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Selected AbstractsOrganochlorine contaminants in sea turtles: Correlations between whole blood and fatENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2004Jennifer M. Keller Abstract Monitoring toxic organochlorine(OC)compounds is an important aspect in wildlife studies, especially in protected species such as sea turtles. The goal of this study was to determine whether blood OC concentrations can predict those in adipose tissue of sea turtles. Blood offers many benefits for monitoring OCs. It can be collected nondestructively from live turtles and can be sampled repeatedly for continuous monitoring. Organochlorine concentrations in blood may better represent the exposure levels of target tissues, but blood concentrations may fluctuate more than those in fatty tissues following recent dietary exposure or lipid mobilization. Paired fat and blood samples were collected from 44 live, juvenile loggerhead sea turtles and 10 juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtle carcasses. Organochlorines were analyzed using gas chromatography with electron capture detection and mass spectrometry. Lipid-normalized OC concentrations measured in the blood significantly correlated to levels found in the fat samples of both species. This result suggests that sea turtle blood is a suitable alternative to fatty tissues for measuring OCs because blood concentrations reasonably represent those observed in the paired fat samples. However, blood OC concentrations calculated on a wet-mass basis were significantly and inversely correlated to lipid content in the fat samples. Therefore, caution should be used when monitoring spatial or temporal trends, as OC levels may increase in the blood following mobilization of fat stores, such as during long migrations, breeding, or disease events. [source] Dose,response and time course relationships for vitellogenin induction in male western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) exposed to ethinylestradiolENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 7 2002Sandra M. Brasfield Abstract The long-term goal of this research is to develop and validate an in vivo reptile model for endocrine-mediated toxicity using fence lizards (Sceloporus spp.). One of the best defined estrogenic responses in oviparous vertebrates is induction of the yolk precursor protein, vitellogenin (Vtg). In this study, dose,response and time course relationships for Vtg induction were determined in male western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) given intraperitoneal injections of 17,-ethinylestradiol (EE2). Plasma Vtg was quantified directly with an antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirectly using plasma alkalinelabile phosphate (ALP) in order to compare these two methods. Both ELISA and ALP predicted similar median effective dose (ED50 [dose causing a 50% maximal response]) values for plasma Vtg induction (0.167 mg/kg for ELISA and 0.095 mg/kg for ALP). In addition, both ELISA and ALP detected significant Vtg induction at a dose of 0.0003 mg/kg of EE2, which was the lowest dose used in our study. A decrease in body weight at the highest dose (10 mg/kg) and an increase in hepatosomatic index at the four highest doses were observed. Serial dilutions of plasma from an EE2 -exposed male revealed a high correlation between plasma Vtg and ALP determinations in this species. In conclusion, our data show that plasma ALP may be a suitable alternative for measuring plasma Vtg compared with developing a Vtg ELISA in fence lizards exposed to estrogenic compounds. [source] Arthroscopic laser extirpation of metacarpophalangeal synovial pad proliferation in eleven horsesEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2001D. J. MURPHY Summary A new surgical technique for treatment of chronic metacarpophalangeal synovial pad proliferation in the horse and the findings and long-term follow-up from 11 clinical cases are described. The medical records of all equine lameness cases attributed to metacarpophalangeal synovial pad proliferation admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University (1991,1996) were reviewed and all those treated surgically by laser extirpation were included in this study. Retrieved data included subject details, preoperative lameness, ultrasonography, radiography and synovial fluid evaluations and lesion histopathology. Lesions were ablated using a CO2 or a Nd:YAG laser intra-articularly with arthroscopic guidance. Long-term follow-up was provided by telephone conversation with owners or trainers. All horses had fetlock joint effusion and were lame at presentation. Mean synovial pad thickness measured ultrasonographically was 9.0 mm (range 6,15 mm). Seven horses (64%) had radiographic evidence of remodelling of the dorsal cortex of distal McIII and 3 horses (27%) had concurrent dorsal proximal P1 fractures. No postoperative complications were noted. All 11 horses returned to training within 90 days of surgery without recurrence of the lesion(s). Laser extirpation of metacarpophalangeal synovial pad proliferation using arthroscopic guidance provided a rapid, safe and efficient method for surgical removal of such lesions without complications or recurrence. This surgical technique provides a suitable alternative to more conventional treatments for chronic metacarpophalangeal synovial pad proliferation in horses, particularly for removal of very large, fibrotic masses. [source] Resolution of persistent periapical infection by endodontic surgeryINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 1 2004F. B. A. Ferreira Abstract Aim, To examine the surfaces of a root tip removed during surgical endodontic treatment for the presence of microorganisms. Summary, The present clinical case illustrates an endodontic retreatment of a maxillary premolar