The in situ formation of an electrolyte via the lithiation of Mg(BH4)2 in an all-solid-state lithium battery.

The present work proposes a new approach to increasing the capacity of all-solid-state batteries, based on the in situ formation of an electrolyte in a Mg(BH4)2 electrode. Charge/discharge assessments of the electrode composed of Mg(BH4)2 and acetylene black showed an initial reversible capacity of 563 mA h g-1-Mg(BH4)2.

Prevalence of Extrapyramidal Symptoms in Cancer Patients Referred to Palliative Care: A Multicenter Observational Study (JORTC PAL12).

BACKGROUND: Neuroleptics are commonly used in palliative care settings. However, adverse events of neuroleptics, known as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPSs), might be overlooked in clinical practice. We conducted this study to explore the prevalence of EPSs in palliative care setting. METHODS: This multicenter, prospective, observational study included patients who 1) were referred to either a specialist palliative care team or a palliative care unit, 2) had a diagnosis of cancer, and 3) were ≥20 years of age. We investigated the prevalence of EPSs and medications used. The primary outcome was the overall Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptom Scale (DIEPSS) score. RESULTS: Between November 2015 and October 2016, 149 patients from 5 centers in Japan were enrolled. The median age was 67 years (range: 21-88 years) and the study population included 81 men (54.4%). The cancer types included lung (55 patients, 36.9%), upper gastrointestinal tract (5, 3.3%), hepatobiliary (19, 12.8%); breast (12, 8.1%); head and neck (10, 6.7%), gynecologic (10, 6.7%), genitourinary (10, 6.7%), and others (28, 18.8%). The median Karnofsky performance status was 60 (20-100). Most patients (86.6%) did not experience delirium. Thirty-nine (26.2%) patients received one or more EPS-inducing medications. EPSs occurred in 4 (2.7%) patients with a cutoff score of 5 points for 5 parkinsonism items in DIEPSS. CONCLUSION: A lower frequency (<3%) of patients than expected in this population had EPSs. Therefore, we concluded that an interventional study is not feasible. However, medications that cause EPSs are often used in palliative care; therefore, a longitudinal study is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) (UMIN000019810) on 16, November, 2015.

Discrepancies between Reasons of Palliative Care Team Consultation and Palliative Care Team Activities.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care team (PCT) is a common type of palliative care services. However, distress in cancer patients may be underestimated by hospital staff. Reasons for PCT consultation may be inconsistent with patients' actual needs. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the proportions of discrepancy between the reasons for PCT consultation and actual PCT activities. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed an observational study based on datasets of PCT activities at Kindai University Hospital. Differences in the proportion between reasons for PCT consultation and actual PCT activities were calculated. RESULTS: Datasets of 368 hospitalized cancer patients for whom the PCT performed interventions were analyzed. The average patient age was 61 years. Hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer were the most common primary sites (20%) followed by blood (12%) and lung (11%). Pain management was the most frequent reason for PCT consultation (67%) and PCT activities (65%). Delirium was more likely to be treated by the PCT, but less likely to be listed as a reason for consultation. The need for support for family and for decision making was less often recognized by hospital staff. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and depression were more likely listed as reasons for consultation, but less likely to receive PCT intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Delirium and the need for family and decision-making support were underrecognized by hospital staff. PCT intervention for CRF and depression was often withheld because of very late referral. Appropriate timing of PCT consultations is important. Providing educational opportunities for hospital staff to comprehensively assess patient's multidimensional distress is needed.

Incidence of carnitine deficiency in patients with cancer pain: A pilot study.

Carnitine deficiency is reportedly associated with increased pain sensation in diabetes mellitus and fibromyalgia, but the association between serum carnitine concentration and cancer pain has not been fully elucidated. We investigated the incidence of carnitine deficiency in patients with cancer pain, and examined the effect of the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics on pain intensity and carnitine deficiency. The serum carnitine concentration was measured in 50 patients with cancer pain receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but not opioids. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the association of carnitine concentration, pain intensity, age and gender with hemoglobin and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. Carnitine deficiency was detected in 9 of the patients (18.0%) and found to be significantly correlated with an elevated CRP concentration (P=0.039). In conclusion, although there does not appear to be an association between carnitine deficiency and cancer pain, it may be affected by inflammation or infection.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma treated with a variety of chemotherapy.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a very rare malignant tumor derived from follicular dendritic cells. Radical resection is the standard therapy for patients with local disease, but an optimal chemotherapy regimen has not been determined for unresectable disease. We report our experience of an FDCS patient with multiorgan involvement. In the present case, disease was only located in the pancreas initially and radical resection was performed. Multiple metastasis developed after the treatment and several factors that indicated a poor prognosis were observed. The present case had a very poor prognostic disease but survived for a long time with a good performance status because of the multiple chemotherapy regimens, which follow therapeutic strategies for malignant lymphoma and soft tissue sarcoma. As far as we know, this is the first study reporting the indication of bendamustine for FDCS patients.

