American Academy of Pediatrics reverses long-standing ban on breastfeeding for mothers with HIV WION
See the rest here:
US Pediatricians Group Reverses Decades-Old Ban On Breastfeeding For Those With HIV – 1340 WJOL – 1340 WJOL
(Associated Press) A top U.S. pediatricians group is making a sharp policy change about breastfeeding by people with HIV.
The group says they can breastfeed as long as they are taking medications that effectively suppress the virus that causes AIDS.
Its a reversal in a longstanding policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The group made the changes on Monday, effectively overturning guidance that dated back decades.
Experts say drugs used to treat HIV can reduce the risk of passing the virus to infants to less than 1%.
About 5,000 people who have HIV give birth in the U.S. each year.
Read the original here:
In a Shift, Pediatricians’ Group Says Breastfeeding Safe When HIV-Positive Mom Is Properly Treated – jacksonprogress-argus
Key Takeaways
The American Academy of Pediatrics now supports breastfeeding by HIV-positive moms, if their infection is controlled
The risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding is less than 1% if the mom is virally suppressed
That risk should be weighed against the many benefits of breastfeeding, the AAP says
MONDAY, May 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The nations top pediatrics group has reversed its decades-old position on HIV-positive mothers breastfeeding their infants.
When managed appropriately, having multiple credit cards provides both practical and financial benefits. An extra card can come in handy if one is lost or needs to be canceled, and having multiple lines of credit available can be helpful when unexpected expenses arise. However, tracking bala Click for more.Which Americans Hold the Most Credit Cards?
The American Academy of Pediatrics now says its generally safe for moms with HIV to breastfeed or provide breast milk to babies if their infection is properly controlled.
The risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding from a mother who is virally suppressed is less than 1%, according to an AAP evidence review published May 20 in the AAP journal Pediatrics.
That small risk should be weighed against the health and financial benefits of breastfeeding, the AAP says.
Research now shows that the risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding is quite low when the lactating parent is on anti-retroviral treatment and has no detectable viral load, said Dr. Lisa Abuogi, lead author of the AAP review.
While avoiding breastfeeding is the only option to guarantee that the virus is not transmitted, pediatricians should be ready to offer family-centered and nonjudgmentalsupport for people who desire to breastfeed, said Abuogi, who is medical director for the Children's Hospital Colorado Immunodeficiency HIV Prevention Program.
Nearly 5,000 people with HIV in the United States give birth every year, the AAP says.
Without treatment, women with HIV can pass the virus to their infants during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.
However, daily medications can keep people with HIV healthy and reduce their viral load below detectable levels, the AAP noted.
The AAP says it is following the lead of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which starting in 1985 had recommended against breastfeeding for people with HIV. The CDC now supports breastfeeding for HIV-positive mothers after discussing the option with a doctor.
The AAP recommends that pediatricians:
Know the HIV status of pregnant women, to provide appropriate counseling and prescribe antiretroviral treatment
Be prepared to support HIV-positive women who want to breastfeed if they started antiretroviral treatment early in or prior to pregnancy and are committed to maintainingviral suppression through breastfeeding
Counsel pregnant women and new mothers at increased risk of HIV infection regarding the risk of transmitting the virus through human milk, if infection occurred while breastfeeding
Healthcare professionals, researchers and people with HIV have made amazing strides over the past few decades towards eliminating perinatal transmission of HIV in the United States, Abuogi said in an AAP news release. "We encourage families to share information with their pediatricians about HIV and discuss what will work best for them when it comes to feeding their baby.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics, news release, May 20, 2024
Moms with HIV who want to breastfeed should talk with their doctor about whether it will be safe for their baby.
See the original post:
Resident Doctors to Host Second Annual Wilderness Medicine Conference in the High Country – wataugaonline.com
Last Updated on May 21, 2024 12:44 pm
From mountains to lakes, ski slopes to waterfalls, and everything in between, the High Country has always drawn us to explore, experience, and to be immersed in the beauty of nature. Our rolling mountains welcome people from far and wide and provide endless opportunities for adventure. Unfortunately, more opportunities for adventure can translate to higher incidences of injuries, illnesses, and traumas.
