Application of the Stereodivergent Oxy-Michael Cyclisation to the Synthesis of Natural Products and Organocatalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reactions in Water

This work outlines two different projects. The first project was the study of a stereodivergent oxy-Michael cyclisation and its application towards the synthesis of natural products, diospongin A, diospongin B and psymberin/ircinistatin A. The α,β-unsaturated thioesters under TBAF-mediated conditions gave the 2,6-trans-tetrahydropyran; under acid-mediated conditions gave the 2,6-cis-tetrahydropyran. The 4-hydroxyl group is crucial for the stereodivergence; when the hydroxyl group was removed or protected the stereodivergence vanished. The second project was the study of (L)-proline benzyl ester-catalysed asymmetric aldol reactions in water. The reaction was carried out in a pH 7 buffered aqueous solution of cyclohexanone and a series of aryl aldehydes to provide anti aldol products in 7-89% ee. The aldol reaction between various ketone donors with 4-nitrobenzaldehyde under the same conditions were also developed to provide products in 13-61% ee

Wolfberry genomes and the evolution of Lycium (Solanaceae)

AbstractWolfberry Lycium, an economically important genus of the Solanaceae family, contains approximately 80 species and shows a fragmented distribution pattern among the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Although several herbaceous species of Solanaceae have been subjected to genome sequencing, thus far, no genome sequences of woody representatives have been available. Here, we sequenced the genomes of 13 perennial woody species of Lycium, with a focus on Lycium barbarum. Integration with other genomes provides clear evidence supporting a whole-genome triplication (WGT) event shared by all hitherto sequenced solanaceous plants, which occurred shortly after the divergence of Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae. We identified new gene families and gene family expansions and contractions that first appeared in Solanaceae. Based on the identification of self-incompatibility related-gene families, we inferred that hybridization hotspots are enriched for genes that might be functioning in gametophytic self-incompatibility pathways in wolfberry. Extremely low expression of LOCULE NUBER (LC) and COLORLESS NON-RIPENING (CNR) orthologous genes during Lycium fruit development and ripening processes suggests functional diversification of these two genes between Lycium and tomato. The existence of additional flowering locus C-like MADS-box genes might correlate with the perennial flowering cycle of Lycium. Differential gene expression involved in the lignin biosynthetic pathway between Lycium and tomato likely illustrates woody and herbaceous differentiation. We also provide evidence that Lycium migrated from Africa into Asia, and subsequently from Asia into North America. Our results provide functional insights into Solanaceae origins, evolution and diversification.</jats:p

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals &lt;1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Development of a Novel Interactive Multimedia E-Learning Model to Enhance Clinical Competency Training and Quality of Care among Medical Students

Clinical competencies consisting of skills, knowledge, and communication techniques should be acquired by all medical graduates to optimize healthcare quality. However, transitioning from observation to hands-on learning in clinical competencies poses a challenge to medical students. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of a novel interactive multimedia eBook curriculum in clinical competency training. Ninety-six medical students were recruited. Students in the control group (n = 46) were taught clinical competencies via conventional teaching, while students in the experimental group (n = 50) were taught with conventional teaching plus interactive multimedia eBooks. The outcomes of clinical competencies were evaluated using Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) scores, and feedback on their interactive eBook experiences was obtained. In the experimental group, the average National OSCE scores were not only higher than the control group (214.8 vs. 206.5, p &lt; 0.001), but also showed a quicker improvement when comparing between three consecutive mock OSCEs (p &lt; 0.001). In response to open-ended questions, participants emphasized the importance of eBooks in improving their abilities and self-confidence when dealing with &lsquo;difficult&rsquo; patients. Implementing interactive multimedia eBooks could prompt a more rapid improvement in clinical skill performance to provide safer healthcare, indicating the potential of our innovative module in enhancing clinical competencies

Steroid-Induced Ocular Hypertension in a Pediatric Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case Report

Glucocorticoids play a pivotal role in therapeutic protocols in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment. Systemic steroids are known to be less likely to elevate the intraocular pressure when compared to topical administration, and reports addressing hypertensive ocular response in the Asian pediatric ALL population are currently limited. We report a case of a nine-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who was found to have highly elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) during maintenance treatment when taking oral dexamethasone (6 mg/m2/day). Her IOP increased on day 5 after taking dexamethasone, reached a peak on day 7 or 8, and returned back to baseline on day 13 before anti-glaucoma medications were used. Thus, we prescribed IOP-lowering agents for 10 consecutive days starting on the day oral dexamethasone was administered, and observed that not only did the peak levels lower remarkably, but the IOP levels returned to baseline more rapidly as well

A community service campaign for the SPCA, CWS and ASD : "adopt to support".

The report is on the campaign to educate and empower primary 5 students from Haig Girl' School using the Service-earning methodology has also never been done by the three animal welfare organizations, which have focused mainly on one-off events targeting at the general public without carry out any subsquent evaluation.Bachelor of Communication Studie