Copper-catalyzed atroposelective formal [4+1] annulation of 1,2-diketones with vinyl cations

The enantioselective transformation of easily accessible 1,2-diketones represents a quick pathway towards enantioenriched molecules. Herein, we disclose a copper-catalyzed atroposelective formal [4+1] annulation of 1,2-diketones with vinyl cations, enabling the efficient and atom-economical construction of axially chiral arylpyrroles bearing 1,3-dioxole moieties with good to excellent enantioselectivities under mild reaction conditions. Importantly, this methodology constitutes the first enantioselective formal [4+1] annulation of 1,2-diketones.

Outcomes of Targeted Therapy Plus Immunotherapy and High-Dose Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) for Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer Patients

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is one of the treatment options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) but is limited by a lack of data to evaluate targeted therapy plus immunotherapy concurrently with high-dose SABR to multiple sites. We evaluated the safety and disease control for mRCC patients who concurrently received the above tri-modality treatment.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients were treated with SABR (40-70 Gy/5-10 fractions) for small lesions or partial-SABR (tumor center boosted with 6-8 Gy/3-5 fractions with 50-60 Gy/20-25 fractions to the whole tumor volume) for bulky tumors or tumors adjacent to critical organs. When SABR/partial-SABR was not feasible, a moderate fractionated radiotherapy plan, usually 60Gy/20 fractions were applied. of Targeted therapy plus immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitor) was not interrupted during or after radiotherapy (RT). Adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. Disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. The PFS1 was defined as the first progression since the start of RT. The PFS2 was defined as the second progression after the second RT course, if new metastases occurred after first RT were all re-irradiated, and the systemic therapy was not changed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for time-to-event endpoints.

RESULTS

A total of 51 patients, with a median age of 57 yr, were enrolled. The median follow-up was 12 months. There were 75% of patients with intermediate-risk and 18% with favorable-risk disease. 61% of the patients were oligometastatic. 71% had clear cell renal cancer. There were 241 metastases while 161 (67%) were irradiated. 80% of the lesions received SABRP/partial SABR. 1 patient with 14 lesions irradiated received proton therapy. All the surviving patients are continuing using targeted therapy while 81% patients complete at least 1-year PD-1 therapy. 10 patients (20%) had grade 3 drug-related AEs: pneumonitis (n = 2), elevated alanine transaminase (n = 4), myositis (n = 1), hand-foot syndrome myositis (n = 1), enteritis (n = 1), fatigue (n = 1). There were 1 grade 4 AEs of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. No grade 3-5 RT-related AEs was found. ORR and DCR for irradiated lesion were 51% and 98%. Median OS and PFS2 was not reached. Median PFS1 was 14(6-22) months. Estimated 1- and 2-yr OS, PFS1 and PFS2 were 90% and 90%, 56% and 38%, 74% and 51% respectively. Univariate analysis showed that an PFS1 benefit was found in patients who received radiation before systemic therapy failure (p = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

We investigated the high-dose RT in combination of concurrent targeted and immunotherapy in patients with metastatic RCC. We found that this treatment regimen was well tolerated, with good cancer control. Early use of high-dose RT to multi-lesions may improve PFS. Partial-SABR for bulky lesions close to critical organs could be safely and effectively applied under certain circumstances. These encouraging findings warrant further investigation.

Iridium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Difunctionalization of C-C σ-Bonds Enabled by Ring-Strained Boronate Complexes

Enantioenriched organoboron intermediates are important building blocks in organic synthesis and drug discovery. Recently, transition metal-catalyzed enantioselective 1,2-metalate rearrangements of alkenylboronates have emerged as an attractive protocol to access these valuable reagents by installing two different carbon fragments across C═C π-bonds. Herein, we report the development of an iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation-induced 1,2-metalate rearrangement of bicyclo[1.1.0]butyl (BCB) boronate complexes enabled by strain release, which allows asymmetric difunctionalization of C-C σ-bonds, including dicarbonation and carboboration. This protocol provides a variety of enantioenriched three-dimensional 1,1,3-trisubstituted cyclobutane products bearing a boronic ester that can be readily derivatized. Notably, the reaction gives trans diastereoisomers that result from an anti-addition across the C-C σ-bond, which is in contrast to the syn-additions observed for reactions promoted by Pd^II-aryl complexes and other electrophiles in our previous works. The diastereoselectivity has been rationalized based on a combination of experimental data and density functional theory calculations, which suggest that the BCB boronate complexes are highly nucleophilic and react via early transition states with low activation barriers.

De Novo Synthesis of Dihydrobenzofurans and Indolines and Its Application to a Modular, Asymmetric Synthesis of Beraprost

Dihydrobenzofurans and indolines are important constituents of pharmaceuticals. Herein, we describe a novel strategy for their construction in which the aromatic ring is created de novo through an inverse-electron demand Diels-Alder reaction and cheletropic extrusion sequence of a 2-halothiophene-1,1-dioxide with an enol ether/enamide, followed by aromatization. Unusually, the aromatization process proved to be highly challenging, but it was discovered that treatment of the halocyclohexadienes with a base effected an α-elimination-aromatization reaction. Mechanistic investigation of this step using deuterium-labeling studies indicated the intermediacy of a carbene which undergoes a 1,2-hydrogen shift and subsequent aromatization. The methodology was applied to a modular and stereoselective total synthesis of the antiplatelet drug beraprost in only 8 steps from a key enal-lactone. This lactone provided the core of beraprost to which both its sidechains could be appended through a 1,4-conjugate addition process (lower ω-sidechain), followed by de novo construction of beraprost's dihydrobenzofuran (upper α-sidechain) using our newly developed methodology. Additionally, we have demonstrated the breadth of our newly established protocol in the synthesis of functionalized indolines, which occurred with high levels of regiocontrol. According to density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, the high selectivity originates from attractive London dispersion interactions in the TS of the Diels-Alder reaction.

