Role of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators in Modifying Host Defense and Decreasing Bacterial Virulence

Bacterial infection activates the innate immune system as part of the host’s defense against invading pathogens. Host response to bacterial pathogens includes leukocyte activation, inflammatory mediator release, phagocytosis, and killing of bacteria. An appropriate host response requires resolution. The resolution phase involves attenuation of neutrophil migration, neutrophil apoptosis, macrophage recruitment, increased phagocytosis, efferocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils, and tissue repair. Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) are bioactive fatty acids that were shown to be highly effective in promoting resolution of infectious inflammation and survival in several models of infection. In this review, we provide insight into the role of SPMs in active host defense mechanisms for bacterial clearance including a new mechanism of action in which an SPM acts directly to reduce bacterial virulence.     

Violene/cyanine hybrids as electrochromics part 2: tetrakis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)ethene and its derivatives

The general structure of violene/cyanine hybrids (see below) is exemplified by tetrakis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)ethene 1(RED) its vinylogue 2(RED) and its diazavinylogue 3(RED). As judged from their cyclic voltammograms and spectroelectrograms, oxidation occurs perfectly reversible by loss of two electrons creating closed shell systems 1-3(OX)+2 with strong bathochromic shifts (Michlers hydrol blue moieties). ESR spectra indicate only minor amounts of radical cations. At much higher potentials by another reversible loss of two electrons (-->1-3(OX)+4) the long wavelengths absorptions are replaced by shorter ones. In system 4, containing two 4-dimethylaminophenyl units only, the violene character is better preserved since oxidation occurs stepwise by single electron transfer up to 4(OX)+4. These results are backed by theoretical calculations for 1-4, demonstrating the strong geometrical differences between the various oxidation levels. Besides, new types of cyclic structures for 1-4(OX)+4 are indicated by these calculations: For systems 1-3 cyclic structures for tetracations have been found to be more stable by 3-20 kcalmol(-1) than acyclic structures, whereas for system 4 the acyclic structure is more stable by about 22 kcalmol(-1). The redox behavior of systems 1-4 is of general importance for electrochromic systems.     

Volumetric and Acoustic Properties of Trans-Resveratrol in Ethanol

Journal of Solution Chemistry - Several thermodynamic parameters for trans-resveratrol have been experimentally determined or calculated at different temperatures. The capability of...     

Convenient synthesis of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates for RNA transcription

By generating a selective phosphitylating reagent in situ, nucleoside 5'-triphosphates can be conveniently synthesized in one pot. This novel strategy without nucleoside protection has been developed to largely simplify synthesis of the nucleoside triphosphates. This demonstrated principle can be applied to the 5'-triphosphate synthesis of both native and modified nucleosides.     

Synthesis and Properties of a Novel 3D Europium Coordination Polymer with Helical Chain and (3,6)‐Connected rtl Net

The first coordination polymer of 2,2′‐((4‐carboxymethyl‐1,3‐phenylene)bis(oxy)) diacetic acid (H₃L) with europium(III) ion, [Eu(L)(H₂O)]·3H₂O ( 1 ), has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Complex 1 exhibits a 3D coordination polymer with helical chain and rtl topology of the point symbol (4·6²)₂(4²·6¹⁰·8³) based on [Eu₂(COO)₄] as secondary building unit (SBU). Furthermore, the luminescent and magnetic properties of complex 1 are studied.     

Elementary Preservice Teachers' Knowledge and Beliefs Regarding Science and Mathematics

The development of teacher education programs to better prepare elementary teachers requires an empirical base in which to anchor meaningful change. The research reported herein makes just such an effort. Preservice teachers' mathematics and science knowledge was measured as were their beliefs regarding instruction in these content areas. The results suggest that an increase in the number of college credit hours in science and mathematics content is less likely to effect necessary change than alteration of the methods and curriculum materials.     

A facile and efficient anti-selective four-component direct aldol addition via chemoselective thioester enolate formation

A facile and efficient four-component anti-selective direct aldol addition of thioester enolates has been developed that is fully compatible with enolizable aldehydes and able to be conducted using untreated reagent-grade CH2Cl2 open to the air. The thioester enolates are generated in situ via an acylation/conjugate addition sequence using commercially available PhSLi and acryloyl chloride, thus avoiding prior enolate formation while maintaining complete chemoselectivity. The organosulfur products are convertible into various polyketide-based structures.     

Voice Perceptions and Quality of Life of Transgender People

Despite the plethora of research documenting that the voice and quality of life (QoL) are related, the exact nature of this relationship is vague. Studies have not addressed people who consider their voice to influence their life and identity, but would not be considered to have a voice “disorder” (e.g., transgender individuals). Individuals seeking vocal feminization may or may not have vocal pathology and often have concerns not addressed on the standard psychosocial measures of voice impact. Recent development of a voice-related QoL measure specific to the needs of transgender care (Transgender Self-Evaluation Questionnaire [TSEQ]) affords opportunity to explore relationships between self-perceived QoL and perceptions of femininity and likability associated with transgender voice. Twenty male-to-female transgender individuals living as a female 100% of the time completed the TSEQ and contributed a speech sample describing Norman Rockwell’s “The Waiting Room” picture. Twenty-five undergraduate listeners rated voice femininity and voice likability after audio-only presentation of each speech sample. Speakers also self-rated their voices on these parameters. For male-to-female transgender clients, QoL is moderately correlated with how others perceive their voice. QoL ratings correlate more strongly with speaker’s self-rated perception of voice compared with others’ perceptions, more so for likability than femininity. This study complements previous research reports that subjective measures from clients and listeners may be valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment in terms of how treatment influences voice-related QoL issues for transgender people.     

Direct carbon-carbon bond formation via soft enolization: aldol addition of α-halogenated thioesters

α-Halo thioesters undergo soft enolization and syn-selective direct aldol addition to aldehydes in the presence of MgBr(2)·OEt(2) and i-Pr(2)NEt to produce α-halo-β-hydroxy thioesters.