Search

Background: Prolonging effects of adjuncts to local anaesthetics in peripheral nerve blocks have been demonstrated in randomised clinical trials. The chosen primary outcome and anticipated effect size have major impact on the clinical relevance of results in these trials. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of frequently used outcomes and anticipated effect sizes in randomised trials on peripheral nerve block adjuncts. Methods: For our scoping review, we searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL for trials assessing effects of adjuncts for peripheral nerve blocks published in 10 major anaesthesia journals. We included randomised clinical trials assessing adjuncts for single‐shot ultrasound‐guided peripheral nerve blocks, regardless of the type of interventional adjunct and control group, local anaesthetic used and anatomical localization. Our primary outcome was the choice of primary outcomes and corresponding anticipated effect size used for sample size estimation. Secondary outcomes were assessor of primary outcomes, the reporting of sample size calculations and statistically significant and non‐significant results related to the anticipated effect sizes. Results: Of 11,854 screened trials, we included 59. The most frequent primary outcome was duration of analgesia (35/59 trials, 59%) with absolute and relative median (interquartile range) anticipated effect sizes for adjunct versus placebo/no adjunct: 240 min (180–318) and 30% (25–40) and for adjunct versus active comparator: 210 min (180–308) and 17% (15–28). Adequate sample size calculations were reported in 78% of trials. Statistically significant results were reported for primary outcomes in 45/59 trials (76%), of which 22% did not reach the anticipated effect size. Conclusion: The reported outcomes and associated anticipated effect sizes can be used in future trials on adjuncts for peripheral nerve blocks to increase methodological homogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare sector is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, and reduction and proper sorting of healthcare waste is essential to achieve sustainable healthcare. This study aimed to characterize the quantity and composition of pharmaceutical waste from a major Danish hospital. Pharmaceutical waste was collected from Odense University Hospital, including departments located in both Odense and Svendborg. The average daily production of pharmaceutical waste was 1150 g/day in Odense and 5967 g/day in Svendborg, with the operating rooms in Svendborg contributing 3143 g/day. The amount and composition of pharmaceutical waste varied greatly between departments, but some common patterns were identified. Propofol accounted for about one third of the pharmaceutical waste obtained from operating rooms. Antibiotics for systemic use constituted a significant proportion of the pharmaceutical waste from several departments and were the therapeutic group from which most different drugs were identified. Paracetamol accounted for 33.5% of the discarded tablets/capsules in Odense and 12.6% in Svendborg. Medications dispensed by automated dose dispensing accounted for a significant proportion of the discarded tablets/capsules in departments using this service. This study highlights some key areas for reduction and management of pharmaceutical waste and contributes to the currently limited evidence within this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denmark, alongside other Scandinavian countries, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, has high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV). Our oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) database includes all diagnosed cases in Eastern Denmark during a period of more than two decades. We investigated the incidence, survival, and recurrence of patients with OPSCC with combined p16‐ and HPV testing covering a consecutive 21‐year period. Age‐adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) per 100,000, survival models, and Cox proportional‐hazards model were employed. Two thousand eight hundred thirty‐four patients were included (57.5% HPV positive (HPV+)/p16 positive (p16+), 33.7% HPV negative (HPV‐)/p16 negative (p16−), 4% HPV+/p16−, and 4.8% HPV−/p16+). The AAIR for all patients increased from 1.8 to 5.1 per 100,000 from 2000 to 2020 linked to an increasing AAIR of HPV+/p16+ OPSCCs from 0.9 to 3.5 per 100,000 from 2000 to 2020. The AAIR for the HPV−/p16− OPSCCs decreased from 1.6 to 1.4 from 2017 to 2020. HPV+/p16+ OPSCCs had a higher 5‐year overall survival (OS) of 79.2% compared to the other subgroups (HPV+/p16− OS: 50.4%; HPV−/p16+ OS: 49.4%; HPV−/p16− OS: 35.1%). The AAIR of the total OPSCC group increased from year 2000 to 2020, driven by a rise in the HPV+/p16+ group. A decreasing incidence rate was observed for the HPV−/p16− OPSCCs from 2017 to 2020. The OS for HPV+/p16+ OPSCCs was significantly higher compared to all other HPV/p16 subgroups. Therefore, we recommend testing for combined HPV and p16 status in patients with OPSCC when selecting patients for clinical trials, especially in case of de‐escalating/escalating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Cycling away from cancer: can aerobic training enhance interleukin-15 response to acute exercise?" published in the Journal of Physiology discusses the impact of physical activity on cancer development and recurrence, focusing on interleukin-15 (IL-15) as a potential anti-oncogenic agent. The study found that acute exercise increased circulating IL-15 concentrations, regardless of persistent exercise training. The research involved cancer survivors undergoing high-intensity interval training and highlighted the importance of exercise in modulating IL-15 and other inflammatory markers. The study suggests that aerobic exercise at high intensity can lead to significant IL-15 release in cancer survivors, but further research is needed to determine the optimal exercise modality. [Extracted from the article]

