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Quinoidal oligothiophenes have received considerable attention as interesting platforms with remarkable amphoteric redox behavior associated with their diradical character increasing with the conjugation lengths. In this work, we considered a family of quinoidal oligothiophenes bearing cyano-ester terminal groups and characterized them by UV-Vis-NIR absorption and Raman spectroscopy measurements at different excitation wavelengths. The experimental investigation is complemented by quantum-chemical studies to assess the quality of computed density functional theory (DFT) ground state structures and their influence on predicted Raman intensities. In addition, resonance conditions with the optically active HOMO→LUMO transition as well as with the more elusive state dominated by the doubly excited HOMO,HOMO→LUMO,LUMO configuration, are determined with DFT-MRCI calculations and their contributions to Raman activity enhancement are discussed in terms of computed vibrational Huang–Rhys (HR) factors.

In this manuscript, Negri, Zheng, Casado et al develop a stable and flexible diradical. Using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques, they show how heating leads to change in the electronic and spin delocalizations ocurring between quinoidal and aromatic forms, and elucidate a unique spin-vibrational coupling.

Objectives The large number of infected patients requiring mechanical ventilation has led to the postponement of scheduled neurosurgical procedures during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were to investigate the factors that influence the decision to postpone scheduled neurosurgical procedures and to evaluate the effect of the restriction in scheduled surgery adopted to deal with the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain on the outcome of patients awaiting surgery.Design This was an observational retrospective study.Settings A tertiary-level multicentre study of neurosurgery activity between 1 March and 30 June 2020.Participants A total of 680 patients awaiting any scheduled neurosurgical procedure were enrolled. 470 patients (69.1%) were awaiting surgery because of spine degenerative disease, 86 patients (12.6%) due to functional disorders, 58 patients (8.5%) due to brain or spine tumours, 25 patients (3.7%) due to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disorders and 17 patients (2.5%) due to cerebrovascular disease.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was mortality due to any reason and any deterioration of the specific neurosurgical condition. Second, we analysed the rate of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.Results More than one-quarter of patients experienced clinical or radiological deterioration. The rate of worsening was higher among patients with functional (39.5%) or CSF disorders (40%). Two patients died (0.4%) during the waiting period, both because of a concurrent disease. We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine independent covariates associated with maintaining the surgical indication. We found that community SARS-CoV-2 incidence (OR=1.011, p

The charged forms of π–conjugated chromophores are relevant in the field of organic electronics as charge carriers in optoelectronic devices, but also as energy storage substrates in organic batteries. In this context, intramolecular reorganization energy plays an important role in controlling material efficiency. In this work, we investigate how the diradical character influences the reorganization energies of holes and electrons by considering a library of diradicaloid chromophores. We determine the reorganization energies with the four-point adiabatic potential method using quantum–chemical calculations at density functional theory (DFT) level. To assess the role of diradical character, we compare the results obtained, assuming both closed-shell and open-shell representations of the neutral species. The study shows how the diradical character impacts the geometrical and electronic structure of neutral species, which in turn control the magnitude of reorganization energies for both charge carriers. Based on computed geometries of neutral and charged species, we propose a simple scheme to rationalize the small, computed reorganization energies for both n-type and p-type charge transport. The study is supplemented with the calculation of intermolecular electronic couplings governing charge transport for selected diradicals, further supporting the ambipolar character of the investigated diradicals.

Excited state aromaticity gives rise to unique photophysical properties which may aid the design of functional photoactive materials. Here, the authors spectroscopically characterize an acceptor-donor-acceptor system featuring a two-electron transfer process stabilized by aromatization in the lower energy excited state.

Research on cancer therapies focuses on processes such as angiogenesis, cell signaling, stemness, metastasis, and drug resistance and inflammation, all of which are influenced by the cellular and molecular microenvironment of the tumor. Different strategies, such as antibodies, small chemicals, hormones, cytokines, and, recently, gene editing techniques, have been tested to reduce the malignancy and generate a harmful microenvironment for the tumor. Few therapeutic agents have shown benefits when administered alone, but a few more have demonstrated clear improvement when administered in combination with other therapeutic molecules. In 2008 (and for the first time in the clinic), the therapeutic benefits of the β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol, were described in benign tumors, such as infantile hemangioma. Propranolol, initially prescribed for high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, essential tremor, and anxiety, has shown, in the last decade, increasing evidence of its antitumoral properties in more than a dozen different types of cancer. Moreover, the use of propranolol in combination therapies with other drugs has shown synergistic antitumor effects. This review highlights the clinical trials in which propranolol is taking part as adjuvant therapy at single administration or in combinatorial human trials, arising as a good pick and roll partner in anticancer strategies.