tooth with a fistula and periapical reaction. The case was under treatment for 1 year, during which an intracanal medicament was replaced several times. As the lesion did not decrease and exudate was persistent through the fistula and root canal, root end resection with root end filling was performed. Microbiological samples were collected from the fistula, where Propionibacterium acnes, a species associated with endodontic failures, was detected by appropriate anaerobic technique. The resected root apex was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed cocci and fungal forms surrounding one of the foramina. After 12 months, the periapical lesion had reduced. Key learning points ,,Persistent extraradicular infections are not affected by the action of antimicrobial agents such as irrigants and medicaments used during root canal treatment. ,,Apical surgery is a suitable alternative for definitive removal of an established refractory infection, promoting repair of difficult cases. [source] In vitro testing to assess the UVA protection performance of sun care productsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE, Issue 1 2001Applied Cosmetics) Task Force, Members of the DGK (German Society for Scientific, Sun Protection'. Synopsis The UVA protection delivered by sunscreens is an issue of increasing importance due to the increasing knowledge about UVA-induced skin damage. In Europe there is no officially accepted method available to determine the degree of UVA protection. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to design a protocol combining the merits of an in vitro model, which are simple and reproducible, with aspects known to be relevant from in vivo studies. The principle is: an UV-transparent support to which the test product is applied, a (pre)irradiation and a transmission measurement. Transpore® tape (standard support for SPF determinations) was found to be incompatible with many preparations on prolonged contact times. Roughened quartz was adopted as a suitable alternative. Transmission measurements on this support are not reliable with a layer of 2 mg cm,2 (standard for SPF) due to detection limitations of spectrophotometers, hence a reduced layer of 0.75 mg cm,2 was adopted. Overall, it is very difficult to apply products in a reproducible thin layer on appropriate substrates. As a consequence, absolute parameters derived from the transmission profile show relatively large dispersion, whereas relative parameters, such as critical wavelength ,c[1] or UVA/UVB ratio are much less sensitive to unavoidable variations in layer thickness. An increase in deviations was observed when the samples were irradiated before measurement. It is crucial to control the output carefully (spectral distribution and even more importantly, irradiance and dose delivered) of the light source. By doing so and also taking into account the previous learning steps, a protocol was drafted and tested in a ringtest (four samples in six laboratories). The results are encouraging and show that if relative parameters (e.g. ,c, UVA/UVB ratio) are considered, the intra- as well as interlaboratory reproducibility is clearly better than can be obtained in vivo. In general, we describe a suitable method, which can be considered in any future official discussions about the methodology to determine UVA protection. Résumé La protection contre les UVA apportée par les écrans solaires est un sujet d'importance croissante en raison de la progression des connaissances concernant les dommages à la peau causés par les UVA. En Europe il n'existe pas de méthode disponible officiellement reconnue pour déterminer le degré de protection contre les UVA. Par conséquent, l'objectif de la présente étude est de concevoir un protocole associant les avantages d'un modèle in vitro, qui est simple et reproductible, avec des aspects connus comme appartenant aux études in vivo. Le principe est le suivant: un support transparent aux UV auquel le produit testé est appliqué, une (pré)irradiation et une mesure de transmission. Le ruban Transpore® (support standard pour la détermination des SPF) se révèle incompatible avec de nombreuses préparations lors de temps de contact prolongés. Le quartz rugueux est adopté comme alternative appropriée. Les mesures de transmission sur ce support ne sont pas fiables avec une couche de 2 mg/cm2 (norme pour les SPF) en raison des limites de détection des spectrophotomètres, et on adopte donc une couche réduite de 0,75 mg/cm2. Il est surtout très difficile d'appliquer des produits en une couche fine reproductible sur des substrats appropriés. En conséquence, les paramètres absolus tirés du profil de transmission montrent une assez grande dispersion, tandis que les paramètres relatifs, tels que la longueur d'onde critique ,c[l] ou le rapport UVA/UVB sont beaucoup moins sensibles aux variations inévitables de l'épaisseur de la couche. On observe une augmentation des écarts lorsque les échantillons sont irradiés avant la mesure. Il est crucial de contrôler soigneusement la sortie (distribution spectrale et encore plus important, irradiation et dose délivrée) de la source lumineuse. Dans ces conditions, et en tenant aussi compte des enseignements des étapes précédentes, un protocole a étéébauché et testé lors d'un essai tournant (quatre échantillons dans six laboratoires). Les résultats sont encourageants et montrent que si on considère les paramètres relatifs (par exemple ,c, rapport UVA/UVB), la reproductibilité intra et interlaboratoires est clairement meilleures que ce qu'on peut obtenir in vivo. D'une façon générale, nous décrivons une méthode appropriée, qui peut être considérée dans tout échange officiel futur concernant la méthodologie pour déterminer la protection contre les UVA. [source] Selective Oxidation of Alcohols to Carbonyl Compounds and Carboxylic Acids with Platinum Group