diaponeurosporen-4′-ol-4-oic acid as its main carotenoid. Five carotenoid pathway genes were presumed to be present in the genome of P. faecalis AJ003^T; however, 4,4-diaponeurosporene oxidase (CrtP) was non-functional, and a gene encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase (AldH) was not identified. In the present study, a genome mining approach identified two missing enzymes, CrtP2 and AldH2454, in the glycosyl-4,4′-diaponeurosporen-4′-ol-4-oic acid biosynthetic pathway. Moreover, CrtP2 and AldH enzymes were functional in heterologous Escherichia coli and generated two carotenoid aldehydes (4,4′-diapolycopene-dial and 4,4′-diaponeurosporene-4-al) and two carotenoid carboxylic acids (4,4′-diaponeurosporenoic acid and 4,4′-diapolycopenoic acid). Furthermore, the genes encoding CrtP2 and AldH2454 were located at a distance the carotenoid gene cluster of P. faecalis.     

The Health-Promoting Properties and Clinical Applications of Rice Bran Arabinoxylan Modified with Shiitake Mushroom Enzyme—A Narrative Review

Rice bran arabinoxylan compound (RBAC) is derived from defatted rice bran hydrolyzed with Lentinus edodes mycelial enzyme. It has been marketed as a functional food and a nutraceutical with health-promoting properties. Some research has demonstrated this rice bran derivative to be a potent immunomodulator, which also possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-angiogenic properties. To date, research on RBAC has predominantly focused on its immunomodulatory action and application as a complementary therapy for cancer. Nonetheless, the clinical applications of RBAC can extend beyond cancer therapy. This article is a narrative review of the research on the potential benefits of RBAC for cancer and other health conditions based on the available literature. RBAC research has shown it to be useful as a complementary treatment for cancer and human immunodeficiency virus infection. It can positively modulate serum glucose, lipid and protein metabolism in diabetic patients. Additionally, RBAC has been shown to ameliorate irritable bowel syndrome and protect against liver injury caused by hepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It can potentially ease symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome and prevent the common cold. RBAC is safe to consume and has no known side effects at the typical dosage of 2–3 g/day. Nevertheless, further research in both basic studies and human clinical trials are required to investigate the clinical applications, mechanisms, and effects of RBAC.     

Cobalt(III) complexes of ethylenediamine-N,N′-di-S-isobutylacetic acid

A new optically active ONNO-type tetradentate ligand, ethylenediamine-N,N′- di-S-isobutylacetate (SS-eniba), has been synthesized. During the preparation of diaqua cobalt(III) complexes of SS-eniba, [Co(SS-eniba)(H₂O)₂]⁺, the title ligand has coordinated stereospecifically to the cobalt(III) ion to give three isomers, Δ-s-cis, Δ-uns-cis and Λ-uns-cis, which have been isolated and characterized via electronic absorption, circular dichroism (CD), and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, along with elemental analysis data. The preparation of Δ-s-cis-[Co(SS-eniba)Cl₂]⁺ and Δ-s-cis-[Co(SS-eniba)CO₃]⁺ are also reported.     

Four-mirror imaging system (magnification +1/5) for ArF excimer laser lithography

Research was conducted on the axially symmetric four-mirror system (magnification +1/5) for use in optical lithography using an ArF excimer laser beam. The initial design is derived from an extensive numerical calculation that makes the sum of the third-order aberration coefficients very small _j=I ^V |S _j |<10_-6. Using an optimization method (damped least-squares method) the finite aberrations are reduced; then, to obtain the diffraction-limited performance, three surfaces are aspherized. The final system has NA=0.38 for the ArF excimer laser line (=0.193 m) and depth of focus of 1.2 m over a 2.6×2.6 cm² object field. Nearly all rays fall within the Airy disk in the image plane. The resolution is 540 cycles mm^-1 at MTF=0.5 level for axial object point. We consider that the present four-mirror system may be further refined for use in soft x-ray lithography.     