Sun-like light source design considering non-visual performance to improve working efficiency

With the discovery of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, we have a better understanding of the non-visual effects of lighting. In this study, the optimum spectral power distribution in sunlight of different color temperatures is calculated by MATLAB software. At the same time, the ratio of the non-visual effect and visual effect (K _e,α ) at different color temperatures is calculated according to the sunlight spectrum to evaluate the non-visual and visual effects of white LEDs at the corresponding color temperature. Then based on the characteristics of monochromatic LED spectra, the joint-density-of-states model is used as a mathematical model, and the optimal solution is calculated for its database. According to the calculated combination scheme, Light Tools software is used to optimize and simulate the expected light source parameters. The final color temperature is 7525 K, the color coordinate is (0.2959, 0.3255), and the color rendering index reaches 92. The high efficiency light source has not only the function of lighting, but also the effect of improving work efficiency with lower blue light hazard efficiency of radiation than normal LEDs.

Synthesis of Axially Chiral N-Arylindoles via Atroposelective Cyclization of Ynamides Catalyzed by Chiral Brønsted Acids

In recent years, asymmetric catalysis of ynamides has attracted much attention, but these reactions mostly constructed central chirality, except for a few examples on the synthesis of axially chiral compounds which exclusively relied on noble-metal catalysis. Herein, a facile access to axially chiral N-heterocycles enabled by chiral Brønsted acid-catalyzed 5-endo-dig cyclization of ynamides is disclosed, which represents the first metal-free protocol for the construction of axially chiral compounds from ynamides. This method allows the practical and atom-economical synthesis of valuable N-arylindoles in excellent yields with generally excellent enantioselectivities. Moreover, organocatalysts and ligands based on such axially chiral N-arylindole skeletons are demonstrated to be applicable to asymmetric catalysis.

Radical Reactions of Ynamides

Ynamides are electron-rich heteroatom-substituted alkynes with C-C triple bond directly tethered to the amide group. Over the past decades, ynamides have proven to be versatile reagents for organic synthesis and have received extensive attention. Compared with the well-established ionic reactions of ynamides, radical-based ynamide reactions have been exploited relatively seldom. Herein, radical reactions of ynamides, classified by radical attack at the α-position and β-position of ynamides, are reviewed by highlighting the reaction selectivity, scope, mechanism, and applicability. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summarization of these advances, casting light on the further development of ynamide chemistry.

Metabolism response of grazing yak to dietary concentrate supplementation in warm season

Supplementary feeding has a significant effect on the growth performance of grazing yaks. However, as far as is known, little information is available concerning how energy or protein feed supplementation affects the serum metabolome of grazing yaks during the warm season. We investigated the effects of supplementation with two different concentrates on the serum metabolome in grazing yaks using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. Twenty-four 2-year-old female yaks (133.04 ± 6.52 kg BW) were randomly divided into three groups and fed three different regimes (n = 8 per group): (1) grazing plus hull-less barley (HLB) supplementation, (2) grazing plus rapeseed meal (RSM) supplementation, and (3) grazing without supplementation. Both HLB and RSM supplementation significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG), and ADG under HLB supplementation was 11.9% higher (P < 0.05) than that of the RSM group. Supplementation markedly altered glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism, with the difference manifested as increased levels of some amino acids, acetyl-glycoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and very low-density lipoproteins . Furthermore, the levels of 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and lactate metabolism were decreased. Serum metabolite changes in yaks in the HLB supplementation treatment differed from those in the RSM supplementation treatment; the difference was primarily manifested in lipid- and protein-related metabolites. We conclude that both the energy supplementation (HLB) and the protein supplementation (RSM) could remarkably promote the growth of yak heifers during the warm season, and the effect of energy supplementation was superior. Supplementary feeding changed the serum metabolite levels of yak heifers, indicating that such feeding could improve glucose's energy-supply efficiency and increase the metabolic intensity of lipids and proteins. Supplementation of yaks with HLB was more efficient in the promotion of yak glucose and protein anabolism compared to supplementation with RSM, while having a lesser effect on lipid metabolism.

Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Ynamide Cyclization to Generate α-Imino Copper Carbenes: Divergent and Enantioselective Access to Polycyclic N-Heterocycles

Here an efficient copper-catalyzed cascade cyclization of azide-ynamides via α-imino copper carbene intermediates is reported, representing the first generation of α-imino copper carbenes from alkynes. This protocol enables the practical and divergent synthesis of an array of polycyclic N-heterocycles in generally good to excellent yields with broad substrate scope and excellent diastereoselectivities. Moreover, an asymmetric azide-ynamide cyclization has been achieved with high enantioselectivities (up to 98:2 e.r.) by employing BOX-Cu complexes as chiral catalysts. Thus, this protocol constitutes the first example of an asymmetric azide-alkyne cyclization. The proposed mechanistic rationale for this cascade cyclization is further supported by theoretical calculations.

[A multicenter survey of the accessibility of essential medicines for children in China]

Objective: To investigate the availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in pediatric population across China, in the hope of improving rational use of medicines. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey of medicine prices, availability and affordability was conducted in 17 provinces, municipalities and autonomous region across east, south-central part, west and north of China. Data on 42 medicines used in pediatric population, both original and generic, were collected in 55 public hospitals from May 26 to June 2, 2017. Availability was expressed as the percentage of hospitals with stock of the target medicine on the day of data collection,and median price ratio (MPR) was the ratio of price upon investigation to international reference. Based on national minimum daily wage, affordability represents the number of working days needed to earn the expense which covers a standard course using the target medicine. Statistical software SPSS 13.0 was applied for descriptive analysis of availability, MPR and affordability. Results: Mean Availability of original and generic medicine was 33% and 32%, with median MPR being 5.43 and 1.55. Among the 19 medicines with price information for both original and generic product, the median MPR was 7.73 and 2.04 respectively. Regarding the five medicines used to treat four common pediatric diseases (pneumonia,peptic ulcer, congenital hypothyroidism, refractory nephrotic syndrome), the affordability was 0.63 (0.16-6.17) d for generic medicine, and 1.03 (0.16-11.53) d for its original counterpart. Conclusions: The availability to both original and generic products of the 42 medicines used in pediatric population was low in China. The prices of generic medicines seem to be lower and affordability higher than those of original medicines. There is an urgent need to improve the availability and affordability of pediatric medicines.