Metal CatalystsADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS (PREVIOUSLY: JOURNAL FUER PRAKTISCHE CHEMIE), Issue 4 2003Ross Anderson Abstract The use of platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts for the selective oxidation of various primary and secondary alcohols under mild conditions is described. High throughput screening (HTS) techniques have been used to identify trends in catalyst activity and product selectivity. Using air as oxidant and water as solvent 5% Pt, 1% Bi/C has been identified as an efficient catalyst for the transformation of 2-octanol to 2-octanone and 1-octanol to octanoic acid. To improve aldehyde selectivity the promotion of Pt/Al2O3 and Ru/C catalysts has been investigated. The use of H2O2 as oxidant has been demonstrated as a suitable alternative to air. [source] A systematic review of honey uses and its potential value within oncology careJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 19 2008Joy Bardy Aim., To synthesise the evidence regarding honey's role in health care and to identify whether this evidence applies more specifically to cancer care. Design., Systematic review. Methods., The inclusion and exclusion criteria were agreed by two reviewers and a keyword strategy was developed. EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, MEDLINE, COCHRANE and PUBMED databases were screened to identify suitable articles. The citation list from each included study was also screened for potentially suitable papers. The key findings from each study were entered onto a data extraction sheet. Results., In total, 43 studies were included in the systematic review, which included studies in relation to wounds (n = 19), burns (n = 11), skin (n = 3), cancer (n = 5) and others (n = 5). In addition, a systematic review regarding honey use in wound care was also included. While the majority of studies noted the efficacy of honey in clinical use, five studies found honey to be equally as effective as the comparator and three found honey to be less effective than the comparator treatment. Other research did not illustrate any significant difference between standard treatment regimes vs. honey treatment. Studies were generally poor in quality because of small sample sizes, lack of randomisation and absence of blinding. Conclusions., Honey was found to be a suitable alternative for wound healing, burns and various skin conditions and to potentially have a role within cancer care. Relevance to clinical practice., In the cancer setting, honey may be used for radiation-induced mucositis, radiotherapy-induced skin reactions, hand and foot skin reactions in chemotherapy patients and for oral cavity and external surgical wounds. [source] A study on plucked hair as a substrate for direct immunofluorescence in pemphigus vulgarisJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 2 2009M Daneshpazhooh Abstract Background, It has recently been demonstrated in a study on 15 patients that plucked hair can be used as a substrate for direct immunofluorescence (DIF) in pemphigus. Objective, Our aim was to assess the sensitivity of DIF on plucked hairs in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients with positive DIF of oral mucosa. Methods, One hundred and ten new PV patients were enrolled in the study. They all showed the typical clinical and histological findings as well as positive DIF of the oral mucosa, diagnostic for PV. Approximately 30 hairs were obtained in the same way as for the trichogram. The hairs with their outer root sheaths (ORS) were processed for DIF in order to detect immunoglobulin G and C3. Results, Immunodeposits favouring PV were demonstrated in the ORS of 100 cases showing a sensitivity of 91%. Conclusion, Regarding the relatively high sensitivity of DIF on plucked hair in PV patients with positive oral mucosal DIF in our study, it seems that hair plucking is a suitable alternative to the more invasive techniques of skin or mucosal biopsy for obtaining specimens for DIF in PV. Conflicts of interest None declared [source] Comparison of Three Culture Methods for the Intensive Culture of Northern Quahog Seed, Mercenaria mercenariaJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 1 2001Timothy J. Pfeiffer A number of approaches have been utilized for growing bivalve hatchery seed (1 mm) to a size suitable for field planting (< 8 mm) but few have been directly compared. This study evaluated the growth and survival of northern quahog seed in three different culture systems and two different stocking densities. The three systems were: 1) a stacked-tray unit with downward water flow; 2) traditional upweller culture units with water flowing upward without seed bed expansion; and 3) upweller culture units with water flowing upward at fluidization velocities to provide seed bed expansion. The two stocking densities were 1.0 and 3.0 g whole wet weight clam/cm2 respectively. During each trial period the seed clams were fed a 1% daily ration (% dry weight algae per wet weight clam per day) of the cultured diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. After 14 d of culture at the 1.0 g whole wet weight/cm2 stocking density, seed clams (4.4 ± 0.6 mm initial shell length) under fluidized-flow condition exhibited better growth (0.54/d), and a greater final shell length (5.9 ± 1.0 mm). At the high density stocking conditions, after 28 d of culture, seed clams (4.2 ± 0.6 mm initial shell length) in the fluidized-flow culture conditions again exhibited better growth rate (0.031/d) and a greater final shell length (6.0 ± 1.0 mm). The preliminary evaluation of fluidized-flow for seed clam culture in land-based nurseries indicates its potential as a suitable alternative to raceway, downwelling, or traditional forced-flow culture methods. [source] Effects of Stocking Sac-Fry and Hatchery-Fed Fry on Production of