Recognizing the need in our community, our resident doctors are set to host the second annual Wilderness Medicine Conference June 29th-30th at the Valle Crucis Conference Center. The conference is open to all including physicians, residents, PAs, NPs, nurses, students, and more.
As physicians and local leaders, we have chosen to serve our community through improving access to medical care for everyone, not just in the office, but as far reaching as in the wild, says Dr. David Brendle, Associate Program Director of the Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. We hope this conference can bring new ideas and innovation to the High Country, as well as opportunities to network and learn about practicing medicine in resource-sparse environments.
What is Wilderness Medicine?
Wilderness Medicine is the development of knowledge and skills used to render medical aid in rugged, remote, and resource-limited environments, says third year resident, Dr. Connor Brunson. This makes training in wilderness medicine relevant for anyone who spends time outsidewhether its kayaking, skiing, hiking, hunting, fishing, swimming, trail running, mountain biking, or rock climbing, if your access to medical support is limited, you need to know how to manage injuries, treat pre-existing medical conditions, and prepare for the unexpected.
Wild things can and do happen in the High Country. Even just a short hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway can be surprisingly hard to access for medical personnel, and it can certainly take a long time to get help especially if you dont have cell service, says Brunson. With the diverse range of outdoor activities local to our area, I think its extremely important for anyone and everyone to have knowledge of how to help if someone theyre with is injured in a remote area.
Docs gone wild
At the heart of the Wilderness Medicine Conference is David Brendle, DO. Brendle is a family medicine physician at AppFamily Medicine and the Associate Program Director of the MAHEC Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. Enjoying the outdoors through trail running, mountain biking, hiking and skiing has always fed my soul, says Brendle, pictured at the Everest Base Camp in Nepal. After becoming a physician, I felt a responsibility in gaining knowledge specific to medical care in austere environments. Over the years, I have actively sought out training specific to wilderness medicine through the Wilderness Medicine Society.
Brendle, along with 15 resident family medicine physicians, created the High Country Wilderness Medicine conference to support and equip individuals in our community with resources, tools, and training for medical care in austere environments. Given the Boone Rural Family Medicine Residency programs location in our wonderful town of Boone we felt it was important to offer Wilderness Medicine specific education to our resident physicians and our community. In addition, community outreach is an important aspect of the residency program. The High Country Wilderness Medicine conference is the culmination of both of these efforts, says Brendle.
Whether you are simply interested in the outdoors, or wish to make wilderness medicine the focus of your career, this conference can benefit you. The skills Ive developed in Wilderness Medicine has made me more confident when Im spending time outdoors, and Im glad to know I can help if something goes wrong, says Brunson.
For registration and a list of speakers/workshops, visit https://hcwmc.com/.
Here is the original post:
4 Fail-proof Ways to Keep Kids Safe at the Pool – Hackensack Meridian Health
During the hot summer months, pools are a great way to have fun and relax with your family. However, drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths among children, so its critical that parents take the proper steps to keep everyone safe.
Rosa M. Mendoza, M.D., family medicine doctor at JFK University Medical Center, offers four ways parents can keep their kids safe at the pool this year.
When your children are splashing in or by the pool, designate yourself or another parent to take the role of active supervisor. While actively supervising, avoid distractions such as cell phones. Supervisors should avoid alcoholic beverages. It is also important to stay within arms reach of your children so that if something were to happen, you are not too far to take action, Dr. Mendoza says. If you need to step away, designate another active supervisor first.
Another way to implement safety by the pool is to teach your children about water safety and how to swim at a young age. Each childs emotional maturity level and physical development is different, so there is not a standard age for every child to start swimming lessons.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that swimming lessons can begin for many children starting at age one. Studies suggest that swim lessons and water skills training reduce the risk of drowning for children. I would also recommend that parents learn CPR in case of an emergency, Dr. Mendoza says.
