Zinc-Based Nanoparticles, but Not Silicon-Based Nanoparticles, Accumulate in Mitochondria and Promote Cell Death in Liver Cancer Cells.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main hepatic primary malignancy. Patients with advanced HCC receiving the recommended therapies have a poor outcome. In different settings, nanotechnology has gained attraction as a potential alternative strategy for improving therapeutic effectiveness.

A "concrete" identification in a dismemberment case.

Homicide perpetrators can use concrete as a means to conceal their victims. When concrete encasement is encountered in the forensic field, albeit rarely, it is often coupled with postmortem dismemberment. This method of obscuring the evidence presents unique investigative obstacles, specifically related to identification.

Neonatal Outcomes after Medications for Opioid Use Disorder during Pregnancy in a State Women's Prison Facility, 2016-2019.

Objective: Although medications for opioid use disorder improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes, little is known about opioid-exposed infants born during episodes of incarceration. The study sought to examine birth outcomes for infants born with opioid exposure during perinatal incarceration.

Methods: Participants were identified from clinic rosters in a Southeastern women's prison (2016-2019).

How do interactions between mobile genetic elements affect horizontal gene transfer?

Horizontal gene transfer is central to bacterial adaptation and is facilitated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Increasingly, MGEs are being studied as agents with their own interests and adaptations, and the interactions MGEs have with one another are recognised as having a powerful effect on the flow of traits between microbes. Collaborations and conflicts between MGEs are nuanced and can both promote and inhibit the acquisition of new genetic material, shaping the maintenance of newly acquired genes and the dissemination of important adaptive traits through microbiomes.

Medications for opioid use disorder during pregnancy: Access and continuity in a state women's prison facility, 2016-2019.

Background: Although medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) are the standard of care during pregnancy, there are many potential gaps in the cascade of care for pregnant people experiencing incarceration.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant people with opioid use disorder incarcerated in a Southeastern women's prison from 2016 to 2019. The primary outcomes were access to MOUD during incarceration and continuity in the community.

A Mediterranean Diet and Low-Fat Vegan Diet to Improve Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized, Cross-over Trial.

Evidence suggests that both Mediterranean and vegan diets improve body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors, but their relative efficacy has not been compared in a randomized trial. In a randomized crossover trial, 62 overweight adults were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean or vegan diet for a 16-week period. Body weight, plasma lipids, blood pressure, and body composition (dual X-ray absorptiometry) were measured.

Perspectives of Patients With Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans on Diagnostic Delays, Surgical Outcomes, and Nonprotuberance.

Importance: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) may have a deceptively benign clinical appearance, including a nonprotuberant presentation. Patients with DFSP often perceive misdiagnoses and delays in receiving a diagnosis. Use of existing, patient-designed Facebook patient support groups (FBSGs) to recruit large numbers of patients with rare diseases may be an effective novel research method.

Contribution of Extra-Cardiac Cells in Murine Heart Valves is Age-Dependent.

Background: Heart valves are dynamic structures that open and close over 100 000 times a day to maintain unidirectional blood flow during the cardiac cycle. Function is largely achieved by highly organized layers of extracellular matrix that provide the necessary biomechanical properties. Homeostasis of valve extracellular matrix is mediated by valve endothelial and interstitial cell populations, and although the embryonic origins of these cells are known, it is not clear how they are maintained after birth.

Novel carbohydrate-substituted metallo-porphyrazine comparison for cancer tissue-type specificity during PDT.

A longstanding obstacle to cancer eradication centers on the heterogeneous nature of the tissue that manifests it. Variations between cancer cell resistance profiles often result in a survival percentage following classic therapeutics. As an alternative, photodynamic therapys' (PDT) unique non-specific cell damage mechanism and high degree of application control enables it to potentially deliver an efficient treatment regime to a broad range of heterogeneous tissue types thereby overcoming individual resistance profiles.

Cancer Tissue Classification, Associated Therapeutic Implications and PDT as an Alternative.