Fingerling Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 1 2001Charles R. Weirich In an attempt to reduce hatchery operating costs, several catfish fingerling producers in Louisiana presently stock fry within 2 d after hatching before yolk absorption is complete. Fry at this stage of development are commonly referred to as "sac-fry." Although research has shown that fry can be stocked at the onset of yolk absorption with no detrimental effects on subsequent fingerling production, stocking sac-fry has been reported to result in reduced fingerling survival. To further investigate this topic, production trials were conducted in experimental outdoor pools over the course of two growing seasons to evaluate the effect of stocking fry of three different ages (2-, 7-, and 14-d post-hatch, DPH) on survival, growth (weight and length), condition factor (K), yield, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fingerling catfish. Results from both trials indicated that the age at which fry were stocked had no effect on production characteristics with the exception of growth. Specifically, fingerlings reared from fry stocked at 2 and 7 DPH were significantly larger than fingerlings reared from fry stocked at an age of 14 DPH. These findings suggest that the practice of stocking sac-fry may be a suitable alternative to the traditional procedure of holding and feeding fry under hatchery conditions prior to stocking. However, in order to fully evaluate the effects of early-age stocking of catfish fry on fingerling production, additional studies must be conducted under pond conditions. Furthermore, these studies must be coupled with a rigorous economic analysis before the practice of stocking sac-fry can be recommended to the catfish industry. [source] A comparison of the presumptive luminol test for blood with four non-chemiluminescent forensic techniquesLUMINESCENCE: THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LUMINESCENCE, Issue 4 2006Joanne L. Webb Abstract Presumptive blood detection tests are used by forensic investigators to detect trace amounts of blood or to investigate suspicious stains. Through the years, a number of articles have been published on the popular techniques of the day. However, there is no single paper that critiques and compares the five most common presumptive blood detection tests currently in use: luminol, phenolphthalein (Kastle,Meyer), leucomalachite green, Hemastix® and the forensic light source. The present authors aimed to compare the above techniques with regard to their sensitivity, ease of use and safety. The luminol test was determined to be the most sensitive of the techniques, while Hemastix® is a suitable alternative when the luminol test is not appropriate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Assessment of acetone as an alternative to acetonitrile in peptide analysis by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometryRAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 14 2009Ria Fritz Acetonitrile as a solvent used in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) of peptides and proteins is a relatively toxic solvent (LD50 oral; rat; 2,460,mg/kg) compared to alternatives like methanol (LD50 oral; rat; 5,628,mg/kg) and acetone (LD50 oral; rat; 5,800,mg/kg). Strategies to minimize its consumption in LC are either to reduce the inner diameter of the column or replace acetonitrile with a suitable alternative. Methanol is often recommended to replace acetonitrile in peptide analysis. In this study however, the main focus lies on another alternative solvent for LC/MS of peptides; acetone. A number of model proteins were tryptically digested and the peptide solutions were analyzed on a linear trap quadrupole (LTQ) mass spectrometer. The performances of acetonitrile, methanol and acetone were compared according to the quality of the chromatograms obtained and identification of the peptides using the BioWorksÔ software developed by Thermo Scientific. In accordance to the elutropic series, acetone was found to significantly reduce the retention times of peptides separated by C18 column material with regard to acetonitrile while methanol led to increased retention times. Acetone was the superior solvent to methanol for most of the tested model proteins reaching similar sequence coverage and numbers of identified peptides as acetonitrile. We therefore propose acetone as an alternative to acetonitrile in LC/MS of peptides. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Use of Axillary Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Carcinoma of the Breast: Current UpdateTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 2 2004Gordon F. Schwartz MD, MBAArticle first published online: 10 MAR 200 Abstract: Axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been adopted as a suitable alternative to traditional level I and II axillary dissection in the management of clinically node-negative (N0) breast cancers. There are two current techniques used to identify the sentinel node(s): radiopharmaceutical, technetium sulfur colloid, and isosulfan blue dye (used in the United States) and technetium-labeled albumin and patent blue dye (used in Europe). (The labeled albumin is not U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approved in the United States.) SLNB to replace axillary dissection should only be performed by surgeons and patient management teams with appropriate training and experience. Although both radiocolloid and blue dye are used together by most surgeons, and training should be in both techniques, some experienced surgeons use one or the other almost exclusively. In addition, surgical pathologists must recognize the need to examine these small specimens with great care, using a generally adopted protocol. Imprint cytology or frozen sections may be used, followed by additional sections for light