Synthesis of racemic and chiral BEDT-TTF derivatives possessing hydroxy groups and their achiral and chiral charge transfer complexes

Chiral molecular crystals built up by chiral molecules without inversion centers have attracted much interest owing to their versatile functionalities related to optical, magnetic, and electrical properties. However, there is a difficulty in chiral crystal growth due to the lack of symmetry. Therefore, we made the molecular design to introduce intermolecular hydrogen bonds in chiral crystals. Racemic and enantiopure bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) derivatives possessing hydroxymethyl groups as the source of hydrogen bonds were designed. The novel racemic trans-vic-(hydroxymethyl)(methyl)-BEDT-TTF 1, and racemic and enantiopure trans-vic-bis(hydroxymethyl)-BEDT-TTF 2 were synthesized. Moreover, the preparations, crystal structure analyses, and electrical resistivity measurements of the novel achiral charge transfer salt θ21-[(S,S)-2]3[(R,R)-2]3(ClO4)2 and the chiral salt α’-[(R,R)-2]ClO4(H2O) were carried out. In the former θ21-[(S,S)-2]3[(R,R)-2]3(ClO4)2, there are two sets of three crystallographically independent donor molecules [(S,S)-2]2[(R,R)-2] in a unit cell, where the two sets are related by an inversion center. The latter α’-[(R,R)-2]ClO4(H2O) is the chiral salt with included solvent H2O, which is not isostructural with the reported chiral salt α’-[(S,S)-2]ClO4 without H2O, but has a similar donor arrangement. According to the molecular design by introduction of hydroxy groups and a ClO4− anion, many intermediate-strength intermolecular hydrogen bonds (2.6–3.0 Å) were observed in these crystals between electron donor molecules, anions, and included H2O solvent, which improve the crystallinity and facilitate the extraction of physical properties. Both salts are semiconductors with relatively low resistivities at room temperature and activation energies of 1.2 ohm cm with Ea = 86 meV for θ21-[(S,S)-2]3[(R,R)-2]3(ClO4)2 and 0.6 ohm cm with Ea = 140 meV for α'-[(R,R)-2]2ClO4(H2O), respectively. The variety of donor arrangements, θ21 and two kinds of α’-types, and their electrical conductivities of charge transfer complexes based upon the racemic and enantiopure (S,S)-2, and (R,R)-2 donors originates not only from the chirality, but also the introduced intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxymethyl groups, perchlorate anion, and the included solvent H2O

An unusual case of suprascapular nerve neuropathy: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Suprascapular nerve neuropathy constitutes an unusual cause of shoulder weakness, with the most common etiology being nerve compression from a ganglion cyst at the suprascapular or spinoglenoid notch. We present a puzzling case of a man with suprascapular nerve neuropathy that may have been associated with an appendectomy. The case was attributed to nerve injury as the most likely cause that may have occurred during improper post-operative patient mobilization.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 23-year-old Caucasian man presented to an orthopedic surgeon with a history of left shoulder weakness of several weeks' duration. The patient complained of pain and inability to lift minimal weight, such as a glass of water, following an appendectomy. His orthopedic clinical examination revealed obvious atrophy of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and 2 of 5 muscle strength scores on flexion resistance and external rotation resistance. Magnetic resonance imaging showed diffuse high signal intensity within the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and early signs of minimal fatty infiltration consistent with denervation changes. No compression of the suprascapular nerve in the suprascapular or spinoglenoid notch was noted. Electromyographic studies showed active denervation effects in the supraspinatus muscle and more prominent in the left infraspinatus muscle. The findings were compatible with damage to the suprascapular nerve, especially the part supplying the infraspinatus muscle. On the basis of the patient's history, clinical examination, and imaging studies, the diagnosis was suspected to be associated with a possible traction injury of the suprascapular nerve that could have occurred during the patient's transfer from the operating table following an appendectomy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our case report may provide important insight into patient transfer techniques used by hospital personnel, may elucidate the clinical significance of careful movement of patients following general anesthesia, and may have important implications for patient safety techniques, including those outlined in the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist program.</p

Imaging of the Muscle-Bone Relationship

Muscle can be assessed by imaging techniques according to its size (as thickness, area, volume, or alternatively, as a mass) and architecture (fiber length and pennation angle), with values used as an anthropometric measure or a surrogate for force production. Similarly, the size of the bone (as area or volume) can be imaged using MRI or pQCT, although typically bone mineral mass is reported. Bone imaging measures of mineral density, size, and geometry can also be combined to calculate bone’s structural strength—measures being highly predictive of bone’s failure load ex vivo. Imaging of muscle-bone relationships can, hence, be accomplished through a number of approaches by adoption and comparison of these different muscle and bone parameters, dependent on the research question under investigation. These approaches have revealed evidence of direct, mechanical muscle-bone interactions independent of allometric associations. They have led to important information on bone mechanoadaptation and the influence of muscular action on bone, in addition to influences of age, gender, exercise, and disuse on muscle-bone relationships. Such analyses have also produced promising diagnostic tools for clinical use, such as identification of primary, disuse-induced, and secondary osteoporosis and estimation of bone safety factors. Standardization of muscle-bone imaging methods is required to permit more reliable comparisons between studies and differing imaging modes, and in particular to aid adoption of these methods into widespread clinical practice

Motor Unit Firing Characteristics in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract- In this study, we investigated the behavior of active motor units identified via analysis of electro myographic (EMG) signals recorded from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle using a quadrifilar needle electrode. Data was collected from control subjects and patients with both upper (UMN) and lower (LMN) motor neuron dominant forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). EMG recordings were gathered during isometric contractions reaching 20 or 50 % of the force output produced during a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Recordings were processed using freely available EMG decomposition software (EMGLAB). Results showed differences in mean motor unit firing rates and variability between ALS patients and control subjects. Differences in mean motor unit firing rates and variability were also observed between ALS patients with LMNand UMN-dominant forms of ALS. Keywords- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; motor units; decomposition; firing rate I

Characterization of Motor Unit Behavior in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract — In this study, we investigated the behavior of active motor units identified via analysis of electromyographic (EMG) signals recorded from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle using a quadrifilar needle electrode. Data was collected from control subjects and patients with both lower (LMN) and upper (UMN) motor neuron dominant forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). EMG recordings were gathered during isometric contractions reaching 20 or 50 % of the force output produced during a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Recordings were analyzed using available EMG decomposition software (EMGLAB). Results showed differences in mean motor unit firing rates between patients with ALS and control subjects. Differences were also observed between patients with LMN- and UMN-dominant forms of ALS. Motor unit substitution was observed in patients despite the contractions lasting just a few seconds. Finally, we observed that motor unit action potential (MUAP) waveforms recorded from patients were more complex than those recorded from control subjects as often observed in motor neuron diseases