Always keep the necessary safety equipment close to the pool area. This includes life jackets, reaching poles and a first aid kit. It is also important to ensure that you and your children know how to use these tools in case of an emergency.
It is critical to enforce pool safety regulations for your children. Suggestions include:
By taking these proactive safety measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and ensure your child's well-being at the pool, Dr. Mendoza says.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
View original post here:
4 Fail-proof Ways to Keep Kids Safe at the Pool - Hackensack Meridian Health
Prince George doc honoured with My Family Doctor Award – Prince George Citizen
In recognition of BC Family Doctor Day, celebrated annually on May 19, the BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) is celebrating leaders in family medicine across the province who make a difference in the lives of their patients and peers.
Dr. Jessica Zimbler of Prince George has been honoured by the B.C. College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) in recognition of B.C. Family Doctor Day, celebrated annually on May 1.
Every year, we are impressed by the dedication, passion, and care that BCs family physicians provide for their patients, says Kendra Johnson, executive director of BCCFP. They are unrelentingly committed to advancing family medicine, and pursuing innovative, hands-on ways of delivering care for their patients in every part of BC.
The annual BCCFP awards celebration, held May 16, recognizes family physicians who demonstrate exceptional leadership, professional excellence, and an unwavering commitment to their patients health, now and into the future.
As the president of BCCFP, I am proud to celebrate the unrelenting and inspiring dedication of our members to providing compassionate, innovative, and high-quality care to patients across the province, says Dr. Vincent Wong.
Read more:
Prince George doc honoured with My Family Doctor Award - Prince George Citizen
Parvalbumin interneuron mGlu5 receptors govern sex differences in prefrontal cortex physiology and binge drinking … – Nature.com
Gobinath AR, Choleris E, Galea LA. Sex, hormones, and genotype interact to influence psychiatric disease, treatment, and behavioral research. J Neurosci Res. 2017;95:5064.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Riecher-Rssler A. Sex and gender differences in mental disorders. Lancet Psychiatry. 2017;4:89.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Marcus SM, Kerber KB, Rush AJ, Wisniewski SR, Nierenberg A, Balasubramani GK, et al. Sex differences in depression symptoms in treatment-seeking adults: confirmatory analyses from the sequenced treatment alternatives to relieve depression study. Compr Psychiatry. 2008;49:23846.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Schuch JJ, Roest AM, Nolen WA, Penninx BW, de Jonge P. Gender differences in major depressive disorder: results from the Netherlands study of depression and anxiety. J Affect Disord. 2014;156:15663.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Hfner H, Maurer K, Lffler W, Riecher-Rssler A. The influence of age and sex on the onset and early course of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry. 1993;162:806.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Ochoa S, Usall J, Cobo J, Labad X, Kulkarni J. Gender differences in schizophrenia and first-episode psychosis: a comprehensive literature review. Schizophr Res Treat. 2012;2012:916198.