In the present study, we continue testing the Primordial Group hypothesis (Casado 2022), which postulates that only sufficiently young open clusters can be binary or multiple, and old clusters are essentially single. To this end, we revisit all the remaining binary cluster candidates in the Galaxy having at least one cluster older than 100 Myr through Gaia data and careful revision of the literature. We found no convincing case for an old binary system among the 120 pairs/groups revised. Most of the pairs are optical pairs or flyby encounters. However, we found three dubious pairs that could falsify the title hypothesis upon further research. We also found two possible primordial pairs older than expected. Our results confirm that the vast majority of binary/multiple OCs in the Galaxy, if not all, are of primordial origin and are not stable for a long time. This finding is in line with similar studies of the Magellanic Clouds and theoretical N-body simulations in the Galaxy. The pairs of OCs in these groups are generally not binary systems since they are not gravitationally bound. We also point out some inconsistencies in previous works and databases, such as false open clusters and duplicities.

Chemically synthesized graphene nanosheets offer device design flexibility and improved optoelectronic performance. Here, the authors report solution-processed distributed feedback lasers with graphene nanosheets as active media having linewidths

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disorder of vascular development. Common manifestations include epistaxis, telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations in multiple organs. Different deletions or nonsense mutations have been described in the ENG (HHT1) or ACVRL1/ALK1 (HHT2) genes, all affecting endothelial homeostasis. A novel mutation in ACVRL1/ALK1 has been identified in a Peruvian family with a clinical history compatible to HHT. Subsequently, 23 DNA samples from oral exchanges (buccal swaps) of the immediate family members were analyzed together with their clinical histories. A routine cDNA PCR followed by comparative DNA sequencing between the founder and another healthy family member showed the presence of the aforementioned specific mutation. The single mutation detected (c.525 + 1G > T) affects the consensus splice junction immediately after exon 4, provokes anomalous splicing and leads to the inclusion of intron IV between exons 4 and 5 in the ACVRL1/ALK1 mRNA and, therefore, to ALK1 haploinsufficiency. Complete sequencing determined that 10 of the 25 family members analyzed were affected by the same mutation. Notably, the approach described in this report could be used as a diagnostic technique, easily incorporated in clinical practice in developing countries and easily extrapolated to other patients carrying such a mutation.

Rare Diseases (RD) are defined by their prevalence in less than 5 in 10,000 of the general population. Considered individually, each RD may seem insignificant, but together they add up to more than 7000 different diseases. Research in RD is not attractive for pharmaceutical companies since it is unlikely to recover development costs for medicines aimed to small numbers of patients. Since most of these diseases are life threatening, this fact underscores the urgent need for treatments. Drug repurposing consists of identifying new uses for approved drugs outside the scope of the original medical indication. It is an alternative option in drug development and represents a viable and risk-managed strategy to develop for RDs. In 2008, the “off label” therapeutic benefits of propranolol were described in the benign tumor Infantile Hemangioma. Propranolol, initially prescribed for high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, essential tremor, and anxiety, has, in the last decade, shown increasing evidence of its antiangiogenic, pro-apoptotic, vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory properties in different RDs, including vascular or oncological pathologies. This review highlights the finished and ongoing trials in which propranolol has arisen as a good repurposing drug for improving the health condition in RDs.

The Primordial Group hypothesis states that only sufficiently young open clusters (OCs) can be multiple, and old OCs are essentially isolated. We tested this postulate through four different studies using a manual search of Gaia EDR3 and extensive literature. First, we revisited the work of de La Fuente Marcos and de La Fuente Marcos (2009), which states that only ca. 40% of OC pairs are of primordial origin. However, no plausible binary system among their proposed OC pairs having at least one member older than 0.1 Gyr was found. Second, we researched the OCs < 0.01 Gyr old in Tarricq et al. (2021) and found that ca. 71% of them remain in their primordial groups. Third, a similar study of the oldest OCs (age > 4 Gyr) showed that they are essentially alone. Forth, the well-known case of the double cluster in Perseus and some other binary systems described in the literature were also shown to accommodate the title hypothesis. A simplified bimodal model allows for retrieval of the overall fraction of related OCs (approximately 12–16%) from our results, assuming that young clusters remain associated at ~0.04 Gyr. The obtained results further support that OCs are born in groups (Casado 2021).

