Diboramacrocycles: reversible borole dimerisation-dissociation systems.

We report that the outcome of the tin-boron exchange reaction of a mixed thiophene-benzo-fused stannole with aryldibromoboranes is associated with the steric bulk of the aryl substituent of the borane reagent, leading to either boroles or large diboracycles as products. NMR spectroscopic studies indicate that the two products can reversibly interconvert in solution, and mechanistic density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal boroles to be intermediates in the formation of the diboracyclic products. The addition of Lewis bases to the diboracycles leads to the corresponding borole adducts, demonstrating that they react as "masked" boroles. Additionally, the reaction of the title compounds with a series of organic azides affords complex heteropropellanes, formally 2 : 1 borole-azide adducts, that deviate from the usual BN aromatic compounds formed via nitrogen atom insertion into the boroles.

Retrospective evaluation of 155 adult equids and 21 foals with tetanus in Western, Northern, and Central Europe (2000-2014). Part 1: Description of history and clinical evolution.

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical data of hospitalized adult equids and foals with tetanus. DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective study (2000-2014). SETTING: Twenty Western, Northern, and Central European university teaching hospitals and private referral centers. ANIMALS: One hundred fifty-five adult equids (>6 months) and 21 foals (<6 months) with tetanus. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Information on geographic, annual and seasonal data, demographic- and management-related data, clinical history, clinical examination and blood analysis on admission, complications, treatments, and outcomes were described and statistically compared between adults and foals. The described cases were often young horses. In 4 adult horses, tetanus developed despite appropriate vaccination and in 2 foals despite preventive tetanus antitoxin administration at birth. Castration, hoof abscesses, and wounds were the most common entry sites for adults; umbilical cord infections and wounds for foals. Stiffness was the commonest observed initial clinical sign. Blood analyses frequently revealed an inflammatory response, hemoconcentration, muscle damage, azotemia, negative energy balance, liver damage, and electrolyte and acid base disturbances. Common complications or clinical signs developing during hospitalization included dysphagia, dyspnea, recumbency, hyperthermia, seizures, hyperlipemia, gastrointestinal impactions, dysuria, and laryngeal spasms. Cases were supported with wound debridement, antimicrobial treatment, tetanus antitoxin, muscle spasm and seizure control, analgesia, anti-inflammatory drugs, fluid therapy, and nutritional support. Mortality rates were 68.4% in adult horses and 66.7% in foals. Foals differed from adult horses with respect to months of occurrence, signalment, management-related data, potential causative events, clinical signs on admission, blood analysis, complications, and severity grades. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that rigorously describes a large population of equids affected by tetanus. The information provided is potentially useful to clinicians for early recognition and case management of tetanus in adult horses and foals. Tetanus affects multiple organ systems, requiring broad supportive and intensive care. Neonatal and adult tetanus in the horse should be considered as distinct syndromes, as in human medicine.

Retrospective evaluation of 155 adult equids and 21 foals with tetanus from Western, Northern, and Central Europe (2000-2014). Part 2: Prognostic assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To identify prognostic variables for adult equids and foals with tetanus. DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective study (2000-2014). SETTING: Twenty Western, Northern, and Central European university teaching hospitals and private referral centers. ANIMALS: One hundred fifty-five adult equids and 21 foals with tetanus. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Variables from history and clinical examination were statistically compared between survivors and nonsurvivors (adults: 49 survivors, 85 nonsurvivors; foals: 7 survivors, 10 nonsurvivors). Cases euthanized for financial reasons were excluded. Mortality rates in adults and foals were 68.4% and 66.7%, respectively. Variables associated with survival in adults included: standing, normal intestinal sounds and defecation, voluntarily drinking, eating soft or normal food, lower heart and respiratory rates, high base excess on admission, longer diagnosis time, treatment and hospitalization delay, and mild severity grade. Variables associated with death included: anorexia, dysphagia, dyspnea, low blood potassium concentration on admission, moderate and severe disease grading, development of dysphagia, dyspnea, recumbency and seizures during hospitalization, treatment with glycerol guaiacolate, intravenous fluids, and intravenous glucose solutions. Variables associated with survival in foals included standing on admission, voluntarily eating soft food and drinking, older age, and longer hospitalization delay. Outcome was not different between different tetanus antitoxin (TAT) dosages, although there was a trend of increasing survival rate with increasing TAT dosages. Cases with appropriate vaccination prior to development of tetanus were rare, but had improved outcome and shorter hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Prognosis for equine tetanus is poor with similar outcome and prognostic factors in foals and adults. The prognostic assessment of cases with tetanus provides clinicians with new evidence-based information related to patient management. Several prognostic indicators relate to the ability to eat or drink, and more severe clinical signs relate to poor outcome. Increasing intravenous dosages of TAT has no significant effect on outcome, but the positive trend identified may support a recommendation for high intravenous TAT dosages. Further evaluation is warranted.

