[Evaluation of differences in quality of life in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease]

Objective: To evaluate the status of, differences in, and factors influencing quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Methods: From September 2021 to February 2023, a cross-sectional study of 140 patients with chronic GVHD was conducted at our center. Symptom burden was assessed by the Lee Symptomatology Scale (LSS), and QoL was assessed by the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) (version 1) and five-level EuroQoL five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Results: Data from 140 respondents, including 32 (22.9%) with mild chronic GVHD, 87 (62.1%) with moderate chronic GVHD, and 21 (15.0%) with severe chronic GVHD, were analyzed. Of the respondents, 61.4% were male, and the median transplantation age was 34 (15-68) years. The primary diagnoses were acute myeloid leukemia (50.0%), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (20.0%), and myelodysplastic syndrome (15.0%). The common chronic GVHD-affected organs included the skin in 74 patients (52.9%), the eyes in 57 patients (40.7%), and the liver in 50 patients (35.7%). Among the whole cohort, the eye (20.48±23.75), psychological (16.13±17.00), and oral (13.66±20.55) scores were highest in the LSS group. The physiological function (36.07±11.13), social function (36.10±10.68), and role-emotional functioning (38.36±11.88) scores were lowest in the SF-36 group. The EQ-5D index was 0.764. The total LSS scores for mild, moderate, and severe chronic GVHD were 6.51±6.15, 10.07±5.61, and 20.90±10.09, respectively. The SF-36 physical component scores (PCSs) were 43.12±6.38, 40.73±7.14, and 36.97±6.97, respectively, and the mental component scores (MCSs) were 43.00±8.47, 38.90±9.52, and 28.96±9.63, respectively. The EQ-5D values were 0.810±0.124, 0.762±0.179, and 0.702±0.198, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that the overall symptom burden (β=-0.517), oral symptom burden (β=-0.456), National Institute of Health (NIH) criteria for the eyes (β=-0.376), and nutrition-related symptom burden (β=-0.211) were significantly negatively correlated with the PCS. The NIH score (β=-0.260) was negatively correlated with the MCS score. Oral symptom burden (β=-0.400), joint/fascia NIH criteria (β=-0.332), number of involved systems (β=-0.253), overall NIH criteria (β=-0.205), and number of immunosuppressants taken (β=-0.171) were significantly negatively correlated with the EQ-5D score (all P<0.05). Medium to strong correlations were found between the EQ-5D score and the SF-36 score (|r|=0.384-0.571, P<0.001). Conclusions: The QoL of patients with chronic GVHD is impaired, and the more severe the disease, the poorer the QoL. Overall symptom burden, severity of eyes, and oral symptom burden were the most important factors affecting QoL.

Metal-organic framework boosts heterogeneous electron donor-acceptor catalysis

Metal-organic framework (MOF) is a class of porous materials providing an excellent platform for engineering heterogeneous catalysis. We herein report the design of MOF Zr-PZDB consisting of Zr6-clusters and PZDB (PZDB = 4,4'-(phenazine-5,10-diyl)dibenzoate) linkers, which served as the heterogeneous donor catalyst for enhanced electron donor-acceptor (EDA) photoactivation. The high local concentration of dihydrophenazine active centers in Zr-PZDB can promote the EDA interaction, therefore resulting in superior catalytic performance over homogeneous counterparts. The crowded environment of Zr-PZDB can protect the dihydrophenazine active center from being attacked by radical species. Zr-PZDB efficiently catalyzes the Minisci-type reaction of N-heterocycles with a series of C-H coupling partners, including ethers, alcohols, non-activated alkanes, amides, and aldehydes. Zr-PZDB also enables the coupling reaction of aryl sulfonium salts with heterocycles. The catalytic activity of Zr-PZDB extends to late-stage functionalization of bioactive and drug molecules, including Nikethamide, Admiral, and Myristyl Nicotinate. Systematical spectroscopy study and analysis support the EDA interaction between Zr-PZDB and pyridinium salt or aryl sulfonium salt, respectively. Photoactivation of the MOF-based EDA adduct triggers an intra-complex single electron transfer from donor to acceptor, giving open-shell radical species for cross-coupling reactions. This research represents the first example of MOF-enabled heterogeneous EDA photoactivation.

