Validity of the Loewenstein occupational therapy cognitive assessment in people with intellectual disabilities.

We examined the psychometric properties (internal consistency, concurrent criterion validity, and known-group validity) of the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) in people with intellectual disabilities. A total of 111 people with intellectual disabilities and 19 people with no disabilities were included. We used Cronbach's alpha, Spearman's rho, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and one-way analysis of variance for analysis, where appropriate.

Mifepristone treatment improves length and quality of survival of mice with spontaneous leukemia.

Background: Mifepristone was found to suppress expression of the progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF). Progesterone-induced blocking factor suppresses natural killer cell activity. The objective of the present study was to determine if treatment of mice with spontaneous murine lymphocyte leukemia with the progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone could improve length and quality of life.

An improved screening model to identify inhibitors targeting zinc-enhanced amyloid aggregation.

Zinc, which is abundant in senile plaques consisting mainly of fibrillar beta-amyloid (Abeta), plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Treatment with zinc chelators such as clioquinol has been used to prevent Abeta aggregation in Alzheimer's patients; however, clioquinol produces severe side effects. A simple, easy, inexpensive, and versatile screen to identify zinc chelators for inhibition of Abeta aggregation is currently unavailable.

Design and synthesis of indole, 2,3-dihydro-indole, and 3,4-dihydro-2H-quinoline-1-carbothioic acid amide derivatives as novel HCV inhibitors.

An efficient synthetic methodology to provide indole, 2,3-dihydro-indole, and 3,4-dihydro-2H-quinoline-1-carbothioic acid amide derivatives is described. These conformationally restricted heterobicyclic scaffolds were evaluated as a novel class of HCV inhibitors. Introduction of an acyl group at the NH(2) of the thiourea moiety has been found to enhance inhibitory activity.

Transient selective downward gaze paralysis complicating posterior fossa tumor resection in children. Report of 2 cases.

Selective downward gaze paralysis has not previously been described as a complication after posterior fossa operations in children. The authors found downgaze palsy to be a transient complication after resection of large pediatric posterior fossa midline tumors reaching the aqueduct of Sylvius. They reviewed the cases of 2 children with large posterior fossa midline tumors who underwent resection via an inferior transventricular approach.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of tetrahydroisoquinolines as new kinesin spindle protein inhibitors.

In this study, a series of tetrahydroisoquinolines have been synthesized and identified as novel kinesine spindle protein (KSP) inhibitors based on the pharmacophore we have mapped and the crystal structure of monastrol bound to the target protein. The KSP inhibitory activities of all the designed compounds were tested using cloned Human KSP protein. All thirteen compounds were more potent than the control, monastrol, in Human KSP protein adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) assays.

Structure-based discovery of triphenylmethane derivatives as inhibitors of hepatitis C virus helicase.

Hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 3 (HCV NS3) helicase is believed to be essential for viral replication and has become an attractive target for the development of antiviral drugs. A fluorescence resonant energy transfer helicase assay was established for fast screening of putative inhibitors selected from virtual screening using the program DOCK. Soluble blue HT (1) was first identified as a novel HCV helicase inhibitor.

Novel antiviral agent DTriP-22 targets RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of enterovirus 71.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) has emerged as an important virulent neurotropic enterovirus in young children. DTriP-22 (4{4-[(2-bromo-phenyl)-(3-methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-methyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-1-pheny-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine) was found to be a novel and potent inhibitor of EV71. The molecular target of this compound was identified by analyzing DTriP-22-resistant viruses.

Downregulation of GSTpi expression by tryptanthrin contributing to sensitization of doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells through c-jun NH2-terminal kinase-mediated apoptosis.

Overexpression of GSTpi and underexpression of Topo II expression are associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype through nontransporter pathway. Tryptanthrin, a quinazoline derivative, was reported to sensitize resistant cells to doxorubicin by downregulation of MDR1 expression. This study aims to extendedly investigate the effect of tryptanthrin on the role of nontransporter-based genes in determining the MDR response in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/adr).

Kinetics of pulp mill effluent treatment by ozone-based processes.

The wastewaters generated from wood pulping and paper production processes are traditionally treated by biological and physicochemical processes. In order to reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color to meet increasingly strict discharge standards, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are being adapted as polishing treatment units. Various ozone-based processes were used in this study to treat simulated wastewaters prepared from black liquor from a hardwood Kraft pulp mill in Taiwan.

Computed tomography morphometric analysis for axial and subaxial translaminar screw placement in the pediatric cervical spine.

Object: The management of upper cervical spinal instability in children continues to represent a technical challenge. Traditionally, a number of wiring techniques followed by halo orthosis have been applied; however, they have been associated with a high rate of nonunion and poor tolerance for the halo. Alternatively, C1-2 transarticular screws and C-2 pars/pedicle screws allow more rigid fixation, but their placement is technically demanding and associated with vertebral artery injuries.

Design, synthesis, and anti-HCV activity of thiourea compounds.

A series of thiourea derivatives were synthesized and their antiviral activity was evaluated in a cell-based HCV subgenomic replicon assay. SAR studies revealed that the chain length and the position of the alkyl linker largely influenced the in vitro anti-HCV activity of this class of potent antiviral agents. Among this series of compounds synthesized, the thiourea derivative with a six-carbon alkyl linker at the meta-position of the central phenyl ring (10) was identified as the most potent anti-HCV inhibitor (EC(50) = 0.

Stripping of organic compounds from wastewater as an auxiliary fuel of regenerative thermal oxidizer.

Organic solvents with different volatilities are widely used in various processes and generate air and water pollution problems. In the cleaning processes of electronics industries, most volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are vented to air pollution control devices while most non-volatile organic solvents dissolve in the cleaning water and become the major sources of COD in wastewater. Discharging a high-COD wastewater stream to wastewater treatment facility often disturbs the treatment performance.