Is Older Age a Real Adverse Prognostic Factor in Women With Early-Stage Endometrial Carcinoma? A Matched Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate if older age alone negatively impacts survival endpoints in women with early-stage uterine endometrioid carcinoma (EC), or its reported prognostic impact is due to an interaction with other well-known adverse factors using matched-analysis methodology. METHODS: We identified 1254 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I-II EC who underwent hysterectomy at our institution. We created 2 matched groups based on International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor grade, lymph node dissection status, and the type of adjuvant management. Recurrence-free (RFS), disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. RESULTS: A total 297 women 70 years or older were matched with 297 women younger than 70 years. The 2 groups were well balanced except for age and higher body mass index in younger patients. There were no significant difference between older and younger patients in regard to 5-year RFS (85% vs 87%; P = 0.52) or DSS (93% for both groups with P = 0.77). Five-year OS was shorter in older patients (76% vs 88% with P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis for RFS and DSS, high tumor grade and the presence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) were the only 2 predictors of shorter RFS and DSS (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, and P = 0.01 and P = 0.01, respectively). Tumor grade and LVSI also were predictors of shorter OS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that when older patients with EC are matched with younger patients based on tumor stage, grade, and adjuvant management the prognostic impact of old age disappears. High tumor grade and LVSI remained as independent predictors of survival endpoints.

Assessing the clinical effectiveness of an algorithmic approach for mucosal lichen planus (MLP): A retrospective review.

BACKGROUND: Mucosal lichen planus (MLP) is a therapeutic challenge in need of a new treatment approach because of its debilitating effect on patient's quality of life. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate a standardized treatment plan for patients with MLP. A second objective was to describe the effect of mycophenolate mofetil in this patient population. METHODS: The study retrospectively analyzed 53 patients with MLP treated using a standardized algorithm. The number of MLP lesions, disease activity, and pain at the last visit were compared with baseline scores determined at the initial visit. Results were analyzed using the paired samples t test and confirmed with the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test. RESULTS: The average number of lesions was reduced from 3.77 to 1.67 (P < .001). The average disease activity was reduced from 2.73 to 0.90 (P < .001). Average pain reported decreased from 2.03 to 1.03 (P < .001). LIMITATIONS: This study was a retrospective analysis of a small patient population. There was no universal symptom severity scale used at the time of treatment for some patients. CONCLUSION: The standardized treatment plan reduced symptoms for patients with MLP. Mycophenolate mofetil appears to be a reasonable treatment option for these patients.

Centralized care management support for "high utilizers" in primary care practices at an academic medical center.

Although evidence of effectiveness is limited, care management based outside primary care practices or hospitals is receiving increased attention. The University of Michigan (UM) Complex Care Management Program (CCMP) provides care management for uninsured and underinsured, high-utilizing patients in multiple primary care practices. To inform development of optimal care management models, we describe the CCMP model and characteristics and health care utilization patterns of its patients. Of a consecutive series of 49 patients enrolled at CCMP in 2011, the mean (SD) age was 48 (+/- 14); 23 (47%) were women; and 29 (59%) were White. Twenty-eight (57%) had two or more chronic medical conditions, 39 (80%) had one or more psychiatric condition, 28 (57%) had a substance abuse disorder, and 11 (22%) were homeless. Through phone, e-mail, and face-to-face contact with patients and primary care providers (PCPs), care managers coordinated health and social services and facilitated access to medical and mental health care. Patients had a mean (SD) number of hospitalizations and emergency room (ER) visits in 6 months prior to enrollment of2.2 (2.5) and 4.2 (4.3), respectively, with a nonstatistically significant decrease in hospitalizations, hospital days, and emergency room visits in 6 months following enrollment in CCMP. Centralized care management support for primary care practices engages high-utilizing patients with complex medical and behavioral conditions in care management that would be difficult to provide through individual practices and may decrease health care utilization by these patients.