Selective multifunctionalization of N-heterocyclic carbene boranes via the intermediacy of boron-centered radicals

The selective difunctionalization of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boranes with alkenes has been achieved via decatungstate and thiol synergistic catalysis. The catalytic system also allows stepwise trifunctionalization, leading to complex NHC boranes with three different functional groups which are challenging to prepare by other methods. The strong hydrogen-abstracting ability of the excited decatungstate enables the generation of boryl radicals from mono- and di-substituted boranes for realizing borane multifunctionalization. This proof-of-principle research provides a new chance for fabricating unsymmetrical boranes and developing boron-atom-economic synthesis.

Charge Separation in Metal-Organic Framework Enables Heterogeneous Thiol Catalysis

Photoinduced metal-organic framework (MOF) enabled heterogeneous thiol catalysis has been achieved for the first time. MOF Zr-TPDCS-1, consisting of Zr6-clusters and TPDCS linkers (TPDCS = 3,3'',5,5''-tetramercapto[1,1':4',1''-terphenyl]-4,4''-dicarboxylate), effectively catalyzed the borylation, silylation, phosphorylation, and thiolation of organic molecules. Upon irradiation, the fast electron transfer from TPDCS to Zr6-cluster is believed to facilitate the formation of the thiyl radical, a hydrogen atom transfer catalyst, which competently abstracts the hydrogen from borane, silane, phosphine, or thiol for generating the corresponding element radical to engender the chemical transformations. The elaborate control experiments evidenced the generation of thiyl radicals in MOF and illustrated a radical reaction pathway. The gram-scale reaction worked well, and the product was conveniently separated via centrifugation and vacuum with a turnover number (TON) of ~3880, highlighting the practical application potential of heterogeneous thiyl-radical catalysis.

Photoinduced Dehydrogenative Borylation via Dihydrogen Bond Bridged Electron Donor and Acceptor Complexes

Air-stable amine- and phosphine-boranes are discovered as donors to integrate with pyridinium acceptor for generating photoactive electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes. Experimental results and DFT calculations suggest a dihydrogen bond bridging the donor and acceptor. Irradiating the EDA complex enables an intra-complex single electron transfer to give a boron-centered radical for dehydrogenative borylation with no need of external photosensitizer and radical initiator. The deprotonation of Wheland-like radical intermediate rather than its generation is believed to determine the good ortho-selectivity based on DFT calculations. A variety of α-borylated pyridine derivatives have been readily synthesized with good functional group tolerance.

[Treatment response to Conbercept of different types of diabetic macular edema classified based on optical coherence tomography]

OBJECTIVE

To compare different types of diabetic macular edema (DME) classified based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) for their responses to Conbercept injection and analyze the factors that affect the treatment responses.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 65 patients (76 eyes) with DME diagnosed and treated with intravitreal injection of Conbercept (1+PRN) in our hospital from February, 2019 to February, 2021. According to OCT findings, DME in these patients was classified into cystic macular edema (CME; 28 eyes), serous retinal detachment (SRD; 33 eyes), and diffuse retinal thickening (DRT; 15 eyes). The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured before and at 3 months after the first treatment. The baseline OCT characteristics of different types of DME were compared, and the correlation of these OCT characteristics with the treatment response to Conbercept was analyzed.

RESULTS

All the patients showed significant improvement of the BCVA 3 months after the treatment (P < 0.05). For all the 3 types of DME, the CRT at 3 months after the first treatment was significantly reduced as compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). The number of hyperreflective foci (HF) in the outer retina and the proportion of ellipsoid zone (EZ) interruption were the greatest in SRD group (P < 0.05). The baseline outer retinal HF was significantly correlated with the baseline CRT, CRT changes and CRT after treatment (all P < 0.05). The patients with baseline outer limiting membrane (ELM)/ EZ disruption had poorer baseline BCVA, greater baseline CRT, greater variation of CRT and poorer BCVA at 3 months after treatment (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

For all the 3 types of DME, treatment with intravitreal injection of Conbercept can significantly improve the BCVA and CRT of the patients. DME of the SRD type has the best morphological response to Conbercept, while the DRT type has a relatively poor response. A greater number of HF at baseline may indicate a better morphological response to Conbercept treatment, and baseline ELM/EZ disruption may suggest a poor visual prognosis at 3 months after treatment.

