Characterizing the Ligand Shell Morphology of PEG-Coated ZnO Nanocrystals Using FRET Spectroscopy.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) ligands can inhibit proteins and other biomolecules from adhering to underlying surfaces, making them excellent surface ligands for nanocrystal (NC)-based drug carriers. Quantifying the PEG ligand shell morphology is important because its structure determines the permeability of biomolecules through the shell to the NC surface. However, few in situ analytical tools can reveal whether the PEG ligands form either an impenetrable barrier or a porous coating surrounding the NC.

Incorporating Lymphovenous Anastomosis in Clinically Node-Positive Women Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Shared Decision-Making Model and Nuanced Approached to the Axilla.

Introduction: Lymphedema remains a risk for 13-34% of breast cancer patients who require an axillary dissection (ALND) and radiation. Immediate lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) may mitigate lymphedema by up to 30% by restoring the physiologic lymphatic drainage immediately after ALND. Currently, completion of ALND (cALND) versus radiation after neoadjuvant therapy (NAC) is being addressed by the Alliance A11202 trial, leaving a paucity of data to guide practice.

Toward Imaging Defect-Mediated Energy Transfer between Single Nanocrystal Donors and Single Molecule Acceptors.

Defect-mediated energy transfer is an energy transfer process between midgap electronic states in a semiconductor nanocrystal (NC) and molecular acceptors, such as fluorescent dye molecules. Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy represents an exciting technique for pinpointing the nanoscale positions of lattice defect sites in, for example, a micrometer-sized particle or thin film sample by spatially resolving the location of the acceptor dye molecules with nanometer resolution. Toward this goal, our group performed ensemble-level, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy measurements of ZnO NC/Alexafluor 555 (A555) mixtures and calculated that the emissive defect sites are located, on average, 0.

Use of dual energy computed tomography versus conventional techniques for preoperative localization in primary hyperparathyroidism: Effect of preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone levels.

Background: We aimed to investigate the association of preoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels with sensitivity and accuracy of dual energy computed tomography (DECT), single-photon emission CT with Tc-sestamibi (CT-MIBI), and ultrasound (US) for pre-operative localization primary hyperparathyroid (PHP) patients.

Methods: Patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for PHP at a tertiary care facility who underwent DECT, CT-MIBI and US between 2012 and 2021 were stratified by preoperative calcium and PTH levels.

Results: Of 278 patients, those with high calcium and PTH levels had a higher sensitivity and accuracy with DECT (87.

Electrothermal Performance of Heaters Based on Laser-Induced Graphene on Aramid Fabric.

Nanostructured heaters based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) are promising for heat generation and temperature control in a variety of applications due to their high efficiency as well as a fast, facile, and highly scalable fabrication process. While recent studies have shown that LIG can be written on a wide range of precursors, the reports on LIG-based heaters are mainly limited to polyimide film substrates. Here, we develop and characterize nanostructured heaters by direct writing of laser-induced graphene on nonuniform and structurally porous aramid woven fabric.

Perioperative cardiac investigations for chest pain after parathyroidectomy rarely yield a cardiac diagnosis.

Background: The incidence of adverse perioperative cardiac complications after parathyroidectomy has not been well described. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of perioperative chest pain and cardiac complications after parathyroidectomy and to evaluate risk factors that may identify patients who are more likely to benefit from a cardiac workup.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of all patients undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism by a single endocrine surgeon at a tertiary endocrine centre between 2011 and 2018.

Development and Prospective Validation of a Risk Calculator That Predicts a Low Risk Cohort for Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia Upstaging to Malignancy: Evidence for a Watch and Wait Strategy of a High-Risk Lesion.

Background: Guidelines recommend surgical excision of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) due to the concern of undersampling a potential malignancy on core needle biopsy (CNB). The purpose of this study was to determine clinical, radiological and pathological variables associated with ADH upstaging to cancer and to develop a predictive risk calculator capable of identifying women who have a low oncological risk of upstaging.

Methods: A prospectively collected database from a tertiary breast referral center was analyzed for women diagnosed with ADH on CNB between January 2013 to December 2017 who underwent surgical excision.

Intraoperative parathyroid hormone measurement during parathyroidectomy for treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism: When should you end the operation?

Introduction: The study objective was to evaluate the intraoperative 50% decrease in PTH level ± PTH normalization for its accuracy and efficiency in predicting cure during parathyroidectomy (PTx) for the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing PTx was conducted. The timepoints at which the 50% PTH decrease was reached were recorded.

Is microductectomy still necessary to diagnose breast cancer: a 10-year study on the effectiveness of duct excision and galactography.

Purpose: Patients with spontaneous nipple discharge (SND) who have neither clinically palpable masses nor evidence of disease on imaging with mammogram and/or ultrasound are traditionally investigated with galactogram and duct excision. As breast imaging improves, it has raised the question whether galactography and microductectomy are necessary to diagnose breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of malignancy in patients presenting with SND who underwent microductectomy and to evaluate the utility of duct excision and galactography in patients whose initial clinical and radiological evaluation were negative.

Implementation and validation of a risk stratification method at The Ottawa Hospital to guide thromboprophylaxis in ambulatory cancer patients at intermediate-high risk for venous thrombosis.

Background: Cancer patients have a significantly higher risk of developing a venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared to non-cancer patients and yet studies suggest VTE risk among ambulatory cancer patients varies widely. Recently, predictive models capable of risk-stratifying a broad range of ambulatory cancer outpatients have been developed. Using the Khorana model a score of 2 was intermediate-high risk for VTE as reported by Ay and colleagues.

Applicability of the EORTC/MSG criteria for IFD in clinical practice.

