Phosphorus-containing polycarbosilazanes: synthesis dehydrocoupling catalysis and flame-retardant properties.

The barium complex [Ba{N(SiMe)}] has been used to catalyse the dehydropolymerisation of the phosphine-functionalised hydrosilane 4-PhP-CHSiH (A) with the α,ω-diamine 1,4-(CHNHMe)-CH (C), for the production of -[Si(4-CHPPh)H-N(Me)CH-CH-CHN(Me)]- polycarbosilazanes that contain dangling phosphino groups along the polymer backbone. The comonomers A and C, specifically prepared for this purpose and comprehensively characterised, lend themselves well to barium-promoted dehydrocoupling catalysis. They allow for the formation of linear, amine-capped polymers with molecular weights in the range 4000-8000 g mol, as estimated by DOSY and H end-group NMR analyses.

Barium phosphidoboranes and related calcium complexes.

The attempted synthesis of [{Carb}BaPPh] (1) showed this barium-phosphide and its thf adducts, 1·thf and 1·(thf), to be unstable in solution. Our strategy to circumvent the fragility of these compounds involved the use of phosphinoboranes HPPh·BH and HPPh·B(CF) instead of HPPh. This allowed for the synthesis of [{Carb}Ae{PPh·BH}] (Ae = Ba, 2; Ca, 3), [{Carb}Ca{(HB)PPh}·(thf)] (4), [{Carb}Ba{PPh·B(CF)}] (5), [{Carb}Ba{O(B(CF))CHCHCHCHPPh}·thf] (6), [Ba{O(B(CF))CHCHCHCHPPh}·(thf)] (7) and [Ba{PPh·B(CF)}·(thp)] (8) that were characterised by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (thp = tetrahydropyran).

A Digital Health Solution for Child Growth Monitoring at Home: Testing the Accuracy of a Novel "GrowthMonitor" Smartphone Application to Detect Abnormal Height and Body Mass Indices.

Objective: To develop and evaluate a smartphone application that accurately measures height and provides notifications when abnormalities are detected.

Patients And Methods: A total of 145 (75 boys) participants with a mean age ± SD of 8.7±4.

Generation of glucocorticoid-producing cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells.

Adrenal insufficiency is a life-threatening condition resulting from the inability to produce adrenal hormones in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Establishing a cell-based therapy would provide a physiologically responsive approach for the treatment of this condition. We report the generation of large numbers of human-induced steroidogenic cells (hiSCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs).

Bonding analysis in ytterbium(II) distannyl and related tetryls.

The syntheses of the ytterbium(II) distannyl [Yb{Sn(SiMe)}·(thf)] (Yb-Sn) and of its digermyl analogue [Yb{Ge(SiMe)}·(thf)] (Yb-Ge) are presented. The compounds were characterised by multinuclear high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy, including Yb NMR, and by X-ray diffraction crystallography. The bonding and electronic properties of the two complexes, along with those of the known ytterbium(II) disilyl derivative [Yb{Si(SiMe)}·(thf)] (Yb-Si) and those of the congeneric calcium distannyl [Ca{Sn(SiMe)}·(thf)] (Ca-Sn), were investigated in detail by DFT calculations.

Bis(imino)carbazolate lead(II) fluoride and related halides.

The versatility of a bulky bis(imino)carbazolate ligand in lead(ii) chemistry is illustrated by the synthesis of a soluble, heteroleptic lead(ii) fluoride and several halide (Cl, Br and I), amide and hydrocarbyl congeners. All complexes have been structurally authenticated, and a full set of 207Pb NMR data is discussed.

Metal-metal bonded alkaline-earth distannyls.

