An Expeditious Neutralization Assay for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Based on a Recombinant Virus Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein.

Due to the extensive genetic and antigenic variation in Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), as well as its rapid mutability and evolution, PRRS prevention and control can be challenging. An expeditious and sensitive neutralization assay for PRRSV is presented to monitor neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in serum during vaccine research. Here, a PRRSV expressing eGFP was successfully rescued with reverse genetics based on the infectious clone HuN4-F112-eGFP which we constructed. The fluorescent protein expressions of the reporter viruses remained stable for at least five passages. Based on this reporter virus, the neutralization assay can be easily used to evaluate the level of NAbs by counting cells with green fluorescence. Compared with the classical CPE assay, the newly developed assay increases sensitivity by one- to four-fold at the early antibody response stage, thus saving 2 days of assay waiting time. By using this assay to unveil the dynamics of neutralizing antibodies against PRRSV, priming immunity through either a single virulent challenge or only vaccination could produce limited NAbs, but re-infection with PRRSV would induce a faster and stronger NAb response. Overall, the novel HuN4-F112-eGFP-based neutralization assay holds the potential to provide a highly efficient platform for evaluating the next generation of PRRS vaccines.

Clinical and prognostic associations of anti-Jo-1 antibody levels in patients with antisynthetase syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of serum anti-Jo-1 antibody levels with the disease activity and prognosis in anti-Jo-1-positive patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS). METHODS: This study included 115 anti-Jo-1-positive patients with ASS who were admitted to China-Japan Friendship Hospital between 2009 and 2019. Anti-Jo-1 antibody serum levels at initial admission and follow-up were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Global and organ disease activity was assessed at baseline and follow-up according to the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies guidelines. RESULTS: Among enrolled patients, 70 (60.9%) patients initially presented with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and 46 (40%) patients presented with with muscle weakness at initial admission. At baseline, patients with ILD had lower levels of anti-Jo-1 antibodies than those without ILD (p = 0.012). Baseline anti-Jo-1 antibody levels were higher in patients with muscle weakness, skin involvement, and arthritis (all p < 0.05) compared to those without these manifestations. Baseline anti-Jo-1 antibody levels were positively correlated with skin visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (r = 0.25, p = 0.006), but not with disease activity in other organs. However, changes in anti-Jo-1 antibody levels were significantly positively correlated with the changes in PGA (ß = 0.002, p = 0.001), muscle (ß = 0.003, p < 0.0001), and pulmonary (ß = 0.002, p = 0.013) VAS scores, but not with skin and joint VAS scores. Older age of onset (hazard ratio [HR] 1.069, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.010-1.133, p = 0.022) and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (HR 1.333, 95% CI: 1.035-1.717, p = 0.026) were risk factors for death. CONCLUSION: Anti-Jo-1 titers appear to correlate more with disease activity changes over time rather than with organ involvement at baseline, which provides better clinical guidance for assessing the disease course using anti-Jo-1 levels.

Metal-Organic Framework Featuring Cubic Caged Structures for One-Step Ethylene Purification from Ethylene/Ethane Mixtures.

Separation of C2H6/C2H4 mixtures is of significant importance in the chemical industry but remains a challenge due to the physicochemical similarities of C2H6 and C2H4. Herein, a metal-organic framework (MOF), [Zn4(µ4-O)(PCTF)3]n (Zn-PCTF) (PCTF2-= 5-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic), is provided for the removal of C2H6 from C2H6/C2H4 mixtures. Zn-PCTF displays a three-dimensional framework featuring one-dimensional pore channels with periodic bottleneck segments. The well-balanced C2H6 adsorption capacity (79.0 cm3 g-1 at 298 K) and C2H6/C2H4 selectivity (1.8) for Zn-PCTF under ambient conditions boost Zn-PCTF with highly promising potentials for efficient purification of C2H4 from C2H6/C2H4 mixtures, which is verified by the dynamic column breakthrough experiments. The well-matched caged pores and suitable pore chemistry (particularly the presence of abundant Lewis base sites (N, O, and F) on the pore surfaces) for C2H6 account for the high-performance C2H6/C2H4 separation of Zn-PCTF unveiled by computational simulations.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Possessing Suitable Pores for Xe/Kr Separation.

