Structure and properties of neutral and cationic gold(III) complexes from substituted 2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline ligands.

A one-step catalytic synthesis of 6-substituted 4-phenyl-2-(2'-pyridyl)quinolines provides electronically differentiated ligands without solvent, inert atmosphere, metal contamination, or chromatography. Gold(III) complexes formed from these bidentate PyQuin ligands were characterized and studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The cationic gold(III) chloride synthesized from 6-methoxy-4-phenyl-2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline has a distorted square-planar ligand environment.

Very preterm birth and foetal growth restriction are associated with specific cognitive deficits in children attending mainstream school.

Aim: This study investigated the association of prenatal and neonatal factors with cognitive outcomes in schoolchildren born very preterm without impairments at the age of nine.

Methods: We recruited a prospective regional cohort of 154 very low gestational age (VLGA) children of <32 weeks and 90 term-born comparison children born between November 1998 and November 2002 at Oulu University Hospital, Finland. Cognitive outcome was assessed using an inclusive neuropsychological test repertoire at the age of nine.

Effects of different mesenchymal stromal cell sources and delivery routes in experimental emphysema.

We sought to assess whether the effects of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) on lung inflammation and remodeling in experimental emphysema would differ according to MSC source and administration route. Emphysema was induced in C57BL/6 mice by intratracheal (IT) administration of porcine pancreatic elastase (0.1 UI) weekly for 1 month.

UVR exposure and vitamin D in a rural population. A study of outdoor working farmers, their spouses and children.

Background: Living and working in the countryside may result in excessive UVR exposure, with increased risk of skin cancer. Some sun exposure is, however, recommended, since vitamin D production is UVB-dependent.

Objectives: To examine UVR exposure and vitamin D levels in a rural population of outdoor working male farmers, their indoor working spouses and their children, expected to receive high UVR exposure.

Synthesis, characterization, and antitumor activity of unusual pseudo five coordinate gold(III) complexes: distinct cytotoxic mechanism or expensive ligand delivery systems?

Gold(III) complexes bearing bidentate ligands based on the 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridine scaffolds have shown promising anticancer activity against a variety of tumor cell lines. In particular, our laboratory has previously found that a pseudo five coordinate gold(III) complex possessing the 2,9-di-sec-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand {[((di-sec-butyl)phen)AuCl3]} exhibits antitumor activity against a panel of five different lung and head-neck tumor cell lines. However, the [((di-sec-butyl)phen)AuCl3] complex was determined to be less active than the free 2,9-di-sec-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline ligand.

A comparative metagenome survey of the fecal microbiota of a breast- and a plant-fed Asian elephant reveals an unexpectedly high diversity of glycoside hydrolase family enzymes.

A phylogenetic and metagenomic study of elephant feces samples (derived from a three-weeks-old and a six-years-old Asian elephant) was conducted in order to describe the microbiota inhabiting this large land-living animal. The microbial diversity was examined via 16S rRNA gene analysis. We generated more than 44,000 GS-FLX+454 reads for each animal.

Effects of bone marrow mononuclear cells from healthy or ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation donors on recipient allergic asthma mice.

Introduction: Asthma is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process which may lead to several changes in bone marrow cell composition. We hypothesized that bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) obtained from ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation mice may promote different effects compared to BMMCs from healthy donors in a model of allergic asthma.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to two groups.

Using liquid waste streams as the moisture source during the hydrothermal carbonization of municipal solid wastes.

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermal conversion process that can be an environmentally beneficial approach for the conversion of municipal solid wastes to value-added products. The influence of using activated sludge and landfill leachate as initial moisture sources during the carbonization of paper, food waste and yard waste over time at 250°C was evaluated. Results from batch experiments indicate that the use of activated sludge and landfill leachate are acceptable alternative supplemental liquid sources, ultimately imparting minimal impact on carbonization product characteristics and yields.

Winning or losing does matter: Acute cardiac admissions in New Zealand during Rugby World Cup tournaments.

