Putting an ultrahigh concentration of amine groups into a metal-organic framework for CO2 capture at low pressures

Hydrazine can be grafted in CPO-27-Mg/MOF-74-Mg to provide an ultrahigh concentration of amine groups on the pore surface, giving an exceptionally high CO₂ capture performance, especially at extremely low pressures.

Tremendous efforts have been devoted to increasing the CO₂ capture performance of porous materials, especially for low CO₂ concentration environments. Here, we report that hydrazine can be used as a diamine short enough to functionalize the small-pore metal–organic framework [Mg₂(dobdc)] (H₄dobdc = 2,5-dihydroxyl-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid). By virtue of the ultrahigh concentration of free amine groups (6.01 mmol g^–1 or 7.08 mmol cm^–3) capable of reversible carbamic acid formation, the new material [Mg₂(dobdc)(N₂H₄)_1.8] achieves a series of new records for CO₂ capture, such as single-component isotherm uptakes of 3.89 mmol g^–1 or 4.58 mmol cm^–3 at the atmospheric CO₂ concentration of 0.4 mbar at 298 K and 1.04 mmol g^–1 or 1.22 mmol cm^–3 at 328 K, as well as more than a 4.2 mmol g^–1 or 4.9 mmol cm^–3 adsorption/desorption working capacity under dynamic mixed-gas conditions with CO₂ concentrations similar to those in flue gases and ambient air.

Molecular Dynamics of Flexible Polar Cations in a Variable Confined Space: Toward Exceptional Two-Step Nonlinear Optical Switches

The changeable molecular dynamics of flexible polar cations in the variable confined space between inorganic chains brings about a new type of two-step nonlinear optical (NLO) switch with genuine "off-on-off" second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion between one NLO-active state and two NLO-inactive states.

Rapid Identification and Characterization of Francisella by Molecular Biology and Other Techniques

Francisella tularensis is the causative pathogen of tularemia and a Tier 1 bioterror agent on the CDC list. Considering the fact that some subpopulation of the F. tularensis strains is more virulent, more significantly associated with mortality, and therefore poses more threat to humans, rapid identification and characterization of this subpopulation strains is of invaluable importance. This review summarizes the up-to-date developments of assays for mainly detecting and characterizing F. tularensis and a touch of caveats of some of the assays.

Identification and evaluation of reference genes in the Chinese white wax scale insect Ericerus pela

BACKGROUND

The Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela, is a well-known resource insect. The females and males are dramatically distinct at each developmental stage. We sought to identify suitable reference genes to use as internal controls in molecular research on E. plea.

RESULTS

geNorm, RefFinder and Normfinder analyses showed that ßTub-2 was the best reference gene throughout different developmental stages; SdhA-1 was the most stable reference gene in different tissues, and ßTub-1 was the most reliable reference gene under treatment with different temperatures. The results also showed that the optimal number of reference genes for analyzing target gene expression levels in the three experimental conditions was two.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified reference genes are suitable reference genes for normalization in RT-qPCR of E. pela samples.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses on the supercooling ability and mining of antifreeze proteins of the Chinese white wax scale insect

The Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela, can survive at extremely low temperatures, and some overwintering individuals exhibit supercooling at temperatures below -30°C. To investigate the deep supercooling ability of E. pela, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were performed to delineate the major gene and protein families responsible for the deep supercooling ability of overwintering females. Gene Ontology (GO) classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that genes involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase, calcium, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways and pathways associated with the biosynthesis of soluble sugars, sugar alcohols and free amino acids were dominant. Proteins responsible for low-temperature stress, such as cold acclimation proteins, glycerol biosynthesis-related enzymes and heat shock proteins (HSPs) were identified. However, no antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were identified through sequence similarity search methods. A random forest approach identified 388 putative AFPs in the proteome. The AFP gene ep-afp was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the expressed protein exhibited a thermal hysteresis activity of 0.97°C, suggesting its potential role in the deep supercooling ability of E. pela.

Ultrafast energy- and momentum-resolved dynamics of magnetic correlations in the photo-doped Mott insulator Sr2IrO4

Measuring how the magnetic correlations evolve in doped Mott insulators has greatly improved our understanding of the pseudogap, non-Fermi liquids and high-temperature superconductivity. Recently, photo-excitation has been used to induce similarly exotic states transiently. However, the lack of available probes of magnetic correlations in the time domain hinders our understanding of these photo-induced states and how they could be controlled. Here, we implement magnetic resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at a free-electron laser to directly determine the magnetic dynamics after photo-doping the Mott insulator Sr2IrO4. We find that the non-equilibrium state, 2 ps after the excitation, exhibits strongly suppressed long-range magnetic order, but hosts photo-carriers that induce strong, non-thermal magnetic correlations. These two-dimensional (2D) in-plane Néel correlations recover within a few picoseconds, whereas the three-dimensional (3D) long-range magnetic order restores on a fluence-dependent timescale of a few hundred picoseconds. The marked difference in these two timescales implies that the dimensionality of magnetic correlations is vital for our understanding of ultrafast magnetic dynamics.

