Tailoring Amphiphilic Copolymers for Improved Aqueous Foam Stability.

Amphiphilic copolymers of various-molecular-weight (MW) poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The first PEG series, poly(ethylene glycol)monomethacrylate (PEGMA, average Mn 200 and 400 MW), contained an -OH terminal group, and the second series, poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether monomethacrylate (PEGMMA, average Mn 200, 400, and 1000 MW), possessed an -OCH terminal group. A total of five PEG-functionalized copolymers contained the same hydrophobic monomer, butyl acrylate (BA), and were successfully reproduced via a one-pot synthesis.

Copolymer Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Synthesis of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Functionalized with Hydrophobic Acrylates: A Study of Surface and Foam Properties.

A series of amphiphilic statistical copolymers involving poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA, -OH terminated, average Mn 200 molecular weight) and various hydrophobic acrylates were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The gradient copolymers were characterized by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). Solution properties of the copolymers were investigated utilizing surface tension measurement, dynamic light-scattering (DLS), as well as foam analysis using a dynamic foam analyzer (DFA).

Expression of the preadipocyte marker ZFP423 is dysregulated between well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.

Background: Well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcomas are rare soft tissue tumors originating in adipose tissue that share genetic abnormalities but have significantly different metastatic potential. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is highly aggressive and has an overall 5-year survival rate of 30% as compared to 90% for well-differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS). This discrepancy may be connected to their potential to form adipocytes, where WDLPS is adipogenic but DDLPS is adipogenic-impaired.

A Porous Chalcogen-Bonded Organic Framework.

The manner of bonding between constituent atoms or molecules invariably influences the properties of materials. Perhaps no material family is more emblematic of this than porous frameworks, wherein the namesake modes of connectivity give rise to discrete subclasses with unique collections of properties. However, established framework classes often display offsetting advantages and disadvantages for a given application.

Crystal structure of 1,2-bis-(3,5-di-fluoro-phen-yl)ethane-1,2-dione.

The title compound, CHFO, crystallizes with half of a mol-ecule per asymmetric unit and exhibits bond lengths and angles typical of α-diketones. A network of C-H⋯F contacts and π-π stacking inter-actions is observed within the structure.

Modeling Breast Cancer in Human Breast Tissue using a Microphysiological System.

Breast cancer (BC) remains a leading cause of death for women. Despite more than $700 million invested in BC research annually, 97% of candidate BC drugs fail clinical trials. Therefore, new models are needed to improve our understanding of the disease.

Quantifying Breast Cancer-Driven Fiber Alignment and Collagen Deposition in Primary Human Breast Tissue.

Solid tumor progression is significantly influenced by interactions between cancer cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). Specifically, the cancer cell-driven changes to ECM fiber alignment and collagen deposition impact tumor growth and metastasis. Current methods of quantifying these processes are incomplete, require simple or artificial matrixes, rely on uncommon imaging techniques, preclude the use of biological and technical replicates, require destruction of the tissue, or are prone to segmentation errors.

Exploiting the Site Selectivity of Perfluoropyridine for Facile Access to Densified Polyarylene Networks for Carbon-Rich Materials.

Fluorinated molecules containing reactive functionalities are of great interest to the materials community as these compounds can be used to prepare fluorinated polymers with desirable physical and electronic properties. Despite their potential, many of these compounds are limited by their synthesis which generally requires transition-metal-catalyzed coupling reactions or harsh fluorinating conditions. Perfluoroheteroaromatic compounds provide a unique solution to this problem as compounds such as perfluoropyridine can undergo SAr reactions with a wide range of simple nucleophiles in a controlled and regioselective manner.

Correlation of Structure with Crystalline to Amorphous Phase Transitions of 1,3,6-Substituted Fulvene-Derived Molecular Glasses.

An investigation into the crystalline to amorphous phase transitions of prepared 1,3,6-substituted pentafulvenes showed the expected reversible heated melt and cooling recrystallization in only a few examples. Systematic incorporation of bulky substituents at the 6-position of the fulvene ring led to the nonreversible thermal behavior, rendering phases that were locked into glassy, vitrified states. These molecular glasses produced physically translucent and amorphous features with glass transition temperatures in the range of 61-77 °C, comparable with high-strength plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate.

Crystal structures of 6-cyclo-propyl-1,3-diphenylfulvene and 6-(2,3-di-meth-oxy-naphth-yl)-1,3-di-phenylfulvene.

The title compounds, 6-cyclo-propyl-1,3-diphenylfulvene, CH, [systematic name: 5-(cyclo-propyl-methyl-idene)-1,3-di-phen-yl-cyclo-penta-1,3-diene], , and 6-(2,3-di-meth-oxy-naphth-yl)-1,3-diphenylfulvene, CHO, {systematic name: 5-[(3,4-di-meth-oxy-naphthalen-2-yl)methyl-idene]-1,3-di-phenyl-cyclo-penta-1,3-di-ene}, , were prepared from 1,3-di-phenyl-cyclo-penta-diene, pyrrolidine, and the corresponding aldehydes in an ethano-lic solution. Each structure crystallizes with one mol-ecule per asymmetric unit and exhibits the alternating short and long bond lengths typical of fulvenes. A network of C-H⋯C ring inter-actions as well as C-H⋯O inter-actions is observed, resulting in the compact packing found in each structure.

The current practice and care of paediatric patients post cardiac catheterisation.

