Use of REMEDi HS in emergency toxicology for a rapid estimate of drug concentrations in urine, serum, and gastric samples.

The REMEDi HS is a broad spectrum drug identification system, designed for emergency toxicology screening and forensic applications. The total analysis time is about 20 min. The current library has 555 drugs and metabolites.

Use of direct-probe mass spectrometry as a toxicology confirmation method for demoxepam in urine following high-performance liquid chromatography.

The identification of the metabolite demoxepam in human urine establishes that chlordiazepoxide, a common benzodiazepine, has been administered. Like N-oxide metabolites of other drugs, demoxepam cannot be detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), due to thermal decomposition, and the product, nordiazepam, is a metabolite common to many benzodiazepines. Demoxepam can be readily screened using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system such as REMEDi HS; at 35 degrees C, no thermal decomposition will occur.

Lead testing of children and homes: results of a national telephone survey.

Objectives: This study was designed to estimate the percentage of young children in the United States who have been tested for lead and the percentage of dwellings in the United States in which the paint has been tested for lead.

Methods: A national random digit dial telephone survey of 5238 households was conducted in 1994. Weighted national estimates and 95% confidence intervals for outcomes of interest were calculated.

Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in patients with Crohn's disease define a clinical subgroup.

Background & Aims: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been consistently detected in a subgroup of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). This study was designed to determine whether serum ANCA expression in patients with CD characterizes an identifiable clinical subgroup.

Methods: The study population consisted of 69 consecutive patients with an established diagnosis of CD as determined by a combination of characteristic clinical, radiographic, endoscopic, and histopathologic criteria.

Sulbactam and clavulanic acid: enzyme kinetics and synergy with ampicillin and mezlocillin.

The two beta-lactamase inhibitors, sulbactam and clavulanic acid, exhibit high affinity (K(I) < 10(-6)mol/l) for the beta-lactamases of Gram-negative organisms with predominantly penicillinase activity and much less affinity (especially clavulanic acid) for organisms with predominantly cephalosporinase activity. In tests to compare the synergy of these beta-lactamase inhibitors with other antibiotics, clavulanic acid and ampicillin or mezlocillin demonstrated greater synergy than sulbactam and ampicillin or mezlocillin, with isolates forming either a plasmid-coded beta-lactamase or a chromosomal enzyme with predominantly penicillinase activity. However, neither sulbactam nor clavulanic acid were able to protect ampicillin or mezlocillin adequately against inactivation by beta-lactamase overproducing variants of Klebsiella pneumoniae or Klebsiella oxytoca, irrespective of the extent of synergy seen with the corresponding wild strains.

RNA editing is required for efficient excision of tRNA(Phe) from precursors in plant mitochondria.

RNA editing corrects a 4C-A69 mismatch to a conventional 4T-A69 Watson-Crick base pair in the acceptor stem of the mitochondrially encoded tRNAPhe in plants. In vitro processing of edited and unedited Oenothera tRNA Phe precursor RNAs with pea mitochondrial protein extracts shows a significant effect of this RNA-editing event on the efficiency of 5' and 3' processing. While mature tRNA molecules are rapidly generated by in vitro processing from edited precursors, the formation of mature tRNAs from unedited pre-tRNAs is considerably reduced.

Intraocular silicone lenses in silicone oil: an experimental study.

Background: To evaluate a potential effect of silicone oil on flexible silicone intraocular lenses, four lenses (STAAR AA-4203) were stored in silicone oil under sterile conditions for periods between 1 month and 3 years.

Method: The edge and surface of the lenses were examined by scanning electron micrography and the findings compared with a lens of the same model which had been stored in Ringer's solution for 2 years.

Results: After 1 year of silicone oil exposure, droplets of different sizes adherent to the surface of the lens were found.

Use of perfluorocarbon liquids in proliferative vitreoretinopathy: results and complications.

Background: The present study was set up to evaluate the influence of perfluorocarbon liquids on the postoperative anatomical and functional results as well as on the complication rates in eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Methods: Sixty five consecutive eyes (64 patients) with PVR in different stages requiring surgical intervention where liquid perfluorocarbons were used were compared with 64 consecutive eyes (62 patients) operated without the help of perfluorocarbon immediately before this time. Both groups were similar with regard to severity of PVR, number of operations, and initial visual acuity.

High expression of a CD38-like molecule in normal prostatic epithelium and its differential loss in benign and malignant disease.

Purpose: We characterize an undescribed antigen on prostatic epithelial cells, which is recognized by anti-CD38.

Materials And Methods: Normal (3 cases), benign hyperplastic (10) and carcinomatous (10) prostatic tissues were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, immuno-electron microscopy and the Western blot test.

Results: Comparison of prostatic and lymphatic CD38 antigen revealed identical bands at 45 kD.

Forensic application of an automated drug-profiling system.

The rapid emergency drug identification (REMEDi) system is an automated drug-profiling system that employs high-performance liquid chromatography with a multicolumn design. It has previously proven successful in emergency toxicology situations and in the clinical analysis of urine and serum. Its capabilities include the broad spectrum identification of more than 500 basic, neutral, and slightly acidic drugs and metabolites.

