Leveraging an enzyme/artificial substrate system to enhance cellular persulfides and mitigate neuroinflammation

Persulfides and polysulfides, collectively known as the sulfane sulfur pool along with hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), play a central role in cellular physiology and disease. Exogenously enhancing these species in cells is an emerging therapeutic paradigm for mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation that are associated with several diseases. In this study, we present a unique approach of using the cell''s own enzyme machinery coupled with an array of artificial substrates to enhance the cellular sulfane sulfur pool. We report the synthesis and validation of artificial/unnatural substrates specific for 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST), an important enzyme that contributes to sulfur trafficking in cells. We demonstrate that these artificial substrates generate persulfides in vitro as well as mediate sulfur transfer to low molecular weight thiols and to cysteine-containing proteins. A nearly 100-fold difference in the rates of H₂S production for the various substrates is observed supporting the tunability of persulfide generation by the 3-MST enzyme/artificial substrate system. Next, we show that the substrate 1a permeates cells and is selectively turned over by 3-MST to generate 3-MST-persulfide, which protects against reactive oxygen species-induced lethality. Lastly, in a mouse model, 1a is found to significantly mitigate neuroinflammation in the brain tissue. Together, the approach that we have developed allows for the on-demand generation of persulfides in vitro and in vivo using a range of shelf-stable, artificial substrates of 3-MST, while opening up possibilities of harnessing these molecules for therapeutic applications.

A persulfide/hydrogen sulfide generation strategy through artificial substrates for 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) is reported, which enhances cellular persulfides, attenuates reactive oxygen species (ROS), and alleviates inflammation.     

Linearly polarized ultraviolet photoreaction of photocrosslinkable polymers comprising the p-phenylenediacrylate group and photoalignment control of liquid crystals on the resultant film

We present (1) the linearly polarized (LP) ultraviolet (UV) photoreaction of block copolyesterethers comprising a hard segment of polyester and soft segment of poly(tetramethylene ether) (PTMG) and (2) the alignment behavior of liquid crystals (LCs) on the resultant photoreacted polymer films. Two kinds of copolyesterethers with different polyester segments of poly(hexamethylene p-phenylenediacrylate) (1a) or poly(hexamethylene p-phenylenediacrylate)-co-poly(hexamethylene 1,4-dibenzoate) (1b) were used in this study. The LP–UV irradiation resulted in a negative optical anisotropy for both polymer films, and a homogeneous photoalignment of LCs was achieved on the photoreacted polymer film. The LC alignment was perpendicular to the electric vector of the incident polarized light for 1a, whereas a reversion of the alignment from parallel to perpendicular was observed for 1b, depending on the irradiation doses. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4000–4006, 1999     

实验优化设计Sr_2MgSi_2O_7:Eu~(2+),Dy~(3+)的合成及长余辉特性

为了得到最长有效余辉时间的Sr_2MgSi_2O_7:Eu~(2+),Dy~(3+)荧光粉,应用二次通用旋转组合设计对实验进行全程优化,建立了稀土离子掺杂浓度Eu~(2+),Dy~(3+)和有效余辉时间的二元二次回归方程模型,应用遗传算法计算得到有效余辉时间的理论最大值.采用高温固相法合成了最优掺杂浓度Sr_2MgSi_2O_7:0.5mol%Eu~(2+),1.0mol%Dy~(3+)的荧光粉,在370nm激发下观察到了465nm的特征发射,这归因于Eu~(2+)的4f65d1—4f7跃迁.测量了最优荧光粉的热释发光特性,计算得到了陷阱深度为0.688eV,讨论了长余辉发光的特性.     

Physical calculation for an X-band hybrid dielectric-iris-loaded accelerator

A small, high performance X-band hybrid dielectric-iris-loaded travelling-wave linac with the length of 1.47 m and the maximum accelerating gradient of 45 MV/m has been designed. The beam energy of 33 MeV, the energy spread of 0.5%, the beam emittance of about 5.7 πmm·mrad and the capture efficiency of 40% are reached by adjusting the sizes of the accelerating cavities and the phase velocity. The attenuation per unit length of structure, the shunt impedance Rs, the quality factor Q, the group velocity and the phase velocity are also presented.     

4f光学系统中滤波函数角位移补偿的研究

实验中4f光学系统的输入函数载体与滤波函数载体往往存在着一定的角位移,而这个角位移的存在影响了4f光学系统的精确滤波。将空间光调制器(SLM)作为4f光学系统的输入和滤波函数的载体,利用光栅衍射理论和傅里叶变换理论,提出了一种测量该角位移的方法。滤波函数旋转角位移值的大小可以补偿输入和滤波函数载体间存在的角位移。滤波实验证明了方法的有效性和必要性。     

Optical studies of two dimensional gratings in fused silica, GE 124, and Foturan glasses fabricated using femtosecond laser pulses

Herein we present results on the femtosecond laser direct writing and optical characterization studies of two dimensional gratings in fused silica, GE 124, and Foturan^™ glasses. Varieties of structures were achieved with varying input energy and spatial orientation of the samples. Various characterization techniques including fluorescence spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and laser confocal microscopy were employed to analyze the structural and physical modifications at the focal volume resulting in change of refractive index. Diffraction efficiencies of 9–12% were observed from the grating structures. A broad-band emission was observed in the laser-modified region of the Foturan glass. The obtained results are analyzed in the light of recent work in similar glasses and exploring the applications of such structures in the fields of photonics.     

A mixed‐valence CuII/CuI anion–cation complex: bis­[μ‐5‐sulfosali­cylato(3–)]bis­[(di‐2‐pyridylamine)­copper(II)] bis­[bis­(di‐2‐pyridyl­amine)copper(I)] dihydrate

The title compound, [Cu(C₇H₃O₆S)₂(C₁₀H₉N₃)₂][Cu^I(C₁₀H₉N₃)₂]₂·2H₂O, consists of anionic Cu^II moieties, cationic Cu^I species and uncoordinated water mol­ecules. The anionic dimeric unit consists of one crystallographically independent fully deprotonated 5‐sulfosalicylate (2‐oxido‐5‐sulfonatobenzoate) anion, a di‐2‐pyridylamine group and a Cu^II atom. Each Cu^II atom is five‐coordinate within a square‐pyramidal geometry. The anion lies on a special position of site symmetry. In the cationic monomer, the Cu^I atom adopts tetra­hedral geometry. The cations and anions are connected by O—H·O and N—H·O hydrogen bonds.     

Synthesis of 1,1-diaryl ethylenes by Cu-catalyzed arene C-H addition to aryl acetylenes

An unprecedented copper-catalyzed C-H addition of arenes to aryl acetylenes provides a facile route to 1,1-diaryl ethylenes in moderate to excellent yields. Arylboronic acids were likewise used along with aryl acetylenes in generating 1,1-diaryl ethylene.     

Correlation and prediction of solute transfer to chloroalkanes from both water and the gas phase

Data have been compiled from the published literature on the partition coefficients of solutes and vapors into chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane and 1-chlorobutane from both water and from the gas phase. The logarithms of the water-to-chloroalkane (log P) and gas-to-chloroalkane partition coefficients (log K) are correlated with the Abraham solvation parameter model. The derived correlations describe the observed log P and log K values within standard deviations of about 0.13–0.20 log units. For chloroform and carbon tetrachloride, the derived correlations were validated using training set and test set analyses.