The first families of alkaline-earth stannylides [Ae(SnPh)·(thf) ] (Ae = Ca, = 3, ; Sr, = 3, ; Ba, = 4, ) and [Ae{Sn(SiMe)}·(thf) ] (Ae = Ca, = 4, ; Sr, = 4, ; Ba, = 4, ), where Ae is a large alkaline earth with direct Ae-Sn bonds, are presented. All complexes have been characterised by high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy, including Sn NMR, and by X-ray diffraction crystallography. The molecular structures of [Ca(SnPh)·(thf)] (), [Sr(SnPh)·(thf)] (), [Ba(SnPh)·(thf)] (), , and [Ba{Sn(SiMe)}·(thf)] (), most of which crystallised as higher thf solvates than their parents , were established by XRD analysis; the experimentally determined Sn-Ae-Sn' angles lie in the range 158.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Acyclic Germanimines: Silyl Rearrangement and Cycloadditions.

We report the synthesis of aromatic germanimines [(HMDS)Ge═NAr] (Ar = Ph, Mes, Dipp; Mes = 2,4,6-MeCH, Dipp = 2,6-PrCH) and an investigation into their associated reactivity. [(HMDS)Ge═NPh] decomposes above -30 °C, while [(HMDS)Ge═NDipp] engages in an intramolecular reaction at 60 °C. [(HMDS)Ge═NMes] was shown to rearrange via a 1,3-silyl migration to give [(HMDS){(SiMe)(Mes)N}Ge(NSiMe)] in a 1:7 equilibrium mixture at room temperature.

A versatile nitrogen ligand for alkaline-earth chemistry.

The tridentate ligand 1,8-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino-3,6-di-tert-butyl-carbazolate, {Carb}, has been used to prepare a variety of complexes of the large alkaline earths (Ae) calcium, strontium and barium. A complex of their smaller congener, magnesium, has also been synthesised. The range of coligands that have been utilised include alkyls, amides, halides and tetrelides.

Bis(imino)carbazolate: A Master Key for Barium Chemistry.

Reported here is a readily available bis(imino)carbazole-based proligand that constitutes a convenient entry point into the challenging synthetic molecular chemistry of barium. It enables the preparation of rare or even, up to now, unknown, solution-stable heteroleptic barium complexes. The syntheses and structural features for the first molecular barium fluoride and the first barium stannylide, with an unsupported Ba-Sn bond, are described, along with other carbazolate barium species: an amide (both a remarkably stable starting material and an excellent hydrophosphination precatalyst), iodide, and silanylide.

Analysis of abnormal clones by the fluorescent aerolysin method in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and other marrow disorders.

Introduction: Flow cytometry is the most sensitive and specific diagnostic modality for the assessment of clone size in paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) and other bone marrow failure states. In this study, we attempt to distinguish PNH from aplastic anaemia (AA) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with PNH clones at diagnosis by clone size, clinical and laboratory features.

Methods: A total of 29 samples included 19 PNH cases and 10 AA/MDS cases with PNH clones.

Is CD20 positive plasma cell myeloma a unique clinicopathological entity? A study of 40 cases and review of the literature.

Aims: A number of clinicopathological features have been attributed to the CD20 positive subset of plasma cell myeloma (PCM). CD20 is an appealing therapeutic target given the success with monoclonal antibody regimens in a spectrum of B cell lymphomas. To date, a small number of reports have described CD20 PCM as a unique subset, and these are not conclusive, especially taking into consideration reporting bias.

Spatial statistics of natural-terrain imagery. II. Oblique visible backgrounds and stochastic simulation.

We report on the statistics and simulation of oblique airborne imagery of natural forest in the visible wave band. Statistical correlations in the imagery are characterized by a sharp, nearly exponential, central peak and a correlation tail that falls away much more slowly than exponentially. The histogram is approximately bell shaped in appearance, but the data set fails a rigorous statistical test of the Gaussian hypothesis.

Stochastic model-based processing for detection of small targets in non-Gaussian natural imagery.

Stochastic background models incorporating spatial correlations can be used to enhance the detection of targets in natural terrain imagery, but are generally difficult to apply when the statistics are non-Gaussian. Chapple and Bertilone (see Opt. Commun.

The sensitivity of CD138 immunostaining of bone marrow trephine specimens for quantifying marrow involvement in MGUS and myeloma, including samples with a low percentage of plasma cells.

