We report the first example of catalytic asymmetric direct amination of α-monosubstituted nitroacetates using di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate. The simple and easily available Hatakeyama's catalyst β-ICD 11 was found to be a highly enantioselective catalyst for this reaction.

Aim:  In an earlier study we have shown that transcervical chorionic villus sampling in excess of 90 mg increases the risk for hemangiomas of infancy three- to four-fold compared to amniocentesis. In the present study we investigated whether transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (TA-CVS), in which the samples are smaller, carries the ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated, demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. After traumatic brain injury, it is the leading cause of neurology disability in young adults. Considerable advances have been made in identifying genes involved in MS but the genetic and phenotypic complexity associated with this ...

The zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is widely used as sentinel organism for the assessment of environmental contamination in freshwater environments. However, in the River Rhine (Germany), the D. polymorpha population is declining, whereas the closely related quagga mussel D. bugensis is found in high numbers at some sites. In the ...

Youth violence (YV) is a complex public health issue that spans geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. The Asian/Pacific Islander Youth Violence Prevention Center conducts qualitative and quantitative research on YV in Hawai'i. A critical element in YV prevention involves measuring YV and its risk-protective factors to determine the scope of ...

In the Drosophila germline stem cell ovary niche, two stem cells compete with each other for niche occupancy to maintain stem cell quality by ensuring that differentiated stem cells are rapidly pushed out the niche and replenished by normal ones (Jin et al. in Cell Stem Cell 2:39-49, 2008). To ...

Smoking is a global healthcare problem. Current smoking cessation rates using behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapeutic interventions have had modest success, with ~1:5 smokers remaining abstinent long-term. Nicotine vaccines are a new class of immunotherapeutics under development. It is believed that anti-nicotine antibodies arising from vaccination capture nicotine and prevent or ...

Background: BRCA-1/2 germline mutations are responsible for early onset breast cancer and familial association. The underlying causes of the characteristic phenotypic behaviour are not completely understood, but mammary stem cells appear to have a key role in this process. Materials and Methods: We have investigated the presence of mammary stem ...

This paper addresses multiple comparisons in the presence of both a negative and a positive control. The methodology of the three-arm trial is extended to the case of many experimental treatment arms or different doses of a compound. In contrast to the classic three-arm trial, the focus is on the ...

AIM: Several clinical trials have demonstrated the antianginal and anti-ischemic efficacy of ivabradine in combination with beta-blocker in patients with stable angina pectoris. The ADDITIONS (PrActical Daily efficacy anD safety of Procoralan(®) In combinaTION with betablockerS) study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of ivabradine added to beta-blocker, and its ...

Objective. To review the procedure related complication rates following fetal blood sampling and intrauterine red cell transfusion for anaemic fetuses at a single tertiary centre. Design. This is a retrospective study of 114 intrauterine transfusions. Setting. A single tertiary referral fetal medicine centre at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial ...

Ossabaw miniswine have been naturally selected to efficiently store large amounts of lipids offering them a survival advantage. Our goal was to evaluate the myocardial response to chronic ischemia of the Ossabaw consuming a hypercaloric, high-fat/cholesterol diet with and without metformin supplementation. At 6 weeks of age animals were fed either ...

For testing the non-inferiority (or equivalence) of an experimental treatment to a standard treatment, the odds ratio (OR) of patient response rates has been recommended to measure the relative treatment efficacy. On the basis of an exact test procedure proposed elsewhere for a simple crossover design, we develop an exact ...

Evidence presented in 2011 suggests that rheumatoid arthritis might comprise two separate diseases-each with different etiological underpinnings-and that kinase inhibitors could soon be added to the therapeutic armamentarium. Together with new definitions of remission, these advances could aid the development of personalized, treat-to-target strategies.

PURPOSE: The combination of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with a magnetic field is a powerful approach to enable cell positioning and/or local gene therapy. Because physical requirements for MNPs differ between these two applications we have explored whether the use of different MNPs can provide site-specific positioning combined with efficient viral ...

PURPOSE: In 2004, a Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG)-based hospital reimbursement system became mandatory in Germany. The aim of this study was to provide nationwide data on the surgery of thyroid cancer by analyzing DRG statistics of the years 2005 and 2006. METHODS: The unit of analysis was hospital admission with ...