Semen quality in adult male survivors 5 years after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

The influence of the Wenchuan earthquake on semen quality of adult male survivors is unclear. We investigated the semen quality included 673 male survivors from the worse-affected counties in the earthquake between Aug 2008 and July 2013. Semen parameters including pH, volume, concentration, motility and morphology were measured according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance was used to examine the statistical differences between years, and a logistic regression was used to analyse the impacts caused by earthquake on the changes of semen quality. We found the medians (5th and 95th) were 2.5 ml (0.6-5.5) for semen volume, 59.0 × 10⁶  ml^-1 [(13.0-133.0)] × 10⁶  ml^-1 for semen concentration, 46% (13-64%) for sperm progressive motility and 3.0% (0-17.5%) for normal morphology for adult male survivors. Semen concentration, the percentage of sperm progressive motility, total motility and sperm normal morphology were all decreased in the first 3 years, and the differences among years 1, 2 and 3 were significant except the percentage of sperm progressive motility (P < 0.05). The casualties and heavy housing damage caused by earthquake had a negative effect on semen quality. The main findings will provide further diagnosis and therapy basis of male fertility by data, for affected populations in the earthquake.

A Stable Pentagonal Bipyramidal Dy(III) Single-Ion Magnet with a Record Magnetization Reversal Barrier over 1000 K

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) with a large spin reversal barrier have been recognized to exhibit slow magnetic relaxation that can lead to a magnetic hysteresis loop. Synthesis of highly stable SMMs with both large energy barriers and significantly slow relaxation times is challenging. Here, we report two highly stable and neutral Dy(III) classical coordination compounds with pentagonal bipyramidal local geometry that exhibit SMM behavior. Weak intermolecular interactions in the undiluted single crystals are first observed for mononuclear lanthanide SMMs by micro-SQUID measurements. The investigation of magnetic relaxation reveals the thermally activated quantum tunneling of magnetization through the third excited Kramers doublet, owing to the increased axial magnetic anisotropy and weaker transverse magnetic anisotropy. As a result, pronounced magnetic hysteresis loops up to 14 K are observed, and the effective energy barrier (Ueff = 1025 K) for relaxation of magnetization reached a breakthrough among the SMMs.

Grass Hosts Harbor More Diverse Isolates of Puccinia striiformis Than Cereal Crops

Puccinia striiformis causes stripe rust on cereal crops and many grass species. However, it is not clear whether the stripe rust populations on grasses are able to infect cereal crops and how closely they are related to each other. In this study, 103 isolates collected from wheat, barley, triticale, rye, and grasses in the United States were characterized by virulence tests and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Of 69 pathotypes identified, 41 were virulent on some differentials of wheat only, 10 were virulent on some differentials of barley only, and 18 were virulent on some differentials of both wheat and barley. These pathotypes were clustered into three groups: group one containing isolates from wheat, triticale, rye, and grasses; group two isolates were from barley and grasses; and group three isolates were from grasses and wheat. SSR markers identified 44 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) and clustered them into three major molecular groups (MG) with MLGs in MG3 further classified into three subgroups. Isolates from cereal crops were present in one or more of the major or subgroups, but not all, whereas grass isolates were present in all of the major and subgroups. The results indicate that grasses harbor more diverse isolates of P. striiformis than the cereals.

A Metal-Organic Framework with a Pore Size/Shape Suitable for Strong Binding and Close Packing of Methane

Much effort has been devoted to develop new porous structures for methane storage. We report a new porous coordination framework showing exceptional methane uptakes (e.g. 263 v/v at 298 K and 65 bar) and adsorption enthalpies (21.6 kJ mol(-1)) as high as current record holders functionalized by open metal sites. Computational simulations demonstrated that the hierarchical pore structure consisting of single-wall nanocages has suitable sizes/shapes and organic binding sites to enforce not only strong host-methane and methane-methane interactions but also dense packing of methane molecules.

The cation-dependent structural phase transition and dielectric response in a family of cyano-bridged perovskite-like coordination polymers

The cation-dependent phase transition and the relevant dielectric response were demonstrated in a family of cyano-bridged perovskite-like coordination polymers, [(CH₃)_nNH_4−n]₂[KFe(CN)₆] (n = 1–4).

