A channel-structured Eu-based metal-organic framework with a zwitterionic ligand for selectively sensing Fe3+ ions.

A novel Eu-based MOF [Eu(IMS1)2]Cl·4H2O (1) was successfully constructed based on a semi-rigid zwitterionic 1,3-bis(4-carboxylbenzyl)-imidazolium (IMS1) ligand, featuring a 3-fold interpenetrating dia net structure with a point symbol of 66 and charged permanent micropores. Considering its excellent luminescent property as well as thermal and chemical stability, complex 1 was explored as a potential sensor for detecting Fe3+ ions. The results show that complex 1 has a high sensitivity and selectivity for Fe3+ based on a 'turn-off' effect, for which the electrostatic interaction between Fe3+ ions and the inner surface of the micropores may play a critical role. The fluorescence quenching mechanism reveals that dynamic quenching and competitive adsorption between Fe3+ and 1 lead to the quenching effect of 1.

One-pot synthesis of imidazolinium salts via the ring opening of tetrahydrofuran.

A new one-pot synthesis of C2-hydroxypropyl-substituted imidazolinium salts via the ring opening of tetrahydrofuran (THF) with N,N'-disubstituted diamines has been developed. Preliminary studies of the reaction mechanism suggest the CO2-promoted oxidative ring opening of THF followed by Hg(ii)-mediated oxidation of an imidazolidine intermediate. These novel C2-substituted imidazolinium salts have shown to be active catalysts for the aza-Diels-Alder reactions.

Parental health and social support in the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of oral clefts: a questionnaire-based, case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Nonsyndromic oral clefts are complex in cause and have multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. This retrospective, questionnaire-based, case-control study investigated the relationship between oral clefts and parental mental and physical health and social support. METHODS: Three hundred forty-seven parents of children with nonsyndromic oral clefts and 420 controls were included. Maternal and paternal health during the first trimester was assessed using interviews and questionnaires modeled from the Cornell Medical Index and the Social Support Rating Scale. Case-control analyses were performed using t tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. RESULTS: Parental age, household income, and subsisting on farming were significantly different for cases and controls. The Cornell Medical Index for cases was significantly worse compared with controls for physical and psychological health. Logistic regression showed that nine factors were significantly associated with oral clefts: paternal respiratory health (OR, 1.56; p = 0.03), maternal gastrointestinal health (OR, 1.71; p < 0.01), maternal musculoskeletal health (OR, 1.50; p < 0.01), paternal nervous system health (OR, 2.82; p < 0.01), maternal frequency of illness (OR, 2.21; p = 0.01), maternal diseases (OR, 2.44; p < 0.01), maternal health habits (OR, 1.73; p < 0.01), paternal feelings of inadequacy (OR, 2.28; p = 0.03), and maternal anger (OR, 2.28; p < 0.01) in the first trimester. Weaker social support from the community was associated with oral clefts (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Maternal and paternal health and social support may affect a family's risk of having a child with a cleft. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Upregulation of the long noncoding RNA HOTAIR predicts recurrence in stage Ta/T1 bladder cancer.

Stage Ta/T1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (Ta/T1 BC) has a marked tendency to recurrence. Long noncoding RNA HOTAIR has been reported to be expressed in some human cancers such as breast cancer, and it may be positively correlated with patient's prognosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of HOTAIR in Ta/T1 BC. HOTAIR expression in Ta/T1 BC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was collected from 110 patients and measured by real-time quantitative PCR. The relationships between HOTAIR and the clinical pathological characteristics of Ta/T1 BC patients were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry was done to detect the protein of Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF-1) as well. Ninety out of 110 specimens were detected in HOTAIR high expression. Histological grade and expression levels of HOTAIR were positively correlated with the recurrence rate. HOTAIR expression (hazard ratio 4.712; 95 % CI 2.894-8.714; P < 0.001) was an independent predictor of recurrence rate in multivariate Cox regression analysis. HOTAIR expression is correlated with patients' poor prognosis. A significant inverse correlation between HOTAIR and WIF-1 expression was demonstrated in Ta/T1 BC tissues. The expression levels of HOTAIR are an independent prognostic factor of recurrence in Ta/T1 BC patients.

[Nasal glioma: report of one case].

