Experiences of parents visiting an adult family member in the intensive care unit accompanied by their underaged children: A qualitative study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore experiences and needs of parents visiting critically ill family members in intensive care units (ICUs) accompanied by their underaged children (<18 years).

Methods: Six semistructured interviews with parents were conducted in a qualitative design. Data analysis and synthesis were performed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis.

Stability of thiol-passivated gold particles at elevated temperatures studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

The thermal stability of thiol-passivated gold colloids has been studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Different colloids were chemically synthesized with thiol lengths from 3 to 8, and 16 carbon atoms. Depending on the synthesis parameters, the mean gold particle size varied from 1.

Stereoselectivity in the formation of tris-diimine complexes of Fe(II), Ru(II), and Os(II) with a C2-symmetric chiral derivative of 2,2'-bipyridine.

A C2-symmetric enantiopure 4,5-bis(pinene)-2,2'-bipyridine ligand (-)-L was used to investigate the diastereoselectivity in the formation of [ML3]2+ coordination species (M = Fe(II), Ru(II), Os(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II)), and [ML2Cl2] (M = Ru(II), Os(II)). The X-ray structures of the [ML3]2+ complexes were determined for Delta-[FeL3](PF6)2, Delta-[RuL3](PF6)2, Lambda-[RuL3](PF6)2, Delta-[OsL3](PF6)2, and Lambda-[OsL3](TfO)2. All of these compounds were also characterized by NMR, CD and UV/VIS absorption spectroscopy.

Immobilization of rhodium complexes at thiolate monolayers on gold surfaces: catalytic and structural studies.

Chiral rhodium-diphosphine complexes have been incorporated into self-assembled thiolate monolayers (SAMs) on gold colloids. Catalysts of this type are of interest because they combine properties of homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. In addition, it should be possible to influence the catalytic properties of the metal center by the neighboring thiolate molecules.

Target gene search for the metal-responsive transcription factor MTF-1.

Activation of genes by heavy metals, notably zinc, cadmium and copper, depends on MTF-1, a unique zinc finger transcription factor conserved from insects to human. Knockout of MTF-1 in the mouse results in embryonic lethality due to liver decay, while knockout of its best characterized target genes, the stress-inducible metallothionein genes I and II, is viable, suggesting additional target genes of MTF-1. Here we report on a multi-pronged search for potential target genes of MTF-1, including microarray screening, SABRE selective amplification, a computer search for MREs (DNA-binding sites of MTF-1) and transfection of reporter genes driven by candidate gene promoters.

Characterization of the mouse gene for the heavy metal-responsive transcription factor MTF-1.

MTF-1 is a zinc finger transcription factor that mediates the cellular response to heavy metal stress; its targeted disruption in the mouse leads to liver decay and embryonic lethality at day E14. Recently, we have sequenced the entire MTF-1 gene in the compact genome of the pufferfish Fugu rubripes. Here we have defined the promoter sequences of human and mouse MTF-1 and the genomic structure of the mouse MTF-1 locus.

Characterization of the transcription factor MTF-1 from the Japanese pufferfish (Fugu rubripes) reveals evolutionary conservation of heavy metal stress response.

The pufferfish Fugu rubripes was recently introduced as a new model organism for genomic studies, since it contains a full set of vertebrate genes but only 13% as much DNA as a mammal. Fugu genes tend to be smaller and densely spaced due to shortening of introns and intergenic spacers. We isolated the Fugu gene for the metal-responsive transcription factor MTF-1 (MTF1), a mediator of heavy metal regulation and oxidative stress response previously characterized in mammals.

Alphaviruses induce apoptosis in Bcl-2-overexpressing cells: evidence for a caspase-mediated, proteolytic inactivation of Bcl-2.

Bcl-2 oncogene expression plays a role in the establishment of persistent viral infection by blocking virus-induced apoptosis. This might be achieved by preventing virus-induced activation of caspase-3, an IL-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE)-like cysteine protease that has been implicated in the death effector phase of apoptosis. Contrary to this model, we show that three cell types highly overexpressing functional Bcl-2 displayed caspase-3 activation and underwent apoptosis in response to infection with alphaviruses Semliki Forest and Sindbis as efficiently as vector control counterparts.