Templetonsnow5720

The P23H-Rho-RFP mouse may represent a useful tool for the future study of the pathology and treatment of P23H-Rho and adRP. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.In schizophrenia, subjects show reduced ability to evaluate and update risk/reward contingencies, showing correspondingly suboptimal performance in the Iowa gambling task. JNK signalling gene variants are associated with schizophrenia risk, and JNK modulates aspects of cognition. We therefore studied the performance of mice hemizygous for genetic deletion of the JNK activator MKK7 (Map2k7+/- mice) in a touchscreen version of the Iowa gambling task, additionally incorporating a novel contingency-switching stage. Map2k7+/- mice performed slightly better than wild-type (WT) littermates in acquisition and performance of the task. Although Map2k7+/- mice adapted well to subtle changes in risk/reward contingencies, they were profoundly impaired when the positions of 'best' and 'worst' choice selections were switched, and still avoided the previous 'worst' choice location weeks after the switch. This demonstrates a precise role for MKK7-JNK signalling in flexibility of risk/reward assessment and suggests that genetic variants affecting this molecular pathway may underlie impairment in this cognitive domain in schizophrenia. Importantly, this new contingency shift adaptation of the rodent touchscreen gambling task has translational utility for characterising these cognitive subprocesses in models of neuropsychiatric disorders.A neglected consequence of declining fertility is the likely rise of families with children of one sex-only sons or only daughters. Increases in such families present important demographic shifts that may weaken patrilineal family systems. We assess whether sons-only and daughters-only families rose in Asia and North Africa from the early 1990s to around 2015. Using 88 surveys and two censuses, we examine how the number and sex composition of children of mothers aged 40-49 changed across 20 countries, representing 87% of the region's population and 54% of the global population. We also compare observed trends to sex-indifferent counterfactuals, quantify contributions of fertility declines with decompositions, and investigate subnational trends in China and India. Increases in sons-only families were universal where numbers of children fell. Growth of daughters-only families was suppressed in patrilineal contexts, but these sonless families still rose significantly in 13 of 18 countries where numbers declined. By 2015, over a quarter of families in the region had only sons and nearly a fifth only daughters. There was considerable variation across countries recent levels ranged from 28.3% to 3.4% daughters-only and from 40.1% to 6.0% sons-only. China and the rest of East Asia had the highest shares.Transfection efficiency was estimated to optimize the conditions for RNA interference (RNAi), including transfection time, validity, and nucleic acid concentration and type, using the EZ Trans Cell Reagent, a cationic polymer. An shRNA against GFP was designed and transfected into cells using the EZ transfection reagent. The shRNA significantly decreased the expression of GFP. In addition, pre-diluted transfection reagent at room temperature and small nucleic acids increased the transfection efficiency, which peaked at 24 h. Compared with circular nucleic acids, linear nucleic acids showed higher transfection efficiency and a higher genome integration rate. We optimized cationic polymer-mediated RNAi conditions, and our data will be useful for future RNAi studies.Designs and developments of proton conductors are highly important in chemistry and energy fields. In this study, a novel metal-organic framework H2DAB-MgNi(ox)3 was synthesized. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray mapping measurements demonstrated that the H2DAB-MgNi(ox)3 had a solid-solution structure, with the homogeneous distribution of Mg and Ni elements. The proton conductivity of H2DAB-MgNi(ox)3 was enhanced from that of H2DAB-Ni2(ox)3 at 95% relative humidity by Mg substitution.A series of novel Zn(II) complexes of 5-fluorouracilate (5-FU), namely [Zn(5-FU)2(bpy)] (1), [Zn(5-FU)2(phen)] (2), [Zn(5-FU)2(dpya)]·H2O (3), [Zn(5-FU)2(bpyma)]·2H2O (4) and [Zn(5-FU)2(terpy)]·H2O (5), were synthesized and structurally characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. 5-FU was coordinated to Zn(II) via the deprotonated N3 site and also presented the N1 and N3 linkage isomerism in 4 and 5 due to its tautomerism. The antiproliferative activity of the complexes was studied against lung (A549), breast (MDA-MB-231), colon (HCT116) and prostate (DU145) cancer cell lines. Complexes 1, 4 and 5 except 2 and 3 showed potent growth inhibitory activity towards selected cancer cells. Remarkably, 4 was highly cytotoxic towards A549 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, being more active than the clinical drugs cisplatin and 5-FU. In addition, 4 was not toxic to normal lung cells (BEAS-2B). The complex exhibited a significantly high affinity towards DNA as assessed by gel electrophoresis and DNA docking. The mechanistic studies of 4 in A549 cells indicated that the complex induced apoptotic cell death as evidenced via caspase 3/7 activity, Bcl2 inactivation, annexin V and DAPI/PI staining. 