Aim: The relationship between watching major sporting events and cardiac hospital admissions is contentious. This study is the first to investigate cardiovascular admissions during Rugby World Cup (RWC) tournaments.

Methods And Results: New Zealand (NZ) public hospital admissions data were analysed for cardiovascular events during the 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 RWC tournaments.

Sun and ski holidays improve vitamin D status, but are associated with high levels of DNA damage.

Skin cancer is caused by solar UVR, which is also essential for vitamin D production. DNA damage (thymine dimers: T-T dimers) and vitamin D (25(OH)D) synthesis are both initiated by solar UVB. We aimed to investigate the simultaneous adverse and beneficial effects of solar UVB exposure in holidaymakers.

Exploring pathways to trust: a tribal perspective on data sharing.

The data-sharing policies of the National Institutes of Health aim to maximize public benefit derived from genetic studies by increasing research efficiency and use of a pooled data resource for future studies. Although broad access to data may lead to benefits for populations underrepresented in genetic studies, such as indigenous groups, tribes have ownership interest in their data. The Northwest-Alaska Pharmacogenetic Research Network, a partnership involving tribal organizations and universities conducting basic and translational pharmacogenetic research, convened a meeting to discuss the collection, management, and secondary use of research data, and of the processes surrounding access to data stored in federal repositories.

Highly automated nano-LC/MS-based approach for thousand cell-scale quantification of side chain-hydroxylated oxysterols.

Iso-octyl chain-hydroxylated oxysterols were determined in attomoles per 10,000 cells concentrations in 10,000-80,000 cultured pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, using a sensitive, highly automated nano-LC-ESI-MS-based method. Identified oxysterols included 24S hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC), 25 hydroxycholesterol (25-OHC), and 27 hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC), while 20S hydroxycholesterol and 22S hydroxycholesterol were not detected. Lower mass limit of quantification was 23 fg (65 amol) for 25-OHC and 27-OHC (100 times lower than our previous method) and 54 fg (135 amol) for 24S-OHC, after derivatization into Girard T hydrazones and online sample cleanup using simplified and robust automatic filtration and filter back flushing solid phase extraction LC/MS/MS.

Endoscopic versus open radial artery harvest and mammario-radial versus aorto-radial grafting in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: protocol for the 2 × 2 factorial designed randomised NEO trial.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting using the radial artery has, since the 1990s, gone through a revival. Observational studies have indicated better long-term patency when using radial arteries. Therefore, radial artery might be preferred especially in younger patients where long time patency is important.

Multimodal analgesia versus traditional opiate based analgesia after cardiac surgery, a randomized controlled trial.

Background: To evaluate if an opiate sparing multimodal regimen of dexamethasone, gabapentin, ibuprofen and paracetamol had better analgesic effect, less side effects and was safe compared to a traditional morphine and paracetamol regimen after cardiac surgery.

Methods: Open-label, prospective randomized controlled trial. 180 patients undergoing cardiac procedures through median sternotomy, were included in the period march 2007-August 2009.

Effect of increasing pump speed during exercise on peak oxygen uptake in heart failure patients supported with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device. A double-blind randomized study.

Aims: Continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation is associated with improved quality of life, but the effect on exercise capacity is less well documented. It is uncertain whether a fixed CF-LVAD pump speed, which allows for sufficient circulatory support at rest, remains adequate during exercise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fixed versus incremental pump speed on peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) during a maximal exercise test.

IL-13 immunotoxin accelerates resolution of lung pathological changes triggered by silica particles in mice.

Instillation of silica into the lungs of rodents results in pathological changes that strongly mimic human silicosis, an occupational lung disease marked by restrictive airway obstruction, inflammation, and fibrosis. Because IL-13 is a pivotal proinflammatory and fibrogenic cytokine, we examined whether a recombinant immunotoxin comprised of human IL-13 and a mutated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin (IL-13-PE) might affect pathological features of experimental silicosis. Mice received a single intranasal instillation of silica particles and were treated with intranasal IL-13-PE every other day from days 21 to 27 postsilica.

