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The purpose of the study is to evaluate the energy parameters of tower cranes when using a frequency-controlled drive mechanism. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that existing tower cranes quickly become obsolete. However, there is an alternative to buying new cranes – the modernization of existing ones with the improvement of their parameters and the scientific justification for increasing the efficiency of work. The following methods are used for research: method of equivalent power and the methods of metal fatigue theory. The main scientific novelty is the approach to assessing the possible increase in the service life of crane elements when using a frequency drive based on the theory of fatigue. Also presented are examples of equivalent power calculations for the working cycles of the turning mechanism with various forms of speed change in acceleration and deceleration modes. Numerical estimates are given for increasing the service life of the main types of welded joints with different values of stress concentration factors. Showing ways to further improve the efficiency of tower cranes and their mechanisms due to more optimal transients. The proposed approaches can be used when choosing the type of drive for the designed crane or to evaluate the economic efficiency of replacing the drive.

The concept of rhinogenic headaches remains a subject of much debate. While many authors have reported good results in treating these headaches with endoscopie sinus surgery, few have attempted to establish objective criteria for identifying the best surgical candidates. We conducted a study of 33 adults with rhinogenic headaches to determine if three elements of the history and/or five aspects of computed tomography (CT) would predict which patients might benefit from the minimally invasive sinus technique (MIST) as the primary treatment modality for their headaches. Postoperative follow-up interviews revealed that endoscopie surgery was widely successful, as 28 patients (84.8%) reported improvement. However, we were unable to find any statistically significant history or CT parameters that predicted surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main part of crane systems in general and hoisting systems especially are rope-reeving systems. They are used to reduce the loading on the rope itself and on the following parts in the hoist drive. In order to transfer the performance required the reduced loading has to be compensated by higher speeds. General standard are reeving systems with just vertical rope orientation. They have advantages, as they are not difficult to plan, to build and to operate. On the other hand, they comprise disadvantages as well. One main disadvantage of vertical rope orientation is the tendency to load sway.

Dewatering of water-coal slurry or thickened product under conditions of operating SUEK-Kuzbass JSC enrichment plants is a promising direction of obtaining technogenic mineral resources. It should also be noted that the quality of the obtained product will be directly influenced by the quality of the initial raw materials. If the content of carbon particles is high and the average ash content of the solid phase is low, such a slurry will be of interest in terms of obtaining additional volumes of coal after dewatering. The object of this study is water-coal slurry obtained at the outlet of the radial thickener (thickened product). The subject of the research is technology of thickened product dewatering with the use of shell filter constructions. The aim of the work is to develop and substantiate parameters of low-cost technology of thickened product dewatering to ensure an increase in economic and environmental efficiency of mining operations. The idea of the work is to use the laws of mass transfer of suspended particles of water-coal slurry by filtering through specially made shell filter constructions (SFC).

The paper describes a method for determining the density and specific surface of the package of rock particles represented by discs with the size corresponding to the size of the rock fragments of real dump massifs (2D case). The packing method of the particles corresponds to the schemes of dumping used in open-pit mining - areal and peripheral ones. The influence of boundaries, in which the dump is located, on the physical characteristics of this massif - density and porosity - is revealed. It was revealed that the way of formation of the bulk of particles affects its density, especially at the boundaries of the massif. The massif of particles formed in accordance with the area technology of dumping has a denser composition and is less affected by the effect of its boundaries than the massif formed in accordance with the peripheral technology of dumping. The applied method of determining the physical characteristics of the bulk medium differs from the statistical methods (e.g., Monte Carlo) and is well-proven for static media, such as dumps and filtering massifs in open-pit mining.

Sustainable development today covers not only certain aspects of the environmental and economic aspects of society. The very structure of the economy, in particular the production sphere, as well as the whole society, is changing radically. Moreover, the structure is not only a systemological, but also the category of sustainable development. It acts as the basis of any material phenomenon or process, that is, it serves as a relatively stable basis on which more mobile elements function. Therefore, the closest concept that allows revealing the essence of sustainable development, the problem of cognition of environmental and economic transformations, transformations and their regulation, is the structure. It is by using the disclosure of the structure as a fundamental element of the system of sustainable development that can reveal the factors of deep changes in the economy, under the influence of which the transformation of industry towards modern environmental guidelines, and with it employment, investment, innovation, systems of their state regulation.

With EN 13001-1 ff. a harmonized set of standards for safety of cranes was and is established. Due to harmonization the use of the standards leads to the assumption of conformity with the safety requirements of the machinery directive. A major argument for the application of the standards. The standards comprise new concepts of proof of competence in comparison to previous standards. Keywords of these new concepts are “Classification”, “Limit state method”, “Mass Distribution Class” and “Partial safety factors”. The article gives an overview to EN 13001-1, EN 13001-2 and EN 13001-3-1. This is the set of standards for proof of the structural parts of a crane. The main aspects of the standards are shown and discussed with regard to their impact on calculation.

At the Centre of Drive and Lifting Technology ZAFT of Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola a new testing device will be available. The device is suitable for testing drivetrain components like safety clutches and hoist safety components like snag protection devices. In focus are continuous tests with regard to fatigue as well as transient tests with regard to switching characteristics. The article gives information on requirements on the testing rig out of the main purpose and out of the given environment. Furthermore concept, main data and engineering design of this equipment are demonstrated. Aspects and first results of the mechanical assembly are shown.

24-26 April, 2017 the Scientific Practical Conference “International Innovative Mining Symposium (in memory of Prof. Vladimir Pronoza)” was successfully organized at T.F. Gorbachev Kuzbass State Technical University - KuzSTU (Kemerovo Russia). More than 20 participants submitted their papers in presence, and more than 40 authors sent their papers for virtual participation. The main participants of the conference - Keynote Speakers - paid special attention to the development of international cooperation of technical universities as a form of accelerating the transfer of innovations in mineral resources mining and processing.

Dynamically operated hoist systems are exposed to different load cases, which may induce high loads to the drivetrain. The paper shows the load cases and additional equipment, to restrict the loads out of these load cases to the hoist. Especially in focus are optional measures for the exceptional load cases emergency stop snag load. The load cases are listed including affiliated equipment and aspects to be considered during design phase.

Lung endothelia in the arteries, capillaries, and veins are heterogeneous in structure and function. Lung capillaries in particular represent a unique vascular niche, with a thin yet highly restrictive alveolar-capillary barrier that optimizes gas exchange. Capillary endothelium surveys the blood while simultaneously interpreting cues initiated within the alveolus and communicated via immediately adjacent type I and type II epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and pericytes. This cell-cell communication is necessary to coordinate the immune response to lower respiratory tract infection. Recent discoveries identify an important role for the microtubule-associated protein tau that is expressed in lung capillary endothelia in the host-pathogen interaction. This endothelial tau stabilizes microtubules necessary for barrier integrity, yet infection drives production of cytotoxic tau variants that are released into the airways and circulation, where they contribute to end-organ dysfunction. Similarly, beta-amyloid is produced during infection. Beta-amyloid has antimicrobial activity, but during infection it can acquire cytotoxic activity that is deleterious to the host. The production and function of these cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are the subject of this review. Lung-derived cytotoxic tau and amyloid variants are a recently discovered mechanism of end-organ dysfunction, including neurocognitive dysfunction, during and in the aftermath of infection.

Background: Bacterial pneumonia and sepsis are both common causes of end-organ dysfunction, especially in immunocompromised and critically ill patients. Pre-clinical data demonstrate that bacterial pneumonia and sepsis elicit the production of cytotoxic tau and amyloids from pulmonary endothelial cells, which cause lung and brain injury in naïve animal subjects, independent of the primary infection. The contribution of infection-elicited cytotoxic tau and amyloids to end-organ dysfunction has not been examined in the clinical setting. We hypothesized that cytotoxic tau and amyloids are present in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of critically ill patients with bacterial pneumonia and that these tau/amyloids are associated with end-organ dysfunction., Methods: Bacterial culture-positive and culture-negative mechanically ventilated patients were recruited into a prospective, exploratory observational study. Levels of tau and Aβ42 in, and cytotoxicity of, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured. Cytotoxic tau and amyloid concentrations were examined in comparison with patient clinical characteristics, including measures of end-organ dysfunction., Results: Tau and Aβ42 were increased in culture-positive patients (n = 49) compared to culture-negative patients (n = 50), independent of the causative bacterial organism. The mean age of patients was 52.1 ± 16.72 years old in the culture-positive group and 52.78 ± 18.18 years old in the culture-negative group. Males comprised 65.3% of the culture-positive group and 56% of the culture-negative group. Caucasian culture-positive patients had increased tau, boiled tau, and Aβ42 compared to both Caucasian and minority culture-negative patients. The increase in cytotoxins was most evident in males of all ages, and their presence was associated with end-organ dysfunction., Conclusions: Bacterial infection promotes the generation of cytotoxic tau and Aβ42 within the lung, and these cytotoxins contribute to end-organ dysfunction among critically ill patients. This work illuminates an unappreciated mechanism of injury in critical illness., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Renema et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Pneumonia elicits the production of cytotoxic beta amyloid (Aβ) that contributes to end-organ dysfunction, yet the mechanism(s) linking infection to activation of the amyloidogenic pathway that produces cytotoxic Aβ is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that gamma-secretase activating protein (GSAP), which contributes to the amyloidogenic pathway in the brain, promotes end-organ dysfunction following bacterial pneumonia. First-in-kind Gsap knockout rats were generated. Wild-type and knockout rats possessed similar body weights, organ weights, circulating blood cell counts, arterial blood gases, and cardiac indices at baseline. Intratracheal Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection caused acute lung injury and a hyperdynamic circulatory state. Whereas infection led to arterial hypoxemia in wild-type rats, the alveolar-capillary barrier integrity was preserved in Gsap knockout rats. Infection potentiated myocardial infarction following ischemia-reperfusion injury, and this potentiation was abolished in knockout rats. In the hippocampus, GSAP contributed to both pre- and postsynaptic neurotransmission, increasing the presynaptic action potential recruitment, decreasing neurotransmitter release probability, decreasing the postsynaptic response, and preventing postsynaptic hyperexcitability, resulting in greater early long-term potentiation but reduced late long-term potentiation. Infection abolished early and late long-term potentiation in wild-type rats, whereas the late long-term potentiation was partially preserved in Gsap knockout rats. Furthermore, hippocampi from knockout rats, and both the wild-type and knockout rats following infection, exhibited a GSAP-dependent increase in neurotransmitter release probability and postsynaptic hyperexcitability. These results elucidate an unappreciated role for GSAP in innate immunity and highlight the contribution of GSAP to end-organ dysfunction during infection. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Pneumonia is a common cause of end-organ dysfunction, both during and in the aftermath of infection. In particular, pneumonia is a common cause of lung injury, increased risk of myocardial infarction, and neurocognitive dysfunction, although the mechanisms responsible for such increased risk are unknown. Here, we reveal that gamma-secretase activating protein, which contributes to the amyloidogenic pathway, is important for end-organ dysfunction following infection.

Postviral bacterial infections are a major health care challenge in coronavirus infections, including COVID-19; however, the coronavirus-specific mechanisms of increased host susceptibility to secondary infections remain unknown. In humans, coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, infect lung immune cells, including alveolar macrophages, a phenotype poorly replicated in mouse models of SARS-CoV-2. To overcome this, we used a mouse model of native murine β-coronavirus that infects both immune and structural cells to investigate coronavirus-enhanced susceptibility to bacterial infections. Our data show that coronavirus infection impairs the host ability to clear invading bacterial pathogens and potentiates lung tissue damage in mice. Mechanistically, coronavirus limits the bacterial killing ability of macrophages by impairing lysosomal acidification and fusion with engulfed bacteria. In addition, coronavirus-induced lysosomal dysfunction promotes pyroptotic cell death and the release of IL-1β. Inhibition of cathepsin B decreased cell death and IL-1β release and promoted bacterial clearance in mice with postcoronavirus bacterial infection., (Copyright © 2022 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Patients who recover from nosocomial pneumonia oftentimes exhibit long-lasting cognitive impairment comparable with what is observed in Alzheimer's disease patients. We previously hypothesized that the lung endothelium contributes to infection-related neurocognitive dysfunction, because bacteria-exposed endothelial cells release a form(s) of cytotoxic tau that is sufficient to impair long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. However, the full-length lung and endothelial tau isoform(s) have yet to be resolved and it remains unclear whether the infection-induced endothelial cytotoxic tau triggers neuronal tau aggregation. Here, we demonstrate that lung endothelial cells express a big tau isoform and three additional tau isoforms that are similar to neuronal tau, each containing four microtubule-binding repeat domains, and that tau is expressed in lung capillaries in vivo. To test whether infection elicits endothelial tau capable of causing transmissible tau aggregation, the cells were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The infection-induced tau released from endothelium into the medium-induced neuronal tau aggregation in reporter cells, including reporter cells that express either the four microtubule-binding repeat domains or the full-length tau. Infection-induced release of pathological tau variant(s) from endothelium, and the ability of the endothelial-derived tau to cause neuronal tau aggregation, was abolished in tau knockout cells. After bacterial lung infection, brain homogenates from WT mice, but not from tau knockout mice, initiated tau aggregation. Thus, we conclude that bacterial pneumonia initiates the release of lung endothelial-derived cytotoxic tau, which is capable of propagating a neuronal tauopathy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Low tidal volume ventilation protects the lung in mechanically ventilated patients. The impact of the accompanying permissive hypoxemia and hypercapnia on endothelial cell recovery from injury is poorly understood. CA (carbonic anhydrase) IX is expressed in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs), where it contributes to CO 2 and pH homeostasis, bioenergetics, and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that CA IX is important for PMVEC survival and that CA IX expression and release from PMVECs are increased during infection. Although the plasma concentration of CA IX was unchanged in human and rat pneumonia, there was a trend toward increasing CA IX in the bronchoalveolar fluid of mechanically ventilated critically ill patients with pneumonia and a significant increase in CA IX in the lung tissue lysates of pneumonia rats. To investigate the functional implications of the lung CA IX increase, we generated PMVEC cell lines harboring domain-specific CA IX mutations. By using these cells, we found that infection promotes intracellular (IC) expression, release, and MMP (metalloproteinase)-mediated extracellular cleavage of CA IX in PMVECs. IC domain deletion uniquely impaired CA IX membrane localization. Loss of the CA IX IC domain promoted cell death after infection, suggesting that the IC domain has an important role in PMVEC survival. We also found that hypoxia improves survival, whereas hypercapnia reverses the protective effect of hypoxia, during infection. Thus, we report 1 ) that CA IX increases in the lungs of pneumonia rats and 2 ) that the CA IX IC domain and hypoxia promote PMVEC survival during infection.

Infection of rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces the production and release of cytotoxic oligomeric tau and beta amyloid (Aβ). Here, we characterized these cytotoxic amyloids. Cytotoxic behavior and oligomeric tau were partially resistant to digestion with proteinase K, but cytotoxicity was abolished by various denaturants including phenol, diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC), and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-isopropanol (HFIP). Ultracentrifugation for 8 h at 150 000 g was required to remove cytotoxic activity from the supernatant. Ultracentrifugation, DEPC treatment, and immunodepletion using antibodies against Aβ also demonstrated that cytoprotective protein(s) are released from endothelial cells during P. aeruginosa infection. Mass spectrometry of endothelial cell culture media following P. aeruginosa infection allowed identification of multiple potential secreted modulators of Aβ, including cystatin C, gelsolin, and ApoJ/clusterin. Immunodepletion, co-immunoprecipitation, and ultracentrifugation determined that the cytoprotective factor released during infection of endothelial cells by P. aeruginosa is cystatin C, which appears to be in a complex with Aβ. Cytoprotective cystatin C may provide a novel therapeutic avenue for protection against the long-term consequences of infection with P. aeruginosa., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection elicits the production of cytotoxic amyloids from lung endothelium, yet molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction that underlie the amyloid production are not well understood. We examined the importance of type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors in the production of cytotoxic amyloids. P aeruginosa possessing a functional T3SS and effectors induced the production and release of cytotoxic amyloids from lung endothelium, including beta amyloid, and tau. T3SS effector intoxication was sufficient to generate cytotoxic amyloid release, yet intoxication with exoenzyme Y (ExoY) alone or together with exoenzymes S and T (ExoS/T/Y) generated the most virulent amyloids. Infection with lab and clinical strains engendered cytotoxic amyloids that were capable of being propagated in endothelial cell culture and passed to naïve cells, indicative of a prion strain. Conversely, T3SS-incompetent P aeruginosa infection produced non-cytotoxic amyloids with antimicrobial properties. These findings provide evidence that (1) endothelial intoxication with ExoY is sufficient to elicit self-propagating amyloid cytotoxins during infection, (2) pulmonary endothelium contributes to innate immunity by generating antimicrobial amyloids in response to bacterial infection, and (3) ExoY contributes to the virulence arsenal of P aeruginosa through the subversion of endothelial amyloid host-defense to promote a lung endothelial-derived cytotoxic proteinopathy., (© 2020 The Authors. The FASEB Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia elicits endothelial cell release of cytotoxic amyloids that can be recovered from the bronchoalveolar lavage and cerebrospinal fluids of critically ill patients. Introduction of these cytotoxic amyloids into the lateral ventricle impairs learning and memory in mice. However, it is unclear whether the amyloids of lung origin (1) are neurotropic, and (2) cause structural remodeling of hippocampal dendrites. Thus, we used electrophysiological studies in brain slices and structural analysis of post-mortem tissues obtained from animals exposed to endothelium-derived amyloids to assess these issues. The amyloids were administered via three different routes, by intracerebroventricular, intratracheal, and intraperitoneal injections. Synaptic long-term potentiation was abolished following intracerebroventricular amyloid injection. Fluorescence dialysis or Golgi-impregnation labeling showed reduced dendritic spine density and destabilized spines of hippocampal pyramidal neurons 4 weeks after intracerebroventricular amyloid injection. In comparison, endothelial amyloids introduced to the airway caused the most prominent dendritic spine density reduction, yet intraperitoneal injection of these amyloids did not affect spine density. Our findings indicate that infection-elicited lung endothelial amyloids are neurotropic and reduce neuronal dendritic spine density in vivo. Amyloids applied into the trachea may either be disseminated through the circulation and cross the blood-brain barrier to access the brain, initiate feed-forward amyloid transmissibility among cells of the blood-brain barrier or access the brain in other ways. Nevertheless, lung-derived amyloids suppress hippocampal signaling and cause injury to neuronal structure.

Patients with nosocomial pneumonia exhibit elevated levels of neurotoxic amyloid and tau proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In vitro studies indicate that pulmonary endothelium infected with clinical isolates of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella pneumoniae , or Staphylococcus aureus produces and releases cytotoxic amyloid and tau proteins. However, the effects of the pulmonary endothelium-derived amyloid and tau proteins on brain function have not been elucidated. Here, we show that P. aeruginosa infection elicits accumulation of detergent insoluble tau protein in the mouse brain and inhibits synaptic plasticity. Mice receiving endothelium-derived amyloid and tau proteins via intracerebroventricular injection exhibit a learning and memory deficit in object recognition, fear conditioning, and Morris water maze studies. We compared endothelial supernatants obtained after the endothelia were infected with P. aeruginosa possessing an intact [ P. aeruginosa isolated from patient 103 (PA103) supernatant] or defective [mutant strain of P. aeruginosa lacking a functional type 3 secretion system needle tip complex (ΔPcrV) supernatant] type 3 secretion system. Whereas the PA103 supernatant impaired working memory, the ΔPcrV supernatant had no effect. Immunodepleting amyloid or tau proteins from the PA103 supernatant with the A11 or T22 antibodies, respectively, overtly rescued working memory. Recordings from hippocampal slices treated with endothelial supernatants or CSF from patients with or without nosocomial pneumonia indicated that endothelium-derived neurotoxins disrupted the postsynaptic synaptic response. Taken together, these results establish a plausible mechanism for the neurologic sequelae consequent to nosocomial bacterial pneumonia.-Balczon, R., Pittet, J.-F., Wagener, B. M., Moser, S. A., Voth, S., Vorhees, C. V., Williams, M. T., Bridges, J. P., Alvarez, D. F., Koloteva, A., Xu, Y., Zha, X.-M., Audia, J. P., Stevens, T., Lin, M. T. Infection-induced endothelial amyloids impair memory.

The Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling is one of the most often utilized reactions in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds and conjugated materials. In its most common form, the reaction joins two sp(2)-functionalized carbon atoms to make a biaryl or diene/polyene unit. These substructures are widely found in natural products and small molecules and thus the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling has been proposed as the key reaction for the automated assembly of such molecules, using protecting group chemistry to affect iterative coupling. We present herein, a significant advance in this approach, in which multiply functionalized cross-coupling partners can be employed in iterative coupling without the use of protecting groups. To accomplish this, the orthogonal reactivity of different boron substituents towards the boron-to-palladium transmetalation reaction is exploited. The approach is illustrated in the preparation of chiral enantioenriched compounds, which are known to be privileged structures in active pharmaceutical compounds.

Diversely substituted anilines are prepared by treatment of functionalized arylboronic acids with a common, inexpensive source of electrophilic nitrogen (H2N-OSO3H, HSA) under basic aqueous conditions. Electron-rich substrates are found to be the most reactive by this method. However, even moderately electron-poor substrates are well tolerated under the room temperature conditions. Sterically hindered substrates appear to be equally effective compared to unhindered ones. Highly electron-deficient substrates afford product in very low yields at room temperature, but moderate to good yields are obtained at refluxing temperatures. Our method is also amenable to electrophilic amination of several common boronic acid derivatives (e.g., pinacol esters). We demonstrate that it can be combined with metal-halogen exchange reactions or a variety of directed ortho metalation protocols in a "one-pot" sequence for the synthesis of aromatic amines with unique substitution patterns. DFT studies, in combination with experimental results, suggest that the reaction occurs via base-mediated activation of HSA, followed by 1,2 aryl B-N migration. This mode of activation appears to be critical for the success of the reaction and allows, for the first time, a general, electrophilic amination of boronic acids at ambient temperature.

Background: Neck disorders are common, disabling and costly. The effectiveness of exercise as a physiotherapy intervention remains unclear., Objectives: To improve pain, disability, function, patient satisfaction, quality of life and global perceived effect in adults with neck pain., Search Methods: Computerized searches were conducted up to February 2012., Selection Criteria: We included single therapeutic exercise randomized controlled trials for adults with neck pain with or without cervicogenic headache or radiculopathy., Data Collection and Analysis: Two review authors independently conducted selection, data extraction, 'Risk of bias' assessment, and clinical relevance. The quality of the body of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Relative risk and standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated.  After judging clinical and statistical heterogeneity, we performed meta-analyses., Main Results: Six of the 21 selected trials had low risk of bias. Moderate quality evidence shows that combined cervical, scapulothoracic stretching and strengthening are beneficial for pain relief post treatment (pooled SMD -0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.60, -0.10) and at intermediate follow-up (pooled SMD -0.31, 95% CI: -0.57, -0.06), and improved function short term and intermediate term (pooled SMD -0.45, 95% CI: -0.72, -0.18) for chronic neck pain. Moderate quality evidence demonstrates patients are very satisfied with their care when treated with therapeutic exercise. Low quality evidence shows exercise is of benefit for pain in the short term and for function up to long-term follow-up for chronic neck pain. Low to moderate quality evidence shows that chronic neck pain does not respond to upper extremity stretching and strengthening or a general exercise program.Low to moderate quality evidence supports self-mobilization, craniocervical endurance and low load cervical-scapular endurance exercises in reducing pain, improving function and global perceived effect in the long term for subacute/chronic cervicogenic headache. Low quality evidence supports neck strengthening exercise in acute cervical radiculopathy for pain relief in the short term., Authors' Conclusions: Low to moderate quality evidence supports the use of specific cervical and scapular stretching and strengthening exercise for chronic neck pain immediately post treatment and intermediate term, and cervicogenic headaches in the long term. Low to moderate evidence suggests no benefit for some upper extremity stretching and strengthening exercises or a general exercise program.  Future trials should consider using an exercise classification system to establish similarity between protocols and adequate sample sizes. Factorial trials would help determine the active treatment agent within a treatment regimen where a standardized representation of dosage is essential. Standardized reporting of adverse events is needed for balancing the likelihood of treatment benefits over potential harms.

An efficient and simple catalytic method for the isomerization of readily prepared allylic alcohols is described. We focus particularly on cyclic examples and the synthesis of unusual enyne and dienols. The benzoic acid catalysts employed are commercially available and very inexpensive and can be tuned for reactivity and substrate sensitivity.

Adverse events (AE) are a concern for practitioners utilizing cervical manipulation or mobilization. While efficacious, these techniques are associated with rare but serious adverse events. Five bibliographic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, AMED, EMBASE) and the gray literature were searched from 1998 to 2009 for any AE associated with cervical manipulation or mobilization for neck pain. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective or cross-sectional observational studies were included. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, method quality assessment and data abstraction. Pooled relative risks (RR) were calculated. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane system, a modified Critical Appraisal Skills Program form and the McHarm scale to assess the reporting of harms. Seventeen of 76 identified citations resulted in no major AE. Two pooled estimates for minor AE found transient neurological symptoms [RR 1.96 (95% CI: 1.09-3.54) p < 0.05]; and increased neck pain [RR 1.23 (95% CI: 0.85-1.77) p > .05]. Forty-four studies (58%) were excluded for not reporting AE. No definitive conclusions can be made due to a small number of studies, weak association, moderate study quality, and notable ascertainment bias. Improved reporting of AE in manual therapy trials as recommended by the CONSORT statement extension on harms reporting is warranted., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)