ONSH: optimization of oxidative alkylamination reactions through study of the reaction mechanism.

Oxidative alkylamination of electron-deficient (hetero)aromatic compounds, via the nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen, is a methodology that has made significant progress since the introduction of AgPy(2)MnO(4) as oxidant. This oxidant generally gives good conversions and yields, whereas the use of KMnO(4) only sometimes works equally well. In order to rationalize this, the reaction mechanism of oxidative alkylamination has been studied.

What makes them feel like they do? Investigating the subjective well-being in people with severe and profound disabilities.

Background: Because of the problems measuring subjective well-being in people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities, there are no studies to date which explore the factors contributing to the subjective well-being in these groups. We wanted to explore the client and service characteristics contributing to the subjective well-being of persons with severe and profound intellectual disabilities, as measured by the MIPQ (Ross & Oliver, 2003).

Materials And Methods: The MIPQ was completed for 360 persons with severe or profound intellectual disabilities by a member of the direct support staff.

Describing dialogue between persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and direct support staff using the Scale for Dialogical Meaning Making.

Background: The dialogical approach of meaning making forms a rich and renewing theoretical perspective to study communication between presymbolic communicators and their interaction partners. The aim of this study is to investigate whether an observation scale based on the dialogical theory, the Scale for Dialogical Meaning Making (S-DMM), has potential to describe these communicative interactions.

Methods: Eighteen videotaped observations of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and their support staff were coded using the S-DMM and a consensus-rating procedure.

A meta-analysis of intervention effects on challenging behaviour among persons with intellectual disabilities.

Background: Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) often show challenging behaviour. We review distinct interventions that are applied to treat these challenging behaviours, and analyse intervention effects and moderating variables.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using the databases ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Medline.

Light chain deposition disease as a rare cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy.

We report an unusual case of a 47-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with severe dyspnoea as a manifestation of restrictive cardiomyopathy, found to be due to myocardial deposition of kappa light chains. Non-routine specific immunofluorescence stainings of endomyocardial biopsy specimens were key for the diagnosis of myocardial light chain deposition disease. We discuss non-amyloidotic cardiac immunoglobulin deposition disease in contrast to cardiac amyloidosis.

Guidelines for an integrated diagnostic approach of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders in the routine laboratory of haematology in Belgium.

This paper summarizes the minimal workout of chronic lymphoproliferative disorders in a routine laboratory of haematology as recommended by a team of experienced laboratory supervisors in Belgium, taking into account the specific organisation of healthcare in Belgium, the innovations in the field of molecular analyses and related reimbursement. The starting point was essentially based upon clinical and/or haematological indications and it is emphasized that conclusions should be drawn in close dialogue with the clinician and experts in cytogenetics and histopathology. Reports made in the laboratory should be based upon an integration of cytomorphological, immunophenotypical and molecular data.

A new electronic monitoring device to measure medication adherence: usability of the Helping Hand™.

The aim of this study was to test the user performance, satisfaction and acceptability of the Helping Hand™ (B&O Medicom) electronic medication adherence monitor. Using a mixed-method design, we studied 11 kidney transplant patients and 10 healthy volunteers during three weeks. Although testing showed positive usability aspects, several areas requiring technical improvement were identified: the most important obstacles to usability and acceptability were the weak sound signal, problems loading the medication, and the fact that only one medication could be used at a time.

Staff reactions to challenging behaviour: an observation study.

Staff reactions play an important role in the development and maintaining of clients' challenging behaviour. Because there is a paucity of research on staff reactions in naturalistic settings, this study examined sequential associations between challenging behaviour and staff reactions by means of a descriptive analysis. We analysed video recordings of the reactions of 10 staff members towards challenging behaviour of clients with severe or profound intellectual disabilities who displayed self-injurious behaviour, stereotyped behaviour and/or aggressive/destructive behaviour.

Synthesis of functionalized pyridazin-3(2H)-ones via bromine-magnesium exchange on bromopyridazin-3(2H)-ones.

The potential of halogen-magnesium exchange reactions, followed by quenching with electrophiles, for the functionalization of the pyridazin-3(2H)-one core was investigated. 2-Benzyl-4-bromo-5-methoxy- (1), 2-benzyl-5-bromo-4-methoxy- (4), and 2-benzyl-4,5-dibromopyridazin-3(2H)-one (10) were selected as readily available model substrates. While 1 and 10 gave exclusively C-4 metalation, a tandem reaction involving nucleophilic substitution via addition elimination and bromine-magnesium exchange was observed with 4.

Interaction between persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and their partners: a literature review.

Background: High quality interactions are of crucial importance for quality of life of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). This literature review describes and synthesises studies addressing the interaction between persons with PIMD and their partners.

Method: A computerised literature search using defined inclusion criteria yielded 15 articles.

Acral myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma in a renal transplant patient: a case report.

Herein, we have reported a case of a 62-year-old patient who presented at 10 months after renal transplantation with a nodular mass on the dorsum of his foot. Local excision was performed and an acral myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma was diagnosed. This is a rare, low-grade sarcoma with a high rate of local recurrence, sometimes leading to amputation.

Structure-activity relationship of antiparasitic and cytotoxic indoloquinoline alkaloids, and their tricyclic and bicyclic analogues.

