Multifunctional peptide-assembled micelles for simultaneously reducing amyloid-β and reactive oxygen species

The excessive production and deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the most important etiologies of Alzheimer''s disease (AD). The interaction between Aβ and metal ions produces aberrant reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce oxidative stress and accelerate the progression of AD. To reduce Aβ plaques and ROS to maintain their homeostasis is an emerging and ingenious strategy for effective treatment of AD. Herein, we report the rational design of multifunctional micelles (MPGLT) based on a polymer-grafted peptide to simultaneously clear Aβ and ROS for AD therapy. The MPGLT integrating three functional peptides as a ROS scavenger (tk-GSH), β-sheet breaker (LP) and an autophagy activator (TK) respectively, could capture and degrade Aβ. Meanwhile, the tk-GSH on the surface of MPGLT effectively scavenges the intracellular ROS. Consequently, MPGLT reduced the cytotoxicity of Aβ and ROS. In vivo animal studies using an AD mouse model further showed that MPGLT could transport across the blood–brain barrier for decreasing the Aβ plaque and eliminating ROS in vivo. This peptide micelle-based synergistic strategy may provide novel insight for AD therapy.

Multifunctional micelles based on a peptide–polymer for simultaneously targeting Aβ degradation and ROS scavenging for AD therapy.     

H2CCF自由基与HNCO反应机理的理论研究

采用密度泛函理论的B3LYP方法, 在6-311＋＋G(d,p)基组水平上研究了H₂CCF自由基与HNCO的微观反应机理, 优化了反应过程中的反应物、中间体、过渡态和产物, 为了获得更精确的能量信息, 还在QCISD(T)/6-311＋＋G(d,p)基组水平上计算了各物质的能量．振动分析结果和IRC分析结果证实了中间体和过渡态的真实性, 计算所得的成键临界点电荷密度的变化也确认了反应过程．对于H₂CCF自由基与HNCO反应, 我们找到了六条可行的反应通道, 结果分析表明通道H₂CCF＋HNCO→IM3→TS5→H₂CCFH＋NCO控制步骤活化能最低, 是该反应的主要通道, 在此反应过程中有稳定的氢键复合物IM3生成, 还表现出氢原子迁移的反应特征．     

Study on Arc Movement in Hollow Electrode Plasma Generators with Impressed Double Magnetic Fields

In order to prolong cathode lifetime of hollow electrode plasma generators, a method of impressed double magnetic fields with an alternating frequency is presented in this paper. The alternating frequency of the double magnetic fields is an important factor that influences the erosion rate on the area between the two coils' central planes. By analyzing the arc movement in the hollow cathode with a simplified theoretical model, the spiral curve shape of the radial arc and the relationship between the optimal alternating frequency and the intensity of magnetic fields are obtained. A photoelectric method is employed to measure the arc root rotation speed in the hollow cathode, and then the optimal alternating frequency is calculated as 319 Hz for the experimental conditions. The life testing with this alternating frequency showed that the cathode lifetime could be prolonged significantly.     

Pt／钇稳定氧化锆固体电解质在高温下的电化学性质

用交流阻抗技术研究了二电极、三电极Ｐｔ／钇稳定氧化锆（简称ＹＳＺ）高温固体电化学体系．开路电位下，Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ体系只有一个阻抗半圆，对应于电极体系的电化学活化控制过程，极化电阻随温度变化的表观活化能为１７１．５ｋＪ／ｍｏｌ．Ｐｔ／ＹＳＺ界面的双电层电容约为３００μＦ／ｃｍ２．阳极极化下，交流阻抗极化电阻显著减小；阴极极化下，极化电阻反而增大，并出现浓差控制现象．     

Study of the interaction of Zn^2＋ with Aβ（10-21） by fluorescamine assay

Zinc may play a role as a co-factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease(AD)through influencing the conformation and neurotoxicity of amyloidβ-protein(Aβ).Using the fluorescamine assay,we show for the first time that Zn~(2 )induced Aβ(10-21) aggregate in a concentration-dependent manner.These results indicate that Aβ(10-21)can be used as an in vitro model in Zn~(2 )- induced Aβaggregation and that the region 10-21 to be the minimal fragment of zinc-binding domain of full length Aβ(1-42).     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Coupling Reaction of Allyl Carboxylates,Norbornenes and Diboronates Involving Sequential Olefins Insertion and Borylation Reaction

An efficient Pd‐catalyzed three‐component coupling reaction of allyl carboxylates, norbornenes and diboronates is described, which allows efficient assembly of C(sp³)—C(sp³) and C(sp³)—B bonds in a single process. Moreover, this approach shows advantages of good chemo‐ and regioselectivity, as well as good substrates suitability.     

