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The electron paramagnetic resonance g factors and the local structure for Ni3+ in LaAl0.9Ni0.1O3 (LAN), La0.75Y0.25Al0.99Ni0.01O3 (LYAN) and YAl0.9Ni0.1O3 (YAN) are theoretically studied from the perturbation formulas of the g factors for a 3d7 ion of low spin (S = 1/2) in tetragonally elongated octahedra. In these formulas, the contributions to the g factors from the tetragonal distortion, characterized by the tetragonal field parameters Ds and Dt are taken into account. According to the calculations, the ligand octahedra around Ni3+ are suggested to suffer 2% relative elongation along the [001] (or C4) axis due to the Jahn-Teller effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding proteins (SSBs) play essential protective roles in genome biology by shielding ssDNA from damage and preventing spurious DNA annealing. Far from being inert, ssDNA/SSB complexes are dynamic DNA processing centers wheremany different enzymes gain access to genomic substrates by exploiting direct interactions with SSB. In all cases examined to date, the C terminus of SSB (SSB-Ct) forms the docking site for heterologous proteins. We describe the 2.7-Å-resolution crystal structure of a complex formed between a peptide comprising the SSB-Ct element and exonuclease I (ExoI) from Escherichia coil. Two SSB-Ct peptides bind to adjacent sites on ExoI. Mutagenesis studies indicate that one of these sites is important for association with the SSB-Ct peptide insolution and for SSB stimulation of ExoI activity, whereas the second has no discernable function. These studies identify a correlation between the stability of the ExoI/SSB-Ct complex and SSB-stimulation of ExoI activity. Furthermore, mutations within SSB's C terminus produce variants that fail to stimulate ExoI activity, whereas the SSB-Ct peptide alone has no effect. Together, our findings indicate that SSB stimulates ExoI by recruiting the enzyme to its substrate and provide a structural paradigm for understanding SSB's organizational role in genome maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the help of the scattering-matrix method, the quantum states of ballistic electrons and conductance, as well as resistance are studied in a four-terminal junction of narrow wire with various widths. We find that these observable quantities are highly sensitive to the geometries of junctions and differ from the conventional structure with the same width. In particular, the predicted quantization conductance phenomena are striking and are also in self-consistency with calculated scattering probabilities, relating to electronic subbands and transmission states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron paramagnetic resonance parameters, zero-field splittings (ZFSs) b02, b04, b44, b06 , b46 and the g factors for Gd3+ on the tetragonal Y3+ site in KY3F10 are theoretically studied from the superposition model for the ZFSs and the approximation formula for the g factor containing the admixture of the ground 8S7/2 and the excited 6L7/2 (L=P, D, F, G) states via the spin-orbit coupling interactions, respectively. By analysing the above ZFSs, the local structure information for the impurity Gd3+ is obtained, i.e., the impurity-ligand bonding angles related to the four-fold (C4) axis for the impurity Gd3+ center are found to be about 0.6° larger than those for the host Y3+ site in KY3F10. The calculated ZFSs based on the above angular distortion as well as the g factors are in reasonable agreement with the observed values. The present studies on the ZFSs and the local structure would be helpful to understand the optical and magnetic properties of this material with Gd dopants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local angular distortions around the impurity Co2+ in CdCl2, CdBr2 and PbI2 are theoretically studied from the perturbation formulas of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters, the g factors g// and g⊥ and the hyperfine structure constants A// and A⊥ for a 3d7 ion in trigonal symmetry. In these formulas, the contributions from the s-orbitals of the ligands, which were often ignored, are taken into account based on the cluster approach. By analyzing the EPR spectra, we find that the impurity-ligand bonding angles β related to the C3 axis in the Co2+ impurity centers are different from the corresponding metal-ligand bonding angles βH in the hosts, characterized by the local angular distortions Δβ (=β-βH). The calculated EPR parameters, especially the anisotropies of the g and A factors for the studied systems based on the local angular distortions Δ β, show reasonable agreement with the observed values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings that are designed with aggressive energy performance targets are defined broadly in this study as high-performance buildings. As the technology advances, some of these buildings have the potential to become zero-energy ready through the adoption of cost-effective measures, such as retro-commissioning and occupant behavior techniques. This study demonstrated the viability of an office building to achieve the zero-energy goal and intended to engage the owners of similar facilities. The case building was designed as a very low-energy building with an energy use intensity (EUI) goal of 42 kWh/(m2 a), and the actual EUI was 23.9 kWh/(m2 a). The calibrated simulation approach was employed in the study, and the results indicated that the case building can achieve the zero-energy goal by optimizing the controls of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system, changing the occupant behavior and improving the performance of the photovoltaic system.

The properties and electronic structures for boron doped bulk and monolayer AlP are studied by using the full potential linearized augmented plane-wave method. Calculations indicate, as the BP (boron substituting phosphorus), Bint (interstitial), and BAl (boron substituting aluminium) doped configurations formed, that AlP would be half-metallic ferromagnet, non-magnetic metal, and semiconductor. The band gaps for the BAl doped configurations express non-linear behaviour with varying boron compositions. Formation energies indicate that BP, BAl and BAl+BP defects could be realized experimentally. The AlP with BAl+BP defects still preserve half-metallic ferromagnetism. Monolayer AlP with BP or BAl defects still remain a semiconductor, while boron adsorbed on P or Al sites, monolayer AlP would be a non-magnetic metal. Formation energies imply that monolayer AlP with BP or BAl defects could be realized experimentally. The absorption energies indicate that boron chemically absorbs on monolayer AlP at room temperature. Our investigations indicate that boron is a promising dopant, and could be utilized to modify the AlP's properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes over boron nitride catalysts provides a new opportunity for efficient olefin production. Here, the authors discover in situ formed olefins can promote parent alkane conversion, and achieve activation of ethane by propane-derived olefins at a lower temperature.

