Preparation de α-magnesyl-α-toluenesulfonate de sodium et quelques syntheses avec

L \u27acide a-toluenesμlfonique, C6H5CH2S03H, qui est un analogue sulfonique de l\u27acide phenylacetique, C6H5CH2COOH, peut etre transforme en un reactif organomagnesien polyfonctionnel I. Au moyen de ce reactif on peut introduire dans des composes organiques le groupe sulfonique aliphatiquement lie. Ainsi avec la benzophenone et la cyclohexanone on obtient les acides B-hydroxysulfoniques correspondants II et III avec de bons rendements

Preparation de α-magnesyl-α-toluenesulfonate de sodium et quelques syntheses avec

L \u27acide a-toluenesμlfonique, C6H5CH2S03H, qui est un analogue sulfonique de l\u27acide phenylacetique, C6H5CH2COOH, peut etre transforme en un reactif organomagnesien polyfonctionnel I. Au moyen de ce reactif on peut introduire dans des composes organiques le groupe sulfonique aliphatiquement lie. Ainsi avec la benzophenone et la cyclohexanone on obtient les acides B-hydroxysulfoniques correspondants II et III avec de bons rendements

The secret world of shrimps: polarisation vision at its best

Animal vision spans a great range of complexity, with systems evolving to detect variations in optical intensity, distribution, colour, and polarisation. Polarisation vision systems studied to date detect one to four channels of linear polarisation, combining them in opponent pairs to provide intensity-independent operation. Circular polarisation vision has never been seen, and is widely believed to play no part in animal vision. Polarisation is fully measured via Stokes' parameters--obtained by combined linear and circular polarisation measurements. Optimal polarisation vision is the ability to see Stokes' parameters: here we show that the crustacean \emph{Gonodactylus smithii} measures the exact components required. This vision provides optimal contrast-enhancement, and precise determination of polarisation with no confusion-states or neutral-points--significant advantages. We emphasise that linear and circular polarisation vision are not different modalities--both are necessary for optimal polarisation vision, regardless of the presence of strongly linear or circularly polarised features in the animal's environment.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

Endogenous attention modulates attentional and motor interference from distractors: Evidence from behavioral and electrophysiological results

Selective visual attention enhances the processing of relevant stimuli and filters out irrelevant stimuli and/or distractors. However, irrelevant information is sometimes processed, as demonstrated by the Simon effect (Simon and Rudell, 1967). We examined whether fully irrelevant distractors (task and target-irrelevant) produce interference (measured as the Simon effect), and whether endogenous orienting modulated this interference. Despite being fully irrelevant, distractors were attentionally coded (as reflected by the distractor-related N2pc component), and interfered with the processing of the target response (as reflected by the target-related lateralized readiness potential component). Distractors’ attentional capture depended on endogenous attention, and their interference with target responses was modulated by both endogenous attention and distractor location repetition. These results demonstrate both endogenous attentional and motor modulations over the Simon effect produced by fully irrelevant distractors.EM-A was supported by a predoctoral grant (AP2008-02806) from the FPU program from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, and by a postdoctoral grant from the INSERM-U1028. Research was funded by research projects PSI2008-03595PSIC, PSI2011-22416, and eraNET- NEURON BEYONDVIS, EUI2009-04082, to JL. FB was founded by a postdoctoral grant from the eraNET- NEURON BEYONDVIS project. ABC was supported with a Ramón y Cajal fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (RYC-2011-09320)

Validity and responsiveness of the Daily- and Clinical visit-PROactive Physical Activity in COPD (D-PPAC and C-PPAC) instruments

BACKGROUND: The Daily-PROactive and Clinical visit-PROactive Physical Activity (D-PPAC and C-PPAC) instruments in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) combines questionnaire with activity monitor data to measure patients' experience of physical activity. Their amount, difficulty and total scores range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) but require further psychometric evaluation. OBJECTIVE: To test reliability, validity and responsiveness, and to define minimal important difference (MID), of the D-PPAC and C-PPAC instruments, in a large population of patients with stable COPD from diverse severities, settings and countries. METHODS: We used data from seven randomised controlled trials to evaluate D-PPAC and C-PPAC internal consistency and construct validity by sex, age groups, COPD severity, country and language as well as responsiveness to interventions, ability to detect change and MID. RESULTS: We included 1324 patients (mean (SD) age 66 (8) years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s 55 (17)% predicted). Scores covered almost the full range from 0 to 100, showed strong internal consistency after stratification and correlated as a priori hypothesised with dyspnoea, health-related quality of life and exercise capacity. Difficulty scores improved after pharmacological treatment and pulmonary rehabilitation, while amount scores improved after behavioural physical activity interventions. All scores were responsive to changes in self-reported physical activity experience (both worsening and improvement) and to the occurrence of COPD exacerbations during follow-up. The MID was estimated to 6 for amount and difficulty scores and 4 for total score. CONCLUSIONS: The D-PPAC and C-PPAC instruments are reliable and valid across diverse COPD populations and responsive to pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and changes in clinically relevant variables

Outcomes of allogeneic stem cell transplantation among patients with acute myeloid leukemia presenting active disease: Experience of a single European Comprehensive Cancer Center

Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) represents a potentially curative approach for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We report the outcome of relapsed/refractory AML patients treated with ASCT.Method: A retrospective cohort from 1994 to 2013 that included 61 patients with diagnosis of relapsed/refractory AML. Outcomes of interest were transplant-related mortality (TRM), incidence of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse incidence, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.Results: The median age was 61 years (range 1 to 65). The cumulative incidence of 90 days, 1 year, and 3 years TRM were 60%, 26.7%, and 13.3%, respectively (p< 0.001). The incidence of relapse was 21.7% at 1 year, 13% at 3 years, and 8.7% at 5 years. Median OS was estimated to be 8 months (95CI 3.266-12.734) and median PFS, 3 months (95CI 1.835-4.165).Conclusion: In our cohort, TRM in first years after ASCT remains considerable, but ASCT in this setting seems to be a good choice for AML patients with active disease. However, novel approaches are needed to reduce TRM and relapse in this set of patients

CXCR4/CXCL12 Participate in Extravasation of Metastasizing Breast Cancer Cells within the Liver in a Rat Model

INTRODUCTION: Organ-specific composition of extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) is a determinant of metastatic host organ involvement. The chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 play important roles in the colonization of human breast cancer cells to their metastatic target organs. In this study, we investigated the effects of chemokine stimulation on adhesion and migration of different human breast cancer cell lines in vivo and in vitro with particular focus on the liver as a major metastatic site in breast cancer. METHODS: Time lapse microscopy, in vitro adhesion and migration assays were performed under CXCL12 stimulation. Activation of small GTPases showed chemokine receptor signalling dependence from ECM components. The initial events of hepatic colonisation of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells were investigated by intravital microscopy of the liver in a rat model and under shRNA inhibition of CXCR4. RESULTS: In vitro, stimulation with CXCL12 induced increased chemotactic cell motility (p,0.05). This effect was dependent on adhesive substrates (type I collagen, fibronectin and laminin) and induced different responses in small GTPases, such as RhoA and Rac-1 activation, and changes in cell morphology. In addition, binding to various ECM components caused redistribution of chemokine receptors at tumour cell surfaces. In vivo, blocking CXCR4 decreased extravasation of highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 cells (p < 0.05), but initial cell adhesion within the liver sinusoids was not affected. In contrast, the less metastatic MDA-MB-468 cells showed reduced cell adhesion but similar migration within the hepatic microcirculation. CONCLUSION: Chemokine-induced extravasation of breast cancer cells along specific ECM components appears to be an important regulator but not a rate-limiting factor of their metastatic organ colonization.Claudia Wendel, André Hemping-Bovenkerk, Julia Krasnyanska, Sören Torge Mees, Marina Kochetkova, Sandra Stoeppeler and Jörg Haie

Psychosocial characteristics and social networks of suicidal prisoners: towards a model of suicidal behaviour in detention

Prisoners are at increased risk of suicide. Investigation of both individual and environmental risk factors may assist in developing suicide prevention policies for prisoners and other high-risk populations. We conducted a matched case-control interview study with 60 male prisoners who had made near-lethal suicide attempts in prison (cases) and 60 male prisoners who had not (controls). We compared levels of depression, hopelessness, self-esteem, impulsivity, aggression, hostility, childhood abuse, life events (including events occurring in prison), social support, and social networks in univariate and multivariate models. A range of psychosocial factors was associated with near-lethal self-harm in prisoners. Compared with controls, cases reported higher levels of depression, hopelessness, impulsivity, and aggression, and lower levels of self-esteem and social support (all p values <0.001). Adverse life events and criminal history factors were also associated with near-lethal self-harm, especially having a prior prison spell and having been bullied in prison, both of which remained significant in multivariate analyses. The findings support a model of suicidal behaviour in prisoners that incorporates imported vulnerability factors, clinical factors, and prison experiences, and underscores their interaction. Strategies to reduce self-harm and suicide in prisoners should include attention to such factors

Variability of wavefront aberration measurements in small pupil sizes using a clinical Shack-Hartmann aberrometer

BACKGROUND: Recently, instruments for the measurement of wavefront aberration in the living human eye have been widely available for clinical applications. Despite the extensive background experience on wavefront sensing for research purposes, the information derived from such instrumentation in a clinical setting should not be considered a priori precise. We report on the variability of such an instrument at two different pupil sizes. METHODS: A clinical aberrometer (COAS Wavefront Scienses, Ltd) based on the Shack-Hartmann principle was employed in this study. Fifty consecutive measurements were perfomed on each right eye of four subjects. We compared the variance of individual Zernike expansion coefficients as determined by the aberrometer with the variance of coefficients calculated using a mathematical method for scaling the expansion coefficients to reconstruct wavefront aberration for a reduced-size pupil. RESULTS: Wavefront aberration exhibits a marked variance of the order of 0.45 microns near the edge of the pupil whereas the central part appears to be measured more consistently. Dispersion of Zernike expansion coefficients was lower when calculated by the scaling method for a pupil diameter of 3 mm as compared to the one introduced when only the central 3 mm of the Shack – Hartmann image was evaluated. Signal-to-noise ratio was lower for higher order aberrations than for low order coefficients corresponding to the sphero-cylindrical error. For each subject a number of Zernike expansion coefficients was below noise level and should not be considered trustworthy. CONCLUSION: Wavefront aberration data used in clinical care should not be extracted from a single measurement, which represents only a static snapshot of a dynamically changing aberration pattern. This observation must be taken into account in order to prevent ambiguous conclusions in clinical practice and especially in refractive surgery