Biochemical and Structural Studies of Conserved Maf Proteins Revealed Nucleotide Pyrophosphatases with a Preference for Modified Nucleotides

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Autophagic failure promotes the exocytosis and intercellular transfer of α-synuclein

The accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates is a major characteristic of many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson''s disease (PD). The intracytoplasmic deposition of α-synuclein aggregates and Lewy bodies, often found in PD and other α-synucleinopathies, is thought to be linked to inefficient cellular clearance mechanisms, such as the proteasome and autophagy/lysosome pathways. The accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates in neuronal cytoplasm causes numerous autonomous changes in neurons. However, it can also affect the neighboring cells through transcellular transmission of the aggregates. Indeed, a progressive spreading of Lewy pathology among brain regions has been hypothesized from autopsy studies. We tested whether inhibition of the autophagy/lysosome pathway in α-synuclein-expressing cells would increase the secretion of α-synuclein, subsequently affecting the α-synuclein deposition in and viability of neighboring cells. Our results demonstrated that autophagic inhibition, via both pharmacological and genetic methods, led to increased exocytosis of α-synuclein. In a mixed culture of α-synuclein-expressing donor cells with recipient cells, autophagic inhibition resulted in elevated transcellular α-synuclein transmission. This increase in protein transmission coincided with elevated apoptotic cell death in the recipient cells. These results suggest that the inefficient clearance of α-synuclein aggregates, which can be caused by reduced autophagic activity, leads to elevated α-synuclein exocytosis, thereby promoting α-synuclein deposition and cell death in neighboring neurons. This finding provides a potential link between autophagic dysfunction and the progressive spread of Lewy pathology.     

Agar-based heat-sensitive gel with linear thermal response over 65–80 °C

A nontoxic heat-sensitive gel containing 1.5 % (w/v) agar and 25 % (w/v) bovine serum albumin (BSA) was fabricated in this study. Optical density measurements with 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser indicated that, in spite of its BSA content, the current agar + BSA gel remained similar to agar only gel in terms of its optical response to NIR laser. The thermal response of the current agar + BSA gel to high temperatures was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). According to the MRI measurements of T2 relaxation rate as a function of heating temperature, the current agar + BSA gel showed a linear response to heating temperatures between 65 and 80 °C, while it remained thermally stable at temperatures up to 80 °C. Therefore, the current agar + BSA gel can be used as thermal dosimeters or volumetric heat-sensitive gel phantoms in typical thermal therapy regime.     

Catalytic effect analysis of metallic additives on light crude oil by TG and DSC tests

This research aimed at the investigation of the effect of different metallic additive on the combustion and kinetic behavior of crude oil. For this purpose, the thermal behavior of the oil-only and oil–metallic salts mixtures were studies by the thermogravimetry (TG)/derivative thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on heating rate at 10 °C min^?1. The result shows that Dagang crude oil exhibited apparent low temperature oxidation (LTO), fuel deposition, and high temperature oxidation processes. With the addition of metallic salts, the LTO process has been shortened and samples added CuSO₄, CrCl₃·6H₂O, and AlCl₃·6H₂O achieved a much lower peak temperature than that of oil. Based on the Arrhenius model, metallic additives were proven to have obvious influence on the combustion activation energy. And, by comprehensive analysis of TG/DSC profile and activation energy, ZnSO₄ exhibited a positive influence on light crude oil combustion during the high pressure air injection process.     

Thermogravimetry study of the pyrolytic characteristics and kinetics of macro-algae Macrocystis pyrifera residue

Macrocystis pyrifera is one important marine macro-algae, while its residues produced by industrial alginate extraction is a hot potato. To figure out whether its residue is suitable for pyrolysis for biofuel, the pyrolytic characteristics and kinetics of macro-algae M. pyrifera residue was investigated using thermogravimetric method from 50 to 800 °C in an inert argon atmosphere at different heating rates of 5, 10, 20, and 30 °C min^?1. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor was calculated by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, and Popescu methods, and the kinetic mechanism was deduced by Popescu method. The results showed that the primary devolatilization stage of M. pyrifera residue can be described by Jander function $ \left(\left[ {1 - \left( {1 - \alpha } \right)^{1/3} } \right]^{2}\right) $ . The average activation energy of M. pyrifera residue was 222.4 kJ mol^?1. The results suggested that the experimental results and kinetic parameters provided useful information for the design of pyrolytic processing system using M. pyrifera residue as feedstock.     

热分解法和碳热还原法制备掺钨VO2 /云母复合粉体的热致变色性能

用溶胶凝胶法和喷雾干燥技术在云母微粉表面包覆了不同nW/nV的掺钨V2O5溶胶,分别采用热分解和碳热还原得到了掺钨VO2/云母复合粉体。通过XRD、SEM对复合粉体进行了物相组成、微观形貌的表征。将复合粉体添加到紫外光固化树脂中形成复合薄膜,通过FTIR测试了复合薄膜相变过程中的红外透过率图谱,并通过DSC测试了复合粉体的相变温度(Tt)。结果表明两种热处理方法均得到了VO2(M),VO2晶体以蠕虫状附着在云母表面,同时钨的掺入使云母表面的VO2颗粒更加细小。不同掺杂量的复合粉体均表现出较优异的热致变色性能,相变前后在2 200 cm-1波数处的红外透过率变化量(ΔTr)均超过20%。随着nW/nV增加,复合粉体的ΔTr逐渐减小,Tt逐步降低,同时相变陡然性减缓。     

基于两个取代四甲基环戊二烯基配体的金属羰基化合物的合成及晶体结构

配体[C₅Me₄HR][R=4-BrPh(1),(MeC₅H₃N)CH₂(2)]分别与Mo(CO)₆,Ru₃(CO)₁₂和Fe(CO)₅在二甲苯中加热回流,得到了6个双核配合物trans-[η⁵-C₅Me₄R]₂Mo₂(CO)₆(3,4),trans-[(η⁵-C₅Me₄R)Ru(CO)(μ-CO)]₂(5,6)和trans-[η⁵-(C₅Me₄R)Fe(CO)(μ-CO)]₂(7,8,).通过元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振氢谱对配合物的结构进行了表征,并用X-射线单晶衍射法测定了配合物3,5,6和8的结构.