DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 1 2002
Mitchel P. Goldman MD
background. One hundred twenty-nine patients were treated with either polidocanol (POL) or sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) to compare the efficacy and adverse sequelae of each agent. objective. To determine the safety and efficacy of two sclerosing solutions. methods. Each patient's leg veins that did not have incompetence from the saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) were divided into three categories by size (<1 mm, 1,3 mm, 3,6 mm). Each leg was randomly treated with either 0.25%, 0.5%, or 1.5% of STS or 0.5%, 1.0%, or 3% of POL respective of size. An independent, three-panel, blindly randomized photographic examination was obtained pretreatment and at 4 and 16 weeks. Patient satisfaction index and overall clinical improvement assessment were also obtained. results. All patients had an average of 70% improvement and were 70,72% satisfied in all vein categories treated with either solution. There was no significant difference in adverse effects between each group except for a decrease in ulcerations and swelling in the POL group. conclusion. Both STS and POL are safe and effective sclerosing solutions for varicose and telangiectatic leg veins. [source]

Characteristics of Household Addresses That Repeatedly Contact 911 to Report Intimate Partner Violence

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2004
Debra Houry MD
Abstract Objectives: To determine whether households that generate several 911 calls differ in important ways from those that make a single call and to determine whether households that generate repeat 911 calls for intimate partner violence (IPV) experience more severe violence than those that do not. Methods: All cases of police-documented IPV were reviewed and linked with their respective 911 calls. Each incident report was reviewed to determine the relationship between the offender and victim, demographic characteristics of the offender and victim, weapon and substance involvement, prior incidents of IPV, and violence severity. Results: Of the 1,505 IPV addresses identified during the 12-month study interval, 1,010 (67.1%) placed more than one phone call to report IPV. Sixty-nine percent of African American victims, 50.6% of white victims, and 36.8% of Hispanic victims were repeat callers (p < 0.001). There were no differences between addresses that generated repeat calls versus single calls with respect to offender alcohol or drug involvement, presence of children, victim age, or offender age. Sixty-seven percent of households with severe violence and 66.9% of households with minor violence generated repeat 911 calls (p = 0.98). Conclusions: Ethnic differences in 911 use for IPV exist between African Americans, whites, and Hispanics. However, unknown societal, economic, or cultural issues could have influenced this finding. Households that repeatedly contacted 911 during the study interval to report IPV were not more likely to experience severe violence than those that placed a single 911 call. [source]

Selective and frequency dependent predation of aquatic mosquito predator Diplonychus indicus Venkatesan & Rao (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) on immature stages of three mosquito species

ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2009
Narayanasamy SIVAGNANAME
Abstract Frequency dependent mosquito larval size (II and IV instars) and species selection by the water bug Diplonychus indicus against three mosquito species Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi was studied in the laboratory. The different frequencies used for each species selection were 20:30:50, 30:50:20, 50:20:30, 25:35:40, 35:40:25 and 40:25:35 of fourth instars of the respective three prey species. All nymphal water bugs (I,V instars) selected IV instar mosquito larvae and the mean proportion of late (larger) larvae eaten by the predator instars was significantly higher than the mean proportion of early (smaller) larvae eaten (F= 2.28; P < 0.001). In all six ratios used to determine the frequency dependent mosquito species selection, all the stages of the water bug selected Ae. aegypti over the other two species (F= 452.43; P < 0.001). The mean number of mosquito larvae eaten increased as its density increased based on various ratios of larvae offered. The study indicated that the predatory efficiency of D. indicus was high when Ae. aegypti was offered as prey, suggesting the utility of this mosquito predator in the control of dengue vectors. [source]

The acute and chronic toxicity of cadmium and zinc to two hydra species

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 6 2001
Douglas A. Holdway
Abstract The potential of two hydra species, Hydra vulgaris (pink) and Hydra viridissima (green), for use as invertebrate models for toxicity testing of waterborne metals was investigated. The acute and subchronic toxicities of cadmium (a nonessential metal) and zinc (an essential metal) were determined. Results showed that both the hydra species were more sensitive to cadmium than to zinc, and that green hydra were more sensitive than pink hydra. The mean (SE) 96 h LC50 values of cadmium and zinc for pink hydra were 83 (8.5) and 2300 (150) ,g/L, respectively. For green hydra, the respective 96 h LC50 values for cadmium and zinc were 3.0 (0.0) and 935 (46.5) ,g/L. The respective 7-day no-observed-effect-concentrations (NOEC) and lowest-observed-effect-concentrations (LOEC) for pink hydra were <13 and 13 ,g/L for cadmium, and <250 and 250 ,g/L for zinc. The respective 7-day NOEC and LOEC values for green hydra were 0.4 and 0.8, ,g/L for cadmium, and 38 and 75 ,g/L for zinc. Neither 1, 2, or 3 × 90-min pulse-exposures to 0.4, 0.8, or 1.5 ,g/L of cadmium had any significant deleterious effect on total green hydra numbers after seven days in clean water. Green hydra appeared to be excellent freshwater invertebrate models for testing dissolved metals based on their sensitivity and the ability to rapidly assess population reproduction in the laboratory. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 16: 557,565, 2001 [source]

