Synthesis of -Sulfonyl Formamidines by Direct Condensation between Sulfonamide and Formamide Enabled by a Photogenerated Vilsmeier-Type Reagent.

Herein, we report the synthesis of -sulfonyl formamidines from carbon tetrabromide and formamide under UVA irradiation without any additional catalysts. This approach represents a straightforward methodology for accessing this class of structural units and has been applied to a wide range of readily available sulfonamides and formamides, providing the corresponding products in moderate to excellent yields (30 examples, 16-99% yields). Mechanistic investigations associated with previous reports suggest the implication of an activated iminium intermediate (Vilsmeier-Haack reagent derivatives), obtained by the photoinduced reaction between carbon tetrabromide and formamides.

Iron-catalyzed synthesis of substituted 3-arylquinolin-2(1)-ones an intramolecular dehydrogenative coupling of amido-alcohols.

Here we report an iron-complex-catalyzed synthesis of various mono- and di-substituted quinolin-2(1)-ones achieved the intramolecular acceptorless dehydrogenative cyclization of amido-alcohols. This approach for the synthesis of N-heterocycles has provided access to underdescribed disubstituted quinolinones and represents an alternative to the well-known palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions.

Fish Oil - Omega-3 Exerts Protective Effect in Oxidative Stress and Liver Dysfunctions Resulting from Experimental Sepsis.

Background: Sepsis is a severe global health problem, with high morbidity and mortality. In sepsis, one of the main affected organs is the liver. Hepatic alterations characterize a negative prognostic.

Limits of Clinical Restaging in Detecting Responders After Neoadjuvant Therapies for Rectal Cancer.

Background: Accurate clinical restaging is required to select patients who respond to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer and who may benefit from an organ preservation strategy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to review our experience with the clinical restaging of rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy to assess its accuracy in detecting major and pathological complete response to treatment.

Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Angiogenesis goes computational - The future way forward to discover new angiogenic targets?

Multi-omics technologies are being increasingly utilized in angiogenesis research. Yet, computational methods have not been widely used for angiogenic target discovery and prioritization in this field, partly because (wet-lab) vascular biologists are insufficiently familiar with computational biology tools and the opportunities they may offer. With this review, written for vascular biologists who lack expertise in computational methods, we aspire to break boundaries between both fields and to illustrate the potential of these tools for future angiogenic target discovery.

Phosphine-Free Ruthenium Complex-Catalyzed Synthesis of Mono- or Dialkylated Acyl Hydrazides via the Borrowing Hydrogen Strategy.

Herein, we report a diaminocyclopentadienone ruthenium tricarbonyl complex-catalyzed synthesis of mono- or dialkylated acyl hydrazide compounds using the borrowing hydrogen strategy in the presence of various substituted primary and secondary alcohols as alkylating reagents. Deuterium labeling experiments confirm that the alcohols were the hydride source in this cascade process. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations unveil the origin and the threshold between the mono- and dialkylation.

Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: from Pathophysiology to Progress in Experimental Studies.

Sepsis is an organ dysfunction caused by an uncontrolled inflammatory response from the host to an infection. Sepsis is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICU) worldwide. One of the first organs to suffer from injuries resulting from sepsis is the brain.

A phosphine-free iron complex-catalyzed synthesis of cycloalkanes the borrowing hydrogen strategy.

Herein we report a diaminocyclopentadienone iron tricarbonyl complex catalyzed synthesis of substituted cyclopentane, cyclohexane and cycloheptane compounds using the borrowing hydrogen strategy in the presence of various substituted primary and secondary 1,n diols as alkylating reagents. Deuterium labeling experiments confirm that the diols were the hydride source in this cascade process.

Iron-Catalyzed α-Alkylation of Ketones with Secondary Alcohols: Access to β-Disubstituted Carbonyl Compounds.

An iron-catalyzed borrowing hydrogen strategy has been applied in the synthesis of β-branched carbonyl compounds. Various secondary benzylic and aliphatic alcohols have been used as alkylating reagents under mild reaction conditions. The ketones have been isolated in good to excellent yield.

Iron-Catalyzed β-Alkylation of Alcohols.

β-Branched alkylated alcohols have been prepared in good yields using a double-hydrogen autotransfer strategy in the presence of our diaminocyclopentadienone iron tricarbonyl complex . The alkylation of some 2-arylethanol derivatives was successfully addressed with benzylic alcohols and methanol as alkylating reagents under mild conditions. Deuterium labeling experiments suggested that both alcohols (2-arylethanol and either methanol or benzyl alcohol) served as hydrogen donors in this cascade process.

Iron-Catalyzed Tandem Three-Component Alkylation: Access to α-Methylated Substituted Ketones.

The borrowing hydrogen strategy has been applied in the synthesis of α-branched methylated ketones via a tandem three-component reaction catalyzed by a diaminocyclopentadienone iron tricarbonyl complex. Various alkyl and aromatic methyl ketones underwent dialkylation with various primary alcohols and methanol as alkylating agents in mild reaction conditions and good yields. Deuterium labeling experiments suggested that the benzylic alcohol was the hydrogen source in this tandem process.

