Dark and bright soliton solutions and computational modeling of nonlinear regularized long wave model

Nonlinear Dynamics - In this article, the authors simulate and study dark and bright soliton solutions of 1D and 2D regularized long wave (RLW) models. The RLW model occurred in various fields such...     

Secondary Metabolites of Litchi chinensis

Chemistry of Natural Compounds -     

Topical application of zein-silk sericin nanoparticles loaded with curcumin for improved therapy of dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is characterized by leukocyte migration into the skin dermis and typically driven by excessive chemokine production at the site of inflammation. Conventional topical formulations such as gels, creams, and ointments are insufficient for this treatment because of low penetration of drug molecules into the targeted skin tissues. Herein, using a simple, green, sustainable strategy, we have developed novel primary zein nanoparticles embedded in curcumin (Cur) and coated with silk sericin (ZHSCs) for the topical delivery of Cur to penetrate into the dermis and exercise anti-dermatitis effects on the lesion with minimal side-effects. Transdermal delivery experiments and porcine skin fluorescence imaging indicated that ZHSCs facilitate the penetration of Cur across the epidermis layer of skin to reach deep-seated sites. Notably, ZHSCs = 1:0.25 (zein-to-silk sericin mass ratios of 1:0.25) markedly elevated the skin permeability and cumulative turnover of Cur transferred, which were provided a greater than a 3.8-fold increase relative to free Cur. The special nanoparticles of ZHS = 1:0.25 possessed the deepest localization depth and experience a transition of the particle structure and core-shell separation after penetrating into the dermis of skin. In a cell model of dermatitis induced by tumor necrosis factor α/interferon γ co-stimulation, compared with free Cur, Cur-loaded ZHS nanoparticles down-regulated the generation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes through suppression of the nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65 and hence exerted an anti-dermatitis effect. This strategy may provide new avenues and direction for the demanding issues of valid topical delivery systems.     

Silver(I) Complexes of Two Flexible Bis-phospholane Ligands: Metallamacrocycles,Polymeric Chains,and Metallacryptands

In a 2:2 reaction with silver(I) chloride or bromide, 1,5-bis(1-phospholano)pentane ( 1a ) afforded frame-like macrocyclic structures, with intra- ( 2 , Cl) or intermolecular ( 3 , Br) halido bridges. In contrast, 1,7-bis(1-phospholano)heptane ( 1b ) formed coordination polymers 4a (Cl) and 4b (Br) with bridging bis-phospholane and halido ligands. A unique paddle wheel-type metallacryptand structure 5 was obtained from 1a and silver(I) bromide in a 2:3 reaction (M:L). All complexes were fully characterized by NMR, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography.     

Dynamics of Bacteriorhodopsin in the Dark-Adapted State from Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

To achieve efficient proton pumping in the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (bR), the protein must be tightly coupled to the retinal to rapidly convert retinal isomerization into protein structural rearrangements. Methyl group dynamics of bR embedded in lipid nanodiscs were determined in the dark-adapted state, and were found to be mostly well ordered at the cytosolic side. Methyl groups in the M145A mutant of bR, which displays only 10 % residual proton pumping activity, are less well ordered, suggesting a link between side-chain dynamics on the cytosolic side of the bR cavity and proton pumping activity. In addition, slow conformational exchange, attributed to low frequency motions of aromatic rings, was indirectly observed for residues on the extracellular side of the bR cavity. This may be related to reorganization of the water network. These observations provide a detailed picture of previously undescribed equilibrium dynamics on different time scales for ground-state bR.     

Integral Representations of the Large and Little Schröder Numbers

In the paper, the authors establish several integral representations for the generating functions of the large and little Schröder numbers and for the large and little Schröder numbers.