Google Scholar
Goldstein JM, Link BG. Gender and the expression of schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res. 1988;22:14155.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Randall CL, Roberts JS, Del Boca FK, Carroll KM, Connors GJ, Mattson ME. Telescoping of landmark events associated with drinking: a gender comparison. J Stud Alcohol. 1999;60:25260.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Diehl A, Croissant B, Batra A, Mundle G, Nakovics H, Mann K. Alcoholism in women: is it different in onset and outcome compared to men? Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2007;257:34451.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Kouneiher F, Charron S, Koechlin E. Motivation and cognitive control in the human prefrontal cortex. Nat Neurosci. 2009;12:93945.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Schlaepfer TE, Harris GJ, Tien AY, Peng L, Lee S, Pearlson GD. Structural differences in the cerebral cortex of healthy female and male subjects: a magnetic resonance imaging study. Psychiatry Res. 1995;61:12935.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Gur RC, Turetsky BI, Matsui M, Yan M, Bilker W, Hughett P, et al. Sex differences in brain gray and white matter in healthy young adults: correlations with cognitive performance. J Neurosci. 1999;19:406572.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Goldstein JM, Seidman LJ, Horton NJ, Makris N, Kennedy DN, Caviness VS Jr, et al. Normal sexual dimorphism of the adult human brain assessed by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging. Cereb Cortex. 2001;11:4907.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Knouse MC, McGrath AG, Deutschmann AU, Rich MT, Zallar LJ, Rajadhyaksha AM, et al. Sex differences in the medial prefrontal cortical glutamate system. Biol Sex Differ. 2022;13:66.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Gabbott PL, Warner TA, Jays PR, Salway P, Busby SJ. Prefrontal cortex in the rat: projections to subcortical autonomic, motor, and limbic centers. J Comp Neurol. 2005;492:14577.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Sesack SR, Deutch AY, Roth RH, Bunney BS. Topographical organization of the efferent projections of the medial prefrontal cortex in the rat: an anterograde tract-tracing study with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. J Comp Neurol. 1989;290:21342.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Freund TF, Katona I. Perisomatic inhibition. Neuron. 2007;56:3342.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Tremblay R, Lee S, Rudy B. GABAergic Interneurons in the neocortex: from cellular properties to circuits. Neuron. 2016;91:26092.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Fish KN, Joffe ME. Targeting prefrontal cortex GABAergic microcircuits for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Front Synaptic Neurosci. 2022;14:936911.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Marin O. Interneuron dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2012;13:10720.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Ferguson BR, Gao WJ. PV interneurons: critical regulators of E/I balance for prefrontal cortex-dependent behavior and psychiatric disorders. Front Neural Circuits. 2018;12:37.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Chung DW, Fish KN, Lewis DA. Pathological basis for deficient excitatory drive to cortical parvalbumin interneurons in schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 2016;173:113139.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Perlman G, Tanti A, Mechawar N. Parvalbumin interneuron alterations in stress-related mood disorders: a systematic review. Neurobiol Stress. 2021;15:100380.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Du X, Serena K, Hwang WJ, Grech AM, Wu YWC, Schroeder A, et al. Prefrontal cortical parvalbumin and somatostatin expression and cell density increase during adolescence and are modified by BDNF and sex. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2018;88:17788.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Goodwill HL, Manzano-Nieves G, LaChance P, Teramoto S, Lin S, Lopez C, et al. Early life stress drives sex-selective impairment in reversal learning by affecting parvalbumin interneurons in orbitofrontal cortex of mice. Cell Rep. 2018;25:2299307.e4.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Holland FH, Ganguly P, Potter DN, Chartoff EH, Brenhouse HC. Early life stress disrupts social behavior and prefrontal cortex parvalbumin interneurons at an earlier time-point in females than in males. Neurosci Lett. 2014;566:1316.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Page CE, Shepard R, Heslin K, Coutellier L. Prefrontal parvalbumin cells are sensitive to stress and mediate anxiety-related behaviors in female mice. Sci Rep. 2019;9:19772.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Joffe ME, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Contrasting sex-dependent adaptations to synaptic physiology and membrane properties of prefrontal cortex interneuron subtypes in a mouse model of binge drinking. Neuropharmacology. 2020;178:108126.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Maksymetz J, Byun NE, Luessen DJ, Li B, Barry RL, Gore JC, et al. mGlu(1) potentiation enhances prelimbic somatostatin interneuron activity to rescue schizophrenia-like physiological and cognitive deficits. Cell Rep. 2021;37:109950.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Trantham-Davidson H, Burnett EJ, Gass JT, Lopez MF, Mulholland PJ, Centanni SW, et al. Chronic alcohol disrupts dopamine receptor activity and the cognitive function of the medial prefrontal cortex. J Neurosci. 2014;34:370618.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Barnes SA, Pinto-Duarte A, Kappe A, Zembrzycki A, Metzler A, Mukamel EA, et al. Disruption of mGluR5 in parvalbumin-positive interneurons induces core features of neurodevelopmental disorders. Mol Psychiatry. 2015;20:116172.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Joffe M, Maksymetz J, Luschinger J, Dogra S, Ferranti A, Luessen D, et al. Acute restraint stress redirects prefrontal cortex circuit function through mGlu5 receptor plasticity on somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Neuron. 2022;110:10681083.e5.
