Porous amorphous metal-organic frameworks based on heterotopic triangular ligands for iodine and high-capacity dye adsorption.

The research on amorphous metal-organic frameworks (aMOFs) is still in its infancy, and designing and constructing aMOFs with functional pores remains a challenge. Two aMOFs based on Co(II) and heterotopic triangular ligands with large conjugated aromatic planes, namely aMOF-1 and aMOF-2, were constructed and characterized by IR, XPS, EA, ICP, XANS and so on. aMOF-1 possesses mesopores, whereas aMOF-2 possesses micropores. The porosity, conjugated aromatic plane and uncoordinated N atoms in the framework allow these aMOFs to adsorb iodine and dyes. The iodine adsorption capacity of aMOF-1 is 3.3 g per g, which is higher than that of aMOF-2 (0.56 g per g), mainly due to the expansion or swelling of aMOF-1 after iodine adsorption. The uptake of cationic dyes by aMOF-2 showed more rapid kinetics and a higher removal rate than that by aMOF-1, mainly due to the difference in the porosity and surface charge. Although the surface charges of aMOF-1 and aMOF-2 are negative, both of them showed significantly faster adsorption kinetics toward anionic dyes, among which methyl orange (MO) and Congo red (CR) can be removed in 5 min. This occurs possibly because the quick adsorption of Na+ ions alters the surface charge of the framework and promotes dye uptake. The adsorption capacities of aMOF-1 for MO and CR reached 921 and 2417 mg g-1, respectively. The correlation data for aMOF-2 are 1042 and 1625 mg g-1, respectively. All adsorption capacities are among the highest compared to many cMOFs. Adsorption in mixed dye solution is found to be charge-dependent, kinetic-dependent, and synergetic in these systems. The porosity, surface charge regulation during adsorption, weak interactions and multiple adsorption processes contribute to the dye adsorption performance.

Encapsulation of a metal-organic cage-based porous salt in silica nanopores.

A metal-organic cage (MOC)-based porous salt composed of cationic Zr-MOC and anionic Cu-MOC was incorporated into SBA-15 nanopores via a two-step impregnation method for the first time. The encapsulated MOC-based porous salt showed improved iodine adsorption capacity when compared with the bulk sample.

A mixed-ligand Co(II) MOF synthesized from a single organic ligand to capture iodine and methyl iodide vapour.

Mixed-ligand metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are usually synthesized from two or more organic ligands as initial reactants, and MOFs synthesized from one organic ligand precursor through partial in situ reactions remain very limited. Herein, by introducing an imidazole-tetrazole bifunctional ligand, 5-(4-imidazol-1-yl-phenyl)-2H-tetrazole (HIPT), as a single ligand and performing in situ hydrolysis of the tetrazolium group, a mixed-ligand Co(II)-MOF based on HIPT and 4-imidazol-1-yl-benzoic acid (HIBA), [Co2(µ3-O)(IPT)(IBA)]·x solvent (Co-IPT-IBA), was constructed and applied to capture I2 and methyl iodide vapours. Single crystal structural analyses reveal that Co-IPT-IBA exhibits a 3D porous framework with 1D channels based on the relatively few reported ribbon-like rod SBUs. The nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms indicate that the BET surface area of Co-IPT-IBA is 168.5 m2 g-1 and it possesses both micropores and mesopores. Due to its porosity, nitrogen-rich conjugated aromatic rings, and Co(II) ions, Co-IPT-IBA was applied to capture iodine molecules in vapour and exhibited an adsorption capacity of 2.88 g g-1. By combining the IR, Raman, XPS and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation results, it was deduced that the tetrazole ring, coordination water molecules, and the redox potential of Co3+/Co2+ facilitate iodine capture. The presence of mesopores was also responsible for the high iodine adsorption capacity. In addition, Co-IPT-IBA showed the ability to capture methyl iodide in vapours with a moderate capacity of 625 mg g-1. The transformation of crystalline Co-IPT-IBA to amorphous MOFs may be due to the methylation reaction. This work represents a relatively rare example of methyl iodide adsorption by MOFs.

Smoking, alcohol consumption, and frailty: A Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption have been associated with frailty in observational studies. We sought to examine whether these associations reflect causality using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) design. Methods: We used summary genome-wide association statistics for smoking initiation (N = 2,669,029), alcohol consumption (N = 2,428,851), and the frailty index (FI, N = 175,226) in participants of European ancestry. Both univariable and multivariable MR were performed to comprehensively evaluate the independent effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on the FI, accompanied by multiple sensitivity analyses. Results were verified using lifetime smoking and alcohol use disorder. Reverse direction MR was undertaken to assess the potential for reverse causation. Results: Genetic predisposition to smoking initiation was significantly associated with increased FI (univariable MR: ß = 0.345; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.316 to 0.374; p = 1.36E-113; multivariable MR: ß = 0.219; 95% CI = 0.197 to 0.241; p = 2.44E-83). Genetically predicted alcohol consumption showed a suggestive association with the FI (univariable MR: ß = -0.090; 95% CI = -0.151 to -0.029; p = 0.003; multivariable MR ß = -0.153; 95% CI = -0.212 to -0.094; p = 2.03E-07), with inconsistent results in sensitivity analyses. In complementary analysis, genetic predicted lifetime smoking, but not alcohol use disorder was associated with the FI. There is no convincing evidence for reverse causation. Conclusion: The present MR study supported smoking as a causal risk factor of frailty. Further research is warranted to investigate whether alcohol consumption has a causal role in frailty.