Light‐harvesting layers in organic bulk‐heterojunction solar cells are commonly fabricated from aromatic solvents which are often toxic or hazardous. To fully omit harmful solvents, (surfactant‐free) nanoparticle dispersions of organic semiconductor blends are investigated, but only a very limited choice of materials form blend nanoparticles. This work is a systematic study of the nanoparticle formation by nanoprecipitation of electrostatically stabilized polymer: fullerene blends. It turns out that miscibility of both components is crucial for the incorporation of the fullerenes into the nanoparticles. This finding demystifies why certain polymer:fullerene combinations seemingly randomly form stable nanoparticle dispersion while others do not. The need of miscibility constitutes an important design criterion for processing future semiconductor blends along the nanoparticle route. Some mitigation to the unwanted release of larger amounts of fullerenes can be achieved by using ternary semiconductor blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effects of ezetimibe on the urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) and kidney parenchyma fat content (kidney‐PF) in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and early chronic kidney disease. Materials and Methods: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study of ezetimibe 10 mg once daily for 16 weeks in individuals with T2D and a UACR of 30 mg/g or higher was conducted. Kidney‐PF was assessed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Geometric mean changes from baseline were derived from linear regressions. Results: A total of 49 participants were randomized to ezetimibe (n = 25) or placebo (n = 24). Overall, mean ± standard deviation age was 67 ± 7 years, body mass index was 31 ± 4 kg/m2 and the proportion of men was 84%. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 76 ± 22 mL/min/1.73m2 and median (first‐third quartile) UACR was 95 (41‐297) mg/g. Median kidney‐PF was 1.0% (0.3%‐2.1%). Compared with placebo, ezetimibe did not significantly reduce UACR (mean [95% confidence interval] change: −3% [−28%‐31%]) or kidney‐PF (mean change: −38% [−66%‐14%]). In participants with baseline kidney‐PF above the median, ezetimibe reduced kidney‐PF significantly (mean change: −60% [−84%‐−3%]) compared with placebo, while the reduction in UACR was not significant (mean change: −28% [−54%‐15%]). Conclusions: Ezetimibe did not reduce the UACR or kidney‐PF on top of modern T2D management. However, kidney‐PF was reduced with ezetimibe in participants with high baseline kidney‐PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of adsorbate‐free graphene with well‐defined layer numbers is a current challenge in materials and surface science and required to fabricate graphene‐based nanodevices, such as used in nanoelectromechanical systems. One strategy to tailor the layer number is oxygen‐plasma treatment of few‐layer graphene/graphite flakes. However, when graphitic materials are stored in air under ambient conditions, it is almost inevitable that adsorbates deposit on their surfaces. When precisely removing individual graphene layers from graphitic flakes by oxygen‐plasma treatment, the amount and type of adsorbates strongly affect the required plasma‐treatment process and duration. To examine the removal/etching mechanism involved in removing such layers, few‐layer graphene/graphite flakes, with areas of different layer numbers, are stored in ambient air and stepwise exposed to oxygen plasma in a shielded configuration. The flakes are then successively analyzed by multifrequency atomic force microscopy together with Raman spectroscopy, focusing on etching rate, and adsorbate and defect evolution. Combined in‐plane and out‐of‐plane tip–adsorbate–substrate interaction analysis facilitates discrimination of different types of adsorbates (water, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and linear alkanes) and their formation with time. The results demonstrate the potential regarding the development of an efficient method for cleaning of graphitic surfaces and ablation of individual graphene layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycloadditions are an important class of reactions in materials science for the construction of polycyclic aromatic and polycyclic heteroaromatic compounds. Recently, cycloadditions have been expanded beyond the "classical" group of cycloadditions involving six π‐electrons, and it is now possible to control cycloadditions for an extended number of π‐electrons by applying organocatalysis. This novel field of cycloadditions–termed higher‐order cycloadditions–allows new synthetic methodologies to construct polycyclic carbo‐ and heteroaromatic compounds in two or three dimensions. This concept presents higher‐order cycloadditions as a method for accessing two‐ and three‐dimensional azulenes and cyclazines, as well as three dimensional indenes, as polycyclic aromatic and polycyclic heteroaromatic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Extensive Literature Search (ELS) to collect and identify all studies published since 2010 and relevant to the topic mineral oil hydrocarbons in combination with the substance group characterisation, occurrence in food and toxicity was performed in the three databases PubMed, Web of Science and SciFinder® for six Areas. After combination of the searches from the three databases and removal of the duplicates, the total number of references is 2504. The evaluation of all retrieved references for relevance by screening the title and abstract and applying eligibility criteria (inclusion/exclusion) resulted in a total number of relevant references for Area 1 of 55, for Area 2 of 27, for Area 3 of 15, for Area 4 of 21 for Area 5 of 1 and for Area 6 of 6. The total number of relevant references was 93. However, for the substance group POH no relevant reference was identified. Additionally, there are 4 references additionally, which could not be clearly assigned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Angewandte Chemie is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sactipeptides are ribosomally synthesized peptides containing a unique sulfur to α‐carbon crosslink. Catalyzed by sactisynthases, this thioether pattern endows sactipeptides with enhanced structural, thermal, and proteolytic stability, which makes them attractive scaffolds for the development of novel biotherapeutics. Herein, we report the in‐depth study on the substrate tolerance of the sactisynthase AlbA to catalyze the formation of thioether bridges in sactipeptides. We identified a possible modification site within the sactipeptide subtilosin A allowing for peptide engineering without compromising formation of thioether bridges. A panel of natural and hybrid sactipeptides was produced to study the AlbA‐mediated formation of thioether bridges, which were identified mass‐spectrometrically. In a proof‐of‐principle study, we re‐engineered subtilosin A to a thioether‐bridged, specific streptavidin targeting peptide, opening the door for the functional engineering of sactipeptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article responds to comments on a study about oropharyngeal cancer in a high HPV-prevalent area in Denmark from 2000 to 2020. The authors acknowledge the potential impact of HPV vaccination on changing epidemiological trends and emphasize the importance of further research on its long-term effects. They also highlight the significance of continuous education and communication to raise awareness about HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer and the benefits of vaccination. Additionally, the authors discuss the potential of a minimally invasive liquid biopsy method for the follow-up of patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer, aiming to improve survival outcomes and enhance future diagnostic testing. [Extracted from the article]

