Variation of topologies and entanglements in metal-organic frameworks with mixed tris[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl]phosphine oxide and dicarboxylate ligands.

Six metal-organic frameworks with the combination of a novel tripodal ligand tris[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl]phosphine oxide (tipo) and different polycarboxylates, namely [Zn2(bpdc)2(tipo)(H2O)]·5H2O (1), [Cd(tipo)2][Cd2(bdc)3]·4H2O (2), [Cd2(ndc)2(tipo)2]·3H2O (3), [Cd2(bpedc)2(tipo)2]·15H2O (4), [Cd2(hfdc)2(tipo)2]·10H2O (5) and [Ni2(tipo)2(bpedc)(H2O)4]·2NO3·2DMF (6), were synthesized and structurally characterized. Compound 1 featured a 2D → 3D parallel polycatenation of a 3,3,4-connected net with an unusual 4 degrees of catenation and an index of separation of 2. Compound 2 showed an unprecedented polycatenation of charged networks 2D kgd and 3D pcu constructed by different organic ligands. Compound 3 exhibited a combination of a 2D → 3D parallel polycatenation of the sql net and polythreading. Compound 4 featured a 4-fold interpenetration of a 3,5-connected 3,5T1 net. Compound 5 displayed an unusual 2-fold interpenetration of the sdd net. Compound 6 presented a 2-fold interpenetration of the 3,4-connected bey net with a cationic framework. The luminescence properties of 1-5 in the solid state were investigated. Also, compound 6 showed a tendency for rapid selective dye capture and highly efficient Cr2O72- removal from aqueous solution.

An interactive online approach to small-group student presentations and discussions.

Student presentations had been widely implemented across content areas, including health sciences education. However, due to various limitations, small-group student presentations in the classroom may not reach their full potential for student learning. To address challenges with presentations in the classroom, we redesigned the assignment by having students present and discuss online using VoiceThread, a cloud-based presentation and discussion tool. First-year students pursuing a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree were assigned into small groups to present physiology content and to discuss that content online. This assignment was similar to traditional student classroom presentations, with the exception that the entire assignment was conducted online. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the impact of the online format on the discussion quality. Another purpose of the study was to examine students' perceptions of using VoiceThread for presenting and learning, as well as the online interactions between the presenter and audience. Students posted a higher number of questions and comments than required by the assignment. The questions from students were also higher level questions, and the answers to these questions were more thorough compared with what we had previously observed in classroom presentations. The survey results showed that students preferred using VoiceThread for presenting, learning from other presentations, and discussing presentation content over performing this process in the classroom. Preliminary findings suggested that having dental students make presentations and hold discussions online might help address the challenges of student presentations in the classroom.

DNA Sequence Modulates Geometrical Isomerism of the trans-8,9- Dihydro-8-(2,6-diamino-4-oxo-3,4-dihydropyrimid-5-yl-formamido)- 9-hydroxy Aflatoxin B1 Adduct.

Aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)), a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus, is oxidized by cytochrome P450 enzymes to aflatoxin B(1)-8,9-epoxide, which alkylates DNA at N7-dG. Under basic conditions, this N7-dG adduct rearranges to yield the trans-8,9-dihydro-8-(2,6-diamino-4-oxo-3,4-dihydropyrimid-5-yl-formamido)-9-hydroxy aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)−FAPY) adduct. The AFB(1)−FAPY adduct exhibits geometrical isomerism involving the formamide moiety. NMR analyses of duplex oligodeoxynucleotides containing the 5'-XA-3', 5'-XC-3', 5'-XT-3', and 5'-XY-3' sequences (X = AFB(1)−FAPY; Y = 7-deaza-dG)demonstrate that the equilibrium between E and Z isomers is controlled by major groove hydrogen bonding interactions.Structural analysis of the adduct in the 5'-XA-3' sequence indicates the preference of the E isomer of the formamide group,attributed to formation of a hydrogen bond between the formyl oxygen and the N(6) exocyclic amino group of the 3'-neighboradenine. While the 5'-XA-3' sequence exhibits the E isomer, the 5'-XC-3' sequence exhibits a 7:3 E:Z ratio at equilibrium at 283K. The E isomer is favored by a hydrogen bond between the formyl oxygen and the N(4)-dC exocyclic amino group of the 3'-neighbor cytosine. The 5'-XT-3' and 5'-XY-3' sequences cannot form such a hydrogen bond between the formyl oxygen and the 3'-neighbor T or Y, respectively, and in these sequence contexts the Z isomer is favored. Additional equilibria between α and ß anomers and the potential to exhibit atropisomers about the C5−N(5) bond do not depend upon sequence. In each of the four DNA sequences, the AFB(1)−FAPY adduct maintains the ß deoxyribose configuration. Each of these four sequences feature the atropisomer of the AFB(1) moiety that is intercalated above the 5'-face of the damaged guanine. This enforces the Ra axialc onformation for the C5−N(5) bond.