Adsorption separation of the Xe/Kr mixture remains a tough issue since Xe and Kr have an inert nature and similar sizes. Here we present a chlorinated metal-organic framework (MOF) [JXNU-19(Cl)] and its nonchlorinated analogue (JXNU-19) for Xe/Kr separation. The two isostructural MOFs constructed from the heptanuclear cobalt-hydroxyl clusters bridged by organic ligands are three-dimensional structures. Detailed contrast of the Xe/Kr adsorption separation properties of the MOF shows that significantly enhanced Xe uptakes and Xe/Kr adsorption selectivity (17.1) are observed for JXNU-19 as compared to JXNU-19(Cl). The main binding sites for Xe in the MOF revealed by computational simulations are far away from the chlorine sites, suggesting that the introduction of the chlorine groups results in the unfavorable Xe adsorption for JXNU-19(Cl). The optimal pores, high surface area, and multiple strong Xe-framework interactions facilitate the effective Xe/Kr separation for JXNU-19.

Construction of a Risk Prediction Model for Intraoperative Hypothermia in Patients Undergoing Lower Extremity Joint Replacement.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influencing factors of intraoperative hypothermia (IOH) in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) of the lower extremities, establish a risk prediction model, and test the effect of application. DESIGN: A prospective, observational study was conducted. METHODS: Patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty from June 2020 to December 2021 were prospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of IOH, patients were divided into the IOH group (temperature less than 36 °C) and non-IOH group (temperature ≥36 °C). We collected demographic, anesthesia, and surgical data for both groups to identify risk factors for IOH and develop a predictive model. The model's goodness of fit was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and its predictive efficacy was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. FINDINGS: A total of 258 patients were included in this study, with 79 patients in the IOH group and 179 patients in the non-IOH group. Logistic regression analysis showed that American Society of Anesthesiologists' grade, blood loss, and duration of surgery were independent risk factors for IOH in lower extremity TJA patients. Hosmer-Lemeshow test P = .803, area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.846, Youden index was 0.490, sensitivity was 65.4%, specificity was 83.6%. In the external validation cohort, the application accuracy of the model was 83.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction model established in this study is suitable for the risk assessment of IOH in TJA patients with good prediction effect, which can provide a tool for clinical medical staff to identify high-risk populations preoperatively.

Advances in the mechanisms and applications of RNA silencing in crop protection.

RNA silencing (or RNA interference, RNAi) is a conserved mechanism for regulating gene expression in eukaryotes, which plays vital roles in plant development and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. The discovery of trans-kingdom RNAi and interspecies RNAi provides a theoretical basis for exploiting RNAi-based crop protection strategies. Here, we summarize the canonical RNAi mechanisms in plants and review representative studies associated with plant-pathogen interactions. Meanwhile, we also elaborate upon the principles of host-induced gene silencing, spray-induced gene silencing and microbe-induced gene silencing, and discuss their applications in crop protection, thereby providing help to establish novel RNAi-based crop protection strategies.

Gut mycobiome as a potential non-invasive tool in early detection of lung adenocarcinoma: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The gut mycobiome of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unexplored. This study aimed to characterize the gut mycobiome in patients with LUAD and evaluate the potential of gut fungi as non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis. METHODS: In total, 299 fecal samples from Beijing, Suzhou, and Hainan were collected prospectively. Using internal transcribed spacer 2 sequencing, we profiled the gut mycobiome. Five supervised machine learning algorithms were trained on fungal signatures to build an optimized prediction model for LUAD in a discovery cohort comprising 105 patients with LUAD and 61 healthy controls (HCs) from Beijing. Validation cohorts from Beijing, Suzhou, and Hainan comprising 44, 17, and 15 patients with LUAD and 26, 19, and 12 HCs, respectively, were used to evaluate efficacy. RESULTS: Fungal biodiversity and richness increased in patients with LUAD. At the phylum level, the abundance of Ascomycota decreased, while that of Basidiomycota increased in patients with LUAD. Candida and Saccharomyces were the dominant genera, with a reduction in Candida and an increase in Saccharomyces, Aspergillus, and Apiotrichum in patients with LUAD. Nineteen operational taxonomic unit markers were selected, and excellent performance in predicting LUAD was achieved (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.9350) using a random forest model with outcomes superior to those of four other algorithms. The AUCs of the Beijing, Suzhou, and Hainan validation cohorts were 0.9538, 0.9628, and 0.8833, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, the gut fungal profiles of patients with LUAD were shown to represent potential non-invasive biomarkers for early-stage diagnosis.