Joffe ME, Centanni SW, Jaramillo AA, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Metabotropic glutamate receptors in alcohol use disorder: physiology, plasticity, and promising pharmacotherapies. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2018;9:2188204.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Niswender CM, Conn PJ. Metabotropic glutamate receptors: physiology, pharmacology, and disease. Annu Rev Pharm Toxicol. 2010;50:295322.
Article CAS Google Scholar
Conn PJ, Pin JP. Pharmacology and functions of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Annu Rev Pharm Toxicol. 1997;37:20537.
Article CAS Google Scholar
Fabian CB, Seney ML, Joffe ME. Sex differences and hormonal regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor synaptic plasticity. Int Rev Neurobiol. 2023;168:31147.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Tabatadze N, Huang G, May RM, Jain A, Woolley CS. Sex Differences in molecular signaling at inhibitory synapses in the hippocampus. J Neurosci. 2015;35:1125265.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Huang GZ, Woolley CS. Estradiol acutely suppresses inhibition in the hippocampus through a sex-specific endocannabinoid and mGluR-dependent mechanism. Neuron. 2012;74:8018.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Hippenmeyer S, Vrieseling E, Sigrist M, Portmann T, Laengle C, Ladle DR, et al. A developmental switch in the response of DRG neurons to ETS transcription factor signaling. PLoS Biol. 2005;3:e159.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Kaiser T, Ting JT, Monteiro P, Feng G. Transgenic labeling of parvalbumin-expressing neurons with tdTomato. Neuroscience. 2016;321:23645.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Xu J, Zhu Y, Contractor A, Heinemann SF. mGluR5 has a critical role in inhibitory learning. J Neurosci. 2009;29:367684.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Straiker A, Mackie K. Depolarization-induced suppression of excitation in murine autaptic hippocampal neurones. J Physiol. 2005;569:50117.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Marcus DJ, Bedse G, Gaulden AD, Ryan JD, Kondev V, Winters ND, et al. Endocannabinoid signaling collapse mediates stress-induced amygdalo-cortical strengthening. Neuron. 2020;105:106276.e6.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Maksymetz J, Byun NE, Luessen DJ, Li B, Barry RL, Gore JC, Niswender CM, et al. mGlu1 potentiation enhances cortical somatostatin interneuron activity to rescue schizophrenia-like physiological and cognitive deficits. Cell Rep. 2021;37:109950.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Thompson SM, Fabian CB, Ferranti AS, Joffe ME. Acute alcohol and chronic drinking bidirectionally regulate the excitability of prefrontal cortex vasoactive intestinal peptide interneurons. Neuropharmacology. 2023;238:109638.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Mannaioni G, Marino MJ, Valenti O, Traynelis SF, Conn PJ. Metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 differentially regulate CA1 pyramidal cell function. J Neurosci. 2001;21:592534.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Di Menna L, Joffe ME, Iacovelli L, Orlando R, Lindsley CW, Mairesse J, et al. Functional partnership between mGlu3 and mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the central nervous system. Neuropharmacology. 2018;128:30113.
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Gereau RWt, Conn PJ. Roles of specific metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes in regulation of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell excitability. J Neurophysiol. 1995;74:1229.
Article Google Scholar
Wu S, Wright RA, Rockey PK, Burgett SG, Arnold JS, Rosteck PR Jr., et al. Group III human metabotropic glutamate receptors 4, 7 and 8: molecular cloning, functional expression, and comparison of pharmacological properties in RGT cells. Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 1998;53:8897.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Ferranti AS, Johnson KA, Winder DG, Conn PJ, Joffe ME. Prefrontal cortex parvalbumin interneurons exhibit decreased excitability and potentiated synaptic strength after ethanol reward learning. Alcohol. 2022;101:1726.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Markram H, Toledo-Rodriguez M, Wang Y, Gupta A, Silberberg G, Wu C. Interneurons of the neocortical inhibitory system. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2004;5:793807.