Bifunctional Metal-Organic Layers for Tandem Catalytic Transformations Using Molecular Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Tandem catalytic reactions improve atom- and step-economy over traditional synthesis but are limited by the incompatibility of the required catalysts. Herein, we report the design of bifunctional metal-organic layers (MOLs), HfOTf-Fe and HfOTf-Mn, consisting of triflate (OTf)-capped Hf₆ secondary building units (SBUs) as strong Lewis acidic centers and metalated TPY ligands as metal active sites for tandem catalytic transformations using O₂ and CO₂ as coreactants. HfOTf-Fe effectively transforms hydrocarbons into cyanohydrins via tandem oxidation with O₂ and silylcyanation whereas HfOTf-Mn converts styrenes into styrene carbonates via tandem epoxidation and CO₂ insertion. Density functional theory calculations revealed the involvement of a high-spin Fe^IV (S = 2) center in the challenging oxidation of the sp³ C-H bond. This work highlights the potential of MOLs as a tunable platform to incorporate multiple catalysts for tandem transformations.

Fe-Catalyzed Intramolecular B-H/C-H Dehydrogenative Coupling: Synthesis of Carborane-Fused Nitrogen Heterocycles

We disclose herein the first example of iron-catalyzed regioselective intramolecular C-H/B-H dehydrogenative coupling, affording unprecedented C,B-substituted carborane-fused phenanthroline derivatives. The 8-aminoquinoline type auxiliaries not only serve as the bidentate directing groups but also ingeniously become the core part of the final products. The mechanistic hypothesis includes B-H activation, directing group rotation promoted by trans effect, C-H activation, and reductive elimination.

Bifunctional Metal-Organic Layer with Organic Dyes and Iron Centers for Synergistic Photoredox Catalysis

Here we report the design of a bifunctional metal-organic layer (MOL), Hf-EY-Fe, by bridging eosin Y (EY)-capped Hf₆ secondary building units (SBUs) with Fe-TPY (TPY = 4'-(4-carboxyphenyl)[2,2':6',2''-terpyridine]-5,5''-dicarboxylate) ligands. With the organic dye EY as an efficient photosensitizer and TPY-Fe(OTf)₂ as the catalytic center, Hf-EY-Fe efficiently catalyzes aminotrifluoromethylation, hydroxytrifluoromethylation, and chlorotrifluoromethylation of alkenes. Hf-EY-Fe also catalyzes the synthesis of CF₃-substituted derivatives of large bioactive molecules such as rotenone, estrone, and adapalene with sizes of up to 2.2 nm. The proximity between EY and iron centers and their site isolation in Hf-EY-Fe enhance catalytic activity while inhibiting their mutual deactivation, leading to high turnover numbers of up to 1840 and good recyclability of the MOL catalyst.

Primary intrasellar schwannoma with intratumoral hemorrhage mimicking pituitary apoplexy: A case report

Tumours growing in the sella turcica are mostly pituitary adenomas. We describe a rare case of primary intrasellar schwannoma with intratumoral bleeding. A 38-year-old man presented with headache in association with bilateral supratemporal quadrantopsia. MRI showed an intrasellar mixed signal mass lesion with suprasellar extension. The majority of the pituitary hormones were normal. He was diagnosed as non-functional pituitary adenoma with pituitary apoplexy. Subtotal resection was achieved eventually via an endoscopic transnasal trans-sphenoidal approach. The histopathologic diagnosis was schwannoma. It is the first intrasellar schwannoma with intratumoral hemorrhage in literature to date. It implied that the primary intrasellar schwannoma has potential risk of intratumoral bleeding, which should be considered in the differential diagnoses of sellar lesions.