Boosting the C2H2/CO2 Separation Performance of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Fluorine Substitution.

A pair of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) of JXNU-15 (formulated as [Co6(µ3-OH)6(BTB)2(BPY)3]n, BTB3- = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoate and BPY = 4,4'-bipyridine) and its fluorinated JXNU-15(F) ([Co6(µ3-OH)6(SFBTB)2(BPY)3]n) based on the fluorous 1,3,5-tri(3,5-bifluoro-4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (SFBTB3-) ligands were presented. The detailed comparisons of the acetylene/carbon dioxide (C2H2/CO2) separation abilities between the isostructural JXNU-15(F) and JXNU-15 were presented. In comparison with the parent JXNU-15, the higher C2H2 uptake, larger adsorption selectivity of the C2H2/CO2 (50/50) mixture, and enhanced C2H2/CO2 separation performance endow JXNU-15(F) with highly efficient C2H2/CO2 separation performance, which is demonstrated by singe-component gas adsorptions and dynamic gas mixture breakthrough experiments. The fluorine substituents exert the crucial effects on the enhanced C2H2/CO2 separation ability of JXNU-15(F) and play the dominant role in the C2H2-framework interactions, as uncovered by computational simulations. This work illustrates a powerful fluorine substitution strategy for boosting C2H2/CO2 separation ability for MOFs.

Cucurbituril-Shaped Cd18(triazolate)12 Unit-Based Metal-Organic Framework Exhibiting an C2H2/CO2 Separation Ability.

Herein, a metal-organic framework (MOF), {[(Me2NH2)4][Cd(H2O)6][Cd18(TrZ)12(TPD)15(DMF)6]}n (denoted as JXNU-18, TrZ = triazolate), constructed from the unique cucurbituril-shaped Cd18(TrZ)12 secondary building units bridged by 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic (TPD2-) ligands, is presented. The formation of the cucurbituril-shaped Cd18(TrZ)12 unit is unprecedented, demonstrating the geometric compatibility of the organic linkers and the coordination configurations of the cadmium atoms. Each Cd18(TrZ)12 unit is connected to eight neighboring Cd18(TrZ)12 units through 30 TPD2- linkers, affording the three-dimensional structure of JXNU-18. More interesting is that JXNU-18 displays an efficient C2H2/CO2 separation ability, as revealed by the gas adsorption experiments and dynamic gas breakthrough experiments, which afford insights into the potential applications of JXNU-18 in gas separation. The tubular pores composed of two Cd18(TrZ)12 units bridged by six 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic linkers provide the suitable pore space for C2H2 trapping, as unveiled by computational simulations.

