A mechanism for the regioselective silaboration of terminal allene by a palladium catalyst has been studied theoretically. The overall reaction scheme has been examined in particular to determine the mechanism of the regioselectivity. The present catalytic reaction is exothermic and the rate-determining step is the insertion of allene into the Pd-B bond of the Pd complex. σ-Allylic and π-allylic complexes exist as intermediates and play an important role in the regioselectivity. Selective insertion of the unsubstituted CdC bond into the Pd-B bond produces the most stable σ-allylic complex, which converts to the π-allylic complex while maintaining the Pd-O coordination. The selective formation of the specific σ-allylic complex and the large activation barrier between two isomeric π-allylic complexes dominantly determines the regioselectivity of the present reaction. The major-product complex is less stable than the minor-product complex, and therefore kinetic control is predominant in the present reaction.

This study highlights the importance of the novel BMPR2 modifier FHIT in PH and the clinical value of the repurposed drug Enzastaurin as a potential novel therapeutic strategy to improve PAH.

Rho family small GTPases are key regulators of morphological changes in neurons. Cdc42, one of the most characterized members of the Rho family of proteins, is involved in axon and dendrite outgrowth through cytoskeletal reorganization. Recent studies have identified Zizimin1, a member of the Dock180-related family of proteins [also called CDM (Ced-5/Dock180/Myoblast city)-zizimin homology (CZH) proteins], as a specific guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Cdc42. However, the physiological function of Zizimin1 is totally unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of Zizimin1 in dendrite development in rat hippocampal neurons. In situ hybridization and Western blot analysis showed that Zizimin1 is strongly expressed in the developing brain including in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in late developmental stages. Overexpression of wild-type Zizimin1 promoted dendrite growth, whereas knockdown of Zizimin1 by short hairpin RNA or expression of a mutant Zizimin1 lacking Cdc42 GEF activity suppressed dendrite growth in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both the N-terminal CZH1 domain, which is conserved among CZH proteins, and the Pleckstrin homology domain of Zizimin1 are involved in membrane localization, Cdc42 activation, and regulation of dendrite growth. Thus, these results suggest that Zizimin1 plays an important role in dendrite growth in hippocampal neurons through activation of Cdc42.

Molecular core ionization spectra and their satellites were studied by the symmetry adapted cluster-configuration interaction (SAC-CI) general-R method. The core-electron binding energies of C, N, O, and F atoms of 22 molecules were calculated with an average deviation of 0.11 eV from the experimental values. The energy splittings between K-shell gerade and ungerade states were calculated and discussed in relation to the bond length. The satellite spectra of the C 1s and N 1s core ionizations of methane and ammonia were investigated. The SAC-CI general-R method gave many shake-up states with moderate intensities, reproducing the general feature of the experimental spectra, and thus enabling the detailed understanding and assignments of the core-electron ionization spectra.

Aberrant activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) caused by somatic mutation of JAK2 (JAK2V617F) or the thrombopoietin receptor (MPLW515L) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), suggesting that inhibition of aberrant JAK2 activation would have a therapeutic benefit. Our novel JAK2 inhibitor, NS-018, was highly active against JAK2 with a 50% inhibition (IC50) of <1 n, and had 30–50-fold greater selectivity for JAK2 over other JAK-family kinases, such as JAK1, JAK3 and tyrosine kinase 2. In addition to JAK2, NS-018 inhibited Src-family kinases. NS-018 showed potent antiproliferative activity against cell lines expressing a constitutively activated JAK2 (the JAK2V617F or MPLW515L mutations or the TEL–JAK2 fusion gene; IC50=11–120 n), but showed only minimal cytotoxicity against most other hematopoietic cell lines without a constitutively activated JAK2. Furthermore, NS-018 preferentially suppressed in vitro erythropoietin-independent endogenous colony formation from polycythemia vera patients. NS-018 also markedly reduced splenomegaly and prolonged the survival of mice inoculated with Ba/F3 cells harboring JAK2V617F. In addition, NS-018 significantly reduced leukocytosis, hepatosplenomegaly and extramedullary hematopoiesis, improved nutritional status, and prolonged survival in JAK2V617F transgenic mice. These results suggest that NS-018 will be a promising candidate for the treatment of MPNs.

AIMS The temporal sequence of events underlying functional right ventricular (RV) recovery after improvement of pulmonary hypertension-associated pressure overload are unknown. We sought to establish a novel mouse model of gradual RV recovery from pressure overload and use it to delineate RV reverse-remodeling events. METHODS AND RESULTS Surgical pulmonary artery banding (PAB) around a 26G needle induced RV dysfunction with increased RV pressures, reduced exercise capacity and caused liver congestion, hypertrophic, fibrotic and vascular myocardial remodeling within 5 weeks of chronic RV pressure overload in mice. Gradual reduction of the afterload burden through PA band absorption (de-PAB) - after RV dysfunction and structural remodeling were established - initiated recovery of RV function (cardiac output, exercise capacity) along with rapid normalization in RV hypertrophy (RV/LV+S, cardiomyocyte area) and RV pressures (RVSP). RV fibrotic (collagen, elastic fibers, vimentin+ fibroblasts) and vascular (capillary density) remodeling were equally reversible, however reversal occurred at a later time-point after de-PAB, when RV function was already completely restored. Microarray gene expression (ClariomS, Thermo Fisher) along with gene ontology analyses in RV tissues revealed growth factors, immune modulators and apoptosis mediators as major cellular components underlying functional RV recovery. CONCLUSIONS We established a novel gradual de-PAB mouse model and used it to demonstrate that established pulmonary hypertension-associated RV dysfunction is fully reversible. Mechanistically, we link functional RV improvement to hypertrophic normalization that precedes fibrotic and vascular reverse-remodeling events. Translational Perspective The right ventricle (RV) in pulmonary arterial hypertension possesses a remarkable ability to recover after lung transplantation. Yet, some transplant centers prefer a heart-lung instead of lung transplantation when the RV function is severely impaired because knowledge is lacking whether fibrotic and vascular myocardial remodeling are completely reversible once the increased afterload burden is relieved. We have developed a mouse model to study gradual unloading of the RV and identified key molecular components and the timing of RV reverse-remodeling events with the ultimate goal to understand the RV recovery process and identify ways how to support the RV during recovery.

We have carried out angle-resolved measurement for the C 1s photoelectron shakeup satellites of gaseous CO molecules, at unprecedented energy resolution, and resolved the vibrational structures for one 2 and two 2 bands. The present ab initio calculations for the potential curves of these shakeup satellite states and the relevant Franck-Condon analysis well reproduce the vibrational structures of these bands and confirm the assignments.

The field-effect transistor has been fabricated, where polythiophene works as a semiconductor and a couple of polypyrrole layers act as a source and/or a drain electrode. The modulation ratio of the channel current with gate voltages has reached ca. 105, which is the largest one among organic FETs. This large modulation has been attributed to the depression of the channel current at no gate bias. It has been elucidated that the depression is caused by the barrier against hole transport formed inside the polythiophene layer and near the interface with polypyrrole.