Biased Bowl-Direction of Monofluorosumanene in the Solid State

Yakiyama Y., Li M., Zhou D., et al. Biased Bowl-Direction of Monofluorosumanene in the Solid State. Journal of the American Chemical Society 146, 5224 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c11311.A new curved π-conjugated molecule 1-fluorosumanene (1) was designed and synthesized that possesses one fluorine atom on the benzylic carbon of sumanene. This compound can exhibit bowl inversion in solution, leading to the formation of two diastereomers, 1endo and 1exo, with different dipole moments. Experimental and theoretical investigation revealed an energetical relationship among 1exo, 1endo, and solvent to realize the various endo:exo ratios in the single crystals of 1 depending on the crystallization solvent. Significantly, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that 1exo positively worked for the elongation of the stacking structure and the final endo:exo ratio was affected by the relative stability difference between 1endo and 1exo derived by solvation. Such an arrangeable endo:exo ratio of 1 realized the preparation of unique materials showing a different dielectric response from the same molecule 1 just by changing the crystallization solvent

Assessing the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report scores to predict continuous employment in mood disorder patients

ObjectiveDepression significantly impacts the job performance and attendance of workers, leading to increased absenteeism. Predicting occupational engagement for individuals with depression is of paramount importance. This study aims to determine the cut-off score which predicts continuous employment for patients with mood disorders using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report (QIDS-SR).MethodsIn a prospective observational trial conducted in Tokyo, 111 outpatients diagnosed with either major depressive disorder or bipolar depression were enrolled. Their employment statuses of these participants were tracked over a six-month period after their QIDS-SR scores were recorded. Based on their employment trajectories, participants were categorized into either continuous or non-continuous employment groups. Binary logistic regression was applied to examine the relationship between the QIDS-SR scores and employment outcomes, with adjustments for age, gender, and psychiatric diagnoses. Receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to identify the optimal QIDS-SR cut-off values for predicting continuous employment.FindingsBinary logistic regression demonstrated that a lower score on the QIDS-SR was linked to an elevated likelihood of continuous employment (adjusted odds ratio 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06-1.26, p=0.001). The optimal cut-off point, determined by the Youden Index, was 10/11, showcasing a 63% sensitivity and 71% specificity.ConclusionThe results emphasize the potential of the QIDS-SR as a prognostic instrument for predicting employment outcomes among individuals with depressive disorders. These findings further underscore the importance of managing depressive symptoms to mild or lower intensities to ensure ongoing employment

Brain Metastasis from Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) into the central nervous system is extremely rare. We report a patient with synchronous GIST and brain metastasis. At disease onset, there was left hemiplegia and ptosis of the right eyelids. Resection cytology of the brain tumor was reported as metastasis of GIST. After positron emission tomography examination, another tumor in the small bowel was discovered, which suggested a small bowel GIST associated with intracranial metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis of the intestinal tumor specimen obtained by double balloon endoscopy showed a pattern similar to the brain tumor, with the tumors subsequently identified as intracranial metastases of jejunal GIST. After surgical resection of one brain tumor, the patient underwent whole brain radiation therapy followed by treatment with imatinib mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland). Mutational analysis of the original intestinal tumor revealed there were no gene alterations in KIT or PDGFRα. Since the results indicated the treatment had no apparent effect on either of the tumors, and because ileus developed due to an intestinal primary tumor, the patient underwent surgical resection of the intestinal lesion. However, the patient's condition gradually worsen and she subsequently died 4 months after the initial treatment

Occurrence of the Kuril Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) at a small fixed fishing net in Akkeshi Bay, Hokkaido, Japan

Humans frequently come into conflict with marine mammals that compete for the same resources, such as seals exploiting the same areas as industrial fisheries. To develop efficient interventions to minimize the negative impact of seals on fisheries, it is essential to understand the behaviour of seals in the fishery area, such as where and when they occur. The present study characterizes an instance of human–seal conflict, using acoustic telemetry to examine patterns in the occurrence of three Kuril harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) around a small fixed set-net in Akkeshi Bay, eastern Hokkaido, Japan, in late spring in 2009. To examine the environmental variables affecting the occurrence of Kuril seals around the net, 3 Kuril seals were captured and tracked using an acoustic monitoring system. Two of the tracked individuals (a male and a female) usually came to the net in the evening, and at high tide, but the seals were never present at times when fishing occurred (04:00–07:00 h), which indicates that they actively avoided human activity in the coastal fishery. Seals did not appear in the net after the fishery season (April), a behavioural characteristic that suggests that these seals were adults that used a nearby haul-out site during the breeding season (May–June). A third individual, an adult male, never occurred near the net. These observations demonstrate the extent to which individual seals vary in their interactions with human activities. Given the current selective removal of seals in the fishery area by controlled killing or driving away, these findings have the potential to inform targeted management intervention to minimize conflict between economic and conservation interests

Measures for co-existence between seals and coastal large-scale salmon set net fisheries : Mitigation of catch damage by the use of rope grid

In recent decades, conflict between Kuril harbor seals (Phoca vitulina stejnegeri) and local fisheries have become a serious problem in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Catch damage in large-scale salmon set nets may be mitigated by attaching a rope grid to set net funnels. We investigated the effectiveness of different rope grids on catch damage caused by seals, and evaluated hidden impacts on catch caused by the seals using an underwater camera for observation of seal and salmon behavior coupled with on-board observations of catch and catch damage. The rate of seal prevention was highest for rope grid with 20 cm x 20 cm spacing (97.5 %). The percentage of catch damage in the set net with this rope grid was significantly lower than that for the set net with other rope grid which was easy to enter for seals. We concluded that it is effective to attach an appropriate rope grid to set nets to prevent seals from entering fish bags and to ensure salmon catch amounts. The existence of "hidden damage" was quantitatively revealed via the underwater observation of seals removing salmon from the fish bag, and by comparing the number of salmon between underwater observation and on-board observation