Highly Enantioselective Polymerization of β-Butyrolactone by a Bimetallic Magnesium Catalyst: An Interdependent Relationship Between Favored and Unfavored Enantiomers.

Herein, we report that (,)-prophenolMg(μ-OBu)(THF) ((,)-, prophenol = (,)-2,6-bis[2-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl]-4-methylphenol) is a highly enantioselective (/ = 140) precatalyst for ring-opening polymerization of -β-butyrolactone (β-BL) to isotactic poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (-PHB), a high performance, biodegradable polyester. Precatalyst (,)- polymerizes ()-β-BL with an inversion of stereochemistry to ()PHB with a % (percentage of adjacent linkages with a configuration) of 98% at 41% conversion and of 165 °C under a variety of conditions. Complex (,)- demonstrates unique polymerization kinetics, as it does not polymerize the preferred enantiomer, ()-β-BL, alone.

Revisiting poly(vinyl chloride) reactivity in the context of chemical recycling.

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is one of the highest production volume polymers due to its many applications, and it is one of the least recycled due to its chemical structure and frequent formulation with additives. Developing efficient PVC recycling techniques would enable PVC waste to be reused or repurposed in other processes. Within this context, the literature on PVC modification offers considerable insight into versatile reaction pathways, potentially inspiring new approaches for repurposing PVC waste into value-added products.

Neurosarcoidosis in children: A systematic review and summary of cases, imaging and management.

Neurosarcoidosis is a rare disorder in children. We identified 30 pediatric NS cases through a systematic review. Twenty-one (70%) had systemic sarcoidosis with 30% having primary neurosarcoidosis.

The effect of vegetation barriers at reducing the transmission of Salmonella and Escherichia coli from animal operations to fresh produce.

Due to the recent outbreaks of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in fresh produce in the United States, the transfer of foodborne pathogens between animal feeding operations and fresh produce continues to be a considerable risk. The purpose of this study was to determine if the establishment of a vegetation barrier (VB) on small-scale sustainable farms could prevent the transmission of Salmonella and E. coli to nearby fresh produce fields.

Interexaminer Reliability of Seated Motion Palpation for the Stiffest Spinal Site.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the interexaminer reliability of palpation for stiffness in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal regions.

Methods: In this secondary data analysis, data from 70 patients from a chiropractic college outpatient clinic were analyzed. Two doctors of chiropractic palpated for the stiffest site within each spinal region.

Analysis of 334 Cases of Pediatric Esophageal Foreign Body Removal Suggests that Traditional Methods Have Similar Outcomes Whereas a Magnetic Tip Orogastric Tube Appears to Be an Effective, Efficient, and Safe Technique for Disc Battery Removal.

Procedures and outcomes for pediatric esophageal foreign body removal were analyzed. Traditional methods of battery removal were compared with a magnetic tip orogastric tube (MtOGT). A single institution retrospective review from 1997 to 2014 of pediatric patients with esophageal foreign bodies was performed.

Conservative Care of Pediatric Acquired Torticollis: A Report of 2 Cases.

Objective: The purpose of this case report is to describe the conservative management of 2 cases of acquired torticollis in children under 3 years of age.

Clinical Features: Both patients awoke with painful, stiff, twisted necks the day after play in a bouncy house. Range of motion was limited, and hypertonic muscles were palpated.

Natural History Constrains the Macroevolution of Foot Morphology in European Plethodontid Salamanders.

The natural history of organisms can have major effects on the tempo and mode of evolution, but few examples show how unique natural histories affect rates of evolution at macroevolutionary scales. European plethodontid salamanders (Plethodontidae: Hydromantes) display a particular natural history relative to other members of the family. Hydromantes commonly occupy caves and small crevices, where they cling to the walls and ceilings.

The reliability of spinal motion palpation determination of the location of the stiffest spinal site is influenced by confidence ratings: a secondary analysis of three studies.

Background: This is a secondary analysis of three previous studies on the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines. It uses continuous analysis of the stiffest spinal site rather than more typical level-by-level analysis to assess interexaminer reliability, and the impacts of examiner confidence and spinal region. The primary goal was secondary analysis of the combined data; secondary goal was de novo analysis of combined data emphasizing absolute indices of examiner agreement; and tertiary goal was analysis of actual vs.

The reliability of lumbar motion palpation using continuous analysis and confidence ratings: choosing a relevant index of agreement.

Introduction: Most studies show motion palpation unreliable. This study's primary objective was assessing its reliability using a continuous measure methods, most-fixated level paradigm, stratified by examiners' confidence; and the secondary objective was comparing various indices of examiner agreement.

Methods: Thirty-four minimally symptomatic participants were palpated in side posture by two experienced examiners.

Validity of palpation of the C1 transverse process: comparison with a radiographic reference standard.

