Heteroligand copper(I) complexes of N-thiophosphorylated thioureas and phosphanes: Versatile structures and luminescence

Reaction of the potassium salts of (EtO)₂P(O)CH₂C₆H₄-4-(NHC(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂) (HL^I), (CH₂NHC(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂)₂ (H₂L^II) or cyclam(C(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂)₄ (H₄L^III) with [Cu(PPh₃)₃I] or a mixture of CuI and Ph₂P(CH₂)_1-3PPh₂ or Ph₂P(C₅H₄FeC₅H₄)PPh₂ in aqueous EtOH/CH₂Cl₂ leads to [Cu(PPh₃)L^I] (1), [Cu₂(Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂)₂L^II] (2), [Cu{Ph₂P(CH₂)₂PPh₂}L^I] (3), [Cu{Ph₂P(CH₂)₃PPh₂}L^I] (4), [Cu{Ph₂P(C₅H₄FeC₅H₄)PPh₂}L^I] (5), [Cu₂(PPh₃)₂L^II] (6), [Cu₂(Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂)L^II] (7), [Cu₂{Ph₂P(CH₂)₂PPh₂}₂L^II] (8), [Cu₂{Ph₂P(CH₂)₃PPh₂}₂L^II] (9), [Cu₂{Ph₂P(C₅H₄FeC₅H₄)PPh₂}₂L^II] (10), [Cu₈(Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂)₈L^IIII₄] (11), [Cu₄{Ph₂P(CH₂)₂PPh₂}₄L^III] (12), [Cu₄{Ph₂P(CH₂)₃PPh₂}₄L^III] (13) or [Cu₄{Ph₂P(C₅H₄FeC₅H₄)PPh₂}₄L^III] (14) complexes. The structures of these compounds were investigated by IR, ¹H, ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy; their compositions were examined by microanalysis. The luminescent properties of the complexes 1-14 in the solid state are reported.     

Prevalence of mandibular osteomyelitis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Slovenia

Mandibular osteomyelitis in free-ranging cervids is a rare, but eventually fatal, disease. We examined 41,895 defleshed mandibles of roe deer collected throughout Slovenia in 2007. Mandibles from 14,679 fawns had no signs of osteomyelitis, and were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 27,216 specimens, chronic osteomyelitis ("lumpy jaw") was found in 113 mandibles (4.2%; 7.0% of adults). The majority of cases were observed from the Mediterranean and subalpine regions, near larger cities and thermal power plants. There was no statistically significant correlation between severity of the mandibular osteomyelitis and body weight. Females were more frequently affected than males. Coarse and abrasive food, and to some extent dental fluorosis, are the most probable triggers for development of lesions.     

Conjunctival amelanotic melanoma--a case report

Conjunctival melanoma is a relatively rare malignancy. It is presented as pigmented nodule in any area of conjunctiva, amelanotic tumors are pink with smooth appearance. The authors describe an amelanotic melanoma of the conjunctiva in an 82-year-old female patient. Cytological, histopathological and immunohistochemical studies revealed an invasive amelanotic melanoma exhibiting S-100 and MART-1 positivity. The patient undervent surgical and chemotherapy treatment and three years after the initial treatment is in the terminal stage of metastatic disease. Absence of pigmentation delayed early clinical detection and treatment. Awareness of this nonpigmented melanoma is crucial for early recognition and appropriate management.     

Significance of Ubiquitin Carboxy-Terminal Hydrolase L1 Elevations in Athletes after Sub-Concussive Head Hits

The impact of sub-concussive head hits (sub-CHIs) has been recently investigated in American football players, a population at risk for varying degrees of post-traumatic sequelae. Results show how sub-CHIs in athletes translate in serum as the appearance of reporters of blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD), how the number and severity of sub-CHIs correlate with elevations of putative markers of brain injury is unknown. Serum brain injury markers such as UCH-L1 depend on BBBD. We investigated the effects of sub-CHIs in collegiate football players on markers of BBBD, markers of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (serum beta 2-transferrin) and markers of brain damage. Emergency room patients admitted for a clinically-diagnosed mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) were used as positive controls. Healthy volunteers were used as negative controls. Specifically this study was designed to determine the use of UCH-L1 as an aid in the diagnosis of sub-concussive head injury in athletes. The extent and intensity of head impacts and serum values of S100B, UCH-L1, and beta-2 transferrin were measured pre- and post-game from 15 college football players who did not experience a concussion after a game. S100B was elevated in players experiencing the most sub-CHIs; UCH-L1 levels were also elevated but did not correlate with S100B or sub-CHIs. Beta-2 transferrin levels remained unchanged. No correlation between UCH-L1 levels and mTBI were measured in patients. Low levels of S100B were able to rule out mTBI and high S100B levels correlated with TBI severity. UCH-L1 did not display any interpretable change in football players or in individuals with mild TBI. The significance of UCH-L1 changes in sub-concussions or mTBI needs to be further elucidated.     