The design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 7-alkoxy-4-heteroarylamino-3-cyanoquinolines as dual inhibitors of c-Src and iNOS.

Because both c-Src and iNOS are key regulatory enzymes in tumorigenesis, a new series of 4-heterocycle amine-3-quinolinecarbonitriles as potent dual inhibitors of both enzymes were designed, synthesized and evaluated as multiple targets agents in cancer therapy. All compounds were evaluated by two related enzyme inhibition assays and an anti-proliferation assay in vitro. The results showed that most compounds inhibited c-Src and iNOS well.

Analogues of 2-phenyl-ethenesulfonic acid phenyl ester have dual functions of inhibiting expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.

We identified a series of 2-phenyl-ethenesulfonic acid phenyl ester analogues as novel dual-function agents that suppressed nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide/interferon gamma-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) in a cell-based transactivation assay. Western blot analysis demonstrated that these compounds inhibit the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase protein, and scintillation proximity assay validated their ability to bind to PPARgamma.

Facile immobilization of evolved agrobacterium radiobacter carbamoylase with high thermal and oxidative stability.

Optically pure amino acids have been widely used as intermediates in the synthesis of antibiotics, antifungal agents, pesticides, and sweeteners. Of particular importance, d- p-hydroxyphenylglycine (D-HPG) can be produced from d, l-hydroxyphenly hydantoin (D,L-HPH) in a two-step reaction mediated by d-hydantoinase and N-carbamoyl- d-amino acid amidohydrolase (or carbamoylase). To make this production more industrially appealing, the carbamoylase gene from Agrobacterium radiobacter NRRL B11291 cloned in an Escherichia coli strain was intensively mutated to improve the thermal stability of carbamoylase by three rounds of DNA shuffling.

Delayed treatment of diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis in Taiwan.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is an ongoing public health problem in Taiwan. The National Tuberculosis Registry Campaign, a case management system, was implemented in 1997. This study examined this monitoring system to identify and characterize delayed treatment of TB patients.

Polarization-preserving angular shifter.

This study shows that by using a wedge plate the incident direction of light propagation can be rotated as desired while still preserving beam polarization. This study also deduces the basic condition of this preservation of polarization. Two typical wedge plates are analyzed for numerical demonstration.

Design and synthesis of 7-alkoxy-4-heteroarylamino-3-quinolinecarbonitriles as dual inhibitors of c-Src kinase and nitric oxide synthase.

Because both c-Src and iNOS are key regulatory enzymes in tumorigenesis, a new series of 4-heteroarylamino-3-quinolinecarbonitriles as potent dual inhibitors of both enzymes were designed, prepared, and evaluated for blocking multiple signaling pathways in cancer therapy. All compounds were evaluated by two related enzyme inhibition assays and an anti-proliferation assay in vitro. The results showed that most compounds could inhibit both enzymes, and several of them showed potent inhibition activity against different cancer cell lines.

Are patients with esophageal cancer who become PET negative after neoadjuvant chemoradiation free of cancer?

Background: Esophageal cancer continues to increase in incidence. Many patients are presenting with stage II or greater disease and proceeding to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy before resection. Approximately 30% of patients will achieve a complete response and might not benefit from proceeding to resection.

Nucleofection mediates high-efficiency stable gene knockdown and transgene expression in human embryonic stem cells.

High-efficiency genetic modification of human embryonic stem (hES) cells would enable manipulation of gene activity, routine gene targeting, and development of new human disease models and treatments. Chemical transfection, nucleofection, and electroporation of hES cells result in low transfection efficiencies. Viral transduction is efficient but has significant drawbacks.

Benzyl ether-linked glucuronide derivative of 10-hydroxycamptothecin designed for selective camptothecin-based anticancer therapy.

A beta-glucuronidase-activated prodrug approach was applied to 10-hydroxycamptothecin, a Camptotheca alkaloid with promising antitumor activity but poor water solubility. We synthesized a glucuronide prodrug of 10-hydroxycamptothecin ( 7) in which glucuronic acid is connected via a self-immolative 3-nitrobenzyl ether linker to the 10-OH group of 10-hydroxycamptothecin. Compound 7 was 80 times more soluble than 10-hydroxycamptothecin in aqueous solution at pH 4.

Evidence that progesterone receptor antagonists may help in the treatment of a variety of cancers by locally suppressing natural killer cell activity.

Purpose: To propose a novel concept that progesterone receptor antagonists, e.g., mifepristone, may prove effective in treating a variety of cancers--even those not shown to be hormonally dependent or possessing progesterone receptors.

Illuminance formation and color difference of mixed-color light emitting diodes in a rectangular light pipe: an analytical approach.

We developed an analytical method of illuminance formation for mixed-color LEDs in a rectangular light pipe in order to derive American National Standards Institute (ANSI) light uniformity, ANSI color uniformity, and color difference of light output using photometry, nonimaging, and colorimetry. The analytical results indicate that the distributions of illuminance and color difference vary with different geometric structures of light pipes and the location of the light sources. It was found that both the ANSI light and the ANSI color uniformity on the exit plane of the light pipe are reduced exponentially with the increase in length of the light pipe.

Antiviral activity of pyridyl imidazolidinones against enterovirus 71 variants.

Pyridyl imidazolidinone is a novel class of capsid binder which can inhibit enterovirus 71 (EV71). In this study, we tested the susceptibility of six recombinant viruses with different single-site mutations in VP1. Eleven modified pyridyl imidazolidinones were synthesized and used to probe the interaction between these compounds and the EV71 VP1 protein.