ISOLATION,CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION OF THE COMPLEMENTARY DNA FOR HUMAN TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF-α)

A cDNA for human TNF-α (615bp) was isolated by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using first strand cDNA from PMA-induced HL-60 cells as template. The result from sequencing the 615 bp cDNA fragment indicated that it corresponded to the entire sequence of mature human TNF coding region. Direct expression of mature human TNF was achieved using a plasmid pHT-1 constructed by ligation of the cDNA and a synthetic DNA. The IPTG-induced bacterial product (hTNF) showed cytotoxicity to mouse L-929 cells. The TNF activity was further identified by neutralization of a specific monoclonal antibody against human TNF-α. Approximately 80,000 units of activity were detected per ml of culture at A600=2.     

Interaction of tetrandrine with human serum albumin: a fluorescence quenching study.

The interaction of tetrandrine with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by measuring fluorescence quenching spectra, synchronous fluorescence spectra and ultra-violet spectra. The fluorescence quenching spectra of HSA in the presence of tetrandrine showed that tetrandrine quenched the fluorescence of HSA. The quenching constants of tetrandrine on HSA were determined using the Stern-Volmer equation. Static quenching and non-radiation energy transfer were the two main reasons leading to the fluorescence quenching of HSA by tetrandrine. According to the F?rster theory of non-radiation energy transfer, the binding distances (r) and the binding constants (K(A)) were obtained. The thermodynamic parameters obtained in this study revealed that the interaction between tetrandrine and HSA was mainly driven by a hydrophobic force. The conformational changes of HSA were investigated by synchronous spectrum studies.     

New Nitrogenous Bisabolene‐Type Sesquiterpenes from a Hainan Sponge Axinyssa aff. variabilis

Two new uncommon nitrogenous sesquiterpenes, 11‐ethoxy‐3‐formamidotheonellin ( 1 ) and 7‐ethoxy‐3‐formamidobisabolane‐8,10‐diene ( 2 ), together with two known related sesquiterpenes, 3‐formamidotheonellin (=theonellin formamide; 3 ) and theonellin isothiocyanate ( 4 ), were isolated from the Hainan sponge Axinyssa aff. variabilis. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of their NMR data with those of known compounds.     

Mesoscale organization of CuO nanoribbons: formation of "dandelions"

A two-tiered organizing scheme with multiple-length scales for construction of dandelion-like hollow CuO microspheres has been elucidated: (1) mesoscale formation of rhombic building units from smaller nanoribbons via oriented aggregation and (2) macroscopic organization of these units into the CuO microspheres. This self-assembly concept may also be applicable to other metal oxides by creating geometric constraints for constructional units.     

The effect of molecular planarity on crystal non‐centrosymmetry in benzyl­idene–aniline derivatives

In the title compound, N‐(2‐methoxy­phenyl)‐4‐nitro­benzyli­deneamine, C₁₄H₁₂N₂O₃, the two phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 48.0 (2)° and the nitro group is at an angle of 6.5 (1)° with respect to its attached phenyl ring. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are related as centrosymmetric pairs through π–π interactions and are further connected through strong C—H?O hydrogen bonds [C?O 3.4259 (17) Å and C—H?O 167°], forming molecular stacks along [100]. These stacks associate further through longer C—H?O interactions, forming two‐dimensional networks. In the c direction, there are only weak van der Waals interactions. The relationship between the molecular planarity and its centrosymmetry is also briefly described.     

Trapping tetramethoxyzincate and -cobaltate(II) between Mo24+ units

Two compounds of a new type, [Mo(2)](CH(3)O)(2)M(CH(3)O)(2)[Mo(2)] where [Mo(2)] is an abbreviation for Mo(2)[(p-MeOC(6)H(4))NCHN(p-MeOC(6)H(4))](3) and M = Zn (1) and Co (2), are reported. Discrete [M(OR)(4)](2-) ions, either as such or in the mu(2),eta(4) role, have not heretofore been described. In these compounds they have distorted tetrahedral structures and bridge two [Mo(2)] groups in much the same way as did SO(4)(2-), MoO(4)(2-), and WO(4)(2-) ions in other recently reported compounds (Cotton, F. A.; Donahue, J. P.; Murillo, C. A. Inorg. Chem. 2001, 40, 2229). The (1)H NMR spectrum of 1 and the visible spectrum and magnetic properties of 2 are consistent with these structures. The M(OCH(3))(4) bridges are moderately effective in coupling the two [Mo(2)] redox centers. Compounds 1 and 2 may also be viewed as having Zn(II) and Co(II) centers tetrahedrally coordinated by the bidentate ligand [Mo(2)[(p-MeOC(6)H(4))NCHN(p-MeOC(6)H(4))](3)(OMe)(2)](-). From that point of view they may be compared with Zn(DPM)(2) and Co(DPM)(2) (3), where DPM is the anion of dipivaloylmethane. For purposes of comparison, 3 has been fully characterized structurally, spectroscopically, and magnetically. Close analogies between 2 and 3 are shown to exist.     

