Three ruthenium­(II) and two iridium­(III) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes functionalized with sulfonates are compared with respect to their activity and selectivity for the transfer hydrogenation of imines, aldehydes, ketones, and olefins using neat glycerol as hydrogen donor and solvent. Four of the five catalysts likely proceed through a monohydride mechanism and are more active for transfer hydrogenation of imines than aldehydes, ketones, and olefins. The fifth catalyst likely proceeds through a dihydride mechanism and is found to be more active for carbonyls than imines and olefins. Lactic acid is observed as the only detectable byproduct from glycerol. Quantitative poisoning experiments with 1,10-phenanthroline suggest that the predominant catalytically active species is a ligated homogeneous complex with weak binding to the poison. The potential for catalyst recycling is explored: the ruthenium NHC catalysts with chelating ligands are found to be more robust and recyclable relative to the iridium catalysts and the ruthenium mono-NHC catalyst. The reason is traced to the relative rate of degradation of the catalyst in the presence of glycerol and KOH but no substrate. This degradation is only observed when glycerol is used, as replacing glycerol with isopropanol allows the ruthenium catalyst to be fully recyclable.

A doença mão-pé-boca (DMPB) é a segunda infeção viral mais frequente (sendo apenas precedida pelas infeções respiratórias comuns) e é causada pelo grupo dos enterovírus, incluindo o vírus Coxsackie A e o Enterovirus 71. 1,3 O quadro clínico carateriza-se pelo aparecimento de máculas na mucosa oral que evoluem para vesículas rodeadas por um halo eritematoso. As lesões cutâneas são papulo-vesiculares e ocorrem nas extremidades distais dos membros. Pode ocorrer febre durante 24 a 48 horas. O diagnóstico diferencial inclui herpangina, estomatite aftosa, varicela, sífilis secundária, sarampo e outras doenças exantemáticas, 3,5 pelo que uma forte suspeita clínica é essencial para um diagnóstico precoce. Rev Port Med Geral Fam 2013;29:62-5 Figura 3. Descamação nas extremidades das mãos.Figura 4. Descamação nas extremidades dos pés. Recebido em 04/06/2012 Aceite para publicação em 17/02/2013 Rev Port Med Geral Fam 2013;29:62-5 65 artigosbreves ABSTRACT HAND, FOOD AND MOUTH DISEASE IN THE ADULT -CASE REPORT Introduction:Hand, food and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infection caused by the Enteroviruses group, including Coxsackievirus A and Enterovirus 71. It usually affects children between the ages of three and ten years old and is rare in adults. In most cases it is self-limited but cardiac and neurological complications or even death may ensue. Case Report: We report the case of a 35 year old man who went to his general practitioner with complaints of fever, pain, paresthesias of the hands and feet, odynophagia, and ulcerated lesions in the oral cavity that did not improve with antibiotic treatment. Suspecting a viral disease, the physician ordered tests that confirmed the diagnosis of HFMD, allowing for appropriate management and follow-up. Comment: HMFD is rare in adults and even typical manifestations can be misdiagnosed. Maintaining a strong clinical suspicion can ensure correct management and follow-up. Termos MeSH/MeSH terms:Hand, foot and mouth disease, Enterovirus, Coxsackievirus.Artigo escrito ao abrigo do novo acordo ortográfico.

Objective: To evaluate the viability of sputum cytology in asthmatic children, recognizing inflammatory patterns and correlating them with clinical, epidemiological and functional variables of the disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and observational study of children with asthma who underwent sputum induction through increasing concentrations of nebulized hypertonic saline solution from 3% to 7%. The samples were processed according to the technique developed by Pizzichini et al. and the cytological pattern classified as pauci-granulocytic, neutrophilic, eosinophilic and mixed. Samples with cell viability> 50% were considered adequate. Asthma control was assessed using the asthma control test (ACT). Results: Seventy-nine children performed sputum induction. Thirty-three samples were excluded because they were not viable for analysis, resulting in 46 samples. The children’s average age was 9.4 (± 3) years. There was a predominance of eosinophilic (25/46, 54.3%), followed by mixed (13/46, 28.3%), pauci-granulocytic (7/46, 15.2%) and neutrophilic (1/46, 2.2%) pattern. Sixty-three percent of the children had severe asthma and 84.7% were treated with inhaled corticosteroids. The ACT showed that 25 (56.8%) patients had the disease under control. Forty-five children (97.8%) underwent pulmonary function tests (spirometry) and in 13 cases (28.9%) an obstructive ventilatory defect was found. Conclusions: The eosinophilic profile was predominant in the assessed asthmatic children. Non-eosinophilic phenotypes were found, but less frequently. There was no difference between the clinical variables and the sputum profile in this study group. Sputum induction in children with asthma is feasible and safe and can contribute to a specific and personalized approach to the disease.

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A YOUNG MAN WITH HYPOCALCAEMIA: A BRIEF REPORT Introduction: The coexistence of two endocrine diseases is rare. Making the right diagnoses can be challenging. Case report: A 32 year-old man complained of difficulty in maintaining a sustained erection and mechanical low back pain in 2011. Those complaints were attributed to lumbar spinal stenosis with mixed neuropathy. Six months later he went to his family doctor with generalized paraesthesia. Supplementation with oral magnesium was started and hypocalcaemia was found. Ten days later due to exacerbation of his condition, he went to the emergency department of a local hospital and was admitted to an internal medicine ward for investigation of hypocalcaemia. He was discharged with the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis with subclinical hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism. This raised the possibility of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome. Eight months later, he was admitted to the endocrinology ward with similar symptoms. The diagnoses of hypoparathyroidism and primary hypothyroidism were made but an autoimmune aetiology for hypoparathyroidism was ruled out. The results of genetic testing confirmed the existence of a polymorphism in the CASR gene. Comment: This case report shows that we cannot always fit signs and symptoms into the diagnosis of a single disease. Many diagnostic tests were necessary to make the right diagnosis in this case. Genetic testing confirmed the polymorphism of the CASR gene. This polymorphism results in amplification of function of the receptor that leads to the inhibition of PTH secretion and resorption of calcium with increased urinary excretion.