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AIM To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of autoimmune liver disease (ALD)-related autoantibodies in patients with biliary atresia (BA). METHODS Sera of 124 BA patients and 140 age-matched non-BA controls were assayed for detection of the following autoantibodies: ALD profile and specific anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), by line-blot assay; ANA and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), by indirect immunofluorescence assay; specific ANCAs and anti-M2-3E, by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Associations of these autoantibodies with the clinical features of BA (i.e., cytomegalovirus infection, degree of liver fibrosis, and short-term prognosis of Kasai procedure) were evaluated by Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS The overall positive rate of serum autoantibodies in preoperative BA patients was 56.5%. ALD profile assay showed that the positive reaction to primary biliary cholangitis-related autoantibodies in BA patients was higher than that to autoimmune hepatitis-related autoantibodies. Among these autoantibodies, anti-BPO was detected more frequently in the BA patients than in the controls (14.8% vs 2.2%, P < 0.05). Accordingly, 32 (25.8%) of the 124 BA patients also showed a high positive reaction for anti-M2-3E. By comparison, the controls had a remarkably lower frequency of anti-M2-3E (P < 0.05), with 6/92 (8.6%) of patients with other liver diseases and 2/48 (4.2%) of healthy controls. The prevalence of ANA in BA patients was 11.3%, which was higher than that in disease controls (3.3%, P < 0.05), but the reactivity to specific ANAs was only 8.2%. The prevalence of ANCAs (ANCA or specific ANCAs) in BA patients was also remarkably higher than that in the healthy controls (37.9% vs 6.3%, P < 0.05), but showed no difference from that in patients with other cholestasis. ANCA positivity was closely associated with the occurrence of postoperative cholangitis (r = 0.61, P < 0.05), whereas none of the autoantibodies showed a correlation to cytomegalovirus infection or the stages of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION High prevalence of autoantibodies in the BA developmental process strongly reveals the autoimmune-mediated pathogenesis. Serological ANCA positivity may be a useful predictive biomarker of postoperative cholangitis.

Research on the two dimensional materials has been extremely active for the past decade. In our work, two structures with several-atom thickness are constructed by cleaving bulk FeS2 along (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) directions, respectively. Two nanostructures, S-FeS2 and T-FeS2, emerge after a dramatic atom-reconstruction. They have been proven to be free-standing stable by lattice dynamic calculations. More importantly, they possess distinct electronic structures and novel magnetism. Additionally, the magnetic moments can be modulated by external mechanical strains. These two-dimensional FeS2 nanomaterials are expected to be used as high-performance magnetic nano electronic devices.

The engagement of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced protein ligands in γδ T-cell-mediated anti-EBV immunity, especially in EBV-associated B-cell malignancies, has not been fully elucidated. Previously we reported the overexpression of human MutS homologue 2 (hMSH2), a stress-inducible protein ligand for human γδ T-cells, on EBV-transformed B lymphoblastic cell lines (B-LCLs). In this study, we first generated EBV-transformed B-LCLs from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers with B95-8 cellular supernatant and cyclosporine A. Secondly, we demonstrated the significantly elevated cell surface protein expression and mRNA transcription of hMSH2 in EBV-transformed B-LCLs, 3D5 and EBV-positive B lymphoma cell line Daudi and Raji. Thirdly, hMSH2-mediated recognition of EBV-transformed B malignant cells by human γδ T-cells was confirmed by specific antibody blocking and siRNA interference. Both TCRγδ and NKG2D participated in hMSH2-mediated recognition of EBV-transformed B malignant cells. Furthermore, hMSH3 and hMSH6, the companion proteins of hMSH2, along with CD98, were found overexpressed on the surface of EBV-transformed malignant B-cells. We concluded that the induced overexpression of hMSH proteins might serve as early alerting biomarkers emerged in EBV-related B-cell malignances or as potential targets for establishing γδ T-cell-based therapeutic immunotherapies towards EBV infection.