Carcinogenesis occurs via mutation of critical genes conferring enhanced survival and protection to the ensuing tissue. Current therapies in use garner success due to their specificity for certain intracellular targets. This particularity, whist beneficial in identifying tumorigenic from normal tissue states, is limited by the variations in geno/phenotypic profiles displayed between tumor tissue types.

Mechanistics and photo-energetics of macrocycles and photodynamic therapy: An overview of aspects to consider for research.

Research within the field of photodynamic therapy has escalated over the past 20 years. The required conjunctional use of photosensitizers, particularly of the macrocycle structure, has lead to a vast repertoire of derivatives that branch classes and subclasses thereof. Each exhibits a differential range of physiochemical properties that influence their potential applications within the larger phototherapy field for use in either diagnostics, photodynamic therapy, both or none.

A qualitative investigation of recovery after femoral fracture in Rett syndrome.

Background: Children with severe disability often develop osteoporosis and have an increased risk of fracture. In Rett syndrome, the prevalence of fracture is four times greater than in the general population, and the femur is commonly affected. This study used qualitative methods to investigate the regaining of mobility within 12 months following femoral fracture in Rett syndrome and parent caregiver experiences.

Regioselective Nitration of Halogenated Benzo[c]cinnolines and Benzenoids.

Electrophilic nitration of halo-substituted benzo[c]cinnolines and benzenoids has been achieved regioselectively. The nitro group entry was always ortho to the halo group or/and the aromatic ring. This regioselective electrophilic ortho-nitration was accomplished in mixed acid/mild temperature conditions.

Crystal structure of 5,5'-bis-(di-methyl-amino)-N,N'-(3-methyl-3-aza-pentane-1,5-di-yl)di(naphthalene-1-sulfonamide).

In the title compound, C29H37N5O4S2, two arms substituted with dansyl derivatives are connected to a central tertiary amine, where the dihedral angle between the planes of two dansyl units is 56.39 (4)°. Each arm contains a sulfonamide functional group and both N-H groups in the compound are pointed to the same side.

Inter-Rater Reliability and Intra-Rater Reliability of Assessing the 2-Minute Push-Up Test.

The purpose of this study was to assess inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability of the 2-minute, 90° push-up test as utilized in the Army Physical Fitness Test. Analysis of rater assessment reliability included both total score agreement and agreement across individual push-up repetitions. This study utilized 8 Raters who assessed 15 different videotaped push-up performances over 4 iterations separated by a minimum of 1 week.

Valve Endothelial Cell-Derived Tgfβ1 Signaling Promotes Nuclear Localization of Sox9 in Interstitial Cells Associated With Attenuated Calcification.

Objective: Aortic valve disease, including calcification, affects >2% of the human population and is caused by complex interactions between multiple risk factors, including genetic mutations, the environment, and biomechanics. At present, there are no effective treatments other than surgery, and this is because of the limited understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the condition. Previous work has shown that valve interstitial cells within the aortic valve cusps differentiate toward an osteoblast-like cell and deposit bone-like matrix that leads to leaflet stiffening and calcific aortic valve stenosis.

Dynamic Heterogeneity of the Heart Valve Interstitial Cell Population in Mitral Valve Health and Disease.

The heart valve interstitial cell (VIC) population is dynamic and thought to mediate lay down and maintenance of the tri-laminar extracellular matrix (ECM) structure within the developing and mature valve throughout life. Disturbances in the contribution and distribution of valve ECM components are detrimental to biomechanical function and associated with disease. This pathological process is associated with activation of resident VICs that in the absence of disease reside as quiescent cells.

Novel porphyrazine derivatives show promise for photodynamic therapy despite restrictions in hydrophilicity.