Synthesis and stabilization of a hypothetical porous framework based on a classic flexible metal carboxylate cluster

A hypothetical porous network isomeric to MIL-88/MIL-101 has been realized by the introduction of terminal ligands and further stabilized by crosslinking.

[Hepatitis B virus X protein-regulated expression of Plk1]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the ability and underlying mechanism of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) regulation of Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) expression.

METHODS

The human HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected (transiently and stably) with an HBx plasmid expression vector (pCMV-HA-HBx) or empty plasmid vector (control), with and without expression plasmids with the Plk1 promoter. Effects on Plk1 expression were assessed by western blotting. Functional effects on the Plk1 promoter were assessed by luciferase reporter assay. Effects on the mRNA level of Plk1 in S phase HepG2 cells were assessed by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. After blocking protein synthesis by treatment with cycloheximide (CHX), the turnover rate of Plk1 was assessed by western blotting. Lastly, the effect of HBx on cell cycle was assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

HBx did not increase the protein expression of Plk1 in non-synchronized HepG2 cells, but did significantly up-regulate the Plk1 protein level in the synchronized S phase cells (P = 0.026 and P = 0.003, respectively). Ectopic expression of HBx did not increase the mRNA level of Plk1 in HepG2 cells, but did inhibit the degradation of Plk1, as evidenced by an increased half-life of Plk1 protein (from 30 to 90 minutes). The HBx-expressing HepG2 cells showed more frequent entry into the S or G(2)/M phase than the control cells (31.65% vs. 24.56% or 9.43% vs. 4.47%, respectively) and less in the G(0)/G(1) phase (decrease from 70.97% to 58.92% for the HBx-expressing HepG2 cells).

CONCLUSION

HBx is able to up-regulate the expression of Plk1 in HepG2 cells by a mechanism involving stabilization of the Plk1 protein primarily in the S phase of the cell cycl.

Valence and electronic trap states of manganese in SrTiO3-based colossal permittivity barrier layer capacitors

Valence and trap level of manganese in the (Mn, Nb)-doped SrTiO₃ internal barrier layer capacitor was revealed by EELS and Q-DLTS, explaining macroscopic properties.

Genetic diversity and variability in populations of the white wax insect Ericerus pela, assessed by AFLP analysis

The white wax insect Ericerus pela Chavannes (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) is an economically valuable insect species that has been used for over a thousand years in China. The present study focuses on assessing the genetic variability in different populations of E. pela collected from seven Chinese provinces. The amplified fragment length polymorphism technique was used to generate DNA fingerprints of individuals from each population using nine primer combinations (EcoRI-MseI). A total of 435 polymorphic loci were generated; fragment sizes ranged from 200 to 1000 bp. The percentage of polymorphic loci was 85.29%. Nei's genetic diversity and Shannon index indicated consistency in the results, which showed that the Sichuan population had the highest diversity, followed by Yunnan and Zhejiang populations. Dendrogram analysis showed the shortest genetic distance between the Sichuan and Yunnan populations, suggesting that they probably form sister groups. High genetic differentiation between population values among all sampled populations indicated a low degree of genetic variability within each population (40.85%) and higher variation among populations (59.15%). Gene flow estimate values were low in all samples, suggesting low gene flow from events such as interbreeding and migration. Low gene flow values also suggested that populations among species of E. pela might become genetically heterogeneous, due to counteracting forces such as strong differential selection. Our data support the probability that E. pela will remain localized, and has a low potential to spread beyond current habitats.

Effect of TIMP1 transfection on PTEN expression in human kidney proximal tubular cells

To explore the role of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) tissue inhibitor in the mechanisms of kidney aging, we observed the effects of sense and antisense transfection of TIMP-1 and of metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors on phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and Flk-1 expression in TIMP-1 transgenic human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HKCs). Transfected HKCs were co-incubated with 100 μM MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitor III for 24 h to affect enzyme inhibition. TIMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, PTEN, VEGF, and Flk-1 mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. PTEN, VEGF, and Flk-1 protein expression in cells of each experimental group was measured by indirect immunofluorescence. We found that PTEN expression was up-regulated (P < 0.05) in the sense TIMP-1-transfected group (P < 0.05) compared with the non-transfected and empty vector groups, and that expression of VEGF and Flk-1 was down-regulated (P < 0.05). In contrast, the antisense TIMP-1 transgenic group showed the opposite results (P < 0.05). No significant differences in expression of PTEN, VEGF, or Flk-1 were observed among the MMP- 2/MMP-9 inhibitor III, non-transfected, and empty vector groups (P > 0.05). These results suggest that in the progression of renal aging, high expression of TIMP-1 up-regulates PTEN expression through an MMP-independent pathway, and subsequently down-regulates the expression of VEGF and Flk-1, indicating that PTEN and TIMP-1 are involved in the aging-associated impairment of renal angiogenesis. Our study provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of the mechanism underlying TIMP- 1 participation in renal aging progression.

