Heterogeneous copper-catalyzed Grignard reactions with allylic substrates.

Herein, we present a highly efficient allylic substitution of carbonates with Grignard reagents using a reusable cellulose-supported nanocopper catalyst. This approach highlights the first instance of heterogeneous catalysis for the cross-coupling of allylic alcohol substrates with Grignard reagents. The method features high yields, excellent regioselectivity, and complete chirality transfer.

Birch-Bark-Inspired Synergistic Fabrication of High-Performance Cellulosic Materials.

There is a growing demand for the utilization of sustainable materials, such as cellulose-based alternatives, over fossil-based materials. However, the inherent drawbacks of cellulosic materials, such as extremely low wet strength and resistance to moisture, need significant improvements. Moreover, several of the commercially available wet-strength chemicals and hydrophobic agents for cellulosic material treatment are toxic or fossil-based (e.

In Situ Enzymatic Polymerization of Ethylene Brassylate Mediated by Artificial Plant Cell Walls in Reactive Extrusion.

Herein, we describe a solvent-free bioinspired approach for the polymerization of ethylene brassylate. Artificial plant cell walls (APCWs) with an integrated enzyme were fabricated by self-assembly, using microcrystalline cellulose as the main structural component. The resulting APCW catalysts were tested in bulk reactions and reactive extrusion, leading to high monomer conversion and a molar mass of around 4 kDa.

Organo-Mediated Ring-Opening Polymerization of Ethylene Brassylate from Cellulose Nanofibrils in Reactive Extrusion.

Ethylene brassylate is a renewable macrolactone from castor oil that can be polymerized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) to obtain a fully biosourced biodegradable polyester. ROP mediated by organometallic catalysts leads to high molar mass poly(ethylene brassylate) (PEB). However, the use of metal-free organocatalysis has several advantages, such as the reduction of toxic and expensive metals.

Evaluating a nurse-led narrative interview intervention with cancer patients with a first diagnosis: A feasibility study.

Narrative Medicine and Nursing are clinical-supporting intervention methodologies that aim to enhance professionals' communication skills and place patients at the heart of their therapeutic path. A narrative interview (NI) is a communication tool between practitioner and patient. The role of NI is debated extensively in the literature, but no studies focus on its use by nurses responsible for first-diagnosed cancer patients.

Cellulose-Supported Heterogeneous Gold-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization Reactions of Alkynoic Acids and Allenynamides.

Herein, we describe efficient nanogold-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions of alkynoic acids and allenynamides to enol lactones and dihydropyrroles, respectively (the latter via an Alder-ene reaction). The gold nanoparticles were immobilized on thiol-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose and characterized by electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and by XPS. The thiol-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au) were obtained in the size range 1.

Subtilisin integrated artificial plant cell walls as heterogeneous catalysts for asymmetric synthesis of ()-amides.

Subtilisin integrated artificial plant-cell walls (APCWs) were fabricated by self-assembly using cellulose or nanocellulose as the main component. The resulting APCW catalysts are excellent heterogeneous catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of ()-amides. This was demonstrated by the APCW-catalyzed kinetic resolution of several racemic primary amines to give the corresponding ()-amides in high yields with excellent enantioselectivity.

Sugar-Assisted Kinetic Resolutions in Metal/Chiral Amine Co-Catalyzed α-Allylations and [4+2] Cycloadditions: Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Sugar and Chromane Derivatives.

Functionalized triose-, furanose and chromane-derivatives were synthesized by the titled reactions. The sugar-assisted kinetic resolution/C-C bond-forming cascade processes generate a functionalized sugar derivative with a quaternary stereocenter in a highly enantioselective fashion (up to >99 % ee) by using a simple combination of metal and chiral amine co-catalysts. Notably, the interplay between the chiral sugar substrate and the chiral amino acid derivative allowed for the construction of a functionalized sugar product with high enantioselectivity (up to 99 %) also when using a combination of racemic amine catalyst (0 % ee) and metal catalyst.

The Quality of Life of People with Solid Cancer is Less Worse than Other Diseases with better Prognosis, Except in the Presence of Depression.

Background: Suffering from Solid Cancer (SC) may adversely impact the Health-related Quality of Life (H-QoL). The aims of this study are to measure the H-QoL in a sample of people suffering from SC and to clarify the role of the co-occurrence of depressive episodes. Results were compared with a healthy control group and with groups of other disorders.

Efficient Heterogeneous Copper-Catalyzed Alder-Ene Reaction of Allenynamides to Pyrrolines.

Herein, we describe an efficient nanocopper-catalyzed Alder-ene reaction of allenynamides. The copper nanoparticles were immobilized on amino-functionalized microcrystalline cellulose. A solvent-controlled chemoselectivity of the reaction was observed, leading to the chemodivergent synthesis of pyrrolines (2,5-dihydropyrroles) and pyrroles.

Indoloxytriazines as binding molecules for the JAK2 JH2 pseudokinase domain and its V617F variant.

Small molecules that selectively bind to the pseudokinase JH2 domain over the JH1 kinase domain of JAK2 kinase are sought. Virtual screening led to the purchase of 17 compounds among which 9 were found to bind to V617F JAK2 JH2 with affinities of 40 - 300 μM in a fluorogenic assay. Ten analogues were then purchased yielding 9 additional active compounds.

Artificial plant cell walls as multi-catalyst systems for enzymatic cooperative asymmetric catalysis in non-aqueous media.

The assembly of cellulose-based artificial plant cell wall (APCW) structures that contain different types of catalysts is a powerful strategy for the development of cascade reactions. Here we disclose an APCW catalytic system containing a lipase enzyme and nanopalladium particles that transform a racemic amine into the corresponding enantiomerically pure amide in high yield via a dynamic kinetic resolution.