Assessment of the Incremental Diagnostic Value of Florbetapir F 18 Imaging in Patients With Cognitive Impairment: The Incremental Diagnostic Value of Amyloid PET With [18F]-Florbetapir (INDIA-FBP) Study.

Importance: Cerebral amyloidosis is a key abnormality in Alzheimer disease (AD) and can be detected in vivo with positron emission tomography (PET) ligands. Although amyloid PET has clearly demonstrated analytical validity, its clinical utility is debated.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental diagnostic value of amyloid PET with florbetapir F 18 in addition to the routine clinical diagnostic assessment of patients evaluated for cognitive impairment.

Effects of 15 consecutive cryotherapy sessions on the clinical output of fibromyalgic patients.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic widespread pain disorder in which, the neurogenic origin of the pain, featured by allodynia and hyperalgesia, results from an imbalance in the levels of neurotransmitters and consequently of the peripheral pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. Whole body cryotherapy is a peculiar physical therapy known to relieve pain and inflammatory symptoms characteristics of rheumatic diseases, through the regulation of the cytokine expression. The aim of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the effects of cryotherapy on the clinical output of fibromyalgic patients.

The THRombolysis and STatins (THRaST) study.

Objective: To assess the impact on stroke outcome of statin use in the acute phase after IV thrombolysis.

Methods: Multicenter study on prospectively collected data of 2,072 stroke patients treated with IV thrombolysis. Outcome measures of efficacy were neurologic improvement (NIH Stroke Scale [NIHSS] ≤ 4 points from baseline or NIHSS = 0) and major neurologic improvement (NIHSS ≤ 8 points from baseline or NIHSS = 0) at 7 days and favorable (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] ≤ 2) and excellent functional outcome (mRS ≤ 1) at 3 months.

Rheumatoid nodules: the importance of a correct differential diagnosis.

Knuckle pads is a syndrome characterized by the presence of multiple nodules located on the extensor side of the interphalangeal or metacarpophalangeal joints. Several conditions can be confused with Knuckle pads. We describe a case of a 47-years-old man who developed multiple bilateral roundish nodules located in the skin over the dorsal and lateral interphalangeal joints in both hands.

Health-related quality of life measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) in systemic sclerosis: correlations with indexes of disease activity and severity, disability, and depressive symptoms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), to compare it with that of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to correlate it with other parameters. HR-QOL was evaluated by the Short Form 36 (SF-36), SSc disease activity and severity by preliminary indexes recently proposed, disability by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and depressive symptoms by the Beck Depression Inventory. HR-QOL perception was not statistically different in patients with SSc and RA, except that patients with diffuse cutaneous involvement had worse scores in the general health and mental health dimensions than patients with RA (p=0.

Cinnarizine is a useful and well-tolerated drug in the treatment of acquired cold urticaria (ACU).

Old generation H1-type antihistamines are the standard therapeutic option for acquired cold urticaria (ACU), but adverse effects are common. New antihistamines are well tolerated but efficacy is often poor. The present study aims to evaluate efficacy and safety of cinnarizine in the treatment of ACU patients intolerant to old antihistamines and resistant to new drugs.

Systemic sclerosis therapy with iloprost: a prospective observational study of 30 patients treated for a median of 3 years.

Iloprost is useful in the short-term treatment of severe Raynaud's phenomenon and ischaemic ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), but its long-term effects are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to report long-term outcome (median follow-up 36 months) in a prospective observational study of a cohort of 30 consecutive patients with SSc who received iloprost therapy with maintenance infusions every 3 weeks after an initial cycle of 5 consecutive days. At the end of the observation, compared to the pretreatment point, we observed complete healing of digital ulcers in 19/21 patients (90%), a decrease of the Raynaud's phenomenon visual analogue score from 10/10 (25th-75th percentile 7-10) to 5/10 (4-6.

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease with antibodies to Ro/SSa: clinical features and follow-up of 148 patients.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and serologic profile, the rate of progression to well defined CTD and the possible predictors of disease evolution in patients affected by UCTD with antibodies anti-RoISSA.

Methods: 148 patients diagnosed as UCTD were retrospectively evaluated. Antibodies to SSA/Ro were determined by counter-immunoelectrophoresis and ELISA.

[Systemic sclerosis. Which therapies?].

Sistemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease characterized by excessive deposit of collagen in the skin and in different viscera such as the lung, the heart, the kidney, the gastrointestinal tract and muscoloskeletal system. Fibrosis is a natural and not reversible consequence of this extracellular matrix accumulation. Past management strategies have not been successful, usually.

Chilblain lupus erythematosus is associated with antibodies to SSA/Ro.

Chilblain lupus erythematosus (CL) of Hutchinson is a subtype of lupus erythematosus (LE) characterized by erythematous lesions induced by cold, damp climates. A number of patients affected by CL eventually develop features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report here 9 patients with chilblain cutaneous lesions, 6 of them were affected by SLE and 2 by SCLE.

Triphasic waves associated with acute naproxen overdose: a case report.

Triphasic waves (TWs) can be recorded on EEG in the course of several metabolic disorders, mainly hepatic encephalopathy. A case of acute encephalopathy due to naproxen intoxication is reported, in the course of which diffuse, bilateral and symmetrical TWs were recorded. Biochemical mechanisms that might determine both a complex encephalopathy and TWs are discussed.