Desolvation-Driven 100-Fold Slow-down of Tunneling Relaxation Rate in Co(II)-Dy(III) Single-Molecule Magnets through a Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Process

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are regarded as a class of promising materials for spintronic and ultrahigh-density storage devices. Tuning the magnetic dynamics of single-molecule magnets is a crucial challenge for chemists. Lanthanide ions are not only highly magnetically anisotropic but also highly sensitive to the changes in the coordination environments. We developed a feasible approach to understand parts of the magneto-structure correlations and propose to regulate the relaxation behaviors via rational design. A series of Co(II)-Dy(III)-Co(II) complexes were obtained using in situ synthesis; in this system of complexes, the relaxation dynamics can be greatly improved, accompanied with desolvation, via single-crystal to single-crystal transformation. The effective energy barrier can be increased from 293 cm⁻¹ (422 K) to 416 cm⁻¹ (600 K), and the tunneling relaxation time can be grown from 8.5 × 10⁻⁴ s to 7.4 × 10⁻² s. These remarkable improvements are due to the change in the coordination environments of Dy(III) and Co(II). Ab initio calculations were performed to better understand the magnetic dynamics.

Barberry as Alternate Host Is Important for Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici But Not for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in the U.S. Pacific Northwest

Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is the alternate host of the wheat stem rust pathogen, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, under natural conditions in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Barberry was recently shown to be infected by basidiospores of the wheat stripe rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, under controlled conditions, but it is unclear if barberry plays any role in stripe rust epidemics under natural conditions. Aecial samples of Puccinia spp. collected from barberry plants in the Pacific Northwest from 2010 to 2013 were characterized to species by inoculation on wheat plants under controlled conditions and by molecular markers and sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Inoculation of wheat plants with bulked aecia-bearing barberry samples resulted in most P. graminis f. sp. tritici uredia and some P. striiformis f. sp. tritici uredinia. Virulence tests demonstrated that the P. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates were sexually produced, whereas the P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates were clonal based on both virulence and simple sequence repeat marker tests, indicating urediniospores from wheat fields landing on barberry leaves as the possible source of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici inoculum. A method for simultaneously testing individual aecia for identifying of P. graminis f. sp. tritici and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici by pathogenicity and ITS markers. Using the method together with ITS sequencing, tested individual aecia were mostly P. graminis f. sp. tritici and occasionally some other formae speciales of P. graminis, but not P. striiformis. The results imply that barberry is essential for stem rust epidemics, but not for stripe rust under the natural conditions in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Barberry Does Not Function as an Alternate Host for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in the U. S. Pacific Northwest Due to Teliospore Degradation and Barberry Phenology

Sexual reproduction of the stem rust pathogen, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), on barberry (Berberis vulgaris) has been shown to provide initial inoculum for the development of the disease on wheat and barley and also generate diverse races of the pathogen. However, in our previous study, the stripe rust pathogen, P. striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), was not found on barberry in the U. S. Pacific Northwest. To determine why Pgt is able to infect the alternate host, while Pst cannot under the natural conditions, the viabilities of teliospores of both Pgt and Pst were investigated from 2011 to 2014 by determining the germination rates using telial samples collected periodically from wheat fields. Teliospores of Pst usually produced in July were physically degraded during winter, and their germination rate decreased from 50 to 90% in August to less than 1% in the following March and no germination after May. In contrast, Pgt teliospores usually produced in July and August remained physically intact and physiologically dormant, and could not germinate until February. Germination of Pgt teliospores gradually increased to 90% in May, at which time young leaves of barberry were susceptible to infection. In addition, a time-series experiment was conducted for inoculation of barberry plants with Pst teliospores. The results showed that Pst teliospores need a minimum of 32 h continual dew-forming conditions to infect barberry, and infection reaches a peak after incubation of inoculated plants for 88 h. The lack of a prolonged period of leaf wetness conditions during the season of telial maturity effectively negates Pst infection of barberry plants in the Pacific Northwest.

Deformation and fracture of K3 rotary nickel-titanium endodontic instruments after clinical use

AIM

The aim was to evaluate the incidence and type of defects that occurred with K3 rotary nickel-titanium instruments during routine clinical use.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 2397 K3 (G-PACKS, SybronEndo, West Collins, Orange, CA, USA) instruments were collected from a graduate endodontic clinic over 21 months. All the instruments were limited to a maximum use of 30 canal preparations. The collected instruments were measured by a digital caliper to determine whether any fractures had occurred and then were visually inspected for deformation and fracture under a stereomicroscope. The surfaces of fractured instruments were further evaluated under a scanning electron microscope. Data were analysed using chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis test.