Health professionals and students' experiences of reflective writing in learning: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

Background: Reflective writing provides an opportunity for health professionals and students to learn from their mistakes, successes, anxieties, and worries that otherwise would remain disjointed and worthless. This systematic review addresses the following question: "What are the experiences of health professionals and students in applying reflective writing during their education and training?"

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Our search comprised six electronic databases: MedLine, Embase, Cinahl, PsycINFO, Eric, and Scopus.

First Italian validation of the "Satisfaction with simulation experience" scale (SSE) for the evaluation of the learning experience through simulation.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Training in simulation through "mannequins" is increasingly widespread among nursing students. In the Italian context, however, there are no tools that measure the degree of student satisfaction after clinical training through simulation. The aim of the study is to provide a first validation in Italian of the Satisfaction with simulation experience" (SSE) scale, a tool already validated in several languages.

Breast cancer tumor heterogeneity has only little impact on the estimation of the Oncotype DX® recurrence score using Magee Equations and Magee Decision Algorithm™.

Oncotype DX® assay is used to guide therapeutic decisions in early-stage invasive breast carcinoma but remains expensive. Magee Equations (MEs) and Magee Decision Algorithm (MDA) predict the Oncotype DX® recurrence score (RS) on the basis of histopathological parameters. The influence of intratumor heterogeneity on MEs and MDA remains uncertain.

Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Onco-hematological Diseases.

Background: HRQoL is generally conceptualized as a broad multidimensional construct that refers to patients' perceptions of the impact of disease and its treatment on their physical, psychological, and social functioning and well-being. Little is known in patients with onco-hematological cancer in comparison with the general population and other chronic diseases.

Objective: We assessed HRQoL in patients diagnosed with haematological cancers in comparison with the general population and other chronic diseases.

Mild and Versatile Functionalization of Nacre-Mimetic Cellulose Nanofibrils/Clay Nanocomposites by Organocatalytic Surface Engineering.

Development of surface-engineering strategies, which are facile, versatile, and mild, are highly desirable in tailor-made functionalization of high-performance bioinspired nanocomposites. We herein disclose for the first time a general organocatalytic strategy for the functionalization and hydrophobization of nacre-mimetic nanocomposites, which includes vide supra key aspects of surface engineering. The merging of metal-free catalysis and the design of nacre-mimetic nanocomposite materials were demonstrated by the organocatalytic surface engineering of cellulose nanofibrils/clay nanocomposites providing the corresponding bioinspired nanocomposites with good mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and useful thia-, amino, and olefinic functionalities.

The impact of a "narrative interview" intervention in oncology. A study protocol for a feasibility study.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Oncological diagnosis determines a biographical breakdown and requires the person to adapt to the disease. If patients, after diagnosis, ask professionals for 'compassionate care', research on these issues is still underdeveloped. There are currently no studies that use the narrative interview as an intervention tool.

The Case/Care Manager in Eating Disorders: the nurse's role and responsibilities.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Despite its incidence, the Eating Disorder (ED) is underdiagnosed and, for its complexity, it requires multidisciplinary interventions. The Nurse and Case/Care Manager (CCM) have a central role in taking care of the patients with ED, even if the research concerning their role are lacking. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate roles, activities and expectations of the nurse and the CCM in taking care of patients with ED.

Structure activity relationship towards design of cryptosporidium specific thymidylate synthase inhibitors.

Cryptosporidiosis is a human gastrointestinal disease caused by protozoans of the genus Cryptosporidium, which can be fatal in immunocompromised individuals. The essential enzyme, thymidylate synthase (TS), is responsible for de novo synthesis of deoxythymidine monophosphate. The TS active site is relatively conserved between Cryptosporidium and human enzymes.

Cellular immune activation in Sardinian middle-aged, older adults and centenarians.

In addition to viral infections, malignant disorders, autoimmune diseases, and allograft rejection episodes, neopterin increases in older people where it is found to be predictive of overall mortality. Thus, the serum concentrations of this biomarker of systemic immune and inflammation activation, were measured in a small cohort of Sardinian middle-aged, older adults and centenarians. There was a significant positive correlation between neopterin concentrations and age with the subjects in the 95-year-old group with the highest values.

MicroRNA Expression Analysis of Centenarians and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Reveals a Common Expression Pattern.

Micro-RNA (miRNA) are a family of small non-coding ribonucleic acids that inhibits post-transcriptionally the expression of their target messenger RNA (mRNA). We are interested in studying the involvement of miRNA in longevity and autoimmune diseases. In this study we compared the different expression of seven microRNAs between human plasma healthy controls, plasma samples of centenarians and samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

JAK2 JH2 Fluorescence Polarization Assay and Crystal Structures for Complexes with Three Small Molecules.

A competitive fluorescence polarization (FP) assay is reported for determining binding affinities of probe molecules with the pseudokinase JAK2 JH2 allosteric site. The syntheses of the fluorescent and used in the assay are reported as well as results for 10 compounds, including JNJ7706621, NVP-BSK805, and filgotinib (GLPG0634). X-ray crystal structures of JAK2 JH2 in complex with NVP-BSK805, filgotinib, and diaminopyrimidine elucidate the binding poses.

Proteomic analysis of human plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations and incompletely understood pathogenesis. This autoimmune disease is characterized by alterations in both the innate and adaptive immune system that lead to the loss of immunologic tolerance. In autoimmune diseases particularly in SLE, early diagnosis, flare or remission phases can be difficult to identify.