Bis(2,6-dichloro­benz­yl)selane

The title mol­ecule, C14H10Cl4Se, features a selenide bridge between two dichloro­benzyl units. The dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 107.9 (16)°. In the crystal, weak π–π face-to-face aromatic inter­actions are observed [centroid–centroid distance between two adjacent (but crystallographically different) phenyl rings = 3.885 (5) Å], providing some packing stability. Short Cl⋯Cl contacts of 3.41 (2) Å are observed

Study on the Imprinting Status of Insulin-Like Growth Factor II (IGF-II) Gene in Villus during 6–10 Gestational Weeks

Objective. To compare the difference of imprinting status of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene in villus between normal embryo development group and abnormal embryo development group and to investigate the relationship between karyotype and the imprinting status of IGF-II gene. Methods. A total of 85 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were divided into two groups: one with abnormal embryo development (n = 38) and the other with normal embryo development (n = 47). Apa I polymorphism of IGF-II gene in chorionic villus was assayed with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The relationship between chromosomal abnormal karyotype and IGF-II gene imprinting status was analyzed by primary cell culture and G-banding chromosomal karyotype analysis. Results. IGF-II imprinting loss rate was higher in the abnormal embryo development group than the normal embryo development group (44.7% versus 31.6%), but without significant difference (P > .05). The percentage of abnormal chromosomes of chorionic villus in the abnormal embryo development group was 42.5%, in which IGF-II imprinting loss rate reached 64.7%. No abnormal karyotypes were found in the normal embryo development group. However, there was significant difference in IGF-II imprinting loss rate between two groups (P > .05). Conclusion. During weeks 6–10 of gestation, abnormal embryonic development is correlated with chromosomal abnormalities. The imprinting status of IGF-II gene played important roles in embryonic development, and imprinting loss might be related to chromosomal abnormalities

Prokineticin 2 Is a Target Gene of Proneural Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Factors for Olfactory Bulb Neurogenesis

Prokineticin 2, a cysteine-rich secreted protein, regulates diverse biological functions including the neurogenesis of olfactory bulb. Here we show that the PK2 gene is a functional target gene of proneural basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors. Neurogenin 1 and MASH1 activate PK2 transcription by binding to E-box motifs on the PK2 promoter with the same set of E-boxes critical for another pair of bHLH factors, CLOCK and BMAL1, in the regulation of circadian clock. Our results establish PK2 as a common functional target gene for different bHLH transcriptional factors in mediating their respective functions

1,2-Bis(4-methyl­benz­yl)diselane

The title mol­ecule, C16H18Se2, features a diselenide bridge between two 4-methyl­benzyl units, in which the central C—Se—Se—C torsion angle is 88.1 (3)°, while the two Se—Se—C—C fragments assume gauche conformations, with torsion angles of −51.8 (5) and 59.1 (4)°. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 78.9 (2)°

1-{2-[(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-amino]-ethyl}-3-methyl-3H-imidazolium hexafluorophosphate

The title Schiff base compound, C13H16N3O+·PF6 −, was derived from the condensation of 2-hydroxy­benaldehyde with the ionic liquid 1-(2-amino­ethyl)-3-methyl­imidazolium hexa­fluoro­phosphate in an ethanol solution. The asymmetric unit comprises one cation and two PF6 − anions. The dihedral angle between the aromatic and imidazole rings is 15.2 (2)°. An intra­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bond is found which generates an S(6) ring motif

The unidirectional valve patch provides no benefits to early and long-term survival in patients with ventricular septal defect and severe pulmonary artery hypertension

ObjectiveOur aim was to test whether a unidirectional valve patch would provide benefit to early and long-term survival for patients with ventricular septal defect and severe pulmonary artery hypertension.MethodsEight hundred seventy-six cases of ventricular septal defect with severe pulmonary artery hypertension were closed with or without a unidirectional valve patch and were classified as the unidirectional valve patch (UVP) group (n = 195) and nonvalve patch (NVP) group (n = 681), respectively. Propensity scores of inclusion into the UVP group were used to match 138 pairs between the 2 groups. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were constructed to compare early and long-term survival.ResultsFor the 138 propensity-matched pairs, there were 7 and 9 early deaths (in-hospital deaths) in the UVP and NVP groups, respectively. The difference in early mortality between the 2 groups did not reach statistical significance (χ2 = 0.265, P = .6064). With a mean of 9.2 ± 4.92 years' and 2511 patient-years' follow-up, there were 6 late deaths in the UVP group and 7 late deaths in the NVP group. The difference in actuarial survival at 5, 10, 15, and 18 years between the 2 groups was not significant (log-rank test, χ2 = 0.565, P = .331). The difference in the late mortality between the groups with or without a patent patch at the time of discharge did not reach statistical significance (χ2 = 1.140, P = .2856). There was no difference between the 2 groups in the 6-minute walk distance assessed at the last follow-up (525.9 ± 88.0 meters for the UVP group and 536.5 ± 95.8 meters for the NVP group, F = 1.550, P = .214).ConclusionA unidirectional valve patch provides no benefits to early and long-term survival when it is used to deal with ventricular septal defect and severe pulmonary artery hypertension