This report evaluates the training courses delivered under the contract OC/EFSA/SCER/2017/01 ‐ Lot 1. Within the period of January 2018 to February 2022 a total of 21 training courses were provided, eight on‐site training courses in Parma at EFSA, six virtual training courses during the Covid‐19 pandemic and seven eLearning courses comprising various numbers of modules. The courses covered different aspects of chemical and biological risk assessment and related tools, namely i) harmonisation of risk assessment methodologies for human health and ecological risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals (mixture assessment), ii) risk assessment of the application of nanoscience and nanotechnologies in agro/food/feed (nanotoxicity); iii) science‐based criteria for identifying endocrine disruptors in the context of EU legislation on pesticides and biocides (endocrine disruption); iv) principles on genotoxicity on scientific assessment (genotoxicity) and v) computational toxicology approaches and tools (in silico). All tutors were experts in their field and had previously performed training courses on these topics. The target participants of the training courses were members of EFSA's Scientific Committee/Panels and their working groups as well as employees from national and international regulatory agencies associated with risk assessment of feed and food compounds. Members of the EFSA Networks as well as EFSA scientific staff also participated in the training courses. Courses were evaluated based on the feedback of participants and continuously improved also by integrating updated or new EFSA guidance documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of magnetic hybrid films containing diblock copolymers (DBCs) and magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) by printing is a highly promising method for scalable and low‐cost fabrication. During printing, the drying and arrangement kinetics of the DBC and magnetic NPs play an important role in the film formation concerning morphology and magnetic properties. In this study, the morphology evolution of ultrahigh molecular weight DBC polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) and magnetic iron platinum (FePt) NPs is investigated with grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS) in situ during printing. For comparison, a pure DBC film is printed without FePt NPs under the same conditions. The GISAXS data suggest that the addition of NPs accelerates the solvent evaporation, leading to a faster film formation of the hybrid film compared to the pure film. As the solvent is almost evaporated, a metastable state is observed in both films. Compared with the pure film, such a metastable state continues longer during the printing process of the hybrid film because of the presence of FePt NPs, which inhibits the reorganization of the DBC chains. Moreover, investigations of the field‐dependent magnetization and temperature‐dependent susceptibility indicate that the printed hybrid film is superparamagnetic, which makes this film class promising for magnetic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enantioselective methodology to construct trans‐Diels–Alder scaffolds by organocatalysis with excellent selectivity, high yield and up to five contiguous stereocenters is presented. The reaction concept integrates the halogen effect and a novel discovered pseudo‐halogen effect to direct an endo‐selective, secondary‐amine catalyzed Diels–Alder reaction allowing for the subsequent formation of trans‐Diels–Alder cycloadducts featuring the norcarene scaffold. The methodology relies on the reaction between an in situ generated trienamine and an α‐brominated or α‐pseudo‐halogenated enone to form a fleeting cis‐Diels–Alder intermediate. The endo‐transition state‐enhanced by the (pseudo‐)halogen effect‐sets the stereochemistry that allows for a subsequent SN2‐like reaction at a tertiary center to obtain the trans‐Diels–Alder scaffold. The mechanism was investigated and supported by experimental results as well as computational studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of novel biotherapeutics based on peptides and proteins is often limited to extracellular targets, because these molecules are not able to reach the cytosol. In recent years, several approaches were proposed to overcome this limitation. A plethora of cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs) was developed for cytoplasmic delivery of cell‐impermeable cargo molecules. For many CPPs, multimerization or multicopy arrangement on a scaffold resulted in improved delivery but also higher cytotoxicity. Recently, we introduced dextran as multivalent, hydrophilic polysaccharide scaffold for multimerization of cell‐targeting cargoes. Here, we investigated covalent conjugation of a CPP to dextran in multiple copies and assessed the ability of resulted molecular hybrid to enter the cytoplasm of mammalian cells without largely compromising cell viability. As a CPP, we used a novel, low‐toxic cationic amphiphilic peptide L17E derived from M‐lycotoxin. Here, we show that cell‐penetrating properties of L17E are retained upon multivalent covalent linkage to dextran. Dextran‐L17E efficiently mediated cytoplasmic translocation of an attached functional peptide and a peptide nucleic acid (PNA). Moreover, a synthetic route was established to mask the lysine side chains of L17E with a photolabile protecting group thus opening avenues for light‐triggered activation of cellular uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioorthogonal chemistry holds great potential to generate difficult‐to‐access