Adult presentation of a rare mitochondrial tRNA Val gene mutation-an expanding clinical phenotype.

Background And Purpose: Late-onset mitochondrial disorders are diagnostically challenging with significant heterogeneity in disease presentation. A case is reported of a 67-year-old gentleman who presented with a 3-month history of seizures, recurrent encephalopathy, ataxia and weight loss, preceded by recent initiation of haemodialysis for end-stage chronic kidney disease.

Methods: Extensive work-up including serological, cerebrospinal fluid, magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography was performed.

Parkinson's Disease Medication Prescribing and Administration During Unplanned Hospital Admissions.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a lifetime risk of 1% to 3%. Treatment includes supplementation of central dopaminergic neurotransmission with levodopa preparations and dopamine agonists. Misprescribing and delayed administration of these medications on admission to hospital can result in increased morbidity and mortality.

Atrial fibrillation and acceleration of frailty: findings from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

Introduction: both atrial fibrillation (AF) and frailty are increasingly prevalent with age. Cross-sectional studies have suggested a relationship between AF and frailty, but longitudinal data are lacking. We explored if the presence of AF was associated with accelerated progression of frailty over 8 years in community-dwelling older adults.

13C NMR reveals no evidence of n-π* interactions in proteins.

An n = π* interaction between neighboring carbonyl groups has been postulated to stabilize protein structures. Such an interaction would affect the (13)C chemical shielding of the carbonyl groups, whose paramagnetic component is dominated by n = π* and π = π* excitations. Model compound calculations indicate that both the interaction energetics and the chemical shielding of the carbonyl group are instead dominated by a classical dipole-dipole interaction.