Comparative study of some haematological parameters of two wildChaetophractus villosus (mammalia, dasypodidae) populations

The study of haematological parameters of a species is of great interest both for the comprehension of its biological characteristics in general and its physiological adaptations in particular. In this work, we studied haematological parameters of two wild populations of armadilloChaetophractus villosus (population I,n=25 and population II,n=30). The animals came from a range of 150 km to the north west of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Blood samples were obtained from anaesthetised animals by cardiac puncture, between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Blood was collected in EDTA and processed for haematological screen by routine techniques. Erythrocyte parameters (total erythrocytes, haematocrit, haemoglobin, erythrocyte indices and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and leucocyte parameters (total leucocytes and percentage composition) were studied. Population I had higher values for erythrocytes, haematocrit and haemoglobin than population II. With the exception of eosinophils (p>0.05), no differences were found between populations of erythrocyte indices, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total leucocytes and leucocyte percentage composition. The sample of population II featured a greater number of young animals than population I, age may therefore partially account for the differences. These results may also be influenced by a higher loading of parasites observed in population II.     

The Glasgow antipsychotic side-effects scale for clozapine in inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder

Background: The inconsistency in clinician and patient ratings of clozapine-induced side effects underscore the need to supplement clinician-based estimates of side effects with patient-reported ones.

Aims: The main aims of the study are validation of the Glasgow antipsychotic side-effects scale for clozapine (GASS-C) in Serbian inpatients/outpatients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder and recommendations for its future use, based on common and rare clozapine-associated side-effects.

Methods: The GASS-C was administered to 95 outpatients/inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or chronic psychotic disorder.

Results: The scale showed good overall reliability, with an internal consistency coefficient of α?=?0.84, an average retest coefficient of rho?=?0.76, and a Spearman–Brown coefficient of validity of 0.81. Side effects were absent or mild in 64.2% of the patients, moderate in 31.6%, severe in 4.2%; 14% of the subjects considered their symptoms distressing. The most commonly reported side-effects were drowsiness, thirst, frequent urination, and dry mouth. Women reported more side effects than men, and patients not in a relationship reported significantly fewer side effects than patients in a relationship. Results indicate a weak positive correlation (rho?=?0.231; p?=?.025) between severity of side effects and clozapine dose.

Conclusions: The GASS-C showed good psychometric characteristics in clinical population of patients on clozapine. In future studies, clozapine serum concentrations should be measured when using the GASS-C to monitor side effects.     

Discovery of 4′′-Ether Linked Azithromycin-Quinolone Hybrid Series: Influence of the Central Linker on the Antibacterial Activity

相似文献   

Nasal dermal sinus cysts with intracranial extension in a child mosaic for a supernumerary ring chromosome 20

Nasal dermal sinus cysts are congenital malformations that result from anomalous embryological development and are not prescribed to any specific genetic defect. The occurrence of a supernumerary ring 20 that causes a partial trisomy 20 mosaicism is a rare chromosome abnormality and no common phenotype has been described yet. We present a unique case of a 3.5-year-old child with a supernumerary ring chromosome 20 mosaicism associated with nasal dermoid with intracranial extension. It is possible that this genetic defect contribute to embryonic developmental errors of the frontonasal region. The clinical presentation, surgical treatment, and literature review of this case are discussed.     

Kinetic and mechanistic study of methanol oxidation on a Pt(100) surface in alkaline media1

A comparative study of methanol oxidation on a Pt(100) surface was carried out in bicarbonate, carbonate and different pH values of sodium hydroxide solutions. It was shown that Pt(100) adsorbs OH and `poisoning species'. The surface activity was directly correlated to the OH<sub>ad</sub> species coverage. The `poisoning species', produced in methanol oxidation, participate in the reaction at higher potentials, but block the surface partially at lower potentials. A dual path reaction mechanism, common to all the alkaline solutions used, was proposed based on the assumptions that HCO is a reactive intermediate and that a formate is a reaction product in the main path, while CO₂ is a product of `poisoning species' oxidation in a parallel reaction path.     