Nasal glioma, which is also known as nasal glial heterotopia, is a rare benign congenital lesion. A lot of explanations for the pathogenesis of this disease have already been provided. However, all of them lack theoretical basis. Nowadays, for nasal glioma, complete resection of the tumor is generally used in clinic treatment. CT examination or MRI is necessary for confirming the lesions and the relation between the tumor and intracranial part. This paper reported a neonatal nasal glioma case associated with congenital nasal deformity.

The evaluation of basic fibroblast growth factor and fibroblastic growth factor receptor 1 levels in saliva and serum of patients with salivary gland tumor.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) is a well-known endothelial mitogen that regulates endothelial cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and survival. In the present study, we investigated the levels of FGF2 and fibroblastic growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) in saliva and serum of patients with salivary gland tumors. Saliva and serum samples were collected from 43 patients with salivary gland tumors and 40 healthy volunteers. The FGF2 and FGFR1 concentrations in saliva and serum samples were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found that the levels of FGF2 and FGFR1 in saliva and serum from patients with salivary gland tumors were significantly higher than those from healthy control subjects. These results suggest that salivary FGF2 and FGFR1 can be used as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of salivary gland tumors.

Association between MSX1 variants and oral clefts in Han Chinese in western China.

Previous animal and association studies have shown that the MSX1 gene is associated with oral clefts. Our aim was to investigate association between variants in the MSX1 gene and oral clefts in a Han Chinese population. Our study group consisted of 206 nonsyndromic oral cleft (NSOC) nuclear families (including the patients and their parents) and 224 controls. The three variants evaluated in this study were single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs3821949 and rs12532 and a missense mutation P147Q. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to genotype the three markers. Case-control and family-based association analyses were carried out. In the case-control analysis, no significant differences in genotypic or allelic frequencies were observed in any of the two single-nucleotide polymorphisms between patients and controls. Although the homozygous T allele for P147Q was not detected in any sample in this population, heterozygotes were more prevalent in NSOC (1.2%) when compared with the controls (0%). The analyses for family-based association did not suggest association between any of the three variants and NSOC. No significant association was found between NSOC and rs3821949 or rs12532 in MSX1 gene, whereas an association was observed between the P147Q variant and cleft lip with cleft palate in the case-control analysis.

Significant evidence of association between polymorphisms in ZNF533, environmental factors, and nonsyndromic orofacial clefts in the Western Han Chinese population.

The etiology of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (NSOC) has been considered "complex" or "multifactorial." Etiologic heterogeneity induces disparities in the results among different populations. The zinc finger protein 533 (ZNF533) and several environmental factors have been revealed to be associated with NSOC in several populations. We investigated three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 10 environmental factors in 211 case-parent trios and 188 control individuals in the Western Han Chinese population to confirm the relationship between ZNF533, environmental factors, and the etiology of NSOC in the Western Han Chinese population. The transmission disequilibrium test, case-control analysis, multiple logistic regression, log-linear model, and conditional logistic regression were tested to confirm the contribution of the ZNF533 gene and environmental factors to the etiology of NSOC. Strong statistically significant evidence of association was found between the rs6757845 and rs1139 markers and NSOC. The haplotype G-G for rs6757845-rs1139 showed significant overtransmission among cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) trios and among cleft palate only trios. Additional 11 and 5 haplotypes were significantly overtransmitted and undertransmitted among CL/P and among cleft palate only trios, respectively. Maternal disease, use of medication, and passive smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy may increase the risk of NSOC. Maternal folic acid supplementation during the first trimester of pregnancy showed a protective effect on the etiology of NSOC. Genotype-environment interaction test showed a significant evidence of interaction effects between the genotypes at rs6757845 and maternal passive smoking during the first trimester among CL/P trios. These results confirm the effects of the ZNF533 gene and environmental factors on the etiology of NSOC.

[Association between interferon regulatory factor 6 gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC). METHODS: Experimental group consisted of 186 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents (183 fathers and 174 mothers), 172 core families (patient+parents), and control group consisted of 200 normal children. DNA was extracted and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify the genotypes of the samples, case-control analyses and transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT) were carried out. RESULTS: Compared with control group, there were significant differences in both rs642961's and rs4844880's AA genotype and A allele among NSOC patients (P < 0.05), but no difference in cleft palate (P = 0.15, P = 0.967, respectively). In TDT analysis, the A allele of rs642961 had a strong over-transmission in NSOC (P < 0.05), so did the rs4844880'A allele (P < 0.05), but neither of them had significant difference in cleft palate (P = 0.91, P = 0.95, respectively). CONCLUSION: IRF6 gene polymorphism is associated with NSOC.