[The clinical observation of sirolimus combined with calcineurin inhibitors for steroid-resistant/steroid-dependent extensive cGVHD]

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of sirolimus combined with calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) in the treatment of glucocorticoid resistant/dependent extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) . Methods: A total of 27 patients with steroid-resistant/steroid-dependent extensive cGVHD from November 2015 to January 2019 were enrolled and given sirolimus capsules combined with cyclosporine or tacrolimus to observe the clinical efficacy and adverse events. Results: The median duration of medication was 14.2 months and the mean duration was 16.7 months. The median follow-up time was 20.1 months (12.9-46.1 months) . Following the 6-month follow-up, 3 cases achieved complete response (CR) and 12 cases partial response (PR) . The overall response rate (ORR) was 55.6% ; for progression-free survival (PFS) , PFS-6 reached 88.9% (24/27) , and for overall survival (OS) , OS-6 was 100% . At the 1-year follow-up, there were 5 cases of CR and 11 cases of PR, ORR was 59.3% , PFS-12 reached 62.9% (17/27) , and OS-12 was 100% . The subgroup analysis found that the program was more effective for cGVHD in male donors and the target organ analysis had an advantage in the treatment of oral cavity, skin, and liver rejection. Adverse events were observed: hyperlipidemia 11.1% , oral ulcer 7.4% , fungal infection 11.1% , liver injury 3.7% , renal insufficiency 0, and no new CMV and EB viremia. Conclusion: Sirolimus combined with calcineurin inhibitors is effective in treating steroid-resistant/steroid-dependent extensive cGVHD, especially because adverse reactions (renal toxicity, CMV, EBV infection) are low in number, which is suitable for long-term treatment of cGVHD.

Rhodium catalyzed multicomponent dehydrogenative annulation: one-step construction of isoindole derivatives

A strategy for one-pot synthesis of isoindoles is described via a catalytic multicomponent dehydrogenative annulation of diarylimines, vinyl ketones and simple amines. In the presence of a rhodium catalyst and Cu oxidant, four C-H and two N-H bonds are activated along with the formation of one new C-C and two new C-N bonds, leading to a series of isoindole derivatives in good to very high isolated yields.

Metal-Organic Layers for Synergistic Lewis Acid and Photoredox Catalysis

We report the design of a new multifunctional metal-organic layer (MOL), Hf₁₂-Ir-OTf, comprising triflate (OTf)-capped Hf₁₂ secondary building units (SBUs) and photosensitizing Ir(DBB)[dF(CF₃)ppy]₂⁺ [DBB-Ir-F, DBB = 4,4'-di(4-benzoato)-2,2'-bipyridine; dF(CF₃)ppy = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine] bridging ligands. Hf₁₂-Ir-OTf effectively catalyzed dehydrogenative cross-couplings of heteroarenes with ethers, amines, and unactivated alkanes with turnover numbers of 930, 790, and 950, respectively. Hf₁₂-Ir-OTf also competently catalyzed late-stage functionalization of bioactive and drug molecules such as caffeine, Fasudil, and Metyrapone. The superior catalytic performance of Hf₁₂-Ir-OTf over a mixture of photoredox catalyst and stoichiometric amounts of Brønsted acids or substoichiometric amounts (20 mol %) of Lewis acids is attributed to the close proximity (1.2 nm) between photoredox and Lewis acid catalysts in Hf₁₂-Ir-OTf, which not only facilitates the reaction between the carbon radical and the activated heteroarene but also accelerates the electron transfer from the nitrogen radical intermediate to the Ir(IV) species in the catalytic cycle.

8-Aminoquinoline as a bidentate traceless directing group for Cu-catalyzed selective B(4,5)–H disulfenylation of o-carboranes

A traceless bidentate directing group guided copper catalyzed cage B(4,5)–H disulfenylation of o-carboranes has been achieved, where the in situ departure of 8-aminoquinoline circumvents additional process for directing group removal.

Ir-catalyzed selective dehydrogenative cross-coupling of aryls with o-carboranes via a mixed directing-group strategy

Ir-catalyzed highly selective B–H/C–H cross dehydrogenative coupling between o-carboranes and (hetero)aryls has been achieved using a mixed directing-group strategy.

