modeling-functional-network-for-spatial-navigation-human

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Spatial navigation is a complex function involving the integration and manipulation of multisensory information. Using different navigation tasks, many ...

Zhejiang University

The fast and living ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of propylene oxide (PO) by metal-free catalysis is reported. By using triethyl borane (TEB) and organic Lewis bases (LBs, e.g.: phosphazene base, amidine and guanidine) as the catalysts, various alkyl alcohols can effectively initiate the ROP of PO, yielding tailor-made poly(propylene oxide)s (PPOs) with high regioregularity, predictable molecular weights, and narrow dispersity approaching Poisson distribution. The TEB/LB catalysts present unprecedentedly high activity (turnover frequency of up to 7500 h ) and a truly living character for the polymerization, as evidenced by kinetic studies that showed fast initiation and growth, unobserved chain-transfer to PO, chain extension reactions, and the synthesis of various PPO-based block copolymers with narrow dispersities (Đ<1.1).

Metal-Free Route to Precise Synthesis of Poly(propylene oxide) and Its Blocks with High Activity.

Rubber anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides leads to huge economic loss in the natural rubber industry every year. Conidia of C. gloeosporioides are a major infection source but little is known about molecular mechanisms underlying conidial development and infection. In this study, the C. gloeosporioide CH zinc-finger protein transcription factor gene CgAzf1 is shown to be involved in melanin production, conidial development and infection. Deletion of CgAzf1 resulted in decreased melanin production and hydrophilicity of aerial mycelium was increased. The mutants also showed reduced conidiation, low germination rate, and the formation of appressorium lagged too. Virulence assays showed that the CgAzf1 deletion strain could not infect intact rubber tree leaves and had an attenuated virulence on the wounded leaves. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that CgAzf1 regulates expression of genes involved in the MAPK, cAMP-PKA and melanin biosynthesis pathways.

Transcription factor CgAzf1 regulates melanin production, conidial development and infection in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

Chemotherapy is still an important and effective clinical treatment for cancer. However, individual drugs hardly achieve precise controlled release and targeted therapy, thus resulting in unavoidable side effects. Fortunately, the emergence of drug carriers is expected to solve the above problems. In this work, the MOF-on-MOF strategy was adopted to encapsulate DOX into double-layer NH-MIL-88B to fabricate a core-shell-structured DOX@NH-MIL-88B-On-NH-MIL-88B (DMM) and then realize the pH and GSH dual-responsive controlled DOX release. Because of the core-shell structure, the drug-loading capacity of DMM reached 14.4 wt %, which was nearly twice that of DOX@NH-MIL-88B (DM), and the controlled release performance of DMM was also improved at the same time, greatly improving the kinetics equilibrium time of DOX from 2 h (DM) to 16 h (DMM) at pH 5.0. Moreover, we found that DMM also possessed peroxidase-like catalytic activity under acidic conditions, which could catalyze HO to produce OH, exhibiting the potential chemodynamical treatment of cancer. Cell experiments showed that DMM had a significant inhibitory effect against 4T1 cancer cells, and the survival rate of 4T1 cells was less than 20% at 100 ppm.

Chenghui Zhang

Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

Zhejiang University

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Chenghui Zhang

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences

Zhejiang University

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences