Dienes as Versatile Substrates for Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions.

Dienes have been of great interest to synthetic chemists as valuable substrates due to their abundance and ease of synthesis. Their unique stereoelectronic properties enable broad reactivity with a wide range of transition metals to construct molecular complexity facilitating synthesis of biologically active compounds. In addition, structural diene variation can result in substrate-controlled reactions, providing valuable mechanistic insights into reactivity and selectivity patterns.

Convergent Synthesis of Dihydrobenzofurans via Urea Ligand-Enabled Heteroannulation of 2-Bromophenols with 1,3-Dienes.

We disclose a palladium and urea ligand-mediated heteroannulation of 2-bromophenols and 1,3-dienes. This method addresses synthetic challenges present in the palladium-catalyzed heteroannulation of bifunctional reagents and olefins by engaging a diverse scope of coupling partners under a unified set of reaction conditions. Our recently developed urea ligand platform outperforms phosphine ligands to generate the dihydrobenzofuran motif in a convergent manner.

Do Interest Groups Cultivate Interest? Trajectories of Geriatric Interest Group Members.

Background: Minimal exposure, misconceptions, and lack of interest have historically driven the shortage of health-care providers for older adults. This study aimed to determine how medical students' participation in the National Geriatrics Interest Group (NGIG) and local Geriatrics Interest Groups (GIGs) shapes their career development in the care of older adults.

Methods: An electronic survey consisting of quantitative and qualitative metrics to assess the influence of Interest Groups was distributed to all current and past members of local GIGs at Canadian universities since 2017, as well as current and past executives of the NGIG since 2011.

X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography: An Emerging Technology to Analyze Vascular Calcification in Animal Models.

Vascular calcification describes the formation of mineralized tissue within the blood vessel wall, and it is highly associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. In this article, we briefly review different rodent models used to study vascular calcification in vivo, and critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current techniques used to analyze and quantify calcification in these models, namely 2-D histology and the -cresolphthalein assay. In light of this, we examine X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) as an emerging complementary tool for the analysis of vascular calcification in animal models.

Detecting Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly Patients: A Review of Practice Compliance.

The Ontario Senior Friendly Hospital Strategy recognizes delirium prevention and management as a top priority and recommends implementation of delirium screening as well as management protocols. This strategy proposes that hospitals monitor 2 specific indicators: (1) rate of baseline delirium screening and (2) rate of hospital-acquired delirium. To (1) determine compliance with the Ontario Senior Friendly Hospital Strategy indicators; (2) describe the use of pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for management of delirious patients; and (3) identify predictors of screening compliance.