Voltammetric determination of the iodide ion with a quinine copper(II) complex modified carbon paste electrode

A Cu(Qui)(NO₃)₂ modified-carbon paste electrode (where Qui is quinine) was constructed by incorporating Cu(Qui)(NO₃)₂ into a carbon-paste composed of graphite powder and Nujol. The modification with Cu(Qui)(NO₃)₂ resulted in a deposit of iodide ions on the electrode surface through a ligand exchange reaction. This exchange reaction was completed within 20 ms in a CHCl₃+CH₃OH solution. The rate constant, k⁰, of the ion exchange reaction was determined to be 27 s^?1 by the stopped flow spectroscopic method. The anodic peak of the pre-deposited iodide ion on the electrode surface was observed at +0.54 V in a cyclic voltammogram. Various experimental parameters such as pH, deposition time, temperature, and electrode composition were optimized to analyze the iodide ion employing linear sweep and differential pulse voltammetry. With the exception of thiosulfate ions, inorganic anions did not interfere with the determination of the iodide ion. Using linear sweep voltammetry, a calibration curve was attained over the concentration ranges of the iodide ion from 1.0×10^?4–2.5×10^?6 M at the deposition time of 10 min, with the detection limit determined as 1.0×10^?6 M. Using differential pulse voltammetry, the logarithmic linear response range for the iodide ion was between 10^?6 and 10^?8 M, and the detection limit was 1.0×10^?8 M. This method was evaluated by analyzing the iodide ion content in a commercial disinfectant.     

Association between physical activity and metabolic syndrome in older adults in Korea: Analysis of data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is consistently increasing among Korean adults and is reported to be particularly high among older adults in Korea. This paper reports the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and identifies the association between metabolic syndrome and physical activity in Korean older adults. Subjects of this study were 3653 older adults who participated in the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during the years 2007–2009. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the study population was 46.84%. The prevalences of abdominal obesity, elevated fasting glucose, elevated triglycerides, reduced high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure were 39.51, 45.53, 39.55, 48.24, and 69.14%, respectively, in the study population. Compared to subjects who reported low levels of physical activity, the odds ratios of metabolic syndrome for those who were moderately active and highly active were 0.93 and 0.63, respectively. Nurses should develop metabolic syndrome management programs that are tailored to the needs of the targeted group and that include individually adapted physical activity programs to promote health.     

Ocular hypotensive effects of topically administered agmatine in a chronic ocular hypertensive rat model

Agmatine, a primary polyamine and potential neuromodulator, exhibits a high affinity to the α₂-adrenergic receptor as well as imidazoline receptors. As α₂-adrenergic receptor agonists display positive ocular hypotensive effects, we assessed whether agmatine effectively lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) using a chronic ocular hypertensive rat model. We raised IOP in unilateral eyes of Sprague-Dawley rats by cauterizing three episcleral veins per eye. Four weeks later, we topically administered 10⁻³ M agmatine solution 4 times a day for 6 consecutive weeks. After confirming the recovery of IOP to pretreatment level at 13 weeks after cauterization, the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were retrogradely labeled and counted. Eyes subjected to episcleral vein cauterization (EVC) demonstrated significant increases in IOP (48.39% increase over baseline IOP), and the elevated IOP was well maintained until 12 weeks. Topically administered agmatine powerfully lowered IOP to 30.29% of its pretreatment level, and the associated washout period was about two weeks. EVC was associated with a 55.44% loss of RGCs in the control group, but agmatine appeared to attenuate this RGC loss to 18.65%. Overall, topically administered agmatine appeared to effectively lower IOP and rescue RGCs in a chronic ocular hypertensive rat model. Although the mechanism underlying these effects is not yet established, it is possible that agmatine offers a powerful new ocular hypotensive agent for eyes with chronic ocular hypertension and/or glaucoma.     

A polymeric micellar carrier for the solubilization of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate

A polymeric micelle drug delivery system was developed to enhance the solubility of poorly-water soluble drug, biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate, DDB. The block copolymers consisting of poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) as the hydrophobic segment and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) as the hydrophilic segment were synthesized and characterized by NMR, DSC and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. The size of the polymeric micelles measured by dynamic light scattering showed a narrow monodisperse size distribution with the average diameter less than 50 nm. The MW of mPEG-PLA, 3000 (MW of mPEG, 2 K; MW of PLA, 1 K), and the presence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments on the polymeric micelles were confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy and NMR, respectively. Polymeric micelle solutions of DDB were prepared by three different methods, i.e. the matrix method, emulsion method and dialy-sis method. In the matrix method, DDB solubility was reached to 13.29 mg/mL. The mPEG-PLA 2K-1 K micelle system was compared with the poloxamer 407 micelle system for their critical micelle concentration, micelle size, solubilizing capacity, stability in dilution and physical state. DDB loaded-polymeric micelles prepared by the matrix method showed a significantly increased aqueous solubility (>5000 fold over intrinsic solubility) and were found to be superior to the poloxamer 407 micelles as a drug carrier.     