4 further elevated the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), depolarized mitochondria and enhanced the expression of γ-H2AX, thus contributing to its remarkable anticancer activity.The formation of two-dimensional oxide dodecagonal quasicrystals as well as related complex approximant phases was recently reported in thin films derived from BaTiO3 or SrTiO3 perovskites deposited on (111)-oriented Pt single crystals. Here, we use an all-thin-film approach in which the single crystal is replaced by a 10 nm thick Pt(111) buffer layer grown by molecular beam epitaxy on an Al2O3(0001) substrate. An ultra-thin film of SrTiO3 was subsequently deposited by pulsed laser deposition. The film stacking and structure are fully characterized by diffraction and microscopy techniques. We report the discovery of two new complex phases obtained by reduction of this system through high temperature annealing under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The formation of a new large square approximant with a lattice parameter equal to 44.4 Å is evidenced by low-energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Additionally, a new 2D hexagonal approximant phase with a lattice parameter of 28 Å has beenproach may be useful to explore the formation of complex two-dimensional oxide phases in other metal-oxide combinations.We report the first ever robocast (additive manufacturing/3D printing) sintered ceria scaffolds, and explore their use for the production of renewable fuels via solar thermochemical fuel production (STFP, water and carbon dioxide splitting using concentrated solar energy). CeO2 catalyst scaffolds were fabricated as 50 mm diameter discs (struts and voids ∼500 μm), sintered at 1450 °C, with specific surface area of 1.58 m2 g-1. These scaffolds have hierarchical porosity, consisting of the macroporous scaffold structure combined with nanoscale porosity within the ceria struts, with mesopores less then 75 Å and an average pore size of ∼4 nm, and microporosity less then 2 nm with a microporous surface area of 0.29 m2 g-1. The ceria grains were ≤500 nm in diameter after sintering. STFP testing was carried out via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with reduction between 1050-1400 °C under argon, and oxidation at 1050 °C with 50% CO2, gave rapid CO production during oxidation, with high peak CO production rates (0.436 μmol g-1 s-1, 0.586 ml g-1 min-1), for total CO yield of 78 μmol g-1 (1.747 ml g-1). 90% CO was obtained after just 10 min of oxidation, comparing well to reticulated ceria foams, this CO production rate being an order of magnitude greater than that for ceria powders when tested at similar temperatures.In this work, a Fe/HBEA zeolite (Si/Al 12.5), representing an effective catalyst for the NH3-SCR process, was physico-chemically characterized and investigated regarding the kinetics of the adsorption and desorption of NH3. The sample was evaluated by N2 physisorption, 57Fe Möessbauer and DRUV-Vis spectroscopy, while the kinetics was investigated by temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 (TPD) including different adsorption temperatures. It was shown that the NH3 chemisorption results in weakly and strongly bonded molecular ammonia as well as ammonium species. A kinetic mean field model was developed implying two different types of adsorbates reflecting low (ca. 200 °C). Kinetic parameters and surface coverages were obtained from numeric fits of the TPD curves, whereas pre-exponential factors of adsorption were deduced from the kinetic gas theory. As a result, the activation energy for the NHx adsorbate decomposition in the low temperature regime, which is assigned to single and double bonded ammonium species was determined to be 106 kJ mol-1. FPS-ZM1 The NH3 desorption at higher temperatures referred to an activation energy of 133 kJ mol-1 predominately related to NH3 coordinated to Lewis acid surface sites and to some extent to stabilized NH4+ species. For validation of the kinetic model, experiments were simulated including NH3 adsorption at different temperatures, subsequent flushing with N2 and final TPD. Additionally, the consistency of the activation energies with the thermodynamic data was checked using differential scanning calorimetry and a van't Hoff approach.The synthesis and characterisation of rare-earth metal complexes with redox-active formazanate ligands are described. Deprotonation of the neutral formazan ligand L1H (L1 = PhNNC(Ph)NNPh) with [LnN(SiMe3)23] (Ln = Y, Sm, Dy) resulted in homoleptic tris(formazanate) complexes with the general formula [(L1)3Ln] (Ln = Y (1), Sm (2), Dy (3)), in which the central metal atom is coordinated by six N atoms, revealing a propeller-type structure. To generate heteroleptic complexes, a novel formazan ligand L2H (L2 = PhNNC(4-tBuPh)NNPh) was employed. Salt metathesis by using the trivalent precursors [SmCp*2(μ-Cl)2K(thf)] (Cp* = η5-C5Me5) or [LnCp2Cl]2 (Cp = η5-C5H5, Ln = Dy, Yb) and [L2K(thf)] formed mono(formazanate) complexes, [L2SmCp*2] (4) and [L2LnCp2] (Ln = Dy (5), Yb (6)), respectively. Unexpectedly, a redox reaction occurred between [L2K(thf)] and the divalent ytterbium precursor, [YbI2(thf)2], generating the trivalent ytterbium complex [(L2)3Yb] (7). When the neutral formazan ligand (L2H) reacted with [SmCp*2(thf)2], the oxidised samarium complex 4 was formed. These novel compounds were fully characterised and their electrochemical properties were explored by cyclic voltammetry.Correction for 'A mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticle enables highly efficient manganese encapsulation for enhanced MRI-guided photothermal therapy' by Yan Wu et al., Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 6439-6446, DOI D1NR00957E.The reaction of tetra-tert-butylcyclotetraphosphane cyclo-(PtBu)4 (L) with one to four equivalents of [AuCl(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) leads to the formation of gold(I) complexes [(AuCl)nL] (n = 1-4, 1-4) in which the ligand coordinates up to four gold(I) chloride fragments. Complexes 1-4 show dynamic behaviour with redistribution of AuCl moieties which was investigated by 31P1H NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and single crystal as well as powder X-ray diffraction.