Nucleic acids have emerged as new materials with promising applications in nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and biosensing, but their electronic properties, especially at the single-molecule level, are largely underexplored. The Z-form is an exotic left-handed helical oligonucleotide conformation that may be involved in critical biological processes such as the regulation of gene expression and epigenetic processes. In this work, the electrical conductance of individual Guanine Cytosine (GC)-rich DNA:RNA molecules is measured in physiological buffer and 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol (TFE) solvent, corresponding to the natural (right-handed helix) A-form typical in DNA:RNA hybrids and the (left-handed) Z-form conformations, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA series of square-planar palladium and platinum compounds with -blocking phosphanes and terminal azobenzene ligands [M(dppp)(azo)](OTf) (azo = CN(CH)-N═N-(CH)CN (), CN(CH)-N═N-(CH) ()) and [{M(tpbz)}(azo)](OTf) (azo = CN(CH)-N═N-(CH) ()) have been synthesized and fully characterized. Similarly to the uncoordinated ligands, the new coordination compounds have shown to be photochemically active with respect to their trans-to-cis isomerization process. Their cis-to-trans back spontaneous reaction have been studied as a function of solvent, temperature and pressure and the corresponding activation parameters determined in order to investigate the mechanism of these transformations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndocrinol Diabetes Nutr (Engl Ed)
December 2023
A 45-year-old woman suffering from primary hypothyroidism, previously well substituted with levothyroxine, was urgently referred from Primary Care to Endocrinology due to very elevated thyrotropin, free thyroxine at low limit of normality, very high cholesterol and generalised oedema. Hypothyroidism was suspected as the main aetiology of this clinical condition. A detailed examination showed nephrotic range proteinuria and the patient was finally diagnosed with lupus nephritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerioperative fluid management, a critical aspect of major surgeries, is characterized by pronounced stress responses, altered capillary permeability, and significant fluid shifts. Recognized as a cornerstone of enhanced recovery protocols, effective perioperative fluid management is crucial for optimizing patient recovery and preventing postoperative complications, especially in high-risk patients. The scientific literature has extensively investigated various fluid infusion regimens, but recent publications indicate that not only the volume but also the type of fluid infused significantly influences surgical outcomes.
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