How A-level chemistry solved the 200-year-old problem with the haloform reaction – Chemistry World
The 200-year-old haloform reaction has been given a modern makeover. Using rigorous mechanistic studies to inform their strategy, researchers at the University of Bristol drove this reaction to accept secondary alcohols in stochiometric quantities, something never attempted in the reactions history.
First discovered in 1822, the haloform reaction converts methyl ketones into carboxylic acids or esters, forming an insoluble haloform as a byproduct. The methyl protons are acidified by virtue of being next to the carbonyl which essentially means that the methyl group CH3 can be converted into CX3, the trihalomethyl, which is a leaving group, explains Liam Ball, a physical organic chemist at the University of Nottingham who wasnt involved with the new work. This CX3 group can then be substituted by either water or alcohol at the carbonyl to make a new COH or COR bond. Both mild and reliable, the reaction became an industrial staple for the synthesis of carboxylic acids and methyl esters, but the requirement for solvent quantities of alcohol limited its application in the synthesis of more complex products.
We were very surprised to discover that no one had actually used more complex alcohols in this reaction, says study author Alastair Lennox. So we set out to discover why that was and whether we could use that knowledge to expand the scope of this reaction. The original reaction uses a combination of aqueous bases to generate the trihalogenated leaving group, but subsequent competition of hydroxide ions from this mixture with the intended nucleophile means a vast excess of alcohol is required to favour formation of the ester over the carboxylic acid.
Seeking to eliminate this competing reaction, Lennoxs team began exploring alternative non-aqueous reagents for the initial iodination step, finally settling on the organic base DBU. With these dry conditions, the team could reduce the amount of alcohol to just one equivalent, facilitating the reaction with a range of non-solvent primary alcohols for the first time.
However, the corresponding reactions with secondary alcohols failed to reach completion under these conditions so the team commenced detailed mechanistic studies to identify the problem step. The headline from those studies is that the iodination steps are reversible. Previously that had not been documented, says Lennox.
Kinetic experiments revealed the formation of the trihalo leaving group occurs in three reversible steps. The equilibrium favours the product in the first two stages but the final step, which forms the trihalogenated compound from the dihalo intermediate, is not favoured, with a competing side product dominating the equilibrium. The reason that is important is because with the primary alcohol the substitution is very rapid so you dont observe this reversibility. Whereas, with the secondary alcohols, because the substitution is significantly slower, we see that equilibrium at play, explains Lennox.
This deep mechanistic insight was the crucial missing piece which enabled the team to incorporate a diverse panel of secondary alcohols into the reaction. In the end, the solution was very simple. We just added more DBU and iodine and that pushed the equilibrium via Le Chateliers principle towards the triiodo compound, Lennox explains. At a higher concentration, the secondary alcohol could now react with it in more meaningful rates.
The teams thorough approach particularly impressed Ball. This could be really beneficial to complex molecule synthesis, both in academia and industry, by enabling the use of more valuable alcohols in this reaction, he says. I think the next step has to be extending this to tertiary alcohols too.
Lennox is eager to exploit the possibilities suggested by these mechanistic insights and the team intend to investigate different nucleophiles as a method to generate other complex molecules from methyl ketones. I think this could really open up new avenues in the formation of different complex products, he says.
See the rest here:
How A-level chemistry solved the 200-year-old problem with the haloform reaction - Chemistry World
Porous organic ‘cage of cages’ crystalline structure predicted by computational modelling – Chemistry World
Organic cages have been used as precursors to synthesise higher-order porous structures, adding to their functionality while the ability to solution process them is retained.
The team from the UK and China used ether-bridged cage molecules as a building block its chlorine atoms are essential for forming ether bridges with fluorine-enriched tetrafluorohydroquinone (TFHQ) as the linear bridge. The fluorine atoms offer structural integrity by limiting bond rotation and can improve the solubility of the resulting cagecage molecules.