RESULTS

The incidence of instrument defect was 5.63%, consisting of 3.59% fractures and 2.05% deformations. The defect rates of 0.04 and 0.06 files were statistically higher than the other taper groups (P < 0.003) except for 0.08 files (P > 0.05). For the fractured instruments, 63.95% failed from flexural fatigue, whilst 36.05% failed from torsion.

CONCLUSION

Flexural fracture was the major mode of fracture for instruments with larger taper. A routine check for instrument integrity particularly for 0.04 and 0.06 files at high magnification is recommended after each clinical use.

Regulation of the expression of zinc finger protein genes by microRNAs enriched within acute lymphoblastic leukemia-derived microvesicles

Microvesicles (MVs) are submicrometric membrane fragments that can "engulf" cytoplasmic contents such as microRNAs (miRNAs) from their cellular origin. The study of miRNAs carried within MVs might provide insights into the roles that miRNAs play in the underlying pathophysiologic processes of acute lymphoblastic leu-kemia (ALL). We identified numerous dysregulated MV miRNAs in patients with B- and T-cell ALL by using Agilent microarray analysis. Selected miRNAs obtained by microarray profiling were validated us-ing quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Us-ing bioinformatic tools, we found that 118 and 116 miRNAs from B- and T-ALL MVs, respectively, regulated the expression of zinc finger protein (ZFP) genes. For example, zinc finger protein 238 (ZNF238), known as a tumor suppressor, was regulated by miR-20b over-expres-sion. Conversely, ZNF267, a cancer-promoting factor, was mediated by downregulated miR-23a and miR-23b. Considering that miRNAs are generally believed to repress gene expression, antineoplastic ZNF238 was likely inhibited while the level of oncogenic ZNF267 was likely increased by miRNA dysregulation, leading to modifica-tion of the ALL microenvironment. In addition, gene ontology and sig-naling pathway analysis demonstrated that a subset of the ZFP genes targeted by altered MV miRNAs are involved in cellular biological processes including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation. These findings indicated that cancer-associated MV miRNAs and their target ZFP genes might be novel pathogenic factors in ALL. However, the specific roles exerted by MV miRNAs and their target ZFP genes on the pathological mechanisms of ALL remain to be further understood.

Male-specific association of the APC rs383830 T allele with the risk of coronary heart disease

APC is a tumor suppressor gene that is involved in the processes of cell migration and adhesion, transcriptional activation, and apoptosis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the contribution of the APC rs383830 polymorphism to coronary heart disease (CHD) in Han Chinese. A total of 783 patients with CHD and 737 controls were tested in the current association study. Although our study did not identify an association between the APC rs383830 polymorphism and CHD, a breakdown analysis by gender indicated there was a significant contribution of the rs383830 T allele to the risk of CHD in males (P = 0.046, odds ratio = 1.267, 95% confidence interval = 1.004-1.598). In conclusion, our study suggested a male-specific association of the APC rs383830 polymorphism with CHD.

Retroperitoneal laparoscopy management for ureteral fibroepithelial polyps causing hydronephrosis in children: a report of five cases

INTRODUCTION

Hydronephrosis is a common disease in children and may be caused by ureteral fibroepithelial polyps (UFP). Ureteral fibroepithelial polyps are rare in children and are difficult to precisely diagnose before surgery. Surgical treatment for symptomatic UFP is recommended. At the present institution, retroperitoneal laparoscopy has been used to treat five boys with UFP since 2006.

OBJECTIVE

To highlight the significance of UFP as an etiological factor of hydronephrosis in children and evaluate the applicative value of retroperitoneal laparoscopy in the treatment of children with UFP.

METHODS

Between 2006 and 2013 five boys underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopy at the present institution. They were identified with UFP by review of the clinical database. Detailed data were collected, including: radiographic studies, gross anatomical pathology, and pathology and radiology reports. All boys had been followed up at least every 6 months.

RESULTS

All of the boys were aged between 7 and 16 years (mean 9.8 years). The main symptoms were flank pain (all five) and hematuria (three). Radiographic examination showed that all of the boys presented with incomplete ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis. The ureteral fibroepithelial polyps were located near the left UPJ or the left proximal ureter. All of the boys had the UFP removed: three underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty and polypectomy, and two had retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureteral anastomosis. These polyps were all on the left side and between 15 and 35 mm in length (mean 22 mm) (Figure). All of the boys recovered well and were discharged from hospital. The postoperative histological report confirmed that the specimens were UFP. Hydronephrosis was periodically assessed by ultrasonography (using the same method as pre-surgical ultrasonography) after surgery. Mean follow-up was 33 months (range 6-58 months) and no complications were found afterwards.

