Borane-Catalyzed Direct Asymmetric Vinylogous Mannich Reactions of Acyclic α,ß-Unsaturated Ketones.

Herein, we report that, by using chiral bicyclic bisborane catalysts, we have achieved the first highly regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective direct asymmetric vinylogous Mannich reactions of acyclic α,ß-unsaturated ketones. The strong Lewis acidity and steric bulk of the bisborane catalysts were essential for the observed high yields and selectivities.

Nephrotoma Meigen (Diptera, Tipulidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China.

Eight species of the genus Nephrotoma were previously known to occur in Xizang Autonomous Region. Here, three species are added to the fauna of Xizang. Among them two species, N. beibengensis sp. nov. and N. hanae sp. nov. are described and illustrated as new to science, and one species, N. evittata Alexander, 1935 is recorded from Xizang for the first time. The following four species are redescribed: N. claviformis Yang & Yang, 1987, N. didyma Yang & Yang, 1987, N. nigrohalterata Edwards, 1928, and N. xizangensis Yang & Yang, 1987. A key to the species of Nephrotoma from Xizang is presented.

The Relationship between Maternal Gestational Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Infant: A Meta-Analysis of 14 Studies.

OBJECTIVE: To explore, by conducting a meta-analysis, whether gestational impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is an independent predictor of neonatal large for gestational age (LGA) or not. METHODS: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify published epidemiological studies (cohort and case-control studies) investigating the association between gestational IGT and neonatal LGA. Calculations of pooled estimates were conducted in random-effect models or fixed-effects models. Heterogeneity was tested by using chi-square test and I2 statistics. Egger's test (linear regression method) and Begg's test (rank correlation method) were used to assess potential publication bias. RESULTS: Fourteen observational studies were included in the meta-analysis. The overall risk for the effect of IGT on LGA was 2.09 (1.56, 2.78). Stratified analyses showed no differences regarding different geographic regions or the analysis of overall adjusted odds ratios. No evidence of publication bias was observed in either Egger's test or Begg's test results. CONCLUSION: Gestational IGT is an independent predictor of neonatal LGA.

Association of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Association of Signal transducers and activators of transcription-4 (STAT4) gene polymorphism with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease have been investigated in a number of epidemiological studies, but the results are inclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis was to more precisely estimate the relationship. METHODS: The databases of Pubmed and CBM updated to October, 2014 were retrieved. Random- or fixed-effect model was used to estimate odd radio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95%CI) on the basis of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Seven articles containing 2196 Crohn's disease (CD) cases, 1588 ulcerative colitis (UC) cases and 4126 controls were identified. We detected a significant association between STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism and IBD susceptibility in overall population (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.855, 95% CI=0.760-0.962, P=0.009), but not in Caucasian and Asian population, respectively. No association was detected between rs7574865 polymorphism and CD susceptibility in overall, Asian and Caucasian population, respectively. Interestingly, a significant association was detected between rs7574865 with UC susceptibility in overall population (G vs. T, OR=0.881, 95% CI=0.798-0.972, P=0.012; GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.788, 95% CI=0.679-0.914, P=0.002; GG vs. TT, OR=0.683, 95% CI=0.498-0.937, P=0.018) and Caucasians (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.833, 95% CI=0.701-0.990, P=0.038; GG+GT vs. TT, OR=0.667, 95% CI=0.456-0.975, P=0.037; GG vs. TT, OR=0.636, 95% CI=0.433-0.934, P=0.021), respectively, and a possible association was found in Asian population (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.709, 95% CI=0.503-0.998, P=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: STAT4 rs7574865 gene is IBD risk factor, and this gene polymorphism is associated with UC susceptibility, especially in Caucasians. To confirm these findings, further studies with more sample size are required for a definitive conclusion.

Weight gain in pregnancy, maternal age and gestational age in relation to fetal macrosomia.

To investigate the possible risk factors related to macrosomia. Pregnant women and their newborns (n = 1041) were recruited from a cohort study in Maternal and Child Care Center of Hefei from January 2011 to July 2012. Questionnaires were applied to collect the demographic data besides the medical records. Detailed health records of the entire pregnancy were obtained using retrospective study. Meanwhile the data of neonatal outcomes was prospectively tracked. Associations between exposure risk factors and macrosomia were analyzed using Pearson's chi squared test. Logistic regression models were used to assess the independent association between these potential predictors and macrosomia. The incidence of macrosomia of this cohort was 11.24% of which male: female = 2.55:1. Male incidence (8.07%) of macrosomia was higher than female (3.17%), p < 0.001. Body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy (pre-BMI), maternal height, parity were not independently associated with macrosomia; multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that macrosomia was mainly independently associated with weight gain in pregnancy (OR=1.14, 95% CI [1.10-1.19]), maternal age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.03-1.15]) and gestational age (OR = 1.62, 95% CI [1.31-1.99]), respectively. Our findings indicate that weight gain in pregnancy, maternal age and gestational age should be considered as independent risk factors for macrosomia.

Use of CSF α-synuclein in the differential diagnosis between Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

BACKGROUND: The etiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders has yet to be elucidated, so their differential diagnosis is a challenge. This is especially true in differentiating Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson disease (PD), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). METHODS: A total of 11 eligible articles were identified by search of electronic databases including PubMed, Springer Link, Elsevier, and the Cochrane Library, up to June 2014. In meta-analyses, standardized mean differences (SMD), with 95% confidence intervals (CI), comparing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures of α-synuclein between the above conditions were calculated using random-effects models. RESULTS: CSF α-synuclein concentrations were significantly higher in AD compared to DLB [SMD: 0.32, 95% CI: (0.02, 0.62), z = 2.07, P = 0.038]; PD [SMD: 0.87, 95% CI: (0.15, 1.58), z = 2.38, P = 0.017]; or MSA [SMD: 1.14, 95% CI: (0.15, 2.14), z = 2.25, P = 0.025]. However, no significant difference was found between patients with AD and neurological cognitively normal controls [SMD: 0.02, 95% CI: (-0.21, 0.24), z = 0.13, P = 0.894]. CONCLUSIONS: Results of these meta-analysis suggest that quantification of CSF α-synuclein could help distinguish AD from other neurodegenerative disorders such as DLB, PD, or MSA.