In silico Analysis of Combinatorial microRNA Activity Reveals Target Genes and Pathways Associated with Breast Cancer Metastasis

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Survey of childhood empyema in Asia: Implications for detecting the unmeasured burden of culture-negative bacterial disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Parapneumonic empyema continues to be a disease of significant morbidity and mortality among children despite recent advances in medical management. To date, only a limited number of studies have assessed the burden of empyema in Asia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We surveyed medical records of four representative large pediatric hospitals in China, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam using <it>ICD</it>-10 diagnostic codes to identify children <16 years of age hospitalized with empyema or pleural effusion from 1995 to 2005. We also accessed microbiology records of cultured empyema and pleural effusion specimens to describe the trends in the epidemiology and microbiology of empyema.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the study period, we identified 1,379 children diagnosed with empyema or pleural effusion (China, n = 461; Korea, n = 134; Taiwan, n = 119; Vietnam, n = 665). Diagnoses of pleural effusion (n = 1,074) were 3.5 times more common than of empyema (n = 305), although the relative proportions of empyema and pleural effusion noted in hospital records varied widely between the four sites, most likely because of marked differences in coding practices. Although pleural effusions were reported more often than empyema, children with empyema were more likely to have a cultured pathogen. In addition, we found that median age and gender distribution of children with these conditions were similar across the four countries. Among 1,379 empyema and pleural effusion specimens, 401 (29%) were culture positive. <it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>(n = 126) was the most common organism isolated, followed by <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae </it>(n = 83), <it>Pseudomonas aeruginosa </it>(n = 37) and <it>Klebsiella </it>(n = 35) and <it>Acinetobacter </it>species (n = 34).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The age and gender distribution of empyema and pleural effusion in children in these countries are similar to the US and Western Europe. <it>S. pneumoniae </it>was the second leading bacterial cause of empyema and pleural effusion among Asian children. The high proportion of culture-negative specimens among patients with pleural effusion or empyema suggests that culture may not be a sufficiently sensitive diagnostic method to determine etiology in the majority of cases. Future prospective studies in different countries would benefit from standardized case definitions and coding practices for empyema. In addition, more sensitive diagnostic methods would improve detection of pathogens and could result in better prevention, treatment and outcomes of this severe disease.</p

Synthesis, spectral and kinetic studies of copper(II) thiocarboxylates as molecular precursor for metal sulfide

504-510A series of binary and ternary copper(II) complexes of thiocarboxylic acids and straight chain fatty acids with general formula Cu(SOCR)2(EtOH) and Cu(SOCR)(OOCR')(EtOH) [where R = CH3 or C6H5 and R' = C7H15, C11H23 or C13H27] have been synthesized and characterized. The binary copper(II) complexes have been investigated for their potential to act as precursors for the formation of metal sulfide materials. These species are expected to undergo thiocarboxylic anhydride elimination to give stoichiometric metal sulfides and remove the organic supporting ligands cleanly. The complexes are characterized by elemental and thermo gravimetric analyses, spectral (IR, UV/Visible and ESR) and molar conductivity studies, molecular weight and magnetic moment measurements. The spectroscopic and analytical data have been found to be consistent with the identified formulae and the compounds are dimeric with bridging mode of coordination of the ligands. Magnetic data and ESR studies suggest strong antiferromagnetic coupling between two copper atoms. Thermal decomposition of binary copper(II) complexes in the solid state results in the formation of CuS at low temperature as seen by powder X-ray diffraction studies. The kinetic parameters of these complexes have been investigated on the basis of the respective thermal curves. The values of the activation energy (Ea) of thermal decomposition, reaction order (n), frequency factor (A) and velocity constant (k) (in the Arrhenius kinetic equation), have been established from the thermal data. The preliminary studies reveal the great potential of this highly tailorable chemical system as precursors to metal sulfido species

Synthesis and characterization of some alkoxide derivatives of nickel(II)

A number of alkoxides and chloride alkoxides of nickel(II) of the types Ni(OR)2, Ni(OR)Cl and Ni(OR)Cl,ROH have been synthesized from the reactions of anhydrous nickel(II) chloride with lithium or sodium alkoxides in appropriate molar ratios. These derivatives have been characterized by element analysis, infrared, electronic reflectance and electron spin resonance spectra in addition to magnetic susceptibility measurements. Alcohol interchange reactions in these alkoxide derivatives have been studied in detail

Chemistry of alkoxo complexes, part II. synthesis and characterization of some mono(chelato)mono(alkoxo)nickel(II) complexes

Mono(chelato)mono(alkoxo)nickel(II) complexes of the general formula, Ni(OR)(&#946;dk) (R = Me, i-Pr and &#946;dk = acac, bazac, dbzm and tta) have been synthesized by the reactions of nickel alkoxides, Ni(OR)2(R = Me and i-Pr) with acetylacetone (Hacac), benzoylacetone (Hbzac), dibenzoylmethane (Hdbzm) and 2-thienoyltrifluoroacetone (Htta). These derivatives interchange their alkoxy groups quantitatively with other alcohols. Molecular weight, i.r., electron spin resonance, electronic reflectance spectral and magnetic susceptibility studies have been carried out

Synthesis & Characterization of Some Mixed Ligand Complexes of Ni(II) Acetylacetonate with Oxygen Donor Ligands

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Insertion Reactions of Nickel Alkoxides with Phenyl & Naphthyl Isocyanates

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