晶格畸变检测仪研究碳化硅晶片中位错缺陷分布

利用晶格畸变检测仪研究了SiC晶片位错分布情况,通过对熔融KOH腐蚀后的SiC晶片进行全片或局部扫描,从而得到完整SiC晶片或局部区域的位错分布.与LEXT OLS40003D激光共聚焦显微镜扫描腐蚀图进行比较,晶格畸变检测仪扫描腐蚀图可以将晶片上位错腐蚀坑信息完全呈现出来,且根据腐蚀坑呈现的颜色及尺寸大小,可以分辨出...     

The Extracts of Polygonum cuspidatum Root and Rhizome Block the Entry of SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type and Omicron Pseudotyped Viruses via Inhibition of the S-Protein and 3CL Protease

COVID-19, resulting from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, caused a contagious pandemic. Even with the current vaccines, there is still an urgent need to develop effective pharmacological treatments against this deadly disease. Here, we show that the water and ethanol extracts of the root and rhizome of Polygonum cuspidatum (Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma et Radix), a common Chinese herbal medicine, blocked the entry of wild-type and the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped virus into fibroblasts or zebrafish larvae, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.015 to 0.04 mg/mL. The extracts were shown to inhibit various aspects of the pseudovirus entry, including the interaction between the spike protein (S-protein) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor, and the 3CL protease activity. Out of the chemical compounds tested in this report, gallic acid, a phytochemical in P. cuspidatum, was shown to have a significant anti-viral effect. Therefore, this might be responsible, at least in part, for the anti-viral efficacy of the herbal extract. Together, our data suggest that the extracts of P. cuspidatum inhibit the entry of wild-type and the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, and so they could be considered as potent treatments against COVID-19.     

Syntheses,Structures and Photocurrent Response Properties of Two Crystals Based on Tetrathiafulvalene Derivatives

In this paper, two compounds [Zn_2~(2+)(2,6-bis(4'-pyridyl)-TTF)(TPA)_2~(2-)](1) and [Cd~(2+)(2,6(7)-bis(4'-pyridyl)-TTF)(TPA)~(2-)(H_2O)_2](TTF = tetrathiafulvalene, TPA = terephthalic acid)(2) were synthesized by using solvothermal method and characterized by single-crystal X-ray. The purity of the two compounds was confirmed by their PXRD data. We also tested the photocurrent responses of these two compounds, and found they could generate photocurrent signal when exposed to light, but the photocurrent intensity of compound 2 is significantly greater than that of 1. From the crystal structure analysis, the possible reason for this phenomenon is that 2 has a more compact ligand arrangement than 1, leading to a higher carrier density and easier excitation.     

氧化镍纳米晶体的制备及其过程分析

为了开发一种新型纳米氧化镍催化剂,能有效地应用于生物质气化过程中去除焦油,本文采用均匀沉淀法成功地制备了纳米氧化镍晶体,并利用TGA、FTIR、XRD、BET、YEM等分析手段对前驱体和产品的性能进行了表征.同时,对前驱体的分解过程进行了全面的分析.分析结果表明前驱体是水合碱式碳酸镍,其分子式为NiCO3·Ni(OH)2·nH2O,它能在360℃下完全分解转化为纳米NiO,同时煅烧条件对合成纳米NiO的晶体粒径影响很大.实验证实所得纳米NiO颗粒呈球形,分散性好,纯度较高,属立方晶系结构,平均粒径约为7.5nm,其BET表面积为187.98m2/g,这显示纳米NiO晶体具有作为高效催化材料的应用可行性.