Enhanced specificity of the p53 family proteins-based adenoviral gene therapy in uterine cervical cancer cells with E2F1-responsive promoters

p63 and p73, the p53 family proteins, are similar to p53 in many aspects: structural homology, transactivation of p53-downstream genes, and induction of apoptosis. Interestingly, they also differ from p53; in particular, they are not inhibited by viral oncoproteins such as HPV E6. This feature would be an advantage over p53 in HPV-associated cancers and therefore, we evaluated the therapeutic potentials of various p53 family proteins (p73alpha, p73beta, p63alpha and p63gamma) against HPV-infected cervical cancers. In clonogenic assay, exogenous expression of p73alpha, p73beta and p63gamma inhibited the colony formation of HPV-positive cervical cancer cells under G418- selection while p53 could not. Recombinant adenoviruses Ad/CMVp73alpha, Ad/CMVp73beta and Ad/CMVp63gamma induced potent apoptosis in all infected cervical cancers (CasKi, SiHa, HeLa, C33A, SNU682, SNU17, SNU1005, SNU703), irrespective of their HPV-infection status. Unfortunately however, Ad/CMVp73alpha, Ad/CMVp73beta, and Ad/CMVp63gamma inhibited also normal cells such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes thus, tumorspecific promoter was indispensable to the p53 family proteins-based therapy. Here we report a stringent tumor killing by p73beta in combination with ESM6, a synthetic promoter targeting the DNA tumor virusassociated cancers. Recombinant adenoviruses encoding p73beta by ESM6 (Ad/ESM6p73beta and Ad/ESM6p73bENH) expressed p73beta and induced apoptosis only in the cancer cells but not in normal cells. Collectively, we suggest that the p53 family proteins are potent therapeutic agents for HPV-associated uterine cervical cancers and ESM6 mediated expression of the p53 family proteins would be a safe and strong tumor targeting strategy.     

A case of double depressor palsy followed by pursuit deficit due to sequential infarction in bilateral thalamus and right medial superior temporal area

Background

We present a unique case of a patient who suffered two rare events affecting the supranuclear control, first of the vertical and second of the horizontal eye movements. The first event involved bilateral thalamic infarcts that resulted in double depressor palsy. The second event occurred 1 year later and it involved supranuclear control of horizontal eye movements creating pursuit deficit.

Case presentation

A 47-year-old male presented with complaints of diplopia upon awakening. He had atrial fibrillation, mitral valve regurgitation, aortic valve regurgitation, and a history of spleen infarction 1 year ago. His right eye was hypertrophic and right eye downgaze was limited unilaterally of equal degree in adduction and abduction. The patient was diagnosed with double depressor palsy of the right eye. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed an old infarction of the left thalamus, and diffusion MRI showed acute infarction of the right thalamus. The patient’s daily warfarin dose was 2 mg and it was increased to 5 mg with cilostazol 75 mg twice a day. Seven weeks later, the patient’s ocular movement revealed near normal muscle action, and subjectively, the patient was diplopia free. At follow-up 12 months later, the patient revisited the hospital because of sudden onset of blurred vision on right gaze. He was observed to have smooth pursuit deficit to the right side, and orthophoric position of the eyes in primary gaze. MRI of the brain showed an acute infarction in the right medial superior temporal area.

Conclusions

The patient experienced very rare abnormal eyeball movements twice. This case highlights the importance of evaluating vertical movement of the eyes and vascular supplies when patients present with depressor deficit and supports the theory of a supranuclear function in patients who present with pursuit deficit.

     

Receptor-mediated gene transfer to cells of hepatic origin by galactosylated albumin-polylysine complexes.

To study whether we could enhance the liver targeting of DNA delivery via asialoglycoprotein receptors using a complex of poly-L-lysine (PLL)-condensed DNA and galactosylated bovine serum albumin (GalBSA) (GPD complex), DNA was first combined with PLL and then with GalBSA via charge interaction (GalBSA: PLL: DNA=3:0.5:1, w/w/w). This vector was characterized by dynamic laser light scattering, gel retardation assay, and electron microscopy to determine the particle size, electrostatic charge interaction, and 3-D structure. An electron micrography of GPD complex, where GalBSA: PLL: DNA=3:0.5:1 (w/w/w), showed a structure of spherical particles with a mean diameter of 145+/-24.2 nm, and the complex was positively charged. The complex was tested for specificity and efficiency of gene transfer in cultured human hepatoblastoma cell line Hep G2 and mouse fibroblast cells NIH/3T3 in vitro. Cellular uptake was specifically dependent on the abundance of galactose receptors on target cells. Hep G2 cells transfected with GPD complexed with the fusogenic peptide KALA (WEAKLAKALAKALAKHLAKALAKALKACEA) showed a significantly higher reporter gene activity than those transfected with GPD complex alone or free DNA-KALA complex. The efficiency of gene transfer mediated by GPD-KALA complex was not affected by the presence of serum in the transfection medium. The reporter gene activity in NIH/3T3 cells transfected with GPD complex was very low regardless of the presence of KALA and almost the same as that transfected with bovine serum albumin (BSA)-PLL-DNA complex (BPD complex). This gene transfer formulation may find potential applications for the gene therapy of liver diseases.