In the Community of Madrid, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) replaced the 7-valent (PCV7) in the fully government-funded Regional Immunization Program (RIP) in May, 2010, but was later excluded in May, 2012, and included again in January, 2015. These unique changes allowed us to assess the impact of the different pneumococcal vaccination policies on PCV13 uptake in infants and on the incidence rate (IR) of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children

Endoglin is a 180-kDa glycoprotein receptor primarily expressed by the vascular endothelium and involved in cardiovascular disease and cancer. Heterozygous mutations in the endoglin gene (ENG) cause hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia type 1, a vascular disease that presents with nasal and gastrointestinal bleeding, skin and mucosa telangiectases, and arteriovenous malformations in internal organs. A circulating form of endoglin (alias soluble endoglin, sEng), proteolytically released from the membrane-bound protein, has been observed in several inflammation-related pathological conditions and appears to contribute to endothelial dysfunction and cancer development through unknown mechanisms. Membrane-bound endoglin is an auxiliary component of the TGF-β receptor complex and the extracellular region of endoglin has been shown to interact with types I and II TGF-β receptors, as well as with BMP9 and BMP10 ligands, both members of the TGF-β family. To search for novel protein interactors, we screened a microarray containing over 9000 unique human proteins using recombinant sEng as bait. We find that sEng binds with high affinity, at least, to 22 new proteins. Among these, we validated the interaction of endoglin with galectin-3, a secreted member of the lectin family with capacity to bind membrane glycoproteins, and with tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. Using human endothelial cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells, we showed that endoglin co-immunoprecipitates and co-localizes with galectin-3 or TRIM21. These results open new research avenues on endoglin function and regulation.

The n-paraphenylene family comprises chains of phenylene units linked together by C-C bonds that are between single- and double-bonded, and where n corresponds to the number of phenylene units. In this work, we compare the response of the optical properties of different phenylene arrangements. We study linear chains (LPP), cyclic systems (CPPs), and non-conjugated cyclic systems with two hydrogenated phenylenes (H4[n]CPP). Particularly, the systems of interest in this work are [6]LPP, [12]- and [6]CPP and H4[6]CPP. This work combines Raman and infrared spectroscopies with absorption and fluorescence (one- and two-photon excitations) measured as a function of pressure up to maximum of about 25 GPa. Unprecedented crystallographic pressure-dependent results are shown on H4[n]CPP, revealing intramolecular π-π interactions upon compression. These intramolecular interactions justify the H4[n]CPP singular optical properties with increasing fluorescence lifetime as a function of pressure.

Understanding protein interaction networks and their dynamic changes is a major challenge in modern biology. Currently, several experimental and in silico approaches allow the screening of protein interactors in a large-scale manner. Therefore, the bulk of information on protein interactions deposited in databases and peer-reviewed published literature is constantly growing. Multiple databases interfaced from user-friendly web tools recently emerged to facilitate the task of protein interaction data retrieval and data integration. Nevertheless, as we evidence in this report, despite the current efforts towards data integration, the quality of the information on protein interactions retrieved by in silico approaches is frequently incomplete and may even list false interactions. Here we point to some obstacles precluding confident data integration, with special emphasis on protein interactions, which include gene acronym redundancies and protein synonyms. Three human proteins (choline kinase, PPIase and uromodulin) and three different web-based data search engines focused on protein interaction data retrieval (PSICQUIC, DASMI and BIPS) were used to explain the potential occurrence of undesired errors that should be considered by researchers in the field. We demonstrate that, despite the recent initiatives towards data standardization, manual curation of protein interaction networks based on literature searches are still required to remove potential false positives. A three-step workflow consisting of: (i) data retrieval from multiple databases, (ii) peer-reviewed literature searches, and (iii) data curation and integration, is proposed as the best strategy to gather updated information on protein interactions. Finally, this strategy was applied to compile bona fide information on human DREAM protein interactome, which constitutes liable training datasets that can be used to improve computational predictions.

The transcription factor Snail1 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process responsible for the acquisition of invasiveness during tumorigenesis. Several transcriptomic studies have reported Snail1-regulated genes in different cell types, many of them involved in cell adhesion. However, only a few studies have used proteomics as a tool for the characterization of proteins mediating EMT.We identified by proteomic analysis using 2D-DIGE electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF-TOF and ESI-linear ion trap mass spectrometry a number of proteins with variable functions whose expression is modulated by Snail1 in SW480-ADH human colon cancer cells. Validation was performed by Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses. Snail1 repressed several members of the 14-3-3 family of phosphoserine/phosphothreonine binding proteins and also the expression of the Proliferation-associated protein 2G4 (PA2G4) that was mainly localized at the nuclear Cajal bodies. In contrast, the expression of two proteins involved in RNA processing, the Cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor subunit 6 (CPSF6) and the Splicing factor proline/glutamine-rich (SFPQ), was higher in Snail1-expressing cells than in controls. The regulation of 14-3-3epsilon, 14-3-3tau, 14-3-3zeta and PA2G4 by Snail1 was reproduced in HT29 colon cancer cells. In addition, we found an inverse correlation between 14-3-3sigma and Snail1 expression in human colorectal tumors.We have identified a set of novel Snail1 target proteins in colon cancer that expand the cellular processes affected by Snail1 and thus its relevance for cell function and phenotype.