Phosphorylation of nucleopolyhedrovirus 39K is essential for the regulation of viral gene transcription in silkworm cells

39K protein was proven to be the most notable hyperphosphorylated protein of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), since its amino acid 136 has the highest phosphorylation ratio (16.683) among all of BmNPV phosphorylated proteins (Shobahah et al., 2017). Therefore, we inserted positive (mimicking phosphorylation) and negative (mimicking dephosphorylation) mutants of the highest phosphorylated site of 39K and the wild type 39k into the 39k-ko-Bacmid using the Bac-to-Bac system. These three kinds of recombinant Bacmids along with wild type and knocked-out Bacmid were then transfected into the Bombyx mori cells (BmN) and further investigated by qPCR analysis. The results of the qPCR showed that 39K phosphorylation had no significant effect on viral genome replication, unlike the positive mutation that reduced the viral gene transcription drastically compared to the wild type. Thus, phosphorylation of BmNPV 39K protein does not appear to be the essential mechanism for viral genome replication, even though it has an important role in the viral gene transcription. Keywords: BmNPV; 39K; phosphorylation; virus replication; virus transcription.

Metal-Organic Layers as Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Enhanced Photoredox Catalysis

Metal-organic layers (MOLs) have recently emerged as a novel class of molecular two-dimensional (2D) materials with significant potential for catalytic applications. Herein we report the design of a new multifunctional MOL, Hf₁₂-Ir-Ni, by laterally linking Hf₁₂ secondary building units (SBUs) with photosensitizing Ir(DBB)[dF(CF₃)ppy]₂⁺ [DBB-Ir-F, DBB = 4,4'-di(4-benzoato)-2,2'-bipyridine; dF(CF₃)ppy = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine] bridging ligands and vertically terminating the SBUs with catalytic Ni(MBA)Cl₂ [MBA = 2-(4'-methyl-[2,2'-bipyridin]-4-yl)acetate] capping agents. Hf₁₂-Ir-Ni was synthesized in a bottom-up approach and characterized by TEM, AFM, PXRD, TGA, NMR, ICP-MS, UV-vis, and luminescence spectroscopy. The proximity between photosensitizing Ir centers and catalytic Ni centers (∼0.85 nm) in Hf₁₂-Ir-Ni facilitates single electron transfer, leading to a 15-fold increase in photoredox reactivity. Hf₁₂-Ir-Ni was highly effective in catalytic C-S, C-O, and C-C cross-coupling reactions with broad substrate scopes and turnover numbers of ∼4500, ∼1900, and ∼450, respectively.

Catalytic Cascade Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling of BH/CH and BH/NH: One-Pot Process to Carborano-Isoquinolinone

A proof-of-principle study of cascade dehydrogenative cross-coupling of carboranyl carboxylic acid with readily available benzamide has been achieved, resulting in the facile synthesis of previously inaccessible carborano-isoquinolinone derivatives in a simple one-pot process, in which two cage B-H, one aryl C-H, and one N-H bond were sequentially activated to construct efficiently new B-C and B-N bonds, respectively. Under suitable reaction conditions, such cascade cyclization can be stopped at the first B-H/C-H cross-coupling step to give a series of α-carboranyl benzamides, suggesting the preferential occurrence of B-C cross-coupling over that of B-N. The carboxylic acid directing group plays a key role in the B-C cross-coupling step, which is then removed through in situ decarboxylation. The CV results combined with control experiments indicate that high-valent Ir(V)-species may be involved in the reaction pathways, which is crucial for such cascade dehydrogenative cross-coupling reactions. The isolation and structural identification of a key intermediate, its controlled transformations, and deuterium labeling experiments support a new Ir-nitrene-mediated amination for B-H/N-H dehydrocoupling.

Nucleophilic substitution: a facile strategy for selective B-H functionalization of carboranes

Vertex-specific functionalization of carboranes has received considerable research interest, due to the valuable application of carborane derivatives in medicine, coordination/organometallic chemistry and materials. In comparison with a protic cage C-H bond, cage B-H is hydridic and generally less polar, with a bond dissociation energy of ca. 108 kcal mol^-1. These features make B-H activation quite different from that of the C-H bond. In addition, selectivity among ten very similar BH vertices in o-carborane is challenging yet crucial to the effective construction of carborane-based functional molecules. To address these issues, a brand new strategy of cage B-H nucleophilic substitution has recently been presented and developed for straightforward and regioselective cage B-H functionalization. The regioselectivity can be controlled by the electronic/steric properties of the cage carbon substituents. This Frontier article highlights the recent advancement in the nucleophilic cage B-H substitution of carboranes.

