The role of ncRNA regulatory mechanisms in diseases-case on gestational diabetes.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of RNA molecules that do not have the potential to encode proteins. Meanwhile, they can occupy a significant portion of the human genome and participate in gene expression regulation through various mechanisms. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pathologic condition of carbohydrate intolerance that begins or is first detected during pregnancy, making it one of the most common pregnancy complications. Although the exact pathogenesis of GDM remains unclear, several recent studies have shown that ncRNAs play a crucial regulatory role in GDM. Herein, we present a comprehensive review on the multiple mechanisms of ncRNAs in GDM along with their potential role as biomarkers. In addition, we investigate the contribution of deep learning-based models in discovering disease-specific ncRNA biomarkers and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ncRNA. This might assist community-wide efforts to obtain insights into the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs in disease and guide a novel approach for early diagnosis and treatment of disease.

α-Ketoglutaric acid ameliorates intervertebral disk degeneration by blocking the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD) is the major cause of low back pain. Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG), an important intermediate in energy metabolism, has various functions, including epigenetic regulation, maintenance of redox homeostasis, and antiaging, but whether it can ameliorate IVDD has not been reported. Here, we examined the impacts of long-term administration of α-KG on aging-associated IVDD in adult rats. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that α-KG supplementation effectively ameliorated IVDD in rats and the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). α-KG supplementation significantly attenuated senescence, apoptosis, and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) protein expression, and it increased the synthesis of aggrecan and collagen II in IL-1ß-treated NPCs. In addition, α-KG supplementation reduced the levels of IL-6, phosphorylated JAK2 and STAT3, and the nuclear translocation of p-STAT3 in IL-1ß-induced degenerating NPCs. The effects of α-KG were enhanced by AG490 in NPCs. The underlying mechanism may involve the inhibition of JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation and the reduction of IL-6 expression. Our findings may help in the development of new therapeutic strategies for IVDD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) exerted its protective effect on nucleus pulposus cells' (NPCs) degeneration by inhibiting the senescence-associated secretory phenotype and extracellular matrix degradation. The possible mechanism may be associated with negatively regulating the JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation and the decreased IL-6 expression, which could be explained by a blockage of the positive feedback control loop between IL-6 and JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Colloidal bismuth pectin-containing quadruple therapy as the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is an effective regimen for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment. No head-to-head comparison trials have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of colloidal bismuth pectin (CBP) in quadruple therapy for eradicating H. pylori. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of CBP quadruple therapy and bismuth potassium citrate (BPC) quadruple therapy for 14 days in the first-line treatment of H. pylori. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority clinical trial, H. pylori-infected subjects without eradication history were randomized to receive amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, tetracycline 500 mg three time daily, esomeprazole 20 mg twice daily in combination with CBP 200 mg three time daily or BPC 240 mg twice daily for 14 days. 13 C-urea breath tests were used to access the eradication rate at least 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Between April 2021 and July 2022, 406 patients were assessed for eligibility and 339 subjects were randomized. The cure rates (primary outcome) of CBP and BPC quadruple therapy were 90.5% and 92.3% (p = 0.56) by intention-to-treat analysis, respectively, and 96.1% and 96.2% (p = 1.00) by per-protocol analysis, respectively. CBP quadruple therapy was non-inferior to BPC quadruple therapy in the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis (p < 0.025). The frequency of adverse events and compliance were not different among the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both CBP and BPC quadruple therapy for 14 days provide high efficacy, good compliance, and safety in the first-line treatment of H. pylori in China.