Assuming that the Universe is spatially infinite, we depict a simple model where gravitation does not decelerate the expansion, which occurs at constant speed for any two distant galaxies. This Steady Flow model fits the SNe Ia observations without a repulsive dark energy. We review the main problems of Big Bang cosmology and see how they can be solved. Particularly, the singularity and the problem of the cosmic origin could be avoided in our framework. The time evolution of the scale factor (R [proportional] t) leaves a longer period for early structure and galaxy formation. However, the expansion time coincides with the Universe age of the standard model. Other features of Big Bang, such as the evolution of temperature with the scale factor and the primordial nucleosynthesis, remain unchanged. Keywords: Cosmology, Type Ia supernovae, Early Universe, Primordial nucleosynthesis, 1. Introduction Centuries ago, Newton postulated the idea of an infinite Universe in order to avoid the stars falling into a hypothetical centre of mass of a finite space. For [...]

We present the determination of the conformational properties ofaeroplysinin-1 in aqueous solution by means of a combined experimentaland theoretical Raman optical activity (ROA) and vibrational circulardichroism (VCD) study. Aeroplysinin-1 is an antiangiogenic drug extractedfrom the sponge Aplysina cavernicolawhich has beenproved to be a valuable candidate for the treatment of cancer andother antiangiogenic diseases. Our study shows that this moleculepossesses the 1S,6Rabsolute configurationin aqueous solution, where only two conformers are present to a significantlevel. We discuss in detail the relationships between the chiro-opticalROA and VCD features, and the structural properties of various energyaccessible conformers are described. The present work is one of thefirst studies in which both ROA and VCD have been used as complementarytools for the determination of absolute configuration and dominantsolution-state conformations of an unknown therapeutically significantmolecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleural effusion is increasingly reported in children. Standard culture of blood or pleural fluid is frequently negative and molecular diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction is not available in all hospitals. The Binax NOW Streptococcus pneumoniae Antigen test (Binax, Portland, USA) is a rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) for the detection of the C polysaccharide antigen. We evaluated the Binax NOW test on the pleural fluid of 73 children hospitalized with pleural effusion over a period of 4 years. In our sample, the sensitivity and specificity of ICT were high (88% and 71%, respectively), with a positive predictive value of 96%. Detection of the pneumococcal antigen in pleural fluid by ICT is easy and quick, and enables us to identify the pneumococcal origin of the effusion, thus, making the treatment of complicated pneumonia suitably and early. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indazolium-3-carboxylate is a molecule that can be found as the nucleus of several pseudo-cross-conjugated mesomeric betaines, such as the alkaloid nigellicine. From a chemical point of view, one of the more interesting properties of this class of molecules is the possibility of forming an N-heterocyclic carbene by thermal decarboxylation. In this paper we have studied the carbene generation by decarboxylation of 1,2-dimethyl indazolium-3-carboxylate, using vibrational (infrared and Raman) spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations. Normal mode analysis allowed us to analyse the changes in the stretching force constants upon decarboxylation and to establish spectroscopic-structure relationships. We also investigate the effect of 5-halogen (fluoro, chloro) substitution on the carbene generation. Decarboxylation energy profiles of the three derivatives were calculated. Crossing of the energy paths when going from the transition state to the final product were obtained. The theoretical tendency found for the activation energies agrees with that observed for the decarboxylation temperatures and for the calculated NICS values of the benzene moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transposition of European Union directives involves the reconciliation of domestic and European interests. More often than not, domestic politics overrule European requirements to comply in a timely and correct manner. This domestication of the transposition process has often been observed in states belonging to the "world of domestic politics", one of the least researched country clusters in the "worlds of compliance" typology developed by Falkner et al. (2005). This paper provides additional empirical evidence on how domestic politics overrule European demands once a conflict between both levels occurs. This is done with the study of the transposition of two EU Anti-discrimination directives in Austria. There, transposition had to overcome two types of conflict. On the one hand, a policy legacy diametrically opposed to anti-discrimination; on the other hand, an actor constellation ideologically contrary to anti-discrimination law. Based on the empirical material presented here, the paper suggests a number of strategies on how to further extant theoretical contributions in the field of transposition studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis is performed on the molecular and electronic features in a series of trigonal molecules constituted by a central truxene core which is ramified with three oligofluorene moieties of different lengths. Arms and core are studied independently and upon threefold unification. Special emphasis is paid to the modulation