Differential sacnning calorimetric examination of the human intervertebral disc: establishment of calorimetric standards of different stages of degeneration

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a common orthopaedic disorder with significant social and economic impact. The major pathological changes occur in the structure of anulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP). According to previous reports differential sacnning calorimetric (DSC) proved to be a suitable method for the demonstration of thermal consequences of local and global conformational changes in the structure of the human intervertebral discs. According to the present study, the DSC results clearly proved that definitive differences are present between the stages of disc degeneration in calorimetric measures. The structural differences between the stages could be also demonstrated by histology.     

The evidence of Tobacco rattle virus impact on host plant organelles ultrastructure

Tobraviruses, like other (+) stranded RNA viruses of plants, replicate their genome in cytoplasm and use such usual membranous structures like endoplasmic reticulum. Based on the ultrastructural examination of Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-infected potato and tobacco leaf tissues, in this work we provide evidence of the participation of not only the membranous and vesicular ER structures but also other cell organelles during the viral infection cycle. Non-capsidated TRV PSG particles (potato isolate from the Netherlands) (long and short forms) were observed inside the nucleus while the presence of TRV capsid protein (CP) was detected in the nucleus caryolymph and within the nucleolus area. Both capsidated and non-capsidated viral particles were localized inside the strongly disorganized chloroplasts and mitochondria. The electron-dense TRV particles were connected with vesicular structures of mitochondria as well as with chloroplasts in both potato and tobacco tissues. At 15–30 days after infection, vesicles filled with TRV short particles were visible in mitochondria revealing the expanded cristae structures. Immunodetection analysis revealed the TRV PSG CP epitope inside chloroplast with disorganized thylakoids structure as well as in mitochondria of different tobacco and potato tissues. The ultrastructural analysis demonstrated high dynamics of the main cell organelles during the TRV PSG–Solanaceous plants interactions. Moreover, our results suggest a relationship between organelle changes and different stages of virus infection cycle and/or particle formation.     

Brain mechanisms involved in the control of vocalization

This article reviews recent experimental and clinical literature on the central neural mechanisms involved in vocalization. Various parts of the cerebral cortex, limbic system, basal ganglia, and extrapyramidal system have been shown in human and animal studies to be important in vocalization, but the exact function of these areas with regard to vocal control is unclear. The limbic system and diencephalon project to the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), which may be important for coordination of various muscle groups involved in vocalization. The PAG neurons project to the reticular formation, nucleus retroambiguus, and nucleus ambiguus. Neurons in the nucleus retroambiguus seem to be involved in control of neurons related to the respiratory or laryngeal systems. Different types of motoneurons of the laryngeal muscles in the nucleus ambiguus are related to various functions such as vocalization, swallowing, and respiration.     

Hoechst-naphthalimide dyad with dual emissions as specific and ratiometric sensor for nucleus DNA damage

A ratiometric fluorescent sensor (Hoe-NI) was developed for high specific nucleus labeling and monitoring of nuclear DNA damage in living cells.     

寡聚(亚硅基二炔基蒽)电子结构和光谱性质的密度泛函理论研究

Poly(silanylenediethynylanthracene) (PSDEA) exhibits a hole-transporting ability experi-mentally. In order to simulate the property of PSDEA, a series of silanylenediethynylan-thracene oligomers were designed. The structures of these oligomers were optimized by using density function theory at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. The energy gaps of the oligomers decrease with the increase in the chain length. The energy gaps of the oligomers also de-crease in the presence of the electron-withdrawing group on the anthracene ring. The ¹³C chemical shifts and nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS) at the anthracene ring center in the oligomers were calculated at B3LYP/6-31G level. The chemical shifts of the carbon atoms connected with the nitryl group changed upfield, compared with those of the carbon atoms without the nitryl group. The aromaticity at the anthracene ring center decreases in the presence of the electron-withdrawing group, whereas increases with the increase in the number of the silanylene units. The most sensitive location for calculating the NICS values is 0.1 nm above the anthracene plane.     

单纯Quantale及其Quantale商

讨论Quantale上的同余与Quantale商之间的关系,研究单纯Quantale的性质,给出一类Quantale是单纯Quantale的等价刻画。最后从Quantale商的角度对单纯Quantale进行了研究,得到单纯Quantale的若干特征定理。     

硼氢及客体二十面体簇合物的结构和稳定性

在(n=0、－1、－2、－3、－4)簇合物几何构型及稳定性研究的基础上,进一步对它的各种内含式和外 接式二十面体簇合物(X@B12H122－和XB12H122－,X=H0/＋、Li0/＋、He、Ne、Be0/2＋、Na＋、Mg2＋)进行了优化和 计 算.发现在内含式结构X@ B12H122－中,当X=Li＋、Be2＋、Mg2＋时,构型较稳定;在外接式结构中, XB12H122－(C3v)结构比XB12H122－(C2v)的结构稳定.通过IRC计算,确定XB12H122－(C2v)是X与B12H122－作用生成产物XB12H122－(C3v)的一种过渡态.     

As-5、[As5M]-、[As5MAs5]2- (M=Ti,Zr, Hf)的结构和芳香性

用密度泛函理论(DFT)研究了As-5、[As5M]-和[As5MAs5]2- (M=Ti, Zr, Hf)的结构、频率、能量以及芳香性, 详细讨论了体系中不同类型的键和电子如化学键、孤对电子、核电子等对总的核独立化学位移(NICS)的影响. 结果表明, As-5、[As5M]-和[As5MAs5]2-的基态结构分别具有D5h、C5v和D5h对称性, 而且都具有芳香性. As-5 (D5h)的芳香性主要来源于As—As π键和As—As σ键的作用. [As5M]-(C5v)中各种As—M键的NICS分割值占主要优势, 其次是As—As之间形成的σ键. [As5TiAs5]2-(D5h)中, As—As π键的作用占主要优势. [As5ZrAs5]2-(D5h)中, As—As π键对体系总的NICS贡献相对减小, 而As—Zr键的作用增强. [As5HfAs5]2-(D5h)的芳香性主要来自As—Hf键的作用.