CONCLUSIONS

Ureteral fibroepithelial polyps are rare but rather important as they can cause UPJ obstruction, which often manifests as hydronephrosis. It is most important to confirm the site of ureteral obstruction before surgery as this may have an effect on the surgical management. It is recommended that UFP be successfully managed in children with retroperitoneal laparoscopy.

Coordination templated [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization in a porous coordination framework

Controlling chemical reactions by the supramolecular confinement effects of nanopores has attracted great attention. Here we show that open metal sites in porous coordination frameworks can constitute more powerful and strict templates for precision syntheses. A Fe(III) dicarboxylate framework functionalized with triangularly arranged metal sites is used to accomplish [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization reactions for organonitrile, alkyne and alkene monomers bearing a geometrically suitable pyridyl group. In situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction facilitates the direct observation of such a coordination templated reaction, before cylcotrimerization, the monomer coordinates at the Fe(III) centre by its pyridyl donor, which forces three unsaturated groups to gather around a position very similar with that of the desired covalent cyclic trimer. After the reaction, the trimers serve as tripodal ligands to perfectly fix the Fe(III) ions and the whole crystal to generate an exceptionally rigid and porous material with large surface area coupled with guest-proof zero thermal expansion.

Molecular Mapping of YrSP and Its Relationship with Other Genes for Stripe Rust Resistance in Wheat Chromosome 2BL

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is an important disease of wheat worldwide. Resistance is the best way to control the disease. YrSP, a gene originally from 'Spaldings Prolific' wheat and providing resistance to a broad spectrum of races, is used for differentiating P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races but its chromosomal location is not clear. To map YrSP, a near-isogenic line (AvSYrSPNIL) was backcrossed to the recurrent parent, Avocet S. Genetic analysis of the BC7F1, BC8, BC7F2, and BC7F3 progenies confirmed a single dominant gene for resistance. In total, 182 BC7F2 plants and their derived BC7F3 lines were phenotyped with an avirulent P. striiformis f. sp. tritici race and genotyped with simple-sequence repeat (SSR), single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and sequence-tagged site (STS) markers. A linkage map was constructed with 3 SSR, 17 SNP, and 3 STS markers covering 23.3 centimorgans (cM). Markers IWA638 and dp269 were 0.6 cM proximal and 1.5 cM distal, respectively, to YrSP. The gene was mapped in chromosome bin 2BL-C-0.5, physically within the proximal 50% of the chromosome 2BL arm. Allelism tests based on F2 phenotypes indicated that YrSP is closely linked to but not allelic with genes Yr5, Yr7, Yr43, Yr44, and Yr53. Infection type data from tests with 10 historical and currently predominant P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races in the United States also demonstrated differences in specificity between YrSP and the other genes. The specificity of YrSP is useful in differentiating P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races and studying the plant-pathogen interactions, and the information of chromosomal location of the gene and its tightly linked markers should be useful in developing resistant cultivars when combined with other genes for resistance to stripe rust.

β-III-Tubulin: a reliable marker for retinal ganglion cell labeling in experimental models of glaucoma

AIM

To evaluate the reliability of β-III-Tubulin protein as a retinal ganglion cell (RGC) marker in the experimental glaucoma model.

METHODS

Glaucoma mouse models were established by injecting polystyrene microbeads into the anterior chamber of C57BL/6J mice, then their retinas were obtained 14d and 28d after the intraocular pressure (IOP) was elevated. Retinal flat mounts and sections were double-labeled by fluorogold (FG) and β-III-Tubulin antibody or single-labeled by β-III-Tubulin antibody, then RGCs were counted and compared respectively.

RESULTS

IOP of the injected eyes were elevated significantly and reached the peak at 22.8±0.7 mm Hg by day 14 after injection, then dropped to 11.3±0.7 mm Hg by day 28. RGC numbers counted by FG labeling and β-III-Tubulin antibody labeling were 64 807±4930 and 64614±5054 respectively in the control group, with no significant difference. By day 14, RGCs in the experimental group decreased significantly compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference between the FG labeling counting and the β-III-Tubulin antibody labeling counting either in the experimental group or in the control group. The result was similar by day 28, with further RGC loss.

CONCLUSION

Our result suggested that the β-III-Tubulin protein was not affected by IOP elevation and can be used as a reliable marker for RGC in experimental models of glaucoma.

