Synthesis of the very acid-sensitive Fmoc-Cys(Mmt)-OH and its application in solid-phase peptide synthesis

S-4-methoxytrityl cysteine was synthesized and converted into the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Mmt)-OH by its reaction with Fmoc-OSu. As compared to the corresponding Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-OH, the S-Mmt-function was found to be considerably more acid labile. Quantitative S-Mmt-removal occurs selectively in the presence of groups of the tert butyl type and S-Trt by treatment with 0.5–1.0% TFA. The new derivative was successfully utilized in the SPPS of Tyr¹-somatostatin on 2-chlorotrityl resin. In this synthesis groups of the Trt-type were exclusively used for amino acid side-chain protection. Quantitative cleavage from the resin and complete deprotection was performed by treatment with 3% TFA in DCM–TES (95:5) for 30 min at RT. We observed no reduction of tryptophan under these conditions. © Munksgaard 1996.     

Anthropometric Characteristics of Mohawk Children Aged 6 to 11 Years: A Population Perspective

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have concluded that Native North American children have higher proportions of overweight and obesity than children from the general North American population. This study presents anthropometric data on a representative sample of children from the Mohawk Nation that can be used for comparison with other Native American populations. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study comparing distributions of anthropometric characteristics of Mohawk children to the corresponding age and gender data from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). Weight, height, triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness, and waist and hip circumferences were measured in 527 children. SUBJECTS/SETTING: All children in grades 1 to 6 (aged 6 to 11 years) in the 3 elementary schools of 2 Mohawk communities in Canada, for whom parental consent was obtained, were enrolled in the present study. There were no exclusion criteria. With a participation rate of 83%, the 527 children enrolled in this study represent an unbiased sample of the population from 2 Mohawk territories. RESULTS: Compared with children studied in NHANES II, Mohawk children were similar in height and triceps skinfolds but were generally heavier, had thicker subscapular skinfolds, and had greater waist and hip circumferences. These differences were greater in older children. Mohawk children who had extreme-high weight values compared with their population means were heavier than their NHANES II counterparts. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that, on average, Mohawk children seem to be slightly heavier than children in NHANES II. Except for those with extreme overweight values, Mohawk children show less variation of weight and body mass index than children in NHANES II. Finally, overweight Mohawk children seem to be more likely to carry their excess body fat truncally, compared with overweight children from NHANES II. Health practitioners working with Native American populations should be careful when assessing childhood obesity. Simple comparisons of weight or body mass index with NHANES standards may lead to inappropriate risk assessments.     

Lifetime Prevalence of Eating Disorders Among Professionals in the Field

The purpose of this study was to assess whether professionals in the field of eating disorders have an increased lifetime prevalence of an eating disorder compared to the general population.     

Survival of Radiochromium-labeled Platelets in Thrombocytopenias

Platelet survival studies were performed by the radiochromium method in280 patients. Although various types of patients were studied, markedly accelerated platelet destruction was encountered only in those with ITP. Nothrombocytopenic patient was found with accelerated platelet production andchanges in platelet count with therapy reflected corresponding changes insurvival. The use of surface scanning showed that patients with significantsplenic localization were more suitable candidates for splenectomy that thosewithout this localization.

Submitted on December 24, 1962 Accepted on June 21, 1963     

Dual Chamber Pacing in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: Beneficial Effect of Atrioventricular Junction Ablation for Optimal Left Ventricular Capture and Filling

Clinical improvement with dual chamber pacing bas largely been reported in patients suffering from hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and mainly attributed to the reduction of the subaortic pressure gradient. To be effective, pacing must induce a permanent and complete capture of the LV. In two patients of our collective, symptoms (angina and dyspnea NYHA Class III and/or syncopes) persisted or relapsed despite pacing. This was related to the inability to obtain full LV capture due to a too-short native PR interval. RF ablation of the AV junction was therefore performed in botb patients, resulting in permanent AV block in one and prolonged PR interval up to 310 ms in the second. Pacing was thereafter associated with an immediate and significant clinical improvement related to permanent LV capture, whatever the patient's activity. After RF ablation, the AV delay was set up to induce the best LV filling, as assessed by Doppler analysis of mitral flow. Our observations suggest that RF ablation or modification of the AV junction can be a successful procedure in some patients with residual or recurrent symptoms, when the latter result from a loss of capture or from the inability to program an AV delay tbat does not compromise the active component to LV filling. Doppler echocardiography is a simple and effective mean to assess the hemodynamic effect of AV interval modulation in this setting.     

Barriers to methamphetamine withdrawal treatment in Australia: Findings from a survey of AOD service providers

Introduction and Aims. Despite the high prevalence of methamphetamine use and dependence in Australia, withdrawal treatment access for methamphetamine accounts for only 9.3% of total withdrawal treatment presentations. Furthermore, treatment completion for methamphetamine users is one of the lowest of all drugs. There is not a clear understanding for the reasons why methamphetamine withdrawal treatment presentations and efficacy is so low. This study examined the current practices and barriers to methamphetamine withdrawal treatment in Australia. Design and Methods. Twenty‐four interviews were conducted with employees from alcohol and other drug services from around Australia. These services were questioned about a range of issues relating to methamphetamine withdrawal treatment including current treatment practices, perception of the effectiveness of current treatment and barriers to treatment. Results. The study found that current practices in the treatment of methamphetamine withdrawal are diverse and uncertain. Service providers identified a great number of barriers to the treatment of methamphetamine withdrawal that encompass personal, social, cultural and organisational barriers. Discussion and Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that alcohol and other drug service providers are not clear about the best way to respond to clients seeking methamphetamine withdrawal treatment. Furthermore, the study showed a general pessimism about withdrawal treatment for this group. Treatment services should consider improving withdrawal protocols, educating clinicians and reconsidering entry criteria to better respond to methamphetamine users who have made the important first step into withdrawal treatment.[Pennay AE, Lee NK. Barriers to methamphetamine withdrawal treatment in Australia: Findings from a survey of AOD service providers. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009]     

Clinical and socio-professional fate of isocyanate-induced asthma

Thirty-one patients with isocyanate-induced asthma were studied 6–54 months after diagnosis. Four had the same work conditions and unchanged or worse respiratory symptoms; seven had an alternative job or safer work conditions at the same workplace and suffered from mild to severe symptoms. The remaining twenty subjects were definitely removed from exposure; of these, ten (50%) remained symptomatic after being removed from exposure for an average of 19 months. Asymptomatic patients appeared to be younger and to have shorter durations of total and symptomatic exposures, while symptomatic patients were more reactive to acetylcholine at diagnosis. For patients removed from isocyanate exposure and for those re-employed at the same work-place, quality of the new work site seems to play a role in the evolution of isocyanate-induced asthma.