protein–protein conjugate architectures. Current applications are hampered by challenging protein expression systems, slow conjugation chemistry, use of undesirable catalysts, or often do not result in quantitative product formation. Here we present a highly efficient technology for protein functionalization with commonly used bioorthogonal motifs for Diels–Alder cycloaddition with inverse electron demand (DAinv). With the aim of precisely generating branched protein chimeras, we systematically assessed the reactivity, stability and side product formation of various bioorthogonal chemistries directly at the protein level. We demonstrate the efficiency and versatility of our conjugation platform using different functional proteins and the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab. This technology enables fast and routine access to tailored and hitherto inaccessible protein chimeras useful for a variety of scientific disciplines. We expect our work to substantially enhance antibody applications such as immunodetection and protein toxin‐based targeted cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial transglutaminase from Streptomyces mobaraensis (mTG) has emerged as a useful biotechnological tool due to its ability to crosslink a side chain of glutamine and primary amines. To date, the substrate specificity of mTG is not fully understood, which poses an obvious challenge when mTG is used to address novel targets. To that end, a viable strategy providing an access to tailor‐made transglutaminases is required. This work reports an ultrahigh‐throughput screening approach based on yeast surface display and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) that enabled the evolution of microbial transglutaminase towards enhanced activity. Five rounds of FACS screening followed by recombinant expression of the most potent variants in E. coli yielded variants that possessed, compared to the wild type enzyme, improved enzymatic performance and labeling behavior upon conjugation with an engineered therapeutic anti‐HER2 antibody. This robust and generally applicable platform enables tailoring of the catalytic efficiency of mTG. Fast‐track ligation: A novel ultrahigh‐throughput screen for microbial transglutaminase yields engineered biocatalysts with improved kinetics; the most potent mutant labeled monoclonal anti‐HER2 antibody trastuzumab with enhanced efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Identifying someone else's noncooperative intentions can prevent exploitation in social interactions. Hence, the inference of another person's mental state might be most pronounced in order to improve social decision‐making. Here, we tested the hypothesis that brain regions associated with Theory of Mind (ToM), particularly the right temporo–parietal junction (rTPJ), show higher neural responses when interacting with a selfish person and that the rTPJ‐activity as well as cooperative tendencies will change over time. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a modified prisoner's dilemma game in which 20 participants interacted with three fictive playing partners who behaved according to stable strategies either competitively, cooperatively or randomly during seven interaction blocks. The rTPJ and the posterior–medial prefrontal cortex showed higher activity during the interaction with a competitive compared with a cooperative playing partner. Only the rTPJ showed a high response during an early interaction phase, which preceded participants increase in defective decisions. Enhanced functional connectivity between the rTPJ and the left hippocampus suggests that social cognition and learning processes co‐occur when behavioral adaptation seems beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Migraine aura is sparsely studied due to the highly challenging task of capturing patients during aura. Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is likely the underlying phenomenon of aura. The possible correlation between the multifaceted phenomenology of aura symptoms and the effects of CSD on the brain has not been ascertained.Methods: Five migraine patients were studied during various forms of aura symptoms induced by hypoxia, sham hypoxia, or physical exercise with concurrent photostimulation. The blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal response to visual stimulation was measured in retinotopic mapping-defined visual cortex areas V1 to V4.Results: We found reduced BOLD response in patients reporting scotoma and increased response in patients who only experienced positive symptoms. Furthermore, patients with bilateral visual symptoms had corresponding bihemispherical changes in BOLD response.Interpretation: These findings suggest that different aura symptoms reflect different types of cerebral dysfunction, which correspond to specific changes in BOLD signal reactivity. Furthermore, we provide evidence of bilateral CSD recorded by fMRI during bilateral aura symptoms. Ann Neurol 2017;82:925-939. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare mean global cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by phase-contrast mapping magnetic resonance imaging (PCM MRI) and by 15 O-H2 O positron emission tomography (PET) in healthy subjects. PCM MRI is increasingly being used to measure mean global CBF, but has not been validated in vivo against an accepted reference technique.Materials and Methods: Same-day measurements of CBF by 15 O-H2 O PET and subsequently by PCM MRI were performed on 22 healthy young male volunteers. Global CBF by PET was determined by applying a one-tissue compartment model with measurement of the arterial input function. Flow was measured in the internal carotid and vertebral arteries by a noncardiac triggered PCM MRI sequence at 3T. The measured flow was normalized to total brain weight determined from a volume-segmented 3D T1 -weighted anatomical MR-scan.Results: Mean CBF was 34.9 ± 3.4 mL/100 g/min measured by 15 O-H2 O PET and 57.0 ± 6.8 mL/100 g/min measured by PCM MRI. The measurements were highly correlated (P = 0.0008, R2  = 0.44), although values obtained by PCM MRI were higher compared to 15 O-H2 O PET (absolute and relative differences were 22.0 ± 5.2 mL/100 g/min and 63.4 ± 14.8%, respectively).Conclusion: This study confirms the use of PCM MRI for quantification of global CBF, but also that PCM MRI systematically yields higher values relative to 15 O-H2 O PET, probably related to methodological bias.Level Of Evidence: 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:692-699. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel reaction based on synergistic catalysis, combining palladium- and organocatalysis has been developed. The palladium catalyst activates vinyl benzoxazinanones via a decarboxylation to undergo a [4+2] cycloaddition with iminium-ion activated α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The reaction is demonstrated to proceed for a number of combinations of vinyl benzoxazinanones reacting with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, providing highly substituted vinyl tetrahydroquinolines in good to high yields, and excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivities (>98 % ee and >20:1 d.r.). The palladium catalyst used in the synergistic catalysis can be re-used in a one-pot sequential coupling reaction with an aromatic boronic acid forming the coupling product in 95 % yield, >20:1 d.r. and 99 % ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To evaluate health benefits attributed to Hibiscus sabdariffa L. a randomized, open-label, two-way crossover study was undertaken to compare the impact of an aqueous H. sabdariffa L. extract (HSE) on the systemic antioxidant potential (AOP; assayed by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)) with a reference treatment (water) in eight healthy volunteers. The biokinetic variables were the areas under the curve (AUC) of plasma FRAP, ascorbic acid and urate that are above the pre-dose concentration, and the amounts excreted into urine within 24 h (Ae0-24) of antioxidants as assayed by FRAP, ascorbic acid, uric acid, malondialdehyde (biomarker for oxidative stress), and hippuric acid (metabolite and potential biomarker for total polyphenol intake). RESULTS: HSE caused significantly higher plasma AUC of FRAP, an increase in Ae0-24 of FRAP, ascorbic acid and hippuric acid, whereas malondialdehyde excretion was reduced. Furthermore, the main hibiscus anthocyanins as well as one glucuronide conjugate could be quantified in the volunteers' urine (0.02% of the administered dose). CONCLUSION: The aqueous HSE investigated in this study enhanced the systemic AOP and reduced the oxidative stress in humans. Furthermore, the increased urinary hippuric acid excretion after HSE consumption indicates a high biotransformation of the ingested HSE polyphenols, most likely caused by the colonic microbiota. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover Feature: Higher-Order Cycloaddition Reactions for the Construction of Polycyclic Aromatic and Polycyclic Heteroaromatic Compounds (Chem. Eur. J. 12/2023) Higher-order cycloadditions, organocatalysis, polycyclic aromatic compounds, polycyclic hetero aromatic compounds Keywords: higher-order cycloadditions; organocatalysis; polycyclic aromatic compounds; polycyclic hetero aromatic compounds EN higher-order cycloadditions organocatalysis polycyclic aromatic compounds polycyclic hetero aromatic compounds 1 1 1 02/28/23 20230224 NES 230224 B A new pathway b to access polycyclic (hetero-)aromatic compounds from simple starting materials has been investigated. [Extracted from the article]

Bitsch, J. and Bitsch, C. 2010. The tritocerebrum and the clypeolabrum in mandibulate arthropods: segmental interpretations. — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 249–266 Different interpretations of the segmental composition of the head in mandibulate arthropods are critically reviewed, with particular focus on three closely associated structures: the tritocerebrum, the stomatogastric nervous system and the clypeolabrum. The main conclusions arising from the different discussions are the following. (1) Each tritocerebral ganglion has a dual composition, clearly discernable in some crustacean and hexapod species, including a dorsal portion connected with the second antennae and a ventral portion connected with the stomatogastric nervous system via the frontal ganglion. (2) The suboesophageal commissure linking the tritocerebral lobes of the two sides, can be wholly ascribed to the tritocerebral segment. (3) The stomatogastric nervous system is a morphologically autonomous system that is not fundamentally affected by head metamerization. (4) The clypeolabrum, the epistome–labrum and the hypostome are regarded as homologous formations. The clypeolabrum represents a fundamental structure of the head probably present in the arthropod ground plan. Its close spatial and developmental association with the stomodeum and its derivative, the stomatogastric nervous system, suggests that it is an anterior outgrowth of the forehead arising from a preoral territory (presegmental acron or protocerebral–ocular region?) and secondarily connected with the tritocerebrum, rather than derived from a pair of reduced appendages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is a critical review of data and hypotheses on the head segmental composition in chelicerates and in extinct non-mandibulate arthropods. It successively takes into account data from morphology and embryology, from the structure of the nervous system, from palaeontology and from developmental genetics. Discussion focuses on possible homologies between the head segments and appendages in arachnomorphs and those in mandibulates. The comparative anatomical and ontogenetic data, especially those concerning the central nervous system, its connections with the stomatogastric system, and head innervation, show many similarities between the head organization of chelicerates and that of mandibulates, and lead to conclusions that contradict some of the hypotheses deduced from recent studies on developmental biology, but favour more traditional views. In particular they support the presence of a deutocerebral segment in the head region of the ground pattern of arthropods and its loss in all extant chelicerates. They also support the homology of the cheliceral ganglia with the tritocerebral ganglia of mandibulates. The possible existence of a precheliceral segment and of a presegmental acron remains open to question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bitsch, C.&Bitsch, J. (2004). Phylogenetic relationships of basal hexapods among mandibulate arthropods: a cladistic analysis based on comparative morphological characters.