Synthesis of 3,-BODIPY-Labeled Active Esters of Nucleotides and a Chemical Primer Extension Assay on Beads

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 19 2010
Kerstin Gießler
Abstract A solution-phase synthesis of active esters of 3,-fluorophore-labeled deoxynucleoside 5,-monophosphates was developed for thymine and cytosine as nucleobases by using two different BODIPY dyes. Starting from the respective 2,-amino-2,,3,-dideoxynucleoside-5,-monophosphate, the fluorescent oxyazabenzotriazolides can be prepared in one-pot procedures involving labeling and activation. Screening of a range of supports led to a chemical primer extension assay on beads with in situ detection of nucleobases in target DNA through optical read-out. [source]

Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure Highly Functionalized Furanoid Glycal and 2,5-Dihydrofuran Building Blocks,,§

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 13 2009
Pinki Pal
Abstract Differently protected enantiomerically pure furanoid glycals (5a,d) and highly functionalized 2,5-dihydrofurans (6a,b) were synthesized from their respective 2,3,4-trisubstituted tetrahydrofurans. These furanoid glycals were identified as1,4-anhydro-2-deoxy-5,6- O -isopropylidene-3- O -benzyl- L -arabino-hex-1-enitol, 1,4-anhydro-2-deoxy-5,6- O -isopropylidene-3- O -benzyl- L -ribo-hex-1-enitol, 1,4-anhydro-2-deoxy-5,6- O -isopropylidene-3- O -benzyl- D -ribo-hex-1-enitol and 1,4-anhydro-2-deoxy-5,6- O -isopropylidene-3- O -benzyl- D -arabino-hex-1-enitol, respectively. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source]

1,3-Chirality Transfer by Fragmentation of Allylsulfinic Acids: A Diastereoselective Approach to Vinyl Bromides Related to trans -Hydrindane or trans -Decalin

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2007
Chochrek
Abstract Diastereoselective approaches to vinyl bromides from bromoallylic alcohols by fragmentation of the respective allylsulfinic acids have been investigated. Bromoallylic alcohols 1a and 6 were transformed into the respective 1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl sulfides 2a and 7 by the Mitsunobu inversion reaction under modified conditions. The sulfides were then oxidized into sulfones 11a and 12a, respectively. Reduction of 11a and 12a with sodium borohydride gave the respective allylsulfinic acid salts 13a and 15 which, without isolation, were treated with aqeous tartaric acid. The salt 13a gave exclusively 5,-cholestane derivative 14a whereas 15 provided a mixture of the 5, and 5, derivatives 16 and 17 (after deprotection), the former prevailing. In an alternative approach, benzothiazolyl sulfides 2a and 7 were treated sequentially with BH3·THF and LiAlH4 to give thiols 18a and 19a, respectively. Oxidation of thiols 18a and 19a with oxaziridine 21 gave the respective sulfinic acids which, on gentle heating, afforded bromoolefins 14a and 22a, respectively, as the only products. Analogous reaction sequences starting from allylic alcohols devoid of the bromine substituent 1b and 8 have also been studied.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007) [source]

The Biosynthesis of 3-(trans -2-Nitrocyclopropyl)alanine, a Constituent of the Signal Metabolite Hormaomycin

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2005
Melanie Brandl
Abstract Feeding experiments with Streptomyces griseoflavus using deuterium-labeled racemic 3,3-[D2]- (6b), 4,4-[D2]- (6c), 5,5-[D2]- (6d), and 6,6-[D2]-lysine (6e), and 3-amino-5-(2-amino-1,1-dideuterioethyl)-4,5-dihydrofuran-2-one dihydrochloride (34·2HCl) were carried out in order to obtain detailed information about the hitherto unknown biosynthetic pathway from lysine to the unusual amino acid 3-(trans -2,-nitrocyclopropyl)alanine [(3-Ncp)Ala] (2), which is a building block of hormaomycin 1a. The corresponding lysine dihydrochlorides were prepared in 33, 24, 19, and 30% overall yield, respectively, along a new efficient general synthetic route applying an alkylation of the lithium enolate of O,Donnel's glycine equivalent 7 as a key step. In the attempted preparation of 5,5-[D2]-4-hydroxylysine (29), the respective ,-lactone (34·2 HCl) was obtained in five steps with 10% overall yield. The distribution of isotope labels in hormaomycins 1b,d led to the formulation of a reasonable cyclization mechanism of 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-(hydroxyimino)hexanoic acid, an ,-oxime analogue of 4-hydroxylysine. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005) [source]