Ynamide Smiles Rearrangement Triggered by Visible-Light-Mediated Regioselective Ketyl-Ynamide Coupling: Rapid Access to Functionalized Indoles and Isoquinolines

In the past decades, significant advances have been made on radical Smiles rearrangement. However, the eventually formed radical intermediates in these reactions are limited to the amidyl radical, except for the few examples initiated by a N-centered radical. Here, a novel and practical radical Smiles rearrangement triggered by photoredox-catalyzed regioselective ketyl-ynamide coupling is reported, which represents the first radical Smiles rearrangement of ynamides. This method enables facile access to a variety of valuable 2-benzhydrylindoles with broad substrate scope in generally good yields under mild reaction conditions. In addition, this chemistry can also be extended to the divergent synthesis of versatile 3-benzhydrylisoquinolines through a similar ketyl-ynamide coupling and radical Smiles rearrangement, followed by dehydrogenative oxidation. Moreover, such an ynamide Smiles rearrangement initiated by intermolecular photoredox catalysis via addition of external radical sources is also achieved. By control experiments, the reaction was shown to proceed via key ketyl radical and α-imino carbon radical intermediates.

Zinc-Catalyzed Asymmetric Formal [4+3] Annulation of Isoxazoles with Enynol Ethers by 6π Electrocyclization: Stereoselective Access to 2H-Azepines

6π electrocyclization has attracted interest in organic synthesis because of its high stereospecificity and atom economy in the construction of versatile 5-7-membered cycles. However, examples of asymmetric 6π electrocyclization are quite scarce, and have to rely on the use of chiral organocatalysts, and been limited to pentadienyl-anion- and triene-type 6π electrocyclizations. Described herein is a zinc-catalyzed formal [4+3] annulation of isoxazoles with 3-en-1-ynol ethers via 6π electrocyclization, leading to the site-selective synthesis of functionalized 2H-azepines and 4H-azepines in good to excellent yields with broad substrate scope. Moreover, this strategy has also been used to produce chiral 2H-azepines with high enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 e.r.). This protocol not only is the first asymmetric heptatrienyl-cation-type 6π electrocyclization, but also is the first asymmetric reaction of isoxazoles with alkynes and the first asymmetric catalysis based on ynol ethers.

Generation of Donor/Donor Copper Carbenes through Copper-Catalyzed Diyne Cyclization: Enantioselective and Divergent Synthesis of Chiral Polycyclic Pyrroles

The generation of metal carbenes from readily available alkynes represents a significant advance in metal carbene chemistry. However, most of these transformations are based on the use of noble-metal catalysts and successful examples of such an asymmetric version are still very scarce. Here a copper-catalyzed enantioselective cascade cyclization of N-propargyl ynamides is reported, enabling the practical and atom-economical construction of diverse chiral polycyclic pyrroles in generally good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 e.r.). Importantly, this protocol represents the first copper-catalyzed asymmetric diyne cyclization. Moreover, mechanistic studies revealed that the generation of donor/donor copper carbenes is presumably involved in this 1,5-diyne cyclization, which is distinctively different from the related gold catalysis, and thus it constitutes a novel way for the generation of donor/donor metal carbenes.

Identification of downstream target genes regulated by CX43 in hepatocellular carcinoma

The aim of study was to identify the downstream target genes of CX43 by Human Transcriptome Array. Therefore, a gene microarray was generated which consists of CX43-overexpressed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells transfected with the constructed plasmid and negative controls to identify candidate genes. Integrated bioinformatic analysis was used to clarify biological functions of the identified genes, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, protein-protein interaction network, and survival analysis. The candidate genes were further validated by qRT-PCR in liver cancer tissues and CX43-silenced HCC cells. We have found the mRNA and protein levels of CX43 significantly upregulated in HCC cells transfected with CX43 constructed plasmid. We identified 928 differentially expressed genes including 394 upregulated and 534 downregulated genes, enriched in the cancer related functions and pathways by GO and KEGG pathway analysis. The protein-protein interaction network revealed 9 hub genes in this study. Statistical analysis indicated that upregulation of RALA and SRC was associated with poor prognosis in liver cancer. The differential expression of 2 candidate genes were further validated in HCC cells and tissues. In conclusion, protein-coding genes RALA and SRC could be target genes of CX43 and therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma.

[The expression and prognostic significance of microRNA-34a in Uygur and Han patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China]

To investigate the expression of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in Xinjiang Uygur and Han nationalities and its prognostic significance. Our data showed that miR-34a expression in Uygur and Han CLL patients was significantly higher than that in their respective healthy controls, while miR-34a levels were similar between Uygur and Han patients. By comparing with known prognostic factors, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that miR-34a was a good predictive factor for the prognosis of CLL (demarcation value was 3.567 6). Survival analysis was further performed according to miR-34a expression level, that low expression of miR-34a translated into poor prognosis.

