Bidentate ligands on osmium(VI) nitrido complexes control intracellular targeting and cell death pathways.

The cellular response evoked by antiproliferating osmium(VI) nitrido compounds of general formula OsN(N^N)Cl3 (N^N = 2,2'-bipyridine 1, 1,10-phenanthroline 2, 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline 3, or 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline 4) can be tuned by subtle ligand modifications. Complex 2 induces DNA damage, resulting in activation of the p53 pathway, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, and caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death. In contrast, 4 evokes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress leading to the upregulation of proteins of the unfolded protein response pathway, increase in ER size, and p53-independent apoptotic cell death.

Impossibility of spontaneously rotating time crystals: a no-go theorem.

I present arguments indicating the impossibility of spontaneously rotating "quantum time crystals," as recently proposed by Frank Wilczek. In particular, I prove a "no-go theorem," rigorously ruling out the possibility of spontaneous ground-state (or thermal equilibrium) rotation for a broad class of systems.

Annoyance evaluation and the effect of noise on the health of bus drivers.

In the present study, we evaluated annoyance and the effects of noise on the health of bus drivers. For that, 200 bus drivers from a public transport company participated in a cross-sectional study. Annoyance and effects on health was measured with analog scale: Sleep quality, occurrence of tinnitus, headache, irritation, and annoyance from bus engine, traffic, and passengers.

Total synthesis and stereochemical assignment of baringolin.

The thiopeptide antibiotic baringolin has been synthesized, and its structure and stereochemistry have been confirmed. The use of a strategy based on palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings permitted a modular construction of this natural product.

Efficacy and cost effectiveness of rapid on site examination (ROSE) in management of patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathies.

Background: The diagnostic and staging approach for the mediastinal lymphadenopathies, with or whithout pulmonary lesions endoscopically visible, is based on transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) during fiberoptic bronchoscopy and on mediastinoscopy. One important factor impacting on TBNA sensitivity is the rapid on site cytological examination (ROSE).

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of TBNA and TBNA + ROSE, in the diagnosis of these lesions.

Genetic and chemical targeting of epithelial-restricted with serine box reduces EGF receptor and potentiates the efficacy of afatinib.

EGF receptor (EGFR) is elevated in more than 90% of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, a majority of patients with HNSCC do not respond to anti-EGFR therapeutics. Insensitivity to EGFR inhibitors may be due to kinase-independent actions of EGFR and/or activation of Her2.

Long-term morphofunctional remodeling of internal thoracic artery grafts: a frequency-domain optical coherence tomography study.

Background: Internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) are frequently anastomosed to the coronary circulation for bypass grafting. The purpose of this research was to investigate in vivo the long-term morphofunctional changes of ITAs after their use as coronary artery bypass conduits, by comparing the morphological features and vasoreactivity of the grafted left ITA (LITA) with the native, nonharvested right ITA (RITA) in the same patient.

Methods And Results: At least 10 years after surgery, in 10 patients, LITA graft and nonharvested RITA were assessed by quantitative angiography and frequency-domain optical tomography.

Stereodivergent strategy for neurofuran synthesis via palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic cyclization: total synthesis of 7-epi-ST-Δ(8)-10-neurofuran.

Neurofurans are formed in vivo in the human brain as a consequence of an increased oxidative stress, and they could be valuable biomarkers of the neuronal oxidative stress. In this paper, an enantioselective stereodivergent approach to two key neurofuran precursors, belonging to the AC and ST classes, has been developed starting from a single achiral precursor, the meso-diol 11. The absolute configuration of the THF cores was secured by a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation using (S,S)-L1 and (R,R)-L2 ligands, respectively.

Description of the novel HLA-DPB1*137:01 allele found in an Italian subject.

In this report, we describe the identification and sequencing of a novel HLA-DPB1 allele, found in an Italian haematological patient. This allele is identical to DPB1*17:01 except for a single nucleotide substitution (GAC→GAG) at position 57, which changes the encoded amino acid from Asp to Glu.

A new fracture assessment approach coupling HR-pQCT imaging and fracture mechanics-based finite element modeling.

A new fracture assessment approach that combines HR-pQCT imaging with fracture mechanics-based finite element modeling was developed to evaluate distal radius fracture load. Twenty distal radius images obtained from postmenopausal women (fracture, n=10; nonfracture, n=10) were processed to obtain a cortical and a whole bone model for each subject. The geometrical properties of each model were evaluated and the corresponding fracture load was determined under realistic fall conditions using cohesive finite element modeling.

Dietary supplement recommendations by Saskatchewan chiropractors: results of an online survey.

Background: Chiropractors receive training in nutrition during their education, previous surveys have found that chiropractors frequently provide recommendations to patients relating to nutrition and dietary supplement intake. However, it has not been ascertained which specific supplements chiropractors recommend or the types of health conditions for which supplement recommendations are made.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine which dietary supplements are most commonly recommended by chiropractors in the province of Saskatchewan,Canada and the health conditions for which supplement recommendations are made.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis of interventions for fibromyalgia: a protocol.

Background: Fibromyalgia is associated with substantial socioeconomic loss and, despite considerable research including numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, there exists uncertainty regarding what treatments are effective. No review has evaluated all interventional studies for fibromyalgia, which limits attempts to make inferences regarding the relative effectiveness of treatments.

Methods/design: We will conduct a network meta-analysis of all RCTs evaluating therapies for fibromyalgia to determine which therapies show evidence of effectiveness, and the relative effectiveness of these treatments.

Decreased expression of autophagic beclin 1 protein in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis fibroblasts.

Autophagy is the main cellular pathway for degradation of long-lived proteins and organelles and regulates cell fate in response to stress. Beclin 1 is a key regulator of this process. In some settings autophagy and apoptosis seem to be interconnected.

The use of internal thoracic artery grafts in patients with aortic coarctation.

The choice of conduits for surgical revascularization in patients with aortic coarctation can be puzzling, as the internal thoracic arteries can be dilated, atherosclerotic and unsuitable for grafting. Reports in the literature are controversial: in some cases, the internal thoracic artery was not suitable for revascularization, while in others, it could be used with discordant outcomes. Here, we review the literature on the subject.

NT-proatrial natriuretic peptide as a possible biomarker of cardiopulmonary involvement in sarcoidosis.

Background: Lung diffusion for carbon monoxide (DLCO) has been shown to associate with the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension development and, most likely, with right ventricular (RV) myocardial dysfunction in sarcoidosis patients. Besides its known role as a marker of left ventricular dysfunction, experimental evidence suggests a role of NT-proAtrial Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proANP) also in modulating pulmonary circulation. We therefore investigated possible relationships between NT-proANP, lung diffusion impairment and RV dysfunction.

Predicting cancer drug mechanisms of action using molecular network signatures.

Molecular signatures are a powerful approach to characterize novel small molecules and derivatized small molecule libraries. While new experimental techniques are being developed in diverse model systems, informatics approaches lag behind these exciting advances. We propose an analysis pipeline for signature based drug annotation.

EMT markers in lung adenocarcinoma pleural effusion spheroid cells.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which cells undergo a developmental switch from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. This process has been related to embryologic morphogenesis but also to cancer progression and metastasis. The aim of the current study was to investigate the expression of EMT-related markers in adherent and spheroid cell cultures derived from malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) of patients affected by lung adenocarcinoma.

Defining principles of combination drug mechanisms of action.

Combination chemotherapies have been a mainstay in the treatment of disseminated malignancies for almost 60 y, yet even successful regimens fail to cure many patients. Although their single-drug components are well studied, the mechanisms by which drugs work together in clinical combination regimens are poorly understood. Here, we combine RNAi-based functional signatures with complementary informatics tools to examine drug combinations.

The impact of exercise training on liver transplanted familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) patients.

Background: Liver transplantation is nowadays the only effective answer to adjourn the outcome of functional limitations associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by sensory and motor polyneuropathies. Nevertheless, there is a detrimental impact associated with the after-surgery period on the fragile physical condition of these patients. Exercise training has been proven to be effective on reconditioning patients after transplantation.

Two-team simultaneous open surgical treatment in bilateral shoulder fracture dislocation.

Unlabelled: Different surgical options have been described for the treatment of bilateral shoulder fracture dislocations. We report 2 cases of bilateral shoulder fracture dislocation treated simultaneously by 2 surgical teams. One case had bilateral hemiarthroplasty performed, and the second case had 1 hemiarthroplasty and McLaughlin procedure on the other shoulder.

Quantum geometric phase in Majorana's stellar representation: mapping onto a many-body Aharonov-Bohm phase.

The (Berry-Aharonov-Anandan) geometric phase acquired during a cyclic quantum evolution of finite-dimensional quantum systems is studied. It is shown that a pure quantum state in a (2J+1)-dimensional Hilbert space (or, equivalently, of a spin-J system) can be mapped onto the partition function of a gas of independent Dirac strings moving on a sphere and subject to the Coulomb repulsion of 2J fixed test charges (the Majorana stars) characterizing the quantum state. The geometric phase may be viewed as the Aharonov-Bohm phase acquired by the Majorana stars as they move through the gas of Dirac strings.

Anatomically remote muscle contraction facilitates patellar tendon reflex reinforcement while mental activity does not: a within-participants experimental trial.

Background: The Jendrassik maneuver (JM) is a remote facilitation muscular contraction shown to affect amplitude and temporal components of the human stretch reflex. Conflicting theoretical models exist regarding the neurological mechanism related to its ability to reinforce reflex parameters. One mechanism involves the gamma motoneurons of the fusimotor system, which are subject to both physical and mental activity.