[Association between fibroblast growth factor 3 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between fibroblast growth factor 3 (FGF3) gene rs4980700 and rs4631909 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC). METHODS: Blood samples from 186 NSOC patients, patients' parents and 200 controls were collected. DNA was extracted and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify genotypes of the samples. Case-control analyses and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and family based association test (FBAT) analyses were also carried out. RESULTS: In case-control analysis, there were significant differences in rs4980700 genotype and allele among NSOC patients compared with the control group (P < 0.05) and there were significant differences in rs4631909 genotype and allele among NSOC patients compared with the control group (P < 0.05), but no difference in cleft palate only (P = 0.49). In TDT, the G allele of rs4980700 had an overtransmission (P < 0.05) and the C allele of rs4631909 had an overtransmission (P < 0.05) in NSOC. FBAT analysis also showed a significant association between FGF3 gene rs4980700, rs4631909 polymorphism and NSOC. CONCLUSION: FGF3 gene rs4980700 and rs4631909 polymorphism were associated with NSOC.

Silver(I) complexes with oxazoline-containing tripodal ligands: structure variation via counter anions and reaction conditions.

Seven new silver(I) complexes of the formula [Ag2(L)2(CF3SO3)2] (1), [Ag2(L)2(CH3SO3)2] (2) [Ag2(L)2](BF4)2 (3), [Ag3(L)2(NO3)2]NO3.5H2O (4), [Ag2(L)(NO3)2].CH3OH (5), [Ag2(L)2](ClO4)2 (6) and [Ag3(L)2(CH3CN)3](ClO4)3 (7) have been synthesized by reactions of 1,3,5-tris(2-oxazolinyl)benzene (L) with varied silver(I) salts under different conditions. The influences of counter anions and reaction conditions on the structure of the complexes are discussed. Three complexes , 1, 2 and 3 with two kinds of different 1D chain structures were obtained under the same synthetic conditions by using different silver(I) salts, and the ligand L was found to adopt bis-monodentate (1 and 2) and tris-monodentate (3) coordination modes respectively. On the other hand, by using the same silver(I) nitrate or silver(I) perchlorate but different reaction solvents, 4 and 5 or 6 and 7 were isolated respectively. Complexes 4and 5 have different 1D chain structures, and 6 is isostructural with . However, 7 is a tri-nuclear, propeller-shaped M3L2 supramolecular capsule in which L adopts a cis,cis,cis-conformation, while the ligand L in 3-6 has cis,trans,trans-conformation. The results revealed that the nature of the counter anions, such as their size, coordination ability and coordination mode, and the reaction conditions all have great impact on the structure of the complexes. The complexes were also characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry. Furthermore, complex 7 exhibited modest second-harmonic-generation (SHG) efficiency.

Syntheses, structures, and optical properties of novel zinc(ii) complexes with multicarboxylate and N-donor ligands.

Five novel coordination polymers [Zn(2)(OA)(4,4'-bipy)(H(2)O)].0.5(4,4'-bipy), [Zn(2)(OA)(dib)(H(2)O)].H(2)O, [Zn(2)(OA)(bbi)(2)].3H(2)O, [Zn(2)(OA)(phen)(2)(H(2)O)] and [Zn(4)(OA)(2)(2,2'-bipy)(2)(H(2)O)].2H(2)O were obtained by hydrothermal reactions of Zn(NO(3))(2).6H(2)O with a V-shaped multicarboxylate ligand 3,3',4,4'-oxydiphthalic acid (H(4)OA) and a series of N-donor ligands, namely 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), 1,4-di(1-imidazolyl)benzene (dib), 1,1'-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(imidazole) (bbi), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy). The structures of the complexes were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complex exhibits a robust 3D porous structure with uncoordinated 4,4'-bipy molecules filling the cavities. Complexes and show a complicated 3D framework, while complexes and have a 2D network and a 1D helical chain structure, respectively. The results indicate that the multicarboxylate OA(4-) ligand can adopt varied coordination modes in the formation of the complexes and the influence of the N-donor ligand on the structure of the complexes is discussed. The photoluminescence properties of H(4)OA and were studied in the solid state at room temperature. Moreover, nonlinear optical measurements showed that displayed a second-harmonic-generation (SHG) response of 0.5 times of that for urea. The results suggested that the configuration and flexibility of the ligands play a key role in directing the related properties of the complexes.