Achieving micelle control through core crystallinity.

We have designed a pathway for controlling the critical micelle concentration and micelle size of polyester-based systems. This was achieved by creating an array of different copolymers with semicrystalline or amorphous hydrophobic blocks. The hydrophobic block was constructed through ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, L-lactide, and ε-decalactone, either as homopolymers or random copolymers, using PEG as both the initiator and the hydrophilic block.

Using a knowledge utilization framework to explore how findings from one study can be applied to other nursing contexts.

Aim: To discuss the complexities of moving research into practice and through a case example, explore how empirical findings from one specific study could be applied to nursing in other contexts.

Background: The processes of moving research findings into practice are complex and multidimensional. In this paper, an innovative approach to social support, network-focused nursing (NFN), is used as a case example to illustrate these complexities.

No serological evidence of influenza A H1N1pdm09 virus infection as a contributing factor in childhood narcolepsy after Pandemrix vaccination campaign in Finland.

Background: Narcolepsy cataplexy syndrome, characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, is strongly associated with a genetic marker, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*06:02. A sudden increase in the incidence of childhood narcolepsy was observed after vaccination with AS03-adjuvanted Pandemrix influenza vaccine in Finland at the beginning of 2010. Here, we analysed whether the coinciding influenza A H1N1pdm pandemic contributed, together with the Pandemrix vaccination, to the increased incidence of childhood narcolepsy in 2010.

Antitumor properties of five-coordinate gold(III) complexes bearing substituted polypyridyl ligands.

In an on-going effort to discover metallotherapeutic alternatives to the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, neutral distorted square pyramidal gold(III) coordination complexes possessing 2,9-disubstituted-1,10-phenanthroline ligands {[((R)phen)AuCl3]; R = n-butyl, sec-butyl} have been previously synthesized and characterized. A structurally analogous gold(III) complex bearing a 6,6'-di-methylbipyridine ligand ([((methyl)bipy)AuCl3]) has been synthesized and fully characterized to probe the effect of differing aromatic character of the ligand on solution stability and tumor cell cytotoxicity. The two compounds [((sec-butyl)phen)AuCl3] and [((methyl)bipy)AuCl3]) were subsequently assessed for their stability against the biological reductant glutathione, and it was found that the [((sec-butyl)phen)AuCl3] complex exhibits slightly enhanced stability compared to the [((methyl)bipy)AuCl3] complex and significantly higher stability than previously reported square planar gold(III) complex ions.

ε-Decalactone: a thermoresilient and toughening comonomer to poly(L-lactide).

The renewable monomer ε-decalactone is an excellent partner to L-lactide, where their copolymers overcome inherent drawbacks of polylactide, such as low thermal stability and brittleness. ε-Decalactone is a seven-membered lactone that was successfully polymerized with Sn(Oct)(2) and 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.

Perfusion-decellularized pancreas as a natural 3D scaffold for pancreatic tissue and whole organ engineering.

Approximately 285 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, with insulin supplementation as the most common treatment measure. Regenerative medicine approaches such as a bioengineered pancreas has been proposed as potential therapeutic alternatives. A bioengineered pancreas will benefit from the development of a bioscaffold that supports and enhances cellular function and tissue development.

[Pain audit as a tool to optimize pain treatment in hospital departments].

On March 3 2011 the Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, conducted a cross-sectional pain audit. All patients present at the department were invited to complete a questionnaire about their pain experience, and their medical records were reviewed. The results indicated that patients with probable neuropathic pain reported the highest pain severity levels and experienced the greatest burden of their pain.

Patient-prosthesis mismatch and reduction in left ventricular mass after aortic valve replacement.

Background: The presence of patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement may influence patient survival. We examined the relationship between PPM and changes in left ventricular mass index at 3 months follow-up and also overall survival.

Methods: From patients included in the Mosaic trial, we studied data from 266 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with the Medtronic Mosaic porcine bioprosthesis and had an echocardiography performed 3 months postoperatively.