— Zoologica Scripta,33, 511 –550.In this paper we propose a reappraisal of the relationships between the basal hexapod lineages (the former‘apterygote’ insects) and the other major groups of mandibulate arthropods. It results from a cladistic analysis including 72 characters based on external morphology, internal anatomy and development. Detailed comments are provided on the various characters used and the scoring of their states. The 35 terminal taxa include 12 hexapods (9 of which are basal‘apterygote’ representatives), 7 myriapods, 13 crustaceans, and 3 chelicerates taken as outgroups. The results of our analyses are discussed in detail for each of the taxonomic groupings, and compared with those recently obtained by other authors using different approaches based on morphological, palaeontological, developmental or molecular sequence data. Our results support the monophyly of the Mandibulata, Crustacea, Atelocerata (Tracheata) and Hexapoda, but the assemblage of Myriapoda appears poorly supported. A close relationship between Crustacea and Hexapoda, as hypothesized by several authors, is not found in any of our analyses. Within Hexapoda, the Protura and the Collembola appear as independent clades, whereas the two unresolved dipluran taxa are grouped with the monophyletic Ectognatha (Archaeognatha, Zygentoma and Pterygota). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of different studies on the phylogenetic relationships of the early Hexapoda lineages shows that analyses based on molecular sequence data have led to labile and sometimes incongruous results, introducing doubt as to the reliability of the cladograms as a whole. In a recent analysis using molecular data, the Collembola, usually considered as early branching hexapods, appear to occupy a position outside the assemblage of Crustacea and Insecta, leading to the rejection of the traditional view of hexapod monophyly. However, many morphological features, as well as the results of cladistic analyses based on morphological and developmental information, contradict these conclusions. More generally, it appears that in the present state of the analytical strategies, hypotheses concerning arthropod phylogenies obtained from morphological and developmental criteria and combined analyses involving molecular and morphological data provide more reliable results than those generated by molecular information alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogeny of the basal hexapods, the so-called apterygote insects, was studied using parsimony analysis procedures. Most analyses took into account 47 characters mainly based on external morphology, and 19 taxa including 14 apterygote representatives, 3 pterygotes and also 2 distantly related myriapods were used as outgroups. The binary and multistate characters are discussed in detail and treated as unordered and equally weighted. Other analyses were performed using a second data set in which 28 characters, based on internal anatomy and already used in a previous work (Bitsch & Bitsch 1998), were added to the first data set. This second matrix was restricted to 12 terminal taxa, the same as those of our previous work. The results of the different analyses are generally congruent. They strongly support the monophyly of several orders (Protura, Collembola, Archaeognatha) and of two groupings (Ectognatha, Dicondylia). Three other assemblages (Ellipura, Diplura, Entognatha) appear as parsimonious phylogenetic hypotheses, but they are never supported by the cladistical analyses and are based on a very small number of autapomorphies; so, the monophyly of each of them is not firmly established. Archaeognatha appears as the sister group of the Dicondylia. The three unresolved representatives of the Zygentoma are found as the sister group of the Pterygota. The results are discussed in the light of current concepts in hexapod phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the intensified research activity in the field of energy storage systems the interest in the lithium ion battery technology has strongly increased. Mechanical process engineering plays a central role in the production process of such batteries. Both, the slurry composition as well as the dispersion process have superior impact on the flow properties and the deagglomeration of nanoscale materials. The here shown results of the executed experiments focus on the rheological characterization of processed slurries and the understanding of deagglomeration processes due to varied stress conditions during the slurry processing. It is shown that the slurry quality can be influenced directly through the processing and the applied mechanical stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chemie Ingenieur Technik (CIT) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objectives were to determine the apparent energy digestibility of six pasture species frequently grazed by European wild boar ( Sus scrofa L.) and to estimate the digestible energy (DE) consumption from pasture by grazing wild boar. Seven diets were prepared; a base diet (BD) which did not contain any pasture species, diets D1 to D5 which included 75% of the BD and 25% of the dried pasture species Lolium perenne (D1), Festuca arundinacea (D2), Agrostis capillaris (D3), Bromus staminius (D4) or Trifolium repens (D5) and D6 which contained 85% BD and 15% dried Plantago lanceolata. Seven purebred European wild boar (initial liveweight 24.4 ± 0.8 kg, average ± SEM) were given access to the diets following a Latin Square design. The animals received each diet for eight days, with faecal sampling on days 6, 7 and 8. The total apparent DE consumption from pasture by grazing wild boar was estimated using previously collected pasture consumption data from wild boar. The digestibility coefficients and DE contents of the pasture species ranged from 0.29 to 0.65, and 5.8 to 12.6 MJ/kg DM respectively, with L. perenne and P. lanceolata having the greatest digestibility coefficients and DE contents. The wild boar were estimated to satisfy between 52% and 142% of their maintenance energy requirements through pasture consumption. Grazing wild boar are able to utilise an important proportion of the energy present in pasture species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In clinical outcome studies, small component sizes, female gender, femoral shape, focal bone defects, bad bone quality, and biomechanics have been associated with failures of resurfacing arthroplasties. We used a well-established experimental setup and human bone specimens to analyze the effects of bone density on cement fixation of femoral hip resurfacing components. Thirty-one fresh frozen femora were prepared for resurfacing using the original instruments. ASR™ resurfacing prostheses were implanted after dual-energy X-ray