Metformin induces myeloma cells necrosis and apoptosis and it is considered for therapeutic use.

Accumulating evidence, especially in solid tumor, indicated that metformin possessed the potential ability in the proliferation of cancer cells. However, its effects on myeloma cells were relatively rarely clarified. To evaluate the anti-cancer effects of metformin against dexamethasone-resistant and -sensitive myeloma cells. The effects of metformin on myeloma cell lines, including dexamethasone-resistant U266, H929, RPMI 8226 and dexamethasone-sensitive MM.1s, were investigated using the cell counting kit-8 assay for cell proliferation. Apoptosis, necrosis, cell cycle arrest, and cell death mechanisms were explored via flow cytometry (FCM) and Western blot. In addition, the anti-myeloma activity was evaluated in vivo via non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency xenograft mouse models. Metformin inhibited proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner in all the cell lines, while dexamethasone only affected the viability of MM1.s cells. The FCM detection displayed that metformin induced apoptosis in H929, RPMI8226 and MM.1s cells, while for U266 cells, it induced necrosis with Annexin V-/Propidium iodide+. The cell cycle assays showed that metformin arrested G0/G1 phase of H929 and MM.1s cells, or G2/M phase of RPMI8226 cells, but showed no effect on U226 cells. Western blotting analyses demonstrated that the apoptosis-related protein of cleaved caspase 3 was activated; the expressions of Mcl-1, IGF-1R, PI3K, pAKT, and pmTOR proteins were inhibited by metformin in H929, RPMI8226, and MM.1s cells. The necrosis-related protein of iNOS increased in U266 cells while metformin treated. In vivo assay indicated metformin decreased U266 and H929 growth in bone marrow, and thus prolonged mice survival. These data suggested that metformin inhibited the proliferation of myeloma cells via inducing necrosis and apoptosis. This finding indicated that metformin may be served as a potent adjuvant in treating multiple myeloma.

Efficacy and Safety of Biologic Agents for Lupus Nephritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the effect and safety of biological agents for lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from their inception up to November 2021. The outcomes were overall response, complete remission, proteinuria, renal activity index, and adverse events (AEs). Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. RESULTS: Nine RCTs (1645 patients) were included. The RCTs evaluated abatacept (n = 2), belimumab (n = 1), obinutuzumab (n = 1), atacicept (n = 1), IL-2 (n = 1), ocrelizumab (n = 1), and rituximab (n = 2). The use of biological agents was associated with higher likelihoods of achieving an overall response (relative risk [RR], 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.39; p < 0.001; I2 = 14.3%; pQ = 0.301) and a complete response (RR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.16-1.54; p < 0.001; I2 = 41.8%; pQ = 0.056). The use of biological agents was not associated with improvements in the urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (weighted mean difference, 3.83; 95% CI, -3.71 to 11.38; p = 0.319; I2 = 99.4%; pQ < 0.001). The use of biological agents in patients with LN was also not associated with an increased risk of any AEs (RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.98-1.04; p = 0.519; I2 = 0.0%; pQ = 0.533), serious AEs (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.82-1.09; p = 0.457; I2 = 0.0%; pQ = 0.667), grade >3 AEs (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.67-1.22; p = 0.522; I2 = 0.0%; pQ = 0.977), infections (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.99-1.20; p = 0.084; I2 = 0.0%; pQ = 0.430), and deaths (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.36-1.24; p = 0.200; I2 = 0.0%; pQ = 0.439). The meta-regression analysis showed that follow-up duration and the sample size did not influence the complete response rate, whereas publications in 2012 to 2014 influence the rate compared with 2015 to 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Biological agents seem to be effective and safe for managing patients with LN.

Strategies for the Construction of Functional Materials Utilizing Presynthesized Metal-Organic Cages (MOCs).

Metal-organic cages (MOCs) that assemble from metal ions or metal clusters and organic ligands have attracted the interest of the scientific community because of their various functional coordination cavities. Unlike metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with infinite frameworks, MOCs have discrete structures, making them soluble and stable in certain solvents and facilitating their application as starting reagents in the further construction of single components or composite materials. In recent years, increasing progress has been made in this field. In this review, we introduce these works from the perspective of design strategies, and focus on how presynthesized MOCs can be used to construct functional materials. Finally, we discuss the challenges and development prospects in this field.