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Based on solvothermal synthesis, self-assembly of the heptadentate 2,6-diacetylpyridine bis(nicotinoylhydrazone) Schiff base ligand (H2L) and Zn(II) and/or Cd(II) salts has led to the formation of three homometallic [CdL]n (1), [CdL]∙0.5dmf∙H2On (2) and [ZnL]∙0.5dmf∙1.5H2On (3), as well as two heterometallic [Zn0.75Cd1.25L2]∙dmf∙0.5H2On (4) and [MnZnL2]∙dmf∙3H2On coordination polymers. Compound 1 represents a 1D chain, whereas 2–5 are isostructural and isomorphous two-dimensional structures. The entire series was characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and emission measurements. 2D coordination polymers accommodate water and dmf molecules in their cage-shaped interlayer spaces, which are released when the samples are heated. Thus, three solvated crystals were degassed at two temperatures and their photoluminescent and adsorption–desorption properties were recorded in order to validate this assumption. Solvent-free samples reveal an increase in volume pore, adsorption specific surface area and photoluminescence with regard to synthesized crystals.

Eight mixed-ligand coordination networks, [Cd(2-aba)(NO3)(4-bphz)3/2]n·n(dmf) (1), [Cd(2-aba)2(4-bphz)]n·0.75n(dmf) (2), [Cd(seb)(4-bphz)]n·n(H2O) (3), [Cd(seb)(4-bpmhz)]n·n(H2O) (4), [Cd(hpa)(3-bphz)]n (5), [Zn(1,3-bdc)(3-bpmhz)]n·n(MeOH) (6), [Cd(1,3-bdc)(3-bpmhz)]n ·0.5n(H2O)·0.5n(EtOH) (7), and [Cd(NO3)2(3-bphz)(bpe)]n·n(3-bphz) (8) were obtained by interplay of cadmium nitrate tetrahydrate or zinc nitrate hexahydrate with 2-aminobenzenecarboxylic acid (H(2-aba)), three dicarboxylic acids, sebacic (decanedioic acid, H2seb), homophthalic (2-(carboxymethyl)benzoic acid, H2hpa), isophthalic (1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, H2(1,3-bdc)) acids, bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe) and with four azine ligands, 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethylene)hydrazine (4-bphz), 1,2-bis(1-(pyridin-4-yl)ethylidene) hydrazine (4-bpmhz), 1,2-bis(pyridin-3-ylmethylene)hydrazine (3-bphz), and 1,2-bis(1-(pyridin-3-yl) ethylidene)hydrazine (3-bpmhz). Compounds 1 and 2 are 1D coordination polymers, while compounds 3–8 are 2D coordination polymers. All compounds were characterized by spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction methods of analysis. The solvent uptakes and stabilities to the guest evacuation were studied and compared for 1D and 2D coordination networks. The de-solvated forms revealed a significant increase of emission in comparison with the as-synthesized crystals.

Variants of the MYH7 gene have been associated with a number of primary cardiac conditions, including left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). Most cases of MYH7-related diseases are associated with such variant types as missense substitutions and in-frame indels. Thus, truncating variants in MYH7 (MYH7tv) and associated mechanism of haploinsufficiency are usually considered not pathogenic in these disorders. However, recent large-scale studies demonstrated evidence of the significance of MYH7tv for LVNC and gave rise to an assumption that haploinsufficiency may be the causal mechanism for LVNC. In this article, we present a family with isolated LVNC and a heterozygous splice variant of the MYH7 gene, analyze possible consequences of this variant and conclude that not all variants that are predicted truncating really act through haploinsufficiency. This study can highlight the importance of a precise assessment of MYH7 splicing variants and their participation in the development of LVNC.

Variants of the MYH7 gene have been associated with a number of primary cardiac conditions, including left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). Most cases of MYH7-related diseases are associated with such variant types as missense substitutions and in-frame indels. Thus, truncating variants in MYH7 (MYH7tv) and associated mechanism of haploinsufficiency are usually considered not pathogenic in these disorders. However, recent large-scale studies demonstrated evidence of the significance of MYH7tv for LVNC and gave rise to an assumption that haploinsufficiency may be the causal mechanism for LVNC. In this article, we present a family with isolated LVNC and a heterozygous splice variant of the MYH7 gene, analyze possible consequences of this variant and conclude that not all variants that are predicted truncating really act through haploinsufficiency. This study can highlight the importance of a precise assessment of MYH7 splicing variants and their participation in the development of LVNC.

Introduction. This research focuses on the study of the composition and properties of fine-grained self-compacting concrete, including the development of a methodology for designing their structure. Methods and Materials. The following materials were used: Portland cement CEM I 42.5B; crushed stone screening of 2.5-5 mm fraction from the Kurlek quarry in the Tomsk region; sand from the Tuganskoye deposit was used as fine aggregate; quartz flour was used as microfiller; a complex modifying additive consisting of microcalcite from the Dalnegorsk mining quarry and nanosilicon dioxide obtained by the arc plasma evaporation method. Results and Discussion. The proposed methodology incorporates a computational and experimental approach that enables the selection of optimal combinations of aggregate fractions, fillers, and developed additives to achieve the required grain packing density. The use of statistical methods, such as polynomial approximation and Gaussian process regression, allowed us to identify the relationship between particle size distribution and concrete properties. Optimal ratios of each quartz aggregate fraction from man-made raw materials were determined for specific self-compacting concrete requirements in terms of concrete mix flow and hardened concrete strength. Conclusion. Laboratory tests confirmed the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed calculations. Self-compacting concrete grade B40 compositions with reduced cement consumption (412 kg/m3) and high-performance characteristics were developed.