densitometer scans. Real-time measurements of pressure and temperature during implantation, analyses of cement penetration, and measurements of micro motions under torque application were performed. The associations of bone density and measurement data were examined calculating regression lines and multiple correlation coefficients; acceptability was tested with ANOVA. We found significant relations between bone density and micro motion, cement penetration, cement mantle thickness, cement pressure, and interface temperature. Mean bone density of the femora was 0.82 ± 0.13 g/cm2, t-score was −0.7 ± 1.0, and mean micro motion between bone and femoral resurfacing component was 17.5 ± 9.1 µm/Nm. The regression line between bone density and micro motion was equal to −56.7 × bone density + 63.8, R = 0.815 ( p < 0.001). Bone density scans are most helpful for patient selection in hip resurfacing, and a better bone quality leads to higher initial component stability. A sophisticated cementing technique is recommended to avoid vigorous impaction and incomplete seating, since increasing bone density also results in higher cement pressures, lower cement penetration, lower interface temperatures, and thicker cement mantles. © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:986-991, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC, comprehensive evaluations on substances of the Third Priority List were conducted until 31 July 2007. This list includes, among other categories, disinfectants for human hygiene (e.g., skin and surface disinfection). For environmental exposure assessment of biocides, the EU emission scenarios apply. Currently available default values for disinfectants are based on consumption data from not more than 8 hospitals and were originally assembled for other purposes. To revalidate these default values, a survey on annual consumption data was performed in 27 German hospitals. These data were analyzed to provide consumption data per bed and day and per nurse and day for particular categories of active ingredients and were compared with default values from the EU emission scenario documents. Although several deviations were detected, an overall acceptable correspondence between Emission Scenario Documents default values and the current survey data was found. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:273-280. © 2009 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Aldosterone plays a detrimental role in the pathology of chronic heart failure. An important mechanism resides in its ability to evoke extensive fibrosis in the heart. However, the locations of the aldosterone interaction sites responsible for triggering cardiac fibrosis are puzzling. Extra-cardiac aldosterone actions are known to contribute to cardiac fibrosis but whether local cardiac aldosterone actions are involved is unclear. Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether local aldosterone actions contribute to cardiac fibrosis in vivo. Methods: Saline treated male Wistar rats were intravenously (systemically) or intrapericardially (locally) infused for 8 weeks with 75 or 750 ng/h aldosterone to monitor end point left ventricular epicardial collagen levels (histology). Results: Perivascular fibrosis was observed only at high dose aldosterone infusions and was not different for the administration routes. Regarding interstitial fibrosis however, clear differences between the administration routes were seen. Intrapericardial aldosterone infusions increased interstitial collagen levels 1.72× (P <0.05) at low dose, but –surprisingly– had no significant effect at high dose. In contrast, intravenous aldosterone had no significant effect at low dose but increased interstitial collagen 1.72× (P <0.05) at high dose. Conclusion: Our data suggest that local cardiac aldosterone actions contribute to the development of left ventricular interstitial fibrosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and purpose: Interferon beta (IFNβ) preparations have some effect on the progressive phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). This limited effect might be partially because of a certain number of IFNβ non-responders. Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) – a marker of IFNβ bioactivity – was correlated with the clinical response during an uncontrolled trial, investigating the safety of IFNβ-1b in primary progressive (PPMS) patients. Methods: Twenty PPMS were treated with IFNβ-1b (s.c.) for 1 year. Blood samples were taken before and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months after treatment initiation and MxA protein levels were measured. Patients were clinically evaluated by EDSS and the more sensitive Incapacity Status Scale (ISS) and stratified in a stable and a progressing group. Results: Using ISS criteria, 11 patients remained stable and nine patients progressed during treatment. The mean area under the curve of log MxA levels during treatment were significantly higher in stable than in progressing patients (10.87 vs. 5.99; P = 0.002). Conclusion: A good biological response to IFNβ might be associated with a better clinical effect of this drug and could be helpful in future clinical studies for early identification of treatment responders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of skill sets required of managers and supervisors in livestock production is necessary to guide selection, training, task assignment, and promotion. Management roles in livestock production differ from those in other industries, given the unique work environment and task attributes of production agriculture. Based on focus group discussions with pork operation managers, iterative code development resulted in five management skill sets: Change Agent, Counselor, Model Employee, Motivator, and Housekeeper. These skill sets were compared with a data set of dairy operation managers and with research in other industries based on the Competing Values Framework for managerial leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resurgence of metal-metal bearings has renewed interest in hip resurfacing, but a paucity of information exists regarding femoral cementing technique. We developed a laboratory model in which 72 open-cell foam specimens were used to simulate bone. Analyses of two cement viscosities, two foam porosities, and six cementing techniques were performed: manual cement application only, manual application and filling of one quarter of the component with cement, filling of half of the component, manual application