Factors for incidence risk and prognosis of synchronous brain metastases in pulmonary large cell carcinoma patients: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with pulmonary large cell carcinoma (LCC) have a high incidence of synchronous brain metastases (SBM) and a poor prognosis. Our study was to evaluate the predictive and prognostic value of the clinical characteristics of pulmonary LCC patients with SBM at initial diagnosis by utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. METHODS: LCC patients, diagnosed from 2010 to 2019, were identified from the latest SEER database which was released in April 2022. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used to identify the predictive and prognostic factors for LCC patients with SBM. Propensity score matching (PSM) and Kaplan-Meier analyses were applied to assess different therapy modalities. RESULTS: A total of 1375 LCC patients were enrolled in this study and 216 (15.7%) of them had SBM at the initial diagnosis. The median overall survival (OS) of LCC patients with SBM was 4 months. Multivariate Cox regression identified age 60-79 (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.41-0.78; p < 0.001), age ≥ 80 (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.12-0.45; p < 0.001) and bone metastases (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.22-2.51; p < 0.001) as significant independent predictors for developing SBM. Multivariable Cox regression revealed that age 60-79, T stage, bone metastases and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factor for OS. The surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy group, in which all patients were N0 stage and had no other site-specific metastases, exhibited the best median OS of 15 months. CONCLUSIONS: LCC patients with age < 60 or bone metastases were more likely to have SBM at initial diagnosis. Age, T stage, bone metastases and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS of LCC patients with SBM. Highly selected patients might achieve the best survival benefit from surgery combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Dinuclear Nickel-Oxygen Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks with Octahedral Cages for Efficient Xe/Kr Separation.

Xe/Kr separation is industrially important but remains a daunting issue in chemical separations. Herein, a fluorinated metal-organic framework (MOF), [Ni2(µ2-O)(TFBPDC)(tpt)2]n (named JXNU-13-F), built from 3,3',5,5'-tetrakis(fluoro)biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic (TFBPDC2-) and 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridinyl)-1,3,5-triazine (tpt) ligands is provided. JXNU-13-F displays a three-dimensional (3D) framework constructed from distorted octahedral cages and an impressive Xe capacity of 144 cm3 g-1 at 273 K and 1 bar, ranking among top MOFs. The high Xe uptake and moderate Xe/Kr adsorption selectivity endow JXNU-13-F with efficient Xe/Kr separation demonstrated by experimental column breakthrough tests. The comparative studies of gas adsorption between isostructural JXNU-13-F and JXNU-13 (the nonfluorinated analogue ([Ni2(µ2-O)(BPDC))(tpt)2]n with biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic (BPDC2-)) revealed that the F groups serve as the innocent groups during the Xe and Kr adsorption in JXNU-13-F. Thus, a combination of highly hydrophobic and π-electron-rich pore surfaces made of aromatic rings with strong interactions with the Xe atom possessing large polarizability and appropriate pore sizes that match well Xe having a large atom diameter has resulted in high Xe uptake and effective Xe/Kr separation characteristics of JXNU-13-F.

Enhancement of Propadiene/Propylene Separation Performance of Metal-Organic Frameworks by an Amine-Functionalized Strategy.

Here, a hexanuclear Co6(µ3-OH)6 cluster-based metal-organic framework (MOF), [Co6(µ3-OH)6(BTB)2(bpy)3]n (JXNU-15) (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine), with the 1,3,5-tri(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (BTB3-) ligand was synthesized for the challenging propadiene/propylene separation. The combination of a large pore volume and a suitable pore environment boosts the significantly high propadiene (C3H4) uptake (311 cm3 g-1 at 298 K and 100 kPa) for JXNU-15. An amine-functionalized MOF of JXNU-15(NH2) was further obtained with the 1,3,5-tri(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene analogue of 3,3″-diamino-5'-(3-amino-4-carboxyphenyl)-[1,1':3',1″-terphenyl]-4,4″-dicarboxylic ligand. The comparative studies of propadiene/propylene(C3H4/C3H6) separation performance between isostructural JXNU-15 and JXNU-15(NH2) are provided. JXNU-15(NH2) exhibits an impressive C3H4 capacity at low pressures with 69.1 cm3 g-1 at 10 kPa, which is twice that of JXNU-15 under the same conditions. Moreover, the separation selectivity of JXNU-15(NH2) is 1.3-fold higher as compared to JXNU-15. JXNU-15(NH2) with enhanced C3H4/C3H6 separation performance was elegantly illustrated by gas separation experiments and theoretical simulations. This work presents an amine-functionalized strategy for the enhancement of the C3H4/C3H6 separation performance of MOF.