Accurate quantification of plasma cells in bone marrow samples is essential for the diagnosis, classification and prognosis of plasma-cell dyscrasias. Published comparisons between aspirate/trephine morphology, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry are lacking. Bone marrow plasma cells from 100 patients with plasma cell myeloma or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance were quantified by a 500-cell differential count on Romanowsky-stained aspirate slides, flow-cytometry gating of CD38bright+/CD138+ cells, hematoxylin and eosin trephine section examination and CD138 trephine immunohistology.

Comparison of three methods of CD34+ cell enumeration in peripheral blood: dual-platform ISHAGE protocol versus single-platform, versus microvolume fluorimetry.

Background: Quantitation of peripheral blood (PB) CD34(+) cells is now an established method for timing PBPC harvesting. Recent refinements to the dual-platform ISHAGE gating strategy for CD34(+) cells has seen the introduction of microbeads to enable absolute counting of cells on a single instrument platform. This eliminates the need for total WBCC performed on an automated hematology analyzer and potentially increases the analytical precision of the methodology.

Repetitive high-dose therapy with cyclophosphamide, thiotepa and docetaxel with peripheral blood progenitor cell and filgrastim support for metastatic and locally advanced breast cancer: results of a phase I study.

This phase I study was designed to determine the optimal dosages of a novel repetitive high-dose therapy regimen for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The planned treatment was three cycles of high-dose cyclophosphamide, thiotepa and docetaxel delivered every 35 days with progressive dose-escalation in successive cohorts. Each cycle was supported by peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and filgrastim.

Docetaxel effectively mobilizes peripheral blood CD34+ cells.

We prospectively evaluated docetaxel (100 mg/m2) with G-CSF (10 microg/kg S.C., daily) for mobilization efficiency in 26 patients with breast cancer.

Repetitive high-dose therapy with ifosfamide, thiotepa and paclitaxel with peripheral blood progenitor cell and filgrastim support for metastatic and locally advanced breast cancer: results of a phase I study.

Background: This phase I study was designed to determine the optimal dosages of a novel repetitive high-dose therapy regimen for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Patients And Methods: The planned treatment was three cycles of high-dose ifosfamide, thiotepa and conventional-dose paclitaxel delivered every 28 days with progressive dose-escalation in successive cohorts. Each cycle was supported by peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) and filgrastim.

Comparison of COBE Spectra software version 4.7 PBSC and version 6.0 auto PBSC program.

Until recently, the collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) has been semi-automated by using the COBE Spectra, with the operator manually maintaining the position of the white cells being collected. The COBE Spectra Version 6.0 apheresis device offers the user an automated program for the collection of PBPC.

Ifosfamide in combination with paclitaxel or doxorubicin: regimens which effectively mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells while demonstrating anti-tumor activity in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

For patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who undergo high-dose therapy with autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation, an important prerequisite is a mobilization regimen that efficiently mobilizes PBPCs while producing an effective anti-tumor effect. We prospectively evaluated ifosfamide-based chemotherapy for mobilization efficiency, toxicity and disease response in 37 patients. Patients received two cycles of the ifosfamide-based regimen; ifosfamide (5 g/m2 with conventional-dose cycle and 6 g/m2 with mobilization cycle) with either 50 mg/m2 doxorubicin (if limited prior anthracycline and/or progression more than 12 months after an anthracycline-based regimen) or 175 mg/m2 paclitaxel.

Peripheral blood CD34+ cell count reliably predicts autograft yield.

A reliable measure to predict peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) autograft CD34+ cell content is required to optimize the timing of PBPC collection. We prospectively examined the peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cell count in 59 consecutive patients with various malignancies and analyzed the correlation between the PB CD34+ cell count and various parameters in the PBPC autograft. Two hundred and thirty-five collections were performed with a median of 4.

Infection of cultured human type II pneumonocytes with certain respiratory viruses.

Human type II alveolar pneumonocytes were grown either as monolayers derived from a clone or as organotypic cultures of fetal lung. The type II cells in these cultures retained in their cytoplasm multilamellar bodies which were morphologically identical to similar organelles present in type II cells of intact human fetal and adult lung. A number of respiratory viruses infected the cells and produced a cytopathic effect in the cultures.