Perceptual interactions between fruity and woody notes of wine

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004
Boriana Atanasova
Abstract The quantitative olfactory interactions in three binary mixtures of wine aroma compounds were studied. For the ,rst two mixtures, whisky lactone (woody note) was mixed separately with two esters (fruity note), ethyl butyrate and isoamyl acetate. For the third mixture, guaiacol (woody note) was mixed with ethyl butyrate (fruity note). Perceived odour intensity of 24 stimuli (four supra-threshold concentration levels of two compounds and the respective 16 mixtures) were evaluated in ,ve replications, by a trained panel of 13 subjects. The results showed that for the three binary mixtures studied, quantitative perceptual interactions were non-level independent, non-symmetrical, and reached the compromise level of hypo-addition. The experimental data highlighted that generally mixtures with high whisky lactone levels led to the compromise level of mixture intensity perception, whereas mixtures with high fruity note intensity proportions did not. A tendency to hyper-addition was observed in iso-intense mixtures only at the lowest intensity level. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Assessing damaged road verges as a suspended sediment source in the Hampshire Avon catchment, southern United Kingdom

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 9 2010
A. L. Collins
Abstract Diffuse sediment pollution impairs water quality, exerts a key control on the transfer and fate of nutrients and contaminants and causes deleterious impacts on freshwater ecology. A variety of catchment sediment sources can contribute to such problems. Sediment control strategies and effective targeting of mitigation options therefore require robust quantitative information on the key sources of the sediment problem at catchment scale. Recent observations by Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers (CSFO's) in England have highlighted road verges damaged and eroded by passing vehicles, particularly large farm machinery, and livestock herd movement as visually important potential sources of local sediment problems. A study was therefore undertaken to assess the relative importance of damaged road verges as a suspended sediment source in three sub-catchments of the Hampshire Avon drainage basin, southern UK. Road verge sediment contributions were apportioned in conjunction with those from agricultural topsoils and channel banks/subsurface sources. Time-integrating isokinetic samplers were deployed to sample suspended sediment fluxes at the outlets of two control sub-catchments drained by the Rivers Chitterne and Till selected to characterize areas with a low road network density and limited visual evidence of verge damage, as well as the River Sem sub-catchment used to represent areas where road verge damage is more prevalent. The findings of a sediment source fingerprinting investigation based on a combination of intermittent sampling campaigns spanning the period 22/5/02,27/4/08 suggested that the respective overall mean relative sediment contributions from damaged road verges were 5 ± 3%, 4 ± 2% and 20 ± 2%. Relative inputs from damaged road verges for any specific sampling period in the River Sem sub-catchment were as high as 33 ± 2%. Reconstruction of historical sources in the same sub-catchment, based on the geochemical record stored in a floodplain depth profile, suggested that the significance of damaged road verges as a sediment source has increased over the past 15,20 years. The findings provide important information on damaged road verges as a primary source of suspended sediment and imply that catchment sediment control strategies and mitigation plans should consider such verges in addition to those agricultural and channel sources traditionally taken into account when attempting to reduce sediment pressures on aquatic resources. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Isolation and identification of mixed linked , -glucan degrading bacteria in the intestine of broiler chickens and partial characterization of respective 1,3-1,4- , -glucanase activities

JOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
Lutz Beckmann
Media with 1,3-1,4- , -glucans as selective markers were used for isolation of non-starch-polysaccharide (NSP) degrading bacteria from the intestinal tract of broiler chicken. Formerly unknown 1,3-1,4- , endoglucanase activities in various bacterial species were identified in this study. E. faecium , Streptococcus , Bacteroides and Clostridium strains seem to be responsible for degradation of mixed linked , -glucans in the small intestine and in the hind gut of chickens. Strict anaerobic bacteria (Bacteroides ovatus , B. uniformis , presumably B. capillosus and Clostridium perfringens ) as well as an unidentified bacterium with 98% 16S rDNA homology to an uncultered chicken cecum bacterium were isolated. Additionally, Streptococcus bovis with 1,3-1,4- , -endoglucanase activity was also detected. Different 1,3-1,4- , -endoglucanase activity profiles were observed in SDS/PAGE zymograms. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]