Correction to 'Resveratrol-loaded PLGA nanoparticles: enhanced stability, solubility and bioactivity of resveratrol for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease therapy'

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181457.].

Controlled functionalization of o-carborane via transition metal catalyzed B–H activation

This review summarizes recent advances in transition metal catalyzed vertex-specific BH functionalization of o-carborane for controlled synthesis of its derivatives.

Long-term Rescue of Photoreceptors in a Rodent Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa Associated with MERTK Mutation

MERTK mutation reduces the ability of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to phagocytize the photoreceptor outer segments, which leads to accumulation of debris separating photoreceptors from RPE cells, resulting in their degeneration and loss of vision. In a rat model of Retinitis Pigmentosa due to MERTK mutation, we demonstrate that surgical removal of debris performed when about half of photoreceptors are lost (P38), allows the remaining photoreceptor cells to renew their outer segments and survive for at least 6 months - 3 times longer than in untreated eyes. In another set of experiments, patterned laser photocoagulation was performed before the debris formation (P19-25) to destroy a fraction of photoreceptors and thereby reduce the phagocytic load of shed outer segment fragments. This treatment also delayed the degeneration of the remaining photoreceptors. Both approaches were assessed functionally and morphologically, using electroretinography, optical coherence tomography, and histology. The long-term preservation of photoreceptors we observed indicates that MERTK-related form of inherited retinal degeneration, which has currently no cure, could be amenable to laser therapy or subretinal surgery, to extend the visual function, potentially for life.

Rhodium catalyzed cascade cyclization featuring B-H and C-H activation: one-step construction of carborane-fused N-polyheterocycles

A one-pot strategy for efficient and facile synthesis of C,B-substituted carborane-fused N-polyheterocycles is reported. A rhodium catalyzed cascade cyclization of carboranyl N-arylimines with vinyl ketones enables the effective construction of three new B-C and C-C bonds in one reaction. Both carboranyl B-H and aryl C-H bonds are sequentially activated, leading to a series of previously unavailable C,B-substituted carborane-fused cyclopenta[b]quinoline derivatives, for potential applications in pharmaceuticals and materials, in a step-economical manner. The successful isolation and structural identification of a key intermediate provide solid evidence for the reaction mechanism, involving a tandem sequence of regioselective B-H activation, alkene insertion, nucleophilic cyclization, C-H activation, nucleophilic cyclization, dehydration and oxidative aromatization.

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Selective Cage B-H Functionalization of o-Carboranes

Carboranes are a class of carbon-boron molecular clusters with unusual thermal and chemical stabilities. They have been proved as very useful building blocks in supramolecular design, optoelectronics, nanomaterials, boron neutron capture therapy agents and organometallic/coordination chemistry. Thus, the functionalization of o-carboranes has received growing interests. Over the past decades, most of the works in this area have been focused on cage carbon functionalization as the weakly acidic cage C-H proton can be readily deprotonated by strong bases. In sharp contrast, selective cage B-H activation/functionalization among chemically very similar ten B-H vertices is very challenging. Considering the differences in electron density of ten cage B-H bonds in o-carborane and the nature of transition metal complexes, we have tackled this selectivity issue by means of organometallic chemistry. Our strategy is as follows: using electron-rich transition metal catalysts for the functionalization of the most electron-deficient B(3,6)-H vertices (bonded to both cage CH vertices); using electron-deficient transition-metal catalysts for the functionalization of relatively electron-rich B(8,9,10,12)-H vertices (with no bonding to both cage CH vertices); and using the combination of directing groups and electrophilic transition metal catalysts for the functionalization of B(4,5,7,11)-H vertices (bonded to only one cage CH vertex). Successful applications of such a strategy result in the preparation of a large variety of cage B-functionalized carboranes in a regioselective and catalytic manner, which are inaccessible by other means. It is believed that as this field progresses, other cage B-functionalized carboranes are expected to be synthesized, and the results detailed in this concept article will further these efforts.