The prevalence rates of anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPAs) were investigated in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients, and their diagnostic performances were compared. ACPAs, including anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide IgG (anti-CCP), anti-CCP IgG/IgA (anti-CCP3.1), citrullinated recombinant rat filaggrin antibodies (CPA), anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV), and antibodies to citrullinated human IgG-derived peptides (RA/CP), were measured in the sera from 81 JIA patients. Serum samples from 55 children with other joint diseases or viral infections and 49 healthy donors were tested as controls. Of the 81 JIA patients, 7 (8.6%), 8 (9.9%), 17 (21.0%), 23 (28.4%), and 18 (22.2%) were found to be positive for anti-CCP, anti-CCP3.1, CPA, anti-MCV, and RA/CP, respectively, with specificities of 98.1, 95.1, 93.3, 84.6, and 86.5%. Analysis by subtype revealed that 7/7 (100%) of RF-positive polyarticular JIA patients tested positive at high serum levels for anti-MCV or RA/CP, and 5/7 (71.4%) were positive for anti-CCP, anti- CCP3.1, or CPA (P < 0.001, compared with controls). Eighteen of 81 JIA patients demonstrated joint erosions on radiographs and erosive arthritis occurred more often in ACPAs positive patients (P < 0.01). Our findings indicate that although ACPAs are not satisfactory screening biomarkers for JIA due to low sensitivity, ACPA measurement can aid in diagnosing RF-positive polyarticular JIA and identifying JIA patients with severe bone involvement. The diagnostic performance of each ACPA in JIA is different, and the careful selection of assays is necessary.

Catalytic properties of the title heteropoly compound, K0.5(NH4)5.5[MnMo9O32]·6H2O, were studied in homogeneous phenol hydroxylation with 30% hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. The effects of the amount of the title compound and V2O5, temperature, time, solvent and phenol/H2O2 molar ratio on catalytic activity were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the title heteropoly complex in the presence of V2O5 was an effective catalyst for the phenol hydroxylation with hydrogen peroxide. Under optimum conditions, the conversion of phenol was 45.04%; the yield and the selectivity of hydroquinone were 38.64% and 85.79%, respectively.

The title compound, [CoII(C10H8O6)(C10H8N2)(H2O)2]n, was obtained by the hydro­thermal reaction of CoSO4 with benzene-1,4-dioxy­di­acetate [systematic name: p-phenyl­ene­bis­(oxy­acetate)] and 4,4′-bi­pyridine (4,4′-bpy). The Co atom lies at an inversion center and the benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate and 4,4′-bipyridine moieties lie about other inversion centers. The benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate ligands bridge the octahedral CoII coordination centers, forming a one-dimensional zigzag chain. The chains are further bridged by 4,4′-bpy ligands, forming a novel two-dimensional supramolecular architecture. Hydro­gen-bonding interactions between the coordinated water mol­ecules and the carboxyl­ate O atoms lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.

The title compound, [Zn(C(8)H(4)O(4))(C(13)H(14)N(2))](n), was obtained by the hydro-thermal reaction of Zn(OAc)(2)·H(2)O with 1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and isophthalic acid (H(2)ip). The Zn(II) ion is coordinated by two bpp and two ip ligands in a distorted tetra-hedral environment. Each ligand coordinates in a bridging mode to connect Zn(II) ions into a three-dimensional diamondoid-type structure.

The title compound, [CoII(C10H8O6)(C10H8N2)(H2O)2]n, was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of CoSO(4) with benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate [systematic name: p-phenylenebis(oxyacetate)] and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy). The Co atom lies at an inversion center and the benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate and 4,4'-bipyridine moieties lie about other inversion centers. The benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate ligands bridge the octahedral Co(II) coordination centers, forming a one-dimensional zigzag chain. The chains are further bridged by 4,4'-bpy ligands, forming a novel two-dimensional supramolecular architecture. Hydrogen-bonding interactions between the coordinated water molecules and the carboxylate O atoms lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.

The title compound, [Zn(C8H5O4)2(C10H8N2)2], was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of ZnSO4.7H2O with phthalic acid (H2pht) and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy). Crystallographic analysis shows that it has a one-dimensional double-chain structure via hydrogen-bonding interactions. Each Zn(II) atom, adopting a distorted tetrahedral geometry, is coordinated by two N atoms from two 4,4'-bipy ligands, with Zn-N distances of 2.054 (4) and 2.104 (4) A, and by two O atoms from symmetry-related Hpht- ligands, with Zn-O distances of 1.921 (4) and 2.019 (4) A.