microscopy. Immunochemical staining with cytokeratin or other techniques to identify "submicroscopic" metastasis is often used, but the results should not be used to influence clinical decisions with respect to adjuvant therapy. "Failed" SLNB implies the surgeon's failure to identify the sentinel nodes, in which case a complete dissection is performed. A "false-negative" SLNB implies the finding of metastasis in the excised sentinel nodes by light microscopy after a negative frozen section examination. Whether a false-negative SLNB mandates completion axillary dissection is controversial, with clinical trials currently under way to answer this question. Although SLNB was initiated to accompany breast-conserving treatment, it is equally useful in patients undergoing mastectomy. It is more difficult to perform with mastectomy. When using blue dye only, SLNB may require a separate incision because of time constraints between injection and identification of the blue-stained nodes; radiocolloid usually does not. Completion axillary dissection after false-negative SLNB is more difficult after mastectomy. SLNB is a useful procedure that may save 70% of women with clinically negative (N0) axillae and all of those with pathologically negative axillae from the morbidity of complete axillary dissection. Ideally the sentinel nodes should be able to identified in more than 95% of patients, with a false-negative rate of less than 5%. Until these rates can be achieved consistently, however, surgeons should not abandon traditional axillary dissection., [source] The Diamedica Draw-Over Vaporizer: a comparison of a new vaporizer with the Oxford Miniature VaporizerANAESTHESIA, Issue 1 2009W. A. English Summary The Diamedica Draw-Over Vaporizer (DDV) has been developed as an alternative to the Oxford Miniature Vaporizer (OMV). Both can function as draw-over or plenum vaporizers. The performances of these two vaporizers were compared under conditions simulating intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) and continuous flow (CF). Series 1 experiments were conducted with the vaporizers in water baths at 20, 25 and 30 °C. Vaporizers were tested at dial settings of 1,4% over a range of minute volumes (1.75,6 l.min,1) and flow rates (3,8 l.min,1). Series 2 experiments compared output of the vaporizers over time at ambient temperatures of 20, 25 and 30 °C. A minute volume of 6 l.min,1 (IPPV) and a gas flow of 8 l.min,1 (CF) were used with a vaporizer setting of 2%. Vapour concentrations were recorded at 5-min intervals. In series 1 IPPV experiments, the DDV vaporizer was more accurate, producing significantly fewer vapour concentrations 0.5% more than or less than setting (p = 0.013). The OMV tended to produce more favourable results under continuous flow (p = 0.42). In series 2 experiments, the accuracy of both vaporizers was similar but consistency of output over time was better for the DDV and consistency of output according to differences in ambient temperature was better for the DDV. The OMV produced more vapour concentrations that were markedly higher than dial setting, particularly at high ambient temperatures. The DDV is a suitable alternative to the OMV with some distinct advantages. These include a larger reservoir, tendency towards greater accuracy during IPPV and improved consistency of output. [source] Comparison of fibreoptic-guided intubation through ILMA versus intubation through LMA-CTrach,ANAESTHESIA, Issue 7 2008S. Sreevathsa Summary We compared the time taken to intubate the trachea of a manikin by fibreoptic-guided intubation through an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA-FOS) with intubation through a laryngeal mask airway CTrach (LMA-CTrach). Forty-two anaesthetists participated in this randomised crossover study. Although the insertion time was similar, the time taken to intubate the trachea was significantly shorter with the LMA-CTrach as compared with the ILMA-FOS, with a mean time (SD) for ILMA-FOS and CTrach 84 (32) and 53 (21) s, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the total time between the two techniques was 31 s, with a 95% confidence interval of 22 to 39 s. Thirty (71%) anaesthetists preferred LMA-CTrach as compared with ILMA-FOS (p = 0.008). We conclude that LMA-CTrach is a suitable alternative to fibreoptic-guided intubation through ILMA for the management of unanticipated failed intubation. [source] Probiotics for shrimp larviculture: review of field data from Asia and Latin AmericaAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008Olivier Decamp Abstract Disease problems have emerged as major constraints in aquaculture production. The prophylactic application of antibiotics is expensive and detrimental, i.e. selection of bacteria that are drug-resistant or more virulent and the prevalence of drug residues in reared animals. Probiotics, which compete with bacterial pathogens for nutrients and/or inhibit the growth of pathogens, could be a valid alternative to the prophylactic application of chemicals. A mixture of specific Bacillus strains was designed following a research programme on the ability of numerous Bacillus strains to inhibit a range of pathogenic Vibrio strains, to grow under conditions prevailing in shrimp hatcheries and to degrade waste products. These strains were then included in bioassays and challenge tests in order to confirm the lack of toxin production and pathogenicity to humans, target organisms and the environment. Here, we report on the performance of a commercially available mixture of Bacillus strains (SANOLIFE® MIC), using data from Asian and Latin-American hatcheries, with Penaeus monodon (Fabricius 1798) and Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone 1931). These results show that probiotics may be a suitable alternative to the prophylactic use of antibiotics. Obviously, minimizing the risk