Objectives: Primary goal: to determine the validity of C1 transverse process (TVP) palpation compared to an imaging reference standard.

Methods: Radiopaque markers were affixed to the skin at the putative location of the C1 TVPs in 21 participants receiving APOM radiographs. The radiographic vertical distances from the marker to the C1 TVP, mastoid process, and C2 TVP were evaluated to determine palpatory accuracy.

The location of the inferior angle of the scapula in relation to the spine in the upright position: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

Practitioners in several of the health care professions use anatomical landmarks to identify spinal levels, both in order to enhance diagnostic accuracy and to specifically target the site of intervention. Authoritative sources usually state the upright inferior scapular angle (IAS) aligns with the spinous process (SP) of T7, but some specify the T7-8 interspace or the T8 SP. The primary goals of this study were to systematically review the relevant literature; and conduct a meta-analysis of the pooled data from retrieved studies to increase their statistical power.

Mapping intended spinal site of care from the upright to prone position: an interexaminer reliability study.

Background: Upright examination procedures like radiology, thermography, manual muscle testing, and spinal motion palpation may lead to spinal interventions with the patient prone. The reliability and accuracy of mapping upright examination findings to the prone position is unknown. This study had 2 primary goals: (1) investigate how erroneous spine-scapular landmark associations may lead to errors in treating and charting spine levels; and (2) study the interexaminer reliability of a novel method for mapping upright spinal sites to the prone position.

Interexaminer reliability of cervical motion palpation using continuous measures and rater confidence levels.

Introduction: Motion palpators usually rate the movement of each spinal level palpated, and their reliability is assessed based upon discrete paired observations. We hypothesized that asking motion palpators to identify the most fixated cervical spinal level to allow calculating reliability at the group level might be a useful alternative approach.

Methods: Three examiners palpated 29 asymptomatic supine participants for cervical joint hypomobility.

Visual wavelength discrimination by the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta.

Marine turtles are visual animals, yet we know remarkably little about how they use this sensory capacity. In this study, our purpose was to determine whether loggerhead turtles could discriminate between objects on the basis of color. We used light-adapted hatchlings to determine the minimum intensity of blue (450 nm), green (500 nm), and yellow (580 nm) visual stimuli that evoked a positive phototaxis (the phototaxis "threshold" [pt]).

Interexaminer reliability of thoracic motion palpation using confidence ratings and continuous analysis.

Objective: Motion palpation is integral to most chiropractic techniques and can be found in curricula of most every chiropractic college. Paradoxically, most studies do not show strong reliability for motion palpation. The purpose of this study was to determine if allowing motion palpators to rate their confidence in their findings, as well using a continuous data analytic method, would influence the level of concordance.

A review of intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability of static spinal palpation: a literature synthesis.

Objective: The purposes of this study were to locate articles that assessed the reliability of static palpation of the spine and sacroiliac joints, to appraise the quality of these studies, and synthesize their results.

Methods: A structured literature search was conducted of chiropractic and medical databases PubMed, Manual Alternative and Natural Therapy System, Index to Chiropractic Literature, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature from 1965 through October 2007. Reference sections were inspected for additional citations.

The location of the inferior angle of the scapula in relation to the spinal level of prone patients.

Background: In two previous studies we established the mean location of the upright inferior angle of the scapula (IAS) to be near the spinous process of T8. The current study investigates the common belief that the prone IAS lines up with the T6 SP.

Methods: The location of the IAS in relation to the spine of 20 mostly asymptomatic subjects was assessed on a Hi-Lo table in 7 different postures, 2 upright and 5 prone.

An annotated bibliography of spinal motion palpation reliability studies.

Background: Several literature reviews have addressed the reliability of spinal and sacroiliac (SI) motion palpation (MP), finding that, in general, interexaminer reliability is slight and intraexaminer reliability is moderate.

Methods: We performed a literature search of four biomedical databases to locate articles that dealt with MP of the spine or SI joints. The abstracts of the retrieved citations were independently screened for inclusion by two of the authors.

Spinal motion palpation: a comparison of studies that assessed intersegmental end feel vs excursion.

Objective: Spinal motion palpation (MP) is a procedure used to detect intersegmental hypomobility/hypermobility. Different means of assessing intersegmental mobility are described, assessing either excursion of the segments (quantity of movement) or end feel (quality of motion when stressed against the paraphysiological space). The objective of this review was to classify and compare studies based on method of MP used, considering that some studies may have used both methods.

Determining spinal level using the inferior angle of the scapula as a reference landmark: a retrospective analysis of 50 radiographs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine which spinal segment most closely corresponds to the level of the inferior angle of the scapula (IAS) using measurements taken on A-P full-spine radiographs.

Methods: Fifty sequentially selected radiographs were analyzed independently by two examiners. A straight edge was used to ascertain which spinal levels corresponded with the right and left IASs.