Epigenetic silencing of the tumor suppressor gene, RARβ2, through histone deacetylation has been established as an important process of cervical carcinogenesis. This pivotal role has led to the suggestion that a combination of retinoids selective for RARβ2 with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors may have therapeutic potential. Valproic acid (VPA), a ...

We assessed the effect of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) on pain and nerve function in patients with chemotherapy-induced painful neuropathy, in 20 patients undergoing thalidomide and bortezomib treatment for multiple myeloma. All patients were evaluated before and after a two-month treatment with PEA 300 mg BID using pain and warmth thresholds; blinded ...

Here we report 41 novel mutations in the TCIRG1 gene that is responsible for the disease in more than 50% of ARO patients. The characterisation of mutations in this gene might be useful in the process of drug design for osteoporosis treatment. INTRODUCTION: Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (ARO) is a genetically ...

In this study, the frequency of Theileria and Babesia species was assessed via reverse line blotting and blood smear-based diagnostic methods in small ruminants. A total of 201 apparently healthy animals from 26 randomly selected herds located in 4 locations (Artvin, Giresun, Gumushane, and Tokat) of East Black Sea Region ...

Remote follow-up of implanted ICDs may offer a solution to the problem of overcrowded outpatient clinics. All major device companies have developed a remote follow-up solution. Data obtained from the remote follow-up systems are stored in a central database system, operated and owned by the device company and accessible for ...

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Infections with Coxsackieviruses have been linked to beta cell dysfunction. Given the importance of beta cell dysfunction in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes, we hypothesised that prior infection with Coxsackieviruses B would increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The aims of the study were to estimate cross-sectional ...

Elucidation of the molecular pathways underlying bone turnover has revealed potential therapeutic targets, including receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), which is a mediator of osteoclast formation, function and survival. Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to and inhibits RANKL. This agent has been developed for ...

The immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass response was investigated in horses with or without pyrexia after natural infection with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) in the field. All horses were kept at the training centers of the Japan Racing Association and were immunized with an inactivated EHV-1 vaccine before EHV-1 infection. ...

The cell cycle of the primordial germ cells (PGCs), the embryonic precursors of the gametes, is characterized by a mitotic phase common to both sexes and a mitotic-meiotic switch in the female. In the present work, we will review the progress achieved in the last decade in studying intrinsic and ...

Microglia are highly motile cells that act as the main form of active immune defense in the central nervous system. Attracted by factors released from damaged cells, microglia are recruited towards the damaged or infected site, where they are involved in degenerative and regenerative responses and phagocytotic clearance of cell ...

SUMMARYVaricella-zoster virus causes chickenpox (CP) and after reactivation herpes zoster (HZ). Vaccines are available against both diseases warranting an assessment of the pre-vaccination burden of disease. We collected data from relevant Belgian databases and performed five surveys of CP and HZ patients. The rates at which a general practitioner is ...

Osteoarthritis (OA) has a considerable hereditary component and is considered to be a polygenic disease. Data derived from genetic analyses and genome-wide screening of individuals with this disease have revealed a surprising trend: genes associated with OA tend to be related to the process of synovial joint development. Mutations in ...

Due to the large number of different docking programs and scoring functions available, researchers are faced with the problem of selecting the most suitable one when starting a structure-based drug discovery project. To guide the decision process, several studies comparing different docking and scoring approaches have been published. In the ...

Nanoparticles have useful properties, but it is often important that they only start working after they are placed in a desired location. The encapsulation of nanoparticles allows their function to be preserved until they are released at a specific time or location, and this has been exploited in the development ...

The objective was to assess outcomes of nasal septoplasty without turbinectomy using validated subjective instruments and to correlate results with patient satisfaction. The prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary referral center. The method included the use of NOSE and RhinoQoL questionnaires to assess patients before and 6 months after ...

Nanoparticles from environment or through industrial sources could induce profound alteration in human health leading to often brain dysfunction. However, this is still unclear whether nanoparticles intoxication could also alter the physiological or pathological responses of additional brain injury, stress response or disease processes. Our military personals engaged in combat ...

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) has increased dramatically over the last several decades, largely driven by equally worrisome growing rates of obesity. Chronic diabetic complications are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Key players in the pathophysiology of DM2 are insulin resistance and β cell dysfunction, ...