Clinical and pathological features of immune-mediated necrotising myopathies in a single-centre muscle biopsy cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Immune-mediated necrotising myopathy (IMNM) is a subset of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) characterized by significantly elevated creatine kinase level, muscle weakness and predominant muscle fibre necrosis in muscle biopsy. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with IMNM in a single-centre muscle biopsy cohort. METHODS: A total of 860 patients who had muscle biopsy reports in our centre from May 2008 to December 2017 were enrolled in this study. IMNM was diagnosed according to the 2018 European Neuromuscular Centre (ENMC) clinicopathological diagnostic criteria for IMNM. RESULTS: The muscle biopsy cohort consisted of 531 patients with IIM (61.7%), 253 patients with non-IIM (29.4%), and 76 undiagnosed patients (8.8%). IIM cases were classified as IMNM (68[7.9%]), dermatomyositis (346[40.2%]), anti-synthetase syndrome (82[9.5%]), polymyositis (32[3.7%]), and sporadic inclusion body myositis (3[0.3%]). Limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) 2B and lipid storage myopathy (LSM) are the two most common non-IIM disorders in our muscle biopsy cohort. IMNM patients had a higher onset age (41.57 ± 14.45 vs 21.66 ± 7.86 and 24.56 ± 10.78, p < .0001), shorter duration (21.79 ± 26.01 vs 66.69 ± 67.67 and 24.56 ± 10.78, p < .0001), and more frequent dysphagia (35.3% vs. 3.4 and 6.3%, p = .001) than LGMD 2B and LSM patients. Muscle biopsy from IMNM showed more frequent muscle fibre necrosis (95.6% vs 72.4 and 56.3%, p < .0001), overexpression of major histocompatibility complex-I on sarcolemma (83.8% vs 37.9 and 12.9%, p < .0001), and CD4+ T cell endomysia infiltration (89.7% vs 53.6 and 50%, p < .0001) compared with those from LGMD 2B and LSM patients. CONCLUSIONS: It is easy to distinguish IMNM from other IIM subtypes according to clinical symptoms and myositis specific antibodies profiles. However, distinguishing IMNM from disorders clinically similar to non-IIM needs combined clinical, serological and pathological features.

Antibacterial Efficacy and Mechanisms of Curcumin-Based Photodynamic Treatment against Staphylococcus aureus and Its Application in Juices.

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Treatment (aPDT) is a non-thermal sterilization technology, which can inactivate common foodborne pathogens. In the present study, photodynamic inactivation on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with different concentrations of curcumin and light dose was evaluated and the mechanisms were also investigated. The results showed that curcumin-based aPDT could inactivate S. aureus cells by 6.9 log CFU/mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Moreover, the modified Gompertz model presented a good fit at the inactivation data of S. aureus. Photodynamic treatment caused cell membrane damage as revealed by analyzing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Leakage of intracellular constituents further indicated that cell membrane permeability was changed. Flow cytometry with double staining demonstrated that cell membrane integrity and the activity of nonspecific esterase were destroyed. Compared with the control group, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels caused by photodynamic treatment significantly increased. Furthermore, curcumin-based aPDT reduced S. aureus by 5 log CFU/mL in juices. The color of the juices was also tested using a Chromatic meter, and it was found that b* values were the most markedly influenced by photodynamic treatment. Overall, curcumin-based aPDT had strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus. This approach has the potential to remove foodborne pathogens from liquid food.

