Disposition of the naturally occurring antimutagenic plant phenol, ellagic acid, and its synthetic derivatives, 3-O-decylellagic acid and 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid in mice

The effect of ellagic acid and some of its more lipophilk derivativeson the mutagenicity of (? )-7ß, 8-di-hydroxy-9 10-epoxy-7,8, 910-etrahydrobenz[a]pyrene was examined in Salmonella typhimuriumTA100. Ellagic acid, 3, 3' -di-O-methylellagic add, 4, 4' -di-O-methylellagicacid and 3-O-decyiellagic acid were found to have approximatelyequal antimutagenic activity. The tissue distribution and eliminationof ellagic add, 3, 3' -di-O-methyleCagic add and 3-O-decylellagicacid were examined in CD-I mice. Little or no ellagic acid (<1 nmol/g) was found in blood, lung or liver after the oral administrationby gavage of 300 µunol of ellagic acid per kg body weightor after feeding 1% of ellagic acid in the diet for 1 week.Following the i.p. administration of 120 µmol/kg of ellagicacid, the blood and lung levels of ellagic acid were 15–20nmol/g at 30 min after the dose, and the concentrations of ellagicacid decreased to 1–3 nmol/g at 6–8 h after thedose. A portion of the administered i.p. dose precipitated inthe abdominal cavity. After i.v. administration, ellagic acidwas eliminated very rapidly from blood, lung and liver, and 70% of the administered dose was recovered in the urine andfeces as free ellagic acid and its conjugates. At 2 h afteran i.v. injection of 60 µ/kg of ellagic add, 46% of thedose was recovered in the urine as ellagic acid and its conjugates.Of this amount, about half was excreted as free ellagic acidand half was excreted as conjugates. An additional 25% of thedose was recovered in the feces (mostly as free ellagic acid)after 7 h. The disposition of 3, 3' -di-O-methylelIagic acidor 3–O-decyIellagic acid after i.v. administration (32µmol;sol;kg) was examined and compared to the dispositionof the same i.v. dose of ellagic acid. The concentrations ofellagic acid, 3,3' -di-O-methylellagic acid and 3-O-decytellagicadd decreased rapidly in the blood, liver and lung, but theconcentrations of 3-O-decylellagic add in the lung throughoutthe experimental period (2–360 min) was on average 20-to 40-fold higher than the corresponding average concentrationsof ellagic acid or 3, 3' -di-O-methylellagic acid.     

Ruthenium nitrosyl complexes: Toxicity toEscherichia coli and yeasts and uptake by marine bacteria

The toxicity and possible accumulation of ruthenium nitrosyl complexes by marine bacteria and test organisms have been studied, A range of these complexes show no toxic effects towardsEscherichia coli K12 at concentrations of mM and below. Yeasts are more sensitive, showing effects on growth at 10 M. The ruthenium nitrosyl complexes tested are unable to permeate the cytoplasmic membrane ofE. coli. This may account for their lack of toxicity. However, these compounds did not have significant inhibitory effects on Mg²⁺-ATPase activity in cell-extracts, I₅₀ values lying in the range 2 to 125 mol(mg protein)^–1. Marine bacteria are capable of taking up ruthenium complexes from simulated effluent, but this cannot be demonstrated in the presence of sediment which competes effectively for binding of complexes. There is minimal likelihood of concentration of ruthenium compounds from effluents by marine bacteria.     

Radiology of postnatal skeletal development

The development of the second cervical vertebra is complex. The dens (odontoid process) develops two primary ossification centers that usually coalesce within three months following birth. These centers are separated from the primary ossification center of the vertebral centrum by a cartilaginous region—the dentocentral synchondrosis. This synchondrosis is a slow growing, bipolar physis similar to the triradiate catilage of the acetabulum. It contributes to the overall heights of both the dens as well as the vertebral body. Anatomically the dentocentral synchondrosis is below the level of the C1–C2 articulations. This cartilaginous structure is continuous throughout the vertebral body with similar cartilage in both the facet regions as well as the neurocentral synchondroses. These various carulaginous continuities progressively close—first, the connections to the facet regions, next the neurocentral synchondroses, and finally the dentocentral synchondrosis. Remnants of the incompletely closed dentocentral synchondrosis must be distinguished from a fracture, which usually propagates along this structure as a physeal injury in infants and children. The cartilaginous epiphysis at the tip of the dens may be transverse or may form a cleft (V) shape. At eight to ten years, a secondary ossification center—the ossiculum terminale—develops in this proximal dens epiphysis. Fusion of the ossiculum terminale with the rest of the dens occurs between ten and thirteen years.     