Single Nodal Loop of Accidental Degeneracies in Minimal Symmetry: Triclinic CaAs_{3}

The existence of closed loops of degeneracies in crystals has been intimately connected with associated crystal symmetries, raising the following question: What is the minimum symmetry required for topological character, and can one find an example? Triclinic CaAs_{3}, in the space group P1[over ¯] with only a center of inversion, has been found to display, without need for tuning, a nodal loop of accidental degeneracies with topological character, centered on one face of the Brillouin zone that is otherwise fully gapped. The small loop is very flat in energy, yet is cut four times by the Fermi energy, a condition that results in an intricate repeated touching of inversion related pairs of Fermi surfaces at Weyl points. Spin-orbit coupling lifts the fourfold degeneracy along the loop, leaving trivial Kramers pairs. With its single nodal loop that emerges without protection from any point group symmetry, CaAs_{3} represents the primal "hydrogen atom" of nodal loop systems.

Dehydrogenative cross-coupling of o-carborane with thiophenes via Ir-catalyzed regioselective cage B–H and C(sp2)–H activation

Iridium-catalyzed carboxylic acid directed site-selective B–H/C–H dehydrogenative cross-coupling of o-carborane with thiophenes has been achieved for the first time, leading to the preparation of 4-thienyl-o-carboranes in a simple one-pot process for potential applications in materials.

Functional characterization of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus mutant lacking late expression factor 9

Baculoviridae is a family of invertebrate viruses with large double-stranded DNA genomes. Proteins encoded by some late expression factor (lef ) genes are involved in the regulation of viral gene expression. Lef-9 is one of four transcription-specific Lefs, which are components of the virus-encoded RNA polymerase, and can initiate and transcribe late and very late genes. As a multifunctional protein encoded by the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), Lef-9 may be involved in the regulation of viral propagation. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To determine the role of lef-9 in baculovirus infection, lef-9-knockout virus (lef-9-KO-Bacmid virus) was constructed using the Red recombination system, and the Bac-to-Bac system was used to prepare lef-9-repaired virus (lef-9-Re-Bacmid virus). The lef-9-KO virus did not produce infectious viruses or show infection activity, while the lef-9-repaired virus recovered both. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of the transcription levels in wild-type-Bacmid, lef-9-KO-Bacmid, and lef-9-Re-Bacmid viruses showed that the lef-9-KO bacmid had little effect on viral genome replication. However, the transcription levels of the early and late viral genes, lef-3, ie-1, vp39, and p10, were significantly lower in BmN cells transfected with lef-9-KO-Bacmids than in the controls. Electron microscopy showed no visible enveloped virions in cells transfected with lef-9-KO-Bacmids, while many mature virions in cells transfected with lef-9-Re-Bacmid and wt-Bacmid were present. Thus, lef-9 was not essential for viral genome replication, but significantly affected viral gene transcription and expression in all periods of cell life cycle.

Coexistence of intracranial aneurysm and hemangioblastoma: A case report and literature review

The association of intracranial aneurysm and hemangioblastoma is extremely rare. This report regards a patient affected by Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome with multiple hemangioblastoma and two intracranial aneurysms, of which one was on a hemangioblastoma feeder vessel and the other on an unrelated vessel. Review of the literature revealed 13 other previously reported cases. Possible mechanisms to explain the association are discussed.

Palladium catalyzed regioselective B-C(sp) coupling via direct cage B-H activation: synthesis of B(4)-alkynylated o-carboranes

Pd-catalyzed carboxylic acid guided regioselective alkynylation of cage B(4)-H bonds in o-carboranes has been achieved for the first time using two different catalytic systems. In the presence of 5 mol% Pd(OAc)₂ and 3 equiv. of AgOAc, the reaction of 1-COOH-2-R¹-C₂B₁₀H₁₀ with R₃SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CBr in ClCH₂CH₂Cl gives 4-(R₃SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)-2-R¹-o-C₂B₁₀H₁₀ in moderate to high yields. This reaction is compatible with alkynes possessing sterically bulky silyl groups such as ⁱPr₃Si or ^t BuMe₂Si. Meanwhile, another catalytic system of Pd(OAc)₂/AgOAc/K₂HPO₄ can catalyze the direct B(4)-alkynylation of 1-COOH-2-R¹-C₂B₁₀H₁₀ with terminal alkynes R²C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH in moderate to high yields. The latter has a broader substrate scope from bulky silyl to aromatic to carboranyl substituents. Desilylation of the resultant products affords carboranyl acetylene 4-(HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)-2-R¹-o-C₂B₁₀H₁₀ which can undergo further transformations such as Sonogashira coupling, dimerization and click reactions. It is suggested that the above two catalytic systems may proceed via Pd(ii)-Pd(iv)-Pd(ii) and Pd(ii)-Pd(0)-Pd(ii) catalytic cycles, respectively. In addition, the silver salt is found to promote the decarboxylation reaction and thereby controls the mono-selectivity.