A novel pea mitochondrial in vitro transcription system recognizes homologous and heterologous mRNA and tRNA promoters.

To elucidate the mechanism involved in the transcription initiation process in mitochondria of dicotyledonous plants, an in vitro transcription system was established for pea (Pisum sativum L.). The partially purified mitochondrial protein extract initiates transcription on homologous pea templates as well as on heterologous mitochondrial DNA from other dicot plant species.

A novel class of autoantigens of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis: the lysosomal membrane glycoprotein h-lamp-2 in neutrophil granulocytes and a related membrane protein in glomerular endothelial cells.

Necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis (NCGN) is frequently associated with circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA). It is established that ANCA are specific for soluble enzymes of granules of polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes (PMN), such as myeloperoxidase (MPO) or protease 3 (PR3). The purpose of this study was to identify membrane proteins of PMNs, and/or glomerular cells, as additional autoantigenic ANCA targets.

The development of a broad-spectrum toxicology screening program in Taiwan.

Our institute serves as a centralized clinical laboratory for municipal and private hospitals in Taipei, a major international metropolis in the Asian region. Two key considerations leading to the development of our toxicology program are: a large number of foreign visitors and local residents returning from overseas trips may bring in chemicals which are less commonly seen in this region; and the lack of readily available assays for a large percentage of commonly used medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Our toxicology screening program addresses the needs of both the Emergency Department Drug Screening and Drug of Abuse Screening.

The effect of chemical stability and purification of perfluorocarbon liquids in experimental extended-term vitreous substitution.

Background: To determine the importance of chemical stability and purification of perfluorocarbon liquids (PFCLs) in experimental retinal tolerance, we tested four different substances as long-term vitreous tamponade: purified and nonpurified perfluorodecalin (PFD) and perfluoro-octyl-bromide (PFOB).

Method: After mechanical vitrectomy we replaced the vitreous of 65 rabbit eyes. Five groups were formed; four of them received the four PFCLs, while one served as control and received Ringer solution.

Transcription of potato mitochondrial 26S rRNA is initiated at its mature 5' end.

Transcription initiation sites in plant mitochondria can be located by in vitro capping of primary 5' transcript termini. Direct sequencing of a cap-labelled mitochondrial RNA from potato shows its sequence to be identical to the 5' terminal part of the 26S rRNA. Primer extension analysis indicates the mature 5' end to be the sole detectable 5' transcript terminus.

RNA editing of tRNA(Phe) and tRNA(Cys) in mitochondria of Oenothera berteriana is initiated in precursor molecules.

We have analyzed the role of RNA editing in the correction of mismatched base pairs in tRNA secondary structures in mitochondria of the flowering plant Oenothera berteriana. Comparison of genomic and cDNA sequences from unprocessed primary transcripts of the newly characterized genes for tRNA(Cys), tRNA(Asn) and tRNA(Ile) and the previously described gene for tRNA(Phe) revealed single nucleotide discrepancies in the tRNA(Cys) and tRNA(Phe) sequences. While the change in the anticodon stem of tRNA(Cys) alters a C-T to a T-T mismatch, the nucleotide transition in the tRNA(Phe) restores a conventional T-A Watson-Crick base pair, replacing a C-A mismatch in the acceptor stem.

Experimental perforating injury with high energy electrons to inhibit intraocular proliferation.

Since 1980, the fibroblast model creating experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy has been used to evaluate the antiproliferative effect of various drugs. In previous studies radiation therapy was found to reduce effectively intraocular proliferation in this model. We therefore investigated the effect of high energy electrons in a standard perforating injury model creating a traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Retrospective study of the impact of lead-based paint hazard remediation on children's blood lead levels in St. Louis, Missouri.

A retrospective follow-up study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of lead-based paint hazard remediation in reducing children's blood lead levels. The authors reviewed existing St. Louis, Missouri, City Health Department records, identified 185 children younger than age 6 years who had blood lead levels > or = 25 micrograms/dl during 1989 or 1990, and compared changes in blood lead levels among children whose dwellings did and those whose dwellings did not undergo remediation.

Radiation therapy in proliferative vitreoretinopathy. A prospective randomized study.

In a prospective study of the effect of postoperative radiation therapy for the prevention of reproliferation of membranes and recurrent proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) two similar groups of patients with retinal detachment and PVR grade D1 to D3 in one eye were compared. Half the eyes (30) received a total dose of 3000 cGy after surgery; the other half remained untreated. After a follow-up of 6 months and 14 months or more (maximum 36 months) the anatomical and functional results of each group were compared.

[Simultaneous occurrence of extra-abdominal fibromatosis and post-traumatic keloid].

The report deals with the clinical features of a 26-year-old man with the extraabdominal form of deep fibromatosis, which became manifest at the age of 18 years as acute ileus caused by diffuse intraabdominal fibromatous tumours. In the later course of the disease extensive fibromatous lesions developed, mainly at the skin. In addition, multiple keloids occurred after excision or after negligible traumas.