Highly specific detection of genetic modification events using an enzyme-linked probe hybridization chip

The enzyme-linked probe hybridization chip utilizes a method based on ligase-hybridizing probe chip technology, with the principle of using thio-primers for protection against enzyme digestion, and using lambda DNA exonuclease to cut multiple PCR products obtained from the sample being tested into single-strand chains for hybridization. The 5'-end amino-labeled probe was fixed onto the aldehyde chip, and hybridized with the single-stranded PCR product, followed by addition of a fluorescent-modified probe that was then enzymatically linked with the adjacent, substrate-bound probe in order to achieve highly specific, parallel, and high-throughput detection. Specificity and sensitivity testing demonstrated that enzyme-linked probe hybridization technology could be applied to the specific detection of eight genetic modification events at the same time, with a sensitivity reaching 0.1% and the achievement of accurate, efficient, and stable results.

Primary appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinoma: A case report

Primary appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinoma is rare. Early primary appendiceal mucinous tumors have no specific symptoms and signs, and their clinical manifestations are very similar to appendicitis or appendix abscess. As a result, they are often misdiagnosed clinically, and the vast majority of patients were diagnosed with this disease by pathological examination in or after surgery. Clinicians should raise their awareness of this disease to avoid misdiagnosis.

Two new species and two new records of Ptecticus Loew (Diptera: Stratiomyidae: Sargiinae) from China

Two species, Ptecticus brevispinus sp. nov. and P. guangxiensis sp. nov., from China are described and illustrated. Additional two species, P. longispinus Rozkošný & Kovac, 2003 and P. melanurus (Walker, 1848), are recorded from China for the first time. A checklist of the known Chinese Ptecticus Loew, 1855 species together with their geographical distribution and a new identification key (19 spp.) are presented.

Emerging Yr26-Virulent Races of Puccinia striiformis f. tritici Are Threatening Wheat Production in the Sichuan Basin, China

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. tritici, is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat in the world. The Sichuan Basin is one of the most important regions of wheat production and stripe rust epidemics in China. Stripe rust resistance gene Yr26 (the same gene as Yr24) has been widely used in wheat breeding programs and in many cultivars grown in this region since the gene was discovered in the early 1990s. Virulence to Yr26 has increased in frequency since its first detection in 2008. The objective of this study was to assess the vulnerability of the wheat cultivars and breeding lines in the Sichuan Basin to Yr26-virulent races. In total, 85 wheat accessions were tested with Yr26-avirulent races CYR32, CYR33, and Su11-4 and two Yr26-virulent races, V26/CM42 and V26/Gui22. DNA markers for Yr26 were used to determine the presence and absence of Yr26 in the wheat accessions. Of the 85 wheat accessions, only 5 were resistant and 19 susceptible to all races tested, and the remaining 61 were resistant to at least one or more races tested in seedling stage. In all, 65 (76.5%) accessions were susceptible to the emerging Yr26-virulent race V26/Gui22. In field tests, susceptible accessions increased from 31.8% in a nursery inoculated with predominant and Yr26-avirulent races to 61.2% in the nursery inoculated with the predominant races mixed with V26/Gui22. Based on the results of the molecular marker and race tests, 33 (38.8%) accessions were determined to have Yr26, showing that the Yr26 virulence is a major threat to wheat production in the Sichuan Basin and potentially in other regions of China.

Macrophage cell death upon intracellular bacterial infection

Macrophage-pathogen interaction is a complex process and the outcome of this tag-of-war for both sides is to live or die. Without attempting to be comprehensive, this review will discuss the complexity and significance of the interaction outcomes between macrophages and some facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens as exemplified by Francisella, Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia. Upon bacterial infection, macrophages can die by a variety of ways, such as apoptosis, autophagic cell death, necrosis, necroptosis, oncosis, pyronecrosis, pyroptosis etc, which is the focus of this review.

Supramolecular-jack-like guest in ultramicroporous crystal for exceptional thermal expansion behaviour

The dynamic behaviours of host frameworks and guest molecules have received much attention for their great relevance with smart materials, but little has been developed to control or understand the host-guest interplay. Here we show that the confined guest can utilize not only molecular static effects but also bulk dynamic properties to control the host dynamics. By virtue of the three-dimensional hinge-like framework and quasi-discrete ultramicropores, a flexible porous coordination polymer exhibits not only drastic guest-modulation effect of the thermal expansion magnitude (up to 422 × 10(-6) K(-1)) and even the anisotropy but also records positive/negative thermal expansion coefficients of +482/-218 × 10(-6) K(-1). Moreover, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate that the jack-like motion of the guest supramolecular dimers, being analogous to the anisotropic thermal expansion of bulk van der Waals solids, is crucial for changing the flexibility mode and thermal expansion behaviour of the crystal.