Characterization of Gut Microbiota, Bile Acid Metabolism, and Cytokines in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a type of bile duct cancer, has a high mortality rate. Gut microbiota, bile acid (BA) metabolism, and cytokines have not been characterized in patients with ICC, and better noninvasive diagnostic approaches for ICC are essential to be established. Therefore, in this study we aimed to improve our understanding of changes in gut microbiota, BA metabolism, and cytokines in patients with ICC. We found that the α-diversities and ß-diversities of ICC were highest and that the abundances of four genera (Lactobacillus, Actinomyces, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Alloscardovia) were increased in patients with ICC compared with those in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cirrhosis and in healthy individuals. The glycoursodeoxycholic acid and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) plasma-stool ratios were obviously increased in patients with ICC. Furthermore, the genera Lactobacillus and Alloscardovia that were positively correlated with TUDCA plasma-stool ratios were combined to discriminate ICC from the other three diseases. Vascular invasion (VI) frequently led to a poor prognosis in patients with ICC. Compared with patients with ICC without VI, patients with VI had a greater abundance of the family Ruminococcaceae, increased levels of plasma interleukin (IL)-4 and six conjugated BAs, and decreased levels of plasma IL-6 and chenodeoxycholic acid. A positive correlation between plasma taurocholic acid and IL-4 was observed in patients with ICC. Plasma TUDCA was negatively correlated with the abundance of the genus Pseudoramibacter and the survival time of patients with ICC, but had no effect on tumor size, as determined in two murine tumor models. Conclusion: In this study, we identified some biomarkers, including gut microbiota, BAs and inflammatory cytokines, for the diagnosis of ICC and prediction of VI in patients with ICC.

Structural Evolution from Noninterpenetrated to Interpenetrated Thorium-Organic Frameworks Exhibiting High Propyne Storage.

Two thorium-organic frameworks of [Th6O4(OH)4(TFBPDC)6(H2O)6]n (Th-TFBPDC) and [Th6O4(OH)4(TFBPDC)4(HCOO)4(H2O)6]n (Th-TFBPDC-i) constructed from the 3,3',5,5'-tetrakis(fluoro)biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylate (TFBPDC2-) ligand were obtained in a reaction. At an early stage of the reaction, the formation of the three-dimensional (3D) framework of Th-TFBPDC was discovered. At a later stage of the reaction, the complete product of Th-TFBPDC-i was obtained. The structural evolution from a noninterpenetrated network of Th-TFBPDC to a 2-fold interpenetrated network of Th-TFBPDC-i is a dissolution-recrystallization process and rationalized as the four equatorial TFBPDC2- ligands in an octahedral [Th6O4(OH)4(TFBPDC)12] unit were displaced by four formate ligands to form a [Th6O4(OH)4(TFBPDC)8(HCOO)4] unit via a ligand substitution reaction. The large pore volume as well as the strong interactions between the host framework and guest propyne (C3H4) molecules demonstrated by computational results endow the highly water-stable Th-TFBPDC with the best-performing C3H4 storage under ambient conditions. This work presents a rare example of structural evolution from a 3D noninterpenetrated network to a 2-fold 3D interpenetrated network and a highly promising metal-organic framework (MOF) for C3H4 storage with a C3H4 uptake of 8.16 mmol g-1 at 298 K.

Octanuclear Cobalt(II) Cluster-Based Metal-Organic Framework with Caged Structure Exhibiting the Selective Adsorption of Ethane over Ethylene.

A novel metal-organic framework (MOF) of [Co8(OH)4(TCA)4(H2O)4]n (abbreviation: JXNU-9) based on the unique octanuclear Co8(µ3-OH)4 clusters linked by 4,4',4″-nitrilotribenzoate (TCA3-) ligands featuring small caged structures and one-dimensional channels was prepared and characterized. JXNU-9 shows a high C2H6 uptake capacity of 3.60 mmol g-1 (4.46 mmol cm-3) at 298 K and 1 atm with a small isosteric heat of adsorption (23.6 kJ mol-1) and a moderate C2H6/C2H4 adsorption selectivity of 1.7, resulting in excellent C2H6/C2H4 separation performance. The pore walls decorated by plenty of aromatic rings provide π-electron-cloud-surrounding environments to accommodate the large polarizable C2H6 molecules. The calculations demonstrate that the rich π-systems in JXNU-9 facilitate an adsorption affinity for large C2H6 molecules through multiple C-H···π interactions. Additionally, the open metal sites located in the concave pores with a close Co···Co separation (4.21 Å) in octanuclear Co8(µ3-OH)4 clusters make the open metal sites inaccessible for the C2H4 molecule with a kinetic diameter of 4.163 Å. Thus, the annihilation of open metal sites in this structure is achieved, which further facilitates the C2H6-selective C2H6/C2H4 separation.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Featuring 18-Connected Nonanuclear Rare-Earth Oxygen Clusters and Cavities for Efficient C2H2/CO2 Separation.