Association between genetic variants of EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein1 gene and sporadic breast cancer in a Chinese Han population

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION

Genetic susceptibility of breast cancer has been shown to be modulated by inheritance of polymorphic genes. EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) gene played an important role in many tumors, including lung cancer, hepatic carcinoma, and prostate cancer. In addition, it was importantly downexpressed in breast cancer. The present research aimed to assess the association between genetic variations of EFEMP1 and breast cancer risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors genotyped 11 common tagging SNPs with an array platform including 960 cases and 972 cancer-free controls of Chinese women, according to the HapMap database based on the pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) r² threshold of 0.8, minor allele frequency of 0.05.

RESULTS

Three SNPs were significant associated with breast cancer (rs3791679, p = 0.016, OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.04-1.41; rs1346786, p = 0.005, OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.08 -1.59; rs727878, p = 0.002, OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.10-1.51). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared with wild-type carriers in a dominant model, a significantly increased breast cancer risk was associated with the three identified risk SNPs. Among the selected tagging SNPs, three haplotype blocks were identified, and the results of haplotype analysis were consistent with the single-locus analysis. The haplotype 'GG' in block 1 and haplotype 'AG' in block 2 were significantly associated with breast cancer, and had a 54% and 28% increased breast cancer risk respectively, compared with their corresponding noncarriers.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results suggested that the polymorphisms of EFEMP1 gene were associated with breast cancer and might contribute to the susceptibility of the progression of breast cancer in Chinese Han women. Individuals with the risk alleles might increase the risk of breast cancer.

Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective Diarylation of o-Carboranes By Direct Cage B-H Activation

Palladium-catalyzed intermolecular coupling of o-carborane with aromatics by direct cage B-H bond activation has been achieved, leading to the synthesis of a series of cage B(4,5)-diarylated-o-carboranes in high yields with excellent regioselectivity. Traceless directing group -COOH plays a crucial role for site- and di-selectivity of such intermolecular coupling reaction. A Pd(II)-Pd(IV)-Pd(II) catalytic cycle is proposed to be responsible for the stepwise arylation.

The effect of BM67 gene deletion on Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus replication

Homologs of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) Bm67 gene ORF67 have been found in the genome of all lepidopteran nuclear polyhedrosis viruses, but their function is still not very clear. In order to analyze it we employed a  bacmid harboring the complete BmNPV genome including the Bm67 gene and expressing infectious virus (wtBacmid) for the construction of its Bm67-deficient variant (Bm67-KO-Bacmid) using the Red recombination system and the Bm67-repaired variant (Bm67-Re-Bacmid) using the Bac-to-Bac system. By transfecting BmN cells with these bacmids we demonstrated that the Bm67-deficient virus did not generate infectious virus, while the repaired virus restored its infectivity, indicating that the Bm67 gene is essential for the formation of infectious budding virus (BV). Electron microscopy of BmN cells transfected with the abovementioned bacmids showed many mature rodshaped virus particles in both wtBacmid- and Bm67-Re-Bacmid-transfected cells but none in Bm67-KO-Bacmid-transfected ones. Moreover, the real-time RT-PCR showed that the deletion of Bm67 from wtBacmid significantly reduced the levels of viral genomic DNA and transcripts of viral early genes dnapol, ie-1 and lef-3 but not those of transcripts of late gene vp39 and very late gene p10. The finding that the Bm67-deficient virus generated reduced levels of infectious virus and transcripts of early dnapol gene but not those of late genes indicates that the Bm67 gene is essential for BmNPV replication.