Complexing of ligands to photosensitizers (Ps) has gained popularity by enhancing solubility, cell-surface recognition and tissue specificity for applications in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and fluorescence-based diagnostics. Here we report on nine carbohydrate-functionalized porphyrazine (Pz-galactopyranose/methyl-ribose) derivatives bearing either H2 , Zn(II) or Ni(II) cores for potential use in PDT. Derivatives proved soluble only in organic solvents; dichloromethane (DCM) and tetrahydrofuran (THF).

A novel ruthenium(II)-cobaloxime supramolecular complex for photocatalytic H2 evolution: synthesis, characterisation and mechanistic studies.

We report the synthesis and characterization of novel mixed-metal binuclear ruthenium(II)-cobalt(II) photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution in acidic acetonitrile. First, 2-(2'-pyridyl)benzothiazole (pbt), 1, was reacted with RuCl(3)·xH(2)O to produce [Ru(pbt)(2)Cl(2)]·0.25CH(3)COCH(3), 2, which was then reacted with 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione), 3, in order to produce [Ru(pbt)(2)(phendione)](PF(6))(2)·4H(2)O, 4.

Investigating the efficiency of novel metallo-phthalocyanine PDT-induced cell death in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Background: Cancer cells possess an innate resistance to inducers of the death program. Novel phthalocyanines with improved physiochemical properties harbor the potential for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT); a rising treatment alternative preferred for its mostly asymptomatic application and unique mechanism of action.

Methods: This study aimed to determine whether in vitro PDT with two new metallo-phthalocyanines (metallo-Pcs), AlPcSmix and GePcSmix, are similarly effective in overcoming resistance to cell death in MCF-7 cells with a brief comparison to an established chemotherapeutic agent, etoposide.

Pituitary incidentalomas detected with technetium-99m MIBI in patients with suspected parathyroid adenoma: preliminary results.

Tc-99m MIBI (MIBI) is a cationic lipophilic agent, which has traditionally been used for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, detection and monitoring of different benign and malignant tumors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of pituitary incidentalomas detected on MIBI scans performed on patients with suspected parathyroid adenomas and to provide semiquantitative analysis of tracer uptake in the pituitary region. Tomographic images of MIBI scans on 56 patients with suspected parathyroid adenomas (2006-2007) were analyzed retrospectively.

Tc-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile parathyroid scintigraphy: the value of adding a whole-body scan.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of incidental findings on Tc-99m-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scan performed for suspected parathyroid adenoma and to evaluate the benefit of additional whole-body scan.

Materials And Methods: A total of 109 patients (37 men and 72 women; age range, 16-96 years; mean, 58.42 years) with clinically suspected parathyroid adenoma underwent Tc-99m MIBI whole-body scans and single-photon emission computed tomography of the base of the skull, the neck, and the thorax.

Case study of the use of evaluation evidence to inform diabetes prevention programming in two Canadian health regions: effectiveness of evaluation evidence.

This study compares the use of evidence in two 18-month Canadian projects with a similar goal: improved prevention of type II diabetes in women from ethno-cultural communities with a gestational diabetes diagnosis. Evidence used for both projects included epidemiological data and research literature, needs assessments with the target population, and project evaluations. Contexts for the use of evidence differed between the two projects in terms of the innovation and its level of complexity; organizational context and system readiness for change; and partnership characteristics.

Binding and selectivity aspects of an expanded azamacrocycle for anions.

An expanded azamacrocycle L, containing four secondary and two tertiary amines was synthesized, and its binding ability towards chloride, bromide, iodide, sulfate, nitrate and perchlorate were determined by (1)H NMR titrations in D(2)O at pH 1.7. The results suggest that the ligand is capable of forming a complex with each of the anions examined, showing the selectivity for sulfate in water.

Encapsulation and selective recognition of sulfate anion in an azamacrocycle in water.

Structural characterization of a sulfate complex with an azamacrocycle suggests that one sulfate is encapsulated in the macrocyclic cavity with eight hydrogen bonds; a significant selectivity of the host was observed for sulfate over halides, nitrate and perchlorate as evaluated by (1)H NMR studies in water.