Based on the indoloquinoline alkaloids cryptolepine (1), neocryptolepine (2), isocryptolepine (3) and isoneocryptolepine (4), used as lead compounds for new antimalarial agents, a series of tricyclic and bicyclic analogues, including carbolines, azaindoles, pyrroloquinolines and pyrroloisoquinolines was synthesized and biologically evaluated. None of the bicyclic compounds was significantly active against the chloroquine-resistant strain Plasmodium falciparum K1, in contrast to the tricyclic derivatives. The tricyclic compound 2-methyl-2H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (9), or 2-methyl-beta-carboline, showed the best in vitro activity, with an IC(50) value of 0.

Tunable optical forces between nanophotonic waveguides.

The confinement of light in components with nanoscale cross-sections in nanophotonic circuits significantly enhances the magnitude of the optical forces experienced by these components. Here we demonstrate optical gradient forces between two nanophotonic waveguides, and show that the sign of the force can be tuned from attractive to repulsive by controlling the relative phase of the optical fields injected into the waveguides. The optical gradient force could have applications in optically tunable microphotonic devices and nanomechanical systems.

Measuring the quality of life of people with profound multiple disabilities using the QOL-PMD: first results.

The present study focused on the objective components of quality of life (QOL) of people with profound multiple disabilities (PMD). More specific, we aimed at evaluating different dimensions of QOL of people with PMD and investigating the association between their QOL and several personal (age, gender, intellectual capabilities, motor limitations, sensory limitations, physical and mental health status) as well as setting characteristics (location of the setting, type of setting, size of the setting, group size, group composition, staffing level and staff turnover). As a measure of the QOL of people with PMD we used the QOL-PMD, a questionnaire that we specifically developed for this purpose.

Psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire to measure the quality of life of people with profound multiple disabilities (QOL-PMD).

Because of a shortage of valid instruments to measure the QOL of people with profound multiple disabilities (PMD), the QOL-PMD was developed. In the present study, possibilities for item reduction as well as the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined. One hundred and forty-seven informants of people with PMD participated in the study.

Inflammation in renal transplantation.

Background And Objectives: Renal transplant recipients experience premature cardiovascular disease and death. The association of inflammation, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular events in renal transplant recipients has not been examined in a large prospective controlled trial.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: ALERT was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of fluvastatin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes in 2102 renal transplant recipients.

Usefulness of the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) for persons with other than intellectual disabilities.

In response to the shift from a system-centred care model to a person-centred support model, the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) has been developed as an instrument to assess the support needs of persons with intellectual disabilities. The instrument is used as a tool for constructing individual support plans, as well as a tool for resource allocation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of the SIS for persons with other than intellectual disabilities.

Checklist for optimization and validation of real-time PCR assays.

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a frequently used technique in molecular diagnostics. To date, practical guidelines for the complete process of optimization and validation of commercial and in-house developed molecular diagnostic methods are scare. Therefore, we propose a practical guiding principle for the optimization and validation of real-time PCR assays.

Synthesis and antiplasmodial activity of aminoalkylamino-substituted neocryptolepine derivatives.

A series of chloro- and aminoalkylamino-substituted neocryptolepine (5-methyl-5H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline) derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as antiplasmodial agents. The evaluation also included cytotoxicity (MRC5 cells), inhibition of beta-hematin formation, and DNA interactions (DNA-methyl green assay). Introduction of aminoalkylamino chains increased the antiplasmodial activity of the neocryptolepine core substantially.

Immunogenicity of a standard trivalent influenza vaccine in patients on long-term hemodialysis: an open-label trial.

Background: Disturbances in acquired immunity are considered to be responsible, at least in part, for the high infection rate and inadequate response to vaccinations observed in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The present prospective trial aimed to: (1) evaluate the immunogenicity of a standard influenza vaccine in HD patients, and (2) identify determinants of the immune response.

Study Design: Prospective interventional open-label study.

Staff variables associated with the challenging behaviour of clients with severe or profound intellectual disabilities.

Background: Previous research has identified that staff-client interactions play an important role in the origin and maintenance of challenging behaviour. Particularly, the reciprocity between staff behaviour and client behaviour has been considered a key issue. Furthermore, severe challenging behaviour has been found to elicit negative emotional reactions from staff which in turn may influence staff's behaviour.

Immunosuppression in pancreas transplantation: the Euro SPK trials and beyond.

The Immunosuppression in Pancreas Transplantation was historically based on the fact that the pancreas is an extremely immunogenic organ. Quadruple drug therapy with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies induction was the mainstay therapy since the introduction of Cyclosporine A. In the modern era of Immunosuppression, Mycophenolate Mofetil replaced Azathioprine while Tacrolimus-another potent calcineurin inhibitor-had-and still has-a difficult challenge to replaced Cyclosporine A, due to its potential diabetogenic effect.

Functional beta-cell mass and insulin sensitivity is decreased in insulin-independent pancreas-kidney recipients.

Background: To compare functional beta-cell mass and insulin sensitivity in insulin-independent pancreas-kidney recipients with that in age- and body mass index-matched nondiabetic kidney recipients and normal controls.

Methods: All transplant recipients were on maintenance immunosuppression with mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus since more than 2.7 years (2.