The influence of Yb3+ cations substitution for Pr3+ on the structure and catalytic activity of (Pr1−xYbx)2Zr2O7 powders synthesized via coprecipitation followed by calcination is studied using a combination of long- (s-XRD), medium- (Raman, FT-IR, and SEM-EDS) and short-range (XAFS) sensitive methods, as well as adsorption and catalytic techniques. It is established that chemical composition and calcination temperature are the two major factors that govern the phase composition, crystallographic, and local-structure parameters of these polycrystalline materials. The crystallographic and local-structure parameters of (Pr1−xYbx)2Zr2O7 samples prepared at 1400 °C/3 h demonstrate a tight correlation with their catalytic activity towards propane cracking. The progressive replacement of Pr3+ with Yb3+ cations gives rise to an increase in the catalytic activity. A mechanism of the catalytic cracking of propane is proposed, which considers the geometrical match between the metal–oxygen (Pr–O, Yb–O, and Zr–O) bond lengths within the active sites and the size of adsorbed propane molecule to be the decisive factor governing the reaction route.

The Circumpolar North has been changing rapidly within the last decades, and the socioeconomic systems of the Eurasian Arctic and Siberia in particular have displayed the most dramatic changes. Here, anthropogenic drivers of environmental change such as migration and industrialization are added to climateinduced changes in the natural environment such as permafrost thawing and increased frequency of extreme events. Understanding and adapting to both types of changes are important to local and indigenous peoples in the Arctic and for the wider global community due to transboundary connectivity. As local and indigenous peoples, decision-makers and scientists perceive changes and impacts differently and often fail to communicate efficiently to respond to changes adequately, we convened a meeting of the three groups in Salekhard in 2017. The outcomes of the meeting include perceptions of how the three groups each perceive the main issues affecting health and well-being and recommendations for working together better.

PurposeHumic substances (HS) play important functions in the environment by radical scavenging in biogeochemical redox reactions, thus influencing behavior of pollutants and preventing damage to cell membranes; this is due to antioxidant properties of HS. Previous studies focused primarily on assessing endpoint antioxidant capacity (AOC) of HS. Our work aimed to estimate long-term kinetics of the antioxidant capacities of humic and humic-like substances under different pH in relation to their specific structural features.Materials and methodsThe 10-h kinetic profiles of four standard HS and two fungi-produced humic-like substances (HLS) were established with Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) approach using the ABTS decolorization assay. Three pH levels (3.75, 4.25, and 6.80) and a broad range of humic material concentrations (0.5–10 mg L−1) were examined. The data were divided into intervals and fit using exponential functions to evaluate the endpoint AOCs as well as rate constants for the reaction of humic materials with the ABTS radical cation. To further explore the nature of the antioxidant activities of humic materials, the physicochemical features and antioxidant activities of humic compounds were subjected to correlation analysis.Results and discussionOur results demonstrated that during the first 40 min, the determined AOCs did not exceed 50 % of the endpoint AOCs for studies of humic materials, indicating that short-term measures of the AOCs of humic materials provide artificially low values due to the presence of slow-acting antioxidant compounds. Due to the instability of ABTS•+ at neutral and alkaline pH values, only the fast antioxidant moieties of humic materials can be assessed with ABTS decolorization approach under these conditions. Our results show that at acidic pH, the antioxidant activity of HLS is mainly related to the presence of nitrogen-containing groups rather than phenols. However, for HS, both nitrogen-containing compounds and phenolic compounds should be considered.ConclusionsTo obtain clearer information concerning the AOC of humic materials, kinetic profiles should first be established, and then endpoint measurements should be taken at a time when the reaction has reached, or at least neared, the endpoint.

Humic substances (HS) are natural supramolecular systems of high- and low-molecular-weight compounds with distinct immunomodulatory and protective properties. The key beneficial biological activity of HS is their antioxidant activity. However, systematic studies of the antioxidant activity of HS against biologically relevant peroxyl radicals are still scarce. The main objective of this work was to estimate the antioxidant capacity (AOC) of a broad set of HS widely differing in structure using an oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) assay. For this purpose, 25 samples of soil, peat, coal, and aquatic HS and humic-like substances were characterized using elemental analysis and quantitative 13C solution-state NMR. The Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to quantify total phenol (TP) content in HS. The determined AOC values varied in the range of 0.31–2.56 μmol Trolox eqv. mg−1, which is close to the values for ascorbic acid and vitamin E. Forward stepwise regression was used to reveal the four main factors contributing to the AOC value of HS: atomic C/N ratio, content of O-substituted methine and methoxyl groups, and TP. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the dependence of the AOC of HS on both phenolic and non-phenolic moieties in their structure, including carbohydrate fragments.

Copper-containing enzymes catalyze a broad spectrum of redox reactions. Thiocyanate dehydrogenase (TcDH) from Thioalkalivibrio paradoxus Arh1 enables the bacterium to use thiocyanate as a unique source of energy and nitrogen. Oxidation of thiocyanate takes place in the trinuclear copper center of TcDH with peculiar organization. Despite the TcDH crystal structure being established, a role of some residues in the enzyme active site has yet to be obscured. F436 residue is located in the enzyme active site and conserved among a number of TcDH homologs, however, its role in the copper center formation or the catalytic process is still not clear. To address this question, a mutant form of the enzyme with F436Q substitution (TcDHF436Q) was obtained, biochemically characterized, and its crystal structure was determined. The TcDHF436Q had an unaltered protein fold but did not possess enzymatic activity, whereas it contained all three copper ions, according to ICP-MS data. The structural data showed that the F436Q substitution resulted in a disturbance of hydrophobic interactions within the active site crucial for a correct transition between open/closed forms of the enzyme–substrate channel. Thus, we demonstrated that F436 does not participate in copper ion binding, but rather possesses a structural role in the TcDH active site.