Our previous studies have showed that ginsenoside (GS)-Rd, a mono-compound isolated from traditional Chinese herb panax ginseng, has the neuroprotective effects following ischemic stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Our latest study showed that GS-Rd could block calcium influx in cultured cortical neurons after excitotoxic injury, indicating ...

BACKGROUND: Although coronary artery pathology is a prominent feature of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), it may be underestimated by coronary angiography because of its diffuse nature. It is also generally assumed that cardiovascular risk is increased in MPS and reduced following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), but ...

Aim:  Following treatment for colorectal cancer it is common practice for patients to attend hospital clinics at regular intervals for routine monitoring, although debate persists on the benefits of this approach. Nurse-led telephone follow-up is effective in meeting information and psycho-social needs in other patient groups. We explored the potential ...

Background. The prevalence of esophageal cancer accompanied by hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) is high and increasing rapidly in Asia. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of esophageal cancer during the pretreatment of HPC patients who were routinely examined using esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) and ...

Increased C-reactive protein (CRP) is a predictor of cardiovascular risk, but its influence on outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) is still incompletely studied. We studied the association between preoperative CRP and inhospital death after CABG. Patients with acute or chronic infectious or inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, cancer, ...

BACKGROUND: Acute intestinal failure (AIF) is defined as an inability to tolerate 80% of nutritional requirements delivered enterally for a minimum of 48 h. In surgical patients it commonly relates to abdominal sepsis, intestinal obstruction, or ileus. The prevalence of AIF in surgical units in Ireland has not previously been studied. ...

BACKGROUND: High-Mobility-Group Box 1 (HMGB1) has been established as an important mediator of myocardial inflammation and associated with progression of heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of systemic HMGB1 levels in HF patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: We ...

INTRODUCTION: There has been an increase in the number of patients seeking treatment after an anti-reflux surgical procedure. The objective of this study is to describe high-resolution manometry (HRM) topography as it relates to the post-fundoplication anatomy. METHODS: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted to identify patients ...

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure, is a disorder of infertility characterized by amenorrhoea, low estrogen levels and increased gonadotropin levels in women aged <40 years. POI is the result of premature exhaustion of the follicle pool or can be attributed to follicular dysfunction, for example, ...

Astrocytic changes have been demonstrated in several neurodegenerative diseases, showing that these cells play an important role in functional recovery/maintenance against brain damage. Physical exercise is known to contribute to this process; however, the cellular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of physical exercise on ...

The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (ADH2) genes have been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the results have been inconsistent. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to clarify the associations between polymorphisms of ALDH2 and ADH2 genes and HCC. Published literatures from ...

Previous histological and neuroimaging studies have documented structural abnormalities in the white matter of the brain in individuals with early-treated phenylketonuria (ETPKU). It remains unclear, however, the extent to which the function of the brain's interconnections are impacted by this condition. Presently, we utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to ...

In degenerative disc disease, an injectable hydrogel can fill a degenerate area completely, reduce the risk of implant migration and subsequent loss of height of the intervertebral disc, and minimise surgical defects. Here, we propose a method of preparing an injectable silk fibroin/polyurethane (SF/PU) composite hydrogel by chemical cross-linking under ...

From neutrophil extracellular traps to genetic networks that underlie the disease and new targeted therapies, important advances in 2011 improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and mark the beginning of our ability to treat it effectively.

SUMMARYWe analysed two large national surveys conducted in 2001 and 2008 to examine incidence and outcomes of gastroenteritis in older Australians. A case was someone reporting ⩾3 loose stools or ⩾1 episode of vomiting in 24 h, excluding non-infectious causes. We compared cases arising in the elderly (⩾65 years) and ...

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are amongst the most common autoimmune diseases in the northern hemisphere. There is mounting evidence that in both afflictions, not only environmental and genetic factors influence disease, but cellular components such as autoreactive T cells also contribute to pathology. Animal models are key ...

Synaptic transmission between the cochlear hair cell and its afferent fiber is mediated by glutamate receptors. While kainate receptors are known to be present in the spiral ganglion, little is known of their distribution or functional role. We have detected all five kainate receptor subunits in the mouse cochlea with ...