Background: Literature is lacking to guide standardised care and assessment practices for paediatric patients post cardiac catheterisation. In response to this gap, we sought to describe the current state of practice in cardiology programmes performing paediatric cardiac catheterisations procedures in the United States of America.Materials and methodsA web-based survey was distributed to the Congenital Cardiovascular Interventional Study Consortium Listserv, with representation from 113 identified institutions.

Crystal structure of the tetra-meth-yl(pheneth-yl)cyclo-penta-dienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl dimer.

The structure of the dimer bis-{tricarbon-yl[η-tetra-meth-yl(pheneth-yl)cyclo-penta-dien-yl]molybdenum}(-), [Mo(CH)(CO)], at 102 K has triclinic ( ) symmetry. The reaction between tetra-meth-yl(pheneth-yl)cyclo-penta-diene and molybdenum hexa-carbonyl in refluxing xylenes for 18 h led to a 56% yield of the dimer as a red solid. The asymmetric unit of the structure is the tetra-meth-yl(pheneth-yl)cyclo-penta-dienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl moiety and the entire dimeric mol-ecule is generated by inversion symmetry.

Practice-based evidence can help! Using the Group Questionnaire to enhance clinical practice.

Practice-based evidence (Burlingame & Beecher, 2008) is an approach to evidence-based practice that addresses treatment efficacy to remediate clinicians' inability to predict treatment response (Chapman et al., 2012; Hannan et al., 2005).

Safety and Efficacy of Warfarin Therapy in Kawasaki Disease.

Objective: To describe the safety and efficacy of warfarin for patients with Kawasaki disease and giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs, ≥8 mm). Giant aneurysms are managed with combined anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies, heightening risk of bleeding complications.

Study Design: We reviewed the time in therapeutic range; percentage of international normalization ratios (INRs) in range (%); bleeding events, clotting events; INRs ≥6; INRs ≥5 and <6; and INRs <1.

-Tri-chlorido-tris-(tetra-hydro-thio-phene-κ)iridium(III): preparation and comparison with other -tri-chlorido-tris-(tetra-hydro-thio-phene-κ)metal complexes.

The title complex, [IrCl(CHS)], was prepared according to a literature method. A suitable crystal was obtained by diffusion of pentane into a di-chloro-methane solution and analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 100 K. The title complex is isotypic with -tri-chlorido-tris-(tetra-hydro-thio-phene-κ)rhodium(III).

The Gq signalling pathway inhibits brown and beige adipose tissue.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates nutritional energy as heat via the uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) and BAT activity correlates with leanness in human adults. Here we profile G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in brown adipocytes to identify druggable regulators of BAT. Twenty-one per cent of the GPCRs link to the Gq family, and inhibition of Gq signalling enhances differentiation of human and murine brown adipocytes.

Utility of a dedicated pediatric cardiac anticoagulation program: the Boston Children's Hospital experience.

Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of stroke in children. Warfarin therapy can be difficult to manage safely in this population because of its narrow therapeutic index, multiple drug and dietary interactions, small patient size, high-risk cardiac indications, and lack of data to support anticoagulation recommendations. We sought to describe our institution's effort to develop a dedicated cardiac anticoagulation service to address the special needs of this population and to review the literature.

Allosteric inhibition of Epac: computational modeling and experimental validation to identify allosteric sites and inhibitors.

Epac, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the low molecular weight G protein Rap, is an effector of cAMP signaling and has been implicated to have roles in numerous diseases, including diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and cancer. We used a computational molecular modeling approach to predict potential binding sites for allosteric modulators of Epac and to identify molecules that might bind to these regions. This approach revealed that the conserved hinge region of the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain of Epac1 is a potentially druggable region of the protein.

Identification and validation of modulators of exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac) activity: structure-function implications for Epac activation and inhibition.

The signaling molecule cAMP primarily mediates its effects by activating PKA and/or exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac). Epac has been implicated in many responses in cells, but its precise roles have been difficult to define in the absence of Epac inhibitors. Epac, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the low molecular weight G protein Rap, is directly activated by cAMP.

Immobilization of heavy metals on pillared montmorillonite with a grafted chelate ligand.

The objective of this work was the development of an efficient adsorbent for irreversible immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils. The adsorbent was prepared by pillaring of montmorillonite with silica followed by grafting of a chelate ligand on its surface. Obtained adsorbent was mesoporous with high content of adsorption sites.

cAMP and Epac in the regulation of tissue fibrosis.

Fibrosis, the result of excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), in particular collagen, leads to scarring and loss of function in tissues that include the heart, lung, kidney and liver. The second messenger cAMP can inhibit the formation and extent of ECM during this late phase of inflammation, but the mechanisms for these actions of cAMP and of agents that elevate tissue cAMP levels are not well understood. In this article, we review the fibrotic process and focus on two recently recognized aspects of actions of cAMP and its effector Epac (Exchange protein activated by cAMP): (a) blunting of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and (b) down-regulation of Epac expression by profibrotic agents (e.

Genetic variation in phosphodiesterase (PDE) 7B in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: overview of genetic variants of cyclic nucleotide PDEs in human disease.

Expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase 7B (PDE7B) mRNA is increased in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), thus suggesting that variation may occur in the PDE7B gene in CLL. As genetic variation in other PDE family members has been shown to associate with numerous clinical disorders (reviewed in this manuscript), we sought to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PDE7B gene promoter and coding region of 93 control subjects and 154 CLL patients. We found that the PDE7B gene has a 5' non-coding region SNP -347C>T that occurs with similar frequency in CLL patients (1.