A Layered Aluminophosphate [C17H21N2]3[Al3(PO4)4]·5H2O with Fluorescent Property Derived from Carbazolyl-Modified Template.

Designing and innovating organic structure-directing agents is the key to synthesizing novel molecular sieve structures. Herein, we design a novel carbazolyl-modified template and further synthesize a two-dimensional layered aluminophosphate with [C17H21N2]3[Al3(PO4)4]·5H2O (denoted as ZHKU-2). ZHKU-2 is composed of AA-stacked [Al3P4O16]3- layers constructed from alternating AlO4 and PO3(=O) tetrahedrons to form a 4.6.8 network featured by capped six-ring secondary building units. Carbazolyl-templated ZHKU-2 exhibits strong purple fluorescence with a high quantum yield of 25.98%. This work expands aluminophosphate materials of the [Al3P4O16]3- family and provides a view for synthesizing new molecular sieves by exploring the organic luminescence structure-directing agents.

A Mononuclear Iron(II) Spin-Crossover Molecule Decorated by Photochromic Azobenzene Group.

Aiming at constructing photoresponsive spin crossover (SCO) behavior, herein we designed a new ligand Abtz (Abtz = (E)-N-(4-((E)-phenyldiazenyl)phenyl)-1-(thiazol-4-yl)methanimine) which was decorated by a photochromic azobenzene group. Based on this photochromic ligand, a mononuclear Fe(II) SCO molecule [Fe(Abtz)3](BF4)2·(EAC)2 (1, EAC = ethyl acetate) was successfully synthesized and showed a complete one-step SCO behavior. Under continuous UV light and blue-light exposure, the cis-trans photoisomerization of both ligand Abtz and compound 1 in the liquid phase was confirmed through UV-Vis spectra. Moreover, the 1H-NMR spectra of Abtz reveal a trans-cis conversion ratio of 37%. Although the UV-Vis spectra reveal the photochromic behavior for 1 in the solution phase, the SCO behavior in the liquid state is absent according to the variable-temperature Evans method, suggesting the possible decomposition. Moreover, in the solid state, the cis-trans photoisomerization of both Abtz and 1 was not observed, due to the steric hindrance.

[Effect of traditional Chinese medicine in inhibiting obesity and inflammatory diseases by regulating gut microbiota].

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has been increasingly used in the prevention and treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases. However, its mechanism of action is not yet clear. In recent years, with the development of high-throughput sequencing technology, scientific researches have found that the disorder of gut microbiota is associated with obesity and other diseases. Furthermore, it has been found that TCM can improve the structure of gut microbiota by increasing probiotics and reducing pathogens, which play an importent role in preventing the development and progression of obesity and other diseases. This article first explores the possible association between intestinal microbiota and obesity. Then, it reviews the traditional Chinese medicine and its role in regulating intestinal microbiota for the prevention and treatment of diseases, including obesity and inflammation, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease and other diseases, in theexpectation of new strategies and research direction for treating obesity and relevant diseases, and providing important guidance for further studies in this field in the future.

Molecular epidemiology of Clostridium difficile in two tertiary care hospitals in Shandong Province, China.

PURPOSE: The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) have markedly increased over the past decade. However, there is very limited epidemiological data on CDI in China so far, specifically no data in Shandong Province. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic algorithm for CDI and to gain data on molecular epidemiology of CDI in the Shandong Province of China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nonrepetitive unformed fecal specimens (n=504) were investigated by the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), C. difficile toxin A&B (CDAB) tests and toxigenic culture. Furthermore, 85 isolates were characterized by toxin gene detection, multilocus sequence typing, ribotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. RESULTS: The algorithm of combining GDH and CDAB tests could define diagnosis of 54.2% CDI cases and excluded 90% of non-CDI. Further adding the toxigenic culture to the algorithm enhanced the detection sensitivity to 100%. Toxigenic strains comprised 84.7% of isolates, including A+B+CDT- (71.8%, 61/85), A-B+CDT- (11.8%, 10/85) and A+B+CDT+ (1.2%, 1/85) isolates. RT046/ST35 (13.9%, 10/72), RT014/ST2 (12.5%, 9/72) and RT017/ST37 (12.5%, 9/72) were the more common genotypes among toxigenic C. difficile strains. The clinical severity score of A-B+CDT- toxin genes genotype (3.50±0.85) was significantly higher than the A+B+CDT- type (2.59±0.93) (P<0.05). RT046/ST35 isolates were highly prevalent and had high clinical severity scores (3.80±0.92). Variations in resistance from different sequence types (STs) were observed. Toxigenic strains showed higher resistance rates to erythromycin, clindamycin and ciprofloxacin compared to nontoxigenic strains (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The epidemiology of C. difficile in Shandong Province differed from other regions in China. Comprehensive optimized diagnosis strategy and continuous surveillance should be established and applied in order to curb the spread of toxigenic C. difficile strains, especially for hospitalized patients.

[Detection of FLT3 gene mutation in hematologic malignancies and its clinical significance].

To study the FLT3 gene expression and its internal tandem duplication in hematologic malignancies and its clinical significance, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing were used to detect the FLT3/ITD mutation in blast cells of bone marrow from 86 patients with hematologic malignancies, including 32 cases of acute myeoloid leukemia (AML), 18 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), 2 cases of acute hybrid leukemia (AHL), 12 cases of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), 10 cases of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), 3 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 9 cases of multiple myeloma (MM). The resultes showed that the expression of FLT3/ITD gene could be detected in 5 of 32 (15.6%) AML patients, including 1/7 of M(3), 1/10 of M(4) and 3/10 of M(5). More FLT3 aberrations were found in AML-M(5). No FLT3/ITD was found in 18 cases of ALL, in 2 cases of AHL, in 12 cases of MDS and in 10 cases of CML. No FLT3 was found in 3 cases of NHL and in 9 cases of MM. Sequence analysis in 2 case with abnormal PCR electrophoretic patterns revealed that the ITDs were located within exon 14 from 27 to 63 bp, which was a simple tandem duplication, and did not altered the reading frame. FLT3/ITD was associated with a higher peripheral blood white cell count (p < 0.01), higher percentage of bone marrow blast cells (p < 0.01) and lower complete mission rate. It is concluded that more FLT3/ITD mutation occurs in AML-M(5) patients. Sequence of the mutants is in frame mutation. FLT3/ITD mutation is associated with higher peripheral blood white cell count, higher percentage of bone marrow blast cells and lower complete remission rate, FIT3/IID gene mutation may be used to predict prognosis of patients with AML.