Tuning fluorocarbon adsorption in new isoreticular porous coordination frameworks for heat transformation applications

We report adsorption behaviors of a typical fluorocarbon R22 (CHClF₂) in a new series of isoreticular porous coordination frameworks [Zn₄O(bpz)₂(ldc)].

Adsorption heat transformation is one of the most energy-efficient technologies, which relies much on the type and performance of the adsorbent–adsorbate pair. Here, we report adsorption behaviors of a typical fluorocarbon R22 (CHClF₂) in a new series of isoreticular porous coordination polymers [Zn₄O(bpz)₂(ldc)], in which the typical Zn₄O clusters are connected by hydrophobic 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-bipyrazolate (bpz^2–) and different linear dicarboxylates (ldc^2–) to form non-interpenetrated pcu networks with variable pore sizes, shapes, and volumes. Fluorocarbon sorption measurements of these materials revealed high R22 uptakes of 0.73–0.97 g g^–1 (0.62–0.65 g cm^–3) at 298 K and 1 bar and working capacities of 0.41–0.72 g g^–1 (0.35–0.47 g cm^–3) between 273 and 313 K at about 0.13, 0.11 and 0.52 bar, respectively, as well as very large diffusion coefficients of 5.1–7.3 × 10^–7 cm² s^–1. Noteworthily, the R22 sorption performance can be dramatically improved by subtle modification of the pore size and shape, demonstrating porous coordination polymer–fluorocarbon as a promising adsorbent–adsorbate pair for heat transformation applications.

Transcriptome analysis of sexually dimorphic Chinese white wax scale insects reveals key differences in developmental programs and transcription factor expression

The Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela, represents one of the most dramatic examples of sexual dimorphism in any insect species. In this study, we showed that although E. pela males display complete metamorphosis similar to holometabolous insects, the species forms the sister group to Acyrthosiphon pisum and cluster with hemimetabolous insects. The gene expression profile and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses revealed that the two sexes engaged in distinct developmental programs. In particular, female development appeared to prioritize the expression of genes related to cellular, metabolic, and developmental processes and to anatomical structure formation in nymphs. By contrast, male nymphal development is characterized by the significant down-regulation of genes involved in chitin, the respiratory system, and neurons. The wing and appendage morphogenesis, anatomical and tissue structure morphogenesis programs activated after male nymphal development. Transcription factors (that convey juvenile hormone or ecdysone signals, and Hox genes) and DNA methyltransferase were also differentially expressed between females and males. These results may indicate the roles that these differentially expressed genes play in regulating sexual dimorphism through orchestrating complex genetic programs. This differential expression was particularly prominent for processes linked to female development and wing development in males.

Dynamic magnetism of an iron(II)-chlorido spin chain and its hexametallic segment

An air-stable iron(ii) chain compound [Fe(phen)(Cl)2]n (, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) was prepared and exhibits intrachain ferromagnetic interactions as well as competing interchain antiferromagnetic interactions that are mediated by π-π stacking of the phen ligands, resulting in metamagnetic behaviour. The interchain interactions can be altered by changing the external magnetic field, and disparate magnetic dynamics was thus observed from zero to the critical field of 1500 Oe. Zero-field cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetization and heat capacity measurements indicate that long-range antiferromagnetic ordering occurs at lower fields, and this ordering disappears when the external field is larger than 1500 Oe. The low-frequency ac susceptibility data are consistent with the exponential increase of the temperature-dependent dc data, indicating a Glauber-type dynamics under the field of 1500 Oe. Thus, is considered as a metamagnetic single-chain magnet. For further analysis, a discrete hexametallic segment of the chain, [Fe6(phen)6(Cl)12] (), was also isolated and was shown to possess a high-spin ground state and display slow magnetic relaxations like single-molecule magnets. Magnetic analysis using CONDON suggests weak ferromagnetic interactions between the metal centres. The polymeric compound can be viewed as being constructed using the hexametallic unit which is of a low energy barrier, suggesting the significance of intrachain ferromagnetic interactions in enhancing the spin-reversal energy barrier of the short chains.

Laser-activated gold catalysts for liquid-phase growth of cadmium selenide nanowires

A laser-activated-catalyst (LAC) technique was developed to grow CdSe nanowires in liquid medium at room temperature. The gold catalysts dispersed in the precursor solution were activated by a pulsed laser so as to decompose the precursor and catalyse the nanowire growth simultaneously. The LAC technique can achieve accurate positioning of nanowires, which is beneficial for device fabrication.