Models were constructed using molecular dynamics and density functional theory to predict the reaction products of these blocks. Several topologies and their relative energies were predicted, not considering solvent effects, and the results indicated a strong preference for a [4[2+3]+6] cage product. The team, guided by these simulations, conducted two-step assembly experiments to screen optimum conditions.
The results showed good agreement between the predicted structure for the [4[2+3]+6] cage molecule and the observed crystal structure four trigonal cages assembled into a larger tetrahedral cage. The product demonstrated both good sorption capacity and hydrolytic stability important properties for gas separation and water remediation technologies.
This new cage of cages structure could be used as a building block for even more complex structures. This study highlights the use of computational methods to assess the most likely reaction products as well as non-intuitive new materials in supramolecular synthesis.
Continued here:
Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Awarded Grants Totaling $1.5 million – Saint Louis University
Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D., William Beaumont Professor, chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, and director of the Institute of Translational Neuroscience, in collaboration with Stephanie Geisler M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, have been awarded an ICTS/CTRFP grant award of $50,000. The grant Sphingolipidomics to identify small fiber neuropathy endotypes will examine whether sphingolipids can be used as biomarkers to identify subgroups of patients with small fiber neuropathy, which may lead to the development of personalized, targeted therapies. There currently are no effective treatments for small fiber neuropathy.
Andrew Butler, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and physiology, was awarded a two-year $416,625 grant by the National Institute of Aging titled "Methods for treating aging-related cognitive decline and reducing risk of AD/ADRD by enhancing the endogenous expression of adropin" (R21 AG087308). The investigators of this award recently reported community-dwelling adults with low levels of the secreted peptide adropin have increased risk of cognitive decline. Working with Andrew Nguyen, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology, this funding will identify methods that induce long-term increases in the expression of the endogenous adropin protein. The long-term objective of this project is to determine whether three to six monthly injections of a long-acting drug are effective at preserving cognition in aging. Other members of the team include Susan Farr, Ph.D., professor of internal medicine; Geetika Aggarwal, Ph.D., staff research scientist; and Denise Smith, senior research assistant.
Butler was also awarded a two-year $416,625 grant by the National Institute of Aging titled "An investigation of the response of preclinical mouse models of dementia to adropin therapy" (R21 AG083451). Aging increases risk for cognitive decline due to neurodegenerative diseases, of which Alzheimers disease is most common. Working with Farr, the goals of this award are to test the efficacy of a small, soluble peptide in protecting the brain and cognitive functions in a mouse model of accelerated aging. The award will also determine whether loss of the peptide accelerates aging-related cognitive decline. This work will define the pathways through which this peptide preserves brain function in aging and could lead to a new therapy for treating Alzheimers disease. Other members of the team include Aggarwal and Aubin Moutal, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology.
Gina Yosten, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and physiology, was awarded an 18-month $162,000 grant from the Foundation of Prader Willi Research titled Spatial Molecular Imaging of the Human PWS Hypothalamus (1243623). Working with Grant Kolar, Ph.D., professor of pathology and pharmacology and physiology, this funding will allow for the investigation of spatial molecular profiles of cells of the hypothalamus using tissues from donors with Prader Willi syndrome and matched control donors. The long-term objective of this study is to evaluate how spatially-driven interactions between the different cell types within the hypothalamus might contribute to the pathogenesis and symptomology of Prader Willi syndrome. Ms. Megan Pater, a graduate student in Pharmacology and Physiology, and an expert in spatial molecular imaging, will play an instrumental role in this study.
Yosten was also awarded a one-year $60,156 grant from the Foundation of Prader Willi Research titled Evaluate Ultrastructure of Hypothalamic Tissues from Mouse and Rat Models of PWS and Human PWS Donors (1314260). Working with Kolar, this project will investigate how deficiency of the MAGEL2 gene, which exhibits impaired expression in the setting of Prader Willi syndrome, impacts secretory granule structure and function. The long term objective of this study is to determine whether impairments in secretory granule trafficking underly the phenotypes associated with Prader Willi syndrome and other syndromes with MAGEL2 deficiency.
See original here:
Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Awarded Grants Totaling $1.5 million - Saint Louis University