Prediction of motor outcomes and activities of daily living function using diffusion tensor tractography in acute hemiparetic stroke patients.

[Purpose] The efficacy of diffusion tensor imaging in the prediction of motor outcomes and activities of daily living function remains unclear. We evaluated the most appropriate diffusion tensor parameters and methodology to determine whether the region of interest- or tractography-based method was more useful for predicting motor outcomes and activities of daily living function in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Diffusion tensor imaging data within 10 days after stroke onset were collected and analyzed for 25 patients. The corticospinal tract was analyzed. Fractional anisotropy, number of fibers, and apparent diffusion coefficient were used as diffusion tensor parameters. Motor outcomes and activities of daily living function were evaluated on the same day as diffusion tensor imaging and at 1 month post-onset. [Results] The fractional anisotropy value of the affected corticospinal tract significantly correlated with the motor outcome and activities of daily living function within 10 days post-onset and at 1 month post-onset. Tthere were no significant correlations between other diffusion tensor parameters and motor outcomes or activities of daily living function. [Conclusion] The fractional anisotropy value of the affected corticospinal tract obtained using the tractography-based method was useful for predicting motor outcomes and activities of daily living function in stroke patients.

Structural factors in the odor of alpha-santalol derivatives.

Alpha-Santalol is a sesquiterpene that is a major constituent of sandalwood (Santalum album L.), and is responsible for its distinctive woody odor. We replaced the polycyclic moiety and hydroxyl group of alpha-santalol with other moieties, and we compared the odors of the E/Z-isomers and their saturated analogues. Our previous study of the structure-odor relationships of alpha-santalols bearing hydroxyl, formyl, formyloxy, and acetoxy functional groups showed there was a similarity in odor between the Z-isomer and its saturated analogue. We synthesized alpha-santalols with a benzyl group in place of the hydroxyl group, because many benzyl compounds have strong characteristic odors. We found similar odors for the E-isomer and its saturated analogue. In contrast, the odors of the alpha-santalol derivatives with a hydroxyl, formyl, formyloxy, or acetoxy group were different. We also replaced the bulky polycyclic moiety with a linear alkyl chain. The polycyclic moiety was the most important structural factor in the characteristic sandalwood odor. The synthesis of derivatives and the evaluation of their odor allowed us to identify the key structural factors in the odor of alpha-santalol.

Determination of the absolute stereochemistry of limonene and alpha-santalol by Raman optical activity spectroscopy.

Determining the absolute stereochemistry of organic compounds in solution remains a challenge. We investigated the use of Raman optical activity (ROA) spectroscopy to address this problem. The absolute configurations of (+)-(R)- and (-)-(S)-limonene were determined by ROA spectroscopy, which can be applied to smaller amounts of sample as compared with vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy. This ROA method was also applied to (+)-(E)-alpha-santalol and shown to be successful in the determination of the absolute configuration of this compound. ROA spectroscopy shows promise as a useful tool for determining the absolute stereochemistry of many natural compounds.

Structure-odor relationships of α-santalol derivatives with modified side chains.

(Z)-α-Santalol, which has a unique woody odor, is a main constituent of sandalwood essential oil. We investigated the structure-odor relationship of (Z)-α-santalol and its derivatives, focusing on the relationship between the structure of the side chain and the odor of the compounds. Various α-santalol derivatives (aldehydes, formates, and acetates) were synthesized from (Z)- and (E)-α-santalol, which were prepared from (+)-3-bromocamphor through modifications of a reported synthetic route. The Z- and E-isomers of α-santalols have different double-bond configurations in the side chain. Analogues with saturated side chains were also prepared from the corresponding α-santalols, and the odors of the all the prepared compounds were evaluated. We found that the odors of the Z-isomers (woody) were similar to those of the corresponding saturated compounds, but clearly different from the odors of the corresponding E-isomers (odorless, fresh, or fatty). These results indicate that the relative configuration of the side chain with respect to the santalane frame plays an important role in the odor of α-santalol. E-configuration in the side chain eliminates the woody odor character of α-santalol and its examined derivatives, whereas the Z-configuration or saturation of the carbon side chain does not.