Revision of the genus Palatobaena (Testudines, Baenidae), with the description of a new species

Recovery of three new partial skulls of Palatobaena bairdi from the latest Cretaceous (Lancian) and middle Paleocene (Torrejonian) of Montana and from the early Paleocene of Colorado adds greatly to the knowledge of this peculiar baenid turtle. Although there is some variation in the temporal emargination, Palatobaena primitively appears to have had a deep emargination as seen in eubaenines. The wide triturating surfaces align Palatobaena with the Eubaeninae. A skull of a new species found in the Wasatch Formation (Wasatchian), Wyoming, belongs to this genus and extends the record of Palatobaena into the early Eocene. The new species has a relatively shorter skull and its jaw mechanics represents a further specialization from the morphology seen in P.bairdi

Synthesis, structures and cytotoxicity studies of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene lanthanide complexes

A number of p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene complexes of the lanthanides (Tb, Gd, and Eu) have been prepared, some in the presence of tetraazamacrocycle 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (DO3A), and fully characterised. Crystal structure determinations reveal lanthanide coordination at the sulfonate group, bridging several calixarene units, giving coordination polymers. All complexes in this study have been determined to be relatively non-toxic using in vitro cell assays with CC₅₀ values in the range 30–170 μM

A new subfamily, Conacodontinae, and new species, Conacodon kohlbergeri, of the Periptychidae (Condylarthra, Mammalia)

An associated palate and dentaries from the early Paleocene (Puercan), San Juan Basin, New Mexico, are the type of a new species, Conacodon kohlbergeri. This species is cladistically most closely related to C. entoconus. Both species lack the paraconid on P3-4 and have a more complete precingulum on the upper molars. Both Conacodon and Oxyacodon have a lingually expanded hypocone and lack the protocone on P3. These two genera are included in a new subfamily, Conacodontinae. A trichotomy between this subfamily, the Anisonchinae, and Periptychinae cannot be resolved at present

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease in a 30-Year-Old Caucasian Female

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a rare, self-limited, histiocytic, necrotizing lymphadenitis first described in Japan in 1972. Necrosis of lymph node tissue is caused by apoptosis and may be virally induced. It commonly presents with cervical lymphadenitis and fever. Despite its low incidence, Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease should be considered in patients with persistent lymphadenopathy. Originally thought to occur only in young Asian women, it is now recognized in other geographic regions. We report a 30-year-old white woman with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. We discuss the clinical features, differential diagnosis, radiography, pathology, and outcome

What Limits Fire? An Examination of Driver\u27s of Burnt Area in Southern Africa

The factors controlling the extent of fire in Africa south of the equator were investigated using moderate resolution (500 m) satellite-derived burned area maps and spatial data on the environmental factors thought to affect burnt area. A random forest regression tree procedure was used to determine the relative importance of each factor in explaining the burned area fraction and to address hypotheses concerned with human and climatic influences on the drivers of burnt area. The model explained 68% of the variance in burnt area. Tree cover, rainfall in the previous 2 years, and rainfall seasonality were the most important predictors. Human activities – represented by grazing, roads per unit area, population density, and cultivation fraction – were also shown to affect burnt area, but only in parts of the continent with specific climatic conditions, and often in ways counter to the prevailing wisdom that more human activity leads to more fire. The analysis found no indication that ignitions were limiting total burnt area on the continent, and most of the spatial variation was due to variation in fuel load and moisture. Split conditions from the regression tree identified (i) low rainfall regions, where fire is rare; (ii) regions where fire is under human control; and (iii) higher rainfall regions where burnt area is determined by rainfall seasonality. This study provides insights into the physical, climatic, and human drivers of fire and their relative importance across southern Africa, and represents the beginnings of a predictive framework for burnt area

Visual exploration in Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia

Parkinson's disease, typically thought of as a movement disorder, is increasingly recognized as causing cognitive impairment and dementia. Eye movement abnormalities are also described, including impairment of rapid eye movements (saccades) and the fixations interspersed between them. Such movements are under the influence of cortical and subcortical networks commonly targeted by the neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's disease and, as such, may provide a marker for cognitive decline. This study examined the error rates and visual exploration strategies of subjects with Parkinson's disease, with and without cognitive impairment, whilst performing a battery of visuo-cognitive tasks. Error rates were significantly higher in those Parkinson's disease groups with either mild cognitive impairment (P = 0.001) or dementia (P < 0.001), than in cognitively normal subjects with Parkinson's disease. When compared with cognitively normal subjects with Parkinson's disease, exploration strategy, as measured by a number of eye tracking variables, was least efficient in the dementia group but was also affected in those subjects with Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment. When compared with control subjects and cognitively normal subjects with Parkinson's disease, saccade amplitudes were significantly reduced in the groups with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Fixation duration was longer in all Parkinson's disease groups compared with healthy control subjects but was longest for cognitively impaired Parkinson's disease groups. The strongest predictor of average fixation duration was disease severity. Analysing only data from the most complex task, with the highest error rates, both cognitive impairment and disease severity contributed to a predictive model for fixation duration [F(2,76) = 12.52, P ≤ 0.001], but medication dose did not (r = 0.18, n = 78, P = 0.098, not significant). This study highlights the potential use of exploration strategy measures as a marker of cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease and reveals the efficiency by which fixations and saccades are deployed in the build-up to a cognitive response, rather than merely focusing on the outcome itself. The prolongation of fixation duration, present to a small but significant degree even in cognitively normal subjects with Parkinson's disease, suggests a disease-specific impact on the networks directing visual exploration, although the study also highlights the multi-factorial nature of changes in exploration and the significant impact of cognitive decline on efficiency of visual searc