of the conjugational properties in relation to substitution, molecular dimension, ring aromaticity, intermolecular forces, oxidation state, etc. Raman and optical absorption/emission spectroscopies in conjunction with computational theoretical results are combined for this purpose. The evolution of some key intensity ratios in the Raman spectra (i.e., I1300/I1235) is followed as an indication of electronic interaction between the core and the branches. The changes of the electronic delocalization upon solvation, with varying temperature in the solid state, with the nature of the aromatic unit (bithiophene/fluorene) or after electrochemical oxidation are interpreted. The modulation of the optical properties on the basis of the structure and energetics of the orbital around the gap is also addressed. Density functional theory was used to assign the vibrational and electronic spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular and electronic structures of a series of all-meta-substituted phenylacetylene mesitylenes peripherally substituted with donor or acceptor (D−A) groups are studied. The impact of meta- and para-substitution patterns is also analyzed by employing Raman and optical spectroscopies in conjunction with theoretical calculations. Outer phenyl rings display a partial quinoid character induced by two different motifs:  (i) outer phenyls → triple bond charge transfer for the cases where these phenyls are substituted with electron-donors; (ii) double electron withdrawing effect in the molecules with the peripheral phenyls substituted with electron acceptors. A moderate tuning of the optical gap is observed in agreement with the partial blockade of -electron conjugation exerted by the metadisposition. The orbital structure of the compounds partially preserves that of the mesitylene group showing extra-conjugation due to the addition of the arms, so that conjugation is not entirely obstructed but partially impeded in the ground electronic state (i.e., electron occupied orbitals). As for the excited states, the low-lying energy empty orbitals offer better conditions for full conjugation over the whole molecular scaffold. Interesting optical properties such as overlapping centers along the lowest energy optical excitations and enhanced optical transparency with importance for the application of these materials in optoelectronics have been justified on the basis of the electronic structure. A greater degree of quinoidization, and more allowed -electron delocalization, over the entire molecule is recognized in the case of linear phenylacetylenes substituting in parapositions the central core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the interactions between heteroatoms (S, Se, and Te) and conjugated skeletons are analyzed. The study is carried out by using electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, electrochemistry, vibrational Raman spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations in the framework of DFT and TD−DFT theories. Optical spectra are described in terms of one-electron promotions between orbitals around the energy gap. Electrochemistry, in the framework of the Koopman's approach, is also interpreted. The vibrational Raman spectra are assigned to molecular modes and the evolution changing the heteroatom is addressed and an effective tuning of these properties is found. Part of this modulation is associated with local electronic interactions depending on the relative S, Se, and Te electronegativities. Unconventional long-range heteroatom−heteroatom interactions have been proposed which arise from the existence of effective π-conjugated channels. The molecular level understanding of structure−property relationships in these organic/inorganic semiconductors are of great interest in the interdisciplinary area of material science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mycotoxin ochratoxin A is a contaminant of human and animal food products. It is a potent nephrotoxin known to damage the proximal tubule. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of ochratoxin A on a porcine renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line (LLC-PK1), and to identify sensitive endpoints revealing damage at the epithelial barrier level and at the molecular level. Cells exposed for 24 h to 5–10 μM ochratoxin indicated a clear damage to the intactness of the epithelial barrier, as shown by measurements of trans-epithelial resistance and zonula occludens-1 protein expression. At the mitochondrial level we observed alterations of the normal functions, such as an increase of the membrane potential, the formation of straight extensions, and the formation of giant mitochondria. At higher ochratoxin concentrations (50 μM), at which cytotoxicity assays revealed a significant toxicity, alterations of the cytoskeleton organization and induction of apoptosis were evident. In addition, we analyzed the expression of genes by using a cDNA macroarray. Our data indicate that ochratoxin-induced nephrotoxicity can be detected at the barrier and at the mitochondrial level at rather low concentrations, at which conventional cytotoxicity assays are unable to reveal toxic effects. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:43–49, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a monotone operator of the form Au = -div(a(x, Du)), with Ω ⊆ Rn and a : Ω x MM x N → MM x N, acting on W1, p 0 (Ω, RM). For every sequence (Ωh) of open subsets of Ω and for every ƒ ∈ W-1, p′ (Ω, RM), 1/p+1/p′ = 1, we study the asymptotic behavior, as h !→ +&infini;, of the solutions uh ∈ W¹ 0 (Ωh, RM) of the systems Auh = ƒ in W-1, p′ (Ωh, RM), and we determine the general form of the limit problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]