Synthetic RNA-protein complex shaped like an equilateral triangle.

Synthetic nanostructures consisting of biomacromolecules such as nucleic acids have been constructed using bottom-up approaches. In particular, Watson-Crick base pairing has been used to construct a variety of two- and three-dimensional DNA nanostructures. Here, we show that RNA and the ribosomal protein L7Ae can form a nanostructure shaped like an equilateral triangle that consists of three proteins bound to an RNA scaffold. The construction of the complex relies on the proteins binding to kink-turn (K-turn) motifs in the RNA, which allows the RNA to bend by ∼ 60° at three positions to form a triangle. Functional RNA-protein complexes constructed with this approach could have applications in nanomedicine and synthetic biology

Association between subjective economic status and refusal of life-prolonging treatment: a cross-sectional study using content analysis with stratified random sampling

Introduction: Older adults tend to refuse life-prolonging treatment for various reasons, and it is important to respect their choice of treatment at the end-of-life stage. The present study examines the associations of subjective economic status and gender with reasons for refusal of life-prolonging treatment in older adults in general population. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, using stratified random sampling, 1,595 older adults living in Koriyama City, Japan, as of 2016, completed self-administered questionnaires on subjective economic status and preference for life-prolonging treatment, with free-description regarding reasons for refusal. We analyzed the associations between the combination of subjective economic status and gender with frequently mentioned terms and their clusters regarding such reasons, using χ2 test, content analysis, text mining and hierarchical cluster analysis. Results: The combinations of subjective economic status and gender were significantly associated with clustered reasons for refusal of life-prolonging treatment (p < 0.01). The reasons frequently mentioned were: 'avoidance of unnecessary medical care' and 'dignity' in well-off females; and 'financial burden on family' in poor males. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that older adults who at first glance appear to be freely refusing life-prolonging treatment, may have their decision making restricted through economic constraints

Association between participation in sports club activities and decision-making preferences in end-of-life treatment among Japanese elderly people:a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Decision-making regarding treatment at the end-of-life stage is an important issue for the elderly and their families. Such decision-making may be influenced by activities that promote communication and physical health. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between participation in sports club activities and decision-making regarding life-prolonging treatment among the general community-dwelling Japanese elderly. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, which used stratified random sampling, 1,603 elderly people aged 65 years or older as of January 2016, living in Fukushima prefecture, Japan were enrolled. Data was collected by a self-completed questionnaire (effective response rate: 53.4%). The association of sports club activity participation with a preference for accepting or declining life-prolonging treatment was analyzed by multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: Of those participating in sports club activities, the results revealed an odds ratios of 1.812 for participants declining life-prolonging treatment (95% CI=1.325 to 2.477) and 1.948 for those who preferred life-prolonging treatment (95% CI=1.160 to 3.271). Conclusions: The present study suggests that participation in sports club activities is associated with articulating decisions about life-prolonging treatment in end-of-life care. Consideration of patient involvement in daily activities in non-medical settings may enhance decision-making for end-of-life care planning

Critical impacts of interfacial water on C–H activation in photocatalytic methane conversion

Photocatalytic methane conversion under ambient conditions holds immense promise for sustainable use of methane resources, but incomplete knowledge of reaction mechanisms hampers the development of engineering strategies for methane photocatalysis. Here, combining real-time mass spectrometry and operando infrared absorption spectroscopy with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the authors explore the role of interfacial water in C–H activation during the photocatalytic conversion of methane

Critical impacts of interfacial water on the photocatalytic C–H conversion of methane

On-site and on-demand photocatalytic methane conversion under mild conditions is one of the urgent global challenges for the sustainable use of ubiquitous methane resources. However, the lack of accurate knowledge of the reaction mechanism prevents the development of engineering strategies for methane photocatalysis. Combining real-time mass spectrometry and operando infrared absorption spectroscopy with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, here we report key molecular-level insights into photocatalytic green utilization of methane. The photoactivated water dramatically promotes the activation of robust C–H bond of methane, and stabilizes the •CH3 intermediates in the interfacial hydrogen-bond network of water. Owing to the moderate stabilization of •CH3, the overall photocatalytic conversion rates are dramatically improved by typically more than 30 times at ambient temperatures (~300 K) and pressures (~1 atm). The increase in reaction activity is noticeable also in C1 to C2 evolution of methane, although water is not explicitly involved in the reaction equation (2CH4 → C2H6 + H2). These marked water-assisted effects in the interfacial chemistry should affect the basic understanding and the designing strategies on the non-thermal heterogeneous catalysis of methane under ambient conditions