Characterization of Pd/Y multilayers with B4C barrier layers using GIXR and X-ray standing wave enhanced HAXPES

Pd/Y multilayers are high-reflectance mirrors designed to work in the 7.5-11 nm wavelength range. Samples, prepared by magnetron sputtering, are deposited with or without B₄C barrier layers located at the interfaces of the Pd and Y layers to reduce interdiffusion, which is expected from calculating the mixing enthalpy of Pd and Y. Grazing-incident X-ray reflectometry is used to characterize these multilayers. B₄C barrier layers are found to be effective in reducing Pd-Y interdiffusion. Details of the composition of the multilayers are revealed by hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy with X-ray standing wave effects. This consists of measuring the photoemission intensity from the samples by performing an angular scan in the region corresponding to the multilayer period and an incident photon energy according to Bragg's law. The experimental results indicate that Pd does not chemically react with B nor C at the Pd-B₄C interface while Y does react at the Y-B₄C interface. The formation of Y-B or Y-C chemical compounds could be the reason why the interfaces are stabilized. By comparing the experimentally obtained angular variation of the characteristic photoemission with theoretical calculations, the depth distribution of each component element can be interpreted.

Inchworm bipedal nanowalker

Nanowalkers take either inchworm (IW) or hand-over-hand (HOH) gait. The IW nanowalkers are advantageous over HOH ones in force generation, processivity and high-density integration, though both gaits occur in intracellular nanowalkers from biology. Artificial IW nanowalkers have been realized or proposed, but all rely on different 'head' and 'tail' to gain an adventitious direction. Here we report an inherently unidirectional IW nanowalker that is a biped with two identical legs (i.e., indistinguishable 'head' and 'tail'). This walker is made of DNA, and driven by a light-powered G-quadruplex engine. The directional inchworm motion is confirmed by operating the walker on a DNA duplex track that is designed to show a distinctive fluorescence pattern for IW walkers as compared to HOH ones. Interestingly, this walker exhibits stride-controlled IW-to-HOH gait switch and direction reversal when the track's periodic binding sites have wider and wider separation. The results altogether present an integrated mechanism for implementing nanowalkers of different gaits and directions on molecular tracks, optical potentials or even solid-state surfaces.

Synthesis of α-keto imides through copper-catalyzed oxidation of N-sulfonyl ynamides

A novel copper-catalyzed N-oxide oxidation of N-sulfonyl ynamides is disclosed. This non-noble metal-catalyzed protocol enables facile and efficient access to valuable α-keto imides in generally good to excellent yields. Other notable features of this method include widespread availability of the substrates, compatibility with broad functional groups, a simple procedure, mild conditions, and in particular, no need to exclude moisture or air ("open flask").

A DNA bipedal nanowalker with a piston-like expulsion stroke

Artificial molecular walkers beyond burn-bridge designs are important for nanotechnology, but their systematic development remains difficult. Herein, we have reported a new rationally designed DNA walker-track system and experimentally verified a previously proposed general expulsion regime for implementing non-burn-bridge nanowalkers. The DNA walker has an optically powered engine motif that reversibly extends and contracts the walker via a quadruplex-duplex conformational change. The walker's extension is an energy-absorbing and force-generating process, which drives the walker's leg dissociation off-track in a piston-like expulsion stroke. The unzipping-shearing asymmetry provides the expulsion stroke a bias, which decides the direction of the walker. Moreover, three candidate walkers of different sizes were fabricated. Fluorescence motility experiments indicated two of them as successful walkers and revealed a distinctive size dependence that was expected for these expulsive walkers, but was not observed in previously reported walkers. This study identifies unique technical requirements for expulsive nanowalkers. The present DNA design is readily adapted for making similar walkers from other molecules since the unzipping-shearing asymmetry is common.

Effect of different levels of protein concentrates supplementation on the growth performance, plasma amino acids profile and mTOR cascade genes expression in early-weaned yak calves

Objective

This study evaluated the effects of different levels of protein concentrate supplementation on the growth performance of yak calves, and correlated the growth rate to changes occurring in the plasma- amino acids, -insulin profile, and signaling activity of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascade to characterize the mechanism through which the protein synthesis can be improved in early weaned yaks.

Methods

For this study, 48 early (3 months old) weaned yak calves were selected, and assigned into four dietary treatments according to randomized complete block design. The four blocks were balanced for body weight and sex. The yaks were either grazed on natural pasture (control diet) in a single herd or the grazing yaks was supplemented with one of the three protein rich supplements containing low (17%; LP), medium (19%; MP), or high (21%; HP) levels of crude proteins for a period of 30 days.

Results

Results showed that the average daily gain of calves increased (0.14 vs 0.23–0.26 kg; p<0.05) with protein concentrates supplementation. The concentration of plasma methionine increased (p<0.05; 8.6 vs 10.1–12.4 μmol/L), while those of serine and tyrosine did not change (p>0.05) when the grazing calves were supplemented with protein concentrates. Compared to control diet, the insulin level of calves increased (p<0.05; 1.86 vs 2.16–2.54 μIU/mL) with supplementation of protein concentrates. Addition of protein concentrates up-regulated (p<0.05) expression of mTOR-raptor, mammalian vacuolar protein sorting 34 homolog, the translational regulators eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1, and S6 kinase 1 genes in both Longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus. In contrast, the expression of sequestosome 1 was down-regulated in the concentrate supplemented calves.

Conclusion

Our results show that protein supplementation improves the growth performance of early weaned yak calves, and that plasma methionine and insulin concentrations were the key mediator for gene expression and protein deposition in the muscles.

[Clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma patients surviving more than 10 years after radical hepatectomy]

Objective: To clarify the clinicopathologic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients survived more than 10 years after radical hepatectomy. Methods: Two hundreds and fifty-two patients who underwent curative resection for HCC between January 1999 and March 2006 at Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were included.There were 217 male cases and 35 female cases aging from 17 to 82 years with median age of (53.8±10.5)years. Followed by March 31 2016, clinicopathologic factors in 10-year survivors and patients who died within 10 years were compared by χ(2) test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model and the prognostic factors affecting survival were identified. Results: All patients were followed-up for 4.0 to 205.7 months with median time of 53.4 months. The 10-year overall survival rate was 26%, there were 62 cases(26.2%) who survived for more than 10 years after initial hepatectomy. In survival >10-year group, the paitents with ALT<40 U/L, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase<64 U/L, albumin≥35 g/L, without liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension, Child-Pugh grade A, no blood transfusion, AFP≤20 μg/L, tumor size ≤5.0 cm, single tumor, high differentiation, TNM stage Ⅰ and TACE negative after resection were more than the patients in survival <10-year group (P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh grade A, the tumor size ≤5.0 cm and TACE negative after resection were favorable independent factors associated with 10-year survival (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, Child-Pugh grade A, tumor size ≤5.0 cm and TACE negative after resection at initial hepatectomy might be biologically favorable conditions for patients surviving more than 10 years.

Dual gold/photoredox-catalyzed bis-arylative cyclization of chiral homopropargyl sulfonamides with diazonium salts: rapid access to enantioenriched 2,3-dihydropyrroles

A novel dual gold/photoredox-catalyzed bis-arylative cyclization of chiral homopropargyl sulfonamides with diazonium salts is presented.

Development and characterization of microsatellite markers for Ulmus chenmoui (Ulmaceae), an endangered tree endemic to eastern China

Ulmus chenmoui (Ulmaceae) is an endangered tree found on Langya Mountain, eastern China. To better understand the population genetics of U. chenmoui and conserve the species, we developed microsatellite markers. Using a suppression-polymerase chain reaction technique, 74 compound microsatellite primer pairs were designed. Twelve microsatellite markers were polymorphic in 39 individuals, and the number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 9. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.051 to 0.769 and from 0.533 to 0.768, respectively. Significant linkage disequilibrium was detected for three pairs of loci (P < 0.01), which may be due to a recent population bottleneck and the small population size. Nine of the 12 loci deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.01), which could be explained by significant inbreeding rather than the presence of null alleles. These markers will provide a solid basis for future efforts in population genetic studies of U. chenmoui, which in turn will contribute to species conservation.

MicroRNA-92b promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by targeting Smad7 and is mediated by long non-coding RNA XIST

MicroRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been demonstrated to participate in the progression of many cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and aggressive malignant tumors worldwide, while the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC tumorigenesis are not completely clear. In this study, we showed that miR-92b was significantly upregulated in tumor tissue and plasma of HCC patients, and its expression level was highly correlated with gender and microvascular invasion. Functionally, miR-92b could promote cell proliferation and metastasis of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations suggested that Smad7, which exhibited an inverse relationship with miR-92b expression in HCC, was a direct target of miR-92b and could reverse its effects on HCC tumorigenesis. Furthermore, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) and miR-92b could directly interact with and repress each other, and XIST could inhibit HCC cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting miR-92b. Taken together, our study not only revealed for the first time the importance of XIST/miR-92b/Smad7 signaling axis in HCC progression but also suggested the potential value of miR-92b as a biomarker in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Consistency between molecular phylogeny and morphological classification of the Salix matsudana Koidz. complex (Salicaceae)

The morphological species concept is based on morpho-logical traits, which are often subject to subjectivity or artifact. Molecular evidence is needed to test the reliability of morphological classification of taxa that are controversial and to provide appropriate taxonomic de-limitation. In this study, we used 15 single-copy nuclear loci and 2 chloroplast fragments to verify the morphological classification of the Salix matsudana Koidz. complex using phylogenetic approaches. Complete sequence alignment showed slight diversification in nuclear sequences and no variety in chloroplast DNA fragments. Phylogenetic trees revealed a monophyletic group consisting of all individuals of S. matsudana and 2 clades within this group, with a 100% bootstrap support value and 1.00 posterior probability. The topology of the phylogenetic trees was highly consistent with the morphological classification of the S. matsudana complex. Verifying the genetic background of these classification units based on remarkable morphological differences will provide a foundation for future studies of Salix and the breeding of new horticultural varieties.

-173G/C polymorphism in the promoter of MIF is associated with hepatitis B virus infection in a Chinese Han population

In addition to the host immune response, genetic and environmental factors play crucial roles in the manifestation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) -173G/C polymorphism (rs755622), located in the promoter region of MIF, may play integral roles in diverse processes, including the immune response. Thus, the MIF -173G/C polymorphism may influence the immune response to HBV during natural infection. We investigated whether the MIF -173G/C polymorphism was associated with susceptibility to HBV infection in a Chinese Han population. A total of 596 HBV infection cases and 612 age-matched controls were recruited for the study. Genotyping of the MIF -173G/C polymorphism was performed using the allele-specific polymerase chain reaction method. The frequencies of the alleles and genotypes in patients and controls were compared using the χ(2) test. Carriers of the variant C allele in MIF -173 G/C were at significantly higher risk of HBV infection than carriers of the wild-type allele (P = 0.032, odds ratio = 0.799, 95% confidence interval = 0.651-0.981). However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of MIF -173G/C genotypes between case and control groups in either population (P = 0.096, degrees of freedom = 2). Our findings indicate that the G to C base change in MIF -173 G/C confers an increased risk of development of HBV infection by altering the expression of MIF in our Chinese Han population.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook

As a result of human activities, wild populations of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Cupressaceae) have sharply declined in recent years. The development and implementation of a valid conservation strategy require a clear understanding of the genetic makeup of this species. Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from samples of 52 individuals from the Provenance Test Plantation in Fenyi, Jiangxi Province, China. Among the loci, 10 were polymorphic and 1-34 (average 18.182) alleles per locus were identified. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0 to 0.750 (mean 0.456) and 0 to 0.968 (mean 0.749), respectively. These microsatellite loci may facilitate further research on the molecular breeding and population genetics of C. lanceolata and its relatives.