iPADD: A Computational Tool for Predicting Potential Antidiabetic Drugs Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease, which causes an imbalance in blood glucose homeostasis and further leads to severe complications. With the increasing population of diabetes, there is an urgent need to develop drugs to treat diabetes. The development of artificial intelligence provides a powerful tool for accelerating the discovery of antidiabetic drugs. This work aims to establish a predictor called iPADD for discovering potential antidiabetic drugs. In the predictor, we used four kinds of molecular fingerprints and their combinations to encode the drugs and then adopted minimum-redundancy-maximum-relevance (mRMR) combined with an incremental feature selection strategy to screen optimal features. Based on the optimal feature subset, eight machine learning algorithms were applied to train models by using 5-fold cross-validation. The best model could produce an accuracy (Acc) of 0.983 with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (auROC) value of 0.989 on an independent test set. To further validate the performance of iPADD, we selected 65 natural products for case analysis, including 13 natural products in clinical trials as positive samples and 52 natural products as negative samples. Except for abscisic acid, our model can give correct prediction results. Molecular docking illustrated that quercetin and resveratrol stably bound with the diabetes target NR1I2. These results are consistent with the model prediction results of iPADD, indicating that the machine learning model has a strong generalization ability. The source code of iPADD is available at https://github.com/llllxw/iPADD.

Optimization of Constitutive Promoters Using a Promoter-Trapping Vector in Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007.

Selecting suitable promoters to drive gene overexpression can provide significant insight into the development of engineered bacteria. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome data of Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007 and identified 54 highly expressed genes. The promoter sequences were located using genome-wide data and scored using the prokaryotic promoter prediction software BPROM to further screen out 18 promoter sequences. We also developed a promoter trap system based on two reporter proteins adapted for promoter optimization in B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007: firefly luciferase encoded by the luciferase gene set (Luc) and trimethoprim (TP)-resistant dihydrofolate reductase (TPr). Ultimately, eight constitutive promoters were successfully inserted into the probe vector and transformed into B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007. The transformants were successfully grown on Tp antibiotic plates, and firefly luciferase expression was determined by measuring the relative light unit (RLU). Five of the promoters (P4, P9, P10, P14, and P19) showed 1.01-2.51-fold higher activity than the control promoter λ phage transcriptional promoter (PRPL). The promoter activity was further validated via qPCR analysis, indicating that promoters P14 and P19 showed stable high transcription levels at all time points. Then, GFP and RFP proteins were overexpressed in JK-SH007. In addition, promoters P14 and P19 were successfully used to drive gene expression in Burkholderia multivorans WS-FJ9 and Escherichia coli S17-1. The two constitutive promoters can be used not only in B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007 itself to gene overexpression but also to expand the scope of application.

Electrophilically Trapping Water for Preventing Polymerization of Cyclic Ether Towards Low-Temperature Li Metal Battery.

Cyclic ether, such as 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), are promising solvent for low-temperature electrolytes because of the low freezing point. Their use in electrolytes, however, is severely limited since it easily polymerizes in the presence of lithium inorganic salts. The trace water plays a key role via providing the source (proton) for chain initiation, which has, unfortunately, been neglected in most cases. In this work, we present an electrophile, trimethylsilyl isocyanate (Si-NCO), as the water scavenger, which eliminates moisture by a nucleophilic addition reaction. Si-NCO allows DOL to maintain liquid over a wide temperature range even in high-concentration electrolyte. Electrolyte with Si-NCO additive shows promising low-temperature performance. Our finding expands the use of cyclic ether solvents in the presence of inorganic salts and highlights a large space for unexplored design of water scavenger with electrophilic feature for low-temperature electrolytes.

Efficacy of keverprazan for duodenal ulcer: A phase II randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the limitation of varying acid suppression of proton pump inhibitors, this study was aimed to assess the efficacy, safety, and dose-effect relationship of keverprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, in the treatment of duodenal ulcer (DU) compared with lansoprazole. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter, low-dose, high-dose, and positive-drug parallel-controlled study was conducted to verify the non-inferiority of keverprazan (20 or 30 mg) to lansoprazole of 30 mg once daily for 4 to 6 weeks and dose-effect relationship of keverprazan in the treatment of patients with active DU confirmed by endoscopy. RESULTS: Of the 180 subjects randomized, including 55 cases in the keverprazan_20 mg group, 61 cases in the keverprazan_30 mg group, and 64 cases in the lansoprazole_30 mg group, 168 subjects (93.33%) completed the study. The proportions of healed DU subjects in the keverprazan_20 mg, keverprazan_30 mg, and lansoprazole_30 mg groups were respectively 87.27%, 90.16%, and 79.69% at week 4 (P = 0.4595) and were respectively 96.36%, 98.36%, and 92.19% at week 6 (P = 0.2577). The incidence of adverse events in the keverprazan_20 mg group was lower than that in the lansoprazole_30 mg (P = 0.0285) and keverprazan_30 mg groups (P = 0.0398). CONCLUSIONS: Keverprazan was effective and non-inferior to lansoprazole in healing DU. Based on the comparable efficacy and safety data, keverprazan of 20 mg once daily is recommended for the follow-up study of acid-related disorders. (Trial registration number: ChiCTR2100043455.).