Expression of the multidrug efflux pump ttgDEF and ttgGHI operons is modulated in vivo mainly by the TtgV repressor. TtgV is a multidrug recognition repressor that exhibits a DNA binding domain with a long interaction helix comprising residues 47 to 64. The pattern of expression of the two pumps is different in Pseudomonas putida: in the absence of effectors, the promoter for the ttgD gene is silent, whereas the ttgG gene is expressed at a high basal level. This correlates with the fact that TtgV exhibits a higher affinity for the ttgD operator (KD = 10 ± 1 nM) than for the ttgG (KD = 19 ± 1 nM) operator. Sequence analysis revealed that both operators are 40% identical, and mutational analysis of the ttgD and ttgG operators combined with electrophoretic mobility shift assays and in vivo expression analysis suggests that TtgV recognizes an inverted repeat with a high degree of palindromicity around the central axis. We generated a collection of alanine substitution mutants with substitutions between residues 47 and 64 of TtgV. The results of extensive combinations of promoter variants with these TtgV alanine substitution mutants revealed that TtgV modulates expression from ttgD and ttgG promoters through the recognition of both common and different sequences in the two promoters. In this regard, we found that TtgV mutants at residues 48, 50, 53, 54, 60, and 61 failed to bind ttgG but recognized the ttgD operator. TtgV residues R47, R52, L57, and T49 are critical for binding to both operators. Based on three-dimensional models, we propose that these residues contact nucleotides within the major groove of DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron paramagnetic resonance parameters, zero-field splittings (ZFSs) b02, b04, b44, b06 , b46 and the g factors for Gd3+ on the tetragonal Y3+ site in KY3F10 are theoretically studied from the superposition model for the ZFSs and the approximation formula for the g factor containing the admixture of the ground 8S7/2 and the excited 6L7/2 (L=P, D, F, G) states via the spin-orbit coupling interactions, respectively. By analysing the above ZFSs, the local structure information for the impurity Gd3+ is obtained, i.e., the impurity-ligand bonding angles related to the four-fold (C4) axis for the impurity Gd3+ center are found to be about 0.6° larger than those for the host Y3+ site in KY3F10. The calculated ZFSs based on the above angular distortion as well as the g factors are in reasonable agreement with the observed values. The present studies on the ZFSs and the local structure would be helpful to understand the optical and magnetic properties of this material with Gd dopants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To investigate the effects of collagen and opticin on the bioactivity of human retinal vascular endothelial cells (hRVECs), and explore its regulations by integrins and RhoA/ROCK1 signal pathway. METHODS: hRVECs were cultured in collagen and treated by opticin, and cell-based bioactivity assays of cell proliferation, migration, and adhesion were performed. The expression of integrin α2, integrin β1, RhoA and ROCK1 were examined with real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Collagen could promote cell viability of proliferation and migration (all P

To determine whether Bcl-2 could influence adult neurogenesis and prevent apoptosis of newborn neurons, we injected Bcl-2 expressing plasmid into the lateral ventricle of rat brain immediately following a 30-min occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). We found that Bcl-2 increased neural progenitor cells (BrdU+-DCX+) in the ipsilateral striatum, newborn immature neurons (BrdU+-Tuj-1+) and newborn mature neurons (BrdU+-MAP-2+) in the ipsilateral striatum and frontal cortex at 1 to 4 weeks following MCAO. Bcl-2 overexpression promoted development of newborn neurons into GABAergic and cholinergic neurons in the ipsilateral striatum. Moreover, Bcl-2 significantly decreased the apoptosis of newborn neurons, determined by double staining of Tuj-1 and activated caspase-3 (Tuj-1+-Casp+). These results indicate that overexpression of Bcl-2 in adult rat brain enhances neurogenesis and survival of newborn neurons. Increasing neurogenesis and preventing the death of newborn neuron may be a strategy to aid in the repair of adult brain after stroke.

Objective: To observe the inhibitory effect of a eukaryotic expression vector expressing human IFN-gamma (pcDNA3.1- IFN-gamma) on HBV replication in hepG2.2.15 cells., Methods: The eukaryotic expression vector expressing human IFN-gamma was constructed using PCR and gene recombination technique. hepG2.2.15 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-IFN-gamma and the culture supernatant was collected to determine the expression of IFN-gamma protein by ELISA. The HBV DNA copies and the concentration of HBeAg and HBsAg were measured by fluorescence real-time PCR and ELISA kit, respectively., Results: Compared with that of negative control and blank 2.2.15 cells, the concentration of HBeAg in the supernatant of 2.2.15 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1- IFN-gamma were decreased by 49%, and HBsAg concentration was lowered by 35% and 33%, respectively. A significant decrease of HBV DNA copies was observed in pcDNA3.1- IFN-gamma-transfected cells in comparison with the two control cells. No significant differences were noted in all the results between the two control groups., Conclusion: We have successfully constructed the eukaryotic expression vector expressing human IFN-gamma, which provides a basis for anti-HBV gene therapy using human IFN-gamma.