Dielectrophoretic force on a sphere near a planar boundary

The small gap distance separating a spherical colloidal particle in electrophoretic motion from a planar nonconducting surface is a required parameter for calculating its electrophoretic mobility. In the presence of an externally applied electric field, this gap distance is determined by balancing the van der Waals, electrical double layer interaction, and gravitational forces with a dielectrophoretic (DEP) force. Here, the DEP force was determined analytically by integration of the Maxwell stress over the surface of the particle. The account of this force showed that its previous omission from the analysis always resulted in underpredicted gap distances. Furthermore, the DEP force dominated under conditions of low particle density or high electric field strength and led to much higher gap distances on the order of a few microns. In one particular case, a combination of low particle density and small particle size produced two possible equilibrium gap distances for the particle. However, the particle was unstable in the second equilibrium position when subjected to small perturbations. In general, larger particles had smaller gap sizes. The effects of four other parameters on gap distance were studied, and gap distances were found to increase with lower particle density, higher electric field strength, higher particle and wall zeta potentials, and lower Hamaker constants. Retardation effects on van der Waals attraction were considered.     

Chemical bonding in Si5(2-) and NaSi5(-) via photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

Photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio calculations are used to investigate the electronic structure and chemical bonding of Si5(-) and Si5(2-) in NaSi5(-). Photoelectron spectra of Si5(-) and NaSi5(-) are obtained at several photon energies and are compared with theoretical calculations at four different levels of theory, TD-B3LYP, R(U)OVGF, UCCSD(T), and EOM-CCSD(T), all with 6-311+G(2df) basis sets. Excellent agreement is observed between experiment and theory, confirming the obtained ground-state structures for Si5(-) and Si5(2-), which are both found to be trigonal bipyramid with D3h symmetry at several levels of theory. Chemical bonding in Si5, Si5(-), and Si5(2-) is analyzed using NPA, molecular orbitals, ELF, and NICS indices. The bonding in Si5(2-) is compared with that in the isoelectronic and isostructural B5H5(2-) species, but they are found to differ due to the involvement of electron densities, which are supposed to be lone pairs in the skeletal bonding in Si5(2-).     

Contributions of restructuring and oxidation to the aging of the surface of plasma polymers containing heteroatoms

The properties and composition of plasma polymer surfaces stored in air can change considerably over time, especially as a result of oxidative reactions. When plasma polymers contain an element other than O, it is possible to probe for mechanisms in addition to oxidation that contribute to the aging of the surface. Plasma polymers containing N were fabricated from either 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP),n-heptylamine (nHA), or allylamine (AA), and studied by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and air/water contact angles (CA). For each of the plasma polymers, a multiexponential increase in the O/C ratio was observed over time using XPS. The N/C ratios remained constant (AA) or decreased somewhat (nHA and DAP). In contrast, the trends in CA values differed, declining for the nHA surfaces, rising for the AA, and changing little for the DAP. Surface roughness, assessed by scanning tunnelling or atomic force microscopy, did not change over time. The diverse adjustments in the polarity of each surface and the similar compositional changes between them are reconcilable if the aging of the plasma polymer surface is a manifestation of the superposition of concurrent oxidative reactions and partial surface reorientation; the former introduce polar groups and the latter transports then from the surface to deeper regions beyond the CA probe depth but within the XPS analysis depth. These processes vary between different plasma polymers. Data for the alkylamine plasma polymers is also compared with that for two plasma polymers fabricated from methanol. The change in composition, but not polarity, of the DAP surface after 4 days of storage demonstrates the importance of using multiple techniques to characterize the aging of plasma polymer surfaces.