Reliability of a Photographic Method for Assessing Standing Posture of Elementary School Students

ObjectiveA high prevalence of poor standing posture among elementary schoolchildren indicates the need for the introduction of school-based interventions for improvement of postural alignments. For assessing the effect of intervention programs, reliable quantitative measures of standing posture should be used. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of a photographic method for assessment of standing posture among elementary schoolchildren.MethodsThe study was conducted on a convenience sample of 273 male students between 10 and 13 years old. Each subject was photographed in habitual standing posture, 3 times in a front view and 3 times in a side view. Deviations from ideal postural alignment were calculated with Posture Image Analyzer software and UTHSCSA ImageTool software. Interitem reliability was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient.ResultsIntraclass correlation coefficients for posture deviations assessed with Posture Image Analyzer ranged from 0.81 for knee joints deviation and ankle joints deviation in the coronal plane to 0.92 for trunk deviation and knee joints deviation in the sagittal plane. Intraclass correlation coefficients for posture deviations assessed with UTHSCSA ImageTool ranged from 0.80 for knee joints deviation in the coronal plane to 0.91 for trunk deviation and knee joints deviation in the sagittal plane.ConclusionsThis study showed a satisfactory interitem reliability of a photographic method for the assessment of standing posture among elementary schoolchildren.     

Injecting drug use as risk factor for visceral leishmaniasis in AIDS patients

In Madrid Region 6652 AIDS cases were diagnosed between 1982 and 1993. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was present in 166 (2.49%). VL frequency among injecting drug users proved higher than that for the other transmission categories (relative risk 2.57; 95% confidence interval 1.64–4.01). This could point to an alternative Leishmania transmission route via needle sharing.     

Dodecyl Amino Glucoside Enhances Transdermal and Topical Drug Delivery via Reversible Interaction with Skin Barrier Lipids

Purpose

Skin permeation/penetration enhancers are substances that enable drug delivery through or into the skin.

Methods

To search for new enhancers with high but reversible activity and acceptable toxicity, we synthesized a series of d-glucose derivatives, both hydrophilic and amphiphilic.

Results

Initial evaluation of the ability of these sugar derivatives to increase permeation and penetration of theophylline through/into human skin compared with a control (no enhancer) or sorbitan monolaurate (Span 20; positive control) revealed dodecyl 6-amino-6-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside 5 as a promising enhancer. Furthermore, this amino sugar 5 increased epidermal concentration of a highly hydrophilic antiviral cidofovir by a factor of 7. The effect of compound 5 on skin electrical impedance suggested its direct interaction with the skin barrier. Infrared spectroscopy of isolated stratum corneum revealed no effect of enhancer 5 on the stratum corneum proteins but an overall decrease in the lipid chain order. The enhancer showed acceptable toxicity on HaCaT keratinocyte and 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. Finally, transepidermal water loss returned to baseline values after enhancer 5 had been removed from the skin.

Conclusions

Compound 5, a dodecyl amino glucoside, is a promising enhancer that acts through a reversible interaction with the stratum corneum lipids.

     

Reactivity of 9‐aminoacridine drug quinacrine with glutathione limits its antiprion activity

Quinacrine—the drug based on 9‐aminoacridine—failed in clinical trials for prion diseases, whereas it was active in in vitro studies. We hypothesize that aromatic nucleophilic substitution at C9 could be contributing factor responsible for this failure because of the transfer of acridine moiety from quinacrine to abundant glutathione. Here, we described the semi‐large‐scale synthesis of the acridinylated glutathione and the consequences of its formation on biological and biophysical activities. The acridinylated glutathione is one order of magnitude weaker prion protein binder than the parent quinacrine. Moreover, according to log D_{pH 7.4}, the glutathione conjugate is two orders of magnitude more hydrophilic than quinacrine. Its higher hydrophilicity and higher dsDNA binding potency will significantly decrease its bioavailability in membrane‐like environment. The glutathione deactivates quinacrine not only directly but also decreases its bioavailability. Furthermore, the conjugate can spontaneously decompose to practically insoluble acridone, which is precipitated out from the living systems.