Diagnosis of fetal total anomalous pulmonary venous connection based on the post-left atrium space ratio using artificial intelligence.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the post-left atrium space (PLAS) ratio would be useful for prenatal diagnosis of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) using echocardiography and artificial intelligence. METHODS: We retrospectively included 642 frames of four-chamber views from 319 fetuses (32 with TAPVC and 287 without TAPVC) in end-systolic and end-diastolic periods with multiple apex directions. The average gestational age was 25.6 ± 2.7 weeks. No other cardiac or extracardiac malformations were observed. The dataset was divided into a training set (n = 540; 48 with TAPVC and 492 without TAPVC) and test set (n = 102; 20 with TAPVC and 82 without TAPVC). The PLAS ratio was defined as the ratio of the epicardium-descending aortic distance to the center of the heart-descending aortic distance. Supervised learning was used in DeepLabv3+, FastFCN, PSPNet, and DenseASPP segmentation models. The area under the curve (AUC) was used on the test set. RESULTS: Expert annotations showed that this ratio was not related to the period or apex direction. It was higher in the TAPVC group than in the control group detected by the expert and the four models. The AUC of expert annotations, DeepLabv3+, FastFCN, PSPNet, and DenseASPP were 0.977, 0.941, 0.925, 0.856, and 0.887, respectively. CONCLUSION: Segmentation models achieve good diagnostic accuracy for TAPVC based on the PLAS ratio.

Deep brain stimulation for chorea-acanthocytosis: a systematic review.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a reversible treatment for chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc). Its safety and efficacy remain elusive due to the low prevalence of ChAc. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of DBS for ChAc by systematically reviewing literature through PubMed and EMBASE. Inclusion criteria were reports on the efficacy or safety of DBS for ChAc and English language articles, and exclusion criteria were other movement disorders, non-human subjects, and studies without original data. Most studies were published as case reports, and we therefore pooled these cases in one cohort. Twenty studies with 34 patients were included. The mean age of symptom onset was 29.3 years (range, 17-48). The median follow-up was 12 months (range, 2-84). Twenty-nine patients underwent GPi-DBS, two received STN-DBS, and one underwent Vop-DBS. Electrodes were implanted into the ventralis oralis complex of the thalamus and the pallidal in two patients. Symptoms seemed to be easier relieved in chorea (88.5%) and dystonia (76.9%) but dysarthria of most patients (85.7%) was no response after DBS. The Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale-Motor Score was used to assess the efficacy of DBS in 25 patients; the mean score decreased from 43.2 to 22.3 and the median improvement rate was 46.7%. Of 24 patients with data on adverse events, complications occurred in 9 patients (37.5%; mostly transient and mild events). DBS is a promising treatment for ChAc with satisfactory efficacy and safety based on the review. Pallidal and thalamic DBS have been applied in ChAc; GPi-DBS seems to be more widely used.

Four new polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol derivatives from Hypericum beanii.

Two new polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs), hyperbeanins P-Q (1-2), and two new biosynthetic precursors, hyperbeanins R-S (3-4), were isolated from Hypericum beanii, together with three known analogs (5-7). Compound 1 was one of type A PPAPs featured with unusual bicyclo[5.3.1]hendecane core. The structures of isolates were established by NMR spectroscopic methods, experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and comparisons with known compounds. Compounds 5 and 6 showed obvious hepatoprotective activity at 10 µM against paracetamol-induced HepG2 cell damage.