New metal-organic frameworks with large cavities: selective sorption and desorption of solvent molecules.

Five novel transition metal complexes [Cd(II) (3)(tpba-2)(2)(SCN)(6)].6 THF.3 H(2)O (1), [Cu(II) (3)(tpba-2)(2)(SCN)(6)].6 THF.3 H(2)O (2), [Ni(II) (3)(tpba-2)(2)(SCN)(6)].6 THF.3 H(2)O (3), [Cd(II) (2)(tpba-2)(SCN)(3)]ClO(4) (4), [Cu(I) (3)(SCN)(6)(H(3)tpba-2)] (5) [TPBA-2 = N',N'',N'''-tris(pyrid-2-ylmethyl)-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide, THF=tetrahydrofuran] were obtained by reactions of the corresponding transition metal salts with TPBA-2 ligand in the presence of NH(4)SCN using layering or solvothermal method, respectively. The results of X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that complexes 1, 2 and 3 are isostructural and have the same 2D honeycomb network structure with Kagomé lattice, in which all the M(II) (M = Cd, Cu, Ni) atoms are six-coordinated, and the TPBA-2 ligands adopt cis,cis,cis conformation while the thiocyanate anions act as terminal ligands. Capsule-like motifs are found in 1, 2 and 3, in which six THF molecules are hosted, and the results of XPRD and solid-state (13)C NMR spectral measurements showed that the compound 1 can selectively desorb and adsorb THF molecules occurring along with the re-establishment of its crystallinity. In contrast to 1, 2 and 3, complex 4 has different 2D network structure, resulting from TPBA-2 ligands with cis,trans,trans conformation, thiocyanate anions serving as end-to-end bridging ligands, and the incomplete replacement of perchlorate anions, which further link the 2D layers into 3D framework by the hydrogen bonds. In complex 5, the Cu(II) atoms are reduced to Cu(I) during the process of solvothermal reaction, and the Cu(I) atoms are connected by thiocyanate anions to form a 3D porous framework, in which the protonated TPBA-2 ligands are hosted in the cavities as templates.

Cadmium(II) and copper(II) complexes with imidazole-containing tripodal polyamine ligands: pH and anion effects on carbon dioxide fixation and assembling.

A new Cd(II) complex [Cd3(L)3(mu3-CO3)](ClO4)4.2CH3CN (1) with two-dimensional (2D) network structure was obtained by reaction of an imidazole-containing tripodal polyamine ligand N1-(2-aminoethyl)-N1-(2-imidazolethyl)-ethane-1,2-diamine (L) with Cd(ClO4)2.6H2O at pH 9.0 in air. The carbonate anions (CO3(2-)) are from the hydration of the atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is the same as in the previously reported Cu(II) complex [Cu3(L)3(mu3-CO3)](ClO4)4.3CH3CN (2). However, the coordination mode of CO3(2-) in 1 is mu3-eta2:eta2:eta2 while the one in 2 is mu3-eta1:eta1:eta1. One-dimensional (1D) chain Cd(II) and Cu(II) complexes [Cd(L)Cl]ClO4.H2O (3) and [Cu(L)(H2O)](ClO4)2 (4) without CO3(2-) were prepared by a similar method as that for 1 and 2 except for the different reaction pH, namely, 3 and 4 were obtained at pH 7 while 1 and 2 were obtained at pH 9. In addition, when Cu(NO3)2 was used to react with L at pH 9, a unique 1D double-stranded helical chain complex [Cu(L)Cl]NO3.1.25H2O (5) was obtained. The results revealed that the reaction pH and the counteranion have great impact on the carbon dioxide absorption and hydration as well as on the assembling and structure of the complexes. The magnetic property of complex 2 was investigated in the temperature range of 1.8-300 K, and weak ferromagnetic coupling among the mu3-eta1:eta1:eta1-CO3(2-) bridged Cu(II) atoms was observed.