of vibriosis demands a multi-disciplinary approach, including good hygiene and sanitation measures to reduce the input of potential pathogens, as well as a suitable farm management. [source] Nonrenal disease activity following mycophenolate mofetil or intravenous cyclophosphamide as induction treatment for lupus nephritis: Findings in a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel-group clinical trial,ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 1 2010Ellen M. Ginzler Objective To assess the effect of mycophenolate mofetil compared with intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide on the nonrenal manifestations of lupus nephritis. Methods Patients with active lupus nephritis (renal biopsy class III, IV, or V) were recruited for the study (n = 370) and treated with mycophenolate mofetil (target dosage 3 gm/day) or intravenous cyclophosphamide (0.5,1.0 gm/m2/month), plus tapered prednisone, for 24 weeks. Nonrenal outcomes were determined using measures of whole body disease activity, including the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) disease activity index, the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus: National Assessment (SELENA) version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and immunologic variables. Results Both treatments were effective on whole body disease activity in the systems examined, as indicated by changes in the classic BILAG index. With either treatment, remission was induced, notably in the mucocutaneous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular/respiratory, and vasculitis systems, and flares were rare, as measured by the SELENA,SLEDAI. Levels of complement C3, C4, and CH50 and titers of anti,double-stranded DNA antibodies were normalized after treatment with either mycophenolate mofetil or intravenous cyclophosphamide. Conclusion In addition to the efficacy of both treatments on the renal system, this analysis showed that remission could also be induced in other systems. There was no clear difference in efficacy between mycophenolate mofetil and intravenous cyclophosphamide in ameliorating either the renal or nonrenal manifestations. Mycophenolate mofetil is, therefore, a suitable alternative to cyclophosphamide for the treatment of renal and nonrenal disease manifestations in patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis. [source] Recovering Ga(III) from coordination complexes using pyridine 2,6-dicarboxylic acid chelation ion chromatographyBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 9 2010K. Staff Abstract Ion exchange chelation chromatography is an effective means to extract metals from coordination complexes and biological samples; however there is a lack of data to verify the nature of metal complexes that can be successfully analysed using such a procedure. The aim of this study was to assess the capability of pyridine 2,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDCA) to extract and quantify Ga(III) from a range of environments using standard liquid chromatography apparatus. The PDCA chelation method generated a single Ga(III) peak with a retention time of 2.55 ± 0.02 min, a precision of <2% and a limit of detection of 110 ,M. Ga(III) hydroxide complexes (highest stability constant 15.66) were used to successfully cross-validate the chelation method with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The PDCA assay extracted 96.9 ± 1.2% of the spiked Ga(III) from porcine mucus and 100.7 ± 2.7% from a citrate complex (stability constant 10.02), but only ca 50% from an EDTA complex (stability constant 22.01). These data suggest that PDCA chelation can be considered a suitable alternative to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for Ga(III) quantification from all but the most strongly bound coordinated complexes i.e. a stability constant of <15. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of midazolam in children with severe malaria and convulsionsBRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Simon N. Muchohi WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT , Midazolam (MDZ), a water-soluble benzodiazepine, can be administered via several routes, including intravenously (IV), intramuscularly (IM) and buccal routes to terminate convulsions. It may be a suitable alternative to diazepam to stop convulsions in children with severe malaria, especially at peripheral healthcare facilities. The pharmacokinetics of MDZ have not been described in African children, in whom factors such as the aetiology and nutritional status may influence the pharmacokinetics. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS , Administration of MDZ (IV, IM, or buccal) at the currently recommended dose (0.3 mg kg,1) resulted in rapid achievement of median maximum plasma concentrations of MDZ within the range 64,616 ng ml,1, with few clinically significant cardio-respiratory effects. A single dose of MDZ rapidly terminated (within 10 min) seizures in all (100%), 9/12 (75%) and 5/8 (63%) children following IV, IM and buccal administration, respectively. Although IM and buccal MDZ may be the preferred treatment for children in the pre-hospital settings the efficacy appears to be poorer. AIM To investigate the pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and buccal midazolam (MDZ) in children with severe falciparum malaria and convulsions. METHODS Thirty-three children with severe malaria and convulsions lasting ,5 min were given a single dose of MDZ (0.3 mg kg,1) IV (n = 13), IM (n = 12) or via the buccal route (n = 8). Blood samples were collected over 6 h post-dose for determination of plasma MDZ and 1,-hydroxymidazolam concentrations. Plasma concentration,time data were fitted using pharmacokinetic models. RESULTS Median (range) MDZ Cmax of 481 (258,616), 253 (96,696) and 186 (64,394) ng ml,1 were attained within a median (range) tmax of 10 (5,15), 15 (5,60) and 10 (5,40) min, following IV, IM and buccal administration, respectively. Mean (95% confidence interval) of the pharmacokinetic parameters were: AUC(0,,) 596 (327, 865), 608 (353, 864) and 518 (294, 741) ng ml,1 h; Vd 0.85 l kg,1; clearance 14.4 ml min,1 kg,1, elimination half-life 1.22 (0.65, 1.8) h, respectively. A single dose of MDZ terminated convulsions in all (100%), 9/12 (75%) and 5/8 (63%) children following IV, IM and buccal administration. Four children (one in the IV, one in the IM and two in the buccal groups) had respiratory depression. CONCLUSIONS Administration of MDZ at the currently recommended dose resulted in rapid achievement of therapeutic MDZ concentrations. Although IM and buccal administration of MDZ may be more practical in peripheral healthcare facilities, the efficacy appears to be poorer at the dose used, and a different dosage regimen might improve the efficacy. [source] Impact of angioplasty on infrainguinal bypass for critical ischaemia of the legBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 4 2001D. Evoy Background: Both angioplasty and infrainguinal bypass procedures may be used to achieve limb salvage in patients with critical ischaemia. The authors investigated the effect of the introduction of angioplasty on the frequency with which infrainguinal bypass was performed and, second, the changes in outcome of infrainguinal bypass following the introduction of angioplasty. Methods: All patients had critical ischaemia of the leg. Three patient groups were studied: 215 patients undergoing infrainguinal bypass before the introduction of angioplasty (1986,1991), 216 patients who had infrainguinal bypass after the introduction of angioplasty (1993,1998) and 193 patients undergoing angioplasty in the same 5-year interval (1993,1998). Results: The age and risk profile of the three groups was identical. The overall caseload increased by 19 per cent following the introduction of angioplasty. Primary and secondary patency rates were superior for bypass compared with angioplasty, but were similar for the two bypass groups (5-year primary patency rate 60 per cent versus 18-month primary patency rate 45 per cent; 5-year secondary patency rate 80 per cent versus 18-month secondary patency rate 60 per cent). By 18 months 26 per cent of patients having angioplasty had gone on to have bypass. The limb salvage rate of 90 per cent at 1 year was similar for all groups. Survival was significantly higher in the group of patients undergoing bypass from 1993 to 1998 compared with the other two groups (80 versus 60 per cent; P < 0·0002). Conclusion: The introduction of angioplasty has increased overall workload. Angioplasty has a lower patency rate than bypass but a comparable limb salvage rate, making it a suitable alternative to bypass in the management of patients with critical ischaemia. © 2001 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd [source] An evaluation of the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BOTOX) when used to produce a protective ptosisCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL OPHTHALMOLOGY, Issue 6 2001Mark F Ellis FRACO ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BOTOX, Allergan) when used to produce a protective ptosis in patients where a surgical tarsorrhaphy would otherwise be required. Methods: A total of 21 patients entered into the study. Doses of 2.5 and 5.0 units of BOTOX were injected into the levator palpebrae superioris muscle through the eyelid. The patients were followed daily where practical until a ptosis developed and then monitored 1,2 weekly until the ptosis was resolved. Injections were repeated, if necessary, until the underlying condition had healed. Results: Ptosis took an average ± SE of 4.0 ± 0.5 days to develop (range 2,8 days). Duration of ptosis was an average ± SE of 46.0 ± 12.1 days (range 1,206 days). The effective dosage was 5 units of BOTOX in 0.1 mL. In 16 patients, the ptosis produced by BOTOX was sufficient to allow the underlying disease to heal and a surgical tarsorrhaphy was avoided. One patient required a surgical tarsorrhaphy and three patients required other surgical intervention to correct the underlying condition. One patient was lost to follow up. Diplopia was seen in five patients but resolved in all cases. Conclusions: BOTOX was a suitable alternative to a surgical tarsorrhaphy. [source] Determination of skin irritation potential in the human 4-h patch testCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 1 2004David A. Basketter Recently adopted legislation in Europe has increased the focus that must be placed on the development of in vitro alternatives to the traditional toxicology tests employed to identify the human health hazards associated with chemicals. Included in these is the rabbit skin-irritation test which is used to discriminate those substances which possess significant acute skin irritation potential from those which are of more limited irritation potential. So far, the considerable efforts to replace this assay with in vitro alternatives have not been successful, which may in part be due to the relatively poor quality of the existing in vivo dataset. To help address this problem, we have elected to present our complete database of information on the skin irritation potential of some 65 substances, all of which have been tested in a standard human 4-h patch test. These provide a high quality dataset, generated in man (the goal of toxicologists' health protection-related activities). The data are presented in the context of results with a concurrent positive skin irritation control to ensure that results from individual experiments can be correlated. Consequently, in vitro or in silico alternatives which can identify the significant acute human skin irritants in this group may well represent suitable