Increased cancericidal activity of PTT.119; a new synthetic bis-(2-chloroethyl)amino-l-phenylalanine derivative with carrier amino acids

Summary A new synthetic tripeptide (p-F-Phe-m-bis-(2-chloroethyl)amino-Phe-Met ethoxy HCl), PTT.119, was demonstrated to have significant cancericidal activity against seven in vitro tumor cell lines of different origins and etiologies and against primary human AMML, ALL, and hairy cell leukemias. Viabilities of each murine tumor and rabbit, marmoset, and human leukemia and lymphoma line were significantly reduced by treatment with 1–50 g PTT.119 in media containing serum. Continuous 24-h exposure or pulse treatment as short as 15 and 30 min with the tripeptide resulted in irreversible damage to the tumor cells. Under identical treatment conditions, freshly isolated human leukemic cells, particularly ALL lymphoblasts, were even more susceptible to PTT.119 than any of the tested tumor cell models.Examination of the parameters of PTT.119 activity revealed that reductions of tumor cell survival were dependent on the concentration of the tripeptide. Prolongation of PTT.119 exposure from 15 min to 24 h increased the rates of tumor cell death but did not proportionally reduce the numbers of surviving cells. Assessment of tumor cell viabilities for 5 consecutive days following pulse exposure to PTT.119 demonstrated increasing reductions in tumor cell survival, which were greatest 5 days after treatment with the tripeptide.The cancericidal activity of PTT.119 was compared with its three parental components either as individual agents or as a mixture. Both the alkylator moiety, m-sarcolysin (m.L.SL) alone or together with p-fluoro-phenylalanine and l-methionine ethoxy HCl, and l-PAM (l-phenylalanine mustard), the p-isomer of m.L.SL, were 1.5- to 3-fold less cytotoxic to L1210 leukemia and MJY-alpha mammary tumor cells than PTT.119. Covalent linkage of the amino acid residues to m.L.SL yielded a molecule with greatly augmented cancericidal activity capable of acting against a broad spectrum of tumor cells.     

Application of validated mapping algorithms between generic PedsQL scores and utility values to individuals with sickle cell disease

Quality of Life Research - There is a paucity of empirically estimated health state utility (HSU) values to estimate health-related quality of life among individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD)....     

Evaluating the Impact of a Novel Peer-to-Peer Educational Modality on Knowledge and Attitudes About Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Maternal and Child Health Journal - This study assessed whether the use of a peer-to-peer educational book, written and illustrated by women who experienced common mental disorders (CMDs) in the...     

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Infant Feeding Practices at Hospital Discharge: Findings from the Born in Queensland Study

Maternal and Child Health Journal - This study aims to explore association between maternal depressive symptoms and infant feeding practice at hospital discharge. Data were obtained from a birth...     

The implementation of an infection control bundle within a Total Care Burns Unit

AimTo evaluate the impact of the implementation of a best practice infection prevention and control bundle on healthcare associated burn wound infections in a paediatric burns unit.BackgroundBurn patients are vulnerable to infection. For this patient population, infection is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, thereby representing a significant challenge for burns clinicians who care for them.MethodsAn interrupted time series was used to compare healthcare associated burn wound infections in paediatric burn patients before and after implementation of an infection prevention and control bundle. Prospective surveillance of healthcare associated burn wound infections was conducted from 2012 to 2014. Other potential healthcare associated infection rates were also reviewed over the study period, including urinary tract infections, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infections and sepsis. An infection prevention and control bundle developed in collaboration between the paediatric burn unit and infection control clinicians was implemented in 2013 in addition to previous standard practice.ResultsDuring the study period a total of 626 patients were admitted to the paediatric burns unit. Healthcare associated burn wound infections reduced from 34 in 2012 to 0 in 2014 following the implementation of the infection prevention and control bundle. Pneumonia and sepsis also reduced to 0 in 2013 and 2014, however one upper respiratory tract infection occurred in 2013 and urinary tract infections persisted in 2013.ConclusionThe implementation of an infection prevention and control bundle was effective in reducing healthcare associated burn wound infections, pneumonia and sepsis within our paediatric burns unit. Urinary tract infections remain a challenge for future improvement.