4,5-Diaza-9H-fluoren-9-imine

In the title compound, C11H7N3, the diaza­fluorene rings are almost coplanar with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0160 Å. In the crystal structure, C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link mol­ecules into sheets parallel to the ab plane. Mol­ecules are also stacked regularly along the c axis by a variety of π–π inter­actions with centroid–centroid distances in the range 3.527 (2)–3.908 (2) Å

Expressions and clinic significance of miRNA-143, miRNA- 34A, miRNA-944, miRNA-101 and miRNA-218 in cervical cancer tissues

Purpose: To search for novel biomarkers for early diagnosis of cervical cancer, as well as novel therapeutic target for cervical cancer.Methods: A total of 96 cervical tissue specimens were collected from patients in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, out of which 10 were normal control. The remaining specimens (86) were cervical cancer specimens and were divided into 4 groups (A - D) based on tumor-biomarker levels of CA125 and SCC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction technology (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of miRNA-143, miRNA-34A, miRNA-944, miRNA-101 and miRNA-218 in the cervical cancer tissues.Results: The levels of CA125 (U/mL) and SCC (ug/L) expressed in normal control group and groups A - D were 11.75 and 0.73 (n = 10), 382 and 2.72 (n = 25), 912.9 and 3.93 (n = 21), 1675 and 5.87 (n = 29), and 2120 and 6.66 (n = 11), respectively. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed that the expressions of miRNA-944 and miRNA-218 in cervical cancer tissues were markedly up-regulated compared to normal control tissues (p < 0.01). In contrast, the expression level of miRNA-143, miRNA-34A, and miRNA-101 were significantly decreased (p < 0.01).Conclusion: The biomarkers, miRNA-143, miRNA-34A, miRNA-944, miRNA-101 and miRNA-218, can be considered novel for early diagnosis of cervical cancer.Keywords: Cervical cancer, Biomarkers, miRNA-143, miRNA-34A, miRNA-944, miRNA-101, miRNA- 21

Nuclear factor κB controls acetylcholine receptor clustering at the neuromuscular junction

At the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ), acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering is stimulated by motor neuron-derived glycoprotein Agrin and requires a number of intracellular signal or structural proteins, including AChR-associated scaffold protein Rapsyn. Here, we report a role of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a well known transcription factor involved in a variety of immune responses, in regulating AChR clustering at the NMJ. We found that downregulating the expression of RelA/p65 subunit of NF-κB or inhibiting NF-κB activity by overexpression of mutated form of IκB (inhibitor κB), which is resistant to proteolytic degradation and thus constitutively keeps NF-κB inactive in the cytoplasma, impeded the formation of AChR clusters in cultured C2C12 muscle cells stimulated by Agrin. In contrast, overexpression of RelA/p65 promoted AChR clustering. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanism by which NF-κB regulates AChR clustering. Interestingly, we found that downregulating the expression of RelA/p65 caused a marked reduction in the protein and mRNA level of Rapsyn and upregulation of RelA/p65 enhanced Rapsyn promoter activity. Mutation of NF-κB binding site on Rapsyn promoter prevented responsiveness to RelA/p65 regulation. Moreover, forced expression of Rapsyn in RelA/p65 downregulated muscle cells partially rescued AChR clusters, suggesting that NF-κB regulates AChR clustering, at least partially through the transcriptional regulation of Rapsyn. In line with this notion, genetic ablation of RelA/p65 selectively in the skeletal muscle caused a reduction of AChR density at the NMJ and a decrease in the level of Rapsyn. Thus, NF-κB signaling controls AChR clustering through transcriptional regulation of synaptic protein Rapsyn. Copyrigh