Persistent,Long-term Cerebral White Matter Changes after Sports-Related Repetitive Head Impacts

Introduction

Repetitive head impacts (RHI) sustained in contact sports are thought to be necessary for the long-term development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Our objectives were to: 1) characterize the magnitude and persistence of RHI-induced white matter (WM) changes; 2) determine their relationship to kinematic measures of RHI; and 3) explore their clinical relevance.

Methods

Prospective, observational study of 10 Division III college football players and 5 non-athlete controls during the 2011-12 season. All subjects underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), physiologic, cognitive, and balance testing at pre-season (Time 1), post-season (Time 2), and after 6-months of no-contact rest (Time 3). Head impact measures were recorded using helmet-mounted accelerometers. The percentage of whole-brain WM voxels with significant changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from Time 1 to 2, and Time 1 to 3 was determined for each subject and correlated to head impacts and clinical measures.

Results

Total head impacts for the season ranged from 431–1,850. No athlete suffered a clinically evident concussion. Compared to controls, athletes experienced greater changes in FA and MD from Time 1 to 2 as well as Time 1 to 3; most differences at Time 2 persisted to Time 3. Among athletes, the percentage of voxels with decreased FA from Time 1 to 2 was positively correlated with several helmet impact measures. The persistence of WM changes from Time 1 to 3 was also associated with changes in serum ApoA1 and S100B autoantibodies. WM changes were not consistently associated with cognition or balance.

Conclusions

A single football season of RHIs without clinically-evident concussion resulted in WM changes that correlated with multiple helmet impact measures and persisted following 6 months of no-contact rest. This lack of WM recovery could potentially contribute to cumulative WM changes with subsequent RHI exposures.     

Efficacy of anti-inflammatory therapy in a model of acute seizures and in a population of pediatric drug resistant epileptics

Targeting pro-inflammatory events to reduce seizures is gaining momentum. Experimentally, antagonism of inflammatory processes and of blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage has been demonstrated to be beneficial in reducing status epilepticus (SE). Clinically, a role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of drug resistant epilepsies is suspected. However, the use anti-inflammatory drug such as glucocorticosteroids (GCs) is limited to selected pediatric epileptic syndromes and spasms. Lack of animal data may be one of the reasons for the limited use of GCs in epilepsy. We evaluated the effect of the CG dexamethasone in reducing the onset and the severity of pilocarpine SE in rats. We assessed BBB integrity by measuring serum S100β and Evans Blue brain extravasation. Electrophysiological monitoring and hematologic measurements (WBCs and IL-1β) were performed. We reviewed the effect of add on dexamethasone treatment on a population of pediatric patients affected by drug resistant epilepsy. We excluded subjects affected by West, Landau-Kleffner or Lennox-Gastaut syndromes and Rasmussen encephalitis, known to respond to GCs or adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The effect of two additional GCs, methylprednisolone and hydrocortisone, was also reviewed in this population. When dexamethasone treatment preceded exposure to the convulsive agent pilocarpine, the number of rats developing status epilepticus (SE) was reduced. When SE developed, the time-to-onset was significantly delayed compared to pilocarpine alone and mortality associated with pilocarpine-SE was abolished. Dexamethasone significantly protected the BBB from damage. The clinical study included pediatric drug resistant epileptic subjects receiving add on GC treatments. Decreased seizure frequency (≥ 50%) or interruption of status epilepticus was observed in the majority of the subjects, regardless of the underlying pathology. Our experimental results point to a seizure-reducing effect of dexamethasone. The mechanism encompasses improvement of BBB integrity. Our results also suggest that add on GCs could be of efficacy in controlling pediatric drug resistant seizures.     

Modified operative technique for involutional lower lid entropion

The paper presents a modified operative technique for involutional lower lid entropion. The prospective noncomparative study of 101 lower eyelids of 88 patients undergoing surgery for involutional lower lid entropion was conducted in period from September 2005 until March 2012. Indication for the surgery was entropion, previously untreated, with moderate to severe horizontal lid laxity and no clinically relevant medial and lateral canthal tendon laxity. The operative technique is our modification of Quickert and Jones procedures. Photo was taken preoperatively and one month after surgery. Clinical follow-up was at 7th postoperative day, one month and six months after surgery and in case of the recurrence. Long-term follow-up was obtained via telephone interviews. There were 44 male (50%) and 44 female (50%) patients included in the study. The age of patients was in average 73.27 +/- 8.1 years (range 53-90 years). Early postoperative complication was localized lid swelling found in two patients starting 4-6 weeks postoperatively at the area of absorbable suture. It resolved spontaneously in two and three weeks respectively. There was recurrence of entropion in 11 eyelids (10.89%) of 10 patients. The mean interval between primary surgery and the recurrence was 17.45 +/- 14.84 months (range 4-48 months). In these eyelids Jones procedure was performed. However in four eyelids of four patients from the recurrent group an additional surgery needed to be performed after 6, 12, 12 and 17 months respectively. Our modification of surgical treatment for involutional lower lid entropion was effective in 89.11% of eyelids. Complications of the procedure were scarce.