Facilitated Life Story Writing by Individuals with Dementia for Conversational Remembering Boxes - Report Series # 4

The goal of this qualitative study, conducted in the summer of 2004, was to enhance the experience of personhood in individuals with dementia through the use of computermediated life story writing for conversational remembering boxes. Eight male participants with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) were paired with student researchers over the course of 4 weeks. The interviews were taped and electronically recorded on a computer, which was also used to engage the interest of the participants. The life stories were transcribed and served as a foundation for personal memory boxes that were sent home with the participants. Follow-up with caregivers at 3 and 6-month intervals indicated a good level of interest and activity with respect to the memory boxes. Computer use, which was to facilitate the interview process, was found to be a source of distraction and did not hold the participants’ interest. New software and hardware must be developed to enhance the changing abilities of people with dementia and to help maintain their personhood

Discovery, Semisynthesis, Antiparasitic and Cytotoxic Evaluation of 14-Membered Resorcylic Acid Lactones and Their Derivatives

Ten antifouling 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones 1–10 were isolated previously with low or trace natural abundance from the zoanthid-derived Cochliobolus lunatus fungus. Further optimization of fermentation conditions led to the isolation of two major natural compounds 7 and 8 with multi-gram quantities. By one or two steps, we semisynthesized the six trace natural compounds 1–6 and a series of derivatives 11–27 of compounds 7 and 8 with high yields (65–95%). Compounds 11–13 showed strong antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 1.84, 8.36, and 6.95μM, respectively. Very importantly, 11 and 12 were non-toxic with very safety and high therapeutic indices (CC50/IC50>180), and thus representing potential promising leads for antiplasmodial drug discovery. Furthermore, 11 was the only compound showed obvious antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani with an IC50 value of 9.22μM. Compounds 11 and 12 showed the values of IC50 at 11.9 and 17.2μM against neglected Chagas’ disease causing Trypanosoma cruzi, respectivelyTen antifouling 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones 1–10 were isolated previously with low or trace natural abundance from the zoanthid-derived Cochliobolus lunatus fungus. Further optimization of fermentation conditions led to the isolation of two major natural compounds 7 and 8 with multi-gram quantities. By one or two steps, we semisynthesized the six trace natural compounds 1–6 and a series of derivatives 11–27 of compounds 7 and 8 with high yields (65–95%). Compounds 11–13 showed strong antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 1.84, 8.36, and 6.95μM, respectively. Very importantly, 11 and 12 were non-toxic with very safety and high therapeutic indices (CC50/IC50>180), and thus representing potential promising leads for antiplasmodial drug discovery. Furthermore, 11 was the only compound showed obvious antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani with an IC50 value of 9.22μM. Compounds 11 and 12 showed the values of IC50 at 11.9 and 17.2μM against neglected Chagas’ disease causing Trypanosoma cruzi, respectivel

Discovery, Semisynthesis, Antiparasitic and Cytotoxic Evaluation of 14-Membered Resorcylic Acid Lactones and Their Derivatives

Ten antifouling 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones 1–10 were isolated previously with low or trace natural abundance from the zoanthid-derived Cochliobolus lunatus fungus. Further optimization of fermentation conditions led to the isolation of two major natural compounds 7 and 8 with multi-gram quantities. By one or two steps, we semisynthesized the six trace natural compounds 1–6 and a series of derivatives 11–27 of compounds 7 and 8 with high yields (65–95%). Compounds 11–13 showed strong antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 1.84, 8.36, and 6.95 μM, respectively. Very importantly, 11 and 12 were non-toxic with very safety and high therapeutic indices (CC50/IC50 > 180), and thus representing potential promising leads for antiplasmodial drug discovery. Furthermore, 11 was the only compound showed obvious antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani with an IC50 value of 9.22 μM. Compounds 11 and 12 showed the values of IC50 at 11.9 and 17.2 μM against neglected Chagas’ disease causing Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively.Ten antifouling 14-membered resorcylic acid lactones 1–10 were isolated previously with low or trace natural abundance from the zoanthid-derived Cochliobolus lunatus fungus. Further optimization of fermentation conditions led to the isolation of two major natural compounds 7 and 8 with multi-gram quantities. By one or two steps, we semisynthesized the six trace natural compounds 1–6 and a series of derivatives 11–27 of compounds 7 and 8 with high yields (65–95%). Compounds 11–13 showed strong antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 values of 1.84, 8.36, and 6.95 μM, respectively. Very importantly, 11 and 12 were non-toxic with very safety and high therapeutic indices (CC50/IC50 > 180), and thus representing potential promising leads for antiplasmodial drug discovery. Furthermore, 11 was the only compound showed obvious antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani with an IC50 value of 9.22 μM. Compounds 11 and 12 showed the values of IC50 at 11.9 and 17.2 μM against neglected Chagas’ disease causing Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively

Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in cut melon fruit using analysis of volatile organic compounds

Ready-to-eat fresh cut fruits and vegetables are increasingly popular, however due to their minimal processing there is a risk of contamination with human pathogens. Listeria monocytogenes is of particular concern as it can multiply even at the low temperatures used to store fresh cut products pre-sale. Current detection methods rely on culturing, which is time consuming and does not provide results in the time frame required. Growth of bacteria on a substrate alters its chemical composition affecting the profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted. Use of VOCs as a detection method has been hampered by lack of sensitivity and robust sample collection methods. Here we use thermal desorption gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (TD-GC-TOF-MS) followed by analysis with PerMANOVA to analyse VOC profiles. We can discriminate between fresh cut melon cubes inoculated with 6 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes and uninoculated controls, as well as melon cubes inoculated with <1 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes stored for 7 days at 4 °C and following equilibration for 6 h at 37 °C. This is a substantial advance in sensitivity compared to previous studies and additionally the collection method used allows remote sampling and transport of the VOCs, greatly facilitating analyses

The Clinical Impact of the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index on the Length of Hospital Stay of Patients with Pulmonary Embolism: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND The Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) is an extensively validated prognostic score, but impact analyses of the PESI on management strategies, outcomes and health care costs are lacking. Our aim was to assess whether the adoption of the PESI for patients admitted to an internal medicine ward has the potential to safely reduce the length of hospital stay (LOS). METHODS We carried out a multicenter randomized controlled trial, enrolling consecutive adult outpatients diagnosed with acute PE and admitted to an internal medicine ward. Within 48 h after diagnosis, the treating physicians were randomized, for every patient, to calculate and report the PESI in the clinical record form on top of the standard of care (experimental arm) or to continue routine clinical practice (standard of care). The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is NCT03002467. RESULTS This study was prematurely stopped due to slow recruitment. A total of 118 patients were enrolled at six internal medicine units from 2016 to 2019. The treating physicians were randomized to the use of the PESI for 59 patients or to the standard of care for 59 patients. No difference in the median LOS was found between the experimental arm (8, IQR 6-12) and the standard-of-care arm (8, IQR 6-12) (p = 0.63). A pre-specified secondary analysis showed that the LOS was significantly shorter among the patients who were treated with DOACs (median of 8 days, IQR 5-11) compared to VKAs or heparin (median of 9 days, IQR 7-12) (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS The formal calculation of the PESI in the patients already admitted to internal medicine units did not impact the length of hospital stay

Approach to leg edema

Edema is defined as a palpable swelling caused by an increase in interstitial fluid volume. Leg edema is a common problem with a wide range of possible causes and is the result of an imbalance in the filtration system between the capillary and interstitial spaces. Major causes of edema include venous obstruction, increased capillary permeability and increased plasma volume secondary to sodium and water retention. In both hospital and general practice, the patient with a swollen leg presents a common dilemma in diagnosis and treatment. The cause may be trivial or life-threatening and it is often difficult to determine the clinical pathway. The diagnosis can be narrowed by categorizing the edema according to its duration, distribution (unilateral or bilateral) and accompanying symptoms. This work provides clinically oriented recommendations for the management of leg edema in adults

Coibacins A D, Antileishmanial Marine Cyanobacterial Polyketides with Intriguing Biosynthetic Origins

Four unsaturated polyketide lactone derivatives, coibacins A-D, were isolated from a Panamanian marine cyanobacterium, cf. Oscillatoria sp. The two different types of termini observed in these co-occurring metabolites, either a methyl cyclopropyl ring as seen in curacin A or a methyl vinyl chloride similar to that observed in the jamaicamides, suggest an intriguing flexibility in the “beta branch” forming biosynthetic process. The coibacins possess selective antileishmanial activity as well as potent anti-inflammatory activity.Four unsaturated polyketide lactone derivatives, coibacins A-D, were isolated from a Panamanian marine cyanobacterium, cf. Oscillatoria sp. The two different types of termini observed in these co-occurring metabolites, either a methyl cyclopropyl ring as seen in curacin A or a methyl vinyl chloride similar to that observed in the jamaicamides, suggest an intriguing flexibility in the “beta branch” forming biosynthetic process. The coibacins possess selective antileishmanial activity as well as potent anti-inflammatory activity