Comparison of genomic and cDNA sequences of guinea pig CYP2B18 and rat CYP2B2: Absence of a phenobarbital-responsive enhancer module in the upstream region of the CYP2B18 gene

JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY, Issue 3 2004
Midori Yamamoto
Abstract Potential mechanisms were investigated whereby CYP2B18, a cytochrome P450 gene exhibiting high constitutive expression but only low levels of phenobarbital-inducibility in the guinea pig liver, may be differentially regulated versus the highly inducible rat CYP2B2 gene. To comparatively assess potential regulatory sequences associated with CYP2B18, a guinea pig genomic library was screened enabling isolation of the CYP2B18 gene. The genomic screening process resulted in the identification of at least four closely-related CYP2B18 genes, designated here as CYP2B18A-D. Of these isolates, CYP2B18A exhibited sequence identical to that of the CYP2B18 cDNA. Further, the deduced amino acid sequence of the CYP2B18 cDNA was identical to that of N-terminal and internally-derived peptide sequences obtained in this investigation from CYP2B18 protein isolated from guinea pig liver. Genomic structural sequences were derived for CYP2B18A, together with the respective 5,-upstream and intronic regions of the gene. Comparison of the CYP2B18A and CYP2B2 gene sequences revealed the lack of repetitive LINE gene sequences in CYP2B18A, putative silencing elements that effect neighboring genes, although these sequences were present in both 5,-upstream and 3,-downstream regions of CYP2B2. We determined that the phenobarbital-responsive enhancer module was absent from the 5,-upstream region as well as the intronic regions of CYP2B18A gene. We hypothesize that the compromised phenobarbital inducibility of CYP2B18A stems from its lack of a functional phenobarbital responsive enhancer module. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 18:124,130, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20016 [source]

Extraction, Identification, and Quantification of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids in Electron Beam-Irradiated Almond Skin Powder

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 3 2009
A.S. Teets
ABSTRACT:, The effect of electron beam irradiation doses from 0 to 30 kGy on extraction yield and phenolic compounds was evaluated in almond skin phenolic extracts (ASPE). Total soluble phenols and distribution of phenolic compounds from acidified methanol ASPE and 52% methanol ASPE were quantified using Folin,Ciocalteau method, liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detection, and negative ion electrospray-mass spectrometry. Electron beam irradiation increased extraction yield by as much as 23%, with the greatest increase observed in the acidified methanol ASPE. Irradiated samples extracted with acidified methanol also exhibited an increase in extractable phenols (Folin,Ciocalteau) and total HPLC-resolved phenolics at all irradiation doses. Samples extracted with 52% methanol exhibited an increase at 10 and 20 kGy, but a 31% decrease at 30 kGy. An increase in aglycones respective to their glycosides was not observed with irradiation. Therefore, the increase in phenolics was attributed to release of phenolics from their cellular matrix. [source]

Synthesis of 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylmethyl)-3-phenyl-6,7,8-trimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline

JOURNAL OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2005
Adriana F. Ibañez
In an attempt to ascertain the scope of using ethyl polyphosphate in the Bischler-Napieralsky annelation reaction, a title compound was synthesized and reduced to the respective 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenylmethyl)-3-phenyl-6,7,8-trimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline. [source]

The intraruminal papillation gradient in wild ruminants of different feeding types: Implications for rumen physiology

JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 8 2009
Marcus Clauss
Abstract Browsing and grazing ruminants are thought to differ in the degree their rumen contents are stratified,which may be due to different characteristics of their respective forages, to particular adaptations of the animals, or both. However, this stratification is difficult to measure in live animals. The papillation of the rumen has been suggested as an anatomical proxy for stratification,with even papillation indicating homogenous contents, and uneven papillation (with few and small dorsal and ventral papillae, and prominent papillae in the atrium ruminis) stratified contents. Using the surface enlargement factor (SEF, indicating how basal mucosa surface is increased by papillae) of over 55 ruminant species, we demonstrate that differences between the SEFdorsal or SEFventral and the SEFatrium are significantly related to the percentage of grass in the natural diet. The more a species is adapted to grass, the more distinct this difference, with extreme grazers having unpapillated dorsal and ventral mucosa. The relative SEFdorsal as anatomical proxy for stratification, and the difference in particle and fluid retention in the rumen as physiological proxy for stratification, are highly correlated in species (n = 9) for which both kind of data are available. The results support the concept that the stratification of rumen contents varies among ruminants, with more homogenous contents in the more browsing and more stratified contents in the more grazing species. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Effects of vancomycin, daptomycin, fosfomycin, tigecycline, and ceftriaxone on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 10 2009
Stefan Hajdu
Abstract Infection of medical implanted material is associated with considerable morbidity and costs. In the following work, we investigated the effects of vancomycin, daptomycin, fosfomycin, tigecycline, and ceftriaxone on biofilms formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates causative for implant infection and catheter-associated bacteremia. Biofilms were studied using the static microtiter plate model and incubated with the antibiotics increasing the concentration from 1× to 128× the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the respective isolate tested. To quantify the reduction of the biomass, the optical density ratio (ODr) of stained biofilms and the number of growing bacteria were determined. Incubation of the staphylococcal biofilms with the antibiotics decreased the biofilm ODr (at baseline,=,1) for ceftriaxone (0.83,±,0.48) but minimally only for fosfomycin (0.96,±,0.64), daptomycin (1.05,±,0.59), tigecycline (1.18,±,0.66), and vancomycin (0.98,±,0.44) at exceedingly high concentrations of 128,×,MIC. The significant reduction of the bacterial growth was not achieved for all antibiotics, not even at the highest concentrations tested. Using higher doses of the antibiotics may be of some value in the treatment of biofilm-associated infections, although effects are seen only at clinically unachievable doses. However, to eradicate the staphylococcal biofilm, additional measures like debridement and/or removal of the implant are needed. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27:1361,1365, 2009 [source]

Isozyme Analysis and Soluble Mycelial Protein Pattern in Iranian Isolates of Several formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum

JOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2004
M. Mohammadi
Abstract A total of 13 representative isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (FOM) from Iran, USA and France, eight isolates of seven formae speciales from Iran and one isolate of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum from the USA were compared based on isozyme analysis and soluble mycelial protein pattern. Isozyme analyses of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), catalase (CAT), esterase (EST), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) revealed polymorphism among the F. oxysporum isolates in which 22 electrophoretic phenotypes (EP) were determined. At least 10 putative loci for these six enzymes were detected and they were all polymorphic. Maximum genetic diversity was observed in CAT, EST and XDH loci. Using UPGMA, the 22 isolates were separated into three main groups with one of the groups divided into two subgroups. Group I included isolates belonging to five formae speciales from Iran, whereas group II that included FOM isolates from both Iran and the USA was divided into two subgroups each containing the vast majority of the respective isolates from either country. Group III constituted FOM isolates from France and one pathogenic isolate on pepper from Iran. FOM isolates representing five different geographical regions from Iran belonged to two different races of 1 and 1,2Y and one vegetative compatibility group (VCG)0134 and thus were genetically homologous. Isozyme polymorphism in these isolates was highly correlated with VCG and geographical origins and to a lesser extent with races. Variations in soluble protein profile in FOM isolates were correlated with genetic distances determined in isozyme analysis. This study suggests that isozyme analysis could be a useful tool for identifying genetic diversity not only in FOM but also several formae speciales of F. oxysporum. [source]

Synthesis of polymeric 1-iminopyridinium ylides as photoreactive polymers

JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 4 2010
Daniel Klinger
Abstract Two synthetic routes to polymeric 1-imino pyridinium ylides as new photoreactive polymeric architectures were investigated. In the first approach, polymerization of newly synthesized 1-imino pyridinium ylide containing monomers yielding their polymeric analogues was achieved by free radical polymerization. Alternatively, reactive precursor polymers were synthesized and converted into the respective 1-imino pyridinium ylide polymers by polymer analogous reactions on reactive precursor polymers. Quantitative conversion of the reactive groups was achieved with pentafluorophenyl ester containing polymers and newly synthesized photoreactive amines as well as by the reaction of poly(4-vinylbenzoyl azide) with a photoreactive alcohol. The polymers obtained by both routes were examined regarding their photoreaction products and kinetics in solution as well as in thin polymer films. Contact angle measurements of water on the polymer films before and after irradiation showed dramatic changes in the hydrophilicity of the polymers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 832,844, 2010 [source]

Rapid simultaneous determination of codeine and morphine in plasma using LC-ESI-MS/MS: Application to a clinical pharmacokinetic study

JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 2 2009
Qiongfeng Liao
Abstract A rapid and sensitive high-performance LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of codeine and its metabolite morphine in human plasma using donepezil as an internal standard (IS). Following a single liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a C18 column and analyzed by MS/MS in the selected reaction monitoring mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 300/165 for codeine, m/z 286/165 for morphine and m/z 380/91 for IS. The method exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.2,100/0.5,250 ng/mL for codeine/morphine in human plasma, respectively. The lower LOQs were 0.2 and 0.5 ng/mL for codeine and its metabolite morphine using 0.5 mL of human plasma. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range. A run time of 2.0 min for each sample made it possible to analyze more than 300 human plasma samples per day. The validated LC-MS/MS method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in which healthy Chinese volunteers each received a single oral dose of 30 mg codeine phosphate. [source]