Supplementation dietary zinc levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and intramuscular fat deposition in weaned piglets

This study was conducted to estimate dietary zinc (Zn) levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition in weaned piglets. Sixty piglets were randomly divided into five groups, as follows: control (basal diet), Zn250, Zn380, Zn570, and Zn760 with supplementation of 250, 380, 570, and 760 mg Zn/kg of the basal diet, respectively. The final weight, average daily gain (ADG), gain/feed (G/F), lean meat percentage, fat meat percentage, lean eye area, backfat thickness, and IMF content were dose-dependently increased in all groups of Zn treatment. The serum total triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) were significantly higher in all Zn treatments than in the control. The enzyme activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were markedly higher, while enzyme activities of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) were significantly lower in all Zn treatments than in the control. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), FAS, ACC, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), LPL, and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) were significantly higher, while the mRNA levels of CPT-1 and HSL were significantly lower in all Zn treatments compared with the control. These results indicated that high levels of Zn increased IMF accumulation by up-regulating intramuscular lipogenic and fatty acid transport gene expression and enzyme activities while down-regulating lipolytic gene expression and enzyme activities.

Dynamic evolution for liquid-state nuclear spins and Berry phase of mixed state in a magnetic resonance

Dynamic evolution for liquid-state nuclear spin in a magnetic resonance is investigated based on Bloch sphere structure under the time-dependent modified Bloch equation. We show that the magnetization is related to the magnetic field strength but approximately independent of the initial unpolarized spin state after a very short evolving time. We predict that the Berry phase transition of the nuclear spin system take place in a quasicyclic evolution for some initial states, resulting in that the evolving memory of nuclear spin polarization is kept in terms of the Berry phase. The findings provide another clue to search for quantum memory devices in such a system on the basis of the geometric phase.

Immunogenicity of the envelope GP3 protein of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus displayed on baculovirus

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has been recognized as one of the most important pathogens of pigs throughout the world. The minor envelope protein GP3 of PRRSV plays an important role in clearing of the virus infection and protecting the animals. In this study, a recombinant baculovirus (BacSC-GP3) expressing His6-tagged GP3 with the transmembrane (TM) and cytoplasmic (CT) domains of envelope protein gp64 was constructed and its immunogenicity was evaluated in mouse and piglet models. The His6-tagged GP3 was successfully displayed on the surface of virions as well as virus-infected Sf-9 cells. The animals immunized with BacSC-GP3 gave a slightly higher (piglets) up to a markedly higher (mice) humoral and lymphocyte proliferation responses than those that received a commercial killed vaccine. This is the first study on the immunogenicity of recombinant GP3-baculovirus, which indicates that the latter can represent an alternative strategy for developing a more effective PRRSV vaccine.

High-quality photonic crystal heterostructures fabricated by a modified self-assembly method

High-quality three-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) heterostructures were fabricated using the modified self-assembly method, and their structural and optical properties were analyzed. Results suggest that the optical quality of heterostructures formed by depositing bigger particles on small ones is superior to that of heterostructures formed by stacking smaller particles on big ones, due to the rough interface effects in the latter structure. The roughness of the interface in the latter structure can be largely improved by introducing a thin two-dimensional planar defect layer into the PCs, and significant progress in the quality of the heterostructures is achieved. The important role of the thin planar defect layer in the quality of the heterostructures was also verified by numerical simulations.

Sludge conditioning by using alumina nanoparticles and polyelectrolyte

The combined use of nanoparticle and polyelectrolyte as retention aids in pulp and paper industry tend to give better flocculation (retention) and drainage (dewatering) than conventional polyelectrolyte flocculation. The combined use of alumina nanoparticle and polyelectrolyte in conditioning waste activated sludge was investigated in the current study. Alumina with three different sizes (139.5, 241.7, and 326.4 nm) was utilized in combination with a cationic polyelectrolyte (T3052) of molecular weight of 1.1 x 10(7) and charge density of 2.1 meq/g. It was found from capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) measurement that sludge conditioned with alumina/polyelectrolyte showed a better dewaterability than polyelectrolyte alone. In addition, it was found that the better dewaterability was obtained as alumina became smaller. Floc size and fractal dimension of flocs were examined as well. The mechanism of enhanced dewaterability was proposed that alumina nanoparticles became adsorbed onto sludge and positive patches were formed. The electrostatic repulsion made the polyelectrolyte more stretched, and resulted in more effective flocculation and bridging as polyelectrolyte was added. Dosing sequence also affected the conditioning effectiveness. However, the combined use of silica nanoparticles and a cationic polelectrolyte, KP-201C, or alumina nanoparticles and an anionic polyelectrolyte, AP410, did not result in improved dewaterability of waste activated sludge. Possible explanation was discussed. Preliminary results show that some in-depth work is needed regarding the introduction of nanoparticles in sludge conditioning.

Broad angular multilayer analyzer for soft X-rays

Using numerical optimization algorithm, non-periodic Mo/Si, Mo/Be, and Ni/C broad angular multilayer analyzers have been designed. At the wavelength of 13 nm and the angular range of 45~49 degrees , the Mo/Si and Mo/Be multilayer can provide the plateau s-reflectivity of 65% and 45%, respectively. At 5.7 nm, the s-reflectivity of Ni/C multilayer is 16% in the 44~46 degrees range. The non-periodic Mo/Si broad angular multilayer was also fabricated using DC magnetron sputtering, and characterized using the soft X-ray polarimeter at BESSY. The s-reflectivity is higher than 45.6% over the angular range of 45~49 degrees at 13 nm, where, the degree of polarization is more than 99.98%.

