[Neuropathy in n-hexane poisoning].

N-Hexane is a solvent widely used in manufacturing as a cleaner, degreaser and component of rubber cement. Chronic exposure to -hexane either through contact with unprotected skin or inhalation can lead to the development of clinical symptoms and electrophysiological changes similar to those of inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy which requires careful differential diagnosis. This article presents three cases of severe predominantly motor polyneuropathy with demyelinating features in 15- and 16-year-old adolescents.

Austalides V and W, new meroterpenoids from the fungus Aspergillus ustus and their antitumor activities.

Two new austalide meroterpenoids, named austalides V and W (1 and 2), were isolated from the fungus Aspergillus ustus VKM F-4692. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with related known compounds. The main structural feature of both compounds is a tetrahydrofuranyl ring (G), a structural fragment, first found in austalides.

Resonant Grating without a Planar Waveguide Layer as a Refractive Index Sensor.

Dielectric grating-based sensors are usually based on the guided mode resonance (GMR) obtained using a thin planar waveguide layer (PWL) adjacent to a thin subwavelength grating layer. In this work, we present a detailed investigation of thick subwavelength dielectric grating structures that exhibit reflection resonances above a certain thickness without the need for the waveguide layer, showing great potential for applications in biosensing and tunable filtering. Analytic and numerical results are thoroughly discussed, as well as an experimental demonstration of the structure as a chemical sensor in the SWIR (short wave infrared) spectral range (1200-1800 nm).

Secondary metabolites of the genus Penicillium from undisturbed and anthropogenically altered Antarctic habitats.

From undisturbed Antarctic habitats (permafrost sediments 30-150 thousand years of age, water of Radok Lake) and superficial deposits contaminated with petroleum products, we isolated 14 and 9 strains of Penicillium fungi, respectively. Comparison of the fungal complexes showed them to differ by species composition; only two species-P. palitans and P.