Resolution of triacylglycerol positional isomers by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 12 2004
Svetlana Momchilova
Abstract The ability of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to separate some positionally isomeric disaturated and monounsaturated triacylglycerols (TAGs) as intact species is demonstrated for the first time. Mobile phases of acetonitrile modified with methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, acetone, or dichloromethane were tested for the separation of POP-PPO, PLP-PPL, PEP-PPE, and PDP-PPD (P , palmitic, O , oleic, L , linoleic, E , eicosapentaenoic, D , docosahexaenoic acid residue) on a single RP-HPLC column. The resolution improved with increasing number of double bonds in the acyl residues. While POP and PPO were only partially resolved, PDP and PPD were fully separated with all tested mobile phases, except those containing methanol. Also separated were the four TAGs having the same equivalent carbon number (ECN = 42), PEP, PPE, PDP, and PPD, on a single RP-HPLC column with mobile phase acetonitrile,2-propanol (70:30, v/v) at 0.8 mL/min. In all cases the isomer with the unsaturated acyl residue in either 1- or 3-position was retained more strongly than the respective 2-isomer. [source]

Fine Mapping of Polymorphic Alcohol-Related Quantitative Trait Loci Candidate Genes Using Interval-Specific Congenic Recombinant Mice

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 11 2002
Marissa A. Ehringer
Background The inbred long-sleep (ILS) and inbred short-sleep (ISS) strains of mice are widely studied as a model of initial sensitivity to alcohol. Recently, a large comparative DNA sequencing study of candidate genes located within the four Lore quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex in ILS and ISS mice has identified eight genes that contain coding region differences corresponding to amino acid changes. Here, recently developed interval-specific congenic recombinant mice (ISCRs) have been used to map these genes in relationship to newly narrowed QTL regions. Methods Regions of candidate genes containing DNA differences corresponding to previously identified amino acid changes between ISS and ILS mice were amplified from either genomic DNA or complementary DNA from ISCR mice using polymerase chain reaction. The products were purified and directly sequenced to determine the genotypes for each polymorphism. On the basis of these genotypic data, each candidate gene was determined to be located either within or outside of recently narrowed Lore QTL intervals. Results Of these eight candidates with protein-coding differences, five are now excluded from their respective Lore intervals. The other three (Znf142, Ptprn, and Znf133) have been localized to the narrowed QTL intervals. Conclusions These three central nervous system genes (Znf142, Ptprn, and Znf133) represent promising candidates for involvement in the differential sensitivity to alcohol exhibited between ILS and ISS mice. This study also demonstrates how the combination of high-throughput comparative gene sequencing and concomitant genetic fine mapping of QTL regions with ISCRs can be an effective tool for accelerating the process of moving from QTL to gene. [source]

Risk of schizophrenia in people with coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease: a general population-based study

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 1 2006
J. WEST
Summary Background Recently, interest has been revived in whether people with coeliac disease, in contrast to other inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, have an increased risk of schizophrenia. Aim To compare the risk of schizophrenia in people diagnosed with coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease with the general population. Methods We used data from the UK General Practice Research Database. People with coeliac disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were matched individually with five age-, sex- and general practice-matched controls. The prevalence of schizophrenia was calculated and compared between disease groups and their respective controls. We calculated odds ratios for schizophrenia using conditional logistic regression adjusting for smoking status. Results In people with coeliac disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis the prevalence of schizophrenia was 0.25%, 0.27% and 0.24%, respectively, compared with a general population prevalence of 0.37%. The adjusted odds ratios showed no association between schizophrenia and gastrointestinal disease (coeliac disease vs. controls 0.76, 95% CI: 0.41,1.4; Crohn's disease vs. controls 0.74, 95% CI: 0.44,1.3; ulcerative colitis 0.71, 95% CI: 0.44,1.1). Conclusions Contrary to recent findings we found no evidence of an increased risk of schizophrenia in people with coeliac disease compared with the general population. [source]

Isolate specificity of quantitative trait loci for partial resistance of barley to Puccinia hordei confirmed in mapping populations and near-isogenic lines

NEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 3 2008
Thierry C. Marcel
Summary ,,Partial resistance is considered race-nonspecific and durable, consistent with the concept of ,horizontal' resistance. However, detailed observations of partial resistance to leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) in barley (Hordeum vulgare) revealed small cultivar × isolate interactions, suggesting a minor-gene-for-minor-gene interaction model, similar to so-called ,vertical' resistance. ,,Three consistent quantitative trait loci (QTLs), labelled Rphq2, Rphq3 and Rphq4, that were detected in the cross susceptible L94 × partially resistant Vada have been incorporated into the L94 background to obtain near-isogenic lines (NILs). Three isolates were used to map QTLs on seedlings of the L94 × Vada population and to evaluate the effect of each QTL on adult plants of the respective NILs under field conditions. ,,Rphq2 had a strong effect in seedlings but almost no effect in adult plants, while Rphq3 was effective in seedlings and in adult plants against all three isolates. However, Rphq4 was effective in seedlings and in adult plants against two isolates but ineffective in both development stages against the third, demonstrating a clear and reproducible isolate-specific effect. The resistance governed by the three QTLs was not associated with a hypersensitive reaction. ,,Those results confirm the minor-gene-for-minor-gene model suggesting specific interactions between QTLs for partial resistance and P. hordei isolates. [source]

A classification system of mandibular prognathism

ORAL SURGERY, Issue 3 2008
H.J. Cho
Abstract Aim:, To provide a classification system of mandibular prognathism (MP) as a guide for proper diagnosis and treatment planning of the various forms of skeletal discrepancies seen in mandibular prognathism and to a communication tool among orthodontists and surgeons. Materials and Methods:, Six different types of MP were presented. Recommended surgical procedures for each MP categories were presented. Twenty-three consecutive MP patients were evaluated by a panel of three orthodontists. The panel categorized each patient according to Cho's MP classification system. The recommended surgery by the MP classification system and actual surgery performed for each were compared. Result:, The recommended surgical procedure(s) respective to the MP category of each individual corresponded to the actual surgery performed with exception of a few individuals. Conclusion:, This MP classification system proved to be a good diagnostic tool and led to an appropriate orthodontic and surgical treatment plan. [source]

A method for selecting and monitoring medication sales for surveillance of gastroenteritis,

PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 10 2010
Camille Pelat
Abstract Purpose Monitoring appropriate categories of medication sales can provide early warning of certain disease outbreaks. This paper presents a methodology for choosing and monitoring medication sales relevant for the surveillance of gastroenteritis and assesses the operational characteristics of the selected medications for early warning. Methods Acute diarrhoea incidences in mainland France were obtained from the Sentinelles network surveillance system for the period 2000,2009. Medication sales grouped by therapeutic classes were obtained on the same period. Hierarchical clustering was used to select therapeutic classes correlating with disease incidence over the period. Alert thresholds were defined for the selected therapeutic classes. Single and multiple voter algorithms were investigated for outbreak detection based on sales crossing the thresholds. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated respective to known outbreaks periods. Results Four therapeutic classes were found to cluster with acute diarrhoea incidence. The therapeutic class other antiemetic and antinauseants had the best sensitivity (100%) and timeliness (1.625 weeks before official alerts), for a false alarm rate of 5%. Multiple voter algorithm was the most efficient with the rule: ,Emit an outbreak alert when at least three therapeutic classes are over their threshold' (sensitivity 100%, specificity 95%, timeliness 1.750 weeks before official alerts). Conclusions The presented method allowed selection of relevant therapeutic classes for surveillance of a specific condition. Multiple voter algorithm based on several therapeutic classes performed slightly better than the best therapeutic class alone, while improving robustness against abrupt changes occurring in a single therapeutic class. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Sociodemographic determinants of growth among Malian adolescent females

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Timothy F. Leslie
In Africa, research concerning the social determinants of poor nutritional status has typically focused on children under 5 years of age and has used defined categorical boundaries based on international reference standards. In this article, stunting and wasting of 1,157 Malian adolescent girls is measured through both categorical and continuous data. The focus on adolescent girls is significant because there is relatively little literature examining this group, and because adolescence marks the time when girls gain greater workload responsibilities, autonomy of food choices, and, as a result of the adolescent growth spurt, require the greatest amount of caloric intake respective to their weight since infancy. To differentiate stunting and wasting causes, a number of socioeconomic, geographic, and demographic factors are explored. The findings suggest that continuous data provides a basis for modeling stunting and wasting superior to utilizing international reference categories. Estimations show that decreasing age, the presence of servants, a greater number of wives in a compound, and residence in a large urban area correlate with improved nutritional status while wealthier families appear to correlate with greater stunting and wasting, and no correlation exists with estimated energy expenditure. Future studies should incorporate continuous data, and the need exists for greater analysis of social determinants of growth indicators among adolescent females. Further, these findings have significant implications in the development of nutrition intervention programs aimed at the vulnerable population in Mali, leading us to conclude that factors beyond socioeconomic indicators such as household structure and location should be more fully examined. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

