Chelation-controlled intermolecular alkene and alkyne hydroacylation: the utility of beta-thioacetal aldehydes.

[reaction: see text]. Beta-thioacetal-substituted aldehydes, which are conveniently prepared from the corresponding ynals, can be combined with a range of alkynes or electron-poor alkenes to deliver intermolecular hydroacylation adducts. The reactions employ [Rh(dppe)]ClO4 as a catalyst and are proposed to proceed via a chelated rhodium acyl intermediate.

The Women's Recovery from Sternotomy (WREST) study: design of a randomized trial of a novel undergarment for early use after sternotomy.

Background: Clinicians who work with women poststernotomy often suggest that they wear a supportive brassiere to ameliorate pain, discomfort, and potential wound complications. There is no empirical evidence that supports this practice.

Methods: Despite methodological challenges, a clinical trial is currently underway to investigate the efficacy of early use of a novel undergarment after sternotomy.

Effects of dual therapy with corticosteroids plus long acting beta2-agonists in asthma.

Asthma is a common condition characterised by inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness and reversible airflow obstruction. Effective pharmacotherapy must therefore be aimed at attenuating these underlying hallmark features. Despite the use of regular low-to-moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids, many patients remain symptomatic and require further 2nd line controller therapy.

Discovery, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel glucokinase activators.

The identification, synthesis and SAR of a novel series of glucokinase activators is described. The interplay between lipophilicity, potency and physical properties is discussed, and compound 22 highlighted as having a suitable balance. In vivo pharmacokinetic and acute efficacy studies on this compound are also presented.

Therapeutic modulation of allergic airways disease with leukotriene receptor antagonists.

Although asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions, it often remains unrecognized and undertreated, while patients are often reluctant to comply with regular inhaled anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator therapy. Allergic rhinitis co-exists with asthma in as many as 40% of patients, and can be regarded as a continuum of the same inflammatory disease process. Corticosteroids are the 'gold standard' first-line treatment for both conditions, and have a significant impact upon underlying inflammation, symptoms and long-term outcome.

Noninvasive vs. selective invasive biliary imaging for acute biliary pancreatitis: an economic evaluation by using decision tree analysis.

Background: ERCP is used selectively in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP). In patients with ABP, ERCP often is difficult and has the potential to cause further damage. In addition, the prevalence of residual choledocholithiasis in ABP is low (<30%).

How does narrative cue children's perspective taking?

Three experiments with a total of 120 children between 4 and 9 years of age revealed systematic errors in the recall of deictic terms from a narrative. In some cases, the terms were inconsistent with the perspective of a protagonist. The errors occurred in all age groups and were at the same level whether the protagonist was "good" or "bad" but were less common in a narrative that did not include a protagonist.

The impact of acquisition protocol on the incidence of patient motion in 99mTc based myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Background: Myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) artefacts introduced as a result of patient motion are known to produce artefacts that mimic the appearances of coronary artery disease. The advent of 99mTc based radiopharmaceuticals permits greater flexibility in patient scheduling, but variable physical demands of protocols may be associated with variations in the likelihood of patient motion.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of 177 myocardial perfusion SPECT patients using 99mTc tetrofosmin was used to compare the incidence of visually detectable motion for three protocol variations.

Assessment of bronchial responsiveness following exposure to inhaled occupational and environmental agents.

Inhalation of a range of agents can result in airway inflammation and/or irritation. This may result in occupational asthma or reactive airways dysfunction syndrome. Reactive airways dysfunction syndrome follows a single large exposure to a chemical agent but is now frequently embraced under the wider term of irritant-induced asthma, a term that also includes asthma due to persistent, lower dose irritant exposures.