In the title compound, [Co(C12H8N2)2(C17H8O9)]·H2O, the Co atom is octahedrally coordinated by four N atoms from two 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands and two O atoms from the 2-carboxy-4-(4-carboxy-3-carboxylatobenzoyl)benzoate ligand. O...H...O hydrogen bonds link this discrete structure into a one-dimensional chain.

The title compound, [ZnII(C8H8O6)(C8H8N2)(H2O)2] n , contains a Zn atom coordinated by 4,4′-bipyridine, benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate and two water molecules. The Zn atom lies on an inversion centre and the benzene-1,4-dioxydiacetate and 4,4-bipyridine ligands lie about other inversion centres.

The title compound, [Sm2(C10H2O8)(C10H4O8)(H2O)2]n or [Sm2(btec)(H2btec)(H2O)2]n, was synthesized hydro­­thermally by the reaction of Sm2O3 with 1,2,4,5-ben­zene­tetra­carboxylic acid (H4btec). The Sm atom is coordinated by nine O atoms, three from H2btec2−, five from btec4− and one from a coordinated water mol­ecule. Sm—O distances range from 2.376 (3) to 2.558 (5) A.

In the title compound, [Zn2(C7H4O2S)2(C12H8N2)2], the Zn complex forms a centrosymmetric dimer with a Zn⋯Zn separation of 3.580 (1) A. Each Zn atom is coordinated by two N atoms from the 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligand and by three O atoms and one S atom from the thio­salicylate ligands in a highly distorted octa­hedral geometry, with Zn—N distances of 2.119 (2) and 2.166 (2) A, Zn—O distances in the range 2.161 (2)–2.329 (2) A, and a Zn—S distance of 2.3034 (12) A. There are π–π stacking inter­actions between the phen rings, forming a stacking arrangement along the c axis in the crystal structure.

The title compound, C10H8N2·2C7H5NO4, was obtained as a by-product of the hydro­thermal reaction of ZnSO4 with 2-nitro­benzoic acid and 4,4′-bipyridine. The 4,4′-bipyridine molecule lies on an inversion centre. There are O—H⋯N and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the components in the crystal structure.

The title compound, C13H14N2·C8H6O4, was obtained by the hydro­thermal reaction of CuCl with 1,2,4,5-benzene­tetra­carboxylic acid and 1,3-bis­(4-pyrid­yl)propane. The 1,3-bis­(4-pyrid­yl)propane mol­ecule lies on a crystallographic twofold axis, and terephthalic acid is on an inversion centre. In the crystal structure, strong inter­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds between the components lead to the formation of zigzag chains extending along [10\overline{1}]. The chains are linked through inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

In the title mol­ecule, C14H10O4S, all bond lengths and angles are normal. In the crystal structure, strong inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl groups link the mol­ecules into zigzag chains extending along the c axis.

The title compound, [Zn(C 8 H 5 O 4 ) 2 (C 10 H 8 N 2 ) 2 ], was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of ZnSO 4 .7H 2 O with phthalic acid (H 2 pht) and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy). Crystallographic analysis shows that it has a one-dimensional double-chain structure via hydrogen-bonding interactions. Each Zn II atom, adopting a distorted tetrahedral geometry, is coordinated by two N atoms from two 4,4'-bipy ligands, with Zn-N distances of 2.054 (4) and 2.104 (4) A, and by two O atoms from symmetry-related Hpht- ligands, with Zn-O distances of 1.921 (4) and 2.019 (4) A.

The title compound, [CuCl(C13H14N2)]n, adopts an infinite one-dimensional chain structure. The CuI atom, which lies on a crystallographic mirror plane, is coordinated by the N atom from two pyridyl rings [Cu—N = 1.975 (7) A] and a Cl atom [Cu—Cl = 2.251 (4) A] in a trigonal-planar geometry. The Cl atom also lies on the mirror plane.<

The title compound, [Zn(C8H4O4)(C13H14N2)]n, was obtained by the hydro­thermal reaction of Zn(OAc)2·H2O with 1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and isophthalic acid (H2ip). The ZnII ion is coordinated by two bpp and two ip ligands in a distorted tetra­hedral environment. Each ligand coordinates in a bridging mode to connect ZnII ions into a three-dimensional diamondoid-type structure.