Exploration and utilization of maize male sterility resources.

Male sterility refers to the defective development of male reproductive organs, which led to plants incapable of producing normal and functional pollens. Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important food crops, as well as one of the earliest crops to utilize heterosis in breeding. Single cross hybrid has been the main type of maize heterosis utilization for a long time. The planting area of maize hybrid in China has been stable at about 620 million mu. More than one billion kilograms of commercial hybrid seeds are needed each year, and the annual seed production area has been stable at about 2.5 million mu in recent years. So far, manual emasculation has been the major way of maize hybrid seed production in China, which is laborious and time consuming. Generally, spatial isolation is necessary for maize hybrid seed production, this requirement results in only some regions in the country suitable for maize hybrid seed production. Manual emasculation requires seasonal demand of labors. At present, with the urbanization of a large number of rural laborers, the seed production regions experience a serious labor shortage. Accordingly, the cost of seed production increases with the rising of land rent and labor costs. In addition, it is difficult to guarantee the seed purity with manual or mechanical emasculation for hybrid seed production. However, incorporating male sterility into maize hybrid seed production could reduce its cost and ensure hybrid seed purity. It can also avoid the difficulties of manual or mechanical emasculation in field operation under extreme weather conditions. Therefore, it is the inevitable trend of development in the maize seed industry. In this review, we summarize the exploitation and creation of maize cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), maize genic male sterility (GMS) resources in China, and the developing process from natural discovery to targeted creation of male sterility resources in plants, and the research progress of maize male sterility. We then analyze the application status and existing problems of maize male sterility, based on the development trend of maize seed industry, as well as the research and application status of male sterility in China. We also identify seven aspects that need to be further strengthen, thereby providing the reference for the creation, research and utilization of maize male sterility in the future.

Genome-wide and expression analysis of B-box gene family in pepper.

BACKGROUND: BBX transcription factors are a kind of zinc finger transcription factors with one or two B-box domains, which partilant in plant growth, development and response to abiotic or biotic stress. The BBX family has been identified in Arabidopsis, rice, tomato and some other model plant genomes. RESULTS: Here, 24 CaBBX genes were identified in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), and the phylogenic analysis, structures, chromosomal location, gene expression patterns and subcellular localizations were also carried out to understand the evolution and function of CaBBX genes. All these CaBBXs were divided into five classes, and 20 of them distributed in 11 of 12 pepper chromosomes unevenly. Most duplication events occurred in subgroup I. Quantitative RT-PCR indicated that several CaBBX genes were induced by abiotic stress and hormones, some had tissue-specific expression profiles or differentially expressed at developmental stages. Most of CaBBX members were predicated to be nucleus-localized in consistent with the transient expression assay by onion inner epidermis of the three tested CaBBX members (CaBBX5, 6 and 20). CONCLUSION: Several CaBBX genes were induced by abiotic stress and exogenous phytohormones, some expressed tissue-specific and variously at different developmental stage. The detected CaBBXs act as nucleus-localized transcription factors. Our data might be a foundation in the identification of CaBBX genes, and a further understanding of their biological function in future studies.