Optimally controlled optomechanical work cycle for a molecular locomotive

This work seeks to apply the laser optimal control technique to light-driven molecular motors. Taking a recently proposed molecular locomotive as a model system, a control loop is developed specifically for it, and concrete schemes for experimentally closing the loop are devised. A list of unique control objectives is rigorously formulated from the nanomachinery perspective, and corresponding optimization is made feasible by an innovative application of the established technique of closed-loop learning control. The optimization may be pursued for individual laser operational steps as well as for the overall nanolocomotion performance of the entire work cycle. The locomotive optimal control, capable of co-adapting the laser procedure and the periodically driven molecular dynamics, essentially leads to an optimally performing optomechanical work cycle for the locomotive beyond any model-based pre-designed version. These findings reveal a great potential of laser optimally controlled nanowork cycles in the emerging field of nanomachinery.

The surface temperature dependence of the inelastic scattering and dissociation of hydrogen molecules from metal surfaces

High-dimensional, wave packet calculations have been carried out to model the surface temperature dependence of rovibrationally inelastic scattering and dissociation of hydrogen molecules from the Cu(111) surface. Both the molecule and the vibrating surface are treated fully quantum-mechanically. It is found, in agreement with experimental data, that the surface temperature dependence of a variety of dynamical processes has an Arrhenius form with an activation energy dependent on molecular translational energy and on the initial and final molecular states. The activation energy increases linearly with decreasing translational energy below the threshold energy. Above threshold the behavior is more complex. A quasianalytical model is proposed that faithfully reproduces the Arrhenius law and the translational energy dependence of the activation energy. In this model, it is essential to include quantized energy transfer between the surface and the molecule. It further predicts that for any process characterized by a large energy barrier and multiphonon excitation, the linear change in activation energy up to threshold has slope-1. This explains successfully the universal nature of the unit slope found experimentally for H2 and D2 dissociation on Cu.

Detection of gastric slow wave uncoupling from multi-channel electrogastrogram: validations and applications

Current methodology of single channel electrogastrography is unable to detect coupling or uncoupling of gastric slow waves, which is crucial for gastric emptying. In this study, a new methodology, called cross-spectral analysis method, was established to compute the coupling percentage of multi-channel gastric slow waves recorded using serosal electrodes and electrogastrogram (EGG). Two experiments were performed to validate the method and demonstrate its applications in clinical research. In experiment 1, simultaneous recordings of gastric slow waves were made in five dogs from serosal electrodes and cutaneous electrodes. In experiment 2, four-channel fasting EGGs were made in 10 volunteers for 30 min during waking and 30 min during non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The validation study (experiment 1) showed that the slow wave coupling calculated from the EGGs was correlated with that computed from the serosal recordings. The gastric slow wave coupling percentages detected from both serosal and cutaneous recordings were significantly impaired during vasopressin infusion (6.3 +/- 2.6 vs 62.4 +/- 6.3, P < 0.001 for serosal recordings; 6.7 +/- 3.0 vs 57.2 +/- 2.7, P < 0.001 for cutaneous recordings), and the coupling percentages respectively calculated from serosal and cutaneous recordings were significantly correlated during the baseline recording period (R = 0.922, P < 0.05) and vasopressin infusion period (R = 0.916, P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the gastric slow wave became less coupled when healthy volunteers fell asleep. The percentage of slow wave coupling calculated from the EGGs was 68.2 +/- 17.9% during waking but 41.9 +/- 20.8 during non-REM sleep (P < 0.05). The method developed in this study is reliable for the detection of slow wave uncoupling from multi-channel EGGs. Gastric slow wave coupling is impaired during vasopressin infusion and sleep. These data suggest that this method has potential applications in physiological and clinical studies.

Fluctuation of microcystins in water plant

This study was undertaken to investigate the distribution and variation of microcystins (MC) from a water resource to a water plant in China including long distance transportation, ClO2 preoxidation, coagulation/precipitation, filtration, and disinfection. Advanced treatment methods including ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption were tested to remove microcystins from drinking water. The results indicated that, when containing high level of algae in raw water, preoxidation at 2 mg/L of ClO2 was not enough to stop algae growth in long distance transportation. In the water plant studied, both coagulation and filtration caused significant increase instead of removal of microcystins in drinking water. Chlorine disinfection removed part of microcystins. However, both ozonation and GAC adsorption were able to remove microcystins completely, thereby improving the quality of drinking water in terms of microcystins.

Surface temperature dependence of the inelastic scattering of hydrogen molecules from metal surfaces

The surface temperature dependence of activated inelastic scattering and dissociation of D2 from the Cu(111) surface has been computed using quantum wave-packet methods. It is found, in agreement with experimental data, that the surface temperature dependence generally has an Arrhenius form with an activation energy dependent on molecular translational energy and on the initial and final internal molecular states. The translational energy dependence of the activation energy is linear up to the threshold energy, with an abrupt change thereafter. On the basis of the wave-packet calculations, a model has been developed to explain these findings and highlight their general nature.