and half component filling, full component filling, and manual application and full component filling. For manual application, cement was pressurized into the foam by rolling the finger tips. For component filling, a defined quantity of cement was poured into the component before pressing it onto the foam. Specimens were cut into quarters, and cement penetration was quantified in seven areas: top, chamfer, wall, interior area, and proximal, medial, and distal stem. The manual technique showed a 3-mm thick, even cement penetration of the outer fixation surface (top = 26 ± 0 mm2, chamfer = 14.9 ± 0.2 mm2, wall = 55.6 ± 5.2 mm2). None of the other techniques showed a significantly higher penetration in these areas. Large differences were found between all techniques at the medial stem (27.7 ± 17.5 mm2, p < 0.001) and the interior area (128.5 ± 69.6 mm2, p = 0.013). An increasing degree of penetration occurred from manual cement application to manual application and full component filling. Sixteen specimens showed incomplete seating, which occurred with all techniques except the manual technique. The manual technique consistently gave an approximately 3-mm thick even cement penetration over the outer fixation area. Pouring any cement into the shell resulted in variable degrees of deeper penetration and a risk of incomplete seating, which have been associated with bone necrosis and early fracture. © 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:423-431, 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients undergoing hip fracture surgery often experience acute post-operative cognitive dysfunction (APOCD). The pathogenesis of APOCD is probably multifactorial, and no single intervention has been successful in its prevention. No studies have investigated the incidence of APOCD after hip fracture surgery in an optimized, multimodal, peri-operative rehabilitation regimen. Methods: One hundred unselected hip fracture patients treated in a well-defined, optimized, multimodal, peri-operative rehabilitation regimen were included. Patients were tested upon admission and on the second, fourth and seventh post-operative days with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Results: Thirty-two per cent of patients developed a significant post-operative cognitive decline, which was associated with several pre-fracture patient characteristics, including age and cognitive function, but also the number of peri-operative transfusions. The development of APOCD was also associated with impaired post-operative rehabilitation and an increased length of stay. APOCD was associated with the development of a major medical complication in 35% of all patients. In 65% of patients developing APOCD without a concomitant medical complication, the only risk factors were cognitive level and regular anti-psychotic treatment. Conclusion: On the basis of current evidence, APOCD is prevalent amongst hip fracture patients despite multimodal intervention; future research should therefore focus on defining subgroups of hip fracture patients amenable to specific prophylactic or interventional measures against APOCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacokinetic parameters of several dietary anthocyanins following consumption of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract were determined in 6 healthy volunteers. Subjects were given a single oral dose of 150 mL of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract yielding 62.6 mg of cyanidin-3-sambubioside, 81.6 mg of delphindin-3-sambubioside, and 147.4 mg of total anthocyanins (calculated as cyanidin equivalents). Within 7 hours, the urinary excretion of cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins (ie, the sum of all quantifiable anthocyanidin glycosides) was 0.016%, 0.021%, and 0.018% of the administered doses, respectively. Maximum excretion rates were determined at 1.5 to 2.0 hours after intake. The dose-normalized plasma area under the curve estimates were 0.076, 0.032, and 0.050 ng x h/mL/mg for cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins, respectively. The dose-normalized C(max) estimates were 0.036, 0.015, and 0.023 ng/mL/mg in the same sequence. They were reached each at 1.5 hours (median) after intake. The geometric means of t1/2 were 2.18, 3.34, and 2.63 hours for cyanidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, and total anthocyanins, respectively. The urinary excretion of intact anthocyanins was fast and appeared to be monoexponential. To evaluate the contribution of anthocyanins to the health-protecting effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. extract, it will be necessary to perform further studies on both the intact glycosides and their in vivo metabolites or conjugates in human plasma and urine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent reports on Achilles tendon lengthening (ATL) have documented rapid healing of chronic plantar neuropathic forefoot ulcers. Methods Sixty-eight patients with 75 ulcerated neuropathic feet (63 patients with diabetes with 69 ulcerated feet) underwent ATL and were retrospectively studied for chronic plantar ulceration in the forefoot and reduced dorsiflexion range of motion at the ankle. Median duration of ulcers was 48 months (range 11-84 months) in 16 forefoot amputation stumps and 11 months (range 3-84 months) for the rest of the patients. Results Healing of the ulcers was obtained in 68/75 feet (91%). At a median follow-up of 12 months (3-26 months), 4 had never healed, 5/10 recurrent ulcers and 6/11 transfer ulcers (localized to the heel) had not healed, that is, a healing rate of 60/75 (80%). Acute transfer ulcers to the heel occurred in 47% of patients with complete anaesthesia of the heel pad. Late heel ulceration occurred in 14% of those with extreme ankle dorsiflexion (>15 degrees). Failure to heal or ulcer recurrence occurred more frequently at dorsiflexion <10 degrees (33%). Rupture of the Achilles tendon occurred in 7 feet (10%). Charcot event was experienced in 3 (4%). Conclusion Lengthening of the Achilles tendon is effective in healing plantar neuropathic ulceration. Patients with complete anaesthesia of the heel pad should not undergo this procedure and extreme dorsiflexion should be avoided because of the risk of heel ulceration. Moreover, the procedure should be performed only in a multidisciplinary setting for immediate dealing with complications and for surveillance and treatment of future ulceration. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]