Assessment of ED triage of anaphylaxis patients based on the Emergency Severity Index.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the emergency department (ED) triage of anaphylaxis patients based on the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), assess the association between ESI triage level and ED epinephrine administration, and determine characteristics associated with lower acuity triage ESI assignment (levels 3 and 4). METHODS: We conducted a cohort study of adult and pediatric anaphylaxis patients between September 2010 and September 2018 at an academic ED. Patient characteristics and management were compared between Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage level 1 or 2 versus levels 3 or 4 using logistic regression analysis. We adhered to STROBE reporting guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 1090 patient visits were included. There were 26 (2%), 515 (47%), 489 (45%), and 60 (6%) visits that were assigned an ESI triage level of 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Epinephrine was administered in the ED to 53% of patients triaged ESI level 1 or 2 and to 40% of patients triaged ESI level 3 or 4. Patients who were assigned a lower acuity ESI level of 3 or 4 had a longer median time from ED arrival to epinephrine administration compared to those with a higher acuity ESI level of 1 or 2 (28 min compared to 13 min, p < .001). A lower acuity ESI level was more likely to be assigned to visits with a chief concern of hives, rash, or pruritus (OR 2.33 [95% CI, 1.20-4.53]) and less likely to be assigned to visits among adults (OR, 0.43 [0.31-0.60]), patients who received epinephrine from emergency medical services (OR 0.56 [0.38-0.82]), presented with posterior pharyngeal or uvular angioedema (OR, 0.56 [0.38-0.82]), hypoxemia (OR, 0.34 [0.18-0.64]), or increased heart (OR 0.83 [0.73-0.95]) or respiratory (OR 0.70 [0.60-0.82]) rates. CONCLUSION: Patients triaged to lower acuity ESI levels experienced delays in ED epinephrine administration. Adult and pediatric patients with skin-related chief concerns were more likely to be to be assigned lower acuity ESI levels. Further studies are needed to identify interventions that will improve ED anaphylaxis triage.

Fetal atrial appendage aneurysm: Prenatal diagnosis by echocardiography and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Congenital atrial appendage aneurysm (AAA) is a rare malformation which can coexist with potentially lethal complications. We aimed to summary echocardiographic characteristics and prognosis of fetal AAA. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the echocardiographic data of 17 fetuses with AAA，and their outcomes or pathological reports were also collected. RESULTS: Eight fetuses with left AAA (LAAA) and 9 fetuses with right AAA (RAAA) were identified. Five fetuses were diagnosed with other cardiac defects. Two fetuses with RAAA presented with arrhythmias, including atrial premature beats (n = 1) and bradyarrhythmia (n = 1). LAAA could be detected by four-chamber view (50.0%) and short-axis view (100.0%). RAAA could be detected by four-chamber view (100.0%), and view of right ventricular inflow tract (33.3%). There were three cases with mild pericardial effusion. Three cases with complex cardiac defects were selectively terminated, with confirmation of LAAA by autopsy in one case. Fourteen fetuses were born. After following 2 (range, 1-5) years, the AAA disappeared in one case with LAAA and two cases with RAAA. While, 11 cases were still diagnosed with AAA. Atrial premature beats with RAAA, which appeared in prenatal period, still persisted after birth. CONCLUSION: Congenital AAA is a rare abnormality in utero. The short-axis view and the four-chamber view were the most useful views to detect fetal AAA. Fetal AAA may disappear in childhood. Atrial tachyarrhythmias in utero may exist persistently after birth. Patients with AAA should be followed up closely and appropriate intervention should be taken when complications appeared.

Emergency Department Intubations in Patients With Angioedema: A Report from the National Emergency Airway Registry.

BACKGROUND: Angioedema, a localized swelling of subcutaneous and submucosal tissues, may involve the upper airway. A subset of patients presenting for emergent evaluation of angioedema will require intubation. Little is known about airway management practices in patients with angioedema requiring intubation in the emergency department (ED). OBJECTIVE: To describe airway management practices in patients intubated for angioedema in the ED. METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Emergency Airway Registry. All patients with an intubation attempt for angioedema between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018 were included. We report univariate descriptive data as proportions with cluster-adjusted 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Of 19,071 patient encounters, intubation was performed for angioedema in 98 (0.5%). First-attempt success was achieved in 81%, with emergency physicians performing the procedure in 94% of encounters. The most common device used was a flexible endoscope (49%), and 42% of attempts were via a nasal route. Pharmacologic methods included sedation with paralysis (61%), topical anesthesia with or without sedation (13% and 13%, respectively), and sedation only (10%). Among 19 (19%) patients requiring additional attempts, intubation was achieved on second attempt in 10 (53%). The most common adverse events were hypotension (13%) and hypoxemia (12%). Cricothyrotomy occurred in 2 patients (2%). No deaths were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Angioedema was a rare indication for intubation in the ED setting. Emergency physicians achieved first-attempt success in 81% of encounters and used a broad range of intubation devices and methods, including flexible endoscopic techniques. Cricothyrotomy was rare, and no ED deaths were reported. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.