Compact Metamaterials Induced Circuits and Functional Devices

In recent years, we have witnessed a rapid expansion of using metamaterials to manipulate light or electromagnetic (EM) wave in a subwavelength scale. Specially, metamaterials have a strict limitation on element dimension from effective medium theory with respect to photonic crystals and other planar structures such as frequency selective surface (FSS). In this chapter, we review our effort in exploring physics and working mechanisms for element miniaturization along with the resulting effects on element EM response. Based on these results, we afford some guidelines on how to design and employ these compact meta-atoms in engineering functional devices with high performances. We found that some specific types of planar fractal or meandered structures are particularly suitable to achieve element miniaturization. In what follows, we review our effort in Section 1 to explore novel theory and hybrid method in designing broadband and dual band planar devices. By using single or double such compact composite right-/left-handed (CRLH) atom, we show that many microwave/RF circuits, i.e., balun, rat-race coupler, power divider and diplexer, can be further reduced while without inducing much transmission loss from two perspectives of lumped and distributed CRLH TLs. In Section 2, we show that a more compact LH atom can be engineered by combining a fractal ring and a meandered thin line. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate that a subwavelength focusing is achieved in terms of smooth outgoing field and higher imaging resolution. Section 3 is devoted to a clocking device from the new concept of superscatterer illusions. To realize the required material parameters, we propose a new mechanism by combining both electric and magnetic particles in a composite meta-atom. Such deep subwavelength particles enable exact manipulation of material parameters and thus facilitate desirable illusion performances of a proof-of-concept sample constructed by 6408 gradually varying meta-atoms. Finally, we summarize our results in the last section

1-Butyl-3-(1-naphthyl­meth­yl)benzimidazolium hemi{di-μ-iodido-bis­[diiodidomercurate(II)]} dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate

In the title compound, (C22H23N2)[Hg2I6]0.5·(CH3)2SO, the 1-butyl-3-(1-naphthyl­meth­yl)benzimidazolium anion lies across a centre of inversion. The dihedral angle between the benzimidazolium and naphthalene ring systems is 81.9 (3)°. In the crystal structure, π–π stacking inter­actions are observed between the imidazolium ring and the unsubstituted benzene ring of the naphthalene ring system, with a centroid–centroid separation of 3.510 (5) Å. In the centrosymmetric anion, the Hg(II) atoms are in a distorted tetrahedral coordination. The dimethyl sulfoxide solvent mol­ecule is disordered over two sites with occupancies of 0.615 (9) and 0.385 (9)

catena-Poly[[aqua­(dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine-κ2 N 4,N 5)zinc(II)]-μ-pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxyl­ato-κ3 N 1,O 2:O 3]

In the title compound, [Zn(C6H2N2O4)(C18H10N4)(H2O)]n or [Zn(PZDC)(DPPZ)(H2O)]n (where DPPZ is dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine and H2PZDC is pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid), the Zn atom is six-coordinated in a slightly distorted octa­hedral coordination geometry by three N atoms from one DPPZ ligand and one PZDC2− dianion, three O atoms from two different PZDC2− ligands and one water mol­ecule. Each PZDC2− dianion serves as a spacer, connecting adjacent metal atoms into a polymeric chain structure parallel to the b axis. The chain motif is consolidated into a three-dimensional supra­molecular network by O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and π–π aromatic stacking inter­actions involving adjacent DPPZ ligands and PZDC2− dianions with centroid–centroid separations of 3.522 (6) and 3.732 (8) Å, respectively

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of azithromycin and benzathine penicillin in early syphilis

Purpose: To systematically analyze the efficacy of azithromycin and benzathine penicillin in early syphilis, and provide guidance for diagnosis and treatment.Methods: Databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and control studies according to keywords, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Related documents and meeting records were also searched manually to extract study types, basic information of study objects, intervention measurements and study results, and evaluation of the quality of the methodology used.Results: Three studies were excluded from the review. The quality evaluation was B grade, and heterogenicity was good. We adopted a fixed effect model to conduct the meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in the cure rate between azithromycin and benzathine penicillin administered for 6 months. The ORs for 3 time points were 0.96 (95% CI = 0.71, 1.29), 0.01 (95% CI = -0.05, 0.06), and 0.04 (95% CI = -0.02, 0.11; p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of adverse events among the three studies.Conclusion: There was no apparent difference in the efficacy of azithromycin and benzathine penicillin in early syphilis. The advantages of azithromycin included good compliance, a long half-life, and a high economic benefit.Keywords: Early syphilis, Azithromycin, Benzathine penicillin, Curative effec