Oxygen consumption by splanchnic tissues in wethers consuming ad libitum different proportions of bermudagrass and ryegrass-wheat

Crossbred wethers (n = 18, 7.5 month of age and 31 +/- 0.8 kg) were used in a 23-day experiment to determine effects of ad libitum consumption of diets differing in proportions of coarsely chopped bermudagrass and ryegrass-wheat hay (0, 33, 67 and 100%) on oxygen consumption by splanchnic tissues. Bermudagrass and ryegrass-wheat were 9 and 13% CP and 78 and 71% NDF, respectively. Intake of dry matter (1.03, 0.92, 0.92 and 0.76 kg/d) and digestible energy (13.5, 10.7, 10.6 and 8.2 MJ/d for 0, 33, 67 and 100% bermudagrass, respectively) changed linearly and cubically (P < 0.05) as bermudagrass level increased. Consumption of oxygen by the portal-drained viscera tended to decrease linearly (P = 0.14) with increasing bermudagrass (182, 154, 156 and 137 mM/h), and hepatic oxygen consumption decreased linearly (P < 0.05) and changed cubically (P = 0.07; 150, 113, 116 and 103 mM/h for 0, 33, 67 and 100% bermudagrass, respectively). Splanchnic tissue energy consumption expressed as a percentage of digestible energy intake increased linearly (P = 0.08) with increasing bermudagrass (24.0, 27.6, 28.6 and 33.2% for 0, 33, 67 and 100% bermudagrass, respectively). In conclusion, the level rather than presence alone of different grass sources consumed ad libitum affected energy use by the splanchnic bed, and as a percentage of digestible energy intake splanchnic bed energy consumption increased with increasing dietary bermudagrass level and decreasing digestible energy intake.

Photoelectrochemical Response of Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayer Films Containing Donor-pi-Acceptor Azomethine Dyes

Three amphiphilic azomethine dyes, (E)-N-octadecyl-2-[2-(4-N, N-dimethylaminophenyl)azomethinyl]quinolinium tiodide, (E)-N-octadecyl-4-[2-(4-N, N-dimethylaminophenyl)azomethinyl]quinolinium iodide, and (E)-N-octadecyl-6-[2-(4-N, N-dimethylaminophenyl)azomethinyl]quinolinium iodide, have been prepared by changing different relative positions of electron-accepting groups. They were successfully transferred onto indium-tin oxide slides by the Langmiur-Blodgett (LB) technique. Photoelectrochemical studies on these dyes' LB monolayer-modified ITO electrode were carried out. In 0.5 M KI solution containing 0.05 M I(2), the photocurrent generation quantum yield for these dyes varied from 7.2 to 15.9%, depending on the linking positions. Dependence of the photocurrent on the applied potential and the redox couple suggests that they undergo the photoinduced electron transfer mechanism of photoelectric conversion. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Spatio-temporal nonlinear modeling of gastric myoelectrical activity

The accomplishment of a complete digestive process of human stomach is regulated by a spatio-temporally-coordinated electric pattern called gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA). The normal patterns of GMA present temporal evolution from endogenous rhythmic oscillation to bursting of spikes associated with contractions, and also ordered spatial propagation of the oscillating waves. The abnormal patterns of GMA have been observed in temporal dysrhythmia, such as tachygastria, bradygastria and arrhythmia, and in spatial propagation failure, such as retrograde propagation and uncoupling. Different GMA patterns are associated with different gastric symptoms and there exist some nonlinear mechanisms to govern the formation and dynamic evolution of these patterns. However, these mechanisms are so complex that few of them are known by medical observations. The aim of this study is to explore these mechanisms by spatio-temporal modeling of GMA. The single-cell model simulating the formation process of slow waves and spikes, the multi-cell model simulating the propagation process of GMA and the extracellular model simulating the formation of bipolar recordings are presented.

[Forensic pathology studies of sudden death caused by pulmonary embolism]

The analytic result of 50 sudden death cases caused by pulmonary embolism showed that their main causes were trauma (42%), heart diseases (32%), surgical operation (20%) and so on. In majority of these cases (80%), thrombus embolus came from deep veins of lower limbs, in some cases (20%) came from cardiac cavity. These cases occurred most frequently in the period of October to December and rarely in the period of April to June. Finally, some problems in forensic examination in this sort of sudden death were discussed in this article.

Study on the direct electron transfer process of superoxide dismutase

The electron transfer process of biological important species, superoxide dismutase (SOD), was studied using cyclic voltammetric method at different conditions. The rate of electron transfer process of SOD at conventional bare gold electrode was very low. Different methods were used to enhance the rate of this process. Gold microdisk electrode and gold minigrid electrode were used to replace the used conventional size gold electrode and the electron transfer rate was enhanced obviously. Different promoters, such as bis(4-pyridyl)disulfide, histidine and arginine, were used to promote the electron transfer process also. Promising results were observed with the help of those promoters. The rate enhancement through the participation of amino acids might be more interesting for the exploration of the real process of SOD-related reaction inside the human body.

Blind separation of multichannel electrogastrograms using independent component analysis based on a neural network

The electrogastrogram (EGG) is an abdominal surface measurement of gastric myo-electrical activity which regulates gastric contractions. It is of great clinical importance to record and analyse multichannel EGGs, which provide more information on the propagation and co-ordination of gastric contractions. EGGs are, however, contaminated by myo-electric interference from other organs and artefacts such as motion and respiration. The aim of the study is to separate the gastric signal from noisy multichannel EGGs without any information on the interference, using independent component analysis. A neural-network model is proposed, and corresponding unsupervised learning algorithms are developed to achieve the separation. The performance of the proposed method is investigated using artificial data simulating real EGG signals. Experimental EGG data are obtained from humans and dogs. The processed results of both simulated and real EGG data show the following: first, the proposed method is able to separate normal gastric slow waves from respiratory artefacts and random noises. It is also able to extract gastric slow waves, even when the EGG is contaminated by severe respiratory and ECG artefacts. Secondly, when the stomach contains various gastric electric signals with different frequencies, the proposed method is able to separate these different signals, as illustrated by simulations. These data suggest that the proposed method can be used to separate gastric slow waves, respiratory and motion artefacts, and intestinal myo-electric interference that are mixed in the EGG. It can also be used to detect gastric slow-wave uncoupling, during which the stomach has multiple gastric signals with different frequencies. It is believed that the proposed method may also be applicable to other biomedical signals.