Synthesis, structure, and cytotoxicity studies of oxidovanadium(IV and V) complexes bearing chelating phenolates

The interaction of [VO(acac)2] with 2,6-bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylphenol (L1H3) or 6,6/-methylenebis(4-tert-butyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)phenol) (L2H4) in refluxing toluene afforded, following work-up in ethanol, the complexes [VOL1]2 (1) and {[VO(acac)(HOEt)](VO)L2]}2 (2), respectively. Use of 4-[3,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl]benzoic acid (L3H2) or 4-[3,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl]benzosulfonic acid (L4H2) with [VOCl3] in refluxing acetonitrile, followed by methanol and THF work-up, afforded the complexes [Et3NH][VO(OMe)L3]2 (3) and [Et3NH][VO(OMe)L4]2 (4), respectively. The interaction of [VOSO4] and L3H2 in refluxing acetonitrile afforded, with extraction into methanol, the complex [VO(OMe)L3]2 (5). The molecular structures of 2, 3 and 5 have been determined; the structure of 1 has been reported previously. The complexes in this study have been determined to be of low toxicity using in vitro cell assays with 50% cytotoxicity values (CC50) values in the range 56 – 126 µM

Water-Soluble Rhenium Phosphine Complexes Incorporating the Ph2C(X) Motif (X = O–, NH–): Structural and Cytotoxicity Studies

Reaction of [ReOCl3(PPh3)2] or [ReO2I(PPh3)2] with 2,2′-diphenylglycine (dpgH2) in refluxing ethanol afforded the air-stable complex [ReO(dpgH)(dpg)(PPh3)] (1). Treatment of [ReO(OEt)I2(PPh3)2] with 1,2,3-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) afforded the complex [ReO(OEt)I2(PTA)2] (2). Reaction of [ReOI2(PTA)3] with dpgH2 led to the isolation of the complex [Re(NCPh2)I2(PTA)3]·0.5EtOH (3·0.5EtOH). A similar reaction but using [ReOX2(PTA)3] (X = Cl, Br) resulted in the analogous halide complexes [Re(NCPh2)Cl2(PTA)3]·2EtOH (4·2EtOH) and [Re(NCPh2)(PTA)3Br2]·1.6EtOH (5·1.6EtOH). Using benzilic acid (2,2′-diphenylglycolic acid, benzH) with 2 afforded the complex [ReO(benz)2(PTA)][PTAH]·EtOH (6·EtOH). The potential for the formation of complexes using radioisotopes with relatively short half-lives suitable for nuclear medicine applications by developing conditions for [Re(NCPh2)(dpg)I(PTA)3] (7)[ReO4]− in a 4 h time scale was investigated. A procedure for the technetium analog of complex [Re(NCPh2)I2(PTA)3] (3) from 99mTc[TcO4]− was then investigated. The molecular structures of 1–7 are reported; complexes 3–7 have been studied using in vitro cell assays (HeLa, HCT116, HT-29, and HEK 293) and were found to have IC50 values in the range of 29–1858 μM

Visualizing Kinetically Robust (Co4L6)-L-III Assemblies in Vivo: SPECT Imaging of the Encapsulated [Tc-99m]TcO4- Anion

© 2018 American Chemical Society. Noncovalent encapsulation is an attractive approach for modifying the efficacy and physiochemical properties of both therapeutic and diagnostic species. Abiotic self-assembled constructs have shown promise, yet many hurdles between in vitro and (pre)clinical studies remain, not least the challenges associated with maintaining the macromolecular, hollow structure under nonequilibrium conditions. Using a kinetically robust CoIII4L6 tetrahedron we now show the feasibility of encapsulating the most widely used precursor in clinical nuclear diagnostic imaging, the I-emitting [99mTc]TcO4- anion, under conditions compatible with in vivo administration. Subsequent single-photon emission computed tomography imaging of the caged-anion reveals a marked change in the biodistribution compared to the thyroid-accumulating free oxo-anion, thus moving clinical applications of (metallo)supramolecular species a step closer