LC-NMR applied to the characterisation of cardiac glycosides from three micropropagated Isoplexis species

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Issue 5 2002
Isabel Gavidia
Abstract Species of the genus Isoplexis are of particular interest with respect to the biochemical pathway leading to the cardenolides. It is important to determine whether or not 5,-configured compounds, typically produced by Digitalis species and used in medicine, are present together with their respective ,-isomers in Isoplexis spp. Structure elucidation by LC-NMR of the products isolated from in vitro regenerated Isoplexis canariensis, I. chalcantha and I. isabelliana was carried out, and similarities were observed among the products of the three species, including the presence of digitoxigenin-type cardenolides in I. canariensis and xysmalogenin and canarigenin derivatives in I. chalcantha never previously reported in these species. Pregnane glycosides not found until now either in Isoplexis or Digitalis were also detected. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Study of the Daughter Products of Akardite-II

PROPELLANTS, EXPLOSIVES, PYROTECHNICS, Issue 4 2006
Louis-Simon Lussier
Abstract In this work, five akardite-II (AK-II) daughter products were produced and isolated. Their respective MS, NMR, IR and UV spectra were recorded. These five products were positively identified as: N-NO-AK-II, 2-NO2 -AK-II, 4-NO2 -AK-II, N-NO-2-NO2 -AK-II and N-NO-4-NO2 -AK-II. An HPLC method giving baseline separation of 6 AK-II family products and 10 diphenylamine (DPA) family products is also described. Finally, preliminary results concerning the stability of AK-II daughter products are discussed. [source]

Carcinoma of the Tongue Base Treated by Transoral Laser Microsurgery, Part Two: Persistent, Recurrent and Second Primary Tumors

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 12 2006
David G. Grant MD
Abstract Objectives: To report the oncologic and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) in the treatment of persistent, recurrent, and second primary squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base. Study Design: A two-center prospective case series analysis. Methods: Twenty-five patients with persistent, recurrent, or second primary squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base were treated with TLM between 1997 and 2005. Four (16%) patients with persistent disease at the primary site were considered TX. Eleven (44%) patients with recurrent disease were pathologically staged rT1 3/11, rT2 2/11, rT3 4/11, T4 1/11, and TX 1/11. Ten (40%) patients with second primary tumors were staged pT1, 4/10; pT2, 3/10; pT3, 2/10; and pT4, 1/10. Eight (32%) patients underwent neck dissection. Three (12%) patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Pre- and post-treatment organ function was assessed using a clinical Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale (FOSS) and Communication Scale. Results: The mean follow-up period was 26 months. The 2-year Kaplan-Meier local control and locoregional control estimate was 69%. For those patients presenting with persistent/recurrent or second primary disease, the 2 year local control estimates were 75% and 68%, respectively. For all patients, the respective 2 and 5 year overall survival estimates were 54% and 26%. Two (8%) patients suffered postoperative hemorrhage. The average duration of hospitalization was 3.6 days. The median pretreatment and posttreatment FOSS stage was stage 2 and stage 3, respectively. Conclusions: Transoral laser surgery is a rational and effective treatment in appropriately selected patients with persistent, recurrent, or second primary tongue base cancer. The low morbidity and mortality and shortened duration of hospitalization associated with TLM make it an attractive therapeutic alternative. [source]

Precursor effects of the orthorhombic to monoclinic phase transition in benzocaine form (II) revealed by X-ray diffuse scattering

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B, Issue 2 2010
E. J. Chan
We described the development of a Monte Carlo computer model for the room-temperature form (II) polymorph of benzocaine that incorporates, on a local scale, structural features derived from the low-temperature form (III) polymorph. The introduction of this extra information convincingly reproduces those observed diffraction features that an earlier harmonic model was unable to achieve. In both form (I) and form (II) the hydrogen-bonded chains of molecules that extend along the respective a axes tend to slide backward and forward along their lengths. While in form (I) the motion is well modelled by a harmonic potential in form (II) there is a degree of anharmonicity that means that some intermolecular contact vectors, which are identical in the average structure, are distributed bimodally with either longer or shorter vectors being preferred to the average. Moreover there is a tendency for these deviations from average to be correlated to give short-range ordered domains that are the precursors of the two twinned variants of the long-range ordered low-temperature form (III) structure. [source]