A broad-spectrum synthesis of tetravinylethylenes

The first general synthesis of compounds of the tetravinylethylene (TVE) family is reported. Ramirez-type dibromo-olefination of readily accessible penta-1,4-dien-3-ones generates 3,3-dibromo[3]dendralenes, which undergo twofold Negishi, Suzuki-Miyaura or Mizoroki-Heck reactions with a wide variety of olefinic coupling partners. This route delivers a broad range of unsymmetrically substituted tetravinylethylenes with up to three different alkenyl substituents attached to the central C=C bond. The extensive scope of the approach is demonstrated by the preparation of the first higher order oligo-alkenic through-conjugated/cross-conjugated hybrid compounds. An unsymmetrically substituted TVE is shown to undergo a domino electrocyclization-cycloaddition with high site-selectivity and diastereoselectivity, thereby demonstrating the substantial synthetic potential of substituted TVEs for controlled, rapid structural complexity generation.Kelsey L. Horvath, Dr. Christopher G. Newton, Dr. Kimberley A. Roper, Dr. Jas S. Ward, Michael S. Sherbur

The ecology of the European badger (Meles meles) in Ireland: a review

peer-reviewedThe badger is an ecologically and economically important species. Detailed knowledge of aspects of the ecology of this animal in Ireland has only emerged through research over recent decades. Here, we review what is known about the species' Irish populations and compare these findings with populations in Britain and Europe. Like populations elsewhere, setts are preferentially constructed on south or southeast facing sloping ground in well-drained soil types. Unlike in Britain, Irish badger main setts are less complex and most commonly found in hedgerows. Badgers utilise many habitat types, but greater badger densities have been associated with landscapes with high proportions of pasture and broadleaf woodlands. Badgers in Ireland tend to have seasonally varied diets, with less dependence on earthworms than some other populations in northwest Europe. Recent research suggests that females exhibit later onset and timing of reproductive events, smaller litter sizes and lower loss of blastocysts than populations studied in Britain. Adult social groups in Ireland tend to be smaller than in Britain, though significantly larger than social groups from continental Europe. Although progress has been made in estimating the distribution and density of badger populations, national population estimates have varied widely in the Republic of Ireland. Future research should concentrate on filling gaps in our knowledge, including population models and predictive spatial modelling that will contribute to vaccine delivery, management and conservation strategies.Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and FoodTeagasc Walsh Fellowship Programm

Extensive identification of genes involved in congenital and structural heart disorders and cardiomyopathy.

Clinical presentation of congenital heart disease is heterogeneous, making identification of the disease-causing genes and their genetic pathways and mechanisms of action challenging. By using in vivo electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography and microcomputed tomography imaging to screen 3,894 single-gene-null mouse lines for structural and functional cardiac abnormalities, here we identify 705 lines with cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial hypertrophy and/or ventricular dilation. Among these 705 genes, 486 have not been previously associated with cardiac dysfunction in humans, and some of them represent variants of unknown relevance (VUR). Mice with mutations in Casz1, Dnajc18, Pde4dip, Rnf38 or Tmem161b genes show developmental cardiac structural abnormalities, with their human orthologs being categorized as VUR. Using UK Biobank data, we validate the importance of the DNAJC18 gene for cardiac homeostasis by showing that its loss of function is associated with altered left ventricular systolic function. Our results identify hundreds of previously unappreciated genes with potential function in congenital heart disease and suggest causal function of five VUR in congenital heart disease