In vivo magnetic resonance detection of cancer by using multifunctional magnetic nanocrystals

The unique properties of magnetic nanocrystals provide them with high potential as key probes and vectors in the next generation of biomedical applications. Although superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals have been extensively studied as excellent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes for various cell trafficking, gene expression, and cancer diagnosis, further development of in vivo MRI applications has been very limited. Here, we describe in vivo diagnosis of cancer, utilizing a well-defined magnetic nanocrystal probe system with multiple capabilities, such as small size, strong magnetism, high biocompatibility, and the possession of active functionality for desired receptors. Our magnetic nanocrystals are conjugated to a cancer-targeting antibody, Herceptin, and subsequent utilization of these conjugates as MRI probes has been successfully demonstrated for the monitoring of in vivo selective targeting events of human cancer cells implanted in live mice. Further conjugation of these nanocrystal probes with fluorescent dye-labeled antibodies enables both in vitro and ex vivo optical detection of cancer as well as in vivo MRI, which are potentially applicable for an advanced multimodal detection system. Our study finds that high performance in vivo MR diagnosis of cancer is achievable by utilizing improved and multifunctional material properties of iron oxide nanocrystal probes.     

Characterization of superparamagnetic "core-shell" nanoparticles and monitoring their anisotropic phase transition to ferromagnetic "solid solution" nanoalloys

The structure, magnetism, and phase transition of core-shell type CoPt nanoparticles en route to solid solution alloy nanostructures are systematically investigated. The characterization of Co(core)Pt(shell) nanoparticles obtained by a "redox transmetalation" process by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and, in particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provides clear evidence for the existence of a core-shell type bimetallic interfacial structure. Nanoscale phase transitions of the Co(core)Pt(shell) structures toward c-axis compressed face-centered tetragonal (fct) solid solution alloy CoPt nanoparticles are monitored at various stages of a thermally induced annealing process and the obtained fct nanoalloys show a large enhancement of their magnetic properties with ferromagnetism. The relationship between the nanostructures and their magnetic properties is in part elucidated through the use of XAS as a critical analytical tool.     

IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MAJOR PHOTOADDUCTS FORMED BETWEEN 1-PHENYL-1,3,5-HEPTATRIYNE AND UNDECYLENIC ACID METHYL ESTER

Abstract— The near-UV induced photoreactions of 1-phenyl-1,3,5-heptatriyne (PHT) with undecylenic(10-undecenoic) acid methyl ester (UAME) and 1-hexene have been investigated in n-hexane. Four major photoadducts have been isolated in both cases and purified by normal and reverse phase liquid chromatography. The structures of these adducts were determined by mass, UV absorption, FT-IR, ¹H-and ¹³C-NMR spectral analyses, one-and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect studies, and ¹H-¹H homo-correlation spectroscopy. All the data indicate that the adducts are cyclobutenes resulting from the [2+2] photocycloaddition of PHT to UAME and 1-hexene.     

The association of eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 gene polymorphisms in a Korean population with ulcerative colitis

The eotaxin gene family (eotaxin, eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3) have been implicated in the recruitment of eosinophils, basophiles and helper T (Th) 2 lymphocytes that is a central aspect of allergic disease. We previously suggested that Eo2+179T>C and Eo2 +275C>T of the eotaxin-2, and Eo3 +2497T>G of the eotaxin-3 were significantly associated with susceptibility to asthma. To determine whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 gene family are associated with the susceptibility of ulcerative colitis (UC), we analyzed the genotype of 119 patients with UC and 303 controls using single-base extension (SBE) method. We also calculated the haplotype frequencies among Eo2 +179T>C and Eo2 +275C >T of the eotaxin-2 and Eo3 +2497T>G of the eotaxin-3 in both control and UC patients. The genotype frequency of Eo2 +179T>C and Eo2 +275C>T between UC patients and controls were significantly different (P=0.006 and 0.022, respectively). The genotype and allele frequencies of EoA2497T>G in UC patients were not significantly different from those in the controls without UC patients. Our results suggest that Eo2 +179T>C and Eo2 +275C>T of eotaxin-2 might be associated with the susceptibility of UC.