Corticosteroid eyedrops induced blepharoptosis and atrophy of levator muscle.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to analyze the incidence, manifestations, and treatment of blepharoptosis caused by long-term use of corticosteroid eyedrops. METHODS: Retrospective case series include 46 patients with a history of using corticosteroid eyedrops unilaterally for at least 2 months. The palpebral fissure, MRD1, and levator function were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 46 patients, the differences of mean MRD1 (p < 0.0005), palpebral fissure height (p < 0.0005), and levator function (p = 0.003) between eyes with and without corticosteroid eyedrops application were significant. Ptosis existed in 40 out of 46 eyes with corticosteroid; the differences of the mean MRD1 (p < 0.0005) and palpebral fissure height (p = 0.001) between eyes with and without ptosis were significant. Nine patients underwent levator aponeurosis repair surgeries. Pathological examinations revealed mainly vascular fibers and few muscle fibers, as well as apoptosis of levator palpebrae muscle and Muller muscle. CONCLUSION: Blepharoptosis is frequently observed after chronic corticosteroid eyedrops use in Chinese population.

Quantitative proteomic analysis of down syndrome biomarkers in maternal serum using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ).

Prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) is based on calculated risk involving maternal age, biochemical and ultrasonographic markers, and, more recently, cell-free DNA (cfDNA). The present study was designed to identify Down Syndrome biomarkers in maternal serum. We quantified the changes in maternal serum protein levels between 10 non-pregnant women, 10 pregnant women with healthy fetuses, and 10 pregnant women with DS fetuses using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). We subsequently conducted a Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. A total of 470 proteins were identified, 11 of which had significantly different serum levels between the DS fetus group and Healthy fetuses group. Our data shows the identified proteins may be relevant to DS and constitute potential DS biomarkers.

Prenatal diagnosis of Marfan syndrome by fetal echocardiography: A case report and review of cardiovascular manifestations.

Neonatal Marfan syndrome (nMFS), phenotypically and genotypically distinct from the classical syndrome, is rarely diagnosed prenatally, and the cardiovascular prognosis is poor. This case report described one fetus diagnosed with nMFS by fetal echocardiography. The main features were cardiomegaly, and atrioventricular valves prolapse with moderate regurgitation and dilated great vessels. Extracardiac malformations included right diaphragmatic eventration, bilateral pyelectasis, and lengthy femur. Pathological examination confirmed the findings of fetal echo, and all cardiac valves were dysplastic. Sanger sequencing revealed a deletion mutation affecting exon 30 of the fibrillin 1 (FBN1) gene. Echocardiography is essential for prenatal diagnosis, and multivalve dysplasia is common among those patients.

Palladium-Catalyzed Cycloaromatization/Alkylation of o-(Alkynyl)styrenes.

A Pd(II)-catalyzed mild and highly regioselective 6-endo cyclization/alkylation reaction of o-(alkynyl)styrenes with simple allylic alcohols has been developed. Under mild reaction conditions, the vinyl palladium species generated in situ after cyclization could insert a C-C double bond of allylic alcohol through a cross-coupling reaction and led to the formation of (alkyl)naphthalenes. This cascade cross-coupling reaction represents a direct and atom economic method for the construction of functionalized naphthalene derivatives in moderate to good yields.

White Light from Blue Fluorescence and Sensitized Yellow Long-Afterglow Phosphorescence of o-Terphenyl in Its π-Acid···Base Adduct with Ag3Pz3.

White-light emission with CIE (0.32, 0.34) was realized for an o-terphenyl (oTP) molecule in its Ag3[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]3 (Pz = pyrazolate) sandwiching adduct, originating from the hybrid of fluorescence and sensitized long-afterglow phosphorescence of oTP. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations revealed that heavy-atom effects of Ag play a crucial role in sensitization of the triplet of oTP, giving off its ultralong phosphorescence.