Incidental Diagnosis of a Rare Case of Corkscrew Aorta.

The corkscrew aorta is a variant of the normal anatomical course of the aorta. This rare condition is characterized by a marked tortuosity of the aorta. In our experience it concerns the tract of subrenal aorta, that is an unusual condition, since there are no other cases in the literature.

Daclatasvir/peginterferon lambda-1a/ribavirin in patients with chronic HCV infection and haemophilia who are treatment naïve or prior relapsers to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin.

Aim: This study explores the potential role of a novel interferon-containing regimen for treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and underlying haemophilia.

Methods: This trial (NCT01741545) was an open-label, non-randomized phase 3 study, which included adult haemophiliacs with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Patients with HCV genotypes (GT)-2 or -3 were treated with Lambda-IFN/ribavirin (RBV)/daclatasvir (DCV) for 12 weeks (cohort A).

Peginterferon lambda for the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B: A randomized phase 2b study (LIRA-B).

Background & Aims: Peginterferon lambda-1a (lambda) is a Type-III interferon, which, like alfa interferons, has antiviral activity in vitro against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, lambda has a more limited extra-hepatic receptor distribution. This phase 2b study (LIRA-B) evaluated lambda in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: Adult HBeAg+ interferon-naive patients were randomized (1:1) to weekly lambda (180 μg) or peginterferon alfa-2a (alfa) for 48 weeks.

Motivation of animal care technicians through recognition.

Keeping employees motivated is a challenge faced by managers in the field of laboratory animal science and in the business world at large. Using Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' theory as a guide, the authors describe how managers can create a recognition program to keep employees feeling happy and rewarded. They discuss programs used at Bristol-Myers Squibb and share lessons learned from various programs.

L-carnitine esters as "soft", broad-spectrum antimicrobial amphiphiles.

A new class of antimicrobial, "soft", quaternary ammonium l-carnitine esters, of the type (CH3)3N+-CH2-CHOCO(R1)-CH2-COO(R2) Cl-, has been designed, with R1 and R2 being in general long-chain alkyl substituents. The series shows good activity against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Lipophilicity has been measured by RP-HPLC method to give the logarithm of the experimental capacity factor (log k'), and a quantitative relationship has been determined between log k' and the theoretical partition coefficient (CLOGP); also, bond-dipole descriptors have been introduced into calculations by accounting for polar moieties present within the apolar cores of the molecules, giving a more refined calculated capacity factor (log k'calcd).