One-pot Selective Formylation and Claisen Rearrangement on Calix[4]arenes

A versatile synthon with formyl and allyl groups at the upper rim of calix[4]arene has been synthesized in two steps. Selective formylation of 25,27-diallyloxy-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene, along with the Claisen rearrangement of the allyl groups, was achieved by reaction with hexamethylenetetraamine (hexamine) in glacial acetic acid. A control reaction of the dipropyl analogue shows that the selective formylation takes place independently of the Claisen rearrangement. The crystal structure of the dimethylacetal derivative of 5,17-diformyl-11,23-diallylcalix[4]arene is reported

Control of macrostructure in deformation processing of metal/metal laminates

A study was carried out on model systems deformed under plane-strain. Finite element analysis was used to examine continuously and discontinuously layered models, in which the reinforcement to matrix flow stress ratio, r(s), was varied within the range 1.5 < r(s) < 10. It was found that, for homogeneous refinement of continuously reinforced laminates, the critical value of r(s) is approximately 2. This value, valid for the ideal plastic case, can be increased to a maximum value of r(s) approximate to5 with work hardening. For discontinuously layered systems, similar results were found. It is therefore concluded that macrostructural control is possible in metal/ metal svstems either in the form of homogeneous refinement of the continuous structures or in the form of structures with thin, long, closely spaced reinforcements, provided that the flow strength of the reinforcement is not more than five times that of the matrix. (C) 2004 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Seasonal disease activity and serum vitamin D levels in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis

Background: Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that plays essential roles in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, bone formation and mineralization homeostasis, also has a role in the maintenance of immune-homeostasis.Objective: We aimed to investigate seasonal serum vitamin D levels and seasonal disease activity in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis.Methods: Seventy-one Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, 72 Ankylosing Spondylitis patients, 74 knee Osteoarthritis patients and 70 healthy controls were recruited for the study. Bi-seasonal measurements of serum 25(OH)D vitamin were checked in either in July or August or September for summertime and either in December or January or February for wintertime. Disease activity were evaluated by Disease Activity Score-28, Bath  Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index in groups of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis respectively.Results: We did not find any correlation between serum 25(OH)D levels and Disease Activity Score-28, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores in winter and summer. The difference of Disease Activity Score-28 and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores between winter and summer seasons were not significant in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis patients (p&gt;0.05). The mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score was significantly higher in winter than in summer (p&lt;0.05). Consequently we did not find any correlation between variations of seasonal serum 25(OH)D and the disease activity in the patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Osteoarthritis. Conclusion: These results suggest that vitamin D does not have an important role in the seasonal disease activity of these diseases and that seasonal changes in disease activity may play an important role in evaluating Ankylosing Spondylitis patients rather than Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis patients and should be taken into account when examining these patients. These conclusions need to be validated in multicenter studies with high number of patients.Key words: ankylosing spondylitis, disease activity, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, season, vitamin

(AKAYAK-1 Multicenter Project)

The EURO-QOL (EQ-5D), a generic quality of life measure, is a self-report scale. The aim was to study the reliability, validity and feasibility of the Turkish version of the EQ-5D as an instrument to evaluate quality of life in lung cancer patients in Turkish society. A prospective cohort study carried out within the framework of the multicenter Lung Cancer Association Project which was conducted in collaboration with Turkish Thoracic Society, Lung and Pleural Malignancies working group and Health and Quality of Life Society. A total of 266 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 61.3 years. 75,9% of the patients had chemotherapy alone; 9% received sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 8,6% were given concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and 6,4% of them received radical radiotherapy alone. EQ-5D score measures at the moment of diagnosis were found to be moderately reliable while measures at the 3rd chemotherapy cycle, 5th chemotherapy cycle and after the radiotherapy were highly reliable. The items of the EQ-5D were found to be consistent among themselves. EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale scores at diagnosis, the 3rd cycle, the 5th cycle and following radiotherapy were assessed to be correlated with each other. EQ-5D scale was found to be valid as it meets the conditions of 6 fit indices in our study design. The psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the EQ-5D questionnaire is a valid and reliable scale for patients with lung cancer in Turkey and it can be safely used in clinical practices

Wkly Abstr Sanit Rep

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