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a feared complication in patients with hematological malignancies. In 2008, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycosis Study Group (EORTC/MSG) published updated criteria for the diagnostic workup within clinical studies for immunosuppressed patients with suspected fungal infection. We applied these criteria in a routine clinical setting with regard to their feasibility for bedside practice at our institution in a 1-year period.

Fructose intolerance/malabsorption and recurrent abdominal pain in children.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to ascertain whether pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain had concurrent fructose intolerance as determined by a standardized dose breath hydrogen test (BHT), and whether symptoms would improve with a low-fructose diet.

Methods: The fructose BHT test was administered to patients evaluated in clinic with unexplained chronic abdominal pain alone or associated with constipation, gas or bloating, and/or diarrhea. The patients were given a standard dose of 1 g/kg fructose to maximum of 25 g.

Dissolving Borders: Reframing Risk, Delinquent Peers, and Youth Violence.

Although "association with delinquent peers" is commonly identified as "a risk factor for youth violence," this framework leads us to blame individuals and ignore the complex lives of youth who face state, symbolic, and interpersonal violence. This study is based on interviews with young adults about their adolescence in a low-income immigrant gateway neighborhood of Oakland, California. Most of the interviewees have peer networks that are racially/ethnically diverse and also include both delinquent and conforming peers.

Hepatic glucagon action is essential for exercise-induced reversal of mouse fatty liver.

Objective: Exercise is an effective intervention to treat fatty liver. However, the mechanism(s) that underlie exercise-induced reductions in fatty liver are unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that exercise requires hepatic glucagon action to reduce fatty liver.

Community mobilization and community-based participatory research to prevent youth violence among Asian and immigrant populations.

Many community mobilization activities for youth violence prevention involve the researchers assisting communities in identifying, adapting, and/or tailoring evidence-based programs to fit the community needs, population, and cultural and social contexts. This article describes a slightly different framework in which the collaborative research/evaluation project emerged from the community mobilization activities. As will be discussed, this collaborative, sustained partnership was possible in the context of the Center on Culture, Immigration and Youth Violence Prevention's (UC Berkeley ACE) community mobilization activities that brought the issue of youth violence, particularly among immigrant and minority populations, to the forefront of many of the community partners' agendas.

Mutation of conserved tryptophan residues at the dimer interface of Staphylococcus aureus nitric oxide synthase.

Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) share two invariant tryptophan residues within a conserved helical lariat that is part of the pterin-binding site and dimer interface. We mutated Staphylococcus aureus NOS Trp-314 (to alanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and histidine) and Trp-316 (to alanine, phenylalanine and tyrosine) and characterized the effects of mutation on heme environment, quaternary structure, enzymatic activity, and substrate affinity. With arginine present, all saNOS variants bound heme with native thiolate ligation, formed high spin ferric complexes and were dimeric.

Working alliance and vocational outcomes for cancer survivors: an initial analysis.

This study examines the sex differences in the perception of working alliance and the perceptions of optimism regarding future employment and job satisfaction with adult cancer survivors receiving vocational rehabilitation services. No significant differences were found between males and females in terms of the three components of the working alliance. However, examination of effect sizes indicated that the females reported higher levels of tasks (d=0.

Hepatic energy state is regulated by glucagon receptor signaling in mice.

The hepatic energy state, defined by adenine nucleotide levels, couples metabolic pathways with energy requirements. This coupling is fundamental in the adaptive response to many conditions and is impaired in metabolic disease. We have found that the hepatic energy state is substantially reduced following exercise, fasting, and exposure to other metabolic stressors in C57BL/6 mice.

Psychological well-being: its relation to work personality, vocational identity, and career thoughts.

The authors examined the impact of the 6 dimensions of psychological well-being on participants' career thoughts, vocational identity, and developmental work personality. Undergraduates (N = 91) completed 4 measures: (a) C. D.

Discovery of a novel A2B adenosine receptor antagonist as a clinical candidate for chronic inflammatory airway diseases.

Recently, we have reported a series of new 1,3-symmetrically (R 1 = R 3) substituted xanthines ( 3 and 4) which have high affinity and selectivity for the human adenosine A 2B receptors (hA(2B)-AdoR). Unfortunately, this class of compounds had poor pharmacokinetic properties. This prompted us to investigate the effect of differential alkyl substitution at the N-1 and N-3 positions ( N 1-R not equal to N 3-R) on A(2B)-AdoR affinity and selectivity; we had the dual objectives of enhancing affinity and selectivity for the A(2B)-AdoR, as well as improving oral bioavailability.

Novel 1,3-dipropyl-8-(1-heteroarylmethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-xanthine derivatives as high affinity and selective A2B adenosine receptor antagonists.

A series of new 1,3-dipropyl-8-(1-heteroarylmethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-xanthine derivatives as A(2B)-AdoR antagonists have been synthesized and evaluated for their binding affinities for the A(2B), A(1), A(2A), and A(3)-AdoRs. 8-(1-((3-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1,3-dipropyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione (4) displayed high affinity (K(i)=1 nM) and selectivity for the A(2B)-AdoR versus A(1), A(2A), and A(3)-AdoRs (A(1)/A(2B), A(2A)/A(2B), and A(3)/A(2B) selectivity ratios of 370, 1100, and 480, respectively). The synthesis and SAR of this novel class of compounds are presented herein.

CVT-4325: a potent fatty acid oxidation inhibitor with favorable oral bioavailability.

New inhibitors of palmitoyl-CoA oxidation are based on the introduction of nitrogen heterocycles in the 'Western Portion' of the molecule. SAR studies led to the discovery of CVT-4325 (shown), a potent FOXi (IC50=380 nM rat mitochondria) with favorable PK properties (F=93%, t(1/2)=13.6h, dog).