Halogen-Decorated Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient and Selective CO2 Capture, Separation, and Chemical Fixation with Epoxides under Mild Conditions.

In the present work, three novel halogen-appended cadmium(II) metal-organic frameworks [Cd2(L1)2(4,4'-Bipy)2]n·4n(DMF) (1), [Cd2(L2)2(4,4'-Bipy)2]n·3n(DMF) (2), and [Cd(L3)(4,4'-Bipy)]n·2n(DMF) (3) [where L1 = 5-{(4-bromobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; L2 = 5-{(4-chlorobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; L3 = 5-{(4-fluorobenzyl)amino}isophthalate; 4,4'-Bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine; and DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide] have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by various analytical techniques. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that all the MOFs feature a similar type of three-dimensional structure having a binuclear [Cd2(COO)4(N)4] secondary building block unit. Moreover, MOFs 1 and 2 contain one-dimensional channels along the b-axis, whereas MOF 3 possesses a 1D channel along the a-axis. In these MOFs, the pores are decorated with multifunctional groups, i.e., halogen and amine. The gas adsorption analysis of these MOFs demonstrate that they display high uptake of CO2 (up to 5.34 mmol/g) over N2 and CH4. The isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) value for CO2 at zero loadings is in the range of 18-26 kJ mol-1. In order to understand the mechanism behind the better adsorption of CO2 by our MOFs, we have also performed configurational bias Monte Carlo simulation studies, which confirm that the interaction between our MOFs and CO2 is stronger compared to those with N2 and CH4. Various noncovalent interactions, e.g., halogen (X)···O, Cd···O, and O···O, between CO2 and the halogen atom, the Cd(II) metal center, and the carboxylate group from the MOFs are observed, respectively, which may be a reason for the higher carbon dioxide adsorption. Ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) calculations of MOF 1 demonstrate that the obtained selectivity values for CO2/CH4 (50:50) and CO2/N2 (15:85) are ca. 28 and 193 at 273 K, respectively. However, upon increasing the temperature to 298 K, the selectivity value (S = 34) decreases significantly for the CO2/N2 mixture. We have also calculated the breakthrough analysis curves for all the MOFs using mixtures of CO2/CH4 (50:50) and CO2/N2 (50:50 and 15:85) at different entering gas velocities and observed larger retention times for CO2 in comparison with other gases, which also signifies the stronger interaction between our MOFs and CO2. Moreover, due to the presence of Lewis acidic metal centers, these MOFs act as heterogeneous catalysts for the CO2 fixation reactions with different epoxides in the presence of tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB), for conversion into industrially valuable cyclic carbonates. These MOFs exhibit a high conversion (96-99%) of epichlorohydrin (ECH) to the corresponding cyclic carbonate 4-(chloromethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-one after 12 h of reaction time at 1 bar of CO2 pressure, at 65 °C. The MOFs can be reused up to four cycles without compromising their structural integrity as well as without losing their activity significantly.

Determination of urokinase-type plasminogen activator serum levels in healthy and oncologic cats.

The urokinase plasminogen activator system (uPAS) has been poorly investigated in veterinary oncology. The aim of this study was to determine uPA serum concentrations in healthy and oncologic cats to understand the potential value of uPA as a cancer biomarker. Serum samples were collected from 19 healthy cats and 18 cats with spontaneous malignant neoplasms and uPA was measured through a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. The differences between uPA values and their relation with intrinsic factors and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-test. The average serum concentration of uPA in cancerous cats (0.54 ± 0.22 ng/mL) differed from that of healthy cats (1.10 ± 1.16 ng/mL) but was not significantly influenced by cats' clinicopathological parameters or by the presence of metastases. This study describes, for the first time, the serum concentrations of uPA in cats and proposes directions for future studies to uncover the relevance of uPAS in feline carcinogenesis.

Le système activateur de plasminogène de type urokinase (uPAS) a été peu étudié en oncologie vétérinaire. L'objectif de la présente étude était de déterminer les concentrations sériques d'uPA chez des chats en santé et oncologiques afin de comprendre la valeur potentielle d'uPA comme marqueur de cancer. Des échantillons de sérum furent prélevés de 19 chats en santé et de 18 chats avec des néoplasmes malins spontanés et l'uPA fut mesuré à l'aide d'une trousse immuno-enzymatique. Les différences entre les valeurs d'uPA et leur relation avec des facteurs intrinsèques et des paramètres clinico-pathologiques furent analysées par analyse de variance (ANOVA) et test de t indépendant. La concentration moyenne d'uPA chez les chats avec cancer (0,54 ± 0,22 ng/mL) différait de celle des chats en santé (1,10 ± 1,16 ng/mL) mais n'était pas influencée de manière significative par les paramètres clinico-pathologiques des chats ou la présence de métastases. Cette étude décrit, pour la première fois, les concentrations sériques d'uPA chez les chats et propose des orientations pour des études ultérieures afin de révéler la pertinence d'uPAS dans la carcinogénèse chez les chats.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Serum levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in healthy dogs and oncologic canine patients.