alternatives to the rabbit. [source] On the efficiency of PGPS-based packet and cell switching technologies for traffic with guaranteed delayEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 4 2003Fulvio Risso Circuit switching, suited to providing real-time services due to the low and fixed switching delay, is not cost effective for building integrated services networks because it is based on static allocation of resources which is not efficient with bursty data traffic. Moreover it cannot handle flows that are not integer multiple of 64,Kb/s, preventing the usage of low bit rate codecs. This work explores the most suitable alternatives to the circuit switching technology (i.e. packet/cell switching) from the efficiency point of view, assuming that a PGPS scheduler is deployed in the network nodes. The paper defines an index to measure the efficiency of packet telephony, i.e. the volume of real-time traffic with deterministically guaranteed quality plus the amount of data carried related to the amount of network resources used. Furthermore it determines the maximum efficiency obtainable by packet networks, compares different network technologies and explores the problems of the deploying of low bit-rate codecs. Copyright © 2003 AEI. [source] Treatment of late-stage Sézary syndrome with 2-ChlorodeoxyadenosineINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2002Saskia A. Bouwhuis MD Background, 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), a purine adenosine analog, is safe and effective chemotherapy for patients with hairy cell leukemia and low-grade lymphomas. Adverse effects include neutropenia, lymphocytopenia, and infectious complications. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of 2-CdA (2,6 seven-day cycles) in the treatment of late-stage, recalcitrant Sézary syndrome. Methods, Retrospective review of medical records of six patients with Sézary syndrome who had received 2-CdA cycles at Mayo Clinic, Rochester between March 1995 and March 2000. Variables assessed from the records included improvement in global appearance, extent of erythroderma, size of lymph nodes, pruritus, and leukocyte, lymphocyte, and absolute Sézary cell counts. Results, Two patients, both with stage III Sézary syndrome, whose previous treatment consisted of only two modalities, responded well to the treatment, with moderate to total clearing of erythroderma and pruritus associated with a significant decrease in Sézary cell counts. The other four patients had only a partial response (one patient) or no response (three patients) to 2-CdA. The mortality rate was 50%. All three patients died of Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. However, only one patient was receiving 2-CdA treatment when he died. The other two patients died 8 and 9 weeks after the last 2-CdA cycle. This high mortality rate is attributed to infectious complications after 2-CdA treatment in patients with recalcitrant disease. Conclusion, 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine shows efficacy in stage III Sézary syndrome, but it also carries a substantial risk of septic complications and mortality. It can be used if no other suitable alternatives are available. Caution should be exercised in all these patients regarding skin care and avoidance of infections or sepsis. [source] The Moderating Effect of Situation Strength on the Relationship Between Personality and Provision of Effort,JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 8 2005Michael J. Withey In this research, we examine whether effort-allocation decisions are influenced by the strength of the situation, the personality characteristics of the people involved, and the interaction between these factors. Two role-playing scenarios were created using contextual information (e.g., availability of suitable alternatives) that varied in situation strength. We measured the Big Five personality factors (emotional stability, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) of 418 students prior to the role-playing task and assessed effort-provision decisions after they were exposed to one of the role-playing scenarios. As predicted, our results showed that the effect of personality on provision of effort depended on the strength of the situation. The implications for personality research are discussed. [source] Correlation between the procedure for antifungal susceptibility testing for Candida spp. of the European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and four commercial techniquesCLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 6 2005M. Cuenca-Estrella Abstract The correlation between results obtained with the European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) antifungal susceptibility testing procedure (document 7.1) and four commercial systems was evaluated for a collection of 93 clinical isolates of Candida spp. Overall, agreement between the EUCAST procedure and the Sensititre YeastOne and Etest methods was 75% and 90.4%, respectively. The correlation indices (p < 0.01) between the EUCAST and commercial methods were 0.92 for Sensititre YeastOne, 0.89 for Etest, ,,0.90 for Neo-Sensitabs, and 0.95 for Fungitest. Amphotericin B MICs obtained by Sensititre YeastOne were consistently higher than with the EUCAST method and, although very major errors were not observed, 91% of MICs were misclassified. Amphotericin B- and fluconazole-resistant isolates were identified correctly with Sensititre YeastOne, Etest and Fungitest. Neo-Sensitabs identified amphotericin B-resistant isolates, but misclassified >,5% of fluconazole-resistant isolates as susceptible. The commercial methods, particularly Etest and Fungitest, appeared to be suitable alternatives to the EUCAST procedure for antifungal susceptibility testing of clinical isolates of Candida. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||