Fruit volatilome profiling through GC × GC-ToF-MS and gene expression analyses reveal differences amongst peach cultivars in their response to cold storage

Peaches have a short shelf life and require chilling during storage and transport. Peach aroma is important for consumer preference and determined by underlying metabolic pathways and gene expression. Differences in aroma (profiles of volatile organic compounds, VOCs) have been widely reported across cultivars and in response to cold storage. However, few studies used intact peaches, or used equilibrium sampling methods subject to saturation. We analysed VOC profiles using TD‑GC × GC‑ToF‑MS and expression of 12 key VOC pathway genes of intact fruit from six cultivars (three peaches, three nectarines) before and after storage at 1 °C for 7 days including 36 h shelf life storage at 20 °C. Two dimensional GC (GC × GC) significantly enhances discrimination of thermal desorption gas chromatography time‑of‑flight mass spectrometry (TD‑GC‑ToF‑MS) and detected a total of 115 VOCs. A subset of 15 VOCs from analysis with Random Forest discriminated between cultivars. Another 16 VOCs correlated strongly with expression profiles of eleven key genes in the lipoxygenase pathway, and both expression profiles and VOCs discriminated amongst cultivars, peach versus nectarines and between treatments. The cultivar‑specific response to cold storage underlines the need to understand more fully the genetic basis for VOC changes across cultivars

Storage of halved strawberry fruits affects aroma, phytochemical content and gene expression, and is affected by pre-harvest factors

Introduction: Strawberry fruit are highly valued for their aroma which develops during ripening. However, they have a short shelf-life. Low temperature storage is routinely used to extend shelf-life for transport and storage in the supply chain, however cold storage can also affect fruit aroma. Some fruit continue to ripen during chilled storage; however, strawberries are a non-climacteric fruit and hence ripening postharvest is limited. Although most strawberry fruit is sold whole, halved fruit is also used in ready to eat fresh fruit salads which are of increasing consumer demand and pose additional challenges to fresh fruit storage. Methods: To better understand the effects of cold storage, volatilomic and transcriptomic analyses were applied to halved Fragaria x ananassa cv. Elsanta fruit stored at 4 or 8°C for up to 12 days over two growing seasons. Results and discussion: The volatile organic compound (VOC) profile differed between 4 or 8°C on most days of storage. Major differences were detected between the two different years of harvest indicating that aroma change at harvest and during storage is highly dependent on environmental factors during growth. The major component of the aroma profile in both years was esters. Over 3000 genes changed in expression over 5 days of storage at 8°C in transcriptome analysis. Overall, phenylpropanoid metabolism, which may also affect VOCs, and starch metabolism were the most significantly affected pathways. Genes involved in autophagy were also differentially expressed. Expression of genes from 43 different transcription factor (TF) families changed in expression: mostly they were down-regulated but NAC and WRKY family genes were mainly up-regulated. Given the high ester representation amongst VOCs, the down-regulation of an alcohol acyl transferase (AAT) during storage is significant. A total of 113 differentially expressed genes were co-regulated with the AAT gene, including seven TFs. These may be potential AAT regulators

LIBÉRER LA COLÈRE, RACCOLTA FEMMINISTA QUEBECCHESE. Una proposta di traduzione

Lo scopo di questo elaborato è di presentare la traduzione in italiano del libro canadese Libérer la colère, una raccolta di testi firmati da trentaquattro donne quebecchesi. Tra queste autrici, Geneviève Morand e Natalie-Ann Roy hanno assunto il ruolo di curatrici del libro, pubblicato nel 2018 da Les Éditions du Remue-ménage. La traduzione che ho realizzato è preceduta da una presentazione delle caratteristiche del paratesto del libro in esame e dei suoi temi, accompagnata da una panoramica storica della varietà di francese del Québec e da una descrizione delle sue caratteristiche attuali. Dopo la traduzione italiana del testo, oggetto del capitolo II, si troverà un commento alle strategie seguite nella traduzione e, più specificamente, ad alcuni dei principali problemi sorti dalla trasposizione dal francese in italiano. Questa riflessione sarà accompagnata da un'illustrazione delle teorie sulle quali sono state basate le decisioni prese durante il processo traduttivo e da esempi esplicativi. Infine, si trarranno delle conclusioni generali sul lavoro svolto