Two rare-earth (RE) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) formulated as {(Me2NH2)2[RE9(µ3-OH)8(µ2-OH)3(DCPB)6(H2O)3]}n (RE = Y3+ and Tb3+; termed JXNU-10) built from a triangular 3,5-di(4'-carboxylphenyl)benzoic acid (DCPB3-) ligand are presented. JXNU-10 features the rarely observed 18-connected nonanuclear [RE9(µ3-OH)8(µ2-OH)3] clusters, one-dimensional-nanosized tubular channels, and trigonal-bipyramidal cavities. The presence of the high-nuclear RE-oxo clusters and the robust coordination bonds between the highly charged RE ions and the hard base of the carboxylate/hydroxyl oxygen atoms yielded the water-resistant JXNU-10 materials. JXNU-10 exhibits highly selective sorption of C2H2 over CO2 and highly efficient separation of a C2H2 and CO2 mixture. The carboxylate oxygen atoms and the rich π systems of the organic ligands on the pore walls are the desirable binding sites for a C2H2 molecule with acidic hydrogen atoms and an alkyne group, facilitating the excellent efficiency of JXNU-10 for C2H2/CO2 separation demonstrated by breakthrough experiments.

Quercetin induces apoptosis and enhances gemcitabine therapeutic efficacy against gemcitabine-resistant cancer cells.

Quercetin, an abundant flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables, displays multiple biological activities, including anticancer effects. Therefore, quercetin is receiving increasing attention as a potential adjuvant anticancer treatment. Gemcitabine (GEM) resistance is a major issue for clinicians and patients with advanced cancers, making it crucial to determine ways to bolster its effects. In this study, we explored the anticancer effects and mechanistic actions of quercetin in GEM-resistant cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer (BxPC-3, PANC-1) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2, Huh-7) cell lines were studied. Proliferation assays showed that quercetin had cytotoxic effects on GEM-resistant cell lines (HepG2 and PANC-1), and flow cytometric analysis indicated a significant pro-apoptotic effect on these cell lines. GEM treatment, in combination with quercetin, resulted in increased anticancer effects compared with GEM alone. Quercetin led to S phase arrest in GEM-resistant cell lines, and western blot analysis revealed tumour protein p53 upregulation and cyclin D1 downregulation. This study provides mechanistic insight into the anticancer effects of quercetin and suggests that quercetin adjuvant treatment may benefit patients who are resistant to GEM therapy.

Proton-Conductive Coordination Polymers Based on Diphenylsulfone-3,3'-disulfo-4,4'-dicarboxylate with Well-Defined Hydrogen Bonding Networks.

The diphenylsulfone-3,3'-disulfo-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (H4-DPSDSDC) ligand and its coordination polymers, [K2Zn(C14H6S3O12)(H2O)4]n (1) and {[Cu3(µ3-OH)2(C14H6S3O12)(H2O)3(DMF)]·3(H2O)}n (2) (C14H6S3O12 = diphenylsulfone-3,3'-disulfo-4,4'-dicarboxylate), were synthesized. The Zn(H2O)4 units in 1 are connected by DPSDSDC4- ligands to generate a one-dimensional (1D) chain, which is bridged by K-O bonds associated with bridging water molecules and sulfonate groups to yield a two-dimensional (2D) layer. In 2, the 1D hydroxyl-bridging Cu(II) chains are connected by DPSDSDC4- ligands to give a 2D layer. The 2D layers in 1 and 2 are further connected by interlayered hydrogen bonds to give three-dimensional (3D) frameworks. Compounds 1 and 2 have good conductivities of 1.57 × 10-4 and 5.32 × 10-5 S cm-1, respectively. Continuous well-defined hydrogen bonding networks associated with water molecules, sulfonate groups, and carboxylate groups were observed in compounds 1 and 2. Such hydrogen bonding networks provide hydrophilic domains and effective transfer pathways for protons. Here, we present elegant examples of a precise determination of the pathways for proton transport.