AIM: Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) has been scarcely studied in veterinary oncology. The aim of this study was to determine the uPA serum concentrations in healthy and oncologic canine patients and to investigate its potential value as a tumor biomarker. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum uPA concentrations of healthy and oncologic canine patients were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Their relationships with the dogs' health status and tumor characteristics were analyzed through ANOVA and independent t-test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between mean serum values (±standard deviation) of healthy dogs (0.19±0.13 ng/ml) and oncologic canine patients (0.22±0.33 ng/ml), or between dogs with benign or malignant tumors, and with or without metastases, although the latter tended to show higher uPA serum levels. CONCLUSION: This is the first study describing the uPA serum levels in dogs. Although its results do not support uPA as a tumor biomarker, higher uPA levels in dogs with metastatic neoplasms may reflect the role of the enzyme in tumor progression.

Identification of prognostic factors in canine mammary malignant tumours: a multivariable survival study.

BACKGROUND: Although several histopathological and clinical features of canine mammary gland tumours have been widely studied from a prognostic standpoint, considerable variations in tumour individual biologic behaviour difficult the definition of accurate prognostic factors. It has been suggested that the malignant behaviour of tumours is the end result of several alterations in cellular physiology that culminate in tumour growth and spread. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to determine, using a multivariable model, the independent prognostic value of several immunohistochemically detected tumour-associated molecules, such as MMP-9 and uPA in stromal cells and Ki-67, TIMP-2 and VEGF in cancer cells. RESULTS: Eighty-five female dogs affected by spontaneous malignant mammary neoplasias were followed up for a 2-year post-operative period. In univariate analysis, tumour characteristics such as size, mode of growth, regional lymph node metastases, tumour cell MIB-1 LI and MMP-9 and uPA expressions in tumour-adjacent fibroblasts, were associated with both survival and disease-free intervals. Histological type and grade were related with overall survival while VEGF and TIMP-2 were not significantly associated with none of the outcome parameters. In multivariable analysis, only a MIB-1 labelling index higher than 40% and a stromal expression of MMP-9 higher than 50% retained significant relationships with poor overall and disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that MMP-9 and Ki-67 are independent prognostic markers of canine malignant mammary tumours. Furthermore, the high stromal expressions of uPA and MMP-9 in aggressive tumours suggest that these molecules are potential therapeutic targets in the post-operative treatment of canine mammary cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in mammary gland tumors in dogs and its relationship with prognostic factors and patient outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To immunohistochemically evaluate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in benign and malignant mammary gland tumors (MMTs) in dogs and relate expression to prognostic factors and patient outcome. ANIMALS: 118 female dogs with naturally occurring mammary gland tumors and 8 dogs without mammary gland tumors. PROCEDURES: 24 benign mammary gland tumors and 94 MMTs (1/affected dog) were obtained during surgical treatment; control mammary gland tissue samples were collected from unaffected dogs after euthanasia for reasons unrelated to the study. Tumors were evaluated for proliferation, invasive growth, histologic grade, and metastatic capacity; expression of MMP-9 was determined immunohistochemically, and its relationship with clinical and histologic findings was investigated. For dogs with MMTs, follow-up continued for 2 years; data were used to compute overall survival time and disease-free interval and construct survival curves. RESULTS: MMTs had significantly higher MMP-9 expression in stromal cells and in neo-plastic cells than did the benign neoplasms. Stromal MMP-9 expression was also higher in highly proliferative tumors and in tumors with invasive growth, high histologic grade, and metastatic capacity. Furthermore, tumors from patients with shorter overall survival times and disease-free intervals had higher expression of MMP-9 in stromal cells. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In dogs with MMTs, level of MMP-9 expression by stromal cells was related to factors of poor prognosis and shorter overall survival times and disease-free intervals. These results suggested that MMP-9 produced by tumor-adjacent stromal cells contributed to MMT progression in female dogs and that assessment of MMP-9 expression may be a valuable prognostic factor.